Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “barrier method”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

On the cause of the flat-spot phenomenon observed in silicon solar cells at low temperatures and low intensities

A model is presented that explains the 'flat-spot' power-loss phenomenon observed in silicon solar cells operating under deep space (low temperature, low intensity) conditions. Evidence is presented suggesting that the effect is due to localized metallurgical interactions between the silicon substrate and the contact metallization. These reactions are shown to result in localized regions in which the PN junction is destroyed and replaced with a metal-semiconductor-like interface. The effects of thermal treatment, crystallographic orientation, junction depth, and metallization are presented along with a method of preventing the effect through the suppression of vacancy formation at the free surface of the contact metallization. Preliminary data indicating the effectiveness of a TiN diffusion barrier in preventing the effect are also given.

Weizer, V. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Method and technique for installing light-weight, fragile, high-temperature fiber insulation

A method of installing fragile, light weight, high temperature fiber insulation, particularly where the insulation is to be used as a seal strip providing a high order of thermal barrier insulation is discussed. The process is based on provision of a strip of the mineral batting cut oversize by a predetermined amount, saturated in a fugitive polymer solution, compressed in a mold, dried and cured to form a rigidized batting material which is machined to required shape. The machine dimensions would normally be at least nominally less than the dimensions of the cavity to be sealed. After insertion in the cavity, which may be a wire-mesh seal enclosure, the apparatus is subjected to baking at a temperature sufficiently high to cause the resin to burn off cleanly, leaving the batting substantially in its original condition and expanded into the cavity or seal enclosure.

Patel, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Innovative Method for Developing a Helium Pressurant Tank Suitable for the Upper Stage Flight Experiment

The AFRL USFE project is an experimental test bed for new propulsion technologies. It will utilize ambient temperature fuel and oxidizers (Kerosene and Hydrogen peroxide). The system is pressure fed, not pump fed, and will utilize a helium pressurant tank to drive the system. Mr. DeLay has developed a method for cost effectively producing a unique, large pressurant tank that is not commercially available. The pressure vessel is a layered composite structure with an electroformed metallic permeation barrier. The design/process is scalable and easily adaptable to different configurations with minimal cost in tooling development 1/3 scale tanks have already been fabricated and are scheduled for testing. The full-scale pressure vessel (50" diameter) design will be refined based on the performance of the sub-scale tank. The pressure vessels have been designed to operate at 6,000 psi. a PV/W of 1.92 million is anticipated.

DeLay, Tom K.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Influence of Turbulence on the Restraint of Liquid Jets by Surface Tension in Microgravity Investigated

Microgravity poses many challenges to the designer of spacecraft tanks. Chief among these are the lack of phase separation and the need to supply vapor-free liquid or liquidfree vapor to the spacecraft processes that require fluid. One of the principal problems of phase separation is the creation of liquid jets. A jet can be created by liquid filling, settling of the fluid to one end of the tank, or even closing a valve to stop the liquid flow. Anyone who has seen a fountain knows that jets occur in normal gravity also. However, in normal gravity, the gravity controls and restricts the jet flow. In microgravity, with gravity largely absent, surface tension forces must contain jets. To model this phenomenon, a numerical method that tracks the fluid motion and the surface tension forces is required. Jacqmin has developed a phase model that converts the discrete surface tension force into a barrier function that peaks at the free surface and decays rapidly away. Previous attempts at this formulation were criticized for smearing the interface. This can be overcome by sharpening the phase function, double gridding the fluid function, and using a higher order solution for the fluid function. The solution of this equation can be rewritten as two coupled Poisson equations that also include the velocity. After the code was implemented in axisymmetric form and verified by several test cases at the NASA Glenn Research Center, the drop tower runs of Aydelott were modeled. Work last year with a laminar model was found to overpredict Aydelott's results, except at the lowest Reynolds number conditions of 400. This year, a simple turbulence model was implemented by adding a turbulent viscosity based on the mixing-length hypothesis and empirical measurements of previous works. Predictions made after this change was implemented have been much closer to experimentally observed flow patterns and geyser heights. Two model runs is shown. The first, without any turbulence correction, breaks through the free surface and strikes the far end of the tank. In the second, the turbulence spreads the jet momentum over more of the free surface, enabling the surface tension forces to turn the jet back into the bulk liquid. The model geyser height with the second model is 1.1 cm. This is quite close to the 1.5-cm geyser height measured by Aydelott.

