Centroid-adjustable high-stability cold-gas propulsion system and centroid adjustment method

By employing a highly stable cold gas propulsion system with a dual-branch parallel design, and combining mechanical and electronic decompression technologies, the problems of decompression accuracy and center of mass stability in existing cold gas propulsion systems have been solved. This achieves high-precision, long-life center of mass adjustment, making it suitable for spacecraft propulsion systems.

CN120986699BActive Publication Date: 2026-01-06BEIJING INST OF CONTROL ENG
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511523899.X
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-10-23
Publication Date
2026-01-06
Estimated Expiration
2045-10-23

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing cold gas propulsion systems suffer from low decompression accuracy, low decompression ratio, heavy weight, and short lifespan due to mechanical decompression devices. Electronic decompression systems are poorly adaptable to high-pressure gases and do not consider center of mass stability, thus failing to meet the requirements of long-life satellites.

Method used

The highly stable cold air propulsion system adopts a dual-branch parallel design, combining mechanical and electronic decompression. It achieves center of gravity adjustment through primary mechanical decompression to resist shock and secondary electronic decompression to stabilize output. The two branches work together to achieve center of gravity adjustment.

Benefits of technology

It improves the applicability, accuracy, and lifespan of the decompression system, reduces the failure rate, and ensures the stability of the spacecraft's center of mass and the reliability of the propulsion system. It is suitable for high-pressure cold gas propulsion systems and electric propulsion systems in spacecraft.

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Abstract

The application relates to a high-stability cold-gas propulsion system with adjustable mass center and a mass center adjusting method, and belongs to the field of spacecraft propulsion systems. The propulsion system adopts a double-branch parallel design, each branch comprises a high-pressure gas cylinder, a gas charging and discharging valve, a high-pressure pressure sensor, a high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, a throttle hole, a pressure reducer, a pressure control electromagnetic valve, a buffer gas cylinder, a low-pressure pressure sensor and a cold-gas thruster; the upstream and downstream of the two branches are connected through high-pressure through self-locking valves and low-pressure through self-locking valves respectively; the high-pressure pressure sensor, the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, the pressure control electromagnetic valve, the low-pressure pressure sensor, the high-pressure through self-locking valve, the low-pressure through self-locking valve and the cold-gas thruster are connected with a control unit through cables. The mass center adjusting function is realized by controlling the flow rate through the pre-ejection pressure, controlling the propellant consumption through the thruster pairing work and balancing the residual amount through the self-locking valve. The application can realize the three functions of working medium storage, supply and mass center adjustment.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a highly stable cold gas propulsion system with adjustable center of mass for use on satellites and a method for adjusting the center of mass, belonging to the technical field of spacecraft propulsion systems. Background Technology

[0002] Gravity measurement satellites place ultra-precise, ultra-stable, and ultra-quiet requirements on the satellite platform. To prevent the influence of liquid sloshing on the satellite's center of mass, a high-pressure cold gas propulsion system is generally used for the satellite's attitude and orbit control.

[0003] In currently used cold gas propulsion systems, mechanical pressure reducers or electronic pressure reducers are generally used to reduce the pressure of high-pressure gas. However, mechanical pressure reducers have inherent drawbacks such as low pressure reduction accuracy, low pressure reduction ratio, large weight, and short lifespan, making them unsuitable for long-life satellites. Electronic pressure reducers are less adaptable to input pressures above 20 MPa. Furthermore, previous propulsion systems did not consider the stability of the center of mass. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a highly stable cold air propulsion system and a center of mass adjustment method with adjustable center of mass. It fully combines the advantages of mechanical decompression and electronic decompression, and completes the center of mass adjustment by first-stage mechanical decompression to resist impact and second-stage electronic decompression to stabilize output.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is:

[0006] A highly stable cold gas propulsion system with adjustable center of mass is used for attitude control and orbit control of a satellite during its on-orbit operation. The system adopts a dual-branch parallel design, with both branches operating simultaneously during on-orbit operation. The system includes a first branch, a second branch, a high-pressure through-locking valve, a low-pressure through-locking valve, and a control unit.

[0007] The first and second branches have the same composition, both including a high-pressure gas cylinder, a gas filling and releasing valve, a high-pressure pressure sensor, a high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, a throttle orifice, a pressure reducer, a pressure control solenoid valve, a buffer gas cylinder, a low-pressure pressure sensor, and a cold gas thruster; the upstream and downstream of the two branches are connected by a high-pressure through-locking valve and a low-pressure through-locking valve, respectively; the high-pressure pressure sensor, the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, the pressure control solenoid valve, the low-pressure pressure sensor, the cold gas thruster, the high-pressure through-locking valve, and the low-pressure through-locking valve are connected to the control unit via cables;

[0008] During ground refueling, high-pressure gas is injected into the high-pressure gas cylinder through the gas filling and emptying valves of the two branches;

