EAGER: Critical Gap-Wetting Experiments in the Emerging Commercial Rocket Industry's Low-Gravity Research Environment

0940678Collicott这项研究将进行实验，以测试预测的临界润湿三维容器。临界润湿是双流体系统的性质，其中固体容器的相对润湿性（由液体在固体上的接触角描述）和容器的形状决定液体是否将在容器中形成有限高度单值静态界面。3D模型将跟踪临界润湿现象缺乏坚实的数学基础和实验验证的条件，这些条件存在于二维圆柱形容器中的临界润湿。当液体保留在一个区域中或液体芯吸到另一个区域时，不能正确地预测临界润湿导致依赖于毛细流体物理学的装置或系统的性能降低或故障。这两种行为在今天运行的许多小规模流体系统中都很重要，并展望了未来。预测这样的条件对于适当的两相流体系统操作是重要的，例如对于小型燃料电池通道中的水管理、肺部健康、基于MEMS的医疗和其他仪器以及液体推进系统。计划中的实验将是新兴的商业亚轨道火箭飞行业的首批实验之一。它将提供其他方法无法获得的结果，并且将比通过传统的亚轨道火箭测试计划更快，更便宜地提供这些结果。在当地，这种影响将通过影响，这NSF资助的研究将在普渡大学本科生的机会。普渡大学新闻社公布的这一研究领域过去的研究进展已经产生了国际范围的积极消息。这一实验方案将表明，新兴的亚轨道火箭工业如何在不久的将来有效地用于关键研究。

0940678CollicottThis research will perform experiments to test predictions of critical wetting in three-dimensional containers. Critical wetting is the property of a two-fluid system where the relative wettability of the solid container, described by the contact angle of a liquid on the solid, and the shape of the container determine whether the liquid will form a finite-height single-valued static interface in a container. 3D models will track conditions where the critical wetting phenomenon lacks the solid mathematical foundation and experimental verification that exists for critical wetting in two-dimensional cylindrical containers. Failure to properly predict critical wetting leads to reduced performance or failure in devices or systems that rely on capillary fluid physics when the liquid remains in one region or the liquid wicks away to another region. Both behaviors are important in numerous small-scale fluids systems operating today and envisioned for the future. Predicting such conditions is important for proper two-phase fluid system operations, such as for water management in small fuel cell channels, pulmonary health, MEMS-based medical and other instrumentation, and liquid propulsion systems. The planned experiment will be one of the first to fly in the emerging commercial sub-orbital rocket flight industry. It will deliver results that cannot be obtained by other methods and will deliver these results far faster and cheaper than through traditional sub-orbital rocket test programs. Locally, the impact will be through the impact that this NSF-funded research will have on undergraduate opportunities at Purdue. Past research advances of this research area publicized by Purdue News Service have generated positive news of international scope. This experimental program will show how the emerging sub-orbital rocket industry may be effectively used for critical research for the near future.