Résumé:
This paper is about the further analysis of an experiment named CAESAR (stands for Capillarity-based Experiment for Spatial Advanced Research): a sounding rocket experiment carried out by students of hepia within the REXUS program. The authors have launched on REXUS-14 a propellant management experiment based on capillarity to reliably confirm other ground-based experiments. In the framework of the present work, the authors present the comparison of CAESAR experimental data with theoretical profiles provided in literature. The objective of this flight was to place several Propellant Management Devices (PMD) in a microgravity environment and acquire images of the fluid distribution around them. The main element of the experiment, called a sponge, is a PMD for space vehicles, often used in satellites. This radial panel shaped device can be used at the bottom of a satellite tank to keep the propellant near the outlet. It is designed to work even if the vehicle undergoes small accelerations, for example during station-keeping maneuvers. The fluid is eccentric but stays on the sponge and near the outlet, so the injection system of the motor is continuously supplied with the propellant. As previously published, the authors have created a buoyancy test bench and have designed another system by magnetic levitation to perform the same experiment on earth. These systems are easier to use and less expensive than a sounding rocket, a parabolic flight or a drop tower (i.e. other system to obtain microgravity on earth), so they will be very useful to make progress in this particular domain of science. They will also allow universities with small funds to work within this spatial field. A previous publication showed, from a qualitative point of view, a good agreement between experiments and theory; however in this paper quantitative comparisons are given. With this demonstrated, hepia can validate its buoyancy test facility with real flight tests.
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