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At least 847 records · Page 47

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NASA NTRS1983

A comprehensive model to determine the effects of temperature and species fluctuations on reaction rates in turbulent reacting flows

Reaction rates in turbulent, reacting flows are reviewed. Assumed probability density functions (pdf) modeling of reaction rates is being investigated in relation to a three variable pdf employing a 'most likely pdf' model. Chemical kinetic mechanisms treating hydrogen air combustion is studied. Perfectly stirred reactor modeling of flame stabilizing recirculation regions was used to investigate the stable flame regions for silane, hydrogen, methane, and propane, and for certain mixtures thereof. It is concluded that in general, silane can be counted upon to stabilize flames only when the overall fuel air ratio is close to or greater than unity. For lean flames, silane may tend to destabilize the flame. Other factors favoring stable flames are high initial reactant temperatures and system pressure.

Goldstein, D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The structure of evaporating and combusting sprays: Measurements and predictions

The structure of particle-laden jets and nonevaporating and evaporating sprays was measured in order to evaluate models of these processes. Three models are being evaluated: (1) a locally homogeneous flow model, where slip between the phases is neglected and the flow is assumed to be in local thermodynamic equilibrium; (2) a deterministic separated flow model, where slip and finite interphase transport rates are considered but effects of particle/drop dispersion by turbulence and effects of turbulence on interphase transport rates are ignored; and (3) a stochastic separated flow model, where effects of interphase slip, turbulent dispersion and turbulent fluctuations are considered using random sampling for turbulence properties in conjunction with random-walk computations for particle motion. All three models use a k-e-g turbulence model. All testing and data reduction are completed for the particle laden jets. Mean and fluctuating velocities of the continuous phase and mean mixture fraction were measured in the evaporating sprays.

Shuen, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

High-energy continuum emission from solar flares

The properties of solar flare continuum emission at energies of greater than 300 keV have been determined from observations obtained during the 21st solar maximum by gamma-ray detectors aboard the SMM and Hinotori satellites. The temporal structure of the high-energy continuum is modeled by two-step acceleration and particle trapping. The results suggest that the very high-energy emission noted must be a mixture of pion-decay radiation and primary electron bremsstrahlung.

Vestrand, W. Thomas↗

NASA NTRS1990

A time-dependent dusty gas dynamic model of axisymmetric cometary jets

The present time-dependent, axisymmetric dusty gas dynamical model of inner cometary atmospheres solves the coupled and time-dependent equations of continuity, momentum, and energy for a gas-dust mixture between the surface of the nucleus and 100 km, using an axisymmetric 40 x 40 grid structure. A novel numerical method employing a second-order accurate Godunov-type scheme with dimensional splitting is used to solve the time-dependent pde system. It is established that a subsolar dust spike not predicted by previous calculations is generated by narrow axisymmetric jets, together with a jet cone whose opening angle depends on the jet length.

Korosmezey, A.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Symmetric normal mixtures

We consider mixture density estimation under the symmetry constraint x = Az for an orthogonal matrix A. This distributional constraint implies a corresponding constraint on the mixture parameters. Focusing on the gaussian case, we derive an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to enforce the constraint and show results for modeling of image feature vectors.

symmetry constraint↗

NASA NTRS2007

An Experimental Investigation of the Laminar Flamelet Concept for Soot Properties

