Sixth International Microgravity Combustion Workshop
Sacksteder, Kurt
Experiments: CFI
This conference proceedings document is a compilation of papers presented orally or as poster displays to the Sixth International Microgravity Combustion Workshop held in Cleveland, Ohio on May 22-24, 2001. The purpose of the workshop is to present and exchange research results from theoretical and experimental work in combustion science using the reduced-gravity environment as a research tool. The results are contributed by researchers funded by NASA throughout the United States at universities, industry and government research agencies, and by researchers from international partner countries that are also participating in the microgravity combustion science research discipline. These research results are intended for use by public and private sector organizations for academic purposes, for the development of technologies needed for Human Exploration and Development of Space, and to improve Earth-bound combustion and fire-safety related technologies.
Test conditions.
Extracted from the paper by AI · “Verified” means a person checked it
| Fuel | O₂ | Pressure | Airflow | Sensors | Source | AI conf. | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| smoldering solid fuel (unspecified) sample size unspecified |
— | 1.0 atm | forced flow (microgravity) | — | p. 38 | 95% | Pending |
| smoldering solid fuel (unspecified) sample size unspecified |
— | 1.2 atm | forced flow (normal gravity) | — | p. 38 | 95% | Pending |
| smoldering solid fuel (unspecified) sample size unspecified |
— | 2.0 atm | natural convection (normal gravity) | — | p. 38 | 95% | Pending |
| methane gas-fueled, rotating porous-disk burner |
air | normal atmospheric pressure | impinging flow of oxidizer | — | p. 113 | 85% | Pending |
| methanol droplet |
— | — | — | — | p. 251 | 90% | Pending |
| heavy oil / HOR droplet |
— | — | — | — | p. 279 | 90% | Pending |
Findings.
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01
In microgravity forced flow smolder tests, the minimum ambient pressure for self-sustaining smolder is 1.0 atm.
Other · p. 38 · AI confidence 95% · Reported · Pending
“In the microgravity tests, this minimum pressure is 1.0 atm”
-
02
In normal gravity forced flow smolder tests, the minimum ambient pressure for self-sustaining smolder is 1.2 atm.
Other · p. 38 · AI confidence 95% · Reported · Pending
“In the forced flow normal gravity tests this minimum pressure is 1.2 atm”
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03
In normal gravity natural convection smolder tests, the minimum ambient pressure for self-sustaining smolder is 2.0 atm.
Other · p. 38 · AI confidence 95% · Reported · Pending
“in the natural convection tests it is 2.0 atm”
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04
Radiative transfer becomes more dominant in the absence of buoyancy (microgravity) compared to normal gravity.
Other · p. 146 · AI confidence 90% · Reported · Pending
“Consequently, radiative transfer becomes more dominant in the absence of buoyancy”
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05
For methanol droplets less than 3 mm in diameter, extinction is mainly caused by water accumulation in the liquid phase.
Suppression · p. 251 · AI confidence 90% · Reported · Pending
“For droplets of less than 3 mm in diameter, extinction is mainly caused by water accumulation in the liquid phase”
-
06
At initial droplet diameters around 4 mm, extinction is indicative of radiative extinction.
Suppression · p. 251 · AI confidence 90% · Reported · Pending
“At d0 ~4 mm, both the model and experimental data show a sharp, nearly discontinuous increase in the extinction diameter, indicative of radiative extinction”
-
07
Microexplosions in the thermal decomposition stage of heavy oil droplets were more intensive and frequent than in the inner evaporation stage.
Other · p. 279 · AI confidence 90% · Reported · Pending
“In comparison with the inner evaporation stage, microexplosions in the thermal decomposition stage were more intensive and frequent”