Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “drops”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43

Drop tube research

This report covers the activities performed in the Drop Tube Study which The University of Alabama in Huntsville designed, fabricated and performed various low gravity experiments in materials processing from November 1, 1991 through October 30, 1992. During the performance of this contract the utilization of these ground-based containerless processing facilities has been instrumental in providing the opportunity to determine the feasibility of performing a number of solidification experiments in a simulated space environment, without the expense of a space-based experiment. A number of periodic reports have been given to the TCOR during the course of this contract hence this final report is meant only to summarize the many activities performed and not redundantly cover materials already submitted.

Workman, Gary L.↗

Velocity and drop size measurements in a swirl-stabilized, combusting spray

Velocity and drop size measurements are reported for a swirl-stabilized, combusting spray. For the gas phase, three components of mean and fluctuating velocity are reported. For the droplets, three components of mean and fluctuating velocity, diameter, and number flux are reported. The liquid fuel utilized for all the tests was heptane. The fuel was injected using an air-assist atomizer. The combustor configuration consisted of a center-mounted, air-assist atomizer surrounded by a coflowing air stream. Both the coflow and the atomizing air streams were passed through 45 degree swirlers. The swirl was imparted to both streams in the same direction. The combustion occurred unconfined in stagnant surroundings. The nonintrusive measurements were obtained using a two-component phase/Doppler particle analyzer. The laser-based instrument measured two components of velocity as well as droplet size at a particular point. Gas phase measurements were obtained by seeding the air streams with nominal 1 micron size aluminum-oxide particles and using the measured velocity from that size to represent the gas phase velocity. The atomizing air, coflow air, and ambient surroundings were all seeded with the aluminum-oxide particles to prevent biasing. Measurements are reported at an axial distance of 5 mm from the nozzle. Isothermal single-phase gas velocities are also reported for comparison with the combusting case.

Bulzan, Daniel L.↗

Laser scattering in a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus for protein crystal growth in a microgravity environment

One type of hardware used to grow protein crystals in the microgravity environment aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle is a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus (HDVDA). In order to optimize crystal growth conditions, dynamic control of the HDVDA is desirable. A critical component in the dynamically controlled system is a detector for protein nucleation. We have constructed a laser scattering detector for the HDVDA capable of detecting the nucleation stage. The detector was successfully tested for several scatterers differing in size using dynamic light scattering techniques. In addition, the ability to detect protein nucleation using the HDVDA was demonstrated for lysozyme.

Casay, G. A.↗

Self-rectifying electron beam melter for pendant-drop containerless processing

A self-rectifying electron beam melting technique is described. Utilizing an ac power supply, in contrast to the more usual dc supply, the in situ self-rectifying approach offers a simple and very inexpensive means of producing metallic pendant drops for use in containerless melt-processing experiments.

Pyun, D. S.↗

A mixed formulation for interlaminar stresses in dropped-ply laminates

A structural model is developed for the linear elastic response of structures consisting of multiple layers of varying thickness such as laminated composites containing internal ply drop-offs. The assumption of generalized plane deformation is used to reduce the solution domain to two dimensions while still allowing some out-of-plane deformation. The Hellinger-Reissner variational principle is applied to a layerwise assumed stress distribution with the resulting governing equations solved using finite differences.

Harrison, Peter N.↗

A potential method for the estimation of drop size distribution from a dual-wavelength airborne radar

In order to investigate the role of the drop size distribution (DSD) from a dual-wavelength airborne radar and to recover profiled rain rates, a procedure is described for the purpose of estimating the DSD. The method differs from previous approaches in that it provides 2n + 1 parameters of the profiled DSD (where n is the number of range gates) and it uses a recursive procedure beginning at the range gate near the surface progressing backwards toward the storm top. The method is argued to be useful both as a diagnostic tool and as a means by which more detailed information on the vertical structure of the precipitation can be obtained.

Meneghini, R.↗

Plasma dynamics driven by finite-width current filament and KV potential drops in ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling

We have simulated the plasma dynamics of a quasi-two-dimensional current filament in ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. The simulation consists of a set of one-dimensional flux tube simulations with different imposed time-dependent, field-aligned currents. The dynamical interactions of the individual current filaments with the ionospheric and magnetospheric plasma generate kV field-aligned potential drops along the field lines, and the side-by-side display exhibits the evolution of the implied potential structure in the horizontal direction. The primary cross-field motion produced by the horizontal E-field (ExB drift) is perpendicular to both of the significant spatial directions, and is thus ignorable in this geometry. The effects of other cross-field drict processes are discussed. The simulation thus provides insight into the dynamical evolution of 2D potential structures driven by an imposed finite-width field-aligned current profile. Spatial and temporal variation of other plasma parameters (temperatures, density, etc.) that are determined primarily by parallel transport effects are also displayed.

Ganguli, Supriya B.↗

Thermocapillary motion of bubbles and drops

An account is given of interface-driven motions of drops and bubbles. It is shown that even in the simplest cases, theory predicts exotic flow topologies. Attention is given to several unsolved problems that must be addressed both theoretically and experimentally.

