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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 1,675 records · Page 93
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1953

Factors Affecting Laminar Boundary Layer Measurements in a Supersonic Stream

The observed discrepancy at supersonic speeds between theoretical and apparent experimental average flat plate friction-drag coefficients calculated from boundary layer total-pressure surveys was investigated. Effects of the total-pressure probe, heat transfer through the leading edge region, change in leading-edge radius and strength of the leading-edge wave, possible early transition to turbulent flow or “bursts of turbulence,” and the slight stream-wise pressure gradient inherent in flat plate flow were investigated for plates with very sharp leading edges. Only one of these factors, the effect of the total-pressure probe, was found to be significant. Total-pressure probes of different tip heights, when placed in laminar boundary layers developing under identical conditions, were found to yield different values of friction drag coefficient. Extrapolation of these measurements indicates that a probe of vanishing size would yield the theoretical predicted values of average flat plate friction-drag coefficients. A correlation describing the relation between the friction-drag discrepancy and the probe tip height is presented.

Blue, Robert E↗
DOE OSTI2015

Features and regularities in behavior of thermoelectric properties of rare-earth, transition, and other metals under high pressure up to 20 GPa

We report results of systematic investigations of the thermoelectric properties of a number of rare-earth metals, transition metals, and other metals under high pressure up to 20 GPa at room temperature. We studied an effect of applied pressure on the Seebeck effect of scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), europium (Eu), ytterbium (Yb), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), tin (Sn), and CeNi alloy. We found that the high-pressure behavior of the thermopower of three rare-earth metals, namely, Sc, Y, and La, follows a general trend that has been established earlier in lanthanides, and addressed to a s → d electron transfer. Europium and ytterbium, on the contrary, showed a peculiar high-pressure behavior of the thermopower with peaks at near 0.7–1 GPa for Eu and 1.7–2.5 GPa for Yb. Chromium, manganese, and tin demonstrated a gradual and pronounced lowering of the absolute value of the thermopower with pressure. Above 9–11 GPa, the Seebeck coefficients of Mn and Sn were inverted, from n- to p-type for Mn and from p- to n-type for Sn. The Seebeck effect in iron was rather high as ∼16 μV/K and weakly varied with pressure up to ∼11 GPa. Above ∼11 GPa, it started to drop dramatically with pressure to highest pressure achieved 18 GPa. Upon decompression cycle the thermopower of iron returned to the original high values but demonstrated a wide hysteresis loop. We related this behavior in iron to the known bcc (α-Fe) → hcp (ε-Fe) phase transition, and proposed that the thermoelectricity of the α-Fe phase is mainly contributed by the spin Seebeck effect, likewise, the thermoelectricity of the ε-Fe phase—by the conventional diffusion thermopower. We compare the pressure dependencies of the thermopower for different groups of metals and figure out some general trends in the thermoelectricity of metals under applied stress.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

The electron canonical battery effect in magnetic reconnection: Completion of the electron canonical vorticity framework

A widespread practice in studying magnetic reconnection is to examine the electron momentum equation. Here, we present an alternative, ab initio framework that examines the motion of the electron canonical vorticity, which is the curl of the electron canonical momentum. The competition between just two terms—the convective term and the electron canonical battery term—determines the dynamics of electron canonical vorticity and equivalently the electron physics down to first principles. To demonstrate the power of this approach, the growth, saturation, stability, and morphology of the electron diffusion region are explained within the electron canonical vorticity framework. The framework provides a clear distinction between reconnection models where the frozen-in property of the magnetic field is violated by electron inertia and by pressure tensor effects such as electron viscosity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Molecular Gas Dominated 50 kpc Ram Pressure Stripped Tail of the Coma Galaxy D100

