Investigation on two-phase flows for the Innovation of Cryogenic Upper Stage

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24686095
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: HIMENO Takehiro 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60376506)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 推進 / エンジン / 液体ロケット / 極低温 / 相変化 / 自由表面流 / 表面張力 / CFD

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the prediction of heat transfer coupled with sloshing phenomena in the propellant tanks of reusable launch vehicle, the pressure drop induced by heat transfer and the dynamic motion of liquid in sub-scale vessels were experimentally observed and numerically investigated. The correlation between the pressure drop and liquid motion was confirmed in the experiment. The mechanisms enhancing heat transfer were discussed based on the computation. It was suggested that splash and wavy surface induced by violent motion of liquid cause the pressure drop in the closed vessel.
In addition, as the preliminary investigation, non-isothermal sloshing of liquid nitrogen and liquid hydrogen were successfully visualized and pressure drop depending on the gaseous species was discussed.

Free Research Field

工学