Simplifications for hydronic system models in modelica

DOE PAGES

Jorissen, F.; Wetter, M.; Helsen, L.

2018-01-12

Building systems and their heating, ventilation and air conditioning flow networks, are becoming increasingly complex. Some building energy simulation tools simulate these flow networks using pressure drop equations. These flow network models typically generate coupled algebraic nonlinear systems of equations, which become increasingly more difficult to solve as their sizes increase. This leads to longer computation times and can cause the solver to fail. These problems also arise when using the equation-based modelling language Modelica and Annex 60-based libraries. This may limit the applicability of the library to relatively small problems unless problems are restructured. This paper discusses two algebraicmore » loop types and presents an approach that decouples algebraic loops into smaller parts, or removes them completely. The approach is applied to a case study model where an algebraic loop of 86 iteration variables is decoupled into smaller parts with a maximum of five iteration variables.« less

Periodicity and chaos from switched flow systems - Contrasting examples of discretely controlled continuous systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, Christopher; Serrano, Joseph; Ramadge, Peter J.

1993-01-01

We analyze two examples of the discrete control of a continuous variable system. These examples exhibit what may be regarded as the two extremes of complexity of the closed-loop behavior: one is eventually periodic, the other is chaotic. Our examples are derived from sampled deterministic flow models. These are of interest in their own right but have also been used as models for certain aspects of manufacturing systems. In each case, we give a precise characterization of the closed-loop behavior.

Reducing flow-induced resonance in a cavity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cattafesta, III, Louis N. (Inventor); Wlezien, Richard W. (Inventor); Won, Chin C. (Inventor); Garg, Sanjay (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A method and system are provided for reducing flow-induced resonance in a structure's cavity. A time-varying disturbance is introduced into the flow along a leading edge of the cavity. The time-varying disturbance can be periodic and can have the same or different frequency of the natural resonant frequency of the cavity. In one embodiment of the system, flaps are mounted flush with the surface of the structure along the cavity's leading edge. A piezoelectric actuator is coupled to each flap and causes a portion of each flap to oscillate into and out of the flow in accordance with the time-varying function. Resonance reduction can be achieved with both open-loop and closed-loop configurations of the system.

Testing of a controller for a hybrid capillary pumped loop thermal control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schweickart, Russell; Ottenstein, Laura; Cullimore, Brent; Egan, Curtis; Wolf, Dave

1989-01-01

A controller for a series hybrid capillary pumped loop (CPL) system that requires no moving parts does not resrict fluid flow has been tested and has demonstrated improved performance characteristics over a plain CPL system and simple hybrid CPL systems. These include heat load sharing, phase separation, self-regulated flow control and distribution, all independent of most system pressure drop. In addition, the controlled system demonstrated a greater heat transport capability than the simple CPL system but without the large fluid inventory requirement of the hybrid systems. A description of the testing is presented along with data that show the advantages of the system.

Cooling system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Amtmann, Hans H.

1982-01-01

A cooling system for a gas-cooled nuclear reactor is disclosed which includes at least one primary cooling loop adapted to pass coolant gas from the reactor core and an associated steam generator through a duct system having a main circulator therein, and at least one auxiliary cooling loop having communication with the reactor core and adapted to selectively pass coolant gas through an auxiliary heat exchanger and circulator. The main and auxiliary circulators are installed in a common vertical cavity in the reactor vessel, and a common return duct communicates with the reactor core and intersects the common cavity at a junction at which is located a flow diverter valve operative to effect coolant flow through either the primary or auxiliary cooling loops.

A LabVIEW model incorporating an open-loop arterial impedance and a closed-loop circulatory system.

PubMed

Cole, R T; Lucas, C L; Cascio, W E; Johnson, T A

2005-11-01

While numerous computer models exist for the circulatory system, many are limited in scope, contain unwanted features or incorporate complex components specific to unique experimental situations. Our purpose was to develop a basic, yet multifaceted, computer model of the left heart and systemic circulation in LabVIEW having universal appeal without sacrificing crucial physiologic features. The program we developed employs Windkessel-type impedance models in several open-loop configurations and a closed-loop model coupling a lumped impedance and ventricular pressure source. The open-loop impedance models demonstrate afterload effects on arbitrary aortic pressure/flow inputs. The closed-loop model catalogs the major circulatory waveforms with changes in afterload, preload, and left heart properties. Our model provides an avenue for expanding the use of the ventricular equations through closed-loop coupling that includes a basic coronary circuit. Tested values used for the afterload components and the effects of afterload parameter changes on various waveforms are consistent with published data. We conclude that this model offers the ability to alter several circulatory factors and digitally catalog the most salient features of the pressure/flow waveforms employing a user-friendly platform. These features make the model a useful instructional tool for students as well as a simple experimental tool for cardiovascular research.

Full-Authority Fault-Tolerant Electronic Engine Control Systems for Variable Cycle Engines.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

Geometry or Fuel Flow Scheduled as a Function of Engine State, i.e. FIGV = f( N1 C2 ) Closed Loop - Geometry or Fuel Flow Modulated To Maintain an Engine...Low Pressure Turbine Inlet Area (A41) Closed Loop (Integral) N2, T22 Core Stream Exhaust Nozzle Area (AJE) Closed Loop (Integral) N1 , T2 Duct Stream...to remain at the breakpoint value while low rotor speed reference ( N1 reference) is scheduled to decrease as a function of power lever angle (PLA), to

MATLAB/Simulink Framework for Modeling Complex Coolant Flow Configurations of Advanced Automotive Thermal Management Systems: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Titov, Eugene; Lustbader, Jason; Leighton, Daniel

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) CoolSim MATLAB/Simulink modeling framework was extended by including a newly developed coolant loop solution method aimed at reducing the simulation effort for arbitrarily complex thermal management systems. The new approach does not require the user to identify specific coolant loops and their flow. The user only needs to connect the fluid network elements in a manner consistent with the desired schematic. Using the new solution method, a model of NREL's advanced combined coolant loop system for electric vehicles was created that reflected the test system architecture. This system was built using components provided bymore » the MAHLE Group and included both air conditioning and heat pump modes. Validation with test bench data and verification with the previous solution method were performed for 10 operating points spanning a range of ambient temperatures between -2 degrees C and 43 degrees C. The largest root mean square difference between pressure, temperature, energy and mass flow rate data and simulation results was less than 7%.« less

MATLAB/Simulink Framework for Modeling Complex Coolant Flow Configurations of Advanced Automotive Thermal Management Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Titov, Gene; Lustbader, Jason; Leighton, Daniel

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) CoolSim MATLAB/Simulink modeling framework was extended by including a newly developed coolant loop solution method aimed at reducing the simulation effort for arbitrarily complex thermal management systems. The new approach does not require the user to identify specific coolant loops and their flow. The user only needs to connect the fluid network elements in a manner consistent with the desired schematic. Using the new solution method, a model of NREL's advanced combined coolant loop system for electric vehicles was created that reflected the test system architecture. This system was built using components provided bymore » the MAHLE Group and included both air conditioning and heat pump modes. Validation with test bench data and verification with the previous solution method were performed for 10 operating points spanning a range of ambient temperatures between -2 degrees C and 43 degrees C. The largest root mean square difference between pressure, temperature, energy and mass flow rate data and simulation results was less than 7%.« less

Aerospace applications of SINDA/FLUINT at the Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Bellmore, Phillip E.; Andish, Kambiz K.; Keller, John R.

1992-01-01

SINDA/FLUINT has been found to be a versatile code for modeling aerospace systems involving single or two-phase fluid flow and all modes of heat transfer. Several applications of SINDA/FLUINT are described in this paper. SINDA/FLUINT is being used extensively to model the single phase water loops and the two-phase ammonia loops of the Space Station Freedom active thermal control system (ATCS). These models range from large integrated system models with multiple submodels to very detailed subsystem models. An integrated Space Station ATCS model has been created with ten submodels representing five water loops, three ammonia loops, a Freon loop and a thermal submodel representing the air loop. The model, which has approximately 800 FLUINT lumps and 300 thermal nodes, is used to determine the interaction between the multiple fluid loops which comprise the Space Station ATCS. Several detailed models of the flow-through radiator subsystem of the Space Station ATCS have been developed. One model, which has approximately 70 FLUINT lumps and 340 thermal nodes, provides a representation of the ATCS low temperature radiator array with two fluid loops connected only by conduction through the radiator face sheet. The detailed models are used to determine parameters such as radiator fluid return temperature, fin efficiency, flow distribution and total heat rejection for the baseline design as well as proposed alternate designs. SINDA/FLUINT has also been used as a design tool for several systems using pressurized gasses. One model examined the pressurization and depressurization of the Space Station airlock under a variety of operating conditions including convection with the side walls and internal cooling. Another model predicted the performance of a new generation of manned maneuvering units. This model included high pressure gas depressurization, internal heat transfer and supersonic thruster equations. The results of both models were used to size components, such as the heaters and gas bottles and also to point to areas where hardware testing was needed.

Development Specification for the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) Thermal Loop Pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anchondo, Ian; Campbell, Colin

2017-01-01

The AEMU Thermal Loop Pump Development Specification establishes the requirements for design, performance, and testing of the Water Pump as part of the Thermal System of the Advanced Portable Life Support System (PLSS). It is envisioned that the Thermal Loop Pump is a positive displacement pump that provides a repeatable volume of flow against a given range of back-pressures provided by the various applications. The intention is to operate the pump at a fixed speed for the given application. The primary system is made up of two identical and redundant pumps of which only one is in operation at given time. The Auxiliary Loop Pump is an identical pump design to the primary pumps but is operated at half the flow rate. Inlet positive pressure to the pumps is provided by the upstream Flexible Supply Assembly (FSA-431 and FSA-531) which are physically located inside the suit volume and pressurized by suit pressure. An integrated relief valve, placed in parallel to the pump's inlet and outlet protects the pump and loop from over-pressurization. An integrated course filter is placed upstream of the pump's inlet to provide filtration and prevent potential debris from damaging the pump.

Modeling the use of a binary mixture as a control scheme for two-phase thermal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benner, S. M.; Costello, Frederick A.

1990-01-01

Two-phase thermal loops using mechanical pumps, capillary pumps, or a combination of the two have been chosen as the main heat transfer systems for the space station. For these systems to operate optimally, the flow rate in the loop should be controlled in response to the vapor/liquid ratio leaving the evaporator. By substituting a mixture of two non-azeotropic fluids in place of the single fluid normally used in these systems, it may be possible to monitor the temperature of the exiting vapor and determine the vapor/liquid ratio. The flow rate would then be adjusted to maximize the load capability with minimum energy input. A FLUINT model was developed to study the system dynamics of a hybrid capillary pumped loop using this type of control and was found to be stable under all the test conditions.

Split radiator design for heat rejection optimization for a waste heat recovery system

DOEpatents

Ernst, Timothy C.; Nelson, Christopher R.

2016-10-18

A cooling system provides improved heat recovery by providing a split core radiator for both engine cooling and condenser cooling for a Rankine cycle (RC). The cooling system includes a radiator having a first cooling core portion and a second cooling core portion. An engine cooling loop is fluidly connected the second cooling core portion. A condenser of an RC has a cooling loop fluidly connected to the first cooling core portion. A valve is provided between the engine cooling loop and the condenser cooling loop adjustably control the flow of coolant in the condenser cooling loop into the engine cooling loop. The cooling system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the valve and adapted to determine a load requirement for the internal combustion engine and adjust the valve in accordance with the engine load requirement.

A Selected Operational History of the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) for International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, Vipul P.; Winton, Dale; Ibarra, Thomas H.

2004-01-01

The Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) has been developed jointly by Boeing Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama and Honeywell Engines & Systems, Torrance, California to meet the internal thermal control needs for the International Space Station (ISS). The ITCS provides heat removal for the critical life support systems and thermal conditioning for numerous experiment racks. The ITCS will be fitted on a number of modules on the ISS. The first US Element containing the ITCS, Node 1, was launched in December 1998. Since Node 1 does not contain a pump to circulate the fluid it was not filled with ITCS fluid until after the US Laboratory Module was installed. The second US Element module, US Laboratory Module, which contains the pumps and all the major ITCS control hardware, was launched in February 2001. The third US Element containing the ITCS, the US Airlock, was launched in July 2001. The dual loop system of the ITCS is comprised of a lowtemperature loop (LTL) and a moderate-temperature loop (MTL). Each loop has a pump package assembly (PPA), a system flow control assembly (SFCA), a threeway mixing valve (TWMV), several rack flow control assemblies (RFCA), cold plates, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, pump bypass assembly (PBA) and a heat exchanger. In addition, the MTL has an additional TWMV, a payload regeneration heat exchanger (P/RHE) and a manual flow control valve (MFCV). The LTL has a service performance and checkout unit (SPCU) heat exchanger. The two loops are linked via one loop crossover assembly (LCA) providing cross loop capabilities and a single PPA, two-loop functionality. One important parameter monitored by the ground stations and on-orbit is the amount of fluid leakage from the ITCS. ISS fluid leakage is of importance since ITCS fluid is costly to re-supply, may be difficult to clean up in zero-g, and if uncontained could lead to equipment failures and potential hazards. This paper examines the nominal leakage observed over period of a year of on-orbit operation and compares this with analysis predictions. This paper also addresses the off-nominal leakage and a fluid transfer event causing significant changes in accumulator quantity.

Determination of Heritage SSME Pogo Suppressor Resistance and Inertance from Waterflow Pulse Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDougal, Chris; Eberhart, Chad; Lee, Erik

2016-01-01

Waterflow tests of a heritage Space Shuttle Main Engine pogo suppressor were performed to experimentally quantify the resistance and inertance provided by the suppressor. Measurements of dynamic pressure and flow rate in response to pulsing flow were made throughout the test loop. A unique system identification methodology combined all sensor measurements with a one-dimensional perturbational flow model of the complete water flow loop to spatially translate physical measurements to the device under test. Multiple techniques were then employed to extract the effective resistance and inertance for the pogo suppressor. Parameters such as steady flow rate, perturbational flow rate magnitude, and pulse frequency were investigated to assess their influence on the behavior of the pogo suppressor dynamic response. These results support validation of the RS-25 pogo suppressor performance for use on the Space Launch System Core Stage.

SNAP-8 power conversion system design review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, L. P.

1970-01-01

The conceptual design of the SNAP-8 electrical generating system configurations are reviewed including the evolution of the PCS configuration, and the current concepts. The reliabilities of two alternative PCS-G heat rejection loop configurations with two radiator design concepts are also reviewed. A computer program for calculating system pressure loss using multiple-loop flow analysis is included.

Buoyancy-induced flow studies in thermally stratified loop of a double-envelope building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaffari, H. T.; Jones, R. F.

There is a wide interest in the flow studies of thermally stratified loops of double-envelope houses. These loops primarily serve to hold a moderate air temperature around the inner buildings, and to reduce thermal losses and air movements into the house by diminishing infiltration. Further, if the thermal mechanism of the buildng is well designed, it may be possible to cause a solar-assisted, buoyancy-induced cycling of the flow during the day and a probable reverse cycling during the night. The benefits of this flow pattern are a possible storage of heat in the ground level of the crawl space during the day, its retrieval at night, and a better mixing of warmed air in various zones of the loop. The double-envelope section of the buildng was monitored from October 1981 to October 1982. Data collected were debugged and the monitoring system was adjusted and calibrated. Results from this experiment concerning significant local flows are analyzed. Hence, a validation of the conceptual thermal mechanism is obtained, and empirical and analytical assessments are compared.

Excitation of vertical coronal loop oscillations by impulsively driven flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohutova, P.; Verwichte, E.

2018-05-01

Context. Flows of plasma along a coronal loop caused by the pressure difference between loop footpoints are common in the solar corona. Aims: We aim to investigate the possibility of excitation of loop oscillations by an impulsively driven flow triggered by an enhanced pressure in one of the loop footpoints. Methods: We carry out 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of a coronal loop with an impulsively driven flow and investigate the properties and evolution of the resulting oscillatory motion of the loop. Results: The action of the centrifugal force associated with plasma moving at high speeds along the curved axis of the loop is found to excite the fundamental harmonic of a vertically polarised kink mode. We analyse the dependence of the resulting oscillations on the speed and kinetic energy of the flow. Conclusions: We find that flows with realistic speeds of less than 100 km s-1 are sufficient to excite oscillations with observable amplitudes. We therefore propose plasma flows as a possible excitation mechanism for observed transverse loop oscillations.

Current systems of coronal loops in 3D MHD simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warnecke, J.; Chen, F.; Bingert, S.; Peter, H.

2017-11-01

Aims: We study the magnetic field and current structure associated with a coronal loop. Through this we investigate to what extent the assumptions of a force-free magnetic field break down and where they might be justified. Methods: We analyze a three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the solar corona in an emerging active region with the focus on the structure of the forming coronal loops. The lower boundary of this simulation is taken from a model of an emerging active region. As a consequence of the emerging magnetic flux and the horizontal motions at the surface a coronal loop forms self-consistently. We investigate the current density along magnetic field lines inside (and outside) this loop and study the magnetic and plasma properties in and around this loop. The loop is defined as the bundle of field lines that coincides with enhanced emission in extreme UV. Results: We find that the total current along the emerging loop changes its sign from being antiparallel to parallel to the magnetic field. This is caused by the inclination of the loop together with the footpoint motion. Around the loop, the currents form a complex non-force-free helical structure. This is directly related to a bipolar current structure at the loop footpoints at the base of the corona and a local reduction of the background magnetic field (I.e., outside the loop) caused by the plasma flow into and along the loop. Furthermore, the locally reduced magnetic pressure in the loop allows the loop to sustain a higher density, which is crucial for the emission in extreme UV. The action of the flow on the magnetic field hosting the loop turns out to also be responsible for the observed squashing of the loop. Conclusions: The complex magnetic field and current system surrounding it can only be modeled in 3D MHD models where the magnetic field has to balance the plasma pressure. A one-dimensional coronal loop model or a force-free extrapolation cannot capture the current system and the complex interaction of the plasma and the magnetic field in the coronal loop, despite the fact that the loop is under low-β conditions.

UNSTEADY DISPERSION IN RANDOM INTERMITTENT FLOW

EPA Science Inventory

The longitudinal dispersion coefficient of a conservative tracer was calculated from flow tests in a dead-end pipe loop system. Flow conditions for these tests ranged from laminar to transitional flow, and from steady to intermittent and random. Two static mixers linked in series...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denslow, Kayte M.; Bontha, Jagannadha R.; Adkins, Harold E.

This document presents the visual and ultrasonic PulseEcho critical velocity test results obtained from the System Performance test campaign that was completed in September 2012 with the Remote Sampler Demonstration (RSD)/Waste Feed Flow Loop cold-test platform located at the Monarch test facility in Pasco, Washington. This report is intended to complement and accompany the report that will be developed by WRPS on the design of the System Performance simulant matrix, the analysis of the slurry test sample concentration and particle size distribution (PSD) data, and the design and construction of the RSD/Waste Feed Flow Loop cold-test platform.

A study of two-phase flow in a reduced gravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, D.; Downing, Robert S.

1987-01-01

A test loop was designed and fabricated for observing and measuring pressure drops of two-phase flow in reduced gravity. The portable flow test loop was then tested aboard the NASA-JSC KC135 reduced gravity aircraft. The test loop employed the Sundstrand Two-Phase Thermal Management System (TPTMS) concept which was specially fitted with a clear two-phase return line and condenser cover for flow observation. A two-phase (liquid/vapor) mixture was produced by pumping nearly saturated liquid through an evaporator and adding heat via electric heaters. The quality of the two-phase flow was varied by changing the evaporator heat load. The test loop was operated on the ground before and after the KC135 flight tests to create a one-gravity data base. The ground testing included all the test points run during the reduced gravity testing. Two days of reduced gravity tests aboard the KC135 were performed. During the flight tests, reduced-gravity, one-gravity, and nearly two-gravity accelerations were experienced. Data was taken during the entire flight which provided flow regime and pressure drop data for the three operating conditions. The test results show that two-phase pressure drops and flow regimes can be accurately predicted in zero-gravity.

Real-time display of flow-pressure-volume loops.

PubMed

Morozoff, P E; Evans, R W

1992-01-01

Graphic display of respiratory waveforms can be valuable for monitoring the progress of ventilated patients. A system has been developed that can display flow-pressure-volume loops as derived from a patient's respiratory circuit in real time. It can also display, store, print, and retrieve ventilatory waveforms. Five loops can be displayed at once: current, previous, reference, "ideal," and previously saved. Two components, the data-display device (DDD) and the data-collection device (DCD), comprise the system. An IBM 286/386 computer with a graphics card (VGA) and bidirectional parallel port is used for the DDD; an eight-bit microprocessor card and an A/D convertor card make up the DCD. A real-time multitasking operating system was written to control the DDD, while the DCD operates from in-line assembly code. The DCD samples the pressure and flow sensors at 100 Hz and looks for a complete flow waveform pattern based on flow slope. These waveforms are then passed to the DDD via the mutual parallel port. Within the DDD a process integrates the flow to create a volume signal and performs a multilinear regression on the pressure, flow, and volume data to calculate the elastance, resistance, pressure offset, and coefficient of determination. Elastance, resistance, and offset are used to calculate Pr and Pc where: Pr[k] = P[k]-offset-(elastance.V[k]) and Pc[k] = P[k]-offset-(resistance.F[k]). Volume vs. Pc and flow vs. Pr can be displayed in real time. Patient data from previous clinical tests were loaded into the device to verify the software calculations. An analog waveform generator was used to simulate flow and pressure waveforms that validated the system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The heart works against gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seymour, R. S.; Hargens, A. R.; Pedley, T. J.

1993-01-01

The circulatory systems of vertebrate animals are closed, and blood leaves and returns to the heart at the same level. It is often concluded, therefore, that the heart works only against the viscous resistance of the system, not against gravity, even in vascular loops above the heart in which the siphon principle operates. However, we argue that the siphon principle does not assist blood flow in superior vascular loops if any of the descending vasculature is collapsible. If central arterial blood pressure is insufficient to support a blood column between the heart and the head, blood flow ceases because of vascular collapse. Furthermore, the siphon principle does not assist the heart even when a continuous stream of blood is flowing in a superior loop. The potential energy gained by blood as it is pumped to the head is lost to friction in partially collapsed descending vessels and thus is not regained. Application of the Poiseuille equation to flow in collapsible vessels is limited; resistance depends on flow rate in partially collapsed vessels with no transmural pressure difference, but flow rate is independent of resistance. Thus the pressure developed by the heart to establish a given flow rate is independent of the resistance occurring in the partially collapsed vessels. The pressure depends only on the height of the blood column and the resistance in the noncollapsed parts of the system. Simple laboratory models, involving water flow in collapsible tubing, dispel the idea that the siphon principle facilitates blood flow and suggest that previously published results may have been affected by experimental artifact.

PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTROL

DOEpatents

Esselman, W.H.; Kaplan, G.M.

1961-06-20

The control of pressure in pressurized liquid systems, especially a pressurized liquid reactor system, may be achieved by providing a bias circuit or loop across a closed loop having a flow restriction means in the form of an orifice, a storage tank, and a pump connected in series. The subject invention is advantageously utilized where control of a reactor can be achieved by response to the temperature and pressure of the primary cooling system.

A Numerical Study for Groundwater Flow, Heat and Solute Transport Associated with Operation of Open-loop Geothermal System in Alluvial Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, D. K.; Bae, G. O.; Lee, K. K.

2014-12-01

The open-loop geothermal system directly uses a relatively stable temperature of groundwater for cooling and heating in buildings and thus has been known as an eco-friendly, energy-saving, and cost-efficient technique. The facility for this system was installed at a site located near Paldang-dam in Han-river, Korea. Because of the well-developed alluvium, the site might be appropriate to application of this system requiring extraction and injection of a large amount of groundwater. A simple numerical experiment assuming various hydrogeologic conditions demonstrated that regional groundwater flow direction was the most important factor for efficient operation of facility in this site having a highly permeable layer. However, a comparison of river stage data and groundwater level measurements showed that the daily and seasonal controls of water level at Paldang-dam have had a critical influence on the regional groundwater flow in the site. Moreover, nitrate concentrations measured in the monitoring wells gave indication of the effect of agricultural activities around the facility on the groundwater quality. The facility operation, such as extraction and injection of groundwater, will obviously affect transport of the agricultural contaminant and, maybe, it will even cause serious problems in the normal operation. Particularly, the high-permeable layer in this aquifer must be a preferential path for quick spreadings of thermal and contaminant plumes. The objective of this study was to find an efficient, safe and stable operation plan of the open-loop geothermal system installed in this site having the complicated conditions of highly permeable layer, variable regional groundwater flow, and agricultural contamination. Numerical simulations for groundwater flow, heat and solute transport were carried out to analyze all the changes in groundwater level and flow, temperature, and quality according to the operation, respectively. Results showed that an operation plan for only the thermal efficiency of system cannot be the best in aspect of safe and stable operation related to groundwater quality. All these results concluded that it is essential to understand various and site-specific conditions of the site in a more integrated approach for the successful application of the open-loop geothermal system.

Flow Components in a NaK Test Loop Designed to Simulate Conditions in a Nuclear Surface Power Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2008-01-01

A test loop using NaK as the working fluid is presently in use to study material compatibility effects on various components that comprise a possible nuclear reactor design for use on the lunar surface. A DC electromagnetic (EM) pump has been designed and implemented as a means of actively controlling the NaK flow rate through the system and an EM flow sensor is employed to monitor the developed flow rate. These components allow for the matching of the flow rate conditions in test loops with those that would be found in a full-scale surface-power reactor. The design and operating characteristics of the EM pump and flow sensor are presented. In the EM pump, current is applied to a set of electrodes to produce a Lorentz body force in the fluid. A measurement of the induced voltage (back-EMF) in the flow sensor provides the means of monitoring flow rate. Both components are compact, employing high magnetic field strength neodymium magnets thermally coupled to a water-cooled housing. A vacuum gap limits the heat transferred from the high temperature NaK tube to the magnets and a magnetically-permeable material completes the magnetic circuit. The pump is designed to produce a pressure rise of 34.5 kPa, and the flow sensor's predicted output is roughly 20 mV at the loop's nominal flow rate of 0.114 m3/hr.

Flow Components in a NaK Test Loop Designed to Simulate Conditions in a Nuclear Surface Power Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2008-01-01

A test loop using NaK as the working fluid is presently in use to study material compatibility effects on various components that comprise a possible nuclear reactor design for use on the lunar surface. A DC electromagnetic (EM) pump has been designed and implemented as a means of actively controlling the NaK flow rate through the system and an EM flow sensor is employed to monitor the developed flow rate. These components allow for the matching of the flow rate conditions in test loops with those that would be found in a full-scale surface-power reactor. The design and operating characteristics of the EM pump and flow sensor are presented. In the EM pump, current is applied to a set of electrodes to produce a Lorentz body force in the fluid. A measurement of the induced voltage (back-EMF) in the flow sensor provides the means of monitoring flow rate. Both components are compact, employing high magnetic field strength neodymium magnets thermally coupled to a water-cooled housing. A vacuum gap limits the heat transferred from the high temperature NaK tube to the magnets and a magnetically-permeable material completes the magnetic circuit. The pump is designed to produce a pressure rise of 5 psi, and the flow sensor's predicted output is roughly 20 mV at the loop's nominal flow rate of 0.5 GPM.

A prototype heat pipe heat exchanger for the capillary pumped loop flight experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Yun, Seokgeun; Kroliczek, Edward J.

1992-01-01

A Capillary Pumped Two-Phase Heat Transport Loop (CAPL) Flight Experiment, currently planned for 1993, will provide microgravity verification of the prototype capillary pumped loop (CPL) thermal control system for EOS. CAPL employs a heat pipe heat exchanger (HPHX) to couple the condenser section of the CPL to the radiator assembly. A prototype HPHX consisting of a heat exchanger (HX), a header heat pipe (HHP), a spreader heat pipe (SHP), and a flow regulator has been designed and tested. The HX transmits heat from the CPL condenser to the HHP, while the HHP and SHP transport heat to the radiator assembly. The flow regulator controls flow distribution among multiple parallel HPHX's. Test results indicated that the prototype HPHX could transport up to 800 watts with an overall heat transfer coefficient of more than 6000 watts/sq m-deg C. Flow regulation among parallel HPHX's was also demonstrated.

Human life support during interplanetary travel and domicile. II - Generic Modular Flow Schematic modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farral, Joseph F.; Seshan, P. K.; Rohatgi, Naresh K.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the Generic Modular Flow Schematic (GMFS) architecture capable of encompassing all functional elements of a physical/chemical life support system (LSS). The GMFS can be implemented to synthesize, model, analyze, and quantitatively compare many configurations of LSSs, from a simple, completely open-loop to a very complex closed-loop. The GMFS model is coded in ASPEN, a state-of-the-art chemical process simulation program, to accurately compute the material, heat, and power flow quantities for every stream in each of the subsystem functional elements (SFEs) in the chosen configuration of a life support system. The GMFS approach integrates the various SFEs and subsystems in a hierarchical and modular fashion facilitating rapid substitutions and reconfiguration of a life support system. The comprehensive ASPEN material and energy balance output is transferred to a systems and technology assessment spreadsheet for rigorous system analysis and trade studies.

ATLAS LTCS Vertically Challenged System Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, Deepak; Garrison, Matt; Ku, Jentung

2014-01-01

Re-planning of LTCS TVAC testing and supporting RTA (Receiver Telescope Assembly) Test Plan and Procedure document preparation. The Laser Thermal Control System (LTCS) is designed to maintain the lasers onboard Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) at their operational temperatures. In order to verify the functionality of the LTCS, a thermal balance test of the thermal hardware was performed. During the first cold start of the LTCS, the Loop Heat Pipe (LHP) was unable to control the laser mass simulators temperature. The control heaters were fully on and the loop temperature remained well below the desired setpoint. Thermal analysis of the loop did not show these results. This unpredicted behavior of the LTCS was brought up to a panel of LHP experts. Based on the testing and a review of all the data, there were multiple diagnostic performed in order to narrow down the cause. The prevailing theory is that gravity is causing oscillating flow within the loop, which artificially increased the control power needs. This resulted in a replan of the LTCS test flow and the addition of a GSE heater to allow vertical operation.

Multiphase Flow Technology Impacts on Thermal Control Systems for Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McQuillen, John; Sankovic, John; Lekan, Jack

2006-01-01

The Two-Phase Flow Facility (TPHIFFy) Project focused on bridging the critical knowledge gap by developing and demonstrating critical multiphase fluid products for advanced life support, thermal management and power conversion systems that are required to enable the Vision for Space Exploration. Safety and reliability of future systems will be enhanced by addressing critical microgravity fluid physics issues associated with flow boiling, condensation, phase separation, and system stability. The project included concept development, normal gravity testing, and reduced gravity aircraft flight campaigns, in preparation for the development of a space flight experiment implementation. Data will be utilized to develop predictive models that could be used for system design and operation. A single fluid, two-phase closed thermodynamic loop test bed was designed, assembled and tested. The major components in this test bed include: a boiler, a condenser, a phase separator and a circulating pump. The test loop was instrumented with flow meters, thermocouples, pressure transducers and both high speed and normal speed video cameras. A low boiling point surrogate fluid, FC-72, was selected based on scaling analyses using preliminary designs for operational systems. Preliminary results are presented which include flow regime transitions and some observations regarding system stability.

The magnetosphere as system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siscoe, G. L.

2012-12-01

What is a system? A group of elements interacting with each other so as to create feedback loops. A system gets complex as the number of feedback loops increases and as the feedback loops exhibit time delays. Positive and negative feedback loops with time delays can give a system intrinsic time dependence and emergent properties. A system generally has input and output flows of something (matter, energy, money), which, if time variable, add an extrinsic component to its behavior. The magnetosphere is a group of elements interacting through feedback loops, some with time delays, driven by energy and mass inflow from a variable solar wind and outflow into the atmosphere and solar wind. The magnetosphere is a complex system. With no solar wind, there is no behavior. With solar wind, there is behavior from intrinsic and extrinsic causes. As a contribution to taking a macroscopic view of magnetospheric dynamics, to treating the magnetosphere as a globally integrated, complex entity, I will discus the magnetosphere as a system, its feedback loops, time delays, emergent behavior, and intrinsic and extrinsic behavior modes.

Anemometer calibrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bate, T.; Calkins, D. E.; Price, P.; Veikins, O.

1971-01-01

Calibrator generates accurate flow velocities over wide range of gas pressure, temperature, and composition. Both pressure and flow velocity can be maintained within 0.25 percent. Instrument is essentially closed loop hydraulic system containing positive displacement drive.

A statistical learning strategy for closed-loop control of fluid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guéniat, Florimond; Mathelin, Lionel; Hussaini, M. Yousuff

2016-12-01

This work discusses a closed-loop control strategy for complex systems utilizing scarce and streaming data. A discrete embedding space is first built using hash functions applied to the sensor measurements from which a Markov process model is derived, approximating the complex system's dynamics. A control strategy is then learned using reinforcement learning once rewards relevant with respect to the control objective are identified. This method is designed for experimental configurations, requiring no computations nor prior knowledge of the system, and enjoys intrinsic robustness. It is illustrated on two systems: the control of the transitions of a Lorenz'63 dynamical system, and the control of the drag of a cylinder flow. The method is shown to perform well.

Flow rate and temperature characteristics in steady state condition on FASSIP-01 loop during commissioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juarsa, M.; Giarno; Rohman, A. N.; Heru K., G. B.; Witoko, J. P.; Sony Tjahyani, D. T.

2018-02-01

The need for large-scale experimental facilities to investigate the phenomenon of natural circulation flow rate becomes a necessity in the development of nuclear reactor safety management. The FASSIP-01 loop has been built to determine the natural circulation flow rate performance in the large-scale media and aimed to reduce errors in the results for its application in the design of new generation reactors. The commissioning needs to be done to define the capability of the FASSIP-01 loop and to prescribe the experiment limitations. On this commissioning, two scenarios experimental method has been used. The first scenario is a static condition test which was conducted to verify measurement system response during 24 hours without electrical load in heater and cooler, there is water and no water inside the rectangular loop. Second scenario is a dynamics condition that aims to understand the flow rate, a dynamic test was conducted using heater power of 5627 watts and coolant flow rate in the HSS loop of 9.35 LPM. The result of this test shows that the temperature characterization on static test provide a recommendation, that the experiments should be done at night because has a better environmental temperature stability compared to afternoon, with stable temperature around 1°C - 3°C. While on the dynamic test, the water temperature difference between the inlet-outlets in the heater area is quite large, about 7 times the temperature difference in the cooler area. The magnitude of the natural circulation flow rate calculated is much larger at about 300 times compared to the measured flow rate with different flow rate profiles.

System Design Verification for Closed Loop Control of Oxygenation With Concentrator Integration.

PubMed

Gangidine, Matthew M; Blakeman, Thomas C; Branson, Richard D; Johannigman, Jay A

2016-05-01

Addition of an oxygen concentrator into a control loop furthers previous work in autonomous control of oxygenation. Software integrates concentrator and ventilator function from a single control point, ensuring maximum efficiency by placing a pulse of oxygen at the beginning of the breath. We sought to verify this system. In a test lung, fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) levels and additional data were monitored. Tests were run across a range of clinically relevant ventilator settings in volume control mode, for both continuous flow and pulse dose flow oxygenation. Results showed the oxygen concentrator could maintain maximum pulse output (192 mL) up to 16 breaths per minute. Functionality was verified across ranges of tidal volumes and respiratory rates, with and without positive end-expiratory pressure, in continuous flow and pulse dose modes. For a representative test at respiratory rate 16 breaths per minute, tidal volume 550 mL, without positive end-expiratory pressure, pulse dose oxygenation delivered peak FIO2 of 76.83 ± 1.41%, and continuous flow 47.81 ± 0.08%; pulse dose flow provided a higher FIO2 at all tested setting combinations compared to continuous flow (p < 0.001). These tests verify a system that provides closed loop control of oxygenation while integrating time-coordinated pulse-doses from an oxygen concentrator. This allows the most efficient use of resources in austere environments. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Enterprise Systems Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-14

flows , or continuous state changes, with feedback loops and lags modeled in the flow system. Agent based simulations operate using a discrete event...DeLand, S. M., Rutherford, B . M., Diegert, K. V., & Alvin, K. F. (2002). Error and uncertainty in modeling and simulation . Reliability Engineering...intrinsic complexity of the underlying social systems fundamentally limits the ability to make

Closed-loop Separation Control Using Oscillatory Flow Excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allan, Brian G.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Raney, David L.; Seifert, Avi; Pack, latunia G.; Brown, Donald E.

