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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 127 records · Page 7

Flux divergence of thermal radiation within stratiform clouds

A longwave radiative transfer model based on the narrow-band transmission functions of Lowtran 6 has been developed to investigate the profile of radiative flux divergence at the tops of stratiform clouds. The model has a vertical resolution of 1 m and a spectral resolution of 20/cm. These features are shown to permit modeling of broadband radiative transfer in the presence of a cloud top inversion and finite liquid water gradient. Radiative cooling rates in excess of 40 K/hr are shown to be possible for extreme conditions, with values of 10 K/hr being representative of more typical conditions. The values obtained are shown to be strongly influenced by the magnitude of liquid water concentration, by the gradient of liquid water in the top 50 m, and by the strength of the temperature inversion.

Davies, Roger↗

Heat Transfer Measurement and Modeling in Rigid High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation Tiles

Heat transfer in rigid reusable surface insulations was investigated. Steady-state thermal conductivity measurements in a vacuum were used to determine the combined contribution of radiation and solid conduction components of heat transfer. Thermal conductivity measurements at higher pressures were then used to estimate the effective insulation characteristic length for gas conduction modeling. The thermal conductivity of the insulation can then be estimated at any temperature and pressure in any gaseous media. The methodology was validated by comparing estimated thermal conductivities with published data on a rigid high-temperature silica reusable surface insulation tile. The methodology was also applied to the alumina enhanced thermal barrier tiles. Thermal contact resistance for thermal conductivity measurements on rigid tiles was also investigated. A technique was developed to effectively eliminate thermal contact resistance on the rigid tile s cold-side surface for the thermal conductivity measurements.

Daryabeigi, Kamran↗

Diagnostic calculations of the circulation in the Martian atmosphere

The circulation of the Martian atmosphere during late southern summer is derived from atmospheric temperature and dust distributions retrieved from a subset of the Mariner 9 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) thermal emission spectra (LS = 343-348 deg) (Santee and Crisp, 1933). Zonal-mean zonal winds are calculated by assuming gradient wind balance and zero surface zonal wind. Both hemispheres have intense midlatitude westerly jets with velocities of 80-90 m/s near 50 km; in the southern tropics the winds are easterly with velocities of 40 m/s near 50 km. The net effect of the zonal-mean meridional circulation and large-scale waves can be approximated by the diabatic ciculation, which is defined from the atmospheric thermal structure and net radiative heating rates. The radiative transfer model described by Crisp (1990) and Santee (1993) is used to compute solar heating and thermal cooling rates from diurnal averages of the retrieved IRIS temperature and dust distributions. At pressures below 4 mbar, there are large net radiative heating rates (up to 5 K/d) in the equatorial region and large net radiative cooling rates (up to 12 K/d) in the polar regions. These net radiative heating rates are used in a diagnostic stream function model which solves for the meridonal and vertical components of the diabatic circulation simultaneously. We find a two cell circulation, with rising motion over the equator, poleward flow in both hemispheres, sinking motion over both polar regions, and return flow in the lowest atmospheric levels. The maximum poleward velocity is 3 m/s in the tropics at approximately 55 km altitude, and the maximum vertical velocity is 2.5 cm/s downward over the north pole at approximately 60 km altitude. If these large transport rates are sustained for an entire season, the Martian atmosphere above the 1-mbar level is overturned in about 38 days. This diabatic circulation is qualitatively similar to the terrestial diabatic circulation at the comparable season, but is more vigorous.

Santee, Michelle L.↗

Diagnostic calculations of the circulation in the Martian atmosphere

The circulation of the Martian atmosphere during late southern summer is derived from atmospheric temperature and dust distributions retrieved from a subset of the Mariner 9 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) thermal emission spectra (L(sub s) = 343-348 deg). Zonal-mean zonal winds are calculated by assuming gradient wind balance and zero surface zonal wind. Both hemispheres have intense midlatitude westerly jets with velocities of 80-90 m/s near 50 km; in the southern tropics the winds are easterly with velocities of 40 m/s near 50 km. The net effect of the zonal mean meridional circulation and large-scale waves can be approximated by the diabatic circulation, which is defined from the atmospheric thermal structure and net radiative heating rates. The radiative transfer model described by Crisp (1990) and Santee (1993) is used to compute solar heating and thermal cooling rates from diurnal averages of the retrieved IRIS temperature and dust distributions. At pressures below 4 mbar, there are large net radiative heating rates (up to 5 K/d) in the equatorial region and large net radiative cooling rates (up to 12 K/d) in the polar regions. These net radiative heating rates are used in a diagnostic stream function model which solves for the meridional and vertical components of the diabatic circulation simultaneously. We find a two-cell circulation, with rising motion over the equator, poleward flow in both hemispheres, sinking motion over both polar regions, and return flow in the lowest atmospheric levels. The maximum poleward velocity is 3 m/s in the tropics at approx. 55 km altitude, and the maximum vertical velocity is 2.5 cm/s downward over the north pole at approx. 60 km altitude. If these large transport rates are sustained for an entire season, the Martian atmosphere above the 1-mbar level is overturned in about 38 days. This diabatic circulation is qualitatively similar to the terrestrial diabatic circulation at the comparable season, but is more vigorous.

