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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

Oil-flow separation patterns on an ogive forebody

Oil flow patterns on a symmetric tangent ogive forebody having a fineness ratio of 3.5 are presented for angles of attack up to 88 deg at a transitional Reynolds number of 8 million (based on base diameter) and a Mach number of 0.25. Results show typical surface flow separation patterns, the magnitude of surface flow angles, and the extent of laminar and turbulent flow for symmetric, asymmetric, and wakelike flow regimes.

Keener, E. R.↗

Converting environmental wastes into valuable resources

This concept employs a viable energy saving method that uses a solvent to separate oil from particle matter; it can be used in metal forming industries to deoil sludges, oxides, and particle matter that is presently committed to landfill. If oily particles are used in their oily state, severe consequences to environmental control systems such as explosions or filter blinding, occur in the air handling equipment. This is due to the presence of hydrocarbons in the stack gasses resulting from the oily particles. After deoiling, the particles can be recycled and the separated oil can be used as a fuel. The process does not produce a waste of it's own and does not harm air or water. It demonstrates the dual benefits of it being commercially viable and in the national interest of conserving resources.

Duval, Leonard A.↗

Worm Gear With Hydrostatic Engagement

In proposed worm-gear transmission, oil pumped at high pressure through meshes between teeth of gear and worm coil. Pressure in oil separates meshing surfaces slightly, and oil reduces friction between surfaces. Conceived for use in drive train between gas-turbine engine and rotor of helicopter. Useful in other applications in which weight critical. Test apparatus simulates and measures some loading conditions of proposed worm gear with hydrostatic engagement.

Chaiko, Lev I.↗

Method and Device for Extraction of Liquids from a Solid Particle Material

A method, system, and device for separating oil from oil sands or oil shale is disclosed. The method includes heating the oil sands, spinning the heated oil sands, confining the sand particles mechanically, and recovering the oil substantially free of the sand. The method can be used without the addition of chemical extraction agents. The system includes a source of centrifugal force, a heat source, a separation device, and a recovery device. The separation device includes a method of confining the sands while allowing the oil to escape, such as through an aperture.

deMayo, Benjamin↗

Preparation of stable colloidal dispersions in fluorinated liquids

Chemical method for separating oil from water by liquid barrier which can be positioned magnetically is described. Fluorocarbon liquids containing colloidal suspension of magnetite is proposed. Chemical composition of magnetite and fluorinated ether polymer are presented.

Kaiser, R.↗

Development of a Self-contained Heat Rejection Module (SHRM), phase 1

The laboratory prototype test hardware and testing of the Self-Contained Heat Rejection Module are discussed. The purpose of the test was to provide operational and design experience for application to a flight prototype design. It also provided test evaluation of several of the actual components which were to be used in the flight prototype hardware. Several changes were made in the flight prototype design due to these tests including simpler line routing, relocation of remote operated valves to a position upstream of the expansion valves, and shock mounting of the compressor. The concept of heat rejection control by compressor speed reduction was verified and the liquid receiver, accumulator, remote control valves, oil separator and power source were demonstrated as acceptable. A procedure for mode changes between pumped fluid and vapor compression was developed.

Fleming, M. L.↗

Explosive Event in MON-3 Oxidizer System Resulting from Pressure Transducer Failure

In 2003, a Druck(Registered Trademark) pressure transducer failed catastrophically in a test system circulating nitrogen tetroxide at NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility. The cause of the explosion was not immediately obvious since the wetted areas of the pressure transducer were constructed of materials compatible with nitrogen tetroxide. Chemical analysis of the resulting residue and a materials analysis of the diaphragm and its weld zones were used to determine the chain of events that led to the catastrophic failure. Due to excessive dynamic pressure loading in the test system, the diaphragm in the pressure transducer suffered cyclic failure and allowed the silicon oil located behind the isolation diaphragm to mix with the nitrogen tetroxide. The reaction between these two chemicals formed a combination of 2,4-di and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, which are shock sensitive explosives that caused the failure of the pressure transducer. Further research indicated numerous manufacturers offer similar pressure transducers with silicone oil separated from the test fluid by a thin stainless steel isolation diaphragm. Caution must be exercised when purchasing a pressure transducer for a particular system to avoid costly failures and test system contamination.

