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Finite element analysis in fluids; Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Finite Element Methods in Flow Problems, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Apr. 3-7, 1989

Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics are examined in reviews and reports, with an emphasis on finite-element methods. Sections are devoted to adaptive meshes, atmospheric dynamics, combustion, compressible flows, control-volume finite elements, crystal growth, domain decomposition, EM-field problems, FDM/FEM, and fluid-structure interactions. Consideration is given to free-boundary problems with heat transfer, free surface flow, geophysical flow problems, heat and mass transfer, high-speed flow, incompressible flow, inverse design methods, MHD problems, the mathematics of finite elements, and mesh generation. Also discussed are mixed finite elements, multigrid methods, non-Newtonian fluids, numerical dissipation, parallel vector processing, reservoir simulation, seepage, shallow-water problems, spectral methods, supercomputer architectures, three-dimensional problems, and turbulent flows.

Chung, T. J.↗

Verification of MOOSE/Bison's Heat Conduction Solver Using Combined Spatiotemporal Convergence Analysis

Bison is a computational physics code that uses the finite element method to model the thermo-mechanical response of nuclear fuel. Since Bison is used to inform high-consequence decisions, it is important that its computational results are reliable and predictive. One important step in assessing the reliability and predictive capabilities of a simulation tool is the verification process, which quantifies numerical errors in a discrete solution relative to the exact solution of the mathematical model. One step in the verification process—called code verification—ensures that the implemented numerical algorithm is a faithful representation of the underlying mathematical model, including partial differential or integral equations, initial and boundary conditions, and auxiliary relationships. In this paper, the code verification process is applied to spatiotemporal heat conduction problems in Bison. Simultaneous refinement of the discretization in space and time is employed to reveal any potential mistakes in the numerical algorithms for the interactions between the spatial and temporal components of the solution. For each verification problem, the correct spatial and temporal order of accuracy is demonstrated for both first- and second-order accurate finite elements and a variety of time-integration schemes. Furthermore, these results provide strong evidence that the Bison numerical algorithm for solving spatiotemporal problems reliably represents the underlying mathematical model in MOOSE. The selected test problems can also be used in other simulation tools that numerically solve for conduction or diffusion.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Building heating and cooling applications thermal energy storage program overview

Thermal energy storage technology and development of building heating and cooling applications in the residential and commercial sectors is outlined. Three elements are identified to undergo an applications assessment, technology development, and demonstration. Emphasis is given to utility load management thermal energy system application where the stress is on the 'customer side of the meter'. Thermal storage subsystems for space conditioning and conservation means of increased thermal mass within the building envelope and by means of low-grade waste heat recovery are covered.

Eissenberg, D. M.↗

Convection from Hemispherical and Conical Model Ice Roughness Elements in Stagnation Region Flows

To improve ice accretion prediction codes, more data regarding ice roughness and its effects on convective heat transfer are required. The Vertical Icing Studies Tunnel (VIST) at NASA Glenn Research was used to model realistic ice roughness in the stagnation region of a NACA 0012 airfoil. In the VIST, a test plate representing the leading 2% chord of the airfoil was subjected to flows of 7.62 m/s (25 ft/s), 12.19 m/s (40 ft/s), and 16.76 m/s (55 ft/s). The test plate was fitted with multiple surfaces or sets of roughness panels, each with a different representation of ice roughness. The sets of roughness panels were constructed using two element distribution patterns that were created based on a laser scan of an iced airfoil acquired in the Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn. For both roughness patterns, surfaces were constructed using plastic hemispherical elements, plastic conical elements, and aluminum conical elements. Infrared surface thermometry data from tests run in the VIST were used to calculate area averaged heat transfer coefficient values. The values from the roughness surfaces were compared to the smooth control surface, showing convective enhancement as high as 400% in some cases. The data gathered during this study will ultimately be used to improve the physical modeling in LEWICE or other ice accretion codes and produce predictions of in-flight ice accretion on aircraft surfaces with greater confidence.

