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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Design and assembly of a catalyst bed gas generator for the catalytic decomposition of high concentration hydrogen peroxide propellants and the catalytic combustion of hydrocarbon/air mixtures

A method for designing and assembling a high performance catalyst bed gas generator for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in target, space, and on-orbit propulsion systems and low-emission terrestrial power and gas generation. The gas generator utilizes a sectioned catalyst bed system, and incorporates a robust, high temperature mixed metal oxide catalyst. The gas generator requires no special preheat apparatus or special sequencing to meet start-up requirements, enabling a fast overall response time. The high performance catalyst bed gas generator system has consistently demonstrated high decomposition efficiency, extremely low decomposition roughness, and long operating life on multiple test articles.

Lohner, Kevin A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hydrogen Peroxide Concentrator

A relatively simple and economical process and apparatus for concentrating hydrogen peroxide from aqueous solution at the point of use have been invented. The heart of the apparatus is a vessel comprising an outer shell containing tubular membranes made of a polymer that is significantly more permeable by water than by hydrogen peroxide. The aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide to be concentrated is fed through the interstitial spaces between the tubular membranes. An initially dry sweep gas is pumped through the interiors of the tubular membranes. Water diffuses through the membranes and is carried away as water vapor mixed into the sweep gas. Because of the removal of water, the hydrogen peroxide solution flowing from the vessel at the outlet end is more concentrated than that fed into the vessel at the inlet end. The sweep gas can be air, nitrogen, or any other gas that can be conveniently supplied in dry form and does not react chemically with hydrogen peroxide.

Parrish, Clyde F.↗
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 NTRS1991

The effect of stress on hydrogen uptake and desorption by A-286

The uptake and desorption of hydrogen by A-286 as a function of stress was studied using electrochemical methods. It was found that the apparent surface hydrogen concentration, the mean hydrogen concentration, and the hydrogen distribution uniformity all increased up to a stress level 50 percent of yield and decreased thereafter. The value of the hydrogen diffusion coefficient was relatively unaffected by stress while the percent of trapped hydrogen appeared to decrease with increasing stress.

Danford, Merlin D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Possible Fault Control of Hydrogen Ion Concentrations Near Schiaparelli Crater, Mars

Epithermal neutron flux maps of the equatorial region near Schiaparelli Crater in Mars eastern hemisphere indicate hydrogen ion concentrations in the shallow subsurface. Published maps of these hydrogen concentrations reveal anomalous linear concentrations of hydrogen with a northeast to southwest trend. The width and trend of these linear anomalies matches the width and trend of the graben between Scylla Scopulus and Charybdis Scopulus further to the south, west of Hellas Basin. These concentrations are believed to indicate locations of subsurface water ice. As such, the flux maps pinpoint locations where quantities of water may intermittently exist today or where liquid water may have pooled in the past. The possibility of life existing on Mars, either in the distant past or at present, depends on the availability of liquid water.

Clevy, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Hydrogen effects on low-cycle fatigue of the single-crystal nickel-base superalloy CMSX-2

The effects of hydrogen on the low-cycle fatigue behavior of CMSX-2 (001)-oriented single crystals were examined. Fatigue tests were conducted under constant plastic strain amplitude control. Cyclic stress-strain curves and fatigue life data at different plastic strain amplitudes were determined for hydrogen-free and hydrogen-charged specimens. Two charging procedures, leading to different hydrogen concentrations, were applied. Hydrogen was found to decrease significantly the number of cycles to failure under the various experimental conditions. The increasing hydrogen concentration and ratio of the hydrogen to nonhydrogen-containing volume were found to shorten fatigue life in hydrogen-charged specimens. Based on the analysis of cyclic stress-strain curves and optical and transmission electron microscopy, it was established that hydrogen enhanced strain localization and promoted crystallographic stage I cracking, leading to embrittlement.

Dollar, M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Exospheric hydrogen above St-Santin /France/

The temperature and hydrogen concentration of the exosphere was determined using incoherent scatter measurements performed above St. Santin from 1969 to 1972. The hydrogen concentration was deduced from measurements of the number density of positive hydrogen and oxygen ions. A statistical analysis is given of the hydrogen concentration as a function of the exospheric temperature and the diurnal variation of the hydrogen concentration is investigated for a few selected days of good quality observation. The data averaged with respect to the exospheric temperature without consideration of the local time exhibits a distribution consistent with a constant effective Jeans escape flux of about 9 x 10 to the 7 cu cm/s. The local time variation exhibits a maximum to minimum concentration ratio of at least 3.5.