Santee, Michelle L.↗

Analysis of Thermal Radiation Effects on Temperatures in Turbine Engine Thermal Barrier Coatings

Thermal barrier coatings are important, and in some instances a necessity, for high temperature applications such as combustor liners, and turbine vanes and rotating blades for current and advanced turbine engines. Some of the insulating materials used for coatings, such as zirconia that currently has widespread use, are partially transparent to thermal radiation. A translucent coating permits energy to be transported internally by radiation, thereby increasing the total energy transfer and acting like an increase in thermal conductivity. This degrades the insulating ability of the coating. Because of the strong dependence of radiant emission on temperature, internal radiative transfer effects are increased as temperatures are raised. Hence evaluating the significance of internal radiation is of importance as temperatures are increased to obtain higher efficiencies in advanced engines.

Siegel, Robert↗

Effect of an Opaque Reflecting Layer on the Thermal Behavior of a Thermal Barrier Coating

A parametric study using a two-flux approximation of the radiative transfer equation was performed to examine the effects of an opaque reflective layer on the thermal behavior of a typical semitransparent thermal barrier coating on an opaque substrate. Some ceramic materials are semitransparent in the wavelength ranges where thermal radiation is important. Even with an opaque layer on each side of the semitransparent thermal barrier coating, scattering and absorption can have an effect on the heat transfer. In this work, a thermal barrier coating that is semitransparent up to a wavelength of 5 micrometers is considered. Above 5 micrometers wavelength, the thermal barrier coating is opaque. The absorption and scattering coefficient of the thermal barrier was varied. The thermal behavior of the thermal barrier coating with an opaque reflective layer is compared to a thermal barrier coating without the reflective layer. For a thicker thermal barrier coating with lower convective loading, which would be typical of a combustor liner, a reflective layer can significantly decrease the temperature in the thermal barrier coating and substrate if the scattering is weak or moderate and for strong scattering if the absorption is large. The layer without the reflective coating can be about as effective as the layer with the reflective coating if the absorption is small and the scattering strong. For low absorption, some temperatures in the thermal barrier coating system can be slightly higher with the reflective layer. For a thin thermal barrier coating with high convective loading, which would be typical of a blade or vane that sees the hot sections of the combustor, the reflective layer is not as effective. The reflective layer reduces the surface temperature of the reflective layer for all conditions considered. For weak and moderate scattering, the temperature of the TBC-substrate interface is reduced but for strong scattering, the temperature of the substrate is increased slightly.

Spuckler, Charles M.↗

Near-surface thermal gradients and their effects on mid-infrared emission spectra of planetary surfaces

We model the heat transfer by radiation and conduction in the top few millimeters of a planetary surface to determine the magnitude of near-surface (approximately 100 micrometers) thermal gradients and their effects on mid-infrared emission spectra for a number of planetary environments. The model is one-dimensional and uses a finite difference scheme for approximately 10 micrometers layers. Calculations are peformed for samples heated at the base and from above by sunlight. Our results indicate that near-surface radiative cooling creates significant thermal gradients in the top few hundred microns of surfaces in which radiation is an importamnt heat transfer mechanism. The effect is maximized in evacuated, underdense particulate media with sufficiently high temperatures. Near-surface thermal gradients will be significant in fine-grained particulate surfaces on the Moon (40-60 K/100 micrometers) and Mercury (approximately 80 K/100 micrometers), increasing spectral contrast and creating emission maxima in the transparent regions of the spectra. They will be of lesser importance on the surface of Mars, with a maximum value of around 5 k/100 micrometers in areas of low thermal inertia, and will be negligible on planets with more substantial atmospheres (less than 1 K/100 micrometers). We conclude that the effects that thermal gradients have on mid-IR emission spectra are predictable and do not negate the utility of emission spectroscopy for remote determination of planetary surface composition.

Henderson, B. G.↗

The evolving intergalactic medium - The uncollapsed baryon fraction in a cold dark matter universe

The time-varying density of the intergalactic medium (IGM) is calculated by coupling detailed numerical calculations of the thermal and ionization balance and radiative transfer in a uniform IGM of H and He to the linearized equations for the growth of density fluctuations in both gases and a dark component in a cold dark matter universe. The IGM density is identified with the collapsed baryon fraction. It is found that even if the IGM is never reheated, a significant fraction of the baryons remain uncollapsed at redshifts of four. If instead the collapsed fraction releases enough ionizing radiation or thermal energy to reionize the IGM by z greater than four as required by the Gunn-Peterson (GP) constraint, the uncollapsed fraction at z of four is even higher. The known quasar distribution is insufficient to supply the ionizing radiation necessary to satisfy the GP constraint in this case and, if stars are instead responsible, a substantial metallicity must have been produced by z of four.

