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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

Acid droplet generation in SRM exhaust clouds

A free energy analysis is applied to the co-condensation/evaporation of H2O and HCl vapors on wettable particles in open air in order to model droplet nucleation in solid rocket motor (SRM) exhaust clouds. Formulations are defined for the free energy change, the drop radius, the saturation ratio, the total number of molecules, and the mean molecular radius in solution, as well as the molecular volume and the concentration range. The free energy release in the phase transition for the AL2O3 nuclei in the SRM exhaust is examined as a function of the HCl molefraction and nucleating particle radius, based on Titan III launch exhaust cloud conditions 90 sec after ignition. The most efficient droplet growth is determined to occur at an HCl molefraction of 0.082 and a particle radius of 0.0000013 cm, i.e. a molality of 5.355.

Dingle, A. N.↗

An ESCA study of lunar and terrestrial materials.

The technique of electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) is used to obtain rapid, nondestructive elemental analyses of selected lunar samples, and the chemical shift of the Fe(2p) line in lunar materials is found characteristic of iron in the Fe(2+) state. A difference in binding energy of approximately 0.5 eV is observed between the 0(1s) levels of the terrestrial minerals fayalite and quartz, and effects due to surface oxidation and absorption are also observed in terrestrial materials. The new ESCA technique is based on energy analysis at high resolution of electrons emitted from the surface of a sample on irradiation with X rays and is valuable for the study of the electronic structure of atoms and molecules.

Huntress, W. T., Jr.↗

Coaxial carbon plasma gun deposition of amorphous carbon films

A unique plasma gun employing coaxial carbon electrodes was used in an attempt to deposit thin films of amorphous diamond-like carbon. A number of different structural, compositional, and electrical characterization techniques were used to characterize these films. These included scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X ray diffraction and absorption, spectrographic analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. Optical absorption and electrical resistivity measurements were also performed. The films were determined to be primarily amorphous, with poor adhesion to fused silica substrates. Many inclusions of particulates were found to be present as well. Analysis of these particulates revealed the presence of trace impurities, such as Fe and Cu, which were also found in the graphite electrode material. The electrodes were the source of these impurities. No evidence of diamond-like crystallite structure was found in any of the film samples. Details of the apparatus, experimental procedure, and film characteristics are presented.

Sater, D. M.↗

Theoretical analysis of HVAC duct hanger systems

Several methods are presented which, together, may be used in the analysis of duct hanger systems over a wide range of frequencies. The finite element method (FEM) and component mode synthesis (CMS) method are used for low- to mid-frequency range computations and have been shown to yield reasonably close results. The statistical energy analysis (SEA) method yields predictions which agree with the CMS results for the 800 to 1000 Hz range provided that a sufficient number of modes participate. The CMS approach has been shown to yield valuable insight into the mid-frequency range of the analysis. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to conduct an analysis of a duct/hanger system in a cost-effective way for a wide frequency range, using several methods which overlap for several frequency bands.

Miller, R. D.↗

Incident Energy Focused Design and Validation for the Floating Potential Probe

Utilizing the spacecraft shadowing and incident energy analysis capabilities of the NASA Glenn Research Center Power and Propulsion Office's SPACE System Power Analysis for Capability Evaluation) computer code, this paper documents the analyses for various International Space Station (ISS) Floating Potential Probe (EPP) preliminary design options. These options include various solar panel orientations and configurations as well as deployment locations on the ISS. The incident energy for the final selected option is characterized. A good correlation between the predicted data and on-orbit operational telemetry is demonstrated. Minor deviations are postulated to be induced by degradation or sensor drift.

Fincannon, James↗

Acoustic fill factors for a 120 inch diameter fairing

Data from the acoustic test of a 120-inch diameter payload fairing were collected and an analysis of acoustic fill factors were performed. Correction factors for obtaining a weighted spatial average of the interior sound pressure level (SPL) were derived based on this database and a normalized 200-inch diameter fairing database. The weighted fill factors were determined and compared with statistical energy analysis (VAPEPS code) derived fill factors. The comparison is found to be reasonable.

