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At least 685 records · Page 38

Benchmark Development for TREAT Minimum Critical Mass Core Loading to Support Validation of TREAT Operations

Benchmark experiment data is necessary to validate modeling and simulation activities to support Transient Reactor Experiment Test (TREAT) Facility restart and operations. Key measurements of interest include criticality, control rod worth, excess reactivity, and shutdown margin for varying core loading sizes. Benchmark evaluations are being developed according the guidelines provided in the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments (IRPhEP Handbook) that can also support advanced modeling and simulation activities, new experiment design for advanced reactors and accident tolerant fuel, and potential low-enriched uranium conversion of the TREAT reactor. This summary discusses development activities supporting a benchmark evaluation of the TREAT minimum critical mass core loading, which will be submitted for peer-review and publication in the IRPhEP Handbook with the identifier TREAT-FUND-RESR-001. Detailed models of TREAT were developed and evaluated to prepare benchmark models of the minimum critical mass configuration. Calculations were performed using MCNP6.1 with ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data libraries. Discussion of results.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Nonlinear Feature Extraction and Energy Dissipation of Foam/Metal Interfaces

The physical mechanisms of energy dissipation in foam to metal interfaces must be understood in order to develop predictive models of systems with foam packaging common to many aerospace and aeronautical applications. Experimental data was obtained from hardware termed Ministack, which has large, unbonded interfaces held under compressive preload. This setup has a solid aluminum mass placed into two foam cups which are then inserted into an aluminum can and fastened with a known preload. Ministack was tested on a shaker using upward sine sweep base acceleration excitations to estimate the linearized natural frequency and energy dissipation of the first axial mode. The experimental system was disassembled and reassembled before each series of tests in order to observe the effects of the assembly to assembly variability on the dynamics. Additionally, Ministack was subjected to upward and downward sweeps to gain some understanding of the nonlinearities. Finally, Ministack was tested using a transient input, and the ring down was analyzed to find the effective stiffness and damping. There are some important findings in the measured data: there is significant assembly to assembly variability, the order in which the sine sweeps are performed influence s the dynamic response, and the system exhibits nontrivial damping and stiffness nonlinearities that must be accounted for in modeling efforts .

42 ENGINEERING↗

Long-duration firings of a Mariner Mars 1969 catalytic reactor

Two long-duration tests were conducted with a surplus Mariner Mars 1969 monopropellant hydrazine reactor in an attempt to induce the washout phenomenon. The Mariner Mars 1969 reactor was chosen because it has a long development history and thus is well characterized. No washout occurred during either of the two 1000-s tests, although slow transients were observed in the reactor operation during what were nominally steady-state conditions. The 2000-s of operating time represents nearly an order of magnitude increase over the rated life of the engine.

Price, T. W.↗

Time-dependent, non-Newtonian behavior of viscoelastic materials

A kinetic model for characterizing the shear stress or shear strain rate of thixotropic materials is developed and combined with Oldroyd's viscoelastic model (1953) modified in this paper in order to predict the first normal stress difference. In order to test the method, transient and steady state data have been obtained with a Weissenberg rheogoniometer used to measure the constant stress and constant shear rate of a solution of polymethyl methacrylate in diethylphthalate. A computer was used to facilitate data acquisition.

Jachimiak, P. D.↗

F100 multivariable control synthesis program: A review of full scale engine altitude tests

The benefits of linear quadratic regulator synthesis methods in designing a multivariable engine control capable of operating an engine throughout its flight envelope were demonstrated. The entire multivariable control synthesis program is reviewed with particular emphasis on engine tests conducted in the NASA Lewis propulsion systems laboratory altitude facility. The multivariable control has basically a proportional plus integral, model following structure with gains scheduled as functions of flight condition. The multivariable control logic design is described, along with control computer implementation aspects. Altitude tests demonstrated that the multivariable control logic could control an engine over a wide range of test conditions. Representative transient responses are presented to demonstrate engine behavior and the functioning of the control logic.

