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At least 1,531 records · Page 85

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NASA NTRS2016

Fluidic Oscillator Array for Synchronized Oscillating Jet Generation

A fluidic oscillator array includes a plurality of fluidic-oscillator main flow channels. Each main flow channel has an inlet and an outlet. Each main flow channel has first and second control ports disposed at opposing sides thereof, and has a first and a second feedback ports disposed at opposing sides thereof. The feedback ports are located downstream of the control ports with respect to a direction of a fluid flow through the main flow channel. The system also includes a first fluid accumulator in fluid communication with each first control port and each first feedback port, and a second fluid accumulator in fluid communication with each second control port and each second feedback port.

Koklu, Mehti↗

NASA NTRS2017

Fluidic Oscillator Array for Synchronized Oscillating Jet Generation

Koklu, Mehti↗

DOE OSTI2015

Molecular dynamic simulation of Ar-Kr mixture across a rough walled nanochannel: Velocity and temperature profiles

This paper presents the results from a molecular dynamics simulation of mixture of argon and krypton in the Poiseuille flow across a rough walled nanochannel. The roughness effect on liquid nanoflows has recently drawn attention The computational software used for carrying out the molecular dynamics simulations is LAMMPS. The fluid flow takes place between two parallel plates and is bounded by horizontal rough walls in one direction and periodic boundary conditions are imposed in the other two directions. Each fluid atom interacts with other fluid atoms and wall atoms through Leenard-Jones (LJ) potential with a cut off distance of 5.0. To derive the flow a constant force is applied whose value is varied from 0.1 to 0.3 and velocity profiles and temperature profiles are noted for these values of forces. The velocity profile and temperature profiles are also looked at different channel widths of nanochannel and at different densities of mixture. The velocity profile and temperature profile of rough walled nanochannel are compared with that of smooth walled nanochannel and it is concluded that mean velocity increases with increase in channel width, force applied and decrease in density also with introduction of roughness in the walls of nanochannel mean velocity again increases and results also agree with the analytical solution of a Poiseuille flow.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1975

A coupled fluid-structure dynamic analysis for water impact loads

In this paper a nonlinear transient, hydroelastic method is developed for response analysis of the Space Shuttle recoverable booster on water impact. At each time step, coupled equations of fluid flow and structure dynamics are solved with an iterative, self-correcting process. Rigid body motions are represented by large angle equations. Local deformations are represented by a NASTRAN-generated model of the three-dimensional structure. The fluid is represented by series solutions of the potential flow equation which include the effects of the local structure motions. The resulting water loads and structural stresses obtained will aid in qualification of the final structural design. Comparisons are made to experimental impact data to validate the method.

Herting, D. N.↗

NASA NTRS1963

ON THE FLOW OF A CONDUCTING FLUID OF SMALL VISCOSITY

Flow of low viscosity conducting fluid in a magnetic field

LIQUID FLOW↗

DOE OSTI2024

Modeling of Additively Manufactured Ceramic Heat Exchangers with Semi-Elliptical Cross-Section Flow Channels

An approximate and easily applied analytical model was developed for heat transfer calculations of heat exchangers consisting of multiple rows and columns of heat transfer fluid flow channels with semi-elliptical cross sections. Heat exchangers of this type are being developed by using ceramic material and additive manufacturing for high temperature and pressure-concentrating solar electric power plants. Calculations using the model require only the geometrical dimensions and flow conditions of the heat exchanger. Comparisons of modeling predictions, with both simulation results and experimental data, were conducted to verify the viability of the model. The results showed good agreement where almost all the modeling predictions were within 20% of the simulation results or the experimental data. Finally, the proposed modeling approach is more generally applicable to heat transfer analysis of heat exchangers with similar flow channel configurations to those considered in this study.

Ceramic↗

NASA NTRS1995

PATHFINDER: Probing Atmospheric Flows in an Integrated and Distributed Environment

PATHFINDER is a software effort to create a flexible, modular, collaborative, and distributed environment for studying atmospheric, astrophysical, and other fluid flows in the evolving networked metacomputer environment of the 1990s. It uses existing software, such as HDF (Hierarchical Data Format), DTM (Data Transfer Mechanism), GEMPAK (General Meteorological Package), AVS, SGI Explorer, and Inventor to provide the researcher with the ability to harness the latest in desktop to teraflop computing. Software modules developed during the project are available in the public domain via anonymous FTP from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). The address is ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu, and the directory is /SGI/PATHFINDER.

