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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 325 records · Page 18

Experimental Investigation of Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Enhancement in Microgravity in the Presence of Electric Fields

Boiling is an effective mode of heat transfer since high heat flux levels are possible driven by relatively small temperature differences. The high heat transfer coefficients associated with boiling have made the use of these processes increasingly attractive to aerospace engineering. Applications of this type include compact evaporators in the thermal control of aircraft avionics and spacecraft environments, heat pipes, and use of boiling to cool electronic equipment. In spite of its efficiency, cooling based on liquid-vapor phase change processes has not yet found wide application in aerospace engineering due to specific problems associated with the low gravity environment. After a heated surface has reached the superheat required for the initiation of nucleate boiling, bubbles will start forming at nucleation sites along the solid interface by evaporation of the liquid. Bubbles in contact with the wall will continue growing by this mechanism until they detach. In terrestrial conditions, bubble detachment is determined by the competition between body forces (e.g. buoyancy) and surface tension forces that act to anchor the bubble along the three phase contact line. For a given body force potential and a balance of tensions along the three phase contact line, bubbles must reach a critical size before the body force can cause them to detach from the wall. In a low gravity environment the critical bubble size for detachment is much larger than under terrestrial conditions, since buoyancy is a less effective means of bubble removal. Active techniques of heat transfer enhancement in single phase and phase change processes by utilizing electric fields have been the subject of intensive research during recent years. The field of electrohydrodynamics (EHD) deals with the interactions between electric fields, flow fields and temperature fields. Previous studies indicate that in terrestrial applications nucleate boiling heat transfer can be increased by a factor of 50 as compared to values obtained for the same system without electric fields. Imposing an external electric field holds the promise to improve pool boiling heat transfer in low gravity, since a phase separation force other than gravity is introduced. The goal of our research is to experimentally investigate the potential of EHD and the mechanisms responsible for EHD heat transfer enhancement in boiling in low gravity conditions.

Herman, Cila↗

Electric field measurements at the magnetopause. I Observation of large convective velocities at rotational magnetopause discontinuities

Large convective electric fields of the order of 10 mV/m (sometimes as high as 22 mV/m) are observed at rotational magnetopause discontinuities. These observations were made with the long cylindrical (179-m base line) probes carried on the ISEE 1 satellite. These electric field observations yield convective velocity magnitudes (equal to the cross product of the vector E and the vector B, the latter divided by the square of the magnitude of B) of the order of 150 km/s. In this format for the convective velocity magnitudes, some of these observations are similar to the high speed plasma velocity observations that were made at the magnetopause with the plasma experiment carried on the ISEE 1 satellite. It is shown that, for many of these magnetopause crossings, there exists a special moving coordinate system where the observed electric fields vanish. Such a unique reference system is often used in theoretical studies of magnetic discontinuities. This special coordinate system does not move at the local plasma velocity but moves instead at a velocity intermediate between the convective velocity and the local Alfven velocity. It is used here as a diagnostic tool for the experimental investigation of rotational discontinuities at the magnetopause.

Aggson, T. L.↗

Shell splitting due to electric fields.

Drift shells of trapped particles starting from a single field line in the earth's magnetic field may become separated owing to an electric field. By using the formalism of the shell-splitting function, this separation is calculated for an arbitrary curl-free time-independent electric field satisfying E.B = 0, with no limitation on the particle's longitudinal excursion. The effect of nondipole field components is also taken into account to the lowest order.

Stern, D. P.↗

Electrical Field Effects in Phthalocyanine Film Growth by Vapor Deposition

Phthalocyanine, an organic material, is a very good candidate for non-linear optical application, such as high-speed switching and optical storage devices. Phthalocyanine films have been synthesized by vapor deposition on quartz substrates. Some substrates were coated with a very thin gold film for introducing electrical field. These films have been characterized by surface morphology, material structure, chemical and thermal stability, non-linear optical parameters, and electrical behaviors. The films have excellent chemical and optical stability. However, the surface of these films grown without electrical field shows flower-like morphology. When films are deposited under an electrical field ( an aligned structure is revealed on the surface. A comparison of the optical and electrical properties and the growth mechanism for these films grown with and without an electrical field will be discussed.

