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At least 667 records · Page 37

Development of Advanced Multizone Facilities for Microgravity Processing

NASA has been interested in experimental ground based study to investigate the fundamental processes involved in phase transformation processes during growth of metallic, nonmetallic and electronic materials. Solidification, vapor growth and solution growth techniques of growing crystals are of special interest because of the inherent importance of convection in the nutrient solution. Convection enhances the mass transport through the nutrient and results in faster growth rates. Availability of low gravity environment of space has provided scientists a new variable to control the extent of convection and thus isolate the diffusive phenomena for their better understanding. The thermal gradient at the liquid-solid interface is determined by the alloy characteristics, the hot zone temperature, cold zone temperature and the width of the insulating zone. The thermal profiles get established by the existing material and geometrical constraints of the experimental set up. The major effort under this research was devoted to designing a programmable furnace which can be used to obtain thermal profiles along the length of the sample as per the demands of the scientists. The furnace did not have active cooling of the zones. Only active heating and passive cooling were utilized.

Source record↗

High Temperature Mechanical Characterization of Ceramic Matrix Composites

A high temperature mechanical characterization laboratory has been assembled at NASA Lewis Research Center. One contribution of this work is to test ceramic matrix composite specimens in tension in environmental extremes. Two high temperature tensile testing systems were assembled. The systems were assembled based on the performance and experience of other laboratories and meeting projected service conditions for the materials in question. The systems use frames with an electric actuator and a center screw. A PC based data acquisition and analysis system is used to collect and analyze the data. Mechanical extensometers are used to measure specimen strain. Thermocouples, placed near the specimen, are used to measure the specimen gage section temperature. The system for testing in air has a resistance element furnace with molybdenum disilicide elements and pneumatic grips with water cooling attached to hydraulic alignment devices. The system for testing in an inert gas has a graphite resistance element furnace in a chamber with rigidly mounted, water cooled, hydraulically actuated grips. Unidirectional SiC fiber reinforced reaction bonded Si3N4 and triaxially woven, two dimensional, SiC fiber reinforced enhanced SiC composites were tested in unidirectional tension. Theories for predicting the Young's modulus, modulus near the ultimate strength, first matrix cracking stress, and ultimate strength were applied and evaluated for suitability in predicting the mechanical behavior of SiC/RBSN and enhanced SiC/SiC composites. The SiC/RBSN composite exhibited pseudo tough behavior (increased area under the stress/strain curve) from 22 C to 1500 C. The rule of mixtures provides a good estimate of the Young's modulus of the SiC/RBSN composite using the constituent properties from room temperature to 1440 C for short term static tensile tests in air or nitrogen. The rule of mixtures significantly overestimates the secondary modulus near the ultimate strength. The ACK theory provides the best approximation of the first matrix cracking stress when residual stresses are ignored. The theory of Cao and Thouless, based on Weibull statistics, gave the best prediction for the composite ultimate strength. The enhanced SiC/SiC composite exhibited nonlinear stress/strain behavior from 24 C to 1370 C in air with increased ultimate strain when compared to monolithic SiC. The theory of Yang and Chou with the assumption of a frictional fiber/matrix interface provided the best estimate of the Young's modulus. The theory of Cao and Thouless gave the best estimate for the ultimate strength.

Gyekenyesi, John Z.↗

The Effect of Microgravity Direction on the Growth of PbSnTe

The Space Shuttle Columbia was launched as STS-75 at 2018 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) on February 22, 1996. One of the two major experiment packages was the Third United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-3), and one of the principal instruments on the USMP was the Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF). The AADSF is a multizone directional solidification furnace, and at the time of the USMP-3 flight was capable of processing only one sample per Shuttle mission which, for that flight, was a lead tin telluride (PbSnTe) crystal growth experiment. In the one year since the flight experiment the sample has been retrieved from the spacecraft and analysis has begun. After presenting introductory material on why PbSnTe was chosen as a test material, why microgravity processing was expected to produce desired results, and what we expected to find in conducting these tests, this report discusses the results to date which are far from complete.

