Screen Compliance Testing with Controlled Pre-Tension for Screen Channel Liquid Acquisition Devices

Screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) are used to separate gas and liquid phases within a propellant tank in microgravity so that single-phase liquid can be extracted to the transfer line. Screen channel LADs rely on porous mesh screens and surface tension forces to allow liquid to flow while blocking vapor penetration. During the transient startup of propellant transfer, the liquid must be accelerated from rest to the steady flow demand velocity, which causes the screen to deform or comply. Compliance depends on multiple parameters, most notably the mesh type and open area. Recent testing has shown that the screen pretension level is also a variable that must be controlled and quantified. This paper presents new screen compliance design, testing, and experimental results to determine the effect of pretension. Testing is conducted on six screen meshes, two metal types, three open area aspect ratios, two orientations, and three tension levels. Results show that the screen compliance rate increases with increasing pretension in both linear and nonlinear regimes and that mesh type, metal type, open area, and orientation all affect compliance.