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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Simulation and modeling of homogeneous, compressed turbulence

Low Reynolds number homogeneous turbulence undergoing low Mach number isotropic and one-dimensional compression was simulated by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical simulations were performed on a CYBER 205 computer using a 64 x 64 x 64 mesh. A spectral method was used for spatial differencing and the second-order Runge-Kutta method for time advancement. A variety of statistical information was extracted from the computed flow fields. These include three-dimensional energy and dissipation spectra, two-point velocity correlations, one-dimensional energy spectra, turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate, integral length scales, Taylor microscales, and Kolmogorov length scale. Results from the simulated flow fields were used to test one-point closure, two-equation models. A new one-point-closure, three-equation turbulence model which accounts for the effect of compression is proposed. The new model accurately calculates four types of flows (isotropic decay, isotropic compression, one-dimensional compression, and axisymmetric expansion flows) for a wide range of strain rates.

Wu, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The unusual radio outburst of Nova Vulpeculae 1984 No. 2

Multifrequency radio monitoring of Nova Vulpeculae 1984 No. 2 has revealed a unique radio light curve, exhibiting a strong outburst which precedes the appearance of normal radio emission from the principal ejecta of the nova by at least 100 days. The early emission is extremely optically-thick and has brightness temperature in excess of 100,000 K. A model is discussed in which the radiation is produced by a strong shock propagating outward through the principal ejecta of the nova, as a result of an interaction with a later, high velocity wind from the central source. It is shown that the general features of the radio light curve can be explained by the presence of a central wind with a mass loss rate of about 0.00001 solar masses/yr, lasting for a period of 200 to 300 days after the optical outburst. The first radio map of nova ejecta shortly after outburst is presented. Comparison of the angular expansion rate to the ejection velocity implies a distance of 3.6 kpc, and preliminary analysis of the main outburst emission indicates a mass and kinetic energy of the ejecta respectively of about 0.0008 solar masses and 8 x 10 to the 45th erg.

Taylor, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Approximating linearizations for nonlinear systems

The following problem is examined: given a nonlinear control system dot-x(t) = f(x(t)) + the sum to m terms(i=1) u sub i (t)g sub i (x(t)) on R(n) and a point x(0) in R(n), approximate the system near x(0) by a linear system. One approach is to use the usual Taylor series linearization. However, the controllability properties of both the nonlinear and linear systems depend on certain Lie brackets of the vector field under consideration. This suggests that a linear approximation based on Lie bracket matching should be constructed at x(0). In general, the linearizations based on the Taylor method and the Lie bracket approach are different. However, under certain mild assumptions, it is shown that there is a coordinate system for R(n) near x(0) in which these two types of linearizations agree. The importance of this agreement is indicated by examining the time responses of the nonlinear system and its linear approximation and comparing the lower order kernels in Volterra expansions of each.

Hunt, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Approximating linearizations for nonlinear systems

The following problem is examined: given a nonlinear control system dot-x(t) = f(x/t/) + the sum to m terms (i = 1) u sub i (t)g sub i (x/t/) on R(n) and a point x(0) in R(n), approximate the system near x(0) by a linear system. One approach is to use the usual Taylor series linearization. However, the controllability properties of both the nonlinear and linear systems depend on certain Lie brackets of the vector field under consideration. This suggests that a linear approximation based on Lie bracket matching should be constructed at x(0). In general, the linearizations based on the Taylor method and the Lie bracket approach are different. However, under certain mild assumptions, it is shown that there is a coordinate system for R(n) near x(0) in which these two types of linearizations agree. The importance of this agreement is indicated by examining the time responses of the nonlinear system and its linear approximation and comparing the lower order kernels in Volterra expansions of each.

Hunt, L. R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heat transfer and transport property contrast effects on the compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability

In extreme environments, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) may occur under large variations in density and temperature and with fluid transport properties strongly dependent on temperature. Direct numerical simulations of the 3D fully compressible RTI are conducted, examining the idealized configuration of a hotter, less dense fluid pushing against a colder, denser fluid. Various temperature ratios and transport property configurations are explored to examine how heat conduction, large variations in transport properties, and sudden changes in transport properties can affect the evolution of the mixing layer. Nonuniform fluid expansion and contraction induced by heat transfer can significantly affect local density differences and overall instability growth, causing profile asymmetries about the initial interface for flow and mixing statistics. The departures from classical self-similar development of the instability along with misalignment between regions of mixing and regions of most intense turbulent activity caused by both heat transfer and transport property contrasts are examined. After sudden changes in fluid transport properties, which may occur as a result of rapid heating (e.g., in inertial confinement fusion), the flow quickly responds and begins to relax towards quasi-self-similar late-time evolution. For many dynamical quantities such as vorticity and dissipation, this late-time evolution resembles that of the configuration that already started with the final transport property magnitudes, suggesting that these quantities depend only on the transport properties and not on past flow history, provided that the density field distributions for the flows remain similar. On the other hand, the mixing evolution after the transport property change is unique, implying that both property magnitudes and previous history are impactful on the mixing. In conclusion, these simulations demonstrate how various temperature-related effects are extremely important to consider in compressible RTI flows with large temperature variations.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dynamics and observational signatures of core-collapse supernovae with central engines: hydrodynamics simulations with Monte Carlo post-processing

