Pressure Regulator for Ion Space Propulsion Systems

Xenon Pressure Regulator and Feed System (XRFS).

Xenon Regulator & Feed System

Description

The XRFS is a 'bang-bang' pressure regulator designed mainly for helium and xenon gas. This type of regulator is typically used in ArianeGroup's Radio Frequency Ion propulsion systems.

The regulator incorporates a system of valves, a plenum volume, pressure transducers and flow restrictors. The main function of the regulator is to down-regulate high pressure xenon propellant from a storage tank to the supply pressure required by a Xenon Flow Controller (XFC).

Redundancy

The XRFS provides a high degree of redundancy (series and parallel) and failure tolerance, to ensure reliability and functional performance throughout an entire mission.

Main Components

The main components of the XRFS are:

An inlet filter (XEF, Xenon Filter) to protect the XRFS and the thruster modules downstream from any anomalous particulate contamination which could degrade the performance of the XRFS and the thruster modules.
A base plate for supporting all the components and brackets.
The gas feed pipe work.
A valve block at the base of the plenum, equipped with normally closed solenoid valves.
Valves arranged in 2 parallel redundant branches. Each branch having a serial arrangement of 3 isolating and regulating solenoid valves.
Flow restrictors to limit the plenum filling rate.
A plenum volume which is sized in order to ensure the beginning of life valve ‘open’ times limits the number of regulator valve cycles required by the system mission life
Two high pressure and four low-pressure transducers (ITAR) for monitoring the inlet and outlet pressure.
Thermal hardware. Electronic circuits with thermistors for measuring the XRFS temperature. Heaters and thermostats for ensuring a minimum hardware temperature of +27 °C.

Xenon Pressure Regulator Characteristics

Regulator Type

"Bang-bang" type regulator (pulsing valves) with two parallel redundant regulation branches, each branch being twice redundant.

Flow Control

The maximum possible flow rate is limited by upstream pressure and smallest diameter in the system's flow path. The actual flow is controlled by regulation of the pressure within the plenum.

Inlet Pressure

3 to 120 bar

Outlet Pressure

2.65 bar ± 0.2 bar

External Leakage

< 1x10-6 scc/s GHe

Internal Leakage

< 2x10-4 scc/s GHe

Flow Rate

> 6 mg/s gaseous xenon

Flow Restrictor

46800 Lohms

Total propellant throughput

300 kg max

Mass

< 5.9 kg

Dimensions

443,5 mm x 278 mm x 228 mm (plenum)

Temperature Range

27 C° to 45 C° (operating)

Design Life

15 years

Cycle Life

1,000,000 qualified

Reliability

> 0.998

XRFS Heritage

Spacecraft

Launch

INMARSAT 4 PFM

2005

INMARSAT 4 FM2

2005

INMARSTA 4 FM3

2008

KASAT

2010

YASAT 1A

2011

YASAT 1B

2012

DIRECT TV

2015

SES 10

2016

SkyBrazil-1

2016

Fluidic Equipment

(PDF Brochure)

Fluidic Equipment Brochure (pdf)

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