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Cover Page

NASA STEM Flow Boil Loop Project Manual

Norann Calhoun

New Mexico State University

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Contents 1. Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4

3. Process Flow Diagram .......................................................................................................................... 5

4. Assembly Description ........................................................................................................................... 6

5. Equipment List and Unit Descriptions ................................................................................................ 12

5.1 Pressure Vessel ..................................................................................................................................... 12

5.2 Battery ................................................................................................................................................... 13

5.3 Pump ..................................................................................................................................................... 14

5.4 Heater .................................................................................................................................................... 15

6. Equipment Specification Sheets .......................................................................................................... 22

6.1 TCS MicroPump: .................................................................................................................................. 22

6.2 Heater .................................................................................................................................................... 27

6.3 DAQ ...................................................................................................................................................... 30

7. Instrumentation Summary ................................................................................................................... 35

8. Safety, Health, and Environmental Considerations ............................................................................ 41

8.1 Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid............................................................................................................... 41

8.2 PCM ................................................................................................................................................ 41

8.3Ultra Copper........................................................................................................................................... 41

9. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 43

10. Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 46

11. Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 47

A: Appendix ................................................................................................................................................ 48

A.5.2: Battery Calculations ......................................................................................................................... 48

A.5.3: Pump Orientation ............................................................................................................................. 49

A.8.1: Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid.......................................................................................................... 49

A.8.3:Ultra Copper ...................................................................................................................................... 59

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1. Abstract

This report is based on the preliminary design for the flow boiling loop experiment which

was created for the NASA STEM Pilot Program. The purpose of this report is to give all

information needed for future teams for the success of the experiment. This report will cover

each piece of equipment, along with all instrumentation. Recommendations and conclusions will

be presented so that the project may be successful in the future.

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2. Introduction

Flow boiling within various increments of gravity has never been performed successfully

before. The NASA STEM project has a mission of performing this task successfully. For the

experiment to be performed, a payload was designed and built for the sole purpose of flow

boiling in space. This payload is made up of several different instrumentation systems working

together.

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3. Process Flow Diagram

As power is connected to the payload, the pump and heater begin to work. The pump

begins the flow of the fluid within the system in the direction of the heater. Once the fluid leaves

the pump, it enters the microchannel of the heater. It will be heated to its boiling point of 94F.

After the fluid is boiling, it is pumped into the coil inside the PCM box. The PCM box is filled

with phase change material which will act as a heat sink for the fluid. The PCM will draw most

of the heat out of the fluid, causing it to recondense. Once the fluid is no longer boiling, it is

pumped back through the pump where it will start this process all over again. Figure 3.1.1 gives

a visual representation of the flow within the system, while Figure 3.1.2 shows the pump

orientation within the pressure vessel.

Figure 3.1.1: Process Flow Diagram 1 Figure 3.1.2: Process Flow Diagram 2

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4. Assembly Description

It is very important to follow all steps as closely as possible while working with the

payload. It is also important to become familiar with each piece of equipment and chemical

being used. Working with this system requires the use of chemicals that can pose a health risk if

used improperly. Each member of the team needs to read through this manual and be able to ask

questions about anything they do not understand. This project has been in the making for several

years and it is still important for us to refresh ourselves of the mission.

The first step of this process should include becoming familiar with the instrumentation. Before

disassembling the payload in any way it is important to take pictures to understand where all the

pieces belong. Siemens NX drawings are available to help with orientation issues, but should not

be solely relied on. Inside the box housing all payload equipment, the user will find a bright

yellow flash drive. On this flash drive are all NX drawings, along with all specification sheets

associated with each piece of equipment. The box also houses all connectors and materials

shown in this document.

Charging the battery for the system is very important task that can be done quickly and forgotten

about later. Charging the battery requires connecting the two charge plugs as seen in Figure

4.1.1and Figure 4.1.2 . There are two stripped wires on the loose charge plug which will be

connected to the power supply by alligator clips. The power supply needs to be set to 15 volts

and an output current of 1 Amp. When connecting the battery, the student can set the voltage and

amperage on the power supply then attach the wires to the alligator clamps. The type of battery

that is used it tough enough that it does not need to be soft charged. Soft charging a battery is

connecting it to the power supply then slowly raising the voltage and amperage until the user has

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reached the desired set points. This is not needed for the battery in use for this experiment. It is

very important however to set the voltage on the power supply before the amperage is set. This

will allow the battery to be charged correctly without damaging it. This also keeps the user safe

due to amperage being more dangerous than voltage. Always remember that when connecting

electrical wires, the black is – and the red is +, and always connect red to red and black to black.