2000-01-01

Design and implementation of a digital feedback controller for a flow control experiment was performed. The experiment was conducted in a cryogenic pressurized wind tunnel on a generic separated configuration at a chord Reynolds number of 16 million and a Mach number of 0.25. The model simulates the upper surface of a 20% thick airfoil at zero angle-of-attack. A moderate favorable pressure gradient, up to 55% of the chord, is followed by a severe adverse pressure gradient which is relaxed towards the trailing edge. The turbulent separation bubble, behind the adverse pressure gradient, is then reduced by introducing oscillatory flow excitation just upstream of the point of flow separation. The degree of reduction in the separation region can be controlled by the amplitude of the oscillatory excitation. A feedback controller was designed to track a given trajectory for the desired degree of flow reattachment and to improve the transient behavior of the flow system. Closed-loop experiments demonstrated that the feedback controller was able to track step input commands and improve the transient behavior of the open-loop response.

Cool transition region loops observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Z.; Xia, L.; Li, B.; Madjarska, M. S.

2015-12-01

An important class of loops in the solar atmosphere, cool transition region loops, have received little attention mainly due to instrumental limitations. We analyze a cluster of these loops in the on-disk active region NOAA 11934 recorded in a Si IV 1402.8 Å spectral raster and 1400Å slit-jaw (SJ) images taken by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. We divide these loops into three groups and study their dynamics, evolution and interaction.The first group comprises geometrically relatively stable loops, which are finely scaled with 382~626 km cross-sections. Siphon flows in these loops are suggested by the Doppler velocities gradually changing from -10 km/s (blue-shifts) in one end to 20 km/s (red-shifts) in the other. Nonthermal velocities from 15 to 25 km/s were determined. The obtained physical properties suggest that these loops are impulsively heated by magnetic reconnection occurring at the blue-shifted footpoints where magnetic cancellation with a rate of 1015 Mx/s is found. The released magnetic energy is redistributed by the siphon flows. The second group corresponds to two active footpoints rooted in mixed-magnetic-polarity regions. Magnetic reconnection in both footpoints is suggested by explosive-event line profiles with enhanced wings up to 200 km/s and magnetic cancellation with a rate of ~1015 Mx/s. In the third group, an interaction between two cool loop systems is observed. Mixed-magnetic polarities are seen in their conjunction area where explosive-event line profiles and magnetic cancellation with a rate of 3×1015 Mx/s are found. This is a clear indication that magnetic reconnection occurs between these two loop systems. Our observations suggest that the cool transition region loops are heated impulsively most likely by sequences of magnetic reconnection events.

Cool Transition Region Loops Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhenghua; Xia, Lidong; Li, Bo; Madjarska, Maria S.

2015-09-01

We report on the first Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) study of cool transition region loops, a class of loops that has received little attention in the literature. A cluster of such loops was observed on the solar disk in active region NOAA11934, in the Si iv 1402.8 Å spectral raster and 1400 Å slit-jaw images. We divide the loops into three groups and study their dynamics. The first group comprises relatively stable loops, with 382-626 km cross-sections. Observed Doppler velocities are suggestive of siphon flows, gradually changing from -10 km s-1 at one end to 20 km s-1 at the other end of the loops. Nonthermal velocities of 15 ˜ 25 km s-1 were determined. Magnetic cancellation with a rate of 1015 Mx s-1 is found at the blueshifted footpoints. These physical properties suggest that these loops are impulsively heated by magnetic reconnection, and the siphon flows play an important role in the energy redistribution. The second group corresponds to two footpoints rooted in mixed-magnetic-polarity regions, where magnetic cancellation with a rate of 1015 Mx s-1 and explosive-event line profiles with enhanced wings of up to 200 km s-1 were observed. In the third group, interaction between two cool loop systems is observed. Evidence for magnetic reconnection between the two loop systems is reflected in the explosive-event line profiles and magnetic cancellation with a rate of 3× {10}15 Mx s-1 observed in the corresponding area. The IRIS has provided opportunity for in-depth investigations of cool transition region loops. Further numerical experiments are crucial for understanding their physics and their roles in the coronal heating processes.

Controlling Flows Of Two Ingredients For Spraying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandler, Huel H.

1995-01-01

Closed-loop servo control subsystem incorporated, as modification, into system controlling flows of two ingredients mixed and sprayed to form thermally insulating foams on large tanks. Provides steady flows at specified rates. Foams produced smoother and of higher quality. Continued use of system results in substantial reduction in cost stemming from close control of application of foam and consequent reduced use of material.

The development of a cryogenic over-pressure pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, M.; Cease, H.; Flaugher, B.; Flores, R.; Garcia, J.; Lathrop, A.; Ruiz, F.

2014-01-01

A cryogenic over-pressure pump (OPP) was tested in the prototype telescope liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooling system for the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Project. This OPP consists of a process cylinder (PC), gas generator, and solenoid operated valves (SOVs). It is a positive displacement pump that provided intermittent liquid nitrogen (LN2) flow to an array of charge couple devices (CCDs) for the prototype Dark Energy Camera (DECam). In theory, a heater submerged in liquid would generate the drive gas in a closed loop cooling system. The drive gas would be injected into the PC to displace that liquid volume. However, due to limitations of the prototype closed loop nitrogen system (CCD cooling system) for DECam, a quasiclosed-loop nitrogen system was created. During the test of the OPP, the CCD array was cooled to its designed set point temperature of 173K. It was maintained at that temperature via electrical heaters. The performance of the OPP was captured in pressure, temperature, and flow rate in the CCD LN2 cooling system at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL).

Two-Phase Flow Instrumentation Review Group Meeting. Proceedings of Meeting Held in Silver Spring, Maryland on January 13-14, 1977

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-03-01

ADWRESS OInclud Zip Code) 10. PROJECTfTASK/WORK UNI1 VO. Same as 9. above. I1. CONTRACT NO. 13. TYPE OF REPORT PERIOD COVERED (inclusive dews ) Meeting...Discussion of basic principles. c. Lists of y-emitling tracers for gas ; for liquid; commercially available radioisotope milking systems; elements easily...factors) - single phase loops, full flow, (2) prototype calibration (a) gas -water loop, (b) geometry effect. (c) scaling. (3) proof testing - simulation of

Study and development of an air conditioning system operating on a magnetic heat pump cycle (design and testing of flow directors)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pao-Lien

1992-09-01

This report describes the fabrication, design of flow director, fluid flow direction analysis and testing of flow director of a magnetic heat pump. The objectives of the project are: (1) to fabricate a demonstration magnetic heat pump prototype with flow directors installed; and (2) analysis and testing of flow director and to make sure working fluid loops flow through correct directions with minor mixing. The prototype was fabricated and tested at the Development Testing Laboratory of Kennedy Space Center. The magnetic heat pump uses rear earth metal plates rotate in and out of a magnetic field in a clear plastic housing with water flowing through the rotor plates to provide temperature lift. Obtaining the proper water flow direction has been a problem. Flow directors were installed as flow barriers between separating point of two parallel loops. Function of flow directors were proven to be excellent both analytically and experimentally.

Study and development of an air conditioning system operating on a magnetic heat pump cycle (design and testing of flow directors)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Pao-Lien

1992-01-01

This report describes the fabrication, design of flow director, fluid flow direction analysis and testing of flow director of a magnetic heat pump. The objectives of the project are: (1) to fabricate a demonstration magnetic heat pump prototype with flow directors installed; and (2) analysis and testing of flow director and to make sure working fluid loops flow through correct directions with minor mixing. The prototype was fabricated and tested at the Development Testing Laboratory of Kennedy Space Center. The magnetic heat pump uses rear earth metal plates rotate in and out of a magnetic field in a clear plastic housing with water flowing through the rotor plates to provide temperature lift. Obtaining the proper water flow direction has been a problem. Flow directors were installed as flow barriers between separating point of two parallel loops. Function of flow directors were proven to be excellent both analytically and experimentally.

Pretest analysis of natural circulation on the PWR model PACTEL with horizontal steam generators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kervinen, T.; Riikonen, V.; Ritonummi, T.

A new tests facility - parallel channel tests loop (PACTEL)- has been designed and built to simulate the major components and system behavior of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) during postulated small- and medium-break loss-of-coolant accidents. Pretest calculations have been performed for the first test series, and the results of these calculations are being used for planning experiments, for adjusting the data acquisition system, and for choosing the optimal position and type of instrumentation. PACTEL is a volumetrically scaled (1:305) model of the VVER-440 PWR. In all the calculated cases, the natural circulation was found to be effective in removing themore » heat from the core to the steam generator. The loop mass flow rate peaked at 60% mass inventory. The straightening of the loop seals increased the mass flow rate significantly.« less

Characteristics of Helical Flow through Neck Cutoffs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, D.; Konsoer, K. M.; Turnipseed, C.; Willson, C. S.

2017-12-01

Meander cutoffs and oxbows lakes are a ubiquitous feature of riverine landscapes yet there is a paucity of detailed investigations concentrated on the three-dimensional flow structure through evolving neck cutoffs. The purpose of this research is to investigate and characterize helical flow through neck cutoffs with two different planform configurations: elongate meander loops and serpentine loops. Three-dimensional velocity measurements was collected with an acoustic Doppler current profiler for five cutoffs on the White River, Arkansas. Pronounced helical flow was found through all elongate loop cutoff sites, formed from the balance between centrifugal force resulting from the curving of flow through the cutoff channel and pressure gradient force resulting from water surface super-elevation between primary flow and flow at the entrance and exit of the abandoned loop. The sense of motion of the helical flow caused near-surface fluid to travel outward toward the abandoned loop while near-bed fluid was redirected toward the downstream channel. Another characteristic of the helical flow structure for elongate loop cutoffs was the reversal of helical flow over a relatively short distance, causing patterns of secondary circulation that differed from typical patterns observed through curved channels with point bars. Lastly, helical flow was revealed within zones of strong flow recirculation, enhanced by an exchange of streamwise momentum between shear layers.

A comparative approach to closed-loop computation.

PubMed

Roth, E; Sponberg, S; Cowan, N J

2014-04-01

Neural computation is inescapably closed-loop: the nervous system processes sensory signals to shape motor output, and motor output consequently shapes sensory input. Technological advances have enabled neuroscientists to close, open, and alter feedback loops in a wide range of experimental preparations. The experimental capability of manipulating the topology-that is, how information can flow between subsystems-provides new opportunities to understand the mechanisms and computations underlying behavior. These experiments encompass a spectrum of approaches from fully open-loop, restrained preparations to the fully closed-loop character of free behavior. Control theory and system identification provide a clear computational framework for relating these experimental approaches. We describe recent progress and new directions for translating experiments at one level in this spectrum to predictions at another level. Operating across this spectrum can reveal new understanding of how low-level neural mechanisms relate to high-level function during closed-loop behavior. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apparatus for measuring fluid flow

DOEpatents

Smith, Jack E.; Thomas, David G.

1984-01-01

Flow measuring apparatus includes a support loop having strain gages mounted thereon and a drag means which is attached to one end of the support loop and which bends the sides of the support loop and induces strains in the strain gages when a flow stream impacts thereon.

Apparatus for measuring fluid flow

DOEpatents

Smith, J.E.; Thomas, D.G.

Flow measuring apparatus includes a support loop having strain gages mounted thereon and a drag means which is attached to one end of the support loop and which bends the sides of the support loop and induces strains in the strain gages when a flow stream impacts thereon.

Multi-Purpose Thermal Hydraulic Loop: Advanced Reactor Technology Integral System Test (ARTIST) Facility for Support of Advanced Reactor Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James E. O'Brien; Piyush Sabharwall; SuJong Yoon

2001-11-01

Effective and robust high temperature heat transfer systems are fundamental to the successful deployment of advanced reactors for both power generation and non-electric applications. Plant designs often include an intermediate heat transfer loop (IHTL) with heat exchangers at either end to deliver thermal energy to the application while providing isolation of the primary reactor system. In order to address technical feasibility concerns and challenges a new high-temperature multi-fluid, multi-loop test facility “Advanced Reactor Technology Integral System Test facility” (ARTIST) is under development at the Idaho National Laboratory. The facility will include three flow loops: high-temperature helium, molten salt, and steam/water.more » Details of some of the design aspects and challenges of this facility, which is currently in the conceptual design phase, are discussed« less

Air-flow regulation system for a coal gasifier

DOEpatents

Fasching, George E.

1984-01-01

An improved air-flow regulator for a fixed-bed coal gasifier is provided which allows close air-flow regulation from a compressor source even though the pressure variations are too rapid for a single primary control loop to respond. The improved system includes a primary controller to control a valve in the main (large) air supply line to regulate large slow changes in flow. A secondary controller is used to control a smaller, faster acting valve in a secondary (small) air supply line parallel to the main line valve to regulate rapid cyclic deviations in air flow. A low-pass filter with a time constant of from 20 to 50 seconds couples the output of the secondary controller to the input of the primary controller so that the primary controller only responds to slow changes in the air-flow rate, the faster, cyclic deviations in flow rate sensed and corrected by the secondary controller loop do not reach the primary controller due to the high frequency rejection provided by the filter. This control arrangement provides at least a factor of 5 improvement in air-flow regulation for a coal gasifier in which air is supplied by a reciprocating compressor through a surge tank.

An experimental evaluation of the effect of homogenization quality as a preconditioning on oil-water two-phase volume fraction measurement accuracy using gamma-ray attenuation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharifzadeh, M.; Hashemabadi, S. H.; Afarideh, H.; Khalafi, H.

2018-02-01

The problem of how to accurately measure multiphase flow in the oil/gas industry remains as an important issue since the early 80 s. Meanwhile, oil-water two-phase flow rate measurement has been regarded as an important issue. Gamma-ray attenuation is one of the most commonly used methods for phase fraction measurement which is entirely dependent on the flow regime variations. The peripheral strategy applied for removing the regime dependency problem, is using a homogenization system as a preconditioning tool, as this research work demonstrates. Here, at first, TPFHL as a two-phase flow homogenizer loop has been introduced and verified by a quantitative assessment. In the wake of this procedure, SEMPF as a static-equivalent multiphase flow with an additional capability for preparing a uniform mixture has been explained. The proposed idea in this system was verified by Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, the different water-gas oil two-phase volume fractions fed to the homogenizer loop and injected into the static-equivalent system. A comparison between performance of these two systems by using gamma-ray attenuation technique, showed not only an extra ability to prepare a homogenized mixture but a remarkably increased measurement accuracy for the static-equivalent system.

Closed Loop Active Flow Separation Detection and Control in a Multistage Compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bright, Michelle M.; Culley, Dennis E.; Braunscheidel, Edward P.; Welch, Gerard E.

2005-01-01

Active closed loop flow control was successfully demonstrated on a full annulus of stator vanes in a low speed axial compressor. Two independent methods of detecting separated flow conditions on the vane suction surface were developed. The first technique detects changes in static pressure along the vane suction surface, while the second method monitors variation in the potential field of the downstream rotor. Both methods may feasibly be used in future engines employing embedded flow control technology. In response to the detection of separated conditions, injection along the suction surface of each vane was used. Injected mass flow on the suction surface of stator vanes is known to reduce separation and the resulting limitation on static pressure rise due to lowered diffusion in the vane passage. A control algorithm was developed which provided a proportional response of the injected mass flow to the degree of separation, thereby minimizing the performance penalty on the compressor system.

Analysis of Mesh Distribution Systems Considering Load Models and Load Growth Impact with Loops on System Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar Sharma, A.; Murty, V. V. S. N.

2014-12-01

The distribution system is the final link between bulk power system and consumer end. A distinctive load flow solution method is used for analysis of the load flow of radial and weakly meshed network based on Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL) and KVL. This method has excellent convergence characteristics for both radial as well as weakly meshed structure and is based on bus injection to branch current and branch-current to bus-voltage matrix. The main contribution of the paper is: (i) an analysis has been carried out for a weekly mesh network considering number of loops addition and its impact on the losses, kW and kVAr requirements from a system, and voltage profile, (ii) different load models, realistic ZIP load model and load growth impact on losses, voltage profile, kVA and kVAr requirements, (iii) impact of addition of loops on losses, voltage profile, kVA and kVAr requirements from substation, and (iv) comparison of system performance with radial distribution system. Voltage stability is a major concern in planning and operation of power systems. This paper also includes identifying the closeness critical bus which is the most sensitive to the voltage collapse in radial distribution networks. Node having minimum value of voltage stability index is the most sensitive node. Voltage stability index values are computed for meshed network with number of loops added in the system. The results have been obtained for IEEE 33 and 69 bus test system. The results have also been obtained for radial distribution system for comparison.

Study of Critical Heat Flux and Two-Phase Pressure Drop Under Reduced Gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdollahian, Davood; Quintal, Joseph; Barez, Fred; Zahm, Jennifer; Lohr, Victor

1996-01-01

The design of the two-phase flow systems which are anticipated to be utilized in future spacecraft thermal management systems requires a knowledge of two-phase flow and heat transfer phenomena in reduced gravities. This program was funded by NASA headquarters in response to NRA-91-OSSA-17 and was managed by Lewis Research Center. The main objective of this program was to design and construct a two-phase test loop, and perform a series of normal gravity and aircraft trajectory experiments to study the effect of gravity on the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) and onset of instability. The test loop was packaged on two aircraft racks and was also instrumented to generate data for two-phase pressure drop. The normal gravity tests were performed with vertical up and downflow configurations to bound the effect of gravity on the test parameters. One set of aircraft trajectory tests was performed aboard the NASA DC-9 aircraft. These tests were mainly intended to evaluate the test loop and its operational performance under actual reduced gravity conditions, and to produce preliminary data for the test parameters. The test results were used to demonstrate the applicability of the normal gravity models for prediction of the two-phase friction pressure drop. It was shown that the two-phase friction multipliers for vertical upflow and reduced gravity conditions can be successfully predicted by the appropriate normal gravity models. Limited critical heat flux data showed that the measured CHF under reduced gravities are of the same order of magnitude as the test results with vertical upflow configuration. A simplified correlation was only successful in predicting the measured CHF for low flow rates. Instability tests with vertical upflow showed that flow becomes unstable and critical heat flux occurs at smaller powers when a parallel flow path exists. However, downflow tests and a single reduced gravity instability experiment indicated that the system actually became more stable with a parallel single-phase flow path. Several design modifications have been identified which will improve the system performance for generating reduced gravity data. The modified test loop can provide two-phase flow data for a range of operating conditions and can serve as a test bed for component evaluation.

RELAP5 Analysis of the Hybrid Loop-Pool Design for Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hongbin Zhang; Haihua Zhao; Cliff Davis

2008-06-01

An innovative hybrid loop-pool design for sodium cooled fast reactors (SFR-Hybrid) has been recently proposed. This design takes advantage of the inherent safety of a pool design and the compactness of a loop design to improve economics and safety of SFRs. In the hybrid loop-pool design, primary loops are formed by connecting the reactor outlet plenum (hot pool), intermediate heat exchangers (IHX), primary pumps and the reactor inlet plenum with pipes. The primary loops are immersed in the cold pool (buffer pool). Passive safety systems -- modular Pool Reactor Auxiliary Cooling Systems (PRACS) – are added to transfer decay heatmore » from the primary system to the buffer pool during loss of forced circulation (LOFC) transients. The primary systems and the buffer pool are thermally coupled by the PRACS, which is composed of PRACS heat exchangers (PHX), fluidic diodes and connecting pipes. Fluidic diodes are simple, passive devices that provide large flow resistance in one direction and small flow resistance in reverse direction. Direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) heat exchangers (DHX) are immersed in the cold pool to transfer decay heat to the environment by natural circulation. To prove the design concepts, especially how the passive safety systems behave during transients such as LOFC with scram, a RELAP5-3D model for the hybrid loop-pool design was developed. The simulations were done for both steady-state and transient conditions. This paper presents the details of RELAP5-3D analysis as well as the calculated thermal response during LOFC with scram. The 250 MW thermal power conventional pool type design of GNEP’s Advanced Burner Test Reactor (ABTR) developed by Argonne National Laboratory was used as the reference reactor core and primary loop design. The reactor inlet temperature is 355 °C and the outlet temperature is 510 °C. The core design is the same as that for ABTR. The steady state buffer pool temperature is the same as the reactor inlet temperature. The peak cladding, hot pool, cold pool and reactor inlet temperatures were calculated during LOFC. The results indicate that there are two phases during LOFC transient – the initial thermal equilibration phase and the long term decay heat removal phase. The initial thermal equilibration phase occurs over a few hundred seconds, as the system adjusts from forced circulation to natural circulation flow. Subsequently, during long-term heat removal phase all temperatures evolve very slowly due to the large thermal inertia of the primary and buffer pool systems. The results clearly show that passive safety PRACS can effectively transfer decay heat from the primary system to the buffer pool by natural circulation. The DRACS system in turn can effectively transfer the decay heat to the environment.« less

Thermal Vacuum Testing of a Proto-flight Miniature Loop Heat Pipe with Two Evaporators and Two Condensers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Ottenstein, Laura

2011-01-01

This paper describes thermal vacuum testing of a proto-flight miniature loop heat pipe (MLHP) with two evaporators and two condensers designed for future small systems applications requiring low mass, low power and compactness. Each evaporator contains a wick with an outer diameter of 6.35 mm, and each has its own integral compensation chamber (CC). Miniaturization of the loop components reduces the volume and mass of the thermal system. Multiple evaporators provide flexibility for placement of instruments that need to be maintained at the same temperature, and facilitate heat load sharing among instruments, reducing the auxiliary heater power requirement. A flow regulator is used to regulate heat dissipations between the two condensers, allowing flexible placement of radiators on the spacecraft. A thermoelectric converter (TEC) is attached to each CC for control of the operating temperature and enhancement of start-up success. Tests performed include start-up, power cycle, sink temperature cycle, high power and low power operation, heat load sharing, and operating temperature control. The proto-flight MLHP demonstrated excellent performance in the thermal vacuum test. The loop started successfully and operated stably under various evaporator heat loads and condenser sink temperatures. The TECs were able to maintain the loop operating temperature within b1K of the desired set point temperature at all power levels and all sink temperatures. The un-powered evaporator would automatically share heat from the other powered evaporator. The flow regulator was able to regulate the heat dissipation among the radiators and prevent vapor from flowing into the liquid line.

Development of a split-flow system for high precision variable sample introduction in supercritical fluid chromatography.

PubMed

Sakai, Miho; Hayakawa, Yoshihiro; Funada, Yasuhiro; Ando, Takashi; Fukusaki, Eiichiro; Bamba, Takeshi

2017-09-15

In this study, we propose a novel variable sample injection system based on full-loop injection, named the split-flow sample introduction system, for application in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). In this system, the mobile phase is split by the differential pressure between two back pressure regulators (BPRs) after full-loop injection suitable for SFC, and this differential pressure determines the introduction rate. Nine compounds with a wide range of characteristics were introduced with high reproducibility and universality, confirming that a robust variable sample injection system was achieved. We also investigated the control factors of our proposed system. Sample introduction was controlled by the ratio between the column-side pressure drops in splitless and split flow, ΔP columnsideinsplitless and ΔP columnsideinsplit , respectively, where ΔP columnsideinsplitless is related to the mobile phase flow rate and composition and the column resistance. When all other conditions are kept constant, increasing the make-up flow induces an additional pressure drop on the column side of the system, which leads to a reduced column-side flow rate, and hence decreased the amount of sample injected, even when the net pressure drop on the column side remains the same. Thus, sample introduction could be highly controlled at low sample introduction rate, regardless of the introduction conditions. This feature is advantageous because, as a control factor, the solvent in the make-up pump is independent of the column-side pressure drop. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Closed-loop helium circulation system for actuation of a continuously operating heart catheter pump.

PubMed

Karabegovic, Alen; Hinteregger, Markus; Janeczek, Christoph; Mohl, Werner; Gföhler, Margit

2017-06-09

Currently available, pneumatic-based medical devices are operated using closed-loop pulsatile or open continuous systems. Medical devices utilizing gases with a low atomic number in a continuous closed loop stream have not been documented to date. This work presents the construction of a portable helium circulation addressing the need for actuating a novel, pneumatically operated catheter pump. The design of its control system puts emphasis on the performance, safety and low running cost of the catheter pump. Static and dynamic characteristics of individual elements in the circulation are analyzed to ensure a proper operation of the system. The pneumatic circulation maximizes the working range of the drive unit inside the catheter pump while reducing the total size and noise production.Separate flow and pressure controllers position the turbine's working point into the stable region of the pressure creation element. A subsystem for rapid gas evacuation significantly decreases the duration of helium removal after a leak, reaching subatmospheric pressure in the intracorporeal catheter within several milliseconds. The system presented in the study offers an easy control of helium mass flow while ensuring stable behavior of its internal components.

Automated stopped-in-dual-loop flow analysis system for catalytic determination of vanadium in drinking water.

PubMed

Teshima, Norio; Kuno, Masami; Ueda, Minoru; Ueda, Hisashi; Ohno, Shinsuke; Sakai, Tadao

2009-07-15

An automated stopped-in-dual-loop flow analysis (SIDL-FA) system is proposed for the determination of vanadium in drinking water. The chemistry is based on the vanadium-catalyzed oxidation reaction of p-anisidine by bromate in the presence of Tiron as an activator to produce a dye (lambda(max)=510 nm). A SIDL-FA system basically consists of a selection valve, three pumps (one is for delivering of standard/sample, and others are for reagents), two six-way injection valves, a spectrophotometric detector and a data acquisition device. A 100-microL coiled loop around a heated device is fitted onto each six-way injection valve. A well-mixed solution containing reagents and standard/sample is loaded into the first loop on a six-way valve, and then the same solution is loaded into the second loop on another six-way valve. The solutions are isolated by switching these two six-way valves, so that the catalytic reaction can be promoted. The net waste can be zero in this stage, because all pumps are turned off. Then each resulting solution is dispensed to the detector with suitable time lag. A touchscreen controller is developed to automatically carry out the original SIDL-FA protocol. The proposed SIDL-FA method allows vanadium to be quantified in the range of 0.1-2 microg L(-1) and is applied to the determination of vanadium in drinking water samples.

Silica Precipitation and Scaling in Dynamic Geothermal Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bohlmann, E.G.; Shor, A.J.; Berlinski, P.

1976-01-01

The authors are modifying an existing 100 gpm titanium loop to provide a facility for studying the formation of silica precipitates, their properties and fates, principally as a function of brine composition, temperature, and flow conditions. This loop demonstrated excellent serviceability over a period of years in saline water corrosion studies (to 275 C and 2 M NaCl), with and without pollutant additives such as H{sub 2}S, NH{sub 3}, and SO{sub 2}, and should be equally useful in this application. Simulated silica saturated geothermal waters are prepared by circulating part of the loop flow ({approx} 1 gpm) through a bypassmore » column filled with amorphous silica powder. Exploratory studies in a Once-Through Development System indicated that porous Vycor (Cornin-Glass Code No.7930, 97% SiO{sub 2}, 3% B{sub 2}O{sub 3}) was a suitable material for loading the column. A recent run at {approx} 220 C confirmed this: the system approached equilibrium in agreement with calculation and with the anticipated 15 psi pressure drop through an 18 in. deep bed of 140-200 mesh Vycor powder.« less

In-situ Condition Monitoring of Components in Small Modular Reactors Using Process and Electrical Signature Analysis. Final report, volume 1. Development of experimental flow control loop, data analysis and plant monitoring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upadhyaya, Belle; Hines, J. Wesley; Damiano, Brian

The research and development under this project was focused on the following three major objectives: Objective 1: Identification of critical in-vessel SMR components for remote monitoring and development of their low-order dynamic models, along with a simulation model of an integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR). Objective 2: Development of an experimental flow control loop with motor-driven valves and pumps, incorporating data acquisition and on-line monitoring interface. Objective 3: Development of stationary and transient signal processing methods for electrical signatures, machinery vibration, and for characterizing process variables for equipment monitoring. This objective includes the development of a data analysis toolbox. Themore » following is a summary of the technical accomplishments under this project: - A detailed literature review of various SMR types and electrical signature analysis of motor-driven systems was completed. A bibliography of literature is provided at the end of this report. Assistance was provided by ORNL in identifying some key references. - A review of literature on pump-motor modeling and digital signal processing methods was performed. - An existing flow control loop was upgraded with new instrumentation, data acquisition hardware and software. The upgrading of the experimental loop included the installation of a new submersible pump driven by a three-phase induction motor. All the sensors were calibrated before full-scale experimental runs were performed. - MATLAB-Simulink model of a three-phase induction motor and pump system was completed. The model was used to simulate normal operation and fault conditions in the motor-pump system, and to identify changes in the electrical signatures. - A simulation model of an integral PWR (iPWR) was updated and the MATLAB-Simulink model was validated for known transients. The pump-motor model was interfaced with the iPWR model for testing the impact of primary flow perturbations (upsets) on plant parameters and the pump electrical signatures. Additionally, the reactor simulation is being used to generate normal operation data and data with instrumentation faults and process anomalies. A frequency controller was interfaced with the motor power supply in order to vary the electrical supply frequency. The experimental flow control loop was used to generate operational data under varying motor performance characteristics. Coolant leakage events were simulated by varying the bypass loop flow rate. The accuracy of motor power calculation was improved by incorporating the power factor, computed from motor current and voltage in each phase of the induction motor.- A variety of experimental runs were made for steady-state and transient pump operating conditions. Process, vibration, and electrical signatures were measured using a submersible pump with variable supply frequency. High correlation was seen between motor current and pump discharge pressure signal; similar high correlation was exhibited between pump motor power and flow rate. Wide-band analysis indicated high coherence (in the frequency domain) between motor current and vibration signals. - Wide-band operational data from a PWR were acquired from AMS Corporation and used to develop time-series models, and to estimate signal spectrum and sensor time constant. All the data were from different pressure transmitters in the system, including primary and secondary loops. These signals were pre-processed using the wavelet transform for filtering both low-frequency and high-frequency bands. This technique of signal pre-processing provides minimum distortion of the data, and results in a more optimal estimation of time constants of plant sensors using time-series modeling techniques.« less

Cooling molten salt reactors using "gas-lift"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitek, Pavel; Valenta, Vaclav; Klimko, Marek

2014-08-01

This study briefly describes the selection of a type of two-phase flow, suitable for intensifying the natural flow of nuclear reactors with liquid fuel - cooling mixture molten salts and the description of a "Two-phase flow demonstrator" (TFD) used for experimental study of the "gas-lift" system and its influence on the support of natural convection. The measuring device and the application of the TDF device is described. The work serves as a model system for "gas-lift" (replacing the classic pump in the primary circuit) for high temperature MSR planned for hydrogen production. An experimental facility was proposed on the basis of which is currently being built an experimental loop containing the generator, separator bubbles and necessary accessories. This loop will model the removal of gaseous fission products and tritium. The cleaning of the fuel mixture of fluoride salts eliminates problems from Xenon poisoning in classical reactors.

Self-contained heat rejection module for future spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, M. L.; Williams, J. L.; Baskett, J. D.; Leach, J. W.

1975-01-01

This paper discusses development of a Self-Contained Heat Rejection Module (SHRM) which can be used on a wide variety of future spacecraft launched by the space shuttle orbiter. The SHRM contains radiators which are deployed by a scissor-mechanism and the flow equipment including pumps, accumulator, by-pass valves, and controllers necessary to reject heat from those radiators. Heat transfer between SHRM and the parent vehicle is effected by a contact heat exchanger. This device provides heat transfer between two separate flow loops through a mechanical connection. This approach reduces the time required to attach the SHRM to the payload, and increases the reliability of the SHRM flow loop since breaking into the fluid system in the field is not required. The SHRM concept also includes a refrigeration system to increase heat rejection capacity in adverse environments, or to provide for a lower return temperature, down to -23 C.

Critical care nursing: Embedded complex systems.

PubMed

Trinier, Ruth; Liske, Lori; Nenadovic, Vera

2016-01-01

Variability in parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure defines healthy physiology and the ability of the person to adequately respond to stressors. Critically ill patients have lost this variability and require highly specialized nursing care to support life and monitor changes in condition. The critical care environment is a dynamic system through which information flows. The critical care unit is typically designed as a tree structure with generally one attending physician and multiple nurses and allied health care professionals. Information flow through the system allows for identification of deteriorating patient status and timely interventionfor rescue from further deleterious effects. Nurses provide the majority of direct patient care in the critical care setting in 2:1, 1:1 or 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratios. The bedside nurse-critically ill patient relationship represents the primary, real-time feedback loop of information exchange, monitoring and treatment. Variables that enhance information flow through this loop and support timely nursing intervention can improve patient outcomes, while barriers can lead to errors and adverse events. Examining patient information flow in the critical care environment from a dynamic systems perspective provides insights into how nurses deliver effective patient care and prevent adverse events.

Flow volume loops in patients with goiters.

PubMed Central

Geraghty, J G; Coveney, E C; Kiernan, M; O'Higgins, N J

1992-01-01

Plain radiology is the standard means of assessing upper airway obstruction in patients with goiters. Flow volume loop curves will provide additional information, because they allow a quantitative assessment of airflow dynamics in the respiratory cycle. Fifty-one patients had flow volume loops performed before and after thyroidectomy. There was a significant increase in the maximum inspiratory flow rate (3.9 +/- 0.2 versus 4.9 +/- 0.2 L/second, p less than 0.01) after thyroidectomy. Eight of twelve patients with normal tracheal radiology had improved airflow dynamics in the postoperative period. The flow volume loop curve is a simple noninvasive means of assessing airflow dynamics in patients with goiters and may be superior to conventional radiology. PMID:1731653

Scaling analysis for the direct reactor auxiliary cooling system for FHRs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lv, Q.; Kim, I. H.; Sun, X.

2015-04-01

The Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System (DRACS) is a passive residual heat removal system proposed for the Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) that combines the coated particle fuel and graphite moderator with a liquid fluoride salt as the coolant. The DRACS features three natural circulation/convection loops that rely on buoyancy as the driving force and are coupled via two heat exchangers, namely, the DRACS heat exchanger and the natural draft heat exchanger. A fluidic diode is employed to minimize the parasitic flow into the DRACS primary loop and correspondingly the heat loss to the DRACS during reactor normal operation, and tomore » activate the DRACS in accidents when the reactor is shut down. While the DRACS concept has been proposed, there are no actual prototypic DRACS systems for FHRs built or tested in the literature. In this paper, a detailed scaling analysis for the DRACS is performed, which will provide guidance for the design of scaled-down DRACS test facilities. Based on the Boussinesq assumption and one-dimensional flow formulation, the governing equations are non-dimensionalized by introducing appropriate dimensionless parameters. The key dimensionless numbers that characterize the DRACS system are obtained from the non-dimensional governing equations. Based on the dimensionless numbers and non-dimensional governing equations, similarity laws are proposed. In addition, a scaling methodology has been developed, which consists of a core scaling and a loop scaling. The consistency between the core and loop scaling is examined via the reference volume ratio, which can be obtained from both the core and loop scaling processes. The scaling methodology and similarity laws have been applied to obtain a scientific design of a scaled-down high-temperature DRACS test facility.« less

PDCI Wide-Area Damping Control: PSLF Simulations of the 2016 Open and Closed Loop Test Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilches Bernal, Felipe; Pierre, Brian Joseph; Elliott, Ryan Thomas

To demonstrate and validate the performance of the wide-are a damping control system, the project plans to conduct closed-loop tests on the PDCI in summer/fall 2016. A test plan details the open and closed loop tests to be conducted on the P DCI using the wide-area damping control system. To ensure the appropriate level of preparedness, simulations were performed in order to predict and evaluate any possible unsafe operations before hardware experiments are attempted. This report contains the result s from these simulations using the power system dynamics software PSLF (Power System Load Flow, trademark of GE). The simulations usemore » the WECC (Western Electricity Coordinating Council) 2016 light summer and heavy summer base cases.« less

Active thermal control systems for lunar and Martian exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Petete, Patricia A.; Dzenitis, John

1990-01-01

Several ATCS options including heat pumps, radiator shading devices, and single-phase flow loops were considered. The ATCS chosen for both lunar and Martian habitats consists of a heat pump integral with a nontoxic fluid acquisition and transport loop, and vertically oriented modular reflux-boiler radiators. The heat pump operates only during the lunar day. The lunar and Martian transfer vehicles have an internal single-phase water-acquisition loop and an external two-phase ammonia rejection system with rotating inflatable radiators. The lunar and Martian excursion vehicles incorporate internal single-phase water acquisition, which is connected via heat exchangers to external body-mounted single-phase radiators. A water evaporation system is used for the transfer vehicles during periods of high heating.

