Collapse, geyser formation, and breakup of a reorienting ullage bubble in liquid propellant tanks under low gravity have been studied numerically. The response of liquid propellant in a partially filled spacecraft tank under a suddenly imposed external acceleration has been examined. The similitude variables we developed in a previous paper for correlating unsteady numerical and experimental data of the bubble motion are applicable here for the kinetics of the bubble surface. When the bubble is initially situated further from the new top surface, some of the energy is dissipated in fragmenting the bubble. Also, there is more liquid between the bubble and the wall. Thus, the further the initial location of the ullage is from the new top, the weaker the liquid jet striking the wall. For the case of larger ullage, there is less liquid participation in the geyser formation, and the jet is therefore weaker. With an ullage as large as 30 %, the geyser can not most barely penetrate the bubble.


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    Title :

    Liquid propellant tank ullage bubble deformation and breakup in low gravity reorientation


    Additional title:

    Verformung und Aufbrechen von Leckblasen bei Reorientierung bei geringer Schwerkraft in einem Fluessigtreibmitteltank


    Contributors:
    Der, J.J. (author) / Stevens, C.L. (author)

    Published in:

    AIAA-Papers ; Jul ; 1-8


    Publication date :

    1987


    Size :

    8 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 6 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English





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