Shapiro, Paul R.↗

Thermal plasma in the inner kronian magnetosphere

Since the flybys of the twin Voyager spacecraft through the magnetosphere of Saturn in the early 1980s, conflicting interpretations of the phenomena observed have appeared in the literature. An attempt is made here to constrain the transport rate in the inner magnetosphere by appeal to plasma observations of density and temperature. The conflicting models range from those entailing fast transport, which limits the density, to models in which the ion density is limited by the process of recombination. The coupled differential equations for Coulomb and radiative heat transfer between hot electrons, thermal electrons and thermal heavy ions are solved. It is concluded that diffusive transport is not the dominant factor in determining the plasma state of the inner magnetosphere of Saturn. Support is found for a previously proposed model of a ring source for the cold dense plasma observed by Voyager 2 at the ring plane crossing.

Eviatar, A.↗

Modeling thermal infrared (2-14 micrometer) reflectance spectra of frost and snow

Existing theories of radiative transfer in close-packed media assume that each particle scatters independently of its neighbors. For opaque particles, such as are common in the thermal infrared, this assumption is not valid, and these radiative transfer theories will not be accurate. A new method is proposed, called 'diffraction subtraction', which modifies the scattering cross section of close-packed large, opaque spheres to account for the effect of close packing on the diffraction cross section of a scattering particle. This method predicts the thermal infrared reflectance of coarse (greater than 50 micrometers radius), disaggregated granular snow. However, such coarse snow is typically old and metamorphosed, with adjacent grains welded together. The reflectance of such a welded block can be described as partly Fresnel in nature and cannot be predicted using Mie inputs to radiative transfer theory. Owing to the high absorption coefficient of ice in the thermal infrared, a rough surface reflectance model can be used to calculate reflectance from such a block. For very small (less than 50 micrometers), disaggregated particles, it is incorrect in principle to treat diffraction independently of reflection and refraction, and the theory fails. However, for particles larger than 50 micrometers, independent scattering is a valid assumption, and standard radiative transfer theory works.

Wald, Andrew E.↗

Infrared spectra of obscuring dust tori around active galactic nuclei. I - Calculational method and basic trends

Using a new 2D radiative transfer algorithm, we have calculated the thermally reradiated infrared spectra of the compact dust tori which are thought to surround many AGN. These tori radiate anisotropically. Face-on tori may be from one-half to a few orders of magnitude brighter than edge-on tori throughout the infrared. Their spectra at nearly all viewing angles are basically 'bumps' which are about 50 percent wider than blackbodies and peak in the mid-infrared at a wavelength determined mainly by the flux of nuclear radiation on the inner edge of the torus. The infrared color temperatures are hotter for face-on tori than edge-on tori by about 100 K. The 10 micron silicate feature often associated with dust can appear in absorption, emission, or not at all. There is a rough tendency for absorption features to be more prominent for edge-on tori than for face-on tori.

Pier, Edward A.↗

In-Space technology experiments program. A high efficiency thermal interface (using condensation heat transfer) between a 2-phase fluid loop and heatpipe radiator: Experiment definition phase

Space Station elements and advanced military spacecraft will require rejection of tens of kilowatts of waste heat. Large space radiators and two-phase heat transport loops will be required. To minimize radiator size and weight, it is critical to minimize the temperature drop between the heat source and sink. Under an Air Force contract, a unique, high-performance heat exchanger is developed for coupling the radiator to the transport loop. Since fluid flow through the heat exchanger is driven by capillary forces which are easily dominated by gravity forces in ground testing, it is necessary to perform microgravity thermal testing to verify the design. This contract consists of an experiment definition phase leading to a preliminary design and cost estimate for a shuttle-based flight experiment of this heat exchanger design. This program will utilize modified hardware from a ground test program for the heat exchanger.

Pohner, John A.↗

Thermal microwave emission from a three-layer random medium with three-dimensional variations

The radiative transfer theory has been used to study the thermal microwave emission from a three-layer random medium. The random medium is characterized by correlation functions that are Gaussian in the horizontal direction and exponential in the vertical direction. Gaussian quadrature methods are used to solve for the brightness temperatures. The spectral and angular dependence of the brightness temperature are illustrated numerically. In particular we compare the case of a two-layer random medium whose brightness temperature decreases with frequency with the case of a three-layer random medium whose brightness temperature increases with frequency.

Tsang, L.↗