[0009] During on-orbit operation, the control unit drives the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve to open, allowing the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure cylinder to be reduced to the target pressure via a pressure reducer, i.e., the first-stage mechanical pressure reduction. The control unit controls the pressure control solenoid valve to fill the buffer cylinder with gas. The low-pressure sensor monitors the gas pressure in the buffer cylinder in real time and feeds the test data back to the control unit. When the pressure in the buffer cylinder is lower than the lower limit of the target pressure, the control unit drives the pressure control solenoid valve to open with a set pulse width to replenish gas. When the pressure in the buffer cylinder is higher than the upper limit of the target pressure, the pressure control solenoid valve remains closed, thereby controlling the pressure in the buffer cylinder to remain stable within the target low-pressure range, i.e., the second-stage electronic pressure reduction. The control unit controls the cold gas thruster to operate, and the gas in the buffer cylinder is ejected from the cold gas thruster to generate stable thrust, enabling the propulsion system to operate normally.

[0010] In both the first and second branches, a throttling orifice is provided upstream of the pressure reducer to reduce the impact of high-pressure gas on the pressure reducer.

[0011] After operating in orbit for a period of time, the remaining amount of high-pressure gas cylinders in the two branches will differ. The difference in the remaining amount of the two high-pressure gas cylinders is monitored by the high-pressure pressure sensors connected to each cylinder and the signals are transmitted to the control unit. When the cumulative error reaches the set threshold, the control unit controls the opening of the high-pressure through-lock valve to balance the two high-pressure gas cylinders and maintain the stability of the overall center of mass.

[0012] Furthermore, in the first branch, the throttling orifice provided upstream of the pressure reducer is defined as the first throttling orifice;

[0013] The outlet of the first gas filling and exhaust valve, the inlet of the first high-pressure pressure sensor, and the inlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve are all connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure gas cylinder. The inlet of the first throttle orifice is connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve. The outlet of the first throttle orifice is connected to the inlet of the first pressure reducer. The outlet of the first pressure reducer is connected to the inlet of the first pressure control solenoid valve. The outlet of the first pressure control solenoid valve is connected to the inlet of the first buffer gas cylinder and the inlet of the first low-pressure pressure sensor. The outlet of the first buffer gas cylinder is connected to the inlet of the first cold air thruster of each branch.

[0014] Furthermore, in the second branch, the throttling orifice located upstream of the pressure reducer is defined as the second throttling orifice;

[0015] The outlet of the second gas supply and exhaust valve, the inlet of the second high-pressure pressure sensor and the inlet of the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve are all connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure gas cylinder. The inlet of the second throttle orifice is connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve. The outlet of the second throttle orifice is connected to the inlet of the second pressure reducer. The outlet of the second pressure reducer is connected to the inlet of the second pressure control solenoid valve. The outlet of the second pressure control solenoid valve is connected to the inlet of the second buffer gas cylinder and the inlet of the second low-pressure pressure sensor. The outlet of the second buffer gas cylinder is connected to the inlet of the second cold air thruster of each branch.

[0016] Furthermore, both branches employ mechanical pressure regulators; both branches utilize a primary mechanical pressure reduction followed by a secondary electronic pressure reduction mode to regulate system pressure, specifically:

[0017] In the first branch, the first pressure reducer and the first pressure control solenoid valve work together to reduce pressure;

[0018] In the second branch, the second pressure reducer works in conjunction with the second pressure control solenoid valve to achieve pressure reduction.

[0019] Furthermore, the connections between the components within the first branch, the components within the second branch, the high-pressure through-locking valve and the two branches, and the low-pressure through-locking valve and the two branches are all achieved through pipelines. The pipelines are connected by welding or by a metal ball head-metal conical surface screw connection hard seal.

[0020] Furthermore, in the propulsion system, the first branch and the second branch back each other up, and the other branch performs basic functions in the event of a single branch failure. In the event of a single branch failure only in the pressure reduction stage, i.e., a failure of the pressure reducer or the pressure control solenoid valve, the high-pressure through-lock valve and the low-pressure through-lock valve are opened by the control unit to enable simultaneous consumption of gas from both branch cylinders and pairing of the two branch cold gas thrusters under failure conditions, thus ensuring thrust supply under the normal center of gravity adjustment function of the system.

[0021] Furthermore, one end of the high-pressure through-lock valve is connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure gas cylinder in the first branch, and the other end of the high-pressure through-lock valve is connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure gas cylinder in the second branch; one end of the low-pressure through-lock valve is connected to the outlet of the first buffer gas cylinder in the first branch, and the other end of the low-pressure through-lock valve is connected to the outlet of the second buffer gas cylinder in the second branch.

