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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

A note on the influence of axial velocity ratio on cascade performance

A thin airfoil quasi-two-dimensional potential flow theory has been used to analyze cascades with axial-flow contraction. Attention is centered on the flow turning of a lattice of foils as measured by the deviation angle. The influence of both axial-flow acceleration and foil thickness on the deviation angle is summarized in plots that should be useful for design purposes. It is shown that the effect of axial-flow contraction is larger when the foils are relatively far apart than when they are close together. The influence of axial velocity ratio across the cascade changes markedly with the stagger angle. These effects are essentially unaltered due to foil thickness.

Wilson, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Hydrodynamic air lubricated compliant surface bearing for an automotive gas turbine engine. 2: Materials and coatings

Material coatings for an air-lubricated, compliant journal bearing for an automotive gas turbine engine were exposed to service test temperatures of 540 C or 650 C for 300 hours, and to 10 temperature cycles from room temperatures to the service test temperatures. Selected coatings were then put on journal and partial-arc foils and tested in start-stop cycle tests at 14 kPa (2 psi) loading for 2000 cycles. Half of the test cycles were performed at a test chamber service temperature of 540 C (1000 F) or 650 C (1200 F); the other half were performed at room temperature. Based on test results, the following combinations and their service temperature limitations are recommended: HL-800 TM (CdO and graphite) on foil versus chrome carbide on journal up to 370 C (700 F); NASA PS 120 (Tribaloy 400, silver and CaF2 on journal versus uncoated foil up to 540 C (1000 F); and Kaman DES on journal and foil up to 640 C (1200 F). Kaman DES coating system was further tested successfully at 35 kPa (5 psi) loading for 2000 start-stop cycles.

Bhushan, B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Interstellar-gas experiment (A0038)

The objectives of this experiment are to collect and isotopically analyze interstellar gas atoms around the orbit of the Earth for the purpose of obtaining new data relevant to understanding nucleosynthesis, and to study the dynamics of the interstellar wind inside the heliosphere and the isotopic composition of the interstellar medium outside the heliosphere. The experiment hardware will act as a set of simple cameras with high-purity copper-beryllium collecting foils serving as the film. The experiment housing will mount and thermally control the foils, establish the viewing angles and viewing direction, provide baffling to reject ambient neutral particles, provide a voltage grid to reject ionospheric charged particles, sequence collecting foils, control exposure times, and protect the foils from contamination during the deployment and retrieval of the LDEF. After being returned to Earth, the entrapped atoms can be analyzed by mass spectroscopy to determine the relative abundance of the different isotopes of helium and neon. An attempt will also be made to detect argon.

Lind, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Measuring Hydrogen Concentrations in Metals

Commercial corrosion-measurement system adapted to electrochemical determination of hydrogen concentrations in metals. New technique based on diffusion of hydrogen through foil specimen of metal. In sample holder, hydrogen produced on one side of foil, either by corrosion reaction or by cathodic current. Hydrogen diffused through foil removed on other side by constant anode potential, which leads to oxidation of hydrogen to water. Anode current is measure of concentration of hydrogen diffusing through foil. System used to study hydrogen uptake, hydrogen elimination by baking, effect of heat treatment, and effect of electroplating on high-strength steels.

Danford, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radiation effects measurements on spacecraft electrostatic discharge tapes, thermal blankets and thermooptical coatings

Selective results are presented of laboratory radiation tests of metallic foil tapes, thermal blankets, and thermooptical coatings undertaken as part of the development and qualification of materials for the Galileo spacecraft. Of the two metallic foil tapes used for electrical continuity, the adhesive used on the aluminum embossed foil was superior to the copper embossed foil when exposed to simulated Jovian electrons. Proton-irradiation tests performed on a number of thermal blanket samples showed that black polyester on Kapton proved to be a lower weight loss (i.e., outgassing) material than Fluorglas. In addition, preliminary results concerning the response of thermooptical coatings to simulated Jovian electrons show that the ITO-coated polyester over a Kapton surface gave the lowest absorptance.

