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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 1,459 records · Page 81
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Quantitative concentration measurements in a turbulent helium jet using rainbow schlieren deflectometry

Rainbow schlieren deflectometry (RSD) is applied to acquire quantitative concentration measurements in a turbulent environment for the first time. RSD methodology is developed and validated using Rayleigh scattering data available in the literature. Experiments were performed in an initially laminar, momentum-driven helium jet injected into ambient air. Full-field measurements are acquired that span the laminar, transition, and fully turbulent regions of the jet. Furthermore, the RSD results are shown to provide accurate measurements in each region and also confirm the self-similar nature of the fully turbulent jet. Analysis shows that the transition from laminar to turbulent flow occurs across an axial span that decreases with increasing Reynolds number. Experiments with a long exposure time were conducted to evaluate the limitations of hardware averaging of the RSD signal in comparison with software averaging.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2022

Turbulence Structures in the Very Stable Boundary Layer Under the Influence of Wind Profile Distortion

Abstract In very stable boundary layers (VSBL), a “cocktail” of submeso motions routinely result in elevated mean wind speed maxima above the ground, acting as a new source of turbulence generation. This new source of turbulent kinetic energy enhances turbulent mixing and causes mean wind profile distortion (WPD). As a results, this transient distortion in the wind profile adjusts the classical log‐law. Addressing how WPD‐induced turbulence regulates flow structures, turbulent fluxes, and transitions in stability regimes across layers remains a challenge. Eddy covariance data measured at four levels on a 62‐m tower are employed to address these questions. It is shown that the WPD initiates large turbulent eddies that penetrate downward, leading to enhanced vertical mixing and comparable turbulent transport efficiencies across layers. As a consequence, turbulence intensity and fluxes are increased. As the WPD is intensified, turbulent fluxes and turbulent flux transport caused by large eddies are also enhanced, leading to a transition from very stable to weakly stable regimes. Due to the influence of WPD‐induced large eddies, the large‐eddy turbulent Prandtl number does not deviate appreciably from unity and the partitioning between turbulent kinetic and potential energies is linearly related to the gradient Richardson number.

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2024

A method for examining ensemble averaging forms during the transition to turbulence in HED systems for application to RANS models

This paper discusses a strategy to initialize a two-dimensional (2D) Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes model [LANL's Besnard–Harlow–Rauenzahn (BHR) model] in order to describe an unsteady transitional Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM)-induced flow observed in on-going high-energy-density ensemble experiments performed on the OMEGA-EP facility. The experiments consist of a nominal single-mode perturbation (initial amplitude a 0 ≈ 10 and wavelength $λ$ = 100μm) with target-to-target variations in the surface roughness subjected to the RM instability with delayed Rayleigh–Taylor in a heavy-to-light configuration. Our strategy leverages high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) implicit large eddy simulations (ILES) simulations to initialize BHR-relevant parameters and subsequently validate the 2D BHR results against the 3D ILES simulations. A suite of five 3D ILES simulations corresponding to five experimental target profiles is undertaken to generate an ensemble dataset. Using ensemble averages from the 3D simulations to initialize the turbulent kinetic energy in the BHR model ( K 0 ) demonstrates the ability of the model to predict the time evolution of the interface as well as the density-specific-volume covariance, b . To quantify the sensitivity of the BHR results to the choice of K 0 and the initial turbulent length scale, S 0 , we execute a parameter sweep spanning four orders of magnitude for both S 0 and K 0 , generating a parameter space consisting of 26 simulations. The Pearson's correlation coefficient is used as a measure of discrepancy between the 2D BHR and 3D ILES simulations and reveals that the ranges 8≲S 0 ≲20 μm and 10 9 ≲K 0 ≲10 10 cm 2 /s 2 produce predictions that agree best with the 3D ILES results.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

The influence of intake flow and coolant temperature on gasoline spray morphology during early-injection DISI engine operation

