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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Mitigation of Polystyrene Microsphere Surface Contamination for Wind Tunnel Applications

Polystyrene latex (PSL) microspheres have been utilized as seed material for flow visualization in wind tunnels. However, PSL microspheres have been observed to strongly adhere to wind tunnel and model surfaces. Surface contamination on the cleaning screens that remove vorticity and provide laminar flow in the test section, is particularly problematic. Agglomeration of particles on these screens cause constriction of the airflow through the screen resulting in inconsistent airflow properties in the test section. The adhesion mechanism of PSL microspheres to wind tunnel screens and 316 stainless steel flat plates, were evaluated in a contamination apparatus where small sections of screen material were exposed to PSL-seeded airflow. Using a design of experiments (DOE) methodology airflow seeding parameters were changed to evaluate how these modifications affected the degree of surface contamination. The solution composition, comprised of ethanol and water, was determined to be the most significant factor in particle adhesion. Utilizing image analysis software, data were collected from the contaminated surfaces and incorporated to generate predictive particle contamination models. A relationship was identified between the solvent evaporation rate, and the morphology and magnitude of PSL contaminants on the test surfaces. This analysis can be extended to other solvent mixtures to provide insight into simultaneously improving wind tunnel testing capabilities while diminishing facility contamination.

Wohl, Christopher J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

GCM Simulation of the Large-scale North American Monsoon Including Water Vapor Tracer Diagnostics

In this study, we have applied GCM water vapor tracers (WVT) to simulate the North American water cycle. WVTs allow quantitative computation of the geographical source of water for precipitation that occurs anywhere in the model simulation. This can be used to isolate the impact that local surface evaporation has on precipitation, compared to advection and convection. A 15 year 1 deg, 1.25 deg. simulation has been performed with 11 global and 11 North American regional WVTs. Figure 1 shows the source regions of the North American WVTs. When water evaporates from one of these predefined regions, its mass is used as the source for a distinct prognostic variable in the model. This prognostic variable allows the water to be transported and removed (precipitated) from the system in an identical way that occurs to the prognostic specific humidity. Details of the model are outlined by Bosilovich and Schubert (2002) and Bosilovich (2002). Here, we present results pertaining to the onset of the simulated North American monsoon.

Bosilovich, Michael G.↗
DOE OSTI2016

ABOVE-THE-LOOP-TOP OSCILLATION AND QUASI-PERIODIC CORONAL WAVE GENERATION IN SOLAR FLARES

Observations revealed that various kinds of oscillations are excited in solar flare regions. Quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in flare emissions are commonly observed in a wide range of wavelengths. Recent observations have found that fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves are quasi-periodically emitted from some flaring sites (quasi-periodic propagating fast-mode magnetoacoustic waves; QPFs). Both QPPs and QPFs imply a cyclic disturbance originating from the flaring sites. However, the physical mechanisms remain puzzling. By performing a set of two-dimensional MHD simulations of a solar flare, we discovered the local oscillation above the loops filled with evaporated plasma (above-the-loop-top region) and the generation of QPFs from such oscillating regions. Unlike all previous models for QPFs, our model includes essential physics for solar flares such as magnetic reconnection, heat conduction, and chromospheric evaporation. We revealed that QPFs can be spontaneously excited by the above-the-loop-top oscillation. We found that this oscillation is controlled by the backflow of the reconnection outflow. The new model revealed that flare loops and the above-the-loop-top region are full of shocks and waves, which is different from the previous expectations based on a standard flare model and previous simulations. In this paper, we show the QPF generation process based on our new picture of flare loops and will briefly discuss a possible relationship between QPFs and QPPs. Our findings will change the current view of solar flares to a new view in which they are a very dynamic phenomenon full of shocks and waves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A mechanism-denial study on the Madden-Julian Oscillation with reduced interference from mean state changes

