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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Loci/STREAM Sharp Interface Model Validation of Cryogenic Propellant Tank Self-Pressurization

This paper documents a model validation effort for the prediction of cryogenic propellant tank selfpressurization physics using the Loci/STREAM sharp interface CFD model developed at NASA MSFC. Cryogenic fluid management (CFM) applications for long duration spaceflight missions require accurate modeling of heat transfer and thermodynamics. Therefore, detailed validation of those physics is important to ensure simulation accuracy. In the past, the MSFC Propulsion Fluid Dynamics Branch has validated and used the Loci/STREAM Volume of Fluid (VOF) module extensively for propellant slosh applications, which are dominated by fluid motion. For cases where the interface gas/liquid interface is essentially static, the Loci/STREAM sharp interface was developed for more rapid and efficient CFM analysis. In the present study, Loci/STREAM sharp interface simulations were compared with the NASA K-site self-pressurization experiment of a flight weight, partially full, LH2 tank in normal gravity. This study investigated several parametric effects and made a number of important observations on the performance of the Loci/STREAM sharp interface method: - First, a homogeneous model was derived to verify the CFD model. The homogeneous model assumes both gas and liquid phases are uniform and are at saturation temperature. The predicted pressure rise rates at 3.5 W/m2 and 2.0 W/m2 with a 49% fill level are all lower than the experimental measurement. This is expected due to the observed temperature stratification near the gas-liquid interface during testing. - The k-w and k-e turbulence models predict comparable pressurization rates, which are much lower than the experiment measurement. On the other hand, the pressure values and pressurization rates from both models are almost the same as those of the homogeneous model. The current turbulence model is too diffusive and is not capable of capturing the thermal stratification in the liquid and ullage. - When using the laminar flow model, the pressurization rate is found to be very close to the experimental value when a quasi-steady flow field is allowed to develop by continuously venting the tank prior to pressurization as was done during testing. On the other hand, without initial venting, the rate is not constant. Additionally, the development time to reach a quasi-steady flow field differed from the experiment due to the lack of turbulent mixing away from the gas-liquid interface that is expected in reality. - Using the laminar flow model and appropriate initial conditioning, the pressurization rate is within 15% of the experimental value for 49% fill level at 3.5 W/m 2 and is within 18% for 2.0 W/m 2 heat loading. - Using the laminar flow model and appropriate initial conditioning, the pressurization rate is within 18% of the experimental value for a 29% fill level and within 15% for an 83% fill level.

H. Q. Yang↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development and Validation of a Slosh-Based Ullage Collapse Model

Ullage collapse modeling is an essential tool for the success of spacecraft powered by cryogenic propellants. The degree of ullage collapse can have a major impact on the design of cryogenic propellant tanks as well as the mission’s concept of operations. Additional commodities (e.g., helium gas for pressure control) and their quantities are dependent on the amount of heat transfer and phase change of propellants expected during flight. Currently, high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with heat transfer and phase change is the most accurate method for predicting ullage collapse. CFD simulations of this kind, however, can become very costly for problems requiring large domains, long simulation times, or significant liquid motion. Consequently, there is a need for a reduced order model to provide fast responses which can be used in engineering design decisions. The proposed numerical model is a nodal approach, augmented by outputs from CFD analyses that are generated rapidly and reliably. These outputs include transient values for liquid-vapor interface area, interface velocity, and liquid position using a volume of fluid (VoF) method. There are several benefits of combining a nodal approach with slosh predictions from CFD simulations: leveraging of the Loci/STREAM-VoF solver that has been validated in high-g and low-g environments, rapid modeling of VoF with isothermal propellant simplifications and relatively coarse meshes, and improved model predictions from the nodal tool. The nodal approach, informed by the slosh predictions from CFD, assumes uniform conditions in the liquid and gas domains. Modifications to account for temperature stratification in the liquid and gas may be implemented as a future improvement. Thermodynamic changes within the tank are solved at user-defined timesteps. First, impacts due to mass entering or leaving the control volume are captured. Second, heat transfer impacts are accounted for by tracking the volume of the gas which has been contacted by liquid in that timestep and rebalancing the internal energy. Finally, phase change is approximated using the area and velocity of the interface. The tank conditions are re-computed by conserving mass and energy. Calibration of the model to several test flights and experiments are required to baseline the predictive power and uncertainty. The final product will enable designers and engineers to create quick-turnaround predictions for ullage collapse and inform design feasibility.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗
NASA NTRS1971

