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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental analysis of gas dynamics in the reactor cavity section of a High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor during an accident scenario

Here, this study investigates the behavior of a High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) during a break of the helium pressure boundary event. Understanding the gas dynamics that occur during a break could help develop safety systems that reduce the probability of air entering the reactor core. To achieve this objective, experimental studies were conducted in a scaled-down HTGR experimental facility to provide information on the air-helium gas mixture within the confinement building and the impact of the ventilation system on the helium/air gas concentration following the depressurization event. The study evaluated different configurations, including active ventilation time scales, break sizes, and locations. The analysis of the active ventilation time revealed that a ventilation time of 22 seconds produced positive results, and smaller break sizes resulted in longer depressurization times, which improved the ventilation process. The orientation and elevation of the breaks had little effect on the oxygen concentration in the cavity but did impact the gas velocities.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Diode laser absorption sensors for gas-dynamic and combustion flows

Recent advances in room-temperature, near-IR and visible diode laser sources for tele-communication, high-speed computer networks, and optical data storage applications are enabling a new generation of gas-dynamic and combustion-flow sensors based on laser absorption spectroscopy. In addition to conventional species concentration and density measurements, spectroscopic techniques for temperature, velocity, pressure and mass flux have been demonstrated in laboratory, industrial and technical flows. Combined with fibreoptic distribution networks and ultrasensitive detection strategies, compact and portable sensors are now appearing for a variety of applications. In many cases, the superior spectroscopic quality of the new laser sources compared with earlier cryogenic, mid-IR devices is allowing increased sensitivity of trace species measurements, high-precision spectroscopy of major gas constituents, and stable, autonomous measurement systems. The purpose of this article is to review recent progress in this field and suggest likely directions for future research and development. The various laser-source technologies are briefly reviewed as they relate to sensor applications. Basic theory for laser absorption measurements of gas-dynamic properties is reviewed and special detection strategies for the weak near-IR and visible absorption spectra are described. Typical sensor configurations are described and compared for various application scenarios, ranging from laboratory research to automated field and airborne packages. Recent applications of gas-dynamic sensors for air flows and fluxes of trace atmospheric species are presented. Applications of gas-dynamic and combustion sensors to research and development of high-speed flows aeropropulsion engines, and combustion emissions monitoring are presented in detail, along with emerging flow control systems based on these new sensors. Finally, technology in nonlinear frequency conversion, UV laser materials, room-temperature mid-IR materials and broadly tunable multisection devices is reviewed to suggest new sensor possibilities.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1993

On the spatial range of validity of the gas dynamic model in the magnetosheath of Venus

In the past, the global solar wind interaction with Venus has been treated with gas dynamic models which, while successful in modeling some of the global characteristics of the interaction, do not include the magnetic barrier in a self-consistent manner. This magnetic barrier is formed in the inner magnetosheath where it transfers solar wind momentum flux to the obstacle via magnetic pressure. In this study, we examine the extent to which the gas dynamic fluid approximation describes the magnetic field in the dayside Venus magnetosheath by comparing with two gas dynamic models, one which matches the observed ionopause location and one which matches the bow shock location. We find that each model predicts the field profile reasonably well in the vicinity of the matched bow shock or ionopause, but neither model provides an adequate model over the entire range from the ionopause to the bow shock.

Zhang, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Further development of the dynamic gas temperature measurement system

The objective of this effort was to experimentally verify a dynamic gas temperature measurement system in laboratory experiments. The dynamic gas temperature measurement system verification program is described. A brief description of the sensor geometry and construction is followed by a discussion of the probe heat transfer analysis and subsequent compensation method. The laboratory experiments are described and experimental results are discussed. Finally, directions for further investigation are given.

Elmore, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Solar wind flow about the terrestrial planets. II - Comparison with gas dynamic theory and implications for solar-planetary interactions

Bow shock models are employed to determine and compare the solar wind flows about Venus, Mars, and the earth. Initially, gas dynamic theory predictions are compared with the large data base available for the near-earth environment. The observed shape and location of the magnetopause proved sufficient for predicting the average dayside bow shock position to within 2% error. Use of the same gas dynamics theory produced highly disparate results for the flows past Venus and Mars. A variation of 510-1000 km altitude (high) for the solar wind-obstacle interface was found for Mars, thus requiring the presence of an effective magnetic moment of within 0.6 of 1.4 x 10 to the 22nd G/cu cm in the Martian magnetosphere, consistent with Viking data. The Venus bow wave was calculated to be closer to the planet than possible with a purely ionospheric interaction, indicating that solar wind-neutral atmosphere interactions in the lower ionosheath must necessarily be included in a gas dynamic modeling of the Venus obstacle to the solar wind.

Slavin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

High spatial resolution measurements of ram accelerator gas dynamic phenomena

High spatial resolution experimental tube wall pressure measurements of ram accelerator gas dynamic phenomena are presented. The projectile resembles the centerbody of a ramjet and travels supersonically through a tube filled with a combustible gaseous mixture, with the tube acting as the outer cowling. Pressure data are recorded as the projectile passes by sensors mounted in the tube wall at various locations along the tube. Data obtained by using a special highly instrumented section of tube has allowed the recording of gas dynamic phenomena with a spatial resolution on the order of one tenth the projectile length. High spatial resolution tube wall pressure data from the three regimes of propulsion studied to date (subdetonative, transdetonative, and superdetonative) are presented and reveal the 3D character of the flowfield induced by projectile fins and the canting of the projectile body relative to the tube wall. Also presented for comparison to the experimental data are calculations made with an inviscid, 3D CFD code.

