Chinese Space Science and Technology

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Effect of Baffles on Sloshing Modulated Forces and Torques Responsed to Input Orbital Accelerations in Microgravity

Pan Hailin (Beijing Institute of Control Engineering,Beijing 100080) Hong Ruzhen (The University of Alabama in Huntsville USA)   

  • Online:2000-02-25

Abstract: The behavior of sloshing dynamics modulated fluid systems driven by the orbital accelerations including gravity gradient and jitter accelerations with partially filled rotating fluids applicable to a full scale Gravity Probe B Spacecraft dewar tank with and without installing a baffle board have been investigated.Results of slosh wave excitation along the liquid vapor interface is induced by jitter acceleration dominated orbital acceleration which provide a torsional moment with an up and down movement of bubble oscillations in the rotating dewar.Fluctuations of fluid stress forces and fluid stress moment (torque) exerted on the dewar wall of container caused by slosh wave excitation driven by the orbital acceleration are also investigated.As viscous force between liquid solid interface,and surface tension force between liquid vapor solid interface can greatly contribute to the damping effect of slosh wave excitation,rotating dewar installed with baffle provides more areas of liquid solid and liquid vapor solid interface than that of rotating dewar without installing baffle.Results show that damping effect provided by baffle reduces the amplitudes of force and moment feedback from the fluids to the container,in particular,the components of fluctuations transverse to the direction of baffle boards.