Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “LINER”

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

Exploring magnetized liner inertial fusion with a semi-analytic model

In this paper, we explore magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)] using a semi-analytic model [R. D. McBride and S. A. Slutz, Phys. Plasmas 22, 052708 (2015)]. Specifically, we present simulation results from this model that: (a) illustrate the parameter space, energetics, and overall system efficiencies of MagLIF; (b) demonstrate the dependence of radiative loss rates on the radial fraction of the fuel that is preheated; (c) explore some of the recent experimental results of the MagLIF program at Sandia National Laboratories [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)]; (d) highlight the experimental challenges presently facing the MagLIF program; and (e) demonstrate how increases to the preheat energy, fuel density, axial magnetic field, and drive current could affect future MagLIF performance.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Auto-magnetizing liners for magnetized inertial fusion

Here, the MagLIF (Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion) concept has demonstrated fusion-relevant plasma conditions on the Z accelerator using external field coils to magnetize the fuel before compression. We present a novel concept (AutoMag), which uses a composite liner with helical conduction paths separated by insulating material to provide fuel magnetization from the early part of the drive current, which by design rises slowly enough to avoid electrical breakdown of the insulators. Once the magnetization field is established, the drive current rises more quickly, which causes the insulators to break down allowing the drive current to follow an axial path and implode the liner in the conventional z-pinch manner. There are two important advantages to AutoMag over external field coils for the operation of MagLIF. Low inductance magnetically insulated power feeds can be used to increase the drive current, and AutoMag does not interfere with diagnostic access. Also, AutoMag enables a pathway to energy applications for MagLIF, since expensive field coils will not be damaged each shot. Finally, it should be possible to generate Field Reversed Configurations (FRC) by using both external field coils and AutoMag in opposite polarities. This would provide a means to studying FRC liner implosions on the 100 ns time scale.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Fusion-neutron measurements for magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments on the Z accelerator

Several magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) experiments have been conducted on the Z accelerator at Sandia National Laboratories since late 2013. Measurements of the primary DD (2.45 MeV) neutrons for these experiments suggest that the neutron production is thermonuclear. Primary DD yields up to 3e12 with ion temperatures ~2-3 keV have been achieved. Measurements of the secondary DT (14 MeV) neutrons indicate that the fuel is significantly magnetized. Measurements of down-scattered neutrons from the beryllium liner suggest ρR liner ~ 1g/cm 2 . Neutron bang times, estimated from neutron time-of-flight (nTOF) measurements, coincide with peak x-ray production. Furthermore, plans to improve and expand the Z neutron diagnostic suite include neutron burn-history diagnostics, increased sensitivity and higher precision nTOF detectors, and neutron recoil-based yield and spectral measurements.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Development of a cryogenically cooled platform for the Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) Program [Development of a cryogenically-cooled platform for the Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) Concept]

A cryogenically cooled hardware platform has been developed and commissioned on the Z Facility at Sandia National Laboratories in support of the Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) Program. MagLIF is a magneto-inertial fusion concept that employs a magnetically imploded metallic tube (liner) to compress and inertially confine premagnetized and preheated fusion fuel. The fuel is preheated using a ~2 kJ laser that must pass through a ~1.5-3.5-μm-thick polyimide “window” at the target’s laser entrance hole (LEH). As the terawatt-class laser interacts with the dense window, laser plasma instabilities (LPIs) can develop, which reduce the preheat energy delivered to the fuel, initiate fuel contamination, and degrade target performance. Cryogenically cooled targets increase the parameter space accessible to MagLIF target designs by allowing nearly 10 times thinner windows to be used for any accessible gas density. Thinner LEH windows reduce the deleterious effects of difficult to model LPIs. The Z Facility’s cryogenic infrastructure has been significantly altered to enable compatibility with the premagnetization and fuel preheat stages of MagLIF. The MagLIF cryostat brings the liquid helium coolant directly to the target via an electrically resistive conduit. This design maximizes cooling power while allowing rapid diffusion of the axial magnetic field supplied by external Helmholtz-like coils. A variety of techniques have been developed to mitigate the accumulation of ice from vacuum chamber contaminants on the cooled LEH window, as even a few hundred nanometers of ice would impact laser energy coupling to the fuel region. Here, the MagLIF cryostat has demonstrated compatibility with the premagnetization and preheat stages of MagLIF and the ability to cool targets to liquid deuterium temperatures in approximately 5 min.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Investigation of the effect of a power feed vacuum gap in solid liner experiments at 1 MA

We present an experimental study of plasma initiation of a solid metal liner at the 1 MA level. In contrast to previous work, we introduce a vacuum gap at one of the liner connections to the power feed to investigate how this affects plasma initiation and to infer how this may affect the symmetry of the liner in compression experiments. We observed that the vacuum gap causes non-uniform plasma initiation both azimuthally and axially in liners, diagnosed by gated optical imaging. Using magnetic field probes external to the liner, we also determined that the optical emission is strongly linked to the current distribution in the liner. The apparent persistent of azimuthal non-uniformities may have implications for fusion-scale liner experiments.

