SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “neutral model”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 451 records · Page 25

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2013

Experimental Investigation of Charging Properties of Interstellar Type Silica Dust Grains by Secondary Electron Emissions

The dust charging by electron impact is an important dust charging processes in astrophysical and planetary environments. Incident low energy electrons are reflected or stick to the grains charging the dust grains negatively. At sufficiently high energies electrons penetrate the grains, leading to excitation and emission of electrons referred to as secondary electron emission (SEE). Available classical theoretical models for calculations of SEE yields are generally applicable for neutral, planar, or bulk surfaces. These models, however, are not valid for calculations of the electron impact charging properties of electrostatically charged micron/submicron-size dust grains in astrophysical environments. Rigorous quantum mechanical models are not yet available, and the SEE yields have to be determined experimentally for development of more accurate models for charging of individual dust grains. At the present time, very limited experimental data are available for charging of individual micron-size dust grains, particularly for low energy electron impact. The experimental results on individual, positively charged, micron-size lunar dust grains levitated carried out by us in a unique facility at NASA-MSFC, based on an electrodynamic balance, indicate that the SEE by electron impact is a complex process. The electron impact may lead to charging or discharging of dust grains depending upon the grain size, surface potential, electron energy, electron flux, grain composition, and configuration (Abbas et al, 2010, 2012). In this paper, we discuss SEE charging properties of individual micron-size silica microspheres that are believed to be analogs of a class of interstellar dust grains. The measurements indicate charging of the 0.2m silica particles when exposed to 25 eV electron beams and discharging when exposed to higher energy electron beams. Relatively large size silica particles (5.2-6.82m) generally discharge to lower equilibrium potentials at both electron energies. These measurements conducted on silica microspheres are qualitatively similar in nature to our previous SEE measurements on lunar Apollo missions dust samples.

Tankosic, D.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Prospects for Machine Learning and Pulse Shaping on the Scorpius Accelerator [Poster]

The Advanced Sources and Detectors (ASD) project aims to build Scorpius, a multi pulse linear induction accelerator capable of delivering a 1.4 kA electron beam at energies up to 24 MeV. One of the primary advancements of Scorpius is the use of solid state pulsed power (SSPP) to provide flexibility in pulse shaping by independently triggering 45 individual stages stacked in each of 984 line replaceable units (LRU), with 168 LRUs dedicated to the injector. By leveraging circuit modeling of each LRU stage, a machine learning model of the SSPP will be developed to allow for optimization of the pulse shape, including pulse flattening and reflection mitigation. Particle-in-cell simulations of Scorpius have, for example, demonstrated that reducing reflections during multi-pulse operation mitigates beam spill by preventing the production of off-energy electrons between pulses, thereby abating stimulated ion desorption from the wall and beam charge neutralization. This machine learning model will be validated and tuned with experimental data collected from the Scorpius injector and Integrated Test Stand

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1991

The upper ionospheres of Jupiter and Saturn

The electron-density profiles of Jupiter's and Saturn's ionospheres are modeled with a 1D chemical diffusive model incorporating measured parameters of the neutral atmospheric structure. The Voyager RSS ion-density data are modeled by accounting for ion chemistry, the H3(+) recombination-rate coefficient, and H2O chemistry. Electron-density peaks for both ionospheres are 900-1000 km lower in the model than the measured values, and the role of vibrational excitation of H2 is discussed in converting H(+) to H2(+) and H3(+). Vertical ion flow is also considered which can maintain the plasma peaks under the conditions of electrical fields or horizontal neutral winds. An assumed influx of H2O molecules of a specific quantity is theorized to reproduce the measured values on Saturn when combined with a vertical plasma drift.

