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At least 163 records · Page 9

The thermal system for an environmental chamber

The design of a cooling and heating system for obtaining temperatures in the range of -60 C to +120 C on a thermal shroud is described. The proposed temperature control uses mechanical refrigeration with Freon-22 as the primary refrigerant, methanol as the secondary coolant for low temperatures, and electrically heated ethylene glycol for high temperatures. The system is designed to give the following time-temperature characteristics: lowering the temperature from +30 C to -60 C in 1.5 hours; maintaining the temperature at -60 C for a period of 6 hours; heating from -60 C to +120 C in 3 hours; maintaining the temperature at +120 C for a period of 6 hours; and cooling from +120 C in 1.5 hours. A description of the system and its operation are given.

Srinivasan, K.↗

Relationship Between Intraseasonal Oscillation and Subtropical Wind Maxima Over the South Pacific Ocean

The significance of tropical heat sources on higher latitude jet streams has been examined by numerous investigators. Hurrell and Vincent (1990) provide a summary of many of these investigations in their observational case study of the relationship between tropical heating and subtropical wind maxima in the Southern Hemisphere during SOP-1, FGGE. They showed that the divergent outflow from tropical heating associated with the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), acted on by the coriolis force, was an important factor in maintaining the subtropical jet on the poleward side of the SPCZ during the period, 6-20 January 1979. They found a similar, but weaker relationship, over the southern Indian Ocean from 3-17 February 1979, a period when the SPCZ heating was greatly reduced and the jet was essentially non-existent. Since their findings were based on a case study and involved the use of the highly-specialized FGGE data set, the natural questions which arose were: (1) Is this relationship a regular feature of the circulation over the South Pacific? and, (2) If so, can it be detected with a routine data set? Another question posed by Hurrell and Vincent in their papers was:(3) How important was the intraseasonal oscillation in causing the enhanced heating and divergent outflow in the Pacific Ocean in January and southern Indian Ocean in February? The purpose of the present paper is to address the answer to these three questions. To accomplish this, some circulation features for an entire warm season in the Southern Hemisphere were examined. The year selected was 1984-85, and the warm season consisted of the 6-month period, 1 November 1984 - 30 April 1985. This period was chosen because there were numerous cases of the westerly wind maxima over the South Pacific and the intraseasonal oscillation was well documented.

Vincent, Dayton G.↗

An Overview of Long Duration Sodium Heat Pipe Tests

High temperature heat pipes are being evaluated for use in energy conversion applications such as fuel cells, gas turbine re-combustors, and Stirling cycle heat sources; with the resurgence of space nuclear power, additional applications include reactor heat removal elements and radiator elements. Long operating life and reliable performance are critical requirements for these applications. Accordingly long-term materials compatibility is being evaluated through the use of high temperature life test heat pipes. Thermacore International, Inc., has carried out several sodium heat pipe life tests to establish long term operating reliability. Four sodium heat pipes have recently demonstrated favorable materials compatibility and heat transport characteristics at high operating temperatures in air over long time periods. A 3l6L stainless steel heat pipe with a sintered porous nickel wick structure and an integral brazed cartridge heater has successfully operated at 650 to 700 C for over 115,000 hours without signs of failure. A second 3l6L stainless steel heat pipe with a specially-designed Inconel 60 I rupture disk and a sintered nickel powder wick has demonstrated over 83,000 hours at 600 to 650 C with similar success. A representative one-tenth segment Stirling Space Power Converter heat pipe with an Inconel 718 envelope and a stainless steel screen wick has operated for over 41 ,000 hours at nearly 700 0c. A hybrid (i.e. gas-fired and solar) heat pipe with a Haynes 230 envelope and a sintered porous nickel wick structure was operated for about 20,000 hours at nearly 700 C without signs of degradation. These life test results collectively have demonstrated the potential for high temperature heat pipes to serve as reliable energy conversion system components for power applications that require long operating lifetime with high reliability, Detailed design specifications, operating hi story, and test results are described for each of these sodium heat pipes. Lessons learned and future life test plans are also discussed.

Rosenfeld, John H.↗

Use of Satellite Data Assimilation to Infer Land Surface Thermal Inertia

There are two important but observationally uncertain parameters in the grid averaged surface energy budgets of mesoscale models - surface moisture availability and thermal heat capacity. A technique has been successfully developed for assimilating Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) skin temperature tendencies during the mid-morning time frame to improve specification of surface moisture. In a new application of the technique, the use of satellite skin temperature tendencies in early evening is explored to improve specification of the surface thermal heat capacity. Together, these two satellite assimilation constraints have been shown to significantly improve the characterization of the surface energy budget of a mesoscale model on fine spatial scales. The GOES assimilation without the adjusted heat capacity was run operationally during the International H2O Project on a 12-km grid. This paper presents the results obtained when using both the moisture availability and heat capacity retrievals in concert. Preliminary results indicate that retrieved moisture availability alone improved the verification statistics of 2-meter temperature and dew point forecasts. Results from the 1.5 month long study period using the bulk heat capacity will be presented at the meeting.

