Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Flow”

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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Broadband Rotational Spectroscopy in Uniform Supersonic Flows: Chirped Pulse/Uniform Flow for Reaction Dynamics and Low Temperature Kinetics

ConspectusThe study of gas-phase chemical reactions at very low temperatures first became possible with the development and implementation of the CRESU (French acronym for Reaction Kinetics in Uniform Supersonic Flows) technique. CRESU relies on a uniform supersonic flow produced by expansion of a gas through a Laval (convergent-divergent) nozzle to produce a wall-less reactor at temperatures from 10 to 200 K and densities of 1016-1018 cm-3 for the study of low temperature kinetics, with particular application to astrochemistry. In recent years, we have combined uniform flows with revolutionary advances in broadband rotational spectroscopy to yield an instrument that affords near-universal detection for novel applications in photodissociation, reaction dynamics, and kinetics. This combination of uniform supersonic flows with chirped-pulse Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy (Chirped-Pulse/Uniform Flow, CPUF) permits detection of any species with a modest dipole moment, thermalized to the uniform temperature of the gas flow, with isomer, conformer, and vibrational state specificity. In addition, the use of broadband, high-resolution, and time-dependent (microsecond time scale) micro- and mm-wave spectroscopy makes it an ideal tool for characterizing both transient and stable molecules, as well as studying their spectroscopy and dynamics.In this Account, we review recent advances made using the CPUF technique, including studies of photodissociation, radical-radical reaction dynamics, and low temperature kinetics. These studies highlight both the strength of universal and multiplexed detection and the challenges of coupling it to a high-density collisional environment. Product branching and product evolution as a function of time have been measured for astrochemically relevant systems, relying on the detailed characterization of these flow conditions via experiments and fluid dynamics simulations. In the photodissociation of isoxazole, an unusual heterocyclic molecule with a very low-energy conical intersection, we have identified 7 products in 5 reaction channels and determined the product branching, pointing to both direct and indirect pathways. We have also approached the same system from separated NO and C3H3 reactants to explore a broader range of the potential energy surface, demonstrating the power of multichannel branching measurements for complex radical-radical reactions. We determined the product branching in the C3H2 isomers in the photodissociation of the propargyl radical and identified the importance of a hydrogen atom catalyzed isomerization to the lowest energy cyclic form. This then motivated a study of direct D-H exchange reaction in radicals, in which we demonstrate that it is an important and overlooked pathway for deuterium fractionation in astrochemical environments. Recently, we have shown the measurement of low temperature kinetics inside an extended Laval nozzle, after which a shock-free secondary expansion to low temperature and density affords an ideal environment for detection by rotational spectroscopy. These results highlight the power and potential of the CPUF approach, and future prospects will also be discussed in light of these developments.

Dias, Nureshan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Liquid–Liquid Microfluidic Flows for Ultrafast 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural Extraction

We study the effects of liquid–liquid flow patterns on the extraction of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural from the aqueous phase into an organic phase (methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl acetate, and 2-pentanol) at ultrashort residence times of 0.2–20 s in a coiled capillary microchannel. Slug, droplet, slug-droplet, dispersed, parallel, annular, and irregular two-phase flow patterns are generated. We evaluate the extraction efficiency and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient via experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The CFD predictions are in quantitative agreement with the experimental data. The convective and diffusive contributions to the mass transfer of different flow patterns are analyzed. For all solvent pairs, the extraction efficiency varies irregularly with increasing flow rate due to changes in the mass transfer mechanism caused by a transition between flow regimes. Overall, we demonstrate >90% extraction efficiencies with high volumetric mass transfer coefficients ranging from 0.006 to 2.17 s–1. Furthermore, a merit index is defined to assess the trade-off between the fast mass transfer and the pressure drop in biphasic microchannels. In general, the mass transfer rate increases significantly at high flow rates at the expense of a high-pressure drop. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate/water irregular flow pattern is optimal due to a large throughput, extraction efficiency, and mass transfer coefficient, with a minimal pressure drop.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design and Analysis of the Open-Surface Slow Li Flow Divertor and Comparison to the Fast Li Flow Divertor

