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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Surface chemistry of liquid metals

The fundamental surface chemistry of the behavior of liquid metals spreading on a solid substrate is not at all well understood. Each of these questions involves knowing the details of the structure of interfaces and their dynamics. For example the structure of a monolayer of tin oxide on pure liquid tin is unknown. This is in contrast to the relatively large amount of data available on the structure of copper oxide monolayers on solid, pure copper. However, since liquid tin has a vapor pressure below 10(exp -10)torr for a reasonable temperature range above its melting point, it is possible to use the techniques of surface science to study the geometric, electronic and vibrational structures of these monolayers. In addition, certain techniques developed by surface chemists for the study of liquid systems can be applied to the ultra-high vacuum environment. In particular we have shown that light scattering spectroscopy can be used to study the surface tension tensor of these interfaces. The tin oxide layer in particular is very interesting in that the monolayer is rigid but admits of bending. Ellipsometric microscopy allows the visualization of monolayer thick films and show whether island formation occurs at various levels of dosing.

Mann, J. Adin, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Low-gravity experiments on Liquid Phase Miscibility Gap (LPMG) alloys: Materials Experiments Assembly (MEA)

Space shuttle experiments which study the massive separation which occurred during sounding rocket Al-In alloy tests are described. The gradient cool experiment studies surface tension driven droplet migration and particle pushing in an LPMG alloy. Isothermal experiments on the Te-Tl alloys test the hypothesis that LPMG systems with low surface energies produce relatively fine, and uniform emulsions and dispersions. It also examines the effect of droplet concentration on phase separation kinetics. Isothermal plunger experiments on Al-In alloys determine whether surface tension driven convection currents originating at a free surface contribute to massive separation. They ascertain whether In-rich droplets migrate under the action of a temperature gradient when they are not influenced by the crucible walls.

Gelles, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A study of thin liquid sheet flows

This study was a theoretical and experimental investigation of thin liquid sheet flows in vacuum. A sheet flow created by a narrow slit of width, W, coalesces to a point at a distance, L, as a result of surface tension forces acting at the sheet edges. As the flow coalesces, the fluid accumulates in the sheet edges. The observed triangular shape of the sheet agrees with the calculated triangular result. Experimental results for L/W as a function of Weber number, We, agree with the calculated result, L/W = the sq. root of 8We. The edge cross sectional shape is found to oscillate from elliptic to 'cigar' like to 'peanut' like and then back to elliptic in the flow direction. A theoretical one-dimensional model was developed that yielded only elliptic solutions for the edge cross section. At the points where the elliptic shapes occur, there is agreement between theory and experiment.

Chubb, Donald L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fundamental Processes of Atomization in Fluid-Fluid Flows

This report outlines the major results of the grant "Fundamental Processes of Atomization in Fluid-Fluid Flows." These include: 1) the demonstration that atomization in liquid/liquid shear flow is driven by a viscous shear instability that triggers the formation of a long thin sheet; 2) discovery of a new mode of interfacial instability for oscillatory two-layer systems whereby a mode that originates within the less viscous liquid phase causes interfacial deformation as the oscillation proceeds; 3) the demonstration that rivulet formation from gravity front occurs because the local front shape specified by gravity and surface tension changes from a nose to a wedge geometry, thus triggering a large increase in viscous resistance; and 4) extension of the studies on nonlinear wave evolution on falling films and in stratified flow, particularly the evolution towards large-amplitude solitary waves that tend to generate drops.

McCready, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Thermophysical Properties of Zirconium at High Temperature

Six thermophysical properties of both the solid and liquid zirconium measured using the high-temperature electrostatic levitator at JPL are presented. These properties are: density, thermal expansion coeffiecient, constant pressure heat capacity, hemispherical total emissivity, surface tension and viscosity.

thermophysical↗
NASA NTRS1998

Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU)

This section of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) publication includes the following articles entitled: (1) Oscillatory Thermocapillary Instability; (2) Thermocapillary Convection in Multilayer Systems; (3) Bubble and Drop Interaction with Solidification Front; (4) A Liquid Electrohydrodynamics Experiment; (5) Boiling on Small Plate Heaters under Microgravity and a Comparison with Earth Gravity; (6) Thermocapillary Migration and Interactions of Bubbles and Drops; and (7) Nonlinear Surface Tension Driven Bubble Migration

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1985

Containerless Studies of Nucleation and Undercooling

The long term research goals are to perform experiments to determine the achievable limits of undercooling, the characteristics of heterogeneous nucleation, and the physical properties of significantly undercooled melts. The techniques used are based on the newly developed containerless manipulation methods afforded by acoustic levitation. Ground based investigations involved 0.1 to 2 mm specimens of pure metals and alloys (In, Ga, Sn, Ga-In, ...) as well as glass-forming organic compounds (O-Terphenyl). A currently operating ultrasonic high temperature apparatus has allowed the ground-based levitation of 1 to 2 mm samples of solid aluminum at 550 deg C in an argon atmosphere. Present work is concentrating on the undercooling of pure metal samples (In, Sn), and on the measurements of surface tension and viscosity of the undercooled melts via shape oscillation techniques monitored through optical detection methods. The sound velocity of undercooled O-Terphenyl is being measured in an immiscible liquid levitation cells.

