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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 235 records · Page 13

Creation of an artificial lunar atmosphere

It is pointed out that the tenuous nature of the lunar atmosphere is maintained by rapid loss of gases released at the lunar surface. The loss of gases from the lunar atmosphere in the case of a greatly increased atmospheric density is investigated. It is found that in the case of such an increase in the density of the lunar atmosphere, a point can be reached where loss occurs so slowly that it is negligible over human time scales. In the event an artificial lunar atmosphere were to be created, gases can be obtained by heating or vaporization of the lunar soil. This could be done with the aid of nuclear devices.

Vondrak, R. R.↗

On the nature of the anti-tail of Comet Kohoutek /1973f/. I - A working model

The model derived for the anti-tail of Comet Kohoutek describes it as a flat formation, confined essentially to the comet's orbit plane and composed of relatively heavy particles (mostly in the size range 0.1-1 mm) whose motions are controlled by solar gravity and solar radiation pressure. Almost all the material was produced by the comet before perihelion at a rate about an order of magnitude higher than for Comets Arend-Roland and Bennett. The latent heat of vaporization of the particle material is estimated at 40-45 kcal/mole or higher.

Sekanina, Z.↗

Predicted exhaust emissions from a methanol and jet fueled gas turbine combustor

A computer model of a gas turbine combustor has been used to predict the kinetic combustion and pollutant formation processes for methanol and simulated jet fuel. Use of the kinetic reaction mechanisms has also allowed a study of ignition delay and flammability limit of these two fuels. The NOX emissions for methanol were predicted to be from 69 to 92% lower than those for jet fuel at the same equivalence ratio which is in agreement with experimentally observed results. The high heat of vaporization of methanol lowers both the combustor inlet mixture temperatures and the final combustion temperatures. The lower combustion temperatures lead to low NOX emissions while the lower inlet mixture temperatures increase methanol's ignition delay. This increase in ignition delay dictates the lean flammability limit of methanol to be 0.8, while jet fuel is shown to combust at 0.4.

Adelman, H. G.↗

Satellite measurements of ocean waves

Satellite measurements of the directional spectrum of ocean waves are beneficial to theoretical wave research, ocean engineering, and marine activities. Wave measurements from satellites by active microwave systems also help to analyze those processes that govern the transfer of heat, water vapor, and momentum across the air-sea interface.

Stewart, R. H.↗

Process Feasibility Study in Support of Silicon Material, Task 1

During this reporting period, major activies were devoted to process system properties, chemical engineering and economic analyses. Analyses of process system properties was continued for materials involved in the alternate processes under consideration for solar cell grade silicon. The following property data are reported for silicon tetrafluoride: critical constants, vapor pressure, heat of varporization, heat capacity, density, surface tension, viscosity, thermal conductivity, heat of formation and Gibb's free energy of formation. Chemical engineering analysis of the BCL process was continued with primary efforts being devoted to the preliminary process design. Status and progress are reported for base case conditions; process flow diagram; reaction chemistry; material and energy balances; and major process equipment design.

Li, K. Y.↗

Cometary and meteorite swarm impact on planetary surfaces

The impact-induced deformation from hypothetical cometary objects having initial densities in the 0.01 to 1 g/cu cm range and heats of vaporization in the approximately 2 kJ/g (corresponding to water) to approximately 10 to the 7th J/g range is examined for impacts in the 5 to 45 km/s range. Even though the direct effect of an atmosphere is neglected, the atmosphere may in fact cause a cometary object to break up into a shower or equivalent very porous impactor. Besides examining the partitioning of impact energy into internal energy of the impacted planet and impacting cometary material, calculations are made of the relative efficiency of shock-induced melting and vaporization by comets on planetary surface materials and the mass loss from a given planet for various escape velocities.

Okeefe, J. D.↗

A parametric study of thermally augmented O2/H2 rocket enines

An analysis is presented of the performance of a conceptual propulsion system in which liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are first vaporized and heated by thermal power from a spacecraft nuclear electric power supply prior to combustion in a rocket engine. Calculations of the specific impulse (I-sp) are presented for a series of O2/H2 oxidizer-to-fuel mixture ratios and reactant pre-heat temperatures (T-aug). It is found that the ratio of the augmentation power to the total engine jet power (P-aug/P-tot) determines the engine thrust for a given P-aug, T-aug, and I-sp. In addition, the performance of an unaugmented O2/H2 and a heated-hydrogen rocket engine were also calculated for the same conditions. Results show that an augmented O2/H2 engine has three to eight times the thrust of a heated H2 engine for a given P-aug. It is concluded that it should be possible to design a high/low thrust propulsion system using a common propellant, with the option of using thermal power from the nuclear electric power supply to augment the low-thrust propulsion system during cruise periods when the reactor's full electric power is not needed.