In the ongoing U.S. project, “Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components,” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, efforts have been taken to develop two open-surface divertor designs for the Fusion Nuclear Science Facility using liquid lithium (Li) as a heat and particle flux removal media. The main focus of this study is the design and analysis of a slow (~1 mm/s) and thin (<1 mm) open-surface Li flow divertor with a Li-cooled substrate, which is then compared with an earlier design of a fast (up to 10 m/s) and thick (~0.5 cm) Li flow divertor with the substrate cooled with helium. The slow Li flow divertor design is based on the original LiWall concept developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Such a thin and slow Li layer can remove the particle flux by reducing the recycling flux, while the heat flux is removed mainly through the heat sink located beneath. In the present study, the heat sink is provided through a Li cooling flow inside the substrate of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel. By performing a multiphysics analysis with COMSOL that included liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), heat transfer, and structural mechanics, the impact of various factors on the divertor heat removal capability, such as Li flow velocity, MHD effects, and inlet velocity boundary condition, were examined. Based on comparisons of the two divertor designs, it was shown that the fast-flow divertor significantly outperformed the slow-flow design, whose heat removal capability was limited to ~1 to 2 MW/m2.

Jiang, Yuchen [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283280284)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Particle charge distributions in the effluent of a flow-through atmospheric pressure low temperature plasma

Atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasmas are often utilized to perform particle synthesis, treatment, and removal. It is well-known that dust particles are highly negatively charged in these plasmas; however, little is known about dust particle charging behavior as particles leave the plasma volume and pass through the spatial afterglow region. In this work, monodisperse particles of various sizes and work functions were introduced into an atmospheric pressure radiofrequency capacitively coupled flow-through plasma. Dust particle electrical mobility distributions downstream of the flow-through plasma were measured utilizing a differential mobility analyzer in conjunction with a condensation particle counter at various gas flow velocities. Charge distributions were determined from the measured electrical mobility distributions. Experiments confirm that particles become less negatively charged, and even net-positively charged after leaving the plasma volume, with a distribution that follows a shifted Boltzmann charge distribution. Additionally, particle charge in the effluent of the flow-through plasma is negligibly dependent on work function but highly size and flow velocity dependent. Larger particles were shown to have a higher magnitude of charge under all studied conditions; however, particle polarity was switchable by varying gas flow velocity. The charging dynamics were simulated utilizing a constant number Monte Carlo model that accounts for electron temperature decay and the transition from ambipolar to free diffusion of electrons and ions in the spatial afterglow. Simulation results also suggest that, at the same flow velocity, larger particles obtain a greater magnitude of charge, negative or positive. Furthermore, the decrease in electron mobility and the difference between ion and electron convective loss rates create an ion-rich region in the plasma effluent that promotes ion–particle collisions and drives particle charge removal and even reversal of polarity. Larger particles more favorably collide with energetic species in these environments, which results in higher charge states.

atmospheric pressure low temperature plasma↗
DOE OSTI2022

Augmentation of WRF-Hydro to simulate overland-flow- and streamflow-generated debris flow susceptibility in burn scars

In steep wildfire-burned terrains, intense rainfall can produce large runoff that can trigger highly destructive debris flows. However, the ability to accurately characterize and forecast debris flow susceptibility in burned terrains using physics-based tools remains limited. Here, we augment the Weather Research and Forecasting Hydrological modeling system (WRF-Hydro) to simulate both overland and channelized flows and assess postfire debris flow susceptibility over a regional domain. We perform hindcast simulations using high-resolution weather-radar-derived precipitation and reanalysis data to drive non-burned baseline and burn scar sensitivity experiments. Our simulations focus on January 2021 when an atmospheric river triggered numerous debris flows within a wildfire burn scar in Big Sur – one of which destroyed California's famous Highway 1. Compared to the baseline, our burn scar simulation yields dramatic increases in total and peak discharge and shorter lags between rainfall onset and peak discharge, consistent with streamflow observations at nearby US Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow gage sites. For the 404 catchments located in the simulated burn scar area, median catchment-area-normalized peak discharge increases by ~ 450 % compared to the baseline. Catchments with anomalously high catchment-area-normalized peak discharge correspond well with post-event field-based and remotely sensed debris flow observations. We suggest that our regional postfire debris flow susceptibility analysis demonstrates WRF-Hydro as a compelling new physics-based tool whose utility could be further extended via coupling to sediment erosion and transport models and/or ensemble-based operational weather forecasts. Given the high-fidelity performance of our augmented version of WRF-Hydro, as well as its potential usage in probabilistic hazard forecasts, we argue for its continued development and application in postfire hydrologic and natural hazard assessments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Flow battery flow field having volume that is function of power parameter, time parameter and concentration parameter