In this paper, mechanism-denial experiments using Superparameterized Community Atmosphere Model are conducted to investigate the importance of extratropical and circumnavigating waves, wind-evaporation feedback, and radiative-convective feedback to the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). A common issue with mechanism-denial studies is the interference from mean state changes when processes are turned off in the model. Here time-invariant forcing and nudging on effective timescales longer than the intraseasonal timescale are implemented to maintain the mean state. The MJO activity remains largely unchanged with suppressed extratropical and circumnavigating waves when the mean state is maintained to be close to that of the control run, suggesting that excitation of MJO by extratropical and circumnavigating waves is not necessary for the existence of MJO in this model. Finally, it is also shown that the wind-evaporation feedback slows down eastward propagation of the MJO, and the radiative-convective feedback amplifies the MJO.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1981

Satellite estimation of the surface energy balance, moisture availability and thermal inertia

A method for inferring the distribution of surface heat and evaporative fluxes and the ground moisture availability and thermal inertia (ground conductive capacity) is used to analyze two urbanized areas, Los Angeles and St. Louis. The technique employs infrared satellite temperature measurements in conjunction with a one-dimensional boundary-layer model. Results show that there is a marked reduction of evaporation and moisture availability and a corresponding elevation of sensible heat flux over urbanized areas and over cropped areas with low vegetative cover. Conversely, low heat flux and high evaporation characterize vegetated and, especially, forested areas. Warm urban centers appear directly related to a reduction in vegetation, which normally allows for a greater fraction of available radiant energy to be converted into latent heat flux. The distribution of thermal inertia was surprisingly ill-defined and its variation between urban and rural areas was quite small. Thus, the increased heat storage within the urban fabric, which has been proposed as the underlying cause of the nocturnal heat island, may be caused mainly by enhanced daytime surface heating which occurs because of surface dryness, rather than by large spatial variations in the conductivity of the surface.

Carlson, T. N.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Quantifying the relative contribution of the climate and direct human impacts on mean annual streamflow in the contiguous United States

Climate change and human activities are known to have induced changes to hydrology. Quantifying the relative contribution of the impact of each factor on the hydrologic response of watersheds requires the use of some type of model. In this paper, a decomposition method based on the Budyko model is used to divide the relative contribution of climate and human on mean annual streamflow for 413 watersheds in the contiguous United States. The data of annual precipitation, runoff and potential evaporation of each of the watersheds are obtained from the international Model Parameter Estimation Project (MOPEX), which is often assumed to only include gages unaffected by human activities. The data is split in to two periods (1948-1970 and 1971-2003). The relative contributions of climate change and human activities to the observed change in mean annual streamflow between the two periods are estimated. Although climate change is found to impact annual streamflow more than human activities, the results show that assuming the dataset is unaffected by human activities is far unrealistic. Also climate and human induced changes are more stringent in arid regions where water is limited. The results are compared using four single-parameter functional forms and with previously published data.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1992

Diffusion Of Mass In Evaporating Multicomponent Drops

Report summarizes study of diffusion of mass and related phenomena occurring in evaporation of dense and dilute clusters of drops of multicomponent liquids intended to represent fuels as oil, kerosene, and gasoline. Cluster represented by simplified mathematical model, including global conservation equations for entire cluster and conditions on boundary between cluster and ambient gas. Differential equations of model integrated numerically. One of series of reports by same authors discussing evaporation and combustion of sprayed liquid fuels.

Bellan, Josette↗
NASA NTRS2002

Spray and High-Pressure Flow Computations in the National Combustion Code (NCC) Improved

Sprays occur in a wide variety of industrial and power applications and in materials processing. A liquid spray is a two-phase flow with a gas as the continuous phase and a liquid as the dispersed phase in the form of droplets or ligaments. The interactions between the two phases--which are coupled through exchanges of mass, momentum, and energy--can occur in different ways at disparate time and length scales involving various thermal, mass, and fluid dynamic factors. An understanding of the flow, combustion, and thermal properties of a rapidly vaporizing spray requires careful modeling of the ratecontrolling processes associated with turbulent transport, mixing, chemical kinetics, evaporation, and spreading rates of the spray, among many other factors. With the aim of developing an efficient solution procedure for use in multidimensional combustor modeling, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center have advanced the state-of-the-art in spray computations in several important ways.

