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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 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Multilayer and grazing incidence X-ray/EUV optics; Proceedings of the Meeting, San Diego, CA, July 22-24, 1991

The present conference discusses the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) calibration by means of synchrotron radiation and its X-ray reflectivity, X-ray scattering measurements from thin-foil X-ray mirrors, lobster-eye X-ray optics using microchannel plates, space-based interferometry at EUV and soft X-ray wavelengths, a water-window imaging X-ray telescope, a graded d-spacing multilayer telescope for high energy X-ray astronomy, photographic films for the multispectral solar telescope array, a soft X-ray ion chamber, and the development of hard X-ray optics. Also discussed are X-ray spectroscopy with multilayered optics, a slit aperture for monitoring X-ray experiments, an objective double-crystal spectrometer, a Ly-alpha coronagraph/polarimeter, tungsten/boron nitride multilayers for XUV optical applications, the evaluation of reflectors for soft X-ray optics, the manufacture of elastically bent crystals and multilayer mirrors, and selective photodevices for the VUV.

Hoover, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Application of a Laser Interferometer Skin-Friction Meter in Complex Flows

A nonintrusive skin-friction meter has been found useful for a variety of complex wind-tunnel flows. This meter measures skin friction with a remotely located laser interferometer that monitors the thickness change of a thin oil film. Its accuracy has been proven in a low-speed flat-plate flow. The wind-tunnel flows described here include sub-sonic separated and reattached flow over a rearward-facing step, supersonic flow over a flat plate at high Reynolds numbers, and supersonic three - dimensional vortical flow over the lee of a delta wing at angle of attack. The data-reduction analysis was extended to apply to three-dimensional flows with unknown flow direction, large pressure and shear gradients, and large oil viscosity changes with time. The skin friction measurements were verified, where possible, with results from more conventional techniques and also from theoretical computations.

Monson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Self Induced Buoyant Blow Off in Upward Flame Spread on Thin Solid Fuels

Upward flame spread experiments were conducted on a thin fabric cloth consisting of 75% cotton and 25% fiberglass. The sample is sandwiched symmetrically with stainless steel plates with the exposed width varying between 2 to 8.8 cm from test to test and >1.5m tall. The bottom edge was ignited resulting in a symmetric two sided flame. For the narrower samples (. 5cm), two sided flame growth would proceed until reaching some limiting value (15-30 cm depending on sample width). Fluctuation or instability of the flame base on one side would initially become visible and then the flame base would retreat downstream and cause extinguishment on one side. Detailed examination of the still images shows that the fuel continues to vaporize from the extinguished side due to the thermally thin nature of the fuel. But, due to the remaining inert fiberglass mesh, which acts as a flashback arrestor, the extinguished side was not able to be reignited by the remaining flame. The remaining flame would then shrink in length due to the reduced heat transfer to the solid to a shorter length. The one-sided flame will spread stably with a constant speed and a constant flame length to the end of the sample. A constant length flame implies that the pyrolysis front and the burnt out fronts move at the same speed. For the wider samples (. 7cm), no one-sided extinction is observed. Two-sided flames spread all the way to the top of the sample. For these wider widths, the flames are still growing and have not reached their limiting length if it exists. Care was taken to minimize the amount of non-symmetries in the experimental configuration. Repeated tests show that blow-off can occur on either side of the sample. The flame growth is observed to be very symmetric during the growth phase and grew to significant length (>10cm) before extinction of the flame on one side. Our proposed explanation of this unusual phenomenon (i.e. stronger two ]sided flame cannot exist but weaker one-sided flame can) is as follows: The observed one-sided extinction is a blow- off induced by buoyant entrainment. It is known that the flammable diffusion flame regime is bounded by quenching and blow ]off limits when varying incoming air velocity. The narrowest samples tested (between 2 and 5 cm) begin within the flammable range, but as the flame grows, the buoyancy driven air velocity increases at the neighborhood of the flame base. The initially stable flame crosses the extinguishment boundary resulting in a flame blow-off. When one-side of the flame extinguishes, the remaining side shrinks due to the reduced heat transfer to the solid. This reduces the induced velocity and the flame becomes stable. It is proposed that this may have implications to upward flame growth beyond this experiment.

Johnston, Michael C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

X-ray telescope module for the LAMAR Space Shuttle experiment

The first of eight X-ray telescopes is under construction for the LAMAR experiment. Each consists of two orthogonal sets of nested confocal one-dimensional parabolic plates of gold-coated float glass, selected for flatness from commercial stock. Each is initially bent to a cylinder by bonding a thin, highly curved titanium sheet to its inactive surface. The final parabolic figure is produced by an automated system which includes seven diode arrays that detect a visible-light line image. Eight precise motorized linear translators operating under the control of a computer, tune the plate to the optimum figure. The plate is then fixed in position by epoxy bonds. The precision of the system is several arcsec, but the intrinsic flatness of the glass is expected to limit the half-power diameter (HPD) of the telescope to about 25 arcsec.