Lehtinen, B.↗

Space Shuttle main engine nozzle-steerhorn dynamics

On two occasions during the Space Shuttle main engine development, the LH2 feedline (called the steerhorn, because of its shape) failed during the cutoff transient. A dynamic test was undertaken, and an analytical model was developed and correlated to the dynamic test. Detailed models of the tube bundle were required to obtain the equivalent shell coefficients. All-shell models of the nozzle wall were found better than beam-shell models. The most difficult part of the structure to simulate was the felt-metal pad between the feedline and its mount, which introduced nonlinear stiffness and damping and led to the use of separate low amplitude and high amplitude models. The total structure was found to have 400 modes in the frequency range of interest, 0 to 500 Hz. Good test analysis correlation was obtained and a modified feedline configuration was found to demonstrate a 40% reduction of response stress from the original configuration.

Kiefling, L.↗

In-situ analysis of hydrazine decomposition products

A gas analyzer utilizing a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) detection system was used to monitor the ammonia and water vapor content of the products of a previously unused hydrazine gas generator. This provided an in-situ measurement of the generator's efficiency difficult to obtain by other means. The analyzer was easily installed in both the calibration and hydrazine systems, required no maintenance other than periodic zero adjustments, and performed well for extended periods in the operating range tested. The catalyst bed operated smoothly and repeatably during the 28 hr of testing. No major transients were observed on startup or during steady state operation. The amount of ammonia in the output stream of the gas generator was found to be a strong function of temperature at catalyst bed temperatures below 450 C. At temperatures above this, the efficiency remained nearly constant. On startup the gas generator efficiency was found to decrease with time until a steady state value was attained. Elevated catalyst bed temperatures in the periods before steady state operation was found to be responsible for this phenomenon.

Curran, Francis M.↗

In-situ analysis of hydrazine decomposition products

A gas analyzer utilizing a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) detection system was used to monitor the ammonia and water vapor content of the products of a previously unused hydrazine gas generator. This provided an in-situ measurement of the generator's efficiency difficult to obtain by other means. The analyzer was easily installed in both the calibration and hydrazine systems, required no maintenance other than periodic zero adjustments, and performed well for extended periods in the operating range tested. The catalyst bed operated smoothly and repeatably during the 28 hr of testing. No major transients were observed on startup or during steady state operation. The amount of ammonia in the output stream of the gas generator was found to be a strong function of temperature at catalyst bed temperatures below 450 C. At temperatures above this, the efficiency remained nearly constant. On startup the gas generator efficiency was found to decrease with time until a steady state value was attained. Elevated catalyst bed temperatures in the periods before steady state operation was found to be responsible for this phenomenon.

Curran, Francis M.↗

Pulse Coil Tester

Set of relays tested easily and repeatedly. Pulse coil tester causes coil under test to generate transient voltage; waveform indicates condition of coil. Tester accommodates assembly of up to four coils at a time.

Simon, Richard A.↗

Experimental studies on the tripping behavior of narrow T-stiffened flat plates subjected to hydrostatic pressure and underwater shock

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the static and dynamic responses of a specific stiffened flat plate design. The air-backed rectangular flat plates of 6061-T6 aluminum with an externally machined longitudinal narrow-flanged T-stiffener and clamped boundary conditions were subjected to static loading by water hydropump pressure and shock loading from an eight pound TNT charge detonated underwater. The dynamic test plate was instrumented to measure transient strains and free field pressure. The static test plate was instrumented to measure transient strains, plate deflection, and pressure. Emphasis was placed upon forcing static and dynamic stiffener tripping, obtaining relevant strain and pressure data, and studying the associated plate-stiffener behavior.

