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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 NTRS1989

Mechano-caloric cooling device

The mechano-caloric effect is potentially useful in the He II temperature range. Aside from demonstration work, little quantification effort appears to have been known since other refrigeration possibilities have been available for some time. Successful He II use-related system examples are as follows: in space, the utilization of the latent heat of vaporization has been quite successful in vapor-liquid phase separation (VLPS) in conjunction with thermomechanical force application in plugs. In magnet cooling systems, the possibility of using the mechano-caloric cooling effect in conjunction with thermo-mechanical circulation pump schemes, has been assessed (but not quantified yet to the extent desirable). A third example is quoted in conjunction with superfluid wind tunnel studies and liquid helium tow tank for surface vessels respectively. In all of these (partially future) R and D areas, the question of refrigerator effectiveness using the mechano-caloric effect appears to be relevant, possibly in conjunction with questions of reliability and simplicity. The present work is concerned with quantification of phenomena including simplified thermodynamic cycle calculations.

Frederking, T. H. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of dewar and transfer line cooldown in Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer Flight Experiment (SHOOT)

The Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer Flight Experiment (SHOOT) is designed to demonstrate the techniques and components required for orbital superfluid (He II) replenishment of observatories and satellites. One of the tasks planned in the experiment is to cool a warm cryogen tank and a warm transfer line to liquid helium temperature. A math model, based on single-phase vapor flow heat transfer, has been developed to predict the cooldown time, component temperature histories, and helium consumption rate, for various initial conditions of the components and for the thermomechanical pump heater powers of 2 W and 0.5 W. This paper discusses the model and the analytical results, which can be used for planning the experiment operations and determining the pump heater power required for the cooldown operation.

Ng, Y. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Airborne flux measurements and budget estimates of trace species over the Amazon Basin during the GTE/ABLE 2B expedition

In situ airborne measurements of turbulent heat, moisture, momentum, ozone, and carbon monoxide fluxes in a convective boundary layer were obtained over a tropical rain forest between 1100 and 1630 LT on May 4, 1987. The aircraft flight path was chosen so as to fly over the tower site at the Ducke Forest Reserve near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Both turbulence statistics and mean quantities were used to study the budgets of heat, water vapor, ozone, and carbon monoxide. The ozone budget study shows an accumulation rate in the boundary layer of 0.3 + or - 0.2 ppbv/h. The surface resistance to ozone during this flight was determined to be 0.06 + or - 0.03 s/cm, while the aerodynamic resistance was 0.14-0.17 s/cm. Results from the CO budget analysis show a midday accumulation rate of 0.6 + or - 0.3 ppbv/h in the Amazonian boundary layer. The evidence suggests production of CO in the PBL. A source of CO may exist below the lowest flight level (about 150 m), although it was not possible to determine what part of the flux at flight level was due to chemical production and what part may be due to surface emission.

Ritter, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Contributions to the implementation of the Arakawa-Schubert cumulus parameterization in the GLA GCM

The roles of the Critical Cloud Work Function (CCWF) data set and the upper and lower bounds on entrainment by cumulus plumes in the Arakawa-Schubert cumulus parameterization (ASCP) in the GLA GCM (Geller et al., 1988) were investigated in two sets of experiments. It was found that the horizontal and vertical distribution of cumulus heating can be altered in ASCP by adjusting these parameters. These changes can have a strong influence on the vertical structure of condensation heating, water vapor distribution, temperature, and rainfall. The CCWF is an important limiting parameter that controls the onset of different cloud types; increasing the threshold values of CCWF for all clouds tends to concentrate the rainfall into a narrower ITCZ and affects the rainfall during the initial adjustment period.

Sud, Y. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Impacts and atmospheric erosion on the early Earth

It was suggested that heating and/or vaporization of accreting carbonaceous-chondrite-type planetestimals could result in the release of their volatile components. Modeling of this process strongly suggests that substantial atmospheres/hydrospheres could develop this way. During most of the accretionary process, impact velocities generally differed from the escape velocity of the growing proto-planet because most of the collisions were between bodies in nearly matching orbits. Toward the end of accretion, however, collisions were rarer but more energetic, involving large planetestimals and higher impact velocities. Such impacts result in a net loss of atmosphere from a planet, and the cumulative effect impacts during the period of heavy bombardment might have dramatically depleted the original atmospheres. Models developed to study atmospheric erosion by impacts on Mars and the interaction of the vapor plume produced by KT impactor on Earth are applied to the case of the evolution of Earth's atmosphere.