The soot properties of round, nonbuoyant, laminar jet diffusion flames are described, based on experiments at microgravity carried out on orbit during three flights of the Space Shuttle Columbia, (Flights STS-83, 94 and 107). Experimental conditions included ethylene- and propane-fueled flames burning in still air at an ambient temperature of 300 K and ambient pressures of 35-100 kPa. Measurements included soot volume fraction distributions using deconvoluted laser extinction imaging, and soot temperature distributions using deconvoluted multiline emission imaging. Flowfield modeling based on the work of Spalding is presented. The present work explores whether soot properties of these flames are universal functions of mixture fraction, i.e., whether they satisfy soot state relationships. Measurements are presented, including radiative emissions and distributions of soot temperature and soot volume fraction. It is shown that most of the volume of these flames is bounded by the dividing streamline and thus should follow residence time state relationships. Most streamlines from the fuel supply to the surroundings are found to exhibit nearly the same maximum soot volume fraction and temperature. The radiation intensity along internal streamlines also is found to have relatively uniform values. Finally, soot state relationships were observed, i.e., soot volume fraction was found to correlate with estimated mixture fraction for each fuel/pressure selection. These results support the existence of soot property state relationships for steady nonbuoyant laminar diffusion flames, and thus in a large class of practical turbulent diffusion flames through the application of the laminar flamelet concept.

Diez, F. J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Advanced Chemical Propulsion

Advanced Chemical Propulsion (ACP) provides near-term incremental improvements in propulsion system performance and/or cost. It is an evolutionary approach to technology development that produces useful products along the way to meet increasingly more demanding mission requirements while focusing on improving payload mass fraction to yield greater science capability. Current activities are focused on two areas: chemical propulsion component, subsystem, and manufacturing technologies that offer measurable system level benefits; and the evaluation of high-energy storable propellants with enhanced performance for in-space application. To prioritize candidate propulsion technology alternatives, a variety of propulsion/mission analyses and trades have been conducted for SMD missions to yield sufficient data for investment planning. They include: the Advanced Chemical Propulsion Assessment; an Advanced Chemical Propulsion System Model; a LOx-LH2 small pumps conceptual design; a space storables propellant study; a spacecraft cryogenic propulsion study; an advanced pressurization and mixture ratio control study; and a pump-fed vs. pressure-fed study.

Alexander, Leslie, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Hot-Fire Test Results of an Oxygen/RP-2 Multi-Element Oxidizer-Rich Staged-Combustion Integrated Test Article

As part of the Combustion Stability Tool Development project funded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was contracted to assemble and hot-fire test a multi-element integrated test article demonstrating combustion characteristics of an oxygen/hydrocarbon propellant oxidizer-rich staged-combustion engine thrust chamber. Such a test article simulates flow through the main injectors of oxygen/kerosene oxidizer-rich staged combustion engines such as the Russian RD-180 or NK-33 engines, or future U.S.-built engine systems such as the Aerojet-Rocketdyne AR-1 engine or the Hydrocarbon Boost program demonstration engine. For the thrust chamber assembly of the test article, several configurations of new main injectors, using relatively conventional gas-centered swirl coaxial injector elements, were designed and fabricated. The design and fabrication of these main injectors are described in a companion paper at this JANNAF meeting. New ablative combustion chambers were fabricated based on hardware previously used at NASA for testing at similar size and pressure. An existing oxygen/RP-1 oxidizer-rich subscale preburner injector from a previous NASA-funded program, along with existing and new inter-connecting hot gas duct hardware, were used to supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the oxidizer circuit of the main injector of the thrust chamber. Results from independent hot-fire tests of the preburner injector in a combustion chamber with a sonic throat are described in companion papers at this JANNAF conference. The resulting integrated test article - which includes the preburner, inter-connecting hot gas duct, main injector, and ablative combustion chamber - was assembled at Test Stand 116 at the East Test Area of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The test article was well instrumented with static and dynamic pressure, temperature, and acceleration sensors to allow the collected data to be used for combustion analysis model development. Hot-fire testing was conducted with main combustion chamber pressures ranging from 1400 to 2100 psia, and main combustion chamber mixture ratios ranging from 2.4 to 2.9. Different levels of fuel film cooling injected from the injector face were examined ranging from none to about 12% of the total fuel flow. This paper presents the hot-fire test results of the integrated test article. Combustion performance, stability, thermal, and compatibility characteristics of both the preburner and the thrust chamber are described. Another companion paper at this JANNAF meeting includes additional and more detailed test data regarding the combustion dynamics and stability characteristics.

