Abstract
This paper describes the gas-liquid separation for various hydraulic systems those can be used in the microgravity environment such as space. Methods for the separation of gas entrained in silicone oil and in liquid nitrogen are proposed. The principle of gas-liquid separation for silicone oil is based on the electrostatic force, and the principle for liquid nitrogen on a newly devised reducing plug with a heating filter.
A concept of the microgravity experiment for evaluating the performance of the gas-liquid separation methods for both silicone oil and liquid nitrogen developed is also provided. In the microgravity experiment an aircraft is employed.
The visualisation experiment in microgravity environment aimed at the understandings of the fluidic behaviors of the gas-liquid two phase flow consisting of silicone oil and air bubbles was carried out prior to the development of gas-liquid separation methods.
