Liquid Acquisition Device Screen Compliance Experiments with Rectangular Geometry for Microgravity Applications

Screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) are used in space as part of larger cryogenic propellant management devices (PMDs) to separate liquid and vapor phases in microgravity environments. A gallery type LAD utilizes surface tension forces in a porous screen to separate the vapor phase from the liquid phase during tank outflow. The phase separation can take place until the pressure difference across the screen overcomes a certain pressure, namely the bubble point pressure. Screen compliance is one of the influential factors to be considered while designing LADs. Screen compliance is a measure of how well the screen complies (i.e. deflects) when the liquid inside the LAD channel accelerates from rest to a steady state. In this study, the pressure difference across the screen and the effective screen deflection thickness are experimentally measured to calculate the linear screen compliance coefficient, K-SC. Measurements are carried out for 14 rectangular geometry screens with 2 '' x 1 '', 2 '' x 2 '', and 4 '' x 1 '' aspect ratios to study the dependency of aspect ratio on the screen compliance.

Automated summary

Screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) are used to separate liquid and vapor phases in space. This study experimentally measures the pressure difference and deflection thickness of the screen to calculate the compliance coefficient.