The “Effect of Marangoni Convection on Heat Transfer in Phase Change Materials” experiment: Design and performance of the cuboidal cell

Abstract

The experiment “Effect of Marangoni Convection on Heat Transfer in Phase Change Materials” aims to investigate the efficacy of thermal Marangoni convection in augmenting the heat transfer rate of passive phase change materials (PCMs) that incorporate a free surface in microgravity; the so-called thermocapillary-enhanced PCMs. Compared to thermal conduction, thermocapillary flows can increase heat transport by a factor of two or more. In addition to advancing scientific understanding, the experiment seeks to evaluate the practical feasibility of using thermocapillary-enhanced PCMs as passive thermal control devices for space missions and assess possible implementation challenges. By analyzing different PCM samples, the experiment will provide crucial insights into the heat and mass transport mechanisms of thermocapillary flows during melting and solidification. The present article primarily describes the design, thermal control and ground results of the cuboidal cell of the experiment. We illustrate here the comprehensive approach towards developing space experiments adhering to rigorous and demanding scientific and technical requirements. Along with the validation of an initial experiment prototype, the evaluation of ground tests is also addressed. The hardware developed demonstrates an adequate performance, while the obtained scientific results are coherent and compliant with the established requirements; the feasibility of the proposed design is thus demonstrated.