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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 NTRS1992

Distant magnetotails of the outer magnetic planets

The distant planetary magnetotails of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are assumed to be partially open, hot, long plasma cavities generally in pressure equilibrium with the solar wind. Most of the magnetosheath magnetic field lines drape around the magnetotails. Conservation of momentum density, magnetic field, plasma density, and energy density fluxes are invoked at the tail boundaries to determine the shape of the magnetotails and the variations of plasma and magnetic field characteristics with distance down the magnetotail. Voyager observations are used to initialize calculations in the near-planet portions of each magnetotail. Estimates of magnetotail cross sections, magnetic field strengths, and plasma densities are described as a function of downstream distance. The model accurately predicts properties of the Jovian magnetotail at least as far as Saturn's orbit.

Macek, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Organic Materials For Optical Switching

Equations predict properties of candidate materials. Report presents results of theoretical study of nonlinear optical properties of organic materials. Such materials used in optical switching devices for computers and telecommunications, replacing electronic switches. Optical switching potentially offers extremely high information throughout in compact hardware.

Cardelino, Beatriz H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

How life affects the geochemical cycle of carbon

Developing a quantitative understanding of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon as they have worked throughout Earth history on various time scales, how they have been affected by biological evolution, and how changes in the carbon content of ocean and atmosphere may have affected climate and the evolution of life are the goals of the research. Theoretical simulations were developed that can be tuned to reproduce such data as exist and, once tuned, can be used to predict properties that have not yet been observed. This is an ongoing process, in which models and results are refined as new data and interpretations become available and as understanding of the global system improves. Results of the research are described in several papers which were published or submitted for publication. These papers are summarized. Future research plans are presented.

Walker, James C. G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Clumpy Langmuir waves in type III radio sources - Comparison of stochastic-growth theory with observations

Detailed comparisons are made between the Langmuir-wave properties predicted by the recently developed stochastic-growth theory of type III sources and those observed by the plasma wave experiment on ISEE 3, after correcting for the main instrumental and selection effects. Analysis of the observed field-strength distribution confirms the theoretically predicted form and implies that wave growth fluctuates both spatially and temporally in sign and magnitude, leading to an extremely clumpy distribution of fields. A cutoff in the field-strength distribution is seen at a few mV/m, corresponding to saturation via nonlinear effects. Analysis of the size distribution of Langmuir clumps yields results in accord with those obtained in earlier work and with the size distribution of ambient density fluctuations in the solar wind. This confirms that the inhomogeneities in the Langmuir growth rate are determined by the density fluctuations and that these fluctuations persist during type III events.

Robinson, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Superconducting terahertz mixer using a transition-edge microbolometer

We present a new device concept for a mixer element for THz frequencies. This uses a superconducting transition-edge microbridge biased at the center of its superconducting transition near 4.2 K. It is fed from an antenna or waveguide structure. Power from a local oscillator and an RF signal produce a temperature and resulting resistance variation at the difference frequency. The new aspect is the use of a very short bridge in which rapid (less than 0.1 ns) outdiffusion of hot electrons occurs. This gives large intermediate frequency (IF) response. The mixer offers about 4 GHz IF bandwidth, about 80 ohm RF resistive impedance, good match to the IF amplifier, and requires only 1-20 nW of local oscillator power. The upper RF frequency is determined by antenna or waveguide properties. Predicted mixer conversion efficiency is 1/8, and predicted double-sideband receiver noise temperatures are 260 and 90 K for transition widths of 0.1 and 0.5 Tc, respectively.

Prober, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Development of nontoxic heat transport fluids for habitat two-phase thermal control systems

A computational chemistry approach based on pattern recognition techniques is used to correlate molecules thermodynamic and chemical properties with its molecular structure. The potential to develop a suitable two-phase nontoxic heat transport working fluid for the spacecraft habitat environment is discussed. It is concluded that the perfluorocarbons represent a potentially useful class to consider as a source of the working fluids because of their low toxicity, thermal stability, and chemical inertness. The ADAPT software program is considered to be adequate to make structural and property predictions.

