Electronic Pressure Regulator

Electronic Pressure Regulator

ESA

This Nammo Space product is being developed for spacecraft propulsion systems where customers require precise pressure regulation or mass flow control.

Nammo Space has developed an Electronic Pressure Regulator for spacecraft use.  This state-of-the-art development features the Nammo advanced High Pressure Proportional Valve and includes an integral heater for thermal conditioning of the fluid.

The Electronic Pressure Regulator is primarily designed for electric propulsion with the option of auxiliary cold gas propulsion Xenon and also for chemical propulsion systems to regulate the helium pressurant.  When used in a Xenon or Nitrogen application the EPR requires a propellant heater to avoid two phase flow in the regulator caused by Joule Thompson cooling.

The EPR design uses a heater upstream of the high pressure proportional valve, which heats the gas so that the outlet gas (at LP node) is maintained above 27˚C.  The qualification activities are ongoing at this time for the Electronic Pressure Regulator.

Performance Characteristics

Operating Media

Xenon, Nitrogen, Helium

Inlet Pressure

Pressure Set Point Range

Set Point Accuracy, for Xenon

< 1% of mass flow set point

Proof Pressure

Burst Pressure

Operating Temperature

-40°C to +70°C

Xenon Mass Flow Rates

Helium Mass Flow Rates

Internal Leakage

2 x 10-5 scc/s GHe

External Leakage

1 x 10-6 scc/s GHe

System Response Time

Filtration

2 µm

Operating Life Cycles

15,000 On/Off cycles

Hardware Mass

Envelope

297mm x 225mm x 74mm

Single Branch Power

< 15 W on standby and pre heated at 200°C for Xenon

Single Branch Power

1.4 W on standby for Helium (no heating)

Heating Power

> 60W available for fluid enthalpy increase

Electrical Interface

Flying leads or connectors

Fluidic Interface

Customisable, welded stub tubes or threaded fittings

Structural Interface

Electronic Control Hardware

Closed loop electronics required with 200 V valve driver

Technology Readiness Level

TRL7

Status

The Electronic Pressure Regulator is being developed and qualified together with ESA.

 

NAMMO UK WESTCOTT

GENERAL

  • Dedicated, skilled space engineering team
  • Experienced Assembly Integration and Test Team
  • Cleanroom facility for space hardware
  • Electron Beam Welding
  • Experienced orbital and interplanetary propulsion solutions

TEST FACILITIES

  • National Propulsion Test Facility, for thrusters up to 1.5kN
  • High Altitude Propulsion Test Facility
  • Attitude and Reaction Control Testing
  • Small Thruster Test Facility
  • Sea Level Test Facility
  • Vibration and Resonance Testing

QUALITY

  • Certified to AS9100
  • Focused on customer needs

Contact

Adam Watts

Strategic and Business Development Manager

Post
Nammo (UK) Limited, 47 Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0XB, United Kingdom.

Phone
+44 7768 952 290

Location

Nammo (UK) Westcott

Address
Nammo Westcott Ltd,
Westcott,
Aylesbury,
UK