Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
  • F17C13/008—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for use under microgravity conditions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/24—Guiding or controlling apparatus, e.g. for attitude control
  • B64G1/26—Guiding or controlling apparatus, e.g. for attitude control using jets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/40—Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems
  • B64G1/402—Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants
  • B64G1/4021—Tank construction; Details thereof
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02K—JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
  • F02K9/00—Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant therefor; Control thereof
  • F02K9/42—Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant therefor; Control thereof using liquid or gaseous propellants
  • F02K9/60—Constructional parts; Details not otherwise provided for
  • F02K9/605—Reservoirs
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/01—Shape
  • F17C2201/0128—Shape spherical or elliptical
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/05—Size
  • F17C2201/056—Small (<1 m3)
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/06—Vessel construction using filling material in contact with the handled fluid
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
  • F17C2203/0304—Thermal insulations by solid means
  • F17C2203/0308—Radiation shield
  • F17C2203/032—Multi-sheet layers
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
  • F17C2203/0636—Metals
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
  • F17C2203/0658—Synthetics
  • F17C2203/066—Plastics
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/068—Special properties of materials for vessel walls
  • F17C2203/0685—Special properties of materials for vessel walls flexible
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/03—Fluid connections, filters, valves, closure means or other attachments
  • F17C2205/0302—Fittings, valves, filters, or components in connection with the gas storage device
  • F17C2205/0323—Valves
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/03—Fluid connections, filters, valves, closure means or other attachments
  • F17C2205/0302—Fittings, valves, filters, or components in connection with the gas storage device
  • F17C2205/0341—Filters
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
  • F17C2221/014—Nitrogen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/08—Ergols, e.g. hydrazine
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
  • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
  • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
  • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
  • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
  • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
  • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
  • F17C2223/035—High pressure (>10 bar)
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/0302—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating
  • F17C2227/0304—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating using an electric heater
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/0367—Localisation of heat exchange
  • F17C2227/0369—Localisation of heat exchange in or on a vessel
  • F17C2227/0372—Localisation of heat exchange in or on a vessel in the gas
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
  • F17C2227/0367—Localisation of heat exchange
  • F17C2227/0369—Localisation of heat exchange in or on a vessel
  • F17C2227/0374—Localisation of heat exchange in or on a vessel in the liquid
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
  • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
  • F17C2250/043—Pressure
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
  • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
  • F17C2250/0439—Temperature
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/06—Controlling or regulating of parameters as output values
  • F17C2250/0605—Parameters
  • F17C2250/0631—Temperature
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2270/00—Applications
  • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
  • F17C2270/0186—Applications for fluid transport or storage in the air or in space
  • F17C2270/0194—Applications for fluid transport or storage in the air or in space for use under microgravity conditions, e.g. space
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2270/00—Applications
  • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
  • F17C2270/0186—Applications for fluid transport or storage in the air or in space
  • F17C2270/0197—Rockets

Definitions

• the subject of the invention is a two-phase cold-gas propulsion system for a spacecraft and a reservoir for such a system, the tank according to the invention being equipped with a particular device for expelling gas and, advantageously, thermal control of the tank, for cold gas propulsion systems with liquid propellant storage used on board spacecraft.
• This particular device makes it possible to separate the vapor phase of the liquid phase from the diphasic propellant stored inside the tank, advantageously also to have superheated steam (that is to say, hotter than the condensation in the tank) at the outlet of the tank and, preferably also, to determine in time the average of the need for heating power.
• the propulsion system according to the invention is advantageously applicable to deliver short-duration flares of the type necessary to ensure the control of orbit and attitude of spacecraft, in the range extending from a few tens to a few hundred of kilograms.
• the total impulse requirement for satellite attitude and orbit control is within a range of 5kNs to 2OkN. s, for which it is difficult to use a conventional cold gas propulsion system, because of too much mass and too much space in the tank, and for which it is very expensive to use a hydrazine propulsion system, because of the very low propellant volume required (2.5 kg to 10kg).
• the problem underlying the invention is to provide a propulsion system as simple and inexpensive as a standard cold gas propulsion system, while limiting the major disadvantages of such systems, that is to say the tank size, the pressure level of the tank, and, as a corollary, its empty weight.
• a pulse of 5kNs to be achieved with a conventional cold gas system requires a propellant mass of 8kg to 32kg nitrogen (N2) and a tank volume of 40 liters to
• the propellant requirement is from 5 kg to 20 kg of ammonia for example; a gain of 40% by weight of propellant compared to a conventional cold-gas system, with a tank volume of 15 to 60 liters, a reservoir pressure of 0.6 to 2.4 MPa, and a tank mass from 3 to 5 kg, in classic titanium structure.