Parrish, Clyde F.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Origin of outflows and winds

Recent developments concerning the accretion-outflow connection and the role of magnetic fields are examined. It is argued that the weakly ionized wind most likely represents an MHD outflow driven centrifugally from the disk surfaces or from the boundary between the disk and the star. Specific wind models for each of these alternatives are presented, and it is contended that both provide a natural explanation of the observed correlation between accretion and outflow. The kinematic, thermal, and chemical wind properties predicted by these models are described and their observational implications are considered. It is suggested that the wind characteristics may be reflected in the observed forbidden line and IR continuum emission of T Tauri stars and in the measured abundances of various molecular species.

Koenigl, Arieh↗
NASA NTRS1993

Quantification of processing artifacts in textile composites

One of the greatest difficulties in developing detailed models of the mechanical response of textile reinforced composites is an accurate model of the reinforcing elements. In the case of elastic property prediction, the variation of fiber position may not have a critical role in performance. However, when considering highly localized stress events, such as those associated with cracks and holes, the exact position of the reinforcement probably dominates the failure mode. Models were developed for idealized reinforcements which provide an insight into the local behavior. However, even casual observations of micrographical images reveals that the actual material deviates strongly from the idealized models. Some of the deviations and causes are presented for triaxially braided and three dimensionally woven textile composites. The necessary modeling steps to accommodate these variations are presented with some examples. Some of the ramifications of not accounting for these discrepencies are also addressed.

Pastore, Christopher M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Geometrical modelling of textile reinforcements

The mechanical properties of textile composites are dictated by the arrangement of yarns contained within the material. Thus, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the performance of these materials, it is necessary to develop a geometrical model of the fabric structure. This task is quite complex, as the fabric is made from highly flexible yarn systems which experience a certain degree of compressibility. Furthermore there are tremendous forces acting on the fabric during densification typically resulting in yarn displacement and misorientation. The objective of this work is to develop a methodology for characterizing the geometry of yarns within a fabric structure including experimental techniques for evaluating these models. Furthermore, some applications of these geometric results to mechanical property predictions models are demonstrated.

Pastore, Christopher M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Numerical Evaluation of Icing Effects on a Natural Laminar Flow Airfoil

As a part of CFD code validation efforts within the Icing Branch of NASA Glenn Research Center, computations were performed for natural laminar flow (NLF) airfoil, NLF-0414. with 6 and 22.5 minute ice accretions. Both 3-D ice castings and 2-D machine-generated ice shapes were used in wind tunnel tests to study the effects of natural ice is well as simulated ice. They were mounted in the test section of the Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT) at NASA Langley that the 2-dimensionality of the flow can be maintained. Aerodynamic properties predicted by computations were compared to data obtained through the experiment by the authors at the LTPT. Computations were performed only in 2-D and in the case of 3-D ice, the digitized ice shape obtained at one spanwise location was used. The comparisons were mainly concentrated on the lift characteristics over Reynolds numbers ranging from 3 to 10 million and Mach numbers ranging from 0.12 to 0.29. WIND code computations indicated that the predicted stall angles were in agreement with experiment within one or two degrees. The maximum lift values obtained by computations were in good agreement with those of the experiment for the 6 minute ice shapes and the minute 3-D ice, but were somewhat lower in the case of the 22.5 minute 2-D ice. In general, the Reynolds number variation did not cause much change in the lift values while the variation of Mach number showed more change in the lift. The Spalart-Allmaras (S-A) turbulence model was the best performing model for the airfoil with the 22.5 minute ice and the Shear Stress Turbulence (SST) turbulence model was the best for the airfoil with the 6 minute ice and also for the clean airfoil. The pressure distribution on the surface of the iced airfoil showed good agreement for the 6 minute ice. However, relatively poor agreement of the pressure distribution on the upper surface aft of the leading edge horn for the 22.5 minute ice suggests that improvements are needed in the grid or turbulence models.

