Results for “Material flow analysis” — Page 28

NASA NTRS1985

Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Vapor Phase Crystal Growth

The ground-based research effort under this program is concerned with systematic studies of the effects of variations: (1) of the relative importance of buoyancy-driven convection, and (2) of diffusion and viscosity conditions on crystal properties. These experimental studies are supported by thermodynamic characterizations of the systems, based on which fluid dynamic parameters can be determined. The specific materials under investigation include: the GeSe-GeI4, Ge-GeI4, HgTe-HgI2, and Hg sub (1-x)Cd sub (x) Te-HgI2 systems. Mass transport rate studies of the GeSe-GeI system as a function of orientation of the density gradient relative to the gravity vector demonstrated the validity of flux anomalies observed in earlier space experiments. The investigation of the effects of inert gases on mass flux yielded the first experimental evidence for the existence of a boundary layer in closed ampoules. Combined with a thorough thermodynamic analysis, a transport model for diffusive flow including chemical vapor transport, sublimation, and Stefan flow was developed.

Wiedemeier, H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Vapor Growth of Alloy-Type Semiconductor Crystals

The present effort is part of a continuing research program directed towards the investigation of basic vapor transport phenomena and of crystal growth properties of electronic materials. The primary purpose of ground-based studies is the development and definition of optimum experimental parameters for flight experiments. The ground-based effort includes the investigation of gravity-driven convection effects on mass transport rates and on crystal morphology for different orientations of the density gradient with respect to the gravity vector, and as a function of pressure and of temperature. In addition to the experimental tasks, theoretical efforts involve the quantitative thermodynamic analysis of the systems under investigation, the computation of fluid dynamic parameters, and the consideration of other possible effects on fluid flow under vertical, stabilizing and microgravity conditions. The specific experiments to be performed in a microgravity environment include the investigation of vapor transport and crystal growth phenomena of the GeSe-Xenon system and of the mass flux and growth of bulk and layer-type crystals of Hg sub (1-x) Cd sub x Te using HgI as a transport agent.

Wiedemeier, H.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Trace element and isotopic effects arising from magma migration beneath mid-ocean ridges

The trace element concentrations and isotopic ratios in the magma erupted on mid-ocean ridges may differ from those in the source material due to physical effects such as porous flow dispersion, exchange of trace elements between the fluid and solid phases during magma migration, and convective mixing in magma chambers. These differences are in addition to those produced by better known processes such as fractional crystallization and partial melting. The effects of the three former processes are described. It is predicted that magma typically reaches the subridge magma chambers with a spatial heterogeneity only slightly reduced from that of the source material, but with a subdued variation in time. Convective mixing then further reduces the spatial heterogeneity. Application of the results for convective mixing to a recent Fourier analysis of Sr-87/Sr-86 variations along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge suggests that the falloff in amplitude of variation observed with decreasing wavelength in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge data cannot be explained by convective mixing in magma chambers. Instead, it is postulated that this falloff is due to the mechanics of the production and/or the solid-state convective mixing of chemical and isotopic heterogeneities in the solid mantle.

Kenyon, Patricia M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

NASA Lewis Research Center's combustor test facilities and capabilities

NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) presently accommodates a total of six combustor test facilities with unique capabilities. The facilities are used to evaluate combustor and afterburner concepts for future engine applications, and also to test the survivability and performance of innovative high temperature materials, new instrumentation, and engine components in a realistic jet engine environment. The facilities provide a variety of test section interfaces and lengths to allow for flametube, sector and component testing. The facilities can accommodate a wide range of operating conditions due to differing capabilities in the following areas: inlet air pressure, temperature, and flow; fuel flow rate, pressure, and fuel storage capacity; maximum combustion zone temperature; cooling water flow rate and pressure; types of exhaust - atmospheric or altitude; air heater supply pressure; and types of air heaters - vitiated or nonvitiated. All of the facilities have provisions for standard gas (emissions) analysis, and a few of the facilities are equipped with specialized gas analysis equipment, smoke and particle size measurement devices, and a variety of laser systems. This report will present some of the unique features of each of the high temperature/high pressure combustor test facilities at NASA LeRC.

