A reservoir integrated with a surface tension storage tank housing

Abstract

The application provides a liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension storage tank shell, which comprises a lower shell, a supplement port, a liquid outlet port, a screen assembly and a middle separation assembly, the supplement port and the liquid outlet port are connected with the bottom of the lower shell respectively, the middle separation assembly is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the lower shell, one end of the screen assembly is connected with the middle separation assembly, and the other end of the screen assembly is communicated with the liquid outlet port; the middle separation assembly comprises a separation plate, a gas guide pipe and a flow guide assembly, a circular hole is arranged in the center of the separation plate, the separation plate is fixed on the inner wall of the circumferential side of the lower shell, the flow guide assembly is arranged on the separation plate, one end of the gas guide pipe is arranged in the angle area between the separation plate and the lower shell, the other end of the gas guide pipe passes out from the circular hole, and the height of the passing-out end is flush with the highest part of the separation plate. The liquid on the upper and lower sides of the separation plate can freely move through the central circular hole, compared with the traditional closed accumulator structure, the great impact load caused by the incompressibility of the liquid to the structure is reduced, and the mechanical performance of the accumulator is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid propellant management technology under microgravity conditions, and more specifically, to an accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell. Background Technology

[0002] Surface tension tanks possess a range of advantages, including high reliability, lightweight construction, good propellant compatibility, and long service life, making them widely used in various spacecraft in the aerospace field, including satellites. The Propellant Management Device (PMD) is the core component of the surface tension tank. In a microgravity environment, driven by surface tension, the liquid propellant continuously converges into the PMD, achieving gas-liquid separation and ensuring no entrainment of gas. The accumulator is a crucial part of the PMD, designed to effectively store and manage the liquid propellant, reliably delivering gas-free liquid propellant.

[0003] Existing patent document CN103950557B discloses a liquid accumulator for a propellant tank in a spacecraft, comprising an air guide pipe, a cover plate, a shell, blades, a support column, a base, a channel window pressure plate, a channel window mesh, a liquid accumulator mesh, a fixing block, and a liquid accumulator mesh pressure plate. The blades are radially and evenly distributed and fixed on the support column to form an integral structure, which is installed and fixed on the inner circular partition of the base. The liquid accumulator mesh is fixed after being pressed onto the inner circular partition of the base by the liquid accumulator mesh pressure plate. The channel window mesh is fixed after being pressed onto the outer side of the base cylinder wall by the channel window pressure plate. The shell is fixed to the top of the base, the cover plate is fixed to the shell, and the fixing block fixes the air guide pipe to the cover plate.

[0004] With increasingly longer on-orbit lifespan requirements for spacecraft, the propellant replenishment function of surface tension tanks has gained growing importance in the satellite and other aerospace fields. The replenishment technology for surface tension tanks places higher demands on the liquid storage and management capabilities of the accumulators, becoming a research hotspot in this field. Currently, although some surface tension tank replenishment technologies have been implemented in engineering, some shortcomings remain. Existing surface tension tank replenishment technologies are only suitable for missions requiring one or two on-orbit replenishments. They typically use closed accumulators, utilizing a screen structure to collect propellant into the accumulator, and achieving the replenishment function through additional replenishment ports and pipelines. This structure is complex, with numerous screens and pipelines, resulting in poor mechanical adaptability and the lack of an venting device, making it unsuitable for multiple replenishment requirements and prone to problems such as air stagnation. Furthermore, existing replenishment technologies require the accumulator to be completely filled with liquid during replenishment, typically initiating replenishment when a significant amount of liquid remains in the tank, making the replenishment conditions extremely demanding. Therefore, in order to meet the current development needs of the aerospace industry, research on high-performance liquid accumulators that can be replenished multiple times is particularly important. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a liquid accumulator integrated with the surface tension tank shell.

