Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Enclosures”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Heat transfer device having an enclosure and a non-permeable barrier inside the enclosure

A heat transfer device includes a hollow spacer between opposed substrates, defining an enclosure, at least one of the substrates adapted to be secured to at least one heat source. A non-permeable barrier is in the enclosure between the substrates. A first chamber inside the enclosure is defined by the spacer, the substrates, and the barrier, the first chamber in fluid communication with at least one first inlet and first outlet. A second chamber inside the enclosure and outside the first chamber and is defined by the spacer, the substrates, and the barrier, the second chamber in fluid communication with at least one second outlet. A wick structure is secured to at least one substrate, a first portion of the wick structure in the first chamber, and a second portion of the wick structure in the second chamber and interconnecting in passive liquid communication with the first portion.

Shaeri, Mohammad Reza↗
NASA NTRS1994

Active minimization of energy density in three-dimensional enclosures

The objective of this research project is to further investigate and develop a novel approach for actively controlling the sound field in enclosures. Typically the acoustic field in an enclosure has been controlled by minimizing the sum of the squared pressures from several microphones distributed throughout the enclosure. The approach being investigated in this project involves minimizing the acoustic energy density at the sensor locations, rather than the squared pressure. Previous research in a simple one-dimensional enclosure showed that improved global attenuation of the acoustic field is often obtained by minimizing the energy density, rather than the pressure. The current project builds on the previous research by extending the method of controlling the acoustic energy density to three-dimensional enclosures. The results will establish if improved control can still be expected in a more general enclosure. Pending successful results, the method could be applied to control problems such as attenuating the acoustic noise in an aircraft fuselage, an automobile cabin, or other general enclosures. The research project was set up as a two-year project designed to achieve both numerical and experimental results. The primary focus of the first year of research (now being completed) was on the analytical/numerical modeling of the method of controlling the acoustic energy density. During the second year, the research focuses on experimental verification of the approach and extending our understanding of the method.

Sommerfeldt, Scott D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Application of static and dynamic enclosures for determining dimethyl sulfide and carbonyl sulfide exchange in Sphagnum peatlands: Implications for the magnitude and direction of flux

A static enclosure method was applied to determine the exchange of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and carbonyl sulfide (OCS) between the surface of Sphagnum peatlands and the atmosphere. Measurements were performed concurrently with dynamic (flow through) enclosure measurements with sulfur-free air used as sweep gas. This latter technique has been used to acquire the majority of available data on the exchange of S gases between the atmosphere and the continental surfaces and has been criticized because it is thought to overestimate the true flux of gases by disrupting natural S gas gradients. DMS emission rates determined by both methods were not statistically different between 4 and greater than 400 nmol/sq m/h, indicating that previous data on emissions of at least DMS are probably valid. However, the increase in DMS in static enclosures was not linear, indicating the potential for a negative feedback of enlosure DMS concentrations on efflux. The dynamic enclosure method measured positive OCS flux rates (emission) at all sites, while data using static enclosures indicated that OCS was consumed from the atmosphere at these same sites at rates of 3.7 to 55 nmol/sq m/h. Measurements using both enclosure techniques at a site devoid of vegetation showed that peat was a source of both DMS and OCS. However, the rate of OCS efflux from decomposing peat was more than counterbalanced by OCS consumption by vegetation, including Sphagnum mosses, and net OCS uptake occurred at all sites. We propose that all wetlands are net sinks for OCS.

De Mello, William Z.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Active minimization of energy density in three-dimensional enclosures

The objective of this study was to further investigate and develop a novel approach for actively controlling the sound field in enclosures that is based on the acoustic energy density. Typically the acoustic field in an enclosure has been controlled by minimizing the sum of the squared pressures from several microphones distributed throughout the enclosure. The approach investigated in this study involved minimizing the acoustic energy density at the sensor locations, rather than the squared pressure. Research previous to this study in a simple one-dimensional enclosure showed that improved global attenuation of the acoustic field is often obtained by minimizing the energy density, rather than the pressure. The current study built on the previous research by extending the method of controlling the acoustic energy density to three-dimensional enclosures. The study was intended to help establish if improved control can still be expected in a more general enclosure. The study was designed to be both analytical/numerical and experimental in nature.

