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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Measurement of the Solar Absorptance and Thermal Emittance of Lunar Simulants

The first comparative study of the reflectance spectra of lunar simulants is presented. All of the simulants except one had a wavelength-dependent reflectivity, rho(lambda), near 0.10 over the wavelength range of 8 to 25 microns, so they are highly emitting at room temperature and lower. The 300 K emittance, epsilon, of all the lunar simulants except one ranged from 0.884 to 0.906. The 300 K epsilon of JSC Mars-1 simulant was 0.927. There was considerably more variation in the lunar simulant reflectance in the solar spectral range (250 to 2500 nm) than in the thermal infrared. Larger particle size simulants reflected much less than those with smaller particle size. As expected, the lunar highlands simulants were more reflective in this wavelength range than the lunar mare simulants. The alpha of the simulants ranged from 0.413 to 0.817 for those with smaller particles and 0.669 to 0.906 for large particles. Although spectral differences were observed, the total integrated alpha for the simulants appears to be similar to that of lunar soils (0.65 to 0.88). These data are now available to be used in modeling the effects of dust on thermal control surfaces.

Gaier, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A thermal/nonthermal model for solar microwave bursts

A theoretical framework is developed for modeling high-resolution spectra of microwave bursts from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory which can account for departures from expectations based on simple thermal or nonthermal models. Specifically, 80 percent of the events show more than one spectral peak; many bursts have a low-side spectral index steeper than the maximum expected slope; and the peak frequency stays relatively constant and changes intensity in concert with the secondary peaks throughout a given event's solution. It is shown that the observed spectral features can be explained through gyrosynchrotron radiation. The 'secondary' components seen on the LF side of many spectra are nonthermal enhancements superposed upon thermal radiation, occurring between the thermal harmonics. A steep optically thick slope is accounted for by the thermal absorption of nonthermal radiation. If the coexistence of thermal and nonthermal particles is interpreted in terms of electron heating and acceleration in current sheets, a changing electric field strength can account for the gross evolution of the microwave spectra.

Benka, Stephen G.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films

The response of coated thin polymer films to ultraviolet (UV), electron and proton radiation simultaneously has been evaluated, with selected measurements in situ. Exposure was intended to simulate the electron and proton radiation environment near the Earth-Sun Lagrangian points (LI and L2) for five years and approximately 1000 equivalent solar hours (ESH) UV. These orbital environments are relevant to several potential missions such as the Next Generation Space Telescope and Geomagnetic Storm Warning, both of which may use thin film based structures for a sunshade and solar sail, respectively. The thin film candidates (12.5 micrometers thick) consisted of commercially available materials (Kapton(R) E, HN, Upilex(R) S, CP-1, CP-2, TOR-RC, and TOR-LMBP) that were metalized on one side with vapor deposited aluminum. All of the films are aromatic polyimides, with the exception of TORLMBP, which is a copoly(arylene ether benzimidazole). The films were exposed as second surface mirrors and the effects of the exposure on solar absorptance, thermal emittance, and tensile properties were determined. The in situ changes in solar absorptance from Kapton(R) and Upilex(R) were less than 0. 1, whereas the solar absorptance of TOR and CP films increased by more than 0.3 without saturating. The thermal emittance measurements also showed that the Kapton(R) and Upilex(R) materials increased only 1-2%, but the remaining materials increased 5-8%. Based on tensile property measurements made in air following the test, the failure stress of every type of polymer film decreased as a result of irradiation. The polymers most stable in reflectance, namely Upilex(R) and Kapton(R), were also the strongest in tension before irradiation, and they retained the greatest percentage of tensile strength. The films less stable in reflectance were also weaker in tension, and lost more tensile strength as a result of irradiation. The apparent failure strain (as a percent of original gage length) of every type of polymer film except TOR-RC, decreased as a result of irradiation.

