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Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18

13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management, GCMM 2016

Interaction of the gas-vapor mixture and air on the condition

drainage system of space launch vehicles when filling cryogenic
propellant
V. Trushlyakova,*, K. Zharikova
a
Aircraft and Rocket Building Department, Omsk State Technical University, Omsk, 644050, Russian Federation

Abstract

The process of interaction between the chilled drain pipe oxidizer tank with atmospheric air. The conditions when drain- pipes,
depending on ambient parameters (temperature, relative humidity). Using modeling package SolidWorks Flow Simulation
software processes carried out: a) the expiration of the steam-gas mixture through the drainage and pressure relief valve and drain
pipe; b) contacting with chilled air drainage pipe. It is shown that a) during the expiration of the gas mixture the drain pipe cools;
b) when closing the safety valve, drainage atmospheric air enters into the drainage pipe, and water vapor condenses and freezes,
which can lead to the blockage of the drainage pipe and the explosion of the propellant tank. Recommendations to prevent
freezing of the drain pipe.
2017
2016TheTheAuthors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd. is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Ltd. This
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management
Keywords: Phase transition; vapor-gas mixture; drainage; air.

1. Introduction

Modern problems dictate the reduction of time and the automation prelaunch process of the space launch vehicle
(SLV) with the unconditional fulfillment of the requirements of fire and explosion.
Special requirements apply when filling cryogenic propellants (oxygen, hydrogen) [1], which is mainly due to the
interaction of the cooled fill of the propellant tank and the gas-vapor mixture to the environment.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +7-913-624-5014.

E-mail address: vatrushlyakov@yandex.ru

1877-7058 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.01.131
12 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18

In the process of filling the SLV propellant tank with cryogenic it is exposed to temperature extremes, in which a
number of transient heat transfer processes are implemented [2,3].
In [4] the processes of heat transfer between the surface of the cryogenic propellant tank and the atmospheric air,
followed by the formation of a layer of frost on the wall of the propellant tank.
The numerical model presented in [5,6], describes the final preparation process (filling and pressurization)
propellant tank KSLV missiles. Thus, the main attention is paid to the flow of the process of cooling the
propellant tank, processes and methods of filling and storage of cryogenic components. This is not the pressure
relief process of steam and gas products of the cryogenic propellant tank of the SLV.

2. The physical model of the process

When filling the propellant tank with cryogenic liquid component (e.g., liquid oxygen) boiling of the cryogenic
component occurs to form a large number of the gas-vapor mixture (GVM) drain which provides the necessary
pressure in the propellant tank [7].
During the prelaunch of the SLV, the cryogenic propellant tank needs relief from the pressure, through the
automatic opening of the safety valve drainage.
As a result, there is a pressure relief temperature difference between the discharge of the GVM and atmospheric
air.
The GVM flowing through the drain pipe (DP) cools it, the DP temperature and drain-safety valve (DSV) is
reduced to a temperature value of the GVM, located in the propellant tank.
After closing the DSV it is filled and DP atmospheric air cools and condensation of water vapor (which is present
in the air) forms on the surfaces of the DSV and DP.
The condensate in turn resulting from the temperature of the DSV and DP - freezes.
The thermodynamic parameters of the GVM in the propellant tank of the SLV are directly dependent on the fuel
component parameters, for example, Figure 1 shows the phase diagram of oxygen [8] in the pressure p - temperature
T.

S  N3 D
 FULWLFD OS R LQ W

 
VR OLG
OLT X LG

      IUH H ]LQ J S R LQ W E R LOLQ J S R LQ W

    WULS OH S R LQ W
 JDV

7 .

            

Fig. 1. Phase diagram of oxygen.

As follows from Fig. 1 at pressures and temperatures corresponding to one line below, oxygen is in a gaseous
 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18 13

phase.
When resetting the GVM from the propellant tank with liquid oxygen, the percentage of vapor is 80-90% of the
total volume of the GVM [9].
Atmospheric air is characterized by the following parameters:

x Temperature from - 40 to + 30 C;
x Relative humidity of 15 to 80%.

The main parameters responsible for the appearance and loss of water vapor condensation environmentally
protected, are temperature and relative humidity of air.
Upon reaching ambient temperature, the air in which the relative humidity is 100% - leads to the inevitable
condensation of water vapor.
Since air is a mixture of gases (nitrogen, oxygen, argon) and water vapor, it is expedient to examine parameters
separately, and gas and air in the diagram as a whole.
Figure 2 I-d shows the diagram of humid air. [10]

Fig. 2. I - d diagram humid air.

