Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “capillary”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Centaur propellant acquisition system

The desirability of replacing the hydrogen peroxide settling system of the Centaur D-1S with a capillary acquisition system was evaluated. A comprehensive screening was performed to select the most promising capillary device fluid acquisition, thermal conditioning, and fabrication techniques. Refillable start baskets and bypass feed start tanks were selected for detailed design. Critical analysis areas were settling and refilling, start sequence development with an initially dry boost pump, and cooling the fluid delivered to the boost pump to provide the necessary net positive suction head (NPSH). Design drawings were prepared for start basket and start tank concepts for both the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks. System comparisons indicated that the start baskets using wicking flow for thermal conditioning, and thermal subcooling for providing boost pump NPSH, are the most desirable systems for future Centaur acquisition system development.

Blatt, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Mariner Jupiter/Saturn LCSSE thruster/valve assembly and injection propulsion unit rocket engine assemblies: 0.2-lbf T/VA development and margin limit test report, addendum

Capillary tube plugging phenomena on the 0.2-lbf thruster/valve assembly was examined. Vibration tests were conducted in the nozzle up attitude. Failure to fire caused by blockage of the capillary tube by catalyst fines was observed after vibration. Water flushing and previbration hot firing were used to remove the fines.

Wilson, W. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Excimer lasers

A theoretical and experimental investigation into the possibility of achieving CW discharge pumped excimer laser oscillation is reported. Detailed theoretical modeling of capillary discharge pumping of the XeF and KXe and K2 excimer systems was carried out which predicted the required discharge parameters for reaching laser threshold on these systems. Capillary discharge pumping of the XeF excimer system was investigated experimentally. The experiments revealed a lower excimer level population density than predicted theoretically by about an order of magnitude. The experiments also revealed a fluorine consumption problem in the discharge in agreement with theory.

Palmer, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Polyimide adhesives for weld-bonding titanium

Two weld bonding processes were developed for joining titanium alloy; one process utilizes a weld-through technique and the other a capillary-flow technique. The adhesive used for the weld-through process is similar to the P4/A5F system and a new adhesive system, CP/CFA, was used in the capillary-flow process. Static property information was generated for weld-bonded joints over the temperature range of 219K (-65 F) to 561K (550 F) and fatigue strength information was generated at room temperature. Significant improvement in fatigue strength was demonstrated for weld-bonded joints over spot-welded joints. A demonstration was made of the applicability of weld-bonding for fabricating stringer stiffened skin panels.

Vaughan, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Experimental investigations on sodium-filled heat pipes

The possibilities of producing heat pipes and, especially, the necessary capillary structures are discussed. Several types of heat pipes were made from stainless steel and tested at temperatures between 400 and 1055 deg C. The thermal power was determined by a calorimeter. Results indicate: bubble-free evaporation of sodium from rectangular open chennels is possible with a heat flux of more than 1,940 W/sq cm at 1055 C. The temperature drop along the tube could be measured only at low temperatures. A subdivided heat pipe worked against the gravitational field. A heat pipe with a capillary structure made of a rolled screen was supported by rings and bars operated at 250 W/sq cm heat flux in the evaporating region.

Dorner, S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Specialized physiological studies in support of manned space flight

Breath-by-breath measurements of pulmonary capillary O2 transfer and ventilation with a box-balloon spirometer and mass spectrometer were made on 3 subjects before, during and after 10 min of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at -20, -40 and -60 Torr with arterial samples at -60 Torr. Deficits in blood O2 stores (O2B) were noted during LBNP with repayment of O2B during recovery being related to the intensity of LBNP stress. Concurrent calf volume, measured with a Hg strain gauge, decreased towards baseline well before the peak rise in pulmonary capillary O2 transfer after the release of LBNP which signified that O2B changes were related to blood volume shifts. The return of O2-depleted pooled blood to the central circulation during the first min. of recovery caused significant stress-related hyperpnea which peaked near 30 sec. and returned to near baseline after the first min. Three-compartment lung model analyses indicated an increase in the ventilated unperfused lung fraction from 0.09 to 0.17 with the effective compartment decreasing from 0.83 to 0.77. It appears that the 30% increase in ventilation equivalent was primarily the result of less effective lung perfusion during the LBNP.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1977

Excimer lasers

The results of a two-year investigation into the possibility of developing continuous wave excimer lasers are reported. The program included the evaluation and selection of candidate molecular systems and discharge pumping techniques. The K Ar/K2 excimer dimer molecules and the xenon fluoride excimer molecule were selected for study; each used a transverse and capillary discharges pumping technique. Experimental and theoretical studies of each of the two discharge techniques applied to each of the two molecular systems are reported. Discharge stability and fluorine consumption were found to be the principle impediments to extending the XeF excimer laser into the continuous wave regime. Potassium vapor handling problems were the principal difficulty in achieving laser action on the K Ar/K2 system. Of the four molecular systems and pumping techniques explored, the capillary discharge pumped K Ar/K2 system appears to be the most likely candidate for demonstrating continuous wave excimer laser action primarily because of its predicted lower pumping threshold and a demonstrated discharge stability advantage.

