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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

Increased capabilities of the Langley Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility

An experimental research program which explored the potential for expanding the operating range of NASA Langley's Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility is described. The facility uses electric arc-heated air as the test gas and is configured for testing airframe-integrated scramjet engine models at conditions duplicating flight velocities and temperatures. Previous scramjet testing in this facility was limited to a single simulated flight condition of Mach 6.9 at 115,300 ft. altitude. The present arc heater research demonstrated that the facility can be used for scramjet testing at simulated flight conditions from Mach 4 (at altitudes from 77,000 to 114,000 ft.) to Mach 7 (at altitudes from 108,000 to 149,000 ft.). Flow quality was established from the uniformity of measured total temperature profiles. In addition, nitrogen oxide levels in the test stream were determined for relating engine test data to expected flight performance. The test frequency and reliability of the facility were also improved by a novel redesign of the heater downstream electrode and by defining limits for stable arc operation.

Thomas, S. R.↗

Ozone photochemistry and OH - A two-dimensional model study

Recent measurements of key HO(x) reaction rates are presented which imply that OH concentrations at altitudes below 30 km are lower than those predicted by current photochemical models. The consequences of the lower OH abundances are examined with respect to calculated perturbations of ozone by added nitrogen oxides, chlorine, and water vapor. Consideration is also given to the perturbation of stratospheric ozone by continuing release of chlorofluoromethanes in light of the new HO(x) reaction rates. The ozone loss is found to be reduced by about 25% compared with earlier estimates, mainly because the reduced OH abundance below 30 km slows the reaction between OH and HCl.

Whitten, R. C.↗

Packed Alumina Absorbs Hypergolic Vapors

Beds of activated alumina effective as filters to remove hypergolic vapors from gas streams. Beds absorb such substances as nitrogen oxides and hydrazines and may also absorb acetylene, ethylene, hydrogen sulfide, benzene, butadiene, butene, styrene, toluene, and xoylene. Bed has no moving parts such as pumps, blowers and mixers. Reliable and energy-conservative. Bed readily adapted to any size from small portable units for use where little vapor release is expected to large stationary units for extensive transfer operations.

Thomas, J. J.↗

Effect of flameholder pressure drop on emissions and performance of premixed-prevaporized combustors

Parametric tests were conducted to determine the effects of flameholder pressure drop on the emissions and performance of lean premixed-prevaporized combustors. A conical flameholder mounted in a diverging duct was tested with two values of flameholder blockage. Emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and unburned hydrocarbons were measured for combustor entrance conditions of 600 to 800 K air temperature, 0.3 MPa to 0.5 MPa pressure, and 20 m/sec to 35 m/sec reference velocity. Jet A fuel was injected at flow rates corresponding to an equivalence ratio range from 0.8 down to the lean stability limit. Emission results for the high-blockage flameholder were a substantial improvement over the low-blockage emission results. A correlation of combustion efficiency with flameholder pressure drop was developed for pressure drops less than 9 percent.

Duerr, R. A.↗

The ABAG biogenic emissions inventory project

The ability to identify the role of biogenic hydrocarbon emissions in contributing to overall ozone production in the Bay Area, and to identify the significance of that role, were investigated in a joint project of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and NASA/Ames Research Center. Ozone, which is produced when nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons combine in the presence of sunlight, is a primary factor in air quality planning. In investigating the role of biogenic emissions, this project employed a pre-existing land cover classification to define areal extent of land cover types. Emission factors were then derived for those cover types. The land cover data and emission factors were integrated into an existing geographic information system, where they were combined to form a Biogenic Hydrocarbon Emissions Inventory. The emissions inventory information was then integrated into an existing photochemical dispersion model.

Carson-Henry, C.↗

An analytical investigation of NO sub x control techniques for methanol fueled spark ignition engines

A thermokinetic SI engine simulation was used to study the effects of simple nitrogen oxide control techniques on performance and emissions of a methanol fueled engine. As part of this simulation, a ring crevice storage model was formulated to predict UBF emissions. The study included spark retard, two methods of compression ratio increase and EGR. The study concludes that use of EGR in high turbulence, high compression engines will both maximize power and thermal efficiency while minimizing harmful exhaust pollutants.

Browning, L. H.↗

Expanded operational capabilities of the Langley Mach 7 Scramjet test facility

An experimental research program conducted to expand the operational capabilities of the NASA Langley Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility is described. Previous scramjet testing in this facility was limited to a single simulated flight condition of Mach 6.9 at an altitude of 115,300 ft. The arc heater research demonstrates the potential of the facility for scramjet testing at simulated flight conditions from Mach 4 (at altitudes from 77,000 to 114,000 ft) to Mach 7 (at latitudes from 108,000 to 149,000 ft). Arc heater electrical characteristics, operational problems, measurements of nitrogen oxide contaminants, and total-temperature profiles are discussed.

Thomas, S. R.↗

NASA clean catalytic combustor program

The successful operation of an aircraft gas turbine combustion system incorporating a state-of-the-art catalytic reactor as the main stage, along with a conventional pilot stage for low power operation, is reported to have been achieved with high combustion efficiency at moderate engine pressure ratios. The extremely low nitrogen oxides emission level taken by the program as its goal has also been achieved. It is noted that significant improvements in the operating temperature capability of catalytic reactor materials will be required for the successful application of such devices to the very high pressure ratio, high temperature engines assumed to be the ultimate application of the devices studied.

Ekstedt, E. E.↗

Computation of Three-Dimensional Combustor Performance

Existing steady-state 3-D computer program for calculating gasturbine flow fields modified to include computation of soot and nitrogen oxide emission. In addition, radiation calculation corrected for soot particles. These advanced tools offer potential of reducing design and development time required for gas-turbine combustors.

