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At least 1,621 records · Page 90

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DOE OSTI2021

Experiments and CFD simulation of mass transfer and hydrodynamics in a cylindrical bubble column

Flow visualization, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and dissolved oxygen charging experiments are carried out in a small-scale cylindrical air-water bubble column at different superficial gas velocities. Void fraction profile, total gas holdup, liquid phase velocity field and volumetric mass transfer coefficient are obtained. Details of each experiment are given, with a new procedure for obtaining a 2D void fraction profile from flow visualization by image processing and time averaging which could provide useful information for CFD model validation. The experimental results are analyzed and compared with simulations where good agreement is found for both local and global flow patterns. The averaged governing equations and constitutive relations used in the simulation are discussed briefly, with emphasis on the proper comparison between simulations and experiments based on the derivation of the two-fluid model. Finally, by conducting three sets of experiments related to phase distribution, velocity field and mass transfer in the same apparatus, a validated CFD model for multiphase mass transfer is established and can be used in the future design of a multi-phase reactor.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1992

Turbulence modelling for unsteady separated flows

The exact transport equations for turbulent (Reynolds) stresses have left-hand sides representing the 'substantial derivatives' of the Reynolds stresses, i.e., the rates of change of stress with respect to time, as seen by an observer following the mean motion of the fluid. Here the 'mean' is a statistical average for the turbulent motion, distinguished from the ordered unsteadiness on which it is superimposed: for a turbomachine blade or a cyclically-pitching airfoil, the mean is a phase average. Written in coordinates fixed with respect to a solid surface, the substantial derivative appears partly as an Eulerian time derivative at given spatial coordinate position and partly as a spatial derivative. Separation presents two specific problems to a turbulence model: (1) prediction of the flow near separation depends critically on the 'near-wall' part of the turbulence model, and (2) downstream of separation, a boundary layer changes gradually to a mixing layer.

Bradshaw, Peter↗

DOE OSTI2020

Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) via Two-Timescale Control in Unbalanced Power Distribution Systems

Voltage control devices are employed in power distribution systems to reduce the power consumption by operating the system closer to the lower acceptable voltage limits; this technique is called conservation voltage reduction (CVR). The different modes of operation for system’s legacy devices (with binary control) and new devices (e.g. smart inverters with continuous control) coupled with variable photovoltaic (PV) generation results in voltage fluctuations which makes it challenging to achieve CVR objective. This paper presents a two-timescale control of feeder’s voltage control devices to achieve CVR that includes (1)a centralized controller operating in a slower time-scale to coordinate voltage control devices across the feeder and (2) local controllers operating in a faster timescale to mitigate voltage fluctuations due to PV variability. The centralized controller utilizes a three-phase optimal power flow model to obtain the decision variables for both legacy devices and smart inverters. The local controllers operate smart inverters to minimize voltage fluctuations and restore nodal voltages to their reference values by adjusting the reactive power support. The proposed approach is validated using the IEEE-123 bus (medium-size) and R3-12.47-2 (large-size) feeders. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach is effective in achieving the CVR objective for unbalanced distribution systems.

optimal control, distributed generation, fluctuati↗

DOE OSTI2022

Vapor–liquid equilibrium estimation of n-alkane/nitrogen mixtures using neural networks

Understanding fluid phase behavior, like VLE, in high P&T conditions is crucial for developing high-fidelity simulations of chemically reacting flows in liquid-fueled combustion systems and also forms an integral part of the design-modeling of the control processes in chemical industries. Two data-driven models have been proposed here in this study, each of which was competent in estimating VLE for the Type III binary systems of C 10 /N 2 and C 12 /N 2 , at pressures ranging up to 50–60 MPa. Both models showed better performance in predicting equilibrium pressure as compared to VLE modeled using PR-EOS. A modified model has also been proposed, capable of estimating the full phase envelope for the binary systems of C 10 /N 2 and C 12 /N 2 across a wide range of temperatures, and thus exhibit the mixture critical pressure at the concerned temperature. The diverse applicability of the proposed network architecture was further exhibited while estimating the VLE of a ternary system of C 1 /C 10 /N 2 .

