Numerical simulation of fluid flow in the vane type tank on orbital refuelling process

Abstract

On-orbit refuelling of spacecraft is one of the main on-orbit service modes, which is the main technical means to increase the working life and improve the economic efficiency of the spacecraft. The vane type tank is one of the most advanced tanks, which can manage all of the propellant. The vane device is the form of propellant management for the low-gravity expulsion of propellant form spacecraft. The orbital propellant management is achieved by the vane type propellant tank. The fluid reorientation and refilling in space environment is the key technology of on-orbit refuelling. However, the experiment verification of the vane type in microgravity environment couldn’t be given for a long time. Therefore, numerical simulation is necessary for the study of on-orbit refueling. Focusing on the research of the vane type tank of on-orbit refueling, by using a VOF two-phase flow model, the fluid behavior in microgravity environment and the flow characteristic of the refueling process in tank is numerically simulated to research the performance of the van type tank.