Lee, Y. Albert↗

The coupling of interfacial instabilities and the stabilization of two-layer annular flows

In this paper the stability of annular pressure-driven parallel flows of two liquids sandwiching a free cylindrical interface is considered. For small to moderate Reynolds numbers, the interface is susceptible to capillary and interfacial wave instabilities, the latter instability caused by a jump in viscosity at the interface. It is shown that favorable velocity profiles in both liquids may stabilize capillary breakup of the interface and suppress the axisymmetric interfacial wave instability. A long-wave analysis leads to the physical mechanism responsible for stabilization of capillary breakup. This physical mechanism is a generalization of that by which capillary breakup is stabilized by interfacial shear in an annular film of a single liquid. Stabilization of intermediate wavelengths is studied with a mechanical energy analysis, which leads to a description of the energetic processes at work.

Dijkstra, Henk A.↗

Dynamic Modeling and Testing of MSRR-1 for Use in Microgravity Environments Analysis

Delicate microgravity science is unlikely to succeed on the International Space Station if vibratory and transient disturbers corrupt the environment. An analytical approach to compute the on-orbit acceleration environment at science experiment locations within a standard payload rack resulting from these disturbers is presented. This approach has been grounded by correlation and comparison to test verified transfer functions. The method combines the results of finite element and statistical energy analysis using tested damping and modal characteristics to provide a reasonable approximation of the total root-mean-square (RMS) acceleration spectra at the interface to microgravity science experiment hardware.

Gattis, Christy↗

Mass analysis addition to the Differential Ion Flux Probe (DIFP) study

The objective of this study is to develop a technique to measure the characteristics of space plasmas under highly disturbed conditions; e.g., non-Maxwellian plasmas with strong drifting populations and plasmas contaminated by spacecraft outgassing. The approach, conducted in conjunction with current MSFC activities, is to extend the capabilities of the Differential Ion Flux Probe (DIFP) to include a high throughput mass measurement that does not require either high voltage or contamination sensitive devices such as channeltron electron multipliers or microchannel plates. This will significantly reduce the complexity and expense of instrument fabrication, testing, and integration of flight hardware compared to classical mass analyzers. The feasibility of the enhanced DIFP has been verified by using breadboard test models in a controlled plasma environment. The ability to manipulate particles through the instrument regardless of incident angle, energy, or ionic component has been amply demonstrated. The energy analysis mode is differential and leads directly to a time-of-flight mass measurement. With the new design, the DIFP will separate multiple ion streams and analyze each stream independently for ion flux intensity, velocity (including direction of motion), mass, and temperature (or energy distribution). In particular, such an instrument will be invaluable on follow-on electrodynamic TSS missions and, possibly, for environmental monitoring on the space station.

Wright, K. H., Jr.↗

Primary electron spectrometer, 18:63 UE: Electrostatic analyzer description and energy spectrum determination

The primary electron spectrometer used to detect auroral electrons on sounding rocket 18:63 UE is described. The spectrometer used exponentially decaying positive and negative voltages applied to spherical deflection plates for energy analysis. A method for determining the analyzer response which does not require the assumptions that the ratio of plate separation to mean radius, the entrance or the exit apertures are small is described. By comparison with experiment it is shown that the effect of neither entrance nor exit collimation can be ignored. The experimental and calculated values of the limiting orbits agree well. A non-iterative technique of unfolding the electron differential energy spectrum is described. This method does not require the usual assumption of a flat or histogram-type energy spectrum. The unfolded spectra using both this technique and one which assumes a flat spectrum are compared to actual input spectra. This technique is especially useful in analyzing peaked auroral electron energy spectra.

Pongratz, M. B.↗

Oscillatory Thermocapillary Convection

Stability analysis of thermocapillary convection in rectangular cavities is performed using direct numerical simulation. The influence of the Reynolds number (Re), the fluid Prandtl number (Pr) and cavity aspect ratio (Ar) on the motion is investigated. Neutral stability curves for transition to time-dependent convection are delineated in the Re-Ar plane for fluids with Pr=1.0, 4.4, 6.78, and 10. Several interesting features of these diagrams are discussed. One important conclusion is that Ar(epsilon tau) increases as Pr decreases. Thus large values of both Ar and Re are necessary to induce thermocapillary oscillations for small Pr fluids such as liquid metals and semiconductor melts. Energy analysis is also performed for the oscillatory flow in the neighborhood of critical points in order to gain insight into the mechanisms leading to instability.

