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At least 325 records · Page 18

An Experimental Study on Low Pressure Frost Formation for Lunar Polar Water Capture

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is a vital component of NASA’s mission to the Moon and beyond, as the extraction of resources from the environment can reduce payload weight and the frequency of resupply missions. Since the discovery of water in the regolith of the permanently shadowed regions (PSR) of the Moon, its extraction and transport has become an area of increasing interest for NASA. One proposed method is heating icy regolith to free the water before desublimating and transporting it as ice in a tanker. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of frost growth at low pressures, and an understanding of the heat transfer process is required to properly size the heat exchanger for the tanker. To investigate this phenomenon, a cold plate was placed in a vacuum chamber with water vapor directed at its surface. The chamber pressure (300 and 500 Pa) and cold plate temperature (–18 to –5 °C) were kept below the triple point and varied throughout the experiment to examine their impact on frost layer heat transfer. As water flowed into the chamber and deposited on the cold plate surface, the heat flux and temperature were measured along with the frost layer thickness and/or mass. Density calculated at the conclusion of each test suggests the frost layer is denser than that of frost grown at atmospheric pressure. The results demonstrate unexpected density and heat transfer characteristics and require development of a new model of frost growth for lunar conditions.

In situ Resource Utiliztion↗

An Experimental Study on Low Pressure Frost Formation for Lunar Polar Water Capture

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is a vital component of NASA’s mission to the Moon and beyond, as the extraction of resources from the environment can reduce payload weight and the frequency of resupply missions. Since the discovery of water in the regolith of the permanently shadowed regions (PSR) of the Moon, its extraction and transport has become an area of increasing interest for NASA. One proposed method is heating icy regolith to free the water before de-sublimating and transporting it as ice in a tanker. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of frost growth at low pressures, and an understanding of the heat transfer process is required to properly size the heat exchanger for the tanker. To investigate this phenomenon, a cold plate was placed in a vacuum chamber with water vapor directed at its surface. The chamber pressure (300 and 500 Pa) and cold plate temperature (–18 to –5 °C) were kept below the triple point and varied throughout the experiment to examine their impact on frost layer heat transfer. As water flowed into the chamber and deposited on the cold plate surface, the heat flux and temperature were measured along with the frost layer thickness and/or mass. Density calculated at the conclusion of each test suggests the frost layer is denser than that of frost grown at atmospheric pressure. The results demonstrate unexpected density and heat transfer characteristics and require development of a new model of frost growth for lunar conditions

Lunar polar↗

Fundamental mechanisms that influence the estimate of heat transfer to gas turbine blades

Heat tranfer problems in aircraft gas turbines required for improved prediction of turbine blade or vane gas-side heat transfer are examined. Estimates of the heat transfer from the gas to vanes or rotating blades are uncertain due to the complexity of the heat transfer processes, since the gas flow is three dimensional with complex secondary viscous flow patterns that interact with the endwalls and blade surfaces. In addition, upstream disturbances, stagnation flow, curvature effects, and flow acceleration complicate the thermal transport mechanisms in the boundary layers. The thermal state and flow characteristics of the hot gases that enter the turbine blade row, analytical methods for calculating the gas-side heat transfer to turbine blades, and flow phenomena such as stagnation, curvature effects, acceleration, secondary flows, and transition that influences local heat transfer rates are discussed.