Bouquet, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Development of composite tube protective coatings

Protective coatings for graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) tubular structures proposed for the Space Station are evaluated. The program was divided into four parts; System Definition, Coating Concept Selection and Evaluation, Scale-up and Assembly, and Reporting. System Definition involved defining the structural and environmental properties required of the Gr/Ep tubes. The prepreg and ply sequence selected was a P75S/934 (O2, + or - 20, O2)sub s layup which meets the various structural requirements of the Space Station. Coating Concept and Selection comprised the main emphasis of the effort. Concepts for protectively coating the Gr/Ep tubes included the use of metal foil and electroplating. The program results demonstrated that both phosphoric and chromic acid anodized Al foil provided adequate adhesion to the Gr/Ep tubes and stability of optical properties when subjected to atomic oxygen and thermal cycling representative of the LEO environment. SiO2/Al coatings sputtered onto Al foils also resulted in an excellent protective coating. The electroplated Ni possessed unacceptable adhesion loss to the Gr/Ep tubes during atomic oxygen testing. Scale-Up and Assembly involved fabricating and wrapping 8-ft-long by 2-in-diameter Gr/EP tubes with chromic acid anodized foil and delivering these tubes, along with representative Space Station erectable end fittings, to NASA LaRC.

Dursch, H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

X-ray mirror assessment with optical light

The imaging capability of a thin foil X-ray mirror has been examined with optical light, using a laser beam and a wide optical parallel beam. These measurements reveal that: (1) image broadening due to millimeter scale waviness (orange peel) of the aluminum substrate, partly intrinsic to the foil and partly caused during the foil treatment, is 1.2-min of arc half-power diameter (HPD) in two reflections; (2) slope errors due to foil shaping and misalignment cause broadening of 1.6-2.0-min of arc HPD; and (3) total broadening is about 3-min of arc HPD, which is consistent with the broadening of 2.6-min of arc HPD measured with X rays.

Kunieda, Hideyo↗
NASA NTRS1989

Composite multilayer insulations for thermal protection of aerospace vehicles

Composite flexible multilayer insulation systems (MLI), consisting of alternating layers of metal foil and scrim cloth or insulation quilted together using ceramic thread, were evaluated for thermal performance and compared with a silica fibrous (baseline) insulation system. The systems studied included: (1) alternating layers of aluminoborosilicate (ABS) scrim cloth and stainless steel foil, with silica, ABS, or alumina insulation; (2) alternating layers of scrim cloth and aluminum foil, with silica or ABS insulation; (3) alternating layers of alumininum foil and silica or ABS insulation; and (4) alternating layers of aluminum-coated polyimide placed on the bottom of the silica insulation. The MLIs containing aluminum were the most efficient, measuring as little as half the backface temperature increase of the baseline system.

Kourtides, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Composite multilayer insulations for thermal protection of aerospace vehicles

Composite flexible multilayer insulation systems (MLI), consisting of alternating layers of metal foil and scrim cloth or insulation quilted together using ceramic thread, were evaluated for thermal performance and compared with a silica fibrous (baseline) insulation system. The systems studied included: (1) alternating layers of aluminoborosilicate (ABS) scrim cloth and stainless steel foil, with silica, ABS, or alumina insulation; (2) alternating layers of scrim cloth and aluminum foil, with silica or ABS insulation; (3) alternating layers of aluminum foil and silica or ABS insulation; and (4) alternating layers of aluminum-coated polyimide placed on the bottom of the silica insulation. The MLIs containing aluminum were the most efficient, measuring as little as half the backface temperature increase of the baseline system.

Kourtides, Demetrius A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Evaluation of selected thermal control coatings for long-life space structures

Graphite-reinforced resin matrix composites are being considered for spacecraft structural applications because of their light weight, high stiffness, and lower thermal expansion. Thin protective coatings with stable optical properties and the proper ratio of solar absorption (alpha sub s) to thermal emittance (epsilon) minimize orbital thermal extremes and protect these materials against space environment degradation. Sputtered coatings applied directly to graphite/epoxy composite surfaces and anodized coatings applied to thin aluminum foil were studied for use both as an atomic oxygen barrier and as thermal control coatings. Additional effort was made to develop nickel-based coatings which could be applied directly to composites. These coating systems were selected because their inherent tenacity made them potentially more reliable than commercial white paints for long-life space missions. Results indicate that anodized aluminum foil coatings are suitable for tubular and flat composite structures on large platforms in low Earth orbit. Anodized foil provides protection against some elements of the natural space environment (atomic oxygen, ultraviolet, and particulate radiation) and offers a broad range of tailored alpha sub s/epsilon. The foil is readily available and can be produced in large quantities, while the anodizing process is a routine commercial technique.

