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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hall Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation and Drag Augmentation Using A Coaxial-Electrode Configuration During Hypersonic Entry

For interplanetary missions, a spacecraft must reduce its relative velocity from orbital speeds of multiple kilometers per second to zero in order to safely land on the surface of a planetary body. During this phase known as planetary reentry, the spacecraft undergoes high speed above Mach 5 up to Mach 30. This hyper-sonic flight regime imposes a strong bow shock in front of the vehicle that imparts extreme aerodynamic and thermal effects. In addition, during portions of this regime, a plasma is formed in the post-shock flow-field around the vehicle due to these high temperatures. Interaction between an applied magnetic field with this electrically conductive fluid, or magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interaction, can be utilized to convert kinetic energy from the flow into storable electrical energy. Onboard MHD energy generation can benefit the spacecraft by increasing the power of active thermal control components and vehicle control systems during reentry. MHD interaction also exerts a Lorentz body force on the plasma flow that can be manipulated to act as an additional drag force through the vehicle body. MHD drag augmentation can benefit the spacecraft with an additional control mechanism that operates without moving parts. This can be utilized at higher altitudes and subsequently reduce convective heat transfer to the vehicle. MHD interaction with plasma flow suggests that both power generation and drag augmentation can be integrated together in one design. Modern numerical studies have only demonstrated the viability and potential of MHD energy generation and drag modulation separately for implementation into future spacecraft designs [1] [2] [3]. Steeves et. al. presented one possible generator design specifically for reentry vehicles that utilized a modular panel with two embedded electromagnets and two extruding electrodes for air plasma to flow between. Fujino et. al. presented results that indicated increased total drag with a permanent magnet embedded in the blunt body of the Orbital Reentry Experiment (OREX) trajectory. Furthermore, experimental investigations of these two MHD applications have been limited and separate due to the difficult technical nature of experimental de-sign and analysis. For MHD energy generation, there have been two designs which used a cylindrical fore-body with two embedded permanent magnets and two outward facing curved electrodes for tangency to an artificially ionized plasma that flowed along the body length [4] [5]. The first design was studied using an air microwave (MW) ionized supersonic plasma wind tunnel and the second design used radio frequency (RF) ionization of Argon, but both physically demonstrated the feasibility of MHD energy generation in reentry plasma conditions. For MHD drag modulation, one study involved a small-scale cylindrical blunt body embedded with permanent magnets immersed in plasma flow in an arcjet tunnel [6], and another utilized a spherical permanent magnet enclosed with a spherical forebody that was evaluated in a shock expansion tunnel [7]. Both experimental studies provided physical evidence of drag augmentation due to MHD interactions. Therefore, because of the multi-faceted effects of MHD along with both applications having been deemed feasible and beneficial during reentry, this indicates that a coupled power generation and drag modulation design could be achievable. The axi-symmetric nature of blunt bodies for reentry suggests that a spherical set of two ring electrodes near the nose along the body axis. Based on first principles, flow along the walls of the spherical body can then produce MHD interactions between the electrodes. As a result, two currents are generated: a Hall current that produces power and a primary inductive current that augments the drag force. The goal of this work is to provide a simulated design of a coaxial-electrode con-figuration for power generation and drag modulation for experimental testing.

E. Leong↗
NASA NTRS1987

Microgravity fluid management in two-phase thermal systems

Initial studies have indicated that in comparison to an all liquid single phase system, a two-phase liquid/vapor thermal control system requires significantly lower pumping power, demonstrates more isothermal control characteristics, and allows greater operational flexibility in heat load placement. As a function of JSC's Work Package responsibility for thermal management of space station equipment external to the pressurized modules, prototype development programs were initiated on the Two-Phase Thermal Bus System (TBS) and the Space Erectable Radiator System (SERS). JSC currently has several programs underway to enhance the understanding of two-phase fluid flow characteristics. The objective of one of these programs (sponsored by the Microgravity Science and Applications Division at NASA-Headquarters) is to design, fabricate, and fly a two-phase flow regime mapping experiment in the Shuttle vehicle mid-deck. Another program, sponsored by OAST, involves the testing of a two-phase thermal transport loop aboard the KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft to identify system implications of pressure drop variation as a function of the flow quality and flow regime present in a representative thermal system.

Parish, Richard C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Determination of the Darcy permeability of porous media including sintered metal plugs

Sintered-metal porous plugs with a normal size of the order of 1-10 microns are used to evaluate the Darcy permeability of laminar flow at very small velocities in laminar fluids. Porous media experiment results and data adduced from the literature are noted to support the Darcy law analog for normal fluid convection in the laminar regime. Low temperature results suggest the importance of collecting room temperature data prior to runs at liquid He(4) temperatures. The characteristic length diagram gives a useful picture of the tolerance range encountered with a particular class of porous media.

