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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

KINKS AND DENTS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS: RAPID INFRARED VARIABILITY AS EVIDENCE FOR LARGE STRUCTURAL PERTURBATIONS

We report on synoptic observations at 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m of young stellar objects in IC 348 with 38 epochs covering 40 days. We find that among the detected cluster members, 338 at [3.6] and 269 at both [3.6] and [4.5], many are variable on daily to weekly timescales with typical fluctuations of {approx}0.1 mag. The fraction of variables ranges from 20% for the diskless pre-main sequence stars to 60% for the stars still surrounded by infalling envelopes. We also find that stars in the exposed cluster core are less variable than the stars in the dense, slightly younger, southwestern ridge. This trend persists even after accounting for the underlying correlation with infrared spectral energy distribution type, suggesting that the change in variable fraction is not simply a reflection of the change in relative fraction of class I versus class II sources across the cloud, but instead reflects a change in variability with age. We also see a strong correlation between infrared variability and X-ray luminosity among the class II sources. The observed variability most likely reflects large changes in the structure of the inner wall located at the dust sublimation radius. We explore the possibility that these structural perturbations could be caused by a hot spot on the star heating dust above the sublimation temperature, causing it to evaporate rapidly, and increasing the inner radius for a portion of the disk. Under a number of simplifying assumptions we show that this model can reproduce the size and timescale of the 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m fluctuations. Regardless of its source, the infrared variability indicates that the inner disk is not a slowly evolving entity, but instead is a bubbling, warped, dented mass of gas and dust whose global size and shape fluctuate in a matter of days.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Remarks on the fission barriers of super-heavy nuclei

Shell-correction energies of super-heavy nuclei are approximated by using QαQα values of measured decay chains. Five decay chains were analyzed, which start at the isotopes 285 Fl, 294 118, 291 Lv, 292 Lv and 293 Lv. The data are compared with predictions of macroscopic-microscopic models. Fission barriers are estimated that can be used to eliminate uncertainties in partial fission half-lives and in calculations of evaporation-residue cross-sections. In that calculations, fission probability of the compound nucleus is a major factor contributing to the total cross-section. The data also provide constraints on the cross-sections of capture and quasi-fission in the entrance channel of the fusion reaction. Here, arguments are presented that fusion reactions for synthesis of isotopes of elements 118 and 120 may have higher cross-sections than assumed so far.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2022

Title Coherent X-ray Studies of Surface Growth and Patterning Processes

X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) is being developed as a tool to study nanoscale dynamics of fluctuations during thin film growth and surface patterning. XPCS examines the evolution of the X-ray scattering speckle pattern in reciprocal space to reveal dynamics information not accessible through any other means. Unlike low-coherence conventional X-ray scattering, which incoherently averages over different regions of a sample, coherent X-ray scattering is sensitive to the detailed structure of a given sample at that moment in time. In thin film growth processes, heterodyning, which occurs due to coherent mixing of two scattered signals, can be used to investigate the relationship between surface growth velocity and defect propagation. And, for polycrystalline thin film growth, the spatial coherence of the X-ray beam can substitute for the missing spatial coherence of the growth process to track layered growth in detail, even in a growth regime in which there are no conventional growth oscillations of the X-ray intensity. This has opened the door for detailed dynamics studies of individual atomic layers during real-world growth and patterning, not just in perfect single-crystal growth cases, which greatly expands the applicability of in-situ X-ray scattering methods. Step-flow dynamics in mounded polycrystalline growth has been studied separately for two thin film organic semiconductors deposited by thermal deposition in a vacuum environment, C60 and diindenoperylene (DIP). Highly oriented polycrystalline thin films are readily obtained in both systems, where mounds are composed of crystalline monolayer-height steps and terraces in a so-called wedding cake morphology. The formation of mounds is understood to be due to significant Ehrlich-Schwoebel step edge barriers that inhibit molecules from hopping down from one layer to the one below. The mounds exhibit local step flow, which can be monitored using coherent X-ray scattering. This is made possible due to heterodyning between scattering from the average mounds and the moving steps, which becomes visible in XPCS analysis. The effect of desorption, i.e. re-evaporation of deposited molecules is found to be important for understanding these processes. The impact of this work is to enable testing of models of step dynamics, the shape of mounds, and merging of mounds to form continuous thin films. Highly ordered polycrystalline thin films deposited on inexpensive substrates have applications in thin film solar cells and other organic electronic devices. In a separate set of experiments, speckle analysis during self-organized ion beam nanopatterning reveals memory stretching back to the beginning of patterning in the early stages and enables measurement of the velocity of self-organized patterns across surfaces providing the possibility of stringent new tests of the theory of pattern formation and motion.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electron Transport in Plasmas with Lithium-Coated Plasma-Facing Components

