A two-way fluid-structure interaction analysis model for the dynamic response of the propellant tank was established to address the strength failure of the thin-walled structure caused by liquid sloshing in the rocket engine propellant tank under different mechanical environments. The volume-of-fluid method was used to simulate the sloshing fluid in the partially liquid-filled tank, combined with the vibration control equations of the structure and the two-way transfer of fluid pressure and structural displacement at the fluid-structure coupling interface, to achieve the two-way coupling solution for the response of the liquid sloshing and the tank structure. The coupled fluid-solid response of a propellant tank thin-walled structure under impact load was investigated using the established model. The stress time histories and spatial distributions of the stresses of the propellant tank were obtained, and the effects of key factors, such as material, filling ratio and shell thickness, on the dynamic response of the structure were numerically characterised. The results show that: the dynamic response of the propellant tank and the sloshing behaviour of the fluid inside the tank can be obtained at the same time by using the established model. The maximum equivalent stress of the tank structure increases nonlinearly with the increase of the filling ratio. The weak position of the propellant tank is located at the connection between the lugs and the shell.
WEN Zhe-ran, XU Zi-li, LIU Shi, YANG Yi, HUANG Zheng, WU Wei, WANG Jun.
Two-way Fluid-structure Interaction Analysis of a Liquid-filled Propellant Tank under Impact Loads[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(17): 7525-7533 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2501354
推进剂贮箱是航天器的关键部件之一,在发射、上升、再入等阶段会受到冲击载荷等恶劣力学环境载荷的作用,引起贮箱内液体推进剂晃动,从而产生干扰力和力矩,一旦超过结构所能承受的上限,会带来严重的安全性问题[1-2]。例如,美国国家航空航天局(National Aeronautics and Space Administration,NASA)太阳动力学观测站(solar dynamics observatory,SDO)在第二远地点发动机点火过程中,由于推进剂的晃动,产生较大的干扰力矩,点火终止[3]。因此,开展推进剂贮箱力学载荷作用下的流固耦合响应分析,预测流固在耦合效应下的贮箱结构应力和液体晃动形态,对提升航天器的飞行安全具有十分重要的意义[4-6]。
目前主要使用数值仿真手段解决液体大幅晃动的非线性问题。国内外学者曾提出不同的数值方法以捕捉液体晃动产生的自由液面,如波高函数法、标记网格法(marker and cell,MAC)法、流体体积法(volume of fluid,VOF)、水平集方法(Level-Set)以及粒子法等[7]。姜胜超等[8]采用VOF方法构建了矩形液舱晃动的数值模型,并探究了随机激励的瞬态效应、谱峰频率及有义振幅对晃动特性的影响规律。李骏等[9]基于VOF方法研究了货车制动工况下燃油箱内的液体晃动行为,得到了制动过程液体的晃动形态和壁面压强,并将压强作为结构载荷分析了燃油箱结构的应力水平。卫志军等[10]采用光滑粒子流体动力学(smoothed particle hydrodynamics,SPH)方法研究二维矩形舱低载液率横荡和横摇激励在共振频率和非共振频率下的液体晃动特性,并开展试验验证。苏万琴等[11]采用光滑粒子流体动力学方法研究了不同充液比在常见相对碰撞速度下的液体晃动响应,分析了结构在不同条件下的变形程度和应力。Shao等[12]提出了一种改进的光滑粒子流体动力学方法,该方法通过密度修正和核梯度修正,达到了更高的仿真精度。于强等[13]基于光滑粒子流体动力学基本理论,提出了基于质点系动量定理和动量矩定理的液体大幅晃动产生的作用力及力矩的求解方法,以提高计算精度。周倩倩等[14]基于VOF方法和Level-Set法建立了圆柱形贮箱内液体大幅晃动的非线性动力学模型,对不同含液状态下贮箱自由俯仰运动产生的大幅晃动进行了数值计算,发现充液比为50%附近时是一种相对危险的工作状态。
LiuHanwu, ZhangHua, FangXianliang. Separation dynamic analysis of complex spacecraft considering tank liquid sloshing[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2022, 41(13): 294-299, 307.
[5]
MasonP, StarinS. The effects of propellant slosh dynamics on the solar dynamics observatory[C]// AIAA Guidance, Navigation, & Control Conference. Oregon: AIAA, 2011. DOI: 10. 2514/6. 2011-6731.
[6]
HouC, YuY, LiuX, et al. Effects of longitudinal excitation on liquid hydrogen sloshing in spacecraft storage tanks under microgravity conditions[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2024, 51: 765-780.
LiuXiangdong, JiangWei, DingJiahao, et al. Simulation analysis of vibration response for metal diaphragm tank in spacecraft[J]. Journal of Rocket Propulsion, 2025, 51(2): 94-103.
JiangShengchao, XuBo, WangZihao. Numerical simulation analysis of liquid sloshing in tank under random excitation[J]. Chinese Journal of Ship Research, 2022, 17(2): 81-90.
LiJun, GongSihui, ZhangPengfei, et al. Numerical simulation of liquid sloshing in truck fuel tank based on FLUENT[J]. Science Technology and Engineering, 2020, 20(34): 14152-14156.
WeiZhijun, ZhangWenshou, WangAnliang, et al. Numerical investigation of liquid sloshing in a 2D rectangular tank based on SPH method[J]. Journal of Dalian University of Technology, 2014, 54(6): 597-603.
ZhouQianqian, TanYonghua, XuZili, et al. Numerical simulation of large sloshing of propellant in cylinder tank of launch vehicle[J]. Journal of Propulsion Technology, 2022, 43(5): 353-359.
LiuXiaomin, WangXing, XuYunbin. Numerical simulation on liquid sloshing in the moving tank during braking of a tank truck by fluid structure interaction method[J]. Journal of Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2012, 46(5): 120-126.
[27]
AbbasK, HitoshiG, HoseinF, et al. An enhanced ISPH-SPH coupled method for simulation of incompressible fluid-elastic structure interactions[J]. Computer Physics Communications, 2018(18): 139-164.
WangQiongyao, SubhashRakheja, ShangguanWenbin. Liquid slosh in a partially filled liquid tank truck with an elastic membrane[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2019, 38(5): 98-105.
XuYi. Analysis of the coupling effect between tank liquid sloshing and flexible anti-sloshing structure[D]. Zhenjiang: Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, 2019.
YueBaozeng, MaBole, TangYong, et al. Dynamic simulation and analysis of rigid-liquid coupling spacecraft with large- amplitude liquid sloshing[J]. Journal of Astronautics, 2022, 43(2): 173-182.
WangLongyi, ZhaoZefu, LiGuofang, et al. Strength analysis of railway passenger vehicle water tank based on two-way fluid-solid interaction[J]. Journal of Mechanical Strength, 2021, 43(2): 464-469.
[36]
KhayyerA, GotohH, ShimizuY, et al. An improved Riemann SPH-Hamiltonian SPH coupled solver for hydroelastic fluid-structure interactions[J]. Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, 2024, 158: 332-355.
[37]
IglesiasA S, VeraE, BulianG. Repeatability and two-dimensionality of model scale sloshing impacts[C]// International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference. Anchorage: International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, 2012: 452-459.