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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Constant-output atomizer

A constant-output atomizer includes a body which has a generally frustoconical expansion nozzle for producing an air jet when a supply of pressurized air is connected to the nozzle upstream of the throat of the nozzle. A liquid feed line supplies liquid to be atomized by the air jet, and the body includes a groove which opens into the diffuser section of the nozzle downstream of the throat for conducting liquid from the feed line to the nozzle. The groove which extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle, and radially with respect to it, has a depth approximately equal to half the axial length of the nozzle. Liquid, conducted by capillary action in the groove to the nozzle, is atomized into a fine mist by the air jet in the nozzle; and the groove eliminates fluctuations in spray order.

Dea, J. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Energy storage possibilities of atomic hydrogen

The possibility of storing large amounts of energy in a free radical system such as atomic hydrogen is analyzed. Attention is focused on theoretical calculations of the ground state properties of spin-aligned atomic triplet hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium. The solid-liquid phase transition in atomic hydrogen is also examined.

Etters, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Atomization of broad specification aircraft fuels

The atomization properties of liquid fuels for the potential use in aircraft gas turbine engines are discussed. The significance of these properties are addressed with respect to the ignition and subsequent combustion behavior of the fuel spray/air mixture. It is shown that the fuel properties which affect the atomization behavior (viscosity, surface tension, and density) are less favorable for the broad specification fuels as compared to with those for conventional fuels.

Skifstad, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Microgravity Experiments Being Developed for Microscopic Study of Colloidal Spheres

Microscopic spheres suspended in liquid become highly ordered under the proper conditions. Such collections of particles, called colloidal suspensions or colloids, are the subject of a series of ongoing microgravity experiments at the NASA Lewis Research Center. By studying the way these colloidal suspensions order themselves, scientists can better understand how atoms of a liquid become ordered to form a solid. In addition, highly ordered colloids have special properties that may make them useful in future hightech applications. Work is underway at Lewis to develop an optical microscope to view these colloidal suspensions sphere by sphere in microgravity.

Rogers, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Spray combustion under oscillatory pressure conditions

The performance and stability of liquid rocket engines is often argued to be significantly impacted by atomization and droplet vaporization processes. In particular, combustion instability phenomena may result from the interactions between the oscillating pressure field present in the rocket combustor and the fuel and oxidizer injection process. Few studies have been conducted to examine the effects of oscillating pressure fields on spray formation and its evolution under rocket engine conditions. The pressure study is intended to address the need for such studies. In particular, two potentially important phenomena are addressed in the present effort. The first involves the enhancement of the atomization process for a liquid jet subjected to an oscillating pressure field of known frequency and amplitude. The objective of this part of the study is to examine the coupling between the pressure field and or the resulting periodically perturbed velocity field on the breakup of the liquid jet. In particular, transverse mode oscillations are of interest since such modes are considered of primary importance in combustion instability phenomena. The second aspect of the project involves the effects of an oscillating pressure on droplet coagulation and secondary atomization. The objective of this study is to examine the conditions under which phenomena following the atomization process are affected by perturbations to the pressure or velocity fields. Both coagulation and represent a coupling mechanism between the pressure field and the energy release process in rocket combustors. It is precisely this coupling which drives combustion instability phenomena. Consequently, the present effort is intended to provide the fundamental insights needed to evaluate these processes as important mechanisms in liquid rocket instability phenomena.

Jacobs, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Computer Modeling Of Atomization

Improved mathematical models based on fundamental principles of conservation of mass, energy, and momentum developed for use in computer simulation of atomization of jets of liquid fuel in rocket engines. Models also used to study atomization in terrestrial applications; prove especially useful in designing improved industrial sprays - humidifier water sprays, chemical process sprays, and sprays of molten metal. Because present improved mathematical models based on first principles, they are minimally dependent on empirical correlations and better able to represent hot-flow conditions that prevail in rocket engines and are too severe to be accessible for detailed experimentation.

