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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 937 records · Page 52

Flow angle sensor and readout system

Sensor determines fluid flow angles by means of a simple vane that positions itself in the direction of the flow. The vane rotates a small light-reflecting disc as it moves while the readout system uses two cyclically polarized light beams.

Hansen, I. G.↗

Digital enhancement of flow field images

Most photographs of experimentally generated fluid flow fields have inherently poor photographic quality, specifically low contrast. Thus, there is a need to establish a process for quickly and accurately enhancing these photographs to provide improved versions for physical interpretation, analysis, and publication. A sequence of digital image processing techniques which have been demonstrated to effectively enhance such photographs is described.

Kudlinski, Robert A.↗

Ground-Based Studies of Thermocapillary Flows in Levitated Laser-Heated Drops

The fluid flow phenomena are studied together with the thermal effects on drops levitated in acoustic and/or electrostatic fields. While the study is concerned primarily with particles in strong acoustic fields to overcome gravity, some results for microgravity have also been obtained. The study also includes an analysis and an experimental investigation of the thermocapillary flow in a spot-heated drop. Results of a Glovebox experiment on the MSL-1 mission, one of whose objectives was to evaluate the acoustic stability criteria in microgravity, are also discussed.

Sadhai, S. S.↗

Balanced Orifice Plate

An orifice plate for use in a conduit through which fluid flows is defined by a central circular region having a radius R, and a ring-shaped region surrounding the central circular region. The ring-shaped region has holes formed therethrough with those holes centered at each radius R thereof satisfying a relationship A(sub R)=al(X(sub R)V(sub R)(sup b)) where A(sub R) is a sum of areas of those holes having centers at radius R, X(sub R) is a flow coefficient at radius R, V(sub R) is a velocity of the fluid that is to flow through the conduit at radius R, b is a constant selected to make at least one process variable (associated with the fluid that is to flow through the conduit) approximately equal at each radius R, and a is a constant that is equal to (X(sub R)A(sub R)V(sub R)(sup b)) at each radius R.

Kelley, Anthony R.↗

Data supporting the article titled "Heterogeneous Multiphase Flow Properties of Volcanic Rocks and Implications for Noble Gas Transport from Underground Nuclear Explosions"

The submission is a Reproducible Research (RR) data archive that contains the supporting multiphase fluid flow and curve fitting results of the Vadose Zone Journal article titled: "Heterogeneous Multiphase Flow Properties of Volcanic Rocks and Implications for Noble Gas Transport from Underground Nuclear Explosions." The article's DOI number is the following: https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20123. Please see the "Methods and Materials" section of the journal article and the ReadMe.txt in the RR_ARCHIVE folder for further details. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. SAND Number: SAND2021-3407 O.

mercury injection capillary pressure↗

Implementation of Finite Volume based Navier Stokes Algorithm Within General Purpose Flow Network Code

This paper describes a finite volume based numerical algorithm that allows multi-dimensional computation of fluid flow within a system level network flow analysis. There are several thermo-fluid engineering problems where higher fidelity solutions are needed that are not within the capacity of system level codes. The proposed algorithm will allow NASA's Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) to perform multi-dimensional flow calculation within the framework of GFSSP s typical system level flow network consisting of fluid nodes and branches. The paper presents several classical two-dimensional fluid dynamics problems that have been solved by GFSSP's multi-dimensional flow solver. The numerical solutions are compared with the analytical and benchmark solution of Poiseulle, Couette and flow in a driven cavity.

