Buffering and flow stabilizing device for iodine working medium space propelling system

Abstract

The invention discloses a buffering and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working medium space propulsion system, which comprises a buffering cavity, the input end of the buffering cavity is connected with the output end of an iodine storage and supply module through a pipeline, the output end of the buffering cavity is connected with the input end of a thruster module, at least one group of rectifying components is arranged in the buffering cavity, and the rectifying components are connected with the thruster module through a pipeline. A porous medium plate covering an inner side port of the output end of the buffer cavity is installed at the output end of the buffer cavity, a plurality of temperature sensors and pressure sensors are further installed in the buffer cavity, and the temperature sensors and the pressure sensors are in communication connection with a control module of the iodine working medium space propelling system; and the control module feeds back and adjusts heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module through data collected by the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor. By means of the mode, the iodine vapor supply stability can be improved, solid particles entering the propeller are reduced, and the thrust stability is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of space technology, in particular to a buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working medium space propulsion system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the field of space propulsion technology, iodine has gradually become one of the core working media of electric propulsion systems due to its high storage density and high ionization efficiency, and has attracted widespread attention and research. However, in the microgravity environment of space, when the iodine storage and supply module is heated, the internal state is in a solid-gas coexistence state. Due to the lack of gravity, the flow of gaseous iodine vapor is prone to vortex and pulsation phenomena, and may entrain incomplete gasification of iodine solid particles. These problems can cause serious consequences: unstable vapor entraining solid particles entering the thruster will not only cause the thruster to work in a fluctuating state, resulting in unstable thrust output, but also cause the performance of the thruster to decay, and even damage the internal structure of the thruster, leading to thruster failure, which seriously affects the reliability and service life of the entire space iodine propulsion system. At present, in existing iodine electric propulsion systems, the flow of iodine vapor is mainly controlled by temperature control, pressure regulation, and thermal throttling, but these methods all have obvious defects. Temperature control is easily affected by environmental thermal radiation and has a lagging adjustment response; pressure regulation is difficult to accurately match the gas phase flow characteristics under microgravity; and thermal throttling will increase the loss of vapor flow and cannot effectively suppress vortex generation and solid particle entrainment. Therefore, the existing technology cannot achieve stable, continuous and clean supply of iodine vapor, and it is difficult to meet the high precision requirements of the thruster for working medium supply, which limits the performance improvement and widespread application of space iodine propulsion systems. SUMMARY

[0003] The technical problem solved by the present application is to provide a buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working medium space propulsion system, which can improve the stability of iodine vapor supply, reduce the entry of solid particles into the thruster, and improve the stability of the thrust.

[0004] To solve the above technical problems, the application adopts one technical scheme: providing a buffer flow stabilizing device for iodine working substance space propulsion system, which is installed between the iodine storage and supply module and the thruster module of the iodine working substance space propulsion system, comprising: a buffer cavity, the input end of the buffer cavity is connected with the output end of the iodine storage and supply module through a pipeline, the output end of the buffer cavity is connected with the input end of the thruster module, at least one set of rectifying members is arranged inside the buffer cavity, a porous medium plate is installed at the output end of the buffer cavity, the porous medium plate is installed on the inner wall of the buffer cavity and covers the inner side port of the output end of the buffer cavity, a plurality of temperature sensors and pressure sensors are also installed in the buffer cavity, the temperature sensors and pressure sensors are in communication connection with the control module of the iodine working substance space propulsion system, and the control module adjusts the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module according to the data feedback collected by the temperature sensors and pressure sensors.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the application, the material of the porous medium plate is corrosion-resistant and high-temperature ceramic or metal alloy.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the application, the rectifying members are one or a combination of perforated baffles, flow guides, corrugated plates or honeycomb plates. The rectifying members are arranged along the direction of movement of iodine vapor, and the opening directions or flow directions of adjacent components of the rectifying members are staggered. The position closest to the input end of the buffer cavity in the rectifying members is preferably provided with a perforated baffle.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the application, pressure sensors are installed at the inlet and outlet positions of the buffer cavity.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the application, the working mode of the buffer flow stabilizing device is as follows: Step 1: the control module controls the heating of the iodine storage and supply module to generate iodine vapor, which enters the buffer cavity; Step 2: after the rectifying members rectify and separate the solid particles carried therein, the iodine vapor passes through the porous medium plate to filter residual solid particles and defoam to obtain pure iodine vapor, which enters the thruster module under the action of pressure to provide working substance for the thruster; Step 3: the control module adjusts the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module according to the temperature and pressure data collected by the temperature sensors and pressure sensors and the thrust requirement of the thruster to control the flow of iodine vapor of the iodine storage and supply module.

