Results for “Phase change” — Page 55

NASA NTRS2013

Effect of Residual Noncondensables on Pressurization and Pressure Control of a Zero-Boil-Off Tank in Microgravity

The Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Experiment is a small-scale experiment that uses a transparent ventless Dewar and a transparent simulant phase-change fluid to study sealed tank pressurization and pressure control with applications to on-surface and in-orbit storage of propellant cryogens. The experiment will be carried out under microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station in the 2014 timeframe. This paper presents preliminary results from ZBOT's ground-based research that focuses on the effects of residual noncondensable gases in the ullage on both pressurization and pressure reduction trends in the sealed Dewar. Tank pressurization is accomplished through heating of the test cell wall in the wetted and un-wetted regions simultaneously or separately. Pressure control is established through mixing and destratification of the bulk liquid using a temperature controlled forced jet flow with different degrees of liquid jet subcooling. A Two-Dimensional axisymmetric two-phase CFD model for tank pressurization and pressure control is also presented. Numerical prediction of the model are compared to experimental 1g results to both validate the model and also indicate the effect of the noncondensable gas on evolution of pressure and temperature distributions in the ullage during pressurization and pressure control. Microgravity simulations case studies are also performed using the validated model to underscore and delineate the profound effect of the noncondensables on condensation rates and interfacial temperature distributions with serious implications for tank pressure control in reduced gravity.

Marangoni and Natural Convection↗

DOE OSTI2022

Development of Numerical Model of Metal Foam with PCM for the Estimation of Effective Thermal Conductivity

Global warming due to climate change is a threat to humankind. Nuclear energy is one of the promising solutions to reduce fossil fuel usage. Nuclear energy can handle the base load, compensating for the volatility of renewable energy. If nuclear energy could achieve load following capability, the combination with renewable energy would be more suitable. Thermal energy storage (TES) is one of the options for enabling load following of nuclear reactors. The TES makes it possible to store surplus nuclear thermal energy and release it later as needed. In Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a new concept of latent heat TES integrated with high-temperature heat pipe has been proposed and is under development, which is called Heat pipe-Integrated Thermal Battery (HITB). HITB exchanges thermal energy between the reactor system and TES via heat pipe. The heat transferred to TES medium, made of phase change material (PCM), stores energy as sensible heat and/or latent heat. As PCM typically has poor thermal conductivity, however, various heat transfer enhancement techniques are required to achieve a rapid charging cycle. There are many techniques to enhance the heat transfer ability of TES medium such as disk, fin, and metal foam. Among them, metal foam is an appropriate option to enhance the heat transfer because it maximizes the heat transfer area through metal wicks. Metal foam is a lightweight metal structure that has a high porosity of over 0.9. The typical materials for metal foam are Aluminum, Copper, Nickel, and Silicon Carbide (SiC). Metal foam not only enhances heat transfer via conduction but also increases contact surface area. In the HITB design , the metal foam is being considered as one of the options to enhance the heat transfer of TES medium (PCM) [1]. To predict the enhanced thermal performance of TES, one should properly estimate the effective thermal conductivity of metal foam combined with PCM material or calculate heat transfer in distributed model. There are many experimental works that provides effective thermal conductivity of metal foam with various PCM [2,3]. Also, many theoretical models were developed based on the unit cell model of metal foam [4,5]. With a distributed model, on the other hand, detail heat transfer characteristics between metal foam and PCM material can be analyzed considering the geometry or buoyancy effect. However, due to the complex geometry of metal foam pores, the computational cost for three-dimensional modeling highly increases. Therefore, if metal foam structure can be modeled in simple and repetitive design, the computational cost would decrease Among the various metal foam models [2], lattice model is one of the simple and extendable design. The porosity and pores per inch (PPI) can be characterized by the size and spatial distance of lattice structure. If the three-dimensional metal foam model consists of lattice structure could properly estimate the heat transfer, which is characterized by effective thermal conductivity, it would be a good option to assess the thermal performance of metal foam with PCM. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate conductive heat transfer between metal foam and PCM. The three-dimensional lattice structure of square pillars was selected as a basic structure of the metal foam. The calculation result was characterized by the effective thermal conductivity of the whole domain. A sensitivity study was conducted for mesh size, domain size, and PPI to check whether the calculation result gives a converged result or not. Lastly, the effective thermal conductivity from the lattice model was compared with existing experimental data to validate the model result

