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Experiment Overview


Information provided courtesy of the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Brief Summary

The Dynamic Surf investigation is part of a series of JAXA experiments that examine Marangoni convection, or flow, a process driven by the presence of surface tension gradient as produced by a temperature difference at a liquid/gas interface. Fluid convection observations of a silicone oil liquid bridge that is generated by heating the one disc higher than the other within the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF). By observing and understanding how such fluids move researchers can learn about how heat is transferred in microgravity, and ultimately drive the design and development of more efficient fluid flow based systems and devices.

Principal Investigator(s)

Yasuhiro Kamotani, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

Ichiro Ueno, Tokyo University of Science, Yamazaki, Japan

Koichi Nishino, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

Masahiro Kawaji, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Satoshi Matsumoto, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan

Nobuyuki Imaishi, Kyushu University, Katahira, Japan

Atsuki Komiya, Tohoku University, Katahira, Japan

Developer(s)

IHI Aerospace Company, Ltd., Tomioka, , Japan
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, , Japan

Sponsoring Space Agency

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Sponsoring Organization

Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration:

September 2011 - October 2013

Expeditions Assigned

29/30,31/32,33/34,35/36

Previous ISS Missions

As for Marangoni experiment with liquid bridge configuration, the first and second series of Marangoni Experiments (MEIS-1&2) were conducted in Increment 17 and 20, respectively. And Marangoni UVPs (UVP-1&2) were performed in Increment 22-24 and 26-27, respectively. The liquid bridge size for MEIS-1&2 was 30 mm in diameter and for UVP-1&2 was 50 mm. Marangoni Experiment -5 (MEIS-5) will be used 50mm diameter liquid bridge. The same experiment cell as UVP-1&2 will be employed for MEIS-5.

The first series of Marangoni Experiment (MEIS-1) was the memorial experiment for JAXA which meant the first scientific experiment in Kibo, brought a lot of knowledge and the experiences. Based on obtained operational know-how, following experimental operation proceeded very smoothly. Significantly, the ISS crews become very cooperative to Marangoni experiment to reduce liquid bridge vibration caused by g-jitters during crew sleep. Crews are trying to refrain from generating disturbances when experiment is performed.

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Experiment Description

Research Overview

• One of important issues on Marangoni convection is to make clear the flow transition phenomena from steady to oscillatory flows. Transition mechanism to oscillatory motions, which still remains open, should be studied. Investigators focus on dynamic surface deformation (DSD) effects in the transition and conduct some experiments using large liquid bridges which a long duration microgravity environment is indispensable for doing them.



• Amplitude of DSD, critical temperature difference, surface temperature field, and flow field will be precisely measured near the onset point. The obtained data will be compared with prediction by a physical model of the oscillation mechanism including DSD and clearly show validity of the physical model.



• Microgravity conditions provide us several advantages as follows; (1) Large and long liquid bridges can be formed, (2) Pure and ideal Marangoni convection can be observed. So, space experiments are expected to reveal the whole picture of Marangoni convection. In this investigation, the mechanism of onset of oscillatory flow is expected to explain clearly. The finding and knowledge obtained through space experiment is applied to industrial processes such a high quality crystal growth, thermal manegement technique, micro-fluid handling technique as well as advance of fluid physics.

Description

Marangoni flow is categorized in the natural convection same as buoyancy convection caused by density difference. A trait of Marangoni convection is a surface-tension-driven flow which driving force is localized at the only surface. Surface tension is the characteristic of a liquid in which it forms a layer at its surface so that this surface covers as small an area as possible. One can see the coin floating on the water. Surface tension is the force to be keeping the heavier coin on. In general, surface tension becomes strong with decreasing temperature. When a temperature difference exists along surface, the surface is pulled toward low temperature region. The surface tension difference is also produced under existing concentration distribution. May have heard or seen "tears of wine". It can be caused by Marangoni effect under concentration difference near the meniscus. Its effect was named after Italian physicist Calro Marangoni who mainly studied surface phenomena in 19th century.

Such a phenomenon is often observed in everyday life. For example, oil in a pan heated from center moves to peripheral side. Oil floating on water immediately moves when a surfactant (e.g. detergent) drops onto a part of the oil because of the imbalance in the surface tension. The detergent caused the center to have a lower surface tension. On the other hand, the outside has a higher surface tension, so the center and the oil were pulled out in all directions to equalize the surface tension. These phenomena are resulting from Marangoni effect.

