Thermal control system with cryogenic vapor cooled shield in propulsion system of upper stages

Аuthors

Zaitsev N. D.^*, Nenarokomov A. V.^**

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

*e-mail: ni_zaitsev@mail.ru
**e-mail: aleksey.nenarokomov@mai.ru

Abstract

In last years, the problem of ensuring long-term storage of cryogenic fuel components in highly efficient propulsion systems of upper stages and spacecraft has become increasingly relevant in the space industry. This is due to the high degree of development of traditional vehicles, the volumetric efficiency of the liquid propellant, the low energy costs for the operation of liquid-propellant propulsion systems, and the high thrust of thermal rocket engines compared to electric propulsion. From the point of view of a longer-term perspective, the cryogenic propellant is supposed to be used both in reusable liquid rocket engines being created and in promising nuclear thermal rocket engines. Understanding these processes inevitably transfers the task of ensuring the required thermal regime of cryogenic propellants from the theoretical field to the problem of engineering knowledge. To solve this problem, the researchers propose both active methods of providing thermal conditions – thermal machines that reduce the evaporation losses of propellant to zero, and passive methods that apply current developments in the field of thermoregulating circuits, insulating materials and coatings, which makes it possible to improve the characteristics of existing equipment without introducing moving elements or additional avionics into the design. This paper is related to a passive thermal control system using a screen built into the thermal insulation, cooled by heat exchange with a gaseous or vaporous cryogenic component. The main attention is paid to the mathematical model of the thermal balance, the conditions for optimizing the design parameters of the system during the design calculation of a simplified model of the thermal control system, and well as carrying a numerical experiment in the software package. The results of the numerical simulation are qualitatively consistent with the calculation. It is found that the calculation model does not take into account the interaction of the external thermal insulation with the supply line of the cryogenic component and a local increase in the temperature of the external thermal insulation. The study can serve as an auxiliary tool for the design evaluation of thermal control system for products, in particular products of rocket and space technology, which include cryogenic elements, the operation of which requires reducing heat losses without the use of refrigeration machines.

Keywords:

spacecraft, thermal control, cryogenic components, insulation, long term storage, liquid hydrogen

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