Derieux, A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Microfabricated Hydrogen Sensor Technology for Aerospace and Commercial Applications

Leaks on the Space Shuttle while on the Launch Pad have generated interest in hydrogen leak monitoring technology. An effective leak monitoring system requires reliable hydrogen sensors, hardware, and software to monitor the sensors. The system should process the sensor outputs and provide real-time leak monitoring information to the operator. This paper discusses the progress in developing such a complete leak monitoring system. Advanced microfabricated hydrogen sensors are being fabricated at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and tested at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and Gencorp Aerojet (Aerojet). Changes in the hydrogen concentrations are detected using a PdAg on silicon Schottky diode structure. Sensor temperature control is achieved with a temperature sensor and heater fabricated onto the sensor chip. Results of the characterization of these sensors are presented. These sensors can detect low concentrations of hydrogen in inert environments with high sensitivity and quick response time. Aerojet is developing the hardware and software for a multipoint leak monitoring system designed to provide leak source and magnitude information in real time. The monitoring system processes data from the hydrogen sensors and presents the operator with a visual indication of the leak location and magnitude. Work has commenced on integrating the NASA LeRC-CWRU hydrogen sensors with the Aerojet designed monitoring system. Although the leak monitoring system was designed for hydrogen propulsion systems, the possible applications of this monitoring system are wide ranged. Possible commercialization of the system will also be discussed.

Hunter, Gary W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The 55 K specific heat anomaly in palladium hydride

A specific heat anomaly in PdH and PdD has been observed by Aston et al. (1957) close to 55 K. Its position was found to be independent of hydrogen concentration and its magnitude to be linear in hydrogen concentration. Ferguson's (1965) and Brodowsky's (1972) explanations of the anomaly are shown to be unsatisfactory. This is true also for the detailed mechanical statistical model proposed by Staford and McLellan (1974) for interstitial solid solutions of hydrogen in transition metals. It is shown that Gopal's (1966) simple Schottky model of specific heat anomaly, which considers a system of several levels with Boltzmann statistics, provides much better agreement with experiment than the more elaborate models, both in magnitude and in predicting a linear dependence on hydrogen concentration.

Jacobi, N.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Effects of Internal and External Hydrogen on Inconel 718

Internal hydrogen embrittlement (IHE) and hydrogen environment embrittlement (HEE) tensile and bend crack growth tests were performed on Inconel 718. For the IHE tests, the specimens were precharged to approximately 90 ppm hydrogen by exposure to 34.5 MPa H2 at 650 C. The HEE tests were performed in 34.5 MPa H2. Parameters evaluated were test temperature, strain rate for smooth and notch specimen geometries. The strain rate effect was very significant at ambient temperature for both IHE and HEE and decreased with increasing temperatures. For IHE, the strain rate effect was neglible at 260'C, and for HEE the strain rate effect was neglible at 400 C. At low temperatures, IHE was more severe than HEE, and at high temperatures HEE was more severe than IHE with a cross over temperature about 350 C. At 350 C, the equilibrium hydrogen concentration in Inconel 718 is about 50% lower than the hydrogen content of the precharged IHE specimens. Dislocation hydrogen sweeping of surface absorbed hydrogen was the likely transport mechanism for increasing the hydrogen concentration in the HEE tests sufficiently to produce the same degree of embrittlement as that of the more highly hydrogen charged IHE specimens. The main IHE fracture characteristic was formation of large, brittle flat facets, which decreased with increasing test temperature. The IHE fracture matrix surrounding the large facets ranged between brittle fine faceted to microvoid ductility depending upon strain rate, specimen geometry as well as temperature. The HEE fractures were characteristically fine featured, transgranular and brittle with a significant portion forming a "saw tooth" crystallographic pattern. Both IHE and HEE fractures were predominantly along the {1 1 1) slip and twin boundaries. With respect to embrittlement mechanism, it was postulated that dislocation hydrogen sweeping and hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity were active in HEE and IHE for concentrating hydrogen along (1 1 1) slip and twin planes. Final brittle failure occurred by hydrogen induced planer decohesion.

Walter, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Oxygen and hydrogen atom concentration profiles in the premixed propane/oxygen flame

The oxygen and hydrogen free radical (atom) concentration profiles in the premixed propane/oxygen flame at 92.5% oxygen were determined using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy techniques. The ESR instrument was specially modified so that the flame can be probed for determining the oxygen and hydrogen atom population densities during the actual combustion process of propane burning in oxygen. The technique used for propane is similar to that suggested by Fristrom and Westenberg to measure the free radical concentration profiles in C-C hydrocarbon/oxygen combustion.