Prediction of the effects of thermal stratification on pressure and temperature response of the Apollo supercritical oxygen tank

A semiempirical design-oriented model has been developed for the prediction of the effects of thermal stratification on tank pressure and heater temperature response for the Apollo supercritical oxygen tank. The heat transfer formulation describes laminar free convection at low-g and takes into account the radiation and conduction processes occurring in the tank. The nonequilibrium thermodynamic behavior of the system due to localized heating of the stored fluid is represented by the characteristics of a discrete number of fluid regions and thermal nodes. Solutions to the time dependent variable fluid property problem are obtained through the use of a reference temperature procedure. A criterion which establishes the reference temperature as a function of the fluid density ratio is derived. The analytical results are compared with the flight data.

Chen, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Theory of droplet. Part 1: Renormalized laws of droplet vaporization in non-dilute sprays

The vaporization of a droplet, interacting with its neighbors in a non-dilute spray environment is examined as well as a vaporization scaling law established on the basis of a recently developed theory of renormalized droplet. The interacting droplet consists of a centrally located droplet and its vapor bubble which is surrounded by a cloud of droplets. The distribution of the droplets and the size of the cloud are characterized by a pair-distribution function. The vaporization of a droplet is retarded by the collective thermal quenching, the vapor concentration accumulated in the outer sphere, and by the limited percolative passages for mass, momentum and energy fluxes. The retardation is scaled by the local collective interaction parameters (group combustion number of renormalized droplet, droplet spacing, renormalization number and local ambient conditions). The numerical results of a selected case study reveal that the vaporization correction factor falls from unity monotonically as the group combustion number increases, and saturation is likely to occur when the group combustion number reaches 35 to 40 with interdroplet spacing of 7.5 diameters and an environment temperature of 500 K. The scaling law suggests that dense sprays can be classified into: (1) a diffusively dense cloud characterized by uniform thermal quenching in the cloud; (2) a stratified dense cloud characterized by a radial stratification in temperature by the differential thermal quenching of the cloud; or (3) a sharply dense cloud marked by fine structure in the quasi-droplet cloud and the corresponding variation in the correction factor due to the variation in the topological structure of the cloud characterized by a pair-distribution function of quasi-droplets.

Chiu, H. H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph - Evidence for photospheric microturbulence in early O stars - Are surface gravities systematically underestimated?

GHRS spectra of two very hot stars provide evidence for the presence of microturbulence in their photospheres. In attempting to reproduce the observed spectra, theoretical models have been built in which the microturbulence is allowed to modify not only the Doppler line widths (classical 'spectroscopic' microturbulence), but also the turbulent pressure (thus mimicking a 'physical' turbulence). It is found that a corresponding modification of the temperature-pressure stratification influences the hydrogen and helium line profiles to the extent that the surface gravities of early O stars determined without considering microturbulence are too low by 0.1-0.15 dex. Thus, including microturbulence would reduce, or resolve completely, a long-standing discrepancy between evolutionary and spectroscopic stellar masses.