Chung, James J.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Impact and Collisional Processes in the Solar System

A series of impact experiments on anhydrite CaSO4, in which vaporized sample accelerates an element in a velocity interferometer, generate velocity data that we have recently reanalyzed using an explicit entropy generating finite difference code. The shock pressure required from the onset, and complete vaporization of 30% porous and 70% crystal density anhydrite is 52 +/- 3 and 122 +/- 13 GPa. Using observed acid leaching in non-marine K/T ejecta in North America, and the sharp global increase in Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios recorded at 65 Ma in marine rocks, we demonstrated that global acidification is primarily due to the SO2 released by anhydrite volatilization, and not HNO3 formed from bolide-induced air pyrolysis. Shock temperatures for crystal CaCO3 are measured from 3000 to 7000 K in the 90 to 160 GPa pressure range. These temperatures are much lower than calculated theoretically indicating that possibly bond breakdown at the shock front is occurring. This is the first mineral in which this effect has ever been seen. New data defining the ion species which are produced upon impact of volatilization of metals and minerals using a pulse ultraviolet laser to simulate intense shock heating from a projectile impact indicate that in shock experiments we can for the first time study the speciation of neutrals using a moderate resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Measurements of the gas species from a series of proposed impact experiments appear to be quite feasible. We will attempt these experiments in the next year. Measurements of the impact induced shock wave decay in SiO2 and GeO2 glass are underway to measure these pure oxide properties. Predictive calculations indicate that the pressure will decay as r(exp -2.7) in the phase transition regime, versus a much lower rate of r(exp -1.18), if a phase transition does not occur.

Ahrens, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Quiescent Emission from Transient Type-I X-ray Bursters

The purpose of the funded activity was to analyze and interpret data obtained with the European Space Agency X-ray Multiple Mission (XMM) observatory, of two transiently accreting type-I X-ray bursters observed in the field, Cen X-4 and Aql X-1. Both observations were accepted as class-A for AO-1. The main goal of the analysis is to measure the X-ray spectrum of the neutron stars in these systems, and interpret them as H atmosphere neutron stars, and measure their radii. Secondarily, the behavior of the systems were expected to adhere to the predicted properties of a quiescent neutron star system - specifically, to have a constant intensity.

Rutledge, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Spectral Atlas of X-ray Lines Emitted During Solar Flares Based on CHIANTI

A spectral atlas of X-ray lines in the wavelength range 7.47-18.97 Angstroms is presented, based on high-resolution spectra obtained during two M-class solar flares (on 1980 August 25 and 1985 July 2) with the Flat Crystal Spectrometer on board the Solar Maximum Mission. The physical properties of the flaring plasmas are derived as a function of time using strong, isolated lines. From these properties predicted spectra using the CHIANTI database have been obtained which were then compared with wavelengths and fluxes of lines in the observed spectra to establish line identifications. identifications for nearly all the observed lines in the resulting atlas are given, with some significant corrections to previous analysis of these flare spectra.

Landi, E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Characterization of Composite Fan Case Resins

The majority of commercial turbine engines that power today s aircraft use a large fan driven by the engine core to generate thrust which dramatically increases the engine s efficiency. However, if one of these fan blades fails during flight, it becomes high energy shrapnel, potentially impacting the engine or puncturing the aircraft itself and thus risking the lives of passengers. To solve this problem, the fan case must be capable of containing a fan blade should it break off during flight. Currently, all commercial fan cases are made of either just a thick metal barrier or a thinner metal wall surrounded by Kevlar-an ultra strong fiber that elastically catches the blade. My summer 2004 project was to characterize the resins for a composite fan case that will be lighter and more efficient than the current metal. The composite fan case is created by braiding carbon fibers and injecting a polymer resin into the braid. The resin holds the fibers together, so at first using the strongest polymer appears to logically lead to the strongest fan case. Unfortunately, the stronger polymers are too viscous when melted. This makes the manufacturing process more difficult because the polymer does not flow as freely through the braid, and the final product is less dense. With all of this in mind, it is important to remember that the strength of the polymer is still imperative; the case must still contain blades with high impact energy. The research identified which polymer had the right balance of properties, including ease of fabrication, toughness, and ability to transfer the load to the carbon fibers. Resin deformation was studied to better understand the composite response during high speed impact. My role in this research was the testing of polymers using dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile, compression, and torsion testing. Dynamic mechanical analysis examines the response of materials under cyclic loading. Two techniques were used for dynamic mechanical analysis. The ARES Instrument analyzed the material through torsion. The second machine, TA Instruments apparatus, applied a bending force to the specimen. These experiments were used to explore the effects of temperature and strain rate on the stiffness and strength of the resins. The two different types of loading allowed us to verify our results. An axial-torsional load frame, manufactured by MTS Systems, Inc., was used to conduct the tensile, compression, and torsional testing. These tests were used to determine the stress-strain curves for the resins. The elastic and plastic deformation data was provided to another team member for characterization of high fidelity material property predictions. This information was useful in having a better understanding of the polymers so that the fan cases could be as sturdy as possible. Deformation studies are the foundation for the computational modeling that provides the structural design of a composite engine case as well as detailed analysis of the blade impact event.

