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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 343 records · Page 19

Fundamental studies of heat load and thermal-structure analysis of large space structures

Investigation of the basic requirements for modeling slender member shadowing effects on thermally induced deformation continues. The theoretical formulation is complete and computer programming is underway. The basic requirements for thermal finite elements to model heat transfer in orbiting structures were also studied. The need for planar isothermal elements to model large space structures' antenna meshes was established. Finite Element approaches for modeling space structure cable and membrane components with thermal effects is underway. Three levels of structural modeling and analysis were identified: (1) a linear-elastic small deflection analysis that does not permit cable slackening; (2) a linear-elastic analysis that includes stress stiffening (the ANSYS program), but not large deflections; and (3) full nonlinear large deflection analysis with stress stiffening. Methods of determining cable initial tensions are currently being evaluated.

Thornton, E. A.↗

Design and application of gas-gap heat switches

Gas-gap heat switches can serve as an effective means of thermally disconnecting a standby cryocooler when the primary (operating) cooler is connected and vice versa. The final phase of the development and test of a cryogenic heat switch designed for loads ranging from 2 watts at 8 K, to 100 watts at 80 K are described. Achieved heat-switch on/off conductance ratio ranged from 11,000 at 8 K to 2200 at 80 K. A particularly challenging element of heat-switch design is achieving satisfactory operation when large temperatures differentials exist across the switch. A special series of tests and analyses was conducted and used in this Phase-2 activity to evaluate the developed switches for temperature differentials ranging up to 200 K. Problems encountered at the maximum levels are described and analyzed, and means of avoiding the problems in the future are presented. A comprehensive summary of the overall heat-switch design methodology is also presented with special emphasis on lessons learned over the course of the 4-year development effort.

Chan, C. K.↗

Method and apparatus for preloading a joint by remotely operable means

The invention is a method and apparatus for joining structures, an active structure and a passive structure, and imposing a tensile pre-load on the joint by a remotely operable mechanism comprising a heat contractible joining element. The method and apparatus include mounting on the structure, a probe shaft of material which is transformable from an expanded length to a contracted length when heated to a specific temperature range. The shaft is provided with a probe head which is receivable in a receptacle opening formed in the passive structure, when the active structure is moved into engagement therewith by an appropriate manipulator mechanism. A latching system mounted on the structure adjacent to the receptacle opening captures the probe head, when the probe head is inserted a predetermined amount. A heating coil on the shaft is energizable by remote control for heating the shaft to a temperature range which transforms the shaft to its contracted length, whereby a latching shoulder thereof engages latching elements of the latching system and imposes a tensile preload on the structural joint. Provision is also made for manually adjusting the probe head on the shaft to allow for manual detachment of the structures or manual preloading of the structural joint.

Shelton, Robert O.↗

Method and apparatus for preloading a joint by remotely operable means

The invention is a method and apparatus for joining structures, an active structure and a passive structure, and imposing a tensile pre-load on the joint by a remotely operable mechanism comprising a heat contractible joining element. The method and apparatus include mounting on the structure, a probe shaft of material which is transformable from an expanded length to a contracted length when heated to a specific temperature range. The shaft is provided with a probe head which is receivable in a receptacle opening formed in the passive structure, when the active structure is moved into engagement therewith by an appropriate manipulator mechanism. A latching system mounted on the structure adjacent to the receptacle opening captures the probe head, when the probe head is inserted a predetermined amount. A heating coil on the shaft is energizable by remote control for heating the shaft to a temperature range which transforms the shaft to its contracted length, whereby a latching shoulder thereof engages latching elements of the latching system and imposes a tensile preload on the structural joint. Provision is also made for manually adjusting the probe head on the shaft to allow for manual detachment of the structures or manual preloading of the structural joint.

Kahn, Jon B.↗

An out-of-core thermionic-converter system for nuclear space power

Design of the nuclear thermionic space power system, 40 50 70 Kw(e) power range, are given. The design configuration (1) meets the constraints of readily available launch vehicles; (2) allows for off-design operation including startup, shutdown, and possible emergency conditions; (3) provides tolerance of failure by extensive use of modular, redundant elements; (4) incorporates and uses heat pipes in a fashion that reduces the need for extensive in-pile testing of system components; and (5) uses thermionic converters, nuclear fuel elements, and heat transfer devices in a geometrical form adapted from existing incore thermionic system designs. Designs and in some cases performance data for elements and groups of the elements of the system are included. Benefits of the highly modular system approach to reliability, safety, economy of development, and flexibility are discussed.

