Satellite storage tank shake suppression device based on hyperelastic material

Abstract

The invention discloses a satellite storage tank shake suppression device based on a hyperelastic material, and relates to the technical field of storage tank shake suppression. The bottom of the storage tank shell is provided with a propellant outlet, the flow guide plate is connected with the propellant outlet, and the bottom rigid anti-shaking plate is fixedly connected with the top of the flow guide plate; a filtering structure is arranged on the bottom rigid anti-shaking plate; a top rigid anti-sway plate is arranged above the bottom rigid anti-sway plate, and a flexible anti-sway plate is arranged between the top rigid anti-sway plate and the bottom rigid anti- An elastic film is laid on the upper surface of the inner wall of the storage box shell. The liquid level exceeds the flexible anti-shaking plate, and the shaking amplitude can be effectively reduced due to the large damping characteristic of the flexible anti-shaking plate; the liquid level is lower than the flexible anti-shaking plate, the flexible anti-shaking plate is subjected to large deformation due to liquid impact, and the impact force of shaking on the wall surface of the storage tank is reduced; the liquid level is lower than the bottom rigid anti-shaking plate, and the bottom rigid anti-shaking plate, the filter screen and the flow guide plate gather liquid around the propellant outlet by utilizing the surface tension effect in a microgravity environment, so that the problem that fuel cannot flow out smoothly due to shaking is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tank sway suppression technology, specifically a satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material. Background Technology

[0002] Anti-sloshing devices are indispensable components of satellite propellant tanks. Anti-sloshing plates are one type of anti-sloshing device, preventing propellant splashing, reducing the impact of sloshing liquid on the tank walls, and ensuring a stable and balanced propellant output. The anti-sloshing plate's structural panel is connected to the tank via fasteners.

[0003] When a satellite is maneuvering (takeoff, landing, attitude adjustment, etc.), it performs pitch and roll movements, causing the propellant in the propellant tanks to sway back and forth and side to side. This swaying leads to unstable propellant output flow and the introduction of inert gas into the output propellant, resulting in insufficient engine thrust. Furthermore, high-fluid-to-propellant ratios cause significant impact on the tank walls during swaying, shortening the tank's lifespan. The change in the propellant's center of mass also affects the overall center of mass of the spacecraft, increasing the burden on the spacecraft's control system.

[0004] To maintain stable propellant output, enhance tank structural strength, and ensure long-term effective stable operation of spacecraft, it is necessary to design a sway suppression device with excellent sway suppression capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a satellite propellant tank sway suppression device based on hyperelastic materials. This device solves the problems of unstable propellant output flow rate inside the tank during swaying; significant impact on the tank wall, reducing the tank's service life; and changes in the propellant's center of mass leading to changes in the spacecraft's overall center of mass, thereby increasing the burden on the spacecraft's control system.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a satellite tank sway suppression device based on a superelastic material, comprising a tank shell with a propellant outlet at its bottom, and a guide plate extending into the tank shell connected to the propellant outlet and a bottom rigid anti-sway plate fixedly connected to the top of the guide plate;

[0007] A filter structure is installed on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate to divide and de-swirl the propellant flowing downward into the cavity; a top rigid anti-sway plate is installed above the bottom rigid anti-sway plate, and a flexible anti-sway plate is installed between the two.

[0008] The upper surface of the inner wall of the storage tank is covered with an elastic membrane made of a super-elastic material to reduce the impact of sloshing liquid on the top wall of the storage tank.

[0009] According to the present invention, the surface of the guide plate is further provided with recesses to facilitate the collection of liquid at the propellant outlet under microgravity conditions; the guide plate is connected to the propellant outlet and the reserved holes of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate by fasteners to achieve the purpose of limiting the position.

[0010] According to the present invention, the bottom rigid anti-sway plate has equally spaced micro-grooves, which, combined with the filter structure, play a filtering role, dividing and de-swirling the propellant flowing downward into the cavity.

[0011] According to the present invention, the inner wall of the tank shell is provided with a plurality of ribs, which are located between the top rigid anti-sway plate and the bottom rigid anti-sway plate to reduce the axial deformation of the two.

[0012] According to the present invention, multiple guide plates may be provided, and the remaining holes after the guide plates are installed serve as another outlet for the propellant, ensuring that all propellant can flow out smoothly.

[0013] According to the present invention, both the top rigid anti-sway plate and the bottom rigid anti-sway plate can be provided in multiple parallel configurations.

