Liquid storage tank and pump-driven two-phase loop system

Abstract

The invention discloses a liquid storage tank which comprises a barrel body, a liquid storage tank body and a liquid storage tank body, the gas-liquid separation assembly is arranged in the cylinder body, is used for separating a gas phase and a liquid phase of a working medium, and is formed by pressing a first silk screen; the first pipeline extends from the outside of the barrel to the inside of the barrel and conveys a working medium to the gas-liquid separation assembly; the second pipeline extends from the interior of the barrel to the exterior of the barrel and is used for outputting the gas phase separated by the gas-liquid separation assembly; and the third pipeline extends from the interior of the cylinder body to the exterior of the cylinder body, is used for outputting the liquid phase separated by the gas-liquid separation assembly, and is formed by rolling a second silk screen. The invention further discloses a pump-driven two-phase loop system with the liquid storage tank. The gas-liquid separation efficiency is improved, and the gas-liquid separation device can be suitable for microgravity scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace thermal control technology, and in particular to a liquid storage tank and a pump-driven two-phase circuit system. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of aerospace technology, thermal control systems face challenges such as miniaturization, high temperature control accuracy and uniformity, large-area heat collection, and high heat flux. Pump-Driven Two-Phase Fluid Loop (MPTL) technology can effectively solve these aerospace thermal control problems. An MPTL system mainly consists of a storage tank, an evaporator, a condenser, and a mechanical pump. Driven by the mechanical pump, the working fluid flows into the evaporator, where it absorbs heat and changes from a single phase to a gas-liquid two-phase state. The two-phase fluid then releases heat through the condenser, changing from a gas-liquid two-phase state back to a liquid state before entering the mechanical pump, forming a complete cycle of heat absorption, transport, and release, thereby achieving heat collection, transport, and discharge. The storage tank is the core component of the system, playing a crucial role in ensuring stable system operation and state control and regulation. It is responsible for storing and supplying the working fluid, separating the gas and liquid phases, and maintaining stable temperature and pressure.

[0003] Some existing liquid storage tanks employ a dual-tank structure to meet different operational needs. The tops of the large and small tanks are connected by pipelines, while the bottom of the large tank is connected to the main circuit of the pump-driven two-phase circuit via pipelines. When the system temperature rises, the liquid level of the working fluid in the large tank rises; when the system temperature falls, the liquid level in the small tank falls. A thermostat is installed in the small tank to control the temperature of the working fluid's gas-liquid interface and control the system pressure. However, this type of tank has a complex structure, high flow resistance, and low liquid transport efficiency. Other liquid storage tanks use heat exchange to cool the interior, achieving temperature control simply by adjusting heating power consumption. This significantly simplifies the tank structure, but it relies solely on capillary tubes for liquid transport, limiting its capacity. Existing liquid storage tanks struggle to improve liquid transport efficiency in microgravity environments, thus reducing their performance.

[0004] Therefore, those skilled in the art are dedicated to providing a liquid storage tank and pump-driven two-phase circuit system to improve gas-liquid separation and liquid transport efficiency, which is applicable to microgravity application scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is how to provide a liquid storage tank and pump-driven two-phase circuit system that can improve the efficiency of gas-liquid separation and liquid transport and is applicable to microgravity application scenarios.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a liquid storage tank, comprising: A cylindrical body, which is a hollow, closed structure; A gas-liquid separation assembly is disposed inside the cylinder and is used to separate the gas phase and liquid phase of the working fluid; the gas-liquid separation assembly is formed by pressing a first wire mesh. A first pipeline extends from the outside of the cylinder to the inside of the cylinder, supplying working fluid to the gas-liquid separation assembly; The second conduit, extending from the inside of the cylinder to the outside of the cylinder, is used to output the gas phase separated by the gas-liquid separation component. The third pipeline extends from the inside of the cylinder to the outside of the cylinder and is used to output the liquid phase separated by the gas-liquid separation component; the third pipeline is formed by winding the second wire mesh.

[0007] Preferably, the gas-liquid separation component is formed by pressing multiple layers of the first wire mesh together.

[0008] Preferably, the first and second wire meshes are high capillary stainless steel wire meshes, specifically 300 mesh stainless steel wire meshes.

[0009] Preferably, the gas-liquid separation assembly includes a wire mesh liquid collection assembly and a wire mesh void assembly. One end of the wire mesh liquid collection assembly is connected to one end of the wire mesh void assembly, and the other end of the wire mesh liquid collection assembly is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder through an outlet capillary support. The other end of the wire mesh void assembly is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder through an inlet capillary support. The wire mesh void assembly has voids.

