Space experimental studies of microgravity fluid science in China

Abstract

Microgravity fluid physics is an important part of microgravity sciences, which consists of simple fluids of many new systems, gas-liquid two-phase flow and heat transfer, and complex fluid mechanics. In addition to the importance of itself in sciences and applications, microgravity fluid physics closely relates to microgravity combustion, space biotechnology and space materials science, and promotes the developments of interdisciplinary fields. Many space microgravity experiments have been performed on board the recoverable satellites and space ships of China and pushed the rapid development of microgravity sciences in China. In the present paper, space experimental studies and the main results of the microgravity fluid science in China in the last 10 years or so are introduced briefly. microgravity fluid physics, microgravity gas-liquid two-phase flow, microgravity complex fluid, microgravity combustion, space biotechnologyThe technologies of rockets and satellites require the study of the fluid management problem in the storage tanks, and such problems of microgravity engineering in the microgravity environment have been studied in China during the development of space technology [1] . Studies on microgravity sciences in China were started in the late 1980s, when the scientists completed some space experiments on board the Chinese recoverable satellites by the promotion of the National HighTechnology Research Program of China. Main research subjects were the scientific experiments of materials science, in charged by the experts of the Institute of Semiconductor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Lanzhou Institute of Physics [2][3][4] , and experiments of space biology, in charged by the experts of life sciences in the CAS [5][6][7] . Some nice results were obtained, although resources of space experiments on board the recoverable satellite were relatively limited in the preliminary period.Microgravity fluid physics is an import part of microgravity sciences, and requires relatively complicated experimental facility in general, mostly the optical diagnostic instrumentations. Theoretical and experimental studies of the microgravity fluid physics on the ground were started relatively early in China [8] ; the scientists of China and Japan jointly completed the microgravity experiments of the thermocapillary convection in floating half zone [9] and drop Marangoni migration [10] using the JAMIC drop shift in Hokkaido and the MGLAB drop shift in Toki respectively before the foundation of the Beijing Drop Tower, and the experimental results were nice. China's first space experiment of fluid physics was completed 10 years later after the initiation of one of the materials science. The experiments of Marangoni convection and thermocapillary convection in two immiscible liquid layers were performed on board the SJ-5

Alterations in the activity and sleep of Drosophila melanogaster under simulated microgravity

“…In addition, it must be noted that although RPM is helpful for the study of space life, it cannot provide real microgravity 23 , 29 , 35 . Therefore, we are also actively looking for opportunities to carry out in-orbit experiments to verify the results and accurately explore the similarities and differences and restrictions on ground-based experiments 35 , 80 .…”

Flight test results for the Microgravity Active Vibration Isolation System employed in the Fluid Physics Research Rack on-board the Chinese Space Station

“…For example, thermal convection on the surface of the earth, which is dominated by body force, differs considerably from that in space, which is dominated by surface force. This has led to increasing interest in research focusing on the motion characteristics of fluids and gases, such as heat and mass transfer processes, fluid dynamics, and complex fluid physics, observed under microgravity conditions and under variations in gravity 1,2 . Accordingly, numerous microgravity fluid physics experiments have been conducted on manned space stations 3 .…”