Experimental investigation on pressurization performance of cryogenic tank during high-temperature helium pressurization process

Sufficient knowledge of thermal performance and pressurization behaviors in cryogenic tanks during rocket launching period is of importance to the design and optimization of a pressurization system. In this paper, ground experiments with liquid oxygen (LO₂) as the cryogenic propellant, high-temperature helium exceeding 600 K as the pressurant gas, and radial diffuser and anti-cone diffuser respectively at the tank inlet were performed. The pressurant gas requirements, axial and radial temperature distributions, and energy distributions inside the propellant tank were obtained and analyzed to evaluate the comprehensive performance of the pressurization system. It was found that the pressurization system with high-temperature helium as the pressurant gas could work well that the tank pressure was controlled within a specified range and a stable discharging liquid rate was achieved. For the radial diffuser case, the injected gas had a direct impact on the tank inner wall. The severe gas-wall heat transfer resulted in about 59% of the total input energy absorbed by the tank wall. For the pressurization case with anti-cone diffuser, the direct impact of high-temperature gas flowing toward the liquid surface resulted in a greater deal of energy transferred to the liquid propellant, and the percentage even reached up to 38%. Moreover, both of the two cases showed that the proportion of energy left in ullage to the total input energy was quite small, and the percentage was only about 22–24%. This may indicate that a more efficient diffuser should be developed to improve the pressurization effect. Generally, the present experimental results are beneficial to the design and optimization of the pressurization system with high-temperature gas supplying the pressurization effect.     

Screen channel liquid acquisition device outflow tests in liquid hydrogen

This paper presents experimental design and test results of the recently concluded 1-g inverted vertical outflow testing of two 325 × 2300 full scale liquid acquisition device (LAD) channels in liquid hydrogen (LH₂). One of the channels had a perforated plate and internal cooling from a thermodynamic vent system (TVS) to enhance performance. The LADs were mounted in a tank to simulate 1-g outflow over a wide range of LH₂ temperatures (20.3–24.2 K), pressures (100–350 kPa), and flow rates (0.010–0.055 kg/s). Results indicate that the breakdown point is dominated by liquid temperature, with a second order dependence on mass flow rate through the LAD. The best performance is always achieved in the coldest liquid states for both channels, consistent with bubble point theory. Higher flow rates cause the standard channel to break down relatively earlier than the TVS cooled channel. Both the internal TVS heat exchanger and subcooling the liquid in the propellant tank are shown to significantly improve LAD performance.     

Numerical modeling of self-pressurization and pressure control by a thermodynamic vent system in a cryogenic tank

This paper presents a numerical model of a system-level test bed—the multipurpose hydrogen test bed (MHTB) using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP). MHTB is representative in size and shape of a space transportation vehicle liquid hydrogen propellant tank, and ground-based testing was performed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to generate data for cryogenic storage. GFSSP is a finite volume-based network flow analysis software developed at MSFC and used for thermofluid analysis of propulsion systems. GFSSP has been used to model the self-pressurization and ullage pressure control by the Thermodynamic Vent System (TVS). A TVS typically includes a Joule–Thompson (J–T) expansion device, a two-phase heat exchanger (HEX), and a mixing pump and liquid injector to extract thermal energy from the tank without significant loss of liquid propellant. For the MHTB tank, the HEX and liquid injector are combined into a vertical spray bar assembly. Two GFSSP models (Self-Pressurization and TVS) were separately developed and tested and then integrated to simulate the entire system. The Self-Pressurization model consists of multiple ullage nodes, a propellant node, and solid nodes; it computes the heat transfer through multilayer insulation blankets and calculates heat and mass transfer between the ullage and liquid propellant and the ullage and tank wall. A TVS model calculates the flow through a J–T valve, HEX, and spray and vent systems. Two models are integrated by exchanging data through User Subroutines of both models. Results of the integrated models have been compared with MHTB test data at a 50% fill level. Satisfactory comparison was observed between tests and numerical predictions.     

