CLOSED SYSTEM HIGH FLUX EVAPORATIVE SPRAY COOLING

ISR PROPOSES TO CONDUCT A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY OF A UNIQUE HIGHFLUX TWO-PHASE THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SPACECRAFT. THIS SYSTEM COUPLES HIGH POWER DENSITY EVAPORATIVE SPRAY COOLING WITH AN EXPANDABLE VAPOR STORAGE AND CONDENSATION DEVICE. PREVIOUS WORK HAS DEMONSTRATED THE IMMENSE POTENTIAL OF EVAPORATIVE SPRAY COOLING FOR REMOVING EXTREMELY HIGH HEAT FLUXES (@0 W/CM[2]) WITH VERY SMALL TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES (<50 DEG C). HOWEVER, ALL OF THE PREVIOUS EXPERIMENTAL WORKS HAVE UTILIZED OPEN SYSTEMS CONTAINING AIR. A CLOSED, SINGLE WORKING FLUID SYSTEM IS REQUIRED FOR ACTUAL SPACECRAFT THERMAL MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS A DESIGN FOR A CLOSED SYSTEM EVAPORATIVE COOLING APPARATUS AND OUTLINES A PRELIMINARY TEST PLAN. THE DESIGN IN CORPORATES NOVEL METHODS OF SPRAY CONTROL AND HEATING. THIS WILL FACILITATE THE DETERMINATION OF BOTH THE MAXIMUM ATTAINABLE HEAT FLUX AND THE IDEAL RANGE OF SPRAY PARAMETERS FOR A GIVEN HEAT FLUX. THE SYSTEM WILL ALLOW PRECISE CONTROL OVER HEAT INPUT OR INDEPENDENT CONTROL OF THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE TO CAREFULLY STUDY CRITICAL HEAT FLUX CONDITIONS. BASED ON PREVIOUS RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS COOLING METHOD WILL PROVIDE HEAT REMOVAL RATES IN EXCESS OF 1000 W/CM(2).