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Development and performance test of a phase change experimental system for buoyancy control in stratospheric airships.

Author(s) : WANG K., GAO S., WANG Y., XUE L., YIN W., ZHAO Y., GONG M.

Type of article: IJR article

Summary

A low-temperature and low-pressure phase change experimental system for regulating the buoyancy of stratospheric airships has been designed and tested. The system is highly compact, and all components are integrated into a modular structure for easy installation and control. The setup operates based on a phase change working gas circulation system using ethylene as the refrigerant and ammonia as the phase change working gas. A microchannel tube bundle heat exchanger was designed as the core of the liquefaction chamber to enhance the condensation heat transfer process under stratospheric conditions. The system was tested for extended periods under simulated stratospheric conditions (− 57 ◦C, 6.5 kPa@19 km) using an environmental simulation chamber. A maximum liquefaction rate of 20.3 m³/h was achieved with a corresponding cooling capacity of 502.2 W and a coefficient of performance of 1.84. Additionally, a maximum vaporization rate of 25.2 m³/h was achieved with the heat rejection rate of 617.9 W and a COP of 2.08. The system can be applied to high-altitude airship platforms for buoyancy control and is also suitable for experimental studies of heat transfer processes in low-temperature, low-pressure environments.

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Pages: 10 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Development and performance test of a phase change experimental system for buoyancy control in stratospheric airships.
  • Record ID : 30034478
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 181
  • Publication date: 2026/01
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.10.014

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