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At least 163 records · Page 9

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NASA NTRS1988

Capillary heat transport and fluid management device

A passive heat transporting and fluid management apparatus including a housing in the form of an extruded body member having flat upper and lower surfaces is disclosed. A main liquid channel and at least two vapor channels extend longitudinally through the housing from a heat input end to a heat output end. The vapor channels have sintered powdered metal fused about the peripheries to form a porous capillary wick structure. A substantial number of liquid arteries extend transversely through the wicks adjacent the respective upper and lower surfaces of the housing, the arteries extending through the wall of the housing between the vapor channels and the main liquid channel and open into the main liquid channel. Liquid from the main channel enters the artery at the heat input end, wets the wick and is vaporized. When the vapor is cooled at the heat output end, the condensed vapor refills the wick and the liquid reenters the main liquid channel.

James W Owen↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Accurate Cryogenic Fluid Vapor-Liquid Boundary Conditions Via Molecular Simulations

Vapor-liquid interfaces drive many important phenomena in cryogenic fluid management, including heat transfer, evaporation, and capillary flow. Design of cryogenic fluid systems, such as propellant storage, requires accurate predictions of fluid behavior, including evaporation rates. Many models have been proposed for heat and mass transfer at vapor liquid interfaces, but the accuracy of these models in the context of cryogenic fluids has not been performed. We use molecular dynamics simulations, which allow for nanometer scale resolution of fluid phenomena, to evaluate the accuracy of a variety of vapor-liquid boundary conditions at evaporating and condensing interfaces. We find that an anisotropic temperature distribution is a critical ingredient for accurate prediction of intensive evaporation and condensation.

Daniel Vigil↗

NASA NTRS2014

CVB: the Constrained Vapor Bubble Capillary Experiment on the International Space Station MARANGONI FLOW REGION

The Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) is a wickless, grooved heat pipe and we report on a full- scale fluids experiment flown on the International Space Station (ISS). The CVB system consists of a relatively simple setup a quartz cuvette with sharp corners partially filled with either pentane or an ideal mixture of pentane and isohexane as the working fluids. Along with temperature and pressure measurements, the two-dimensional thickness profile of the menisci formed at the corners of the quartz cuvette was determined using the Light Microscopy Module (LMM). Even with the large, millimeter dimensions of the CVB, interfacial forces dominate in these exceedingly small Bond Number systems. The experiments were carried out at various power inputs. Although conceptually simple, the transport processes were found to be very complex with many different regions. At the heated end of the CVB, due to a high temperature gradient, we observed Marangoni flow at some power inputs. This region from the heated end to the central drop region is defined as a Marangoni dominated region. We present a simple analysis based on interfacial phenomena using only measurements from the ISS experiments that lead to a predictive equation for the thickness of the film near the heated end of the CVB. The average pressure gradient for flow in the film is assumed due to the measured capillary pressure at the two ends of the liquid film and that the pressure stress gradient due to cohesion self adjusts to a constant value over a distance L. The boundary conditions are the no slip condition at the wall interface and an interfacial shear stress at the liquid- vapor interface due to the Marangoni stress, which is due to the high temperature gradient. Although the heated end is extremely complex, since it includes three- dimensional variations in radiation, conduction, evaporation, condensation, fluid flow and interfacial forces, we find that using the above simplifying assumptions, a simple successful model can be developed.

heat pipes↗

NASA NTRS2007

Enhancement of Hydrophilic Characteristics of Non-Wetting Porous Substrates by Kaolinite Treatment

The use of porous media has enormous potential for thermal management and phase separation in terrestrial, micro, Lunar and Marian gravity environments. Recently, a porous media based gravity insensitive condensing heat exchanger for humidity control has been proposed and successfully demonstrated by the authors. A strongly hydrophilic porous substrate is essential for condensing and trapping water vapor from the airstreams. However, most porous media which have good thermal characteristics are poorly wetting to water. This poses a significant obstacle in the development of the porous media based condensing heat exchanger. In response to this problem, a clay based process was developed for improving the wettability of non-wetting and partially wetting porous media. It was demonstrated that poorly wetting porous graphite as well as porous stainless steel could be converted to a completely wetting porous substrate by kaolinite treatment. The process enhances the wettability of both the surface and the interior pores. The paper presents experimental results of enhanced wettability of the treated substrate in terms of imbibition rate and capillary pressure as a function of saturation. The long term stability of the treated surface is also investigated and discussed.

