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At least 91 records · Page 5

The superfluid helium on-orbit transfer (SHOOT) flight experiment

The SHOOT flight demonstration is being undertaken to verify component and system level technology necessary to resupply large superfluid helium dewars in space. The baseline configuration uses two identical 210 liter dewars connected by a transfer line which contains a quick disconnect coupling. The helium will be transferred back and forth between the dewars under various conditions of flow rate, parasitic heat load, and temperature. An astronaut Extra-vehicular Activity (EVA) is also planned to manually demate and mate the coupling. A number of components necessary for the flight are being developed. These components are described here.

Dipirro, Michael J.↗

NASA Team Investigates an Enhanced Approach for Conducting Tank-to-Tank Transfers of Cryogens for Micro-Gravity Applications

NASA is putting emphases on reusable cryogenic systems to enable returning astronauts to the lunar surface, and eventually on to Mars. Such systems will require replenishing cryogens on-orbit via a cryogenic tanker or propellant depot, and potentially on the lunar and Martian surfaces with the utilization of in-situ resources. Replenishing cryogens on-orbit requires a tank-to-tank transfer which presents challenges due to thermal environments and the absence of gravity. If the transfer process is initiated with the receiving tank empty and at atmospheric temperature, it then must be chilled to cryogenic temperature to enable filling. Likewise, the transfer lines and associated hardware must be prechilled to assure liquid is transferred. Since prechilling results in propellant loss, it is preferred to minimize this process in interest of saving propellant mass. To simplify the operations associated with propellant transfer and explore potential mass savings, NASA has been experimenting with a new methodology which uses a Vented Chill/No-Vent Fill (VC/NVF) approach, and enhances the process using a 3-D printed spray injector augmented with a Thermodynamic Vent System (TVS).

Jonathan R Stephens↗

Designing the Imaging and Breadboard System for FBCE-TL Project

This presentation outlines the support work done on designing the imaging and breadboard system of the Transfer Line (TL) project, which is the third module for the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) operating in the Fluids Integrated Rack on-board the International Space Station (ISS). The goal of the FBCE is to serve as a facility for flow boiling and condensation investigating two-phase flow and heat transfer data in microgravity. The TL module aims use existing FBCE hardware to study cryogenic chilldown, a large component of cryogenic propellant tank transfer research. The TL test module will perform chilldown studies with normal-perfluorohexane (nPFH), a cryogenic simulant, flowing through a super-heated line, which is heated through the process of Joule-heating. SolidWorks and Creo were used to create electrically conductive pipe junctions that connect and seal several Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated sapphire tube sections together to allow for low leak probability fluid flow and circumferentially uniform electrical current density. It is necessary to understand and calculate the thermal expansion of the tubing sections such that the junctions would not leak at anticipated operating temperatures and pressures, would maintain electrical contact, and not crack the crystalline tubes. Optical imaging techniques were used to build an experimentally validated image remapping process for flight-like setups of cylindrical tubes. Then MATLAB was used to create an algorithm that distorts an image based on the refraction of light passing through the mediums we were imaging through to accurately visualize the cryogenic chilldown that is of scientific interest. This research will assist NASA to move forward with long-duration spaceflight missions where knowledge of efficient heat transfer processes becomes more critical.

imaging system↗

An Assessment of Helium Evolution from Helium-Saturated Propellant Depressurization in Space

