Numerical Simulation of Flow Field in Centrifugal Cone-shaped Two-phase Washing Machine under Microgravity

Abstract

Clean clothes shall be provided for astronauts during long duration on-orbit operations in the space station.A new centrifugal cone-shaped two-phase washing machine working in micro-gravity environment was designed in this paper.Based on the VOF method,the key micro-gravity fluid management issues such as the static flow field distribution of the washing machine in microgravity,the dynamic interface morphology of rotation of the washing tube/pulsator,the force of pulsator and washing tube on the fluid were analyzed by FLOW-3D software.The results showed that the alternating rotation of washing tub caused the flipping of field and the reciprocating motion in the same direction of the pulsator and washing tube produced greater force on field.The wedge-shaped wedge structure installed in the air pressure balance,the program that reciprocating motion in the same direction of pulsator and washing tub was used during the washing and the one-way rotation of washing tub during dehydration could get a better washing performance