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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Physical Properties of the Satellites of Neptune

Spectrophotometric studies of Triton suggest a surface covered in part by solid methane. Nitrogen is suspected on the basis of a single spectral band, but this material, if present, must be in a condensed state. Liquid nitrogen covering part of Triton to a depth of a few tens of centimeter can satisfy the spectral data so far available. If condensed nitrogen occurs on Triton, the satellite has an atmosphere largely of N2 (pressure approximately 0.1 bar), with CH4 as a minor constituent. The reddish hue of Triton's surface may result from photochemical derivatives of the methane and nitrogen, as in the case of Titan. The radius of Triton has been determined by indirect means to be 1750 km, but there may be a large systemmatic error in this value. If the mean density is approximately 2-3 g/cubic cm. the mass derived from astrometric observations is in error. There is no information on physical properties of Nereid. A third suspected satellite was not confirmed.

Cruikshank, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Apparatus Regulates Temperature Between -170 And 100 Degrees C

Temperature-control apparatus mixes pulses of liquid nitrogen into smoothly flowing nitrogen gas to produce flow of nitrogen gas at controlled low temperature. Mixing chamber provides turbulence, thermal mass, and thermal conductance to promote thermal and mechanical mixing of liquid and gaseous flows and thereby suppresses large transient deviations from set-point temperature.

Johnson, Kenneth R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Laboratory studies of irradiated nitrogen-methane mixtures - Applications to Triton

The characteristics of the near-IR spectrum of Triton is addressed in view of 0.8-2.5 micron laboratory transmission spectra obtained for methane dissolved in liquid nitrogen. It is found that, for methane concentrations greater than 3 percent of the saturation value, the collision-induced, 2.152-micron first-overtone band of molecular nitrogen is overshadowed by the methane band centered at 2.3 microns. While gamma-radiolysis of nitrogen-methane mixtures generates an unstable precipitate whose yellowish color is qualitatively similar to the yellow color of Triton, no specific absorption band in the precipitate can be unambiguously identified on Triton.

Piscitelli, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Homogeneous nucleation and droplet growth in nitrogen

A one dimensional computer model of the homogeneous nucleation process and growth of condensate for nitrogen flows over airfoils is developed to predict the onset of condensation and thus to be able to take advantage of as much of Reynolds capability of cryogenic tunnels as possible. Homogeneous nucleation data were taken using a DFVLR CAST-10 airfoil in the 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel and are used to evaluate the classical liquid droplet theory and several proposed corrections to it. For predicting liquid nitrogen condensation effects, use of the arbitrary Tolman constant of 0.25 x 250 billionth m or the Reiss or Kikuchi correction agrees with the CAST-10 data. Because no solid nitrogen condensation were found experimentally during the CAST-10 experiments, earlier nozzle data are used to evaluate corrections to the classical liquid droplet theory in the lower temperature regime. A theoretical expression for the surface tension of solid nitrogen is developed.

Dotson, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Improved liquid-level sensor for cryogenics

Liquid-level indicator, consisting of a diode heated by a resistor, allows simultaneous use of two or three of the liquids nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium. Operation depends on strong temperature-dependence of the forward resistance of a germanium diode and the difference between liquid and vapor in heat-transfer properties.

Hyman, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Fiber Optic Raman Sensor to Monitor Concentration Ratio of Nitrogen and Oxygen in a Cryogenic Mixture

A spontaneous Raman scattering optical fiber sensor is developed for a specific need of NASA/SSC for long-term detection and monitoring of the quality of liquid oxygen (LOX) in the delivery line during ground testing of rocket engines. The sensor performance was tested in the laboratory and with different excitation light sources. To evaluate the sensor performance with different excitation light sources for the LOX quality application, we have used the various mixtures of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen as samples. The study of the sensor performance shows that this sensor offers a great deal of flexibility and provides a cost effective solution for the application. However, an improved system response time is needed for the real-time, quantitative monitoring of the quality of cryogenic fluids in harsh environment.