Vickery, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Momentum, water vapor, and carbon dioxide exchange at a centrally located prairie site during FIFE

Eddy correlation measurements were taken of momentum, water vapor, sensible heat, and CO2 at a centrally located plateau site in the FIFE study area from May to October 1987. Approximately 82 percent of the vegetation at the site was composed of several C4 grass species, with the remainder being C3 grasses, forbs, wedges, and woody plants. Precipitation was about normal during the study period, except for a three week dry period in late July to early August that caused moisture stress conditions.

Verma, Shashi B.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Heat Pipe With Interrupted Slot

Newer version of heat pipe slot interrupted by plug or, if heat pipe is cast, by bridge of heat-pipe material cast integrally across groove. Small barrier assists in priming heat pipe. Vapor and noncondensible gas still accumulates in liquid channel at evaporator before or during startup, but barrier keeps liquid out of small part of slot at bubble. Dry part of slot allows bubble to escape into vapor channel, making room for liquid to move in during startup.

Brown, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Combustion engine system

A flow through catalytic reactor which selectively catalytically decomposes methanol into a soot free hydrogen rich product gas utilizing engine exhaust at temperatures of 200 to 650 C to provide the heat for vaporizing and decomposing the methanol is described. The reactor is combined with either a spark ignited or compression ignited internal combustion engine or a gas turbine to provide a combustion engine system. The system may be fueled entirely by the hydrogen rich gas produced in the methanol decomposition reactor or the system may be operated on mixed fuels for transient power gain and for cold start of the engine system. The reactor includes a decomposition zone formed by a plurality of elongated cylinders which contain a body of vapor permeable, methanol decomposition catalyst preferably a shift catalyst such as copper-zinc.

Houseman, John↗
NASA NTRS2002

Cloud-Scale Numerical Modeling of the Arctic Boundary Layer

The research objective of this NASA grant-funded project was to determine in detail how large-scale processes. in combination with cloud-scale radiative, microphysical, and dynamical processes, govern the formation and multi-layered structure of Arctic stratus clouds. This information will be useful for developing and improving 1D (one dimensional) boundary layer models for the Arctic. Also, to quantitatively determine the effects of leads on the large-scale budgets of sensible heat, water vapor, and condensate in a variety of Arctic winter conditions. This information will be used to identify the most important lead-flux processes that require parameterization in climate models. Our approach was to use a high-resolution numerical model, the 2D (two dimensional) University of Utah Cloud Resolving Model (UU CRM), and its 1D version, the University of Utah Turbulence Closure Model (UU TCM), a boundary layer model based on third-moment turbulence closure, as well as a large-eddy simulation (LES) model originally developed by C.H. Moeng.

Kruegen, Steven K.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Farming in space: environmental and biophysical concerns

The colonization of space will depend on our ability to routinely provide for the metabolic needs (oxygen, water, and food) of a crew with minimal re-supply from Earth. On Earth, these functions are facilitated by the cultivation of plant crops, thus it is important to develop plant-based food production systems to sustain the presence of mankind in space. Farming practices on earth have evolved for thousands of years to meet both the demands of an ever-increasing population and the availability of scarce resources, and now these practices must adapt to accommodate the effects of global warming. Similar challenges are expected when earth-based agricultural practices are adapted for space-based agriculture. A key variable in space is gravity; planets (e.g. Mars, 1/3 g) and moons (e.g. Earth's moon, 1/6 g) differ from spacecraft orbiting the Earth (e.g. Space stations) or orbital transfer vehicles that are subject to microgravity. The movement of heat, water vapor, CO2 and O2 between plant surfaces and their environment is also affected by gravity. In microgravity, these processes may also be affected by reduced mass transport and thicker boundary layers around plant organs caused by the absence of buoyancy dependent convective transport. Future space farmers will have to adapt their practices to accommodate microgravity, high and low extremes in ambient temperatures, reduced atmospheric pressures, atmospheres containing high volatile organic carbon contents, and elevated to super-elevated CO2 concentrations. Farming in space must also be carried out within power-, volume-, and mass-limited life support systems and must share resources with manned crews. Improved lighting and sensor technologies will have to be developed and tested for use in space. These developments should also help make crop production in terrestrial controlled environments (plant growth chambers and greenhouses) more efficient and, therefore, make these alternative agricultural systems more economically feasible food production systems. c2002 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review↗
NASA NTRS2005