Sommerfeldt, Scott D.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of Hydrogen Permeation Barrier and Matrix Interaction Protection Coatings for TZM Enclosure of Hydride Moderators (Microreactor Program M3 Report)

It is important to develop a high-performance enclosure solution for hydride-based microreactor moderation components to effectively suppress hydride thermal decomposition and prevent hydrogen loss in harsh in-reactor environments. Currently, the DOE-NE Microreactor Program (MR program) is investigating the titanium-zirconium-molybdenum (TZM) canned yttrium hydride (YH 2-x ) solution, which provides acceptable hydrogen retainment performance up to ~700 °C. However, improvements in the enclosure are necessary for increasing long-term operation temperature beyond 700 °C and enhancing short-term survivability at even higher temperatures during power transients. One potential solution is the addition of a dedicated hydrogen permeation barrier, which can potentially improve the enclosure's performance. Furthermore, the hydride moderator components will be inserted into the microreactor matrix, which may consist of materials that are not chemically inert against TZM. Therefore, the TZM might need to be protected from the external environment through the application of another surface protection coating. To address these critical issues, two types of barrier coatings optimized for TZM-based moderator enclosure has been developed. A multilayer coating approach has been used to identify TZM-compatible barrier materials. Behavior of these coating designs against H 2 permeation and long-term high-temperature graphite matrix interactions has been examined in detail. Additionally, the developed coatings' behavior when exposed to both high-temperature thermal cycling and heavy-ion irradiation has also been investigated. Overall, the development of these barrier coatings is essential for achieving maturity for the metal hydride moderator technology. The results in this report will provide crucial insights into the behavior of the developed coatings and their potential for improving the long-term performance of TZM-based moderator enclosures.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1973

Net radiation method for enclosure systems involving partially transparent walls

The net radiation method is developed for analyzing radiation heat transfer in enclosure systems involving partially transparent walls. One such system is an enclosure with windows in it. The conventional net radiation method was developed for enclosures having opaque walls. If a partially transparent wall is present, it will permit radiation to enter and leave the enclosure. The net radiation equations are developed here for gray and semigray enclosures with one or more windows. Another system of interest, such as in a flat plate solar collector, consists of a series of parallel transparent layers. The transmission characteristics of such window systems are obtained by the net radiation method, and the technique appears to be more convenient than the ray tracing method which has been used in the past. Relations are developed for windows consisting of any number of parallel layers having differing absorption coefficients and differing surface reflectivities, and for systems composed of parallel transmitting layers and opaque plates.

Siegel, R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Electrical enclosure hydrogen intrusion study

As a cost savings measure for the space shuttle program, the feasibility of substituting dry air for nitrogen as the purge gas used to minimize the probability of fire and explosions which could erupt from propellant vapor (hydrogen) diffusion into the electrical enclosures at Launch Complex 39 was investigated. It was concluded that: (1) Hydrogen concentrations of approximately 1% were obtained in an electrical enclosure under design purge conditions. (2) Hydrogen concentrations exceeding the lower explosive limit, 4%, could probably be obtained within the enclosure under worst case conditions. (3) Most of the hydrogen intrusion into the enclosure probably occurred at the point with the shortest leak path, such as the door seal. (4) More stringent electrical enclosure design requirements should be imposed before air is using as a purge gas.

Welch, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Shielding Effectiveness of Metallic Enclosures at Oblique and Arbitrary Polarizations

Shielding effectiveness of metallic enclosures with apertures when illuminated by an oblique incidence arbitrary polarized plane wave has been studied by using an efficient hybrid modal/moment technique. Shielding effectiveness of rectangular enclosures with one, two, and four apertures at multiple points inside the enclosures for various frequencies has been calculated when the illuminating source flies by the front of the enclosure. The work shows that the shielding effectiveness is seriously affected by frequency, angle of incidence and polarization of the illuminating field; the number and orientation of apertures; and the location inside the cavity. It has been shown that the usual assumption about the normal incidence being the worst-case scenario for shielding effectiveness values may not be valid when there is more than one aperture in the cavity. The paper emphasizes the need for the statistical investigation of shielding effectiveness problem of metallic enclosures with apertures.

Deshpande, Manohar D.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spliced soft-core interaction potential for filling small-scale enclosures

A molecular dynamics system employing a spliced soft-core potential (the “MD/SSCP”) facilitates studying the arrangement of particles in an enclosure and/or near an interface. In some embodiments, the MD/SSCP initializes a three-dimensional representation containing the enclosure and the particles in a first arrangement. The MD/SSCP conducts a first simulation to transition the representation to a second arrangement, during which the particles are allowed to move through a wall of the enclosure while the SSCP is unengaged. The MD/SSCP conducts a second simulation to transition the representation to a third arrangement, during which it becomes more difficult for the particles to move through the wall of the enclosure while the SSCP is gradually engaged. The MD/SSCP conducts a third simulation to transition the representation to a fourth arrangement of the particles, during which it becomes almost impossible for the particles to move through the wall of the enclosure.