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS2004

Starting Vortex Identified as Key to Unsteady Ejector Performance

Unsteady ejectors are currently under investigation for use in some pulse-detonation-engine-based propulsion systems. Experimental measurements made in the past, and recently at the NASA Glenn Research Center, have demonstrated that thrust augmentation can be enhanced considerably when the driver is unsteady. In ejector systems, thrust augmentation is defined as = T(sup Total)/T(sup j), where T(sup Total) is the total thrust of the combined ejector and driving jet and T(sup j) is the thrust due to the driving jet alone. There are three images in this figure, one for each of the named thrust sources. The images are color contours of measured instantaneous vorticity. Each image is an ensemble average of at least 150 phase-locked measurements. The flow is from right to left, and the shape and location of each driver is shown on the far right of each image. The emitted vortex is a clearly defined "doughnut" of highly vortical (spinning) flow. In these planar images, the vortex appears as two distorted circles, one above, and one below the axis of symmetry. Because they are spinning in the opposite direction, the two circles have vorticity of opposite sign and thus are different colors. There is also a rectangle shown in each image. Its width represents the ejector diameter that was found experimentally to yield the highest thrust augmentation. It is apparent that the optimal ejector diameter is that which just "captures" the vortex: that is, the diameter bounding the outermost edge of the vortex structure. The exact mechanism behind the enhanced performance is unclear; however, it is believed to be related to the powerful vortex emitted with each pulse of the unsteady driver. As such, particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) measurements were obtained for three unsteady drivers: a pulsejet, a resonance tube, and a speaker-driven jet. All the drivers were tested with ejectors, and all exhibited performance enhancement over similarly sized steady drivers. The characteristic starting vortices of each driver are shown in these images. The images are color contours of measured instantaneous vorticity. Each image is an ensemble average of at least 150 phase-locked measurements. The flow is from right to left. The shape and location of each driver is shown on the far right of each image. The rectangle shown in each image represents the ejector diameter that was found experimentally to yield the highest thrust augmentation. It is apparent that the optimal ejector diameter is that which just "captures" the vortex: that is, the diameter bounding the outermost edge of the vortex structure. Although not shown, it was observed that the emitted vortex spread as it traveled downstream. The spreading rate for the pulsejet is shown as the dashed lines in the top image. A tapered ejector was fabricated that matched this shape. When tested, the ejector demonstrated superior performance to all those previously tested at Glenn (which were essentially of straight, cylindrical form), achieving a remarkable thrust augmentation of 2. The measured thrust augmentation is shown as a function of ejector length. Also shown are the thrust augmentation values achieved with the straight, cylindrical ejectors of varying diameters. Here, thrust augmentation is plotted as a function of ejector length for several families of ejector diameters. It can be seen that large thrust augmentation values are indeed obtained and that they are sensitive to both ejector length and diameter, particularly the latter. Five curves are shown. Four correspond to straight ejector diameters of 2.2, 3.0, 4.0, and 6.0 in. The fifth curve corresponds to the tapered ejector contoured to bound the emitted vortex. For each curve, there are several data points corresponding to different lengths. The largest value of thrust augmentation is 2.0 for the tapered ejector and 1.81 for the straight ejectors. Regardless of their diameters, all the ejectors trend toward peak performance at a particular leng. That the cross-sectional dimensions of optimal ejectors scaled precisely with the vortex dimensions on three separate pulsed thrust sources demonstrates that the action of the vortex is responsible for the enhanced ejector performance. The result also suggests that, in the absence of a complete understanding of the entrainment and augmentation mechanisms, methods of characterizing starting vortices may be useful for correlating and predicting unsteady ejector performance.

Paxson, Daniel E.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Thermal Gradient Effects on Redox Evolution and Volatility-Driven Fractionation in Ternary U/Ce/Cs Condensates

Understanding how thermal history influences redox evolution and chemical fractionation is essential for characterizing high-temperature condensation in complex materials, including nuclear debris. Here, we tested the hypothesis that distinct thermal regimes in a plasma flow reactor influence redox pathways and elemental partitioning in ternary U/Ce/Cs systems. A configurable plasma flow reactor was modified with an external tube furnace to impose two distinct thermal gradients: continuous ambient cooling and a furnace-assisted thermal hold-up near 1400 K followed by rapid cooling. Transmission electron microscopy characterized phase identity, morphology, and nanoscale element distributions, while inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry quantified bulk elemental ratios. Across both thermal regimes, uranium and cerium condensed as UO 2 and CeO 2 as dominant refractory oxide products. Uranium partially oxidized to α-UO 3 during extended ambient cooling, while furnace-assisted hold-up preserved UO 2 and produced partial reduction of cerium to Ce 2 O 3 . Cesium remained volatile upstream and condensed later in the reactor, forming Cs 2 O and Cs-uranate phases with the highest incorporation after thermal hold-up. Bulk ICP-MS measurements supported these observations. U/Ce ratios remained comparatively stable and Cs displayed delayed and apparent transient enrichment that matched the nanoscale measurements. This integrated approach provides a quantitative method for linking thermal gradients to redox evolution and volatility-driven fractionation. These results show how the plasma flow reactor can identify where equilibrium descriptions remain adequate and where kinetic effects from residence time and temperature history must be considered when interpreting condensation behavior in multicomponent systems.

