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At least 127 records · Page 7

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2019

How Much Water Is Evaporated Across California? A Multiyear Assessment Using a Biophysical Model Forced With Satellite Remote Sensing Data

Abstract California is expected to experience great spatial/temporal variations evaporation. These variations arise from strong north‐south, east‐west gradients in rainfall and vegetation, strong interannual variability in rainfall (±30%) and strong seasonal variability in the supply and demand for moisture. We used the Breathing Earth System Simulator to evaluate the rates and sums of evaporation across California, over the 2001–2017 period. Breathing Earth System Simulator is a bottom‐up, biophysical model that couples subroutines that calculate the surface energy balance, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance. The model is forced with high‐resolution remote sensing data (1 km).The questions we address are as follows: How much water is evaporated across the natural and managed ecosystems of California? How much does evaporation vary during the booms and busts in annual rainfall? and Is evaporation increasing with time due to a warming climate? Mean annual evaporation, averaged over the 2001–2017 period, was relatively steady (393 ± 21 mm/year) given the high interannual variation in precipitation (519 ± 140 mm/year). No significant trend in evaporation at the statewide level was detected over this time period, despite a background of a warming climate. Irrigated agricultural crops and orchards, at 1‐km scale, use less water than inferred estimates for individual fields. This leaves the potential for sharing water, a scarce resource, more equitably among competing stakeholders, for example, farms, fish, people, and ecosystems.

Baldocchi, Dennis↗

DOE OSTI2019

Study of Evaporation of Laser-Heated Iron–Carbon Nanoparticles Using Analysis of Thermal Radiation

Evaporation of iron nanoparticles in carbon shells under pulsed laser irradiation is analyzed. Iron–carbon nanoparticles are synthesized in a shock tube reactor with the aid of pyrolysis of the 0.25% Fe(CO){sub 5} + 0.25% C{sub 6}H{sub 6} mixture in argon. Laser radiation is used for additional heating to temperatures that exceed the evaporation threshold of the iron core of nanoparticles. Time profiles of the thermal radiation of laser-heated nanoparticles are measured. The two-color pyrometry is used to determine the evaporation temperature of nanoparticles, and the laser extinction makes it possible to monitor the loss of volume fraction of the condensed phase upon evaporation. Approximation of experimental signals of laser-heated nanoparticles using model curves is employed to determine effective enthalpy of evaporation of iron–carbon nanoparticles. It is shown that the iron core of nanoparticles is evaporated through the carbon shell and the energy spent by such a process is approximately twice greater than the evaporation enthalpy of bulk iron with free surface.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2018

Evaluation of The Risk of Solids Formation in the 2H Evaporator System

Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Tank Farm Engineering requested technical assistance from the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to troubleshoot recent and rapid plugging of the 2H Evaporator gravity drain line (GDL) to the Evaporator Drop Tank (currently Tank 38) with unwanted solids of unknown composition and to evaluate the risk of solids formation in the 2H Evaporator system moving forward. The GDL to Tank 38 recently plugged twice within hours of startup, resulting in a one-month shutdown both times. SRNL was asked to simulate current and historic (2016 to 2017) aqueous feed chemistries in the Evaporator Feed Tank (currently Tank 43) using the OLI Systems software to determine the mass of precipitated salts that would be expected to form under 2H Evaporator operating conditions for a range of concentration factors (i.e., evaporator overhead-to-feed volume ratio). A recommended evaporator concentration factor was determined based on the current Tank 43 feed composition to minimize solids formation and extend the time between shutdowns. Current and historic (2016 to 2017) aqueous chemistries in Tank 38 were also evaluated for completeness.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1972

Normal evaporation of binary alloys

In the study of normal evaporation, it is assumed that the evaporating alloy is homogeneous, that the vapor is instantly removed, and that the alloy follows Raoult's law. The differential equation of normal evaporation relating the evaporating time to the final solute concentration is given and solved for several important special cases. Uses of the derived equations are exemplified with a Ni-Al alloy and some binary iron alloys. The accuracy of the predicted results are checked by analyses of actual experimental data on Fe-Ni and Ni-Cr alloys evaporated at 1600 C, and also on the vacuum purification of beryllium. These analyses suggest that the normal evaporation equations presented here give satisfactory results that are accurate to within an order of magnitude of the correct values, even for some highly concentrated solutions. Limited diffusion and the resultant surface solute depletion or enrichment appear important in the extension of this normal evaporation approach.