The Lithium Tokamak Experiment (LTX) is a spherical tokamak designed to study the low-recycling regime through the use of lithium-coated shells conformal to the last closed flux surface (LCFS). A lowered recycling rate is expected to flatten core $T_\mathrm{e}$ profiles, raise edge $T_\mathrm{e}$, strongly affect $n_\mathrm{e}$ profiles, and enhance confinement. To study these unique plasmas, a Thomson scattering diagnostic uses a $\le 20$~J, 30~ns FWHM pulsed ruby laser to measure $T_\mathrm{e}$ and $n_\mathrm{e}$ at 11 radial points on the horizontal midplane, spaced from the magnetic axis to the outer edge at a single temporal point for each discharge. Scattered light is imaged through a spectrometer onto an intensified CCD. The diagnostic is absolutely calibrated using a precision light source and Raman scattering. Measurements of $n_\mathrm{e}$ are compared with line integrated density measurements from a microwave interferometer. Adequate signal to noise is obtained with $n_\mathrm{e} \ge 2 \times 10^{18}\,\mathrm{m^{-3}}$. Thomson profiles of plasmas following evaporation of lithium onto room-temperature plasma-facing components (PFCs) are used in conjunction with magnetic equilibria as input for TRANSP modeling runs. Neoclassical calculations are used to determine $T_\mathrm{i}$ profiles, which have levels that agree with passive charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CHERS) measurements. TRANSP results for confinement times and stored energies agree with diamagnetic loop measurements. Results of $\chi_\mathrm{e}$ result in values as low as 7 m$^2$/s near the core, which rise to around 100 m$^2$/s near the edge. These are the first measurements of $\chi_\mathrm{e}$ in LTX, or its predecessor, the Current Drive Experiment-Upgrade (CDX-U), with lithium PFCs.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Thermal Modeling of a Dual-Stage Sodium Thermal-Electrochemical Converter (Na-TEC)