Frederking, T. H. K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Phase 2: HGM air flow tests in support of HEX vane investigation

Following the start of SSME certification testing for the Pratt and Whitney Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD) High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOTP), cracking of the leading edge of the inner HEX vane was experienced. The HEX vane, at the inlet of the oxidizer bowl in the Hot Gas Manifold (HGM), accepts the HPOTP turbine discharge flow and turns it toward the Gaseous Oxidizer Heat Exchanger (GOX HEX) coil. The cracking consistently initiated over a specific circumferential region of the hex vane, with other circumferential locations appearing with increased run time. Since cracking had not to date been seen with the baseline HPOTP, a fluid-structural interaction involving the ATD HPOTP turbine exit flowfield and the HEX inner vane was suspected. As part of NASA contract NAS8-36801, Pratt and Whitney conducted air flow tests of the ATD HPOTP turbine turnaround duct flowpath in the MSFC Phase 2 HGM air flow model. These tests included HEX vane strain gages and additional fluctuating pressure gages in the turnaround duct and HEX vane flowpath area. Three-dimensional flow probe measurements at two stations downstream of the turbine simulator exit plane were also made. Modifications to the HPOTP turbine simulator investigated the effects on turbine exit flow profile and velocity components, with the objective of reproducing flow conditions calculated for the actual ATD HPOTP hardware. Testing was done at the MSFC SSME Dynamic Fluid Air Flow (Dual-Leg) Facility, at air supply pressures between 50 and 250 psia. Combinations of turbine exit Mach number and pressure level were run to investigate the effect of flow regime. Information presented includes: (1) Descriptions of turbine simulator modifications to produce the desired flow environment; (2) Types and locations for instrumentation added to the flow model for improved diagnostic capability; (3) Evaluation of the effect of changes to the turbine simulator flowpath on the turbine exit flow environment; and (4) Comparison of the experimental turbine exit flow environment to the environment calculated for the ATD HPOTP.

Cox, G. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Ground-Based Gas-Liquid Flow Research in Microgravity Conditions: State of Knowledge

During the last decade, ground-based microgravity facilities have been utilized in order to obtain predictions for spacecraft system designers and further the fundamental understanding of two-phase flow. Although flow regime, pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient data has been obtained for straight tubes and a limited number of fittings, measurements of the void fraction, film thickness, wall shear stress, local velocity and void information are also required in order to develop general mechanistic models that can be utilized to ascertain the effects of fluid properties, tube geometry and acceleration levels. A review of this research is presented and includes both empirical data and mechanistic models of the flow behavior.

McQuillen, J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Two-phase flow in helical and spiral coils

Coiled tube heat exchangers involving two-phase flows are used in a variety of application areas, extending from the aerospace industry to petrochemical, refrigeration land power generation industries. The optimal design in each situation requires a fundamental understanding of the heat, mass and momentum transfer characteristic of the flowing two-phase mixture. However, two-phase flows in lengths of horizontal or vertical straight channels with heat transfer are often quite difficult in themselves to understand sufficiently well to permit accurate system designs. The present study has the following general objectives: (1) Observe two-phase flow patterns of air-water and R-113 working fluids over a range of flow conditions, for helical and spiral coil geometries, of circular and rectangular cross-section; (2) Compare observed flow patterns with predictions of existing flow maps; (3) Study criteria for flow regime transitions for possible modifications of existing flow pattern maps; and (4) Measure associated pressure drops across the coiled test sections over the rage of flow conditions specified.

Keshock, Edward G.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Prandtl number effects on extreme mixing events in forced stratified turbulence