Khan, Lutful I.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Optimization of lithium vapor box divertor evaporator location on NSTX-U using SOLPS-ITER

Commercial fusion reactors will be faced with extremely high divertor target heat fluxes that will require mitigation. Simulations of detachment in an NSTX-U scenario projected to have 92 MW/m 2 unmitigated peak target heat flux are presented, which reaches sub-10 MW/m 2 target heat flux using a highly dissipating lithium vapor box divertor design. The lithium vapor box is a detached divertor design which employs lithium vapor evaporation and condensation to contain lithium below the X-point. Previous SOLPS modeling has indicated a lithium vapor box can reduce the heat flux down to 10 MW/m 2 via simultaneous evaporation from the Private Flux Region (PFR) and the Common Flux Region (CFR) sides of the vapor box. It is found here that PFR evaporation has improved access to the separatrix leading to significantly more efficient power dissipation than CFR evaporation. Simulations of target evaporation with an evaporation distribution that is self-consistent with the temperature of a Capillary Porous System with Fast flowing liquid lithium (CPSF) could reach n Li / n e ~ 0.025-0.030 at the Last Closed Flux Surface (LCFS) depending on the liquid metal flow speeds and lithium sputtering yield, while PFR-side evaporation can reach acceptable heat fluxes with n Li / n e ~ 0.038 at the LCFS. However, PFR evaporator performance can be improved if the target is allowed to be hot enough such that it reflects lithium, reaching n Li / n e ~ 0.028 and reducing required lithium evaporation. Ultimately PFR evaporation and target evaporation are found to have similar ability to produce acceptable heat flux solutions with minimal upstream concentration.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Experimental study on the startup of the annular wick type heat pipe using fiber optical temperature measurement technique

This study used optical fiber-distributed temperature sensors to measure the internal and external temperature distributions of a water-cooled heat pipe. The sensor technology used in this study is fiber optical distributed temperature sensing, a distributed sensing technique based on the naturally occurring Rayleigh backscatter in optical fibers. This measurement technique provides maximum spatial resolution for static and semi-static applications. Using this sensor, the temperature distribution of the heat pipe's internal, external, vapor core, and the wick was measured with a spatial resolution of 0.65 mm, a sampling frequency of 40 Hz, and a temperature resolution of 0.1 °C. Through the measured temperature distribution database, the starting phenomenon, the effective length trend, and the limitation onset were observed. From the results, it is found that a high-temperature peak appears at the evaporator if a high initial power (75 W) is imposed on the heat pipe, even after the heat pipe approaches the normal operating status. The peak is not observed in a slower startup (30 W initial power then slowly increased to 75 W). It is also found that the temperature distributions and effective condenser length of the heat pipe highly depend on the cooling conditions. There are variations in the temperature according to the radial direction of the horizontal heat pipe due to gravity. In conclusion, lead and lag of the temperature evolution were observed at the onset of the operating limitations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Additive Manufacturing and Experimental Characterization of Nickel-Titanium Shape-Memory Alloy Wick Structures and Heat Pipes for Spacecraft Thermal Control

Shape memory alloys (SMA), such as those based on nickel-titanium (NiTi), are increasingly being applied as multifunctional spacecraft components. For thermal management applications, NiTi flow tubing hinges and self-deploying loop heat pipes have been demonstrated. Emerging additive manufacturing (AM) processes are enabling more complex SMA devices than can be formed from conventional plain wire, tubing, and sheet stock materials. This paper presents our progress toward applying powder bed fusion AM to producing porous NiTi wicks and NiTi-H2O heat pipes, which could be embedded in thermally deploying radiators for spacecraft thermal management. AM near-equiatomic NiTi (55.1 wt% Ni) porous wick specimens were produced with a range of deposition parameters. Transient acetone rate-of-rise experiments were performed to estimate wick permeability (K) and average pore radius (r_pore) values and identify parameter sets with high capillary performance. Surface treatments were evaluated to achieve hydrophilic wick structures. Evaluated treatments included chemical oxide growth with H2O2, oxide and sodium titanate growth with NaOH solution, and ultrasonic cleaning with specialty detergents that can remove hydrocarbon contaminants. The most durable hydrophilic surface conditions were obtained with the NaOH treatment. High performing wick deposition parameters were used to produce a full AM NiTi heat pipe, which was treated with NaOH solution to activate the wick. This heat pipe was operated on a test stand in the inverted configuration (upper evaporator and lower condenser), and demonstrated stable nearly isothermal operation for 150 hrs.

