Published Resources Details
Journal Article
- Title
- The effect of two-phase flow on the control characteristics of a liquid oxygen transfer system
- In
- Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Transactions
- Imprint
- vol. EM3, May 1961, pp. 25-
- Description
[This paper was awarded the Edward Noyes Prize 1962]
- Abstract
The Liquid Oxygen Transfer System is part of a ground fuelling system for a large liquid-fuelled rocket. As an excess or deficiency of liquid oxygen can seriously affect the rocket performance, liquid oxygen must be pumped at carefully controlled flow rates into the rocket oxidant tank until within a few seconds of launching to allow for evaporation losses during the count down. To achieve this requirement a "topping-up system" was designed, capable of delivering liquid oxygen at from 10 to 100 gal./min. for the final 5 per cent of the fuelling operation.
The presence together of both the liquid and the vapour phase, besides decreasing the apparent mean density of the "liquid oxygen", increases its apparent mean compressibility and hence decreases the maximum velocity attainable in the fluid. This situation is complicated by the presence of heat flux and pressure changes, which give rise to mass transition from one phase to the other. Because the liquid oxygen is close to its boiling point, only a relatively small lowering of static pressure is required to cause two-phase flow. Such a lowering of static pressure may result from the increase in liquid velocity through the throttling valve used to control the liquid oxygen flow rate. This paper analyses the conditions in the throttling valve and predicts the onset of two-phase flow.
Related Published resources
isRelated
- 'Edward Noyes Prize - 1962 Award', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 35 (1-2) (1963), N4. Details