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An apparatus to measure the drag on an oscillating 3 mm niobium sphere in superfluid helium has been built and tested. A Nb-Ti superconducting solenoid is used to suspend the niobium sphere; meanwhile a similar superconducting quadruple magnet centers and helps to stabilize the ball at one location in the flow channel. The niobium sphere is levitated by the superconducting magnetic suspension system; then the oscillation is obtained by dropping the ball from one equilibrium point to a lower equilibrium point via reducing the magnetic field. The sphere's oscillation is then recorded with a high-speed CCD camera. The velocity of the sphere is then obtained by comparing the images captured and the distance the sphere has moved with time. Drag force is calculated through its relation to the maximum velocity decay rate. The sphere is contained within a closed end channel that allows measurements in liquid or gaseous helium and vacuum.
Drag Measurement, Magnetic Suspension, He II Turbulence
Date of Defense
March 27, 2009.
Submitted Note
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references.
Advisory Committee
Steven Van Sciver, Professor Directing Thesis; Chiang Shih, Committee Member; Eric Hellstrom, Committee Member.
Publisher
Florida State University
Identifier
FSU_migr_etd-4132
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