Fripp, A. L.↗

Use of Microgravity to Control the Microstructure of Eutectics

This grant began in June of 1996. Its long term goal is to be able to control the microstructure of directionally solidified eutectic alloys, through an improved understanding of the influence of convection. The primary objective of the projects in the present grant is to test hypotheses for the reported influence of microgravity on the microstructure of eutectics. The prior experimental results on the influence of microgravity on the microstructure of eutectics have been contradictory. With lamellar eutectics, microgravity had a negligible effect on the microstructure. Microgravity experiments with fibrous eutectics sometimes showed a finer microstructure and sometimes a coarser microstructure. Most research has been done on the MnBi/Bi rod-like eutectic. Larson and Pirich obtained a two-fold finer microstructure both from microgravity and by use of a magnetic field to quench buoyancy-driven convection. Smith, on the other hand, observed no change in microgravity. Prior theoretical work at Clarkson University showed that buoyancy-driven convection in the vertical Bridgman configuration is not vigorous enough to alter the concentration field in front of a growing eutectic sufficiently to cause a measurable change in microstructure. We assumed that the bulk melt was at the eutectic composition and that freezing occurred at the extremum, i.e. with minimum total undercooling at the freezing interface. There have been four hypotheses attempting to explain the observed changes in microstructure of fibrous eutectics caused by convection: I .A fluctuating freezing rate, combined with unequal kinetics for fiber termination and branching. 2. Off-eutectic composition, either in the bulk melt due to an off-eutectic feed or at the freezing interface because of departure from the extremum condition. 3. Presence of a strong habit modifying impurity whose concentration at the freezing interface would be altered by convection. At the beginning of the present grant, we favored the first of these hypotheses and set out to test it both experimentally and theoretically. We planned the following approaches: I .Pass electric current pulses through the MnBi/Bi eutectic during directional solidification in order to produce an oscillatory freezing rate. 2. Directionally solidify the MnBi/Bi eutectic on Mir using the QUELD II gradient freeze furnace developed by Professor Smith at Queen's University. 3. Select another fibrous eutectic system for investigation using the Accelerated Crucible Rotation Technique to introduce convection. 4. Develop theoretical models for eutectic solidification with an oscillatory freezing rate. Because of the problems with Mir, we substituted ground-based experiments at Queen's University with QUELD II vertical and horizontal, with and without vibration of the furnace. The Al-Si system was chosen for the ACRT experiments. Three related approaches were used to model eutectic solidification with an oscillatory freezing rate. A sharp interface model was used to calculate composition oscillations at the freezing interface in response to imposed freezing rate oscillations.

Wilcox. William R.↗

Melt Stabilization of PbSnTe in a Magnetic Field

Both the experimental observation and numerical simulation indicate that the Bridgman growth of PbSnTe under the microgravity environment in space is still greatly influenced by buoyancy-induced convection. The application of a magnetic field during the semiconductor growth can dampen the convective flow in the metal-like melt. However, for Bridgman growth of PbSnTe on earth (with either vertical or horizontal configuration), both experimental observation and numerical modeling suggest that even with a strong magnetic furnace (5-Tesla constant axial magnetic field), the convective flow in the melt still cannot be sufficiently suppressed to reach the diffusion-controlled level. In order to completely dampen the buoyancy-induced convection on earth, estimates based on scaling analysis indicate that for common experimental conditions, an extremely high magnetic field is required, far beyond the capacity of the experimental apparatus currently available. Therefore, it is proposed that only the combination of microgravity environment and magnetic damping will produce the desired diffusion-controlled growth state for this particular material. The primary objectives of this study are to provide a quantitative understanding of the complex transport phenomena during solidification of non-dilute binarys, to furnish a numerical tool for furnace design and growth condition optimization, to provide estimates of the required magnetic field strength for low gravity growth, and to assess the role of magnetic damping for space and earth control of the double-diffusive convection. As an integral part of a NASA research program, our numerical simulation supports both the flight and ground-based experiments in an effort to bring together a complete picture of the complex physical phenomena involved in the crystal growth process. For Bridgman growth of PbSnTe under microgravity (with both vertical and horizontal configurations), the simulations suggest that a moderate axial magnetic field of only a few kilo-Gauss in strength could effectively eliminate buoyancy-induced convection in the melt and control solute segregation. Therefore, this work confirms the idea that the combination of microgravity environment and the magnetic damping will indeed be sufficient to produce the desired diffusion-controlled growth state for PbSnTe.

