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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 NTRS2009

Fundamental Study of a Jet-in-Cross-Flow Interacting with a Vortex Generator for Film Cooling Applications

Results of an experimental study are presented on the effectiveness of a vortex generator (VG) in preventing lift-off of a jet-in-cross-flow (JICF). The study is pertinent to film-cooling applications and its relevance to NASA programs is first briefly discussed. In the experiment, the jet issues into the boundary layer at an angle of 20deg to the free-stream. The effect of a triangular, ramp-shaped VG is studied while varying its geometry and location. Detailed flow-field properties are obtained for a case in which the height of the VG and the diameter of the orifice are comparable to the approach boundary layer thickness. The VG produces a streamwise vortex pair with vorticity magnitude three times larger (and of opposite sense) than that found in the JICF alone. Such a VG appears to be most effective in keeping the jet attached to the wall. The effect of parametric variation is studied mostly from surveys ten diameters downstream from the orifice. Results over a range of jet-to-freestream momentum flux ratio (1<J<11) show that the VG has a significant effect even at the highest J covered in the experiment. When the VG height is halved there is a lift-off of the jet. On the other hand, when the height is doubled, the jet core is dissipated due to larger turbulence intensity. Varying the location of the VG, over a distance of three diameters from the orifice, is found to have little impact.

Zaman, Khairul↗
NASA NTRS2010

Experimental Study of an Inclined Jet-In-Cross-Flow Interacting with a Vortex Generator

An experiment is conducted on the effectiveness of a vortex generator (VG) in preventing lift-off of a jet-in-cross-flow (JICF), with film-cooling application in mind. The jet issues into the boundary layer at an angle of 20 to the free-stream. The effect of a triangular ramp-shaped VG is studied while varying its geometry and location. Detailed flow-field properties are documented for a specific case in which the height of the VG and the diameter of the orifice are comparable to the approach boundary layer thickness. This combination of VG and JICF produce a streamwise vortex pair with vorticity magnitude three times larger (and of opposite sense) than that found in the JICF alone. Such a VG appears to be most effective in keeping the jet attached to the wall. While most of the data are taken at a jet-to-freestream momentum flux ratio (J) of 2, limited surveys are done for varying J. The VG is found to have a significant effect even at the highest J (=11) covered in the experiment. Effect of parametric variation is studied mostly from surveys ten diameters downstream from the orifice. When the VG height is halved there is a lift-off of the jet. On the other hand, when the height is doubled, the jet core is dissipated due to larger turbulence intensities. Varying the location of the VG, over a distance of three diameters from the orifice, is found to have little impact. Rounding off the edges of the VG with increasing radius of curvature progressively diminishes the effect. However, a small radius of curvature may be quite tolerable in practice.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Thermal regimes in cratered terrain with emphasis on the role of impact melt

The distribution of bombardment energy in the moon's crust and the types of phase transformation resulting from this energy input are investigated. It is seen that the major significance of impact melts in the period of intense cratering is that they transfer most of the high-temperature heat following cratering and thus take part in many of the phase transformations on planetary surfaces. Energy partitioning studies suggest that of the projectiles' total kinetic energy, 23 to 35% is converted into heat by passage of the shock fronts, 43 to 53% transports ejecta and then is dissipated at modest temperature increases over a broad area, 8 to 24% is consumed comminuting country rock, and less than 1% becomes seismic and radiant energy. Subsequent to its formation, the melt is violently mixed with much colder debris to form the sheets of impact melt and the breccias.

Simonds, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Analysis of Terrestrial Water Storage Changes from GRACE and GLDAS

