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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 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Rotor Wake Development During the First Revolution

The wake behind a two-bladed model rotor in light climb was measured using particle image velocimetry, with particular emphasis on the development of the trailing vortex during the first revolution of the rotor. The distribution of vorticity was distinguished from the slightly elliptical swirl pattern. Peculiar dynamics within the void region may explain why the peak vorticity appeared to shift away from the center as the vortex aged, suggesting the onset of instability. The swirl and axial velocities (which reached 44 and 12 percent of the rotor-tip speed, respectively) were found to be asymmetric relative to the vortex center. In particular, the axial flow was composed of two concentrated zones moving in opposite directions. The radial distribution of the circulation rapidly increased in magnitude until reaching a point just beyond the core radius, after which the rate of growth decreased significantly. The core-radius circulation increased slightly with wake age, but the large-radius circulation appeared to remain relatively constant. The radial distributions of swirl velocity and vorticity exhibit self-similar behaviors, especially within the core. The diameter of the vortex core was initially about 10 percent of the rotor-blade chord, but more than doubled its size after one revolution of the rotor. According to vortex models that approximate the measured data, the core-radius circulation was about 79 percent of the large-radius circulation, and the large-radius circulation was about 67 percent of the maximum bound circulation on the rotor blade. On average, about 53 percent of the maximum bound circulation resides within the vortex core during the first revolution of the rotor.

McAlister, Kenneth W.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Investigation of Structural Properties of Carbon-Epoxy Composites Using Embedded Fiber-Optic Bragg Gratings

Real time monitoring of the mechanical integrity and stresses on key aerospace composite structures like aircraft wings, walls of pressure vessels and fuel tanks or any other structurally extended components and panels as in space telescopes is very important to NASA. Future military and commercial aircraft as well as NASA space systems such as Space Based Radar and International Space Station will incorporate a monitoring system to sense any degradation to the structure. In the extreme flight conditions of an aerospace vehicle it might be desirable to measure the strain every ten centimeters and thus fully map out the strain field of a composite component. A series of missions and vehicle health management requirements call for these measurements. At the moment thousands of people support a few vehicle launches per year. This number can be significantly reduced by implementing intelligent vehicles with integral nervous systems (smart structures). This would require maintenance to be performed only as needed. Military and commercial aircrafts have an equally compelling case. Annual maintenance costs are currently reaching astronomical heights. Monitoring techniques are therefore required that allow for maintenance to be performed only when needed. This would allow improved safety by insuring that necessary tasks are performed while reducing costs by eliminating procedures that are costly and not needed. The advantages fiber optical sensors have over conventional electro-mechanical systems like strain gauges have been widely extolled in the research literature. These advantages include their small size, low weight, immunity to electrical resistance, corrosion resistance, compatibility with composite materials and process conditions, and multiplexing capabilities. One fiber optic device which is suitable for distributed sensing is the fiber Bragg grating (FBG). This is a periodic perturbation in the refractive index of the fiber core. When a broadband light is coupled into the optical fiber sensor, a reflection peak will be obtained centered around a wavelength called Bragg-wavelength. The Bragg-wavelength depends on the refractive index and the period of the grating, which both change due to mechanical and thermal strain applied to the sensor. The shift in the Bragg-wavelength is directly proportional to the strain. Researchers at NASA MSFC are currently developing techniques for using FBGs for monitoring the integrity of advanced structural materials expected to become the mainstay of the current and future generation space structures. Since carbon-epoxy composites are the materials of choice for the current space structures, the initial study is concentrated on this type of composite. The goals of this activity are to use embedded FBG sensors for measuring strain and temperature of composite structures, and to investigate the effects of various parameters such as composite fiber orientation with respect to the optical sensor, unidirectional fiber composite, fabrication process etc., on the optical performance of the sensor. This paper describes an experiment to demonstrate the use of an embedded FBG for measuring strain in a composite material. The performance of the fiber optic sensor is determined by direct comparison with results from more conventional instrumentation.

