Study of Axial Compression Bearing Capacity of Stainless Steel Tanks in Reusable Launch Vehicle
- Paper ID
95676
- DOI
- author
- company
LandSpace Technology Corporation Ltd.
- country
China
- year
2025
- abstract
With the rapid development of aerospace technology, stainless steel has been increasingly used in reusable rocket tanks due to its excellent mechanical properties and cost-efficiency. However, the tanks are subjected to complex loading conditions, among which axial compression loads are particularly critical, as their bearing capacity directly impacts the safety and reliability of the rocket's flight. This paper conducts an in-depth analysis and investigation into the mechanical performance of stainless steel tanks under axial compression loads. Firstly, a parametric model of stainless steel tanks is constructed by commercial software Abaqus. Then, based on the load-bearing requirements and size constriants, the parametric model is optimized by the Multi-island Genetic Algorithm, resulting in an innovative thin-walled tank structure. However, such thin-walled structures are prone to instability when subjected to axial compression loads. Therein, the instability phenomenon does not only occur on the skin, but the stringer structure also experiences instability.To address this issue, a series of analyses are studied, including the mesh convergence of the Finite Element Model (FEM) and the sensitivity to defects and so on. Finally, the finite element simulation is validated by through a series of tests ranging from local tests to cabin tests of the stainless steel tank. The study provides a theoretical foundation and engineering guidance for enhancing the axial compression bearing capacity of stainless steel tanks, and is of great significance for the design and safety assessment of stainless steel tanks, and is already applied in ZhuQue-3 (ZQ-3) reusable launch vehicle which is the first Chinese liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle.