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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Effects of Microgravity on the Formation of Aerogels

This paper describes research to investigate fundamental aspects of the effects of microgravity on the formation of the microstructure of metal oxide alcogels and aerogels. We are studying the role of gravity on pore structure and gel uniformity in collaboration with Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on gelling systems under microgravity conditions. While this project was just initiated in May 1998, related research performed earlier is described along with the plans and rationale for the current microgravity investigation to provide background and describe newly developing techniques that should be useful for the current gellation studies. The role of gravity in materials processing must be investigated through the study of well-mastered systems. Sol-gel processed materials are near-perfect candidates to determine the effect of gravity on the formation and growth of random clusters from hierarchies of aggregated units. The processes of hydrolysis, condensation, aggregation and gellation in the formation of alcogels are affected by gravity and therefore provide a rich system to study under microgravity conditions. Supercritical drying of the otherwise unstable wet alcogel preserves the alcogel structure produced during sol-gel processing as aerogel. Supercritically dried aerogel provides for the study of material microstructures without interference from the effects of surface tension, evaporation, and solvent flow. Aerogels are microstructured, low density open-pore solids. They have many unusual properties including: transparency, excellent thermal resistance, high surface area, very low refractive index, a dielectric constant approaching that of air, and extremely low sound velocity. Aerogels are synthesized using sol-gel processing followed by supercritical solvent extraction that leaves the original gel structure virtually intact. These studies will elucidate the effects of microgravity on the homogeneity of the microstructure and porosity of aerogel. The presence of poorly controlled microporosity in aerogel leads to material non-uniformity that gives rise to increased light scattering. Investigation of the effect of gravity driven solute flows within microclusters and their effect on condensation and agglomeration reactions will enable us to improve the preparation and properties of aerogel. Increased clarity of images viewed through aerogel and decreased scattering from the pores of aerogel will significantly improve the prospects for large-scale adoption of aerogel in such applications as transparent insulating windows, high performance thermal insulation, and Cherenkov detectors.

Hunt, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Oxidation-Reduction Resistance of Advanced Copper Alloys

Resistance to oxidation and blanching is a key issue for advanced copper alloys under development for NASA's next generation of reusable launch vehicles. Candidate alloys, including dispersion-strengthened Cu-Cr-Nb, solution-strengthened Cu-Ag-Zr, and ODS Cu-Al2O3, are being evaluated for oxidation resistance by static TGA exposures in low-p(O2) and cyclic oxidation in air, and by cyclic oxidation-reduction exposures (using air for oxidation and CO/CO2 or H2/Ar for reduction) to simulate expected service environments. The test protocol and results are presented.

Greenbauer-Seng, L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Environmentally regulated aerospace coatings

Aerospace coatings represent a complex technology which must meet stringent performance requirements in the protection of aerospace vehicles. Topcoats and primers are used, primarily, to protect the structural elements of the air vehicle from exposure to and subsequent degradation by environmental elements. There are also many coatings which perform special functions, i.e., chafing resistance, rain erosion resistance, radiation and electric effects, fuel tank coatings, maskants, wire and fastener coatings. The scheduled promulgation of federal environmental regulations for aerospace manufacture and rework materials and processes will regulate the emissions of photochemically reactive precursors to smog and air toxics. Aerospace organizations will be required to identify, qualify and implement less polluting materials. The elimination of ozone depleting chemicals (ODC's) and implementation of pollution prevention requirements are added constraints which must be addressed concurrently. The broad categories of operations affected are the manufacture, operation, maintenance, and repair of military, commercial, general aviation, and space vehicles. The federal aerospace regulations were developed around the precept that technology had to be available to support the reduction of organic and air toxic emissions, i.e., the regulations cannot be technology forcing. In many cases, the regulations which are currently in effect in the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), located in Southern California, were used as the baseline for the federal regulations. This paper addresses strategies used by Southern California aerospace organizations to cope with these regulatory impacts on aerospace productions programs. All of these regulatory changes are scheduled for implementation in 1993 and 1994, with varying compliance dates established.

