Computation of Liquid Hydrazine Depressurisation with a Mach-Uniform Staggered Scheme

Abstract

A numerical method (pressure-correction method using a staggered grid) is coupled to a thermodynamic model for compressible liquid hydrazine. The method is applied to the venting of liquid hydrazine into space, during which the fluid undergoes a large pressure drop. Below the saturation pressure vaporisation occurs. This takes place near the outlet and induces variations of temperature, which may cause solidification and pipe clogging. In order to assess the risk of phase changes, numerical simulations of the venting line have been performed using a quasi one-dimensional approach. The numerical method can handle compressible flows of fluids with nonconvex equation of state at the low Mach numbers that occur during hydrazine venting. A numerical study of the liquid behaviour during strong depressurisation is performed. The method is validated using experimental data, and allows prediction of pressure evolution and vaporisation location along the pipe.