RU2293044C2 - Method of maintenance of thermal conditions in space rocket head module and device for realization of this method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: rocketry and space engineering; head module includes cryogenic stages with propellant components (liquid oxygen and hydrogen) which are likely to form explosive and combustible mixtures.

SUBSTANCE: explosive and combustible mixtures are formed under definite conditions, such as drainage or leakage of propellant components in head module cavities. According to this method, in the course of and after filling the head module with explosive and combustible component, thermostatting neutral gas component is fed to upper part of head module ensuring partial discharge from lower part of head module. Accumulated mixture of neutral and combustible and explosive gas components is discharged from nose section of head module. On side of end section of head module gas component outlet is closed with launch vehicle coupled to head module. Device proposed for realization of this method includes filter, flow activator, gas ducts and thermostatting elements of neutral gas component fed to head module. For evacuation of accumulated mixture of neutral and explosive and combustible gas components from nose section of head module, provision is made for discharge gas duct.

EFFECT: enhanced fire and explosion safety; possibility of forming required thermal conditions.

3 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space rocket technology.

In modern booster blocks, which are part of the head blocks of space rockets, fuel components (for example, liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen) can be used, which under certain conditions (leaks through leaks in the structure, drainage, etc.) in the cavities of the head block fire and explosion hazardous mixtures, in connection with which measures are necessary to ensure fire and explosion safety of the head units.

A known method of providing the thermal regime of the head unit as part of a space rocket by supplying atmospheric air to the lower part of the head unit using stationary ground means and means of a space rocket service tower and air emission into the atmosphere in the upper part of the head unit, i.e. the system operates on an open cycle.

Known devices for providing thermal conditions of the head unit with air supply paths. These devices operate both in open and closed loop. In the first case, the supplied air is discharged into the atmosphere through one of the hatches of the head fairing, in the second it enters the system again. ("Cosmodrome", under the general editorship of prof. A.P. Volsky, Military Publishing House of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, 1977, pp. 208-213).

As a prototype of the invention, a method for providing thermal conditions and an open-loop device are adopted.

The disadvantages of the prototype, using components capable of forming fire and explosion hazardous mixtures, is that:

- the use of air (as a carrier of oxidizing properties) for temperature control of the head unit after refueling the head unit with fire and explosion hazard components is unacceptable;

- conditions are not created and devices are not used with which fire and explosion hazardous components would be removed outside the internal cavities of the head unit, including when the launch was canceled.

The objective of the proposed method is to ensure fire and explosion safety of the head unit using fire and explosion hazard components, while ensuring its thermal regime as part of a space rocket.

The problem is solved in that during and after refueling of the head unit with a fire and explosion hazard component in the method for providing the thermal regime of the head unit as part of a space rocket, including supplying a thermostatic gas component to the head unit, a neutral gas component is used as thermostatic gas component, which is fed to the upper part of the head block, ensuring its ejection from the bottom of the head block, and the accumulated mixture of neutral is discarded from the nose of the head block gas component and gaseous fire and explosion hazard component, closing the gas component outlet from the side of the end part of the head unit docked with the launch vehicle.

The problem is also solved by the fact that the device for ensuring the thermal regime of the specified head unit, containing a filter, a flow inducer, gas ducts and thermostatic elements of the gas component supplied to the head unit, is equipped with a discharge gas duct introduced into the head unit for evacuation from the nose of this unit of the accumulated mixture supplied to the head a block of a neutral gas component and a gaseous fire and explosion hazard component.

The drawing schematically shows a device for providing thermal conditions and fire and explosion safety of the head unit.

1 - head unit;

2 - spacecraft;

3 - booster block;

4 - gas ducts;

5 - outlet gas duct;

6 - filter;

7 - flow stimulator;

8 - head fairing;

9 - thermostatic elements;

10 - booster;

11 - the nose;

12 - drainage device.

In the method for providing the thermal regime of the head unit 1 as part of a space rocket, during and after refueling the head unit 1 with a fire and explosion hazard component, which includes supplying a thermostatic gas component to the head unit 1, a neutral gas component is used as thermostatic gas component, which is fed to the upper part the head unit 1, with the provision of its ejection from the bottom of the head unit 1, and dump from the nose 11 of the head unit 1, the mixture accumulating there is neutral th gaseous component and a gaseous component pozharovzryvoopasnosti, wherein the gas component output by the edge portion of the head unit 1 docked close to the block 10, the launch vehicle.

