Hypergolic Propellant Degassing via Vacuum Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hypergolic propellants contain inert gases like nitrogen and helium, which can lead to heat transfer issues, thrust anomalies, and increased explosion risk due to gas bubbles, making it difficult to achieve reproducible saturation and ensuring performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a vacuum-tight vessel with a tempering unit for cooling and a negative pressure source to remove inert gases through a liquid-solid phase transition, using a device that introduces hypergolic propellants, cools them, and applies reduced pressure to aspirate dissolved gases before freezing, aided by mechanical movement to separate gas and liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hypergolic propellants are stored under high pressure in inert gas atmosphere, then transportation and production safety is improved, but gas saturation increases leading to heat transfer issues and thrust anomalies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary degassing action before the propellant is used in the rocket engine. By removing inert gases through vacuum treatment and controlled heating in advance, the propellant is prepared in a gas-free state, preventing heat transfer issues and thrust anomalies during actual operation while maintaining safety during transportation and storage
2Quantity of substance
If stripping method is used to remove inert gases, then gas removal is achieved, but vapour losses of liquid phase increase and reproducible saturation cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the degassing process by using vacuum treatment combined with controlled heating rather than high-velocity gas stripping. This approach reduces the energy input and minimizes propellant vapour losses while effectively removing inert gases, and the controlled parameters enable reproducible degassing results
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition principles by controlling the heating process to evaporate inert gases from the liquid propellant in a controlled manner under vacuum. The controlled evaporation and condensation cycles allow for selective removal of gas components while minimizing liquid propellant losses
3Object-affected harmful factors
If degassing is performed to remove all inert gases, then heat transfer properties improve, but propellant must be handled in vacuum conditions increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs degassing as a preliminary treatment step before normal storage and operation. The propellant is degassed under vacuum conditions in a controlled environment, then transferred to normal atmospheric conditions for storage and use. This separates the complex vacuum handling requirement from the routine operations, improving heat transfer properties without requiring continuous vacuum handling
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively removes residual gases, ensuring hypergolic propellants are substantially free of inert gases, improving heat transfer properties and safety by maintaining low vapour losses and preventing gas entrapment, thus enhancing the reliability and performance of rocket engines.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the vacuum-tight vessel containing the hypergolic propellant
Implementation Method 2
cooling the vacuum-tight vessel containing the hypergolic propellant
Implementation Method 3
applying a reduced pressure as compared to the atmospheric pressure to the hypergolic propellant
Implementation Method 4
aspirating dissolved gases
Implementation Method 5
aided by mechanical movement to separate gas and liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the degassing of hypergolic propellants includes introducing hypergolic propellant into a vacuum-tight vessel, cooling the vacuum-tight vessel containing the hypergolic propellant, and applying a pressure that is reduced as compared to the atmospheric pressure to the hypergolic propellant.