Lassig, J.¹, Montes, G., Quiroga, J.

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 61-80, 2009, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2009.005.061

Abstract This paper presents a description of the design and ensuing development of an automated liquid droplet generator and related utilization aboard the space shuttle, a) as a fluid positioning system for materials processing (attached droplet method), and b) as a means to measure surface oscillation of droplets under microgravity for determining their surface tension. More >

Sayavur I. Bakhtiyarov¹, Dennis A. Siginer²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 1-22, 2009, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2009.005.001

Abstract Strong inhomogeneous magnetic fields are necessary to generate a finite levitation force in ground based electromagnetic levitation techniques. External forces such as magnetic and gravitational forces influence the oscillation spectrum and counteract the surface movement resulting in a frequency shift, and making the use of electromagnetic levitation techniques in microgravity an attractive alternative to measure thermophysical properties of liquid metals. Under microgravity conditions the magnetic field strength around a liquid droplet is significantly lower than that required to position the same specimen against earth gravity. Hence, a low magnetic field strength results in a low More >

FU Zhiliang¹, GUO Hua², GAO Yanfa³

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.5, No.3, pp. 145-156, 2008, DOI:10.3970/icces.2008.005.145

Abstract This paper is focused on the micro-damage evolution properties of gray green mudstone under impacting disturbance load conditions for the first time by using the real time CT testing technique. CT images and CT values for rock cross-sections under different impacting disturbance loading levels were obtained. The paper is also to describe process of rock creep damage under disturbance loads and to explore the mechanism of micro-damage. The results have shown that rock failure is easy to happen suddenly rock is in or close to limit strength neighborhood during the process of disturbance. This will More >

Sayavur I. Bakhtiyarov¹, Dennis A. Siginer²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 99-112, 2008, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2008.004.099

Abstract Levitation of liquid bodies against gravity is a contactless confinement process appropriate for manufacturing very pure materials. A variety of levitation techniques have been developed over the last few decades, such as aerodynamic, acoustic, electrostatic, microwave, and electromagnetic levitations. More recently, a new generation of novel techniques, essentially combinations of the established primary techniques, has been successfully introduced. Examples are acoustic-electric, aerodynamic-acoustic and acoustic-electromagnetic. The purpose of this series of papers in three parts, Bakhtiyarov and Siginer (2007a,b), is to review the advances in electromagnetic levitation (EML) since its introduction as a containerless melting technique, More >

Jeffrey A. Jones¹, Andrew W. Kirkpatrick², Douglas R. Hamilton³, Ashot E. Sargsyan³, Mark Campbell², Shannon Melton³, Yael R. Barr⁴, Scott A. Dulchavsky⁵

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 3493-3498, 2007

Abstract Introduction: Urinary obstruction (UO) or failure to void has been observed during several episodes of short-duration spaceflight, necessitating bladder catheterization. It should be considered a possible medical condition in long-duration space missions as well. Antiemetics used early in space flight add to the risk and severity of voiding problems, along with the sensory and psychological peculiarities of voiding without gravity and in the unusual setting of a spacecraft. Urolithiasis due to the above-normal calcium excretion increases the risk of UO in long duration space missions. Finally, the individual risk of UO is higher against the background… More >

A. Ovcharova¹, N.Stankous²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 349-356, 2007, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2007.003.349

Abstract We consider a deformation of a thin film which is hanging between two solid flat walls under thermal load action. A two-dimensional model is applied to describe the motion of thin layers of viscous nonisothermal liquid under microgravity conditions. The model is based on the Navier-Stokes equations. A numerical analysis of the influence of thermal loads on the deformation and break of freely hanging thin films has been carried out. The mutual influence of capillary and thermo-capillary forces on thin film free surface position has been shown. The results of model problem solutions are presented. More >

A. Laverón-Simavilla¹, V. Lapuerta¹, J. Rodríguez¹, M. A. González¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 339-348, 2007, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2007.003.339

Abstract A cylindrical liquid bridge supported between two circular-shaped disks in isorotation is considered. The effect of an offset between the rotation axis and the axis of the two supporting disks (eccentricity) on the stability of the liquid bridge is investigated. In a previous work a numerical method used to determine the stability limit for different values of eccentricity was validated comparing these results with analytical and experimental results for small eccentricity values, recovering the same behavior. In this work we use the numerical method to extend the analysis to large values of the eccentricity, finding More >

Y. Yan¹, K. Jules², M. Z. Saghir¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 231-246, 2007, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2007.003.231

Abstract Fluid science research including thermal diffusion in fluids benefits from the quiescent low-gravity environment provided by the International Space Station (ISS). However, residual gravities (or g-jitters) aboard the ISS impact the overall environment in which experiments are being performed. The impact of these residual gravities needs to be assessed to ensure that they are appropriately accounted for when results are being reported for experiments performed onboard the ISS. In this paper we study the thermal diffusion process in a ternary mixture of n-butane, dodecane and methane. Measured data from the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS)… More >

Akira Hirata¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 203-230, 2007, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2007.003.203

Abstract This article is a summary of author's typical research works (over the last four decades) on interphase transport phenomena in the presence of interfacial fluid motion and surface tension gradients on liquid-fluid interfaces, and related applications to single crystal growth and microgravity sciences. A unified theory for momentum, heat and mass transfer on liquid-fluid and solid-fluid interfaces is proposed, which takes into account interface mobility. It is shown that interface contamination and turbulence can be well explained, respectively, by suppression and enhancement of the interfacial velocity induced by surface tension gradients. Transport phenomena on solid More >

Huawei Han¹, Kamiel S. Gabriel²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 287-298, 2006, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2006.002.287

Abstract Data on air-water co-current two-phase annular flow in a tube with an inner diameter of 9.525 mm (3/8 in) were previously collected at both microgravity u-g and normal gravity (1-g) conditions. The data contained measurements of pressure drop, in addition to previously published data of liquid film thickness. This paper presents the results and analysis of the influence of flow pressure gradient on interfacial wave properties of annular flow at both microgravity and normal gravity. The examined wave properties include wave base thickness, wave height (or roughness height), wave spacing, wave speed and wave frequency.… More >