Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “mixture experiments”

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 1,243 records · Page 69
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Simultaneous carbon catabolite repression governs sugar and aromatic co-utilization in Pseudomonas putida M2

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas putida have emerged as promising biocatalysts for the conversion of sugars and aromatic compounds obtained from lignocellulosic biomass. Understanding the role of carbon catabolite repression (CCR) in these strains is critical to optimize biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals. The CCR functioning in P. putida M2, a strain capable of consuming both hexose and pentose sugars as well as aromatic compounds, was investigated by cultivation experiments, proteomics, and CRISPRi-based gene repression. Strain M2 co-utilized sugars and aromatic compounds simultaneously; however, during cultivation with glucose and aromatic compounds ( p- coumarate and ferulate) mixture, intermediates (4-hydroxybenzoate and vanillate) accumulated, and substrate consumption was incomplete. In contrast, xylose-aromatic consumption resulted in transient intermediate accumulation and complete aromatic consumption, while xylose was incompletely consumed. Proteomics analysis revealed that glucose exerted stronger repression than xylose on the aromatic catabolic proteins. Key glucose (Eda) and xylose (XylX) catabolic proteins were also identified at lower abundance during cultivation with aromatic compounds implying simultaneous catabolite repression by sugars and aromatic compounds. Reduction of crc expression via CRISPRi led to faster growth and glucose and p -coumarate uptake in the CRISPRi strains compared to the control, while no difference was observed on xylose+ p -coumarate. The increased abundances of Eda and amino acid biosynthesis proteins in the CRISPRi strain further supported these observations. Lastly, small RNAs (sRNAs) sequencing results showed that CrcY and CrcZ homologues levels in M2, previously identified in P. putida strains, were lower under strong CCR (glucose+ p -coumarate) condition compared to when repression was absent ( p -coumarate or glucose only). IMPORTANCE A newly isolated Pseudomonas putida strain, P. putida M2, can utilize both hexose and pentose sugars as well as aromatic compounds making it a promising host for the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass. Pseudomonads have developed a regulatory strategy, carbon catabolite repression, to control the assimilation of carbon sources in the environment. Carbon catabolite repression may impede the simultaneous and complete metabolism of sugars and aromatic compounds present in lignocellulosic biomass and hinder the development of an efficient industrial biocatalyst. This study provides insight into the cellular physiology and proteome during mixed-substrate utilization in P. putida M2. The phenotypic and proteomics results demonstrated simultaneous catabolite repression in the sugar-aromatic mixtures, while the CRISPRi and sRNA sequencing demonstrated the potential role of the crc gene and small RNAs in carbon catabolite repression.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Small-Scale Experiments-Sandia Instrumented Thermal Ignition (SITI) testing summary

A number of cook-off experiments were performed to provide understanding of potential thermal ignition of drum 68660 in the February 14, 2014 radiation release at WIPP. Testing was begun according to the plan provided in Appendix B, and deviated significantly based on initial findings and other information developed during the testing. Two general types of experiments were performed: ones with nitric acid neutralized to varying degrees with Kolorsafe neutralizer, and ones with no added free liquid. Results indicate that reactivity is greater in the dry mixture, and that Fe nitrate and Ca nitrate play significant roles in ignition behavior whereas Pb nitrate, Cr nitrate, and oxalic acid do not. Within mixtures with liquid, very little exothermic behavior is observed with Swheat and water, but adding neutralized acid and nitrate salts results in significant reactivity and ignition. This behavior is suppressed by liquid water, and ignition occurs after the water has fully vaporized, although it is not clear if ignition occurs quickly because of the relatively high wall temperature at the end of the vaporization process.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1979

Novel duplex vapor-electrochemical method for silicon solar cells

Optimization studies were carried out for the SiF4-Na reaction with solid Na feed. The goals of the study were the consistent production of high purity reaction products and the gathering of relevant information needed to scale-up the reactor. Parameters studied include: (1) effect of surface to volume ratio of Na slices on the extent of reaction; (2) effect of Na surface oxidation on the extent of reaction; (3) effect of external heating on the extent of SiF4-Na reaction; (4) effect of Na slice addition rate on extent of the reaction; and (5) SiF4-Na reaction - high pressure experiments. An investigation was also made of the possible role played by NaF as a fluxing agent during the separation of silicon by melting of the reaction product (Si + NaF) mixture. Since silicon can be produced by the thermite reaction between Na2SiF6 and Na, studies were initiated to gather information on parameters which control the efficiency of the thermite reaction.

