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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 163 records · Page 9

Plasma physics

Calculations and experiments to determine ion wave instability in steady state discharge, laser breakdown in plasma, and microwave scattering from standing plasma waves

LASER OUTPUT↗

Inhomogeneous two-stream instability.

Two oppositely charged particle beams interaction instability in cold plasma, discussing stabilization by periodic electrostatic potential

Knorr, G.↗

Microstructure and mechanical properties of bulk and plasma-sprayed y2O3-partially stabilized zirconia

Bulk 8.0 weight percent yttria partially stabilied zirconia (PSZ) was studied by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray analysis, microhardness testing, and fracture toughness testing. The as received PSZ contained spheroidal and grain boundary precipitates up to 4 micrometers in size. Spheroids up to 1.26 micrometers were metastable tetragonal; large spheroids were monoclinic. Grinding the PSZ into powder did not cause a significant amount of tetragonal to transform to monoclinic. This indicates that transformation toughness is not a significant mechanism in PSZ. Aging the PSZ at 1500 C caused the fine tetragonal precipitates to grow from 0.06 to 0.12 micrometers, in 250 minutes. A peak hardness of 1400 kg/sq mm was attained after 50 minutes. Solution annealing and quenching the as received PSZ eliminated the large precipitates, but fine tetragonal precipitates reformed on quenching. Aging at 1500 C caused the fine 0.02 micrometers tetragonal precipitates to grow into plates about 0.10 by 0.50 micrometers. A peak hardness of 1517 kg/sq mm was obtained after 250 minutes. On further aging, monoclinic percipitates formed along grain boundaries. The fracture toughness of the aged and unaged solution annealed and quenched PSZ was found to be between 2 and 3 MN /square root of m cubed. This range of fracture toughness is consistent with PSZ's that do not undergo transformation toughening.

Valentine, P. G.↗

The condensational instability in the solar transition region and corona

The stability of plasmas at temperatures and densities typical of the solar transition region and corona is investigated using both a linear analysis and nonlinear time-dependent numerical simulations. Growth rates, decay rates, and oscillation frequencies of the perturbations determined from the linear analysis are in excellent agreement with the simulations. The nonlinear regime is characterized by a bifurcation of the plasma into a cool dense condensation surrounded by a hot tenuous corona. The condensation may then be accelerated by forces in the plasma such as those arising from gravity or differential heating. Finally, the results of the detailed simulation show that the transition region is a dynamically stable structure which is the result of the nonlinear evolution of the condensational instability.

Oran, E. S.↗

Ceramic composite liner material for gas turbine combustors

The application of ceramics to gas turbine combustor liners to reduce liner metal temperature was studied in an experiment in which yttria-stabilized zirconia plasma was sprayed on compliant metal substrates exposed to near stoichiometric combustion. The strain isolation pad materials chosen were Hoskins Alloy 875 and BRUNSLLOY 534 Fiber Metal of 0.25 and 0.38 cm thicknesses and 35 and 45 percent density levels. Combustor screening tests of all specimens showed no evidence of deterioration or failure. Specimens exposed to flame temperatures in excess of 2100 K were convectively or convective-transpiration cooled and were evaluated in a 10 cm sq flame tube at inlet air temperature of 533 K and pressure of 0.5 MPa. The results suggest the superiority of a system composed of the Hoskins Alloy 875 compliant pad with 0.25 cm thickness and 35 percent density coupled with a NiCrAlY bond coat and a 8 percent Y2O3-ZrO2 ceramic top coat of 0.19 cm thickness.

Ercegovic, D. B.↗

Thermal barrier coating life prediction model development

The objective of this program is to establish a methodology to predict Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) life on gas turbine engine components. The approach involves experimental life measurement coupled with analytical modeling of relevant degradation modes. The coating being studied is a flight qualified two layer system, designated PWA 264, consisting of a nominal ten mil layer of seven percent yttria partially stabilized zirconia plasma deposited over a nominal five mil layer of low pressure plasma deposited NiCoCrAlY. Thermal barrier coating degradation modes being investigated include: thermomechanical fatigue, oxidation, erosion, hot corrosion, and foreign object damage.

Demasi, J. T.↗

Mechanisms of thermal barrier coating degradation and failure

The objectives and initial results of a Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) Life Prediction Model Development Program are described. The goals of this program are to: identify and understand TBC failure modes; generate quantitative TBC life data; and develop and verify a TBC life prediction model. The coating being studied is a two layer thermal barrier system incorporating a nominal ten mil outer layer of seven percent yttria partially stabilized zirconia plasma deposited over an inner layer of highly oxidation resistant low pressure plasma sprayed NiCrAlY bond coating. This coating currently is in flight service on turbine vane platforms in the JT-9D and PW2037 engines and is bill-of- material on turbine vane airfoils in the advanced PW4000 and IAE V2500 engines. Effort currently is in progress on the first task, which involves the identification and understanding of TBC failures. Five modes of coating damage were considered: thermomechanical ceramic failure; oxidative bond coat failure; hot corrosion; foreign object damage (FOD); and erosion.

Demasi, J. T.↗

Electromagnetic instabilities attributed to a cross-field ion drift

Instabilities due to a cross-field ion flow are reexamined by including the electromagnetic response of the ions, which has been ignored in existing discussions. It is found that this effect can lead to significant enhancement of the growth rate. Among the new results, a purely growing, electromagnetic unstable mode with a wave vector k parallel to the ambient magnetic field is found. The plasma configuration under consideration is similar to that used in the discussion of the well-known modified-two-stream instability. This instability has a growth rate faster than the ion cyclotron frequency, and is not susceptible to high-plasma-beta stabilization.

Chang, C. L.↗

A study of the formation and dynamics of the Earth's plasma sheet using ion composition data

Over two years of data from the Lockheed Plasma Composition Experiment on the ISEE 1 spacecraft, covering ion energies between 100 eV/e and about 16 keV/e, have been analyzed in an attempt to extract new information about three geophysical issues: (1) solar wind penetration of the Earth's magnetic tail; (2) relationship between plasma sheet and tail lobe ion composition; and (3) possible effects of heavy terrestrial ions on plasma sheet stability.

Lennartsson, O. W.↗

Ballooning instability of the earth's plasma sheet region in the presence of parallel flow

Stability of the plasma sheet and plasma sheet boundary layer against the ballooning mode instability is investigated. The equilibrium state of a two-dimensional plasma sheet configuration with parallel sheared flow is modeled. This equilibrium is shown to be ballooning unstable when delta-W is not positive definite, where delta-W is the potential energy. The eigenmode structure of the ballooning mode is found by imposing the boundary conditions that the waves are totally reflected from the ionosphere, and that no waves are coming in from infinity. The eigenmode structure of the unstable balloning modes is highly oscillatory, extending beyond about 100 R(E). The ballooning modes are thus a possible candidate for explaining the MHD waves and other dynamical events observed in the magnetotail by ISEE 3 and other spacecraft.

Lakhina, G. S.↗

Experiments in low energy plasmas

Electron energy loss in afterglow plasmas, plasma transport and stability and electromagnetic wave propagation through magnetoplasmas

MAGNETOPLASMA↗