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At least 955 records · Page 53

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NASA NTRS1983

Solar tests of aperture plate materials for solar thermal dish collectors

In parabolic dish solar collectors, walk-off of the spot of concentrated sunlight is a hazard if a malfunction causes the concentrator to stop following the Sun. Therefore, a test program was carried out to evaluate the behavior of various ceramics, metals, and polymers under solar irradiation of about 7000 kW/sq m. (peak) for 15 minutes. The only materials that did not slump or shatter were two grades of medium-grain extruded graphite. High purity, slip-cast silica might be satisfactory at somewhat lower flux. Oxidation of the graphite appeared acceptable during tests simulating walk-off, acquisition (2000 cycles on/off Sun), and spillage (continuous on-Sun operation).

Jaffe, L. D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Development and marketing of a prosthetic urinary control valve system

An implantable prosthetic for the control of urinary incontinence was developed and marketed. Three phases are presented: bench development studies, animal trials, and human clinical trials. This work was performed under the direction of a Research Team at Rochester General Hospital (RGH). Bench trials were completed on prototype hardware and provided early verification of the device's ability to withstand repeated cyclic testing. Configurational variants were evaluated and a preferred design concept was established. Silicone rubber (medical grade) was selected as the preferred material for the prosthesis.

Tenney, J. B., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Wind abrasion on Venus: A means for experimental investigations

A study to determine the feasibility of conducting experiments to simulate the aeolian environment on Venus as related to wind abrasion was completed. Ideally, such experiments should involve complete investigation of weathering, in which mechanical, thermal, and chemical parameters are taken into account. This is particularly important for Venus, where atmospheric temperatures and pressures at the surface produce an environment which is equivalent to low or medium grade metamorphic conditions on Earth. Details that describe the Venus Aeolian Abrasion Device (VAAD) are included. The VAAD device would enable experiments to be conducted with the same chemistry, temperature, pressure, and other physical properties of the Venus atmosphere near the surface. The proposed device enables the important aeolian parameters to be controlled and monitored, including particle size, velocity, impact-angle and flux, atmospheric pressure, temperature, and gas composition.

Greeley, R.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Drainage Evolution in the Debris Avalanche Deposits Near Mount Saint Helens, Washington

The 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was initiated by a massive rockslide-debris avalanche which completely transformed the upper 25 km of the North Fork Toutle River valley. The debris was generated by one of the largest gravitational mass movements ever recorded on Earth. Moving at an average velocity of 35 m/s, the debris avalanche buried approximately 60 sq km of terrain to an average depth of 45 m with unconsolidated, poorly sorted volcaniclastic material, all within a period of 10 minutes. Where exposed and unaltered by subsequent lahars and pyroclastic flows, the new terrain surface was characterized predominantly by hummocks, closed depressions, and the absence of an identifiable channel network. Following emplacement of the debris avalanche, a complex interrelationship of fluvial and mass wasting processes immediately began operating to return the impacted area to an equilibrium status through the removal of material (potential energy) and re-establishment of graded conditions. In an attempt to chronicle the morphologic evolution of this unique environmental setting, a systematic series of interpretative maps of several selected areas was produced. These maps, which document the rate and character of active geomorphic processes, are discussed.

Gary L Beach↗

NASA NTRS1984

Photographic surveys of the southern sky

Parameters of the UK 1.2 meter Schmidt telescope are described. Plates taken with this instrument are in two categories, those for systematic sky surveys and those taken at the request of research users. A collaborative project with the European Southern Observatory was undertaken to obtain a two-color survey of the sky south of -20 deg declination to complement the Palomar survey. A near infrared survey of the Galactic Plane and the Megallanic Clouds is being done. The area south of -20 deg and the zone between 0 deg and -15 deg are also being surveyed. Pending a decision on survey parameters, all available A quality prism plates are being retained to form a basis for systematic survey. Nearly half the plates taken on a service basis for the UK astronomical community are to fulfill nonsurvey requests. Plates taken for surveys which are not of A grade quality are also made available for research purposes.