Graham, R. W.↗

Radiant Extinction of Gaseous Diffusion Flames

The absence of buoyancy-induced flows in microgravity (mu-g) and the resulting increase in the reactant residence time significantly alters the fundamentals of many combustion processes. Substantial differences between normal gravity (ng) and mu-g flames have been reported in experiments on candle flames, flame spread over solids, droplet combustion, and others. These differences are more basic than just in the visible flame shape. Longer residence times and higher concentration of combustion products in the flame zone create a thermochemical environment that changes the flame chemistry and the heat and mass transfer processes. Processes such as flame radiation, that are often ignored in ng, become very important and sometimes even controlling. Furthermore, microgravity conditions considerably enhance flame radiation by: (1) the build-up of combustion products in the high-temperature reaction zone which increases the gas radiation; and (2) longer residence times make conditions appropriate for substantial amounts of soot to form which is also responsible for radiative heat loss. Thus, it is anticipated that radiative heat loss may eventually extinguish the "weak" (low burning rate per unit flame area) mu-g diffusion flame. Yet, space shuttle experiments on candle flames show that in an infinite ambient atmosphere, the hemispherical candle flame in mu-g will burn indefinitely. This may be because of the coupling between the fuel production rate and the flame via the heat-feedback mechanism for candle flames, flames over solids and fuel droplet flames. Thus, to focus only on the gas-phase phenomena leading to radiative extinction, aerodynamically stabilized gaseous diffusion flames are examined. This enables independent control of the fuel flow rate to help identify conditions under which radiative extinction occurs. Also, spherical geometry is chosen for the mu-g experiments and modeling because: (1) It reduces the complexity by making the problem one-dimensional; (2) The spherical diffusion flame completely encloses the soot which is formed on the fuel rich side of the reaction zone. This increases the importance of flame radiation because now both soot and gaseous combustion products co-exist inside the high temperature spherical diffusion flame; (3) For small fuel injection velocities, as is usually the case for a pyrolyzing solid, the diffusion flame in mu-g around the solid naturally develops spherical symmetry. Thus, spherical diffusion flames are of interest to fires in mu-g and identifying conditions that lead to radiation-induced extinction is important for spacecraft fire safety.

Berhan, Sean↗

Unsteady Spherical Diffusion Flames in Microgravity

The absence of buoyancy-induced flows in microgravity (mu-g) and the resulting increase in the reactant residence time significantly alters the fundamentals of many combustion processes. Substantial differences between normal gravity (ng) and (mu-g) flames have been reported in experiments on candle flames, flame spread over solids, droplet combustion, and others. These differences are more basic than just in the visible flame shape. Longer residence times and higher concentration of combustion products in the flame zone create a thermochemical environment that changes the flame chemistry and the heat and mass transfer processes. Processes such as flame radiation, that are often ignored in ng, become very important and sometimes even controlling. Furthermore, microgravity conditions considerably enhance flame radiation by: (i) the build-up of combustion products in the high-temperature reaction zone which increases the gas radiation, and (ii) longer residence times make conditions appropriate for substantial amounts of soot to form which is also responsible for radiative heat loss. Thus, it is anticipated that radiative heat loss may eventually extinguish the "weak" (low burning rate per unit flame area) mu-g diffusion flame. Yet, space shuttle experiments on candle flames show that in an infinite ambient atmosphere, the hemispherical candle flame in mu-g will burn indefinitely. This may be because of the coupling between the fuel production rate and the flame via the heat-feedback mechanism for candle flames, flames over solids and fuel droplet flames. Thus, to focus only on the gas-phase phenomena leading to radiative extinction, aerodynamically stabilized gaseous diffusion flames are examined. This enables independent control of the fuel flow rate to help identify conditions under which radiative extinction occurs. Also, spherical geometry is chosen for the mu-g experiments and modeling because: (i) It reduces the complexity by making the problem one-dimensional; (ii) The spherical diffusion flame completely encloses the soot which is formed on the fuel rich side of the reaction zone. This increases the importance of flame radiation because now both soot and gaseous combustion products co-exist inside the high temperature spherical diffusion flame. (iii) For small fuel injection velocities, as is usually the case for a pyrolyzing solid, the diffusion flame in mu-g around the solid naturally develops spherical symmetry. Thus, spherical diffusion flames are of interest to fires in mu-g and identifying conditions that lead to radiation-induced extinction is important for spacecraft fire safety.

