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At least 883 records · Page 49

Distributed fibre optic strain sensing of an axially deformed well model in the laboratory

Well integrity is crucial in enabling sustainable gas production from methane hydrate reservoirs and real-time distributed monitoring techniques can potentially facilitate proper and timely inspection of well integrity during gas production. Here in this research, the feasibility of distributed fibre optic strain monitoring with Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry/analysis (BOTDR/A) for well monitoring was examined by conducting a laboratory test on a well model subjected to axial tensile deformation, which occurs due to reservoir compaction during gas production. First, the validity of the proposed experimental methodology is assessed by a finite element analysis and theoretical modelling of a well subjected to reservoir compaction. A 3 m long well model is developed from the modelling and is instrumented with different types of fibre optic cables to measure the distributed strain development during tensile loading. Results show that the proposed well model and loading scheme can satisfactorily simulate the axial tensile deformation of the well in the laboratory condition. BOTDR is capable of capturing the tensile strain development of the well model accurately within the limitation of the spatial resolution of the BOTDR measurement. To enable accurate distributed strain monitoring of well deformation with BOTDR/A, the following issues are discussed: tightly buffered coating layers around optical fibre cores through mechanical compression and/or chemical adhesion, and a small number of coating layers.

42 ENGINEERING↗

An Evaluation of Parameters Influencing Jet Mixing Using the WIND Navier-stokes Code

The WIND code, a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver used for a variety of aerospace flow simulations, was investigated for a Mach 2 nozzle at a series of nozzle stagnation temperatures. Comparisons of WIND calculations are made to experimental measurements of axial velocity, Mach number, and stagnation temperature along the jet centerline. The primary objective was to investigate the capabilities of the two-equation turbulence models available in WIND, version 4.0, for the analysis of heated supersonic nozzle flows. The models examined were the Menter Shear Stress Transport (SST) model and the Chien k-epsilon model, with and without the compressibility correction due to Sarkar. It was observed that all of the turbulence models investigated produced solutions that did not agree well with the experimental measurements. The effects of freestream Mach number and turbulent Prandtl number specifications were also investigated.

Dembowski, Mary Ann↗

Imperfection Insensitivity Analyses of Advanced Composite Tow-Steered Shells

Two advanced composite tow-steered shells, one with tow overlaps and another without overlaps, were previously designed, fabricated and tested in end compression, both without cutouts, and with small and large cutouts. In each case, good agreement was observed between experimental buckling loads and supporting linear bifurcation buckling analyses. However, previous buckling tests and analyses have shown historically poor correlation, perhaps due to the presence of geometric imperfections that serve as failure initiators. For the tow-steered shells, their circumferential variation in axial stiffness may have suppressed this sensitivity to imperfections, leading to the agreement noted between tests and analyses. To investigate this further, a numerical investigation was performed in this study using geometric imperfections measured from both shells. Finite element models of both shells were analyzed first without, and then, with measured imperfections that were then, superposed in different orientations around the shell longitudinal axis. Small variations in both the axial prebuckling stiffness and global buckling load were observed for the range of imperfections studied here, which suggests that the tow steering, and resulting circumferentially varying axial stiffness, may result in the test-analysis correlation observed for these shells.

Wu, K. Chauncey↗

DYNAMICS INSIDE THE RADIO AND X-RAY CLUSTER CAVITIES OF CYGNUS A AND SIMILAR FRII SOURCES

We describe approximate axisymmetric computations of the dynamical evolution of material inside radio lobes and X-ray cluster gas cavities in Fanaroff-Riley II (FRII) sources such as Cygnus A. All energy is delivered by a jet to the lobe/cavity via a moving hotspot where jet energy dissipates in a reverse shock. Our calculations describe the evolution of hot plasma, cosmic rays (CRs), and toroidal magnetic fields flowing from the hotspot into the cavity. Many important observational features are explained. Gas, CRs, and field flow back along the cavity surface in a 'boundary backflow' consistent with detailed FRII observations. Computed ages of backflowing CRs are consistent with observed radio-synchrotron age variations only if shear instabilities in the boundary backflow are damped and we assume this is done with viscosity of unknown origin. We compute a faint thermal jet along the symmetry axis and suggest that it is responsible for redirecting the Cygnus A nonthermal jet. Magnetic fields estimated from synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) X-radiation observed near the hotspot evolve into radio lobe fields. Computed profiles of radio-synchrotron lobe emission perpendicular to the jet reveal dramatically limb-brightened emission in excellent agreement with FRII observation, although computed lobe fields exceed those observed. Strong winds flowing from hotspots naturally create kiloparsec-sized spatial offsets between hotspot nonthermal X-ray inverse Compton (IC-CMB) emission and radio-synchrotron emission that peaks 1-2 kpc ahead where the field increases due to wind compression. In our computed version of Cygnus A, nonthermal X-ray emission increases from the hotspot (some IC-CMB, mostly SSC) toward the offset radio-synchrotron peak (mostly SSC).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Benchmark cyclic plastic notch strain measurements

