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Technique increases recovery and energy efficiency. Advantages of method greater product yield and, because of the relatively low temperatures, minimal gas formation, smaller amounts of char byproduct, and less carbonate-rock decomposition. Up to 94 percent by weight of organic material in shale extracted.
An analytical study was performed to investigate the excessive heating in the tile to tile gaps of the Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System due to stepped tiles. The excessive heating was evidence by visible discoloration and charring of the filler bar and strain isolation pad that is used in the attachment of tiles to the aluminum substrate. Two tile locations on the Shuttle orbiter were considered, one on the lower surface of the fuselage and one on the lower surface of the wing. The gap heating analysis involved the calculation of external and internal gas pressures and temperatures, internal mass flow rates, and the transient thermal response of the thermal protection system. The results of the analysis are presented for the fuselage and wing location for several step heights. The results of a study to determine the effectiveness of a half height ceramic fiber gap filler in preventing hot gas flow in the tile gaps are also presented.
The process of ablation is calculated for the stagnation region of a flat disk in a radiation-dominated, massive-blowing environment produced in a ballistic range filled with argon. Flow environments are determined by solving the boundary-layer equations while radiative transfer is calculated through a line-by-line spectral computation. The resulting wall heat-transfer rates are coupled with an existing material's response code to determine surface recession and char thickness. The calculation is performed for six 5-cm-diam models made of carbon-phenolic and carbon-carbon composite launched in the Track-G facility at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. Significant surface recessions are predicted to occur for these models due mostly to radiative heating.
Six flat-disk models made of carbon-carbon and carbon-phenolic materials were launched in an argon-filled track-range facility to test ablation characteristics in a radiation-dominated, massive-blowing environment. The shock standoff distances deduced from the shadowgraphs agree with theoretical predictions during the earlier portion of the flight, while the wall temperatures determined by the image-converter photographs agree with predictions during the later portion. The measured surface recessions exceed the calculated values by about 60 percent for carbon-phenolic and 30 percent for carbon-carbon. The discrepancies are attributed to spallation. The measured char thicknesses agree with theoretical predictions.
A novel class of flame- and heat-resistant polymers has been synthesized by the thermal polymerization of maleimido-substituted aromatic cyclotriphosphazenes. The polymer obtained from tris-(aminophenoxy)tris(maleimidophenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene has good thermal stability and is noteworthy for its high char yield, viz., 82 percent at 800 C in nitrogen and 81 percent at 700 C in air. Graphite-fabric laminates prepared with this polymer did not burn in pure oxygen, even at 300 C, and were tested for mechanical properties. Hexakis(4-maleimidophenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene and some fluorine-containing monomers have also been synthesized. The structures of these cyclic phosphazene precursors and polymers were characterized by FT IR spectrophotometry, H-1 NMR, F-19 NMR, and P-31 solid-state magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The curing behavior of the polymer precursors and the thermal stabilities of the polymers were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA).
A new class of fire- and heat-resistant matrix resins have been synthesized by the thermal polymerization of maleimido substituted phenoxycyclotriphosphazenes. The resins have exhibited a char yield of 82 percent at 800 C in nitrogen and 81 percent at 700 C in air. Graphite-fabric laminates based on a resin of this class have shown a limiting oxygen index of 100 percent even at 300 C. Details of the fabrication of the resins and the composites and testing procedures are discussed.
A simple study aimed at predicting the thermochemical response of honeycomb sandwich panels is presented. The overall thermal conductivity coefficient for the panel is obtained through a consideration of the convective gas movement within the cell spaces. The earlier correlations of Catton and Edwards are used. The analytical solution for the one-dimensional approximation is quoted from an earlier study. In comparison with three data points obtained at JPL at heat fluxes of 2.5, 5 and 8 W/sq cm, the char penetration depth is well predicted, especially when the debonding of the face sheet is considered. Re-radiation of incident heat flux from the debonded face sheet plays an important role in this model.
The effect of processing variables on the flammability and mechanical properties of state-of-the-art and advanced resin matrices for graphite composites were studied. Resin matrices which were evaluated included state-of-the-art epoxy, phenolic-novolac, phenolic-Xylok, two types of bismaleimides, benzyl, polyethersulfone, and polyphenylsulfone. Comparable flammability and thermochemical data on graphite-reinforced laminates prepared with these resin matrices are presented, and the relationship of some of these properties to the anaerobic char yield of the resins is described.
Useful physical and chemical properties observed in compounds obtained by thermally-induced melt polymerization of maleimido-phenoxy cyclotriphosphazenes linked through hexafluoroisopropylidene-diphthalimide groups. Polymers exhibit high strength, high thermal stability, and high char yields, and appear to be excellent candidates for fabricating composite materials.
The four solid rocket booster (SRB) hold-down posts are fastened to the mobile launch platform (MLP) with four large nuts. At liftoff the nuts are split with explosive changes to release the SRB/Shuttle. A blast container is placed over the nuts to protect the vehicle from flying debris. The blast container is a reusable part and has to be protected from aerodynamic heating during flight. The thermal protection system (TPS) used to protect these blast containers is cork. Fitting the flat cork sheet to this hemispherical shaped blast container is both time consuming and expensive. Another problem is removing the charred cork and epoxy glue from the blast containers. Replacements of this cork with another TPS material such as MTA-2 was examined. Heating rates along the centerline of the forward facing areas of the blast container were determined. The feasibility of using 1/2 in. MTA-2 on the SRB blast containers for protection from ascent, plume impingement and reentry heating is demonstrated.
