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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

A simplified method for determining heat of combustion of natural gas

A simplified technique for determination of the heat of combustion of natural gas has been developed. It is a variation of the previously developed technique wherein the carrier air, in which the test sample was burnt, was oxygen enriched to adjust the mole fraction of oxygen in the combustion product gases up to that in the carrier air. The new technique eliminates the need for oxygen enrichment of the experimental mixtures and natural gas samples and has been found to predict their heats of combustion to an uncertainty of the order of 1 percent.

Singh, Jag J.↗

Transient motion of a confined rarefied gas due to wall heating or cooling

The direct Monte Carlo method is used to simulate the transient motion of a confined rarefied gas as a container wall is rapidly heated or cooled. Results show that, for the rapid wall temperature changes, the gas response is better measured by an acoustic, rather than conduction, timescale, with steady state conditions being achieved after about ten wave crossing times.

Wadsworth, Dean C.↗

Cosmic-ray heating of the interstellar gas

Cosmic rays streaming out of the Galaxy can become locked to resonantly excited Alfven waves as they pass through a region of increasing temperature at the disk-halo interface. A large fraction of the energy is approximately greater than 1 GeV cosmic rays goes into heating of the thermal gas via nonlinear Landau damping of the waves. This mode of cosmic-ray heating can balance radiative cooling for gas in the temperature range 10(exp 4.5) K approximately less than T approximately less than 10(exp 6), creating a thermal transition zone with a column density exceeding that of an ordinary conductive interface. This layer could be the site of much of the observed emission and absorption by highly ionized species such as C IV, N V, and O VI.

Begelman, Mitchell C.↗

Simulated Water Well Performance on Mars

Final document is attached. This paper describes improvements in our understanding of the nature and location of massive ice sheets on the surface of Mars as well as refinements made to a technical approach for extracting significant quantities of water from these ice sheets using a technique known as a Rodriguez Well. Recently published discoveries on Mars have reinforced the evidence for the existence and structure of these massive buried ice sheets. Using this improved understanding of the feedstock material, this paper describes estimates made regarding basic characteristics – mass, power, configuration, etc. – of a system that can access and extract water from these ice sheets. This paper then summarizes the basic operation of a Rodriguez Well and describes a computer simulation used to estimate the performance characteristics of this type of well. This simulation was built and used to predict the performance of similar wells operated in the Earth's Arctic and Antarctic regions. However, physical parameters (e.g., specific heat and gas constant for air, heat transfer between water and air and between ice and air, etc.) used in the simulation represent a terrestrial environment and must be adjusted for a Martian environment. A pair of experiments designed to determine the appropriate value for these parameters under Martian conditions are described. Until results from these experiments are available, published results from other sources are used in the simulation to gain an understanding of the effect that could be seen. These provisional results are discussed.

Hoffman, Stephen↗

Simulated Water Well Performance on Mars

This paper describes improvements in our understanding of the nature and location of massive ice sheets on the surface of Mars as well as refinements made to a technical approach for extracting significant quantities of water from these ice sheets using a technique known as a Rodriguez Well. Recently published discoveries on Mars have reinforced the evidence for the existence and structure of these massive buried ice sheets. Using this improved understanding of the feedstock material, this paper describes estimates made regarding basic characteristics - mass, power, configuration, etc. - of a system that can access and extract water from these ice sheets. This paper then summarizes the basic operation of a Rodriguez Well and describes a computer simulation used to estimate the performance characteristics of this type of well. This simulation was built and used to predict the performance of similar wells operated in the Earth's Arctic and Antarctic regions. However, physical parameters (e.g., specific heat and gas constant for air, heat transfer between water and air and between ice and air, etc.) used in the simulation represent a terrestrial environment and must be adjusted for a Martian environment. A pair of experiments designed to determine the appropriate values for these parameters under Martian conditions is described. Until results from these experiments are available, published results from other sources are used in the simulation to gain an understanding of the effect that could be seen. These provisional results are discussed.

