Space engine pre-cooling system, working method and spacecraft

Abstract

The application provides a space engine precooling system, a working method and a spacecraft, and comprises a storage tank, an engine, a heat exchange loop heat exchange section and a double-layer transmission pipe; the heat exchange loop heat exchange section is arranged on the side of the engine; the storage tank is connected with the head of the engine through the double-layer transmission pipe; a loop is arranged between the heat exchange loop heat exchange section and the storage tank, the loop is one-way flow, is led out from the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer, flows to the engine to perform heat exchange, and then flows back to the storage tank; the application is used for maintaining the temperature of the engine of the space cryogenic propulsion system, and a closed loop is formed through capillary action and heat exchange steam pressure driving, and the cryogenic propellant is not wasted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of cryogenic space propulsion system pre-cooling system, in particular to a space engine pre-cooling system, a working method and a spacecraft. BACKGROUND

[0002] The cryogenic propulsion system has the advantages of high specific impulse, green and clean, reusability, and easy integration design of orbit and attitude control, and is one of the key development directions of future space power. The space cryogenic propulsion system serves the spacecraft attitude and orbit control, and needs to maintain the output of the thrust at any time during the attitude and orbit control, so the attitude control and orbit control engines need to be started at any time, or the on-orbit state and the corresponding cooling time need to be accurately controlled.

[0003] Although the cryogenic engine (such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, liquid oxygen and methane) has high specific impulse, the engine needs to be pre-cooled during on-orbit, and part of the propellant carried during launch needs to be used to provide cold, thus reducing the efficiency of the propellant system. At present, the cryogenic engine is mainly used for launch vehicles, and the pre-cooling mode is mainly flow cooling. For example, patent CN107843434A proposes a scheme of using large-flow pre-cooling combined with small-flow pre-cooling to save the amount of pre-cooled propellant.

[0004] The space cryogenic propulsion system has the characteristics of long on-orbit time, uncertain start time, and limited total propellant carrying mass, and the amount of propellant used for pre-cooling needs to be optimized. The flow cooling is equivalent to directly discharging the propellant from the propulsion system, which causes waste and may have the disadvantage of insufficient use of cold. SUMMARY

[0005] In view of the defects in the prior art, the purpose of the present application is to provide a space engine pre-cooling system, a working method and a spacecraft.

[0006] According to the space engine pre-cooling system provided by the present application, the space engine pre-cooling system comprises a storage tank, an engine, a heat exchange section of a heat exchange circuit, and a double-layer transmission pipe.

[0007] The heat exchange section of the heat exchange circuit is arranged on the side or inside of the engine.

[0008] The storage tank is connected to the engine, and the double-layer transmission pipe is arranged between the storage tank and the engine.

[0009] A circuit is arranged between the heat exchange section of the heat exchange circuit and the storage tank, one flow passage of the circuit is connected to the storage tank through the double-layer transmission pipe, and the circuit is unidirectional flow.

[0010] Preferably, the double-layer transmission pipe comprises a double-layer transmission pipe inner layer and a double-layer transmission pipe interlayer.

[0011] The double-layer transmission pipe is provided with a double-layer transmission pipe interlayer on the inner wall of the double-layer transmission pipe, and the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer is formed in the pipeline inside the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer.

[0012] Preferably, one end of the double-layer transmission pipe central flow channel is communicated with the storage tank, and the other end is connected with one end of the main channel, and the other end of the main channel is connected with the engine.

[0013] Preferably, a flow cooling valve is arranged on the main channel.

[0014] Preferably, the circuit is connected with one end of the heat exchange circuit heat exchange section through the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer, and the other end of the heat exchange circuit heat exchange section is connected with the storage tank, and the circuit is a return flow channel.

[0015] A one-way valve and a temperature maintaining valve are arranged on the capillary bypass, and the temperature maintaining valve is arranged on the side close to the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer, and the temperature maintaining valve is used to open the temperature maintaining circuit (heat exchange circuit).

[0016] Preferably, the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer is filled with a porous structure in the body, and the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer allows the liquid to be absorbed from the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer through the capillary action of the porous structure.

[0017] Preferably, the porous structure is made of wire weaving or stacking materials.

[0018] Preferably, the circuit is one-way flow, and the liquid is flowed from the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer to the engine for heat exchange, and then flowed back to the storage tank.

[0019] Preferably, a working method of the space engine pre-cooling system comprises the following steps.

[0020] Step S1, when the engine needs to work, the flow cooling valve is opened, and the liquid is flowed from the storage tank to the engine through the double-layer transmission pipe and the main channel, and the engine is pre-cooled.