Majeed, Tariq↗

NASA NTRS1983

Neutral interstellar gas in the lower galactic halo

The optical interstellar absorption lines of Ti II, Ca II, Na I, and the 21 cm emission line of H I were observed at high resolution and high detection sensitivity toward none pairs of nearly aligned distant halo stars and foreground disk stars with well determined distances. Analysis of the column densities, velocities, and the directly determined variation of the titanium abundances with z-distance leads to a general picture of the neutral interstellar material in the lower galactic halo. Two types of gas with distinct distribution, kinematics, and abundances are found, a thick, low velocity disk (type I) extending from the plane to well beyond the thin disk of OB stars, and a high velocity, much less strongly depleted gas (type II) observed only at high z-distances, which constitutes at least 24 percent of the mass of the halo gas. The implications of this model for the observed neutral gas are discussed both in terms of the possible origins of the observed gas and in its comparison with quasi stellar object absorption lines. Previously announced in STAR as N82-29246

Albert, C. E.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of Approximations in Modeling of BWR Bundle Void Distributions

In boiling water reactors, complex heterogeneous bundle designs, control blades adjacent to the corner of bundles, and the presence of boiling can lead to complex internal void distributions. A few approximations exist to model these void distributions. They could be modeled using a 1D axial solver in which each axial node is assumed to be at an average void, or each pin cell could be modeled with its own void concentration. In the latter case, the void could be discretized in pin-centered or coolant-centered channels. The goal of this project was to quantify the effect of using the different approximations for modeling internal void distributions on neutronics calculations. Using 3D void distributions calculated with CTF, Monte Carlo Neutral Particle (MCNP) transport code models were created for GE-9 and GE-14 lattices. For each model, the internal void distribution from CTF at a given axial node was selected, and a lattice calculation was carried out with MCNP. Comparisons between models using a lattice-averaged void, or using a void distribution in coolant-centered channels, showed large differences in reactivity which in some cases were well above 1,000 pcm, and it also showed differences in normalized fission rates greater than 20%. It was also found that using a lattice average void can lead to a significant difference in the estimation of the worth of a control blade. The differences found when comparing results from models using pin-centered and coolant-centered channels were up to 200 pcm in reactivity and up to 1.4% in the normalized fission rates. In addition to these two sets of comparisons, MCNP models were set up so that each subchannel had a saturated liquid component around the fuel pins and a saturated vapor component in the center to approximate annular flow. In comparison to the models using coolant-centered subchannels, up to 1–3% differences in normalized fission rates could be found.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

NASA NTRS1933

Wind-tunnel research comparing lateral control devices, particularly at high angles of attack III : ordinary ailerons rigged up 10 degrees when neutral

This report presents the results of wind-tunnel tests made on three model wings having different sizes of ordinary ailerons rigged up 10 degrees when neutral, the same models having previously been tested with the ailerons rigged even with the wings in the usual manner. One of the wings had ailerons of medium size, 25 per cent of the wing chord by 40 per cent of the semispan, one had long, narrow ailerons, and one had short, wide ones. These tests are part of a general investigation on lateral control devices, with particular reference to the control at high angles of attack, in which all the devices are being subjected to the same series of tests in the 7 by 10 foot wind tunnel of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Force tests of the usual type, free-autorotation tests, and forced-rotation tests were made showing the effect of the ailerons on the general performance of the wing, on the lateral controllability, and on the lateral stability.

Weick, Fred E↗

DOE OSTI2020

Multimodel validation of single wakes in neutral and stratified atmospheric conditions

Previous research has revealed the need for a validation study that considers several wake quantities and code types so that decisions on the trade-off between accuracy and computational cost can be well informed and appropriate to the intended application. In addition to guiding code choice and setup, rigorous model validation exercises are needed to identify weaknesses and strengths of specific models and guide future improvements. Here, we consider 13 approaches to simulating wakes observed with a nacelle-mounted lidar at the Scaled Wind Technology Facility (SWiFT) under varying atmospheric conditions. We find that some of the main challenges in wind turbine wake modeling are related to simulating the inflow. In the neutral benchmark, model performance tracked as expected with model fidelity, with large-eddy simulations performing the best. In the more challenging stable case, steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations were found to outperform other model alternatives because they provide the ability to more easily prescribe noncanonical inflows and their low cost allows for simulations to be repeated as needed. Dynamic measurements were only available for the unstable benchmark at a single downstream distance. These dynamic analyses revealed that differences in the performance of time-stepping models come largely from differences in wake meandering. This highlights the need for more validation exercises that take into account wake dynamics and are able to identify where these differences come from: mesh setup, inflow, turbulence models, or wake-meandering parameterizations. In addition to model validation findings, we summarize lessons learned and provide recommendations for future benchmark exercises.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1993

