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At least 325 records · Page 18

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NASA NTRS1999

Design of Transpiration Cooled Thermal Protection Systems

This study explored three approaches for the utilization of transpiration cooling in thermal protection systems. One model uses an impermeable wall with boiling water heat transfer at the backface (Model I). A second model uses a permeable wall with a boiling water backface and additional heat transfer to the water vapor as it flows in channels toward the exposed surface (Model II). The third model also uses a permeable wall, but maintains a boiling condition at the exposed surface of the material (Model III). The governing equations for the models were developed in non-dimensional form and a comprehensive parametric investigation of the effects of the independent variables on the important dependent variables was performed. In addition, detailed analyses were performed for selected materials to evaluate the practical limitations of the results of the parametric study.

Callens, E. Eugene, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Lithospheric Dynamics of Mars: Water, Flow, and Failure

Some of the largest Martian erosive features were influenced by groundwater, and include valley networks, outflow channels, and possibly landslides. We argue that hydrothermal systems attending crustal formation processes were able to drive sufficient groundwater to the surface to form the Noachian southern highlands valley networks, which show a spatial correlation to crustal magnetic anomalies, also results of crustal formation. Hydrothermal activity is quantified through numerical simulations of convection in a porous medium due to the presence of a hot intruded magma chamber. The parameter space includes magma chamber depth, volume, aspect ratio, and host rock permeability and porosity. For permeabilities as low as l0(exp -17) sq m and intrusion volumes as low as 50 km , the total discharge due to intrusions building that part of the southern highlands crust associated with magnetic anomalies spans a comparable range as the inferred discharge from the overlying valley networks. The Hesperian circum-Chryse outflow channels are further manifestations of groundwater discharge and Clifford and Parker (2001) suggest that the large volumes of water required for their formation flows beneath a confining cryosphere from the South Pole where meltwater beneath an ice cap recharges a global aquifer. We argue that recharge occurs instead over the nearby Tharsis aquifer at high obliquity, assisted by cryosphere melting due to volcanic activity. Numerical simulations quantify the strength and duration of outflow discharge given either South Polar or Tharsis recharge. The contribution of South Pole recharge given Clifford and Parker aquifer properties is negligible compared to that of the initial Tharsis inventory. Tharsis recharge, despite the restrictions of improved aquifer properties, makes a significant contribution and, unlike South Pole recharge under the same conditions, fulfills discharge requirements. Groundwater may have influenced long run-out landslide formation in the Valles Marineris. We present simulations of Martian, terrestrial, and lunar landslides that gauge the role of pore fluid pressure in reproducing accurate geometries and run-out with frictional, Bingham, and fluidization rheologies. The results indicate that pore fluid is a necessary component of Martian landslide formation and we suggest scenarios that might explain its presence.

Grimm, Robert E.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Investigation of Volumetric Sources in Airframe Noise Simulations

Hybrid methods for the prediction of airframe noise involve a simulation of the near field flow that is used as input to an acoustic propagation formula. The acoustic formulations discussed herein are those based on the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. Some questions have arisen in the published literature in regard to an apparently significant dependence of radiated noise predictions on the location of the integration surface used in the solution of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. These differences in radiated noise levels are most pronounced between solid-body surface integrals and off-body, permeable surface integrals. Such differences suggest that either a non-negligible volumetric source is contributing to the total radiation or the input flow simulation is suspect. The focus of the current work is the issue of internal consistency of the flow calculations that are currently used as input to airframe noise predictions. The case study for this research is a computer simulation for a three-element, high-lift wing profile during landing conditions. The noise radiated from this flow is predicted by a two-dimensional, frequency-domain formulation of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation. Radiated sound from volumetric sources is assessed by comparison of a permeable surface integration with the sum of a solid-body surface integral and a volume integral. The separate noise predictions are found in good agreement.

