Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchanger For Space Vehicles

Porous Media Condensing Heat
Exchanger for Space Vehicles

Submitted by students from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth to the
NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program on 27 October, 2010
Submitted on behalf of By Team TEFNUT: Thermal Exchanger

Thayer School of Engineering For Null-gravity hUmidity Transport
8000 Cummings Hall
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
Sean Currey
Team Contact, Flyer
4th year B.E. candidate, Mech Engineering
sean.r.currey@dartmouth.edu
310.200.8331
Broghan Cully Michael Kellar

Flyer Flyer
4th year B.E. candidate, Mech Engineering 5th year B.E. candidate, Materials Engineering
broghan.m.cully@dartmouth.edu michael.d.kellar@dartmouth.edu
Max Fagin
Flyer William Voigt
5th year B.E. candidate, Mech Engineering Flyer
maxwell.h.fagin@dartmouth.edu 3rd year B.E. candidate, Mech Engineering
william.h.a.voigt@dartmouth.edu
Doug Van Citters Julianna Scheiman

Faculty Adviser Alternate Flyer
Assistant Professor of Engineering 4th year B.E. candidate, Mech Engineering
doug.van.citters@dartmouth.edu julianna.m.scheiman@dartmouth.edu
603.646.6406
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CONTENTS
I. Technical ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
1.1: Flight Week Preference...................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2: Advisor/Mentor Request ................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.3: Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.4: Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.5: Background and problem statement............................................................................................................................... 6
1.6: Test Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
1.7: Test Description................................................................................................................................................................... 9
1.8 Refer ences ...........................................................................................................................................................................19
II. Experiment Safety Evaluation .................................................................................................................................................21
2.1: Flight Manifest...................................................................................................................................................................21
2.2: Experiment Description / Background ..........................................................................................................................21
2.3: Equipment Description ....................................................................................................................................................22
2.4: Structural Design ...............................................................................................................................................................25
2.5: Electrical System ...............................................................................................................................................................27
2.6: Pressure / Vacuum System..............................................................................................................................................28
2.7: Laser System ......................................................................................................................................................................29
2.8: Crew Assistance Requirements ......................................................................................................................................29
2.9: Institutional Review Board ..............................................................................................................................................29
2.10: Hazard Analysis ...............................................................................................................................................................29
2.11: Tool Requirements .........................................................................................................................................................30
2.12: Ground Support Requirements ....................................................................................................................................30
2.13: Hazardous Materials ......................................................................................................................................................30
2.14: Procedures .......................................................................................................................................................................30
III. Outreach Proposal....................................................................................................................................................................32
3.1: Rationale.............................................................................................................................................................................32
3.2: Objectives ...........................................................................................................................................................................33
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3.3: Methods and Activities ....................................................................................................................................................33
3.4: Other Outr each Activities ................................................................................................................................................35
3.5: Timeline ..............................................................................................................................................................................35
3.6: School and Institution Contact Information.................................................................................................................35
3.7: Website ...............................................................................................................................................................................36
IV. Administrative ..........................................................................................................................................................................37
4.1: Letters of Endorsement ...................................................................................................................................................37
4.2: Funding / Budget Statement...........................................................................................................................................37
4.3: Experiments involving Animals.......................................................................................................................................37
4.4: Parental Consent Forms ...................................................................................................................................................37
Works Cited................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookm ark not defined.
Appendix A: Letters of Endorsement .........................................................................................................................................38
Appendix B: Work Plan .................................................................................................................................................................39
Appendix C: Alloy tables ...............................................................................................................................................................40
Appendix D: Personnel..................................................................................................................................................................41
Appendix E: Test Geometries and Analytical Model ...............................................................................................................43
Appendix F: OutReach Supplement............................................................................................................................................43
Appendix G: MSDS’s ......................................................................................................................................................................47
Appendix H: Description of Saturation Rate of PMCHX ..........................................................................................................48
Appendix I: Dependenc e of Resistance on Saturation............................................................................................................49
Appendix J: Analytical Modeling of Heat and Fluid Flow........................................................................................................50
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I. TECHNICAL
1.1: FLIGHT W EEK PREFERENCE
The team is ready and willing to fly our experiment on the week of June 2 – 11 2011. However, the graduation
ceremonies for Dartmouth College and the Thayer School of Engineering will be held June 10 -12 2011. If possible,
we would like to be assigned to a different flight week so that we may attend our graduation. Our experiment will
be completed by early March; we will be prepared to fl y any time after that. If it is not possible to change dates,
we maintain that we’d rather miss graduation 1000 times over than miss an oppo rtunity to participate in this
program.
1.2: ADVISOR/MENTOR REQUEST
Our team will not require the services of a JSC scientist or engineer.
Our project is sponsored by Dr. Mohammad M. Hasan, a scientist at NASA Glenn Research Center. Our sponsor
works in the microgravity fluid dynamics division and is a leading researcher and developer of porous media heat
exchangers (PMCHX). Dr. Hasan may be reached by email (mohammad.m.hasan@nasa.gov) or by phone
(216.977.7494).
1.3: ABSTRACT
NASA is designing the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to propel humanity beyond the grasp of our home planet to
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nearby asteroids, Lagrangian points, and eventually Mars. These long-duration missions will require light and
compact life support systems that can function reliably with little maintenance for periods of up to two years.
One essential component of life support is maintaining a constant level of humidity in the crew capsule.
Environments that are too humid or too dry are uncomfortable and can damage equipment. Current
dehumidifying systems used in orbit are large, mechanically complex, and must be serviced often. To solve this
problem, NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a promising new system, known as a porous media
condensing heat exchanger (PMCHX), to remove moisture from the cabin via the use of porous graphite.
Our team will design, fabricate, and test a condensing heat exchanger that uses porous media to both extract a nd
replenish moisture into the environment. Our product must be very light, reliable, able to handle peak moisture
levels, and able to function in both microgravity and on planetary surfaces. We will select material for the cooling
system pipes, a geometry for the flight-ready exchanger, and the size of the system. After designing and building
our system based on these three variables we will test our prototype using flow and heat transfer modeling, finite
element analysis, and analytical models. Numerical and ground test results detailing the effectiveness of our
system will be compared with microgravity flight results. The flight results will prove the effectiveness of a PMCHX
in microgravity and quantify the importance of gravity on the system’s efficiency.
1.4: PROJECT DESCRIP TION
This project is part of a two term culminating experience required to graduate with a Bachelors of Engineering
from Thayer School. In this class (titled Engs 89-90) teams of three to four students select a project sponsored by
an industry partner and work for 23 weeks to design, build, and test a solution. Our project is sponsored by Dr.
Mohammad Hasan at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Dr. Hasan is working to design a condensing heat
exchanger for space vehicles that uses porous media. Our task from now until early March is to create physical
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models to analyze the flow over and inside the porous media, select a material for the cooling tubes of the system,
select an optimal geometry for the porous media and air flow, and test this system in a variety of gravity
environments. The end goal of the project is to have a potentially flight-ready prototype optimized for use on
long-duration space missions aboard the CEV.
Our team name, Team TEFNUT, pays homage to the Egyptian goddess of moisture.
1.5: BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM STATEMENT
This year, the Obama administration cancelled Project Constellation, the NASA program that would replace the
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) excursions made by the space shuttle with longer duration missions back to the Moon and
eventually Mars. Although this program has not yet been replaced with a viable substitute, NASA’s mission
statement remains the same: to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and a eronautics
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research. Rather than returning to the moon as
Destination Mission Duration
originally planned, NASA is now considering a “Flexible
Earth/Sun Lagrangian Points (L1, L2) 32-90 da ys
Path” in space voyages; it will develop a space vehicle
-spacecraft servicing and science
capable of visiting an array of interesting locations (see
Near Earth Objects 150-220 da ys 3
-help protect the planet from asteroids Table 1).
Mars Flyby 440 da ys
All manned space vehicles contain a life support system
-first humans to “visit” another planet
to ensure the safety and comfort of the astronauts on
Mars Orbit, Mars Moons 780 da ys
-Mars sample return, robotic board. One essential function of this system is the
exploration removal of excess moisture from the craft’s habitable
volume. Moisture is continually added to the cabin air
Table 1:"Flexible Path" Mission Options3 while the astronauts breathe, and drastically increases
during periods of exercise or intense physical activity.
These peak humidity loads can be problematic for underpowered dehumidification systems.
The lack of gravity makes dehumidification a more complex task in space than it is on Earth. In gravity, we can rely
on buoyant forces to separate a two- phase flow of water and air into distinct volumes. Under microgravity,
however, this force is negligible. Rather, fluid motion is much more influenced by capillary forces and surface
tension than by buoyancy or convection. In the past, moisture removal in microgravity has been accomplished by
a condensing heat exchanger (CHX). On the shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS), the CHX r emoves
water in two steps: First, the air stream is cooled below the dew point, and the water condenses out of the air
onto a chilled plate. Second, the water is collected in a centrifuge and stored. Figure 1 shows a diagr am of this
process.
Current CHX systems are not designed to meet these extended mission requirements. The two -part system on
board the ISS and space shuttle orbiter, referred to as the Common Cabin Air Assembly, is both bulky and heavy.
The many moving parts in the centrifugal removal systems are prone to breaking during flight, endangering the
health of both the spacecraft and the astronauts onboard. The original dehumidifier designed into the Orio n Crew
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Exploration Vehicle utilized alkyl-amine films to chemically withdraw moisture from the air. However, after the
discovery that this system could not handle the peak moisture loads generated while astronauts are exercising, it
became clear that an entirely new system would be needed to maintain the safety and comfort of the astronauts.
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Figure 1: Common Cabin Air Assembly used on the ISS4
The weight of the system is especially important because of the cost of lifting each payload to orbit. Cargo
launched into LEO on the space shuttle currently costs ~$ 10,000 per kg. The most economical rocket on the
market, the SpaceX Falcon 9, costs about $5,000 per kg, with its s uccessor predicted to lower the cost to about
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$4,500 per kg, but this is a best case scenario. Launch costs for interplanetary missions tend to be mor e than five
times as expensive. Therefore, a reduction in the total weight of the life support system would equate to a large
savings over many space vehicle launches. However, the reduction in mass and volume of the system is just one of
the many challenges that must be addressed when designing the life support systems of the futur e. A summary of
how other parameters of future life support systems must differ from past systems appears in Table 2.
Past Systems Future Systems
Smaller, less complex La rger, increasingl y complex