Thermal management↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Additive Manufacturing and Experimental Characterization of Nickel-Titanium Shape-Memory Alloy Wick Structures and Heat Pipes for Spacecraft Thermal Control

Thermal management↗

NASA NTRS2021

Topical: Boiling, Condensation and Two-Phase Flows in Microgravity

The white paper addresses both fundamental and technological questions in the science of phase-change fluid flows aimed at understanding thermal transport in flow boiling and condensation and the use of these processes in space and terrestrial thermal systems. While flow boiling and condensation are widely employed in Earth-based thermal equipment to reduce the cost, size, and power required to transfer heat, a lack of data and predictive models on the impact of gravity on these phenomena hinders the use of two-phase heat transport in a low-gravity environment. The white paper presents research tasks in long-duration microgravity recommended to expand our knowledge on phase-changing flows. Due to elimination of the masking gravity effects, the proposed research will provide a unique opportunity to bring new insights into the role of capillary and hydrodynamic forces in phase-changing flows. The potential impact of the proposed research ranges from the space power, thermal and cryogenic systems to various terrestrial applications in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, biochemical, nuclear, and metallurgical industries.

Phase-change fluid flow↗

NASA NTRS2011

Microgravity condensing heat exchanger

A heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanging aluminum fins with hydrophilic condensing surfaces which are stacked and clamped between two cold plates. The cold plates are aligned radially along a plane extending through the axis of a cylindrical duct and hold the stacked and clamped portions of the heat exchanging fins along the axis of the cylindrical duct. The fins extend outwardly from the clamped portions along approximately radial planes. The spacing between fins is symmetric about the cold plates, and are somewhat more closely spaced as the angle they make with the cold plates approaches 90.degree.. Passageways extend through the fins between vertex spaces which provide capillary storage and communicate with passageways formed in the stacked and clamped portions of the fins, which communicate with water drains connected to a pump externally to the duct. Water with no entrained air is drawn from the capillary spaces.

Thomas, Christopher M.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Development and Testing of a Variable Conductance Thermal Acquisition, Transport, and Switching System

This paper describes the development and testing of a scalable thermal control architecture for instruments, subsystems, or systems that must operate in severe space environments with wide variations in sink temperature. The architecture is comprised by linking one or more hot-side variable conductance heat pipes (VCHPs) in series with one or more cold-side loop heat pipes (LHPs). The VCHPs provide wide area heat acquisition, limited distance thermal transport, modest against gravity pumping, concentrated LHP startup heating, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. The LHPs provide localized heat acquisition, long distance thermal transport, significant against gravity pumping, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. Combining two variable conductance devices in series ensures very high switching ratio isolation from severe environments like the Earth's moon, where each lunar day spans 15 Earth days (270 K sink, with a surface-shielded/space viewing radiator) and each lunar night spans 15 Earth days (80-100 K radiative sink, depending on location). The single VCHP-single LHP system described herein was developed to maintain thermal control of International Lunar Network (ILN) anchor node lander electronics, but it is also applicable to other variable heat rejection space missions in severe environments. The LHPVCHP system utilizes a stainless steel wire mesh wick ammonia VCHP, a Teflon wick propylene LHP, a pair of one-third square meter high  radiators (one capillary-pumped horizontal radiator and a second gravity-fed vertical radiator), a half-meter of transport distance, and a wick-bearing co-located flow regulator (CLFR) to allow operation with a hot (deactivated) radiator. The VCHP was designed with a small reservoir formed by extending the length of its stainless steel heat pipe tubing. The system was able to provide end-to-end switching ratios of 300-500 during thermal vacuum testing at ATK, including 3-5 W/K ON conductance and 0.01 W/K OFF conductance. The test results described herein also include an in-depth analysis of VCHP condenser performance to explain VCHP switching operation in detail. Future multi-VCHP/multi-LHP thermal management system concepts that provide scalability to higher powers/longer transport lengths are also discussed in the paper.

