Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “EVAPORATION MODEL”

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 955 records · Page 53

Thermal evaporation and condensation synthesis of metallic Zn layered polyhedral microparticles

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zn polyhedral microparticles prepared by thermal evaporation and condensation route. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Vapour-solid process based growth model governs the formation of Zn microparticles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A strong PL emission band is observed at 369 nm in UV region. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Radiative recombination of electrons in the s, p conduction band and the holes in the d bands causes this emission. -- Abstract: Metallic zinc layered polyhedral microparticles have been fabricated by thermal evaporation and condensation technique using zinc as precursor at 750 Degree-Sign C for 120 min and NH{sub 3} as a carrier gas. The zinc polyhedral microparticles with oblate spherical shape are observed to be 2-9 {mu}m in diameter along major axes and 1-7 {mu}m in thickness along minor axes. The structural, compositional and morphological characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). A vapour-solid (VS) mechanism based growth model has been proposed for the formation of Zn microparticles. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) emission spectrum of the product exhibited a strong emission band at 369 nm attributed to the radiative recombination of electrons in the s, p conduction band near Fermi surface and the holes in the d bands generated by the optical excitation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Fuel Spray Mixing and Wall Interaction

All future high-efficiency engines will have fuel directly sprayed into the engine cylinder. Engine developers agree that a major barrier to the rapid development and design of these high-efficiency, clean engines is the lack of accurate fuel spray computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. The spray injection process largely determines the fuel–air mixture processes in the engine, which subsequently drive combustion and emissions in both direct-injection gasoline and diesel systems, particularly at cold-start conditions when aftertreatment is ineffective. Engines must be tolerant to a range of fuels, and there must be an understanding of how specific fuel properties affect the spray mixing and evaporation processes to intentionally create better fuels and better injectors. More predictive spray combustion models will enable rapid design and optimization of future high-efficiency engines, providing more affordable vehicles and saving fuel.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Nodal Modeling of Tank Pressurization and Draining using a Multi-Node-Ullage Approach

Pressurized expulsion tests of liquid methane were modeled by a nodal code using a multinode ullage approach. Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a finite volume based nodal code was used to model the expulsion of liquid methane from a 1.52-meter (5 ft) diameter spherical tank by pressurizing with helium and gaseous methane. The purpose of the model was to estimate the amount of pressurant required and amount of condensation and evaporation of methane during the operation. The ullage was discretized into multiple nodes and each fluid node was connected to solid nodes. Both the fluid and solid nodes grow as the tank drains. The heat and mass transfer between fluid and solid node in the tank ullage was computed. The heat and mass transfer between the bottom ullage node and the liquid methane was also computed. The model predictions were compared with data from twelve test cases. The predicted pressurant consumption for helium pressurization compares with test data with a Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) of 3 %. For autogenous pressurization, where gaseous methane was used to pressurize liquid methane, the predicted pressurant consumption compares with a MAPE of 6%.

Cryogenic Propellant↗

Nodal Modeling of Helium Pressurization and Autogenous Pressurization and Draining using a Multi-Node-Ullage Approach

Pressurized expulsion tests of liquid methane were modeled by a nodal code using a multinode ullage approach. Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a finite volume based nodal code was used to model the expulsion of liquid methane from a 1.52-meter (5 ft) diameter spherical tank by pressurizing with helium and gaseous methane. The purpose of the model was to estimate the amount of pressurant required and amount of condensation and evaporation of methane during the operation. The ullage was discretized into multiple nodes and each fluid node was connected to solid nodes. Both the fluid and solid nodes grow as the tank drains. The heat and mass transfer between fluid and solid node in the tank ullage was computed. The heat and mass transfer between the bottom ullage node and the liquid methane was also computed. The model predictions were compared with data from twelve test cases. The predicted pressurant consumption for helium pressurization compares with test data with a Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) of 3%. For autogenous pressurization, where gaseous methane was used to pressurize liquid methane, the predicted pressurant consumption compares with a MAPE of 6%.

