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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 1,225 records · Page 68
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Response to “Comment on ‘General rotating quantum vortex filaments in the low-temperature Svistunov model of the local induction approximation’” [Phys. Fluids 26, 119101 (2014)]

In R. A. Van Gorder, “General rotating quantum vortex filaments in the low-temperature Svistunov model of the local induction approximation,” Phys. Fluids 26, 065105 (2014) I discussed properties of generalized vortex filaments exhibiting purely rotational motion under the low-temperature Svistunov model of the local induction approximation. Such solutions are stationary in terms of translational motion. In the Comment [N. Hietala, “Comment on ‘General rotating quantum vortex filaments in the low-temperature Svistunov model of the local induction approximation’ [Phys. Fluids 26, 065105 (2014)],” Phys. Fluids 26, 119101 (2014)], the author criticizes my paper for not including translational motion (although it was clearly stated that the filament motion was assumed rotational). As it turns out, if one is interested in studying the geometric structure of solutions (which was the point of my paper), one obtains the needed qualitative results on the structure of such solutions by studying the purely rotational case. Nevertheless, in this Response I shall discuss the vortex filaments that have both rotational and translational motions. I then briefly discuss why one might want to study such generalized rotating filament solutions, in contrast to simple the standard helical or planar examples (which are really special cases). I also discuss how one can study the time evolution of filaments which exhibit more complicated dynamics than pure translation and rotation. Doing this, one can study non-stationary solutions which initially appear purely rotational and gradually display other dynamics as the filaments evolve.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Lagrangian transport characteristics of a class of three-dimensional inline-mixing flows with fluid inertia

Laminar mixing by the inline-mixing principle is a key to many industrial fluids-engineering systems of size extending from micrometers to meters. However, insight into fundamental transport phenomena particularly under the realistic conditions of three-dimensionality (3D) and fluid inertia remains limited. This study addresses these issues for inline mixers with cylindrical geometries and adopts the Rotated Arc Mixer (RAM) as a representative system. Transport is investigated from a Lagrangian perspective by identifying and examining coherent structures that form in the 3D streamline portrait. 3D effects and fluid inertia introduce three key features that are not found in simplified configurations: transition zones between consecutive mixing cells of the inline-mixing flow; local upstream flow (in certain parameter regimes); transition/inertia-induced breaking of symmetries in the Lagrangian equations of motion (causing topological changes in coherent structures). Topological considerations strongly suggest that there nonetheless always exists a net throughflow region between inlet and outlet of the inline-mixing flow that is strictly separated from possible internal regions. The Lagrangian dynamics in this region admits representation by a 2D time-periodic Hamiltonian system. This establishes one fundamental kinematic structure for the present class of inline-mixing flows and implies universal behavior in that all states follow from the Hamiltonian breakdown of one common integrable state. A so-called period-doubling bifurcation is the only way to eliminate transport barriers originating from this state and thus is a necessary (yet not sufficient) condition for global chaos. Important in a practical context is that a common simplification in literature, i.e., cell-wise fully-developed Stokes flow (“2.5D approach”), retains these fundamental kinematic properties and deviates from the generic 3D inertial case only in a quantitative sense. This substantiates its suitability for (at least first exploratory) studies on (qualitative) mixing properties.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

The fluctuation energy balance in non-suspended fluid-mediated particle transport

Here, we compare two extreme regimes of non-suspended fluid-mediated particle transport, transport in light and heavy fluids (“saltation” and “bedload,” respectively), regarding their particle fluctuation energy balance. From direct numerical simulations, we surprisingly find that the ratio between collisional and fluid drag dissipation of fluctuation energy is significantly larger in saltation than in bedload, even though the contribution of interparticle collisions to transport of momentum and energy is much smaller in saltation due to the low concentration of particles in the transport layer. We conclude that the much higher frequency of high-energy particle-bed impacts (“splash”) in saltation is the cause for this counter-intuitive behavior. Moreover, from a comparison of these simulations to particle tracking velocimetry measurements which we performed in a wind tunnel under steady transport of fine and coarse sand, we find that turbulent fluctuations of the flow produce particle fluctuation energy at an unexpectedly high rate in saltation even under conditions for which the effects of turbulence are usually believed to be small.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Characteristics of temperature rise in variable inductor employing magnetorheological fluid driven by a high-frequency pulsed voltage source