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2024

High-Fidelity Arc-Discharge Model for Hydrogen-Plasma-Smelting-Reduction of Iron Ore

Electrification and use of renewable hydrogen is currently a necessity for decarbonizing the iron-and-steel industry. In this regard, hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR) is a novel pathway that is being explored for reduction of iron ore. HPSR provides several decarbonization merits compared to conventional blast furnaces. Firstly, the use of renewable hydrogen drastically reduces the CO2 emissions compared to the use of coke. Secondly, renewable electricity in the form of a thermal plasma for making reactive hydrogen species (radicals, ions) are more efficient at reducing iron ore compared to neutral H2. Thirdly, a molten product compatible with downstream processes is obtained from the intense heat transfer from the plasma. However, the scale-up of this technology requires fundamental exploration of hydrogen plasma dynamics and its interaction with complex solid material that include phase changing iron-ore and slag. In this work, we present a first principles continuum scale model for thermal plasmas in Ar/H2 gas mixtures typically used for HPSR. The thermal plasma governing equations for mass, momentum and energy with Lorentz force and Joule heating source terms are solved along with electromagnetic equations for electrostatic and magnetic vector potential. Our solver will be based on Pele, a suite of reacting flow solvers designed for advanced scientific computing architectures (Henry De Frahan et al., Proceedings of SIAM Parallel Processing, 13-25, 2024), and will utilize adaptive mesh generation for enhanced resolutions at locations of intense physicochemical interactions. This study will present the impact of Ar to H2 ratios on excited/dissociated hydrogen species concentrations, plasma temperature and conductivity along with the impact of outgassed species (water, metal vapor, O, OH radicals) from ore surface on gas phase chemistry. Furthermore, the heat and species flux to the surface will be quantified as a function of applied voltages in a transferred arc configuration.

hydrogen plasma↗

NASA NTRS2009

Alternative OTEC Scheme for a Submarine Robot

A proposed system for exploiting the ocean thermal gradient to generate power would be based on the thawing-expansion/ freezing-contraction behavior of a wax or perhaps another suitable phase-change material. The power generated by this system would be used to recharge the batteries in a battery-powered unmanned underwater vehicle [UUV (essentially, a small exploratory submarine robot)] of a type that has been deployed in large numbers in research pertaining to global warming. A UUV of this type travels between the ocean surface and various depths, measuring temperature and salinity. This proposed system would be an alternative to another proposed ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system that would serve the same purpose but would utilize a thermodynamic cycle in which CO2 would be the working fluid. That system is described in Utilizing Ocean Thermal Energy in a Submarine Robot (NPO-43304), immediately following this brief. The main advantage of this proposed system over the one using CO2 is that it could derive a useful amount of energy from a significantly smaller temperature difference. At one phase of its operational cycle, the system now proposed would utilize the surface ocean temperature (which lies between 15 and 20 C over most of the Earth) to melt a wax (e.g., pentadecane) that has a melting/freezing temperature of about 10 C. At the opposite phase of its operational cycle, the system would utilize the lower ocean temperature at depth (e.g., between 4 and 7 C at a depth of 300 m) to freeze the wax. The melting or freezing causes the wax to expand or contract, respectively, by about 8 volume percent.

Jones, Jack↗

DOE OSTI2021

Phase Demodulation by Frequency Chirping in Coherence Microwave Photonic Interferometry

This paper presents a signal processing method to demodulate the optical interference phase of cascaded individual optical fiber intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (IFPI) sensors in a coherent microwave-photonic interferometry (CMPI) distributed sensing system. The new method utilizes the chirp effect of electro-optic modulator (EOM) to create a quasi-quadrature optical interference phase shift between two adjacent pulses which correspond to two adjacent reflection points in the time domain. The phase shift can be controlled by adjusting the bias voltage that is applied to the EOM. The interference phase is calculated by elliptically fitting the phase shift. The interference phase change is proportional to the optical path difference (OPD) change of the interferometer, and the sign can be used to differentiate the increase or decrease of the OPD. The method is demonstrated for distributed strain sensing, showing good linearity, high resolution and large dynamic range.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1998

