Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T05:24:48.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment: Evolution of Teleoperational Control of Materials Research in Microgravity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J.C. Lacombe ,
M.B. Koss ,
A.O. Lupulescu ,
J.E. Frei  and
M.E. Glicksman
J.C. Lacombe
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, 12180-3590
M.B. Koss
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, 12180-3590
A.O. Lupulescu
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, 12180-3590
J.E. Frei
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, 12180-3590
M.E. Glicksman
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, 12180-3590
Get access

Abstract

Exactly one year ago, the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) completed its third and final orbital space flight aboard the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP) on STS-87. The IDGE conducted 180 experiments on dendritic growth in 5-9's succinonitrile (SCN), a BCC material used on USMP-2 and USMP-3, and over 100 experiments on 4-9's pivalic acid (PVA), an FCC material used on USMP-4. IDGE film and telemetry data provide benchmark tip velocity and radii versus supercooling for critically testing transport theory and the interfacial physics of diffusion-limited dendritic growth. Post-flight application of optical tomography is providing the first tip shape data allowing quantitative tests of three-dimensional phase field calculations. Several new discoveries were made during each flight concerning the behavior of dendrites at low driving forces, and the influences of time-dependent pattern features and noise. A summary of these scientific highlights will be provided.

The IDGE instrument was upgraded on each successive flight, improving its optics and electronics, especially the capability for teleoperational control. Near real-time, full gray-scale video was accommodated on USMP-4, allowing investigation of non-steady-state features and time-dependent growth dynamics. A short example of video from space will be shown. USMP-4 science was teleoperated by a student cadre for 16 days from a remote site established by NASA at RPI. This operational experience provides valuable insights, which will be drawn upon for future microgravity experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 551: Symposium JJ – Materials in Space-Science, Technology & Exploration , 1998 , 235
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Glicksman, M.E. and Marsh, S.P., The Dendrite, in Handbook of Crystal Growth, Hurle, D.T.J., ed., (Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers, 1993), 1077–1122.Google Scholar
2 Glicksman, M.E. and Huang, S.C., Convective heat Transfer During Dendritic Growth, in Convective Transport and Instability Phenomena. Karlsruhe, Z.a.O., ed., :, 1982), 557.Google Scholar
3 Glicksman, M.E., Koss, M.B., and Winsa, E.A., “The Chronology of a Microgravity Spaceflight Experiment: IDGE,” Journal Of Metals, 47 (8) (1995), 51–54.Google Scholar
4 Glicksman, M.E. et al. , Metallurgical Transactions A, 19A (1988), 1945.Google Scholar
5 Glicksman, M.E., Koss, M.B., and Winsa, E.A., “Dendritic Growth Velocities in Microgravity,” Physical Review Letters, 73 (4) (1994), 573–576.Google Scholar
6 Glicksman, M.E. et al. , “Dendritic Growth of Succinonitrile in Terrestrial and Microgravity Conditions as a Test of Theory,” Iron and Steel Institute of Japan International, 35 (6) (1995), 604–610.Google Scholar
7 Koss, M.B. et al. , “Manuscript submitted to Metallurgical and Materials Transactions,” Unpublished Research, (1998),Google Scholar
8 Lupulescu, A.O. et al. , Unpublished research, 1998.Google Scholar
9 Sekerka, R.F., Coriell, S.R., and McFadden, G.B., “Stagnant Film Model of the Effect of Natural Convection on the Dendrite Operating State,” Journal of Crystal Growth, 154 (1995), 370–376.Google Scholar
10 Pines, V., Chait, A., and Zlatkowski, M., “Thermal Diffusion Dominated Dendritic Growth -An Analysis of the Wall Proximity Effect,” Journal of Crystal Growth. 167 (1996), 383–386.Google Scholar
11 Koss, M.B. et al. , “The Effect of Convection on Dendritic Growth Under Microgravity Conditions,” Chemical Engineering Communications, 152–153 (1996), 351–363.Google Scholar
12 Tennenhouse, L.A. et al. , “Use of Microgravity to Interpret Dendritic Growth Kinetics at Small Supercoolings,” Journal of Crystal Growth, 174 (1997), 82–89.Google Scholar
13 Tennenhouse, L.A. et al. , Unpublished research, 1998.Google Scholar
14 LaCombe, J.C. et al. , “Three-Dimensional Dendrite-Tip Morphology,” Physical Review E, 52 (3) (1995), 2778–2786.Google Scholar
15 LaCombe, J.C. et al. , Dendrite Tip-Shape Characteristics, proceedings of Materials Research Society Fall Meeting. 1995. Boston, MA: MRS.Google Scholar
16 LaCombe, J.C. et al. , Unpublished research, 1998.Google Scholar
17 Schaefer, R.J., “The Validity of Steady-State Dendrite Growth Models,” Journal of Crystal Growth, 43 (1978), 17–20.Google Scholar
18 Koss, M.B. et al. , Development of a University Based Remote Teleoperations Site for the Performance of Experiments in Microgravity, proceedings of 8th International Symposium on Experimental Methods for Microgravity Materials Science. 1996: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society. Google Scholar