A flow battery includes a cell that has first and second flow fields spaced apart from each other and an electrolyte separator layer. A supply/storage system is external of the cell and includes first and second vessels fluidly connected with the first and second flow fields, and first and second pumps configured to selectively move first and second fluid electrolytes between the vessels and the first and second flow fields. The flow fields each have an electrochemically active zone that is configured to receive flow of the fluid electrolytes. The electrochemically active zone has a total open volume that is a function of at least one of a power parameter of the flow battery, a time parameter of the pumps and a concentration parameter of the fluid electrolytes.

Smeltz, Andrew↗
DOE OSTI2020

Machine learning coupled multi-scale modeling for redox flow batteries

The reaction distribution in macro or device-scale has been studied for redox flow batteries. The reaction distribution on electrode pore-scale structure however is not well understood, lacking especially on how the reaction distribution on the pore-scale may impact the overall performance of a flow battery. This study introduces for the first time a framework of a multi-scale model that provides understanding of the relationship between the pore-scale electrode structure reaction and the device-scale electrochemical reaction uniformity within the flow battery. A reduced order model is constructed based on 128 pore-scale simulations, which provide a quantitative relationship between the battery operation conditions (inlet velocity, current density, inlet concentration) and the surface reaction uniformity for the pore-scale sample. The multi-scale framework upscales this pore-scale surface reaction uniformity to device-scale combined uniformity. Based on the multi-scale model, a time-varying optimization of the inlet velocity is established, leading to significant reduction on pump power consumption with targeted surface reaction uniformity. The multi-scale model establishes the critical link between the micro-structure of a flow battery component and its performance at the macro-scale, therefore providing rationale for further operational or material optimization.

flow batteries, machine learning, multi-scale mode↗
DOE OSTI2020

Geochemical narrowing of cement fracture aperture during multiphase flow of supercritical CO2 and brine

For carbon capture and storage operations, wells are used as a necessary conduit for injecting CO2 at depth, but they can also act as leakage conduits if the cement seals are compromised. The specific objective of this research was to investigate the nature of self-healing of a fracture within cement under multiphase flow of CO2 and brine, and to compare this to a newly developed model. This was accomplished through a laboratory investigation, flowing reacting supercritical CO2 and brine through a cement fracture with multiphase flow. The influent end of the fracture was degraded as evidenced by the formation of cracks across the surface. At the effluent end of the fracture, the initial aperture of 137 µm was reduced to 50 µm. This reduction by 87 µm was similar to results from a recently developed model tested in this study, which predicted an aperture reduction of 80 µm. Our results demonstrated that the model accurately predicted the reactions which occurred in this multiphase flow system.

wellbore, cement, fracture, multiphase-flow, super↗
DOE OSTI2024

Riemannian Optimization Applied to AC Optimal Power Flow: Preprint

The nonlinear, nonconvex AC optimal power flow problem is of growing importance as the nature of the power grid evolves. This problem can be difficult to solve for interior point methods. However, the advent of optimization algorithms over smooth Riemannian manifolds presents an alternative approach. The nonlinear, nonconvex constraints in the AC power flow problem form an embedded submanifold of Euclidean space. In this paper, the authors explore the performance of Riemannian optimization algorithms for the ACOPF problem where the optimization is performed directly on the AC power flow manifold. They demonstrate that these are viable computational alternatives to interior point methods. This is done by using Julia and the packages PowerModels.jl and Manopt.jl.

