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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of CFD Model Prediction of Flow Boiling Regime Transitions during LN2 Line Chilldown

Propellant storage and transfer during future long-duration missions will involve fuel depot operations in which a donor depot tank is used to fill a receiver spacecraft tank with a cryogenic propellant. Prior to the on-Orbit filling operation both the receiver tank and the transfer line must be cooled. The line chilldown process involves transition between boiling regimes in microgravity that will be quite different from their 1g ground-based counterparts. Since the cryogenic propellant itself will be used to perform the chilldown process, the time constants to cool the wall and the amount of fuel that will be used become important design considerations. In this light, the focus of the present work is to understand the flow boiling characteristics of a cryogenic fluid, namely, liquid nitrogen, during the chill-down of a transfer line using CFD modelling and simulations. The cryogenic chill-down process involves different flow boiling regimes: film boiling, transition boiling and nucleate boiling. The prediction of transition between these regimes in a CFD framework is new and challenging. The present work addresses this challenge by employing a volume-of-fluid (VOF) based methodology with Lee phase change model to predict the film boiling regime of the chill-down process in ANSYS Fluent®. The transition and nucleate boiling regimes are predicted by incorporating a sub-grid model developed by Craft Tech that accounts for bubble nucleation, growth, shedding frequency, and departure diameter. The sub-grid model is implemented into Fluent via a user-defined function for wall-fluid heat flux calculations. The sub-grid model is similar in formulation to the well-known Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) boiling model. The model constants are tested for different operating conditions and designated values are reported. The CFD model is validated against published experimental data for liquid nitrogen chill-down of a heated stainless-steel pipe in 1g. Predicted results showing good agreement of wall temperature, rewetting temperature, and transition between film and nucleate boiling with the experimental measurements are presented and discussed.

Boiling regimes↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

BioSentinel: Leading the Way for Deep Space CubeSat Missions

Flagship science missions are not alone in Deep Space thanks to BioSentinel, a 6U spacecraft launched on Artemis-1. BioSentinel is one of the longest operating CubeSats beyond cislunar space. The subsystems and COTS components of the BioSentinel bus are a template for future deep space missions, and the lessons learned from over a year of operations will enable improved performance for the next missions. BioSentinel achieved its unprecedented performance for an SLS secondary payload due to preparation, planning, and a robust design. Pre-launch antenna and interface testing with both DSN and ESA confirmed command and data pathways and allowed for operational flexibility in the critical early hours post-deployment. Mission Operations simulations prior to launch identified potential risks and primed operators to respond in flight, preparing the team to react quickly to successfully detumble the spacecraft and enter a power-positive state. The spacecraft would not have survived without the inclusion of the trailblazing 3D-printed composite cold gas propulsion system. The non-standard tank geometry enabled efficient use of the limited space available in the CubeSat, as well as the capability to detumble the spacecraft and manage momentum, while providing sufficient margin to execute potential delta-V maneuvers. The Iris radio has operated for over 18 months with no significant issues. Initial Iris performance estimates have been accurate throughout the mission. BioSentinel continues to collect data on thermal conditions and to validate our performance models with real-world knowledge. We have received exemplary support from our DSN partners. Following the conclusion of the primary science mission, the Linear Energy Transfer (LET) Spectrometer continued to collect solar and galactic radiation data from its location in heliocentric orbit. The free space dataset offered by the BioSentinel LET is a valuable source of data for model validation and future mission planning. As the spacecraft travels farther from Earth it is poised to provide longitudinally distributed measurements of solar particle events during solar maximum. The lessons learned from BioSentinel suggest key areas to enhance performance. The ability to upload modified flight software can increase the stability of memory management. Additional heaters in the propulsion system design have already proven successful on the Starling mission. Streamlining mission operations can reduce costs, increase data return, and better utilize DSN time. Enhancements such as these will facilitate reliable, long-duration deep space exploration using the proven BioSentinel 6U CubeSat bus.

