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At least 397 records · Page 22

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NASA NTRS1993

The microstructural evolution, crystallography, and thermal processing of ultrahigh carbon Fe-1.85 pct C melt-spun ribbon

A study is presented to determine if fine microstructures could be achieved using rapid solidification to produce a fine-grained fully austenitic starting structure and then using thermal processing cycles to produce an even finer ferrite-cementite structure. The evolution, mechanisms of grain refinement, and crystallography of the resultant microstructures were examined by TEM. A thermal processing cycle consisted of quenching the ribbon in liquid nitrogen, tempering at 600 C for 10 sec, 'upquenching' to 750 C for 10 sec, and subsequently quenching again in liquid nitrogen. The heat-treatment resulted in martensite grains with sizes of about 1 micron or less in both length and thickness and cementite particles of 0.4 micron or less. It is concluded that these microstructures could be used for producing fine-grained ultrahigh carbon steels of very high strength without the brittleness associated with the formation of coarse carbide particles of the loss of strength due to graphite formation.

Spanos, G.↗

NASA NTRS1929

Corrosion Embrittlement of Duralumin VI The Effect of Corrosion Accompanied by Stress on the Tensile Properties of Sheet Duralumin

The effect of corrosion on the tensile properties of duralumin while stressed is shown in graphical form. According to the test results, duralumin sheet, coated with aluminum, maintains its initial properties unimpaired for corrosion periods as long as 60 days with an applied tensile stress as high as 20,000 lb/sq.in., which is approximately one-half the stress corresponding to the yield point as defined here. In these tests, that material which had been heat-treated by being quenched in cold water, though far inferior to similar material having the aluminum coating, was superior to the sheet material which was heat treated by being quenched in hot water. These results are in excellent agreement with the results of previous laboratory and exposure tests.

Rawdon, Henry S↗

NASA NTRS1993

Fluorescence observations of LDEF exposed materials as an indicator of induced material reactions

Observations and measurements of induced changes in the fluorescent emission of materials exposed to the space environment on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) have revealed systematic patterns of material-dependent behavior. These results have been supplemented by inspection of similar materials exposed on previous Space Shuttle Missions and in laboratory testing. The space environmental factors affecting the fluorescence of exposed materials have been found to include (but are not necessarily limited to) solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, atomic oxygen (AO), thermal vacuum exposure, and synergistic combinations of these factors. Observed changes in material fluorescent behavior include stimulation, quenching, and spectral band shifts of emission. For example, the intrinsic yellow fluorescence of zinc oxide pigmented thermal control coatings undergoes quenching as a result of exposure, while coloration is stimulated in the fluorescent emission of several polyurethane coating materials. The changes in fluorescent behavior of these materials are shown to be a revealing indicator of induced material reactions as a result of space environmental exposure.

Linton, Roger C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Rich burn combustor technology at Pratt and Whitney

The topics covered include the following: near term objectives; rich burn quick quench combustor (RBQC); RBQC critical technology areas; cylindrical RBQQ combustor rig; modular RBQQ combustor; cylindrical rig objectives; quench zone mixing; noneffusive cooled liner; variable geometry requirements; and sector combustor rig.

Lohmann, Robert P.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Laser induced fluorescence measurements and modeling of nitric oxide in high-pressure premixed flames

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been applied to the quantitative measurement of nitric oxide (NO) in premixed, laminar, high-pressure flames. Their chemistry was also studied using three current kinetics schemes to determine the predictive capabilities of each mechanism with respect to NO concentrations. The flames studied were low-temperature (1600 less than T less than 1850K) C2H6/O2/N2 and C2H6/O2/N2 flames, and high temperature (2100 less than T less than 2300K) C2H6/O2/N2 flames. Laser-saturated fluorescence (LSF) was initially used to measure the NO concentrations. However, while the excitation transition was well saturated at atmospheric pressure, the fluorescence behavior was basically linear with respect to laser power at pressures above 6 atm. Measurements and calculations demonstrated that the fluorescence quenching rate variation is negligible for LIF measurements of NO at a given pressure. Therefore, linear LIF was used to perform quantitative measurements of NO concentration in these high-pressure flames. The transportability of a calibration factor from one set of flame conditions to another also was investigated by considering changes in the absorption and quenching environment for different flame conditions. The feasibility of performing LIF measurements of (NO) in turbulent flames was studied; the single-shot detection limit was determined to be 2 ppm.

