Abstract
A specially designed vaporizing liquid microthruster (VLM) with a Pyrex cover glass to provide optical access has been used to investigate the two-phase flow of water through the heated channel, which is approximately 700 μm wide and 300 μm deep. The design and calibration of a feed system to control mass flow to the VLM in the range of 75-250 μg/s is described along with the video microscopy system used for optical imaging of the phase transition within the channel. Images are presented showing the flow structure during the initial vapor formation, a pulsing mode of operation, and unsteady interaction between individual vapor packets within the channel. As the flow rate is increased from 135-175 μg/s at a heater power of 0.85 W, the location of phase boundary (dryout point) is found to move downstream by approximately 1 mm. Two candidate flow instabilities that could account for the observed unsteady behavior are discussed as well.
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