Thermal State-of-Charge in Solar Heat Receivers

A theoretical framework is developed to determine the so-called thermal state-of-charge (SOC) in solar heat receivers employing encapsulated phase change materials (PCMS) that undergo cyclic melting and freezing. The present problem is relevant to space solar dynamic power systems that would typically operate in low-Earth-orbit (LEO). The solar heat receiver is integrated into a closed-cycle Brayton engine that produces electric power during sunlight and eclipse periods of the orbit cycle. The concepts of available power and virtual source temperature, both on a finite-time basis, are used as the basis for determining the SOC. Analytic expressions for the available power crossing the aperture plane of the receiver, available power stored in the receiver, and available power delivered to the working fluid are derived, all of which are related to the SOC through measurable parameters. Lower and upper bounds on the SOC are proposed in order to delineate absolute limiting cases for a range of input parameters (orbital, geometric, etc.). SOC characterization is also performed in the subcooled, two-phase, and superheat regimes. Finally, a previously-developed physical and numerical model of the solar heat receiver component of NASA Lewis Research Center's Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) system is used in order to predict the SOC as a function of measurable parameters.

Hall, Carsie A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Thermal State-of-Charge in Solar Heat Receivers

A theoretical framework is developed to determine the so-called thermal state-of-charge (SOC) in solar heat receivers employing encapsulated phase change materials (PCMS) that undergo cyclic melting and freezing. The present problem is relevant to space solar dynamic power systems that would typically operate in low-Earth-orbit (LEO). The solar heat receiver is integrated into a closed-cycle Brayton engine that produces electric power during sunlight and eclipse periods of the orbit cycle. The concepts of available power and virtual source temperature, both on a finite-time basis, are used as the basis for determining the SOC. Analytic expressions for the available power crossing the aperture plane of the receiver, available power stored in the receiver, and available power delivered to the working fluid are derived, all of which are related to the SOC through measurable parameters. Lower and upper bounds on the SOC are proposed in order to delineate absolute limiting cases for a range of input parameters (orbital, geometric, etc.). SOC characterization is also performed in the subcooled, two-phase, and superheat regimes. Finally, a previously-developed physical and numerical model of the solar heat receiver component of NASA Lewis Research Center's Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) system is used in order to predict the SOC as a function of measurable parameters.

Hall, Carsie, A., III↗

DOE OSTI2023

Tuning anisotropic bonding via chemistry and pressure in layered pnictides and chalcogenides (Final Report)

The overarching goal of this research program, as originally delineated in the proposal “Tuning anisotropic bonding via chemistry and pressure in layered pnictides and chalcogenides” was to develop a predictive, chemistry-driven understanding of the impact of the phonon behavior on thermal properties of bulk layered materials. At finite temperatures, atomic vibrations (phonons) strongly impact the thermodynamics, thermal and electrical transport, and phase-switching properties of functional materials. In particular, soft phonon modes and strongly anharmonic potentials can have spectacular consequences, including structural phase transitions (for example in ferroelectrics and phase-change memory materials), metal-insulator transitions, and extreme thermal resistance preventing heat propagation. Bulk materials with highly-anisotropic bonding may provide unique strategies to induce soft-phonon modes and lattice instabilities. Recently, increasingly detailed investigations of the lattice dynamics in layered materials have been made possible by the advent of first-principles phonon calculations and advanced characterization techniques based on neutron and X-ray scattering. However, due to the lack of studies in which composition and bonding character are systematically varied, there are still fundamental questions regarding the impacts of anisotropic bonding and anharmonicity on lattice stability and thermal transport. One of the major goals of this research program is therefore to address this gap by coherently tuning bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity across families of related compounds. Such approaches have revealed new strategies for exploiting structural anisotropy in quasi-1D and 2D bulk materials to obtain tailored functional properties. This project systematically explored the lattice dynamics, phase stability, and transport properties in bulk layered materials by using both composition and applied pressure to tune the degree of bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity. To accomplish this work, we combined i) single-crystal growth of key material systems with tunable anisotropy, ii) in-situ high-temperature/high-pressure characterization of structure and phonons to probe bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity, including state-of-the-art inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and iii) first-principles simulations leveraging large-scale computing to identify the fundamental origins of the observed effects, by relating atomic structure and dynamics to electronic orbital interactions. Finally, we modeled and verified the impact of the phonon behavior on thermal transport to identify new strategies for a-priori design of thermal conductivity. Our integrated collaborative approach helped to systematically unravel the effects of anisotropy and bonding anharmonicity on phonon transport, thermodynamics, and thermal properties of complex anisotropic materials.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Tuning anisotropic bonding via chemistry and pressure in layered pnictides and chalcogenides. Final Report

