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Results for “PLASMA FLOW”

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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Plastic flow of plasma sprayed ceramics

The plastic flow of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8Y2O3 ceramic has been measured at temperatures up to 1250 C and compared to the plastic flow of pressed and sintered ZrO2-8Y2O3. Plasma spraying of binary oxide ceramics is found to result in a metastable state which is inelastic at high temperature but can also be stabilized or devitrified through heat treating so as to decrease plastic properties. The mechanical properties of the as-plasma sprayed and devitrified ceramic sheet material was measured. An improved algorithm that incorporates the inherently nonlinear thermomechanical field equations was used to determine the influence of inelastic material behavior on the thermomechanical response of ceramic coated seal components. Significant creep was found during the thermal shock and steady heating periods with insufficient time during thermal quench to reverse the process, thereby inducing significant residual stresses into the components.

Padovan, J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Numerical Simulations of Plasma Based Flow Control Applications

A mathematical model was developed to simulate flow control applications using plasma actuators. The effects of the plasma actuators on the external flow are incorporated into Navier Stokes computations as a body force vector. In order to compute this body force vector, the model solves two additional equations: one for the electric field due to the applied AC voltage at the electrodes and the other for the charge density representing the ionized air. The model is calibrated against an experiment having plasma-driven flow in a quiescent environment and is then applied to simulate a low pressure turbine flow with large flow separation. The effects of the plasma actuator on control of flow separation are demonstrated numerically.

Suzen, Y. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Hybrid plume plasma rocket

A technique for producing thrust by generating a hybrid plume plasma exhaust is disclosed. A plasma flow is generated and introduced into a nozzle which features one or more inlets positioned to direct a flow of neutral gas about the interior of the nozzle. When such a neutral gas flow is combined with the plasma flow within the nozzle, a hybrid plume is constructed including a flow of hot plasma along the center of the nozzle surrounded by a generally annular flow of neutral gas, with an annular transition region between the pure plasma and the neutral gas. The temperature of the outer gas layer is below that of the pure plasma and generally separates the pure plasma from the interior surfaces of the nozzle. The neutral gas flow both insulates the nozzle wall from the high temperatures of the plasma flow and adds to the mass flow rate of the hybrid exhaust. The rate of flow of neutral gas into the interior of the nozzle may be selectively adjusted to control the thrust and specific impulse of the device.

Franklin R Clung↗
NASA NTRS1990

Method of hybrid plume plasma propulsion

A technique for producing thrust by generating a hybrid plume plasma exhaust is disclosed. A plasma flow is generated and introduced into a nozzle which features one or more inlets positioned to direct a flow of neutral gas about the interior of the nozzle. When such a neutral gas flow is combined with the plasma flow within the nozzle, a hybrid plume is constructed including a flow of hot plasma along the center of the nozzle surrounded by a generally annular flow of neutral gas, with an annular transition region between the pure plasma and the neutral gas. The temperature of the outer gas layer is below that of the pure plasma and generally separates the pure plasma from the interior surfaces of the nozzle. The neutral gas flow both insulates the nozzle walls from the high temperatures of the plasma flow and adds to the mass flow rate of the hybrid exhaust. The rate of flow of neutral gas into the interior of the nozzle may be selectively adjusted to control the thrust and specific impulse of the device.

Chang, Franklin R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A simple spectral model of the dynamics of the Venus ionosphere

A two-dimensional model of the ionosphere of Venus has been constructed by expanding pertinent quantities in Legendre polynomials. The model is simplified by including only a single ion species, O(+). Horizontal plasma flow velocity and plasma density have been calculated as a coupled system. The calculated plasma flow velocity is found to be in good agreement with observations and the results of earlier studies. Solar zenith angle dependence of plasma density, particularly on the nightside, shows some features which differ from results of earlier studies and observed values. Effects of raising or lowering the ionopause height and changing the nightside neutral atmosphere have been discussed.

Singhal, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Comparison of transport equations based on Maxwellian and bi-Maxwellian distributions for anisotropic plasmas

A wide variety of plasma flow conditions is found in aeronomy and space plasma physics. Transport equations based on an isotropic Maxwellian vilecity distribution function can be used to describe plasma flows which contain 'small' temperature anisotropies. However, for plasma flows characterized by large temperature anisotropies, transport equations based on an anisotropic bi-Maxwellian (or two-temperature) velocity distribution function are expected to provide a much better description of the plasma transport properties. The present investigation is concerned with the extent to which transport equations based on both Maxwellian and bi-Maxwellian series expansions can describe plasma flows characterized by non-Maxwellian velocity distributions, giving particular attention to a modelling of the anisotropic character of the distribution function. The obtained results should provide clues as to the extent to which a given series expansion can account for the anisotropic character of a plasma.

