Carrier rocket propellant management device

Abstract

The invention discloses a carrier rocket propellant management device which comprises a porous partition plate, a screen structure, a screen support, a storage box, a conveying pipe and a pressurizing pipe. The porous partition plate is installed on the upper portion of the storage box and used for restraining the propellant from shaking in the long-time small negative overload section, and the low-temperature liquid propellant is prevented from being mixed with the air pillow. The porous partition plate is a disc formed by splicing fan-shaped pore plates and is mounted at the upper part of the storage box; the screen structure is positioned at the lower part of the storage box; the screen structure is formed by splicing a plurality of fan-shaped components into a circle and comprises an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner ring; the screen support comprises a plurality of vertical partition plates and a framework and is used for supporting the screen structure and playing an anti-vortex role at the same time; the framework is fixed on the vertical partition plate; the storage box is communicated to a rocket engine through a conveying pipe; and the pressurizing pipe is used for conveying pressurizing gas to the storage box. The device has the functions of gas isolation and liquid storage, can meet the matching requirements of a sinking engine, is beneficial to secondary weight reduction, and improves the effective load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aerospace propulsion technology, and in particular relates to a propellant management device for launch vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] The propellant management system of a launch vehicle is designed to suppress liquid propellant sloshing within the tanks, prevent gas from entering the delivery pipes, and ensure the engine starts without gas trapping and operates normally. Furthermore, when the launch vehicle's propulsion system employs a self-pressurization scheme, it is unfavorable for cryogenic propellant sloshing caused by negative overload. Cryogenic liquid enters the gas chamber, causing intense gas-liquid heat exchange and a rapid drop in tank pressure. To meet the tank pressure requirements for engine restart, a large amount of pressurization is needed, resulting in the rocket carrying more pressurization cylinders and helium, thus reducing payload. Moreover, the propellant management system's functions of gas isolation and liquid retention can replace the requirements for bottom-mounted engine components, contributing to second-stage weight reduction.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a propellant management device to improve the control of liquid propellant agitation within the propellant while retaining a certain amount of propellant, thus replacing the requirements of underfloor engines and increasing the effective payload. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a propellant management device for launch vehicles.

[0005] The specific technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0006] A propellant management device for a launch vehicle includes a perforated partition, a screen structure, a screen support, a storage tank, a delivery pipe, and a pressurization pipe;

[0007] The porous baffle is installed on the upper part of the tank to suppress the sloshing of propellant during long-term low-load overload, and to prevent the mixing of cryogenic liquid propellant and gas cushion, which would cause a rapid drop in tank pressure. The porous baffle is a disk made of fan-shaped perforated plates spliced ​​together and installed on the upper part of the tank.

[0008] The screen structure is located at the bottom of the storage tank. Its function is to prevent gas from entering the delivery pipe during the negative overload section, especially during the large negative overload section of separation, to ensure that the engine does not start with air trapped. The screen structure is composed of multiple fan-shaped components spliced ​​into a circle, including an outer ring, a middle ring, and an inner ring.

[0009] The screen support includes several vertical partitions and a frame, which are used to support the screen structure and also play an anti-vortex role during the propellant delivery process; the frame is fixed to the vertical partitions.

[0010] The storage tank is connected to the rocket engine via a delivery pipe;

[0011] The booster pipe supplies pressurized gas to the storage tank.

[0012] Preferably, the screen structure includes screen component A, screen component B, and screen component C;

[0013] The plurality of screen components B are connected to form an outer ring;

[0014] The plurality of screen components A are spliced ​​together to form a middle ring;

[0015] The plurality of screen components C form an inner ring;

[0016] The ratio of the number of outer rings to the number of middle rings is 2:1.

[0017] Preferably, the installation height of the porous baffle and screen structure inside the storage tank needs to be determined in combination with factors such as flight trajectory design and liquid sloshing analysis.

[0018] Preferably, the screen specifications and number of structural layers of screen components A, B, and C need to be determined in conjunction with factors such as flight overload analysis and pressurized conveying system design.

[0019] Preferably, the pore density of the porous partition needs to be determined in conjunction with factors such as flight overload and liquid sloshing analysis.

