Methods and systems to determine liquid natural gas (LNG) composition and density
AssigneeUnited Launch Alliance, L.L.C.
InventorJohn Pieter Van Pelt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to controlling the fueling process for a space launch vehicle based on a composition of a Liquefied (LNG) propellant being loaded onto the space launch vehicle. According to one embodiment, controlling a fueling process for a launch vehicle can comprise monitoring a flow of a fuel being loaded into a tank of the launch vehicle during the fueling process. Loading of the fuel into the tank of the launch vehicle can then be controlled based on the determined mass of the fuel and a predefined mass loading target for the fuel.
Claims17
A method for controlling a fueling process for a launch vehicle, the method comprising:
- monitoring, by a processor of a control system, a flow of a fuel being loaded into a tank of the launch vehicle during the fueling process, wherein monitoring the flow of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle comprises reading, from a spectroscopic or chromographic analyzer, at a periodic time interval, raw composition values for the fuel;
- determining, by the processor of the control system, a mass of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the monitoring of the flow of the fuel into the tank;
- and
- controlling, by the processor of the control system, the loading of the fuel into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the determined mass of the fuel and a predefined mass loading target for the fuel.
A control system for controlling a fueling process for a launch vehicle, the control system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a set of instruction which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
- monitor a flow of a fuel being loaded into a tank of the launch vehicle during the fueling process, wherein monitoring the flow of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle comprises reading, from a spectroscopic or chromographic analyzer, at a periodic time interval, raw composition values for the fuel;
- determine a mass of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the monitoring of the flow of the fuel into the tank;
- and
- control the loading of the fuel into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the determined mass of the fuel and a predefined mass loading target for the fuel.
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to control a fueling process for a launch vehicle by:
- monitoring a flow of a fuel being loaded into a tank of the launch vehicle during the fueling process, wherein monitoring the flow of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle comprises reading, from a spectroscopic or chromographic analyzer, at a periodic time interval, raw composition values for the fuel;
- determining a mass of the fuel being loaded into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the monitoring of the flow of the fuel into the tank;
- and
- controlling the loading of the fuel into the tank of the launch vehicle based on the determined mass of the fuel and a predefined mass loading target for the fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.