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At least 235 records · Page 13

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DOE OSTI2023

INVESTIGATION OF ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS USING GEOMATERIAL MICROFLUIDICS

Illite and Illite-Smectite clays are reportedly the Caney Shale's most prevalent clay minerals. The swelling and fines migration of clays may occur when water-based fluids contact the clay minerals. This may result in the reduction of pore space and permeability, and wettability alteration. Therefore, we quantified the swelling potentials, fines migration and wettability alteration of Illite and Illite-Smectite clays upon exposure to model brines and a produced water, and a model oil and a crude oil. We measured density, viscosity, pH, TDS, and interfacial tension as they are important in multiphase flow and displacement characteristics. Geomaterial microfluidics is recently being used to study physicochemical interactions of solid-fluid systems. It facilitates visualizing the surface behavior upon exposure to various fluids. This study includes preparation and characterization of Illite-Smectite clay-coated glass capillary tubes. Illite and Illite-Smectite clay-coated geomaterial microfluidic surfaces were prepared to investigate the effects of first contact fluid, brine salinity, and aging on wettability. In this work, advancing and receding contact angles of model brine-air, model oil-air, produced water-air, crude oil-air, model brine-model oil systems, and produced water-crude oil systems have been measured in the untreated, and clay-coated microfluidic channels of 1000 µm width and 50 µm depth. The aging effect was studied by retaining the non-aqueous and aqueous solutions in the corresponding microfluidic channels for approximately 24 h in the case of channels first contacted by aqueous and non-aqueous solutions, respectively. The advancing and receding contact angles of Caney shale-crude oil-produced water systems were also measured. The experimental findings indicate the swelling potential, fines migration, and wettability alteration of Illite and Illite-Smectite clays. The results signify the influence of first contact fluid, brine salinity, and aging on wettability of the untreated and clay-coated microfluidic surfaces. The experiments also demonstrate the wetting nature of the Caney shale samples from reservoir and non-reservoir zones.

02 PETROLEUM↗

NASA NTRS2012

Preliminary Feasibility Testing of the BRIC Brine Water Recovery Concept

The Brine Residual In-Containment (BRIC) concept is being developed as a new technology to recover water from spacecraft wastewater brines. Such capability is considered critical to closing the water loop and achieving a sustained human presence in space. The intention of the BRIC concept is to increase the robustness and efficiency of the dewatering process by performing drying inside the container used for the final disposal of the residual brine solid. Recent efforts in the development of BRIC have focused on preliminary feasibility testing using a laboratory- assembled pre-prototype unit. Observations of the drying behavior of actual brine solutions processed under BRIC-like conditions has been of particular interest. To date, experiments conducted with three types of analogue spacecraft wastewater brines have confirmed the basic premise behind the proposed application of in-place drying. Specifically, the dried residual mass from these solutions have tended to exhibit characteristics of adhesion and flow that are expected to continue to challenge process stream management designs typically used in spacecraft systems. Yet, these same characteristics may favor the development of capillary- and surface-tension-based approaches currently envisioned as part of an ultimate microgravity-compatible BRIC design. In addition, preliminary feasibility testing of the BRIC pre-prototype confirmed that high rates of water recovery, up to 98% of the available brine water, may be possible while still removing the majority of the brine contaminants from the influent brine stream. These and other early observations from testing are reported.

Callahan, Michael R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Hemopoiesis in the pig-tailed monkey Macaca nemestrina during chronic altitude exposure.

Study of monkeys for 180 days at 3800 m altitude to examine their hemopoietic response. Plasma volume was found to be reduced while red cell volume increased steadily for four to five months. Reduction in mean corpuscular hemoglobin content was observed from day 30 to day 120 at altitude. Total plasma protein concentration was unchanged at altitude, but marked reduction in the albumin/globulin ratio occurred. Total circulating plasma protein and albumin were reduced in amount, whereas nonalbumin protein was unchanged. These results imply loss of albumin coupled with a corresponding loss of water from the blood and maintenance of normal plasma osmotic pressure. The body/venous hematocrit ratio was found to be reduced at altitude, possibly as a consequence of the expanded capillary volume of the body. The hemopoietic responses of the pig-tailed monkey at altitude require at least several months for completion, and closely resemble those seen in man; thus, the monkey can serve well for long-term studies of high-altitude acclimatization.

