Modeling and Parameter Estimation of Spacecraft Lateral Fuel Slosh
Author: Yadira Rodriguez Chatman Title: Modeling and Parameter Estimation of Spacecraft Lateral Fuel Slosh Institution: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Degree: Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering Year: 2008 Predicting the effect of fuel slosh on spacecraft and launch vehicle attitude control systems has been a very important and challenging task and has been the subject of considerable research over the past years. Analytic determination of the slosh analog parameters has been met with mixed success and is made more difficult by the introduction of propellant management devices such as elastomeric diaphragms. The experimental set-up in this research incorporates a diaphragm in a simulated spacecraft fuel tank subjected to lateral slosh behavior. This research focuses on the parameter estimation of a SimMechanics model of the simulated spacecraft propellant tank with diaphragms using lateral fuel slosh experiment data. An experimental investigation was conducted to determine and measure the slosh forces response of free surface slosh and diaphragms in an eight inch diameter spherical tank. The lateral slosh testing consisted of the tank assembly partially filled with different liquids, for other tests, diaphragms were incorporated into the tank. The experiment results from different testing conditions were compared for estimation of unknown parameter characteristics that include the pendulum model stiffness constants and damping coefficients.
Slosh Damping with Floating Magnetoactive Micro-Baffles
Author: Vijay Santhanam Title: Slosh Damping With Floating Magnetoactive Micro-Baffles Institution: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Degree: Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering Year: 2014 Liquid sloshing within propellant tanks of launch vehicles and other major vehicles has been a major concern. Various methods have been utilized for the damping of slosh through Propellant Management Devices (PMD) accomplishing a wide range of results. Exploratory research conducted at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fuel Slosh Test Facility in development of an innovative PMD is presented. Embedding floating micro-baffles with a magnetoactive material such that the baffle can be manipulated when exposed to a magnetic field preserves the benefits of both floating and static baffle designs. Activated micro-baffles form a rigid layer at the free surface and provide a restriction of the fluid motion. Proposed micro-baffle design and magnetic activation source method along with proof-of-concept experiments comparing the scope of this research to previous PMD methods are presented. A computational fluid dynamics approach is outlined to compliment these experimental results.
Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Liquid Sloshing at Simulated Low Gravity
Liquid sloshing at simulated low gravity in rigid cylindrical tank, noting analytical model and experimental results