EML 4905 Senior Design Project
A B.S. THESIS PREPARED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
NANOLAUNCH REACTION CONTROL SYSTEM Final Report
David Dominguez Gianni Jimenez Genesis Vasquez
Advisor: Professor George Dulikravich
November 24, 2014
This B.S. thesis is written in partial fulfillment of the requirements in EML 4905. The contents represent the opinion of the authors and not the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
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ETHICS STATEMENT AND SIGNATURES
The work submitted in this B.S. thesis is solely prepared by a team consisting of David Dominguez, Gianni Jimenez, and Genesis Vasquez and it is original. Excerpts from others’ work have been clearly identified, their work acknowledged within the text and listed in the list of references. All of the engineering drawings, computer programs, formulations, design work, prototype development and testing reported in this document are also original and prepared by the same team of students.
David Dominguez Gianni Jimenez Genesis Vasquez Team Leader Team Member Team Member
Dr. George Dulikravich Faculty Advisor
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ETHICS STATEMENT AND SIGNATURES ...... 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 2 LIST OF FIGURES ...... 4 LIST OF TABLES ...... 5 ABSTRACT ...... 6 1. INTRODUCTION ...... 7 1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT ...... 7 1.2 MOTIVATION ...... 9 1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY ...... 10 1.3.1 CUBE SAT ...... 10 1.3.2 NASA’ S NANOLAUNCH PROGRAM ...... 10 1.3.3 ATTITUDE CONTROL ...... 13 1.3.4 TYPES OF ACTUATORS ...... 14 1.3.4.1 MOVEABLE FINS ...... 14 1.3.4.2 THRUST VANES ...... 15 1.3.4.3 GIMBALS ...... 16 1.3.4.4 VERNIER ROCKETS ...... 17 1.3.5 ROTARY VALVES ...... 18 2. PROJECT FORMULATION ...... 19 2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES ...... 19 2.2 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS ...... 20 2.3 ADDRESSING GLOBAL DESIGN ...... 23 2.4 CONSTRAINTS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ...... 24 3. DESIGN ALTERNATIVES...... 26 3.1 OVERVIEW OF CONCEPTUAL DESIGN ...... 26 3.2 DESIGN ALTERNATE 1 ...... 28 3.3 DESIGN ALTERNATE 2 ...... 30 3.4 FINAL PROPOSED DESIGN ...... 32 3.4.1 MANIFOLD ...... 32 3.4.2 VALVE ...... 33 3.4.3 STEPPER MOTOR ...... 35 3.4.4 ON/O FF VALVE ...... 36 3.4.5 RCS CONTROLLER ...... 36 3.4.6 ASSEMBLY ...... 37 3.5 PRODUCTION OPTIONS ...... 38 3.5.1 TRADITIONAL MACHINING ...... 38 3.5.2 3D PRINTING ...... 38 4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ...... 41 4.1 OVERVIEW ...... 41 4.2 GANTT CHART FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND TIMELINE ...... 41 4.3 BREAKDOWN OF RESPONSIBILITIES AMONG TEAM MEMBERS ...... 41 4.4 POTENTIAL FOR COMPETITION ...... 42 5. ENGINEERING DESIGN AND ANALYSIS ...... 43 5.1 OVERVIEW ...... 43
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5.2 ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS ...... 43 5.3 STRESS AND PRESSURE SIMULATIONS ...... 46 5.4 COST ANALYSIS ...... 48 6. PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION ...... 49 6.1 PROTOTYPE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ...... 49 6.2 COMPLETED PROTOTYPE DESIGN ...... 50 6.2.1 VALVE AND MANIFOLD ...... 51 6.2.2 PIPING ARANGEMENT ...... 51 6.2.3 TESTING APPARATUS ...... 52 6.3 PARTS LIST ...... 55 6.4 PROTOTYPE COST ANALYSIS ...... 56 7. TESTING AND EVALUATION ...... 58 7.1 OVERVIEW ...... 58 7.2 DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS ...... 60 7.3 TEST RESULTS AND DATA ...... 61 8. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ...... 62 8.1 ASSEMBLY ...... 62 8.2 DISASSEMBLY AND MAINTENANCE ...... 62 8.3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ...... 63 8.4 RISK ASSESSMENT ...... 64 9. DESIGN EXPERIENCE ...... 65 9.1 OVERVIEW ...... 