[0020] Preferably, the launch vehicle propellant management device is applicable to any ambient temperature propellant or cryogenic propellant.

[0021] Preferably, the launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for managing propellant during multiple restarts of the rocket's first stage reentry and return.

[0022] Preferably, the launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for propellant management during multiple on-orbit restarts of the rocket's second stage.

[0023] Working principle of this invention:

[0024] I. First and Second Stage Separation Sections of the Rocket

[0025] The significant separation overload of the rocket's first stage can cause substantial liquid sloshing and gas-liquid mixing. While the porous baffle can suppress propellant sloshing, a small amount of liquid can still penetrate the baffle and enter the gas chamber, causing a drop in pressure.

[0026] The screen structure prevents gas from penetrating the screen and entering the delivery pipe.

[0027] II. First-stage attitude adjustment and coasting phase after the separation of the first and second stages of the rocket

[0028] After the first and second stages of the launch vehicle separate, the first stage attitude adjustment and gliding section is subjected to various adverse negative overloads, causing liquid sloshing and gas to enter the delivery pipe; the screen structure of the first stage tank can retain the liquid propellant and prevent it from flowing out, while preventing gas from penetrating the screen and entering the delivery pipe;

[0029] The porous baffle of the primary storage tank can suppress liquid sloshing and prevent a large amount of liquid from entering the air cushion, thus preventing a drop in tank pressure.

[0030] III. First Stage Reentry

[0031] First stage return phase of the rocket: Before the engine restarts, the screen structure can prevent gas from entering and retain liquid propellant to ensure the supply of non-gas propellant during the engine start-up process.

[0032] IV. Second Stage Rocket Initial Shutdown and Coasting Phase

[0033] After the second-stage engine shuts down once, during the on-orbit coasting section, without direct thrust sinking to the bottom, the porous baffles inside the second-stage tank can inhibit the movement of propellant to the gas cushion and reduce the tank pressure.

[0034] The screen structure can retain propellant and prevent gas from entering the delivery pipe. The management device of this invention can eliminate the need for the on-orbit coasting section bottom-floor engine to operate, thus increasing the effective payload compared to conventional forward-thrust bottom-floor management schemes.

[0035] V. Second-stage engine restart phase of the rocket

[0036] In the second restart phase of the rocket's second-stage engine, when the second-stage engine restarts without the bottom-mounted engine providing forward thrust, the screen structure can prevent gas from entering while retaining liquid propellant, ensuring the supply of non-gas propellant during the engine start-up process.

[0037] VI. Secondary attitude adjustment and passivation phase after star-rocket separation

[0038] After separation of the spacecraft from the rocket, during the secondary attitude adjustment process, the screen structure and porous baffle prevent cryogenic propellant from entering the gas cushion and also prevent liquid from entering the safety valve port, which could cause the safety valve to fail.

[0039] In the secondary passivation stage, without forward thrust and bottoming action, the screen structure and porous baffle are used to prevent cryogenic propellant from entering the gas cushion; at the same time, they prevent liquid from entering the safety valve port and causing the safety valve to fail.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows:

[0041] (1) The screen structure of the present invention can isolate gas from entering, while storing liquid propellant, and prevent gas from penetrating the screen and entering the delivery pipe, thus ensuring that the engine starts without adding gas propellant.

[0042] (2) The porous baffle in the tank of the present invention can suppress liquid sloshing and prevent a large amount of liquid from entering the air cushion, which would cause the tank pressure to drop.

[0043] (3) The liquid stored in the screen structure of the present invention can replace the matching requirements of the bottom engine, which is beneficial to the second-stage weight reduction and improves the effective load.

[0044] (4) After the separation of the star and the rocket, during the secondary attitude adjustment process and the secondary passivation stage, the screen structure and porous partition of the present invention can prevent the cryogenic propellant from entering the air cushion, and at the same time prevent the liquid from entering the safety valve port and causing the safety valve to fail. It can efficiently discharge the cryogenic propellant and shorten the passivation time. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the propellant management device scheme for launch vehicles in this invention;

[0047] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the screen structure in this invention;

[0048] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of screen component A in the screen structure of this invention;

[0049] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of screen component B in the screen structure of this invention;

[0050] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of screen component C in the screen structure of this invention;

[0051] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the porous partition in this invention.

