Low-gravity process engineering: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:37, 19 August 2024

Revision as of 22:06, 15 September 2024

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{{Short description|Space manufacturing and fluid behavior}}

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'''Low-gravity process engineering''' is a specialized field that focuses on the design, development, and optimization of industrial processes and manufacturing techniques in environments with reduced [[gravitational]] forces.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Ostrach |first=S |date=January 1982 |title=Low-Gravity Fluid Flows |url=https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev.fl.14.010182.001525 |journal=Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics |language=en |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=313–345 |doi=10.1146/annurev.fl.14.010182.001525 |bibcode=1982AnRFM..14..313O |issn=0066-4189}}</ref> This discipline encompasses a wide range of applications, from [[Weightlessness|microgravity]] conditions experienced in Earth orbit to the partial gravity environments found on celestial bodies such as the [[Moon]] and [[Mars]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781482265057 |title=Physics of Fluids in Microgravity |date=2002-01-10 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-429-17706-4 |editor-last=Monti |editor-first=Rodolfo |edition=0 |language=en |doi=10.1201/9781482265057}}</ref>

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Microgravity conditions offer unique advantages for various [[biotechnology]] applications.

[[Protein crystallization]] in space often results in larger, more well-ordered crystals compared to those grown on Earth. These high-quality crystals are valuable for [[structural biology]] studies and drug design.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=DeLucas |first1=L. J. |last2=Smith |first2=C. D. |last3=Smith |first3=H. W. |last4=Vijay-Kumar |first4=S. |last5=Senadhi |first5=S. E. |last6=Ealick |first6=S. E. |last7=Carter |first7=D. C. |last8=Snyder |first8=R. S. |last9=Weber |first9=P. C. |last10=Salemme |first10=F. R. |date=1989-11-03 |title=Protein crystal growth in microgravity |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2510297/ |journal=Science (New York, N.Y.) |volume=246 |issue=4930 |pages=651–654 |doi=10.1126/science.2510297 |issn=0036-8075 |pmid=2510297|bibcode=1989Sci...246..651D }}</ref> The microgravity environment reduces sedimentation and convection, allowing for more uniform crystal growth.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McPherson |first1=Alexander |last2=DeLucas |first2=Lawrence James |date=2015-09-03 |title=Microgravity protein crystallization |journal=npj Microgravity |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=15010 |doi=10.1038/npjmgrav.2015.10 |pmid=28725714 |pmc=5515504 |issn=2373-8065}}</ref>

[[Cell culturing in open microfluidics|Cell culturing]] and tissue engineering benefit from the reduced mechanical stresses in microgravity. This environment allows for [[Three-dimensional space|three-dimensional]] cell growth and the formation of tissue-like structures that more closely resemble [[in vivo]] conditions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Grimm |first1=Daniela |last2=Wehland |first2=Markus |last3=Pietsch |first3=Jessica |last4=Aleshcheva |first4=Ganna |last5=Wise |first5=Petra |last6=van Loon |first6=Jack |last7=Ulbrich |first7=Claudia |last8=Magnusson |first8=Nils E. |last9=Infanger |first9=Manfred |last10=Bauer |first10=Johann |date=2014-04-04 |title=Growing tissues in real and simulated microgravity: new methods for tissue engineering |journal=Tissue Engineering. Part B, Reviews |volume=20 |issue=6 |pages=555–566 |doi=10.1089/ten.TEB.2013.0704 |issn=1937-3376 |pmc=4241976 |pmid=24597549}}</ref> Such studies contribute to our understanding of [[Cell biology|cellular biology]] and may lead to advancements in [[regenerative medicine]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Becker |first1=Jeanne L. |last2=Souza |first2=Glauco R. |date=2013-04-12 |title=Using space-based investigations to inform cancer research on Earth |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nrc3507 |journal=Nature Reviews Cancer |language=en |volume=13 |issue=5 |pages=315–327 |doi=10.1038/nrc3507 |pmid=23584334 |issn=1474-1768}}</ref>

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[[Chemical kinetics|Reaction kinetics]] in microgravity can be altered due to the absence of buoyancy-driven [[convection]]. This can lead to more uniform reaction conditions and potentially different reaction rates or product distributions.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eigenbrod |first1=C. |last2=König |first2=J. |last3=Moriue |first3=O. |last4=Schnaubelt |first4=S. |last5=Bolik |first5=T. |date=1999 |title=Experimental and Numerical Studies on the Autoignition Process of Fuel Droplets |journal=Microgravity Combustion: Fire in Free Fall|s2cid=58899849 }}</ref>