微重力环境低温流体无排气加注过程数值研究

针对加注系统受注贮箱,采用CFD方法就液氮贮箱无排气加注过程开展数值仿真,对比了不同重力水平下的无排气加注性能,分析了加注口结构、壁面初始温度、加注流体温度和加注流量等因素对微重力无排气加注性能的影响规律。所构建的二维轴对称模型将流体区与固壁区一起作为求解区域并划分网格,并通过植入用户自定义程序(UDF)计算加注口液体闪蒸过程及气液之间的热质交换。经过实验数据验证,该模型能够合理展示箱内温度场分布和相分布情况,并获得贮箱压力等参数变化信息。数值计算结果表明:(1)加注条件相同时,微重力工况较常重力工况体现出更好的无排气加注性能。(2)微重力条件下,无排气加注性能几乎不受加注口结构的影响,壁面初始温度和加注流体温度越高,贮箱压力越高,加注流量仅对加注时间有显著影响。     

Performance analysis of no-vent fill process for liquid hydrogen tank in terrestrial and on-orbit environments

Two finite difference computer models, aiming at the process predictions of no-vent fill in normal gravity and microgravity environments respectively, are developed to investigate the filling performance in a liquid hydrogen (LH₂) tank. In the normal gravity case model, the tank/fluid system is divided into five control volume including ullage, bulk liquid, gas–liquid interface, ullage-adjacent wall, and liquid-adjacent wall. In the microgravity case model, vapor–liquid thermal equilibrium state is maintained throughout the process, and only two nodes representing fluid and wall regions are applied. To capture the liquid–wall heat transfer accurately, a series of heat transfer mechanisms are considered and modeled successively, including film boiling, transition boiling, nucleate boiling and liquid natural convection. The two models are validated by comparing their prediction with experimental data, which shows good agreement. Then the two models are used to investigate the performance of no-vent fill in different conditions and several conclusions are obtained. It shows that in the normal gravity environment the no-vent fill experiences a continuous pressure rise during the whole process and the maximum pressure occurs at the end of the operation, while the maximum pressure of the microgravity case occurs at the beginning stage of the process. Moreover, it seems that increasing inlet mass flux has an apparent influence on the pressure evolution of no-vent fill process in normal gravity but a little influence in microgravity. The larger initial wall temperature brings about more significant liquid evaporation during the filling operation, and then causes higher pressure evolution, no matter the filling process occurs under normal gravity or microgravity conditions. Reducing inlet liquid temperature can improve the filling performance in normal gravity, but cannot significantly reduce the maximum pressure in microgravity. The presented work benefits the understanding of the no-vent fill performance and may guide the design of on-orbit no-vent fill system.     

Design and development of a helium injection system to improve external leakage detection during liquid nitrogen immersion tests

The testing of assemblies for use in cryogenic systems commonly includes evaluation at or near operating (therefore cryogenic) temperature. Typical assemblies include valves and pumps for use in liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen rocket engines. One frequently specified method of cryogenic external leakage testing requires the assembly, pressurized with gaseous helium (GHe), be immersed in a bath of liquid nitrogen (LN₂) and allowed to thermally stabilize. Component interfaces are then visually inspected for leakage (bubbles). Unfortunately the liquid nitrogen will be boiling under normal, bench-top, test conditions. This boiling tends to mask even significant leakage.One little known and perhaps under-utilized property of helium is the seemingly counter-intuitive thermodynamic property that when ambient temperature helium is bubbled through boiling LN₂ at a temperature of −195.8 °C, the temperature of the liquid nitrogen will reduce.This paper reports on the design and testing of a novel proof-of-concept helium injection control system confirming that it is possible to reduce the temperature of an LN₂ bath below boiling point through the controlled injection of ambient temperature gaseous helium and then to efficiently maintain a reduced helium flow rate to maintain a stabilized liquid temperature, enabling clear visual observation of components immersed within the LN₂. Helium saturation testing is performed and injection system sizing is discussed.     