Osei, Albert J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

The relative importance of building design parameters in reducing energy use and sensible heat release from buildings in light of forecasted future weather data and building coverage ratio

Buildings typically have a 60-to-75-year lifespan before they require significant maintenance or modifications. However, most builders evaluate the performance of their new buildings using whole-building energy simulation tools based on the current typical meteorological year (TMY) file or actual meteorological year. The energy use consumption and sensible heat release pattern observed from buildings could potentially change based on shifting global climates. Therefore, the recommended energy-efficiency design parameters might also change during these periods. In this study, we evaluate the role of different building design parameters, such as material reflectivity, HVAC COP, and insulation values, on building energy usage and sensible heat release from buildings with different building coverage ratios (BCR), based on the current and future weather file TMY (fTMY) for the middle of the century (2040–2060). The role of sensible heat release from buildings is not accounted for accurately while estimating building energy usage in most whole-building energy simulations. The study conducts a series of whole-building energy simulation analyses using EnergyPlus to evaluate the role of different design parameters based on TMY and fTMY weather conditions. The analysis is conducted for two hot desert climatic cities: Phoenix (USA) and Abu Dhabi (UAE). The results show that, for the base case in a future climate, the sensible heat release is reduced by an average of 30% due to the reduced delta T between the surface and ambient air. Further, the results show an increase in total energy consumption by 5% annually. The results also show that, for buildings with traditional coatings, shorter buildings release more heat than taller buildings. On the other hand, for buildings with reflective paints, shorter buildings release less heat than taller buildings. The findings from this study can be used by policymakers, utility companies, and builders to better understand the relative role of different building design parameters while constructing new and retrofitting existing buildings.

Alhazmi, Mansour [King Fahd University of Petroleu↗
DOE OSTI2015

EFFECT OF LONGITUDE-DEPENDENT CLOUD COVERAGE ON EXOPLANET VISIBLE WAVELENGTH REFLECTED-LIGHT PHASE CURVES

We use a planetary albedo model to investigate variations in visible wavelength phase curves of exoplanets. Thermal and cloud properties for these exoplanets are derived using one-dimensional radiative-convective and cloud simulations. The presence of clouds on these exoplanets significantly alters their planetary albedo spectra. We confirm that non-uniform cloud coverage on the dayside of tidally locked exoplanets will manifest as changes to the magnitude and shift of the phase curve. In this work, we first investigate a test case of our model using a Jupiter-like planet, at temperatures consistent to 2.0 AU insolation from a solar type star, to consider the effect of H{sub 2}O clouds. We then extend our application of the model to the exoplanet Kepler-7b and consider the effect of varying cloud species, sedimentation efficiency, particle size, and cloud altitude. We show that, depending on the observational filter, the largest possible shift of the phase curve maximum will be ∼2°–10° for a Jupiter-like planet, and up to ∼30° (∼0.08 in fractional orbital phase) for hot-Jupiter exoplanets at visible wavelengths as a function of dayside cloud distribution with a uniformly averaged thermal profile. The models presented in this work can be adapted for a variety of planetary cases at visible wavelengths to include variations in planet–star separation, gravity, metallicity, and source-observer geometry. Finally, we tailor our model for comparison with, and confirmation of, the recent optical phase-curve observations of Kepler-7b with the Kepler space telescope. The average planetary albedo can vary between 0.1 and 0.6 for the 1300 cloud scenarios that were compared to the observations. Many of these cases cannot produce a high enough albedo to match the observations. We observe that smaller particle size and increasing cloud altitude have a strong effect on increasing albedo. In particular, we show that a set of models where Kepler-7b has roughly half of its dayside covered in small-particle clouds high in the atmosphere, made of bright minerals like MgSiO{sub 3} and Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4,} provide the best fits to the observed offset and magnitude of the phase-curve, whereas Fe clouds are found to be too dark to fit the observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Global megatrends and their implications for environmental assessment practice

This paper addresses the future of environmental assessment (EA) practice in light of a rapidly changing world. We apply a literature review-based methodology to firstly identify key global megatrends and then reflect upon the implications for EA practice based on some known challenges. The key megatrends identified are synthesised into six categories: i) demographics, ii) urbanization, iii) technological innovation, iv) power shifts, v) resource scarcity and vi) climate change. We then discuss the implications of these megatrends for EA practice against four known EA challenges namely: dealing with i) complexity and uncertainty, ii) efficiency, iii) significance and iv) communication and participation. Our analysis suggests important implications for EA practice such as: increased difficulties with accuracy of prediction; the need for facilitative adaptation; an increase in the occurrence of unexpected events; higher expectations for procedural efficiency; challenges with information and communication management; dealing with significance judgements; and mitigation amidst resource scarcity and increasing pressures on earth systems. The megatrends underscore the need for continued evolution of EA thinking and practice, especially moving away from seeking a predictable single future or outcome towards the possibility of multiple scenarios with associated adaptability and enhanced system resilience capable of responding to rapid change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Band Edge Energetics of Heterostructured Nanorods: Photoemission Spectroscopy and Waveguide Spectroelectrochemistry of Au-Tipped CdSe Nanorod Monolayers

