Filtration Bubble Point Test Stand Procurement

Project Objective

This custom designed bubble point test stand supports two major objectives: 1) Gives NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) the ability to perform its own bubble point testing which is the current state-of-the-art for filter testing, and 2) Lays the foundation with which NASA’s newly developed filtration and contamination test methods can be compared.

Project Description

For more than 50 years, NASA had not maintained a significant in-house Filtration and Contamination (F/C) testing capability, relying instead on aerospace filter manufacturers to perform critical evaluations such as bubble point testing. Bubble point testing is one of the key tests currently used to characterize filter performance and although experts at MSFC routinely participated in vendor-conducted tests to support propulsion filter design and system-level filtration efforts, the resulting data were proprietary and could not be broadly shared or archived for agency use. Establishing an in-house filtration bubble point test stand at MSFC closed this long-standing capability gap, enabling NASA to independently characterize element pore size and correlate filtration ratings with actual filter performance.  Additionally, this capability will enable MSFC to support filter-related anomaly investigations and provide transparent, shareable data to NASA programs and industry partners. 

This custom bubble point test stand was designed specifically to meet MSFC’s unique test objectives. As a primary function, this test stand enables fundamental, standardized filtration testing at NASA. In addition, this stand was designed with an elevated clear tank to provide an unobstructed view for demonstration and teaching applications as well as photography.  MSFC is developing advanced methods to characterize filter performance and this bubble point test data will serve as a critical benchmark for correlation.

Project Results and Conclusions

The primary deliverable of this effort was a fully operational filtration bubble point test stand at MSFC, acquired and implemented through structured procurement and installation/checkout phases. Given the limited availability of bubble point systems—most of which were high-cost, automated platforms designed for large production facilities—the selected, Hydra Tech stand provided a cost-effective, customized solution tailored to NASA’s research and development needs. The system featured hands-on manual controls for enhanced flexibility and a unique, clear test tank that provided 360° degree visibility, enabling detailed observation, photography, and improved technical assessment of articles throughout the testing process. The custom stand also allowed testing of disk-shaped screens, commonly used in propulsion system valves, in addition to cylindrical filter elements. 

This bubble point test stand is the keystone in the larger filtration and contamination test facility at NASA MSFC. Its capabilities reaffirm MSFC’s commitment as the agency’s center of excellence in filtration requirements development and fluid system contamination prevention, strengthening NASA’s ability to advance reliable filtration technologies for current and future space exploration missions.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is committed to advancing the state-of-the-art in filtration and contamination prevention for propulsion systems as well as improving the development of filtration system requirements. The recently installed bubble point test stand represents a significant addition to MSFC’s capabilities, providing a standardized test method that establishes a baseline for filter performance evaluation. This capability not only enables consistent assessment of current filtration elements but also serves as a foundation for evaluating and correlating future technologies, including real-time particle detection and advanced filtration techniques, thereby supporting MSFC’s ongoing efforts to enhance reliability and performance in critical fluid systems.

This is a mature technology (TRL 9) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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