Bott-Suzuki, S. C.↗

Probing off-Hugoniot states in Ta, Cu, and Al to 1000 GPa compression with magnetically driven liner implosions

We report on a new technique for obtaining off-Hugoniot pressure vs. density data for solid metals compressed to extreme pressure by a magnetically driven liner implosion on the Z-machine (Z) at Sandia National Laboratories. In our experiments, the liner comprises inner and outer metal tubes. The inner tube is composed of a sample material (e.g., Ta and Cu) whose compressed state is to be inferred. The outer tube is composed of Al and serves as the current carrying cathode. Another aluminum liner at much larger radius serves as the anode. A shaped current pulse quasi-isentropically compresses the sample as it implodes. The iterative method used to infer pressure vs. density requires two velocity measurements. Photonic Doppler velocimetry probes measure the implosion velocity of the free (inner) surface of the sample material and the explosion velocity of the anode free (outer) surface. These two velocities are used in conjunction with magnetohydrodynamic simulation and mathematical optimization to obtain the current driving the liner implosion, and to infer pressure and density in the sample through maximum compression. This new equation of state calibration technique is illustrated using a simulated experiment with a Cu sample. Monte Carlo uncertainty quantification of synthetic data establishes convergence criteria for experiments. Results are presented from experiments with Al/Ta, Al/Cu, and Al liners. Symmetric liner implosion with quasi-isentropic compression to peak pressure ∼1000 GPa is achieved in all cases. These experiments exhibit unexpectedly softer behavior above 200 GPa, which we conjecture is related to differences in the actual and modeled properties of aluminum.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

IFAR Liner Benchmark Challenge #1 - DLR Impedance Eduction of Uniform and Axially Segmented Liners and Comparison with NASA Results

This paper presents the contribution from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to the first liner benchmark challenge under the framework of the International Forum for Aviation Research (IFAR).Therefore, two sets of acoustically damping wall treatment, called ’liner samples’, have been produced by additive manufacturing based on the design data provided by NASA coordinating this benchmark. These liner samples have been integrated and acoustically characterized in the liner flow test facility DUCT-R at DLR Berlin as well as in the liner flow test facility GFIT at NASA Langley. Besides the dissipation coefficients and the axial pressure profiles, the liner wall impedance was educed by first determining the axial wave numbers and then applying a straightforward method based on the one-dimensional Convected Helmholtz Equation. Finally, the comparison of the liner impedance values to the NASA results show a fairly good agreement.

liner characterization↗

Auto-magnetizing (AutoMag) liners for MagLIF: Helically-wound composite liners.

Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) is an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) concept that includes a strong magnetic field embedded in the fuel to mitigate thermal conduction loss during the implosion. MagLIF experiments on Sandia's 20 MA Z Machine uses an external Helmholtz-like coil pair for fuel premagnetization. By contrast, the novel AutoMag concept employs a composite liner (cylindrical tube) with helically oriented conduction paths separated by insulating material to provide axial premagnetization of the fuel. Initially, during a current prepulse that slowly rises to %7E1 MA, current flows helically through the AutoMag liner, and sources the fuel with an axial field. Next, a rapidly rising main current pulse breaks down the insulation and current in the liner becomes purely axial. The liner and premagnetized fuel are then compressed by the rapidly growing azimuthal field external to the liner. This integrated axial-field-production mechanism offers a few potential advantages when compared to the external premagnetization coils. AutoMag can increase drive current to MagLIF experiments by enabling a lower inductance transmission line, provide higher premagnetization field (>30 T), and greatly increase radial x-ray diagnostic access. 3D electromagnetic simulations using ANSYS Maxwell have been completed in order to explore the current distributions within the helical conduction paths, the inter - wire dielectric strength properties, and the thermal properties of the helical conduction paths during premagnetization (%7E1 MA in 100ns). Three liner designs, of varying peak field strength, and associated varying risk of dielectric breakdown, will soon be tested in experiments on the %7E 1 MA, 100ns Mykonos facility. Experiments will measure B z (t) inside of the line r and assess failure mechanisms.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Scaling magnetized liner inertial fusion on Z and future pulsed-power accelerators

