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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Fabrication of stainless steel clad tubing

The feasibility of producing stainless steel clad carbon steel tubing by a gas pressure bonding process was evaluated. Such a tube product could provide substantial chromium savings over monolithic stainless tubing in the event of a serious chromium shortage. The process consists of the initial assembly of three component tubesets from conventionally produced tubing, the formation of a strong metallurgical bond between the three components by gas pressure bonding, and conventional cold draw and anneal processing to final size. The quality of the tubes produced was excellent from the standpoint of bond strength, mechanical, and forming properties. The only significant quality problem encountered was carburization of the stainless clad by the carbon steel core which can be overcome by further refinement through at least three different approaches. The estimated cost of clad tubing produced by this process is greater than that for monolithic stainless tubing, but not so high as to make the process impractical as a chromium conservation method.

Kovach, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Experimental investigation of flow and heating in a resonance tube

Experiments have been performed to determine the basic mechanism of heating in resonance tubes of square section with constant area excited by underexpanded jet flows. The jet flow between the nozzle exit and the tube inlet plays a key role in the performance of a resonance tube. A detailed and systematic investigation of the unsteady complex shock structure in this part of the flow region has led to a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms associated with the gas heating in such tubes. A study of the effects of tube location in relation to free-jet shock location (without the presence of the resonance tube) has shed further light on the underlying mechanism of sustained oscillations of the flow in a resonance tube.

Sarohia, V.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Precision heat forming of tetrafluoroethylene tubing

An invention that provides a method of altering the size of tetrafluoroethylene tubing which is only available in limited combination of wall thicknesses and diameter are discussed. The method includes the steps of sliding the tetrafluoroethylene tubing onto an aluminum mandrel and clamping the ends of the tubing to the mandrel by means of clamps. The tetrafluorethylene tubing and mandrel are then placed in a supporting coil which with the mandrel and tetrafluorethylene tubing are then positioned in a insulated steel pipe which is normally covered with a fiber glass insulator to smooth out temperature distribution therein. The entire structure is then placed in an event which heats the tetrafluorethylene tubing which is then shrunk by the heat to the outer dimension of the aluminum mandrel. After cooling the aluminum mandrel is removed from the newly sized tetrafluorethylene tubing by a conventional chemical milling process.

Ruiz, W. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Intagliated phosphor screen image tube project

The production and evaluation of a magnetic focus image tube for astronomical photography that has an intagliated phosphor screen is described. The modulation transfer function of such a tube was measured by electronic means and by film tests, and the results compared with tubes of more conventional construction. The physical properties of the image tube and film combination, the analytical model of the optical interface, and the salient features of the intagliated screen tube are described. The results of electronic MTF tests of the intagliated image tube and of the densitometry of the tube and film test samples are presented. It is concluded that the intagliated screen is a help, but that the thickness of the photographic film is also important.

Hertzel, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Bound oscillations on thin magnetic flux tubes - Convective instability and umbral oscillations

The possibility that 'tube waves' can be trapped on slender solar magnetic flux tubes is investigated. For rigid isothermal flux tubes, it is found that the flux tube geometry can by itself lead to waves which are trapped on the part of the tube that expands with height. Some geometries lead to trapped modes with eigenperiods near 180 s, if parameters appropriate to sunspot umbrae are chosen. It is possible that the umbral oscillations are a manifestation of such trapped waves, if sunspot umbrae consist of an assembly of slender flux tubes, as in the spaghetti model of Parker (1979). For flux tubes which have a constant ratio of Alfven speed to sound speed, it is found that it is primarily the variation of temperature with height which determines whether trapped waves can exist. Certain temperature profiles lead to disturbances for which omega squared is less than zero, corresponding to convective instability or Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Hollweg, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The propagation of torsion along flux tubes subject to dynamical nonequilibrium

It is noted that the dynamical nonequilibrium of close-packed flux tubes is driven by the torsion in the individual tubes. Because of this, whenever tubes with the same sense of twisting come into contact, there is reconnection of their azimuthal field components. The reconnection consumes the local torsion, and this causes the propagation of torsional Alfven waves into the region from elsewhere along the tubes. The formal problem of the propagation of the torsion along twisted flux tubes is presented, along with some of the basic physical properties worked out in the limit of small torsion. It is noted that in tubes with finite twisting the propagation of torsional Alfven waves can be a more complicated phenomenon. Application to the sun suggests that the propagation of torsion from below the visible surface up into the corona is an important energy supply to the corona for a period of perhaps 10-20 hours after the emergence of the flux tubes through the surface of the sun, bringing up torsion from depths of 10,000 km or more. Torsion is of course continually furnished by the manipulation and shuffling of the field by the convection.

