Development of a sensor for high-quality two-phase flow

Development of a sensor for high-quality two-phase flow

Delil, A.A.M.
Heemskerk, J.F.

National Aerospace Laboratory NLR

1988-09-07

The monitoring of the quality of the two-phase mixture at various locations in the system is a valuable, possibly indispensable, part of the control system needed to properly operate a two-phase heat transport system for large spacecraft. Based on a trade-off of various quality monitoring concepts, NLR started to develop a dedicated quality sensor of the axial capacitance principle. Its theoretically demonstrated feasibility as quality and wetting sensor was experimentally confirmed by preliminary experiments using liquid layer simulating plastic sheets and annular air/liquid flow. Experiments in a two-phase freon test loop show the sensor to be an accurate, fastly responding, sensitive instrument. Recently it has been accepted for further development as a critical component of the Two-Phase Heat Transport System developed by the European Space Agency. A review of the development is presented. Performance figures, obtained by calibrations in a new freon 114 loop, are given. Recommendations for future work and applications foreseen are indicated. This publication, prepared partly under contract with the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programs (NIVR), has been presented at the 3rd European Symposium on Space Thermal Control & Life Support Systems, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 3-6 October 1988

thermal control
two-phase flow
heat transfer
vapour quality
sensor
large Spacecraft

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Nationaal Lucht- en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium

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NLR MP 88059 U

Aerospace Engineering Reports

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(c) 1988 National Aerospace Laboratory NLR