Abstract
A numerical model is developed to investigate the velocity fields of high prandtl number liquid bridge with surface deformation under microgravity. The Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the energy conservation equation are solved on a staggered grid. In the numerical calculations, the free surface deformation and the effects of ambient air are considered. The surface deformation of liquid bridge is captured by using level set method of mass conservation. Results of lateral and axial velocities on different radius are given. The lateral and axial velocities near the free surface are larger than that near the center of liquid bridge. The lateral velocity and axial velocities on the interface tend to be uniform with the development of thermocapillary convection.
Highlights
Due to the effect of surface tension on the interface, the marangoni convection appears when the surface tension gradient exceeds the viscous force on the free surface[1,2]
The change of surface tension caused by the variations of temperature along the free surface generates the flow called thermocapillary convection
The key parameters are Re UlUL Pl, Reynolds number, where L is the characteristic length defined as L 2R, where R is the initial radius of the liquid bridge
Summary
Due to the effect of surface tension on the interface, the marangoni convection appears when the surface tension gradient exceeds the viscous force on the free surface[1,2]. The change of surface tension caused by the variations of temperature along the free surface generates the flow called thermocapillary convection. The space technology has been developed rapidly, and the buoyancy is ignored and the effect of marangoni convection becomes important under microgravity environment. Researches on thermocapillary convection have been an important topic in space science and fluid mechanics. In order to better research and control thermocapillary convection, the numerical simulation model for liquid bridge of half floating zone has been established to investigate this process. Many scholars have conducted related experiments and numerical simulations using the half-floating zone model without considering the effect of ambient air[3]. Some scholars conducted studies to investigate flow and temperature fields in liquid bridges involving the effects of ambient air. The flow characteristic has been still in debate for high Pr number liquid bridges (Pr>15)
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