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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Helium 4 Near the Lambda-Transition Using a Magnetostrictive Low Gravity Simulator

There has been a recent increase in interest both experimentally and theoretically in the study of liquid helium very near the lambda-transition in the presence of a heat current. In traditional ground based experiments there are gravitationally induced pressure variations in any macroscopic helium sample that limit how closely the transition can be approached. We have taken advantage of the finite magnetic susceptibility of He 4 to build a magnetostrictive low gravity simulator. The simulator consists of a superconducting magnet with field profile shaped to counteract the force of gravity in a helium sample. When the magnet is operated with B x dB/dz = 21T(exp 2)/cm at the location of the cell, the gravitationally induced pressure variations will be canceled to within 1% over a volume of 0.5 cm in height and 0.5 cm in diameter. This technique for canceling the pressure variations in a long sample cell allows the lambda-transition to be studied much closer in reduced temperature and under a wider range of applied heat currents than is possible using other ground based techniques. Preliminary results using this low gravity simulator and the limitations of the magnetostrictive technique in comparison to doing space based experiments will be presented.

superconductive magnet heat current↗
NASA NTRS1995

(abstract) Production and Levitation of Free Drops of Liquid Helium

We are interested in the nucleation and behavior of quantized vorticies and surface excitations in free drops of superfluid helium. We have constructed an apparatus to maintain liquid helium drops isolated from any material container in the Earth's gravitational field, and have investigated two techniques for generating and introducing liquid drops into the region of confinement. The levitation apparatus utilizes the electrostatic force acting upon a charged liquid drop to counteract the gravitational force, with drop position stability provided by a static magnetic field acting upon the helium diamagnetic moment. Electrically neutral superfluid drops have been produced with a miniature thermomechanical pump; for a given configuration the liquid initial velocity has been varied up to several centimeters per second. Liquid drops carrying either net positive or negative charge are produced by an electrode which generates a flow of ionized liquid from the bulk liquid surface. Potentials of less than one thousand volts to several thousand volts are required. The mass flow is controlled by varying duration of the ionizing voltage pulse; drops as small as 30 micrometers diameter, charged to near the Rayleigh limit, have been observed.

quantized vorticity levitation liquid helium↗
NASA NTRS1995

Transprort Measurements Near the Lambda-Point of Liquid Helium in a Reduced Effective Gravity Environment on the Ground

The study of properties of liquid helium very near the Lambda-Point in the presence of a heat current has recently received increased experimental and theoretical attention. Traditional ground based experiments very near the Lambda-Point are limited by gravitationally induced pressure varioations in the helium sample. In order to circumvent this difficulty we have developed a technique which utilizes the diamamagnetic properties of liquid helium and a highly specialized magnetic field configuration to minimize these pressure effects.

Lambda-Point↗
NASA NTRS1963

Local Heat-Transfer Measurements for Forced Convection of Hydrogen and Helium at Surface Temperatures Up to 5600 Deg R

Local values of heat-transfer coefficients and average friction coefficients were measured experimentally for helium and hydrogen gas flowing through an electrically heated tungsten tube with a length-diameter ratio of 77 for the following range of conditions: local surface temperatures up to 5600° R, local Reynolds number from 7600 to,39,500, local ratios of surface-to-bulk gas temperature up to 5.6, and heat flux up to 1,700,000 Btu per hour per square foot. A comparison of local heat-transfer coefficients for helium and hydrogen gas is made for several types of wall temperature distribution, which determines whether the data can be correlated by a Dittus-Boelter type equation. A wall temperature distribution for hydrogen is compared with one for helium and found to be essentially the same; this result demonstrates that q dissociation of hydrogen at the tube wall for wall temperatures up to 5200O R has little or no effect on the wall temperature distribution.

Maynard F Taylor↗
NASA NTRS1967

Portable detector set discloses helium leak rates

Portable helium detector measuring helium leak rates makes possible the use of the inert gas helium as a tracer. This helps solve safety and contamination problems in detecting leaks in closed fluid systems.

