Marangoni heat pipe: An experiment on board MIOsat Italian microsatellite

This article summarizes the activities in preparation of a microgravity experiment to be carried out by using a small technological payload onboard a microsatellite developed by the Italian Space Agency. A dedicated hardware will be developed to investigate innovative heat pipes filled with self-rewetting fluids, i.e. dilute aqueous alcoholic solutions with unique surface tension properties. After a general introduction of the scientific background, the paper is focused on the main activities in preparation of the flight experiment, on the design of the flight hardware and on the experimental planned procedure. The laboratory results achieved on ground in preparation of a flight experiment are also presented, including measurements of fluids physical properties and preliminary heat pipes performances characterization test. From the engineering point of view, the activities dealing with heat pipes filling and sealing are included. The activities for heat pipe characterization conclude the paper.     

重力条件对喷雾冷却换热特性影响的研究

喷雾冷却是一种高效的高热流密度散热方式,在空间热控领域具有重要的应用前景。本文基于液膜动力学、气泡动力学和传热学的基本原理,建立了描述微重力条件下喷雾冷却传热特性的理论模型。利用模型模拟的方法,对以水作为工质的微重力条件下喷雾冷却系统的被冷却表面温度分布、冷却曲线等因素进行了分析,分析结果显示:在单相区,重力条件对喷雾冷却的换热特性和表面温度分布不均匀性的影响较小;在两相区,由于微重力条件下气泡难以脱离等因素的影响,使得喷雾冷却的换热能力明显弱于常重力条件下的换热能力,并且被冷却表面的温度不均匀性增大。     

Heat storage and electricity generation in the Moon during the lunar night

One of the biggest challenges of the exploration of the Moon is the survival of the crew and the lunar assets during the lunar night. The environmental conditions on the lunar surface and its cycle, with long periods of darkness, make any long mission in need of specific amounts of heat and electricity to be successful. We have analyzed two different systems to produce heat and electricity on the Moon's surface. The first system consists of Thermal Wadis, sources of thermal power that can be used to supply heat to protect the exploration systems from the extreme cold during periods of darkness. Previous results showed that Wadis can supply enough heat to keep lunar devices such as rovers above their minimum operating temperature (approximately 243 K). The second system studied here is the Thermal Energy Storage (TES), which is able to run a heat engine during the lunar night to produce electricity. When the Sun is shining on the Moon's surface, the system can run the engine directly using the solar power and simultaneously heat a thermal mass. This thermal mass is used as a high temperature source to run the heat engine during the night. We present analytical and numerical calculations for the determination of an appropriate thermal mass for the TES system.     

The Impact of Variable Accelerations on Crystal Growth onboard Spacecraft by the Floating Zone Method

The numerical investigation of the impact of time-dependent accelerations (vibrations) on the flow and heat and mass transfer in the melt is carried out for the case of modeling the crystal growth by the floating zone method under conditions of microgravity that exist onboard spacecraft. The effects of the Archimedean buoyancy force and of vibrations of the free surface of fluid are considered separately. When solving the problem of the effect of the vibrations of the free surface of fluid, the previously obtained data were used. It is shown that vibrations of the free surface have a much stronger effect on the processes under consideration than the buoyancy. Some problems that are related to the newly discovered effects are discussed. The use of vibroprotected systems and a rotating magnetic field can help solve these problems. We plan to continue our investigations in future spacecraft experiments, in particular, at the International Space Station, which is under construction at the moment.     

Microgravity research results and experiences from the NASA/MIR space station program

The Microgravity Research Program (MRP) participated aggressively in Phase 1 of the International Space Station Program using the Russian Mir Space Station. The Mir Station offered an otherwise unavailable opportunity to explore the advantages and challenges of long duration microgravity space research. Payloads with both National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and commercial backing were included as well as cooperative research with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). From this experience, much was learned about long-duration on-orbit science utilization and developing new working relationships with our Russian partner to promote efficient planning, operations, and integration to solve complexities associated with a multiple partner program.