R and D work on the constrained vapor bubble system for a microgravity experiment

We are working with Project Scientists R. Balasubramanian and Sang Young Son, and a NASA Projects Team headed by Sue Motil at the Glenn Research Center on the design and development of an experimental system for use on the International Space Station during the year 2006. John Eustace is the coordinator for the flight experiment at Zin-Tech (previously Northrop-Grumman) for the design and development of the Constrained Vapor Bubble Heat Exchanger, CVBHX, cell which will fit into the Light Microscope Module, LMM. Good progress is being made. The CDR for the LMM being developed was held on December 10-1 1,2003. Experimental results obtained under microgravity conditions will be compared with those obtained at Rensselaer. Basic and applied research at Rensselaer continues on the experimental and theoretical details associated with passive phase change heat transfer processes controlled by interfacial forces in the CVBHX. The extensive results of our current research are presented in the 23 external publications listed below. Twenty-two external presentations have been given. Briefly, evaporation/condensation data from both vertical and horizontal CVBHX systems were obtained and analyzed for both polar (wetting) and apolar (partially wetting) fluids. The vertical system is axi-symmetric, but strongly effected by gravity. Whereas, the horizontal system is asymmetric, but weakly effected by gravity. Therefore, there will be significant differences in the operation of the cell in the earth s environment versus the operation under microgravity conditions. Due to its relative large size, the system s performance should be optimum under micro-gravity conditions, where the CVBHX should be a very effective passive heat exchanger. The CVBHX was found to be an ideal experimental setup in which to study the effects of interfacial phenomena on both the evaporation and drop-wise condensation processes. The optical technique (Image Analyzing Interferometry, IAI), which is based on the measurement and analysis of the reflectivity pattern of a thin film, was significantly improved. The accuracy of the IAI system is of critical importance to the success of the mission because it is used to measure the details of the pressure field in the liquid by measuring the film thickness profile. The accuracy was found to be excellent and various publications/presentations documenting these new results were written. Significant new results were also obtained for the effect of the oscillating contact line region on evaporation. Three doctoral students graduated under this grant. All three work in US industry, two for Intel. Another doctoral student is in his third year of study and will finish under an extension of the NASA grant: # NNC05GA27G.

Wayner, P. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2006

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2006

Topics covered include: Semiautonomous Avionics-and-Sensors System for a UAV; Biomimetic/Optical Sensors for Detecting Bacterial Species; System Would Detect Foreign-Object Damage in Turbofan Engine; Detection of Water Hazards for Autonomous Robotic Vehicles; Fuel Cells Utilizing Oxygen From Air at Low Pressures; Hybrid Ion-Detector/Data-Acquisition System for a TOF-MS; Spontaneous-Desorption Ionizer for a TOF-MS; Equipment for On-Wafer Testing From 220 to 325 GHz; Computing Isentropic Flow Properties of Air/R-134a Mixtures; Java Mission Evaluation Workstation System; Using a Quadtree Algorithm To Assess Line of Sight; Software for Automated Generation of Cartesian Meshes; Optics Program Modified for Multithreaded Parallel Computing; Programs for Testing Processor-in-Memory Computing Systems; PVM Enhancement for Beowulf Multiple-Processor Nodes; Ion-Exclusion Chromatography for Analyzing Organics in Water; Selective Plasma Deposition of Fluorocarbon Films on SAMs; Water-Based Pressure-Sensitive Paints; System Finds Horizontal Location of Center of Gravity; Predicting Tail Buffet Loads of a Fighter Airplane; Water Containment Systems for Testing High-Speed Flywheels; Vapor-Compression Heat Pumps for Operation Aboard Spacecraft; Multistage Electrophoretic Separators; Recovering Residual Xenon Propellant for an Ion Propulsion System; Automated Solvent Seaming of Large Polyimide Membranes; Manufacturing Precise, Lightweight Paraboloidal Mirrors; Analysis of Membrane Lipids of Airborne Micro-Organisms; Noninvasive Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease Using 12-Lead High-Frequency Electrocardiograms; Dual-Laser-Pulse Ignition; Enhanced-Contrast Viewing of White-Hot Objects in Furnaces; Electrically Tunable Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers; Few-Mode Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators; Conflict-Aware Scheduling Algorithm; and Real-Time Diagnosis of Faults Using a Bank of Kalman Filters.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2010