Helium evolution from the transfer of helium-saturated propellant in space is quantified to assess its impacts from creating two-phase gas/liquid flow from the supply tank, gas injection into the receiving tank, and liquid discharge from the receiving tank. Propellant transfer takes place between two similar tanks whose maximum storage capacity is approximately 2.55 cubic meters each. The maximum on-orbit propellants transfer capability is 9000 lbm (fuel and oxidizer). The transfer line is approximately 1.27 cm in diameter and 6096 cm in length and comprised of the fluid interconnect system (FICS), the orbiter propellant transfer system (OPTS), and the International Space Station (ISS) propulsion module (ISSPM). The propellant transfer rate begins at approximately 11 liter per minute (lpm) and subsequently drops to approximately 0.5 lpm. The tank nominal operating pressure is approximately 1827 kPa (absolute). The line pressure drops for Monomethy1hydrazine (MMH) and Nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) at 11.3 lpm are approximately 202 kPa and 302 kPa, respectively. The pressure-drop results are based on a single-phase flow. The receiving tank is required to vent from approximately 1827 kPa to a lower pressure to affect propellant transfer. These pressure-drop scenarios cause the helium-saturated propellants to release excess helium. For tank ullage venting, the maximum volumes of helium evolved at tank pressure are approximately 0.5 ft3 for MMH and 2 ft3 for NTO. In microgravity environment, due to lack of body force, the helium evolution from a liquid body acts to propel it, which influences its fluid dynamics. For propellant transfer, the volume fractions of helium evolved at line pressure are 0.1% by volume for MMH and 0.6 % by volume for NTO at 11.3 lpm. The void fraction of helium evolved varies as an approximate second order power function of flow rate.

Nguyen, Bich N.↗

CFD Predictions of Boiling Regime Transitions during Line Chilldown validated against a 1G LN2 Experiment

Introduction Before filling a propellant tank on the ground or in Space, the transfer line between the donor and receiver tanks must be cooled down preferably by sacrificing a minimum amount of the cryogenic fluid. The cryogenic line chill-down process involves a transition between different flow boiling regimes, namely, film boiling, transition film boiling, and nucleate boiling which are complex and may be quite gravity-dependent. Capturing these boiling phenomena and predicting the transition between them in a CFD framework is new and challenging both for 1g and microgravity applications. Materials & Methods The present work addresses this challenge by employing a two-phase Eulerian approach in the context of a homogeneous fluid mixture together with the Lee phase change model to capture the film boiling regime of the chill-down process using ANSYS Fluent®. The nucleate boiling regime is predicted by incorporating an in-house developed sub-grid model that accounts for bubble nucleation, bubble growth, bubble departure diameter, and their shedding frequency. The sub-grid model is encoded and implemented into Fluent via a user-defined function for the wall-fluid heat flux calculations. The mathematical formulation and numerical implementation of the CFD model are described in detail. The coupled CFD-Subgrid model is validated against published experimental data for liquid nitrogen chill-down of a heated stainless-steel pipe in 1g. Results Numerical simulation results show good agreements between the CFD predictions of the wall temperature evolution, rewetting temperature, and transition between film and nucleate boiling, with the experimental measurements published by Darr et al [2] for several different LN2 flowrates in the vertical pipe orientation. The CFD predictions for the wall temperature distribution indicate a rapid quenching of the wall at two upstream and downstream temperature sensing locations as compared to the experimental measurement. The only tuning parameter in the CFD model is the Lee mass transfer coefficient. The CFD Model predicts the Liedenfrost rewetting temperature in close agreement with the experiment. This marks a transition between stable and transitionary flow boiling regimes. The CFD-predicted boiling curve for the downstream sensor location is also compared against its experimental counterpart and indicates that the model is able to predict all the key temperature and heat flux parameters during the transitions from stable to transitionary film boiling to nucleate boiling in close agreement with the experiment. A sequence of predicted volume fraction, and temperature contours depicting these transitions will be presented.

Evaporation Condensation↗

CFD Modeling of Bi-Directional PMD inside Cryogenic Propellant Tanks Onboard Parabolic Flights

Future cryogenic propulsion systems will require efficient methods with which to transfer cryogenic propellants from a depot storage tank to a customer receiver tank to minimize cost and maximize reusability. The Reduced Gravity Cryogenic Transfer project is currently developing advanced cryogenic fluid management technology and developing and validating new numerical models for three phases of transfer: line chilldown, tank chilldown, and tank fill. Additionally, multiple liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) parabolic flight transfer rigs are being designed by universities and NASA to investigate the gravitational sensitivities that exist in these three technologies. In order to maximize the collection of low-g data during flights, it is required to extract as much (LN 2 as possible from the supply tank, despite variable gravity levels. The purpose of this paper is to present computational fluid dynamics (CFD) volume of fluid simulations of (LN 2 behavior in the supply tank onboard parabolic flights to validate the optimal design of a bi-directional propellant management device (PMD) using the commercial software FLOW-3D. A parametric study is conducted on the effects of gravity level, fill level, pore size, open area, thickness, and type of baffle on PMD performance. Based on results, the PMD as designed exceeds the targeted expulsion efficiency.