Intermittent use Continuous use
Return for maintenance and repair Maintenance and repair during
mission
Open loop Increasingl y closed-l oop
Manual or nonintegrated controls Autonomous , continuous control and
moni tori ng of nonlinear s ys tems
Physical/chemical processes Integra ted physi cal/chemical and
biologi cal processes
Microbiological issues a minor factor Mi crobiologi cal issues cri ti cal to
survi val
Table 2: Comparison of Design Factors for the Development of Life Support Systems6
The problem we now face is that current dehumidifying systems for space vehicles are not designed for
long-duration interplanetary missions, and are ineffective at handling peak humidity loads. In order for
our nation to successfully explore deep space, NASA needs dehumidifying systems that address these
shortcomings. The system we plan to develop must be much less massive and occupy a smaller volume
to make room for other systems and supplies. The system must be reliable enough to last for up to two
years with little or no maintenance. Lastly, our system must comply with all safety procedures maintained by
NASA.
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NASA Glenn has developed a proof-of concept system that uses PG-45 (porous graphite) to collect condensed
water from the airstream. We hope to use the PG-45 as a kind of moisture capacitor, which collects moisture
when the airstream is too wet and releases it back when the airstream is too dry. Cooling tubes running through
the system cools the surface of the PG-45 to condense the water vapor, and porous tubes remove the condensate
from the block. Figure 2, below, details this concept.
Figure 2: Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchanger10
1.6: TEST OBJECTIVES
1.6.1: GOALS OF THE EXPERIMENT
The overarching goal of this experiment is to prove the feasibility of using a PMCHX on a future manned spacecraft
and characterize its effectiveness. An important component of this process is observing how well the heat
exchanger performs in microgravity and comparing this with the results from our terrestrial lab and the extensive
computational models we will create. We also hope to characterize any unknown forces acting on our system that
are not easily seen or predicted on Earth. Lastly, we hope to s ee how varying the air flow velocity and humidity
levels affect the system’s performance in microgravity.
 Verify basic functionality of PMCHX in reduced gravity

 Investigate the effect of r educed gravity on multi -phase flow over the porous media
 Develop profiles for dripping and saturation of PMCHX in reduced gravity
 Investigate effects of varying airflow rates in reduced gravity
 Compare the accuracy of measuring the porous media saturation with an accelerometer and scale vs .
electrical resistance
 Compare the results of our computer simulations and analysis with real -world data
1.6.2: HYPOTHESIS
We hypothesize that our PMCHX will perform well in a changing gravitational env ironment and that a PMCHX
optimally designed for microgravity will perform better on the flight then when it is tested on the ground. In part,
this would mean that the over-saturation point of our PMCHX will occur at a higher limit in reduced gravity than in
the pr esence of gravity, and thus that our PMCHX will better be able to handle the average peak humidity loads in
manned space explorations. We also predict that the overall mechanical functions of the system will not undergo
any adverse effects due to a microgravity environment. Finally, we predict that in the absence of gravitational
forces the temperature gradient imposed by our PMCHX will be enough to condense water on the unit’s surface.
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1.6.3: FOLLOW-UP STATUS
This experiment is not a follow-up experiment to any project flown on Microgravity University.
1.7: TEST D ESCRIPTION
1.7.1: ACCOMPANYING GROUND-BASED ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTS
The microgravity testing we perform on our PMCHX will complement our ground testing on the system we plan to
perform this year, identifying the effect of variables that are not otherwise observable on Earth. Befor e our flight,
we will aggressively analyze our system using three major methods: finite element analysis, analytical models, and
physical ground testing on the same rig we hope to fly on the microgravi ty aircraft (as shown in Figure 3). Please
refer to Appendix B for a detailed work plan for our analysis and construction of our test rig.
• Analytical Models (MATLAB)

Computer
Models • Finite Element analysis (SolidWorks)
Concept
• Ground Testing (Test rig)
Testing
Prototype
• Flight Testing (Microgravity University)
Testing
Figure 3: Methodology of Approach
1.7.1.1: ANALYTICAL MODELS
Cabin Conditions
Data provided to us by researchers at the Glenn Research Center has allowed us to assemble a predictive model of
the expected humidity levels that the PMCHX must be designed to accommodate. The model examines the
amount of water vapor produced by an astronaut during three activities: Sleep, Work and Exercise. Expected
values for each of these activities are shown in Table 3:
Activity Humidity Load

gH20/sec/Crew Member
Sleep .01
Work .15
Exercise * .22
Table 3: Expected humidity generated by crew members engaging in daily activities. * Indicates a peak value. 8
Modeling a common exercise cycle as a one-half hour on intense exercise, followed by a one hour cool down, we
may generate profiles of released humidity as a function of time during an ex ercise cycle, as shown in Figure 4.
Combining this with multiple exercise cycles allows us to develop the expected load for a full crew, also shown in
Figure 4. The model permits us to adjust crew size, crew schedule, work duration, and crew ex ercise period in
order to predict the cabin conditions for a variety of mission profiles.
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150
Crew Mem ber Exercise P ro file
W ater Vapor Output

(kg/ m in)• 10-4
100
50
0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
Tim e (hour s)
600
Crew Daily P ro file