Parker, E. N.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Evaluation of CO2 and CO dopants in hydrogen to reduce hydrogen permeation in the Stirling engine heater head tube alloy CG-27

Tubes of CG-27 alloy, filled with hydrogen doped with various amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, were heated in a diesel fuel fired Stirling engine simulator materials test rig for 100 hours at 820 C and at a gas pressure of 15 MPa to determine the effectiveness of the dopants in reducing hydrogen permeation through the hot tube wall. This was done for clean as-heat treated tubes and also for tubes that had previously been exposed for 100 hours to hydrogen doped with 1.0 volume percent carbon dioxide to determine if the lower levels of dopant could maintain a low hydrogen permeation through the hot tube wall. Carbon dioxide, as a dopant in hydrogen, was most effective in reducing hydrogen permeation through clean tubes and in maintaining low hydrogen permeation after prior exposure to 1.0 volume percent carbon dioxide. Only the lowest level of carbon dioxide (0.05 volume percent) was not as effective in the clean or prior exposed tubes. Carbon monoxide as a dopant in hydrogen was less effective than carbon dioxide at a given concentration level. Of the four dopant levels studied; 1.0, 0.5, 0.2, and 0.05 volume percent carbon monoxide, only the 1.0 and 0.5 volume percent were effective in reducing and maintaining low hydrogen permeation through the CG-27.

Misencik, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Thermally induced stresses and deformations in layered composite tubes

The thermally induced stresses and deformations in layered, orthotropic tubes are studied. The motivation for studying tubes is their likely application for use in space structures. Tubes are a strong candidate for this application because of their high structural efficiency, as measured by stiffness per unit weight, and their relative ease of fabrication. Also, tubes have no free edges to deteriorate or delaminate. An anticipated thermal condition for tubes in space is a circumferential temperature gradient. This type of gradient will introduce dimensional changes into the structure and may cause stresses large enough to cause damage to the material. There are potentially large differences in temperatures at different circumferential locations on the tube. Because of this, the effects of temperature dependent material properties on the stresses and deformations may be important. The study is composed of three parts: experiments to determine the functional form of the circumferential gradient and to measure tube deflections; an elasticity solution to compute the stresses and deformations; and an approximate approach to determine the effects of temperature dependent material properties.

Cooper, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Eddy-Current Detection of Cracks in Tubes

Nondestructive device tests narrow, sharply-bent metal tubes. Eddycurrent probe detects incipient cracks inside small metal tubes. Tube-centering device consisting of pair of opposed bars ensures tube centered on eddy-current coil. Probe moves along length of bent tube to inspect repeatably for cracks. Compatible with tubes of different cross sections, oval, flattened, square, rectangular,or irregular. Adapts for inspecting formed tubes in petrochemical, automotive, nuclear, and medical equipment.

Parent, R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Protective coatings for composite tubes in space applications

Protective coatings for graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) tubular structures for a Manned Space Station truss structure were evaluated. The success of the composite tube truss structure depends on its stability to long-term exposure to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environment with particular emphasis placed on atomic oxygen. Concepts for protectively coating Gr/Ep tubes include use of inorganic coated metal foils and electroplating. These coatings were applied to Gr/Ep tubes and then subjected to simulated LEO environmnet to evaluate survivability of coatings and coated tubes. Evaluation included: atomic oxygen resistance, changes in optical properties and adhesion, abrasion resistancem surface preparation required, coating uniformity, and formation of microcracks in the Gr/Ep tubes caused by thermal cycling. Program results demonstrated that both phosphoric and chromic acid anodized Al foil provided excellent adhesion to Gr/Ep tubes and exhibited stable optical properties when subjected to simulated LEO environment. The SiO2/Al coatings speuttered onto Al foils also resulted in an excellent protective coating. Electroplated Ni exhibited unaccepatble adhesion loss to Gr/Ep tubes during atomic oxygen exposure.

