Numerical study on characteristics of pressurized discharge in liquid oxygen tank equipped with porous plate in the ascent period of rocket

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20241359

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to study the feedback pressurization process in the ascent period of the rocket and the influence of the porous plate, this paper has established the 3D multi-phase, multi-component model to simulate the pressurized discharge of helium in the liquid oxygen tank. The tank pressurized discharge tests, conducted as Lewis research center, are applied to validate the numerical model. The temperature and consumption of helium are compared with the experimental results of 12% error. This verification can demonstrate the accuracy of the model proposed. And then, the porous plate is isometrically reduced, and a simplified model is constructed to calculate the pressure drop of liquid oxygen with multiple flow rates. The effect of the porous plate on the flow is limited to a very small region near the plate. The large pressure drop exists and calculated by the porous jump model coupling with the proposed model. The permeability ε and pressure jump coefficient c₂ in the porous jump model are acquired by fitting. The different flow resistance of the cryogenic propellant at different heights through the porous plate during the variation of overload results in bending of the interface. The temperature in the liquid phase remains almost constant, and the temperature in the vapor phase increases with the axis height increases along the direction of overload. The increasing overload leads to the high temperature jetting at the lower of the diffusion inlet. Thus, the thicker thermal stratified layer forms on the overload-directed side. The pressure in the cryogenic tank can be divided into three regions, with the pressure in the ullage remaining constant and the pressure in the liquid region rising as approaching the outlet. And the porous plate produces a sudden increase in the pressure. The phase change at the interface is dominated by evaporation until 72 s and condensation thereafter. Meanwhile, the existence of porous plate prevents the natural convection in the tank which increases the temperature at the interface. The increase in temperature results in that the evaporation dominates the phase change in the cryogenic tank. Correspondingly, the mass of phase change and outlet pressure increase 17.68% and 3% compared with the pressurized discharge process without porous plate, respectively. The present study is significant for the understanding of the pressurized discharge in cryogenic propellant tank and could provide recommendations for the design and optimization of pressurization systems and structure of porous plate for cryogenic propellants.

Key words: cryogenic propellant, species transfer, phase change, thermodynamics, computational fluid dynamics(CFD), porous media

摘要：

为了研究火箭上升段含多孔板贮箱中低温推进剂的反馈增压过程，建立三维多相流多组分模型并使用NASA氦气增压液氢罐实验数据进行验证。对多孔隔板等比缩小计算多组流速下液氧的压降特性并进行拟合获得渗透率与压力跃变系数耦合到数值模型中。上升段过载变化过程中不同高度液体经过多孔板流阻不同造成界面弯曲。过载增大在扩散型入口下端形成高温射流导致界面处液相区分层厚度在过载指向侧更厚。上升过程中，72 s前界面处相变以蒸发为主，之后以冷凝为主。多孔板的存在阻碍贮箱内热自然对流使得最终相变量减少17.68%，同时使得出口平均压强增加3%左右。

关键词: 低温推进剂, 组分输运, 相变, 热力学, 计算流体力学, 多孔介质

CLC Number:

TK 123

Songyuan GUO, Xiaoqing ZHOU, Wubing MIAO, Bin WANG, Rui ZHUAN, Qingtai CAO, Chengcheng CHEN, Guang YANG, Jingyi WU. Numerical study on characteristics of pressurized discharge in liquid oxygen tank equipped with porous plate in the ascent period of rocket[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(S1): 62-74.

郭松源, 周晓庆, 缪五兵, 汪彬, 耑锐, 曹庆泰, 陈成成, 杨光, 吴静怡. 火箭上升段含多孔板液氧贮箱增压输运数值研究[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(S1): 62-74.

Figures/Tables 20

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of liquid oxygen tank

Fig.2 The pressurized discharge process in the ascent period of rocket

Table 1 Value of constants in the species transport model［13］

经验参数	取值
A	1.06036
B	0.15610
C	0.19300
D	0.47635
E	1.03587
F	1.03587
G	1.76474
H	3.89411

Table 2 Thermo-physical properties of fluid

参数	液氧	氧气	氦气
密度/(kg/m³)	Boussinesq假设	理想气体状态方程	理想气体状态方程
比定压热容/(J/(kg·K))	1695.5	969.26	5195
热导率/(W/(m·K))	0.153	$k O 2$ (T)	k_He(T)
黏性系数/(μPa·s)	2.032×10^-5	$μ O 2$ (T)	μ_He(T)
摩尔质量/(g/mol)	32	32	4

Table 2 Thermo-physical properties of fluid

参数	液氧	氧气	氦气
密度/(kg/m³)	Boussinesq假设	理想气体状态方程	理想气体状态方程
比定压热容/(J/(kg·K))	1695.5	969.26	5195
热导率/(W/(m·K))	0.153	$k O 2$ (T)	k_He(T)
黏性系数/(μPa·s)	2.032×10^-5	$μ O 2$ (T)	μ_He(T)
摩尔质量/(g/mol)	32	32	4

Table 3 Thermo-physical properties of fluid

参数	2219Al	泡沫层
密度/(kg/m³)	2800	40
比定压热容/(J/(kg·K))	830	1470
热导率/(W/(m·K))	159	0.03

Fig.3 Geometric structure and boundary conditions of liquid oxygen tank

Table 4 Initial conditions in pressurized discharge

参数	2219Al初始条件设置
压强/kPa	430
体积分数	$H > 1.97 m, α g = 1, α l = 0 (气相区域) H < 1.97 m, α g = 0, α l = 1 (液相区域)$
温度	$H > 1.97 m, T = 88.6 ~ 300 K (线性分布) H < 1.97 m, T = 88.6 K$
氧气质量分数	$H > 1.97 m, Y O 2 = 1$

Table 4 Initial conditions in pressurized discharge

参数	2219Al初始条件设置
压强/kPa	430
体积分数	$H > 1.97 m, α g = 1, α l = 0 (气相区域) H < 1.97 m, α g = 0, α l = 1 (液相区域)$
温度	$H > 1.97 m, T = 88.6 ~ 300 K (线性分布) H < 1.97 m, T = 88.6 K$
氧气质量分数	$H > 1.97 m, Y O 2 = 1$

Fig.4 The comparison of temperature distribution along the axis and the wall with simulation and experiment

Fig.5 The comparison of helium consumption calculated by different grid numbers

Fig.6 Schematic diagram and mesh of an isometrically reduced porous plate

Fig.7 The pressure difference and velocity distribution at different velocity magnitude through porous plate

Fig.8 The pressure and axis velocity at the symmetry axis

Fig.9 The variation of interface at three dimensional (left) and ZY cross sections (right) in the ascent period of pressurized dischrage

Fig.10 The variation of acceleration at the upper stage

Fig.11 Variations of the tank axis temperature during pressurized discharge

Fig.12 Variations of the tank axis mass fraction of helium during pressurized discharge

Fig.13 The temperature and mass fraction of helium distribution during pressurized discharge

Fig.14 Variation of the tank axis pressure during pressurized discharge in the ascent period of rocket

Fig.15 The difference in pressure over time before and after porous plate

Fig.16 The comparison of pressurized discharge process with and without the porous plate in the ascent period of rocket

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