Relatively strongly stratified turbulent flows tend to self-organise into a ‘layered anisotropic stratified turbulence’ (LAST) regime, characterised by relatively deep and well-mixed density ‘layers’ separated by relatively thin ‘interfaces’ of enhanced density gradient. Understanding the associated mixing dynamics is a central problem in geophysical fluid dynamics. It is challenging to study LAST mixing, as it is associated with Reynolds numbers $Re := UL/\nu \gg 1$ and Froude numbers $Fr :=(2{\rm \pi} U)/(L N) \ll 1$ ( $U$ and $L$ being characteristic velocity and length scales, $\nu$ the kinematic viscosity and $N$ the buoyancy frequency). Since a sufficiently large dynamic range (largely) unaffected by stratification and viscosity is required, it is also necessary for the buoyancy Reynolds number $Re_{b} := \epsilon /(\nu N^{2}) \gg 1$ , where $\epsilon$ is the (appropriately volume-averaged) turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate. This requirement is exacerbated for oceanically relevant flows, as the Prandtl number $Pr := \nu /\kappa = {O}(10)$ in thermally stratified water (where $\kappa$ is the thermal diffusivity), thus leading (potentially) to even finer density field structures. We report here on four forced fully resolved direct numerical simulations of stratified turbulence at various Froude ( $Fr=0.5, 2$ ) and Prandtl ( $Pr=1, 7$ ) numbers forced so that $Re_{b}=50$ , with resolutions up to $30\,240 \times 30\,240 \times 3780$ . We find that, as $Pr$ increases, emergent ‘interfaces’ become finer and their contribution to bulk mixing characteristics decreases at the expense of the small-scale density structures populating the well-mixed ‘layers’. However, extreme mixing events (as quantified by significantly elevated local destruction rates of buoyancy variance $\chi _0$ ) are always preferentially found in the (statically stable) interfaces, irrespective of the value of $Pr$ .

Mechanics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Viscometric flow of dense granular materials under controlled pressure and shear stress

This study examines the flow of dense granular materials under external shear stress and pressure using discrete element method simulations. In this method, the material is allowed to strain along all periodic directions and adapt its solid volume fraction in response to an imbalance between the internal state of stress and the external applied stress. By systematically varying the external shear stress and pressure, the steady rheological response is simulated for: (1) rate-independent quasi-static flow; and (2) rate-dependent inertial flow. The simulated flow is viscometric with non-negligible first and second normal stress differences. While both normal stress differences are negative in inertial flows, the first normal stress difference switches from negative to slightly positive, and second normal stress difference tends to zero in quasi-static flows. The first normal stress difference emerges from a lack of coaxiality between a second-rank contact fabric tensor and strain rate tensor in the flow plane, while the second normal stress difference is linked to an excess of contacts in the shear plane compared with the vorticity direction. A general rheological model of second order (in terms of strain rate tensor) is proposed to describe the two types of flow, and the model is calibrated for various values of interparticle friction from simulations on nearly monodisperse spheres. The model incorporates normal stress differences in both regimes of flow and provides a complete viscometric description of steady dense granular flows.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1987

Computational fluid dynamics near the continuum limit

Two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for a perfect gas are solved for hypersonic flow over a flat plate at Reynolds numbers ranging from continuum to the free molecule flow. In the transition flow regime, new slip boundary conditions are introduced, which reduce to the well-known slip conditions of Maxwell at small Knudsen numbers and yield the correct shear stress and heat transfer in the limiting case of free molecule flow. Comparison of the computed results with the existing experimental data and Monte Carlo calculations indicates that the continuum Navier-Stokes equations give surprisingly realistic results throughout the transition flow regime, when the new slip boundary conditions are used.

Maccormack, Robert W.↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Development of a Generalized Riser Flow Regime Map Based Upon Higher Moment and Chaotic Statistics Using Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT)

Dynamic analyses have been applied to the temporal signals from an Electro Capacitance Volume Tomography instrument located near mid-height on the riser of an industrial-scale cold-flow circulating fluidized bed to characterize gas-solids flow behavior in the riser. Twelve capacitance electrodes surround the cylindrical riser over a height of 1.3 m. The instrument used a neural network deconvolution algorithm to determine the spatially resolved solids fraction recorded at 52 Hz. Experiments were carried out over a range of gas and solids flows in the transport regime using a Geldart Group B bed material, high density polyethylene with mean particle size of 880 μm. The radial solids distribution was found to vary from one-time step to the next between profiles typical of laminar and turbulent flow. The duration of time spent in each of these flow profiles depended upon the operating regime – dilute, core-annular, or fast fluidized bed. The chaotic structure of the temporal data was characterized using the three conventional approaches: the first 4 moments from the distribution of signal in time, system memory parameters from the autocorrelation function and the Hurst exponent, and analysis of the correlationentropy and correlation dimension of the attractor. These signal analysis techniques were used to clearly distinguish differences between different transport operating regimes. Specifically, it was experimentally observed that a riser transitions from core annular flow profile to dilute and dense regimes via increasing the frequency of short term transients to either dilute or dense flow profiles, respectively. A regime map was generated based upon these dynamics using solids flux and gas velocity axes. Fast fluidized, core annular, and dilute each exhibited different degree of dynamic characteristics typical of fluid dominated or particle compromising behavior. It should be noted that the magnitude for the different statistics was in the same range regardless of the regime, it was the radial profile for the statistic that changed and subsequently identified that there was a change in the regime. Finally, a reduced regime map was developed consisting of plotting the gas velocity normalized by the upper transport velocity versus the solids flux normalized by the saturation carrying capacity. The use of this reduced plot allowed the data from widely different conditions to be plotted and compared on the same<p>graph. Note that in many instances, some of the statistics identified the operating point as being in one regime while others indicated that it was in another indicating a transition region between dilute or core annular regimes and between the core annular and fast fluidization regimes. This now provides a tool that can be used to optimize process performance, identify changes in operating states, or replicate process dynamics during process scaling or changing operating parameters. </p>

