The Microgravity Fluid Physics program currently has several flight and ground based research projects to study pool and low velocity flow boiling in microgravity environment. A module for installation in the Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) in the US laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) that is suitable for a variety of pool boiling investigations will be developed. It consists of a boiling chamber with windows for imaging and light sources, a nitrogen-fed pressure control system and bellows, a stirrer and thermal control system. It is planned to accommodate different heater configurations and a variety of fluids, either by on-orbit change-out or insertion of experiment-specific components. The FIR computer controller will be used to regulate the temperature of the boiling surface and the bulk fluid. Instrumentation in the boiling chamber will be interfaced to the FIR controller running experiment- specific software. The system pressure above the liquid pool will be controlled with an accuracy of ±0.5 kPa. The FIR variable frame rate camera can be used for imaging; experiment-specific imaging requirements will also be considered. The addition of a holographic interferometer for temperature distribution measurements around the bubble is being contemplated.
Hasan, M.M., Singh, B.S., Logsdon, K.A., Pool Boiling Module Multi-User Hardware Description, AIAA, Reston, VA, AIAA-2001-4994, pp. 1-5, 2001.