Morris, Virginia L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Evaluation of Charge Storage and Decay in Spacecraft Insulators

Two reports discuss methods for evaluating the magnitude of electrostatic charging that occurs in spacecraft dielectric materials (in particular, polyimides) during prolonged exposure to radiation in outer space. The reports describe experiments on the electrical resistivities and charge-storage properties of polyimide specimens in a dark, evacuated environment, both before and after 5-megarad exposures to rays from cobalt-60. The experiments were designed to measure these properties not under standard conditions prescribed for testing dielectrics in air but, rather, under conditions approximating those in the intended spacecraft applications. The results of the experiments showed that the electrical resistivities of the insulations as determined under these conditions are greater, by a factor of roughly a thousand, than those determined under the standard conditions and that the gamma irradiation reduced resistivities marginally.

Frederickson, Arthur↗
NASA NTRS1942

The resistance coefficient of commercial round wire grids

The resistance coefficients of commercial types of round wire grids were examined for the purpose of obtaining the necessary data on supercharger test stands for throttling the inducted air to a pressure corresponding to a desired air density. The measurements of the coefficients ranged up to Reynolds numbers of 1000. In the arrangement of two grids in tandem, which was necessary in order to obtain high resistance coefficients with the solidity, that is, mesh density of grid, was found to be accompanied by a further relationship with the mutual spacing of the individual grids.

Eckert, B↗
NASA NTRS1992

Nozzle material requirements and the status of intermetallic matrix composites

The HSCT exhaust nozzle must manage high temperature exhaust gases and pressure gradients while meeting HSCT economic and noise goals. The important features and requirements for an HSCT exhaust nozzle are shown for a 2DCD (two-dimensional convergent-divergent) design. The same requirements would apply to an axisymmetric design. Exhaust nozzle weight has an adverse effect on the overall aircraft range, payload, and engine specific fuel consumption and is therefore the primary driver for advanced exhaust nozzle materials. Because of the large airflow and pressure gradients, exhaust nozzles are extremely large and heavy when made from current materials. The use of advanced materials with higher specific strength will reduce the weight of exhaust nozzle components. In addition to the flow of high-temperature exhaust gases into the exhaust nozzle, ambient air is entrained to reduce gas exit velocities and suppress sound. This leads to components exposed to extremely high temperature gradients and, hence, high thermal stresses. Further, exhaust gases are highly oxidizing; material environmental resistance will be an important factor for long life. Several viable concepts have been identified to reduce noise through the mixture of exhaust and ambient air. Sound can be further suppressed by acoustic panels that absorb high-frequency noise.

Johnson, Andrew M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Hot corrosion resistance of nickel-chromium-aluminum alloys

The hot corrosion resistance of nickel-chromium-aluminum alloys was examined by cyclically oxidizing sodium sulfate-coated specimens in still air at 900, 1000, and 1100 C. The compositions tested were within the ternary region: Ni, Ni-50 at.% Cr, and Ni-50 at.% Al. At each temperature the corrosion data were statistically fitted to a third order regression equation as a function of chromium and aluminum contents. From these equations corrosion isopleths were prepared. Compositional regions with the best hot corrosion resistance were identified.

Santoro, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Investigation of the oxidation behavior of dispersion stabilized alloys when exposed to a dynamic high temperature environment

The oxidation behavior of TD-NiCr and TD-NiCrAlY alloys have been studied at 2000 and 2200 F in static and high speed flowing air environments. The TD-NiCrAlY alloys preoxidized to produce an Al2O3 scale on the surface showed good oxidation resistance in both types of environments. The TD-NiCr alloy which had a Cr2O3 oxide scale after preoxidation was found to oxidize more than an order of magnitude faster under the dynamic test conditions than at comparable static test conditions. Although Cr2O3 normally provides good oxidation protection, it was rapidly lost due to formation of volatile CrO3 when exposed to the high speed air stream. The preferred oxide arrangement for the dynamic test consisted of an external layer of NiO with a porous mushroom type morphology, an intermediate duplex layer of NiO and Cr2O3, and a continuous inner layer of Cr2O3 in contact with the alloy substrate. An oxidation model has been developed to explain the observed microstructure and overall oxidation behavior of all alloys.

