Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “EXOTHERMIC REACTION”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Heating efficiencies in the thermosphere of Venus reconsidered

Heating efficiencies less than 10 percent are required by recent models of the low neutral temperatures in the daytime thermosphere of Venus. It is considered here whether such values are justifiable from a molecular point of view. The primary uncertainty in a calculation of the heating efficiency is the fraction of energy, f sub v, that appears as vibrational excitation of product molecules in quenching, photodissociation, and exothermic chemical reactions. The current state of knowledge of energy partitioning in chemical reactions is discussed and a range of likely values for f sub v is deduced. The calculated heating efficiencies fall in the range 16-25 percent over the altitude range from 115 to 200 km. It is suggested that the heating efficiency should not be taken as a free parameter and that the cold Venus thermosphere has not yet been satisfactorily explained.

Fox, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ionospheric chemical releases

Ionospheric plasma density irregularities can be produced by chemical releases into the upper atmosphere. F-region plasma modification occurs by: (1) chemically enhancing the electron number density; (2) chemically reducing the electron population; or (3) physically convecting the plasma from one region to another. The three processes (production, loss, and transport) determine the effectiveness of ionospheric chemical releases in subtle and surprising ways. Initially, a chemical release produces a localized change in plasma density. Subsequent processes, however, can lead to enhanced transport in chemically modified regions. Ionospheric modifications by chemical releases excites artificial enhancements in airglow intensities by exothermic chemical reactions between the newly created plasma species. Numerical models were developed to describe the creation and evolution of large scale density irregularities and airglow clouds generated by artificial means. Experimental data compares favorably with theses models. It was found that chemical releases produce transient, large amplitude perturbations in electron density which can evolve into fine scale irregularities via nonlinear transport properties.

Bernhardt, Paul A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Near-infrared oxygen airglow from the Venus nightside

Groundbased imaging and spectroscopic observations of Venus reveal intense near-infrared oxygen airglow emission from the upper atmosphere and provide new constraints on the oxygen photochemistry and dynamics near the mesopause (approximately 100 km). Atomic oxygen is produced by the Photolysis of CO2 on the dayside of Venus. These atoms are transported by the general circulation, and eventually recombine to form molecular oxygen. Because this recombination reaction is exothermic, many of these molecules are created in an excited state known as O2(delta-1). The airglow is produced as these molecules emit a photon and return to their ground state. New imaging and spectroscopic observations acquired during the summer and fall of 1991 show unexpected spatial and temporal variations in the O2(delta-1) airglow. The implications of these observations for the composition and general circulation of the upper venusian atmosphere are not yet understood but they provide important new constraints on comprehensive dynamical and chemical models of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere of Venus.

Crisp, D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Is chemical heating a major cause of the mesosphere inversion layer?

A region of thermal enhancement of the mesosphere has been detected on numerous occasions by in situ measurements, remote sensing from space, and lidar techniques. The source of these 'temperature inversion layers' has been attributed in the literature to the dissipation relating to dynamical forcing by gravity wave or tidal activity. However, evidence that gravity wave breaking can produce the inversion layer with amplitude as large as that observed in lidar measurements has been limited to results of numerical modeling. An alternative source for the production of the thermal inversion layer in the mesosphere is the direct deposition of heat by exothermic chemical reactions. Two-dimensional modeling combining a comprehensive model of the mesosphere photochemistry with the dynamical transport of long-lived species shows that the region from 80 to 95 km may be heated as much as 3 to 10 K/d during the night and half this rate during the day. Given the uncertainties in our understanding of the dynamics and chemistry for the mesopause region, separating the two sources by passive observations of the mesosphere thermal structure looks to be difficult. Therefore we have considered an active means for producing a mesopause thermal layer, namely the release of ozone into the upper mesosphere from a rocket payload. The induced effects would include artificial enhancements of the OH and Na airglow intensities as well as the mesopause thermal structure. The advantages of the rocket release of ozone is that detection of these effects by ground-based imaging, radar, and lidar systems and comparison of these effects with model predictions would help quantify the partition of the artificial inversion layer production into sources of dynamical and chemical forcing.