Plastic strains at the roots of notched specimens of Inconel 718 subjected to tension-compression cycling at 650 C are reported. These strains were measured with a laser-based technique over a gage length of 0.1 mm and are intended to serve as 'benchmark' data for further development of experimental, analytical, and computational approaches. The specimens were 250 mm by 2.5 mm in the test section with double notches of 4.9 mm radius subjected to axial loading sufficient to cause yielding at the notch root on the tensile portion of the first cycle. The tests were run for 1000 cycles at 10 cpm or until cracks initiated at the notch root. The experimental techniques are described, and then representative data for the various load spectra are presented. All the data for each cycle of every test are available on floppy disks from NASA.

Sharpe, W. N., Jr.↗

3D Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomer Foams for Enhanced Energy Dissipation Under Mechanical Insult

Polymer foams are an essential class of lightweight materials used to protect assets against mechanical insults, such as shock and vibration. Two features are important to enhance their energy absorption characteristics: the foam structure and the matrix phase mechanical behavior. This study investigates novel approaches to control both of these features to enhance the energy absorption capability of flexible lattice foams. First, we consider 3D printing via digital light processing (DLP) as a method to control the foam mesostructure across a suite of periodic unit cells. Second, we introduce an additional energy dissipation mechanism in the solid matrix phase material by 3D printing the lattice foams with polydomain liquid crystal elastomer (LCE), which undergo a mechanically induced phase transition under large strains. This phase transition is associated with LC mesogen rotation and alignment and provides a second mechanism for mechanical energy dissipation in addition to the viscoelastic relaxation of the polymer network. Here, we contrast the 3D printed LCE lattices with conventional, thermomechanically near-equivalent elastomer lattice foams to quantify the energy-absorbing enhancement the LCE matrix phase provides. Under cyclic quasi-static uniaxial compression conditions, the LCE lattices show dramatically enhanced energy dissipation in uniaxial compression compared to the non-LCE equivalent foams printed with a commercially available photocurable elastomer resin. The lattice geometry also plays a prominent role in determining the energy dissipation ratio between the LCE and non-LCE foams. We show that when increasing the lattice connectivity, the foam deformation transitions from bending-dominated to stretching-dominated deformations, which generates higher axial strains in the struts and higher energy dissipation in the lattice foam, as stretching allows greater mesogen rotation than bending. The LCE foams demonstrate superior energy absorption during the repeated dynamic loading during drop testing compared with the non-LCE equivalent foams, demonstrating the potential of LCEs to enhance physical protection systems against mechanical impact.

3D printing↗

100 kHz High-Spectral-Resolution NO-PLIF Measurements for Compressible Flows

In the present work, we use a burst-mode laser and optical parametric oscillator system to perform high-spectral resolution NO-PLIF measurements of an underexpanded jet at a repetition-rate of 100 kHz, with the motivation of multi-parameter measurements of temperature, pressure, and velocity. The laser frequency of the 1064 nm seed laser for the burst-mode laser was scanned during the burst to cover two neighboring absorption line pairs near 226 nm. The peak PLIF signal intensity varies along the axial (z) direction of the underexpanded jet as the laser frequency is scanned, which we attribute to the collisional shift induced by the flow and only revealed due to the narrow linewidth of the laser. A pseudo-Voight fit is applied to the LIF excitation spectra on a pixel-by-pixel basis to measure the spectral position of the peak intensity for the two transition pairs and their amplitude. The spectral position of the peak intensity is used to derive a frequency shift, which is separated into its collisional and Doppler components using the axisymmetric nature of the flow field. The amplitude of the measured peaks is used for two-line rotational thermometry. Challenges for quantitative measurements using such an approach are discussed, including measuring the spatial variations in the energy distribution of the laser sheet at a 100 kHz repetition rate and uncertainty/variability in the step size during the fast frequency scan.

