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NASA NTRS1992

Combustion of liquid-fuel droplets in supercritical conditions

A comprehensive analysis of liquid-fuel droplet combustion in both subcritical and supercritical environments has been conducted. The formulation is based on the complete conservation equations for both gas and liquid phases, and accommodates variable thermophysical properties, finite-rate chemical kinetics, and a full treatment of liquid-vapor phase equilibrium at the drop surface. The governing equations and associated interfacial boundary conditions are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit scheme with the dual time-stepping integration technique. The model is capable of treating the entire droplet history, including the transition from the subcritical to supercritical state. As a specific example, the combustion of n-pentane fuel droplets in air is studied for pressures in the range of 5-140 atm. Results indicate that the ambient gas pressure exerts significant control of droplet gasification and burning processes through its influence on fluid transport, gas-liquid interfacial thermodynamics, and chemical reactions. The droplet gasification rate increases progressively with pressure. However, the data for the overall burnout time exhibit a considerable change in the combustion mechanism at the critical pressure, mainly as a result of reduced mass diffusivity and latent heat of vaporization with increased pressure.

Shuen, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Combustion of liquid fuel droplets in supercritical conditions

A comprehensive analysis of liquid-fuel droplet combustion in both sub- and super-critical environments has been conducted. The formulation is based on the complete conservation equations for both gas and liquid phases, and accommodates finite-rate chemical kinetics and a full treatment of liquid-vapor phase equilibrium at the droplet surface. The governing equations and the associated interface boundary conditions are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit scheme with the dual time-stepping integration technique. The model is capable of treating the entire droplet history, including the transition from the subcritical to the supercritical state. As a specific example, the combustion of n-pentane fuel droplets in air is studied for pressures of 5-140 atm. Results indicate that the ambient gas pressure exerts significant control of droplet gasification and burning processes through its influences on the fluid transport, gas/liquid interface thermodynamics, and chemical reactions. The droplet gasification rate increases progressively with pressure. However, the data for the overall burnout time exhibits a significant variation near the critical burning pressure, mainly as a result of reduced mass-diffusion rate and latent heat of vaporization with increased pressure. The influence of droplet size on the burning characteristics is also noted.

Shuen, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Vaporization and combustion of fuel droplets at supercritical conditions

Vaporization and combustion liquid-fuel droplets in both sub- and super-critical environments have been examined. The formulation is based on the complete conservation equations for both gas and liquid phases, and accommodates finite-rate chemical kinetics and a full treatment of liquid-vapor phase equilibrium at the droplet surface. The governing equations and the associated interface boundary conditions are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit scheme with the dual time-stepping integration technique. The model is capable of treating the entire droplet history, including the transition from the subcritical to the supercritical state. As a specific example, the combustion of n-pentane fuel droplets in air is studied for pressures of 5-140 atm. In addition, the dynamic responses of droplet vaporization and combustion to ambient-pressure oscillations are investigated. Results indicate that the droplet gasification and burning mechanisms depend greatly on the ambient pressure. In particular, a rapid enlargement of the vaporization and combustion responses occurs when the droplet surface reaches its critical point, mainly due to the strong variations of latent heat of vaporization and thermophysical properties at the critical state.

Yang, Vigor↗

NASA NTRS1990

Superconducting Bi(1.5)Pb(0.5)Sr2Ca2Cu3O(x) ceramics by rapid melt quenching and glass crystallization

The preparation of superconducting Bi(1.5)Pb(0.5)Sr2Ca2Cu3O(x) in the glassy state is described, and the results of a study of its crystallization kinetics are presented. The annealing parameters for transforming the glass into a superconductor containing a large fraction of the high-Tc phase were determined. It was found that prolonged annealing (longer than 10 days) in air at 840 C, followed by slow cooling, results in the Tc of 107.2 K and a sharp transition of 2 K.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Flows in Enthalpy-based Thermal Evolution of Loops

