Theory and experiment with a gas stabilized constricted arc.
Arc voltage gradient and static pressure distribution measured in constrictor region of gas stabilized arc discharge
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Arc voltage gradient and static pressure distribution measured in constrictor region of gas stabilized arc discharge
Heat transfer phenomena in electric arcs - design and testing of arc tunnel modification
Analytical and semianalytical method for calculating performance of constricted arc plasma generator and applicability to arc design criteria
Arc model describing symptomatic behavior of fluctuating mode when axial gas flow is superimposed on electric arc
There exists a problem in the measuring of the spectral irradiance of solar simulators. This difficulty has manifested intself in both monochromator and filter measurements. This report is the discussion of the measurements by Eppley Laboratory on the Lewis carbon arc solar Simulators, the further analysis of the method of filter radiometry made by Lewis personnel, and the comparison with the monochromator measurements. Previously when the filter technique was used it was assumed that the a priori knowledge of the source's spectral characteristics must be known. In this report it will be shown that for a carb0n arc source a knowledge of the source is not required after the filters have been properly chosen.
Fluid mechanical model of electric arc balanced magnetically in gas flow, based on photographs showing arc must simulate solid body
DC electric arc in superimposed gas flow behavior in arc tunnel, discussing electrode geometry
The aim of our ground testing was to demonstrate the capability of safely putting specific model organisms into dehydrated stasis, and to later rehydrate and successfully grow them inside flight proven ARC EMCS seedling cassettes. The ARC EMCS seedling cassettes were originally developed to support seedling growth during space flight. The seeds are attached to a solid substrate, launched dry, and then rehydrated in a small volume of media on orbit to initiate the experiment. We hypothesized that the same seedling cassettes should be capable of acting as culture chambers for a wide range of organisms with minimal or no modification. The ability to safely preserve live organisms in a dehydrated state allows for on orbit experiments to be conducted at the best time for crew operations and more importantly provides a tightly controlled physiologically relevant growth experiment with specific environmental parameters. Thus, we performed a series of ground tests that involved growing the organisms, preparing them for dehydration on gridded Polyether Sulfone (PES) membranes, dry storage at ambient temperatures for varying periods of time, followed by rehydration. Inside the culture cassettes, the PES membranes were mounted above blotters containing dehydrated growth media. These were mounted on stainless steel bases and sealed with plastic covers that have permeable membrane covered ports for gas exchange. The results showed we were able to demonstrate acceptable normal growth of C.elegans (nematodes), E.coli (bacteria), S.cerevisiae (yeast), Polytrichum (moss) spores and protonemata, C.thalictroides (fern), D.discoideum (amoeba), and H.dujardini (tardigrades). All organisms showed acceptable growth and rehydration in both petri dishes and culture cassettes initially, and after various time lengths of dehydration. At the end of on orbit ISS European Modular Cultivation System experiments the cassettes could be frozen at ultra-low temperatures, refrigerated, or chemically preserved before being returned to Earth for analyses. Our results suggest that with protocol modifications and future verification testing we can utilize the versatile EMCS to conduct tightly controlled experiments inside our culture cassettes for a wide variety of organisms. These physiological experiments would be designed to answer questions at the molecular level about the specific stress responses of space flight.
Arc jet testing is used to simulate entry to test thermal protection materials. This paper discusses the usefulness of arc jet testing for 3 cases. Case 1 is MSL and PICA, Case 2 is Advanced TUFROC, and Case 3 is conformable ablators.
This paper reports computational simulations in support of arc-jet panel testing capability development using semi-elliptical nozzles in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. Two different semi-elliptical nozzle configurations are proposed for testing panel test articles. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to provide estimates of achievable panel surface conditions and useful test area for each configuration. The present analysis comprises three-dimensional simulations of the nonequilibrium flowfields in the semi-elliptical nozzles, test box and flowfield over the panel test articles. Computations show that useful test areas for the proposed two nozzle options are 20.32 centimeters by 20.32 centimeters (8 inches by 8 inches) and 43.18 centimeters by 43.18 centimeters (17 inches by 17 inches). Estimated values of the maximum cold-wall heat flux and surface pressure are 155 watts per centimeters squared and 39 kilopascals for the smaller panel test option, and 44 watts per centimeters squared and 7 kilopascals for the larger panel test option. Other important properties of the predicted flowfields are presented, and factors that limit the useful test area in the semi-free jet test configuration are discussed.
This paper reports computational analyses in support of two wedge tests in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. These tests were conducted using two different wedge models, each placed in a free jet downstream of a corresponding different conical nozzle in the Ames 60-MW Interaction Heating Facility. Panel test articles included a metallic separation bolt imbedded in the compression-pad and heat shield materials, resulting in a circular protuberance over a flat plate. As part of the test calibration runs, surface pressure and heat flux measurements on water-cooled calibration plates integrated with the wedge models were also obtained. Surface heating distributions on the test articles as well as arc-jet test environment parameters for each test configuration are obtained through computational fluid dynamics simulations, consistent with the facility and calibration measurements. The present analysis comprises simulations of the non-equilibrium flow field in the facility nozzle, test box, and flow field over test articles, and comparisons with the measured calibration data.
This paper reports computational analyses in support of two wedge tests in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. These tests were conducted using two different wedge models, each placed in a free jet downstream of a corresponding different conical nozzle in the Ames 60-MW Interaction Heating Facility. Each panel test article included a metallic separation bolt imbedded in Orion compression-pad and heatshield materials, resulting in a circular protuberance over a flat plate. The protuberances produce complex model flowfields, containing shock-shock and shock-boundary layer interactions, and multiple augmented heating regions on the test plate. As part of the test calibration runs, surface pressure and heat flux measurements on water-cooled calibration plates integrated with the wedge models were also obtained. Surface heating distributions on the test articles as well as arc-jet test environment parameters for each test configuration are obtained through computational fluid dynamics simulations, consistent with the facility and calibration measurements. The present analysis comprises simulations of the nonequilibrium flowfield in the facility nozzle, test box, and flowfield over test articles, and comparisons with the measured calibration data.
