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At least 613 records · Page 34

FLEET velocimetry measurements in the ONR-UTA arc-jet wind tunnel

This manuscript presents and discusses the very first successful application of the Femtosecond Laser Electronic Excitation Tagging (FLEET) velocimetry technique in an arc-jet flow. Specifically, one-dimensional, quantitative, FLEET velocimetry data were obtained in the effort to characterize the 1.6 MW ONR-UTA arc-jet plasma wind tunnel, Leste, housed at the Aerodynamics Research Center of the University of Texas at Arlington. While the FLEET technique has been used in other types of high-speed wind tunnel facilities, application to flows with high background radiation, such as arc-jets, has never been demonstrated before this work. The high background emissions posed concerns on the feasibility of performing FLEET velocimetry measurements. However, this work demonstrates how these concerns were addressed and presents the first successful application of the FLEET technique in arc-jet flows. The FLEET emissions in the arc-jet plume were successfully imaged, and a significant spatio-temporal variation in the tag’s displacement was observed. For the selected operational condition in this study, the average measured gas velocity in the arc-jet plume was 1.78 km/s.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Sequence2Self: Self-supervised image sequence denoising of pixel-level spray breakup morphology

Optical imaging of fast and transient phenomena such as the turbulent breakup of liquid sprays exhibit low signal-to-noise ratios due to the limited illumination intensity relative to the short exposure time. Image denoising is required to facilitate physical studies over these data but is challenging due to the absence of clean ground-truths and the stringency of the denoising task (e.g., strong and complex noise, limited resolution, preserving physical fidelity), preventing supervised and existing un-/self-supervised deep learning methods. To this end, Sequence2Self (Seq2S) is proposed, an extension of Self2Self (S2S) to image sequences that leverages both the signal’s spatial and temporal correlation. Seq2S is demonstrated on time-resolved x-ray phase contrast imaging of liquid jet fuel sprays in a gas turbine combustor, which possesses all of challenges detailed above. Experiments are conducted across four fuels with different breakup morphology using various state-of-the-art methods. Overall, many of the methods failed and Seq2S was most successful: (1) Accurate spray structures were reconstructed with consistent evolution across frames void of artifacts. (2) The performance was robust, invariant to the hyperparameter choice. (3) Computational time is short and can be made eligible for real-time denoising. In particular, the images denoised by Seq2S showed spray droplet diameter distributions with near-zero Kullback–Leibler divergence (0.01 ± 0.01) to a cleaner reference, whereas the second best method yielded 0.06 ± 0.03. In conclusion, this suggests that Seq2S can be reliably used prior to subsequent quantitative spray analyses as it retains (if not, improves) the statistical physical properties of the data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Investigation of near-field jet stability of a single-hole injector based on fast X-ray phase contrast imaging and image feature matching

Fuel spray is very effective in controlling the combustion process to improve engine performance and reduce emissions. Understanding the spray unstability during the injection process is of importance to improve the control of spray characteristics and engine operation. In this study, near-field biodiesel jets were recorded using fast X-ray phase contrast imaging and the flow features inside the jet were extracted using Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF) method. Here, the image similarity by feature matching was successfully used to represent the near-field jet stability. Based on the jet stability, an injection process can be divided into five stages: an unstable stage at needle opening, a partially stable transition stage at needle opening, a stable stage, a stable transition stage at needle closing and an unstable stage at needle closing. The ranges of needle lift for five stages were also determined. The jet unstability is highly related to the cavitation formation and gas purging process during needle opening. The variation of stable jet feature is dependent on the needle lift at needle closing. Higher needle lift for the similar jet feature at needle opening indicates a hydraulic delay compared to needle closing. Finally, the possible reasons of jet feature formation and feature detection used on the multi-hole injector are discussed.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Liquid-phase mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction

The conversion of light into usable chemical and mechanical energy is pivotal to several biological and chemical processes, many of which occur in solution. To understand the structure–function relationships mediating these processes, a technique with high spatial and temporal resolutions is required. Here, we report on the design and commissioning of a liquid-phase mega-electron-volt (MeV) ultrafast electron diffraction instrument for the study of structural dynamics in solution. Limitations posed by the shallow penetration depth of electrons and the resulting information loss due to multiple scattering and the technical challenge of delivering liquids to vacuum were overcome through the use of MeV electrons and a gas-accelerated thin liquid sheet jet. To demonstrate the capabilities of this instrument, the structure of water and its network were resolved up to the 3rd hydration shell with a spatial resolution of 0.6 Å; preliminary time-resolved experiments demonstrated a temporal resolution of 200 fs.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

