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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Thermal Vacuum Test of Ice as a Phase Change Material Integrated with a Radiator

Water may be used as radiation shielding for Solar Particle Events (SPE) to protect crewmembers in the Lunar Electric Rover (LER). Because the water is already present for radiation protection, it could also provide a mass efficient solution to the vehicle's thermal control system. This water can be frozen by heat rejection from a radiator and used as a Phase Change Material (PC1V1) for thermal storage. Use of this water as a PCM can eliminate the need for a pumped fluid loop thermal control system as well as reduce the required size of the radiator. This paper describes the testing and analysis performed for the Rover Engineering Development Unit (REDU), a scaled-down version of a water PCM heat sink for the LER. The REDU was tested in a thermal-vacuum chamber at environmental temperatures similar to those of a horizontal radiator panel on the lunar surface. Testing included complete freeze and melt cycles along with scaled transient heat load profiles simulating a 24-hour day for the rover.

Lee, Steve A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Applications of Low Density Flow Techniques and Catalytic Recombination at the Johnson Space Center

The talk presents a brief background on defInitions of catalysis and effects associated with chemically nonequilibrium and low-density flows of aerospace interest. Applications of catalytic recombination on surfaces in dissociated flow are given, including aero heating on reentry spacecraft thermal protection surfaces and reflection of plume flow on pressure distributions associated with the space station. Examples include aero heating predictions for the X-38 test vehicle, the inlet of a proposed gas-sampling probe used in high enthalpy test facilities, and a parabolic body at angle of attack. The effect of accommodation coefficients on thruster induced pressure distributions is also included. Examples of tools used include simple aero heating formulas based on boundary layer solutions, an engineering approximation that uses axisymmetric viscous shock layer flow to simulate full three dimensional flow, full computational fluid dynamics, and direct simulation Monte-Carlo calculations. Methods of determining catalytic recombination rates in arc jet flow are discus ed. An area of catalysis not fully understood is the formation of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with gas phase or nano-size metal particles. The Johnson Space Center is making SWNTs using both a laser ablation technique and an electric arc vaporization technique.

Scott, Carl D.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Two-fluid and kinetic transport physics of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities in nonuniform low-beta plasmas

Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (Hall-MHD) theory, two-fluid simulations, and kinetic simulations are used in this work to investigate the cross-field transport properties of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities in nonuniform low-beta collisionless plasmas. Hall-MHD analysis shows how the linear properties of the instability are modified by density gradients and magnetization. High-order accurate two-fluid and kinetic simulations, with complete dynamics of finite-mass electrons and ions, are applied to a suite of parameter cases to systematically assess the effects of diamagnetic drift, magnetization, charge separation, and finite Larmor motion. Initialization of exact two-species kinetic equilibria facilitates the study of isolated physical effects and enables detailed cross-comparisons between two-fluid and kinetic simulations, including for cases where ion gyroradii are comparable to gradient scale lengths. For nonuniform plasmas with significant space charge, the results of two-fluid and kinetic simulations are found to disagree with Hall-MHD predictions. Kelvin–Helmholtz instability growth rates, per unit shear, are shown to be smaller when ion diamagnetic drift and $E \times B$ drift are parallel and larger when the two drifts are antiparallel. The effect is attributed to polarization drift in the shear layer, which leads to redistribution of charge, alters the electric field that drives plasma advection, and consequently modifies growth rates. Instability-induced mass transport for different parameters is characterized in terms of the flux across the shear layer and a simplified diffusion model. Distribution functions from kinetic simulations are shown to deviate substantially from Maxwellian reconstructions, indicating the importance of kinetic physics during the nonlinear phase of the instability.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nuclear Thermal Energy Storage Configurations for Industrial Combined Heat and Power Supply: Conceptual Study and Engineering Designs