Russell, Dennis A.↗
NASA NTRS1962

Thermal and Criticality Analysis of the Plasma Core Reactor

Radiative heat transfer to the propellant and reactor criticality for a fissionable gaseous rocket engine are analyzed to determine their interdependence. The necessity for propellant thicknesses of approximately 1-3 m due to poor thermal absorption properties of hydrogen significantly affects reactor critical radius and mass. The two primary adverse effects are: (1) increased absorption in the reflector- moderator for a given reflector thickness and (2) poor utilization of thermal neutrons by the core due to the lower geometrical view factor of the core for the reflector walls. In fact, there is a minimum core radius at a particular propellant thickness which allows the system to “go” critical. Engine performance is limited primarily to two regions of operation: the first, a specific impulse of approximately 1550 sec at a thrust level of 2 x 10(exp 6) lb. and second, a specific impulse of approximately 2200 sec at a thrust level of 5.3 x 10(exp 6) lb.

Rocket engine↗
NASA NTRS1991

Effects of LDEF flight exposure on selected polymeric films and thermal control coatings

The characterization of polymeric films and thermal control coatings which were exposed for five years and ten months to the low-Earth environment is reported. Changes in solar absorptance, thermal emittance, and transmission are compared to laboratory control specimens. Sputter-deposited metallic coatings are shown to eliminate atomic oxygen erosion of resin matrix composite materials. The effects of long-term atomic oxygen exposure to metallized FEP Teflon film is characterized. Chemical characterization of polymeric films indicates that although surface erosion occurs, the molecular structure of the basic polymeric film has not changed significantly in response to this exposure.

Slemp, Wayne S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Optimization of silicon 8 cm x 8 cm wrapthrough Space Station cells for 'on orbit' operation

The optimization of Space Station cells for on-orbit performance is described. Design trades were performed in which back DAR coating thickness was traded against thermal absorptance and performance under front and back (albedo) illumination. Typical examples of modeled cell performance under different scenarios are given. Experimental illuminated output data under back illumination for specific DAR coating thicknesses are also given. Computer modeling of the solar array using TRASYS and SINDA programs also provide on-orbit thermal data and performance predictions. The overall backside response from albedo illumination was found to make a considerable contribution to the total array performance, particularly during the early stages of space station assembly when the arrays are feathered.

Lillington, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Helium-Cooled Black Shroud for Subscale Cryogenic Testing

This shroud provides a deep-space simulating environment for testing scaled-down models of passively cooling systems for spaceflight optics and instruments. It is used inside a liquid-nitrogen- cooled vacuum chamber, and it is cooled by liquid helium to 5 K. It has an inside geometry of approximately 1.6 m diameter by 0.45 m tall. The inside surfaces of its top and sidewalls have a thermal absorptivity greater than 0.96. The bottom wall has a large central opening that is easily customized to allow a specific test item to extend through it. This enables testing of scale models of realistic passive cooling configurations that feature a very large temperature drop between the deepspace-facing cooled side and the Sun/Earth-facing warm side. This shroud has an innovative thermal closeout of the bottom wall, so that a test sample can have a hot (room temperature) side outside of the shroud, and a cold side inside the shroud. The combination of this closeout and the very black walls keeps radiated heat from the sample s warm end from entering the shroud, reflecting off the walls and heating the sample s cold end. The shroud includes 12 vertical rectangular sheet-copper side panels that are oriented in a circular pattern. Using tabs bent off from their edges, these side panels are bolted to each other and to a steel support ring on which they rest. The removable shroud top is a large copper sheet that rests on, and is bolted to, the support ring when the shroud is closed. The support ring stands on four fiberglass tube legs, which isolate it thermally from the vacuum chamber bottom. The insides of the cooper top and side panels are completely covered with 25- mm-thick aluminum honeycomb panels. This honeycomb is painted black before it is epoxied to the copper surfaces. A spiral-shaped copper tube, clamped at many different locations to the outside of the top copper plate, serves as part of the liquid helium cooling loop. Another copper tube, plumbed in a series to the top plate s tube, is clamped to the sidewall tabs where they are bolted to the support ring. Flowing liquid helium through these tubes cools the entire shroud to 5 K. The entire shroud is wrapped loosely in a layer of double-aluminized Kapton. The support ring s inner diameter is the largest possible hole through which the test item can extend into the shroud. Twelve custom-sized trapezoidal copper sheets extend inward from the support ring to within a few millimeters of the test item. Attached to the inner edge of each of these sheets is a custom-shaped strip of Kapton, which is aluminum- coated on the warm-facing (outer) side, and has thin Dacron netting attached to its cold-facing side. This Kapton rests against the test item, but the Dacron keeps it from making significant thermal contact. The result is a non-contact, radiatively reflective thermal closeout with essentially no gap through which radiation can pass. In this way, the part of the test item outside the shroud can be heated to relatively high temperatures without any radiative heat leaking to the inside.