Since March 2002, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has provided first estimates of land water storage variations by monitoring the time-variable component of Earth's gravity field. Here we characterize spatial-temporal variations in terrestrial water storage changes (TWSC) from GRACE and compare them to those simulated with the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). Additionally, we use GLDAS simulations to infer how TWSC is partitioned into snow, canopy water and soil water components, and to understand how variations in the hydrologic fluxes act to enhance or dissipate the stores. Results quantify the range of GRACE-derived storage changes during the studied period and place them in the context of seasonal variations in global climate and hydrologic extremes including drought and flood, by impacting land memory processes. The role of the largest continental river basins as major locations for freshwater redistribution is highlighted. GRACE-based storage changes are in good agreement with those obtained from GLDAS simulations. Analysis of GLDAS-simulated TWSC illustrates several key characteristics of spatial and temporal land water storage variations. Global averages of TWSC were partitioned nearly equally between soil moisture and snow water equivalent, while zonal averages of TWSC revealed the importance of soil moisture storage at low latitudes and snow storage at high latitudes. Evapotranspiration plays a key role in dissipating globally averaged terrestrial water storage. Latitudinal averages showed how precipitation dominates TWSC variations in the tropics, evapotranspiration is most effective in the midlatitudes, and snowmelt runoff is a key dissipating flux at high latitudes. Results have implications for monitoring water storage response to climate variability and change, and for constraining land model hydrology simulations.

Syed, Tajdarul H.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Inclined Jet in Crossflow Interacting with a Vortex Generator

An experiment is conducted on the effectiveness of a vortex generator in preventing liftoff of a jet in crossflow, with possible relevance to film-cooling applications. The jet issues into the boundary layer at an angle of 20 degreees to the freestream. The effect of a triangular ramp-shaped vortex generator is studied while varying its geometry and location. Detailed flowfield properties are obtained for a case in which the height of the vortex generator and the diameter of the orifice are comparable with the approach boundary-layer thickness. The vortex generator produces a streamwise vortex pair with a vorticity magnitude 3 times larger (and of opposite sense) than that found in the jet in crossflow alone. Such a vortex generator appears to be most effective in keeping the jet attached to the wall. The effect of parametric variation is studied mostly from surveys 10 diameters downstream from the orifice. Results over a range of jet-to-freestream momentum flux ratio (1 < J < 11) show that the vortex generator has a significant effect even at the highest J covered in the experiment. When the vortex generator height is halved, there is a liftoff of the jet. On the other hand, when the height is doubled, the jet core is dissipated due to larger turbulence intensity. Varying the location of the vortex generator, over a distance of three diameters from the orifice, is found to have little impact. Rounding off the edges of the vortex generator with the increasing radius of curvature progressively diminishes its effect. However, allowing for a small radius of curvature may be quite tolerable in practice.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of computational methods for heavy lift launch vehicles

The research effort has been focused on the development of an advanced flow solver for complex viscous turbulent flows with shock waves. The three-dimensional Euler and full/thin-layer Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for compressible flows are solved on structured hexahedral grids. The Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model is used for closure. The space discretization is based on a cell-centered finite-volume method augmented by a variety of numerical dissipation models with optional total variation diminishing limiters. The governing equations are integrated in time by an implicit method based on lower-upper factorization and symmetric Gauss-Seidel relaxation. The algorithm is vectorized on diagonal planes of sweep using two-dimensional indices in three dimensions. A new computer program named CENS3D has been developed for viscous turbulent flows with discontinuities. Details of the code are described in Appendix A and Appendix B. With the developments of the numerical algorithm and dissipation model, the simulation of three-dimensional viscous compressible flows has become more efficient and accurate. The results of the research are expected to yield a direct impact on the design process of future liquid fueled launch systems.

Yoon, Seokkwan↗
NASA NTRS2002

Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Crushable Energy Absorber for a Passive Earth Entry Vehicle

A conceptual study was performed to investigate the impact response of a crushable energy absorber for a passive Earth entry vehicle. The spherical energy-absorbing concept consisted of a foam-filled composite cellular structure capable of omni-directional impact-load attenuation as well as penetration resistance. Five composite cellular samples of hemispherical geometry were fabricated and tested dynamically with impact speeds varying from 30 to 42 meters per second. Theoretical crush load predictions were obtained with the aid of a generalized theory which accounts for the energy dissipated during the folding deformation of the cell-walls. Excellent correlation was obtained between theoretical predictions and experimental tests on characteristic cell-web intersections. Good correlation of theory with experiment was also found to exist for the more complex spherical cellular structures. All preliminary design requirements were met by the cellular structure concept, which exhibited a near-ideal sustained crush-load and approximately 90% crush stroke.

