Which risk increases in cryogenic storage tanks as liquid nitrogen undergoes phase changes?

💡 Explanation

When liquid nitrogen undergoes phase transition, significant temperature gradients occur because the latent heat of vaporization must be absorbed from the tank walls which leads to differential contraction, increasing the risk of embrittlement from exceeding the material strain limits. Therefore tank embrittlement is likely, rather than pressure buildup, increased heat transfer, or insulation failure, which require other mechanisms under normal operation.

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