Casper, Jay H.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Hybrid Composites for LH2 Fuel Tank Structure

The application of lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) as structure for cryogenic fuel tanks is critical to the success of the next generation of Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV). The recent failure of the X-33 composite fuel tank occurred in part due to microcracking of the polymer matrix, which allowed cryogen to permeate through the inner skin to the honeycomb core. As part of an approach to solve these problems, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) are working to develop and investigate polymer films that will act as a barrier to the permeation of LH2 through the composite laminate. In this study two commercially available films and eleven novel LaRC films were tested in an existing cryogenics laboratory at MSFC to determine the permeance of argon at room temperature. Several of these films were introduced as a layer in the composite to form an interleaved, or hybrid, composite to determine the effects on permeability. In addition, the effects of the interleaved layer thickness, number, and location on the mechanical properties of the composite laminate were investigated. In this initial screening process, several of the films were found to exhibit lower permeability to argon than the composite panels tested.

Grimsley, Brian W.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Effects of Heat Treatment on the Magnetic Properties of Polymer-Bound Iron Particle Cores

Spherical iron particles of three different size distributions, 6-10 microns in diameter, 100 mesh and 30-80 mesh, were mixed with 2.0 wt. % of soluble imide and compression molded at 300 C under 131 MPa. Post fabrication heat treatments were performed at 960 C for 6 hours resulting in a significant enhancement of the permeability in low field region for all the specimens except for the one made of 30-80 mesh particles. The rate of core loss of these specimens at a magnetic induction of 5 kG measured up to 1 kHz shows a noticeable increase after heat treatment which, along with the permeability enhancement, can be explained by the coalescence of particles forming a network of conductivity paths in the specimens. The scanning electron micrographs taken for the 6-10 micron particle specimens show no evidence of heat treatment-induced grain growth. The untreated specimens show a very weak f(sup 2) dependence of the core loss which clearly indicates a negligible contribution from the eddy current loss. In particular, an almost perfect linearity was found in the frequency dependence of the core loss of the untreated specimen made of 100 mesh iron particles.

Namkung, M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Erythropoietin withdrawal alters interactions between young red blood cells, splenic endothelial cells, and macrophages: an in vitro model of neocytolysis

BACKGROUND: We have described the rapid destruction of young red blood cells (neocytolysis) in astronauts adapting to microgravity, in polycythemic high altitude dwellers who descend to sea level, and in patients with kidney disorders. This destruction results from a decrease in erythropoietin (EPO) production. We hypothesized that such EPO withdrawal could trigger physiological changes in cells other than red cell precursors and possibly lead to the uptake and destruction of young red cells by altering endothelial cell-macrophage interactions, most likely occurring in the spleen. METHODS: We identified EPO receptors on human splenic endothelial cells (HSEC) and investigated the responses of these cells to EPO withdrawal. RESULTS: A monolayer of HSEC, unlike human endothelial cells from aorta, glomerulus, or umbilical vein, demonstrated an increase in permeability upon EPO withdrawal that was accompanied by unique morphological changes. When HSEC were cultured with monocyte-derived macrophages (but not when either cell type was cultured alone), EPO withdrawal induced an increased ingestion of young red cells by macrophages when compared with the constant presence or absence of EPO. CONCLUSIONS: HSEC may represent a unique cell type that is able to respond to EPO withdrawal by increasing permeability and interacting with phagocytic macrophages, which leads to neocytolysis.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

NASA NTRS1993

Characteristics of Ferromagnetic Flux Focusing Lens in the Development of Surface/Subsurface Flaw Detector