Energy content of stormtime ring current from phase space mapping simulations

We perform a phase space mapping study to estimate the enhancement in energy content that results from stormtime particle transport in the equatorial magnetosphere. Our pre-storm phase space distribution is based on a steady-state transport model. Using results from guiding-center simulations of ion transport during model storms having main phases of 3 hr, 6 hr, and 12 hr, we map phase space distributions of ring current protons from the pre-storm distribution in accordance with Liouville's theorem. We find that transport can account for the entire ten to twenty-fold increase in magnetospheric particle energy content typical of a major storm if a realistic stormtime enhancement of the phase space density f is imposed at the nightside tail plasma sheet (represented by an enhancement of f at the neutral line in our model).

Chen, Margaret W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Secondary production of neutral pi-mesons and the diffuse galactic gamma radiation

Isobaric and scaling model predictions of the secondary spectra of neutral pi-mesons produced in proton-proton collisions, at energies between threshold and a few GeV, are compared on the basis of accelerator data and found to show the isobaric model to be superior. This model is accordingly used, in conjuction with a scaling model representation at high energies, in a recalculation of the pi exp (0) gamma-radiation's contribution to the diffuse galactic gamma background; the cosmic ray-induced production of photons (whose energy exceeds 100 MeV) by such radiation occurs at a rate of 1.53 x 10 to the -25 photons/(s-H atom). These results are compared with previous calculations of this process as well as with COS-B observations of the diffuse galactic gamma-radiation.

Dermer, C. D.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Driven acoustic oscillations within a vertical magnetic field

The effects of a vertical magnetic field on p-mode frequencies, line widths, and eigenfunctions, are examined. A solar model, consisting of a neutrally stable polytropic interior matched to an isothermal chromosphere, is applied. The p-modes are produced by a spatially distributed driver. The atmosphere is threaded by a constant vertical magnetic field. The frequency shifts due to the vertical magnetic field are found to be much smaller than the shifts caused by horizontal fields of similar strength. A large vertical field of 2000 G produces shifts of several nHz. It is found that the frequency shifts decrease with increasing frequency and increase with field strength. The coupling of the acoustic fast mode to the escaping slow modes is inefficient. Constant vertical magnetic field models are therefore incapable of explaining the high level of absorption observed in sunspots and plage.

Hindman, Bradley W.↗

DOE OSTI2025

A real-time distributed solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) model for cyber-physical simulation

System integration and dynamic operability between SOEC and balance-of-plant (BoP) components are major technical challenges before realizing rapid load following of SOEC systems. Cyber-physical simulation (CPS) is a leading-edge digital engineering approach and is regarded as the next step beyond Digital Twins. CPS approach can be used to research SOEC system integration and develop dynamic controls prior to actual pilot testing without using a real SOEC. To seamlessly couple with BoP hardware and access non-observable operational parameters (e.g., local temperature gradient) during transients, a distributed one-dimensional (1D) real-time SOEC model was developed. Its real-time execution was demonstrated for 20 to 640 nodes at the fixed time step of 5 ms. A higher excess air ratio enabled smaller local temperature gradients on SOEC solid materials and faster transients upon current density step change from 0.15 to 0.55 A cm -2 . During the transients, the magnitude of the peak temperature gradient nearly doubled in 10 s from -3.5 to -5.9 °C cm -1 . This represents a significant operating risk that can impact the dynamic operability of SOEC systems. In addition, the local temperature gradient was found to change directions on all nodes in SOEC solid materials, with the greatest impact on the upstream nodes. The SOEC model was also tested at the thermal neutral voltage using actual process air flow parameters as variable model inputs. Variable process air temperatures were found to induce alternating local temperature gradients on SOEC solid materials. These are new operational mechanisms for SOEC degradation relevant for load following operational modes yet distinct from previous reports. To mitigate these unfavorable features, the SOEC can be operated at voltages that are slightly (±20 mV) deviated from the thermal neutral voltage. Here, the corresponding net thermal energy change was less than 1.6% of the electric power consumption. This 1D real-time SOEC model established the basis of cyber-physical simulation of SOEC hybrid systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1983