Palmer, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Early detection of disease: The correlation of the volatile organic profiles from patients with upper respiratory infections with subjects of normal profiles

A method is described whereby a transevaporator is used for sampling 60-100 microns of aqueous sample. Volatiles are stripped from the sample either by a stream of helium and collection on a porous polymer, Tenax, or by 0.8 ml of 2-chloropropane and collected on glass beads. The volatiles are thermally desorbed into a precolumn which is connected to a capillary gas chromatographic column for analysis. The technique is shown to be reproducible and suitable for determining chromatographic profiles for a wide variety of sample types. Using a transevaporator sampling technique, the volatile profiles from 70 microns of serum were obtained by capillary column gas chromatography. The complex chromatograms were interpreted by a combination of manual and computer techniques and a two peak ratio method devised for the classification of normal and virus infected sera. Using the K-Nearest Neighbor approach, 85.7 percent of the unknown samples were classified correctly. Some preliminary results indicate the possible use of the method for the assessment of virus susceptibility.

Zlatkis, A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Effect of gravitational overloads, hypokinesia and hypodynamia on the vessels of the pulmonary blood circuit

Vessels of the pulmonary circuit are studied under normal conditions, in exposure to single stress or continuous threshold endurable chestspine gravitational stresses, and one to eight weak hypokinesia and hypodynamic effects followed by stress. Examination methods include rentgenography and microrentgenography, clearing, and histology. In exposure to gravitational stress the distal portions of the arterial vessels of the 3 and 4 orders constrict, while all veins dilate. Sinuosity of all vessels is noted. The volume of the capillary bed increases and signs of perivascular edema occur. Due to hypokinesia and hypodynamia the arteries constricted and the arterial bed becomes poor. The veins of all orders dilate and the volume of the capillary bed increases. The changes grew greater the longer the terms of hypodyamic effects. Successive combination of hypokinesia and hypodynamia and gravitational stresses cause more pronounced changes than separate effects of these two factors and result in great deformity of the vascular walls, including their rupture and penetration of formed elements beyond the limits of the vascular bed.

Kasimtsev, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Investigation of the effect of space flight factors on chromosomes in seeds

Frequency of mutations in postflight air-dry Crepis capillaris seeds, kept for five days aboard an artificial satellite was 36.0 + or - 1.9%, vs. 19.01 + or - 1.2% for seeds in a similar ground experiment. Both groups of seeds were prepared in identical concentrations and were treated by the same mutagen. The spectrum of mutations in postflight Crepis capillaris seeds contained a large number of chromosome-type mutations and some cells showed multiple alterations. Postflight seeds not treated with mutagens had a slightly higher level of mutability.

Dubinina, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Determination of surface tension at the phase interface

A method was developed for determining the surface tension coefficient at the interface of two immiscible liquids or of a gas and a liquid. Basic in this method is the measurement of the capillary rise of a droplet of one of the phases placed on the surface of the other phase. It is shown that the capillary rise is a function of the surface energy of the droplet and the viscous friction of the phases. A mathematical model of the dynamics of a liquid droplet is supported by experiments.

Dobychin, Y. I.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Microwave scatterometer measurements of oceanic wind vector

Results from Seasat-A scatterometer (SASS) remote sensing of oceanic wind vectors are reviewed, together with the theory of radar backscattering. The SASS was designed to measure the surface wind stress and neutral stability wind vector at 19.5 m altitude. Requirements included windspeeds from 4-24 m/sec to within 2 m/sec or 10%, a 1000 km swath, directions from 0-360 deg to within 20 deg, a 50 km resolution cell, and cross-track and along-track spacing between resolution cells of 100 km. The method was based on Bragg scattering of microwaves from cm-length capillary ocean waves. The strength of the backscatter is proportional to the capillary wave amplitude, which is in equilibrium with the ocean surface wind speed. The measurement grouping, least-squares estimator, and dB deviation model function table for the SASS geophysical algorithm are discussed. Comparisons of SASS, GOASEX, and ground truth wind data are made, and a 0.92 correlation between SASS and ground truth data is determined from regression analysis.

