Propellant Supply Circuit Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the aerospace field, particularly for rocket engines, efficiently cooling heat sources like fuel cells and electronic circuits is challenging due to restricted heat escape paths in space vacuum, and existing solutions lack precise temperature regulation and effective heat evacuation.
Innovation Solution
A supply circuit for a rocket engine that includes a first heat exchanger connected to a cooling circuit of a heat source, with a branch passing through a second heat exchanger, allowing heat from the heat source to be evacuated via a liquid propellant, and the second heat exchanger facilitates the transition of the propellant to a gaseous state to maintain tank pressure, enabling precise temperature regulation and efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a cooling circuit is directly connected to the propellant supply circuit, then heat evacuation efficiency is improved, but temperature regulation precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circuit is segmented into two independent circuits: a first cooling circuit that transfers heat from the heat source to a heat exchanger, and a second cooling circuit that uses the propellant to absorb heat from the first circuit. This segmentation allows independent optimization of heat transfer efficiency and temperature regulation for each circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
A first cooling circuit acts as an intermediary between the heat source and the propellant. This intermediate circuit enables heat transfer while allowing independent control of the propellant flow, thus maintaining temperature regulation precision while ensuring efficient heat evacuation.
2Temperature
If propellant flows directly through the heat source for cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but pressure control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate cooling and propulsion functions. The cooling circuit handles heat removal independently, while the propellant supply circuit maintains pressure control. This segmentation allows each subsystem to optimize its primary function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The first cooling circuit serves as an intermediary that decouples the thermal management function from the propellant supply function. This allows the propellant to be used for cooling without directly impacting the pressure control capabilities of the main propellant supply system.
3Measurement precision
If a complex cooling system is implemented, then temperature control precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first cooling circuit serves multiple functions: it cools the heat source, transfers heat to the propellant, and enables temperature regulation. By making this intermediate circuit multi-functional, the system achieves precise temperature control without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The propellant serves dual purposes: it cools the heat source through the heat exchanger and simultaneously prepares for its propulsion function. This self-service approach reduces the need for separate dedicated cooling systems, thereby limiting complexity increase while maintaining temperature control precision.
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
This solution allows for precise temperature regulation of heat sources and efficient heat evacuation, even in vacuum conditions, by using a cooling circuit intermediary and a second heat exchanger to transition the propellant to a gaseous state, maintaining internal tank pressure and preventing cavitation in pumps.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger (18) integrated into a buffer tank (20) of the supply circuit (6)
Implementation Method 2
said second heat exchanger (23), in which it is possible to ensure the transition to the gaseous state of a flow of the first propellant
Implementation Method 3
the heat generated by the heat source can be evacuated, through the cooling circuit and said first heat exchanger, to the liquid propellant in the supply circuit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to the aerospace field and, in particular, that of rocket-engine-propelled vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a supply circuit (6) for supplying a rocket engine (2) with at least a first liquid propellant, said circuit comprising: at least a first heat exchanger (18) which can be connected to a cooling circuit (17) of at least one heat source, in order to cool the heat source by transferring heat to the first propellant; and, in addition, downstream of the first heat exchanger (18), a branch (21) extending through a second heat exchanger (23).