Icing Physics↗

An Advanced One-Dimensional Finite Element Model for Incompressible Thermally Expandable Flow

Here, this paper provides an overview of a new one-dimensional finite element flow model for incompressible but thermally expandable flow. The flow model was developed for use in system analysis tools for whole-plant safety analysis of sodium fast reactors. Although the pressure-based formulation was implemented, the use of integral equations in the conservative form ensured the conservation laws of the fluid. A stabilization scheme based on streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin and pressure-stabilizing/Petrov-Galerkin formulations is also introduced. The flow model and its implementation have been verified by many test problems, including density wave propagation, steep gradient problems, discharging between tanks, and the conjugate heat transfer in a heat exchanger.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Environmental Barrier Coating Fracture, Fatigue and High-Heat-Flux Durability Modeling and Stochastic Progressive Damage Simulation

Advanced environmental barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in future gas turbine engines because of their ability to protect emerging light-weight SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) engine components, further raising engine operating temperatures and performance. Because the environmental barrier coating systems are critical to the performance, reliability and durability of these hot-section ceramic engine components, a prime-reliant coating system along with established life design methodology are required for the hot-section ceramic component insertion into engine service. In this paper, we have first summarized some observations of high temperature, high-heat-flux environmental degradation and failure mechanisms of environmental barrier coating systems in laboratory simulated engine environment tests. In particular, the coating surface cracking morphologies and associated subsequent delamination mechanisms under the engine level high-heat-flux, combustion steam, and mechanical creep and fatigue loading conditions will be discussed. The EBC compostion and archtechture improvements based on advanced high heat flux environmental testing, and the modeling advances based on the integrated Finite Element Analysis Micromechanics Analysis Code/Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures (FEAMAC/CARES) program will also be highlighted. The stochastic progressive damage simulation successfully predicts mud flat damage pattern in EBCs on coated 3-D specimens, and a 2-D model of through-the-thickness cross-section. A 2-parameter Weibull distribution was assumed in characterizing the coating layer stochastic strength response and the formation of damage was therefore modeled. The damage initiation and coalescence into progressively smaller mudflat crack cells was demonstrated. A coating life prediction framework may be realized by examining the surface crack initiation and delamination propagation in conjunction with environmental degradation under high-heat-flux and environment load test conditions.

Mechanical creep and fatigue loading condition↗

The Design, Implementation, and Performance of the Astro-H SXS Calorimeter Array and Anti-Coincidence Detector

The calorimeter array of the JAXA Astro-H (renamed Hitomi) Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) was designed to provide unprecedented spectral resolution of spatially extended cosmic x-ray sources and of all cosmic x-ray sources in the Fe-K band around 6 keV, enabling essential plasma diagnostics. The SXS has a square array of 36 microcalorimeters at the focal plane. These calorimeters consist of ion-implanted silicon thermistors and HgTe thermalizing x-ray absorbers. These devices have demonstrated a resolution of better than 4.5 eV at 6 keV when operated at a heat-sink temperature of 50 mK. We will discuss the basic physical parameters of this array, including the array layout, thermal conductance of the link to the heat sink, resistance function, absorber details, and means of attaching the absorber to the thermistor-bearing element. We will also present the thermal characterization of the whole array, including thermal conductance and crosstalk measurements and the results of pulsing the frame temperature via alpha particles, heat pulses, and the environmental background. A silicon ionization detector is located behind the calorimeter array and serves to reject events due to cosmic rays. We will briefly describe this anti-coincidence detector and its performance.

x-ray calorimeter↗

Design, Implementation, and Performance of the Astro-H SXS Calorimeter Array and Anticoincidence Detector

