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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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At least 541 records · Page 30

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NASA NTRS1981

PAN AIR: A Computer Program for Predicting Subsonic or Supersonic Linear Potential Flows About Arbitrary Configurations Using a Higher Order Panel Method: Theory Document (Version 1.1) - Volume 1

An outline of the derivation of the differential equation governing linear subsonic and supersonic potential flow is given. The use of Green's Theorem to obtain an integral equation over the boundary surface is discussed. The engineering techniques incorporated in the PAN AIR (Panel Aerodynamics) program (a discretization method which solves the integral equation for arbitrary first order boundary conditions) are then discussed in detail. Items discussed include the construction of the compressibility transformations, splining techniques, imposition of the boundary conditions, influence coefficient computation (including the concept of the finite part of an integral), computation of pressure coefficients, and computation of forces and moments.

Magnus, Alfred E.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Vibrational levels of a generalized Morse potential

A Generalized Morse Potential (GMP) is an extension of the Morse Potential (MP) with an additional exponential term and an additional parameter that compensate for MP’s erroneous behavior in the long range part of the interaction potential. Because of the additional term and parameter, the vibrational levels of the GMP cannot be solved analytically, unlike the case for the MP. We present several numerical approaches for solving the vibrational problem of the GMP based on Galerkin methods, namely, the Laguerre Polynomial Method (LPM), the Symmetrized LPM, and the Polynomial Expansion Method (PEM), and apply them to the vibrational levels of the homonuclear diatomic molecules B 2 , O 2 , and F 2 , for which high level theoretical near full configuration interaction (CI) electronic ground state potential energy surfaces and experimentally measured vibrational levels have been reported. Overall, the LPM produces vibrational states for the GMP that are converged to within spectroscopic accuracy of 0.01 cm –1 in between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude faster and with much fewer basis functions/grid points than the Colbert–Miller Discrete Variable Representation (CN-DVR) method for the three homonuclear diatomic molecules examined in this study.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS2007

Transient Numerical Modeling of Catalytic Channels

This paper presents a transient model of catalytic combustion suitable for isolated channels and monolith reactors. The model is a lumped two-phase (gas and solid) model where the gas phase is quasi-steady relative to the transient solid. Axial diffusion is neglected in the gas phase; lateral diffusion, however, is accounted for using transfer coefficients. The solid phase includes axial heat conduction and external heat loss due to convection and radiation. The combustion process utilizes detailed gas and surface reaction models. The gas-phase model becomes a system of stiff ordinary differential equations while the solid phase reduces, after discretization, into a system of stiff ordinary differential-algebraic equations. The time evolution of the system came from alternating integrations of the quasi-steady gas and transient solid. This work outlines the numerical model and presents some sensitivity studies on important parameters including internal transfer coefficients, catalytic surface site density, and external heat-loss (if applicable). The model is compared to two experiments using CO fuel: (1) steady-state conversion through an isothermal platinum (Pt) tube and (2) transient propagation of a catalytic reaction inside a small Pt tube. The model requires internal mass-transfer resistance to match the experiments at lower residence times. Under mass-transport limited conditions, the model reasonably predicted exit conversion using global mass-transfer coefficients. Near light-off, the model results did not match the experiment precisely even after adjustment of mass-transfer coefficients. Agreement improved for the first case after adjusting the surface kinetics such that the net rate of CO adsorption increased compared to O2. The CO / O2 surface mechanism came from a sub-set of reactions in a popular CH4 / O2 mechanism. For the second case, predictions improved for lean conditions with increased external heat loss or adjustment of the kinetics as in the first case. Finally, the results show that different initial surface-species distribution leads to different steady-states under certain conditions. These results demonstrate the utility of a lumped two-phase model of a transient catalytic combustor with detailed chemistry.