Gorenstein, P.↗
DOE OSTI2026

In Situ Li Seed Formation Enables Uniform Plating in Anode-Free Solid-State Batteries

Anode-free solid-state batteries (AFSSBs) are a promising route toward achieving high energy density. In these cells, the anode contains no pre-stored lithium (Li). Instead, all Li inventory originates from the cathode and is freshly deposited onto a bare current collector during charging. However, achieving uniform and defect-free Li plating on this bare current collector remains a major challenging, often resulting in low Li plating/stripping efficiency and rapid capacity decay. Here, for the first time, operando neutron imaging is employed to visualize Li plating/stripping behavior in an anode-free full cell with LiNi 0.82 Mn 0.07 Co 0.11 O 2 (NMC) as the cathode. Operando measurements reveal that complete stripping of Li leaves isolated Li residues on the current collector, which degrades interfacial contact between the current collector and solid-state electrolyte. To mitigate this interfacial issue and promote more uniform Li deposition, we implement a discharge cutoff voltage strategy that intentionally retains a thin residual Li layer after stripping. This thin Li layer, serving as an in situ–formed seed layer, not only enables more homogeneous subsequent Li plating but also improves interfacial contact. As a result, the anode-free cell with a controlled discharge voltage of 3.5 V exhibits excellent long-term cycling stability, maintaining a discharge capacity of 116 mAh g -1 with a retention rate of 83.4% and an average Coulombic efficiency of approximately 99.9% after 430 cycles at 0.25 C. In contrast, the cell with a conventional discharge cutoff voltage of 2.8 V exhibits rapid capacity decay, retaining only 59.7 mAh g -1 after 50 cycles with a capacity retention of 40.7%. This work offers a practical strategy to unlock the long-term viability of anode-free solid-state batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1985

Analysis of the electromagnetic scattering from an inlet geometry with lossy walls

One of the primary goals is to develop an approximate but sufficiently accurate analysis for the problem of electromagnetic (EM) plane wave scattering by an open ended, perfectly-conducting, semi-infinite hollow circular waveguide (or duct) with a thin, uniform layer of lossy or absorbing material on its inner wall, and with a simple termination inside. The less difficult but useful problem of the EM scattering by a two-dimensional (2-D), semi-infinite parallel plate waveguide with an impedance boundary condition on the inner walls was chosen initially for analysis. The impedance boundary condition in this problem serves to model a thin layer of lossy dielectric/ferrite coating on the otherwise perfectly-conducting interior waveguide walls. An approximate but efficient and accurate ray solution was obtained recently. That solution is presently being extended to the case of a moderately thick dielectric/ferrite coating on the walls so as to be valid for situations where the impedance boundary condition may not remain sufficiently accurate.

Myung, N. H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Piston manometer as an absolute standard for vacuum-gage calibration in the range 2 to 500 millitorr

A thin disk is suspended, with very small annular clearance, in a cylindrical opening in the base plate of a calibration chamber. A continuous flow of calibration gas passes through the chamber and annular opening to a downstream high vacuum pump. The ratio of pressures on the two faces of the disk is very large, so that the upstream pressure is substantially equal to net force on the disk divided by disk area. This force is measured with a dynamometer that is calibrated in place with dead weights. A probable error of + or - (0.2 millitorr plus 0.2 percent) is attainable when downstream pressure is known to 10 percent.

Warshawsky, I.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Thermal contraints on high-pressure granulite metamorphism of supracrustal rocks

The circumstances leading to the formation and exposure at the Earth's surface of supracrustal granulites are examined. These are defined as sediments, volcanics, and other rock units which originally formed at the surface of the Earth, were metamorphosed to high-pressure granulite facies (T = 700-900 C, P = 5-10 kbar), and reexposed at the Earth's surface, in many cases underlain by normal thicknesses of continental crust (30-40 km). Five possible heating mechanisms to account for granulite metamorphism of supracrustal rocks are discussed: magnetic heating, thermal relaxation of perturbed temperature profiles following underthrusting of the continental crust, thermal relaxation after underthrusting of thin slivers of supracrustal rocks below continental crust of normal thickness, major preheating of the upper plate, and shear heating caused by frictional stress along the thrust plane.