The industries examined in this report primarily rely on moderate-temperature heat provided by gas- or coal-fired boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) plants, delivered through standard process steam systems. High-temperature energy demands are often industry-specific and typically exceed the capabilities of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). While it is technically feasible to replace process steam from fossil-based heat sources with nuclear energy, certain industries, such as methanol production and pulp and paper, face technoeconomic challenges in integrating nuclear energy without major changes or a technological shift. This is mainly due to the limited external energy demand remaining after the use of internal byproducts, waste heat recovery, and simple efficiency improvements. Achieving full decarbonization of these processes with nuclear energy would require significant technological advancements, involving experimental technology and substantial investments, making widespread adoption in existing industrial plants unlikely in the near term. This study reviews TES options in the context of enabling a flexible CHP supply while maintaining a steady nuclear heat input. Heat storage systems that interface between the reactor primary fluid and the CHP system offer superior performance and flexibility. Specifically, steam extraction downstream of the reheater with a two-tank molten-salt TES appears as the best solution regarding thermodynamic system benefits and system drawbacks. Using selected system configurations, a conceptual design of an industrial energy park was developed for industries with varying energy demands, such as steel production plants utilizing electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and chemical plants, as well as for those with constant energy demands, like petroleum refineries. This design highlights the capabilities of TES and explores its potential business cases. The study also conceptually develops the potential for integrating additional energy sources with nuclear systems through the implementation of TES. The potential of the HTGR-TES-CHP system was also evaluated considering key uncertainties such as industrial demand profiles, external grid access availability, and eligible tax credit levels, using the Holistic Energy Resource Optimization Network. Sensitivity of net present value to these uncertainties was analyzed to determine the optimal number of nuclear reactors (and CHP systems) and the suitable TES capacity. The results were interpreted from a decision-maker’s perspective, focusing on three key areas: deployment strategy (oversized units vs. undersized units with TES support), industrial process characteristics (thermal-intensive single profiles vs. electricity-intensive combined profiles), and operational goals (maximizing profits vs. minimizing natural gas (NG) consumption or external grid dependence). The optimization results indicate that the HTGR-TES-CHP system significantly reduces reliance on NG boilers for individual industrial processes by 9-60% (in NG capacity factor), with an average reduction of 38%, compared to standalone NG boiler operation case (Business As Usual [BAU]). For combined industrial processes, the reduction ranges from 37-77%, with an average of 60%. Additionally, the system greatly reduces dependence on external grids. In meeting industrial electrical demands, a 33-100% self-sufficient internal electricity supply is achieved for single industrial process, with an average of 74%, compared to the BAU scenario, where 100% of electricity is imported. For combined processes, 35-100% of internal electricity demands are met by the reactor, with an average of 73%. At last, the relative NG price levels at which the proposed HTGR-TES-CHP system can cost-effectively enter the market currently dominated by existing NG boilers were estimated. For a moderate HTGR CAPEX level ($\$$2500/kWth, $\$$6329/kWe), the analysis suggests that NG prices must be 2.5 to 7 times higher than HTGR variable operating and maintenance costs for single industrial process, and 5.5 to 9.5 times higher for a combined process scenario. Tax credit modeling shows that the Investment Tax Credit significantly reduces the price threshold needed to break even, making the system competitive with NG boilers in certain cases.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Cogeneration technology alternatives study. Volume 1: Summary report

Data and information in the area of advanced energy conversion systems for industrial congeneration applications in the 1985-2000 time period was studied. Six current and thirty-one advanced energy conversion systems were defined and combined with appropriate balance-of-plant equipment. Twenty-six industrial processes were selected from among the high energy consuming industries to serve as a framework for the study. Each conversion system was analyzed as a cogenerator with each industrial plant. Fuel consumption, costs, and environmental intrusion were evaluated and compared to corresponding traditional values. Various cogeneration strategies were analyzed and both topping and bottoming (using industrial by-product heat) applications were included. The advanced energy conversion technologies indicated reduced fuel consumption, costs, and emissions. Typically fuel energy savings of 10 to 25 percent were predicted compared to traditional on-site furnaces and utility electricity. With the variety of industrial requirements, each advanced technology had attractive applications. Overall, fuel cells indicated the greatest fuel energy savings and emission reductions. Gas turbines and combined cycles indicated high overall annual cost savings. Steam turbines and gas turbines produced high estimated returns. In some applications, diesels were most efficient. The advanced technologies used coal-derived fuels, or coal with advanced fluid bed combustion or on-site gasification systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Chemically rechargeable battery