Wilhelmson, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Parallel CFD Algorithms for Aerodynamical Flow Solvers on Unstructured Meshes

The Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development (AGARD) has requested my participation in the lecture series entitled Parallel Computing in Computational Fluid Dynamics to be held at the von Karman Institute in Brussels, Belgium on May 15-19, 1995. In addition, a request has been made from the US Coordinator for AGARD at the Pentagon for NASA Ames to hold a repetition of the lecture series on October 16-20, 1995. I have been asked to be a local coordinator for the Ames event. All AGARD lecture series events have attendance limited to NATO allied countries. A brief of the lecture series is provided in the attached enclosure. Specifically, I have been asked to give two lectures of approximately 75 minutes each on the subject of parallel solution techniques for the fluid flow equations on unstructured meshes. The title of my lectures is "Parallel CFD Algorithms for Aerodynamical Flow Solvers on Unstructured Meshes" (Parts I-II). The contents of these lectures will be largely review in nature and will draw upon previously published work in this area. Topics of my lectures will include: (1) Mesh partitioning algorithms. Recursive techniques based on coordinate bisection, Cuthill-McKee level structures, and spectral bisection. (2) Newton's method for large scale CFD problems. Size and complexity estimates for Newton's method, modifications for insuring global convergence. (3) Techniques for constructing the Jacobian matrix. Analytic and numerical techniques for Jacobian matrix-vector products, constructing the transposed matrix, extensions to optimization and homotopy theories. (4) Iterative solution algorithms. Practical experience with GIVIRES and BICG-STAB matrix solvers. (5) Parallel matrix preconditioning. Incomplete Lower-Upper (ILU) factorization, domain-decomposed ILU, approximate Schur complement strategies.

Barth, Timothy J.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Advanced two-phase subchannel method via non-linear iteration

A fast-running, robust two-phase flow, sub-channel model is presented based on non-linear solution of the steady-state subchannel fluid flow equations. The drift-flux model solves for conservation of liquid and vapor mass, mixture energy, and axial and transverse mixture momentum as part of an efficient planar marching scheme and nonlinear, nested outer and inner iteration. Here, models based on mechanistic subcooled boiling, two-phase turbulent void mixing, and drift are included. Solution verification and mesh convergence studies were performed for modern GE 10 × 10 fuel geometry and are shown to have excellent convergence behavior. Run time performance for a 50 axial mesh model showed 2.2 seconds on a single CPU core to tightly converge all 3D distributions (flow, void, pressure) for the GE 10 × 10 fuel geometry, supporting its efficient use within the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications boiling water reactor framework.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Nonintrusive reduced order modeling framework for quasigeostrophic turbulence

In this study, we present a nonintrusive reduced order modeling (ROM) framework for large-scale quasistationary systems. The framework proposed in this work exploits the time series prediction capability of long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network architecture such that (1) in the training phase, the LSTM model is trained on the modal coefficients extracted from the high-resolution data snapshots using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) transform, and (2) in the testing phase, the trained model predicts the modal coefficients for the total time recursively based on the initial time history. Hence, no prior information about the underlying governing equations is required to generate the ROM. To illustrate the predictive performance of the proposed framework, the mean flow fields and time series response of the field values are reconstructed from the predicted modal coefficients by using an inverse POD transform. As a representative benchmark test case, we consider a two-dimensional quasigeostrophic ocean circulation model which, in general, displays an enormous range of fluctuating spatial and temporal scales. We first demonstrate that the conventional Galerkin projection-based reduced order modeling of such systems requires a high number of POD modes to obtain a stable flow physics. In addition, ROM-Galerkin projection (ROM-GP) does not seem to capture the intermittent bursts appearing in the dynamics of the first few most energetic modes. However, the proposed nonintrusive ROM framework based on LSTM (ROM-LSTM) yields a stable solution even for a small number of POD modes. We also observe that the ROM-LSTM model is able to capture quasiperiodic intermittent bursts accurately, and yields a stable and accurate mean flow dynamics using the time history of a few previous time states, denoted as the lookback time window in this paper. We show several features of ROM-LSTM framework such as significantly higher accuracy than ROM-GP, and faster performance using larger time step size. Throughout the paper, we demonstrate our findings in terms of time series evolution of the field values and mean flow patterns, which suggest that the proposed fully nonintrusive ROM framework is robust and capable of predicting chaotic nonlinear fluid flows in an extremely efficient way compared to the conventional projection-based ROM framework.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2013

Porous media properties of reticulated shape memory polymer foams and mock embolic coils for aneurysm treatment

