Numerical Investigation of Thermal Distribution and Pressurization Behavior in Helium Pressurized Cryogenic Tank by Introducing a Multi-component Model

An improved CFD model involving a multi-component gas mixturein the ullage is constructed to predict the pressurization behavior of a cryogenic tank considering the existence of pressurizing helium.A temperature difference between the local fluid and its saturation temperature corresponding to the vapor partial pressure is taken as the phase change driving force. As practical application of the model, hydrogen and oxygen tanks with helium pressurization arenumerically simulated by using themulti-component gas model. The results presentthat the improved model produce higher ullage temperature and pressure and lower wall temperaturethan those without multi-component consideration. The phase change has a slight influence on thepressurization performance due to the small quantities involved.