Sim, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Petrologic and geophysical sources of long-wavelength crustal magnetic anomalies

The magnetic mineralogy and magnetic properties of the deep crust are studied as they pertain to the interpretation of long wavelength, or regional, crustal magnetic anomalies in satellite magnetic data and near surface magnetic data. The conclusions have relevance to the understanding of regional magnetic anomalies in magnetic field measuring satellite missions data. There are two separable studies: (1) a synthesis of available information of regional magnetic anomalies and the magnetization of metamorphic and igneous rocks, and (2) a detailed field, analytical, and experimental study of in situ and laboratory specimens from a terrain that offers exposures of high grade granlite facies rocks that have associated regional magnetic and gravity anomalies.

Marsh, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Overview of Bulk Silicon Crystal Growth

The Czochralski and float-zone techniques are reviewed and the consequences of high growth rates in the growth of electronic grade silicon are examined. Impurity segregation coefficients are defined.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1984

Development of a 30 percent efficient 3-junction monolithic cascade solar cell

The individual subcells of the 3-junction monolithic cascade concentrator cell are grown lattice mismatched with respect to each other, if appropriate grading layers are inserted between the mismatched layers. Under these conditions, negligible degradation of the properties of either underlying or overlying material results, and high-efficiency subcells are produced by this technique.

Lewis, C. R.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Grain-refining heat treatments to improve cryogenic toughness of high-strength steels

The development of two high Reynolds number wind tunnels at NASA Langley Research Center which operate at cryogenic temperatures with high dynamic pressures has imposed severe requirements on materials for model construction. Existing commercial high strength steels lack sufficient toughness to permit their safe use at temperatures approaching that of liquid nitrogen (-320 F). Therefore, a program to improve the cryogenic toughness of commercial high strength steels was conducted. Significant improvement in the cryogenic toughness of commercial high strength martensitic and maraging steels was demonstrated through the use of grain refining heat treatments. Charpy impact strength at -320 F was increased by 50 to 180 percent for the various alloys without significant loss in tensile strength. The grain sizes of the 9 percent Ni-Co alloys and 200 grade maraging steels were reduced to 1/10 of the original size or smaller, with the added benefit of improved machinability. This grain refining technique should permit these alloys with ultimate strengths of 220 to 270 ksi to receive consideration for cryogenic service.

Rush, H. F.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Investigation and Rehabilitation to Extend Service Life of DSS-13 Antenna Concrete Foundation

An investigation to establish the cause and, devise a repair technique to maintain the serviceability of the DSS-13 26 meter antenna is described. Core samples are obtained from the concrete and various laboratory tests conducted. In-place nondestructive type tests are also performed. The tests established that the concrete is deteriorating because of alkali aggregate reactivity. This is a phenomenon wherein certain siliceous constituents present in some aggregates react with alkalies in the portland cement to produce a silica gel which, in turn, imbibes water, swells, and cracks the concrete. The scheme consists of a supplemental steel frame friction pile anchored grade beam encircling the existing foundation. This system provides adequate bracing against base shear and overturning due to seismic loading. Larger cracks are sealed using a pressure injected two-component epoxy.

Riewe, A. A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Analysis of grain boundary phase devitrification of Y2O3- and Al2O3-doped Si3N4

The present study has the objective to show that a Fourier Transform IR (FTIR) spectrometer in a single-beam reflection mode can be used for direct comparison of fractured vs nonfractured Si3N4 surfaces. This can be done because the FTIR method permits a digital summation of nearly 1000 scans of the fracture surface. Commercial-grade Si3N4, Y2O3, and Al2O3 were used in the study. The samples were heat treated in a vacuum induction heating furnace at either 1000 C for 10 h or 1200 C for 10 h each. Use of Fourier transform IR reflection spectroscopic analysis and X-ray diffraction shows that 10 h at 1200 C is sufficient to devitrify the amorphous grain boundary phase of Si3N4 containing 15 percent Y2O3 + 2 percent Al2O3 densification aids.

