Microgravity Combustion Research

This book provides an introduction to understanding combustion, the burning of a substance that produces heat and often light, in microgravity environments-i.e., environments with very low gravity such as outer space. Readers are presented with a compilation of worldwide findings from fifteen years of research and experimental tests in various low-gravity environments, including drop towers, aircraft, and space.Microgravity Combustion is unique in that no other book reviews low- gravity combustion research in such a comprehensive manner. It provides an excellent introduction for those researching in the fields of combustion, aerospace, and fluid and thermal sciences. * An introduction to the progress made in understanding combustion in a microgravity environment* Experimental, theoretical and computational findings of current combustion research* Tutorial concepts, such as scaling analysis* Worldwide microgravity research findings

An earlier overview is updated which introduced the promise of microgravity combustion research and provided a brief survey of results and then current research participants, the available set of reduced gravity facilities, and plans for experimental capabilities in the space station era. Since that time, several research studies have been completed in drop towers and aircraft, and the first space based combustion experiments since Skylab have been conducted on the Shuttle. The microgravity environment enables a new range of experiments to be performed since buoyancy induced flows are nearly eliminated, normally obscured forces and flows may be isolated, gravitational settling or sedimentation is nearly eliminated, and larger time or length scales in experiments are feasible. In addition to new examinations of classical problems, (e.g., droplet burning), current areas of interest include soot formation and weak turbulence, as influenced by gravity. Glenn Research Center RTOP 674-22-05...

The use of the microgravity environment of space to expand scientific knowledge and to enable the commercial development of space for enhancing the quality of life on Earth is particularly suitable to the field of combustion. This document reviews the current status of microgravity combustion research and derived information. It is the fourth in a series of timely surveys, all published as NASA Technical Memoranda, and it covers largely the period from 1995 to early 1999. The scope of the review covers three program areas: fundamental studies, applications to fire safety and other fields. and general measurements and diagnostics. The document also describes the opportunities for Principal Investigator participation through the NASA Research Announcement program and the NASA Glenn Research Center low-gravity facilities available to researchers.Friedman, Robert (Editor) and Gokoglu, Suleyman A. (Editor) and Urban, David L. (Editor)Glenn Research CenterRESEARCH; MICROGRAVITY; COMBUSTION; SURVEYS; SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION; DIAGNOSIS

For thirty years the NASA microgravity program has used space as a tool to study fundamental flow phenomena that are important to fields ranging from combustion science to biotechnology. This book assesses the past impact and current status of microgravity research programs in combustion, fluid dynamics, fundamental physics, and materials science and gives recommendations for promising topics of future research in each discipline. Guidance is given for setting priorities across disciplines by assessing each recommended topic in terms of the probability of its success and the magnitude of its potential impact on scientific knowledge and understanding; terrestrial applications and industry technology needs; and NASA technology needs. At NASA's request, the book also contains an examination of emerging research fields such as nanotechnology and biophysics, and makes recommendations regarding topics that might be suitable for integration into NASA's microgravity program.