manifold optimization↗
DOE OSTI2023

Anisotropic flow and flow fluctuations of identified hadrons in Pb–Pb collisions at $ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The first measurements of elliptic flow of π ± , K ± , p+$\bar{p}$, K$_{S}^{0}$, Λ+$\bar{Λ}$, $\phi$, Ξ – +$\barΞ$ + , and Ω – +$\barΩ$ + using multiparticle cumulants in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$= 5.02 TeV are resented. Results obtained with two- (v 2 {2}) and four-particle cumulants (v 2 {4}) are shown as a function of transverse momentum, p T , for various collision centrality intervals. Combining the data for both v 2 {2} and v 2 {4} also allows us to report the first measurements of the mean elliptic flow, elliptic flow fluctuations, and relative elliptic flow fluctuations for various hadron species. These observables probe the event-by-event eccentricity fluctuations in the initial state and the contributions from the dynamic evolution of the expanding quark–gluon plasma. The characteristic features observed in previous p T -differential anisotropic flow measurements for identified hadrons with two-particle correlations, namely the mass ordering at low p T and the approximate scaling with the number of constituent quarks at intermediate p T , are similarly present in the four-particle correlations and the combinations of v 2 {2} and v 2 {4}. In addition, a particle species dependence of flow fluctuations is observed that could indicate a significant contribution from final state hadronic interactions. The comparison between experimental measurements and CoLBT model calculations, which combine the various physics processes of hydrodynamics, quark coalescence, and jet fragmentation, illustrates their importance over a wide p T range.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Modeling the AC Power Flow Equations with Optimally Compact Neural Networks: Application to Unit Commitment

Nonlinear power flow constraints render a variety of power system optimization problems computationally intractable. Emerging research shows, however, that the nonlinear AC power flow equations can be successfully modeled using neural networks. These neural networks can be exactly transformed into mixed integer linear programs and embedded inside challenging optimization problems, thus replacing nonlinearities that are intractable for many applications with tractable piecewise linear approximations. Such approaches, though, suffer from an explosion of the number of binary variables needed to represent the neural network. Accordingly, this paper develops a technique for training an "optimally compact'' neural network, i.e., one that can represent the power flow equations with a sufficiently high degree of accuracy while still maintaining a tractable number of binary variables. We demonstrate the use of this neural network as an approximator of the nonlinear power flow equations by embedding it in the AC unit commitment problem, transforming the problem from a mixed integer nonlinear program into a more manageable mixed integer linear program. We use the 14-, 57-, and 89-bus networks as test cases and compare the AC-feasibility of commitment decisions resulting from the neural network, DC, and linearized power flow approximations. Our results show that the neural network model outperforms both the DC and linearized power flow approximations when embedded in the unit commitment problem. The neural network formulation most often selects a feasible unit commitment schedule, and furthermore, it only s

AC power flow↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development and experimental evaluation of an acoustic flow meter prototype for measuring air flow

Here, this study outlines the development and testing of a flow meter prototype specifically designed for use in nuclear reactor environments. The meter uses flow-induced vibration to measure flow rates and is designed for remote monitoring in harsh environments where radiation can damage electronics. The device generates a vibration signal produced by a feedback system when fluid flows out of an orifice and interacts with a downstream wedge. The frequency of the vibration signal corresponds directly to flow rate and velocity. The study investigates geometric parameters intrinsic to the prototype, such as orifice height, width, edge distance, and chamber length. Different configurations were also tested, including a bypass loop with variable cross-sections around the device. The investigation results reveal the impact of these geometric parameters on the vibration signal output, providing valuable insights for future design improvements and enhancing the effectiveness of flow metering systems used in nuclear reactor applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of a radial flow profile with eddy current flow meters and deep neural networks

