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At least 271 records · Page 15

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NASA NTRS2003

Hot Films on Ceramic Substrates for Measuring Skin Friction

Hot-film sensors, consisting of a metallic film on an electrically nonconductive substrate, have been used to measure skin friction as far back as 1931. A hot film is maintained at an elevated temperature relative to the local flow by passing an electrical current through it. The power required to maintain the specified temperature depends on the rate at which heat is transferred to the flow. The heat transfer rate correlates to the velocity gradient at the surface, and hence, with skin friction. The hot-film skin friction measurement method is most thoroughly developed for steady-state conditions, but additional issues arise under transient conditions. Fabricating hot-film substrates using low-thermal-conductivity ceramics can offer advantages over traditional quartz or polyester-film substrates. First, a low conductivity substrate increases the fraction of heat convected away by the fluid, thus increasing sensitivity to changes in flow conditions. Furthermore, the two-part, composite nature of the substrate allows the installation of thermocouple junctions just below the hot film, which can provide an estimate of the conduction heat loss.

Noffz, Greg↗

NASA NTRS1990

Microwave Conductivity of Laser Ablated YBa2Cu3O7-delta Superconducting Films and Its Relation to Microstrip Transmission Line Performance

We report on the values of the microwave conductivity in the normal (sigma(subN)) and superconducting (sigma*=sigma(sub1)-j sigma(sub2)) states of two laser ablated YBa2CU3O7(sigma) thin films at 35 GHz, in the temperature range from 20 to 300 K. The films 0.7 and 0.4 micrometers) were deposited on LaA10(sub3) by laser ablation. The conductivity was obtained from the microwave power transmitted through the films and assuming a two-fluid model. Values of sigma(subN) approximately 2.3 X 10(exp5) S/m at room temperature for both films, and of sigma(sub1) approximately 6.3 X 10(exp5) and 4.6 X 10(exp5) S/m at temperatures around 80 K were obtained for the 0.7 and 0.4 micrometer films respectively. For sigma(sub2) values of 4.9 X 10(exp6) and 5.4 X 10(exp6) S/m were obtained for the 0.7 and 0.4 micrometer films at 80 K. The expected conductor losses and Q-factor of a superconducting ring resonator were calculated using these conductivity values. The theoretical values were then compared with the experimental results obtained for a resonator fabricated from one of these films.

Bhasin, K. B.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Ruoff, Rodney S.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Dual Bell Nozzle Film Cooling

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) are working together to advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of the dual bell nozzle concept. Dual bell nozzles are a form of altitude compensating nozzle that consists of two connecting bell contours. At low altitude the nozzle flows fully in the first, relatively lower area ratio, nozzle. The nozzle flow separates from the wall at the inflection point which joins the two bell contours. This relatively low expansion results in higher nozzle efficiency during the low altitude portion of the launch. As ambient pressure decreases with increasing altitude, the nozzle flow will expand to fill the relatively large area ratio second nozzle. The larger area ratio of the second bell enables higher Isp during the high altitude and vacuum portions of the launch. Despite a long history of theoretical consideration and promise towards improving rocket performance, dual bell nozzles have yet to be developed for practical use and have seen only limited testing. One barrier to use of dual bell nozzles is the lack of control over the nozzle flow transition from the first bell to the second bell during operation. A method that this team is pursuing to enhance the controllability of the nozzle flow transition is manipulation of the film coolant that is injected near the inflection between the two bell contours. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is being run to assess the degree of control over nozzle flow transition generated via manipulation of the film injection. A cold flow dual bell nozzle, without film coolant, was tested over a range of simulated altitudes in 2004 in MSFC's nozzle test facility. Both NASA centers have performed a series of simulations of that dual bell to validate their computational models. Those CFD results are compared to the experimental results within this paper. MSFC then proceeded to add film injection to the CFD grid of the dual bell nozzle. A series of nozzle pressure ratios and film coolant flow rates are investigated to determine the effect of the film injection on the nozzle flow transition behavior. The results of this CFD study of a dual bell with film injection are presented in this paper.

Braman, Kalen↗

NASA NTRS2015

Achieving Zero Stress in Iridium, Chromium, and Nickel Thin Films

We examine a method for achieving zero intrinsic stress in thin films of iridium, chromium, and nickel deposited by magnetron sputter deposition. The examination of the stress in these materials is motivated by efforts to advance the optical performance of light-weight x-ray space telescopes into the regime of sub-arc second resolution that rely on control of the film stress to values within 10-100 MPa. A characteristic feature of the intrinsic stress behavior in chromium and nickel is their sensitivity to the magnitude and sign of the intrinsic stress with argon gas pressure, including the existence of a critical pressure that results in zero film stress. This critical pressure scales linearly with the film's density. While the effect of stress reversal with argon pressure has been previously reported by Hoffman and others for nickel and chromium, we have discovered a similar behavior for iridium. Additionally, we have identified zero stress in iridium shortly after island coalescence. This feature of film growth is used for achieving a total internal stress of -2.89 MPa for a 15.8 nm thick iridium film. The surface roughness of this low-stress film was examined using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and x-ray reflectivity (XRR) at CuKα and these results presented and discussed.