Chato, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Contact Angle Influence on Geysering Jets in Microgravity Investigated

Microgravity poses many challenges to the designer of spacecraft tanks. Chief among these are the lack of phase separation and the need to supply vapor-free liquid or liquid-free vapor to the spacecraft processes that require fluid. One of the principal problems of phase separation is the creation of liquid jets. A jet can be created by liquid filling, settling of the fluid to one end of the tank, or even closing a valve to stop the liquid flow. Anyone who has seen a fountain knows that jets occur in normal gravity also. However, in normal gravity, the gravity controls and restricts the jet flow. In microgravity, with gravity largely absent, surface tension forces must be used to contain jets. To model this phenomenon, a numerical method that tracks the fluid motion and the surface tension forces is required. Jacqmin has developed a phase model that converts the discrete surface tension force into a barrier function that peaks at the free surface and decays rapidly away. Previous attempts at this formulation were criticized for smearing the interface. This can be overcome by sharpening the phase function, double gridding the fluid function, and using a higher-order solution for the fluid function. The solution of this equation can be rewritten as two coupled Poisson equations that also include the velocity.

Chato, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Ceramic with preferential oxygen reactive layer

An article comprises a silicon-containing substrate and an external environmental/thermal barrier coating. The external environmental/thermal barrier coating is permeable to diffusion of an environmental oxidant and the silicon-containing substrate is oxidizable by reaction with oxidant to form at least one gaseous product. The article comprises an intermediate layer/coating between the silicon-containing substrate and the environmental/thermal barrier coating that is oxidizable to a nongaseous product by reaction with the oxidant in preference to reaction of the silicon-containing substrate with the oxidant. A method of forming an article, comprises forming a silicon-based substrate that is oxidizable by reaction with oxidant to at least one gaseous product and applying an intermediate layer/coating onto the substrate, wherein the intermediate layer/coating is oxidizable to a nongaseous product by reaction with the oxidant in preference to reaction of the silicon-containing substrate with the oxidant.

Wang, Hongyu↗
NASA NTRS2013

Analysis Methods for Progressive Damage of Composite Structures

This document provides an overview of recent accomplishments and lessons learned in the development of general progressive damage analysis methods for predicting the residual strength and life of composite structures. These developments are described within their State-of-the-Art (SoA) context and the associated technology barriers. The emphasis of the authors is on developing these analysis tools for application at the structural level. Hence, modeling of damage progression is undertaken at the mesoscale, where the plies of a laminate are represented as a homogenous orthotropic continuum. The aim of the present effort is establish the ranges of validity of available models, to identify technology barriers, and to establish the foundations of the future investigation efforts. Such are the necessary steps towards accurate and robust simulations that can replace some of the expensive and time-consuming "building block" tests that are currently required for the design and certification of aerospace structures.

Rose, Cheryl A.↗
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 NTRS2016

Thermomechanical and Environmental Durability of Environmental Barrier Coated Ceramic Matrix Composites Under Thermal Gradients

This paper presents the developments of thermo-mechanical testing approaches and durability performance of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and EBC coated SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Critical testing aspects of the CMCs will be described, including state of the art instrumentations such as temperature, thermal gradient, and full field strain measurements; materials thermal conductivity evolutions and thermal stress resistance; NDE methods; thermo-mechanical stress and environment interactions associated damage accumulations. Examples are also given for testing ceramic matrix composite sub-elements and small airfoils to help better understand the critical and complex CMC and EBC properties in engine relevant testing environments.]

Enviornmental Barrier Coatings↗
NASA NTRS1978

Calculated rate constants for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2 between 220 and 1000 deg K

Classical trajectory calculations are presented for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2, a reaction which is an important step in the chlorine-catalyzed destruction of ozone which is thought to occur in the 220 and 1000 K. The calculated rate constant is 4.36 x 10 to the minus 11th power exp (-191/T)cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1) and its value at 300 K is 2.3 plus or minus 10 to the 11th power cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1), about a factor of 2 lower than recent experimental data. The empirical potential energy surface used in the calculations was constructed to fit experimental data for ClO, O2 and ClOO molecules. Other important features of this potential surface, such as the barrier to reaction, were varied systematically and calculations were performed for a range of conditions to determine the best theoretical rate constants. Results demonstrate the utility of classical trajectory methods for determining activation energies and other kinetic data for important atmospheric reactions.

