Refrigerant Vapor Quality Sensor

During this Phase II program, a non-invasive refrigerant (R134a) sensor capable of measuring the real-time quality of a two-phase flow will be developed. This sensor is designed for maximum ruggedness while achieving high measurement repeatability across different flow regimes, dynamic motion events, and orientations. The ultimate aim is an inexpensive sensor, which can be easily deployed to provide fluid quality measurements as a control for high-powered pumped two-phase (P2P) electronics cooling systems used by the Navy. Advanced Cooling Technologies (ACT) will develop a new sensor capable of simultaneously resolving the quality and void fraction of a two-phase refrigerant flow and reporting these quantities as a simple milli-amp signal. The sensor features a flow-through design for minimum flow disturbance and is built using a solid-state architecture, preventing sensor damage and measurement uncertainties during dynamic motion. Lockheed Martin (LM) will serve as a subcontractor on this project with their experience with P2P systems for directed energy laser weapons systems serving as a benchmark for the development of the sensor. By the end of the Phase II program, a production prototype sensor will be tested that can accurately measure fluid qualities between 0 and 1, reliably operate in an environment subject to high vibration and shock events, and meet the weight (<25 lbs) and size (<1 cu ft) requirements of the Navy.