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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Dynamic Material Flow Analysis of Silicon Photovoltaic Modules to Support a Circular Economy Transition

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are the fastest growing renewable energy technologies for clean, cheap, and sustainable electricity generation. To prepare for rapid scale-up, the PV industry needs to project material requirements to build out all aspects of the supply chain appropriately and plan to handle large volumes of module waste. Impacts of deploying different material circularity strategies to reduce waste and conserve primary resources need to be quantified to inform sustainable material management. Here, we introduce the photovoltaic dynamic material flow analysis (PV DMFA) model based on PV electricity generation. The model quantifies material flows and stocks in the cradle-to-cradle life cycles of utility-scale c-Si PV systems in the United States through 2100. We present case studies for solar flat glass and aluminum frame materials under various scenarios to project the impacts of PV performance, reliability, and processing parameters, material circularity strategies, and module design shifts. In the absence of circularity measures, ~100 million MT of flat glass and ~12 million MT of aluminum would be needed for PV installations by 2100 to meet projected growth in domestic utility PV demand to nearly 1000 TWh in 2100. With optimistic but feasible improvements in efficiency, reliability, and circularity, material intensity and waste could be reduced by nearly 50%. Efficient module collection, minimally intrusive recycling, and careful scrap handling and cleaning could improve material circularity in the PV value chain. This model serves as a sustainability data support tool that may aid in the circular economy transition for PV systems.

circular economy↗
NASA NTRS1988

Flow Analysis of Space Shuttle Feed Line 17-inch Disconnect Valve

A steady incompressible three-dimensional viscous flow analysis has been conducted for the Space Shuttle External Tank/Orbiter propellant feed line disconnect flapper valves with upstream elbows. The full Navier-Stokes code, INS3D, is modified to handle interior obstacles. Grids are generated by SVTGD3D code. Two dimensional initial grids in the flow cross section with and without the flappers are improved by elliptic smoothing to provide better orthogonality, clustering and smoothness to the three dimensional grid. The flow solver is tested for stability and convergence in the presence of interior flappers. An under-relaxation scheme has been incorporated to improve the solution stability. Important flow characteristics such as secondary flows, recirculation, vortex and wake regions, and separated flows are observed. Computed values for forces, moments, and pressure drop are in satisfactory agreement with water flow test data covering a maximum tube Reynolds number of 3.5 x 10(exp 6). The results will serve as a guide to improved design and enhanced testing of the disconnect.

Kandula, Max↗
NASA NTRS1987

Power flow analysis of an L-shaped plate structure

In the analysis of the vibration response and structure-borne vibration transmission between elements of a complex structure, statistical energy analysis (SEA) or finite element analysis (FEA) are generally used. However, an alternative method is using vibrational power flow techniques which can be especially useful in the mid frequencies between the optimum frequency regimes for FEA and SEA. Power flow analysis has in general been used on one-dimensional beam-like structures or between structures with point joints. In this paper, the power flow technique is extended to two-dimensional plate like structures joined along a common edge without frequency or spatial averaging the results, such that the resonant response of the structure is determined. The power flow results are compared to results obtained using FEA at low frequencies and SEA at high frequencies. The agreement with FEA results is good but the power flow technique has an improved computational efficiency. Compared to the SEA results the power flow results show a closer representation of the actual response of the structure.

Cuschieri, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A fluid flow analysis for convective thermal control of flight experiments

A method for thermally analyzing convectively cooled flight experiments is presented. A three-dimensional fluid flow analysis code is used to optimize air circulation patterns and to predict air velocities in thermally critical areas. The analysis results are compared with the performance characteristics of a typical isothermal free jet, and good agreement is found between velocity profiles and radial distributions for downstream flow mixing. Predicted air velocities from the fluid analysis are used to calculate forced convection coefficients for the flight experiment, and the coefficients are used in a finite difference thermal analysis code to describe the response of air temperature and heat loss for the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment during transient flight profiles. Recommendations are made for the future design of convectively cooled flight experiments.

Killough, Brian D.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Flow Analysis of the Cleveland Clinic Centrifugal Pump

An implantable ventricular assist rotordynamic blood pump is being developed by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in cooperation with the NASA Lewis Research Center. At the nominal design condition, the pump provides blood flow at the rate of 5 liters per minute at a pressure rise of 100 mm of mercury and a rotative speed of 3000 RPM. Bench testing of the centrifugal pump in a water/glycerin mixture has provided flow and pressure data at several rotative speeds. A one-dimensional empirical based pump flow analysis computer code developed at NASA Lewis Research Center has been used in the design process to simulate the flow in the primary centrifugal pump stage. The computer model was used to size key impeller and volute geometric parameters that influence pressure rise and flow. Input requirements to the computer model include a simple representation of the pump geometry. The model estimates the flow conditions at the design and at off-design operating conditions at the impeller leading and trailing edges and the volute inlet and exit. The output from the computer model is compared to flow and pressure data obtained from bench testing.

Veres, Joseph P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

NASA-Ames three-dimensional potential flow analysis system (POTFAN) equation solver code (SOLN) version 1

A computer program known as SOLN was developed as an independent segment of the NASA-Ames three-dimensional potential flow analysis systems of linear algebraic equations. Methods used include: LU decomposition, Householder's method, a partitioning scheme, and a block successive relaxation method. Due to the independent modular nature of the program, it may be used by itself and not necessarily in conjunction with other segments of the POTFAN system.