Li, C. H.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The desorptivity model of bulk soil-water evaporation

Available models of bulk evaporation from a bare-surfaced soil are difficult to apply to field conditions where evaporation is complicated by two main factors: rate-limiting climatic conditions and redistribution of soil moisture following infiltration. Both factors are included in the "desorptivity model', wherein the evaporation rate during the second stage (the soil-limiting stage) of evaporation is related to the desorptivity parameter, A. Analytical approximations for A are presented. The approximations are independent of the surface soil moisture. However, calculations using the approximations indicate that both soil texture and soil moisture content at depth significantly affect A. Because the moisture content at depth decreases in time during redistribution, it follows that the A parameter also changes with time. Consequently, a method to calculate a representative value of A was developed. When applied to field data, the desorptivity model estimated cumulative evaporation well. The model is easy to calculate, but its usefulness is limited because it requires an independent estimate of the time of transition between the first and second stages of evaporation. The model shows that bulk evaporation after the transition to the second stage is largely independent of climatic conditions.

Clapp, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of a resistance-energy balance method for estimating daily evaporation from wheat plots using one-time-of-day infrared temperature observations

Accurate estimates of evaporation over field-scale or larger areas are needed in hydrologic studies, irrigation scheduling, and meteorology. Remotely sensed surface temperature might be used in a model to calculate evaporation. A resistance-energy balance model, which combines an energy balance equation, the Penman-Monteith (1981) evaporation equation, and van den Honert's (1948) equation for water extraction by plant roots, is analyzed for estimating daily evaporation from wheat using postnoon canopy temperature measurements. Additional data requirements are half-hourly averages of solar radiation, air and dew point temperatures, and wind speed, along with reasonable estimates of canopy emissivity, albedo, height, and leaf area index. Evaporation fluxes were measured in the field by precision weighing lysimeters for well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Errors in computed daily evaporation were generally less than 10 percent, while errors in cumulative evaporation for 10 clear sky days were less than 5 percent for both well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Some results from sensitivity analysis of the model are also given.

Choudhury, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Turbulence effects during evaporation of drops in clusters

The present modeling of droplet cluster evaporation, which encompasses the exchange processes between the cluster and the gas phase that surrounds it and is intended for application as a subscale model in calculations of spray evaporation and combustion, gives attention to two alternative turbulence models: (1) cluster evaporation in an evironment initially without turbulence, which then experiences a gradual buildup of turbulence, and (2) evaporation in an environment in which turbulence is initially present. Results obtained indicate that turbulence enhances evaporation, and is a controlling factor in the evaporation of very dense clusters; it is shown that evaporation time decreases with an initial increase in either turbulence level or relative velocity. Practical implications of these results are discussed.

Bellan, J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Marangoni instability induced convection in an evaporating liquid droplet

The processes occurring when a liquid drop undergoes evaporation are described. When a liquid drop undergoes evaporation, its surface temperature decreases. If the droplet is free floating in a microgravity environment, the heat transfer process inside the droplet is initially condition controlled. As the process continues, a radial temperature gradient builds up at the free surface until the critical Marangoni number is exceeded. Then the onset of instability induces thermocapillary convective flows, which in turn speed up the evaporation. The convective flows will subside when the interior of the droplet reaches a certain equilibrium temperature, and the process will return to the diffusion controlled mode. Both preliminary modeling and recent laboratory data have confirmed that Marangoni instability induced convection can and does occur in the droplet evaporation process. Mathematical models representing Marangoni instability in an evaporating liquid drop are presented. An ideal space experiment to study and characterize the onset of Marangoni instability in an evaporating liquid droplet and to establish the effect of Marangoni instability induced convection on the droplet evaporation rate is outlined and the need for conducting such experiments in space is highlighted. However, before an opportunity to conduct experiments in space arises, ground based experiments have to be conducted to study feasibility issues and proof of concept. A ground based experiment of this type is outlined.

