Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Diffusion equation”

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 1,153 records · Page 64

Gravitational influences on the behavior of confined diffusion flames

Closed form, mathematical representations for the shapes of laminar diffusion flames stabilized on two-dimensional slot burners are derived for arbitrary gravitational levels. The solution technique employs the Schvab-Zeldovich conserved species variable. Effects of gravity on the velocity field are incorporated through the momentum equation; these effects, in turn, influence the species field. The results reduce smoothly to the classical Burke-Schumann solution as gravity approaches zero. It is shown that both flame height and width increase with decreasing gravity levels. Several interesting cases are considered explicitly; these include effects of negative and extremely high values of gravity. In the latter case, it is shown that the flame collapses onto the burner surface. The analysis finds application in the modeling of steady and unsteady gas and solid propellant diffusion flames.

Hegde, U.↗

The effect of dissipative inhomogeneous medium on the statistics of the wave intensity

One of the main theoretical points in the theory of wave propagation in random medium is the derivation of closed form equations to describe the statistics of the propagating waves. In particular, in one dimensional problems, the closed form representation of the multiple scattering effects is important since it contributes in understanding such problems like wave localization, backscattering enhancement, and intensity fluctuations. In this the propagation of plane waves in a layer of one-dimensional dissipative random medium is considered. The medium is modeled by a complex permittivity whose real part is a constant representing the absorption. The one dimensional problem is mathematically equivalent to the analysis of a transmission line with randomly perturbed distributed parameters and a single mode lossy waveguide and the results can be used to study the propagation of radio waves through atmosphere and the remote sensing of geophysical media. It is assumed the scattering medium consists of an ensemble of one-dimensional point scatterers randomly positioned in a layer of thickness L with diffuse boundaries. A Poisson impulse process with density lambda is used to model the position of scatterers in the medium. By employing the Markov properties of this process an exact closed form equation of Kolmogorov-Feller type was obtained for the probability density of the reflection coefficient. This equation was solved by combining two limiting cases: (1) when the density of scatterers is small; and (2) when the medium is weakly dissipative. A two variable perturbation method for small lambda was used to obtain solutions valid for thick layers. These solutions are then asymptotically evaluated for small dissipation. To show the effect of dissipation, the mean and fluctuations of the reflected power are obtained. The results were compared with a lossy homogeneous medium and with a lossless inhomogeneous medium and the regions where the effect of absorption is not essential were discussed.

Saatchi, Sasan S.↗

Numerical Modeling of HgCdTe Solidification: Effects of Phase Diagram, Double-Diffusion Convection and Microgravity Level

Melt convection, along with species diffusion and segregation on the solidification interface are the primary factors responsible for species redistribution during HgCdTe crystal growth from the melt. As no direct information about convection velocity is available, numerical modeling is a logical approach to estimate convection. Furthermore influence of microgravity level, double-diffusion and material properties should be taken into account. In the present study, HgCdTe is considered as a binary alloy with melting temperature available from a phase diagram. The numerical model of convection and solidification of binary alloy is based on the general equations of heat and mass transfer in two-dimensional region. Mathematical modeling of binary alloy solidification is still a challenging numericial problem. A Rigorous mathematical approach to this problem is available only when convection is not considered at all. The proposed numerical model was developed using the finite element code FIDAP. In the present study, the numerical model is used to consider thermal, solutal convection and a double diffusion source of mass transport.

Bune, Andris V.↗

Albedo and flux extinction coefficient of impure snow for diffuse shortwave radiation

Impurities enter a snowpack as a result of fallout of scavenging by falling snow crystals. Albedo and flux extinction coefficient of soot contaminated snowcovers were studied using a two stream approximation of the radiative transfer equation. The effect of soot was calculated by two methods: independent scattering by ice grains and impurities and average refractive index for ice grains. Both methods predict a qualitatively similar effect of soot; the albedo is decreased and the extinction coefficient is increased compared to that for pure snow in the visible region; the infrared properties are largely unaffected. Quantitatively, however, the effect of soot is more pronounced in the average refractive index method. Soot contamination provides a qualitative explanation for several snow observations.