Dvoracek, Charlene M.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Micromechanics of Spray-On Foam Insulation

Understanding the thermo-mechanical response of the Space Shuttle External Tank spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) material is critical, to NASA's Return to Flight effort. This closed-cell rigid polymeric foam is used to insulate the metallic Space Shuttle External Tank, which is at cryogenic temperatures immediately prior to and during lift off. The shedding of the SOFI during ascent led to the loss of the Columbia, and eliminating/minimizing foam lass from the tank has become a priority for NASA as it seeks to resume scheduled space shuttle missions. Determining the nature of the SOFI material behavior in response to both thermal and mechanical loading plays an important role as any structural modeling of the shedding phenomenon k predicated on knowledge of the constitutive behavior of the foam. In this paper, the SOFI material has been analyzed using the High-Fidelity Generalized Method of Cells (HFGMC) micromechanics model, which has recently been extended to admit a triply-periodic 3-D repeating unit cell (RUC). Additional theoretical extensions that mere made in order to enable modeling of the closed-cell-foam material include the ability to represent internal boundaries within the RUC (to simulated internal pores) and the ability to impose an internal pressure within the simulated pores. This latter extension is crucial as two sources contribute to significant internal pressure changes within the SOFI pores. First, gas trapped in the pores during the spray process will expand or contract due to temperature changes. Second, the pore pressure will increase due to outgassing of water and other species present in the foam skeleton polymer material. With HFGMC's new pore pressure modeling capabilities, a nonlinear pressure change within the simulated pore can be imposed that accounts for both of these sources, in addition to stmdar&-thermal and mechanical loading; The triply-periodic HFGMC micromechanics model described above was implemented within NASA GRC's MAC/GMC software package, giving the model access to a range of nonlinear constitutive models for the polymeric foam skeleton material. A repeating unit cell architecture was constructed that, while relatively simple, still accounts for the geometric anisotropy of the porous foam microstructure and its thin walls and thicker edges. With the lack of reliable polymeric foam skeleton materia1 properties, many simulations were executed aimed at backing out these material properties. Then, using these properties, predictions of the thermo-mechanical behavior of the foam, including calculated internal applied pressure profiles, were performed and compared with appropriate experimental data.

Bednarcyk, Brett A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Quantitative Technique for Comparing Simulant Materials through Figures of Merit

The 1989 workshop report entitled Workshop on Production and Uses of Simulated Lunar Materials and the Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials: Recommendations for Standardization, Production, and Usage, NASA Technical Publication both identified and reinforced a need for a set of standards and requirements for the production and usage of the Lunar simulant materials. As NASA prepares to return to the Moon, and set out to Mars, a set of early requirements have been developed for simulant materials and the initial methods to produce and measure those simulants have been defined. Addressed in the requirements document are: 1) a method for evaluating the quality of any simulant of a regolith, 2) the minimum characteristics for simulants of Lunar regolith, and 3) a method to produce simulants needed for NASA's Exploration mission. As an extension of the requirements document a method to evaluate new and current simulants has been rigorously defined through the mathematics of Figures of Merit (FoM). Requirements and techniques have been developed that allow the simulant provider to compare their product to a standard reference material through Figures of Merit. Standard reference material may be physical material such as the Apollo core samples or material properties predicted for any landing site. The simulant provider is not restricted to providing a single "high fidelity" simulant, which may be costly to produce. The provider can now develop "lower fidelity" simulants for engineering applications such as drilling and mobility applications.