Conduction and valence band energies ( E CB , E VB ) for CdSe nanorods (NRs) functionalized with Au nanoparticle (NP) tips are reported here, referenced to the vacuum scale. We use (a) UV photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) to measure E VB for NR films, utilizing advanced approaches to secondary electron background correction, satellite removal to enhance spectral contrast, and correction for shifts in local vacuum levels; and (b) waveguide-based spectroelectrochemistry to measure E CB from onset potentials for electron injection into NR films tethered to ITO. For untipped CdSe NRs, both approaches show E VB = 5.9–6.1 eV and E CB = 4.1–4.3 eV. Addition of Au tips alters the NR band edge energies and introduces midgap states, in ways that are predicted to influence the efficiency of these nanomaterials as photoelectrocatalysts. UPS results show that Au tipping shifts E VB closer to vacuum by up to 0.4 eV, shifts the apparent Fermi energy toward the middle of the band gap, and introduces additional states above E VB . Spectroelectrochemical results determine these trends: Au tipping shifts E CB closer to vacuum, by 0.4–0.6 eV, and introduces midgap states below E CB , which are assigned as metal–semiconductor interface (MSI) states. Characterization of these band edge energies and understanding the origins of MSI states is needed to design energy conversion systems with proper band alignment between the light absorbing NR, the NP catalyst, and solution electron donors and acceptors. Furthermore, the complementary characterization protocols presented here should be applicable to a wide variety of thin films of heterogeneous photoactive nanomaterials, aiding in the identification of the most promising material combinations for photoelectrochemical energy conversion.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Substituted polynorbornene membranes: a modular template for targeted gas separations

Polynorbornenes are ideal materials for systematic structure–property investigations designed to correlate gas-transport properties to polymer structure. The modular nature of norbornene-based systems provides a facile route towards the synthesis of diverse polymeric materials. Though many valuable correlations between gas-permeability and polynorbornene structure have been summarized in a prior review (2017), many of these efforts focused heavily on the design of materials with high permeabilities. More recently, the design of next-generation polynorbornene membranes has shifted toward the development of materials that are highly selective for multiple targeted gas separations. Since 2017, tremendous progress has been realized in the preparation of stable and highly selective polynorbornenes for membrane-based gas separations. Examples include polynorbornene derivatives that exhibit very high selectivity for CO 2 /N 2 and light hydrocarbon (e.g., C 3 +/C 1 ) separations, some of which exhibit gas separation performances that approach or exceed the 2008 upper bound. In this work, we summarize prior findings, present recent developments in the field of advanced polynorbornene membrane materials for targeted gas separations, and provide an outlook for the future of this field of research.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

Influence of reabsorption and reemission on stimulated Raman scattering of polymethine dyes in multiple scattering media

It is shown that reabsorption of the luminescence radiation in the range of its overlapping with the absorption spectrum and the following reemission to a long-wavelength range may noticeably affect the process of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in polymethine dyes in multiple scattering media (MSM). This is related to the fact that SRS in such media occurs jointly with the random lasing (RL), which favors SRS and makes up with it a united nonlinear process. Reemission into the long-wavelength spectrum range amplified in MSM causes the RL spectrum to shift to longer wavelengths and initiates the long-wavelength band of RL, in which a main part of the lasing energy is concentrated. This weakens or completely stops the SRS if the band is beyond the range of possible spectral localisation of Stokes lines. This process depends on the efficiency of light scattering, dye concentration, temperature and pump intensity; hence, there exist optimal values of these parameters for obtaining SRS in MSM. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Two nucleon systems at m π ~ 450 MeV from lattice QCD

Nucleon-nucleon systems are studied with lattice quantum chromodynamics at a pion mass of $m_\pi\sim 450~{\rm MeV}$ in three spatial volumes using $n_f=2+1$ flavors of light quarks. At the quark masses employed in this work, the deuteron binding energy is calculated to be $B_d = 14.4^{+3.2}_{-2.6} ~{\rm MeV}$, while the dineutron is bound by $B_{nn} = 12.5^{+3.0}_{-5.0}~{\rm MeV}$. Over the range of energies that are studied, the S-wave scattering phase shifts calculated in the 1S0 and 3S1-3D1 channels are found to be similar to those in nature, and indicate repulsive short-range components of the interactions, consistent with phenomenological nucleon-nucleon interactions. In both channels, the phase shifts are determined at three energies that lie within the radius of convergence of the effective range expansion, allowing for constraints to be placed on the inverse scattering lengths and effective ranges. Thus, the extracted phase shifts allow for matching to nuclear effective field theories, from which low energy counterterms are extracted and issues of convergence are investigated. As part of the analysis, a detailed investigation of the single hadron sector is performed, enabling a precise determination of the violation of the Gell-Mann–Okubo mass relation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Selective UV radiation detection on the basis of low-dimensional ZnCdS/ZnMgS/GaP and ZnCdS/ZnS/GaP heterostructures