Choudhury, B. J.↗

Stochastic differential equations and turbulent dispersion

Aspects of the theory of continuous stochastic processes that seem to contribute to an understanding of turbulent dispersion are introduced and the theory and philosophy of modelling turbulent transport is emphasized. Examples of eddy diffusion examined include shear dispersion, the surface layer, and channel flow. Modeling dispersion with finite-time scale is considered including the Langevin model for homogeneous turbulence, dispersion in nonhomogeneous turbulence, and the asymptotic behavior of the Langevin model for nonhomogeneous turbulence.

Durbin, P. A.↗

Simple Two-Dimensional Corrections for One-Dimensional Pulse Tube Models

One-dimensional oscillating flow models are very useful for designing pulse tubes. They are simple to use, not computationally intensive, and the physical relationship between temperature, pressure and mass flow are easy to understand when used in conjunction with phasor diagrams. They do not possess, however, the ability to directly calculate thermal and momentum diffusion in the direction transverse to the oscillating flow. To account for transverse effects, lumped parameter corrections, which are obtained though experiment, must be used. Or two-dimensional solutions of the differential fluid equations must be obtained. A linear two-dimensional solution to the fluid equations has been obtained. The solution provides lumped parameter corrections for one-dimensional models. The model accounts for heat transfer and shear flow between the gas and the tube. The complex Nusselt number and complex shear wall are useful in describing these corrections, with phase relations and amplitudes scaled with the Prandtl and Valensi numbers. The calculated ratio, a, between a two-dimensional solution of the oscillating temperature and velocity and a one-dimensional solution for the same shows a scales linearly with Va for Va less than 30. In this region alpha less than 0.5, that is, the enthalpy flow calculated with a two-dimensional model is 50% of a calculation using a one-dimensional model. For Va greater than 250, alpha = 0.8, showing that diffusion is still important even when it is confined to a thing layer near the tube wall.

Lee, J. M.↗

Verification of theory on weak turbulence relating to the sequence of diffuse plasma resonances in space.

An interpretation of the sequence of diffuse plasma resonances observed by space probes (Alouette 2 and ISIS-1 satellites) is developed in terms of wave-particle nonlinear interaction in a weakly turbulent plasma including the electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic wave instability. The longest time duration of the center frequency of the diffuse plasma resonance is found to coincide with the most favorable condition for the electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic wave instability which is obtained by solving the dispersion equation obtained for a linear approximation of the kinetic wave equation for the warm magnetoactive plasma. The electrostatic field due to the transmission of the intense rf pulse produces plasma turbulence involving nonlinear wave-wave interaction and temperature anisotropy which leads to instability. This instability supplies energy to the turbulence. The process can be thought of as a feedback system.

Oya, H.↗

Preliminary numerical analysis of improved gas chromatograph model

A mathematical model for the gas chromatograph was developed which incorporates the heretofore neglected transport mechanisms of intraparticle diffusion and rates of adsorption. Because a closed-form analytical solution to the model does not appear realizable, techniques for the numerical solution of the model equations are being investigated. Criteria were developed for using a finite terminal boundary condition in place of an infinite boundary condition used in analytical solution techniques. The class of weighted residual methods known as orthogonal collocation is presently being investigated and appears promising.

Woodrow, P. T.↗

Cosmic ray positron and negatron spectra between 20 and 800 MeV measured in 1974

A balloon-borne spark chamber magnetic spectrometer was used to measure separate spectra of positrons and negatrons in two flights during summer, 1974. The total electron flux is about 0.3 m(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) MeV(-1) between 70 and 800 MeV, and increases toward lower energies. The positron spectrum decreases sharply toward lower energies from a value of about 0.08 m(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) MeV(-1) at 650 MeV, and only upper limits are obtained for positrons below 200 MeV. At energies above 180 MeV, the spherically symmetric Fokker-Planck equation provides reasonable fits to both the positron and total electron data. At energies below 180 MeV the data are consistent with a continuation of the same diffusion coefficient and local source of negatrons, or a change in the diffusion coefficient to a constant value.