Batteries (50) containing oxidized, discharged metal electrodes such as an iron-air battery are charged by removing and storing electrolyte in a reservoir (98), pumping fluid reductant such as formalin (aqueous formaldehyde) from a storage tank (106) into the battery in contact with the surfaces of the electrodes. After sufficient iron hydroxide has been reduced to iron, the spent reductant is drained, the electrodes rinsed with water from rinse tank (102) and then the electrolyte in the reservoir (106) is returned to the battery. The battery can be slowly electrically charged when in overnight storage but can be quickly charged in about 10 minutes by the chemical procedure of the invention.

Graf, James E.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Recent progress in microscale modeling of RF sheaths

The microscale properties of RF sheaths in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) are investigated by means of analytical theory, nonlinear fluid and particle-in-cell (PIC) code modeling. Previous work that parametrized RF sheath properties, specifically the RF sheath impedance and the rectified (DC) sheath potential, is generalized to include the effect of net DC current flow through the sheath. Analytical results are presented in the low frequency limit where the displacement current is negligible, and tested against results from a fluid numerical model. Here, it is shown that when the sheath draws DC electron current, the voltage rectification is reduced from the zero current case, and the electron admittance is increased. In separate but related work on the microscale model, selected cases have been simulated with PIC codes to validate, further illuminate and extend fluid model results and their parametrizations. Quantitative agreement in trends for voltage rectification and sheath admittance vs. RF driving voltage is found.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Pressure Transient Analyses and Poroelastic Modeling of Hydraulic Fracture Dilation for Multiple Injections at the Devine Fracture Pilot Site

Our team has conducted electromagnetic (EM) surveys for the past six years to monitor hydraulic-fracture behavior at the Devine Fracture Pilot Site (DFPS). The sub-horizontal orientation of a shallow hydraulic fracture at the DFPS provides uniform access to the fracture area for interrogation and data collection. Ahmadian et al. (2023) suggested a possible correlation between spatiotemporal changes in the flow rate, bottomhole pressure (BHP), and the observed surface recorded electric field at the DFPS. In this paper, we present the development of poroelastic forward models and pressure transient analyses (PTAs) to support the development of a multiphysics inverse model for these EM surveys. First, we conducted PTAs of the shut-in periods after six injections out of 10 to determine the fracture closure pressure (FCP) or the overburden pressure used in a poroelastic fracture reopening model. Second, we developed a finite-element poroelastic model throughout five injection cycles to include the effect of the cumulative injected volumes due to the previous injections on current fracture dilation in the presence of highly permeable unpropped and propped zones adjacent to the cohesive layer that models fracture reopening. Fracture reopening in this poroelastic model is based on a calibrated traction-separation response using the bottomhole pressure collected in two injection campaigns in 2020 and 2022. We used the outcomes of a previous simulation study of the primary hydraulic-fracturing stimulation to define the dimension of an unpropped fracture zone ahead of the propped fracture area. The PTAs led to FCPs consistent with those obtained using the injection data collected at the DFPS in 2020. Further, these analyses showed that at later injections, the fracture closure occurred at a later time with respect to the shut-in time, inferring the effect of cumulative injected volumes in previous injections. The simulation results show that considering the propped and unpropped fracture zones improves our poroelastic model in predicting the injection-well BHP. The numerical simulation results demonstrate a significant excess pore pressure near the fracture because of the preceding formation loadings by the previous injections. The obtained fracture dilation area and fluid pressure distribution provide a basis to improve the development of a multiphysics inverse model. Furthermore, in an iteratively coupled scheme, this pressure distribution can be introduced into EM models to render a holistic view of the causative mechanisms for the surface signal anomalies.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2021