Bugby, D. C.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Direct observation of minibands in a twisted graphene/WS 2 bilayer

Stacking two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials with different interlayer atomic registry in a heterobilayer causes the formation of a long-range periodic superlattice that may bestow the heterostructure with properties such as new quantum fractal states or superconductivity. Recent optical measurements of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterobilayers have revealed the presence of hybridized interlayer electron-hole pair excitations at energies defined by the superlattice potential. The corresponding quasiparticle band structures, so-called minibands, have remained elusive, and no such features have been reported for heterobilayers composed of a TMD and another type of 2D material. We introduce a new x-ray capillary technology for performing microfocused angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with a spatial resolution of ~1 μm, and directly observe minibands at certain twist angles in mini Brillouin zones (mBZs). We discuss their origin in terms of initial and final state effects by analyzing their dispersion in distinct mBZs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NASA NTRS1984

The effect of surface contamination on thermocapillary flow in a two-dimensional slot

In an analysis of the effect of insoluble surfactants on the steady capillary flow in a shallow slot, the problem is formulated as a two-dimensional channel heated differentially from the side, with a free surface on which an insoluble surface species is adsorbed. The vertical boundaries are considered to be isothermal and impenetrable and the lower horizontal boundary to be insulated and impenetrable. Lubrication theory and matched asymptotic expansions are used to reduce the problem to a single nonlinear integral-algebraic equation. For small elasticity E, the surface velocity is nearly constant, with the result that, for small Pe, the surface concentration is nearly uniform while, for large Pe, it develops a boundary layer near the stagnation point at the cold wall, resulting in high local surface concentrations. Condensed surfactant layers will form only with E much less than one and Pe much greater than one.

Homsy, G. M.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Angular Momentum in Rotating Superfluid Droplets

The angular momentum of rotating superfluid droplets originates from quantized vortices and capillary waves, the interplay between which remains to be uncovered. Here, the rotation of isolated submicrometer superfluid 4 He droplets is studied by ultrafast x-ray diffraction using a free electron laser. The diffraction patterns provide simultaneous access to the morphology of the droplets and the vortex arrays they host. In capsule-shaped droplets, vortices form a distorted triangular lattice, whereas they arrange along elliptical contours in ellipsoidal droplets. The combined action of vortices and capillary waves results in droplet shapes close to those of classical droplets rotating with the same angular velocity. The findings are corroborated by density functional theory calculations describing the velocity fields and shape deformations of a rotating superfluid cylinder.

O'Connell, Sean M.O.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Decay of Electrostatic Force of Dust Particles on Photovoltaic Modules

Photovoltaic (PV) energy yield loss due to solar module soiling has become increasingly important as solar module deployment is now at the hundreds of gigawatts scale and continues to grow rapidly. We have reported on direct measurements-using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-of strong electric-field-induced attraction and adhesion force (Fes) of dust particles onto solar panel that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude stronger than the van der Waals and water capillary forces, corroborated by observing the increase in system voltage-induced soiling rate. Here, we report another characteristic of Fes on soiling-long lasting or slow decay after turning off the high voltage applied to solar panels. The Fes decay time varies in a wide time range of 1 to 10 hours, depending on two factors: 1) either/both the cell or/and particle were charged with high voltage before the voltages were turned off; and 2) how the cell was connected to the ground after the voltage was turned off-either connected through the power supply electronics, directly connected to the ground, or electrically floated. The Fes decay is understood in terms of 1) net electrical charge dissipations in both particle and cell, 2) thermal disordering of dipole polarization in the module glass dielectrics, and 3) charge redistribution by the electrostatic interaction of particle and module glass. This long-lasting Fes for hours can significantly affect the solar panel soiling after sunset, especially combined with water condensation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2013