and nuclear chemistry↗

DOE OSTI2020

Mechanistic modeling of CO 2 well leakage in a generic abandoned well through a bridge plug cement-casing gap

Both known and unmapped plugged and abandoned wells are potential leakage pathways for CO 2 from geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) sites. Although many abandoned wells have cement bridge plugs installed to prevent leakage, the seal between the cement and the inner casing wall is subject to failure. In this study, we carried out detailed T2Well simulations of cases of sudden non-Darcy flow of CO 2 and brine leakage up the gap between a cement plug and the inner steel casing wall that becomes a fully connected flow path during the post-injection period. The goal of our study was two-fold: (1) to understand the dynamics, rates, and the characteristic temporal signals associated with the onset of leakage through various gap-aperture sizes, and (2) to suggest potential monitoring strategies based on the findings. Simulation results show that the leakage of CO 2 and brine upward is transient with interesting phase interference behavior. Time-dependent oscillatory flows with varying pressure, temperature, and flow rates of CO 2 and brine show strong dependence on gap aperture. Phase-change and decompression lead to very low temperatures at the top of the well for gap apertures larger than 4 mm suggesting that remote thermal monitoring at the ground surface may be an effective way of monitoring even if well locations are not known a priori. Pressure in the well is also indicative of CO 2 leakage. The temporal patterns of changing temperature and pressure may be useful diagnostic signals for leakage detection. Finally, these transient leakage signals may provide information on the cause of leakage and/or characteristics of the flow path that could inform effective remediation design and execution approaches.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

The role of RF-induced E×B flows in the mitigation of scrape-off-layer convective transport during ion cyclotron resonance heating

Abstract While multiple experiments have reported a decrease in intermittent fluctuations in the far Scrape-Off-Layer (SOL) during ion cyclotron resonance heating (Antar et al 2010 Phys. Rev. Lett. 105 165001, Li et al 2022 Nucl. Eng. Technol. 54 207–19, Antar et al 2012 Nucl. Fusion 52 103005), the physical mechanism behind this observation has not been fully established yet. In this work, we demonstrate, for the first time, a direct correlation between the amplitude of RF-induced E×B flows and turbulence suppression in the far SOL. Using the Gas Puff Imaging (GPI) diagnostic on Alcator C-Mod, we show again that Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies can significantly alter the flow in the SOL and introduce a shear layer in regions magnetically connected close to the antenna (Cziegler et al 2012 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 54 105019). With the 4-strap field-aligned antenna operated in dipole phasing, the ratio of the power coupled by the central two straps to the power coupled by the outer two straps was varied. The resulting RF-induced radial electric field magnitude thus varied, and we show that the impact on the far SOL turbulence correlates with the modified E×B velocity. We then apply a newly-developed blob tracking algorithm (Han et al 2022 Sci. Rep. 12 18142) to higher-resolution GPI videos in order to directly observe the process of blob shearing by RF-induced E×B flows. We show that the radially sheared poloidal flows act as a transport barrier by stretching, stopping, and destroying filaments, which is consistent with the observed difference in turbulence statistics.

Diab, R. (ORCID:0000000342065868)↗

DOE OSTI2023

In-silico quantification of intersubject variability on aerosol deposition in the oral airway

The extrathoracic oral airway I s not only a major mechanical barrier for pharmaceutical aerosols to reach the lung but also a major source of variability in lung deposition. Using computational fluid dynamics, deposition of 1-30 µm particles was predicted in 11 CT-based models of the oral airways of adults (7 healthy subjects and 4 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Simulations were performed for mouth breathing during both inspiration and expiration at two steady-state flow rates representative of resting/light activity (18 L/min) and of that typically used during aerosol inhalation from a dry powder inhaler (45 L/min). For each subject, oral deposition increased with increasing particle size and flow rate. When averaged over all subjects, there was no significant difference in oral deposition efficiency between inspiration and expiration, unlike subregional deposition that show significantly different patterns between the two breathing phases. Consistent with previous in-vitro inspiratory studies, our data showed a large intersubject variability in oral deposition. These results highlight the need for incorporating morphological variation of the upper airway in predictive models of aerosol deposition for accurate predictions of particle dosimetry in the intrathoracic region of the lung.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Inertial impac↗

