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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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One of the principal roles of the ocean in the global heat balance is storage of heat, which moderates seasonal extremes and leads to the contrast between ocean and continent temperatures.
A MARVEL thermal-hydraulic analysis team has developed the computational fluid dynamicsmodel of the Primary Coolant Test (PCAT) system design based on the CAD drawing providedfrom INL PCAT design team. This ECAR addresses the hydraulic system characteristics(pressure loss and flow distribution) in the various sub-components of the PCAT design. Thisreport provides potential design optimization direction on the PCAT test. Most importantly, thisreport evaluates the feasibility of the natural circulation at the targeted heat balance between thecore and heat sink design.
Nimbus satellite - meteorological applications - delineation of ice packs and mapping of snow fields - heat balance and data transmission
The heat transfer behavior of accreting ice surfaces in natural (flight test) and simulated (wind tunnel) cloud icing conditions have been studied. Observations of wet and dry ice growth regimes as measured by ultrasonic pulse-echo techniques were made. Observed wet and dry ice growth regimes at the stagnation point of a cylinder were compared with those predicted using a quasi steady-state heat balance model. A series of heat transfer coefficients were employed by the model to infer the local heat transfer behavior of the actual ice surfaces. The heat transfer in the stagnation region was generally inferred to be higher in wind tunnel icing tests than in natural, flight, icing conditions.
The heat transfer behavior of accreting ice surfaces in natural (flight test) and simulated (wind tunnel) cloud icing conditions were studied. Observations of wet and dry ice growth regimes as measured by ultrasonic pulse echo techniques were made. Observed wet and dry ice growth regimes at the stagnation point of a cylinder were compared with those predicted using a quasi steady state heat balance model. A series of heat transfer coefficients were employed by the model to infer the local heat transfer behavior of the actual ice surfaces. The heat transfer in the stagnation region was generally inferred to be higher in wind tunnel icing tests than in natural flight icing conditions.
An extensive period of eddy correlation surface flux measurements was conducted at a site distant from the coast on the western Alaskan tundra. The surface exchange of heat and moisture over tundra during the summer was limited by a strong resistance to transfer from the upper soil layer through the ground cover, with canopy resistances to evaporation observed to be approximately 200 s/m. Though July 1988 was anomalously warm and dry in the region and August was close to normal temperature and rainfall, there was no appreciable difference in the canopy resistance between the periods. During the dry sunny period at the end of July, the observed evaporation rate was 2 mm/d. High canopy resistance led to an approximate equipartition of net radiation between latent and sensible heat, each accounting for 40 percent of the available energy, with heat balance apparently going into soil heat flux.
The problem of formation of the aerosol of space origin in Earth s atmosphere is examined. Meteoroids of the mass range of 10-18-10-8 g are considered as a source of its origin. The lower bound of the mass range is chosen according to the data presented in literature, the upper bound is determined in accordance with the theory of Whipple s micrometeorites. Basing on the classical equations of deceleration and heating for small meteor bodies we have determined the maximal temperatures of the particles, and altitudes at which they reach critically low velocities, which can be called as velocities of stopping . As a condition for the transformation of a space particle into an aerosol one we have used the condition of non-reaching melting temperature of the meteoroid. The simplified equation of deceleration without earth gravity and barometric formula for the atmosphere density are used. In the equation of heat balance the energy loss for heating is neglected. The analytical solution of the simplified equations is used for the analysis.
Climatological review of works dealing with radiation heat balance, atmospheric circulation, and wind variation
The feasibility of extended and long range weather prediction by physical and dynamical methods was investigated in the following research projects: (1) spectral energy balance; (2) annual cycles of surface heat balance and temperature over North America; and (3) atmospheric response to sea surface temperature anomalies.
A consecutive night and day flight and measurements on the ground, were made in the region of Voves, south of Chartres. The statistical analysis of the thermal scanner data permitted the establishment of criteria for the homogeneity of surfaces. These criteria were used in defining the surface temperature values which are most representative for use in an energy balance approach to evapotranspiration (day) and heat balance (night). For a number of maize fields that airborne thermal scanner data permitted a detailed energy analysis of different fields of a same crop to be carried out. Such a detailed analysis was not necessary for a calculation of crop evapotranspiration which could be evaluated from the mean temperature of the crop surface. A differential analysis day night is of interest for enhancing the contrast between types of surfaces, as well as for a better definition of the daily energy balance. It should be stressed that, for a homogeneous region, a study such as the present one, could be carried out on a relatively small part of the total surface, as the results for a surface of 2.5 x 2 sq km were not significantly different from those obtained from a surface three times larger.
The crystallinity of large HEM silicon ingots as a function of heat flow conditions is investigated. A balanced heat flow at the bottom of the ingot restricts spurious nucleation to the edge of the melted-back seed in contact with the crucible. Homogeneous resistivity distribution over all the ingot has been achieved. The positioning of diamonds electroplated on wirepacks used to slice silicon crystals is considered. The electroplating of diamonds on only the cutting edge is described and the improved slicing performance of these wires evaluated. An economic analysis of value added costs of HEM ingot casting and band saw sectioning indicates the projected add on cost of HEM is well below the 1986 allocation.