Nodal Model↗

Diabatic dynamic initialization

A generalized dynamical adjustment procedure was applied to a diabatic model to produce balanced initial conditions. Namely, backward adiabatic model integration is followed by forward diabatic model integration, with a high frequency (low pass) filter in the form of the Euler-backward time differencing scheme being applied throughout the whole integration. As a result of the application of such a diabatic dynamic initialization procedure within the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) 4-D data assimilation system, the following properties of forecasts from initialized fields are achieved right from the beginning of the usual forecast integration: (1) the forecast tendencies (and fields) are free of any noise due to imbalance in initial conditions; (2) the shocks related to an initial imbalance between model physics and dynamics, and especially the substantial initial imbalance of precipitation and evaporation fields, or the initial spin-up effect, are practically removed. Diabatic dynamic initialization has been compared with implicit nonlinear normal mode initialization, and found to be superior in removing the initial spin-up effect, and also in improving the tropical structure. The diabatic dynamic initialization procedure was successfully tested for the GLA system with the use of all conventional data and the GLA satellite data retrievals. It allows a smooth data insertion without any shocks or imbalances, which is highly desirable for efficient functioning of 4-D data assimilation systems. The developed initialization procedure is computationally efficient and in principle easily applicable to different forecast models.

Fox-Rabinovitz, Michael S.↗

Lattice Boltzmann Modeling of Drying of Porous Media Considering Contact Angle Hysteresis

Drying of porous media is governed by a combination of evaporation and movement of the liquid phase within the porous structure. Contact angle hysteresis induced by surface roughness is shown to influence multi-phase flows, such as contact line motion of droplet, phase distribution during drainage and coffee ring formed after droplet drying in constant contact radius mode. However, the influence of contact angle hysteresis on liquid drying in porous media is still an unanswered question. Lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) is an advanced numerical approach increasingly used to study phase change problems including drying. In this paper, based on a geometric formulation scheme to prescribe contact angle, we implement a contact angle hysteresis model within the framework of a two-phase pseudopotential LBM. The capability and accuracy of prescribing and automatically measuring contact angles over a large range are tested and validated by simulating droplets sitting on flat and curved surfaces. Afterward, the proposed contact angle hysteresis model is validated by modeling droplet drying on flat and curved surfaces. Then, drying of two connected capillary tubes is studied, considering the influence of different contact angle hysteresis ranges on drying dynamics. Finally, the model is applied to study drying of a dual-porosity porous medium, where phase distribution and drying rate are compared with and without contact angle hysteresis. The proposed model is shown to be capable of dealing with different contact angle hysteresis ranges accurately and of capturing the physical mechanisms during drying in different porous media including flat and curved geometries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Microphysical Timescales in Clouds and their Application in Cloud-Resolving Modeling

Computational phenomena (i.e., spurious supersaturation and negative mixing ratio of cloud water) usually exist in cloud-resolving models when the time step for explicit integration is larger than a microphysical timescale in clouds. In this paper, the microphysical timescales in clouds are studied, showing that the timescale of water vapor condensation (or cloud water evaporation) is smaller than 10 s - the order of a typical time step for cloud-resolving models. To avoid spurious computational phenomena in cloud-resolving modeling, it is suggested that moist entropy be used as a prognostic thermodynamic variable, and temperature be diagnosed from that and other prognostic variables. A simple numerical model with moist entropy as a prognostic variable, for example, is presented to show that spurious computational phenomena are removed when moist entropy is used as a prognostic variable.

Zeng, Xi-Ping↗

Plasma formation on a metal surface under combined action of laser and microwave radiation

By means of numerical modelling of the combined effect of laser (1.06 mm) and microwave (10{sup 10} – 10{sup 13} s{sup -1}) radiation on the aluminium surface in vacuum it is shown that the additional action of microwave radiation with the frequency 10{sup 12} s{sup -1} provides complete ionisation of the metal vapour (for the values of laser radiation duration and intensity used in the calculations), while in the absence of microwave radiation the vapour remains weakly ionised. The mathematical model used accounts for the processes, occurring in the condensed phase (heat conduction, melting), the evaporation and the kinetic processes in the resulting vapour. (interaction of laser radiation with matter. laser plasma)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

First lithium experiments in HIDRA and evidence of helium retention during quasi-steady-state stellarator plasma operations

