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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.

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At least 109 records · Page 6

Noncontact Flow Rate Using Laser Ultrasonics

Several types of advanced nuclear reactors are cooled with high-temperature liquid metal or molten salt flows. There is a critical need to measure flow velocity in flow channels for test purposes, and eventually in operational reactors. In conventional ultrasonic flow sensors, ultrasonic waves traveling in both the upstream and downstream directions are generated and detected by transducers that must contact the flow channels. A shift in the frequency or transit time between the two ultrasonic waves is measured to determine flow velocity. We describe here an initial effort to apply that sensing concept when the contact transducers are replaced by laser-based generation and detection instrumentation. This noncontact sensing avoids many practical problems associated with contact transducers when implemented on flow channels at high temperature. Laser-based flow monitoring can also be applied to hot-process piping in the geothermal energy, chemical-processing and petroleum-refining industries. Our effort has included theoretical simulation of noncontact laser-based flow monitoring, indicating capability of measuring flow velocities relevant to reactor cooling. It also included a room-temperature experimental demonstration using water as the flow liquid, and indicating capability of measuring flow velocity at a responsivity roughly consistent with simulation predictions. Plans were made for an experimental demonstration at Oregon State University using liquid metal at 110 degrees C.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Review of critical flow rate, propagation of pressure pulse, and sonic velocity in two-phase media

For single-phase media, the critical discharge velocity, the sonic velocity, and the pressure pulse propagation velocity can be expressed in the same form by assuming isentropic, equilibria processes. In two-phase mixtures, the same concept is not valid due to the existence of interfacial transports of momentum, heat, and mass. Thus, the three velocities should be treated differently and separately for each particular condition, taking into account the various transport processes involved under that condition. Various attempts are reviewed to predict the critical discharge rate or the propagation velocities by considering slip ratio (momentum change), evaporation (mass and heat transport), flow pattern, etc. Experimental data were compared with predictions based on various theorems. The importance is stressed of the time required to achieve equilibrium as compared with the time available during the process, for example, of passing a pressure pulse.

Hsu, Y.↗

Flow rate optimization for a small liquid argon system at Fermilab.

This analysis highlights the dominant role of pressure loss in filter disks, emphasizing its crucial consideration during the design phase to ensure optimal fluid flow. Additionally, the significance of vapor quality at the transfer line inlet is identified as a key factor impacting the fill rate. Reducing inlet vapor quality and exploring the use of subcooled liquid are recommended approaches to enhance system performance.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Development and verification of methods for predicting flow rates through leaks in valves and couplings

This is the final report of a research effort which addresses the title problem. The report discusses two broad models of flows, which represent the following extreme cases: (1) inertia-dominated flow, where friction is relatively insignificant; and (2) friction-dominated flow where inertia is insignificant. In class (2), the leak channel might consist of the gap between a scratch in a plastic seal and a polished metal plate against which the seal is pressed. Here, the cross section of the leak channel is modeled as a flat bottomed crescent. A publication generated under the present grant period presents an exact solution of the equations of fully-developed laminar pipe flow of a liquid in the case of a crescent beneath a hyperbolic arc. A Master's thesis project supported by the present grant presents the corresponding solution beneath a circular arc. A second publication reviews the flow of a gas through the same channel, which may be analyzed by a standard one-dimensional model (Fanno flow) for an engineering approximation. Finally, the report discusses the design and progress in the fabrication of a leak-test cell, in which one may measure the flow of fluid through a controlled flaw in a seal. The aim of such measurements is to furnish data for comparison with the predictions of the theory.

Russell, John M.↗

Specific Impulse and Mass Flow Rate Error

Specific impulse is defined in words in many ways. Very early in any text on rocket propulsion a phrase similar to .specific impulse is the thrust force per unit propellant weight flow per second. will be found.(2) It is only after seeing the mathematics written down does the definition mean something physically to scientists and engineers responsible for either measuring it or using someone.s value for it.

