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At least 199 records · Page 11

Noninvasive acoustical property measurement of fluids

Methods for noninvasive determination of acoustical properties of flowing in pipes having a large ratio (>10) of pipe diameter to wall thickness, and in highly attenuating fluids are described. When vibrations are excited on the outer surface of the wall of a pipe, the resulting vibrations propagate directly through the wall in a normal direction and through the pipe wall as guided waves, appearing on the opposite side of the pipe. This dual path propagation through pipes, where guided waves take the circumferential path in the wall of the pipe and may interfere with the time of-flight measurement obtained from the direct path through the fluid, is at least in part resolved by subtracting the signal from the guided wave from the combined signal, thereby permitting improved observation of the direct path propagation through the fluid.

Sinha, Dipen N.↗

Acoustic source location in a jet-blown flap using a cross-correlation technique

The acoustic source strength distribution in a turbulent flow field was measured for two far field microphones at 45 deg above and below the plane of the flap surface. A processed signal from an inclined hot-film anemometry probe was cross correlated with the signal from the appropriate far field microphone. The contribution made by the sources associated with the fluctuating pressure on the flap surface to the sound received at far field microphone was estimated by cross correlating the processed signals of microphones which were embedded in the flap surface with the far field microphone signals. In addition, detailed fluid dynamic measurements were made in the flow field of the jet flap using dual sensor hot-film anemometry probes.

Becker, R. S.↗

Phase-Shifting Liquid Crystal Point-Diffraction Interferometry

Microgravity fluid physics experiments frequently measure concentration and temperature. Interferometers such as the Twyman Green illustrated have performed full-field measurement of these quantities. As with most such devices, this interferometer uses a reference path that is not common with the path through the test section. Recombination of the test and reference wavefronts produces interference fringes. Unfortunately, in order to obtain stable fringes, the alignment of both the test and reference paths must be maintained to within a fraction of the wavelength of the light being used for the measurement. Otherwise, the fringes will shift and may disappear. Because these interferometers are extremely sensitive to bumping, jarring and transmitted vibration, they are typically mounted on optical isolation tables. Schlieren deflectometers or the more recent Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors also measure concentration and temperature in laboratory fluid flows. Ray optics describe the operation of both devices. In a schlieren system, an expanded, collimated beam passes through a test section where refractive index gradients deflect rays. A lens focuses the beam to a filter placed in the rear focal plane of the decollimating lens. In a quantitative color schlieren system, gradients in the index of refraction appear as colors in the field of view due to the action of the color filter. Since sensitivity is a function of the focal length of the decollimating lens, these systems are rather long and filter fabrication and calibration is rather difficult. A Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is an array of small lenslets. Typical diameters are on the order of a few hundred microns. Since these lenslets divide the test section into resolution elements, the spatial resolution can be no smaller than an individual lenslet. Such a device was recently used to perform high-speed tomography of heated air exiting a 1.27 cm diameter nozzle. While these wavefront sensors are very compact, the limited spatial resolution and the methods required for data reduction suggest that a more useful instrument needs to be developed. The category of interferometers known as common path interferometers can eliminate much of the vibration sensitivity associated with traditional interferometry as described above. In these devices, division of the amplitude of the wavefront following the test section produces the reference beam. Examples of these instruments include shearing and point diffraction interferometers. In the latter case, shown schematically, a lens focuses light passing through the test section onto a small diffracting object. Such objects are typically either a circle of material on a high quality glass plate or a small sphere in a glass cell. The size of the focused spot is several times larger than the object so that the light not intercepted by the diffracting object forms the test beam while the diffracted light generates a spherical reference beam. While this configuration is mechanically stable, phase shifting one beam with respect to the other is difficult due to the common path. Phase shifting enables extremely accurate measurements of the phase of the interferogram using only gray scale intensity measurements and is the de facto standard of industry. Mercer and Creath 2 demonstrated phase shifting in a point diffraction interferometer using a spherical spacer in a liquid crystal cell as the diffracting object. By changing the voltage across the cell, they were able to shift the phase of the undiffracted beam relative to the reference beam generated by diffraction from the sphere. While they applied this technology to fluid measurements, the device shifted phase so slowly that it was not useful for studying transient phenomena. We have identified several technical problems that precluded operation of the device at video frame rates and intend to solve them to produce a phase-shifting liquid crystal point-diffraction interferometer operating at video frame rates. The first task is to produce high contrast fringes. Since the diffracted beam is much weaker than the transmitted beam, interferograms have poor contrast unless a dye is added to the liquid crystal to reduce the intensity of the undiffracted light. Dyes previously used were not rigorously characterized and suffered from hysteresis in both the initial alignment state of the device and the electro-optic switching characteristics. Hence, our initial effort will identify and characterize dyes that do not suffer from these difficulties and are readily soluble in the liquid crystal host. Since the ultimate goal of this research is to produce interferometers capable of phase shifting at video frame rates, we will quantify the difference in switching times between ferroelectric and nematic liquid crystals. While we have more experience with nematic crystals, they typically switch more slowly than ferroelectric cells. As part of that effort, we will investigate the difference in the modulation of the interferograms as a function of the type of liquid crystal in the cell. Because the temporal switching response of a liquid crystal cell is directly related its thickness, we intend to explore techniques required to produce cells that are as thin as possible. However, the cells must still produce a total phase shift of two pi radians.