Bianco, Jean↗

NASA NTRS1996

Test Outline for Flutter Analysis of Rectangular Panels in Rarefied Flow Conditions

Jet plume impingement forces acting on large flexible space structures may precipitate dynamically unstable behavior during space flights. Typical operating conditions in space involve rarefied gas flow regimes which are intrinsically distinct from continuum gas flow and are normally modeled using the kinetic theory of gas flow. Docking and undocking operations of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Mir space laboratory represent a scenario in which the stability boundaries of solar panels may be of interest. Extensive literature review of research work on the dynamic stability of rectangular panels in rarefied gas flow conditions indicated the lack of published reports dealing with this phenomenon. A recently completed preliminary study for NASA JSC dealing with the mathematical analysis of the stability of two-degree-of-freedom elastically supported rigid panels under the effect of rarefied gas flow was reviewed. A test plan outline is prepared for the purpose of conducting a series of experiments on four rectangular rigid test articles in a vacuum chamber under the effect of continuous and pulsating Nitrogen jet plumes. The purpose of the test plan is to gather enough data related to a number of key parameters to allow the validation of the two-degree-of-freedom mathematical model. The hardware required careful design to select a very lightweight material while satisfying rigidity and frequency requirements within the constraints of the test environment. The data to be obtained from the vacuum chamber tests can be compared with the predicted behavior of the theoretical two-degree-of-freedom model. Using the data obtained in this study, further research can identify the limitations of the mathematical model. In addition modifications to the mathematical model can be made, if warranted, to accurately predict the behavior of rigid panels under rarefied gas flow regimes.

Akl, Fred A.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Results of a 24-inch Hybrid Motor Performance Uncertainty Analysis

The subscale (11 and 24-inch) hybrid motors at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been used as versatile and cost effective testbeds for developing new technology. Comparisons between motor configuration, ignition systems, feed systems, fuel formulations, and nozzle materials have been carried out without detailed consideration as to haw "good" the motor performance data were. For the 250,000 lb/thrust motor developed by the Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program consortium, this shortcoming is particularly risky because motor performance will likely be used as put of a set of downselect criteria to choose between competing ignition and feed systems under development. This analysis directly addresses that shortcoming by applying uncertainty analysis techniques to the experimental determination of the characteristic velocity, theoretical characteristic velocity, and characteristic velocity efficiency for a 24-inch motor firing. With the adoption of fuel-lined headends, flow restriction, and aft mixing chambers, state of the an 24-inch hybrid motors have become very efficient However, impossibly high combustion efficiencies (some computed as high as 108%) have been measured in some tests with 11-inch motors. This analysis has given new insight into explaining how these efficiencies were measured to be so high, and into which experimental measurements contribute the most to the overall uncertainty.

Sims, Joseph D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Fluid Flow in Crystal Growth: Analysis of the Verticle Bridgman and Floating Zone Process

Research is aimed at the fundamental understanding of the interactions of heat and mass transport and fluid mechanics in crystal growth from the melt, especially in how it pertains to experiments supported by the Microgravity Science and Applications program. Emphasis has been on studies of the vertical Bridgman system, on small-scale floating zone systems proposed for space flight, and on quantitative prediction of nonlinear transitions in melt/solid interface morphologies leading to the formation of dendrites in directional solidification. The analysis of vertical Bridgman growth has lead to the complete numerical analysis of transport phenomena in directional solidification and to a detailed comparison of calculations to the GaGe growth experiments of Wang and Witt. Calculations show the central role of the ampoule material in determining the radial temperature gradients in the melt and thus, the intensity of convection. Results indicate that diffusion-controlled growth can not be achieved on Earth with conventional growth systems, but are feasible in microgravity

Brown, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Dynamics and X-ray emission of a galactic superwind interacting with disk and halo gas

