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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Liquid Piston with Spray Cooling Near-Isothermal Compressor

The goal of this project was to prototype and characterize the performance of a liquid-piston spray-cooled gas compressor. The working principle of the compressor enables optimized high-efficiency operation over a very wide range of operating conditions, unlike conventional compressors that are optimized for a narrow range of operating conditions. The compressor technology is suitable for many applications, such as gas pipeline transport, gas storage, and commercial and residential heat pumps. Both physical testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the processes using the Oak Ridge National Laboratory high-performance computing center were completed. The experimental and CFD studies focused on a near-isothermal liquid-piston compressor (LPC) that uses propylene glycol to compress CO 2 . The first prototype demonstrated isothermal operation during several sequentially executed cycles of CO 2 compression and raised the temperature of the compressed CO 2 by only 2 K, compared with approximately 6 K when the gas was compressed non-isothermally. Isothermal operation was demonstrated at CO 2 flow rates of up to 2 L/min. The second prototype was designed with two compression chambers to allow continuous flow of high-pressure CO 2 . However, the design of the valve train to direct flow between the compression chambers was not sufficient to allow demonstration of CO 2 compression. Numerical simulations of the LPC in which the compression chamber was filled with propylene glycol injected from the bottom inlet were performed using large eddy simulation (LES) with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity subgrid-scale model coupled with the multiphase volume of fluid (VOF) model to simulate the transient interface between gas and liquid and to capture the heat and mass transfers within the compression chamber. In this effort, the effects of boundary conditions applied to the LES-VOF calculations (i.e., no wall, an adiabatic wall, and a wall with a heat flux subscribed) on the overall pressure and temperature of the CO 2 gas as well as the transient evolution of flow and heat transfer within the compression chamber were investigated and are discussed in this report. The LES calculation with no wall showed no dynamical flow patterns, and the volume-averaged temperature of CO 2 increased from 305 to 392.7 K, whereas LES calculations with a constant wall temperature or a wall heat flux had similar increases of CO 2 temperatures. The results of the LES simulation using a wall heat flux showed different stages in the compression process and revealed dynamical formation and interaction of CO 2 gas layers and circulation flow patterns within the chamber that contributed to the overall heat transfer between the solid wall, gas, and liquid surface in the compressor. Though an industrial partnership for commercializing the compressor was not secured, the technology was attractive for an industrial partner to use in two research proposals in response to US Department of Energy funding opportunity announcements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1991

Performance of journal bearings with semi-compressible fluids

Cryogenic fluids in isothermal rigid surface and foil type journal bearings can sometimes be treated as semicompressible fluids. In these applications, the fluid density is a function of the pressure. At low pressures, the fluids can change from a liquid to a saturated liquid-vapor phase. The performance of a rigid surface journal bearing with an idealized semicompressible fluid is discussed. Pressure solutions are based upon a Reynolds equation which includes the effects of a compressibility via the bulk modulus of the fluid. Results are contrasted with the performance of isothermal constant property incompressible fluids.

Carpino, M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Universality in the compressive behavior of solids

It was discovered that the isothermal equation of state for solids in compression is a simple, universal form. This single form accurately describes the pressure and bulk modulus as a function of volume for tonic, metallic, covalent, and rare gas solids.

Vinet, P.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Initial Design and Experimental Results of a Novel Near-Isothermal Compressor for Heat Pump Applications

In efforts to increase the efficiency of residential and commercial air conditioners and heat pumps, it is found that the compressor has the highest electrical energy usage of the system. Therefore, it is appropriate to try to increase the efficiency of this component to reduce its energy usage. Another challenge with heat pump design is that some compressor types have drawbacks that make modulation difficult. To answer these challenges, we are developing an isothermal liquid compressor. The compressor uses propylene glycol to compress carbon dioxide. In the compression chamber the propylene glycol can enter either from the bottom to create a liquid piston for compression or it can enter through a spray nozzle at the top of the chamber. In the latter case, heat transfer from the gas to be compressed to the liquid droplets is high. This allows near isothermal operation of the compressor, which increases the efficiency by 17% to 30%, compared to adiabatic compression. In addition, the isothermal liquid compressor enables very efficient and simple part load modulation.Experimental results demonstrating the operation of the liquid compressor are presented. Initial data demonstrated a temperature rise of 7 K at pressure ratios of almost 4. For comparison at the same initial pressure, temperature, and pressure ratio, adiabatic compression would result in a temperature increase of approximately 70 K. Plotting data on a P-h diagram demonstrates that the compression started at superheated state and ended in supercritical state. Testing was later performed with repeated compressions in the superheated region of the P-h diagram at liquid flow rates of 2 x 10-3 m3/min and 2 x 10-3 m3/min to understand the limitations of the prototype for use with an actual heat pump system. This work demonstrated a novel cycle on a T-s diagram. Results from this work will be used to develop a second-generation prototype where more rapid cycling is possible.

