Features of the Vibroturbulization Process in Microgravity Conditions

Abstract

Recently the task of the intensification of the existing technological processes using the intensive mixing of different environment, which are characterized by different densities (water + gas, water + solid particles + gas, water + oil so forth) is actual. The conducted studies have shown that when vibration with a certain frequency and vibration acceleration is applied to a vessel with a fluid that has a above fluid surface air region, a resonance phenomenon - vibroturbulization occurs, in which the above fluid surface air region in a vessel with a fluid is sucked to the bottom of a vibrating vessel, forming air bubbles that take an active part in intensive mixing of several immiscible fluids, which leads to a homogeneous mixture production. Shoikhedbrod presented a theoretical description of the vibroturbulization process in the form of a mathematical model and the calculation of its optimal physical parameters, which were used in the intensification of existing technological processes (flotation) and in the development of completely new technological processes: the advanced foams production, the uniform fully dense ceramics production and the prevention of the destruction of biodiesel during storage and transportation. The paper presents results of theoretical modeling of features of the process of vibroturbulization: the air capture, the movement of the formed air bubbles in the water to the bottom of vibrating vessel, the creation of a "working" above of surface of fluid air at the vessel bottom under vibroturbulization frequency 91 Hz and controlled rise of a "working" above of surface of fluid air at vibration frequency increase under constant vibration accelerate of 150m/sec2 in conditions of microgravity, confirmed during flight tests aboard of flying laboratory aircraft IL-76K, permitted to develop the methods of vibroturbulization process use for intensive mixing of a fluid (crystalline solution) or melt with internal components neutralizing the convective processes of non-gravitational type occurring in microgravity: Marangoni convection, as well as (in the presence of residual gravity) small thermo gravitational processes with purpose of advanced monocrystals growth; for uniform foam materials production: injection a filler (“working” above of surface of fluid (salol melt) air, created in the vibroturbulization mode) into the matrix melt (salol melt) by smoothly increasing of the vibration frequency and using isotropic properties of microgravity to uniformly distribution of the injected filler throughout the entire volume of the matrix melt.