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Investigation on Wicking Performance of Cryogenic Propellants Within Woven Screens Under Different Thermal and Gravity Conditions

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Abstract

In order to investigate the wicking performance of cryogenic propellants within metallic screens for space liquid acquisition devices, a modified one-dimensional macroscopic model is introduced. The model is successfully verified by the experimental data of both isothermal and superheated wicking. Dutch twill weave 200 × 1400 in the warp direction is chosen as the screen object. Three cryogenic propellants such as hydrogen, oxygen and methane are selected as the working fluids. The wicking performances at different thermal conditions (isothermal and superheated) and gravity levels (Earth, Mars, Moon and space) are investigated. Results show that the wicking velocity and maximal wicking height both have a negative correlation with the gravity and superheated degree. The wicking performance deviation between different fluids or different superheated conditions increases as the gravity decreases. LH2 always has the fastest initial wicking velocity, but its wicking performance rapidly deteriorates to the worst at superheated conditions due to its strongest ability of heat transfer. The wicking performance of LO2 is the worst at isothermal condition, but becomes better than that of LH2 at superheated condition. Wicking of LCH4 always has the largest maximum wicking height and performs the best among the three propellants under the same condition.

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Abbreviations

A :

Surface area (m2)

c :

Specific heat capacity (J kg−1 K−1)

c p :

Specific heat capacity at constant pressure (J kg−1 K−1)

D c :

Equivalent capillary diameter (m)

Gr:

Grashof number

g :

Gravity (m s−2)

H :

Height of sample (m)

h :

Wicking height (m)

h fg :

Latent heat of evaporation (J kg−1)

K :

Permeability (m2)

k :

Coefficient of heat transfer (W K−1 m−2)

q :

Heat exchange capacity (J)

\(\dot{q}\) :

Heat transfer rate (W)

l :

Characteristic length (m)

m :

Mass (kg)

Nu:

Nusselt number

n :

Empirical coefficient

Pr:

Prandtl number

T :

Temperature (K)

t :

Time (s)

u :

Wicking velocity (m s−1)

W :

Width (m)

α v :

Expansion coefficient (K−1)

ΔT :

Temperature difference, superheat degree (K)

δ :

Thickness (m)

θ :

Contact angle (°)

λ :

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

µ :

Dynamic viscosity (Pa s)

v :

Kinematic viscosity (m2 s−1)

ρ :

Density (kg m−3)

σ :

Surface tension (N m−1)

ϕ :

Porosity (–)

e:

Evaporation

eq:

Equilibrium

g:

Gas

l:

Liquid

max:

Maximum

S:

Shute

s:

Solid

W:

Warp

DTW:

Dutch twill weave

LAD:

Liquid acquisition device

LH2 :

Liquid hydrogen

LO2 :

Liquid oxygen

ECD:

Equivalent capillary diameter

LCH4 :

Liquid methane

LN2 :

Liquid nitrogen

SHD:

Superheated degree

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [51906194, 51876153] and the Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Technologies in Space Cryogenic Propellants [SKLTSCP1810].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Technologies in Space Cryogenic Propellants, Beijing, 100028, China

    Yuan Ma & Yanzhong Li

  2. Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Yuan Ma, Yanzhong Li, Fushou Xie, Jian Li & Lei Wang

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  1. Yuan Ma
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Correspondence to Fushou Xie.

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Ma, Y., Li, Y., Xie, F. et al. Investigation on Wicking Performance of Cryogenic Propellants Within Woven Screens Under Different Thermal and Gravity Conditions. J Low Temp Phys 199, 1344–1362 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-020-02446-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-020-02446-x

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