A methane online fully subcooled refueling system and refueling method thereof

By controlling the flow distribution and pre-cooling discharge in the online fully subcooled methane refueling system, the problem of methane icing caused by unstable liquid level control was solved, achieving a stable subcooled refueling process, reducing launch risks and saving costs.

CN119737559BActive Publication Date: 2025-10-28海南国际商业航天发射有限公司
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510186215.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-02-20
Publication Date
2025-10-28
Estimated Expiration
2045-02-20

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

During online supercooling refueling of the rocket, instability in liquid level control can cause methane to freeze, increasing the risk of launch mission failure.

Method used

Design an online fully subcooled methane filling system. By controlling and regulating the methane flow rate between the main filling pipeline, the loop pipeline and the storage tank, the system maintains a constant methane flow rate in the subcooler tube side and a constant liquid nitrogen level in the shell side, thus avoiding level control instability. The system also uses a pre-cooled discharge pipeline to discharge methane that cannot meet the rocket launch requirements.

Benefits of technology

Stable subcooled refueling was achieved under different refueling flow rates, avoiding methane freezing, reducing the risk of launch mission failure, saving fuel costs, and simplifying the refueling process.

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Abstract

This invention discloses an online fully subcooled methane refueling system and its refueling method, relating to the technical field of rocket fuel refueling systems. The online fully subcooled methane refueling system includes: a first methane storage tank, connected to the rocket propellant tank and pre-cooling discharge pipeline via the tube side of a supercooler; a second methane storage tank, connected to the tube side of the supercooler via a second pipeline; and a liquid nitrogen storage tank equipped with a third pipeline connected to the shell side of the supercooler. This online fully subcooled methane refueling system solves the technical problem of methane icing due to unstable liquid level control during online supercooled refueling of rockets, which increases the risk of launch mission failure. By adjusting the flow rate during methane refueling, the system maintains a constant methane flow rate within the tube side of the supercooler and a constant liquid nitrogen level within the shell side of the supercooler, preventing methane icing due to unstable liquid level control and thus reducing the risk of launch mission failure.
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Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Liquid methane deep supercooling and filling system and method based on anti-freezing control

    CN112228769A

  • Methane full-supercooling filling system in liquid oxygen methane rocket filling system and methane large-flow full-supercooling filling method

    CN118049608A

Cited By

  • Methane supercooling filling system of rocket and control method

    CN122131846A

  • Rocket methane subcooling filling system and control method

    CN122131846B