The sodium thermal electrochemical converter (Na-TEC) is a heat engine that generates electricity through the isothermal expansion of sodium ions through a beta”-alumina solid-electrolyte. The Na-TEC is a closed system that can theoretically achieve conversion efficiencies above 45% when operating between thermal reservoirs at 1150 K and 550 K. However, thermal designs have confined previous single-stage devices to thermal efficiencies below 20%. To mitigate some of these limitations, we consider dividing the isothermal expansion into two stages; one at the evaporator temperature (1150 K) and another at an intermediate temperature (550 K – 950 K). This dual-stage Na-TEC takes advantage of regeneration and reheating, and could be amenable to better thermal management through a reduction of parasitic losses. These losses are comprised of (i) the heat input that does not participate in power production but simply bypasses the thermo-electrochemical process and is transferred to the condenser, and (ii) heat that is lost from the device directly to the surroundings due to poor insulation. Heat loss to the surroundings occurs from a lower average hot-side temperature given that a fraction of the power conversion occurs at an intermediate stage. Also, the condenser now directly interacts with the lower temperature of the intermediate stage, thereby reducing radiation loss. A simplified geometry is developed for this device to help guide its design from a heat transfer perspective. All thermal contact and boundary conditions are discussed, including the evaporation and condensation of sodium vapor, thermal leakage through the housing, and the thermal contact between the beta”-alumina and the housing. A ray tracing method assuming gray, diffuse surfaces is used to account for the internal radiation heat transfer within the device. Liquid sodium flows in a capillary wick between the condenser and the evaporator with Pe << 1, so only conduction heat transfer is considered within this liquid return path. For simplicity, natural convection between the sodium vapor and the device housing is neglected. A numerical linear resistance model (<5% error when compared to a finite element model) is used to determine the expected conversion temperatures of each stage for a range of candidate materials. Furthermore, a numerical model (<2% error) is developed to find the factor of increase in the thermal resistance for several designs of corrugated features for the device housing. By using an iterative scheme, efficiency vs. power curves are created for a number of material and size combinations. Finally, the fundamental tradeoff between the power and efficiency is explored in conjunction with the total system size.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Effect of micro-fin tube geometry parameters on evaporator material savings

A Performance Evaluation Criteria (PEC) analysis is presented that explores the influence of the micro-fin tube geometry on the required material volume. The analysis was done using a local flow boiling model, which can quantify the effect of fin parameters and the tube diameter. The PEC was done while requiring that the compared surfaces satisfy the same heat duty and pressure drop. The following tube parameters and ranges were explored: tube diameter (3 mm ≤ D o ≤ 6 mm), fin base thickness (0.12 mm ≤ t bf ≤ 0.29 mm), helix angle (6° ≤ α ≤ 30°), fin apex angle (11° ≤ β ≤ 22°), total number of fins (43 ≤ n f ≤ 70), and the fin height (0.11 mm ≤ e ≤ 0.3 mm). The tube that provided the smallest material requirements within the examined parameter ranges had: D o = 3 mm, t bf = 0.12 mm, α = 6°, β = 11°, n f = 43, and e = 0.3 mm. In general, small D o and t bf and large n f and e provided the best performance and work to minimize the required material volume to provide a given heat duty and pressure drop. The helix and the fin-tip apex angles were found to have very little influence on the performance for the examined range of parameters and angles associated with the lowest production cost should be chosen.

Evaporation↗
DOE OSTI2022

Modeling and experimental validation of direct contact crossflow packed beds condenser used in HDH desalination systems

Humidification and dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems are alternatives to reverse osmosis desalination systems, especially for high salinity waters. A HDH system is essentially equipped with a humidifier (also called as evaporator) for air to pick up vapor from saline water, a dehumidifier (also called as condenser) to produce freshwater, and a heating source. HDH systems based on direct contact packed beds heat exchangers have remarkably lower costs than traditional HDH systems due to their inexpensive materials and simple configurations. This paper specifically focuses on direct contact crossflow packed beds condensers, in which cooling water vertically drips through the packed beds, directly contacting the horizontal air-vapor flow. A two-dimensional mathematical model that solves for the enthalpy values of the working fluids is proposed in this paper, and the PDEs are solved using finite differences. To validate the model, an experimental condenser was built and tested. Water temperatures inside the test section at twenty-nine locations were measured, as well as the air vapor temperatures of five locations at the outlet. The measured water and air-vapor temperatures agree with the simulation results with less than 10 % error in most of the compared domain.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2012

Computational study of nanosecond pulsed laser ablation and the application to momentum coupling

