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At least 253 records · Page 14

Effects of Subscale Size and Shape on Global Energy Dissipation in a Multiscale Model of a Fiber-Reinforced Composite Exhibiting Post-Peak Strain Softening Using Abaqus and FEAMAC

A mesh objective crack band model is implemented in the generalized method of cells (GMC) micromechanics model to predict failure of a composite repeating unit cell (RUC). The micromechanics calculations are achieved using the MAC/GMC core engine within the ImMAC suite of micromechanics codes, developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The microscale RUC is linked to a macroscale Abaqus/Standard finite element model using the FEAMAC multiscale framework (included in the ImMAC suite). The effects of the relationship between the characteristic length of the finite element and the size of the microscale RUC on the total energy dissipation of the multiscale model are investigated. A simple 2-D composite square subjected to uniaxial tension is used to demonstrate the effects of scaling the dimensions of the RUC such that the length of the sides of the RUC are equal to the characteristic length of the finite element. These results are compared to simulations where the size of the RUC is fixed, independent of the element size. Simulations are carried out for a variety of mesh densities and element shapes, including square and triangular. Results indicate that a consistent size and shape must be used to yield preserve energy dissipation across the scales.

Pineda, Evan, J.↗

Space Shuttle Main Engine Propellant Path Leak Detection Using Sequential Image Processing

Initial research in this study using theoretical radiation transport models established that the occurrence of a leak is accompanies by a sudden but sustained change in intensity in a given region of an image. In this phase, temporal processing of video images on a frame-by-frame basis was used to detect leaks within a given field of view. The leak detection algorithm developed in this study consists of a digital highpass filter cascaded with a moving average filter. The absolute value of the resulting discrete sequence is then taken and compared to a threshold value to produce the binary leak/no leak decision at each point in the image. Alternatively, averaging over the full frame of the output image produces a single time-varying mean value estimate that is indicative of the intensity and extent of a leak. Laboratory experiments were conducted in which artificially created leaks on a simulated SSME background were produced and recorded from a visible wavelength video camera. This data was processed frame-by-frame over the time interval of interest using an image processor implementation of the leak detection algorithm. In addition, a 20 second video sequence of an actual SSME failure was analyzed using this technique. The resulting output image sequences and plots of the full frame mean value versus time verify the effectiveness of the system.

Smith, L. Montgomery↗

Assessment of chemo-mechanical impacts of CO 2 sequestration on the caprock formation in Farnsworth oil field, Texas

This study evaluates the chemo-mechanical influence of injected CO 2 on the Morrow B sandstone reservoir and the upper Morrow shale caprock utilizing data from the inverted 5-spot pattern centered on Well 13-10A within the Farnsworth unit (FWU). This study also seeks to evaluate the integrity of the caprock and the long-term CO 2 storage capability of the FWU. The inverted 5-spot pattern was extracted from the field-scale model and tuned with the available field observed data before the modeling work. Two coupled numerical simulation models were utilized to continue the study. First, a coupled hydro-geochemical model was constructed to simulate the dissolution and precipitation of formation minerals by modeling three intra-aqueous and six mineral reactions. In addition, a coupled hydro-geomechanical model was constructed and employed to study the effects of stress changes on the caprock’s porosity, permeability, and ground displacement. The Mohr–Coulomb circle and failure envelope were used to determine caprock failure. In this work, the CO 2 -WAG injection is followed by the historical field-observed strategy. During the forecasting period, a Water Alternating Gas (WAG) injection ratio of 1:3 was utilized with a baseline bottom-hole pressure constraint of 5500 psi for 20 years. A post-injection period of 1000 years was simulated to monitor the CO 2 plume and its effects on the CO 2 storage reservoir and caprock integrity. The simulation results indicated that the impacts of the geochemical reactions on the porosity of the caprock were insignificant as it experienced a decrease of about 0.0003% at the end of the 1000-year post-injection monitoring. On the other hand, the maximum stress-induced porosity change was about a 1.4% increase, resulting in about 4% in permeability change. It was estimated that about 3.3% of the sequestered CO 2 in the formation interacted with the caprock. Despite these petrophysical property alterations and CO 2 interactions in the caprock, the caprock still maintained its elastic properties and was determined to be far from its failure.