Banks, Curtis E.↗

Time dependent convection electric fields and plasma injection

A model of large-scale electric fields associated with storms or substorms consisting of realistic initial conditions and time dependent convection to explain a typical substorm-associated electron injection event is presented. These fields are responsible for inward convection and energization of plasma sheet electrons, and calculations based on steady state convection theory show that the response to such electric fields qualitatively accounts for many features of the injected particle distribution, but agreement with the theory has not been obtained. An adiabatic convection model which assumes that plasma sheet electrons are present outside of the initial electron boundaries which have an energy dependence appropriate for a small convection field representative of a steady, quiet magnetosphere is described. The position of the inner edge in which plasma sheet electrons of given W and alpha can be found for the assumed initial conditions and enhanced field is calculated providing convecting demarcation boundaries.

Kaye, S. M.↗

Electric field observations of time constants related to charging and charge neutralization processes in the ionosphere

The Polar 5 electric field results are reviewed, and the transients from Polar 3 are presented. The phenomena are discussed from the standpoint of space charge. On the basis of the Polar 5 results, the large magnitude of the electric field from Polar 3 is seen as indicating that the observed space charge was probably within a few km or less of the payload. Reference is made to Cole's prediction (1960) that charges in the ionosphere would reach equilibrium with a time constant of the order of a few microsec. The processes involved in the two cases presented here require time constants of the order of ms. If the sheath dimensions are taken to be between 50 and 100 m, which is not considered unreasonable in view of the electric field measurements, then a qualitative estimate of the neutralization time would be the transit time for ions across the sheath. Since the kinetic velocity of a 1-eV proton is approximately 14 m/s, it would traverse the distance in 4 to 8 ms, assuming freedom of movement across magnetic field lines. This is the order of the decay times observed on Polar 5.

Maynard, N. C.↗

Quantitative simulation of a magnetospheric substorm. III - Plasmaspheric electric fields and evolution of the plasmapause

Results of a substorm simulation are used to investigate the penetration of substorm-associated electric fields into the plasmasphere. Near 4 earth radii in the equatorial plane, the time-dependent electric field model is characterized by eastward components in the dusk-midnight local time sector and westward components after midnight. With the exception of a small region just before dusk, the model predicts eastward electric field components throughout the daytime sector. The characteristic radial component is directed inward at all local times with the exception of a small region just after dawn. It is noted that these results compare favorably with available whistler and incoherent-scatter radar measurements obtained during magnetically disturbed periods. By assuming an initial plasmapause shape and by following the computed E x B drift trajectories of plasma flux tubes from that initial boundary, the short-term evolution of the plasmapause during the substorm-like event of September 19, 1976, is examined.

Spiro, R. W.↗

Electro-Active Transducer Using Radial Electric Field To Produce/Motion Sense Out-Of-Plane Transducer

An electro-active transducer includes a ferroelectric material sandwiched by first and second electrode patterns. When the device is used as an actuator, the first and second electrode patterns are configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when voltage is applied to the electrode patterns. When the device is used as a sensor. the first and second electrode patterns are configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when the ferroelectric material experiences deflection in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. In each case, the electrode patterns are designed to cause the electric field to: i) originate at a region of the ferroelectric material between the first and second electrode patterns. and ii) extend radially outward from the region of the ferroelectric material (at which the electric field originates) and substantially parallel to the ferroelectric material s plane.

Bryant, Robert G.↗

Solidification processing superalloys in an electric field

The phase morphology of a given superalloy's microstructure is established during solidification. Solidification-processing in an applied electric field is a technique currently undergoing experimental characterization at NASA-Marshall. The method is predicated on the simplest model of a metallic solid, in which ions are arranged in basic space lattices that are permeated by an 'electron gas' whose valence electrons are free to move in the solid. When in a superheated liquid state, the metal is seen as a dense 'cold plasma' of electrons and ions. The application of an electric field during solidification establishes a steady, continuous current flow; the direction of propagation of the plasma waves coincides with the direction of the electric field. Such an alignment introduces an ordered arrangement of the electric vectors and introduces an additional degree of order in an already highly ordered alloy.