During the evaporation and ablation of a matter induced by intensive laser radiation, the vapor plasma is ejected from the surface of the target which induces the recoil pressure and impulse in the target. Impulse coupling of laser beams with matter has been extensively studied as the basis of laser propulsion and laser clearing space debris. A one-dimensional (1D) bulk absorption model to simulate the solid target ablated directly by the laser beam is presented; numerical calculation of impulse acting on the target in vacuum with different laser parameters is performed with fluid dynamics theory and 1D Lagrange difference scheme. The calculated results of the impulse coupling coefficients are in good agreement with the experimental results and Phipps' empirical value. The simulated results show that the mechanical coupling coefficients decrease with the increment of laser intensity when the laser pulses generate plasma. The present model can be applied when the laser intensity is 10{sup 8} - 10{sup 10} W/cm{sup 2}, which will provide a guide to the study of momentum coupling of laser beams with matter.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fossil records of early solar irradiation and cosmolocation of the CAI factory: A reappraisal

Calcium-aluminum–rich inclusions (CAIs) in meteorites carry crucial information about the environmental conditions of the nascent Solar System prior to planet formation. Based on models of 50V– 10 Be co-production by in-situ irradiation, CAIs are considered to have formed within ~0.1 AU from the proto-Sun. Here, we present vanadium (V) and strontium (Sr) isotopic co-variations in fine- and coarse-grained CAIs and demonstrate that kinetic isotope effects during partial condensation and evaporation best explain V isotope anomalies previously attributed to solar particle irradiation. We also report initial excesses of 10 Be and argue that CV CAIs possess essentially a homogeneous level of 10 Be, inherited during their formation. Based on numerical modeling of 50V–10Be co-production by irradiation, we show that CAI formation during protoplanetary disk build-up likely occurred at greater heliocentric distances than previously considered, up to planet-forming regions (~1AU), where solar particle fluxes were sufficiently low to avoid substantial in-situ irradiation of CAIs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Catalyzed baryogenesis

A novel mechanism, “catalyzed baryogenesis”, is proposed to explain the observed baryon asymmetry in our universe. In this mechanism, the motion of a ball-like catalyst provides the necessary out-of-equilibrium condition, its outer wall has CP-violating interactions with the Standard Model particles, and its interior has baryon number violating interactions. We use the electroweak-symmetric ball model as an example of such a catalyst. In this model, electroweak sphalerons inside the ball are active and convert baryons into leptons. The observed baryon number asymmetry can be produced for a light ball mass and a large ball radius. Due to direct detection constraints on relic balls, we consider a scenario in which the balls evaporate, leading to dark radiation at testable levels.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Improvement of snowpack simulations in a regional climate model

To improve simulations of regional-scale snow processes and related cold-season hydroclimate, the Community Land Model version 3 (CLM3), developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), was coupled with the Pennsylvania State University/NCAR fifth-generation Mesoscale Model (MM5). CLM3 physically describes the mass and heat transfer within the snowpack using five snow layers that include liquid water and solid ice. The coupled MM5–CLM3 model performance was evaluated for the snowmelt season in the Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwestern United States using gridded temperature and precipitation observations, along with station observations. The results from MM5–CLM3 show a significant improvement in the SWE simulation, which has been underestimated in the original version of MM5 coupled with the Noah land-surface model. One important cause for the underestimated SWE in Noah is its unrealistic land-surface structure configuration where vegetation, snow and the topsoil layer are blended when snow is present. This study demonstrates the importance of the sheltering effects of the forest canopy on snow surface energy budgets, which is included in CLM3. Such effects are further seen in the simulations of surface air temperature and precipitation in regional weather and climate models such as MM5. In addition, the snow-season surface albedo overestimated by MM5–Noah is now more accurately predicted by MM5–CLM3 using a more realistic albedo algorithm that intensifies the solar radiation absorption on the land surface, reducing the strong near-surface cold bias in MM5–Noah. The cold bias is further alleviated due to a slower snowmelt rate in MM5–CLM3 during the early snowmelt stage, which is closer to observations than the comparable components of MM5–Noah. In addition, the over-predicted precipitation in the Pacific Northwest as shown in MM5–Noah is significantly decreased in MM5 CLM3 due to the lower evaporation resulting from the longer snow duration.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Laser-material interaction during atom probe tomography of oxides with embedded metal nanoparticles