Estimates of vertical temperature structure, heat balance, solstice circulation, and thermally driven tides on Mars in comparison with like conditions on Earth
Heat balance of lunar surface layer during lunation related to measurements of thermal properties of postulated lunar surface materials
Model results indicate that understanding summer heat balance and freshwater balance in the polar oceans requires knowledge of how much goes into vertical and lateral sea ice melt. In addition to thickness, two of the key ice parameters that affect melt rate are ice concentration and floe size. Smaller ice floes and more open water enables more heat to go into lateral melt preferentially to vertical melt, thereby enhancing warming up the upper ocean and increasing stratification. Using ERS-1 SAR imagery along two areas, one in the Beaufort Sea and another in the Chukchi Sea, floe size distributions were obtained during the summer period in 1992. Comparisons will be made of floe distributions, together with meteorological and buoy measurements, to examine the differences between an ice sink region (Chukchi) and a multiyear ice region (Beaufort) in the summer melt process.
GTI Energy (GTI) teamed with the University of California at Merced (UCM) to scaleup the hybrid solar system (HSS) technology for demonstrating its performance at the US Gypsum (USG) plant in Plaster City, California. The technology integrates two-stage concentrating solar collector with matching particle thermal transport and storage (TSS) system to deliver cost-effective, and on-demand distributed high temperature industrial process heat up to 600°C with solar thermal, in this case to a gypsum kettle, to reduce its fuel use and carbon footprint. Current solar technologies, which reach these temperatures, are not distributable (towers) or cost-effective (dish). The research team developed a conceptual system design for host site retrofit, including preliminary heat balance, process flow diagram, particle to process heat exchanger and equipment placements at the site. Subsequently, parallel efforts were carried out at UCM to design, build and test a 12 m long commercial scale prototype concentrating thermal-only collector system and at GTI to design, build and test a matching 650°C capable particle TTS system. The nominal 50 kWth collector consists of a parabolic trough and three 4 m long two-stage receivers in series. Prior to on-sun testing, a 4 m long receiver was fabricated and successfully tested at 650 °C in a laboratory setting for 100 hrs of continuous operation showing less than 15% radiation loss. A 7 m wide x 17 m long parabolic trough was then installed at UCM for on-sun testing of the 12 m long receiver, and concurrently several 4 m long receivers were built. The optics of the parabolic trough were calibrated, and on-sun test were carried out on 12 m long receivers. During tests, the intense solar radiation (53x) caused the absorber tubes in the receivers to bend, reducing the overall optical efficiency. To address the bending issue, a self-consistent algorithm that includes ray tracing, thermal and deformation models was developed to perform thermal stress analysis on absorbers for parabolic solar collectors. Results obtained with this algorithm showed a dramatic rise in deformation as absorber tube length increases. A combined efficiency parameter that includes the occluded area for the mounts was developed to obtain an optimized tube length obtained. Based on the results, a length of 2.7 m for the absorber + 0.2 m for the coupler was chosen to minimize any bending and optimize optical efficiency while maintaining ease of mounting. The associated particle TTS system was designed, built and successfully tested at GTI. It includes storage, receiving and lock hoppers and piping that simulates the transfer of captured solar energy to an actual industrial furnace. Tests over 77 charge-discharge cycles demonstrated <2% particle degradation, with no problematic particle accumulations and no flow interruptions. The piping pressure drop was about 5 psi. The team also worked with Stanley Consultants (Stanley) to prepare conceptual and preliminary engineering packages to facilitate follow-on development and commercialization efforts. These include process and instrumentation diagram’s (P&ID’s), general arrangements, electrical one-line, project definitions document, equipment data sheets, schedule, and construction cost estimate for 2 MWth system. Updated HSS technology commercialization and customer engagement plans and detailed costs and evaluated market trade-offs and manufacturing.
A variable-conductance heat pipe system (VCHPS) has been designed to provide thermal control for a transmitter experiment package (TEP) to be flown on the Communications Technology Satellite. The VCHPS provides for heat rejection during TEP operation and minimizes the heat leak during power down operations. The VCHPS described features a unique method of aiding priming of arterial heat pipes and a novel approach to balancing heat pipe loads by staggering their control ranges.
On the moon, the available heat sink temperature for a vertical unshaded radiator at the equator is 322 K. A method of reducing this heat sink temperature using a parabolic trough shading device was investigated. A steady state heat balance was performed to predict the available heat sink temperature. The effect of optical surface properties on system performance was investigated. Various geometric configurations were also evaluated. A flexible shade conceptual design is presented which greatly reduces the weight and stowed volume of the system. The concept makes use of the natural catenary shape assumed by a flexible material when supported at two points. The catenary shape is very near parabolic. The lunar radiator parabolic shade design presented integrates the energy collection and rejection of a solar dynamic power cycle with the moderate temperature waste heat rejection of a lunar habitat.
Our present design for a common pressure vessel (CPV) battery, a nickel hydrogen battery system to combine all of the cells into a common pressure vessel, uses an open disk which allows the cell to be set into a shallow cavity; subsequent cells are stacked on each other with the total number based on the battery voltage required. This approach not only eliminates the assembly error threat, but also more readily assures equal contact pressure to the heat fin between each cell, which further assures balanced heat transfer. These heat fin dishes with their appropriate cell stacks are held together with tie bars which in turn are connected to the pressure vessel weld rings at each end of the tube.