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At least 73 records · Page 4

Significance of blast wave studies to propulsion.

Brief survey of experimental methods currently used for the study of blast wave phenomena with emphasis on high rate exothermic processes. The experimental techniques have used such devices as divergent test sections in shock or detonation tubes, employment of proper test gases, as in marginal detonations, and a variety of explosion systems from finite source explosion apparatus to devices where virtually point explosions are obtained by local breakdown initiated by means of focused laser irradiation. Other methods used are detonation tubes where pressure waves are generated by accelerating flames or by exothermic reactions developed behind reflected shocks, as well as a variety of converging shock and implosion vessels.

Oppenheim, A. K.

Optimal startup control of a jacketed tubular reactor.

The optimal startup policy of a jacketed tubular reactor, in which a first-order, reversible, exothermic reaction takes place, is presented. A distributed maximum principle is presented for determining weak necessary conditions for optimality of a diffusional distributed parameter system. A numerical technique is developed for practical implementation of the distributed maximum principle. This involves the sequential solution of the state and adjoint equations, in conjunction with a functional gradient technique for iteratively improving the control function.

Hahn, D. R.

Apparatus and method for generating large mass flow of high temperature air at hypersonic speeds

High temperature, high mass air flow and a high Reynolds number test air flow in the Mach number 8-10 regime of adequate test flow duration is attained by pressurizing a ceramic-lined storage tank with air to a pressure of about 100 to 200 atmospheres. The air is heated to temperatures of 7,000 to 8,000 R prior to introduction into the tank by passing the air over an electric arc heater means. The air cools to 5,500 to 6,000 R while in the tank. A decomposable gas such as nitrous oxide or a combustible gas such as propane is injected into the tank after pressurization and the heated pressurized air in the tank is rapidly released through a Mach number 8-10 nozzle. The injected gas medium upon contact with the heated pressurized air effects an exothermic reaction which maintains the pressure and temperature of the pressurized air during the rapid release.

Sabol, A. P.

Study of recrystallization and devitrification of lunar glass

The technique of differential thermal analysis (DTA) was applied to the study of the Apollo 17 orange soil (74220,63) and the Apollo 16 glass coated anorthite (64455,21). These glasses show accentuated exotherms of strain relief in the annealing range which is indicative of rapid cooling. These are amenable to interpretation by comparison to the known history of synthetic glasses. Synthetic glasses were prepared whose similarity in behavior between the lunar glasses and their synthetic analogs is striking. Approximate rates of cooling of the lunar glasses were determined from comparative DTA of lunar and synthetic glasses and from the determination of the relation of strain relief in the annealing range to quench rate. At higher temperatures the glasses show exotherms of crystallization. The crystallization products associated with the exothermic reactions have been identified by X-ray diffraction and the surface morphologies developed by strain relief and crystallization have been characterized with scanning electron microscopy.

Ulrich, D. R.

Photochemistry of bromoacetylene - Formation of HBr and quenching of excited Br/4 2P 0 1/2/

The photolysis of bromacetylene is examined by means of vacuum ultraviolet flash photolysis-kinetic spectroscopy, with attention given to the production of Br atoms in the 2P 0 3/2 and 2P 0 1/2 states, the production of HBr, and UV absorption attributable to the ethynyl radical. Although Br(2P 0 1/2) and Br(2P 0 3/2) were both directly observed at the shortest delay time after the flash, strongly indicating the presence of the ethynyl radical, transient absorption by C2H was not detected in the range 125 to 180 nm. Quenching rate constants for the decay of the 2P 0 1/2 state of Br, which is observed to form concurrently with the ground state, are derived for quenching by He, CH2Br, CF4, and D2 from the pseudo-first-order decay rates. HBr was observed as a secondary photolysis product, and a model of its formation by the exothermic reaction of ground-state atoms with C2HBR, coupled with the secondary production of Br atoms, is found to agree well with the experiment.

Laufer, A. H.

