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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 415 records · Page 23

Adaptive noncolocated velocity feedback for vibration damping

A method is proposed for adaptive noncolocated velocity feedback control of flexible structure vibrations. The approach, denoted as auto-tuning, is to drive the system into a sequence of controlled oscillations to provide accurate knowledge of the plant characteristics in the vicinity of the phase cross-over frequencies. An allpass phase notch filter cascade is used as the control architecture to phase stabilize each destabilizing mode in the plant transfer function. The allpass phase notch filter cascade is tuned precisely by the information extracted from the controlled oscillations.

Bayard, David S.↗

A cislunar guidance methodology and model for low thrust trajectory generation

A guidance methodology for generating low-thrust cislunar trajectories was developed and incorporated in a computer model. The guidance methodology divides the cislunar transfer into three phases. Each phase is discussed in turn. To establish the effectiveness of the methodology and algorithms the computer model generated three example cases for the cislunar transfer of a low-thrust electric orbital transfer vehicle (EOTV). Transfers from both earth orbit to lunar orbit and from lunar orbit back to earth orbit are considered. The model allows the determination of the low-thrust EOTV's time-of-flight, propellant mass, payload mass, and thrusting history.

Korsmeyer, David J.↗

Phase and time-resolved measurements of unsteady heat transfer and pressure in a full-stage rotating turbine

This paper presents detailed phase-resolved heat-flux data obtained on rotor blades and a comparison of simultaneously obtained time-resolved heat-flux and static pressure data obtained on the stationary shroud of a Garrett TFE 731-2 HP full-stage rotating turbine. A shock tube is used to generate a short-duration source of heated and pressurized air and platinum thin-film gages are used to obtain heat-flux measurements. Blade results are presented at several selected blade locations. Shroud surface pressure and heat-flux time histories are presented for comparable locations relative to the blade position.

Dunn, M. G.↗

Heat transfer rate distributions on McDonnell-Douglas booster determined by phase change technique for nominal Mach number of 8

The results of a wind tunnel test program to determine aerodynamic heat transfer distributions on the McDonnell Douglas Booster configuration are presented. Heat-transfer rates were determined by the phase-change paint technique on 0.009-scale Stycast models using Tempilaq as the surface temperature indicator. The nominal test conditions were; Mach 8, length Reynolds numbers 5 million and 7.3 million, and angles of attack of 40, 50, and 60 deg. At the higher Reynolds number, data were obtained with and without boundary layer trips. Model details, test conditions, and reduced heat-transfer data are presented. Data reduction of the phase-change paint photographs was performed by utilizing a new technique which is described.

Matthews, R. K.↗

Quantifying Thermal Output of Energetic Materials (LDRD Final Report)

We present the results of an LDRD project, funded by the Nuclear Deterrence IA, to develop capabilities for quantitative assessment of pyrotechnic thermal output. The thermal battery igniter is used as an exemplar system. Experimental methodologies for thermal output evaluation are demonstrated here, which can help designers and engineers better specify pyrotechnic components , provide thermal output guidelines for new formulations, and generate new metrics for assessing component performance and margin given a known failure condition. A heat-transfer analysis confirms that the dominant mode of energy transfer from the pyrotechnic output plume to the heat pellet is conduction via deposition of hot titanium particles. A simple lumped-parameter model of titanium particle heat transfer and a detailed multi-phase model of deposition heat transfer are discussed. Pyrotechnic function, as defined by "go/no-go" standoff testing of a heat pellet, is correlated with experimentally measured igniter plume temperature, titanium metal particle temperature, and energy deposition. Three high-speed thermal diagnostics were developed for this task. A three-color imaging pyrometer, acquiring 100k images per second on three color channels, is deployed for measurement of titanium particle temperatures. Complimentary measurements of the overall igniter plume emission ("color") temperature were conducted using a transmission-grating spectrograph in line-imaging mode. Heat flux and energy deposition to a cold wall at the heat-pellet location were estimated using an eroding thermocouple probe, with a frequency response of ~5 kHz. Ultimate "go/no-go" function in the igniter/heat-pellet system was correlated with quantitative thermal metrics, in particular surface energy deposition and plume color temperature. Titanium metal-particle and plume color temperatures both experience an upper bound approximated by the 3245-K boiling point of TiO 2 . Average metal-particle temperatures remained nearly constant for all standoff distances at T = 2850 K, ± 300 K, while plume color temperature and heat flux decay with standoff—suggesting that heat-pellet failure results from a drop in metal-particle flux and not particle temperature. At 50% likelihood of heat-pellet failure, peak time-resolved plume color temperatures drop well below TiO 2 boiling to ~2000 - 2200 K, near the TiO 2 melting point. Estimates of peak heat flux decline from up to 1 GW/m 2 for near-field standoffs to below 320 MW/m 2 at 50% failure likelihood.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Transportation using spinning tethers with emphasis on phasing and plane change