Atreya, Arvind↗

Numerical investigations in three-dimensional internal flows

An investigation into the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was performed to examine the expected heat transfer rates that will occur within the NASA-Ames 100 megawatt arc heater nozzle. This nozzle was tentatively designed and identified to provide research for a directly connected combustion experiment specifically related to the National Aerospace Plane Program (NASP) aircraft, and is expected to simulate the flow field entering the combustor section. It was found that extremely fine grids, that is very small mesh spacing near the wall, are required to accurately model the heat transfer process and, in fact, must contain a point within the laminar sublayer if results are to be taken directly from a numerical simulation code. In the present study, an alternative to this very fine mesh and its attendant increase in computational time was invoked and is based on a wall-function method. It was shown that solutions could be obtained that give accurate indications of surface heat transfer rate throughout the nozzle in approximately 1/100 of the computer time required to do the simulation directly without the use of the wall-function implementation. Finally, a maximum heating value in the throat region of the proposed slit nozzle for the 100 megawatt arc heater was shown to be approximately 6 MW per square meter.

Rose, William C.↗

ISS Wastewater Pretreatment via DNA Pattern Picofilter Using Inorganic Brine Stimulant

Astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) need as much water as they can access, whether it comes from people's breath, sweat or urine, recycled shower water or hand washing. It is of vital importance that any type of water is recycled and filtrated through different methods so it can be re-used. Recently, Cerahelix Inc. offered a ceramic tubular membrane element that uses DNA strands as a pattern in a sol-gel process that allows the sintered product to have a pore size in the picometer scale and claims to achieve ten times higher purity than other commercially available ceramic filters. This should allow higher purities and yields at reduced energy costs and theoretically allow near total dewatering of the reject stream and greater than 80% removal of polyvalent ions. Trials were performed with Cerahelix Inc. filters using an inorganic brine simulant at two pHs to test the efficiency of Pico Helix TM membranes and determine their feasibility for spacecraft wastewater treatment processes. Emphasis was placed on the polyvalent ions: SO42-, PO43-, Mg2+, and Ca2+. These ions should be rejected almost entirely from the feed solution and, not permeate through the filter. Results show that at a pH of 4.2, permeation of the polyvalent ions varied from 59% to 74% and at pH of 8.0, permeation varied from 72% to 87%. An Extended Nernst Planck (ENP) approach that describes the mass transfer process for a pico-filtration membrane was used to construct a model to inform the experimental expectations and outcome.

Carolina Franco↗

Radiant Extinction Of Gaseous Diffusion Flames

The absence of buoyancy-induced flows in microgravity (mu:g) and the resulting increase in the reactant residence time significantly alters the fundamentals of many combustion processes. Substantial differences between normal gravity (ng) and :g flames have been reported in experiments on candle flames [1, 2], flame spread over solids [3, 4], droplet combustion [5,6], and others. These differences are more basic than just in the visible flame shape. Longer residence times and higher concentration of combustion products in the flame zone create a thermochemical environment that changes the flame chemistry and the heat and mass transfer processes. Processes such as flame radiation, that are often ignored in ng, become very important and sometimes even controlling. Furthermore, microgravity conditions considerably enhance flame radiation by: (i) the build-up of combustion products in the high-temperature reaction zone which increases the gas radiation, and (ii) longer residence times make conditions appropriate for substantial amounts of soot to form which is also responsible for radiative heat loss. Thus, it is anticipated that radiative heat loss may eventually extinguish the Aweak@ (low burning rate per unit flame area) :g diffusion flame. Yet, space shuttle experiments on candle flames show that in an infinite ambient atmosphere, the hemispherical candle flame in :g will burn indefinitely [1]. This may be because of the coupling between the fuel production rate and the flame via the heat-feedback mechanism for candle flames, flames over solids and fuel droplet flames. Thus, to focus only on the gas-phase phenomena leading to radiative extinction, aerodynamically stabilized gaseous diffusion flames are examined. This enables independent control of the fuel flow rate to help identify conditions under which radiative extinction occurs. Also, spherical geometry is chosen for the :g experiments and modeling because: (i) It reduces the complexity by making the problem one-dimensional. (ii) The spherical diffusion flame completely encloses the soot which is formed on the fuel rich side of the reaction zone. This increases the importance of flame radiation because now both soot and gaseous combustion products co-exist inside the high temperature spherical diffusion flame. (iii) For small fuel injection velocities, as is usually the case for a pyrolyzing solid, the diffusion flame in :g around the solid naturally develops spherical symmetry. Thus, spherical diffusion flames are of interest to fires in :g and identifying conditions that lead to radiation-induced extinction is important for spacecraft fire safety.

