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Transient response of a rectangular cavity to pulsed gravity conditions

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5995842
Increasing space engineering applications necessitates a complete and thorough understanding of fluid flow in low-gravity environments. To identify and clearly define meaningful low-gravity fluid problems it is necessary first to study the effects of gravity and its consequences on fluids. Heat transfer through fluids in a closed container at nominal gravity is under extensive study. The influence of gravitational magnitude and direction on natural convection is the subject of previous study. This paper analyzes the fluid transient response to a step change in gravitational magnitude. Such a transient response will play a critical role in safety analyses of nuclear space reactors as this situation will result from any change in the orbit of the reactor station. The case described in this paper indicates overshoot and undershoot in heat transfer during a change in natural convection transient. There also is a finite time, governed by some time constant, for reaching new steady-state conditions.
OSTI ID:
5995842
Report Number(s):
CONF-881011-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 57
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English