Plasma-filled loop structures are common in the solar corona. Because detailed modeling of the dynamical evolution of these structures is computationally costly, an efficient method for computing approximate but quick physics-based solutions is to rely on space-integrated 0D simulations. The enthalpy-based thermal evolution of loops (EBTEL) framework is a commonly used method to study the exchange of mass and energy between the corona and transition region. EBTEL solves for density, temperature, and pressure, averaged over the coronal part of the loop, velocity at coronal base, and the instantaneous differential emission measure distribution in the transition region. The current single-fluid version of the code, EBTEL2, assumes that at all stages the flows are subsonic. However, sometimes the solutions show the presence of supersonic flows during the impulsive phase of heat input. It is thus necessary to account for this effect. Here, we upgrade EBTEL2 to EBTEL3 by including the kinetic energy term in the Navier–Stokes equation. We compare the solutions from EBTEL3 with those obtained using EBTEL2, as well as the state-of-the-art field-aligned hydrodynamics code HYDRAD. We find that the match in pressure between EBTEL3 and HYDRAD is better than that between EBTEL2 and HYDRAD. Additionally, the velocities predicted by EBTEL3 are in close agreement with those obtained with HYDRAD when the flows are subsonic. However, EBTEL3 solutions deviate substantially from HYDRAD’s when the latter predicts supersonic flows. Using the mismatches in the solution, we propose a criterion to determine the conditions under which EBTEL can be used to study flows in the system.

Solar coronal heating↗

NASA NTRS1991

Synthesis of Y1BaCu3O(x) superconducting powders by intermediate phase reactions

A procedure for synthesizing Y1Ba2Cu3O(x) by solid state reactions was developed. The method is based on the use of barium compounds, previously synthesized, as intermediate phases for the process. The reaction kinetics of this procedure were established between 860 C and 920 C. The crystal structure and the presence of second phases were studied by means of XRD. The sintering behavior and ceramic parameters were also determined. The orthorhombic type-I structure was obtained on the synthesized bodies after a cooling cycle in an air atmosphere. Superconducting transition took place at 91 K. Sintering densities higher than 95 percent D sub th were attained at temperatures below 940 C.

Moure, C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Bulk Formation of Metallic Glasses and Amorphous Silicon from the Melt

By using metallic glass compositions with a high relative glass transition temperature, such as Pd40Ni40P20, homogeneous nucleation also becomes negligible. Large (5g) masses of this alloys were obtained using a molten B2O3 flux. Presently, bulk glass formation in iron based glasses is being investigated. It is expected that if an undercooling of about 250K can be achieved in a Ge or Si melt, formation of the amorphous semiconductor phase (rather than the crystal) may be kinetically favored. The volumetric behavior of undercooled liquid Ga droplet dispersion is investigated by dilatometry. A theoretical model (both analytical and numerical) was developed for transient nucleation in glass forming melts. The model, originally designed for isothermal conditions, was extended to continuous quenching. It is being applied to glass formation in various metallic and oxide systems. A further refinement will be the inclusion of diffusion controlled interfacial rearrangements governing the growth of the crystal embryos.

Spaepen, F.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Inertial mode oscillations of Jupiter

The properties of the inertial modes of Jupiter are investigated using several different models for that planet. The inertial modes are rotationally induced oscillation modes for which the kinetic energy generally dominates the potential energy of oscillation. The frequency spectrum of the inertial modes mainly depends on the density stratification of Jupiter and sensitively reflects the existence or nonexistence of density discontinuities in the interior. A particularly interesting consequence of the calculations is that observations of the inertial oscillations of Jupiter may enable us to determine whether or not the dense hydrogen in the envelope of this planet undergoes the plasma phase transition (PPT). This may provide an astrophysical test of current theories of the thermodynamic properties of dense hydrogen. It is also found that the discontinuity modes associated with the PPT have observable amplitdues at the surface. These modes may provide an independent test of the interior structure of Jupiter.

Lee, Umin↗

NASA NTRS1981

A three-dimensional simulation of transition and early turbulence in a time-developing mixing layer

The physics of the transition and early turbulence regimes in the time developing mixing layer was investigated. The sensitivity of the mixing layer to the disturbance field of the initial condition is considered. The growth of the momentum thickness, the mean velocity profile, the turbulence kinetic energy, the Reynolds stresses, the anisotropy tensor, and particle track pictures of computations are all examined in an effort to better understand the physics of these regimes. The amplitude, spectrum shape, and random phases of the initial disturbance field were varied. A scheme of generating discrete orthogonal function expansions on some nonuniform grids was developed. All cases address the early or near field of the mixing layer. The most significant result shows that the secondary instability of the mixing layer is produced by spanwise variations in the straining field of the primary vortex structures.