[0010] Preferably, the wire mesh liquid accumulation assembly has a first pressure plate at both ends, and the wire mesh void assembly has a second pressure plate at both ends, with the first pressure plate and the second pressure plate connected by pins.

[0011] Preferably, one end of the first pipeline is provided with a labyrinth tube, which is located in the cavity of the wire mesh cavity assembly, and the cross-section of the labyrinth tube is enlarged along the flow direction of the working fluid.

[0012] Preferably, the first pipeline has a spiral tube in the portion located outside the cylinder, and a branch pipe is provided between the spiral tube and the cylinder, the branch pipe being connected to the third pipeline, so that the branch pipe is connected in parallel with the cylinder.

[0013] Preferably, one end of the second pipeline has a porous structure, which is disposed within the cavities of the wire mesh cavity assembly.

[0014] Preferably, it further includes a thin-film heater, which is disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder.

[0015] The present invention also provides a pump-driven two-phase circuit system, including a mechanical pump, an evaporator, and a condenser connected by pipelines, and also includes a liquid storage tank as described above, wherein the liquid storage tank is located at the inlet of the mechanical pump.

[0016] The present invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects: The liquid storage tank of this invention uses a metal wire mesh as the internal gas-liquid separation component, making full use of capillary force to transport fluid, which can meet the application requirements of microgravity in space. A spiral tube is installed on the pipeline entering the liquid storage tank, which can use centrifugal force for preliminary gas-liquid separation. The separated liquid circulates in the system loop through a bypass branch pipe and does not enter the liquid storage tank, thus improving the gas-liquid separation efficiency. A capillary replenishment core is arranged in the outlet pipeline of the liquid storage tank to prevent gas from entering the system loop. The pipeline entering the cylinder is equipped with a labyrinth structure, which increases the pipe diameter and reduces the flow velocity, making it easier for the wire mesh to capture the working fluid.

[0017] The liquid storage tank of the present invention uses a thin-film heater to regulate the gas-liquid interface inside the liquid storage tank, which simplifies the control structure and ensures the accuracy of the system temperature and pressure regulation, and optimizes the structure of the liquid storage tank.

[0018] This invention simplifies the structure of the liquid storage tank and the temperature control structure, and improves the gas-liquid separation efficiency and the liquid transport efficiency within the storage tank. It can not only meet the requirements of ground working conditions, but also operate under microgravity conditions in space.

[0019] The following will further explain the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the liquid storage tank according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the liquid storage tank according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 AA section view; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first and second pressure plates according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a pump-driven two-phase circuit system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] In the figure, 1-cylinder, 2-first pipeline, 3-third pipeline, 4-second pipeline, 5-gas-liquid separation component, 6-outlet capillary support, 7-wire mesh liquid accumulation component, 8-wire mesh void component, 9-inlet capillary support, 10-labyrinth tube, 11-pin, 12-first pressure plate, 13-second pressure plate, 14-thin film heater. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below to make the technical content clearer and easier to understand. The present invention can be embodied in many different forms, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned herein.

[0023] In the accompanying drawings, components with the same structure are indicated by the same numerical designation, and components with similar structures or functions are indicated by similar numerical designations. The dimensions and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrary, and the present invention does not limit the dimensions and thicknesses of each component. To make the illustrations clearer, the thickness of some components has been appropriately exaggerated in the drawings.

[0024] This invention provides a liquid storage tank and a pump-driven two-phase circuit system including the liquid storage tank. The system uses wire mesh to form a drain pipe and a gas-liquid separation component, which makes full use of capillary force to transport liquid, improves the liquid transport efficiency inside the liquid storage tank and ensures the accuracy of temperature and pressure control.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the liquid storage tank in this embodiment includes a cylinder 1, a first pipeline 2, a second pipeline 4, a third pipeline 3, and a gas-liquid separation component 5. The gas-liquid separation component 5 is located inside the cylinder 1 and is used to separate the gas phase and liquid phase of the working fluid. The first pipeline 2, the second pipeline 4, and the third pipeline 3 pass through the cylinder 1 and are connected to the area where the gas-liquid separation component 5 is located. The first pipeline 2 delivers the working fluid containing the gas phase and liquid phase to the gas-liquid separation component 5. The second pipeline 4 discharges the separated gas phase, and the third pipeline 3 discharges the separated liquid phase.