Description and User Manual for a Web-Based Interface to a Transit-Loss Accounting Program for Monument and Fountain Creeks, El Paso and Pueblo Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuhn, Gerhard; Krammes, Gary S.; Beal, Vivian J.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs Utilities, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the El Paso County Water Authority, began a study in 2004 with the following objectives: (1) Apply a stream-aquifer model to Monument Creek, (2) use the results of the modeling to develop a transit-loss accounting program for Monument Creek, (3) revise an existing accounting program for Fountain Creek to easily incorporate ongoing and future changes in management of return flows of reusable water, and (4) integrate the two accounting programs into a single program and develop a Web-based interface to the integrated program that incorporates simple and reliable data entry that is automated to the fullest extent possible. This report describes the results of completing objectives (2), (3), and (4) of that study. The accounting program for Monument Creek was developed first by (1) using the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek as a prototype, (2) incorporating the transit-loss results from a stream-aquifer modeling analysis of Monument Creek, and (3) developing new output reports. The capabilities of the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek then were incorporated into the program for Monument Creek and the output reports were expanded to include Fountain Creek. A Web-based interface to the new transit-loss accounting program then was developed that provided automated data entry. An integrated system of 34 nodes and 33 subreaches was integrated by combining the independent node and subreach systems used in the previously completed stream-aquifer modeling studies for the Monument and Fountain Creek reaches. Important operational criteria that were implemented in the new transit-loss accounting program for Monument and Fountain Creeks included the following: (1) Retain all the reusable water-management capabilities incorporated into the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek; (2) enable daily accounting and transit-loss computations for a variable number of reusable return flows discharged into Monument Creek at selected locations; (3) enable diversion of all or a part of a reusable return flow at any selected node for purposes of storage in off-stream reservoirs or other similar types of reusable water management; (4) and provide flexibility in the accounting program to change the number of return-flow entities, the locations at which the return flows discharge into Monument or Fountain Creeks, or the locations to which the return flows are delivered. The primary component of the Web-based interface is a data-entry form that displays data stored in the accounting program input file; the data-entry form allows for entry and modification of new data, which then is rewritten to the input file. When the data-entry form is displayed, up-to-date discharge data for each station are automatically computed and entered on the data-entry form. Data for native return flows, reusable return flows, reusable return flow diversions, and native diversions also are entered automatically or manually, if needed. In computing the estimated quantities of reusable return flow and the associated transit losses, the accounting program uses two sets of computations. The first set of computations is made between any two adjacent streamflow-gaging stations (termed 'stream-segment loop'); the primary purpose of the stream-segment loop is to estimate the loss or gain in native discharge between the two adjacent streamflow-gaging stations. The second set of computations is made between any two adjacent nodes (termed 'subreach loop'); the actual transit-loss computations are made in the subreach loop, using the result from the stream-segment loop. The stream-segment loop is completed for a stream segment, and then the subreach loop is completed for each subreach within the segment. When the subreach loop is completed for all subreaches within a stream segment, the stream-segment loop is initiated for the ne

Numerical simulation of velocity and temperature fields in natural circulation loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukomel, L. A.; Kaban'kov, O. N.

2017-11-01

Low flow natural circulation regimes are realized in many practical applications and the existence of the reliable engineering and design calculation methods of flows driven exclusively by buoyancy forces is an actual problem. In particular it is important for the analysis of start up regimes of passive safety systems of nuclear power plants. In spite of a long year investigations of natural circulation loops no suitable predicting recommendations for heat transfer and friction for the above regimes have been proposed for engineering practice and correlations for forced flow are commonly used which considerably overpredicts the real flow velocities. The 2D numerical simulation of velocity and temperature fields in circular tubes for laminar flow natural circulation with reference to the laboratory experimental loop has been carried out. The results were compared with the 1D modified model and experimental data obtained on the above loop. The 1D modified model was still based on forced flow correlations, but in these correlations the physical properties variability and the existence of thermal and hydrodynamic entrance regions are taken into account. The comparison of 2D simulation, 1D model calculations and the experimental data showed that even subject to influence of liquid properties variability and entrance regions on heat transfer and friction the use of 1D model with forced flow correlations do not improve the accuracy of calculations. In general, according to 2D numerical simulation the wall shear stresses are mainly affected by the change of wall velocity gradient due to practically continuous velocity profiles deformation along the whole heated zone. The form of velocity profiles and the extent of their deformation in its turn depend upon the wall heat flux density and the hydraulic diameter.

Classical and adaptive control of ex vivo skeletal muscle contractions using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)

PubMed Central

Shoemaker, Adam; Grange, Robert W.; Abaid, Nicole; Leonessa, Alexander

2017-01-01

Functional Electrical Stimulation is a promising approach to treat patients by stimulating the peripheral nerves and their corresponding motor neurons using electrical current. This technique helps maintain muscle mass and promote blood flow in the absence of a functioning nervous system. The goal of this work is to control muscle contractions from FES via three different algorithms and assess the most appropriate controller providing effective stimulation of the muscle. An open-loop system and a closed-loop system with three types of model-free feedback controllers were assessed for tracking control of skeletal muscle contractions: a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller, a Model Reference Adaptive Control algorithm, and an Adaptive Augmented PI system. Furthermore, a mathematical model of a muscle-mass-spring system was implemented in simulation to test the open-loop case and closed-loop controllers. These simulations were carried out and then validated through experiments ex vivo. The experiments included muscle contractions following four distinct trajectories: a step, sine, ramp, and square wave. Overall, the closed-loop controllers followed the stimulation trajectories set for all the simulated and tested muscles. When comparing the experimental outcomes of each controller, we concluded that the Adaptive Augmented PI algorithm provided the best closed-loop performance for speed of convergence and disturbance rejection. PMID:28273101

Fundamental Physics and Practical Applications of Electromagnetic Local Flow Control in High Speed Flows (Rutgers)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-16

field. Techniques utilizing this design use an open- loop control and no flow monitoring sensors are required. Conversely, reactive (or closed - loop ...and closed (dashed line) configuration. 38 closed configuration described above, the ambiguity in the critical limits of the transition...flow; a new vortex is then shed from the cavity leading edge, closing the feedback loop .[31] Open cavities with an L/D approximately greater than

Fine flow structures in the transition region small-scale loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, L.; Peter, H.; He, J.; Wei, Y.

2016-12-01

The observation and model have suggested that the transition region EUV emission from the quiet sun region is contributed by very small scale loops which have not been resolved. Recently, the observation from IRIS has revealed that this kind of small scale loops. Based on the high resolution spectral and imaging observation from IRIS, much more detail work needs to be done to reveal the fine flow features in this kind of loop to help us understand the loop heating. Here, we present a detail statistical study of the spatial and temporal evolution of Si IV line profiles of small scale loops and report the spectral features: there is a transition from blue (red) wing enhancement dominant to red (blue) wing enhancement dominant along the cross-section of the loop, which is independent of time. This feature appears as the loop appear and disappear as the loop un-visible. This is probably the signature of helical flow along the loop. The result suggests that the brightening of this kind of loop is probably due to the current dissipation heating in the twisted magnetic field flux tube.

Electrochemical noise measurements of sustained microbially influenced pitting corrosion in a laboratory flow loop system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Y.; Frank, J.R.; St. Martin, E.J.

Because of the chaotic nature of the corrosion process and the complexity of the electrochemical noise signals that are generated, there is no generally accepted method of measuring and interpreting these signals that allows the consistent detection and identification of sustained localized pitting (SLP) as compared to general corrosion. The authors have reexamined electrochemical noise analysis (ENA) of localized corrosion using different hardware, signal collection, and signal processing designs than those used in conventional ENA techniques. The new data acquisition system was designed to identify and monitor the progress of SLP by analyzing the power spectral density (PSD) of themore » trend of the corrosion current noise level (CNL) and potential noise level (PNL). Each CNL and PNL data point was calculated from the root-mean-square value of the ac components of current and potential fluctuation signals, which were measured simultaneously during a short time period. The PSD analysis results consistently demonstrated that the trends of PNL and CNL contain information that can be used to differentiate between SLP and general corrosion mechanisms. The degree of linear slope in the low-frequency portion of the PSD analysis was correlated with the SLP process. Laboratory metal coupons as well as commercial corrosion probes were tested to ensure the reproducibility and consistency of the results. The on-line monitoring capability of this new ENA method was evaluated in a bench-scale flow-loop system, which simulated microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) activity. The conditions in the test flow-loop system were controlled by the addition of microbes and different substrates to favor accelerated corrosion. The ENA results demonstrated that this in-situ corrosion monitoring system could effectively identify SLP corrosion associated with MIC, compared to a more uniform general corrosion mechanism. A reduction in SLP activity could be clearly detected by the ENA monitoring system when a corrosion inhibitor was added into one of the test loops during the corrosion testing.« less

Electrochemical noise measurements of sustained microbially influenced pitting corrosion in a laboratory flow loop system.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Y. J.

Because of the chaotic nature of the corrosion process and the complexity of the electrochemical noise signals that are generated, there is no generally accepted method of measuring and interpreting these signals that allows the consistent detection and identification of sustained localized pitting (SLP) as compared to general corrosion. We have reexamined electrochemical noise analysis (ENA) of localized corrosion using different hardware, signal collection, and signal processing designs than those used in conventional ENA techniques. The new data acquisition system was designed to identify and monitor the progress of SLP by analyzing the power spectral density (PSD) of the trendmore » of the corrosion current noise level (CNL) and potential noise level (PNL). Each CNL and PNL data point was calculated from the root-mean- square value of the ac components of current and potential fluctuation signals, which were measured simultaneously during a short time period. The PSD analysis results consistently demonstrated that the trends of PNL and CNL contain information that can be used to differentiate between SLP and general corrosion mechanisms. The degree of linear slope in the low-frequency portion of the PSD analysis was correlated with the SLP process. Laboratory metal coupons as well as commercial corrosion probes were tested to ensure the reproducibility and consistency of the results. The on-line monitoring capability of this new ENA method was evaluated in a bench-scale flow-loop system, which simulated microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) activity. The conditions in the test flow-loop system were controlled by the addition of microbes and different substrates to favor accelerated corrosion. The ENA results demonstrated that this in-situ corrosion monitoring system could effectively identify SLP corrosion associated with MIC, compared to a more uniform general corrosion mechanism. A reduction in SLP activity could be clearly detected by the ENA monitoring system when a corrosion inhibitor was added into one of the test loops during the corrosion testing.« less

In-loop flow [11 C]CO2 fixation and radiosynthesis of N,N'-[11 C]dibenzylurea.

PubMed

Downey, Joseph; Bongarzone, Salvatore; Hader, Stefan; Gee, Antony D

2018-03-01

Cyclotron-produced carbon-11 is a highly valuable radionuclide for the production of positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers. It is typically produced as relatively unreactive carbon-11 carbon dioxide ([ 11 C]CO 2 ), which is most commonly converted into a more reactive precursor for synthesis of PET radiotracers. The development of [ 11 C]CO 2 fixation methods has more recently enabled the direct radiolabelling of a diverse array of structures directly from [ 11 C]CO 2 , and the advantages afforded by the use of a loop-based system used in 11 C-methylation and 11 C-carboxylation reactions inspired us to apply the [ 11 C]CO 2 fixation "in-loop." In this work, we developed and investigated a new ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) loop-based [ 11 C]CO 2 fixation method, enabling the fast and efficient, direct-from-cyclotron, in-loop trapping of [ 11 C]CO 2 using mixed DBU/amine solutions. An optimised protocol was integrated into a proof-of-concept in-loop flow radiosynthesis of N,N'-[ 11 C]dibenzylurea. This reaction exhibited an average 78% trapping efficiency and a crude radiochemical purity of 83% (determined by radio-HPLC), giving an overall nonisolated radiochemical yield of 72% (decay-corrected) within just 3 minutes from end of bombardment. This proof-of-concept reaction has demonstrated that efficient [ 11 C]CO 2 fixation can be achieved in a low-volume (150 μL) ETFE loop and that this can be easily integrated into a rapid in-loop flow radiosynthesis of carbon-11-labelled products. This new in-loop methodology will allow fast radiolabelling reactions to be performed using cheap/disposable ETFE tubing setup (ideal for good manufacturing practice production) thereby contributing to the widespread usage of [ 11 C]CO 2 trapping/fixation reactions for the production of PET radiotracers. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of control structures for a bidirectional high-frequency dc-dc converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Himmelstoss, Felix A.; Kolar, Johann W.; Zach, Franz C.

1989-08-01

A system for dc-dc power conversion based on a buck-boost converter topology is presented. It makes power flow in both directions possible. The possibility of bidirectional power flow is useful for certain applications, such as uninterruptable power supplies. Starting from a structural diagram the transfer function of the system is derived. The controller for the converter is then designed. It is made up of a simple voltage controller, a voltage controller with an inner loop current controller (cascade control) and with two kinds of state space control. The transfer functions of the different system parts are derived and dimensioning guidelines for the controller sections are presented. The closed loop behavior of the bidirectional converter for the different control structures is analyzed based on simulation using duty cycle averaging. Bodediagrams and step responses are shown.

Hysteresis phenomena of the intelligent driver model for traffic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahui, Wang; Ziqiang, Wei; Ying, Fan

2007-07-01

We present hysteresis phenomena of the intelligent driver model for traffic flow in a circular one-lane roadway. We show that the microscopic structure of traffic flow is dependent on its initial state by plotting the fraction of congested vehicles over the density, which shows a typical hysteresis loop, and by investigating the trajectories of vehicles on the velocity-over-headway plane. We find that the trajectories of vehicles on the velocity-over-headway plane, which usually show a hysteresis loop, include multiple loops. We also point out the relations between these hysteresis loops and the congested jams or high-density clusters in traffic flow.

Reactor Simulator Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Webster, Kenny L.; Pearson, Boise J.

2013-01-01

As part of the Nuclear Systems Office Fission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) project, a reactor simulator test loop (RxSim) was design & built to perform integrated testing of the TDU components. In particular, the objectives of RxSim testing was to verify the operation of the core simulator, the instrumentation and control system, and the ground support gas and vacuum test equipment. In addition, it was decided to include a thermal test of a cold trap purification design and a pump performance test at pump voltages up to 150 V since the targeted mass flow rate of 1.75 kg/s was not obtained in the RxSim at the originally constrained voltage of 120 V. This paper summarizes RxSim testing. The gas and vacuum ground support test equipment performed effectively in NaK fill, loop pressurization, and NaK drain operations. The instrumentation and control system effectively controlled loop temperature and flow rates or pump voltage to targeted settings. The cold trap design was able to obtain the targeted cold temperature of 480 K. An outlet temperature of 636 K was obtained which was lower than the predicted 750 K but 156 K higher than the cold temperature indicating the design provided some heat regeneration. The annular linear induction pump (ALIP) tested was able to produce a maximum flow rate of 1.53 kg/s at 800 K when operated at 150 V and 53 Hz.

Reactor Simulator Integration and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfield, M. P.; Webster, K. L.; Pearson, J. B.

2013-01-01

As part of the Nuclear Systems Office Fission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) project, a reactor simulator (RxSim) test loop was designed and built to perform integrated testing of the TDU components. In particular, the objectives of RxSim testing were to verify the operation of the core simulator, the instrumentation and control system, and the ground support gas and vacuum test equipment. In addition, it was decided to include a thermal test of a cold trap purification design and a pump performance test at pump voltages up to 150 V because the targeted mass flow rate of 1.75 kg/s was not obtained in the RxSim at the originally constrained voltage of 120 V. This Technical Memorandum summarizes RxSim testing. The gas and vacuum ground support test equipment performed effectively in NaK fill, loop pressurization, and NaK drain operations. The instrumentation and control system effectively controlled loop temperature and flow rates or pump voltage to targeted settings. The cold trap design was able to obtain the targeted cold temperature of 480 K. An outlet temperature of 636 K was obtained, which was lower than the predicted 750 K but 156 K higher than the cold temperature, indicating the design provided some heat regeneration. The annular linear induction pump tested was able to produce a maximum flow rate of 1.53 kg/s at 800 K when operated at 150 V and 53 Hz.

Multimegawatt potassium Rankine power for nuclear electric power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rovang, Richard D.; Mills, Joseph C.; Baumeister, Ernie B.

1991-01-01

A cermet fueled potassium rankine power system concept has been developed for various power ranges and operating lifetimes. This concept utilizes a single primary lithium loop to transport thermal energy from the reactor to the boiler. Multiple, independent potassium loops are employed to achieve the required reliability of 99 percent. The potassium loops are two phase systems which expand heated potassium vapor through multistage turboalternators to produce a 10-kV dc electrical output. Condensation occurs by-way-of a shear-flow condenser, producing a 100 percent liquid potassium stream which is pumped back to the boiler. Waste heat is rejected by an advanced carbon-carbon radiator at approximately 1000 K. Overall system efficiencies of 19.3 percent to 20.5 percent were calculated depending on mission life and power level.

A laboratory exercise using a physical model for demonstrating countercurrent heat exchange.

PubMed

Loudon, Catherine; Davis-Berg, Elizabeth C; Botz, Jason T

2012-03-01

A physical model was used in a laboratory exercise to teach students about countercurrent exchange mechanisms. Countercurrent exchange is the transport of heat or chemicals between fluids moving in opposite directions separated by a permeable barrier (such as blood within adjacent blood vessels flowing in opposite directions). Greater exchange of heat or chemicals between the fluids occurs when the flows are in opposite directions (countercurrent) than in the same direction (concurrent). When a vessel loops back on itself, countercurrent exchange can occur between the two arms of the loop, minimizing loss or uptake at the bend of the loop. Comprehension of the physical principles underlying countercurrent exchange helps students to understand how kidneys work and how modifications of a circulatory system can influence the movement of heat or chemicals to promote or minimize exchange and reinforces the concept that heat and chemicals move down their temperature or concentration gradients, respectively. One example of a well-documented countercurrent exchanger is the close arrangement of veins and arteries inside bird legs; therefore, the setup was arranged to mimic blood vessels inside a bird leg, using water flowing inside tubing as a physical proxy for blood flow within blood vessels.

Development of Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment on the International Space Station- Normal and Low Gravity Flow Boiling Experiment Development and Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nahra, Henry K.; Hall, Nancy R.; Hasan, Mohammad M.; Wagner, James D.; May, Rochelle L.; Mackey, Jeffrey R.; Kolacz, John S.; Butcher, Robert L.; Frankenfield, Bruce J.; Mudawar, Issam;

Expanding and Contracting Coronal Loops as Evidence of Vortex Flows Induced by Solar Eruptions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dudík, J.; Zuccarello, F. P.; Aulanier, G.

Eruptive solar flares were predicted to generate large-scale vortex flows at both sides of the erupting magnetic flux rope. This process is analogous to a well-known hydrodynamic process creating vortex rings. The vortices lead to advection of closed coronal loops located at the peripheries of the flaring active region. Outward flows are expected in the upper part and returning flows in the lower part of the vortex. Here, we examine two eruptive solar flares, the X1.1-class flare SOL2012-03-05T03:20 and the C3.5-class SOL2013-06-19T07:29. In both flares, we find that the coronal loops observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly in its 171more » Å, 193 Å, or 211 Å passbands show coexistence of expanding and contracting motions, in accordance with the model prediction. In the X-class flare, multiple expanding and contracting loops coexist for more than 35 minutes, while in the C-class flare, an expanding loop in 193 Å appears to be close by and cotemporal with an apparently imploding loop arcade seen in 171 Å. Later, the 193 Å loop also switches to contraction. These observations are naturally explained by vortex flows present in a model of eruptive solar flares.« less

A real-time evaluation and demonstration of strategies for 'Over-The-Loop' ensemble streamflow forecasting in US watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Andy; Clark, Elizabeth; Mendoza, Pablo; Nijssen, Bart; Newman, Andy; Clark, Martyn; Nowak, Kenneth; Arnold, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

Many if not most national operational streamflow prediction systems rely on a forecaster-in-the-loop approach that require the hands-on-effort of an experienced human forecaster. This approach evolved from the need to correct for long-standing deficiencies in the models and datasets used in forecasting, and the practice often leads to skillful flow predictions despite the use of relatively simple, conceptual models. Yet the 'in-the-loop' forecast process is not reproducible, which limits opportunities to assess and incorporate new techniques systematically, and the effort required to make forecasts in this way is an obstacle to expanding forecast services - e.g., though adding new forecast locations or more frequent forecast updates, running more complex models, or producing forecast and hindcasts that can support verification. In the last decade, the hydrologic forecasting community has begun develop more centralized, 'over-the-loop' systems. The quality of these new forecast products will depend on their ability to leverage research in areas including earth system modeling, parameter estimation, data assimilation, statistical post-processing, weather and climate prediction, verification, and uncertainty estimation through the use of ensembles. Currently, many national operational streamflow forecasting and water management communities have little experience with the strengths and weaknesses of over-the-loop approaches, even as such systems are beginning to be deployed operationally in centers such as ECMWF. There is thus a need both to evaluate these forecasting advances and to demonstrate their potential in a public arena, raising awareness in forecast user communities and development programs alike. To address this need, the US National Center for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the University of Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Army Corps of Engineers, using the NCAR 'System for Hydromet Analysis Research and Prediction Applications' (SHARP) to implement, assess and demonstrate real-time over-the-loop ensemble flow forecasts in a range of US watersheds. The system relies on fully ensemble techniques, including: an 100-member ensemble of meteorological model forcings and an ensemble particle filter data assimilation for initializing watershed states; analog/regression-based downscaling of ensemble weather forecasts from GEFS; and statistical post-processing of ensemble forecast outputs, all of which run in real-time within a workflow managed by ECWMF's ecFlow libraries over large US regional domains. We describe SHARP and present early hindcast and verification results for short to seasonal range streamflow forecasts in a number of US case study watersheds.

Fluid-flow pressure measurements and thermo-fluid characterization of a single loop two-phase passive heat transfer device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilinca, A.; Mangini, D.; Mameli, M.; Fioriti, D.; Filippeschi, S.; Araneo, L.; Roth, N.; Marengo, M.

2017-11-01

A Novel Single Loop Pulsating Heat Pipe (SLPHP), with an inner diameter of 2 mm, filled up with two working fluids (Ethanol and FC-72, Filling Ratio of 60%), is tested in Bottom Heated mode varying the heating power and the orientation. The static confinement diameter for Ethanol and FC-72, respectively 3.4 mm and 1.7mm, is above and slightly under the inner diameter of the tube. This is important for a better understanding of the working principle of the device very close to the limit between the Loop Thermosyphon and Pulsating Heat Pipe working modes. With respect to previous SLPHP experiments found in the literature, such device is designed with two transparent inserts mounted between the evaporator and the condenser allowing direct fluid flow visualization. Two highly accurate pressure transducers permit local pressure measurements just at the edges of one of the transparent inserts. Additionally, three heating elements are controlled independently, so as to vary the heating distribution at the evaporator. It is found that peculiar heating distributions promote the slug/plug flow motion in a preferential direction, increasing the device overall performance. Pressure measurements point out that the pressure drop between the evaporator and the condenser are related to the flow pattern. Furthermore, at high heat inputs, the flow regimes recorded for the two fluids are very similar, stressing that, when the dynamic effects start to play a major role in the system, the device classification between Loop Thermosyphon and Pulsating Heat Pipe is not that sharp anymore.

Experimental Results of Performance Tests on a Four-Port Wave Rotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, John; Welch, Gerard E.; Paxson, Daniel E.

2007-01-01

A series of tests has been performed on a four-port wave rotor suitable for use as a topping stage on a gas turbine engine, to measure the overall pressure ratio obtainable as a function of temperature ratio, inlet mass flow, loop flow ratio, and rotor speed. The wave rotor employed an open high pressure loop that is the high pressure inlet flow was not the air exhausted from the high pressure outlet, but was obtained from a separate heated source, although the mass flow rates of the two flows were balanced. This permitted the choice of a range of loop-flow ratios (i.e., ratio of high pressure flow to low pressure flow), as well as the possibility of examining the effect of mass flow imbalance. Imbalance could occur as a result of leakage or deliberate bleeding for cooling air. Measurements of the pressure drop in the high pressure loop were also obtained. A pressure ratio of 1.17 was obtained at a temperature ratio of 2.0, with an inlet mass flow of 0.6 lb/s. Earlier tests had given a pressure ratio of less than 1.12. The improvement was due to improved sealing between the high pressure and low pressure loops, and a modification to the movable end-wall which is provided to allow for rotor expansion.

System and method for conditioning intake air to an internal combustion engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sellnau, Mark C.

A system for conditioning the intake air to an internal combustion engine includes a means to boost the pressure of the intake air to the engine and a liquid cooled charge air cooler disposed between the output of the boost means and the charge air intake of the engine. Valves in the coolant system can be actuated so as to define a first configuration in which engine cooling is performed by coolant circulating in a first coolant loop at one temperature, and charge air cooling is performed by coolant flowing in a second coolant loop at a lower temperature. Themore » valves can be actuated so as to define a second configuration in which coolant that has flowed through the engine can be routed through the charge air cooler. The temperature of intake air to the engine can be controlled over a wide range of engine operation.« less

Inventory decision in a closed-loop supply chain with inspection, sorting, and waste disposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwicahyani, A. R.; Jauhari, W. A.; Kurdhi, N. A.

2016-02-01

The study of returned item inventory management in a closed-loop supply chain system has become an important issue in recent years. So far, investigations about inventory decision making in a closed-loop supply chain system have been confined to traditional forward and reverse oriented material flow supply chain. In this study, we propose an integrated inventory model consisting a supplier, a manufacturer, and a retailer where the manufacturer inspects all of the returned items collected from the customers and classifies them as recoverable or waste. Returned items that recovered through the remanufacturing process and the newly manufactured products are then used to meet the demand of the retailer. However, some recovered items which are not comparable to the ones in quality, classified as refurbished items, are sold to a secondary market at a reduced price. This study also suggests that the flow of returned items is controlled by a decision variable, namely an acceptance quality level of recoverable item in the system. We apply multiple remanufacturing cycle and multiple production cycle policy to the proposed model and give the corresponding iterative procedure to determine the optimal solutions. Further, numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.

Pumped two-phase heat transfer loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelstein, Fred

1988-01-01

A pumped loop two-phase heat transfer system, operating at a nearly constant temperature throughout, includes several independently operating grooved capillary heat exchanger plates supplied with working fluid through independent flow modulation valves connected to a liquid supply line, a vapor line for collecting vapor from the heat exchangers, a condenser between the vapor and the liquid lines, and a fluid circulating pump between the condenser and the heat exchangers.

Pumped two-phase heat transfer loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelstein, Fred (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A pumped loop two-phase heat transfer system, operating at a nearly constant temperature throughout, includes a plurality of independently operating grooved capillary heat exchanger plates supplied with working fluid through independent flow modulation valves connected to a liquid supply line, a vapor line for collecting vapor from the heat exchangers, a condenser between the vapor and the liquid lines, and a fluid circulating pump between the condenser and the heat exchangers.

Solid oxide fuel cell power plant having a bootstrap start-up system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lines, Michael T

The bootstrap start-up system (42) achieves an efficient start-up of the power plant (10) that minimizes formation of soot within a reformed hydrogen rich fuel. A burner (48) receives un-reformed fuel directly from the fuel supply (30) and combusts the fuel to heat cathode air which then heats an electrolyte (24) within the fuel cell (12). A dilute hydrogen forming gas (68) cycles through a sealed heat-cycling loop (66) to transfer heat and generated steam from an anode side (32) of the electrolyte (24) through fuel processing system (36) components (38, 40) and back to an anode flow field (26)more » until fuel processing system components (38, 40) achieve predetermined optimal temperatures and steam content. Then, the heat-cycling loop (66) is unsealed and the un-reformed fuel is admitted into the fuel processing system (36) and anode flow (26) field to commence ordinary operation of the power plant (10).« less

Open loop, auto reversing liquid nitrogen circulation thermal system for thermo vacuum chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naidu, M. C. A.; Nolakha, Dinesh; Saharkar, B. S.; Kavani, K. M.; Patel, D. R.

2012-11-01

In a thermo vacuum chamber, attaining and controlling low and high temperatures (-100 Deg. C to +120 Deg. C) is a very important task. This paper describes the development of "Open loop, auto reversing liquid nitrogen based thermal system". System specifications, features, open loop auto reversing system, liquid nitrogen flow paths etc. are discussed in this paper. This thermal system consists of solenoid operated cryogenic valves, double embossed thermal plate (shroud), heating elements, temperature sensors and PLC. Bulky items like blowers, heating chambers, liquid nitrogen injection chambers, huge pipe lines and valves were not used. This entire thermal system is very simple to operate and PLC based, fully auto system with auto tuned to given set temperatures. This system requires a very nominal amount of liquid nitrogen (approx. 80 liters / hour) while conducting thermo vacuum tests. This system was integrated to 1.2m dia thermo vacuum chamber, as a part of its augmentation, to conduct extreme temperature cycling tests on passive antenna reflectors of satellites.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lagier, B.; Rousset, B.; Hoa, C.

Superconducting magnets used in tokamaks undergo periodic heat load caused by cycling plasma operations inducing AC losses, neutrons fluxes and eddy currents in magnet structures. In the cryogenic system of JT60-SA tokamak, the Auxiliary Cold Box (ACB) distributes helium from the refrigerator to the cryogenic users and in particular to the superconducting magnets. ACB comprises a saturated helium bath with immersed heat exchangers, extracting heat from independent cooling loops. The supercritical helium flow in each cooling loop is driven by a cold circulator. In order to safely operate the refrigerator during plasma pulses, the interface between the ACB and themore » refrigerator shall be as stable as possible, with well-balanced bath inlet and outlet mass flows during cycling operation. The solution presented in this paper relies on a combination of regulations to smooth pulsed heat loads and to keep a constant refrigeration power during all the cycle. Two smoothing strategies are presented, both regulating the outlet mass flow of the bath: the first one using the bath as a thermal buffer and the second one storing energy in the loop by varying the cold circulator speed. The bath outlet mass flow is also controlled by an immersed resistive heater which enables a constant evaporation rate in the bath when power coming from the loops is decreasing. The refrigeration power is controlled so that the compensating power remains within an acceptable margin. Experimental validation is achieved using the HELIOS facility. This facility running at CEA Grenoble since 2010 is a scaled down model of the ACB bath and Central Solenoid magnet cooling loop of the JT60-SA tokamak. Test results show performances and robustness of the regulations.« less

Low flow vortex shedding flowmeter for hypergolics/all media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thinh, Ngo

1990-01-01

A family of vortex shedding flowmeters for flow measurement of hypergols that requires a long term operation without removal from system lines was further developed. A family of vortex shedding flowmeters without moving parts was designed. The test loop to evaluate the meters for the Freon flow, which simulates the hypergolic fluids, was modified and reconstructed. Preliminary results were obtained on the output frequency characteristics of an 1/2 inch flowmeter as a function of the flow rate.

The analysis of the transient pressure response of the shuttle EPS-ECS cryogenic tanks with external pressurization systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, J. E.; Patterson, H. W.

1973-01-01

An analysis of transient pressures in externally pressurized cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen tanks was conducted and the effects of design variables on pressure response determined. The analysis was conducted with a computer program which solves the compressible viscous flow equations in two-dimensional regions representing the tank and external loop. The external loop volume, thermal mass, and heat leak were the dominant design variables affecting the system pressure response. No significant temperature stratification occurred in the fluid contained in the tank.

Thermal Interface Evaluation of Heat Transfer from a Pumped Loop to Titanium-Water Thermosyphons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, Donald A.; Sanzi, James L.; Gibson, Marc A.; Sechkar, Edward A.

2009-01-01

Titanium-water thermosyphons are being considered for use in the heat rejection system for lunar outpost fission surface power. Key to their use is heat transfer between a closed loop heat source and the heat pipe evaporators. This work describes laboratory testing of several interfaces that were evaluated for their thermal performance characteristics, in the temperature range of 350 to 400 K, utilizing a water closed loop heat source and multiple thermosyphon evaporator geometries. A gas gap calorimeter was used to measure heat flow at steady state. Thermocouples in the closed loop heat source and on the evaporator were used to measure thermal conductance. The interfaces were in two generic categories, those immersed in the water closed loop heat source and those clamped to the water closed loop heat source with differing thermal conductive agents. In general, immersed evaporators showed better overall performance than their clamped counterparts. Selected clamped evaporator geometries offered promise.

Advanced Instrumentation for Molten Salt Flow Measurements at NEXT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuyishimire, Olive

2017-09-01

The Nuclear Energy eXperiment Testing (NEXT) Lab at Abilene Christian University is building a Molten Salt Loop to help advance the technology of molten salt reactors (MSR). NEXT Lab's aim is to be part of the solution for the world's top challenges by providing safe, clean, and inexpensive energy, clean water and medical Isotopes. Measuring the flow rate of the molten salt in the loop is essential to the operation of a MSR. Unfortunately, there is no flow meter that can operate in the high temperature and corrosive environment of a molten salt. The ultrasonic transit time method is proposed as one way to measure the flow rate of high temperature fluids. Ultrasonic flow meter uses transducers that send and receive acoustic waves and convert them into electrical signals. Initial work presented here focuses on the setup of ultrasonic transducers. This presentation is the characterization of the pipe-fluid system with water as a baseline for future work.

Fan array wind tunnel: a multifunctional, complex environmental flow manipulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dougherty, Christopher; Veismann, Marcel; Gharib, Morteza

2017-11-01

The recent emergence of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has reshaped the aerospace testing environment. Traditional closed-loop wind tunnels are not particularly suited nor easily retrofit to take advantage of these coordinated, controls-based rotorcraft. As such, a highly configurable, novel wind tunnel aimed at addressing the unmet technical challenges associated with single or formation flight performance of autonomous drone systems is presented. The open-loop fan array wind tunnel features 1296 individually controllable DC fans arranged in a 2.88m x 2.88m array. The fan array can operate with and without a tunnel enclosure and is able to rotate between horizontal and vertical testing configurations. In addition to standard variable speed uniform flow, the fan array can generate both unsteady and shear flows. Through the aid of smaller side fan array units, vortex flows are also possible. Conceptual design, fabrication, and validation of the tunnel performance will be presented, including theoretical and computational predictions of flow speed and turbulence intensity. Validation of these parameters is accomplished through standard pitot-static and hot-wire techniques. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) of various complex flows will also be shown. This material is based upon work supported by the Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) at the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT).

Browns Ferry-1 single-loop operation tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

March-Leuba, J.; Wood, R.T.; Otaduy, P.J.

1985-09-01

This report documents the results of the stability tests performed on February 9, 1985, at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 under single-loop operating conditions. The observed increase in neutron noise during single-loop operation is solely due to an increase in flow noise. The Browns Ferry-1 reactor has been found to be stable in all modes of operation attained during the present tests. The most unstable test plateau corresponded to minimum recirculation pump speed in single-loop operation (test BFTP3). This operating condition had the minimum flow and maximum power-to-flow ratio. The estimated decay ratio in this plateau ismore » 0.53. The decay ratio decreased as the flow was increased during single-loop operation (down to 0.34 for test plateau BFTP6). This observation implies that the core-wide reactor stability follows the same trends in single-loop as it does in two-loop operation. Finally, no local or higher mode instabilities were found in the data taken from local power range monitors. The decay ratios estimated from the local power range monitors were not significantly different from those estimated from the average power range monitors.« less

Water cooling system for an air-breathing hypersonic test vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petley, Dennis H.; Dziedzic, William M.

1993-01-01

This study provides concepts for hypersonic experimental scramjet test vehicles which have low cost and low risk. Cryogenic hydrogen is used as the fuel and coolant. Secondary water cooling systems were designed. Three concepts are shown: an all hydrogen cooling system, a secondary open loop water cooled system, and a secondary closed loop water cooled system. The open loop concept uses high pressure helium (15,000 psi) to drive water through the cooling system while maintaining the pressure in the water tank. The water flows through the turbine side of the turbopump to pump hydrogen fuel. The water is then allowed to vent. In the closed loop concept high pressure, room temperature, compressed liquid water is circulated. In flight water pressure is limited to 6000 psi by venting some of the water. Water is circulated through cooling channels via an ejector which uses high pressure gas to drive a water jet. The cooling systems are presented along with finite difference steady-state and transient analysis results. The results from this study indicate that water used as a secondary coolant can be designed to increase experimental test time, produce minimum venting of fluid and reduce overall development cost.

High-resolution imaging spectroscopy of two micro-pores and an arch filament system in a small emerging-flux region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González Manrique, S. J.; Bello González, N.; Denker, C.

