Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
Jan 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002iaf..confe.545o&link_type=abstract
IAF abstracts, 34th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, The Second World Space Congress, held 10-19 October, 2002 in Houston, TX, USA.,
Physics
Optics
Scientific paper
The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is a multi-rack payload planned for the International Space Station that will enable the study of fluid physics and combustion science in a microgravity environment. The Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) is one of two International Standard Payload Racks of the FCF and is being designed primarily to support combustion science experiments. It is currently in the Flight Unit Build phase. The Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) is a multi-user facility designed to accommodate four different droplet combustion science experiments and is the first payload for CIR. MDCA is currently in the Engineering Model build phase. Launch of the CIR and MDCA is planned for 2004. The CIR will function independently until the later launch of the Fluids Integrated Rack component of the FCF. This paper provides an overview of the capabilities and the development status of the CIR and MDCA. The CIR will contain the hardware and software required to support combustion experiments in space. It will contain an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel oxidizer and management assembly, exhaust vent system, diagnostic cameras, power, environment control system, command and data management system, and a passive rack isolation system. Additional hardware will be installed in the chamber and on the optics bench that is customized for each science investigation. The chamber insert may provide the sample holder, small ignition source, and small diagnostics such as thermocouples and radiometers. The combustion experiments that may be conducted in the FCF include, but are not limited to, the study of laminar flames, reaction kinetics, droplet and spray combustion, flame spread, fire and fire suppressants, condensed phase organic fuel combustion, turbulent combustion, soot and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and materials synthesis. It is expected that the facility will provide most of the hardware, with a small amount of unique hardware developed for each investigation. When possible, similar investigations will be flown at the same time to increase the use of common hardware and diagnostics. To further reduce the amount of new hardware that needs to be supplied for each investigation, multi-user chamber inserts, such as MDCA, are being designed. The inserts will contain, to the greatest extent possible, the hardware needed for a class of investigations. Two inserts will support the combustion of solid fuel samples in different sample configurations. Low speed flows over their surface will be obtained by the use of a small flow tunnel. The MDCA insert will support the combustion of droplets. Freely deployed or tethered single droplets, moving droplets, and droplet arrays will be investigated. A third insert will support laminar and turbulent gaseous combustion experiments. Each insert will be customized by the addition or removal of small amounts of hardware, such as sample holders or burners, for each experiment. The MDCA contains the hardware and software required to conduct unique droplet combustion experiments in space. It consists of a Chamber Insert Assembly, an Avionics Package, and a suite of diagnostics. It's modular approach permits on-orbit changes for accommodating different fuels, fuel flow rates, soot sampling mechanisms, and varying droplet support and translation mechanisms to accommodate multiple investigations. Unique diagnostic measurement capabilities for each investigation are also provided. Additional hardware provided by the CIR facility includes the structural support, a combustion chamber, utilities for the avionics and diagnostic packages, and the fuel mixing capability for PI specific combustion chamber environments. Common diagnostics provided by the CIR will also be utilized by the MDCA. Single combustible fuel droplets of varying sizes, freely deployed or supported by a tether are planned for study using the MDCA. Such research supports how liquid-fuel-droplets ignite, spread, and extinguish under quiescent microgravity conditions. This understanding will help us develop more efficient energy production and propulsion systems on Earth and in space, deal better with combustion generated pollution, and address fire hazards associated with using liquid combustibles on Earth and in space.
Myhre C. A.
O'Malley T. F.
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