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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Capillary condenser/evaporator

A heat transfer device is disclosed for transferring heat to or from a fluid that is undergoing a phase change. The heat transfer device includes a liquid-vapor manifold in fluid communication with a capillary structure thermally connected to a heat transfer interface, all of which are disposed in a housing to contain the vapor. The liquid-vapor manifold transports liquid in a first direction and conducts vapor in a second, opposite direction. The manifold provides a distributed supply of fluid (vapor or liquid) over the surface of the capillary structure. In one embodiment, the manifold has a fractal structure including one or more layers, each layer having one or more conduits for transporting liquid and one or more openings for conducting vapor. Adjacent layers have an increasing number of openings with decreasing area, and an increasing number of conduits with decreasing cross-sectional area, moving in a direction toward the capillary structure.

Valenzuela, Javier A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications (LEIA) Pre-Flight Tests: Mechanical Considerations​

The BioSensor payload on the upcoming LEIA platform aboard the CLPS (CP-22) lander will carry yeast to the Moon's south pole to study the effects of lunar radiation and gravity. From Earth, BioSensor will transport desiccated yeast within 16 fluidic cards, each containing 16 fluidic wells of 100 microliters volume. At the start of the experiment, these microbes will be autonomously rehydrated on the Moon, and optical absorbance measurements at three wavelengths will be performed across all 256 wells. Absorbance measurements in fluidic wells are susceptible to noise and artifacts due to bubble formation during well rehydration and microbial growth. BioSensor, as a biofluidics system, faces significant data anomalies caused by payload vibrations, particularly from the operation of the co-located PROSPECT’s ProSEED drill, to assess lunar resources by penetrating the subsurface. To evaluate the impact of drill vibrations, fully assembled and filled fluidic cards were subjected to sine sweep signals in the x, y, z planes, ranging from 5 - 2560 Hz at g-loads of 0.25 and 0.5, with on-board accelerometer for localized vibration measurement. Wells with various fill conditions, including partial fills with different bubble sizes and completely filled wells, were tested. Results indicated that small bubbles adhered to well walls at high frequencies but were dislodged at low frequencies, causing data anomalies. Medium and large bubbles exhibited higher interference with optical data due to lower surface tension and variable bubble surface flexion. Overall, it was found that irrespective of the fill type, low-frequency vibrations were most detrimental to optical readings. Understanding the drill schedule and correlating it with BioSensor timestamps will help identify periods when BioSensor data is unreliable, a crucial step for accurately interpreting the microbial response data and ensuring the validity of the BioSensor's scientific measurements on the lunar surface.

Chinmayee Govinda Raj↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor: Licensing Part III

Recent Licensing Experience- Advanced and Micro- Reactors Recent Designs Additional Designs Licensing Challenges for advanced reactors Functional Containment Emergency Planning Zones Autonomous and Remote Operation Transportation Manufacturing Licenses NRC License vs. DOE Authorization Siting and Environmental Impact

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Next Generation System Analysis Model: Recently Added Features and Future Plans

