Active on orbit fluid propellant management and refueling systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012233-B2
Application number	US-202217740111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2022
Priority date	May 10, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

Chemical propellant storage and supply systems and methods for use on spacecraft are provided. The systems and methods include a fluid pump for moving chemical propellant within the system at selected pressures. This can include operating the fluid pump to supply propellant to a thruster system at a selected pressure. A fuel tank can be refilled by connecting a propellant resupply source to the system, and operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the propellant resupply source to the fuel tank. In a system with multiple fuel tanks, the fluid pump can be operated to move propellant from a donor fuel tank to a recipient fuel tank. The chemical propellant can be stored in one or more fuel tanks at a relatively low pressure. In addition, the chemical propellant is not pressurized by a gaseous pressurant while it is stored in the fuel tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a fuel tank;
a thruster system;
a propellant supply conduit, wherein the propellant supply conduit extends between the fuel tank and the thruster system;
a propellant supply valve, wherein the propellant supply valve is located along the propellant supply conduit;
a fluid pump, wherein the fluid pump is located along the propellant supply conduit between the propellant supply valve and the thruster system;
a fill/drain conduit, wherein the fill/drain conduit is joined to the propellant supply conduit at a first tee located between the propellant supply valve and the fluid pump;
a refueling conduit, wherein the refueling conduit is joined to the propellant supply conduit at a second tee located between the fluid pump and the thruster system, and wherein the refueling conduit extends to a third tee connected to the propellant supply conduit between the fuel tank and the propellant supply valve; and
a refueling valve, wherein the refueling valve is located along the refueling conduit.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a refueling adapter; and
a fill/drain valve, wherein the refueling adapter is selectively placed in communication with an end of the fill/drain conduit opposite the first tee by the fill/drain valve.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of fuel tanks; and
a plurality of propellant supply valves, wherein each fuel tank in the plurality of fuel tanks can be selectively connected to the thruster system by opening an associated supply valve.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a plurality of refueling valves, wherein each fuel tank in the plurality of fuel tanks can be selectively connected to the refueling conduit by opening an associated refueling valve.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a plurality of fluid pumps, wherein each fluid pump is located on one of a plurality of fluid pump conduit branches.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a plurality of fluid pump outlet valves, wherein each fluid pump in the plurality of fluid pumps is associated with a fluid pump outlet valve.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fluid pumps, wherein each fluid pump is located on one of a plurality of fluid pump conduit branches.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of fluid pump outlet valves, wherein each fluid pump in the plurality of fluid pumps is associated with a fluid pump outlet valve.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank contains a liquid propellant is a liquid.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the propellant is held at a first pressure within the fuel tank, and wherein the fluid pump supplies the propellant to the thruster system at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure.

11. A method for operating a propellant system, comprising:
storing a propellant in a fuel tank, wherein the propellant is stored in the fuel tank at a first pressure;
placing the fuel tank in communication with an inlet of a fluid pump;
operating the fluid pump to supply propellant from the fuel tank to a thruster system at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, and wherein the propellant is supplied from the fuel tank to the thruster system by a propellant supply conduit;
connecting a propellant resupply source to the inlet of the fluid pump, wherein the propellant resupply source is connected to a first end of a fill/drain conduit, and wherein a second end of the fill/drain conduit is joined to the propellant supply conduit at a first tee located between the fuel tank and the inlet of the fluid pump;
placing the fuel tank in communication with an outlet of the fluid pump via a refueling conduit, wherein a first end of the refueling conduit is connected to the outlet of the fluid pump, and wherein a second end of the refueling conduit is connected to the fuel tank; and
operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the propellant resupply source to the fuel tank via the refueling conduit.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the propellant is a chemical propellant stored in the fuel tank at 2-15 psi, and wherein the chemical propellant is supplied by the fluid pump to the thruster system at a pressure of 200-300 psi.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the propellant is stored in the fuel tank at 2-15 psi, wherein the propellant is supplied by the propellant resupply source at a pressure of 2-400 psi, wherein the propellant received from the propellant resupply source is provided by the fluid pump to the refueling conduit at a pressure of 30-400 psi, and wherein a pressure regulator disposed along the refueling conduit reduces a pressure of the propellant in the refueling conduit to a pressure of 2-15 psi before passing the propellant to the fuel tank.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the propellant in the fuel tank is not pressurized with a gaseous pressurant.

15. A method for operating a propellant system, comprising:
storing a propellant in each of a plurality of fuel tanks, wherein the propellant is stored in the fuel tanks at a first pressure;
placing at least one of the fuel tanks in communication with an inlet of a fluid pump;
operating the fluid pump to supply propellant from the at least one of the fuel tanks to a thruster system at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure, and wherein the propellant is supplied from the at least one of the fuel tanks to the thruster system by a propellant supply conduit;
stopping operation of the fluid pump;
placing a first fuel tank of the plurality of fuel tanks in communication with an inlet of the fluid pump;
placing a second fuel tank of the plurality of fuel tanks in communication with an outlet of the fluid pump; and
operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank, wherein the propellant is moved from the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank using a refueling conduit, wherein a first end of the refueling conduit is connected to the propellant supply conduit at a first tee between outlet of the fluid pump and the thruster system, and wherein a second end of the refueling conduit is connected to the second fuel tank.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
connecting a propellant resupply source to the inlet of the fluid pump;
placing a selected one of the plurality of fuel tanks in communication with an outlet of the fluid pump; and
operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the resupply source to the selected fuel tank.

17. A method for operating a propellant system, comprising:
storing a propellant in each of a plurality of fuel tanks, wherein the propellant is stored in the fuel tanks at a first pressure;
placing at least one of the fuel tanks in communication with an inlet of a fluid pump via a propellant supply conduit;
operating the fluid pump to supply propellant from the at least one of the fuel tanks to a thruster system at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure;
stopping operation of the fluid pump;
connecting a propellant resupply source to the inlet of the fluid pump, wherein the propellant resupply source is connected to a first end of a fill/drain conduit, and wherein a second end of the fill/drain conduit is joined to the propellant supply conduit at a first tee located between the fuel tanks and the inlet of the fluid pump;
placing a selected one of the plurality of fuel tanks in communication wit

Assignees

• Ball Aerospace & Tech Corp

Inventors

• Wu Gordon C
• Chan Derek
• Baltrum Jr Robert J
• Turner Eric R

Classifications

• F02K9/58 Primary

  Propellant feed valves · CPC title

• B64G1/4022

  Arrangements of tanks in or on spacecraft · CPC title

• F02K9/46 Primary

  using pumps · CPC title

• B64G1/64

  Systems for coupling or separating cosmonautic vehicles or parts thereof, e.g. docking arrangements · CPC title

• F02K9/50

  using pressurised fluid to pressurise the propellants · CPC title