Jason Hartwig↗

Envelope structure of deeply embedded young stellar objects in the Serpens Molecular Cloud

Aperture-synthesis and single-dish (sub-) millimeter molecular-line and continuum observations reveal in great detail the envelope structure of deeply embedded young stellar objects (SMM 1 = FIRS 1, SMM 2, SMM 3, SMM 4) in the densely star-forming Serpens Molecular Cloud. SMM 1, 3, and 4 show partially resolved (>2" = 800 AU) continuum emission in the beam of the Owens Valley Millimeter Array at lambda = 3.4-1.4 mm. The continuum visibilities accurately constrain the density structure in the envelopes, which can be described by a radial power law with slope -2.0 +/- 0.5 on scales of 300 to 8000 AU. Inferred envelope masses within a radius of 8000 AU are 8.7, 3.0, and 5.3 Msolar for SMM 1, 3, and 4, respectively. A point source with 20%-30% of the total flux at 1.1 mm is required to fit the observations on long baselines, corresponding to warm envelope material within approximately 100 AU or a circumstellar disk. No continuum emission is detected interferometrically toward SMM 2, corresponding to an upper limit of 0.2 Msolar assuming Td = 24 K. The lack of any compact dust emission suggests that the SMM 2 core does not contain a central protostar. Aperture-synthesis observations of the 13CO, C18O, HCO+, H13CO+, HCN, H13CN, N2H+ 1-0, SiO 2-1, and SO 2(2)-1(1) transitions reveal compact emission toward SMM 1, 3, and 4. SMM 2 shows only a number of clumps scattered throughout the primary field of view, supporting the conclusion that this core does not contain a central star. The compact molecular emission around SMM 1, 3, and 4 traces 5"-10" (2000-4000 AU) diameter cores that correspond to the densest regions of the envelopes, as well as material directly associated with the molecular outflow. Especially prominent are the optically thick HCN and HCO+ lines that show up brightly along the walls of the outflow cavities. SO and SiO trace shocked material, where their abundances may be enhanced by 1-2 orders of magnitude over dark-cloud values. A total of 31 molecular transitions have been observed with the James Clerk Maxwell and Caltech Submillimeter telescopes in the 230, 345, 490, and 690 GHz atmospheric windows toward all four sources, containing, among others, lines of CO, HCO+, HCN, H2CO, SiO, SO, and their isotopomers. These lines show 20-30 km s-1 wide line wings, deep and narrow (1-2 km s-1) self-absorption, and 2-3 km s-1 FWHM line cores. The presence of highly excited lines like 12CO 4-3 and 6-5, 13CO 6-5, and several H2CO transitions indicates the presence of material with temperatures > or approximately 100 K. Monte Carlo calculations of the molecular excitation and line transfer show that the envelope model derived from the dust emission can successfully reproduce the observed line intensities. The depletion of CO in the cold gas is modest compared to values inferred in objects like NGC 1333 IRAS 4, suggesting that the phase of large depletions through the entire envelope is short lived and may be influenced by the local star formation density. Emission in high-excitation lines of CO and H2CO requires the presence of a small amount of approximately 100 K material, comprising less than 1% of the total envelope mass and probably associated with the outflow or the innermost region of the envelope. The derived molecular abundances in the warm (Tkin > 20 K) envelope are similar to those found toward other class 0 YSOs like IRAS 16293-2422, though some species appear enhanced toward SMM 1. Taken together, the presented observations and analysis provide the first comprehensive view of the physical and chemical structure of the envelopes of deeply embedded young stellar objects in a clustered environment on scales between 1000 and 10,000 AU.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Simulations of Cryogenic Line Chilldown with Advanced Sub-Grid Wall Boiling Models