We have discovered large amounts of molecular gas, as traced by CO emission, in the ram pressure stripped gas tail of the Coma cluster galaxy D100 (GMP 2910), out to large distances of about 50 kpc. D100 has a 60 kpc long, strikingly narrow tail, which is bright in X-rays and Hα. Our observations with the IRAM 30 m telescope reveal in total ∼10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} H{sub 2} (assuming the standard CO-to-H{sub 2} conversion) in several regions along the tail, thus indicating that molecular gas may dominate its mass. Along the tail, we measure a smooth gradient in the radial velocity of the CO emission that is offset to lower values from the more diffuse Hα gas velocities. Such a dynamic separation of phases may be due to their differential acceleration by ram pressure. D100 is likely being stripped at a high orbital velocity ≳2200 km s{sup −1} by (nearly) peak ram pressure. Combined effects of intra-cluster medium (ICM) viscosity and magnetic fields may be important for the evolution of the stripped interstellar matter. We propose that D100 has reached a continuous mode of stripping of dense gas remaining in its nuclear region. D100 is the second known case of an abundant molecular stripped gas tail, suggesting that conditions in the ICM at the centers of galaxy clusters may be favorable for molecularization. From comparison with other galaxies, we find that there is a good correlation between the CO flux and the Hα surface brightness in ram pressure stripped gas tails, over ∼2 dex.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Demonstration of Passive Phoretic Decontamination by Accident Simulation in a Scaled Reactor Containment

Reactor containment performance is a critical defense-in- depth barrier for the prevention of radioactive release in the event of a nuclear accident. One of the functions of the containment is to assist in the decontamination of aerosolized radioactive particles through both 'passive' or natural processes and 'active' or mechanical processes. Current United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) guidance (Reg. guide 1.183) allows the use of aerosol natural deposition correlations to quantify postaccident nuclear containment decontamination factors. Large Light Water Reactor (LLWR) correlations have previously been developed to quantify the contribution of natural phenomena to post-accident aerosol decontamination. Specific correlations must similarly be developed to support the safety analyses of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). For LLWR plants, decontamination is achieved 'actively' by mechanical systems such as containment sprays and 'passively' via natural phenomena such as gravitational settling, condensation, impaction, thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis and hygroscopic effects. Integrated pressurized water reactor (iPWR) SMR designs do not have containment sprays; therefore, they rely primarily on passive natural phenomena for decontamination in the integrated reactor vessel. Analytical studies and inferences from LLWR test data suggest that the smaller containment vessel volume to surface area ratio, coupled with the thermal hydraulic properties of iPWR plants, would significantly enhance decontamination factors for these smaller designs. The research aims to quantify the amount of decontamination from natural phenomena for the range of iPWR physical and thermal hydraulic characteristics. A preliminary assessment has shown that diffusiophoresis, thermophoresis and hygroscopic effects are the major areas with a research gap for iPWR plants; hence these areas are the foci of the research. These first-of-a-kind experiments will be described and preliminary analytical results will be presented that show the expected effects of SMR-specific correlations on passive decontamination of aerosolized radionuclides.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS2021

Soil Moisture–Atmosphere Feedbacks Dominate Land Carbon Uptake Variability

Year-to-year changes in carbon uptake by terrestrial ecosystems play an essential role in determining atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. It remains uncertain to what extent temperature and water availability can explain these variations at the global scale. Here we use factorial climate model simulations and show that variability in soil moisture drives 90% of the inter-annual variability in global land carbon uptake, mainly through its impact on photosynthesis. We find that most of this ecosystem response occurs indirectly as soil moisture–atmosphere feedbacks amplify temperature and humidity anomalies, and enhance the direct effects of soil water stress. The strength of this feedback mechanism explains why coupled climate models indicate a dominant role of soil moisture which is not readily apparent in land surface model simulations and observational analyses. These findings highlight the need to account for feedbacks between soil and atmospheric dryness when estimating the carbon cycle’s response to climatic change globally, as well as when conducting field-scale investigations of the ecosystem response to droughts. Our results show that most of the global variability in modelled land carbon uptake is driven by temperature and vapour pressure deficit effects which are controlled by soil moisture.

Atmospheric dynamics↗
NASA NTRS2021

Automated Technique for the Detection of Step-Like Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Changes: Application to the Response of the Transpolar Potential to Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Fronts

The input from the solar wind (SW) and the accompanying Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) is the defining feature of the solar wind-magnetosphere interactions. One of the most important SW drivers is the solar wind dynamic pressure, and most significantly its sharp changes known as pressure fronts. Sudden enhancements in solar wind dynamic pressure, SWP, have been shown to lead to intensification of the auroral electrojets (and Region 1 field-aligned currents), increase in auroral emissions, and significant enhancement in ionospheric convection and the transpolar potential. Case studies of the interaction between pressure fronts and the terrestrial space environment shed great light on their importance to the structure and dynamics of the system. However, thorough understanding of the interaction requires fully statistical investigations. These statistical studies require a large number of suitable pressure front events. In the past these have been obtained through laborious manual inspection of solar wind data. We present an automated procedure that identifies sudden step enhancements in SWP that satisfy a desired set of limiting step-like characteristics, such as magnitude of the change, sign of the change (positive/negative), and rate of change. The procedure yields a list of suitable events, along with their step features within minutes. The technique is tested for missed events and false positives by direct comparison to manual inspection of the data. Its utility is illustrated by application to the statistical effect of pressure fronts to the transpolar potential as measured by the Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) technique.