Electromagnetic NDE techniques have in the past steered away from the use of ferromagnetic materials. Although their high permeabilities lead to increased field levels, the properties of ferrous elements in the presence of alternating magnetic fields are difficult to determine. In addition, their use leads to losses which can be minimized through the use of low conductivity ferrites. In fact, the eddy current probes which do incorporate ferromagnetic materials have focused on these losses and the shielding which can be obtained by surrounding a probe with a high permeability, conducting material. Eddy current probes enclosed in conducting and magnetic shields have been used to prevent the generated fields from interacting with materials in the vicinity of the probe, such as when testing near material boundaries. A recent invention has used ferromagnetic shielding to magnetically separate individual concentric eddy current probes in order to eliminate cross-talk between the probes so that simultaneous detection of different types of flaws at different depths can be achieved. In contrast to the previous uses of ferromagnetic materials purely as magnetic shields, an electromagnetic flaw detector recently developed at NASA Langley Research Center takes advantage of the flux focusing properties of a ferromagnetic mild steel in order to produce a simple, effective device for the non-destructive evaluation of conducting materials. The Flux Focusing Eddy Current Probe has been shown to accurately measure material thickness and fatigue damage. The straight forward flaw response of the probe makes the device ideal for rapid inspection of large structures, and has lead to its incorporation in a computer controlled search routine to locate fatigue crack tips and monitor experimental fatigue crack growth experiments.

Wincheski, Buzz↗

NASA NTRS1999

Water transport by the bacterial channel alpha-hemolysin

This study is an investigation of the ability of the bacterial channel alpha-hemolysin to facilitate water permeation across biological membranes. alpha-Hemolysin channels were incorporated into rabbit erythrocyte ghosts at varying concentrations, and water permeation was induced by mixing the ghosts with hypertonic sucrose solutions. The resulting volume decrease of the ghosts was followed by time-resolved optical absorption at pH 5, 6, and 7. The average single-channel permeability coefficient of alpha-hemolysin for water ranged between 1.3x10-12 cm/s and 1.5x10-12 cm/s, depending on pH. The slightly increased single-channel permeability coefficient at lower pH-values was attributed to an increase in the effective pore size. The activation energy of water transport through the channel was low (Ea=5.4 kcal/mol), suggesting that the properties of water inside the alpha-hemolysin channel resemble those of bulk water. This conclusion was supported by calculations based on macroscopic hydrodynamic laws of laminar water flow. Using the known three-dimensional structure of the channel, the calculations accurately predicted the rate of water flow through the channel. The latter finding also indicated that water permeation data can provide a good estimate of the pore size for large channels.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1997

Dibutyryl cAMP effects on thromboxane and leukotriene production in decompression-induced lung injury

Decompression-induced venous bubble formation has been linked to increased neutrophil counts, endothelial cell injury, release of vasoactive eicosanoids, and increased vascular membrane permeability. These actions may account for inflammatory responses and edema formation. Increasing the intracellular cAMP has been shown to decrease eicosanoid production and edema formation in various models of lung injury. Reduction of decompression-induced inflammatory responses was evaluated in decompressed rats pretreated with saline (controls) or dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP, an analog of cAMP). After pretreatment, rats were exposed to either 616 kPa for 120 min or 683 kPa for 60 min. The observed increases in extravascular lung water ratios (pulmonary edema), bronchoalveolar lavage, and pleural protein in the saline control group (683 kPa) were not evident with DBcAMP treatment. DBcAMP pretreatment effects were also seen with the white blood cell counts and the percent of neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage. Urinary levels of thromboxane B2, 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, and leukotriene E4 were significantly increased with the 683 kPa saline control decompression exposure. DBcAMP reduced the decompression-induced leukotriene E4 production in the urine. Plasma levels of thromboxane B2, 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, and leukotriene E4 were increased with the 683-kPa exposure groups. DBcAMP treatment did not affect these changes. The 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 and leukotriene E4 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage were increased with the 683 kPa exposure and were reduced with the DBcAMP treatment. Our results indicate that DBcAMP has the capability to reduce eicosanoid production and limit membrane permeability and subsequent edema formation in rats experiencing decompression sickness.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1992

Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries: role in lung and heart disease