Davis, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

NASA Ames potential flow analysis (POTFAN) geometry program (POTGEM), version 1

A computer program known as POTGEM is reported which has been developed as an independent segment of a three-dimensional linearized, potential flow analysis system and which is used to generate a panel point description of arbitrary, three-dimensional bodies from convenient engineering descriptions consisting of equations and/or tables. Due to the independent, modular nature of the program, it may be used to generate corner points for other computer programs.

Medan, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of boundary conditions for SSME subsonic internal viscous flow analysis

A study was completed of mathematically proper boundary conditions for unique numerical solution of internal, viscous, subsonic flows in the space shuttle main engine. The study has concentrated on well posed considerations, with emphasis on computational efficiency and numerically stable boundary condition statements. The method of implementing the established boundary conditions is applicable to a wide variety of finite difference and finite element codes, as demonstrated.

Baker, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

SSME 3-D Turnaround Duct flow analysis - CFD predictions

CFD analysis is presently employed to obtain an improved flowfield for an individual flowpath in the case of the Space Shuttle Main Engine's High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Turn-Around Duct (TAD), which conducts the flow exiting from the gas turbines into the fuel bowl. It is demonstrated that the application of CFD to TAD flow analysis, giving attention to the duct's configuration and to the number, shape, and alignment of the diffuser struts, can enhance understanding of flow physics and result in improved duct design and performance.

Brankovic, Andreja↗
NASA NTRS2001

Transition of a Three-Dimensional Unsteady Viscous Flow Analysis from a Research Environment to the Design Environment

The advent of advanced computer architectures and parallel computing have led to a revolutionary change in the design process for turbomachinery components. Two- and three-dimensional steady-state computational flow procedures are now routinely used in the early stages of design. Unsteady flow analyses, however, are just beginning to be incorporated into design systems. This paper outlines the transition of a three-dimensional unsteady viscous flow analysis from the research environment into the design environment. The test case used to demonstrate the analysis is the full turbine system (high-pressure turbine, inter-turbine duct and low-pressure turbine) from an advanced turboprop engine.

Dorney, Suzanne↗
NASA NTRS1984

Investigation of the external flow analysis for density measurements at high altitude

The results of analysis performed on the external flow around the shuttle orbiter nose regions at the Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS) inlet orifice are presented. The purpose of the analysis is to quantitatively characterize the flow conditions to facilitate SUMS flight data reduction and subsequent determination of orbiter aerodynamic force coefficients in the hypersonic rarefied flow regime. Experimental determination of aerodynamic force coefficients requires accurate simultaneous measurement of forces (or acceleration) and dynamic pressure along with independent knowledge of density and velocity. The SUMS provides independent measurement of dynamic pressure; however, it does so indirectly and requires knowledge of the relationship between measured orifice conditions and the dynamic pressure which can only be determined on the basis of molecule or theory for a winged configuration. Monte Carlo direct simulation computer codes were developed for both the flow field solution at the orifice and for the internal orifice flow. These codes were used to study issues associated with geometric modeling of the orbiter nose geometry and the modeling of intermolecular collisions including rotational energy exchange and a preliminary analysis of vibrational excitation and dissociation effects. Data obtained from preliminary simulation runs are presented.

Bienkowski, G. K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Power flow analysis of two coupled plates with arbitrary characteristics

In the last progress report (Feb. 1988) some results were presented for a parametric analysis on the vibrational power flow between two coupled plate structures using the mobility power flow approach. The results reported then were for changes in the structural parameters of the two plates, but with the two plates identical in their structural characteristics. Herein, limitation is removed. The vibrational power input and output are evaluated for different values of the structural damping loss factor for the source and receiver plates. In performing this parametric analysis, the source plate characteristics are kept constant. The purpose of this parametric analysis is to determine the most critical parameters that influence the flow of vibrational power from the source plate to the receiver plate. In the case of the structural damping parametric analysis, the influence of changes in the source plate damping is also investigated. The results obtained from the mobility power flow approach are compared to results obtained using a statistical energy analysis (SEA) approach. The significance of the power flow results are discussed together with a discussion and a comparison between the SEA results and the mobility power flow results. Furthermore, the benefits derived from using the mobility power flow approach are examined.

Cuschieri, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Dual throat thruster cold flow analysis

The concept was evaluated with cold flow (nitrogen gas) testing and through analysis for application as a tripropellant engine for single-stage-to-orbit type missions. Three modes of operation were tested and analyzed: (1) Mode 1 Series Burn, (2) Mode 1 Parallel Burn, and (3) Mode 2. Primary emphasis was placed on the Mode 2 plume attachment aerodynamics and performance. The conclusions from the test data analysis are as follows: (1) the concept is aerodynamically feasible, (2) the performance loss is as low as 0.5 percent, (3) the loss is minimized by an optimum nozzle spacing corresponding to an AF-ATS ratio of about 1.5 or an Le/Rtp ratio of 3.0 for the dual throat hardware tested, requiring only 4% bleed flow, (4) the Mode 1 and Mode 2 geometry requirements are compatible and pose no significant design problems.

Lundgreen, R. B.↗