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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

Optically isolated logarithmic nanoammeter capable of floating to 5 kilovolts

A logarithmic current-measuring instrument was developed to measure plasma coupling currents at a common mode voltage of 5 kilovolts. Positive or negative currents can be measured from 10 to the -9th power to .001 ampere direct current. Optical isolation is used to control input switching and to provide data referenced to ground potential. Analog meter readouts as well as zero to five volt outputs are provided for peripheral data collection. Six independent channels are provided. Three measure positive currents, and three measure negative currents. Although designed for vacuum operation, it can be used equally well in air to measure low currents at high common mode voltages.

Sturman, J. C.↗

Float zone silicon for IR detectors

An overview of the state of the art of processing silicon for use as infrared detectors is presented. Improvements in the process that could be obtained in a low-g environment were examined. The various requirements for the different types of Si detector materials are summarized.

Kern, E. L.↗

Float zone refining: Space problems and solutions. A speculative proposal

A facility for the automatic growth of 60 cm long boules of Si up to 10 cm diameter is described. The facility is 21 ft tall, weighs 17,000 lb (without the sand ballast), and consumes 60 kW power. As a point of reference, the facility will cost approximately $500K without automation which will be developed. The total price is expected to be approximately $1.2 million.

Gill, G.↗

The hot plasma environment and floating potentials of an electron-beam-emitting rocket in the ionosphere

The plasma environment surrounding the Echo III accelerator payload is examined with an extensive array of particle sensors. Suprathermal electrons are produced isotropically around the payload during the gun firings and decay away in approximately 32 ms. The largest directional intensities of this component are observed at the higher altitudes. Quick echo electrons are also observed to produce suprathermal electrons when they encounter the payload. The hot electrons surrounding the accelerator payload during gun injections bring sufficient charge to the payload to neutralize it provided the loss of charge by secondary production on the payload skin is small. Since the hot population exists for tens of milliseconds after the gun turnoff, it results in driving the payload up to 4 volts negative during this time. Quick echo electrons creating suprathermal electrons around the payload also drive the payload to a few volts negative.

Arnoldy, R. L.↗

Preston tube calibrations and direct force floating element measurements in a two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer

Preston tubes provide a convenient means of estimating local wall shear stress. Practical difficulties arise from a lack of calibration data obtained in turbulent boundary layer flows and from the wide choice of calibration equations available mainly from pipe flow calibrations. The results of an experimental study comparing a large number of direct force local wall shear stress measurements in a near-zero pressure gradient two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow are presented. The results indicate that there is consistent and excellent agreement between the Patel intermediate calibration formula and the direct force measurements. Typical differences among the direct force measurements and several other proposed calibration equations are also shown.

Mcallister, J. E.↗

Vibration and destabilizing effects of floating ring seals in compressors

Operating experience on a compressor commissioned 12 years ago has presented an interesting history of sporadic increases in shaft vibration. Initial operation was satisfactory with low levels of vibration. However, after some time the shaft vibration level increased to several mils. Initially this was believed to be due to rotor unbalance from deposits formed in the passages due to process upsets. After cleaning up the rotor, operation was again increased. It was then found that the rotor vibration was primarily subsynchronous. Further investigation revealed that the original seal design was subject to wear and was no longer properly pressure balanced. A modified seal design was installed and it has operated successfully for the past six years.

Emerick, M. F.↗

Thermocapillary-driven convection in supported and floating-zone crystallization

Marangoni flow was induced in a thin disk of molten tin with an atomically clean surface by heating it from below in an ultra high vacuum apparatus. The radial distribution of temperature was measured and no temperature oscillations were observed. Strong mechanical disturbances introduced at a Marangoni number of about 4300 died out quickly with time indicating that the system was stable. Mathematical models indicate that strong flows in a two cell structure exist under the conditions studied, and that the velocity profile in the cell near the surface is of the boundary layer type which varies rapidly with depth.

Gill, W. N.↗

Meteorological data along the Vega 1, 2 float paths

The Vega balloons transmitted in situ measurements of pressure, temperature, vertical wind velocity relative to the balloon craft, cloud-particle backscatter coefficient, and ambient light level in the Venus middle cloud layer. Doppler tracking has yielded estimates for the velocities of atmospheric motion.

Sagdeev, R. Z.↗

Radiation characteristics of low resistivity float zone silicon solar cells

The effects of 1-MeV electron irradiation on silicon solar cells with AM0 efficiencies ranging from 17 to 17.7 percent are described. These cells were processed on low-resistivity FZ substrates using techniques recently developed for high-efficiency terrestrial silicon solar cells. Results indicate that these cells are more susceptible to radiation damage. However, they do maintain a greater overall power output than conventional cells to which they were compared. These cells do not demonstrate post-electron-irradiation photon decay as has been described for cells processed on 1-10 ohm-cm FZ silicon.

Crotty, G. T.↗

Impacts of free-floating objects: Unique Space Station experiments

The transfer of momentum and kinetic energy between planetary bodies forms the basis for wide-ranging problems in planetary science ranging from the collective long-term effects of minor perturbations to the catastrophic singular effect of a major collision. In the former case, the evolution of asteroid spin rates and orientations and planetary rotation rates are cited. In the latter case, the catastrophic angular momenta and the near-global disruption of partially molten planets are included. Although the collisional transfer of momentum and energy were discussed over the last two decades, major issues remain that largely reflect current limitations in earth-based experimental conditions and 3-D numerical codes. Two examples with potential applications in a Space Station laboratory are presented.

Schultz, Peter H.↗

Numerical simulation of forced convection in a two fluid layered system in a floating zone configuration

Forced convection due to rotational effects has been numerically studied in a stable two-fluid layered system in which the lighter fluid occupies the upper portion of the computational and physical domain. Results are presented for three different fluid height combinations for conditions prevailing in a microgravity environment. It is found that the heavier fluid tends to dominate the flow field, and that equal corotation and counterrotation cases produce nearly identical behavior in the flow and thermal fields.

Ramachandran, N.↗

High-voltage, full-floating 10-MHz square-wave generator with phase control

Wherein a fast (50 ns) rise-time high-frequency square-wave generator capable of switching between arbitrary voltages of high potential difference (1000 V or more) is described utilizing solid-state circuitry of low power consumption. Power field effect transistors are used as the active switching element, which afford compact size and simplified circuit construction. With the addition of monostable multivibrators, high-voltage square-wave pulse trains of controllable phase are produced. The generator should find application in a wide variety of situations where fast switching between high voltages is required, such as in time-of-flight, coincidence, and beams-modulation experiments.

Bernius, Mark T.↗

Energy stability of thermocapillary convection in a model of the float-zone crystal-growth process

Energy stability theory has been applied to a basic state of thermocapillary convection occurring in a cylindrical half-zone of finite length to determine conditions under which the flow will be stable. Because of the finite length of the zone, the basic state must be determined numerically. Instead of obtaining stability criteria by solving the related Euler-Lagrange equations, the variational problem is attacked directly by discretization of the integrals in the energy identity using finite differences. Results of the analysis are values of the Marangoni number below which axisymmetric disturbances to the basic state will decay, for various values of the other parameters governing the problem.

Shen, Y.↗