Giridharan, M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Structures Self-Assembled Through Directional Solidification

Nanotechnology has created a demand for new fabrication methods with an emphasis on simple, low-cost techniques. Directional solidification of eutectics (DSE) is an unconventional approach in comparison to low-temperature biomimetic approaches. A technical challenge for DSE is producing microstructural architectures on the nanometer scale. In both processes, the driving force is the minimization of Gibb's free energy. Selfassembly by biomimetic approaches depends on weak interaction forces between organic molecules to define the architectural structure. The architectural structure for solidification depends on strong chemical bonding between atoms. Constituents partition into atomic-level arrangements at the liquid-solid interface to form polyphase structures, and this atomic-level arrangement at the liquid-solid interface is controlled by atomic diffusion and total undercooling due to composition (diffusion), kinetics, and curvature of the boundary phases. Judicious selection of the materials system and control of the total undercooling are the keys to producing structures on the nanometer scale. The silicon-titanium silicide (Si-TiSi2) eutectic forms a rod structure under isothermal cooling conditions. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, directional solidification was employed along with a thermal gradient to promote uniform rods oriented with the thermal gradient. The preceding photomicrograph shows the typical transverse microstructure of a solidified Si-TiSi2 eutectic composition. The dark and light gray regions are Si and TiSi2, respectively. Preferred rod orientation along the thermal gradient was poor. The ordered TiSi2 rods have a narrow distribution in diameter of 2 to 3 m, as shown. The rod diameter showed a weak dependence on process conditions. Anisotropic etch behavior between different phases provides the opportunity to fabricate structures with high aspect ratios. The photomicrographs show the resulting microstructure after a wet chemical etch and a dry plasma etch. The wet chemical etches the silicon away, exposing the TiSi2 rods, whereas plasma etching preferentially etches the Si-TiSi2 interface to form a crater. The porous architectures are applicable to fabricating microdevices or creating templates for part fabrication. The porous rod structure can serve as a platform for fabricating microplasma devices for propulsion or microheat exchangers and for fabricating microfilters for miniatured chemical reactors. Although more work is required, self-assembly from DSE can have a role in microdevice fabrication.

Dynys, Frederick W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Theory of hydrophobicity: transient cavities in molecular liquids

Observation of the size distribution of transient cavities in computer simulations of water, n-hexane, and n-dodecane under benchtop conditions shows that the sizes of cavities are more sharply defined in liquid water but the most-probable-size cavities are about the same size in each of these liquids. The calculated solvent atomic density in contact with these cavities shows that water applies more force per unit area of cavity surface than do the hydrocarbon liquids. This contact density, or "squeezing" force, reaches a maximum near cavity diameters of 2.4 angstroms. The results for liquid water are compared to the predictions of simple theories and, in addition, to results for a reference simple liquid. The numerical data for water at a range of temperatures are analyzed to extract a surface free energy contribution to the work of formation of atomic-size cavities. Comparison with the liquid-vapor interfacial tensions of the model liquids studied here indicates that the surface free energies extracted for atomic-size cavities cannot be accurately identified with the macroscopic surface tensions of the systems.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRS1993

Experimental studies on effervescent atomizers with wide spray angles

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine the operating and spray characteristics of two internal-mixing twin-fluid atomizers that were designed to produce effervescent atomization at low air/liquid mass ratios (ALR's). These two experimental atomizers ejected the two phase flow so as to produce a wide spray angle. One atomizer was a plain orifice design that used a four-hole exit orifice which divided and turned the two phase flow just prior to ejection. The other atomizer, called the conical sheet atomizer, ejected the two phase flow through an annular passage in such a way as to form a hollow cone spray. The atomizer operating parameters varied during this investigation were the air/liquid mass ratio, atomizer operating pressure, and, in the case of the conical sheet atomizer, the exit gap width. Studies of spray characteristics included measurements of the spray Sauter mean diameter (SMD), drop size distribution, and, for the conical sheet atomizer, circumferential distribution of the liquid mass within the spray. For both atomizers it was found that SMD decreases with an increase in either ALR or operating pressure. The effect of ALR on SMD diminishes as the value of ALR increases. For the conical sheet atomizer, when operating at low values of pressure and ALR, SMD increases with increase in gap width, but the influence of gap width on SMD diminishes with an increase in either pressure or ALR. At the highest operating pressure of the conical sheet atomizer (552 kPa), SMD is independent of gap width at all ALR's. For both atomizers, changes in operating pressure and ALR have little effect on the distribution of drop sizes in the spray.