2017-04-01

Context. Emerging flux regions mark the first stage in the accumulation of magnetic flux eventually leading to pores, sunspots, and (complex) active regions. These flux regions are highly dynamic, show a variety of fine structure, and in many cases live only for a short time (less than a day) before dissolving quickly into the ubiquitous quiet-Sun magnetic field. Aims: The purpose of this investigation is to characterize the temporal evolution of a minute emerging flux region, the associated photospheric and chromospheric flow fields, and the properties of the accompanying arch filament system. We aim to explore flux emergence and decay processes and investigate if they scale with structure size and magnetic flux contents. Methods: This study is based on imaging spectroscopy with the Göttingen Fabry-Pérot Interferometer at the Vacuum Tower Telescope, Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain on 2008 August 7. Photospheric horizontal proper motions were measured with Local correlation tracking using broadband images restored with multi-object multi-frame blind deconvolution. Cloud model (CM) inversions of line scans in the strong chromospheric absorption Hαλ656.28 nm line yielded CM parameters (Doppler velocity, Doppler width, optical thickness, and source function), which describe the cool plasma contained in the arch filament system. Results: The high-resolution observations cover the decay and convergence of two micro-pores with diameters of less than one arcsecond and provide decay rates for intensity and area. The photospheric horizontal flow speed is suppressed near the two micro-pores indicating that the magnetic field is already sufficiently strong to affect the convective energy transport. The micro-pores are accompanied by a small arch filament system as seen in Hα, where small-scale loops connect two regions with Hα line-core brightenings containing an emerging flux region with opposite polarities. The Doppler width, optical thickness, and source function reach the largest values near the Hα line-core brightenings. The chromospheric velocity of the cloud material is predominantly directed downwards near the footpoints of the loops with velocities of up to 12 km s-1, whereas loop tops show upward motions of about 3 km s-1. Some of the loops exhibit signs of twisting motions along the loop axis. Conclusions: Micro-pores are the smallest magnetic field concentrations leaving a photometric signature in the photosphere. In the observed case, they are accompanied by a miniature arch filament system indicative of newly emerging flux in the form of Ω-loops. Flux emergence and decay take place on a time-scale of about two days, whereas the photometric decay of the micro-pores is much more rapid (a few hours), which is consistent with the incipient submergence of Ω-loops. Considering lifetime and evolution timescales, impact on the surrounding photospheric proper motions, and flow speed of the chromospheric plasma at the loop tops and footpoints, the results are representative for the smallest emerging flux regions still recognizable as such.

Design of Complex Systems to Achieve Passive Safety: Natural Circulation Cooling of Liquid Salt Pebble Bed Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarlat, Raluca Olga

This dissertation treats system design, modeling of transient system response, and characterization of individual phenomena and demonstrates a framework for integration of these three activities early in the design process of a complex engineered system. A system analysis framework for prioritization of experiments, modeling, and development of detailed design is proposed. Two fundamental topics in thermal-hydraulics are discussed, which illustrate the integration of modeling and experimentation with nuclear reactor design and safety analysis: thermal-hydraulic modeling of heat generating pebble bed cores, and scaled experiments for natural circulation heat removal with Boussinesq liquids. The case studies used in this dissertation are derived from the design and safety analysis of a pebble bed fluoride salt cooled high temperature nuclear reactor (PB-FHR), currently under development in the United States at the university and national laboratories level. In the context of the phenomena identification and ranking table (PIRT) methodology, new tools and approaches are proposed and demonstrated here, which are specifically relevant to technology in the early stages of development, and to analysis of passive safety features. A system decomposition approach is proposed. Definition of system functional requirements complements identification and compilation of the current knowledge base for the behavior of the system. Two new graphical tools are developed for ranking of phenomena importance: a phenomena ranking map, and a phenomena identification and ranking matrix (PIRM). The functional requirements established through this methodology were used for the design and optimization of the reactor core, and for the transient analysis and design of the passive natural circulation driven decay heat removal system for the PB-FHR. A numerical modeling approach for heat-generating porous media, with multi-dimensional fluid flow is presented. The application of this modeling approach to the PB-FHR annular pebble bed core cooled by fluoride salt mixtures generated a model that is called Pod. Pod. was used to show the resilience of the PB-FHR core to generation of hot spots or cold spots, due to the effect of buoyancy on the flow and temperature distribution in the packed bed. Pod. was used to investigate the PB-FHR response to ATWS transients. Based on the functional requirements for the core, Pod. was used to generate an optimized design of the flow distribution in the core. An analysis of natural circulation loops cooled by single-phase Boussinesq fluids is presented here, in the context of reactor design that relies on natural circulation decay heat removal, and design of scaled experiments. The scaling arguments are established for a transient natural circulation loop, for loops that have long fluid residence time, and negligible contribution of fluid inertia to the momentum equation. The design of integral effects tests for the loss of forced circulation (LOFC) for PB-FHR is discussed. The special case of natural circulation decay heat removal from a pebble bed reactor was analyzed. A way to define the Reynolds number in a multi-dimensional pebble bed was identified. The scaling methodology for replicating pebble bed friction losses using an electrically resistance heated annular pipe and a needle valve was developed. The thermophysical properties of liquid fluoride salts lead to design of systems with low flow velocities, and hence long fluid residence times. A comparison among liquid coolants for the performance of steady state natural circulation heat removal from a pebble bed was performed. Transient natural circulation experimental data with simulant fluids for fluoride salts is given here. The low flow velocity and the relatively high viscosity of the fluoride salts lead to low Reynolds number flows, and a low Reynolds number in conjunction with a sufficiently high coefficient of thermal expansion makes the system susceptible to local buoyancy effects Experiments indicate that slow exchange of stagnant fluid in static legs can play a significant role in the transient response of natural circulation loops. The effect of non-linear temperature profiles on the hot or cold legs or other segments of the flow loop, which may develop during transient scenarios, should be considered when modeling the performance of natural circulation loops. The data provided here can be used for validation of the application of thermal-hydraulic systems codes to the modeling of heat removal by natural circulation with liquid fluoride salts and its simulant fluids.

Numerical simulation of rotating stall and surge alleviation in axial compressors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niazi, Saeid

Axial compression systems are widely used in many aerodynamic applications. However, the operability of such systems is limited at low-mass flow rates by fluid dynamic instabilities. These instabilities lead the compressor to rotating stall or surge. In some instances, a combination of rotating stall and surge, called modified surge, has also been observed. Experimental and computational methods are two approaches for investigating these adverse aerodynamic phenomena. In this study, numerical investigations have been performed to study these phenomena, and to develop control strategies for alleviation of rotating stall and surge. A three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes analysis capable of modeling multistage turbomachinery components has been developed. This method uses a finite volume approach that is third order accurate in space, and first or second order in time. The scheme is implicit in time, permitting the use of large time steps. A one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model is used to model the effects of turbulence. The analysis is cast in a very general form so that a variety of configurations---centrifugal compressors and multistage compressors---may be analyzed with minor modifications to the analysis. Calculations have been done both at design and off-design conditions for an axial compressor tested at NASA Glenn Research Center. At off-design conditions the calculations show that the tip leakage flow becomes strong, and its interaction with the tip shock leads to compressor rotating stall and modified surge. Both global variations to the mass flow rate, associated with surge, and azimuthal variations in flow conditions indicative of rotating stall, were observed. It is demonstrated that these adverse phenomena may be eliminated, and stable operation restored, by the use of bleed valves located on the diffuser walls. Two types of controls were examined: open-loop and closed-loop. In the open-loop case mass is removed at a fixed, preset rate from the diffuser. In the closed-loop case, the rate of bleed is linked to pressure fluctuations upstream of the compressor face. The bleed valve is activated when the amplitude of pressure fluctuations sensed by the probes exceeds a certain range. Calculations show that both types of bleeding eliminate both rotating stall and modified surge, and suppress the precursor disturbances upstream of the compressor face. It is observed that smaller amounts of compressed air need to be removed with the closed-loop control, as compared to open-loop control.

Closed-Loop Control of Vortex Formation in Separated Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colonius, Tim; Joe, Won Tae; MacMynowski, Doug; Rowley, Clancy; Taira, Sam; Ahuja, Sunil

2010-01-01

In order to phase lock the flow at the desired shedding cycle, particularly at Phi,best, We designed a feedback compensator. (Even though the open-loop forcing at Wf below Wn can lead to phase-locked limit cycles with a high average lift,) This feedback controller resulted in the phase-locked limit cycles that the open-loop control could not achieve for alpha=30 and 40 Particularly for alpha=40, the feedback was able to stabilize the limit cycle that was not stable with any of the open-loop periodic forcing. This results in stable phase-locked limit cycles for a larger range of forcing frequencies than the open-loop control. Also, it was shown that the feedback achieved the high-lift unsteady flow states that open-loop control could not sustain even after the states have been achieved for a long period of time.

Numerical Simulations of Helicity Condensation in the Solar Corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, L.; DeVore, C. R.; Antiochos, S. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H.

2015-01-01

The helicity condensation model has been proposed by Antiochos (2013) to explain the observed smoothness of coronal loops and the observed buildup of magnetic shear at filament channels. The basic hypothesis of the model is that magnetic reconnection in the corona causes the magnetic stress injected by photospheric motions to collect only at those special locations where prominences form. In this work we present the first detailed quantitative MHD simulations of the reconnection evolution proposed by the helicity condensation model. We use the well-known ansatz of modeling the closed corona as an initially uniform field between two horizontal photospheric plates. The system is driven by applying photospheric rotational flows that inject magnetic helicity into the system. The flows are confined to a finite region on the photosphere so as to mimic the finite flux system of, for example, a bipolar active region. The calculations demonstrate that, contrary to common belief, coronal loops having opposite helicity do not reconnect, whereas loops having the same sense of helicity do reconnect. Furthermore, we find that for a given amount of helicity injected into the corona, the evolution of the magnetic shear is insensitive to whether the pattern of driving photospheric motions is fixed or quasi-random. In all cases, the shear propagates via reconnection to the boundary of the flow region while the total magnetic helicity is conserved, as predicted by the model. We discuss the implications of our results for solar observations and for future, more realistic simulations of the helicity condensation process.

Reactor Simulator Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Webster, Kenny L.; Pearson, Boise Jon

2013-01-01

As part of the Nuclear Systems Office Fission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) project, a reactor simulator test loop (RxSim) was design & built to perform integrated testing of the TDU components. In particular, the objectives of RxSim testing was to verify the operation of the core simulator, the instrumentation and control system, and the ground support gas and vacuum test equipment. In addition, it was decided to include a thermal test of a cold trap purification design and a pump performance test at pump voltages up to 150 V since the targeted mass flow rate of 1.75 kg/s was not obtained in the RxSim at the originally constrained voltage of 120 V. This paper summarizes RxSim testing. The gas and vacuum ground support test equipment performed effectively in NaK fill, loop pressurization, and NaK drain operations. The instrumentation and control system effectively controlled loop temperature and flow rates or pump voltage to targeted settings. The cold trap design was able to obtain the targeted cold temperature of 480 K. An outlet temperature of 636 K was obtained which was lower than the predicted 750 K but 156 K higher than the cold temperature indicating the design provided some heat regeneration. The annular linear induction pump (ALIP) tested was able to produce a maximum flow rate of 1.53 kg/s at 800 K when operated at 150 V and 53 Hz. Keywords: fission, space power, nuclear, liquid metal, NaK.

Kinking and Torsion Can Significantly Improve the Efficiency of Valveless Pumping in Periodically Compressed Tubular Conduits. Implications for Understanding of the Form-Function Relationship of Embryonic Heart Tubes.

PubMed

Hiermeier, Florian; Männer, Jörg

2017-11-19

Valveless pumping phenomena (peristalsis, Liebau-effect) can generate unidirectional fluid flow in periodically compressed tubular conduits. Early embryonic hearts are tubular conduits acting as valveless pumps. It is unclear whether such hearts work as peristaltic or Liebau-effect pumps. During the initial phase of its pumping activity, the originally straight embryonic heart is subjected to deforming forces that produce bending, twisting, kinking, and coiling. This deformation process is called cardiac looping. Its function is traditionally seen as generating a configuration needed for establishment of correct alignments of pulmonary and systemic flow pathways in the mature heart of lung-breathing vertebrates. This idea conflicts with the fact that cardiac looping occurs in all vertebrates, including gill-breathing fishes. We speculate that looping morphogenesis may improve the efficiency of valveless pumping. To test the physical plausibility of this hypothesis, we analyzed the pumping performance of a Liebau-effect pump in straight and looped (kinked) configurations. Compared to the straight configuration, the looped configuration significantly improved the pumping performance of our pump. This shows that looping can improve the efficiency of valveless pumping driven by the Liebau-effect. Further studies are needed to clarify whether this finding may have implications for understanding of the form-function relationship of embryonic hearts.

Kinking and Torsion Can Significantly Improve the Efficiency of Valveless Pumping in Periodically Compressed Tubular Conduits. Implications for Understanding of the Form-Function Relationship of Embryonic Heart Tubes

PubMed Central

Hiermeier, Florian; Männer, Jörg

2017-01-01

Valveless pumping phenomena (peristalsis, Liebau-effect) can generate unidirectional fluid flow in periodically compressed tubular conduits. Early embryonic hearts are tubular conduits acting as valveless pumps. It is unclear whether such hearts work as peristaltic or Liebau-effect pumps. During the initial phase of its pumping activity, the originally straight embryonic heart is subjected to deforming forces that produce bending, twisting, kinking, and coiling. This deformation process is called cardiac looping. Its function is traditionally seen as generating a configuration needed for establishment of correct alignments of pulmonary and systemic flow pathways in the mature heart of lung-breathing vertebrates. This idea conflicts with the fact that cardiac looping occurs in all vertebrates, including gill-breathing fishes. We speculate that looping morphogenesis may improve the efficiency of valveless pumping. To test the physical plausibility of this hypothesis, we analyzed the pumping performance of a Liebau-effect pump in straight and looped (kinked) configurations. Compared to the straight configuration, the looped configuration significantly improved the pumping performance of our pump. This shows that looping can improve the efficiency of valveless pumping driven by the Liebau-effect. Further studies are needed to clarify whether this finding may have implications for understanding of the form-function relationship of embryonic hearts. PMID:29367548

Informatics in radiology: A prototype Web-based reporting system for onsite-offsite clinician communication.

PubMed

Arnold, Corey W; Bui, Alex A T; Morioka, Craig; El-Saden, Suzie; Kangarloo, Hooshang

2007-01-01

The communication of imaging findings to a referring physician is an important role of the radiologist. However, communication between onsite and offsite physicians is a time-consuming process that can obstruct work flow and frequently involves no exchange of visual information, which is especially problematic given the importance of radiologic images for diagnosis and treatment. A prototype World Wide Web-based image documentation and reporting system was developed for use in supporting a "communication loop" that is based on the concept of a classic "wet-read" system. The proposed system represents an attempt to address many of the problems seen in current communication work flows by implementing a well-documented and easily accessible communication loop that is adaptable to different types of imaging study evaluation. Images are displayed in a native (DICOM) Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine format with a Java applet, which allows accurate presentation along with use of various image manipulation tools. The Web-based infrastructure consists of a server that stores imaging studies and reports, with Web browsers that download and install necessary client software on demand. Application logic consists of a set of PHP (hypertext preprocessor) modules that are accessible with an application programming interface. The system may be adapted to any clinician-specialist communication loop, and, because it integrates radiologic standards with Web-based technologies, can more effectively communicate and document imaging data. RSNA, 2007

Predicting Flow Reversals in a Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulated Thermosyphon Using Data Assimilation.

PubMed

Reagan, Andrew J; Dubief, Yves; Dodds, Peter Sheridan; Danforth, Christopher M

2016-01-01

A thermal convection loop is a annular chamber filled with water, heated on the bottom half and cooled on the top half. With sufficiently large forcing of heat, the direction of fluid flow in the loop oscillates chaotically, dynamics analogous to the Earth's weather. As is the case for state-of-the-art weather models, we only observe the statistics over a small region of state space, making prediction difficult. To overcome this challenge, data assimilation (DA) methods, and specifically ensemble methods, use the computational model itself to estimate the uncertainty of the model to optimally combine these observations into an initial condition for predicting the future state. Here, we build and verify four distinct DA methods, and then, we perform a twin model experiment with the computational fluid dynamics simulation of the loop using the Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (ETKF) to assimilate observations and predict flow reversals. We show that using adaptively shaped localized covariance outperforms static localized covariance with the ETKF, and allows for the use of less observations in predicting flow reversals. We also show that a Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) of the temperature and velocity fields recovers the low dimensional system underlying reversals, finding specific modes which together are predictive of reversal direction.

Predicting Flow Reversals in a Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulated Thermosyphon Using Data Assimilation

PubMed Central

Reagan, Andrew J.; Dubief, Yves; Dodds, Peter Sheridan; Danforth, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

A thermal convection loop is a annular chamber filled with water, heated on the bottom half and cooled on the top half. With sufficiently large forcing of heat, the direction of fluid flow in the loop oscillates chaotically, dynamics analogous to the Earth’s weather. As is the case for state-of-the-art weather models, we only observe the statistics over a small region of state space, making prediction difficult. To overcome this challenge, data assimilation (DA) methods, and specifically ensemble methods, use the computational model itself to estimate the uncertainty of the model to optimally combine these observations into an initial condition for predicting the future state. Here, we build and verify four distinct DA methods, and then, we perform a twin model experiment with the computational fluid dynamics simulation of the loop using the Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (ETKF) to assimilate observations and predict flow reversals. We show that using adaptively shaped localized covariance outperforms static localized covariance with the ETKF, and allows for the use of less observations in predicting flow reversals. We also show that a Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) of the temperature and velocity fields recovers the low dimensional system underlying reversals, finding specific modes which together are predictive of reversal direction. PMID:26849061

Environmental Impacts of a Multi-Borehole Geothermal System: Model Sensitivity Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krol, M.; Daemi, N.

2017-12-01

Problems associated with fossil fuel consumption has increased worldwide interest in discovering and developing sustainable energy systems. One such system is geothermal heating, which uses the constant temperature of the ground to heat or cool buildings. Since geothermal heating offers low maintenance, high heating/cooling comfort, and a low carbon footprint, compared to conventional systems, there has been an increasing trend in equipping large buildings with geothermal heating. However, little is known on the potential environmental impact geothermal heating can have on the subsurface, such as the creation of subsurface thermal plumes or changes in groundwater flow dynamics. In the present study, the environmental impacts of a closed-loop, ground source heat pump (GSHP) system was examined with respect to different system parameters. To do this a three-dimensional model, developed using FEFLOW, was used to examine the thermal plumes resulting from ten years of operation of a vertical closed-loop GSHP system with multiple boreholes. A required thermal load typical of an office building located in Canada was calculated and groundwater flow and heat transport in the geological formation was simulated. Consequently, the resulting thermal plumes were studied and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effect of different parameters like groundwater flow and soil type on the development and movement of thermal plumes. Since thermal plumes can affect the efficiency of a GSHP system, this study provides insight into important system parameters.

Three-Loop Automatic of Control System the Landfill of Household Solid Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sereda, T. G.; Kostarev, S. N.

2017-05-01

The analysis of models of governance ground municipal solid waste (MSW). Considered a distributed circuit (spatio-temporal) ground control model. Developed a dynamic model of multicontour control landfill. Adjustable parameters are defined (the ratio of CH4 CO2 emission/fluxes, concentrations of heavy metals ions) and control (purging array, irrigation, adding reagents). Based on laboratory studies carried out with the analysis of equity flows and procedures developed by the transferring matrix that takes into account the relationship control loops. A system of differential equations in the frequency and time domains. Given the numerical approaches solving systems of differential equations in finite differential form.

Study of Fluid Cooling Loop System in Chinese Manned Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jun; Xu, Jiwan; Fan, Hanlin; Huang, Jiarong

2002-01-01

change. To solve the questions, a fluid cooling loop system must be applied to Chinese manned spacecraft besides other conventional thermal control methods, such as thermal control coatings, multiplayer insulation blankets, heat pipes, electro-heating adjustment temperature devices, and so on. The paper will introduce the thermal design of inner and outer fluid loop including their constitution and fundamental, etc. The capability of heat transportation and the accuracy of control temperature for the fluid loop will be evaluated and analyzed. To insure the air temperature of sealed cabins within 21+/-4, the inlet liquid temperature of condensing heat exchanger needs to be controlled within 9+/-2. To insure this, the inlet liquid temperature of middle heat exchanger needs to be controlled within 8+/-1.8. The inlet temperature point is controlled by a subsidiary loop adjusting: when the computer receives feedbacks of the deviation and the variety rate of deviation from the controlled temperature point. It drives the temperature control valve to adjust the flow flux distribution between the main loop through radiator and the subsidiary loop which isn't through radiator to control the temperature of the mixed fluid within 8+/-1.8. The paper will also introduce thermal designs of key parts in the cooling loop, such as space radiators, heat exchangers and cooling plates. Thermal simulated tests on the ground and flight tests have been performed to verify correctness of thermal designs. rational and the loop system works order. It realizes the circulation of absorbing heat dissipation to the loop and transferring it to radiator then radiating it to space. (2) loop control system controls inlet temperature of middle heat exchanger within 8+/-1.8 under various thermal cases. Thermal design of the middle heat exchanger insures inlet temperature of condensing heat within 9+/-2. Thereby, the air temperature of sealed cabins is controlled within about 21+/-4 accurately. (3) The thermal designs of the key heat exchanging parts (such as radiator, heat exchangers and cooling plates) in the cooling loop are rational and effective, they meet the requirements of heat exchanging and assure the entire system work order.

In‐loop flow [11C]CO2 fixation and radiosynthesis of N,N′‐[11C]dibenzylurea

PubMed Central

Downey, Joseph; Bongarzone, Salvatore; Hader, Stefan

2017-01-01

Cyclotron‐produced carbon‐11 is a highly valuable radionuclide for the production of positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers. It is typically produced as relatively unreactive carbon‐11 carbon dioxide ([11C]CO2), which is most commonly converted into a more reactive precursor for synthesis of PET radiotracers. The development of [11C]CO2 fixation methods has more recently enabled the direct radiolabelling of a diverse array of structures directly from [11C]CO2, and the advantages afforded by the use of a loop‐based system used in 11C‐methylation and 11C‐carboxylation reactions inspired us to apply the [11C]CO2 fixation “in‐loop.” In this work, we developed and investigated a new ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) loop‐based [11C]CO2 fixation method, enabling the fast and efficient, direct‐from‐cyclotron, in‐loop trapping of [11C]CO2 using mixed DBU/amine solutions. An optimised protocol was integrated into a proof‐of‐concept in‐loop flow radiosynthesis of N,N′‐[11C]dibenzylurea. This reaction exhibited an average 78% trapping efficiency and a crude radiochemical purity of 83% (determined by radio‐HPLC), giving an overall nonisolated radiochemical yield of 72% (decay‐corrected) within just 3 minutes from end of bombardment. This proof‐of‐concept reaction has demonstrated that efficient [11C]CO2 fixation can be achieved in a low‐volume (150 μL) ETFE loop and that this can be easily integrated into a rapid in‐loop flow radiosynthesis of carbon‐11–labelled products. This new in‐loop methodology will allow fast radiolabelling reactions to be performed using cheap/disposable ETFE tubing setup (ideal for good manufacturing practice production) thereby contributing to the widespread usage of [11C]CO2 trapping/fixation reactions for the production of PET radiotracers. PMID:28977686

A Survey on Security and Privacy in Emerging Sensor Networks: From Viewpoint of Close-Loop.

PubMed

Zhang, Lifu; Zhang, Heng

2016-03-26

Nowadays, as the next generation sensor networks, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) refer to the complex networked systems that have both physical subsystems and cyber components, and the information flow between different subsystems and components is across a communication network, which forms a closed-loop. New generation sensor networks are found in a growing number of applications and have received increasing attention from many inter-disciplines. Opportunities and challenges in the design, analysis, verification and validation of sensor networks co-exists, among which security and privacy are two important ingredients. This paper presents a survey on some recent results in the security and privacy aspects of emerging sensor networks from the viewpoint of the closed-loop. This paper also discusses several future research directions under these two umbrellas.

Evaluation of Cathode Air Flow Transients in a SOFC/GT Hybrid System Using Hardware in the Loop Simulation.

PubMed

Zhou, Nana; Yang, Chen; Tucker, David

2015-02-01

Thermal management in the fuel cell component of a direct fired solid oxide fuel cell gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid power system can be improved by effective management and control of the cathode airflow. The disturbances of the cathode airflow were accomplished by diverting air around the fuel cell system through the manipulation of a hot-air bypass valve in open loop experiments, using a hardware-based simulation facility designed and built by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The dynamic responses of the fuel cell component and hardware component of the hybrid system were studied in this paper.

Heating and dynamics of two flare loop systems observed by AIA and EIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Y.; Ding, M. D.; Qiu, J., E-mail: yingli@nju.edu.cn

2014-02-01

We investigate heating and evolution of flare loops in a C4.7 two-ribbon flare on 2011 February 13. From Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) imaging observations, we can identify two sets of loops. Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) spectroscopic observations reveal blueshifts at the feet of both sets of loops. The evolution and dynamics of the two sets are quite different. The first set of loops exhibits blueshifts for about 25 minutes followed by redshifts, while the second set shows stronger blueshifts, which are maintained for about one hour. The UV 1600 observation by AIA also shows that the feet ofmore » the second set of loops brighten twice. These suggest that continuous heating may be present in the second set of loops. We use spatially resolved UV light curves to infer heating rates in the few tens of individual loops comprising the two loop systems. With these heating rates, we then compute plasma evolution in these loops with the 'enthalpy-based thermal evolution of loops' model. The results show that, for the first set of loops, the synthetic EUV light curves from the model compare favorably with the observed light curves in six AIA channels and eight EIS spectral lines, and the computed mean enthalpy flow velocities also agree with the Doppler shift measurements by EIS. For the second set of loops modeled with twice-heating, there are some discrepancies between modeled and observed EUV light curves in low-temperature bands, and the model does not fully produce the prolonged blueshift signatures as observed. We discuss possible causes for the discrepancies.« less

Slow Magnetosonic Waves and Fast Flows in Active Region Loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ofman, L.; Wang, T. J.; Davila, J. M.

2012-01-01

Recent extreme ultraviolet spectroscopic observations indicate that slow magnetosonic waves are present in active region (AR) loops. Some of the spectral data were also interpreted as evidence of fast (approx 100-300 km/s) quasiperiodic flows. We have performed three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) modeling of a bipolar AR that contains impulsively generated waves and flows in coronal loops. The model AR is initiated with a dipole magnetic field and gravitationally stratified density, with an upflow-driven steadily or periodically in localized regions at the footpoints of magnetic loops. The resulting flows along the magnetic field lines of the AR produce higher density loops compared to the surrounding plasma by injection of material into the flux tubes and the establishment of siphon flow.We find that the impulsive onset of flows with subsonic speeds result in the excitation of damped slow magnetosonic waves that propagate along the loops and coupled nonlinearly driven fast-mode waves. The phase speed of the slow magnetosonic waves is close to the coronal sound speed. When the amplitude of the driving pulses is increased we find that slow shock-like wave trains are produced. When the upflows are driven periodically, undamped oscillations are produced with periods determined by the periodicity of the upflows. Based on the results of the 3D MHD model we suggest that the observed slow magnetosonic waves and persistent upflows may be produced by the same impulsive events at the bases of ARs.

The development of a microprocessor-controlled linearly-actuated valve assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, R. H.

1984-01-01

The development of a proportional fluid control valve assembly is presented. This electromechanical system is needed for space applications to replace the current proportional flow controllers. The flow is controlled by a microprocessor system that monitors the control parameters of upstream pressure and requested volumetric flow rate. The microprocessor achieves the proper valve stem displacement by means of a digital linear actuator. A linear displacement sensor is used to measure the valve stem position. This displacement is monitored by the microprocessor system as a feedback signal to close the control loop. With an upstream pressure between 15 and 47 psig, the developed system operates between 779 standard CU cm/sec (SCCS) and 1543 SCCS.

Micro-Columnated Loop Heat Pipe: The Future of Electronic Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhillon, Navdeep Singh

The modern world is run by semiconductor-based electronic systems. Due to continuous improvements in semiconductor device fabrication, there is a clear trend in the market towards the development of electronic devices and components that not only deliver enhanced computing power, but are also more compact. Thermal management has emerged as the primary challenge in this scenario where heat flux dissipation of electronic chips is increasing exponentially, but conventional cooling solutions such as conduction and convection are no longer feasible. To keep device junction temperatures within the safe operating limit, there is an urgent requirement for ultra-high-conductivity thermal substrates that not only absorb and transport large heat fluxes, but can also provide localized cooling to thermal hotspots. This dissertation describes the design, modeling, and fabrication of a phase change-based, planar, ultra-thin, passive thermal transport system that is inspired by the concept of loop heat pipes and capillary pumped loops. Fabricated on silicon and Pyrex wafers using microfabrication techniques, the micro-columnated loop heat pipe (muCLHP) can be integrated directly with densely packed or multiply-stacked electronic substrates, to provide localized high-heat-flux thermal management. The muCLHP employs a dual-scale coherent porous silicon(CPS)-based micro-columnated wicking structure, where the primary CPS wick provides large capillary forces for fluid transport, while a secondary surface-wick maximizes the rate of thin-film evaporation. To overcome the wick thickness limitation encountered in conventional loop heat pipes, strategies based on MEMS surface micromachining techniques were developed to reduce parasitic heat flow from the evaporator to the compensation chamber of the device. Finite element analysis was used to confirm this reduction in a planar evaporator design, thus enabling the generation of a large motive temperature head for continuous device operation. To predict the overall heat carrying capacity of the muCLHP in the capillary pumping limit, an analytical model was developed to account for a steady state pressure balance in the device flow loop. Based on this model, a design optimization study, employing monotonicity analysis and numerical optimization techniques, was undertaken. It was found that an optimized muCLHP device can absorb heat fluxes as large as 1293 W/cm2 when water is used as a working fluid. A finite volume method-based numerical model was also developed to compute the rates of thin-film evaporation from the patterned surface of the secondary wick. The numerical results indicated that, by properly optimizing the dual-scale wick topology, allowable evaporative heat fluxes can be made commensurate with the heat flux performance predicted by the capillary pumping limit. The latter part of the dissertation deals with the fabrication, packaging, and experimental testing of several in-plane-wicking micro loop heat pipe (muLHP) prototypes. These devices were fabricated on silicon and Pyrex substrates and closely resemble the muCLHP design philosophy, with the exception that the CPS wick is substituted with an easier to fabricate in-plane wick. A novel thermal-flux method was developed for the degassing and fluid charging of the muLHP prototypes. Experiments were conducted to study the process of evaporation and dynamics of the liquid and vapor phases in the device flow loop. Using these results, the overall device and individual component topologies critical to the operation of the two-phase flow loop were identified. A continuous two-phase device flow loop was demonstrated for applied evaporator heat fluxes as high as 41 W/cm2. The performance of these devices, currently found to be limited by the motive temperature head requirement, can be significantly improved by implementing the parasitic heat flow-reduction strategies developed in this work. The 3-D thin-film evaporation model, when integrated into the overall device modeling framework, will enable a design optimization of the micro-columnated wick for further device performance enhancements.

Operational and maintenance instruction manual for the Ingham County Geriatric Medical Care Facility solar water-heating system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Ingham County solar system consists of approximately 10,000 square feet of solar collectors connected in a closed configuration loop. The primary loop solution is a 1:12 mixture of water and propylene glycol which flows through the tube side of a heat exchanger connected to the primary storage tank. The heat energy which is supplied to the primary storage tank is subsequently used to preheat the temperature of the laundry water, kitchen water, and domestic potable water. Included in this report are: detailed drawings and flow chart; operational methodology; preventive maintenance instructions; general instructions and safety precautions; and a correctivemore » maintenance and tabulation of failure modes. Appendices include: manufacturers technical manual and component specifications; IBM data sensors and responsibilities; digital county monitor operations manual; and on site monitor operations manual. Reference CAPE-2834. (LS)« less

Undamped transverse oscillations of coronal loops as a self-oscillatory process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakariakov, V. M.; Anfinogentov, S. A.; Nisticò, G.; Lee, D.-H.

2016-06-01

Context. Standing transverse oscillations of coronal loops are observed to operate in two regimes: rapidly decaying, large amplitude oscillations and undamped small amplitude oscillations. In the latter regime the damping should be compensated by energy supply, which allows the loop to perform almost monochromatic oscillations with almost constant amplitude and phase. Different loops oscillate with different periods. The oscillation amplitude does not show dependence on the loop length or the oscillation period. Aims: We aim to develop a low-dimensional model explaining the undamped kink oscillations as a self-oscillatory process caused by the effect of negative friction. The source of energy is an external quasi-steady flow, for example, supergranulation motions near the loop footpoints or external flows in the corona. Methods: We demonstrate that the interaction of a quasi-steady flow with a loop can be described by a Rayleigh oscillator equation that is a non-linear ordinary differential equation, with the damping and resonant terms determined empirically. Results: Small-amplitude self-oscillatory solutions to the Rayleigh oscillator equation are harmonic signals of constant amplitude, which is consistent with the observed properties of undamped kink oscillations. The period of self-oscillations is determined by the frequency of the kink mode. The damping by dissipation and mode conversion is compensated by the continuous energy deposition at the frequency of the natural oscillation. Conclusions: We propose that undamped kink oscillations of coronal loops may be caused by the interaction of the loops with quasi-steady flows, and hence are self-oscillations, which is analogous to producing a tune by moving a bow across a violin string.

Loop Heat Pipe Temperature Oscillation Induced by Gravity Assist and Reservoir Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Garrison, Matthew; Patel, Deepak; Robinson, Franklin; Ottenstein, Laura

2015-01-01

The Laser Thermal Control System (LCTS) for the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) to be installed on NASA's Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2) consists of a constant conductance heat pipe and a loop heat pipe (LHP) with an associated radiator. During the recent thermal vacuum testing of the LTCS where the LHP condenser/radiator was placed in a vertical position above the evaporator and reservoir, it was found that the LHP reservoir control heater power requirement was much higher than the analytical model had predicted. Even with the control heater turned on continuously at its full power, the reservoir could not be maintained at its desired set point temperature. An investigation of the LHP behaviors found that the root cause of the problem was fluid flow and reservoir temperature oscillations, which led to persistent alternate forward and reversed flow along the liquid line and an imbalance between the vapor mass flow rate in the vapor line and liquid mass flow rate in the liquid line. The flow and temperature oscillations were caused by an interaction between gravity and reservoir heating, and were exacerbated by the large thermal mass of the instrument simulator which modulated the net heat load to the evaporator, and the vertical radiator/condenser which induced a variable gravitational pressure head. Furthermore, causes and effects of the contributing factors to flow and temperature oscillations intermingled.

Scaling considerations for a multi-megawatt class supercritical CO2 brayton cycle and commercialization.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleming, Darryn D.; Holschuh, Thomas Vernon,; Conboy, Thomas M.

2013-11-01

Small-scale supercritical CO2 demonstration loops are successful at identifying the important technical issues that one must face in order to scale up to larger power levels. The Sandia National Laboratories supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle test loops are identifying technical needs to scale the technology to commercial power levels such as 10 MWe. The small size of the Sandia 1 MWth loop has demonstration of the split flow loop efficiency and effectiveness of the Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHXs) leading to the design of a fully recuperated, split flow, supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle demonstration system. However, there were many problems thatmore » were encountered, such as high rotational speeds in the units. Additionally, the turbomachinery in the test loops need to identify issues concerning the bearings, seals, thermal boundaries, and motor controller problems in order to be proved a reliable power source in the 300 kWe range. Although these issues were anticipated in smaller demonstration units, commercially scaled hardware would eliminate these problems caused by high rotational speeds at small scale. The economic viability and development of the future scalable 10 MWe solely depends on the interest of DOE and private industry. The Intellectual Property collected by Sandia proves that the ~10 MWe supercritical CO2 power conversion loop to be very beneficial when coupled to a 20 MWth heat source (either solar, geothermal, fossil, or nuclear). This paper will identify a commercialization plan, as well as, a roadmap from the simple 1 MWth supercritical CO2 development loop to a power producing 10 MWe supercritical CO2 Brayton loop.« less

SELF-ORGANIZATION OF RECONNECTING PLASMAS TO MARGINAL COLLISIONALITY IN THE SOLAR CORONA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Imada, S.; Zweibel, E. G.