Fripp, Archibald L.↗

Filtration Combustion in Smoldering and SHS

Smolder waves and SHS (self-propagating high-temperature synthesis) waves are both examples of filtration combustion waves propagating in porous media. Smoldering combustion is important for the study of fire safety. Smoldering itself can cause damage, its products are toxic and it can also lead to the more dangerous gas phase combustion which corresponds to faster propagation at higher temperatures. In SHS, a porous solid sample, consisting of a finely ground powder mixture of reactants, is ignited at one end. A high temperature thermal wave, having a frontal structure, then propagates through the sample converting reactants to products. The SHS technology appears to enjoy a number of advantages over the conventional technology, in which the sample is placed in a furnace and "baked" until it is "well done". The advantages include shorter synthesis times, greater economy, in that the internal energy of the reactions is employed rather than the costly external energy of the furnace, purer products, simpler equipment and no intrinsic limitation on the size of the sample to be synthesized, as exists in the conventional technology. When delivery of reactants through the pores to the reaction site is an important aspect of the combustion process, it is referred to as filtration combustion. The two types of filtration combustion have a similar mathematical formulation, describing the ignition, propagation and extinction of combustion waves in porous media. The goal in each case, however, is different. In smoldering the desired goal is to prevent propagation, whereas in SHS the goal is to insure propagation of the combustion wave, leading to the synthesis of desired products. In addition, the scales in the two areas of application differ. Smoldering generally occurs at lower temperatures and propagation velocities than in SHS. Nevertheless, the two applications have much in common, so that what is learned in one application can be used to advantage in the other. We have considered a number of problems involving filtration combustion. Here we describe two such studies: (A) fingering instabilities in filtration combustion, (B) rapid filtration combustion waves driven by convection.

Matkowsky, Bernard↗

Shuttle Mission STS-50: Orbital Processing of High-Quality CdTe Compound Semiconductors Experiment: Final Flight Sample Characterization Report

The Orbital Processing of High-Quality Doped and Alloyed CdTe Compound Semiconductors program was initiated to investigate, quantitatively, the influences of gravitationally dependent phenomena on the growth and quality of bulk compound semiconductors. The objective was to improve crystal quality (both structural and compositional) and to better understand and control the variables within the crystal growth production process. The empirical effort entailed the development of a terrestrial (one-g) experiment baseline for quantitative comparison with microgravity (mu-g) results. This effort was supported by the development of high-fidelity process models of heat transfer, fluid flow and solute redistribution, and thermo-mechanical stress occurring in the furnace, safety cartridge, ampoule, and crystal throughout the melting, seeding, crystal growth, and post-solidification processing. In addition, the sensitivity of the orbital experiments was analyzed with respect to the residual microgravity (mu-g) environment, both steady state and g-jitter. CdZnTe crystals were grown in one-g and in mu-g. Crystals processed terrestrially were grown at the NASA Ground Control Experiments Laboratory (GCEL) and at Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman Corporation). Two mu-g crystals were grown in the Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF) during the First United States Microgravity Laboratory Mission (USML-1), STS-50, June 24 - July 9, 1992.

Larson, David J.↗

Material Science Experiments on Mir

This paper describes the microgravity materials experiments carried out on the Shuttle/Mir program. There were six experiments, all of which investigated some aspect of diffusivity in liquid melts. The Liquid Metal Diffusion (LMD) experiment investigated the diffusivity of molten Indium samples at 185 C using a radioactive tracer, In-114m. By monitoring two different gamma ray energies (190 keV and 24 keV) emitted by the samples it was possible to measure independently the diffusion rates in the bulk and at the surface of the samples. The Queens University Experiment in Liquid Diffusion (QUELD) was the furnace facility used to process 213 samples for the five other experiments. These experiments investigated the diffusion, ripening, crystal growth, and glass formation in metal, semiconductor, and glass samples. This facility had the capability to process samples in an isothermal or gradient configuration for varying periods of time at temperatures up to 900 C. Both the LMD and the QUELD furnaces were mounted on the Microgravity Isolation Mount (MIM) which provided isolation from g-jitter. All the microgravity experiments were supported by the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS); a three head three axes acceleration monitoring system which measured and recorded the acceleration environment.