Rickman, Doug↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Tech Briefs, December 2008

Topics covered include: Crew Activity Analyzer; Distributing Data to Hand-Held Devices in a Wireless Network; Reducing Surface Clutter in Cloud Profiling Radar Data; MODIS Atmospheric Data Handler; Multibeam Altimeter Navigation Update Using Faceted Shape Model; Spaceborne Hybrid-FPGA System for Processing FTIR Data; FPGA Coprocessor for Accelerated Classification of Images; SiC JFET Transistor Circuit Model for Extreme Temperature Range; TDR Using Autocorrelation and Varying-Duration Pulses; Update on Development of SiC Multi-Chip Power Modules; Radio Ranging System for Guidance of Approaching Spacecraft; Electromagnetically Clean Solar Arrays; Improved Short-Circuit Protection for Power Cells in Series; Electromagnetically Clean Solar Arrays; Logic Gates Made of N-Channel JFETs and Epitaxial Resistors; Improved Short-Circuit Protection for Power Cells in Series; Communication Limits Due to Photon-Detector Jitter; System for Removing Pollutants from Incinerator Exhaust; Sealing and External Sterilization of a Sample Container; Converting EOS Data from HDF-EOS to netCDF; HDF-EOS 2 and HDF-EOS 5 Compatibility Library; HDF-EOS Web Server; HDF-EOS 5 Validator; XML DTD and Schemas for HDF-EOS; Converting from XML to HDF-EOS; Simulating Attitudes and Trajectories of Multiple Spacecraft; Specialized Color Function for Display of Signed Data; Delivering Alert Messages to Members of a Work Force; Delivering Images for Mars Rover Science Planning; Oxide Fiber Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium Cells; Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methane; Heterogeneous Superconducting Low-Noise Sensing Coils; Progress toward Making Epoxy/Carbon-Nanotube Composites; Predicting Properties of Unidirectional-Nanofiber Composites; Deployable Crew Quarters; Nonventing, Regenerable, Lightweight Heat Absorber; Miniature High-Force, Long-Stroke SMA Linear Actuators; "Bootstrap" Configuration for Multistage Pulse-Tube Coolers; Reducing Liquid Loss during Ullage Venting in Microgravity; Ka-Band Transponder for Deep-Space Radio Science; Replication of Space-Shuttle Computers in FPGAs and ASICs; Demisable Reaction-Wheel Assembly; Spatial and Temporal Low-Dimensional Models for Fluid Flow; Advanced Land Imager Assessment System; Range Imaging without Moving Parts.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2006

Micromechanics and Piezo Enhancements of HyperSizer

The commercial HyperSizer aerospace-composite-material-structure-sizing software has been enhanced by incorporating capabilities for representing coupled thermal, piezoelectric, and piezomagnetic effects on the levels of plies, laminates, and stiffened panels. This enhancement is based on a formulation similar to that of the pre-existing HyperSizer capability for representing thermal effects. As a result of this enhancement, the electric and/or magnetic response of a material or structure to a mechanical or thermal load, or its mechanical response to an applied electric or magnetic field can be predicted. In another major enhancement, a capability for representing micromechanical effects has been added by establishment of a linkage between HyperSizer and Glenn Research Center s Micromechanics Analysis Code With Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) computer program, which was described in several prior NASA Tech Briefs articles. The linkage enables Hyper- Sizer to localize to the fiber and matrix level rather than only to the ply level, making it possible to predict local failures and to predict properties of plies from those of the component fiber and matrix materials. Advanced graphical user interfaces and database structures have been developed to support the new HyperSizer micromechanics capabilities.

Arnold, Steven M.↗