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS↗

Main Bearing Replacement and Damage - A Field Data Study on 15 Gigawatts of Wind Energy Capacity

This study seeks to establish a comprehensive baseline of knowledge for the replacement and damage of main bearings in wind turbines. The purpose of this report is to provide a high-level summary of the data set, methodology, and results of this work. Full technical details and an extended analysis will be made available in a future publication. We collected data on main bearing replacements and reported damage from industrial partners based in Europe and the United States. In total, we obtained data for 167 wind power plants, with a combined capacity of 15.3 gigawatts (GW). Most of the data set was comprised of land-based, three-point mount, spherical roller bearings. Within this data set were 689 instances of main bearing replacement. Analysis was undertaken in two parts: first, a statistical analysis of the main bearing time-to-replacement data using survival analysis techniques; second, quantitative and qualitative analyses of the obtained damage information. Our results showed that 10% of a fixed main bearing population would be expected to have been replaced by 10.5 years. This is close to half of the 20-year design value. Fitted parametric distributions then indicated that by year 20, between 22% and 25% of main bearings are expected to have been replaced. Analysis of the damage reports revealed spalling to be the main type of damage listed. The additional presence of surface damage in the collected data indicates that at least part of the spalling cases are likely due to surface-initiated rolling contact fatigue. At this stage is not clear what proportion of spalling cases result from "wear induced", surface-initiated and subsurface-initiated rolling contact fatigue. While this work provides important insights into the current state of main bearing replacements and damage, many questions remain. An ongoing and expanding data collection and analysis effort focused on wind turbine main bearings is therefore recommended.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

The influence of preexisting host rock damage on fault network localization

The transition from stable to unstable fracture propagation occurs when fractures begin to interact and link. Thus, fracture network coalescence controls how rocks and engineered structures fail. Here, to constrain the factors that influence localization in shear zones under brittle conditions, we build discrete element method models with a rough fault embedded in a shear zone. We add varying numbers of diffuse, randomly-placed weaknesses to examine the influence of diffuse damage on fracture network localization. The number of weaknesses controls the localization behavior of the fault network and the final fault geometry. We quantify localization using the Gini coefficient of the fracture volume, which measures the nonuniformity in a population. Each model generally increases in localization toward failure. However, models with more diffuse damage experience delocalization phases that are superimposed on the overall trend of increasing localization. The observed link between delocalization and host rock damage may help explain the varying localization of low magnitude seismicity in southern California. Models with more diffuse damage produce more complex fault geometries comprised of several parallel strands of wing cracks. The propagation of these wing cracks reduces the shear stress acting on the model boundaries, indicating that this fracture development increases the mechanical efficiency of the system.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Compound flood simulations indicate rising public exposure to sewage-contaminated waters in Waikīkī, Hawai‘i

Waikīkī, Hawai‘i serves as a valuable case study for flood vulnerability due to its low elevation, present-day exposure to multiple flood sources, and role as the state’s economic engine. This study applies the high-resolution, open-source WRF-Hydro-CUFA (Coastal Urban Flood Application) model to simulate compound flood interactions among pluvial, fluvial, coastal, storm drain-driven, and subsurface processes, and to evaluate how flood characteristics in Waikīkī evolve under projected sea-level rise (SLR). Simulated water levels in an estuarine drainage canal, serving as the primary outlet for gravity-flow drainage from Waikīkī, show strong agreement with observations (r ≥ 0.935, R 2 ≥ 0.874), accurately reproducing flooding observed during recent 5-year and 50-year storm events. Simulations incorporating SLR demonstrate a shift in dominant flood drivers as sea levels rise. In addition, results identify critical thresholds at which elevated estuarine tailwater conditions cause widespread drainage backflow, eventually occurring in the absence of rainfall. These findings suggest that tidally driven flooding will progressively dominate over rainfall-driven events, increasing public exposure to highly contaminated canal and groundwater sources. The results underscore the urgent need to integrate water quality issues and drainage failure into coastal flood management strategies for low-lying urban environments, particularly those reliant on polluted estuarine waterways for stormwater management.

