Effects of Reduced Gravity on Flow Boiling and Condensation

As space missions increase in scope, size, complexity and duration, so do both power and heat dissipation demands. This is particularly the case for future manned missions to Mars. Paramount to the success of these missions is the ability to reduce size and weight, including those of thermal management sub-systems. Based on NASA/TM-2004-212940 (Workshop on Critical Issues in Microgravity Fluids, Transport, and Reaction Processes in Advanced Human Support Technology) in the focus area of Thermal Systems and Phase Change Processes, there is a need for improved energy-to-mass ratios, which suggests replacing present single-phase operations with two-phase systems. The transition from single-phase to two-phase thermal management can yield orders of magnitude enhancement in evaporation and condensation heat transfer coefficients.
Paper: Experimental Investigation of Flow Condensation in Microgravity

Parabolic flight data will be used to develop phenomenological understanding, empirical correlations and theoretical models. Proposed research aims to develop a facility for International Space Station (ISS) to serve as primary platform for obtaining two-phase flow and heat transfer data in microgravity.

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