Microgravity Combustion

[FPEatUMD]

I don't understand the question.

[21blue64]

Interersting isn't it?

[ray666]

i heard the flame would go out by itself because since its in zero-g, co2 doesn't get away from the flame and it will choke it

[FPEatUMD]

Depends on how much airflow you have, but it is true that in zero-g, hotter gasses have no direction in which to be buoyant. However, they expand and diffuse, so it really does depend.

[95ellington]

So, gravity does play in role in determining the shape of the flame.

[farnium]

That is amazing, I always wondered what a zero-G flame would look like.

[dmix09]

lol intro&credits were lyke 85% of the video.. but still awesome~

[Vyggy]

Looks a little like an a-bomb. If you know what I mean. Pity it was so short. Could have been repeated and slowed down.

[Pimpmastahanhduece]

thats cuz fire isnt much different cept where the energy comes from and how much is released, fire is just a wave of thermal energy just like a ball of plasma like a nuke, convection makes one a mushroom and one a flame pointing up.

[FPEatUMD]

This isn't entirely true. Wave of thermal energy is far from describing either of these phenomena. While it's true convection contributes more to the signature mushroom shape, it's because it hits the troposphere and flattens out due to the large ambient temperature spike, and that the center of the explosion is MUCH hotter than the rest of the base of the explosion.

[FPEatUMD]

The atom bomb is an explosion, which means lots of simultaneous reactions inside the explosion barrier due to the rapid expansion. Flames have a 'flame barrier' where the oxygen/fuel ratio is such that the redox reaction takes place, and we see the visible flame.

[Pimpmastahanhduece]

that doesnt disprove what i said.according to what you said,a nuclear bomb's energy ball is the actual ball of plutonium/hydrogen in the middle compressed to small orb because thats where the actual reaction is occurring.the only difference between the "flame" of a nuke compared to a fire is yield and spontaneity.obviously while the air beyond the visible flame is glowing,in the infrared spectrum,a nuke is the same cept the core is gamma rays,and the outside IS visible because of the intensity.

[xSkippydx]

if only there were a longer video of this. i was kinda disappointed that the credits were 2/3 of the video clip.

[FPEatUMD]

Unfortunately, the facility that this experiment was carried out in is only capable of sustaining microgravity for that long due to the height of the tower.

[heartcoldfusion]

And how high does a tower have to be to sustain microgravity for for five seconds?

[FPEatUMD]

It needs to be at least 245 meters tall.

[UfoAreUFO]

wow. Very interesting. Not just 245 meters, but this video as well. Excellent

[Mamba205]

Actually, the height of the NASA Glenn 5.2 second drop tower is 145 meters. Some of it, however, must be underground, because after 5 seconds of accelerating at 1g (neglecting air resistance), an object would have travelled 147.09 meters. Then, there's the extra .2 seconds-which would mean that the tower goes underground.

[serisAK]

looks like one of those plazma ball things. but with fire.

[therottenchannel]

like a star!

[flamingxombie]

Way to go Peter!