Non-isothermal Wetting of an Al Alloy Pin by Al-Si Melt under Terrestrial and Microgravity Conditions

Gravity is important in multiphase flows as its influence on migration of free liquid surfaces may be comparable to capillary, thermal and compositional effects. Flow of liquid metal over solid surfaces is a type of a problem where microgravity conditions may change wetting and spreading behavior substantially. The problem of viscous flow of a braze Al-Si material on a surface of a metal pin has been studied both experimentally and by means of phase-field simulations. The meniscus shape as a function of time is analyzed at different gravity conditions and melt masses. It was found that, for the considered quantities of brazing fluids, gravity does not have a sizeable impact on meniscus formation. We present the simulations and experimental data obtained in the joint NASA-Roscosmos space experiment BRAINS (REAL) onboard of the ISS.