Jaffee, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Thermal Radiation Effects Analyzed in Translucent Composite and Thermal Barrier Coating

Ceramic parts and coatings are needed to withstand high temperatures in advanced aircraft engines. In hot environments, such as in the combustion chambers of these engines, infrared and visible radiation can penetrate into some ceramics and heat them internally. The internal temperatures depend on radiative effects combined with heat conduction, and on convection and radiation at the material boundaries. Since engine temperatures are high, radiant emission can be large from within translucent parts and coatings, and this must be included in the analysis. Transient and steady-state behavior are both important. During a transient, radiant penetration provides more rapid internal heating than conduction alone, and the temperature distributions are usually considerably different than for steady-state conditions; this can produce transient thermal stresses. Analytical and numerical methods are being used at the NASA Lewis Research Center to predict transient temperatures and heat flows in translucent materials. A transient analysis was done for a composite of two translucent layers. The layer refractive indices were larger than 1, producing internal reflections at the boundaries and at the internal interface. In addition, steady-state results were computed for a two-layer composite with one layer opaque. The results were used to assess the importance of internal radiation in a zirconia thermal barrier coating on a cooled metal wall. Since the radiative transfer equations are rather complex, especially when internal scattering is included, approximate methods are being investigated that might be convenient for computer design programs. An approximate two-flux method was used and verified by comparisons with solutions that used exact radiative transfer relations. The two-flux equations include scattering without increasing solution difficulty.

Siegel, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1980

Wavelength-modulated photocapacitance spectroscopy

Derivative deep-level spectroscopy was achieved with wavelength-modulated photocapacitance employing MOS structures and Schottky barriers. The energy position and photoionization characteristics of deep levels of melt-grown GaAs and the Cr level in high-resistivity GaAs were determined. The advantages of this method over existing methods for deep-level spectroscopy are discussed.

Kamieniecki, E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A method and technique for installing light-weight fragile, high-temperature fiber insulation

A method of installing fragile, light-weight, high-temperature fiber insulation, particularly where the insulation is to be used as a seal strip providing a high order of thermal barrier insulation is described. The process is based on provision of a strip of the mineral batting cut oversize by a predetermined amount, saturated in a fugitive polymer solution, compressed in a mold, dried and cured to form a rigidized batting material which may be machined to required shape. The machined dimensions would normally be at least nominally less than the dimensions of the cavity to be sealed. After insertion in the cavity, which may be a wire-mesh seal enclosure, the apparatus is subjected to baking at a temperature sufficiently high to cause the resin to burn off cleanly, leaving the batting substantially in its original condition and expanded into the cavity or seal enclosure.

Ballantine, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A method for interface shape control during Bridgman type crystal growth of HgCdTe alloys

A method is described for interface shape control of Hg(1-x)Cd(x)Te alloys during Bridgman-type crystal growth. The authors have used this method for several years to obtain the flat or convex interface shapes required for simultaneously reducing radial compositional variations and crystal defects. The method turns to advantage the thick-walled, fused-silica ampules required for growing these alloys. A proper combination of furnace geometry (two isothermal zones separated by a thin barrier), upper- and lower-zone temperatures, and growth rate is required. Examples of results are reported.

Szofran, F. R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Transmission diagnostic research at NASA Lewis Research Center

The NASA Lewis Research Center and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory are involved in a joint research program to advance the technology of aerospace transmissions. Within the last six years, a transmission diagnostics research team was formed to address current and future technology barriers in transmission diagnostics. The diagnostics team conducted a survey to determine critical needs of the diagnostics community. Survey results indicated that experimental verification of gear and bearing fault detection methods and damage magnitude assessment were considered the two most critical research areas of a highly reliable health and usage monitoring system. A plan was implemented by the diagnostics team to address these key research areas, by in-house research and university grants. A variety of transmission fault detection methods were applied to experimentally obtained fatigue data. Failure modes of the fatigue tests include a variety of gear pitting failures, tooth wear, tooth fracture, and bearing spalling failures. Accomplishments to date include verification of several specific gear diagnostic methods, verification of a new pattern recognition method to determine failure, and development of a new method to model gear tooth damage. This paper presents the results of these accomplishments in transmission diagnostics research at NASA Lewis Research Center.

