EFFECT OF THE TEMPERATURE ON THE PARAMETERS OF CAPILLARY PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT DEVICES

• Дата: 2026
• Автори: DAVYDOV, S.O., KATRENKO, M.O., PRYADKO, N.S.
• Формат: Стаття
• Опубліковано: текст 3 2026
• Онлайн доступ: https://journal-itm.dp.ua/ojs/index.php/ITM_j1/article/view/193
• Назва журналу: Technical Mechanics

This work is devoted to the study of the effect of propellant component temperature oscillations in orbital flight on the main design parameters of capillary propellant management devices. The presence of these devices in the propellant feed system of multi-purpose spacecraft is associated with the requirements of sustainer engine restarts in near-zero-gravity conditions. In zero gravity, a liquid propellant is mixed in an arbitrary manner with the pressurant gas, thus causing the danger of the gas phase entering the feed line and then the engine combustion chamber, which, in turn, may lead to a start failure. To avoid this emergency situation, various propellant management devices have been developed and successfully used over the past several decades, among which the most common and universal ones are those based on capillary forces. Despite a number of significant advantages in comparison with other devices, capillary ones have some drawbacks that are associated with the features of capillary forces. In particular, the temperature of any propellant affects its physical properties, thus affecting the performance of capillary propellant management devices. The goal of this work was to identify the effect of propellant temperature oscillations on the performance of these devices. The static and dynamic holding capacities of capillary propellant management devices, which are their main critical design parameters, were calculated for propellant temperatures higher than the design temperature. The temperature dependence of the surface tension coefficient, the dynamic viscosity coefficient, and the liquid propellant density was taken into account. The results obtained show that the operability of capillary propellant management devices in orbital flight deteriorates due to a local increase in propellant temperature in a certain part of the tank. For a reliable engine restart, it is necessary to ensure a sufficiently high operability reserve factor of these devices. In addition, it is advisable to take measures to reduce a local increase in propellant temperature in the tanks in zero gravity. The use of the results in engineering practice allows one to predict the design parameters of propellant management devices at the draft design stage of promising multi-purpose spacecraft. REFERENCES 1. Belyaev N. M. Design of Rocket Pneumohydraulic Systems. Moscow: Mashinostroyeniye, 1983. 219 pp. (In Russian). 2. Babyichuk Ya. O., Nazarenko D. S., Siedykh I. V. Calculation and experiment method to study propellant settlement in a tank before sustainer engine restarts. Teh. Meh. 2019. No. 2. Pp. 3 - 47. (In Russian).https://doi.org/10.15407/itm2019.02.039 3. Kozlov A. A., Novikov V. N., Solov'ev E. V. А.А. Feed and Control Systems of Liquid-Propellant Rocket Systems. Moscow: Mashinostroyeniye, 1988. 352 pp. (In Russian). 4. Bagrov V. V., Kurpatenkov A. V., Polyaev V. M. et al. Capillary Systems for Liquid Withdrawal from Spacecraft Tanks. V. M. Polyaev (Ed.). Moscow: ENERGOMASh, 1997. 328 pp. (In Russian). 5. Ono S., Kondo S. Molecular Theory of Surface Tension in Liquids. Moscow: Foreign Literature Publishers, 1983. 254 pp. (In Russian). 6. Davydov S. A. Experimental studies of the effect of the elastic coefficient of grid phase separators on their holding capacity. Journal of Rocket-Space Technology. 2004. Iss. 8. No. 12. Pp. 11-17. (In Russian). 7. Regnier W.W., Hess D.A. Design and development of a passive propellant management system. J. of Spacecraft and Rockets. 1978. V.15. No. 5. Pp. 299-304.https://doi.org/10.2514/3.57320 8. Davydov S. A., Makarova A. S. Experimental assessment of the effect of a varying pressure on gas break through a metal grid. Deposited in the All-Union Institute of Scientific and Technical Information. No. 26 -19 - V89 - 1989. 11 pp. (In Russian). 9. Tegart J.R. Influence of pressure transients on the performance of capillary propellant acquisition systems. AIAA Paper. 1976. No. 597. 8 pp. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1976-597 10. Sichevoi A. V., Davydov S. A., Gorelova K. V. Dynamic loading coefficient of grid propellant management devices. In: System Design and Characteristic Analysis of Aerospace Hardware. V. X. Dnipropetrovsk, Porogi, 2010. Pp. 106 -113. (In Russian). 11. Vargaftik N. B. Handbook on the Thermophysical Properties of Gases and Liquids. Moscow: Nauka, 1972. 720 pp. (In Russian). 12. Frolov Yu. G. Colloidal Chemistry Course: Surface Phenomena and Disperse Systems. Moscow: Al'yans, 2014. 464 pp. (In Russian).