Schallhorn, Paul↗

Fluid Line Evacuation and Freezing Experiments for Digital Radiator Concept

The digital radiator technology is one of three variable heat rejection technologies being investigated for future human-rated NASA missions. The digital radiator concept is based on a mechanically pumped fluid loop with parallel tubes carrying coolant to reject heat from the radiator surface. A series of valves actuate to start and stop fluid flow to di erent combinations of tubes, in order to vary the heat rejection capability of the radiator by a factor of 10 or more. When the flow in a particular leg is stopped, the fluid temperature drops and the fluid can freeze, causing damage or preventing flow from restarting. For this reason, the liquid in a stopped leg must be partially or fully evacuated upon shutdown. One of the challenges facing fluid evacuation from closed tubes arises from the vapor generated during pumping to low pressure, which can cause pump cavitation and incomplete evacuation. Here we present a series of laboratory experiments demonstrating fluid evacuation techniques to overcome these challenges by applying heat and pumping to partial vacuum. Also presented are results from qualitative testing of the freezing characteristics of several different candidate fluids, which demonstrate significant di erences in freezing properties, and give insight to the evacuation process.

human space flight↗

Experimental Investigation of the System Nonmetallic Inclusion-Molten Steel-Refractory System at High Temperatures

In continuous casting, the buildup of particles in the flow control system is called clogging. Clogging may be caused by preexisting nonmetallic inclusions attached to the refractory wall, interrupting or disturbing the fluid flow conditions. The interfacial properties of the nonmetallic inclusion-molten steel-refractory system are believed to play a key role in the clogging tendency of selected steel grades in contact with ceramics. The combination of a high-temperature laser scanning confocal microscope (HT-LSCM), which is employed for in situ observation of inclusions’ behavior in the liquid steel or at the steel/ceramic interface, and a high-temperature drop shape analyzer (HT-DSA), which is utilized for contact angle measurements, enabled the investigation of reactions and interactions in the described system at experimental temperatures of approximately 1600 °C. The objective of this study was to develop a method to obtain qualitative information on the deposition of nonmetallic inclusions (NMIs) in the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during casting. The behavior of solid NMIs from a calcium-treated steel at the interface between liquid steel and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} or MgO was investigated by means of HT-LSCM. During the test evaluation, inclusions were found to separate at the steel/ceramic interface due to an attractive force. This force increased with the NMIs’ size as well as with the ceramic particle change. The HT-DSA provided contact angle data between molten steel and the ceramic used for implementation into the theoretical capillary force model. A clear correspondence between the estimated and calculated capillary forces was observed. The change in the wettability of the system, as induced by the change in the ceramic from MgO to Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, showed a reduction of the attractive forces, indicating a weaker separation toward the SEN for the same inclusion type. This study confirmed the strong potential of wettability investigations to predict the clogging tendency of certain steel grades.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Multiphysics Lattice Discrete Particle Modeling (M-LDPM) for the Simulation of Shale Fracture Permeability

A three-dimensional multiphysics lattice discrete particle model (M-LDPM) framework is formulated to investigate the fracture permeability behavior of shale. The framework features a dual lattice system mimicking the mesostructure of the material and simulates coupled mechanical and flow behavior. The mechanical lattice model simulates the granular internal structure of shale, and describes heterogeneous deformation by means of discrete compatibility and equilibrium equations. The network of flow lattice elements constitutes a dual graph of the mechanical lattice system. A discrete formulation of mass balance for the flow elements is presented to model fluid flow along cracks and intact materials. The overall computational framework is implemented with a mixed explicit–implicit integration scheme and a staggered coupling method that makes use of the dual lattice topology enabling the seamless two-way coupling of the mechanical and flow behaviors. The proposed model is used for the computational analysis of shale fracture permeability behavior by simulating triaxial direct shear tests on Marcellus shale specimens under various confining pressures. The simulated mechanical response is calibrated against the experimental data, and the predicted permeability values are also compared with the experimental measurements. Moreover, the paper presents the scaling analysis of both the mechanical response and permeability measurements based on simulations performed on geometrically similar specimens with increasing size. The simulated stress strain curves reflect a significant size effect in the post-peak due to the presence of localized fractures. The scaling analysis of permeability measurements enables prediction of permeability for large specimens by extrapolating the numerical results of small ones.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Stabilization of fault slip by fluid injection in the laboratory and in situ