There is a general agreement that the conspicuous extranuclear X-ray, optical-line, and radio-contiuum emission of starbursts is associated with powerful galactic superwinds blowing from their centers. However, despite the significant advances in observational studies of superwinds, there is no consensus on the nature of the emitting material and even on the emission mechanisms themselves. This is to a great extent a consequence of a poor understanding of dynamical processes in the starburst superwind regions. To address this issue, we have conducted two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of galactic superwinds. While previous similar studies have used a single (disk) component to represent the ISM of the starburst galaxy, we analyze the interaction of the wind with a two-component disk-halo ambient interstellar medium and argue that this two-component representation is crucial for adequate modeling of starbursts. The emphasis of this study is on the geometry and structure of the wind region and the X-ray emission arising in the wind material and the shocked gas in the disk and the halo of the galaxy. The simulation results have shown that a clear-cut bipolar wind can easily develop under a range of very different conditions. On the other hand, a complex 'filamentary' structure associated with the entrained dense disk material is found to arise within the hot bubble blown out by the wind. The flow pattern within the bubble is dominated equally by the central biconic outflow and a system of whirling motions r elated to the origin and development of the 'filaments'. The filament parameters make them a good candidate for optical-emission-line filamentary gas observed in starburst halos. We find that the history of mass and energy deposition in the starburst region of the galaxy is crucial for wind dynamics. A 'mild' early wind, which arises as a result of the cumulative effect of stellar winds from massive stars, produces a bipolar vertical cavity in the disk and halo gas without strongly affecting the gaseous disk, thus creating conditions for virtually free vertical escape of the hot gas at the later, much more violent supernova-dominated phases of the starburst. We calculate the luminosity, mass, and effective temperature of the X-ray emitting gas in the 'soft' (0.1 to 0.7 keV, 0.7 to 2.2 keV, and 0.1 to 2.2 keV) and 'hard' (1.6 to 8.3 keV) energy bands and estimate the contribution of different gaseous components to the X-ray flux in these bands. Analysis of these parameters enables us to make conclusions regarding the nature of the X-ray-emitting material. We have inferred that the bulk of the soft thermal X-ray emission from starbursts arises in the wind-shocked material of the disk and halo gas rather than in the wind material itself. This enables us to predict that the integrated soft X-ray spectra of starbursts need not show an overabundance of heavy elements which are believed to be produced copiously in the centers of starbursts. Unlike soft X-ray emission, the hard component of thermal X-ray emission is found to originate in the wind material ejected from the starburst region. However, the derived ratio of hard-to-soft X-ray luminosities is too small compared to that observed in starbursts. We conclude therefore that the observed hard X-ray emission of starbursts is probably not associated with the thermal emission of hot wind or ambient shocked gas. Typical temperatures of the bulk of the soft X-ray-emitting material in our very different models have been found to agree well with the ones estimated on the basis of the ROSAT data for the soft component of X-ray emission of nearby starbursts. We predict that temperatures of the extranuclear soft X-ray-emitting gas in starburst galaxies with heavy element abundances near solar should be close to T(sub Xs = 2 to 5 x 10(exp 6)K.

Suchkov, Anatoly A.↗

NASA NTRS1956

Theoretical investigation of flutter of two-dimensional flat panels with one surface exposed to supersonic potential flow

A Rayleigh type analysis involving chosen modes of the panel as degrees of freedom is used to treat the flutter of a two-dimensional flat panel supported at its leading and trailing edges and subjected to a middle-plane tensile force. The panel has a supersonic stream passing over its upper surface and still air below. The aerodynamic forces due to the supersonic stream are obtained from the theory for linearized two-dimensional unsteady flow and the forces due to the still air are obtained from acoustical theory. In order to study the effect of increasing the number of modes in the analysis, two and then four modes are employed. The modes used are the first four natural modes of the panel in a vacuum with no tensile force acting. The analysis includes these variables: Mach number, structural damping, tensile force, density of the still air, and edge fixity (clamped and pinned). For certain combinations of these variables, stability boundaries are obtained which can be used to determine the panel thickness required to prevent flutter for any panel material and altitude.