Silicon Heat Pipe Array

Improved methods of heat dissipation are required for modern, high-power density electronic systems. As increased functionality is progressively compacted into decreasing volumes, this need will be exacerbated. High-performance chip power is predicted to increase monotonically and rapidly with time. Systems utilizing these chips are currently reliant upon decades of old cooling technology. Heat pipes offer a solution to this problem. Heat pipes are passive, self-contained, two-phase heat dissipation devices. Heat conducted into the device through a wick structure converts the working fluid into a vapor, which then releases the heat via condensation after being transported away from the heat source. Heat pipes have high thermal conductivities, are inexpensive, and have been utilized in previous space missions. However, the cylindrical geometry of commercial heat pipes is a poor fit to the planar geometries of microelectronic assemblies, the copper that commercial heat pipes are typically constructed of is a poor CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) match to the semiconductor die utilized in these assemblies, and the functionality and reliability of heat pipes in general is strongly dependent on the orientation of the assembly with respect to the gravity vector. What is needed is a planar, semiconductor-based heat pipe array that can be used for cooling of generic MCM (multichip module) assemblies that can also function in all orientations. Such a structure would not only have applications in the cooling of space electronics, but would have commercial applications as well (e.g. cooling of microprocessors and high-power laser diodes). This technology is an improvement over existing heat pipe designs due to the finer porosity of the wick, which enhances capillary pumping pressure, resulting in greater effective thermal conductivity and performance in any orientation with respect to the gravity vector. In addition, it is constructed of silicon, and thus is better suited for the cooling of semiconductor devices.

Yee, Karl Y.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Long-lasting strong electrostatic attraction and adhesion forces of dust particles on photovoltaic modules

Photovoltaic (PV) energy-yield loss due to solar module soiling has become increasingly important as solar module deployment is now at the hundreds of gigawatts scale and continues to grow rapidly. The electrostatic attraction and adhesion force (F es ) of dust particles by the high voltages from solar panels have been reported to be 1 to 2 orders of magnitude stronger than the van der Waals and water capillary forces, which has been corroborated by observing the increase in system voltage-induced soiling rate by setting up an outdoor test. Here, we report another characteristic of F es on soiling - long-lasting or slow decay after turning off the high voltage applied to solar panels. The F es decay time varies across a wide time range of 1 to 10 h, depending on two factors: 1) whether the cell, the particle, or both were charged with high voltage before the voltages were turned off; and 2) how the cell was connected to the ground after the voltage was turned off - either connected through the power-supply electronics, directly connected to the ground, or electrically floated. The Fes decay is understood in terms of 1) net electrical charge dissipations in both particle and cell, 2) thermal disordering of dipole polarization in the module glass dielectrics, and 3) charge redistribution by the electrostatic interaction of particle and module glass. This long-lasting F es for hours can affect the solar panel soiling after sunset, and it can have an even greater effect when combined with water condensation at night.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2001

Carbon Nanotubes in Water: MD Simulations of Internal and External Flow, Self Organization

We have developed computational tools, based on particle codes, for molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in aqueous environments. The interaction of CNTs with water is envisioned as a prototype for the design of engineering nano-devices, such as artificial sterocillia and molecular biosensors. Large scale simulations involving thousands of water molecules are possible due to our efficient parallel MD code that takes long range electrostatic interactions into account. Since CNTs can be considered as rolled up sheets of graphite, we expect the CNT-water interaction to be similar to the interaction of graphite with water. However, there are fundamental differences between considering graphite and CNTs, since the curvature of CNTs affects their chemical activity and also since capillary effects play an important role for both dynamic and static behaviour of materials inside CNTs. In recent studies Gordillo and Marti described the hydrogen bond structure as well as time dependent properties of water confined in CNTs. We are presenting results from the development of force fields describing the interaction of CNTs and water based on ab-initio quantum mechanical calculations. Furthermore, our results include both water flows external to CNTs and the behaviour of water nanodroplets inside heated CNTs. In the first case (external flows) the hydrophobic behaviour of CNTs is quantified and we analyze structural properties of water in the vicinity of CNTs with diagnostics such as hydrogen bond distribution, water dipole orientation and radial distribution functions. The presence of water leads to attractive forces between CNTs as a result of their hydrophobicity. Through extensive simulations we quantify these attractive forces in terms of the number and separation of the CNT. Results of our simulations involving arrays of CNTs indicate that these exhibit a hydrophobic behaviour that leads to self-organising structures capable of trapping water clusters. In the second case (internal flows) we study the behaviour of water droplets confined inside CNTs. Constant temperature simulations allow us to capture structural properties such as the contact angles and density profiles of the equilibrated drops. By heating and subsequently cooling of the CNT, we are able to measure the evaporation and the condensation rate of the entrapped water.

Jaffe, Richard L.↗