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Important two-phase fluid mechanics problems that are dominated or significantly affected by capillary effects are not oddities but rather daily events in our lives. Seemingly unrelated topics such as the economics of satellite television and pulmonary health and safety research share capillary fluids physics. Current and future miniaturized two-phase heat transfer loops and fuel cells possess similar concerns. This seminar presents research in a number of capillary fluids topics on Earth and in orbit. An energy method code, Surface Evolver, is exploited to address a variety of engineering and science issues. Details of the modeling are discussed, including advantages of the surface mesh, the excellent high-fidelity contact angle boundary condition, and the broad applicability of the code. Results from work in the control and gauging of liquid rocket propellants in orbit, sealing of pulmonary passages by droplets, infiltration of liquid into porous media, critical contact angle determination, space station fluids experiment design, the 2500 liter Dewar in the recently-launched Gravity Probe-B satellite, and similar are presented. Conclusions drawn from these results demonstrate the great efficiency of applying energy methods to capillary fluids problem in engineering and science. |
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