We explore the suggestions by Uzdensky and Cassak et al. that coronal loops heated by magnetic reconnection should self-organize to a state of marginal collisionality. We discuss their model of coronal loop dynamics with a one-dimensional hydrodynamic calculation. We assume that many current sheets are present, with a distribution of thicknesses, but that only current sheets thinner than the ion skin depth can rapidly reconnect. This assumption naturally causes a density-dependent heating rate which is actively regulated by the plasma. We report nine numerical simulation results of coronal loop hydrodynamics in which the absolute values of the heating rates aremore » different but their density dependences are the same. We find two regimes of behavior, depending on the amplitude of the heating rate. In the case that the amplitude of heating is below a threshold value, the loop is in stable equilibrium. Typically, the upper and less dense part of a coronal loop is collisionlessly heated and conductively cooled. When the amplitude of heating is above the threshold, the conductive flux to the lower atmosphere required to balance collisionless heating drives an evaporative flow which quenches fast reconnection, ultimately cooling and draining the loop until the cycle begins again. The key elements of this cycle are gravity and the density dependence of the heating function. Some additional factors are present, including pressure-driven flows from the loop top, which carry a large enthalpy flux and play an important role in reducing the density. We find that on average the density of the system is close to the marginally collisionless value.« less

Between giant oscillations and uniform distribution of droplets: The role of varying lumen of channels in microfluidic networks.

PubMed

Cybulski, Olgierd; Jakiela, Slawomir; Garstecki, Piotr

2015-12-01

The simplest microfluidic network (a loop) comprises two parallel channels with a common inlet and a common outlet. Recent studies that assumed a constant cross section of the channels along their length have shown that the sequence of droplets entering the left (L) or right (R) arm of the loop can present either a uniform distribution of choices (e.g., RLRLRL...) or long sequences of repeated choices (RRR...LLL), with all the intermediate permutations being dynamically equivalent and virtually equally probable to be observed. We use experiments and computer simulations to show that even small variation of the cross section along channels completely shifts the dynamics either into the strong preference for highly grouped patterns (RRR...LLL) that generate system-size oscillations in flow or just the opposite-to patterns that distribute the droplets homogeneously between the arms of the loop. We also show the importance of noise in the process of self-organization of the spatiotemporal patterns of droplets. Our results provide guidelines for rational design of systems that reproducibly produce either grouped or homogeneous sequences of droplets flowing in microfluidic networks.

A Network Scheduling Model for Distributed Control Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culley, Dennis; Thomas, George; Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot

2016-01-01

Distributed engine control is a hardware technology that radically alters the architecture for aircraft engine control systems. Of its own accord, it does not change the function of control, rather it seeks to address the implementation issues for weight-constrained vehicles that can limit overall system performance and increase life-cycle cost. However, an inherent feature of this technology, digital communication networks, alters the flow of information between critical elements of the closed-loop control. Whereas control information has been available continuously in conventional centralized control architectures through virtue of analog signaling, moving forward, it will be transmitted digitally in serial fashion over the network(s) in distributed control architectures. An underlying effect is that all of the control information arrives asynchronously and may not be available every loop interval of the controller, therefore it must be scheduled. This paper proposes a methodology for modeling the nominal data flow over these networks and examines the resulting impact for an aero turbine engine system simulation.

Corrosion detector apparatus for universal assessment of pollution in data centers

DOEpatents

Hamann, Hendrik F.; Klein, Levente I.

2015-08-18

A compact corrosion measurement apparatus and system includes an air fan, a corrosion sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a heater element, and an air flow sensor all under control to monitor and maintain constant air parameters in an environment and minimize environmental fluctuations around the corrosion sensor to overcome the variation commonly encountered in corrosion rate measurement. The corrosion measurement apparatus includes a structure providing an enclosure within which are located the sensors. Constant air flow and temperature is maintained within the enclosure where the corrosion sensor is located by integrating a variable speed air fan and a heater with the corresponding feedback loop control. Temperature and air flow control loops ensure that corrosivity is measured under similar conditions in different facilities offering a general reference point that allow a one to one comparison between facilities with similar or different pollution levels.

Closed cycle electric discharge laser design investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baily, P. K.; Smith, R. C.

1978-01-01

Closed cycle CO2 and CO electric discharge lasers were studied. An analytical investigation assessed scale-up parameters and design features for CO2, closed cycle, continuous wave, unstable resonator, electric discharge lasing systems operating in space and airborne environments. A space based CO system was also examined. The program objectives were the conceptual designs of six CO2 systems and one CO system. Three airborne CO2 designs, with one, five, and ten megawatt outputs, were produced. These designs were based upon five minute run times. Three space based CO2 designs, with the same output levels, were also produced, but based upon one year run times. In addition, a conceptual design for a one megawatt space based CO laser system was also produced. These designs include the flow loop, compressor, and heat exchanger, as well as the laser cavity itself. The designs resulted in a laser loop weight for the space based five megawatt system that is within the space shuttle capacity. For the one megawatt systems, the estimated weight of the entire system including laser loop, solar power generator, and heat radiator is less than the shuttle capacity.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knížat, Branislav, E-mail: branislav.knizat@stuba.sk; Urban, František, E-mail: frantisek.urban@stuba.sk; Mlkvik, Marek, E-mail: marek.mlkvik@stuba.sk

A natural circulation helium loop appears to be a perspective passive method of a nuclear reactor cooling. When designing this device, it is important to analyze the mechanism of an internal flow. The flow of helium in the loop is set in motion due to a difference of hydrostatic pressures between cold and hot branch. Steady flow at a requested flow rate occurs when the buoyancy force is adjusted to resistances against the flow. Considering the fact that the buoyancy force is proportional to a difference of temperatures in both branches, it is important to estimate the losses correctly inmore » the process of design. The paper deals with the calculation of losses in branches of the natural circulation helium loop by methods of CFD. The results of calculations are an important basis for the hydraulic design of both exchangers (heater and cooler). The analysis was carried out for the existing model of a helium loop of the height 10 m and nominal heat power 250 kW.« less

Finite-time braiding exponents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budišić, Marko; Thiffeault, Jean-Luc

2015-08-01

Topological entropy of a dynamical system is an upper bound for the sum of positive Lyapunov exponents; in practice, it is strongly indicative of the presence of mixing in a subset of the domain. Topological entropy can be computed by partition methods, by estimating the maximal growth rate of material lines or other material elements, or by counting the unstable periodic orbits of the flow. All these methods require detailed knowledge of the velocity field that is not always available, for example, when ocean flows are measured using a small number of floating sensors. We propose an alternative calculation, applicable to two-dimensional flows, that uses only a sparse set of flow trajectories as its input. To represent the sparse set of trajectories, we use braids, algebraic objects that record how trajectories exchange positions with respect to a projection axis. Material curves advected by the flow are represented as simplified loop coordinates. The exponential rate at which a braid stretches loops over a finite time interval is the Finite-Time Braiding Exponent (FTBE). We study FTBEs through numerical simulations of the Aref Blinking Vortex flow, as a representative of a general class of flows having a single invariant component with positive topological entropy. The FTBEs approach the value of the topological entropy from below as the length and number of trajectories is increased; we conjecture that this result holds for a general class of ergodic, mixing systems. Furthermore, FTBEs are computed robustly with respect to the numerical time step, details of braid representation, and choice of initial conditions. We find that, in the class of systems we describe, trajectories can be re-used to form different braids, which greatly reduces the amount of data needed to assess the complexity of the flow.

Finite-time braiding exponents.

PubMed

Budišić, Marko; Thiffeault, Jean-Luc

2015-08-01

Topological entropy of a dynamical system is an upper bound for the sum of positive Lyapunov exponents; in practice, it is strongly indicative of the presence of mixing in a subset of the domain. Topological entropy can be computed by partition methods, by estimating the maximal growth rate of material lines or other material elements, or by counting the unstable periodic orbits of the flow. All these methods require detailed knowledge of the velocity field that is not always available, for example, when ocean flows are measured using a small number of floating sensors. We propose an alternative calculation, applicable to two-dimensional flows, that uses only a sparse set of flow trajectories as its input. To represent the sparse set of trajectories, we use braids, algebraic objects that record how trajectories exchange positions with respect to a projection axis. Material curves advected by the flow are represented as simplified loop coordinates. The exponential rate at which a braid stretches loops over a finite time interval is the Finite-Time Braiding Exponent (FTBE). We study FTBEs through numerical simulations of the Aref Blinking Vortex flow, as a representative of a general class of flows having a single invariant component with positive topological entropy. The FTBEs approach the value of the topological entropy from below as the length and number of trajectories is increased; we conjecture that this result holds for a general class of ergodic, mixing systems. Furthermore, FTBEs are computed robustly with respect to the numerical time step, details of braid representation, and choice of initial conditions. We find that, in the class of systems we describe, trajectories can be re-used to form different braids, which greatly reduces the amount of data needed to assess the complexity of the flow.

Active control of one or more EGR loops

DOEpatents

Ruth, Michael J.; Cunningham, Michael J.; Henry, Cary A.

2017-08-08

Active control of one or more exhaust gas recirculation loops is provided to manage and EGR fraction in the charge flow to produce desired operating conditions and/or provide diagnostics in response to at least one of an oxygen concentration and a NOx concentration in the charge flow and in the exhaust flow.

Integrated design of cryogenic refrigerator and liquid-nitrogen circulation loop for HTS cable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ho-Myung; Ryu, Ki Nam; Yang, Hyung Suk

2016-12-01

A new concept of cryogenic cooling system is proposed and investigated for application to long-length HTS cables. One of major obstacles to the cable length of 1 km or longer is the difficulty in circulating liquid nitrogen (LN) along the cables, since the temperature rise and pressure drop of LN flow could be excessively large. This study attempts a breakthrough by integrating the refrigerator with the LN circulation loop in order to eliminate the cryogenic LN pumps, and generate a large LN flow with the power of compressors at ambient temperature. A variety of thermodynamic structures are investigated on standard and modified Claude cycles, where nitrogen is used as refrigerant and the LN circulation loop is included as part of the closed cycle. Four proposed cycles are fully analyzed and optimized with a process simulator (Aspen HYSYS) to evaluate the FOM (figure of merit) and examine the feasibility. The modified dual-pressure cycle cooled with expander stream is recommended for long HTS cables.

Closed Loop Two-Phase Thermosyphon of Small Dimensions: a Review of the Experimental Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Alessandro; Filippeschi, Sauro

2012-06-01

A bibliographical review on the heat and mass transfer in gravity assisted Closed Loop Two Phase Thermosyphons (CLTPT) with channels having a hydraulic diameter of the order of some millimetres and input power below 1 kW is proposed. The available experimental works in the literature are critically analysed in order to highlight the main results and the correlation between mass flow rate and heat input in natural circulation loops. A comparison of different experimental apparatuses and results is made. It is observed that the results are very different among them and in many cases the experimental data disagree with the conventional theory developed for an imposed flow rate. The paper analyses the main differences among the experimental devices and try to understand these disagreements. From the present analysis it is evident that further systematic studies are required to generate a meaningful body of knowledge of the heat and mass transport mechanism in these devices for practical applications in cooling devices or energy systems.

Controlling the trajectories of bubble trains at a microfluidic junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parthiban, Pravien; Khan, Saif

2011-11-01

The increasing number of applications facilitated by digital microfluidic flows has resulted in a sustained interest in not only understanding the diverse, interesting and often complex dynamics associated with such flows in microchannel networks but also in developing facile strategies to control them. We find that there are readily accessible flow speeds wherein resistance to flow in microchannels decreases with an increase in the number of confined bubbles present, and exploit this intriguing phenomenon to sort all bubble of a train exclusively into one of the arms of a nominally symmetric microfluidic loop. We also demonstrate how the arm into which the train filters into can be chosen by applying a temporary external stimulus by means of an additional flow of the continuous liquid into one the arms of the loop. Furthermore, we show how by tuning the magnitude and period of this temporary stimulus we can switch controllably, the traffic of bubbles between both arms of the loop even when the loop is asymmetric. The results of this work should aid in developing viable methods to regulate traffic of digital flows in microfluidic networks.

Reactor Simulator Testing Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, Michael P.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Integrated testing of the TDU components TESTING SUMMARY: a) Verify the operation of the core simulator, the instrumentation and control system, and the ground support gas and vacuum test equipment. b) Thermal test heat regeneration design aspect of a cold trap purification filter. c) Pump performance test at pump voltages up to 150 V (targeted mass flow rate of 1.75 kg/s was not obtained in the RxSim at the originally constrained voltage of 120 V). TESTING HIGHLIGHTS: a) Gas and vacuum ground support test equipment performed effectively for NaK fill, loop pressurization, and NaK drain operations. b) Instrumentation and control system effectively controlled loop temperature and flow rates or pump voltage to targeted settings. c) Cold trap design was able to obtain the targeted cold temperature of 480 K. An outlet temperature of 636 K was obtained which was lower than the predicted 750 K but 156 K higher than the cold temperature indicating the design provided some heat regeneration. d) ALIP produce a maximum flow rate of 1.53 kg/s at 800 K when operated at 150 V and 53 Hz.

Lazy river on Mars: Ring-shaped fluvial channel discovered north of Capri Chasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, B. J.

2017-12-01

Many features on Mars are strange, but some are stranger than others. Fluvial features on Mars come in several basic flavors: branching valley networks, massive outflow channels, and possibly presently active recurring slope lineae. Here, we identify a small, valley network-like channel segment whose planform appearance traces out a nearly complete circle. One of the key tenants of hydrogeology and plumbing is that "stuff flows downhill." A seemingly circular loop implies a gross violation of the downhill flow rule, akin to a visual claim of perpetual motion. This M.C. Escher-inspired landform is located at 6.45°S, 39.70°W inside Innsbruck crater, a 59-km diameter impact structure that is just north of Capri Chasma. A close inspection reveals that the loop is not 100% continuous; there is a slight break on the western side of the loop. The pair of channels on either side of this gap terminate abruptly. These appear to be points of origin rather than termini, although admittedly the direction(s) of flow within the channel segments are difficult to constrain uniquely. The overall morphology of this near-circular channel system implies a local source limited both in duration and volume. Assuming that the fluid involved was water, the volume of water was sufficient for incipient erosion of the terrain, but not sufficient to have ponded or continued to flow. Here, the combined infiltration and evaporation rates must have been sufficiently large such that a breakout flow did not occur.

Comparative PIV and LDA studies of Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows in an agitated tank.

PubMed

Story, Anna; Jaworski, Zdzisław; Simmons, Mark J; Nowak, Emilia

2018-01-01

The paper presents results of an experimental study of the fluid velocity field in a stirred tank equipped with a Prochem Maxflo T (PMT) type impeller which was rotating at a constant frequency of N  = 4.1 or 8.2 s -1 inducing transitional ( Re  = 499 or 1307) or turbulent ( Re  = 2.43 × 10 4 ) flow of the fluid. The experiments were performed for a Newtonian fluid (water) and a non-Newtonian fluid (0.2 wt% aqueous solution of carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC) exhibiting mild viscoelastic properties. Measurements were carried out using laser light scattering on tracer particles which follow the flow (2-D PIV). For both the water and the CMC solution one primary and two secondary circulation loops were observed within the fluid volume; however, the secondary loops were characterized by much lower intensity. The applied PMT-type impeller produced in the Newtonian fluid an axial primary flow, whilst in the non-Newtonian fluid the flow was more radial. The results obtained in the form of the local mean velocity components were in satisfactory agreement with the literature data from LDA. Distribution of the shear rate in the studied system was also analyzed. For the non-Newtonian fluid an area was computed where the elastic force dominates over the viscous one. The area was nearly matching the region occupied by the primary circulation loop.

A compact self-flowing lithium system for use in an industrial neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalathiparambil, Kishor Kumar; Szott, Matthew; Jurczyk, Brian; Ahn, Chisung; Ruzic, David

2016-10-01

A compact trench module to flow liquid lithium in closed loops for handling high heat and particle flux have been fabricated and tested at UIUC. The module was designed to demonstrate the proof of concept in utilizing liquid metals for two principal objectives: i) as self-healing low Z plasma facing components, which is expected to solve the issues facing the current high Z components and ii) using flowing lithium as an MeV-level neutron source. A continuously flowing lithium loop ensures a fresh lithium interface and also accommodate a higher concentration of D, enabling advanced D-Li reactions without using any radioactive tritium. Such a system is expected to have a base yield of 10e7 n/s. For both the applications, the key success factor of the module is attaining the necessary high flow velocity of the lithium especially over the impact area, which will be the disruptive plasma events in fusion reactors and the incident ion beam for the neutron beam source. This was achieved by the efficient shaping of the trenches to exploit the nozzle effect in liquid flow. The compactness of the module, which can also be scaled as desired, was fulfilled by the use of high Tc permanent magnets and air cooled channels attained the necessary temperature gradient for driving the lithium. The design considerations and parameters, experimental arrangements involving lithium filling and attaining flow, data and results obtained will be elaborated. DOE SBIR project DE-SC0013861.

Two-dimensional simulation of a two-phase, regenerative pumped radiator loop utilizing direct contact heat transfer with phase change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhee, Hyop S.; Begg, Lester L.; Wetch, Joseph R.; Jang, Jong H.; Juhasz, Albert J.

An innovative pumped loop concept for 600 K space power system radiators utilizing direct contact heat transfer, which facilitates repeated startup/shutdown of the power system without complex and time-consuming coolant thawing during power startup, is under development. The heat transfer process with melting/freezing of Li in an NaK flow was studied through two-dimensional time-dependent numerical simulations to characterize and predict the Li/NaK radiator performance during startup (thawing) and shutdown (cold-trapping). Effects of system parameters and the criteria for the plugging domain are presented together with temperature distribution patterns in solid Li and subsequent melting surface profile variations in time.

A Survey on Security and Privacy in Emerging Sensor Networks: From Viewpoint of Close-Loop

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lifu; Zhang, Heng

2016-01-01

Nowadays, as the next generation sensor networks, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) refer to the complex networked systems that have both physical subsystems and cyber components, and the information flow between different subsystems and components is across a communication network, which forms a closed-loop. New generation sensor networks are found in a growing number of applications and have received increasing attention from many inter-disciplines. Opportunities and challenges in the design, analysis, verification and validation of sensor networks co-exists, among which security and privacy are two important ingredients. This paper presents a survey on some recent results in the security and privacy aspects of emerging sensor networks from the viewpoint of the closed-loop. This paper also discusses several future research directions under these two umbrellas. PMID:27023559

Effect of ambient pressure variation on closed loop gas system for India based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satyanarayana, B.; Majumder, G.; Mondal, N. K.; Kalmani, S. D.; Shinde, R. R.; Joshi, A.

2014-10-01

Pilot unit of a closed loop gas mixing and distribution system for the INO project was designed and is being operated with 1.8meters × 1.9meters RPCs for about two years. A number of studies on controlling the flow and optimisation of the gas mixture through the RPC stack were carried out during this period. The gas system essentially measures and attempts to maintain absolute pressure inside the RPC gas volume. During typical Mumbai monsoon seasons, the barometric pressure changes rather rapidly, due to which the gas system fails to maintain the set differential pressure between the ambience and the RPC gas volume. As the safety bubblers on the RPC gas input lines are set to work on fixed pressure differentials, the ambient pressure changes lead to either venting out and thus wasting gas through safety bubblers or over pressuring the RPCs gas volume and thus degrading its performance. The above problem also leads to gas mixture contamination through minute leaks in gas gap. The problem stated above was solved by including the ambient barometric pressure as an input parameter in the closed loop. Using this, it is now possible to maintain any set differential pressure between the ambience and RPC gas volumes between 0 to 20mm of water column, thus always ensuring a positive pressure inside the RPC gas volume with respect to the ambience. This has resulted in improved performance of the gas system by maintaining the constant gas flow and reducing the gas toping up frequency. In this paper, we will highlight the design features and improvements of the closed loop gas system. We will present some of the performance studies and considerations for scaling up the system to be used with the engineering module and then followed by Iron Calorimeter detector (ICAL), which is designed to deploy about 30,000 RPCs of 1.8meters × 1.9 meters in area.

Note: A dual temperature closed loop batch reactor for determining the partitioning of trace gases within CO2-water systems.

PubMed

Warr, Oliver; Rochelle, Christopher A; Masters, Andrew J; Ballentine, Christopher J

2016-01-01

An experimental approach is presented which can be used to determine partitioning of trace gases within CO2-water systems. The key advantages of this system are (1) The system can be isolated with no external exchange, making it ideal for experiments with conservative tracers. (2) Both phases can be sampled concurrently to give an accurate composition at each phase at any given time. (3) Use of a lower temperature flow loop outside of the reactor removes contamination and facilitates sampling. (4) Rapid equilibration at given pressure/temperature conditions is significantly aided by stirring and circulating the water phase using a magnetic stirrer and high-pressure liquid chromatography pump, respectively.

Loop Shaping Control Design for a Supersonic Propulsion System Model Using Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) Specifications and Bounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Joseph W.; Kopasakis, George

2010-01-01

This paper covers the propulsion system component modeling and controls development of an integrated mixed compression inlet and turbojet engine that will be used for an overall vehicle Aero-Propulso-Servo-Elastic (APSE) model. Using previously created nonlinear component-level propulsion system models, a linear integrated propulsion system model and loop shaping control design have been developed. The design includes both inlet normal shock position control and jet engine rotor speed control for a potential supersonic commercial transport. A preliminary investigation of the impacts of the aero-elastic effects on the incoming flow field to the propulsion system are discussed, however, the focus here is on developing a methodology for the propulsion controls design that prevents unstart in the inlet and minimizes the thrust oscillation experienced by the vehicle. Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) specifications and bounds, and aspects of classical loop shaping are used in the control design process. Model uncertainty is incorporated in the design to address possible error in the system identification mapping of the nonlinear component models into the integrated linear model.

Numerical Simulation in a Supercirtical CFB Boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yanjun; Gaol, Xiang; Luo, Zhongyang; Jiang, Xiaoguo

The dimension of the hot circulation loop of the supercritical CFB boiler is large, and there are many unknowns and challenges that should be identified and resolved during the development. In order to realize a reasonable and reliable design of the hot circulation loop, numerical simulation of gas-solid flow in a supercritical CFB boiler was conducted by using FLUENT software. The working condition of hot circulation loop flow field, gas-solid flow affected by three unsymmetrical cyclones, air distribution and pressure drop in furnace were analyzed. The simulation results showed that the general arrangement of the 600MWe supercritical CFB boiler is reasonable.

Flow quality studies of the NASA Lewis Research Center Icing Research Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arrington, E. Allen; Pickett, Mark T.; Sheldon, David W.

1994-01-01

A series of studies have been conducted to determine the flow quality in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel. The primary purpose of these studies was to document airflow characteristics, including flow angularity, in the test section and tunnel loop. A vertically mounted rake was used to survey total and static pressure and two components of flow angle at three axial stations within the test section (test section inlet, test plane, and test section exit; 15 survey stations total). This information will be used to develop methods of improving the aerodynamic and icing characteristics within the test section. The data from surveys made in the tunnel loop were used to determine areas where overall tunnel flow quality and efficiency can be improved. A separate report documents similar flow quality surveys conducted in the diffuser section of the Icing Research Tunnel. The flow quality studies were conducted at several locations around the tunnel loop. Pressure, velocity, and flow angularity measurements were made by using both fixed and translating probes. Although surveys were made throughout the tunnel loop, emphasis was placed on the test section and tunnel areas directly upstream of the test section (settling chamber, bellmouth, and cooler). Flow visualization, by video recording smoke and tuft patterns, was also used during these studies. A great deal of flow visualization work was conducted in the area of the drive fan. Information gathered there will be used to improve the flow quality upstream and downstream of the fan.

Measurements and calculations of water velocity, momentum flux, and related flow parameters obtaned from single-phase water integral acceptance tests of the PKL instrumented spool pieces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stein, W.

The operation of the emergency core cooling system and its related steam-binding problems in pressurized water reactors is the subject of a cooperative study by the United States, Germany, and Japan. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and EG and G, Inc., San Ramon Operations, are responsible for the design, hardware, and software of the 80.8-mm and 113-mm spool piece measurement systems for the German Primarkreislauf (PKL) Test Facility at Kraftwerk Union in Erlangen, West Germany. This work was done for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Division of Reactor Safety Research, under its 3-D Technical Support and Instrumentation Program. Four instrumented spools capablemore » of measuring individual phase parameters in two-phase flows were constructed. Each spool contains a flow turbine, drag screen, three-beam densitometer, and pressure and temperature probes. A computerized data acquisition system is also provided to store and analyze data from the four spools. The four spools were shipped to the PKL Test Facility in West Germany for acceptance testing in a water-flow loop. Spool measurements of velocity and momentum flux were compared to the values obtained from an orifice meter installed in the loop piping system. The turbine flowmeter velocity data for all tests were within allowable tolerances. Drag screen momentum flux measurements were also within tolerance with the exception of a few points.« less

Heat exchanger with oscillating flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scotti, Stephen J. (Inventor); Blosser, Max L. (Inventor); Camarda, Charles J. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

Various heat exchange apparatuses are described in which an oscillating flow of primary coolant is used to dissipate an incident heat flux. The oscillating flow may be imparted by a reciprocating piston, a double action twin reciprocating piston, fluidic oscillators, or electromagnetic pumps. The oscillating fluid flows through at least one conduit in either an open loop or a closed loop. A secondary flow of coolant may be used to flow over the outer walls of at least one conduit to remove heat transferred from the primary coolant to the walls of the conduit.

Heat exchanger with oscillating flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scotti, Stephen J. (Inventor); Blosser, Max L. (Inventor); Camarda, Charles J. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Various heat exchange apparatuses are described in which an oscillating flow of primary coolant is used to dissipate an incident heat flux. The oscillating flow may be imparted by a reciprocating piston, a double action twin reciprocating piston, fluidic oscillators or electromagnetic pumps. The oscillating fluid flows through at least one conduit in either an open loop or a closed loop. A secondary flow of coolant may be used to flow over the outer walls of at least one conduit to remove heat transferred from the primary coolant to the walls of the conduit.

Low Flow Vortex Shedding Flow Meter for Hypergolics/all Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thinh, Ngo Dinh

1991-01-01

A family of vortex shedding flow meters, for measurement of hypergol flows, was designed and fabricated. The test loops to evaluate the flow meters for water flow, as well as Freon -113 flow which simulates the hypergolic fluids, were modified and constructed to utilize a pump system which has an output capacity of 200 gpm. Test runs were conducted on the small 1/2 inch model with Freon 113 and on the larger models with water. Results showed that the linearity between the frequency of the vortices and the flow rate of the fluids was very close to that of the turbine flow meter. It is suggested that the vortex shedding flow meter is a possible replacement for the existing turbine type.

Experimental Study of a Nitrogen Natural Circulation Loop at Low Heat Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baudouy, B.

2010-04-01

A natural convection circulation loop in liquid nitrogen, i.e. an open thermosiphon flow configuration, has been investigated experimentally near atmospheric pressure. The experiments were conducted on a 2 m high loop with a copper tube of 10 mm inner diameter uniformly heated over a length of 0.95 m. Evolution of the total mass flow rate of the loop and the pressure difference along the tube are described. We also report the boiling curves where single phase and two-phase flows are identified with increasing heat flux. We focus our heat transfer analysis on the single phase regime where mixed convection is encountered. A heat transfer coefficient correlation is proposed. We also examine the boiling incipience as a function of the tube height.

Ribosome flow model with positive feedback

PubMed Central

Margaliot, Michael; Tuller, Tamir

2013-01-01

Eukaryotic mRNAs usually form a circular structure; thus, ribosomes that terminatae translation at the 3′ end can diffuse with increased probability to the 5′ end of the transcript, initiating another cycle of translation. This phenomenon describes ribosomal flow with positive feedback—an increase in the flow of ribosomes terminating translating the open reading frame increases the ribosomal initiation rate. The aim of this paper is to model and rigorously analyse translation with feedback. We suggest a modified version of the ribosome flow model, called the ribosome flow model with input and output. In this model, the input is the initiation rate and the output is the translation rate. We analyse this model after closing the loop with a positive linear feedback. We show that the closed-loop system admits a unique globally asymptotically stable equilibrium point. From a biophysical point of view, this means that there exists a unique steady state of ribosome distributions along the mRNA, and thus a unique steady-state translation rate. The solution from any initial distribution will converge to this steady state. The steady-state distribution demonstrates a decrease in ribosome density along the coding sequence. For the case of constant elongation rates, we obtain expressions relating the model parameters to the equilibrium point. These results may perhaps be used to re-engineer the biological system in order to obtain a desired translation rate. PMID:23720534

The Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) Phase 2 Preliminary Laser Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawrence, T. Rhidian; Pindroh, Albert L.; Bowers, Mark S.; Dehart, Terence E.; Mcdonald, Kenneth F.; Cousins, Ananda; Moody, Stephen E.

1992-01-01

The requirements for the Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) were determined from system considerations and are summarized in tabular form. The laser subsystem provides for the generation and frequency control of two beams, the transmit high power and local oscillator beams, which are delivered to the optical and receiver subsystems, respectively. In our baseline approach, the excitation of the gain section is achieved by a self-sustaining uv-(corona) preionized discharge. Gas is recirculated within the laser loop using a transverse flow fan. An intra-flow-loop heat exchanger, catalyst monolith, and acoustic attenuators condition the gas to ensure uniform energy output and high beam quality during high pulse repetition rate operation. The baseline LAWS laser pulse temporal profile as calculated by in-house laser codes is given in graphical form.

Computer Simulations of Valveless Pumping using the Immersed Boundary Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Eunok; Peskin, Charles

2000-03-01

Pumping blood in one direction is the main function of the heart, and the heart is equipped with valves that ensure unidirectional flow. Is it possible, though, to pump blood without valves? This report is intended to show by numerical simulation the possibility of a net flow which is generated by a valveless mechanism in a circulatory system. Simulations of valveless pumping are motivated by biomedical applications: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and the human foetus before the development of the heart valves. The numerical method used in this work is immersed boundary method, which is applicable to problems involving an elastic structure interacting with a viscous incompressible fluid. This method has already been applied to blood flow in the heart, platelet aggregation during blood clotting, aquatic animal locomotion, and flow in collapsible tubes. The direction of flow inside a loop of tubing which consists of (almost) rigid and flexible parts is investigated when the boundary of one end of the flexible segment is forced periodically in time. Despite the absence of valves, net flow around the loop may appear in these simulations. Furthermore, we present the new, unexpected results that the direction of this flow is determined not only by the position of the periodic compression, but also by the frequency and amplitude of the driving force.

Benchmarking Model Variants in Development of a Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot D.; Zinnecker, Alicia M.; Kratz, Jonathan L.; Culley, Dennis E.; Thomas, George L.

2016-01-01

Distributed engine control architecture presents a significant increase in complexity over traditional implementations when viewed from the perspective of system simulation and hardware design and test. Even if the overall function of the control scheme remains the same, the hardware implementation can have a significant effect on the overall system performance due to differences in the creation and flow of data between control elements. A Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation system is under development at NASA Glenn Research Center that enables the exploration of these hardware dependent issues. The system is based on, but not limited to, the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k). This paper describes the step-by-step conversion from the self-contained baseline model to the hardware in the loop model, and the validation of each step. As the control model hardware fidelity was improved during HIL system development, benchmarking simulations were performed to verify that engine system performance characteristics remained the same. The results demonstrate the goal of the effort; the new HIL configurations have similar functionality and performance compared to the baseline C-MAPSS40k system.

Continuous production of tritium in an isotope-production reactor with a separate circulation system

DOEpatents

Cawley, W.E.; Omberg, R.P.

1982-08-19

A method is described for producing tritium in a fast breeder reactor cooled with liquid metal. Lithium is allowed to flow through the reactor in separate loops in order to facilitate the production and removal of tritium.

Design of a Modular Test Loop for Study of Two-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer in Low and High Accelerations

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

probably cannot afford to have such a large pressure drop (orifice or throttling valve ) in the loop to stabilize the flow. For a given flow rate, the...rate was set by a calibrated valve and the water flow rate was set by the pump speed. The loop was not equipped with flowmeters and it was assumed that...Configuration. 3-28 jCk z < [D - a~ - Z Li-c I Li CL- a ow L~j Z 4) ,,l C0 0 Q.(-C - CL Li Ln LJ r o~C:) Z CC Ck LLj ZJ LOL Li Ln ( 3-2 ~ Tf1 FFFFF ~< L~iK

Adaptable Single Active Loop Thermal Control System (TCS) for Future Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mudawar, Issam; Lee, Seunghyun; Hasan, Mohammad

2015-01-01

This presentation will examine the development of a thermal control system (TCS) for future space missions utilizing a single active cooling loop. The system architecture enables the TCS to be reconfigured during the various mission phases to respond, not only to varying heat load, but to heat rejection temperature as well. The system will consist of an accumulator, pump, cold plates (evaporators), condenser radiator, and compressor, in addition to control, bypass and throttling valves. For cold environments, the heat will be rejected by radiation, during which the compressor will be bypassed, reducing the system to a simple pumped loop that, depending on heat load, can operate in either a single-phase liquid mode or two-phase mode. For warmer environments, the pump will be bypassed, enabling the TCS to operate as a heat pump. This presentation will focus on recent findings concerning two-phase flow regimes, pressure drop, and heat transfer coefficient trends in the cabin and avionics micro-channel heat exchangers when using the heat pump mode. Also discussed will be practical implications of using micro-channel evaporators for the heat pump.

ANALYSIS AND MODELING OF TWO FLARE LOOPS OBSERVED BY AIA AND EIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Y.; Ding, M. D.; Qiu, J.

2012-10-10

We analyze and model an M1.0 flare observed by SDO/AIA and Hinode/EIS to investigate how flare loops are heated and evolve subsequently. The flare is composed of two distinctive loop systems observed in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images. The UV 1600 A emission at the feet of these loops exhibits a rapid rise, followed by enhanced emission in different EUV channels observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS). Such behavior is indicative of impulsive energy deposit and the subsequent response in overlying coronal loops that evolve through different temperatures. Using the method we recently developed,more » we infer empirical heating functions from the rapid rise of the UV light curves for the two loop systems, respectively, treating them as two big loops with cross-sectional area of 5'' by 5'', and compute the plasma evolution in the loops using the EBTEL model. We compute the synthetic EUV light curves, which, with the limitation of the model, reasonably agree with observed light curves obtained in multiple AIA channels and EIS lines: they show the same evolution trend and their magnitudes are comparable by within a factor of two. Furthermore, we also compare the computed mean enthalpy flow velocity with the Doppler shift measurements by EIS during the decay phase of the two loops. Our results suggest that the two different loops with different heating functions as inferred from their footpoint UV emission, combined with their different lengths as measured from imaging observations, give rise to different coronal plasma evolution patterns captured both in the model and in observations.« less

NaK Plugging Meter Design for the Feasibility Test Loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, J. Boise; Godfroy, Thomas J.; Reid, Robert S.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2008-01-01

The design and predicted performance of a plugging meter for use in the measurement of NaK impurity levels are presented. The plugging meter is incorporated into a Feasibility Test Loop (FTL), which is a small pumped-NaK loop designed to enable the rapid, small-scale evaluation of techniques such as in situ purification methods and to permit the measurement of bulk material transport effects (not mechanisms) under flow conditions that are representative of a fission surface power reactor. The FTL operates at temperatures similar to those found in a reactor, with a maximum hot side temperature of 900 K and a corresponding cold side temperature of 860 K. In the plugging meter a low flow rate bypass loop is cooled until various impurities (primarily oxides) precipitate out of solution. The temperatures at which these impurities precipitate are indicative of the level of impurities in the NaK. The precipitates incrementally plug a small orifice in the bypass loop, which is detected by monitoring changes in the liquid metal flow rate.

Arduino control of a pulsatile flow rig.

PubMed

Drost, S; de Kruif, B J; Newport, D

2018-01-01

This note describes the design and testing of a programmable pulsatile flow pump using an Arduino micro-controller. The goal of this work is to build a compact and affordable system that can relatively easily be programmed to generate physiological waveforms. The system described here was designed to be used in an in-vitro set-up for vascular access hemodynamics research, and hence incorporates a gear pump that delivers a mean flow of 900 ml/min in a test flow loop, and a peak flow of 1106 ml/min. After a number of simple identification experiments to assess the dynamic behaviour of the system, a feed-forward control routine was implemented. The resulting system was shown to be able to produce the targeted representative waveform with less than 3.6% error. Finally, we outline how to further increase the accuracy of the system, and how to adapt it to specific user needs. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety and diagnostic systems on the Liquid Lithium Test Stand (LLTS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, J. A.; Jaworski, M. A.; Ellis, R.; Kaita, R.; Mozulay, R.