[0006] According to the present invention, a liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension storage tank shell includes a lower shell, a filling port, a liquid outlet, a screen assembly, and a partition assembly. The filling port and the liquid outlet are respectively connected to the bottom of the lower shell. The partition assembly is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the lower shell. One end of the screen assembly is connected to the partition assembly, and the other end of the screen assembly is connected to the liquid outlet. The partition assembly includes a baffle plate, a gas guide pipe, and a flow guide assembly. A circular hole is provided in the center of the baffle plate. The baffle plate is fixed to the inner wall of the lower shell. The flow guide assembly is disposed on the baffle plate. One end of the gas guide pipe is disposed in the angle region between the baffle plate and the lower shell. The other end of the gas guide pipe passes through the circular hole, and the end of the gas guide pipe passing through the circular hole is flush with the highest point of the baffle plate.

[0007] Preferably, the partition is concave, and a stepped hole is provided on the outer side of the partition.

[0008] Preferably, the flow guiding assembly includes a support column, a lower flow guide plate, and a vertical flow guide plate. The support column is fixed to the partition plate, one side of the vertical flow guide plate is fixed to the upper surface of the partition plate, and the other side of the vertical flow guide plate is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate. One end of the lower flow guide plate is connected to the support column, and the other end of the lower flow guide plate is connected to the vertical flow guide plate.

[0009] Preferably, the top of the support column is provided with a protrusion, which is connected to the lower guide plate, and the bottom of the support column is provided with a support foot, which extends out of the stepped hole, while the protrusion does not extend into the stepped hole.

[0010] Preferably, the screen assembly includes an angle collector and a liquid channel. The angle collector is fixed on a support leg, one end of the liquid channel is connected to the angle collector, and the other end of the liquid channel is connected to a liquid outlet.

[0011] Preferably, the lower housing has a circular hole, and the filling port is connected to the lower housing through the circular hole. The angle between the axis of the circular hole and the axis of the lower housing is 20 degrees to 30 degrees.

[0012] Preferably, the partition assembly further includes a wedge plate, which is fixed to the lower surface of the partition; the wedge plate includes a conical plate and has a circular hole.

[0013] Preferably, a perforated cover plate is provided inside the lower housing, and the perforated cover plate is fixedly connected to the filling port; the perforated cover plate has circular holes distributed circumferentially.

[0014] Preferably, the vertical guide plate has a symmetrical folding structure, and the vertical guide plate is provided with two lugs and circular holes distributed on the vertical guide plate.

[0015] Preferably, the air guide tube is fixed to the lower surface of the partition, and the angle between the liquid channel and the air guide tube includes 45 degrees.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. By adopting an open partition structure, the liquid on the upper and lower sides of the partition can move freely through the central circular hole. Compared with the traditional closed liquid accumulator structure, this reduces the huge impact load on the structure due to the incompressibility of the liquid, which is beneficial to enhancing the mechanical performance of the liquid accumulator.

[0018] 2. This invention integrates the liquid accumulator with the tank shell, and the partition has a concave structure. The liquid is stored in the area between the partition and the lower shell. The storage volume is large and it can adapt well to working environments with reverse and lateral acceleration, which is beneficial to meeting the high maneuverability requirements of current satellites and other spacecraft.

[0019] 3. This invention replenishes liquid propellant in a microgravity environment. During replenishment, the gas in the accumulator is directly discharged from the central circular hole of the partition. Even if there is gas in the accumulator, replenishment can still be carried out. This avoids the problem of gas entrapment in the accumulator during repeated replenishment. Compared with the traditional closed accumulator structure, the replenishment process is greatly optimized and can meet the functional requirements of more replenishment and venting.

[0020] 4. By rationally setting the location of the replenishment port, the present invention allows the replenished propellant to directly enter the accumulator, simplifying the complex structure of the traditional addition of replenishment pipelines and facilitating the accumulator to achieve the function of repeatedly filling propellant.

[0021] 5. By setting the wedge plate as a conical plate structure with circular holes distributed on the wedge plate, the present invention promotes the storage effect of liquid in microgravity environment and improves reliability.

[0022] 6. The present invention connects a porous cover plate to the replenishment port. The porous cover plate has circular holes distributed around its circumference, which helps to buffer the liquid replenishment process in a microgravity environment and reduce the impact of impact loads. Attached Figure Description

[0023] 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:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid accumulator structure;

[0025] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the process of repeatedly adding and venting the liquid accumulator under microgravity conditions.