Raju, Manthena S.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Multilayer formation and evaporation of deuterated ices in prestellar and protostellar cores

Extremely large deuteration of several molecules has been observed toward prestellar cores and low-mass protostars for a decade. New observations performed toward low-mass protostars suggest that water presents a lower deuteration in the warm inner gas than in the cold external envelope. We coupled a gas-grain astrochemical model with a one-dimensional model of a collapsing core to properly follow the formation and the deuteration of interstellar ices as well as their subsequent evaporation in the low-mass protostellar envelopes with the aim of interpreting the spatial and temporal evolutions of their deuteration. The astrochemical model follows the formation and the evaporation of ices with a multilayer approach and also includes a state-of-the-art deuterated chemical network by taking the spin states of H{sub 2} and light ions into account. Because of their slow formation, interstellar ices are chemically heterogeneous and show an increase of their deuterium fractionation toward the surface. The differentiation of the deuteration in ices induces an evolution of the deuteration within protostellar envelopes. The warm inner region is poorly deuterated because it includes the whole molecular content of ices, while the deuteration predicted in the cold external envelope scales with the highly deuterated surface of ices. We are able to reproduce the observed evolution of water deuteration within protostellar envelopes, but we are still unable to predict the super-high deuteration observed for formaldehyde and methanol. Finally, the extension of this study to the deuteration of complex organics, important for the prebiotic chemistry, shows good agreement with the observations, suggesting that we can use the deuteration to retrace their mechanisms and their moments of formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Estimating Future Surface Water Availability Through an Integrated Climate‐Hydrology‐Management Modeling Framework at a Basin Scale Under CMIP6 Scenarios

Abstract Climate change and increasing water demand due to population growth pose serious threats to surface water availability. The biggest challenge in addressing these threats is the gap between climate science and water management practices. Local water planning often lacks the integration of climate change information, especially with regard to its impacts on surface water storage and evaporation as well as the associated uncertainties. Using Texas as an example, state and regional water planning relies on the use of reservoir “Firm Yield” (FY)—an important metric that quantifies surface water availability. However, this existing planning methodology does not account for the impacts of climate change on future inflows and on reservoir evaporation. To bridge this knowledge gap, an integrated climate‐hydrology‐management (CHM) modeling framework was developed, which is generally applicable to river basins with geographical, hydrological, and water right settings similar to those in Texas. The framework leverages the advantages of two modeling approaches—the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) and Water Availability Modeling (WAM). Additionally, the Double Bias Correction Constructed Analogues method is utilized to downscale and incorporate Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 GCMs. Finally, the DHSVM simulated naturalized streamflow and reservoir evaporation rate are input to WAM to simulate reservoir FY. A new term—“Ratio of Firm Yield” (RFY)—is created to compare how much FY changes under different climate scenarios. The results indicate that climate change has a significant impact on surface water availability by increasing reservoir evaporation, altering the seasonal pattern of naturalized streamflow, and reducing FY.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development, calibration, and validation of a novel gray-box energy model for residential split air conditioners