Breitwieser, R.↗

Real-Time Modeling of Thermal Interactions in Cryogenic Ball Bearings

Based on the integration of classical differential equations of motion of bearing elements, a real-time dynamic simulation of ball bearing performance is coupled with simultaneous modeling of thermal interactions between the bearing elements. The transient heat generations are time averaged over a significantly larger time step before they are used to compute the changes in bearing temperature fields. Such an averaging algorithm eliminates the numerical difficulties associated with simultaneous integration of mechanical thermal differential equations with vastly different time scales. Under stable operation, the step change in temperatures at each thermal time step converges to a steady-state solution. Following is a list of accomplishments in the present investigation: (1) A real-time dynamic performance of both 440C and hybrid ball bearings in a LOX environment is modeled in both transient and steady-state time domains, as the inner race accelerates to a prescribed operating speed. (2) The frictional interactions at the ball to race contacts are modeled by experimentally measured traction coefficients as a function of slide-to-roll ratios. (3) Bearing heat generation, as defined by the heat transferred to circulating LOX, is validated against experimental values determined by measured LOX temperatures under prescribed pressures and flow rates. The predicted heat generation is in good agreement with the experimental values. (4) The steady-state solutions are shown to be independent of initial conditions. This establishes convergence of the numerical integration of a differential equation of motion of the bearing elements. (5) Churning and drag losses in the circulating LOX constitutes the majority of bearing heat generation under the experimental test conditions. (6) The heat dissipated in frictional interactions in hybrid bearings is significantly lower in hybrid bearings in comparison to that simulated in all-steel bearings, while the churning and drag losses are relatively unchanged.

Gupta, P. K.↗

Aeroheating Testing of the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System with Surface Roughness

The Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System is a mission concept which would be the first NASA entry vehicle to utilize a woven thermal protection system as well as a 52.5 degree sphere-cone forebody geometry. Due to its novel design, historic experimental data sets were insufficient to validate the models used to characterize the expected aerothermal environment. A wind tunnel test campaign was funded by the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System project in the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel in order to obtain validation data. The December 2023 test entry of this campaign sought to obtain thermographic data to capture the impact of supersonic flow near woven surface roughness elements on convective heating augmentation, which was the largest remaining uncertainty in aerothermal design of the Earth Entry System. Data obtained were in family with prior results obtained on identical woven patterns without supersonic flow present at roughness elements, and it was found that this presence of supersonic flow did not have a noticeable effect on surface convective heating augmentation. Data were directly leveraged to support the NASA Mars Sample Return flight program and this data set is valuable for validating computational solutions on roughness-resolved grids.

Mars Sample Return↗

Aeroheating Testing of the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System with Surface Roughness

The Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System is a mission concept which would be the first NASA entry vehicle to utilize a woven thermal protection system as well as a 52.5 degree sphere-cone forebody geometry. Due to its novel design, historic experimental data sets were insufficient to validate the models used to characterize the expected aerothermal environment. A wind tunnel test campaign was funded by the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System project in the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel in order to obtain validation data. The December 2023 test entry of this campaign sought to obtain thermographic data to capture the impact of supersonic flow near woven surface roughness elements on convective heating augmentation, which was the largest remaining uncertainty in aerothermal design of the Earth Entry System. Data obtained were in family with prior results obtained on identical woven patterns without supersonic flow present at roughness elements, and it was found that this presence of supersonic flow did not have a noticeable effect on surface convective heating augmentation. Data were directly leveraged to support the NASA Mars Sample Return flight program and this data set is valuable for validating computational solutions on roughness-resolved grids.

Mars Sample Return↗

Bearing tester fit analysis

A NASTRAN model of the Bearing Tester was developed to determine the fit of its components while in use. The model was executed for three loading conditions involving appropriate thermal and pressure loading throughout: rotation (30,000 rpm), rotation with 5000 lb axial shaft loading, and rotation with 2000 lb lateral shaft loading. A 30 deg slice of the Bearing Tester was modeled with solid isoparametric elements (CIHEX). Five more slices were generated to form a 180 deg symmetrical half. Each component was modeled separately for two reasons: (1) in the heat transfer version each component required covering with appropriate heat transfer coefficient elements, and (2) for the displacement version each component required independent radial expansion with respect to adjacent components. The components are connected at fastener and bearing locations axially and/or tangentially. Differences in radial displacements of adjacent cylindrical surfaces were calculated and added to those differences calculated for 180 deg opposite locations to determine the diametric change.

Source record↗

Thermal volatilization studies on lunar samples.

The results of thermal volatilization studies on lunar basalts, breccias, and soils, carried out to measure the depletion of selected elemental abundances during heating under vacuum, are evaluated. The kinetics of K, Rb, and Pb loss are found to be sufficiently fast to permit vaporization and loss of these elements during the production of impact glasses. There is little probability that lunar basalt flows have lost a significant percentage of K, Rb, and Na by volatilization, unless the flow is extensively stirred. The uniformly low Na concentrations of mare basalts cannot be attributed to post eruption vaporization and loss on Na.