Kellas, Sotiris↗
NASA NTRS2021

On the Relationship Between CYGNSS Surface Heat Fluxes and the Life Cycle of Low-Latitude Ocean Extratropical Cyclones

Surface latent and sensible heat fluxes are important for extratropical cyclone evolution and intensification. Because extratropical cyclone genesis often occurs at low-latitude, CYGNSS surface latent and sensible heat flux retrievals are composited to provide a mean picture of their spatial distribution in low-latitude oceanic extratropical cyclones. CYGNSSn heat fluxes are not affected by heavy precipitation and offer observations of storms with frequent revisit times. Consistent with prior results obtained for cyclones in the Gulf Stream region, the fluxes are strongest in the wake of the cold fronts, and weakest to negative in the warm sector in advance of the cold fronts. As cyclone strength increases, or mean precipitable water decreases, the maximum in surface heat fluxes increases while the minimum decreases. This impacts the changes in fluxes during cyclone intensification: the post-cold frontal surface heat flux maximum increases due to the increase in near surface winds. During cyclone dissipation, the fluxes in this sector decrease, due to the decrease in winds and in temperature and humidity contrast. The warm sector minimum decreases throughout the entire cyclone lifetime and is mostly driven by sea-air temperature and humidity contrast changes. However, during cyclone dissipation, the surface heat fluxes increase along the cold front in a narrow band to the east, independently from changes in the cyclone characteristics. This suggests that, during cyclone dissipation, energy transfers from the ocean to the atmosphere are linked to frontal in addition to synoptic-scale processes.

CYGNSS↗
NASA NTRS1995

The wall of reconnection-driven magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in a large solar flare

LaRosa and Moore (1993) recently proposed that the bulk dissipation of magnetic field that is required for the electron energization in the explosive phase of solar flares occurs in a 'fat current sheet', a wall of cascading magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence sustained by highly disordered driven reconnection of opposing magnetic fields impacting at a turbulent boundary layer. Here, we use the well-observed great two-ribbon eruptive flare of 1984 April 24/25 to assess the feasibility of both (1) the standard model for the overall three-dimensional form and action of the magnetic field and (2) the turbulent reconnection wall within it. We find (1) that the morphology of this flare closely matched that of the standard model; (2) the preflare sheared core field had enough nonpotential magnetic energy to power the flare; (3) the model turbulent wall required to achieve the flare's peak dissipative power easily fit within the overall span of the flaring magnetic field; (4) this wall was thick enough to have turbulent eddies large enough (diameters approximately 10(exp 8 cm) to produce the approximately ergs energy release fragments typically observed in the explosive phase of flares; (5) the aspect ratio (thickness/vertical extent) of the turbulent reconnection wall was in the 0.1-1 range expected by (Parker 1973). We therefore conclude that the viability of our version of the standard model (i.e., having the magnetic field dissipation occur in our turbulent reconnection wall) is well confirmed by this typical great two-ribbon eruptive flare.

Moore, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Fracture mechanics; Proceedings of the Seventeenth National Symposium, Albany, NY, August 7-9, 1984

The present conference gives attention to topics in the application of fracture mechanics, subcritical crack growth phenomena, fracture testing methods, ductile fracture behavior, and fracture mechanisms and their analysis. Specific papers treat the resistance curve approach to composite materials characterization, fracture toughness in ductile iron and cast steel, hold-time effects in elevated temperature fatigue crack propagation, creep crack growth under nonsteady conditions, viscoplastic fatigue in a superalloy at elevated temperatures, fracture testing with arc bend specimens, one-point bend impact test application, and a compact mode II fracture specimen. Also discussed are the computation of stable crack growth using the J-integral, the use of plastic energy dissipation to characterize crack growth, the extension of surface cracks under cyclic loading, the minimum time criterion for crack instability in structural materials, dynamic crack propagation and branching under biaxial loading, and boundary layer effects in cracked bodies.

Underwood, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A constant daylength during the Precambrian era?

