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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 NTRS1994

The Effects of Sensor Field-of-View on the Geometrical Characteristics of Sea Ice Leads and Implications for Large-Area Heat Flux Estimates

The release of heat from sea ice fractures ('leads') is an important component of the heat budget in the Arctic, but their impact on regional scale climate is difficult to assess without more information on their distribution in both space and time. Remote sensing of leads using satellite data, specifically AVHRR thermal and Landsat visible-band imagery, is examined empirically with respect to lead width, orientation, and area fraction. The geometrical aspects of the sensor are simulated so that the effect of sensor field-of-view on retrieved lead width statistics can be assessed. This is done using Landsat data and simulated lead networks degraded to AVHRR pixel sizes. The analyses illustrate how leads of sufficiently high contrast tend to 'grow' with increasing pixel size and how small or low contrast leads disappear. The relationship between lead contrast and the width/field-of-view ratio is also examined in order to determine the limits of lead detectability, and illustrates the multivalued nature of the problem of lead width retrieval. To help quantify the importance of changes in lead statistics, turbulent heat flux is calculated as a function of lead width and lead fraction. It is shown that pixel size has a substantial effect on estimates of turbulent heat transfer from leads to the atmosphere.

Key, J.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of the Thermal-Fluid Characteristics of the Helium-Cooled Modular Divertor with Multiple Jets Using a Reversed Heat Flux Approach

A single-finger unit of the Helium-Cooled Modular Divertor with Multiple Jets (HEMJ) with a plasma-facing surface (PFS) area of about 2 cm 2 has been studied in a helium (He) loop at He mass flow rates m˙ H ≤ 8 g/s and nearly prototypical conditions. Based on previous studies of the single finger of the HEMJ, our Georgia Institute of Technology group is planning to experimentally study larger divertors. Given that the HEMJ test section was heated with an induction heater and that it is impractical to scale this up to divertors with larger PFS areas, a reversed heat flux approach is being considered to measure heat transfer coefficients (HTCs). In this approach, the direction of the heat flux is reversed with water cooling and high-temperature He heating of the outer shell attached to the PFS. This work presents an initial experimental and numerical evaluation of this approach for a single HEMJ finger. Experiments with brass and copper-chromium-zirconium outer shells were conducted at dimensionless He mass flow rates or Reynolds numbers Re = 1 × 10 4 to 4.7 × 10 4 , an inlet pressure of 10 MPa, temperatures as great as 673 K, and maximum heat flux of 8.4 MW/m 2 . The experiments verify that the He-side HTCs are independent of the direction of the heat flux. Here, the results agree well with previous Nusselt number correlation and pressure loss coefficients for the HEMJ obtained using the normal heating approach.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Aided Active Learning (AAL) for Enhanced Critical Heat Flux Prediction

Accurate prediction of critical heat flux (CHF) is crucial for the safe and efficient operation of nuclear reactors. Traditional CHF modeling methods often require extensive experimental data, which are hard to obtain. This study introduces the Aided Active Learning (AAL) framework, which strategically minimizes data requirements without sacrificing model accuracy. Unlike conventional Active Learning (AL), AAL introduces an additional step of randomly selecting a subset from the sample pool before applying the query strategy. To evaluate the performance of AAL, two query strategies—uncertainty-based sampling and error-reduction sampling—were evaluated across the following models: random forest (RF), feedforward neural network (FNN), and variational feedforward neural network (vFNN). The proposed framework demonstrated that AAL effectively reduces the number of training samples needed to achieve comparable predictive accuracy. For the RF model, AL required only 710 samples to achieve an R2 score of 0.98, as compared to the 4,785 samples needed by random sampling. Similarly, the FNN model achieved the same R2 score with just 355 samples when using AL, a significant improvement over the 825 samples required by random sampling. In case of uncertainty-based sampling strategy, vFNN attained an R2 of 0.98 with 3,420 samples, reducing the sample requirement by 47% relative to the 6,440 samples needed for random sampling. Its performance suggests that larger training data are required to fully leverage its uncertainty quantification capabilities.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1997

Enhancement of Nucleate Boiling Heat Flux on Macro/Micro-Structured Surfaces Cooled by Multiple Impinging Jets