The overarching goal of this research program, as originally delineated in the proposal “Tuning anisotropic bonding via chemistry and pressure in layered pnictides and chalcogenides” was to develop a predictive, chemistry-driven understanding of the impact of the phonon behavior on thermal properties of bulk layered materials. At finite temperatures, atomic vibrations (phonons) strongly impact the thermodynamics, thermal and electrical transport, and phase-switching properties of functional materials. In particular, soft phonon modes and strongly anharmonic potentials can have spectacular consequences, including structural phase transitions (for example in ferroelectrics and phase-change memory materials), metal-insulator transitions, and extreme thermal resistance preventing heat propagation. Bulk materials with highly-anisotropic bonding may provide unique strategies to induce soft-phonon modes and lattice instabilities. Recently, increasingly detailed investigations of the lattice dynamics in layered materials have been made possible by the advent of first-principles phonon calculations and advanced characterization techniques based on neutron and X-ray scattering. However, due to the lack of studies in which composition and bonding character are systematically varied, there are still fundamental questions regarding the impacts of anisotropic bonding and anharmonicity on lattice stability and thermal transport. One of the major goals of this research program is therefore to address this gap by coherently tuning bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity across families of related compounds. Such approaches have revealed new strategies for exploiting structural anisotropy in quasi-1D and 2D bulk materials to obtain tailored functional properties. This project systematically explored the lattice dynamics, phase stability, and transport properties in bulk layered materials by using both composition and applied pressure to tune the degree of bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity. To accomplish this work, we combined i) single-crystal growth of key material systems with tunable anisotropy, ii) in-situ high-temperature/high-pressure characterization of structure and phonons to probe bonding anisotropy and anharmonicity, including state-of-the-art inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and iii) first-principles simulations leveraging large-scale computing to identify the fundamental origins of the observed effects, by relating atomic structure and dynamics to electronic orbital interactions. Finally, we modeled and verified the impact of the phonon behavior on thermal transport to identify new strategies for a-priori design of thermal conductivity. Our integrated collaborative approach helped to systematically unravel the effects of anisotropy and bonding anharmonicity on phonon transport, thermodynamics, and thermal properties of complex anisotropic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Active and tunable nanophotonic metamaterials

Abstract Metamaterials enable subwavelength tailoring of light–matter interactions, driving fundamental discoveries which fuel novel applications in areas ranging from compressed sensing to quantum engineering. Importantly, the metallic and dielectric resonators from which static metamaterials are comprised present an open architecture amenable to materials integration. Thus, incorporating responsive materials such as semiconductors, liquid crystals, phase-change materials, or quantum materials (e.g., superconductors, 2D materials, etc.) imbue metamaterials with dynamic properties, facilitating the development of active and tunable devices harboring enhanced or even entirely novel electromagnetic functionality. Ultimately, active control derives from the ability to craft the local electromagnetic fields; accomplished using a host of external stimuli to modify the electronic or optical properties of the responsive materials embedded into the active regions of the subwavelength resonators. We provide a broad overview of this frontier area of metamaterials research, introducing fundamental concepts and presenting control strategies that include electronic, optical, mechanical, thermal, and magnetic stimuli. The examples presented range from microwave to visible wavelengths, utilizing a wide range of materials to realize spatial light modulators, effective nonlinear media, on-demand optics, and polarimetric imaging as but a few examples. Often, active and tunable nanophotonic metamaterials yield an emergent electromagnetic response that is more than the sum of the parts, providing reconfigurable or real-time control of the amplitude, phase, wavevector, polarization, and frequency of light. The examples to date are impressive, setting the stage for future advances that are likely to impact holography, beyond 5G communications, imaging, and quantum sensing and transduction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Fragile-to-strong transition in liquid As 2 S 3 under pressure: The effect of melt metallization