Baker, David L.↗

Performance and Analysis of Perfluoropolyalkyl Ether Grease Used on Space Shuttle Actuators--A Case Study

Actuators used on the United States space shuttle fleet are lubricated with unspecified amounts of Braycote 601 (Castrol Braycote) grease consisting of a perfluoropolyalkyl ether (PFPAE) base oil thickened with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filler. Each shuttle has four body flap actuators (BFAs) (two on each wing) on a common segmented shaft and four rudder speed brake (RSB) actuators. The actuators were designed to operate for 10 years and 100 flights without periodic relubrication. Visible inspection of two partially disassembled RSB actuators in continuous use for 19 years raised concerns over possible grease degradation due to discoloration of the grease on several places on the surfaces of the gears. Inspection revealed fretting, micropitting, wear and corrosion of the bearings and gears. A small amount of oil dripped from the disassembled actuators. Whereas new grease is beige in appearance, the discolored grease consisted of both grey and reddish colors. Grease samples taken from the actuators together with representative off-the-shelf new and unused grease samples were analyzed by gravimetry for oil content; by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP) for metals content; Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for base oil decomposition; and by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) for determination of the molecular weight distributions of the grease oil. The Braycote 601 grease was stable after 19 years of continuous use in the sealed RSB actuators and was fit for its intended purpose. There were no significant chemical differences between the used grease samples and new and unused samples. Base oil separation was not significant within the sealed actuators. No corrosive effect in the form of iron fluoride was detected. The grey color of grease samples was due to metallic iron. The red color was due to oxidation of the metallic wear particles from the gears and the bearings comprising the actuators.

Morales, Wilfredo↗

Oil-And-Gas-Fire Snubber

Flame diverted and extinguished without explosives. Oil-and-gas-fire snubber consists of pipe with two exit branches and large selector valve, positioned over well, on path of escaping fuel. Flame moved to one side; then flow of fuel moved to other side, away from flame. Two versions of snubber have different uses. First used only to extinguish fire. Exit branch only long enough to keep fuel away to prevent reignition. Second needed if well not capped after fire at well extinguished and oil and gas remained present in problem quantities. Exit branch long enough to extend to oil-storage tank, and gas separated from oil and vented or burned at convenient location.

Weinstein, Leonard M.↗

Some observations of separated flow on finite wings

Wind tunnel test results for aspects of flow over airfoils exhibiting single and multiple trailing edge stall 'mushroom' cells are reported. Rectangular wings with aspect ratios of 4.0 and 9.0 were tested at Reynolds numbers of 480,000 and 257,000, respectively. Surface flow patterns were visualized by means of a fluorescent oil flow technique, separated flow was observed with a tuft wand and a water probe, spanwise flow was studied with hot-wire anemometry, smoke flow and an Ar laser illuminated the centerplane flow, and photographs were made of the oil flow patterns. Swirl patterns on partially and fully stalled wings suggested vortex flow attachments in those regions, and a saddle point on the fully stalled AR=4.0 wing indicated a secondary vortex flow at the forward region of the separation bubble. The separation wake decayed downstream, while the tip vortex interacted with the separation bubble on the fully stalled wing. Three mushroom cells were observed on the AR=9.0 wing.

Winkelmann, A. E.↗

Heat-transfer test results for a .0275-scale space shuttle external tank with a 10 deg/40 deg double cone-ogive nose in the NASA/AMES 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel (FH14), volume 2

A .0275 scale forebody model of the new baseline configuration of the space shuttle external tank vent cap configuration was tested to determine the flow field due to the double cone configuration. The tests were conducted in a 3.5 foot hypersonic wind tunnel at alpha = -5 deg, -4.59 deg, 0 deg, 5 deg, and 10 deg; beta = 0 deg, -3 deg, -5.51 deg, -6 deg, -9 deg, and +6 deg; nominal freestream Reynolds numbers per foot of 1.5 x 1 million, 3.0 x 1 million, and 5.0 x 1 million; and a nominal Mach number of 5. Separation and reattached flow from thermocouple data, shadowgraphs, and oil flows indicate that separation begins about 80% from the tip of the 10 deg cone, then reattaches on the vent cap and produces fully turbulent flow over most of the model forebody. The hardware disturbs the flow over a much larger area than present TPS application has assumed. A correction to the flow disturbance was experimentally suggested from the results of an additional test run.