Tenney, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Very Long Term Oxidation of Titanium Aluminides Investigated

Titanium aluminides (TiAl) are of great interest for intermediate-temperature (600 to 850 C) aerospace and power-generation applications because they offer significant weight savings over today's nickel alloys. TiAl alloys are being investigated for low-pressure turbine blade applications, exhaust nozzle components, and compressor cases in advanced subsonic and supersonic engines. Significant progress has been made in understanding the fundamental aspects of the oxidation behavior of binary TiAl alloys. However, most of this work has concentrated on short term (<1000 hr), high-temperature (900 to 1000 C) exposures. Also, there is not much data available in the literature regarding the oxidation behavior of the quaternary and higher order engineering alloys. This is especially true for the very long term, low-temperature conditions likely to be experienced during aerospace applications. An investigation at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field was undertaken to characterize the long-term oxidation behavior of various model and advanced titanium aluminides for periods up to 7000 hr at 704 C in air using a high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscope. Also, a unique surface treatment technique developed to improve the oxidation resistance of TiAl was evaluated. The alloys included in this investigation are listed in the table. The table also shows typical alloy compositions and the specific weight changes and scale thickness measured for each alloy after exposure to 700 C for 7000 hr in air.

Locci, Ivan E.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Propagation of density disturbances in air-water flow

Study investigated the behavior of density waves propagating vertically in an atmospheric pressure air-water system using a technique based on the correlation between density change and electric resistivity. This information is of interest to industries working with heat transfer systems and fluid power and control systems.

Nassos, G. P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Sintered silicon nitrode recuperator fabrication

The preliminary design and a demonstration of the feasibility of fabricating submodules of an automotive Stirling engine recuperator for waste heat recovery at 370 C are described. Sinterable silicon nitride (Sialon) tubing and plates were fabricated by extrusion and hydrostatic pressing, respectively, suitable for demonstrating a potential method of constructing ceramic recuperator-type heat exchangers. These components were fired in nitrogen atmosphere to 1800 C without significant scale formation so that they can be used in the as-fired condition. A refractory glass composition (Al2O3 x 4.5 CaO.MgO x 11SiO2) was used to join and seal component parts by a brazing technique which formed strong recuperator submodules capable of withstanding repeated thermal cycling to 1370 C. The corrosion resistance of these materials to Na2SO4 + NaCl carbon mixtures was also assessed in atmospheres of air, hydrogen and CO2-N2-H2O mixtures at both 870 C and 1370 C for times to 1000 hours. No significant reaction was observed under any of these test conditions.

Gatti, A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Arctic Sea ice by passive microwave observations from the Nimbus-5 Satellite

The results of a dynamic/thermodynamic numerical model of Arctic sea ice are compared with satellite images from the Nimbus 5 electrically scanning microwave radiometer. The model combines aspects of two previous sea ice models those of Parkinson and Washington and Ling, Rasmussen, and Campbell. A solid/fluid model basically follows the formulation of the Parkinson and Washington model with the addition of the constitutive equation and equation of state from the Ling model. The Parkinson and Washington model simulates the seasonal cycle of sea ice thicknesses and concentrations with a horizontal resolution of roughly 200 km and a timestep of 8 hours. The thermodynamics are calculated through energy balances at the interfaces between ice and air, water and ice, and water and air. The ice dynamics are calculated through a momentum equation balancing air stress, water stress, dynamic topography, and Coriolis force, with an adjustment for internal ice resistance.

Campbell, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Electrodynamic Tethers. 1: Power Generator in LEO. 2: Thrust for Propulsion and Power Storage

An electrodynamic tether consists of a long insulated wire in space whose orbital motion cuts across lines of magnetic flux to produce an induce voltage that in typical low orbits averages about 200 v/km. Such a system should be capable of generating substantial electrical power, at the expense of IXB drag acting on its orbital energy. If a reverse current is driven against the induced voltage, the system should act as a motor producing IXB thrust. A reference system was designed, capable of generating 20 KW of power into an electrical load located anywhere along the wire at the expense of 2.6N (20,000 J/sec) drag on the wire. In an ideal system, the conversion between mechanical and electrical energy would reach 100% efficiency. In the actual system part of the 20 KW is lost to internal resistance of the wire, plasma and ionosphere, while the drag force is increased by residual air drag. The 20 KW PMG system as designed is estimated to provide 18.7 KW net power to the load at total drag loss of 20.4 KJ/sec, or an overall efficiency of 92%. Similar systems using heavier wire appear capable of producing power levels in excess of 1 Megawatt at voltages of 2-4 KV, with conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical power better than 95%. The hollow cathode based system should be readily reversible from generator to motor operation by driving a reverse current using onboard power.