Cain, A. B.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Fluctuations and massive separation in three-dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

Shock-wave unsteadiness was observed in rapidly compressed supersonic turbulent boundary layer flows with significant separation. A Mach 2.85 shock-wave/turbulent boundary layer flow was set up over a series of cylinder-flare bodies in the High Reynolds Number Channel 1. The transition from fully attached to fully separated flow was studied using axisymmetric flares with increasing compression angles. In the second phase, the 30 deg flare was inclined relative to the cylinder axis, so that the effect on a separated flow of increasing 3 dimensionality could be observed. Two 3-D separated cases are examined. A simple conditional sampling technique is applied to the data to group them according to an associated shock position. Mean velocities and turbulent kinetic energies, computed from the conditionally samples data, are compared to those from the unsorted data and to computed values. Three basic questions were addressed: can conditional sampling be used to provide snapshots of the flow; are averaged turbulence quantities dominated by the bimodal nature of the interaction; and is the shock unsteadiness really important to computational accuracy.

Kussoy, M. I.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Fluctuations and massive separation in three-dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

Shock-wave unsteadiness was observed in rapidly compressed supersonic turbulent boundary layer flows with significant separation. A Mach 2.85 shock-wave/turbulent boundary layer flow was set up over a series of cylinder-flare bodies in the High Reynolds Number Channel 1. The transition from fully attached to fully separated flow was studied using axisymmetric flares with increasing compression angles. In the second phase, the 30-deg flare was inclined relative to the cylinder axis, so that the effect on a separated flow of increasing three-dimensionality could be observed. Two 3-D separated cases are examined. A simple conditional sampling technique is applied to the data to group them according to an associated shock position. Mean velocities and turbulent kinetic energies, computed from the conditionally sampled data, are compared to those from the unsorted data and to computed values. Three basic questions were addressed: can conditional sampling be used to provide snapshots of the flow; are averaged turbulence quantities dominated by the bimodal nature of the interaction; and is the shock unsteadiness really important to computational accuracy.

Kussoy, M. I.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Gas-phase formation of silicon carbides, oxides, and sulphides from atomic silicon ions

A systematic experimental study of the kinetics and mechanisms of the chemical reactions in the gas phase between ground-state Si(+)2p and a variety of astrophysical molecules. The aim of this study is to identify the reactions which trigger the formation of chemical bonds between silicon and carbon, oxygen and sulphur, and the chemical pathways which lead to further molecular growth. Such knowledge is valuable in the identification of new extraterrestrial silicon-bearing molecules and for an assessment of the gas-phase transition from atomic silicon to silicon carbide and silicate grain particles in carbon-rich and oxygen-rich astrophysical environments.

Bohme, Diethard K.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Lidar and Electro-Optics for Atmospheric Hazard Sensing and Mitigation

This paper provides an overview of the research and development efforts of the Lidar and Electro-Optics element of NASA's Aviation Safety Program. This element is seeking to improve the understanding of the atmospheric environments encountered by aviation and to provide enhanced situation awareness for atmospheric hazards. The improved understanding of atmospheric conditions is specifically to develop sensor signatures for atmospheric hazards. The current emphasis is on kinetic air hazards such as turbulence, aircraft wake vortices, mountain rotors, and windshear. Additional efforts are underway to identify and quantify the hazards arising from multi-phase atmospheric conditions including liquid and solid hydrometeors and volcanic ash. When the multi-phase conditions act as obscurants that result in reduced visual awareness, the element seeks to mitigate the hazards associated with these diminished visual environments. The overall purpose of these efforts is to enable safety improvements for air transport class and business jet class aircraft as the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System occurs.

