Zero-G two phase flow regime modeling in adiabatic flow

Two-phase flow, thermal management systems are currently being considered as an alternative to conventional, single phase systems for future space missions because of their potential to reduce overall system mass, size, and pumping power requirements. Knowledge of flow regime transitions, heat transfer characteristics, and pressure drop correlations is necessary to design and develop two-phase systems. This work is concerned with microgravity, two-phase flow regime analysis. The data come from a recent sets of experiments. The experiments were funded by NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and conducted by NASA JSC with Texas A ampersand M University. The experiment was on loan to NASA JSC from Foster-Miller, Inc., who constructed it with funding from the Air Force Phillips Laboratory. The experiment used R12 as the working fluid. A Foster-Miller two phase pump was used to circulate the two phase mixture and allow separate measurements of the vapor and liquid flow streams. The experimental package was flown 19 times for 577 parabolas aboard the NASA KC-135 aircraft which simulates zero-G conditions by its parabolic flight trajectory. Test conditions included bubbly, slug and annular flow regimes in 0-G. The superficial velocities of liquid and vapor have been obtained from the measured flow rates and are presented along with the observed flow regimes and several flow regime transition predictions. None of the predictions completely describe the transitions as indicated by the data