Kroes, Roger L.↗

Refractive Secondary Concentrators for Solar Thermal Applications

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing technologies that utilize solar energy for various space applications including electrical power conversion, thermal propulsion, and furnaces. Common to all of these applications is the need for highly efficient, solar concentration systems. An effort is underway to develop the innovative single crystal refractive secondary concentrator, which uses refraction and total internal reflection to efficiently concentrate and direct solar energy. The refractive secondary offers very high throughput efficiencies (greater than 90%), and when used in combination with advanced primary concentrators, enables very high concentration ratios (10,0(X) to 1) and very high temperatures (greater than 2000 K). Presented is an overview of the refractive secondary concentrator development effort at the NASA Glenn Research Center, including optical design and analysis techniques, thermal modeling capabilities, crystal materials characterization testing, optical coatings evaluation, and component testing. Also presented is a discussion of potential future activity and technical issues yet to be resolved. Much of the work performed to date has been in support of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Solar Thermal Propulsion Program. The many benefits of a refractive secondary concentrator that enable efficient, high temperature thermal propulsion system designs, apply equally well to other solar applications including furnaces and power generation systems such as solar dynamics, concentrated thermal photovoltaics, and thermionics.

Wong, Wayne A.↗

Insert Concepts for the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) on the International Space Station (ISS)

The Material Science Research Rack I (MSRR-1) of the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) contains an Experiment Module (EM) being developed collaboratively by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). This NASA/ESA EM will accommodate several different removable and replaceable Module Inserts (MIs) which are installed on orbit NASA's planned inserts include the Quench Module Insert (QMI) and the Diffusion Module Insert (DMI). The QMI is a high-gradient Bridgman-type vacuum furnace with quench capabilities used for experiments on directional solidification of metal alloys. The DMI is a vacuum Bridgman-Stockbarger-type furnace for experiments on Fickian and Soret diffusion in liquids. This paper discusses specific design features and performance capabilities of each insert. The paper also presents current prototype QMI hardware analysis and testing activities and selected results.

Crouch, Myscha↗

Development and Characterization of Laser-Induced Incandescence Towards Nanoparticle (Soot) Detection

The production of particulates, notably soot, during combustion has both positive and negative ramifications. Exhaust from diesel engines under load (for example, shifting gears), flickering candle flames and fireplaces all produce soot leaving a flame. From an efficiency standpoint, emission of soot from engines, furnaces or even a simple flickering candle flame represents a loss of useful energy. The emission of soot from diesel engines, furnaces, power generation facilities, incinerators and even simple flames poses a serious environmental problem and health risk. Yet some industries intentionally produce soot as carbon black for use in inks, copier toner, tires and as pigments. Similarly, the presence of soot within flames can act both positively and negatively. Energy transfer from a combustion process is greatly facilitated by the radiative heat transfer from soot yet radiative heat transfer also facilitates the spread of unwanted fires. To understand soot formation and develop control strategies for soot emission/formation, measurements of soot concentration in both practical devices such as engines and controlled laboratory flames are necessary. Laser-induced incandescence (LII) has been developed and characterized to address this need, as described here.

