Vapor compression refrigeration testing on parabolic flights: Part 1 - cycle stability

Abstract

Long duration manned space travel is projected to bring a need for large cooling capacities in microgravity for typical freezing and refrigeration temperatures. Among possible cooling technology alternatives, the vapor compression cycle has the highest coefficient of performance but the confidence for microgravity applications is very low. This research effort experimentally investigated the effects of hyper and microgravity on a vapor compression cycle during parabolic flights. A total of 122 parabolas were flown over four days with a repeating pattern of 5 sequential parabolas. Transient data of the evaporation temperature and cooling capacity for selected parabolas are presented as the test stand experienced alternating hyper and microgravity levels. Most measurements and performance indicators showed mild effects on the cycle operation during the varying g-forces. For example, the refrigerant side cooling capacity fluctuated on average within a band of 15% (+/-7.5%) through all sets of parabolas. A loss of superheat due to gravity changes was observed for one set of parabolas but the set was started with an unusually low superheat of only 3 K. For all other sets of parabolas, superheat and subcooling were maintained. Flight results were compared with inclination testing in a laboratory using the same test stand. Inclination changes from -90° to + 90° impacted both the liquid and suction line mass flow rate while varying the gravity level between 0 and 1.8 g affected the suction line mass flow rate but not the liquid line mass flow rate.