[0026] The cylinder 1 is a hollow, closed structure, with the hollow area used to house the gas-liquid separation component 5. Holes are opened on the end walls of the cylinder 1 to allow the first pipe 2, the second pipe 4, and the third pipe 3 to pass through. In this embodiment, the middle section of the cylinder 1 is cylindrical, with a spherical cap at each end. The cylinder 1 can be made of stainless steel.

[0027] The gas-liquid separation assembly 5 is fixed inside the cylinder 1. It is made of multiple layers of 300-mesh stainless steel wire mesh, which are compacted to fully utilize capillary force for liquid transport. This design can meet the requirements of ground and microgravity conditions, improving the liquid transport efficiency inside the storage tank. The gas-liquid separation assembly 5 is fixed inside the cylinder 1 by an outlet capillary support 6 and an inlet capillary support 9. The gas-liquid separation assembly 5 includes a wire mesh liquid collection assembly 7 and a wire mesh cavity assembly 8, which are arranged side by side along the length of the cylinder 1. The wire mesh liquid collection assembly 7 has a first pressure plate 12 at each end, and the wire mesh cavity assembly 8 has a second pressure plate 13 at each end. The first pressure plate 12 and the second pressure plate 13 are pressed against the wire mesh by pins 11, resulting in high structural strength. The wire mesh cavity assembly 8 has eccentric cavities to accommodate the ends of the first pipe 2 and the second pipe 4.

[0028] The portion of the first pipe 2 inside the cylinder 1 passes through the inlet capillary support 9 and extends to the void area of ​​the wire mesh void assembly 8. At the end of the first pipe 2 inside the cylinder 1, a labyrinth tube 10 is provided. The cross-section of the labyrinth tube 10 is enlarged, reducing the flow velocity of the working fluid after it flows in. Simultaneously, a baffle structure is machined within the enlarged channel, further reducing the working fluid flow velocity through layers of baffles, facilitating the escape of gas from the two-phase working fluid, and promoting gas separation and collection.

[0029] The first pipeline 2 has a spiral tube outside the cylinder 1. This spiral tube allows for preliminary gas-liquid separation by utilizing the centrifugal force of the working fluid flowing inside the spiral tube before it enters the cylinder 1, thus improving the separation efficiency. To achieve the circulation of this liquid phase, a branch pipe is installed on the first pipeline 2. This branch pipe is located after the spiral tube and connects to the third pipeline 3, making it parallel to the cylinder 1. This allows the liquid phase separated by the spiral tube to merge with the liquid phase separated by the storage tank and circulate together within the system.

[0030] In one specific embodiment, the first conduit 2 can be made of 6mm stainless steel.

[0031] The portion of the second pipe 4 inside the cylinder 1 passes through the inlet capillary support 9 and extends to the cavity area of ​​the wire mesh cavity assembly 8. The end diameter is increased and multiple holes are opened to form a porous pipe, so that the separated gas phase can enter the second pipe 4 through the holes and be discharged to the outside of the cylinder 1.

[0032] The portion of the third pipe 3 inside the cylinder 1 passes through the outlet capillary support 6 and extends to the wire mesh liquid collection assembly 7 to discharge the separated liquid phase. The third pipe 3 is made of 300-mesh stainless steel wire mesh, forming a capillary liquid suction core structure, which can bind the liquid around it through capillary force, facilitating the collection and discharge of the liquid and preventing gas from entering the system loop.

[0033] This embodiment uses stainless steel as the main material, which is easy to process, has good compatibility with working fluids, and has a wide range of applications.

[0034] In other embodiments, the storage tank also includes a thin-film heater 14, which is disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder 1 to regulate the two-phase interface inside the cylinder 1 by means of heat exchange.