Teichman, Louis A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The interstellar gas experiment

The Interstellar Gas Experiment (IGE) exposed thin metallic foils to collect neutral interstellar gas particles. These particles penetrate the solar system due to their motion relative to the sun. Thus, it is possible to entrap them in the collecting foils along with precipitating magnetospheric and perhaps some ambient atmospheric particles. For the entire duration of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) mission, seven of these foils collected particles arriving from seven different directions as seen from the spacecraft. In the mass spectroscopic analysis of the noble gas component of these particles, we have detected the isotopes of He-3, He-4, Ne-20, and Ne-22. In the foil analyses carried out so far, we find a distribution of particle arrival directions which shows that a significant part of the trapped particles are indeed interstellar atoms. The analysis needed to subtract the competing fluxes of magnetospheric and atmospheric particles is still in progress.

Lind, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Experimental technique to investigate the interstellar gas - Preliminary analysis

The Interstellar Gas Experiment (IGE) exposed thin metallic foils to collect neutral interstellar gas particles. These particles penetrate the solar system due to their motion relative to the sun. Thus, it was possible to entrap them in the collecting foils along with precipitating magnetospheric and perhaps some ambient atmospheric particles. For the entire duration of the Long Duration Exposure Facility mission, seven of these foils collected particles arriving from seven different directions as seen from the spacecraft. In the mass spectrometric analysis of the noble gas component of these particles, we have detected the isotopes of He-3, He-4, Ne-20, and Ne-22. In the foil analyses carried out so far, we find a distribution of particle arrival directions which shows that a significant part of the trapped particles are indeed interstellar atoms. The analysis needed to subtract the competing fluxes of magnetospheric and atmospheric particles is still in progress.

Lind, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Progress in incompressible Navier-Stokes computations for propulsion flows and its dual-use applications

Development of an incompressible Navier-Stokes solution procedure was performed for the analysis of a liquid rocket engine pump components and for the mechanical heart assist devices. The solution procedure for the propulsion systems is applicable to incompressible Navier-Stokes flows in a steadily rotating frame of reference for any general complex configurations. The computer codes were tested on different complex configurations such as liquid rocket engine inducer and impellers. As a spin-off technology from the turbopump component simulations, the flow analysis for an axial heart pump was conducted. The baseline Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) design was improved by adding an inducer geometry by adapting from the liquid rocket engine pump. The time-accurate mode of the incompressible Navier-Stokes code was validated with flapping foil experiment by using different domain decomposition methods. In the flapping foil experiment, two upstream NACA 0025 foils perform high-frequency synchronized motion and generate unsteady flow conditions for a downstream larger stationary foil. Fairly good agreement was obtained between unsteady experimental data and numerical results from two different moving boundary procedures. Incompressible Navier-Stokes code (INS3D) has been extended for heat transfer applications. The temperature equation was written for both forced and natural convection phenomena. Flow in a square duct case was used for the validation of the code in both natural and forced convection.

Kiris, Cetin↗
NASA NTRS1994

Time-Accurate Incompressible Navier-Stokes Computations with Overlapped Moving Grids

MIT flapping foil experiment was used as a validation case to evaluate the current incompressible Navier-Stokes approach with overlapped grid schemes. Steady-state calculations were carried out for overlapped and patched grids. The grid dependency, turbulence model effects, and the effect of order of differencing were investigated. Numerical results were compared against experimental data. The resulting procedure were applied to unsteady flapping foil calculations. Two upstream NACA 0025 foils perform high-frequency synchronized motion and generate unsteady flow conditions to the downstream larger stationary foil. Comparison between unsteady experimental data and numerical results from two different moving boundary procedures will be presented.

Kiris, Cetin↗
NASA NTRS2001

Thermal Analysis and Design of Multi-layer Insulation for Re-entry Aerodynamic Heating

The combined radiation/conduction heat transfer in high-temperature multi-layer insulations was modeled using a finite volume numerical model. The numerical model was validated by comparison with steady-state effective thermal conductivity measurements, and by transient thermal tests simulating re-entry aerodynamic heating conditions. A design of experiments technique was used to investigate optimum design of multi-layer insulations for re-entry aerodynamic heating. It was found that use of 2 mm foil spacing and locating the foils near the hot boundary with the top foil 2 mm away from the hot boundary resulted in the most effective insulation design. A 76.2 mm thick multi-layer insulation using 1, 4, or 16 foils resulted in 2.9, 7.2, or 22.2 percent mass per unit area savings compared to a fibrous insulation sample at the same thickness, respectively.

