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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 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

A Case Study of Urbanization Impact on Summer Precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area. Urban Heat Island Versus Aerosol Effects

Convection-resolving ensemble simulations using the WRF-Chem model coupled with a single-layer Urban Canopy Model (UCM) are conducted to investigate the individual and combined impacts of land use and anthropogenic pollutant emissions from urbanization on a heavy rainfall event in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area (GBMA) in China. The simulation with the urbanization effect included generally captures the spatial pattern and temporal variation of the rainfall event. An improvement of precipitation is found in the experiment including aerosol effect on both clouds and radiation. The expanded urban land cover and increased aerosols have an opposite effect on precipitation processes, with the latter playing a more dominant role, leading to suppressed convection and rainfall over the upstream (northwest) area, and enhanced convection and more precipitation in the downstream (southeast) region of the GBMA. In addition, the influence of aerosol indirect effect is found to overwhelm that of direct effect on precipitation in this rainfall event. Increased aerosols induce more cloud droplets with smaller size, which favors evaporative cooling and reduce updrafts and suppress convection over the upstream (northwest) region in the early stage of the rainfall event. As the rainfall system propagates southeastward, more latent heat is released due to the freezing of larger number of smaller cloud drops that are lofted above the freezing level, which is responsible for the increased updraft strength and convective invigoration over the downstream (southeast) area.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Evaporation and scattering of neon, methane, and water from a dodecane flat liquid jet

The evaporation and scattering of Ne, CD 4 , and D 2 O from a dodecane flat liquid jet are investigated in a molecular beam apparatus. The experiment yields translational energy distributions as a function of scattering angle by means of a rotatable mass spectrometer. In the evaporation experiments, one observes a Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution with a cos $θ$ angular distribution superimposed on a weak, isotropic background. The scattering experiments show contributions from impulsive scattering and thermal desorption. At select incident angles for the three systems, angular distributions show super-specular scattering for the impulsive scattering channel, an effect attributed to anisotropic momentum transfer to the liquid surface. The impulsive scattering channel is analyzed with a soft-sphere model to explore energy transfer between the scatterer and liquid as a function of deflection angle. In conclusion, compared to Ne scattering, the polyatomic gases exhibit more thermal desorption and, in the impulsive scattering channel, a higher degree of internal excitation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

High Semi-Volatile Organic Aerosol Contributions Associated with Ammonium Nitrate in the Coastal Urban Environment

Organic components often contribute 50% or more of the submicron aerosol mass in coastal urban environments, but their partitioning between the gas and particle phases is controlled by a complex mixture of unidentified organic compounds that are poorly constrained by observations. This study compares daily filter organic functional groups (OFG) with online organic mass fragments from La Jolla, California, as part of the Eastern Pacific Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (EPCAPE), quantifying the contributions of four types of non-volatile (NV) organic emission sources to the submicron composition. Daily filters retained only 0.79–0.98 µg/m3 NV submicron organic mass concentration, even though 1.8–1.9 µg/m3 non-refractory (NR) submicron organic mass concentration was measured online. The 62–64% of measured NR submicron organic mass concentration that exceeded what remained on the filters after 23-hr sampling is interpreted as semi-volatile, consistent with the moderate correlation of the NR NV difference to NR ammonium, NR nitrate, and biomass burning-related NV and NR organic factors. The association between semi-volatile organic components and ammonium nitrate likely results from both co-emission and co-evaporation. Size-resolved filter analysis showed that NV organic mass concentration accounts for 68% of NR organic mass concentration for 0.5–1 µm dry diameter but account for 9.0% for 0.18–0.5 µm dry diameter showing the differences in volatility between particle modes. Importantly, volatility of organic components was size-dependent Information Classification: General and associated with ammonium nitrate and biomass burning, providing guidance for constraining atmospheric aerosol properties in global models.