Chai, An-Ti↗

NASA NTRS1999

A New Approach to Measure Contact Angle and Evaporation Rate with Flow Visualization in a Sessile Drop

The contact angle and the spreading process of sessile droplet are very crucial in many technological processes, such as painting and coating, material processing, film-cooling applications, lubrication, and boiling. Additionally, as it is well known that the surface free energy of polymers cannot be directly, measured for their elastic and viscous restraints. The measurements of liquid contact angle on the polymer surfaces become extremely important to evaluate the surface free energy of polymers through indirect methods linked with the contact angle data. Due to the occurrence of liquid evaporation is inevitable, the effects of evaporation on the contact angle and the spreading become very important for more complete understanding of these processes. It is of interest to note that evaporation can induce Marangoni-Benard convection in sessile drops. However, the impacts of the inside convection on the wetting and spreading processes are not clear. The experimental methods used by previous investigators cannot simultaneously measure the spreading process and visualize the convection inside. Based on the laser shadowgraphic system used by the present author, a very simple optical procedure has been developed to measure the contact angle, the spreading speed, the evaporation rate, and to visualize inside convection of a sessile drop simultaneously. Two CCD cameras were used to synchronously record the real-time diameter of the sessile drop, which is essential for determination of both spreading speed and evaporation rate, and the shadowgraphic image magnified by the sessile drop acting as a thin plano-convex lens. From the shadowgraph, the inside convection of the drop can be observed if any and the image outer diameter, which linked to the drop profile, can be measured. Simple equations have been derived to calculate the drop profile, including the instantaneous contact angle, height, and volume of the sessile drop, as well as the evaporation rate. The influence of the inside convection on the wetting and spreading processes can be figured out through comparison of the drop profiles with and without inside convection when the sessile drop is placed at different evaporation conditions.

Zhang, Nengli↗

NASA NTRS2019

Investigation of Transient Gas Phase Column Density Due to Droplet Evaporation

A NASA robotic refueling mission experiment on board the International Space Station (ISS) was designed to repeatedly transfer simulated cryogenic propellant between two dewars. After each metered transfer, the cryogen was to be vented overboard via sublimation or evaporation. ISS payload providers must conduct analyses to demonstrate that any planned gaseous venting generate no more than a certain level of material that may interfere with optical measurements from other payloads that may be located nearby. This requirement is expressed in terms of a maximum column number density (CND). For the experiment under consideration, fluid droplets likely would accompany any such vapor. Earlier related studies led to development of analytical expressions for column density along general paths for a number of practical cases under steady conditions, including droplet evaporation. These expressions are not appropriate for rapid evaporation of small droplets however, since the droplets cannot sustain mass flow rates consistent with steady conditions. In this work, analytical expressions are developed for estimating column density near a rapidly evaporating droplet along general paths. The influence for instantaneous evaporation is created first as a limiting case, where it is found the peak value occurs at the time it takes a wave of vapor to reach the closest point along the optical path traveling at its most probable thermal speed. Next, the case for finite-period evaporation is evaluated for constant conditions. Compared to the instantaneous case, peak column density occurs shortly after droplet extinction, but at a lower intensity. A new mathematical function is discovered that solves the integrals associated with this case. Finally, ways to account for droplet motion and changes in evaporation rate with size and temperature are discussed in this framework.

Woronowicz, M. S.↗

DOE OSTI2013

Upward-facing Lithium Flash Evaporator for NSTX-U

NSTX plasma performance has been significantly enhanced by lithium conditioning [1]. To date, the lower divertor and passive plates have been conditioned by downward facing lithium evaporators (LITER) as appropriate for lower null plasmas. The higher power operation expected from NSTX-U requires double null plasma operation in order to distribute the heat flux between the upper and lower divertors making it desirable to coat the upper divertor region with Li as well. An upward aiming LITER (U-LITER) is presently under development and will be inserted into NSTX-U using a horizontal probe drive located in a 6" upper midplane port. In the retracted position the evaporator will be loaded with up to 300 mg of Li granules utilizing one of the calibrated NSTX Li powder droppers[2]. The evaporator will then be inserted into the vessel in a location within the shadow of the RF limiters and will remain in the vessel during the discharge. About 10 seconds before a discharge, it will be rapidly heated and the lithium completely evaporated onto the upper divertor, thus avoiding the complication of a shutter that prevents evaporation during the shot when the diagnostic shutters are open. The minimal time interval between the evaporation and the start of the discharge will avoid the passivation of the lithium by residual gases and enable the study of the conditioning effects of un-passivated Li surfaces [3]. Two methods are being investigated to accomplish the rapid (few second) heating of the lithium. A resistive method relies on passing a large current through a Li filled crucible. A second method requires using a 3 kW e-beam gun to heat the Li. In this paper the evaporator systems will be described and the pros and cons of each heating method will be discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2018

