Desenvolvimento de um clinostato tridimensional com três eixos de rotação que permite a troca de suportes de amostras

Abstract

In recent decades, studies with astronauts and animals have shown that during and after space flights, the function of many organs and systems has undergone physiological changes, including changes in the liquid head, loss of fluids and electrolytes, muscle loss, and reduced immune response. There are also some experiments showing that the gravity can influence the formation of the crystal structure of substances and the virulence of the microorganisms. The experiments in space flights have high cost and limited access. In this context, it became necessary to develop a tool to be able to study some changes that can occur in microorganisms and crystals in microgravity simulation on earth, such as a three-dimensional clinostat. The present dissertation aims to develop a three-dimensional clinostat with three axes of rotation clockwise adjusting the speed of rotation with the possibility to change the supports for application in different types of samples which was modeled and simulated using the software PRO Engineer, allowing calculating the microgravity and centrifugation for each bracket. In comparison to the three previous projects built in the Microgravity Center (FENG / PUCRS), the innovations of this device are an additional axis of revolution, the diversification of the sample support and microgravity factor calculation for each type of sample. The development in the simulation software provided an improvement of the project, adjusts of the previous prototype, cost reduction in construction and adjustments necessary to obtain the expected characteristics. The results showed that the clinostat speed must be below at 8 rpm to ensure that the samples microgravity factor is less than 1,0.10-3, in the case of samples with a density approximately equal to that of water. The centrifugal forces calculated in the samples were minimal, according to requirements for microgravity simulation. The calculations contained in this dissertation will be the key to future research, where it will be possible to specify and analyze the effects of microgravity and centrifugation of each sample type. The results of simulation displacement and stress of the critical structures of clinostat demonstrated that project has the resistance needed for its operation. The project developed has enabled the construction of the prototype structural of three-dimensional clinostat, given the characteristics of the structure desire, mobility, strength and flexibility of samples.