Pelayo, Christian↗
DOE OSTI2014

Solar High Temperature Water-Splitting Cycle with Quantum Boost

A sulfur family chemical cycle having ammonia as the working fluid and reagent was developed as a cost-effective and efficient hydrogen production technology based on a solar thermochemical water-splitting cycle. The sulfur ammonia (SA) cycle is a renewable and sustainable process that is unique in that it is an all-fluid cycle (i.e., with no solids handling). It uses a moderate temperature solar plant with the solar receiver operating at 800°C. All electricity needed is generated internally from recovered heat. The plant would operate continuously with low cost storage and it is a good potential solar thermochemical hydrogen production cycle for reaching the DOE cost goals. Two approaches were considered for the hydrogen production step of the SA cycle: (1) photocatalytic, and (2) electrolytic oxidation of ammonium sulfite to ammonium sulfate in aqueous solutions. Also, two sub-cycles were evaluated for the oxygen evolution side of the SA cycle: (1) zinc sulfate/zinc oxide, and (2) potassium sulfate/potassium pyrosulfate. The laboratory testing and optimization of all the process steps for each version of the SA cycle were proven in the laboratory or have been fully demonstrated by others, but further optimization is still possible and needed. The solar configuration evolved to a 50 MW(thermal) central receiver system with a North heliostat field, a cavity receiver, and NaCl molten salt storage to allow continuous operation. The H2A economic model was used to optimize and trade-off SA cycle configurations. Parametric studies of chemical plant performance have indicated process efficiencies of ~20%. Although the current process efficiency is technically acceptable, an increased efficiency is needed if the DOE cost targets are to be reached. There are two interrelated areas in which there is the potential for significant efficiency improvements: electrolysis cell voltage and excessive water vaporization. Methods to significantly reduce water evaporation are proposed for future activities. Electrolysis membranes that permit higher temperatures and lower voltages are attainable. The oxygen half cycle will need further development and improvement.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2016

Preparation and testing of corrosion and spallation-resistant coatings

The goal of this project was to take a recently developed method of bonding oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) FeCrAl plating to nickel superalloys closer to commercial use in syngas-fired turbines. The project was designed to better understand and develop the bonding process and to determine if plating APMT®, a specific highly oxidation-resistant ODS FeCrAl alloy made by Kanthal, onto nickel-based superalloy turbine parts is a viable method for substantially improving the lifetimes and maximum use temperatures of the parts. The superalloys investigated for protection were CM247LC and Rene® 80, both alumina scale-forming alloys. The method for bonding the APMT plate to the superalloys is called evaporative metal bonding, which involves placing a thin foil of zinc between the plate and the superalloy, clamping them together, and heating in an atmosphere-controlled furnace. Upon heating, the zinc melts and dissolves the oxide skins of the alloys at the bond line, allowing the two alloys to diffuse into each other. The zinc then diffuses through the alloys and evaporates from their surfaces, creating a bond between the APMT and the superalloy that is stronger than the APMT itself. Testing showed that the diffusivity of zinc in both APMT and CM247LC is quite similar at 700°C but 15 times higher in the APMT at 1214°C. Coefficients of thermal expansion were determined for each of the alloys as a function of temperature. This information was entered into a finite-element model using ANSYS, which was used to design a clamping jig for pressing the APMT to the superalloys at the bonding temperature. Scanning electron microscopy analyses of representative joints showed that no zinc remained in the alloys after bonding Unfortunately, the analyses also showed some small pieces of broken aluminum oxide scale near the bond lines, indicating that its scale was not sufficiently removed during prebonding cleaning. Samples from each of the bonded blocks were sent to Siemens for its standard oxidation, spallation, and corrosion testing, which was scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016. However, because of commercial demands, the tests were not completed by the time of this report except some initial spallation tests at 1150°C. In those tests, several of the APMT plates separated from the CM247LC, likely because of the remaining aluminum oxide scale on the surface of the CM247LC. This implies that surface preparation may need to include machining to remove the oxide scale before bonding rather than just sandblasting. In previous tensile testing at 950°C, the breaks in the tensile samples always occurred in the APMT and not at the joints. Gasifier sampling was completed to determine what types of trace contaminants may occur in cleaned and combusted syngas and that could lead to corrosion or deposition in turbines firing coal syngas. The sampling was done from a pressurized fluidized-bed gasifier and a pressurized entrained-flow gasifier. The particles captured on a filter from syngas were typically 0.2 to 0.5 μm in diameter, whereas those captured from the combusted syngas were slightly larger and more spherical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy done at Oak Ridge National Laboratory showed that the particles do not contain any metals and have an atomic composition almost identical to that of the polycarbonate filter. This indicates that the particles are primarily soot-based and not formed from volatilization of metals in the gasifiers.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface plasmon coupled emission studies on engineered thin film hybrids of nano α−Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on silver