Hartman, R. C.↗

Combustor modelling for scramjet engines

A system of computer programs is being developed to analyse and predict the complex flow fields found in hydrogen-fueled scramjet combustors. Each program is designed to solve the governing equation system for the type of flow present in a particular combustor region. A two-dimensional parabolic program has been found to be valuable in the development and experimental evaluation of turbulence and chemistry models for supersonic flow, and in the development of a program to model supersonic flow downstream of the fuel injection struts by means of solutions to the three-dimensional parabolic Navier-Stokes equations and species equations. A partially elliptic code has been derived to account for local subsonic flow regions, and fully elliptic programs have been developed by the consideration of streamwise diffusion effects for the recirculating flow fields near transverse fuel injectors. The programs are currently being applied to problems of scramjet engine development.

Drummond, J. P.↗

Implicit treatment of diffusion terms in lower-upper algorithms

A method is presented which allows diffusion terms to be treated implicitly in the lower-upper (LU) algorithm (which is a commonly used method for solving 'compressible' Euler and Navier-Stokes equations) so that the algorithm's good stability properties will not be impaired. The new method generalizes the concept of LU factorization from that associated with the sign of eigenvalues to that associated with backward- and forward-difference operators without regard to eigenvalues. The method is verified in a turbulent boundary layer study.

Shih, T. I.-P.↗

The 3D Navier-Stokes analysis of a Mach 2.68 bifurcated rectangular mixed-compression inlet

The supersonic diffuser of a Mach 2.68 bifurcated, rectangular, mixed-compression inlet was analyzed using a three-dimensional (3D) Navier-Stokes flow solver. A two-equation turbulence model, and a porous bleed model based on unchoked bleed hole discharge coefficients were used. Comparisons were made with experimental data, inviscid theory, and two-dimensional Navier-Stokes analyses. The main objective was to gain insight into the inlet fluid dynamics. Examination of the computational results along with the experimental data suggest that the cowl shock-sidewall boundary layer interaction near the leading edge caused a substantial separation in the wind tunnel inlet model. As a result, the inlet performance may have been compromised by increased spillage and higher bleed mass flow requirements. The internal flow contained substantial waves that were not in the original inviscid design. 3D effects were fairly minor for this inlet at on-design conditions. Navier-Stokes analysis appears to be an useful tool for gaining insight into the inlet fluid dynamics. It provides a higher fidelity simulation of the flowfield than the original inviscid design, by taking into account boundary layers, porous bleed, and their interactions with shock waves.

Mizukami, M.↗

2-D Modeling of Nanoscale MOSFETs: Non-Equilibrium Green's Function Approach

We have developed physical approximations and computer code capable of realistically simulating 2-D nanoscale transistors, using the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method. This is the most accurate full quantum model yet applied to 2-D device simulation. Open boundary conditions and oxide tunneling are treated on an equal footing. Electrons in the ellipsoids of the conduction band are treated within the anisotropic effective mass approximation. Electron-electron interaction is treated within Hartree approximation by solving NEGF and Poisson equations self-consistently. For the calculations presented here, parallelization is performed by distributing the solution of NEGF equations to various processors, energy wise. We present simulation of the "benchmark" MIT 25nm and 90nm MOSFETs and compare our results to those from the drift-diffusion simulator and the quantum-corrected results available. In the 25nm MOSFET, the channel length is less than ten times the electron wavelength, and the electron scattering time is comparable to its transit time. Our main results are: (1) Simulated drain subthreshold current characteristics are shown, where the potential profiles are calculated self-consistently by the corresponding simulation methods. The current predicted by our quantum simulation has smaller subthreshold slope of the Vg dependence which results in higher threshold voltage. (2) When gate oxide thickness is less than 2 nm, gate oxide leakage is a primary factor which determines off-current of a MOSFET (3) Using our 2-D NEGF simulator, we found several ways to drastically decrease oxide leakage current without compromising drive current. (4) Quantum mechanically calculated electron density is much smaller than the background doping density in the poly silicon gate region near oxide interface. This creates an additional effective gate voltage. Different ways to. include this effect approximately will be discussed.

