Droplet vaporization in supercritical pressure environments

For most liquid-fueled combustion systems the behavior of the fuel as it is introduced to the combustion zone, often by spray injection, will have a significant impact on combustion. The subsequent combustion may be affected to a considerable degree by the initial spread of the liquid, break-up of larger fuel sheets and droplets into droplets of various sizes, droplet vaporization, and diffusion of gaseous fuel. Among the many factors which affect spray break-up and droplet vaporization are the environmental conditions into which the spray is introduced. For both diesel engines and rockets the environment pressure and temperature may be above the critical pressure and temperature of the injected fuel. In a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, the environment consists primarily of air, at pressures from 20 to 100 atmospheres and temperatures ranging from 900 to 1500 K. Even higher pressures are encountered in turbocharged diesels. A typical diesel reference fuel, dodecane, has a thermodynamic critical pressure of about 17 atmospheres, and a critical temperature of 600 K. Fuel is injected into a diesel engine environment in which ambient pressures exceed the critical pressure. While droplet temperatures are subcritical at first, they may rise to the critical temperature or higher.This paper will survey current understanding of supercritical pressure droplet vaporization. Specifically, the topics covered will include: liquid phase behavior; vapor phase behavior; thermodynamic and transport properties; droplet distribution and break-up; micro-explosions; and effects of microgravity.     

Problems related to non-linear variations of surface tension

Generally, the tension at a liquid/gas interface is decreasing with temperature. For aqueous solution of alcohol, alkylammonium chloride in water, some binary metallic alloys and nematic liquid crystals the surface tension presents an extremum as a function of temperature. The influence of this property on the hydrodynamic stability and on the surface tension induced flows is studied as well theoretically as experimentally.     

Military computing — the last generation

This article examines the computing requirements of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Dr Din points to the massive software problems inherent in SDI programming requirements, and raises the crucial issue of the potential bypassing of human control in any actual outbreak of hostilities.     

A permanent lunar base : Alternatives and choices

It appears virtually certain that humans will return to the lunar surface to stay and exploit the lunar resources. The only remaining question is who, when and how humankind will go there to establish a permanent lunar base. This article describes the decision-making process of determining the parameters of a lunar base. It offers modelling options as a frame of reference for planning the lunar base and its logistic support, and gives the reasons why a detailed analysis of the options and forward planning should have a high priority now.     

Soviet proposals on the militarization of space

The USSR has submitted several proposals to the United Nations in recent years which are aimed at avoiding the militarization of outer space. This article examines three of the proposals and evaluates them in the context of existing treaties, to see whether or not they could resolve the political and legal problems which might arise. The reactions of the United Nations General Assembly and individual nations are also considered. The author concludes that several questions regarding the military aspects of space activity are left unresolved by the Soviet proposals.     

Shaping peace

Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev, in his January 1986 speech, expressed a hope that the level of nuclear weapons would before long be greatly reduced. The Soviet Embassy in Sri Lanka invited Arthur C. Clarke to comment on the General Secretary's speech. This article is his response.     

International participation and the space station : A contractor's perspective

This article presents the views of the Boeing company on the benefits and disadvantages of international participation in the space station. The author outlines the company's goals within the project, and makes some recommendations on how to reduce the concerns which arise from international cooperation, in order to maximize the benefits which could be achieved.     

带轴对称台阶的圆锥高超声速边界层转捩试验

在Ma 6风洞内,通过高频脉动压力测试技术和基于纳米粒子示踪的平面激光散射(NPLS)技术,分别对带前向、后向轴对称台阶的圆锥高超声速边界层转捩进行了试验研究。采用功率谱密度分析和互相关计算等方法对脉动压力数据进行分析,得到了边界层中扰动波的发展规律,定量分析了第二模态波的相关参数。结果显示：两种模型中第二模态波在沿流向向下游发展的过程中,其幅值均先增大再衰减、特征频率均逐渐减小;特征频率和传播速度整体上均随雷诺数的增大而增加(后台阶模型中特征频率由100 kHz增至196 kHz,前台阶中则由 97 kHz 增至174 kHz)、波长变化规律则与之相反(后台阶中由6.35 mm降至4.54 mm,前台阶由7.35 mm降至 4.66 mm );后台阶模型中第二模态波初次出现位置比前台阶中更靠近上游,边界层转捩位置较前台阶前移。将NPLS结果与高频脉动压力测试结果进行对比,两者吻合较好。     

US Military space policy 1945–92

This article uses space power theory to analyse the military space policy of the United States during the Cold War period up to the demise of the Soviet Union. It examines the consensus that emerged during this period which sought to prevent the weaponization of space. This consensus was called into question during the latter period with the announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative and its subsequent orientation to Global Protection Against Limited Strikes system.