65 9.2 STANDARDS USED IN THE PROJECT ...... 65 9.3 IMPACT OF DESIGN IN A GLOBAL AND SOCIETAL CONTEXT ...... 66 9.4 PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY ...... 66 9.5 LIFE -LONG LEARNING EXPERIENCE ...... 67 10. CONCLUSION ...... 68 10.1 CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION ...... 68 10.2 COMMERCIALIZATION PROSPECTS OF THE PRODUCT ...... 68 10.3 FUTURE WORK ...... 69 11. REFERENCES ...... 71 12. IMAGE CREDITS ...... 73 13. APPENDICES ...... 74 13.1 APPENDIX A: DRAWINGS ...... 74 13.2 APPENDIX B: PROOF OF PROJECT PRODUCTION STATUS ...... 76 13.3 APPENDIX C: ORIGINAL SWAGELOK QUOTE ...... 77 13.4 APPENDIX D: STANDARDS , CODES , SPECIFICATIONS AND TECHNICAL REGULATIONS ...... 79 13.5 APPENDIX E: RAW DATA FROM VOLUMETRIC FLOW EXPERIMENT ...... 80
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 – Picture of the 3U Gene Sat 1 and the Mark II P-POD (17) ...... 10 Figure 2 – Comparison of Traditional Launch Vehicle with the Nanolaunch Vehicle ...... 12 Figure 3 – Movable Fin Illustration ...... 14 Figure 4 – Thrust Vane Illustration ...... 15 Figure 5 – Gimbaled Thrust Illustration ...... 16 Figure 6 – Vernier Rocket Illustration ...... 17 Figure 7 – Diagram of a rotary valve commonly used in brass instruments (19) ...... 18 Figure 8 – Nanolaunch Program Expected RCS Activation Points ...... 19 Figure 9 – RCS location within Nanolaunch vehicle ...... 20 Figure 10 – RCS location and space under shroud for propellant tanks ...... 21 Figure 11 – Mockup of rocket stages ...... 21 Figure 12 – NASA-Proposed RCS Version 1 ...... 24 Figure 13 – NASA-Proposed RCS Version 2 (Roll Test) ...... 25 Figure 14 – Rotating Valve System (Manifold) ...... 26 Figure 15 – Rotary valve (solid grey) that provides 4 different exit combinations ...... 27 Figure 16 – Rocket cross section showing required firing combinations ...... 27 Figure 17 – Exploded view of the parts ...... 28 Figure 18 – Rendered model shown in 3D printed enclosure ...... 29 Figure 19 – 3D print of the valve made at NASA ...... 29 Figure 20 – Second design ...... 30 Figure 21 – Flow analysis in SolidWorks ...... 31 Figure 22 – Current RCS Manifold Design ...... 32 Figure 23 – Current RCS Valve Design ...... 33 Figure 24 – Current RCS Assembly Design ...... 34 Figure 25 – Current Stepper Motor Model ...... 35 Figure 26 – Current RCS Switch Valve ...... 36 Figure 27 – Complete RCS Assembly Design ...... 37 Figure 28 – Prototype Tolerances ...... 39 Figure 29 – Manifold showing 0.015" step for valve seal ...... 40 Figure 30 – Projected project timeline chart ...... 41 Figure 31 – Stress analysis on rotary valve ...... 46 Figure 32 – Pressure simulation for valve channel ...... 47 Figure 33 – The three prototypes together ...... 50 Figure 34 – Assembled Prototype ...... 50 Figure 35 – Final Test Setup ...... 53 Figure 36 – Testing with tank and servo control ...... 54 Figure 37 – Current NASA RCS Prototype ...... 59 Figure 38 – Compressed Air Tank Warning Label ...... 64 Figure 39 – Weld-ready valve on the left ...... 69 Figure 40 – Various types of on/off valves that could be used ...... 70 Figure 41 – Shapeways Receipt ...... 76
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 – Minor Loss Coefficients ...... 45 Table 2 – Complete List of Parts Used ...... 55 Table 3 – Complete List of Parts Purchased ...... 57 Table 4 – Volumetric Flow Rate Experimental Data...... 80
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ABSTRACT
This project involves the design, analysis, manufacture, and testing of a reaction control system (RCS) for an orbital launch vehicle suitable for NASA’s Nanolaunch program. The goal of the project is a cheap, reliable RCS that will help lower the cost of entry into space experimentation for universities. Our design reduces the number of failure modes of the baseline
NASA RCS design, and is half the weight at one-third the cost.