[0026] As shown in the figure:

[0027] Lower housing 1, partition 7

[0028] Add 2 additional ports and 8 support columns

[0029] Perforated cover plate 3, lower guide plate 9

[0030] 4 liquid outlets and 10 vertical guide plates

[0031] Liquid channel 5, wedge plate 11

[0032] Angle collector 6, air duct 12 Detailed Implementation

[0033] 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.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, a liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension storage tank shell according to the present invention includes a lower shell 1, a filling port 2, a liquid outlet 4, a screen assembly, and a partition assembly. The filling port 2 and the liquid outlet 4 are respectively connected to the bottom of the lower shell 1. The partition assembly is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the lower shell 1. One end of the screen assembly is connected to the partition assembly, and the other end of the screen assembly is connected to the liquid outlet 4. The partition assembly includes a partition plate 7, a gas guide pipe 12, and a flow guide assembly. A circular hole is opened in the center of the partition plate 7. The partition plate 7 is fixed on the inner wall of the periphery of the lower shell 1. The flow guide assembly is disposed on the partition plate 7. One end of the gas guide pipe 12 is disposed in the angle region between the partition plate 7 and the lower shell 1. The other end of the gas guide pipe 12 passes through the circular hole, and the end of the gas guide pipe passing through the circular hole is flush with the highest point of the partition plate 7.

[0035] During operation, the flow guiding component directs the stored liquid in the area between the baffle 7 and the lower housing 1 into the screen assembly. The screen assembly is connected to the liquid outlet 4, and the liquid propellant is output from the accumulator. When liquid propellant needs to be replenished, it is fed directly into the accumulator through the replenishment port 2 at the bottom of the lower housing 1. A circular hole is provided in the center of the baffle 7, allowing the liquid on both sides of the baffle 7 to move freely through the central hole, enabling the accumulator to repeatedly fill with propellant.

[0036] The accumulator of this invention employs an open baffle 7 with a central circular hole, allowing liquid on both sides to pass through and move freely. For incompressible propellants, this reduces the enormous impact load on the traditional baffle structure during movement. The "rigid exterior, flexible interior" characteristic of the open baffle 7 significantly improves the tank's mechanical resistance. Regarding liquid propellant replenishment technology, the replenishment port 2 allows the replenished liquid propellant to directly enter the accumulator, simplifying the complex structure of traditional replenishment pipelines and enabling the accumulator to be repeatedly filled with propellant. In a microgravity environment, during replenishment, gas in the accumulator is directly discharged through the central circular hole of the baffle. Even if gas is present in the accumulator, replenishment can still be performed, avoiding the problem of gas trapping during repeated replenishment. Compared to traditional closed accumulator structures, this greatly optimizes the replenishment process and can accommodate the functional requirements of multiple replenishment and venting cycles.

[0037] Specifically, the partition 7 is fixed to the inner wall of the lower shell 1, and the outer side of the partition 7 is fixed to the ribs on the inner wall of the lower shell 1. It is fixedly connected to the lower shell 1 by electron beam welding around the entire circle. The partition 7 is integrated with the tank shell, which has high rigidity and high reliability. The partition 7 is concave, and the outer side of the partition 7 is provided with stepped holes. The center of the partition 7 is provided with a circular hole with a diameter of 140mm. The partition 7 is an open partition 7 structure. The overall partition 7 is "concave". The partition 7 is thickened to 3mm in the width range of 7mm-10mm on the outer side and is provided with 8 stepped holes. The diameter of the stepped holes is 16mm and 14mm, and the depth is 1mm and 2mm. The liquid is stored in the area between the partition 7 and the lower shell 1. The storage volume is large and can be well adapted to the working environment with reverse and lateral acceleration. It can meet the characteristics of high maneuverability of current satellites and other spacecraft.

