Project Title:

Development of Nontoxic Heat Transport Fluids for Habitat Two-Phase Thermal Control

09.11-3550
900143
Development of Nontoxic Heat Transport Fluids for Habitat Two-Phase Thermal Control

Abstract:

Systems
This Phase I project will determine the feasibility of using a computational chemistry
database system for the development of a nontoxic, two-phase, heat transport fluid
for spacecraft thermal control systems. Experimental data on the physical and chemical
properties of as many compounds as possible will be added to the database. A computational
chemistry database system will then be used to predict molecules with improved properties
over previous fluids. The properties of the improved fluids will then be determined
and compared to the prediction. The properties of the improved compounds will be
added to the database, expanding and improving it. Thus, the foundation for Phase
II will be laid by determining the feasibility of this working fluid development
methods. Phase II will continue the iterative process started in Phase I until the
suitable fluid is developed.
The successful completion of this project will have significant commercial applications.
One application would be in spacecraft thermal control since any spacecraft has the
same thermal control requirements. In terrestrial commercial applications, these
fluids may be attractive to the commercial air conditioning industry since they may
be more suitable than the refrigerant alternatives currently being considered.
computational chemistry, nontoxic fluids, heat transport, two-phase, spacecraft thermal
control