Trinh, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Fundamental studies of impinging liquid jets

Atomization caused by impinging two liquid jets at an angle was studied experimentally and analytically. Measurements of drop size, sheet length and width at breakup, and apparent wave structures on the liquid sheet surface were made for different flow conditions and different geometries. The breakup of the attenuating liquid sheet into ligaments was modeled by linear stability theory. Breakup lengths were predicted from the fastest growing wave on the sheet surface, and drop diameters were calculated based on surface tension-controlled breakup of the ligaments.

Anderson, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Thermophysical Property Measurements of Silicon-Transition Metal Alloys

Metals and metallic alloys often have high melting temperatures and highly reactive liquids. Processing reactive liquids in containers can result in significant contamination and limited undercooling. This is particularly true for molten silicon and it alloys. Silicon is commonly termed "the universal solvent". The viscosity, surface tension, and density of several silicon‐transition metal alloys were determined using the Electrostatic Levitator system at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The temperature dependence of the viscosity followed an Arrhenius dependence, and the surface tension followed a linear temperature dependence. The density of the melts, including the undercooled region, showed a linear behavior as well. Viscosity and surface tension values were obtain for several of the alloys in the undercooled region.

Banish, R. Michael↗
NASA NTRS1982

Capillary forces exerted by liquid drops caught between crossed cylinders. A 3-D meniscus problem with free contact line

The Young-Laplace equation is solved for three-dimensional menisci between crossed cylinders, with either the contact line fixed or the contact angle prescribed, by means of the Galerkin/finite element method. Shapes are computed, and with them the practically important quantities: drop volume, wetted area, capillary pressure force, surface tension force, and the total force exerted by the drop on each cylinder. The results show that total capillary force between cylinders increases with decreasing contact angle, i.e. with better wetting. Capillary force is also increases with decreasing drop volume, approaching an asymptotic limit. However, the wetted area on each cylinder decreases with decreasing drop volume, which raises the question of the optimum drop volume to strive for, when permanent bonding is sought from solidified liquid. For then the strength of the bond is likely to depend upon the area of contact, which is the wetted area when the bonding agent was introduced in liquid form.

Patzek, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Spacelab 3 drop dynamics experiments

Positioning techniques using the effects of acoustic-radiation pressure were used during the Spacelab 3 flight to carry out classical fluid dynamics experiments on liquid drops freely suspended in microgravity. Quantitative results dealing with the equilibrium shapes of acoustically rotated drops, with the response to the radiation pressure forces, and finally with the experimental measurement of surface tension have been obtained.

Trinh, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Experimental Investigation of Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Enhancement in Microgravity in the Presence of Electric Fields

Boiling is an effective mode of heat transfer since high heat flux levels are possible driven by relatively small temperature differences. The high heat transfer coefficients associated with boiling have made the use of these processes increasingly attractive to aerospace engineering. Applications of this type include compact evaporators in the thermal control of aircraft avionics and spacecraft environments, heat pipes, and use of boiling to cool electronic equipment. In spite of its efficiency, cooling based on liquid-vapor phase change processes has not yet found wide application in aerospace engineering due to specific problems associated with the low gravity environment. After a heated surface has reached the superheat required for the initiation of nucleate boiling, bubbles will start forming at nucleation sites along the solid interface by evaporation of the liquid. Bubbles in contact with the wall will continue growing by this mechanism until they detach. In terrestrial conditions, bubble detachment is determined by the competition between body forces (e.g. buoyancy) and surface tension forces that act to anchor the bubble along the three phase contact line. For a given body force potential and a balance of tensions along the three phase contact line, bubbles must reach a critical size before the body force can cause them to detach from the wall. In a low gravity environment the critical bubble size for detachment is much larger than under terrestrial conditions, since buoyancy is a less effective means of bubble removal. Active techniques of heat transfer enhancement in single phase and phase change processes by utilizing electric fields have been the subject of intensive research during recent years. The field of electrohydrodynamics (EHD) deals with the interactions between electric fields, flow fields and temperature fields. Previous studies indicate that in terrestrial applications nucleate boiling heat transfer can be increased by a factor of 50 as compared to values obtained for the same system without electric fields. Imposing an external electric field holds the promise to improve pool boiling heat transfer in low gravity, since a phase separation force other than gravity is introduced. The goal of our research is to experimentally investigate the potential of EHD and the mechanisms responsible for EHD heat transfer enhancement in boiling in low gravity conditions.

