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At least 1,387 records · Page 77

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DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of plasma catalytic decomposition of methane: role of atomic O and reaction mechanism

In this work, we investigated atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ)-assisted methane oxidation over a Ni-SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 catalyst. We evaluated possible reaction mechanisms by analyzing the correlation of gas phase, surface and plasma-produced species. Plasma feed gas compositions, plasma powers, and catalyst temperatures were varied to expand the experimental parameters. Real-time Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to quantify gas phase species from the reactions. The reactive incident fluxes generated by plasma were measured by molecular beam mass spectroscopy using an identical APPJ operating at the same conditions. A strong correlation of the quantified fluxes of plasma-produced atomic oxygen with that of CH 4 consumption, and CO and CO 2 formation implies that O atoms play an essential role in CH 4 oxidation for the investigated conditions. With the integration of APPJ, the apparent activation energy was lowered and a synergistic effect of 30% was observed. We also performed in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy to analyze the catalyst surface. The surface analysis showed that surface CO abundance mirrored the surface coverage of CH n at 25 °C. This suggests that CH n adsorbed on the catalyst surface as an intermediate species that was subsequently transformed into surface CO. We observed very little surface CH n absorbance at 500 °C, while a ten-fold increase of surface CO and stronger CO 2 absorption were seen. This indicates that for a nickel catalyst at 500 °C, the dissociation of CH 4 to CHn may be the rate-determining step in the plasma-assisted CH 4 oxidation for our conditions. We also found the CO vibrational frequency changes from 2143 cm –1 for gas phase CO to 2196 cm –1 for CO on a 25 °C catalyst surface, whereas the frequency of CO on a 500 °C catalyst was 2188 cm –1 . Here, the change in CO vibrational frequency may be related to the oxidation of the catalyst.

methane oxidation↗

NASA NTRS1982

Atomic fluorescence study of high temperature aerodynamic levitation

Ultraviolet laser induced atomic fluorescence has been used to characterize supersonic jet aerodynamic levitation experiments. The levitated specimen was a 0.4 cm sapphire sphere that was separately heated at temperatures up to 2327 K by an infrared laser. The supersonic jet expansion and thermal gradients in the specimen wake were studied by measuring spatial variations in the concentration of atomic Hg added to the levitating argon gas stream. Further applications of atomic fluorescence in containerless experiments, such as ideal gas fluorescence thermometry and containerless process control are discussed.

Nordine, P. C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Experimental program for real gas flow code validation at NASA Ames Research Center

The experimental program for validating real gas hypersonic flow codes at NASA Ames Rsearch Center is described. Ground-based test facilities used include ballistic ranges, shock tubes and shock tunnels, arc jet facilities and heated-air hypersonic wind tunnels. Also included are large-scale computer systems for kinetic theory simulations and benchmark code solutions. Flight tests consist of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment, the Space Shuttle, Project Fire 2, and planetary probes such as Galileo, Pioneer Venus, and PAET.

Deiwert, George S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Overpressured cocoons in extragalactic radio sources

It is shown that the cocoons of shocked gas which surround powerful double radio sources can have significantly higher pressures than the surrounding intergalactic medium. The pressures can be high enough to confine the jets in these sources, obviating the need for magnetic confinement. The cocoon pressure and the age of a radio source may be estimated from observable quantities, as demonstrated here for the radio galaxy Cygnus A. It is suggested that overpressured cocoons in high-redshift radio galaxies engulf and compress circumgalactic clouds, driving them over the Jeans limit and triggering star formation. It is proposed that this process leads to the observed alignments of optical continuum emission with radio source axes.

Begelman, Mitchell C.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Soot Formation in Laminar Acetylene/Air Diffusion Flames at Atmospheric Pressure