[0022] Secondly, the present invention also proposes a method for center-of-mass adjustment based on the aforementioned highly stable cold gas propulsion system with adjustable center of mass, comprising:

[0023] The first step is to adjust the flow rate by controlling the pre-spray pressure, thereby adjusting the centroid.

[0024] The second step is to adjust the center of gravity by controlling the propellant consumption through thruster pairing.

[0025] The third step is to adjust the center of gravity by controlling the self-locking valve through the control unit to balance and adjust the remaining amount of high-pressure gas cylinder.

[0026] Furthermore, the adjustment of the centroid by controlling the pre-spray pressure and adjusting the flow rate specifically involves:

[0027] During on-orbit operation, based on the difference in average specific impulse performance between the two branches of the cold gas thruster, a matching buffer cylinder pressure, i.e., the pre-jet pressure of the cold gas thruster, is set to minimize the difference in outlet flow rate between the two branches. The calculation formula for setting the buffer cylinder pressure is as follows:

[0028]

[0029] Among them, (LP) i , Isp i T i F i Let i represent the pressure of the buffer cylinder in the i-th branch, the outlet mass flow rate, the average specific impulse, the pressure of the buffer cylinder, and the average thrust, respectively, i=1,2; R Let A be the ideal gas constant, γ be the adiabatic index of the gas, and A be the adiabatic index of the gas. t The cross-sectional area of ​​the thruster throat; the pressure of the buffer cylinder is reset by controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve through the control unit.

[0030] Furthermore, the method of adjusting the center of mass by controlling propellant consumption through thruster pairing specifically involves:

[0031] Propellant consumption is controlled by pairing cold gas thrusters: During system design and integration, cold gas thrusters with thrust deviation within ±5% are selected for pairing and installation, that is, the cold gas thruster Aj of the first branch is paired and installed with the cold gas thruster Bj of the second branch, and the thrust deviation between the two cold gas thrusters is controlled within ±5%, j=1,2,…,n;

[0032] During on-orbit operation, the paired cold gas thrusters work simultaneously, that is, the first branch cold gas thruster Aj and the second branch cold gas thruster Bj work at the same time; in this way, the propellant consumption of the two branches of the cold gas propulsion system is balanced, thereby achieving the function of center of mass control.

[0033] Furthermore, the method of adjusting the center of gravity by controlling the self-locking valve through the control unit to balance the remaining amount of high-pressure gas cylinder is as follows:

[0034] After operating in orbit for a period of time, due to the accumulation of system errors, the remaining amount in the dual-branch high-pressure cylinders will differ. The difference in the remaining amount in the two branch high-pressure cylinders is monitored by the high-pressure sensors connected to each branch and the signals are transmitted to the control unit.

[0035] When the cumulative error reaches the set threshold, the control unit controls the opening of the high-pressure through-lock valve to balance the two high-pressure gas cylinders and maintain the stability of the overall center of mass.

[0036] Furthermore, the difference in the remaining amount in the two high-pressure gas cylinders is calculated using the following formula:

[0037]

[0038] Where Δm is the difference in the remaining amount in the two high-pressure gas cylinders, M is the molar mass of the gas, R is the ideal gas constant, (HP)1, V1, and T1 are the pressure, volume, and temperature of the first high-pressure gas cylinder, respectively, and (HP)2, V2, and T2 are the pressure, volume, and temperature of the second high-pressure gas cylinder, respectively.

[0039] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are:

[0040] (1) The high-stability cold gas propulsion system and method with adjustable center of mass proposed in this invention are significantly different from the previous pure mechanical or pure electronic storage and supply devices. It adopts a mechanical and electronic decompression mode, with first-stage mechanical decompression to resist impact and second-stage electronic decompression to stabilize output. It has the advantages of good on-orbit applicability, high pressure resistance, high precision, large decompression ratio, long life and high reliability, and has the function of center of mass adjustment.

[0041] (2) The high-stability cold gas propulsion system and method with adjustable center of mass proposed in this invention proposes a pipeline throttling orifice design to effectively reduce the impact of high-pressure gas on the pressure reducer, reduce the failure rate of the system, and increase the reliability and service life of the system.

[0042] (3) The high-stability cold gas propulsion system and method with adjustable center of mass proposed in this invention improves the pressure reduction ratio of "gas source pressure / output pressure" of the pressure reduction system. The dual gas source inlet and dual pressure reduction outlet design provides two gas source inlets and two gas outlets at the same time. The center of mass is stabilized through a two-step center of mass adjustment mode. It has strong practicality and system reliability, and has wide applicability to the precise pressure reduction and stable adjustment of spacecraft propulsion systems.

