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Ryason, P. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Ryason, P. R..

14 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Continuous coal processing method

A coal pump is provided in which solid coal is heated in the barrel of an extruder under pressure to a temperature at which the coal assumes plastic properties. The coal is continuously extruded, without static zones, using, for example, screw extrusion preferably without venting through a reduced diameter die to form a dispersed spray. As a result, the dispersed coal may be continuously injected into vessels or combustors at any pressure up to the maximum pressure developed in the extrusion device. The coal may be premixed with other materials such as desulfurization aids or reducible metal ores so that reactions occur, during or after conversion to its plastic state. Alternatively, the coal may be processed and caused to react after extrusion, through the die, with, for example, liquid oxidizers, whereby a coal reactor is provided.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Detonation-flame arrester devices for gasoline cargo vapor recovery systems

Empirical data on the deflagration-to-detonation run-up distance for flowing mixtures of gasoline and air in 15.2-cm- (6.0-in.-) diameter piping simulating a vapor recovery system are presented. The quenching capability of eight selected flame control devices subjected to repeated stable detonations was evaluated. The successful detonation-flame arresters were: (1) spiral-wound, crimped aluminum ribbon, (2) foamed nickel-chrome metal, (3) vertically packed bed of aluminum Ballast rings, and (4) water-trap or hydraulic back-pressure valve. Installation configurations for two of the more applicable arresters, the spiral-wound, crimped stainless-steel ribbon and the vertically packed bed of aluminum Ballast rings, were further optimized by a series of parametric tests. The final configuration of these two arresters was demonstrated with repeated detonation tests at conditions that simulated vapor recovery system operation. On these tests, the combustible mixture of gasoline and air continued to flow through the piping for periods up to 120 seconds after the initial detonation had been arrested. There was no indication of continuous burning or reignition occurring on either side of the test arresters.

Bjorklund, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Solar photolysis of water

A cyclic process is described for the solar photolysis of water, including a first stage in which water is reduced in the presence of a Eu(+2) photooxidizable reagent producing hydrogen and spent oxidized Eu(+3) reagent. The spent reagent Eu(+3) is reduced by means of a transition metal ligand complex reductant, RuL(+3) in a photoexcited state, such as a ruthenium pyridyl complex. Due to competing reactions between the photolysis and regeneration products, the photooxidation reaction must be separated from the regeneration in space and time by supporting the reagent and/or the reductant on solid supports and utilizing pH, wavelength and flow control to maximize hydrogen and oxygen production.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Solar photolysis of water

Photolysis and regeneration reactions could be used in cycle process to generate hydrogen gas from water using sunlight.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

New method of feeding coal - Continuous extrusion of fully plastic coal

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 400 C. Coal is then fed much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Preliminary results show that coals can be extruded at rates of about 3.3 kg/MJ, similar to those for plastics.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Hydrogen from the solar photolysis of water

Developments related to the study of photosynthesis are examined and aspects of photosensitization by solids are considered. It is pointed out that solids photosensitization for solar photochemical fuel formation is now an extremely active research area as a consequence of the promising results obtained with semiconductor photoelectrodes. The investigation of water decomposition schemes involving heterogeneous reactions is likely to be a productive area. As is the case for photosynthesis, the known examples of water decomposition by solids photosensitization involve charge separation processes immediately following light absorption. Homogeneous photoredox reactions are also discussed, taking into account thermochemical and photochemical cycles leading to the formation of a photooxidized ion, hydrogen quantum yields in the photo-oxidation aqueous ions, and thermochemical and photochemical cycles leading to the formation of a photoreduced ion.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Coal extrusion in the plastic state

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 425 C. Coal is then fed, much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Data on the viscosity and extruder parameters for extrusion of Illinois No. 6 coal are presented.

England, C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Solar photolysis of water

Hydrogen is produced by the solar photolysis of water in a first photooxidation vessel with a transparent wall in the presence of a water soluble photooxidizable reagent and an insoluble hydrogen recombination catalyst. Simultaneously oxygen is produced in a second photoreduction reactor with a transparent wall in the presence of an insoluble photoreduction reagent catalyst. When spent, the solution from the first reactor is fed into the second reactor. A reaction occurs in the dark in which the redox reagents are regenerated, and the regenerated photooxidation reagent solution is recycled to the first reactor. The photoreduction-catalyst is a bifunctional reagent catalyst including a transition metal salt together with a hydroxyl or chlorohydroxyl decomposition catalyst of high area.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Screw-extruded coal

Versatile screw-extrusion technique makes coal more combustible and aids in desulfurization.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Extended soot limits for rich n-heptane/air flames

A rich n-heptane/air mixture was burned in a flat flame burner in an inert environment, and the soot limits of stable one-stage flames were measured. With a small thin metal plate placed on the flame to suppress soot-containing cusps on the flamelets, the richest soot-free flame burned was with a mixture for which the equivalence ratio was 2.25. Hydrogen yield was, however, low. Extremely rich soot-free two-stage flames could be obtained, but they were unstable.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Hydrogen quantum yields in the 360 nm photolysis of Eu/2+/ solutions and their relationship to photochemical fuel formation

Water decomposition by a cyclic photoredox process is discussed in general terms. Thermodynamics determines the wavelength of the charge-transfer band corresponding to electron transfer to or from water of hydration of a cation. These relationships indicate that it is unlikely that a photoreduction reaction resulting in water decomposition will occur in the sea-level solar range of wavelengths. Such is not the case for photooxidation, and an example is known: the photolysis of Eu(2+) in aqueous solution. Hydrogen quantum yields have been determined for this reaction. They are sufficiently high (about 0.3) as to offer encourangement for the further exploration of photoredox reactions as a means of solar energy conversion.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A fast sampling device for the mass spectrometric analysis of liquid rocket engine exhaust

The design of a device to obtain compositional data on rocket exhaust by direct sampling of reactive flow exhausts into a mass spectrometer is presented. Sampling at three stages differing in pressure and orifice angle and diameter is possible. Results of calibration with pure gases and gas mixtures are erratic and of unknown accuracy for H2, limiting the usefulness of the apparatus for determining oxidizer/fuel ratios from combustion product analysis. Deposition effects are discussed, and data obtained from rocket exhaust spectra are analyzed to give O/F ratios and mixture ratio distribution. The O/F ratio determined spectrometrically is insufficiently accurate for quantitative comparison with cold flow data. However, a criterion for operating conditions with improved mixing of fuel and oxidizer which is consistent with cold flow results may be obtained by inspection of contour plots. A chemical inefficiency in the combustion process when oxidizer is in excess is observed from reactive flow measurements. Present results were obtained with N2O4/N2H4 propellants.

Ryason, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Cool flame quench distances

The results of a brief experimental investigation are presented which confirm the expectation that cool flame quenching distances should be larger than hot flame quenching distances. It is also discovered that whereas quenching distances for hot flames reach their minimum values near stoichiometric conditions, cool flame quenching distances are least under rich conditions. Rich conditions are well known to favor cool flame formation.

Ryason, P. R.↗