Microgravity Propellant Gauging Using Experimental Modal Analysis — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Instructions

Student presentations must have a faculty sponsor.

Abstracts must include a title and a description of the research, scholarship, or creative work. The description should be 150-225 words in length and constructed in a format or style appropriate for the presenter’s discipline.

The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

A clear statement of the problem or question you pursued, or the scholarly goal or creative theme achieved in your work.
A brief comment about the significance or uniqueness of the work.
A clear description of the methods used to achieve the purpose or goals for the work.
A statement of the conclusions, results, outcomes, or recommendations, or if the work is still in progress, the results you expect to report at the event.

Presenter photographs should be head and shoulder shots comparable to passport photos.

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

Microgravity Propellant Gauging Using Experimental Modal Analysis

Name: Tessa Rundle
Major: Physics
Hometown: Dodgeville, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Kevin Crosby
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research
Funding: NASA grant NNX13AR65G and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium

Name: Kevin LeCaptain
Major: Physics/Mathematics
Hometown: Fairfax, IA
Faculty Sponsor: Kevin Crosby
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research
Funding: NASA grant NNX13AR65G and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium

Abstract

Zero-gravity propellant gauging is a critical-path technology for future spacecraft design. Conventional methods of measuring propellant volume are ineffective in microgravity conditions, and spacecraft currently rely on indirect methods such as equation-of-state calculations and burn-time integration, which are less accurate at lower propellant levels. For the past four years, the Carthage College Microgravity Team has been working with Kennedy Space Center to develop a non-invasive zero-gravity mass-gauging system. Our modal approach to mass gauging uses shifts in the resonant modes of the propellant tank to track the effective mass of the tank, and thereby infer the liquid volume within. We demonstrate a volume-gauging resolution of less than 1% of the tank volume in the settled, 1-g state. Zero-gravity measurements compiled after four parabolic flight campaigns suggest a gauging resolution of less than 2% in the unsettled, zero-gravity state. These results are compared with traditional methods of zero-gravity volume gauging and the future applications and development of the technique is addressed.

Poster file