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This paper investigates the use of several zero-ozone depleting potential (zero-ODP) HFC refrigerants, including HFC-134a, HFC-227ca, HFC-227ea, HFC-236ea, HFC-236cb, HFC-236fa, HFC-245cb, and HFC-254cb, for centrifugal chiller applications. We took into account the thermodynamic properties of the refrigerant and aerodynamic characteristics of the impeller compression process in this evaluation.. For a given operating temperature lift, there are significant differences in the pressure ratio required by each refrigerant and this variation in pressure ratio directly affects compressor size, efficiency, and performance. A comparison of the HFC refrigerant candidates with CFC-114 shows that HFC-236ea, HFC-227ca and HFC-227ea are viable alternatives for centrifugal water chillers. HFC-236ea has properties closest to CFC-114, and will result in comparible performance, but will require a slightly larger impeller and a purge system.

High-density electronics packaging requires new advancement in thermal management. New efforts to standardize three-dimensional electronics packages provide the opportunity to standardize thermal management systems for the first time. Microchannel cooling, a high heat flux technology, is the leading candidate for standardization of earth- and space- based electronics packages. This paper looks at the developments in microchannel cooling that make it more advantageous than other high heat flux techniques and the work that remains to achieve a standardized thermal management system.

Modern military electronics systems are generating increasingly higher heat loads, necessitating larger capacity thermal management systems (TMSs). These high-capacity TMSs must meet the strict size and weight requirements of these advancing platforms. Commercially available compressor technology can generate sufficient cooling for these systems; however, they are too heavy and expansive. Mainstream Engineering Corporation has developed a compact, lightweight, high-speed screw compressor that can provide a large cooling capacity with a small package envelope. The compressor housing material is light-weight with a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), allowing a wide operating temperature range. The compressor, with a nominal cooling capacity from 20 kW to 60 kW, was tested over a range of saturated suction conditions, pressure ratios, rotational speeds, and oil lubrication conditions.

This paper describes the performance benefits and current technology progress of an active heat pump loop (HPL) thermal control bus for spacecraft and planetary thermal control applications. Having initiated this research more than 14 years ago, this paper also briefly highlights the technical developments and obstacles overcome during this 14-year development. This paper discusses the unique features of the HPL approach that make it an attractive design choice for future manned thermal control applications: the use of an heat pump to reject heat to space at a temperature above the heat acquisition temperature, the use of non-toxic thermally stable working fluids, and the use of high-performance lubrication-free (gravity independent) refrigeration compressors. The HPL approach has the performance benefits of a traditional two-phase pumped loop thermal bus coupled with the simplicity of a single-phase pumped loop.

This paper will describe the screening and development of absorbents for HFC-134a in the chemical/mechanical heat pump. The absorbents must have low volatility, low melting point, high solubility for HFC-134a vapor, high heat of mixing with HFC-134a, suitable vapor pressure/temperature concentration characteristics when mixed with HFC-134a, low toxicity, low flammability, and thermal stability. A screening procedure was used to select approximately 15 absorbents for experimental evaluation. Measurement of the key physical and thermodynamic properties of the absorbent/HFC-134a mixtures, such as vapor pressure/temperature/concentration properties, materials compatibility, and thermal stability, is described. From these measurements, activity coefficients, enthalpy of mixing, and entropy of mixing of the liquid solution were determined.

This paper describes new advances in compressor technology for space-based human health maintenance and countermeasure systems. Specifically, NASA is developing an on-board hyperbaric chamber to treat decompression sickness in crewmembers during long-term space missions. Presently, they do not have pressurization, oxygen delivery, or environmental control subsystems that will operate in zero gravity. Commercial, earth-based compressors typically require gravity-circulated lubrication oil for bearings. An innovative, lubrication-free compressor was designed for space-based hyperbaric chamber pressurization and oxygen delivery subsystems. Compressor components were fabricated and the potential of the new compressor was experimentally validated. The compressor, including power and control equipment weighs 80% less than, occupies 84% less space than, and uses 43% less power than state-of-the-art, commercial, terrestrial systems.