Reisel, John R.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Fundamental mechanisms in premixed flame propagation via vortex-flame interactions: Numerical simulations

The goal of the present study is to assess numerically the ability of single-step and two-step chemical models to describe the main features encountered during the interaction between a two-dimensional vortex pair and a premixed laminar flame. In the two-step mechanism, the reaction kinetics are represented by a first chain branching reaction A + X yields 2X and a second chain termination reaction X + X yields P. This paper presents the fundamental mechanisms occurring during vortex-flame interactions and the relative impact of the major parameters encountered in turbulent premixed flames and suspected of playing a role in quenching mechanism: (1) Influence of stretch is investigated by analyzing the contribution of curvature and tangential strain on the local structure of the flame. The effect of Lewis number on the flame response to a strained field is analyzed. (2) Radiative heat losses which are suspected to be partially or totally responsible for quenching are also investigated. (3) The effect of the diffusion of the radicals is studied using a two-step mechanism in which an intermediate species is present. The parameters of the two-step mechanism are entirely determined from physical arguments. (4) Precise quantitative comparisons between the DNS and the experimental results of Samaniego et al are performed. These comparisons concern the evolution of the minimum heat release rate found along the flame front during the interaction and the distribution of the heat release rate along the flame front.

Mantel, Thierry↗

NASA NTRS1994

Method development for compensating temperature effects in pressure sensitive paint measurements

Pressure sensitive luminescent paints (PSP) have recently emerged as a viable technique for aerodynamic pressure measurements. The technique uses a surface coating which contains probe molecules that luminesce when excited by light of an appropriate wavelength. The photoluminescence of these materials is known to be quenched by the presence of molecular oxygen. Since oxygen is a fixed mole fraction of the air, the coating's luminescence intensity varies inversely with air pressure. Digital imaging of the luminescence varying across a coated surface produces a pressure distribution map over that surface. One difficulty encountered with this technique is the temperature effect on the luminescence intensity. Present PSP formulations have significant sensitivity to temperature. At the moment, the most practical way of correcting for temperature effects is to calibrate the paint in place at the operating temperatures by using a few well-placed pressure taps. This study is looking at development of temperature indicating coatings that can be applied and measured concurrently with PSP, and use the temperature measurement to compute the correct pressure. Two methods for this dual paint formulation are proposed. One method will use a coating that consists of temperature sensitive phosphors in a polymer matrix. This is similar in construction to PSP, except that the probe molecules used are selected primarily for their temperature sensitivity. Both organic phosphors (e.g., europium thenoyltrifluoroacetonate, bioprobes) and inorganic phosphors (e.g., Mg4(F)GeO6:Mn, La2O2S:Eu, Radelin Type phosphors, Sylvania Type phosphors) will be evaluated for their temperature sensing potential. The next method will involve a novel coating composing of five membered heterocyclic conducting polymers which are known to show temperature dependent luminescence (e.g., poly(3-alkylthiopene), poly(3-alkylselenophene), poly(3-alkylfuran)). Both methods will involve applying a bottom layer of temperature sensitive coating followed by a top coating of PSP. An oxygen-impermeable polymer can be used as the temperature sensitive coating matrix, or it can be layered in between the coatings to prevent oxygen quenching of the bottom coating's luminescence. The probe molecules of the coatings will be excited by a broad band of light, with the different emissions detected and measured at their distinct wavelengths. Developmental research of these coatings is still in progress; however, preliminary results look very promising.