A long-lived central engine embedded in expanding supernova ejecta can alter the dynamics and observational signatures of the event, producing an unusually luminous, energetic, and/or rapidly evolving transient. We use 2D hydrodynamics simulations to study the effect of a central energy source, varying the amount, rate, and isotropy of the energy deposition. We post-process the results with a time-dependent Monte Carlo radiation transport code to extract observational signatures. The engine excavates a bubble at the centre of the ejecta, which becomes Rayleigh–Taylor unstable. Sufficiently powerful engines are able to break through the edge of the bubble and accelerate, shred, and compositionally mix the entire ejecta. The breakout of the engine-driven wind occurs at distinct rupture points, and the outflowing high-velocity gas may eventually give rise to radio emission. The dynamical impact of the engine leads to faster rising optical light curves, with photon escape facilitated by the faster expansion of the ejecta and the opening of low-density channels. For models with strong engines, the spectra are initially hot and featureless, but later evolve to resemble those of broad-line Ic supernovae. Under certain conditions, line emission from ionized, low-velocity material near the centre of the ejecta may be able to escape and produce narrow emission similar to that seen in interacting supernovae. We discuss how variability in the engine energy reservoir and injection rate could give rise to a heterogeneous set of events spanning multiple observational classes, including the fast blue optical transients, broad-line Ic supernovae, and superluminous supernovae.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultrafast X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Reveals Excited-State Dynamics of B 12 Coenzymes Controlled by the Axial Base

Polarized time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co K-edge is used to probe the excited-state dynamics and photolysis of base-off methylcobalamin and the excited-state structure of base-off adenosylcobalamin. For both molecules, the final excited-state minimum shows evidence for an expansion of the cavity around the Co ion by ca. 0.04 to 0.05 Å. The 5-coordinate base-off cob(II)alamin that is formed following photodissociation has a structure similar to that of the 5-coordinate base-on cob(II)alamin, with a ring expansion of 0.03 to 0.04 Å and a contraction of the lower axial bond length relative to that in the 6-coordinate ground state. Here these data provide insights into the role of the lower axial ligand in modulating the reactivity of B 12 coenzymes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1996

Static Internal Performance of a Two-Dimensional Convergent-Divergent Nozzle with External Shelf

An investigation was conducted in the static test facility of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the internal performance of a two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle. The nozzle design was tested with dry and afterburning throat areas, which represent different power settings and three expansion ratios. For each of these configurations, three trailing-edge geometries were tested. The baseline geometry had a straight trailing edge. Two different shaping techniques were applied to the baseline nozzle design to reduce radar observables: the scarfed design and the sawtooth design. A flat plate extended downstream of the lower divergent flap trailing edge parallel to the model centerline to form a shelf-like expansion surface. This shelf was designed to shield the plume from ground observation (infrared radiation (IR) signature suppression). The shelf represents the part of the aircraft structure that might be present in an installed configuration. These configurations were tested at nozzle pressure ratios from 2.0 to 12.0.

Lamb, Milton↗
DOE OSTI2021

A mechanistic damage model for solid oxide fuel cell ceramic materials - Part I: Constitutive modeling

A multiscale mechanistic damage model for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) ceramics that combines micromechanics of stiffness reduction due to material porosity change and microcracking with a continuum damage mechanics (CDM) description for the evolution of microcracks up to fracture is developed in this work. The model also accounts for volumetric swelling of the anode due to redox cycling. Porosity change and swelling during redox combined with normal operating thermomechanical loads could increase the stress, strain and damage distributions in SOFC stacks leading them to failure. The proposed model involves three governing parameters: (i) the porosity in terms of the pore or void volume fraction, (ii) material swelling magnitude prescribed at a given loading step, and (iii) the damage variable that describes microcracking caused by thermomechanical loads and swelling. Pores and microcracks in the ceramics are modeled as randomly distributed ellipsoidal inclusions with negligible stiffness by an Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka formulation combined with an inclusion orientation distribution method. Microcracking damage evolution is described by a CDM formulation. Volumetric swelling is treated in a similar way to thermal expansion in the constitutive relations. After validation and numerical checks, the damage model is used to analyze a simplified SOFC positive-electrode/electrolyte/negative-electrode (PEN) structure subjected a redox cycle in addition to thermomechanical loads experienced during normal operation of a SOFC stack.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
NASA NTRS1989