Lapenta, William↗

Improved silicon carbide for advanced heat engines

This is the third annual technical report for the program entitled, Improved Silicon Carbide for Advanced Heat Engines, for the period February 16, 1987 to February 15, 1988. The objective of the original program was the development of high strength, high reliability silicon carbide parts with complex shapes suitable for use in advanced heat engines. Injection molding is the forming method selected for the program because it is capable of forming complex parts adaptable for mass production on an economically sound basis. The goals of the revised program are to reach a Weibull characteristic strength of 550 MPa (80 ksi) and a Weibull modulus of 16 for bars tested in 4-point loading. Two tasks are discussed: Task 1 which involves materials and process improvements, and Task 2 which is a MOR bar matrix to improve strength and reliability. Many statistically designed experiments were completed under task 1 which improved the composition of the batches, the mixing of the powders, the sinter and anneal cycles. The best results were obtained by an attritor mixing process which yielded strengths in excess of 550 MPa (80 ksi) and an individual Weibull modulus of 16.8 for a 9-sample group. Strengths measured at 1200 and 1400 C were equal to the room temperature strength. Annealing of machined test bars significantly improved the strength. Molding yields were measured and flaw distributions were observed to follow a Poisson process. The second iteration of the Task 2 matrix experiment is described.

Whalen, Thomas J.↗

The relation between the period of oscillations and brightness in chromospheric bright points

The chromospheric bright points are the sites where intense heating occurs in three minute period waves. The bright points are grouped into three classes depending on the amount of intensity enhancement and the pattern of their dynamical evolution. A 35-minute time series of photographic spectra in the Ca(II) H line on a quiet region ofthe center of the solar disk was used to show that the period of intensity oscillations seen at sites of the bright points is independent of their intensity enhancements. The series was also used to show that the period may not depend on the strength of the magnetic fields with which they are associated. A linear regression equation was fitted to a curve representing the variation of the period of intensity oscillations with the peak value of I(sub H2V). The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.19.

Kariyappa, R.↗

Monitoring changes in upper ocean heat storage from satellites

A one-dimensional model of the upper ocean mixed-layer was developed to determine how the parameters which can be measured from satellites affect the development of the layer. The results show that the form of the dissipation term is important in achieving cyclic annual states, that the layer deepending rate depends on the averaging period for the surface heat flux and wind stress, that wind direction, as well as magnitude, can affect the deepening rate and that horizontal advective effects cannot simply be superimposed on the model results. An algorithm is given which uses satellite derived wind stress and sea surface temperature data to predict real time changes in upper ocean heat storage during the cooling seasons.

Miller, J. R.↗

Measured performance of a 1089 K (1500 deg F) heat storage device for sun-shade orbital missions

Tubes designed for a solar heat receiver to serve as an energy source for a Brayton power system were tested for 2002 hours and 1251 sun-shade cycles. The tubes were designed to transfer a constant thermal input to the Brayton system during an orbit. Excess solar energy during a sun period is stored as heat of fusion of lithium fluoride. The niobium - 1% zirconium tubes accommodate the 23 percent volume decrease of LiF during freezing. Test results showed slight, local distortions. The gas discharge temperature varied from 16 K (29 F) below to 28 K (50 F) above the nominal value of 1089 K (1500 F). The tube surface temperatures ranged from 1039 K (1410 F) to 1183 K (1670 F).

Namkoong, D.↗

Heat Melt Compaction as an Effective Treatment for Eliminating Microorganisms from Solid Waste