Hulka, J. R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Harnessing Synthetic Communities and Microbial Recycling of Space Waste Streams for Biomanufacturing Applications

The long-term habitation of extraterrestrial environments such as the Moon or Mars presents significant challenges including supplying materials to sustain life. Off-world recycling of waste materials into biomanufacturer products may ameliorate this. Current literature highlights the need for efficient waste recycling systems to support the bioproduction of essential materials including foods, pharmaceuticals, and biomaterials. The study herein concerns itself with the investigation of three key aspects: 1) formulating an optimal wastewater media on which to grow recombinant microbes for bioproduction in space, 2) examining the potential for constructing stable and metabolically synergistic synthetic microbial communities for largescale and multi-tiered biomanufacturing, and 3) testing the efficacy of one such bioengineered enzyme, cutinase, on the degradation of PET plastics characteristic of those found in ISS waste as a model for recombinant recycling-based biomanufacturing of mission-critical substrates. Formulation of an optimal wastewater media involved growing several microorganisms on mixtures of synthetic planetary wastes representative of those found in space waste systems, combined with simple carbon sources derived from a physio-chemical CO conversion system to determine their growth potential. Potential synthetic microbial communities were conceptually designed, and their stability and metabolic synergism was evaluated within the context of co-cultures. Cutinase activity assays were utilized to determine the efficacy of bioengineered cutinase on PET plastic degradation. Findings will contribute to optimization of wastewater-based media formulations, data on stable synthetic microbial communities for bioproduction, and effective methods for measuring cutinase-based PET plastic degradation. These outcomes support the development of sustainable waste recycling systems for space habitation and aim to fill gaps in the current literature and proposing innovative solutions for waste recycling in space environments. By leveraging synthetic biology this study seeks to enhance the feasibility of long-term extraterrestrial habitation through sustainable resource management.

Bioprocessing↗

NASA NTRS1986

Modeling for CO poisoning of a fuel cell anode

Poisoning losses in a half-cell in the 110-190 C temperature range have been measured in 100 wt pct H3PO4 for various mixtures of H2, CO, and CO2 gases in order to investigate the polarization loss due to poisoning by CO of a porous fuel cell Pt anode. At a fixed current density, the poisoning loss was found to vary linearly with ln of the CO/H2 concentration ratio, although deviations from linearity were noted at lower temperatures and higher current densities for high CO/H2 concentration ratios. The surface coverages of CO were also found to vary linearly with ln of the CO/H2 concentration ratio. A general adsorption relationship is derived. Standard free energies for CO adsorption were found to vary from -14.5 to -12.1 kcal/mol in the 130-190 C temperature range. The standard entropy for CO adsorption was found to be -39 cal/mol per deg K.

Dhar, H. P.↗

NASA NTRS2001

AVIRIS Land-Surface Mapping in Support of the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS)

A key scientific objective of the original Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) field campaign (1993-1996) was to obtain the baseline data required for modeling and predicting fluxes of energy, mass, and trace gases in the boreal forest biome. These data sets are necessary to determine the sensitivity of the boreal forest biome to potential climatic changes and potential biophysical feedbacks on climate. A considerable volume of remotely-sensed and supporting field data were acquired by numerous researchers to meet this objective. By design, remote sensing and modeling were considered critical components for scaling efforts, extending point measurements from flux towers and field sites over larger spatial and longer temporal scales. A major focus of the BOREAS follow-on program is concerned with integrating the diverse remotely sensed and ground-based data sets to address specific questions such as carbon dynamics at local to regional scales. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has the potential of contributing to BOREAS through: (1) accurate retrieved apparent surface reflectance; (2) improved landcover classification; and (3) direct assessment of biochemical/biophysical information such as canopy liquid water and chlorophyll concentration through pigment fits. In this paper, we present initial products for major flux tower sites including: (1) surface reflectance of dominant cover types; (2) a land-cover classification developed using spectral mixture analysis (SMA) and Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA); and (3) liquid water maps. Our goal is to compare these land-cover maps to existing maps and to incorporate AVIRIS image products into models of photosynthetic flux.

