IGF::OT::IGF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES REMAIN FOR THE DESIGNERS OF LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR SPACECRAFT PRIMA…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES REMAIN FOR THE DESIGNERS OF LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR SPACECRAFT PRIMARILY FOR THE PROCESSING OF AQUEOUS FLUIDS: OXYGEN SUPPLY, AIR REVITALIZATION, THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, WATER RECLAMATION, MEDICAL FLUIDS, AND OTHERS. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT FAILURE-PRONE PROCESSES ARE OFTEN EMPLOYED TO OVERCOME UNFAMILIAR MICROGRAVITY FLUIDIC PHENOMENA USING ARTIFICIAL BUOYANCY-INDUCING METHODS. THE MOST OBVIOUS EXAMPLE IS A MECHANICAL CENTRIFUGE FOR LIQUID-GAS SEPARATIONS ABOARD ORBITING SPACECRAFT. TO IMPROVE NASA'S SPACECRAFT FLUID SYSTEMS DESIGN, INNOSENSE LLC (ISL) PROPOSES TO DEVELOP SUPERHYDROPHILIC COATINGS FOR EMBEDDED CAPILLARY SYSTEMS (SPHIL-EMCAP) WITH ANTI-MICROBIAL PROPERTIES. IN PHASE I, ISL WILL DESIGN AND FABRICATE A COMPLEX CAPILLARY SOLUTION FOR SPACECRAFT FLUID MANAGEMENT. THE GEOMETRIC DESIGN WILL EXPLOIT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART IN ANALYTICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL CAPILLARY FLUIDICS. DEVICES WILL BE COATED WITH SPHIL-EMCAP AND EVALUATED FOR SUBSTRATE ADHESION, WATER CONTACT ANGLES, WEAR, AND ENVIRONMENT ROBUSTNESS, BEFORE TESTING IN THE RELEVANT LOW-G ENVIRONMENT TO ASSESS THE IMPROVED CAPILLARY CONTROL AFFORDED BY THE SUPERHYDROPHILIC COATINGS. IN PHASE II, ISL WILL DOWNSELECT MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS, AND OPTIMIZE SPHIL-EMCAP'S PERFORMANCE BY REFINING THE PROTOTYPING PROCESS AND OPTIMIZING THE SUPERHYDROPHILIC COATING FORMULATION. WE WILL PERFORM EXTENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION TOWARD MANUFACTURING A MINIATURIZED SPHIL-EMCAP.