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Numerical study of steady thermocapillary convection in a cylindrical half-floating-zone
Date Issued
01-01-2010
Author(s)
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
Nishino, Koichi
Abstract
Numerical investigations are carried out to study the steady thermocapillary flow in a half-floating-zone, suspended vertically between two differentially heated disks of circular cross-section. The surface tension driven flow inside the floating zone gets strongly influenced by the flow conditions of the surrounding gas. Computations are carried out over a wide range of Marangoni numbers (Ma) to investigate the flow behavior in the floating zone and surrounding gas and heat transfer at the liquid-gas interface. A comparison of flow and temperature fields within the liquid bridge and the surrounding air under normal and microgravity conditions has been presented. Heating of the confined and unconfined ambient gas is observed to influence the radial and axial temperature gradients at the liquid-gas interface and within the liquid bridge which in turn affects the nature of thermocapillary flow. © 2010 Begell House, Inc.
Volume
37