2013-10-01

The Liquid Lithium Test Stand (LLTS) is a test bed for development of flowing liquid lithium systems for plasma-facing components at PPPL. LLTS is designed to test operation of liquid lithium under vacuum, including flowing, solidifying (such as would be the case at the end of plasma operations), and re-melting. Constructed of stainless steel, LLTS is a closed loop of pipe with two reservoirs and a pump, as well as diagnostics for temperature, flow rate, and pressure. Since liquid lithium is a highly reactive material, special care must be taken when designing such a system. These include a permanent-magnet MHD pump and MHD flow meter that have no mechanical components in direct contact with the liquid lithium. The LLTS also includes an expandable 24-channel leak-detector interlock system which cuts power to heaters and the pump if any lithium leaks from a pipe joint. Design for the interlock systems and flow meter are presented. This work is supported by US DOE Contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Validation of the generalized model of two-phase thermosyphon loop based on experimental measurements of volumetric flow rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieliński, Henryk

2016-09-01

The current paper presents the experimental validation of the generalized model of the two-phase thermosyphon loop. The generalized model is based on mass, momentum, and energy balances in the evaporators, rising tube, condensers and the falling tube. The theoretical analysis and the experimental data have been obtained for a new designed variant. The variant refers to a thermosyphon loop with both minichannels and conventional tubes. The thermosyphon loop consists of an evaporator on the lower vertical section and a condenser on the upper vertical section. The one-dimensional homogeneous and separated two-phase flow models were used in calculations. The latest minichannel heat transfer correlations available in literature were applied. A numerical analysis of the volumetric flow rate in the steady-state has been done. The experiment was conducted on a specially designed test apparatus. Ultrapure water was used as a working fluid. The results show that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the measured volumetric flow rate at steady-state.

The OregonHeart Total Artificial Heart: Design and Performance on a Mock Circulatory Loop.

PubMed

Glynn, Jeremy; Song, Howard; Hull, Bryan; Withers, Stanley; Gelow, Jill; Mudd, James; Starr, Albert; Wampler, Richard

2017-10-01

Widespread use of heart transplantation is limited by the scarcity of donor organs. Total artificial heart (TAH) development has been pursued to address this shortage, especially to treat patients who require biventricular support. We have developed a novel TAH that utilizes a continuously spinning rotor that shuttles between two positions to provide pulsatile, alternating blood flow to the systemic and pulmonary circulations without artificial valves. Flow rates and pressures generated by the TAH are controlled by adjusting rotor speed, cycle frequency, and the proportion of each cycle spent pumping to either circulation. To validate the design, a TAH prototype was placed in a mock circulatory loop that simulates vascular resistance, pressure, and compliance in normal and pathophysiologic conditions. At a systemic blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg, nominal TAH output was 7.4 L/min with instantaneous flows reaching 17 L/min. Pulmonary artery, and left and right atrial pressures were all maintained within normal ranges. To simulate implant into a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension, the pulmonary vascular resistance of the mock loop was increased to 7.5 Wood units. By increasing pump speed to the pulmonary circulation, cardiac output could be maintained at 7.4 L/min as mean pulmonary artery pressure increased to 56 mm Hg while systemic blood pressures remained normal. This in vitro testing of a novel, shuttling TAH demonstrated that cardiac output could be maintained across a range of pathophysiologic conditions including pulmonary hypertension. These experiments serve as a proof-of-concept for the design, which has proceeded to in vivo testing. © 2017 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

International Space Station Active Thermal Control Sub-System On-Orbit Pump Performance and Reliability Using Liquid Ammonia as a Coolant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morton, Richard D.; Jurick, Matthew; Roman, Ruben; Adamson, Gary; Bui, Chinh T.; Laliberte, Yvon J.

2011-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) contains two Active Thermal Control Sub-systems (ATCS) that function by using a liquid ammonia cooling system collecting waste heat and rejecting it using radiators. These subsystems consist of a number of heat exchangers, cold plates, radiators, the Pump and Flow Control Subassembly (PFCS), and the Pump Module (PM), all of which are Orbital Replaceable Units (ORU's). The PFCS provides the motive force to circulate the ammonia coolant in the Photovoltaic Thermal Control Subsystem (PVTCS) and has been in operation since December, 2000. The Pump Module (PM) circulates liquid ammonia coolant within the External Active Thermal Control Subsystem (EATCS) cooling the ISS internal coolant (water) loops collecting waste heat and rejecting it through the ISS radiators. These PM loops have been in operation since December, 2006. This paper will discuss the original reliability analysis approach of the PFCS and Pump Module, comparing them against the current operational performance data for the ISS External Thermal Control Loops.

Effect of georesource-consumer process flows on coal loss in energy supply of the Polar regions in Yakutia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkach, SM; Gavrilov, VL

2017-02-01

It is shown that the process flows of mining, haulage and utilization of coal in the Polar regions in Yakutia feature high quantitative and qualitative loss. In case the process flows are considered as integrated systems aimed at the overall performance efficiency, it is possible to reduce the loss per each individual chain loop. The authors formulate approaches intended to lower total loss of coal in process flows. The geotechnical and organizational solutions are put forward to improve and stabilize quality of fuel used by local fuel and energy industry.

TRAC-PF1/MOD1 support calculations for the MIST/OTIS program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fujita, R.K.; Knight, T.D.

1984-01-01

We are using the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC), specifically version TRAC-PF1/MOD1, to perform analyses in support of the MultiLoop Integral-System Test (MIST) and the Once-Through Integral-System (OTIS) experiment program. We have analyzed Geradrohr Dampferzeuger Anlage (GERDA) Test 1605AA to benchmark the TRAC-PF1/MOD1 code against phenomena expected to occur in a raised-loop B and W plant during a small-break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA). These results show that the code can calculate both single- and two-phase natural circulation, flow interruption, boiler-condenser-mode (BCM) heat transfer, and primary-system refill in a B and W-type geometry with low-elevation auxiliary feedwater. 19 figures, 7 tables.

Adding the 'heart' to hanging drop networks for microphysiological multi-tissue experiments.

PubMed

Rismani Yazdi, Saeed; Shadmani, Amir; Bürgel, Sebastian C; Misun, Patrick M; Hierlemann, Andreas; Frey, Olivier

2015-11-07

Microfluidic hanging-drop networks enable culturing and analysis of 3D microtissue spheroids derived from different cell types under controlled perfusion and investigating inter-tissue communication in multi-tissue formats. In this paper we introduce a compact on-chip pumping approach for flow control in hanging-drop networks. The pump includes one pneumatic chamber located directly above one of the hanging drops and uses the surface tension at the liquid-air-interface for flow actuation. Control of the pneumatic protocol provides a wide range of unidirectional pulsatile and continuous flow profiles. With the proposed concept several independent hanging-drop networks can be operated in parallel with only one single pneumatic actuation line at high fidelity. Closed-loop medium circulation between different organ models for multi-tissue formats and multiple simultaneous assays in parallel are possible. Finally, we implemented a real-time feedback control-loop of the pump actuation based on the beating of a human iPS-derived cardiac microtissue cultured in the same system. This configuration allows for simulating physiological effects on the heart and their impact on flow circulation between the organ models on chip.

Neutron Tomography Using Mobile Neutron Generators for Assessment of Void Distributions in Thermal Hydraulic Test Loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, P.; Bjelkenstedt, T.; Sundén, E. Andersson; Sjöstrand, H.; Jacobsson-Svärd, S.

Detailed knowledge of the lateral distribution of steam (void) and water in a nuclear fuel assembly is of great value for nuclear reactor operators and fuel manufacturers, with consequences for both reactor safety and economy of operation. Therefore, nuclear relevant two-phase flows are being studied at dedicated thermal-hydraulic test loop, using two-phase flow systems ranging from simplified geometries such as heated circular pipes to full scale mock-ups of nuclear fuel assemblies. Neutron tomography (NT) has been suggested for assessment of the lateral distribution of steam and water in such test loops, motivated by a good ability of neutrons to penetrate the metallic structures of metal pipes and nuclear fuel rod mock-ups, as compared to e.g. conventional X-rays, while the liquid water simultaneously gives comparatively good contrast. However, these stationary test loops require the measurement setup to be mobile, which is often not the case for NT setups. Here, it is acknowledged that fast neutrons of 14 MeV from mobile neutron generators constitute a viable option for a mobile NT system. We present details of the development of neutron tomography for this purpose at the division of Applied Nuclear Physics at Uppsala University. Our concept contains a portable neutron generator, exploiting the fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium, and a detector with plastic scintillator elements designed to achieveadequate spatial and energy resolution, all mounted in a light-weight frame without collimators or bulky moderation to allow for a mobile instrument that can be moved about the stationary thermal hydraulic test sections. The detector system stores event-to-event pulse-height information to allow for discrimination based on the energy deposition in the scintillator elements.

Integration Tests of the 4 kW-class High Voltage Hall Accelerator Power Processing Unit with the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 Hall Effect Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamhawi, Hani; Pinero, Luis; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Ahern, Drew; Liang, Ray; Shilo, Vlad

2016-01-01

NASAs Science Mission Directorate is sponsoring the development of a 4 kW-class Hall propulsion system for implementation in NASA science and exploration missions. The main components of the system include the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc), an engineering model power processing unit (PPU) developed by Colorado Power Electronics, and a xenon flow control module (XFCM) developed by VACCO Industries. NASA Glenn Research Center is performing integrated tests of the Hall thruster propulsion system. This presentation presents results from integrated tests of the PPU and XFCM with the HiVHAc engineering development thruster and a SPT-140 thruster provided by Space System Loral. The results presented in this paper demonstrate thruster discharge initiation, open-loop and closed-loop control of the discharge current with anode flow for both the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 thrusters. Integrated tests with the SPT-140 thruster indicated that the PPU was able to repeatedly initiate the thrusters discharge, achieve steady state operation, and successfully throttle the thruster between 1.5 and 4.5 kW. The measured SPT-140 performance was identical to levels reported by Space Systems Loral.

Damage Response in Fluid Flow Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilchenko, Tatyana; Katifori, Eleni

The networks found in biological fluid flow systems such as leaf venation and animal vasculature are characterized by hierarchically nested loops. This structure allows the system to be resilient against fluctuations in the flow of fluid and to be robust against damage. We analytically and computationally investigate how this loopy hierarchy determines the extent of disruption in fluid flow in the vicinity of a damage site. Perturbing the network with the removal of a single edge results in the differential flow as a function of distance from the perturbation decaying as a power law. The power law exponent is generally around -2 in 2D, but we find that it varies due to edge effects, initial edge conductivity, and local topology. We expect that these network flow findings, directly applicable to plant and animal veins, will have analogues in electrical grids, traffic flow and other transport networks.

Note: A dual temperature closed loop batch reactor for determining the partitioning of trace gases within CO{sub 2}-water systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warr, Oliver, E-mail: oliver.warr@earth.ox.ac.uk; Ballentine, Christopher J.; Rochelle, Christopher A.

An experimental approach is presented which can be used to determine partitioning of trace gases within CO{sub 2}-water systems. The key advantages of this system are (1) The system can be isolated with no external exchange, making it ideal for experiments with conservative tracers. (2) Both phases can be sampled concurrently to give an accurate composition at each phase at any given time. (3) Use of a lower temperature flow loop outside of the reactor removes contamination and facilitates sampling. (4) Rapid equilibration at given pressure/temperature conditions is significantly aided by stirring and circulating the water phase using a magneticmore » stirrer and high-pressure liquid chromatography pump, respectively.« less

Circulating heat exchangers for oscillating wave engines and refrigerators

DOEpatents

Swift, Gregory W.; Backhaus, Scott N.

2003-10-28

An oscillating-wave engine or refrigerator having a regenerator or a stack in which oscillating flow of a working gas occurs in a direction defined by an axis of a trunk of the engine or refrigerator, incorporates an improved heat exchanger. First and second connections branch from the trunk at locations along the axis in selected proximity to one end of the regenerator or stack, where the trunk extends in two directions from the locations of the connections. A circulating heat exchanger loop is connected to the first and second connections. At least one fluidic diode within the circulating heat exchanger loop produces a superimposed steady flow component and oscillating flow component of the working gas within the circulating heat exchanger loop. A local process fluid is in thermal contact with an outside portion of the circulating heat exchanger loop.

Development of a flow feedback pulse duplicator system with rhesus monkey arterial input impedance characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaub, J. D.; Koenig, S. C.; Schroeder, M. J.; Ewert, D. L.; Drew, G. A.; Swope, R. D.; Convertino, V. A. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

An in vitro pulsatile pump flow system that is capable of producing physiologic pressures and flows in a mock circulatory system tuned to reproduce the first nine harmonics of the input impedance of a rhesus monkey was developed and tested. The system was created as a research tool for evaluating cardiovascular function and for the design, testing, and evaluation of electrical-mechanical cardiovascular models and chronically implanted sensors. The system possesses a computerized user interface for controlling a linear displacement pulsatile pump in a controlled flow loop format to emulate in vivo cardiovascular characteristics. Evaluation of the pump system consisted of comparing its aortic pressure and flow profiles with in vivo rhesus hemodynamic waveforms in the time and frequency domains. Comparison of aortic pressure and flow data between the pump system and in vivo data showed good agreement in the time and frequency domains, however, the pump system produced a larger pulse pressure. The pump system can be used for comparing cardiovascular parameters with predicted cardiovascular model values and for evaluating such items as vascular grafts, heart valves, biomaterials, and sensors. This article describes the development and evaluation of this feedback controlled cardiovascular dynamics simulation modeling system.

The automation of an inlet mass flow control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Supplee, Frank; Tcheng, Ping; Weisenborn, Michael

1989-01-01

The automation of a closed-loop computer controlled system for the inlet mass flow system (IMFS) developed for a wind tunnel facility at Langley Research Center is presented. This new PC based control system is intended to replace the manual control system presently in use in order to fully automate the plug positioning of the IMFS during wind tunnel testing. Provision is also made for communication between the PC and a host-computer in order to allow total animation of the plug positioning and data acquisition during the complete sequence of predetermined plug locations. As extensive running time is programmed for the IMFS, this new automated system will save both manpower and tunnel running time.

Improved accuracy of solar energy system testing and measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waterman, R. E.

1984-12-01

A real world example is provided of recovery of data on the performance of a solar collector system in the field. Kalman filters were devised to reconstruct data from sensors which had functioned only intermittently over the 3-day trial period designed to quantify phenomena in the collector loop, i.e., hot water delivered to storage. The filter was configured to account for errors in data on the heat exchanger coil differential temperature and mass flow rate. Data were then generated based on a matrix of state equations, taking into account the presence of time delays due to tank stratification and convective flows. Good correlations were obtained with data from other sensors for the flow rate, system temperatures and the energy delivered to storage.

Dynamic Exergy Method for Evaluating the Control and Operation of Oxy-Combustion Boiler Island Systems.

PubMed

Jin, Bo; Zhao, Haibo; Zheng, Chuguang; Liang, Zhiwu

2017-01-03

Exergy-based methods are widely applied to assess the performance of energy conversion systems; however, these methods mainly focus on a certain steady-state and have limited applications for evaluating the control impacts on system operation. To dynamically obtain the thermodynamic behavior and reveal the influences of control structures, layers and loops, on system energy performance, a dynamic exergy method is developed, improved, and applied to a complex oxy-combustion boiler island system for the first time. The three most common operating scenarios are studied, and the results show that the flow rate change process leads to less energy consumption than oxygen purity and air in-leakage change processes. The variation of oxygen purity produces the largest impact on system operation, and the operating parameter sensitivity is not affected by the presence of process control. The control system saves energy during flow rate and oxygen purity change processes, while it consumes energy during the air in-leakage change process. More attention should be paid to the oxygen purity change because it requires the largest control cost. In the control system, the supervisory control layer requires the greatest energy consumption and the largest control cost to maintain operating targets, while the steam control loops cause the main energy consumption.

Assessment and monitoring of flow limitation and other parameters from flow/volume loops.

PubMed

Dueck, R

2000-01-01

Flow/volume (F/V) spirometry is routinely used for assessing the type and severity of lung disease. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and timed vital capacity (FEV1) provide the best estimates of airflow obstruction in patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. Computerized spirometers are now available for early home recognition of asthma exacerbation in high risk patients with severe persistent disease, and for recognition of either infection or rejection in lung transplant patients. Patients with severe COPD may exhibit expiratory flow limitation (EFL) on tidal volume (VT) expiratory F/V (VTF/V) curves, either with or without applying negative expiratory pressure (NEP). EFL results in dynamic hyperinflation and persistently raised alveolar pressure or intrinsic PEEP (PEEPi). Hyperinflation and raised PEEPi greatly enhance dyspnea with exertion through the added work of the threshold load needed to overcome raised pleural pressure. Esophageal (pleural) pressure monitoring may be added to VTF/V loops for assessing the severity of PEEPi: 1) to optimize assisted ventilation by mask or via endotracheal tube with high inspiratory flow rates to lower I:E ratio, and 2) to assess the efficacy of either pressure support ventilation (PSV) or low level extrinsic PEEP in reducing the threshold load of PEEPi. Intraoperative tidal volume F/V loops can also be used to document the efficacy of emphysema lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) via disappearance of EFL. Finally, the mechanism of ventilatory constraint can be identified with the use of exercise tidal volume F/V loops referenced to maximum F/V loops and static lung volumes. Patients with severe COPD show inspiratory F/V loops approaching 95% of total lung capacity, and flow limitation over the entire expiratory F/V curve during light levels of exercise. Surprisingly, patients with a history of congestive heart failure may lower lung volume towards residual volume during exercise, thereby reducing airway diameter and inducing expiratory flow limitation.

The Social Context of Adolescent Smoking: A Systems Perspective

PubMed Central

Hipp, John R.; Timberlake, David S.

2010-01-01

We used a systems science perspective to examine adolescents' personal networks, school networks, and neighborhoods as a system through which emotional support and peer influence flow, and we sought to determine whether these flows affected past-month smoking at 2 time points, 1994–1995 and 1996. To test relationships, we employed structural equation modeling and used public-use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 6504). Personal network properties affected past-month smoking at both time points via the flow of emotional support. We observed a feedback loop from personal network properties to emotional support and then to past-month smoking. Past-month smoking at time 1 fed back to positively affect in-degree centrality (i.e., popularity). Findings suggest that networks and neighborhoods in this system positively affected past-month smoking via flows of emotional support. PMID:20466966

Loop optimization for tensor network renormalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shuo; Gu, Zheng-Cheng; Wen, Xiao-Gang

We introduce a tensor renormalization group scheme for coarse-graining a two-dimensional tensor network, which can be successfully applied to both classical and quantum systems on and off criticality. The key idea of our scheme is to deform a 2D tensor network into small loops and then optimize tensors on each loop. In this way we remove short-range entanglement at each iteration step, and significantly improve the accuracy and stability of the renormalization flow. We demonstrate our algorithm in the classical Ising model and a frustrated 2D quantum model. NSF Grant No. DMR-1005541 and NSFC 11274192, BMO Financial Group, John Templeton Foundation, Government of Canada through Industry Canada, Province of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development & Innovation.

Gravitational effects on global hemodynamics in different postures: A closed-loop multiscale mathematical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiancheng; Noda, Shigeho; Himeno, Ryutaro; Liu, Hao

2017-06-01

We present a novel methodology and strategy to predict pressures and flow rates in the global cardiovascular network in different postures varying from supine to upright. A closed-loop, multiscale mathematical model of the entire cardiovascular system (CVS) is developed through an integration of one-dimensional (1D) modeling of the large systemic arteries and veins, and zero-dimensional (0D) lumped-parameter modeling of the heart, the cardiac-pulmonary circulation, the cardiac and venous valves, as well as the microcirculation. A versatile junction model is proposed and incorporated into the 1D model to cope with splitting and/or merging flows across a multibranched junction, which is validated to be capable of estimating both subcritical and supercritical flows while ensuring the mass conservation and total pressure continuity. To model gravitational effects on global hemodynamics during postural change, a robust venous valve model is further established for the 1D venous flows and distributed throughout the entire venous network with consideration of its anatomically realistic numbers and locations. The present integrated model is proven to enable reasonable prediction of pressure and flow rate waveforms associated with cardiopulmonary circulation, systemic circulation in arteries and veins, as well as microcirculation within normal physiological ranges, particularly in mean venous pressures, which well match the in vivo measurements. Applications of the cardiovascular model at different postures demonstrate that gravity exerts remarkable influence on arterial and venous pressures, venous returns and cardiac outputs whereas venous pressures below the heart level show a specific correlation between central venous and hydrostatic pressures in right atrium and veins.

Reactor Simulator Testing Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, Michael P.

2013-01-01

Test Objectives Summary: a) Verify operation of the core simulator, the instrumentation & control system, and the ground support gas and vacuum test equipment. b) Examine cooling & heat regeneration performance of the cold trap purification. c) Test the ALIP pump at voltages beyond 120V to see if the targeted mass flow rate of 1.75 kg/s can be obtained in the RxSim. Testing Highlights: a) Gas and vacuum ground support test equipment performed effectively for operations (NaK fill, loop pressurization, and NaK drain). b) Instrumentation & Control system effectively controlled loop temperature and flow rates or pump voltage to targeted settings and ramped within prescribed constraints. It effectively interacted with reactor simulator control model and defaulted back to temperature control mode if the transient fluctuations didn't dampen. c) Cold trap design was able to obtain the targeted cold temperature of 480 K. An outlet temperature of 636 K was obtained which was lower than the predicted 750 K but 156 K higher than the minimum temperature indicating the design provided some heat regeneration. d) ALIP produce a maximum flow rate of 1.53 kg/s at 800 K when operated at 150 V and 53 Hz.

A New Turbo-shaft Engine Control Law during Variable Rotor Speed Transient Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Wei; Miao, Lizhen; Zhang, Haibo; Huang, Jinquan

2015-12-01

A closed-loop control law employing compressor guided vanes is firstly investigated to solve unacceptable fuel flow dynamic change in single fuel control for turbo-shaft engine here, especially for rotorcraft in variable rotor speed process. Based on an Augmented Linear Quadratic Regulator (ALQR) algorithm, a dual-input, single-output robust control scheme is proposed for a turbo-shaft engine, involving not only the closed loop adjustment of fuel flow but also that of compressor guided vanes. Furthermore, compared to single fuel control, some digital simulation cases using this new scheme about variable rotor speed have been implemented on the basis of an integrated system of helicopter and engine model. The results depict that the command tracking performance to the free turbine rotor speed can be asymptotically realized. Moreover, the fuel flow transient process has been significantly improved, and the fuel consumption has been dramatically cut down by more than 2% while keeping the helicopter level fight unchanged.

Video- Demonstration of Laminar Flow in a Liquid Onboard the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Saturday Morning Science, the science of opportunity series of applied experiments and demonstrations, performed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) by Expedition 6 astronaut Dr. Don Pettit, revealed some remarkable findings. In this video clip, Pettit demonstrates laminar flow in a rotating film of water. The demonstration is done by placing tracer particles in a water film held in place by a round wire loop, then stirring the system rotationally. The resulting flow clearly demonstrates laminar 2D behavior with spiraling streamlines.

A Magnetic Reconnection Event in the Solar Atmosphere Driven by Relaxation of a Twisted Arch Filament System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhenghua; Mou, Chaozhou; Fu, Hui; Deng, Linhua; Li, Bo; Xia, Lidong

2018-02-01

We present high-resolution observations of a magnetic reconnection event in the solar atmosphere taken with the New Vacuum Solar Telescope, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). The reconnection event occurred between the threads of a twisted arch filament system (AFS) and coronal loops. Our observations reveal that the relaxation of the twisted AFS drives some of its threads to encounter the coronal loops, providing inflows of the reconnection. The reconnection is evidenced by flared X-shape features in the AIA images, a current-sheet-like feature apparently connecting post-reconnection loops in the Hα + 1 Å images, small-scale magnetic cancelation in the HMI magnetograms and flows with speeds of 40–80 km s‑1 along the coronal loops. The post-reconnection coronal loops seen in the AIA 94 Å passband appear to remain bright for a relatively long time, suggesting that they have been heated and/or filled up by dense plasmas previously stored in the AFS threads. Our observations suggest that the twisted magnetic system could release its free magnetic energy into the upper solar atmosphere through reconnection processes. While the plasma pressure in the reconnecting flux tubes are significantly different, the reconfiguration of field lines could result in transferring of mass among them and induce heating therein.

157. ARAIII Reactor building (ARA608) Main gas loop mechanical flow ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

157. ARA-III Reactor building (ARA-608) Main gas loop mechanical flow sheet. This drawing was selected as a typical example of mechanical arrangements within reactor building. Aerojet-general 880-area/GCRE-0608-50-013-102634. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Army Reactors Experimental Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Sensors for Using Times of Flight to Measure Flow Velocities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fralick, Gutave; Wrbanek, John D.; Hwang, Danny; Turso, James

2006-01-01

Thin-film sensors for measuring flow velocities in terms of times of flight are undergoing development. These sensors are very small and can be mounted flush with surfaces of airfoils, ducts, and other objects along which one might need to measure flows. Alternatively or in addition, these sensors can be mounted on small struts protruding from such surfaces for acquiring velocity measurements at various distances from the surfaces for the purpose of obtaining boundary-layer flow-velocity profiles. These sensors are related to, but not the same as, hot-wire anemometers. Each sensor includes a thin-film, electrically conductive loop, along which an electric current is made to flow to heat the loop to a temperature above that of the surrounding fluid. Instantaneous voltage fluctuations in segments of the loop are measured by means of electrical taps placed at intervals along the loop. These voltage fluctuations are caused by local fluctuations in electrical resistance that are, in turn, caused by local temperature fluctuations that are, in turn, caused by fluctuations in flow-induced cooling and, hence, in flow velocity. The differential voltage as a function of time, measured at each pair of taps, is subjected to cross-correlation processing with the corresponding quantities measured at other pairs of taps at different locations on the loop. The cross-correlations yield the times taken by elements of fluid to travel between the pairs of taps. Then the component of velocity along the line between any two pairs of taps is calculated simply as the distance between the pairs of taps divided by the travel time. Unlike in the case of hot-wire anemometers, there is no need to obtain calibration data on voltage fluctuations versus velocity fluctuations because, at least in principle, the correlation times are independent of the calibration data.

Statistical analysis on the signals monitoring multiphase flow patterns in pipeline-riser system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Jing; Guo, Liejin

2013-07-01

The signals monitoring petroleum transmission pipeline in offshore oil industry usually contain abundant information about the multiphase flow on flow assurance which includes the avoidance of most undesirable flow pattern. Therefore, extracting reliable features form these signals to analyze is an alternative way to examine the potential risks to oil platform. This paper is focused on characterizing multiphase flow patterns in pipeline-riser system that is often appeared in offshore oil industry and finding an objective criterion to describe the transition of flow patterns. Statistical analysis on pressure signal at the riser top is proposed, instead of normal prediction method based on inlet and outlet flow conditions which could not be easily determined during most situations. Besides, machine learning method (least square supported vector machine) is also performed to classify automatically the different flow patterns. The experiment results from a small-scale loop show that the proposed method is effective for analyzing the multiphase flow pattern.

On the feasibility to conduct gradient liquid chromatography separations in narrow-bore columns at pressures up to 2000bar.

PubMed

De Pauw, Ruben; Swier, Tim; Degreef, Bart; Desmet, Gert; Broeckhoven, Ken

2016-11-18

The limits in operating pressures are extended for narrow-bore columns in gradient elution up to 2000bar. As the required pumps for these pressures are incompatible with common chromatographic solvents and are not suitable to apply a mobile phase composition gradient, a mobile phase delivery and injection system is described and experimentally validated which allows to use any possible chromatographic solvent in isocratic and gradient elution. The mobile phase delivery and injection system also allows to perform multiple separations without the need to depressurize the column. This system consists out of 5 dual on/off valves and two large volume loops in which the gradient and equilibration volume of initial mobile phase are loaded by a commercial liquid chromatography pump. The loops are then flushed toward the column at extreme pressures. The mobile phase delivery and injection system is first evaluated in isocratic elution and shows a comparable performance to a state-of-the-art commercial flow-through-needle injector but with twice the pressure rating. Distortion of the loaded gradient by dispersion in the gradient storage loop is studied. The effect of the most important parameters (such as flow rate, pressure and gradient steepness) is experimentally investigated. Different gradient steepnesses and volumes can be applied at different flow rates and operating pressures with a good repeatability. Due to the isobaric operation of the pumps, the gradient is monitored in real-time by a mass flow meter installed at the detector outlet. The chromatograms are then converted from time to volume-base. A separation of a 19-compound sample is performed on a 300×2.1mm column at 1000bar and on a 600×2.1mm column at 2000bar. The peak capacity was found to increase from 141 to 199 and thus scales with L as is predicted by theory. This allows to conclude that the inlet pressure for narrow-bore columns in gradient elution can be increased up to 2000bar without fundamental pressure-induced limitations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shear-induced structural transitions in Newtonian non-Newtonian two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristobal, G.; Rouch, J.; Colin, A.; Panizza, P.

2000-09-01

We show the existence under shear flow of steady states in a two-phase region of a brine-surfactant system in which lyotropic dilute lamellar (non-Newtonian) and sponge (Newtonian) phases are coexisting. At high shear rates and low sponge phase-volume fractions, we report on the existence of a dynamic transition corresponding to the formation of a colloidal crystal of multilamellar vesicles (or ``onions'') immersed in the sponge matrix. As the sponge phase-volume fraction increases, this transition exhibits a hysteresis loop leading to a structural bistability of the two-phase flow. Contrary to single phase lamellar systems where it is always 100%, the onion volume fraction can be monitored continuously from 0 to 100 %.

Coronal Loops: Observations and Modeling of Confined Plasma.

PubMed

Reale, Fabio

Coronal loops are the building blocks of the X-ray bright solar corona. They owe their brightness to the dense confined plasma, and this review focuses on loops mostly as structures confining plasma. After a brief historical overview, the review is divided into two separate but not independent parts: the first illustrates the observational framework, the second reviews the theoretical knowledge. Quiescent loops and their confined plasma are considered and, therefore, topics such as loop oscillations and flaring loops (except for non-solar ones, which provide information on stellar loops) are not specifically addressed here. The observational section discusses the classification, populations, and the morphology of coronal loops, its relationship with the magnetic field, and the loop stranded structure. The section continues with the thermal properties and diagnostics of the loop plasma, according to the classification into hot, warm, and cool loops. Then, temporal analyses of loops and the observations of plasma dynamics, hot and cool flows, and waves are illustrated. In the modeling section, some basics of loop physics are provided, supplying fundamental scaling laws and timescales, a useful tool for consultation. The concept of loop modeling is introduced and models are divided into those treating loops as monolithic and static, and those resolving loops into thin and dynamic strands. More specific discussions address modeling the loop fine structure and the plasma flowing along the loops. Special attention is devoted to the question of loop heating, with separate discussion of wave (AC) and impulsive (DC) heating. Large-scale models including atmosphere boxes and the magnetic field are also discussed. Finally, a brief discussion about stellar coronal loops is followed by highlights and open questions.

Circulation system for flowing uranium hexafluoride cavity reactor experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaminet, J. F.; Kendall, J. S.

1976-01-01

Research related to determining the feasibility of producing continuous power from fissile fuel in the gaseous state is presented. The development of three laboratory-scale flow systems for handling gaseous UF6 at temperatures up to 500 K, pressure up to approximately 40 atm, and continuous flow rates up to approximately 50g/s is presented. A UF6 handling system fabricated for static critical tests currently being conducted is described. The system was designed to supply UF6 to a double-walled aluminum core canister assembly at temperatures between 300 K and 400 K and pressure up to 4 atm. A second UF6 handling system designed to provide a circulating flow of up to 50g/s of gaseous UF6 in a closed-loop through a double-walled aluminum core canister with controlled temperature and pressure is described. Data from flow tests using UF6 and UF6/He mixtures with this system at flow rates up to approximately 12g/s and pressure up to 4 atm are presented. A third UF6 handling system fabricated to provide a continuous flow of UF6 at flow rates up to 5g/s and at pressures up to 40 atm for use in rf-heated, uranium plasma confinement experiments is described.

Hemodynamic and permeability characteristics of acute experimental necrotizing enterocolitis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, M.J.; Adams, J.; Gu, X.A.

1990-10-01

We examined the local hemodynamic response of intestinal loops during acute necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in anesthetized rabbits. NEC was induced in ileal loops by transmural injection of a solution containing casein (10 mg/ml) and calcium gluconate (50 mg/ml) acidified to pH 4.0 with propionic or acetic acid. Control loops received casein only (pH 5.0). Mucosal damage was quantified by the blood-to-lumen movement of (51Cr)EDTA, fluid shifts into the lumen, and histology. Mean arterial pressure and loop blood flow were steady over the 3-hr period, loop fluid volume decreased, and there was no evidence of necrosis or epithelial damage. In loopsmore » receiving acidified casein and calcium gluconate, there was an immediate dramatic increase in loop blood flow that returned to baseline by 50 min. In addition, loop fluid volume was dramatically increased, necrosis was noted in the form of blunting and loss of villi, and sevenfold increase in (51Cr)EDTA permeability was evident. Administration of CV 1808 (30 mg/kg/hr), a selective adenosine2 agonist, which maintained and elevated loop blood flow throughout the 3 hr protocol, failed to alter the changes in loop fluid volume or prevent necrosis. Histamine levels in loop fluid levels were significantly elevated 20-30 min after NEC induction when compared to saline controls, indicating an early activation of mucosal defenses with this luminal insult. Thus, this model of NEC is characterized by a transient, acute hyperemia, increased intestinal permeability, and histamine release. As mucosal damage was independent of ischemia and could not be prevented by vasodilatory therapy, this model supports the clinical findings that NEC is correlated with luminal factors related to feeding and independent of cardiovascular stress.« less

Two-phase flow patterns of a top heat mode closed loop oscillating heat pipe with check valves (THMCLOHP/CV)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thongdaeng, S.; Bubphachot, B.; Rittidech, S.

2016-11-01

This research is aimed at studying the two-phase flow pattern of a top heat mode closed loop oscillating heat pipe with check valves. The working fluids used are ethanol and R141b and R11 coolants with a filling ratio of 50% of the total volume. It is found that the maximum heat flux occurs for the R11 coolant used as the working fluid in the case with the inner diameter of 1.8 mm, inclination angle of -90°, evaporator temperature of 125°C, and evaporator length of 50 mm. The internal flow patterns are found to be slug flow/disperse bubble flow/annular flow, slug flow/disperse bubble flow/churn flow, slug flow/bubble flow/annular flow, slug flow/disperse bubble flow, bubble flow/annular flow, and slug flow/annular flow.

Heat Generation in Axial and Centrifugal Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

PubMed

Yost, Gardner; Joseph, Christine Rachel; Royston, Thomas; Tatooles, Antone; Bhat, Geetha

Despite increasing use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as a surgical treatment for advanced heart failure in an era of improved outcomes with LVAD support, the mechanical interactions between these pumps and the cardiovascular system are not completely understood. We utilized an in vitro mock circulatory loop to analyze the heat production incurred by operation of an axial flow and centrifugal flow LVAD. A HeartMate II and a HeartWare HVAD were connected to an abbreviated flow loop and were implanted in a viscoelastic gel. Temperature was measured at the surface of each LVAD. Device speed and fluid viscosity were altered and, in the HeartMate II, as artificial thrombi were attached to the inflow stator, impeller, and outflow stator. The surface temperatures of both LVADs increased in all trials and reached a plateau within 80 minutes of flow initiation. Rate of heat generation and maximum system temperature were greater when speed was increased, when viscosity was increased, and when artificial thrombi were attached to the HeartMate II impeller. Normal operation of these two widely utilized LVADs results in appreciable heat generation in vitro. Increased pump loading resulted in more rapid heat generation, which was particularly severe when a large thrombus was attached to the impeller of the HeartMate II. While heat accumulation in vivo is likely minimized by greater dissipation in the blood and soft tissues, focal temperature gains with the pump housing of these two devices during long-term operation may have negative hematological consequences.

Numerical analysis of radial inward flow turbine for CO2 based closed loop Brayton cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kisan, Jadhav Amit; Govardhan, M.

2017-06-01

Last few decades have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the demand for power, which has driven the suppliers to find new sources of energy and increase the efficiency of power generation process. Power generation cycles are either steam based Rankine cycle or closed loop Brayton cycles providing an efficiency of 30 to 40%. An upcoming technology in this regard is the CO2 based Brayton cycle operating near the critical region which has applications in vast areas. Power generation of CO2 based Brayton cycle can vary from few kilowatts for waste heat recovery to hundreds of megawatts in sodium cooled fast reactors. A CO2 based Brayton cycle is being studied for power generation especially in mid-sized concentrated solar power plants by numerous research groups around the world. One of the main components of such a setting is its turbine. Simulating the flow conditions inside the turbine becomes very crucial in order to accurately predict the performance of the system. The flow inside radial inflow turbine is studied at various inlet temperatures and mass flow rates in order to predict the behavior of the turbine under various boundary conditions. The performance investigation of the turbine system is done on the basis of parameters such as total efficiency, pressure ratio, and power coefficient. Effect of different inlet stagnation temperature and exit mass flow rates on these parameters is also studied. Results obtained are encouraging for the use of CO2 as working fluid in Brayton cycle.