The semidiurnal atmospheric thermal tide would have been resonant with free oscillations of the atmosphere when the day was approximately 21 h long, c. 600 Ma ago. Very large atmospheric tides would have resulted, with associated surface pressure oscillations in excess of 10 mbar in the tropics. Near resonance the Sun's gravitational torque on the atmospheric tide--accelerating Earth's rotation--would have been comparable in magnitude to the decelerating lunar torque upon the oceanic tides. The balance of the opposing torques may have long maintained a resonant approximately 21 h day, perhaps for much of the Precambrian. Because the timescale of lunar orbital evolution is not directly affected, a constant daylength would result in fewer days/month. The hypothesis is shown not to conflict with the available (stromatolitic) evidence. Escape from the resonance could have followed a relatively abrupt global warming, such as that occurring at the end of the Precambrian. Alternatively, escape may simply have followed a major increase in the rate of oceanic tidal dissipation, brought about by the changing topography of the world's oceans. We integrate the history of the lunar orbit with and without a sustained resonance, finding that the impact of a sustained resonance on the other orbital parameters of the Earth-Moon system would have not been large.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Liquid-Water Oscillation in Modeling Boundary-Layer Cumuli with Third-Order Turbulence Closure Models

A hierarchy of third-order turbulence closure models are used to simulate boundary-layer cumuli in this study. An unrealistically strong liquid-water oscillation (LWO) is found in the fully prognostic model, which predicts all third moments. The LWO propagates from cloud base to cloud top with a speed of 1 m/s. The period of the oscillation is about 1000 s. Liquid-water buoyancy terms in the third-moment equations contribute to the LWO. The LWO mainly affects the vertical profiles of cloud fraction, mean liquid-water mixing ratio and the fluxes of liquid-water potential temperature and total water, but has less impact on the vertical profiles of other second-moments and third-moments. In order to minimize the LWO, a moderate large diffusion coefficient and a large turbulent dissipation at its originating level are needed. However, this approach distorts the vertical distributions of cloud fraction and liquid-water mixing ratio. A better approach is to parameterize liquid-water buoyancy more reasonably. A minimally prognostic model, which diagnoses all third moments except for vertical velocity, is shown to produce better results, compared to a fully prognostic model.

Cheng, A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Nonlinear Magnetosphere: Expressions in MHD and in Kinetic Models

Like most plasma systems, the magnetosphere of the Earth is governed by nonlinear dynamic evolution equations. The impact of nonlinearities ranges from large scales, where overall dynamics features are exhibiting nonlinear behavior, to small scale, kinetic, processes, where nonlinear behavior governs, among others, energy conversion and dissipation. In this talk we present a select set of examples of such behavior, with a specific emphasis on how nonlinear effects manifest themselves in MHD and in kinetic models of magnetospheric plasma dynamics.

Hesse, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1994

Characterizing the wake vortex signature for an active line of sight remote sensor

A recurring phenomenon, described as a wake vortex, develops as an aircraft approaches the runway to land. As the aircraft moves along the runway, each of the wing tips generates a spiraling and expanding cone of air. During the lifetime of this turbulent event, conditions exist over the runway which can be hazardous to following aircraft, particularly when a small aircraft is following a large aircraft. Left to themselves, these twin vortex patterns will converge toward each other near the center of the runway, harmlessly dissipating through interaction with each other or by contact with the ground. Unfortunately, the time necessary to disperse the vortex is often not predictable, and at busy airports can severely impact terminal area productivity. Rudimentary methods of avoidance are in place. Generally, time delays between landing aircraft are based on what is required to protect a small aircraft. Existing ambient wind conditions can complicate the situation. Reliable detection and tracking of a wake vortex hazard is a major technical problem which can significantly impact runway productivity. Landing minimums could be determined on the basis of the actual hazard rather than imposed on the basis of a worst case scenario. This work focuses on using a windfield description of a wake vortex to generate line-of-sight Doppler velocity truth data appropriate to an arbitrarily located active sensor such as a high resolution radar or lidar. The goal is to isolate a range Doppler signature of the vortex phenomenon that can be used to improve detection. Results are presented based on use of a simplified model of a wake vortex pattern. However, it is important to note that the method of analysis can easily be applied to any vortex model used to generate a windfield snapshot. Results involving several scan strategies are shown for a point sensor with a range resolution of 1 to 4 meters. Vortex signatures presented appear to offer potential for detection and tracking.

Heil, Robert Milton↗
NASA NTRS1987

Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of stellar collisions. I - Equal-mass main-sequence stars

Two distinct mass-loss mechanisms are noted in the present, fully three-dimensional calculations of collisions between identical stars. While strong shocks in nearly head-on collisions lead to high-velocity jets perpendicular to the collision axis, with increasing mass loss as impact velocity at infinity increases from zero to 2.3 times the escape velocity from the stellar surface, low velocity encounters lead to a sharp increase in mass loss at impact parameters that correspond to nearly-grazing collisions in a two-stage process. In the first stage, the two stars become gravitationally bound due to the encounter's energy dissipation; these binary components then violently coalesce during subsequent periastron passage.