[0043] (4) The high-stability cold gas propulsion system and method with adjustable center of mass proposed in this invention can be extended to pressure regulation modules such as the gas path part of high-pressure cold gas propulsion system, electric propulsion system, and bi-component propulsion system of spacecraft; in addition, the mechanical and electronic decompression system proposed in this invention can also be extended to the precise pressure control of high-pressure gas systems used on the ground. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the high-stability cold gas propulsion system with adjustable center of mass of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, this invention proposes a highly stable cold gas propulsion system with an adjustable center of mass for attitude and orbit control of a satellite during its on-orbit operation. It employs a dual-branch parallel design, with both branches operating simultaneously during on-orbit operation. The system includes a first branch, a second branch, a high-pressure through-lock valve 3, a low-pressure through-lock valve 20, and a control unit.

[0047] The first and second branches have the same composition, both including a high-pressure gas cylinder, a gas filling and releasing valve, a high-pressure pressure sensor, a high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, a throttle orifice, a pressure reducer, a pressure control solenoid valve, a buffer gas cylinder, a low-pressure pressure sensor, and a cold gas thruster; the upstream and downstream of the two branches are connected by a high-pressure through-locking valve 3 and a low-pressure through-locking valve 20, respectively; the high-pressure pressure sensor, the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, the pressure control solenoid valve, the low-pressure pressure sensor, the cold gas thruster, the high-pressure through-locking valve 3, and the low-pressure through-locking valve 20 are connected to the control unit via cables;

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first branch includes a high-pressure first high-pressure gas cylinder 1, a first gas filling and emptying valve 4, a first high-pressure pressure sensor 6, a first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 8, a first throttle orifice 10, a first pressure reducer 12, a first pressure control solenoid valve 14, a first buffer gas cylinder 18, a first low-pressure pressure sensor 16, and a first cold air thruster 22; as shown Figure 1 In the diagram, L represents the self-locking valve category, P represents the sensor category, and S represents the solenoid valve category.

[0049] The outlet of the first gas filling and exhaust valve 4, the inlet of the first high-pressure pressure sensor 6, and the inlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 8 are all connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1. The inlet of the first throttle orifice 10 is connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 8. The outlet of the first throttle orifice 10 is connected to the inlet of the first pressure reducer 12. The outlet of the first pressure reducer 12 is connected to the inlet of the first pressure control solenoid valve 14. The outlet of the first pressure control solenoid valve 14 is connected to the inlet of the first buffer gas cylinder 18 and the first low-pressure pressure sensor 16. The outlet of the first buffer gas cylinder 18 is connected to the inlet of the first cold air thruster 22 of each branch.

[0050] The second branch includes a high-pressure second high-pressure gas cylinder 2, a second gas filling and emptying valve 5, a second high-pressure pressure sensor 7, a second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 9, a second throttle orifice 11, a second pressure reducer 13, a second pressure control solenoid valve 15, a second buffer gas cylinder 19, a second low-pressure pressure sensor 17, and a second cold air thruster 23.

[0051] The outlet of the second gas supply and exhaust valve 5, the inlet of the second high-pressure pressure sensor 7, and the inlet of the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 9 are all connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2. The inlet of the second throttle orifice 11 is connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 9. The outlet of the second throttle orifice 11 is connected to the inlet of the second pressure reducer 13. The outlet of the second pressure reducer 13 is connected to the inlet of the second pressure control solenoid valve 15. The outlet of the second pressure control solenoid valve 15 is connected to the inlet of the second buffer gas cylinder 19 and the second low-pressure pressure sensor 17. The outlet of the second buffer gas cylinder 19 is connected to the inlet of the second cold air thruster 23 of each branch.

[0052] A high-pressure through-lock valve 3 has one end port connected to the outlet of the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 in the first branch, and the other end port connected to the outlet of the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 in the second branch. A low-pressure through-lock valve 20 has one end port connected to the outlet of the first buffer gas cylinder 18 in the first branch, and the other end port connected to the outlet of the second buffer gas cylinder 19 in the second branch.

[0053] The first high-pressure sensor 6, the second high-pressure sensor 7, the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 8, the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 9, the first pressure control solenoid valve 14, the second pressure control solenoid valve 15, the first low-pressure sensor 16, the second low-pressure sensor 17, the high-pressure through self-locking valve 3, the low-pressure through self-locking valve 20, the first cold air thruster 22, and the second cold air thruster 23 are connected to the control unit 21 via cables.

[0054] The first pressure reducer 12 and the second pressure reducer 13 are mechanical pressure reducers. The dual branches use a first-level mechanical pressure reduction and a second-level electronic pressure reduction mode to achieve system pressure regulation (the first branch uses the first pressure reducer 12 in conjunction with the first pressure control solenoid valve 14 to reduce pressure, and the second branch uses the second pressure reducer 13 in conjunction with the second pressure control solenoid valve 15 to reduce pressure).