Distributed flow sensing for closed-loop speed control of a flexible fish robot.

PubMed

Zhang, Feitian; Lagor, Francis D; Yeo, Derrick; Washington, Patrick; Paley, Derek A

2015-10-23

Flexibility plays an important role in fish behavior by enabling high maneuverability for predator avoidance and swimming in turbulent flow. This paper presents a novel flexible fish robot equipped with distributed pressure sensors for flow sensing. The body of the robot is molded from soft, hyperelastic material, which provides flexibility. Its Joukowski-foil shape is conducive to modeling the fluid analytically. A quasi-steady potential-flow model is adopted for real-time flow estimation, whereas a discrete-time vortex-shedding flow model is used for higher-fidelity simulation. The dynamics for the flexible fish robot yield a reduced model for one-dimensional swimming. A recursive Bayesian filter assimilates pressure measurements to estimate flow speed, angle of attack, and foil camber. The closed-loop speed-control strategy combines an inverse-mapping feedforward controller based on an average model derived for periodic actuation of angle-of-attack and a proportional-integral feedback controller utilizing the estimated flow information. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness of the estimation and control strategy. The paper provides a systematic approach to distributed flow sensing for closed-loop speed control of a flexible fish robot by regulating the flapping amplitude.

An investigation of the open-loop amplification of a Reynolds number dependent process by wave distortion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ventrice, M. B.; Purdy, K. R.

1974-01-01

The response of a constant-temperature hot-wire anemometer to sinusoidal and distorted sinusoidal acoustic oscillations is examined. The output of the anemometer is dependent upon the Reynolds number of the flow over the wire. The response is a measure of the interaction between the anemometer output and the acoustic pressure in the neighborhood of the wire. It is an open-loop prediction of the characteristics of actual closed-loop operation of a system. If the open-loop response is large enough, unstable closed-loop operation is predicted. The study was motivated by a need to investigate the stability limits of liquid-propellant rockets when perturbed by pressure oscillations. The sinusoidal and distorted sinusoidal acoustic oscillations used for this study are the same as those characteristic of unstable rocket combustion. Qualitatively, the results are similar--the response of the system to pure sinusoidal acoustic vibration of the fluid surrounding the wire is small, even when the magnitude of the acoustic pressure is quite large; but the response can be increased by as much as an order of magnitude with respect to the sinusoidal case by the addition of distortion. The amplitude and phase of the distortion component, relative to the fundamental component, are the dominant factors in the increase in the response.

Reliable and Affordable Control Systems Active Combustor Pattern Factor Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarty, Bob; Tomondi, Chris; McGinley, Ray

2004-01-01

Active, closed-loop control of combustor pattern factor is a cooperative effort between Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal) Engines and Systems and the NASA Glenn Research Center to reduce emissions and turbine-stator vane temperature variations, thereby enhancing engine performance and life, and reducing direct operating costs. Total fuel flow supplied to the engine is established by the speed/power control, but the distribution to individual atomizers will be controlled by the Active Combustor Pattern Factor Control (ACPFC). This system consist of three major components: multiple, thin-film sensors located on the turbine-stator vanes; fuel-flow modulators for individual atomizers; and control logic and algorithms within the electronic control.

Wave dynamics in an extended macroscopic traffic flow model with periodic boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu-Qing; Chu, Xing-Jian; Zhou, Chao-Fan; Yan, Bo-Wen; Jia, Bin; Fang, Chen-Hao

2018-06-01

Motivated by the previous traffic flow model considering the real-time traffic state, a modified macroscopic traffic flow model is established. The periodic boundary condition is applied to the car-following model. Besides, the traffic state factor R is defined in order to correct the real traffic conditions in a more reasonable way. It is a key step that we introduce the relaxation time as a density-dependent function and provide corresponding evolvement of traffic flow. Three different typical initial densities, namely the high density, the medium one and the low one, are intensively investigated. It can be found that the hysteresis loop exists in the proposed periodic-boundary system. Furthermore, the linear and nonlinear stability analyses are performed in order to test the robustness of the system.

Efforts and Programs of the Department of Defense Relating to the Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of Blast Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Combat Critical Care Engineering: Evaluation of Closed Loop Control of Ventilation and Oxygen Flow During Resuscitation in the Compensatory and...Decompensatory Phases of Hemorrhagic Shock: This effort evaluated closed loop control of ventilation and oxygen flow during resuscitation in the...Cerebral Injury Volume, Cerebral Edema, Cerebral Blood Flow and Reactivity, and Histopathology in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury and Hemorrhagic

Impacts of an Ammonia Leak on the Cabin Atmosphere of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duchesne, Stephanie M.; Sweterlitsch, Jeff J.; Son, Chang H.; Perry, Jay L.

2011-01-01

Toxic chemical release into the cabin atmosphere is one of the three major emergency scenarios identified on the International Space Station (ISS). The release of anhydrous ammonia, the coolant used in the U.S. On-orbit Segment (USOS) External Active Thermal Control Subsystem (EATCS), into the ISS cabin atmosphere is one of the most serious toxic chemical release cases identified on board ISS. The USOS Thermal Control System (TCS) includes an Internal Thermal Control Subsystem (ITCS) water loop and an EATCS ammonia loop that transfer heat at the interface heat exchanger (IFHX). Failure modes exist that could cause a breach within the IFHX. This breach would result in high pressure ammonia from the EATCS flowing into the lower pressure ITCS water loop. As the pressure builds in the ITCS loop, it is likely that the gas trap, which has the lowest maximum design pressure within the ITCS, would burst and cause ammonia to enter the ISS atmosphere. It is crucial to first characterize the release of ammonia into the ISS atmosphere in order to develop methods to properly mitigate the environmental risk. This paper will document the methods used to characterize an ammonia leak into the ISS cabin atmosphere. A mathematical model of the leak was first developed in order to define the flow of ammonia into the ISS cabin atmosphere based on a series of IFHX rupture cases. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods were then used to model the dispersion of the ammonia throughout the ISS cabin and determine localized effects and ventilation effects on the dispersion of ammonia. Lastly, the capabilities of the current on-orbit systems to remove ammonia were reviewed and scrubbing rates of the ISS systems were defined based on the ammonia release models. With this full characterization of the release of ammonia from the USOS TCS, an appropriate mitigation strategy that includes crew and system emergency response procedures, personal protection equipment use, and atmosphere monitoring and scrubbing hardware can be established.

Impacts of an Ammonia Leak on the Cabin Atmosphere of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duchesne, Stephanie M.; Sweterlitsch, Jeffrey J.; Son, Chang H.; Perry Jay L.

2012-01-01

Toxic chemical release into the cabin atmosphere is one of the three major emergency scenarios identified on the International Space Station (ISS). The release of anhydrous ammonia, the coolant used in the U.S. On-orbit Segment (USOS) External Active Thermal Control Subsystem (EATCS), into the ISS cabin atmosphere is one of the most serious toxic chemical release cases identified on board ISS. The USOS Thermal Control System (TCS) includes an Internal Thermal Control Subsystem (ITCS) water loop and an EATCS ammonia loop that transfer heat at the interface heat exchanger (IFHX). Failure modes exist that could cause a breach within the IFHX. This breach would result in high pressure ammonia from the EATCS flowing into the lower pressure ITCS water loop. As the pressure builds in the ITCS loop, it is likely that the gas trap, which has the lowest maximum design pressure within the ITCS, would burst and cause ammonia to enter the ISS atmosphere. It is crucial to first characterize the release of ammonia into the ISS atmosphere in order to develop methods to properly mitigate the environmental risk. This paper will document the methods used to characterize an ammonia leak into the ISS cabin atmosphere. A mathematical model of the leak was first developed in order to define the flow of ammonia into the ISS cabin atmosphere based on a series of IFHX rupture cases. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods were then used to model the dispersion of the ammonia throughout the ISS cabin and determine localized effects and ventilation effects on the dispersion of ammonia. Lastly, the capabilities of the current on-orbit systems to remove ammonia were reviewed and scrubbing rates of the ISS systems were defined based on the ammonia release models. With this full characterization of the release of ammonia from the USOS TCS, an appropriate mitigation strategy that includes crew and system emergency response procedures, personal protection equipment use, and atmosphere monitoring and scrubbing hardware can be established.

Heavy liquid metals: Research programs at PSI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takeda, Y.

1996-06-01

The author describes work at PSI on thermohydraulics, thermal shock, and material tests for mechnical properties. In the presentation, the focus is on two main programs. (1) SINQ LBE target: The phase II study program for SINQ is planned. A new LBE loop is being constructed. The study has the following three objectives: (a) Pump study - design work on an electromagnetic pump to be integrated into the target. (b) Heat pipe performance test - the use of heat pipes as an additional component of the target cooling system is being considered, and it may be a way to futhermore » decouple the liquid metal and water coolant loops. (c) Mixed convection experiment - in order to find an optimal configuration of the additional flow guide for window cooling, mixed convection around the window is to be studied. The experiment will be started using water and then with LBE. (2) ESS Mercury target: For ESS target study, the following experimental studies are planned, some of which are exampled by trial experiments. (a) Flow around the window: Flow mapping around the hemi-cylindrical window will be made for optimising the flow channels and structures, (b) Geometry optimisation for minimizing a recirculation zone behind the edge of the flow separator, (c) Flow induced vibration and buckling problem for a optimised structure of the flow separator and (d) Gas-liquid two-phase flow will be studied by starting to establish the new experimental method of measuring various kinds of two-phase flow characteristics.« less

Method and apparatus for controlling fluid flow

DOEpatents

Miller, J.R.

1980-06-27

A method and apparatus for precisely controlling the rate (and hence amount) of fluid flow are given. The controlled flow rate is finely adjustable, can be extremely small (on the order of microliter-atmospheres per second), can be adjusted to zero (flow stopped), and is stable to better than 1% with time. The dead volume of the valve can be made arbitrarily small, in fact essentially zero. The valve employs no wearing mechanical parts (including springs, stems, or seals). The valve is finely adjustable, has a flow rate dynamic range of many decades, can be made compatible with any fluid, and is suitable for incorporation into an open or closed loop servo-control system.

High Average Power Laser Gain Medium With Low Optical Distortion Using A Transverse Flowing Liquid Host

DOEpatents

Comaskey, Brian J.; Ault, Earl R.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

2005-07-05

A high average power, low optical distortion laser gain media is based on a flowing liquid media. A diode laser pumping device with tailored irradiance excites the laser active atom, ion or molecule within the liquid media. A laser active component of the liquid media exhibits energy storage times longer than or comparable to the thermal optical response time of the liquid. A circulation system that provides a closed loop for mixing and circulating the lasing liquid into and out of the optical cavity includes a pump, a diffuser, and a heat exchanger. A liquid flow gain cell includes flow straighteners and flow channel compression.

Advanced Hybrid Cooling Loop Technology for High Performance Thermal Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

and Chung, 2003; Estes and Mudawar , 1995]. Because of the pumping pressure and flow rate requirements, such pumped systems require large pumping and...United States, April 24-25, 2003. 8. Estes, K. and Mudawar , I., “Comparison of Two-Phase Electronic Cooling Using Free Jets and Sprays”, Journal of

The effect of advanced treatment on chlorine decay in metallic pipes

EPA Science Inventory

Experiments were run to measure what effect advanced treatment might have on the kinetics of chlorine decay in water distribution systems. A recirculating loop of 6-inch diameter unlined ductile iron pipe was used to simulate turbulent flow conditions in a pipe with significant c...

Oil well flow assurance through static electric potential: An experimental investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashmi, Muhammad Ihtsham Asmat

Flow assurance technology deals with the deposition of organic and inorganic solids in the oil flow path, which results in constriction of the production tubing and surface flow lines and drastically reduces the kinetic energy of the fluid. The major contributors to this flow restriction are inorganic scales, asphaltene, wax and gas hydrates, in addition to minor contribution from formation fines and corrosion products. Some of these materials (particularly asphaltene and inorganic scales) carry surface charges on their nuclei and seen to be attracted by electrode having opposite charge. The focus of the present research is to find the possibilities of inhibiting the deposition of asphaltene and inorganic scales in the production tubing by applying static electrical potential. With this objective, two flow set ups were made; one for asphaltene and the other for scale deposition studies, attached with precision pumps, pressure recording system and DC power supply. In each set up there were two flow loops, one was converted as Anode and the other as Cathode. A series of flow studies were conducted using the flow set ups, in which oil-dilution ratio, temperature and most importantly DC potential difference was varied and the deposition behavior of the asphaltene aggregates and calcium carbonate scale to the walls of the test loops were observed through rise of differential pressure across the loop due to possible deposition and constriction of the flow path. Two different sets of flow studies; one without oil dilution and other with the diluted oil (with n-heptane), were performed. Both experiments were investigated under the influence of static potential applied across the two test loops. Experimental results indicated that asphaltene deposition in the cathode can be retarded or stopped by applying a suitable negative potential; an increase in the static potential resulted in enhanced control over the asphaltene aggregation and hence the deposition. In the second study, scale deposition and retardation through static potential is studied through a series of flow experiments. Under the influence of static potential, scale deposition at the room temperature showed an increase in the deposition rates, whereas, at the elevated temperatures, scale deposition rates were observed to be retarded and delayed. Beyond a certain value of the static potential, this decreasing trend in deposition rates become directly proportional to the applied static potential. Results showed that the scale deposition may be controlled if not completely stopped, in the anode, if a suitable positive potential can be applied to it. The overall conclusion of this study is as follows: • Asphaltene deposition can be arrested almost completely by converting the production well into a cathode. • Scale deposition can be retarded or deposition rate can be much delayed by converting the production well into an anode.

A compact x-ray system for two-phase flow measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Kyle; Liu, Yang

2018-02-01

In this paper, a compact x-ray densitometry system consisting of a 50 kV, 1 mA x-ray tube and several linear detector arrays is developed for two-phase flow measurement. The system is capable of measuring void fraction and velocity distributions with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm per pixel and a frequency of 1000 Hz. A novel measurement model has been established for the system which takes account of the energy spectrum of x-ray photons and the beam hardening effect. An improved measurement accuracy has been achieved with this model compared with the conventional log model that has been widely used in the literature. Using this system, void fraction and velocity distributions are measured for a bubbly and a slug flow in a 25.4 mm I.D. air-water two-phase flow test loop. The measured superficial gas velocities show an error within  ±4% when compared with the gas flowmeter for both conditions.

Space Station Crew Conducts Spacewalk to Change Cooling Components

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-16

Outside the International Space Station, Expedition 55 NASA Flight Engineers Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold conducted a spacewalk May 16 to swap out a failed cooling system component called a pump flow control subassembly (PFCS) for a spare. The PFCS is one of several on the truss structure of the station designed to regulate the flow of ammonia coolant through the cooling loops on the station to maintain the proper temperature for critical systems. It was the 210th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades, the eighth in Feustel’s career and the fourth for Arnold.

Control system and method for a universal power conditioning system

DOEpatents

Lai, Jih-Sheng; Park, Sung Yeul; Chen, Chien-Liang

2014-09-02

A new current loop control system method is proposed for a single-phase grid-tie power conditioning system that can be used under a standalone or a grid-tie mode. This type of inverter utilizes an inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) filter as the interface in between inverter and the utility grid. The first set of inductor-capacitor (LC) can be used in the standalone mode, and the complete LCL can be used for the grid-tie mode. A new admittance compensation technique is proposed for the controller design to avoid low stability margin while maintaining sufficient gain at the fundamental frequency. The proposed current loop controller system and admittance compensation technique have been simulated and tested. Simulation results indicate that without the admittance path compensation, the current loop controller output duty cycle is largely offset by an undesired admittance path. At the initial simulation cycle, the power flow may be erratically fed back to the inverter causing catastrophic failure. With admittance path compensation, the output power shows a steady-state offset that matches the design value. Experimental results show that the inverter is capable of both a standalone and a grid-tie connection mode using the LCL filter configuration.

Closed-loop feedback control for microfluidic systems through automated capacitive fluid height sensing.

PubMed

Soenksen, L R; Kassis, T; Noh, M; Griffith, L G; Trumper, D L

2018-03-13

Precise fluid height sensing in open-channel microfluidics has long been a desirable feature for a wide range of applications. However, performing accurate measurements of the fluid level in small-scale reservoirs (<1 mL) has proven to be an elusive goal, especially if direct fluid-sensor contact needs to be avoided. In particular, gravity-driven systems used in several microfluidic applications to establish pressure gradients and impose flow remain open-loop and largely unmonitored due to these sensing limitations. Here we present an optimized self-shielded coplanar capacitive sensor design and automated control system to provide submillimeter fluid-height resolution (∼250 μm) and control of small-scale open reservoirs without the need for direct fluid contact. Results from testing and validation of our optimized sensor and system also suggest that accurate fluid height information can be used to robustly characterize, calibrate and dynamically control a range of microfluidic systems with complex pumping mechanisms, even in cell culture conditions. Capacitive sensing technology provides a scalable and cost-effective way to enable continuous monitoring and closed-loop feedback control of fluid volumes in small-scale gravity-dominated wells in a variety of microfluidic applications.

A Robust Design Methodology for Optimal Microscale Secondary Flow Control in Compact Inlet Diffusers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Keller, Dennis J.

2001-01-01

It is the purpose of this study to develop an economical Robust design methodology for microscale secondary flow control in compact inlet diffusers. To illustrate the potential of economical Robust Design methodology, two different mission strategies were considered for the subject inlet, namely Maximum Performance and Maximum HCF Life Expectancy. The Maximum Performance mission maximized total pressure recovery while the Maximum HCF Life Expectancy mission minimized the mean of the first five Fourier harmonic amplitudes, i.e., 'collectively' reduced all the harmonic 1/2 amplitudes of engine face distortion. Each of the mission strategies was subject to a low engine face distortion constraint, i.e., DC60<0.10, which is a level acceptable for commercial engines. For each of these missions strategies, an 'Optimal Robust' (open loop control) and an 'Optimal Adaptive' (closed loop control) installation was designed over a twenty degree angle-of-incidence range. The Optimal Robust installation used economical Robust Design methodology to arrive at a single design which operated over the entire angle-of-incident range (open loop control). The Optimal Adaptive installation optimized all the design parameters at each angle-of-incidence. Thus, the Optimal Adaptive installation would require a closed loop control system to sense a proper signal for each effector and modify that effector device, whether mechanical or fluidic, for optimal inlet performance. In general, the performance differences between the Optimal Adaptive and Optimal Robust installation designs were found to be marginal. This suggests, however, that Optimal Robust open loop installation designs can be very competitive with Optimal Adaptive close loop designs. Secondary flow control in inlets is inherently robust, provided it is optimally designed. Therefore, the new methodology presented in this paper, combined array 'Lower Order' approach to Robust DOE, offers the aerodynamicist a very viable and economical way of exploring the concept of Robust inlet design, where the mission variables are brought directly into the inlet design process and insensitivity or robustness to the mission variables becomes a design objective.

Evaluation of a Passive Heat Exchanger Based Cooling System for Fuel Cell Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Burke, Kenneth A.

2011-01-01

Fuel cell cooling is conventionally performed with an actively controlled, dedicated coolant loop that exchanges heat with a separate external cooling loop. To simplify this system the concept of directly cooling a fuel cell utilizing a coolant loop with a regenerative heat exchanger to preheat the coolant entering the fuel cell with the coolant exiting the fuel cell was analyzed. The preheating is necessary to minimize the temperature difference across the fuel cell stack. This type of coolant system would minimize the controls needed on the coolant loop and provide a mostly passive means of cooling the fuel cell. The results indicate that an operating temperature of near or greater than 70 C is achievable with a heat exchanger effectiveness of around 90 percent. Of the heat exchanger types evaluated with the same type of fluid on the hot and cold side, a counter flow type heat exchanger would be required which has the possibility of achieving the required effectiveness. The number of heat transfer units required by the heat exchanger would be around 9 or greater. Although the analysis indicates the concept is feasible, the heat exchanger design would need to be developed and optimized for a specific fuel cell operation in order to achieve the high effectiveness value required.

Identification of an unsteady aerodynamic model up to high angle of attack regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yigang

1997-12-01

The harmonic oscillatory tests for a fighter aircraft configuration using the Dynamic Plunge-Pitch-Roll (DyPPiR) model mount at Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel are described and analyzed. The corresponding data reduction methods are developed on the basis of multirate digital signal processing techniques. Since the model is sting-mounted to the support system of DyPPiR, the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is first used to identify the frequencies of the elastic modes of sting. Then the sampling rate conversion systems are built up in digital domain to resample the data at a lower rate without introducing distortions to the signals of interest. Finally linear-phase Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters are designed by Remez exchange algorithm to extract the aerodynamic characteristics responses to the programmed motions from the resampled measurements. These data reduction procedures are also illustrated through examples. The results obtained from the harmonic oscillatory tests are then illustrated and the associated flow mechanisms are discussed. Since no significant hysteresis loops are observed for the lift and the drag coefficients for the current angle of attack range and the tested reduced frequencies, the dynamic lags of separated and vortex flow effects are small in the current oscillatory tests. However, large hysteresis loops are observed for pitch moment coefficient in the current tests. This observation suggests that at current flow conditions, pitch moment has large pitch rate dotalpha dependencies. Then the nondimensional maximum pitch rate \\ qsb{max} is introduced to characterize these harmonic oscillatory motions. It is found that at current flow conditions, all the hysteresis loops of pitch moment coefficient with same \\ qsb{max} are tangential to one another at both top and bottom of the loops, implying approximately same maximum offset of these loops from static values. Several cases are also illustrated. Based on the results obtained and those from references, a state-space model is developed to describe the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics up to the high angle of attack regime. A nondimensional coordinate is introduced as the state variable describing the flow separation or vortex burst. First-order differential equation is used to govern the dynamics of flow separation or vortex bursting through this state variable. To be valid for general configurations, Taylor series expansions in terms of the input variables are used in the determination of aerodynamic characteristics, resembling the current approach of the stability derivatives. However, these derivatives are longer constant. They are dependent on the state variable of flow separation or vortex burst. In this way, the changes in stability derivatives with the angle of attack are included dynamically. The performance of the model is then validated by the wind-tunnel measurements of an NACA 0015 airfoil, a 70sp° delta wing and, finally two F-18 aircraft configurations. The results obtained show that within the framework of the proposed model, it is possible to obtain good agreement with different unsteady wind tunnel data in high angle-of-attack regime.

Translocation of Candida albicans is related to the blood flow of individual intestinal villi.

PubMed

Gianotti, L; Alexander, J W; Fukushima, R; Childress, C P

1993-08-01

Splanchnic ischemia is associated with increased bacterial translocation, but previous observations showed that translocation of Candida albicans did not occur uniformly among individual intestinal villi. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the degree of Candida translocation and the microcirculation of individual villi. Thiry-Vella intestinal loops were created in eight guinea pigs. One week later, the distal aorta and right carotid artery were cannulated, and systemic blood pressure was recorded throughout the entire experiment. C. albicans (1 x 10(10)) was introduced into the Thiry-Vella loop, and the animals underwent a 40% full-thickness burn. Systolic hypotension was observed in the first 75 minutes postburn; then the systemic blood pressure returned to a normal range. Four hours after burn, 8 x 10(7) microspheres (10 microns) were injected into the aorta. The animals were sacrificed, and the Thiry-Vella loops were harvested and processed for light microscopy. At the microscopic level, within each villus, both the number of beads trapped in the arterioles and the number of Candida translocated into the enterocytes were counted. An inverse linear correlation between number of beads and number of translocated yeast per individual villus was found (r = -0.78; P < 0.005). These data provide further evidence that blood flow is an important determinant of the magnitude of microbial translocation, even within individual villi.

Application of computational fluid dynamics to closed-loop bioreactors: I. Characterization and simulation of fluid-flow pattern and oxygen transfer.

PubMed

Littleton, Helen X; Daigger, Glen T; Strom, Peter F

2007-06-01

A full-scale, closed-loop bioreactor (Orbal oxidation ditch, Envirex brand technologies, Siemens, Waukesha, Wisconsin), previously examined for simultaneous biological nutrient removal (SBNR), was further evaluated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A CFD model was developed first by imparting the known momentum (calculated by tank fluid velocity and mass flowrate) to the fluid at the aeration disc region. Oxygen source (aeration) and sink (consumption) terms were introduced, and statistical analysis was applied to the CFD simulation results. The CFD model was validated with field data obtained from a test tank and a full-scale tank. The results indicated that CFD could predict the mixing pattern in closed-loop bioreactors. This enables visualization of the flow pattern, both with regard to flow velocity and dissolved-oxygen-distribution profiles. The velocity and oxygen-distribution gradients suggested that the flow patterns produced by directional aeration in closed-loop bioreactors created a heterogeneous environment that can result in dissolved oxygen variations throughout the bioreactor. Distinct anaerobic zones on a macroenvironment scale were not observed, but it is clear that, when flow passed around curves, a secondary spiral flow was generated. This second current, along with the main recirculation flow, could create alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions vertically and horizontally, which would allow SBNR to occur. Reliable SBNR performance in Orbal oxidation ditches may be a result, at least in part, of such a spatially varying environment.

MHD Modelling of Coronal Loops: Injection of High-Speed Chromospheric Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petralia, A.; Reale, F.; Orlando, S.; Klimchuk, J. A.

2014-01-01

Context. Observations reveal a correspondence between chromospheric type II spicules and bright upward-moving fronts in the corona observed in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) band. However, theoretical considerations suggest that these flows are probably not the main source of heating in coronal magnetic loops. Aims. We investigate the propagation of high-speed chromospheric flows into coronal magnetic flux tubes and the possible production of emission in the EUV band. Methods. We simulated the propagation of a dense 104 K chromospheric jet upward along a coronal loop by means of a 2D cylindrical MHD model that includes gravity, radiative losses, thermal conduction, and magnetic induction. The jet propagates in a complete atmosphere including the chromosphere and a tenuous cool (approximately 0.8 MK) corona, linked through a steep transition region. In our reference model, the jet initial speed is 70 km per second, its initial density is 10(exp 11) per cubic centimeter, and the ambient uniform magnetic field is 10 G. We also explored other values of jet speed and density in 1D and different magnetic field values in 2D, as well as the jet propagation in a hotter (approximately 1.5 MK) background loop. Results. While the initial speed of the jet does not allow it to reach the loop apex, a hot shock-front develops ahead of it and travels to the other extreme of the loop. The shock front compresses the coronal plasma and heats it to about 10(exp 6) K. As a result, a bright moving front becomes visible in the 171 Angstrom channel of the SDO/AIA mission. This result generally applies to all the other explored cases, except for the propagation in the hotter loop. Conclusions. For a cool, low-density initial coronal loop, the post-shock plasma ahead of upward chromospheric flows might explain at least part of the observed correspondence between type II spicules and EUV emission excess.

Integration Tests of the 4 kW-Class High Voltage Hall Accelerator Power Processing Unit with the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 Hall Effect Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamhawi, Hani; Pinero, Luis; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Ahern, Drew; Liang, Ray; Shilo, Vlad

2016-01-01

NASA's Science Mission Directorate is sponsoring the development of a 4 kW-class Hall propulsion system for implementation in NASA science and exploration missions. The main components of the system include the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc), an engineering model power processing unit (PPU) developed by Colorado Power Electronics, and a xenon flow control module (XFCM) developed by VACCO Industries. NASA Glenn Research Center is performing integrated tests of the Hall thruster propulsion system. This paper presents results from integrated tests of the PPU and XFCM with the HiVHAc engineering development thruster and a SPT-140 thruster provided by Space System Loral. The results presented in this paper demonstrate thruster discharge initiation along with open-loop and closed-loop control of the discharge current with anode flow for both the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 thrusters. Integrated tests with the SPT-140 thruster indicated that the PPU was able to repeatedly initiate the thruster's discharge, achieve steady state operation, and successfully throttle the thruster between 1.5 and 4.5 kW. The measured SPT-140 performance was identical to levels reported by Space Systems Loral.

Adding the ‘heart’ to hanging drop networks for microphysiological multi-tissue experiments†

PubMed Central

Yazdi, Saeed Rismani; Shadmani, Amir; Bürgel, Sebastian C.; Misun, Patrick M.; Hierlemann, Andreas; Frey, Olivier

2017-01-01

Microfluidic hanging-drop networks enable culturing and analysis of 3D microtissue spheroids derived from different cell types under controlled perfusion and investigating inter-tissue communication in multi-tissue formats. In this paper we introduce a compact on-chip pumping approach for flow control in hanging-drop networks. The pump includes one pneumatic chamber located directly above one of the hanging drops and uses the surface tension at the liquid–air-interface for flow actuation. Control of the pneumatic protocol provides a wide range of unidirectional pulsatile and continuous flow profiles. With the proposed concept several independent hanging-drop networks can be operated in parallel with only one single pneumatic actuation line at high fidelity. Closed-loop medium circulation between different organ models for multi-tissue formats and multiple simultaneous assays in parallel are possible. Finally, we implemented a real-time feedback control-loop of the pump actuation based on the beating of a human iPS-derived cardiac microtissue cultured in the same system. This configuration allows for simulating physiological effects on the heart and their impact on flow circulation between the organ models on chip. PMID:26401602

Closed loop steam cooled airfoil

DOEpatents

Widrig, Scott M.; Rudolph, Ronald J.; Wagner, Gregg P.

2006-04-18

An airfoil, a method of manufacturing an airfoil, and a system for cooling an airfoil is provided. The cooling system can be used with an airfoil located in the first stages of a combustion turbine within a combined cycle power generation plant and involves flowing closed loop steam through a pin array set within an airfoil. The airfoil can comprise a cavity having a cooling chamber bounded by an interior wall and an exterior wall so that steam can enter the cavity, pass through the pin array, and then return to the cavity to thereby cool the airfoil. The method of manufacturing an airfoil can include a type of lost wax investment casting process in which a pin array is cast into an airfoil to form a cooling chamber.

Development of a J-T Micro Compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champagne, P.; Olson, J. R.; Nast, T.; Roth, E.; Collaco, A.; Kaldas, G.; Saito, E.; Loung, V.

2015-12-01

Lockheed Martin has developed and tested a space-quality compressor capable of delivering closed-loop gas flow with a high pressure ratio, suitable for driving a Joule- Thomson cold head. The compressor is based on a traditional “Oxford style” dual-opposed piston compressor with linear drive motors and flexure-bearing clearance-seal technology for high reliability and long life. This J-T compressor retains the approximate size, weight, and cost of the ultra-compact, 200 gram Lockheed Martin Pulse Tube Micro Compressor, despite the addition of a flow-rectifying system to convert the AC pressure wave into a steady flow.

Bidirectional control system for energy flow in solar powered flywheel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nola, Frank J. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

An energy storage system for a spacecraft is provided which employs a solar powered flywheel arrangement including a motor/generator which, in different operating modes, drives the flywheel and is driven thereby. A control circuit, including a threshold comparator, senses the output of a solar energy converter, and when a threshold voltage is exceeded thereby indicating the availability of solar power for the spacecraft loads, activates a speed control loop including the motor/generator so as to accelerate the flywheel to a constant speed and thereby store mechanical energy, while also supplying energy from the solar converter to the loads. Under circumstances where solar energy is not available and thus the threshold voltage is not exceeded, the control circuit deactivates the speed control loop and activates a voltage control loop that provides for operation of the motor as a generator so that mechanical energy from the flywheel is converted into electrical energy for supply to the spacecraft loads.

Evidence for siphon flows with shocks in solar magnetic flux tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degenhardt, D.; Solanki, S. K.; Montesinos, B.; Thomas, J. H.

1993-01-01

We synthesize profiles of the infrared line Fe I 15648.5 A (g = 3) for a recently developed theoretical model of siphon flows along photospheric magnetic loops. The synthesized line profiles are compared with the observations from which Rueedi et al. (1992) deduced the presence of such flows across the neutral line of an active region plage. This comparison supports the interpretation of Rueedi et al. (1992). It also suggests that the average footpoint separation of the observed loops carrying the siphon flow is 8-15 sec and that the siphon flow experiences a standing tube shock in the downstream leg near the top of the arch.

Open-loop heat-recovery dryer

DOEpatents

TeGrotenhuis, Ward Evan

2013-11-05

A drying apparatus is disclosed that includes a drum and an open-loop airflow pathway originating at an ambient air inlet, passing through the drum, and terminating at an exhaust outlet. A passive heat exchanger is included for passively transferring heat from air flowing from the drum toward the exhaust outlet to air flowing from the ambient air inlet toward the drum. A heat pump is also included for actively transferring heat from air flowing from the passive heat exchanger toward the exhaust outlet to air flowing from the passive heat exchanger toward the drum. A heating element is also included for further heating air flowing from the heat pump toward the drum.

Solar heat collector-generator for cooling purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, K.

1982-01-01

The performance of an experimental LiBr-H2O solar collector powered absorption cooling system is described. A numerical model was developed of the energy, mass, and momentum balances across the heat-exchange loop to obtain the refrigerant vapor generation rate. The mechanism works by the thermosiphon principle, which eliminates mechanical devices from the loop. All leaks were fixed before measurements began with a test apparatus comprising a pyrex tube 1.87 m long with a 2.7 i.d. The refrigerant flow rate was monitored, along with temperature changes in the fluid and across the tube. Bubble initiation was observed from the free surface extending downward in the tube. Reynolds numbers varied from 6-43 in the liquid phase and 81-204 in the vapor phase. A formulation was made for the low-velocity two-phase flow and good agreement was demonstrated with the simulation.

Study of Compatibility of Stainless Steel Weld Joints with Liquid Sodium-Potassium Coolants for Fission Surface Power Reactors for Lunar and Space Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grossbeck, Martin; Qualls, Louis

To make a manned mission to the surface of the moon or to Mars with any significant residence time, the power requirements will make a nuclear reactor the most feasible source of energy. To prepare for such a mission, NASA has teamed with the DOE to develop Fission Surface Power technology with the goal of developing viable options. The Fission Surface Power System (FSPS) recommended as the initial baseline design includes a liquid metal reactor and primary coolant system that transfers heat to two intermediate liquid metal heat transfer loops. Each intermediate loop transfers heat to two Stirling heat exchangersmore » that each power two Stirling converters. Both the primary and the intermediate loops will use sodium-potassium (NaK) as the liquid metal coolant, and the primary loop will operate at temperatures exceeding 600°C. The alloy selected for the heat exchangers and piping is AISI Type 316L stainless steel. The extensive experience with NaK in breeder reactor programs and with earlier space reactors for unmanned missions lends considerable confidence in using NaK as a coolant in contact with stainless steel alloys. However, the microstructure, chemical segregation, and stress state of a weld leads to the potential for corrosion and cracking. Such failures have been experienced in NaK systems that have operated for times less than the eight year goal for the FSPS. For this reason, it was necessary to evaluate candidate weld techniques and expose welds to high-temperature, flowing NaK in a closed, closely controlled system. The goal of this project was to determine the optimum weld configuration for a NaK system that will withstand service for eight years under FSPS conditions. Since the most difficult weld to make and to evaluate is the tube to tube sheet weld in the intermediate heat exchangers, it was the focus of this research. A pumped loop of flowing NaK was fabricated for exposure of candidate weld specimens at temperatures of 600°C, the expected temperature within the intermediate heat exchangers. Since metal transfer from a high-temperature region to a cooler region is a predominant mode of corrosion in liquid metal systems, specimens were placed at zones in the loop at the above temperature to evaluate the effects of both alloy component leaching and metal deposition. Microstructural analysis was performed to evaluate weld performance on control weld specimens. The research was coordinated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) where most of the weld samples were prepared. In addition, ORNL participated in the loop operation to assist in keeping the testing relevant to the project and to take advantage of the extensive experience in liquid metal research at ORNL.« less

Asia Pacific Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy Systems 2011 (APRISES11)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-29

created during a single run , highlighting rapid prototyping capabilities. NRL’s overall goal was to evaluate whether 3D printed metallic bipolar plates...varying the air flow to evaluate the effect on peak power. These runs are displayed in Figure 2.1.17. The reactants were connected in co-flow with the...way valve allows the operator to either run the gas through a humidifier (PermaPure Model FCl 25-240-7) or a bypass loop. On the humidifier side of

Acceptance-test report for El Toro Library solar heating and cooling demonstration project (SHAC no. 1501)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

A partial acceptance test was conducted on the El Toro Library Solar Energy System, and the detailed results of the various mode acceptance tests are given. All the modes tested function as designed. Collector array efficiencies were calculated at approximately 40%. Chiller COP was estimated at .50, with chiller loop flow rates approximately 85 to 90% of design flow. The acceptance test included visual inspection, preoperational testing and procedure verification, operational mode checkout, and performance testing. (LEW)

Evaluation of Flow Biosensor Technology in a Chronically-Instrumented Non-Human Primate Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, S. C.; Reister, C.; Schaub, J.; Muniz, G.; Ferguson, T.; Fanton, J. W.