Srivatsa, S.↗

The growth of paracoccus halodenitrificans in a defined medium

A synthetic medium, consisting of inorganic salts and any of a number of carbon sources, supported the aerobic growth of Paracoccus halodenitrificans when supplemented with thiamine. The same medium plus a nitrogenous oxide supported anaerobic growth when additionally supplemented with methionine. The observation that vitamin B12 or betaine replaced methionine suggested that P. halodenitrificans had a defect in the cobalamin dependent pathway for methionine biosynthesis, as well as the inability to synthesize betaine when growing anaerobically.

Hochstein, L. I.↗

Natural hydrocarbon emission estimates based on Landsat data as an input to a regional ozone photochemical model

Landsat-derived forest cover data were employed with non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) emission rates in a model to quantify summer forest ozone production for the Tidewater Region of Virginia. The areal extent of the three major forest types - coniferous, deciduous, and mixed - were determined from Landsat data on two adjacent scenes, using an unsupervised approach to spectral signature development. The forest type results from both data sets were verified in an extensive accuracy assessment and merged to provide regional statistics for total acreages, percent forest, and error rates. The Landsat statistics were incorporated into forest type emission factor equations to produce an estimated emission rate for natural hydrocarbons from forests. This estimate, along with measured rates for nitrogen oxides and NMHC from anthropogenic sources, was provided as input to computer simulations of atmospheric ozone generation for the Tidewater Region using a photochemical oxident model.

Middleton, E. M.↗

Chemical consequences of major impact events on earth

Violent cometary or asteroidal impact events comparable to that which terminated the Cretaceous era must produce large amounts of nitrogen oxides, sufficient to provide NOx mole fractions much larger than 100 ppm over areas of millions of square kilometers. Rapid production of NO2, and subsequent rainout of HNO3 and other strong acids can acidify surface waters, selectively destroying CaCO3 shells. This scenario holds the promise of explaining both the scope of Cretaceous biological extinctions and their extraordinary selectivity.

Lewis, J. S.↗

The growth of Paracoccus halodenitrificans in a defined medium

A synthetic medium, consisting of inorganic salts and any of a number of carbon sources, supported the aerobic growth of Paracoccus halodenitrificans when supplemented with thiamine. The same medium plus a nitrogenous oxide supported anaerobic growth when additionally supplemented with methionine. The observation that vitamin B12 or betaine replaced methionine suggested that P. halodenitrificans had a defect in the cobalamin dependent pathway for methionine biosynthesis, as well as the inability to synthesize betanine when growing anaerobically.

Hochstein, L. I.↗

Is There More than One Steady State for Nox?

The study of alternative steady states for nitrogen oxides is discussed: The production of these oxides and the reactions they undergo in the atmosphere are described. The computerized modelling of the atmosphere using a one dimensional time dependent photochemical model is attempted.

Bakas, G.↗

Airborne trace contaminants of possible interest in CELSS

One design goal of Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) for long duration space missions is to maintain an atmosphere which is healthy for all the desirable biological species and not deleterious to any of the mechanical components in that atmosphere. CELESS design must take into account the interactions of at least six major components; (1) humans and animals, (2) higher plants, (3) microalgae, (4) bacteria and fungi, (5) the waste processing system, and (6) other mechanical systems. Each of these major components can be both a source and a target of airborne trace contaminants in a CELSS. A range of possible airborne trace contaminants is discussed within a chemical classification scheme. These contaminants are analyzed with respect to their probable sources among the six major components and their potential effects on those components. Data on airborne chemical contaminants detected in shuttle missions is presented along with this analysis. The observed concentrations of several classes of compounds, including hydrocarbons, halocarbons, halosilanes, amines and nitrogen oxides, are considered with respect to the problems which they present to CELSS.

Garavelli, J. S.↗

Effects of varying environmental parameters on trace contaminant concentrations in the NASA Space Station Reference Configuration

An evaluation is made of the NASA Space Station Reference Configuration trace contaminant production and depletion level effects of CO2, O2, humidity, temperature, and pressure variations, on the basis of a computer model of the Reference Configuration's chemical reactions and physical processes as functions of time. The effects of changes in the initial concentrations of such contaminants as nonmethane hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are also examined, and these are found to result in more significant changes in the concentration levels of trace contaminants than pressure and humidity variations. O2 and CO2 changes are found to have negligible effects on trace contaminant concentrations.

Brewer, Dana A.↗

Combustion characteristics of gas turbine alternative fuels

An experimental investigation was conducted to obtain combustion performance values for specific heavyend, synthetic hydrocarbon fuels. A flame tube combustor modified to duplicate an advanced gas turbine engine combustor was used for the tests. Each fuel was tested at steady-state operating conditions over a range of mass flow rates, fuel-to-air mass ratio, and inlet air temperatures. The combustion pressure, as well as the hardware, were kept nearly constant over the program test phase. Test results were obtained in regards to geometric temperature pattern factors as a function of combustor wall temperatures, the combustion gas temperature, and the combustion emissions, both as affected by the mass flow rate and fuel-to-air ratio. The synthetic fuels were reacted in the combustor such that for most tests their performance was as good, if not better, than the baseline gasoline or diesel fuel tests. The only detrimental effects were that at high inlet air temperature conditions, fuel decomposition occurred in the fuel atomizing nozzle passages resulting in blockage. And the nitrogen oxide emissions were above EPA limits at low flow rate and high operating temperature conditions.

Rollbuhler, R. James↗