Eddy current flow meters (ECFMs) measure flows of conductive fluids. Recent interest in ECFMs has increased due to applications in advanced nuclear reactors. ECFMs are well suited for such applications, as they can provide non-invasive measurements of flow in fluids that are often difficult to measure. Traditionally, ECFMs are operated using an alternating current at a single frequency, limiting ECFMs to measure average fluid velocities, blockages, or voids. Here, we expand the capabilities of ECFMs by measuring the fluid radial velocity profile of liquid mercury. To accomplish this, we made several ECFM sensitivity measurements at a range of frequencies. Different frequencies vary the electromagnetic skin depth of the device. By adjusting frequencies, we probed the fluid velocity at various radial locations and constructed a flow-velocity profile. The relationship between the ECFM measurements and velocity profile is nonlinear and requires solving an inverse problem. Using electromagnetic finite-element simulations to train a deep neural network (DNN), we created a model that provides a stable general relationship between the sensitivity measurements of an ECFM and the fluid velocity profile. Using ECFM measurements of liquid mercury, our DNN model calculates a flow profile that agrees well with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. This technique has potential to improve flow monitoring for optimization, safe operation of conductive fluid loops, and/or validating complex CFD models.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Significance of the Direct Excitation Mechanism for High-Frequency Response of Premixed Flames to Flow Oscillations

Premixed flames are sensitive to flow disturbances, which can arise from acoustic or vortical fluctuations. For transverse instabilities, it is known that a dominant mechanism for flame response is “injector coupling,” whereby pressure oscillations associated with transverse waves excite axial flow disturbances. These axial flow disturbances then excite heat release oscillations. The objective of this paper is to consider another mechanism—the direct sensitivity of the unsteady heat release to transverse acoustic waves—and to compare its significance relative to the induced axial disturbances, in a linear framework. The rate at which the flame adds energy to the disturbance field is quantified using the Rayleigh criterion and evaluated over a range of control parameters, such as flame length and swirl number. The results show that radial modes induce heat release fluctuations that always add energy to the acoustic field, whereas heat release fluctuations induced by mixed radial-azimuthal modes can add or remove energy. These amplification rates are then compared to the flame response from induced axial fluctuations. For combustor-centered flames, these results show that the direct excitation mechanism has negligible amplification rates relative to the induced axial mechanism for radial modes. For transverse modes, the fact that the nozzle is located at a pressure node indicates that negligible induced axial velocity disturbances are excited; as such, the direct mechanism dominates. As a result, for flames that are not centered on pressure nodes, the direct mechanism for mixed modes dominates for certain nozzle locations and flame angles.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Pele Simulation Suite for Reacting Flows at Exascale

In this work, we present the Pele suite of software tools for compressible and incompressible reacting flows. The Pele suite leverages several different libraries, notably AMReX and SUNDIALS, to achieve performance portability on heterogeneous computing architectures across the supercomputing landscape. The Pele suite is comprised of PeleC, a compressible reacting flow block-structured adaptive mesh refinement solver, PeleLMeX, a low-Mach number reacting flow block-structured adaptive mesh refinement solver, Pele-Physics, a library for transport, thermodynamics, finite rate chemistry, soot, spray and radiation physics. The objective of this paper is (i) to present the code development efforts necessary to achieve highly effective and scalable applications for exascale machines and (ii) to detail the performance results of the Combustion-Pele project applications on Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Frontier. We show good weak and strong scaling results for both PeleC and PeleLMeX up to more than 50 billion cells on more than 4096 Frontier graphics processing unit nodes. We also present a capability demonstration simulation of a dual-fuel pulse compression ignition engine (six adaptive mesh refinement levels, and 60 billion cells or 2.1 trillion degrees of freedom) on Frontier, to date one of the largest simulations performed on the first exascale-class supercomputer.

adaptive mesh refinement↗
DOE OSTI2021

Coupling Surface Flow with High-performance Subsurface Reactive Flow and Transport Code PFLOTRAN

Water exchange between the surface and subsurface is important for both water resource management and environmental protection. In this paper, we develop coupled surface and subsurface flow simulation capability in a parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code PFLOTRAN. We sequentially couple the diffusion wave-based surface flow with the subsurface flow governedby the Richards equation in PFLOTRAN. These two flow domains are linked with a boundary condition switching method that ensures continuity of pressure and flux at the surface-subsurface interface. We verify the coupled code against other existing hydrologic models and observation data using a number of numerical experiments. The coupled hydrological model exhibits good performance in strong parallel scaling tests. The new coupled surface and subsurface simulator significantly advance community simulation capability towards improving integrated hydrologic and biogeochemical understanding of complex systems such as watersheds and river corridors. Keywords: Surface flow, Integrated hydrological modeling, Boundary condition switching, Parallel computing

Wu, Runjian↗