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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

A Liquefaction Model for A Cryogenically Refrigerated Ellipsoidal Tank

Over the past few decades NASA has been developing technology to produce cryogenic propellants on the surfaces of the Moon or Mars. In-situ propellant production reduces the amount of propellants needed to be taken to Moon/Mars and ultimately reduces mission cost. Utilizing Lunar/Martian resources, the produced gases are liquefied and stored prior to use on the ascent vehicle. This paper presents a model for the liquefaction process of gaseous propellants in a cryogenically refrigerated tank. The tank is cylindrical with elliptical top and bottom domes. A transient model is developed based on the mass and energy conservation principles and wall-gas and liquid-gas interfacial mass and heat transfer correlations. The model is incorporated into the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), an MSFC in-house general-purpose computer program for flow network analysis. Description of the model and comparison of predicted results with available test data is presented.

Liquefaction↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Modeling Self-Pressurization and Spray Bar Pressure Control of a Cryogenic Storage Tank in Normal Gravity

This paper presents Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models for simulating self-pressurization and spray bar cooling processes in a large-scale liquid hydrogen storage tank under normal gravity. The self-pressurization model utilizes the kinetics-based Schrage equation with the Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) model to account for the evaporative and condensing interfacial mass fluxes. It uses a laminar approach to model natural convection and compares the pressures and temperatures predicted by the CFD model with experimental data from the Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) self-pressurization experiment. Additionally, the predicted interfacial mass flux is presented. A CFD model for simulating pressure control using a spray bar is also presented. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach models the interactions between the discrete droplets and the continuous ullage phase. The spray model is coupled with the VOF model by tracking particles in the ullage, removing particles from the ullage when they reach the interface, and then adding their contributions to the liquid. The T-sat model is used to calculate the droplet-ullage heat and mass transfer. In this model, droplets warm up to the saturation temperature corresponding to the ullage vapor pressure thereafter evaporating while remaining at the saturation temperature. The tank pressure, vapor, and liquid temperature evolutions are validated against data from the MHTB spray bar mixing experiment.

Self-Pressurization↗
NASA NTRS1989

The role of interfacial dislocation networks in high temperature creep of superalloys

The dislocation networks generated during high-temperature creep of several single-crystal nickel-based superalloys are analyzed. The networks continually evolve during creep at relatively low temperatures or eventually reach a more stable configuration at high temperatures. Specifically, the role of these networks in directional coarsening processes are studied, along with their formation kinetics, characteristics, and stability during creep. The results of this study combined with previous findings suggest that the directional coarsening process is strongly influenced by elastic strain energy. The dislocation networks formed during primary creep are found to be stable during all subsequent creep stages. Aspects of these dislocation networks are determined to be a product of both the applied creep stress and coherency strains.

Gabb, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Improved refractory coatings

The adhesion, friction and wear properties of sputtered refractory coatings on substrates of materials that form stable nitrides are enhanced by placing each substrate directly below a titanium carbide target of a commercial radiofrequency diode apparatus in a vacuum chamber. Nitrogen is bled into the system through a nozzle resulting in a small partial pressure of about 0.5% to 2.5% during the first two minutes of deposition. The flow of nitrogen is then stopped, and the sputtering ambient is reduced to pure argon through a nozzle without interrupting the sputtering process. When nitrogen is deliberately introduced during the crucial interface formation, some of the titanium at the interface reacts to form titanium nitride while the metal of the substrate also forms the nitride. These two nitrides atomically mixed together in the interfacial region act to more strongly bond the growing titanium carbide coating as it forms on the substrate.

Brainard, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Refractory coatings and method of producing the same

The adhesion, friction, and wear properties of sputtered refractory coatings on substrates of materials that form stable nitrides is improved by placing each substrate directly below a titanium carbide target of a commercial radiofrequency diode apparatus in a vacuum chamber. Nitrogen is bled into the system through a nozzle resulting in a small partial pressure of about 0.5% to 2.5% during the first two minutes of deposition. The flow of nitrogen is then stopped, and the sputtering ambient is reduced to pure argon through a nozzle without interrupting the sputtering process. When nitrogen is deliberately introduced during the crucial interface formation, some of the titanium at the interface reacts to form titanium nitride while the metal of the substrate also forms the nitride. These two nitrides atomically mixed together in the interfacial region act to more strongly bond the growing titanium carbide coating as it forms on the substrate.