The MagLIF (Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion) concept [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)] has demonstrated fusion–relevant plasma conditions [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)] on the Z accelerator with a peak drive current of about 18 MA. We present 2D numerical simulations of the scaling of MagLIF on Z as a function of drive current, preheat energy, and applied magnetic field. The results indicate that deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion yields greater than 100 kJ could be possible on Z when all of these parameters are at the optimum values: i.e., peak current = 25 MA, deposited preheat energy = 5 kJ, and B{sub z} = 30 T. Much higher yields have been predicted [S. A. Slutz and R. A. Vesey, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 025003 (2012)] for MagLIF driven with larger peak currents. Two high performance pulsed-power accelerators (Z300 and Z800) based on linear-transformer-driver technology have been designed [W. A. Stygar et al., Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 18, 110401 (2015)]. The Z300 design would provide 48 MA to a MagLIF load, while Z800 would provide 65 MA. Parameterized Thevenin-equivalent circuits were used to drive a series of 1D and 2D numerical MagLIF simulations with currents ranging from what Z can deliver now to what could be achieved by these conceptual future pulsed-power accelerators. 2D simulations of simple MagLIF targets containing just gaseous DT have yields of 18 MJ for Z300 and 440 MJ for Z800. The 2D simulated yield for Z800 is increased to 7 GJ by adding a layer of frozen DT ice to the inside of the liner.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Diagnosing magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments on Z

Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion experiments performed at Sandia's Z facility have demonstrated significant thermonuclear fusion neutron yields (∼10{sup 12} DD neutrons) from multi-keV deuterium plasmas inertially confined by slow (∼10 cm/μs), stable, cylindrical implosions. Effective magnetic confinement of charged fusion reactants and products is signaled by high secondary DT neutron yields above 10{sup 10}. Analysis of extensive power, imaging, and spectroscopic x-ray measurements provides a detailed picture of ∼3 keV temperatures, 0.3 g/cm{sup 3} densities, gradients, and mix in the fuel and liner over the 1–2 ns stagnation duration.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Effect of ceramic coating of JT8D combustor liner on maximum liner temperatures and other combustor performance parameters

The effect of ceramic coating of a JT8D combustor liner was investigated at simulated cruise and takeoff conditions with two fuels of widely different aromatic contents. Substantial decreases in maximum liner temperatures and flame radiation values were obtained with the ceramic-coated liner. Small reductions in exhaust gas smoke concentrations were observed with the ceramic-coated liner. Other performance parameters such as combustion efficiency and emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, CO, and NOx were not affected significantly. No deterioration of the ceramic coating was observed after about 6 hours of cyclic operation including several startups and shutdowns.

Butze, H. F.↗

Multi-camera imaging to characterize jet and liner uniformity on the Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX)

At Plasma Liner Experiment, a set of 36 coaxial plasma guns are deployed quasi-uniformly over a 9 ft diameter spherical chamber and are used to form a high-Z spherically compressive plasma liner. Simulations indicate that for the concept to ultimately achieve optimal target density and temperature, a high degree of timing uniformity is required between all guns. Therefore, to aid in quantifying and correcting gun-to-gun nonuniformities, a key diagnostic will consist of up to six fisheye-view CCD cameras positioned inside the main chamber such that each has all plasma guns within its view. The individual cameras can be triggered at different times to determine each plasma jet’s muzzle velocity and structure for different operating conditions. This camera array is currently under development, and the implementation needs and challenges for this camera array are discussed here. Additionally, we detail the analysis methodology for determining jet-to-jet uniformity deviations and how we can correct them, thereby improving overall liner uniformity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Alloys for shaped charge liners method for making alloys for shaped charge liners

One embodiment of the invention provides an alloy with a density greater than 10 g/cm3, the alloy comprising a single phase solution of tungsten, nickel, and iron. Also provided is a cone liner for use in shaped charges, the liner comprised of a tungsten, nickel, iron alloy having a single phase microstructure. Substantially no precipitates or second phases exist in the alloy. One embodiment of the invention further provides a method for producing a single phase alloy, the method comprising establishing a melt of iron and nickel; dissolving tungsten in the melt to form a solution; wherein the atomic percents of the nickel, tungsten and iron range from between approximately Ni-7%W-0%Fe, Ni-18%W-0%Fe, and Ni-8%W-24%Fe, wherein Ni is the remainder, maintaining the solution at a first temperature sufficient to create a homogeneous mixture; allowing the homogeneous mixture to solidify; and thermochemically treating the solidified mixture for a time to dissolve any second phases or microstructure within the mixture.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Innovative Liner Concepts: Experiments and Impedance Modeling of Liners Including the Effect of Bias Flow

