Tests of heat shield materials in intense laser radiation
Heat shield materials were tested under intense radiation in a gas dynamic laser. The laser is described and test results are presented.
Lundell, J.↗
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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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Numerical Investigation of Radiative Heat Transfer in Laser Induced Air Plasmas
Radiative heat transfer is one of the most important phenomena in the laser induced plasmas. This study is intended to develop accurate and efficient methods for predicting laser radiation absorption and plasma radiative heat transfer, and investigate the plasma radiation effects in laser propelled vehicles. To model laser radiation absorption, a ray tracing method along with the Beer's law is adopted. To solve the radiative transfer equation in the air plasmas, the discrete transfer method (DTM) is selected and explained. The air plasma radiative properties are predicted by the LORAN code. To validate the present nonequilibrium radiation model, several benchmark problems are examined and the present results are found to match the available solutions. To investigate the effects of plasma radiation in laser propelled vehicles, the present radiation code is coupled into a plasma aerodynamics code and a selected problem is considered. Comparisons of results at different cases show that plasma radiation plays a role of cooling plasma and it lowers the plasma temperature by about 10%. This change in temperature also results in a reduction of the coupling coefficient by about 10-20%. The present study indicates that plasma radiation modeling is very important for accurate modeling of aerodynamics in a laser propelled vehicle.
Liu, J.↗
Composites From in-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastics for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) aims to significantly increase commercial aircraft composite structures manufacturing rate. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA has a particular interest in assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation automated fiber placement (AFP) of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing current state-of-the-art laser heating systems. Three semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone (PAEK) thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, Inc., measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The resulting temperature data were also utilized to calibrate thermal analysis models under development at NASA. The experimental temperature data confirmed analytical results. The quality of the resulting test panels was evaluated by both non-destructive evaluation as well as destructively by photo-microscopy. The effect on interlaminar strength was determined by short beam strength testing. Test results of carbon fiber laminates fabricated by ICAT using polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), and low-melt polyaryletherketone (LM-PAEK) at various placement temperatures and placement speeds are presented.
thermoplastic composites↗
Plasma Heating and Ultrafast Semiconductor Laser Modulation Through a Terahertz Heating Field
Electron-hole plasma heating and ultrafast modulation in a semiconductor laser under a terahertz electrical field are investigated using a set of hydrodynamic equations derived from the semiconductor Bloch equations. The self-consistent treatment of lasing and heating processes leads to the prediction of a strong saturation and degradation of modulation depth even at moderate terahertz field intensity. This saturation places a severe limit to bandwidth achievable with such scheme in ultrafast modulation. Strategies for increasing modulation depth are discussed.
Li, Jian-Zhong↗
In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastic Composites for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project in 2021 with the goal of significantly increasing composite structures manufacturing rate in the commercial aircraft industry. The technologies currently under investigation include resin infusion and automated fiber placement (AFP) of novel thermoset materials and thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA is particularly focused on assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation AFP of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing a recently developed laser heating system. Two semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters at AFP placement speeds approaching 423 mm/s. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The resulting temperature data were also utilized to calibrate thermal analysis models under development at NASA. The experimental temperature data confirmed analytical results. An overview of the HiCAM project as well as initial data from ICAT process characterizations are described.
thermoplastic composites↗
In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastic Composites for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project in 2021 with the goal of significantly increasing composite structures manufacturing rate in the commercial aircraft industry. The technologies currently under investigation include resin infusion and automated fiber placement (AFP) of novel thermoset materials and thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA is particularly focused on assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation AFP of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing a recently developed laser heating system. Two semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters at AFP placement speeds approaching 423 mm/s. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The resulting temperature data were also utilized to calibrate thermal analysis models under development at NASA. The experimental temperature data confirmed analytical results. An overview of the HiCAM project as well as initial data from ICAT process characterizations are described.
laser heating↗
Reduction of Sample Rotation in Electrostatic Levitation
In many containerless processing systems, control of sample rotation is an important issue. Sample rotation is even more important for microgravity containerless processing systems, where the centrifugal acceleration can approach 1 g for even a small rotation rate. Prior work on rotation control by Rhim focused on driving the sample rotation at a controlled rate for droplet dynamics experiments and measurement of electrical conductivity. His technique allows controlled, fast rotation, but for many microgravity experiments the goal is zero rotation. To minimize sample rotation, two approaches are apparent: first, to identify and balance or eliminate the driving forces for undesired sample rotation, or second, implement a feedback-based rotation control loop in parallel with the position control loop. In this work, we have taken the first approach. To minimize sample rotation, the simplest approach is to identify and balance or eliminate the driving forces for undesired sample rotation. Our experiments show that the dominant driving force for rotation of machined Zr spheres in the MSFC ESL is photon pressure from the heating laser. Experimental results showing the correlation between heating power and torque are compared to theoretical predictions, and a strategy for minimizing the torque due to photon pressure is presented.