To better enable informed decision-making regarding the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, the Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS) program within the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) has been sponsoring the development and application of system analysis tools capable of analyzing various system options for the management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW).With these tools, IWMS architecture analyses are being conducted to support the future deployment of a comprehensive nuclear waste management system that considers all major back-end aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle (i.e., transportation, storage, and disposal). The Next Generation System Analysis Model (NGSAM) is an agent-based simulation software tool expressly designed to be capable of modeling features within various IWMS architectures. NGSAM imports data from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)’s unified database (e.g., historic assembly information, thermal profiles for assembly heat, and at-reactor dry storage loadings) to ensure that each simulation initializes with a realistic representation of the state of commercial SNF in the U.S. Recent major enhancements implemented into NGSAM in the period since NGSAM was last presented at the WM2019 conference include: • Tracking of railroad escort car acquisition and buffer car acquisition • The addition of heavy haul truck (HHT) and barge routes for some sites, as well as support for user-defined inter-modal routes • Updates to the logic that checks the transportation cask thermal limit maps prior to package transport • An allocation method that predicts when reactor sites would pack assemblies from their spent fuel pools for dry storage, and prioritizes shipments directly from the pools of those reactor sites in the preceding periods (before the predicted loadings to dry storage), thus reducing the number of casks loaded into dry storage at reactor sites • The addition of “reactor site family” operational limits to restrict the number of loads of SNF taken from the pool and from dry storage at a given reactor site each year • Added support for multiple canister loading map options and packages with multiple compatible transportation overpacks • Updates to the handling of non-commercial SNF, including a new database that contains data to support the updates • Updates to allow analysis of hypothetical scenarios which include repackaging at reactor sites, e.g., for possible comparative analysis with other scenarios • Implementation of additional output reports, or modification of existing ones • The ability to generate and implement user edits via the NGSAM website • The ability to model loading SNF from pool storage at an interim storage facility (ISF) into dry storage at the ISF • The ability to model consolidating SNF from different existing storage containers at a DOE site into the same DOE standard canister • The ability to model transferring SNF casks from one transportation mode to another, e.g., from HHT to rail, referred to as transloading. These new features have improved NGSAM capabilities and users’ experience with the model. Preliminary NGSAM requirements for modeling advanced reactor fuels, reprocessing, treatment, and conditioning were considered, and this paper describes them at a high level. Other nuclear fuel cycle system analysis tools developed under sponsorship of DOE-NE, like the VISION code developed at Idaho National Laboratory, might be better suited for initial high-level analysis of those technologies and advanced fuel cycles. As technologies are developed and system concepts evolve, NGSAM could provide value by providing more detailed modeling of transport, storage, and disposal of spent fuel and wastes from advanced reactors and advanced fuel cycles at the fuel element and waste container level.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Dust, Climate, and Human Health

Air pollution from both natural and anthropogenic causes is considered to be one of the most serious world-wide environment-related health problems, and is expected to become worse with changes in the global climate. Dust storms from the atmospheric transport of desert soil dust that has been lifted and carried by the winds - often over significant distances - have become an increasingly important emerging air quality issue for many populations. Recent studies have shown that the dust storms can cause significant health impacts from the dust itself as well as the accompanying pollutants, pesticides, metals, salt, plant debris, and other inorganic and organic materials, including viable microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi). For example, thousands of tons of Asian desert sediments, some containing pesticides and herbicides from farming regions, are commonly transported into the Arctic during dust storm events. These chemicals have been identified in animal and human tissues among Arctic indigenous populations. Millions of tons of airborne desert dust are being tracked by satellite imagery, which clearly shows the magnitude as well as the temporal and spatial variability of dust storms across the "dust belt" regions of North Africa, the Middle East, and China. Th~s paper summarizes the most recent findings on the effects of airborne desert dust on human health as well as potential climate influences on dust and health.

Maynard, Nancy G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Dust, Climate, and Human Health

Air pollution from both natural and anthropogenic causes is considered to be one of the most serious world-wide environment-related health problems, and is expected to become worse with changes in the global climate. Dust storms from the atmospheric transport of desert soil dust that has been lifted and carried by the winds - often over significant distances - have become an increasingly important emerging air quality issue for many populations. Recent studies have shown that the dust storms can cause significant health impacts from the dust itself as well as the accompanying pollutants, pesticides, metals, salt, plant debris, and other inorganic and organic materials, including viable microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi). For example, thousands of tons of Asian desert sediments, some containing pesticides and herbicides from farming regions, are commonly transported into the Arctic during dust storm events. These chemicals have been identified in animal and human tissues among Arctic indigenous populations. Millions of tons of airborne desert dust are being tracked by satellite imagery, which clearly shows the magnitude as well as the temporal and spatial variability of dust storms across the "dust belt" regions of North Africa, the Middle East, and China. This paper summarizes the most recent findings on the effects of airborne desert dust on human health as well as potential climate influences on dust and health.