Berhan, S.↗

A probabilistic model of a porous heat exchanger

This paper presents a probabilistic one-dimensional finite element model for heat transfer processes in porous heat exchangers. The Galerkin approach is used to develop the finite element matrices. Some of the submatrices are asymmetric due to the presence of the flow term. The Neumann expansion is used to write the temperature distribution as a series of random variables, and the expectation operator is applied to obtain the mean and deviation statistics. To demonstrate the feasibility of the formulation, a one-dimensional model of heat transfer phenomenon in superfluid flow through a porous media is considered. Results of this formulation agree well with the Monte-Carlo simulations and the analytical solutions. Although the numerical experiments are confined to parametric random variables, a formulation is presented to account for the random spatial variations.

Agrawal, O. P.↗

Numerical investigation of the thermal stratification in cryogenic tanks subjected to wall heat flux

The flow pattern and thermal stratification of a cryogenic cylindrical tank are numerically studied. The tank sidewall is subjected to either a uniform heat-flux or two discrete levels of uniform heat-flux at the upper and lower halves of the tank wall. The tank bottom is kept at a constant temperature controlled by the heat exchanger of a thermodynamic vent system. The tank pressure is also assumed constant resulting in a constant saturation temperature at the interface which is higher than the tank bottom temperature. The effects of vapor motion and vapor superheat on the mass and heat transfer processes at the interface are assumed negligible such that the calculations of liquid region can be decoupled from the vapor region. Dimensionless steady-state conservation equations are solved by a finite-difference method. The effects of modified Rayleigh number, Prandtl number, tank aspect ratio, wall heat-flux parameter, and wall heat-flux distribution on the liquid velocity and temperature fields are investigated. Also, their effects on the rate of heat transfer through the interface and the tank bottom are examined.

Lin, Chin-Shun↗

Numerical investigation of the thermal stratification in cryogenic tanks subjected to wall heat flux

The flow pattern and thermal stratification of a cryogenic cylindrical tank are numerically studied. The tank sidewall is subjected to either a uniform heat-flux or two discrete levels of uniform heat-flux at the upper and lower halves of the tank wall. The tank bottom is kept at a constant temperature controlled by the heat exchanger of a thermodynamic vent system. The tank pressure is also assumed constant resulting in a constant saturation temperature at the interface which is higher than the tank bottom temperature. The effects of vapor motion and vapor superheat on the mass and heat transfer processes at the interface are assumed negligible such that the calculations of liquid region can be decoupled from the vapor region. Dimensionless steady-state conservation equations are solved by a finite-difference method. The effects of modified Rayleigh number, Prandtl number, tank aspect ratio, wall heat-flux parameter, and wall heat-flux distribution on the liquid velocity and temperature fields are investigated. Also, their effects on the rate of heat transfer through the interface and the tank bottom are examined.

Lin, Chin-Shun↗

Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions of Colloidal Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

Redox transformations at metal oxide (MO x )/solution interfaces are broadly important, and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) is one of the simplest and most fundamental examples of such reactivity. OAT is a two-electron transfer process, well-known in gas/solid reactions and catalysis. However, OAT is rarely directly observed at oxide/water interfaces, whose redox reactions are typically proposed to occur in one-electron steps. Reported here are stoichiometric OAT reactions of organic molecules with aqueous colloidal titanium dioxide and iridium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 and IrO x NPs). Me 2 SO (DMSO) oxidizes reduced TiO 2 NPs with the formation of Me 2 S, and IrO x NPs transfer O atoms to a water-soluble phosphine and a thioether. The reaction stoichiometries were established and the chemical mechanisms were probed using typical solution spectroscopic techniques, exploiting the high surface areas and transparency of the colloids. Furthermore, these OAT reactions, including a catalytic example, utilize the ability of the individual NPs to accumulate many electrons and/or holes. Observing OAT reactions of two different materials, in opposite directions, is a step toward harnessing oxide nanoparticles for valuable multi-electron and multi-hole transformations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

