Abstract

Solidification of a liquid sphere under weightlessness

L.G. Badratinova, I.V. Belova, N.A. Leontyev

J. Microgravity Sci. Technol., 4, No. 2, 1991, pp. 85 - 86.

Language english [download]

As a sphere, initially fully melted and then cooled over the whole surface, transforms into a solid state, stresses develop there due to a spatial inhomogeneity of temperature field and admixture concentration. Significant stresses may also develop due to the change of material density upon crystallization. The effects of thermoelastic, concentration, and shrinkage stresses on crystallization of semiconducting and metal specimens were studied theoretically. The nonuniqueness of the solution describing the process of liquid sphere solidification in a spherically symmetrical cooling regime is the main result of this paper.