Budweg, H. L.↗

Experimental and computational study of the viscoplastic response of high temperature structures

The first nine months of experimental and computational studies of the thermal-structural behavior of thin panels subjected to localized heating are described. Initial experimental studies have focused on developing an experimental set-up with well-defined thermal-structure boundary conditions. Preliminary tests with a Heldenfels panel have demonstrated out of plane bending (thermal buckling) due to panel initial imperfections. Initial computational studies have focused on: (1) validation of a thermoviscoplastic code to predict thermal stresses in the unbuckled panel, and (2) investigating in-plane stresses for test panels under transient thermal loading. Plans for future research are described.

Thornton, Earl A.↗

Application of multirate digital filter banks to wideband all-digital phase-locked loops design

A new class of architecture for all-digital phase-locked loops (DPLL's) is presented in this article. These architectures, referred to as parallel DPLL (PDPLL), employ multirate digital filter banks (DFB's) to track signals with a lower processing rate than the Nyquist rate, without reducing the input (Nyquist) bandwidth. The PDPLL basically trades complexity for hardware-processing speed by introducing parallel processing in the receiver. It is demonstrated here that the DPLL performance is identical to that of a PDPLL for both steady-state and transient behavior. A test signal with a time-varying Doppler characteristic is used to compare the performance of both the DPLL and the PDPLL.

Sadr, R.↗

Application of multirate digital filter banks to wideband all-digital phase-locked loops design

A new class of architecture for all-digital phase-locked loops (DPLL's) is presented in this article. These architectures, referred to as parallel DPLL (PDPLL), employ multirate digital filter banks (DFB's) to track signals with a lower processing rate than the Nyquist rate, without reducing the input (Nyquist) bandwidth. The PDPLL basically trades complexity for hardware-processing speed by introducing parallel processing in the receiver. It is demonstrated here that the DPLL performance is identical to that of a PDPLL for both steady-state and transient behavior. A test signal with a time-varying Doppler characteristic is used to compare the performance of both the DPLL and the PDPLL.

Sadr, Ramin↗

Transient Mathematical Modeling for Liquid Rocket Engine Systems: Methods, Capabilities, and Experience

The subject of mathematical modeling of the transient operation of liquid rocket engines is presented in overview form from the perspective of engineers working at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The necessity of creating and utilizing accurate mathematical models as part of liquid rocket engine development process has become well established and is likely to increase in importance in the future. The issues of design considerations for transient operation, development testing, and failure scenario simulation are discussed. An overview of the derivation of the basic governing equations is presented along with a discussion of computational and numerical issues associated with the implementation of these equations in computer codes. Also, work in the field of generating usable fluid property tables is presented along with an overview of efforts to be undertaken in the future to improve the tools use for the mathematical modeling process.

Martin, Michael A.↗

Transient Mathematical Modeling for Liquid Rocket Engine Systems: Methods, Capabilities, and Experience

The subject of mathematical modeling of the transient operation of liquid rocket engines is presented in overview form from the perspective of engineers working at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The necessity of creating and utilizing accurate mathematical models as part of liquid rocket engine development process has become well established and is likely to increase in importance in the future. The issues of design considerations for transient operation, development testing, and failure scenario simulation are discussed. An overview of the derivation of the basic governing equations is presented along with a discussion of computational and numerical issues associated with the implementation of these equations in computer codes. Also, work in the field of generating usable fluid property tables is presented along with an overview of efforts to be undertaken in the future to improve the tools use for the mathematical modeling process.

Seymour, David C.↗

Density and Cavitating Flow Results from a Full-Scale Optical Multiphase Cryogenic Flowmeter

Liquid propulsion systems are hampered by poor flow measurements. The measurement of flow directly impacts safe motor operations, performance parameters as well as providing feedback from ground testing and developmental work. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, in an effort to improve propulsion sensor technology, has developed an all optical flow meter that directly measures the density of the fluid. The full-scale sensor was tested in a transient, multiphase liquid nitrogen fluid environment. Comparison with traditional density models shows excellent agreement with fluid density with an error of approximately 0.8%. Further evaluation shows the sensor is able to detect cavitation or bubbles in the flow stream and separate out their resulting effects in fluid density.

Korman, Valentin↗