Tuttle, James↗
DOE OSTI2025

Final Design for Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) with Lithium Absorbers to Provide Validation Benchmarks for Y-12 Electrorefining Facility

One of the main goals of the Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) project is to use existing Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) assets to create critical experiment plutonium and uranium test beds for materials important to criticality safety that have insufficient benchmark evaluations. The plutonium test bed experiments were completed in 2018 and are published in the 2020 edition of the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook. The uranium test bed assemblies were completed in 2023 and accepted in the 2024 edition of the ICSBEP Handbook. The Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) group at Y-12 National Security Complex has identified programmatic need for validation cases for uranium electrorefining operations at Y-12. The electrorefining operation credits lithium enriched in 6 Li in addition to 35 Cl as absorbers in the design criticality safety evaluation for precluding criticality under upset conditions in the large and geometrically unfavorable electro-refiner. There is, however, inadequate experimental validation for the 6 Li absorbers. As an extension of the TEX uranium test bed, TEX-Cl critical experiments were performed with sodium chloride salt to address the 35 Cl thermal absorption as well as other validation needs at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). These experiments were completed in 2024 and accepted into the 2025 ICSBEP Handbook. To continue the methodology used in TEX-Cl, TEX-Li aims to accomplish the same. The overall design of both experiments was to use commercially available, high purity, salts with polyethylene moderator and HEU plates to configure a critical assembly. Three experiments are planned for TEX-Li using encapsulated lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ), with natural 6 Li abundance. For all experiments, the highly enriched uranium (HEU) Jemima plates will be used as fissile material. Multiple layers will be stacked together with encapsulated Li 2 CO 3 alternated with polyethylene in standard configurations. Standard stacking was found to be optimal in matching the different sensitivity profiles provided by the Y-12 models. Three configurations are proposed with varying polyethylene moderation and a constant 1/4” absorber thickness. The first uses 11 layers of 5/4” polyethylene, the second uses 9 layers of 3/4” polyethylene, and the third uses 10 layers of 1/2” polyethylene. Calculations showed that some alternative forms of lithium-based materials provided slightly less-optimal sensitivity profiles when compared to lithium carbonate but come with other drawbacks. These alternatives included lithium aluminate (LiAlO 2 ), Aluminum-2050 alloy, Aluminum-8090, Aluminum-2095, lithium hydride (LiH), and lithium fluoride (LiF). Lithium aluminate and aluminum-2050 provided comparable sensitivity profiles when compared to lithium carbonate and can be used instead if lithium carbonate cannot be readily procured. After a broad material study, lithium carbonate outperformed any alternative material with a balance in affordability and workability. The assessment of experimental uncertainties of the non-absorber and absorber components was predicted to be 0.00089 and 0.00093 Δk eff , respectively. The largest uncertainties may be reduced with precision dimensional inspection of the components. Many of the parts and equipment for IER 575 have already been fabricated or procured for previous projects and therefore do not contribute significantly to the overall cost of this experiment. This includes the Jemima plates and Comet critical assembly machine, which are existing NCSP assets, as well as the aluminum platen and polyethylene reflector rings, which were fabricated and authorized for the TEX experiment involving HEU with polyethylene. Lithium carbonate containers will be procured by LANL and will be filled by LLNL. The total material costs for TEX-Li experiments are estimated to be on the order of $\$$47,400. Precision inspection, including dimensional, mass, density, and impurity, is recommended for all components for an estimated cost of $\$$12,000.