Compound flooding↗

Lunar Module Wiring Design Considerations and Failure Modes

This slide presentation reviews the considerations for the design of wiring for the Lunar Module. Included are a review of the choice of conductors and insulations, the wire splicing (i.e., crimping, and soldering), the wire connectors, and the fabrication of the wire harnesses. The problems in fabrication include the wires being the wrong length, the damage due to the sharp edges, the requried use of temproary protective covers and inadequate training. The problems in the wire harness installation include damge from sharp eges, work on adjacent harnesses, connector damage, and breaking wires. Engineering suggestions from the Apollo-era in reference to the conductors that are reviewed include: the use of plated conductors, and the use of alloys for stronger wiring. In refernce to insulation, the suggestions from Apollo era include the use of polymer tape-wrap wire insulation due to the light weight, however, other types of modern insulation might be more cost-effective. In reference to wire splices and terminal boards the suggestions from the Apollo Era include the use of crimp splices as superior to solder splices, joining multiple wire to a common point using modular plug-ins might be more reliable, but are heavier than crimp splicing. For connectors, the lessons from the Apollo era indicate that a rear environmental seal that does not require additional potting is preferred, and pins should be crimped or welded to the incoming wires and be removable from the rear of the connector.

Interbartolo, Michael↗

Geometric and Material Variability Influences Stress States Relevant to Coastal Permafrost Bluff Failure

Scientific knowledge and engineering tools for predicting coastal erosion are largely confined to temperate climate zones that are dominated by non-cohesive sediments. The pattern of erosion exhibited by the ice-bonded permafrost bluffs in Arctic Alaska, however, is not well-explained by these tools. Investigation of the oceanographic, thermal, and mechanical processes that are relevant to permafrost bluff failure along Arctic coastlines is needed. We conducted physics-based numerical simulations of mechanical response that focus on the impact of geometric and material variability on permafrost bluff stress states for a coastal setting in Arctic Alaska that is prone to toppling mode block failure. Our three-dimensional geomechanical boundary-value problems output static realizations of compressive and tensile stresses. We use these results to quantify variability in the loci of potential instability. We observe that niche dimension affects the location and magnitude of the simulated maximum tensile stress more strongly than the bluff height, ice wedge polygon size, ice wedge geometry, bulk density, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio. Our simulations indicate that variations in niche dimension can produce radically different potential failure areas and that even relatively shallow vertical cracks can concentrate displacement within ice-bonded permafrost bluffs. These findings suggest that stability assessment approaches, for which the geometry of the failure plane is delineated a priori, may not be ideal for coastlines similar to our study area and could hamper predictions of erosion rates and nearshore sediment/biogeochemical loading.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Continuous electrocoagulation-membrane distillation unit for treating hydraulic fracturing produced water

Hydraulic fracturing oil and gas produced water is frequently highly impaired. While it is often deep well injected, there is great interest in treating this water for beneficial uses. Given the complexity of these produced waters, multiple unit operations are necessary. Electrocoagulation has been considered as a promising pretreatment technology. Here electrocoagulation is considered as a pretreatment prior to membrane distillation. The focus of this work is on understanding the electrocoagulation process in order to design an integrated unit operation. Electrocoagulation is used to remove organic compounds that will foul the membrane leading to membrane failure during membrane distillation. Using aluminum or iron electrodes, half-cell reactions in the electrocoagulation cell and electrode potentials have been calculated. Electrocoagulation was conducted using a continuous electrocoagulation reactor with actual produced water using aluminum, iron or mixed aluminum and iron electrodes. Here, the results obtained here indicate that electrocoagulation can obtain good removal efficiency of total organic carbon (TOC) by using different reaction conditions. Removal of organic compounds is essential to minimize fouling during membrane distillation. Further the performance of the electrocoagulation process depends strongly on the quality of the feed water. Insoluble species were more effectively coagulated than dissolved organic species. Continuous electrocoagulation shows great potential as a scalable unit operation for pretreating hydraulic fracturing produced water.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Cyclic Engine Test of Cast Vitallium Turbine Buckets - I

