Jianzheng Wei

Simulation and experiment for inflatable control deployment of rolled booms

One of the challenges is to control the dynamic properties of the structures during the inflation and deployment. Inflatable booms used to deploy and support space structures are a key component for many space inflatable structures. For flexible rolled booms the deployment processes with Velcro straps are analyzed by gas-structure interaction theory. A finite element model described by ALE method is presented, and variation of pressure field in the rolled boom is simulated by the model. Moreover the mechanics characters of the rolled boom at launch are calculated. Lastly, inflatable deployment experiment of a 3m rolled boom with Velcro is conducted, and the experimental results indicate that the rolled boom with Velcro control deployment is able to be used as a deployable mode of inflatable space structures, and this numerical simulation is effective, which can be reference for deployment process in the space.

Numerical simulations for gas-structure interaction in inflated deployment of folded membrane boom

Abstract It is very important for gas-structure interaction between compressible ideal gas and elastic structure of space folded membrane booms during the inflatable deployment. In order to study this gas-structure interaction problem, Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element method was employed. Gas-structure interaction equation was built based on equilibrium integration relationship, and solved by operator split method. In addition, numerical analysis of V-shape folded membrane booms inflated by gas was given, the variation of inner pressure as well as deployment velocities of inflatable boom at different stage were simulated. Moreover, these results are consistent with the experiment of the same boom, which shows that both ALE method and operator split method are feasible and reliable methods to study gas-structure interaction problem.

Numerical Simulation for Deployment Dynamics of Lightweight Inflatable Solar Array

The lightweight inflatable solar array is a new kind of solar array deployed by its inflatable booms. The researches on solar arrays were concisely reviewed, and then a model of segmented inflatable control volume for inflatable booms was presented. The deployment dynamics of the Z-folded inflatable solar array was simulated by a finite element method for the space environment when deployment of the booms was free and constrained in axial direction. Variations of the gas pressure in the booms and the deployment dynamic characteristics of the upper support were analyzed as well as the out-of-plane oscillates of array blankets at a slow and high inflation rate. Contact impact between the booms and the array blankets of the solar array was predicted; moreover, this simulation was validated by a suspended deployment test and the literature. The results show that the calculation can predict the deployment dynamics of the lightweight inflatable solar array in the space.

Experimental study of inflatable deployment process of folded membrane tubes

There has been a lot of attention recently on space inflatable deployment structures. One of the challenges is to control the dynamic properties of the structures during the inflation and deployment. Inflatable tubes used to deploy and support space structures are a key component for many space inflatable structures. In this paper, an inflation deployment experimental system in equivalent micro gravity environment is established based on air track which evidently avoid disturbance of contact sensor to the inflation deployment process. The impact of dynamic properties from three different kinds of gas flow, variable geometry size and if there is added mass on deployable end. Dispersion of the experimental data is analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the inflation deployment experimental system in equivalent micro gravity environment is feasible and effective. Results also show that deployment velocities of the folded tube are a function of the tube diameter, gas flow, and the added mass on the deployable end.