BioSentinel↗
NASA NTRS2017

Model-Based Thermal System Design Optimization for the James Webb Space Telescope

Spacecraft thermal model validation is normally performed by comparing model predictions with thermal test data and reducing their discrepancies to meet the mission requirements. Based on thermal engineering expertise, the model input parameters are adjusted to tune the model output response to the test data. The end result is not guaranteed to be the best solution in terms of reduced discrepancy and the process requires months to complete. A model-based methodology was developed to perform the validation process in a fully automated fashion and provide mathematical bases to the search for the optimal parameter set that minimizes the discrepancies between model and data. The methodology was successfully applied to several thermal subsystems of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Global or quasiglobal optimal solutions were found and the total execution time of the model validation process was reduced to about two weeks. The model sensitivities to the parameters, which are required to solve the optimization problem, can be calculated automatically before the test begins and provide a library for sensitivity studies. This methodology represents a crucial commodity when testing complex, large-scale systems under time and budget constraints. Here, results for the JWST Core thermal system will be presented in detail.

Cataldo, Giuseppe↗
NASA NTRS2018

ST7 Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) Colloid Micronewton Thruster Performance and Control Algorithm Model Simulation Validation in Flight

Colloid Micronewton Thrusters (CMNT) were flight demonstrated for the first time on the ST7Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) payload on the European Space Agency (ESA) Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder spacecraft for attitude and drag-free spacecraft control. LISA Pathfinder was a technology demonstration mission for ESA’s LISA gravitational wave observatory, currently in Phase A with a launch date of 2034. The DRS included the Integrated Avionics Unit (IAU), eight Colloid Micronewton Thrusters (CMNT), Dynamic Control Software (DCS) and Flight Software (FSW). The CMNT technology met performance requirements operating at 5-30 µN of thrust with ≤0.1 µN resolution and ≤0.1 µN/Hz thrust noise to deliver the required nanometer-level precision spacecraft control measured by the gravitational reference sensor (GRS) in the ESA LISA Technology Package (LTP). The performance of seven of the CMNT in flight was consistent with ground test results. The colloid thruster performance model of thrust and thrust noise as a function of operational parameters (i.e. beam current, voltage, temperature, etc.) was validated in flight over a wide range of conditions. A model and simulation of the thruster control algorithm was developed and validated with flight data to predict thrust noise. This capability is important because it is considered to be a significant source of position noise on the spacecraft and, therefore, the acceleration noise on the test masses, which provide the gravity wave measurements. The CMNT thruster model data and validation with LISA Pathfinder/ST7-DRS flight experiments are discussed in this paper.

Hruby, Vlad↗
NASA NTRS2008

Similarity Metrics for Closed Loop Dynamic Systems

To what extent and in what ways can two closed-loop dynamic systems be said to be "similar?" This question arises in a wide range of dynamic systems modeling and control system design applications. For example, bounds on error models are fundamental to the controller optimization with modern control design methods. Metrics such as the structured singular value are direct measures of the degree to which properties such as stability or performance are maintained in the presence of specified uncertainties or variations in the plant model. Similarly, controls-related areas such as system identification, model reduction, and experimental model validation employ measures of similarity between multiple realizations of a dynamic system. Each area has its tools and approaches, with each tool more or less suited for one application or the other. Similarity in the context of closed-loop model validation via flight test is subtly different from error measures in the typical controls oriented application. Whereas similarity in a robust control context relates to plant variation and the attendant affect on stability and performance, in this context similarity metrics are sought that assess the relevance of a dynamic system test for the purpose of validating the stability and performance of a "similar" dynamic system. Similarity in the context of system identification is much more relevant than are robust control analogies in that errors between one dynamic system (the test article) and another (the nominal "design" model) are sought for the purpose of bounding the validity of a model for control design and analysis. Yet system identification typically involves open-loop plant models which are independent of the control system (with the exception of limited developments in closed-loop system identification which is nonetheless focused on obtaining open-loop plant models from closed-loop data). Moreover the objectives of system identification are not the same as a flight test and hence system identification error metrics are not directly relevant. In applications such as launch vehicles where the open loop plant is unstable it is similarity of the closed-loop system dynamics of a flight test that are relevant.