An experimental study on heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of carbon dioxide during gas cooling process in a horizontal tube

The heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop during gas cooling process of CO₂ (R744) in a horizontal tube were investigated experimentally. The experiments are conducted without oil in the refrigerant loop. The main components of the refrigerant loop are a receiver, a variable-speed pump, a mass flow meter, a pre-heater and a gas cooler (test section). The water loop consists of a variable speed pump, an isothermal tank, and a flow meter. The refrigerant, circulated by the variable-speed pump, condenses in the inner tube while water flows in the annulus. The gas cooler of tube diameter is 6000 mm in length, and it is divided into 12 subsections.The pressure drop of CO₂ in the gas cooler shows a relatively good agreement with those predicted by Blasius's correlation. The local heat transfer coefficient of CO₂ agrees well with the correlation by Bringer–Smith. However, at the region near Pseudo-critical temperature, the experiments indicate higher values than the Bringer–Smith correlation. Based on the experimental data presented in this paper, a new correlation to predict the heat transfer coefficient of supercritical CO₂ during in-tube cooling has been developed. The majority of the experimental values are within 18% of the values predicted by the new correlation.     

Geysering inhibiting research for single feeding-line in cryogenic propellant transfer system

The main purpose of this paper is to use an external recirculation pipe to inhibit geysering phenomenon in cryogenic propellant transfer system. Inhibiting geysering phenomena in the long vertical cryogenic feeding-line is very important to both the system designers and the operators because they may be latent catastrophic failure(s). Separated-flow model has been used in numerical simulation. Considered the numerical simulation results and the experimental conditions, an experimental set-up using liquid nitrogen (LN₂) as working fluid has been built to simulate the recirculation in the long vertical cryogenic feeding-line.From the experimental results, it is clear that the natural circulation occurs in the recirculation system utilizing the external recirculation pipe and geysering phenomenon is inhibited. Adding external recirculation pipe to normal feeding-line system can be an effective method to reduce or eliminate geysering in cryogenic propellant transfer system.     

Validation of two-phase CFD models for propellant tank self-pressurization: Crossing fluid types,scales, and gravity levels

This paper examines our computational ability to capture the transport and phase change phenomena that govern cryogenic storage tank pressurization and underscores our strengths and weaknesses in this area in terms of three computational-experimental validation case studies. In the first study, 1g pressurization of a simulant low-boiling point fluid in a small scale transparent tank is considered in the context of the Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Experiment to showcase the relatively strong capability that we have developed in modelling the coupling between the convective transport and stratification in the bulk phases with the interfacial evaporative and condensing heat and mass transfer that ultimately control self-pressurization in the storage tank. Here, we show that computational predictions exhibit excellent temporal and spatial fidelity under the moderate Ra number – high Bo number convective-phase distribution regimes. In the second example, we focus on 1g pressurization and pressure control of the large-scale K-site liquid hydrogen tank experiment where we show that by crossing fluid types and physical scales, we enter into high Bo number – high Ra number flow regimes that challenge our ability to predict turbulent heat and mass transfer and their impact on the tank pressurization correctly, especially, in the vapor domain. In the final example, we examine pressurization results from the small scale simulant fluid Tank Pressure Control Experiment (TCPE) performed in microgravity to underscore the fact that in crossing into a low Ra number – low Bo number regime in microgravity, the temporal evolution of the phase front as affected by the time-dependent residual gravity and impulse accelerations becomes an important consideration. In this case detailed acceleration data are needed to predict the correct rate of tank self-pressurization.     

Analysis of steady free convection from an axisymmetric heat-generating body embedded in a semi-infinite porous medium

