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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Experimental study of a three-dimensional, shear-driven, turbulent boundary layer using a three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter

Experimental data have been obtained in a three-dimensional, shear-driven, turbulent boundary layer subjected to sudden transverse strain. Measurements made with a newly developed, three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter include all components of mean flow, turbulent Reynolds stresses, and triple-product correlations. Eddy viscosities, production, convection, turbulent diffusion, and dissipation (balance of kinetic energy equation) are extracted from the data. It was shown experimentally that eddy viscosity is strongly direction-dependent (not a scalar), indicating a need for full Reynolds stress modeling. Turbulence models for eddy viscosity, stress diffusion, pressure rate-of-strain, and anisotropy of Reynolds stresses are tested using the data. Calculations using a Reynolds stress equation model are compared with the data.

Driver, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A near-wall four-equation turbulence model for compressible boundary layers

A near-wall four-equation turbulence model is developed for the calculation of high-speed compressible turbulent boundary layers. The four equations used are the k-epsilon equations and the theta(exp 2)-epsilon(sub theta) equations. These equations are used to define the turbulent diffusivities for momentum and heat fluxes, thus allowing the assumption of dynamic similarity between momentum and heat transport to be relaxed. The Favre-averaged equations of motion are solved in conjunction with the four transport equations. Calculations are compared with measurements and with another model's predictions where the assumption of the constant turbulent Prandtl number is invoked. Compressible flat plate turbulent boundary layers with both adiabatic and constant temperature wall boundary conditions are considered. Results for the range of low Mach numbers and temperature ratios investigated are essentially the same as those obtained using an identical near-wall k-epsilon model. In general, the numerical predictions are in very good agreement with measurements and there are significant improvements in the predictions of mean flow properties at high Mach numbers.

Sommer, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Near-wall variable-Prandtl-number turbulence model for compressible flows

A near-wall four-equation turbulence model is developed for the calculation of high-speed compressible turbulent boundary layers. The four equations used are the k-epsilon equations and the theta(exp 2)-epsilon (sub theta) equations. These equations are used to define the turbulent diffusivities for momentum and heat fluxes, thus allowing the assumption of dynamic similarity between momentum and heat transport to be relaxed. The Favre-averaged equations of motion are solved in conjunction with the four transport equations. Calculations are compared with measurements and with another model's predictions where the assumption of the constant turbulent Prandtl number is invoked. Compressible flat plate turbulent boundary layers with both adiabatic and constant temperature wall boundary conditions are considered. Results for the range of low Mach numbers and temperature ratios investigated are essentially the same as those obtained using an identical near-wall k-epsilon model. In general, there are significant improvements in the predictions of mean flow properties at high Mach numbers.

Sommer, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Steady-state thermal-solutal diffusion in a float zone

A model for a float zone in a thin vertical sheet is used to study the formation of the zone configuration for both pure and binary systems of Si and GeGa. Equations describing the steady two-dimensional diffusion of solute in the melt and diffusion of heat in the feed material and the product crystal are presented. The material properties, asymptotic solutions for the temperature and concentration profiles, and melting, solidifying, and melt/gas interfacial shapes are determined in the small aspect ratio limit.

Young, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Reacting viscous-shock-layer solutions with multicomponent diffusion and mass injection

Numerical solutions of the viscous-shock-layer equation where the chemistry is treated as being either frozen, equilibrium, or nonequilibrium are presented. Also the effects of the diffusion model, surface catalysis, and mass injection on surface transport and flow parameters are considered. The flow is treated as a mixture of five inert and thermally perfect species. The viscous-shock-layer equations are solved by using an implicit-difference scheme. All calculations are for hyperboloids with included angles of 20 and 45. The flight conditions are those for various altitudes and velocities in the earth's atmosphere. Data are presented to show the effects of the chemical models; diffusion models; surface catalysis; and mass injection of air on heat transfer; skin friction; shock standoff distance; wall pressure distribution; and tangential velocity, temperature, and species profiles. The results show that an equilibrium analysis can substantially overpredict the heat-transfer rates for flow conditions experienced by earth-orbital entry vehicles. Moreover, at such conditions surface catalysis significantly influences heat-transfer and flow-field properties. If a binary rather than a multicomponent diffusion model is assumed, negligible errors in most flow properties result. Quantitative results are presented that show the effect of mass injection on flow properties within and downstream of the injection region.

Moss, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Analysis of Multipoint-Multitime Correlations and Diffusion in Decaying Homogeneous Turbulence

Two-point, two-time correlation equations are obtained by considering the Navier-Stokes equations for two points in a fluid at two time. By neglecting the triple correlations in the equations, a solution is obtained for the final period of decay. The analysis is extended to earlier times by considering three points at three different times. The set of equations is made determinate by neglecting the quadruple correlations in comparison with the triple correlations. The diffusion of particles from a source in a decaying turbulent field is calculated approximately by assuming that the velocity fluctuations are small.

