Aerospace Technic and Technology

The residues of rocket propellant in tanks after the launch vehicle stage burnout have a substantial influence on the launch vehicle power budget. In modern launch vehicle tanks, the intakes maintain the continuous supply of propellants from a tank to the propulsion system, keeping the continuity of flow and minimizing the number of residual propellants. Tunnel pipelines in the launch vehicle propellant tanks make it complicated, or impossible in certain cases, to take in propellants from a tank pole. A lateral intake can be a solution to the issue of propellant intake in this situation. However, the displacement of such devices by a certain angle relative to the tank dome can cause blow-by fluctuations at the feed line inlet and, consequently, a much larger number of residual propellants. The analysis of an optimum lateral intake design was carried out and the authors explain the grounds for the design of a lateral intake shaped as a profiled plate, using as an example the third stage of the Cyclone-4 launch vehicle where a device of such a type is used. The siphon and annular designs of an intake are considered, the calculations of their key parameters were made, and a comparative analysis was done for the power budgets of launch vehicles with the considered intake designs. The effectiveness of the considered intake designs was determined by the value of the level drop depth (Hcr) under static conditions that directly define the mass of non-burnt propellant residues. The results of the conducted analysis and computations demonstrated the siphon intake to be the optimum design option by many parameters. The use of an upgraded lateral siphon intake in the Cyclone-4 propellant tanks will allow the payload to orbit to be 4.4 kg heavier, thereby resulting in a better power budget for the launch vehicle.

propellant residues; intake; propulsion system; propellant tank

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