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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

Nonequilibrium Stagnation-Line Radiative Heating for Fire II

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the shock-layer radiative heating to the Fire II vehicle using a new air radiation model and a viscous shock-layer flowfield model. This new air radiation model contains the most up-to-date properties for modeling the atomic-line, atomic photoionization, molecular band, and non-Boltzmann processes. The applied viscous shock-layer flowfield analysis contains the same thermophysical properties and nonequilibrium models as the LAURA Navier-Stokes code. Radiation-flowfield coupling, or radiation cooling, is accounted for in detail in this study. It is shown to reduce the radiative heating by about 30% for the peak radiative heating points, while reducing the convective heating only slightly. A detailed review of past Fire II radiative heating studies is presented. It is observed that the scatter in the radiation predicted by these past studies is mostly a result of the different flowfield chemistry models and the treatment of the electronic state populations. The present predictions provide, on average throughout the trajectory, a better comparison with Fire II flight data than any previous study. The magnitude of the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) contribution to the radiative flux is estimated from the calorimeter measurements. This is achieved using the radiometer measurements and the predicted convective heating. The VUV radiation predicted by the present model agrees well with the VUV contribution inferred from the Fire II calorimeter measurement, although only when radiation-flowfield coupling is accounted for. This agreement provides evidence that the present model accurately models the VUV radiation, which is shown to contribute significantly to the Fire II radiative heating.

Johnston, Christopher O.↗

Monte Carlo prediction of radiative heat transfer in inhomogeneous, anisotropic, nongray media

A Monte Carlo solution technique has been formulated to predict the radiative heat transfer in three-dimensional, inhomogeneous participating media which exhibit spectrally dependent emission and absorption and anisotropic scattering. Details of the technique and selected numerical sensitivities are discussed. The technique was applied to a problem involving a medium composed of a gas mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen and suspended carbon particles. A homogeneous medium was modeled to examine the effect of total pressure and carbon-particle concentration on radiative heat transfer. Variation in total pressure, over the range studied, had minimal effect on the amount of heat radiated to the enclosure walls and on the radiative-flux distribution within the medium. Increases in the carbon particle concentration produced significantly higher heat fluxes at the boundaries and altered the radiative flux distribution. The technique was then applied to an inhomogeneous medium to examine effects of specific temperature and carbon particle concentration distributions on radiative heat transfer. For the inhomogeneous conditions examined, the largest radiative flux divergence occurs near the center of the medium and the regions near some enclosure walls act as energy sinks.

HEAT FLUXES↗

Analytic model of an IR radiation heat pipe

An IR radiation heat pipe made from multilayer insulation blankets and proposed to be used aboard spacecraft to transfer waste heat was modeled analytically. A circular cross section pipe 9-in. in diameter, 10-ft long, with a specular reflectivity of 0.94 was found to have an efficiency of 58.6 percent. Several key parameters were varied for the circular model to understand their significance. In addition, square and triangular cross section pipes were investigated.

Hoffman, Pamela J.↗

Preliminary Convective-Radiative Heating Environments for a Neptune Aerocapture Mission

Convective and radiative heating environments have been computed for a three-dimensional ellipsled configuration which would perform an aerocapture maneuver at Neptune. This work was performed as part of a one-year Neptune aerocapture spacecraft systems study that also included analyses of trajectories, atmospheric modeling, aerodynamics, structural design, and other disciplines. Complementary heating analyses were conducted by separate teams using independent sets of aerothermodynamic modeling tools (i.e. Navier-Stokes and radiation transport codes). Environments were generated for a large 5.50 m length ellipsled and a small 2.88 m length ellipsled. Radiative heating was found to contribute up to 80% of the total heating rate at the ellipsled nose depending on the trajectory point. Good agreement between convective heating predictions from the two Navier-Stokes solvers was obtained. However, the radiation analysis revealed several uncertainties in the computational models employed in both sets of codes, as well as large differences between the predicted radiative heating rates.

Hollis, Brian R.↗

Radiative Heating Rates Computed With Clouds Derived From Satellite‐Based Passive and Active Sensors and their Effects on Generation of Available Potential Energy

Radiative heating rates computed with cloud properties derived from passive and active sensors are investigated. Zonal monthly radiative heating rate anomalies computed using both active and passive sensors show that larger variability in longwave cooling exists near the tropical tropopause and near the top of the boundary layer between ~50°N to ~50°S. Aerosol variability contributes to increases in shortwave heating rate variability. When zonal monthly mean cloud effects on the radiative heating rate computed with both active and passive sensors and those computed with passive sensor only are compared, the latter shows cooling and heating peaks corresponding to cloud top and base height ranges used for separating cloud types. The difference of these two sets of cloud radiative effect on heating rates in the middle to upper troposphere is larger than the radiative heating rate uncertainty estimated based on the difference of two active sensor radiative heating rate profile data products. In addition, radiative heating rate contribution to generation of eddy available potential energy is also investigated. Although radiation contribution to generation of eddy available potential energy averaged over a year and the entire globe is small, radiation increases the eddy available potential energy in the northern hemisphere during summer. Two key elements that longwave radiation contribute to the generation of eddy potential energy are (1) longitudinal temperature gradient in the atmosphere associated with land and ocean surface temperatures contrasts and absorption of longwave radiation emitted by the surface and (2) cooling near the cloud top of stratocumulus clouds.