The flame structure and soot-formation (soot nucleation and growth) properties of axisymmetric laminar coflowing jet diffusion flames were studied experimentally. Test conditions involved acetylene-nitrogen jets burning in coflowing air at atmospheric pressure. Measurements were limited to the axes of the flames and included soot concentrations, soot temperatures, soot structure, major gas species concentrations, radical species (H, OH, and O) concentrations, and gas velocities. The results show that as distance increases along the axes of the flames, detectable soot formation begins when significant H concentrations are present, and ends when acetylene concentrations become small. Species potentially associated with soot oxidation-O2, CO2, H2O, O, and OH-are present throughout the soot-formation region so that soot formation and oxidation proceed at the same time. Strong rates of soot growth compared to soot nucleation early in the soot-formation process, combined with increased rates of soot nucleation and oxidation as soot formation proceeds, causes primary soot particle diameters to reach a maximum relatively early in the soot-formation process. Aggregation of primary soot particles proceeds, however, until the final stages of soot oxidation. Present measurements of soot growth (corrected for soot oxidation) in laminar diffusion flames were consistent with earlier measurements of soot growth in laminar premixed flames and exhibited encouraging agreement with existing hydrogen-abstraction/carbon-addition (HACA) soot growth mechanisms in the literature that were developed based on measurements within laminar premixed flames. Measured primary soot particle nucleation rates in the present laminar diffusion flames also were consistent with corresponding rates measured in laminar premixed flames and yielded a crude correlation in terms of acetylene and H concentrations and the temperature.

Xu, F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Soot Formation in Laminar Acetylene/Air Diffusion Flames at Atmospheric Pressure

The flame structure and soot-formation (soot nucleation and growth) properties of axisymmetric laminar coflowing jet diffusion flames were studied experimentally. Test conditions involved acetylene-nitrogen jets burning in coflowing air at atmospheric pressure. Measurements were limited to the axes of the flames and included soot concentrations, soot temperatures, soot structure, major gas species concentrations, radical species (H, OH, and O) concentrations, and gas velocities. The results show that as distance increases along the axes of the flames, detectable soot formation begins when significant H concentrations are present, and ends when acetylene concentrations become small. Species potentially associated with soot oxidation--O2, CO2, H2O, O, and OH-are present throughout the soot-formation region so that soot formation and oxidation proceed at the same time. Strong rates of soot growth compared to soot nucleation early in the soot-formation process, combined with increased rates of soot nucleation and oxidation as soot formation proceeds, causes primary soot particle diameters to reach a maximum relatively early in the soot-formation process. Aggregation of primary soot particles proceeds, however, until the final stages of soot oxidation. Present measurements of soot growth (corrected for soot oxidation) in laminar diffusion flames were consistent with earlier measurements of soot growth in laminar premixed flames and exhibited encouraging agreement with existing hydrogen-abstraction/carbon-addition (HACA) soot growth mechanisms in the literature that were developed based on measurements within laminar premixed flames. Measured primary soot particle nucleation rates in the present laminar diffusion flames also were consistent with corresponding rates measured in laminar premixed flames and yielded a crude correlation in terms of acetylene and H concentrations and the temperature.

Xu, F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Soot Formation in Laminar Acetylene/Air Diffusion Flames at Atmospheric Pressure

Xu, F.↗

NASA NTRS2011

The Extreme Spin of the Black Hole Cygnus X-1

Remarkably, an astronomical black hole is completely described by the two numbers that specify its mass and its spin. Knowledge of spin is crucial for understanding how, for example, black holes produce relativistic jets. Recently, it has become possible to measure the spins of black holes by focusing on the very inner region of an accreting disk of hot gas orbiting the black hole. According to General Relativity (GR), this disk is truncated at an inner radius 1 that depends only on the mass and spin of the black hole. We measure the radius of the inner edge of this disk by fitting its continuum X-ray spectrum to a fully relativistic model. Using our measurement of this radius, we deduce that the spin of Cygnus X-1 exceeds 97% of the maximum value allowed by GR.

Gou, Lijun↗

NASA NTRS2002

Development and Application of Novel Diagnostics for Arc-Jet Characterization

This NASA-Ames University Consortium Project has focused on the design and demonstration of optical absorption sensors using tunable diode laser to target atomic copper impurities from electrode erosion in thc arc-heater metastable electronic excited states of molecular nitrogen, atomic argon, aid atomic oxygen in the arcjet plume. Accomplishments during this project include: 1. Design, construction, and assembly of optical access to the arc-heater gas flow. 2. Design of diode laser sensor for copper impurities in the arc-heater flow. 3 . Diode laser sensor design and test in laboratory plasmas for metastable Ar(3P), O(5S), N(4P), and N2(A). 4. Diode laser sensor demonstration measurements in the test cell to monitor species in the arc-jet plume.

