Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “species diffusion”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Depletions and extinction curves for lines of sight through the outer edges of truly dense molecular clouds

Observations of a few moderately reddened (0.3 is less than E(B-V) is less than 0.6) lines of sight through the outer edges of truly dense molecular clouds, not only show the overall depletions in these clouds to be as much as 0.5 (dex) greater than in comparably reddened diffuse clouds, but reveal a possible tendency for certain species to deplete preferentially. Possible methods of depletions are discussed.

Joseph, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Simultaneous temperature and multi-species measurements in opposed jet flames of nitrogen-diluted hydrogen and air

A narrowband UV Raman scattering system is used to obtain measurement profiles of major and minor species concentrations, temperature, and mixture fraction in opposed jet diffusion flames. The measurement profiles can be compared to previously obtained temperature and concentration profiles (Pellett et al., 1989), obtained using CARS, and they can also be qualitatively compared to the predicted concentration and temperature profiles in pure hydrogen/air flames (Gutheil and Williams, 1990) and in diluted hydrogen/air flames (Dixon-Lewis and Missaghi, 1988; Ho and Isaac, 1991). The applied stress-rates for the two flame conditions studied are 240/s and 340/s, with respective hydrogen concentrations in the fuel jet of 0.67 and 0.83, on a mole fraction basis (0.13 and 0.26 hydrogen mass fractions, respectively).

Wehrmeyer, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Laser Raman diagnostics in subsonic and supersonic turbulent jet diffusion flames

Ultraviolet (UV) spontaneous vibrational Raman scattering combined with laser-induced predissociative fluorescence (LIPF) is developed for temperature and multi-species concentration measurements. Simultaneous measurements of temperature, major species (H2, O2, N2, H2O), and minor species (OH) concentrations are made with a 'single' narrow band KrF excimer laser in subsonic and supersonic lifted turbulent hydrogen-air diffusion flames. The UV Raman system is calibrated with a flat-flame diffusion burner operated at several known equivalence ratios from fuel-lean to fuel-rich. Temperature measurements made by the ratio of Stokes/anti-Stokes signal and by the ideal gas law are compared. The single shot measurement precision for concentration and temperature measurement is 5 to 10 pct. Calibration constants and bandwidth factors are determined from the flat burner measurements and used in a data reduction program to arrive at temperature and species concentration measurements. These simultaneous measurements of temperature and multi-species concentrations allow a better understanding of the complex turbulence-chemistry interactions and provide information for the input and validation of CFD models.

Cheng, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Diffusion Flame Stabilization

Diffusion flames are commonly used for industrial burners in furnaces and flares. Oxygen/fuel burners are usually diffusion burners, primarily for safety reasons, to prevent flashback and explosion in a potentially dangerous system. Furthermore, in most fires, condensed materials pyrolyze, vaporize, and burn in air as diffusion flames. As a result of the interaction of a diffusion flame with burner or condensed-fuel surfaces, a quenched space is formed, thus leaving a diffusion flame edge, which plays an important role in flame holding in combustion systems and fire spread through condensed fuels. Despite a long history of jet diffusion flame studies, lifting/blowoff mechanisms have not yet been fully understood, compared to those of premixed flames. In this study, the structure and stability of diffusion flames of gaseous hydrocarbon fuels in coflowing air at normal earth gravity have been investigated experimentally and computationally. Measurements of the critical mean jet velocity (U(sub jc)) of methane, ethane, or propane at lifting or blowoff were made as a function of the coflowing air velocity (U(sub a)) using a tube burner (i.d.: 2.87 mm). By using a computational fluid dynamics code with 33 species and 112 elementary reaction steps, the internal chemical-kinetic structures of the stabilizing region of methane and propane flames were investigated. A peak reactivity spot, i.e., reaction kernel, is formed in the flame stabilizing region due to back-diffusion of heat and radical species against an oxygen-rich incoming flow, thus holding the trailing diffusion flame. The simulated flame base moved downstream under flow conditions close to the measured stability limit.