Separation processes, such as distillation and extraction, face unique challenges in low-gravity environments. The lack of buoyancy affects phase separation and mass transfer, requiring novel approaches to achieve efficient separations.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chakavarti |first1=Bulbul |last2=Chakavarti |first2=Deb |date=2008-06-12 |title=Electrophoretic separation of proteins |journal=Journal of Visualized Experiments: JoVE |issue=16 |pages=758 |doi=10.3791/758 |issn=1940-087X |pmc=2583038 |pmid=19066548}}</ref> These challenges have led to the development of alternative separation technologies for space applications.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Martin |first1=Gary |last2=Rhome |first2=Robert |date=1995-01-09 |title=Microgravity research in a space station environment |url=https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.1995-388 |journal=33rd Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit |language=en |publisher=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |doi=10.2514/6.1995-388}}</ref>

Catalysis in space presents opportunities for studying fundamental catalytic processes without the interfering effects of gravity. The absence of natural convection and sedimentation can lead to more uniform catalyst distributions and potentially different reaction pathways.<ref name=":2" /> This research may contribute to the development of more efficient catalysts for both space and terrestrial applications.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dreyer |first1=Michael |last2=Delgado |first2=Antonio |last3=Path |first3=Hans-Joseph |date=1994-03-01 |title=Capillary Rise of Liquid between Parallel Plates under Microgravity |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021979784710927 |journal=Journal of Colloid and Interface Science |volume=163 |issue=1 |pages=158–168 |doi=10.1006/jcis.1994.1092 |bibcode=1994JCIS..163..158D |issn=0021-9797}}</ref>

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=== Drop towers and parabolic flights ===

[https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Research/Drop_towers Drop towers] provide short-duration microgravity environments by allowing experiments to free-fall in evacuated shafts. These facilities typically offer 2-102–10 seconds of high-quality microgravity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Steinberg |first=Ted |date=2008 |title=Reduced Gravity Testing and Research Capabilities at Queensland University of Technology's New 2.0 Second Drop Tower |url=https://www.scientific.net/AMR.32.21 |journal=Advanced Materials Research |language=en |volume=32 |pages=21–24 |doi=10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.32.21 |issn=1662-8985}}</ref> Notable examples include [[Glenn Research Center|NASA's Glenn Research Center]] [https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/facilities/drop/ 2.2-Second Drop Tower] and the 146-meter [[ZARM]] Drop Tower in Bremen, Germany.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=von Kampen |first1=Peter |last2=Kaczmarczik |first2=Ulrich |last3=Rath |first3=Hans J. |date=July 2006 |title=The new Drop Tower catapult system |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0094576506000762 |journal=Acta Astronautica |language=en |volume=59 |issue=1–5 |pages=278–283 |doi=10.1016/j.actaastro.2006.02.041|bibcode=2006AcAau..59..278V }}</ref>

[[Reduced-gravity aircraft|Parabolic flights]], often referred to as "vomit comets," create repeated periods of microgravity lasting 20-2520–25 seconds by flying aircraft in [[Parabolic arch|parabolic arcs]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Karmali |first1=Faisal |last2=Shelhamer |first2=Mark |date=September 2008 |title=The dynamics of parabolic flight: flight characteristics and passenger percepts |journal=Acta Astronautica |volume=63 |issue=5–6 |pages=594–602 |doi=10.1016/j.actaastro.2008.04.009 |issn=0094-5765 |pmc=2598414 |pmid=19727328|bibcode=2008AcAau..63..594K }}</ref> These flights allow researchers to conduct hands-on experiments and test equipment destined for space missions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pletser |first1=Vladimir |last2=Rouquette |first2=Sebastien |last3=Friedrich |first3=Ulrike |last4=Clervoy |first4=Jean-Francois |last5=Gharib |first5=Thierry |last6=Gai |first6=Frederic |last7=Mora |first7=Christophe |date=2015-09-01 |title=European parabolic flight campaigns with Airbus ZERO-G: Looking back at the A300 and looking forward to the A310 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117715003622 |journal=Advances in Space Research |volume=56 |issue=5 |pages=1003–1013 |doi=10.1016/j.asr.2015.05.022 |bibcode=2015AdSpR..56.1003P |issn=0273-1177}}</ref>

=== Sounding rockets and suborbital flights ===