An adaptive data-smoothing routine

An adaptive noise reduction algorithm that can be implemented on a microcomputer is developed. Smoothing polynomials are used where the polynomial coefficients are chosen such that the mean-square-error between the noisy and smoothed data is minimized. This approach is equivalent to the implementation of a low-pass finite impulse response filter. The noise reduction depends on the order of the smoothing polynomial. A whiteness test on the error sequence is incorporated to search for the optimal smoothing. Expansion coefficients may be computed via the fast Fourier transform, and the resulting smoothing process is the equivalent of the implementation of an adaptive ideal low-pass filter. Results are obtained for an analytical signal with added white Gaussian noise. The routine may be applied to any smooth signal with additive random noise.

Taylor, Clayborne D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Effects of a hot intergalactic medium

One effect a hot intergalactic medium (IGM) would have would be to produce an isotropic X-ray background through thermal bremsstrahlung. Such a background was modeled including both relativistic electron-ion and electron-electron emission; the observed X-ray measurements could be fit with a current temperature of 10.2 keV and Omega (IGM) of 0.27, assuming that the IGM was instantaneously heated at a redshift of 5 and cools by relativistic adiabatic expansion and Compton cooling. Such a hot IGM would also distort the cosmic microwave background spectrum by inverse Compton scattering off relativistic electrons. This distortion was modeled using the relativistic treatment. When including the recent data of Matsumoto et al., an undistorted radiation temperature of 2.86 K and an Omega (IGM) of 0.41 was found.

Taylor, Gregory B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The early ultraviolet spectral evolution of Nova Cygni 1992

We report on the high resolution ultraviolet line profile evolution of Nova Cygni 1992 using the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite and the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Our observations cover the period from discovery in 1992 February through 1993 April. The initial expansion velocity, derived from P Cyg profiles on Mg II and other resonance lines, was about 4500 km/s. All resonance transitions displayed P Cyg profiles around the time of UV maximum. We first discuss the spectral development as the initially optically thick atomic absorption curtain became optically thin. We then present the interpretation of the nebular spectral stage. The high resolution line profiles show that the shell rapidly developed nearly symmetric knots, or filaments, of emission. The optically thin transitions show an emission weighted expansion velocity of about 1800 km/s, consistent with the velocity inferred from the radio and infrared data. The emission lines display a symmetric set of filaments that appeared as soon as the line profiles became optically thin. The GHRS observations demonstrate that the filaments were located in the inner, slower moving parts of the ejecta. These probably record an initial low wave number instability imposed on the ejecta at the time of outburst. We suggest that the likely cause is a Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The emission at later stages is dominated by the filaments and, since this phenomenon is seen in virtually all novae, nebular line formation codes will have to account for the density inhomgeneities in order to adequately determine abundances for nove ejecta.

Shore, Steven N.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Asymptotic behavior of modulated Taylor-Couette flows with a crystalline inner cylinder

The linear stability of a modulated Taylor-Couette system when the inner cylindrical boundary consists of a crystalline solid-liquid interface is considered. Both experimentally and in numerical calculations it is found that the two-phase system is significantly less stable than the analogous rigid-walled system for materials with moderately large Prandtl numbers. A numerical treatment based on Floquet theory is described, which gives results that are in good agreement with preliminary experimental findings. In addition, this instability is further examined by carrying out a formal asymptotic expansion of the solution in the limit of large Prandtl number. In this limit the Floquet analysis is considerably simplified, and the linear stability of the modulated system can be determined to leading order through a conventional stability analysis, without recourse to Floquet theory. The resulting simplified problem is then studied for both the narrow gap geometry and for the case of a finite gap. It is surprising that the determination of the linear stability of the two-phase system is considerably simpler than that of the rigid-walled system, despite the complications introduced by the presence of the crystal-melt interface.

