JP3946984B2 - Space environment test equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a space environment test apparatus, and more particularly to a connection structure of a refrigerant pipe for supplying liquefied nitrogen as a refrigerant to a door shroud inside a door provided at an end of a vacuum vessel in the space environment test apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to simulate the cold and darkness of the universe, the space environment test equipment is provided with a shroud that is coated with black high emissivity coating on the inner periphery of a vacuum vessel evacuated to high vacuum and cooled by liquefied nitrogen. ing. As a method of supplying liquefied nitrogen to this shroud, (1) a method of supplying using the pressure difference between the pressure in the liquefied nitrogen storage tank and the pressure on the shroud outlet side, and (2) supplying using a liquefied nitrogen pump (3) A liquefied nitrogen tank (head tank) is provided at a position higher than the shroud. The lower part of the head tank is connected to the lower part of the shroud and the upper part of the shroud is connected to the upper part of the head tank. There are three methods of supplying using the difference in liquid density caused by gasification. In the present specification, the meaning of supplying liquefied nitrogen may be used to include both introduction of liquefied nitrogen into the shroud and derivation of liquefied nitrogen from the shroud.
[0003]
Among the three methods, the third method is called a free-boiling method or a thermosiphon method, and the shroud can be cooled with liquefied nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, so that a lower environmental temperature can be obtained, and the latent heat of evaporation of liquefied nitrogen can be reduced. Since it can be used effectively, it has the advantage that the consumption of liquefied nitrogen can be reduced. However, this free-boiling method has a problem that the supply-side refrigerant piping must be downwardly inclined and the return-side refrigerant piping must be upwardly inclined in order to prevent gas accumulation during the piping.
[0004]
On the other hand, a space environment test apparatus is provided with a door for taking in and out an artificial satellite to be tested, and a shroud (door shroud) is provided inside the door. Refrigerant piping for supplying liquefied nitrogen to the door shroud must be capable of opening and closing the door. In particular, when the door shroud is cooled by the free-boiling method, it becomes a big problem in designing the space environment test apparatus.
[0005]
FIG. 7 is a schematic system diagram showing an example of refrigerant piping in a space environment test apparatus that employs a free-boiling method for cooling the shroud. The liquefied nitrogen used as the cooling for shroud cooling is supplied from the head tank 2 installed above the vacuum vessel 1 through the liquefied nitrogen supply main pipe 3, and the plurality of main body shrouds 4 in the vacuum vessel and the vacuum vessel 1 are supplied. To the door shroud 6 of the door 5 provided at the end in the axial direction is branched into the supply side branch pipes 7 and 8 and supplied. The liquefied nitrogen flow rate in the supply side branch pipes 7 and 8 is adjusted by a supply valve 9 provided in the supply side branch pipes 7 and 8, respectively. Nitrogen partially or wholly gasified in each shroud 4, 6 rises from each shroud flow path to each return side branch pipe 10, 11 due to the density difference, and gathers in the nitrogen return main pipe 12 to form the head tank 3. Return to the top. The head tank 3 is provided with a liquefied nitrogen inflow pipe 13 having an inflow valve 13V and a nitrogen gas discharge pipe 14 for discharging excess nitrogen gas, and the amount of liquefied nitrogen in the head tank 3 is limited. Maintained quantitative.
[0006]
In such a piping system, in the conventional space environment test apparatus, the shroud side refrigerant pipes 6 a and 6 b fixed to the door 5, the supply side branch pipe 8 and the return side branch pipe fixed to the main body side of the vacuum vessel 1. 11 is provided with a detachable pipe 15 that can be attached and detached via connection portions 15a and 15b. When the door 5 is opened, the detachable pipe 15 is connected to the shroud-side refrigerant pipes 6a and 6b and the supply side. It was made to remove from between the branch pipe 8 and the return side branch pipe 11.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a large space environment test apparatus, the amount of liquefied nitrogen used for cooling becomes large, the diameter of the detachable pipe 15 including the heat insulating structure becomes large, the length becomes long, and the weight becomes considerable. The attaching / detaching work is a large amount of time and requires a lot of labor and time.