Struk, Peter M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

ISRU Pilot Excavator Wheel Testing in Lunar Regolith Simulant

The ISRU Pilot Excavator, or IPEx, is a robotic excavator funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). The Concept of Operations for IPEx involves the robot driving on the lunar surface up to 70 km at a speed of up to 30 cm/s. As such, it is critical to the mission’s success to optimize the design of the wheels for performance in lunar conditions, specifically in lunar regolith. To achieve this, an array of tests was completed to observe the effects of various wheel design choices on the driving performance of the wheels in lunar regolith simulant. In order to facilitate testing, we designed a 12” dia. configurable wheel to allow for interchangeability between various wheel formations. Two types of wheel parts were designed to be swapped: cleats, which form the tread of the wheel; and grousers, which protrude from the treads. The test variables that we considered were as follows: square vs. round wheel shape, solid vs. perforated cleats, cleat spacing, grouser height, and grouser spacing. By combining different settings of each of these test variables, ten discrete wheel designs were created and tested. The configurable test wheels were mounted on the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) developed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. In our experiments, the robot was driven at a controlled speed across a prepared surface of BP-1 lunar regolith simulant. Four types of tests were conducted: circle driving, straight driving, slope driving, and drawbar pull. The driving tests were chosen to mimic a variety of conditions in which IPEx may be expected to operate, and the drawbar pull test was chosen to provide a standard of comparison with existing wheel design literature. The circle and straight driving tests were each performed at different levels: for the circle driving test, the robot was driven at a constant linear speed and three different angular speeds, while for the straight driving test, the robot was driven at three different linear speeds. The data collected from these tests included the power usage from each of the wheels, measurements of the tread patterns left in the regolith surface, and the amount of slip the wheels experienced, which was calculated using data from an OptiTrack motion capture system. From the results of these experiments, we found that certain test variables were more significant than others in determining performance for each type of test, and no single wheel design clearly outperformed the others in all areas. The details of our findings will be discussed further in this paper. This data will be utilized to inform the design of the wheels for IPEx and can provide a basis for the design of wheels for future lunar terrain vehicles.

RASSOR↗

NASA NTRS1996

Retrieval of Surface Snow Grain Size and Melt Water from AVIRIS Spectra

The Earth's energy balance and hydrology are affected by the distribution and characteristics of snow cover on the surface. Snow grain size and snow melt influence surface albedo and hydrology. A model of snow reflectance that depends on both grain size and surface melt water was developed to derive these parameters from remote spectral measurements. This reflectance model is based on a discrete ordinate radiative transfer approach that uses Mie calculations of snow optical properties, which are based on the complex refractive index of ice and water. This snow model was linked to an atmospheric radiative transfer code and a nonlinear least squares fitting algorithm. The resulting combined algorithm was applied to an AVIRIS snow data set acquired over Mammoth Mountain, California. Maps of grain size and surface snow melt were generated that are consistent with the expected ranges and distributions for conditions at the site.

Green Robert O.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Discrete Orientations of Interfacial Waters Direct Crystallization of Mica-Binding Proteins

Understanding the basis of templated molecular assembly on a solid surface requires a fundamental comprehension of both short- and long-range aqueous response to the surface under a variety of solution conditions. Herein we provide a detailed picture of how the molecular-scale response to different mica surfaces yields distinct solvent orientations that produce quasi-static directional potentials onto which macromolecules can adsorb. We connect this directionality to observed (a)symmetric epitaxial alignment of designed proteins onto these surfaces, corroborate our findings with 3D atomic force microscopy experiments, and identify slight differences in surface structure as the origin of this effect. Furthermore, our work provides a detailed picture of the intrinsic electrolyte response in the vicinity of mineral interfaces, with clear predictions for experiment, and highlights the role of solvent on the predictive assembly of hierarchical materials on mineral surfaces.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS2015

Model Deformation Measurements of Sonic Boom Models in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-Ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel

The deformations of two sonic-boom models were measured by stereo photogrammetry during tests in the 9- by 7-Ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. The models were geometrically similar but one was 2.75 times as large as the other. Deformation measurements were made by simultaneously imaging the upper surfaces of the models from two directions by calibrated cameras that were mounted behind windows of the test section. Bending and twist were measured at discrete points using conventional circular targets that had been marked along the leading and trailing edges of the wings and tails. In addition, continuous distributions of bending and twist were measured from ink speckles that had been applied to the upper surfaces of the model. Measurements were made at wind-on (M = 1.6) and wind-off conditions over a range of angles of attack between 2.5 deg. and 5.0 deg. At each condition, model deformation was determined by comparing the wind-off and wind-on coordinates of each measurement point after transforming the coordinates to reference coordinates tied to the model. The necessary transformations were determined by measuring the positions of a set of targets on the rigid center-body of the models whose model-axes coordinates were known. Smoothly varying bending and twist measurements were obtained at all conditions. Bending displacements increased in proportion to the square of the distance to the centerline. Maximum deflection of the wingtip of the larger model was about 5 mm (2% of the semispan) and that of the smaller model was 0.9 mm (1% of the semispan). The change in wing twist due to bending increased in direct proportion to distance from the centerline and reached a (absolute) maximum of about -1 at the highest angle of attack for both models. The measurements easily resolved bending displacements as small as 0.05 mm and bending-induced changes in twist as small as 0.05 deg.

model deformation↗

DOE OSTI2023

Implementation of extrinsic cohesive zone model (ECZM) in 2D finite-discrete element method (FDEM) using node binding scheme

The combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) has been widely used for rock fracturing simulations. Conventionally, FDEM is realized using the intrinsic cohesive zone model (ICZM); however, it has the drawback of artificial compliance and high computational expense. As a complement, the extrinsic cohesive zone model (ECZM) is seen to be realized in FDEM recently, whereas the node splitting scheme utilized is cumbersome. Here, within the framework of ICZM-based FDEM, we propose a node binding scheme to efficiently bind the pre-discretized finite elements and thus guarantee the continuum behavior of materials in the elastic stage. The yield surfaces, controlled by ECZM, are dynamically embedded by invoking the pre-inserted cohesive elements. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach are validated and tested by performing a suite of numerical experiments. Compared with ICZM-based FDEM, the proposed approach can correctly capture material deformation and reduce the computation cost. In contrast to the existing ECZM-based FDEM, the proposed approach can overcome the frequent and complex element topology updating. Finally, this work provides a novel perspective that fully inherits the advantages of both ICZM and ECZM, but circumvents their shortcomings, which guarantees a more efficient and effective simulation of brittle material evolution from continuum to discontinuum.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Progress on the National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB): A new DNI computation

This study introduces a new technique to compute direct normal irradiance (DNI) for improving the National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB). A finite-surface integration algorithm is developed to compute solar radiation in differential solid angles and efficiently infer its contribution to a surface perpendicular to the solar direction. A lookup table of cloud bi-directional transmittance distribution function (BTDF) is developed by use of the discrete ordinates radiative transfer (DISORT) model for possible solar and observing directions and various cloud optical and microphysical properties. In each solar incident direction, DNI is given by the cloud BTDFs from approximately 200 differential solid angles. The simulated DNI is calibrated and evaluated using surface observations at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SRRL) and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) facility.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1982

Mars: Definition and characterization of global surface units with emphasis on composition

Viking 2 approach maps of red and violet normal albedo are used to define units of similar optical properties for a large area of the Martian surface. Computer processing of these data reveals clusters of albedo values relating to specific, contiguous regions of the planet, with some unit boundaries being of a gradational nature while others are more discrete. A study of the albedo properties of analog materials measured in the laboratory, and of telescopic spectrophotometry of Mars, indicates that both hydroxylated and hematitic oxidized materials exist on the surface. The most probable surface expression of global dust and/or high albedo soils is in the classical bright region, Arabia. Most low albedo features in the region studied have red and violet albedos that are consistent with a dark substrate, such as basalt, coated by, or mixed with, a fine grained alteration product.