• An impulse in the range 5kN.s at 2OkN. s requires from 2.5kg to 10kg of hydrazine (N2H4) in a tank with a volume of 3.5 to 13.5 liters with a reservoir pressure of 0.6 to 2.4 MPa, and a mass of the reservoir of 1.5 to 5kg titanium.
• the mass gain of propellant is only a factor of two compared to a two-phase cold gas propulsion, for a much greater complexity and cost. . It should be noted that two-phase propellant propulsion systems according to the state of the art have the major disadvantage of requiring a very high-power evaporator output tank.
• the idea underlying the invention is to use, inside the tank, a gas expulsion device for discharging a dry steam to the propulsion nozzles of the satellite. It is indeed important not to let escape liquid propellant gullets, which would freeze the pipes and render unusable propulsion system.
• the principle of such an expulsion device consists in retaining the propellants in liquid form by capillary action at the front of a portion of the reservoir, so that the saturating vapor can leave the reservoir to be sent to the nozzles.
• a device for thermal control of the reservoir is used, in order to guarantee the exit of a superheated vapor at a good temperature, typically +5 ° C. with respect to the saturation vapor temperature at room temperature. inside the tank.
• the lower part of the tank the part of the tank where the propellant is trapped in the liquid phase
• the upper part the part of the tank containing the vapor or propellant in phase gas, and from which this vapor is discharged to the outside of the tank, towards at least one thruster nozzle.
• the invention therefore proposes a tank for a two-phase cold gas propulsion system of a spacecraft, which comprises a microporous structure, adapted to ensure, in a part (so-called lower part) of the tank which is opposite to an evacuation orifice. of gas out of the reservoir, capillary retention in the liquid phase of a fluid two-phase contained in the tank, and which is characterized in that it further comprises, at least one heater, to provide a thermal control of said ' tank, and for heating the gas phase in the tank, at a significantly higher temperature (typically +5 0 C) than the saturated vapor temperature, so as to ensure the evacuation of superheated steam.
• a significantly higher temperature typically +5 0 C
• the gas discharge orifice is defined by a connecting tube, which can be used for filling the diphasic propellant tank.
• the reservoir advantageously comprises at least one mechanical thermostat for controlling the temperature of the reservoir.
• At least one heater is turned on according to the state of at least one mechanical thermostat.
• the reservoir advantageously comprises at least one thermistor in the part of the reservoir containing the gaseous phase (upper part), and, more preferably, at least one second thermistor in the portion of the reservoir containing the microporous structure and the liquid phase (lower part).
• At least one heater is turned on from the measurements of at least one thermistor, according to a pre-programmed logic, or programmable, and possibly modifiable operation.
• the reservoir advantageously comprises a mechanical structure, preferably a metal structure, with a rigid mounting interface, capable of ensuring the mechanical rigidity of the mounting of the reservoir on a structure of the spacecraft, and at least one flexible mounting interface, capable of ensuring a degree of freedom in a "longitudinal" sense, defined by an axis passing through the attachments of the interfaces, for allow the tank to breathe during the pressure cycles of the latter.
• said mounting interfaces are thermally isolated from the structure of the spacecraft on which said tank is to be mounted.
• the reservoir advantageously comprises an external thermal insulation, preferably comprising a multilayer insulating insulating film called MLI (Multi Layer Insulation).
• MLI Multi Layer Insulation
• the microporous structure is composed of at least one plastic-type material, such as, for example, PE (polyethylene), or PTFE, or metal mesh, for example titanium or aluminum.
• PE polyethylene
• PTFE polypropylene
• metal mesh for example titanium or aluminum.
• the microporous structure When the reservoir is of spherical general shape, it is advantageous for the microporous structure to be substantially hemispherical in shape, so as to integrate easily into the part of the reservoir intended to contain the liquid phase (lower part).
• the reservoir may be filled with a two-phase fluid such as water, methanol, ammonia or conventional heat transfer fluid such as freon.
• a two-phase fluid such as water, methanol, ammonia or conventional heat transfer fluid such as freon.
• the tank for two-phase cold-gas propulsion system of spacecraft comprises: a mechanical structure, for example a metal structure, having a rigid, thermally insulated mounting interface capable of ensuring the mechanical rigidity of the mounting of the tank on a structure of the spacecraft, and a flexible mounting interface, thermally insulated, and suitable to ensure a degree 'of freedom in the direction "longitudinal", defined by an axis passing through the mountings of the interface structure on said spacecraft, to allow tank breathing during the pressure cycles; an external thermal insulation, preferably comprising an insulating film of multi-layer insulating type called MLI;
• MLI multi-layer insulating type
• a microporous structure capable of ensuring, in a portion of the reservoir which is opposite a gas discharge orifice out of the reservoir, the capillary retention in the liquid phase of a two-phase fluid contained in the reservoir;
• At least one heater used for the thermal control of said tank, and for heating the gas phase in the tank;
• a temperature control means comprising at least one of the devices currently used for temperature control in space technology, for example at least one mechanical thermostat, and / or programmable or pre-programmed logic elements for controlling the activation of at least one heater, as a function of measurements provided by at least one thermistor.