Recent experiments in Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA) have had operational discharges between t discharge = 60 and 1000 s using electron cyclotron resonant heating (ECRH) of the plasma. This means that quasi-steady-state plasma discharges reach conditions to study long-pulse plasma material interactions (PMIs). The newly commissioned HIDRA-Material Analysis Test-stand PMI diagnostic is used to place a drop of lithium onto a heated tungsten surface, transfer the sample in-vacuo and expose it in a helium plasma. Helium is of interest as there is an open question to whether lithium will be able to remove helium ash in real fusion devices. The introduction of the W-Li sample in HIDRA resulted in evaporation of lithium into the helium plasma during a 600 s pulse and caused a reduction of over 90% in neutral pressure during the discharge. It was also observed that the plasma density and temperature increased by over 2.5 times. Using spectroscopy and a helium collisional radiative model, the peak temperature and density of the helium plasma can be monitored during the discharge. During lithium evaporation, as significant lithium ionization occurs, there is a 85% drop in the HIDRA vessel neutral pressure, despite a constant flow rate of He gas. This reduction in neutral pressure is supported by spectroscopy data with corresponding reductions in He I line intensities (587 nm, 667 nm, 706 nm, and 728 nm), as well as those of other impurities. At one point in the discharge a lithium plasma is created, as indicated by an increase in Li + emission and a complete reduction in He + emission, but the electron density jumps from ne = 3 × 10 18 m –3 to over ne = 8 × 10 18 m –3 while the core temperature stays relatively constant between Te = 16 eV and 20 eV. Once lithium has completely evaporated from the sample and the majority of the ionized lithium has diffused from the plasma to the vessel walls, pressure and spectroscopy data paired with He collisional radiative model calculations shows a re-establishment of a helium plasma in a low recycling regime. In this regime, the density drops down to ne = 2 × 10 18 m –3 and the electron temperature increases from T e = 20 eV to over T e = 50 eV indicating an increase in helium heating efficiency. This is also indicated by the He+ emission re-establishing and having a higher intensity. Here, we show the results from the first lithium campaign in HIDRA. In the presence of lithium, and in particular when lithium ions are present, the helium disappears from the plasma via an as of yet unknown complex relationship that needs to be further studied. The most likely explanation is that the lithium ions are distributed around the vessel and able to trap helium to the surface turning HIDRA into a large gettering surface. These results have potential implications on future plasma facing component design using liquid lithium for impurity and recycling control using limiters and divertors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Vertical variation of turbulent entrainment mixing processes in marine stratocumulus clouds using high-resolution digital holography

Marine stratocumulus clouds contribute signi?cantly to the Earth’s radiation budget due to their extensive coverage and high albedo. Yet, subgrid variability in cloud properties such as aerosol concentration, droplet number and precipitation rates lead to considerable errors in global climate models. While these clouds usually have small vertical ex-tent, turbulent entrainment-mixing and precipitation can generate signi?cant variations in droplet number, size and relative dispersion with altitude. In this paper, we analyze turbulent entrainment-mixing processes and the variability in cloud microphysical properties as a function of height within a warm marine stratocumulus cloud layer over the Eastern North Atlantic. We use high resolution airborne holographic measurements and compare them with local turbulence measurements. We ?nd that entrainment-mixing is primarily inhomogeneous near cloud top leading to larger droplet sizes and homogeneous near cloud base leading to smaller droplet sizes. Further analysis of Damk¨ohler number measurements are able to explain the mixing mechanisms at di?erent cloud heights, reinforcing the importance of turbulent mixing and microphysical time scales in deter-mining cloud microphysics.

Desai, Neel↗

Nuclear level densities of 64 , 66 Zn from neutron evaporation

Double differential cross sections of neutrons from d+ 63,65 Cu reactions have been measured at deuteron energies of 6 and 7.5 MeV. The cross sections measured at backward angles have been compared to theoretical calculations in the framework of the statistical Hauser-Feshbach model. Three different level density models were tested: the Fermi-gas model, the Gilbert-Cameron model, and the microscopic approach through the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov method (HFBM). The calculations using the Gilbert-Cameron model are in best agreement with our experimental data. Level densities of the residual nuclei 64 Zn and 66 Zn have been obtained from statistical neutron evaporation spectra. In conclusion, the angle-integrated cross sections have been analyzed with the exciton model of nuclear reaction.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Development and evaluation of virtual refrigerant mass flow sensors for fault detection and diagnostics