State recommendations on approaches to LANDSAT

The feasibility of continuing the LANDSAT program is contingent upon the success of the technology transfer process to state and local governments. The focus of these concerns can be generally expressed in terms of these issue areas: (1) user needs, in terms of awareness, technical capabilities, and training; (2) product availability and pricing; and (3) roles and communication links, in terms of federal and state governments, the private sector, and the universities. The perspective of the states on these issues are classified. Where possible, alternative strategies for accomplishing the satellite technology transfer for effective state implementation are suggested. Those suggestions are based on the recommendations offered by the state and local user community.

Bay, S. M.↗

NASA Technology Transfer System

NTTS is the IT infrastructure for the Agency's Technology Transfer (T2) program containing 60,000+ technology portfolio supporting all ten NASA field centers and HQ. It is the enterprise IT system for facilitating the Agency's technology transfer process, which includes reporting of new technologies (e.g., technology invention disclosures NF1679), protecting intellectual properties (e.g., patents), and commercializing technologies through various technology licenses, software releases, spinoffs, and success stories using custom built workflow, reporting, data consolidation, integration, and search engines.

enterprise information technology↗

WINCOF-I code for prediction of fan compressor unit with water ingestion

The PURDUE-WINCOF code, which provides a numerical method of obtaining the performance of a fan-compressor unit of a jet engine with water ingestion into the inlet, was modified to take into account: (1) the scoop factor, (2) the time required for the setting-in of a quasi-steady distribution of water, and (3) the heat and mass transfer processes over the time calculated under 2. The modified code, named WINCOF-I was utilized to obtain the performance of a fan-compressor unit of a generic jet engine. The results illustrate the manner in which quasi-equilibrium conditions become established in the machine and the redistribution of ingested water in various stages in the form of a film out of the casing wall, droplets across the span, and vapor due to mass transfer.

Murthy, S. N. B.↗

A double-moment multiple-phase four-class bulk ice scheme, Part 1: Description

A detailed ice-phase bulk microphysical scheme has been developed for simulating the hydrometeor distributions of convective and stratiform precipitation in different large-scale environmental conditions. The proposed scheme involves 90 distinct microphysical processes, which predict the mixing ratios and the number concentrations of small ice crystals, snow, graupel, and frozen drops/hail, as well as the mixing ratios of liquid water on wet precipitation ice (snow, graupel, frozen drops). The number of adjustable coefficients has been significantly reduced in comparison with other bulk schemes. Additional improvements have been made to the parameterization in the following areas: (1) representing small ice crystals with nonzero terminal fall velocities and dispersive size distributions, (2) accurate and computationally efficient calculations of precipitation collection processes, (3) reformulating the collection equation to prevent unrealistically large accretion rates, (4) more realistic conversion by riming between different classes of precipitation ice, (5) preventing unrealistically large rates of raindrop freezing and freezing of liquid water on ice, (6) detailed treatment of various rime-splintering ice multiplication mechanisms, (7) a simple representation of the Hobbs-Rangno ice enhancement process, (8) aggregation of small ice crystals and snow, and (9) allowing explicit competition between cloud water condensation and ice deposition rates rather than using saturation adjustment techniques. For the purposes of conserving the higher moments of the particle distributions, preserving the spectral widths (or slopes) of the particle spectra is shown to be more important than strict conservation of particle number concentration when parameterizing changes in ice-particle number concentrations due to melting, vapor transfer processes (sublimation of dry ice, evaporation from wet ice), and conversion between different hydrometeor species. The microphysical scheme is incorporated into a nonhydrostatic cloud model in Part 2 of this study. The model performed well in simulating the radar and microphysical structures of a midlatitude-continental squall lines and a tropical-maritime squall system with minimal tuning of the parameterization, even though the vertical profiles of radar reflectivity differed substantially between these storms.