The calorimeter array of the JAXA Astro-H (renamed Hitomi) soft x-ray spectrometer (SXS) was designed to provide unprecedented spectral resolution of spatially extended cosmic x-ray sources and of all cosmic x-ray sources in the Fe-K band around 6 keV, enabling essential plasma diagnostics. The SXS had a square array of 36 x-ray calorimeters at the focal plane. These calorimeters consisted of ion-implanted silicon thermistors and HgTe thermalizing x-ray absorbers. These devices demonstrated a resolution of better than 4.5 eV at 6 keV when operated at a heat-sink temperature of 50 mK. We will discuss the basic physical parameters of this array, including the array layout, thermal conductance of the link to the heat sink, resistance function, absorber details, and means of attaching the absorber to the thermistor-bearing element. We will also present the thermal characterization of the whole array, including thermal conductance and crosstalk measurements and the results of pulsing the frame temperature via alpha particles, heat pulses, and the environmental background. A silicon ionization detector was located behind the calorimeter array and served to reject events due to cosmic rays. We will briefly describe this anticoincidence detector and its performance.

Kilbourne, Caroline A.↗

Steady-State Subchannel Thermalhydraulic Assessment of Thorium-Based Fuel Concepts for Use in Pressure Tube Heavy Water Reactors

Thorium is an abundant alternative fertile nuclear fuel that could potentially be implemented in pressure tube heavy water reactors (PT-HWR) in the near future. One of the key stages in developing the thorium-based fuels for PT-HWRs is the reactor core concept, which requires the collaboration of different disciplines, such as neutron physics, thermal-hydraulics, materials, chemistry, safety, and others. Currently there are numerous core concepts under investigation at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories that involve several types of thorium-based fuels, and that could be implemented in a 700-MWe-class PT-HWR. Four fuel bundle concepts are considered, including i) the reference (or nominal) 37-element bundle; ii) a 37-element modified bundle, with the center element using a different fuel material; iii) a 35-element bundle design, and iv) an 18-element internally cooled annular fuel (ICAF-18) fuel bundle. This study presents preliminary results of the steady-state thermalhydraulic subchannel analyses of the hot channels of different PT-HWR core concepts using thorium-augmented or thorium-based fuels. A follow up study will be initiated to improve the assessment of the proposed cores and associated fuel bundle concepts for thorium-augmented and thorium-based fuels. The computational model will be revisited to include; - Expanding the analysis to cover different power profiles at different burnup stages of the bundle. - Expand the analysis to cover 28.5 kg/s. - Reduce the eccentricity of the 35-element fuel bundle. - Assess the effect of the phenomena not yet included in the subchannel model (such as the effect of cold wall, and gamma heat). - Expand the analysis to include the effect of spacers and junctions. - Compare bundle concepts using other performance indicators (such as burnup, breeding ratio), as optimizing the fuel bundle geometry is a multidisciplinary problem.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Experience with advanced instrumentation in a hot section cascade

The Lewis Research Center gas turbine Hot Section Test Facility was developed to provide a real engine environment with known boundary conditions for the aerothermal performance evaluation and verification of computer design codes. This verification process requires experimental measurements in a hostile environment. The research instruments used in this facility are presented, and their characteristics and how they perform in this environment are discussed. The research instrumentation consisted of conventional pressure and temperature sensors, as well as thin-film thermocouples and heat flux gages. The hot gas temperature was measured by an aspirated temperature probe and by a dual-element, fast-response temperature probe. The data acquisition mode was both steady state and time dependent. These experiments were conducted over a wide range of gas Reynolds numbers, exit gas Mach numbers, and heat flux levels. This facility was capable of testing at temperatures up to 1600 K, and at pressures up to 18 atm. These corresponded to an airfoil exit Reynolds number range of 0.5 x 10(6) to 2.5 x 10(6) based on the airfoil chord of 5.55 cm. The results characterize the performance capability and the durability of the instrumentation. The challenge of making measurements in hostile environments is also discussed. The instruments exhibited more than adequate durability to achieve the measurement profile. About 70 percent of the thin-film thermocouples and the dual-element temperature probe survived several hundred thermal cycles and more than 35 hr at gas temperatures up to 1600 K. Within the experimental uncertainty, the steady-state and transient heat flux measurements were comparable and consistent over the range of Reynolds numbers tested.