Refrigerant mass flow rate is an important measurement for monitoring equipment performance and enabling fault detection and diagnostics. However, a traditional mass flow meter is expensive to purchase and install. A virtual refrigerant mass flow sensor (VRMF) uses a mathematical model to estimate flow rate using low-cost measurements and can potentially be implemented at low cost. This study evaluates three VRMFs for estimating refrigerant mass flow rate. The first model uses a compressor map that relates refrigerant flow rate to measurements of inlet and outlet pressure, and inlet temperature measurements. The second model uses an energy-balance method on the compressor that uses a compressor map for power consumption, which is relatively independent of compressor faults that influence mass flow rate. The third model is developed using an empirical correlation for an electronic expansion valve (EEV) based on an orifice equation. The three VRMFs are shown to work well in estimating refrigerant mass flow rate for various systems under fault-free conditions with less than 5% RMS error. Each of the three mass flow rate estimates can be utilized to diagnose and track the following faults: 1) loss of compressor performance, 2) fouled condenser or evaporator filter, 3) faulty expansion device, respectively. For example, a compressor refrigerant flow map model only provides an accurate estimation when the compressor operates normally. When a compressor is not delivering the expected flow due to a leaky suction or discharge valve or other internal fault, the energy-balance or EEV model can provide accurate flow estimates. In this paper, the flow differences provide an indication of loss of compressor performance and can be used for fault detection and diagnostics.

Kim, Woohyun↗

An information system design for watershed-wide modeling of water loss to the atmosphere using remote sensing techniques

Results are presented of a study intended to develop a general location-specific remote-sensing procedure for watershed-wide estimation of water loss to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration. The general approach involves a stepwise sequence of required information definition (input data), appropriate sample design, mathematical modeling, and evaluation of results. More specifically, the remote sensing-aided system developed to evaluate evapotranspiration employs a basic two-stage two-phase sample of three information resolution levels. Based on the discussed design, documentation, and feasibility analysis to yield timely, relatively accurate, and cost-effective evapotranspiration estimates on a watershed or subwatershed basis, work is now proceeding to implement this remote sensing-aided system.

Khorram, S.↗

Simulation tools for atom probe tomography: A path for diagnosis and treatment of image degradation

The ideal picture of a near-perfect 3D microscope often presented regarding Atom Probe Tomography faces several issues. These issues degrade the metrological performance of the instrument and find their roots in the phenomena acting at the atomic to the mesoscopic level in the vicinity of the surface of a field emitter. From the field evaporation process at the atomic scale, to the macroscopic scale of the instrument, the path to model the imaging process and to develop more accurate and reliable reconstruction algorithms is not a single lane road. This paper focused on the numerical methods used to understand, treat, and potentially heal imaging issues commonly affecting the data in atom probe experiments. A lot of room for improvement exists in solving accuracy problems observed in complex materials by means of purely electrostatic models describing the image formation in a classical approach. Looking at the sample at the atomic scale, the phenomena perturbing the imaging process are subtle. An examination of atomic scale modifications of the sample surface in the presence of a high surface electric field is therefore mandatory. Atomic scale molecular dynamic models integrating the influence of the high surface electric are being developed with this aim. It is also demonstrated that the complex behavior of atoms and molecules in high fields, and consequences on collected data, can be understood through the use of accurate ab-initio models modified to include the impact of the extreme surface electric field.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Impacts of half a degree additional warming on the Asian summer monsoon rainfall characteristics