Background: Shape memory polymer (SMP) foams are being investigated as an alternative aneurysm treatment method to embolic coils. The goal of both techniques is the reduction of blood flow into the aneurysm and the subsequent formation of a stable thrombus, which prevents future aneurysm rupture. The purpose of this study is to experimentally determine the parameters, permeability and form factor, which are related to the flow resistance imposed by both media when subjected to a pressure gradient. Methods: The porous media properties—permeability and form factor—of SMP foams and mock embolic coils (MECs) were measured with a pressure gradient method by means of an in vitro closed flow loop. We implemented the Forchheimer-Hazen-Dupuit-Darcy equation to calculate these properties. Mechanically-reticulated SMP foams were fabricated with average cell sizes of 0.7E-3 and 1.1E-3 m, while the MECs were arranged with volumetric packing densities of 11-28%. Results: The permeability of the SMP foams was an order of magnitude lower than that of the MECs. The form factor differed by up to two orders of magnitude and was higher for the SMP foams in all cases. The maximum flow rate of all samples tested was within the inertial laminar flow regime, with Reynolds numbers ranging between 1 and 35. Conclusions: The SMP foams impose a greater resistance to fluid flow compared to MECs, which is a result of increased viscous and inertial losses. These results suggest that aneurysms treated with SMP foam will have flow conditions more favorable for blood stasis than those treated with embolic coils having packing densities ≤ 28%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1999

Computations of Boiling in Microgravity

The absence (or reduction) of gravity, can lead to major changes in boiling heat transfer. On Earth, convection has a major effect on the heat distribution ahead of an evaporation front, and buoyancy determines the motion of the growing bubbles. In microgravity, convection and buoyancy are absent or greatly reduced and the dynamics of the growing vapor bubbles can change in a fundamental way. In particular, the lack of redistribution of heat can lead to a large superheat and explosive growth of bubbles once they form. While considerable efforts have been devoted to examining boiling experimentally, including the effect of microgravity, theoretical and computational work is limited to very simple models. In this project, the growth of boiling bubbles is studied by direct numerical simulations where the flow field is fully resolved and the effects of inertia, viscosity, surface deformation, heat conduction and convection, as well as the phase change, are fully accounted for. The proposed work is based on previously funded NASA work that allowed us to develop a two-dimensional numerical method for boiling flows and to demonstrate the ability of the method to simulate film boiling. While numerical simulations of multi-fluid flows have been advanced in a major way during the last five years, or so, similar capability for flows with phase change are still in their infancy. Although the feasibility of the proposed approach has been demonstrated, it has yet to be extended and applied to fully three-dimensional simulations. Here, a fully three-dimensional, parallel, grid adaptive code will be developed. The numerical method will be used to study nucleate boiling in microgravity, with particular emphasis on two aspects of the problem: 1) Examination of the growth of bubbles at a wall nucleation site and the instabilities of rapidly growing bubbles. Particular emphasis will be put on accurately capturing the thin wall layer left behind as a bubble expands along a wall, on computing instabilities on bubble surfaces as bubbles grow, and on quantifying the effects of both these phenomena on heat transfer; and 2) Examination of the effect of shear flow on bubble growth and heat transfer.

Tryggvason, Gretar↗

NASA NTRS2015

Delineating the Impact of Weightlessness on Human Physiology Using Computational Models

Microgravity environment has profound effects on several important human physiological systems. The impact of weightlessness is usually indirect as mediated by changes in the biological fluid flow and transport and alterations in the deformation and stress fields of the compliant tissues. In this context, Fluid-Structural and Fluid-Solid Interaction models provide a valuable tool in delineating the physical origins of the physiological changes so that systematic countermeasures can be devised to reduce their adverse effects. In this presentation, impact of gravity on three human physiological systems will be considered. The first case involves prediction of cardiac shape change and altered stress distributions in weightlessness. The second, presents a fluid-structural-interaction (FSI) analysis and assessment of the vestibular system and explores the reasons behind the unexpected microgravity caloric stimulation test results performed aboard the Skylab. The last case investigates renal stone development in microgravity and the possible impact of re-entry into partial gravity on the development and transport of nucleating, growing, and agglomerating renal calculi in the nephron. Finally, the need for model validation and verification and application of the FSI models to assess the effects of Artificial Gravity (AG) are also briefly discussed.

Computational Models↗

NASA NTRS2017

Normally-Closed Zero-Leak Valve with Magnetostrictive Actuator

A non-pyrotechnic, normally-closed, zero-leak valve is a replacement for the pyrovalve used for both in-space and launch vehicle applications. The valve utilizes a magnetostrictive alloy for actuation, rather than pyrotechnic charges. The alloy, such as Terfenol-D, experiences magnetostriction, i.e. a gross elongation, when exposed to a magnetic field. This elongation fractures a parent metal seal, allowing fluid flow through the valve. The required magnetic field is generated by redundant coils that are isolated from the working fluid.