The well-known classification of glass-forming melts into fragile and strong liquids has several notable exceptions, including water, silica, and certain phase-change materials (PCMs). These exceptional fluid systems exhibit a fragile-to-strong transition (FST) upon cooling: a transformation from a high-temperature liquid with fast atomic dynamics, low viscosity, and low flow activation energy, to a viscous supercooled melt with high energy barriers near the glass transition temperature T g . This behavior is critically important for non-volatile memories, photonic tensor cores, reconfigurable metamaterials, and other devices, that use PCMs, enabling nanosecond-scale crystallization in the fragile regime and long data retention in the strong regime near or below T g . A significant structural transformation is expected between these two viscosity regimes, along with a semiconductor-metal (SC-M) transition upon heating, driven by high internal pressure and associated density increase. By applying high external pressure to the canonical low-conducting chalcogenide melt As 2 S 3 , we observed both the FST and the SC-M transition, occurring simultaneously within the same domain of the P, T−phase space. These findings suggest that the FST is not limited to a few exceptional liquids but is a common phenomenon, at least in systems that exhibit melt metallization within specific regions of their P, T−phase diagrams.

first-principles molecular dynamics↗

NASA NTRS2001

Adjustable Focus Optical Correction Lens (AFOCL)

This report describes a metrology plan that was developed for the characterization of PLZT-based devices, such as the Adjustable Focus Optical Correction Lens (AFOCL) in support of and as part of the deliverables for NASA contract NAS8-00118. The areas to be investigated include intensiometric effects (those that limit or alter the intensity of the light transmitted through the optic); interferometric effects (the phase change induced through the optic); and polarimetric effects (evaluating the differential lag between two polarization states propagating through the optic). These distinct phenomena are often coupled together in real applications consequently, there is a need to develop different standardized testing apparatus to: (1) isolate one effect from another; (2) gather information for understanding the physical effects; (3) anchor wavefront corrector modeling efforts; (4) develop the ability to decouple different effects; (5) demonstrate the suitability of PLZT technology to perform wavefront correction. The Center for Applied Optics (CAO) at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is skilled in the characterization of transmission wavefront shaping devices using traditional interferometers available within the CAO Optical Metrology Laboratory and their Advanced Polarization Test Facility. Besides the imaging and interferometers available, the polarimetry facility has at its disposal, a Mueller Matrix Imaging Polarimeter (MMIP) which is well suited to the characterization of SLMs, polarizers, and thin film coatings within the visible and near-IR spectrums. In addition, the phase-shifting interferometry facilities at NASA-MSFC and the unique interferometers they processes are some of the most advanced available and may be of value especially for performing real-time optical performance evaluation of AFOCL test components.

Peters, Bruce R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Loci-Stream for Autogenous Pressurization of Cryogenic Propellant Tank

Autogenous pressurization of cryogenic propellant tanks eliminates the need to have an additional pressurant tank on the space vehicle, which is highly advantageous due to reduced vehicle mass and design complexity. Autogenous pressurization therefore is one of the key technologies for deep space exploration and long-term space missions. The complex interaction of thermal gradients, turbulence and phase change near the interface make the problem a challenging one to model. Nodal analysis tools and reduced order models are unable to capture the necessary physics. 3-D CFD analyses are necessary to fully characterize autogenous pressurization. CFD analyses pose their own difficulties. The requisite CFD tool to tackle this problem need to be modular with the ability to incorporate various physics models, efficient, and computationally scalable for simulating flight size tanks. NASA MSFC's Loci-Stream CFD tool along with the VOF module is a great candidate to fit this mold. We demonstrate our modeling approach and validation of Loci-Stream for predicting autogenous pressurization of a flight scale propellant tank in order for the solver to serve as a reliable design and analysis tool for NASA's CFM application needs. Liquid hydrogen tank pressurization tests carried out at the MSFC test stand 300 facilities provide reliable validation data for this purpose. These tests were modeled using the Loci-Stream solver with a newly implemented two-phase sharp interface treatment. We show that our modeling approach and CFD solver predict the autogenous pressurization phenomena satisfactorily, and document challenging aspects of modeling this problem.

cryogenic fluid management↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Loci-Stream for Autogenous Pressurization of Cryogenic Propellant Tank