Takahashi, Fumiaki↗
NASA NTRS2007

Diffusion Flame Stabilization

Diffusion flames are commonly used for industrial burners in furnaces and flares. Oxygen/fuel burners are usually diffusion burners, primarily for safety reasons, to prevent flashback and explosion in a potentially dangerous system. Furthermore, in most fires, condensed materials pyrolyze, vaporize, and burn in air as diffusion flames. As a result of the interaction of a diffusion flame with burner or condensed-fuel surfaces, a quenched space is formed, thus leaving a diffusion flame edge, which plays an important role in flame holding in combustion systems and fire spread through condensed fuels. Despite a long history of jet diffusion flame studies, lifting/blowoff mechanisms have not yet been fully understood, compared to those of premixed flames. In this study, the structure and stability of diffusion flames of gaseous hydrocarbon fuels in coflowing air at normal earth gravity have been investigated experimentally and computationally. Measurements of the critical mean jet velocity (U(sub jc)) of methane, ethane, or propane at lifting or blowoff were made as a function of the coflowing air velocity (U(sub a)) using a tube burner (i.d.: 2.87 mm) (Fig. 1, left). By using a computational fluid dynamics code with 33 species and 112 elementary reaction steps, the internal chemical-kinetic structures of the stabilizing region of methane and propane flames were investigated (Fig. 1, right). A peak reactivity spot, i.e., reaction kernel, is formed in the flame stabilizing region due to back-diffusion of heat and radical species against an oxygen-rich incoming flow, thus holding the trailing diffusion flame. The simulated flame base moved downstream under flow conditions close to the measured stability limit.

Takahashi, Fumiaki↗
NASA NTRS1982

Diffusive-convective physical vapor transport of PbTe from a Te-rich solid source

Crystal growth of PbTe by physical vapor transport (sublimation) in a closed ampoule is governed by the vapor species in thermal equilibrium with the solid compound. Deviations from stoichiometry in the source material cause diffusion limitation of the transport rate, which can be modified by natural (gravity-driven) convection. Mass-transport experiments have been performed using Te-rich material wherein sublimation rates have been measured in order to study the effects of natural convection in diffusion-limited vapor transport. Linear velocities for both crystal growth and evaporation (back sublimation) have been measured for transport in the direction of gravity, horizontally, and opposite to gravity. The experimental results are discussed in terms of both the one-dimensional diffusive-advective model and current, more sophisticated theory which includes natural convection. There is some evidence that convection effects from radial temperature gradients and solutal density gradients have been observed.

Zoutendyk, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Venus lower thermosphere studies

Studies undertaken in this project have sought to understand lower thermospheric structure and dynamics (less than or equal to 145 km), particularly the processes responsible. This is a region just below the reach of in-situ instruments onboard PVO (Pioneer Venus Orbiter) during the first few diurnal cycles. PVO remote airglow observations (nitric oxide, O2, visible, O 1304A) have been coupled with ground-based observations (CO densities, winds, temperatures, O2 IR nightglow) to address the behavior of lower thermospheric winds and chemistry over 95 to 150 km. This interpretation of PVO and related data is accomplished by using the NCAR Venus thermospheric general circulation model (VTGCM) (Bougher et al., 1988; 1990). This model has been modified over the last two years to improve its ability to calculate O, CO, and O2 densities, temperatures, nightglow, and subsolar-to-antisolar and zonal winds over 95 to 150 km (Bougher and Borucki, 1992). Our VTGCM studies show that: (1) O2 visible and IR nightglow distributions can be used to trace lower thermosphere / upper mesosphere winds over 100-130 km. Typically, weak zonal winds (less than or equal to 25 m/sec) and nightglow maximum patches near 0100 LT prevail. Occasionally, strong zonal winds (30-60 m/sec) and airglow patches peaking near 0300 LT characterize the Venus lower thermosphere. (2) It is clear that the dynamics of the Venus 90-130 km region is highly variable on time scales as short as an hour. This is most likely due to the time variable nature of upward propagating gravity waves, which grow in amplitude and eventually break. The resulting turbulence gives rise to local time variable eddy diffusion and momentum drag, both of which strongly impact global density and nightglow distributions. (3) The oxygen chemistry (O, O2, etc.) over 90-120 km is strongly dependent on HO(x) and CLO(x) tracer species that must be properly included in any coupled chemical dynamical model. (4) The density profiles of light species (O, CO, N, He) are strongly affected by large-scale transport by the winds. Strong eddy diffusion is not a suitable model parameterization for approximating these light species, especially for extrapolation into the region below 140 km where PVO in-situ data is lacking. Instead, the fully coupled chemical dynamical VTGCM model should be used to improve estimates of densities within the VTS3 empirical model (Hedin et al., 1983) below 140 km.

