A Detailed Historical Review of Propellant Management Devices for Low Gravity Propellant Acquisition

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive background and historical review of Propellant Management Devices (PMDs) used throughout spaceflight history. The purpose of a PMD is to separate liquid and gas phases within a propellant tank and to transfer vapor-free propellant from a storage tank to a transfer line en route to either an engine or receiver depot tank, in any gravitational or thermal environment. The design concept, basic flow physics, and principle of operation are presented for each type of PMD. The three primary capillary driven PMD types of vanes, sponges, and screen channel liquid acquisition devices are compared and contrasted. For each PMD type, a detailed review of previous applications using storable propellants is given, which include space experiments as well as space missions and vehicles. Examples of previous cryogenic propellant management are also presented.

Omni-Gravity Nanophotonic Heating and Leidenfrost-Driven Water Recovery System

“…The reservoir vanes (Figure 5a, yellow component) are made of carbon black-coated aluminum, and the helical coil core (Figure 5a red) is made from three-dimensional (3D) printed polylactide (PLA). In a similar manner to liquid management devices for spacecraft fuel tanks (Hartwig, 2016), these vanes further divide the primary interior corner of the teardrop crosssectioned reservoir into narrower interior corners for greater wicking into the vertices of the reservoir and greater stability. The PPS has a glass window, where IR LEDs are mounted to irradiate the carbon black nanoparticles on the vanes.…”