The outer structure of the Crab Nebula

Observations of the line emission from the Crab Nebula indicate a structure consisting of dense filaments from which thin clumpy sheets of gas fan out radially. The jet feature noted by van den Bergh (1970) is one of these sheets. The sheets may have been created by the differential acceleration of filaments, or they may be the result of the formation of the dense filaments by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Chevalier, R. A.↗

Oxide Control for Silicon Crystal Growth

Web dendrite growth process pulls sheet of newly crystallized silicon from molten silicon. Jets of argon pull outside gas into melt cavity, preventing silicon oxide from passing through heat-shield hold and depositing on it. Generated by aspirators, reversed flow is used in web dendrite process, which produces sheets of single-crystal silicon for low-cost solar cells.

Wehrli, H. A. I.↗

Fluid spray simulation with two-fluid nozzles

Two-phase interacting flow inside a two-fluid fuel atomizer was investigated and a correction of aerodynamic and liquid-surface forces with characteristic drop diameter was obtained for liquid-jet breakup in Mach 1 gas flow. Nitrogen gas mass-flux was varied from 6 to 50 g/sq cm sec by using four differently sized two-fluid atomizers with nozzle diameters varyig from 0.32 to 0.56 cm. The correlation was derived by using the acoustic gas velocity, V sub c, as a basic parameter in defining and evaluating the dimensionless product of the Weber (We) and Reynolds (Re) numbers. By using the definition of WeRe, it was found that the ratio of orifice diameter to Sauter mean drop diameter could be correlated with the dimensionless ratio WeRe and the gas to liquid density ratio.

Ingebo, Robert D.↗

Fuel spray simulation with two-fluid nozzles

Two-phase interacting flow inside a two-fluid fuel atomizer was investigated and a correction of aerodynamic and liquid-surface forces with characteristic drop diameter was obtained for liquid-jet breakup in Mach 1 gas flow. Nitrogen gas mass-flux was varied from 6 to 50 g/sq cm sec by using four differently sized two-fluid atomizers with nozzle diameters varying from 0.32 to 0.56 cm. The correlation was derived by using the acoustic gas velocity, V sub c, as a basic parameter in defining and evaluating the dimensionless product of the Weber (We) and Reynolds (Re) numbers. By using the definition of WeRe, it was found that the ratio of orifice diameter to Sauter mean drop diameter could be correlated with the dimensionless ratio WeRe and the gas to liquid density ratio.

Ingebo, Robert D.↗

Compact jets and the AGN paradigm

The nature of compact, nonthermal jets in active galactic nuclei is reviewed from both observational and theoretical standpoints. Despite rapid variations in brightness, the smallest emission regions in a jet may be relatively far removed from the central engine. Certain models for the formation of a relativistic particle beam that evolves downstream into the observed radio-infrared jet do, however, predict substantial high energy radiation from regions in the beam close to the accretion disk. Observations of such emission, and the general requirement that the jets be well collimated and accelerated to relativistic bulk velocities by the point where they are observed in the radio, can provide indirect constraints on the massive black hole accretion paradigm. Observations of well collimated, semi-relativistic jets in the accreting stellar systems SS 433 and Cyg X-3, as well as slower jets emanating from star forming regions, encourage one to associate jet formation with accretion of gas onto a compact object.

Marscher, Alan P.↗

Water cooling system for an air-breathing hypersonic test vehicle

This study provides concepts for hypersonic experimental scramjet test vehicles which have low cost and low risk. Cryogenic hydrogen is used as the fuel and coolant. Secondary water cooling systems were designed. Three concepts are shown: an all hydrogen cooling system, a secondary open loop water cooled system, and a secondary closed loop water cooled system. The open loop concept uses high pressure helium (15,000 psi) to drive water through the cooling system while maintaining the pressure in the water tank. The water flows through the turbine side of the turbopump to pump hydrogen fuel. The water is then allowed to vent. In the closed loop concept high pressure, room temperature, compressed liquid water is circulated. In flight water pressure is limited to 6000 psi by venting some of the water. Water is circulated through cooling channels via an ejector which uses high pressure gas to drive a water jet. The cooling systems are presented along with finite difference steady-state and transient analysis results. The results from this study indicate that water used as a secondary coolant can be designed to increase experimental test time, produce minimum venting of fluid and reduce overall development cost.