Bougher, Stephen W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

PAHs molecules and heating of the interstellar gas

Until now it has remained difficult to account for the rather high temperatures seen in many diffuse interstellar clouds. Various heating mechanisms have been considered: photoionization of minor species, ionization of H by cosmic rays, and photoelectric effect on small grains. Yet all these processes are either too weak or efficient under too restricting conditions to balance the observed cooling rates. A major heat source is thus still missing in the thermal balance of the diffuse gas. Using photoionization cross sections measured in the lab, it was shown that in order to balance the observed cooling rates in cold diffuse clouds (T approx. 80 K) the PAHs would have to contain 15 percent of the cosmic abundance of carbon. This value does not contradict the former estimation of 6 percent deduced from the IR emission bands since this latter is to be taken as a lower limit. Further, it was estimated that the contribution to the heating rate due to PAH's in a warm HI cloud, assuming the same PAH abundance as for a cold HI cloud, would represent a significant fraction of the value required to keep the medium in thermal balance. Thus, photoionization of PAHs might well be a major heat source for the cold and warm HI media.

Verstraete, Laurent↗
NASA NTRS1997

Quantitative Measurement of Oxygen in Microgravity Combustion

A low-gravity environment, in space or in ground-based facilities such as drop towers, provides a unique setting for studying combustion mechanisms. Understanding the physical phenomena controlling the ignition and spread of flames in microgravity has importance for space safety as well as for better characterization of dynamical and chemical combustion processes which are normally masked by buoyancy and other gravity-related effects. Due to restrictions associated with performing measurements in reduced gravity, diagnostic methods which have been applied to microgravity combustion studies have generally been limited to capture of flame emissions on film or video, laser Schlieren imaging and (intrusive) temperature measurements using thermocouples. Given the development of detailed theoretical models, more sophisticated diagnostic methods are needed to provide the kind of quantitative data necessary to characterize the properties of microgravity combustion processes as well as provide accurate feedback to improve the predictive capabilities of the models. When the demands of space flight are considered, the need for improved diagnostic systems which are rugged, compact, reliable, and operate at low power becomes apparent. The objective of this research is twofold. First, we want to develop a better understanding of the relative roles of diffusion and reaction of oxygen in microgravity combustion. As the primary oxidizer species, oxygen plays a major role in controlling the observed properties of flames, including flame front speed (in solid or liquid flames), extinguishment characteristics, flame size and flame temperature. The second objective is to develop better diagnostics based on diode laser absorption which can be of real value in both microgravity combustion research and as a sensor on-board Spacelab as either an air quality monitor or as part of a fire detection system. In our prior microgravity work, an eight line-of-sight fiber optic system measured water vapor mole fractions in the NASA Lewis 2.2-sec Drop Tower. In that system, the laser and all electronics resided at the top of the drop tower and was connected via a fiber optic cable to the rig, on which a 'pitch and catch' set of fiber collimating lenses were used to transmit the laser beam across a jet diffusion flame. This system required eight independent detection/demodulation units and had poor spatial resolution. This research builds on this earlier work, resulting in an improved capability for quantitative, nonintrusive measurement of major combustion species. A vertical cavity surface-emitting diode laser (VCSEL) and a continuous spatial scanning method permit the measurement of temporal and spatial profiles of the concentrations and temperatures of molecular oxygen. High detection sensitivity is achieved with wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). One-g experiments are performed using a slot diffusion flame. Microgravity measurements on a solid fuel (cellulose sheet) system are planned for the NASA Lewis 2.2-second Drop Tower Facility.