Mccord, T. B.↗

NASA NTRS1977

The use of LANDSAT imagery in relation to air survey imagery for terrain analysis in northwest Queensland, Australia, volume 1

The author has identified the following significant results. Distinctive spectral signatures discriminated areas underlain by distinctive lithological/stratigraphical units where bedrock either outcrops or is relatively near to surface in the Lady Annie-Mt. Gordon fault zone, the Mary Kathleen, and Dugald River-Naraku areas. Spectral signatures associated with discrete plant communities distinguished different types of superficial deposits over the Cloncurry Plains. Distinctive spectral signatures also revealed the presence and nature of concealed bedrock beneath cover of residuum and superficial deposits where this is relatively thin in the Cloncurry Plains. Major faults were clearly displayed in areas of outcropping and near surface bedrock. Sets of lineaments with preferred orientations were identified in the Lady Annie and Dugald River areas. Known base metal deposits occur along these features.

Cole, M. M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Verification of TROPOMI NO2 Product Using OMI NO2 algorithm

We evaluated S5P TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) operational nitrogen dioxide (NO2) product by comparing with the NO2 retrievals from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard NASA’s Aura satellite. We compared spatially matched NO2 vertical column density (VCD) data from OMI and TROPOMI to identify any discrepancies between the two operational products. We also applied OMI Air-Mass Factor (AMF) algorithm to TROPOMI Slant Column Density (SCD) data (v02.03.01) aiming to create long-term merged NO2 Earth Science Data Record (https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/TROPOMI_MINDS_NO2_1.1/summary ). The algorithm (version 4.0) uses new Geometry-dependent Lambertian Equivalent surface Reflectivity (GLER) product available for each TROPOMI pixel. GLER is pre-calculated using the vector linearized discrete ordinate radiative transfer (VLIDORT) model, which uses as input high-resolution bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) information from NASA's Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over land and the wind-dependent Cox–Munk wave-facet slope distribution over water, the latter with a contribution from the water-leaving radiance based on MODIS gap-filled in-water chlorophyll-a data. The GLER data, combined with consistently retrieved cloud parameters, provide improved information for the calculation of the scattering weight profiles. Additional AMF improvements result from using high resolution (0.25o latitude x 0.25o longitude) a priori NO2 profile shapes and other auxiliary information from the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) Replay simulation sampled using S5P orbital simulator. Our TROPOMI_MINDS_NO2 algorithm employs the stratosphere-troposphere separation scheme, de-striping, and surface snow/ice treatment consistently with the latest OMI NO2 re-processing (version 4). We evaluate the TROPOMI_MINDS_NO2 product by comparing with the S5P operational NO2 product as well as with independent NO2 observations from ground-based Pandora and aircraft observations. Our results indicate that the new TROPOMI_MINDS_NO2 retrievals are generally higher than the S5P operational NO2 product over polluted regions and show improved agreement with independent validation data.

TROPOMI↗

NASA NTRS2018

Mars 2020 Surface Mission Modeling Landing Site Thermal Environments

This paper presents work done by the Mars 2020 Mission Planning Team to characterize landing site thermal environments. A process was developed to take in ground temperature simulation data for each landing site and efficiently discretize it into six thermal environment bins. The Mars 2020 Thermal Team then performed detailed heater and energy modeling in each of those environments. The heater modeling results were implemented into a Monte Carlo based surface mission model to understand mission performance impacts. The Mars 2020 Instrument Teams used the results to inform their design and to better understand how the thermal conditions at each landing site affected their instruments.