Pulmonary capillaries have extremely thin walls to allow rapid exchange of respiratory gases across them. Recently it has been shown that the wall stresses become very large when the capillary pressure is raised, and in anaesthetised rabbits, ultrastructural damage to the walls is seen at pressures of 40 mm Hg and above. The changes include breaks in the capillary endothelial layer, alveolar epithelial layer, and sometimes all layers of the wall. The strength of the thin part of the capillary wall can be attributed to the type IV collagen in the extracellular matrix. Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries results in a high-permeability form of oedema, or even frank haemorrhage, and is apparently the mechanism of neurogenic pulmonary oedema and high-altitude pulmonary oedema. It also explains the exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage that occurs in all racehorses. Several features of mitral stenosis are consistent with stress failure. Overinflation of the lung also leads to stress failure, a common cause of increased capillary permeability in the intensive care environment. Stress failure also occurs if the type IV collagen of the capillary wall is weakened by autoantibodies as in Goodpasture's syndrome. Neutrophil elastase degrades type IV collagen and this may be the starting point of the breakdown of alveolar walls that is characteristic of emphysema. Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries is a hitherto overlooked and potentially important factor in lung and heart disease.

Review↗

NASA NTRS2004

Modeling of a Variable Focal Length Flat Lens Using Left Handed Metamaterials

Left Handed Metamaterials (LHM) were originally purposed by Victor Veselago in1968. These substances would allow a flat structure to focus electromagnetic (EM) waves because they have a negative index of refraction. A similar structure made from conventional materials, those with a positive index of refraction, would disperse the waves. But until recently, these structures have been purely theoretical because substances with both a negative permittivity and negative permeability, material properties necessary for a negative index of refraction, do not naturally exist, Recent developments have produced a structure composed of an array of thin wires and split ring resonators that shows a negative index of refraction. area smaller than a square wavelength. How small the area is can be determined by how perfectly the lens is polished and how pure the substance is that composes the lens. These lenses must also be curved for focusing to occur. The focal length is determined by the curvature of the lens and the material. On the other hand, a flat structure made from LHM would focus light because of the effect of a negative index of refraction in Snell s law. The focal length could also be varied by simply adjusting the distance of the lens from the source of radiation. This could create many devices that are adjustable to different situations in fields such as biomedical imaging and communication. the software package XFDTD which solves Maxwell s equations in the frequency domain as well as the time domain. The program used Drude models of materials to simulate the effect of negative permittivity and negative permeability. Because of this, a LHM can be simulated as a solid block of material instead of an array of wires and split ring resonators. After a flat lens is formed, I am to examine the focusing effect of the lens and determine if a higher resolution flat lens can be developed. Traditional lenses made from conventional materials cannot focus an EM wave onto an My goal was to model LHMs and create a flat lens from them. This was to be done using

Reinert, Jason↗

NASA NTRS2003

Metglas 2714A for Low Temperature Transformer Core and EMI Filter

We have measured the real and imaginary parts of the relative permeability of Metglas 2714A. The magnetization noise density of a toroid made of this material is also measured with a SQUID magnetometer. This noise density is found to agree very well with the fluctuation dissipation theorem, implying that superconducting transformers with predictable noise characteristic can be designed. We also find that the relative permeability is larger than 10,000 at liquid helium temperature and at frequencies from DC to 100 kHz, making it suitable to be used as EMI filter material. Its usage should be similar to that of ferrites, with the exception that it is also effective at low temperatures.

Quach, Hung↗

NASA NTRS2005

Design Considerations for High Temperature Power Inductors

A uniform B-field approximation model is used to develop design formulas for single-layer wound, toroidal core, ac power inductors that must handle a specified current. Such a geometry is well suited for high temperature, high frequency inductors, where removal of heat from the core becomes critical. Explicit expressions are derived for core radii, core and winding volumes, winding turns and core permeability as functions of a dimensional scaling ratio (S). A limit on the maximum allowed core B-field leads to the result that the minimum core volume is proportional to the permeability, which has a lower bound. Plots versus S are provided for a specific case, to show that good designs can be picked in the overlap regions around the minima in mass and overall size, where the mass and size are relatively flat. Data to 250 C are presented for an MPP core based inductor to show that a quasi-linear, high temperature inductor can be constructed with available materials. A similar development is applied to a toroidal air-core geometry, showing that for the same ratings, such an inductor is considerably bigger and more massive, at least in the single-layer version.