Buderer, M. C.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Atomizing Electrospray Nozzles on the Cooling and Reduced Humidification of Air

Separating sensible and latent cooling have shown the potential to reduce energy consumption in A/C systems for building HVAC applications. Several technologies exist based on vapor-compression refrigeration, enthalpy wheels, chemical adsorption and absorption materials, and mechanical cooling. However, their thermodynamics limits and high energy consumption hinder their deployment in hot and humid climatic regions. This paper focuses on separating sensible and latent cooling by using a new thermodynamics process and in-kind (i.e., non-vapor compression-based) technology. Highly electrically charged water droplets were sprayed in the airflow. These droplets attracted water vapor molecules to their surfaces and promoted condensation. The phenomenon was the result of simultaneous dielectrophoresis and electro-diffusion interactions. Studies in the literature have shown that using multiple capillary electrodes reduced air moisture by up to 5% when using nanometer-size droplets in the spray. Unfortunately, these studies were limited to low airflow rates, and the objective of this paper was to investigate how to scale up this in-kind approach to airflows typical of buildings. In the present paper, droplets of micrometer size were utilized to control the humidity for a 5-cfm flow rate. While this airflow was still low for building applications, it was 100 times fold the airflows in the literature studies. The air was tested at 20°C and at 50 and 80% relative humidity. A two-fluid atomizing nozzle produced the droplets in the spray, and high DC electric potential, up to 25 kV, was used to charge the fine droplets electrically. The air atomizing nozzle with high voltage potential resembled an evaporative cooler process. However, a measurable reduction of the absolute humidity of up to 2% was observed compared to the case of the nozzle with no high voltage potential. The entire device had one small nozzle selected from off-the-shelf components and had less than a 9 cm2 footprint area.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2021

Water transport properties of virtual fractal porous media: Implications for the unsaturated transport properties of cement-based materials

Cement-based materials are more and more recognized as fractal materials. From a practical point of view, fractality means that the pore size distribution can be described using fractal scaling law (i.e. power functions). Here, the simplest scaling law making use of a single fractal dimension was used to generate simple and virtual fractal porous media (based on bundles of parallel cylindrical pores). The capillary curve and permeability (relative and intrinsic) of the virtual porous media were then estimated through theoretical and numerical approaches. The results show that: (1) although bereft of any physical basis, van Genuchten equation bears some fractal information; (2) although highly flexible, van Genuchten equation fails to perfectly fit the capillary curves and can thus generate error in inverse analysis (for intrinsic permeability evaluation) and (3) there seems to be a relation between the intrinsic permeability and van Genuchten pressure parameter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a Framework for the Next Generation Complete Water Analysis System for Crewed Vehicles Beyond the ISS

The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) is a joint collaboration to develop an instrument platform that will perform in-flight measurements and deliver a more complete picture of water quality to decision makers. Eventually, missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond will be equipped with analytical capabilities equaling those found in terrestrial labs. Based on what we know about current and future spacecraft environments, SWIM will seek to provide enhanced analytical capability that enables NASA to confidently send astronauts on distant missions without the possibility of returned water samples. This paper discusses the challenges presented by exploration requirements and the research and development progress toward the goal of a total water analysis system. For organic analysis, one of the analysis technologies that the SWIM team have been developing is a liquid-injection gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system; these systems are the workhorses of analytical chemistry laboratories world-wide. For inorganic analysis, the team is exploring a number of technologies ranging from traditional liquid chromatography technologies (e.g. ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) to flight-heritage technology such as ion-specific electrodes.

