A multipassage internal cooling test model with a 180 deg U-bend at the hub was investigated. The flow is radially inward at the inlet passage while it is radially outward at the trailing edge passage. The aspect ratio (AR) of the inlet passage is 2:1 (AR = 2) while the trailing edge passage is wedge-shaped with side wall slot ejections. The squared ribs with P/e = 8, e/Dh = 0.1, α = 45 deg, were configured on both leading surface (LE) and trailing surface (TR) along the inlet passage, and also at the inner half of the trailing edge passage. Three rows of cylinder-shaped pin fins with a diameter of 3 mm were placed at both LE and TR at the outer half of the trailing edge passage. For without turning vane case, heat transfer on LE at hub turn region is increased by rotation while it is decreased on the TR. The presence of turning vane reduces the effect of rotation on hub turn portion. The combination of ribs, pin-fin array, and mass loss of cooling air through side wall slot ejection results in the heat transfer coefficient gradually decreased along the trailing edge passage. Correlation between regional heat transfer coefficients and rotation numbers is presented for with and without turning vane cases, and with channel orientation angle β at 90 deg and 45 deg.

This paper experimentally investigates heat transfer in a cooling passage with airfoil shaped fins for channel Reynolds numbers 10,000–40,000. This study uses airfoil shaped fins, instead of circular or oblong-shaped pins, for heat transfer augmentation. The airfoil shaped fins have more surface area than traditional pins. Assuming they both provide similar internal surface heat transfer coefficients, airfoil shaped fins will perform better than circular or oblong fins due to increased surface area. There is a need to obtain the heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop penalty in this cooling passage with airfoil shaped fins. Results are compared to the same rectangular cooling channel with smooth surfaces. The heat transfer can be enhanced 6–8 times while pressure drop is increased 70–90 times, as compared with the same channel with a smooth surface. With the fins significantly increasing the heat transfer area, three different methods are proposed for analyzing the heat transfer enhancement: (a) using the smooth channel area with the endwall temperature, (b) combining the total heat transfer area with the endwall temperature, and (c) coupling the total heat transfer area with the area weighted, average temperature including both the endwall and fin temperatures. Finally, compared directly to round pins, the airfoil shaped fins incur similar pressure penalties while providing slightly less heat transfer. The airfoil shaped fins benefit from a significant increase in the heat transfer area, a characteristic similar to more narrow strip fins.

Biological testing on the International Space Station (ISS) is necessary in order to monitor the microbial burden and identify risks to crew health. With support from a NASA Phase I Small Business Innovative Research contract, we have developed a compact prototype of a microgravity-compatible, automated versatile sample preparation platform (VSPP). The VSPP was built by modifying entry-level 3D printers that cost USD 200–USD 800. In addition, 3D printing was also used to prototype microgravity-compatible reagent wells and cartridges. The VSPP’s primary function would enable NASA to rapidly identify microorganisms that could affect crew safety. It has the potential to process samples from various sample matrices (swab, potable water, blood, urine, etc.), thus yielding high-quality nucleic acids for downstream molecular detection and identification in a closed-cartridge system. When fully developed and validated in microgravity environments, this highly automated system will allow labor-intensive and time-consuming processes to be carried out via a turnkey, closed system using prefilled cartridges and magnetic particle-based chemistries. This manuscript demonstrates that the VSPP can extract high-quality nucleic acids from urine (Zika viral RNA) and whole blood (human RNase P gene) in a ground-level laboratory setting using nucleic acid-binding magnetic particles. The viral RNA detection data showed that the VSPP can process contrived urine samples at clinically relevant levels (as low as 50 PFU/extraction). The extraction of human DNA from eight replicate samples showed that the DNA extraction yield is highly consistent (there was a standard deviation of 0.4 threshold cycle when the extracted and purified DNA was tested via real-time polymerase chain reaction). Additionally, the VSPP underwent 2.1 s drop tower microgravity tests to determine if its components are compatible for use in microgravity. Our findings will aid future research in adapting extraction well geometry for 1 g and low g working environments operated by the VSPP. Future microgravity testing of the VSPP in the parabolic flights and in the ISS is planned.