Nanis, L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Calculation of the thermodynamic properties of a mixture of gases as a function of temperature and pressure

The evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of a gas mixture can be performed using a generalized correlation which makes use of the second virial coefficient. This coefficient is based on statistical mechanics and is a function of temperature and composition, but not of pressure. The method provides results accurate to within 3 percent for gases which are nonpolar or only slightly polar. When applied to highly polar gases, errors of 5 to 10 percent may result. For gases which associate, even larger errors are possible. The sequences of calculations can be routinely programmed for a digital computer. The thermodynamic properties of a mixture of neon, argon and ethane were calculated by such a program. The result will be used for the design of the gas replenishment system for the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope.

Colon, G.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Chemical Detection and Identification Techniques for Exobiology Flight Experiments

Exobiology flight experiments require highly sensitive instrumentation for in situ analysis of the volatile chemical species that occur in the atmospheres and surfaces of various bodies within the solar system. The complex mixtures encountered place a heavy burden on the analytical Instrumentation to detect and identify all species present. The minimal resources available onboard for such missions mandate that the instruments provide maximum analytical capabilities with minimal requirements of volume, weight and consumables. Advances in technology may be achieved by increasing the amount of information acquired by a given technique with greater analytical capabilities and miniaturization of proven terrestrial technology. We describe here methods to develop analytical instruments for the detection and identification of a wide range of chemical species using Gas Chromatography. These efforts to expand the analytical capabilities of GC technology are focused on the development of detectors for the GC which provide sample identification independent of the GC retention time data. A novel new approach employs Penning Ionization Electron Spectroscopy (PIES).

Kojiro, Daniel R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The intact capture of hypervelocity dust particles using underdense foams

The impact of a hypervelocity projectile (greater than 3 km/s) is a process that subjects both the impactor and the impacted material to a large transient pressure distribution. The resultant stresses cause a large degree of fragmentation, melting, vaporization, and ionization (for normal densities). The pressure regime magnitude, however, is directly related to the density relationship between the projectile and target materials. As a consequence, a high-density impactor on a low-density target will experience the lowest level of damage. Historically, there have been three different approaches toward achieving the lowest possible target density. The first employs a projectile impinging on a foil or film of moderate density, but whose thickness is much less than the particle diameter. This results in the particle experiencing a pressure transient with both a short duration and a greatly reduced destructive effect. A succession of these films, spaced to allow nondestructive energy dissipation between impacts, will reduce the impactor's kinetic energy without allowing its internal energy to rise to the point where destruction of the projectile mass will occur. An added advantage to this method is that it yields the possibility of regions within the captured particle where a minimum of thermal modification has taken place. Polymer foams have been employed as the primary method of capturing particles with minimum degradation. The manufacture of extremely low bulk density materials is usually achieved by the introduction of voids into the material base. It must be noted, however, that a foam structure only has a true bulk density of the mixture at sizes much larger than the cell size, since for impact processes this is of paramount importance. The scale at which the bulk density must still be close to that of the mixture is approximately equal to the impactor. When this density criterion is met, shock pressures during impact are minimized, which in turn maximizes the probability of survival for the impacting particle. The primary objectives of the experiment are to (1) Examine the morphology of primary and secondary hypervelocity impact craters. Primary attention will be paid to craters caused by ejecta during hypervelocity impacts of different substrates. (2) Determine the size distribution of ejecta by means of witness plates and collect fragments of ejecta from craters by means of momentum-sensitive mcropore foam. (3) Assess the directionality of the flux by means of penetration-hole alignment of thin films placed above the cells. (4) Capture intact the particles that perforated the thin film and entered the cell. Capture media consisted of both previously flight-tested micropore foams and aerogel. The foams had different latent heats of fusion and, accordingly, will capture particles over a range of momenta. Aerogel was incorporated into the cells to determine the minimum diameter than can be captured intact.