water monitoring↗

DOE OSTI2024

Development of a Hybrid Single/Two-Phase Capillary-Based Micro-Cooler using Copper Inverse Opals Wick with Silicon 3D Manifold for High-Heat-Flux Cooling Application

Previously, we reported two-phase capillary-based cooling using narrow (200 to 1000 ..mu..m) heater bridge copper inverse opal (CIO) wicks with heat flux level of 1400 Wcm -2 and superheat ~ 10 degrees C. Here, we demonstrate the area scaling of the proposed technology to a large-area micro-cooler for high-heat-flux cooling of microprocessors and power electronics. We developed a hybrid single/two-phase micro-cooler that relies on capillary-wicking in a 25-..mu..m-thick CIO with an open silicon microchannel 3D-manifold for liquid delivery and vapor extraction, achieving a high heat flux ~ 400 Wcm -2 over a heated area of 10 x 10 mm 2 . For a range of inlet water flowrates from 5 to 60 g(min) -1 , we achieved total thermal resistances and vapor qualities of 0.68 cm 2 degrees CW -1 to 0.2 cm 2 degrees CW -1 and 0.55 to 0.12, respectively. The flowrates are 10x smaller than those of conventional single- or two-phase microchannel cooling technology. The corresponding two-phase thermal resistances ranges from 0.05 to 0.02 cm 2 degrees CW -1 with temperature superheat of 8 to 6 degrees C, respectively. While the overall performance of the large-area (10 x 10 mm 2 ) capillary-based micro-cooler degraded compared to the previous demonstration of the technology for a heated area of 5 x 5 mm 2 , however, preliminary CFD modeling indicates that an improved manifold design will be able to achieve comparable performance.

capillary flow↗

NASA NTRS2026

Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a System for Water Quality Analysis on Exploration Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit

Exploration missions beyond low-earth-orbit (LEO) will require advanced instrumentation to monitor water quality. Traveling beyond LEO means the transfer of water samples to an Earth-based laboratory for detailed analysis is not feasible. Detailed analysis of water composition during exploration is still necessary, because having the capability to determine the specific organic chemical causing a change in total organic carbon (TOC) or the specific metal or ionic species causing a change in conductivity has the potential to inform the crew health and system management decisions. On a new vehicle such as a lunar or Mars surface habitat or a Mars transit vehicle, finding “new” impurities not seen on ISS should be expected. The key is to identify the impurity so the correct action can be taken. On ISS we can measure TOC, conductivity, and other physical properties but do not have the capability for detailed analysis using vehicle instrumentation. This is acceptable because ISS can send samples down to Earth for further analysis and obtain the detailed composition. The Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor (SWIM) will provide detailed water quality analysis for missions in which sample down mass is not available. SWIM is a system comprising organic and inorganic analysis modules. For organic chemicals, a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) detects and identifies organic impurities. For inorganic species, a capillary electrophoresis capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) system as well as ion specific electrodes detect and identify metal ions and other inorganic salts / acids. The SWIM technology demonstration project has completed a System Requirements Review (SRR) to finalize detection requirements and is currently working to refine vehicle interface requirements for a future technology demonstration. The project also has begun preliminary flight design activities for the core analyzers in the instrument suite.

Water Monitoring↗

NASA NTRS1977

Laser probe for measuring 2-D wave slope spectra of ocean capillary waves

A laser-optical instrument for use in determining the two-dimensional wave-slope spectrum of ocean capillary waves is described. The instrument measures up to a 35-deg tip angle of the surface normal by measuring the position of a refracted laser beam directed vertically upward through a water surface. A telescope, a continuous two-dimensional Schottky barrier photodiode, and a pair of analog dividers render the signals independent of water height and insensitive to laser-beam intensity fluctuations. Calibration is performed entirely in the laboratory before field use. Sample records and wave-slope spectra are shown for one-dimensional wave-tank tests and for two-dimensional ocean tests. These are presented along with comparison spectra for calm and choppy water conditions. A mechanical wave follower was used to adjust the instrument position in the presence of large ocean swell and tides.