Gibson, E. K., Jr.↗

Thermal Stir Welder

A welding apparatus is provided for forming a weld joint between first and second elements of a workpiece. The apparatus heats the first and second elements to form an interface of material in a plasticized or melted state interface between the elements. The interface material is then allowed to cool to a plasticized state if previously in a melted state. The interface material, while in the plasticized state, is then mixed, for example, using a grinding/extruding mixer, to remove any dendritic-type weld microstructures introduced into the interface material during heating.

Ding, R. Jeffrey↗

Heater Composite Measures Heat Transfer

Composite consisting of commercially available elements has been developed to measure heat transfer. Composite provides a simple, convenient, low-cost device for use in heat-transfer work for rapid evaluation of thermal performance of both flat and simply curved objects. Device utilizes available off-the-shelf materials and provides a convenient method, with good resolution of local temperatures and heat transfer, with measurement accuracy at near-normal room conditions.

Hippensteele, S. A.↗

Transportation of volatile elements in thermally evolving planetesimals: An important role of metallic iron

Ordinary chondrites are considered to have experienced thermal metamorphism in small bodies. We are interested in behaviors of volatile elements in such a kind of thermally evolving planetesimals. Volatile elements generally have high vapor pressures at high temperature. In porous bodies, with a high gas permeability, volatile elements are transported efficiently over a long range. Behavior of volatile elements transported by permeable gas flow can be handled by an equation whose form is similar to that of the equation of thermal diffusion. We can follow transportation of heats and volatile elements in planetesimals, when parameters in these equations, initial conditions and chemical behavior of volatile elements are given. Recently, we discovered that nitrogen in equilibrated H-chondrites is mainly trapped in taenite (f.c.c. Fe-Ni), probably dissolved in interstitial sites. Fegley suggests that metallic iron cannot trap nitrogen in the solar nebula gas due to its very low nitrogen partial pressure. Approximately 1 bar of nitrogen pressure is required to explain the nitrogen content in taenite. We may expect high nitrogen gas partial pressure (possibly produced by vaporization of nitrogen-bearing solids such as organic materials) at the interior of thermally evolving planetesimals. Kinetic behavior of nitrogen in taenite suggests that it can easily be equilibrated with the ambient nitrogen gas at temperatures of approximately 500 C or higher. We consider that nitrogen is trapped in taenite through a nitrogen redistribution process occurred during the thermal metamorphic event.

Hashizume, K.↗

Improved Heat Transfer Prediction for High-Speed Flows over Blunt Bodies using Adaptive Mixed-Element Unstructured Grids

Aerothermodynamic prediction is important for the design and analysis of many aerospace vehicles. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools used for these predictions commonly rely on structured shock-aligned grids due to the strong shocks exhibited at high speeds. This work details the incorporation of an improved HLLE++ scheme for both perfect gas and thermochemical nonequilibrium flows which robustly captures shock waves on both non-shock-aligned and shock-aligned grids. The HLLE++ scheme reduces the impact of eigenvalue limiting on flow solutions which is required for Roe's scheme for high Mach number flows. An adapted grid approach is also demonstrated using mixed-element unstructured grids to improve heat prediction. Thin prismatic boundary layers are used with tetrahedra in the farfield and for capturing shock waves. Various results are presented for hypersonic flows over blunt bodies including cylinders, spheres, and capsules.

CFD↗

Improved Heat Transfer Prediction for High-Speed Flows over Blunt Bodies using Adaptive Mixed-Element Unstructured Grids

Aerothermodynamic prediction is important for the design and analysis of many aerospace vehicles. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools used for these predictions commonly rely on structured shock-aligned grids due to the strong shocks exhibited at high speeds. This work details the incorporation of an improved HLLE++ scheme for both perfect gas and thermochemical nonequilibrium flows which robustly captures shock waves on both non-shock-aligned and shock-aligned grids. The HLLE++ scheme reduces the impact of eigenvalue limiting on flow solutions which is required for Roe's scheme for high Mach number flows. An adapted grid approach is also demonstrated using mixed-element unstructured grids to improve heat prediction. Thin prismatic boundary layers are used with tetrahedra in the farfield and for capturing shock waves. Various results are presented for hypersonic flows over blunt bodies including cylinders, spheres, and capsules.

CFD↗

Subcontracted activities related to TES for building heating and cooling

The subcontract program elements related to thermal energy storage for building heating and cooling systems are outlined. The following factors are included: subcontracts in the utility load management application area; life and stability testing of packaged low cost energy storage materials; and development of thermal energy storage systems for residential space cooling. Resistance storage heater component development, demonstration of storage heater systems for residential applications, and simulation and evaluation of latent heat thermal energy storage (heat pump systems) are also discussed. Application of thermal energy storage for solar application and twin cities district heating are covered including an application analysis and technology assessment of thermal energy storage.

Martin, J.↗