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The goal of our project is to develop a reaction control system (RCS) that reduces cost, mass, volume, and complexity as compared with existing designs, in order to open up space experimentation to a larger number of universities. NASA’s baseline RCS design for launch vehicles developed under the Nanolaunch program uses four on/off solenoid switches with various pipe adapters to control four cold gas (CO 2) thrusters. The proposed design uses a single selector valve and one solenoid switch. The selector valve will be controlled by a stepper motor, which will align the ports needed for proper RCS operation. Pitch, yaw, and bi-directional rotation will be possible with the current port combination. The RCS was designed with
SolidWorks and will be analyzed with SolidWorks Flow Simulator, ANSYS, and other software as resources become available.
A prototype was 3D printed out of 540 stainless steel and tested with compressed air.
Once the concept has been proven, the RCS manifold and valve will be 3D printed in titanium using fabrication resources at NASA Marwill Space Flight Center (MSFC) to be used with a carbon fiber 4500 PSI tank regulated down to 1150 PSI (31 MPa to 8 MPa). The required force per RCS activation is currently set at 2.25-3.37 lbf (10-15 N). The theoretical calculations for our design estimate 28 lbf (125 N) with an 1150 PSI (7.6 MPa) regulator using ¼” ID tubing, and
18.4 lbf (82 N) using our 750 PSI (5 MPa) test tank. Our estimation assumes half the regulator pressure at the nozzles. This allows flexibility in the event of requirement changes, flow losses, and other unknown effects.
Our concept eliminates the heavy pipe adapter fittings, reduces the failure points due to the elimination of pipe connection points and solenoid switches, and reduces the cost of parts.
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The incorporation of our design into a future Nanolaunch vehicle will enable NASA to meet their budget requirements and offer universities affordable access to space for their orbital experiments.
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1.2 MOTIVATION
Conceived as a skunkworks project at MSFC, interest in the Nanolaunch program has grown among center management as well as NASA engineers, gaining the program more funding and manpower over the last year. Recently, NASA has made Nanolaunch an official, fully funded technology development program with dedicated full-time employees. As part of the Nanolaunch program, NASA encourages collaboration with academia by allowing universities to submit ideas for various launch vehicle subsystems, which may be incorporated into the system design if proven to meet vehicle requirements at minimal cost.
In order to design an effective low-cost RCS, it is first essential to become familiar with the program requirements for which the system will be designed. In addition, it is necessary to analyze current and historical methods of controlling the translation and attitude of spacecraft.
Finally, different technologies will be analyzed for potential use in this application.
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1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY
1.3.1 CUBE SAT
The CubeSat standard was designed to standardize the size and shape of nanosatellites sent into orbit for ease of cargo bay space allotments and launch mechanism design. (1) A standard CubeSat measures 10x10x10 cm (3.93 in 3), weighs no more than 1.33 kg (2.93 lbs) and
is called a “1U” CubeSat. CubeSats dimensions can be increased in 1U increments, allowing for
the launch of 2U (20x10x10 cm) and 3U (30x10x10 cm) modules.
The Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD) was designed to carry and launch 3U or
6U CubeSat units from a spacecraft. Any CubeSat project will require that the launch craft be
fitted with a P-POD.
Figure 1 – Picture of the 3U Gene Sat 1 and the Mark II P-POD (17)
1.3.2 NASA’ S NANOLAUNCH PROGRAM
NASA’s Nanolaunch program is designed to make space more accessible to governmental, commercial, academic, and research entities by lowering the cost of launches.
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(NASA, n.d.) Currently, sending an experiment module into space requires finding a spacecraft scheduled for future launch that has enough payload space and has the right components to launch the module at the correct altitude (usually with the P-POD system). Finding a launch vehicle that meets these requirements is difficult, and is further complicated by the high costs of launching. For example, the current average cost to launch a 1U CubeSat with an independent launch agency is $100,000 to $125,000. (1)
For the academic community, timing is a critical issue since the delay of an experiment launch can delay the graduation of students whose research thesis depends on the results. For this reason, NASA initiatives dedicated solely to the launching of CubeSats are considered preferable to cheaper, less reliable commercial alternatives. The Educational Launch of Nanosatellites
(ELaNa) project, for example, is tailored primarily for the delivery of academic CubeSATS. (3)
However, the high price of the launches means that relatively few of them are sent off each year.