A meso-scale model developed at MIT [2][11] for boiling processes in water was adapted for cryogens and demonstrated for chilldown of propellant transfer lines in both liquid nitrogen and hydrogen. The sub-grid boiling model accurately captures the contributions to heat transfer from the generation of bubble nuclei, growth, and interaction of the bubbles in the microlayer as well as quenching of the boiling surface following bubble departure. It was adapted for cryogenic fluids using thermodynamic scaling concepts taking into account non-dimensional pressures and temperatures that are scaled by the corresponding critical values for the fluid. The boiling model was demonstrated for line chilldown in liquid nitrogen (Darr et al. [6]). The predicted wall temperature at which quenching occurs was close to the test data while the slope of the temperature curve after quenching is initiated, showing a steeper variation than the test data. Simulations were also performed for liquid hydrogen by simulating experiments of Hartwig et al. [7]. Chilldown times in liquid hydrogen are much more rapid due to higher heat transfer in the film boiling regime and accounting for the higher turbulence levels were found to be important. Furthermore, at the much lower fluid temperatures in liquid hydrogen flows, accounting for the variable thermal properties of the solid material is critical and has a dramatic impact on the quench times. The need for additional studies to better understand the evolution of the quench front in liquid hydrogen was noted.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

Simulations of Cryogenic Line Chilldown with Advanced Sub-Grid Wall Boiling Models

A meso-scale model developed at MIT [2][11] for boiling processes in water was adapted for cryogens and demonstrated for chilldown of propellant transfer lines in both liquid nitrogen and hydrogen. The sub-grid boiling model accurately captures the contributions to heat transfer from the generation of bubble nuclei, growth, and interaction of the bubbles in the microlayer as well as quenching of the boiling surface following bubble departure. It was adapted for cryogenic fluids using thermodynamic scaling concepts taking into account non-dimensional pressures and temperatures that are scaled by the corresponding critical values for the fluid. The boiling model was demonstrated for line chilldown in liquid nitrogen (Darr et al. [6]). The predicted wall temperature at which quenching occurs was close to the test data while the slope of the temperature curve after quenching is initiated, showing a steeper variation than the test data. Simulations were also performed for liquid hydrogen by simulating experiments of Hartwig et al. [7]. Chilldown times in liquid hydrogen are much more rapid due to higher heat transfer in the film boiling regime and accounting for the higher turbulence levels were found to be important. Furthermore, at the much lower fluid temperatures in liquid hydrogen flows, accounting for the variable thermal properties of the solid material is critical and has a dramatic impact on the quench times. The need for additional studies to better understand the evolution of the quench front in liquid hydrogen was noted.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

Use of Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) for Teaching and Performing Senior Design Projects at the Educational Institutions