[0009] The beneficial effects of the present application are: the present application can effectively break the large-scale vortex of iodine vapor, prolong the flow path, promote the uniform mixing and pressure equalization of iodine vapor, significantly inhibit the pulsation phenomenon of iodine vapor and capture the solid molecules entrained in the iodine vapor to improve the overall purity of the iodine vapor in the microgravity environment by setting a buffer cavity device with a special internal structure between the iodine storage and supply module and the thruster module; and the internal structure assembly cooperates with the porous medium plate at the outlet to further efficiently separate and capture the residual iodine solid particles entrained in the vapor, ensuring the purity of the iodine vapor supplied to the thruster while improving the stability of the thruster gas supply, fundamentally avoiding the wear and performance influence of solid particles on the thruster, and ensuring the stable and reliable operation of the thruster. Moreover, the present application can control the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module in real time according to the actual thrust demand of the thruster combined with temperature and pressure data feedback, adjust the iodine vapor flow in time, realize the precise matching of flow and thrust, further improve the working stability of the thruster and the control accuracy of the propulsion system, to meet the thrusters with different flow demands, and has wide applicability. In addition, the buffer cavity structure described in the present application is simple in design, easy to process, manufacture and integrate, does not need to make substantial modifications to the existing iodine propulsion system, has low cost and strong practicality, and is conducive to promoting the engineering application and performance improvement of the space iodine propulsion system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a working principle schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the installation mode of the perforated baffle in the present application; The marks of the components in the drawings are as follows: 1. iodine storage and supply module, 2. buffer cavity, 201. perforated baffle, 3. thruster module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present application can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, and the protection scope of the present application can be more clearly and definitely defined.

[0012] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the embodiments of the present application include: A kind of buffer steady flow device for iodine working substance space propulsion system, the buffer steady flow device is installed between the iodine storage and supply module 1 and thruster module 3 of the iodine working substance space propulsion system, including: buffer cavity 2, the input end of the buffer cavity 2 is connected with the output end of the iodine storage and supply module 1 by pipeline, the output end of the buffer cavity 2 is connected with the input end of the thruster module 3, a group of rectifier components are arranged in the buffer cavity 2, the output end of the buffer cavity 2 is provided with porous medium plate, the porous medium plate is installed on the inner wall of the buffer cavity 2, covers the inside port of the output end of the buffer cavity 2, a plurality of temperature sensors and pressure sensors are also installed in the buffer cavity 2, the temperature sensors and pressure sensors are connected with the control module of the iodine working substance space propulsion system, the control module adjusts the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module 1 by the data feedback collected by the temperature sensors and pressure sensors.

[0013] The material of the porous medium plate is corrosion-resistant and high-temperature ceramic or metal alloy. The pore size of the porous medium plate is 1-3 mm, and the porosity is 40-60%. The material used in the implementation is silicon carbide ceramic, with a pore size of 1-3 mm and a porosity of about 50%. Silicon carbide ceramic has good corrosion resistance and high-temperature resistance, and can maintain dimensional stability in extreme environments in space for a long time. The reason for the pore size of 1-3 mm is that the size of iodine molecules in gaseous state is about 0.6 nanometers, while the size of solid-state cluster molecules is micron level. Before the iodine vapor contacts the porous medium plate, most of the solid-state cluster iodine molecules have been deposited on the surface of the components constituting the rectifier components or the inner wall of the buffer cavity during the rectification process. Only a few solid-state cluster molecules can reach the position of the porous medium plate. Therefore, the pore size does not need to be too small to remove solid-state molecules to prevent gas molecules from being blocked and affecting the efficiency of gas supply to the thruster module. The porous medium plate is set to have a pore size of 1-3 mm because this pore size range can ensure defoaming ability and use the foam trapped in the buffer cavity for secondary filtration of iodine vapor to remove residual solid-state iodine molecules, leaving only gaseous iodine molecules to pass through to further improve the purity of iodine vapor. The reason for setting the porosity to 50% is that the porosity directly determines the flow resistance at the outlet of the buffer cavity 2. If the porosity is too small, the flow resistance is too large, the gas inlet amount in the thruster module 3 is relatively small, the energy loss is large, it is not economical, and it seriously affects the endurance of the satellite. If the porosity is too large, the flow resistance is small, and the iodine vapor enters in a turbulent flow, which can easily bring residual solid-state impurity molecules into the thruster module 3 in a microgravity environment, affecting the ionization efficiency and service life.