500
W ater Vapor Output
(kg/ m in)• 10-4
400
300
200
100
0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Tim e (hour s)
Figure 4: The theoretical humidity output for a single crew member during a single exercise, and a crew of 4 over a full 24 hour period with
exercise sessions separated by ½ hour.
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Given a spacecraft of a known habitable volume (e.g. 12 m for the Orion CEV) and a maximum safe humidity level
9
(e.g. ~70% relative humidity for ISS) we will then be able to calculate the performance requirements that our
PMCHX must meet. Previous calculations indicate that the minimum performance requirements will be on the
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order of 2 kgH20 of water removed per day per crew member.
CHX Performance
One of our goals for this project is to investigate alternative geometries for the PG-45 graphite block in order to
maximize condensation. The principle difficulty of investigating non-rectangular geometries will be establishing
the temperature (and thus, the condensation rate) at various locations on the graphite. In order to rapidly test
new component geometries, a thermal model of the graphite block and cooling system will be produced, following
the procedur e outlined in references [10] [11] [12] [13]. This model will inform our selection of CHX geometry and
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dimensions, as well as provide preliminary estimates of the peak performance of the CHX. A few of the geometries
we wish to test appear in Appendix E, along with a sample thermal analytical model.
Cooling Tube Mechanical Performance
After researching possible materials for the cooling tubes inside the PMCHX, our group decided that metal would
work best. We then completed an alternative matrix, show in Table 4, in order to quantify which metal will work
best in this system. The metal cooling tubes can be easily modeled with the techniques our group has learned at
Thayer School. More research needs to be done to investigate the safety factor needed for the yield stress of the
tubes, but the analysis follows from fundamental laws. Because of their relatively low weights and high thermal
conductivity, we will use aluminum or copper to construct our cooling tubes.
Density
Corrosion
Conductivity
Thermal
Yield Strength
SCC
Cost
Machinability
Sub-Tot al
Solutions: 3x 3x 4x 2x 1x 1x 1x
Copper 1 2.5 4 3 2 2 1.5 38
Titanium 2 4 1 4 4 1 1.5 36.5
Magnesium 4 1 2 2 1 3 3.5 34.5
Aluminum 3 2.5 3 1 3 4 3.5 41
Table 4: Alternative Matrix for Metal Selection
Apparatus Performance
As explained in our work plan in Appendix B, we expect to perform ex tensive ground testing of the PMCHX in a
controlled temperature/humidity environment. As the apparatus to produce these contro lled conditions will
include an air conditioning and circulating element, it is prudent to produce a complete CAD model of the design
before implementation. This model will allow the airflow and air temperature of a given design to be investigated,
and allow apparatus dimensions and materials to be optimized for flight in microgravity before construction
begins.
1.7.1.2: GROUND TESTING ON TEST RIG
Before flying our test rig on the microgravity aircraft, we will first perform extensive benchmark testing on our
ground rig to ensure its safety, accuracy, and reliability. These tests will use the same rig we plan to fly on the
microgravity aircraft, so by the time we fly we will have a safe and perfected system.
NASA Glenn’s own integrated test-bed, a facility used to test the efficiency of condensing heat exchangers in
various conditions expected for manned space explorations, is far too large to bring on a microgravity flight. This
system is shown in Figure 5.
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Figure 5: NASA Glenn’s Integrated Test Bed10
Thus, our team is tasked with building our own custom test rig. The design concepts of our test rig will mimic the
ITB, however ours will be on a much smaller scale as we plan to take this rig on the microgravity flight, which has
size constraints (5ftx2ftx5ft). Figure 6 shows a CAD drawing of our preliminary design.
Figure 6: Custom Test Rig for the PMCHX
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Figure 7 shows a side profile view of our test rig, which will be composed of three main components: a test
chamber, an air conditioning/temperature control system, and a humidity control system. Our PMCHX will be
positioned inside the test chamber. Warm, humid air will pass through the test chamber and over the porous
media. Simultaneously the porous media heat exchanger will absorb some of the mois ture, and thus cool the air
slightly. Therefor e, exiting the test chamber will be cooler, dry air. The temperature control unit will then bring the
temperature of the air back to its desired value and then finally the humidity control unit will bring the h umidity of
the air back to its desired value. The movement of the air will be powered by a fan located inside the temperature
control unit.
Figure 7: Side Profile View - Custom Test Rig for the PMCHX
Ground-based experiments run at NASA’s Glenn Research Center have produced a porous media condensing heat
10
exchanger that condenses and separates approximately 3.5 grams of humidity a minute. Our team expects our
prototype to return results that are just as good, if not better during our ground -based testing. These ground-
based tests are scheduled to take place between December 2010 and March 2011.
1.7.2: IN FLIGHT TESTING
During our flight, the system described in the previous section will be continuously running throughout the entire
duration. Details about the data collection and analysis can be found in the subsequent section, 1.7.6. Our laptop
will be collecting all of this data. We expect this data to be better than the data collected during the ground -based
testing because our system will be designed to run most efficiently in microgravity conditions.
As a result of this opportunity our group expects to learn exactly how microgravity affects multiple
aspects of this control system. Overall, we will learn how the efficiency of the porous media differs from ground-
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based to microgravity testing. This will allow us to refine our prototype in order to make it more adaptable for use
on future manned space explorations. More on this can be found in section 1.7.7.
Figure 8: Condensation and imbibition into porous substrate as a function of time for each half of the CHX10
As can be seen in the figure above, the process of saturating the porous media takes much longer than the 30
seconds of microgravity available to us during each parabola. Therefore, we will run the system continuously for
the entire length of the flight. The system is designed to work both in and without gravity, so this will not be a
problem. We can measure the rate of absorption of condensation continuously using a scale coupled with an
accelerometer to adjust for g changes, as well as measure the resi stance of the media to look at the rate of
saturation. Before the flight we will partially saturate our media so we can work in the more inter esting section of
the curve – around the 45% saturation mark when dripping begins to occur. In this manner we ca n determine the
effec t of microgravity on the collection of a liquid layer of the surface of the media (before this level, water is
absorbed too quickly in the media to be affected by the absence of gravity.
1.7.3: DATA COLLECTION AN D ANALYSIS
Table 5 summarizes the following data that will be collected during the flight.
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Sensor Data Collected Purpose
Electronic Scale Mass of condensed water. To characterize the efficiency of our
device
Accelerometer Mass of condensed water. The accelerometer data will be used
to adjust the data collected by the
electronic scale. Once we correct
our data for changes in g, we can
get a rough estimate of the rate of
water vapor absorption.
Ohmmeter Resistance of porous media If the accelerometer and scale
combination fail to give us reliable
data on the amount of water vapor
condensed, we can extract
information about the saturation
level of the porous media by
measuring its resistance (see
Appendix I)
Thermocouples Temperature at surface of porous Describe the temperature gradient
media, Temperature of coolant, in the porous media, which is
temperature of airstream, related to the flow velocity through
temperature at various points in the the media. Also will use in the
porous media. control circuit to control the
temperature of the porous media
coolant and airstream temperature.
Humidity Sensor Amount of moisture in the Add to the control circuit that
airstream above the porous media. controls the humidity in the
airstream.
Video Camera Observation of condensate. Watch what happens to the layer of
condensate on the surface of the
porous media during changes in g.
Schlieren Imager Flow regime above the porous See how g affec ts the flow over the
media. porous media. We will compare this
data with our computer models.
Table 5: Data Collection
An effective CHX must, by definition, cycle a large volume of air. This would suggest that higher flow rates would
lead to a better performance. However, faster airflows leave less time for the air to be in contact with the surface
of the CHX, and thus lead to less condensation and only partially dehumidified air. To optimize the effectiveness of
the CHX, a balance must be struck between these two competing factors. Via computational modeling, we intend
to identify two types of geometry for the graphite block which serve to maximize the condensation without
impeding airflow. However, the flow of wet air at low velocities is adversely effected by the presence of gravity.
To accurately characterize the air flow under working conditions for a space rated system, it is necessary to test
this apparatus to microgravity. Optical Schlieren photography will be employed on the test rig while in
microgravity in order to examine the nature of the wet airflow over the surface of the CHX.
The optical path of the Schlieren assembly shall run perpendicular to the airflow, across the testing rig. By placing
a small (< 6 in) perpendicular reflecting mirror on the far side of the test chamber, and a digital camera, light
source and fine optical grid ~20 inches away from the mirror on the near side of the rig, it will be possible to
visualize the two phase fluid flow over a small surface region of the CHX. High speed HD video of the airflow will
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be recorded and logged by the computer, and air flow will be adjusted from parabola to parabola. The intent is to
test the effectiveness of our custom designed CHX geometry in shaping the ai rflow to maximize condensation.
1.7.4: PARABOLIC PROCEDURE
The effectiveness of the PMCHX is highly dependent on the velocity and nature of the airflow over the surface of
the porous media. The pr esence of both liquid and gaseous water makes the operation of the PMCHX a practical
problem in two-phase zero gravity fluid flow. We therefor e propose to characteri ze the natur e of the airflow as a
function of velocity and porous media geometry.
In the first flight day, the nature of airflow as a function of velocity will be measured with the optical Schlierin
imaging system. A single parabola will involve the foll owing steps:
Parabola Activity Air Velocity Measurement

# (cfm)
1 Acclimation - -
2 Testing 0 Schlierin + Saturation
23 Contingency - -
24 Contingency - -
25 Contingency - -
26 Contingency - -
27 Contingency - -
28 Contingency - -
29 Contingency - -
30 Contingency - -
Table 6: Day 1 Parabolic Procedure
On Day 2 of the experiment, we will choose a single flow velocity and monitor efficiency of the PMCHX as a
function of time. The velocity will be determined by the performance curve created after the fi rst set of parabolas.
We expect that as the PM becomes more saturated, we will see changes in the r ate of saturation of the media.
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We have allotted parabolas at the end with no planned specific data point collection in case a data point is missed
or a flyer becomes ill. The test rig will be designed to be fully operational by just one flyer if case motion sickness
becomes a problem.
The parabolic procedure for day two will be the same as day one except for the fact that ther e will be a single flow
velocity.
1.7.5: NECESSITY OF REDUCED GRAVITY
The end goal of this project is to develop a fully functional prototype of a PMCHX that will function in all
gravitational environments experienced by an interplanetary spacecraft. This is not limited to microgravity – it
must also function on the surface of the Moon, Mars, and Near Earth Objects (NEO’s), as well as during
accelerations produced by propulsion systems. In order to move the PMCHX technology to a relatively low
Technology Readiness Level to a much higher one, we need to verify that this technology will work in microgravity.
While we expect this system will work over the 0-2 g range we will experience, the absence of gravity contributes
many confounding factors to our system. In our terrestrial laboratory, the dominant effects of buoyant force-
driven fluid convention may obscure other complex interactions that will be present in microgravity. A spot in the
2011 Microgravity University program will allow us to analyze four areas of essential research in microgravity:
multiphase flow and heat transfer, capillary phenomena, interfacial processes, and surface tension. Figure 8 shows
the relative importance of each area.
Some of these can be modeled computationally; others cannot. In all cases, we intend to collect data on the
confounding variable and calculate how it affects the overall efficiency of our system. The following section
outlines the effects of these phenomena and how we hope to measure these affects.
Multiphase Flow and Heat Tr ansfer
Multiphase flows in microgravity, such as our mixture of water vapor and air, have numerous applications in space
exploration vehicle design. Life support systems elements of the future, including condensers, evaporators, and
thermal busses could stand to benefit from better knowledge of multiphase flows in microgravity. Although this
research area is of great importance to NASA, there has been limited research in this field. In fact, NASA generally
17
attempts to avoid using such flows in spacecraft because their behavior is not well understood.
Our project will investigate two areas of critical research in this area: identification of low-gravity flow regimes and
interfacial constitutive laws of these regimes, as well as convective condensation heat transfer. We will use
Schlierin imaging to characterize the flow regime above our porous media, and the effects of conductive heat
transferred will first be modeled using analytical and numerical simulation and then verified in flight.
Interfacial processes
Our analytical system models for the PMCHX r ely on a key assumption: a liquid water l ayer develops on either the
surface of the porous media or just below it. This makes perfect sense in a terrestrial environment, in which
gravity forces water to condense on the material below the airstream. However, the evidence for this
phenomenon in microgravity is less convincing. We will investigate the formation of this thin-film of water in
microgravity. Additionally, wetting and spreading dynamics are affected by gravity, which changes the rate a t
which water condenses on the surface and is absorbed.
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Capillary and dynam ics
The flow of moisture through the porous media is largely driven by capillary forces and bubble pressure. While the
capillary forces are already more dominant than gravitational forces for the scale size of the pores in our p orous
media, the entry condition of water into the porous media will be different in microgravity than in gravity.
Microgravity experiments involving the mechanics of soil, another porous media, have shown that gravity actually
has a large effect on flow though a porous media. Normally, variables that govern the speed at which water
travels through porous media, such as hydraulic conductivity, capillary head, water diffusivity, and the relations
that govern flow through partially saturated media are all governed at least in part by the gravitational
20
acceleration. In microgravity, this variable is now scaled to the pressure at the entry point of the fluid. We will
adjust our computer models to include this condition and will examine how closely we can mimic this new
condition. Additionally, it has been shown that the distribution of a liquid in a porous media in microgravity is non -
uniform.
Although we are effectively treating these processes as experimental variables, our is likely to have a great eff ect
on the design of space systems. Figure 8 shows the relative importance vs the probability of achieving success in
the top microgravity research fields, as analyzed from both a scientific and a NASA-specific perspective.
Figure 9: Importance of Microgravity Research Fields18
It is important to note that while multiphase flow, heat transfer, and interfacial processes are not as scientifically
interesting as other areas of research, their impact on NASA’s technology needs cannot be denied. Our work in
multi-phase flow is especially important, since this area is very likely to have an impact of future technology.
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1.8 REFERENCES
[1]According to Dr. David Schmidt, NASA Glenn Chief Technologist
[2] www.NASA.gov
[3] Review of U.S. Spaceflight Plans Committee. "Seeking a Human SpaceFlight Program Worthy of a Great Nation."
Human Spaceflight Review. NASA, Sept. 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf>.
[4] Kahn, Lutful I., and Mohammad M. Hasan. "Porous Media Based Phase Separation In Condensing Heat
Exchanger for Space Systems." NASA Technical Reports Server (2006). Print.
[5] www.spacex.com
[6] space technology book
[7] Althausen, David A., Frank D. Quinn, Charles T. Bunnell, and Nihad E. Daidzic. "Porous Media Condensing Heat
Exchanger with Integral Gas Liquid Separation for Space Flight Use." 44th AIAA Aerospa ce Sciences Meeting and
Exhibit (2006). Print.
[8]Unpublished Data given to us by Dr. Hasan
[9] Encyclopedia Astronautica. "CEV." Encyclopedia Astronautica. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.