Meriwether, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Solid State Carbon Monoxide Sensor

A means for detecting carbon monoxide which utilizes an un-heated catalytic material to oxidize carbon monoxide at ambient temperatures. Because this reaction is exothermic, a thermistor in contact with the catalytic material is used as a sensing element to detect the heat evolved as carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide at the catalyst surface, without any heaters or external heating elements for the ambient air or catalytic element material. Upon comparison to a reference thermistor, relative increases in the temperature of the sensing thermistor correspond positively with an increased concentration of carbon monoxide in the ambient medium and are thus used as an indicator of the presence of carbon monoxide.

Upchurch, Billy T.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Generating Breathable Air Through Dissociation of N2O

A nitrous oxide-based oxygen-supply system (NOBOSS) is an apparatus in which a breathable mixture comprising 2/3 volume parts of N2 and 1/3 volume part of O2 is generated through dissociation of N2O. The NOBOSS concept can be adapted to a variety of applications in which there are requirements for relatively compact, lightweight systems to supply breathable air. These could include air-supply systems for firefighters, divers, astronauts, and workers who must be protected against biological and chemical hazards. A NOBOSS stands in contrast to compressed-gas and cryogenic air-supply systems. Compressed-gas systems necessarily include massive tanks that can hold only relatively small amounts of gases. Alternatively, gases can be stored compactly in greater quantities and at low pressures when they are liquefied, but then cryogenic equipment is needed to maintain them in liquid form. Overcoming the disadvantages of both compressed-gas and cryogenic systems, the NOBOSS exploits the fact that N2O can be stored in liquid form at room temperature and moderate pressure. The mass of N2O that can be stored in a tank of a given mass is about 20 times the mass of compressed air that can be stored in a tank of equal mass. In a NOBOSS, N2O is exothermically dissociated to N2 and O2 in a main catalytic reactor. In order to ensure the dissociation of N2O to the maximum possible extent, the temperature of the reactor must be kept above 400 C. At the same time, to minimize concentrations of nitrogen oxides (which are toxic), it is necessary to keep the reactor temperature at or below 540 C. To keep the temperature within the required range throughout the reactor and, in particular, to prevent the formation of hot spots that would be generated by local concentrations of the exothermic dissociation reaction, the N2O is introduced into the reactor through an injector tube that features carefully spaced holes to distribute the input flow of N2O widely throughout the reactor. A NOBOSS includes one or more "destroyer" subsystems for removing any nitrogen oxides that remain downstream of the main N2O-dissociation reactor. A destroyer includes a carbon bed in series with a catalytic reactor, and is in thermal contact with the main N2O-dissociation reactor. The gas mixture that leaves the main reactor first goes through a carbon bed, which adsorbs all of the trace NO and most of the trace NO2. The gas mixture then goes through the destroyer catalytic reactor, wherein most or all of the remaining NO2 is dissociated. A NOBOSS can be designed to regulate its reactor temperature across a range of flow rates. One such system includes three destroyer loops; these loops act, in combination with a heat sink, to remove heat from the main N2O-dissociation reactor. In this system, the N2O and product gases play an additional role as coolants; thus, as needed, the coolant flow increases in proportion to the rate of generation of heat, helping to keep the main-reactor temperature below 540 C.

