Precision Clean Hardware: Maintenance of Fluid Systems Cleanliness

摘要

This paper will describe work accomplished under a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-sponsored program to identify and implement a set of best practices for building and maintaining precision-clean International Space Station (ISS) fluid systems hardware. Many of the quick disconnect (QD) leakage issues observed with ISS fluid systems had been traced to particulate contamination, with sources including inadequate welding environment controls, insufficient personnel training, and inadequate tool and flexhose cleaning procedures. Implementation of the best practices has improved precision cleaning procedures, minimized sources of contamination, and resulted in far cleaner fluid systems hardware.