This study investigates the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C above pre-industrial conditions (Paris Agreement target temperatures) on the South Asian and East Asian monsoon rainfall using five atmospheric global climate models participating in the 'Half a degree Additional warming, Prognosis and Projected Impacts' (HAPPI) project. Mean and extreme precipitation is projected to increase under warming over the two monsoon regions, more strongly in the 2.0 °C warmer world. Moisture budget analysis shows that increases in evaporation and atmospheric moisture lead to the additional increases in mean precipitation with good inter-model agreement. Analysis of daily precipitation characteristics reveals that more-extreme precipitation will have larger increase in intensity and frequency responding to the half a degree additional warming, which is more clearly seen over the South Asian monsoon region, indicating non-linear scaling of precipitation extremes with temperature. Strong inter-model relationship between temperature and precipitation intensity further demonstrates that the increased moisture with warming (Clausius-Clapeyron relation) plays a critical role in the stronger intensification of more-extreme rainfall with warming. Lastly, results from CMIP5 coupled global climate models under a transient warming scenario confirm that half a degree additional warming would bring more frequent and stronger heavy precipitation events, exerting devastating impacts on the human and natural system over the Asian monsoon region.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A dynamic model of once-through steam generator (OTSG) for prototypical advanced reactor - 374

new design of Small Modular Reactor, the Prototypical Advanced Reactor (PAR), features two sodium primary systems each connected to dedicated steam generators (SGs) and sharing a balance of plant (BOP) system. PAR adopts once-through steam generators (OTSG) for its compact structure. The existence of superheated steam in a OTSG improves turbine design by eliminating the need of bulky moisture separator in SG. The two cores and SGs' design enable PAR to adjust power flexibly, as a result, introduce more challenges to the control. Therefore, a fast simulation model with high accuracy OTSG model is needed. In this paper, a dynamic model is built for OTSG of PAR based on the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. The OTSG is simulated as lumped pipe and divided into subcooled, evaporating, and superheated regions by moving boundaries. SIMULINK is adopted to this OTSG simulation to be merged into existing PAR system models easily. The steady state results show that key parameters are rational. The 5% step increase of feedwater enthalpy transient demonstrates that the model is capable to respond to the perturbations. Since the basic laws and algebraic method used in this paper are suitable for other fluids, the model can be easily applied to any other OTSG. Future work will also focus on model optimization, merging and improved control. The final aim is to perform full scope realtime simulations for PAR under normal operational transients. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Candle Flames in Microgravity

The goal of this work is to study both experimentally and numerically the behavior of a candle flame burning in a microgravity environment. Two space experiments (Shuttle and Mir) have shown the candle flame in microgravity to be small (approximately 1.5 cm diameter), dim blue, and hemispherical. Near steady flames with very long flame lifetimes (up to 45 minutes in some tests) existed for many of the tests. Most of the flames spontaneously oscillated with a period of approximately 1 Hz just prior to extinction). In a previous model of candle flame in microgravity, a porous sphere wetted with liquid fuel simulated the evaporating wick. The sphere, with a temperature equal to the boiling temperature of the fuel, was at the end of an inert cone that had a prescribed temperature. This inert cone produces the quenching effect of the candle wax in the real configuration. Although the computed flame shape resembled that observed in the microgravity experiment, the model was not able to differentiate the effect of wick geometry, e.g., a long vs. a short wick. This paper presents recent developments in the numerical model of the candle flame. The primary focus has been to more realistically account for the actual shape of the candle.

Dietrich, D. L.↗

An experimental and theoretical study of adenine adsorption on Au(111)

A model study of adenine adsorption on the Au(111) surface is reported for molecular adlayers prepared by evaporation in vacuum and deposition from saturated aqueous solution. The electronic structure and adsorption geometry of the molecular films were studied experimentally by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Adsorption models are proposed for the adlayers arising from the different preparation methods. Density functional theory calculations were used to examine both parallel and upright adenine adsorption geometries, supply additional information on the bond strength, and identify which atom is involved in bonding to Au(111). In the case of deposition in vacuum, the adenine molecule is bound via van der Waals forces to Au(111) with the molecular plane parallel to the surface, consistent with the published scanning tunneling microscopy data on this system. The most stable parallel adenine configuration was found to have an adsorption energy of ca. -1.1 eV using the optB86b-vdW functional. For adenine deposition from aqueous solution, the adlayer is disordered, with molecules in an upright geometry, and with an adsorption energy of ca. -1.0 eV, coordinated via the imino N3 nitrogen atom. The present study contributes to the substantial literature of model studies of adenine on Au(111), complementing the existing knowledge with information on electronic structure, bonding geometry and adsorption energy of this system.

Acres, Robert G.↗