Average configuration of the distant (less than 220-earth-radii) magnetotail - Initial ISEE-3 magnetic field results

Magnetic field measurements from the first two passes of the ISEE-3 GEOTAIL Mission have been used to study the structure of the trans-lunar tail. Good agreement was found between the ISEE-3 magnetopause crossings and the Explorer 33, 35 model of Howe and Binsack (1972). Neutral sheet location was well ordered by the hinged current sheet models based upon near earth measurements. Between X = -20 and -120 earth radii the radius of the tail increases by about 30 percent while the lobe field strength decreases by approximately 60 percent. Beyond X = -100 to -1200 earth radii the tail diameter and lobe field magnitude become nearly constant at terminal values of approximately 60 earth radii and 9 nT, respectively. The distance at which the tail was observed to cease flaring, 100-120 earth radii, is in close agreement with the predictions of the analytic tail model of Coroniti and Kennel (1972). Overall, the findings of this study suggest that the magnetotail retains much of its near earth structure out to X = -220 earth radii.

Slavin, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Allophane on Mars: Significance for Chemical Weathering and Soil Development

It has been suggested that allophane or related poorly crystalline aluminosilicates are present on Mars, and that they comprise the high-silica phase detected by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) in Surface Type 2 materials (Michalski et al., 2005). Using new laboratory spectra of allophanic materials, we (Rampe et al., this meeting) have detected allophane on the Martian surface via spectral modeling of TES data. We find that ST2 materials in the Northern Plains are consistent with a significant amount of high-silica allophane-like materials. In addition, we find that allophane may be present in some areas of ancient highlands (TES surface type 1), but spectra of those regions are more consistent with aluminous allophane. The presence of allophane and its chemical variability have important implications for chemical weathering and soil development on Mars. Allophane-like materials are amorphous or poorly crystalline hydrous aluminosilicates formed from chemical weathering of glasses, feldspars, and other silicates (cf. Parfitt, 2009). True allophane is a combination of SiO2, Al2O3 and H2O where Al:Si ranges from ~0.5-2. Aluminosilicate gels are amorphous and chemically similar to allophane but can have higher SiO2 contents. The presence of allophane indicates low-temperature chemical weathering and provides constraints on alteration conditions, limiting pH to circum-neutral (~4.5-8). Our model results indicate that weathering occurred in the relatively young northern plains of Mars. The high-silica allophane-like material present there implies little silica mobility through the soil column, which suggests that weathering involved small amounts of liquid water, consistent with our previous models of weathering in ice-rich soils (Kraft et al., 2007). The aluminous allophane indicated by our spectral models to be present in the highlands suggest that those regions experienced greater amounts of SiO2 leaching and weathering in those soils may have involved much larger amounts of water. The presence of allophane-like materials suggests that these weathering regimes were not influenced by the acidic weathering that appears to have affected other areas of Mars and has been proposed as a planetwide alteration process (Hurowitz and McLennan, 2007). Soil development in basaltic material (typically tephra) on Earth usually leads to formation of andosols. Although we do not suggest a one-to-one analogy between dark basaltic Martian soils and andosols, there may be important similarities, as andosols are typified by significant production of allophane as well as poorly crystalline Fe-hydroxides. The detection of allophane on Mars suggests a positive utility of an andosol model for Martian soils, particularly when coupled with the ubiquitous presence of Feoxide materials on Mars. An andosol model of soil formation is mineralogically consistent with palagonite models for the formation of Martian dust (cf. Banin et al., 1992; Morris et al., 2001), which suggests a possible genetic relationship of dust and bright soils to the broader soil layer of Mars.

