PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE SATURN INSTRUMENT UNIT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM SUBLIMATOR UNDER SIMULATED FLIGHT CONDITIONS
Abstract
Twelve refrigeration units (sublimators) were subjected to simulated flight environments and evaluated as to their critical starting characteristics and heat-transfer capacity under nominal operating conditions. The sublimator is used to cool various instrument components aboard the Saturn S4B stage of the Saturn IB and Saturn V vehicles. It is a two-component system using pure water (which is sublimated through porous sintered nickel plates) as the coolant and a methanol/water (M/W) solution (which comes into thermal contact with the plates) as the heat-transfer fluid to cool the instrument packages. Various M/W inlet temperatures (heat load), and water inlet pressures, were imposed on each sublimator, and its critical starting limitations were defined. Heat-transfer capacity was determined by conventional calorimeter methods for each set of conditions. Starting characteristics for each sublimator were adequate and satisfactory. All sublimators except one performed at or above the rated 9-kw cooling capacity at nominal conditions. In addition to the 12 units evaluated under simulated flight conditions, one unit was subjected to certain developmental tests for the purpose of determining the effect of low heat load on the sublimator.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0807759
Entities
People
- R. E. Southerlan
- T. L. Ridings
Organizations
- Arnold Engineering Development Complex