Silver, Joel A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Interstellar abundances and depletions inferred from observations of neutral atoms

Data on neutral atomic species are analyzed for the purpose of inferring relative elemental abundances and depletions in diffuse cloud cores, where it is assumed that densities are enhanced in comparison with mean densities over integrated lines of sight. Column densities of neutral atoms are compared to yield relative column densities of singly ionized species, which are assumed dominant in cloud cores. This paper incorporates a survey of literature data on neutral atomic abundances with the result that no systematic enhancement in the depletions of calcium or iron in cloud cores is found, except for zeta Ophiuchi. This may imply that depletions are not influenced by density, but other data argue against this interpretation. It is concluded either that in general all elements are depleted together in dense regions so that their relative abundances remain constant, or that typical diffuse clouds do not have significant cores, but instead are reasonably homogeneous. The data show a probable correlation between cloud-core depletion and hydrogen-molecular fraction, supporting the assumption that overall depletions are a function of density.

Snow, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Binary Oscillatory Crossflow Electrophoresis

Electrophoresis has long been recognized as an effective analytic technique for the separation of proteins and other charged species, however attempts at scaling up to accommodate commercial volumes have met with limited success. In this report we describe a novel electrophoretic separation technique - Binary Oscillatory Crossflow Electrophoresis (BOCE). Numerical simulations indicate that the technique has the potential for preparative scale throughputs with high resolution, while simultaneously avoiding many problems common to conventional electrophoresis. The technique utilizes the interaction of an oscillatory electric field and a transverse oscillatory shear flow to create an active binary filter for the separation of charged protein species. An oscillatory electric field is applied across the narrow gap of a rectangular channel inducing a periodic motion of charged protein species. The amplitude of this motion depends on the dimensionless electrophoretic mobility, alpha = E(sub o)mu/(omega)d, where E(sub o) is the amplitude of the electric field oscillations, mu is the dimensional mobility, omega is the angular frequency of oscillation and d is the channel gap width. An oscillatory shear flow is induced along the length of the channel resulting in the separation of species with different mobilities. We present a model that predicts the oscillatory behavior of charged species and allows estimation of both the magnitude of the induced convective velocity and the effective diffusivity as a function of a in infinitely long channels. Numerical results indicate that in addition to the mobility dependence, the steady state behavior of solute species may be strongly affected by oscillating fluid into and out of the active electric field region at the ends of the cell. The effect is most pronounced using time dependent shear flows of the same frequency (cos((omega)t)) flow mode) as the electric field oscillations. Under such conditions, experiments indicate that solute is drawn into the cell from reservoirs at both ends of the cell leading to a large mass build up. As a consequence, any initially induced mass flux will vanish after short times. This effect was not captured by the infinite channel model and hence numerical and experimental results deviated significantly. The revised model including finite cell lengths and reservoir volumes allowed quantitative predictions of the time history of the concentration profile throughout the system. This latter model accurately describes the fluxes observed for both oscillatory flow modes in experiments using single protein species. Based on the results obtained from research funded under NASA grant NAG-8-1080.S, we conclude that binary separations are not possible using purely oscillatory flow modes because of end effects associated with the cos((omega)t) mode. Our research shows, however, that a combination of cos(2(omega)t) and steady flow should lead to efficient separation free of end effects. This possibility is currently under investigation.

Molloy, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The chlorine budget of the troposphere

It has been hypothesized that chlorine compounds in the stratosphere could photodissociate and release atomic chlorine which catalytically destroys ozone. For an accurate assessment of the possibility of stratospheric ozone depletion, it will be necessary to know the chlorine budget of the entire atmosphere, including the troposphere and the stratosphere. Most chlorine species in the atmosphere are emitted at the surface and diffuse upward. Measurements involving chlorine are reviewed and photochemical calculations are discussed. It is found that between 0.1-1.0 ppbv of inorganic chlorine is present at the surface and about 0.02 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) at the tropopause. Most of the inorganic chlorine is believed to be in the form of HCl, and thus natural in origin. For organic chlorine the corresponding numbers are 1.9 ppbv and 1.7 ppbv, respectively. At the surface approximately 32% of the organic chlorine is natural and 68% anthropogenic.