Ferrier, Brad Shoenberg↗

Reconceptualizing the Ir III Role in Metallaphotoredox Catalysis: From Strong Photooxidant to Potent Energy Donor

Dual Ir III /L n Ni II metallaphotoredox catalyzed C(sp 3 )–C(sp 2 ) cross-coupling reactions are widely assumed to proceed by photoinduced single electron transfer steps due to the highly oxidizing Ir III * excited state (Ir III = [Ir(dF(CF 3 )ppy) 2 (dtbbpy)] + [PF 6 ] – ; dF(CF 3 )ppy = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine; L n = dtbbpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine). Using time-resolved absorption and emission spectroscopy, we reveal that energy transfer between Ir III * and various LnNi II precatalysts and intermediates with k q ≥ 10 8 M –1 s –1 also drives catalysis. Specifically, the excited states of L n Ni II dihalide precatalysts/organometallic intermediates accessible by energy transfer appear to drive bond homolysis, halogen radical elimination, and reductive elimination reactions that facilitate formation of cross-coupled products. Energy transfer dynamics consequently circumvent the need for photoinduced electron transfer, thereby extending substrate scopes to coupling partners that cannot be oxidized by Ir III *. Within a cross-electrophile coupling model reaction between 4-bromobenzotrifluoride and bromocyclohexane, energy transfer activates the L n Ni II precatalyst at early reaction times before nucleophilic reductants are present. In the absence of Ir III , direct excitation of L n Ni II (Br) 2 also activates the precatalyst to form a L n Ni II (Br)(Aryl) intermediate. To compare energy transfer and electron transfer kinetics, we determined rate constants for reductive quenching by Br – (k SET = 4.1 × 10 8 M –1 s –1 ) and for the subsequent electron transfer from reduced Ir III•– to L n Ni II (Br) 2 (k SET = 4.1 × 10 7 M –1 s –1 ) using Stern-Volmer analysis and pulse radiolysis, respectively. Energy transfer rate constants are competitive with the electron transfer rate constants and energy transfer is a parallel pathway within metallaphotoredox catalysis. Exploiting the energy transfer mechanism, we demonstrate highly selective cross-electrophile coupling between 4-chlorobenzotrifluoride and bromocyclohexane to form exclusively cross-coupled product. Here, with alkyl-trifluoroborate nucleophiles that do not reductively quench IrIII* emission, transmetalation with L n Ni II (Br/Cl)(Aryl) followed by energy transfer also drives excited state reductive elimination to form C(sp 3 )–C(sp 2 ) cross-coupled product. Similarly, energy transfer rather than Ni II oxidation drives C(sp 2 )–OR reductive elimination, despite the strongly oxidizing ability of Ir III *. In total, these reactions demonstrate energy transfer processes from Ir III * to L n Ni II in metallaphotoredox catalysis that can unlock alternative reactive pathways.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Photocatalyzed electron exchange between organic chromophores and hematite nanoparticles and the role of solid-state charge transport

Understanding photocatalyzed redox interactions between Fe(III)–(oxyhydr)oxide mineral nanoparticles and adsorbed chromophoric organic matter is critical for accurately predicting bioavailable iron fluxes in the euphotic zone of natural aquatic systems, and for improving the effectiveness of nano-iron-based water purification systems. However, the electron transfer processes that underpin photoreductive dissolution at particle/organic/solution interfaces occur on ultrafast timescales and thus remain difficult to probe. In this work, we report an ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) study of suspensions of hematite nanoplatelets (HNPs) sensitized by adsorbed rhodamine B (RhB) dye as a function of solution media and pH. The TAS results indicate a substantially longer fluorescence lifetime of RhB adsorbed on HNPs across a wide range of pH conditions, consistent with transient photoinduced electron transfer to the oxide with recombination kinetics controlled by electron migration back to the interface via small polaron hopping. Normalization of the observed kinetics to the measured surface loading of RhB at different pH values shows that the recombination rates are insensitive to environmental variables, likely controlled instead by particle properties that determine small polaron diffusion behavior.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