The history and the recent trend of the combustion research in microgravity were explained. Especially the behaviors of a candle flame, droplet combustion and a burner diffusion flame in microgravi ty were discussed in detail. Some new findings by means of microgravity fields were also introduced. In addition, as typical research examples of microgravity combustion, two topics were demonstrated: the measurement of the flammability limit by a counterflow burner at well-controlled very slow flow velocities, and the measurement of the flame propagation speed in fine solid particles dispersed with air.
In order to understand the formation mechanisms of gravitational segregation of solidified eutectic alloys, Sounding Rocket T R- l A No. 4 will be used. This article introduces the apparatus and experimental procedures in the rocket experiment. Six samples of Sn-Pb alloy containing 36, 38.1 and 40 mass%Pb are to be used and solidified isothermally under microgravity conditions. In order to compare the gravitational segregation of the ingot under the acceleration of gravity, 1 g, 10 g and 10- g,three samples of them will be melted before launching.