Kowalski, Steve↗
NASA NTRS1989

Penetrative convective flows induced by internal heating and mantle compressibility

Penetrative convective flows induced in a spherical shell by combined effects of internal heating and mantle compressibility are investigated using mathematical and numerical formulations for compressible spherical shell convection. Isothermal stress-free boundary conditions applied at the top and the bottom of the shell are solved using a time-dependent finite difference code in a temperature, vorticity, stream function formulation for Rayleigh numbers ranging from the critical Rc up to 2000 Rc. Results indicate that compressibility, together with internal heating, could be a mechanism capable of generating spontaneously layered convection and local melting in the mantle and that non-Boussinesq effects must be considered in interpretations of geophysical phenomena.

Machetel, Philippe↗
DOE OSTI2024

Shape optimization and fluid control of near isothermal compressor for transcritical carbon dioxide cycle

The compressor holds great promise for enhanced energy efficiency over a wide range of vapor compression systems (VCS). However, the majority of them focused on liquid refrigerant injection or inter-stage cooling technologies to improve heat transfer. Increasing the heat transfer area provides another perspective to promote heat dissipation, which commonly involves shape optimization whilst bringing some limitations, mainly from the manufacturing side. To fill the research gap, this paper compares the performance of isothermal compressors under different compression chamber shapes and chamber connection configurations. Additionally, the fluid control of the liquid piston was combined with shape optimization to explore the potential for further heat transfer enhancement. The simulation results have demonstrated that the COP improvements can reach up to 9% compared with the baseline case by optimizing the chamber shape and properly controlling the liquid piston speed, which provides a guideline for designing and customizing the isothermal compression chamber.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1993

Skin friction and velocity profile family for compressible turbulent boundary layers

The paper presents a general approach to constructing mean velocity profiles for compressible turbulent boundary layers with isothermal or adiabatic walls. The theory is based on a density-weighted transformation that allows the extension of the incompressible similarity laws of the wall to the compressible regions. The velocity profile family is compared to a range of experimental data, and excellent agreement is obtained. A self-consistent skin friction law, which satisfies the proposed velocity profile family, is derived and compared with the well-known Van Driest II theory for boundary layers in zero pressure gradient. The results are found to be at least as good as those obtained by using the Van Driest II transformation.

Huang, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1951

Sideslip in a viscous compressible gas

By an analysis of the Navier-Stokes equations it is shown that the aerodynamic coefficients of an infinite rectangular swept wing in an isothermal or adiabatic flow of a compressible gas can be determined from the aerodynamic coefficients of the unswept wing. When the flow is neither isothermal nor adiabatic, a three-dimensional boundary layer theory is developed and applied to the special case of a swept flat plate.

THEORIES - WINGS, SWEEPBACK & SWEEPFORWARD↗
NASA NTRS1988

Bithermal fatigue - A link between isothermal and thermomechanical fatigue

A technique for bithermal fatigue testing is presented in which the tensile and compressive halves of the cycle are conducted isothermally at two significantly different temperatures. With reference to experimental results obtained for a nickel-base superalloy, B1900 + Hf, it is shown that bithermal fatigue testing is a simple alternative to thermomechanical fatigue and can provide a conservative determination of thermomechanical fatigue life for creep damage dominated failure modes. Bithermal fatigue results can be directly related to thermomechanical fatigue results through the use of an appropriate damage rule.