Maynard, Nancy G.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Anisotropic Exciton Transport in a Lamellar CsPbBr 3 Nanocrystal Superlattice

Colloidal self-assembly is one strategy for engineering anisotropic properties into otherwise isotropic materials. In this work, we demonstrate anisotropic exciton transport in an A 2 B-type superlattice containing columns of 5.3 nm CsPbBr 3 nanocubes assembled into a hexagonal lattice around 6.5 nm LaF 3 nanodisks. Using transient photoluminescence microscopy, we determined that the exciton diffusivity along the fast axis of the superlattice is more than twice as large as that along the slow axis at T = 5 K, but that anisotropy is greatly suppressed at room temperature. Calculations of the diffusivity anisotropy ratio based on Förster theory overestimate the measured values, highlighting the limitations of this theory in completely describing exciton transport. Overall, our results demonstrate how self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals can be used to engineer directional energy transport, and raise more questions about the microscopic nature of dipole coupling in CsPbBr 3 NC superlattices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2002

Use of Capillaries for Macromolecular Crystallization in a Cryogenic Dewar

The enhanced gaseous nitrogen (EGN) dewar is a cryogenic dry shipper with a sealed cylinder inserted inside along with a temperature monitoring device, and is intended for macromolecular crystallization experiments on the International Space Station. Within the dewar, each crystallization experiment is contained as a solution within a plastic capillary tube. The standard procedure for loading samples in these tubes has involved rapid freezing of the precipitant and biomolecular solution, e.g., protein, directly in liquid nitrogen; this method, however, often resulted in uncontrolled formation of air voids, These air pockets, or bubbles, can lead to irreproducible crystallization results. A novel protocol has been developed to prevent formation of bubbles, and this has been tested in the laboratory as well as aboard the International Space Station during a 42-day long mission of July/August 2001. The gain or loss of mass from solutions within the plastic capillaries revealed that mass transport occurred among separated tubes, and that this mass transport was dependent upon the hygroscopic character of the solution contained in any given tube. The surface area of the plastic capillary tube also related to the observed mass transport. Furthermore, the decreased mass of solutions of-protein correlated to observed formation of protein crystals.

Ciszak, Ewa↗
NASA NTRS1999

Direct interaction of microtubule- and actin-based transport motors

The microtubule network is thought to be used for long-range transport of cellular components in animal cells whereas the actin network is proposed to be used for short-range transport, although the mechanism(s) by which this transport is coordinated is poorly understood. For example, in sea urchins long-range Ca2+-regulated transport of exocytotic vesicles requires a microtubule-based motor, whereas an actin-based motor is used for short-range transport. In neurons, microtubule-based kinesin motor proteins are used for long-range vesicular transport but microtubules do not extend into the neuronal termini, where actin filaments form the cytoskeletal framework, and kinesins are rapidly degraded upon their arrival in neuronal termini, indicating that vesicles may have to be transferred from microtubules to actin tracks to reach their final destination. Here we show that an actin-based vesicle-transport motor, MyoVA, can interact directly with a microtubule-based transport motor, KhcU. As would be expected if these complexes were functional, they also contain kinesin light chains and the localization of MyoVA and KhcU overlaps in the cell. These results indicate that cellular transport is, in part, coordinated through the direct interaction of different motor molecules.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2001

Use of Capillaries for Macromolecular Crystallization in a Cryogenic Dewar

The Enhanced Gaseous Nitrogen (EGN) Dewar is a cryogenic dry shipper with a sealed cylinder inserted inside along with a temperature-monitoring device, and is intended for macromolecular crystallization experiments on the International Space Station. Within the Dewar, each crystallization experiment is contained as a solution within a plastic capillary. The standard procedure for loading samples in these tubes has involved rapid freezing of the precipitant and biomolecule solution directly in liquid nitrogen; this method, however, often results in uncontrolled formation of air voids. These air pockets, or bubbles, then can lead to irreproducible crystallization results. A novel protocol has been developed to prevent formation of bubbles, and this has been tested in the laboratory as well as aboard the International Space Station during a 42-day long mission of July/August of 2001. Furthermore, gain or loss of mass from solutions within the capillaries revealed that mass transport amongst separated tubes occurred, and that this mass transport was determined by the hygroscopic character of a solution contained in any given tube. The sample volume and the surface area of the plastic capillary tube also related to the observed mass transport.

