Near-critical convection in ground-based and microgravity environments

Paper presents results of the experimental and theoretical research of near-critical fluids in ground-based and microgravity carried out during last three years following a general concept of free convection research, which is based on experimental data on the ground and in microgravity for validation of mathematical models for near-critical fluids. New ground-based experimental results with the use of “Alice-1” instrument, which was on “MIR” station and returned on the ground, are discussed. Models and codes for free convection near-critical fluids are considered on the basis of the unsteady Navier–Stokes equations with thermoacoustic filtering, full unsteady Navier–Stokes equations and Boussinesque approach which is used for calibration. Examples of the thermal type of the unsteady flow on the ground and in microgravity and average convective motions observed in microgravity are discussed.