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Capillary Flow in an Interior CornerThe design of fluids management processes in the low-gravity environment of space requires an accurate model and description of capillarity-controlled flow in containers of irregular geometry. Here we consider the capillary rise of a fluid along an interior corner of a container following a rapid reduction in gravity. The analytical portion of the work presents an asymptotic formulation in the limit of a slender fluid column, slight surface curvature along the corner, small inertia, and low gravity. New similarity solutions are found and a list of closed form expressions is provided for flow rate and column length. In particular, it is found that the flow is proportional to t(exp 1/2) for a constant height boundary condition, t(exp 2/5) for a spreading drop, and t(exp 3/5) for constant flow. In the experimental portion of the work, measurements from a 2.2s drop tower are reported. An extensive data set, collected over a previously unexplored range of flow parameters, includes estimates of repeatability and accuracy, the role of inertia and column slenderness, and the effects of corner angle, container geometry, and fluid properties. Comprehensive comparisons are made which illustrate the applicability of the analytic results to low-g fluid systems design.
Document ID
19970010346
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Thesis/Dissertation
Authors
Weislogel, Mark Milton (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1996
Subject Category
Fluid Mechanics And Heat Transfer
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.15:107364
NASA-TM-107364
E-10526
Accession Number
97N15537
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 962-24-00
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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