<http://www.astronautix.com/craft/cev.htm>.
[10] Hasan, M. M., V. Nayagam, R. Balasubramaniam, C. T. Bunnell, and D. M. Althausen. "A Porous Media-Based
Heat Exchanger: Experimental Measurements of Moisture Condensation." NASA Technical Reports Server (2006).
Print.
[11] Koneazny-Cobb, Gyasi. Active Thermal Control System fo r the International Space Sta tion Utilizing
Condensation over Porous Media. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. University of California,
Dan Diego, 7 Dec. 2007. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
[12] Balasubramaniam, R., V. Nayagam, M. M. Hasan, and L. Kahn. "Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer during
Condensation over a Porous Substrate." Annals New York A cademy of Scien ces (2006): 459-70. Print.
[13] Wang, Shih-Chieh, Yue-Tzu Yang, and Cha'o-Kuang Chen. "Effect of Uniform Section on Laminar Filmwise
Condensation on a Finite-sized Horizontal Flat Surface in a Porous Media." International Journal of Heat and Mass
Transfer 46 (2003): 4003-011. Print.
[14] Ashby, M. F. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design. Oxford : Pergamon, 1992.
[15] Metals Handbook . 9th ed. Vo l. 2. Metals Park, OH: A merican Society for Metals, 1979.
[16] Current Primary and Scrap Metal Prices - LME (London Metal Exchange), COMEX, N YMEX, Copper,
Aluminum, Nickel, Tin, Lead, Zinc, Iron, Steel, Specialty Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel Alloy, Chrome, Titanium,
Ferrochrome, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Antimony, Plastics. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. <http://www.metalprices.com/>.
[17] National Research Council. "Fluid Physics Research Program." Assessment of Directions in Microgravity and
Physical Sciences Research at NASA. Washington, D.C.: National Academies, 2003. 15-27. Print.
[18] National Research Council. "Research Priorities." Assessment of Directions in Microgravity and Physical
Sciences Research at NASA. Washington, D.C.: National Academies, 2003. 80-87. Print.
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[19] Niktin, N. N., V. F. Ni kitin, J. C. Legros, E. Istasse, L. Schramm, and F. Wassmuth. "Microgravity Investigations of
Capillary-driven Imbibition and Drainage in Inhomogeneous Porous Media." Acta Astronautica 24.1 (2003): 39-52.
Print.
[20] Scovazzo, Paul, Tissa H. Illangasekare, Alex Hoehn, and Paul Todd. "Modeling of Teo-phase Flow in
Membranes and Porous Media in Microgravity as Applied to Plant Irrigation in Space." Water Resou rces Research
37.5 (2001): 1231-243. Print.
[21] According to Dr. Mohammad Hasan
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II. EXPERIMENT SAFETY EVALUATION
2.1: FLIGHT MANIFEST

Fliers: Sean Currey
Broghan Cully
Max Fagin
Michael Kellar
William Voigt
Alternate: Julianna Scheiman
None of the team members have any previous flight or ground crew experience.
2.2: EXPERIMENT DESC RIPTION / BACKGROUND
As part of our collaboration with Dr. Mohamed Hasan at the NASA Glen Research C enter, we are investigating the
application of Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchangers for maintaining the humidity of spacecraft crew cabins.
PMCHX’s work by circulating liquid coolant cooling tubes embedded in a block of porous graphite. When a stream
of humid air from the crew cabin is forced over the surface of the material, liquid condenses on the surface and be
absorbed into the porous material. By passi ng porous suction tubes through the graphite, it is possible to generate
suction pressure at the condensation surface, which will cause the material to rapidly absorb the water. The
condensation is eventually absorbed into the center of the media, wher e i t encounters the porous suction tubes,
re-evaporates, and removed from the CHX for collection.
This system offers many advantages over the traditional condensing heat exchanger design that is currently
deployed on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Most notably, it does away with the large, heavy
and mechanically complex centrifuge for separating the liquid and gaseous phases of water. We hope that, onc e
developed, PMCHX’s will be deployed on future manned space craft.
We intend to fly a prototype PMCHX on a microgravity flight, and subject it to a variety of conditions. By
electrically monitoring the condensation on the material, and imaging the dual phase air flow across its surface, we
hope to identify optimal fluid flow rates and porous media geometry to maximize the efficiency of the apparatus.
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2.3: EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION
Our experiment will consist of three main stages: one that heats, one that humidifies, and one that both cools and
dehumidifies. The following list describes all the major components of our experiment, their approximate masses,
their estimated power consumption, and their use for the experiment:
Laptop
 Approximately 2.4kg
 Estimated 20W of power consumption
 Will be used to collect all of the data
Air-conditioning Unit
 Approximately 16kg
 Estimated 600W/5A of power consumption
 Will be used to control temperature and flow rate of the system
 The current air-conditioning unit we are using is large and heavy, we are looking into various other units
Humidifier
 Estimated 32W of power consumption
 Humidifier with full tank of water approximately 6kg
 Will be used to control the humidity of the system
 We are researching functionality of various humidifier types in reduced gravity
PVC Piping
 Will be used to connect the three main components of the system
Aluminum Frame
 Will be used to house our entire system
Test Chamber
 Will consist of numerous components :

