Levitated liquid dynamics in reduced gravity and gravity-compensating magnetic fields

Abstract

Dynamic models are used to investigate the behavior of liquid droplets suspended in alternating current and direct current magnetic fields in microgravity and in various configurations providing conditions similar to microgravity. The realistic magnetic fields of solenoidal coils are used for the modeling experiments with electrically conducting (liquid silicon or metal) droplets. At high values of magnetic field, some oscillation modes are damped quickly, while others are modified with a considerable shift of the oscillating droplet frequencies and the damping constants from the nonmagnetic case. On a larger scale, the models are used to investigate the melting and heating process of reactive materials. It is demonstrated how 1 kg of liquid titanium in a traditional "cold" crucible-type furnace can be fully levitated without contact to wall to achieve high superheat of the melt. © 2012 TMS.