Demandante, Carlo Greg N.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Automated protein crystal growth facility

A customer for the protein crystal growth facility fills the specially designed chamber with the correct solutions, fills the syringes with their quenching solutions, and submits the data needed for the proper growth of their crystal. To make sure that the chambers and syringes are filled correctly, a NASA representative may assist the customer. The data needed is the approximate growth time, the growth temperature, and the desired crystal size, but this data can be changed anytime from the ground, if needed. The chambers are gathered and placed into numbered slots in special drawers. Then, data is entered into a computer for each of the chambers. Technicians map out when each chamber's growth should be activated so that all of the chambers have enough time to grow. All of this data is up-linked to the space station when the previous growth session is over. Anti-vibrational containers need to be constructed for the high forces encountered during the lift off and the landing of the space shuttle, and though our team has not designed these containers, we do not feel that there is any reason why a suitable one could not be made. When the shuttle reaches the space station, an astronaut removes a drawer of quenched chambers from the growth facility and inserts a drawer of new chambers. All twelve of the drawers can be replaced in this fashion. The optical disks can also be removed this way. The old drawers are stored for the trip back to earth. Once inside the growth facility, a chamber is removed by the robot and placed in one of 144 active sites at a time previously picked by a technician. Growth begins when the chamber is inserted into an active site. Then, the sensing system starts to determine the size of the protein crystal. All during the crystal's growth, the customer can view the crystal and read all of the crystal's data, such as growth rate and crystal size. When the sensing system determines that the crystal has reached the predetermined size, the robot is told to pick up a syringe filled with the correct quenchant solution and inject it into the chamber to stop the crystal growth. The chamber is then removed from the active site and placed into its original storage slot. Another chamber is then placed into the active site and the process is repeated in all of the active sites until all of the chambers have complted their growth. After ninety days (the scheduled time between shuttle visits), the crystal growth is completed, and the old drawers are replaced with new ones. Once the customer extracts the crystals, the chambers are retrieved for future customers.

Donald, Stacey↗

NASA NTRS1994

New sources for the hot oxygen geocorona

This paper investigates new sources of thermospheric non thermal (hot) oxygen due to exothermic reactions involving numerous minor (ion and neutral) and metastable species. Numerical calculations are performed for low altitude, daytime, winter conditions, with moderately high solar activity and low magnetic activity. Under these conditions we find that the quenching of metastable species are a significant source of hot oxygen, with kinetic energy production rates a factor of ten higher than those due to previously considered O2(+) and NO(+) dissociative recombination reactions. Some of the most significant new sources of hot oxygen are reactions involving quenching of O(+)((sup 2)D), O((sup 1)D), N((sup 2)D), O(+)((sup 2)P) and vibrationally excited N2 by atomic oxygen.

Richards, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Crystallization history of the 1984 Mauna Loa lava flow

During a 3-week eruption in 1984, Mauna Loa produced vent lavas that increased in crystallinity from less than 1 to 30%, and 27-km-long flows that increased in crystallinity as they moved downstream. We examined the crystallization history of these lavas using crystal size distribution (CSD) analysis to study the rates of crystallization, viscosity increase, and latent heating. Typical average growth and nucleation rates were 5 x 10(exp -9) cm/s and 5/cu cm/s for microphenocrysts (20- to 500-micron size crystals nucleated in the rift zone) and 5 x 10(exp -8) cm/s and 5 x 10(exp 4)/cu cm/s for microlites (1- to 20-micron size crystals nucleated in the channel). These crystallization rates are high compared with those found in other CSD studies of igneous rocks, probably due to highly nonequilibrium conditions brought on by rapid degassing in the rift zone and cooling in the lava channel. Growth and nucleation rates decreased with time at the vent and with distance downstream. The maximum downstream total crystallinity measured is 39% (25% microlites, 14% microphenocrysts) in a quenched sample 14 km from the vent. Growth and nucleation rates cannot be calculated for postemplacement samples, but they place upper limits of 53-58% on the amount of crystallization in the channel 9-20 km from the vent. Crystallization could have been mostly responsible for the 10(exp 5)-fold downstream increase in apparent viscosity, although degassing and increasing incorporation of solid lava fragments also contributed. Another effect of crystallization on the lava flow was the sizeable latent heating (0.01 J/g/s over the first half of the flow length, if the crystallinity of downstream quench samples is representative of the hot fluid core), which may have been counteracted by entrainment of cooler material. Measurements of crystallization are shown to be crucial in the study of lava flow emplacement dynamics.

