Advanced Space Propulsion CISAS Propulsion Group

This group has worked for 2 years to design, produce, test and fly an experiment called SPONGE (Sounding rocket Propellant OrieNtation microGravity Experiment). To do this, a collaboration has been started with Thales Alenia Space Italy (TAS-I). The aim of this experiment was to validate custom CFD codes created by the group to design Propellant Management Devices operating in low-gravity conditions.

SpongeCompressibleFoam is a code based on the OpenFOAM Platform, written by the group and completely dedicated to the simulation of propellant management devices.

 

 

PMDs are passive static metal structures used in rocket tanks to control propellant behavior; they work using surface tension to ensure gas free liquid delivery to the tank outlet.

SPONGE flew on board the REXUS9 ESA/SSC/DLR sounding rocket in February 2011. This experiment consists of two counter rotating plates: the experimental plate on which the control equipment and a polycarbonate tank containing the sponge test-sample are placed; and the balancing plate, rotating in the opposite direction with respect to the experimental plate and ensuring a zero moment transfer to the rocket.

The system rotates at four different angular velocities, allowing the study of the sponge behavior and retention capability under different centrifugal forces.