Roberts, Dar A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

CFD simulation of coaxial injectors

The development of improved performance models for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is an important, ongoing program at NASA MSFC. These models allow prediction of overall system performance, as well as analysis of run-time anomalies which might adversely affect engine performance or safety. Due to the complexity of the flow fields associated with the SSME, NASA has increasingly turned to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques as modeling tools. An important component of the SSME system is the fuel preburner, which consists of a cylindrical chamber with a plate containing 264 coaxial injector elements at one end. A fuel rich mixture of gaseous hydrogen and liquid oxygen is injected and combusted in the chamber. This process preheats the hydrogen fuel before it enters the main combustion chamber, powers the hydrogen turbo-pump, and provides a heat dump for nozzle cooling. Issues of interest include the temperature and pressure fields at the turbine inlet and the thermal compatibility between the preburner chamber and injector plate. Performance anomalies can occur due to incomplete combustion, blocked injector ports, etc. The performance model should include the capability to simulate the effects of these anomalies. The current approach to the numerical simulation of the SSME fuel preburner flow field is to use a global model based on the MSFC sponsored FNDS code. This code does not have the capabilities of modeling several aspects of the problem such as detailed modeling of the coaxial injectors. Therefore, an effort has been initiated to develop a detailed simulation of the preburner coaxial injectors and provide gas phase boundary conditions just downstream of the injector face as input to the FDNS code. This simulation should include three-dimensional geometric effects such as proximity of injectors to baffles and chamber walls and interaction between injectors. This report describes an investigation into the numerical simulation of GH2/LOX coaxial injectors. The following sections will discuss the physical aspects of injectors, the CFD code employed, and preliminary results of a simulation of a single coaxial injector for which experimental data is available. It is hoped that this work will lay the foundation for the development of a unique and useful tool to support the SSME program.

Landrum, D. Brian↗

NASA NTRS1999

Initial Observations on the Burning of an Ethanol Droplet in Microgravity

Combustion of liquid ethanol represents an important system both from fundamental and practical points of view, Ethanol is currently being used as an additive to gasoline in order to reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emissions as well as to improve the fuel octane rating. A detailed physical understanding of liquid ethanol combustion is therefore necessary to achieve an optimal performance of such fuel blends in practical conditions. Ethanol is also a relatively simple model compound suitable for investigation of important combustion characteristics typical of more complex fuels. In particular, ethanol has been proposed for studies of sooting behavior during droplet burning. The sooting nature of ethanol has pressure sensitivities similar to that of n-heptane, but shifted to a higher range of pressures (1-3 atm). Additionally, liquid ethanol is miscible with water produced during its combustion forming mixtures with azeotropic behavior, a phenomenon important for understanding multi-component, liquid fuel combustion. In this work, we present initial results obtained in a series of recent space-based experiments and develop a detailed model describing the burning of ethanol droplet in microgravity.

Kazakov, Andrei↗

NASA NTRS1979

Dust release and mantle development in comets

A model of dust release and dust mantle development by cometary nuclei is developed to explain the brightness asymmetry observed in comets before and after perihelion. Assuming that the cometary nucleus consists of a uniform mixture of dust and volatile ices and taking into account the differential mass spectrum of the dust and the effect of nuclear gravity, it is shown that the factor which determines whether a comet will be brighter before or after perihelion is the mass ratio of dust to volatiles in the nucleus. If this ratio is greater than about two, the comet will be brighter on the inward path and not lose its mantle near perihelion. Applying the model to comet Halley (dust to volatiles ratio presumed to be less than two), it is predicted that the comet remains without a mantle until it reaches a heliocentric distance of 2.035 AU after perihelion and loses its mantle suddenly at a distance of about 1.45 AU on the inward path, causing it to be brighter after perihelion. Predictions of monochromatic brightness are found to be in fair agreement with total observed brightnesses.

