Free Surface Flows under Compensated Gravity Conditions [Hardcover]

This book considers the behavior of fluids in a low-gravity environment (e.g. spacecraft) with special emphasis on application in PMD (propellant management device) systems. Since PMD designs are not testable on ground and thus completely rely on analytical or numerical concepts, this book treats three different flow problems with analytical, numerical and experimental means. These problems are linked together by the same set of equations and boundary conditions.

State of the Art.- Basic Equations and Dimensionless Numbers.- Orders of Magnitude of the Dimensionless Numbers.- Literature Review.- Surface Oscillations upon Step Reduction of the Bond Number.- Static Surface Shapes.- Scaling of the Dynamic Behavior.- Experiments on Surface Oscillations.- Numerical Calculations.- Conclusions.- Capillary Rise in Cylindrical Tubes.- Experiments on Capillary Rise.- Mathematical Model for the Capillary Rise.- Results and Discussion.- Summary.- Critical Velocities in Open Capillary Channel Flows.- and Background.- Mathematical Model for the Flow Between Parallel Plates.- Experimental Results.- Results and Discussion.- Perspectives.- Conclusion.- Future Projects.- Entrance Flow Problems.

From the reviews:

The research work of the author and his colleagues at the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, University of Bremen, considers the behavior of fluids in a low-gravity environment with special emphasis on application in PMD (propellant management device) systems. & The experimental results are presented for a wide range of parameters, and a one-dimensional theory is corroborated by the experiments. & It is very well written research monograph, which should be of considerable value to the scientists working in this field. (Jagdish Prakash, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1115 (17), 2007)

A compendium that would be particularly helpful to a person new to the field. & An attractive feature l#z