An investigation was conducted to correlate the engine service performance of cast Vitallium turbine buckets with standard laboratory metallurgical data. Data were obtained from four I-40 turbine wheels of Timken alloy with cast Vitallium buckets. In order to accelerate bucket deterioration, the turbine wheels were subjected to 20-minute cycles consisting of 5 minutes at idle and 15 minutes at rated speed. A bucket broke on the first wheel during cycle 22 after 7 hours and 20 minutes. The broken bucket was replaced and during the third cycle after the replacement a second bucket broke after a total running time of 8 hours and 12 minutes, The first bucket failure on the second wheel occurred during cycle 29 after 9 hours and 28 minutes; no further failure occurred during 66 additional cycles. Total running time on this wheel was 31 hours and 40 minutes. The third wheel was run for 229 cycles (76 hr and 20 min, total running time) without a. failure. The fourth wheel was operated for 105 cycles (35 hr, total running time) without a failure. Examination of the bro?en buckets indicated that the failures were probably due to fatigue, Massive eutectic areas that existed near the trailing edge probably contributed to the low fatigue strength.

Farmer, Elmo↗

Unveiling the origins of work-hardening enhancement and mechanical instability in laser shock peened titanium

Laser shock-peening (LSP) produces complex gradients in microstructures and residual stresses, which enables fabrication of metallic engineering components with superior mechanical properties. In this work, we use non-destructive and spatially resolved high-energy X-ray diffraction (HE-XRD) to investigate the influences of LSP on microstructure, surface topography, and residual stress for high purity titanium plates. LSP is found to produce large compressive in-plane residual stresses near the peened surface which monotonically decay to zero about 2.5 mm below the surface. These properties were also tracked during in-situ tensile loading, allowing stress partitioning and work-hardening rates to be measured as a function of depth. The surface region is found to have the highest work-hardening rate and remain mechanically stable up to sample failure. In addition, a crystal rigid rotation along a transversal axis of about 27 & nbsp; was observed at large applied strain near the surface region, which is attributed to the formation of denser dispersed shear bands. Furthermore, a sudden drop in tensile stress was observed at a depth of similar to 160 mu m from the LSP surface, indicating the formation of a localized mechanical instability zone (LMIZ). The origin of this LMIZ could be attributed to the increase in shear stress induced by a load transfer from LSP surface due to the formation of denser dispersed shear bands. These observations indicate a localized transition in deformation behavior has occurred from dispersed shear banding to LMIZ and homogeneous deformation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

HEPA Filter Age Evaluation Report

In 2020, PNNL completed a literature search for high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter age information. HEPA filters are used in many operations to remove particulate matter from effluent exhaust streams. They are thought to degrade over time both during proper storage and during normal operational service; however, the rate at which the filters degrade remains unknown. This brings into question if age is an adequate indicator of HEPA filter performance. Data from six previous reports were obtained from the literature search and combined to create a data set of 1600 operating filters. Filter usage was identified from multiple facilities. The various types of filters (e.g., axial flow, self-contained, and standard 24 x 24 x 11.5 inches; and both separator and separatorless) reported were constructed to the requirements Section FC (HEPA Filters) or Section FK (Special HEPA Filters) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers AG-1 code. Filters were presumed to have continuously met the operational criteria and in particular passed both annual efficiency tests and annual DP measurements. The environmental conditions within the exhaust system were also assumed adequate for long-term filter operation. The data, by the nature of the reports, excludes rejected filters from quality assurance evaluations, intake, or installation testing. The collective data set shows over half of were operating past the current 10-year Department of Energy (DOE) limit. Data was evaluated for age lifetime using a linear trendline, survival function, probability functions, and failure rate; financial impacts were also addressed. This report supports the notion that HEPA filters can operate safely and efficiently under proper maintenance well past the 10-year lifetime established by DOE. Using the results of the four age evaluation approaches, they collectively point to the reasonableness of an operating HEPA filter lifetime of 20 years. The results are not necessarily definitive, but nevertheless, they are promising. The analysis provides reasonable assurance that when implemented using a graded approach with well-defined performance and operational requirements, extending the service life for HEPA filters beyond 10 years is low risk.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Report of the Odyssey FPGA Independent Assessment Team