An experimental investigation of nucleate boiling heat transfer from modified surfaces cooled by multiple in-line impinging circular jets is reported and found to agree with single jet results. A copper block is heated from the back by two electrical arcs, and cooled on the opposite side by three identical liquid jets of distilled water at subcoolings of 25 C 50 C and 77 C and Freon 113 at 24 C subcooling. Liquid flow rates are held constant at 5, 10, and 15 GPH for each of the three jets with jet velocities ranging from 1.4 m/s to 1 1.2 m/s and jet diameters from 0.95 mm to 2.2 mm. To increase the maximum heat flux (CHF) and heat removal rate, the boiling surface was modified by both macro and micro enhancements. Macro modification consists of machined radial grooves in the boiling surface arranged in an optimally designed pattern to allow better liquid distribution along the surface. These grooves also reduce splashing of liquid droplets, and provide 'channels' to sweep away bubbles. Micro modification was achieved by flame spraying metal powder on the boiling surface, creating a porous, sintered surface. With the addition of both micro and macro structured enhancements, maximum heat flux and nucleate boiling can be enhanced by more than 200%. Examination of each surface modification separately and together indicates that at lower superheats, the micro structure provides the enhanced heat transfer by providing more nucleation sites, while for higher superheats the macro structure allows better liquid distribution and bubble removal. A correlation is presented to account for liquid subcoolings and surface enhancements, in addition to the geometrical and fluid properties previously reported in the literature.

Kugler, Scott Lee↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Budgets of Reynolds Stresses and Turbulent Heat Flux for Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers Subject to Pressure Gradients

In this paper, the budget terms in the transport equations of the Reynolds stresses, the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), the internal energy, and the turbulent heat flux are computed using a direct numerical simulation (DNS) database of hypersonic turbulent boundary layers (TBLs) subject to favorable pressure gradients (FPG). Study of the Reynolds stress and TKE budgets shows that FPG has a damping effect on turbulence production, transport, and destruction. The semilocal scaling fails to collapse the Reynolds stress and TKE budget terms between the zero pressure gradient (ZPG) and the strong FPG cases, suggesting that the mechanical nonequilibrium due to FPG leads to changes in Reynolds-stress and TKE transport that cannot be captured by Morkovin’s hypothesis. Minimal change is seen in the internal energy budget in the presence of FPG, indicating a minimal impact due to FPG on the mean thermal field. While the near-wall transport of wall-normal turbulent heat flux is largely governed by the balance between the turbulent viscous-thermal transport term and the turbulent viscous-thermal dissipation term, the transport of the streamwise turbulent heat flux is influenced by contributions from almost all of the budget terms. For the strong FPG case in particular, production due to both the mean and the fluctuating strain rates begins to play a significant role in the near-wall transport of the streamwise turbulent heat flux, and their inclusion or modeling may be required to accurately predict turbulent heat fluxes for a strong FPG.

Reynolds stress↗
NASA NTRS1998

Experimental Measurements of Temperature and Heat Flux in a High Temperature Black Body Cavity

During hypersonic flight, high temperatures and high heat fluxes are generated. The Flight Loads Laboratory (FLL) at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) is equipped to calibrate high heat fluxes up to 1100 kW/sq m. There are numerous uncertainties associated with these heat flux calibrations, as the process is transient, there are expected to be interactions between transient conduction, natural and forced convection, radiation, and possibly an insignificant degree of oxidation of the graphite cavity. Better understanding, of these mechanisms during the calibration process, will provide more reliable heat transfer data during either ground testing or flight testing of hypersonic vehicles.

Abdelmessih, Amanie N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Heat flux estimates over vegetation derived using radiometric surface temperatures and a boundary layer model in comparison with sodar-derived values

An attempt was made to validate a method that uses radiometric surface temperatures and a boundary layer model to estimate surface energy budgets and characteristics. Surface temperatures from a hand-held radiometer and sodar data were collected simultaneously on seven days between mid-July and mid-October 1980. The comparison of the RDMS and sodar heat fluxes proved disappointing. Free convection conditions, required to produce sodar-derived heat fluxes, were inhibited by a terrain-induced low level inversion. Only three out of seven cases produced meaningful sodar heat fluxes. Of those three cases, one had good agreement and the other two had sodar heat fluxes 15 to 45 w/sq m lower than the RDMS values. Since the RDMS method is relatively untested, it was impossible to conclusively determine its validity from the results. There was evidence that the true heat flux was not underestimated by the RDMS, so it could be concluded that the Bowen ratios over well-watered vegetation were likely to be quite small.

Cooper, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Estimation of regional heat flux from scanning radiometer measurements

The paper presents a statistical method for extracting regional information on the radiative heat flux at the top of the atmosphere from a satellite-borne scanning radiometer. The radiative heat flux distribution is denoted by a double Fourier series with coefficients to be determined from measurements. The method determines, in the sense of minimum variance, the best linear estimator of the total flux over a region. The heat flux distribution is represented by a truncated series which is unbiased.

