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Diffusion Coefficient Measurements Under Reduced Gravity Conditions by Means of the Shear Cell Technique. The Impact of Free Surfaces

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Abstract

A recent computational methodology is applied here in order to analyze the impact of free surfaces on the measurement of the interdiffusion coefficients if shear cells are used. Calculations indicate that the above-mentioned impact depends on the intensity of the solutal Marangoni convection but mainly on the number of active Marangoni segments, that is to say, on the extent of the free surface considered. Bulk solutal convection due to reduced gravity levels is not relevant if the gravity vector acts orthogonally to the gradient of concentration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, IEEC, Barcelona, Spain

    Xavier Ruiz

  2. Applied Physics Lab., Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain

    Xavier Ruiz

  3. Mechanical Engineering Department, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain

    Jordi Pallarés

Authors
  1. Xavier Ruiz
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  2. Jordi Pallarés
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Correspondence to Xavier Ruiz.

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Ruiz, X., Pallarés, J. Diffusion Coefficient Measurements Under Reduced Gravity Conditions by Means of the Shear Cell Technique. The Impact of Free Surfaces. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 23, 173–180 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-010-9241-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-010-9241-6

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