Downs, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Hydrogen trapping and the interaction of hydrogen with metals

A method has been developed for the determination of trapped hydrogen in metal alloys, involving the determination of mobile hydrogen using the electrochemical method and the determination of total hydrogen with the fusion method, the difference in hydrogen concentrations being due to trapped hydrogen. It has been found that hydrogen enters body-centered cubic structures through the grain bodies rather than through the grain boundaries. Hydrogen also diffuses much more rapidly in body-centered cubic structures on charging than in face-centered cubic structures, the hydrogen distribution being more uniform in nature. The energy necessary to cause hydrogen embrittlement is postulated to arise from the changes in crystal lattice energies brought about through interaction of hydrogen with atoms in the metal lattice. The total energy change is more negative for body-centered cubic structures, believed to be the cause of a greater tendency toward hydrogen embrittlement. Finally, the agreement of hydrogen concentrations obtained at 25 C by the electrochemical method with those obtained by the fusion method are taken as a strong indication of the power and validity of the electrochemical method.

Danford, Merlin D.↗
NASA NTRS2011

A CFD Analysis of Hydrogen Leakage During On-Pad Purge in the ORION/ARES I Shared Volume

A common open volume is created by the stacking of the Orion vehicle onto the Ares I Upper Stage. Called the Shared Volume, both vehicles contribute to its gas, fluid, and thermal environment. One of these environments is related to hazardous hydrogen gas. While both vehicles use inert purge gas to mitigate any hazardous gas buildup, there are concerns that hydrogen gas may still accumulate and that the Ares I Hazardous Gas Detection System will not be sufficient for monitoring the integrated volume. This Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis has been performed to examine these topics. Results of the analysis conclude that the Ares I Hazardous Gas Detection System will be able to sample the vent effluent containing the highest hydrogen concentrations. A second conclusion is that hydrogen does not accumulate under the Orion Service Module (SM) avionics ring as diffusion and purge flow mixing sufficiently dilute the hydrogen to safe concentrations. Finally the hydrogen concentrations within the Orion SM engine nozzle may slightly exceed the 1 percent volume fraction when the entire worse case maximum full leak is directed vertically into the engine nozzle.

Ajmani, Kumud↗
NASA NTRS2000

Dynamics of Molecular Hydrogen in Hypersaline Microbial Mars

Early Earth microbial communities that centered around the anaerobic decomposition of organic molecular hydrogen as a carrier of electrons, regulator of energy metabolism, and facilitator of syntroph'c microbial interactions. The advent of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms added a highly dynamic and potentially dominant term to the hydrogen economy of these communities. We have examined the daily variations of hydrogen concentrations in cyanobacteria-dominated microbial mats from hypersaline ponds in Baja California Sur, Mexico. These mats bring together phototrophic and anaerobic bacteria (along with virtually all other trophic groups) in a spatially ordered and chemically dynamic matrix that provides a good analog for early Earth microbial ecosystems. Hydrogen concentrations in the photic zone of the mat can be three orders of magnitude or more higher than in the photic zone, which are, in turn, an order of magnitude higher than in the unconsolidated sediments underlying the mat community. Within the photic zone, hydrogen concentrations can fluctuate dramatically during the diel (24 hour day-night) cycle, ranging from less than 0.001% during the day to nearly 10% at night. The resultant nighttime flux of hydrogen from the mat to the environment was up to 17% of the daytime oxygen flux. The daily pattern observed is highly dependent on cyanobacterial species composition within the mat, with Lyngbya-dominated systems having a much greater dynamic range than those dominated by Microcoleus; this may relate largely to differing degrees of nitrogen-fixing and fermentative activity in the two mats. The greatest H2 concentrations and fluxes were observed in the absence of oxygen, suggesting an important potential feedback control in the context of the evolution of atmospheric composition. The impact of adding this highly dynamic photosynthetic term to the hydrogen economy of early microbial ecosystems must have been substantial. From an evolutionary standpoint, the H2 generated in mats could have represented a very important new source of electrons and energy - but one that could not be harnessed without substantial adaptation to the highly variable chemistry of the mat surface. In addition, the emergent chemistry of anaerobic communities is often highly dependent on ambient hydrogen concentrations, so that incorporation of these communities into photosynthetic mats could have significantly affected the composition and flux of reduced "biosignature' gases to the environment.

Hoehler, Tori M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The effect of diffusive segregation on the fracture of hydrogen charged nickel

Hydrogen charged nickel was deformed in tension at a test temperature of 208 K to study the diffusive segregation of hydrogen during straining and the dependence of embrittlement on grain boundary hydrogen concentration and deformation rate. Tests were performed on samples in the as-quenched condition at various strain rates. An increase in the degree of embrittlement at slow strain rates can be attributed to diffusive segregation of hydrogen to grain boundaries during the test period. The embrittlement of samples with equal grain boundary hydrogen concentration was found to be relatively insensitive to strain rate, bulk hydrogen concentration and the total time at the test temperature.

Lassila, D. H.↗