Evaporative condenser and spacecraft thermal control system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of thermal control of aerospace equipment, in particular to an evaporative condenser and a spacecraft thermal control system. The evaporative condenser is connected in a loop of a spacecraft thermal control system in series and provided with a cold source connecting face and a heat source connecting face which are oppositely arranged, and the cold source connecting face is connected to the surface of a spacecraft so that the cold source connecting face and the heat source connecting face can conduct heat; the heat source connection surface is connected to a heat source. According to the evaporative condenser, radiation on the surface of a spacecraft can be utilized for heat dissipation, so that a certain cold source is provided for a loop of a spacecraft thermal control system, the average dryness of two-phase flow in the loop of the system is reduced, then the flow resistance of gas-liquid two-phase flow and the pressure drop in the loop are reduced, and safe operation of the system is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of thermal control of aerospace equipment, and in particular to an evaporative condenser and a spacecraft thermal control system. Background Art

[0002] Spacecraft operate in vacuum, low temperatures, and intense radiation environments, requiring thermal control systems to maintain equipment temperature and ensure safe and reliable operation. A mechanical pump-driven two-phase fluid circuit is a core component of a commonly used spacecraft active thermal control system. It primarily consists of a mechanical pump, a reservoir, an evaporator, and a condenser. Its principle is to achieve greater heat transfer capacity, higher heat flux density, and higher temperature control accuracy through the release of latent heat during phase change during flow boiling. However, this two-phase flow also introduces a greater pressure drop into the system.

[0003] Therefore, how to reduce the pressure drop caused by two-phase flow in the system has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first object of the present invention is to provide an evaporative condenser to solve the technical problem existing in the prior art of how to reduce the pressure drop caused by two-phase flow to the thermal control system of a spacecraft.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] An evaporative condenser is connected in series in a loop of a spacecraft thermal control system and has a cold source connection surface and a hot source connection surface that are relatively arranged, wherein the cold source connection surface is connected to the surface of the spacecraft, and the hot source connection surface is connected to a heat source.

[0007] Furthermore, the cold source connection surface and the heat source connection surface are respectively located at two ends of the evaporative condenser along the thickness direction.

[0008] Furthermore, a plurality of parallel direct current channels are provided inside the evaporative condenser.

[0009] Furthermore, a connecting flow channel is provided between two adjacent straight flow channels.

[0010] Furthermore, the connecting flow channel is arranged obliquely relative to the straight flow channel.

[0011] Furthermore, between two adjacent straight flow channels, there are multiple communicating flow channels, which are arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the straight flow channels.

[0012] Furthermore, along the extension direction of the direct flow channel, the inclination directions of the two adjacent communicating flow channels are opposite.

[0013] Furthermore, a plurality of protrusions arranged in a vertical and horizontal array are provided inside the evaporative condenser, and gaps between the protrusions form the direct flow channel and the connecting flow channel.

[0014] Furthermore, the evaporative condenser is provided with an inlet channel connected to one end of the plurality of straight flow channels and an outlet channel connected to the other end of the plurality of straight flow channels; the inlet channel is provided with a plurality of deceleration plates arranged in a gradient along the flow direction of the working medium.

[0015] A second object of the present invention is to provide a spacecraft thermal control system comprising an independent condenser, a liquid reservoir, a pump, and any of the evaporative condensers described above, which are connected end to end and form a loop.

[0016] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0017] The present invention provides an evaporative condenser and a spacecraft thermal control system. The evaporative condenser is connected in series within the loop of the spacecraft thermal control system and has a cold source connection surface and a heat source connection surface disposed opposite each other, wherein the cold source connection surface is connected to the surface of the spacecraft to enable heat conduction between the two, and the heat source connection surface is connected to a heat source. The evaporative condenser provided in this application can dissipate heat by radiation from the spacecraft surface, thereby providing a certain cold source for the loop of the spacecraft thermal control system, thereby reducing the average dryness of the two-phase flow in the system loop, thereby reducing the flow resistance of the gas-liquid two-phase flow and the pressure drop in the loop, and ensuring the safe operation of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an evaporative condenser provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the embodiment shown after removing the cover plate Figure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view at point A;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the forward structure of the embodiment shown after the cover plate is removed;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view at point B;