Hubeny, I.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Exploring the Influence of Impervious Surface Density and Shape on Urban Heat Islands in the Northeast USA Using MODIS and Landsat

Impervious surface area (ISA) from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001 and land surface temperature (LST) from MODIS averaged over three annual cycles (2003-2005) are used in a spatial analysis to assess the urban heat island (UHI) signature and its relationship to settlement size and shape, development intensity distribution, and land cover composition for 42 urban settlements embedded in forest biomes in the Northeastern United States. Development intensity zones, based on percent ISA, are defined for each urban area emanating outward from the urban core to nearby rural areas and are used to stratify land surface temperature. The stratification is further constrained by biome type and elevation to insure objective intercomparisons between urban zones within an urban settlement and between settlements. Stratification based on ISA allows the definition of hierarchically ordered urban zones that are consistent across urban settlements and scales. In addition to the surrounding ecological context, we find that the settlement size and shape as well as the development intensity distribution significantly influence the amplitude of summer daytime UHI. Within the Northeastern US temperate broadleaf mixed forest, UHI magnitude is positively related to the logarithm of the urban area size. Our study indicates that for similar urban area sizes, the development intensity distribution is one of the major drivers of UHI. In addition to urban area size and development intensity distribution, this analysis shows that both the shape of the urban area and the land cover composition in the surrounding rural area play an important role in modulating the UHI magnitude in different urban settlements. Our results indicate that remotely sensed urban area size and shape as well as the development intensity distribution influence UHI amplitude across regional scales.

Zhang, Ping↗
NASA NTRS2012

Risk Assessment and Scaling for the SLS LH2 ET

In this report the main physics processes in LH2 tank during prepress and rocket flight are studied. The goal of this investigation is to analyze possible hazards and to make risk assessment in proposed LH2 tank designs for SLS with 5 engines (the situation with 4 engines is less critical). For analysis we use the multinode model (MNM) developed by us and presented in a separate report and also 3D ANSYS simulations. We carry out simulation and theoretical analysis the physics processes such as (i) accumulation of bubbles in LH2 during replenish stage and their collapsing in the liquid during the prepress; (ii) condensation-evaporation at the liquid-vapor interface and tank wall, (iv) heating the liquid near the interface and wall due to condensation and environment heat, (v) injection of hot He during prepress and of hot GH2 during flight, (vi) mixing and cooling of the injected gases due to heat transfer between the gases, liquid and the tank wall. We analyze the effects of these physical processes on the thermo- and fluid gas dynamics in the ullage and on the stratification of temperature in the liquid and assess the associated hazards. A special emphasize is put on the scaling predictions for the larger SLS LH2 tank.

Hafiychuk, Halyna↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lessons Learned in Hydrogen System Operation

NASA has learned extensive lessons on the operations of hydrogen systems during the developments and operations of space hardware. A subset of these lessons that are useful for aircraft and terrestrial applications using liquid hydrogen are presented to help disseminate the information learned. Discussion includes test data, analysis, and observations on cryogenic insulation systems, stratification and temperature gradients within tank systems, fittings to reduce leakage, and integration of refrigeration systems within a cryogenic fluids system.

Liquid Hydrogen↗
NASA NTRS2007

An Improved Model of Cryogenic Propellant Stratification in a Rotating, Reduced Gravity Environment

This paper builds on a series of analytical literature models used to predict thermal stratification within rocket propellant tanks. The primary contribution to the literature is to add the effect of tank rotation and to demonstrate the influence of rotation on stratification times and temperatures. This work also looks levels of thermal stratification for generic propellant tanks (cylindrical shapes) over a parametric range of upper-stage coast times, heating levels, rotation rates, and gravity levels.

Oliveira, Justin↗
NASA NTRS1975

Temperature waves in a stratified sea

Calculations on the effect of density stratification on the propagation of temperature waves show that in layers with a positive maximum density gradient the temperature waves damp out more quickly. In a linear distribution of density with depth and a constant intensity of turbulent exchange, density stratification makes temperature wave amplitudes inversely proportional to density distribution in comparison with values from the open uniform sea.

