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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 19 records

Appraisal of UTIAS implosion-driven hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes.

A critical appraisal is made of the design, research, development, and operation of the novel UTIAS implosion-driven hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes. Explosively driven (PbN6-lead azide, PETN-pentaerythritetetranitrate) implosions in detonating stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen mixtures have been successfully developed as drivers for hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes in a safe and reusable facility. Intense loadings at very high calculated pressures, densities, and temperatures, at the implosion center, cause severe problems with projectile integrity. Misalignment of the focal point can occur and add to the difficulty in using small caliber projectiles. In addition, the extreme driving conditions cause barrel expansion, erosion, and possible gas leakage from the base to the head of the projectile which cut the predicted muzzle velocities to half or a third of the lossless calculated values. However, in the case of a shock-tube operation these difficulties are minimized or eliminated and the possibilities of approaching Jovian reentry velocities are encouraging.

Glass, I. I.↗

Implosion-driven shock tube

Detonation wave striking PETN explosive shell producing implosion or implosion wave in shock tube

Glass, I. I.↗

Influence of finite-beta effects on the lower-hybrid-drift instability in post-implosion theta pinches

The influence of finite values of the plasma parameter beta on the lower-hybrid-drift instability is investigated, with particular emphasis on the post-implosion theta-pinch configurations. The analysis is carried out in a fully self-consistent manner and includes the finite-beta effects associated with transverse electromagnetic perturbations as well as with resonant and nonresonant electron-orbit modifications. Except in the limit where the ratio of electron and ion temperatures approaches zero, it is found that there is a critical value for the local beta such that the lower-hybrid-drift instability is completely stabilized. For typical post-implosion theta pinches, it is concluded that if the magnetic-field depression is sufficiently large, the interior region of the pinch will be stable to the examined instability but the exterior region will be unstable.

Davidson, R. C.↗

Implosive accretion and outbursts of active galactic nuclei

A model and simulation code have been developed for time-dependent axisymmetric disk accretion onto a compact object including for the first time the influence of an ordered magnetic field. The accretion rate and radiative luminosity of the disk are naturally coupled to the rate of outflow of energy and angular momentum in magnetically driven (+/- z) winds. The magnetic field of the wind is treated in a phenomenological way suggested by self-consistent wind solutions. The radial accretion speed u(r, t) of the disk matter is shown to be the sum of the usual viscous contribution and a magnetic contribution proportional to r(exp 3/2)(B(sub p exp 2))/sigma, where B(sub p)(r,t) is the poloidal field threading the disk and sigma(r,t) is the disk's surface mass density. An enhancement or variation in B(sub p) at a large radial distance leads to the formation of a soliton-like structure in the disk density, temperature, and B-field which propagates implosively inward. The implosion gives a burst in the power output in winds or jets and a simultaneous burst in the disk radiation. The model is pertinent to the formation of discrete fast-moving components in jets observed by very long baseline interferometry. These components appear to originate at times of optical outbursts of the active galactic nucleus.

Lovelace, R. V. E.↗

Shock tube with implosive jet driver.

Shock tube with cylindrical explosive to implode glass wall and produce high velocity glass particle jet, studying jet velocity and behavior and test gas pressure effects

Gill, S. P.↗

The photoevaporation of interstellar clouds. I - Radiation-driven implosion

An approximate analytical solution is developed for the evolution of an interstellar neutral cloud exposed to the ionizing radiation of a newly formed star. The structure of a steady photoevaporation gas flow off a spherical ionization front is derived even for cases where the ionization front cannot be considered thin, and the downstream flow is not in ionization and thermal equilibrium. Under a wide range of conditions, the ionization front is approximately D-critical, and the ionized gas expands supersonically into the intercloud medium. The ionization front typically drives a strong shock into the initial cloud.

Bertoldi, Frank↗

Target compressions by working fluids driven with solid liner implosions

Compression by a spherical solid liner of a gold target surrounded by a hydrogen plasma is simulated. Two-dimensional simulations that treat only a subset of the physics included in the one-dimensional code were performed in an attempt to assess multidimensional effects. A one-dimensional numerical code has been developed to study the effects of thermal radiation and conduction. Results of pressure, density, and energy deposited for different initial plasma conditions are presented and discussed. Results from both one- and two-dimensional codes show that the average target density at peak compression is 39-43 g/cu cm, using the SHIVA Star facility at 90 kV discharge.

Chiang, P.-R.↗

Study of cryogenic container thermodynamics during propellant transfer

Study of thermodynamic phenomena occurring during transfer of cryogenic liquids from dewar to receiver tank reveals that the basic cause of tank implosion is evaporation rate of droplets entering the tank in the early transfer phase. Analyses of the thermodynamics involved and implosion prevention techniques are included.

Brogan, J. J.↗

Lightning damage to a general aviation aircraft: Description and analysis

The damage sustained by a Beechcraft King Air Model B90 aircraft by a single lightning discharge is presented and analyzed. The incident occurred during landing approach at Jackson, Michigan, on Feb. 19, 1971. In addition to the usual melted-metal damage at the lightning attachment points, there was severe implosion-type damage over a large area on the lower right side of the aircraft and impact- and crushing-type damage on the upper and lower surfaces on the left wingtip near the trailing edge. Analyses indicate that the implosion-type damage was probably caused by lightning-generated shock waves, that the impact-and crushing-type damage was caused by magnetic forces, and that the lightning discharge was a multiple strike with at least 11 strokes separated in time by about 4.5 milliseconds. The evidence indicates that the lightning discharge was rather different from the average in character severity.

Hacker, P. T.↗

A new theory aiming to define the mechanisms of material removal in electroerosion

Formulation of an electrohydrodynamic hypothesis to explain the mechanism of material removal in electroerosion, and results of experiments designed to verify the validity of the proposed hypothesis is discussed. A hypothesis is proposed according to which material is removed by a high-power liquid microjet which forms as a result of implosion of a vapor cavity between the two electrodes. Using a model of the implosion of a vapor cavity, a study is made of the energy dissipated in the arc zone as a function of the expended electrical energy.

Chincholle, L.↗

Prompt particle acceleration around moving X-point magnetic field during impulsive phase of solar flares

We present a model for high-energy solar flares to explain prompt proton and electron acceleration, which occurs around moving X-point magnetic field during the implosion phase of the current sheet. We derive the electromagnetic fields during the strong implosion phase of the current sheets, which is driven by the converging flow derived from the magnetohydrodynamic equations. It is shown that both protons and electrons can be promptly (within 1 second) accelerated to approximately 70 MeV and approximately 200 MeV, respectively. This acceleration mechanism can be applicable for the impulsive phase of the gradual gamma ray and proton flares (gradual GR/P flare), which have been called two-ribbon flares.

Sakai, Jun-Ichi↗