[0021] Step S2, when the engine is turned off after entering the orbit, and the engine is kept closed for a long time, the temperature maintaining valve is opened, and the flow cooling valve is closed, the liquid in the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer is absorbed by the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer through the capillary action of the porous structure, the liquid in the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer is flowed into the heat exchange circuit heat exchange section through the capillary bypass, the liquid is phase changed after heat exchange, the local steam pressure is increased, the steam after heat exchange is sent to the storage tank through the return flow channel, and the steam is condensed into liquid.

[0022] Step S3, when the engine needs to be used for multiple times, the flow cooling valve is opened, and the engine is flowed and cooled with small flow.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] 1. This invention utilizes capillary action under microgravity to provide driving force for capillary bypass channels without consuming additional energy;

[0025] 2. This invention is used for engine temperature maintenance in space cryogenic propulsion systems. It forms a closed-loop drive through capillary action and heat exchange steam pressure, thus avoiding waste of cryogenic propellant.

[0026] 3. The present invention can adopt different cooling methods according to the engine's operating mode to optimize the use of propellant cooling capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the precooling system.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a double-layer transmission pipe;

[0030] As shown in the figure:

[0031] Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment includes: a storage tank 1, an engine 2, a heat exchange circuit heat exchange section 3, and a double-layer transmission pipe 7; the heat exchange circuit heat exchange section 3 is located on the periphery or inner side of the engine 2, the storage tank 1 is connected to the engine 2, the double-layer transmission pipe 7 is installed between the storage tank 1 and the engine 2, a loop is installed between the heat exchange circuit heat exchange section 3 and the storage tank 1, and one flow channel of the loop is connected to the storage tank 1 through the double-layer transmission pipe 7. One end of the central flow channel of the double-layer transmission pipe 7 is connected to the storage tank 1, and the other end is connected to one end of the main circuit 5. The other end of the main circuit 5 is connected to the engine 2, and a flow cooling valve 8 is installed on the main circuit 5.

[0035] like Figure 2As shown, the double-layer transmission pipe 7 comprises a double-layer transmission pipe inner layer 12 and a double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9; the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 is arranged on the inner side wall of the double-layer transmission pipe 7, and the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer 12 is arranged in the pipe formed by the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9. The body of the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 is filled with a porous structure, and the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 allows the liquid to be absorbed from the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer 12 through the capillary action of the porous structure. The porous structure is made of wire-woven or stacked materials.

[0036] The capillary bypass 6 is connected to one end of the heat exchange loop heat exchange section 3 after being led out by the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9, and the backflow flow channel 4 is connected to the other end of the heat exchange loop heat exchange section 3 and the storage tank 1; the one-way valve 10 and the temperature maintaining valve 11 are arranged on the capillary bypass 6, and the temperature maintaining valve 11 is arranged on the side close to the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9.

[0037] The embodiment also provides a working method of the space engine pre-cooling system in each working mode, comprising the following steps:

[0038] Mode one, when the engine needs to work after entering the orbit, the flow cooling valve 8 is opened, and the liquid flows from the storage tank 1 to the engine 2 through the double-layer transmission pipe 7 and the main loop 5 to pre-cool the engine 2;

[0039] Mode two, when the engine is kept off for a long time after entering the orbit, the temperature maintaining valve 11 is opened, the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 absorbs the liquid of the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer 12 through the capillary action of the porous structure, the liquid of the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 enters the heat exchange loop heat exchange section 3 through the capillary bypass 6, the liquid is phase changed after heat exchange, the partial steam pressure is increased, the steam after heat exchange is sent to the storage tank 1 through the backflow flow channel 4, and the steam is condensed into liquid;

[0040] Mode three, when the engine needs to be used for multiple times, the flow cooling valve 8 is opened, and the engine is flow cooled with small flow (a large amount of fluid is needed to cool the engine for the first time in space, the temperature of the engine after temperature maintaining is lower than that after entering the orbit, but low-temperature fluid is needed to pass through each time to make the temperature completely reduced to the position).

[0041] Embodiment 2

[0042] Embodiment 2 is a preferred example of embodiment 1.

[0043] As Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the embodiment can utilize the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 capillary effect to transport fluid to the heat exchange section 3 of the heat exchange circuit in a microgravity environment, provide cold to the engine 2, and maintain the space engine 2 temperature, including: double-layer transmission pipe 7, flow cooling valve 8 on the main circuit 5, capillary bypass 6, heat exchange section 3 of the heat exchange circuit, temperature maintaining valve 11 controlling the opening and closing of the capillary bypass 6, and one-way valve 10. The heat exchange section 3 of the heat exchange circuit can be arranged at different positions of the engine according to requirements, or integrated with the engine.

