Conical Propellant Tank Mount for Direct Load Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spacecraft with central thrust tube designs require custom propellant tanks matching the tube diameter, limiting flexibility in propellant tank size and shape, and increasing mass, which is costly and inefficient, especially for electric propulsion systems.
Innovation Solution
A conical shell propellant tank mount system that transfers launch loads directly from the propellant tank to the launch vehicle interface ring, allowing for independent support of propellant tanks of various shapes and diameters, bypassing the central thrust tube and enabling a lighter primary structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If propellant tanks are designed to match the interior diameter of the central thrust tube, then the launch load can be transferred to the cylindrical wall of the thrust tube with minimal bending, but the propellant tank design becomes customized and limited in flexibility, and the spacecraft mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load transfer path is segmented into two independent paths: one through the central thrust tube for thrust forces, and another through the propellant tank mount for propellant tank loads. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling propellant tanks of various sizes and shapes without being constrained by the thrust tube diameter.
Solution Approach 2:
A propellant tank mount is introduced as an intermediary component between the propellant tank and the spacecraft structure. This mount transfers launch loads directly from the propellant tank to the launch vehicle interface ring, bypassing the need for the propellant tank to match the thrust tube interior diameter.
2Strength
If propellant tanks are designed to match the central thrust tube diameter, then structural integrity is maintained, but the spacecraft mass increases, reducing the mass available for instrumentation and payload
Solution Approach 1:
The propellant tank load transfer function is extracted from the central thrust tube structure and relocated to a dedicated propellant tank mount. This extraction eliminates the need for the thrust tube to accommodate propellant tank loads, allowing the thrust tube to be optimized for thrust forces only, and enabling lighter overall spacecraft structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The propellant tank mount serves as an intermediary that assumes the load transfer function previously requiring the thrust tube. By introducing this intermediate component, the thrust tube is freed from propellant tank load requirements, allowing for reduced mass in the primary structure and more mass available for payload.
3Strength
If a custom propellant tank design is used to match the central thrust tube interior diameter, then load transfer is optimized, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The load transfer function is segmented between the thrust tube (for thrust loads) and the propellant tank mount (for propellant tank loads). This segmentation allows propellant tanks to be manufactured with standard dimensions and shapes using conventional manufacturing processes, rather than requiring custom-designed tanks matched to the thrust tube interior diameter.
Data Source
AI summary
A spacecraft having a primary structural frame and a propellant tank, in which the spacecraft may include a tank mount adopted to engage a portion of the propellant tank, the tank mount being configured to transfer launch loads directly from the propellant tank to a lunch vehicle interface ring.