Surrogate approximation of the Grad–Shafranov free boundary problem via stochastic collocation on sparse grids

In magnetic confinement fusion devices, the equilibrium configuration of a plasma is determined by the balance between the hydrostatic pressure in the fluid and the magnetic forces generated by an array of external coils and the plasma itself. The location of the plasma is not known a priori and must be obtained as the solution to a free boundary problem. The partial differential equation that determines the behavior of the combined magnetic field depends on a set of physical parameters (location of the coils, intensity of the electric currents going through them, magnetic permeability, etc.) that are subject to uncertainty and variability. The confinement region is in turn a function of these stochastic parameters as well. In this work, we consider variations on the current intensities running through the external coils as the dominant source of uncertainty. This leads to a parameter space of dimension equal to the number of coils in the reactor. With the aid of a surrogate function built on a sparse grid in parameter space, a Monte Carlo strategy is used to explore the effect that stochasticity in the parameters has on important features of the plasma boundary such as the location of the x-point, the strike points, and shaping attributes such as triangularity and elongation. Furthermore, the use of the surrogate function reduces the time required for the Monte Carlo simulations by factors that range between 7 and over 30.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Modeling of Supercritical CO2 Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Under Extreme Conditions. Part I: Correlation Development

Abstract High-temperature supercritical CO2 Brayton cycles are promising possibilities for future stationary power generation and hybrid electric propulsion applications. Heat exchangers are critical components in supercritical CO2 thermal cycles and require accurate correlations and comprehensive performance modeling under extreme temperatures and pressures. In this paper (Part I), new Colburn and friction factor correlations are developed to quantify shell-side heat transfer and friction characteristics of flow within heat exchangers in the shell-and-tube configuration. Using experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data sets from existing literature, multivariate regression analysis is conducted to achieve correlations that capture the effect of multiple critical geometric parameters. These correlations offer superior accuracy and versatility as compared to previous studies and predict the thermohydraulic performance of about 90% of the existing experimental and CFD data within ±15%. Supplementary thermohydraulic performance data are acquired from CFD simulations with supercritical CO2 as working fluid to validate the developed correlations and demonstrate its capability to be applied to supercrtical CO2 heat exchangers.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2022

Coupling Subsurface and Above-Surface Models for Optimizing the Design of Borefields and District Heating and Cooling Systems