Energy models for vapor compression refrigeration in residential air conditioners have been developed through white-box, gray-box, and black-box methods in decades. However, existing white-box and gray-box models require complicated equations with detailed geometries while black-box models require substantial experimental data. Further, this paper aims to develop and validate a simple gray-box steady-state energy model without the need for detailed geometries, which can accurately predict the cooling capacity and electrical power input based on outdoor and indoor air conditions, and supply airflow rates. First three state variables, including the evaporation and condensation temperatures, and refrigerant mass flowrate, are applied to develop the energy model and are solved by three physical equations, including the energy conservations at the evaporator and condenser, and the refrigerant volume-mass flow correlation of the compressor. Secondly, seven performance property functions related to three state variables and three physical equations are identified and calibrated by simple temperature and power measurements. Finally, field experiments are conducted on a residential air conditioner to calibrate these performance property functions and validate the developed model. The validated results reveal the model can accurately predict the cooling capacity and electrical power input, with the normalized root mean square errors of 2.3% and 0.87% respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2016

Land-atmosphere coupling and climate prediction over the U.S. Southern Great Plains

Biases in land-atmosphere coupling in climate models can contribute to climate prediction biases, but land models are rarely evaluated in the context of this coupling. Here, we tested land-atmosphere coupling and explored effects of land surface parameterizations on climate prediction in a single-column version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM1.2.2) and an off-line Community Land Model (CLM4.5). The correlation between leaf area index (LAI) and surface evaporative fraction (ratio of latent to total turbulent heat flux) was substantially underpredicted compared to observations in the U.S. Southern Great Plains, while the correlation between soil moisture and evaporative fraction was overpredicted by CLM4.5. To estimate the impacts of these errors on climate prediction, we modified CLM4.5 by prescribing observed LAI, increasing soil resistance to evaporation, increasing minimum stomatal conductance, and increasing leaf reflectance. The modifications improved the predicted soil moisture-evaporative fraction (EF) and LAI-EF correlations in off-line CLM4.5 and reduced the root-mean-square error in summer 2 m air temperature and precipitation in the coupled model. The modifications had the largest effect on prediction during a drought in summer 2006, when a warm bias in daytime 2 m air temperature was reduced from +6°C to a smaller cold bias of -1.3°C, and a corresponding dry bias in precipitation was reduced from -111 mm to -23 mm. The role of vegetation in droughts and heat waves is underpredicted in CESM1.2.2, and improvements in land surface models can improve prediction of climate extremes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1989

Cosmic evolution of non-topological solitons, paper 1

Nontopological solitons are stable field configurations which may be formed in a primordial phase transition. Their cosmic evolution is studied, and the possibility that such objects could contribute significantly to the energy density of the Universe is examined. As the Universe cools, initially all but the largest lumps evaporate into free particles; those which survive may subsequently enter a brief accretion phase before they freeze out at a final size. Although the minimum critical charges which survive depend on particle masses and couplings, researchers develop an analysis which applies to a wide class of models. In most cases, solitons of moderate size survive the evaporation process only if there is a significant charge asymmetry or if they form at a temperature well below their binding energy per charge.

Frieman, Joshua A.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Novel 1D coordination polymer {l_brace}Tm(Piv){sub 3{r_brace}n}: Synthesis, structure, magnetic properties and thermal behavior

The new 1D coordination polymer {l_brace}Tm(Piv){sub 3{r_brace}n} (1), where Piv=OOCBu{sup t-}, was synthesized in high yield (>95%) by the reaction of thulium acetate with pivalic acid in air at 100 Degree-Sign S. According to the X-ray diffraction data, the metal atoms in compound 1 are in an octahedral ligand environment unusual for lanthanides. The magnetic and luminescence properties of polymer 1, it's the solid-phase thermal decomposition in air and under argon, and the thermal behavior in the temperature range of -50 Horizontal-Ellipsis +50 Degree-Sign S were investigated. The vaporization process of complex 1 was studied by the Knudsen effusion method combined with mass-spectrometric analysis of the gas-phase composition in the temperature range of 570-680 K. - Graphical Abstract: Novel 1D coordination polymer {l_brace}Tm(Piv){sub 3{r_brace}n} was synthesized and studied by X-ray diffraction. The magnetic, luminescence properties, the thermal behavior and the volatility for the compound {l_brace}Tm(Piv){sub 3{r_brace}n} were investigated. Black-Small-Square Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We synthesized the coordination polymer {l_brace}Tm(Piv){sub 3{r_brace}n}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tm atoms in polymer have the coordination number 6. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polymer exhibits blue-color emission at room temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polymer shows high thermal stability and volatility. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polymer has no phase transitions in the range of -50 Horizontal-Ellipsis +50 Degree-Sign S.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Formation of Cadmium-Sulfide Nanowhiskers via Vacuum Evaporation and Condensation in a Quasi-Closed Volume