The detecting properties of periodic heterostructures with ZnCdS quantum wells separated by ZnMgS or ZnS barrier layers are studied. Heterostructures are grown on semi-insulating GaP substrates by metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). On their basis, metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) diodes with interdigital Schottky contacts 3 μm, distances between them of 3 μm, and a total detector area of 100 × 100 μm are fabricated. The detectors have low dark currents (10{sup –12} A); at low bias voltages, they provide a narrow- band response (full-width at half-maximum of FWHM = 18 nm at a wavelength of 350 nm) which is controlled by the ZnCdS quantum-well composition. As bias is increased to 70 V, the maximum detector sensitivity shifts by a wavelength of 450 nm, which is caused by penetration of the external-bias electric field into the semi-insulating GaP substrate. In this case, the narrow-band response of the detector at a wavelength of 350 nm is retained, i.e., the two-color detection of light is provided.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Strengthening Technical Safeguards of Fresh Fuel Through International Cooperation

Over time, nuclear fuel designs have shifted towards having higher initial enrichments and a greater number of burnable poison rods. This enables increased burnup for commercial reasons. These changes have made safeguards measurements of the 235 U content in modern fresh fuel more challenging.This is addressed here through a re-evaluation of the UNCL (Uranium Neutron Collar–Light Water Reactor Fuel)poison rod correction factor. Coefficients of the poison rod correction factor were updated by simulating response of AngraII PWR fuel with a wide range of both burnable poison rods and Gd 2 O 3 contentper rod. Benchmark comparisons are made to experiments performed at Resende (Brazil) and CNEN/LASAL in Brazil. By updating these coefficients, while maintaining the same mathematical form to allow INCC to be used without software modification,it was possible to reduce error in experimental 235 U linear density assay by an order of magnitude.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1982

Free-electron laser from wave-mechanical beats of 2 electron beams

It is possible, though technically difficult, to produce beams of free electrons that exhibit beats of a quantum mechanical nature. (1) the generation of electromagnetic radiation, e.g., light, based on the fact that the beats give rise to alternating charge and current densities; and a frequency shifter, based on the fact that a beam with beats constitutes a moving grating. When such a grating is exposed to external radiation of suitable frequency and direction, the reflected rediation will be shifted in frequency, since the grating is moving. A twofold increase of the frequency is readily attainable. It is shown that it is impossible to generate radiation, because the alternating electromagnetic fields that accompany the beats cannot reform themselves into freely propagating waves. The frequency shifter is useless as a practical device, because its reflectance is extremely low for realizable beams.

Lichtenstein, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Determinations of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of high polymers by the rheological properties

Several methods are reviewed by which the molecular weight (MW) and the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymeric material were determined from the rheological properties. A poly(arylene ether) polymer with six different molecular weights was used in this investigation. Experimentally measured MW and MWD were conducted by GPC/LALLS (gel permeation chromatography/low angle laser light scattering), and the rheological properties of the melts were measured by a Rheometric System Four rheometer. It was found that qualitative information of the MW and MWD of these polymers could be derived from the viscoelastic properties, with the methods proposed by Zeichner and Patel, and by Dormier et al., by shifting the master curves of the dynamic storage modulus, G', and the loss modulus, G'', along the frequency axis. Efforts were also made to calculate quantitative profiles of MW and MWD for these polymers from their rheological properties. The technique recently proposed by Wu was evaluated. It was found that satisfactory results could only be obtained for polymers with single modal distribution in the molecular weight.

Huang, J. Y.↗
NASA NTRS2014

OMPS Limb Profiler Instrument Performance Assessment

Following the successful launch of the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) spacecraft, the NASA OMPS Limb team began an evaluation of instrument and data product performance. The focus of this paper is the instrument performance in relation to the original design criteria. Performance that is closer to expectations increases the likelihood that limb scatter measurements by SNPP OMPS and successor instruments can form the basis for accurate long-term monitoring of ozone vertical profiles. The team finds that the Limb instrument operates mostly as designed and basic performance meets or exceeds the original design criteria. Internally scattered stray light and sensor pointing knowledge are two design challenges with the potential to seriously degrade performance. A thorough prelaunch characterization of stray light supports software corrections that are accurate to within 1% in radiances up to 60 km for the wavelengths used in deriving ozone. Residual stray light errors at 1000nm, which is useful in retrievals of stratospheric aerosols, currently exceed 10%. Height registration errors in the range of 1 km to 2 km have been observed that cannot be fully explained by known error sources. An unexpected thermal sensitivity of the sensor also causes wavelengths and pointing to shift each orbit in the northern hemisphere. Spectral shifts of as much as 0.5nm in the ultraviolet and 5 nm in the visible, and up to 0.3 km shifts in registered height, must be corrected in ground processing.