Mccoy, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The cyclic oxidation resistance at 1200 C of beta-NiAl, FeAl, and CoAl alloys with selected third element additions

The intermetallic compounds Beta-NiAl, FeAl, and CoAl were tested in cyclic oxidation with selected third element alloy additions. Tests in static air for 200 1-hr cycles at 1200 C indicated by specific weight change/time data and x-ray diffraction analysis that the 5 at percent alloy additions did not significantly improve the oxidation resistance over the alumina forming baseline alloys without the additions. Many of the alloy additions were actually deleterious. Ta and Nb were the only alloy additions that actually altered the nature of the oxide(s) formed and still maintained the oxidation resistance of the protective alumina scale.

Barrett, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Air-ground interface: Surface waves, surface impedance and acoustic-to-seismic coupling coefficient

In atmospheric acoustics, the subject of surface waves has been an area of discussion for many years. The existence of an acoustic surface wave is now well established theoretically. The mathematical solution for spherical wave propagation above an impedance boundary includes the possibility of a contribution that possesses all the standard properties for a surface wave. Surface waves exist when the surface is sufficiently porous, relative to its acoustical resistance, that it can influence the airborne particle velocity near the surface and reduce the phase velocity of sound waves in air at the surface. This traps some of the sound energy in the air to remain near the surface as it propagates. Above porous grounds, the existence of surface waves has eluded direct experimental confirmation (pulse experiments have failed to show a separate arrival expected from the reduced phase speed) and indirect evidence for its existence has appeared contradictory. The experimental evidence for the existence of an acoustical surface wave above porous boundaries is reviewed. Recent measurements including pulse experiments are also described. A few years ago the acoustic impedance of a grass-covered surface was measured in the frequency range 30 to 300 Hz. Here, further measurements on the same site are discussed. These measurements include core samples, a shallow refractive survey to determine the seismic velocities, and measurements of the acoustic-to-seismic coupling coefficient.

Daigle, Gilles↗
NASA NTRS2016

Separating the Influence of Environment from Stress Relaxation Effects on Dwell Fatigue Crack Growth in a Nickel-Base Disk Alloy

Both environmental embrittlement and crack tip visco-plastic stress relaxation play a significant role in determining the dwell fatigue crack growth (DFCG) resistance of nickel-based disk superalloys. In the current study performed on the Low Solvus High Refractory (LSHR) disk alloy, the influence of these two mechanisms were separated so that the effects of each could be quantified and modeled. Seven different microstructural variations of LSHR were produced by controlling the cooling rate and the subsequent aging and thermal exposure heat treatments. Through cyclic fatigue crack growth testing performed both in air and vacuum, it was established that four out of the seven LSHR heat treatments evaluated, possessed similar intrinsic environmental resistance to cyclic crack growth. For these four heat treatments, it was further shown that the large differences in dwell crack growth behavior which still persisted, were related to their measured stress relaxation behavior. The apparent differences in their dwell crack growth resistance were attributed to the inability of the standard linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) stress intensity parameter to account for visco-plastic behavior. Crack tip stress relaxation controls the magnitude of the remaining local tensile stresses which are directly related to the measured dwell crack growth rates. It was hypothesized that the environmentally weakened grain boundary crack tip regions fail during the dwells when their strength is exceeded by the remaining local crack tip tensile stresses. It was shown that the classical creep crack growth mechanisms such as grain boundary sliding did not contribute to crack growth, but the local visco-plastic behavior still plays a very significant role by determining the crack tip tensile stress field which controls the dwell crack growth behavior. To account for the influence of the visco-plastic behavior on the crack tip stress field, an empirical modification to the LEFM stress intensity parameter, Kmax, was developed by incorporating into the formulation the remaining stress level concept as measured by simple stress relaxation tests. The newly proposed parameter, Ksrf, did an excellent job in correlating the dwell crack growth rates for the four heat treatments which were shown to have similar intrinsic environmental cyclic fatigue crack growth resistance.

Dwell crack growth↗
NASA NTRS1987

Preliminary results on CuInSe2/ZnSe solar cells using reactively sputter-deposited ZnSe

In this paper preliminary results on CuInSe2/ZnSe thin film heterojunction photovoltaic devices are presented. High-conductivity ZnSe films were reactively sutter-deposited onto CuInSe2 films and overcoated with ZnO to reduce the sheet resistance. The highest short-circuit current density, as determined from a spectral response weighted for air mass 1.5 global insolation, was 37.4 mA/sq cm. The highest pen-circuit voltage observed was 430 mV.

Nouhi, A.↗