The structure of inertial flows in a fuel tank with guide baffles

Abstract

Purpose. Research of hydrodynamic mechanism of internal fuel flows in the spacecraft tanks with internal baffles for effective control. Methodology and approach. In the paper it is shown experimental and numerical simulation results of internal fuel flows in the spacecraft tanks with internal baffles, moving on the Earth's orbit. The structure of near wall flows - wall region, wake, around the baffle edges etc are shown. There are several cases that are shown for one, two and many vorticies or circulations around the baffles and outside of them, that characterize the energetic parameters of inertial flows in the tanks. The analysis of the structure and nature of circulating flows in the range of Reynolds numbers 700 ... 12500is presented, which allows to make a picture of axially symmetric circulation flow and rationally arrange the guide baffles in the inertial fuel flows. So, this provides to make a rational choise of effective facilities for compensating the disturbing influences on the tank walls by the fluid and substantial savings in spacecrafts long term flight at the Earth orbit.