Tiwari, Vidhu S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Operational Experience of the NML Cryogenic Plant at the FAST Test Facility

The NML cryogenic plant cools two individually cryostated superconducting radio frequency (SRF) capture cavities and one prototype ILC cryomodule with eight SRF cavities. This complex accelerates electrons at 150 MeV for the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) ring, located at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility. The cryogenic plant is composed of two nitrogen precooled Tevatron satellite refrigerators, two Mycom 2016C compressors, a cryogenic distribution system, a Frick purifier compressor, two charcoal bed adsorber purifiers, and a liquid ring vacuum pump with a roots booster. The SRF cavities are immersed in a 2.0 K liquid helium bath, shielded with a 5 K gaseous helium shield and a liquid nitrogen cooled thermal shield. Since 2019, this R&D accelerator complex has gone through four science runs with an average duration of 12 months. Operational experience for each run, availability metrics, performance data and common outages are presented in this paper.

Wallace, Timothy [Fermilab] (ORCID:000900051589302↗
NASA NTRS1978

A surface flow visualisation technique for use in cryogenic wind tunnels

A method of surface flow visualization for use in cryogenic wind tunnels is described which requires injection of a cryogenic liquid onto the model while the tunnel is running. This necessitates the use of a substance that remains liquid over a large range of cryogenic wind tunnel operating temperatures. It is found that propane (C3H8) is a suitable substance. Experiments are conducted in a subsonic cryogenic wind tunnel to assess the practical application of liquid propane flow visualization. The propane is stored in a chamber cooled by liquid nitrogen and when required is pumped through pipes to a gallery inside the model and then out onto the surface through small holes. To color the liquid a suspension of pigment particles is used. Propane is supplied to the cooled chamber in gaseous form from a standard liquefied gas cylinder. The sequence of events is illustrated on a propane temperature-entropy diagram. The use of liquefied propane for flow visualization in a cryogenic tunnel operating at pressures up to 40 atm appears to be feasible. Illustrative examples are provided.

Kell, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Mass flow measurement of liquid cryogens using the triboelectric effect

A cross correlator technique using triboelectric technology has been shown to be a feasible method to measure liquid flow rate for liquid nitrogen and JP4 jet fuel. This technology, invented and pioneered by Auburn International, Inc., is also expected to be suitable for use with all other insulating liquids and cryogens. The technology described is particularly well suited for cryogenic use, since the sensor is non-contacting and non-intrusive, and therefore, causes no additional pressure drop within the flow stream. Further development of the in-line sensor is required to produce a prototypical version for the test purposes under SSME fuel flow conditions. However, with the knowledge gained from this feasibility study, it is very likely that an acceptable sensor design for a full test bed evaluation could be produced.

Dechene, Ronald L.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Performance Testing of Liquid Hydrogen Tanks

Testing the performance of liquid hydrogen in tanks brings many unique challenges. Often methods used even for liquid nitrogen need to be modified to be able to address the details required to fully understand the performance of the tank. During the development and characterization of many novel insulation systems both for in-space and ground applications, NASA has tested many liquid hydrogen tanks where performance was a key outcome. Over the course of analyzing the performance of multiple different hydrogen tests, including several with both hydrogen and nitrogen, differences in the details of test data interpretation become clear. One of these key details is the thermal stratification of the tank and what it can tell you about the heat load dispersion.

Liquid Hydrogen↗
DOE OSTI2024

Re-Assembly and Test of a COMB Dipole Magnet With STAR Wires

Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) coated conductors are an attractive option for application in high field accelerator magnets due to their high critical field and the convenience of fabrication without heat treatment compared to some other superconductors. A small REBCO accelerator magnet was previously fabricated and tested in liquid nitrogen, demonstrating over 90% critical current retention in the coils. This paper describes the magnet re-assembly with a different support structure and its test in liquid helium at 1.8–4.5 K. The magnet quench history along with the instrumentation data is presented and discussed.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Test chamber for low-background IR focal plane testing

A unique and versatile vacuum chamber has been designed for JPL's IR Focal Plane Technology Group. This chamber is equipped with multiple ports for cryogen and electrical vacuum feedthroughs, pumping units, vacuum gages, sources, and detector camera heads. The design incorporates a liquid-nitrogen-cooled optical table and radiation shield for low-background IR detector testing. Focal planes can be tested at temperatures ranging from 300 K to that of liquid helium. This paper describes the design and construction of this low-background IR focal plane test chamber and discusses some of its distinctive features. An analysis of the test chamber's performance is also presented.

