Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Shlichta, P. J..
Two-dimensional mapping of a solution's temperature and concentration profiles is possible in principle by pointwise combination of data from simultaneous absorption and interferometric images. Preliminary feasibility analysis and experiments indicate that adequate precision is attainable for selected solution crystallization systems.
Sodium chlorate crystals growing from unstirred aqueous solutions were observed by Schlieren techniques. Growth rate data were best correlated by a Sherwood number with finite interface kinetics and a characteristic length equal to the crystal height plus the inverse reciprocal sum of the horizontal dimensions. The growth rate was slightly higher when the plume was laminar than when it was irregular. The horizontal growth rate was greater than the vertical growth rate, with the ratio tending to decrease with increasing plume instability. The threshold Grashof number for plume instability was greatly decreased with decreasing height for crystals with the same horizontal dimensions. The velocity of the eddies approached a constant value with increasing distance above the crystal surface, the terminal value being roughly proportional to the ratio of the square root of the Rayleigh number to the crystal characteristic length.
The paper examines convection phenomena during the growth of sodium chlorate crystals from solution. Schlieren observations of sodium chlorate crystals suspended in supersaturated solutions showed that with increase in supersaturation or crystal size, the boundary layer on the side faces was stable while the top boundary layer and emerging plume changed from stable to partially oscillatory. The transition was a function of the Grashof number, Gr sub top, and the crystal height. Gr sub top correlated with plume width, number of streamlines, eddy density, and plume velocity, but the oscillation period correlated with the weight increase growth rate. The mass transfer rate, the linear growth rate, and growth of vertical and horizontal faces are discussed, and an estimate of boundary layer flow vs growth rate for near-critical stable convection indicated that growth of side faces depleted over half of the excess solute in the boundary layer. Impulse energies greatly in excess of the threshold value caused transient separation of the boundary layer on the top face, and plume wavering due to background-induced fluid motion was observed only at the lowest supersaturations.
Two crystal growth processes considered for spacelab experiments were studied to anticipate and understand phenomena not ordinarily encountered on earth. Computer calculations were performed on transport processes in floating zone melting and on growth of a crystal from solution in a spacecraft environment. Experiments intended to simulate solution growth at micro accelerations were performed.
Contact rule for rigid-sphere models of crystal structures
A special micromanipulation tool equipped with a plunger mounted in a small tube can be easily adapted to such work operations as cutting, precision clamping, and spot welding of microscopic filaments or other parts. This tool is valuable where extreme steadiness of high magnification is required.
Predeformation effects on mechanical properties of sodium chloride crystals
A low-power microscope or telescope provides a simple means of autocollimation. This is done by fitting the instrument with a light source to permit alignment from a reflecting surface normal to the optic axis of the instrument.
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