[0014] The rectifying component is one or more of the following: a perforated baffle 201, a guide vane, a corrugated plate, or a honeycomb plate. The rectifying component is arranged along the direction of iodine vapor movement, and the opening directions or guiding directions of adjacent components of the rectifying component are staggered. The perforated baffle 201 is preferably positioned closest to the input end of the buffer chamber 2 within the rectifying component. In this embodiment, a perforated baffle 201 is selected in combination with multiple guide vanes. When iodine vapor enters the buffer chamber 2, the airflow is first blocked by the perforated baffle 201. The perforations on the plate surface disrupt the eddies generated when the iodine vapor enters the buffer chamber, while increasing multiple flow paths. Moreover, the opening directions or guide directions of adjacent components are staggered, which greatly increases the flow path of iodine vapor from the inlet to the outlet of the buffer chamber 2. This significantly reduces the impact of iodine vapor pulsating air intake on the outlet end of the buffer chamber 2. As a result, the solid molecules and gaseous molecules in the iodine vapor are fully and quickly separated into layers due to the difference in flow velocity as they pass through the guide vanes. The solid molecules that have separated from the iodine vapor will be deposited on the surface of the subsequent guide vanes or on the inner wall of the buffer chamber 2 and will not move. This significantly improves the purity of the iodine vapor before it reaches the porous medium plate.

[0015] Pressure sensors are installed at both the inlet and outlet of the buffer chamber 2. Using the pressure difference data provided by the pressure sensors at these two locations and the flow resistance parameters at the outlet of the buffer chamber 2, the controller can calculate the required amount of iodine vapor based on the thrust required by the thruster module 3, and then feed back to control the heating temperature of the iodine storage and supply module 1.

[0016] The buffer current stabilizing device operates as follows: The control module described in the first step controls the iodine storage and supply module 1 to initially heat up, generating iodine vapor, which then enters the buffer chamber 2. In the second step, iodine vapor enters the buffer chamber 2. It first passes through the perforated baffle 201 in the rectifier to destroy the large-scale vortex in the vapor and divide the airflow path into multiple paths, causing solid molecules in the airflow to quickly separate and deposit with gas molecules. The remaining iodine vapor passes through the rectifier and reaches the output end of the buffer chamber 2. After defoaming and filtration by the porous medium plate, it further removes residual solid particles to obtain pure iodine vapor. The purified iodine vapor is then sent into the thruster module 3 to provide working fluid for the thruster. The third step describes the control module adjusting the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module 1 and controlling the flow rate of iodine vapor generated by the iodine storage and supply module 1 based on the temperature and pressure data collected by the temperature and pressure sensors and the thrust requirements of the thruster module 3.

[0017] After installing a buffer and flow stabilization device in the iodine working propellant space propulsion system as described above, the ratio of solid impurities fed into the thruster module 3 can be effectively reduced. On the one hand, this ensures the flow stability and purity of the iodine vapor entering the thruster module 3, which not only improves the thrust stability during the operation of the thruster module but also increases the overall service life of the thruster module. On the other hand, it makes the entire iodine vapor generation control process more stable and controllable, and can accurately control the flow rate of iodine vapor according to the thrust requirements of the thruster module 3, reducing waste in the process and improving the overall endurance of the satellite.

[0018] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine-based working fluid space propulsion system, characterized in that, The buffer flow stabilization device is installed between the iodine storage and supply module and the thruster module of the iodine working fluid space propulsion system. It includes: a buffer chamber, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the iodine storage and supply module via a pipe, and the output end of which is connected to the input end of the thruster module. At least one set of rectifier components is installed inside the buffer chamber. A porous medium plate is installed at the output end of the buffer chamber, covering the inner port of the output end. Multiple temperature and pressure sensors are also installed inside the buffer chamber. These sensors are communicatively connected to the control module of the iodine working fluid space propulsion system. The control module adjusts the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module based on the data collected by the temperature and pressure sensors.

2. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous dielectric plate is made of corrosion-resistant and high-temperature-resistant ceramic or metal alloy materials.

3. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The porous dielectric plate has a pore size of 1~3mm and a porosity of 40~60%.

4. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rectifier is one or more of the following: perforated baffle, guide vane, corrugated plate, or honeycomb plate.

5. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rectifier is arranged along the direction of iodine vapor movement, and the opening directions or flow guiding directions of adjacent components of the rectifier are staggered.

6. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 4, characterized in that, A perforated baffle is preferably provided at the input end of the rectifier component closest to the buffer cavity.

7. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Pressure sensors are installed at both the inlet and outlet of the buffer chamber.

8. The buffer and flow stabilizing device for an iodine working fluid space propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer current stabilizing device operates as follows: The control module described in the first step controls the heating of the iodine storage and supply module to generate iodine vapor, which then enters the buffer chamber. In the second step, the iodine vapor is rectified and separated from the solid particles carried by the rectifier component. Then, it is filtered by the porous media plate to remove residual solid particles and defoam, resulting in pure iodine vapor. The purified iodine vapor enters the thruster module under pressure to provide the working fluid for the thruster. The third step describes a control module that adjusts the heating parameters of the iodine storage and supply module and controls the iodine vapor flow rate of the iodine storage and supply module based on the temperature and pressure data collected by the temperature and pressure sensors and the thrust requirements of the thruster.

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