Experiment
2007-2008 Experiment
We are currently working on an experiment to investigate spray cooling in microgravity. The experiment flew on the C-9 in April, and from initial data analysis, it seems that spray cooling functioned as hypothezed and is indepenent of gravity. Further analysis is underway.
Abstract
Thermal management is an increasingly important factor in the design of next generation
electronic systems, and the limits of current technologies are quickly becoming apparent.
This experiment will investigate the method of linear spray impingement cooling under
varying gravity conditions to allow determination of a quantitative relationship between
gravity and spray cooling performance. The results could be a major step forward in the
efforts concerning thermal management in space.
2007-8 Proposal (pdf).
2007-8 Final Report (pdf).
This is our experiment ready to fly on the C-9. Enclosed in the left part is a closed fluid loop with the spary cooling test section. All electrical components are on the right side. The padding is for safety in a microgravity environment.
2006-2007 Experiment
This year's experiment is titled Continuation of Dynamic Fluid Flow Due to Capillary Forces in Microgravity. It is a follow-up to the experiment that the team performed in 2006, for which the experimental goal was to determine the flow velocity of water due to capillary action for different contact angles. Due to unforseen events, the data was not clear enough ro accurately determine the flow velocity. This year, we made modifications to complete that goal and added two more goals: determine the volumeteric flow rate of liquid due to capillary action for different contact angles and determine a relationship between capillary action and fluid viscosity. The following is the abstract of our proposal.
Abstract
Based on our observations from last year, we will use the 23 second period of
microgravity onboard the C-9B to obtain quantitative data describing the rate of fluid
progression due to capillary action for two different viscous fluids each traversing a set of
four different contact angles. We have already studied the dynamic flow induced by
capillary action, and we will use that knowledge as the basis for this experiment to
calculate the volumetric flow rate of water versus a water/glycerin mix. We will be able
to measure the fluids' average velocity and average volumetric flow rate with an
improved experimental setup and the knowledge of the capillary action's rate of fluid
progression, which depends on the specific geometry of the fluid-surface contact angle.
This research has applications in many fields including fluid containment in microgravity
such as fuel transport, storage, and pooling in fuel tanks.
2006-7 Proposal (pdf).
Our experiment is all contained in this box. The padding is a requirement to fly on the C-9.
This is what's inside the box. The two inner tanks contain polycarbonate blocks with various angles cut into them to form wedges. When we enter zero gravity, we flip a switch so the actuator (center) lowers the wedges into sponges which are saturated with water and a water-glycerin mix. Two video cameras record the liquid's progress as it travels up the wedges.