This paper focuses on the microgravity research conducted onboard the Mir space station. It includes the Program preparation and planning necessary to support this type of cross increment research experience; the payloads which were flown; and summaries of significant microgravity science findings.     

不同高度通道内热薄燃料火焰传播特性的研究

为探究通道高度对逆风火焰传播特性的影响,采用实验、数值模拟、理论分析方法对微重力条件下不同高度通道内热薄燃料火焰传播特性进行了研究。通道高度分别为10mm, 14mm和60mm的短时落塔微重力实验结果表明,相同逆风气流速度时,随通道高度增加,火焰传播速度逐渐增大,且10mm, 14mm和16mm高度通道下的火焰长度比约为通道半高度比的二次方关系。数值模拟与理论分析表明,微重力条件下,随通道高度增加,火焰传播速度、火焰长度先增大再减小,呈非单调的变化趋势。燃烧热释放速率随高度变化呈非单调变化趋势,同火焰传播速度变化规律基本一致。     

高超声速飞行器气动热耗散、输运及转换技术研究进展

针对高超声速飞行器面临的严重气动热集中、累积和时变问题,从气动热耗散、输运和转换三个方面,分别论述了被动热耗散材料、结构和主动热耗散技术,基于高导热材料、热管和工质对流的热输运技术,以及再生转换和热电转换技术的研究现状及其在高超声速飞行器上的应用案例,提出了上述技术在面临高超声速气动热时存在的问题。最后,针对高超声速飞行器气动热耗散、输运和转换技术的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Cooperative research in microgravity sciences during the French manned MIR missions

During the past ten years the French laboratories working in the field of fluids and material sciences had access to regular, long-lasting manned missions onboard the Russian MIR Space Station. Beyond the French scientific program that was performed with the ALICE apparatus, a cooperative research program was developed with DLR, NASA and RSA. This cooperation was based on bartered agreements that included the joint utilization of the instruments onboard the MIR station (ALICE, TITUS furnace from DLR, vibration device from RKK Energia) and the funding of dedicated cartridges (DLR) or thermostats (DLR and NASA), as well as launch services (NASA) by the Cooperating Agencies. We present a review of this program with a particular emphasis on its scientific results and on the progress that has been achieved in science and applications. They covered a large field of condensed matter physics, from material sciences to near-critical and off-critical phase separation kinetics and near critical fluid hydrodynamics (thermoacoustic heat transport and vibrational convection). The high microgravity relevance of all these investigations naturally led to outstanding results that was published in the world's best scientific journals. The analysis of the latest experiments performed during the PEGASUS mission shows they will not be an exception to that evaluation. Off-critical phase separation with NASA, pressure-driven piston effect and equiaxed solidification with DLR, heat transport under calibrated vibrations with RKK Energia, all will be presented. The conclusion will stress the international character of this microgravity research program, the conditions of its success and what can be gained from it in the perspective of the space station utilization.     

航天器热传输技术研究进展

文章对航天器用热传输技术近期的发展进行了汇总,主要包括：导热材料、微小型热管、槽道热管、泵驱动两相流体回路、深冷环路热管、喷雾冷却系统以及基于MEMS技术的微型热传输技术。这些新技术是航天器高热流密度散热、大功率热传输、分散点热源散热及深低温热传输未来主要的解决途径,可供航天器热控研究及设计者参考。     

Microgravity research and user support in the Space Station era: The Microgravity User Support Centre

Future space systems, such as Columbus, the planned European contribution to the International Space Station, offer ample possibilities for microgravity research and application. These new opportunities require adequate user support on ground and novel operational concepts in order to ensure an effective utilization. Extensive experience in microgravity user support has been accumulated at DFVLR during the past Spacelab 1 and D1 missions. Based on this work, a Microgravity User Support Centre (MUSC) has been built and is active for the forthcoming EURECA-A1 and D2 missions, to form an integrated support centre for the disciplines life sciences and material sciences in the Space Station era. The objective of the user support at MUSC is to achieve:

• easy access to space experiments for scientific and commercial users,

• efficient preparation of experiments,

• optimum use of valuable microgravity experimentation time,

• cost reduction by concentration of experience.