Halford, Gary R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Additively Manufactured Compliant Hybrid Gas Thrust Bearing for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Turbomachinery: Experimental Evaluation and Fluid–Structure Model Predictions

This paper presents rotating test results and advances an analytical predictive fluid–structure model for a new type of gas-lubricated thrust bearing fabricated using direct metal laser melting. The bearing concept in this study is a compliant hybrid gas thrust bearing that uses external pressurization to increase load carrying capacity, where the testing campaign in this study was only focused on steady-state static performance. The need for the bearing concept comes from enabling highly efficient supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) turbomachinery by replacing oil-lubricated bearings with process gas lubrication. Leveraging the process gas of the turbomachine for bearing lubrication results in lowered bearing power loss, simplified mechanical design, and allows for novel oil-free hermetic drivetrains resulting in an efficient emission-free system. The new concept utilizes hydrostatic pressurization on individual tilting pads flexibly mounted with hermetic squeeze film dampers (HSFDs). This paper focuses on rotating tests of a 173 mm outer diameter gas thrust bearing in air up to 10 krpm and hydrostatic inlet pressures to 365 psi (2.52 MPa). The influence of thrust runner speed and bearing inlet pressure on force deflection characteristics and load carrying capability of the gas film were experimentally evaluated. This work also advances a predictive fluid–structure thrust bearing model using an isothermal ideal-gas-based compressible Reynolds flow equation directly coupled to a lumped stiffness element possessing axial and rotational degrees-of-freedom. The rotating testing demonstrated load capability of 1816 lbs (8.1 kN), which equates to a thrust bearing unit load of 67 psi (0.46 MPa). Gas film force–deflection curves reveal a nonlinear relationship between thrust load and film clearance. Comparison of film thickness values with the predictive model show good agreement under high load and inlet pressure, however deviate as load and pressure decrease. Load capability was shown to increase with increasing hydrostatic inlet pressure, while the increase in thrust runner speed revealed a small decrease in load capacity.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2020

Experimental and Computational Studies on Superhard Material Rhenium Diboride under Ultrahigh Pressures

An emerging class of superhard materials for extreme environment applications are compounds formed by heavy transition metals with light elements. In this work, ultrahigh pressure experiments on transition metal rhenium diboride (ReB 2 ) were carried out in a diamond anvil cell under isothermal and non-hydrostatic compression. Two independent high-pressure experiments were carried out on ReB 2 for the first time up to a pressure of 241 GPa (volume compression V/V 0 = 0.731 ± 0.004), with platinum as an internal pressure standard in X-ray diffraction studies. The hexagonal phase of ReB 2 was stable under highest pressure, and the anisotropy between the a-axis and c-axis compression increases with pressure to 241 GPa. The measured equation of state (EOS) above the yield stress of ReB 2 is well represented by the bulk modulus K 0 = 364 GPa and its first pressure derivative K 0 ´ = 3.53. Corresponding density-functional-theory (DFT) simulations of the EOS and elastic constants agreed well with the experimental data. DFT results indicated that ReB 2 becomes more ductile with enhanced tendency towards metallic bonding under compression. The DFT results also showed strong crystal anisotropy up to the maximum pressure under study. The pressure-enhanced electron density distribution along the Re and B bond direction renders the material highly incompressible along the c-axis. Our study helps to establish the fundamental basis for anisotropic compression of ReB 2 under ultrahigh pressures

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1980

Theory of bubble dynamics in condensed explosive during start-up transient

Test firings with experimental liquid propellant gun systems indicate that the main concern standing in the way of practical application of LPG's is the possibility of unexpected explosions during start up when pressure is rapidly applied to the liquid monopropellant in the chamber. The phenomenon of many collapse-rebound cycles of imploding bubbles is theorized as the probable cause of explosions in LP systems. It may be concluded that LPG safety would be enhanced by choosing an LP with low bulk modulus, as well as low decomposition reaction rate, and that a benign looking DTA trace is not a sufficient quarantee of insensitivity to a pressure induced explosion. It is also shown that pre-pressurizing an LP charge, thus pre-compressing the bubbles near-isothermally, makes the system relatively insensitive to such pressure induced explosions. The applicability of this analysis to the question of acceleration induced explosion of explosive filled warheads is indicated.