Meshot, Eric↗
DOE OSTI2022

Reduction in RF sheath rectification with insulating antenna enclosure walls

Abstract Radiofrequency (RF) sheath rectification is one of the most prominent deleterious effects associated with ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating in fusion plasmas. RF sheaths and associated effects, such as impurity generation and convective cell generation, need to be mitigated to ensure that ICRF is a viable option for heating in future fusion devices. Experiments were performed on the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA to explore the effects of using electrically-insulating antenna enclosures on RF rectified sheaths. Three different enclosure side-wall materials were used, including copper, MACOR (electrically insulating), and MACOR over copper. In the case of the MACOR–copper side walls, the non-conductive MACOR material was exposed to the bulk plasma but a layer of copper was added below to allow for image currents to flow. All three of the experiments had similar plasma density, temperature, and background magnetic field. In the case of the copper enclosure, RF rectified potentials, many times the local electron temperature, and associated formation of convective cells were observed and reported Martin M. et al (2017 Phys. Rev. Lett. 119 205002). In the experiments with MACOR and MACOR–copper enclosures, RF rectification was significantly reduced. Additionally, these latter two experiments showed no evidence of convective cell formation. Although the results from the MACOR experiment are reminiscent of the results obtained in ASDEX-U with a three-strap antenna optimized to reduce image currents on the antenna limiters Bobkov V. et al (2016 Nucl. Fusion 56 084001), the MACOR–copper experiment seems to suggest that insulating plasma facing materials have at least an equally strong impact on reducing potential rectification.

Physics↗
NASA NTRS1979

Application of the relative energy release criteria to enclosure fire testing

The five relative energy release criteria (RERC) which are a first step towards formulating a unified concept that can be applied to the development of fires in enclosures, place upper bounds on the rate and amount of energy released during a fire. They are independent, calculated readily, and may be applied generally to any enclosure regardless of size. They are useful in pretest planning and for interpreting experimental data. Data from several specific fire test programs were examined to evaluate the potential use of RERC to provide test planning guidelines. The RERC were compared with experimental data obtained in full-scale enclosures. These results confirm that in general the RERC do identify the proper limiting constraints on enclosure fire development and determine the bounds of the fire development envelope. Plotting actual fire data against the RERC reveals new valid insights into fire behavior and reveals the controlling constraints in fire development. The RERC were calculated and plotted for several descrpitions of full-scale fires in various aircraft compartments.

Roschke, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Enclosure fire hazard analysis using relative energy release criteria

A method for predicting the probable course of fire development in an enclosure is presented. This fire modeling approach uses a graphic plot of five fire development constraints, the relative energy release criteria (RERC), to bound the heat release rates in an enclosure as a function of time. The five RERC are flame spread rate, fuel surface area, ventilation, enclosure volume, and total fuel load. They may be calculated versus time based on the specified or empirical conditions describing the specific enclosure, the fuel type and load, and the ventilation. The calculation of these five criteria, using the common basis of energy release rates versus time, provides a unifying framework for the utilization of available experimental data from all phases of fire development. The plot of these criteria reveals the probable fire development envelope and indicates which fire constraint will be controlling during a criteria time period. Examples of RERC application to fire characterization and control and to hazard analysis are presented along with recommendations for the further development of the concept.

Coulbert, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Development of a General Method for Determining Leak Rates from Limiting Enclosures

This paper discusses the development of a general method for the determination of very low leak rates from limiting enclosures. There are many methods that can be used to detect and repair leaks from enclosures. Many methods have also been proposed that allow the estimation of actual leak rates, usually expressed as enclosure volume turnover. The proposed method combines measurements of the state variables (pressure, temperature, and volume) as well as the change in the concentration of a tracer gas to estimate the leak rate. The method was applied to the containment enclosure of the Engineering Development Unit of the CELSS Test Facility, currently undergoing testing at the NASA Ames Research Center.

Zografos, A. I.↗
NASA NTRS2019

On the Maximum Expected Electric Field in Electrically Small, Undermoded Enclosures

This paper reports the experimental validation of an improved statistical model for the prediction of maximum expected electric field in electrically small and under-moded enclosures. The aerospace community is interested in application of Hill’s statistical models to design of avionics boxes for shielding effectiveness and for tailoring EMC test requirements for critical applications. However, it is observed that the probability distribution for mean-squared electric field (|E(sub x)|(exp 2)) in an electrically small enclosure differs from the exponential distribution which is widely used in reverberation chamber testing. It is postulated here that the difference is attributable to the under-moded character of the small enclosure. We will define “under-moded” as the condition where a single excitation frequency does not excite enough closely spaced resonant modes to achieve Hill’s assumption of an isotropic (or fully diffuse) plane wave field in the enclosure.

