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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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This dataset contains the publicly available data for the publication "Stability analysis of WEST L-mode discharges with improved confinement from boron powder injection" by Bodner et al. The data is stored as both matlab save files (.mat) and text files (.txt). Instructions on how to the reproduce the figures are detailed in the included README.txt file.
Psychophysiological effects of confinement on man, especially isolation and sensory deprivation, as factor in manned space flight
Individual and group psychological responses of healthy men confined for 34 days
Physical and chemical properties of human sweat and factors affecting water balance in confined spaces
Changes in human motor coordination after prolonged confinement in small chamber
This work describes an approach for recovering images from tightly confined spaces using multimode and analytically demonstrates that the concept is sound.
Solid fuel combustion experiments aboard the ISS examine the effects of confinement on a concurrent, purely-forced-flow flame spread in microgravity environment. The results for a thin, cotton-fiberglass-blended textile fabric fuel are presented. Flat baffles of differing materials are used to alter the radiative boundary conditions with transparent polycarbonate, black anodized aluminum (reflectance ~ 0), and highly polished aluminum (reflectance ~ 1). The baffles are parallel to the fuel sheet and placed symmetrically on each side. The inter-baffle distance is varied to change the boundary conditions for the flow. In all tests, samples are ignited at the upstream leading edge and allowed to burn to completion. Results show that the flame reaches a steady length and spread rate at low flow speeds (< 15 cm/s) for all tested inter-baffle distances. As the distance decreases, the flame length and spread rate first increase then decrease showing an optimal inter-baffle distance. For all baffle types, the flame either fails to ignite or extinguishes before reaching the end of the sample when the inter-baffle distance is too small (~ 1 cm). This is attributed to the reduction of oxygen supply to the flame zone and heat loss to the baffles. The results also show at the same inter-baffle distance, flame length and spread rate are highest for polished aluminum baffles, and lowest for transparent polycarbonate baffles. The differences are most prominent at intermediate tested baffle distances. While the radiative heat feedback from the baffles is expected to increase when the baffle distance decreases, the combustion is limited by the reduced oxygen supply. Near this limit, flame lengths and spread rates are similar for all baffle types.
NASA and the US Navy have demonstrated Lattice Confinement Fusion (LCF) and the Fusion-Fast-Fission of natural uranium and thorium. Both methods build upon decades of research, and the latter benefits from conventional nuclear fission and fusion results. However, this nascent technology doesn’t require fissile isotopes and avoids nuclear weapons proliferation concerns from uranium 235U isotopic enrichment or plutonium 239Pu separation. Of particular note, LCF doesn’t need power hungry magnets, lasers, or particle beams. Potentially, it could provide watts to hundreds of kilowatts of electrical power and process heat suitable for space power and high Isp nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) as well as distributed terrestrial power. Finally, there are indications that LCF fast-fission products are more benign than those of conventional fission reactors. Our goal is to scale the reactions and increase the power output through higher temperature operation and increased material masses.
Lattice Confinement Fusion (LCF) • Published 2020, Physical Review C 1,2 • Patented and Commercialized 2024, Astral Systems • LCF in compact neutron generator 50x increase in neutron flux, 99% from LCF • Produce medical radioisotopes • LCF Fast-Fission Hybrid Reaction • No Enriched Uranium • Demonstrated with US Navy and GEC • Modeling and Scaling under NIAC and NSF funding • Application • Deep space • Power: Icy worlds • Propulsion: Nuclear Electric Propulsion • Planetary Surface Power: Lunar and Mars • Terrestrial • DoD Operational Energy • Onsite power for Data Centers
Utilizing the principles outlined in the two Physical Review C papers published in 2020 by the LCF research team at GRC, Astral Systems Ltd., has been able to boost d-D fusion neutron output by at least 50 times compared to a commercially available neutron generator predecessor. Astral Systems Ltd., reports that 99 percent of the fusion reactions are produced by LCF within their Electrostatic Confinement plasma-based fusion in a single device.
Lattice Confinement Fusion (LCF) • Published 2020, Physical Review C 1,2 • Patented and Commercialized 2024, Astral Systems • LCF in compact neutron generator 50x increase in neutron flux, 99% from LCF • Produce medical radioisotopes • LCF Fast-Fission Hybrid Reaction • No Enriched Uranium • Demonstrated with US Navy and GEC • Modeling and Scaling under NIAC and NSF funding • Application • Deep space • Power: Icy worlds • Propulsion: Nuclear Electric Propulsion • Planetary Surface Power: Lunar and Mars • Terrestrial • DoD Operational Energy • Onsite power for Data Centers
This ECAR documents airflow values calculated for the Upper Confinement Structure (UCS) design, which is a subsystem of the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) reactor. These airflow values are calculated based on current design parameters and heat removal requirements and are needed to verify the UCS can adequately maintain a target design temperature.
This report documents a bounding post-shutdown dose rates over time in the upper confinement area and above the top of the TREXc Pit Shield at the end of two years of operation of the MARVEL microreactor. The dose rates take into consideration the doses from the core fission products, the sodium-potassium coolant (NaK), the steel components, the Stirling engines, and the gallium eutectic (EGaInSn) secondary coolant. The MCNP model in this analysis is based on the 90% design of the MARVEL reactor from ECAR- 7447. Neutron fluence used as inputs to this analysis were calculated in ECAR-7447.