Ramspacher, Daniel J.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Experimental and Computational Characterization of a Modified Sioutas Cascade Impactor for Respirable Radioactive Aerosols

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is collecting and characterizing aerosols released when spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods are fractured in bending. An aerosol collection system was designed and tested to collect respirable sized (<10 μm aerodynamic diameter [AED]) particulates inside a hot cell facility. The setup is a modified version of the commercially available Sioutas cascade impactor, to which additional stages were added to expand the aerosol collection range from 2.5 to ~15 μm AED. To accommodate the additional stages and specific test conditions, the operating flow rate for aerosol collection was reduced, and testing was conducted by using pressure drop measurements, surrogate dust collection, and particle size characterization. The fluid flow distribution within the cascade and its stages was simulated in STAR-CCM+, and the stage-wise pressure drops obtained using the computational fluid dynamics model were then compared to experimental data. Lagrangian particle simulations were also performed, and stage-wise collection statistics were obtained from the simulation for comparison with the experimental data obtained using SNF-surrogate dust particles. The results provide valuable insights into the stage-wise particle collection characteristics of the modified cascade impactor and can also be used to improve the prediction accuracy of the manufacturer-determined analytical correlations.

aerosol modeling↗

NASA NTRS2006

Development of Point Doppler Velocimetry for Flow Field Investigations

A Point Doppler Velocimeter (pDv) has been developed using a vapor-limited iodine cell as the sensing medium. The iodine cell is utilized to directly measure the Doppler shift frequency of laser light scattered from submicron particles suspended within a fluid flow. The measured Doppler shift can then be used to compute the velocity of the particles, and hence the fluid. Since this approach does not require resolution of scattered light from individual particles, the potential exists to obtain temporally continuous signals that could be uniformly sampled in the manner as a hot wire anemometer. This leads to the possibility of obtaining flow turbulence power spectra without the limitations of fringe-type laser velocimetry. The development program consisted of a methodical investigation of the technology coupled with the solution of practical engineering problems to produce a usable measurement system. The paper outlines this development along with the evaluation of the resulting system as compared to primary standards and other measurement technologies.

Cavone, Angelo A.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Thermal Energy Storage for Dispatchable Geothermal Power

Dispatchable generation refers to sources of electricity that can be turned on or off, or can adjust their power output accordingly to an order. Geothermal plants are usually used for base-load power rather than dispatchable power. Flexibility is a challenge for a geothermal plant because the heat source does not naturally respond quickly to changes in demand. The current state-of-the-art approach to address this challenge is to maintain the geothermal fluid flows at relatively steady rates while providing a bypass around the generation equipment as needed. Under part load, some of the geothermal fluid is pumped to the surface, bypasses the generation equipment, and is re-injected to the ground without extracting any useful enthalpy. This approach is robust but necessarily incurs high parasitic power draws at part load due to the constant, full-flow pumping power requirements. There are even more challenges and unknowns for steam and flash geothermal plants, which were the focus for this project. As a process improvement to this existing configuration of a dispatchable geothermal plant, we examined the use of a phase-change thermal-energy storage (TES) unit that will provide some “inertia” against temperature fluctuations. The TES phase change material (PCM) could be in the form of eutectic molten nitrate salts, organic sugar alcohols, or the like based on the required temperature. This configuration allowed the power plant to meet the ramp rate requirements while allowing the geothermal resource to drawn down at the duty-cycle-averaged extraction rate rather than the full-rated-output extraction rate. The project team performed an experimental and computational evaluation of a peak shaving technical approach that used thermal storage to switch between two nominal operating points: full rated power and 50% power. In the initial requirements definition phase, the team decided to examine the PCM/TES-enhanced geothermal plant in the context of a 40-MW two-stage flash plant operating in mid-Southern California. Steady-state process simulations were used to understand the equipment sizing and the energetics. Dynamic process simulations were used to understand the response rate of the system to changes in requested power output from the utility. The technical approach was also guided by a techno-economic analysis (TEA) and a high-level analysis of the reservoir. Recognizing that performance of the thermal storage was a key risk element, high-fidelity finite-element simulations of the PCM-TES heat exchanger were performed to better understand its performance and temporal response. These simulations were validated with a subscale PCM-TES experimental apparatus that mimicked the geometry of the full-scale system. The key outcomes of this Phase I project were that: 1) the PCM-TES heat exchanger met the target for gravimetric energy storage density, 2) the dispatchable geothermal plant met its target for response rate, 3) the peak shaving approach reduces the number of production wells and does not disturb the wellfield, and 4) the incentives for properly remunerating dispatchable operation were identified.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1967

Flow liner extends operating life of high-angulation bellows

Liner extends the service life of high-angulation /26-degree/ bellows used as ducts for high-velocity fluid flow in a liquid oxygen fill and drain system. It consists of a conical frustum or nozzle on the upstream side and a cylindrical section or catcher on the down-stream side.

Rumph, D. G.↗