[0014] According to the present invention, the filter structure is further comprising a filter screen, which is connected to the mounting holes reserved on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate by fasteners. The filter screen is 4mm thick and made of a super-elastic material. Small holes with a diameter of 2.5mm are evenly distributed on the filter screen to filter and de-swirl the propellant.

[0015] According to the present invention, the flexible anti-sway plate is further made of an elastic diaphragm cut from a 4mm thick ultra-elastic material, which is connected to the rib plate through corner connectors to fix the elastic diaphragm.

[0016] According to the present invention, the flexible anti-sway plate uses a superelastic material that is suitable for aerospace applications, including alloy superelastic materials or rubber-based superelastic materials.

[0017] According to the present invention, the groove width of the micro-groove of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate is 4mm, which ensures the flow of liquid in the bottom spherical chamber and the intermediate chamber, and eliminates the liquid spin phenomenon caused by shaking.

[0018] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] (1) The satellite tank sway suppression device based on superelastic material is connected to the guide plate through the propellant outlet and the opening of the rigid anti-sway plate, thereby limiting and fixing the guide plate. In a microgravity environment, the propellant can be concentrated at the propellant outlet, which facilitates the stable outflow of the propellant. By setting rigid anti-sway plates, flexible anti-sway plates and laying elastic membranes, the swaying amplitude of the propellant and the impact on the tank wall can be reduced for different filling ratios. The deswirl of the propellant can be achieved through the filter screen and the holes and grooves on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate, and air bubbles are mixed in when the propellant flows out of the wall.

[0020] (2) The satellite tank sway suppression device based on superelastic material, the flexible anti-sway plate and the laid elastic membrane are all made of superelastic material. By utilizing its strong energy absorption capacity and large deformation capacity, the swaying liquid surface can be restored to stability more quickly and the impact on the tank wall can be reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is an isometric sectional view of a satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal wireframe of a satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a top view of a sectional schematic diagram of a satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram, 1 is the tank shell; 2 is the propellant outlet; 3 is the deflector; 4 is the rigid anti-sway plate; 401 is the bottom rigid anti-sway plate; 402 is the top rigid anti-wave plate; 5 is the elastic diaphragm; 6 is the rib plate; 7 is the flexible anti-sway plate; 701 is the elastic diaphragm sheet; 702 is the corner connector; 8 is the filter screen; and 9 is the propellant inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0026] Please see Figures 1-3This invention provides a technical solution: a satellite propellant tank sway suppression device based on a superelastic material, comprising a propellant tank shell 1. The bottom of the propellant tank shell 1 has fastener mounting holes, the number of which must exceed the number of guide plates, and are evenly distributed along the circumference. Some holes serve as fixing holes for the guide plates 3, and the remaining holes serve as propellant outlets 2, facilitating the complete outflow of propellant. The other end of the guide plate 3 is connected to a limiting groove on a bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401, completing the fixation of each guide plate position. The number of guide plates 3 should be greater than or equal to 6, and they are evenly distributed along the circumference. The outer circumferential wall of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401 is fixedly connected to the inner circumferential wall of the propellant tank shell 1. The cross-section of the rigid anti-sway plate 401 can be rectangular or trapezoidal with a certain angle to facilitate the downward flow of propellant.

[0027] After the bottom components of the tank shell 1 are installed, the rib plate 6 is installed. The rib plate 6 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the tank shell 1, and the bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401 and the top rigid anti-sway plate 402 are respectively connected to the upper and lower ends. The bottom dimensions of the rib plate 6 need to be selected according to different application scenarios and need to meet the quality requirements of the spacecraft system. The length of the rib plate 6 is the length of the middle section of the tank shell 1 minus the thickness of the two rigid anti-sway plates 4. The rib plate 6 needs to have blunted sharp edges for easy installation.

[0028] After the rigid structure is installed, the flexible structure is installed: 4mm sheets of ultra-elastic material are cut, and elastic diaphragms 702 are installed on each rib 6 via corner connectors 701. Three layers are installed equidistantly and parallel from bottom to top along the centerline of the tank shell 1 to form a flexible anti-sway plate 7. The flexible anti-sway plate 7 can accelerate liquid surface stabilization through large deformation characteristics when the liquid level is below the anti-sway plate, and reduce the amplitude of swaying through large damping characteristics when the liquid level is above the anti-sway plate. More than three layers of elastic diaphragms 702 can be set along the centerline of the tank; the specific number of layers needs to be adjusted according to actual needs, and the specific thickness can also be adjusted.