Daryabeigi, Kamran↗
NASA NTRS1994

Progress In Incompressible Pump Flow Calculations

Steady and unsteady flows for propulsion systems are efficiently simulated by solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The solution method is based on the pseudo compressibility approach and uses an implicit-upwind differencing scheme together with the Gauss-Seidel line relaxation method. Current computations use one equation Baldwin-Barth turbulence model which is derived from a simplified form of the standard kappa - epsilon model equations. The resulting computer code is applied to the flow analysis inside an advanced rocket pump impeller in steadily rotating reference frames. Numerical results are compared with experimental measurements. The effects of exit and shroud cavities with the leak-age flow are investigated. Time-accurate incompressible Navier-Stokes formulation with the overlapped grid scheme capability was evaluated by using MIT flapping foil experiment. The grid dependency, turbulence model effects, and the effect of order of differencing were investigated. Numerical results were compared against experimental data. The resulting procedure were applied to unsteady flapping foil calculations. Two upstream NACA 0025 foils perform high frequency synchronized motion and generate unsteady flow conditions to the downstream larger stationary foil. Comparison between unsteady experimental data and numerical results from two different moving boundary procedures will be presented.

Kiris, Cetin↗
NASA NTRS2002

Experimental Evaluation of White Light Fabry-Perot Interferometry Fiber-Optic Strain Gages when Measuring Small Strains

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate whether fiber optic strain gages (FOSG) are "better" sensors than typical foil gages. A particularly attractive feature of FOSG was their specified resolution of 0.01% of full-scale (0.1 micro strain for 1000 micro strain full-scale). This feature would make FOSG practical tank level sensors, by measuring very small strains on the support structure of a tank. A specific application in mind was to measure liquid oxygen tank level, with support beams that were predicted to contract approximately 11 micro strain as the tank goes from empty to full. Among various fiber optic technologies currently available, Fabry-Perot Interferometry using white light was selected. This technology exhibits highly desirable feature such as absolute strain measurement, linearity over its full-scale, and temperature compensation. However, experiment results suggest that the resolution is 0.8 micro strain, at best, calibration from one sensor to another can be off by 2.4 - 11.2%, and that temperature compensation is not fully predictable, with errors of up to 3.5 micro strain over an 11C range. Hence, when compared with classic foil gages, FOSG possess less accuracy, similar resolution and repeatability (precision), and superior linearity over their entire operating range. They are immune to EMI and their signals suffer minimal degradation over long distances. It is also expected that drift with time will be minimal in FOSG whereas the gage factor of foil sensors changes over time when exposed to varying environmental conditions. In conclusion, FOSG are "better" than foil gages as long as the application allows calibration of individual units as installed for operation.

St.Cyr, William↗
NASA NTRS2003

Strain-Gauge Measurement of Weight of Fluid in a Tank

A method of determining the amount of fluid in a tank is based on measurement of strains induced in tank supports by the weight of the fluid. Unlike most prior methods, this method is nonintrusive: there is no need to insert instrumentation in the tank and, hence, no need to run wires, cables, or tubes through the tank wall. Also unlike most prior methods, this method is applicable even if the fluid in the tank is at supercritical pressure and temperature, because it does not depend on the presence of a liquid/gas interface (as in liquid-level-measuring methods). The strain gauges used in this method are of two types: foil and fiber-optic. Four foil gauges and one or more fiber-optic gauges are mounted on each of the tank-supporting legs. An additional fiber-optic gauge is mounted on an object, made of the same material as that of the tank-supporting legs, that is not subjected to any mechanical load. The reading obtained by the additional fiber-optic gauge is used to compensate for apparent strains caused by changes in temperature. The signals from the foil and fiber-optic gauges are conditioned, then digitized for input to a computer. As the tank is filled or emptied, the deformation in each leg increases or decreases, respectively. Measured deformations of all legs are added to obtain a composite deformation indicative of the change in weight of the tank plus fluid. An initial calibration is performed by recording data at two points (usually, empty and full) for which the mass or weight of fluid is known. It is assumed that the deformations are elastic, so that the line passing through the two points can be used as a calibration curve of mass (or weight) of fluid versus deformation. At the time of reporting the information for this article, a set of foil gauges had been tested on the supports of a 500-gallon (1,900-liter) tank. The gauges were found to be capable of measuring the deformations (up to 22 microstrain) that occurred during filling and emptying the tank. The fluid masses calculated from the gauge readings were found to be accurate within 4.5 percent. It has been estimated that once the fiber-optic gauges are put into operation, it should be possible to determine fluid masses with 3 percent or less. It may be possible to increase accuracy further by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio through the use of more deformable tank supporting legs.

Figueroa, Jorge↗