In-flight oxygen collection enables a significant reduction in takeoff gross weight of space launchers, thereby allowing airplane-like operations. This paper describes the development and tests of a compact rotary air separation device that constitutes a part of a functional oxygen collection plant. The experimental results are described in detail, demonstrating a consistent and long duration operation of the device yielding a high purity of liquid enriched air (96% oxygen) while causing only very small pressure drops on the gaseous phase. The tests indicate that the height of a so-called ideal tray for the current device is around 1 to 2 cm of core foam material, which is an improvement of one order of magnitude compared with previous designs. The experimental results are scaled up and applied to two different two stage to orbit launch vehicles. It is shown that a complete oxygen collection plant for a subsonic collection phase would weigh around 4 tons and occupy approximately , which represents less than 1% of the vehicle takeoff weight and a specific mass and volume, respectively, of and of liquid oxygen generated. For a supersonic collection, a much bigger collection plant is required due to a much higher oxygen production rate, and further improvements are required to reduce its system mass and volume despite a reduction in both specific mass and volume.
Demonstration of Compact Air Separation Technology for In-Flight Oxygen Collection Space Launchers
Journal of Propulsion and Power ; 30 , 1 ; 62-69
2013-12-30
8 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Demonstration of Compact Air Separation Technology for In-Flight Oxygen Collection Space Launchers
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