Jones, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Pore size engineering applied to the design of separators for nickel-hydrogen cells and batteries

Pore size engineering in starved alkaline multiplate cells involves adopting techniques to widen the volume tolerance of individual cells. Separators with appropriate pore size distributions and wettability characteristics (capillary pressure considerations) to have wider volume tolerances and an ability to resist dimensional changes in the electrodes were designed. The separators studied for potential use in nickel-hydrogen cells consist of polymeric membranes as well as inorganic microporous mats. In addition to standard measurements, the resistance and distribution of electrolyte as a function of total cell electrolyte content were determined. New composite separators consisting of fibers, particles and/or binders deposited on Zircar cloth were developed in order to engineer the proper capillary pressure characteristics in the separator. These asymmetric separators were prepared from a variety of fibers, particles and binders.

Abbey, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Particle analyzing method and apparatus

The rapid chemical analysis of particles in aerosols can be accomplished using an apparatus which produces a controlled stream of individual particles from an environment, and another apparatus which vaporizes and ionizes the particles moving in free flight, for analysis by a mass spectrometer. The device for producing the stream of particles includes a capillary tube through which the air with suspended particles moves, a skimmer with a small opening spaced from an end of the capillary tube to receive particles passing through the tube, and a vacuum pump which removes air from between the tube and skimmer and creates an inflow of air and particles through the tube. The particles passing through the skimmer opening can be simultaneously vaporized and ionized while in free flight, by a laser beam of sufficient intensity that is directed across the path of the free flying particles.

Sinha, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An investigation into the injection molding of PMR-15 polyimide

The chemorheological behavior of the PRM-15 molding compounds were characterized, the range of suitable processing parameters for injection molding in a reciprocating screw injection molding machine was determined, and the effects of the injection molding processing parameters on the mechanical properties of molded PMR-15 parts were studied. The apparatus and procedures for measuring viscosity and for determining the physical response of the material during heating are described. Results show that capillary rheometry can be effectively used with thermosets if the equipment is designed to overcome some of the inherent problems of these materials. A uniform temperature was provided in the barrel by using a circulating hot oil system. Standard capillary rheometry methods can provide the dependence of thermoset apparent viscosity on shear rate, temperature, and time. Process conditions resulting in complete imidization should be carefully defined. Specification of controlled oven temperature is inadequate and can result in incomplete imidization. For completely imidized PMR-15 heat at 15 C/min melt flow without gas evolution occurs in the temperature range of 325 C to 400 C.

Colaluca, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Does the scatterometer see wind speed or friction velocity?

Studies of radar backscatter from the sea surface are referred either to the wind speed, U, or friction velocity, u(sub *). Bragg scattering theory suggests that these variations in backscatter are directly related to the height of the capillary-gravity waves modulated by the larger waves in tilt and by straining of the short wave field. The question then arises as to what characteristic of the wind field is most probably correlated with the wave number spectrum of the capillary-gravity waves. The justification for selecting U as the appropriate meteorological parameter to be associated with backscatter from L-band to Ku-band are reviewed. Both theoretical reasons and experimental evidence are used to demonstrate that the dominant parameter is U/C(lambda) where U is the wind speed at a height of about lambda/2 for waves having a phase speed of C(lambda).

Donelan, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Concept evaluation of four thermal utility systems for low orbit spacecraft

Attention is given to the design features and comparative performance of four two-phase heat transport systems under consideration by NASA as long term space mission devices for the collection, transportation and rejection of waste heat from spacecraft components over the zero-100 C temperature range. The system types are: a mechanically pumped two-phase loop, a capillary pumped loop, an osmotic pumped loop, and a loop employing a biomorph pump. The principal advantage of a capillary pumped loop is that it is a passive system with few moving parts that inherently possesses high reliability. The working fluid recommended for use in such a thermal utility is NH3, which has the requisite combination of high latent heat of vaporization and high surface tension.

Peterson, G. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The non-Gaussian joint probability density function of slope and elevation for a nonlinear gravity wave field

On the basis of the mapping method developed by Huang et al. (1983), an analytic expression for the non-Gaussian joint probability density function of slope and elevation for nonlinear gravity waves is derived. Various conditional and marginal density functions are also obtained through the joint density function. The analytic results are compared with a series of carefully controlled laboratory observations, and good agreement is noted. Furthermore, the laboratory wind wave field observations indicate that the capillary or capillary-gravity waves may not be the dominant components in determining the total roughness of the wave field. Thus, the analytic results, though derived specifically for the gravity waves, may have more general applications.

Huang, N. E.↗