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the embodiment shown after removing the cover plate Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged view at point C;

[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view at DD;

[0027] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the forward structure of an evaporative condenser provided by another embodiment of the present invention after the cover plate is removed;

[0028] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Enlarged view at E;

[0029] Figure 11 A schematic structural diagram of a spacecraft thermal control system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] icon:

[0031] 1-cold source connection surface; 2-heat source connection surface; 3-direct flow channel; 4-connecting flow channel; 5-inlet channel; 6-outlet channel; 7-speed brake; 8-protrusion; 9-connecting port;

[0032] 100-Independent condenser;

[0033] 200-liquid reservoir;

[0034] 300-pump. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, the terms "connect" and "install" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can be directly connected or connected through an intermediate medium; and they can be mechanically connected or electrically connected. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0038] The first embodiment of the present application provides an evaporative condenser, referring to Figure 1 The evaporative condenser is connected in series in the loop of the spacecraft thermal control system, and has a cold source connection surface 1 and a heat source connection surface 2 arranged relatively to each other, wherein: the cold source connection surface 1 is connected to the surface of the spacecraft so that the two can conduct heat; the heat source connection surface 2 is connected to the heat source. According to the specific needs of the spacecraft, the cold source connection surface 1 can be connected to the surface of the spacecraft by welding or screwing, etc., as long as the two can conduct heat. The heat source in this application can be a heat source of a heating device or a conventional condenser, and is not limited here.

[0039] The evaporative condenser provided in this application can utilize radiation from the surface of the spacecraft to dissipate heat, thereby providing a certain cold source for the loop of the spacecraft thermal control system to reduce the average dryness of the two-phase flow in the system loop, and thereby reduce the flow resistance of the gas-liquid two-phase flow and the pressure drop in the loop, thereby ensuring the safe operation of the system.

[0040] In the evaporative condenser provided in this application, the working fluid undergoes two phase change processes simultaneously: evaporation and condensation. To prevent the temperature change of the cold source connection surface 1 from affecting the temperature of the heat source connection surface 2, this embodiment configures the evaporative condenser to be roughly rectangular, with the cold source connection surface 1 and the heat source connection surface 2 located at opposite ends of the evaporative condenser along the thickness direction. This not only separates the cold source connection surface 1 and the heat source connection surface 2, but also allows the cold source connection surface 1 and the heat source connection surface 2 to have larger areas, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0041] In some embodiments, reference Figures 2 to 5In order to prevent the evaporative condenser itself from bringing a large flow resistance to the fluid circuit, a plurality of parallel direct current channels 3 are provided inside the evaporative condenser. In this embodiment, the evaporative condenser includes a main structure and a cover plate that are fastened together. The main structure and the cover plate form an evaporative condensation chamber. Direct current channels 3 are provided in the evaporative condensation chamber. Each direct current channel 3 extends along the length direction of the evaporative condenser. The main structure and the cover plate are both made of materials with excellent thermal conductivity. During the flow of the working fluid in the direct current channel 3, two phase change processes of evaporation and condensation are simultaneously carried out. The fluid discharged from the evaporative condenser is a gas-liquid two-phase working fluid, thereby reducing the average dryness of the two-phase flow in the system circuit.

[0042] In some embodiments, in order to make the working medium inside the evaporative condenser as evenly distributed as possible, a connecting flow channel 4 is provided between two adjacent straight flow channels 3. The working medium in each straight flow channel 3 flows between each other through the connecting flow channel 4, which is conducive to the uniform distribution of the working medium.

[0043] Furthermore, between two adjacent straight flow channels 3 , there are multiple communicating flow channels 4 , which are arranged in sequence along the extending direction of the straight flow channels 3 .