o Electrical Scale
 Approximately 5kg
 Will be used to weigh the PMCHX during hypergravity intervals
o PMCHX
 Estimated 500W (max) of power consumption
o Schlieren Imager
 Will be used to see how gravity affects the flow over the porous media
o Ohmmeter
 Approximately .45kg
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 Will be used to extract information about the saturation level of the porous media by
measuring its resistance
o Thermocouples
 Minimal estimated power consumption
 Will be used to describe the temperature gradient in the porous media
o Phidgits Humidity/Temperature Sensor
 Approximately .7g
 Estimated power consumption of .019W/3.46mA (connected to laptop)
 Will be used to control the humidity in the airstream
o Phiodgets Interface
 Estimated power consumption of +/- 15V (connected to laptop)
Accelerometer
 Approximately .08kg
 Estimated power
 Will be mounted to the frame and will be used to measure the acceleration of the plane, and thus the
system
Video Camera
 Will be mounted to the frame and will be used to capture every moment of our flight
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24 | P a g e
2.4: STRUCTURAL D ESI GN
Our system will run as follows: First the air will be heated to a predetermined temperature as it flows over the
heating coils of a commercial air conditioner. It will then be blown through a humidifier, which will ensure the
airflow over the porous media stays at a constant percent humidity. The warm moist air will then travel to the
porous media. The porous media will be chilled with water that has been circulated over the cooling fins of the air
conditioning unit. The moisture will condense on the surface of the porous media, and will then be drawn into the
block via capillary suction. There will be a series of separating tubes embedded withi n the porous media. The tubes
will also be made of porous material, designed so that the absolute bubble pressure will be greater than the
absolute suction pressure. Thus they will serve as a liquid removal system as well as a liquid gas separator. The
collected liquid will be pumped out of the porous media and stored. The cool dry air will then be circulated back
over the heating coils of the air conditioner.
All of our sub components will be housed within and mounted to a 54 x 21 x 48in Aluminum ASTM -B221 frame.
The frame will be bolted to the floor of the aircraft using the 20in grid at four points. There will be a shelf made of
polycarbonate supported by aluminum located 24in above the floor that will support the computer and the testing
chamber.
The air conditioner/temperature control unit will be housed within an 18 x 18 x 12in polycarbonate box that will be
attached to our frame. Ther e will be two openings in this box. One will house a fan to draw air over the entire unit
to control temperature, as there is no convection in microgravity to assist with increasing the heat flux over the
heat exchanger coils. The second hole will be attached to the ducting that will take the warmed air to the
humidifier.
The ducting will be made of PVC pipe and will be 2-3in in diameter. This PVC pipe is rated for up to 250 psi internal
pressures and thus, should withstand any circumstances that arise during the flight.
The humidifier will be housed in its own 12 x 18 x 12in polycarbonate container, which will be direct ly attached to
the frame. The water supply for the humidifier (at least 1 L) will be contained in two high strength bags to reduce
the risk of puncture and or leaking, as well as secured to the inside of the container, so that it cannot come loose
and interfere with the air flow or become punctured.
The porous media will be 12 x 8 x ¾in and will be enclosed in a polycarbonate and lexan box, which will again be
attached directly to the frame. The porous media will be mounted on an electronic scale which will be attached to
the floor of the test chamber. The chamber will have several air and waterproof holes to allow for the coolant
tubes to circulate the cooling water through the porous media, and to wire sensors into the test chamber. This
collected water will be stored in a second double contained bag, also fixed to the box to avoid interference,
puncture, and leakage.
We will have a video camera attached to the frame directed to observe the effects of saturation on the porous
media, and what affects microgravity has on dripping.
The team wanted to ensure that our test rig meets all the required JSC safety standards. We first looked at the
strength of bolting our test rig to the floor of the aircraft. There r esulting free-body diagram is shown below:
25 | P a g e
Figure 10: Free Body Block Diagram of Test Rig
The shear yield strength of each bolt is 5,000 lbs. Therefore, ther e is a factor of safety much great than 2 when 4
bolts are use.
According to the JSC User Guide, the experiment must be able to withstand up to 9g’s in the longitudinal direction,
2 g’s latitudinal, and 6 g’s up and down. We evaluated our test frame design using finite element analysis. In an
iterative process we designed a frame that could withstand the required accelerations. For these tests, we varied
the weight distribution of the components on the test rig and recorded only the maximum value.
Figure 11: Dynamic Model of Resolved Stresses on Test Frame
The following table summarizes our findings. Because the frame is symmetrical we performed each axial test in
only one direction. Components were assumed to be bolted to the horizontal shelves of the rig.
26 | P a g e
Direction Maximum stress (MPa) Factor of Safety (for Al 6061)
Longitudinal (9 g’s) 18.89 2.91
Latitudinal (2 g’s) 24.45 2.29
Down (6 g’s) 21.3 2.62
Table 7: Structural Analysis of Test Frame
We can improve our factor of safety further by using hollow aluminum tubes rather than solid poles, which we
used for this model, and by adding gusset plates if necessary.
2.5: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
For our experiment, the air conditioner, humidifier, computer, fans, camera, scale and pumps will all need
electricity. The camera and scale will use dry cell batteries, either provided by the manufacturer, or recommended
by them for use with their product. The air conditioner, humidifier, computer, fans and pumps will be run off
power supplied by the plane (115 VAC, 60 Hz, Single Phase, 20 Amp). All electrical devices using power from the
plane will be connected via a surge protector and fuses. Additionally, our electrical devices will be connected to an
emergency shut off “kill switch” that will cut power to all devices in the event of an emergency. Because the
experiment involves liquid water, all electrical cords and connects will be made waterproof in the unlikely event of
a water leak, to prevent short circuits. All circuits will be safely wired in accordance to the JSC Health and Safety
Handbook and the NFP A 70 National Electrical Code. The estimated power consumption of each component can
be seen in section 2.3.
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Figure 12: Electrical Wiring Diagram
2.6: PRESSURE / VACUUM SYSTE M
There are two pr essure systems of significance in our experiment: The heat exchanger heating/cooling tubes inside
of our air conditioning unit, and the tubes charged with heating and cooling our porous media. Both are Category
E pressure systems.
For the safety analysis of the copper tubes in the air conditioner, we treated the tubes as closed-thin-walled tubes,
and performed the standard mechanical analysis, assuming only two zero-stress tensor components. Plugging
these values into the Von Mises equation for yield stress, and taking average values for copper tubes, we
determined that we have a safety factor of slightly over 49 in the event of cabin depressurization. For
completeness, the values we used wer e a diameter to thickness ratio of 15.625, internal pressure of 20 psi, and a
negative external pressure of 10.4 psi should the cabin depressurize. If the pipes were to rupture, they will be at
least partially contained in an acrylic shield (they cannot be fully covered or the heat flux will be severely limited).
Great care will be taken when handling this pressure system so as not to damage any structural components. The
entire AC unit will be shielded by acrylic plastic to avoid damage to the heating and cooling coils.
The heat exchanger used to cool our porous media is also classified as a Category E pressu re system. Similar to the
air conditioning system, this unit will be housed in an acrylic shield to prevent damage to the system. In the event
28 | P a g e
that the system becomes over pressurized ther e will be an emergency valve to bleed coolant water into a safety
reservoir.
Additionally, there are minor fluid leakage hazards in our experiment. The water bag that stores the liquid for the
humidifier will be under slight pressure to facilitate the transportation of it to the actual humidifier. However, the
bag will be double contained, and strapped to the side of the container. The bag will not burst under normal
operation, and in the event that it did burst, the outer bag would contain the liquid. This is a Categor y E system.
There is no reason for the ducting to experience any increase of pressure over 1 atm, but in the case that it did,
there will be emergency pressure relief valves to release the excess pressure. As we would be r eleasing humid air,
there is no need to collect the air bleed out. The ducting will be made of PVC piping rated to withstand internal
pressures of 250 psi, well in excess of the pressures we expect would be possible to generate in this system. This is
also a Category E system, were it ever to become pressurized.
Testing on all of these pressure systems will be performed at the TRR before the flight. We will also perform leak
testing before we run our rig with a soap bubble mixture.
2.7: LASER SYSTEM
This experiment does not use any laser systems.
2.8: CREW ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS
No specific duties will be requested of the crew.
2.9: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD
This experiment does not involve human test subjects, animal test subjects, or biological substances.
2.10: HAZARD ANALYSI S

Hazard: Restraint Failure
To minimize the risk of restraints failing, we will securely attach all subsystems to the frame, which will in turn be
securely attached to floor of the aircraft. In the event that any of the subsystems come loose, they are all
contained within a box attached to the frame; this enclosure would contain the loose parts. If for some reason
two bolts fail, the test rig will remain attached to the cabin floor during a 9g acceleration in any direction.
Hazard: Sharp Edges

All edges of the frame and exposed edges of the subsystem boxes will be covered with padding/foam to protect
the crew during the zero-g portions of the flight.
Hazard: Fluid Leakage

There will be two sites of stored water, one for the humidifier, and a second to store the water extracted from the
porous media. Both of these bags will be double contained, so that if one bag were to rupture, there would be a
second bag to contain the leak. In addition, the bags will be securely attached to the interior of the appropriate
subsystem box. This will keep them out of the way and protec t them from puncture. In addition there will be fluid
in the air conditioner and in the cooling tubes running from the cooling fins of the air conditioner to the porous
media. The coolants used in the air conditioner should not leak, as a large part of our decision in selection will be
picking a unit with an impeccable safety and reliability record. The whole system will be contained inside a box
29 | P a g e
attached to the frame, which will help to contain any fluid leaks should they occur. The two sets of tubing carrying
water to and from the porous media will not be subjected to significant internal pressure, and this minimal
pressure will not put the tubes in danger of bursting. The tubes will be secured in such a way to protect them from
potential puncture sources. To minimize damage in the case of catastrophic tube failure, the bottom portion of
the test rig will be encased in a partial layer of acrylic plastic. This will prevent water from escaping b ut will still
allow airflow to the cooling coils.
Hazard: Electrical Malfunction