A variable inductor with magnetorheological (MR) fluid has been successfully applied to power electronics applications; however, its thermal characteristics have not been investigated. To evaluate the performance of the variable inductor with respect to temperature, we measured the characteristics of temperature rise and developed a numerical analysis technique. The characteristics of temperature rise were determined experimentally and verified numerically by adopting a multiphysics analysis technique. In order to accurately estimate the temperature distribution in a variable inductor with an MR fluid-gap, the thermal solver should import the heat source from the electromagnetic solver to solve the eddy current problem. To improve accuracy, the B–H curves of the MR fluid under operating temperature were obtained using the magnetic property measurement system. In addition, the Steinmetz equation was applied to evaluate the core loss in a ferrite core. The predicted temperature rise for a variable inductor showed good agreement with the experimental data and the developed numerical technique can be employed to design a variable inductor with a high-frequency pulsed voltage source.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Response of a fluid-immersed microcantilever close to a deformable body

The importance of hydrodynamics upon the response of a microcantilever immersed in a viscous fluid has been well established [J. E. Sader, J. Appl. Phys. 84, 64 (1998); C. A. Eysden and J. E. Sader, J. Appl. Phys. 101, 044908 (2007)]. It has previously been shown that the presence of a nearby rigid planar surface can significantly alter a microcantilever's non-contact response, through microcantilever–surface hydrodynamic interactions [C. P. Green and J. E. Sader, Phys. Fluids 17, 073102 (2005); C. P. Green and J. E. Sader, J. Appl. Phys. 98, 114913 (2005); R. J. Clarke et al., J. Fluid Mech. 545, 397426 (2005); R. J. Clarke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 050801 (2006).]. In cases where the nearby surface is a finite-sized deformable body, such as in noncontact microrheology measurements, we expect to see further changes in the microcantilever's response. Hence, we here compute the thermal spectra of several microcantilevers in the presence of different compliant samples that have the characteristics of soft biological fibres. Our findings demonstrate that the elastohydrodynamic regime can substantially dictate the extent to which the compliance of a given body is evident in the microcantilever's thermal spectra, and suggest that certain nondimensional quantities should lie within particular, ranges for this to be the case. We expect these findings to be of interest in areas such as Atomic Force Microscopy, microsensing, and non-contact microrheology.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electrostatics on the sphere with applications to Monte Carlo simulations of two dimensional polar fluids

We present two methods for solving the electrostatics of point charges and multipoles on the surface of a sphere, i.e., in the space S{sub 2}, with applications to numerical simulations of two-dimensional (2D) polar fluids. In the first approach, point charges are associated with uniform neutralizing backgrounds to form neutral pseudo-charges, while in the second, one instead considers bi-charges, i.e., dumbells of antipodal point charges of opposite signs. We establish the expressions of the electric potentials of pseudo- and bi-charges as isotropic solutions of the Laplace-Beltrami equation in S{sub 2}. A multipolar expansion of pseudo- and bi-charge potentials leads to the electric potentials of mono- and bi-multipoles, respectively. These potentials constitute non-isotropic solutions of the Laplace-Beltrami equation, the general solution of which in spherical coordinates is recast under a new appealing form. We then focus on the case of mono- and bi-dipoles and build the theory of dielectric media in S{sub 2}. We notably obtain the expression of the static dielectric constant of a uniform isotropic polar fluid living in S{sub 2} in terms of the polarization fluctuations of subdomains of S{sub 2}. We also derive the long range behavior of the equilibrium pair correlation function under the assumption that it is governed by macroscopic electrostatics. These theoretical developments find their application in Monte Carlo simulations of the 2D fluid of dipolar hard spheres. Some preliminary numerical experiments are discussed with a special emphasis on finite size effects, a careful study of the thermodynamic limit, and a check of the theoretical predictions for the asymptotic behavior of the pair correlation function.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Computational study of trimer self-assembly and fluid phase behavior

The fluid phase diagram of trimer particles composed of one central attractive bead and two repulsive beads was determined as a function of simple geometric parameters using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods. A variety of self-assembled structures were obtained including spherical micelle-like clusters, elongated clusters, and densely packed cylinders, depending on both the state conditions and shape of the trimer. Advanced simulation techniques were employed to determine transitions between self-assembled structures and macroscopic phases using thermodynamic and structural definitions. Simple changes in particle geometry yield dramatic changes in phase behavior, ranging from macroscopic fluid phase separation to molecular-scale self-assembly. In special cases, both self-assembled, elongated clusters and bulk fluid phase separation occur simultaneously. Our work suggests that tuning particle shape and interactions can yield superstructures with controlled architecture.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Review of electric discharge microplasmas generated in highly fluctuating fluids: Characteristics and application to nanomaterials synthesis