Bess, T. D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Testing of Heat Flux Sensors at Cryogenic Temperatures

Normally, in order to characterize multilayer insulation installed onto a test tank, the boil-off of the tank is measured and then heat loads from structural and fluid penetrations are calculated from temperature measurements throughout the system. For the Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig testing, it was determined that this approach would have significant uncertainties (over 50%) and that another method was needed to characterize the heat load through the blanket. Heat flux sensors are widely used to measure heat loads and characterize insulation systems at room temperature, however, the heat fluxes measured are usually two orders of magnitude higher than high performance MLI. Three different heat flux sensors were initially checked out on a liquid hydrogen calorimeter. One was chosen for actual implementation and 20 sensors were ordered. Of those sensors, calibration was attempted on 7 of the sensors. The results from testing and calibration are discussed.

cryogenic fluid management↗
NASA NTRS1991

Thin film heat flux sensor for Space Shuttle Main Engine turbine environment

The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbine environment stresses engine components to their design limits and beyond. The extremely high temperatures and rapid temperature cycling can easily cause parts to fail if they are not properly designed. Thin film heat flux sensors can provide heat loading information with almost no disturbance of gas flows or of the blade. These sensors can provide steady state and transient heat flux information. A thin film heat flux sensor is described which makes it easier to measure small temperature differences across very thin insulating layers.

Will, Herbert↗
NASA NTRS1981

An experimental investigation into the feasibility of a thermoelectric heat flux gage

An experiment was conducted to determine the feasibility of using a commerically available thermoelectric device as a heat flux gage. In certain research applications, the thermoelectric heat flux gage can provide a relatively simple means to model a warm fluid--cold wall. The experiment showed that heat flux through the gage could be correlated within two percent to the applied thermoelectric current through the device and the hot and cold side temperature with a simple algebraic equation.

Jones, J. C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Machine learning–assisted prediction of heat fluxes through thermally anisotropic building envelopes

Thermally anisotropic building envelope (TABE) is a novel active building envelope that can save energy use to maintain thermal comfort in buildings by redirecting heat and coolness from building envelopes to thermal loops. Finite element models (FEMs) can be used to compute the heat fluxes through TABEs, but the high computational cost of finite element simulations has prevented parametric studies and design optimizations. This paper proposes a domain knowledge–informed, finite element–based machine learning framework to reduce the computation cost for the energy management of buildings installed with TABE that uses a ground thermal loop. First, the training heat flux data set was generated by FEM simulations with different thermal loop schedules. Then, both shallow learning models (i.e., multivariate linear regression and eXtreme Gradient Boost, or XGBoost) and a deep learning model (i.e., deep neural network, or DNN) were trained to predict the heat fluxes. Domain knowledge was used for data preprocessing and feature selection. Finally, the suitability of the selected machine learning model was tested under different thermal loop schedules. Herein, the case study results showed that: (1) XGBoost can be as accurate as DNN (coefficient of determination equal to 0.81) with much less training time; (2) the annual energy cost savings for different thermal loop schedules obtained by the XGBoost-predicted and FEM-calculated heat fluxes are consistent, having a difference of only 4%; and (3) XGBoost can reduce the computation time for the annual energy analysis of the case study building with a given thermal loop schedule from around 12 h by using FEM to less than 1 min.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS2019

Laboratory-Based Thermal Shock Investigation of Heat Flux Sensors for the Mars 2020 Backshell

In 2012 during the entry, descent, and landing of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the MSL Entry, Descent, and Landing Instrumentation (MEDLI) sensor suite was collecting in-flight heatshield pressure and temperature data. The data collected by the MEDLI instruments has since been used for reconstruction of vehicle aerodynamics, atmospheric conditions, aerothermal heating, and Thermal Protection System (TPS) performance as well as material response model validation and refinement. The Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) sensor suite for the Mars 2020 heatshield and backshell is being designed to expand on the measurements and knowledge gained from MEDLI. Similar to MEDLI, MEDLI2 will measure the pressure and temperature of the heatshield. MEDLI2 will additionally measure the temperature, pressure, total heat flux, and radiative heat flux on the backshell. Since the backshell instrumentation is new to MEDLI2, Do No Harm (DNH) testing was conducted on instrumented backshell TPS (SLA-561V) panels. The panels consisted of four pressure port holes, one Mars Entry Atmospheric Data System (MEADS) pressure port plug, one MEDLI2 Integrated Sensor Plug (MISP) thermal plug, and one heat flux sensor. DNH testing was conducted to ensure the performance of the TPS was not degraded due to sensor integration and to characterize any TPS performance changes. The testing consisted of environmental testing— vibration, shock, thermal vacuum (TVAC) cycling— and bounding aerothermal (arc jet) testing.

