Thermodiffusion in multicomponent hydrocarbon mixtures: Experimental investigations and computational analysis.

In an unprecedented experimental investigation, a ternary and a four component hydrocarbon mixture at high pressure have been studied in a nearly convection free environment to understand the thermodiffusion process. A binary mixture has also been investigated in this environment. Experimental investigations of the three mixtures have been conducted in space onboard the spacecraft FOTON-M3 thereby isolating the gravity-induced convection that otherwise interferes with thermodiffusion experiments on Earth.