The Nanolaunch initiative seeks to increase the number of launches available for CubeSats by reducing this prohibitively high cost.
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Figure 2 – Comparison of Traditional Launch Vehicle with the Nanolaunch Vehicle
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1.3.3 ATTITUDE CONTROL
When discussing spacecraft, the word “attitude” refers to the vehicle’s orientation in space. In order to control attitude, the craft first requires sensors that can be used to determine the current orientation. Once it has determined its current position and the position it needs to attain for the next part of the mission, computer algorithms can then calculate how to effectuate this change in attitude. This is then carried out by the use of actuators, which apply force and/or torque to move the vehicle. Together, these components make up the guidance, navigation and control system (GN&C) of a spacecraft. (5) The scope of our project concentrates on the actuator portion of this system, to be designed specifically for the requirements of NASA’s Nanolaunch program.
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1.3.4 TYPES OF ACTUATORS
The development of rockets in the 20th century led to many innovations in improving rocket stability and in reducing its weight. Previous methods of ensuring a rocket’s stability, such as bent fins that caused rockets to spin rapidly and stabilize (thereby increasing drag), were abandoned in favor of active controls, which use the intelligence of a computer to actuate a vehicle in a precise and efficient manner. (7)
1.3.4.1 MOVEABLE FINS
In order to redirect a rocket or air-to-air missile, moveable fins can change the amount of aerodynamic force by deflecting in the desired direction. The resultant opposing torque around the rocket’s center of pressure will cause it to turn in the desired way, similar to a rudder. (18)
Figure 3 – Movable Fin Illustration
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1.3.4.2 THRUST VANES
Thrust vanes are mobile fins placed in the engine that can tilt to deflect the exhaust leaving the rocket’s engine, and this action causes its nose to turn the opposite way, redirecting the rocket’s flight path. This was used on the V2 and Redstone rockets, but is not currently in use. (18)
Figure 4 – Thrust Vane Illustration
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1.3.4.3 GIMBALS
Rockets using gimbals for reaction control have the exit nozzle from the engine free to rotate, allowing it to redirect the engine’s thrust as needed. Most modern full-size rockets utilize this method to control and stabilize their course. (18) This system is extremely complex and expensive.
Figure 5 – Gimbaled Thrust Illustration
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1.3.4.4 VERNIER ROCKETS
Vernier rockets are small rockets attached to the outside or bottom of the spacecraft and angled to produce torque. They fire to change the course of the vehicle- firing one will change the direction by rotating the craft while firing two at a time will cause translation. This is mostly in use only on older craft, as this requires plenty of additional fuel and plumbing in order to function, and therefore plenty of additional weight is required. (18)
Figure 6 – Vernier Rocket Illustration
For this technology to be viable for use in a smaller craft, the plumbing required would have to be severely reduced.
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1.3.5 ROTARY VALVES
Rotary valves change the paths of fluid flow that traverse them by rotating to close or open passageways. This allows one part to stop, reduce, and change the path of airflow or fluid flow, depending on the position of the transverse plug. Rotary valves are commonly used to change the pitch of brass instruments, to control the steam and exhaust of a steam engine, to move fluids in two chambers at different pressure levels, and to function as a measuring or metering device for the distribution of drugs or other materials. (10)
Figure 7 – Diagram of a rotary valve commonly used in brass instruments (19)
The simple rotational motion of the rotary valve allows for its operation via stepper motor, permitting very accurate and quick transitions. This would be ideal for the redirection of gas into Vernier rockets for the attitude control of a small spacecraft due to its versatility and durability.
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2. PROJECT FORMULATION
2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Requirements for the RCS system are as follows:
a. The reaction control system will fit in a cylindrical body with the following
measurements: Diameter of 8 inches (20.3 cm) and length of 24 inches (60.9 cm).
b. Logos: NASA’s official logo will be used when presenting posters, papers, and on the
final build. No written permission was granted, but the project was advised and approved
by David Dominguez’s internship advisor in 2013 to proceed with David’s idea of a
rotary valve system for the senior design course.
c. Testing: The working prototype will be completed within two months of the start of the
semester, at which point we will begin testing, complying with NASA testing codes for
safety.