Yeh, Frederick C.↗

Iodine Effects on Medical Isotope Producer Delay & Guard Bed Temperature and Performance in Support of NA-23 Program

In support of NA-23’s objective to accelerate the establishment of a reliable commercial United States (U.S.) domestic supply of 99Mo produced without the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was tasked with modeling the performance of activated carbon delay and guard beds that may be typical for non-HEU 99Mo production processes. The specific tasks accomplished by PNNL included calculations of long-term effects of iodine on delay bed performance and development of a finite element simulation to better understand delay bed performance under various scenarios specifically with radioxenon and radioiodine decay heating of the delay beds. The main issue of interest in this study is understanding the effect of iodine on the abatement performance of the beds if iodine is not sufficiently removed from gases prior to reaching the delay beds. Finite element simulations of delay bed performance were developed using COMSOL Multiphysics® Software. These simulations are based on partial differential equations that describe xenon and iodine adsorption, heat transfer and decay of radioxenon and radioiodine isotopes. Heat transfer in the activated carbon beds is simulated with a heat source tied to the decay of radioactive xenon and iodine species. These simulations were used to investigate delay bed temperature and hold up time using radioxenon and radioiodine activities and flowrates expected from a non-HEU production process. A bounding case scenario was simulated, where all the iodine was released into the delay beds due to insufficient guarding of the delay beds. In addition, preliminary investigations of the guard beds were conducted.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Integrated optical transceiver with electronically controlled optical beamsteering

A beam-steering optical transceiver is provided. The transceiver includes one or more modules, each comprising an antenna chip and a control chip bonded to the antenna chip. Each antenna chip has a feeder waveguide, a plurality of row waveguides that tap off from the feeder waveguide, and a plurality of metallic nanoantenna elements arranged in a two-dimensional array of rows and columns such that each row overlies one of the row waveguides. Each antenna chip also includes a plurality of independently addressable thermo-optical phase shifters, each configured to produce a thermo-optical phase shift in a respective row. Each antenna chip also has, for each row, a row-wise heating circuit configured to produce a respective thermo-optic phase shift at each nanoantenna element along its row. The control chip includes controllable current sources for the independently addressable thermo-optical phase shifters and the row-wise heating circuits.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Solute diffusion behavior during heat treatment and its impact in Sc-microalloyed Al-Cu system

Scandium (Sc) is a promising microalloying element that enhances the strength and thermal stability of aluminum (Al) alloys. However, these benefits are not fully realized in aluminum-copper (Al-Cu) systems, and corrosion resistance often declines due to the complex phase evolution and diffusion behavior of Cu and Sc. Here, to clarify this, solute diffusion behavior and Cu-Sc interaction during heat treatment (HT) were investigated using in situ synchrotron-based transmission x-ray microscopy (TXM), wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), and x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The results, supported by electron microscopy, reveal strong Cu-Sc bonding that significantly impedes solute diffusion, leading to inhomogeneous solute distribution and non-uniform precipitation. Moreover, the Al-Cu-Sc eutectic phase exhibits high thermal stability, resisting dissolution even near the matrix liquidus. These findings quantitatively elucidate the sluggish diffusion kinetics of Cu and Sc, which can help redesign HT schedules to improve both mechanical properties and corrosion resistance in Sc-microalloyed Al-Cu alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Heat storage in alloy transformations

The feasibility of using metal alloys as thermal energy storage media was determined. The following major elements were studied: (1) identification of congruently transforming alloys and thermochemical property measurements; (2) development of a precise and convenient method for measuring volume change during phase transformation and thermal expansion coefficients; (3) development of a numerical modeling routine for calculating heat flow in cylindrical heat exchangers containing phase change materials; and (4) identification of materials that could be used to contain the metal alloys. Several eutectic alloys and ternary intermetallic phases were determined. A method employing X-ray absorption techniques was developed to determine the coefficients of thermal expansion of both the solid and liquid phases and the volume change during phase transformation from data obtained during one continuous experimental test. The method and apparatus are discussed and the experimental results are presented. The development of the numerical modeling method is presented and results are discussed for both salt and metal alloy phase change media.

