Thermocapillary migration of liquid droplets in a temperature gradient in a density matched system

An experimental investigation of thermocapillary flow in droplets of a vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil) immersed in silicone oil was conducted in a test cell with a heated top wall and a cooled bottom wall. The liquids are nearly immiscible and have equal densities at a temperature below the room temperature, thus providing a simulation of low-gravity conditions by reducing the buoyancy forces. The interfacial tension between the two oils was measured in the temperature range 20 to 50 C using a capillary tube and (d sigma)/(d T) was determined to be negative. Droplets ranging in sizes from 3 mm to 1 cm diameter were injected into the silicone oil. The vertical temperature profile in the bulk liquid (silicone oil) produces temperature variations along the interface which induce variations in the interfacial tension. The flow inside the droplet driven by the resulting interfacial shear stresses was observed using a laser light-sheet flow visualization technique. The flow direction is consistent with the sign of (d sigma)/(d T). The observed maximum surface velocities are compared to the theoretical predictions of Young et al. (1959)

Measuring Diffusion of Liquids by Common-Path Interferometry

A method of observing the interdiffusion of a pair of miscible liquids is based on the use of a common-path interferometer (CPI) to measure the spatially varying gradient of the index refraction in the interfacial region in which the interdiffusion takes place. Assuming that the indices of refraction of the two liquids are different and that the gradient of the index of refraction of the liquid is proportional to the gradient in the relative concentrations of either liquid, the diffusivity of the pair of liquids can be calculated from the temporal variation of the spatial variation of the index of refraction. This method yields robust measurements and does not require precise knowledge of the indices of refraction of the pure liquids. Moreover, the CPI instrumentation is compact and is optomechanically robust by virtue of its common- path design. The two liquids are placed in a transparent rectangular parallelepiped test cell. Initially, the interface between the liquids is a horizontal plane, above which lies pure liquid 2 (the less-dense liquid) and below which lies pure liquid 1 (the denser liquid). The subsequent interdiffusion of the liquids gives rise to a gradient of concentration and a corresponding gradient of the index of refraction in a mixing layer. For the purpose of observing the interdiffusion, the test cell is placed in the test section of the CPI, in which a collimated, polarized beam of light from a low-power laser is projected horizontally through a region that contains the mixing layer

Interfacial tension measurement of immiscible liq uids using a capillary tube

The interfacial tension of immiscible liquids is an important thermophysical property that is useful in the behavior of liquids both in microgravity (Martinez et al. (1987) and Karri and Mathur (1988)) and in enhanced oil recovery processes under normal gravity (Slattery (1974)). Many techniques are available for its measurement, such as the ring method, drop weight method, spinning drop method, and capillary height method (Adamson (1960) and Miller and Neogi (1985)). Karri and Mathur mention that many of the techniques use equations that contain a density difference term and are inappropriate for equal density liquids. They reported a new method that is suitable for both equal and unequal density liquids. In their method, a capillary tube forms one of the legs of a U-tube. The interfacial tension is related to the heights of the liquids in the cups of the U-tube above the interface in the capillary. Our interest in this area arose from a need to measure small interfacial tension (around 1 mN/m) for a vegetable oil/silicon oil system that was used in a thermocapillary drop migration experiment (Rashidnia and Balasubramaniam (1991)). In our attempts to duplicate the method proposed by Karri and Mathur, we found it quite difficult to anchor the interface inside the capillary tube; small differences of the liquid heights in the cups drove the interface out of the capillary. We present an alternative method using a capillary tube to measure the interfacial tensions of liquids of equal or unequal density. The method is based on the combined capillary rises of both liquids in the tube

Changes in the turbulent boundary layer structure associated with net drag reduction by outer layer manipulators

A specially designed wind tunnel was used to examine the effects of tandemly arranged parallel plate manipulators (TAPPMs) on a turbulent boundary-layer structure and the associated drag. Momentum balances, as well as measurements of the local shear stress from the velocity gradient near the wall, were used to obtain the net drag and local skin friction changes. Two TAPPMs, identical except for the thickness of their plates, were used in the study. Results with .003 inch plates were a maximum net drag reduction of 10 percent at 58 beta sub o (using a momentum balance). At 20 beta sub o, simultaneous laser sheet flow visualization and hot-wire anemometry data showed that the Reynolds stress in the large eddies was significantly reduced, as were the streamwise and normal velocity components. Using space-time correlations the reductions were again identified. Furthermore, quantitative flow visualization showed that the outward normal velocity of the inner region was also significantly decreased in the region around 20 beta sub o. However, throughout the first 130 beta sub o, the measured sublayer thickness with the TAPPMs in place was 15 to 20 percent greater. The data showed that the skin friction, as well as the structure of the turbulence, was strongly modified in the first 35 beta sub o, but that they both significantly relaxed toward unmanipulated boundary layer values by 50 beta sub o

Diffusivity Measured as a Function of Concentration

Optical diagnostic techniques have become an integral part of many measurements in industrial and research laboratories. Many types of interferometers and their phase-shifted versions have been used to measure optical wave fronts for lens testing and combustion and fluid flow diagnostics. One such instrument is the point diffraction interferometer (PDI), which is considered to be robust because it has a common-path design. However, the PDI is difficult to align and has limited measurement range for liquid phase applications. Interferometry and schlieren techniques have been widely used for many years for gas flow visualization