Hench, L. L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A posteriori error indicators for the p-version of the finite element method

The existence of local a posteriori error indicators for the p-version of the finite element method is demonstrated through numerical examples. It is shown that it is possible to construct reliable error indicators from the residuums and tractions which have the same rate of convergence as the strain energy. The error indicators contribution of an element can be estimated by considering only the element and its immediate neighbors. The optimal sequence of p-distributions can be closely followed by the indicators even when there are only a very few elements, the elements vary greatly in size, the polynomial orders vary, the mesh grading is poor, and the smoothness indices and relative errors vary between wide limits.

Dunavant, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

High-Purity Silicon Seeds for Silane Pyrolysis

Seed particles for fluidized-bed production of silicon made by new contamination-free, economical method. In new method, large particles of semiconductor-grade silicon fired at each other by high-speed streams of gas and thereby break up into particles of suitable size for fluidized bed. No foreign materials introduced, and leaching unnecessary. Method used to feed fluidized-bed reactor for continuous production of high-purity silicon.

Hsu, G. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Efficient Process for Making Polycrystalline Silicon

Solar cells made with lower capital and operating costs. Process based on chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) of dichlorosilane produces high-grade polycrystalline silicon for solar cells. Process has potential as cost-effective replacement for CVD of trichlorosilane.

Mccormick, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Trough Coating Solar Cells Without Spillover

Problem with trough coating of silicon on ceramic - spillover of molten silicon - overcome by combination of redesigned heaters and tiltable trough. Modifications make it possible to coat virtually any length of ceramic with film of solar-cell-grade silicon. Previously, maximum length coated before spillover occurred was 2 inches (5.1 cm).

Heaps, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Optimum Cyclic Redundancy Codes for Noisy Channels

Capabilities and limitations of cyclic redundancy codes (CRC's) for detecting transmission errors in data sent over relatively noisy channels (e.g., voice-grade telephone lines or very-high-density storage media) discussed in 16-page report. Due to prevalent use of bytes in multiples of 8 bits data transmission, report primarily concerned with cases in which both block length and number of redundant bits (check bits for use in error detection) included in each block are multiples of 8 bits.

Posner, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

High temperature static strain sensor development program

The development of resistance strain gages which are useful for static strain measurements on nickel or cobalt superalloy parts inside a gas turbine engine on a test stand were examined. These measurements of a strain gage alloy development program which to be followed by an optional investigation of complete strain gage systems which will use the best of the alloys developed together with other system improvements is reviewed. The specific goal for the complete system is to make measurements to 2,000 micro epsilon with error of only + or - 10% over a 50 hour period. In addition to simple survival and stability, attaining a low thermal coefficient to resistivity, of order 100 ppm/K or less, is also a major goal. The first task was to select candidate alloys or alloy systems using a search of the literature and the available metallurgical theory. Alloy candidates were evaluated and compared by a grading system. Equipment and techniques were developed which are suitable for iterative studies of a variety of compositions. Many compositions were examined and significantly improved alloys were identified.

Hulse, C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Effects of tin on microstructure and mechanical behavior of Inconel 718

Columbium, for which the United States is 100 percent import reliant, is of strategic importance to the U.S. aerospace industry. A major amount of the Cb is used in Inconel 718. Should Cb sources be disrupted, it may be desired to use a grade of Cb melting stock having greater Sn content then the preferred vacuum rade. Additions of Sn to Inconel 718 were varied from none added to 1 wt %. The Sn additions below 800 ppm had no detrimental effects on 650 C stress rupture behavior; however, 1-wt % Sn severely degraded both life and ductility. Additions of Sn in excess of 200 ppm were slightly detrimental to the 425 C tensile yield strength and ductility. The Sn additions had no effect on the microstructure of Inconel 718 even after stress rupture testing for over 6000 hr at 650 C.

Dreshfield, R. L.↗