Hanson, R. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Coma morphology and dust-emission pattern of periodic Comet Halley. II - Nucleus spin vector and modeling of major dust features in 1910

The continuous ejection of dust from discrete emission sources on the rotating nucleus of the Comet Halley is modelled in order to explain the evolution of spiral jets which unwind from the nucleus condensation into envelopes or halos in the comet head. The model is applied to digitally processed images of three features of the comet taken from Mount Wilson plates during the 1910 fly-by. The model permits a determination of the motion and spin vector for each emission source, its cometocentric coordinates, and a function relating particle ejection velocity to the solar radiation pressure exerted on the ejecta. It is found that the obliquity of the comet orbit's plane to its equatorial plane is 45 deg, the axis of rotation period of 17.3 days. The derived function of particle ejection velocity to the solar radiation pressure implied no contribution from grains larger than 10 microns in radius. High dust loading of gas flows from the June 1910 emission sources is indicated. It is estimated that because of the favorable approach geometry of the Gioto spacecraft during its 1986 flyby, the likelihood of encountering dense jets of dust is small.

Sekanina, Z.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Experimental evaluation of two premixing-prevaporizing fuel injection concepts for a gas turbine catalytic combustor

A premixing-prevaporizing fuel system for a gas turbine catalytic combustor has been developed and evaluated. Spatial fuel distribution and degree of vaporization were measured at inlet temperatures up to 800 K and fuel-air ratios of 0.01 and 0.025. The test pressure was 0.5 MPa; velocity was 20 m/sec. Both a multiple-jet cross-stream injector and a splash-groove injector with a 30 deg air swirler exhibited a uniform fuel distribution and a high degree of vaporization with little total pressure drop. Fuel oxidation reactions were observed at the 800 K inlet air temperature, indicating that a different design concept is necessary for application with an automotive gas turbine.

Tacina, R.↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Fully Nonmetallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing of Ceramic Composites: Additive Manufacturing and Characterization of Ceramic Composites - Part III

This publication is the third part of a three part report of the project entitled "A Fully Nonmetallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing" funded by NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI). The objective of this project was to conduct additive manufacturing to produce ceramic matrix composite materials and aircraft engine components by the binder jet process. Different SiC powders with median sizes ranging from 9.3 to 53.0 microns were investigated solely and in powder blends in order to maximize powder packing. Various infiltration approaches were investigated to include polycarbosilane (SMP-10), phenolic, and liquid silicon. Single infiltrations of SMP-10 and phenolic only slightly filled in the interior. When the SMP-10 was loaded with sub-micron sized SiC powders, the infiltrant gave a much better result of filling in the interior. Silicon carbide fibers were added to the powder bed to make ceramic matrix composite materials. Microscopy showed that the fibers were well distributed with no preferred orientation on the horizontal plane and fibers in the vertical plane were at angles as much as 45deg. Secondary infiltration steps were necessary to further densify the material. Two to three extra infiltration steps of SMP-10 increased the density by 0.20 to 0.55 g/cc. However, the highest densities achieved were 2.10 to 2.15 g/cc. Mechanical tests consisting of 4 point bend tests were conducted. Samples from the two CMC panels had higher strengths and strains to failure than the samples from the two nonfiber reinforced panels. The highest strengths were from Set N with 65 vol% fiber loading which had an average strength of 66 MPa. Analysis of the fracture surfaces did not reveal pullout of the reinforcing fibers. Blunt fiber failure suggested that there was not composite behavior. The binder jet additive manufacturing method was used to also demonstrate the fabrication of turbine engine vane components of two different designs and sizes. The binder jet method has benefits over the conventional manufacturing of CMCs in that prototype and production parts can be fabricated quickly and economically with no tooling and extensive hand layup.

