Waterhammer Effect in Microgravity Environment
- Paper number
IAC-07-A2.1.04
- Author
Mr. Amalio Monzon, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain
- Coauthor
Mr. Ruben Elvira, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain
- Year
2007
- Abstract
Research on fluid mechanics phenomenon, called Waterhammer Effect, in microgravity conditions. It makes a comparison between pressure distribution at several flow rates in microgravity, across different sections of a pipe in which it is produced a Waterhammer. General objective is to deep in our knowledge about the phenomenon but it is focus on how critical is Waterhammer in weightlessness and to establish a baseline of hardness trying to be a kick-off point in space engineering pipes development. Usually hydraulic installations are working on stationary conditions but there are some cases in which transient phenomenon appear by an external action. For example, a fluid moving through a pipe and suddenly stopped by a quick-closing valve. It causes an over-pressure in the near field of the valve, stresses, a break of the pipe and may jeopardize the performance of devices in the installation. In the pipes used in microgravity the effect is minimized due to the own characteristics of this pipes (section, thickness and velocity of the fluids which circulate across). However, it is important to know more precisely this phenomenon to fit the design of this installations. The experiment is composed by a baseplate, double sealed box, close pipe circuit, pressure sensors (four), flowmeter, accumulators, valves, electric pump, data adquisition system, electronic controls, computing devices, electromechanic servos and water. The fluid goes through the close pipe circuit pushed by the electric pump, in a few seconds stationary conditions have been reached, in that moment the fluid is suddenly stopped by a valve activated by electromechanic servos which are controlled by the control panel. Simultaneously the electric pump is swithed off and the data adquisition system is swithed on taking scans from pressure sensors. It was performed both in microgravity and gravity conditions. In order to obtained weightlessness it was used a parabolic flight carried out by an Airbus A300 Zero G sponsorized by European Space Agency (ESA) and CNES. It had been done 45 parabolas with approximately 20 seconds of microgravity on each one. In terms qualitative water hammer intensity on microgravity is less than on gravity conditions as it has had been predicted in the initial hypothesis through CFD analysis. These results open a new research line in order to develop pipes with less thickness and weight and consequently decrease the cost associated to space operations.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-A2.1.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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