Whitlow, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

CFD Analysis of Spray Combustion and Radiation in OMV Thrust Chamber

The Variable Thrust Engine (VTE), developed by TRW, for the Orbit Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) uses a hypergolic propellant combination of Monomethyl Hydrazine (MMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (NTO) as fuel and oxidizer, respectively. The propellants are pressure fed into the combustion chamber through a single pintle injection element. The performance of this engine is dependent on the pintle geometry and a number of complex physical phenomena and their mutual interactions. The most important among these are (1) atomization of the liquid jets into fine droplets; (2) the motion of these droplets in the gas field; (3) vaporization of the droplets (4) turbulent mixing of the fuel and oxidizer; and (5) hypergolic reaction between MMH and NTO. Each of the above phenomena by itself poses a considerable challenge to the technical community. In a reactive flow field of the kind occurring inside the VTE, the mutual interactions between these physical processes tend to further complicate the analysis. The objective of this work is to develop a comprehensive mathematical modeling methodology to analyze the flow field within the VTE. Using this model, the effect of flow parameters on various physical processes such as atomization, spray dynamics, combustion, and radiation is studied. This information can then be used to optimize design parameters and thus improve the performance of the engine. The REFLEQS CFD Code is used for solving the fluid dynamic equations. The spray dynamics is modeled using the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. The discrete ordinate method with 12 ordinate directions is used to predict the radiative heat transfer in the OMV combustion chamber, nozzle, and the heat shield. The hypergolic reaction between MMH and NTO is predicted using an equilibrium chemistry model with 13 species. The results indicate that mixing and combustion is very sensitive to the droplet size. Smaller droplets evaporate faster than bigger droplets, leading to a well mixed zone in the combustion chamber. The radiative heat flux at combustion chamber and nozzle walls are an order of negligible less than the conductive heat flux. Simulations performed with the heat shield show that a negligible amount of fluid is entrained into the heat shield region. However, the heat shield is shown to be effective in protecting the OMV structure surrounding the engine from the radiated heat.

Giridharan, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Experimental study of the spray characteristics of a research airblast atomizer

Airblast atomization was studied using a especially designed atomizer in which the liquid first impinges on a splash plate, then is directed radially outward and is atomized by the air passing through two concentric, vaned swirlers that swirl the air in opposite directions. The effect of flow conditions, air mass velocity (mass flow rate per unit area) and liquid to air ratio on the mean drop size was studied. Seven different ethanol solutions were used to simulate changes in fuel physical properties. The range of atomizing air velocities was from 30 to 80 m/s. The mean drop diameter was measured at ambient temperature (295 K) and atmospheric pressure.

Acosta, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Experimental study of the spray characteristics of a research airblast atomizer

Airblast atomization was studied using a especially designed atomizer in which the liquid first impinges on a splash plate, then is directed radically outward and is atomized by the air passing through two concentric, vaned swirlers that swirl the air in opposite directions. The effect of flow conditions, air mass velocity (mass flow rate per unit area) and liquid to air ratio on the mean drop size was studied. Seven different ethanol solutions were used to simulate changes in fuel physical properties. The range of atomizing air velocities was from 30 to 80 m/s. The mean drop diameter was measured at ambient temperature (295 K) and atmospheric pressure.

