title: Ultrasonic monitoring of film condensation for applications in reduced gravity
abstract: The film condensation of vapor on a cooled, downward-facing surface is a complex dynamic fluid phenomenon. This paper will describe the theoretical basis, instrumentation approach, and experimental results for a method for ultrasonic monitoring of film condensation. The ultrasound measurement system utilizes a 10 MHz broadband contact transducer, operating in pulse-echo mode. By appropriate signal processing, condensation layers over a wide thickness range, from much less than a wavelength to several wavelengths, can readily be measured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA 01609, USA. pedersen@ee.wpi.edu
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cakareski
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hermanson