Bubble Dynamics on a Heated Surface

In this work, we study the combined thermocapillary and natural convective flow generated by a bubble on a heated solid surface. The interaction between gas and vapor bubbles with the surrounding fluid is of interest for both space and ground-based processing. On earth, the volumetric forces are dominant, especially, in apparatuses with large volume to surface ratio. But in the reduced gravity environment of orbiting spacecraft, surface forces become more important and the effects of Marangoni convection are easily unmasked. In order to delineate the roles of the various interacting phenomena, a combined numerical-experimental approach is adopted. The temperature field is visualized using Mach-Zehnder interferometry and the flow field is observed by a laser sheet flow visualization technique. A finite element numerical model is developed which solves the two-dimensional momentum and energy equations and includes the effects of bubble surface deformation. Steady state temperature and velocity fields predicted by the finite element model are in excellent qualitative agreement with the experimental results. A parametric study of the interaction between Marangoni and natural convective flows including conditions pertinent to microgravity space experiments is presented. Numerical simulations clearly indicate that there is a considerable difference between 1-g and low-g temperature and flow fields induced by the bubble

High Data Density Temperature Measurement for Quasi Steady-State Flows

A new optical instrument, the liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI), is used to measure the temperature distribution across a heated chamber filled with silicone oil. Data taken using the LCPDI are compared to equivalent measurements made with a traversing thermo-couple and the two data sets show excellent agreement. This instrument maintains the compact, robust design of Linniks point diffraction interferometer and adds to it phase stepping capability for quantitative interferogram analysis. The result is a compact, simple to align, environmentally insensitive interferometer capable of accurately measuring optical wave-fronts with very high data density and with automated data reduction

Robust Quantitative Measurement of Flows and Transparent or Highly Reflective Objects

The liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI) is a new instrument that has been developed for the measurement of phase objects. The LCPDI uses the compact, robust design of Linnik's point diffraction interferometer and adds to it phase stepping capability for quantitative interferogram analysis. The result is a compact, simple to align, environmentally insensitive interferometer capable of accurately measuring optical wave-fronts. A solid state camera provides very high data density and automated data reduction. The instrument can measure either transparent objects like fluids and lenses, or highly reflective opaque objects like mirrors. In the former case, the refractive index distribution is measured and then related to various properties like temperature, density, chemical composition, or thickness. In the latter case, the measured phase distribution is related to the object shape. The objects measured must be stationary or quasisteady state because the measurement requires the acquisition of several frames of image data during which time the object's properties must not have changed. The data acquisition time depends on the speed of the frame grabber and the required number of data frames. Typically, three to five frames taking 1 to 2 seconds are required. The potential for faster data acquisition exists

Effect of Marangoni Convection Generated by Voids on Segregation During Low-G and 1-G Solidification

Solidification experiments, especially microgravity solidification experiments are often hampered by the evolution of unwanted voids or bubbles in the melt. Although these voids and/or bubbles are highly undesirable, there are currently no effective means of preventing their formation or eliminating their adverse effects, particularly, during low-g experiments. Marangoni Convection caused by these voids can drastically change the transport processes in the melt and, therefore, introduce enormous difficulties in interpreting the results of the space investigations. Recent microgravity experiments by Matthiesen, Andrews, and Fripp are all good examples of how the presence of voids and bubbles affect the outcome of costly space experiments and significantly increase the level of difficulty in interpreting their results. In this work we examine mixing caused by Marangoni convection generated by voids and bubbles in the melt during both 1-g and low-g solidification experiments. The objective of the research is to perform a detailed and comprehensive combined numerical-experimental study of Marangoni convection caused by voids during the solidification process and to show how it can affect segregation and growth conditions by modifying the flow, temperature, and species concentration fields in the melt. While Marangoni convection generated by bubbles and voids in the melt can lead to rapid mixing that would negate the benefits of microgravity processing, it could be exploited in some terrestrial processing to ensure effective communication between a melt/solid interface and a gas phase stoichiometry control zone. Thus we hope that this study will not only aid us in interpreting the results of microgravity solidification experiments hampered by voids and bubbles but to guide us in devising possible means of minimizing the adverse effects of Marangoni convection in future space experiments or of exploiting its beneficial mixing features in ground-based solidification

A phase-stepped point diffraction interferometer using liquid crystals

A new instrument, the liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI), has been developed for the measurement of phase objects. This instrument maintains the compact, robust design of Linnik's point diffraction interferometer (PDI) and adds to it phase stepping capability for quantitative interferogram analysis. The result is a compact, simple to align, environmentally insensitive interferometer capable of accurately measuring optical wavefronts with high data density and with automated data reduction. The design of the LCPDI is briefly discussed. An algorithm is presented for eliminating phase measurement error caused by object beam intensity variation from frame-to-frame. The LCPDI is demonstrated by measuring the temperature distribution across a heated chamber filled with silicone oil. The measured results are compared to independently measured results and show excellent agreement with them. It is expected that this instrument will have application in the fluid sciences as a diagnostic tool, particularly in space based applications where autonomy, robustness, and compactness are desirable qualities. It should also be useful for the testing of optical elements, provided a master is available for comparison