Zubrin, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2014

Water Transport and the Evolution of CM Parent Bodies

Extraterrestrial water-bearing minerals are of great importance both for understanding the formation and evolution of the solar system and for supporting future human activities in space. Asteroids are the primary source of meteorites, many of which show evidence of an early heating episode and varying degrees of aqueous alteration. The origin and characterization of hydrated minerals (minerals containing H2O or OH) among both the main-belt and near-earth asteroids is important for understanding a wide range of solar system formation and evolutionary processes, as well as for planning for human exploration. Current hypotheses postulate asteroids began as mixtures of water ice and anhydrous silicates. A heating event early in solar system history was then responsible for melting the ice and driving aqueous alteration. The link between asteroids and meteorites is forged by reflectance spectra, which show 3-μm bands indicative of bound OH or H2O on the C-class asteroids, which are believed to be the parent bodies of the carbonaceous chondrites in our collections. The conditions at which aqueous alteration occurred in the parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites are thought to be well-constrained: at 0-25 C for less than 15 Myr after asteroid formation. In previous models, many scenarios exhibit peak temperatures of the rock and co-existing liquid water in more than 75 percent of the asteroid's volume rising to 150 C and higher, due to the exothermic hydration reactions triggering a thermal runaway effect. However, even in a high porosity, water-saturated asteroid very limited liquid water flow is predicted (distances of 100's nm at most). This contradiction has yet to be resolved. Still, it may be possible for water to become liquid even in the near-surface environment, for a long enough time to drive aqueous alteration before vaporizing or freezing then subliming. Thus, we are using physics- and chemistry-based models that include thermal and fluid transport as well as the effects of relevant chemical reactions, to investigate whether formation of hydrated minerals can occur in the surface and near-surface environments of carbonaceous type asteroids. These models will elucidate how the conditions within the parent body that cause internal aqueous alteration play themselves out at the asteroid's surface. We are using our models to determine whether the heat budget of 20-100-km bodies is sufficient to bring liquid water to the near-surface and cause mineral alteration, or whether additional heat input at the surface (i.e, by impacts) is needed to provide a transient liquid water source for mineral hydration without large- scale liquid water transport.

Coker, R.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Combustion Joining of Regolith Tiles for In-Situ Fabrication of Launch/Landing Pads on the Moon and Mars

To mitigate dust problems during launch-landing operations in lunar and Mars missions, it is desired to build solid pads on the surface. Recently, strong tiles have been fabricated from lunar regolith simulants using high-temperature sintering. The present work investigates combustion joining of these tiles through the use of exothermic intermetallic reactions. Specifically, nickel aluminum (1:1 mole ratio) mixture was placed in a gap between the tiles sintered from JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant. Upon ignition by a laser, a self-sustained propagation of the combustion front over the mixture occurred. Joining was improved with increasing the tile thickness from 6.3 mm to 12.7 mm. The temperatures sufficient for melting the glass phase of JSC-1A were recorded for 12.7-mm tiles, which explains the observed better joining.

Ferguson, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Combustion Joining of Regolith Tiles for In-Situ Fabrication of Launch/Landing Pads on the Moon and Mars

To mitigate dust problems during launch/landing operations in lunar and Mars missions, it is desired to build solid pads on the surface. Recently, strong tiles have been fabricated from lunar regolith simulants using high-temperature sintering. The present work investigates combustion joining of these tiles through the use of exothermic intermetallic reactions. Specifically, nickel/aluminum (1:1 mole ratio) mixture was placed in a gap between the tiles sintered from JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant. Upon ignition by a laser, a self-sustained propagation of the combustion front over the mixture occurred. Joining was improved with increasing the tile thickness from 6.3 mm to 12.7 mm. The temperatures sufficient for melting the glass phase of JSC-1A were recorded for 12.7-mm tiles, which explains the observed better joining.

Ferguson, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of Large-Scale Thrust Chambers using Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition

Historical manufacturing methods for liquid propulsion combustion chambers have relied on series of tube-walls or slotted channel walls (subsequently brazed or plated) for regenerative cooling paths. Large-scale additive manufacturing techniques offer strong potential to minimize manufacturing lead times and cost for developing liquid propulsion chambers, while maintaining performance metrics of traditionally manufactured hardware. The benefits expand beyond traditional combustion chambers to lesser considered nuclear thermal propulsion chambers where radiation energizes the singular incoming propellant stream instead of an exothermic chemical reaction. While each subset of liquid propulsion chambers reaps similar benefit, the geometric challenges in each design can vary substantially. This manuscript discusses the challenges of large contraction ratio propulsion chambers, bimetallic liners and closeout jackets, and material selection when considering laser powder directed energy deposition. LP-DED presently offers build volumes unattainable by L-PBF systems, required for large diameter thrust chambers. LP-DED typically has faster deposition time and is capable of overhang angles without support material (due to the ability to tilt the build plate and minimize the actual build angle). These benefits come at the cost of feature resolution. Designers and manufacturers should consider the effects of thick-wall features printed parallel to the primary surface versus perpendicular due to distortion. Thick-wall and thin-wall features printed in the same plane can substantially increase build time. Where large-scale L-PBF overlaps in size, there may be limited benefit in the quantity of powder required for the build due to the low capture rate of LP-DED and a case-by-case examination is required.