Hoffman, Stephen J.↗

The alpha Centauri Line of Sight: D/H Ratio, Physical Properties of Local Interstellar Gas, and Measurement of Heated Hydrogen (The 'Hydrogen Wall') Near the Heliopause

We analyze high-resolution spectra of the nearby (1.34 pc) stars alpha Cen A (G2 V) and alpha Cen B (K1 V), which were obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. The observations consist of echelle spectra of the Mg II 2800 A and Fe II 2599 A resonance lines and the Lyman-alpha lines of hydrogen and deuterium. The interstellar gas has a velocity (v = - 18.0 +/- 0.2 km/s) consistent with the local flow vector proposed for this line of sight by Lailement & Berlin (1992). The temperature and nonthermal velocity inferred from the Fe II, Mg II, and D I line profiles are T = 5400 +/- 500 K and xi = 1.20 +/- 0.25 km/s, respectively. However, single-component fits to the H I Lyman-alpha lines yield a Doppler parameter (b(sub HI) = 11.80 km/s) that implies a significantly warmer temperature of 8350 K, and the velocity of the H I absorption (v = - 15.8 +/- 0.2 km/s) is redshifted by about 2.2 km/s with respect to the Fe II, Mg II, and D I lines. The one-component model of the interstellar gas suggests natural logarithm N base HI = 18.03 +/- 0.01 and D/H = (5.7 +/- 0.2) x 10(exp -6) . These parameters lead to a good fit to the observed spectra, but this model does not explain the higher temperature and redshift of H I relative to the other interstellar lines. The most sensible way to resolve the discrepancy between H(I) and the other lines is to add a second absorption component to the H(I) lines. This second component is hotter (T approx. equals 30,000 K), is redshifted relative to the primary component by 2-4 km/s, and has a column density too low to be detected in the Fe(II), Mg(II), and D(I) lines. We propose that the gas responsible for this component is located near the heliopause, consisting of the heated H I gas from the interstellar medium that is compressed by the solar wind. This so-called 'hydrogen wall' is predicted by recent multifluid gasdynamical models of the interstellar gas and solar wind interaction. Our data provide the first measurements of the temperature and column density of H(I) in the hydrogen wall. After considering the effects that a corresponding hydrogen wall around alpha Cen would have on our analysis, our best estimates for the parameters of the solar hydrogen wall are natural log N(sup (2))(H(I)) = 14.74 +/- 0.24, b(sup (2))(H(I)) = 21.9 +/- 1.7 km/s (corresponding to T = 29,000 +/- 5000 K), and v(sup (2))(H(I)) greater than -16km/s. Unfortunately, the existence of this heated H(I) reduces our ability to compute the H(I) column density of the interstellar medium accurately because, with slight alterations to our assumed stellar Lyman-alpha profiles, we discovered that acceptable two-component fits also exist with natural log N(H(I))approx. 17.6. We, therefore, quote large error bars for the H I column density along the alpha Cen line of sight, natural log N(H(I)) = 17.80 +/- 0.30. For this range in N(H(I)), n(H(I)) = 0.15 /cu.cm (+/- a factor of 2) and D/H = (0.5-1.9) x 10(exp -5). This is the first direct measurement of the H(I) density in a local cloud and allows us to predict the distance from the Sun to the edge of the local cloud along various lines of sight. This range in D/H is consistent with the value D/H = 1.6 x 10(exp -5) previously derived for the Capella and Procyon lines of sight. We cannot tell whether D/H ratio varies or is constant in the local interstellar medium, but we do find that the D(I)/Mg(II) ratio for the alpha Cen line of sight is about 4 times smaller than for the Capella and Procyon lines of sight. Therefore, either D/H or the Mg depletion varies significantly over distance scales of only a few parsecs.