laser induced fluorescence↗

100 kHz High-Spectral-Resolution NO-PLIF Measurements for Compressible Flows

In the present work, we use a burst-mode laser and optical parametric oscillator system to perform high-spectral resolution NO-PLIF measurements of an underexpanded jet at a repetition-rate of 100 kHz, with the motivation of multi-parameter measurements of temperature, pressure, and velocity. The laser frequency of the 1064 nm seed laser for the burst-mode laser was scanned during the burst to cover two neighboring absorption line pairs near 226 nm. The peak PLIF signal intensity varies along the axial (z) direction of the underexpanded jet as the laser frequency is scanned, which we attribute to the collisional shift induced by the flow and only revealed due to the narrow linewidth of the laser. A pseudo-Voight fit is applied to the LIF excitation spectra on a pixel-by-pixel basis to measure the spectral position of the peak intensity for the two transition pairs and their amplitude. The spectral position of the peak intensity is used to derive a frequency shift, which is separated into its collisional and Doppler components using the axisymmetric nature of the flow field. The amplitude of the measured peaks is used for two-line rotational thermometry. Challenges for quantitative measurements using such an approach are discussed, including measuring the spatial variations in the energy distribution of the laser sheet at a 100 kHz repetition rate and uncertainty/variability in the step size during the fast frequency scan.

laser induced fluorescence↗

Temperature distributions of a cesium-seeded hydrogen-oxygen supersonic free jet

The hydrogen-oxygen plasma was generated at combustion chamber pressures ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 megapascals and for various seed ratios (1 to 10 percent). The plasma was observed as the atmospheric exhaust from a Mach 2 rocket test facility. Transverse profiles of the absolute integrated intensity were measured with the optically thin CsI lines (0.5664 and 0.5636 microns) at a range of axial positions downstream of the 5-cm-diameter combustor nozzle exit. Radial profiles of the emission coefficient were obtained from the measured transverse profiles of intensity by Abel inversion. Temperatures were then determined from the emission coefficients for conditions of local thermodynamic equilibrium using particle densities generated by a two-dimensional free jet computer program. Temperature results show the inherent effects of compression and expansion pressure waves characteristic of a free jet exiting from a supersonic nozzle.

Wang, S. Y.↗

TEXCAD: TEXile Composite Analysis for Design

The Textile Composite Analysis for Design (TEXCAD) code provides the materials/design engineer with a user-friendly, desktop computer based tool for the analysis of a wide variety of fabric reinforced woven and braided composites. It can be used to calculate overall thermal and mechanical properties along with engineering estimates of damage progression and strength. TEXCAD also calculates laminate properties for stacked, oriented fabric constructions. It discretely models the yarn centerline paths within the textile repeating unit cell (RUC) by assuming sinusoidal undulations at yarn cross-over points and uses a year discretization scheme (which subdivides each yarn into smaller, piecewise straight yarn slices) together with a 3-D stress averaging procedure to compute overall stiffness properties. In the calculations for strength, it uses a curved beam-on-elastic foundation model for yarn undulating regions together with incremental approach in which stiffness properties for the failed yarn slices are reduced based on the predicted yarn slice failure mode. Nonlinear shear effects and nonlinear geometric effects can be stimulated. Input to TEXCAD consists of: (1) material parameters like impregnated yarn and resin properties such as moduli, Poisson's ratios, coefficients of thermal expansion, nonlinear shear parameters, axial failure strains, and in-plane failure stresses; and (2) fabric parameters like yarn sizes, braid angle, yarn packing density, filament diameter, and overall fiber volume fraction. Output consists of overall thermoelastic constants, yarn slice strains/stresses, yarn slice failure history, in-plane strain response, and ultimate failure strength. Strength can be computed under the combined action of thermal and mechanical loading (tension, compression, and shear). A brief overview of the analytical capabilities, program organization, and modules, input and output parameters, computer platforms, distribution, and modifications/extensions of the TEXCAD code are presented here.