One of the technologies being tested at Ames Research Center as part of the logistics and repurposing project is heat melt compaction (HMC) of solid waste to reduce volume, remove water and render a biologically stable and safe product. Studies at Kennedy Space Center have focused on the efficacy of the heat melt compaction process for killing microorganisms in waste and specific compacter operation protocols, i.e., time and temperature, required to achieve a sterile, stable product. The work reported here includes a controlled study to examine the survival and potential re-growth of specific microorganisms over a 6-month period of storage after heating and compaction. Before heating and compaction, ersatz solid wastes were inoculated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, previously isolated from recovered space shuttle mission food and packaging waste. Compacted HMC tiles were sampled for microbiological analysis at time points between 0 and 180 days of storage in a controlled environment chamber. In addition, biological indicator strips containing spores of Bacillus atrophaeus and Ceo bacillus stearothermophilus were imbedded in trash to assess the efficacy of the HMC process to achieve sterilization. Analysis of several tiles compacted at 180 C for times of 40 minutes to over 2 hours detected organisms in all tile samples with the exception of one exposed to 180 C for approximately 2 hours. Neither of the inoculated organisms was recovered, and the biological indicator strips were negative for growth in all tiles indicating at least local sterilization of tile areas. The findings suggest that minimum time/temperature combination is required for complete sterilization. Microbial analysis of tiles processed at lower temperatures from 130 C-150 C at varying times will be discussed, as well as analysis of the bacteria and fungi present on the compactor hardware as a result of exposure to the waste and the surrounding environment. The two organisms inoculated into the waste were among those isolated and identified from the HMC surfaces indicating the possibility of cross contamination.

Hummerick, Mary P.↗

Heat Melt Compaction as an Effective Treatment for Eliminating Microorganisms from Solid Waste

One of the technologies being tested at Ames Research Center as part of the logistics and repurposing project is heat melt compaction (HMC) of solid waste to reduce volume, remove water and render a biologically stable and safe product. Studies at Kennedy Space Center have focused on the efficacy of the heat melt compaction process for killing microorganisms in waste and specific compacter operation protocols, i.e., time and temperature required to achieve a sterile, stable product. The work. reported here includes a controlled study to examine the survival and potential re-growth of specific microorganisms over a 6-month period of storage after heating and compaction. Before heating and compaction, ersatz solid wastes were inoculated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, previously isolated from recovered space shuttle mission food and packaging waste. Compacted HMC tiles were sampled for microbiological analysis at time points between 0 and 180 days of storage in a controlled environment chamber. In addition, biological indicator strips containing spores of Bacillus atrophaeus and Geobacillus stearothermophilus were imbedded in trash to assess the efficacy of the HMC process to achieve sterilization. Analysis of several tiles compacted at 180deg C for times of 40 minutes to over 2 hours detected organisms in all tile samples with the exception of one exposed to 180deg C for approximately 2 hours. Neither of the inoculated organisms was recovered, and the biological indicator strips were negative for growth in all tiles indicating at least local sterilization of tile areas. The findings suggest that minimum time/temperature combination is required for complete sterilization. Microbial analysis of tiles processed at lower temperatures from 130deg C-150deg C at varying times will be discussed, as well as analysis of the bacteria and fungi present on the compactor hardware as a result of exposure to the waste and the surrounding environment. The two organisms inoculated into the waste were among those isolated and identified from the HMC surfaces indicating the possibility of cross contamination.

Hummerick, Mary P.↗

Note on the semiannual effect in the thermosphere.

There are two external heat sources known that oscillate with a period of half a year: (1) the solar heat input associated with the semiannual migration of the subsolar point between both hemispheres, which peaks at the equator and which is small in comparison with that in the annual component, and (2) the auroral heat input associated with the semiannual component in the occurrence of magnetic storms. An attempt is made to show that a number of apparent conflicts in the description and interpretation of the semiannual effect can be resolved by considering some of the dynamic properties of the thermosphere.

Volland, H.↗

Ignition of magnesium powders in shock wave induced flows

Ignition of magnesium powders, resulting from an interaction with incident shock wave-induced flows, has been studied. A numerical analysis of particle dynamics and heating is presented and compared with experimental measurements. The induction period is strongly dependent on convective heat transfer and not on chemical reaction rate. Experimentally observed ignition delays were on the order of 100 microns and were inversely dependent on shock strength and initial pressure, directly dependent on particle size and cloud concentration, and independent of oxygen concentration down to 2.3 percent oxygen. Good agreement between experiment and theory was realized.

Fox, T. W.↗

Thermal Electron Contributions to Current-Driven Instabilities: SCIFER Observations in the 1400-km Cleft Ion Fountain and Their Implications to Thermal Ion Energization

SCIFER TECHS observations of the variations in the thermal electron distribution in the 1400-km altitude cleft are associated with periods of intense ion heating and field-aligned currents. Energization of the thermal ion plasma in the mid-altitude cleft occurs within density cavities accompanied by enhanced thermal electron temperatures, large field-aligned thermal electron plasma flows and broadband low-frequency electric fields. Variations in the thermal electron contribution to field-aligned current densities indicate small scale (approximately 100's m) filamentary structure embedded within the ion energization periods. TECHS observations of the field-aligned drift velocities and temperatures of the thermal electron distribution are presented to evaluate the critical velocity thresholds necessary for the generation of electrostatic ion cyclotron and ion acoustic instabilities. This analysis suggests that, during periods of thermal ion energization, sufficient drift exists in the thermal electron distribution to excite the electrostatic ion cyclotron instability. In addition, brief periods exist within the same interval where the drift of the thermal electron distribution is sufficient to marginally excite the ion acoustic instability. In addition, the presence an enhancement in Langmuir emission at the plasma frequency at the center of the ion energization region, accompanied by the emission's second-harmonic, and collocated with observations of high-frequency electric field solitary structures suggest the presence of electron beam driven decay of Langmuir waves to ion acoustic modes as an additional free energy source for ion energization.

