Flow Induced Charging of Liquids in Reduced Gravity

Microgravity experiments on free fluid surfaces of large length scale could be subject to experimental artifact from flow induced charging. Under conditions favorable for flow induced charging, flowing liquids develop a static electrical charge which manifests itself as a force whose magnitude approaches that of surface tension force. Favorable conditions are: a non-conducting liquid, a small diameter non-conducting flow passage, a large flow volume, and a small separation distance between the fluid and another object. We present a method for calculating the magnitude of flow induced charging and scaling arguments so that potential problems can be determined and dealt with at the experimental design phase. A dimensionless ratio of charge force to surface tension force we call the Hula Number should be less than 0.5 to prevent artifact or unwanted fluid motion.