This is implemented by embedding the MUSC in an active scientific environment in both disciplines, such that users can share the experience gained by professional personnel. In this way, the Space Station system is operated along the lines established on ground for the utilization of large international research facilities, such as accelerators or astronomical observatories. In addition, concepts are developed to apply advanced telescience principles for Space Station operations.     

等热流条件下相变导热仿生优化

为强化微重力条件下相变材料的熔化释冷过程,采用仿生优化的思想和有限元方法研究了导热空间内高导热材料的最佳布置方案。研究表明,采用温度梯度的时间积分作为布置高导热材料的判断标准,可把导热仿生优化的思想的应用由稳态问题扩展到非稳态具有相变的问题。和人工构造方案法相比,仿生优化得到的方案可以明显强化释冷过程、降低热流入口温升;且能克服其工作量大,所得方案不一定包含最优方案的不完备性问题。     

Adaptive environmental control for optimal results during plant microgravity experiments

The SVET Space Greenhouse (SG)--the first and the only automated plant growth facility onboard the MIR Space Station in the period 1990-2000 was developed on a Russian-Bulgarian Project in the 80s. The aim was to study plant growth under microgravity in order to include plants as a link of future Biological Life Support Systems for the long-term manned space missions. An American developed Gas Exchange Measurement System (GEMS) was added to the existing SVET SG equipment in 1995 to monitor more environmental and physiological parameters. A lot of long-duration plant flight experiments were carried out in the SVET+GEMS. They led to significant results in the Fundamental Gravitational Biology field--second-generation wheat seeds were produced in the conditions of microgravity. The new International Space Station (ISS) will provide a perfect opportunity for conducting full life cycle plant experiments in microgravity, including measurement of more vital plant parameters, during the next 15-20 years. Nowadays plant growth facilities for scientific research based on the SVET SG functional principles are developed for the ISS by different countries (Russia, USA, Italy, Japan, etc.). A new Concept for an advanced SVET-3 Space Greenhouse for the ISS, based on the Bulgarian experience and "know-how" is described. The absolute and differential plant chamber air parameters and some plant physiological parameters are measured and processed in real time. Using the transpiration and photosynthesis measurement data the Control Unit evaluates the plant status and performs adaptive environmental control in order to provide the most favorable conditions for plant growth at every stage of plant development in experiments. A conceptual block-diagram of the SVET-3 SG is presented.     

High precision composite pipes for SOLAR-B optical structures

The authors have been developing new high thermal conductivity and low moisture absorption composite pipes for high precision space optics applications on the Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) SOLAR-B satellite.Pitch based K13C (Mitsubishi Chemical) high modulus and high conductivity graphite fiber, and EX1515 (Bryte Technology) low moisture absorption cyanate resin, were applied to the pipes.Thermal expansion of the composite pipes was designed to be zero and more uniform in the longitudinal direction in order to obtain long term dimensional stability in the space environment.Model pipes whose length was 500 mm were fabricated and evaluated for thermal and hygroscopic deformation in a new testing apparatus. Equivalent coefficient of thermal expansion of the model pipes was essentially zero (less than 0.1 ppm/°C) and standard deviation of these coefficients was 0.05 ppm/°C. Hygroscopic deformation of the model pipes was under representative conditions 7 ppm over 3 month. The excellent thermal and hygroscopic stability were verified. In addition, thermal conductivity of the model pipes was more than 200 W/(m · K).     