[0052] Explanation of markings in the diagram:

[0053] 1 is a porous partition; 2 is a screen structure; 2-1 is screen component A; 2-2 is screen component B; 2-3 is screen component C; 3 is a screen support; 4 is a storage tank; 5 is a conveying pipe; 6 is a pressurizing pipe; 7 is a frame. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0055] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0056] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-6 The present invention will be further described in detail below:

[0057] A launch vehicle propellant management device, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes a porous partition 1, a screen structure 2, a screen support 3, a storage tank 4, a conveying pipe 5, and a pressurizing pipe 6.

[0058] The porous baffle 1 is installed on the upper part of the storage tank 4 to suppress the sloshing of propellant during long-term small negative overload section, and to avoid the mixing of cryogenic liquid propellant and gas cushion, which would cause the tank pressure to drop rapidly; the porous baffle 1 is a disk made of fan-shaped perforated plates spliced ​​together and installed on the upper part of the storage tank 4.

[0059] The screen structure 2 is located at the bottom of the storage tank 4. Its function is to prevent gas from entering the delivery pipe 5 during the negative overload section, especially during the large negative overload section of separation, so as to ensure that the engine does not start with air trapped. The screen structure 2 is composed of multiple fan-shaped parts spliced ​​into a circle, including an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner ring.

[0060] The screen support 3 includes several vertical partitions and a frame 7, which are used to support the screen structure 2 and also play an anti-vortex role during the propellant delivery process; the frame 7 is fixed to the vertical partitions.

[0061] The storage tank 4 is connected to the rocket engine via a delivery pipe 5;

[0062] The booster pipe 6 supplies booster gas to the storage tank 4.

[0063] like Figure 2 As shown, the screen structure 2 includes screen component A 2-1, screen component B 2-2 and screen component C 2-3;

[0064] like Figure 4 As shown, the outer ring is composed of several screen components B2-2 spliced ​​together;

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, the middle ring is composed of several screen components A2-1 spliced ​​together;

[0066] like Figure 5 As shown, the inner ring is formed by a plurality of screen components C2-3;

[0067] The ratio of the number of outer rings to the number of middle rings is 2:1.

[0068] The installation height of the porous partition 1 and the screen structure 2 inside the storage tank 4 needs to be determined by taking into account factors such as flight trajectory design and liquid sloshing analysis.

[0069] The screen specifications and number of structural layers of screen components A 2-1, B 2-2 and C 2-3 need to be determined in conjunction with factors such as flight overload analysis and pressurized conveying system design.

[0070] like Figure 6 As shown, the pore density of the porous partition 1 needs to be determined by combining factors such as flight overload and liquid sloshing analysis.

[0071] The launch vehicle propellant management device is applicable to any ambient temperature propellant or cryogenic propellant.

[0072] The launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for managing propellant during multiple restarts of the first stage of rocket reentry.

[0073] The launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for propellant management during multiple on-orbit restarts of the rocket's second stage.

[0074] Working principle of this invention:

[0075] I. First and Second Stage Separation Sections of the Rocket

[0076] The significant separation overload of the rocket's first stage can cause substantial liquid sloshing and gas-liquid mixing. While the porous baffle 1 can suppress propellant sloshing, a small amount of liquid can still penetrate the baffle and enter the gas chamber, causing a drop in pressure.

[0077] The screen structure 2 can prevent gas from penetrating the screen and entering the conveying pipe 5.

[0078] II. First-stage attitude adjustment and coasting phase after the separation of the first and second stages of the rocket

[0079] After the first and second stages of the launch vehicle separate, the first stage attitude adjustment and gliding section is subjected to various adverse negative overloads, causing liquid sloshing and gas to enter the delivery pipe 5; the screen structure 2 of the first stage tank 4 can retain the liquid propellant and prevent it from flowing out, while preventing gas from penetrating the screen and entering the delivery pipe 5.

[0080] The porous baffle 1 of the primary storage tank 2 can suppress liquid sloshing and prevent a large amount of liquid from entering the air cushion, thus causing the tank pressure to drop.