Membrane-based carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture has attracted great research interest owing to its potential for higher separation efficiency and lower energy consumption. However, it is still a challenging task to capture CO 2 with membrane from flue gas, especially under moderate-temperature and high-humidity conditions. Here, a stable CO 2 -selective membrane that can operate at temperatures up to 90 °C and under high humidity is reported. The positively charged amine carriers for CO 2 are confined within the negatively charged polymer modified carbon nanotube (CNT) network. In this structure, interconnected CNTs act as the framework for the selective layer and provide numerous nanochannels for gas transport. The negatively charged polymer ensures the carrier stability and further regulates the size of nanochannels in the CNT network. By virtue of carrier-facilitated transport, high CO 2 permeance (up to 3300 gas permeation units) and high CO 2 /N 2 selectivity (400) are achieved under simulated flue gas conditions. Moreover, theoretical calculations verify that the stable separation performance is due to the strong electrostatic interaction between the amine carriers and polymer matrix. The high performance and good stability indicate the great potential of this novel membrane structure for practical application in CO 2 capture.
Advanced battery electrodes require a cautious design of microscale particles with built-in nanoscale features to exploit the advantages of both micro- and nano-particles relative to their performance attributes. Herein, the dynamic behavior of nanosized Sn clusters and their host pores in carbon nanofiber) during sodiation and desodiation is revealed using a state-of-the-art 3D electron microscopic reconstruction technique. For the first time, the anomalous expansion of Sn clusters after desodiation is observed owing to the aggregation of clusters/single atoms. Pore connectivity is retained despite the anomalous expansion, suggesting inhibition of solid electrolyte interface formation in the sub-2-nm pores. Taking advantage of the built-in nanoconfinement feature, the CNF film with nanometer-sized interconnected pores hosting Sn clusters (≈2 nm) enables high utilization (95% at a high rate of 1 A g –1 ) of Sn active sites while maintaining an improved initial Coulombic efficiency of 87%. Finally, the findings provide insights into electrochemical reactions in a confined space and a guiding principle in electrode design for battery applications.
Abstract Topological defects (TDs) have become a sensational topic due to their significant influence on the unusual optical and physiochemical characteristics of the material. To facilitate their application across a wide range of disciplines it is desirable to analyze and gain fundamental understanding of TDs in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems. Liquid crystals (LCs) are considered an ideal system for study given the direct visualization of TDs and a straightforward analyzation process. In addition to the equilibrium morphology of LC TDs, it is also of great interest to track and control the formation and annihilation of defects during thermodynamic processes. However, controlling the dynamic behavior of formed defects remains a challenge. Here, nematic LCs confined in a cell exhibiting surfaces with periodic anchoring conditions containing surface topography are relied on. The effects of patterned surface characteristics such as width, periodicity, and degree of curvature on defects dynamic motion, stabilization, and annihilation are explored. The computational experiments recapitulate the TDs transition path and provide free energy‐based predictions of critical distances for defect annihilation. Taken together, this simple approach offers a promising opportunity to control the dynamics of TDs in LCs through chemical patterned surfaces with topography.
Abstract One striking feature of enzyme is its controllable ability to trap substrates via synergistic or cooperative binding in the enzymatic pocket, which renders the shape‐selectivity of product by the confined spatial environment. The success of shape‐selective catalysis relies on the ability of enzyme to tune the thermodynamics and kinetics for chemical reactions. In emulation of enzyme's ability, we showcase herein a targeting strategy with the substrate being anchored on the internal pore wall of metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), taking full advantage of the sterically kinetic control to achieve shape‐selectivity for the reactions. For this purpose, a series of binding site‐accessible metal metalloporphyrin‐frameworks (MMPFs) have been investigated to shed light on the nature of enzyme‐mimic catalysis. They exhibit a different density of binding sites that are well arranged into the nanospace with corresponding distances of opposite binding sites. Such a structural specificity results in a facile switch in selectivity from an exclusive formation of the thermodynamically stable product to the kinetic product. Thus, the proposed targeting strategy, based on the combination of porous materials and binding events, paves a new way to develop highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for shifting selectivity.
One striking feature of enzyme is its controllable ability to trap substrates via synergistic or cooperative binding in the enzymatic pocket, which renders the shape-selectivity of product by the confined spatial environment. The success of shape-selective catalysis relies on the ability of enzyme to tune the thermodynamics and kinetics for chemical reactions. In emulation of enzyme's ability, we showcase herein a targeting strategy with the substrate being anchored on the internal pore wall of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), taking full advantage of the sterically kinetic control to achieve shape-selectivity for the reactions. For this purpose, a series of binding site-accessible metal metalloporphyrin-frameworks (MMPFs) have been investigated to shed light on the nature of enzyme-mimic catalysis. They exhibit a different density of binding sites that are well arranged into the nanospace with corresponding distances of opposite binding sites. Furthermore, such a structural specificity results in a facile switch in selectivity from an exclusive formation of the thermodynamically stable product to the kinetic product. Thus, the proposed targeting strategy, based on the combination of porous materials and binding events, paves a new way to develop highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for shifting selectivity.