Multi-hole gasoline injectors operating at conditions spanning throttled early-intake stroke operation produce spray plumes that either remained separated or merge and collapse due to flash boiling. Flash boiling occurs due to the sudden expansion of gas bubbles in the liquid fuel at high fuel temperature and low ambient pressure. This study records high-speed images of spray-morphology changes due to in-cylinder flow, thereby revealing operating conditions that do and do not affect the self-induced morphology observed in quiescent vessels. Specifically, in a central-injection, four-valve, high-tumble engine, where the thermodynamic state and in-cylinder cross flow are dynamic. Motivated by cold start and hot restart operation, the fuel pressure, coolant temperature, in-cylinder air pressure, and engine rpm were systematically varied over relevant operating conditions, which bracketed the range from non- to flash-boiling sprays. The results reveal the operating conditions at which the in-cylinder cross flow disrupts the spray morphology as well as the extent of the disruption. At 650 rpm, the spray morphology was similar to that observed in quiescent vessels at nominally equivalent fuel temperature and in-cylinder pressure, indicating that the spray’s self-induced entrainment flow dominated the in-cylinder flow. However, for fuel temperature and ambient pressure near the transition between non- and flash-boiling, the intake cross flow at higher engine speed (1950 rpm) significantly disrupted the spray morphology. The high cross-flow velocity appears to induce plume merging and collapse, whereas none was evident at low rpm (650 rpm). This study led to the postulate that the spray merging and collapse are governed by the rate of atomization near the nozzle exit, presumed to be controlled by either or both aerodynamic atomization and flash-boiling intensity. It would then follow that spray modeling in CFD requires atomization models that blend the effects of both physical processes.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

University of Nebraska unmanned aerial system (UAS) profiling during the LAPSE-RATE field campaign

Abstract. This paper describes the data collected by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) as part of the field deployments during the Lower Atmospheric Process Studies at Elevation – a Remotely-piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE) flight campaign in July 2018. The UNL deployed two multirotor unmanned aerial systems (UASs) at multiple sites in the San Luis Valley (Colorado, USA) for data collection to support three science missions: convection initiation, boundary layer transition, and cold air drainage flow. We conducted 172 flights resulting in over 21 h of cumulative flight time. Our novel design for the sensor housing onboard the UAS was employed in these flights to meet the aspiration and shielding requirements of the temperature and humidity sensors and to separate them from the mixed turbulent airflow from the propellers. Data presented in this paper include timestamped temperature and humidity data collected from the sensors, along with the three-dimensional position and velocity of the UAS. Data are quality-controlled and time-synchronized using a zero-order-hold interpolation without additional post-processing. The full dataset is also made available for download at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4306086 (Islam et al., 2020).

Islam, Ashraful (ORCID:000000022826269X)↗
NASA NTRS1974

Data correlation and analysis of arc tunnel and wind tunnel tests of RSI joints and gaps. Volume 1: Technical report

Heat transfer data measured in gaps typical of those under consideration for joints in space shuttle reusable surface insulation protection systems have been assimilated, analyzed and correlated. The data were obtained in four NASA facilities. Several types of gaps were investigated with emphasis on simple butt joints. Gap widths ranged from 0.07 to 0.7 cm and depths ranged from 1 to 6 cm. Laminar, transitional and turbulent boundary layer flows over the gap opening were investigated. Three-dimensional heating variations were observed within gaps in the absence of external flow pressure gradients. Heat transfer correlation equations were obtained for several of the tests. Thermal protection system performance with and without gaps was compared for a representative shuttle entry trajectory.

Christensen, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Control logic for a 30 cm diameter ion thruster

Tests with a 30 cm thruster having EMT critical components have defined start-up criteria. Of the three phases comprising the start-up mode, the preheat phase is intended to heat critical feed system components to desired temperatures. Of the seven supplies available during the preheat phase, only three were found to be useful for purposes of preheating the thruster. These were the cathode and neutralizer tip heater supplies and the isolator heater supply. If the needed temperatures are attained during preheat, the ignition phase requires only several seconds. The heat phase serves to establish the proper propellant flow rates prior to the transition to the run mode. Using these techniques, a thruster with initial temperatures in the range of -15 to +25 C can be reliably started and provide a 1.0 amp beam within 45 min. High voltage recycle time profiles indicate limitations on several time functions.

