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Observations of Confinement of a Paramagnetic Liquid in Model Propellant Tanks in Microgravity by the Kelvin ForceThe magnetic Kelvin force has been proposed as an artificial gravity to control the orientation of paramagnetic liquid propellants such as liquid oxygen in a microgravity environment. This paper reports experiments performed in the NASA "Weightless Wonder" KC-135 aircraft, through the Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. The aircraft flies through a series of parabolic arcs providing about 25 s of microgravity in each arc. The experiment was conceived, designed, constructed, and performed by the undergraduate student team and their two faculty advisors. Two types of tanks were tested: square-base prismatic tanks 5 cm x 5 cm x 8.6 cm and circular cylinders 5 cm in diameter and 8.6 cm tall. The paramagnetic liquid was a 3.3 molar solution of MnCl2 in water. Tests were performed with each type of tank filled to depths of 1 cm and 4 cm. Each test compared a pair of tanks that were identical except that the base of one was a pole face of a 0.6 Tesla permanent magnet. The Kelvin force attracts paramagnetic materials toward regions of higher magnetic field. It was hypothesized that the Kelvin force would hold the liquid in the bottom of the tanks during the periods of microgravity. The tanks were installed in a housing that could slide on rails transverse to the flight direction. By manually shoving the housing, an identical impulse could be provided to each tank at the beginning of each period of microgravity. The resulting fluid motions were videotaped for later analysis.
Document ID
20030005614
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kuhlman, John
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Gray, Donald D.
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Barnard, Austin
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Hazelton, Jennifer
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Lechliter, Matthew
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Starn, Andrew
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Battleson, Charles
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Glaspell, Shannon
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Kreitzer, Paul
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Leichliter, Michelle
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: Sixth Microgravity Fluid Physics and Transport Phenomena Conference: Exposition Topical Areas 1-6
Volume: 2
Subject Category
Fluid Mechanics And Thermodynamics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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