Brainard, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Dynamics of coupled ice-ocean system in the marginal ice zone: Study of the mesoscale processes and of constitutive equations for sea ice

This study is aimed at the modelling of mesoscale processed such as up/downwelling and ice edge eddies in the marginal ice zones. A 2-dimensional coupled ice-ocean model is used for the study. The ice model is coupled to the reduced gravity ocean model (f-plane) through interfacial stresses. The constitutive equations of the sea ice are formulated on the basis of the Reiner-Rivlin theory. The internal ice stresses are important only at high ice concentrations (90-100%), otherwise the ice motion is essentially free drift, where the air-ice stress is balanced by the ice-water stress. The model was tested by studying the upwelling dynamics. Winds parallel to the ice edge with the ice on the right produce upwilling because the air-ice momentum flux is much greater that air-ocean momentum flux, and thus the Ekman transport is bigger under the ice than in the open water. The upwelling simulation was extended to include temporally varying forcing, which was chosen to vary sinusoidally with a 4 day period. This forcing resembles successive cyclone passings. In the model with a thin oceanic upper layer, ice bands were formed.

Hakkinen, S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Properties of M40J Carbon/PMR-II-50 Composites Fabricated with Desized and Surface Treated Fibers. Characterization of M40J Desized and Finished Fibers

To increase performance and durability of high temperature composites for potential rocket engine components, it is necessary to optimize wetting and interfacial bonding between high modulus carbon fibers and high temperature polyimide resins. It has been previously demonstrated that the electro-oxidative shear treatments used by fiber manufacturers are not effective on higher modulus fibers that have fewer edge and defect sites in the surface crystallites. In addition, sizings commercially supplied on most carbon fibers are not compatible with polyimides. This study was an extension of prior work characterizing the surface chemistry and energy of high modulus carbon fibers (M40J and M60J, Torray) with typical fluorinated polyimide resins, such as PMR-II-50. A continuous desizing system which utilizes environmentally friendly chemical- mechanical processes was developed for tow level fiber and the processes were optimized based on weight loss behavior, surface elemental composition (XPS) and morphology (FE-SEM) analyses, and residual tow strength of the fiber, and the similar approaches have been applied on carbon fabrics. Both desized and further treated with a reactive finish were investigated for the composite reinforcement. The effects of desizing and/or subsequent surface retreatment on carbon fiber on composite properties and performance including fiber-matrix interfacial mechanical properties, thermal properties and blistering onset behavior will be discussed in this presentation.

Allred, Ronald E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Fractography of the interlaminar fracture of carbon-fibre epoxy composites

The failed surfaces of interlaminar fracture (mode I) specimens of AS4/3501-6 were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The principal fracture features were fiber pull-out (bundles and single fibers), hackle markings, and regions of smooth resin fracture. Considerable (30 to 50 percent) relaxation of the deformed resin occurred when the specimens were heated above the matrix glass transition temperature. This relaxation was taken as evidence of extensive shear yielding of the resin during the fracture process. Some of the fractography features are discussed in terms of transverse tensile stresses and peeling stresses acting on the fibers. In some instances these localized stresses focus failure close to the resin-fiber interface, which can be mistakenly interpreted as interfacial failure and low fiber-resin adhesion.

Bascom, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Modeling of zero gravity venting: Studies of two-phase heat transfer under reduced gravity

The objective is to predict the pressure response of a saturated liquid-vapor system when undergoing a venting or depressurization process in zero gravity at low vent rates. An experimental investigation of the venting of cylindrical containers partially filled with initially saturated liquids was previously conducted under zero-gravity conditions and compared with an analytical model which incorporated the effect of interfacial mass transfer on the ullage pressure response during venting. A new model is presented to improve the estimation of the interfacial mass transfer. Duhammel's superposition integral is incorporated to approximate the transient temperature response of the interface, treating the liquid as a semi-infinite solid with conduction heat transfer. Account is also taken of the condensation taking place within the bulk of a saturated vapor as isentropic expansion takes place. Computational results are presented for the venting of R-11 from a given vessel and initial state for five different venting rates over a period of three seconds, and compared to prior NASA experiments. An improvement in the prediction of the final pressure takes place, but is still considerably below the measurements.

