Table 1 Summary of Experimental studies with a Liquid Bridge (Sounding Rocket
and Shuttle Mission)
| Experiment Theme |
Principal Investigator |
Sample Materials |
Results |
Equipment |
Mission |
Launch Year |
| Critical Marangoni Number--Temperature Oscillations in Float Zones |
Schwabe, D.; Scharmann, A. |
NaNO3 |
The experiment chamber housed a single, 6-mm diameter, 3.4-mm long NaNO3 sample. Temperature oscillations with the same higher frequency under 1g and 10-4 g and with a more complex spectrum occur. The average temperature under 10 -4 g (343-344 C) is smaller than under 1g (345 C). |
TEM 06-2 |
TEXUS-03b |
1981 |
| Marangoni Convection in Float Zones |
Chun, Ch.-H.; Wuest, W. |
10 cSt Silicone Oil with Ti and TiO2
tracer particles |
A 10 mm long, 10 mm diameter,
silicone oil liquid bridge was formed between two co-axial copper discs,
subjecting the column to a constant two temperature difference of 7.82 K and
18.9 K. An axisymmetric steady Marangoni flow pattern was observed. |
TEM 06-4 |
TEXUS-03b |
1981 |
| Critical Marangoni Number--Temperature Oscillations
in Float Zones |
Schwabe, D.; Scharmann, A. |
NaNO3 |
The objective of this
experiment was to determine critical Marangoni number. Analysis of the
thermal data resulting from both the rocket and terrestrial experiments
indicated that the onset of temperature oscillations occurred at a
temperature difference of 23 K. The corresponding critical Marangoni number
for the flight was 9.6 X 10 3, which was identical to the critical
Marangoni number in the 1-g reference experiment. |
TEM 06-2 |
TEXUS-05 |
1982 |
| Oscillatory Marangoni Convection in Float Zones |
Chun, Ch.-H.; Wuest, W. |
Methanol with titanium metal powder |
The objectives of this
experiment were to examine liquid bridges whose corresponding Marangoni
numbers were far beyond the critical values, to observe the oscillatory
convection and determine if the oscillatory state progresses to a turbulent
state, and to study the role of the liquid column aspect ratio. An
oscillating flow was demonstrated by the up-and downwards
oscillating Marangoni vortex near the free surface. |
TEM 06-4 |
TEXUS-07 |
1983 |
| Free Convection in Low Gravity |
Napolitano, L. G.; Monti, R. |
100 & 5 cSt Silicone Oil |
The objectives of SL-1
experiments were to establish a stable float zones of 10 cm height, to create
Marangoni flow in the zone, and to investigate these Marangoni flows under a
number of parameters to determine the local and global properties of the
system. Liquid bridges of 7 to 8 cm in length with aspect ratios on the
order of one were established. Most importantly, it was reported that the
established Marangoni flows were of the boundary layer type. |
FPM |
SL-1 |
1983 |
| Thermal Marangoni Convection in a Floating Zone |
Monti, R. |
5 cSt Silicone Oil |
The specific objectives of
the investigation were to study the unsteady thermal conditions in the liquid
bridge and characterize the different thermal and flow regimes at relatively
high Marangoni numbers. The upper disk was heated to 90 C at a rate of 1
K/s. During the low-gravity phase of the experiment, three different flow
regimes were established and examined: laminar (Stokes and boundary layer),
oscillatory, and (3) non-periodic. |
TEM 06-4 |
TEXUS-09 |
1984 |
| Marangoni Flows-A study of surface-driven convection phenomena in very low
gravity |
Napolitano, L. G. |
5 cSt Silicone Oil |
The objectives were (1)
quantitatively examine thermal Marangoni flows in a single-liquid system, (2)
examine the thermal and/or solutal Marangoni flows in a two-liquid system,
and (3) analyze the effects of certain parameters. |
FPM |
SL-D1 |
1985 |
| Thermal Marangoni Convection in a Floating Zone |
Monti, R. |
5 cSt Silicone Oil |
The specific objective of the
experiment was to investigate the onset of Marangoni oscillations under
different thermal conditions. The experiment was fully controlled from
Italy, using Telescience approach. |
TEM 06-4 |
TEXUS-14b |
1986 |
| Critical Marangoni Flow |
Monti, R. |
2 cSt Silicone Oil |
The onset of oscillation
regime depends on several parameters. Four oscillation onsets were obtained
at different temperature ramps. The experimental results are disvussed and
compared with numerical simulation. |
TEM 06-4 |
TEXUS-23 |
1989 |
| Observation of Marangoni Convection |
Azuma, H. |
10 cSt Silicone Oil |
This experiment observed
Marangoni convection in steady state and the surface tension waves. The
experimental results are in roughly agreement with the result of analytical
data. |
FTX |
TR-IA-1 |
1991 |
| Marangoni Induced Convection in Materials Processing
under Microgravity |
Enya, S. |
Paraffin |
The liquid bridge was fomed
in microgravity, but any flow could not be observed. |
MCU |
FMPT |
1992 |
| Generation and Control of Marangoni
Convection |
Hirata, A. |
6 cSt Silicone Oil |
This experiment investigated
micro- mechanism of Marangoni convection. The transition process from
laminar flow to oscillatory flow behavior was observed by in-situ
observation. The amplitude of Marangoni oscillating flow was very small at
initial and increased with time. |
FTX |
TR-IA-2 |
1992 |
| Higher Modes and Their Instabilities of Oscillating
Marangoni Convection in a Large Cylindrical Liquid Column |
Chun, Ch. -H. |
5 cSt Silicone Oil |
This experiment investigated
transitions from steady thermal Marangoni convection to non-periodic states
and of higher oscillating modes in liquid columns as a function of column
characteristics. |
AFPM |
SL-D2 |
1993 |
| Onset of Oscillatory Marangoni Flows |
Monti, R. |
Silicone Oil |
This experiment investigated
the transition from steady to oscillatory thermal Marangoni convection in
liquid columns as a function of column aspect ratio, Prandtl number, and
thermal profile. |
AFPM |
SL-D2 |
1993 |
| Experiment on Generation of Marangoni
Convection flow and controlling method |
Kuwahara, K |
6 cSt Silicone Oil |
The experiment verified that
electric convection is generated in Silicone oil when DC voltage is applied.
Laminar Maranogni convection flow is generated at the temperature difference
of 10K between disks. The flow could be accelerated or restricted
controlling the flow caused by electricity. |
FTX |
TR-IA-3 |
1993 |
| 3D Velocity Measurement of Marangoni
Convection in Liquid Column |
Kawamura, H. |
2 cSt Silicone Oil |
The measuremet of the
three-dimensional velocity profile of the Marangoni convection in a liquid
bridge was done by the use of four CCD cameras. A liquid bridge was formed
between two 50mm diameter coaxial disks with separation of 33mm. In the
first stage with the temperature difference of 10K, the axisymmetric
Marangoni covection was observed. As the temperature difference become 50K,
the convection had enhanced and a non-axisymetric flow profile, oscillatory
Marangoni convection, was observed. |
FTX-II |
TR-IA-4 |
1995 |
| Simultaneous Observation of 3D Fluid
Flow and Liquid-Bridge Surface Temperature of Unsteady Marangoni Convection |
Nishino, K. |
Silicone Oil |
The Liquid bridge was not
formed because a portion of Silicone oil leaked into the outside support
disked. |
FTX-II |
TR-IA-6 |
1997 |