Whorton, Mark S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aeroacoustic Simulations of the High-Lift Common Research Model and Validation with Experiment

Aerodynamic and acoustic data from unsteady numerical simulations of the High-Lift Common Research Model are compared with experimental measurements from an open-jet wind tunnel test of a 10\-scale model. Time-averaged surface pressure data is in good agreement for all of the configurations evaluated during the test. Unsteady surface pressure spectra from the leading-edge slat and the nose of the main element are presented, demonstrating that the highest levels are associated with the wakes of slat brackets. At these locations the simulations and experiment match reasonably well at low enough frequencies (f < 10 kHz based on the model scale) before excessive numerical dissipation leads to a rapid roll off in the predicted frequency spectra. The agreement is inconsistent at other locations on the slat and main-element surfaces, where the pressure fluctuation levels are lower. Noise predictions using a synthetic microphone array are compared with equivalent experimental results, and the changes in levels predicted between three configurations are similar to those measured. However, some details of the noise predictions are inconsistent with the experiment, and the use of solid- instead of porous-surface data for the acoustic processing of the simulations likely contributes to the discrepancies. All of the simulations were completed before the test, and, despite some shortcomings, they provided valuable insight into the aeroacoustic performance of the model that greatly aided test planning and execution. Hence, the post-test comparisons presented here allow an assessment of the predictive methodology in the context of a realistic high-lift configuration.

High-lift↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reactant conversion in homogeneous turbulence: Mathematical modeling, computational validations and practical applications

Closed form analytical expressions are obtained for predicting the limited rate of reactant conversion in a binary reaction of the type F + rO yields (1 + r) Product in unpremixed homogeneous turbulence. These relations are obtained by means of a single point Probability Density Function (PDF) method based on the Amplitude Mapping Closure. It is demonstrated that with this model, the maximum rate of the reactants' decay can be conveniently expressed in terms of definite integrals of the Parabolic Cylinder Functions. For the cases with complete initial segregation, it is shown that the results agree very closely with those predicted by employing a Beta density of the first kind for an appropriately defined Shvab-Zeldovich scalar variable. With this assumption, the final results can also be expressed in terms of closed form analytical expressions which are based on the Incomplete Beta Functions. With both models, the dependence of the results on the stoichiometric coefficient and the equivalence ratio can be expressed in an explicit manner. For a stoichiometric mixture, the analytical results simplify significantly. In the mapping closure, these results are expressed in terms of simple trigonometric functions. For the Beta density model, they are in the form of Gamma Functions. In all the cases considered, the results are shown to agree well with data generated by Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). Due to the simplicity of these expressions and because of nice mathematical features of the Parabolic Cylinder and the Incomplete Beta Functions, these models are recommended for estimating the limiting rate of reactant conversion in homogeneous reacting flows. These results also provide useful insights in assessing the extent of validity of turbulence closures in the modeling of unpremixed reacting flows. Some discussions are provided on the extension of the model for treating more complicated reacting systems including realistic kinetics schemes and multi-scalar mixing with finite rate chemical reactions in more complex configurations.

Madnia, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Modifications to the steady-state 41-node thermoregulatory model including validation of the respiratory and diffusional water loss equations

After the simplified version of the 41-Node Stolwijk Metabolic Man Model was implemented on the Sigma 3 and UNIVAC 1110 computers in batch mode, it became desirable to make certain revisions. First, the availability of time-sharing terminals makes it possible to provide the capability and flexibility of conversational interaction between user and model. Secondly, recent physiological studies show the need to revise certain parameter values contained in the model. Thirdly, it was desired to make quantitative and accurate predictions of evaporative water loss for humans in an orbiting space station. The result of the first phase of this effort are reported.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2018