Svizhenko, Alexei↗

Expectation-Based Control of Noise and Chaos

A proposed approach to control of noise and chaos in dynamic systems would supplement conventional methods. The approach is based on fictitious forces composed of expectations governed by Fokker-Planck or Liouville equations that describe the evolution of the probability densities of the controlled parameters. These forces would be utilized as feedback control forces that would suppress the undesired diffusion of the controlled parameters. Examples of dynamic systems in which the approach is expected to prove beneficial include spacecraft, electronic systems, and coupled lasers.

Zak, Michael↗

Nitric oxide formation by meteoroids in the upper atmosphere

The process of nitric oxide formation during atmospheric entry of meteoroids is analyzed theoretically. An ablating meteoroid is assumed to be a point source in a uniform flow with a continuum regime evolving in its wake. The amount of nitric oxide produced by high-temperature reactions of air in the continuum regime is calculated by numerical integration of chemical-rate equations. This is accomplished by assuming that flow properties are constant across the reacting region, its radius being determined from considerations of shock-wave formation and molecular diffusion. The results, when summed over the observed mass, velocity, and entry-angle distributions of meteoroids, provide annual global production rates of nitric oxide as a function of altitude. The peak production is found to occur between 90- and 100-km altitude, the total annual rate being around 40 million kg.

Menees, G. P.↗

Particle deposition due to turbulent diffusion in the upper respiratory system

Aerosol deposition in the upper respiratory system (trachea to segmental bronchi) is considered and the importance of turbulent diffusion as a deposition mechanism is evaluated. It is demonstrated that for large particles (diameter greater than about 5 microns), turbulent diffusion is the dominant deposition mechanism in the trachea. Conditions under which turbulent diffusion may be important in successive generations of the pulmonary system are determined. The probability of particle deposition is compared with probabilities of deposition, as determined by the equations generally used in regional deposition models. The analysis is theoretical; no new experimental data is presented.

Hamill, P.↗

Theoretical analysis of infrared radiation shields of spacecraft

For a system of N diffuse, gray body radiation shields which view only adjacent surfaces and space, the net radiation method for enclosures has been used to formulate a system of linear, nonhomogeneous equations in terms of the temperatures to the fourth power of each surface in the coupled system of enclosures. The coefficients of the unknown temperatures in the system of equations are expressed in terms of configuration factors between adjacent surfaces and the emissivities. As an application, a system of four conical radiation shields for a spin stabilized STARPROBE spacecraft has been designed and analyzed with respect to variations of the cone half angles, the intershield spacings, and emissivities.

Shealy, D. L.↗

A three-dimensional axisymmetric calculation procedure for turbulent flows in a radial vaneless diffuser

An analytical model is proposed to calculate the three-dimensional axisymmetric turbulent flowfield in a radial vneless diffuser. The model assumes that the radial and tangential boundary layer profiles are approximated by power law profiles. Then, using the integrated radial and tangential momentum and continuity equations for the boundary layer and corresponding inviscid equations for the core flow, there results six ordinary differential equation in six unknowns which are easily solved using a Runge-Kutta technique. A model is also proposed for fully developed flow. The results using this technique were compared with the results from a three-dimensional viscous, axisymmetric duct code and with experimental data and good quantitative agreement was obtained.

Schumann, L. F.↗