[0029] Finally, after the flexible anti-sway plate 7 is installed, a 4mm thick elastic membrane 5 needs to be laid on the upper surface of the inner wall of the tank shell 1. When cutting, the propellant inlet should be avoided. The elastic membrane 5 is connected to the inner wall of the tank shell 1 by adhesive bonding. Similarly, the thickness of the elastic membrane 5 can be adjusted according to the actual situation.

[0030] Furthermore, straight grooves are evenly distributed along the edge of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401, which can filter the propellant near the inner wall of the tank shell 1.

[0031] A countersunk hole with an inner diameter larger than that of the filter screen 8 is opened in the center of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401. The filter screen 8 is cut from a super elastic material and is installed using the through holes on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate 401. The number of through holes should be greater than or equal to 6 and evenly distributed along the circumference. The diameter of the hole on the filter screen 8 is 2.5mm.

[0032] The following describes how each component performs its sway-suppressing function:

[0033] When the propellant level inside the tank shell 1 exceeds the top rigid anti-sway plate 402, the main components that suppress swaying are the elastic membrane 5 and the flexible anti-sway plate 7. At this time, the flexible anti-sway plate 7 absorbs the kinetic energy of the liquid, thereby reducing the amplitude of swaying, and the elastic membrane 5 alleviates the impact force that directly acts on the upper surface of the inner wall of the tank shell 1.

[0034] When the propellant level in the tank is lower than the bottom rigid anti-sloshing plate 401, the main components that play a role in suppressing sloshing are the bottom rigid anti-sloshing plate 401 and the filter screen 8. The filter screen 8 is made of a super-elastic material and has the same performance as the flexible anti-sloshing plate. It suppresses the sloshing of the propellant by generating large deformation under the impact of the fluid.

[0035] When the propellant level in the tank is between the rigid anti-sloshing plates, the main components that suppress sloshing are the top rigid anti-sloshing plate 402, the flexible anti-sloshing plate 7, and the filter screen 8. The rigid anti-sloshing plate reduces the impact range of sloshing by blocking the flow of propellant.

[0036] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material, characterized in that, It includes a tank shell (1) with a propellant outlet (2) at its bottom, and a guide plate (3) extending into the tank shell (1) connected to the propellant outlet (2) and a bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) fixedly connected to the top of the guide plate (3). A filter structure is provided on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) to divide and de-swirl the propellant flowing downward into the cavity; a top rigid anti-sway plate (402) is provided above the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401), and a flexible anti-sway plate (7) is provided between the two. An elastic membrane (5) made of super-elastic material is laid on the upper surface of the inner wall of the storage tank shell (1) to reduce the impact of the sloshing liquid on the top wall of the storage tank shell (1).

2. The satellite tank sway suppression device based on hyperelastic material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the guide plate (3) is machined with pits to facilitate the collection of liquid at the propellant outlet (2) under microgravity environment; the guide plate (3) is connected to the propellant outlet (2) and the reserved holes of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) through fasteners to achieve the purpose of limiting the position.

3. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) has equally spaced micro-grooves, which, combined with the filter structure, play a filtering role and divide and de-swirl the propellant flowing downward into the cavity.

4. The satellite tank sway suppression device based on hyperelastic material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the tank shell (1) is provided with multiple ribs (6), which are located between the top rigid anti-sway plate (402) and the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) to reduce the axial deformation of the two.

5. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on hyperelastic material according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple guide plates (3) can be provided. The remaining holes after the guide plates (3) are installed serve as another outlet for the propellant, ensuring that all propellants can flow out smoothly.

6. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both the top rigid anti-sway plate (402) and the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) can be provided in multiple parallel configurations.

7. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 3, characterized in that: The filter structure is a filter screen (8), which is connected to the mounting holes reserved on the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) by fasteners. The filter screen (8) is 4mm thick and made of super elastic material. Small holes with a diameter of 2.5mm are evenly distributed on the filter screen (8) to filter and de-swirl the propellant.

8. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible anti-sway plate (7) is an elastic diaphragm (701) cut from a 4mm thick ultra-elastic material. It is connected to the rib plate (6) through corner connectors (702) to fix the elastic diaphragm (701).

9. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flexible anti-sway plate (7) uses a super-elastic material that is suitable for aerospace applications, including alloy super-elastic materials or rubber-based super-elastic materials.

10. A satellite tank sway suppression device based on a hyperelastic material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The micro-groove of the bottom rigid anti-sway plate (401) has a groove width of 4mm, which ensures that the liquid flows in the bottom spherical chamber and the intermediate chamber, and eliminates the liquid spin phenomenon caused by shaking.

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