A. Boudouridis↗
NASA NTRS1980

Study of cooling air inlet and exit geometries for horizontally opposed piston aircraft engines

A semispan wing and nacelle of a typical general aviation twin-engine aircraft was tested to evaluate the cooling capability and drag of several nacelle shapes; the nacelle shapes included cooling air inlet and exit variations. The tests were conducted in the Ames Research Center's 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel. It was found that the cooling air inlet geometry of opposed piston engine installations has a major effect on inlet pressure recovery, but only a minor effect on drag. Exit location showed a large effect on drag, especially for those locations on the sides of the nacelle where the suction characteristics were based on interaction with the wing surface pressures.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Cooling Air Inlet and Exit Geometries on Aircraft Engine Installations

A semispan wing and nacelle of a typical general aviation twin-engine aircraft was tested to evaluate the cooling capability and drag or several nacelle shapes; the nacelle shapes included cooling air inlet and exit variations. The tests were conducted in the Ames Research Center 40 x 80-ft Wind Tunnel. It was found that the cooling air inlet geometry of opposed piston engine installations has a major effect on inlet pressure recovery, but only a minor effect on drag. Exit location showed large effect on drag, especially for those locations on the sides of the nacelle where the suction characteristics were based on interaction with the wing surface pressures.

Katz, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1971

Radiative transfer effects on reflected shock waves. I - Transparent gas.

Analytical and numerical calculation of the effects of radiative cooling on the flow field and heat transfer behind a reflected shock wave. The analytical solutions are developed by an expansion procedure about the Newtonian limit - i.e., the flow variables are expanded in the small parameter epsilon representing the initial density ratio across the shock front. Solutions carried out through the zeroth- and first-orders in epsilon show an accuracy to the order of epsilon squared - namely, for the specific conditions considered the analytically calculated enthalpy changes agree to within 2% with the numerically computed changes. The numerical procedure consists of a finite-difference calculation with pressure gradients neglected. The analytical calculations show that pressure-gradient effects may be neglected, except at very long times when the shocked gas has cooled by a large amount. The present calculations show much greater shock-wave attenuation than does a previous numerical computation. This difference is attributed to a better representation of the thermodynamic properties in the present calculations.

Su, F. Y.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electrochemical Ammonia Compression

An electrochemical (EC) compressor is a solid-state compression device. For decades, researchers have been studying EC compressors for applications for a variety of energy systems. As the world transitions away from fossil fuel energy sources, EC compression emerges as a promising technique for energy storage, specifically energy stored in the form of pressurized ammonia. Ammonia is also a commonly used refrigerant. The present studies examine the viability of EC compression for ammonia storage and refrigeration. EC ammonia compression increases the concentration of an ammonia-hydrogen mixture via the input of electrical energy and a series of chemical reactions. A polymer electrolyte membrane separates the low-concentration side from the high-concentration side of the device. On the low-pressure (anode) side hydrogen atoms oxidize and react with ammonia molecules, forming positively charge ammonium ions. The ions traverse the membrane electrolytically. The ammonium ions are reduced and revert back to hydrogen and ammonia upon reaching the high-pressure (cathode). An external circuit provides the current needed to sustain the reactions. In this project, we studied the performance of the ammonia EC compressor under a variety of different conditions. We replicated preliminary data and using a small cell with 5 cm2 of active area. We demonstrated the operation of larger cells with 100 cm2 of active area. Further, we used a commercially available hydrogen EC compressor stack to analyze the scaled-up compressor performance. While previous experiments examined only the transient EC compressor performance, we developed test facilities that allowed the compressor to reach steady state. We analyzed the effects of pressure and current on the EC compressor performance. We measured the flow rates of gas leaving the compressors and analyzed the composition using gas chromatography. We tested methods of separating ammonia from the effluent vapor, which contained hydrogen and water vapor. We found that back diffusion adversely affected the performance, especially when we maintained high pressure lifts.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Effect of neutron beamline irradiation on hydrogen equilibrium vapor pressure over hydrided Zircaloy-4