Combustion behavior of solid fuel ramjets

Nonreacting flowfield characteristics and fundamental fuel properties are considered with respect to their use in estimating the obtainable combustion efficiency for fuels and/or combustor geometries. It is shown that near wall turbulence intensity in nonreacting flow appears to correlate reasonably well with the fuel regression pattern in identical geometries. The HTPB based fuels exhibit solid phase exothermic reactions in contrast to purely endothermic reactions for plexiglas. It is further shown that combustion pressure oscillations appear to be related to physically induced disturbances to the fluctuating shear layers at the fuel grain and aft mixing chamber inlets.

Netzer, D. W.

Chlorine chemistry in diffuse interstellar clouds

The results of recent observations of the column densities of chlorine species in diffuse interstellar clouds are inconsistent with the column densities predicted by model calculations. The use of new atomic and molecular data fails to decrease the discrepancy. It is speculated that the exothermic reaction Cl(+) yields HCl(+) + H may not be rapid at the low temperatures prevailing in diffuse interstellar clouds.

Black, J. H.

Two-Temperature-Zone Silicon Reactor

When high purity silicon is synthesized by reduction of silicon tetrafluoride by sodium, very-fast highly exothermic reaction takes place. Controlled reaction is proposed in which SiF4-pressurized vertical reactor operates with two temperature zones. Liquid sodium feeds from nozzle at top of rector without reacting with SiF4. When sodium reaches higher temperature region at bottom, reaction takes place immediately.

Sanjurjo, A.

A spectroscopic experimental and computer-assisted empirical model for the production and energetics of excited oxygen molecules formed by atom recombination on shuttle tile surfaces

A visible emission spectroscopic method was developed. The amounts of excited singlet and triplet oxygen molecules produced by recombination on the Space Shuttle Orbiter thermal protective tiles at elevated temperatures are determined. Rate constants and energetics of the extremely exothermic reaction are evaluated in terms of a chemical and mathematical model. Implications for potential contribution to Shuttle surface reentry heating fluxes are outlined.

Owan, D. A.

Scientific Transactions No. 11 of the Institute of Mechanics, Moscow State University

The results of flow around wings, the determination of the optimal form, and the interaction of the wake with the accompanying flow at supersonic and hypersonic speeds of the free-stream flow are given. Methods of numerical and analytical calculation of one dimensional unsteady and two dimensional steady motions of fuel-gas mixtures with exothermic reactions are also considered.

Gonor, A. L.

A study of the possible effect of a thermal post cure on the mechanical properties of the 404 carbon-phenolic ring of the space shuttle solid rocket motor nozzle

Erratic pockets of erosion have occurred on the inner perimeter of the 404 rocket nozzle ring during liftoff firing. It is thought that it may be caused by pockets of volatile matter entrapped during manufacture. A thermal post cure was suggested as a possible means of outgassing such pockets, if they in fact do exist. To confirm an outgassing during a post cure and to establish a working upper temperature limit, thermal gravimetric and differential calorimetric analyses were made on a number of samples from two 404 rings supplied by the manufacturer. Continuous weight loss was observed over the temperature range explored (750 F) indicating outgassing, and a strong exothermic reaction occurs beginning about 390 F. Thus, an upper post cure temperature of 350 F is recommended. To determine the possible effect of a post cure on physical properties, the following tests will be made on matched sets of cured and post cured material: x-radiography (internal structure), linear dimensions, weight, porosity, cross ply thermal expansion, drop and double notch shear strengths, and tensional strength in the ply direction.

Giardini, A. A.

Comparison results for ignition in conjugate systems

The exothermic reaction of an arbitrarily shaped solid in a well-mixed continuous flow of constant density and velocity is investigated analytically, with a focus on a zeroth-order reaction in a pellet. Comparison theorems for the basic problem and the eigenvalue problem of ignition are derived, and the domain dependence of the bifurcation point is explored using the method of Joseph (1976). Some typical analytical results are presented in tables and compared with published values obtained using numerical methods.

Pushpavanam, S.

Two Radiative/Thermochemical Instruments

Measurements of absorption and emission complement thermal measurements. Two laboratory instruments for research in combustion and pyrolysis equipped for radiative as well as thermal measurements. One instrument essentially differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) modified to detect radiation emitted by flames. Provides means to evaluate limits of flammability of materials exhibiting exothermic reactions in DSC's. Other instrument used to determine pyrolysis properties of specimens exposed to various gases by measurement of infrared absorption spectra of pyrolysis products.