Adrian, Mark L.↗

Reentry Thermal Analysis of a Generic Crew Exploration Vehicle Structure

Comparative studies were performed on the heat-shielding characteristics of honeycomb-core sandwich panels fabricated with different materials for possible use as wall panels for the proposed crew exploration vehicle. Graphite/epoxy sandwich panel was found to outperform aluminum sandwich panel under the same geometry due to superior heat-shielding qualities and lower material density. Also, representative reentry heat-transfer analysis was performed on the windward wall structures of a generic crew exploration vehicle. The Apollo low Earth orbit reentry trajectory was used to calculate the reentry heating rates. The generic crew exploration vehicle has a graphite/epoxy composite honeycomb sandwich exterior wall and an aluminum honeycomb sandwich interior wall, and is protected with the Apollo thermal protection system ablative material. In the thermal analysis computer program used, the TPS ablation effect was not yet included; however, the results from the nonablation heat-transfer analyses were used to develop a "virtual ablation" method to estimate the ablation heat loads and the thermal protection system recession thicknesses. Depending on the severity of the heating-rate time history, the virtual ablation period was found to last for 87 to 107 seconds and the ablation heat load was estimated to be in the range of 86 to 88 percent of the total heat load for the ablation time period. The thermal protection system recession thickness was estimated to be in the range of 0.08 to 0.11 inches. For the crew exploration vehicle zero-tilt and 18-degree-tilt stagnation points, thermal protection system thicknesses of h = {0.717, 0.733} inches were found to be adequate to keep the substructural composite sandwich temperature below the limit of 300 F.

Ko, William L.↗

Evaluation of advanced component concepts for an integrated environmental control/life support, resistojet control system

Flow restricting devices were studied for their suitability as liquid water propellant flow limiters for the biowaste resistojet. Flow limiting during the start-up transient is required to prevent thrustor instabilities and icing which could result in heater failure in the electrical resistance heated thrustor (resistojet). The study was directed toward simple devices which would function passively (i.e., without power except from the propellant flow itself), and would offer high reliability and simplicity. In addition to the flow limiting devices, a thermal pumping system was studied to determine whether CO2, desorbed from molecular sieves could be pumped thermally in a space station application. The thermal pump is considered a possible replacement for mechanical pumps. It involves a cyclic, constant volume cryopumping system which employs space radiators to achieve the cryotemperatures. The frozen CO2 would be vaporized periodically, using a waste heat loop, to attain sufficient pressure to transfer a large portion of the trapped CO2 to storage tanks.

Halbach, C. R.↗

Thermal analysis of thermal barrier coatings in a high heat flux environment

Gas temperatures and pressures were measured around the second test position in the H2/O2 rocket engine at NASA-Lewis. Measured gas temperatures generally varied from 1210 to 1390 C. Measured pressures were in good agreement with other studies for throat tubes in a square chamber rocket engine. Heat transfer coefficients were measured at 90 and 180 degrees from the stagnation point and resulted in values of 27.5 and 8.5 kW/sq m C, respectively. A thermal model was developed to predict temperatures in bare and coated tubes and rods. Agreement between measured and predicted temperatures below the surface of a bare Mar-M 246 tube was very good for most of the heat up and cool down period. Predicted temperatures were significantly below measured temperatures for the coated tubes. A thermal model to simulate heat transfer to the leading edge of an HPFTP blade was developed and showed that TBCs can significantly dampen the thermal transient which occurs in the HPFTP during the startup of the SSME.

Nesbitt, James A.↗

Latent Heating Retrievals Using the TRMM Precipitation Radar: A Multi-Seasonal Study

The Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating (CSH) algorithm is used to retrieve profiles of latent heating over the global tropics for a period of several months using TRMM precipitation radar data. The seasonal variation of heating over the tropics is then examined. The period of interest also coincides with several TRMM field campaigns that recently occurred over the South China Sea in 1998 (SCSMEX), Brazil in 1999 (TRMM-LBA), and in the central Pacific in 1999 (KWAJEX). Sounding diagnosed Q1 budgets from these experiments could provide a means of validating the retrieved profiles of latent heating from the CSH algorithm.

Tao, W.-K.↗