Augustsson, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mars atmosphere loss and isotopic fractionation by solar-wind-induced sputtering and photochemical escape

The effects of loss of Mars atmospheric constituents by solar-wind-induced sputtering and by photochemical escape during the last 3.8 b.y. were examined. Sputtering is capable of efficiently removing all species from the upper atmosphere, including the light noble gases; N also is removed by photochemical processes. Due to the diffusive separation by mass above the homopause, removal from the top of the atmosphere will fractionate the isotopes of each species, with the lighter mass being preferentially lost. For C and O, this allows us to determine the size of nonatmospheric reservoirs that mix with the atmosphere; these reserviors can be accounted for by exchange with CO2 adsorbed in the regolith and with H2O in the polar ice deposits. Both simple analytical models and time-dependent models of the loss of volatiles from and supply to the Martian atmosphere were constructed. Both Ar and Ne require continued replenishment from outgassing over geologic time.

Jakosky, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mars atmospheric loss and isotopic fractionation by solar-wind-induced sputtering and photochemical escape

We examine the effects of loss of Mars atmospheric constituents by solar-wind-induced sputtering and by photochemical escape during the last 3.8 b.y. Sputtering is capable of efficiently removing all species from the upper atmosphere including the light noble gases; N is removed by photochemical processes as well. Due to diffusive separation (by mass) above the homopause, removal from the top of the atmosphere will fractionate the isotopes of each species with the lighter mass being preferentially lost. For C and O, this allows us to determine the size of nonatmospheric reservoirs that mix with the atmosphere; these reservoirs can be CO2 adsorbed in the regolith or H2O in the polar ice caps. We have constructed both simple analytical models and time-dependent models of the loss from and supply of volatiles to the Martian atmosphere.

Jakosky, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Contactless Growth of ZnSe Single Crystals by Physical Vapor Transport

ZnSe crystals were grown by self-seeded physical vapor transport (PVT) technique in the horizontal configuration. The source materials were heat treated by H2 reduction to remove the oxide followed by baking under dynamic vacuum to adjust the source composition toward that of congruent sublimation. Contactless growth of ZnSe single crystals have been performed consistently using three different source materials. The crystals grew away from the wall during the later stage of the growth with large (110) facets tend to align parallel to the gravity direction. The Scanning Electron Micrography (SEM) micrographs and the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) images showed that large (110) terraces and steps dominate the as-grown facets. The measured residual gas pressures in the processed ampoules agree well among various source materials and the major components were CO and H2. No preferred growth direction was found. The one-dimensional diffusion model on the mass flux of a multi-species PVT system was employed to analyze the conditions for contactless growth. The calculated thermal profile for supersaturation is very close to the thermal profile measured inside the empty furnace bore in the region of contactless growth. The effects of convective flows in the vapor phase inside the ampoule on the growth processes are discussed.

Su, Ching-Hua↗
NASA NTRS2018

Relative Sputtering Rates of FeS, MgS, and Mg Silicates: Implications for ISM Gas Phase Depletions of Rock-Forming Elements