Kraft, M. D.↗

NASA NTRS1948

Flight Investigation to Determine the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Rocket-Powered Models Representative of a Fighter-Type Airplane Configuration Incorporating an Inverse-Taper Wing and a Vee Tail

Two rocket-powered models representative of a fighter-type airplane were investigated in flight at Mach numbers up to 1.01 and 1.07 by the Langley Pilotless Aircraft Research Division at its testing station at Wallops Island, Va. These models incorporated an inverse-taper wing and a vee tail and were flown with controls undeflected and wing and stabilizer set at 0 deg incidence. Values of lateral acceleration, normal acceleration velocity, and drag were obtained by use of telemeters and a Doppler velocimeter radar unit. The results of this investigation indicated no unusual variation in the lateral acceleration characteristics. After the cessation of powered flight, the lateral oscillation quickly damped to zero. The data indicated that the airplane, at low lift coefficients, should not experience any abrupt trim changes until it attains a Mach number of 0.97. The change in normal-force coefficient associated with this trim change will amount to about 0.03 with the center of gravity located at 4.48% of the mean aerodynamic chord. At higher lift coefficients, on the basis of other data, the Mach number at which this trim change occurs would be expected to be decreased. The neutral point of the model at Mach numbers near 1.05 was estimated to fall at 45% of the mean aerodynamic chord, assuming a lift-curve slope of 0.05. A value of the static-directional-stability parameter dCn/d(psi) of approximately -0.002 was estimated for a Mach number of 0.93. The values of drag coefficient obtained from both model flights were in a good comparative agreement. The highest drag coefficient occurred at a Mach number of 1.01 and was equal to 0.044.

Alexander, Sidney R.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Full non-linear treatment of the global thermospheric wind system. I - Mathematical method and analysis of forces. II - Results and comparison with observations

The equations of horizontal motion of the neutral atmosphere between 120 and 500 km are integrated with the inclusion of all nonlinear terms of the convective derivative and the viscous forces due to vertical and horizontal velocity gradients. Empirical models of the distribution of neutral and charged particles are assumed to be known. The model of velocities developed is a steady state model. In Part I the mathematical method used in the integration of the Navier-Stokes equations is described and the various forces are analyzed. Results of the method given in Part I are presented with comparison with previous calculations and observations of upper atmospheric winds. Conclusions are that nonlinear effects are only significant in the equatorial region, especially at solstice conditions and that nonlinear effects do not produce any superrotation.

Blum, P. W.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Accelerated version of NUBEAM capabilities in DIII-D using neural networks

A neural network model of the effects of neutral beam injection on DIII-D has been developed. The training and testing data used by the model have been generated by the NUBEAM module of TRANSP for experimental discharges from the 2018 DIII-D campaign. Using a principle component analysis to reduce the dimensionality of profile data, the model has been shown to reproduce the results of the Monte Carlo code NUBEAM with a high level of accuracy and an execution time orders of magnitude faster than the execution time of NUBEAM. Furthermore, this makes the neural network model uniquely suited to applications in model-based scenario planning (off-line) and active control (on-line), where a large number of simulation runs are required by the associated optimization tasks that need to be performed before and during the discharge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1992

Plasma-neutral interaction processes in the magnetosphere of Saturn

Models of Saturnian magnetospheric processes are reviewed emphasizing the interaction of charged and neutral particles in the gaseous phase and mentioning the role of solid matter. It is found that interpretations of different Voyager datasets regarding the Saturnian magnetosphere can vary. Specific interactions examined to resolve these discrepancies include charge exchange, ion-atom interchange, isotropizing and thermalizing collisions, and interactions between magnetospheric charged particles and surface layers of the icy satellites. The latter interactions result in sputtering of the surface or atmosphere as well as neutral injections into the magnetosphere. Constraints based on known reaction rates are shown to be useful in analyzing the abundances of the water-group molecules. The composition of the magnetospheric plasma is shown to be related to the differences between the interactions of atomic and molecular plasmas with neutral matter.

Eviatar, Aharon↗

NASA NTRS1987

The plasma environment during particle beam injection into space plasmas. I - Electron beams. II - Charge-neutral beams

A realistic electrostatic simulation model is used to investigate the plasma environment in the near vicinity of a spacecraft during the injection of electon beams from the spacecraft. The model is described, and the cases of injection into vacuum and into a low-density plasma are addressed. The relationship of the two-dimensional results to the purely field-aligned one-dimensional simulations is discussed. The dependence of the results on the ambient plasma density is investigated. Then, the properties of a charge-neutral beam and the plasma response are examined for the case where the beam has nonzero velocity components parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. The parameters used in the simulation are described, and the properties of the beam injection into the vacuum and in the case where a plasma is present are given.

Pritchett, P. L.↗