Theoretical Calculation of Jet Fuel Thermochemistry: Tetrahydrodicylopentadiene (JP10) Thermochemistry Using the CBS-QB3 and G3(MP2)//B3LYP Methods - 1

High-level ab initio calculations have been performed on the exo and endo isomers of gas-phase tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (THDCPD), a principal component of the jet fuel JP10, using the Gaussian Gx and Gx(MPx) composite methods, as well as the CBS-QB3 method, and using a variety of isodesmic and homodesmotic reaction schemes. The impetus for this work is to help resolve large discrepancies existing between literature measurements of the formation enthalpy Delta (sub f)H deg (298) for exo-THDCPD. We find that use of the isodesmic bond separation reaction C10H16 + 14CH4 yields 12C2H6 yields results for the exo isomer (JP10) in between the two experimentally accepted values, for the composite methods G3(MP2), G3(MP2)//B3LYP, and CBS-QB3. Application of this same isodesmic bond separation scheme to gas-phase adamantane yields a value for Delta (sub f)H deg (298) within 5 kJ/mol of experiment. Isodesmic bond separation calculations for the endo isomer give a heat of formation in excellent agreement with the experimental measurement. Combining our calculated values for the gas-phase heat of formation with recent measurements of the heat of vaporization yields recommended values for Delta (sub f)H deg (298)liq of -126.4 and -114.7 kJ/mol for the exo and endo isomers, respectively.

Zehe, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Hybrid Automotive Engine Using Ethanol-Burning Miller Cycle

A proposed hybrid (internal-combustion/ electric) automotive engine system would include as its internal-combustion subsystem, a modified Miller-cycle engine with regenerative air preheating and with autoignition like that of a Diesel engine. The fuel would be ethanol and would be burned lean to ensure complete combustion. Although the proposed engine would have a relatively low power-to-weight ratio compared to most present engines, this would not be the problem encountered if this engine were used in a non-hybrid system since hybrid systems require significantly lower power and thus smaller engines than purely internal-combustion-engine-driven vehicles. The disadvantage would be offset by the advantages of high fuel efficiency, low emission of nitrogen oxides and particulate pollutants, and the fact that ethanol is a renewable fuel. The original Miller-cycle engine, named after its inventor, was patented in the 1940s and is the basis of engines used in some modern automobiles, but is not widely known. In somewhat oversimplified terms, the main difference between a Miller-cycle engine and a common (Otto-cycle) automobile engine is that the Miller-cycle engine has a longer expansion stroke while retaining the shorter compression stroke. This is accomplished by leaving the intake valve open for part of the compression stroke, whereas in the Otto cycle engine, the intake valve is kept closed during the entire compression stroke. This greater expansion ratio makes it possible to extract more energy from the combustion process without expending more energy for compression. The net result is greater efficiency. In the proposed engine, the regenerative preheating would be effected by running the intake air through a heat exchanger connected to the engine block. The regenerative preheating would offer two advantages: It would ensure reliable autoignition during operation at low ambient temperature and would help to cool the engine, thereby reducing the remainder of the power needed for cooling and thereby further contributing to efficiency. An electrical resistance air preheater might be needed to ensure autoignition at startup and during a short warmup period. Because of the autoignition, the engine could operate without either spark plugs or glow plugs. Ethanol burns relatively cleanly and has been used as a motor fuel since the invention of internal-combustion engines. However, the energy content of ethanol per unit weight of ethanol is less than that of Diesel fuel or gasoline, and ethanol has a higher heat of vaporization. Because the Miller cycle offers an efficiency close to that of the Diesel cycle, burning ethanol in a Miller-cycle engine gives about as much usable output energy per unit volume of fuel as does burning gasoline in a conventional gasoline automotive engine. Because of the combination of preheating, running lean, and the use of ethyl alcohol, the proposed engine would generate less power per unit volume than does a conventional automotive gasoline engine. Consequently, for a given power level, the main body of the proposed engine would be bulkier. However, because little or no exhaust cleanup would be needed, the increase in bulk of the engine could be partially offset by the decrease in bulk of the exhaust system. The regenerative preheating also greatly reduces the external engine cooling requirement, and would translate to reduced engine bulk. It may even be possible to accomplish the remaining cooling of the engine by use of air only, eliminating the bulk and power consumption of a water cooling system. The combination of a Miller-cycle engine with regenerative air preheating, ethyl alcohol fuel, and hybrid operation could result in an automotive engine system that satisfies the need for a low pollution, high efficiency, and simple engine with a totally renewable fuel.

