Conceptual Approach to the Ball-Type Locking Device Application without Pyrotechnics in the Launch Vehicle Separation Systems

Aeronautical and Space-Rocket Engineering


Аuthors

Kurguzov A. V.*, Ermakov V. Y.**, Tufan A. ***, Biryukova M. V.****

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

*e-mail: mandigit@yandex.ru
**e-mail: v_ermakov2003@mail.ru
***e-mail: anttufan@gmail.com
****e-mail: mar_601_24@mail.ru

Abstract

The key role during space flights is the reliable payloads delivery to various orbits. The launch vehicle consists of the stages and parts that are able to separate from each other during the flight, for example, when emptying the tanks of the stages. The launch vehicle stages separation is a complex and fine-tuned process that includes rational application of various power coupling devices and separation systems intended for firm joint of the stages during the flight, as well as their reliable decoupling and moving apart to the specified distance at the specified time instance at the onboard control system command.
While  decoupling process of the stages of prospective reusable launch rokets the issue of the decoupling systens application with account for thier reusability arises. The main criteria of effectiveness herewith are the fragments forming prevention after separation, shock loads impact reduction during separation, as well as reliability increasing of the separation systems, which is an up-to-date and practically important problem.
One of the well-known separation systems is a ball-type locking device, which possesses a number of original factors that positively distinguish them from the devices based on other principles and, as the result, are widely applied in the existing structures, such as spring and pneumatic pushers, collet-, lever- and other types of locking devices.
A ball-type locking device must meet , as a rule, the basic technical parameters and requirements, such as reliability of the workload holding; synchronicity of operation; speed; energy consumed for the operation; absence of fragments after separation, etc. To make a decision on the applicability of a ball-type locking device that meets the set problem, it is necessary to consider aspects affecting the effectiveness of their application.
The authors studied various aspects of the design scheme, technical parameters selection and its application scecifics, characteristic of the ball-type locking device. They performed mathenatical lmodeling, which analysis revealed significant impact of the pressure rise speed in the piston cavity and the stud shearing force on the trouble-free activation probability, which allows arranging corresponding arrangements on determining rational wight-and-size and structural characteristics of the system in total.
Experimental-and-mathematical modeling of a ball-type locking device has been performed with account for the friction force and wear of its structural elements. Its results allowed revealing that application of the steel SHKH15 balls with high strength characteristics and heat treatment, as well as application of special tension elements for uniform power loads distribution allowed significant reduction of maximum stress values and obtaining high activation synchronicity. Thus, the developed device can be employed as part of separation systems for the prospective reusable launch vehicles.

Keywords:

ball-type locking device, promising reusable launch vehicles, stage separation system, reliable operation, contact strength, stress-strain state

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