Braun, R. J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance and properties evolution of near-term accident tolerant fuel: Cr-doped UO 2

Chromium-doped UO 2 fuel has received significant interest due to the ability for chromium to produce pellets with large average grain size (>30 μm), which has shown to increase fission gas retention during operation. Sintering of chromium-doped UO 2 pellets was pursued with oxygen potential and sintering atmosphere controlled to tailor the final microstructure of the material. Chromium additions in this study ranged from 750 to 7800 ppm. Cr concentrations were studied pre and post sintering using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Effects of chromium content on lattice parameter and microstructure were examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Contraction of the UO 2 lattice parameter was observed, as well as enlargement of grain size with increasing chromium content up to 4900 ppm Cr 2 O 3 . In addition, SEM indicated Cr incorporation within the matrix and the formation of chromium oxide precipitates throughout the microstructure at high Cr concentrations. Evaluation of thermophysical properties of Cr-doped UO 2 pellets were conducted up to 1200 °C to illustrate their evolution with increased dopant concentration and microstructural changes. The results show that grain size is maximized at 52 μm with Cr 2 O 3 concentration equal to 4900 ppm; however, grain size decreases at higher Cr 2 O 3 concentrations. No significant changes were observed in specific heat capacity, linear thermal expansion, and coefficient of thermal expansion compared to undoped UO 2 . The thermal conductivity also decreased through the incorporation of Cr 2 O 3 dopants above 750 ppm and is shown to be ~15 % lower than reported UO 2 values.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Charge carrier motion and effect of fixed oxide charge in a microstructured silicon radiation detector

Signal formation in a microstructured semiconductor neutron detector is more complex than in planar diode geometry. Three-dimensional microstructures are laterally smaller than the ionization cloud length, and the electric fields may be weak enough to exhibit plasma time effects. This work is the first detailed treatment of charge carrier motion in these complex semiconductor devices to replicate the time profile and signal magnitude. Simulations were performed using COMSOL Multiphysics to investigate various parameters that affect the propagation of the charge cloud. It was observed that the size of the simulated three-dimensional structure had an impact on the induced current pulse, indicating the importance of simulation geometry optimization to accurately simulate charge cloud expansion. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to replicate accurate charge creation profiles using energy deposition information imported from radiation transport codes. A detailed simulation methodology is presented to benchmark preamplifier event pulses along with complexities in modeling the charge carrier motion along the etched microstructured trenches with Si–SiO 2 boundary conditions, including fixed oxide charge and interface trapping.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1987

Lightweight piston

A lightweight piston composed of carbon-carbon composites is presented. The use of carbon-carbon composites over conventional materials, such as aluminum, reduces piston weight and improves thermal efficiency of the internal combustion reciprocation engine. Due to the negligible coefficient of thermal expansion and unique strength at elevated temperatures of carbon-carbon, the piston-to-cylinder wall clearance is so small as to eliminate the necessity for piston rings. Use of the carbon-carbon composite has the effect of reducing the weight of other reciprocating engine components allowing the piston to run at higher speeds and improving specific engine performance.

Taylor, Allan H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Internal performance of a hybrid axisymmetric/nonaxisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzle

An investigation was conducted in the static test facility of the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel to determine the internal performance of a hybrid axisymmetric/nonaxisymmetric nozzle in forward-thrust mode. Nozzle cross-sections in the spherical convergent section were axisymmetric whereas cross-sections in the divergent flap area nonaxisymmetric (two-dimensional). Nozzle concepts simulating dry and afterburning power settings were investigated. Both subsonic cruise and supersonic cruise expansion ratios were tested for the dry power nozzle concepts. Afterburning power configurations were tested at an expansion ratio typical for subsonic acceleration. The spherical convergent flaps were designed in such a way that the transition from axisymmetric to nonaxisymmetric cross-section occurred in the region of the nozzle throat. Three different nozzle throat geometries were tested for each nozzle power setting. High-pressure air was used to simulate jet exhaust at nozzle pressure ratios up to 12.0.

Taylor, John G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The clumpy circumstellar medium around young supernova remnants

Each of the youngest supernova remnants known in the Milky Way, Cas A, Kepler's SNR, and Tycho's SNR, shows a different morphological structure caused by different conditions in the progenitor stars and their surroundings. In all three cases, however, the observed shells have a thickness of about 1/4 the radius, a sharp outer edge, and significant brightness irregularities. These features require that the circumstellar medium be highly clumped. To investigate the phenomenon, models of the expansion have been constructed using a one-dimensional spherical hydrodynamic code. As a supernova shock moves down the external density gradient of the star, material behind the shock begins to go into free expansion. Then as surrounding material is encountered a reverse shock moving back into the ejectum will be formed. Until the expansion has swept up about eight times the ejected mass when the situation can be considered as a point explosion in its surroundings, the dynamics are controlled by conditions between the shocks. The region is also where the synchrotron radio emission from relativistic electrons trapped in magnetic fields arises. Initial particles and fields are accelerated and amplified by eddy motion at the interface between the ejected and swept-up material and at the boundaries of clumps. Polarimetry shows that these SNR have a net radial orientation of their magnetic fields apparently from stretching by Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities at the contact surfaces. Without clumps the observed shell is much too narrow and steep on the inside.

Dickel, J. R.↗