Autogenous pressurization of cryogenic propellant tanks eliminates the need to have an additional pressurant tank on the space vehicle, which is highly advantageous due to reduced vehicle mass and design complexity. Autogenous pressurization therefore is one of the key technologies for deep space exploration and long-term space missions. The complex interaction of thermal gradients, turbulence and phase change near the interface make the problem a challenging one to model. Nodal analysis tools and reduced order models are unable to capture the necessary physics. 3-D CFD analyses are necessary to fully characterize autogenous pressurization. CFD analyses pose their own difficulties. The requisite CFD tool to tackle this problem need to be modular with the ability to incorporate various physics models, efficient, and computationally scalable for simulating flight size tanks. NASA MSFC's Loci-Stream CFD tool along with the VOF module is a great candidate to fit this mold. We demonstrate our modeling approach and validation of Loci-Stream for predicting autogenous pressurization of a flight scale propellant tank in order for the solver to serve as a reliable design and analysis tool for NASA's CFM application needs. Liquid hydrogen tank pressurization tests carried out at the MSFC test stand 300 facilities provide reliable validation data for this purpose. These tests were modeled using the Loci-Stream solver with a newly implemented two-phase sharp interface treatment. We show that our modeling approach and CFD solver predict the autogenous pressurization phenomena satisfactorily, and document challenging aspects of modeling this problem.

CFM↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Two Phase Flow Modeling Techniques in Loci-Stream using Axial Jet Pressure Control and Autogenous Pressurization Experiment

Autogenous pressurization of cryogenic propellant tanks eliminates the need to have an additional pressurant tank on the space vehicle, which is highly advantageous due to reduced vehicle mass and design complexity. Autogenous pressurization therefore is one of the key technologies for deep space exploration and long-term space missions. The complex interaction of thermal gradients, turbulence and phase change near the interface make the problem a challenging one to model. Nodal analysis tools and reduced order models are unable to capture the necessary physics. 3-D CFD analyses are necessary to fully characterize autogenous pressurization. CFD analyses pose their own difficulties. The requisite CFD tool to tackle this problem need to be modular with the ability to incorporate various physics models, efficient, and computationally scalable for simulating flight size tanks. NASA MSFC's Loci-Stream CFD tool along with the VOF module is a great candidate to fit this mold. We demonstrate our modeling approach and validation of Loci-Stream for predicting autogenous pressurization of a flight scale propellant tank in order for the solver to serve as a reliable design and analysis tool for NASA's CFM application needs. Liquid hydrogen tank pressurization tests carried out at the MSFC test stand 300 facilities provide reliable validation data for this purpose. These tests were modeled using the Loci-Stream solver with a newly implemented two-phase sharp interface treatment. We show that our modeling approach and CFD solver predict the autogenous pressurization phenomena satisfactorily, and document challenging aspects of modeling this problem.

cryogenic fluid management↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The ZBOT-NC Experiment - Effects of Non-Condensable Gases on Propellant Tank Pressurization and Pressure Control

Introduction Integral to all phases of NASA’s projected planetary expeditions is affordable and reliable cryogenic fluid storage for use in propellant or life support systems. It is greatly advantageous to develop innovative vent-less pressure control designs based on cooling/mixing of the bulk tank fluid to allow storage of the cryogenic fluid with zero or reduced boil-off. The presence of noncondensable gases, can interfere with the condensation at the interface impacting tank pressure control during subcooled jet mixing especially in microgravity. The Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Experiments are a series of small-scale experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that use a transparent volatile simulant fluid in a transparent sealed tank to delineate various fundamental fluid flow, heat and mass transport, and phase change phenomena associated with storage tank pressurization and pressure control in microgravity. The ZBOT-1 experiment was performed on the ISS 2017-2018 timeframe and collected data to validate a state-of-the-art CFD model for tank pressurization and pressure control for a pure system. The ZBOT-NC Experiment is the second experiment in the series to be performed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025. Its goal is to investigate the effects of noncondensable gases on interfacial evaporation and condensation during self -pressurization and jet-mixing pressure control in microgravity for a two-component system. Materials & Methods In this work, we will describe the detailed features of the ZBOT-NC experimental hardware and Diagnostics that includes nonintrusive Quantum Dot Thermometry (QDT) for whole field temperature measurement. All microgravity pressurization and pressure control tests will be performed for both the pure and the two-components systems with Xenon and Neon as the two noncondensable gases spanning small and large molecular weights and sizes. The two-phase CFD model that is developed as part of the project will be also presented and discussed. Results Ground-based pressurization and jet mixing experiments and CFD simulation results are compared to each other to validate both the fidelity of the CFD model predictions and the accuracy of the QDT measurement. Model simulations for noncondensable gas effects will also be compared against large Cryogenic LH2-GHe experiments to indicate the noncondensable gas effects on tank pressure control during jet mixing in 1G. Finally, CFD results will be presented to predict the effects of the noncondensable gas during subcooled jet mixing during the ZBOT-NC in advance of the microgravity experiment in 2015.