[0081] III. First Stage Reentry

[0082] Rocket first stage return stage: Before the engine restarts, the screen structure 2 can prevent gas from entering and retain liquid propellant to ensure the supply of non-gas propellant during engine startup.

[0083] IV. Second Stage Rocket Initial Shutdown and Coasting Phase

[0084] After the second-stage engine shuts down once, during the on-rail coasting section, without direct thrust sinking to the bottom, the porous baffle 1 inside the second-stage tank 4 can inhibit the movement of propellant to the air cushion and reduce the tank pressure.

[0085] The screen structure 2 can retain propellant and prevent gas from entering the delivery pipe 5. The management device of this invention can eliminate the need for the on-orbit coasting section bottom-floor engine to operate, thus increasing the effective payload compared to conventional forward thrust bottom-floor management schemes.

[0086] V. Second-stage engine restart phase of the rocket

[0087] In the second restart phase of the rocket's second-stage engine, when the second-stage engine restarts without the bottom-mounted engine providing forward thrust, the screen structure 2 can prevent gas from entering while retaining liquid propellant, ensuring the supply of non-gas propellant during the engine start-up process.

[0088] VI. Secondary attitude adjustment and passivation phase after star-rocket separation

[0089] After the separation of the satellite and rocket, during the secondary attitude adjustment process, the screen structure 2, screen support 3, and porous partition 1 are used to prevent cryogenic propellant from entering the gas cushion and to prevent liquid from entering the safety valve port, which could cause the safety valve to fail.

[0090] In the secondary passivation stage, without the action of forward thrust settling to the bottom, the screen structure 2, screen support 3, and porous partition 1 are used to prevent cryogenic propellant from entering the gas pillow, causing gas-liquid mixing and affecting liquid discharge; at the same time, they prevent liquid from entering the safety valve port, causing the safety valve to fail.

[0091] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention based on the above disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A propellant management device for a launch vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a porous partition (1), a screen structure (2), a screen support (3), a storage tank (4), a conveying pipe (5), and a pressurizing pipe (6); The porous partition (1) is made of fan-shaped perforated plates spliced ​​into a disc and installed on the upper part of the storage tank (4) to suppress the propellant from shaking in the long-term small negative overload section, and to avoid the mixing of cryogenic liquid propellant and air cushion, which would cause the tank pressure to drop rapidly. The screen structure (2) is located at the bottom of the storage tank (4) and its function is to prevent gas from entering the conveying pipe (5) in the overload section; the screen structure (2) is composed of multiple fan-shaped components spliced ​​into a circle, including an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner ring; The screen support (3) includes several vertical partitions and a frame (7) for supporting the screen structure (2) and also for preventing vortexing during the propellant delivery process; the frame (7) is fixed to the vertical partitions. The storage tank (4) is connected to the rocket engine via a delivery pipe (5); The booster pipe (6) supplies pressurized gas to the storage tank (4).

2. The propellant management device for a launch vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The screen structure (2) includes screen component A (2-1), screen component B (2-2) and screen component C (2-3). The plurality of screen components B (2-2) are spliced ​​together to form an outer ring; The plurality of screen components A (2-1) are spliced ​​together to form a middle ring; The plurality of screen components C (2-3) form an inner ring; The ratio of the number of outer rings to the number of middle rings is 2:

1.

3. The propellant management device for a launch vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The installation height of the porous partition (1) and the screen structure (2) in the storage tank (4) needs to be determined in combination with the flight trajectory design and liquid sloshing factors.

4. A launch vehicle propellant management device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The screen specifications and number of structural layers of the screen components A (2-1), B (2-2), and C (2-3) need to be determined in conjunction with flight overload analysis and pressurized conveying system design factors.

5. A propellant management device for a launch vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pore density of the porous partition (1) needs to be determined by combining the analysis factors of flight overload and liquid sloshing.

6. A propellant management device for a launch vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The launch vehicle propellant management device is applicable to any ambient temperature propellant or cryogenic propellant.

7. A launch vehicle propellant management device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for managing propellant during multiple restarts of the first stage of rocket reentry.

8. A launch vehicle propellant management device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The launch vehicle propellant management device is suitable for propellant management during multiple on-orbit restarts of the rocket's second stage.

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