Griffin, DeVon W.↗

Measuring Fluid Velocities With Glowing Particles

Particle trajectories recorded photographically. Directions and magnitudes of velocities in unsteady liquid flow measured with aid of fluorescent- and phosphorescent-tracing technique. Method accurate and proceeds automatically, requiring minimal labor.

Gharib, M.↗

Two-dimensional analytical and experimental performance comparison for a compressor stator section with D-factor of 0.47

Analytically computed flow parameters were compared to measured values for the midspan double-circular-arc section of a stator in subsonic flow. Analytical procedures included calculations for inviscid flow, blade surface boundary layers, and loss coefficients. Comparisons were made at three incidence angles. Methods for prescribing the exit fluid angle in inviscid flow calculations were investigated. Measured loss coefficients were compared to calculated values. Two methods for predicting performance involving iterative use of ideal flow and boundary layer calculations were investigated.

Sanger, N. L.↗

Pressure transducer 3/8-inch in size can be faired into surface

To measure fluid pressure with minimum disturbance to fluid flow, a miniature pressure transducer can be imbedded and faired into the test surface. Incorporated in the design are piezoresistive elements mounted on a diaphragm, which transform pressure strains into an electrical signal.

Schaffer, R. J.↗

Flight validation of a pulsed smoke flow visualization system

A flow visualization scheme, designed to measure vortex fluid dynamics on research aircraft, was validated in flight. Strake vortex trajectories and axial core velocities were determined using pulsed smoke, high-speed video images, and semiautomated image edge detection hardware and software. Smoke was pulsed by using a fast-acting three-way valve. After being redesigned because of repeatedly jamming in flight, the valve shuttle operated flawlessly during the last two tests. A 25-percent scale, Gothic strake was used to generate vortex over the wing of a GA-7 Cougar and was operated at a local angle of attack of 22 degrees and Reynolds number of approximately 7.8 x 10(exp 5)/ft. Maximum axial velocities measured in the vortex core were between 1.75 and 1.95 times the freestream velocity. Analysis of the pulsed smoke system's affect on forebody vortices indicates that the system may reorient the forebody vortex system; however, blowing momentum coefficients normally used will have no appreciable affect on the leading-edge extension vortex system. It is recommended that a similar pulsed smoke system be installed on the F/A-18 High Angle Research Vehicle and that this approach be used to analyze vortex core dynamics during the remainder of its high-angle-of-attack research flights.

Ward, Donald T.↗

Flow-induced birefringence measurement system using dual-crystal transverse electro-optic modulator for microgravity fluid physics applications

We have developed a new instrument that can measure fast transient birefringence and polymer chain orientation angle in complex fluids. The instrument uses a dual-crystal transverse electro-optic modulator with the second crystal's modulation voltage applied 180 deg out of phase from that of the first crystal. In this manner, the second crystal compensates for the intrinsic static birefringence of the first crystal, and it doubles the modulation depth. By incorporating a transverse electro-optic modulator with two lithium-niobate (LiNbO3) crystals oriented orthogonal to each other with a custom-designed optical system, we have produced a very small robust instrument capable of fast transient retardation measurements. By measuring the sample thickness or optical path length through the sample, we can calculate the transient birefringence. This system can also measure dichroism. We have compared the calibration results and retardation and orientation angle measurements of this instrument with those of a photoelastic modulator (PEM) based system using a quarter wave plate and a high-precision 1/16-wave plate to simulate a birefringent sample. Transient birefringence measurements on the order of 10(exp -9) can be measured using either modulator.