[0055] The inlets of the first pressure reducer 12 and the second pressure reducer 13 are respectively connected to the first throttling orifice 10 and the second throttling orifice 11, so as to reduce the impact of high pressure gas on the pressure reducer through the throttling orifice.

[0056] Preferably, the connections between the components in the first branch, the components in the second branch, the high-pressure through-locking valve and the two branches, and the low-pressure through-locking valve and the two branches are all achieved through pipelines, and the pipelines are connected by welding or by a metal ball head-metal conical surface screw connection hard seal method.

[0057] In this invention, the propulsion system has a first branch and a second branch that back each other up. In the event of a single branch failure, the other branch performs basic functions. In the event of a single branch failure only in the pressure reduction stage, i.e., a failure of the pressure reducer or the pressure control solenoid valve, the control unit opens the high-pressure through-lock valve and the low-pressure through-lock valve to enable simultaneous consumption of gas from both gas cylinders and pairing of the two cold gas thrusters under failure conditions, thus ensuring thrust supply under the normal center of gravity adjustment function of the system.

[0058] Working principle:

[0059] During ground refueling, high-pressure gas is injected into the high-pressure gas cylinder through the gas filling and emptying valves of the two branches;

[0060] During on-orbit operation, the control unit drives the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve to open, allowing the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure cylinder to be reduced to the target pressure via a pressure reducer, i.e., the first-stage mechanical pressure reduction. The control unit controls the pressure control solenoid valve to fill the buffer cylinder with gas. The low-pressure sensor monitors the gas pressure in the buffer cylinder in real time and feeds the test data back to the control unit. When the pressure in the buffer cylinder is lower than the lower limit of the target pressure, the control unit drives the pressure control solenoid valve to open with a set pulse width to replenish gas. When the pressure in the buffer cylinder is higher than the upper limit of the target pressure, the pressure control solenoid valve remains closed, thereby controlling the pressure in the buffer cylinder to remain stable within the target low-pressure range, i.e., the second-stage electronic pressure reduction. The control unit controls the cold gas thruster to operate, and the gas in the buffer cylinder is ejected from the cold gas thruster to generate stable thrust, enabling the propulsion system to operate normally.

[0061] After operating in orbit for a period of time, the remaining amount of high-pressure gas cylinders in the two branches will differ. The difference in the remaining amount of the two high-pressure gas cylinders is monitored by the high-pressure pressure sensors connected to each cylinder and the signals are transmitted to the control unit. When the cumulative error reaches the set threshold, the control unit controls the opening of the high-pressure through-lock valve 3 to balance the two high-pressure gas cylinders and maintain the stability of the overall center of mass.

[0062] Example 1:

[0063] like Figure 1As shown, during ground refueling of the first branch of the propulsion system of the present invention, high-pressure gas is added to the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 through the first gas filling and emptying valve 4. During on-orbit operation, the first high-pressure pressure sensor 6 of the branch monitors the pressure of the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 in real time and transmits the signal to the control unit 21. When operating in orbit, the control unit 21 drives the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 8 to open, and the high-pressure gas in the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 is reduced to the target pressure (first-stage mechanical pressure reduction) by the first pressure reducer 12. The control unit 21 controls the opening and closing of the first pressure control solenoid valve 14 to fill the first buffer gas cylinder 18 with gas, and the first low-pressure sensor 16 monitors the gas in the first buffer gas cylinder 18 in real time. The pressure is measured and the test data is fed back to the control unit 21. When the pressure in the first buffer gas cylinder 18 is lower than the target lower pressure limit, the control unit 21 drives the first pressure control solenoid valve 14 to open and replenish gas with a set pulse width. When the pressure in the first buffer gas cylinder 18 is higher than the target upper pressure limit, the first pressure control solenoid valve 14 is kept closed. In this way, the pressure in the first buffer gas cylinder 18 is controlled to be stable in the target low pressure range (two-stage electronic pressure reduction). The control unit 21 controls the first cold gas thruster 22 to work. The gas in the first buffer gas cylinder 18 is ejected from the first cold gas thruster 22 to generate stable thrust, so as to realize the normal operation of the first branch of the system.

[0064] When the second branch of the propulsion system is refueled on the ground, high-pressure gas is added to the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 through the second gas filling and emptying valve 5. During on-orbit operation, the second high-pressure pressure sensor 7 of the branch monitors the pressure of the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 in real time and transmits the signal to the control unit 21. When operating in orbit, the control unit 21 drives the second high-pressure isolation self-locking valve 9 to open, and the high-pressure gas in the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 is reduced to the target pressure (first-stage mechanical pressure reduction) by the second pressure reducer 13. The control unit 21 controls the second pressure control solenoid valve 15 to open and close, filling the second buffer gas cylinder 19 with gas. The second low-pressure sensor 17 monitors the gas pressure in the second buffer gas cylinder 19 in real time. The test data is fed back to the control unit 21. When the pressure in the second buffer gas cylinder 19 is lower than the target lower pressure limit, the control unit 21 drives the second pressure control solenoid valve 15 to open and replenish gas with a set pulse width. When the pressure in the second buffer gas cylinder 19 is higher than the target upper pressure limit, the second pressure control solenoid valve 15 is kept closed. In this way, the pressure in the second buffer gas cylinder 19 is controlled to be stable in the target low pressure range (two-stage electronic pressure reduction). The control unit 21 controls the second cold gas thruster 23 to work. The gas in the second buffer gas cylinder 19 is ejected from the second cold gas thruster 23 to generate stable thrust, so as to realize the normal operation of the second branch of the system.

