Effect of spaceship orbital transfer on solution convection during protein crystal growth under microgravity

Abstract

Detailed numerical analysis is presented for the effect of spaceship orbital transfer on solution convection during protein crystal growth under microgravity. The results show that the flow and mass transfer during protein crystal growth are unsteady in the process of orbital transfer. For the case of quasi-steady acceleration, the flow is so weak that the effect of flow on concentration field can be negligible. For the case of position adjustment, the convection is enhanced with protein crystal diameter dc > 0.2 mm and slightly alters the purely diffusive concentration distribution under zero gravity condition. For the case of motor working, the solute transport is mainly controlled by convection and the concentration field near the crystal surface is altered obviously.

Рост кристаллов при спонтанной кристаллизации в неинерциальных системах в условиях космической станции и в условиях Земли на примере синтеза и роста кристаллов CrSi-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=- из раствора-расплава Zn

“…Эксперименты показывают, что кристаллизация в условиях невесомости (космической станции, КС) и в условиях Земли значительно отличаются [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. В частности отмечается существенное влияние условий невесомости [4] на форму выращенных кристаллов на форму кристаллов таких как CrSi 2 [1,2], 4 He [5] и InGaSb [7].…”