This diagram is used to determine the moisture content of the air and the water content gives an idea of the
amount of water vapor in the air.
For example, an environment with a temperature of 20 C and relative humidity of 20% contains 2.8 grams of
water vapor in 1 kg of air.
When air temperature is lowered to negative values, minus 10 C the humidity will be 100%, there will be
condensation of water vapor.
Since the temperature is negative, the condensate will soon turn to ice, as shown in Figure 2.
14 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18

3. Formulation of the problem

In accordance with the conducted analysis the following problem statement is suggested:

x Conduct a preliminary mathematical modeling of the expiration of the GVM over the drainage system (DS)
through specific design using application package SolidWorks Flow Simulation;
x Analyze the impact of the relative air humidity in the process of condensation of water vapor in the cooling of the
DP;
x Make recommendations to prevent freezing of the DP.

4. The mathematical model of the process

In the first stage of the study the steady process of resetting the expiration of the GVM was simulated over the
DS on the basis of the app SolidWorks Flow Simulation package [11, 12].
The calculation was performed using the solutions of the system of differential equations of motion, continuity
and energy implemented in the software environment of SolidWorks Flow Simulation.
Development of a mathematical model consisted of basic steps: (i) creating a three-dimensional model; (ii)
partitioning the mesh computational domain; (iii) the introduction of initial and boundary conditions; (iv) calculating
and visualization of results (temperature, speed, pressure, etc.).
To create a three-dimensional model used the existing design of the DS (Fig. 3) of a propellant tank of liquid
oxygen of the SLV R-5" [13].

Fig. 3. Drain pipe with the DSV of the SLV R-5.

Fig. 4 is a dedicated part of the space in the gaseous medium of the DS.
A computational grid was constructed based on the required accuracy of the calculation and computing resources
of computers (540,110 cells).
 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18 15

Fig. 4. Calculated grid of the DS.

The geometric parameters of the model of the DS taken similar actual design of the DS (Figure 3.): diameter of
the outlet section of the DP 0,056 m at a length of 0,35 m.
Boundary conditions were set as follows: the pressure and temperature of the GVM was set at the entrance,
which is equal to 405300 Pa, and 90 K, respectively.
Downstream - pressure and ambient temperature, 101325 Pa and 293 K, respectively.
Figure 5 shows the distribution of the flow speed.

Fig. 5. Estimated distribution of high-speed flow.

Figure 6 shows the values of the GVM flow temperature during the flow in the DP and the wall of the DP.
16 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18

Fig. 6. The average value of the flow temperature of the GVM and wall drainage pipe.

As seen from Figures 5 and 6 on the results of the GVM - flow outlet of the DP has the following parameters:
velocity of 120 m/s and a temperature of 90 K.
At periodic discharges the pressure of the GVM after the close of the DSV in the cooling of the DP air will flow
to environmental parameters, and then on the surface of the DP of the DSV and the condensation of water vapor in
the air will occur.
Fig. 7 shows the relative humidity and temperature of the DP after closing the DSV.
Primary air parameters are: temperature 293 K, pressure 0.1 MPa, relative humidity 20%.

Fig. 7. The average value of the temperature and relative humidity in the drainage pipe.

From the results shown in Fig. 7 the freezing of the DP occurs due to water vapor in the air.
 V. Trushlyakov and K. Zharikov / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 11 18 17

5. Results and Discussion

The results can be summarized as follows:

x In the case of the discharge of the GVM to the environment with constant pressure (which is shown at a gas
station and parking lot of the SLV on the launch pad), possible loss of water vapor condensation from the air and
its subsequent freezing of the DS;
x In the process of condensation the relative humidity and ambient temperature affects the air and as a result the
ambient temperature is lowered.

To prevent freezing of the DS features:

x Drainage of the GVM carried out and equipped for reception and subsequent storage capacity, the
thermodynamic parameters within which the functioning of the drainage system is supported;
x To consider the possibility of heating the GVM, to a temperature which excludes loss on the inner and outer
surfaces of the condensate.

6. Conclusions

The conditions for freezing drainage pipes, depending on the ambient parameters (temperature, relative humidity).
Using SolidWorks Flow Simulation software package to simulate the processes of:

x The expiry of the steam-gas mixture through the drainage and pressure relief valve and drain pipe;
x Interaction with the air cooled drain pipe.

The simulation results showed that:

x In the expired gas mixture the drain pipe is cooled to the gas-vapor mixture temperature;
x When closing the drainage and relief valve atmospheric air enters into the drainage pipe, and there water vapor
condenses and freezes, which can lead to blockage of the drainage pipe and the explosion of the propellant tank.

Recommendations to prevent freezing of the drain pipe, based on the development of:

x Special containers for the discharged gas mixture, in which the thermodynamic parameters are determined from
the conditions of the functioning of the drainage system;
x Heating the drain pipe to a temperature which excludes loss on the inner and outer surfaces of the condensate.

Acknowledgements

Research carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Education of Russia, the agreement
14.577.21.0157 from 28.11.2014, the (unique identifier RFMEFI57714X0157).

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