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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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We present the current status of United States domestic heavy ion single-event effects (SEE) radiation test facilities, including general perspectives on near- and mid-term needs for both capacity and capabilities.
This paper presents results from modeling of a depressurized conduction cooldown (DCC) transient at the High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) as part of the OECD-NEA Thermal Hydraulics Code Validation Benchmark for High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors using HTTF Data . This paper briefly describes the benchmark and the models being used. It then presents a comparison of steady state and transient results based on the Problem 2 Exercise 1A and 1B definitions. We compare block and helium temperature distributions, mass flow distribution, and energy balance in steady state. All models show comparable mass flow distributions and energy balances. The temperatures within the core and outer regions are comparable in all models too, but inner reflector temperatures can vary significantly. Despite that, we find that the models are in good agreement for the full-power steady state. In the DCC, we look at block temperature at the core midplane and RCCS water exit temperature. The INL and ANL models are found to be in excellent agreement with one another on block temperature over time, while the agreement when the KAERI and NRG models are added into consideration is good. Differences in the transient heat removal from the RCCS cause the differences in block temperature over time in these models. The CNL models show similar trends to the INL, ANL, KAERI, and NRG models, but the temperatures are high because the volumes used in calculating the average temperature include the heater rods in the CNL models only. The HUN-REN model shows results that suggest significantly lower heat removal in the RCCS which merit further investigation.
In the ongoing effort to better understand various spacecraft contamination phenomena, a new state of the art contamination effects research and test facility was designed, and recently brought on-line at The Aerospace Corporation s Space Materials Laboratory. This high vacuum test chamber employs multiple in-situ analytical techniques, making it possible to study both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of contaminant film formation in the presence or absence of VUV radiation. Adsorption and desorption kinetics, "photo-fixing efficiency", transmission loss of uniform contaminant films, light scatter from non-uniform films, and film morphology have been studied in this facility. This paper describes this new capability in detail and presents data collected from several of the analytical instruments.
Error scaling is a critical step toward the validation of modeling capabilities for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). Extensive effort is being made to bring HTGRs into the validation basis of numerous thermal-hydraulics codes. Here, this paper demonstrates how systems-level codes can be leveraged to perform error scaling analyses between an experimental facility and a plant-to-be facility. Specifically, we focus on two conduction cooldown experiments from the High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) and the General Atomics 350 MW th modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR-350). The error scaling methodology employed in this study is representativity, which in the context of this work was used to quantify how well experiments captured the physics of the plant facility by comparing sensitivity vectors between the two facilities. In addition, two different RELAP5–3D models of the HTTF were included in the comparison to determine if modeling methodologies notably impact the representativity results. The key figures of merit are the maximum block temperature and the coolant outlet temperature. The time-dependent maximum block temperature had a low representativity of below 0.1 for both models across both transients. The coolant outlet temperature had a higher representativity of around 0.6 for both models during the pressurized conduction cooldown, but it was below 0.2 for the depressurized conduction cooldown. Overall, the HTTF experiments were not representative of the transients in the MHTGR-350. However, these results can play a significant role in informing future potential experiments for HTGR systems that iterate on what the HTTF accomplished.
The dust environment on Mars is planned to be simulated in a 20 foot thermal-vacuum chamber at the Johnson Space Center, Energy Systems Test Area Resource Conversion Test Facility in Houston, Texas. This vacuum chamber will be used to perform tests and study the interactions between the dust in Martian air and ISPP hardware. This project is to research, theorize, quantify, and document the Mars dust/wind environment needed for the 20 foot simulation chamber. This simulation work is to support the safety, endurance, and cost reduction of the hardware for the future missions. The Martian dust environment conditions is discussed. Two issues of Martian dust, (1) Dust Contamination related hazards, and (2) Dust Charging caused electrical hazards, are of our interest. The different methods of dust particles measurement are given. The design trade off and feasibility were studied. A glass bell jar system is used to evaluate various concepts for the Mars dust/wind environment simulation. It was observed that the external dust source injection is the best method to introduce the dust into the simulation system. The dust concentration of 30 Mg/M3 should be employed for preparing for the worst possible Martian atmosphere condition in the future. Two approaches thermal-panel shroud for the hardware conditioning are discussed. It is suggested the wind tunnel approach be used to study the dust charging characteristics then to be apply to the close-system cyclone approach. For the operation cost reduction purpose, a dehumidified ambient air could be used to replace the expensive CO2 mixture for some tests.
Research capabilities of Louisiana State University are reported for sustaining a program which complements the Mississippi Test Facility. Projects reported during this period are discussed and include the development of a spectral analyzer, and investigations of plant physiology. Papers published during this period are also listed.
Graphs and data tables are presented for the design and characteristics of high Reynolds number test facilities (wind tunnels).
A critical missile component required operational verification while subjected to combined environments within and beyond flight parameters. The testing schedule necessitated the design and fabrication of a test facility in order to provide the specified temperatures combined with humidity, altitude and vibration.
Vacuum environmental requirements, loop design, materials, and instrumentation for facility to be used for testing liquid metal Rankine cycle components
The performance of Michigan State University's Single-Event Effects Test Facility (SEETF) during its inaugural runs is evaluated. Beam profiles and other diagnostics are presented, and prospects for future development and testing are discussed.