Dursch, Harry W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Magnetic flux tubes as sources of wave generation

The structure of solar, and very likely stellar, surface magnetic fields is highly inhomogeneous: at the photospheric level, the fields are locally strong, and show concentration into a flux tube structure. In this case, the wave energy generated in stellar convection zones may be largely carried away by flux tube waves, which can then become important sources for the heating of the outer atmospheric layers. Such flux tube wave generation may help to explain the UV and X-ray fluxes observed by the IUE and Einstein observatories. The generation of longitudinal tube waves in magnetic flux tubes embedded in an otherwise magnetic field-free, turbulent, and stratified medium was considered. It is shown that compressible tube waves are generated by dipole emission and that the generation efficiency is a strong function of the magnetic field strength. Energy flux calculations are presented for different magnetic flux tubes, and show how the results depend on the magnetic field strength and the characteristics of the convective turbulence.

Musielak, Z. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Experimental investigation of turbulent flow in smooth and longitudinal grooved tubes

Turbulent flow in tubes with and without longitudinal grooves is examined. The discovery of fine grooves forming a sort of streamline pattern on the body of sharks led to the expectation that the grooves on a surface reduce the momentum change, and thus the drag. To test this thesis, drag law, velocity profile and the profile of the velocity fluctuation were determined. Results show that for moderate Reynolds numbers the drag coefficient for grooved tubes is about 3 percent smaller than that of the smooth tubes. At higher Reynolds numbers, however, the drag coefficient for grooved tubes becomes larger than that for smooth tubes. No significant differences in the velocity profiles between grooved tubes and smooth tubes are found.

Nitschke, P.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Protective coatings for composite tubes in space applications

Protective coatings for graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) tubular structures for a manned Space Station truss structure were evaluated. The success of the composite tube truss structure depends on its stability to long-term exposure to the low earth orbit (LEO) environment, with particular emphasis placed on atomic oxygen. Concepts for protectively coating Gr/Ep tubes include use of inorganic coated metal foils and electroplating. These coatings were applied to Gr/Ep tubes and then subjected to simulated LEO environment to evaluate survivability of coatings and coated tubes. Evaluation included: atomic oxygen resistance, changes in optical properties and adhesion, abrasion resistance, surface preparation required, coating uniformity, and formation of microcracks in the Gr/Ep tubes caused by thermal cycling. Program results demonstrated that both phosphoric and chromic acid anodized Al foil provided excellent adhesion to Gr/Ep tubes and exhibited stable optical properties when subjected to simulated LEO environment. The SiO2/Al coatings sputtered onto Al foils also resulted in an excellent protective coating. Electroplated Ni exhibited unacceptable adhesion loss to Gr/Ep tubes during atomic oxygen exposure.

Dursch, Harry W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development and properties of aluminum-clad graphite/epoxy tubes for space structures

This paper presents the development and properties of seamless aluminum-clad P75/Epoxy tubes and the unique manufacturing method used in their production. Thermo-mechanical properties of the tubes were determined analytically and verified by tests. These properties were shown to be suitable for space structures that require high stiffness, low weight and thermal expansion, and dimensional stability during operational life. A special feature of the tubes is the ability to tune the tube for thermal expansion after fabrication by a chemical milling process. The tubes are also resistant to atomic oxygen and handling damage. The toughness of the tubes was demonstrated by impact testing. Cyclic thermal testing showed no adverse effects on the expansion and stiffness behavior of the tubes. The paper also includes a discussion of a joining method that uses aluminum end fittings and an efficient scarf joint configuration. Additional studies considered various adhesives and fitting materials. Joint allowables were higher for titanium and B4C particulate magnesium fittings. The effect of different adhesives under static loading conditions favored the high-strength adhesives.

