STRUCTURE AND LIFTOFF IN COMBUSTION EXPERIMENT (SLICE)
Research Area: Combustion Science
Expedition(s): 27- 30
Principal Investigator(s): ● Marshall B. Long, PhD, Yale University, New Haven,
Connecticut
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Structure and Liftoff in Combustion Experiment (SLICE) investigates the nature of flames in
microgravity. The results from these experiments could lead to improved fuel efficiency and
reduce pollutant emissions in practical combustion on Earth.
EARTH BENEFITS
SLICE enables improvements in the design of practical combustion devices such as engines and
furnaces. The improved design capability leads to reduced time and cost for the development
of new products.
SPACE BENEFITS
SLICE findings could possibly aid the development of future space-based combustion devices
such as solid waste processing for example.
RESULTS
Once data analysis of the SLICE investigation is complete, results will be published.
PUBLICATION(S)
Cao S, Ma B, Bennett BV, et al. A computational and experimental study of coflow laminar
methane/air diffusion flames: Effects of fuel dilution, inlet velocity, and gravity. Proceedings of
the Combustion Institute. 2015;35:897-903. doi: 10.1016/j.proci.2014.05.138.
Ma B, Cao S, Giassi D, et al. An experimental and computational study of soot formation in a
coflow jet flame under microgravity and normal gravity. Proceedings of the Combustion
Institute. June 2014;35(1):839-846. doi: 10.1016/j.proci.2014.05.064.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
The lifted nature of the flames can be discerned from the outward flare of the flame base in the example
images below (which are not at the same scale) and the distance from the nozzle tip (which is not visible).
NASA Glenn Research Center image.