Faults can slip seismically or aseismically depending on their hydromechanical properties, which can be measured in the laboratory. Here, we demonstrate that fault slip induced by fluid injection in a natural fault at the decametric scale is quantitatively consistent with fault slip and frictional properties measured in the laboratory. The increase in fluid pressure first induces accelerating aseismic creep and fault opening. As the fluid pressure increases further, friction becomes mainly rate strengthening, favoring aseismic slip. Our study reveals how coupling between fault slip and fluid flow promotes stable fault creep during fluid injection. Seismicity is most probably triggered indirectly by the fluid injection due to loading of nonpressurized fault patches by aseismic creep.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

NFD Methodology Report

The NetFlow Dynamics (NFD) model was developed for estimating the availability of a commodity supplied by a national- or regional-scale infrastructure following unexpected disruption of one or more of its components. The large scope of the disruptions of interest produce changes in availability lasting days to weeks. Consequently, the model does not resolve daily variations in system state and does not include the long-term processes that cause infrastructures to evolve as assets are added and removed according to owners ’planning decisions. NFD simulates fluid flow, including petroleum and other incompressible fluids, as well as natural gas and other compressible fluids, through pipeline networks characterized by limits on transmission capacity and storage. It was designed to enable efficient exploration of possible transmission system responses to large-scale disruptions lasting for days or longer. The model formulation reflects constraints on transmission and storage capacity imposed by the physical system assets. Those capacity limits are input parameters and are not derived from more basic system properties such as pipeline diameters and compressor power. A system’s response to a large disruption is controlled by operational decisions as well as damage to physical assets. The NFD model formulation allows users to efficiently consider alternative scenarios about the way remaining capacity might be used so that the analysis result appropriately reflects uncertainties about operator response.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Relativistic Hydrodynamics with Wavelets

Methods to solve the relativistic hydrodynamic equations are important in a large number of astrophysical simulations, which may be very dynamic and involve multiscale features. This requires computational methods that are highly adaptive and capable of automatically resolving numerous localized features and instabilities that emerge across the computational domain and over many temporal scales. While this has been historically accomplished with adaptive-mesh-refinement-based methods, alternatives using wavelet bases and the wavelet transformation have recently achieved significant success in adaptive representation for advanced engineering applications. The current work presents a new method, extending the wavelet adaptive multiresolution representation method, for the integration of the relativistic hydrodynamic equations using iterated interpolating wavelets and introduces a highly adaptive implementation for multidimensional simulation. We note the wavelet coefficients provide a direct measure of the local approximation error for the solution and place collocation points that naturally adapt to the fluid flow while providing good conservation of fluid quantities. The resulting implementation, OAHU , is applied to a series of demanding 1D and 2D problems that explore high Lorentz factor outflows and the formation of several instabilities, including the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability and the Rayleigh–Taylor instability.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Development of an integrated BEM approach for hot fluid structure interaction

In the present work, the boundary element method (BEM) is chosen as the basic analysis tool, principally because the definition of temperature, flux, displacement and traction are very precise on a boundary-based discretization scheme. One fundamental difficulty is, of course, that a BEM formulation requires a considerable amount of analytical work, which is not needed in the other numerical methods. Progress made toward the development of a boundary element formulation for the study of hot fluid-structure interaction in Earth-to-Orbit engine hot section components is reported. The primary thrust of the program to date has been directed quite naturally toward the examination of fluid flow, since boundary element methods for fluids are at a much less developed state.

Dargush, Gary F.↗

Prediction of the ullage gas thermal stratification in a NASP vehicle propellant tank experimental simulation using FLOW-3D

As part of the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) project, the multi-dimensional effects of gravitational force, initial tank pressure, initial ullage temperature, and heat transfer rate on the 2-D temperature profiles were studied. FLOW-3D, a commercial finite difference fluid flow model, was used for the evaluation. These effects were examined on the basis of previous liquid hydrogen experimental data with gaseous hydrogen pressurant. FLOW-3D results were compared against an existing 1-D model. In addition, the effects of mesh size and convergence criteria on the analytical results were investigated. Suggestions for future modifications and uses of FLOW-3D for modeling of a NASP tank are also presented.

Hardy, Terry L.↗