Nelson, Herbert C↗

NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of Radiation-natural Convection Interactions in 1-g and low-g Environments using the Discrete Exchange Factor Method

A new numerical method is presented for the analysis of combined natural convection and radiation heat transfer with applications in many engineering situations such as materials processing, combustion and fire research. Because of the recent interest in the low gravity environment of space, attention is devoted to both 1-g and low-g applications. The two-dimensional mathematical model is represented by a set of coupled nonlinear integro-partial differential equations. Radiative exchange is formulated using the Discrete Exchange Factor method (DEF). This method considers point to point exchange and provides accurate results over a wide range of radiation parameters. Numerical results show that radiation significantly influences the flow and heat transfer in both low-g and 1-g applications. In the low-g environment, convection is weak, and radiation can easily become the dominant heat transfer mode. It is also shown that volumetric heating by radiation gives rise to an intricate cell pattern in the top heated enclosure.

Kassemi, M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Future Challenges and Opportunities in Aerodynamics

Investments in aeronautics research and technology have declined substantially over the last decade, in part due to the perception that technologies required in aircraft design are fairly mature and readily available. This perception is being driven by the fact that aircraft configurations, particularly the transport aircraft, have evolved only incrementally, over last several decades. If however, one considers that the growth in air travel is expected to triple in the next 20 years, it becomes quickly obvious that the evolutionary development of technologies is not going to meet the increased demands for safety, environmental compatibility, capacity, and economic viability. Instead, breakthrough technologies will he required both in traditional disciplines of aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, materials, controls, and avionics as well as in the multidisciplinary integration of these technologies into the design of future aerospace vehicles concepts. The paper discusses challenges and opportunities in the field of aerodynamics over the next decade. Future technology advancements in aerodynamics will hinge on our ability, to understand, model, and control complex, three-dimensional, unsteady viscous flow across the speed range. This understanding is critical for developing innovative flow and noise control technologies and advanced design tools that will revolutionize future aerospace vehicle systems and concepts. Specifically, the paper focuses on advanced vehicle concepts, flow and noise control technologies, and advanced design and analysis tools.

Kumar, Ajay↗

NASA NTRS2015

NASAs Evolvable Mars Campaign: Mars Moons Robotic Precursor

Human exploration missions to the moons of Mars are being considered within NASA's Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC) as an intermediate step for eventual human exploration and pioneering of the surface of Mars. A range of mission architectures is being evaluated in which human crews would explore one or both moons for as little as 14 days or for as long as 500 days with a variety of orbital and surface habitation and mobility options being considered. Relatively little is known about the orbital, surface, or subsurface characteristics of either moon. This makes them interesting but challenging destinations for human exploration missions during which crewmembers must be able to effectively conduct scientific exploration without being exposed to undue risks due to radiation, dust, micrometeoroids, or other hazards. A robotic precursor mission to one or both moons will be required to provide data necessary for the design and operation of subsequent human systems and for the identification and prioritization of scientific exploration objectives. This paper identifies and discusses considerations for the design of such a precursor mission based on current human mission architectures. Objectives of a Mars' moon precursor in support of human missions are expected to include: 1) identifying hazards on the surface and the orbital environment at up to 50-km distant retrograde orbits; 2) collecting data on physical characteristics for planning of detailed human proximity and surface operations; 3) performing remote sensing and in situ science investigations to refine and focus future human scientific activities; and 4) prospecting for in situ resource utilization. These precursor objectives can be met through a combination or remote sensing (orbital) and in-situ (surface) measurements. Analysis of spacecraft downlink signals using radio science techniques would measure the moon's mass, mass distribution, and gravity field, which will be necessary to enable trajectory planning. Laser altimetry would precisely measure the moon's shape and improve the accuracy of radio science measurements. A telescopic imaging camera would map the moon at submeter resolution and photograph selected areas of interest at subcentimeter resolution and a visible and near-infrared (0.4-3.0 mm) imaging spectrograph would produce a global map of mineral composition variations at a resolution of tens of meters and maps of selected areas of interest at meter resolution. Additional remote sensing capabilities could include a thermal infrared imager (heat flow, thermal inertia, and grain size distributions), a gamma-ray and neutron detector (atomic composition), a ground-penetrating radar (internal structure), and a magnetometer and Langmuir probe (magnetic properties and plasma field). Once on the surface of Phobos or Deimos, necessary instrumentation would include a penetrometer (regolith compressive strength), a motion-imagery camera (to observe the penetrometer tests before, during, and after contact), a dust-adhesion witness plate and camera (dust levitation), a microimager (dust particle sizes and shapes), and an alpha-proton-X-ray, X-ray fluorescence, Mossbauer, or Raman spectrometer (atomic and mineral composition of surface materials) and an optional temperature probe (regolith thermal properties). A variety of robotic mission design options to enable both orbital and surface measurements are being considered that include fully integrated and modular approaches. In-situ measurements from at least one surface location would be required, with additional measurement locations possible through use of multiple landers, through propulsive relocation of a single lander, or through electromechanical surface translation by a walking or hopping lander vehicle, which could also serve to evaluate such mobility capabilities for subsequent human missions. Preliminary orbital analysis suggests that remote sensing would likely be performed while in a distant retrograde orbit around the target moon. Mission design options to enable characterization of both Mars’ moons in a single mission are also being studied.