Hyers, R. W↗
Thermodynamic analysis of an axial-flow laser-powered thruster
A one-dimensional model of a laser-powered thruster is analyzed. The model consists of two flow regions: a laser-heated region and a coaxial region outside the laser region. Different bulk velocities and temperatures are assigned for each region, and a common pressure is assigned for both regions. The one-dimensional inviscid flow equations are solved for each region with the same initial conditions. The results indicate that in order to prevent choked flow while increasing the anthalpy of the inlet gas by a factor of 10, the initial Mach number must be less than 0.14. For hydrogen gas seeded with 10 percent tungsten and entering the thruster tube at 10 atm and 300 K and a laser beam one-half the area of the tube, a tube length between 20 and 50 cm is required to vaporize the particles.
Kascak, A. F.↗
Heating of basalts with a carbon dioxide laser
Basalt heating with IR carbon dioxide laser, investigating vapor fractionation for inert atmospheres, very high temperatures and silicon dioxide poor materials
Blander, M.↗
Remote noncontacting measurements of heat transfer coefficients for detection of boundary layer transition in wind tunnel tests
An infrared measurement system is used that consists of a laser heating source, an infrared camera for data acquisition, and a video recorder for data storage. A laser beam is scanned over an airfoil, heating its surface to a few degrees above ambient. An infrared camera then measures the temperature of the airfoil over a two-dimensional field, and these temperatures are stored as a function of time on a video recorder. The resulting temperature pictures are digitized and an iterative approximation algorithm is used to extract the heat transfer coefficient. The resulting values are normalized to the natural convection condition. The technique has been applied in low-speed wind tunnel tests and compared to well-established hot-film measurements which were made simultaneously to confirm the flow conditions. Heat transfer coefficients were determined using a linear scanning pattern, to indicate the position of natural and of artificially induced transition on an airfoil, at various wind speeds. The technique is shown to be sensitive to transition at low Mach numbers. The advantages of the technique are discussed.
Heath, D. Michele↗
Dynamic sampling of laser-induced vapor plumes by mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometric techniques and instrumentation for the dynamic sampling of laser-induced vapor clouds during their submillisecond expansion periods are discussed. Illustrations are drawn primarily from the results of pulsed-laser heating of some oxides and graphites; these include comparisons of incident laser beam pulses with the resultant pulses of positive ions and selected neutral species. Observed characteristics of vapor pulses from graphite are shown to correlate with calculated surface temperature response. Dynamic velocity measurements of individual vapor species are described and, from these velocities, vaporization temperatures are derived and compared using four gas dynamic models for vapor expansion into vacuum. Additional measurements indicate that the laser beam may interact directly with the neutral vapors to produce ions.
Lincoln, K. A.↗
Silicon ribbon growth using scanned lasers
The recent demand for low-cost photovoltaic arrays has renewed the interest in growing silicon in ribbon form. The approach used in the present paper for the growth of low-cost silicon ribbon is shown schematically. A pair of scanned, focused CO2 laser beams is directed onto both sides of a preformed silicon ribbon. A narrow (about 1 mm high) molten zone is formed across the full width of the ribbon. As the silicon ribbon is passed through the laser-heated zone, large grains are produced in the recrystallized ribbon. The laser beam path is outlined schematically. As a general rule, the lenses are not positioned so as to bring the laser beams to a fine focus, since highly focused beams would vaporize the silicon surface rather than serve to melt the bulk. Silicon ribbon has been grown at rates up to 13.3 cm/min by this approach. The best solar cell fabricated so far on this material has a conversion efficiency of 12.7%.
