Magnetic Compensation of Gravity: Experiments with Oxygen.

The CEA Grenoble, through the ESEME/SBT team, has developed a new ground based facility providing magnetic compensation of gravity in oxygen. A 2T superconducting magnetic coil has been used to create the magnetic field. The installation is described. Well adapted to the heat and mass transfer studies, for example of the various boiling regimes, it permits to enhance the understanding of these phenomena in reduced gravity and gives a convenient way to reproduce space conditions on the ground. The first experimental results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]