Figure 8 – Nanolaunch Program Expected RCS Activation Points
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2.2 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
The RCS must fit within the designated space in the vehicle, and all components must be able to withstand the force of the pressurized gas. The RCS must also be securely anchored to the craft in order to rotate it as needed. The current planned location for the RCS can be seen below in Figure 9. The figure shows the third, fourth, and fifth stages, along with the payload. It will be in this configuration that the RCS will first activate. The weight of the vehicle at this stage is approximately 1100 pounds (500 kg).
Figure 9 – RCS location within Nanolaunch vehicle
Figure 10 shows the vehicle with the shroud in place. Transparency has been applied to the shroud to gauge the volume allotment for the RCS system. The tanks containing the pressurized gas will fit between the upper stages and the shroud. The diameters of the shroud and
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fourth stage are 18 and 10 inches respectively (45.7 and 25.4 cm). This provides for approximately 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) wide ring around the fourth stage for tanks.
Figure 10 – RCS location and space under shroud for propellant tanks
Figure 11 shows a full-scale mock-up of the last two stages. The stands for the stages are measured for the purpose of showing the distance to the shroud.
Figure 11 – Mockup of rocket stages
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The specific placement of the RCS valve and associated tubing is still to be determined by NASA. The exhaust nozzles will be placed as close to the shroud as allowable for a larger moment arm and thus more effective control. An extendable system is also possible. Once the shroud is ejected, arms can extend to rotate the RCS tubing to a wider position and lock in place, thereby increasing the torque even more.
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2.3 ADDRESSING GLOBAL DESIGN
Due to the economical nature of the proposed RCS, the successful use of this design in
Nanolaunch missions may lead to future use on similar initiatives by foreign space agencies.
Apart from NASA, there are twelve other space agencies currently capable of launches, including the European Space Agency (ESA), the French National Center of Space Research
(CNES), the Russian Federal Space Agency (RFSA), and the China National Space
Administration (CNSA). Recognizing this, all dimensions in this report have been given in both imperial and metric units for the convenience of the reader.
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2.4 CONSTRAINTS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The goal of this project is to create a more economical RCS than the current prototype
that has been developed at NASA while maintaining the same level of functionality and
reliability. For the project to be considered successful, the completed prototype must be able to
perform the same roll, pitch, and yaw functions at a fraction of the current cost.
NASA engineers are currently using one on/off valve for each of the four thrusters on
their RCS design. This design is heavier due to the tube interfaces; is more prone to failure with
four times the chance of a valve failing, (not including the additional chances of failure due to
the extra interfaces); and costs four times as much as our proposed design. Each on/off valve
costs $363 on its own.
Figure 12 – NASA-Proposed RCS Version 1
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Figure 13 – NASA-Proposed RCS Version 2 (Roll Test)
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3. DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
3.1 OVERVIEW OF CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Our proposed system consists of a rotating valve (shown in solid yellow in Figure 14) within a manifold. The valve will be rotated by a stepper motor to align the ports according to the desired thrust mechanics. An on/off valve will then open briefly to pulse the high-pressure cold gas through the nozzles to roll or pitch the vehicle. The rotary valve was designed to have four different combinations for the exit nozzles that will control the rocket after Phase 1 of the launch. This can be seen in Figures 11-13.
In
Out Out
Figure 14 – Rotating Valve System (Manifold)
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Figure 15 – Rotary valve (solid grey) that provides 4 different exit combinations
Figure 16 shows the combinations of thruster firing (numbered arrows outside the circles) and the effect of the firing (orange arrows inside circles). The left two are the two possible roll directions and the right two are the pitch directions. For yaw, the vehicle rolls to one side and then a pitch combination is used.
Figure 16 – Rocket cross section showing required firing combinations
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3.2 DESIGN ALTERNATE 1
Our first design of the RCS valve itself consisted of 19 parts, as seen in Figure 17 below.
Gas would flow into the manifold through an off-center port on the top. Channels in the rotating valve would funnel the gas into two orifices that would expel the gas through the desired exit ports. The flow diameter was only 1/8”.
Figure 17 – Exploded view of the parts
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Figure 18 shows this first design of the RCS valve system installed in an 8-inch (20.3 cm)
3D-printed fuselage with built in nozzles, for mounting on a test vehicle consisting of a Wildman
Ultimate Class III amateur rocket.