An analysis is presented for the steady state free convective flow and heat transfer from an axisymmetric heat-generating body that is embedded in a fluid-saturated, semi-infinite, porous medium. The porous medium is assumed to be rigid, homogeneous and isotropic, and be in thermal equilibrium with the fluid. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible, with the density changes contributing only towards the buoyancy forces via the Boussinesq approximation. The governing equations for the fluid consist of the equation of continuity, Darcy's law and the equation of energy. After introducing the stream function concept, the equations governing the stream function and pressure are derived. Using the non-dimensional variables, the non-dimensional equations governing the non-dimensional forms of the temperature, stream function and pressure are dervied and the appropriate boundary conditions are stated. The mathematical formulation contains two parameters; D, the non-dimensional depth of the body from the surface of the porous medium, and a product Raθ_s of Rayleigh number (Ra) and the non-dimensional surface temperature of the body (θ_s). The Galerkin finite element method, with linear, isoparametric, quadrilateral elements, is used to reduce the mathematical formulation into a set of algebraic equations. The expressions to calculate the non-dimensional surface temperature and Nusselt number of the body, and the non-dimensional velocity of the fluid, are derived. A computer code has been developed to solve the algebraic equations, using Gauss elimination procedure, in a banded matrix form. The computer code, in addition to the non-dimensional temperature, stream function and pressure, calculates the isothermal lines, non-dimensional surface temperature of the body, Nusselt number of the body, velocity field and isobars. To demonstrate the application of the code, a spherical heat-generating body is considered as an example. Numerical results are obtained for D = 3 and 6, and Raθ_s = 0.001, 0.1, 1 and 5, and presented.     

Experimental study of cryogenic liquid turbine expander with closed-loop liquefied nitrogen system

A cryogenic liquid turbine expander is developed as a replacement for traditional Joule–Thomson valves used in the cryogenic systems for the purpose of energy saving. An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the turbine expander and is the subject of this paper. The test rig comprises a closed-loop liquefied nitrogen system, cryogenic liquid turbine expander unit, and its auxiliary and measuring systems. The test operating parameters of the turbine expander are determined on the basis of flow similarity rules. Pre-cooling of the liquid nitrogen system is first performed, and then the tests are conducted at different flow rates and speed ratios. The turbine expander flow rate, inlet and outlet pressure and temperature, rotational speed and shaft torque were measured. Experimental results and their uncertainties were analyzed and discussed. The following are demonstrated: (1) For both test cases, turbine expander peak isentropic efficiency is respectively 78.8% and 68.4% obtained at 89.6% and 92% of the design flow rate. The large uncertainties in isentropic efficiency are caused by the large enthalpy variations subjected to small measurement uncertainties in temperature and pressure. (2) Total efficiency and hydraulic efficiency of the turbine expander are obtained. They are essentially the same, since both include flow-related effects and also bearing losses. Comparisons of total efficiency and hydraulic efficiency were used to justify measurement uncertainties of different quantities, since the former involves the measured mass flow rate and enthalpy drop (being dependant on inlet and outlet temperature and pressure), while the latter involves the actual shaft power, volume flow rate, and inlet and outlet pressure. (3) Losses in flow passages and the shaft-bearing system have been inferred based on the measured turbine expander total efficiency, isentropic efficiency, and mechanical efficiency, which are respectively 57.6–74.8%, 62.1–78.8% and 89.5–96.4%. Uncertainty analysis is conducted for experimental isentropic efficiency, hydraulic efficiency, and total efficiency. The hydraulic efficiency seems to be the best measure for assessing the performance of cryogenic liquid turbine expander. (4) Isentropic efficiency versus speed ratio is obtained from the experimental data. The experimental isentropic efficiency increases with the speed ratio, and it reaches 78.8% at the largest experimental speed ratio. A higher efficiency would be achieved if the speed ratio could reach a larger value. This provides some guidance for an optimal operation of the turbine expander in the future.     

啤酒锥型发酵罐温度分布实验研究及分析

利用传热学原理与流体力学原理,并结合啤酒发酵工艺,分析了实验数据,并得出结论：在啤酒发酵过程中,热扩散起主导作用;还分析了发酵各阶段罐壁与罐内发酵液的温差情况,以及环境温度,冷煤温度,酵母对罐壁面温度的影响。     

Liquid oxygen liquid acquisition device bubble point tests with high pressure lox at elevated temperatures

