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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Electrical heating tests of uranium dioxide external fuel configuration at emitter temperature of 1900 K

Testing of two fuel clad specimens for thermionic reactor application is described. The annular UO2 fuel was clad on both sides with tungsten; heat rejection was radially inward. The tests were intended to study inner clad stability, fuel redistribution, and fuel melting problems. The specimens were tested in a vacuum chamber using electron bombardment heating. Fuel structural changes were studied using periodic gammagraphs and posttest metallography. The first specimen test was terminated at 50 hours because of a braze failure. The second specimen was tested for 240 hours when an outer clad leak developed due to a tungsten-water reaction. The fuel developed numerous cracks on cooldown but the inner clad remained dimensionally stable. The fuel cover gas did not impede the rate of fuel redistribution. Posttest examination showed the fuel had not melted during operation.

Diianni, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Thermal Stability Testing of a Fischer-Tropsch Fuel and Various Blends with Jet A

Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) jet fuel composition differs from petroleum-based, conventional commercial jet fuel because of differences in feedstock and production methodology. Fischer-Tropsch fuel typically has a lower aromatic and sulfur content and consists primarily of iso and normal parafins. The ASTM D3241 specification for Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Test (JFTOT) break point testing method was used to test the breakpoint of a baseline conventional Jet A, a commercial grade F-T jet fuel, and various blends of this F-T fuel in Jet A. The testing completed in this report was supported by the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Subsonics Fixed Wing Project.

Klettlinger, Jennifer Suder↗
NASA NTRS1982

Low NO sub x heavy fuel combustor concept program. Phase 1A: Combustion technology generation coal gas fuels

Combustion tests of two scaled burners using actual coal gas from a 25 ton/day fluidized bed coal gasifier are described. The two combustor configurations studied were a ceramic lined, staged rich/lean burner and an integral, all metal multiannual swirl burner (MASB). The tests were conducted over a range of temperature and pressures representative of current industrial combustion turbine inlet conditions. Tests on the rich lean burner were conducted at three levels of product gas heating values: 104, 197 and 254 btu/scf. Corresponding levels of NOx emissions were 5, 20 and 70 ppmv. Nitrogen was added to the fuel in the form of ammonia, and conversion efficiencies of fuel nitrogen to NOx were on the order of 4 percent to 12 percent, which is somewhat lower than the 14 percent to 18 percent conversion efficiency when src-2 liquid fuel was used. The MASB was tested only on medium btu gas (220 to 270 btu/scf), and produced approximately 80 ppmv NOx at rated engine conditions. Both burners operated similarly on actual coal gas and erbs fuel, and all heating values tested can be successfully burned in current machines.

Sherlock, T. P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Specifications of Cladding Diameter Measurements Conducted at AGHCF

Fuel element diameter data was collected on-site at the Alpha-Gamma Hot Cell Facility (AGHCF) before and after out-of-pile furnace transient tests of fuel elements. Available data records have been collected and preserved in the Out-of-Pile Transient Database (OPTD). This data is used to determine the transient-induced changes in fuel element diameter, or cladding strain, for the Whole Pin Furnace (WPF) tests. Fuel element diameter was measured by contact profilometry along the length of the fuel pin at specified rotational orientations and/or by a manually operated micrometer at several discrete axial locations along the pin. The Alpha-Gamma Hot Cell Facility Operations Manual details the way the facility operated, organizational and oversight responsibilities, and procedures for examination of samples. The working version of the manual at the time of the whole pin furnace tests and the test pin examinations is Doc. No. IPS-2-00-00, dated June 1989. This specification was developed using the operations manual and recovered measurement records in consultation with subject matter experts (SMEs). The measurement methods, format of the available post-test examination (PTE) data, and recommended methods for use and interpretation of that data are summarized. Section 2 describes the available diameter measurement data for the WPF tests with guidance for interpretation and usage, and Section 3 describes the instrument measurement procedures and calibration methods.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multiphysics Simulation of the NASA SIRIUS-CAL Fuel Experiment in the Transient Test Reactor Using Griffin

After approximately 50 years, NASA is restarting efforts to develop nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) for interplanetary missions. Building upon nuclear engine tests performed from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, the present research and testing focuses on advanced materials and fabrication methods. A number of transient tests have been performed to evaluate materials performance under high-temperature, high-flux conditions, with several more experiments in the pipeline for future testing. The measured data obtained from those tests are being used to validate the Griffin reactor multiphysics code for this particular type of application. Griffin was developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) using the MOOSE framework. This article describes the simulation results of the SIRIUS-CAL calibration experiment in the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT). SIRIUS-CAL was the first transient test conducted on NASA fuels, and although the test was performed with a relatively low core peak power, the test specimen survived a temperature exceeding 900 K. Griffin simulations of the experiment successfully matched the reactor’s power transient after calibrating the initial control rod position to match the initial reactor period. The thermal-hydraulics model largely matches the time-dependent response of a thermocouple located within the experiment specimen to within the uncertainty estimate. However, the uncertainty range is significant and must be reduced in the future.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Elucidating the degradation mechanisms of Pt-free anode anion-exchange membrane fuel cells after durability testing