NASA NTRS1981

The deflection of a jet by confining surfaces

Thrust vectoring can be provided by the turning of a jet exhaust by the presence of confining surfaces. This approach is analogous to the upper surface blowing (USB) concept. Mean velocities, velocity autocorrelations, and pressure-velocity correlations are measured. From the autocorrelation curves, the Taylor microscales and the integral length scales are calculated. Convection velocities are calculated from the velocity space-time correlations. Two different confining surfaces (one flat, one with large curvature) are placed adjacent to the lip of a circular nozzle, and the resultant effects on the flow field are determined. In addition, two velocity ratios (exit plane velocity to ambient stream velocity) are examined. The velocity measurements were made with a laser Doppler velocimeter in conjunction with a phase locked-loop processor. Pressure measurements were made using a 1/8th inch condensor type microphone.

Catalano, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Viscous starting jets

The transient motion which is produced when a viscous incompressible fluid is forced from an initial state of rest is studied. The equations for unsteady particle paths, written in terms of similarity variables, are analyzed as a quasi-autonomous system with the Reynolds number treated as a parameter. By finding and classifying critical points in the system's phase portrait, the flow structure is examined. It is shown that: (1) bifurcations in the phase portrait occur at specific values of the Reynolds number of the flow in question, and (2) the exact solutions of the Stokes equations for the low-Reynolds-number limit contain two critical Reynolds numbers and three distinct states of motion which culminate in the onset of a vortex roll-up.

Cantwell, Brian J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Quantitative Surface Emissivity and Temperature Measurements of a Burning Solid Fuel Accompanied by Soot Formation

Surface radiometry is an established technique for noncontact temperature measurement of solids. We adapt this technique to the study of solid surface combustion where the solid fuel undergoes physical and chemical changes as pyrolysis proceeds, and additionally may produce soot. The physical and chemical changes alter the fuel surface emissivity, and soot contributes to the infrared signature in the same spectral band as the signal of interest. We have developed a measurement that isolates the fuel's surface emissions in the presence of soot, and determine the surface emissivity as a function of temperature. A commercially available infrared camera images the two-dimensional surface of ashless filter paper burning in concurrent flow. The camera is sensitive in the 2 to 5 gm band, but spectrally filtered to reduce the interference from hot gas phase combustion products. Results show a strong functional dependence of emissivity on temperature, attributed to the combined effects of thermal and oxidative processes. Using the measured emissivity, radiance measurements from several burning samples were corrected for the presence of soot and for changes in emissivity, to yield quantitative surface temperature measurements. Ultimately the results will be used to develop a full-field, non-contact temperature measurement that will be used in spacebased combustion investigations.

Piltch, Nancy D.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Disinfection of Spacecraft Potable Water Systems by Passivation with Ionic Silver

Microbial growth is common on wetted surfaces in spacecraft environmental control and life support systems despite the use of chemical and physical disinfection methods. Advanced control technologies are needed to limit microorganisms and increase the reliability of life support systems required for long-duration human missions. Silver ions and compounds are widely used as antimicrobial agents for medical applications and continue to be used as a residual biocide in some spacecraft water systems. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has identified silver fluoride for use in the potable water system on the next generation spacecraft. Due to ionic interactions between silver fluoride in solution and wetted metallic surfaces, ionic silver is rapidly depleted from solution and loses its antimicrobial efficacy over time. This report describes research to prolong the antimicrobial efficacy of ionic silver by maintaining its solubility. Three types of metal coupons (lnconel 718, Stainless Steel 316, and Titanium 6AI-4V) used in spacecraft potable water systems were exposed to either a continuous flow of water amended with 0.4 mg/L ionic silver fluoride or to a static, pre-treatment passivation in 50 mg/L ionic silver fluoride with or without a surface oxidation pre-treatment. Coupons were then challenged in a high-shear, CDC bioreactor (BioSurface Technologies) by exposure to six bacteria previously isolated from spacecraft potable water systems. Continuous exposure to 0.4 mg/L ionic silver over the course of 24 hours during the flow phase resulted in a >7-log reduction. The residual effect of a 24-hour passivation treatment in 50 mg/L of ionic silver resulted in a >3-log reduction, whereas a two-week treatment resulted in a >4-log reduction. Results indicate that 0.4 mg/L ionic silver is an effective biocide against many bacteria and that a prepassivation of metal surfaces with silver can provide additional microbial control.