This paper describes the experience of the authors in using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) in teaching Design of Thermal Systems class at University of Alabama in Huntsville. GFSSP is a finite volume based thermo-fluid system network analysis code, developed at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, and is extensively used in NASA, Department of Defense, and aerospace industries for propulsion system design, analysis, and performance evaluation. The educational version of GFSSP is freely available to all US higher education institutions. The main purpose of the paper is to illustrate the utilization of this user-friendly code for the thermal systems design and fluid engineering courses and to encourage the instructors to utilize the code for the class assignments as well as senior design projects. The need for a generalized computer program for thermofluid analysis in a flow network has been felt for a long time in aerospace industries. Designers of thermofluid systems often need to know pressures, temperatures, flow rates, concentrations, and heat transfer rates at different parts of a flow circuit for steady state or transient conditions. Such applications occur in propulsion systems for tank pressurization, internal flow analysis of rocket engine turbopumps, chilldown of cryogenic tanks and transfer lines, and many other applications of gas-liquid systems involving fluid transients and conjugate heat and mass transfer. Computer resource requirements to perform time-dependent, three-dimensional Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis of such systems are prohibitive and therefore are not practical. Available commercial codes are generally suitable for steady state, single-phase incompressible flow. Because of the proprietary nature of such codes, it is not possible to extend their capability to satisfy the above-mentioned needs. Therefore, the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP1) has been developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) as a general fluid flow system solver capable of handling phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics and transient operations. It also includes the capability to model external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal effects in a complex flow network. The objectives of GFSSP development are: a) to develop a robust and efficient numerical algorithm to solve a system of equations describing a flow network containing phase changes, mixing, and rotation; and b) to implement the algorithm in a structured, easy-to-use computer program. The analysis of thermofluid dynamics in a complex network requires resolution of the system into fluid nodes and branches, and solid nodes and conductors as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a schematic and GFSSP flow circuit of a counter-flow heat exchanger. Hot nitrogen gas is flowing through a pipe, colder nitrogen is flowing counter to the hot stream in the annulus pipe and heat transfer occurs through metal tubes. The problem considered is to calculate flowrates and temperature distributions in both streams. GFSSP has a unique data structure, as shown in Figure 2, that allows constructing all possible arrangements of a flow network with no limit on the number of elements. The elements of a flow network are boundary nodes where pressure and temperature are specified, internal nodes where pressure and temperature are calculated, and branches where flowrates are calculated. For conjugate heat transfer problems, there are three additional elements: solid node, ambient node, and conductor. The solid and fluid nodes are connected with solid-fluid conductors. GFSSP solves the conservation equations of mass and energy, and equation of state in internal nodes to calculate pressure, temperature and resident mass. The momentum conservation equation is solved in branches to calculate flowrate. It also solves for energy conservation equations to calculate temperatures of solid nodes. The equations are coupled and nonlinear; therefore, they are solved by an iterative numerical scheme. GFSSP employs a unique numerical scheme known as simultaneous adjustment with successive substitution (SASS), which is a combination of Newton-Raphson and successive substitution methods. The mass and momentum conservation equations and the equation of state are solved by the Newton-Raphson method while the conservation of energy and species are solved by the successive substitution method. GFSSP is linked with two thermodynamic property programs, GASP2 and WASP3 and GASPAK4, that provide thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of selected fluids. Both programs cover a range of pressure and temperature that allows fluid properties to be evaluated for liquid, liquid-vapor (saturation), and vapor region. GASP and WASP provide properties of 12 fluids. GASPAK includes a library of 36 fluids. GFSSP has three major parts. The first part is the graphical user interface (GUI), visual thermofluid analyzer of systems and components (VTASC). VTASC allows users to create a flow circuit by a 'point and click' paradigm. It creates the GFSSP input file after the completion of the model building process. GFSSP's GUI provides the users a platform to build and run their models. It also allows post-processing of results. The network flow circuit is first built using three basic elements: boundary node, internal node, and branch.

Majumdar, A. K.↗

Computer program for analysis of split-Stirling-cycle cryogenic coolers

A computer program for predicting the detailed thermodynamic performance of split-Stirling-cycle refrigerators has been developed. The mathematical model includes the refrigerator cold head, free-displacer/regenerator, gas transfer line, and provision for modeling a mechanical or thermal compressor. To allow for dynamic processes (such as aerodynamic friction and heat transfer) temperature, pressure, and mass flow rate are varied by sub-dividing the refrigerator into an appropriate number of fluid and structural control volumes. Of special importance to modeling of cryogenic coolers is the inclusion of real gas properties, and allowance for variation of thermo-physical properties such as thermal conductivities, specific heats and viscosities, with temperature and/or pressure. The resulting model, therefore, comprehensively simulates the split-cycle cooler both spatially and temporally by reflecting the effects of dynamic processes and real material properties.

Brown, M. T.↗

Experiments on transferring helium II with a thermomechanical pump

Porous plugs were tested as thermomechanical pumps for the transfer of helium II from one dewar to another through a transfer line and two valves. SEM images for two different size porous plugs are presented. The present pump design was shown to transfer 80 liters at a maximum flow rate of 90 liters/hr. Temperature, pressure, flow rate, and heater power data are compared with theoretical results.

Mills, G. L.↗

Structure of the iron fluorescence line in X-ray binaries

The paper presents an approximate solution to the iron K alpha line transfer problem in a stellar atmosphere illuminated by an external X-ray source as in a binary X-ray system. The emergent Comptonized line profile can independently yield information on the abundance of heavy elements in the primary atmosphere and on the solid angle subtended by the primary at the X-ray source.