Benreuven, M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The solution of non-linear hyperbolic equation systems by the finite element method

A finite-element method for the solution of nonlinear hyperbolic systems of equations, such as those encountered in non-self-adjoint problems of transient phenomena in convection-diffusion or in the mixed representation of wave problems, is developed and demonstrated. The problem is rewritten in moving coordinates and reinterpolated to the original mesh by a Taylor expansion prior to a standard Galerkin spatial discretization, and it is shown that this procedure is equivalent to the time-discretization approach of Donea (1984). Numerical results for sample problems are presented graphically, including such shallow-water problems as the breaking of a dam, the shoaling of a wave, and the outflow of a river; compressible flows such as the isothermal flow in a nozzle and the Riemann shock-tube problem; and the two-dimensional scalar-advection, nonlinear-shallow-water, and Euler equations.

Loehner, R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fuel driven near isothermal compressor

A gas compressor system includes a compression liquid holding tank in fluid communication with a combustion tank. A combustible fluid is directed to the combustion tank. An ignition system is provided for igniting the combustible fluid. A compression liquid flows between the liquid holding tank, the combustion tank, and a compression tank. A compressible gas is provided in the compression tank. The ignition of the combustible fluid drives the compression liquid from the combustion tank to the compression tank, compressing the compressible liquid. An HVAC&R system and a method of compressing gas are also disclosed.

Momen, Ayyoub Mehdizadeh↗
DOE OSTI2024

Initial Testing of an In Situ Load Retention Aging Vessel

A thermal aging vessel instrumented with load cells was fabricated. The primary function of the vessel is to continuously monitor the in situ load retention of up to three compressed polymer coupons undergoing thermally accelerated aging under nitrogen. A secondary function is to enable gas sampling of the vessel headspace during thermal aging. Heating of the vessel is achieved using a custom heater jacket. To improve upon our conventional aging study methods which require periodic interruption of aging to perform load testing in an Instron machine at room temperature, this technology aims to automate/facilitate data acquisition/analysis, improve data quality, and enable uninterrupted compression of the polymer which represents the service condition. As an example case to assess functionality of the in situ vessel, the load retention of a siloxane elastomer material additively manufactured by direct-ink-writing (DIW) was measured at three different isothermal aging temperatures for ~1 month. Initial compression of the coupons while near the aging temperature was achieved by temporarily opening the heated vessel to access the interior chamber and manually tightening four nuts to drive the heated compression plate down onto the heated coupons. Initial testing demonstrated achievement of the primary load retention monitoring function. Unfortunately, the vessel leaked which prevented gas sampling; an active purge was used to maintain a nitrogen atmosphere. Welded or otherwise sealed joints, which could be implemented in a future design, would likely eliminate leak paths. To apply time-temperature superposition (TTS), a technique used to provide long-term prediction of the load retention from short-term isothermal data, the load retention needed to be calculated relative to the load at an estimated “equilibrium” time, after most of the transient viscoelastic physical relaxation occurred. The peak load immediately after compression could not be used as the load retention basis for two reasons: (1) age-related changes must be isolated from non-age-related physical relaxation before applying TTS and (2) the manual mechanism used to compress the specimens at the aging temperature was neither smooth nor repeatable which affected the peak load value. To better understand the effect of the mode of initial compression on the measured load, and possibly better estimate “equilibrium” physical relaxation times, systematic stress relaxation experiments were performed using an Instron machine with a thermal chamber. At a given temperature, the DIW polymer was compressed to a fixed strain in either a stepped or continuous manner at two different rates, then held at that strain for 24 hrs. The results indicated that, at a given temperature, the different stress relaxation curves appeared to converge to the same curve at some “equilibrium” time when the non-age-related physical relaxation was mostly complete. Though this observation suggests that the discontinuous manual compression employed by the vessel is feasible, a compression mechanism that is rapid, smooth, and repeatable would enhance its use.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Isotherm measurements of high-pressure metal hydrides for hydrogen compressors

Hydrogen absorption and desorption isotherms have been measured for several metal hydride alloys identified as possible candidates in the high-pressure (i.e. >80 MPa) stage of a two-stage hydrogen compressor. The isotherms were obtained using two independent Sieverts volumetric test systems built specifically for measuring hydrogen absorption and desorption parameters from 0.10 to 100 MPa. The results obtained enabled us to identify the alloy Ti 0.8 Zr 0.2 Fe 1.6 V 0.4 as the most viable of the candidates investigated for use in the high-pressure stage of a prototype two-stage 80+ MPa compressor, as it produced the highest desorption pressures at moderate temperatures. Issues and challenges in determining reliable isotherms at pressures >50 MPa are also described.

08 HYDROGEN↗