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At least 253 records · Page 14

Nonequilibrium effects for hypersonic transitional flows

Presented are the results of numerical simulations of hypersonic flow about blunt cones and hemispherical nose configurations for reentry velocities of 7.5 and 10 km/s. Cone half angles 0, 5, and 10 deg are considered at zero angle of incidence; however, the focus is for the 5 deg cone. The body size and altitude ranges considered (70 to 110 km) are such that the flow is in the transitional regime. Translational, thermodynamic, and chemical nonequilibrium effects are considered in the numerical simulation by utilizing the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method of Bird. The DSMC results are compared with those obtained with viscous shock-layer and Navier-Stokes methods. Comparisons between the DSMC and continuum calculations show the altitude range where differences in flowfield structure and surface quantities become significant. The current calculations show that the binary scaling similitude provides a means of correlating the blunt body surface quantities in the hypersonic, transitional regime. Furthermore, for the higher velocity entry conditions, the results highlight some of the concerns in the application of multitemperature continuum formulations, particularly the use of some proposed functional relations for the chemical rate constants under thermodynamic nonequilibrium conditions.

Moss, James N.↗

Surface structure and electronic properties of materials

A surface potential model is developed to explain dopant effects on chemical vapor deposition. Auger analysis of the interaction between allotropic forms of carbon and silicon films has shown Si-C formation for all forms by glassy carbon. LEED intensity measurements have been used to determine the mean square displacement of surface atoms of silicon single crystals, and electron loss spectroscopy has shown the effect of structure and impurities on surface states located within the band gap. A thin film of Al has been used to enhance film crystallinity at low temperature.

Siekhaus, W. J.↗

On convergence of computation of chemically reacting flows

The computational problems associated with high-temperature flows undergoing finite-rate ionization reactions is investigated. The conservation equations governing chemical species and vibrational and electron energies are solved simultaneously with those for overall mass, momentum, and energy for a one-dimensional subsonic flow, through a constant-area duct, originating behind a normal shock wave, using an implicit time-marching technique. Boundary conditions are imposed in the form of characteristic wave variables accounting for the effects of chemical reactions on the speed of sound. Converging solutions are obtained for cases in which chemical reactions are weak, but difficulty is encountered in other cases. The cause of the difficulty is investigated and shown to be the sharp pressure disturbances produced by such reactions.

Park, C.↗

Opposed-flow Spreading Flames: Effect of Sub-atmospheric Pressure on Spread and Burning Rates

Flame spread over solid fuels is a canonical problem in fire science, due to its direct implications on material flammability and importance in fire development. Flames in a microgravity environment can behave very differently than on Earth, posing additional risks for spaceflight life safety. Sub-atmospheric pressures in ground-based experiments have been proposed to approximately replicate the burning behavior of solid fuels in reduced gravity conditions because of similar effects on heat and mass transfer mechanisms from the flame to the solid. In opposed-flow flame spread, the solid fuel is heated by the flame ahead of its leading edge, and this process is strongly affected by the ambient conditions. In this work, we consider flames spreading over flat thin acrylic samples exposed to a forced flow of 20 cm/s, and pressures between 30 and 100 kPa. When radiation losses and chemical kinetic effects are neglected, experimental and theoretical results suggest an independence of the spread rate on pressure. However, the spread rate shows a decreasing trend with lower pressure in the range 30-60 kPa. The mass burning rate, calculated from the samples weight measured before and after the experiments, shows a similar trend. The flame length, on the other hand, shows a non-monotonic behavior, reaching a maximum at 60 kPa. Additionally, gas emissions measured during the experiments are used to estimate the heat release rate of the spreading flames. The comparison of the heat release rate obtained from the measured emissions and the estimated mass burning rates, suggests that chemical kinetics is not driving the decrease in flame spread observed at low pressures, whereas radiation losses could be responsible in analogy to what has been observed in micro and partial gravity studies. These results could provide more information to guide future Earth-based material flammability testing for spacecraft applications.

fire↗

Organic synthesis by quench reactions

Study of the effects of chemical quench reactions on the formation of organic compounds at a water surface under simulated primordial earth conditions. A mixture of gaseous methane and ammonia over a water surface was exposed to an arc discharge between an electrode and the water surface, generating reactive species. Various organic molecules were formed by a subsequent quenching of these species generated on the water surface. The effects of these water-surface quench reactions were assessed by comparing the amounts of synthesized molecules to the amounts which formed during the discharge of an arc above the water level. It is concluded that the quench (or wet) discharge led to faster rates of reactions, higher-molecular-weight organic compounds, and one-order-of-magnitude larger yields than the dry discharge.

Park, W. K.↗

Application of a Reynolds Stress turbulence model to a supersonic hydrogen-air diffusion flame

A second-order differential Reynolds Stress turbulence model has been applied to the Favre-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for the study of supersonic flows undergoing hydrogen-air chemical reactions. An assumed Beta Probability Density Function is applied to account for the chemical source terms in the conservation equations. An algebraic Reynolds Flux model is used for the fluctuating density-velocity as well as the species mass fraction-velocity correlations. The variances of temperature and species fluctuations are also modelled using an algebraic flux technique. A seven-species, seven-reaction finite rate chemistry mechanism is used to simulate the combustion processes. The resulting formulation is validated by comparison with experimental data on reacting supersonic axisymmetric jets. Results obtained for specific conditions indicate that the effect of chemical reaction on the turbulence is significant.