An independent assessment team (IAT) was formed and met on April 2, 2001, at Lockheed Martin in Denver, Colorado, to aid in understanding a technical issue for the Mars Odyssey spacecraft scheduled for launch on April 7, 2001. An RP1280A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) from a lot of parts common to the SIRTF, Odyssey, and Genesis missions had failed on a SIRTF printed circuit board. A second FPGA from an earlier Odyssey circuit board was also known to have failed and was also included in the analysis by the IAT. Observations indicated an abnormally high failure rate for flight RP1280A devices (the first flight lot produced using this flow) at Lockheed Martin and the causes of these failures were not determined. Standard failure analysis techniques were applied to these parts, however, additional diagnostic techniques unique for devices of this class were not used, and the parts were prematurely submitted to a destructive physical analysis, making a determination of the root cause of failure difficult. Any of several potential failure scenarios may have caused these failures, including electrostatic discharge, electrical overstress, manufacturing defects, board design errors, board manufacturing errors, FPGA design errors, or programmer errors. Several of these mechanisms would have relatively benign consequences for disposition of the parts currently installed on boards in the Odyssey spacecraft if established as the root cause of failure. However, other potential failure mechanisms could have more dire consequences. As there is no simple way to determine the likely failure mechanisms with reasonable confidence before Odyssey launch, it is not possible for the IAT to recommend a disposition for the other parts on boards in the Odyssey spacecraft based on sound engineering principles.

Mayer, Donald C.↗

Thermally Grown Oxide Stress in PS-PVD and EB-PVD Thermal Barrier Coatings Observed at Various Lifetimes Via Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

The current standard application method for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on turbine blades for jet engines is electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) due to its high strain tolerance and low thermal conductivity. An emerging deposition method, plasma-spray physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD), presents an opportunity for a tailorable microstructure, and non-line-of-sight deposition that is faster and less expensive. To compare the lifetime behavior of both PS-PVD and EB-PVD coatings, samples subjected to 300 and 600 thermal cycles were measured during a 1 h thermal cycle to determine the strains, which were converted to stress, in the thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer of the TBCs using synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). Room temperature XRD measurements indicated among samples that PS-PVD coatings experienced greater variation in in-plane room temperature strain in the TGO after cycling than the EB-PVD coatings. In-situ XRD measurements indicated similar high-temperature strain and no spallation after 600 thermal cycles for both coatings. Further, microscopy imaging after cycling showed greater rumpling in PS-PVD coatings that led to different failure modes between the two coatings’ TGO layers. The tailorability of PS-PVD coatings allows for adjustments in the processing parameters to improve their overall performance after aging and bridge the differences between the two deposition methods.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Guidelines for predicting stress in cemented doublets undergoing temperature change

This work explores quick predictive methods for calculating potentially risky stresses and deflections in cemented doublets experiencing temperature change that agree well with finite element analysis. There are three failure modes of interest: cohesive failure of the adhesive, delamination (surface bond failure or debonding), and glass fracture. Adhesive theory, confirmed by finite element analysis, predicts stress singularities that complicate interpretation of the stress calculations. The presence of a stress singularity indicates the breakdown of linear elastic assumptions, but damage initiation and stress singularities are related. The authors find that geometry details near a bond edge can exacerbate or minimize damage initiation and stress concentrations. Because the interpretation of the stress results is complicated, the authors investigated predicted stresses in doublets that have been successfully tested between -40 and 85 °C. This study found that the product (∆T ∙ ∆α) should be less than 189 ppm, where ∆T is the temperature excursion and ∆α is the difference in glass coefficient of thermal expansion. If the product (∆T ∙ ∆α) is equal to or greater than 189 ppm, further analysis and testing is warranted. But the authors also show that the fabrication process can significantly influence stress failure, particularly with large diameter doublets

