Each year, universities and research centres – most particularly the major space agencies such as NASA, ESA, and NASDA – devote a vast amount of time and money into the research of materials behaviour and production in microgravity. Recently, the possibility of creating special alloys, inorganic and organic crystals, as well as biological (living) tissues in this condition has been investigated.
Fluids, Materials and Microgravity provides a solid basis of established knowledge – through literature, fundamental studies, experimental methods, numerical (basic and sophisticated) techniques – as well as the latest in research advancements. Important for the prediction of material behaviour when exposed to the environment of space, this book explores the new knowledge provided by microgravity-based studies in producing unique inorganic, and organic materials on Earth (and in designing related new technological processes). A vital resource for any scientists interested in the understanding and modelling of the new important physical mechanisms disclosed by microgravity research, and in their possible effect on the production and behaviour of materials both in space and on Earth.
A vital resource for any scientists interested in the effect of microgravity on the production and behaviour of materials.
* Covers typical fluid-dynamic disturbances which can affect the behaviour and final quality of materials both in space and on Earth, and possible strategies to contain their effects.
* Thorough attention is devoted to the most promising and innovative technological processes provided by microgravity experimentation.
* Information is provided through application-based engineering models, as well as mathematical frameworks, to facilitate a deeper understanding of physical mechanisms.
1. Cover image 2. Title page 3. Table of Contents 4. Inside Front Cover 5. Copyright 6. Dedication 7. Preface 8. Acknowledgements 9. Chapter 1: Space research 10. Chapter 2: Fundamental concepts, mathematical models and scaling analysis for the microgravity environment 11. Chapter 3: Dispersed droplets and metal alloys 12. Chapter 4: Growth of semiconductors: the floating zone technique 13. 4.1 Scientific rationale 14. 4.2 Phase-change modeling theory: the enthalpy method 15. 4.3 Modeling the floating zone: The half-zone and the full-zone 16. 4.4 Numerical simulation and parallel strategy 17. 4.5 Numerical simulations and theory of bifurcation 18. 4.6 The half-zone: historical perspective 19. 4.7 Structure of the 3D steady flow 20. 4.8 Effect of geometrical parameters 21. 4.9 Gravity effects and heating direction 22. 4.10 A generalized theory for the azimuthal wave number 23. 4.11 3D analysis of crystal/melt interface shape in the half-zone 24. 4.12 High Prandtl number liquids 25. 4.13 The full-zone: state-of-the-art 26. 4.14 The full-zone: modeling and definitions 27. 4.15 Cylindrical interface and microgravity conditions 28. 4.16 Concave and convex volumes in microgravity 29. 4.17 The laterally heated column on the ground 30. 4.18 Physical explanations 31. 4.19 Control of Marangoni convection 32. 4.20 Mixed Marangoni/thermovibrational convection 33. Chapter 5: Macromolecular crystal growth: surface kinetics and morphological studies 34. Chapter 6: Macromolecular crystal growth at macroscopic length scales 35. Chapter 7: The growth of biological tissues 36. References 37. Index
Each year, universities and research centres – most particularly the major space agencies such as NASA, ESA, and NASDA – devote a vast amount of time and money into the research of materials behaviour and production in microgravity. Recently, the possibility of creating special alloys, inorganic and organic crystals, as well as biological (living) tissues in this condition has been investigated.
Fluids, Materials and Microgravity provides a solid basis of established knowledge – through literature, fundamental studies, experimental methods, numerical (basic and sophisticated) techniques – as well as the latest in research advancements. Important for the prediction of material behaviour when exposed to the environment of space, this book explores the new knowledge provided by microgravity-based studies in producing unique inorganic, and organic materials on Earth (and in designing related new technological processes). A vital resource for any scientists interested in the understanding and modelling of the new important physical mechanisms disclosed by microgravity research, and in their possible effect on the production and behaviour of materials both in space and on Earth.
A vital resource for any scientists interested in the effect of microgravity on the production and behaviour of materials.
* Covers typical fluid-dynamic disturbances which can affect the behaviour and final quality of materials both in space and on Earth, and possible strategies to contain their effects.
* Thorough attention is devoted to the most promising and innovative technological processes provided by microgravity experimentation.
* Information is provided through application-based engineering models, as well as mathematical frameworks, to facilitate a deeper understanding of physical mechanisms.
1. Cover image 2. Title page 3. Table of Contents 4. Inside Front Cover 5. Copyright 6. Dedication 7. Preface 8. Acknowledgements 9. Chapter 1: Space research 10. Chapter 2: Fundamental concepts, mathematical models and scaling analysis for the microgravity environment 11. Chapter 3: Dispersed droplets and metal alloys 12. Chapter 4: Growth of semiconductors: the floating zone technique 13. 4.1 Scientific rationale 14. 4.2 Phase-change modeling theory: the enthalpy method 15. 4.3 Modeling the floating zone: The half-zone and the full-zone 16. 4.4 Numerical simulation and parallel strategy 17. 4.5 Numerical simulations and theory of bifurcation 18. 4.6 The half-zone: historical perspective 19. 4.7 Structure of the 3D steady flow 20. 4.8 Effect of geometrical parameters 21. 4.9 Gravity effects and heating direction 22. 4.10 A generalized theory for the azimuthal wave number 23. 4.11 3D analysis of crystal/melt interface shape in the half-zone 24. 4.12 High Prandtl number liquids 25. 4.13 The full-zone: state-of-the-art 26. 4.14 The full-zone: modeling and definitions 27. 4.15 Cylindrical interface and microgravity conditions 28. 4.16 Concave and convex volumes in microgravity 29. 4.17 The laterally heated column on the ground 30. 4.18 Physical explanations 31. 4.19 Control of Marangoni convection 32. 4.20 Mixed Marangoni/thermovibrational convection 33. Chapter 5: Macromolecular crystal growth: surface kinetics and morphological studies 34. Chapter 6: Macromolecular crystal growth at macroscopic length scales 35. Chapter 7: The growth of biological tissues 36. References 37. Index
