Propellant Sloshing and Tank Pressure Collapse in a LOX/LCH4 VTVL Test Flight
- Paper ID
96742
- DOI
- author
- company
LandSpace Technology Corporation Ltd.
- country
China
- year
2025
- abstract
In September 2024, LandSpace successfully conducted a 10-km vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) test with a prototype of the reusable LOX/LCH4 ZQ-3 launcher, which was the first time in China to accomplish the in-flight ignition during the descent stage. In this flight, series of tank propellant sloshing and heat exchange phenomena were observed. Specifically, after the main engine cut-off (MECO) at the 10km altitude, propellant liquid sloshing first amplified and then settled again due to an increase in aerodynamic forces, leading to a rapid drop in tank pressure. CFD modeling was employed to investigate the coupled slosh and heat transfer behavior under real flight conditions, and the results were compared with the measured flight data. Factor study reveals that the initial sloshing kinetic energy before the engine cut-off has a strong impact on the degree of pressure collapse. Implications for the system design of the reusable ZQ-3 launch vehicle are also addressed.