• the invention also relates to a gas propulsion system cold spacecraft, q ⁇ i is characterized in that it comprises the following elements:
• At least one reservoir as defined above and specific to the invention - a tank filling valve
• the propulsion system according to the invention may also comprise, downstream of the tank, at least one of the following additional elements: an isolation valve, at least one pressure sensor, at least one additional heater.
• an isolation valve at least one pressure sensor
• at least one additional heater at least one additional heater.
• the fluid used as propellant is non-toxic, so as to allow further filling of the tank during assembly and before the delivery of the spacecraft.
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a tank according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a two-phase cold gas propulsion system according to the invention.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic representation, similar to that of FIG. 2, of a hydrazine propulsion system of the state of the art.
• the two-phase propellant tank 10 comprises a mechanical structure 1, preferably of metal, for example spherical and titanium.
• a microporous structure 3, of hemispherical general shape, is disposed in the structure 1 and makes it possible to maintain diphasic propellant in the liquid phase by capillarity.
• One or more heaters 2, providing the thermal control of the tank 10, is or are arranged in the "upper part” of the tank 10, occupied by the propellant in the gaseous phase, in order to superheat the vapor contained therein. part of the tank 10.
• a thermistor 5, called “high”, is disposed in the “high” part of the tank 10 to measure the temperature of the steam, and another thermistor 6, called
• Base is disposed in the “lower part” of the tank 10 to measure the temperature of the liquid.
• the mounting of the tank 10 at the level of the structure of the satellite is provided by the two mechanical interfaces 6 and 7, whose rigid interface 7 in the "lower part” of the tank 10 to ensure a good rigidity of the tank 10 (conformity in term of first natural frequency), and the flexible interface 8 in the "longitudinal" direction of the reservoir, that is to say along the axis passing through the fasteners of the interfaces 7 and 8 of the reservoir 10 (which may have a shape other than spherical, for example ovoid, and then have a longitudinal direction, corresponding to its largest dimension), to allow easy expansion of the reservoir 10 during the pressure cycles.
• the connection tube 4, ensuring the output of the superheated steam, can further allow the filling of the tank 10 propellant diphasic.
• the gas expulsion device is thus mainly and advantageously produced by the use of a microporous structure 3 located in the "lower part" of the tank 10.
• This gas expulsion device can be directly derived from the metal sponges used to the satellite reservoirs of telecommunication, or be a sponge in a plastic material type PE (polyethylene) or PTFE.
• PE polyethylene
• PTFE polyethylene
• the invention does not require a particular form of the sponge.
• the only constraint is that this microporous structure 3 fits as easily as possible in the "lower part” of the reservoir 10, for which reason its overall external shape is preferably substantially hemispherical, in the case of a spherical reservoir.
• micro-porous structures are conventionally used in liquid retention devices for liquid propellant tanks of telecommunication satellite propulsion systems, in which they are used contrary to the device proposed in the present invention. invention, to evacuate as efficiently as possible liquid propellants without them mix with steam.
• the thermal control device of the tank 10 according to the invention is advantageously made in the following way: - a thermal insulation of the tank 10 vis-à-vis the carrier structure of the satellite is achieved by the use of insulating parts at the level of mechanical mounting interfaces 7 and 8 of the tank 10;
• An external thermal insulation 9 of the tank 10 consists, for example, of a multilayer insulating coating, laminated or laminated, of the so-called MLI (Multi Layer Insulation) type;
• the heater 2 in the "upper part" of the tank 10 makes it possible to maintain the desired level of gas pressure and temperature, this heater 2 being disposed in the mechanical structure 1 of the tank (as represented in FIG. 1) or against the external face of this structure 1, under the external thermal insulation coating 9 (as schematically represented in FIG. 2)
• At least one, and advantageously, at least two thermistors at least one of which in the "upper part” for measuring the temperature of the steam, and at least one other in the “lower part” for measuring the temperature of the liquid, and allow to control the thermal gradient of the tank 10 and thus ensure a supercooled vapor output of the tank 10, in the connection tube 4.
• the thermal control of the tank 10 can be ensured by the use of at least one mechanical thermostat, or by an electronic management of the heater (s) 2 with the acquisition of the "high” and “low” temperatures in the tank 10 by the thermistors 5 and 6 and the implementation of a programmed logic.
• additional heaters are installed upstream of the nozzles 14 (see Figure 2) to heat the steam before it reaches said nozzles 14, and thus obtain the desired thrust.
• the gas used is advantageously a gas having the following properties: a saturating pressure of less than 2.5 MPa at 50 ° C., a high specific impulse greater than 60 seconds, and a low latent heat of less than 10 6 J / Kg and • - a low level of toxicity.
