Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment

Short Name: FBCE

Facility Description

Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) hardware is an integrated two-phase flow boiling and condensation facility on the ISS. The FBCE has two sub-facilities that allow for the study of flow boiling and condensation heat transfer phenomena.

The FBCE will serve as a primary platform for obtaining two-phase flow boiling and condensation heat transfer data in microgravity. By comparing the microgravity data against data obtained in Earth’s gravity, it will be possible to ascertain the influence of body forces on two-phase transport phenomena in pursuit of mechanistic models as well as correlations, and to help determine the minimum flow criteria to ensure gravity-independent flow boiling and condensation. Key areas of impact include the Rankine cycle-based power systems and two-phase thermal control systems. Rankine cycle power systems are considered one of the most viable options for space application due to their high-power output per unit mass and volume. Similarly, two-phase thermal control systems can yield significant advancement in thermal performance for spaceflight applications compared with current single-phase thermal control loops.

Current Status: Onboard

Availability: Please contact the facility manager

ISS Environment: Internal

Owner: NASA

Operator/Implementation Partner:
ZIN Technologies

Developer(s):
NASA Glenn Research Center

Facility Manager:
Nancy Hall
NASA Glenn Research Center

Manager Email:
nancy.r.hall@nasa.gov

Parent Facility: FIR

Child Facility: FBM, CMHT

Sponsoring Space Agency: NASA

Equipment Category: Capability

Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment