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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 181 records · Page 10

Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft attitude control based on the dynamics of slosh wave-induced fluid stress distribution on rotating dewar container of cryogenic propellant

The dynamical behavior of fluids, in particular the effect of surface tension on partially-filled rotating fluids, in a full-scale Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft propellant dewar tank imposed by various frequencies of gravity jitters have been investigated. Results show that fluid stress distribution exerted on the outer and inner walls of rotating dewar are closely related to the characteristics of slosh waves excited on the liquid-vapor interface in the rotating dewar tank. This can provide a set of tool for the spacecraft dynamic control leading toward the control of spacecraft unbalance caused by the uneven fluid stress distribution due to slosh wave excitations.

Hung, R. J.↗

Fluid stress disturbance activated by gravity jitters induced slosh waves in microgravity

A full scale Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) Spacecraft propellant dewar tank subjected to various frequencies of gravity jitter have been investigated. Excitation of slosh waves induced by gravity jitter are simulated. Results show that fluid stress distribution exerted on the walls of the rotating dewar are closely related to the characteristics of slosh waves excited on the liquid-vapor interface in the rotating dewar tank. Slosh wave excitations shift the fluid mass distribution in the dewar tank which impose time dependent variations in GP-B Spacecraft moment of inertia, angular momentum, and torque produced by imbalance fluid stresses. This can provide a set of data leading toward the control of spacecraft imbalance caused by the uneven fluid stress distribution from slosh waves.

Hung, R. J.↗

Slosh wave excitation in the gravity probe-B spacecraft propulsion system

The dynamical behavior of fluids in a Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft tank imposed by various frequencies of gravity jitters have been investigated. Fluid stress distribution also have been investigated. Results show that fluid stress distribution exerted on the outer and inner walls of rotating dewar are closely related to the characteristics of slosh waves excited on the liquid-vapor interface in the rotating dewar tank.

Hung, R. J.↗

Real-time image difference detection using a polarization rotation spacial light modulator

An image difference detection system is described, of the type wherein two created image representations such as transparencies representing the images to be compared lie coplanar, while light passes through the two transparencies and is formed into coincident images at the image plane for comparison. The two transparencies are formed by portions of a polarization-rotation spatial light modulator display such as a multi-pixel liquid crystal display or a magnetooptical rotation type display. In a system where light passing through the two transparencies is polarized in transverse directions to enable the use of a Wollaston prism to bring the images into coincidence, a liquid crystal display can be used which is devoid of polarizing sheets that would interfere with transverse polarizing of the light passing through the two transparencies.

Chao, Tien-Hsin↗

Gravity jitter effected slosh waves and the stability of a rotating bubble under microgravity

The instability of liquid and gas interface can be induced by the pressure of longitudinal and lateral accelerations, vehicle vibration, and rotational fields of spacecraft in a microgravity environment. Characteristics of slosh waves excited by the restoring force field of gravity jitters have been investigated. Results show that lower frequency gravity jitters excite slosh wave with higher ratio of maximum amplitude to wave length than that of the slosh waves generated by the higher frequency gravity jitters.

Hung, R. J.↗

Analysis of gas absorption to a thin liquid film in the presence of a zero-order chemical reaction

The paper presents a detailed theoretical analysis of the process of gas absorption to a thin liquid film adjacent to a horizontal rotating disk. The film is formed by the impingement of a controlled liquid jet at the center of the disk and subsequent radial spreading of liquid along the disk. The chemical reaction between the gas and the liquid film can be expressed as a zero-order homogeneous reaction. The process was modeled by establishing equations for the conservation of mass, momentum, and species concentration and solving them analytically. A scaling analysis was used to determine dominant transport processes. Appropriate boundary conditions were used to solve these equations to develop expressions for the local concentration of gas across the thickness of the film and distributions of film height, bulk concentration, and Sherwood number along the radius of the disk. The partial differential equation for species concentration was solved using the separation of variables technique along with the Duhamel's theorem and the final analytical solution was expressed using confluent hypergeometric functions. Tables for eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are presented for a number of reaction rate constants. A parametric study was performed using Reynolds number, Ekman number, and dimensionless reaction rate as parameters. At all radial locations, Sherwood number increased with Reynolds number (flow rate) as well as Ekman number (rate of rotation). The enhancement of mass transfer due to chemical reaction was found to be small when compared to the case of no reaction (pure absorption), but the enhancement factor was very significant when compared to pure absorption in a stagnant liquid film. The zero-order reaction processes considered in the present investigation included the absorption of oxygen in aqueous alkaline solutions of sodiumdithionite and rhodium complex catalyzed carbonylation of methanol. Present analytical results were compared to previous theoretical results for limiting conditions, and were found to have very good agreement.

Rajagopalan, S.↗

NASA's Compact High-Efficiency Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine for Mars Interplanetary Missions

NASA has successfully test fired a novel and compact liquid propulsion system known as a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine. This is a specially designed ring-shaped thrust chamber that leverages additive manufacturing techniques and novel alloys such as GRCop-42 and GRX-810. The extreme combustion event, known as a detonation, reduces the combustion chamber length requirements down to a few inches while equivalent constant pressure rocket thrust chambers are on the order of feet. This is primarily due to rapid completion of combustion by the high-pressure detonation, an order of magnitude faster than deflagration combustion. In addition, the ring shape allows for rapid expansion of the combustion products. Depending on the thrust class and design supersonic area ratio, the full RDRE can be anywhere from 10% to 50% shorter than a traditional liquid rocket assuming the same exit diameter but is dependent on a number of design assumptions. This may enable substantial mass savings, cost savings, and broader design trade space for various mission architectures. Finally, the engine system has potential for higher Isp at identical average chamber pressure, which is currently being assessed by NASA. Experimental data obtained from testing in 2022 identified the feasibility of the novel propulsion system while multiple test series scheduled throughout 2023 and 2024 target closing the remaining critical technical gaps preventing widespread use of the technology amongst industry.

