RU2109975C1 - Fuel and oxidizer tanks pressurization system of space vehicle engine plant - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: designing of jet engine plants for space vehicles. SUBSTANCE: system includes on-board compressor 1, check valves 14 and 15. On-board compressor is connected with pressurization bottles and separating gas chambers of propellant tanks (oxidizer and fuel tanks) by means of pneumatic high- and low-pressure mains. Check valves are fitted in each high-pressure pneumatic main. System includes also bypass mains 16 and 17 fitted with non-adjustable throttle valve 18 and two fine filters 16 and 21 mounted at inlet and outlet of throttle valve. One end of each bypass main is brought in communication with low-pressure pneumatic main at inlet of pressure-reducing valve 12. Other end is brought in communication with high-pressure pneumatic main in section between compressor output and check valves. EFFECT: enhanced survivability and reliability and increased service life of pressurization system. 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to space technology, and more specifically to the field of design and operation of jet propulsion systems (RDU) of spacecraft (KLA).

 The system of pressurizing the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer of the spacecraft’s propulsion system is used in modern KLA RDUs used to create thrust impulses necessary both for moving the center of mass of the KLA (correcting the trajectory of the spacecraft, braking the KLA to ensure its departure from orbit), and control moments relative to its center of mass (orientation, turns, etc.). Thrust impulses for various control modes of the apparatus in space are created using jet engines (RD) on board, the thrust values of which, depending on their purpose, vary over a wide range (from several hundred kilogram-force to units or less than kilogram-force). The operation of these engines with the specified parameters is ensured by the systems of pressurizing the fuel tanks and supplying fuel to the engine inputs.

 Known systems of pressurization of fuel tanks of fuel and an oxidizer of a propulsion system of a spacecraft [1]. The pressurization systems contain high-pressure cylinders filled with gas, for example, nitrogen, which serve to squeeze the fuel out of the fuel tanks and supply it to the jet engines of the propulsion system. High-pressure cylinders are connected to the cavities of the pressurization of the fuel tanks through low-pressure lines containing shut-off valves, gas pressure regulators and check valves. The supply of boost gas in high-pressure cylinders in such systems is designed for one-time full extrusion of fuel from fuel tanks. It is impossible to provide fuel and oxidizer refueling in space of the fuel tanks due to the lack of a source for pumping gas from the boost cavities back to the cavity of high pressure cylinders, i.e. there is no way to bring the system to its original state for re-refueling a propulsion system in a space flight, for example, from a space tanker.

 The disadvantages of such systems are the low survivability of the system, low reliability and the inability to reuse the boost system for refueling fuel tanks in space flight conditions.

 Also known is a system of pressurizing fuel tanks of fuel and an oxidizer of a propulsion system of a spacecraft [2], selected as a prototype.

 The system contains a compressor connected by high pressure and low pressure pneumatic lines respectively to boost cylinders and separated gas cavities of fuel tanks and oxidizer, reducers installed in each low pressure pneumatic line, and check valves installed in each high pressure pneumatic line. In such systems, the presence of own on-board compressors in the propulsion system (DU) allows gas to be pumped from the cavities of the boost of fuel tanks to the cylinders of the boost system before refueling the fuel tanks from the space refueling tank. The increase in the mass and dimensions of the onboard systems here is compensated by the possibility of multiple refueling from the space refueling station and thus extending the life of the entire spacecraft (space orbital station). The on-board compressor ensures that the pressurization system is restored to its original state by pumping gas from the pressurization cavities of the fuel tanks to high-pressure cylinders. However, in such systems, difficulties arise during operation and compressor start-up failures in space orbital flights due to the absence of a bypass line between the low and high pressure pneumatic lines.

 The disadvantages of the known pressurization system are low survivability and reliability due to the impossibility of redistributing the gas flow in the mains when starting and operating the compressor in space orbital flight conditions.

 The present invention is the creation of such a system of pressurization, which would have increased survivability and reliability in space orbital flight. This is achieved by ensuring the redistribution of the gas flow in the pneumatic lines during the start-up and operation of the onboard compressor.

 The essence of the invention lies in the fact that in the system of pressurizing the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer of the propulsion system of a spacecraft containing an onboard compressor connected by high and low pressure pneumatic lines, respectively, to the boost cylinders and separating gas cavities of the fuel and oxidizer fuel tanks, gas reducers, installed in each low pressure airway, and check valves installed in each high pressure airway, bypass e line with an unregulated throttle and two fine filters included in each of them, installed at the inlet and outlet of the throttle, with one end of each bypass line connected to the low-pressure pneumatic line at the inlet to the gearbox, and the other end to the high-pressure pneumatic line between exit from the onboard compressor and check valves.

 The technical result consists in the fact that, compared with the known technical solutions, the newly created pressurization system provides not only high reliability and survivability of the pressurization system, but also increases the operating life of the spacecraft remote control during operation in Earth orbit.

 Introduction to the proposed system of pressurization of bypass lines, including an unregulated throttle and two fine filters installed at the inlet and outlet of the throttle, as well as the communication of one end of the bypass line with a low pressure pneumatic line at the inlet to the gearbox, and the other end with a high pressure pneumatic line in the section between the outlet of the compressor and the check valves, provides a bypass of part of the gas during the start-up and operation of the compressor from the high-pressure pneumatic line at the outlet ora pnevmomagistrali a low pressure that, in turn, creates the conditions for a smooth and reliable compressor starts its operation and stable during the pumping of gas from the gas cavity in the fuel tank pressurization cylinders. The uncontrolled throttle is made in the form of a throttle washer with a calculated bore of the hole, providing a given gas flow rate, necessary to mitigate the starting and operating characteristics of the compressor.

