RU2535356C2 - Device for removal of spacecraft nuclear power plant from onboard systems section - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to space engineering and can be used for removal of nuclear power plant from spacecraft onboard services module. Proposed device is composed of convertible 3D frame structure its basic section being composed of parallelepiped with square bases shared by two adjacent sections with folding side faces at the section two opposite sides and with folding diagonals at two other opposite sides. Bases, side faces and diagonals are composed of hollow rods articulated by hinges. Diagonals of adjacent sections are directed in opposition while lengthwise and crosswise rods of side faces and base are interconnected by fittings to make two interconnected stiff frames from opposite folding side faces of the section. Unfolded structure retainers are fitted in said hinges. Torsion springs in said hinges are fitted on pins and secured in fitting eyes while unfolded structure fittings are composed of the latch.

EFFECT: automatic removal of nuclear power plant through definite preset distance from spacecraft services system module.

3 cl, 7 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space technology, can be used in spacecraft (KA) to ensure that a given distance of a nuclear power plant (NPP) from the instrument-aggregate compartment of the spacecraft, including from the aggregate compartment of an electric rocket propulsion system (ERD), in order to reduce the impact of negative factors of nuclear power plants on electric propulsion systems and other functional equipment of the spacecraft.

In space nuclear power plants with a fission reactor, one of the basic requirements for the structure and layout of a space vehicle is the requirement to ensure radiation protection not only of transported payload (GH), but also the equipment of a nuclear power plant, electric propulsion system, instrument compartment with radiation-sensitive control equipment, provided ensuring the minimum mass of the transport apparatus. The simultaneous fulfillment of these requirements is achieved due to the beam arrangement of the transport apparatus with shadow radiation protection from the radiation of the reactor and the removal of the electric propulsion system with the instrument compartment and the steam generator from the reactor. However, when launching from the Earth, the transport vehicle with the GHG should be placed under the fairing of the launch vehicle (LV), the internal volume of which is limited, therefore, the spacecraft layout under the fairing of the LV at the stage of launching into orbit should be as compact as possible. The construction of the working layout is carried out after launch into space. The ERD and GHG are brought to a predetermined position by means of a special lead-out system until the reactor is switched on in the launch or working orbit, which, according to modern international requirements, must be a radiation-safe orbit (RB) with a height of at least 800 km.

The known system for the removal of thermionic nuclear power plants RP-25 and RP-50 with an electric power of up to 100 kW (Vasilkovsky BC, Andreev P.V., Zaritsky G.A. Problems of space energy and the role of nuclear power plants in their solution. // Nuclear Power in Space Collection of reports in 3 volumes, vol. 1, M .: Publishing house NIKIET, 2005, pp. 20-26), implemented on the basis of a transformable refrigerator-emitter (CI), which is stacked in several rows outside the reactor block . At the same time, a sufficiently large longitudinal dimension remains under the PH fairing to accommodate the propulsion and spacecraft. After the removal on the RBO, the CI is decomposed into the working position, while simultaneously providing the reactor outlet from the instrument-aggregate compartment of the spacecraft. Such a scheme avoids the use of additional transformable structures on the spacecraft. However, the implementation of such a scheme is much more complicated in the case of using nuclear power of increased power (500-1000 kW or more), as well as in the case of use on heavy spacecraft launched into orbit by several launches of the LV with subsequent assembly in orbit. A significant increase in the length of the CI and the use of a transitional structural element between the support flange of the CI and the docking assembly will also be required.

It is known to develop a transformable truss structure according to the patent (US 6904722 B2, IPC: В66С 13/12 (2006.01), publ. 06/14/2005), where the longitudinal elements (spars) are made in the form of a compressed tape from a material with shape memory and when heated take the form of a corner. The design contains transverse rod elements fixed to the side members and a set of slings, both fixed and movable, in which one end is fixed on a slider moving along the transverse element. However, since the main structural material of the described system is carbon fiber, such a design cannot be used in conditions of high-temperature heating inside the CI nuclear power plant. In addition, the use of such structures requires the availability of special devices for their storage and subsequent deployment in a working orbit, which have significant dimensions and volume comparable to the dimensions of the payload zone under the LV fairing.

Closest to the claimed invention in technical essence is a device for diverting a nuclear power installation from the instrument compartment of a spacecraft to the required distance (Kosenko AB, Sinyavsky V.V. “System for diverting a nuclear power unit from units of a heavy space platform”, Izvestia magazine RAS. Power Engineering ", 2007, No. 3, pp. 115-121), which is a spatial transformable shaped structure. The basic structural element is a parallelepiped-shaped section having square bases common to adjacent sections, folding lateral faces on two opposite sides of the section and folding diagonal rods one on two other opposite sides, the base and side faces made of hollow rods and connected between hinged knots.