[0008]
Therefore, the present invention can open and close the door without removing the refrigerant pipe for supplying liquefied nitrogen to the shroud even when the door shroud is cooled by a free-boiling method. An object of the present invention is to provide a space environment test apparatus equipped with a pipe connection structure that can reliably lead out nitrogen from the shroud.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a space environment test apparatus according to the present invention is a door supported to be opened and closed by a hinge provided with a hinge axis in a vertical direction at an axial end of a cylindrical vacuum vessel simulating a space environment. In the space environment test apparatus having a main body shroud inside the vacuum vessel main body and a door shroud inside the door, a main body side refrigerant pipe through which liquefied nitrogen for cooling the door shroud flows a supply pipe and a return pipe is provided with a shroud-side refrigerant pipe of the supply side was led out of the door from the door section shroud and return side, said supply pipe by connecting a refrigerant pipe provided on the hinge side wherein while connecting the shroud side refrigerant pipe of the supply side, and connects the return side of the shroud-side refrigerant pipe and the return pipe in the refrigerant pipes for a different connection than the above, for both connections Some of the medium piping formed in each bendable insulation flexible hose, a stage having a horizontal planar portion in a direction orthogonal to the hinge axis, and respectively fixed to the vacuum container body side and the door side, the vacuum container body The main body stage fixed to the door side and the door side stage fixed to the door side are set so that the edges of both stages abut when the door is opened and the upper surfaces are flush with each other. Piping support means are movably provided on the stage, and the pipe support means has pipe fixing portions for fixing the two heat insulating flexible hoses on the liquefied nitrogen supply side and the liquefied nitrogen return side, respectively. The connecting refrigerant pipe is connected to the pipe support means so as to be inclined downwardly from the main body side refrigerant pipe and the shroud side refrigerant pipe toward the horizontal or shroud side refrigerant pipe side. The stage is held at a bending allowable range position of the heat-insulating flexible hose, a stopper for restricting further bending of the heat-insulating flexible hose, or a position corresponding to the bending allowable range of the heat-insulating flexible hose. In particular, the door shroud is cooled by a free-boiling method , and the pipe support means is mounted on the stage below the pipe support base. It is characterized by being a piping support cart provided with casters that roll .
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 to 6 show one embodiment of the space environment test apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a pipe holding means, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the door is opened, FIG. 5 is a front view showing an embodiment of the pipe support means, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the same. The same components as those in the conventional space environment test apparatus shown in FIG. 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0013]
First, the space environment test apparatus shown in this embodiment is supported at the axial end of a cylindrical vacuum vessel 1 simulating a space environment so that it can be opened and closed by a hinge 20 whose hinge axis is a vertical direction, and is driven by a cylinder 20a. And a plurality of free-boiling main body shrouds 4 inside the main body of the vacuum vessel 1 and a free-boiling door portion shroud 6 inside the door 5, respectively. Then, a supply side branch pipe 8 and a return side branch pipe 11 which are main body side refrigerant pipes through which liquefied nitrogen for cooling the door portion shroud 6 flows, and the door portion shroud 6 are pulled out from the top of the door 5 to the outside. The shroud-side refrigerant pipes 6a and 6b are connected to each other by connecting refrigerant pipes using flexible heat-insulating pipes 21 made of a bendable heat-insulating flexible hose provided on the hinge 20 side. A pipe holding means 22 for holding the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 is provided so as to allow bending deformation of the heat insulating pipe 21. The flexible heat insulating pipe that can be bent is usually a double pipe type heat insulating flexible hose whose inside is vacuum insulated, but other types of pipes may be used.
[0014]
In the space environment test apparatus shown in the present embodiment, liquefied nitrogen for cooling the main body shroud 4 flows down from the head tank 2 installed above the vacuum vessel 1 to the liquefied nitrogen supply main pipe 3, and is supplied to the supply side. After branching to the branch pipe 7 and adjusting the flow rate by the supply valve 9, the flow is introduced from the lowermost end of the main body shroud 4 into the shroud flow path. The liquefied nitrogen partially vaporized in the main body shroud 4 rises in the shroud flow path due to the difference in liquid density, rises from the top of the shroud through the return side branch pipe 10, and rises in the nitrogen return main pipe 12. Return to the top of.
