Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Method for thermally gauging the tank of a spacecraft and a spacecraft equipped with means for implementing such a method
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Application No.: US16468200Application Date: 2017-12-08
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Publication No.: US11307077B2Publication Date: 2022-04-19
- Inventor: Sophie Jallade , Mathieu Monge-Cadet , Sylvain Arnaud , Barbara Busset
- Applicant: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
- Applicant Address: FR Toulouse
- Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
- Current Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
- Current Assignee Address: FR Toulouse
- Agency: Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
- Priority: FR1662242 20161209
- International Application: PCT/EP2017/082033 WO 20171208
- International Announcement: WO2018/104521 WO 20180614
- Main IPC: G01F23/24
- IPC: G01F23/24 ; B64G1/40 ; F17C13/00 ; F17C13/02

Abstract:
Disclosed is a method for gauging the liquid propellant tank of a spacecraft during a phase of high-thrust along an axis, the tank being thermally conductive and having a known geometry. The method includes steps of: attaching, on a wall of the tank, a heating member and at least one temperature sensor in proximity to the heating member and in a plane of interest perpendicular to the thrust axis; during the high-thrust phase, heating the wall of the tank and acquiring temperature measurements of the wall of the tank at rapid frequency; determining the instant I when the temperature measured by the sensor changes, such change indicating the presence of the liquid-gas interface in the tank in the plane of interest; and determining the volume of liquid propellant present in the tank at instant I.
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