Here, the effect of neutron irradiation on the hydrogen equilibrium vapor pressure over hydrided samples of nickel-plated Zircaloy-4 was evaluated at the Washington State University Research Reactor’s epithermal beamline facility. To enable this study, a measurement capability was designed and assembled to obtain low pressure (<0.1 Pa) measurements over the temperature range of interest (i.e., ~300° - 400°C). Measurement results were in good agreement with tends extrapolated from previous data obtained at higher temperatures as well as recent thermodynamic data. No irradiation enhancement of vapor pressure was observed under the incident flux of epithermal neutrons over this temperature range.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1994

Solar flare model atmospheres

Solar flare model atmospheres computed under the assumption of energetic equilibrium in the chromosphere are presented. The models use a static, one-dimensional plane-parallel geometry and are designed within a physically self-consistent coronal loop. Assumed flare heating mechanisms include collisions from a flux of nonthermal electrons and X-ray heating of the chromosphere by the corona. The heating by energetic electrons accounts explicitly for variations of the ionized fraction with depth in the atmosphere. X-ray heating of the chromosphere by the corona incorporates a flare loop geometry by approximating distant portions of the loop with a series of point sources, while treating the loop leg closest to the chromospheric footpoint in the plane-parallel approximation. Coronal flare heating leads to increased heat conduction, chromospheric evaporation and subsequent changes in coronal pressure; these effects are included self-consistently in the models. Cooling in the chromosphere is computed in detail for the important optically thick H I, Ca II and Mg II transitions using the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) prescription in the program MULTI. Hydrogen ionization rates from X-ray photoionization and collisional ionization by nonthermal electrons are included explicitly in the rate equations. The models are computed in the 'impulsive' and 'equilibrium' limits, and in a set of intermediate 'evolving' states. The impulsive atmospheres have the density distribution frozen in the pre-flare configuration, while the equilibrium models assume the entire atmosphere is in hydrostatic and energetic equilibrium. The evolving atmospheres represent intermediate stages where hydrostatic equilibrium has been established in the chromosphere and corona, but the corona is not yet in energetic equilibrium with the flare heating source. Thus, for example, chromospheric evaporation is still in the process of occurring. We have computed the chromospheric radiation that results from a range of coronal heating rates, with particular emphasis on the widely observed diagnostic H(alpha). Our conclusion is that the H(alpha) fluxes and profiles actually observed in flares can only be produced under conditions of a low-pressure corona with strong beam heating. Therefore we suggest that H(alpha) in flares is produced primarily at the footprints of newly heated loops where significant evaporation has not yet occurred. As a single loop evolves in time, no matter how strong the heating rate may become, the H(alpha) flux will diminish as the corona becomes denser and hence more effective at stopping the beam. This prediction leads to several observable consequences regarding the spatial and temporal signatures of the X-ray and H(alpha) radiation during flares.

Hawley, Suzanne L.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Ag isotopic and chalcophile element evolution of the terrestrial and martian mantles during accretion: new constraints from Bi, Pd, and Ag metal-silicate partitioning.

The Earth’s timing of accretion and acquisition of moderately volatile compounds is uncertain. Hafnium-W and Mn-Cr isotopic data can bracket the timing of early planetary differentiation and core formation. The Ag-Pd system has also been utilized but its application has been limited by a lack of high pressure and temperature metal-silicate partitioning for Pd and Ag. Be-cause Ag (and Bi) are volatile chalcophile siderophile elements, understanding their early distribution can constrain the origin of volatile elements in differentiated bodies and planets. Unfortunately, neither Ag or Bi have been studied across the wide range of pressure and temperature conditions that are relevant to accretion and core-mantle differentiation. Here, new high-pressure and temperature multi-anvil metal-silicate equilibrium experiments for Bi and Ag have been carried out at conditions relevant to planetary accretion and metal silicate differentiation that allow a more refined and complete understanding of element partitioning during core formation. The new metal-silicate partitioning data utilized to predict the distributions of Bi, Pd, and Ag at conditions of accretion for Earth and Mars and show that the Pd/Ag ratio is significantly fractionated during accretion, allowing for the production of detectable 107Ag anomalies produced while 107Pd (half life = 6.5 M.y.) was still extant. Application of the new partitioning results to Earth shows that D(Bi) and D(Ag) (D = metal/silicate concentration ratio) are lowered due to the effect of pressure and Si alloyed in the metallic liquid, resulting in higher predicted mantle Bi and Ag abundances than in the bulk silicate Earth (BSE), as well as high and variable Pd/Ag. The unradiogenic Ag isotopic composition of the BSE could have been generated by early accretion of volatile-poor (high Pd/Ag) precursors, followed by later accretion of volatile–rich (low Pd/Ag) material, in agreement with earlier studies of Pd-Ag and Mn-Cr (Schönbächler et al., 2010). However, these main accretion phases would have to be followed by segregation of a sulfide liquid (at least 1.5% of magma ocean) at high pressures (>30 GPa), to explain the PUM Bi, Pd, and Ag, as well as Au, Pt, Cu and Ni concentrations as proposed previously. If the early accreted bulk Earth was volatile depleted with high Pd/Ag ratios, portions of the mantle may contain ancient domains that developed positive 107Ag isotopic anomalies (as also argued by noble gases, Nd, W, and Os isotopes). In comparison, Bi, Pd, and Ag concentrations in the martian mantle could have been set by simple metal-silicate equilibrium. Mars accreted and differentiated relatively rapidly, while also developing a deep magma ocean with a high Pd/Ag ratio that could have evolved positive 107Ag anomalies, in contrast to Earth. Measurements on shergottites may reveal these predicted Ag isotopic anomalies.

