Numerical Modeling of ISS Thruster Plume Induced Contamination Environment

摘要

The molecular and liquid droplet thruster-induced contamination is studied numerically for a 130 N ISS bipropellant thruster using Navier-Stokes and DSMC flow solvers and a Lagrangian particle tracking. The molecular sources contributing to the inorganic components of the plume backflow contaminant are estimated, and a qualitative characterization of the liquid droplet contribution to the organic part of contaminant is conducted. The total calculated mass flux of the molecular contaminant in the backflow region compares very well with the experimental measurement on-board of Mir space station. The computations show that approximately 20 to 30 per cent of the droplets formed at the break up of the unburned propellant film at the exit can contribute to the organic part of the backflow contaminant.