[0044] In some embodiments, the connecting flow channel 4 is arranged obliquely relative to the direct flow channel 3. Figure 5 As shown, the direct current channel 3 extends vertically from top to bottom, and the connecting flow channel 4 tilts to the left or right from top to bottom. This can alleviate the disturbance of the original flow of the working medium in the direct current channel 3 by the working medium entering the direct current channel 3 through the connecting flow channel 4, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the flow resistance.

[0045] On the basis of the above structure, along the extension direction of the straight channel 3, the inclined directions of the two adjacent connecting flow channels 4 are opposite. Figure 5 , Figure 5 The dotted line in the figure represents the flow direction of the working medium. When the working medium flows in the straight channel 3, part of the working medium diverges through the connecting flow channels 4 on both sides, thereby improving the uniformity of the distribution of the working medium in the evaporative condenser.

[0046] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The evaporative condenser is provided with an inlet channel 5 connected to one end of the plurality of straight channels 3 and an outlet channel 6 connected to the other end of the plurality of straight channels 3; Figure 6 and Figure 7 A plurality of deceleration plates 7 are arranged in a gradient increasing manner along the flow direction of the working medium in the inlet channel 5.

[0047] Specifically, a plurality of straight flow channels 3 are distributed side by side along the width direction of the evaporative condenser and are arranged between the inlet channel 5 and the outlet channel 6; the inlet channel 5 and the outlet channel 6 both extend along the width direction of the evaporative condenser, and both are flow channel structures with one end open and the other end closed, and the opening of the inlet channel 5 and the opening of the outlet channel 6 are opposite to each other; Figure 8 Multiple speed reducers 7 are arranged in a gradient from the open end to the closed end of the inlet channel 5. The provision of the speed reducers 7 not only buffers the flow rate of the working medium entering the inlet channel 5 multiple times, but also allows more working medium closer to the inlet of the inlet channel 5 to enter the straight channel 3, thereby ensuring uniform distribution of the working medium within the evaporative condenser.

[0048] In some embodiments, reference Figure 8 The opening area of the communication port 9 between the direct current channel 3 and the inlet channel 5 decreases from the open end of the inlet channel 5 to the closed end of the inlet channel 5. That is, the closer to the entrance of the inlet channel 5, the larger the opening area of the communication port 9 between the direct current channel 3 and the inlet channel 5, allowing more working fluid to enter the corresponding direct current channel 3.

[0049] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 As shown, two adjacent straight flow channels 3 are separated by a solid wall surface, and each solid wall surface is provided with a plurality of through holes, and the through holes on the solid wall surface form a connecting flow channel 4.

[0050] In other embodiments, Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, a plurality of protrusions 8 arranged in a vertical and horizontal array are provided inside the evaporative condenser, and the gaps between the protrusions 8 form a straight flow channel 3 and a connecting flow channel 4.

[0051] In an embodiment in which a protrusion 8 is provided in the evaporative condenser, the protrusion 8 can be provided as a hollow structure, which is enclosed by four solid walls connected end to end; two adjacent straight channels 3 and two adjacent connecting channels 4 are separated by two layers of solid walls and a gap area between the two layers of walls. The above-mentioned arrangement has the following effects: first, the protrusion 8 can play a role in disturbing the flow, making the working fluid more evenly distributed; second, the length of the connecting channel 4 is extended, making it easier for the working fluid to flow between the straight channel 3 and the connecting channel 4; third, the gap area inside the protrusion 8 can play a role in reducing weight. In addition, the protrusion 8 can also be formed by the heat source connection surface 2 being recessed inward, so that a plurality of grooves distributed in an array are formed on the heat source connection surface 2, which increases the heat exchange area of the heat source connection surface 2, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0052] The second embodiment of the present application provides a spacecraft thermal control system, referring to Figure 11The system includes an independent condenser 100, a liquid reservoir 200, a pump 300, and an evaporative condenser as described in any of the above embodiments, all connected end-to-end to form a loop. Depending on the thermal control requirements of the spacecraft, the closed loop may include multiple evaporative condensers connected in series and / or in parallel.