Melt Pond Conditions on Declining Arctic Sea Ice Over 1979-2016: Model Development, Validation, and Results

A melt pond (MP) distribution equation has been developed and incorporated into the Marginal Ice-Zone Modeling and Assimilation System to simulate Arctic MPs and sea ice over 1979-2016. The equation differs from previous MP models and yet benefits from previous studies for MP parameterizations as well as a range of observations for model calibration. Model results show higher magnitude of MP volume per unit ice area and area fraction in most of the Canada Basin and the East Siberian Sea and lower magnitude in the central Arctic. This is consistent with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer observations, evaluated with Measurements of Earth Data for Environmental Analysis (MEDEA) data, and closely related to top ice melt per unit ice area. The model simulates a decrease in the total Arctic sea ice volume and area, owing to a strong increase in bottom and lateral ice melt. The sea ice decline leads to a strong decrease in the total MP volume and area. However, the Arctic-averaged MP volume per unit ice area and area fraction show weak, statistically insignificant downward trends, which is linked to the fact that MP water drainage per unit ice area is increasing. It is also linked to the fact that MP volume and area decrease relatively faster than ice area. This suggests that overall the actual MP conditions on ice have changed little in the past decades as the ice cover is retreating in response to Arctic warming, thus consistent with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer observations that show no clear trend in MP area fraction over 2000-2011.

sea ice↗
NASA NTRS2005

Linear Multivariable Regression Models for Prediction of Eddy Dissipation Rate from Available Meteorological Data

Linear multivariable regression models for predicting day and night Eddy Dissipation Rate (EDR) from available meteorological data sources are defined and validated. Model definition is based on a combination of 1997-2000 Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) data sources, EDR from Aircraft Vortex Spacing System (AVOSS) deployment data, and regression variables primarily from corresponding Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) data. Model validation is accomplished through EDR predictions on a similar combination of 1994-1995 Memphis (MEM) AVOSS and ASOS data. Model forms include an intercept plus a single term of fixed optimal power for each of these regression variables; 30-minute forward averaged mean and variance of near-surface wind speed and temperature, variance of wind direction, and a discrete cloud cover metric. Distinct day and night models, regressing on EDR and the natural log of EDR respectively, yield best performance and avoid model discontinuity over day/night data boundaries.

MCKissick, Burnell T.↗
NASA NTRS2005

The contribution of CEOP data to the understanding and modeling of monsoon systems

CEOP has contributed and will continue to provide integrated data sets from diverse platforms for better understanding of the water and energy cycles, and for validating models. In this talk, I will show examples of how CEOP has contributed to the formulation of a strategy for the study of the monsoon as a system. The CEOP data concept has led to the development of the CEOP Inter-Monsoon Studies (CIMS), which focuses on the identification of model bias, and improvement of model physics such as the diurnal and annual cycles. A multi-model validation project focusing on diurnal variability of the East Asian monsoon, and using CEOP reference site data, as well as CEOP integrated satellite data is now ongoing. Similar validation projects in other monsoon regions are being started. Preliminary studies show that climate models have difficulties in simulating the diurnal signals of total rainfall, rainfall intensity and frequency of occurrence, which have different peak hours, depending on locations. Further more model diurnal cycle of rainfall in monsoon regions tend to lead the observed by about 2-3 hours. These model bias offer insight into lack of, or poor representation of key components of the convective,and stratiform rainfall. The CEOP data also stimulated studies to compare and contrasts monsoon variability in different parts of the world. It was found that seasonal wind reversal, orographic effects, monsoon depressions, meso-scale convective complexes, SST and land surface land influences are common features in all monsoon regions. Strong intraseasonal variability is present in all monsoon regions. While there is a clear demarcation of onset, breaks and withdrawal in the Asian and Australian monsoon region associated with climatological intraseasonal variability, it is less clear in the American and Africa monsoon regions. The examination of satellite and reference site data in monsoon has led to preliminary model experiments to study the impact of aerosol on monsoon variability. I will show examples of how the study of the dynamics of aerosol-water cycle interactions in the monsoon region, can be best achieved using the CEOP data and modeling strategy.