All the batteries we use will be provided or recommended by the manufacturer. Because the product has been
designed with these power supplies in mind, they should not pose a problem. All of the other electrical systems
will receive power from the plane via a surge protector. All of the electrical systems will be connected to an
emergency kill switch, which will cut the power to all electrical systems in the event of an emergen cy. All of the
electrical equipment will be tested prior to flight to ensure that it performs to expectations and does not overheat.
All of the electrical connections will be waterproofed to protec t from liquid leaks. In addition, all wires will be
securely attached and routed in such a way to avoid interference or potential stress. In the unlikely event of an
electrical fire, we will kill the power. As there is no flammable material on the frame, the fire should self extinguish
quickly.
2.11: TOOL REQ UIREMENTS
We will not require tools other than those provided at the Ellington Field hangar. Construction at Houston will be
minimal, and the subsystems will have already been assembled in Hanover, prior to shipping. The reassembly
process will not require specialized tools – only wrenches and torque wrenches, which we can bring with us if
needed. No tools will be required during flight.
2.12: GROUND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS
No specific duties will be requested.
2.13: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
The refrigerant used in commercial air conditioning units can be hazardous in large amounts. The air conditioner
we have currently uses R-22 as a working fluid, and we are looking to buy a smaller unit that uses R-11 as a
working fluid. Both of these refrigerants are described on the attached MSDS’s. R-22 is a banned compound due
to its negative environmental impact.
Were we to use these refrigerants, we would exercise great care to handle the heat exchanger coils on the air
conditioning units lightly, and to keep them away from high temperatures and other hazards. The refrigerants are
housed in Category E pressure systems and should cause little alarm. However, should the safety board deem
these compounds too hazardous for flight, we would opt to create our own heat exchanger that uses water as the
working fluid.
2.14: PROCEDURES
Ground Operation:
The experiment will be rehearsed multiple times before flight to ensure team member familiarity with the
experiment and apparatus. These tests will ensure that our experiment works and will help us determine that it is
safe for flight. They will also provi de us with benchmark data with which we will be able to compare our flight data.
Prior to arrival in Houston, the apparatus will be broken down for shipping.
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Pre-Flight
The apparatus will be unpacked and reassembled. All aspects of the assembly will then be checked over to ensure
correct reassembly took place. We will then run the experiment to make sure that everything still works. The
experiment will then be reset and loaded and secured in the plane.
In-Flight
Please refer to section 1.7.6 for a detailed description of our in-flight procedure.
Post-Flight
All systems will be checked for damage, water bags will be refilled. The camera footage and data collected will be
backed up to an external hard drive. All batteries will be replaced. The experiment will be run again to make sure
all systems are still functional.
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III. OUTREACH PROPOSAL
The members of this project team are committed to fostering a deep love for science and technology in America’s
youth, as well as sharing the importance of our space systems research with the rest of the world. To achieve our
two goals of inspiring the scientists of tomorrow and publicizing our findings, we have devised a comprehensive
outreach program we have titled the Mission to Instruct STEM Students and Inspire Our Nation (or MISSION for
short). In the following pages you will learn why this outreach program is so important in today’s world and the
specific objectives and activities we have for MISSION. MISSION will combine hand -on activities, science cafes, and
social media websites to connect with under-represented students and motivate them to succeed in STEM fields.
3.1: RATIONALE
Our nation is current facing a serious crisis: our educational system is not adequately preparing students to study
st
STEM fields or preparing them to meet the 21 century demand for a well-educated and problem-solving labor
st
force. Compared to the rest of the world, our children are falling behind. The United States ranks 21 globally in
science literacy among 15 year-olds. Somewher e between the four th grade and high school, our students are
1
falling behind the rest of the world in math and science. It is not a wonder then that in the United States, fewer
2
than 2 percent of current high school kids will earn an engineering degree in the future. Many K-12 curriculums do
not prepare students to study STEM fields in college, much less prepare them for the complex problem solving
needs of this century.
Worse yet, we are having enormous trouble retaining our STEM savvy students; among those high school
graduates who are inspired to pursue an engineering education, five years after graduation a full 80% of them will
2
have moved on to other, mor e lucrative fields. This is not simply a question of economics; students who are truly
inspired to answer the hard questions in science and engineering will stay in the field.
Most shockingly, in 2005 more than half of all doctorate degrees in STEM fields issued in the U.S. were given to
1
foreign students. We are being out-competed by the rest of the world, even within our own boarders. Truly,
space exploration is a field that requires extensive international collaboration to succeed, but we are on the path
to becoming followers, not leaders, on the journey to the stars.
Our team realizes the important ramifications of not encouraging students to study engineering and technology.
This is why we have created the MISSION program. Our outreach program will target a largely underrepresented
group of youths that is often overlooked by other STEM programs: students in geographically isolated
communities. Unlike underserved urban areas, in which schools may be located only a handful of blocks from one
another, the distances between New Hampshire and Vermont school districts can be quite large. Many of these
students will never enter the U.S. STEM pipeline. These schools are located far away from science and engineering
hotspots and NASA centers. Many students are potential first-generation college students; the prospect of going
to college seems a remote possibility to many, as they find it difficult to leave their communities. We can better
target these geographically isolated students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds than the rest of the nation.
Students who lack the resources to access a quality education are unlikely to pursue a rigorous STEM educatio n
later in life. That is why it is important to inspire these kids early, and give them access to information about
scholarships and grants that will allow them to go to college and help our nation succeed.
1
Trevey, Meggan T. "STEM Education: Bolstering Future American Competitiveness." Trends in America (2008).
Print.
2
"Big Challenge Bigger Response." Fa cts & Figures. The Institute for Engineering Education at SMU, 2008. Web. 7
Oct. 2010. <http://www.theinstitute.smu.edu/facts.html >.
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We have selected the following school districts to participate in our program:
 Claremont
 Newport
 Hartford
 Mascoma
 Rivendell
3.2: OBJECTIVES
 Inspire students of all ages to pursue studies in STEM fields
 Foster a true connection between Dartmouth students and
underrepresented, geographically isolated students, and also serve as role
models for these students
 Ask students to think critically about unfamiliar problems and
material
 Enhance current classroom curriculums with applications to real
aerospace engineering challenges
3.3: METHODS AND ACTIVITIES
The specific activities of these outreach programs must vary with the
educational level of the student audience. MISSION will focus its
attention on two groups of students: elementary students grades 3 -5 and
middle school students. Evidence suggests that middle school students
are falling behind in STEM subjects when compared with the rest of the
world, so this group of students will serve as our primary target audience.
Figure 13: Currey fuels a rocket with vinegar to 3 rd th
show students the power of chemical energy Our secondary audience, 3 through 5 graders, is also a very
(Fall 2009) important age group. Inspiring kids at an early age in science and
engineering will encourage them to study these subjects more thoroughly
later on.
The lesson plans for MISSION will focus on two separate styles of teaching: hands-on projects and science cafes.
We will meet with our students before and after our microgravity flight, and maintain a connection with them
using popular social media websites.
3.3.1: HAND-ON PROJECTS: THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
There is no need to tout the benefits of a hands-on experience; humans more completely understand lessons
when they do something themselves, rather than just hear a lecture or read a book.
Our own Sean Currey was recently appointed the Vice President of Philanthropy for the Dartmouth Society of
Engineers. As such, he now leads the After School Science Program, a Thayer School student-run program that
connects university students with K-8 pupils from surrounding school districts. Sean helped found After School
Science after applying for a Microgravity University grant in 2008 to better understand how to run a successful
outreach program.
3
Kirby, Pat, and Michael Bonny. "Tap Colleges, Firms for STEM Educators." CommonWealth. 19 May 2010. Web. 12
Oct. 2010. <http://www.commonwealthmagazine.org/Voices/Perspective/Online-Exclusives/Spring/Tap-colleges-
firms-for-STEM-educators.aspx>.
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The overall goal of After School Science is to teach STEM fundamentals to students in a manner that is both fun
and interactive. Working closely with university mentors, students have compl eted a variety of hands-on projects
over the last two years, including building roller coasters, racing dragsters propelled by mousetraps, building
hovercrafts, breaking bridges, and hurling tennis balls with homebuilt catapults. The projects that the stu dents
continually find the most exciting, however, are those with direct space
applications. Rockets powered by baking soda and vinegar, water and
pressurized air, and even Diet Coke and Mentos always get kids excited
about learning about potential vs. ki netic energy and Newton’s Laws.
For more information about the After School Science method and more
sample lesson plans, please visit the program website at
http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/afterschoolscience.
3.3.2: SCIENCE CAFES
If you were to ask a child to draw his or her best estimation of what a
scientist looks like, you would probably be handed a picture of an older
male with frizzy white, wild hair, performing wild chemistry
4
experiments in an isolated laboratory. Although kids spend lots of time
studying STEM subjects in the classroom, their preexisting stereotype of
Figure 12: Elementary students shoot for the what a scientist should look like keeps many students from making the
moon with bottle rockets created from soda connection that they could one day grow up to become a scientist.
bottles (Fall 2010)
The best solution to the problem of scientist stereotypes is to introduce
kids to real scientists and engineers, or more importantly, university students who are studying STEM fields. Kids
who sit down and speak with such students quickly realize that the field is much more available to them than they
previously thought. Therefore, we are proposing to introduce a “science café” approach to inspiring students to
study STEM fields. When young students, and especially young women, have the opportunity to sit down with
university students and chat about science, they might r ealize that becoming a scientist is a far from remote
possibility.
Science Cafes are a phenomenon that have quickly spread a cross the nation since their inception, and they have
already been successfully implemented here in Hanover. Last year, Professor Robert Hawley implemented a
school and adult science café. Because of its initial success, this year NASA is providing fund s to renew the
program. We hope to work with Bob and integrate the science café portion of the MISSION program into his
already successful model.
Our Science Cafés will be very personal and student-friendly. Using the same format as the hand-on projects
above, elementary and middle school students will be divided into small groups and will have the opportunity to
converse with mentors about what it is like to study science. Mentors will also work to connect students with
opportunities available to them through NASA, both at present and the future. Encouraging students to apply for
NASA opportunities will ensure that students are continually inspired long after the 2011 MISSION program is
completed.
3.3.3: THE SOCIAL NETWORK CONNECTION
4
Malmquist, David. "Virginia Institute of Marine Science - VIMS Grad Students Help Kids Expand Perception of
Scientists." Virginia Institute of Marine Science. William & Mary, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.vims.edu/newsandevents/topstories/draw_a_scientist.php>.
34 | P a g e
Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have largely eliminated the effect of distance on communication
and education. NASA is an exemplary model for utilizing social media as a platform for science outreach. By
maintaining several Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, podcasts, YouTube channels, and hosting live chats (one of
which was hosted by Sean Currey: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/currey_chat.html#) NASA has helped
connect people from around the world with the latest news of the agency.
Our team will use this same methodology to foster a connection with our outreach students. After we meet with
our students, we will stay connected with classrooms by maintaining a Twitter feed and Facebook page where we
can post updates on our project progress, and
students can pose us their science questions, ask
about student opportunities through NASA, or just
talk to us about studying STEM fields in the future.
Then, when we get to JSC for our flight week, we
will post videos of our experience on YouTube.
We also hope to chat with a few of our classrooms
before our flight over Skype so we can tell them
all about JSC and what it’s like to train in the same
facility used by astronaut candidates.
After our flight, we will once again visit our

MISSION classrooms and present video from our
flight and our experimental results, highlighting
Figure 13: Students present their completed baking soda and vinegar the STEM fundamentals we taught them in the
rockets winter.
3.4: OTHER OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
In addition to the MISSION program, our team would like to take advantage of a few other activities. The
Montshire Museum of Science, located just one mile from Dartmouth, hosts science presentations on Saturdays to
local children. We plan to give a presentation on one Saturday about our project and the challenges of working
and living in space. We also hope to pres ent out work at an AIAA confer ence.
3.5: TIME LINE
Table 8: OutReach Program Timeline
Action Item Timeframe (2011)

Launch website and social media pages November 8, 2010
Finish contacting schools and finalizing dates November 15, 2010
Submit Abstract to AIAA SPACE 2011 January 25
First outreach visits – Hands-on Projects January – March
Second outreach visits – science cafes Mar ch - June
Flight Week June 2-11
Return to schools for a final visit (only schools still in June 13-30
session)
Present at the Montshire Museum June 18
3.6: SCHOOL AND INSTITUTION CONTACT INFO RMATION
35 | P a g e
Table 9: Outreach Contact Information
Institution Contact information
Claremont http://www.claremont.k12.nh.us/
Newport http://www.newport.k12.nh.us/
Hartford http://www.hartfordschools.net/
Mascoma http://www.edline.net/pages/Mascom a_V alley_RSD
Rivendell Tammy Macqueen