Frisbee, R. H.↗

Measuring the Liquid Content of a Gas

Instrument is adaptation of hot-wire anemometer. Hot-wire anemometer detects liquid droplets entrained in flowing gas. Droplets impinge on probe and carry away heat as vaporized. Power required to maintain probe at constant resistance and elevated temperature gives measure of amount of liquid present. Instrument used in steam turbines to check for condensation and detect fog at airports and highways, generating control signal to turn on fog lights.

Beekman, D. H.↗

Investigation of the thermophysical properties of high-melting materials with the aid of a complex of instruments

The evaporation rate, vapor pressure, heats of evaporation reaction (sublimation, dissociation), enthalpy, electrical resistance, heat capacity, emissivity, and heat conductivity of various carbides, borides, sulfides, nitrides, selenides, and phosphides were investigated. A set of high temperature high vacuum devices, calorimeters (designed for operation at 400 to 1300 K and from 1200 K), and mass spectrometers, most of which were specially developed for these studies, is described.

Bolgar, A. S.↗

Geological implications of impacts of large asteroids and comets on the earth

The present conference discusses such topics as large object fluxes in near-earth space and the probabilities of terrestrial impacts, the geological record of impacts, dynamics modeling for large body impacts on continents and oceans, physical, chemical, and biological models of large impacts' atmospheric effects, dispersed impact ejecta and their signatures, general considerations concerning mass biological extinctions, the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary event, geochemical signatures in the stratigraphic record, and other phanerozoic events. Attention is given to terrestrial impact rates for long- and short-period comets, estimates of crater size for large body impact, a first-order estimate of shock heating and vaporization in oceanic impacts, atmospheric effects in the first few minutes after an impact, a feasibility test for biogeographic extinction, and the planktonic and dinosaur extinctions.

Silver, L. T.↗

Concept evaluation of four thermal utility systems for low orbit spacecraft

Attention is given to the design features and comparative performance of four two-phase heat transport systems under consideration by NASA as long term space mission devices for the collection, transportation and rejection of waste heat from spacecraft components over the zero-100 C temperature range. The system types are: a mechanically pumped two-phase loop, a capillary pumped loop, an osmotic pumped loop, and a loop employing a biomorph pump. The principal advantage of a capillary pumped loop is that it is a passive system with few moving parts that inherently possesses high reliability. The working fluid recommended for use in such a thermal utility is NH3, which has the requisite combination of high latent heat of vaporization and high surface tension.

Peterson, G. P.↗

Atmospheric surface and boundary layers of the Amazon Basin

Three phases of work were performed: design of and preparation for the Amazon Boundary Layer Experiment (ABLE 2-A); execution of the ABLE 2-A field program; and analysis of the ABLE 2-A data. Three areas of experiment design were dealt with: surface based meteorological measurements; aircraft missions; and project meteorological support. The primary goal was to obtain a good description of the structure of the atmosphere immediately above the rain forest canopy (top of canopy to a few thousand meters), to describe this region during the growing daytime phase of the boundary layer; and to examine the nighttime stratified state. A secondary objective was to examine the role that deep convective storms play in the vertical transport of heat, water vapor, and other trace gases. While significant progress was made, much of the analysis remains to be done.

Garstang, Michael↗

Working fluid selection for space-based two-phase heat transport systems

The working fluid for externally-mounted, space-based two-phase heat transport systems is considered. A sequence of screening criteria involving freezing and critical point temperatures and latent heat of vaporization and vapor density are applied to a data base of 860 fluids. The thermal performance of the 52 fluids which pass this preliminary screening are then ranked according to their impact on the weight of a reference system. Upon considering other nonthermal criteria (flammability, toxicity, and chemical stability) a final set of 10 preferred fluids is obtained. The effects of variations in system parameters is investigated for these 10 fluids by means of a factorial design.

Mclinden, Mark O.↗

Atmospheric erosion by impacts: An analytic investigation

Until recently, models for the origin and evolution of the atmospheres of terrestrial planets ignored the effects of accretionary impacts. In the 1970's, however, it was suggested that heating and/or vaporization of accreting carbonaceous-chondrite-type planetesimals could result in the release of their volatile components. Modeling of this process strongly suggests that substantial atmospheres/hydrospheres could develop this way. During most of the accretionary process, impact velocities generally differed little from the escape velocity of the growing proto-planet because most of the collisions were between bodies in nearly matching orbits. Toward the end of accretion, however, collisions were rarer but much more energetic, involving large planetesimals and higher impact velocities. It has been postulated that such impacts result in a net loss of atmosphere from a planet, and that the cumulative effect impacts during the period of heavy bombardment might have dramatically depleted the original atmospheres.

Vickery, A. M.↗