Petley, Dennis H.↗

Improved Controllers For Heaters In Toxic-Gas Combustors

Commercial electronic proportional controllers installed in place of mechanical power controllers for electric heaters in toxic-gas combustors at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Designed to maintain temperature of heater at preset value by turning power fully on or fully off when temperature falls below or rises above that value, respectively. Solid-state power controllers overcome deficiencies of mechanical power controllers.

Wishard, James↗

Development of Processing Techniques for Advanced Thermal Protection Materials

Thermal Protection Materials Branch (TPMB) has been involved in various research programs to improve the properties and structural integrity of the existing aerospace high temperature materials. Specimens from various research programs were brought into the analytical laboratory for the purpose of obtaining and refining the material characterization. The analytical laboratory in TPMB has many different instruments which were utilized to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of materials. Some of the instruments that were utilized by the SJSU students are: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray Diffraction Spectrometer (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultra Violet Spectroscopy/Visible Spectroscopy (UV/VIS), Particle Size Analyzer (PSA), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). The above mentioned analytical instruments were utilized in the material characterization process of the specimens from research programs such as: aerogel ceramics (I) and (II), X-33 Blankets, ARC-Jet specimens, QUICFIX specimens and gas permeability of lightweight ceramic ablators. In addition to analytical instruments in the analytical laboratory at TPMB, there are several on-going experiments. One particular experiment allows the measurement of permeability of ceramic ablators. From these measurements, physical characteristics of the ceramic ablators can be derived.

Selvaduray, Guna↗

The THS Experiment: Simulating Titans Atmospheric Chemistry at Low Temperature (200K)

In Titan's atmosphere, composed mainly of N2 (95-98%) and CH4 (2-5%), a complex chemistry occurs at low temperature, and leads to the production of heavy organic molecules and subsequently solid aerosols. Here, we used the Titan Haze Simulation (THS) experiment, an experimental setup developed at the NASA Ames COSmIC simulation facility to study Titan's atmospheric chemistry at low temperature. In the THS, the chemistry is simulated by plasma in the stream of a supersonic expansion. With this unique design, the gas is cooled to Titan-like temperature ( approximately 150K) before inducing the chemistry by plasma, and remains at low temperature in the plasma discharge (approximately 200K). Different N2-CH4-based gas mixtures can be injected in the plasma, with or without the addition of heavier precursors present as trace elements on Titan, in order to monitor the evolution of the chemical growth. Both the gas- and solid phase products resulting from the plasma-induced chemistry can be monitored and analyzed using a combination of complementary in situ and ex situ diagnostics. A recent mass spectrometry[1] study of the gas phase has demonstrated that the THS is a unique tool to probe the first and intermediate steps of Titan's atmospheric chemistry at Titan-like temperature. In particular, the mass spectra obtained in a N2-CH4-C2H2-C6H6 mixture are relevant for comparison to Cassini's CAPS-IBS instrument. The results of a complementary study of the solid phase are consistent with the chemical growth evolution observed in the gas phase. Grains and aggregates form in the gas phase and can be jet deposited on various substrates for ex situ analysis. Scanning Electron Microscopy images show that more complex mixtures produce larger aggregates. A mass spectrometry analysis of the solid phase has detected the presence of aminoacetonitrile, a precursor of glycine, in the THS aerosols. X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) measurements also show the presence of imine and nitrile functional groups, showing evidence of nitrogen chemistry. These complementary studies show the high potential of THS to better understand Titan's chemistry and the origin of aerosol formation.

Laboratory↗

Validation of Cryogenic Propellant Tank Filling using Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

Validation of cryogenic propellant tank filling was performed using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver Loci/STREAM-VoF. The validation effort helped identify modeling methodologies that enable NASA to best support its partners in both launch pad and on-orbit filling operations. Data from liquid hydrogen ground tests filled via jet injection were used for the validation effort which include a sensitivity to initial tank wall temperature. Initially hot walls are expected to yield rapid evaporation and possibly boiling. A Volume of Fluid (VoF) methodology was used to capture the gas-liquid interface. Rapid breakup of the liquid jet was observed in simulation results as liquid evaporated and expanded. Inflowing liquid transitioned to a contiguous jet as tank temperatures decreased, gas pressure increased, and saturation conditions at the incoming liquid temperature were approached. The final phase of filling was distinguished by rapid gas pressure rise due to a higher rate of gas volume compression than condensation at the liquid surface. Key physics of propellant tank filling were captured in the computational predictions, and opportunities for added simulation robustness and efficiency in future modeling efforts were identified.

