Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings
Abstract The enabling of in-space cryogenic engines and cryogenic fuel depots for future manned and robotic space exploration missions begins with technology development of advanced cryogenic fluid management systems upstream in the propellant feed system. Before single-phase liquid can flow to the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-08-01
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| Series: | npj Microgravity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-022-00220-9 |
| _version_ | 1797641882496401408 |
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| author | Jason Hartwig J. N. Chung Jun Dong Bo Han Hao Wang Samuel Darr Matthew Taliaferro Shreykumar Jain Michael Doherty |
| author_facet | Jason Hartwig J. N. Chung Jun Dong Bo Han Hao Wang Samuel Darr Matthew Taliaferro Shreykumar Jain Michael Doherty |
| author_sort | Jason Hartwig |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The enabling of in-space cryogenic engines and cryogenic fuel depots for future manned and robotic space exploration missions begins with technology development of advanced cryogenic fluid management systems upstream in the propellant feed system. Before single-phase liquid can flow to the engine or customer spacecraft receiver tank, the connecting transfer line must first be chilled down to cryogenic temperatures. The most direct and simplest method to quench the line is to use the cold propellant itself. When a cryogenic fluid is introduced into a warm transfer system, two-phase flow quenching ensues. While boiling is well known to be a highly efficient mode of heat transfer, previous work has shown this efficiency is lowered in reduced gravity. Due to the projected cost of launching and storing cryogens in space, it is desired to perform this chilldown process using the least amount of propellant possible, especially given the desire for reusable systems and thus multiple transfers. This paper presents an assessment of two revolutionary new performance enhancements that reduce the amount of propellant consumed during chilldown while in a microgravity environment. Twenty-eight cryogenic transfer line chilldown experiments were performed onboard four parabolic flights to examine the independent as well as combined effect of using low thermally conductive coatings and pulse flow on the chilldown process. Across a range of Reynolds numbers, results show the combination significantly enhances performance in microgravity, with a reduction in consumed mass up to 75% relative to continuous flow for a bare transfer line. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:52:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3cb7648c9e734dd488ad4bb68f073af5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2373-8065 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:52:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Microgravity |
| spelling | doaj.art-3cb7648c9e734dd488ad4bb68f073af52023-11-02T08:07:36ZengNature Portfolionpj Microgravity2373-80652022-08-018111010.1038/s41526-022-00220-9Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatingsJason Hartwig0J. N. Chung1Jun Dong2Bo Han3Hao Wang4Samuel Darr5Matthew Taliaferro6Shreykumar Jain7Michael Doherty8NASA Glenn Research CenterUniversity of FloridaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe Aerospace CorporationThe Aerospace CorporationGeorgia Tech UniversityNASA Glenn Research CenterAbstract The enabling of in-space cryogenic engines and cryogenic fuel depots for future manned and robotic space exploration missions begins with technology development of advanced cryogenic fluid management systems upstream in the propellant feed system. Before single-phase liquid can flow to the engine or customer spacecraft receiver tank, the connecting transfer line must first be chilled down to cryogenic temperatures. The most direct and simplest method to quench the line is to use the cold propellant itself. When a cryogenic fluid is introduced into a warm transfer system, two-phase flow quenching ensues. While boiling is well known to be a highly efficient mode of heat transfer, previous work has shown this efficiency is lowered in reduced gravity. Due to the projected cost of launching and storing cryogens in space, it is desired to perform this chilldown process using the least amount of propellant possible, especially given the desire for reusable systems and thus multiple transfers. This paper presents an assessment of two revolutionary new performance enhancements that reduce the amount of propellant consumed during chilldown while in a microgravity environment. Twenty-eight cryogenic transfer line chilldown experiments were performed onboard four parabolic flights to examine the independent as well as combined effect of using low thermally conductive coatings and pulse flow on the chilldown process. Across a range of Reynolds numbers, results show the combination significantly enhances performance in microgravity, with a reduction in consumed mass up to 75% relative to continuous flow for a bare transfer line.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-022-00220-9 |
| spellingShingle | Jason Hartwig J. N. Chung Jun Dong Bo Han Hao Wang Samuel Darr Matthew Taliaferro Shreykumar Jain Michael Doherty Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings npj Microgravity |
| title | Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings |
| title_full | Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings |
| title_fullStr | Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings |
| title_short | Nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low-thermally conductive coatings |
| title_sort | nitrogen flow boiling and chilldown experiments in microgravity using pulse flow and low thermally conductive coatings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-022-00220-9 |
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