We report the first time engineering and fabrication of a novel thin film hybrid of nano α-alumina doped in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix along with rhodamine b (Rh.B) on a silver thin film. Silver films of 50 nm thickness on glass slides were fabricated by thermal evaporation. Nano α-alumina was synthesized through the combustion route and characterized by XRD. The α-alumina was dispersed in the PVA-Rh.B matrix by tip sonication. The resultant solution was spin coated on the Ag thin film at 3000 rpm to generate an overcoat of ∼30 nm. We have designed and constructed an opto-mechanical setup for performing the SPCE studies. Excitation with a 532 nm continuous laser, led to the coupling of the energy of Rh.B emission to the surface plasmon modes of silver. The emission @ 580 nm was recorded using an Ocean Optics(copyright, serif) fiber optic spectrometer. Calculation of the ratio of signal intensity between the directional SPCE and isotropic fluorescence gives us the factor of signal enhancements which SPCE offers. We report an '8 fold' signal enhancement attributed to SPCE arising from the metal oxide doped thin film hybrid. We observed only a '5 fold' signal enhancement in the case of a thin film hybrid without α-alumina. The emission was also 92% P-polarized which is in coherence with the theory of SPCE. The greater degree of signal enhancement observed in the α-alumina doped thin film substrate can be attributed to the surface roughness which alumina offers to silver, which along with the porous nature of alumina enables a greater degree of adsorption of Rh.B which results in a higher emission intensity. Computational modeling was also performed, based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) calculations to provide theoretical background to observed experimental data. The α-alumina thin film hybrid can be extended as an economical sensing platform towards the high sensitive detection of analytes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Formation of Polymeric Nanocubes by Self-Assembly and Crystallization of Dithiolane-Containing Triblock Copolymers

Template–free fabrication of non–spherical polymeric nanoparticles is desirable for various applications, but has had limited success owing to thermodynamic favorability of sphere formation. Herein we present a simple way to prepare cubic nanoparticles of block copolymers by self–assembly from aqueous solutions at room temperature. Nanocubes with edges of 40–200 nm are formed spontaneously on different surfaces upon water evaporation from micellar solutions of triblock copolymers containing a central poly(ethylene oxide) block and terminal trimethylene carbonate/dithiolane blocks. These polymers self–assemble into 28±5 nm micelles in water. Upon drying, micelle aggregation and a kinetically controlled crystallization of central blocks evidently induce solid cubic particle formation. An approach for preserving the structures of these cubes in water by thiol– or photo–induced crosslinking was developed. In conclusion, the ability to solubilize a model hydrophobic drug, curcumin, was also explored.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Domestic Program for Liquid Metal PFC Research in Fusion

While high-Z solid plasma-facing components (PFCs) are the leading candidates for reactors, it is unclear that they can survive the intense plasma material interaction (PMI). Liquid metals (LM) PFCs offer potential solutions since they are not susceptible to the same type of damage, and can be “self-healing”. Following the Fusion Energy System Study on Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components study that recently was completed by Kessel et al. (Fusion Sci Technnol 75:886, 2019) a domestic LM PFC design program has been initiated to develop reactor-relevant LM PFC concepts. This program seeks to evaluate LM PFC concepts for a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) or a Compact Pilot Plant via engineering design calculations, modeling of PMI and PFC components and laboratory experiments. The latter involves experiments in dedicated test stands and confinement devices and seeks to identify and answer open questions in LM PFC design. The new national LM PFC program is first investigating lithium as the plasma facing material for a flowing divertor PFC concept. Several flow speeds will be evaluated, ranging from ~ cm/s to m/s. The surface temperature will initially be held below the strongly evaporative limit in the first design; higher temperatures with strong evaporation will be considered in future concepts. Other topics of interest include: understanding of the hydrogen and helium interaction with the liquid lithium; single effect experiments on wetting, compatibility and embrittlement; and prototypical experiments for control and characterization of flowing LM. A path to plasma and future tokamak exposure of these concepts will be developed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Variations in lithium vapor cave performance predictions due to radial transport and recycling assumptions