Xu, Jieyong↗

Spacecraft Internal Acoustic Environment Modeling

Acoustic modeling can be used to identify key noise sources, determine/analyze sub-allocated requirements, keep track of the accumulation of minor noise sources, and to predict vehicle noise levels at various stages in vehicle development, first with estimates of noise sources, later with experimental data. In FY09, the physical mockup developed in FY08, with interior geometric shape similar to Orion CM (Crew Module) IML (Interior Mode Line), was used to validate SEA (Statistical Energy Analysis) acoustic model development with realistic ventilation fan sources. The sound power levels of these sources were unknown a priori, as opposed to previous studies that RSS (Reference Sound Source) with known sound power level was used. The modeling results were evaluated based on comparisons to measurements of sound pressure levels over a wide frequency range, including the frequency range where SEA gives good results. Sound intensity measurement was performed over a rectangular-shaped grid system enclosing the ventilation fan source. Sound intensities were measured at the top, front, back, right, and left surfaces of the and system. Sound intensity at the bottom surface was not measured, but sound blocking material was placed tinder the bottom surface to reflect most of the incident sound energy back to the remaining measured surfaces. Integrating measured sound intensities over measured surfaces renders estimated sound power of the source. The reverberation time T6o of the mockup interior had been modified to match reverberation levels of ISS US Lab interior for speech frequency bands, i.e., 0.5k, 1k, 2k, 4 kHz, by attaching appropriately sized Thinsulate sound absorption material to the interior wall of the mockup. Sound absorption of Thinsulate was modeled in three methods: Sabine equation with measured mockup interior reverberation time T60, layup model based on past impedance tube testing, and layup model plus air absorption correction. The evaluation/validation was carried out by acquiring octave band microphone data simultaneously at ten fixed locations throughout the mockup. SPLs (Sound Pressure Levels) predicted by our SEA model match well with measurements for our CM mockup, with a more complicated shape. Additionally in FY09, background NC noise (Noise Criterion) simulation and MRT (Modified Rhyme Test) were developed and performed in the mockup to determine the maximum noise level in CM habitable volume for fair crew voice communications. Numerous demonstrations of simulated noise environment in the mockup and associated SIL (Speech Interference Level) via MRT were performed for various communities, including members from NASA and Orion prime-/sub-contractors. Also, a new HSIR (Human-Systems Integration Requirement) for limiting pre- and post-landing SIL was proposed.

Chu, SShao-sheng R.↗

In-plane, flexural, twisting and thickness-shear coefficients for stiffness and damping of a monolayer filamentary composite, part 1

Elastic and damping analyses resulting in determinations of the various stiffnesses and associated loss tangents for the complete characterization of the elastic and damping behavior of a monofilament composite layer are presented. For the determination of the various stiffnesses, either an elementary mechanics-of-materials formulation or a more rigorous mixed-boundary-value elasticity formulation is used. The solution for the latter formulation is obtained by means of the boundary-point least-square error technique. Kimball-Lovell type damping is assumed for each of the constituent materials. For determining the loss tangents associated with the various stiffnesses, either the viscoelastic correspondence principle or an energy analysis based on the appropriate elastic stress distribution is used.

Bert, C. W.↗

Ballistic intercept missions to Comet Encke

The optimum ballistic intercept of a spacecraft with the comet Encke is determined. The following factors are considered in the analysis: energy requirements, encounter conditions, targeting error, comet activity, spacecraft engineering requirements and restraints, communications, and scientific return of the mission. A baseline model is formulated which includes the basic elements necessary to estimate the scientific return for the different missions considered. Tradeoffs which have major impact on the cost and/or scientific return of a ballistic mission to comet Encke are identified and discussed. Recommendations are included.

Mumma, M.↗