{"id":9720,"date":"2024-09-24T12:37:31","date_gmt":"2024-09-24T16:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/?p=9720"},"modified":"2025-07-30T13:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T17:20:10","slug":"completed-experiments-on-international-space-station-to-help-answer-how-boiling-and-condensation-work-in-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2024\/Q3\/completed-experiments-on-international-space-station-to-help-answer-how-boiling-and-condensation-work-in-space","title":{"rendered":"Completed experiments on International Space Station to help answer how boiling and condensation work in space"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. \u2014 After a decade of preparation and two years of active experiments in space, a facility that Purdue University and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/glenn\/\">NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center<\/a> in Cleveland designed, built and tested has completed its test campaign on the International Space Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/biological-physical\/investigations\/fbce\">Flow Boiling and Condensati<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/biological-physical\/investigations\/fbce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">o<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/biological-physical\/investigations\/fbce\">n Experiment (FBCE)<\/a>, led by Purdue professor <a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.purdue.edu\/ME\/People\/ptProfile?resource_id=29296\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Issam Mudawar<\/a>, gathered vital data for engineering innovations to help astronauts travel farther into space and conduct long-duration missions on the moon or Mars. The data will also support the design of future spacecraft propulsion, thermal management systems, in-space refueling and vapor compression heat pumps for planetary bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n    <div  class=\"purdue-home-quick-links-static \">\n        <div class=\"tagged-header-container\">\n\n            <h2 class=\"tagged-header\"><span>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<\/span><\/h2>\n        \n        <\/div>\n\n       <ul class=\"quick-links-content\">\n                                        <li class=\"quick-link__item\">\n                                                                <a class=\"quick-link__link\"\n                                    href=\"https:\/\/stories.purdue.edu\/topic\/purdue-boilermakers-in-space\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                    Purdue Boilermakers in space                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"quick-link__item\">\n                                                                <a class=\"quick-link__link\"\n                                    href=\"https:\/\/stories.purdue.edu\/cradle-of-astronauts-video\/ \" target=\"_blank\">\n                                    Purdue University is the Cradle of Astronauts                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"quick-link__item\">\n                                                                <a class=\"quick-link__link\"\n                                    href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2024\/Q3\/from-lab-to-lunar-and-beyond-check-out-some-of-the-innovative-space-research-from-purdue-university\/ \" target=\"_blank\">\n                                    From lab to lunar and beyond: Check out some of the innovative space research from Purdue University                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe were asked to create an experiment to test flow boiling in microgravity, and I\u2019m thrilled to see that we\u2019ve delivered in a big way,\u201d said Mudawar, the Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering and FBCE\u2019s principal investigator. \u201cThe amount of data coming out of the FBCE is just absolutely enormous, and that\u2019s exactly what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"876\" height=\"493\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Issam-Mudawar.jpg\" alt=\"A man with his arms crossed stands next to equipment with various gauges, wiring and metal framing in a laboratory\" class=\"wp-image-9701\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Issam-Mudawar.jpg 876w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Issam-Mudawar-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Issam-Mudawar-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of the most cited heat transfer researchers on Earth, Issam Mudawar looks forward to his experiments benefiting people above the Earth. (Purdue University photo\/John Underwood).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Mudawar\u2019s space-based experiment tackles a simple question: How do we keep future vehicles and facilities cool in space\u2019s harsh environment? For example, the moon\u2019s surface fluctuates wildly between minus 410 degrees and 250 degrees Fahrenheit; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/releases\/2023\/Q1\/the-moon-is-too-hot-and-too-cold-now-it-could-be-just-right-for-humans,-thanks-to-newly-available-science.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to create a human habitat there<\/a>, reliable thermal management will be essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traveling farther into space requires <a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.purdue.edu\/ME\/News\/2022\/zerogravity-gas-station-purdue-experiment-establishes-foundational-science-for-cryogenic-fuel-depots-in-space\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cryogenic fuel depots<\/a>, but the flow physics of cryogenic liquids in microgravity haven\u2019t been fully understood. Even future propulsion systems, such as nuclear fission or Rankine cycle heat engines, will also require efficient cooling systems capable of operating in a zero-gravity environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For all these reasons, NASA solicited research proposals on the topic and selected a proposal submitted by <a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.purdue.edu\/mudawar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mudawar, who is one of the most cited researchers on flow boiling and condensation<\/a>, and Glenn\u2019s Mojib Hasan. In flow boiling, heat is removed by flowing a liquid that then boils, phase-changing into a gas, and then later condensing back into a liquid. While this efficient thermal management solution has been studied in-depth on Earth, no one knew if it was feasible in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have developed over a hundred years\u2019 worth of understanding of how heating and cooling systems work in Earth\u2019s gravity,\u201d Mudawar said, \u201cbut we haven\u2019t known how they work in weightlessness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter the FBCE, which started operating on the space station in 2022. About the size of a refrigerator, FBCE contains two Purdue-designed test modules \u2014 one for flow boiling and one for condensation \u2014 integrated with a fluid system that Purdue researchers and NASA Glenn designed together. NASA Glenn built the fluid system along with avionics modules. Sitting in the space station\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.grc.nasa.gov\/space\/iss-research\/iss-fcf\/fir\/\">Fluids Integrated Rack<\/a>, the fluid system enables researchers to conduct space station experiments autonomously from the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe FBCE experiments are crucial in two ways,\u201d Mudawar said. \u201cNot only do they generate fundamental data that would be difficult for us to gather on Earth, but they also serve to validate theoretical models that we have spent years developing. Once the models are validated, it becomes possible for NASA to more accurately predict the fluid physics of lower-gravity environments, such as the moon or Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Boiler up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Mudawar started this project in 2011 when NASA selected his proposal after a <a href=\"https:\/\/nap.nationalacademies.org\/catalog\/13048\/recapturing-a-future-for-space-exploration-life-and-physical-sciences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decadal survey from the National Academies<\/a> emphasized the need for this research. \u201cEvery 10 years, the National Academies conduct a survey that advises NASA what specific aspects they should focus on,\u201d Mudawar said. \u201cThis report indicated a lack of fundamental models of how fluids behave in microgravity. That\u2019s when I began work with NASA Glenn to create an experimental facility to study fluid flow and phase change in space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first prototype FBCE flew on parabolic airplane flights with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gozerog.