Gernhardt, Michael L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Effect of Index of Refraction on Radiation Characteristics in a Heated Absorbing, Emitting, and Scattering Layer

The index of refraction can considerably influence the temperature distribution and radiative heat flow in semitransparent materials such as some ceramics. For external radiant heating, the refractive index influences the amount of energy transmitted into the interior of the material. Emission within a material depends on the square of its refractive index, and hence this emission can be many times that for a biackbody radiating into a vacuum. Since radiation exiting through an interface into a vacuum cannot exceed that of a blackbody, there is extensive reflection at the internal surface of an interface, mostly by total internal reflection. This redistributes energy within the layer and tends to make its temperature distribution more uniform. The purpose of the present analysis is to show that, for radiative equilibrium in a gray layer with diffuse interfaces, the temperature distribution and radiative heat flux for any index of refraction can be obtained very simply from the results for an index of refraction of unity. For the situation studied here, the layer is subjected to external radiative heating incident on each of its surfaces. The material emits, absorbs, and isotropically scatters radiation. For simplicity the index of refraction is unity in the medium surrounding the layer. The surfaces of the layer are assumed diffuse. This is probably a reasonable approximation for a ceramic layer that has not been polished. When transmitted radiation or radiation emitted from the interior reaches the inner surface of an interface, the radiation is diffused and some of it thereby placed into angular directions for which there is total internal reflection. This provides a trapping effect for retaining energy within the layer and tends to equalize its temperature distribution. An analysis of temperature distributions in absorbing-emitting layers, including index of refraction effects, was developed by Gardon (1958) to predict cooling and heat treating of glass plates. The interfaces were optically smooth; the resulting specular reflections were computed from the Fresnel reflection laws. This provides a somewhat different behavior than for diffuse interfaces. A similar application was for heating that occurs in a window of a re-entry vehicle (Fowle et al., 1969). A number of recent papers (Rokhsaz and Dougherty, 1989; Ping and Lallemand, 1989; Crosbie and Shieh, 1990) further examined the effects of Fresnel boundary reflections and nonunity refractive index. Other examples of analyses of both steady and transient heat transfer to single or multiple plane layers (Amlin and Korpela, 1979; Tarshis et al., 1969) have used diffuse assumptions at the interfaces as in the present study

Siegel, R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigating the Applications of In-Situ Resource Utilization for Future Crewed Mars Missions

Several advancements are necessary before humans can safely explore Mars. One emerging strategy is In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): the process of extracting raw materials found onsite and converting them into usable products to ensure a constant flow of vital resources and greatly reduce overall mission cost. Scientists must confirm the presence and accessibility of these resources for future crewed missions. Our team investigated the feasibility of ISRU in NE Syrtis, a region of Mars with varied geology, mineralogy, and hydrological history. NE Syrtis has abundant subsurface water and a diverse suite of mineral deposits including olivine, phyllosilicates, sulfates, and carbonates–all of which can be leveraged for fuel, medical supplies, and/or construction materials. We conceptualized a joint rover and helicopter expedition to analyze and sample these minerals over a two-year primary mission using Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing (JMARS), Planetary Data Systems (PDS), and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). We plotted a strategic traverse to regions of interest identified from remote sensing data and planned operations at each target. Our mission aimed to prepare for human presence on Mars by demonstrating the utility and viability of ISRU-focused operations.