Figure 4.1.1: Loose Charge Plug Figure 4.1.2: Charge Plug Attached to Payload

Once the charging of the battery begins, you will notice that the amperage starts to drop. It will

continue to drop until it reaches a value of 0.1 or 0.2 amps. Once the power supply has reached

this value, the battery is completely charged and should be disconnected from the power supply.

Once the battery is charged, the charge plugs can be disconnected. The loose charge plug can be

set aside until the battery needs charged again. The battery will maintain its charge for a long

period of time, which will allow the student to complete the rest of the system.

Once the battery is charged it is time to seal all pipe connections with Ultra Copper. If the system

has been completely disassembled, all clear piping needs to be replaced. Also all copper pipes

need to be cleaned and placed back into the system. New clamps need to be placed over the clear

pipes and crimped down to create a connection. These clamps can be seen in Figure 4.1.3. Once

this is completed the connection points need to be coated in ultra-copper. It is important that ultra

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copper is placed onto the connections first, allowed to dry then coated with super glue. This

should be repeated several times for each connection. The ultra copper creates microscopic pores

when it dries. These pores are large enough for the engineered fluid to escape from. The super

glue molecules are small enough to fill the pores in the ultra copper which creates a good seal to

contain the engineered fluid. Now it is time to fill the system and check for leaks.

Figure 4.1.3: Pipe Clamps

Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid is loaded into the system through one of the air-conditioning

service valves. Inside these valves is a tiny piece of metal that needs to be unscrewed and safely

put aside while filling the system. A connector is screwed onto the exposed threads of the valve

as seen in Figure 4.1.4. A syringe is filled with the engineered fluid and is inserted into the clear

tubing attached to the connector. The connector can be seen in Figure 4.1.5.The type of syringe

used in the filling of the system can be seen in Figure 4.1.6. It is very important that the liquid is

allowed to free flow into the system without applying any pressure to the plunger of the syringe.

If pressure is applied to the plunger, the seals inside the pump, as well as the seals on the piping

can be harmed. The payload should be moved around to allow all air bubbles to escape the

system by way of the syringe. This process will require a minimum of two people to be

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successful. Once the system is filled with no remaining air bubbles, the connector can be

removed. Once this is removed, the metal piece inside the valve needs to be screwed back into

place and the cap screwed back on. Once the connector is removed, time is of the essence. Since

the engineered fluid has such a low boiling point, the liquid will start evaporating and the system

will have air bubbles where the fluid evacuates.

Figure 4.1.4: Valve Connection

Figure 4.1.5: Connector with Clear Tubing

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Figure 4.1.6: Filling Syringe

Once the filling of the system has been completed, it is important to allow the payload to sit

inside the fume hood to equalize. The system will start having small bubbles form inside which

will look like there is a leak in the system. It is the students’ discretion to determine if the

payload is leaking, or if it is trying to reach equilibrium. If the payload is left for more than a

couple days and the system still looks full, there is no leak in the system. The good thing about

the payload is that once it is filled with the engineered fluid, the student can still work on other

systems of the payload. Filling the system and making sure there are no leaks is the last thing

that should be completed before a launch of the system. This will ensure a better chance of

success of the experiment.

Once the system has been checked for leaks and has been properly sealed, it is time to start the

system. In order to turn the system on the connector of the battery needs to be plugged into the

connector attached to the circuit boards as seen in Figure 4.1.7. When these two connectors are

attached, the system is fully functioning. The student should adjust the circuit board controls to

start a good flow in the pump. It is in good practice to allow the system to settle for a couple

minutes to reach equilibrium. This will allow for minimum deviations in the data.

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Figure 4.1.7: System Power Connection

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5. Equipment List and Unit Descriptions

The following will be a list of all equipment within the payload. A detailed description of

how each piece of equipment works will be included in this section

5.1 Pressure Vessel Boiling a fluid on earth is a very simple task. The bubbles that form when the fluid begins

to boil are able to escape to the atmosphere due to gravity pushing down on the fluid, thus

pushing the bubbles free to the atmosphere. However, bubbles do not act the same in space due

the lack of gravity. The bubbles begin to build up and stick together creating a wall of bubbles.