Impact of post-rainfall evaporation from porous roof tiles on building cooling load in subtropical China

Rainfall occurs frequently in subtropical regions of China, with the subsequent water evaporation from building roofs impacting the thermal performance and the energy consumption of buildings. In this paper, we proposed a novel simulation method using actual meteorological data to evaluate this impact. New features were developed in EnergyPlus to enable the simulation: (1) an evaporation latent heat flux source term was added to the heat balance equation of the external surface and (2) algorithms for the evaporative cooling module (ECM) were developed and implemented into EnergyPlus. The ECM experimental results showed good agreement with the simulated results. The ECM was used to assess the impact of evaporation from porous roof tiles on the cooling load of a one-floor building in subtropical China. The results show that the evaporation process decreased the maximal values of the external and internal roof surface temperatures by up to 6.4 °C and 3.2 °C, respectively, while the lower internal surface temperature decreased the room accumulated cooling load by up to 14.8% during the hot summer period. Lastly, the enhanced EnergyPlus capability can be used to evaluate the evaporative cooling performance of roofs with water-storage mediums, as well as to quantify their impact on building cooling loads.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2023

On falling film evaporator – A review of mechanisms and critical assessment of correlation on a horizontal tube bundle with updated development

Optimization of the energy efficiency and reduction of the greenhouse gas emission for the heat pump system is imperative to meet the net-zero goals at 2050. Chillers with falling film evaporator design not only possess better system performance but also contain less refrigerant inventory. Hence, accurate prediction of the evaporator performance is pivotal especially when charged with low-GWP refrigerant. Here, the study reviews the correlations for falling film evaporator with a horizontal tube bundle configuration. The major efforts of this study include four tasks: (a) literature review of the experimental studies and available empirical correlations; (b) comprehensive discussion of the falling film evaporation heat transfer mechanism; (c) development of a new rationally based correlation based on available literature; and (d) comparison of different correlations based on the existing data. The collected data includes 4114 data points from 8 sources, 6 refrigerants (R-600a, R-290, R-245fa, R-134a, R-1234ze(E), R-123), 5 types of the tubes (Plain, Turbo-GII-HP, GEWA-B, Low-fin, High-Flux), liquid Weber number from 2.2 × 10 –6 to 0.7, imposed vapor Weber number from 0 to 37.2, heat flux from 2.5 to 151.5 kW/m 2 , and film Reynolds number from 1 to 3159.8. The new correlation gives a MAD of 28.3%, and an R 2 of 0.86. Yet, the developed correlation considers various heat transfer mechanisms, including the transition point from falling film evaporation to the nucleate boiling, local evaporation, dry-out, mist flow, imposed flow, and enhanced tube effects.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2017

Technical Performance and Economic Evaluation of Evaporative and Membrane-Based Concentration for Biomass-Derived Sugars

Several conversion pathways of lignocellulosic biomass to advanced biofuels require or benefit from using concentrated sugar syrups of 600 g/L or greater. And while concentration may seem straightforward, thermal sugar degradation and energy efficiency remain major concerns. This study evaluated the trade-offs in product recovery, energy consumption, and economics between evaporative and membrane-based concentration methods. The degradation kinetics of xylose and glucose were characterized and applied to an evaporator process simulation. Though significant sugar loss was predicted for certain scenarios due to the Maillard reaction, industrially common falling-film plate evaporators offer short residence times (<5 min) and are expected to limit sugar losses. Membrane concentration experiments characterized flux and sugar rejection, but diminished flux occurred at >100 g/L. A second step using evaporation is necessary to achieve target concentrations. Techno-economic process model simulations evaluated the overall economics of concentrating a 35 g/L sugar stream to 600 g/L in a full-scale biorefinery. A two-step approach of preconcentrating using membranes and finishing with an evaporator consumed less energy than evaporation alone but was more expensive because of high capital expenses of the membrane units.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Elucidating the Mechanism of Helium Evaporation from Liquid Water