Zahra M. Ronizi↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

ARCTRON: A Rapid Experimental Proving Ground for TPS Experiments and Arcjet Technology Development

Innovation in high-enthalpy facilities is fundamentally limited by the cost and risk of experimentation. New concepts for plasma control, diagnostics, facility components, and plasma-material interaction often require repeated iterations that are impractical to perform in production arcjets. As a result, promising ideas may remain unexplored or reach operational facilities only after significant development effort. ARCTRON is being developed as a rapid experimental proving ground where new ideas in plasma science, arcjet engineering, diagnostics, and material response can be conceived, tested, and quantitatively evaluated before transition to large-scale facilities. The platform combines radio-frequency (RF) and DC arc plasma generation, externally applied magnetic fields, configurable gas composition, reduced-pressure operation, laser heating, electrical biasing, and modular diagnostic access. These capabilities permit the plasma source, applied forcing, test article, and measurement configuration to be modified independently, allowing individual physical mechanisms to be isolated more readily than in a traditional test environment. One class of investigations addresses fundamental plasma-surface interaction physics. Conventional material tests often expose a specimen simultaneously to convective heating, reactive species, pressure, shear, radiation, and surface-current effects. The resulting material response may be measured accurately, while the contribution of each mechanism remains difficult to identify. ARCTRON is designed to vary these effects selectively. Plasma chemistry can be changed independently through configurable gas mixtures; magnetic fields and electrical biasing can modify charged-particle transport; laser heating can provide a non-plasma thermal input; and pressure, flow, and discharge mode can be varied over a broad operating space. This enables controlled tests of hypotheses involving surface catalycity, reactive-species transport, plasma-assisted oxidation, electromagnetic effects, shear, and the relative contributions of thermal and chemical loading. A second class of investigations enabled by this approach concerns the engineering of high-enthalpy facilities themselves. Arc-heated facilities are limited by electrode erosion, unstable arc attachment, localized heating, and damage to nozzles and other plasma-facing components. ARCTRON provides a lower-cost environment for testing concepts intended to mitigate these limitations. Candidate investigations include the use of applied magnetic fields to alter current paths and reduce plasma interaction with nozzle walls, ExB forcing to introduce controlled plasma rotation, magnetic or geometric approaches for distributing arc attachment, and alternative electrode or discharge configurations intended to reduce erosion and improve stability. Because the platform is reconfigurable, these concepts can be evaluated through repeated design--build--test cycles before they are considered for implementation in operational facilities. The platform also supports the development and validation of diagnostics that may be difficult to introduce initially into a large arcjet. Current and planned measurements include spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy, electrostatic probes, fast imaging, pyrometry, calorimetry, laser-induced fluorescence, and absorption spectroscopy. These diagnostics are intended not merely to document a nominal operating condition, but to constrain the local plasma state and its relationship to component or material response. The modular facility geometry allows diagnostic concepts to be tested, calibrated, and compared under repeatable conditions before deployment in more demanding environments. ARCTRON is also supported by an integrated software suite. Automated control and data acquisition allow discharge parameters, gas composition, magnetic fields, diagnostic timing, and test configuration to be recorded as part of each experiment (STARDAC - Software for Testing, Analysis, Research Data, and Control). The Backend for Experiment Analysis, Storage, and Traceability (BEAST) is a database that provides the infrastructure needed to associate heterogeneous measurements with facility configuration, specimen identity, calibration state, geometry, and analysis provenance. This backend is particularly important for exploratory campaigns, in which many related configurations may be tested, and the value of an individual experiment depends on its connection to earlier and subsequent iterations. Complementary analysis capabilities, including computer-vision-based transient response measurements (arcjetCV), three-dimensional surface reconstruction (STARSCAN), and model-based Bayesian inference (SHIELD), and tomography data analysis (TOMATO, PuMA) can be incorporated when required by a specific hypothesis without becoming the focus of every campaign. The central objective of ARCTRON is therefore not to maximize heat flux or reproduce a complete flight environment. Its purpose is to reduce the cost and time required to ask consequential questions about plasma behavior, plasma-facing materials, diagnostics, and arcjet technology. By providing a controlled environment for rapid reconfiguration, mechanism isolation, quantitative measurement, and iterative engineering, ARCTRON can help mature concepts that would otherwise remain too speculative or too risky for evaluation in production facilities. The resulting knowledge can then guide the design of material models, focus test objectives in larger arcjets, reduce facility-development risk, and improve the physical basis of high-enthalpy ground testing. This work will present the ARCTRON architecture, operating modes, diagnostic suite, and digital experimental workflow. Initial experimental results from the first integrated operation of the facility will be presented, including flow characterization, power limitations, and deployment of the initial diagnostic suite. Ongoing development efforts aimed at catalycity characterization, magnetic plasma control, and advanced optical diagnostics will also be discussed, illustrating how the platform supports rapid iteration from concept to experiment.

