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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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25 records · Page 2

Time-Dependent Simulations of Turbopump Flows

Unsteady flow simulations for RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicles) 2nd Generation baseline turbopump for one and half impeller rotations have been completed by using a 34.3 Million grid points model. MLP (Multi-Level Parallelism) shared memory parallelism has been implemented in INS3D, and benchmarked. Code optimization for cash based platforms will be completed by the end of September 2001. Moving boundary capability is obtained by using DCF module. Scripting capability from CAD (computer aided design) geometry to solution has been developed. Data compression is applied to reduce data size in post processing. Fluid/Structure coupling has been initiated.

Kiris, Cetin↗

The soft X-ray/EUV calibration facility at the University of Colorado

The components of the calibration facility at the University of Colorado are described. The system is capable of analyzing the performance of optical components in the wavelength range from 2.7 to 2500 A. The system uses two light sources: a water-cooled hollow cathode gas discharge source and a soft X-ray source. The 2.2-m grazing incidence monochrometer, slits, large chamber, and computer-controlled manipulator are examined. The NBS aluminum oxide photodiode, a flowing gas proportional counter, and an imaging microchannel plate device are employed to detect the light. The optics, detectors, and data acquisition system are computer controlled. The facility is applicable for evaluating the performance of diffraction gratings, multilayer mirrors, reflective coatings, spectrographs, surface roughness scattering, and absolute detector efficiencies. Examples demonstrating the capabilities of the facility and a diagram of the facility are presented.

Windt, David L.↗

The effects of air leaks on solar air heating systems

This paper presents the results of an investigation to determine the effects of leakages in collector and duct work on the system performance of a typical single-family residence solar air heating system. Positive (leakage out) and negative (leakage in) pressure systems were examined. Collector and duct leakage rates were varied from 10 to 30 percent of the system flow rate. Within the range of leakage rates investigated, solar contribution to heated space and domestic hot water loads was found to be reduced up to 30 percent from the no-leak system contribution with duct leakage equally divided between supply and return duct; with supply duct leakage greater than return leakage a reduction of up to 35 percent was noted. The negative pressure system exhibited a reduction in solar contribution somewhat larger than the positive pressure system for the same leakage rates.

Elkin, R.↗

Convective Heat Transfer in the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor of the Space Transportation System

This simulation involved a two-dimensional axisymmetric model of a full motor initial grain of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) of the Space Transportation System (STS). It was conducted with CFD (computational fluid dynamics) commercial code FLUENT. This analysis was performed to: a) maintain continuity with most related previous analyses, b) serve as a non-vectored baseline for any three-dimensional vectored nozzles, c) provide a relatively simple application and checkout for various CFD solution schemes, grid sensitivity studies, turbulence modeling and heat transfer, and d) calculate nozzle convective heat transfer coefficients. The accuracy of the present results and the selection of the numerical schemes and turbulence models were based on matching the rocket ballistic predictions of mass flow rate, head end pressure, vacuum thrust and specific impulse, and measured chamber pressure drop. Matching these ballistic predictions was found to be good. This study was limited to convective heat transfer and the results compared favorably with existing theory. On the other hand, qualitative comparison with backed-out data of the ratio of the convective heat transfer coefficient to the specific heat at constant pressure was made in a relative manner. This backed-out data was devised to match nozzle erosion that was a result of heat transfer (convective, radiative and conductive), chemical (transpirating), and mechanical (shear and particle impingement forces) effects combined.

Ahmad, Rashid A.↗

Assessment of Various Flow Solvers Used to Predict the Thermal Environment inside Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Joints

It is very important to accurately predict the gas pressure, gas and solid temperature, as well as the amount of O-ring erosion inside the space shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) joints in the event of a leak path. The scenarios considered are typically hot combustion gas rapid pressurization events of small volumes through narrow and restricted flow paths. The ideal method for this prediction is a transient three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation with a computational domain including both combustion gas and surrounding solid regions. However, this has not yet been demonstrated to be economical for this application due to the enormous amount of CPU time and memory resulting from the relatively long fill time as well as the large pressure and temperature rising rate. Consequently, all CFD applications in RSRM joints so far are steady-state simulations with solid regions being excluded from the computational domain by assuming either a constant wall temperature or no heat transfer between the hot combustion gas and cool solid walls.

Wang, Qun-Zhen↗

The high energy Universe at ultra-high resolution: the power and promise of X-ray interferometry

We propose the development of X-ray interferometry (XRI), to reveal the Universe at high energies with ultra-high spatial resolution. With baselines which can be accommodated on a single spacecraft, XRI can reach 100 μ as resolution at 10 Å (1.2 keV) and 20 μ as at 2 Å (6 keV), enabling imaging and imaging-spectroscopy of (for example) X-ray coronae of nearby accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH) and the SMBH ‘shadow’; SMBH accretion flows and outflows; X-ray binary winds and orbits; stellar coronae within ∼100 pc and many exoplanets which transit across them. For sufficiently luminous sources XRI will resolve sub-pc scales across the entire observable Universe, revealing accreting binary SMBHs and enabling trigonometric measurements of the Hubble constant with X-ray light echoes from quasars or explosive transients. A multi-spacecraft ‘constellation’ interferometer would resolve well below 1 μ as, enabling SMBH event horizons to be resolved in many active galaxies and the detailed study of the effects of strong field gravity on the dynamics and emission from accreting gas close to the black hole.

Phil Uttley↗

Delineation of vulnerable areas to water erosion in a mountain region using SDR-InVEST model: A case study of the Ourika watershed, Morocco

The Ourika watershed is characterized by higher than average flood flows, a rugged topography, a sparse vegetation cover and a friable substrate that makes it vulnerable to soil erosion. Soil is an important non-renewable asset capital, providing several ecosystem services that sustain life through physical and biological regulation processes. The loss, or otherwise, redistribution of biota by soil erosion in the Ourika watershed has received little attention and thus constitutes a key knowledge gap that needs to be addressed. This study quantifies the level of erosion and maps its spatial distribution in the watershed using the Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) of the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs model (InVEST3.6.0). The SDR maps the overland sediment generation and delivery to the stream at the watershed level using rainfall, soil properties, topography, cover management and cropping practices as predefined set of input variables. Recommended internal model calibration was used and results were compared to similar studies carried out in different parts of Morocco for validation. The results reveal that 93% of the watershed is subject to a strong rainfall aggressiveness greater than 50 MJ mm ha–1 h–1 yr1 under an average rainfall intensity of 541 mm/year, rainfall capacity to initiate the detachment and transport of soil particles by runoff, and only 11.5% of the watershed area is protected with vegetative cover. We find that overall, the Ourika watershed is losing its soil to erosion at an alarming average rate of 258.48 ton.ha–1.yr–1, a rate well above the tolerable threshold of 7ton.ha–1.yr–1. The spatial distribution of this loss shows areas that need to be urgently remedied. The primary factors for soil erosion in the Ourika watershed appear to be related to the aggressive nature of local rainfall and the inherent susceptibility of soils, which can be costly to this cash-crop region. Because rainfall intensity, soil properties, and topography are intrinsic characteristics of the watershed, we suggest that seasonally adapted cropping rotations that maintains conservative practices with a high cover management may reduce soil erosion in the Ourika watershed.

Erosion↗