VanderWal, Randy L.↗

Float-Zone Growth of Gel-xSix (x ? 10 at .%) Single Crystals: Influence of Thermocapillary and Solutocapillary Convection

Gel-xSix (x ? 10 at.%) single crystals have been grown with the float-zone technique applied within a monoellipsoid mirror furnace. The feed crystal consisted of synthesized GeO.95siO.05 polycrystalline material. Two Boron-doped (much much more than 1-2 (raised dot) 1017 at/cm3) crystals were grown under identical conditions using <100> Ge seeds. One Ge:Ga-doped (much much more than 1018 at/cm3) reference crystal was also grown in the same furnace. Compositional profiles were measured with an energy dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDAX). The maximum silicon concentration attained was 10 at.%. Micrographs of the etched crystals show sharp changes in interface curvature at the crystal edges. These are considered to be caused by solutal Marangoni convection, whose strength is assumed to be a direct function of silicon concentration, Theoretical considerations show that the flow direction, velocity, and strength varies significantly from a solutal Marangoni convection regime directly in front of the solid-liquid interface to a thermal Marangoni convection regime within the bulk melt.

Campbell, Tom A.↗

Comparison of OARE Accelerometer Data with Dopant Distribution in Se-Doped GaAs Crystals Grown During USML-1

Experiments were conducted in the crystal growth furnace (CGF) during the first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1), the STS-50 flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, to determine the segregation behavior of selenium in bulk GaAs in a microgravity environment. After the flight, the selenium-doped GaAs crystals were sectioned, polished, and analyzed to determine the free carrier concentration as a function of position, One of the two crystals initially exhibited an axial concentration profile indicative of diffusion controlled growth, but this profile then changed to that predicted for a complete mixing type growth. An analytical model, proposed by Naumann [R.J. Naumann, J. Crystal Growth 142 (1994) 253], was utilized to predict the maximum allowable microgravity disturbances transverse to the growth direction during the two different translation rates used for each of the experiments. The predicted allowable acceleration levels were 4.86 microgram for the 2.5 micrometers/s furnace translation rate and 38.9 microgram for the 5.0 micrometers/s rate. These predicted values were compared to the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) accelerometer data recorded during the crystal growth periods for these experiments. Based on the analysis of the OARE acceleration data and utilizing the predictions from the analytical model, it is concluded that the change in segregation behavior was not caused by any acceleration events in the microgravity environment.

Moskowitz, Milton E.↗

The Effect of Microgravity on the Growth of Lead Tin Telluride

The main objective of this research was to present a model for the prediction of the effect of the microgravity environment on the growth of Lead Tin Telluride. The attitude change and its relation to the experimental objectives: The main objective for the AADSF experiment on USMP 3 involving LTT growth was to estimate the effect of ampoule orientation on the axial and radial segregation of tin telluride. As the furnace was not situated on a gimbal there was no possibility to reorient the ampoule during the flight. Instead the only way to change the growth orientation was to change the attitude of the orbiter. This was accomplished by vernier rocket firings. In what follows it must be noted that the orbiter body coordinates are such that the positive z axis points outward from the 'belly', the positive 'x' axis points outwards from the nose and the positive 'y' axis points outwards from the starboard side. The furnace which was in the pay load had its axis aligned with the orbiter's 'z' axis with the hot end closest to the shuttle body. There were basically three orientations that were desired. These corresponded to the ampoule being seen as a heated from above (thermally stable-solutally unstable) configuration, the heated from below (where the instabilities were reversed from the first orientation) configuration and an 'in between' case where the ampoule axis was misaligned with respect to the orbiters 'g(sub z)' axis.

Narayanan, R.↗

Solid-Liquid Interface Characterization Hardware

The objective is to develop enabling technology to characterize the solid-liquid interface during directional solidification to unprecedented levels with real-time measurement hardware. Existing x-ray imaging hardware is combined with compact Seebeck furnaces and thermal profiling hardware, under development, to accomplish the measurements. Furnace thermal profiles are continuously measured in addition to the sample characteristics.

Peters, Palmer N.↗

Experimental and Numerical Characterization of a Steady-State Cylindrical Blackbody Cavity at 1100 Degrees Celsius

A blackbody calibration furnace at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is used to calibrate heat flux gages. These gages are for measuring the aerodynamic heat flux on hypersonic flight vehicle surfaces. The blackbody is a graphite tube with a midplane partition which divides the tube into two compartments (dual cavities). Electrical resistance heating is used to heat the graphite tube. This heating and the boundary conditions imposed on the graphite tube result in temperature gradients along the walls of the blackbody cavity. This paper describes measurements made during steady-state operation and development of finite-difference thermal models of the blockbody furnace at 1100 C. Two configurations were studied, one with the blackbody outer surface insulated and the other without insulation. The dominant modes of heat transfer were identified for each configuration and the effect of variations in material properties and electric current that was passed through the blackbody were quantified.