Director of the Visions Program
tmacqueen@rivendellschool.org
Montshire Museum Greg DeFrancis

Education Director
greg.defrancis@montshire.org (ext. 228)
3.7: WEBSITE
At the time of writing our website was not yet completed. The link to our new web space, as well as social media
pages, will be available at http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/aiaa/project_a.html . This is only a temporary link;
our team will have its own link independent from the Dartmouth AIAA.
A final list of all the schools we plan to visit and an updated timeline will appear on our website.
36 | P a g e
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE
If we are selected for this program, we pledge to comply with all dates and deadlines imposed upon us. The tea m
will invest its fullest efforts into designing a safe and accident-free experiment.
4.1: LETT ERS OF ENDO RSEMENT
Letters of endorsement are included with the print version of this proposal in Appendix A.
 Joseph Helble, Dean of Thayer School

 Professor Doug Van Citters, Faculty Adviser
 Nancy Serrell, Director of the Office of Outreach
4.2: FUNDING / BUDGET STATEMENT
Thayer School has pledged $1000 to cover materials costs for this project. We hope to get New Hampshire Space
Grant funds to cover the travel -related expenses and FAA physicals. Professor Simon Shepherd manages the Space
Grant money given to Dartmouth and has stated that there would be money available for our team.
Non-materials costs:
Table 10: Proposed Budget of Non-Material Costs
Item Quantity and Cost Total Cost
Round trip airline tickets to $400 x 4 $1600

Houston
10 night hotel stay 2 rooms at $60 per night $1200
Food $15 dollars per day per person $900
FAA physicals $80 x 6 $480
Non-materials total: $4180
Estimated total Expense: $5180
4.3: EXPERIMENTS INV OLVING ANIMALS
This experiment does not involve testing on animals.
4.4: PARENTAL CONSEN T FORMS
The members of this team are all over the age of 18. As such, parental consent forms are not required.
37 | P a g e
APPENDIX A: LETTERS OF ENDORSEMENT
Signed letters of endorsement can be found in Appendix A of the print version of this proposal.
38 | P a g e
APPENDIX B: WORK PLAN
The proposed timetables below outline the ideal path we would like to take en route to completing this
project. Our next major milestone will be submitting our progress report on the week of December 12 th.
Between now and then we will be extremely busy with three main subtasks. 1) Designing and building
the PMCHX. 2) Designing and building a rig to test the PMCHX under controllable conditions. These two
subtasks can be completed in parallel. 3) Testing the apparatus and PMCHX together, and certifying
them for use on microgravity flights. We are aware that this is a very aggressive timeline, but our goal is
to get preliminary testing done before winter break starts. This will allow our group to analyze the
collected data and brainstorm modifications that need to be implemented while we are all away for
break. As of now, the second term of this two-term project will be used to complete multiple rounds of
testing and modifications. Our final milestone will be met when we present our final report on March
15th.
Engs 89 Timeline
Engs 90 Timeline
39 | P a g e
APPENDIX C: ALLOY TABLES
Sample Assortment of Alloys:
15
Magnesium Alloys :
Alloy Thermal Conductivity Density Yield Strength [MPa]
3
[W/m*K] [g/cm ]
AZ10A 110 1.76 145
AZ31B 96 1.77 165
AZ61A 80 1.8 165
AZ80A 78 1.8 250
HK31A 115 1.79 205
HM31A 104 1.81 230
M1A 138 1.76 145
ZK60A 117 1.83 275
AM60A 61 1.79 130
15
Copper Alloys :
3
[W/m*K] [g/cm ]
C10100 391 8.94 345
C10300 386 8.94 345
C10400 388 8.94 345
C10800 350 8.94 345
C17200 130 8.25 1140
C17600 215 8.75 690
C18200 324 8.89 105
15
Aluminum Alloys :
3
[W/m*K] [g/cm ]
1050 231 2.705 145
1060 234 2.705 95
1100 222 2.71 105
2024 190 2.77 205
2219 170 2.84 125
Titanium alloys show low thermal conductivity and are expensive, and thus were not investigated individually.
40 | P a g e
APPENDIX D: PERSONNEL
All six of our group members are mechanical engineers, but we complement each other well and we each will have
a significant contribution in a certain aspect of the project. Our individual specialties include working in the
machine shop, drawing 3D CAD models, writing code in MATLAB, and analyzing materials.
BROGHAN CULLY
Broghan Cully is a mechanical engineering B.E. candidate at Thayer School with a keen interest in design. She has
used SolidWorks substantially for class projects as well as internships and looks forward to using these skills during
this project. Broghan also enjoys systems analysis.
SEAN CURREY
Sean is a mechanical engineering B.E. candidate at Thayer School but hopes to pursue a graduate degree in
aerospace engineering and space systems nex t year. Sean is not an outsider to NASA: he holds an NASA
Aeronautics Scholarship Program fellowship and interned at Glenn Research Center last summer. At Dartmouth,
he is president of the AIAA student branch and works on a small satellite research project in the Physics
Department with Professor Kristina Lynch. Sean enjoys ther modynamics and control theory, as well as systems
analysis. He was done ex tensive MATLAB programming and looks forward to modeling the heat and mass transfer
of the prototype, as well as designing and building the test rig and control systems.
MAX FAGIN
Max is pursuing a B.E. through Dartmouth’s dual degree program. He graduated from Vassar College in 2010 with
a B.A. in Physics and Astronomy. This summer, he worked at the NASA Ames Research Center where he worked
with the center director on mission design and planning for the Phobos Cratering Observing and Sensing Satellite
(PCROSS), an impacting probe for one of the moons of Mars based on the highly successful LCROSS mission. Next
year, he hopes to pursue a Master’s and PhD in Aerospace Engineering at Stanford University, and eventually join
the astronaut corps.
MICHAEL KELLAR
Michael is BE candidate with a concentration in materials science. His educational plans after this year are to
pursue a PhD in materials science, and eventually he would like to do r esearch and development in the field. He is
dual-degree student, graduating from Skidmore College last year with a B.A. in math and physics. From this, he has
some expertise on more theoretical portions of the project. Additionally, last year he did research on the role of
fractals in mathematical modeling, which could prove useful in the geometric por tion of the project. Michael is
also currently participating in a research project overseen by Professor Baker involving the effects of dry snow
metamorphism, which has given him familiarity with using the microCT and SEM.
WILLIAM VOIGT
William Voigt is a 3rd year B.E. candidate in the dual degree engineering program from Colby C ollege. He hopes to
receive a B.A. in physics and philosophy, and then return to Thayer to get a B.E. in mechanical engineering. William
is an avid outdoorsman and is loving engineering, and so he hopes to get an internship with CRREL (the Army Corps
41 | P a g e
of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory) during the upcoming summer, as it would
combine two of his passions.
JULIANNA SCHEIMAN
Julianna is an engineering physics major at Dartmouth. She is very involved in space technology research and
hopes to one day walk the surface of Mars. She has done research with the physics department, building weather
balloon payloads as well as launching them. Beyond her studies, Julianna somehow finds time to race with
Dartmouth's crew team
42 | P a g e
APPENDIX E: TEST GEOMETRIES AND ANALYTIC AL MODEL
The figure below contains a few geometries we would like to test. The general consensus among our group
members and researchers in the field is that a higher surface-to-volume ration will allow the porous material to
absorb moisture faster. We would like to test how this affects the saturation speed of the porous media as
compared with geometry A.
A. Flow across a flat plate
B. Flow between stacked plates
C. Flow across a curved surface
D. Complex flow geometries maximizing the time the airflow stays in contact with the block
Sample analytical model:
Vstream
Condensate of Surface
Grad T Vsuction
Porous graphite
Cooling Tubes
43 | P a g e
APPENDIX F: OUTREACH SUPPLEMENT
Hands-on Project Descriptions
1. Bottle Rockets
DESCRIPTION: Students design and build bottle rockets made from empty 2L soda bottles.
An idea project for elementary school students.
MATERIALS:
1. Empty 2L soda bottles

2. Construction paper
3. Tape
4. Pipe cleaners
5. Wine cork
6. Bicycle valve stem
7. Hot glue
8. Bike pump
9. Launch Pad
10. Plastic Tub
11. Paper towels and plenty of cleanup materials
PROCEDURE:
1. Take the labels off the soda bottles. Discuss fundamentals of aerodynamics (forces,
drag) with students. Have them use the tape, construction paper, and pipe cleaners
to turn their soda bottle into a rocket
2. Before arriving at the school, drill a small pilot hole in the wine cork. Secure the
bike tire valve stem inside the cork, and seal any remaining gaps with super glue.
This connection must be very strong and airtight.
3. When the students are finished, help them fill their soda bottles 1/3 full of water.
Close the cap
4. Set up the launch bad outside far away from buildings. First attach the bike pump to
the cork/bike valve. Thread the pump hose under your launch pad. Load each
water rocket carefully by unscrewing the soda cap, then securing the wine cork in
the soda bottle neck.
5. Let the students pump their rockets and watch them fly!
PRESENTATION IDEAS: Before the activity, you can talk about Newton’s Laws, chemical
reactions, rocket engines, the space shuttle, aerodynamics, etc, and relate them to the state
standards students must learn.
44 | P a g e
2. Film Canister Rockets
(reproduced from http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/afterschoolscience, originally written by team member
Sean Currey)
DESCRIPTION: Students get an introduction to rocketry by building their own rockets,