基于MEMS的微槽冷却系统在微纳卫星热控中的应用

介绍了基于微机电一体化系统(MEMS)的微槽冷却系统的研究成果。分析了将微槽冷却系统用于微纳卫星热控设计时的特殊要求。讨论了表征微槽冷却系统性能的水力学系统和传热性能。理论分析和数值模拟结果表明,微槽冷却系统可使大热流密度的热源芯片温度维持在较低的范围内,能满足微纳卫星热控的要求。研究认为,压降和热阻均较小的深槽可在小泵功率时提供较优的传热性能。     

Space product development: bringing the benefits of space down to Earth

In fulfilling the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) responsibility to encourage the fullest commercial use of space the Space Product Development (SPD) Program, within the Microgravity Research Program Office (MRPO) located at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, is managing an organization of Commercial Space Centers (CSC's) that have successfully employed methods for encouraging private industries to exploit the benefits of space-based research. Unique research opportunities of the space environment are being made available to private industry in an effort to develop new, competitive products; create jobs; and enhance the country's quality of life. Over 200 commercial research activities have been conducted in space by the CSC's and their industrial partners during the last several years. The success of this research is evidenced by the increasing amount of industrial participation in commercial microgravity research and the potential products nearing marketability.     

Initial characterization of the microgravity environment of the international space station: increments 2 through 4

The primary objective of the International Space Station (ISS) is to provide a long-term quiescent environment for the conduct of scientific research for a variety of microgravity science disciplines. This paper reports to the microgravity scientific community the results of an initial characterization of the microgravity environment on the International Space Station for increments 2 through 4. During that period almost 70,000 hours of station operations and scientific experiments were conducted. 720 hours of crew research time were logged aboard the orbiting laboratory and over half a terabyte of acceleration data were recorded and much of that was analyzed. The results discussed in this paper cover both the quasi-steady and vibratory acceleration environment of the station during its first year of scientific operation. For the quasi-steady environment, results are presented and discussed for the following: the space station attitudes Torque Equilibrium Attitude and the X-Axis Perpendicular to the Orbital Plane; station docking attitude maneuvers; Space Shuttle joint operation with the station; cabin de-pressurizations and the station water dumps. For the vibratory environment, results are presented for the following: crew exercise, docking events, and the activation/de-activation of both station life support system hardware and experiment hardware. Finally, a grand summary of all the data collected aboard the station during the 1-year period is presented showing where the overall quasi-steady and vibratory acceleration magnitude levels fall over that period of time using a 95th percentile benchmark.     

3D打印赋形微小流道集热器内层流换热特性数值模拟与试验研究

针对星内载荷存在大功率、多热源、高度非均匀功率密度的传散热需求,研发了一种3D打印赋形微小流道集热器.在评估了用数值模拟方法预测复杂构型微小流道集热器流动换热特性之可行性基础上,采用数值模拟与试验相结合的方法,研究流量、入口温度、热功率及重力对集热器内层流换热特性的影响,获得了集热器阻力系数与努塞尔数的经验关联式,并优...     

Recent NASA research accomplishments aboard the ISS

The activation of the US Laboratory Module "Destiny" on the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2001 launched a new era in microgravity research. Destiny provides the environment to conduct long-term microgravity research utilizing human intervention to assess, report, and modify experiments real time. As the only available pressurized space platform, ISS maximizes today's scientific resources and substantially increases the opportunity to obtain much longed-for answers on the effects of microgravity and long-term exposure to space. In addition, it evokes unexpected questions and results while experiments are still being conducted, affording time for changes and further investigation. While building and outfitting the ISS is the main priority during the current ISS assembly phase, seven different space station crews have already spent more than 2000 crew hours on approximately 80 scientific investigations, technology development activities, and educational demonstrations.     

空间特定目标表面的双波段红外辐射特性调控方法

红外诱饵等空间特定目标是对抗红外探测的主要手段之一。随着双色制导技术的发展,红外探测灵敏度不断提升,目标识别能力不断增强,这对空间特定目标表面的双波段红外辐射的逼真性提出了要求。通过改变空间特定目标表面发射率控制其红外辐射强度的大小,使用数值仿真的方法进行计算,从而提出了对空间特定目标表面红外辐射特性的调控方法。此外根据所确定的表面发射率、可见光吸收及红外发射比例以及内热源功率,选择合适的表面材料以及热功率施加方法,在保证空间特定目标表面机械性能的同时,使空间特定目标满足光照及阴影区的双波段红外辐射特性要求,并进行模型的制作以及热真空实验,证明了理论计算的准确性。