Brin, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Dust aerosol retrieval results from MISR (multi-angle imaging spectro-radiometer)

Satellite measurements provide important tools for understanding the effect of mineral dust aerosols on past and present climate and climate predictions. Multi-angle instruments such as Multi-angle Imaging Spectro- Radiometer (MISR) provide independent constraints on aerosol properties based on their sensitivity to the shape of aerosol scattering phase functions. The current MISR operational retrieval algorithm (version 16 and higher) was modified by incorporating new non-spherical dust models that account for naturally occurring dust shapes and compositions. We present selected examples of MISR version 16 retrievals over AERONET sunphotometer land and ocean sites during the passage of dust fronts. Our analysis shows that during such events MISR retrieves Angstrom exponents characteristic of large particles, having little spectral variation in extinction over the MISR wavelength range (442, 550, 672 and 866 nm channels), as expected. The retrieved fraction of non-spherical particles is also very high. This quantity is not retrieved by satellite instruments having only nadir-viewing cameras. Our comparison of current (version 16) MISR-retrieved aerosol optical thickness (AOT) with AERONET instantaneous AOT shows better coverage and stronger correlations than when making identical comparisons with previous AOT retrievals (version 15). The MISR algorithm successful mixtures include a non-spherical dust component with high frequency in retrievals over dark water and slightly lower frequency over land. Selection frequencies of non-spherical dust models also decrease in dusty regions affected by pollution.

Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR)↗

NASA NTRS2015

The Two-Phase Flow Separator Experiment Breadboard Model: Reduced Gravity Aircraft Results

Life support systems in space depend on the ability to effectively separate gas from liquid. Passive cyclonic phase separators use the centripetal acceleration of a rotating gas-liquid mixture to carry out phase separation. The gas migrates to the center, while gas-free liquid may be withdrawn from one of the end plates. We have designed, constructed and tested a breadboard that accommodates the test sections of two independent principal investigators and satisfies their respective requirements, including flow rates, pressure and video diagnostics. The breadboard was flown in the NASA low-gravity airplane in order to test the system performance and design under reduced gravity conditions.

phase separation↗

NASA NTRS1974

Techniques for carrying out radiative transfer calculations for the Martian atmospheric dust

A description is given of the modification of a theory on the reflectance of particulate media so as to apply it to analysis of the infrared spectra obtained by the IRIS instrument on Mariner 9. With the aid of this theory and the optical constants of muscovite mica, quartz, andesite, anorthosite, diopside pyroxenite, and dunite, modeling calculations were made to refine previous estimates of the mineralogical composition of the Martian dust particles. These calculations suggest that a feldspar rich mixture is a very likely composition for the dust particles. The optical constants used for anorthosite and diopside pyroxenite were derived during this program from reflectance measurements. Those for the mica were derived from literature reflectance data. Finally, a computer program was written to invert the measured radiance data so as to obtain the absorption coefficient spectrum which should then be independent of the temperature profile and gaseous component effects.

Aronson, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Rate constant for the reaction of atomic chlorine with methane

The rate constant and temperature dependence of the Cl + CH4 reaction have been investigated by the techniques of competitive chlorination of CH4/C2H6 mixtures and by discharge-flow/mass spectroscopy. The objectives were to determine an accurate value for the rate constant for use in stratospheric modeling, and to clarify discrepancies in results previously obtained by different techniques. The results deduced from the competitive chlorination study are in good agreement with the absolute values measured by the mass spectrometric method, and at temperatures above 300 K are in good agreement with measurements by other techniques based on resonance fluorescence detection of atomic chlorine. However, in the 220-300 K region, the competitive experiments indicate lower rate constants than those obtained by resonance fluorescence methods, and do not reproduce the curved Arrhenius plots seen in some of those studies.

Lin, C. L.↗