Here, oxide-supported metal nano-particles are of great interest in catalysis but also in the development of new large-spectrum-absorption materials. The design of such nano materials requires three-dimensional characterization with a high spatial resolution and elemental selectivity. The laser assisted Atom Probe Tomography (La-APT) presents both these capacities if an accurate understanding of laser-material interaction is developed. In this paper, we focus on the fundamental physics of field evaporation as a function of sample geometry, laser power, and DC electric field for Au nanoparticles embedded in MgO. By understanding the laser-material interaction through experiments and a theoretical model of heat diffusion inside the sample after the interaction with laser pulse, we point out the physical origin of the noise and determine the conditions to reduce it by more than one order of magnitude, improving the sensitivity of the La-APT for metal-dielectric composites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Performance Optimization of Alternative Lower Global Warming Potential Refrigerants in Mini-Split Room Air Conditioners

Oak Ridge National laboratory (ORNL) recently conducted extensive laboratory, drop-in investigations for lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants to replace R-22 and R-410A. ORNL studied propane, DR-3, ARM-20B, N-20B and R-444B as lower GWP refrigerant replacement for R-22 in a mini-split room air conditioner (RAC) originally designed for R-22; and, R-32, DR-55, ARM-71A, and L41-2, in a mini-split RAC designed for R-410A. We obtained laboratory testing results with very good energy balance and nominal measurement uncertainty. Drop-in studies are not enough to judge the overall performance of the alternative refrigerants since their thermodynamic and transport properties might favor different heat exchanger configurations, e.g. cross-flow, counter flow, etc. This study compares optimized performances of individual refrigerants using a physics-based system model tools. The DOE/ORNL Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM) was used to model the mini-split RACs by inputting detailed heat exchangers geometries, compressor displacement and efficiencies as well as other relevant system components. The RAC models were calibrated against the lab data for each individual refrigerant. The calibrated models were then used to conduct a design optimization for the cooling performance by varying the compressor displacement to match the required capacity, and changing the number of circuits, refrigerant flow direction, tube diameters, air flow rates in the condenser and evaporator at 100% and 50% cooling capacities. This paper compares the optimized performance results for all alternative refrigerants and highlights best candidates for R-22 and R-410A replacement.

GWP↗
DOE OSTI2016

On the sizes and lifetimes of cold pools

Cold pools of air, which are formed by evaporating precipitation, play a critical role in the triggering of new precipitation. Despite their recognized importance, little effort has been devoted to building simple models of their dynamics. Here, analytical equations are derived for the radius, height, and buoyancy of a cylindrical cold pool as a function of time, and a scale analysis reveals that entrainment is a dominant influence. These governing equations yield simple expressions for the maximum sizes and lifetimes of cold pools. The terminal radius of a cold pool is relatively insensitive to its initial conditions, with a typical maximum radius of about 14 times the initial radius, give or take a factor of 2. The terminal time of a cold pool, on the other hand, can vary over orders of magnitude depending on its initial potential and kinetic energies. Lastly, these predictions are validated against large-eddy simulations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Development of high efficiency window air conditioner using propane under limited charge

The residential air conditioner market has a significant portion of window air conditioners (WAC). Due to the compact size and small refrigerant charge, WACs are most tolerant of flammable refrigerants. Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants are natural substances and have significantly better environmental impacts and lower costs than conventional refrigerants like R-410A and R-22. The paper aimed to develop a WAC prototype using propane (R-290) and verify the performance metrics in the laboratory. The key of developing the WAC using a flammable refrigerant is to control the refrigerant charge under the limit of building safety regulation with the performance meeting the Energy Star standard. To minimize the charge, compact heat exchangers were utilized. To achieve the target efficiency, we collaborated with a leading rotary compressor manufacturer to develop a compressor prototype specifically optimized for R-290, able to achieve superior energy efficiency. In addition, we conducted model-based investigations to identify further charge reduction potential. Finally, with using microchannel heat exchangers to replace the fin-and-tube condenser and evaporator, the system charge can be decreased to 150 g.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observational study of relationships between entrainment rate, homogeneity of mixing, and cloud droplet relative dispersion