Moreover, Marangoni convection affects the quality of grown crystal such as semiconductors, optical materials or bio materials. Therefore, it is important to understand an underlying principal and nature of Marangoni convection. The finding and knowledge obtained through space experiment is applied to industrial progression as well as advance of fluid dynamics. A liquid bridge configuration is often employed to investigate Marangoni convection because it is simulated a floating-zone method which is one of the crystal growth technique.

A liquid bridge (cylindrical liquid column) of silicone oil is formed into a pair of supporting solid disks. The convection is induced by imposing the temperature difference between disks, one end heating and other end cooling. Due to the convective instability, flow transits from laminar to oscillatory, chaos, and turbulence flows one by ones as the driving force increases. Scientists will observe the flow and temperature fields in each stage and investigate the flow transition conditions and processes. Fundamental questions regarding to Marangoni Convection are as follows;

• What are the conditions that determine the onset of unsteady (or oscillatory) convection in liquid bridge?
• What are the characteristics of unsteady, three-dimensional flow and temperature fields?
• What are the mechanisms that are responsible for the formation of dynamic particle accumulation structures (PASs)?

Answering these questions should contribute to the better understanding of the instability mechanisms of Marangoni convection.

Now, why do we need to conduct Marangoni experiment on board the International Space Station (ISS)? On the ground, we can see the only several millimeters liquid bridge because surface tension cannot support its tare weight due to gravity. On the other hand, microgravity conditions provide us strong advantages as follows;

• Large and long liquid bridges can be formed.
• Therefore, high Marangoni numbers can be realized.
• No density-driven convection exists.
• No gravity-induced deformation of liquid bridge exists.
• Very long period for experiment can be allotted utilizing the ISS.
• Quite precise data with a wide range of parameters can be obtained by utilizing these merits in space.

At the same time, a liquid bridge is very sensitive against even week vibration (called g-jitter) in the ISS because the liquid is not contained and is sustained by the only surface tension between supporting disks. Therefore, Marangoni Experiment is performed during a crew sleeping time (21:30-06:00 GMT) when the g-jitter becomes slightly calm.

In Dynamic Surf, Marangoni convection occurred in a liquid bridge is observed to make clear the flow transition phenomena resulting from a fluid instability. A silicone oil with a viscosity of 5 cSt(5 mm²/s), which is about five times higher one of water, is employed as working fluid and is suspended between a pair of solid disks (10mm in diameter). Small amount of fine particles is mixed into liquid bridge for flow visualization. One of the disks is heated and another cooled to impose temperature difference on both end of the liquid bridge. The temperature difference is gradually enlarged in order to increase the driving force of a thermocapillary flow (Marangoni flow). The flow transits from steady to oscillatory flow at the certain critical temperature difference. With increasing the temperature difference, the convection becomes more complicated toward turbulent via chaotic flows . These transition processes are observed in detail.

We employ Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) mounted in Ryutai Rack inside KIBO Pressurized Module. Experiment is conducted in combining FPEF and an experiment unique hardware which is exchangeable according to the purpose of investigation and is called "Experiment Cell". A white and black CCD camera is mounted on the experiment cell to observe the flow patterns. And, Dynamic surface deformation (DSD) is measured using a microscopic imaging displacement meter (MIDM), which is newly-developed by science team. The hardware for MIDM, consisting of a monochromatic CCD camera, a microscopic lens, and a back illumination light source, is installed in the custom-built EC. FPEF equips Infrared Imager for temperature visualizations. An infrared imager is used to observe dynamic temperature distribution on the liquid bridge surface. Marangoni experiment also uses Image Processing Unit (IPU) and Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA) with accelerometer to measure microgravity environment near the FPEF.

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Applications

Space Applications

The valuable knowledge from Marangoni space experiment is also applicable to the high performance heat exchanger and heat pipe both in the space and on the earth. For future space development, it should be necessary to more efficient and compact thermal management system, no doubt to help its development.

Earth Applications

The obtained knowledge on the Marangoni convection is vital for the production of high-quality crystal growth such as semiconductors, optical crystal so on. Since the surface tension is dominant not only under the microgravity but also in the micro-scale, the results obtained on the nature of the Marangoni convection will significantly contribute to various micro-fluid handling techniques in micro-TAS (Micro total analysis system) such as DNA examination and clinical diagnostics.

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Operations

Operational Requirements

None(Launch only during Increment 29 and 30)

Operational Protocols

None(Launch only during Increment 29 and 30)

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Results/More Information

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Related Websites

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Imagery

Largest liquid bridge of silicone oil formed in Kibo.
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Observation method of Marangoni convection (MIDM: Microscopic Imaging Displacement Meter).
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