Naik, Rajiv A.↗

Hydrogen no-vent fill testing in a 5 cubic foot (142 liter) tank using spray nozzle and spray bar liquid injection

A total of 38 hydrogen no-vent fill tests were performed in this test series using various size spray nozzles and a spray bar with different hole sizes in a 5 cubic foot receiver tank. Fill levels of 90 percent by volume or greater were achieved in 26 of the tests while maintaining a receiver tank pressure below 30 psia. Spray nozzles were mounted at the top of the tank, whereas, the spray bar was centered in the tank axially. The spray nozzle no-vent fills demonstrated tank pressure and temperature responses comparable to previous test series. Receiver tank pressure responses for the spray bar configuration were similar to the spray nozzle tests with the pressure initially rising rapidly, then leveling off as vapor condenses onto the discharging liquid streams, and finally ramping up near the end of the test due to ullage compression. Both liquid injection techniques tested were capable of filling the receiver tank to 90 percent under variable test conditions. Comparisons between the spray nozzle and spray bar configurations for well matched test conditions indicate the spray nozzle injection technique is more effective in minimizing the receiving tank pressure throughout a no-vent fill compared to the spray bar under normal gravity conditions.

Moran, Matthew E.↗

Hydrogen no-vent testing in a 5 cubic foot (142 liter) tank using spray nozzle and spray bar liquid injection

A total of 38 hydrogen no-vent fill tests were performed in this test series using various size spray nozzles and a spray bar with different hole sizes in a 5 cubic foot receiver tank. Fill levels of 90 percent by volume or greater were achieved in 26 of the tests while maintaining a receiver tank pressure below 30 psia. Spray nozzles were mounted at the top of the tank, whereas, the spray bar was centered in the tank axially. The spray nozzle no-vent fills demonstrated tank pressure and temperature responses comparable to previous test series. Receiver tank pressure responses for the spray bar configuration were similar to the spray nozzle tests with the pressure initially rising rapidly, then leveling off as vapor condenses onto the discharging liquid streams, and finally ramping up near the end of the test due to ullage compression. Both liquid injection techniques tested were capable of filling the receiver tank to 90 percent under variable test conditions. Comparisons between the spray nozzle and spray bar configurations for well matched test conditions indicate the spray nozzle injection technique is more effective in minimizing the receiving tank pressure throughout a no-vent fill compared to the spray bar under normal gravity conditions.

Moran, Matthew E.↗

Similar solutions for the compressible laminar boundary layer with heat transfer and pressure gradient

Stewartson's transformation is applied to the laminar compressible boundary-layer equations and the requirement of similarity is introduced, resulting in a set of ordinary nonlinear differential equations previously quoted by Stewartson, but unsolved. The requirements of the system are Prandtl number of 1.0, linear viscosity-temperature relation across the boundary layer, an isothermal surface, and the particular distributions of free-stream velocity consistent with similar solutions. This system admits axial pressure gradients of arbitrary magnitude, heat flux normal to the surface, and arbitrary Mach numbers. The system of differential equations is transformed to integral system, with the velocity ratio as the independent variable. For this system, solutions are found by digital computation for pressure gradients varying from that causing separation to the infinitely favorable gradient and for wall temperatures from absolute zero to twice the free-stream stagnation temperature. Some solutions for separated flows are also presented.

Cohen, Clarence B↗

Study on the residual stress relaxation in girth-welded steel pipes under bending load using diffraction methods

This research is dedicated to the experimental investigation of the residual stress relaxation in girth-welded pipes due to quasi-static bending loads. Ferritic-pearlitic steel pipes are welded with two passes, resulting in a characteristic residual stress state with high tensile residual stresses at the weld root. Also, four-point bending is applied to generate axial load stress causing changes in the residual stress state. These are determined both on the outer and inner surfaces of the pipes, as well as in the pipe wall, using X-ray and neutron diffraction. Focusing on the effect of tensile load stress, it is revealed that not only the tensile residual stresses are reduced due to exceeding the yield stress, but also the compressive residual stresses for equilibrium reasons. Furthermore, residual stress relaxation occurs both parallel and perpendicular to the applied load stress.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

