Fuel tank for spacecraft
AssigneeEADS Space Transportation GmbH
InventorsKei P. Behruzi, Mark Michaelis, Gaston Netter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel tank for a spacecraft stores a liquid fuel and a pressurized propellant gas that drives the fuel out of the tank through a fuel extraction arrangement including a reservoir or collection container and a tank outlet. The collection container bounds a fuel reservoir space that communicates with the interior space of the tank, and fuel flow channels connect the reservoir space to an outlet pipe. A side or area of the collection container opposite the fuel flow channels is provided with one or more grooves. These structures produce a capillary pumping effect and use the surface tension to separate the fuel from the propellant gas.
Claims15
A fuel tank for a spacecraft, for storing a liquid fuel and a pressurized propellant gas, said fuel tank comprising:
- a tank wall enclosing a tank interior space adapted to store the liquid fuel and the propellant gas therein;
- and
- a fuel extraction arrangement that communicates out of said tank interior space through said tank wall, and that comprises a fuel collection container and an outlet pipe;
- wherein:
- said fuel collection container is arranged on said tank wall at an outlet location;
- said fuel collection container defines therein a fuel reservoir space communicating with said tank interior space through fuel feed passages;
- said outlet pipe extends from said fuel collection container outwardly away from said tank interior space;
- and
- said fuel collection container has plural fuel flow channels that communicate from said fuel reservoir space into said outlet pipe in a first area, and grooves in said fuel collection container adjoining said fuel reservoir space in a second area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.