Deissler, Robert G.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Nonstationary Problem of Complex Heat Transfer in a System of Semitransparent Bodies with Boundary-Value Conditions of Diffuse Reflection and Refraction of Radiation

We consider a nonstationary initial boundary-value problem describing complex (radiative-conductive) heat transfer in a system of semitransparent bodies. To describe radiation propagation, we use the radiation transfer equation with boundary-value conditions of diffuse reflection and refraction of radiation. We take into account that the radiation intensity and optical properties of bodies depend on the radiation frequency. The unique solvability of a weak solution is established. The comparison theorem is proved. A priori estimates of a weak solution as well as its regularity are obtained.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2015

WE-AB-204-07: Spatiotemporal Distribution of the FDG PET Tracer in Solid Tumors: Contributions of Diffusion and Convection Mechanisms

Purpose: In this study, a mathematical model is utilized to simulate FDG distribution in tumor tissue. In contrast to conventional compartmental modeling, tracer distributions across space and time are directly linked together (i.e. moving beyond ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to utilizing partial differential equations (PDEs) coupling space and time). The diffusion and convection transport mechanisms are both incorporated to model tracer distribution. We aimed to investigate the contributions of these two mechanisms on FDG distribution for various tumor geometries obtained from PET/CT images. Methods: FDG transport was simulated via a spatiotemporal distribution model (SDM). The model is based on a 5K compartmental model. We model the fact that tracer concentration in the second compartment (extracellular space) is modulated via convection and diffusion. Data from n=45 patients with pancreatic tumors as imaged using clinical FDG PET/CT imaging were analyzed, and geometrical information from the tumors including size, shape, and aspect ratios were classified. Tumors with varying shapes and sizes were assessed in order to investigate the effects of convection and diffusion mechanisms on FDG transport. Numerical methods simulating interstitial flow and solute transport in tissue were utilized. Results: We have shown the convection mechanism to depend on the shape and size of tumors whereas diffusion mechanism is seen to exhibit low dependency on shape and size. Results show that concentration distribution of FDG is relatively similar for the considered tumors; and that the diffusion mechanism of FDG transport significantly dominates the convection mechanism. The Peclet number which shows the ratio of convection to diffusion rates was shown to be of the order of 10−{sup 3} for all considered tumors. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that even though convection leads to varying tracer distribution profiles depending on tumor shape and size, the domination of the diffusion phenomenon prevents these factors from modulating FDG distribution.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multi-resolution partial differential equations preserved learning framework for spatiotemporal dynamics

Traditional data-driven deep learning models often struggle with high training costs, error accumulation, and poor generalizability in complex physical processes. Physics-informed deep learning (PiDL) addresses these challenges by incorporating physical principles into the model. Most PiDL approaches regularize training by embedding governing equations into the loss function, yet this depends heavily on extensive hyperparameter tuning to weigh each loss term. To this end, we propose to leverage physics prior knowledge by “baking” the discretized governing equations into the neural network architecture via the connection between the partial differential equations (PDE) operators and network structures, resulting in a PDE-preserved neural network (PPNN). This method, embedding discretized PDEs through convolutional residual networks in a multi-resolution setting, largely improves the generalizability and long-term prediction accuracy, outperforming conventional black-box models. The effectiveness and merit of the proposed methods have been demonstrated across various spatiotemporal dynamical systems governed by spatiotemporal PDEs, including reaction-diffusion, Burgers’, and Navier-Stokes equations.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1972

Effect of eddy diffusivity on wind-driven currents in a two-layer stratified lake

The steady state wind-driven circulation was numerically calculated in a rectangular stratified lake. The lake is composed of two layers having uniform but unequal densities and eddy diffusivities. The position in thermocline and the three-dimensional velocities in both layers calculated using shallow lake equations. The results show that, as the eddy diffusivity in the hypolimnion is increased, the thermocline tilt and hypolimnetic velocities increase. The effect of the other variables such as wind stress, density, basin length, and mean thermocline depth are also shown.

Gedney, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1950

The solution of the laminar-boundary-layer equation for the flat plate for velocity and temperature fields for variable physical properties and for the diffusion field at high concentration

In connection with Pohlhausen's solution for the temperature field on the flat plate, a series of formulas were indicated by means of which the velocity and temperature field for variable physical characteristics can be computed by an integral equation and an iteration method based on it. With it, the following cases were solved: On the assumption that the viscosity simply varies with the temperature while the other fluid properties remain constant, the velocity and temperature field on the heated and cooled plate, respectively, was computed at the Prandtl numbers 12.5 and 100 (viscous fluids). A closer study of these two cases resulted in general relations: The calculations for a gas of Pr number 0.7 (air) were conducted on the assumption that all fluid properties vary with the temperature, and the velocities are low enough for the heat of friction to be discounted. The result was a thickening of the boundary layers, but no appreciable modification in shearing stress or heat-transfer coefficient.