When transferring propellant in space, it is most efficient to transfer single phase liquid from a propellant tank to an engine. In earth’s gravity field or under acceleration, propellant transfer is fairly simple. However, in low gravity, withdrawing single-phase fluid becomes a challenge. A variety of propellant management devices (PMDs) are used to ensure single-phase flow. One type of PMD, a liquid acquisition device (LAD) takes advantage of capillary flow and surface tension to acquire liquid. The present work reports on testing with liquid oxygen (LOX) at elevated pressures (and thus temperatures) (maximum pressure 1724 kPa and maximum temperature 122 K) as part of NASA’s continuing cryogenic LAD development program. These tests evaluate LAD performance for LOX stored in higher pressure vessels that may be used in propellant systems using pressure fed engines. Test data shows a significant drop in LAD bubble point values at higher liquid temperatures, consistent with lower liquid surface tension at those temperatures. Test data also indicates that there are no first order effects of helium solubility in LOX on LAD bubble point prediction. Test results here extend the range of data for LOX fluid conditions, and provide insight into factors affecting predicting LAD bubble point pressures.     

Drop Tower Experiments on Non-isothermal Reorientation of Cryogenic Liquids

Capillary driven surface oscillations of liquid argon (T_sat = 87.3 K at 1,013 hPa) have been investigated in a partly filled right circular cylinder under non-isothermal boundary conditions. The oscillations take place during the reorientation from the normal gravity surface position towards a new position upon step reduction of gravity. The situation is similar to the end of thrust in a rocket tank when the cold propellant moves along the warmer tank wall driven by capillary forces. The aim was to investigate the influence of the temperature difference between the slightly subcooled cryogenic liquid and the superheated cylinder wall on the oscillations and their characteristics in a single-component, two-phase system. Axial wall temperature gradients of averaged 0.15 K/mm ? 1.93 K/mm above the normal gravity surface position were implemented. A general dependence of the reorientation behavior on the gradient value was observed, concerning the apparent contact line behavior, the frequency and damping of the oscillations of the free surface center point, and the apparent contact angle. The behavior of the ullage pressure was found to follow the behavior of the contact line.     

Numerical simulation of cryogenic cavitating flow by an extended transport-based cavitation model with thermal effects

Thermodynamic effects on cryogenic cavitating flow is important to the accuracy of numerical simulations mainly because cryogenic fluids are thermo-sensitive, and the vapour saturation pressure is strongly dependent on the local temperature. The present study analyses the thermal cavitating flows in liquid nitrogen around a 2D hydrofoil. Thermal effects were considered using the RNG k-ε turbulence model with a modified turbulent eddy viscosity and the mass transfer homogenous cavitation model coupled with energy equation. In the cavitation model process, the saturated vapour pressure is modified based on the Clausius-Clapron equation. The convection heat transfer approach is also considered to extend the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri model. The predicted pressure and temperature inside the cavity under cryogenic conditions show that the modified Zwart-Gerber-Belamri model is in agreement with the experimental data of Hord et al. in NASA, especially in the thermal field. The thermal effect significantly affects the cavitation dynamics during phase-change process, which could delay or suppress the occurrence and development of cavitation behaviour. Based on the modified Zwart-Gerber-Belamri model proposed in this paper, better prediction of the cryogenic cavitation is attainable.     

EDU liquid acquisition device outflow tests in liquid hydrogen: Experiments and analytical modeling

This paper presents experiments and modeling of the most recent set of liquid acquisition device (LAD) vertical outflow tests conducted in liquid hydrogen. The Engineering Development Unit (EDU) was a relatively large tank (4.25 m³) used to mimic a storage tank for a cryogenic storage and transfer flight demonstration test. Six 1-g propellant tank outflow tests were conducted with a standard 325 × 2300 rectangular cross-section curved LAD channel conformal to the tank walls over a range of tank pressure (158–221 kPa), ullage temperature (22–39 K), and mass flow rate (0.0103–0.0187 kg/s) per arm. An analytical LAD channel solver, an exact solution to the Navier-Stokes equations, is used to model propellant outflow for the LAD channel. Results shows that the breakdown height of the LAD is dominated by liquid and ullage gas temperatures, with a secondary effect of flow rate. The best performance is always obtained by exposing the channel to cold pressurant gas and low flow rates, consistent with the cryogenic bubble point model. The model tracks the trends in the data and shows that the contribution of flow-through-screen pressure drop is minimized for bottom outflow in 1-g, versus the standard inverted outflow.     