Ashwal, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Bipolar battery construction

A lightweight, bipolar battery construction for lead acid batteries in which a plurality of thin, rigid, biplates each comprise a graphite fiber thermoplastic composition in conductive relation to lead stripes plated on opposite flat surfaces of the plates, and wherein a plurality of nonconductive thermoplastic separator plates support resilient yieldable porous glass mats in which active material is carried, the biplates and separator plates with active material being contained and maintained in stacked assembly by axial compression of the stacked assembly. A method of assembling such a bipolar battery construction.

Rippel, Wally E.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Magnesium Diboride Current Leads

A recently discovered superconductor, magnesium diboride (MgB2), can be used to fabricate conducting leads used in cryogenic applications. Dis covered to be superconducting in 2001, MgB2 has the advantage of remaining superconducting at higher temperatures than the previously used material, NbTi. The purpose of these leads is to provide 2 A of electricity to motors located in a 1.3 K environment. The providing environment is a relatively warm 17 K. Requirements for these leads are to survive temperature fluctuations in the 5 K and 11 K heat sinks, and not conduct excessive heat into the 1.3 K environment. Test data showed that each lead in the assembly could conduct 5 A at 4 K, which, when scaled to 17 K, still provided more than the required 2 A. The lead assembly consists of 12 steelclad MgB2 wires, a tensioned Kevlar support, a thermal heat sink interface at 4 K, and base plates. The wires are soldered to heavy copper leads at the 17 K end, and to thin copper-clad NbTi leads at the 1.3 K end. The leads were designed, fabricated, and tested at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe - Institut foer Technische Physik before inclusion in Goddard's XRS (X-Ray Spectrometer) instrument onboard the Astro-E2 spacecraft. A key factor is that MgB2 remains superconducting up to 30 K, which means that it does not introduce joule heating as a resistive wire would. Because the required temperature ranges are 1.3-17 K, this provides a large margin of safety. Previous designs lost superconductivity at around 8 K. The disadvantage to MgB2 is that it is a brittle ceramic, and making thin wires from it is challenging. The solution was to encase the leads in thin steel tubes for strength. Previous designs were so brittle as to risk instrument survival. MgB2 leads can be used in any cryogenic application where small currents need to be conducted at below 30 K. Because previous designs would superconduct only at up to 8 K, this new design would be ideal for the 8-30 K range.

Panek, John↗
NASA NTRS1990

Free vibrations of thin-walled semicircular graphite-epoxy composite frames

A detailed study is made of the effects of variations in lamination and material parameters of thin walled composite frames on their vibrational characteristics. The structures considered are semicircular thin walled frames with I and J sections. The flanges and webs of the frames are modelled by using 2-D shell and plate finite elements. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting of both the generalized displacements and stress resultants in the frames. The frequencies and modes predicted by the 2-D finite element model are compared with those obtained from experiments, as well as with the predictions of a 1-D thin walled beam finite element model. A detailed study is made of the sensitivity of the vibrational response to variations in the fiber orientation, material properties of the individual layers, and boundary conditions.

Noor, Ahmed K.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Heat-flux gage measurements on a flat plate at a Mach number of 4.6 in the VSD high speed wind tunnel, a feasibility test (LA28)

The feasibility of employing thin-film heat-flux gages was studied as a method of defining boundary layer characteristics at supersonic speeds in a high speed blowdown wind tunnel. Flow visualization techniques (using oil) were employed. Tabulated data (computer printouts), a test facility description, and photographs of test equipment are given.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1990

dc modulation noise in thin film magnetic recording disk media

A study of dc modulation noise as a function of magnetic layer thickness has been conducted for plated longitudinal low-noise Co-alloy disk media with a range of 900 to 1100 Oe. The noise, produced by the application of a reverse longitudinal dc field to a uniformly magnetized disk, supplies data regarding the uniformity of the disk. A spectrum analyzer measures the noise by means of electronic detection, and noise spectra and autocorrelation functions calculated with a model are compared to the experimental results. The model correlates with experimental data to more than 0.99. The maximum distance between effective transitions diminishes from 2.8 microns to 1 micron when the thickness of the magnetic layer is increased from 25 nm to 60 nm. The maximum average transition amplitude is found to be independent of thickness, and is bounded by 0.001 of the saturation magnetization.

Katti, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Free vibrations of thin-walled semicircular graphite-epoxy composite frames

A detailed study is made of the effects of variations in lamination and material parameters of thin walled composite frames on their vibrational characteristics. The structures considered are semicircular thin walled frames with I and J sections. The flanges and webs of the frames are modeled by using 2-D shell and plate finite elements. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting of both the generalized displacements and stress resultants in the frame. The frequencies and modes predicted by the 2-D finite element model are compared with those obtained from experiments, as well as with the predictions of a non-dimensional thin walled beam finite element model. A detailed study is made of the sensitivity of the vibrational response to variations in the fiber orientation, material properties of the individual layers, and boundary conditions.

