Computational modeling and experimental investigation of using vibration to mixing and separation of a gas bubbles and a liquid in reduced and microgravity conditions

Abstract

The main purpose of the present research is the computational modeling of the gas bubbles behavior in the vibrating fluid under reduced and microgravity conditions. The manuscript presents the results of work of the developed computer model of the gas bubbles behavior in the vibrating fluid under reduced and microgravity conditions, and the experimental investigation of using vibration to mixing and separation of a gas bubbles and a liquid in reduced and microgravity conditions. The theoretical conclusions and numerical calculations of the developed computer model have been proved on the conducted parabolic aircraft's tests. The tests showed that the developed computer model can be used in a practice to modeling the real gas bubbles behavior in the vibrating fluid under real reduced and microgravity conditions. The developed computer model allowed to forecast that vibration can be used to control of the gas bubbles moving in vertical direction (from top to bottom and, on the contrary, from bottom to top) in the liquid under reduced gravity and microgravity that can be used for degassing fluid (the separation of the gas bubbles, of the solid particles from the fluid) and that the gas bubbles can be injected (the gas bubbles, the solid particles, and fluid mixing) into the different fluids in such conditions.. The tests have permitted practically to realize on the aircraft’s board the main goal of the present research: the separation and the mixing of the gas bubbles and liquids (melted materials) by using the controlled vibration under reduced gravity and microgravity conditions. The developed process can be used by the same manner to separation and mixing of solid particles, dense drops and different liquids under reduced gravity and microgravity conditions. Therefore, the process can be used also in the conceptual design of a space based gas-solid particles-dense drops-liquid management systems and to emulsions, aerosols, composite (or crystal) materials processing under reduced and microgravity conditions. Keywords: The computer modeling; Vibration; Electric field influence on a fluid; Mixing and Separation in the Gas-Fluid system; Microgravity.