The lithium vapor cave is a detached divertor design that uses a single private flux region baffle to contain a dense cloud of lithium vapor to dissipate heat flux. Plasma flows are created via fuel gas puffing in order to minimize lithium contamination of the main plasma. Significant modeling using the 2D edge code SOLPS-ITER has already been performed, predicting that sufficient target heat flux reductions (q$^{max}_{Target}$ MW m −2 ) with ( $n$ Li /$n$ e ) LCFS < 0.05 is possible in a case with 90 MW m −2 unmitigated heat flux in NSTX-U. Low heat flux and low upstream concentration was found with a variety of combinations of divertor geometries, target recycling coefficients, upstream plasma parameters, lithium evaporation locations and deuterium fueling locations, with variations in performance found for each design choice. However, the most universal uncertainty of SOLPS-ITER simulations has until now remained unaddressed systematically, namely the cross-field anomalous particle and heat diffusivities. This article aims to bound the uncertainty in lithium concentration prediction as a result of the assumed deuterium cross-field transport and recycling. For the simulations presented here, a factor of 2.1 increase in the upstream lithium density prediction across a factor of four decrease to the assumed deuterium radial particle diffusivity is found. This result is compared across different assumed deuterium recycling coefficients, known to reduce with lithium injection. Upstream lithium density is found to vary by a factor of 2.4 across a feasible range of recycling coefficients at similar $n$$^{OMP,sep}_{e}$.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Changes in the SST Seasonal Cycle in a Warmer North Pacific without Ocean Dynamical Feedbacks

Climate models project a significant intensification of the sea surface temperature (SST) seasonal cycle over the subpolar North Pacific due to global warming, with the shallower mixed layer widely recognized as the dominant factor. However, employing slab ocean experiments with only ocean–atmosphere thermal coupling, we find a substantial contribution from changes in surface heat flux to this seasonal cycle intensification. In particular, the stronger Newtonian cooling effect in winter acts as a more potent damping than in summer. This differential damping inhibits the warming in colder seasons, significantly contributing to the intensified SST seasonal cycle in the subpolar North Pacific. In addition, consistent phase shifts in the North Pacific are identified across CMIP6 models. In the northwest North Pacific, a phase advance is associated with anomalous heating in early spring, driven by enhanced warm atmospheric advection from lower latitudes and sea ice melting in marginal seas. In contrast, the southeast North Pacific exhibits a phase delay attributed to the anomalous cooling in spring relative to autumn. This cooling is due to weakened trade winds and increased presence of high clouds. In conclusion, the former leads to stronger evaporative cooling in spring, while the latter impedes shortwave radiation from reaching the ocean.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Detailed chemistry modeling of rotating detonations with dilute n -heptane sprays and preheated air

Utilization of liquid fuels is crucial to enabling commercialization of rotating detonation engines (RDE) in the near future. In this study, Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations are conducted for rotating detonative combustion with dilute n-heptane sprays and preheated air. Two-dimensional flattened configuration is used and a skeletal chemical mechanism with 44 species and 112 elementary reactions for n-heptane combustion is adopted. The flow structure, droplet distribution, and thermochemical parameters in the refill zone are first analyzed. It is shown that the mixture in the refill zone is heterogeneous, including evaporating droplets, vapor, and air. When the total temperature is below 950 K, the average equivalence ratio increases with the total temperature. When it is higher than 950 K, the average equivalence ratio is almost constant. Subsequently, the chemical explosive mode analysis is applied to identify the controlling reactions and dominant combustion modes in the fuel refill zone and reaction fronts. Results demonstrate that the initiation reaction (R104: n-C 7 H 16 + O 2 2-C 7 H 15 + HO 2 ) and low-temperature reaction (R107: RO 2 R'O 2 H) are dominant in the upstream and downstream of the refill zone, respectively. The intermediate species from low-temperature chemistry, R'O 2 H, is found to be important for the chemical explosive mode in the undetonated mixture. The influence of species diffusion and dispersed droplets is further analyzed. Results show that vapor autoignition facilitated by droplet evaporation occurs in the refill zone. Finally, the effects of the air total temperature on the detonation propagation speed and RDE propulsion performance are investigated. Further, it is found that the detonation propagation speed and specific impulse increase with air total temperature. The total pressure ratio first increases and then decreases as the air total temperature increases. Moreover, when the total temperature of the preheated air is above 1,300 K, the effects of low-temperature chemistry are negligible.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Indonesian commercial bus drum brake system temperature model

