Hypergravity experiments on multiphase media evolution

• Published in: Science China. Technological sciences Vol. 65; no. 12; pp. 2791 - 2808
• Main Authors: Chen, YunMin, Tang, Yao, Ling, DaoSheng, Wang, YuBing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Science China Press 01.12.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Centrifuges; Engineering; Evolution; Experiments; Geotechnical engineering; Gravitational effects; Gravitational fields; Materials science; Media; Melts; Multiphase; Review; Solidification; physical modeling; centrifuge; solidification of alloy melts; hypergravity experiments; multiphase media
• ISSN: 1674-7321; 1869-1900
• DOI: 10.1007/s11431-022-2125-x

The gravitational field affects the evolution of multiphase media, such as rocks, soil, and alloy melts. Hypergravity increases the body force of matter, enhancing the driving force of the relative motion between substances with different densities and accelerating the evolution of multiphase media. Hypergravity experiments provide a new approach to exploring the motion of multiphase media and solving engineering problems. Hypergravity experiments have been conducted in different disciplines, such as materials science, geological science, and geotechnical engineering However, the knowledge barriers between various research fields have caused the development of centrifuges/inflight devices and theoretical research on the mechanisms of matter in motion in hypergravity to lag behind the application of hypergravity experiments, limiting the progress in these experiments. This article systematically summarizes and proposes the fundamentals of hypergravity experiments, while the scientific challenge of the nonlinear hypergravity effect induced by high hypergravity on multiphase media evolution is clarified. Evaluation criteria are proposed for the noninertial frame effects of the centrifugal hypergravity field. The development of the high-centrifugal acceleration, large-capacity, and long-beam centrifuges are determined as the future research direction. Representative cases are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and great potential of the hypergravity experiments for the solidification of alloy melts and physical modeling. Challenges in the experimental methodology are also clarified. This paper reviews the fundamentals and applications of hypergravity experiments in various disciplines, pointing out the research direction of hypergravity experiments on multiphase media evolution.