Fuel Mass Gauging Based on Electrical Capacitance Volumatric Tomography Techniques

The current state-of-the-art methods of mass gauging of cryogenic liquids in microgravity conditions are based on the global behavior of the storage tank and do not take into account random fuel distribution. Under NASA's IPP program, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) engineers have developed and tested a proximity/near field non-invasive sensor which allows performing reliable and robust mass gauging of fuel stored in a tank subjected to zero/micro-gravity environment. This project intends to use the zero-G environment provided by parabolic flights to test and advance this electrical capacitance volumetric tomography (ECVT) technology to measure mass of propellant fuel stored in a tank operating in a zero-G environment.

The non-invasive sensor which allows a reliable and robust method of mass gauging of fuel stored in a tank subjected to zero/microgravity environment will benefit future NASA missions and the commercial space industry.

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