[0035] The present invention also provides a pump-driven two-phase circuit system including the above-mentioned liquid storage tank, such as Figure 5As shown, the pump-driven two-phase loop system consists of a mechanical pump, an evaporator, and a condenser connected by pipes. A storage tank is located before the inlet of the mechanical pump. The first pipe 2 and the third pipe 3 of the storage tank are connected to the loop system, forming a passage. Driven by the mechanical pump, the working fluid flows into the evaporator. After entering the evaporator, the working fluid absorbs heat and changes from a single phase to a gas-liquid two-phase state. The two-phase fluid releases heat after passing through the condenser and changes from a gas-liquid two-phase state to a liquid state before entering the mechanical pump again, forming a complete cycle of heat absorption, transport, and release, thereby achieving heat collection, transport, and discharge. The storage tank, connected in the pump-driven two-phase loop, plays a role in temperature and pressure control and degassing. The thin-film heater 14 regulates the two-phase interface. When the pressure in the pump-driven two-phase loop is high, the temperature inside the storage tank is lowered, and the working fluid flows from the system into the storage tank, reducing the system pressure. When the pressure in the pump-driven two-phase loop is low, the temperature inside the storage tank is raised, and the working fluid flows out of the storage tank, increasing the system pressure. This achieves the regulation of system temperature and pressure, optimizing the system's control structure.

[0036] The working process of the pump-driven two-phase loop system in this embodiment is as follows: First, the cooler circulation is started to reduce the system loop temperature to the required temperature range while meeting the operating conditions of the mechanical pump. Then, the mechanical pump is started, and the working fluid circulates in the system loop. When the working fluid flows through the storage tank, it undergoes preliminary gas-liquid separation by centrifugal force in the spiral tube section of the first loop 2. Due to the density difference between the two-phase flow and the unidirectional flow, the liquid unidirectional flow continues to circulate in the loop through the branch pipe of the first pipe 2, while the two-phase flow enters the storage tank and is further separated by the capillary force of the wire mesh porous structure of the gas-liquid separation component 5, thus achieving gas-liquid separation and ensuring that the outlet of the storage tank is liquid working fluid. In addition, the temperature of the storage tank is adjusted by the thin film heater 14 attached to the outer surface of the cylinder 1. When the system loop pressure is high, the temperature inside the storage tank is lowered, and the working fluid flows from the system into the storage tank, reducing the system pressure. When the pump-driven two-phase loop pressure is low, the temperature inside the storage tank is raised, and the working fluid flows out of the storage tank, increasing the system pressure. This achieves the regulation of system temperature and pressure.

[0037] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concept of the present invention without creative effort. Therefore, all technical solutions that can be obtained by those skilled in the art based on the concept of the present invention through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of existing technology should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid storage tank, characterized in that, include: A cylindrical body, which is a hollow, closed structure; A gas-liquid separation assembly is disposed inside the cylinder and is used to separate the gas phase and liquid phase of the working fluid; the gas-liquid separation assembly is formed by pressing a first wire mesh. A first pipeline extends from the outside of the cylinder to the inside of the cylinder, supplying working fluid to the gas-liquid separation assembly; The second conduit, extending from the inside of the cylinder to the outside of the cylinder, is used to output the gas phase separated by the gas-liquid separation component. The third pipeline extends from the inside of the cylinder to the outside of the cylinder and is used to output the liquid phase separated by the gas-liquid separation component; the third pipeline is formed by winding the second wire mesh.

2. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas-liquid separation component is formed by pressing multiple layers of the first wire mesh together.

3. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second wire meshes are high capillary stainless steel wire meshes.

4. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas-liquid separation assembly includes a wire mesh liquid collection assembly and a wire mesh void assembly. One end of the wire mesh liquid collection assembly is connected to one end of the wire mesh void assembly, and the other end of the wire mesh liquid collection assembly is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder through an outlet capillary support. The other end of the wire mesh void assembly is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder through an inlet capillary support. The wire mesh void assembly is provided with voids.

5. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The wire mesh liquid accumulation assembly has a first pressure plate at both ends, and the wire mesh void assembly has a second pressure plate at both ends. The first pressure plate and the second pressure plate are connected by pins.

6. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 4, characterized in that, One end of the first pipeline is provided with a labyrinth tube, which is located in the cavity of the wire mesh cavity assembly, and the cross-section of the labyrinth tube is enlarged along the flow direction of the working fluid.

7. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The first pipeline has a spiral tube in the portion located outside the cylinder, and a branch pipe is provided between the spiral tube and the cylinder. The branch pipe is connected to the third pipeline, so that the branch pipe is connected in parallel with the cylinder.

8. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 4, characterized in that, One end of the second conduit has a porous structure, which is located within the cavities of the wire mesh cavity assembly.

9. The liquid storage tank as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thin-film heater, which is disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder.

10. A pump-driven two-phase circuit system, comprising a mechanical pump, an evaporator, and a condenser connected by pipelines, characterized in that, It also includes a storage tank as described in any one of claims 1-9, the storage tank being disposed at the inlet of the mechanical pump.

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