Lau, William K. M.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Large Language Model for Validation, Optical Calibration, and Learning (VOCAL) Distributed Temperature Sensing Interface

Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) using fiber optic sensors (FOS) offers a promising method for temperature measurements in advanced reactors, such as sodium fast reactors and molten salt cooled reactors. To support the calibration and validation of DTS measurements, Argonne National Laboratory developed the Validation, Optical Calibration, and Learning (VOCAL) software package. This report describes the integration of a local large language model (LLM) with a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system into the VOCAL interface to serve as an interactive user assistant. The LLM framework enhances the VOCAL platform’s accessibility to users by explaining interface components, clarifying inputs and outputs, and answering user queries dynamically in real-time. The accuracy of the LLM assistant performance was evaluated with 20 queries regarding the interface and its parameters using experimental data from the Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article (THETA) facility. Results demonstrate that the LLM achieved a 95% accuracy rate, with a BERTScore of 0.8816 and SBERT value of 0.7417. Furthermore, validation of the RAG system within the LLM framework showed optimal accuracy with k-values between 1 and 2 using the k-refinement convergence test. The prompt perturbation analysis demonstrated good initial consistency for the RAG system, exhibiting the highest accuracy under punctuation variations and the greatest sensitivity under query reordering. Notably, the model’s errors were limited to data retrieval failures rather than factual hallucinations, reinforcing its baseline reliability. The integration of LLM provides a highly accurate, userfriendly enhancement to the VOCAL platform without disrupting its core computational capabilities for FOS calibration and validation.

Hong, Evan↗
DOE OSTI2024

Summary of FY2024 Experimental Results to Support Development of New Inelastic Material Models and Validation of Section III, Division 5, Class A Design Rules

To address the data gap crucial for updating existing viscoplastic constitutive material models for the Class A materials in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 5, High Temperature Reactors (ASME, 2023) for inelastic design analysis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) conducted experimental studies on Alloy 800H and Alloy 617 across a range of temperatures up to their maximum temperature limits in Section III, Division 5. The studies aim to characterize the materials' deformation behavior under both strain-controlled mechanical cyclic loading and thermal cycling conditions. This report summarizes ORNL's FY 2024 experimental findings on Alloy 800H and Alloy 617, focusing on pure fatigue tests, cyclic stress-strain curves, thermomechanical fatigue experiments, and verification of the high temperature cyclic damage summation design rules.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2000

Validation of an All-Pressure Fluid Drop Model: Heptane Fluid Drops in Nitrogen

Despite the fact that supercritical fluids occur both in nature and in industrial situations, the fundamentals of their behavior is poorly understood because supercritical fluids combine the characteristics of both liquids and gases, and therefore their behavior is not intuitive. There are several specific reasons for the lack of understanding: First, data from (mostly optical) measurements can be very misleading because regions of high density thus observed are frequently identified with liquids. A common misconception is that if in an experiment one can optically identify "drops" and "ligaments", the observed fluid must be in a liquid state. This inference is incorrect because in fact optical measurements detect any large change (i.e. gradients) in density. Thus, the density ratio may be well below Omicron(10(exp 3)) that characterizes its liquid/gas value, but the measurement will still identify a change in the index of refraction providing that the change is sudden (steep gradients). As shown by simulations of supercritical fluids, under certain conditions the density gradients may remain large during the supercritical binary fluids mixing, thus making them optically identifiable. Therefore, there is no inconsistency between the optical observation of high density regions and the fluids being in a supercritical state. A second misconception is that because a fluid has a liquid-like density, it is appropriate to model it as a liquid. However, such fluids may have liquid-like densities while their transport properties differ from those of a liquid. Considering that the critical pressure of most fuel hydrocarbons used in Diesel and gas turbine engines is in the range of 1.5 - 3 MPa, and the fact that the maximum pressure attained in these engines is about 6 Mps, it is clear that the fuel in the combustion chamber will experience both subcritical and supercritical conditions. Studies of drop behavior over a wide range of pressures were performed in the past, however none of these studies identified the crucial differences between the subcritical and supercritical behavior. In fact, in two of these studies, it was found that the subcritical and supercritical behavior is similar as the drop diameter decreased according to the classical d(exp 2)-law over a wide range of pressures and drop diameters. The present study is devoted to the exploration of differences in fluid-behavior characteristics under subcritical and supercritical conditions in the particular case of heptane fluid drops in nitrogen; these substances were selected because of the availability of experimental observations for model validation.