Benz, Willy↗
NASA NTRS1983

Solar related waves in the Venusian atmosphere from the cloud tops to 100 km

A quasi-linear diagnostic model using observed solar-related temperatures and a specified solar mean circulation and surface structure to find the solar-related circulation above the clouds of Venus is presented. Despite the greater dependence of model-derived, solar-related circulation on the mean flow than is the case for terrestrial tides, as well as the uncertainty concerning this mean flow, significant conclusions are drawn for the solar-related circulation and thermal structure of Venus. An anomalously large response is found in the polar regions, due to the model's requirement of a process such as dissipation which will act as a major sink for momentum. Dissipation is specified in the model as Rayleigh friction with an unknown free parameter coefficient. In view of this, dissipation is either very efficient by terrestrial standards and accompanied by small solar-related circulation, or similar to that of earth and possessed of a circulation large enough to have an impact on the mean circulation.

Elson, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Identification of nonlinear structural elements by force-state mapping

A major contributor to the passive damping and potentially nonlinear behavior of large space structures is the behavior of the joints. Proposed is an experimental technique called 'force-state mapping' that will allow ground testing of these key structural elements. The technique includes the use of very accurate instrumentation to measure the force transmission properties of a structural element as a function of its mechanical state. When these data are presented in the form of a force-state map, the nonlinearities exhibit distinctively recognizable patterns. This presentation of the data allows the extraction of the describing parameters of the linear and nonlinear behavior and the energy dissipation characteristics of the joint. A series of tests were carried out on an idealized laboratory test article to demonstrate the technique. Strong structural nonlinearities, including a cubic hardening spring, friction, and impact phenomena, were introduced and measured. Parameters identified by the force-state mapping technique are compared with those made by traditional techniques and the errors involved in the measurement are estimated.

Crawley, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Proposed law of nature linking impacts, plume volcanism, and Milankovitch cycles to terrestrial vertebrate mass extinctions via greenhouse-embryo death coupling

A greenhouse-physiological coupling killing mechanism active among mammals, birds, and reptiles has been identified. Operating via environmental thermal effects upon the maternal core-skin blood flow critical to the survival and development of embryos, it reduces the flow of blood to the uterine tract. Today, during hot summers, this phenomena kills embryos on a vast, global scale. Because of sensitivity of many mammals to modern heat, a major modern greenhouse could reduce population numbers on a global scale, and potentially trigger population collapses in the more vulnerable parts of the world. In the geological past, the killing mechanism has likely been triggered into action by greenhouse warming via impact events, plume volcanism, and Earth orbital variations (Milankovitch cycles). Earth's biosphere is maintained and molded by the flow of energy from the solar energy source to Earth and on to the space energy sink (SES). This SES energy flow maintains Earth's biosphere and its living components, as open, intermediate, dissipative, nonequilibrium systems whose states are dependent upon the rate of energy flowing through them. Greenhouse gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere influence the SES energy flow rate. Steady-state flow is necessary for global ecological stability (autopoiesis). Natural fluctuations of the C cycle such as rapid releases of CO2 from the mantle, or oceans, disrupt steady-state SES flow. These fluctuations constantly challenge the biosphere; slowdown of SES energy flow drives it toward thermodynamical equilibrium and stagnation. Fluctuations induced by impact event, mantle plume volcanism, and Milankovitch cycles can grow into structure-breaking waves triggering major perturbations of Earth's C cycle and mass extinctions. A major C cycle perturbation involves readjustment of the outer physiochemical spheres of the Earth: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere; and by necessity, the biosphere. A greenhouse, one manifestation of a major C cycle perturbation, is the most dangerous natural phenomenon that life on Earth can experience. Greenhouse conditions existed during the KT mass extinctions of 65 m.y. ago, and the Pleistocene-Holocene (P-H) mammalian extinctions of 10,000-12,000 yr ago. Coupling climatology to reproductive physiology via effects of ambient air temperature upon uterine blood flow to developing embryos accounts for the extinctions via established physiological principles.

Mclean, D. M.↗