Hinkey, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The magnetic field of Mars - Implications from gas dynamic modeling

On January 21, 1972, the Mars 3 spacecraft observed a variation in the magnetic field during its periapsis passage over the dayside of Mars that was suggestive of entry into a Martian magnetosphere. Original data and trajectory of the spacecraft have been obtained (Dolginov, 1983) and an attempt is made to simulate the observed variation of the magnetic field by using a gas dynamic simulation. In the gas dynamic model a flow field is generated and this flow field is used to carry the interplanetary magnetic field through the Martian magnetosheath. The independence of the flow field and magnetic field calculation makes it possible to converge rapidly on an IMF orientation that would result in a magnetic variation similar to that observed by Mars 3. There appears to be no need to invoke an entry into a Martian magnetosphere to explain these observations.

Russell, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A minimum entropy principle in the gas dynamics equations

Let u(x bar,t) be a weak solution of the Euler equations, governing the inviscid polytropic gas dynamics; in addition, u(x bar, t) is assumed to respect the usual entropy conditions connected with the conservative Euler equations. We show that such entropy solutions of the gas dynamics equations satisfy a minimum entropy principle, namely, that the spatial minimum of their specific entropy, (Ess inf s(u(x,t)))/x, is an increasing function of time. This principle equally applies to discrete approximations of the Euler equations such as the Godunov-type and Lax-Friedrichs schemes. Our derivation of this minimum principle makes use of the fact that there is a family of generalized entrophy functions connected with the conservative Euler equations.

Tadmor, E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Computational reacting gas dynamics

In the study of high speed flows at high altitudes, such as that encountered by re-entry spacecrafts, the interaction of chemical reactions and other non-equilibrium processes in the flow field with the gas dynamics is crucial. Generally speaking, problems of this level of complexity must resort to numerical methods for solutions, using sophisticated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The difficulties introduced by reacting gas dynamics can be classified into three distinct headings: (1) the usually inadequate knowledge of the reaction rate coefficients in the non-equilibrium reaction system; (2) the vastly larger number of unknowns involved in the computation and the expected stiffness of the equations; and (3) the interpretation of the detailed reacting CFD numerical results. The research performed accepts the premise that reacting flows of practical interest in the future will in general be too complex or 'untractable' for traditional analytical developments. The power of modern computers must be exploited. However, instead of focusing solely on the construction of numerical solutions of full-model equations, attention is also directed to the 'derivation' of the simplified model from the given full-model. In other words, the present research aims to utilize computations to do tasks which have traditionally been done by skilled theoreticians: to reduce an originally complex full-model system into an approximate but otherwise equivalent simplified model system. The tacit assumption is that once the appropriate simplified model is derived, the interpretation of the detailed numerical reacting CFD numerical results will become much easier. The approach of the research is called computational singular perturbation (CSP).

Lam, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Numerical approximation of boundary conditions with applications to inviscid equations of gas dynamics

A comprehensive overview of the state of the art of well-posedness and stability analysis of difference approximations for initial boundary value problems of the hyperbolic type is presented. The applicability of recent theoretical development to practical calculations for nonlinear gas dynamics is examined. The one dimensional inviscid gas dynamics equations in conservation law form are selected for numerical experiments. The class of implicit schemes developed from linear multistep methods in ordinary differential equations is chosen and the use of linear extrapolation as an explicit or implicit boundary scheme is emphasized. Specification of boundary data in the primitive variables and computation in terms of the conservative variables in the interior is discussed. Some numerical examples for the quasi-one-dimensional nozzle are given.

Yee, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The P1-RKDG method for two-dimensional Euler equations of gas dynamics

A class of nonlinearly stable Runge-Kutta local projection discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) finite element methods for conservation laws is investigated. Two dimensional Euler equations for gas dynamics are solved using P1 elements. The generalization of the local projections, which for scalar nonlinear conservation laws was designed to satisfy a local maximum principle, to systems of conservation laws such as the Euler equations of gas dynamics using local characteristic decompositions is discussed. Numerical examples include the standard regular shock reflection problem, the forward facing step problem, and the double Mach reflection problem. These preliminary numerical examples are chosen to show the capacity of the approach to obtain nonlinearly stable results comparable with the modern nonoscillatory finite difference methods.

Cockburn, Bernardo↗
NASA NTRS1984

Furthur development of the dynamic gas temperature measurement system

Candidate concepts capable of generating dynamic temperatures were identified and analyzed for use in verifying experimentally the frequency response of the dynamic gas temperature measurement system. A rotating wheel concept and one other concept will be selected for this purpose. Modifications to the data reduction code algorithms developed were identified and evaluated to reduce substantially the data reduction execution time. These modifications will be incorporated in a new data reduction program to be written in FORTRAN IV.

Elmore, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Conservative boundary conditions for 3D gas dynamics problems

A method is described for 3D-gas dynamics computer simulation in regions of complicated shape by means of nonadjusted rectangular grids providing unified treatment of various problems. Some test problem computation results are given.

Gerasimov, B. P.↗