Ciszak, Ewa↗
DOE OSTI2020

Transporting Non-Compliant TRU Wastes in the OPTIMUS{sup TM} Packages - 20493

The OPTIMUS{sup TM} product line of packages was developed with the purpose of providing a versatile and modular packaging option for shipping problematic wastes and fissile material contents. The product line includes a high-activity design in the OPTIMUS-H and a low activity design in the OPTIMUS-L. The two variants utilize a singular containment vessel design, that is enclosed in different protective components that offer different levels of shielding along with thermal and impact protection. The thick shielding provided by the OPTIMUS-H packaging allows for higher activity contents than the OPTIMUS-L to be transported. But the lightweight design of the OPTIMUS-L packaging allows for more packages to be transported in a single shipment. The containment vessel design shared between the two packages provides leak-tight containment of all radioactive contents along with the capabilities to easily leak test and the option to inert and backfill the contents, as necessary, prior to each shipment of the package. Together the OPTIMUS package designs offer significant flexibility and are capable of handling a wide variety of waste materials and other radioactive contents. One of the primary contents covered in the initial design effort for these packages is TRU waste contents beyond the standard waste materials that are compliant with the WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria. More specifically, the initial content of interest is TRU Waste drums containing sealed containers with potentially flammable gases. While there are multiple other packaging options available for transporting standard WIPP compliant TRU wastes, the goal of the OPTIMUS packages is to offer a superior option for transporting both standard TRU wastes as well as the more problematic non-compliant wastes, among other contents. The non-compliant TRU waste contents explicitly included for the OPTIMUS packages are standard aerosol cans and DOT 3E lecture bottles. However, the methods applied for the package containment can be easily adjusted to cover other sealed container types with potentially flammable gases. The primary challenges with including these items are both the obvious issue of potential for flammable gases (e.g. aerosol propellants) in the package, but also the uncertainty in the exact state of the contents. Because these desired contents are waste materials, the characterization of the materials present in the waste may include some uncertainties. For example, though it may be known that there are one or more aerosol cans in a TRU waste drum, it may not be known if this can is full, spent, or anywhere in between. Also there may be equal uncertainty in the contents of the aerosol can, specifically in the potentially flammable propellant remaining in the can. To include these types of non-compliant items as acceptable contents for the package, the methods utilized in the safety analyses of the OPTIMUS packages must consider all of the uncertainties in the characterization of the waste. The methods utilized cover a range of concerns with transporting contents of this nature including pressure buildup, gas generation, and gaseous combustion for demonstrating the containment of the package. The ability to transport these problematic contents in the OPTIMUS packages gives TRU waste generating sites the option to relocate these drums to an offsite location where the non-compliant items can be properly managed through removal or destruction. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1971

Estimation in nonlinear systems with transport delay.

The problem of estimation of state in nonlinear dynamical systems containing time delays is studied. The plant is specified by a set of nonlinear differential-difference equations. Observations are a nonlinear function of current and/or delayed states. Both contain additive disturbances. The criterion used for the optimal estimates is the integral of the weighted squared error. Using the theory of the calculus of variations, equations are developed for the estimation. They are first expressed in the form of a split boundary value problem, which is then converted to an initial value problem for on-line estimation. The result yields a sequential estimation scheme in which filtered and smoothed estimates are computed in a sequential manner. The applicability of the procedure is demonstrated by a practical example.

Stoller, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

External tank chill effect on the space transportation system launch pad environment

The external tank (ET) of the STS contains liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as oxidizer and fuel for the SSMEs. Once the cryogen have been loaded into the ET, the temperature of the air surrounding the STS is chilled by the cold outer surface of the ET. This paper describes a two-dimensional flow and thermal analysis to determine this chill effect on the STS launch pad environment subsequent to the ET loading operation. The analysis was done assuming winter conditions and a northwest wind direction. An existing CFD code, PHOENICS '81, was used in the study. The results are presented as local and average values of the heat transfer coefficient, the Nusselt number, and the surface temperature around the redesigned solid rocket motors (RSRMs) and the ET. The temperature depression caused by the ET chilling of the air in the vicinity of the RSRMs was calculated to be 3 F below the ambient. This compares with the observed 1-2 F RSRM surface temperature depression based upon measurements made prior to the winter flight of STS-29. Since the surface temperature would be expected to be slightly higher than the local air temperature, the predicted temperature depression of the air appears to be substantiated.