Lange, Robert D.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Mars 2020 Surface Mission Modeling Landing Site Thermal Environments

Lange, Robert D.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, Part 2: GIS methodology

Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) in geothermal exploration originates from a systematic methodology developed within the petroleum industry and is based on a geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic framework of identified geothermal systems. We tailored this methodology to study the geothermal resource potential of the Snake River Plain and surrounding region, but it can be adapted to other geothermal resource settings. We adapted the PFA approach to geothermal resource exploration by cataloging the critical elements controlling exploitable hydrothermal systems, establishing risk matrices that evaluate these elements in terms of both probability of success and level of knowledge, and building a code-based ‘processing model’ to process results. A geographic information system was used to compile a range of different data types, which we refer to as elements (e.g., faults, vents, heat flow, etc.), with distinct characteristics and measures of confidence. Discontinuous discrete data (points, lines, or polygons) for each element were transformed into continuous interpretive 2D grid surfaces called evidence layers. Because different data types have varying uncertainties, most evidence layers have an accompanying confidence layer which reflects spatial variations in these uncertainties. Risk layers, as defined here, are the product of evidence and confidence layers, and are the building blocks used to construct Common Risk Segment (CRS) maps for heat, permeability, and seal, using a weighted sum for permeability and heat, but a different approach with seal. CRS maps quantify the variable risk associated with each of these critical components. In a final step, the three CRS maps were combined into a Composite Common Risk Segment (CCRS) map, using a modified weighted sum, for results that reveal favorable areas for geothermal exploration. Additional maps are also presented that do not mix contributions from evidence and confidence (to allow an isolated view of evidence and confidence), as well as maps that calculate favorability using the product of components instead of a weighted sum (to highlight where all components are present). Our approach helped to identify areas of high geothermal favorability in the western and central Snake River Plain during the first phase of study and helped identify more precise local drilling targets during the second phase of work. By identifying favorable areas, this methodology can help to reduce uncertainty in geothermal energy exploration and development.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Modeling Co2 Flow Through Faulted/Fractured Reservoirs Using Tedfm in Corner-Point Grids

Interest in underground CO2 storage has increased significantly over the last decade, driven by growing concern about global warming and rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given that CO2 accounts for 80% of these greenhouse gases, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is considered one of the most direct approaches to achieving the net-zero carbon target. Although CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers and depleted gas reservoirs has been studied extensively, most studies use commercial simulators that model faults/fractures by simply modifying the transmissibility in the direction perpendicular to the fault surfaces. This work shows that this simplistic approach ignores the accelerated flow in the directions parallel to the fault plane, leading to significantly higher leakage along the fault surface. To accurately model CO2 flow in faulted reservoirs, we present the first transient embedded discrete-fracture model for corner-point grids (tEDFM-CPG). By comparing the tEDFM-CPG results with high-resolution reference solutions, we show that this approach is accurate and efficient at predicting CO2 flow in faulted/fractured reservoirs. In conclusion, this work presents the use of mixed reality (MR) to efficiently observe CO2 gas migration in the interior of these corner-point grid systems.

02 PETROLEUM↗

NASA NTRS1976

Vortex shedding from a blunt trailing edge with equal and unequal external mean velocities

A flow-visualization study has shown that strong Karman vortices develop behind the blunt trailing edge of a plate when the free-stream velocities over both surfaces are equal and that the vortices tend to disappear when the surface velocities are unequal. This observation provides an explanation for the occurence and disappearance of certain discrete tones often found to be present in the noise spectra of coaxial jets. Both the vortex formation and the tones occur at a Strouhal number based on the lip thickness and the average of the external steady-state velocities of about 0.2. Results from theoretical calculations of the vortex formation, based on an inviscid incompressible analysis of the motion of point vortices, were in good agreement with the experimental observations.

Boldman, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Imperfection surveys on a 10-ft-diameter shell structure

The results of an extensive imperfection survey on a 10-ft-diameter integrally stiffened cylindrical shell are presented. The shape of the measured initial imperfections is clearly influenced by details of the shell construction. The modal components of the measured imperfection surface as a function of the circumferential and of the axial wave numbers are calculated. The discrete axial power spectral density functions and the corresponding root-mean-square values of the imperfections are also determined for given circumferential wave numbers. Using the Fourier coefficients of the measured initial imperfections, buckling loads are calculated by solving the nonlinear Donnell-type imperfect shell equations iteratively. The calculated lowest buckling load compares favorably with the values usually recommended for similar shell structures.

Arbocz, J.↗