42 ENGINEERING↗

Optical Sensing of Combustion Instabilities in Gas Turbines

In a continuing program of research and development, a system has been demonstrated that makes high-speed measurements of thermal infrared radiance from gas-turbine engine exhaust streams. When a gas-turbine engine is operated under conditions that minimize the emission of pollutants, there is a risk of crossing the boundary from stable to unstable combustion. Combustion instability can lead to engine damage and even catastrophic failure. Sensor systems of the type under development could provide valuable data during the development testing of gas-turbine engines or of engine components. A system of the type under development makes high-speed measurements of thermal infrared radiance from the engine exhaust stream. The sensors of this system can be mounted outside the engine, which eliminates the need for engine case penetrations typical with other engine dynamics monitors. This is an important advantage in that turbine-engine manufacturers consider such penetrations to be very undesirable. A prototype infrared sensor system has been built and demonstrated on a turbine engine. This system includes rugged and inexpensive near-infrared sensors and filters that select wavelengths of infrared radiation for high sensitivity. In experiments, low-frequency signatures were consistently observed in the detector outputs. Under some conditions, the signatures also included frequency components having one or two radiance cycles per engine revolution. Although it has yet to be verified, it is thought that the low-frequency signatures may be associated with bulk-mode combustion instabilities or flow instabilities in the compressor section of the engine, while the engine- revolution-related signatures may be indicative of mechanical problems in the engine. The system also demonstrated the ability to detect transient high-radiance events. These events indicate hot spots in the exhaust stream and were found to increase in frequency during engine acceleration.

Markham, James R.↗

Effects of Heavy Ion Exposure on Nanocrystal Nonvolatile Memory

We have irradiated engineering samples of Freescale 4M nonvolatile memories with heavy ions. They use Silicon nanocrystals as the storage element, rather than the more common floating gate. The irradiations were performed using the Texas A&M University cyclotron Single Event Effects Test Facility. The chips were tested in the static mode, and in the dynamic read mode, dynamic write (program) mode, and dynamic erase mode. All the errors observed appeared to be due to single, isolated bits, even in the program and erase modes. These errors appeared to be related to the micro-dose mechanism. All the errors corresponded to the loss of electrons from a programmed cell. The underlying physical mechanisms will be discussed in more detail later. There were no errors, which could be attributed to malfunctions of the control circuits. At the highest LET used in the test (85 MeV/mg/sq cm), however, there appeared to be a failure due to gate rupture. Failure analysis is being conducted to confirm this conclusion. There was no unambiguous evidence of latchup under any test conditions. Generally, the results on the nanocrystal technology compare favorably with results on currently available commercial floating gate technology, indicating that the technology is promising for future space applications, both civilian and military.

Oldham, Timothy R.↗

The space station tethered elevator system

The optimized conceptual engineering design of a space station tethered elevator is presented. The elevator is an unmanned mobile structure which operates on a ten kilometer tether spanning the distance between the Space Station and a tethered platform. Elevator capabilities include providing access to residual gravity levels, remote servicing, and transportation to any point along a tether. The potential uses, parameters, and evolution of the spacecraft design are discussed. Engineering development of the tethered elevator is the result of work conducted in the following areas: structural configurations; robotics, drive mechanisms; and power generation and transmission systems. The structural configuration of the elevator is presented. The structure supports, houses, and protects all systems on board the elevator. The implementation of robotics on board the elevator is discussed. Elevator robotics allow for the deployment, retrieval, and manipulation of tethered objects. Robotic manipulators also aid in hooking the elevator on a tether. Critical to the operation of the tethered elevator is the design of its drive mechanisms, which are discussed. Two drivers, located internal to the elevator, propel the vehicle along a tether. These modular components consist of endless toothed belts, shunt-wound motors, regenerative power braking, and computer controlled linear actuators. The designs of self-sufficient power generation and transmission systems are reviewed. Thorough research indicates all components of the elevator will operate under power provided by fuel cells. The fuel cell systems will power the vehicle at seven kilowatts continuously and twelve kilowatts maximally. A set of secondary fuel cells provides redundancy in the unlikely event of a primary system failure. Power storage exists in the form of Nickel-Hydrogen batteries capable of powering the elevator under maximum loads.

Anderson, Loren A.↗