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At least 451 records · Page 25

Phase change solidification dynamics

Phase change solidification phenomena in n- hexadecane for spacecraft thermal control systems, considering two or three dimensional models

Golden, J. O.↗

An investigation of the solidification of a metal and two n-paraffins using an acoustic technique.

A novel acoustic technique is described for following the motion of the solid-liquid interface during the freezing of mercury, n-hexadecane and n-octadecane where heat transfer is unidirectional. It is shown that the actual amount of solidification occurring in a given time differs from that predicted using a numerical solution to the transient heat conduction problem. The differences are small for mercury but large for the paraffins. They are interpreted in terms of the nature of the solid-liquid interface. Furthermore the experimental and predicted temperature distributions in the liquid and solid phases differ. These differences are extremely small for mercury. The data for the three materials conform to a relationship observed previously according to which the thickness of the solidified layer is a linear function of the square root of time.

Bailey, J. A.↗

Segregation effects during solidification in weightless melts

Two types of melt segregation effects were studied: (1) evaporative segregation, or segregation due to surface evaporation; and (2) freezing segregation, or segregation due to liquid-solid phase transformation. These segregation effects are closely related. In fact, evaporative segregation always precedes freezing segregation to some degree and must often be studied prior to performing meaningful solidification experiments. This is particularly true since evaporation may cause the melt composition, at least at the critical surface regions or layers to be affected manyfold within seconds so that the surface region or layer melting point and other thermophysical properties, nucleation characteristics, base for undercooling, and critical velocity to avoid constitutional supercooling, may be completely unexpected. An important objective was, therefore, to develop the necessary normal evaporation equations for predicting the compositional changes within specified times at temperature and to correlate these equations with actual experimental data collected from the literature.

Li, C.↗

Investigation of solidification in zero-gravity environment; M553 sphere forming experiment. Phase C: Evaluation of Skylab specimens

Results on specimen evaluation and discussion of solidification behavior in each case are reported in the following order: (1) specimen SL-1.6, (2) specimen SL-2.8, (3) specimen SL-2.4, (4) specimen SL-1.10 and (5) specimen SL-1.11. Comparison is made with ground-processed specimens of similar composition, whenever pertinent and meaningful. Among the nondestructive evaluation methods the measurement of sphericity was conducted by micrometric and shadowgraphic techniques. The intricate shape of specimens in some cases appeared difficult to define. In measuring the density, liquid penetration inside cavities that outcrop on the surface was avoided by sealing off these cavities. Among the destructive evaluation methods the use of the Quantimet 720 required particular attention, because of the small difference in contrast between second phases and micropores. With regard to microporosity microvoids in the core of some specimens were so fine that X-ray microradiography had to be used.

Kattamis, T. Z.↗

Further analysis of field effects on liquids and solidification

Numerical calculations of the magnitude of external field effects on liquids are presented to describe how external fields can influence the substructure of the field. Quantitative estimates of magnetic and gravitational effects are reported on melts of metals and semiconductors. The results are condensed in tables which contain the input data for calculation of the field effects on diffusion coefficient, solidification rate and for calculation of field forces on individual molecules in the melt.

Seiler, R. F.↗

Radial and directional solidification of metallic systems in space

Investigation of the solidification behavior of spherical specimens of Ni-12 wt % Sn and Ni-1 wt % Ag that froze radially from the surface toward the center and cylindrical specimens of Al-33 wt % Cu eutectic that froze directionally under appropriately selected conditions of thermal gradient at the solid-liquid interface and growth rate. Possible effects of vacuum and low gravity conditions, under which the spherical specimens were processed, on observed nucleation and growth phenomena are discussed. A genetic explanation is given of observed microstructures, and the distributions of alloying elements is discussed. In directionally solidified eutectic specimens a comparison is made between statistically evaluated growth defects in Skylab and in ground specimens.

Katamis, T. Z.↗

Solidification of NaCl-NaF eutectic in space

Continuous and discontinuous NaF fibers, embedded in a NaCl matrix, have been produced in space and on earth, respectively. The production of continuous fibers in a eutectic mixture was attributed to the absence of convection current in the liquid during solidification in space. Image transmission and optical transmittance measurements of transverse sections of the space-grown and earth-grown ingots were made with a light microscope and a spectrometer. It was found that better optical properties were obtained from samples grown in space. This was attributed to a better alignment of NaF fibers along the ingot axis.

Yue, A. S.↗

Further analysis of field effects on liquids and solidification. Study of the liquid-solid transition for materials processing in space

Expressions for diffusion coefficient, D, and solidification rate, Uc, from the free volume model of liquids developed by Turnbull and Cohen have been used to estimate the effects which microgravity and magnetic fields will have on these quantities. The mathematical formalism describing changes in D and Uc is the same for both the microgravity and magnetic field cases, but the difference between the magnitudes of the two effects is quite large. The change in D and Uc is found to be less than 0.0001% for the microgravity case and on the order of 0.1 to 1.1% for the magnetic field case for four representative materials. D and Uc are found to increase under the influence of an applied magnetic field, and this is in agreement with experimental observations.

Seiler, R. F.↗