[0065] The propulsion system adopts a dual-branch parallel design, with the two branches backing each other up. In the event of a single-branch failure, the other branch can still perform basic functions. In the event of a single-branch failure only in the pressure reduction stage, i.e., a failure of the pressure reducer or pressure control solenoid valve, the high-pressure through-lock valve 3 and the low-pressure through-lock valve 20 can be opened by the control unit 21. This also enables the simultaneous consumption of gas from both branch cylinders and the paired operation of the dual-branch cold gas thrusters under fault conditions, ensuring the thrust supply under the normal center of gravity adjustment function of the system.

[0066] Example 2:

[0067] Using the aforementioned cold air propulsion system to achieve center of gravity adjustment involves three steps:

[0068] The first step is to adjust the flow rate by controlling the pre-spray pressure, thereby adjusting the centroid.

[0069] The second step is to adjust the center of gravity by controlling the propellant consumption through thruster pairing.

[0070] The third step is to adjust the center of gravity by controlling the self-locking valve through the control unit to balance and adjust the remaining amount of high-pressure gas cylinder.

[0071] Specifically,

[0072] The first step of the center of gravity adjustment function is:

[0073] The centroid is adjusted by controlling the pre-jet pressure to regulate the flow rate: During on-orbit operation, based on the difference in average specific impulse performance between the two branches of the cold gas thruster, a matching buffer cylinder pressure, i.e., the pre-jet pressure of the cold gas thruster, is set to minimize the difference in outlet flow rate between the two branches. The calculation formula for setting the buffer cylinder pressure is as follows:

[0074]

[0075] Among them, (LP) i , Isp i T i F i Let i represent the pressure of the buffer cylinder in the i-th branch, the outlet mass flow rate, the average specific impulse, the pressure of the buffer cylinder, and the average thrust, respectively, i=1,2; R Let A be the ideal gas constant, γ be the adiabatic index of the gas, and A be the adiabatic index of the gas. t The cross-sectional area of ​​the thruster throat; the pressure of the buffer cylinder is reset by controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve through the control unit.

[0076] The second step of the center of mass adjustment function is:

[0077] Propellant consumption is controlled by thruster pairing: During system design and integration, thrusters with thrust deviations within ±5% are selected for pairing and installation. That is, thruster Aj of the first cold gas thruster 22 of the first branch is paired and installed with thruster Bj of the second cold gas thruster 23 of the second branch, and the thrust deviation between the two thrusters is controlled within ±5% (j=1,2,…,n). During on-orbit operation, the paired thrusters work simultaneously, that is, thruster Aj of the first cold gas thruster 22 of the first branch and thruster Bj of the second cold gas thruster 23 of the second branch work simultaneously (j=1,2,…,n). This method controls the balanced consumption of propellant in the two branches of the cold gas propulsion system, achieving the function of center of mass control.

[0078] The third step of the center of mass adjustment function is:

[0079] Balance the remaining amount by using a self-locking valve: After operating in orbit for a period of time, due to the accumulation of system errors, a difference in the remaining amount in the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 and the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 of the dual-branch system will occur. The difference in the remaining amount in the first high-pressure gas cylinder 1 and the second high-pressure gas cylinder 2 can be monitored by the first high-pressure pressure sensor 6 and the second high-pressure pressure sensor 7. When the accumulated error reaches the set threshold, the control unit 21 controls the opening of the high-pressure through-locking valve 3 to balance the two gas cylinders and maintain the stability of the overall center of mass. The difference in the remaining amount in the gas cylinders can be calculated by the following formula:

[0080]

[0081] Where Δm is the difference in the remaining amount in the two high-pressure gas cylinders, M is the molar mass of the gas, R is the ideal gas constant, (HP)1, V1, and T1 are the pressure, volume, and temperature of the first high-pressure gas cylinder, respectively, and (HP)2, V2, and T2 are the pressure, volume, and temperature of the second high-pressure gas cylinder, respectively.