Mackey, Jeffrey R.↗

Real Time Oil Reservoir Evaluation Using Nanotechnology

A method and system for evaluating status and response of a mineral-producing field (e.g., oil and/or gas) by monitoring selected chemical and physical properties in or adjacent to a wellsite headspace. Nanotechnology sensors and other sensors are provided for one or more underground (fluid) mineral-producing wellsites to determine presence/absence of each of two or more target molecules in the fluid, relative humidity, temperature and/or fluid pressure adjacent to the wellsite and flow direction and flow velocity for the fluid. A nanosensor measures an electrical parameter value and estimates a corresponding environmental parameter value, such as water content or hydrocarbon content. The system is small enough to be located down-hole in each mineral-producing horizon for the wellsite.

Li, Jing↗

DYNAMX: A Low Temperature Microgravity Investigation of Phase Transitions

The Critical Dynamics in Microgravity Experiment, DYNAMX, will investigate the effects on the superfluid transition in 4 He of currents generated by heat flow, measuring the thermal conductivity in the fluid as a function of applied heat. DYNAMX will also take advantage of the weightless environment to measure the conductivity properties in the region of the interface between the two phases. Thus, DYNAMX represents an experiment that will explore a system driven far from equilibrium. This paper will describe the science objectives, the current design of the experiment apparatus, the steps being taken to prepare this experiment for flight, and the results of ground-based feasibility demonstrations now underway.

superfluid↗

Systems, methods and tools for subterranean electrochemical characterization and enthalpy measurement in geothermal reservoirs

The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods and tools that measure ionic concentrations and downhole enthalpy of a flowing geothermal fluid in real-time at high-temperature and pressure. The systems, methods and tools include measuring the concentration of selected naturally occurring ions found in the liquid phase of the geothermal fluid throughout the wellbore using novel electrochemical sensor technologies. The change in liquid-phase ion concentration will be used to calculate the proportion of liquid to steam and allow for accurate enthalpy measurements. The techniques and technologies described here can be applied to any application of electrochemical sensing in extreme environments.

Cieslewski, Grzegorz↗

Experimental investigation of unsteady flow dynamics in therminol-66 using edge tone-induced oscillations

Recent research has demonstrated that flow oscillations induced by a wedge positioned opposite the jet outlet in edge tones can be effectively utilized for flow measurement purposes. This highlights the necessity for developing advanced instrumentation capable of precise flow measurements in experimental setups exposed to radiation and in challenging fluids such as molten salts. Here, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by conducting experiments using Therminol-66, an effective surrogate for FLiBe under appropriate temperature conditions for nuclear applications, across a broad range of Reynolds numbers from 17,700 to 555,000. Experiments were conducted with Therminol-66 at approximately 368.8 K under atmospheric pressure, with varying flow rates. A reliable correlation was established between the generated frequencies, corresponding flow rates, and device geometry parameters. The data were subjected to non-dimensional analysis to reveal the interrelationships among flow rate, fluid properties, device geometry, and their impact on the acoustic tones produced by the edge tone device. These findings contribute to the development of precise flow measurement instrumentation for use in challenging environments.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗

Planar Particle Imaging and Doppler Velocimetry System and Method

A planar velocity measurement system (100) is operative to measure all three velocity components of a flowing fluid (106) across an illuminated plane (108) using only a single line of sight. The fluid flow is seeded with small particles which accurately follow the flow field fluctuations. The seeded flow field is illuminated with pulsed laser light source (102) and the positions of the particles in the flow are recorded on CCD cameras (122,124). The in-plane velocities are measured by determining the in-plane particle displacements. The out-of-plane velocity component is determined by measuring the Doppler shift of the light scattered by the particles. Both gas and liquid velocities can be measured, as well as two-phase flows.

Wernet, Mark P.↗

Flow Visualization of Liquid Hydrogen Line Chilldown Tests

We present experimental measurements of wall and fluid temperature during chill-down tests of a warm cryogenic line with liquid hydrogen. Synchronized video and fluid temperature measurements are used to interpret stream temperature profiles versus time. When cold liquid hydrogen starts to flow into the warm line, a sequence of flow regimes, spanning from all-vapor at the outset to bubbly with continuum liquid at the end can be observed at a location far downstream of the cold inlet. In this paper we propose interpretations to the observed flow regimes and fluid temperature histories for two chilldown methods, viz. trickle (i.e. continuous) flow and pulse flow. Calculations of heat flux from the wall to the fluid versus wall temperature indicate the presence of the transition/nucleate boiling regimes only. The present tests, run at typical Reynolds numbers of approx O(10 (exp 5)), are in sharp contrast to similar tests conducted at lower Reynolds numbers where a well-defined film boiling region is observed.

Line chill down↗