However, this technical solution does not describe the principle of deployment of the structure, does not solve the problem of ensuring the integrity of the structure when moving compartments of significant mass, and does not provide for fixing the structure in the expanded state and ensuring its rigidity.

The objective of the invention is the ability to divert the nuclear power unit from the aggregate compartment of the spacecraft in automatic mode, followed by fixing the structure in the deployed position.

The technical result achieved by using the invention is to automatically retract the nuclear power unit to the aggregate compartment of the spacecraft at a predetermined distance, with the creation of a rigid structure for the removal of the nuclear power plant from the aggregate compartment of the spacecraft, including the electric propulsion system, after the discharge.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that in the device for diverting the nuclear power plant from the instrumentation compartment of the spacecraft, which is a transformable spatial truss structure, the basic element of which is a parallelepiped-shaped section with square bases common to two adjacent sections, with folding side faces on two opposite sides of the section and with folding diagonals one on two other opposite sides of the section, with bases, side ani and diagonals are made of hollow core elements and interconnected by hinged nodes, the diagonals of adjacent sections are set in different directions, and the longitudinal and transverse core elements of the side faces and bases are fastened together by fittings, forming two rigidly joined together from two opposite folding side faces sections frames containing one diagonal rod each, and the hinged nodes connecting adjacent side frames and adding diagonals are equipped with torsion springs, moreover, in the hinge molecular structure catches nodes installed in the unfolded condition.

Torsion springs in the hinge assemblies are mounted on the axes of rotation and are fixed in the eyes of the fittings.

The latches are made in the form of latches, which, under the action of a flat spring, come into contact with the thrust axis and prevent mutual rotation of the section elements in the direction of reverse folding of the unfolded structure.

Figure 1 shows a General view of a spacecraft in the form of a nuclear electric propulsion system (NRE) as part of a nuclear power plant, an instrument compartment and an aggregate compartment of an electric propulsion system, a device for discharging a nuclear power plant from an electric propulsion system. Figure 2, 3 shows a front and side views, respectively, of one section of the shaped structure of the device for the removal of nuclear power from the instrument compartment of the spacecraft and the electric propulsion system. Figure 4 shows the hinged attachment of the diagonal section. Figure 5 shows the hinged connection node of adjacent frames. Figure 6 - hinged connection node of adjacent frames in a longitudinal section DD. Figure 7 shows the transformation of a structure from a folded state to a deployed state.

NERU (figure 1) consists of a nuclear power plant with sequentially located thermionic reactor-converter (TRP) 1, radiation protection unit 2, aggregate compartment 3 and a refrigerator-emitter 4, instrument compartment 5, aggregate compartment of the electric propulsion system 6 with remote-mounted electric missile blocks 7 engines 8 and a device for the removal of nuclear power from the electric propulsion system, consisting of a spatial transformable truss structure 9.

Transformable truss 9 (Fig. 1) of the device for removing the nuclear power unit from the instrument-aggregate compartment of the electric propulsion system is assembled from sections in the form of a parallelepiped. The truss section (FIG. 2) consists of bases 10 and 11 common to two adjacent sections, side faces 12 and 13 located on opposite sides of the section and each consisting of two connected frames 14 and 15, 16 and 17, respectively; and two folding diagonals 18 and 19 located on two other opposite sides of the section, and the diagonals of two adjacent sections are set in different directions. Each of the four frames 14, 15, 16, 17 consists of longitudinal rods 20 and 21, transverse rods 22 and 23 and a diagonal rod 24, fastened together by fittings of the “ear” 25 and “plug” type 26, forming rigid structures (Fig. 3). Square bases 10 and 11 consist of four transverse rods 27 connected by fittings 28.

Frames 14 and 15, 16 and 17 have hinge assemblies 29, 30, 31, 32 attached to each other and hinge assemblies 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 with bases 10 and 11 (FIG. 2).

In the fittings 28 are provided eyes (figure 4), allowing the articulated connection of the elements of the section.