Herman, Cila↗
NASA NTRS1988

Acoustic containerless experiment system: A non-contact surface tension measurement

The Acoustic Containerless Experiment System (ACES) was flown on STS 41-B in February 1984 and was scheduled to be reflown in 1986. The primary experiment that was to be conducted with the ACES module was the containerless melting and processing of a fluoride glass sample. A second experiment that was to be conducted was the verification of a non-contact surface tension measurement technique using the molten glass sample. The ACES module consisted of a three-axis acoustic positioning module that was inside an electric furnace capable of heating the system above the melting temperature of the sample. The acoustic module is able to hold the sample with acoustic forces in the center of the chamber and, in addition, has the capability of applying a modulating force on the sample along one axis of the chamber so that the molten sample or liquid drop could be driven into one of its normal oscillation modes. The acoustic module could also be adjusted so that it could place a torque on the molten drop and cause the drop to rotate. In the ACES, a modulating frequency was applied to the drop and swept through a range of frequencies that would include the n = 2 mode. A maximum amplitude of the drop oscillation would indicate when resonance was reached and from that data the surface tension could be calculated. For large viscosity samples, a second technique for measuring surface tension was developed. The results of the ACES experiment and some of the problems encountered during the actual flight of the experiment will be discussed.

Elleman, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Physics associated with cavitation induced material damage

The role of cavitation in mechanical failure is discussed. Some of the most common types of material damage associated with the presence of cavitation are surface material removal, delamination and structural vibration. This occurs in external flows such as on propellers, hydrofoils, and high speed non-lifting surfaces. In internal flows, pipe bends, inlets, constructions, pumps and turbines are typical. Nominally nonflowing liquids are also susceptible in, for example, strong acoustic fields and high energy particle detectors. For flowing systems, Bernoulli's equation shows how a local pressure is reduced as the fluid's velocity is increased. At sufficiently high velocities, a tension can actually develop and this has, in fact, been demonstrated experimentally. Once the pressure is reduced below the fluid vapor pressure a vapor cavity can be nucleated. Various aspects of this process are simply shown by considering the flow over a lifting surface.

Peterson, F. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Thermocapillary flows and their stability: Effects of surface layers and combination

The theoretical analysis of the fluid mechanics and heat transfer of motions driven by surface tension gradients (Marangoni convection) was researched. Convection accompanying the process of growing high quality single crystals from the melt in a micro-g environment was examined. The geometries considered include two dimensional liquid filled slots and axisymmetric float-zone configurations.

Davis, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effect of Baffle on Gravity-Gradient-Excited Slosh Waves and Spacecraft Moment and Angular-Momentum Fluctuations in Microgravity

The dynamical behavior of fluids affected by the asymmetric gravity gradient acceleration has been investigated. In particular, the effects of surface tension on partially filled rotating fluids applicable to a full-scale Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft dewar tank with and without baffles are studied. Results of slosh wave excitation along the liquid-vapor interface induced by gravity gradient acceleration indicate that the gravity gradient acceleration is equivalent to the combined effect of a twisting force and a torsional moment acting on the spacecraft. The results are clearly seen from one-up one-down and one-down one-up oscillations in the cross-section profiles of two bubbles in the vertical (r, z)-plane of the rotating dewar, and from the eccentric contour of the bubble rotating around the axis of the dewar in a horizontal (r, theta)-plane. As the viscous force, between liquid and solid interface, greatly contributes to the damping of slosh wave excitation, a rotating dewar with baffles provides more areas of liquid-solid interface than that of a rotating dewar without baffles. Results show that the damping effect provided by the baffles reduces the amplitude of slosh wave excitation and lowers the degree of asymmetry in liquid-vapor distribution. Fluctuations of angular momentum and fluid moment caused by the slosh wave excited by gravity gradient acceleration with and without baffle boards are also investigated. It is also shown that the damping effect provided by the baffles greatly reduces the amplitudes of angular momentum and fluid moment fluctuations.

Hung, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Fluid System Angular Momentum and Moment Fluctuations Driven by Gravity Gradient or Gravity Jitter in Microgravity

The dynamical behaviour of fluids affected by the asymmetric gravity gradient acceleration and gravity jitter acceleration, in particular the effect of surface tension on partially-filled rotating fluids with special example applicable to a full-scale Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft dewar tank have been investigated. Results of slosh wave excitation along liquid-vapor interface induced by gravity gradient acceleration indicated that one-up one-down and one-down one-up oscillations of two bubbles in the cross-section of doughnut profiles in the vertical r-z plane of rotating dewar, and an eccentric contour of bubble rotating around the axis of dewar in horizontal r-Theta plane. Results of slosh wave excitation along liquid-vapor interface induced by gravity jitter acceleration indicated equivalent to time-dependent oscillatory forces which push bubble in the combined bubble motion of down-and-up and leftward-and-rightward as the bubble is rotating with respect to rotating dewar axis. Fluctuations of angular momentum, fluid moment and bubble mass center caused by slosh wave excitations driven by gravity gradient acceleration or gravity jitter acceleration are also investigated.

Hung, R. J.↗