KC-135 zero-gravity two phase flow pressure drop: Experiments and modeling

Conference · Thu Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.39976· OSTI ID:5357467

Lambert, A; Reinarts, T R; Best, F R ^[1]; Hill, W S ^[2]

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1. Nuclear Engineering Dept., Texas A M University, College Station, Texas (USA)
2. Foster-Miller Inc., 350 Second Ave., Waltham, Massachusetts (USA)

Two-phase flow, thermal management systems are currently being considered as an alternative to conventional, single phase systems for future space missions because of their potential to reduce overall system mass, size, and pumping power requirements. Knowledge of flow regime transitions, heat transfer characteristics, and pressure drop correlations is necessary to design and develop two-phase systems. This work is concerned with microgravity, two-phase flow pressure drop experiments. The data are those of a recent experiment (Hill and Best 1990) funded by the U.S. Air Force and conducted by Foster-Miller in conjunction with Texas A M University. A boiling and condensing experiment was built in which R-12 was used as the working fluid. A Foster-Miller two phase pump was used to circulate a freon mixture and allow separate measurements of the vapor and liquid flow streams. The experimental package was flown five times aboard the NASA KC-135 aircraft which simulates 0- g'' conditions by its parabolic flight trajectory. Test conditions included stratified and annual flow regimes in 1- g'' which became bubbly, slug or annular flow regimes in 0- g''.

• OSTI ID: 5357467
• Report Number(s): CONF-910116-; CODEN: APCPC; TRN: 91-027516
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 217:3; Conference: 8. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 6-10 Jan 1991; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
TWO-PHASE FLOW
SPACE POWER REACTORS
AIRCRAFT
BOILING
DESIGN
FLIGHT TESTING
HEAT TRANSFER
PRESSURE DROP
SPACE VEHICLES
VAPOR CONDENSATION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
MOBILE REACTORS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
TESTING
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