Subramanian, R. S.↗

Generalized Charts for Determination of Pressure Drop of a High-speed Compressible Fluid in Heat-exchanger Passages I : Air Heated in Smooth Passages of Constant Area with Constant Wall Temperature

In the present paper an analysis is made of the compressible-flow variations occurring in heat-exchanger passages. The results of the analysis describe the flow and heating characteristics for which specific flow passages can be treated as segments of generalized flow systems. The graphical representation of the flow variations in the generalized flow systems can then be utilized as working charts to determine directly the pressure changes occurring in any specific flow passage. On the basis of these results, working charts are constructed to handle the case of air heated at constant wall temperature under turbulent-flow conditions. A method is given of incorporating the effect on the heat-exchanger flow process of high temperature differential between passage wall and fluid as based on recent NACA experimental data. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental and the chart pressure-drop values for passage-wall average temperatures as high as 1752 degrees R (experimental limit) and for flow Mach numbers ranging from 0.32 to 1.00 (choke) at the passage exit.

Valerino, Michael F↗

Drop and Flight Tests on NY-2 Landing Gears Including Measurements of Vertical Velocities at Landing

This investigation was conducted to obtain quantitative information on the effectiveness of three landing gears for the NY-2 (consolidated training) airplane. The investigation consisted of static, drop, and flight tests on landing gears of the oleo-rubber-disk and the mercury rubber-chord types, and flight tests only on a landing gear of the conventional split-axle rubber-cord type. The results show that the oleo gear is the most effective of the three landing gears in minimizing impact forces and in dissipating the energy taken.

Peck, W D↗

Low-Pressure-Drop Shutoff Valve

Flapper valve remains open under normal flow conditions but closes upon sudden increases to high rate of flow and remains closed until reset. Valve is fluid/mechanical analog of electrical fuse or circuit breaker. Low-pressure-drop shutoff valve contains flapper machined from cylindrical surface. During normal flow conditions, flapper presents small cross section to flow. (Useful in stopping loss of fluid through leaks in cooling systems.)

Thornborrow, John↗

Determination of the viscous acoustic field for liquid drop positioning/forcing in an acoustic levitation chamber in microgravity

The development of acoustic levitation systems has provided a technology with which to undertake droplet studies as well as do containerless processing experiments in a microgravity environment. Acoustic levitation chambers utilize radiation pressure forces to position/manipulate the drop. Oscillations can be induced via frequency modulation of the acoustic wave, with the modulated acoustic radiation vector acting as the driving force. To account for tangential as well as radial forcing, it is necessary that the viscous effects be included in the acoustic field. The method of composite expansions is employed in the determination of the acoustic field with viscous effects.

Lyell, Margaret J.↗

Prediction of pressure drop in fluid tuned mounts using analytical and computational techniques

A simplified model for predicting pressure drop in fluid tuned isolator mounts was developed. The model is based on an exact solution to the Navier-Stokes equations and was made more general through the use of empirical coefficients. The values of these coefficients were determined by numerical simulation of the flow using the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package FIDAP.

Lasher, William C.↗

Core-centering of compound drops in capillary oscillations: Observations on USML-1 experiments in space

AA Using the existing inviscid theories, an attempt is made to explain the centering of the oscillating liquid shell. Experiments on liquid shells and liquid-core compound drops were conducted using acoustic levitation, in a low-gravity environment during a Space Shuttle flight. It was observed that their inner and outer interfaces became concentric when excited into capillary oscillations. Using the existing inviscid theories, and attempt is made to explain the centering of the oscillating liquid shell. It is concluded that viscosity needs to be considered in order to provide a realistic description of the centering process.

Wang, Taylor G.↗

Single-drop reactive extraction/extractive reaction with forced convective diffusion and interphase mass transfer

An algorithm has been developed for time-dependent forced convective diffusion-reaction having convection by a recirculating flow field within the drop that is hydrodynamically coupled at the interface with a convective external flow field that at infinity becomes a uniform free-streaming flow. The concentration field inside the droplet is likewise coupled with that outside by boundary conditions at the interface. A chemical reaction can take place either inside or outside the droplet, or reactions can take place in both phases. The algorithm has been implemented, and for comparison results are shown here for the case of no reaction in either phase and for the case of an external first order reaction, both for unsteady behavior. For pure interphase mass transfer, concentration isocontours, local and average Sherwood numbers, and average droplet concentrations have been obtained as a function of the physical properties and external flow field. For mass transfer enhanced by an external reaction, in addition to the above forms of results, we present the enhancement factor, with the results now also depending upon the (dimensionless) rate of reaction.

Kleinman, Leonid S.↗

Barriers Keep Drops Of Water Out Of Infrared Gas Sensors

Infrared-sensor cells used for measuring partial pressures of CO(2) and other breathable gases modified to prevent entry of liquid water into sensory optical paths of cells. Hydrophobic membrane prevents drops of water entrained in flow from entering optical path from lamp to infrared detectors.

Murray, Sean K.↗