Hatchett, S.↗

Validation of Heat Transfer Correlations in Line Chill-Down Tests of Cryogenic Fluid in SINDA/FLUINT

Line Chill-down heat transfer was modelled using SINDA/FLUINT. Multiple chill-down tests were modelled using the heat transfer correlations that are available in SINDA/FLUINT, as well as incorporating heat transfer empiricisms developed by the University of Florida1 based on a series of liquid nitrogen chill-down tests. The chill-down tests that were modelled were the liquid nitrogen tests conducted by the University of Florida1 as well as liquid hydrogen tests conducted by NASA Glenn Research Center2. The liquid nitrogen tests included horizontal flow, upward flow, and downward flow with the liquid Reynolds Numbers ranging 850 - 231,000. The liquid hydrogen test was vertical upward flow at a Reynolds Number range of 18,400 - 433,000. Both the University of Florida's heat transfer correlations and SINDA/FLUINT's internal correlations faired similarly to wall temperature test data. They were acceptable although improvements could be made to the University of Florida correlations as well and SINDA/FLUINT's internal correlations.

cryogenic modeling↗

Cyclotron line features from neutron star atmospheres

Cyclotron line features from the polar cap plasmas of accreting magnetized neutron stars are modeled. The polar cap environment is modeled by a homogeneous isothermal plane-parallel slab threaded by a uniform superstrong magnetic field oriented orthogonal to the slab. Two physical cyclotron photon source functions are used. For conventional stopping depths, the emergent line spectra are fairly independent of the source functions. For hot atmospheres the details of the line transfer using relativistic kinematics differ substantially from those using nonrelativistic kinematics. Aside from finite recoil, both a finite natural linewidth and conventional stopping depths suppress the escape of photons blueward of line center and potential line features tend to be smeared out into the low-energy continuum. The formation of a line features is most favorable in low-field high-temperature atmospheres where cyclotron photon production is confined to a layer of small column density.

Wang, John C. L.↗

Comparison of Cryogenic Flow Boiling in Liquid Nitrogen and Liquid Hydrogen Chilldown Experiments

This paper presents a comparison between experimental results from recent liquid hydrogen (LH 2 ) transfer line chilldown experiments at high Reynolds (Re) numbers versus liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) experiments conducted at low Re numbers. Parasitic heat leak, inner wall temperatures, inner wall heat fluxes, and heat transfer coefficients are computed to compare between the two systems. Analysis of temperature traces and flow visualization indicates that the chilldown process evolves much more rapidly at higher Re numbers due to a quick transition from vapor flow to annular liquid flow and near immediate liquid contact along the pipe walls. The lower kinematic viscosity and surface tension of LH 2 , along with reduced parasitic heat leak and higher Re numbers relative to the LN 2 experiments, causes chilldown to proceed almost immediately into the nucleate boiling regime, in comparison to low Re flows where >75% of the chilldown is spent in vapor film boiling.

Cryogenic Heat Transfer Coefficient↗

Long-Term Cryogenic Propellant Storage on Mars with Hercules Propellant Storage Facility

This report details the process and results of roughly sizing the steady state, zero boil-off thermal and power parameters of the Hercules Propellant Storage Facility. For power analysis, isothermal and isobaric common bulkhead tank scenarios are considered. An estimated minimum power requirement of 8.3 kW for the Reverse Turbo-Brayton Cryocooler is calculated. Heat rejection concerns in soft vacuum Mars atmosphere are noted and potential solutions are proposed. Choice of coolant for liquid propellant conditioning and issues with current proposed cryocooler cycle are addressed; recommendations are made, e.g. adding a Joule-Thomson expansion valve after the Reverse Turbo-Brayton turbine in order to have two-phase, isothermal heat exchange through the Broad Area Cooling system. Issues with cross-country transfer lines from propellant storage to flight vehicle are briefly discussed: traditional vacuum jacketed lines are implausible, and Mars insulation needs to be developed.

Propellant Storage↗