Astronomical measurements of S abundances in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) indicate ionized S is a dominant species with little (< 5%) S residing in grains (e.g. Jenkins 2009). This is an enigmatic result, given that abundant Fe-sulfide grains are observed in dust around pre- and post-main sequence stars and are also observed as major components of primitive meteoritic and cometary samples. These disparate observations suggest that the lifetime of sulfide grains in the ISM is short because of destruction processes. Our previous work has shown that FeS and MgS retain their crystallinity and do not amorphize during radiation processing, whereas enstatite and forsterite are readily amorphized. We have extended this study to measure the relative sputtering rates of FeS and MgS compared to enstatite and forsterite. Irradiation of FeS with 4 keV He+ results in preferential sputtering of S and the formation of a thin 2-3 nm, compact Fe metal layer that armors the surface. The zone of S loss extends to a depth of ~8-10 nm below the exposed surface. Despite this S loss, the FeS retains its crystallinity and shows no sign of incipient amorphization. Irradiation of FeS with 5kV Ga+ in a focused ion beam (FIB) instrument resulted in preferential sputtering of S and the formation of a 5-8-nm thick surface layer of nanophase Fe metal. X-ray mapping shows that the zone of S sputtering extends to a depth of nearly 20 nm, but there is no evidence for FeS amorphization, consistent with our previous work. The irradiation experiments show that the relative sputtering rate of FeS and MgS are much higher than olivine or enstatite. Sputtering experiments utilizing 30 kV and 5 kV Ga ions in the FIB produced volume loss in troilite that was ~4X greater than in enstatite or forsterite. The sputter yield under these conditions is such that for every Si atom sputtered from enstatite, ~14 S atoms are sputtered from FeS. We have performed similar sputtering experiments on Fe-bearing niningerite (MgS) and co-existing enstatite from the ALH 84170 EH3 chondrite. MgS also sputters much more rapidly than enstatite with a relative Si:S sputter yield of 1:8. For MgS, sulfur is highly depleted at the surface and the S-depletion zone extends to a depth of ~15 nm (using 5 kV Ga+). There is a corresponding zone of Mg and especially Fe enrichment that extends from 5 to ~10 nm below the surface, respectively. The dominant grain destruction mechanism in the ISM is sputtering from passage of supernova-generated shock waves. This process also results in the amorphization of crystalline silicates in the ISM. Our results indicate that FeS and MgS grains produced in evolved stars and injected into the ISM will be destroyed more rapidly than crystalline silicates. This process may account for the lack of significant depletion of S from the gas phase in the ISM. However, rare nanophase FeS grains occur as inclusions in circumstellar amorphous silicate grains found in comet dust particles analyzed in the laboratory. These results show that a finite amount of S in the ISM is sequestered in solid grains.

SPUTTERING RATES↗
NASA NTRS1984

Engineering correlations of variable-property effects on laminar forced convection mass transfer for dilute vapor species and small particles in air

A simple engineering correlation scheme is developed to predict the variable property effects on dilute species laminar forced convection mass transfer applicable to all vapor molecules or Brownian diffusing small particle, covering the surface to mainstream temperature ratio of 0.25 T sub W/T sub e 4. The accuracy of the correlation is checked against rigorous numerical forced convection laminar boundary layer calculations of flat plate and stagnation point flows of air containing trace species of Na, NaCl, NaOH, Na2SO4, K, KCl, KOH, or K2SO4 vapor species or their clusters. For the cases reported here the correlation had an average absolute error of only 1 percent (maximum 13 percent) as compared to an average absolute error of 18 percent (maximum 54 percent) one would have made by using the constant-property results.

Gokoglu, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Soot Formation in Hydrocarbon/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames

Soot processes within hydrocarbon/air diffusion flames are important because they affect the durability and performance of propulsion systems, the hazards of unwanted fires, the pollutant and particulate emissions from combustion processes, and the potential for developing computational combustion. Motivated by these observations, this investigation involved an experimental study of the structure and soot properties of round laminar jet diffusion flames, seeking an improved understanding of soot formation (growth and nucleation) within diffusion flames. The present study extends earlier work in this laboratory concerning laminar smoke points (l) and soot formation in acetylene/air laminar jet diffusion flames (2), emphasizing soot formation in hydrocarbon/air laminar jet diffusion flames for fuels other than acetylene. In the flame system, acetylene is the dominant gas species in the soot formation region and both nucleation and growth were successfully attributed to first-order reactions of acetylene, with nucleation exhibiting an activation energy of 32 kcal/gmol while growth involved negligible activation energy and a collision efficiency of O.53%. In addition, soot growth in the acetylene diffusion flames was comparable to new soot in premixed flame (which also has been attributed to first-order acetylene reactions). In view of this status, a major issue is the nature of soot formation processes in diffusion flame involving hydrocarbon fuels other than acetylene. In particular, information is needed about th dominant gas species in the soot formation region and the impact of gas species other than acetylene on soot nucleation and growth.

Sunderland, P. B.↗