X-ray↗

NASA NTRS1992

Development of Thin Film Thermocouples on Ceramic Materials for Advanced Propulsion System Applications

Thin film thermocouples have been developed for use on metal parts in jet engines to 1000 c. However, advanced propulsion systems are being developed that will use ceramic materials and reach higher temperatures. The purpose of this work is to develop thin film thermocouples for use on ceramic materials. The new thin film thermocouples are Pt13Rh/Pt fabricated by the sputtering process. Lead wires are attached using the parallel-gap welding process. The ceramic materials tested are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and mullite. Both steady state and thermal cycling furnace tests were performed in the temperature range to 1500 C. High-heating-rate tests were performed in an arc lamp heat-flux-calibration facility. The fabrication of the thin film thermocouples is described. The thin film thermocouple output was compared to a reference wire thermocouple. Drift of the thin film thermocouples was determined, and causes of drift are discussed. The results of high heating rate tests up to 2500 C/sec are presented. The stability of the ceramic materials is examined. It is concluded that Pt13Rh/Pt thin film thermocouples are capable of meeting lifetime goals of 50 hours or more up to temperature of 1500 C depending on the stability of the particular ceramic substrate.

Holanda, R.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Blind to Chemistry: Molecular Contaminant Films We Could Be Missing During Visual Inspections and the Potential Impact to System Performance

Throughout the assembly, integration and test process, molecular contamination levels of space mission hardware are monitored to meet system performance requirements. Qualitatively, reflective surfaces and witness mirrors are continuously inspected for the visible presence of molecular contaminant films. Quantitatively, periodic reflectance measurements of witness mirrors indicate changes of mirror reflectivity over time due to the accumulation of molecular contaminant films. However, both methods only consider the presence of a contaminant film and not the molecular composition. Additionally, there is a risk that hardware may appear to be “visibly clean” even with a molecular contaminant film present on critical surfaces. To address these issues, experiments were performed to quantify the maximum molecular contaminant film that could be missed in visual inspections on witness mirrors with five different contaminants present. The corresponding changes in mirror reflectivity were modeled using the program STACK to determine the impact to space mission hardware performance. The results of this study not only show the criticality in considering the chemical make-up of molecular contaminant films on system performance, but also the need to recognize and understand the limitations of traditional visual inspection techniques on detecting molecular contaminant films.

Seasly, Elaine↗

NASA NTRS1972

Thin film oxygen partial pressure sensor

The development is described of a laboratory model oxygen partial pressure sensor using a sputtered zinc oxide thin film. The film is operated at about 400 C through the use of a miniature silicon bar. Because of the unique resistance versus temperature relation of the silicon bar, control of the operational temperature is achieved by controlling the resistance. A circuit for accomplishing this is described. The response of sputtered zinc oxide films of various thicknesses to oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor caused a change in the film resistance. Over a large range, film conductance varied approximately as the square root of the oxygen partial pressure. The presence of water vapor in the gas stream caused a shift in the film conductance at a given oxygen partial pressure. A theoretical model is presented to explain the characteristic features of the zinc oxide response to oxygen.

Wortman, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Study of structural behavior of thin films

The work directed towards developing methods of increasing the strength of thin boron films is reported. The program was divided into two main parts. The first involved the improvement of methods for the measurement of the strength of thin films. The second was a study of the effect of condensation of deposition temperature on the strength of the films. Techniques were developed for depositing boron films onto both sides of thin titanium and tantalum foils. Small dogbone sections of boron were made by masking. Strain gauges were then mounted on these to measure failure strains when the films were loaded in tension. Test results were consistent with those obtained by flexure tests. The most important flaws in the boron films appeared to have been generated by either small globules of boron ejected from the melt or small particles (possibly boron dust) on the substrate prior to deposition.

Feakes, F.↗

NASA NTRS1972

The dynamic liquid squeeze film.

Experiments were conducted during which plane circular surfaces bounding a liquid squeeze film were subjected to impulsive loads. Pressure measurements within the liquid film and the boundary motion were recorded. These experimental results were compared with theoretical analyses which predict the bonding strength of dynamic squeeze films. The data show that the fluid inertia contributes significantly to the value of the bonding strength. It was also found that, for high loading rates, the liquid squeeze film can resist tensile loads. When in tension, liquid cavitation was observed. A photographic study was conducted which indicated that the inception of cavitation is directly related to the squeeze film liquid viscosity and inversely related to the film thickness.

Riepe, R.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Preparation and evaluation of thin-film sodium tungsten bronzes

Thin films of sodium tungsten bronze (NaxWO3) were investigated as reversible sodium ion electrodes for solid electrolytes. The films were made by electron beam evaporation of the three phases, W metal, Na2WO4, and WO3, followed by sintering. The substrates were sodium beta alumina disks and glass slides. X-ray diffraction analyses of the films showed that sintering in dry nitrogen with prior exposure to air lead to mixed phases. Sintering in vacuum with no air exposure produced tetragonal I bronze with a nominal composition of Na0.31WO3, single phase within the limits of X-ray diffraction detectability. The films were uniform and adherent on sodium beta alumina substrates. The ac and dc conductivities of the beta alumina were measured with the sodium tungsten bronze films as electrodes. These experiments indicated that the tetragonal I bronze electrodes were not completely reversible. This may have resulted from sodium ion blocking within the bronze film or at the bronze beta alumina interface. Methods for attempting to make more completely reversible electrodes are suggested.