Acosta, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS2026

Decoupling Surface Topography from Gravitational Acceleration in Cryogenic Pool Boiling

Boiling heat transfer is governed by a complex interplay between surface conditions and gravitational acceleration. To isolate the sole effects of gravity, we investigated the pool boiling characteristics of liquid nitrogen on atomically smooth silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) surfaces under terrestrial (1-g) and reduced gravity (0±0.02 g) conditions achieved via parabolic flight. Our results quantify a drastic reduction in the critical heat flux (CHF) in reduced gravity, decreasing from 16.15 W/cm 2 at 1-g to 5−6 W/cm 2 at μ-g due to the suppression of buoyancy. Conversely, we observed a distinct increase in the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) in the reduced gravity condition prior to CHF. By utilizing a surface with a maximum peak-to-valley height of ≈36.7 nm and low contact angle hysteresis (<10°), we confirm this HTC enhancement is an intrinsic response to the gravitational environment, decoupled from surface-defect-induced nucleation. These findings demonstrate that the influence of surface topography is significantly more prominent in reduced gravity than in terrestrial conditions, providing a critical baseline for rationalizing the design of cryogenic thermal management systems in space and quantum applications.

Liquid nitrogen↗
NASA NTRS1973

Droplet breakup in accelerating gas flows. Part 1: Primary atomization

An experimental study of the effects of an accelerating gas flow on the atomization characteristics of liquid sprays was conducted. The sprays were produced by impinging two liquid jets. The liquid was molten wax, while the gas was nitrogen. The use of molten wax allowed for a quantitative measure of the resulting dropsize distribution. The effects of the accelerating gas flow on the formation of the spray were examined. The results of this study indicate that the parameters that most affect the resulting dropsize are the injector parameters of orifice diameter and injection velocity, the maximum gas velocity, and the distance from the injector face at which the maximum gas velocity is attained. Empirical correlations for both the mass median dropsize and the dropsize distribution are presented. These correlations can be readily incorporated into existing computer codes for the purpose of calculating rocket engine combustion performance.

Zajac, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Droplet breakup in accelerating gas flows. Part 2: Secondary atomization

An experimental investigation to determine the effects of an accelerating gas flow on the atomization characteristics of liquid sprays was conducted. The sprays were produced by impinging two liquid jets. The liquid was molten wax and the gas was nitrogen. The use of molten wax allowed for a quantitative measure of the resulting dropsize distribution. The results of this study, indicate that a significant amount of droplet breakup will occur as a result of the action of the gas on the liquid droplets. Empirical correlations are presented in terms of parameters that were found to affect the mass median dropsize most significantly, the orifice diameter, the liquid injection velocity, and the maximum gas velocity. An empirical correlation for the normalized dropsize distribution is also presented. These correlations are in a form that may be incorporated readily into existing combustion model computer codes for the purpose of calculating rocket engine combustion performance.

Zajac, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Liquid rocket engine injectors

The injector in a liquid rocket engine atomizes and mixes the fuel with the oxidizer to produce efficient and stable combustion that will provide the required thrust without endangering hardware durability. Injectors usually take the form of a perforated disk at the head of the rocket engine combustion chamber, and have varied from a few inches to more than a yard in diameter. This monograph treats specifically bipropellant injectors, emphasis being placed on the liquid/liquid and liquid/gas injectors that have been developed for and used in flight-proven engines. The information provided has limited application to monopropellant injectors and gas/gas propellant systems. Critical problems that may arise during injector development and the approaches that lead to successful design are discussed.

G S Gill↗
NASA NTRS1990

Influence of convection on microstructure

In eutectic growth, as the solid phases grow they reject atoms to the liquid. This results in a variation of melt composition along the solid/liquid interface. In the past, mass transfer in eutectic solidification, in the absence of convection, was considered to be governed only by the diffusion induced by compositional gradients. However, mass transfer can also be generated by a temperature gradient. This is called thermotransport, thermomigration, thermal diffusion or the Soret effect. A theoretical model of the influence of the Soret effect on the growth of eutectic alloys is presented. A differential equation describing the compositional field near the interface during unidirectional solidification of a binary eutectic alloy was formulated by including the contributions of both compositional and thermal gradients in the liquid. A steady-state solution of the differential equation was obtained by applying appropriate boundary conditions and accounting for heat flow in the melt. Following that, the average interfacial composition was converted to a variation of undercooling at the interface, and consequently to microstructural parameters. The results obtained show that thermotransport can, under certain circumstances, be a parameter of paramount importance.

Wilcox, William R.↗