Miller, R. A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Saturation physics of threshold heat-flux reduction

The saturation physics of ion-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence is examined in relation to the temperature-gradient variation of the heat flux, which can exhibit an upshift of the critical gradient for significant flux relative to the linear instability threshold. Gyrokinetic measurements of saturation properties and spectral energy transfer, which will be defined in Sec. II, are presented, indicating that the physics of saturation is fundamentally unchanged on either side of the upshifted gradient. To analyze heat transport below and above the upshifted critical gradient, a fluid model for toroidal ion-temperature-gradient turbulence is modified to include the kinetic instability threshold. The model and the heat flux are rendered in the eigenmode decomposition to track the dominant mode-coupling channel of zonal-flow-catalyzed transfer to a conjugate stable mode. Given linear and nonlinear symmetries, the stable mode level and the cross-correlation of the unstable and stable mode amplitudes are related to the unstable mode level via linear physics. Here, the heat flux can then be written in terms of the unstable-mode level, which through a nonlinear balance depends on the eigenmode-dependent coupling coefficients and the triplet correlation time of the dominant coupled modes. Resonance in these quantities leads to suppressed heat flux above the linear threshold, with a nonlinear upshift of the critical gradient set by the resonance broadening of a finite perpendicular wavenumber and collisionality.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development of a Hybrid Single/Two-Phase Capillary-Based Micro-Cooler Using Copper Inverse Opals Wick with Silicon 3D Manifold for High-Heat-Flux Cooling Application: Preprint

Previously, two-phase capillary-based cooling from narrow (200-1,000 micrometer) heater-bridge copper inverse opal (CIO) wicks with heat flux levels exceeding 1,400 watts per square cm with a low superheat of approximately 10 degrees C was demonstrated. Here, we demonstrate the area scaling of the proposed technology to large-area micro-cooler for the high-heat-flux cooling of microprocessors and power electronics. We developed a hybrid single/two-phase micro-cooler that relies on capillary wicking in 25-micrometer-thick CIOs with an open channel silicon 3D-manifold for liquid delivery and vapor extraction, to achieve a high heat flux of approximately 400 watts per square cm over a heated area of 1 square cm. For the range of inlet water (21 degrees C water temperature) flowrates from 5 to 60 mL per min, we achieved total thermal resistances and vapor qualities of 0.68-0.2 square cm Kelvin per watt and 0.55-0.12, respectively. The high heat flux levels are achieved with flowrates that are 10 times smaller than conventional single- or two-phase microchannel cooling technology. The corresponding two-phase thermal resistances are in the range of 0.05 to 0.02 square cm Kelvin per watt with temperature superheat of 8 to 6 degrees C. While the overall performance of the large-area (10 by 10 square millimeter) capillary-based micro-cooler degraded compared to previous demonstration of the technology for a heated area of 5 by 5 square millimeter, preliminary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling indicates that an improved manifold design will be able to achieve comparable performance.

capillary flow↗
DOE OSTI2022

Thermo-Mechanical Distortion of Tungsten-Coated Steel During High Heat Flux Testing Using Plasma Arc Lamps

An experimental setup and a test section were designed and fabricated for high heat flux testing (HHFT) of neutron-irradiated specimens using water-wall plasma arc lamps. Because of the radiological considerations and limitations of reactor irradiation, the size of the test articles was limited to disks less than 10 mm in diameter. The specimen was clamped onto an actively cooled block, and clamping allowed the insertion of several thermocouples on the back surface of the specimen through a copper (Cu) block. Five vacuum plasma sprayed tungsten (W)–coated F82H steel specimens were subjected to HHFT. Surface profilometry measurements, which were conducted after HHFT, revealed central bowing of the top W surface. This type of residual distortion occurred for all of the specimens, and the larger the specimens were, the larger was the distortion.In an attempt to understand specimen distortion and address the science questions related to the testing of subsize specimens during HHFT, a simplified thermo-mechanical model was developed. By using a measured temperature in the Cu as an isothermal boundary condition, the model eliminated the need for coupling cooling fluid flow models with stress models, greatly simplifying the analysis. The main variable in the proposed model is hC, i.e., the thermal contact conductance between the F82H and the Cu washer. Inelastic properties, including hardening properties, were considered for F82H steel and Cu. Numerical simulation results demonstrated a buildup of residual deformation during HHFT and a very complex state of stress and deformation during typical heat flux (HF) cycling. Additionally, hoop stress evolution during a high heat flux cycle reveals that F82H at an interface with W would be mainly in compression during HF application and experienced a transition to a tension state during cooldown. Also, specimen distortion evolves during each HF cycle, as the specimen bows downward during HF application and upward during the cooldown period between HF cycles. The final specimen distortion, i.e., upward bowing of the specimen center, was qualitatively predicted for hC values of 4000 to 5000 W/(m 2 ·K). This hC range of values, for which bulging is obtained, is at the lower spectrum of the range of values for hC, consistent with the low thermal contact conductance expected from the unpolished F82H surface.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