Horn, Thomas J.↗

Experimental and Numerical Characterization of a Cylindrical Blackbody Cavity

During hypersonic flight, high temperatures and high heat fluxes are generated on the surfaces of vehicles. The Flight Loads Laboratory (FLL) at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) is equipped with a calibration furnace, capable of calibrating heat flux gages up to 1100kW per square meters, and temperature sensors up to 2600 C. One heating configuration of the calibration furnace is a cylindrical blackbody cavity. Throughout the blackbody there are temperature gradients due to various boundary conditions. These boundary conditions include resistance heating, radiant heat transfer, and conduction to water-cooled electrodes. Also, an inert gas is purged through the graphite blackbody to prevent it from oxidizing. Consequently, the various modes of heat transfer present during operation of the blackbody cavity must be well understood in order to produce accurate heat flux gage and temperature sensor calibrations for use in ground testing or flight testing of hypersonic vehicles. The first step towards understanding the heat transfer in the blackbody cavity was to perform experiments at 1100 C, with and without outer surface insulation, while taking detailed temperature measurements inside the blackbody cavity. Steady state thermal models of the blackbody cavity were then developed. These models included detailed thermal analysis using commercial thermal analysis software. Conduction, radiation, and convection were considered in the thermal models for two cases: one with the outside of the blackbody cavity insulated and the second without insulation. This paper describes the experimental and numerical efforts used to characterize the steady state operation of the blackbody cavity. It describes the analysis of the test measurements, the boundary conditions used in the numerical models, and how the models were calibrated to fit the experimental data. Effects of various uncertainties, such as material properties, and convection are discussed.Initial thermal models predicted temperatures in the deepest part of the blackbody cavity within 7 C of the measured value and produced trends comparable to the experimental data, throughout the models. Adjustment of the boundary conditions, which were included in the thermal models, produced good agreement with measured temperatures. Free and forced convection of the purge gas inside the blackbody was found to be insignificant.

Abdelmessih, Amanie N.↗

Emittance Measurements at the Langley Chemical Physics Laboratory

Total hemispherical emittance measurements are made routinely for materials which may be heated by electrical resistance methods over the temperature range of 600 degrees to 2,000 F by using a black-body reference method. This employs a conical black body and a thermopile detector with a calcium fluoride lens. Emittance is obtained by measuring the radiant flux from the specimen strip and comparing it with the flux from an equal area of the black-body cone at the same temperature. The temperature measurements are made by use of thermocouples. It is planned to extend the temperature range of this type of measurement to temperatures above 2,000 F. Another technique has been investigated for measuring emittance of materials not amenable to electrical heating or thermocouple attachment. This method uses a black-body-cavity furnace similar to that used in reference 5 to measure emittance of transparent materials such as glass. The method employs a heated black-body cavity in which the semicircular specimen is allowed to come to the equilibrium temperature of the cavity and then is rotated in front of a water-cooled viewing port where a sensitive thermistor detector alternately views the specimen surface and the black-body cavity. The ratio of the two readings gives the specimen emittance directly, for the temperature of the black body. The detector output is recorded on a fast Brown self-balancing potentiometer. The furnace is provided with a water-cooled blackened shutter which may be inserted behind the specimen to eliminate any transmitted black-body radiation if the specimen is transparent. This apparatus is capable of measuring total normal emittance over the temperature range of 1,000 degrees to 2,000 F. Preliminary data for boron nitride specimens of two thicknesses are shown where total normal emittance is plotted against temperature for two experimental conditions: (1) black-body radiation incident on the back of the specimen and (2) no black-body radiation incident on the back of the specimen (that is, with a watercooled shutter behind the specimen). The data appear to indicate a slight transparency for the thin specimen and emittances of from 0.7 to 0.8 over the temperature range.

Lewis, B. W.↗