Linsky, Jeffrey L.↗

The heating of a thermally conducting stratified medium. I - Self-gravitating gas threaded by magnetic fields

Two theoretical problems are presented to illustrate the equilibrium structure of a gravitating gas threaded by magnetic fields. The gas is heated everywhere at a rate proportional to the local density and cooled by thermal conduction channeled along the magnetic field. Emphasis is placed on the influence of anisotropic thermal conduction on the distribution of the gas. In the first problem, the magnetic field has straight field lines that are nearly parallel. The simple field line geometry allows us to calculate, in closed form, the equilibria configurations of a gas slab which is cooled nonuniformly by thermal conduction along field lines which leave the gas slab at varying angles. The problem involves the gas having a free boundary, which is one of the unknowns to be determined. A discussion is given of the set of all possible equilibria so constructed. In the second problem there is no electric current flowing in the gas but there is a potential magnetic field having curved field lines. Exact solutions of equilibriums are presented to illustrate the heating of stellar and galactic coronas.

Lerche, I.↗

Design study of a gas turbine combustor with heat recirculation

A means of avoiding stoichiometric combustion, reducing emissions, and yet providing stable burning for lean mixtures is based on the use of heat recirculation rather than flow recirculation. This paper is concerned with the calculations of the design parameters of a gas turbine combustor with heat exchanger to produce the desired preheat temperature. The combustor inlet temperature, maximum temperature, equivalence ratio and recirculated heat are determined by thermodynamic analysis. The heat transfer analysis then provides the dimensions of the system to produce the predetermined boundary conditions. It is indicated that practical combustor design may be feasible for reactant mixtures as low as equivalence ratio 0.2.

Ganji, A.↗

Heat Transfer and Pressure Distributions on a Gas Turbine Blade Tip

Heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions are experimentally investigated on a gas turbine blade tip in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. The blade is a 2-dimensional model of a first stage gas turbine rotor blade with a blade tip profile of a GE-E(sup 3) aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. The flow condition in the test cascade corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 1.1 x 10(exp 6). The middle 3-blade has a variable tip gap clearance. All measurements are made at three different tip gap clearances of about 1%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of the blade span. Heat transfer measurements are also made at two different turbulence intensity levels of 6.1 % and 9.7% at the cascade inlet. Static pressure measurements are made in the mid-span and the near-tip regions as well as on the shroud surface, opposite the blade tip surface. Detailed heat transfer coefficient distributions on the plane tip surface are measured using a transient liquid crystal technique. Results show various regions of high and low heat transfer coefficient on the tip surface. Tip clearance has a significant influence on local tip beat transfer coefficient distribution. Heat transfer coefficient also increases about 15-20% along the leakage flow path at higher turbulence intensity level of 9.7% over 6.1 %.

Azad, Gm S.↗

STOL and STOVL hot gas ingestion and airframe heating tests in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot low-speed wind tunnel

Short takeoff and landing (STOL) and advanced short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft are being pursued for deployment near the end of this century. These concepts offer unique capabilities not seen in conventional aircraft: for example, shorter takeoff distances and the ability to operate from damaged runways and remote sites. However, special technology is critical to the development of this unique class of aircraft. Some of the real issues that are associated with these concepts are hot gas ingestion and airframe heating while in ground effects. Over the past nine years, NASA Lewis Research Center has been involved in several cooperative programs in the 9- by 15 Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) to establish a database for hot gas ingestion and airframe heating. The modifications are presented that were made in the 9- by 15-Foot LSWT, including the evolution of the ground plane, model support system, and tunnel sidewalls; and flow visualization techniques, instrumentation, test procedures, and test results. The 9- by 15-Foot LSWT tests were conducted at full scale exhaust nozzle pressure ratios. The headwind velocities varied from 8 to 120 kn depending on the concept (STOL or STOVL). Typical compressor-face distortions (pressure and temperature), ground plane contours, and model surface temperature profiles are presented.

Johns, Albert L.↗

The Planck Sorption Cooler: Using Metal Hydrides to Produce 20 K

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has built and delivered two continuous closed cycle hydrogen Joule-Thomson (JT) cryocoolers for the ESA Planck mission, which will measure the anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background. The metal hydride compressor consists of six sorbent beds containing LaNi4.78Sn0.22 alloy and a low pressure storage bed of the same material. Each sorbent bed contains a separate gas-gap heat switch that couples or isolates the bed with radiators during the compressor operating cycle. ZrNiHx hydride is used in this heat switch. The Planck compressor produces hydrogen gas at a pressure of 48 Bar by heating the hydride to approx.450 K. This gas passes through a cryogenic cold end consisting of a tube-in-tube heat exchanger, three pre-cooling stages to bring the gas to nominally 52 K, a JT value to expand the gas into the two-phase regime at approx.20 K, and two liquid - vapor heat exchangers that must remove 190 and 646 mW of heat respectively.