Crisp, Joe↗

NASA NTRS1996

Electrical Conductivity, Relaxation and the Glass Transition: A New Look at a Familiar Phenomenon

Annealed samples from a single melt of a 10 mol% K2O-90SiO2 glass were reheated to temperatures ranging from 450 to 800 C, held isothermally for 20 min, and then quenched in either air or a silicon oil bath. The complex impedance of both the annealed and quenched samples was measured as a function of temperature from 120 to 250 C using ac impedance spectroscopy from 1 Hz to 1 MHz. The dc conductivity, sigma(sub dc), was measured from the low frequency intercept of depressed semicircle fits to the complex impedance data. When the sigma(sub dc) at 150 C was plotted against soak temperature, the results fell into three separate regions that are explained in terms of the glass structural relaxation time, tau(sub S). This sigma(sub dc) plot provides a new way to look the glass transition range, Delta T(sub r). In addition, sigma(sub dc) was measured for different soak times at 550 C, from which an average relaxation time of 7.3 min was calculated. It was found that the size and position of the Delta T(sub r) is controlled by both the soak time and cooling rate.

Angel, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Dust Grains and the Luminosity of Circumnuclear Water Masers in Active Galaxies

In previous calculations for the luminosities of 22 GHz water masers, the pumping is reduced and ultimately quenched with increasing depth into the gas because of trapping of the infrared (approximately equals 30-150 micrometers), spectral line radiation of the water molecule. When the absorption (and reemission) of infrared radiation by dust grains is included, we demonstrate that the pumping is no longer quenched but remains constant with increasing optical depth. A temperature difference between the grains and the gas is required. Such conditions are expected to occur, for example, in the circumnuclear masing environments created by X-rays in active galaxies. Here, the calculated 22 GHz maser luminosities are increased by more than an order of magnitude. Application to the well-studied, circumnuclear masing disk in the galaxy NGC 4258 yields a maser luminosity near that inferred from observations if the observed X-ray flux is assumed to be incident onto only the inner surface of the disk.

Collison, Alan J.↗

NASA NTRS1997

On the Mechanism of Boron Ignition

Boron filaments were electrically heated in air and argon/oxygen mixtures while their resistance, temperature, and radiation at the wavelengths of BO and BO2 bands were monitored. The filaments 'burned' in two distinct stages. Samples of the filaments were quenched at different times before and during the burning and analyzed using electron microscopy. The beginning of the first stage combustion characterized by a local resistance minimum, a sharp spike in boron oxide radiation emission, and a rapid rise in temperature, occurred at 1500 +/- 70 deg. C, independent of pre-heating history and oxygen content (540%) in the gas environment. The data suggest that a phase transition occurs in the filaments at this temperature that triggers stage one combustion. Significant amounts of oxygen were found inside quenched filaments. Large spherical voids formed in the boron filaments during their second stage combustion which is interpreted to indicate a crucial role for the gas dissolution processes in the combustion scenario.