This paper studies the potential uses of spinning tethers as components in a transportation system. Additional degrees of freedom in the selection of transfer orbits as well as phasing control are introduced by allowing both the spin rate of the tethers to be controllable and by allowing the ejection and capture points to be anywhere along the tether length. Equations are derived for the phasing of the planar transfer problem. A construction algorithm for nonplanar transfers is developed and nonplanar phasing conditions are examined.

Henderson, David G.↗

Microgravity Liquid-Gas Two-Phase Flow: Review of Pressure Drop and Heat Transfer Correlations and Guidelines for Equipment Operability

In this report we have catalogued the flow regimes observed in microgravity, summarized correlations for the pressure drop and rate of heat transfer that are commonly used, and discuss the validation of a few correlations from available experimental results. Two-phase flow through some specific components such as bends, tees, filters and pumps are discussed from a physical perspective to guide the designer on how reduced gravity might affect their performance. Phase separation in zero gravity is addressed through the behavior and basic design concepts for devices based on passive centrifugal action, capillary forces, gas extraction through a membrane installed in a channel wall and the use of a syringe with a perforated piston to remove bubbles from small liquid volumes. We address the common instabilities that develop in flow loops owing exclusively to the two-phase nature of the flow, e.g., Ledinegg instability and concentration waves. Finally we briefly review flow metering and gauging; two-phase flow through porous media, where pressure drop and flow regime map correlations in zero-g are a current research topic; and basic operation principles of heat pipes and capillary pumped loops.

liquid-gas↗

Chemical reactions in electrical plasmas.

Chemical kinetics of electron plasma reactions, discussing energy states, ion-molecule reactions, charge transfer, transport properties, phase interactions, etc

ENERGY LEVEL↗

Development of a gravity-independent wastewater bioprocessor for advanced life support in space

Operation of aerobic biological reactors in space is controlled by a number of challenging constraints, mainly stemming from mass transfer limitations and phase separation. Immobilized-cell packed-bed bioreactors, specially designed to function in the absence of gravity, offer a viable solution for the treatment of gray water generated in space stations and spacecrafts. A novel gravity-independent wastewater biological processor, capable of carbon oxidation and nitrification of high-strength aqueous waste streams, is presented. The system, consisting of a fully saturated pressurized packed bed and a membrane oxygenation module attached to an external recirculation loop, operated continuously for over one year. The system attained high carbon oxidation efficiencies often exceeding 90% and ammonia oxidation reaching approximately 60%. The oxygen supply module relies on hydrophobic, nonporous, oxygen selective membranes, in a shell and tube configuration, for transferring oxygen to the packed bed, while keeping the gaseous and liquid phases separated. This reactor configuration and operating mode render the system gravity-independent and suitable for space applications.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

Sensory Bias Predicts Postural Stability, Anxiety, and Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults Walking in Novel Discordant Conditions