[0044] The double-layer transmission pipe 7 is arranged on the main circuit 5, the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9 of the double-layer transmission pipe 7 is filled with wire-woven or stacked materials to achieve a certain porosity and wicking rate; the capillary bypass 6 is led out from the outer layer of the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9, and after the liquid from the capillary bypass 6 is vaporized by heat exchange at the engine, the fluid is pushed back to the storage tank 1 to condense back to liquid.

[0045] The capillary bypass 6 is provided with a one-way valve 10, and the liquid can only flow from the double-layer transmission pipe 7 to the heat exchange section 3 of the heat exchange circuit in one direction, and the temperature maintaining valve 11 of the capillary bypass 6 controls the opening and closing of the capillary bypass 6, and the temperature maintaining function can be turned on and off at any time according to requirements.

[0046] The use method of the pre-cooling system is as follows:

[0047] Mode one: when the engine needs to work immediately after entering the orbit, the flow cooling valve 8 is opened to quickly pre-cool the engine 2;

[0048] Mode two: if the engine is kept off for a long time after entering the orbit, the temperature maintaining valve 11 is opened, the porous structure formed by the metal wires has capillary effect to absorb the liquid to the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer 9, and then the liquid enters the heat exchange section 3 of the heat exchange circuit through the capillary bypass 6, after the phase change of the liquid heat exchange, the local vapor pressure is increased, and then the vapor after heat exchange is sent to the storage tank 1 to condense into liquid;

[0049] Mode three: if the engine needs to be used multiple times in a short time, the flow cooling valve 8 is opened to flow cool the engine 2 with small flow.

[0050] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0051] The specific embodiments of the present application are described above. It needs to be understood that the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various changes or modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims, which does not affect the essential content of the present application. The embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other at will without conflict.

Claims

1. A space engine precooling system, characterized in that, include: Storage tank (1), engine (2), heat exchange circuit heat exchange section (3) and double-layer transmission pipe (7); The heat exchange section (3) of the heat exchange circuit is located on the periphery or inside the engine (2); The storage tank (1) is connected to the engine (2), and the double-layer transmission pipe (7) is provided between the storage tank (1) and the engine (2). A circuit is provided between the heat exchange section (3) of the heat exchange circuit and the storage tank (1), and one flow channel of the circuit is connected to the storage tank (1) through the double-layer transmission pipe (7). The double-layer transmission tube (7) includes: an inner layer (12) and a sandwich layer (9). The double-layer transmission pipe (7) is provided with a double-layer transmission pipe interlayer (9) on its inner side wall, and the double-layer transmission pipe inner layer (12) is provided inside the pipe formed by the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer (9). The body of the double-layer transfer tube interlayer (9) is filled with a porous structure, which allows liquid to be drawn from the inner layer (12) of the double-layer transfer tube through the capillary action of the porous structure.

2. The space engine precooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the central flow channel of the double-layer transmission pipe (7) is connected to the storage tank (1), and the other end is connected to one end of the main road (5). The other end of the main road (5) is connected to the engine (2).

3. The space engine precooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that: A flow cooling valve (8) is installed on the main road (5).

4. The space engine precooling system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The loop is led out from the double-layer transmission pipe interlayer (9) and connected to one end of the heat exchange section (3) of the heat exchange loop as a capillary bypass (6), and the other end of the heat exchange section (3) of the heat exchange loop is connected to the storage tank (1) as a return flow channel (4). A one-way valve (10) and a temperature holding valve (11) are provided on the capillary bypass (6), and the temperature holding valve (11) is located on the side close to the double-layer transmission tube interlayer (9).

5. The space engine precooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The porous structure is made of woven or stacked metal wire materials.

6. A method for operating the space engine precooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: When the engine needs to work after entering the rail, the flow cooling valve (8) is opened. Liquid flows from the storage tank (1) to the engine (2) through the double-layer transmission pipe (7) and the main road (5) and pre-cools the engine (2). Step S2: After the orbital engine is shut down, when the engine is kept off for a long time, the temperature holding valve (11) is opened and the flow cooling valve (8) is closed. The double-layer transmission pipe jacket (9) draws liquid from the inner layer (12) of the double-layer transmission pipe through the capillary action of the porous structure. The liquid in the double-layer transmission pipe jacket (9) enters the heat exchange section (3) of the heat exchange circuit through the capillary bypass (6). After the liquid undergoes heat exchange and phase change, the local vapor pressure increases. The steam after heat exchange is sent to the storage tank (1) through the return flow channel (4). The steam condenses into liquid. Step S3: When the engine needs to be used multiple times, open the flow cooling valve (8) to flow cool the engine.

7. A spacecraft, characterized in that: The space engine precooling system described in any one of claims 1-5 is adopted.

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