[0015]
Similarly, liquefied nitrogen for cooling the door shroud 6 flows from the head tank 2 to the supply side branch pipe 8 through the liquefied nitrogen supply main pipe 3 and the flow rate is adjusted by the supply valve 9 before the flexibility. A falling pipe 6c that passes through the heat insulating pipe 21 and flows through the supply-side shroud-side refrigerant pipe 6a, and further connects the shroud-side refrigerant pipe 6a and the lowermost flow path of the door shroud 6 in the vertical direction inside the door. It flows and is introduced into the flow path in the shroud from the lowermost end portion of the door shroud 6. Since the liquefied nitrogen introduced into the door shroud 6 is gasified at the portion subjected to the heat load, the liquid density becomes smaller than the supply side liquefied nitrogen up to the falling pipe 6c. The flow path is raised and led out from the uppermost part of the shroud to the return side shroud side refrigerant pipe 6b, passes through the flexible heat insulating pipe 21, passes through the return side branch pipe 11, and rises in the nitrogen return main pipe 12 to raise the head. Return to the top of tank 3.
[0016]
As described above, as a condition for supplying liquefied nitrogen to the free-boiling door portion shroud 6 through the flexible heat insulating pipe 21, the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 is not kinked during the opening / closing operation of the door 5. In order to prevent the occurrence of gas pooling, the liquid flow on the supply side must be horizontal or down-gradient so that it does not occur, the bending radius is greater than the repeated bending radius, excessive bending does not occur locally. The liquid flow on the return side is required to be horizontal or ascending.
[0017]
Therefore, the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 holds the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 so as to satisfy the above condition while allowing the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 to bend and deform when the door 5 is opened and closed. It is necessary to provide a pipe holding means 22 that can do this. In this embodiment, as such a pipe holding means 22, a plurality of stages 23 and 24 having a plane part in a direction orthogonal to the hinge axis, that is, a horizontal plane part, and movable on the stages 23 and 24 are provided. The pipe support carriage 25 and the stoppers 26 and 27 for restricting the bending range of the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 are provided.
[0018]
The stages 23 and 24 include a main body side stage 23 fixed to the vacuum vessel main body side and a door side stage 24 fixed to the door side, and both the stages 23 and 24 open the door 5 by 90 degrees. The stage edges 23a and 24a are in contact with each other so that the upper surfaces are flush with each other.
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pipe support carriage 25 serving as a pipe support means is vertically connected to fix two flexible heat insulating pipes 21 on the liquefied nitrogen supply side and the liquefied nitrogen return side, respectively. It is formed by a pipe support base 33 formed of a portal frame having fixing portions 31 and 32, and four casters 35 provided on the legs 34 of the pipe support base 33. Are fixed to the two pipe fixing portions 31 and 32 by a fixing band 36.
[0020]
In this embodiment, the flexible heat insulating pipes 21 are arranged with flange joints 21a and 21b arranged so that the supply side is located below and the return side is located above the top and bottom, and both ends are provided at the same height. Since the pipes are connected to the front and rear fixed pipes, both the pipe fixing parts 31 and 32 in the pipe support carriage 25 are located on the stages 23 and 24 at the same height as the joints 21a and 21b. Accordingly, both the flexible heat insulating pipes 21 are held by the pipe holding means 22 in a state where the horizontal state is always maintained. It is possible to install the flange joint 21a on the main body side higher than the flange joint 21b on the door side so that the supply side has a downward slope and the return side has an upward slope. If both the fixed portions 31, 32 of the pipe support carriage 25 near the flange joint 21a are set to be relatively higher than the both fixed sections 31, 32 of the pipe support carriage 25 close to the flange joint 21b on the door side. Good. Further, both the fixing portions 31 and 32 are set to the same height so that the flat portions of the stages 23 and 24 are inclined downward from the main body side toward the door side, or are stepped corresponding to the moving range of the pipe support carriage 25. It is also possible to do. The joint structure is optimally a flange structure that can be easily attached and detached, but other methods such as welding can be selected.
[0021]
The stoppers 26 and 27 are for restricting the allowable bending range of the flexible heat insulating pipe 21, and the inner stopper 26 is a position for restricting the maximum bent side of the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 when the door is closed. The outer stopper 27 is provided at a position that regulates the extension side of the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 when the door is opened. In this embodiment, the flexible heat insulating pipe 21 is in contact with the stoppers 26 and 27. However, a stopper is provided so that the pipe support carriage 25 is in contact with the flexible heat insulating pipe 21. Thus, the movement range of the pipe support carriage 25 may be restricted.