Palm, C. S.↗

NASA NTRS2026

Spacecraft Water Impurity Monitor, a System for Water Quality Analysis on Exploration Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit

Water Monitoring↗

DOE OSTI2024

Development of a Hybrid Single/Two-Phase Capillary-Based Micro-Cooler Using Copper Inverse Opals Wick with Silicon 3D Manifold for High-Heat-Flux Cooling Application: Preprint

Previously, two-phase capillary-based cooling from narrow (200-1,000 micrometer) heater-bridge copper inverse opal (CIO) wicks with heat flux levels exceeding 1,400 watts per square cm with a low superheat of approximately 10 degrees C was demonstrated. Here, we demonstrate the area scaling of the proposed technology to large-area micro-cooler for the high-heat-flux cooling of microprocessors and power electronics. We developed a hybrid single/two-phase micro-cooler that relies on capillary wicking in 25-micrometer-thick CIOs with an open channel silicon 3D-manifold for liquid delivery and vapor extraction, to achieve a high heat flux of approximately 400 watts per square cm over a heated area of 1 square cm. For the range of inlet water (21 degrees C water temperature) flowrates from 5 to 60 mL per min, we achieved total thermal resistances and vapor qualities of 0.68-0.2 square cm Kelvin per watt and 0.55-0.12, respectively. The high heat flux levels are achieved with flowrates that are 10 times smaller than conventional single- or two-phase microchannel cooling technology. The corresponding two-phase thermal resistances are in the range of 0.05 to 0.02 square cm Kelvin per watt with temperature superheat of 8 to 6 degrees C. While the overall performance of the large-area (10 by 10 square millimeter) capillary-based micro-cooler degraded compared to previous demonstration of the technology for a heated area of 5 by 5 square millimeter, preliminary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling indicates that an improved manifold design will be able to achieve comparable performance.

capillary flow↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hydrodynamics of Two-Phase Flows through Porous Media in Microgravity: Packed Bed Reactor Experiment onboard of the International Space Station

The objective of the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment was to develop a fundamental understanding of the hydrodynamics of two-phase flow with no phase transition through porous media in microgravity. This work describes two experimental campaigns flown on the International Space Station (ISS) that were designed to achieve the objective. This work presents the results on flow patterns observed, two-phase flow pressure drop in porous media, and the impact of capillary effects on pressure drop at various gas and liquid flow rates. This work is the first to present predictive correlations of the two-phase friction factor for the different regimes identified based on the superficial liquid and gas velocity in microgravity, the first to hypothesize the different regimes based on the change in slope of the pressure gradient versus flow rate plots, the first to address the effects of the capillarity on the pressure gradient and the first to measure column holdup and assess the effective porosity based on the packing and the trapped gas bubbles. Experimental data on pressure drop in gas (N2) – liquid (water) flow show the presence of four different flow regimes in microgravity. Dispersed bubble flow (DB) and pulse (P) flow regimes are detected at high liquid flow rates, whereas at low liquid flow rates “large bubble” or elongated bubble (LB) and “gas channeling” (GC) regimes are observed. For these different flow regimes, different two-phase flow friction factor and pressure gradient correlations are presented for the first time as a function of the gas and liquid modified Reynolds numbers and Suratman number. Within the viscous-capillary (V-C) regime, it is found that the capillary contribution is the dominant force that contributes to the pressure drop for the wetting case (glass). However, for the non-wetting packing (Teflon), the viscous contribution dominates. It was found that the gas hold-up and pressure drop are functions of bed history at low liquid and gas flow rates with the magnitude of the hysteresis decreasing with increasing flow rates. PBRE-2 results show that the capillary force is a strong function of the superficial liquid velocity but is a much weaker function of the superficial gas velocity and varies inversely with the particle diameter. Within the Viscous-Capillary (V-C) regime, over 90% of the pressure gradient is attributed to the capillary contribution in the gas continuous regime. However, in the large bubble regime, the viscous and capillary contributions were comparable. After the completion of PBRE-2 with glass spherical beads, another bed packed with alumina was installed. Pressure gradient data for the alumina packed bed (PBRE-Water Recovery) were transferred to the PI and were not analyzed by the authors of this work. The Packed Bed Reactor Experiment concluded its on-orbit operation after two successful campaigns of testing in 2017 and in 2021. The flight hardware was brought back from orbit and is being reconditioned for a series of future experiments referred to as PBRE-WRS in support of water recovery (WRS). The WRS series consists of testing different two-phase fluid system components and packed beds to assess their pressure gradient characteristics, which will be used for designing packed bed reactors for various applications relevant to life support. Although there is so much relevance of the experimental results obtained from the two PBRE campaign in microgravity to life support, these findings also apply to other applications that involve two phase flow in porous medium such as fuel cells, transport of nutrient to plants in space and other chemical and materials processing that involve two phase flows. These systems operate differently in microgravity because, due to the lack of buoyancy, the density difference between the phases becomes irrelevant and no longer leads to phase separation.