35Cl↗
NASA NTRS1978

Electrically-conducting thermal-control coating

Coating comprised mainly of zinc and aluminum oxides is characterized by high thermal emittance, low thermal absorption, and high electrical conductivity. Originally developed to protect spacecraft, coating can be used to prevent charge buildup on components in other applications. Mixture is stable under ultraviolet and X-ray radiation and under bombardment by ionizing particles. It can be applied to aluminum, stainless steel, epoxy/fiberglass, and other substrates. When exposed to equivalent of 1,000 Sun-hours illumination, coating remained stable and retained its optical properties.

Shai, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Synthesis and characterization of bisimide amines and bisimide amine-cured epoxy resins

An attempt is made to develop tough, moisture resistant, high char yield epoxy resins by means of novel bisimide amine (BIA) hardener curing agents and a state-of-the-art epoxy resin system. The BIAs are isolated as mixtures containing monomer, oligomer, and polymeric species, and then characterized by elemental analysis and high pressure liquid chromatography. The bisimide amine-cured epoxies (IMEs) were characterized with respect to moisture absorption, thermal properties, and physical and mechanical properties, as well as in the role of matrices in Celion 6000/IME composites. The relative toughness characteristics of each IME formulation was measured by the 10 deg off-axis tensile test, measuring the uniaxial tensile strength, shear strength, and shear-strain-to-failure of the composite systems.

Scola, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects of a crystalline polymer

Polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) is a crystalline polymer to both piezoelectric and pyroelectric nature. Piezoelectricity produces electrical signals when mechanically deformed, and pyroelectricity is the electrical polarization induced by thermal absorption in crystals. To demonstrate the piezoelectric effect PVDF is subjected to impact loads which produce electrical charges proportional to mechanical stresses. A heat source was used to demonstrate the pyroelectric nature of PVDF. The rise in temperature due to absorbed energy by the polymer produces electrical output. The qualitative test results obtained are graphically reproduced.

Kundu, Nikhil K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Microwave conductivity of laser ablated YBaCuO superconducting films and its relation to microstrip transmission line

The discovery of high temperature superconductor oxides has raised the possibility of a new class of millimeter and microwave devices operating at temperatures considerably higher than liquid helium temperatures. Therefore, materials properties such as conductivity, current density, and sheet resistance as a function of temperature and frequency, possible anisotropies, moisture absorption, thermal expansion, and others, have to be well characterized and understood. The millimeter wave response was studied of laser ablated YBa2Cu3O(7-x)/LaAlO3 thin films as a function of temperature and frequency. In particular, the evaluation of their microwave conductivity was emphasized, since knowledge of this parameter provides a basis for the derivation of other relevant properties of these superconducting oxides, and for using them in the fabrication of actual passive circuits. The microwave conductivity for these films was measured at frequencies from 26.5 to 40.0 GHz, in the temperature range from 20 to 300 K. The values of the conductivity are obtained from the millimeter wave power transmitted through the films, using a two fluid model.

Bhasin, K. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

G25.5 + 0.2 - A very young galactic supernova remnant

Radio emission has been detected from a compact source which satisfies the criteria for a very young galactic supernova remnant. The source, G25.5 + 0.2 has a partially-filled shell structure, a total integrated flux density at 20 cm of 315 mJy, and a flat spectrum between 2 and 20 cm. Observations at 843 and 327 MHz indicate thermal absorption at low frequencies with a turnover in the spectrum near 1 GHz. It is suggested that the lower limit for the age of the supernova remnant is 25 yr, while the upper limit is about 100 yr. It is concluded that G25.5 + 0.2 could be the youngest known supernova remnant in the Galaxy.

Cowan, John J.↗