Kato, Seiji↗

The effects of radiative heat loss on microgravity flame spread

The effect of radiative heat loss from the surface of a solid material burning in a zero gravity environment in an opposed flow is studied through the use of a numerical model. Radiative heat loss is found to decrease the flame spread rate, the boundary layer thickness, and pyrolysis lengths. Blowoff extinction is predicted to occur at slower opposesd flow velocities than would occur if the radiative loss is not present. The radiative heat fluxes are comparable to the conduction fluxes, indicating the significance of the surface energy loss.

Fakheri, Ahmad↗

Effects of atmospheric structure on radiative heating for Jupiter entry probe

New estimates of the radiative heat load to a Jupiter entry probe have been obtained for revised models of Jupiter's atmosphere based on the latest data from Pioneer 10 and 11 missions and earth-based experiments. The new estimates of the radiative heat load are compared with results obtained for the previous atmospheric models. The changes in Jupiter's atmospheric models cause a substantial reduction in the radiative heat load for the atmosphere denoted as 'cool', but only moderate reductions for the atmospheres denoted as 'nominal' and 'warm'. Results are also presented showing the effects of inertial entry angle for off-equatorial entries in the revised model atmospheres.

Sutton, K.↗

Numerical Investigation of Radiative Heat Transfer in Laser Induced Air Plasmas

Radiative heat transfer is one of the most important phenomena in the laser induced plasmas. This study is intended to develop accurate and efficient methods for predicting laser radiation absorption and plasma radiative heat transfer, and investigate the plasma radiation effects in laser propelled vehicles. To model laser radiation absorption, a ray tracing method along with the Beer's law is adopted. To solve the radiative transfer equation in the air plasmas, the discrete transfer method (DTM) is selected and explained. The air plasma radiative properties are predicted by the LORAN code. To validate the present nonequilibrium radiation model, several benchmark problems are examined and the present results are found to match the available solutions. To investigate the effects of plasma radiation in laser propelled vehicles, the present radiation code is coupled into a plasma aerodynamics code and a selected problem is considered. Comparisons of results at different cases show that plasma radiation plays a role of cooling plasma and it lowers the plasma temperature by about 10%. This change in temperature also results in a reduction of the coupling coefficient by about 10-20%. The present study indicates that plasma radiation modeling is very important for accurate modeling of aerodynamics in a laser propelled vehicle.

Liu, J.↗

Stagnation point nonequilibrium radiative heating and the influence of energy exchange models

A nonequilibrium radiative heating prediction method has been used to evaluate several energy exchange models used in nonequilibrium computational fluid dynamics methods. The radiative heating measurements from the FIRE II flight experiment supply an experimental benchmark against which different formulations for these exchange models can be judged. The models which predict the lowest radiative heating are found to give the best agreement with the flight data. Examination of the spectral distribution of radiation indicates that despite close agreement of the total radiation, many of the models examined predict excessive molecular radiation. It is suggested that a study of the nonequilibrium chemical kinetics may lead to a correction for this problem.

Hartung, Lin C.↗

Stagnation Point Nonequilibrium Radiative Heating and the Influence of Energy Exchange Models

A nonequilibrium radiative heating prediction method has been used to evaluate several energy exchange models used in nonequilibrium computational fluid dynamics methods. The radiative heating measurements from the FIRE II flight experiment supply an experimental benchmark against which different formulations for these exchange models can be judged. The models which predict the lowest radiative heating are found to give the best agreement with the flight data. Examination of the spectral distribution of radiation indicates that despite close agreement of the total radiation, many of the models examined predict excessive molecular radiation. It is suggested that a study of the nonequilibrium chemical kinetics may lead to a correction for this problem.