Design and experimental investigation of a cryogenic system for environmental test applications

This paper is concerned with the design, development and performance testing of a cryogenic system for use in high cooling power instruments for ground-based environmental testing. The system provides a powerful tool for a combined environmental test that consists of high pressure and cryogenic temperatures. Typical cryogenic conditions are liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LO2), which are used in many fields. The cooling energy of liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid helium (LHe) is transferred to the specimen by a closed loop of helium cycle. In order to minimize the consumption of the LHe, the optimal design of heat recovery exchangers has been used in the system. The behavior of the system is discussed based on experimental data of temperature and pressure. The results show that the temperature range from room temperature to LN2 temperature can be achieved by using LN2, the pressurization process is stable and the high test pressure is maintained. Lower temperatures, below 77 K, can also be obtained with LHe cooling, the typical cooling time is 40 min from 90 K to 22 K. Stable temperatures of 22 K at the inlet of the specimen have been observed, and the system in this work can deliver to the load a cooling power of several hundred watts at a pressure of 0.58 MPa.     

Simulation Research of Vaporization and Pressure Variation in a Cryogenic Propellant Tank at the Launch Site

In order to improve depiction of pressure variation and investigate the interrelation among the physical processes in propellant tanks, a 2D axial symmetry Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) CFD model is established to simulate a large-sized liquid propellant tank when the rocket is preparing for launch with propellant loaded at the launch site. The numerical model is considered with propellant free convection, heat transfer between the tank and the external environment, thermal exchange between propellant and inner tank wall surfaces, gas compressibility, and phase change modeled under the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium. Vaporization rate of the vented LH2 tank and prediction of pressure change in the tank pressurized with GHe are obtained through simulation. We analysis the distributions of phase, temperature, and velocity vectors to reveal interactions among the propellant’s own convection motion, heat transfer and phase change. The results show that the vaporization rate is mainly affected by heat leaks though the tank wall when the tank is vented, but it does not completely accord with the trend of the leakage because of convection motion and temperature nonuniformity of the liquid propellant in the tank. We also find that the main factors on pressure variation in the pressurized tank are the heat transfer on the tank wall surface bonding the ullage and propellant vaporization which has comparatively less influence.     

Wet flue gas desulphurization using a new O-element design

Scrubbing by liquid sprayingis one of the most effective processes used for removal of fine particles and soluble gas pollutants (such as SO₂, HCl, HF) from the flue gas. The primary function of venturi scrubber, which represents the first stage of the wet flue gas cleaning processes, such as in waste incineration plants, is to capture fine particles as well as remove HCl, HF or SO₂ as a result of the decrease in the flue gas temperature before entering the absorption column. In this paper, a newly developed four-branch O-element is proposed as a replacement for venturi scrubber. By means of this device, sulphur dioxide (SO₂) removal efficiency and pressure loss and temperature drop were experimentally calculated. The dependence of these variables on liquid–gas ratio was monitored. The simulated flue gas was prepared by the combustion of the carbon disulphide solution in toluene (1:1 vol.) in the presence of the flame in the reactor. Such prepared flue gas with temperature around 150 °C was processed in the laboratory-designed O-element scrubber. Water was used as an absorbent liquid. The maximal efficiency of SO₂ removal achieved by this process was up to 70 %, which is far better in comparison with the commonly used venturi scrubbers. The pressure drop of our proposed newly designed wet scrubber is similar to that of the commonly used venturi scrubbers; nevertheless, the influence of the amount of the liquid on pressure drop is not so significant. In parallel, a mathematical model describing the mass transfer, enthalpy balance and pH change of the absorbing solution was also developed. Enthalpy balance was calculated by numerical iteration to determine the unknown outlet liquid temperature. Mass transfer calculation was used for the determination of complete Henry constant from all the subsequent SO₂ absorption reactions.     

功能性乙烯化合物——乙烯甲酰胺的开发和应用

N 乙烯甲酰胺 (NVF)是受到人们注目的功能性乙烯化合物 ,近年国外已有生产。它有高的聚合性及类似二甲基甲酰胺 (DMF)的高溶解性 ,可用于制备功能性聚合物材料。本文介绍其开发、性能及应用。