LP-DED↗
NASA NTRS2025

CFD Validation of a Methanation Reactor With Cooling Jacket Used in an ISRU Propellant Production System

A digital model of an OxEon Energy methanation reactor (with a cooling jacket) planned for use in a NASA designed In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) propellant production system was developed by the UTEP Aerospace Center using STAR-CCM+ software, a Siemens Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package. The reactor digital model created includes two primary components: (i) a cooling jacket that maintains the required reactor chamber surface temperature and (ii) a reactor core chamber where the exothermic methanation reactions occur. The StarCCM+ digital model has two objectives: (i) maintain the surface temperature of the reactor below a set value so that the extra heat accumulation does not melt or crack the chamber, and (ii) produce the desired amount of methane (CH4) according to test cases completed by OxEon Energy for NASA JSC. The computational digital model was validated with the test data enabling the cooling jacket scale to be predicted based on the reactor's operating temperature. The StarCCM+ simulation of the digital model shows a good agreement with the cooling jacket performance and the CH4 production. One test case for the cooling jacket maintained the reactor wall temperature around 310 °C was validated and the reactor produced 185 g/hr CH 4 .

ISRU↗
NASA NTRS1976

Crossed beam studies of ion-molecule reactions in methane and ammonia

A crossed-beam apparatus is used to measure the product ion velocity and angular distributions for the following ion-molecule reactions in the relative energy range from 2 to 9 eV: CH4(+) + NH3 yields NH4(+) + CH3; CH4(+) + NH3 yields CNH5(+) + H2; NH2(+) + CH4 yields CNH4(+) + H2 (or 2H); and CH3(+) + NH3 yields CNH4(+) + H2 (or 2H). These reactions are also studied by means of deuterium labeling as a further probe of the detailed reaction dynamics. Probability contour plots for the four reactions are constructed in Cartesian velocity space, and product peaks in the plots are discussed. Relative cross sections and Q values are computed for two of the reactions as well as for the corresponding deuterium-labelled reactions. The results show that the present ion-neutral condensation reactions are highly exothermic with a deep well for the internal complex, that little hydrogen scrambling occurs, and that the energy of the reactions is released mainly as internal energy, even to the extent of producing two hydrogen atoms in some cases rather than one hydrogen atom or molecule.

Smith, G. P. K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Excitable dynamics in high-Lewis number premixed gas combustion at normal and microgravity

Freely-propagating, premixed gas flames in high-Lewis (Le) number, quiescent mixtures are studied experimentally in tubes of various diameter at normal (lg) and microgravity (mu g). A premixture of lean butane and oxygen diluted with helium, argon, neon, nitrogen or a mixture of multiple diluents is examined such that the thermal diffusivity of the mixture (and to a lesser extent, the mass diffusivity of the rate-limiting component) is systematically varied. In effect, different diluents allow variation of the Le without changing the chemistry. The flames are recorded with high speed cinematography and their stability is visually assessed. Different modes of propagation were observed depending on the diameter of the tubes (different conductive heat loss), the composition of the mixture and the g-level. At 1g, four modes of propagation were observed in small and intermediate diameter tubes (large conductive heat loss): (1) steadily propagating flames, (2) radial and longitudinal pulsating flames, (3) 'wavering' flames, and (4) rotating spiral flames. As the diameter of the tube increases, the radial modes become more pronounced while the longitudinal modes systematically disappear. Also, multiple, simultaneous, spatially-separated 'pacemaker' sites are observed in intermediate and large diameter tubes. Each site starts as a small region of high luminosity and develops into a flamelet which assumes the form of one of the fore mentioned modes. These flamelets eventually interact, annihilate each other in their regions of intersection and merge at their newly created free-ends. For very large tubes, radially-propagating wave-trains (believed to be 'trigger waves') are observed. These are analogous to the radial pulsations observed in the smaller diameter tubes. At mu g, three modes of propagation have been observed: (1) steadily propagating flames, (2) radial and longitudinal pulsating flames, and (3) multi-armed, rotating flames. Since the pulsating mode exists at mu g and 1g, buoyant flicker is not the mechanism which drives the pulsations. Moreover, all of the instabilities at 1g and mu g have characteristic frequencies on the O(100Hz). This value is lower than the fundamental, longitudinal acoustic frequencies of the tubes which suggests that the instabilities are not acoustically driven. The patterns formed by this reaction bear remarkable similarities with the patterns formed in most excitable media when the behavior of the system is driven by couplings between chemical reaction and diffusion (e.g., Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, Patterns in slime molds, spiral waves in the retina of a bird's eye). While it is recognized that the chemical mechanism associated with this premixed gas reaction is exponentially sensitive to temperature and undoubtedly different from those which govern previously observed excitable media (most are isothermal, or weakly exothermic, liquid phase reactions), similar spatial and temporal patterns should not come as a complete surprise considering heat and mass diffusion are self similar. It is concluded that this premixed gas system is a definitive example of a diffusive-thermal, gas-phase oscillator based on these experimental results and their favorable comparison with theory.