Weinstein, Leonard↗
NASA NTRS2012

Global Modeling, Field Campaigns, Upscaling and Ray Desjardins

In the early 1980's, it became apparent that land surface radiation and energy budgets were unrealistically represented in Global Circulation models (GCM's), Shortly thereafter, it became clear that the land carbon budget was also poorly represented in Earth System Models (ESM's), A number of scientific communities, including GCM/ESM modelers, micrometeorologists, satellite data specialists and plant physiologists, came together to design field experiments that could be used to develop and validate the contemporary prototype land surface models. These experiments were designed to measure land surface fluxes of radiation, heat, water vapor and CO2 using a network of flux towers and other plot-scale techniques, coincident with satellite measurements of related state variables, The interdisciplinary teams involved in these experiments quickly became aware of the scale gap between plot-scale measurements (approx 10 - 100m), satellite measurements (100m - 10 km), and GCM grid areas (l0 - 200km). At the time, there was no established flux measurement capability to bridge these scale gaps. Then, a Canadian science learn led by Ray Desjardins started to actively participate in the design and execution of the experiments, with airborne eddy correlation providing the radically innovative bridge across the scale gaps, In a succession of brilliantly executed field campaigns followed up by convincing scientific analyses, they demonstrated that airborne eddy correlation allied with satellite data was the most powerful upscaling tool available to the community, The rest is history: the realism and credibility of weather and climate models has been enormously improved enormously over the last 25 years with immense benefits to the public and policymakers.

Sellers, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

NOR-USA Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica: Science and Logistics on a Three-Month Expedition Across Antarctica's Farthest Frontier

Dr. Albert's current research is centered on transfer processes in porous media, including air-snow exchange in the Polar Regions and in soils in temperate areas. Her research includes field measurements, laboratory experiments, and theoretical modeling. Mary conducts field and laboratory measurements of the physical properties of natural terrain surfaces, including permeability, microstructure, and thermal conductivity. Mary uses the measurements to examine the processes of diffusion and advection of heat, mass, and chemical transport through snow and other porous media. She has developed numerical models for investigation of a variety of problems, from interstitial transport to freezing of flowing liquids. These models include a two-dimensional finite element code for air flow with heat, water vapor, and chemical transport in porous media, several multidimensional codes for diffusive transfer, as well as a computational fluid dynamics code for analysis of turbulent water flow in moving-boundary phase change problems.

Albert, Mary R.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Aerospace Fuels From Nonpetroleum Raw Materials

Recycling human metabolic and plastic wastes minimizes cost and increases efficiency by reducing the need to transport consumables and return trash, respectively, from orbit to support a space station crew. If the much larger costs of transporting consumables to the Moon and beyond are taken into account, developing waste recycling technologies becomes imperative and possibly mission enabling. Reduction of terrestrial waste streams while producing energy and/or valuable raw materials is an opportunity being realized by a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs; several relevant technologies are briefly compared, contrasted and assessed for space applications. A two-step approach to nonpetroleum raw materials utilization is presented; the first step involves production of supply or producer gas. This is akin to synthesis gas containing carbon oxides, hydrogen, and simple hydrocarbons. The second step involves production of fuel via the Sabatier process, a methanation reaction, or another gas-to-liquid technology, typically Fischer-Tropsch processing. Optimization to enhance the fraction of product stream relevant to transportation fuels via catalytic (process) development at NASA Glenn Research Center is described. Energy utilization is a concern for production of fuels whether for operation on the lunar or Martian surface, or beyond. The term green relates to not only mitigating excess carbon release but also to the efficiency of energy usage. For space, energy usage can be an essential concern. Another issue of great concern is minimizing impurities in the product stream(s), especially those that are potential health risks and/or could degrade operations through catalyst poisoning or equipment damage; technologies being developed to remove heteroatom impurities are discussed. Alternative technologies to utilize waste fluids, such as a propulsion option called the resistojet, are discussed. The resistojet is an electric propulsion technology with a powered thruster to vaporize and heat a propellant to high temperature, hot gases are subsequently passed through a converging-diverging nozzle expanding gases to supersonic velocities. A resistojet can accommodate many different fluids, including various reaction chamber (by-)products.

Palaszewski, Bryan A.↗