Structural and technological studies of processes in which cadmium-sulfide nanowhiskers are synthesized in a quasi-closed volume by the method of vacuum evaporation and condensation are reported. It is demonstrated that the processes are in agreement with the classical vapor–liquid–crystal model. Micrographs of the objects in different formation stages are presented.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Improving Land-Surface Modeling of Evapotranspiration Processes in Tropical Forests (Final Report)

Land surface models are used to represent terrestrial processes that shape global climate; examples of these processes include evaporation, plant water use, and photosynthesis. While much progress has been made to improve and refine these models, some hydrological processes are not well captured, which hinders our ability to understand land-atmosphere interactions and ultimately to predict impacts of climate change on water resources. The inadequate representation of evapotranspiration may partly explain why global climate models do not match observed precipitation patterns. Multiple factors contribute to this problem. In moist tropical regions, high humidity, leaf wetness, and cloud cover combine to suppress forest water use and possibly reduce forest growth in ways that are poorly understood. Mountainous areas pose additional difficulties, as standard modeling and measurement techniques are not readily applied in rough terrain. In this project, we aimed to improve our understanding and modeling of fluxes of water vapor and carbon dioxide to and from tropical forests. To do this, we collected a suite of data from the mountainous rainforest surrounding the Texas A&M Soltis Center in San Ramon, Costa Rica. From 2014 to 2018, a suite of variables were measured, including: in-canopy profiles of water vapor, carbon dioxide, temperature, light, and leaf wetness; transpiration, evapotranspiration, carbon flux, and soil respiration; and local weather conditions. Leaf-scale measurements were used to find photosynthesis rates and derive their parameters. Using this data set, we were able to better quantify the relationships between assimilation and transpiration and their main drivers in tropical forests. These variables were namely available light, vapor pressure deficit, and leaf wetness, but not soil moisture, which exerted no detectable control. We also showed the vertical variability in canopy microclimates and how neglecting forest layers in models may misrepresent overall fluxes. The data were then used to test and refine evapotranspiration and energy budget formulations in the Community Land Model. Fluxes and energy budget components were compared to simulated values from CLM4.5 and CLM.5. The biggest discrepancies arose from hillslope shading effects, particularly mismatches in afternoon carbon fluxes, with notable differences in transpiration rates and sap flux due to capacitance in large trees. Secondary, but still significant issues included unrealistic leaf wetness and leaf drying rates, as well as air and vegetation temperatures, both of which were likely linked to CLM’s formulations controlling wet leaf and sunlit/shaded leaf fractions. Modeling multiple layers in the canopy via the newly released CLM-ml and making adjustments to existing parameters both show promise in resolving these issues. In total, the project has produced 5 peer-reviewed articles, 24 presentations, 2 theses, 4 public outreach items, and 4 publically available datasets, to date. Additional products are expected pending the completion of an additional thesis. Data has also been shared with several collaborative networks, including PHENOCAM and SAPFLUXNET.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Distinct responses of Asian summer monsoon to black carbon aerosols and greenhouse gases