The study of normal impedance of perforated plate acoustic liners including the effect of bias flow was studied. Two impedance models were developed by modeling the internal flows of perforate orifices as infinite tubes with the inclusion of end corrections to handle finite length effects. These models assumed incompressible and compressible flows, respectively, between the far field and the perforate orifice. The incompressible model was used to predict impedance results for perforated plates with percent open areas ranging from 5% to 15%. The predicted resistance results showed better agreement with experiments for the higher percent open area samples. The agreement also tended to deteriorate as bias flow was increased. For perforated plates with percent open areas ranging from 1% to 5%, the compressible model was used to predict impedance results. The model predictions were closer to the experimental resistance results for the 2% to 3% open area samples. The predictions tended to deteriorate as bias flow was increased. The reactance results were well predicted by the models for the higher percent open area, but deteriorated as the percent open area was lowered (5%) and bias flow was increased. A fit was done on the incompressible model to the experimental database. The fit was performed using an optimization routine that found the optimal set of multiplication coefficients to the non-dimensional groups that minimized the least squares slope error between predictions and experiments. The result of the fit indicated that terms not associated with bias flow required a greater degree of correction than the terms associated with the bias flow. This model improved agreement with experiments by nearly 15% for the low percent open area (5%) samples when compared to the unfitted model. The fitted model and the unfitted model performed equally well for the higher percent open area (10% and 15%).