Johnson, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Heat transfer to throat tubes in a square-chambered rocket engine at the NASA Lewis Research Center

A gaseous H2/O2 rocket engine was constructed at the NASA-Lewis to provide a high heat flux source representative of the heat flux to the blades in the high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) during startup of the space shuttle main engines. The high heat flux source was required to evaluate the durability of thermal barrier coatings being investigated for use on these blades. The heat transfer, and specifically, the heat flux to tubes located at the throat of the test rocket engine was evaluated and compared to the heat flux to the blades in the HPFTP during engine startup. Gas temperatures, pressures and heat transfer coefficients in the test rocket engine were measured. Near surface metal temperatures below thin thermal barrier coatings were also measured at various angular orientations around the throat tube to indicate the angular dependence of the heat transfer coefficients. A finite difference model for a throat tube was developed and a thermal analysis was performed using the measured gas temperatures and the derived heat transfer coefficients to predict metal temperatures in the tube. Near surface metal temperatures of an uncoated throat tube were measured at the stagnation point and showed good agreement with temperatures predicted by the thermal model. The maximum heat flux to the throat tube was calculated and compared to that predicted for the leading edge of an HPFTP blade. It is shown that the heat flux to an uncooled throat tube is slightly greater than the heat flux to an HPFTP blade during engine startup.

Nesbitt, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center drop tube user's manual

A comprehensive description of the structural and instrumentation hardware and the experimental capabilities of the 105-meter Marshall Space Flight Center Drop Tube Facility is given. This document is to serve as a guide to the investigator who wishes to perform materials processing experiments in the Drop Tube. Particular attention is given to the Tube's hardware to which an investigator must interface to perform experiments. This hardware consists of the permanent structural hardware (with such items as vacuum flanges), and the experimental hardware (with the furnaces and the sample insertion devices). Two furnaces, an electron-beam and an electromagnetic levitator, are currently used to melt metallic samples in a process environment that can range from 10(exp -6) Torr to 1 atmosphere. Details of these furnaces, the processing environment gases/vacuum, the electrical power, and data acquisition capabilities are specified to allow an investigator to design his/her experiment to maximize successful results and to reduce experimental setup time on the Tube. Various devices used to catch samples while inflicting minimum damage and to enhance turnaround time between experiments are described. Enough information is provided to allow an investigator who wishes to build his/her own furnace or sample catch devices to easily interface it to the Tube. The experimental instrumentation and data acquisition systems used to perform pre-drop and in-flight measurements of the melting and solidification process are also detailed. Typical experimental results are presented as an indicator of the type of data that is provided by the Drop Tube Facility. A summary bibliography of past Drop Tube experiments is provided, and an appendix explaining the noncontact temperature determination of free-falling drops is provided. This document is to be revised occasionally as improvements to the Facility are made and as the summary bibliography grows.

Rathz, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Heat tube device

The present invention discloses a heat tube device through which a working fluid can be circulated to transfer heat to air in a conventional air conditioning system. The heat tube device is disposable about a conventional cooling coil of the air conditioning system and includes a plurality of substantially U-shaped tubes connected to a support structure. The support structure includes members for allowing the heat tube device to be readily positioned about the cooling coil. An actuatable adjustment device is connected to the U-shaped tubes for allowing, upon actuation thereof, for the heat tubes to be simultaneously rotated relative to the cooling coil for allowing the heat transfer from the heat tube device to air in the air conditioning system to be selectively varied.

Khattar, Mukesh K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Electrically heated tube investigation of cooling channel geometry effects

The results of an experimental investigation on the combined effects of cooling channel aspect ratio and curvature for rocket engines are presented. Symmetrically heated tubes with average heat fluxes up to 1.7 MW/m(exp 2) were used. The coolant was gaseous nitrogen at an inlet temperature of 280 K (500 R) and inlet pressures up to 1.0 x 10(exp 7) N/m(exp 2) (1500 psia). Two different tube geometries were tested: a straight, circular cross-section tube, and an aspect-ratio 10 cross-section tube with a 45 deg bend. The circular tube results are compared to classical models from the literature as validation of the system. The curvature effect data from the curved aspect-ratio 10 tube compare favorably to the empirical equations available in the literature for low aspect ratio tubes. This latter results suggest that thermal stratification of the coolant due to diminished curvature effect mixing may not be an issue for high aspect-ratio cooling channels.

Meyer, Michael L.↗