Accurate dynamic energy simulation is important for the design and sizing of district heating and cooling systems with geothermal heat exchange for seasonal energy storage. Current modeling approaches in building and district energy simulation tools typically consider heat conduction through the ground between boreholes without flowing groundwater. While detailed simulation tools for subsurface heat and mass transfer exist, these fall short in simulating above-surface energy systems. To support the design and operation of such systems, the study developed a coupled model including a software package for building and district energy simulation, and software for detailed heat and mass transfer in the subsurface. For the first, it uses the open-source Modelica Buildings Library, which includes dynamic simulation models for building and district energy and control systems. For the heat and mass transfer in the soil, it uses the TOUGH simulator. The TOUGH family of codes can model heat and multi-phase, multi-component mass transport for a variety of fluid systems, as well as chemical reactions, in fractured porous media. The study validated the coupled modeling approach by comparing the simulation results with one from the g-function based ground response model. It then looked into effects when the water table and the regional groundwater flow are considered in the ground, from the perspective of heat exchange between borehole and ground, and the electrical consumption of the district heating and cooling systems. To access the simulation models, please find the links in the submission: -- For coupled approach validation: see model Buildings.Fluid.Geothermal.Borefields.Examples.BorefieldsWithTough and Buildings.Examples.DistrictReservoirNetworks.Examples.Reservoir3Variable_TOUGH from the "Modelica Building Library" resource, branch issue1495_tough_interface, commit a2667c0. -- For the study of the effect of water table: see model Buildings.Examples.DistrictReservoirNetworks.Examples.Reservoir3Variable_TOUGH from he "Modelica Building Library" resource, branch issue1495_tough_interface_moreIO, commit 760de49. -- For the study of the effect of regional groundwater flow: see Buildings.Examples.DistrictReservoirNetworks.Examples.Reservoir3Variable_TOUGH from he "Modelica Building Library" resource, branch issue1495_tough_interface_moreIO_3D, commit c2a2d2a. The coupling interface script "GrounResponse.py" can be found from the above links in the folder Buildings/Resources/Python-Sources. Also, the needed files for TOUGH simulation are in the folder Buildings/Resources/Python-Sources/ToughFiles that can be accessed through the above links. A brief description of these files is given below; detailed specifications for the first three files may be found in the TOUGH3 Users Guide (Jung et al., 2018) https://tough.lbl.gov/documentation/tough-manuals/. (1) INCON - initial conditions for each grid block (2) INFILE - main input file with material properties and control parameters (3) MESH - description of the computational grid (4) readsave - Modelica/TOUGH interface program: read the final output of TOUGH simulation after TOUGH time step and prepare for transfer to Modelica for next Modelica time step (5) readsave.inp - input parameters for program readsave (6) writeincon - Modelica/TOUGH interface program: write the output of Modelica after Modelica time step and prepare for transfer to TOUGH as initial conditions for the next TOUGH step (7) writeincon.inp - input parameters for program writeincon

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Efficient Thermal Energy Storage with Radial Flow in Packed Beds

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a way to store excess heat in order to generate power later. These types of systems are valuable in the solar industry, where power production can still occur when sunlight is not available. This not only increases system flexibility, it drives down the cost of electricity. One option to store thermal energy is with a packed bed where the storage media resides in a cylindrical container. Flow from one end of the cylinder to the other deposits or recovers heat (axial flow). While a promising technology in terms of energy storage, it exhibits a high pressure drop that lowers overall system efficiency. This project seeks to flow the heat transfer fluid through the storage media in the radial direction. This system offers the potential to retain reasonable thermal performance while substantially lowering the pressure drop. The overall goal was to assess the performance of radial flow experimentally and numerically. Three main designs were considered in this work. The first system utilized a central pipe and four receiving pipes near the wall. The second system utilized a central pipe and an annulus with holes near the wall. The last approach considered segmenting the bed so only select zones would receive flow in the radial direction. In a high-aspect ratio system, the hole patterns in the piping are important for ensuring even flow into the bed, and a major design effort was testing holes patterns to promote even flow. The four pipe system was shown to be not feasible, as preferential flow paths occur that do not allow even and full heating of the packed bed. The annular system can lead to even flow, but the results show this is better accomplished through larger piping instead of considering variations in the hole pattern along the axial length of the pipe. Segmenting the bed can lead to similar exergetic performance when compared to axial or radial flow. However, the pressure drop in the segmented design is likely too high for practical implementation. A baseline commercial design showed exergetic efficiencies for axial, radial, and radial segments of 81.6%, 82.8%, and 80.2%, respectively. Pressure drop for the axial and radial results were 2.36 psi and 2.45 psi, respectively, with segments being nearly an order of magnitude higher. At these large scales, the aspect ratio of the system is important. From a baseline of 0.64, an aspect ratio of 0.32 for radial flow showed an exergetic efficiency of 86% but a pressure drop of 5.39 psi. All of these results provide new insights into packed bed thermal energy storage with radial flow. Competing effects must be considered when designing a radial system, and results show a radial design can show strong thermal results at the expense of system efficiencies from pressure drop. The COMSOL models used in this analysis are available to the public and other researchers. Public benefits include a potential increase in the efficiency of packed bed thermal energy storage. Higher efficiency in storage promotes green energy technologies while reducing costs.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1982

