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| WV - West Virginia University |
http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~wwwzerog |
| Proposal
ID: 2010-2486 |
Flight Week: June 17-26, 2010 |
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Controlling Fuel Sloshing Through the Use of a Ferromagnetic Solvent Manipulated via an Electromagnetic Field |
Propellant sloshing in microgravity occurs when a force is applied to a fuel container during launch, maneuvering, or docking. The resulting sloshing motion of the liquid can alter the trajectory of the spacecraft which may cause mission delays or failure. These effects are amplified in microgravity because the fluid sloshing is prolonged due to the lack of gravitational forces. Therefore, controlling this fluid sloshing behavior is essential for accurate spacecraft navigation. The proposed experiment studies the feasibility of controlling sloshing in microgravity using a ferromagnetic fluid (ferrofluid) and an electromagnetic field. The magnetic field effects induced on the ferrofluid emulate an effective body force as a substitute for the lacking gravitational force that will help to confine the fluid, alter any sloshing frequencies, and provide damping of such a system.
The use of a magnetic field is expected to help confine the ferrofluid in its desired position and to increase damping of any resulting sloshing motion under microgravity conditions. The ferrofluid EFH1, commercially manufactured by Ferrotec Inc., is currently being considered for use in testing due to the availability of literature identifying its fluid properties. A stepper motor, connected to one cylindrical and one two-dimensional test tank by linkages, will induce sloshing by setting the tanks into oscillatory motion. Once significant sloshing is apparent, the motor will be stopped and the resulting effect of the magnetic field on the ferrofluid will be recorded. Fluid level measurements of the liquid free surface will be correlated to the sloshing motion. Various methods of data collection will be used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The data collected will be used to analyze the effects of the electromagnetic field upon the ferrofluids sloshing behavior under microgravity conditions.
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