powered by baking soda and vinegar. Demonstrates fundamental concepts of chemistry
and physics. A great project for middle school or elementary school. For middle school
students, give them more freedom to come up with better “engine designs.”
MATERIALS:
1. Film Canisters : As far in advance as possible, ask the photo developers at CVS to
save as many film canisters as they can for your project, especially the airtight clear-
colored variety
2. Baking soda
3. Vinegar
4. Funnel
5. Spoon
6. Construction paper
7. Scissors
8. Pipe Cleaners (for decoration)
9. Tape
10. Plastic Tub
11. Paper towels and plenty of cleanup materials
PROCEDURE:
1. Roll the construction paper around the film canister to create the rocket faring.
Make sure the cap side of the film canister faces down and is exposed.
2. Use construction paper to make a nose cone, wings, etc., and decorate. Though later
on the students will probably find that the smallest/least decorated rockets will fly
the highest, this is the most hands-on part of the activity and certainly important, as
the kids will be permitted to bring their rockets home.
3. Place a small amount of baking soda inside a bit of paper towel and stuff into the
film canister. Using the funnel, pour some vinegar into the canister, then quickly cap
and place the rocket on the “launch pad” (the plastic tub). Make sure the rocket is
pointing vertically and not at a small child’s face.
4. Experiment with the baking soda/vinegar concentrations. Also try launching
rockets without the paper towel if you are quick with your hands. Prizes can be
awarded to rockets that achieve the greatest altitude.
5. Remember: in the interest of safety, the mentors should fill the rockets with vinegar
and place them safely on the pad.
6. Ask middle school students to improve upon the design. They should be able to tell
you the idea amounts of baking soda and vinegar to use in order to launch their
rockets the highest. You can also ask them to design a better loading system for the
engine.
45 | P a g e
PRESENTATION IDEAS: Before the activity, you can talk about Newton’s Laws, chemical
reactions, rocket engines, the space shuttle and its use of hydrogen and oxygen to produce
thrust, aerodynamics, etc.
SCIENCE CAFÉ DISCUSSION TOPICS
 Personal Topics (about the students)

o The student’s interests, favorite math and science subjects
o What they like to do for fun
o
 Personal Topics (about the mentors)
o What it’s like to study at a university level
o Favorite moments in your science education
o Interesting engineering project that you’ve worked on
 Outside topics
o History of Space Exploration
o NASA’s current missions
o How humans live and work in space
o NASA opportunities available to students
o NASA technology in the home / everyday life
o Future of Space Exploration
46 | P a g e
APPENDIX G: MSDS’S
Properties of R-22 and R-11 are detailed here from:
http://www.refrigerants.com/msds/r22.pdf
http://www.refrigerants.com/msds/r11.pdf
R-22
APPEARANCE: Clear, colorless liquid and vapor
PHYSICAL STATE: Gas at ambient temperatures
MOLECULAR WEIGHT: 86.45
CHEMICAL FORMULA: CHC1F2
ODOR: Faint ether eal odor
SPECIFIC GRAVITY (water = 1.0): 1.21 @ 21.1°C (70°F)
SOLUBILITY IN WATER (weight %): 0.3 wt% @ 25°C and 1 atmosphere
pH: Neutral
BOILIN G POIN T: -40.8°C (-41.40°F)
FREEZING POINT: -160°C (-256°F)
VAPOR PRESSURE: 136.1 psia @ 70°F
311.4 psia @ 130°F
VAPOR DENSITY (air = 1.0): 3.0
EVAPORATION RATE: >1 COMPARED TO: CC14 = 1
% VOLATILES: 100
FLASH POIN T: Not applicable
R-11
APPEARANCE: Colorless liquid
PHYSICAL STATE: Liquid
MOLECULAR WEIGHT: 137.35
CHEMICAL FORMULA: CC13F
ODOR: Faint ether eal and sweetish odor
SPECIFIC GRAVITY (water = 1.0): 1.47 @ 70°F (21.1°C)
SOLUBILITY IN WATER (weight %): 0.21% @ 70°F (21.1°C)
pH: Neutral
BOILIN G POIN T: 23.6°C (74.5°F)
MELTING POINT: -167.8°F (-111°C)
VAPOR PRESSURE: 12.8 psia @ 68°F
VAPOR DENSITY (air = 1.0): 4.8
EVAPORATION RATE: >1 COMPARED TO: Ether = 1
% VOLATILES: 100
FLASH POIN T: None
47 | P a g e
APPENDIX H: DESCRIPTION OF SATURATION RATE OF PMCHX
This data was collected at NASA Glenn Research center. Please refer to reference [10] for mor e information.
block: 12inx8inx3/4in
airflow rate: 30 scfm
humid air inlet temperature: 22.6°C
inlet relative humidity: 83%
air outlet temperature: 21.5°C
air outlet relative humidity: 84%
cooling water temperature: 5°C
average surface temperature: 13°C
48 | P a g e
APPENDIX I: DEPENDENCE OF RESI STANCE ON SATURATION
Data we collected in our lab using a treated sample of PG-45 shows that the as the saturation of the porous media
increases, the electrical resistance also increases. We will utilize an ohmmeter to estimate the amount of water
vapor condensed and imbibed by the porous media. We will attempt to compare the reliability of this method of
determining saturation with the linked scale and accelerometer approach.
49 | P a g e
APPENDIX J: ANALYTIC AL MODELING OF HEAT AND FLUID FLOW
Analytical modeling of heat and fluid flow will be used to guide our design and ground -testing phase. The relevant
fields span a wide range of disciplines, but may be roughly grouped into thermodynami cs and fluid dynamics.
A sample of the kind of modeling we will use while designing our apparatus is show bellow. Given a mas of water
expelled by the astronauts in a single day, what are some of the limiting geometric factors on the design of the
porous media? Specifically, how think can the media be manufactured before it will no longer be able to transfer
heat rapidly enough to condense expected peak humidity loads?
The heat transfer rate required of the apparatus will be equivalent to the product of the specific water vapor
production rate of the astronauts and the latent heat of fusion required to condense the water.
Q H H 2O Ý
m H 2O
When a heat gradient is set up across a material of cross sectional area, A c, width y and heat transfer coefficient k c,
 a surface will be:
the rate of heat transfer across
Tair Tcoolant
Q kC AC
y
Equating these two and solving for y will produce the largest width possible without exceeding the heat transfer
rate of the material: 
Tair Tcoolant
y max kC AC
H H 2O Ý
m H 2O
Plugging in some expected values for the operation of the PMCHX:


y max 20 cm
In other words, the material may be far wider than the thickest block of porous media available to us (3 cm) and
maintaining a sufficient thermal
gradient in the material is unlikely to be a problem. It is design questions like this
which analytical modeling will help us answer.
50 | P a g e

Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchanger For Space Vehicles

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Porous Media Condensing Heat

Exchanger for Space Vehicles

Submitted on behalf of By Team TEFNUT: Thermal Exchanger

Broghan Cully Michael Kellar

Doug Van Citters Julianna Scheiman

1.1: Flight Week Preference...................................................................................................................................................... 5

1.2: Advisor/Mentor Request ................................................................................................................................................... 5

1.4: Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

1.5: Background and problem statement............................................................................................................................... 6

1.6: Test Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

1.7: Test Description................................................................................................................................................................... 9

1.8 Refer ences ...........................................................................................................................................................................19

II. Experiment Safety Evaluation .................................................................................................................................................21

2.1: Flight Manifest...................................................................................................................................................................21

2.2: Experiment Description / Background ..........................................................................................................................21

2.3: Equipment Description ....................................................................................................................................................22

2.4: Structural Design ...............................................................................................................................................................25

2.5: Electrical System ...............................................................................................................................................................27

2.6: Pressure / Vacuum System..............................................................................................................................................28

2.7: Laser System ......................................................................................................................................................................29

2.8: Crew Assistance Requirements ......................................................................................................................................29

2.9: Institutional Review Board ..............................................................................................................................................29

2.10: Hazard Analysis ...............................................................................................................................................................29

2.11: Tool Requirements .........................................................................................................................................................30

2.12: Ground Support Requirements ....................................................................................................................................30

2.13: Hazardous Materials ......................................................................................................................................................30

2.14: Procedures .......................................................................................................................................................................30

III. Outreach Proposal....................................................................................................................................................................32

3.2: Objectives ...........................................................................................................................................................................33

3.4: Other Outr each Activities ................................................................................................................................................35

3.5: Timeline ..............................................................................................................................................................................35

3.6: School and Institution Contact Information.................................................................................................................35

3.7: Website ...............................................................................................................................................................................36

IV. Administrative ..........................................................................................................................................................................37

4.1: Letters of Endorsement ...................................................................................................................................................37

4.2: Funding / Budget Statement...........................................................................................................................................37

4.3: Experiments involving Animals.......................................................................................................................................37

4.4: Parental Consent Forms ...................................................................................................................................................37

Works Cited................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookm ark not defined.

Appendix A: Letters of Endorsement .........................................................................................................................................38

Appendix B: Work Plan .................................................................................................................................................................39

Appendix C: Alloy tables ...............................................................................................................................................................40

Appendix E: Test Geometries and Analytical Model ...............................................................................................................43

Appendix F: OutReach Supplement............................................................................................................................................43

Appendix G: MSDS’s ......................................................................................................................................................................47

Appendix H: Description of Saturation Rate of PMCHX ..........................................................................................................48

Appendix I: Dependenc e of Resistance on Saturation............................................................................................................49

Appendix J: Analytical Modeling of Heat and Fluid Flow........................................................................................................50

1.1: FLIGHT W EEK PREFERENCE

1.2: ADVISOR/MENTOR REQUEST

1.4: PROJECT DESCRIP TION

1.5: BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM STATEMENT

Past Systems Future Systems

Smaller, less complex La rger, increasingl y complex

Figure 2: Porous Media Condensing Heat Exchanger10

1.6: TEST OBJECTIVES

1.6.1: GOALS OF THE EXPERIMENT

 Verify basic functionality of PMCHX in reduced gravity

1.7: TEST D ESCRIPTION

1.7.1: ACCOMPANYING GROUND-BASED ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTS

• Analytical Models (MATLAB)

Figure 3: Methodology of Approach