This wall of bubbles can break apart and become lodged in a pump, which could have

catastrophic consequences. The pump within this experiment is made to work on earth, so we

have to use a pressure vessel to keep the pressure around the pump equalized. This will allow the

pump to work as if it is on earth even while it is in space. The pressure vessel is shown in Figure

5.1.1.

Figure 5.1.1: Pressure Vessel

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5.2 Battery The battery within the payload runs the pump and the heater. All other instrumentation

and equipment within the payload have separate batteries that do not draw from the payload.

The battery has a voltage of 14.8 and is able to run the pump and heater for a maximum of

5.12 hours when fully charged. Please refer to Appendix A.5.2 for these calculations. The

more draw on the battery the less amount of time the battery will run the system. The battery

can be seen in Figure 5.2.1.

Figure 5.1.1: Payload Battery

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5.3 Pump The pump is a TCS MicroPump which is placed inside a pressure vessel to maintain a

constant pressure of 1atm. It can be seen in Figure 5.3.1. This pump is very delicate and should

be handled with the upmost care. It is important to ensure there are little to no bubbles left while

filling the system to ensure the pump will not malfunction. Once inside the payload, the pump

should face a certain direction. This will allow the flow of the liquid to be correct within the

system. A diagram showing the correct orientation of the pump can be seen in AppendixA.5.3.

Figure 5.3.1: TCS MicroPump

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5.4 Heater The heater as seen in Figure 5.4.1 is used to boil the engineering fluid within the system.

For the purpose of this experiment the heater will run at an approximate temperature of 38C.

This is to ensure that the engineering fluid will reach its boiling point of 34C. The heater

however can reach temperatures that exceed the desired range for this experiment. It is very

important to monitor the temperature within the system during testing to ensure the voltage is set

at the right point to keep the temperature within the desired range.

Figure 5.4.1: Heater

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5.5 PCM Box

The PCM box as seen in Figure 5.5.1 is designed to hold Phase Change Material to be used as a

heat sink. The PCM box has been 3D modeled and printed. One downfall of the box being 3D

printed is that the PCM eventually eats through the plastic and leaks.

Figure 5.5.1: PCM Box

This problem was mitigated through the use of Flex Seal coating as seen in Figure5.5.2.

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Figure 5.5.2: Flex Seal Coating

The coating was painted onto each piece of the PCM box and allowed to dry for several days

before the PCM box was filled. The PCM box has been filled since the summer of 2017 and is

showing no signs of leaking. The PCM box also has a copper coil placed inside as shown in

Figure 5.5.3.

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Figure 5.5.3: Copper Coil

The copper coil is used to increase the surface area that comes into contact with the PCM inside

the box. This allows the engineered fluid to have a longer time inside the coil to reduce the

temperature of the fluid and recondense it.

As a side note, if the PCM box ever needs to be replaced, the coil inside the box should be saved.

Once the coil is taken from the box it should be properly cleaned. The PCM box should be filled

almost completely with PCM. The PCM is a solid at room temperature, so the canister in Figure

5.5.4 should be placed inside a sink full of hot water.

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Figure 5.5.4: PCM Canister

It is important to not allow any water into the canister as it will ruin the PCM. The lid of the

canister can be taken off intermittently to see if enough PCM has melted to fill the PCM box.

Once enough has been melted, it should be poured into a beaker. The beaker will give the user

enough control of the flow into the PCM box to eliminate a spill. Fill the PCM box until there is

just enough room for the coil. Place the coil into the melted PCM and check the coils orientation

within the box. The lid of the box should be put in place to allow the PCM to cool with the coil

in the correct place inside the box. Allow the PCM to dry for several hours before handling.

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5.6 Circuit Boards

There are two circuit boards as seen in Figure 5.6.1 placed on top of the payload. Special

covers have been 3D printed and placed onto the circuit boards to ensure they don’t get broken.

The circuit boards control the power that goes to each piece of equipment within the payload.

The circuit boards have been marked in different places with tape to show what part of the board

controls which piece of equipment. It is very important that the voltage start out low when

turning the system on. In the past there have been problems with the pump due to the voltage

starting out too high and burning it out. Once the voltage is started out low, it can be slowly

increased to the desired temperature output. The circuit boards are controlled by tiny knobs that

the student should twist with a screw driver. The student should experiment with the settings to

ensure a complete understanding of how the circuit boards work.