The axis of rotation of the side frames 14, 15, 16, 17 around the bases 10, 11 is a stepped bolt 41 (figure 4), which prevents compression of the elements of the hinged attachment point when tightening. Each of the diagonals 18 and 19 of the section consists of two rod elements of different lengths, 42 and 43, having the tip type “ear” 44 and “plug” 45, forming a hinged node for adding the diagonal. For an unhindered process of disclosing the structure, the folding plane of the diagonal 18 is removed from the plane of rotation of the eye of the fitting 28 to a distance Δ. To do this, special sleeves 46 are used, allowing mutual movement of parts within the prescribed clearance of 0.3-0.5 mm.

The swivel fittings 25 and 26 of the side frames 14 and 15, 16 and 17 and the ends 44 and 45 of the diagonals 18 and 19 are made in the form of a fork and an eye (Fig. 5). The hinge assemblies at the joints of the frames located on one side of the truss section, as well as at the place of folding of the diagonals of the section, have torsion springs 47 mounted on axles 48 and fixed in fittings 25 and 26, tips 44 and 45, and under the action of which the structure is opened .

Each hinged unit for connecting adjacent frames and each hinged unit for adding diagonals is equipped with a latch of truss elements in the expanded state. As a latch, a latch 49 is used (FIGS. 5, 6), having surfaces 50 and 51, abutting against the thrust axis 52 under the action of a flat spring 53.

A device for diverting a nuclear power plant from the instrument compartment of the electric propulsion system to the required distance is deployed in the operational state as follows.

A spacecraft in the form of a nuclear-electric propulsion system in the transport position is launched into the working orbit using the upper stage with chemical rocket engines, where the nuclear propulsion system is given the required spatial position, and the RB is separated.

On command from the ground, pyro-bolts are blown up and the junction of the support frame of the instrument compartment 5 and the flange on the power frame of the KhI NPP are opened.

Under the action of the torsion spring 47, the pairwise connected frames 14 and 15, 16 and 17 rotate relative to each other about the hinge axis 48, until the angle between them reaches 180 °. In this case, the hinges connecting adjacent frames to each other, translate in the opposite direction into the section, and the bases 10 and 11 translate in the opposite direction along the longitudinal axis of the truss structure. Also under the action of torsion springs 47 installed in the hinge nodes in the places of folding diagonals 18 and 19, there is a rotational movement relative to each other of the rod elements 42 and 43 that make up the diagonal of the section.

The restriction of the rotational movement of the side frames 14 and 15, 16 and 17 relative to each other when reaching a position corresponding to an angle of 180 ° is ensured by the installation of a thrust axis 52 in the hinges, against which the heel of the fitting 25 of the side frame 15 abuts. The structure is fixed in the unfolded state as follows . During the disclosure of the structure, the axial axis 51 installed in the fitting 25 of the side frame 15 rotates around the hinge axis 48. In this case, the thrust axis 51 first comes into contact with the surface 50 of the latch 49, pressed by a flat spring 53. Then, in the process of opening the structure, the contact point is shifted to the surface 51 and moves along it until the thrust axis 52 contacts the surface 54 of the fitting 25 heel. thrust axis 52 around the axis 48 of the hinge on the one hand limited by the heel of the fitting 25, on the other hand, by a latch 49 under the action of a flat spring 53.

Thus, the proposed device allows you to take the nuclear power plant from the instrument compartment of the spacecraft, including the ERD compartment, to a predetermined distance, providing a rigid fixation of the structure in the working position, as well as compact laying at the stage of putting into orbit using useful space inside a conical or cylindrical refrigerator -emitter of a nuclear power plant.

Claims (3)

1. A device for diverting a nuclear power unit from the instrumentation compartment of the spacecraft, which is a transformable spatial truss structure, the basic element of which is a parallelepiped-shaped section with square bases common to two adjacent sections, with folding side faces on two opposite sides of the section and with folding diagonals on one on two other opposite sides, and the bases, side faces and diagonals are made of hollow core elements and with are interconnected by hinged nodes, characterized in that the diagonals of adjacent sections are mounted in opposite directions, and the longitudinal and transverse rod elements of the side faces and bases are fastened together by fittings, forming two hard-wired rigid frames connected to each other from two opposite folding side faces of the section, each containing one each diagonal rod, moreover, the diagonal rods of adjacent frames are mounted in different directions, and the hinged nodes connecting adjacent frames and adding diagonals are provided with a spring and torsion, wherein the hinge assemblies mounted in the clamps structure in an expanded state. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the torsion springs in the hinge assemblies are mounted on the axes of rotation and are fixed in the eyes of the fittings. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the retainers of the structure in the unfolded state are made in the form of a latch, which, under the action of a flat spring, comes into contact with the thrust axis and prevents mutual rotation of the section elements in the direction of reverse folding of the unfolded structure.

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