Baghdadi, A.↗
Failure Mechanisms and Life Prediction of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings under Thermal Gradients
Ceramic thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) will play an increasingly important role in gas turbine engines because of their ability to further raise engine temperatures. However, the issue of coating durability is of major concern under high-heat-flux conditions. In particular, the accelerated coating delamination crack growth under the engine high heat-flux conditions is not well understood. In this paper, a laser heat flux technique is used to investigate the coating delamination crack propagation under realistic temperature-stress gradients and thermal cyclic conditions. The coating delamination mechanisms are investigated under various thermal loading conditions, and are correlated with coating dynamic fatigue, sintering and interfacial adhesion test results. A coating life prediction framework may be realized by examining the crack initiation and propagation driving forces for coating failure under high-heat-flux test conditions.
Zju, Dongming↗
Thermal Fatigue and Fracture Behavior of Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings
Thermal fatigue and fracture behavior of plasma-sprayed ceramic thermal barrier coatings has been investigated under high heat flux and thermal cyclic conditions. The coating crack propagation is studied under laser heat flux cyclic thermal loading, and is correlated with dynamic fatigue and strength test results. The coating stress response and inelasticity, fatigue and creep interactions, and interface damage mechanisms during dynamic thermal fatigue processes are emphasized.
Zhu, Dong-Ming↗
Seeded gas thrusters and related system components
A program involved with the construction and test of a number of laser heated thrusters is described. These thrusters, with a cavity approximately 23 cm long and 3.5 cm in i.d., are to be tested by NASA at a later date with a laser beam focused through the throat to heat hydrogen propellant containing an opacifier. The heated propellant exhausts through a supersonic nozzle with a 0.6 cm throat at 3000 C. Thrust stands and control systems were furnished with the thrusters. The report describes radio frequency plasma heated hot and cold flow simulation tests by the contractor.
Poole, J. W.↗
NASA's laser-propulsion project
Design concepts, study results, and research directions toward development of CW laser heating of remotely flying spacecraft fuels to provide high impulse thrust are presented. The incident laser radiation would be absorbed by hydrogen through a medium of a laser-supported plasma. The laser energy could be furnished from an orbiting solar-powered laser platform and used to drive the engines of an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) at costs less than with a chemical propulsion system. The OTV propulsion chamber would be reduced in size comparable to the volume addition of the incident laser energy absorber. The temperatures in the hydrogen-fueled system could reach 5000-15,000 K, and studies have been done to examine the feasibility of ion-electron recombination. Kinetic performance, temperature field, and power necessary to sustain a laser thrust augmented system modeling results are discussed, along with near-term 30 kW CO2 laser system tests.
Jones, L. W.↗
Thermal Conductivity and Elastic Modulus Evolution of Thermal Barrier Coatings under High Heat Flux Conditions
Laser high heat flux test approaches have been established to obtain critical properties of ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) under near-realistic temperature and thermal gradients that may he encountered in advanced engine systems. Thermal conductivity change kinetics of a thin ceramic coating were continuously monitored in real time at various test temperatures. A significant thermal conductivity increase was observed during the laser simulated engine heat flux tests. For a 0.25 mm thick ZrO2-8%Y2O3 coating system, the overall thermal conductivity increased from the initial value of 1.0 W/m-K to 1. 15 W/m-K, 1. 19 W/m-K and 1.5 W/m-K after 30 hour testing at surface temperatures of 990C, 1100C, and 1320C. respectively. Hardness and modulus gradients across a 1.5 mm thick TBC system were also determined as a function of laser testing time using the laser sintering/creep and micro-indentation techniques. The coating Knoop hardness values increased from the initial hardness value of 4 GPa to 5 GPa near the ceramic/bond coat interface, and to 7.5 GPa at the ceramic coating surface after 120 hour testing. The ceramic surface modulus increased from an initial value of about 70 GPa to a final value of 125 GPa. The increase in thermal conductivity and the evolution of significant hardness and modulus gradients in the TBC systems are attributed to sintering-induced micro-porosity gradients under the laser-imposed high thermal gradient conditions. The test techniques provide a viable means for obtaining coating data for use in design, development, stress modeling, and life prediction for various thermal barrier coating applications.
Zhu, Dongming↗
Compact pulsed laser having improved heat conductance
A highly efficient, compact pulsed laser having high energy to weight and volume ratios is provided. The laser utilizes a cavity reflector that operates as a heat sink and is essentially characterized by having a high heat conductivity, by being a good electrical insulator and by being substantially immune to the deleterious effects of ultra-violet radiation. Manual portability is accomplished by eliminating entirely any need for a conventional circulating fluid cooling system.
Yang, L. C.↗