Kelly, Jeff↗

22” ADP Fan Rig Liners Design Report

A liner design study was conducted as part of a cooperative effort between five (5) government/industry teams that together seek to demonstrate the technology for designing and manufacturing acoustic liners that are twenty five percent (25%) more efficient than 1992 technology liners. The study emphasized teaming collaboration. The improved liners were designed by Pratt & Whitney and Boeing Airplane Company and built by Rohr Inc, and will be tested in the NASA/P& W 22-inch ADP fan rig at NASA Lewis Research Center's 9' x 15' wind tunnel. Design guidelines and decisions were made collectively during monthly design review telecons and at the formal final design review. The tools that were used to design the new improved liners were not new, but the process that was developed as part of this study that led into the evaluation and selection of the final and best liner designs is new. Until now, the liner design process as practiced by different industry teams varied greatly. Some procedures were based on empirical liner attenuation databases which could not adequately account for engine-to-engine hardwall fan noise spectral differences, while others were entirely theoretical. And regardless of which method one chose, the major difficulty was still the lack of understanding and knowledge of the actual hardwall fan source noise modal structure and farfield SPL spectra. The NASA-led effort to attempt actual measurements of the fan source noise modal structure by means of the rotating microphone array is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of the nature of the fan tone noise modes, but the application to broadband noise is still a long way off. The new design process included consideration of the measured fan tone modes, but for the majority of the spectra a separate, systematic process was used. It is a common practice in the engine/nacelle industry that acoustic liners for new products are designed before actual measured hardwall engine far-field noise spectra are available. Target noise spectra are normally derived from existing engine noise databases with some adjustments to absolute SPLs and frequencies. This practice has been acceptable as long as the new engine was a derivative of the base engine. However, in the case of the ADP, the transition from a current engine base is too - great, and the adjustments could not adequately account for the quantum changes in SPL spectral differences. Examples were the 1992 single degree of freedom (SDOF) inlet and aft liners (designed by P&W) that would be used as the baseline liners against which the new improved liners' efficien¬cies would -be measured. As will be shown, these baseline liners have been found to be deeper than the desire optimum depths. The new liner design process begins with the selection of the target hard wall fan noise spectra. These spectra were obtained by scaling up (5.91 scale factor) the measured hardwall fan spectral data from the 22” ADP fan rig. Next, the modal energy contents for each 1/3-octave band center frequency of these hardwall fan noise spectra are estimated. (Within each 1/3-octave band center frequency, the model energy distribution approximation is for both tone and broadband noise). For the inlet noise, P&W uses a derivative of the NASA Lewis (Ed Rice's) method of classifying; and grouping propagating modes by their cutoff ratios. The next step is to assign energy level to each group of modes having the same cutoff ratio. In Ed Rice's model, the modes were grouped according to ten (10) cutoff ratio intervals with center values located at 1.026, 1.085, 1.155, 1.24, 1.35, 1.49, 1.69, 2.0, and 4.47 (with equal number of modes in each interval). The modes were assumed to have equal energy. P&W’s model expands the cutoff ratio-mode grouping into two hundred (200) smaller cutoff ratio intervals with center values located f1".'m 1.003 to 11.5 in 199 increasing incremental intervals. Next, P&W's model uses a "2-parameter" normal distribution as a template to assign energy levels to these 200 pre-determined cutoff ratio values (for each 1/3-octave band center frequency). In the past, P&W had conducted an extensive study to determine what "2-parameter" values are appropriate for fullscale inlet liners, and had developed a set of twenty-four (24) "2-pararneter" values (i.e. one for each 1/3-octave frequency band) that when used in Ed Rice's Inlet Attenuation Prediction Method produced predicted liner attenuations that closely matched measured liner attenuations from several P&W's engines. In the absence of actual measured tone and broadband modal data from the 22" ADP rig, the process will use P&W's proprietary set of "2-parameter" values for this liner design study. For the aft noise, Boeing uses a modal energy approximation that the "transport energy" of each propagating mode is equal. This approximation is almost the same as the equal energy per mode approximation, except for modes that are near cutoff. Boeing's model forces these modes to have lower energy levels. Both P&W and Boeing agreed that the "transport energy" approximation should work well for the ADP aft fan noise which appears to be dominated by broadband noise. The design process then proceeds to calculate the optimum liner impedances for each frequency in both the inlet and the aft. These optimum impedances represent the target impedances that the designed liners should have. Liners with impedances matching the optimum impedances at all frequencies are "ideal" liners. These ideal liners are theoretically the best liners. Unfortunately, it has been showed that it is impossible to design and build such ideal liners. The next best liners are ones that have impedances matching the optimum impedances over some frequency range (not all frequencies as for the ideal). This is accomplished by the use of "frequency weightings". Several of P&W's and Boeing's existing computer decks were used for optimizing and matching the designed liner impedances to the target optimum values (with the various frequency weightings specified). The optimization produces liner candidates with predicted liner impedances and descriptions of their physical liner characteristics. These candidate liner impedances are then used to predict their spectral attenuation characteristics which are then used together with the target hardwall fan noise spectra to determine the resulting treated noise spectra and PNLT values. Further optimization around the selected candidate designs yield final designs that are best in PNLT attenuations. Use of the optimization decks allowed a large number of liner candidates to be screened in a relatively short period of time. This design process is systematic and is efficient. The new inlet SDOF liner design obtained from the improved process was predicted to be 34% more effective (per unit area) than the 1992 baseline inlet liner. This inlet liner design is a 112 rayl wovenwiremesh facesheet over a 0.312-inch deep honeycomb core. The new aft SDOF liner design was predicted to be 52% more efficient than the aft baseline liner. The new aft SDOF liner is "segmented" with a shallower liner on the core cowl (inner duct wall) and a deeper liner on the fan cowl (outer duct wall). The shallower liner is a 70.6 rayl woven-wiremesh facesheet over a 0.141-inch deep honeycomb core. The deeper liner is a 68 rayl woven-wiremesh facesheet over a 0.309-inch deep honeycomb core. All liner dimensions are for the 22-inch model-scale ADP fan rig liners. The selected advanced liners are "segmented" double-layer (DDOF) liners for the inlet and aft locations. Also, for the inlet, a bulk liner with ceramic foam for wider broadband noise absorption was also selected. Triple-layer liner designs were not considered since the model scaled liners ( 1/5. 91) were dimensionally too small to be built correctly, and irrin earlier concept study, Boeing found a triple-layer to have only very small benefits over a double-layer. The inlet DDOF liner was predicted to be 83% more effective than the baseline. The inlet DDOF design is a 78 rayl facesheet over a 0.080 top cavity depth, a 68 rayl septum and a 0.227-inch bottom cavity depth. The inlet bulk liner is a 60 rayl facesheet over a 0.33-inch deep honeycomb filled with high temperature (HTP) ceramic foam with a density of 4.8 lb/cu.ft and a flow resistivity of 167 rayl/cm. The inlet bulk liner was predicted to be 83% more effective than the baseline liner. The aft DDOF liners are segmented with a shallower liner on the core cowl and a deeper liner on the fan cowl. The shallow DDOF liner is a 49.8 rayl facesheet over a 0.093-inch top cavity depth, a septum of 88.2 rayls over a 0.181-inch bottom cavity depth. The deep DDOF liner is a 12.9 rayl facesheet over a 0.140-inch top cavity depth, a septum of 53.1 ray ls over a 0.258-inch botom cavity depth. The segmented aft DDOF liners were predicted to be 86% more efficient than the baseline liner.

turbofan acoustic treatment↗