Gregory, Don A.↗

Hourly average values of solar wing parameters (flow rate and ion temperatures) according to data of measurements of the Venera-9 and Venera-10 automatic interplanetary stations on an Earth-Venus during the period June 1975 - April 1976

Four electrostatic analyzers with channel electron multipliers as detectors were used to measure solar wind ionic flow. The axes of the fields of vision of two of these analyzers were directed along the axis of the automatic interplanetary station, oriented towards the Sun, while the other two were turned in one plane at angles of +15 deg and -15 deg. The full hemisphere of the angular diagram of each analyzer was approximately 5 deg. The energetic resolution was approximately 6%, and the geometric energy was 0.002 sq cm ave. keV. Each analyzer covered an energetic range of approximately 10 in eight energetic intervals. Spectral distributions were processed in order to obtain the velocity and temperature of the protons. Tabular data show the hour interval (universal time) and the average solar wind velocity in kilometers per second.

Vaysberg, O. L.↗

A general-purpose method for Pareto optimal placement of flow rate and concentration sensors in networked systems – With application to wastewater treatment plants

The advent of affordable computing, low-cost sensor hardware, and high-speed and reliable communications have spurred installation of ubiquitous sensors in complex engineered systems. However, ensuring reliable data quality remains a challenge. Exploitation of redundancy among sensor signals can help improving the precision of measured variables, detecting the presence of gross errors, and identifying faulty sensors. The cost of sensor ownership, maintenance efforts in particular, can still be cost-prohibitive however. Maximizing the ability to assess and control data quality while minimizing the cost of ownership thus requires a careful sensor placement. To solve this challenge, in this work we develop a generally applicable method to solve the multi-objective sensor placement problem in systems governed by linear and bilinear balance equations. Importantly, the method computes all Pareto-optimal sensor layouts with conventional computational resources and requires no information about the expected sensor quality.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Remote sensing of stream flow rates - Correlation of meander and discharge spectra

Results of a study of river meander patterns and discharges, in which attempt was made to correlate the discharge spectrum of a river with the river meander power spectrum determined from aerial and satellite imagery. Some significant characteristics of both the discharge and the meander spectra have been discovered. Discharge frequency spectra based on long-term records of daily streamflow are found to have an inverse power-law dependence on discharge. This is shown to reflect the short-term decay of individual floods which are found to have an inverse power-law dependence on time. Meander power spectra for a number of river reaches, digitized from aerial photography, also show significant structure, the power spectral density having an inverse power-law dependence on wave number over one or more portions of the spectrum with breaks in the spectra at characteristic wave numbers. A number of examples of typical discharge and meander spectra are shown.

Lingenfelter, R. E.↗

The UW digital ozonesonde: Characteristics and flow rate calibration

During the austral springs of 1986 and 1987, a series of balloon soundings were conducted to characterize the temporal and vertical development of Antarctic ozone depletion using the electrochemical concentration cell method (ECC). An important part of this study was to perform correlative studies between ozone and aerosol particles. In order to facilitate these simultaneous measurements, a digital ozonesonde system was developed to interface with aerosol counters. The ozone measurements will be described herein. The ozonesonde modification was accomplished by converting the current output of the sonde to a frequency and adding this digital signal to the serial data stream of a Vaisala Corporation RS-80 radiosonde under microprocessor control. A number of advantages over the standard ozonesonde system currently in use are noted.

Harder, J. W.↗

Remote semi-continuous flow rate logging seepage meter

The movement of groundwater and its associated solutes from upland regions was implicated in the degradation of receiving surface water bodies. Current efforts to directly measure this influx of water incorporate manually operated seepage meters which are hindered by severe limitations. A prototype seepage meter was developed by NASA Langley Research Center and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University that will allow for the semi-continuous collection and data logging of seepage flux across the sediment water interface. The meter is designed to operate at depths to 40 meters, and alleviate or minimize all disadvantages associated with traditional methods while remaining cost effective. The unit was designed to operate independently for time periods on the order of weeks with adjustable sample sequences depending upon hydrologic conditions. When used in conjunction with commercially available pressure transducers, this seepage meter allows for correlations to be made between groundwater discharge and tidal/sea state conditions in coastal areas. Field data from the Chesapeake Bay and Florida Bay systems are presented.

Reay, William G.↗