BOUNDARY LAYER, LAMINAR - PLATES, FLAT↗
NASA NTRS1986

Third-moment closure of turbulence for predictions of separating and reattaching shear flows: A study of Reynolds-stress closure model

A numerical study of computations in backward-facing steps with flow separation and reattachment, using the Reynolds stress closure is presented. The highlight of this study is the improvement of the Reynold-stress model (RSM) by modifying the diffusive transport of the Reynolds stresses through the formulation, solution and subsequent incorporation of the transport equations of the third moments, bar-u(i)u(j)u(k), into the turbulence model. The diffusive transport of the Reynolds stresses, represented by the gradients of the third moments, attains greater significance in recirculating flows. The third moments evaluated by the development and solution of the complete transport equations are superior to those obtained by existing algebraic correlations. A low-Reynolds number model for the transport equations of the third moments is developed and considerable improvement in the near-wall profiles of the third moments is observed. The values of the empirical constants utilized in the development of the model are recommended. The Reynolds-stress closure is consolidated by incorporating the equations of k and e, containing the modified diffusion coefficients, and the transport equations of the third moments into the Reynolds stress equations. Computational results obtained by the original k-e model, the original RSM and the consolidated and modified RSM are compared with experimental data. Overall improvement in the predictions is seen by consolidation of the RMS and a marked improvement in the profiles of bar-u(i)u(j)u(k) is obtained around the reattachment region.

Amano, R. S.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Fiber optic instrumentation for nuclear fuels and materials irradiations

The ability to predict the safety and reliability of new and advanced nuclear fuels and materials requires high-fidelity measurements during instrumented irradiation experiments. Optical fiber-based sensors are promising candidates for instrumentation in high-temperature (300-1200 C. degrees) irradiation environments, provided that signal attenuation due to radiation damage and/or high-temperature operation is not prohibitively large. To determine the feasibility of using silica optical fibers in instrumented irradiation capsules, a computational model has been developed to predict broadband optical attenuation in fused silica fiber materials as a function of time, temperature, and dose. Defect concentrations are calculated using a set of 11 coupled differential equations that include neutron-induced displacement, radiation-induced bond cleavage at precursor sites, and thermally-assisted molecular diffusion and defect recombination at elevated temperatures. Defect concentrations are coupled with the known optical properties of the various defects in fused silica to predict optical attenuation. The effects of radiation-induced compaction (i.e., formation of the 'metamict' phase) on the optical attenuation are also included. Results show that elevated temperatures significantly reduce attenuation resulting from defect centers (attenuation below ∼750 nm) as well as attenuation resulting from radiation-induced compaction (attenuation above ∼800 nm). The predicted attenuation is acceptable for most fiber optic-based sensor systems with a dynamic range on the order of 20-50 dB for a reasonable length (1-2 meters) of fiber in the high-flux region. Many optical components use a wavelength of 850 nm, which lies in the low-attenuation window. An irradiation campaign has been initiated to provide temperature-dependent optical attenuation data at high dose to validate the predictive model. (author)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Frequency-domain vs time-domain SP{sub N} equations to simulate neutron noise

Inside the reactor core mechanical vibrations of fuel assemblies can produce high fluctuations around a steady-state configuration, known as neutron noise. This effect can cause the triggering of power reduction measures. Classically, diffusion theory has been used to simulate this behavior. However, this equation has some limitations if the materials of the reactor have strong variations. In this work, we use the diffusive time-dependent simplified spherical harmonics equations that improve the previous results without the necessity of using high computational requirements. In particular, two types of analyses with these equations (SP{sub 3}) are made: a frequency-domain and a time-domain. A numerical neutron noise benchmark tests the methodology and compare both formulations. First, numerical results show a good agreement between the amplitudes and phases of the SP3 equations computed with the frequency-domain and time-domain. Therefore, as the frequency-domain computation only requires to solve a linear system, it is a recommendable option for neutron noise computations. Second, one can conclude that for this type of nuclear systems, where the assemblies are not homogenized, the SP{sub 3} approximation results improve considerably the accuracy of the diffusion theory.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Cosmic-Ray Transport in Heliospheric Magnetic Structures. II. Modeling Particle Transport through Corotating Interaction Regions

The transport of cosmic rays (CRs) in the heliosphere is determined by the properties of the solar wind plasma. The heliospheric plasma environment has been probed by spacecraft for decades and provides a unique opportunity for testing transport theories. Of particular interest for the three-dimensional (3D) heliospheric CR transport are structures such as corotating interaction regions (CIRs), which, due to the enhancement of the magnetic field strength and magnetic fluctuations within and due to the associated shocks as well as stream interfaces, do influence the CR diffusion and drift. In a three-fold series of papers, we investigate these effects by modeling inner-heliospheric solar wind conditions with the numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) framework Cronos (Wiengarten et al., referred as Paper I), and the results serve as input to a transport code employing a stochastic differential equation approach (this paper). While, in Paper I, we presented results from 3D simulations with Cronos, the MHD output is now taken as an input to the CR transport modeling. We discuss the diffusion and drift behavior of Galactic cosmic rays using the example of different theories, and study the effects of CIRs on these transport processes. In particular, we point out the wide range of possible particle fluxes at a given point in space resulting from these different theories. The restriction of this variety by fitting the numerical results to spacecraft data will be the subject of the third paper of this series.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