We designed a gait training study that presented combinations of visual flow and support surface manipulations to investigate the response of healthy adults to novel discordant sensorimotor conditions. We aimed to determine whether a relationship existed between subjects visual dependence and their scores on a collective measure of anxiety, cognition, and postural stability in a new discordant environment presented at the conclusion of training (Transfer Test). A treadmill was mounted to a motion base platform positioned 2 m behind a large visual screen. Training consisted of three walking sessions, each within a week of the previous visit, that presented four 5-minute exposures to various combinations of support surface and visual scene manipulations, all lateral sinusoids. The conditions were scene translation only, support surface translation only, simultaneous scene and support surface translations in-phase, and simultaneous scene and support surface translations 180 out-of-phase. During the Transfer Test, the trained participants received a 2-minute novel exposure. A visual sinusoidal roll perturbation, with twice the original flow rate, was superimposed on a sinusoidal support surface roll perturbation that was 90 out of phase with the scene. A high correlation existed between normalized torso translation, measured in the scene-only condition at the first visit, and a combined measure of normalized heart rate, stride frequency, and reaction time at the transfer test. Results suggest that visually dependent participants experience decreased postural stability, increased anxiety, and increased reaction times compared to their less visually dependent counterparts when negotiating novel discordant conditions.

Brady, Rachel A.↗

A Review of Computational Capabilities and Requirements in High-Resolution Simulation of Nonferrous Pyrometallurgical Furnaces

We report that tremendous progress has been made over the last several decades in improving the pyrometallurgical processing routes of nonferrous metals, such as aluminum, copper, and lead. Advances in the numerical modeling of pyrometallurgical processes has aided in these improvements by providing a better understanding of the complex transport phenomena occurring in modern furnaces. However, there is a need for a comprehensive discussion of the numerical modeling of a primary and a secondary nonferrous pyrometallurgical furnaces. This review provides such a discussion by surveying recent attempts at capturing the physico-chemical phenomena occurring within these furnaces, including gas-phase combustion, melting/smelting, and multiphase heat- and mass-transfer with the molten phases. This work then identifies a complete set of approaches for simulating these types of furnaces and provides recommendations for applying high-resolution numerical tools towards full-furnace simulation. By identifying gaps in the current state of the art, this review offers suggestions for future developments in commercial codebases, outlining the path to fulfilling the promise of CFD-enabled pyrometallurgy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Two-Fluid Models and Interfacial Area Transport in Microgravity Condition

The objective of the present study is to develop a two-fluid model formulation with interfacial area transport equation applicable for microgravity conditions. The new model is expected to make a leapfrog improvement by furnishing the constitutive relations for the interfacial interaction terms with the interfacial area transport equation, which can dynamically model the changes of the interfacial structures. In the first year of this three-year project supported by the U.S. NASA, Office of Biological and Physics Research, the primary focus is to design and construct a ground-based, microgravity two-phase flow simulation facility, in which two immiscible fluids with close density will be used. In predicting the two-phase flow behaviors in any two-phase flow system, the interfacial transfer terms are among the most essential factors in the modeling. These interfacial transfer terms in a two-fluid model specify the rate of phase change, momentum exchange, and energy transfer at the interface between the two phases. For the two-phase flow under the microgravity condition, the stability of the fluid particle interface and the interfacial structures are quite different from those under normal gravity condition. The flow structure may not reach an equilibrium condition and the two fluids may be loosely coupled such that the inertia terms of each fluid should be considered separately by use of the two-fluid model. Previous studies indicated that, unless phase-interaction terms are accurately modeled in the two-fluid model, the complex modeling does not necessarily warrant an accurate solution.

Ishii, Mamoru↗

A Computer Model for Analyzing Volatile Removal Assembly

A computer model simulates reactional gas/liquid two-phase flow processes in porous media. A typical process is the oxygen/wastewater flow in the Volatile Removal Assembly (VRA) in the Closed Environment Life Support System (CELSS) installed in the International Space Station (ISS). The volatile organics in the wastewater are combusted by oxygen gas to form clean water and carbon dioxide, which is solved in the water phase. The model predicts the oxygen gas concentration profile in the reactor, which is an indicator of reactor performance. In this innovation, a mathematical model is included in the computer model for calculating the mass transfer from the gas phase to the liquid phase. The amount of mass transfer depends on several factors, including gas-phase concentration, distribution, and reaction rate. For a given reactor dimension, these factors depend on pressure and temperature in the reactor and composition and flow rate of the influent.