Tests were performed to characterize the responses of various aircraft ceiling panel configurations to a simulated post-crash fire. Attention was given to one currently used and four new ceiling configurations exposed to a fuel pool fire in a circulated air enclosure. The tests were controlled to accurately represent conditions in a real fire. The panels were constructed of fiberglass-epoxy, graphite-phenolic resin, fiberglass-phenolic resin, Kevlar-epoxy, and Kevlar-phenolic resin materials. The phenolic resin-backed sheets performed the best under the circumstances, except when combined with Kevlar, which became porous when charred.
The syntheses and general features of addition-type maleimide resins based on bis(m-aminophenyl)phosphine oxide and tris(m-aminophenyl)phosphine oxide have been reported previously. These resins have been used to fabricate graphite cloth laminates having excellent flame resistance. These composites did not burn even in pure oxygen. However, these resins were somewhat brittle. This paper reports the modification of these phosphorus-containing resins by an amine-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer (ATBN) and a perfluoroalkylene diaromatic amine elastomer (3F). An approximately two-fold increase in short beam shear strength and flexural strength was observed at 7 percent ATBN concentration. The tensile, flexural, and shear strengths were reduced when 18 percent ATBN was used. Anaerobic char yields of the resins at 800 C and the limiting oxygen indexes of the laminates decreased with increasing ATBN concentration. The perfluorodiamine (3F) was used with both imide resins at 6.4 percent concentration. The shear strength was doubled in the case of the bisimide with no loss of flammability characteristics. The modified trisimide laminate also had improved properties over the unmodified one. The dynamic mechanical analysis of a four-ply laminate indicated a glass transition temperature above 300 C. Scanning electron micrographs of the ATBN modified imide resins were also recorded.
Several 1/24-scale models of the Galileo Probe made of carbon-phenolic materials were flown in a ballistic range to test their ablation characteristics. Mostly radiative or all-convective heating environments were produced by using argon or air as the test gas, respectively, to simulate the Jovian entry heating environments. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical predictions made using the computer codes of radiating shock layer environment (RASLE) and charring materials ablation (CMA). The experimental data obtained in argon agreed approximately with the theoretical predictions. The data for air agreed approximately with the theory when turbulence and surface roughness effects were accounted for. The data imply that the Galileo Probe heat shield was adequately designed.
Addition of carborane increases thermal stability. Carborane-substituted polyphosphazenes prepared by thermal polymerization of phenylcarbonyl-pentachlorocyclotriphosphazene followed by reaction with sodium trifluoroethoxide to replace remaining chlorine atoms with trifluoroethoxy groups. Improved polymers offer high char yields and resistance to hydrolysis.
The objective of this section of the microgravity project is to identify key sets of low-gravity experiments which would critically compliment a larger set of more easily performed normal-gravity experiments to explain the phenomena found in smoldering combustion. It is planned to follow through on the conceptual design of these experiments by participating in the future in the fabrication of the refined apparatus and in the data collection and interpretation. Low-gravity experiments are appropriate for smoldering combustion because of the complexity of smoldering which requires every means possible to discriminate among the many chemical and physical mechanisms active in most smoldering combustion scenarios. Efforts will be primarily analytical, attempting to identify appropriate approximations and dominant dimensionless groups based on existing data and state-of-the-art combustion modelling. Transient stability questions such as ignition, extinction and the choices among charring, tarring, or flaming modes will be included.
4-Aminophenoxy cyclotriphosphazenes are reacted with maleic anhydride to produce maleamic acids which are converted to the maleimides. The maleimides are polymerized. By selection of starting materials (e.g., hexakis amino or trisaminophenoxy-trisphenoxy-cyclo-triphosphazenes), selection of molar proportions of reactants, use of mixtures of anhydrides and use of dianhydrides as bridging groups a variety of maleimides and polymers are produced. The polymers have high limiting oxygen indices, high char yields and other useful heat and fire resistant properties making them useful as, for example, impregnants of fabrics.
The operation of a radio beacon position locator during and after the remotely controlled transport aircraft is discussed. The radio beacon transmission was actuated and was picked up by the Navy P-3A chase aircraft for a short time, after which reception was lost. The pilot reported that he received a signal on both 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz for a period of approximately 5 seconds. Five minutes after the crash a portable direction finding unit located on the roof of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, 4 miles distant from the crash, was unable to pick up the beacon transmission. The fire crews started fighting the fires approximately 90 seconds after the time of impact. Navy personnel access to the crash site was allowed on the morning of December 2, 1984. Radio beacon locator was found resting top side up, 15 feet forward and 13 feet perpendicular from the tray location the starboard side of the aircraft. An immediate inspection indicated the airfoil suffered moderate fire damage with paint peeling but not intumescing. The visual marker strobe lamp housings were intact but extensively burned such that it was impossible to see if the lamps had survived. The airfoil suffered minor structural damage, with assorted dents, etc. The extended plunger on the ARU-21 release unit indicated that the pyrotechnic deployment system operated. The radio beacon base (tray) suffered some heat and fire damage, and was charred and blackened by smoke. The frangible switch in the nose survived and the switch in the belly was recovered and found to have actuated. It is assumed that this switch fired the ARU-21 squib. There were no other release switches installed in the normally open system in the aircraft.
A number of polyfunctional aromatic acetylenes thermally polymerize at low temperatures (180 C) and pyrolyze with greater than 90 char yield. In nonoxidizing environments, they are thermally stable to 1450 C. These monomers were chosen as the basis of a model system to study the fabrication and mechanical properties of continuous filament ceramic matrix composite. Composites were fabricated from aryl poly(acetylenes), SiC particulate filler and graphite, Avco SiC, Nicalon and Nextel fibers. Microstructure, physical and mechanical properties are reported.