Brake system is the most significant aspect of an automobile safety. It must be able to slow the vehicle, quickly intervening and reliable under varying conditions. Commercial bus in Indonesia, which often stops suddenly and has a high initial velocity, will raise the temperature of braking significantly. From the thermal analysis it is observed that for the bus with the vehicle laden mass of 15 tons and initial velocity of 80 km/h the temperature is increasing with time and reaches the highest temperature of 270.1 °C when stops on a flat road and reaches 311.2 °C on a declination road angle, ø, 20°. These temperatures exceeded evaporation temperature of brake oil DOT 3 and DOT 4. Besides that, the magnitude of the braking temperature also potentially lowers the friction coefficient of more than 30%. The brakes are pressed repeatedly and high-g decelerations also causes brake lining wear out quickly and must be replaced every 1 month as well as the emergence of a large thermal stress which can lead to thermal cracking or thermal fatigue crack. Brake fade phenomenon that could be the cause of many buses accident in Indonesia because of the failure of the braking function. The chances of accidents will be even greater when the brake is worn and not immediately replaced which could cause hot spots as rivets attached to the brake drum and brake oil is not changed for more than 2 years that could potentially lower the evaporation temperature because of the effect hygroscopic.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Free-spray characteristics and spray-wall interactions of methanol on a gasoline direct injector under flash-boiling and non-flash-boiling conditions

Methanol is considered a promising alternative fuel for internal combustion engines (ICEs) due to its high-octane number, fast laminar flame speed, and elevated latent heat of vaporization, all of which support higher compression ratios and improved thermal efficiency. However, its substantial latent heat of vaporization also poses cold-start challenges, such as misfire and fuel film deposition. This study aims to investigate methanol spray morphology and spray-wall interaction using the Spray M injector from the Engine Combustion Network within a constant-pressure flow vessel. A recently developed unified numerical framework capable of modeling both flash and non-flash boiling sprays is validated against experimental liquid volume fraction data acquired via 3-D computed tomography. Here, the results reveal that flash boiling significantly alters the spray morphology, leading to smaller droplets and spray collapse due to enhanced air-entrainment-induced turbulence. Quantitative agreement between experiments and simulations confirms this behavior. Coupled 0-D equilibrium and 3-D computational fluid dynamics analyses show that flash boiling accelerates evaporation and reduces fuel residence time, while non-flash conditions maintain a persistent liquid core more susceptible to wall wetting. Wall temperature diagnostics reveal that spray collapse alters heat transfer patterns by shifting cooling effects. Mixture fraction analysis indicates that evaporation is primarily governed by shear-layer turbulence, though deviations from adiabatic equilibrium mixing emerge under low-turbulence conditions. Finally, increasing fuel, ambient, and wall temperatures reduces wall wetting and film thickness, mitigating cold-start risks. These findings enhance the understanding of methanol sprays’ behavior and support its adoption as a viable, alternative fuel for ICEs.

Engine Combustion Network↗
DOE OSTI2026

Impact of the continuum on the γ decay of the lowest 2 + states in 14 C

The half-life, T 1/2 =14.6(33) fs, of the 7012-keV 2$^{+}_{1}$ state in 14 C was measured in an experiment employing the 9 Be( 6 Li,pγ) fusion-evaporation reaction and the GODDESS setup. The γ decay from the 2$^{+}_{2}$ near-threshold resonance, located 142 keV above the 8176-keV neutron-emission threshold, was also investigated. An upper limit of 4.0 × 10 –5 was established for the γ-decay branching ratio with respect to the neutron-decay channel. The B(E2) transition probabilities for these 2$^{+}_{1}$ and 2$^{+}_{2}$ states were compared to predictions from the Shell Model Embedded in the Continuum (SMEC). Significant modifications of these B(E2) probabilities, with respect to the standard shell model, are expected due to the coupling to the continuum. For calculations using the YSOX interaction, agreement was found for large negative values of V 0 , the coupling constant to the continuum. The central value V 0 = −645 MeV fm 3 results in a retardation by a factor ∼ 3.5 for the 2$^{+}_{1}$ → 0$^{+}_{1}$ transition, and an enhanced probability by a factor ∼ 2.5 for the γ-decay out of the 2$^{+}_{2}$ state. The latter factor reflects the effect of collectivization of the 2$^{+}_{2}$ excitation when the coupling to the continuum is taken into account.