Here, we investigate the evaporation of trace amounts of helium solvated in liquid water using molecular dynamics simulations and theory. Consistent with experimental observations, we find a super-Maxwellian distribution of kinetic energies of evaporated helium. This excess of kinetic energy over typical thermal expectations is explained by an effective continuum theory of evaporation based on a Fokker–Planck equation, parametrized molecularly by a potential of mean force and position-dependent friction. Using this description, we find that helium evaporation is strongly influenced by the friction near the interface, which is anomalously small near the Gibbs dividing surface due to the ability of the liquid–vapor interface to deform around the gas particle. Our reduced description provides a mechanistic interpretation of trace gas evaporation as the motion of an underdamped particle in a potential subject to a viscous environment that varies rapidly across the air–water interface. From it we predict the temperature dependence of the excess kinetic energy of evaporation, which is yet to be measured.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2022

Insights Into the Aerodynamic Versus Radiometric Surface Temperature Debate in Thermal-Based Evaporation Modeling

Global evaporation monitoring from Earth observation thermal infrared satellite missions is historically challenged due to the unavailability of any direct measurements of aerodynamic temperature. State-of-the-art one-source evaporation models use remotely sensed radiometric surface temperature as a substitute for the aerodynamic temperature and apply empirical corrections to accommodate for their inequality. This introduces substantial uncertainty in operational drought mapping over complex landscapes. By employing a non-parametric model, we show that evaporation can be directly retrieved from thermal satellite data without the need of any empirical correction. Independent evaluation of evaporation in a broad spectrum of biome and aridity yielded statistically significant results when compared with eddy covariance observations. While our simplified model provides a new perspective to advance spatio-temporal evaporation mapping from any thermal remote sensing mission, the direct retrieval of aerodynamic temperature also generates the highly required insight on the critical role of biophysical interactions in global evaporation research.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Microphysics Dominates Sub‐Cloud Rain Evaporation in Trade Cumuli Over Barbados

This study investigates the microphysical and thermodynamic influences on North Atlantic trade-cumulus rain evaporation in the sub-cloud layer over Barbados from January to November 2020. Using radar observations and a 1-D model, the results reveal that microphysical properties, namely geometric mean diameter (D g ) and raindrop concentration, primarily control evaporation processes under conditions of limited thermodynamic variability. Thermodynamic factors like cloud base height and relative humidity exert a smaller influence due to their narrow observed ranges. Small D g leads to rapid increases in rain evaporation fraction (REF), as small drops evaporate completely, while larger D g yields slower, more gradual REF changes. Frequent weak-rain cases reduce the mean evaporation flux, whereas infrequent intense-rain events substantially enhance it. These findings highlight the pivotal role of microphysical variability in shaping sub-cloud evaporation in this trade cumulus regime, while thermodynamic effects may be more important in other environments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2014

Applicability of post-ionization theory to laser-assisted field evaporation of magnetite

Analysis of the mean Fe ion charge state from laser-assisted field evaporation of magnetite (Fe3O4) reveals unexpected trends as a function of laser pulse energy that break from conventional post-ionization theory for metals. For Fe ions evaporated from magnetite, the effects of post-ionization are partially offset by the increased prevalence of direct evaporation into higher charge states with increasing laser pulse energy. Therefore the final charge state is related to both the field strength and the laser pulse energy, despite those variables themselves being intertwined when analyzing at a constant detection rate. Comparison of data collected at different base temperatures also show that the increased prevalence of Fe2+ at higher laser energies is possibly not a direct thermal effect. Conversely, the ratio of 16O+:16O2+ is well-correlated with field strength and unaffected by laser pulse energy on its own, making it a better overall indicator of the field evaporation conditions than the mean Fe charge state. Plotting the normalized field strength versus laser pulse energy also elucidates a non-linear dependence, in agreement with previous observations on semiconductors, that suggests a field-dependent laser absorption efficiency. Together these observations demonstrate that the field evaporation process for laser-pulsed oxides exhibits fundamental differences from metallic specimens that cannot be completely explained by post-ionization theory. Further theoretical studies, combined with detailed analytical observations, are required to understand fully the field evaporation process of non-metallic samples.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