Merte, H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Modeling of collision and coalescence of droplets during microgravity processing of Zn-Bi immiscible alloys

A population balance model is presented for the coarsening of the dispersed phase of liquid-liquid two-phase mixtures in microgravity due to gravity sedimentation and Marangoni migration, which lead to the collision and coalescence of droplets. The model is used to predict the evolution of the size distribution of the dispersed phase in a liquid-phase miscibility gap system, Zn-Bi, which has been used in a number of experimental microgravity processing studies in which significant phase segregation has been observed. The analysis shows that increasing the temperature gradient, gravity level, volume fraction of the dispersed phase, initial average drop radius, initial standard deviation of droplet radii, or the temperature coefficient of the interfacial tension leads to an increase in the rate of droplet growth due to collision and coalescence. Comparison of the distribution evolutions for unimodal and bimodal initial distributions shows that the latter yield significantly more rapid droplet growth. Finally, it is shown that droplet growth can be dramatically reduced with antiparallel orientation of the gravity vector and the temperature gradient, provided that the relative magnitude of these two vectors is properly chosen.

Davis, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fundamental Processes of Atomization in Fluid-Fluid Flows

This report outlines the major results of the grant "Fundamental Processes of Atomization in Fluid-Fluid Flows." These include: 1) the demonstration that atomization in liquid/liquid shear flow is driven by a viscous shear instability that triggers the formation of a long thin sheet; 2) discovery of a new mode of interfacial instability for oscillatory two-layer systems whereby a mode that originates within the less viscous liquid phase causes interfacial deformation as the oscillation proceeds; 3) the demonstration that rivulet formation from gravity front occurs because the local front shape specified by gravity and surface tension changes from a nose to a wedge geometry, thus triggering a large increase in viscous resistance; and 4) extension of the studies on nonlinear wave evolution on falling films and in stratified flow, particularly the evolution towards large-amplitude solitary waves that tend to generate drops.

McCready, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Chemistry of MOS-LSI radiation hardening

The objective of this task was to obtain chemical information on MOS test samples. Toward this end, high resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) has been the primary techniques used to characterize the chemistry and structure of the SiO2/Si interface for a variety of MOS structures with differing degrees of susceptibility to damage by ionizing radiation. The major accomplishments of this program are: (1) the identification of a structurally distinct region of SiO2 in the near-interfacial region of thermal SiO2 on Si; (2) the identification in the near-interfacial region of SiO2 structural differences between radiation hard and soft gate oxides; (3) the direct observation of radiation-induced damage sites in thermal SiO2 with XPS using in situ electron stress; (4) the correlation of suboxide state distributions at the SiO2/Si interface with processing parameters and radiation susceptibility; (5) the development of a chemical mechanism for radiation-induced interface state generation in SiO2/Si structures; and (6) the development benign chemical profiling techniques which permit the investigation of oxide/semiconductor structures using surface sensitive electron spectroscopic techniques.

Grunthaner, P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Fibre-matrix bond strength studies of glass, ceramic, and metal matrix composites

An indentation test technique for compressively loading the ends of individual fibers to produce debonding has been applied to metal, glass, and glass-ceramic matrix composites; bond strength values at debond initiation are calculated using a finite-element model. Results are correlated with composite longitudinal and interlaminar shear behavior for carbon and Nicalon fiber-reinforced glasses and glass-ceramics including the effects of matrix modifications, processing conditions, and high-temperature oxidation embrittlement. The data indicate that significant bonding to improve off-axis and shear properties can be tolerated before the longitudinal behavior becomes brittle. Residual stress and other mechanical bonding effects are important, but improved analyses and multiaxial interfacial failure criteria are needed to adequately interpret bond strength data in terms of composite performance.