Evaporation Condensation↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Zero-Boil-Off Tank Experiment: the Effects of Non-Condensable Gases on Pressurization and Pressure Control of Propellant Tanks in Microgravity

Introduction Integral to all phases of NASA’s projected planetary expeditions is affordable and reliable cryogenic fluid storage for use in propellant or life support systems. It is greatly advantageous to develop innovative vent-less pressure control designs based on cooling/mixing of the bulk tank fluid to allow storage of the cryogenic fluid with zero or reduced boil-off. The presence of noncondensable gases, can interfere with the condensation at the interface impacting tank pressure control during subcooled jet mixing especially in microgravity. The Zero-Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) Experiments are a series of small-scale experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that use a transparent volatile simulant fluid in a transparent sealed tank to delineate various fundamental fluid flow, heat and mass transport, and phase change phenomena associated with storage tank pressurization and pressure control in microgravity. The ZBOT-1 experiment was performed on the ISS 2017-2018 timeframe and collected data to validate a state-of-the-art CFD model for tank pressurization and pressure control for a pure system. The ZBOT-NC Experiment is the second experiment in the series to be performed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025. Its goal is to investigate the effects of noncondensable gases on interfacial evaporation and condensation during self -pressurization and jet-mixing pressure control in microgravity for a two-component system. Materials & Methods In this work, we will describe the detailed features of the ZBOT-NC experimental hardware and Diagnostics that includes nonintrusive Quantum Dot Thermometry (QDT) for whole field temperature measurement. All microgravity pressurization and pressure control tests will be performed for both the pure and the two-components systems with Xenon and Neon as the two noncondensable gases spanning small and large molecular weights and sizes. The two-phase CFD model that is developed as part of the project will be also presented and discussed. Results Ground-based pressurization and jet mixing experiments and CFD simulation results are compared to each other to validate both the fidelity of the CFD model predictions and the accuracy of the QDT measurement. Model simulations for noncondensable gas effects will also be compared against large Cryogenic LH2-GHe experiments to indicate the noncondensable gas effects on tank pressure control during jet mixing in 1G. Finally, CFD results will be presented to predict the effects of the noncondensable gas during subcooled jet mixing during the ZBOT-NC in advance of the microgravity experiment in 2015.

Evaporation Condensation↗

DOE OSTI2025

Charge-induced atomic strain as a predictor of structural phase transformation in rare-earth intermetallics

We present a descriptor based on charge-induced atomic strain in crystalline lattices for predicting structural phase transformations in rare-earth intermetallic compounds containing lanthanides and transition metals. The charge-induced local atomic strain was obtained from structural optimization of experimentally known crystalline phases using state of the art density-functional theory methods. The predictive power of the descriptor was evaluated on 𝑅⁢𝐸 2 ⁢In (𝑅𝐸 = rare earth) compounds, a class known for diverse phase transformations. We show that incorporating quantum-mechanical effects—such as local charge distribution, bonding, symmetry, and electronic structure—enhances the robustness of the descriptor. To gain further insight, we analyzed phononic and electronic behavior in Y 2 ⁢In and demonstrated that experimental phase transformations are captured only when atomic strain effects are included. The descriptor was further used to predict structural phase changes in (Y⁢b 1–𝑥 ⁢E⁢r 𝑥 ) 2 ⁢In and G⁡d 2 ⁡(I⁢n 1–𝑥⁢ A⁢l 𝑥 ), with predictions confirmed by x-ray powder diffraction. Here, while the current study is focused on lanthanide-based intermetallics, the underlying principles of the descriptor suggest potential applicability to other closely related classes of rare-earth intermetallics.

Density functional theory↗