[0082] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention by utilizing the methods and techniques disclosed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the center of mass based on the adjustable high-stability cold gas propulsion system, characterized in that, The application relates to a high-stability cold-gas propulsion system with adjustable mass center. The mass center is adjusted by controlling the pre-ejection pressure to adjust the flow rate; The mass center is adjusted by controlling the propellant consumption of the thruster pair; The mass center is adjusted by controlling the self-locking valve balance to adjust the residual amount of the high-pressure cylinder through a control unit; The mass center is adjusted by controlling the pre-ejection pressure to adjust the flow rate, and the specific method is as follows: During on-orbit operation, the average specific impulse performance difference between the cold-gas thrusters of the two branches is used to set the matching buffer cylinder pressure, that is, the pre-ejection pressure of the cold-gas thruster, so that the outlet flow rate difference of the two branches is minimized, and the calculation formula of the buffer cylinder pressure setting is as follows: Wherein, (LP) i , , Isp i , T i , F i The i branch buffer gas cylinder pressure, outlet mass flow, average specific impulse, buffer gas cylinder pressure, average thrust, i=1,2 respectively; R The ideal gas constant, γ is the adiabatic index of gas, A t The throat area of the thruster; the pressure control electromagnetic valve is controlled by the control unit to reset the buffer gas cylinder pressure; The mass center is adjusted by controlling the propellant consumption of the thruster pair, and the specific method is as follows: The propellant consumption of the cold-gas thruster pair is controlled, that is, the cold-gas thrusters Aj of the first branch and the cold-gas thrusters Bj of the second branch are installed in pairs, and the thrust deviation of the two cold-gas thrusters is controlled within + / - 5%, j=1, 2,..., n; During on-orbit operation, the paired cold-gas thrusters work simultaneously, that is, the cold-gas thrusters Aj of the first branch and the cold-gas thrusters Bj of the second branch work simultaneously; the balanced consumption of the propellant of the cold-gas propulsion system of the two branches is controlled, and the function of mass center control is achieved; The mass center is adjusted by controlling the self-locking valve balance to adjust the residual amount of the high-pressure cylinder through a control unit, and the specific method is as follows: After on-orbit operation for a period of time, the cumulative system error causes the residual amounts in the high-pressure cylinders of the two branches to be different; the residual amount difference in the high-pressure cylinders of the two branches is monitored through the high-pressure pressure sensors connected thereto, and signals are transmitted to the control unit; When the cumulative error reaches the set threshold, the control unit controls the opening of the high-pressure through self-locking valve to balance the two high-pressure cylinders, thereby keeping the overall mass center stable; The high-stability cold-gas propulsion system with adjustable mass center is used for the attitude control and orbit control of a satellite during on-orbit operation, the system adopts a double-branch parallel design, and the two branches work simultaneously during on-orbit operation; the system comprises a first branch, a second branch, a high-pressure through self-locking valve (3), a low-pressure through self-locking valve (20) and a control unit. The first branch and the second branch are the same and each comprises a high-pressure cylinder, a gas filling and discharging valve, a high-pressure pressure sensor, a high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, a throttle hole, a pressure reducer, a pressure control electromagnetic valve, a buffer cylinder, a low-pressure pressure sensor and a cold-gas thruster; the upstream and downstream of the two branches are connected through the high-pressure through self-locking valve (3) and the low-pressure through self-locking valve (20) respectively; the high-pressure pressure sensor, the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve, the pressure control electromagnetic valve, the low-pressure pressure sensor, the cold-gas thruster, the high-pressure through self-locking valve (3) and the low-pressure through self-locking valve (20) are connected with the control unit through cables; During ground filling, the two branches fill the high-pressure gas into the high-pressure cylinders through the gas filling and discharging valve. In the on-orbit working, the control unit drives the high-pressure isolation self-locking valve to open, and the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure cylinder is reduced to the target pressure by the pressure reducer, i.e., the first mechanical pressure reduction; the control unit controls the pressure control electromagnetic valve to open and close, and the buffer cylinder is filled with gas, the low-pressure pressure sensor monitors the gas pressure in the buffer cylinder in real time and feeds back the test data to the control unit, when the pressure in the buffer cylinder is lower than the lower limit of the target pressure of the buffer cylinder, the control unit drives the pressure control electromagnetic valve to open to supplement the gas with a set pulse width, when the pressure in the buffer cylinder is higher than the upper limit of the target pressure, the pressure control electromagnetic valve is kept closed, so as to control the pressure in the buffer cylinder to be stable in the target low-pressure pressure range, i.e., the second electronic pressure reduction; the control unit controls the cold gas thruster to work, the gas in the buffer cylinder is sprayed from the cold gas thruster to generate stable thrust, and the normal work of the propulsion system is realized; In the first branch and the second branch, a throttle hole is arranged upstream of the pressure reducer, and the impact of the high-pressure gas on the pressure reducer is reduced through the throttle hole; After working on the orbit for a period of time, the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders in the two branches are different; the difference in the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders is monitored by the high-pressure pressure sensors connected thereto respectively, and signals are transmitted to the control unit, when the cumulative error reaches a set threshold, the control unit controls the high-pressure through self-locking valve (3) to open to balance the two high-pressure cylinders, and the stability of the overall centroid is maintained.