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zero Gravity Corp. (ZERO-G)<\/a>. Purdue students and NASA Glenn-qualified operators conducted experiments on that flight during 15-second periods of microgravity. After promising results and years of hardware development, testing and flight qualification, the final version of the facility came together at NASA Glenn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"876\" height=\"493\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCE-module-at-NASA-Glenn.jpg\" alt=\"Four men in white lab coats surround a table with a microwave-sized, rectangular piece of metal equipment \" class=\"wp-image-9698\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCE-module-at-NASA-Glenn.jpg 876w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCE-module-at-NASA-Glenn-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCE-module-at-NASA-Glenn-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Issam Mudawar (far left) inspects one of the modules of the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment at NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center, joined by (left to right) Purdue PhD candidate Steven Darges and NASA\u2019s Mojib Hasan and Henry Nahra. (Photo provided)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After passing NASA\u2019s design, safety and readiness reviews, FBCE\u2019s flow boiling module was launched to the space station in August 2021 and began operations in early 2022. Last August, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/releases\/2023\/Q3\/science-enabling-heat-and-air-conditioning-for-long-term-space-habitats-is-almost-fully-available.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the condensation module of FBCE launched<\/a>, replacing the flow boiling module. Purdue completed its test campaign in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mountains of data gathered from FBCE\u2019s experiments will form the basis of fundamental models and future research for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is among NASA\u2019s largest and most complex experiments for fluid physics research,\u201d Mudawar said. \u201cWe have published&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.purdue.edu\/mudawar\/articles-all\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than 70 papers<\/a>&nbsp;on reduced gravity and fluid flow since the project\u2019s inception and even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/releases\/2023\/Q3\/science-enabling-heat-and-air-conditioning-for-long-term-space-habitats-is-almost-fully-available.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contributed to the most recent National Academies decadal survey<\/a> based on our findings. Collectively, these papers are really almost like a textbook for how boiling and condensation works in space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCEAug2023launch-OG-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"Workers in white suits and hair coverings load packaged containers into a large, tubular spacecraft within a facility\" class=\"wp-image-9700\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCEAug2023launch-OG-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCEAug2023launch-OG-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCEAug2023launch-OG-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/FBCEAug2023launch-OG.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The second module of the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment launched to the International Space Station last August among other cargo for NASA. (Photo provided by NASA\/Danielle Johnson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cool future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><br>While the Purdue test campaign has ended, FBCE isn\u2019t going anywhere. The facility will remain on the space station for other researchers who want to experiment with fluid physics in space. \u201cMy original proposal established that FBCE would eventually become a national resource,\u201d Mudawar said. \u201cOther investigators have already started using it since our campaign ended. It\u2019s my hope that the data coming from FBCE will help establish the science of cooling spacecraft for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Purdue University<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue\u2019s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap \u2014 including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative \u2014 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/president\/strategic-initiatives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/president\/strategic-initiatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"note\" class=\"post-content__attribution \">\n    <div class=\"columns\"> \n                    <div class=\"column\"> \n                <p class=\"post-content__source\">\n                    <strong>Media contact:<\/strong> Kayla Albert, <a href=\"mailto:wiles5@purdue.edu\">wiles5@purdue.edu<\/a>, 765-494-2432                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"column is-narrow\">                 \n                <div class=\"post-content__editor-note\">\n                    <p class=\"post-content__editor-note--header\">Note to journalists:<\/p>\n                    <p>    \n                        High-resolution versions of the images in this story are available via <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1I0p5XHupgOHOvK1XvNbNhaihMXLallKv?usp=sharing\">Google Drive<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/images.nasa.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NASA Image and Video Library<\/a>.                    <\/p>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. \u2014 After a decade of preparation and two years of active experiments in space, a facility that Purdue University and NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland designed, built and tested has completed its test campaign on the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":9699,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,524],"tags":[523],"department":[],"source":[29],"purdue_today_topic":[],"coauthors":[182],"class_list":["post-9720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research-excellence","category-space","tag-space","source-purdue-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9720"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9727,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9720\/revisions\/9727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/source?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"purdue_today_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/purdue_today_topic?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}