The circuit boards have labels marking which connection is attached to each piece of equipment

within the payload. For the circuit board labeled for the pump, it needs to be set to 2 volts and

0.25 amps. Again it is important to set the voltage before the amperage to maintain a safe

environment. It has been determined that the circuit boards use a negligible amount of energy

from the battery.

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Figure 5.6.1: Circuit Boards

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6. Equipment Specification Sheets

6.1 TCS MicroPump:

M100S-180-V

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6.2 Heater BK3511-19.6-L12-01( 1.0”X1.00”)Kapton Standard

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6.3 DAQ VL-TC

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7. Instrumentation Summary

The instrumentation below is used to take all data measurements within the system. Below is

a detailed summary of the purpose of each instrument within the system.

7.1 Thermocouples

Three different thermocouples are placed inside the heater as seen in Figure 7.1.1 to take

readings of the temperature ranges. One thermocouple is attached directly after the pump. This

will give temperature readings for how hot the fluid is flowing through the pump. The second

thermocouple is placed inside the microchannel in the heater. This allows the user to know if

there is an air bubble stuck in the microchannel. If the readings on the DAQ for the second

thermocouple begin to exponentially increase, it is known that there is an air pocket that is

overheating the microchannel. This can be mitigated by laying the payload on its side, or slightly

jostling the payload. This might help move the bubble out of the microchannel to prevent

damage to the heater. If there is an exponential temperature increase which cannot be mitigated,

it is important to lower the voltage and amperage of the system until the temperature begins to

decrease. If the payload is shut off completely, the temperature inside the microchannel can

continue to increase causing failure of the heater. The third thermocouple is placed after the

heaters microchannel to take readings of the maximum temperature of the fluid. The temperature

of the fluid as it leaves the heater is at its maximum and will allow the user to know if the heater

is boiling the fluid.

The thermocouples are attached to the DAQ in channels 1, 3, and 5. Each thermocouple has a red

and black mark on the stripped sides to allow the student to know which stripped side of the

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thermocouple goes into which port in the DAQ. Please refer to Figure 7.2.2 to know where to

place each end of the thermocouples within the DAQ.

Figure 7.1.1: Thermocouples

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7.2 DAQ

The DAQ which is also known as the data acquisition system is a key component of the

payload. The DAQ which is shown in Figure 7.2.1 monitors the temperature within the

microchannel of the heater. It performs this task by taking readings from the thermocouples .

Figure 7.2.1: DAQ

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Figure 7.2.2: Thermocouple Ports

Figure7.2.2 shows the user the colored dots on the DAQ for each thermocouple port.

These dots correspond with the color of each thermocouple end. The thermocouples should

be properly labeled and tested to know which one is taking readings at which place in the

microchannel. This allows graphs to be made of temperature vs altitude. It shows if the

payload is working correctly and if it is boiling the fluid in various increments of gravity.

The DAQ has an onboard battery that does not need to be charged. It is sent from the factory

with a 10 year built in battery. The DAQ has software that needs to be downloaded onto the

student’s personal computer and tested in the lab. The student should become familiar with

how the software works before testing it in the field. Attached at the end of this document

will be the DAQ user’s manual. A copy of the DAQ software which is called SiteView can

be found in the lab on a disk. It should be noted that the DAQ can only take readings in

intervals of 5 seconds before it requires an external power supply.

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7.3 Accelerometer

The Accelerometer is an instrument that tells the altitude, and direction of the payload. It

takes data based on a 3D plane. This allows the student to cross reference the DAQ findings to

the Accelerometer findings. The Accelerometer also has software that the student needs to

download onto their personal computer. When the accelerometer is plugged into the students

computer by USB, it will begin charging. It has an on board battery that needs to be manually

charged. Once the accelerometer is turned on, the battery only last around an hour. It is important

that the Accelerometer is fully charged before any launch and that it is the last thing turned on.

The accelerometer is shown in Figure7.3.1 and is housed inside the metal box shown in

Figure7.3.2.There are two accelerometers inside the payload box, but only one of them works

properly. The accelerometer shown in Figure 7.3.1 is the correct accelerometer to be used inside

the payload.