[0053] The working principle of the spacecraft thermal control system provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0054] Driven by the pump 300, the liquid working medium in the liquid reservoir 200 enters the direct current channel 3 inside the evaporative condenser through the inlet channel 5 of the evaporative condenser; since the cold source connection surface 1 and the heat source connection surface 2 of the evaporative condenser are respectively connected to the surface of the spacecraft and the heat source, the working medium evaporates and condenses simultaneously in the direct current channel 3, so that the working medium discharged from the outlet channel 6 is a gas-liquid two-phase working medium; the gas-liquid two-phase working medium continues to flow to the independent condenser 100, where the working medium is completely cooled into liquid and enters the liquid reservoir 200 driven by the pump 300, thus completing one cycle.

[0055] The spacecraft thermal control system provided in the present application is provided with an evaporative condenser, and the evaporative condenser is provided with a cold source connection surface 1 connected to the surface of the spacecraft, so that the evaporative condenser can use the radiation from the surface of the spacecraft to dissipate heat, providing a certain cold source for the closed loop circuit, thereby reducing the flow resistance of the gas-liquid two-phase flow and the pressure drop in the circuit. Since the evaporative condenser in the present application is provided to use the radiation heat dissipation from the surface of the spacecraft to increase the cold source for the system, it cannot ensure that all the working fluid is condensed into a liquid state. Therefore, an independent condenser 100 needs to be provided after the evaporative condenser to provide sufficient cooling capacity for the system to ensure that all the working fluid returning to the pump 300 is condensed into a liquid state, thereby ensuring the safe operation of the system.

[0056] The spacecraft thermal control system provided in this application has at least all the technical effects of the above-mentioned evaporative condenser, which will not be repeated here.

[0057] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An evaporative condenser, characterized in that: The evaporative condenser is connected in series in a loop of a spacecraft thermal control system, and has a cold source connection surface (1) and a heat source connection surface (2) arranged opposite to each other, wherein: the cold source connection surface (1) is connected to the surface of the spacecraft so that the two can conduct heat; and the heat source connection surface (2) is connected to a heat source.

2. The evaporative condenser according to claim 1, characterized in that The cold source connection surface (1) and the heat source connection surface (2) are respectively located at two ends of the evaporative condenser in the thickness direction.

3. The evaporative condenser according to claim 1, characterized in that A plurality of parallel direct current channels (3) are provided inside the evaporative condenser.

4. The evaporative condenser according to claim 3, characterized in that A connecting flow channel (4) is provided between two adjacent straight flow channels (3).

5. The evaporative condenser according to claim 4, characterized in that The connecting flow channel (4) is arranged obliquely relative to the direct flow channel (3).

6. The evaporative condenser according to claim 4, characterized in that Between two adjacent straight flow channels (3), the communicating flow channels (4) are multiple in number and are arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the straight flow channels (3).

7. The evaporative condenser according to claim 6, characterized in that Along the extension direction of the direct flow channel (3), the inclination directions of the two adjacent communicating flow channels (4) are opposite.

8. The evaporative condenser according to claim 4, characterized in that A plurality of protrusions (8) arranged in a vertical and horizontal array are provided inside the evaporative condenser, and gaps between the protrusions (8) form the direct flow channel (3) and the connecting flow channel (4).

9. The evaporative condenser according to claim 3, characterized in that The evaporative condenser is provided with an inlet channel (5) connected to one end of the plurality of straight channels (3) and an outlet channel (6) connected to the other end of the plurality of straight channels (3); a plurality of deceleration plates (7) arranged in a gradient increasing manner along the flow direction of the working medium are provided in the inlet channel (5).

10. A spacecraft thermal control system, characterized in that: The invention comprises an independent condenser (100) connected end to end to form a loop, a liquid storage device (200), a pump (300), and the evaporative condenser according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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