[0038] Specifically, the air guide pipe 12 is an irregularly shaped bent pipe structure with an outer diameter of 6mm and a wall thickness of 1mm. The air guide pipe 12 is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate 7 by clamps. The clamps are connected to the partition plate 7 by resistance welding. There are 3 clamps, so that the air guide pipe 12 is tightly attached to the lower surface of the partition plate 7. One end of the air guide pipe 12 is located in the angle area between the partition plate 7 and the lower shell 1, at a position of 40mm-80mm from the edge of the partition plate 7. The other end of the air guide pipe 12 passes through the central circular hole of the partition plate 7, and the height of the passage is level with the highest point of the partition plate 7.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the partition assembly further includes a wedge plate 11, which is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate 7. The wedge plate 11 comprises a conical plate with 60 circular holes of 8 mm in diameter evenly arranged on it. The wedge plate 11 is fixedly connected to the partition plate 7 by resistance welding. The conical plate structure of the wedge plate 11, by setting the wedge angle structure, can promote the storage of liquid in the microgravity environment and improve reliability.

[0040] Furthermore, the flow guiding assembly includes a support column 8, a lower flow guide plate 9, and a vertical flow guide plate 10. The support column 8 is fixed to the partition plate 7. One side of the vertical flow guide plate 10 is fixed to the upper surface of the partition plate 7, and the other side of the vertical flow guide plate 10 is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate 7. One end of the lower flow guide plate 9 is connected to the support column 8, and the other end of the lower flow guide plate 9 is connected to the vertical flow guide plate 10. The vertical flow guide plate 10 is fixedly connected to the partition plate 7 by resistance welding. The vertical flow guide plate 10 has a symmetrical folding structure. The vertical flow guide plate 10 is provided with two lugs and has 40 circular holes with a diameter of 8mm evenly distributed on it. The top of the support column 8 is provided with a protrusion that connects to the lower flow guide plate 9. The bottom of the support column 8 is provided with a support foot that extends through a stepped hole, while the protrusion does not extend into the stepped hole. The top of the support column 8 has four cylindrical protrusions, two of which are used to connect with the lower guide plate 9, and the other two are used to connect with the upper part of the tank components. The bottom of the support column 8 has two cylindrical feet, which are inserted into the stepped holes on the outside of the partition plate 7.

[0041] Furthermore, the screen assembly includes an angle collector 6 and a liquid channel 5. The angle collector 6 is fixed on the support leg of the support column 8. One end of the liquid channel 5 is connected to the angle collector 6, and the other end of the liquid channel 5 is connected to the liquid outlet 4. One end of the liquid channel 5 is welded to the angle collector 6, and the other end of the liquid channel 5 is welded to the liquid outlet 4. The angle between the liquid channel 5 and the air guide pipe 12 is 45 degrees.

[0042] Specifically, the lower housing 1 has a circular hole, and the replenishment port 2 is connected to the lower housing 1 through the circular hole. The angle between the axis of the circular hole and the axis of the lower housing 1 is between 20 and 30 degrees. The lower housing 1 has an internally reinforced structure, and two circular holes are opened at the bottom of the lower housing 1, which are respectively connected to the liquid outlet 4 and the replenishment port 2. The axis of the circular hole connected to the liquid outlet 4 coincides with the axis of the lower housing 1, and the angle between the axis of the circular hole connected to the replenishment port 2 and the axis of the lower housing 1 is between 20 and 30 degrees. This arrangement of the replenishment port 2 avoids the screen assembly structure, allowing the added propellant to directly enter the accumulator and fill the accumulator.

[0043] Furthermore, a perforated cover plate 3 is provided inside the lower housing 1, and the perforated cover plate 3 is fixedly connected to the replenishment port 2; the perforated cover plate 3 has 32 circular holes distributed circumferentially. The perforated cover plate 3 has 32 circular holes with a diameter of 6mm evenly distributed circumferentially, which can buffer the replenished liquid in a microgravity environment and reduce the impact of impact load.

