微重力下离心式锥形两相洗衣机流场的数值模拟研究

Numerical Simulation of Flow Field in Centrifugal Cone-shaped Two-phase Washing Machine under Microgravity

针对空间站长期在轨作业时为航天员提供干净衣物的需求,提出了一种适用于微重力环境的离心式锥形两相洗衣机方案。利用FLOW-3D流体力学软件基于VOF方法对微重力环境下该洗衣机方案静态流场分布、洗涤筒/波轮旋转时的动态界面形貌、波轮和洗涤筒对流场力的作用等关键的微重力流体管理问题开展了数值分析,结果表明:洗涤筒的交替转动使流场产生翻转效应,波轮与洗涤筒同向交替运动对流场产生更大的作用力;在气压平衡口安装一种防爬的楔形结构,洗涤过程采用波轮和洗涤筒同向交替转动、脱水过程洗涤筒单向旋转,洗涤效果更好。

Clean clothes shall be provided for astronauts during long duration on-orbit operations in the space station.A new centrifugal cone-shaped two-phase washing machine working in micro-gravity environment was designed in this paper.Based on the VOF method,the key micro-gravity fluid management issues such as the static flow field distribution of the washing machine in microgravity,the dynamic interface morphology of rotation of the washing tube/pulsator,the force of pulsator and washing tube on the fluid were analyzed by FLOW-3D software.The results showed that the alternating rotation of washing tub caused the flipping of field and the reciprocating motion in the same direction of the pulsator and washing tube produced greater force on field.The wedge-shaped wedge structure installed in the air pressure balance,the program that reciprocating motion in the same direction of pulsator and washing tub was used during the washing and the one-way rotation of washing tub during dehydration could get a better washing performance.