Thomas Teasley↗

A rotating, noncapillary heat pipe

Hollow rotating shaft operates like a heat pipe, with a small, sealed-in inventory of fluid that transfers heat by vaporizing at the hot end and condensing at the cold end. This heat pipe utilizes large centrifugal forces for pumping the condensate, and rotation to enforce liquid-vapor separation.

Gray, V. H.↗

On the mechanism of the magnetic dynamo of the planets

Results of testing the effectiveness of the theory of precessional dynamos in the generation of the magnetic fields of the planets are presented. It is shown that the magnetic state of Earth and of the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Venus can be satisfactorily described by the formula H(i) = H(3) V(i)/V(3) T(3)/T(i) omega(i)/omega(3) sin(alpha 1)/sin(alpha 2) where H, V, T, omega and alpha are the dipole fields, volumes of liquid cores, periods of rotation, rates of precession, and angles between precession vector and angular rotation, respectively, for the planets and earth. The v(i) corresponds to known models of the internal structure. It is shown that the magnetic state of Mercury satisfies this formula if the dynamic flattening of the planet f = .000057-.000083.

Dolginov, S. S.↗

Observation of the nearly diurnal resonance of the earth using a laser strainmeter

The response of the Earth to the diurnal and semidiurnal tidal excitations was studied. Results show that there is significant structure in the response of the earth to tidal excitations near one cycle/sidereal day. This structure agrees with the resonance behavior predicted from the calculations of the forced elasticgravitational response of an elliptical, rotating earth with a liquid outer core. The data is used to test for possible preferred frames and spatial anisotropies. Upper bounds on the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) parameters were examined.

Levine, J.↗

Laminar flow effects in the coil planet centrifuge

The coil planet centrifuge designed by Ito employs flow of a single liquid phase, through a rotating coiled tube in a centrifugal force field, to provide a separation of particles based on sedimentation rates. Mathematical solutions are derived for the linear differential equations governing particle behavior in the coil planet centrifuge device. These solutions are then applied as the basis of a model for optimizing particle separations.

Herrmann, F. T.↗

Cosmology with liquid mirror telescopes

Liquid mirrors provide an exciting means to obtain large optical telescopes for substantially lower costs than conventional technologies. The liquid mirror concept has been demonstrated in the lab with the construction of a diffraction limited 1.5 m mirror. The mirror surface, using liquid mercury, forms a perfect parabolic shape when the mirror cell is rotated at a uniform velocity. A liquid mirror must be able to support a heavy mercury load with minimal flexure and have a fundamental resonant frequency that is as high as possible, to suppress the amplitude of surface waves caused by small vibrations transmitted to the mirror. To minimize the transmission of vibrations to the liquid surface, the entire mirror rests on an air bearing. This necessitates the mirror cell being lightweight, due to the limited load capabilities of the air bearing. The mirror components must also have physical characteristics which minimize the effects of thermal expansion with ambient temperature fluctuations in the observatory. In addition, the 2.7 m mirror construction is designed so that the techniques used may be readily extended to the construction of large mirrors. To attain the goals of a lightweight, rigid mirror, a composite laminant construction was used. The mirror consists of a foam core cut to the desired parabolic shape, with an accuracy of a few mm. An aluminum hub serves as an anchor for the foam and skin, and allows precise centering of the mirror on the air bearing and drive system. Several plys of Kevlar, covered in an epoxy matrix, are then applied to the foam. A final layer of pure epoxy is formed by spin casting. This final layer is parabolic to within a fraction of a mm. An aluminum ring bonded to the circumference of the mirror retains the mercury, and incorporates stainless-steel hard-points for the attachment of balance weights.

Hogg, David W.↗

Analysis of Skylab IV fluid mechanic science demonstration

Several science demonstrations performed on Skylab III and IV were concerned with the behavior of fluid drops free floating in microgravity. These demonstrations, with large liquid drops, included the oscillation, rotation, impact and coalescence, and air injection into the drops. Rayleigh's analysis of the oscillation of spherical drops of a liquid predicts accurately the effect of size and surface tension on the frequency of vibrated water globules in the Skylab demonstration. However, damping occurred much faster than predicted by Lamb's or Scriven's analyses of the damping time for spherical drops. The impact demonstrations indicated that a minimum velocity is necessary to overcome surface forces and effect a coalescence, but a precise criterion for the coalescence of liquids in low g could not be determined.

Klett, M. G.↗

Dynamic Tester For Rotor Seals And Bearings

Simplified apparatus measures performance under vibration. Measures some of dynamic parameters of rotor seals and bearings. Tests damping seals, damping bearings, conventional seals, and conventional bearings. Used with variety of pumped liquids, from water to liquid oxygen or hydrogen. Designed to test bearings and seals of turbopumps, tester rotates shaft at high speed while liquid flows much as it would in real turbopump. Also measures deflections of components.

Von Pragenau, George L.↗