2. The centroid adjusting method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The difference in the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders is calculated by the following formula: Wherein, Δm is the difference in the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders, M is the molar mass of the gas, R is the ideal gas constant, (HP)1, V1, T1 are the pressure, volume and temperature of the first high-pressure cylinder respectively, (HP)2, V2, T2 are the pressure, volume and temperature of the second high-pressure cylinder respectively.

3. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 1, wherein: In the first branch, the throttle hole arranged upstream of the pressure reducer is defined as a first throttle hole (10); The gas outlet of the first gas charging and discharging valve (4), the first high-pressure pressure sensor (6) and the gas inlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve (8) are connected to the gas outlet of the first high-pressure cylinder (1), the gas inlet of the first throttle hole (10) is connected to the gas outlet of the first high-pressure isolation self-locking valve (8), the gas outlet of the first throttle hole (10) is connected to the gas inlet of the first pressure reducer (12), the gas outlet of the first pressure reducer (12) is connected to the gas inlet of the first pressure control electromagnetic valve (14), the gas outlet of the first pressure control electromagnetic valve (14) is connected to the gas inlets of the first buffer cylinder (18) and the first low-pressure pressure sensor (16), and the gas outlet of the first buffer cylinder (18) is connected to the gas inlets of the first cold gas thrusters (22) in the first branch.

4. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 3, wherein: In the second branch, the throttle hole arranged upstream of the pressure reducer is defined as a second throttle hole (11); After working on the orbit for a period of time, the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders in the two branches are different; the difference in the remaining amounts in the two high-pressure cylinders is monitored by the high-pressure pressure sensors connected thereto respectively, and signals are transmitted to the control unit, when the cumulative error reaches a set threshold, the control unit controls the high-pressure through self-locking valve (3) to open to balance the two high-pressure cylinders, and the stability of the overall centroid is maintained. The gas outlet of the second gas charging and discharging valve (5), the second high pressure sensor (7) and the gas inlet of the second high pressure isolation self-locking valve (9) are connected to the gas outlet of the second high pressure cylinder (2), the gas inlet of the second throttling hole (11) is connected to the gas outlet of the second high pressure isolation self-locking valve (9), the gas outlet of the second throttling hole (11) is connected to the gas inlet of the second pressure reducer (13), the gas outlet of the second pressure reducer (13) is connected to the gas inlet of the second pressure control electromagnetic valve (15), the gas outlet of the second pressure control electromagnetic valve (15) is connected to the gas inlets of the second buffer cylinder (19) and the second low pressure sensor (17), and the gas outlet of the second buffer cylinder (19) is connected to the gas inlets of the second cold gas thrusters (23) in the second branch.

5. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 4, wherein: The pressure reducers in the two branches are mechanical pressure reducers; the two branches adopt a one-stage mechanical pressure reduction and a two-stage electronic pressure reduction mode to realize system pressure regulation, and specifically: In the first branch, the first pressure reducer (12) and the first pressure control electromagnetic valve (14) jointly realize pressure reduction; In the second branch, the second pressure reducer (13) and the second pressure control electromagnetic valve (15) jointly realize pressure reduction.

6. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 4, wherein: The connections of the components in the first branch, the connections of the components in the second branch, the connections of the high pressure through self-locking valve and the two branches, and the connections of the low pressure through self-locking valve and the two branches are realized by pipelines, and the pipelines are connected by welding or a metal ball head-metal cone surface screwing hard sealing mode.

7. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 4, wherein: In the propulsion system, the first branch and the second branch back up each other, and in the case of single branch failure, the other branch realizes basic functions; in the case of single branch failure of only the pressure reduction link, i.e. the failure of the pressure reducer or the pressure control electromagnetic valve, the high pressure through self-locking valve and the low pressure through self-locking valve are opened by the control unit, the gas in the double-branch cylinders is consumed at the same time under the fault condition, the cold gas thrusters in the double-branch cylinders work in pairs, and the thrust supply under the normal mass center adjustment function of the system is ensured.

8. The method of center-of-mass adjustment of claim 1, wherein: One end of the high pressure through self-locking valve (3) is connected to the gas outlet of the first high pressure cylinder (1) in the first branch, and the other end of the high pressure through self-locking valve (3) is connected to the gas outlet of the second high pressure cylinder (2) in the second branch; one end of the low pressure through self-locking valve (20) is connected to the gas outlet of the first buffer cylinder (18) in the first branch, and the other end of the low pressure through self-locking valve (20) is connected to the gas outlet of the second buffer cylinder (19) in the second branch.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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