• the tank 10 allows a simplified architecture of the propulsion system, thanks to a reduced number of components, as schematically represented in FIG. 2, in which the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 denote the same "components. effect: the storage of two-phase propellant in the tank 10 makes it possible, by the knowledge of the temperature, to directly define the pressure, and thus to eliminate the pressure sensors, a filling and venting valve 11 only is necessary if the selected fluid is non-toxic, it is advantageously possible to eliminate the isolation valve, which otherwise is necessary, for the reasons given hereinafter with reference to FIG.
• the operation of the propulsion system is also very simplified. Indeed, the cold gas expulsion device associated with the thermal control of the tank 10 ensures a superheated vapor at the outlet 4 of the tank 10. This superheated steam passes directly through the filter 12, mounted on the outlet pipe 4, and is ejected externally through the thrusters 15.
• the proposed thrusters are very simplified. Each of them comprises two valves 13 monostable (robust to a case of failure and the risk of leakage) in series, associated with a divergent 14 to accelerate the gas and thus ensure the requested thrust.
• FIG. 2 shows the advantage of the architecture of the propulsion system proposed by the invention with respect to the architecture of a hydrazine propulsion system according to the state of the art, shown in Figure 3, and which the system of the invention compares directly.
• each thruster 15 ' comprises not only the two valves 13' monostable in series and the diverging nozzle 14 ', but two additional heaters 20' and an additional temperature sensor 21 '.
• the isolation valve 18 ' is a bistable valve (with two stable positions, open and closed) used to isolate the propellant storage tank 10' from the propellants 15 ', and its use is mandatory when the propellants used are toxic, to ensure three mechanical barriers against the risk of inadvertent opening of a valve.
• this isolation valve 18 ' is closed after filling the tank 10' on the firing point of the rocket ensuring the orbit of the satellite, and this isolation valve 18 'is open just before the launch of this rocket, during the launch timeline.
• a nontoxic propellant as may be the case of the two-phase propellant used according to the invention, it suffices to prove that the propulsion system is robust to a case of failure (thruster valve 13 open). and the use of the two monostable valves 13 in series by thruster 15 is then sufficient.
• the propulsion system according to the invention makes it possible, when a non-toxic two-phase propellant is used, to economize the filling valve 17 'of the pressure sensors 16' and 19 'and of the temperature 21' r of the isolation valve 18 'and heaters 20 r of the known system of FIG.
• this two-phase cold gas propulsion system also comprises, downstream of the tank 10 of FIG. for example, an isolation valve similar to the valve 18 'of FIG. 3, on the outlet pipe A 1 at least one pressure sensor such as 16' or 19 'in FIG. 3, also on the outlet pipe, and at least one additional heater such as 20 'of FIG. 3 at the level of each thruster 15 of FIG. 2.
• the subject of the invention is therefore:
• a storage tank of a two-phase f propellant with an integrated gas ejection device comprising a mechanical structure 1, a rigid mounting interface 7, isolated Partyrnent, ensuring the mechanical rigidity of the assembly of the tank 10 of the structure of a spacecraft, a flexible mounting interface 8 r thermally insulated, providing a degree of freedom in the direction "Longitudinal" to relax the stresses during the pressure cycles in the reservoir 10, a microporous structure 3, for example PTFE, PE, or metal mesh, ensuring capillary retention in the liquid phase of the fluid in the "lower part” of the reservoir 10 and a connecting tube 4 opening into “upper part” in the tank 10 and ensuring the output of the superheated steam, and allowing the filling of the tank 10 propellant diphasic; a thermal control device of the tank 10, comprising thermal insulations at the mounting interfaces 7 and 8, an external thermal insulation 9 of the tank 10, consisting for example of MLI-type multilayer insulators, at least one heater 2 in the "upper part" of
• a two-phase cold gas propulsion system comprising a tank 10 as presented above, a filling valve 11, a filter 12 on the outlet pipe 4, and at least one propellant comprising at least one valve 13, and, advantageously, two valves 13 mono-stable in series (for a robustness to a case of failure and the risk of leakage), and a divergent 14.
• this propulsion system does not use a valve insulation or pressure sensor if the two - phase propellant is nontoxic. Indeed, the selected fluid being a priori nontoxic, the obligation of the three safety barriers no longer has to be respected, and the stored fluid being in the two-phase state, the pressure is directly given by the temperature of the reservoir, by extrapolation of the saturation curve of the fluid.
• Another advantage that arises from the use of a nontoxic two-phase propellant is that the filling of the tank is allowed during the assembly of the spacecraft and before its delivery for launch.

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• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
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• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
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• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-04-07 FR FR0503479A patent/FR2884224B1/fr active Active
• 2006
  • 2006-03-24 EP EP06743600A patent/EP1868891A2/de not_active Withdrawn
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