 Fine filters installed at the inlet and outlet of the throttle provide guaranteed purity of the gas passing through the throttle, and reliably protect the throttle from clogging, both with direct and reverse gas flow.

 The technical solution in terms of introducing into the composition of the pressurization system of the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer ДУ КЛА bypass lines containing an unregulated throttle with fine filters at the inlet and outlet of the throttle and communication of the high and low pressure pneumatic lines with the corresponding inclusion in the boost system, as well as the structural relationship of all the constituent elements of the device of the system provides survivability, reliability of the start-up and operation of the compressor, which is confirmed by tests of prototypes made with Using the proposed technical solution.

 Using the proposed system of pressurization of fuel tanks of fuel and oxidizer DU KLA, for example, on the space orbital complex of the Mir-Soyuz-TM-Progress-Shuttle type, will allow to give a significant economic effect by increasing the survivability and reliability of this system pressurization of fuel tanks DO KLA.

 The essence of the invention is illustrated in the drawing.

 The proposed system of pressurization of fuel tanks of fuel and oxidizer ДУ КЛА consists of the following main units, parts and assemblies: compressor 1, connected by high pressure pneumatic lines 2, 3 and low pressure 4, 5, respectively, with boost cylinders 6, 7 and separated gas cavities 8, 9 fuel tanks of fuel and oxidizer 10, 11. Reducers 12, 13 are installed in each low-pressure pneumatic line 4, 5, and check valves 14, 15 are installed in each high-pressure pneumatic line 2, 3. Bypass systems are introduced into the pressurization system line 16, 17, containing an unregulated throttle 18, 19, for example, a throttle washer, and two fine filters 20, 21 and 22, 23, respectively, installed at the input and output of the throttle 18, 19, and one end of each bypass line 16, 17 is in communication with the low-pressure pneumatic line 4, 5 at the inlet to the gearbox 12, 13, and the other end is in communication with the high-pressure pneumatic line 2, 3 in the area between the outlet of the compressor 1 and the check valves 14, 15.

 The system of pressurizing the fuel tanks of the fuel and the oxidizer DU KLA operates in the mode of pumping gas, for example, gaseous nitrogen from the gas cavities 8, 9 of the fuel tanks 10, 11 of the fuel and oxidizer into the boost cylinders 6, 7 as follows.

 Before turning on compressor 1, all shut-off valves 24 are opened and after starting compressor 1, gas is pumped out from the gas cavities 8, 9 of the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer 10, 11 and high-pressure pumped into the corresponding gas boost cylinders 6, 7, then closed valves 24, after which they refuel the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer 10, 11 from the corresponding tanks located, for example, on the space refueling tank, which periodically starts from the Earth and delivers jet fuel to the spacecraft Drivers 25 propulsion system. Introduction to the composition of the proposed pressurization system of the bypass lines 16, 17, including the unregulated throttle 18, 19 and two fine filters installed at the inlet and outlet of the throttle 18, 19, as well as the communication of one end of the bypass line 16, 17 with a low pressure pneumatic pipe 4, 5 at the inlet to the gearbox 12, 13, and the other end with the high-pressure pneumatic line 2, 3 in the section between the outlet of the compressor 1 and the check valves 14, 15 provides bypass of a part of the gas during the start-up and operation of the compressor 1 from the high-pressure pneumatic line pressure at the outlet of compressor 1 in the low-pressure pneumatic line 4, 5, which, in turn, creates the conditions for a smooth and reliable start-up of the compressor and its stable operation during gas pumping from the gas cavities of 8, 9 fuel tanks 10, 11 to boost cylinders 6, 7. The unregulated throttle 18, 19 is made in the form of a throttle washer with a calculated bore of the hole, providing a given gas flow rate, necessary to mitigate the starting and operating characteristics of the compressor. Fine filters 20, 21, 22, 23, installed at the inlet and outlet of the throttle 18, 19, provide guaranteed purity of the gas passing through the throttle 18, 19, and reliably protect the throttle from blockages in both direct and reverse gas flow. Thus, using the compressor 1, which is part of the system of pressurizing the fuel tanks of the fuel and the oxidizer DU KLA, the gas system of pressurizing the fuel tanks 10, 11 is brought back to its initial operating state and is refueled (refueling) with fuel.

 So, in comparison with the well-known technical solutions, the proposed pressurization system has high reliability, survivability, while the operating life of the remote control system is increased and the task is carried out.

Claims (1)

 A system for pressurizing fuel tanks of a fuel and oxidizer propulsion system of a spacecraft, containing pneumatic lines associated with boost cylinders and separating gas cavities of the fuel tanks of hot and oxidizing agents, and valves mounted on the pneumatic lines, characterized in that it contains an on-board compressor connected by high and low air lines pressure, respectively, with boost cylinders and dividing gas cavities of the fuel tanks of the fuel and oxidizer, gas reducers, installed in each low-pressure pneumatic line, and non-return valves installed in each high-pressure pneumatic line, and bypass lines with an unregulated throttle and two fine filters installed on each inlet and outlet of the throttle are included in its composition, one end each bypass line is in communication with a low pressure pneumatic line at the inlet to the gearbox, and the other end is connected with a high pressure pneumatic line in the area between the exit of the on-board computer essora and check valves.