Chandrasekhar, R.↗

Active Experiments in Space Plasmas; Symposium D4.1 of Commission D, COSPAR Scientific Assembly, 30th, Hamburg, Germany, July 11-21, 1994

Papers from the conference are presented and cover the following topics: ion and electron beams; ionospheric modification; spacecraft interactions; chemical releases; and plasma waves. Auroras and plasma emissions are reported from electron beam injection experiments on the EXCEDE 3 rocket and APEX satellite respectively. The important parameters affecting the charging of spacecraft during the operation of electron guns is covered. The Active Magnetospheric Particle Acceleration Satellite (AMPAS) mission utilizing dual-payload tethered satellites and both up and downward directed electron beams is proposed to study the magnetosphere. Recent results and associated theories from the Sura, Arecibo and Troms ionospheric heating facitlites are presented. The effects of neutral gases on spacecraft charging are examined in a series of rocket flights. Many results from the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite chemical release experiments are presented.

Rietveld, M. T.↗

Application of a Reynolds stress turbulence model to a supersonic radiating hydrogen-air diffusion flame

A second-order differential Reynolds Stress turbulence model has been applied to the Favre-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for the study of supersonic flows with finite-rate chemistry and radiation. An assumed Beta Probability Density Function is applied to account for the chemical source terms and the radiative flux terms in the conservation equations. A seven-species, seven-reaction finite rate chemistry mechanism is used to simulate the combustion process. The tangent slab approximation is used in radiative flux formulation. A pseudo-gray gas model is used to represent the absorption-emission characteristics of the participating species. The turbulence/radiation interaction is achieved via a new formulation. The resulting formulation is validated by comparison with experimental data on reacting supersonic axisymmetric jets. Results obtained for specific conditions indicate that the effect of chemical reaction on the turbulence is significant. Also, the radiative heat transfer is enhanced by the turbulence.

Chandrasekhar, R.↗

Pdf - Transport equations for chemically reacting flows

The closure problem for the transport equations for pdf and the characteristic functions of turbulent, chemically reacting flows is addressed. The properties of the linear and closed equations for the characteristic functional for Eulerian and Lagrangian variables are established, and the closure problem for the finite-dimensional case is discussed for pdf and characteristic functions. It is shown that the closure for the scalar dissipation term in the pdf equation developed by Dopazo (1979) and Kollmann et al. (1982) results in a single integral, in contrast to the pdf, where double integration is required. Some recent results using pdf methods obtained for turbulent flows with combustion, including effects of chemical nonequilibrium, are discussed.

Kollmann, W.↗

Heterogeneous Combustion of Porous Graphite Particles in Microgravity

Recent theoretical investigations on graphite particle combustion have employed several levels of heterogeneous reaction models, ranging from global to elementary models, to describe the oxidation of carbon to gaseous products. Unlike the counterpart homogeneous reaction models, these heterogeneous reaction models are not well developed because of the difficulties associated with decoupling the physical characteristics of the solid (e.g. surface area taking part in combustion) from the chemical kinetic data. This is certainly true for porous graphite particle combustion, where heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions occur within the pores and play an important role in the overall oxidation process. As a result, there are considerable uncertainties of physical phenomena predicted using different heterogeneous kinetic models available in the literature. A good example, discussed later in this paper, is the predicted critical particle size below which the mass burning rate becomes exponentially small. The main goal of this study is to understand the basic mechanism controlling such rapid changes in burning rates, by developing a model where physical contributions are decoupled from chemical rate constants in a consistent manner. Another important goal of the proposed study is to develop a truly intrinsic, detailed heterogeneous reaction model for porous graphite combustion at high-temperatures, and to derive a systematically reduced heterogeneous reaction model in terms of the elementary reaction rate constants of the detailed model. The validation of chemical kinetic models describing the heterogeneous and homogeneous combustion in and around a spherically symmetric porous graphite particle can be considerably simplified by experimental measurements obtained under microgravity conditions. A vital component of this study is to conduct such supporting experiments on particle burning rate and surface temperature using NASA microgravity facilities, in close coordination with the theoretical effort. The basic understanding obtained and models developed as part of this project will be useful for optimal design of coal combustion devices. These models can also be extended to investigate the role of heterogeneous chemistry on pollutant formation pathways in combustion devices. The theoretical approach developed here, with pore diffusion effects decoupled from the chemical effects, can also be extended to understand the heterogeneous combustion of other porous fuels, for example, combustion of magnesium in a CO2 environment for propulsion in the Martian atmosphere.

Chelliah, Harsha K.↗

Lagrangian Transport Calculations Using UARS Data: Ozone - Part 2

Trajectory calculations are used to examine ozone transport in the polar winter stratosphere during periods of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) observations. The value of these calculations for determining mass transport was demonstrated previously using UARS observations of long-lived tracers, In the middle stratosphere, the overall ozone behavior observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder in the polar vortex is reproduced by this purely dynamical model. Calculations show the evolution of ozone in the lower stratosphere during early winter to be dominated by dynamics in December 1992 in the Arctic. Calculations for June 1992 in the Antarctic show evidence of chemical ozone destruction and indicate that approx. 50% of the chemical destruction may be masked by dynamical effects, mainly diabatic descent, which bring higher ozone into the lower-stratospheric vortex. Estimating differences between calculated and observed fields suggests that dynamical changes masked approx. 20% - 35% of chemical ozone loss during late February and early March 1993 in the Arctic. In the Antarctic late winter, in late August and early September 1992, below approx. 520 K, the evolution of vortex-averaged ozone is entirely dominated by chemical effects; above this level, however, chemical ozone depletion can be partially or completely masked by dynamical effects. Our calculations for 1992 showed that chemical loss was nearly completely compensated by increases due to diabatic descent at 655 K.

Manney, Gloria L.↗