Ahmad, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A fully reusable, horizontal takeoff space transport concept with two small turbojet boosters

Results of a preliminary study of a space transport concept are presented. The concept consists of a winged orbiter containing ascent propellants and two small turbojet-powered winged boosters, used for acceleration to supersonic speeds. The concept offers full reuse and horizontal takeoff from numerous existing airports. With current structure and rocket technology, this transport concept has lower gross weight for a selected payload than single-stage-to-orbit concepts, which require structural advancements. Discussion includes alternatives to the baseline space transport concept which improve performance; such as advanced structures, dual-fuel rockets, and lightweight scramjets for the orbiter. A concept of using a stretched shuttle orbiter instead of an all-new configuration is discussed for two payload-class vehicles.

Jackson, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The role of NaCl in flame chemistry, in the deposition process, and in its reactions with protective oxides as related to hot corrosion

Sodium chloride is believed to be the primary source of turbine engine contamination that contributes to hot corrosion. The behavior of NaCl-containing aerosols ingested with turbine intake air is very complex; some of the NaCl may vaporize during combustion while some may remain as particulates. The NaCl can lead to Na2SO4 formation by several possible routes or it can contribute to corrosion directly. Hydrogen or oxygen atom reaction with NaCl(c) was shown to result in the release of Na(g). Gaseous NaCl in flames can be partially converted to gaseous Na2SO4 by homogeneous reactions. The remaining gaseous NaCl and other Na-containing molecules can act as sodium carriers for condensate deposition of Na2SO4 on cool surfaces. A frozen boundary layer theory was developed to predict the rates of deposition. The condensed phase NaCl can be converted directly to condensed Na2SO4 by reaction with sulfur oxides and O2. Reaction of gaseous NaCl with Cr2O3 results in the vapor phase transport of chromium by the formation of complex Cr-containing gaseous molecules. Similar gaseous complexes are formed with molybdenum. The presence of gaseous NaCl was shown to affect the oxidation kinetics of Ni-Cr alloys. It also causes changes in the surface morphology of Al2O3 scales formed on Al-containing alloys.

Kohl, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Safety Standard for Hydrogen and Hydrogen Systems: Guidelines for Hydrogen System Design, Materials Selection, Operations, Storage and Transportation

The NASA Safety Standard, which establishes a uniform process for hydrogen system design, materials selection, operation, storage, and transportation, is presented. The guidelines include suggestions for safely storing, handling, and using hydrogen in gaseous (GH2), liquid (LH2), or slush (SLH2) form whether used as a propellant or non-propellant. The handbook contains 9 chapters detailing properties and hazards, facility design, design of components, materials compatibility, detection, and transportation. Chapter 10 serves as a reference and the appendices contained therein include: assessment examples; scaling laws, explosions, blast effects, and fragmentation; codes, standards, and NASA directives; and relief devices along with a list of tables and figures, abbreviations, a glossary and an index for ease of use. The intent of the handbook is to provide enough information that it can be used alone, but at the same time, reference data sources that can provide much more detail if required.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2023

Packaging Capacity Calculation: Pu Oxide Packaging Options with the 2 Quart SAVY Container

This calculation supports programmatic efforts to Dilute and Dispose Pu. Metal is to be oxidized at LANL, then transported to SRS for dilution at SRS. Ultimately, the diluted oxide will be disposed of at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Currently 3013 containers are used to package the oxide, which are placed in to 9975 Type B shipping containers. The Oxide Packaging Technology Maturation Plan determined that a transition to the used of 2-qt SAVY containers placed in 9977 would increase efficiency in shipping and handling and increase programmatic flexibility. The 2-quart SAVY container meets DOE M 441.1 and TA-55 Documented Safety Analysis requirements for handling and storage of Pu oxide at LANL.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