Black carbon (BC) aerosols emitted from natural and anthropogenic sources induce positive radiative forcing and global warming, which in turn significantly affect the Asian summer monsoon (ASM). However, many aspects of the BC effect on the ASM remain elusive and largely inconsistent among previous studies, which is strongly dependent on different low-level thermal feedbacks over the Asian continent and the surrounding ocean. This study examines the response of the ASM to BC forcing in comparison with the effect of doubled greenhouse gases (GHGs) by analyzing the Precipitation Driver Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) simulations under an extremely high BC level (10 times modern global BC emissions or concentrations, labeled BC×10) from nine global climate models (GCMs). The results show that although BC and GHGs both enhance the ASM precipitation minus evaporation (P–E; a 13.6 % increase for BC forcing and 12.1 % for GHGs from the nine-model ensemble, respectively), there exists a much larger uncertainty in changes in ASM P–E induced by BC than by GHGs. The summer P–E is increased by 7.7 % to 15.3 % due to these two forcings over three subregions, including East Asian, South Asian and western North Pacific monsoon regions. Further analysis of moisture budget reveals distinct mechanisms controlling the increases in ASM P–E induced by BC and GHGs. The change in ASM P–E by BC is dominated by the dynamic effect due to the enhanced large-scale monsoon circulation, whereas the GHG-induced change is dominated by the thermodynamic effect through increasing atmospheric water vapor. Radiative forcing of BC significantly increases the upper-level atmospheric temperature over the Asian region to enhance the upper-level meridional land–sea thermal gradient (MLOTG), resulting in a northward shift of the upper-level subtropical westerly jet and an enhancement of the low-level monsoon circulation, whereas radiative forcing of GHGs significantly increases the tropical upper-level temperature, which reduces the upper-level MLOTG and suppresses the low-level monsoonal circulation. Hence, our results indicate a different mechanism of BC climate effects under the extremely high BC level: that BC forcing significantly enhances the upper-level atmospheric temperature over the Asian region, determining ASM changes, instead of low-level thermal feedbacks as indicated by previous studies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Distinct responses of Asian summer monsoon to black carbon aerosols and greenhouse gases

Black carbon (BC) aerosols emitted from natural and anthropogenic sources induce positive radiative forcing and global warming, which in turn significantly affect the Asian summer monsoon (ASM). However, many aspects of the BC effect on ASM remain elusive and largely inconsistent among previous studies, which is strongly dependent on different low-level thermal feedbacks over the Asian continent and the surrounding ocean. This study examines the response of ASM to BC forcing in comparison with the effect of doubled greenhouse gases (GHGs) by analyzing the Precipitation Driver Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) simulations under an extreme high BC level (10 times modern global BC emissions or concentrations, labeled by BC $\times$ 10) from nine global climate models (GCMs). The results show that although BC and GHGs both enhance the ASM precipitation minus evaporation (P–E) (a 13.6 % increase for BC forcing and 12.1 % for GHGs from the nine-model ensemble, respectively), there exists a much larger uncertainty in changes in ASM P–E induced by BC than by GHGs. The summer P–E is increased by 7.7 % to 15.3 % due to these two forcings over three sub-regions including East Asian, South Asian, and western North Pacific monsoon regions. Further analysis of moisture budget reveals distinct mechanisms controlling the increases in ASM P–E induced by BC and GHGs. The change in ASM P–E by BC is dominated by the dynamic effect due to the enhanced large-scale monsoon circulation, whereas the GHG-induced change is dominated by the thermodynamic effect through increasing atmospheric water vapor. Radiative forcing of BC significantly increases the upper-level atmospheric temperature over the Asian region to enhance the upper-level meridional land-sea thermal gradient (MLOTG), resulting in a northward shift of the upper-level subtropical westerly jet and an enhancement of the low-level monsoon circulation; whereas radiative forcing of GHGs significantly increases the tropical upper-level temperature, which reduces the upper-level MLOTG and suppresses the low-level monsoonal circulation. Hence, our results indicate a different mechanism of BC climate effects under the extreme high BC level, that BC forcing significantly enhances the upper-level atmospheric temperature over the Asian region, determining ASM changes, instead of low-level thermal feedbacks as indicated by previous studies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