Keil, D. G.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Kinetic Requirements for the Measurement of Mesospheric Water Vapor at 6.8 (microns) under Non-LTE Conditions

We present accuracy requirements for specific kinetic parameters used to calculate the populations and vibrational temperatures of the H2O(010) and H2O(020) states in the terrestrial mesosphere. The requirements are based on rigorous simulations of the retrieval of mesospheric water vapor profiles from measurements of water vapor infrared emission made by limb scanning instruments on orbiting satellites. Major improvements in the rate constants that describe vibration-to- vibration exchange between the H2O(010) and 02(1) states are required in addition to improved specification of the rate of quenching Of O2(1) by atomic oxygen (0). It is also necessary to more accurately determine the yield of vibrationally excited O2(l) resulting from ozone photolysis. A contemporary measurement of the rate of quenching of H2O(010) by N2 and O2 is also desirable. These rates are either highly uncertain or have never before been measured at atmospheric temperatures. The suggested improvements are necessary for the interpretation of water vapor emission measurements at 6.8 microns to be made from a new spaceflight experiment in less than 2 years. The approach to retrieving water vapor under non-LTE conditions is also presented.

Zhou, Daniel K.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Numerical Analysis of Temperature Gradients and Interface Shape During Directional Solidification of Al and Al-Cu Alloy Under Microgravity Conditions

Numerical modeling was undertaken to analyze the influence of radial thermal gradient on solid/liquid interface shape and convection patterns during solidification of pure Al and Al-4 wt. % Cu alloy. Steady state calculations were performed for different gravity levels and orientations. Furthermore, transient modeling was undertaken to investigate effect of the solidification velocity. The furnace configuration used in this analysis is the proposed International Space Station Furnace. Results from a thermal model of the furnace core were used as initial boundary conditions for solidification modeling. The Solidification model was adopted from previous work and was based on the finite element code FIDAP. Thermocouple data and quenched interface shape from a pure Al sample flown on the Life Sciences and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) mission, July 1996 was used for model validation. Good agreement was obtained between the predicted interface shape and that measured from the quenched LMS sample. It was found that the imposed temperature boundary condition must be sufficiently smooth for the heat fluxes in the model to be self-consistent. The model predicted that alloy sample Al-Cu is more sensitive to variations in the gravity level compared to pure Al. For Al-Cu alloy, solute diffusivity is approximately 10(exp 4) times smaller than thermal diffusivity of pure Al. Hence, in a microgravity environment the weak convection has no measurable effect on the heat fluxes, but is still strong enough to affect concentration distribution. Since the alloy melting temperature is determined by concentration the interface shape depends on the level of convection. This was found not to be the case for pure metal.

Bune, Andris V.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Characterization of the Heat Extraction Capability of a Compliant, Sliding, Thermal Interface for Use in a High Temperature, Vacuum Microgravity Furnace

Much of the material science gained in microgravity research requires processing a sample in a high performance furnace. One such furnace currently being designed is the Quench Module Insert (QMI). The Principle Investigators, for whom the furnace is proposed, require high temperature gradients in their cylindrical samples to achieve the science objectives. One of the components critical to achieving high sample axial temperature gradients in the Quench Module Insert is a high performance cold zone to extract the heat from the sample. This cold zone employs a compliant, sliding thermal interface based on a Vel-Therm felt. This felt provides a conductive path between the Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) exterior surface and the interior surface of the water cooled chill block while allowing movement of the sample relative to the chill block. The Vel-Therm felt is composed of long polymer-based fibers affixed to a thin flexible substrate layer. The fibers are oriented perpendicular to this substrate giving the felt the appearance of a velvet fabric. The Vel-Therm felt heat extraction capability was quantified in earlier tests performed in an inert gas environment. The current activity, described in this paper, is intended to characterize the extraction capability of Vel-Therm felt in a vacuum environment similar to the QMI environment. This testing is necessary to quantify the thermal performance of the Vel-Therm felt and the sensitivity of that performance to key variables. The data derived from these tests will be incorporated into the current thermal models to improve the quality of the models and reduce uncertainty of the analytical results. In addition, the data will be used to help select the appropriate Vel-Therm felt and set proper operating limits as well as assess the performance range of the furnace. The objective of this test is to measure the heat extraction rate of the Vel-Therm felt as specified by the effective heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, the test setup was designed to force the bulk of the heat transfer through the area where the Vel-Therm felt was applied. A heat source, consisting of a ceramic heating element encased in a Copper (Cu) housing is mounted on four isolated support rods. A 6-layer molybdenum radiation shield is used to insulate against heat loss from the heater and prevent heat exchange between the hot and cold sides of the test apparatus. The Vel-Therm felt is affixed to the surface of the cold sink, a water-cooled Cu chill block. An adjustable plate supports and isolates the cold sink from above and is used to control the amount of the deflection of the Vel- Therm when in contact with the Cu heating element housing. The primary means of establishing the power being conducted through the felt is to measure the energy being transferred to the water passing through the chill block. Analysis was performed to support the assumption that the source and sink surfaces were approximately isothermal under the specific test conditions. As a check on the amount of power passing through the felt, the power supplied to the heater was also measured. Thermocouples were strategically located throughout the test apparatus for measurement purposes. A bell jar was lowered over the assembly to impose vacuum conditions. Currently, variables tested have been fiber compression and fiber type and surface temperatures (both the hot and cold side temperatures are hypothesized to be important to the performance of the Vel-Therm.) Selected runs were repeated to ensure consistency and repeatability. Results obtained thus far reveal that Vel-Therm performance is significantly degraded by fibers being exposed to high compression. It also shows that performance is somewhat negatively impacted by previous compression, thereby, raising the question of repeatability. In addition, early results show a significant dependence on temperature. A computer aided mathematical analysis of the test setup is ongoing. The results will be correlated to actual results. The correlation will examine such details as parasitic loses, conduction down the power leads and many other concerns.