Barakat, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

ISEE observations of the plasma sheet boundary, plasma sheet, and neutral sheet. I - Electric field, magnetic field, plasma, and ion composition

The first simultaneous study of dc and ac electric and magnetic fields, E x B velocity, plasma flows, ratio of plasma to magnetic field pressure, total energy density, energetic particles, and ion composition from the ISEE satellites and ground and interplanetary magnetic fields has been made to determine (1) the relationship of the previously observed electric fields at the plasma sheet boundary and at the neutral sheet to plasma parameters, and (2) whether the phenomena occurring during quiet and active times were consistent with the formation of a near-earth neutral line during substorms or with the boundary layer model. Five observations made during the study of two substorms were seen to be in agreement with the neutral-line model. The observations are consistent with the satellite being located at varying distances from the neutral line and diffusion region where reconnection and plasma acceleration were occurring. Although the z component (into or out of the ecliptic plane) of E x B convection was generally toward the neutral sheet, there were examples when it was consistent with the inferred motion of the plasma sheet past the satellite. A synthesis of previous reports on large electric fields at the plasma sheet boundary and variable fields at the neutral sheet including the associated plasma flows is also described.

Cattell, C. A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Generative Physics-Informed Neural Network Solving Multi-Scale and Multi-Phase Plasma Chemical Flow Field

Low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) are non-equilibrium systems with near-room-temperature gas and highly energetic electrons. This makes them ideal for delicate applications in biomedicine and semiconductor manufacturing, enabling processes like wound healing, sterilization, etching, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition without thermal damage. However, LTPs involve complex chemistries, with hundreds of species and thousands of reactions, complicating their diagnosis, prediction, and control. Conventional diagnostics, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), offer limited species detection, while mass spectrometry (MS) struggles with low-sensitivity species. Additionally, LTP simulations face multi-scale challenges, as macroscopic fluid dynamics and microscopic particle collisions operate on vastly different timescales. To address these issues, we developed an artificial intelligence (AI) based diagnostic system: a generative physics-informed neural network (PINN-Gen) that can predict spatially resolved species concentrations and temperatures in LTPs by integrating experimental data from planar LIF with microscopic plasma chemical kinetics and macroscopic fluid mechanics, including plasma-liquid interactions at the interface between two phases. PINN-Gen solves no equations but checks the errors of physical laws by substituting the output from neural network, and the comparison with the experimental results. Thus, it naturally avoids the multi-scale difficulty of numerical simulations and predicts the results of conventionally unsolvable multi-scale and multi-phase problems. The real-time prediction will be robust due to the physical information used in the training of such a neural network, and only very limited input of condition required due to its generative feature.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1992

The flow of plasma in the solar terrestrial environment

The overall goal of our NASA Theory Program is to study the coupling, time delays, and feedback mechanisms between the various regions of the solar-terrestrial system in a self-consistent, quantitative manner. To accomplish this goal, it will eventually be necessary to have time-dependent macroscopic models of the different regions of the solar-terrestrial system and we are continually working toward this goal. However, our immediate emphasis is on the near-earth plasma environment, including the ionosphere, the plasmasphere, and the polar wind. In this area, we have developed unique global models that allow us to study the coupling between the different regions. Another important aspect of our NASA Theory Program concerns the effect that localized structure has on the macroscopic flow in the ionosphere, plasmasphere, thermosphere, and polar wind. The localized structure can be created by structured magnetospheric inputs (i.e., structured plasma convection, particle precipitation or Birkeland current patterns) or time variations in these inputs due to storms and substorms. Also, some of the plasma flows that we predict with our macroscopic models may be unstable, and another one of our goals is to examine the stability of our predicted flows. Because time-dependent, three-dimensional numerical models of the solar-terrestrial environment generally require extensive computer resources, they are usually based on relatively simple mathematical formulations (i.e., simple MHD or hydrodynamic formulation). Therefore, another long-range goal of our NASA Theory Program is to study the conditions under which various mathematical formulations can be applied to specific solar-terrestrial regions. This may involve a detailed comparison of kinetic, semikinetic, and hydrodynamic predictions for a given polar wind scenario or it may involve the comparison of a small-scale particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation of a plasma expansion event with a similar macroscopic expansion event. The different mathematical formulations have different strengths and weaknesses and a careful comparison of model predictions for similar geophysical situations will provide insight into when the various models can be used with confidence.