CFM↗

The Unusual X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278)

Deep ROSAT HRI (High-Resolution Imager) imaging of the X-ray-emitting gas associated with the colliding elliptical galaxy pair NGC 4782/4783 reveals for the first time the complexity of the hot gas distribution in a pair of close interacting galaxies. The HRI image of NGC 4782/4783 shows hot gas around each galaxy, a high surface brightness X-ray bridge connecting the galaxy pair, tidal-like tails emerging from the two galaxies, and a sheet of gas at the interaction interface between the two galaxies. The hot gas distributions do not peak at the optical centers of the galaxies but are displaced in the same sense as the tidal distensions seen in the optical luminosity distributions. All of these remarkable features show the complexity of structure that develops in the hot gas distribution when both hydrodynamical and tidal forces come into play during collisions between ellipticals with hot gas components. Models by Borne and Colina of the bent two-sided radio jet 3C 278 (associated with NGC 4782) indicated that there must be a strong interaction between the hot gas components of NGC 4782,/4783 and that the deflection of the radio jets is likely caused by the ram pressure exerted on the jet plasma by the hot gas associated with the passing companion NGC 4783. These conclusions are qualitatively confirmed by the HRI image and substantiate the major role played by the hot interstellar medium, and its asymmetries, in the propagation and entrainment of radio jets in colliding radio host ellipticals.

Colina, Luis↗

Design, Analysis, and Experimental Testing of Hydrogen Lean Direct Injection Nozzles at Elevated Pressure

Abstract There are many challenges of commissioning a hydrogen combustor into future gas turbine engines; especially regarding achieving emissions goals. Previously, Escudero et al. and Tran et al. conducted a study to adapt the liquid fuel Lean Direct Injection (LDI) concept from Jet-A to gaseous natural gas-hydrogen blends and pure hydrogen [1], [2]. Experimental data was collected at atmospheric conditions using a Box Behnken design of experiments. The design of experiments suggested that biasing the air split in favor of the inner air circuit and increasing the swirl strength of this inner air passage resulted in improved NOx emissions, while the inverse was true for stability, which was quantified by studying the lean blowoff point (LBO) [1], [2]. The trends revealed by the original experiment [1], [2] provided a design direction for further iterations of the experimental hardware. The study presented herein describes the further investigation of such LDI injectors through experimental methods and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations at atmospheric conditions, which were used to identify potential flow behaviors driving enhanced emissions performance. Further evaluation of select injectors from both studies was then conducted at elevated pressures up to 6 atmospheres. The results from both experiments are presented in this study, which include flame observations, emissions measurements, and operational challenges. NOx emissions results are reported on a volume basis in ppmvd corrected to 15% O2 and corrected for fuel. A predictive model for relating NOx emissions to test conditions at atmospheric conditions show high significance to adiabatic flame temperature while little to no significance to fuel composition for the best performing configurations. The results illustrate the connection between atmospheric testing and testing elevated pressures. The design direction indicated by the initial tests and CFD results in promising configurations for implementation into a Multi-point LDI array.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Directly imaging the cooling flow in the Phoenix cluster

In the centres of many galaxy clusters, the hot (approximately 10 7 kelvin) intracluster medium can become dense enough that it should cool on short timescales. However, the low measured star formation rates in massive central galaxies and the absence of soft X-ray lines from the cooling gas suggest that most of this gas never cools. This is known as the cooling flow problem. The latest observations suggest that black hole jets are maintaining the vast majority of gas at high temperatures. A cooling flow has yet to be fully mapped through all the gas phases in any galaxy cluster. Here we present observations of the Phoenix cluster using the James Webb Space Telescope to map the [Ne vi] λ 7.652-μm emission line, enabling us to probe the gas at 10 5.5 kelvin on large scales. These data show extended [Ne vi] emission that is cospatial with the cooling peak in the intracluster medium, the coolest gas phases and the sites of active star formation. Taken together, these imply a recent episode of rapid cooling, causing a short-lived spike in the cooling rate, which we estimate to be 5,000–23,000 solar masses per year. As a result, these data provide a large-scale map of gas at temperatures between 10 5 kelvin and 10 6 kelvin in a cluster core, and highlight the critical role that black hole feedback has in not only regulating cooling but also promoting it.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