Staller, Craig↗
NASA NTRS1991

Investigation of microstructural changes in polyetherether-ketone films at cryogenic temperatures by positron lifetime spectroscopy

Microstructural changes in Polyetherether-ketone (PEEK) films were investigated in the temperature ranges of 23 to -196 C, using Positron Lifetime Spectroscopy (PLS) technique. It was determined that the total free volume decreases by about 46 percent in amorphous PEEK samples and about 36 percent in semicrystalline PEEK samples when they are cooled down from room temperature to liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperature. If this trend in reduction in free volume with decreasing temperature continues, as expected, it is surmised that PEEK will be able to withstand cooling down to liquid hydrogen (LH2) temperature without any detrimental effect on its diffusivity for liquid hydrogen.

Singh, Jag J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Germanium JFET for Cryogenic Readout Electronics

The n-channel Germanium junction field effect transistor (Ge-JFET) was designed and fabricated for cryogenic applications. The Ge-JFET exhibits superior noise performance at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). From the device current voltage characteristics of n-channel JFETs, it is seen that transconductance increases monotonically with the lowering of temperature to 4.2 K (liquid helium temperature).

Das, N. C.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Evaluation of flexible ring baffles for damping liquid oscillations

An experimental study was undertaken of damping produced by single flexible-ring baffles in a 396-cm diameter tank of liquid nitrogen. Two 24.8-cm wide baffles were tested. One baffle was 0.00635 cm thick type 301 stainless steel and the other 0.0254 cm thick Teflon FEP. Each baffle produced damping of liquid oscillations equal to or greater than that expected from rigid baffles of the same size. The equations used to determine the baffle thickness required were found to be adequate baffle design equations.

Bugg, F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Phase equilibrium of methane and nitrogen at low temperatures - Application to Titan

Since the vapor phase composition of Titan's methane-nitrogen lower atmosphere is uniquely determined as a function of the Gibbs phase rule, these data are presently computed via integration of the Gibbs-Duhem equation. The thermodynamic consistency of published measurements and calculations of the vapor phase composition is then examined, and the saturated mole fraction of gaseous methane is computed as a function of altitude up to the 700-mbar level. The mole fraction is found to lie approximately halfway between that computed from Raoult's law, for a gas in equilibrium with an ideal solution of liquid nitrogen and methane, and that for a gas in equilibrium with pure liquid methane.

Kouvaris, Louis C.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Marshall Space Flight Center Faculty Fellowship Program

This paper presents a multi-node model of autogenous pressurization of liquid nitrogen in a flight tank using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a general purpose flow network code developed at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center. This study considers two different models: (a) pressurization of the tank by nitrogen gas from a supply tank and (b) pressurization of the tank by using the boil-off propellant through an IVF (Integrated Vehicle Fluids) loop. The tank pressurization model considers two different liquid fill-levels of the tank (a) 75% and (b) 45%. Heat and mass transfer between the liquid and vapor has been modeled at the liquid vapor interface. Heat transfer between wall and vapor at the ullage has been accounted for by assuming heat transfer occurs by natural convection. The model also accounts for heat leak to the tank through the insulation and metal wall by heat conduction. The predicted pressures and temperatures are compared with the measured data and good agreement has been observed. In the second case, the tank is pressurized by using the boil-off fluid that recirculates through an IVF loop. Preliminary results from this model are also reported.

N.F. Six↗
NASA NTRS1988

Variable mixture ratio performance through nitrogen augmentation

High/variable mixture ratio O2/H2 candidate engine cycles are examined for earth-to-orbit vehicle application. Engine performance and power balance information are presented for the candidate cycles relative to chamber pressure, bulk density, and mixture ratio. Included in the cycle screening are concepts where a third fluid (liquid nitrogen) is used to achieve a variable mixture ratio over the trajectory from liftoff to earth orbit. The third fluid cycles offer a very low risk, fully reusable, low operation cost alternative to high/variable mixture ratio bipropellant cycles. Variable mixture ratio engines with extendible nozzle are slightly lower performing than a single mixture ratio engine (MR = 7:1) with extendible nozzle. Dual expander engines (MR = 7:1) have slightly better performance than the single mixture ratio engine. Dual fuel dual expander engines offer a 16 percent improvement over the single mixture ratio engine.

Beichel, R.↗