experimental diagnostics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

ARCTRON: A Rapid Experimental Proving Ground for TPS Experiments and Arcjet Technology Development

Innovation in high-enthalpy facilities is fundamentally limited by the cost and risk of experimentation. New concepts for plasma control, diagnostics, facility components, and plasma-material interaction often require repeated iterations that are impractical to perform in production arcjets. As a result, promising ideas may remain unexplored or reach operational facilities only after significant development effort. ARCTRON is being developed as a rapid experimental proving ground where new ideas in plasma science, arcjet engineering, diagnostics, and material response can be conceived, tested, and quantitatively evaluated before transition to large-scale facilities. The platform combines radio-frequency (RF) and DC arc plasma generation, externally applied magnetic fields, configurable gas composition, reduced-pressure operation, laser heating, electrical biasing, and modular diagnostic access. These capabilities permit the plasma source, applied forcing, test article, and measurement configuration to be modified independently, allowing individual physical mechanisms to be isolated more readily than in a traditional test environment. One class of investigations addresses fundamental plasma-surface interaction physics. Conventional material tests often expose a specimen simultaneously to convective heating, reactive species, pressure, shear, radiation, and surface-current effects. The resulting material response may be measured accurately, while the contribution of each mechanism remains difficult to identify. ARCTRON is designed to vary these effects selectively. Plasma chemistry can be changed independently through configurable gas mixtures; magnetic fields and electrical biasing can modify charged-particle transport; laser heating can provide a non-plasma thermal input; and pressure, flow, and discharge mode can be varied over a broad operating space. This enables controlled tests of hypotheses involving surface catalycity, reactive-species transport, plasma-assisted oxidation, electromagnetic effects, shear, and the relative contributions of thermal and chemical loading. A second class of investigations enabled by this approach concerns the engineering of high-enthalpy facilities themselves. Arc-heated facilities are limited by electrode erosion, unstable arc attachment, localized heating, and damage to nozzles and other plasma-facing components. ARCTRON provides a lower-cost environment for testing concepts intended to mitigate these limitations. Candidate investigations include the use of applied magnetic fields to alter current paths and reduce plasma interaction with nozzle walls, ExB forcing to introduce controlled plasma rotation, magnetic or geometric approaches for distributing arc attachment, and alternative electrode or discharge configurations intended to reduce erosion and improve stability. Because the platform is reconfigurable, these concepts can be evaluated through repeated design--build--test cycles before they are considered for implementation in operational facilities. The platform also supports the development and validation of diagnostics that may be difficult to introduce initially into a large arcjet. Current and planned measurements include spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy, electrostatic probes, fast imaging, pyrometry, calorimetry, laser-induced fluorescence, and absorption spectroscopy. These diagnostics are intended not merely to document a nominal operating condition, but to constrain the local plasma state and its relationship to component or material response. The modular facility geometry allows diagnostic concepts to be tested, calibrated, and compared under repeatable conditions before deployment in more demanding environments. ARCTRON is also supported by an integrated software suite. Automated control and data acquisition allow discharge parameters, gas composition, magnetic fields, diagnostic timing, and test configuration to be recorded as part of each experiment (STARDAC - Software for Testing, Analysis, Research Data, and Control). The Backend for Experiment Analysis, Storage, and Traceability (BEAST) is a database that provides the infrastructure needed to associate heterogeneous measurements with facility configuration, specimen identity, calibration state, geometry, and analysis provenance. This backend is particularly important for exploratory campaigns, in which many related configurations may be tested, and the value of an individual experiment depends on its connection to earlier and subsequent iterations. Complementary analysis capabilities, including computer-vision-based transient response measurements (arcjetCV), three-dimensional surface reconstruction (STARSCAN), and model-based Bayesian inference (SHIELD), and tomography data analysis (TOMATO, PuMA) can be incorporated when required by a specific hypothesis without becoming the focus of every campaign. The central objective of ARCTRON is therefore not to maximize heat flux or reproduce a complete flight environment. Its purpose is to reduce the cost and time required to ask consequential questions about plasma behavior, plasma-facing materials, diagnostics, and arcjet technology. By providing a controlled environment for rapid reconfiguration, mechanism isolation, quantitative measurement, and iterative engineering, ARCTRON can help mature concepts that would otherwise remain too speculative or too risky for evaluation in production facilities. The resulting knowledge can then guide the design of material models, focus test objectives in larger arcjets, reduce facility-development risk, and improve the physical basis of high-enthalpy ground testing. This work will present the ARCTRON architecture, operating modes, diagnostic suite, and digital experimental workflow. Initial experimental results from the first integrated operation of the facility will be presented, including flow characterization, power limitations, and deployment of the initial diagnostic suite. Ongoing development efforts aimed at catalycity characterization, magnetic plasma control, and advanced optical diagnostics will also be discussed, illustrating how the platform supports rapid iteration from concept to experiment.