Breault, Ronald↗
NASA NTRS1984

A new interpretation of internal heat transfer coefficients of porous media

The results of laser anemometer and flow visualization based fluid mechanics studies of porous media are used to obtain heat transfer coefficients for porous materials. Average pore flow Re ranging from 0.16-700 were examined. Darcy, inertial steady laminar, unsteady laminar and turbulent flow regimes were detected. A passage length model was devised to derive the heat transfer coefficient. Sample data from flows through porous metals composed of powders and fibers validated the passage length for Darcy and inertial flow regimes. Unsteady laminar and turbulent flow coefficients require the identification of new parameters.

Dybbs, A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Annual Research Briefs

This report contains the 1997 annual progress reports of the research fellows and students supported by the Center for Turbulence Research (CTR). Titles include: Invariant modeling in large-eddy simulation of turbulence; Validation of large-eddy simulation in a plain asymmetric diffuser; Progress in large-eddy simulation of trailing-edge turbulence and aeronautics; Resolution requirements in large-eddy simulations of shear flows; A general theory of discrete filtering for LES in complex geometry; On the use of discrete filters for large eddy simulation; Wall models in large eddy simulation of separated flow; Perspectives for ensemble average LES; Anisotropic grid-based formulas for subgrid-scale models; Some modeling requirements for wall models in large eddy simulation; Numerical simulation of 3D turbulent boundary layers using the V2F model; Accurate modeling of impinging jet heat transfer; Application of turbulence models to high-lift airfoils; Advances in structure-based turbulence modeling; Incorporating realistic chemistry into direct numerical simulations of turbulent non-premixed combustion; Effects of small-scale structure on turbulent mixing; Turbulent premixed combustion in the laminar flamelet and the thin reaction zone regime; Large eddy simulation of combustion instabilities in turbulent premixed burners; On the generation of vorticity at a free-surface; Active control of turbulent channel flow; A generalized framework for robust control in fluid mechanics; Combined immersed-boundary/B-spline methods for simulations of flow in complex geometries; and DNS of shock boundary-layer interaction - preliminary results for compression ramp flow.

Spinks, Debra↗
NASA NTRS2001

SHIVA-(Spaceflight Holography in a Virtual Apparatus)

SHIVA (Spaceflight Holography Investigation in a Virtual Apparatus) will expand our understanding of the fundamental physics of particle movement in fluids by exploiting the power of holography in a spaceflight experiment'. In addition, the study will exploit the movement of particles in fluids to observe and quantify microgravity phenomena that are extremely important in materials sciences with applications both in space and on earth. The regime under scrutiny is the low Reynolds number, Stokes regime or creeping flow, which covers particles and bubbles moving at very low velocity. The equations describing this important regime have been under development and investigation for over 100 years and yet a complete analytical solution of the general equation had remained elusive yielding only approximations and numerical solutions. In the course of the ongoing NASA NRA, the first analytical solution of the general equation was produced by members of the investigator team using the mathematics of fractional derivatives. This opened the way to an even more insightful and important investigation of the phenomena in microgravity.

Trolinger, James D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

CFD Jet Mixing Model Validation Against Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Microgravity Experiment

The Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) experiments are a series of small scale two-phase fluids physics experiments conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017. A goal of these experiments is to study various fundamental fluid flow, heat and mass transport, and phase change phenomena that control storage tank pressurization and pressure control in microgravity. In this paper, results of a state-of-the-art two-phase CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) storage tank model are presented and validated against jet mixing data provided by microgravity ZBOT experiments. Jet-ullage interaction was studied in the experiment for different jet speeds representing different flow regimes, and tank fill levels. Effects of various physical parameters, such as, jet angle, gravitational acceleration and surface tension value were investigated. Computational parameters, such as turbulence and surface tension models and interface capturing scheme, affecting jet-ullage interaction were also studied. Computational results were compared to experimental results for model validation.