Bellomy-Ezell, Jenny↗

NASA NTRS2000

Insert Concepts for the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) on the International Space Station (ISS)

The Material Science Research Rack I (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) contains an Experiment Module (EM) being developed collaboratively by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). This NASA/ESA EM will accommodate several different removable and replaceable Module Inserts (MIs) which are installed on orbit NASA's planned inserts include the Quench Module Insert (QMI) and the Diffusion Module Insert (DMI). The QMI is a high-gradient Bridgman-type vacuum furnace with quench capabilities used for experiments on directional solidification of metal alloys. The DMI is a vacuum Bridgman-Stockbarger-type furnace for experiments on Fickian and Soret diffusion in liquids. This paper discusses specific design features and performance capabilities of each insert. The paper also presents current prototype QMI hardware analysis and testing activities and selected results.

Crouch, Myscha↗

NASA NTRS2000

Treatability Study of Pentaborane(9)

Procedures for the safe destruction of liquid pentaborane(9), B5H9, by solvolysis were investigated. The objective of the study was to establish the optimum conditions for a pilot plant operation that would use water, or alcohol, or water-alcohol mixtures as the solvolysis reagent. Small amounts of B5H9 sprayed from a syringe will not necessarily enflame, nor will a small pool on a spot plate. Therefore, a procedure was developed to reproducibly demonstrate the flammability of B5H9. In these tests every sample of neat B5H9 ignited and burned with a very sooty flame till the sample was consumed. The spontaneous self-ignition of B5H9 was quenched by the addition of small concentrations of ethers THF (tetrahydrofuran) or DME (1,2-dimethoxy ethane). It was found that ten percent (volume) of either provided total quenching with a large margin of safety. When these stabilized solutions were exposed to air, they decomposed and evaporated leaving a residue that was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis as boric acid. Most of the laboratory solvolysis experiments used the 90 percent B5H9, 10 percent THF solution. This mixture was safer to handle and its solvolysis reactivity was virtually identical to that of 100 percent B5H9. Reaction rates were analyzed by measurement of hydrogen evolved during the solvolysis reactions. In terms of the minimum overall complete reaction time, the data indicate that 50/50 alcohol/water is the optimum solvolysis reagent. This reaction produced a mixture of boric acid, B(OH)3, and triethoxyborane, B(OEt)3[Et = C2H5], and mixed exchange derivatives thereof.

McDonald, Joseph K.↗