Maag, Carl R.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Vapor Compression and Thermoelectric Heat Pump Heat Exchangers for a Condensate Distillation System: Design and Experiment

Maximizing the reuse of wastewater while minimizing the use of consumables is critical in long duration space exploration. One of the more promising methods of reclaiming urine is the distillation/condensation process used in the cascade distillation system (CDS). This system accepts a mixture of urine and toxic stabilizing agents, heats it to vaporize the water and condenses and cools the resulting water vapor. The CDS wastewater flow requires heating and its condensate flow requires cooling. Performing the heating and cooling processes separately requires two separate units, each of which would require large amounts of electrical power. By heating the wastewater and cooling the condensate in a single heat pump unit, mass, volume, and power efficiencies can be obtained. The present work describes and compares two competing heat pump methodologies that meet the needs of the CDS: 1) a series of mini compressor vapor compression cycles and 2) a thermoelectric heat exchanger. In the paper, the system level requirements are outlined, the designs of the two heat pumps are described in detail, and the results of heat pump performance tests are provided. A summary is provided of the heat pump mass, volume and power trades and a selection recommendation is made.

Erickson, Lisa R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

AUTOIGNITION DELAY TIMES FOR REFORMATE GAS MIXTURES FROM METHANE GAS ENGINES

Methane slip is a prominent issue in natural gas reciprocating engines that are used in transportation and marine applications. The incomplete combustion that results in methane slip can be resolved with the introduction of hydrogen within the combustion mixture to improve methane oxidation and further enable combustion within the engine crevices where methane has previously remained unreacted. Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a common method used to produce hydrogen and can be used to design an onboard device to reduce methane slip from reciprocating engines. The development of this reformer device requires the validation of high-fidelity chemical kinetic models at the low temperatures of the crevice volumes of these engines. In this work, auto-ignition data is obtained using a shock tube at lean (φ—0.714 or λ—1.4) and stoichiometric (φ, λ = 1) equivalence ratios spanning a temperature range of 1042–1234 K at the 80-bar operating pressure of the test engine. Blends of methane, hydrogen, and reformate products from the SMR reaction are shock-heated in synthetic air, with the ignition delay time measured using an OH* chemiluminescence detector at 310 nm and a CH* detector at 430 nm. The experimental results are compared to several state-of-the-art chemical kinetic mechanisms from the literature. In general, most of the mechanisms show very good agreement with experiments at higher temperatures, with simulation results showing little deviation from experiments at lower temperatures. A sensitivity analysis was conducted, and the results reveal that the reaction H2 + CH3O2 = H + CH3O2H has a very significant role in determining low-temperature ignition delay times (IDTs) of SMR mixtures. These findings provide valuable insights into the chemical kinetics governing methane reformate combustion and contribute to the optimization of onboard reformer designs aimed at mitigating methane slip in natural gas-fueled engines.

Fraze, Matthew↗
DOE OSTI2017

Time Analysis on a Steam Condensation Jet

The time dependence of a steam bubble entering a water pool was measured for this experiment. The temperature of the water tank at the nozzle exit was 75 deg. C ± 5 deg. C. The experiment will focus on how the bubble changes its size through time for future experimental analysis concerning the heat transfer coefficient. The study focuses at different steam flow velocities approaching the water tank. The area of the steam bubble was measured using a high-speed camera to obtain the heat transfer coefficients. The region of interest is illuminated with a laser or a halogen lamp depending on the experiment. Calculating the rate at which the bubbles are created and condensed, will help obtain a better understanding of the energy transfer between the bubble and the water. The study of steam condensation is important due to its application on nuclear plants, heat exchangers, geothermal power plants and steam ejectors. Recently, more experiments have been performed and studied due to its high heat transfer rate. The results obtained in this experiment will be used to validate CFD models. This primary experimental report focuses on the steam bubble's time dependence; the same system will be used for future experiments concerning the heat transfer coefficient. In previous work done by Chun using only steam, the average heat transfer coefficient of direct contact condensation reported was in the range of 1.0-3.5 MW/m{sup 2} deg. C. He proposes an empirical correlation to predict the average heat transfer coefficients. The experimental data agrees with the empirical correlation within ± 30%. On a different experiment performed by Gulawani using a hot film anemometer on a steam condensation jet. The reported heat transfer coefficient for the vapor liquid interface varies between 0.1-4 MW/m{sup 2}-K. The nozzle diameter used during this experiment varied between 1-2 mm, and the velocity ranged between 286-304 m/s. Aya and Nariai reported three different heat transfer coefficients for direct contact condensation. They reported a heat transfer coefficient at chugging of 2*10{sup 6} W/m{sup 2}-K, at condensation oscillation of 10{sup 5} - 10{sup 6} W/m{sup 2}-K, and at the surface of stratified flow of 3*10{sup 3} - 3*10{sup 4} W/m{sup 2}-K. With steam and air mixture, a heat transfer coefficient relating the bubble average area was reported by Qu. He reported that the heat transfer coefficient decreased with the increase of the bubble diameter. The relation is time dependant and can be used to the transient analysis of the heat transfer. For this experiment, a set of images was obtained of a steam jet. The pictures were analyzed to obtained the time dependence of the steam bubble with time, and the rate of its condensation. A frequency of 20 Hz was calculated when the steam had a flow rate of 2.5 grams per second. The first result obtained for this experiment. In the future, more flow rates will be analyzed to obtain a relationship between the frequency of the bubbles and the flow rate of the steam. Eventually, this information will aid with the calculation of the heat transfer coefficient of the steam jet in a water pool.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Effect of Tritium-Induced Damage on Plastic Targets from High-Density DT Permeation