Turbulence↗
NASA NTRS1997

MFLOP to GFLOP: The Impact on High Fidelity Based Computational Aeroelasticity

Aeroelasticity which involves strong coupling of fluids, structures and controls is an important element in designing an aircraft. Computational aeroelasticity using low fidelity methods such as the linear aerodynamic flow equations coupled with the modal structural equations are well advanced. Though these low fidelity approaches are computationally less intensive, they are not adequate for the analysis of modern aircraft which can experience complex flow/structure interactions. Even at moderate angles of attack supersonic aircraft can experience vortex induced aeroelastic oscillations. Near transonic speeds buffet associated structural oscillations are possible. Aircraft flying in transonic regime may experience a dip in the flutter speed. For accurate aeroelastic computations at these complex fluid/structure interaction situations, high fidelity equations such as the Navier-Stokes for fluids and the finite-elements for structures are needed. Computations using these high fidelity equations require large computational resources both in memory and speed. Current conventional supercomputers have reached their limitations both in memory and speed. As a result, parallel computers have evolved to overco me the limitations of conventional computers. This paper will address the transition that is taking place in computational aeroelasticity from conventional computers to parallel computers. The paper will address special techniques needed to take advantage of the architecture of new parallel computers. Results will be illustrated from computations made on iPSC/860 and IBM SP2 computer by using ENSAERO code that directly couples the Euler/Navier-Stokes flow equations with high resolution finite-element structural equations. Modifications required in both fluids and structural solvers in order to run efficiently on parallel computers will be discussed. Implementation of moving grids and fluid/structural interface on parallel computers will be discussed.

Guruswamy, Guru P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Gas-phase flowrate effect on disintegrating cryogenic liquid-jets

Two phase liquid and gaseous nitrogen flow in a pneumatic two fluid atomizer was investigated. Characteristic dropsize for cryogenic sprays were measured with a scattered light scanning instrument developed at NASA-Lewis. Tests were conducted primarily in the aerodynamic stripping regime of liquid jet atomization. At a sampling distance of bar-x=1.3 cm, the Sauter mean, D(sub 32), and volume median, D(sub v.5), drop diameters were measured and correlated with nitrogen gas flowrate, W(sub n), to give the following expressions: D sub 32 to the -1=210W(sub n) to the -1.33 and D(sub v.5) to the -1=150 W(sub n to the -1.33, where reciprocal diameters and gas flowrate are in cm (-1) and g/sec, respectively. The exponent 1.33 for nitrogrn gas flowrate, W(sub n), is the same as that predicted by atomization theory for liquid-jet breakup in high velocity gasflow. When the spray was sampled at axial distances of bar-x=2.5 and 4.5 cm downstream of the atomizer, the exponent decreased to 1.2 and 0.9, respectively. This was attributed to the loss of small droplets due to their rapid vaporization.

Ingebo, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Gas-phase flowrate effect on disintegrating cryogenic liquid-jets

Two phase liquid and gaseous nitrogen flow in a pneumatic two fluid atomizer was investigated. Characteristic dropsize for cryogenic sprays were measured with a scattered light scanning instrument developed at NASA-Lewis. Tests were conducted primarily in the aerodynamic stripping regime of liquid jet atomization. At a sampling distance of bar-x =1.3 cm, the Sauter mean, D(sub 32), and volume median, D(sub v.5), drop diameters were measured and correlated with nitrogen gas flowrate, W(sub n), to give the following expressions: D sub 32 to the -1=210W(sub n) to the -1.33 and D(sub v.5) to the -1=150 W(sub n to the -1.33, where reciprocal diameters and gas flowrate are in cm (-1) and g/sec, respectively. The exponent 1.33 for nitrogen gas flowrate, W(sub n), is the same as that predicted by atomization theory for liquid-jet breakup in high velocity gasflow. When the spray was sampled at axial distances of bar-x=2.5 and 4.5 cm downstream of the atomizer, the exponent decreased to 1.2 and 0.9, respectively. This was attributed to the loss of small droplets due to their rapid vaporization.

Ingebo, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of CFD for Simulation of High-Supersonic Control-Surface Effectiveness

As part of studying the ability of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to accurately model important flow physics in the high-supersonic Mach number range, control-surface effectiveness on an entry vehicle for Mars exploration was examined. As with several other important flow regimes studied under the CFD as Surrogate for Wind Tunnel Testing at High Supersonic Speeds Project, a combined CFD and wind-tunnel study of a proposed Mars landing configuration was undertaken. The testing was performed in high-speed test section of the NASA Langley Research Center’s Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The CFD team was an integral part of the overall evaluation team throughout the model development and test planning process and performed pre-test computations predicting the results of the testing. For the CFD predictions of the model in the wind tunnel, the flow into the test section was imposed as a boundary condition. The imposed inflow was based on a previous flow characterization study and companion CFD simulating the flow from the settling chamber through the test section.

James C. Ross↗