Birchenall, C. E.↗

Mechanisms by which heat release affects the flow field in a chemically reacting, turbulent mixing layer

The mechanisms by which heat release affects the fluid dynamics in a turbulent reacting mixing layer are studied by direct numerical simulation. In agreement with previous laboratory experiments, the heat release is observed to lower the rate at which the mixing layer grows and to reduce the rate at which chemical products are formed. The baroclinic torque and thermal expansion in the mixing layer are shown to produce changes in the flame vortex structure that act to produce more diffuse vortices than in the constant density case, resulting in lower rotation rates of fluid elements. Previously unexplained anomalies observed in the mean velocity profiles of reacting jets and mixing layers are shown to result from vorticity generation by baroclinic torques. The density reductions also lower the generation rates of turbulent kinetic energy and the turbulent shear stresses, resulting in less turbulent mixing of fluid elements. Calculations of the energy in the various wave numbers show that the heat release has a stabilizing effect on the growth rates of individual modes. A linear stability analysis of a simlified model problem confirms this, showing that low density fluid in the mixing region will result in a shift of the frequency of the unstable modes to lower wave numbers (longer wavelengths). The growth rates of the unstable modes decrease, contributing to the slower growth of the mixing layer.

Riley, J. J.↗

Finite Element Analysis of Poroelastic Composites Undergoing Thermal and Gas Diffusion

A theory for time-dependent thermal and gas diffusion in mechanically time-rate-independent anisotropic poroelastic composites has been developed. This theory advances previous work by the latter two authors by providing for critical transverse shear through a three-dimensional axisymmetric formulation and using it in a new hypothesis for determining the Biot fluid pressure-solid stress coupling factor. The derived governing equations couple material deformation with temperature and internal pore pressure and more strongly couple gas diffusion and heat transfer than the previous theory. Hence the theory accounts for the interactions between conductive heat transfer in the porous body and convective heat carried by the mass flux through the pores. The Bubnov Galerkin finite element method is applied to the governing equations to transform them into a semidiscrete finite element system. A numerical procedure is developed to solve the coupled equations in the space and time domains. The method is used to simulate two high temperature tests involving thermal-chemical decomposition of carbon-phenolic composites. In comparison with measured data, the results are accurate. Moreover unlike previous work, for a single set of poroelastic parameters, they are consistent with two measurements in a restrained thermal growth test.

Salamon, N. J.↗

Effect of annealing on the laser induced damage of polished and CO{sub 2} laser-processed fused silica surfaces

We investigate the effect of different heat treatments on the laser-induced damage probabilities of fused silica samples. Isothermal annealing in a furnace is applied, with different temperatures in the range 700–1100 °C and 12 h annealing time, to super-polished fused silica samples. The surface flatness and laser damage probabilities at 3 ns, 351 nm are measured before and after the different annealing procedures. We have found a significant improvement of the initial laser damage probabilities of the silica surface after annealing at 1050 °C for 12 h. A similar study has been conducted on CO{sub 2} laser-processed sites on the surface of the samples. Before and after annealing, we have studied the morphology of the sites, the evolution of residual stress, and the laser-induced damage threshold measured at 351 nm, 3 ns. In this case, we observe that the laser damage resistance of the laser created craters can reach the damage level of the bare fused silica surface after the annealing process, with a complete stress relieve. The obtained results are then compared to the case of local annealing process by CO{sub 2} laser irradiation during 1 s, and we found similar improvements in both cases. The different results obtained in the study are compared to numerical simulations made with a thermo-mechanical model based on finite-element method that allows the simulation of the isothermal or the local annealing process, the evolution of stress and fictive temperature. The simulation results were found to be very consistent with experimental observations for the stresses evolution after annealing and estimation of the heat affected area during laser-processing based on the density dependence with fictive temperature. Following this work, the temperature for local annealing should reach 1330–1470 °C for an optimized reduction of damage probability and be below the threshold for material removal, whereas furnace annealing should be kept below the annealing point to avoid sample deformation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