This paper reports computational analyses in support of two wedge tests in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. These tests were conducted using two different wedge models, each placed in a free jet downstream of a corresponding different conical nozzle in the Ames 60-MW Interaction Heating Facility. Each panel test article included a metallic separation bolt imbedded in Orion compression-pad and heatshield materials, resulting in a circular protuberance over a flat plate. The protuberances produce complex model flowfields, containing shock-shock and shock-boundary layer interactions, and multiple augmented heating regions on the test plate. As part of the test calibration runs, surface pressure and heat flux measurements on water-cooled calibration plates integrated with the wedge models were also obtained. Surface heating distributions on the test articles as well as arc-jet test environment parameters for each test configuration are obtained through computational fluid dynamics simulations, consistent with the facility and calibration measurements. The present analysis comprises simulations of the non-equilibrium flow field in the facility nozzle, test box, and flow field over test articles, and comparisons with the measured calibration data.
Recent introduction of Coaxial Thermocouple type calorimeters into the NASA Ames arc jet facilities has inspired an analysis of 2D conduction effects internal to this type of calorimeter. Lateral conduction effects violate the 1D finite slab inverse analysis which is typically used to deduce the heat transfer to such calorimeters. The spherical shaped nose associated with most calorimeters (rather than flat) leads to a bias error that over-estimates the stagnation heating. Non-uniform heating on the face of spherically shaped calorimeters leads to conduction losses to the colder rim of the calorimeter which causes an underestimate of the stagnation heating. These two effects come into play at different times of the calorimeter's exposure to the arc jet, so they do not cancel. The spherical body effects come into play in the early stages of exposure, while the non-uniform heating effect becomes most severe at the later stages of exposure. The bias associated with spherical effects can be avoided by rewriting the 1D finite slab inverse analysis code to solve for 1D conduction in spherical coordinates. However, reducing the bias error associated non-uniform heating requires a somewhat ad hoc modification to the 1D finite element inverse analysis.
This paper reports computational simulations in support of arc-jet panel testing capability development using semi-elliptical nozzles in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. Two different semi-elliptical nozzle configurations are proposed for testing panel test articles. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to provide estimates of achievable panel surface conditions and useful test area for each configuration. The present analysis comprises three-dimensional simulations of the nonequilibrium flowfields in the semi-elliptical nozzles, test box and flowfield over the panel test articles. Computations show that useful test areas for the proposed two nozzle options are 20.32 centimeters by 20.32 centimeters (8 inches by 8 inches) and 43.18 centimeters by 43.18 centimeters (17 inches by 17 inches). Estimated values of the maximum cold-wall heat flux and surface pressure are 155 watts per centimeters squared and 39 kilopascals for the smaller panel test option, and 44 watts per centimeters squared and 7 kilopascals for the larger panel test option. Other important properties of the predicted flowfields are presented, and factors that limit the useful test area in the semi-free jet test configuration are discussed.
NASA Game Changing Development (GCD) provided Boeing support under a Space Act Agreement (SAA) for arc jet sample design, CFD support and arc jet test time of stagnation and shear models for 3 Boeing TPS materials: BLA (Boeing Lightweight Ablator, 18, 21 and 22 densities), BPA (Boeing Phenolic Ablator, standard, graded density, or without reinforcement) and Non-oxide high temperature ceramic composite for structurally integrated TPS (SITPS). Results: For BLA, tested successfully to 500 W/cm² heat flux and heat loads up to 12 kJ/cm² with shear loads up to 370 Pa. The BPA 2017 formulation tested successfully to 1500 W/cm² and 80 kJ/cm², with shear loads up to 250 Pa. For SITIPS, Boeing fabricated C/SiC laminate materials survived testing in shear.
Occasionally large errors have occurred in some of the calorimeters used in the arc jet facilities. Some slug calorimeters would measure twice the expected heat flux and some Coaxial TC calorimeters would measure half the expected heat flux. While these errors in heat flux measurements are easy to identify and discard / dismiss, the concern is that less spectacular errors are difficult to detect. This inspired a critical look at the calorimetry used to measure stagnation heat flux in the NASA Ames Arc Jet facilities. Numerous sources of error were investigated, and the culprit in the case of slug calorimeters was determined to be leaks in the stagnation calorimeter assembly resulting in flow along the side of the slug. In the case of the coaxial TC calorimeter, it is hypothesized that in some calorimeters there is a partial electrical short circuit in the Coaxial TC sensor element somewhere in the middle of the calorimeter.
Arc jet Computer Vision (arcjetCV) is a software application built to automate time-resolved recession tracking of edges in test videos, specifically for tracking material recession and the shock-material standoff. This provides a new capability to resolve and validate new physics associated with non-linear processes and an essential step to reduce testing, modeling, and validation uncertainties for heatshield material performance. ArcticCV uses several types of machine learning (convolutional neural net: CNN, decision tree: DT, k-means unsupervised clustering: KM) to automate the video processing pipeline. These include inferring the start/stop of time segments of interest (1D CNN), measuring the time-dependent 2D recession of the material samples (2D CNN, DT), measuring the time-dependent shock standoff distance (2D CNN, DT), and post-processing cleaning of the recession data (KM). The software also provides a graphical user interface for ease of use. The results of using this tool on arc jet videos show non-linear time-dependent effects can be important for certain materials and characterizing certain failure modes.