Niedra, Janis M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Liquid flow and distribution in unsaturated porous media

Flow and transport in permeable or porous media and microchannels occurs in a variety of situations in micro- and reduced-gravity environments, many of them associated with environmental control and life support systems. While the role of gravity is limited, due to the typically small size scales associated permeable media, gravity, at the very least, affects the overall disposition of fluid in a macroscopic system. This presentation will discuss examples where the absence of gravity affects flow and phase distribution in selected examples of unsaturated flow and transport of heat and mass in porous media and microchannels that are pertinent to spacecraft systems.

Alexander, J. Iwan↗

NASA NTRS2005

High Performance Immobilized Liquid Membrane for Carbon Dioxide Separations

An immobilized liquid membrane has a substrate. A plurality of capsules is disposed on the substrate. Each of the capsules is permeable to a first gas of a mixture of gases comprising the st gas and a second gas. Each of the capsules is substantially impermeable to the second gas. A liquid is disposed in each of the capsules that is permeable to the first gas and substantially impermeable to the second gas.

Parrish, Clyde F.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Experimental and Computational Analysis of Unidirectional Flow Through Stirling Engine Heater Head

A high efficiency Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG) is being developed for possible use in long-duration space science missions. NASA s advanced technology goals for next generation Stirling convertors include increasing the Carnot efficiency and percent of Carnot efficiency. To help achieve these goals, a multi-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code is being developed to numerically model unsteady fluid flow and heat transfer phenomena of the oscillating working gas inside Stirling convertors. In the absence of transient pressure drop data for the zero mean oscillating multi-dimensional flows present in the Technology Demonstration Convertors on test at NASA Glenn Research Center, unidirectional flow pressure drop test data is used to compare against 2D and 3D computational solutions. This study focuses on tracking pressure drop and mass flow rate data for unidirectional flow though a Stirling heater head using a commercial CFD code (CFD-ACE). The commercial CFD code uses a porous-media model which is dependent on permeability and the inertial coefficient present in the linear and nonlinear terms of the Darcy-Forchheimer equation. Permeability and inertial coefficient were calculated from unidirectional flow test data. CFD simulations of the unidirectional flow test were validated using the porous-media model input parameters which increased simulation accuracy by 14 percent on average.

Wilson, Scott D.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide

Methods for concentrating hydrogen peroxide solutions have been described. The methods utilize a polymeric membrane separating a hydrogen peroxide solution from a sweep gas or permeate. The membrane is selective to the permeability of water over the permeability of hydrogen peroxide, thereby facilitating the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide solution through the transport of water through the membrane to the permeate. By utilizing methods in accordance with the invention, hydrogen peroxide solutions of up to 85% by volume or higher may be generated at a point of use without storing substantial quantities of the highly concentrated solutions and without requiring temperatures that would produce explosive mixtures of hydrogen peroxide vapors.

Parrish, Clyde F.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Encapsulation system for the immunoisolation of living cells

The present invention is drawn to a composition of matter comprising high viscosity sodium alginate, cellulose sulfate and a multi-component polycation. Additionally, the present invention provides methods for making capsules, measuring capsule permeability to immunologically-relevant proteins and treating disease in an animal using encapsulated cells. Over one thousand combinations of polyanions and polycations were examined as polymer candidates suitable for encapsulation of living cells and thirty-three pairs were effective. The combination of sodium alginate, cellulose sulfate, poly(methylene-co-guanidine) hydrochloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride produced the most desirable results. Pancreatic islets encapsulated in this multicomponent capsule demonstrated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in vitro and reversed diabetes without stimulating immune reaction in mice. The capsule formulation and system of the present invention allows independent adjustments of capsule size, wall thickness, mechanical strength and permeability, and offers distinct advantages for immunoisolating cells.

Wang, Taylor G.↗