Performance of PTFE-lined composite journal bearings

Plain cylindrical journal bearings consisting of aramid fiber reinforced epoxy outer shells and glass fiber reinforced PTFE lubricating liners were evaluated. All materials in these bearings are electrically nonconductive; thus eliminating the problem of galvanic corrosion sometimes encountered with metal bearings installed in dissimilar metal mountings. Friction and wear characteristics were determined for loads, temperatures, and oscillating conditions that are typical of current airframe bearing applications. Friction and wear characteristics were found to be compatible with most airframe bearing requirements from -23 C to 121 C. Contamination with MIL H-5606 hydraulic fluid increased wear of the PTFE liners at 121 C, but did not affect the structural integrity of the aramid/epoxy composite.

Sliney, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Control of the interface between (He-3)-rich and (He-4)-rich phases using electric fields

A microgravity dilution refrigerator is considered, and it is shown that electric-field generated forces can be used to control the interface line between (He-3)-rich and (He-3)-poor phases. Fields as high as 13 MV/m are obtained in the present v-shaped geometry which correspond to positioning forces comparable to gravity. Good agreement is found between experimental results on the movements of the interface line and calculations obtained with a two-fluid model.

Israelsson, Ulf E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Robotic mobile servicing platform for space station

The semi-autonomous inspection and servicing of the Space Station's major thermal, electrical, mechanical subsystems are critical needs for the safe and reliable operation of the station. A conceptual design is presented of a self-intelligent, small and highly mobile robotic platform. Equipped with suitable inspection sensors (cameras, ammonia detectors, etc.), this system's primary mission is to perform routine, autonomous inspection of the Station's primary subsystems. Typical tasks include detection of leaks from thermal fluid or refueling lines, as well as detection of micro-meteroid damage to the primary structure. Equipped with stereo cameras and a dexterous manipulator, simple teleoperator repairs and small On-orbit Replacement Unit (ORU) changeout can also be accomplished. More difficult robotic repairs would be left to the larger, more sophisticated Mobile Remote Manipulator System (MRMS). An ancillary function is to ferry crew members and equipment around the station. The primary design objectives were to provide a flexible, but uncomplicated robotic platform, one which caused minimal impact to the design of the Station's primary structure but could accept more advanced telerobotic technology as it evolves.

Lowenthal, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Role of Marangoni Convection for the FZ-Growth of Silicon

Fluctuations of the electrical resistivity due to inhomogeneous dopant distribution are still a serious problem for the industrial processing yield of doped silicon crystals. In the case of silicon floating-zone growth, the main sources of these inhomogeneities are time- dependent flows in the liquid phase during the growth process. Excluding radio frequency (RF) induced convection, buoyancy and thermocapillary (Marangoni) convection are the two natural reasons for fluid flow. Both originate from temperature/concentration gradients in the melt, buoyancy convection through thermal/concentrational volume expansion, and thermocapillary convection through the temperature/concentration dependence of the surface tension. To improve the properties of grown crystals, knowledge of the strength, the characteristic, and the relation of these two flow mechanisms is essential. By the use of microgravity, the effect and the strength of buoyancy (gravity dependent) and thermocapillary (gravity independent) convection can be separated and clarified. Applying magnetic fields, both convective modes can be influenced: fluid flow can either be damped (static magnetic fields) or overlaid by a regular flow regime (rotating magnetic fields). Two complementary approaches have been pursued: Silicon full zones (experiments on the German sounding rockets TEXUS 7, 12, 22, 29, and 36) with the maximum temperature at half of the zone height and silicon half zones (experiments on the Japanese sounding rockets TR-IA4 and 6) with the maximum temperature at the top of the melt. With the full zone arrangement, the intensity and the frequency of the dopant striations could be determined and the critical Marangoni number could be identified. The half zone configuration is suited to classify the flow pattern and to measure the amplitude and the frequency of temperature fluctuations in the melt by inserting thermocouples or temperature sensors into the melt. All experiments have been carried out in monoellipsoid mirror furnaces. Typical zone geometries are approx. 8 to 14 mm in diameter and height. The crystals grown under microgravity are compared to crystals grown in static axial magnetic fields (B<5 tesla) and in transversal rotating magnetic fields (B<7.5 mT / f=50 Hz). Experimental results are completed by 3D numerical simulations: the obtained temperature and concentration distribution in the melt confirm the damping effect of rotating magnetic fields and explain the change in the radial segregation under static magnetic fields.