Direct-drive inertial fusion experiments conducted at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics implode 860-μm-diam, 8-μm-thick glow-discharge polymer (GDP) capsules that have a solid, uniform, 60- to 80-μm-thick layer of an equimolar mixture of deuterium and tritium (DT) on their interior. The DT is permeated through the capsule’s wall up to pressures of 1000 atm in small pressure steps to prevent buckling; this occurs over many hours. The capsule is then cooled, the DT is solidified, and the uniform layer is formed using thermal gradients produced by heat deposited from beta decay of the tritium. Thermal contraction of the capsule from cooling is expected to be ~1% of the diameter. Capsules permeated with DT do not exhibit this contraction and retain their room-temperature diameter after cooling. Sources of error in the imaging system were explored, and a systematic 3 μm over measurement of the diameter was revealed and corrected. However, both GDP capsules permeated with only deuterium and polystyrene capsules permeated with DT do exhibit thermal contraction. The highly cross-linked GDP shell is under compressive stress after fabrication and experiences bond breakage when exposed to high-density DT during permeation. It is speculated that some of this compressive stress is relieved during bond cleavage and the capsule’s wall swells, which counteracts contraction during cooling. In addition, mass spectrometry of the DT gas in the permeation system has revealed the presence of hydrocarbons and other carbon-containing species that increase with time, confirming the radio-degradation of the polymer.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Results from single-shock Marble experiments studying thermonuclear burn in the presence of heterogeneous mix on the National Ignition Facility

The Marble campaign on the National Ignition Facility investigates the effect of heterogeneous mix on thermonuclear burn for comparison to a probability distribution function (PDF) burn model. Marble utilizes plastic capsules filled with deuterated plastic foam and a fill gas containing tritium. As the capsules implode, the deuterium in the foam mixes with the tritium gas, and DT neutrons are produced as the shocks compress and heat the mixture. The yield of DT neutrons is dependent on the uniformity of the mix, with more heterogeneous mix producing fewer neutrons. In Marble, the heterogeneity of the mix is controlled by varying the diameter of voids introduced into the foam. The first NIF Marble campaign has been executed in which the Marble capsules were indirectly driven with a single strong shock using NIF hohlraums. The experiments produce a low-convergence, high-ion-temperature implosion. The ratio of DT to DD neutron yield is largely consistent with uniform atomic mix for fine-pore foam, and increases slightly with void diameter, contrary to 1D simulations using the PDF burn model. Recent 3D high-resolution simulations of similar experiments performed on the Omega Laser Facility suggest an explanation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

