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Ried, R. C., Jr.

Publications and source records attributed to Ried, R. C., Jr..

The photon gas formulation of thermal radiation

A statistical consideration of the energy, the linear momentum, and the angular momentum of the photons that make up a thermal radiation field was presented. A general nonequilibrium statistical thermodynamics approach toward a macroscopic description of thermal radiation transport was developed and then applied to the restricted equilibrium statistical thermostatics derivation of the energy, linear momentum, and intrinsic angular momentum equations for an isotropic photon gas. A brief treatment of a nonisotropic photon gas, as an example of the results produced by the nonequilibrium statistical thermodynamics approach, was given. The relativistic variation of temperature and the invariance of entropy were illustrated.

Ried, R. C., Jr.

Radiative heating to the Apollo command module: Engineering prediction and flight measurement

The theory and engineering techniques used for the prediction of the Apollo entry thermal-radiation environment are presented. The radiation predictions are shown to be in satisfactory agreement with the Apollo 4, FIRE 1, and FIRE 2 flight radiometer data. The characteristics and performance of the Apollo flight radiometer and ablator-mounted configuration were determined through arc jet simulation tests.

Ried, R. C., Jr.

Zero-gravity transient thermal mixing simulation

The experimental program described is an outgrowth of independent investigations into alternate redesign concepts for the Apollo SM cryogenic oxygen storage system. The experiments were continued, after the redesign was established, to provide physical insight into transient thermal mixing in zero-gravity and to aid in the characterization of the system performance in flight. Zero-gravity heat transfer and fluid mixing were simulated experimentally through an analogy between unsteady heat conduction and species diffusion. To further support numerical analyses of the cryogenic oxygen storage system, the experimental investigation was extended to include a cubical tank geometry, representative of existing numerical models. In general, the transient flow patterns in the cubical tank are far more complex than those of the spherical tank and the extent of fluid mixing is significantly greater but less repeatable.

Lands, J. F., Jr.

Aerodynamic heating.

Aerodynamic heating of spacecraft during reentry, investigating characteristics for low density rarefied flow and high density continuum flow regimes

SPACECRAFT REENTRY