Carden, Huey D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Free vibrations of thin-walled semicircular graphite-epoxy composite frames

A detailed study is made of the effects of variations in lamination and material parameters of thin walled composite frames on their vibrational characteristics. The structures considered are semicircular thin walled frames with I and J sections. The flanges and webs of the frames are modeled by using 2-D shell and plate finite elements. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting of both the generalized displacements and stress resultants in the frame. The frequencies and modes predicted by the 2-D finite element model are compared with those obtained from experiments, as well as with the predictions of a non-dimensional thin walled beam finite element model. A detailed study is made of the sensitivity of the vibrational response to variations in the fiber orientation, material properties of the individual layers, and boundary conditions.

Carden, Huey D.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Multi-Dimensional Damage Detection for Surfaces and Structures

Current designs for inflatable or semi-rigidized structures for habitats and space applications use a multiple-layer construction, alternating thin layers with thicker, stronger layers, which produces a layered composite structure that is much better at resisting damage. Even though such composite structures or layered systems are robust, they can still be susceptible to penetration damage. The ability to detect damage to surfaces of inflatable or semi-rigid habitat structures is of great interest to NASA. Damage caused by impacts of foreign objects such as micrometeorites can rupture the shell of these structures, causing loss of critical hardware and/or the life of the crew. While not all impacts will have a catastrophic result, it will be very important to identify and locate areas of the exterior shell that have been damaged by impacts so that repairs (or other provisions) can be made to reduce the probability of shell wall rupture. This disclosure describes a system that will provide real-time data regarding the health of the inflatable shell or rigidized structures, and information related to the location and depth of impact damage. The innovation described here is a method of determining the size, location, and direction of damage in a multilayered structure. In the multi-dimensional damage detection system, layers of two-dimensional thin film detection layers are used to form a layered composite, with non-detection layers separating the detection layers. The non-detection layers may be either thicker or thinner than the detection layers. The thin-film damage detection layers are thin films of materials with a conductive grid or striped pattern. The conductive pattern may be applied by several methods, including printing, plating, sputtering, photolithography, and etching, and can include as many detection layers that are necessary for the structure construction or to afford the detection detail level required. The damage is detected using a detector or sensory system, which may include a time domain reflectometer, resistivity monitoring hardware, or other resistance-based systems. To begin, a layered composite consisting of thin-film damage detection layers separated by non-damage detection layers is fabricated. The damage detection layers are attached to a detector that provides details regarding the physical health of each detection layer individually. If damage occurs to any of the detection layers, a change in the electrical properties of the detection layers damaged occurs, and a response is generated. Real-time analysis of these responses will provide details regarding the depth, location, and size estimation of the damage. Multiple damages can be detected, and the extent (depth) of the damage can be used to generate prognostic information related to the expected lifetime of the layered composite system. The detection system can be fabricated very easily using off-the-shelf equipment, and the detection algorithms can be written and updated (as needed) to provide the level of detail needed based on the system being monitored. Connecting to the thin film detection layers is very easy as well. The truly unique feature of the system is its flexibility; the system can be designed to gather as much (or as little) information as the end user feels necessary. Individual detection layers can be turned on or off as necessary, and algorithms can be used to optimize performance. The system can be used to generate both diagnostic and prognostic information related to the health of layer composite structures, which will be essential if such systems are utilized for space exploration. The technology is also applicable to other in-situ health monitoring systems for structure integrity.

Williams, Martha↗
NASA NTRS1981

Comparison of thin-film resistance heat-transfer gages with thin-skin transient calorimeter gages in conventional hypersonic wind tunnels

Thin film gages deposited at the stagnation region of small (8.1-mm-diameter) hemispheres and gages mounted flush with the surface of a sharp-leading-edge flat plate were tested in the Langley continuous-flow hypersonic tunnel and in the Langley hypersonic CF4 tunnel. Two substrate materials were tested, quartz and a machinable glass-ceramic. Small hemispheres were also tested utilizing the thin-skin transient calorimeter technique usually employed in conventional tunnels. One transient calorimeter model was a thin shell of stainless steel, and the other was a thin-skin insert of stainless steel mounted into a hemisphere fabricated from a machinable-glass-ceramic. Measured heat-transfer rates from the various hemispheres were compared with one another and with predicted rates. The results demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of using-film resistance heat-transfer gages in conventional hypersonic wind tunnels over a wide range of conditions.

Miller, C. G., III↗