[0022]
By providing such stoppers 26 and 27, the bent state of the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 when the door 5 is opened and closed can be kept constant, so that the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 is locally bent. Can be prevented. Even if an external force is applied to the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 at the open position or the closed position of the door 5, the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 is in contact with and held by the stoppers 26 and 27. Abnormal deformation due to can also be prevented. The shapes of the stoppers 26 and 27 are arbitrary, and the stoppers 26 and 27 may be continuously provided in a fence shape or a plate shape over the entire length of the flexible heat insulating pipe 21.
[0024]
In this way, the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 is allowed to bend and deform within a predetermined range, and is always held in the horizontal direction, so that the flexible heat insulation pipe 21 is twisted when the door 5 is opened and closed. In addition, it is possible to prevent the bending radius from becoming too small or excessive bending from occurring in the local portion, and to prevent the occurrence of gas accumulation. Accordingly, the introduction of liquefied nitrogen into the free-boiling door shroud 6 that supplies liquefied nitrogen using the density difference as a driving source and the derivation of the gasified nitrogen from the shroud can be performed reliably.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the space environment test apparatus of the present invention, it is necessary to attach and detach piping when opening the door, even if a free-boiling type shroud capable of effective and highly efficient cooling is used as the door shroud. Therefore, the door can be opened and closed easily and automatically without the need for manual operations when the equipment to be tested is taken in and out and the internal inspection is performed. Therefore, a free-boiling shroud can be adopted for the entire space environment apparatus without impairing usability.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram showing an example of a space environment test apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example of a pipe holding unit.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the same.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state where the door is similarly opened.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of a form of piping support means.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the same.
FIG. 7 is a system diagram showing an example of refrigerant piping in a conventional space environment test apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vacuum container, 2 ... Head tank, 3 ... Liquid nitrogen supply main pipe, 4 ... Main-body part shroud, 5 ... Door, 6 ... Door part shroud, 6a, 6b ... Shroud side refrigerant | coolant piping, 6c ... Falling pipe, 7 ... Supply side branch pipe, 8 ... Supply side branch pipe, 9 ... Supply valve, 10 ... Return side branch pipe, 11 ... Return side branch pipe, 12 ... Nitrogen return main pipe, 20 ... Hinge, 20a ... Cylinder, 21 ... Flexible Insulating piping, 21a, 21b ... flange joint, 22 ... piping holding means, 23, 24 ... stage, 23a, 24a ... stage edge, 25 ... piping support carriage, 26, 27 ... stopper, 31, 32 ... piping fixing part 33 ... Pipe support base, 34 ... Leg, 35 ... Caster, 36 ... Fixing band

Claims (3)

At the axial end of a cylindrical vacuum vessel that simulates the space environment , it has a door that can be opened and closed by a hinge provided with the hinge axis in the vertical direction, and a main body shroud inside the vacuum vessel main body, In the space environment test apparatus having a door shroud inside the door,
A supply pipe and a return pipe is the body-side refrigerant pipe liquefied nitrogen for cooling the door portion shroud flows, and a shroud-side refrigerant pipe of the supply side and the return side are led out of the door from the door portion shroud Prepared,
The supply pipe and the supply-side shroud-side refrigerant pipe are connected by a connection-use refrigerant pipe provided on the hinge side, and the return pipe and the return-side shroud-side refrigerant are connected by another connection refrigerant pipe. Connect the pipes, and form part of the refrigerant pipes for both connections with flexible heat-insulating flexible hoses,
A stage having a horizontal flat portion in a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis is fixed to the vacuum vessel main body side and the door side, respectively, and a main body side stage fixed to the vacuum vessel main body side and a door fixed to the door side The side stage is installed so that the edges of both stages abut when the door is opened, and the upper surface is flush with it,
A pipe support means is movably provided on each of the stages,
The pipe support means has a pipe support base having pipe fixing portions for fixing the two heat insulating flexible hoses on the liquefied nitrogen supply side and the liquefied nitrogen return side, respectively.
The connection refrigerant pipe is held by the pipe support means between the main body side refrigerant pipe and the shroud side refrigerant pipe so as to have a downward slope toward the horizontal or shroud side refrigerant pipe.
On the stage, the pipe support means is moved further to a position corresponding to the bending allowable range of the heat insulating flexible hose or a stopper that restricts the bending of the heat insulating flexible hose to the position of the allowable bending range of the heat insulating flexible hose. Space environment test equipment characterized by having a stopper to regulate .   The space environment test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cooling method for the door shroud is a free boiling type. The space environment test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the pipe support means is a pipe support carriage provided with a caster that rolls on the stage below the pipe support base .

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