experimental diagnostics↗

NASA NTRS2008

In Situ Analysis of Martian Phyllosilicates Using the Chemin Minerological Instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

The CheMin minerological instrument on Mars Science Laboratory (MSL'09) [1] will return quantitive Xray diffraction data (XRD) and quantative X-ray fluorescence data (XRF;14<Z<92) from scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected from the Mars surface. Samples of 45-65 mm 3 from material sieved to less than 150 micrometers will be delivered through a funnel to one of 27 reusable sample cells (five additional cells on the sample wheel contain diffraction of fluorescence standards). Sample cells are 8-mm diamater discs with 7-micrometer thick Mylar or Kapton windows spaced 170 micrometers apart. Within this volume, the sample is shaken by piezoelectric vibration at sonic frequencies, causing the powder to flow past a narrow, collimated -ray beam in random orientation can be obtained even from minnerals exhibiting strong preferred orientation such as phylosilicates.

Blake, David F.↗

NASA NTRS2005

A Materials Compatibility and Thermal Stability Analysis of Common Hydrocarbon Fuels

A materials compatibility and thermal stability investigation was conducted using five common liquid hydrocarbon fuels and two structural materials. The tests were performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center Heated Tube Facility under environmental conditions similar to those encountered in regeneratively cooled rocket engines. Scanning-electron microscopic analysis in conjunction with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was utilized to characterize the condition of the tube inner wall surface and any carbon deposition or corrosion that was formed during selected runs. Results show that the carbon deposition process in stainless steel tubes was relatively insensitive to fuel type or test condition. The deposition rates were comparable for all fuels and none of the stainless steel test pieces showed any signs of corrosion. For tests conducted with copper tubing, the sulfur content of the fuel had a significant impact on both the condition of the tube wall and carbon deposition rates. Carbon deposition rates for the lowest sulfur fuels (2 ppm) were slightly higher than those recorded in the stainless steel tubes with no corrosion observed on the inner wall surface. For slightly higher sulfur content (25 ppm) fuels, nodules that intruded into the flow area were observed to form on the inner wall surface. These nodules induced moderate tube pressure drop increases. The highest sulfur content fuels (400 ppm) produced extensive wall pitting and dendritic copper sulfide growth that was continuous along the entire tube wall surface. The result of this tube degradation was the inability to maintain flow rate due to rapidly increasing test section pressure drops. Accompanying this corrosion were carbon deposition rates an order of magnitude greater than those observed in comparable stainless steel tests. The results of this investigation indicate that trace impurities in fuels (i.e. sulfur) can significantly impact the carbon deposition process and produce unacceptable corrosion levels in copper based structural materials.

Meyer, M. L.↗