The volume of the supplied neutral gas component to the head unit 1 is determined from the condition that excludes the formation of a fire and explosion hazardous mixture, while taking into account the maximum possible appearance of gaseous fire and explosion hazard components in the cavity of the head unit 1.

The device for ensuring the thermal regime of the head unit 1 as part of a space rocket containing a filter 6, a flow inducer 7, gas ducts 4, thermostatic elements 9, is provided with a discharge gas duct 5 introduced into the head unit 1 for evacuation of the neutral mixture accumulated there from the nose 11 of the head unit 1 and fire and gas hazardous gas components.

The exhaust gas duct 5 is installed at one end at a location as close as possible to the upper point of the nose 11 of the head unit 1, and the other end extends beyond the nose 11 of the head unit 1.

A device for implementing the method of ensuring the thermal regime of the head unit 1 as part of a space rocket, comprising a filter 6, a flow inducer 7, gas ducts 4, thermostatic elements 9, operates as follows.

To ensure thermal conditions and fire and explosion safety of the head unit 1 as part of a space rocket, the gas component is supplied to the upper part of the head unit 1, and the gas component is discharged through the drainage device 12 from the lower part of the head unit 1, while the gas component is output from the end part of the head Block 1 is closed by a carrier rocket 10 docked to it.

From the beginning of refueling of the head unit 1 with fire and explosion hazard components (for example, spacecraft 2 and / or upper stage 3 with liquid oxygen and / or liquid hydrogen), a neutral gas component is used to thermostat and ensure fire and explosion safety, which is mixed with the gaseous fire and explosion hazard component if it appears and is evacuated beyond the head unit 1.

The possible accumulation of a mixture of a neutral gas component and a gas fire and explosion hazard component in the nose 11 of the head unit 1 through the exhaust gas duct 5 is discharged outside the head unit 1.

The fire and explosion hazard component (for example, gaseous hydrogen) tends, by virtue of its properties, to rise upward and, being mixed with the gas neutral component, can accumulate in the upper part of the head unit, where a fire and explosion hazard mixture can form. The prevention of this situation, the mixing of a fire and explosion hazard component with a neutral component (for example, gaseous nitrogen) and its evacuation through the drainage device 12 of the head unit 1 is ensured by supplying a neutral component with a calculated counter speed.

Thus, depending on the properties of the used fire and explosion hazard and neutral components, on the locations and volume of possible leaks of fire and explosion hazard components, on the temperature control conditions of the head unit, the volume of the supplied neutral component, its speed inside the cavities of the head unit 1 and the safe concentration of the mixture are calculated taking into account the interruption of the supply of neutral component after the launch of a space rocket.

After the launch of a space rocket with a gain in flight altitude due to the increasing rarefaction of the atmosphere, the mixture of the neutral gas component with the fire and explosion hazard component is ejected from the cavity of the head unit 1 spontaneously through the drainage device 12 and through the exhaust gas duct 5.

The introduction of the proposed method and device to ensure thermal conditions and fire and explosion safety of the head unit 1 allows you to:

- when refueling the head unit 1 with fire and explosion hazard components, combine fire and explosion safety of the head unit 1 with ensuring its thermal regime by using a neutral gas component;

- the proposed method and device to use when canceling the launch, in this case the service tower is led to the rocket, after which the communications of the service tower are connected to the space rocket, including the flow inducer 6, thermostatic elements 8 and gas duct 4, with which the neutral gas component served in the head unit 1, creating the required temperature and fire and explosion safe mode in the cavity of the head unit 1.

Claims (2)

1. A method of ensuring the thermal regime of the head unit as part of a space rocket, comprising supplying a thermostatic gas component to the head unit, characterized in that a neutral gas component is used as the thermostatic gas component, which is fed to the upper part of the head unit, ensuring its emission from the lower parts of the head unit, while the accumulated mixture of a gas neutral component with a gaseous fire and explosion hazard component is discarded from the nose of the head unit m, closing the gas component output by the edge portion of the head unit docked to a head assembly carrier rocket. 2. A device for ensuring the thermal regime of the head unit as part of a space rocket, containing a filter, a flow inducer, gas ducts and thermostatic elements of the gas component supplied to the head unit, characterized in that a gas duct is introduced into the head unit to evacuate from the nose of this unit the accumulated feed mixture into the head block of the gas neutral component with a gaseous fire and explosion hazard component.