Nonlinear Variable-Diffusivity Moisture Transport in Zero Gravity Porous Media Space Applications

2009-01-2584

07/12/2009

Event
International Conference On Environmental Systems
Authors Abstract
Content
The mass transport in porous media for space applications is complicated by the absence of the stabilizing gravitational potential. Generally, the spatially-resolved moisture diffusivity in porous media is a function of the local saturation. Formal solutions of very few specific variable-diffusivity parabolic flows are known. We are using the finite difference numerical methods to solve the nonlinear wetting and de-wetting diffusion dynamics in microgravity conditions. Two different functional relationships between the saturation and the moisture-diffusivity were considered. The half-saturation action-radius and the zone-of-influence of the porous suction tubes on the cold-plate porous material are especially adversely affected by the exponentially changing, saturation-dependent, diffusivity. Clogging and biofouling dramatically decrease dynamic response and performance of the porous media flow.
Meta TagsDetails
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/2009-01-2584
Pages
14
Citation
Daidzic, N., "Nonlinear Variable-Diffusivity Moisture Transport in Zero Gravity Porous Media Space Applications," SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-2584, 2009, https://doi.org/10.4271/2009-01-2584.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jul 12, 2009
Product Code
2009-01-2584
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English