The entrainment–mixing process is key to the cloud’s dynamical and microphysical processes. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has quantitatively linked entrainment rate and homogeneity of mixing. Additionally, their combined effects on cloud droplet relative dispersion and physical mechanisms are even more unclear. This study analyzed the aircraft measurements of cumulus clouds collected in the Holistic Interactions of Shallow Clouds, Aerosols, and Land-Ecosystems field campaign to identify these relationships. The relationship between the entrainment rate and homogeneous mixing degree was found to be moderately positive, and the underlying mechanisms related to mixing and evaporation time scales and environmental relative humidity were explored. The relationship between relative dispersion and entrainment rate changes from positive to negative with increasing entrainment rate, depending on the dominance of evaporation of large or small droplets. The relative dispersion first increases and then decreases with increasing homogeneous mixing degree, validating the results of previous model simulations. Further, the results shed new light on understanding the interactions between cloud microphysics and cloud dynamics through turbulent entrainment and mixing processes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

A machine learning pipeline for identifying infiltration managed aquifer recharge locations from satellite imagery in the San Joaquin Valley, California

This study focuses on an agricultural region in California’s Central Valley, USA, where Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is widely implemented to mitigate groundwater depletion under increasing water demand and climate variability. A deep learning and machine learning framework was developed to identify infiltration-MAR locations using satellite imagery and environmental data. The framework integrates surface water detection from Sentinel-2 imagery, geospatial delineation of water bodies, spatiotemporal tracking of water body dynamics, and supervised classification using meteorological, environmental, and topographic variables. The framework was applied to a 2379 km² study area southwest of Fresno, where 765 water bodies were detected, including 139 identified MAR sites based on publicly available datasets and expert knowledge. The classification model achieved an accuracy of 0.94 and an F1 score of 0.85. Feature importance analysis indicates that cropland, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and evaporation are among the most influential predictors for infiltration-MAR. Notably, the framework suggests that engineered water management in infiltration-MAR systems can disrupt or even reverse the expected positive correlation between surface water extent and precipitation. These findings provide physically interpretable insights into the characteristics of existing infiltration-MAR facilities and demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework as a reproducible, interpretable, and potentially transferable tool for data-driven infiltration-MAR identification and inventory development under growing climatic and hydrological uncertainty.

Classification↗
DOE OSTI2016

Tuning domain size and crystallinity in isoindigo/PCBM organic solar cells via solution shearing

Despite having achieved the long sought-after performance of 10% power conversion efficiency, high performance organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are still mostly constrained to lab scale devices fabricated by spin coating. Efforts to produce printed OPVs lag considerably behind, and the sensitivity to different fabrication methods highlights the need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the processing-morphology relationship in printing methods. Here we present a systematic experimental investigation of a model low bandgap polymer/fullerene system, poly-isoindigo thienothiophene/PC 61 BM, using a lab-scale analogue to roll-to-roll coating as the fabrication tool in order to understand the impact of processing parameters on morphological evolution. We report that domain size and polymer crystallinity can be tuned by a factor of two by controlling the temperature and coating speed. Lower fabrication temperature simultaneously decreased the phase separation domain size and increased the relative degree of crystallinity in those domains, leading to improved photocurrent. We conclude that domain size in isoindigo/PCBM is dictated by spontaneous phase separation rather than crystal nucleation and growth. Moreover we present a model to describe the temperature dependence of domain size formation in our system, which demonstrates that morphology is not necessarily strictly dependent on the evaporation rate, but rather on the interplay between evaporation and diffusion during the printing process.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