Clark, Ivan O.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Isothermal-desorption-rate measurements in the vicinity of the Curie temperature for H2 chemisorbed on nickel films

Measurements of the isothermal desorption rate of H2 chemisorbed onto polycrystalline nickel films made for temperatures spanning the Curie temperature of the nickel film are presented. Desorption kinetics were followed by measuring the decay of the change in resistance of the nickel film brought about by hydrogen chemisorption after gas-phase H2 had been rapidly evacuated. The desorption rate is found to undergo an anomalous decrease in the vicinity of the Curie temperature, accompanied by an increase in the desorption activation energy and the equilibrium constant for the chemisorbed hydrogen. The results are interpreted in terms of anomalous variations in rate constants for the formation of the precursor molecular adsorbed state and the chemisorbed atomic state due to the phase transition in the nickel. The changes in rate constants are also considered to be in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions based on a spin coupling between the adatom and the magnetic substrate.

Shanabarger, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Structure of Ice Nanoclusters: Implications for Interstellar Ice Grains

Crystalline ice nanoclusters and thin-films of pure and impure water ice were deposited and studied in order to evaluate the extent to which surface-related effects control bulk properties. In pure water ice nanoclusters and thin-films of impure water ice, the cubic to hexagonal phase transformation occurs at lower temperatures than in thin-film deposits of pure water ice. In laboratory-grown crystalline ice nanoclusters, approx. 20 nm diameter, a significant proportion of water molecules exists in surface and near-surface environments which have an amorphous or nearly amorphous character. These disordered regions, which are highly reactive, serve to promote transformations or reactions which would otherwise be kinetically hindered. Likewise, dilute impurities such as methanol, sequestered to the surface of thin-films on crystallization, introduce defects into the ice network, thereby allowing sluggish structural transitions to proceed. These structural effects, which are surface phenomena, are believed to play an important role in promoting molecular reactions known to occur within interstellar ice grains in cold molecular clouds, where the first organic compounds are formed.

Delzeit, L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The glass transition, crystallization and melting in Au-Pb-Sb alloys

The glass transition, crystallization and melting of Au(55)Pb(22.5)Sb(22.5) alloys have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry DSC. Crystallization on heating above the glass transition temperature Tg (45 C) begins at 64 C. Further crystallization events are observed at 172 C and 205 C. These events were found to correspond to the formation of the intermetallic compounds AuSb2, Au2Pb, and possibly AuPb2, respectively. Isothermal DSC scans of the glassy alloy above Tg were used to monitor the kinetics of crystallization. The solidification behavior and heat capacity in the glass-forming composition range were determined with droplet samples. An undercooling level of 0.3T(L) below the liquidus temperature T(L) was achieved, resulting in crystallization of different stable and metastable phases. The heat capacity C(P) of the undercooled liquid was measured over an undercooling range of 145 C.

Lee, M. C.↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Structure of Ice Nanoclusters and Thin-films of Water Ice: Implications for Icy Grains in Cold Molecular Clouds

The cubic to hexagonal phase transformation in water ice (I(sub c) yields I(sub h)) is used to measure the extent to which surface structure and impurities control bulk properties. In pure crystalline (I(sub c)) water ice nanoclusters and in thin-films of impure water ice, I(sub c) yields I(sub h) occurs at lower temperatures than in thin-films of pure water ice. The disordered surface of the 20 nm diameter nanoclusters promotes transformations or reactions which would otherwise be kinetically hindered. Likewise, impurities such as methanol introduce defects into the ice network, thereby allowing sluggish structural transitions to proceed. Such surface-related phenomena play an important role in promoting chemical reactions on interstellar ice grains within cold molecular clouds, where the first organic compounds are formed.

Delzeit, Lance↗

NASA NTRS1990

Contact spreading and the Au3In-to-Au9In4 transition in the Au-InP system

An investigation is made of the third stage in the series of solid-state reactions that occur between InP and its most commonly used contact material, Au. This reaction, which results in the transformation of the contacting metallization from the pink-colored Au3In to the silver-colored Au9In4, is shown to be controlled by an In-Au exchange or kickout mechanism operating at the interface between the two phases. Contact spreading, a rapid lateral expansion of the contact metallization that can consume large quantities of InP during growth, is shown to be another manifestation of this final stage in the InP-Au reaction. A detailed description of the mechanisms, including an investigation of the kinetics of the processes involved, is presented.

Weizer, Victor G.↗