accretion↗
NASA NTRS1994

Compression strength of composite primary structural components

The linear elastic response is determined for an internally pressurized, long circular cylindrical shell stiffened on the inside by a regular arrangement of identical stringers and identical rings. Periodicity of this configuration permits the analysis of a portion of the shell wall centered over a generic stringer-ring joint; i.e., a unit cell model. The stiffeners are modeled as discrete beams, and the stringer is assumed to have a symmetrical cross section and the ring an asymmetrical section. Asymmetery causes out-of-plane bending and torsion of the ring. Displacements are assumed as truncated double Fourier series plus simple terms in the axial coordinate to account for the closed and pressure vessel effect (a non-periodic effect). The interacting line loads between the stiffeners and the inside shell wall are Lagrange multipliers in the formulation, and they are also assumed as truncated Fourier series. Displacement continuity constraints between the stiffeners and shell along the contact lines are satisfied point-wise. Equilibrium is imposed by the principle of virtual work. A composite material crown panel from the fuselage of a large transport aircraft is the numerical example. The distributions of the interacting line loads, and the out-of-plane bending moment and torque in the ring, are strongly dependent on modeling the deformations due to transverse shear and cross-sectional warping of the ring in torsion. This paper contains the results from the semiannual report on research on 'Pressure Pillowing of an Orthogonally Stiffened Cylindrical Shell'. The results of the new work are illustrated in the included appendix.

Johnson, Eric R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Experiment Evaluation of Bifurcation in Sands

The basic principles of bifurcation analysis have been established by several investigators, however several issues remain unresolved, specifically how do stress level, grain size distribution, and boundary conditions affect general bifurcation phenomena in pressure sensitive and dilatant materials. General geometrical and kinematics conditions for moving surfaces of discontinuity was derived and applied to problems of instability of solids. In 1962, the theoretical framework of bifurcation by studying the acceleration waves in elasto-plastic (J2) solids were presented. Bifurcation analysis for more specific forms of constitutive behavior was examined by studying localization in pressure-sensitive, dilatant materials, however, analyses were restricted to plane deformation states only. Bifurcation analyses were presented and applied to predict shear band formations in sand under plane strain condition. The properties of discontinuous bifurcation solutions for elastic-plastic solids under axisymmetric and plane strain loading conditions were studied. The study focused on theory, but also references and comparisons to experiments were made. The current paper includes a presentation of a summary of bifurcation analyses for biaxial and triaxial (axisymmetric) loading conditions. The Coulomb model is implemented using incremental piecewise scheme to predict the constitutive relations and shear band inclination angles. Then, a comprehensive evaluation of bifurcation phenomena is presented based on data from triaxial experiments performed under microgravity conditions aboard the Space Shuttle under very low effective confining pressure (0.05 to 1.30 kPa), in which very high peak friction angles (47 to 75 degrees) and dilatancy angles (30 to 31 degrees) were measured. The evaluation will be extended to include biaxial experiments performed on the same material under low (10 kPa) and moderate (100 kPa) confining pressures. A comparison between the behavior under biaxial and triaxial loading conditions will be presented, and related issues concerning influence of confining pressure will be discussed.

Alshibi, Khalid A.↗