Figure 18 – Rendered model shown in 3D printed enclosure
The valve was 3D printed by NASA in March 2014 to have a physical prototype to help analyze the design. The print was not high resolution enough to allow for proper fit and seal of the parts.
Figure 19 – 3D print of the valve made at NASA
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3.3 DESIGN ALTERNATE 2
Our second design increased the flow diameter to 1/4” (.635 cm) which greatly increased the force of the RCS. It was 3D-printed by a Makerbot at Florida International University’s
Engineering Manufacturing Center (FIU EMC). This valve was 2.9” (7.4 cm) in diameter and
1.75” (4.4 cm) tall.
Figure 20 – Second design
An initial simple flow analysis was done with the second design in SolidWorks to ensure the gas would flow out of both ports equally in a vacuum. This flow simulation can be seen in
Figure 18.
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Figure 21 – Flow analysis in SolidWorks
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3.4 FINAL PROPOSED DESIGN
3.4.1 MANIFOLD
The purpose of the manifold is to hold the valve system in position (four-bolt mount) and to provide a point of entry for the compressed cold gas and multiple points of exit for proper nozzle firing.
Figure 22 – Current RCS Manifold Design
The final manifold will be 3D printed in titanium using the laser sintering method at
NASA’s Marwill Space Flight Center. The ports and walls of the manifold will withstand a 1600
PSI cold gas pressure which includes a 1.5 safety factor. It will be anchored to the inner fuselage of the rocket with four #4-40 steel hex bolts. The baseline manifold is 1.9 inches (4.8 cm) in diameter and 1.375 inches (3.5 cm) tall and weighs 1.3 pounds (.58 kg).
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3.4.2 VALVE
Figure 23 – Current RCS Valve Design
The valve will provide one entry and two exit points for the cold gas. It will move freely within the manifold and direct the pressure to the proper nozzle ports. It will be oriented within the manifold by means of a shaft attached to a stepper motor when unpressurized. The valve will also be 3D printed in titanium.
The valve will be held onto the manifold with a stainless steel thrust bearing and a CNC milled G10 plate as shown in Figure 24.
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Figure 24 – Current RCS Assembly Design
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3.4.3 STEPPER MOTOR
The stepper motor will be a standard NEMA 17 motor. It will be directly connected to the valve with set screws. The stepper motor will receive power from a
12-volt regulator and stepping controls from a stepper motor driver purchased from Pololu. Input from the flight controller will be used to control the motor driver to align the valve with the proper ports.
Figure 25 – Current Stepper Motor Model
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3.4.4 ON/OFF VALVE
The on/off valve will open to enable the flow of 750 PSI (5.171 MPa) of cold gas once
given the signal from the flight controller. A Parker Series 9 solenoid valve is used with a
maximum operating pressure of 1250 PSI (8.618 MPa) and a cycling speed of less than 5 ms.
Figure 26 – Current RCS Switch Valve
3.4.5 RCS CONTROLLER
The RCS controller is a circuit that will control both the stepper motor and the on/off valve. It will receive input from the inertial measurement unit and decide the proper outputs based on the flight profile programmed before flight. This aspect is beyond the scope of this project as NASA has not finalized the details of the flight profile and RCS activations.
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3.4.6 ASSEMBLY
The assembly of the RCS mechanism is shown below. 3/8 inch OD, 1/4 inch ID stainless steel tubing will be used to connect the Swagelok fittings to the ports.
Figure 27 – Complete RCS Assembly Design
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3.5 PRODUCTION OPTIONS
3.5.1 TRADITIONAL MACHINING
Initial plans centered on machining the valve and manifold. The purpose was to achieve the most accurate construction with the tight tolerance control available through the use of lathes and mills. Transparent acrylic was chosen for the manifold’s material in order to troubleshoot the valve movement if needed. The valve itself would be carved out of Delrin for improved structural integrity.
The CAD models were designed for this method of construction, converted into drawings and sent to FIU’s Engineering Manufacturing Center for a quote. The quote for both parts came in at 12 hours of labor for $475 for both the manifold and valve. While this is a great price for the amount of labor required, the team sought to find a more economical solution.