SHOCK TUBE IGNITION STUDIES OF RENEWABLE DIESEL FUELS FOR MEDIUM AND HEAVY-DUTY TRANSPORTATION

Currently extensive research on alternative fuels is being conducted due to their increasing demand to reduce greenhouse emissions. One renewable fuel studied in this work is dimethyl ether (DME) blended with propane(C3H8) as a potential mixture for heavy-duty engines used in semi-trucks. The blend has the potential to drastically reduce particulate and greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional diesel engine operating under similar conditions. To develop the use of mixture, one must conduct detailed conceptual and simulation studies before progressing to detail studies in CFD, engine modifications, and live testing. For simulations, accurate high-fidelity chemical kinetic models are necessary. However, the validity of the chemical kinetic mechanism for operating conditions of a heavy-duty mixing-controlled compression (MCCI) engine was widely unknown until recent work presented here and published. In this work, we studied the ignition of DME and propane blends in a shock tube under MCCI engine conditions. Ignition delay time (IDT) gathered behind the reflected shock for DME-propane mixtures for heavy-duty compression ignition (CI) engine parameters. Testing was conducted for undiluted varieties spanning from temperatures of 700 to 1100 K at pressures ranging from 55 to 84 bar for various blends (100% CH3OCH3, 100% C3H8, 60% CH3OCH3/ 40% C3H8) of DME and propane were combusted in synthetic air (21% O2/ 79% N2). Several experiments were conducted at higher pressures (90-120 bar) to improve the model performance and accuracy. The ignition delay times (IDTs) were compared to recent mechanisms, including Aramco3.0, NUIG, and Dames et al. A common trend among the mechanisms was overpredicted experimental IDTs. Further studies were conducted by a sensitivity analysis using the Dames et al. model, and critical reactions sensitive to IDTs of DME-propane mixture near 60 bar are outlined. Chemical analysis was conducted on the NTC region to explain chemical kinetics which is critical for developing MCCI heavy duty engines.

Mohammed, Zuhayr Pasha↗
DOE OSTI2018

Experimental studies on eutectic formation between metallic fuel and HT-9M cladding in a single-pin core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

Metallic fuel relocation experiments were conducted in which molten uranium was dropped into the cladding of a single fuel pin where eutectic interaction between fuel and cladding led to the release of eutectic fuel mixture into a narrow sodium channel. The thermal hydraulic relocation behavior of the molten uranium was analyzed in a previous study. Here, the extent of the eutectic formation was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). The SEM/EDS analysis confirmed that cladding failure was caused by eutectic penetration. The eutectic penetration initiated around the boundary between cladding and uranium fuel, progressed into the cladding, and caused the cladding failure. Near the cladding failure region, the original cladding shape was unrecognizable, and many cracks, breakthroughs, and partial losses of the cladding were observed. The main components of the cladding failure region were UFe2 and U6Fe, which are the key components in the eutectic penetration

Eutectic Penetration↗
DOE OSTI2018

Investigation of the hydrodynamics and emission of a laser heated tamped high-Z target

We examine the hydrodynamic expansion and x-ray emission of a laser-heated buried-layer target. This research is motivated by our interest in developing an experimental platform for probing plasma properties under relatively uniform conditions, such as ionization and equation of state. Targets consist of a few thousand angstrom-thick layer of material, embedded in a few microns of the tamper material (typically beryllium), which are irradiated on both sides by an intense few-nanosecond laser pulse. The expansion and emission of our target, composed of a homogeneous mixture of iron, vanadium, and gold, are simulated using the 2-D LASNEX code. Reasonable agreement is found with the time history of the x-ray emission traces (DANTE). Both experiments and simulations exhibit an interesting reduction in the radial size of the emission region with time, as measured using face-on imaging. This is demonstrated to be due to the ablation of the beryllium tamper, which affects the radial confinement of the embedded target. Simulations using a larger diameter beryllium tamper are found to mitigate this effect, improving the one-dimensionality of the expansion.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Laboratory determination of the infrared band strengths of pyrene frozen in water ice: Implications for the composition of interstellar ices

Broad infrared emission features (e.g., at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.3 μm) from the gas phase interstellar medium have long been attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A significant portion (10%-20%) of the Milky Way's carbon reservoir is locked in PAH molecules, which makes their characterization integral to our understanding of astrochemistry. In molecular clouds and the dense envelopes and disks of young stellar objects (YSOs), PAHs are expected to be frozen in the icy mantles of dust grains where they should reveal themselves through infrared absorption. To facilitate the search for frozen interstellar PAHs, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the positions and strengths of the bands of pyrene mixed with H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2}O ices. The D{sub 2}O mixtures are used to measure pyrene bands that are masked by the strong bands of H{sub 2}O, leading to the first laboratory determination of the band strength for the CH stretching mode of pyrene in water ice near 3.25 μm. Our infrared band strengths were normalized to experimentally determined ultraviolet band strengths, and we find that they are generally ∼50% larger than those reported by Bouwman et al. based on theoretical strengths. These improved band strengths were used to reexamine YSO spectra published by Boogert et al. to estimate the contribution of frozen PAHs to absorption in the 5-8 μm spectral region, taking into account the strength of the 3.25 μm CH stretching mode. It is found that frozen neutral PAHs contain 5%-9% of the cosmic carbon budget and account for 2%-9% of the unidentified absorption in the 5-8 μm region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