[0044] It should be noted that the bulkhead 7 divides the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, serving as a "connector between the upper and lower compartments". The two cylindrical legs of the support column 8 protrude from the stepped holes on the outside of the bulkhead 7 and are welded to the bulkhead 7. The cylindrical protrusion at the top of the support column 8 is used to weld the lower guide plate 9 and other components on the upper part of the tank. The other end of the lower guide plate 9 is welded to the vertical guide plate 10. The vertical guide plate 10 is resistance-spot welded to both the upper and lower surfaces of the bulkhead 7. The wedge plate 11 is resistance-spot welded to the lower surface of the bulkhead 7. The air guide pipe 12 is resistance-electrically welded to the lower surface of the bulkhead 7 through clamps, thus forming the intermediate compartment assembly. The angle collector 6 is welded to the cylindrical support leg of the support column 8. One end of the liquid channel 5 is welded to the angle collector 6, and the other end of the liquid channel 5 is welded to the outlet 4, thus forming a screen assembly. The porous cover plate 3 is welded to the replenishment port 2. The outlet 4, the replenishment port 2, and the partition assembly are all welded to the lower shell 1, thus forming a liquid accumulator. This liquid accumulator can achieve a propellant storage flow rate of not less than 15L in the lateral direction and not less than 20L in the reverse direction, and can perform propellant replenishment operations of not less than 5 to 10 times under microgravity conditions.

[0045] The working principle of supplemental exhaust:

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, during liquid propellant replenishment in a microgravity environment, the liquid propellant enters the accumulator directly through the replenishment port 2 and flows along the wall. As the amount of liquid replenished increases, gas is discharged from the accumulator through the central circular hole of the partition 7, avoiding the phenomena of gas entrapment and trapped gas in the accumulator, and meeting the working requirements of multiple replenishment and venting operations.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0048] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A liquid accumulator integrated with the shell of a surface tension storage tank, characterized in that, It includes a lower housing (1), a filling port (2), a liquid outlet (4), a screen assembly, and a partition assembly. The filling port (2) and the liquid outlet (4) are respectively connected to the bottom of the lower housing (1). The partition assembly is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the lower housing (1). One end of the screen assembly is connected to the partition assembly, and the other end of the screen assembly is connected to the liquid outlet (4). The partition assembly includes a partition (7), an air guide pipe (12), and a flow guide assembly. The partition (7) has a circular hole in the center. The partition (7) is fixed on the inner wall of the lower housing (1) and the flow guide assembly is disposed on the partition (7). One end of the air guide pipe (12) is disposed in the angle region between the partition (7) and the lower housing (1). The other end of the air guide pipe (12) passes through the circular hole and the end of the air guide pipe that passes through the circular hole is flush with the highest point of the partition (7).

2. The accumulator integrated with the surface tension tank shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The partition (7) is concave, and a stepped hole is provided on the outer side of the partition (7).

3. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The flow guiding assembly includes a support column (8), a lower flow guide plate (9), and a vertical flow guide plate (10). The support column (8) is fixed on the partition plate (7). One side of the vertical flow guide plate (10) is fixed on the upper surface of the partition plate (7), and the other side of the vertical flow guide plate (10) is fixed on the lower surface of the partition plate (7). One end of the lower flow guide plate (9) is connected to the support column (8), and the other end of the lower flow guide plate (9) is connected to the vertical flow guide plate (10).

4. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension storage tank shell as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The top of the support column (8) is provided with a protrusion, which is connected to the lower guide plate (9). The bottom of the support column (8) is provided with a support foot, which passes through the step hole, and the protrusion does not pass through the step hole.

5. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension storage tank shell as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The screen assembly includes an angle collector (6) and a liquid channel (5). The angle collector (6) is fixed on the support leg. One end of the liquid channel (5) is connected to the angle collector (6), and the other end of the liquid channel (5) is connected to the liquid outlet (4).

6. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower housing (1) has a circular hole, and the filling port (2) is connected to the lower housing (1) through the circular hole. The angle between the axis of the circular hole and the axis of the lower housing (1) includes 20 degrees to 30 degrees.

7. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The partition assembly also includes a wedge plate (11), which is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate (7); The wedge plate (11) includes a conical plate and has a circular hole.

8. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower housing (1) is provided with a perforated cover plate (3), which is fixedly connected to the filling port (2); The porous cover plate (3) has circular holes distributed around its circumference.

9. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The vertical guide plate (10) has a symmetrical folding structure, and two lugs are provided on the vertical guide plate (10). Circular holes are distributed on the vertical guide plate (10).

10. A liquid accumulator integrated with a surface tension tank shell as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The air duct (12) is fixed to the lower surface of the partition (7); The angle between the liquid channel (5) and the air duct (12) includes 45 degrees.

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