Tapphorn, Ralph M.

Lunar sulfur

Ideas introduced by Vaniman, Pettit and Heiken in their 1988 Uses of Lunar Sulfur are expanded. Particular attention is given to uses of SO2 as a mineral-dressing fluid. Also introduced is the concept of using sulfide-based concrete as an alternative to the sulfur-based concretes proposed by Leonard and Johnson. Sulfur is abundant in high-Ti mare basalts, which range from 0.16 to 0.27 pct. by weight. Terrestrial basalts with 0.15 pct. S are rare. For oxygen recovery, sulfur must be driven off with other volatiles from ilmenite concentrates, before reduction. Troilite (FeS) may be oxidized to magnetite (Fe3O4) and SO2 gas, by burning concentrates in oxygen within a magnetic field, to further oxidize ilmenite before regrinding the magnetic reconcentration. SO2 is liquid at -20 C, the mean temperature underground on the Moon, at a minimum of 0.6 atm pressure. By using liquid SO2 as a mineral dressing fluid, all the techniques of terrestrial mineral separation become available for lunar ores and concentrates. Combination of sulfur and iron in an exothermic reaction, to form iron sulfides, may be used to cement grains of other minerals into an anhydrous iron-sulfide concrete. A sulfur-iron-aggregate mixture may be heated to the ignition temperature of iron with sulfur to make a concrete shape. The best iron, sulfur, and aggregate ratios need to be experimentally established. The iron and sulfur will be by-products of oxygen production from lunar minerals.

Kuck, David L.

Inelastic and reactive scattering of hyperthermal atomic oxygen from amorphous carbon

The reaction of hyperthermal oxygen atoms with an amorphous carbon-13 surface was studied using a modified universal crossed molecular beams apparatus. Time-of-flight distributions of inelastically scattered O-atoms and reactively scattered CO-13 and CO2-13 were measured with a rotatable mass spectrometer detector. Two inelastic scattering channels were observed, corresponding to a direct inelastic process in which the scattered O-atoms retain 20 to 30 percent of their initial kinetic energy and to a trapping desorption process whereby O-atoms emerge from the surface at thermal velocities. Reactive scattering data imply the formation of two kinds of CO products, slow products whose translational energies are determined by the surface temperature and hyperthermal (Approx. 3 eV) products with translational energies comprising roughly 30 percent of the total available energy (E sub avl), where E sub avl is the sum of the collision energy and the reaction exothermicity. Angular data show that the hyperthermal CO is scattered preferentially in the specular direction. CO2 product was also observed, but at much lower intensities than CO and with only thermal velocities.

Minton, Timothy K.

Acetylene fuel from atmospheric CO2 on Mars

The Mars mission scenario proposed by Baker and Zubrin (1990) intended for an unmanned preliminary mission is extended to maximize the total impulse of fuel produced with a minimum mass of hydrogen from Earth. The hydrogen along with atmospheric carbon dioxide is processed into methane and oxygen by the exothermic reaction in an atmospheric processing module. Use of simple chemical reactions to produce acetylene/oxygen rocket fuel on Mars from hydrogen makes it possible to produce an amount of fuel that is nearly 100 times the mass of hydrogen brought from earth. If such a process produces the return propellant for a manned Mars mission, the required mission mass in LEO is significantly reduced over a system using all earth-derived propellants.

Landis, Geoffrey A.

Combustion synthesis of ceramic-metal composite materials - The TiC-Al2O3-Al system

Combustion synthesis was applied for producing ceramic-metal composites with reduced levels of porosity, by allowing an excess amount of liquid metal, generated by the exothermic reaction during synthesis, to infiltrate the pores. It is shown that this method, when applied to TiC-Al2O3 system, led to a decreased level of porosity in the resulting TiC-Al2O3-Al product, as compared with that of TiC-Al2O3 system. This in situ procedure is more efficient than the two-stage conventional processes (i.e., sintering followed by liquid metal infiltration), although there are limitations with respect to total penetration of the liquid metal and maintaining a stable propagation of the combustion reaction.

Feng, H. J.