Grande, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Influence of convection on microstructure

The primary motivation for this research has been to determine the cause for space processing altering the microstructure of some eutectics, especially the MnBi-Bi eutectic. Prior experimental research at Grumman and here showed that the microstructure of MnBi-Bi eutectic is twice as fine when solidified in space or in a magnetic field, is uninfluenced by interfacial temperature gradient, adjusts very quickly to changes in freezing rate, and becomes coarser when spin-up/spin-down (accelerated crucible rotation technique) is used during solidification. Theoretical work at Clarkson predicted that buoyancy driven convection on earth could not account for the two fold change in fiber spacing caused by solidification in space. However, a lamellar structure with a planar interface was assumed, and the Soret effect was not included in the analysis. Experimental work at Clarkson showed that the interface is not planar, and that MnBi fibers project out in front of the Bi matrix on the order of one fiber diameter. Originally four primary hypotheses were to be tested under this current grant: (1) a fibrous microstructure is much more sensitive to convection than a lamellar microstructure, which was assumed in our prior theoretical treatment; (2) an interface with one phase projecting out into the melt is much more sensitive to convection than a planar interface, which was assumed in our prior theoretical treatment; (3) the Soret effect is much more important in the absence of convection and has a sufficiently large influence on microstructure that its action can explain the flight results; and (4) the microstructure is much more sensitive to convection when the composition of the bulk melt is off eutectic. As reported previously, we have learned that while a fibrous microstructure and a non-planar interface are more sensitive to convection than a lamellar microstructure with a planar interface, the influence of convection remains too small to explain the flight and magnetic field results. Similarly addition of the Soret effect does not explain the flight and magnetic field results.

Wilcox, William R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Chemical Vapor Deposited SiC (SCS-0) Fiber-Reinforced Strontium Aluminosilicate Glass-Ceramic Composites

Unidirectional SrO Al2O3 2SiO2 glass-ceramic matrix composites reinforced with uncoated Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) SiC (SCS-0) fibers have been fabricated by hot-pressing under appropriate conditions using the glass-ceramic approach. Almost fully dense composites having a fiber volume fraction of 0.24 have been obtained. Monoclinic celsian, SrAl2Si2O8, was the only crystalline phase observed in the matrix by x-ray diffraction. No chemical reaction was observed between the fiber and the matrix after high temperature processing. In three-point flexure, the composite exhibited a first matrix cracking stress of approx. 231 +/- 20 MPa and an ultimate strength of 265 +/- 17 MPa. Examination of fracture surfaces revealed limited short length fiber pull-out. From fiber push-out, the fiber/matrix interfacial debonding and frictional strengths were evaluated to be approx. 17.5 +/- 2.7 MPa and 11.3 +/- 1.6 MPa, respectively. Some fibers were strongly bonded to the matrix and could not be pushed out. The micromechanical models were not useful in predicting values of the first matrix cracking stress as well as the ultimate strength of the composites.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Properties of powder-impregnated graphite/PEKK

Poly Ether Ketone Ketone (PEKK) powders were prepregged on AS4 (12K), IM7 (12K), and G30-500 (12K) carbon fibers and consolidated into unidirectional laminates. The preferred formulation of PEKK for the dry powder process was identified. Mechanical test data on panels prepared via the powder process agreed well with flex, short beam shear, and double cantilever beam values obtained previously on melt-impregnated material. IM7/PEKK composites showed superior mechanical properties to AS4/PEKK and G30-500/PEKK composites. Transverse flexural strength and fiber/resin contact angle correlated well as measures of the fiber/matrix interfacial strength.

Bucher, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Adhesion at metal interfaces

A basic adhesion process is defined, the theory of the properties influencing metallic adhesion is outlined, and theoretical approaches to the interface problem are presented, with emphasis on first-principle calculations as well as jellium-model calculations. The computation of the energies of adhesion as a function of the interfacial separation is performed; fully three-dimensional calculations are presented, and universality in the shapes of the binding energy curves is considered. An embedded-atom method and equivalent-crystal theory are covered in the framework of issues involved in practical adhesion.

Banerjea, Amitava↗