The development of anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) has recently accelerated due to synergistic improvements yielding highly conductive membranes, stable ionomers, and enhanced alkaline electrocatalysts. However, cell durability, especially under realistic conditions, still poses a major challenge. Herein, we employ low-loadings of Pt-free Pd-based catalysts in the anode of AEMFCs and elucidate potential degradation mechanisms impacting long-term performance under conditions analogous to the real-world (high current density, H 2 –air (albeit CO 2 -free), and intermittent operation). Our high-performing AEMFCs achieve impressive performance with power densities approaching 1 W cm —2 and current densities up to 3.5 A cm —2 . Over a 200 h period of continuous operation in H 2 –air at a current density of 600 mA cm —2 , our model Pd/C–CeO 2 anode cell exhibits record stability (~30 μV h —1 degradation) compared to the literature and up to 6× better stability than our Pd/C and commercial Pt/C anode cells. Following an 8 h shutdown, the Pd/C–CeO 2 anode cell was restarted and continued for an additional 300 h with a higher degradation rate of ~600 μV h —1 . Thorough in situ evaluations and post-stability analyses provide insights into potential degradation mechanisms to be expected during extended operation under more realistic conditions and provide mitigation strategies to enable the widespread development of highly durable AEMFCs.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2010

HIFiRE Direct-Connect Rig (HDCR) Phase I Ground Test Results from the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility

The initial phase of hydrocarbon-fueled ground tests supporting Flight 2 of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experiment (HIFiRE) Program has been conducted in the NASA Langley Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF). The HIFiRE Program, an Air Force-lead international cooperative program includes eight different flight test experiments designed to target specific challenges of hypersonic flight. The second of the eight planned flight experiments is a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet flight test intended to demonstrate dual-mode to scramjet-mode operation and verify the scramjet performance prediction and design tools. A performance goal is the achievement of a combusted fuel equivalence ratio greater than 0.7 while in scramjet mode. The ground test rig, designated the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR), is a full-scale, heat sink, direct-connect ground test article that duplicates both the flowpath lines and the instrumentation layout of the isolator and combustor portion of the flight test hardware. The primary objectives of the HDCR Phase I tests are to verify the operability of the HIFiRE isolator/combustor across the Mach 6.0-8.0 flight regime and to establish a fuel distribution schedule to ensure a successful mode transition prior to the HiFIRE payload Critical Design Review. Although the phase I test plans include testing over the Mach 6 to 8 flight simulation range, only Mach 6 testing will be reported in this paper. Experimental results presented here include flowpath surface pressure, temperature, and heat flux distributions that demonstrate the operation of the flowpath over a small range of test conditions around the nominal Mach 6 simulation, as well as a range of fuel equivalence ratios and fuel injection distributions. Both ethylene and a mixture of ethylene and methane (planned for flight) were tested. Maximum back pressure and flameholding limits, as well as a baseline fuel schedule, that covers the Mach 5.84-6.5 test space have been identified.

Hass, Neal E.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Design and Implementation of a Characterization Test Rig for Evaluating High Bandwidth Liquid Fuel Flow Modulators

A test rig was designed and developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) for the purpose of characterizing high bandwidth liquid fuel flow modulator candidates to determine their suitability for combustion instability control research. The test rig is capable of testing flow modulators at up to 600 psia supply pressure and flows of up to 2 gpm. The rig is designed to provide a quiescent flow into the test section in order to isolate the dynamic flow modulations produced by the test article. Both the fuel injector orifice downstream of the test article and the combustor are emulated. The effect of fuel delivery line lengths on modulator dynamic performance can be observed and modified to replicate actual fuel delivery systems. For simplicity, water is currently used as the working fluid, although future plans are to use jet fuel. The rig is instrumented for dynamic pressures and flows and a high-speed data system is used for dynamic data acquisition. Preliminary results have been obtained for one candidate flow modulator.

Saus, Joseph R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Shock and vibration tests of uranium mononitride fuel pellets for a space power nuclear reactor

Shock and vibration tests were conducted on cylindrically shaped, depleted, uranium mononitride (UN) fuel pellets. The structural capabilities of the pellets were determined under exposure to shock and vibration loading which a nuclear reactor may encounter during launching into space. Various combinations of diametral and axial clearances between the pellets and their enclosing structures were tested. The results of these tests indicate that for present fabrication of UN pellets, a diametral clearance of 0.254 millimeter and an axial clearance of 0.025 millimeter are tolerable when subjected to launch-induced loads.

Adams, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Full-scale aircraft cabin flammability tests of improved fire-resistant materials, test series 2

Full-scale aircraft flammability tests in which the effectiveness of new fire-resistant materials was evaluated by comparing their burning characteristics with those of other fire-resistant aircraft materials were described. New-fire-resistant materials that are more economical and better suited for aircraft use than the previously tested fire-resistant materials were tested. The fuel ignition source for one test was JP-4; a smokeless fuel was used for the other test. Test objectives, methods, materials, and results are presented and discussed. The results indicate that, similar to the fire-resistant materials tested previously, the new materials decompose rather than ignite and do not support fire propagation. Furthermore, the new materials did not produce a flash fire.

Stuckey, R. N.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thermal Analysis of the Sirius-3 Nuclear Propulsion Fuel Experiments

To support long space missions, NASA is designing and testing different fuels for nuclear thermal propulsion. These designs include a number ceramic metallic fuels which are to be irradiated in the Tranisent Test Reactor to test the fuel’s performance at protypical conditions. The irradiation campaign of these fuels is referred to as the Sirius experiments, and includes single and stacked experiment samples. In this paper we present the thermal analysis of the Sirius-3 experiment. For this analysis, temperatures from a Bison finite element model are compared to the temperatures obtained from an experiment thermocouple where good agreement between the two are found. Because agreement of the thermocouple and Bison finite element model, insight into the heat flow is provided to experimenters as they design future experiments. As an example of this insight, the rods through the fuel specimen as shown in Sirius A and B [1] were removed and replaced with hold down rings for the Sirius-2C

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