FSL
(Fluid Science Laboratory iin Columbus)

The major objective of performing fluid science experiments in space is to study dynamic phenomena in the absence of gravitational forces. Under microgravity such forces are almost entirely eliminated thereby significantly reducing gravity-driven convection, sedimentation and stratification and fluid static pressure, allowing the study of fluid dynamic effects normally masked by gravity. These effects include diffusion-controlled heat and mass transfer in crystallisation processes. The absence of gravity-driven convection eliminates the negative effects of density gradients (inhomogeneous mass distri-bution) that arise in processes involving heat treatment, phase transitions, diffusive transport or chemical reaction.