This viewgraph presentation provides a detailed description of the Johnson Space Center's Power Systems Facility located in the Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA). Facilities and the resources used to support power and battery systems testing are also shown. The contents include: 1) Power Testing; 2) Power Test Equipment Capabilities Summary; 3) Source/Load; 4) Battery Facilities; 5) Battery Test Equipment Capabilities Summary; 6) Battery Testing; 7) Performance Test Equipment; 8) Battery Test Environments; 9) Battery Abuse Chambers; 10) Battery Abuse Capabilities; and 11) Battery Test Area Resources.
The nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) imaging was used to characterize the air flow of the NASA Langley Arc Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF) configured with a Mach 6 nozzle. The arc raises the enthalpy of the test gas in AHSTF, producing nitric oxide. Nitric oxide persists as the temperature drops through the nozzle into the test section. NO PLIF was used to qualitatively visualize the flowfield at different experimental conditions, measure the temperature of the gas flow exiting the facility nozzle, and visualize the wave structure downstream of the nozzle at different operating conditions. Uniformity and repeatability of the nozzle flow were assessed. Expansion and compression waves on the free-jet shear layer as the nozzle flow expands into the test section were visualized. The main purpose of these experiments was to assess the uniformity of the NO in the freestream gas for planned experiments, in which NO PLIF will be used for qualitative fuel-mole-fraction sensitive imaging. The shot-to-shot fluctuations in the PLIF signal, caused by variations in the overall laser intensity as well as NO concentration and temperature variations in the flow was 20-25% of the mean signal, as determined by taking the standard deviation of a set of images obtained at constant conditions and dividing by the mean. The fluctuations within individual images, caused by laser sheet spatial variations as well as NO concentration and temperature variations in the flow, were about 28% of the mean in images, determined by taking standard deviation within individual images, dividing by the mean in the same image and averaged over the set of images. Applying an averaged laser sheet intensity correction reduced the within-image intensity fluctuations to about 10% suggesting that the NO concentration is uniform to within 10%. There was no significant difference in flow uniformity between the low and high enthalpy settings. While not strictly quantitative, the temperature maps show qualitative agreement with the computations of the flow.
The reference conceptual design of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Engineering Test Facility (ETF), a prototype 200 MWe coal-fired electric generating plant designed to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of open cycle MHD, is summarized. Main elements of the design, systems, and plant facilities are illustrated. System design descriptions are included for closed cycle cooling water, industrial gas systems, fuel oil, boiler flue gas, coal management, seed management, slag management, plant industrial waste, fire service water, oxidant supply, MHD power ventilating
This paper presents methods and results of a detailed measurement uncertainty analysis that was performed for the Advanced Nozzle Test Facility, CE-22, located at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Results for the uncertainty in thrust and flow coefficients, in addition to other variables of interest, are provided. Results are presented separately as random uncertainty (characterizing errors inherent to instrument or measurement environment, impacting repeatability), systematic uncertainty (capturing inaccuracies due to measurement process, calibration, installation effects or other sources which may introduce bias), and total combined uncertainty. The statistical methods and engineering judgments used to estimate elemental uncertainties are described. The analysis tool MANTUS (Measurement Analysis Tool for Uncertainty in Systems) was used to quantify instrumentation system uncertainty, and statistical analysis and engineering judgment were used to quantify other random and systematic uncertainty sources. The Monte Carlo method was used to propagate systematic and random elemental uncertainties to determine the uncertainties of various calculated variables of interest.
An experimental and analytical fatigue life study was performed on the Grainex Mar-M 247 disk used in NASA s Turbine Seal Test Facility. To preclude fatigue cracks from growing to critical size in the NASA disk bolt holes due to cyclic loading at severe test conditions, a retirement-for-cause methodology was adopted to detect and monitor cracks within the bolt holes using eddy-current inspection. For the NASA disk material that was tested, the fatigue strain-life to crack initiation at a total strain of 0.5 percent, a minimum to maximum strain ratio of 0, and a bolt hole temperature of 649 C was calculated to be 665 cycles using -99.95 percent prediction intervals. The fatigue crack propagation life was calculated to be 367 cycles after implementing a safety factor of 2 on life. Thus, the NASA disk bolt hole total life or retirement life was determined to be 1032 cycles at a crack depth of 0.501 mm. An initial NASA disk bolt hole inspection at 665 cycles is suggested with 50 cycle inspection intervals thereafter to monitor fatigue crack growth.
The contents include: 1) Rope Seal; 2) Improvements to porous medial simulation in CFD-ACE+; 3) Porous media heat transfer validation case-stead-state and transient flat plate; 4) Simulation of GRC cold flow seal test fixture; 5) Simulation of calibration plate in the Panel Test Facility (PTF); and 6) Simulation of rope seal test in the PTF. This paper is in viewgraph form.
This report details operations and maintenance (O&M) activities performed across Fiscal Years 2022 through 2024 in support of the continued capabilities of the National Solar Thermal Testing Facility (NSTTF) at Sandia National Laboratories. The NSTTF O&M project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to support research activities and testing on behalf of external customers at the facility under award number CPS 38491. During the project period, the NSTTF made progress in the areas of site metrics, site maintenance and utilization tracking, and customer engagement. The O&M project also supported special initiatives including procurement of a heat exchanger for particle concentrating solar thermal processes and a scoping and cost study for refurbishment and repair of component in the NSTTF heliostat field.
Transient pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of regeneratively cooled nozzle assembly used in full scale, cold flow nuclear rocket test facility