Dold, P.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Windage Power Loss in Gas Foil Bearings and the Rotor-Stator Clearance of High Speed Generators Operating in High Pressure Environments

Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) and Closed Supercritical Cycle (CSC) engines are prime candidates to convert heat from a reactor into electric power for robotic space exploration and habitation. These engine concepts incorporate a permanent magnet starter/generator mounted on the engine shaft along with the requisite turbomachinery. Successful completion of the long-duration missions currently anticipated for these engines will require designs that adequately address all losses within the machine. The preliminary thermal management concept for these engine types is to use the cycle working fluid to provide the required cooling. In addition to providing cooling, the working fluid will also serve as the bearing lubricant. Additional requirements, due to the unique application of these microturbines, are zero contamination of the working fluid and entirely maintenance-free operation for many years. Losses in the gas foil bearings and within the rotor-stator gap of the generator become increasingly important as both rotational speed and mean operating pressure are increased. This paper presents the results of an experimental study, which obtained direct torque measurements on gas foil bearings and generator rotor-stator gaps. Test conditions for these measurements included rotational speeds up to 42,000 revolutions per minute, pressures up to 45 atmospheres, and test gases of nitrogen, helium, and carbon dioxide. These conditions provided a maximum test Taylor number of nearly one million. The results show an exponential rise in power loss as mean operating density is increased for both the gas foil bearing and generator windage. These typical "secondary" losses can become larger than the total system output power if conventional design paradigms are followed. A nondimensional analysis is presented to extend the experimental results into the CSC range for the generator windage.

Bruckner, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Full Facility Shock Frame Simulations of the Electric Arc Shock Tube

Radiative heating computations are performed for high speed lunar return experiments conducted in the Electric Arc Shock Tube (EAST) facility at NASA Ames Research Center. The nonequilibrium radiative transport equations are solved via NASA's in-house radiation code NEQAIR using flow field input from US3D flow solver. The post-shock flow properties for the 10 km/s Earth entry conditions are computed using the stagnation line of a blunt-body and a full facility CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation of the EAST shock tube. The shocked gas in the blunt-body flow achieves a thermochemical equilibrium away from the shock front whereas EAST flow exhibits a nonequilibrium behavior due to strong viscous dissipation of the shock by boundary layer. The full-tube flow calculations capture the influence of the boundary layer on the shocked gas state and provide a realistic fluid dynamic input for the radiative predictions. The integrated radiance behind the shock is calculated in NEQAIR for wavelength regimes from Vacuum-UltraViolet (VUV) to InfraRed (IR), which are pertinent to the emission characteristics of high enthalpy shock waves in air. These radiance profiles are validated against corresponding EAST shots. The full-tube simulations successfully predict a sharp radiance peak at the shock front which gets smeared in the test data due to the spatial resolution in the measurements. The full facility based radiance behind the shock shows a slightly better match with the test data in the VUV and Red spectral regions, as compared to that from a blunt-body based predictions. The UV radiance is very similar for both geometries and under-predicts the test behavior. The IR test data matches better with the blunt-body based predictions where the full-tube simulations show a significant over-prediction.

Radiation↗