Anderson, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Multipurpose top for liquid helium Dewar

Multipurpose top was fabricated for liquid helium Dewar flask which guards against flash vaporization of liquid helium and allows boiling temperature of liquid helium to be lowered by reduction of ambient pressure in Dewar flask. Device is rugged and simple, and does not require frequent calibrations or adjustments.

Murphy, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The cosmic helium abundance

Cosmic helium abundance was studied through the interior structure of young stars, profiles of helium absorption lines in the photospheric spectra of hot young stars, and emission-line spectrum of ionized gas. It is concluded that helium occurred before galaxies were formed. Inconsistencies found in the quasar spectra are briefly mentioned.

Searle, L.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Thermodynamic properties of hydrogen-helium plasmas

The thermodynamic properties of an atomic hydrogen-helium plasma are calculated and tabulated for temperatures from 10,000 to 100,000 K as a function of the mass fraction ratio of atomic hydrogen. The tabulation is for densities from 10 to the minus 10th power to 10 to the minus 6th power gm/cu cm and for hydrogen mass fraction ratios of 0, 0.333, 0.600, 0.800, and 1.0, which correspond to pure helium, 50 percent hydrogen per unit volume, 75 percent hydrogen per unit volume, 89 percent hydrogen per unit volume, and pure hydrogen plasmas, respectively. From an appended computer program, calculations can be made at other densities and mass fractions. The program output agrees well with previous thermodynamic property calculations for limiting cases of pure hydrogen and pure helium plasmas.

Nelson, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Effect of two types of helium circulators on the performance of a subsonic nuclear powered airplane

Two types of helium circulators are analytically compared on the bases of their influence on airplane payload and on propulsion system variables. One type of circulator is driven by the turbofan engines with power takeoff shafting while the other, a turbocirculator, is powered by a turbine placed in the helium loop between the nuclear reactor and the helium-to-air heat exchangers inside the engines. Typical results show that the turbocirculator yields more payload for circulator efficiencies greater than 0.82. Optimum engine and heat exchanger temperatures and pressures are significantly lower in the turbocirculator case compared to the engine-driven circulator scheme.

Strack, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Cosmic ray proton and helium spectra above 50 GeV

Differential energy spectra of cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei were measured by an ionization spectrometer flown at balloon altitudes. The energy range extended from 50 GeV to above 1000 GeV. The observed differential intensities can be represented with power law spectra with a slope of -2.75 + or - 0.03 for protons and of -2.77 + or - 0.55 for helium nuclei. The proton to helium ratio is equal to 26 + or - 3 at 40 GeV/nuc and is constant within errors up to 400 GeV/nuc.

Ryan, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The evolution of hydrogen-helium stars.

Investigation of the premain sequence evolution and the main sequence evolution of stars of 5, 10, 20, 30, 100, and 200 solar masses. Normal stars in this entire mass range normally convert hydrogen into helium by the CN-cycle on the main sequence. The present hydrogen-helium stars of 5 and 10 solar masses must reach higher central temperatures in order to convert hydrogen to helium by the proton-proton chains. Consequently, the mean densities in the stars are greater, and the surface temperatures are higher than in normal stars. In the stars of 20 solar masses and larger, the proton-proton chains do not succeed in supplying the necessary luminosity of the stars by the time the contraction has produced a central temperature near 10 to the 8th K. At that point triple-alpha reactions generate small amounts of C12, which then acts as a catalyst in the CN-cycle, the rate of which is then limited by the beta-decays occurring within the cycle. During the evolution of these more massive stars, the central temperature remains in the vicinity of 10 to the 8th K, and the surface temperature on the main sequence approaches 100,000.

Ezer, D.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Helium in the topside Venus ionosphere

The quantity of helium in the Venus atmosphere is estimated from an examination of the measured ionization profiles. The amount of helium necessary to give agreement between the computed and experimental results is approximately 4 x 10 to the 8th power/cucm at 140 km. When an eddy diffusion coefficient of 1,000,000 sq cm/see is used, the atmospheric helium mixing ratio is found to be 0.0006; a value nearly ten times that for earth.

