微重力下空间循环离心泵空化性能研究

Research on Performance of Space Cycling Centrifugal Pump in Microgravity

针对现有空化模型对微重力下复杂空化流动预测精度不高导致卫星在轨加注用循环离心泵的工作压力低易发生空化的问题,建立了基于表面张力系数的空化两相流计算模型预测微重力环境下循环离心泵空化流动,使用该模型计算了泵在空化时的性能,预测了泵内部发生空化时的空化形态以及空化体积,对比分析了常重力下的泵空化时的外特性以及空化流动形态。研究表明,微重力下表面张力的作用导致泵内部空化体积降低以及扬程的提高,微重力下表面张力在一定程度上可以抑制空化的发展。

Most commercial cavitation models are not accurate enough to predict the cavitating flow in microgravity. However, the centrifugal p u m p used in the refueling system of satellite m a y cause cavitation when running under low pressure conditions. T o study the cavitating flow in the centrifugal pump in space, a cavitation model considering the surface tension in microgravity w a s founded. T h e performance of the pump with cavitation was calculated and the cavitating flow in space centrifugal pump was investigated in detail. T h e cavitation performance of the p u m p in microgravity and in nor-mal gravity on the ground were c o m p a r e d. T h e results showed that the surface tension in microgravity reduced the volume of the cavitating flow and increased the head of the p u m p. T h e surface tension may restrain the development of the cavitation in a p u m p in microgravity.