Plasma-based fabrication of novel nanomaterials and nanostructures is indispensible for the development of next-generation electronic devices and for green energy applications. In particular, controlling the interactions between plasmas and materials interfaces, and the plasma fluctuations, is crucial for further development of plasma-based processes and bottom-up growth of nanomaterials. Electric discharge microplasmas generated in supercritical fluids represent a special class of high-pressure plasmas, where fluctuations on the molecular scale influence the discharge properties and the possible bottom-up growth of nanomaterials. This review discusses an anomaly observed for direct current microplasmas generated near the critical point, a local decrease in the breakdown voltage. This anomalous behavior is suggested to be caused by the concomitant decrease of the ionization potential due to the formation of clusters near the critical point, and the formation of extended electron mean free paths caused by the high-density fluctuation near the critical point. It is also shown that in the case of dielectric barrier microdischarges generated close to the critical point, the high-density fluctuation of the supercritical fluid persists. The final part of the review discusses the application of discharges generated in supercritical fluids to synthesis of nanomaterials, in particular, molecular diamond—so-called diamondoids—by microplasmas generated inside conventional batch-type and continuous flow microreactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

X-ray Compton scattering experiments for fluid alkali metals at high temperatures and pressures

We have developed a high-pressure vessel and a cell for x-ray Compton scattering measurements of fluid alkali metals. Measurements have been successfully carried out for alkali metal rubidium at elevated temperatures and pressures using synchrotron radiation at SPring-8. The width of Compton profiles (CPs) of fluid rubidium becomes narrow with decreasing fluid density, which indicates that the CPs sensitively detect the effect of reduction in the valence electron density. At the request of all authors of the paper, and with the agreement of the Proceedings Editor, an updated version of this article was published on 10 September 2015. The original article supplied to AIP Publishing was not the final version and contained PDF conversion errors in Formulas (1) and (2). The errors have been corrected in the updated and re-published article.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

An EQT-based cDFT approach for a confined Lennard-Jones fluid mixture

Empirical potential-based quasi-continuum theory (EQT) provides a route to incorporate atomistic detail into continuum framework such as the Nernst-Planck equation. EQT can also be used to construct a grand potential functional for classical density functional theory (cDFT). The combination of EQT and cDFT provides a simple and fast approach to predict the inhomogeneous density, potential profiles, and thermodynamic properties of confined fluids. We extend the EQT-cDFT approach to confined fluid mixtures and demonstrate it by simulating a mixture of methane and hydrogen inside slit-like channels of graphene. We show that the EQT-cDFT predictions for the structure of the confined fluid mixture compare well with the molecular dynamics simulation results. In addition, our results show that graphene slit nanopores exhibit a selective adsorption of methane over hydrogen.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Numerical study of fluid motion in bioreactor with two mixers

Numerical study of hydrodynamic laminar behavior of a viscous fluid in bioreactor with multiple mixers is provided in the present paper. The reactor is equipped with two disk impellers. The fluid motion is studied in stream function-vorticity formulation. The calculations are made by a computer program, written in MATLAB. The fluid structure is described and numerical results are graphically presented and commented.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Micro-/nanosized cantilever beams and mass sensors under applied axial tensile/compressive force vibrating in vacuum and viscous fluid

Vibrating micro-/nanosized cantilever beams under an applied axial force are the key components of various devices used in nanotechnology. In this study, we perform a complete theoretical investigation of the cantilever beams under an arbitrary value of the axial force vibrating in a specific environment such as vacuum, air or viscous fluid. Based on the results easy accessible expressions enabling one the fast and highly accurate estimations of changes in the Q-factor and resonant frequencies of beam oscillating in viscous fluid caused by the applied axial force are derived and analyzed. It has been also shown that for beam-to-string and string vibrational regimes the mode shape starts to significantly deviate from the one known for a beam without axial force. Moreover, a linear dependency of the vibrational amplitude in resonance on the dimensionless tension parameter has been found. We revealed that only a large axial force, i.e. the string vibrational regime, significantly improves the Q-factor of beams submerged in fluid, while an increase of the axial force in beam and beam-to-string transition regimes has a negligibly small impact on the Q-factor enhancement. Experiments carried out on the carbon nanotubes and nanowires are in a good agreement with present theoretical predictions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Inclusion of ion orbit loss and intrinsic rotation in plasma fluid rotation theory