Herman, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Use of a torsional pendulum as a high-pressure gage and determination of viscosity of helium gas at high pressures

Three torsional crystal parameters were examined for suitability in sensing pressure in gases up to 131 million newtons per square meter. The best parameters were found to be the change in crystal decrement at resonance and the change in crystal electrical resistance at resonance. The change in crystal resonant frequency did not appear to be a reliable pressure measuring parameter. Pure argon and pure helium gases were studied for use as working fluids. Helium functioned better over a wider pressure range. Calibration of the gage also provided a measure of the viscosity-density product of the gas as a function of pressure. These data, together with known extrapolated density data, permitted the determination of the viscosity of helium to 131 million N/square meter.

Maisel, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Helium excitation and structure of quiescent solar prominences

The theoretical and observed level populations are compared. These levels are: helium 2P3, hydrogen second, ionized helium fourth ones. The obtained results are as follows: (1) helium, hydrogen, and metals may be emitted by the same filaments; (2) bright quiescent prominence filaments have electron temperature and electron density in the line of sight near T sub e = 7000 deg, n sub e = 10 to the 12th power, alpha = 0.0001; (3) under these conditions the average effective thickness is 5 million hence quiescent prominences have a fine filamentary structure: (4) the conditions in the interfilament areas are T sub e = 20,000 to 70,000 deg, n sub e = 10 to the 10th power to 10 to the 11th power/cu cm.

Mordzhenko, N. N.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Temperature dependence of the accommodation coefficient of liquid-helium film.

We have determined the accommodation coefficient, gamma, of a helium film from 1.15 to 4 K by measuring the time constant of a rotating superconducting Nb sphere levitated in vapor and covered with a saturated helium film. The conventional assumption of the phenomenological theory of superfluidity, that the order parameter psi vanishes at the free surface of helium II, implies that gamma, is unity and independent of temperature. We find that gamma, is nearly unity above the lambda point, suffers an abrupt drop close to T-lambda, and gradually levels off to the value of about 0.8 at lower temperatures.

Wang, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Helium in the topside Venus ionosphere.

The amount of helium in the Venus atmosphere can be estimated from an examination of the measured ionization profiles and from the recent discovery of radioactive materials in the Venus crust. The amount necessary to give agreement between computed and experimental results is approximately 400,000,000 per cu cm at 140 km. When a nominal value of the eddy diffusion coefficient of 1,000,000 sq cm per sec is used, the atmospheric helium mixing ratio is found to be 0.00006, nearly ten times that for the earth. If agreement is required between the helium mixing ratio estimated from an earth-like distribution of crustal radioactive materials and from the measured ionization profile, the required eddy diffusion coefficient would be 5,000,000 sq cm per sec.

Herman, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Solar flare accelerated isotopes of hydrogen and helium

Measurements of solar flare hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, helium-3, and helium-4 in the energy range approximately 10 to 50 MeV per nucleon obtained with instrumentation on the IMP-4 and IMP-5 satellites are reported and studies based on these results which place several constraints on theories of solar flare particle acceleration are discussed. A brief review of previous work and the difficulties in studying the rare isotopes of hydrogen and helium is also included. Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the information to be obtained from the solar flare products of high energy interactions is not available through either solar wind observations where both the acceleration mechanism and the coronal source of the nuclear species are different, or optical measurements of solar active regions.

Anglin, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

An advanced regulator for the helium pressurization systems of the Space Shuttle OMS and RCS

The Space Shuttle Orbit Maneuvering System and Reaction Control System are pressure-fed rocket propulsion systems utilizing earth storable hypergolic propellants and featuring engines of 6000 lbs and 900 lbs thrust, respectively. The helium pressurization system requirements for these propulsion systems are defined and the current baseline pressurization systems are described. An advanced helium pressure regulator capable of meeting both OMS and RCS helium pressurization system requirements is presented and its operating characteristics and predicted performance characteristics are discussed.

Wichmann, H.↗