Schunk, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The flow of plasma in the solar terrestrial environment

The overall goal of our NASA Theory Program is to study the coupling, time delays, and feedback mechanisms between the various regions of the solar-terrestrial system in a self-consistent, quantitative, manner. To accomplish this goal, it will eventually be necessary to have time-dependent macroscopic models of the different regions of the solar-terrestrial system and we are continually working toward this goal. However, our immediate emphasis is on the near-earth plasma environment, including the ionosphere, the plasmasphere, and the polar wind. In this area, we have developed unique global models that allow us to study the coupling between the different regions. These results are highlighted. Another important aspect of our NASA Theory Program concerns the effect that localized structure has on the macroscopic flow in the ionosphere, plasmasphere, thermosphere and polar wind. The localized structure can be created by structured magnetospheric inputs (i.e., structured plasma convection, particle precipitation or Birkeland current patterns) or time variations in these inputs due to storms and substorms. Also, some of the plasma flows that we predict with our macroscopic models may be unstable. Another one of our goals is to examine the stability of our predicted flows. Because time-dependent three-dimensional numerical models of the solar-terrestrial environment generally require extensive computer resources, they are usually based on relatively simple mathematical formulations (i.e., simple MHD or hydrodynamic formulations). Therefore, another long-range goal of our NASA Theory Program is to study the conditions under which various mathematical formulations can be applied to specific solar-terrestrial regions. This may involve a detailed comparison of kinetic, semikinetic, and hydrodynamic predictions for a given polar wind scenario or it may involve the comparison of a small-scale particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation of a plasma expansion event with a similar macroscopic expansion event. The different mathematical formulations have different strengths and weaknesses and a careful comparison of model predictions for similar geophysical situations will provide insight into when the various models can be used with confidence.

Schunk, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The flow of plasma in the solar terrestrial environment

The overall goal of our NASA Theory Program was to study the coupling, time delays, and feedback mechanisms between the various regions of the solar-terrestrial system in a self-consistent, quantitative manner. To accomplish this goal, it will eventually be necessary to have time-dependent macroscopic models of the different regions of the solar-terrestrial system and we are continually working toward this goal. However, with the funding from this NASA program, we concentrated on the near-earth plasma environment, including the ionosphere, the plasmasphere, and the polar wind. In this area, we developed unique global models that allowed us to study the coupling between the different regions. These results are highlighted in the next section. Another important aspect of our NASA Theory Program concerned the effect that localized 'structure' had on the macroscopic flow in the ionosphere, plasmasphere, thermosphere, and polar wind. The localized structure can be created by structured magnetospheric inputs (i.e., structured plasma convection, particle precipitation or Birkland current patterns) or time variations in these input due to storms and substorms. Also, some of the plasma flows that we predicted with our macroscopic models could be unstable, and another one of our goals was to examine the stability of our predicted flows. Because time-dependent, three-dimensional numerical models of the solar-terrestrial environment generally require extensive computer resources, they are usually based on relatively simple mathematical formulations (i.e., simple MHD or hydrodynamic formulations). Therefore, another goal of our NASA Theory Program was to study the conditions under which various mathematical formulations can be applied to specific solar-terrestrial regions. This could involve a detailed comparison of kinetic, semi-kinetic, and hydrodynamic predictions for a given polar wind scenario or it could involve the comparison of a small-scale particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation of a plasma expansion event with a similar macroscopic expansion event. The different mathematical formulations have different strengths and weaknesses and a careful comparison of model predictions for similar geophysical situations provides insight into when the various models can be used with confidence.

Schunk, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Variability of plasma sheet dynamics

IMP 7 observations of plasma sheet structure and dynamics made during a 24-h period in which the satellite traversed the tail plasma sheet at a radial distance of 35 earth radii and remained within 2 earth radii of the expected position at the neutral sheet and in which at least five substorms occured on the ground are presented. High-time-resolution measurements of the magnetic field, plasma flow and greater than 50-keV protons obtained by the satellite and ground-based magnetic measurements are discussed for a 4-hr interval in which two small substorms occurred, a 6-hr geomagnetically quiet interval in which moderate variable plasma flows were observed, a very rapid, smooth neutral sheet crossing and earthward plasma flow during the expansion phase of a small substorm, a moderate-size substorm in which a prolonged interval of field-aligned tailward flow commenced at onset, a strong tailward and dawnward flow burst in an interval between substorms and a large substorm in which strong tailward flow was observed. Observations indicate the significant distortion of the tail field, possibly by plasma flow stresses, a neutral sheet structure occasionally resembling the hydromagnetic rotational discontinuity and a high level of magnetic turbulence during an earthward plasma flow which may contribute towards plasma sheet dissipation.

Coroniti, F. V.↗