Ahmed, Shaffiq↗

How the effects of winds and electric fields in F2-layer storms vary with latitude and longitude - A theoretical study

The effects of thermospheric winds and electric fields on the ionospheric F2-layer are controlled by the geometry of the magnetic field, and so vary with latitude and longitude. A simple model of the daytime F2-layer is adopted and the effects at midlatitudes (25-65 deg geographic) of three processes that accompany geomagnetic storms: (1) thermospheric changes due to auroral heating; (2) equatorward winds that tend to cancel the quiet-day poleward winds; and (3) the penetration of magnetospheric electric fields are studied. At +/- 65 deg, the effects of heating and electric fields are strongest in the longitudes toward which the geomagnetic dipole is tilted, i.e., the North American and the South Indian Ocean sectors. Because of the proximity of the geomagnetic equator to the East Asian and South American sectors, the reverse is true at +/- 25 deg.

Mendillo, M.↗

Expert knowledge techniques applied to the analysis of electric field mill data

NASA operates a network of ground-based electric field mills at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to identify clouds which might be an electrical hazard to space vehicle prior to and during launch or to the various ground operations performed at the center. Artificial intelligence has been used to develop an expert system for analyzing electric field mill data. The application of the system to expert system to small thunderstorms at KSC is shown.

Nicholson, James R.↗

Pair-Wise, Deformable Mirror, Image Plane-Based Diversity Electric Field Estimation for High Contrast Coronagraphy

In this paper we describe the complex electric field reconstruction from image plane intensity measurements for high contrast coronagraphic imaging. A deformable mirror (DM) surface is modied with pairs of complementary shapes to create diversity in the image plane of the science camera where the intensity of the light is measured. Along with the Electric Field Conjugation correction algorithm, this estimation method has been used in various high contrast imaging testbeds to achieve the best contrasts to date both in narrow and in broad band light. We present the basic methodology of estimation in easy to follow list of steps, present results from HCIT and raise several open quations we are confronted with using this method.

coronagraphy↗

Plasma heating, electric fields and plasma flow by electron beam ionospheric injection

The electric fields and the floating potentials of a Plasma Diagnostics Payload (PDP) located near a powerful electron beam injected from a large sounding rocket into the auroral zone ionosphere have been studied. As the PDP drifted away from the beam laterally, it surveyed a region of hot plasma extending nearly to 60 m radius. Large polarization electric fields transverse to B were imbedded in this hot plasma, which displayed large ELF wave variations and also an average pattern which has led to a model of the plasma flow about the negative line potential of the beam resembling a hydrodynamic vortex in a uniform flow field. Most of the present results are derived from the ECHO 6 sounding rocket mission.

Winckler, J. R.↗

Influence of the Convection Electric Field Models on Predicted Plasmapause Positions During Magnetic Storms

In the present work, we determine how three well documented models of the magnetospheric electric field, and two different mechanisms proposed for the formation of the plasmapause influence the radial distance, the shape and the evolution of the plasmapause during the geomagnetic storms of 28 October 2001 and of 17 April 2002. The convection electric field models considered are: Mcllwain's E51) electric field model, Volland-Stern's model and Weimer's statistical model compiled from low-Earth orbit satellite data. The mechanisms for the formation of the plasmapause to be tested are: (i) the MHD theory where the plasmapause should correspond to the last-closed- equipotential (LCE) or last-closed-streamline (LCS), if the E-field distribution is stationary or time-dependent respectively; (ii) the interchange mechanism where the plasmapause corresponds to streamlines tangent to a Zero-Parallel-Force surface where the field-aligned plasma distribution becomes convectively unstable during enhancements of the E-field intensity in the nightside local time sector. The results of the different time dependent simulations are compared with concomitant EUV observations when available. The plasmatails or plumes observed after both selected geomagnetic storms are predicted in all simulations and for all E-field models. However, their shapes are quite different depending on the E-field models and the mechanisms that are used. Despite the partial success of the simulations to reproduce plumes during magnetic storms and substorms, there remains a long way to go before the detailed structures observed in the EUV observations during periods of geomagnetic activity can be accounted for very precisely by the existing E-field models. Furthermore, it cannot be excluded that the mechanisms currently identified to explain the formation of "Carpenter's knee" during substorm events, will', have to be revised or complemented in the cases of geomagnetic storms.

Pierrard, V.↗