Bechtel, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Resistive anode image converter

The invention of an apparatus for imaging soft X-ray and ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation and charged particles was described. The apparatus includes a pair of microchannel electron multiplier plates connected in a cascaded chevron configuration which intercepts an incident beam of radiation or charged particles. Incident photons or charged particles strike the front surface of the chevron configuration causing emission of electrons. The electrons are accelerated by a voltage gradient and strike the inner side walls of the individual channels, causing emission of secondary electrons. Accelerated and multiplied secondary electrons impinge upon a resistive anode after they transverse the chevron configuration. A pulse position circuit converts the magnitude or transit time of the currents flowing from the point of impact of the electrons on the resistive anode to four contact electrodes mounted on their periphery of the resistive anode into the spatial coordinates of electron impact.

Lampton, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

On various treatments of potential equations at shocks

The potential equation that governs transonic inviscid flowfields is elliptic in subsonic regions and hyperbolic in supersonic regions. The transition from supersonic to subsonic flow may occur either continuously or across a surface of discontinuity known as a shock. Because of the changing type of governing equation and the presence of the surfaces of discontinuity, special treatments of the governing equations are needed at shocks to preserve mass conservation and to ensure satisfaction of the governing equation. In the so-called shock-capturing techniques, shocks are captured by smearing the discontinuity over several mesh cells in the computational domain. Most existing conservative schemes conserve mass flux throughout the flowfield, including shock boundaries; however, they also introduce zero-order errors in the approximation to the governing equation. It is shown that the zero-order errors, which do not diminish as the mesh spacing approaches zero, can cause discrepancies in the prediction of shock strength and location. These parameters are extremely sensitive features of transonic inviscid flowfield calculations. It is also shown that the zero-order errors can be avoided by developing higher-order schemes that properly model the governing equation at shocks.

Chen, L. T.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Thermal /Soret/ diffusion effects on interfacial mass transport rates

It is shown that thermal (Soret) diffusion significantly alters convective mass transport rates and important transition temperatures in highly nonisothermal flow systems involving the transport of 'heavy' species (vapors or particles). Introduction of the Soret transport term is shown to result in mass transfer effects similar to those of 'suction' and a homogeneous chemical 'sink'. It is pointed out that this analogy provides a simple method of correlating and predicting thermal diffusion effects in the abovementioned systems.

Rosner, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Addition polyimide adhesives containing various end groups

Addition polyimode oligomers have been synthesized from 3,3 prime, 4,4 prime-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride and 3,3 prime-methylenedianiline using a variety of latent crosslinking groups as end-caps. The nominal 1300 molecular weight imide prepolymers were isolated and characterized for solubility in amide, chlorinated and ether solvents, melt-flow and cure properties, glass transition temperature, and thermal stability on heating in an air atmosphere. Adhesive strengths of the polyimides were obtained both at ambient and elevated temperatures before and after aging at 232 C. Properties of the novel addition polyimides were compared to a known nadic end-capped adhesive, LARC-13.

Saint Clair, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Hydrodynamic stability problem formulated by numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations

The problem of hydrodynamic stability and the transition from laminar to turbulent flows are reformulated by seeking numerical solutions of the full, unapproximated Navier-Stokes equations. This method differs significantly from the well known Orr-Sommerfeld equation approach. The oncoming laminar flow is disturbed by forced, time dependent perturbations. The magnitudes of these perturbations are arbitrary. Then, the ensuing spatial and temporal development of the imposed perturbations on the basic flow is calculated by direct numerical solutions of the time dependent Navier-Stokes equations. One of the main advantages of this method is its ability to simulate nonlinear processes. As a specific application of this technique to SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine) flow configurations, computer programs have been written for the two dimensional flow over a backward facing step. This numerical code will be tested for operational use as part of a continued research collaboration effort with the NASA/MSFC counterparts.

Hyun, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The measurement of boundary layers on a compressor blade in cascade at high positive incidence angle. 1: Experimental techniques and results

Measurements of the mean velocity and turbulence intensity were made using a one-component laser Doppler velocimeter in the boundary layer and near wake about a double circular arc, compressor blade in cascade. The measurements were made at a chord Reynolds number of 500,000. Boundary layer measurements on the pressure surface indicate a transition region over the last 40% of the chord. A small separation bubble near the leading edge of the suction surface results in an immediate transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The non-equilibrium turbulent boundary layer separates near the trailing edge of the suction surface. Similarity of the outer region of the turbulent boundary layer ceases to exist in the separated region. Also, similarity does not hold in the near-wake region, a region which includes negative mean velocities because of the separation near the trailing edge on the suction surface.

Deutsch, S.↗