ON THE SUPPORT OF SOLAR PROMINENCE MATERIAL BY THE DIPS OF A CORONAL FLUX TUBE

The dense prominence material is believed to be supported against gravity through the magnetic tension of dipped coronal magnetic field. For quiescent prominences, which exhibit many gravity-driven flows, hydrodynamic forces are likely to play an important role in the determination of both the large- and small-scale magnetic field distributions. In this study, we present the first steps toward creating a three-dimensional magneto-hydrostatic prominence model where the prominence is formed in the dips of a coronal flux tube. Here 2.5D equilibria are created by adding mass to an initially force-free magnetic field, then performing a secondary magnetohydrodynamic relaxation. Two inverse polarity magnetic field configurations are studied in detail, a simple o-point configuration with a ratio of the horizontal field (B{sub x} ) to the axial field (B{sub y} ) of 1:2 and a more complex model that also has an x-point with a ratio of 1:11. The models show that support against gravity is either by total pressure or tension, with only tension support resembling observed quiescent prominences. The o-point of the coronal flux tube was pulled down by the prominence material, leading to compression of the magnetic field at the base of the prominence. Therefore, tension support comes from the small curvature of the compressed magnetic field at the bottom and the larger curvature of the stretched magnetic field at the top of the prominence. It was found that this method does not guarantee convergence to a prominence-like equilibrium in the case where an x-point exists below the prominence flux tube. The results imply that a plasma {beta} of {approx}0.1 is necessary to support prominences through magnetic tension.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Experimental investigation of the influence of drainage condition on change in saturation of sheared sand

Here, this paper investigates the validity of the interpretation of results from testing saturated axisymmetric triaxial compression (ATC) sand specimens utilising three-dimensional (3D) synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SMT) to probe localised events that are completely missed or misinterpreted when analysing ATC measurements based on global standard measurements. Drained and undrained experiments were conducted at low and high back-pressures (BPs) coupled with multiple in situ 3D SMT to acquire high-resolution scans of the specimens at different axial strains. Specimens tested under low BP exhibited a large pore air volume change, which was not detected by the pump system that represents standard volume measurement. The increase in air volume caused a significant reduction in the degree of saturation leading to a possible transition from saturated to partially saturated constitutive behaviour. Undrained experiments exhibited a significant volume change contrary to the assumption of negligible volumetric strain for saturated undrained experiments. Air bubbles within the shear band for drained and undrained low-BP specimens showed opposite capillary pressure responses, increased for drained and decreased for undrained cases, due to the variation in the mechanism by which each of the two experiments predominantly counters the volume expansion within the shear band.

capillary pressure↗

Notched and unnotched fatigue behavior of angle-ply graphite/epoxy composites

The axial fatigue behavior of both notched and unnotched graphite/epoxy composites has been studied as part of a continuing research investigation. In unnotched studies, conducted on an AS/3501 laminate, S-N curves were determined for various stress ratios R using simply supported test specimens. Specimens were fatigue tested up to 5 x 10 to the 6th cycles. Apparent fatigue limits in tension-tension and compression-compression cycling occurred at about 60 percent of the respective static strengths. The overall results were expressed in the form of a constant life diagram (that is, a Goodman diagram) showing the relationship between mean stress and stress amplitude. The diagram shows a linear relationship and illustrates a skew-symmetry in fatigue life caused by the relatively low compressive strength of the unrestrained test specimens used. In effect, a maximum in stress amplitude occurs at a positive value of the mean stress.

Ramani, S. V.↗

Shaft mount for data coupler system

A device for mounting a data transmission apparatus to a rotating, tapered, and instrumented shaft is provided. This device permits attachment without interfering with shaft rotation or the accuracy of data output, and prevents both radial and axial slippage of the data transmission apparatus. The mounting device consists of a sleeve assembly which is attached to the shaft by means of clamps that are situated at some distance removed from the instrumented area of the shaft. The data transmission device is secured to the sleeve such that the entire assembly rotates with the shaft. Shim adjustments between sleeve sections assure that a minimum compressive load is transferred to the instrumented area of the shaft and a rubber lining is affixed to a large portion of the interior surface of the sleeve to absorb vibration.

Elliott, James R., Jr.↗