Packed Bed↗

DOE OSTI2022

Enhanced Laplace Pressures for Functional Surfaces: Wicking, Switchability, and Selectivity

Abstract Wetting functionalities of rough surfaces are largely determined by the Laplace pressure generated across liquid–gas interfaces formed within surface structures. Typically, rough wetting surfaces create negative Laplace pressures, enabling capillary wicking, while rough non‐wetting surfaces create positive Laplace pressures, exhibiting fluid repellency. Here, with microfabricated reentrant structures, it is shown that the same surface can exhibit either a negative or positive Laplace pressure, regardless of its intrinsic wettability. This material‐independent Laplace pressure duality enables or enhances a range of wetting functionalities including wicking, switchability, and selectivity. On the same surface, capillary rise, capillary dip, and the combination of the two which leads to further enhancement of the total sustainable capillary height and Laplace pressure, the driving force for wicking is demonstrated. Further, active switching of wetting states between the hemiwicking and the repellent Cassie state on reentrant structures is shown. Moreover, with a water‐hexane mixture system, selective wetting of reentrant structures are demonstrated, that is, water can be selectively wicked or repelled in the presence of hexane, and vice versa. These functionalities are achieved, which would typically require complex chemical coatings, solely using surface structures, thus largely expanding the design space for a wide range of thermofluidic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1989

Zero-Gravity Fuel-Cell Product-Water Accumulator

Assortment of documents describes simple, passive system that removes water formed from reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell. Designed for use in zero gravity, system does not require any machinery or external source of power. Works by capillary action and differential pressure.

Barrera, Thomas P.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Non-planar platinum group metal-free fuel cell cathodes for enhanced oxygen transport and water rejection

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) with cathodes using platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts could significantly reduce costs, but the lower volumetric oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity requires thick electrodes that suffer from liquid water flooding and increased oxygen transport resistance. To address these challenges, we developed a 3D gas diffusion electrode (GDE) architecture to enhance liquid water removal through the diffusion media and reduce cathode saturation. The cathode features a uniform catalyst layer adjacent to the membrane for high ORR activity and then pillars of the hydrophilic catalyst layer that pass through the microporous layer (MPL), providing a low capillary pressure barrier pathway to the carbon fiber paper layer and channel. The non-planar cathode also increases the interfacial area between the catalyst layer and hydrophobic MPL for a greater fraction of the cathode with high O 2 concentration. Our studies included parametric experimental study of the pillar density to identify the optimum pitch between pillars. Our measurements show significant improvements in the mass transport region of the polarization curve with 3D structured electrodes leading to an 8% increase in maximum current density, 19% increase in maximum power density, and 16% increase in current density at 0.67 V with air.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS1994