3.5.2 3D PRINTING
Sending the same CAD models to the 3D printing company, Shapeways, yielded a more agreeable $171 price for the set printed in stainless steel. However, while cheaper, the parts require finishing. The accuracy the 3D printer is high, but still far lower than that of mills and lathes. This means that some additional work is required to get the parts to fit properly. The tapping of all screw holes is also required.
FIU’s Engineering Manufacturing Center was consulted to ascertain the viability of a 3D printed set. A favorable recommendation was given for 3D printing in stainless steel and the part was ordered. Although the part was received within 2 weeks of the order (which is the same turn- around time as the milling), the required finishing will add to the time and cost. Once the part
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was received, lathe work was done at FIU’s Engineering Manufacturing Center which ensured the proper fit and function of the rotary valve system.
Tolerancing was mentioned in the previous traditional machining section as a benefit associated with that method. 3D-printing doesn’t have the accuracy of milling and so the tolerances are of particular concern. To visualize this concept, Figure 23 shows the tight tolerance required for the valve seals to function correctly. The difference between the diameters of A and B as shown in the figure is only 0.014” (0.36 mm). This is to allow the O-ring to fit and seal the bottom portion of the valve. Our tolerance values for the two diameters are
+0.005/-0.000” (+0.127 mm) for the upper portion and +0.000/-0.005”
(-0.127 mm) for the lower portion. Point C shows the small tolerance allowed for O-ring clearance with the smaller diameter of the manifold. If the O-ring hits the edge, it could possibly tear.
Figure 28 – Prototype Tolerances
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Figure 29 shows the end result of the tight tolerance milled out for the O-ring seal. The picture shows an exact 0.715” diameter and an exact 0.700” diameter milled with a lathe. The
0.700” section is the seat for the top of the valve and allows it to spin freely while maintaining its axial position. The 0.715” portion allows room for the O-ring to be inserted.
Figure 29 – Manifold showing 0.015" step for valve seal
It is important to note that 3D printed parts that require tight tolerances should be designed with enough extra material to allow for material removal on a mill and/or lathe in order to bring it into proper tolerances. For 3D printing in steel, a minimum of 0.03” should be added to all surfaces requiring tight tolerances to allow for machining to those tolerances.
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4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4.1 OVERVIEW
Performing all the analysis, procuring all of the necessary parts, assembling the RCS prototype and testing it will all take time, therefore, it is essential to divide up the time available and the tasks required effectively.
4.2 GANTT CHART FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND TIMELINE
January February March April May June July August September October November December Project Discussion Research Computer Modeling Cost Analysis Poster Design Material Selection Manufacturing Testing Analyze Data Final Presentation Figure 30 – Projected project timeline chart
4.3 BREAKDOWN OF RESPONSIBILITIES AMONG TEAM MEMBERS
• David Dominguez: CAD design, manufacturing, testing, NASA contact
• Gianni Jimenez: CAD design, manufacturing, testing, dynamic analysis
• Genesis Vasquez: Manufacturing, flow simulations, dynamic analysis
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4.4 POTENTIAL FOR COMPETITION
This design is new and unique. While rotary feeders exist that use rotary valves to
transport gases, there has not yet been any documented use of a rotary valve for use in an
actuation control mechanism. (11)(12) There is no need to compete with other universities, as
our only task is to prove whether such system will be feasible for NASA’s Nanolaunch program.
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5. ENGINEERING DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
5.1 OVERVIEW
For the RCS to be functional, it needs to effectively direct the pressurized gas to rotate the rocket. This means that the gas pressure and velocity at the end of the piping system should be calculated in order to find whether or not this will fulfill the requirements. However, these values cannot be found without the necessary initial values, which can only be found experimentally. Therefore, the following engineering calculations use the test data from Section
7.3 - Test Results and Data. The equations used in these calculations were found in
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics 7 th Edition . (13)
5.2 ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS
The start of any fluid dynamics calculation first requires the calculation of the flow’s
Reynolds number in order to determine whether the flow is laminar, turbulent, or in between.
The properties of air are as follows:
kg ρ = 1.22 m
kgS μ = 1.85x10 m The inlet velocity was calculated as described in Section 7.3 - Test Results and Data by comparing the volumetric flow rate with time and the volume of air.
m V = 154.22 s
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The cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe is D = 0.00635 m, which means that the area,
A = 0.00635 m 2. With these values, the Reynolds number can now be calculated.