Figure 7.3.1: Accelerometer

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Figure 7.3.2: Accelerometer Case

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8. Safety, Health, and Environmental Considerations

While working on this experiment the user will be exposed to several potentially hazardous

chemicals. These chemicals include Ultra Copper, PCM, Super Glue, and Novec 7000

Engineered Fluid. Ventilation is needed at all times while working with these chemicals. It is

advised to wear protective clothing at all times when handling these chemicals. Below is a

detailed summary of the dangers of each chemical listed above.

8.1 Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid

Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid is hazardous unless handled in a well ventilated area. The

molecules of this chemical are smaller than that of oxygen which causes it easily displaces air

and can pose an asphyxiation hazard to the user. This chemical readily evaporates at room

temperature so a large amount of this chemical can enter the air around the user in a short

amount of time. It is recommended to always work in a fume hood with proper PPE while filling

the payload. Please refer to Appendix A.8.1 for the SDS regarding Novec 7000.

8.2 PCM

PCM also known as phase change material is a paraffin substance. It is very similar to

candle wax in that it hardens at room temperature and melts when exposed to a heat source. This

material will coat the skin in an oily sheen if exposed. While PCM is not very dangerous when

exposed to the skin, it is not in good practice to work with this material without the proper PPE.

It is important to work with this material in small batches to eliminate spills.

8.3Ultra Copper

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Ultra-copper as seen in Figure 8.3.1 is a paste used to create gaskets. It has a very strong

odor and can be very dangerous to the user if exposed to the fumes for a long period of time. It

is advised to work with this chemical inside a fume hood at all time, along with proper PPE.

Please refer to Appendix A.8.3 for further information about ultra-copper.

Figure 8.3.1: Ultra Copper

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9. Conclusions and Recommendations

It has been concluded that any back pressure on the pump what so ever will cause fatal

consequences to the life of the pump. The delicate seals within the pump will rupture and the

pump is no longer able to be used. The pump should be handled very carefully and to not be

dropped at any time. Also, the pump should not be ran with no fluid running through it. The

pump should only be ran primed with the Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid.

The circuit boards should be sat to a low voltage and amperage before the system is started. If

the system is started at a high voltage and amperage, it can damage some of the equipment

within the payload. This is caused by a sudden surge of energy being transferred into the

equipment. The system should be soft started to ensure nothing is damaged.

It is recommended that a protective covering be designed and attached to the payload to keep the

pipe protected as seen in Figure 9.1.1 in the past launches of the payload, this pipe has been

found to be the reason for failure of the system. If any pressure is applied to the pipe, the seal

breaks and most of the engineered fluid spills out of the system. A protective covering can be 3D

rendered and printed.

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Figure 9.1.1: Pipe Needing Protection

Another recommendation is to figure out how to attach an external power supply to the payload

to give a longer battery life to the system. A preliminary design for this had been created, but

was not successful. The attached 3D printed piece in Figure 9.1.2 was created to hold an external

power supply to be attached to the system.

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Figure 9.1.2: External Power Supply Case

If there are any questions pertaining to the payload feel free to contact me at

cnorann@yahoo.com or 575-491-3076. I will still be living in New Mexico, so if there are any

problems I will be able to schedule a time to meet with students and walk them through the steps

of the payload.

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10. Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Kota. He has been an amazing research professor

throughout my college career. He is a great asset to have.

I would also like to thank the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium for all of their

support throughout this project.

Lastly, I would like to thank Joshua Budish for starting this project. He is very

knowledgeable of all aspects of the project and has always been willing to help at a

moment’s notice. Without him this project would not be where it is today.

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11. Bibliography

Novec 7000

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/121372O/3m-novec-7000-engineered-fluid-tds.pdf

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00x482vOxme4v70k17zHvu9

lxtD7SSSSSS--

Micropump

http://www.micropumps.co.uk/TCSM100range.htm

Heater

http://www.birkmfg.com/standard_heaters.html

DAQ

http://accsense.com/products/versalog/versalog-vl-tc-temperature-data-logger/

Ultra Copper

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1029582.pdf

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A: Appendix

A.5.2: Battery Calculations

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A.5.3: Pump Orientation

A.8.1: Novec 7000 Engineered Fluid

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A.8.3:Ultra Copper

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