A photographic study of flow condensation in 1-g and zero-gravity environments

The test articles investigated include two full-scale radiator/condenser panels and a system of three parallel-connected fused quartz tubes. Testing was performed initially on the ground, with both horizontal and inclined flow passage orientations, and additionally in an aircraft flying 0-g trajectories. The photographic observations were made with two high speed cameras and a low speed camera. The flow regimes observed are compared with those predicted by the Baker chart (1954). The Baker chart is well in accord with physical reality in the annular flow region. However, a stratified-annular flow regime observed has no counterpart in the Baker categorization.