Vanlan, V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Measurement of the Specific Heat Using a Gravity Cancellation Approach

The specific heat at constant volume C(sob V) of a simple fluid diverges near its liquid-vapor critical point. However, gravity-induced density stratification due to the divergence of isothermal susceptibility hinders the direct comparison of the experimental data with the predictions of renormalization group theory. In the past, a microgravity environment has been considered essential to eliminate the density stratification. We propose to perform specific heat measurements of He-3 on the ground using a method to cancel the density stratification. A He-3 fluid layer will be heated from below, using the thermal expansion of the fluid to cancel the hydrostatic compression. A 6% density stratification at a reduced temperature of 10(exp -5) can be cancelled to better than 0.1% with a steady 1.7 micro K temperature difference across a 0.05 cm thick fluid layer. A conventional AC calorimetry technique will be used to determine the heat capacity. The minimized bulk density stratification with a relaxation time 6500 sec at a reduced temperature of 10(exp -5) will stay unchanged during 1 Hz AC heating. The smear of the specific heat divergence due to the temperature difference across the cell is about 0.1% at a reduced temperature of 10(exp -6). The combination of using High Resolution Thermometry with a 0.5 n K temperature resolution in the AC technique and the cancellation of the density stratification will enable C(sub V) to be measured down to a reduced temperature of 10(exp -6) with less than a 1% systematic error.

Zhong, Fang↗
NASA NTRS1931

Measurements of vertical air currents in the atmosphere

To summarize, the experiments with balloons, sailplanes and light airplanes conducted thus far, reveal the vertical velocities of the air to be primarily dependent on the vertical temperature distribution. Stable stratifications result in up-and-down currents forced by the contour of the ground, which are readily recognized in flight and, if need be, may be avoided.

Lange, K O↗
NASA NTRS2023

Phytoplankton Diversity and Chemotaxonomy in Contrasting North Pacific Ecosystems

Background. Phytoplankton is the base of majority of ocean ecosystems. It is responsible for half of the global primary production, and different phytoplankton taxa have a unique role in global biogeochemical cycles. In addition, phytoplankton abundance and diversity are highly susceptible to climate induced changes, hence monitoring of phytoplankton and its diversity is important and necessary. Methods. Water samples for phytoplankton and photosynthetic pigment analyses were collected in boreal winter 2017, along transect in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) and the California Current System (CCS). Phytoplankton community was analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy and photosynthetic pigments by high-performance liquid chromatography. To describe distinct ecosystems, monthly average satellite data of MODIS Aqua Sea Surface temperature and Chlorophyll a concentration, as well as Apparent Visible Wavelength were used. Results. A total of 207 taxa have been determined, mostly comprised of coccolithophores (35.5%), diatoms (25.2%) and dinoflagellates (19.5%) while cryptophytes, phytoflagellates and silicoflagellates were included in the group ``others" (19.8%). Phytoplankton spatial distribution was distinct, indicating variable planktonic dispersal rates and specific adaptation to ecosystems. Dinoflagellates, and nano-scale coccolithophores dominated NPSG, while micro-scale diatoms, and cryptophytes prevailed in CCS. A clear split between CCS and NPSG is evident in dendogram visualising LINKTREE constrained binary divisive clustering analysis done on phytoplankton counts and pigment oncentrations. Of all pigments determined, alloxanthin, zeaxanthin, divinyl chlorophyll b and lutein have highest correlation to phytoplankton counts. Conclusion. Combining chemotaxonomy and microscopy is an optimal method to determine phytoplankton diversity on a large-scale transect. Distinct communities between the two contrasting ecosystems of North Pacific reveal phytoplankton groups specific adaptations to trophic state, and support the hypothesis of shift from microto nano-scale taxa due to sea surface temperatures rising, favoring stratification and oligotrophic conditions.

oceanography↗
NASA NTRS1971

Correlation of Apollo oxygen tank thermodynamic performance predictions

Parameters necessary to analyze the stratified performance of the Apollo oxygen tanks include g levels, tank elasticity, flow rates and pressurized volumes. Methods for estimating g levels and flow rates from flight plans prior to flight, and from quidance and system data for use in the post flight analysis are described. Equilibrium thermodynamic equations are developed for the effects of tank elasticity and pressurized volumes on the tank pressure response and their relative magnitudes are discussed. Correlations of tank pressures and heater temperatures from flight data with the results of a stratification model are shown. Heater temperatures were also estimated with empirical heat transfer agreement with flight data when fluid properties were averaged rather than evaluated at the mean film temperature.

Patterson, H. W.↗