Carroll, H. R.↗

Aluminum-Alloy-Matrix/Alumina-Reinforcement Composites

Isotropic composites of aluminum-alloy matrices reinforced with particulate alumina have been developed as lightweight, high-specific-strength, less-expensive alternatives to nickel-base and ferrous superalloys. These composites feature a specific gravity of about 3.45 grams per cubic centimeter and specific strengths of about 200 MPa/(grams per cubic centimeter). The room-temperature tensile strength is 100 ksi (689 MPa) and stiffness is 30 Msi (206 GPa). At 500 F (260 C), these composites have shown 80 percent retention in strength and 95 percent retention in stiffness. These materials also have excellent fatigue tolerance and tribological properties. They can be fabricated in net (or nearly net) sizes and shapes to make housings, pistons, valves, and ducts in turbomachinery, and to make structural components of such diverse systems as diesel engines, automotive brake systems, and power-generation, mining, and oil-drilling equipment. Separately, incorporation of these metal matrix composites within aluminum gravity castings for localized reinforcement has been demonstrated. A composite part of this type can be fabricated in a pressure infiltration casting process. The process begins with the placement of a mold with alumina particulate preform of net or nearly net size and shape in a crucible in a vacuum furnace. A charge of the alloy is placed in the crucible with the preform. The interior of the furnace is evacuated, then the furnace heaters are turned on to heat the alloy above its liquidus temperature. Next, the interior of the furnace is filled with argon gas at a pressure about 900 psi (approximately equal to 6.2 MPa) to force the molten alloy to infiltrate the preform. Once infiltrated, the entire contents of the crucible can be allowed to cool in place, and the composite part recovered from the mold.

Kashalikar, Uday↗

Boundary layer separation on isolated boattail nozzles

The phenomenon of separated flow on a series of circular-arc afterbodies was investigated using the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel at free-stream Mach numbers from 0.40 to 0.95 at 0 deg angle of attack. Both high-pressure air and solid circular cylinders with a diameter equal to the nozzle exit diameter were used to simulate jet exhausts. A detailed data base of boundary layer separation locations was obtained using oil-flow techniques. The results indicate that boundary layer separation is most extensive on steep boattails at high Mach numbers.

Abeyounis, W. K.↗

Direct Monte Carlo Simulations of Hypersonic Viscous Interactions Including Separation

Results of calculations obtained using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method for Mach 25 flow over a control surface are presented. The numerical simulations are for a 35-deg compression ramp at a low-density wind-tunnel test condition. Calculations obtained using both two- and three-dimensional solutions are reviewed, and a qualitative comparison is made with the oil flow pictures highlight separation and three-dimensional flow structure.

Moss, James N.↗

Lee surface flow phenomena over space shuttle at large angles of attack at M sub infinity equal 6

Surface pressure and heat transfer, flow separation, flow field, and oil flow patterns on the leeward side of a space shuttle orbiter model are investigated at a free stream Mach number of 6. The free stream Reynolds numbers are between 1.64 times 10 to the 7th power and 1.31 times 10 to the 8th power per meter, and the angle of attack is varied between 0 deg and 40 deg for the present experiments. The stagnation temperatures for the tests are approximately 500 K and the wall temperature is maintained at 290 K. Existing numerical methods of three-dimensional inviscid supersonic flow theory and compressible boundary layer theory are used to predict the present experimental measurements. Results of the present tests indicate two distinct types of flow separation and surface peak heating depending on the angle of attack.

Zakkay, V.↗