Bremner, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Advanced Modular Power System Fully Populated Electronics Enclosure Thermal Testing

A thermal test of an enclosure housing the AMPS electronics cards was performed. The enclosure was fully populated with 17 nonfunctioning AMPS electronics cards. Heaters were applied to the cards to simulate their operation. A cold plate was installed on the top of the case. The case was then insulated to simulate its installation within an electronics rack with the face and rear of the enclosure left open. The cold plate was connected to a chiller which provided cooling water at a fixed input temperature to the cold plate. Flow rates from the chiller of 0.0 L/min, 1.4 L/min and 1.8 L/min were tested. The test was operated at each flow rate over a range of heater power levels until the steady state temperature of the electronics cards was reached. Heater power levels from 2.5 W/card to 45 W/card were tested. The data collected was used to determine the steady state operating temperature of the cards, the temperature distribution between the cards, the time to reach steady-state temperature, the change in steady state temperature with change in heater power, the temperature distribution between the cards at the steady state condition and the heat lost to the surrounds by the enclosure. One of the main goals of the testing was to determine how much waste heat the cards could generate and still maintain a touch temperature at or below 40°C. Based on this requirement, for the 3 cooling rates tested, the maximum card waste heat that could be generated by each individual card was 3.9 W, 16.3 W and 17.6 W respectively. An analysis was also set up to provide an analytical model to estimate the card temperature under different cold plate flow rates and card heater power levels. The results off the analysis was compared to that of the experiment of the range of flow rates and power levels tested.

Anthony Colozza↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enclosure for light detection and ranging unit and related methods

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to light detection and ranging. In one aspect, a method comprises providing an apparatus. The apparatus comprises a LiDAR unit and a LiDAR enclosure. The LiDAR enclosure comprises a four-sided container having a square or rectangular cross-section with a first open end and a second open end comprising two opposite ends of the four-sided container. The LiDAR unit is attached to a mounting area inside the four-sided container. A reflective material is disposed on an interior of a second side and a third side of the four-sided container. Laser light is generated with the LiDAR unit. The laser light that has interacted with environment surrounding the LiDAR enclosure and that has been reflected back to the LiDAR unit is detected. The detected laser light is processed to construct an image of the environment surrounding the LiDAR enclosure.

Bandstra, Mark S.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Finite Element Analysis and Machine Learning Guided Design of Carbon Fiber Organosheet-Based Battery Enclosures for Crashworthiness

Carbon fiber composite can be a potential candidate for replacing metal-based battery enclosures of current electric vehicles (E.V.s) owing to its better strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, the strength of carbon fiber-based structures depends on several parameters that should be carefully chosen. Here, in this work, we implemented high throughput finite element analysis (FEA) based thermoforming simulation to virtually manufacture the battery enclosure using different design and processing parameters. Subsequently, we performed virtual crash simulations to mimic a side pole crash to evaluate the crashworthiness of the battery enclosures. This high throughput crash simulation dataset was utilized to build predictive models to understand the crashworthiness of an unknown set. Our machine learning (ML) models showed excellent performance (R 2 > 0.97) in predicting the crashworthiness metrics, i.e., crush load efficiency, absorbed energy, intrusion, and maximum deceleration during a crash. We believe that this FEA-ML work framework will be helpful in down select process parameters for carbon fiber-based component design and can be transferrable to other manufacturing technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Arc Weld Robotic Arm & Enclosure Seismic Anchorage in B226

The Arc Weld Robotic Arm & Enclosure is adequately anchored by the details shown on sheets SKS-01 through SKS-03. Two different Hilti anchors have been provided to allow for installation flexibility. Existing documentation shows that the existing enclosure base has been anchored with 5/8”Ø Kwik Bolt TZ’s. As a result, it is believed that the existing holes are sized for that 5/8”Ø anchor. The first option is to install a 5/8”Ø Kwik Bolt TZ2, similarly to the existing conditions. The second option is to use a threaded insert anchor. Since the largest allowable diameter of HIS-N insert is 1/2”Ø based on the slab thickness, 2”x2” square plate washers with a 9/16”Ø hole will need to be installed on the top of the existing enclosure base plates to reduce the diameter of the existing holes. This is required for the anchorage to provide proper restraint in a seismic event.

42 ENGINEERING↗