Additive Manufacturing↗

DOE OSTI2026

Distinct drivers of recent seasonal precipitation increase over Central Asia: roles of anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases

Observational evidence reveals a pronounced wetting trend over Central Asia in recent decades, with the most substantial increases occurring during winter and summer. Yet the extent to which the drivers of these changes differ seasonally remains unknown. Here, we use single-forcing experiments from the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) to examine the effects of various external forcings on winter and summer precipitation across Central Asia and to explore the physical mechanisms underlying seasonal precipitation changes. We find that greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing mainly increases winter precipitation by enhancing atmospheric moisture content through warming. In contrast, in summer, Asian sulfate aerosols enhance precipitation by modulating the westerly jet, which strengthens atmospheric moisture transport into the region. Asian black carbon exerts an opposing influence that partially offsets the sulfate-induced effect. Further attribution analysis based on CMIP6 simulations reinforces these sensitivity results and shows that GHG forcing is the primary driver of winter precipitation increases whereas anthropogenic aerosols dominate summer trends. Future CMIP6 projections suggest that under moderate- to high-emission scenarios, winter precipitation will continue to rise due to increasing GHG concentrations, while summer precipitation may decline across much of Central Asia as a result of reduced aerosol emissions following Asian clean air policies. These findings highlight a distinct seasonality in the drivers of recent precipitation increase and suggest a plausible divergence in future winter and summer precipitation trends.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1972

Two Phase Detonation Studies Conducted in 1971

The research covered by this third annual progress report represents a continuation of our efforts devoted to the study of detonation waves in liquid-gas systems. The motivation for the work is associated with liquid propellant rocket motor combustion instability although certainly the studies are also applicable to internal combustion engines, jet propulsion engines, safety aspects of spilled liquid fuel, coal mine explosions, and weaponry. The research has been divided into 5 phases, although all of them are intimately related. For the most part these phases are briefly summarized and the reader is referred to other publications for a more complete treatment. The exception to this is where the material herein represents the only printed information available on the particular facet of the problem. Phase A has been primarily concerned with the breakup and ignition of fuel drops by shock waves. The experimental portion of this study as well as a theoretical treatment of the ignition behavior was completed in the past year. The research is now concentrating on the passage of a shock wave over a burning drop. Phase B has been devoted to the assessment of the approximate energy release pattern in two phase detonations insofar as they affect the significant overpressures observed.

Nicholls, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Chemical depletion of the ionosphere

A theoretical study of the chemical and gas dynamical processes resulting from the release of reactive gases into the daytime ionosphere is discussed. Only point releases, such as from an explosion or a pulsed jet, are considered. Some scientific uses of the artificial reduction of the ionospheric plasma are considered.

Bernhardt, P. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

The structure of evaporating and combusting sprays: Measurements and predictions

An apparatus developed, to allow observations of monodisperse sprays, consists of a methane-fueled turbulent jet diffusion flame with monodisperse methanol drops injected at the burner exit. Mean and fluctuating-phase velocities, drop sizes, drop-mass fluxes and mean-gas temperatures were measured. Initial drop diameters of 100 and 180 microns are being considered in order to vary drop penetration in the flow and effects of turbulent dispersion. Baseline tests of the burner flame with no drops present were also conducted. Calibration tests, needed to establish methods for predicting drop transport, involve drops supported in the post-flame region of a flat-flame burner operated at various mixture ratios. Spray models which are being evaluated include: (1) locally homogeneous flow (LFH) analysis, (2) deterministic separated flow (DSF) analysis and (3) stochastic separated flow (SSF) analysis.

Shuen, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Combustion efficiency of a premixed continuous flow combustor

Exhaust gas temperature, velocity, and composition measurements at various radial locations at the combustor exit are presented for a swirling-flow continuous combustor of a confined concentric jet configuration operating on premixed propane or methane and air. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of fuel substitution and of changes in outer flow swirl conditions on the combustor performance. It is found that there is no difference in observed properties for propane and methane firing; the use of either of the fuels results in nearly the same exit temperature and velocity profiles and the same efficiency for a given operating condition. A mechanism for combustion is proposed which explains qualitatively the changes in efficiency and pollutant emissions observed with changing swirl.

Anand, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Phenomenological study of the behavior of some silica formers in a high velocity jet fuel burner

Samples of four silica formers: single crystal SiC, sintered alpha-SiC, reaction sintered Si3N4 and polycrystalline MoSi2, were subjected to a Mach 1 jet fuel burner for 1 hr, at a sample temperature of 1375 deg C (2500 deg F). Two phenomena were identified which may be deleterious to a gas turbine application of these materials. The glass layer formed on the MoSi2 deformed appreciably under the aerodynamic load. A scale developed on the samples of the other materials which consisted of particular matter from the gas stream entrapped in a SiO2 matrix.

Cawley, J. D.↗