Birmele, Michele N.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Time-Filtered Navier-Stokes Approach and Emulation of Turbulence-Chemistry Interaction

This paper describes the time-filtered Navier-Stokes approach capable of capturing unsteady flow structures important for turbulent mixing and an accompanying subgrid model directly accounting for the major processes in turbulence-chemistry interaction. They have been applied to the computation of two-phase turbulent combustion occurring in a single-element lean-direct-injection combustor. Some of the preliminary results from this computational effort are presented in this paper.

Liu, Nan-Suey↗

NASA NTRS1991

Wake interference behind two flat plates normal to the flow - A finite-element study

A finite-element model of the Navier-Stokes equations is used for numerical simulation of flow past two normal flat plates arranged side by side at Reynolds number 80 and 160. The results from this simulation indicate that when the gap between the plates is twice the width of a single plate, the individual wakes of the plates behave independently, with the antiphase vortex shedding being dominant. At smaller gap sizes, the in-phase vortex shedding, with strong wake interaction, is favored. The gap flow in those cases becomes biased, with one of the wakes engulfing the other. The direction of the biased flow was found to be switching at irregular intervals, with the time histories of the indicative flow parameters and their power spectra resembling those of a chaotic system.

Behr, M.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Large Magnetic Gap in a Designer Ferromagnet–Topological Insulator–Ferromagnet Heterostructure

Abstract Combining magnetism and nontrivial band topology gives rise to quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) insulators and exotic quantum phases such as the QAH effect where current flows without dissipation along quantized edge states. Inducing magnetic order in topological insulators via proximity to a magnetic material offers a promising pathway toward achieving the QAH effect at a high temperature for lossless transport applications. One promising architecture involves a sandwich structure comprising two single‐septuple layers (1SL) of MnBi 2 Te 4 (a 2D ferromagnetic insulator) with ultrathin few quintuple layer (QL) Bi 2 Te 3 in the middle, and it is predicted to yield a robust QAH insulator phase with a large bandgap greater than 50 meV. Here, the growth of a 1SL MnBi 2 Te 4 /4QL Bi 2 Te 3 /1SL MnBi 2 Te 4 heterostructure via molecular beam epitaxy is demonstrated and the electronic structure probed using angle‐resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Strong hexagonally warped massive Dirac fermions and a bandgap of 75 ± 15 meV are observed. The magnetic origin of the gap is confirmed by the observation of the exchange‐Rashba effect, as well as the vanishing bandgap above the Curie temperature, in agreement with density functional theory calculations. These findings provide insights into magnetic proximity effects in topological insulators and reveal a promising platform for realizing the QAH effect at elevated temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2003

A posterirori study of models for large eddy simulations of drop-laden flows

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is conducted of a three-dimensional temporal mixing layer whose stream is initially laden with liquid drops which may evaporate during the simulation. The gas-phase equations are written in Eulerian frame for two perfect gas species (carrier gas and vapor emanating from the drops), while the liquid-phase equations are written in a Lagrangian frame.

spray modeling↗

NASA NTRS1990

Quasi-coherent structures in the turbulent boundary layer. I - Status report on a community-wide summary of the data

A review is presented of the approach, motivation and early results of a reevaluation of the knowledge collected by the research community during thirty years of research on the structure of turbulent boundary layers. Four distinctions or criteria concerning the need to improve the practices in this field are discussed: data versus inferences, possible versus actual versus significant events, one structure versus many, and one or two flows versus the totality of data. Attention given to the known quasi-coherent structures show that three factors significantly reduce the information available from laboratory data as a basis for forming a complete model of the quasi-coherent structure in the turbulent boundary layer: (1) the necessity to ensemble average probe output with resulting loss of phase information, (2) the inability to see more than one or two of the various types of structures simultaneously, and (3) the inability to see the spatial relations between the various quasi-coherent structures resulting from (1) and (2).

Kline, S. J.↗