Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters
The needle valve, serving as the flow control unit of the thruster system, is a crucial component of the entire thruster. Its performance directly impacts the flow state of the rarefied gas in the micro-nozzle structure of the cold gas micro-thruster, thereby exerting a significant influence on the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/8/1585 |
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| author | Songcai Lu Xuhui Liu Xudong Wang Shurui Zhang Yusong Yu Yong Li |
| author_facet | Songcai Lu Xuhui Liu Xudong Wang Shurui Zhang Yusong Yu Yong Li |
| author_sort | Songcai Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The needle valve, serving as the flow control unit of the thruster system, is a crucial component of the entire thruster. Its performance directly impacts the flow state of the rarefied gas in the micro-nozzle structure of the cold gas micro-thruster, thereby exerting a significant influence on the high precision and stability of the propulsion system as a whole. This study examines the impact of different needle valve structures on the flow and thrust in micro-nozzles using the DSMC method. The analysis includes discussions on the spatial distribution, Kn distribution, slip velocity distribution, and pressure distribution of the micro-nozzle’s flow mechanism. Notably, increased curvature of the needle valve enhances the flow velocity in the throat and expansion section. The magnitude of the curvature directly affects the flow velocity, with larger curvatures resulting in higher velocities. Comparing different spool shapes, the conical spool shape minimizes the velocity gradient in the high-speed region at the junction between the spool area and the outlet pipe, particularly with a wide opening. Increasing the curvature of the spool leads to a higher velocity in the expansion section. Consequently, an arc-shaped spool valve maximizes the nitrogen flow at the nozzle during wide openings, thereby enhancing thrust. These research findings serve as a valuable reference for the structural design of the needle valve in the micro-nozzle of the cold gas micro-thruster. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:43:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87ac507faabd4a6eb6343ccbd437f9c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:43:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-87ac507faabd4a6eb6343ccbd437f9c72023-11-19T02:14:00ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-08-01148158510.3390/mi14081585Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas ThrustersSongcai Lu0Xuhui Liu1Xudong Wang2Shurui Zhang3Yusong Yu4Yong Li5Beijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100190, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100190, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100190, ChinaHydrogen Energy and Space Propulsion Laboratory (HESPL), School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaHydrogen Energy and Space Propulsion Laboratory (HESPL), School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100190, ChinaThe needle valve, serving as the flow control unit of the thruster system, is a crucial component of the entire thruster. Its performance directly impacts the flow state of the rarefied gas in the micro-nozzle structure of the cold gas micro-thruster, thereby exerting a significant influence on the high precision and stability of the propulsion system as a whole. This study examines the impact of different needle valve structures on the flow and thrust in micro-nozzles using the DSMC method. The analysis includes discussions on the spatial distribution, Kn distribution, slip velocity distribution, and pressure distribution of the micro-nozzle’s flow mechanism. Notably, increased curvature of the needle valve enhances the flow velocity in the throat and expansion section. The magnitude of the curvature directly affects the flow velocity, with larger curvatures resulting in higher velocities. Comparing different spool shapes, the conical spool shape minimizes the velocity gradient in the high-speed region at the junction between the spool area and the outlet pipe, particularly with a wide opening. Increasing the curvature of the spool leads to a higher velocity in the expansion section. Consequently, an arc-shaped spool valve maximizes the nitrogen flow at the nozzle during wide openings, thereby enhancing thrust. These research findings serve as a valuable reference for the structural design of the needle valve in the micro-nozzle of the cold gas micro-thruster.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/8/1585cold gas micro-nozzlerarefied flowDSMC methodneedle valve opening ratiolarge length-to-diameter ratiomicro-channel |
| spellingShingle | Songcai Lu Xuhui Liu Xudong Wang Shurui Zhang Yusong Yu Yong Li Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters Micromachines cold gas micro-nozzle rarefied flow DSMC method needle valve opening ratio large length-to-diameter ratio micro-channel |
| title | Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters |
| title_full | Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters |
| title_fullStr | Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters |
| title_short | Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Structures on the Rarefied Flow of Cold Gas Thrusters |
| title_sort | direct simulation monte carlo simulation of the effect of needle valve structures on the rarefied flow of cold gas thrusters |
| topic | cold gas micro-nozzle rarefied flow DSMC method needle valve opening ratio large length-to-diameter ratio micro-channel |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/8/1585 |
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