ozone↗
DOE OSTI2015

CONSTRAINING VERY HIGH MASS POPULATION III STARS THROUGH He II EMISSION IN GALAXY BDF-521 AT z = 7.01

Numerous theoretical models have long proposed that a strong He II λ1640 emission line is the most prominent and unique feature of massive Population III (Pop III) stars in high-redshift galaxies. The He II λ1640 line strength can constrain the mass and initial mass function (IMF) of Pop III stars. We use F132N narrowband filter on the Hubble Space Telescope's (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 to look for strong He II λ1640 emission in the galaxy BDF-521 at z = 7.01, one of the most distant spectroscopically confirmed galaxies to date. Using deep F132N narrowband imaging, together with our broadband imaging with F125W and F160W filters, we do not detect He II emission from this galaxy, but place a 2σ upper limit on the flux of 5.3×10{sup −19} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}. This measurement corresponds to a 2σ upper limit on the Pop III star formation rate (SFR{sub PopIII}) of ∼0.2 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}, assuming a Salpeter IMF with 50 ≲ M/M {sub ☉} ≲ 1000. From the high signal-to-noise broadband measurements in F125W and F160W, we fit the UV continuum for BDF-521. The spectral flux density is ∼3.6×10{sup −11}×λ{sup −2.32} erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2} Å{sup –1}, which corresponds to an overall unobscured SFR of ∼5 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}. Our upper limit on SFR{sub PopIII} suggests that massive Pop III stars represent ≲ 4% of the total star formation. Further, the HST high-resolution imaging suggests that BDF-521 is an extremely compact galaxy, with a half-light radius of 0.6 kpc.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance studies of the Mu2e cosmic ray veto detector

The cosmic ray veto (CRV) detector of the Mu2e experiment consists of four layers of plastic scintillation counters that surround the detector solenoid. These counters are embedded with wavelength-shifting fibers and are read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The performance of a subset of the CRV counters was studied in a cosmic-ray test stand. Here, using data taken over a two-year period, we report the single-layer muon detection efficiency and the rate at which the light yield degrades due to the aging of the plastic scintillation counters.

Aging↗
DOE OSTI2015

Element specificity of ortho-positronium annihilation for alkali-metal loaded SiO{sub 2} glasses

Momentum distributions associated with ortho-positronium (o-Ps) pick-off annihilation photon are often influenced by light elements, as, e.g., carbon, oxygen, and fluorine. This phenomenon, so-called element specificity of o-Ps pick-off annihilation, has been utilized for studying the elemental environment around the open spaces. To gain an insight into the element specificity of o-Ps pick-off annihilation, the chemical shift of oxygen 1s binding energy and the momentum distributions associated with o-Ps pick-off annihilation were systematically investigated for alkali-metal loaded SiO{sub 2} glasses by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and positron-age-momentum correlation spectroscopy, respectively. Alkali metals introduced into the open spaces surrounded by oxygen atoms cause charge transfer from alkali metals to oxygen atoms, leading to the lower chemical shift for the oxygen 1s binding energy. The momentum distribution of o-Ps localized into the open spaces is found to be closely correlated with the oxygen 1s chemical shift. This correlation with the deepest 1s energy level evidences that the element specificity of o-Ps originates from pick-off annihilation with orbital electrons, i.e., dominantly with oxygen 2p valence electrons and s electrons with lower probability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Microsecond-range optical shutter for unpolarized light with chiral nematic liquid crystal

A fast electro-optic shutter is fabricated and demonstrated. The device works independently of the polarization state of the incoming light beam. Modulation between 3% transmission and 60% transmission is obtained within a wavelength range of 50 nm with a response time of 20 μs. The device consists of two partly polymerized chiral nematic liquid crystal layers separated by a half wave plate. The transmission modulation is due to a 50 nm wavelength shift of the photonic band gap of the chiral liquid crystal realized by applying an electric field over a mixture of photo-polymerized LC and non-reactive nematic LC containing a chiral dopant. The shutter features high reflectivity in the photonic band gap. We investigate the influence of the amplitude of the applied voltage on the width and the depth of the reflection band.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