Optimization of Micro-Thruster Cold Gas Propulsion System Design for Space Applications

Abstract

Comparing the complexity of the hardware and the control system, cold gas micro thrusters are much more simplified than other propulsion thrusters. Numerical calculation was carried out for mass requirement, mass flow rate, valves, feed system and computational fluid dynamics with finite element analysis was used for tank, pipe and nozzle design. Four different materials: Structural steel, Stainless steel, Aluminum and Titanium, were considered for tank design. They were subjected to the same conditions for four different tank geometries. The propulsion system was designed to be able to produce between 1 and 2 minutes of continuous thrust and the sudden impulses of between 0.8 and 1 seconds of gas expulsion, with over 20 impulses as desired thrust time. The mass and the volume needed for multiple tank geometries, concepts, and materials were determined. The main performance characteristics of the micro thrusters evaluated were Pressure Distribution, Velocity Profile, Temperature Distribution, Nozzle Efficiency and the corresponding Mach Number Distribution. This work is to provide a stable and controllable platform for testing equipment that can be ultimately applied to space applications.