Hartung, Lin C.↗

Radiative Heating Indicators and Uncertainty Analysis for Mars 2020

This paper will present analysis to evaluate a functional form and associated parameters to determine the radiative heating at various back-shell locations of the Mars 2020 aeroshell. The radiative heating indicators are used for preliminary vehicle design, and to determine the worst-case trajectories for peak radiative heat flux and load. Historically, the functional form for radiative heating is based on free-stream parameters of density, velocity and a length scale, typically the nose-radius (or equivalent). However, a fit of this form has been shown to not provide significant enough accuracy when compared to simulation results. Therefore, a fit based on post-shock equilibrium calculations of CO and CO2 number density, temperature and pressure has been devised. The results from the TPS 15 01 trajectory were used to develop the fit. The fit was then applied to the MSL best estimated trajectory (BET). Furthermore, the paper will quantify the uncertainty in simulations of the radiative heating for Mars 2020.

Mars 2020↗

A study of cloud-generated radiative heating and its generation of available potential energy. I - Theoretical background. II - Results for a climatological zonal mean January

The effect of radiative heating and cooling by clouds on the available potential energy (APE) is theoretically discussed. It is shown that the cloud radiative contribution to the generation of APE is determined by the net cloud radiative heating and the efficiency factor, which is a function of the temperature distribution of the atmosphere. Results are presented for low and middle cloud effects for three atmospheric layers. Cloud radiative heating is found to be a single function of cloud optical thickness for all classes designed in terms of cloud top heights and optical thickness. Low clouds at low latitudes destroy APE an midclouds generate APE. A concept is developed to relate the cloud radiative heating to cloud heights and optical depths. Cloud-generated radiative heating is computed for January zonal mean conditions for low and midclouds. For both cases, the strongest influence is found in the low troposphere, with marked differences in signs and magnitudes. At extratropical latitudes, both cloud classes generate net radiative cooling. In the tropics, the effect of low cloud changes from net cooling to the net heating as the optical thickness increases, and midclouds cause net heating. A mechanism is described whereby this dependence produces a strong positive feedback effect on the development of SST anomalies in the tropical oceans.

Stuhlmann, R.↗

Radiation Heat Transfer Between Diffuse-Gray Surfaces Using Higher Order Finite Elements

This paper presents recent work on developing methods for analyzing radiation heat transfer between diffuse-gray surfaces using p-version finite elements. The work was motivated by a thermal analysis of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) wing structure which showed the importance of radiation heat transfer throughout the structure. The analysis also showed that refining the finite element mesh to accurately capture the temperature distribution on the internal structure led to very large meshes with unacceptably long execution times. Traditional methods for calculating surface-to-surface radiation are based on assumptions that are not appropriate for p-version finite elements. Two methods for determining internal radiation heat transfer are developed for one and two-dimensional p-version finite elements. In the first method, higher-order elements are divided into a number of sub-elements. Traditional methods are used to determine radiation heat flux along each sub-element and then mapped back to the parent element. In the second method, the radiation heat transfer equations are numerically integrated over the higher-order element. Comparisons with analytical solutions show that the integration scheme is generally more accurate than the sub-element method. Comparison to results from traditional finite elements shows that significant reduction in the number of elements in the mesh is possible using higher-order (p-version) finite elements.

Gould, Dana C.↗

The Influence of Ablation on Radiative Heating for Earth Entry

Using the coupled ablation and radiation capability recently included in the LAURA flowfield solver, this paper investigates the influence of ablation on the shock-layer radiative heating for Earth entry. The extension of the HARA radiation model, which provides the radiation predictions in LAURA, to treat a gas consisting of the elements C, H, O, and N is discussed. It is shown that the absorption coefficient of air is increased with the introduction of the C and H elements. A simplified shock layer model is studied to show the impact of temperature, as well as the abundance of C and H, on the net absorption or emission from an ablation contaminated boundary layer. It is found that the ablation species reduce the radiative flux in the vacuum ultraviolet, through increased absorption, for all temperatures. However, in the infrared region of the spectrum, the ablation species increase the radiative flux, through strong emission, for temperatures above 3,000 K. Thus, depending on the temperature and abundance of ablation species, the contaminated boundary layer may either provide a net increase or decrease in the radiative flux reaching the wall. To assess the validity of the coupled ablation and radiation LAURA analysis, a previously analyzed Mars-return case (15.24 km/s), which contains significant ablation and radiation coupling, is studied. Exceptional agreement with previous viscous shock-layer results is obtained. A 40% decrease in the radiative flux is predicted for ablation rates equal to 20% of the free-stream mass flux. The Apollo 4 peak-heating case (10.24 km/s) is also studied. For ablation rates up to 3.4% of the free-stream mass flux, the radiative heating is reduced by up to 19%, while the convective heating is reduced by up to 87%. Good agreement with the Apollo 4 radiometer data is obtained by considering absorption in the radiometer cavity. For both the Mars return and the Apollo 4 cases, coupled radiation alone is found to reduce the radiative heating by 30 60% and the convective heating by less than 5%.

Johnston, Christopher O.↗