Kautz, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Traction and film thickness measurements under starved elastohydrodynamic conditions

Traction measurements under starved elastohydrodynamic conditions were obtained for a point contact geometry. Simultaneous measurements of the film thickness and the locations of the inlet lubricant boundary were made optically. The thickness of a starved film for combination rolling and sliding conditions varies with the location of the inlet boundary in the same way found previously for pure rolling. A starved film was observed to possess greater traction than a flooded film for the same slide roll ratio. For a given slide roll ratio a starved film simply increases the shear rate in the Hertz region. The maximum shear rate depends on the degree of starvation and has no theoretical limit. Traction measurements under starved conditions were compared with flooded conditions under equivalent shear rates in the Hertz region. When the shear rates in the Hertz region were low and the film severely starved, the measured tractions were found to be much lower than expected.

Wedeven, L. D.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Duplication train of SO-212 film for Skylab S-056 experiment

A section of film type SO-212 containing resolution targets was printed onto film type 5302 to produce a second generation master positive. This positive was then printed onto negative duplicating film type 5234. Samples and enlargements from sections of the film are presented. The original film is free of physical defects from this duplicating test. It has been demonstrated that SO-212 film can be duplicated without appreciable harm to the original.

Maas, K. A.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Effect of free-stream turbulence on film cooling

Film-cooling experiments were conducted at four levels of free-stream turbulence to test the hypothesis that the film-cooling effectiveness is inversely related to the free-stream turbulence level. The hot-gas operating conditions were held constant at a temperature of 590 K, a pressure of 1 atmosphere, and a velocity of 62 m/sec. The film-cooling air was at ambient inlet temperature, and the film-cooling flow rates were 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 percent of the total airflow. Blockage plates with blockage areas of 0, 52, 72, and 90 percent were placed upstream of the film-cooling slot and produced axial turbulence intensities of 7, 14, 23, and 35 percent, respectively. The film-cooling effectiveness decreased as much as 50 percent as the freestream turbulence intensity was increased from 7 to 35 percent. The value of the turbulent mixing coefficient used in previous work was compared with the axial turbulence intensity. The turbulent mixing coefficient was found to be 10 to 40 percent of the axial turbulence intensity.

Marek, C. J.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Film handling procedures for Apollo 17 lunar sounder

Film handling procedures for the Apollo 17 Lunar Sounder are itemized, including purchase of flight film, establishment of processing standards, transportation of flight films, flight film certification, application of pre- and post-sensitometry, film loading and downloading, film processing, titling, and duplication.

Weinstein, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Experimental verification of film-cooling concepts on a turbine vane

Film cooling concepts applied to gas turbine vanes were investigated. The filming cooling air was ejected from a single row of holes on the convex surface and a double row of holes of the concave surface. Tests were conducted at a gas temperature of 1260 K, a gas pressure of 3 atmospheres, and a coolant temperature of 280 K. Mass velocity ratios were varied between 0 and 2.0. Data were taken without film cooling holes, with film cooling holes but without blowing, and with blowing. A small amount of blowing into a nonturbulent boundary layer caused an increase in vane temperatures. Film cooling when combined with convection cooling was verified to be more effective than either film or convection cooling alone.

Gladden, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Effects of dc bias on the fabrication of amorphous GdCo RF sputtered films

An investigation has been conducted on the effects of a dc bias field applied to Gd(1-x)Co(x) thin films during RF sputter deposition. Such films may possess uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with easy axis perpendicular to the plane of the film and may be used in magnetic bubble devices. Uniformity in composition, thickness and magnetic properties has been achieved and film composition has been controlled to within one percent. However, significant variations of magnetic properties were observed from film to film.

Bourne, H. C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Effect of starvation on film thickness and traction under elastohydrodynamic rolling and sliding conditions

Traction measurements under starved elastohydrodynamic conditions were obtained for a point-contact geometry. Simultaneous measurements of the film thickness and the location of the inlet lubricant boundary were made. Optical interferometry was used to measure film thickness. The thickness of a starved film for combined rolling and sliding conditions varies with the location of the inlet boundary in the same way as previously found for pure rolling conditions. When the fluid velocity distribution is calculated in the inlet region by a Reynolds lubrication analysis, backflow is seen to occur over a portion of the inlet region. Backflow is essential for the establishment of a flooded condition. The location of certain fluid velocity conditions within the inlet region, as suggested in the literature, does not adequately describe the onset of starvation. For the same slide-roll ratio a starved film was observed to possess greater traction than a flooded film. Traction measurements under starved conditions were also compared with those under flooded conditions for equivalent shear rates in the Hertzian region. When the shear rates within the Hertzian region were low and the film was severely starved, the measured tractions were lower than expected. This may be due to large shear stresses developed by the large pressure gradients that are generated in the inlet region when it is severely starved.

Wedeven, L. D.↗