Conveners
C3Or2A: Aerospace Applications III: In-Space Fluids Systems
- Mark Kimball (NASA)
- Mohammad Kassemi (Case Western Reserve University)
As developments of local production of cryogenic fluids on the Lunar or Martian Surface progress, it is important to understand transient system responses to help with the balancing of process plant power and understanding system level operations. During the Cryogenic Fluid In-situ Liquefaction for Landers (CryoFILL) testing, a series of transient oxygen liquefaction tests were completed. ...
Proposed NASA missions to Moon and Mars involve producing cryogenic propellant in-situ to reduce launch mass and requirements. One technique for liquefaction of the gases produced through electrochemical processes is to circulate cold gaseous neon or helium through broad area cooling tubes attached to the outside of the propellant tanks. To determine the performance of this liquefaction...
Over the past decades NASA has been focusing to develop technology that would allow for production of cryogenic propellants on the surfaces of the Moon or Mars. The in-situ propellant production reduces the amount of propellants needed to be taken to Moon/Mars and ultimately reduces mission cost. Utilizing Lunar/Martian resources, the produced gases are liquefied and stored prior to use on the...
The use of cryogenic propellants has and will continue to play an integral role in manned-space exploration due to the high specific impulses offered and its ubiquity in space through in-situ resource utilization. But guaranteeing vapor-free transfer of such low-surface tension liquids is difficult for traditional capillary-action propellant management devices (PMDs). Screen-channel liquid...
Subcooling of cryogenic propellant offers significant advantages for launch vehicles. By densifying the propellant, the propellant tank can be made compact. In addition, onboard subcooling of the cryogenic propellant in the tank efficiently achieves the required NPSH for the rocket turbopump. This means that the amount of venting gas from the tank to cool the propellant and the amount of tank...
Mechanically connected fluid joints are virtually unavoidable in complex cryogenic system designs. In the case of spacecraft where repair or replacement may be difficult, dangerous, or impossible, the performance of these mechanical joints is critical to mission success. This is especially true for long-duration exploration class space missions where even very low leak rates can eventually...