14C↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multifaceted aerosol effects on precipitation

Aerosols have been proposed to influence precipitation rates and spatial patterns from scales of individual clouds to the globe. However, large uncertainty remains regarding the underlying mechanisms and importance of multiple effects across spatial and temporal scales. Here, in this study, we review the evidence and scientific consensus behind these effects, categorized into radiative effects via modification of radiative fluxes and the energy balance, and microphysical effects via modification of cloud droplets and ice crystals. Broad consensus and strong theoretical evidence exist that aerosol radiative effects (aerosol–radiation interactions and aerosol–cloud interactions) act as drivers of precipitation changes because global mean precipitation is constrained by energetics and surface evaporation. Likewise, aerosol radiative effects cause well-documented shifts of large-scale precipitation patterns, such as the intertropical convergence zone. The extent of aerosol effects on precipitation at smaller scales is less clear. Although there is broad consensus and strong evidence that aerosol perturbations microphysically increase cloud droplet numbers and decrease droplet sizes, thereby slowing precipitation droplet formation, the overall aerosol effect on precipitation across scales remains highly uncertain. Global cloud-resolving models provide opportunities to investigate mechanisms that are currently not well represented in global climate models and to robustly connect local effects with larger scales. This will increase our confidence in predicted impacts of climate change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Human‐induced salinity changes impact marine organisms and ecosystems

Abstract Climate change is fundamentally altering marine and coastal ecosystems on a global scale. While the effects of ocean warming and acidification on ecology and ecosystem functions and services are being comprehensively researched, less attention is directed toward understanding the impacts of human‐driven ocean salinity changes. The global water cycle operates through water fluxes expressed as precipitation, evaporation, and freshwater runoff from land. Changes to these in turn modulate ocean salinity and shape the marine and coastal environment by affecting ocean currents, stratification, oxygen saturation, and sea level rise. Besides the direct impact on ocean physical processes, salinity changes impact ocean biological functions with the ecophysiological consequences are being poorly understood. This is surprising as salinity changes may impact diversity, ecosystem and habitat structure loss, and community shifts including trophic cascades. Climate model future projections (of end of the century salinity changes) indicate magnitudes that lead to modification of open ocean plankton community structure and habitat suitability of coral reef communities. Such salinity changes are also capable of affecting the diversity and metabolic capacity of coastal microorganisms and impairing the photosynthetic capacity of (coastal and open ocean) phytoplankton, macroalgae, and seagrass, with downstream ramifications on global biogeochemical cycling. The scarcity of comprehensive salinity data in dynamic coastal regions warrants additional attention. Such datasets are crucial to quantify salinity‐based ecosystem function relationships and project such changes that ultimately link into carbon sequestration and freshwater as well as food availability to human populations around the globe. It is critical to integrate vigorous high‐quality salinity data with interacting key environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, nutrients, oxygen) for a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenically induced marine changes and its impact on human health and the global economy.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pulsed laminar falling films in vertical tubes: Maintaining a continuous liquid film with reduced film thickness

Falling-liquid-film heat transfer is important to a wide variety of industrial applications, including two-phase thermosyphons, falling-film evaporators in the food industry, heat exchangers in fuel-ethanol processing, and the chemical service industry. Particularly for laminar falling films, the heat transfer increases as the film thickness decreases, hence it is desirable to keep the films as thin as possible. This article presents a periodically-pulsed flow concept to reduce the average mass flow inside a vertical tube. The technique provides thinner films than can be achieved with continuous flow. A drainage model is adopted to predict the film thickness as a function of flow rate and location along the tube. The concept is confirmed experimentally by measuring the film thickness in real time in a circular tube using a laser-based absorption technique. A new heat-transfer-based film continuity measurement is also integrated into the optical film measurement setup. Water at ambient temperature and pressure is used for this work. Film thickness reductions of up to 60%, and liquid-film volume-flow reductions of up to 80% compared to the minimum continuous-flow film have been obtained. The time-varying film thickness profile can also be controlled to a limited extent, which may be of interest for process industries.

42 ENGINEERING↗