Pearlman, Howard↗
NASA NTRS1994

System Acquires Data On Reactivities Of Foams

Data-acquisition and -plotting system, called DAPS(TM), developed enabling accurate and objective determination of physical properties related to reactivities of polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams. Automated, computer-controlled test apparatus that acquires data on rates of rise, rise profiles, exothermic temperatures, and internal pressures of foams prepared from both manual and machine-mixed batches. Data used to determine minute differences between reaction kinetics and exothermic profiles of foam formulations, properties of end products which are statistically undifferentiated.

Walls, Joe T.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Combustion Synthesis of Advanced Porous Materials in Microgravity Environment

Combustion synthesis, otherwise known as self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS), can be used to produce engineered advanced porous material implants which offer the possibility for bone ingrowth as well as a permanent structure framework for the long-term replacement of bone defects. The primary advantage of SHS is based on its rapid kinetics and favorable energetics. The structure and properties of materials produced by SHS are strongly dependent on the combustion reaction conditions. Combustion reaction conditions such as reaction stoichiometry, particle size, green density, the presence and use of diluents or inert reactants, and pre-heating of the reactants, will affect the exothermicity of the reaction. A number of conditions must be satisfied in order to obtain high porosity materials: an optimal amount of liquid, gas and solid phases must be present in the combustion front. Therefore, a balance among these phases at the combustion front must be created by the SHS reaction to successfully engineer a bone replacement material system. Microgravity testing has extended the ability to form porous products. The convective heat transfer mechanisms which operate in normal gravity, 1 g, constrain the combustion synthesis reactions. Gravity also acts to limit the porosity which may be formed as the force of gravity serves to restrict the gas expansion and the liquid movement during reaction. Infiltration of the porous product with other phases can modify both the extent of porosity and the mechanical properties.

Zhang, X.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ab initio study of C + H3+ reactions

The reaction C + H3+ --> CH(+) + H2 is frequently used in models of dense interstellar cloud chemistry with the assumption that it is fast, i.e. there are no potential energy barriers inhibiting it. Ab initio molecular orbital study of the triplet CH3+ potential energy surface (triplet because the reactant carbon atom is a ground state triplet) supports this hypothesis. The reaction product is 3 pi CH+; the reaction is to exothermic even though the product is not in its electronic ground state. No path has been found on the potential energy surface for C + H3+ --> CH2(+) + H reaction.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
DOE OSTI2025

Process intensification in hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass: A review

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) presents a promising pathway for converting wet biomass resources into biofuels, offering significant advantages over conventional methods. However, numerous challenges must be addressed for HTL scale-up, including energy provision for the endothermic process, heat and mass transfer limitations, slurry concentration and pumpability challenges, char and coke formation, and continuous phase separation. This review explores key strategies such as autothermal HTL, which improves process efficiency and reduces external energy requirements by coupling exothermic and endothermic reactions within the same reactor, thereby simplifying reactor design and reducing operational costs. Additionally, multistage HTL processes are highlighted for their ability to optimize biocrude quality and yield by fractionating biomass conversion stages, resulting in higher energy returns on investment and better-quality biocrude. Solvothermal HTL and integration techniques for aqueous phase are also discussed. Furthermore, the HTL patent landscape is discussed to provide insights into current technological advancements. This review aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of process intensification in HTL, highlighting innovative solutions to enhance the efficiency and scalability of the process for sustainable biofuel production.

Biocrude oil↗