Guo, Boyun↗

Optimal high- and low-thrust geocentric transfer

A computer code which rapidly calculates time optimal combined high- and low-thrust transfers between two geocentric orbits in the presence of a strong gravitational field has been developed as a mission analysis tool. The low-thrust portion of the transfer can be between any two arbitrary ellipses. There is an option for including the effect of two initial high-thrust impulses which would raise the spacecraft from a low, initially circular orbit to the initial orbit for the low-thrust portion of the transfer. In addition, the effect of a single final impulse after the low-thrust portion of the transfer may be included. The total Delta V for the initial two impulses must be specified as well as the Delta V for the final impulse. Either solar electric or nuclear electric propulsion can be assumed for the low-thrust phase of the transfer.

Sackett, L. L.↗

Effect of Scattering Angle on DSCOVR/EPIC Observations

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) routinely captures reflected radiation from the whole sunlit side of the Earth in the near backward direction to monitor the changing planet. The instrument had routinely operated until 27 June 2019, when the spacecraft was placed in an extended safe hold due to degradation of an inertial navigation unit. DSCOVR returned to full operations on 2 March 2020. Since then, the range of scattering angles between the incident sunlight and sensor direction has been larger than before and the largest scattering angle reaches ∼178°, only 2° from perfect backscattering, proving a unique opportunity to study the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance under such extreme conditions. In the paper, we compare EPIC global spectral reflectances in 2021–2016. We found that there are four occasions when the scattering angle reaches about 178° and associated with them enhanced global daily average spectral reflectances in 2021. The scattering angle related reflectance enhancements are not found in 2016 data when the maximum scattering angle is about 174.5°. CERES data do not show such occasions in global daily reflected shortwave flux. As a result, those enhanced reflectance occasions are primarily due to the change in scattering angle. The enhancement due to changes in scattering angle depends strongly on wavelength, primarily because of wavelength dependence of cloud scattering phase function. Radiative transfer calculations show that the change in scattering angles has the largest impact on reflectance in the red and NIR channels at 680 nm and 780 nm and the smallest influence on reflectance in the UV channel at 388 nm, consistent with EPIC observations. The change of global average cloud amount also plays an important role in the reflectance enhancement. The influence of the cloud effect depends on whether the change is in phase or not with the change of scattering angle.

DSCOVR EPIC↗

Radiative transfer in spherical shell atmospheres. 2: Asymmetric phase functions

The effects are investigated of sphericity on the radiation reflected from a planet with a homogeneous, conservative scattering atmosphere of optical thicknesses of 0.25 and 1.0. A Henyey-Greenstein phase function with asymmetry factors of 0.5 and 0.7 is considered. Significant differences were found when these results were compared with the plane-parallel calculations. Also large violations of the reciprocity theorem, which is only true for plane-parallel calculations, were noted. Results are presented for the radiance versus height distributions as a function of planetary phase angle.

Kattawar, G. W.↗

Radiative transfer in spherical shell atmospheres. II - Asymmetric phase functions

This paper investigates the effects of sphericity on the radiation reflected from a planet with a homogeneous conservative-scattering atmosphere of optical thicknesses of 0.25 and 1.0. A Henyey-Greenstein phase function with asymmetry factors of 0.5 and 0.7 was considered. Significant differences were found when these results were compared with the plane-parallel calculations. Also, large violations of the reciprocity theorem, which is only true for plane-parallel calculations, were noted. Results are presented for the radiance versus height distributions as a function of planetary phase angle. These results will be useful to researchers in the field of remote sensing and planetary spectroscopy.

Kattawar, G. W.↗