Zakrajsek, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A New Approach to Overcoming Spatial Aliasing in Structural Damage Detection

Aircraft, reusable launch vehicles,unmanned aircraft, and other advanced structures are being built using lightweight composite materials/metals with design safety factors as low as 1.25. These advanced structures operate in uncertain and severe environments and are susceptible to damage such as delamination, fiber/matrix damage, hydrothermal strain in composite materials, and fatigue and cracking in metals. To ensure human safety and load-bearing integrity these structures must be inspected to detect and locate often invisible damage and faults before they become catastrophic. Conventional methods of non-destructive evaluation sometimes miss significant damage and are time consuming and expensive to perform. In contrast, vibrometry or vibration signature techniques are a global method of structural integrity monitoring that potentially can efficiently detect damage on large structures, including damage that is away from sensor locations, and in the interior of structures. However, a barrier problem in damage detection using vibration measurements is the need to measure the vibration response at a large number of points on the structure. Typically, model reduction or expansion procedures such as Guyan reduction or dynamic expansion are attempted to overcome the problem of insufficient measurements or spatial aliasing. These approaches depend on using information from the healthy model, and thus put error into the reduction used to represent the damaged structure. In this paper, a Frequency Response Function technique is used to detect damage to a fixed-free beam. The technique uses measured frequency response functions from the healthy structure as reference data, and then monitors vibration measurements during the life of the structure to detect damage. In an analytical simulation using a finite-element model of a beam, damage was located using only sparse measurements because the technique uses both rotation and translation measurements from the damaged structure.

Schulz, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Difficulties in Laboratory Studies and Astronomical Observations of Organic Molecules: Hydroxyacetone and Lactic Acid

For the past 35 years, radio astronomy has revealed a rich organic chemistry in the interstellar gas, which is exceptionally complex towards active star-forming regions. New solar systems condense out of this gas and may influence the evolution of life on newly formed planets. Much of the biologically important functionality is present among the some 130 gas-phase molecules found to date, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, amines, amides and even the simplest sugar - glycolaldehyde. Still, many unidentified interstellar radio signals remain, and their identification relies on further laboratory study. The molecules hydroxyacetone and lactic acid are relatively small organic molecules, but possess rather complex rotational spectra owing to their high asymmetry. Hydroxyacetone is particularly problematic because it possess a very low barrier to internal rotation, and exhibits strong coupling of the free-rotor states with the overall rotation of the molecule. As in the case of acetamide, a full decomposition method was employed to order the resultant eigenstates onto normal asymmetric top eigenvectors.

Apponi, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Treatment of Solid Rocket Motors that Complies with Established Protocols to Ensure Planetary Protection

This presentation discusses recent work being conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to evaluate various methods that could be employed to provide for planetary protection of those solar system bodies that are candidates for extraterrestrial life, thus preventing contamination of such bodies. MSFC is presently involved in the development phase of the Europa Lander De-Orbital Stage (DOS) braking motor. In order to prevent bio-contamination of this Jovian satellite, three paths are currently being considered. The first is (1) Bio-Reduction of those microscopic organisms in or on the vehicle (in this case a solid rocket motor (SRM)) that might otherwise be transported during the mission. Possible methods being investigated include heat sterilization, application or incorporation of biocide materials, and irradiation. While each method can be made to work, effects on the SRM's components (propellant, liner, insulation, etc.) could well prove deleterious. A second path would be use of (2) Bio-Barrier material(s). So long as such barrier(s) can maintain their integrity, planetary protection should be afforded. Under the harsh conditions encountered during extended spaceflight (vacuum, temperature extremes, radiation), however, such barrier(s) could well experience a breach. Finally, a third path would be to perform (3) Pyrotechnic Sterilization of the SRM during its end-of-mission phase. Multiple pyrotechnic units would be triggered to ensure activation of such an event and provide for a final sterilization before vehicle impact. In light of Europa's stringent bio-reduction targets, the final and best choice to minimize risk will probably be some combination of the above.

Stefanski, Philip L.↗