Harstad, K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A vorticity dynamics based model for the turbulent dissipation: Model development and validation

A new model dissipation rate equation is proposed based on the dynamic equation of the mean-square vorticity fluctuation for large Reynolds number turbulence. The advantage of working with the vorticity fluctuation equation is that the physical meanings of the terms in this equation are more clear than those in the dissipation rate equation. Hence, the model development based on the vorticity fluctuation equation is more straightforward. The resulting form of the model equation is consistent with the spectral energy cascade analysis introduced by Lumley. The proposed model dissipation rate equation is numerically well behaved and can be applied to any level of turbulence modeling. It is applied to a realizable eddy viscosity model. Flows that are examined include: rotating homogeneous shear flows; free shear flows; a channel flow and flat plate boundary layers with and without pressure gradients; and backward facing step separated flows. In most cases, the present model predictions show considerable improvement over the standard kappa-epsilon model.

Shih, Tsan-Hsing↗
NASA NTRS1990

Overview of CFD flow modeling and validation: NASA. Ames Research Center

NASA Ames Center personnel presented data on stages of code development and corresponding experiments in the application of computational fluid dynamics for aeronautical investigations. Specific subjects included algorithms, grid generation, facilities, instrumentation, and data acquisition. Numerical simulation and flow modelling were described to show the procedure for calibration and validation.

Marvin, Joe G.↗
NASA NTRS2022

SO2 Plumes Observation with LMOL: Theory, Modeling, and Validation

LMOL, the NASA Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar, is locatednear NASA’s LaRC steam plant when not deployed in campaigns. Theplant produces steam through the incineration of local trash, and itsexhaust plume occasionally contains SO2.SO2is a known, regulated, pollutant that affects O3observations in theUV, as is the case with LMOL. In this work, we show how we modifiedLMOL to detect the plant SO2plumes and compute its density when theO3background is stable; we observed densities compatible with what isexpected from the typical plume exhaust. The selection of laser lines sothat an O3variation would not get confused with a SO2detection isexplained in details, and a model capable of simulating the Lidar signalwith (notably) O3and SO2absorption for the validation of the retrievalresolution and uncertainty is presented. Finally, the comparison betweenthe modeled and observed performances of the system is shown: themaximum altitude, resolution, and error in the modeled signal and theobserved signals are the same within reasonable margins.This work demonstrates that LMOL is fully capable of working withSO2. The next step being the addition of an additional laser channel,which is simplified by the tunable aspect of the LMOL laser, to addressO3and SO2simultaneously, allowing the assessment of SO2when O3has variations.

Guillaume Gronoff↗
NASA NTRS1990

Computational modeling and validation for hypersonic inlets

Hypersonic inlet research activity at NASA is reviewed. The basis is the experimental tests performed with three inlets: the NASA-Lewis Mach 5, the McDonnell Douglas Mach 12, and the NASA-Langley Mach 18. Both 3-D parabolized Navier-Stokes and Navier-Stokes codes were used to compute the flow within the three inlets. Modeling assumptions in the codes involve the turbulence model, the nature of the boundary layer, shock wave boundary layer interaction, and the flow spilled to the outside of the inlet. Use of the codes in conjunction with the experimental data are helping to develop a clearer knowledge of the inlet flow physics and to focus on the modeling improvements required in order to arrive at validated codes.

Povinelli, Louis A.↗