Molecular Dynamics of a Water-Lipid Bilayer Interface

We present results of molecular dynamics simulations of a glycerol 1-monooleate bilayer in water. The total length of analyzed trajectories is 5ns. The calculated width of the bilayer agrees well with the experimentally measured value. The interior of the membrane is in a highly disordered fluid state. Atomic density profile, orientational and conformational distribution functions, and order parameters indicate that disorder increases toward the center of the bilayer. Analysis of out-of-plane thermal fluctuations of the bilayer surfaces occurring at the time scale of the present calculations reveals that the distribution of modes agrees with predictions of the capillary wave model. Fluctuations of both bilayer surfaces are uncorrelated, yielding Gaussian distribution of instantaneous widths of the membrane. Fluctuations of the width produce transient thinning defects in the bilayer which occasionally span almost half of the membrane. The leading mechanism of these fluctuations is the orientational and conformational motion of head groups rather than vertical motion of the whole molecules. Water considerably penetrates the head group region of the bilayer but not its hydrocarbon core. The total net excess dipole moment of the interfacial water points toward the aqueous phase, but the water polarization profile is non-monotonic. Both water and head groups significantly contribute to the surface potential across the interface. The calculated sign of the surface potential is in agreement with that from experimental measurements, but the value is markedly overestimated. The structural and electrical properties of the water-bilayer system are discussed in relation to membrane functions, in particular transport of ions and nonelectrolytes across membranes.

Wilson, Michael A.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Manufacturing of Continuous Microporous Polymeric Fibers for Separation Applications

Polyolefin plastic waste, particularly polypropylene, is one of the most prevalent components in the plastic waste stream generated globally. However, only a small fraction of this waste is recycled and reintegrated into second applications. These materials have significant embedded energy that could be used for additional productivity if recycled properly. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop scalable processing techniques with high throughput to effectively recycle it. We report the continuous manufacturing of microporous fibers using waste polypropylene plastic and melt-processable lignin, a plant biomass constituent produced as a byproduct in paper mills or biorefineries, as a template to create pores. Further, these filaments with hierarchical porosity─created by controlled microphase separation during high-speed extensional flow followed by removal of lignin─exhibit exceptional capillary action for hydrophobic liquids. The resulting porous fibers can be used for various separation applications. For example, the oil uptake of the fibers is 9.59 ± 0.82 g/g for applications in oil recovery in bodies of water. In addition, polyethylenimine infiltration within these nanoporous fibers introduces cyclic room temperature sorption and thermal desorption potential of acidic gases such as CO 2 in a bench-scale experiment. The fibers exhibit multiple cycles of CO 2 absorption, with a range of 0.15 to 0.17 mmol/g. Thus, these polyethylenimine-infiltered nanoporous polypropylene fibers can also be used in removing acidic gases from a gas mixture.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

DirectINJECT: Dosing Systems for Concentrated Liquid Biocides

Reliable and mass-efficient techniques for biocide dosing are necessary to enable residual microbial control in spacecraft potable water systems. DirectINJECT is an approach to provide residual microbial control by injection of concentrated aqueous biocide solution (e.g., highly soluble silver salt), and associated dosing systems technology developments. This would allow for well-controlled liquid biocide injection that requires low consumable mass and is insensitive to the chemistry of the target water. With a 40 g Ag+/l solution, required dosing rates would be ~1 μl/minute during water processing (for a system similar to the ISS WPA), requiring only approximately 20 ml/crew-year of concentrate. We identified and characterized the performance of three dosing systems: pressure-driven flow through a robust micro-capillary tube, a miniature peristaltic pump, and a multi-piston pump with integrated valving. We began to address several potential system reliability concerns including prevention or segregation of gas bubbles in the concentrate reservoirs as well as long-term materials compatibility and mechanical life.

Lance Dean Delzeit↗