The preferential ion orbit loss of counter-current directed ions leaves a predominantly co-current ion distribution in the thermalized ions flowing outward through the plasma edge of tokamak plasmas, constituting a co-current intrinsic rotation. A methodology for representing this essentially kinetic phenomenon in plasma fluid theory is described and combined with a previously developed methodology of treating ion orbit particle and energy losses in fluid theory to provide a complete treatment of ion orbit loss in plasma fluid rotation theory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

A computational model for doctoring fluid films in gravure printing

The wiping, or doctoring, process in gravure printing presents a fundamental barrier to resolving the micron-sized features desired in printed electronics applications. This barrier starts with the residual fluid film left behind after wiping, and its importance grows as feature sizes are reduced, especially as the feature size approaches the thickness of the residual fluid film. In this work, various mechanical complexities are considered in a computational model developed to predict the residual fluid film thickness. Lubrication models alone are inadequate, and deformation of the doctor blade body together with elastohydrodynamic lubrication must be considered to make the model predictive of experimental trends. Moreover, model results demonstrate that the particular form of the wetted region of the blade has a significant impact on the model's ability to reproduce experimental measurements.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Bio-oil production from biomass via supercritical fluid extraction

Supercritical fluid extraction is used for producing bio-fuel from biomass. Supercritical fluid extraction process under supercritical conditions is the thermally disruption process of the lignocellulose or other organic materials at 250-400 °C temperature range under high pressure (4-5 MPa). Supercritical fluid extraction trials were performed in a cylindrical reactor (75 mL) in organic solvents (acetone, ethanol) under supercritical conditions with (calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate) and without catalyst at the temperatures of 250, 275 and 300 °C. The produced liquids at 300 °C in supercritical liquefaction were analyzed and characterized by elemental, GC-MS and FT-IR. 36 and 37 different types of compounds were identified by GC-MS obtained in acetone and ethanol respectively.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Dynamical effect of confining wall on diffusion of fluid at nanoscale

The dynamical effect of wall-fluid interaction on diffusion in direction perpendicular to confining walls has been studied, theoretically. The properties of fluids which incorporates the effect of static changes in confined fluid has been modified to include, directly, the dynamical effects of wall on the motion of particles. The results obtained for VACF in perpendicular direction of channel of width of two atomic diameters are presented and compared with the molecular dynamic (MD) simulation results as well as the results obtained without including the dynamical effect.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Magnetic field sensor based on cascaded microfiber coupler with magnetic fluid

A kind of magnetic field sensor based on cascaded microfiber coupler with magnetic fluid is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The magnetic fluid is utilized as the cladding of the fused regions of the cascaded microfiber coupler. As the interference valley wavelength of the sensing structure is sensitive to the ambient variation, considering the magnetic-field-dependent refractive index of magnetic fluid, the proposed structure is employed for magnetic field sensing. The effective coupling length for each coupling region of the as-fabricated cascaded microfiber coupler is 6031 μm. The achieved sensitivity is 125 pm/Oe, which is about three times larger than that of the previously similar structure based on the single microfiber coupler. Experimental results indicate that the sensing sensitivity can be easily improved by increasing the effective coupling length or cascading more microfiber couplers. The proposed magnetic field sensor is attractive due to its low cost, immunity to electromagnetic interference, as well as high sensitivity, which also has the potentials in other tunable all-fiber photonic devices, such as filter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multi-fluid and kinetic models of partially ionized magnetic reconnection

Magnetic reconnection in partially ionized plasmas is a ubiquitous and important phenomenon in both laboratory and astrophysical systems. Here, simulations of partially ionized magnetic reconnection with well-matched initial conditions are performed using both multi-fluid and fully-kinetic approaches. Despite similar initial conditions, the time-dependent evolution differs between the two models. In multi-fluid models, the reconnection rate locally obeys either a decoupled Sweet–Parker scaling, where neutrals are unimportant, or a fully coupled Sweet–Parker scaling, where neutrals and ions are strongly coupled, depending on the resistivity. In contrast, kinetic models show a faster reconnection rate that is proportional to the fully-coupled, bulk Alfvén speed, $v^*_A$. In this work, these differences are interpreted as the result of operating in different collisional regimes. Multi-fluid simulations are found to maintain $ν_{ni}L/v^*_A$ ≳1, where $ν_{ni}$ is the neutral–ion collision frequency and L is the time-dependent current sheet half-length. This strongly couples neutrals to the reconnection outflow, while kinetic simulations evolve to allow $ν_{ni}L/v^*_A$ <1, decoupling neutrals from the reconnection outflow. Differences in the way reconnection is triggered may explain these discrepancies.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