Energy Dissipation and Efficiency Challenges of Cryogenic Sloshing in Aerospace Propellant Tanks: A Systematic Review

Alih John Eko (), Xuesen Zeng, Mazhar Peerzada, Tristan Shelley, Jayantha Epaarachchi and Cam Minh Tri Tien
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Alih John Eko: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Xuesen Zeng: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Mazhar Peerzada: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Tristan Shelley: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Jayantha Epaarachchi: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Cam Minh Tri Tien: Centre for Future Materials & Institute of Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-44

Abstract: Cryogenic propellant sloshing presents significant challenges in aerospace systems, inducing vehicle instability, structural fatigue, energy losses, and complex thermal management issues. This review synthesizes experimental, analytical, and numerical advances with an emphasis on energy dissipation and conversion efficiency in propellant storage and transfer. Recent developments in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and AI-driven digital-twin frameworks are critically examined alongside the influences of tank materials, baffle configurations, and operating conditions. Unlike conventional fluids, cryogenic propellants in microgravity and within composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) exhibit unique thermodynamic and dynamic couplings that remain only partially characterized. Prior reviews have typically treated these factors in isolation; here, they are unified through an integrated perspective linking cryogenic thermo-physics, reduced-gravity hydrodynamics, and fluid–structure interactions. Persistent research limitations are identified in the areas of data availability, model validation, and thermo-mechanical coupling fidelity, underscoring the need for scalable multi-physics approaches. This review’s contribution lies in consolidating these interdisciplinary domains while outlining a roadmap toward experimentally validated, AI-augmented digital-twin architectures for improved energy efficiency, reliability, and propellant stability in next-generation aerospace missions.

Keywords: cryogenic sloshing; energy dissipation; conversion efficiency; propellant tanks; aerospace vehicles; prediction methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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