hydrogen storage materials↗

Characterizing the Effects of Thermal Profile and Gas Environment on the Heat Treatment of JSC-1A Lunar Simulant Using Combined Thermogravimetry and Mass Spectroscopy

As NASA strives towards a long duration presence on the Moon, it has become increasingly important to learn how to better utilize resources from the lunar surface for everything from habitats, vehicle infrastructure, and chemical extraction. To that end, a variety of lunar simulants have been sourced from terrestrially available volcanic minerals and glass as Apollo regolith is a finite resource unavailable for experimentation needing large masses. However, while mineralogy and chemical composition can approach that of lunar material in these simulants, there are still distinct non-lunar phases such as hydrates, carbonates, sulfates, and clays that can cause simulants to behave distinctly non-lunar in a variety of processing conditions that would ideally be applied to lunar material. Notably, severe glassy bubbling has been documented in a variety of vacuum sintering experiments on JSC-1A lunar Maria simulant heated via microwaves. The origins of this outgassing have not been well understood, but are normally attributed to the decomposition of non-lunar contaminates intrinsic to virtually all terrestrially sourced simulants. As such, a series of controlled environmental tests were performed to ascertain the origins of the high temperature outgassing and to develop heat treatments that can drive JSC-1A closer to lunar composition and behavior. It was found that in JSC-1A that distinct gas evolutions of water, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide occur in both inert gas and vacuum. Additionally, the presence of hydrogen during heat treatments was shown to dramatically change gas evolutions, leading to distinctly more lunar-like composition and behavior from JSC-1A simulant.

sinter↗

Characterizing the Effects of Thermal Profile and Gas Environment on the Heat Treatment of JSC-1A Lunar Simulant Using Combined Thermogravimetry and Mass Spectroscopy

As NASA strives towards a long duration presence on the Moon, it has become increasingly important to learn how to better utilize resources from the lunar surface for everything from habitats, vehicle infrastructure, and chemical extraction. To that end, a variety of lunar simulants have been sourced from terrestrially available volcanic minerals and glass as Apollo regolith is a finite resource unavailable for experimentation needing large masses. However, while mineralogy and chemical composition can approach that of lunar material in these simulants, there are still distinct non-lunar phases such as hydrates, carbonates, sulfates, and clays that can cause simulants to behave distinctly non-lunar in a variety of processing conditions that would ideally be applied to lunar material. Notably, severe glassy bubbling has been documented in a variety of vacuum sintering experiments on JSC-1A lunar Maria simulant heated via microwaves. The origins of this outgassing have not been well understood, but are normally attributed to the decomposition of non-lunar contaminates intrinsic to virtually all terrestrially sourced simulants. As such, a series of controlled environmental tests were performed to ascertain the origins of the high temperature outgassing and to develop heat treatments that can drive JSC-1A closer to lunar composition and behavior. It was found that in JSC-1A that distinct gas evolutions of water, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide occur in both inert gas and vacuum. Additionally, the presence of hydrogen during heat treatments was shown to dramatically change gas evolutions, leading to distinctly more lunar-like composition and behavior from JSC-1A simulant.

sinter↗

On equilibrium states of heated self-gravitating gas clouds cooling by conduction in an external gravitational field

Exact analytic solutions are presented for equilibrium states of a self-gravitating one-dimensional cloud of gas, embedded in an external gravitational field due to a plane of 'stars' being heated at a rate proportional to the local gas density, and cooling by thermal conduction. It is found that the general topology of the solutions is such that the gas density has a minimum on the plane of 'stars', rising to an infinite but integrable peak away from the plane so that the total mass of gas in the cloud is finite. The results may be of interest in investigations of interstellar molecular clouds and of filamentary structures in supernova remnants as well as in the modeling of gas distributions around 'cocoon' protostars.

Lerche, I.↗