1995-01-01

The Physiology Research Branch of Brooks AFB conducts both human and non-human primate experiments to determine the effects of microgravity and hypergravity on the cardiovascular system and to indentify the particular mechanisms that invoke these responses. Primary investigative research efforts in a non-human primate model require the calculation of total peripheral resistance (TPR), systemic arterial compliance (SAC), and pressure-volume loop characteristics. These calculations require beat-to-beat measurement of aortic flow. We have evaluated commercially available electromagnetic (EMF) and transit-time flow measurement techniques. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the average error of these techniques is less than 25 percent for EMF and less than 10 percent for transit-time.

Design and Fabrication of a MEMS Flow Sensor and Its Application in Precise Liquid Dispensing

PubMed Central

Liu, Yaxin; Chen, Liguo; Sun, Lining

2009-01-01

A high speed MEMS flow sensor to enhance the reliability and accuracy of a liquid dispensing system is proposed. Benefitting from the sensor information feedback, the system can self-adjust the open time of the solenoid valve to accurately dispense desired volumes of reagent without any pre-calibration. First, an integrated high-speed liquid flow sensor based on the measurement of the pressure difference across a flow channel is presented. Dimensions of the micro-flow channel and two pressure sensors have been appropriately designed to meet the static and dynamic requirements of the liquid dispensing system. Experiments results show that the full scale (FS) flow measurement ranges up to 80 μL/s, with a nonlinearity better than 0.51% FS. Secondly, a novel closed-loop control strategy is proposed to calculate the valve open time in each dispensing cycle, which makes the system immune to liquid viscosity, pressure fluctuation, and other sources of error. Finally, dispensing results show that the system can achieve better dispensing performance, and the coefficient of variance (CV) for liquid dispensing is below 3% at 1 μL and below 4% at 100 nL. PMID:22408517

Design and Fabrication of a MEMS Flow Sensor and Its Application in Precise Liquid Dispensing.

PubMed

Liu, Yaxin; Chen, Liguo; Sun, Lining

2009-01-01

A high speed MEMS flow sensor to enhance the reliability and accuracy of a liquid dispensing system is proposed. Benefitting from the sensor information feedback, the system can self-adjust the open time of the solenoid valve to accurately dispense desired volumes of reagent without any pre-calibration. First, an integrated high-speed liquid flow sensor based on the measurement of the pressure difference across a flow channel is presented. Dimensions of the micro-flow channel and two pressure sensors have been appropriately designed to meet the static and dynamic requirements of the liquid dispensing system. Experiments results show that the full scale (FS) flow measurement ranges up to 80 μL/s, with a nonlinearity better than 0.51% FS. Secondly, a novel closed-loop control strategy is proposed to calculate the valve open time in each dispensing cycle, which makes the system immune to liquid viscosity, pressure fluctuation, and other sources of error. Finally, dispensing results show that the system can achieve better dispensing performance, and the coefficient of variance (CV) for liquid dispensing is below 3% at 1 μL and below 4% at 100 nL.

Hydrodynamic characteristics and mixing behaviour of Sclerotium glucanicum culture fluids in an airlift reactor with an internal loop used for scleroglucan production.

PubMed

Kang, X; Wang, H; Wang, Y; Harvey, L M; McNeil, B

2001-10-01

The filamentous fungus, Sclerotium glucanicum NRRL 3006, was cultivated in a 0.008 m(3) airlift bioreactor with internal recirculation loop (ARL-IL) for production of the biopolymer, scleroglucan. The rheological behaviour of the culture fluid was characterised by measurement of the fluid consistency coefficient (K) and the flow behaviour index (n). Based on these measurements, the culture fluid changed from a low viscosity Newtonian system early in the process, to a viscous non-Newtonian (pseudoplastic) system. In addition, reactor hydrodynamics and mixing behaviour were characterised by measurement of whole mean gas hold-up (epsilon(g)), liquid re-circulation velocity (U(ld)) and mixing time (t(m)). Under identical process conditions, the effects of the viscosity of the culture fluid and air flow rate on epsilon(g), U(ld) and t(m) were examined and empirical correlations for epsilon(g), U(ld) and t(m) with both superficial velocity U(g) and consistency coefficient K were obtained and expressed separately. The correlations obtained are likely to describe the behaviour of real fungal culture fluids more accurately than previous correlations based on Newtonian or simulated non-Newtonian systems.

Closed-Loop Control of Chemical Injection Rate for a Direct Nozzle Injection System.

PubMed

Cai, Xiang; Walgenbach, Martin; Doerpmond, Malte; Schulze Lammers, Peter; Sun, Yurui

2016-01-20

To realize site-specific and variable-rate application of agricultural pesticides, accurately metering and controlling the chemical injection rate is necessary. This study presents a prototype of a direct nozzle injection system (DNIS) by which chemical concentration transport lag was greatly reduced. In this system, a rapid-reacting solenoid valve (RRV) was utilized for injecting chemicals, driven by a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal at 100 Hz, so with varying pulse width the chemical injection rate could be adjusted. Meanwhile, a closed-loop control strategy, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method, was applied for metering and stabilizing the chemical injection rate. In order to measure chemical flow rates and input them into the controller as a feedback in real-time, a thermodynamic flowmeter that was independent of chemical viscosity was used. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the performance of DNIS and PID control strategy. Due to the nonlinear input-output characteristics of the RRV, a two-phase PID control process obtained better effects as compared with single PID control strategy. Test results also indicated that the set-point chemical flow rate could be achieved within less than 4 s, and the output stability was improved compared to the case without control strategy.

Microgravity fluid management in two-phase thermal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parish, Richard C.

1987-01-01

Initial studies have indicated that in comparison to an all liquid single phase system, a two-phase liquid/vapor thermal control system requires significantly lower pumping power, demonstrates more isothermal control characteristics, and allows greater operational flexibility in heat load placement. As a function of JSC's Work Package responsibility for thermal management of space station equipment external to the pressurized modules, prototype development programs were initiated on the Two-Phase Thermal Bus System (TBS) and the Space Erectable Radiator System (SERS). JSC currently has several programs underway to enhance the understanding of two-phase fluid flow characteristics. The objective of one of these programs (sponsored by the Microgravity Science and Applications Division at NASA-Headquarters) is to design, fabricate, and fly a two-phase flow regime mapping experiment in the Shuttle vehicle mid-deck. Another program, sponsored by OAST, involves the testing of a two-phase thermal transport loop aboard the KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft to identify system implications of pressure drop variation as a function of the flow quality and flow regime present in a representative thermal system.

Simplified liquid oxygen propellant conditioning concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleary, N. L.; Holt, K. A.; Flachbart, R. H.

1995-01-01

Current liquid oxygen feed systems waste propellant and use hardware, unnecessary during flight, to condition the propellant at the engine turbopumps prior to launch. Simplified liquid oxygen propellant conditioning concepts are being sought for future launch vehicles. During a joint program, four alternative propellant conditioning options were studied: (1) passive recirculation; (2) low bleed through the engine; (3) recirculation lines; and (4) helium bubbling. The test configuration for this program was based on a vehicle design which used a main recirculation loop that was insulated on the downcomer and uninsulated on the upcomer. This produces a natural convection recirculation flow. The test article for this program simulated a feedline which ran from the main recirculation loop to the turbopump. The objective was to measure the temperature profile of this test article. Several parameters were varied from the baseline case to determine their effects on the temperature profile. These parameters included: flow configuration, feedline slope, heat flux, main recirculation loop velocity, pressure, bleed rate, helium bubbling, and recirculation lines. The heat flux, bleed rate, and recirculation configurations produced the greatest changes from the baseline temperature profile. However, the temperatures in the feedline remained subcooled. Any of the options studied could be used in future vehicles.

Numerical Modeling of an Integrated Vehicle Fluids System Loop for Pressurizing a Cryogenic Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeClair, A. C.; Hedayat, A.; Majumdar, A. K.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a numerical model of the pressurization loop of the Integrated Vehicle Fluids (IVF) system using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP). The IVF propulsion system, being developed by United Launch Alliance to reduce system weight and enhance reliability, uses boiloff propellants to drive thrusters for the reaction control system as well as to run internal combustion engines to develop power and drive compressors to pressurize propellant tanks. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) conducted tests to verify the functioning of the IVF system using a flight-like tank. GFSSP, a finite volume based flow network analysis software developed at MSFC, has been used to support the test program. This paper presents the simulation of three different test series, comparison of numerical prediction and test data and a novel method of presenting data in a dimensionless form. The paper also presents a methodology of implementing a compressor map in a system level code.

Potential and benefits of closed loop ECLS systems on the ISS.

PubMed

Raatschen, W; Preiss, H

2001-01-01

To close open loops for long manned missions in space is a big challenge for aeronautic engineers throughout the world. The paper's focus is on the oxygen reclamation from carbon dioxide within a space habitat. A brief description of the function principle of a fixed alkaline electrolyzer, a solid amine carbon dioxide concentrator and a Sabatier reactor is given. By combining these devices to an air revitalization system the technical and economical benefits are explained. Astrium's Air Revitalization System (ARES) as a potential future part of the International Space Station's Environmental Control and Life Support System would close the oxygen loop. The amount of oxygen, needed for an ISS crew of seven astronauts could be provided by ARES. The upload of almost 1500 kg of water annually for oxygen generation through the onboard electrolyzer would be reduced by more than 1000 kg, resulting in savings of more than 30M$ per year. Additionally, the payload capacity of supply flights would be increased by this amount of mass. Further possibilities are addressed to combine ECLS mass flows with those of the power, propulsion and attitude control systems. Such closed loop approaches will contribute to ease long time missions (e. g. Mars, Moon) from a cost and logistic point of view. The hardware realization of Astrium's space-sized operating ARES is shown and test results of continuous and intermittent closed chamber tests are presented. c2001 Astrium GmbH. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Cooperative Enterprise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fredley, Joseph E.; Lysak, Daniel B.

2004-01-01

The viability of a Capillary Heat Pump (CHP) concept using a Loop Heat Pipe evaporator and an eductor in a closed loop to reject heat at a higher temperature than it is acquired at with the goal of reducing spacecraft radiator area is examined. Eductor inefficiency resulting from the mixing of high velocity motive flow with low velocity suction flow may preclude spacecraft radiator area savings. The utility of a CHP for thermal management may be limited to those missions where system mass is of secondary concern compared to system reliability, or where a heat pump is required to accommodate relatively high thermal rejection temperatures. Shearography techniques for nondestructive inspection and evaluation were examined for two unique applications. Shearography is shown to give good results in evaluating the quality of bonds holding lead tiles to the SWIFT spacecraft BAT gamma ray mask. Also, a novel technique was developed allowing specular objects to be inspected using shearography to evaluate bonding between the skin and core of a specular surface honeycomb structure. Large-scale bond failures are readily identified.

Solar water-heating system for the Ingham County geriatric medical care facility, Okemos, Michigan. Operational and maintenance instruction manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The objectives of the Ingham County Solar Project include: the demonstration of a major operational supplement to fossil fuels, thereby reducing the demand for non-renewable energy sources, demonstration of the economic and technical feasibility of solar systems as an important energy supplement over the expected life of the building, and to encourage Michigan industry to produce and incorporate solar systems in their own facility. The Ingham County solar system consists of approximately 10,000 square feet of solar collectors connected in a closed configuration loop. The primary loop solution is a mixture of water and propylene glycol which flows through themore » tube side of a heat exchanger connected to the primary storage tank. The heat energy which is supplied to the primary storage tank is subsequently utilized to increase the temperature of the laundry water, kitchen water, and domestic potable water.« less

System for thermal energy storage, space heating and cooling and power conversion

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M.; Fields, Paul R.

1981-04-21

An integrated system for storing thermal energy, for space heating and cong and for power conversion is described which utilizes the reversible thermal decomposition characteristics of two hydrides having different decomposition pressures at the same temperature for energy storage and space conditioning and the expansion of high-pressure hydrogen for power conversion. The system consists of a plurality of reaction vessels, at least one containing each of the different hydrides, three loops of circulating heat transfer fluid which can be selectively coupled to the vessels for supplying the heat of decomposition from any appropriate source of thermal energy from the outside ambient environment or from the spaces to be cooled and for removing the heat of reaction to the outside ambient environment or to the spaces to be heated, and a hydrogen loop for directing the flow of hydrogen gas between the vessels. When used for power conversion, at least two vessels contain the same hydride and the hydrogen loop contains an expansion engine. The system is particularly suitable for the utilization of thermal energy supplied by solar collectors and concentrators, but may be used with any source of heat, including a source of low-grade heat.

Nonintrusive Flow Rate Determination Through Space Shuttle Water Coolant Loop Floodlight Coldplate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werlink, Rudolph; Johnson, Harry; Margasahayam, Ravi

1997-01-01

Using a Nonintrusive Flow Measurement System (NFMS), the flow rates through the Space Shuttle water coolant coldplate were determined. The objective of this in situ flow measurement was to prove or disprove a potential block inside the affected coldplate had contributed to a reduced flow rate and the subsequent ice formation on the Space Shuttle Discovery. Flow through the coldplate was originally calculated to be 35 to 38 pounds per hour. This application of ultrasonic technology advanced the envelope of flow measurements through use of 1/4-inch-diameter tubing, which resulted in extremely low flow velocities (5 to 30 pounds per hour). In situ measurements on the orbiters Discovery and Atlantis indicated both vehicles, on the average, experienced similar flow rates through the coldplate (around 25 pounds per hour), but lower rates than the designed flow. Based on the noninvasive checks, further invasive troubleshooting was eliminated. Permanent monitoring using the NFMS was recommended.

CUA Annual Meeting Abstracts addition.

PubMed

2012-08-01

: Foley catheters are assumed to drain the bladder to completion. We have previously shown that dependent loops along the drainage tubing create air-locks, which obstruct antegrade urine flow and result in un-drained residual bladder urine. We hypothesized that drainage characteristics of Foley catheters remain poorly understood by urologists and general surgeons. We conducted a nationwide survey of general surgery and urology training program faculty and residents, to assess perceptions of Foley catheter drainage. We designed a novel catheter drainage tube/bag that eliminates air-locks. : An anonymous illustrated questionnaire assessing Foley catheter use patterns and perception was sent to general surgery and urology residency programs (N=108) nationwide. A modified catheter drainage tube/bag unit was designed and tested. An ex vivo catheterized bladder model was designed to measure and compare urine drainage rates with the standard drainage system, versus with our novel design. : A total of 307 responses were collected from residents (55%) and faculty (45%); responses were similar among both groups (p<0.05). The majority reported that at their centers Foley catheter drainage tubes are generally positioned with a dependent loop (94.1%), and, that positioning with a dependent loop, versus without (78.1%) promoted optimal drainage. Antegrade drainage does not occur with a traditional drainage system when a >5.5 inch dependent loop in place. With our proposed design, which eliminates dependent loops, the bladder model emptied to completion consistently. : Traditional Foley catheter drainage systems, as commonly used, evacuate the bladder sub- optimally. More reliable and complete bladder drainage may decrease the incidence of catheter related UTI. The novel modified Foley catheter drainage tube/bag design presented here eliminates dependent loops, to optimize antegrade drainage.

Heat Rejection Concepts for Lunar Fission Surface Power Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siamidis, John

2006-01-01

This paper describes potential heat rejection design concepts for lunar surface Brayton power conversion systems. Brayton conversion systems are currently under study by NASA for surface power applications. Surface reactors may be used for the moon to power human outposts enabling extended stays and closed loop life support. The Brayton Heat Rejection System (HRS) must dissipate waste heat generated by the power conversion system due to inefficiencies in the thermal-to-electric conversion process. Space Brayton conversion system designs tend to optimize at efficiencies of about 20 to 25 percent with radiator temperatures in the 400 K to 600 K range. A notional HRS was developed for a 100 kWe-class Brayton power system that uses a pumped water heat transport loop coupled to a water heat pipe radiator. The radiator panels employ a tube and fin construction consisting of regularly-spaced circular heat pipes contained within two composite facesheets. The water heat pipes interface to the coolant through curved sections partially contained within the cooling loop. The paper evaluates various design parameters including radiator panel orientation, coolant flow path, and facesheet thickness. Parameters were varied to compare design options on the basis of H2O pump pressure rise and required power, heat pipe unit power and radial flux, radiator area, radiator panel areal mass, and overall HRS mass.

On the Liouville Integrability of the Periodic Kostant-Toda Flow on Matrix Loops of Level k

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Luen-Chau; Nie, Zhaohu

2017-06-01

In this work, we consider the periodic Kostant-Toda flow on matrix loops in sl(n,C) of level k, which correspond to periodic infinite band matrices with period n with lower bandwidth equal to k and fixed upper bandwidth equal to 1 with 1's on the first superdiagonal. We show that the coadjoint orbits through the submanifold of such matrix loops can be identified with those of a finite-dimensional Lie group, which appears in the form of a semi-direct product. We then characterize the generic coadjoint orbits and obtain an explicit global cross-section for such orbits. We also establish the Liouville integrability of the periodic Kostant-Toda flow on such orbits via the construction of action-angle variables.

Detailed flow, hydrometeor and lightning characteristics of an isolated thunderstorm during COPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, K.; Hagen, M.; Höller, H.; Richard, E.; Volkert, H.

2012-04-01

The three-hour life-cycle of the isolated thunderstorm on 15 July 2007 during the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) is documented in detail, with a special emphasis on the rapid develpment and mature phases. Remote sensing techniques as 5-minute rapid scans from geostationary satellites, combined Doppler-retrievals from up to four Doppler-radars, the polarimetric determination of hydrometeors and spatio-temporal occurrences of lightning strokes are employed to arrive at a synoptic quantification of the physical parameters of this, for the COPS period, rare event. Inner cloud flow fields are available, gridded on a 500-m-mesh, at four consecutive times separated by 15 minute-intervals (14:35, 14:50, 15:05, 15:20). They contain horizontal winds of up to 15 m/s and updrafts exceeding 4 m/s, the latter collocated with lightning strokes. Profiles of flow and hydrometeor statistics over the entire cloud volume provide reference data for high-resolution, real-world, episode-type numerical weather predicition runs in research mode. Exemplary results are obtained by applying the Meso-NH modelling system in a four-fold nested configuration with a horizontal mesh-size of 500 m. The study embarks from two multi-channel time-lapse movie-loops from geostationary satellite imagery, which provide an intuitive distinction of six phases making up the entire life-cycle of the tunderstorm. It concludes with a triple image-loop, juxtaposing a close-up of the cloud motion seen by Meteosat, simulated brightness temperatures (as a proxy for clouds seen by the infrared satellite channel), and a perspective view on the model generated system of cloud cells. By employing the motion-geared human visual system, such multiple image loops provide a high, and as yet hardly utilised potential for a well-grounded selection of further sensitivity experiments in the modelling community.

Performance of the supercritical helium cooling loop for the JET divertor cryopump

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Obert, W.; Mayaux, C.; Barth, K.

1996-12-31

A supercritical helium cooling loop for the two JET divertor cryopumps has been tested, commissioned and is operational practically uninterrupted for over one year. Operation experience under a number of different boundary and transient conditions have been obtained. The flow of the supercritical helium (6 g/s, 2.7 bar) is driven by the main compressor of the JET helium refrigerator passing a heat exchanger where it is subcooled to 4.1 K before entering the two cryopumps which are an assembly of two 60 m long and 20 mm diameter corrugated stainless steel tubes. By using a dedicated cold ejector which ismore » driven by the main flow and where the expansion from 12 bar to 2.7 bar takes place increases the flow of supercritical helium up to {approximately}17 g/s. The steady state thermal load to the cooling loop of the cryopump is < 80 W but during transient conditions in particular due to nuclear heating in the active phase of JET considerably higher transient heat loads can be accepted by the loop. Details about the steady state and transient thermal conditions as well as the cooldown and warm up behavior of the loop and the interaction of the supercritical loop with the operation of other plant equipment will be discussed in the paper.« less

Mathematical multi-scale model of the cardiovascular system including mitral valve dynamics. Application to ischemic mitral insufficiency

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Valve dysfunction is a common cardiovascular pathology. Despite significant clinical research, there is little formal study of how valve dysfunction affects overall circulatory dynamics. Validated models would offer the ability to better understand these dynamics and thus optimize diagnosis, as well as surgical and other interventions. Methods A cardiovascular and circulatory system (CVS) model has already been validated in silico, and in several animal model studies. It accounts for valve dynamics using Heaviside functions to simulate a physiologically accurate "open on pressure, close on flow" law. However, it does not consider real-time valve opening dynamics and therefore does not fully capture valve dysfunction, particularly where the dysfunction involves partial closure. This research describes an updated version of this previous closed-loop CVS model that includes the progressive opening of the mitral valve, and is defined over the full cardiac cycle. Results Simulations of the cardiovascular system with healthy mitral valve are performed, and, the global hemodynamic behaviour is studied compared with previously validated results. The error between resulting pressure-volume (PV) loops of already validated CVS model and the new CVS model that includes the progressive opening of the mitral valve is assessed and remains within typical measurement error and variability. Simulations of ischemic mitral insufficiency are also performed. Pressure-Volume loops, transmitral flow evolution and mitral valve aperture area evolution follow reported measurements in shape, amplitude and trends. Conclusions The resulting cardiovascular system model including mitral valve dynamics provides a foundation for clinical validation and the study of valvular dysfunction in vivo. The overall models and results could readily be generalised to other cardiac valves. PMID:21942971

Modeling Transients and Designing a Passive Safety System for a Nuclear Thermal Rocket Using Relap5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatry, Jivan

Long-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. Several nuclear reactor types were investigated by the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Study of planned/unplanned transients on nuclear thermal rockets is important due to the need for long-term missions. A NERVA design known as the Pewee I was selected for this purpose. The following transients were run: (i) modeling of corrosion-induced blockages on the peripheral fuel element coolant channels and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core, and (ii) modeling of loss-of-flow-accidents (LOFAs) and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core. For part (i), the radiation heat transfer rate of blocked channels increases while their neighbors' decreases. For part (ii), the core radiation heat transfer rate increases while the flow rate through the rocket system is decreased. However, the radiation heat transfer decreased while there was a complete LOFA. In this situation, the peripheral fuel element coolant channels handle the majority of the radiation heat transfer. Recognizing the LOFA as the most severe design basis accident, a passive safety system was designed in order to respond to such a transient. This design utilizes the already existing tie rod tubes and connects them to a radiator in a closed loop. Hence, this is basically a secondary loop. The size of the core is unchanged. During normal steady-state operation, this secondary loop keeps the moderator cool. Results show that the safety system is able to remove the decay heat and prevent the fuel elements from melting, in response to a LOFA and subsequent SCRAM.

Thermal coupon testing of Load-Bearing Multilayer Insulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, W. L.; Heckle, K. W.; Hurd, J.

2014-01-01

Advanced liquid hydrogen storage concepts being considered for long duration space travel incorporate refrigeration systems and cryocoolers to lower the heat load. Using a refrigeration loop to intercept the energy flowing through MLI to a liquid hydrogen tank at a temperature between the environment and the liquid hydrogen can lower the heat load on the propellant system by as much as 50%. However, the refrigeration loop requires structural integration into the MLI. Use of a more traditional concept of MLI underneath this refrigeration loop requires that a structural system be put in place to support the loop. Such structures, even when thermally optimized, present a relatively large parasitic heat load into the tank. Through NASA small business innovation research funding, Quest Thermal Group and Ball Aerospace have been developing a structural MLI based insulation system. These systems are designed with discrete polymeric spacers between reflective layers instead of either dacron or silk netting. The spacers (or posts) have an intrinsic structural capability that is beyond that of just supporting the internal insulation mechanical loads. This new MLI variant called Load Bearing MLI (LB-MLI) has been developed specifically for the application of supporting thermal shields within the insulation system. Test articles (coupons) of the new LB-MLI product were fabricated for thermal performance testing using liquid nitrogen at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and using cryocooler based calorimetry at Florida State University. The test results and analysis are presented. Thermal models developed for correlation with the thermal testing results both at KSC and testing that was performed at Florida State University are also discussed.

Dynamic Testing of the NASA Hypersonic Project Combined Cycle Engine Testbed for Mode Transition Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2011-01-01

NASA is interested in developing technology that leads to more routine, safe, and affordable access to space. Access to space using airbreathing propulsion systems has potential to meet these objectives based on Airbreathing Access to Space (AAS) system studies. To this end, the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program (FAP) Hypersonic Project is conducting fundamental research on a Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) propulsion system. The TBCC being studied considers a dual flow-path inlet system. One flow-path includes variable geometry to regulate airflow to a turbine engine cycle. The turbine cycle provides propulsion from take-off to supersonic flight. The second flow-path supports a dual-mode scramjet (DMSJ) cycle which would be initiated at supersonic speed to further accelerate the vehicle to hypersonic speed. For a TBCC propulsion system to accelerate a vehicle from supersonic to hypersonic speed, a critical enabling technology is the ability to safely and effectively transition from the turbine to the DMSJ-referred to as mode transition. To experimentally test methods of mode transition, a Combined Cycle Engine (CCE) Large-scale Inlet testbed was designed with two flow paths-a low speed flow-path sized for a turbine cycle and a high speed flow-path designed for a DMSJ. This testbed system is identified as the CCE Large-Scale Inlet for Mode Transition studies (CCE-LIMX). The test plan for the CCE-LIMX in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) 10- by 10-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) is segmented into multiple phases. The first phase is a matrix of inlet characterization (IC) tests to evaluate the inlet performance and establish the mode transition schedule. The second phase is a matrix of dynamic system identification (SysID) experiments designed to support closed-loop control development at mode transition schedule operating points for the CCE-LIMX. The third phase includes a direct demonstration of controlled mode transition using a closed loop control system developed with the data obtained from the first two phases. Plans for a fourth phase include mode transition experiments with a turbine engine. This paper, focusing on the first two phases of experiments, presents developed operational and analysis tools for streamlined testing and data reduction procedures.

Automatic control of the preload in adaptive friction drives of chemical production machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakin, P. D.

2017-08-01

Being based on the principle of providing the systems with adaptation property to the real parameters and operational condition, the energy effective mechanical system constructed on the base of friction gear with automated preload is offered and this allows keeping mechanical efficiency value adequate transforming drive path to in the terms of multimode operation. This is achieved by integrated control loop, operating on the basis of the laws of motion with the energy of the main power flow by changing automatically the kinematic dimension of the section and, hence, the value of preload in the friction contact. The given ratios of forces and deformations in the control loop are required at the stage of conceptual design to determine design dimensions of power transmission elements with new properties.

Gas turbine cooling system

DOEpatents

Bancalari, Eduardo E.

2001-01-01

A gas turbine engine (10) having a closed-loop cooling circuit (39) for transferring heat from the hot turbine section (16) to the compressed air (24) produced by the compressor section (12). The closed-loop cooling system (39) includes a heat exchanger (40) disposed in the flow path of the compressed air (24) between the outlet of the compressor section (12) and the inlet of the combustor (14). A cooling fluid (50) may be driven by a pump (52) located outside of the engine casing (53) or a pump (54) mounted on the rotor shaft (17). The cooling circuit (39) may include an orifice (60) for causing the cooling fluid (50) to change from a liquid state to a gaseous state, thereby increasing the heat transfer capacity of the cooling circuit (39).

Single axis control of ball position in magnetic levitation system using fuzzy logic control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Narayan; Tripathy, Ashis; Sharma, Priyaranjan

2018-03-01

This paper presents the design and real time implementation of Fuzzy logic control(FLC) for the control of the position of a ferromagnetic ball by manipulating the current flowing in an electromagnet that changes the magnetic field acting on the ball. This system is highly nonlinear and open loop unstable. Many un-measurable disturbances are also acting on the system, making the control of it highly complex but interesting for any researcher in control system domain. First the system is modelled using the fundamental laws, which gives a nonlinear equation. The nonlinear model is then linearized at an operating point. Fuzzy logic controller is designed after studying the system in closed loop under PID control action. The controller is then implemented in real time using Simulink real time environment. The controller is tuned manually to get a stable and robust performance. The set point tracking performance of FLC and PID controllers were compared and analyzed.

Interplay between short-range correlated disorder and Coulomb interaction in nodal-line semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuxuan; Nandkishore, Rahul M.

2017-09-01

In nodal-line semimetals, Coulomb interactions and short-range correlated disorder are both marginal perturbations to the clean noninteracting Hamiltonian. We analyze their interplay using a weak-coupling renormalization group approach. In the clean case, the Coulomb interaction has been found to be marginally irrelevant, leading to Fermi liquid behavior. We extend the analysis to incorporate the effects of disorder. The nodal line structure gives rise to kinematical constraints similar to that for a two-dimensional Fermi surface, which plays a crucial role in the one-loop renormalization of the disorder couplings. For a twofold degenerate nodal loop (Weyl loop), we show that disorder flows to strong coupling along a unique fixed trajectory in the space of symmetry inequivalent disorder couplings. Along this fixed trajectory, all symmetry inequivalent disorder strengths become equal. For a fourfold degenerate nodal loop (Dirac loop), disorder also flows to strong coupling, however, the strengths of symmetry inequivalent disorder couplings remain different. We show that feedback from disorder reverses the sign of the beta function for the Coulomb interaction, causing the Coulomb interaction to flow to strong coupling as well. However, the Coulomb interaction flows to strong coupling asymptotically more slowly than disorder. Extrapolating our results to strong coupling, we conjecture that at low energies nodal line semimetals should be described by a noninteracting nonlinear sigma model. We discuss the relation of our results with possible many-body localization at zero temperatures in such materials.

Structure and Dynamics of Cool Flare Loops Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikuła, K.; Heinzel, P.; Liu, W.; Berlicki, A.

2017-08-01

Flare loops were well observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) during the gradual phase of two solar flares on 2014 March 29 and 2015 June 22. Cool flare loops are visible in various spectral lines formed at chromospheric and transition-region temperatures and exhibit large downflows which correspond to the standard scenario. The principal aim of this work is to analyze the structure and dynamics of cool flare loops observed in Mg II lines. Synthetic profiles of the Mg II h line are computed using the classical cloud model and assuming a uniform background intensity. In this paper, we study novel IRIS NUV observations of such loops in Mg II h and k lines and also show the behavior of hotter lines detected in the FUV channel. We obtained the spatial evolution of the velocities: near the loop top, the flow velocities are small and they are increasing toward the loop legs. Moreover, from slit-jaw image (SJI) movies, we observe some plasma upflows into the loops, which are also detectable in Mg II spectra. The brightness of the loops systematically decreases with increasing flow velocity, and we ascribe this to the effect of Doppler dimming, which works for Mg II lines. Emission profiles of Mg II were found to be extremely broad, and we explain this through the large unresolved non-thermal motions.

Structure and Dynamics of Cool Flare Loops Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikuła, K.; Berlicki, A.; Heinzel, P.

Flare loops were well observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph ( IRIS ) during the gradual phase of two solar flares on 2014 March 29 and 2015 June 22. Cool flare loops are visible in various spectral lines formed at chromospheric and transition-region temperatures and exhibit large downflows which correspond to the standard scenario. The principal aim of this work is to analyze the structure and dynamics of cool flare loops observed in Mg ii lines. Synthetic profiles of the Mg ii h line are computed using the classical cloud model and assuming a uniform background intensity. In thismore » paper, we study novel IRIS NUV observations of such loops in Mg ii h and k lines and also show the behavior of hotter lines detected in the FUV channel. We obtained the spatial evolution of the velocities: near the loop top, the flow velocities are small and they are increasing toward the loop legs. Moreover, from slit-jaw image (SJI) movies, we observe some plasma upflows into the loops, which are also detectable in Mg ii spectra. The brightness of the loops systematically decreases with increasing flow velocity, and we ascribe this to the effect of Doppler dimming, which works for Mg ii lines. Emission profiles of Mg ii were found to be extremely broad, and we explain this through the large unresolved non-thermal motions.« less

Heat Pipe-Assisted Thermoelectric Power Generation Technology for Waste Heat Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Ju-Chan; Chi, Ri-Guang; Rhi, Seok-Ho; Lee, Kye-Bock; Hwang, Hyun-Chang; Lee, Ji-Su; Lee, Wook-Hyun

2015-06-01

Currently, large amounts of thermal energy dissipated from automobiles are emitted through hot exhaust pipes. This has resulted in the need for a new efficient recycling method to recover energy from waste hot exhaust gas. The present experimental study investigated how to improve the power output of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system assisted by a wickless loop heat pipe (loop thermosyphon) under the limited space of the exhaust gas pipeline. The present study shows a novel loop-type heat pipe-assisted TEG concept to be applied to hybrid vehicles. The operating temperature of a TEG's hot side surface should be as high as possible to maximize the Seebeck effect. The present study shows a novel TEG concept of transferring heat from the source to the sink. This technology can transfer waste heat to any local place with a loop-type heat pipe. The present TEG system with a heat pipe can transfer heat and generate an electromotive force power of around 1.3 V in the case of 170°C hot exhaust gas. Two thermoelectric modules (TEMs) for a conductive block model and four Bi2Te3 TEMs with a heat pipe-assisted model were installed in the condenser section. Heat flows to the condenser section from the evaporator section connected to the exhaust pipe. This novel TEG system with a heat pipe can be placed in any location on an automobile.

Pump, and earth-testable spacecraft capillary heat transport loop using augmentation pump and check valves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, David (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A spacecraft includes heat-generating payload equipment, and a heat transport system with a cold plate thermally coupled to the equipment and a capillary-wick evaporator, for evaporating coolant liquid to cool the equipment. The coolant vapor is coupled to a condenser and in a loop back to the evaporator. A heated coolant reservoir is coupled to the loop for pressure control. If the wick is not wetted, heat transfer will not begin or continue. A pair of check valves are coupled in the loop, and the heater is cycled for augmentation pumping of coolant to and from the reservoir. This augmentation pumping, in conjunction with the check valves, wets the wick. The wick liquid storage capacity allows the augmentation pump to provide continuous pulsed liquid flow to assure continuous vapor transport and a continuously operating heat transport system. The check valves are of the ball type to assure maximum reliability. However, any type of check valve can be used, including designs which are preloaded in the closed position. The check valve may use any ball or poppet material which resists corrosion. For optimum performance during testing on Earth, the ball or poppet would have neutral buoyancy or be configured in a closed position when the heat transport system is not operating. The ball may be porous to allow passage of coolant vapor.

The Combination of Micro Diaphragm Pumps and Flow Sensors for Single Stroke Based Liquid Flow Control

PubMed Central

Jenke, Christoph; Pallejà Rubio, Jaume; Kibler, Sebastian; Häfner, Johannes; Richter, Martin; Kutter, Christoph

2017-01-01

With the combination of micropumps and flow sensors, highly accurate and secure closed-loop controlled micro dosing systems for liquids are possible. Implementing a single stroke based control mode with piezoelectrically driven micro diaphragm pumps can provide a solution for dosing of volumes down to nanoliters or variable average flow rates in the range of nL/min to μL/min. However, sensor technologies feature a yet undetermined accuracy for measuring highly pulsatile micropump flow. Two miniaturizable in-line sensor types providing electrical readout—differential pressure based flow sensors and thermal calorimetric flow sensors—are evaluated for their suitability of combining them with mircopumps. Single stroke based calibration of the sensors was carried out with a new method, comparing displacement volumes and sensor flow volumes. Limitations of accuracy and performance for single stroke based flow control are described. Results showed that besides particle robustness of sensors, controlling resistive and capacitive damping are key aspects for setting up reproducible and reliable liquid dosing systems. Depending on the required average flow or defined volume, dosing systems with an accuracy of better than 5% for the differential pressure based sensor and better than 6.5% for the thermal calorimeter were achieved. PMID:28368344

Flow and Heat Transfer Tests in New Loop at 2757 kPa (400 psi)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woloshun, Keith Albert

2016-06-13

A helium flow and heat transfer experiment has been designed for the new helium flow loop facility at LANL. This new facility is centered on an Aerzen GM 12.4 Root’s blower, selected for operation at higher pressure, up to 2757 kPa, and mass flow rate, up to 400 g/s. This replaces the previous Tuthill PD plus 3206 blower and loop limited to 2067 kPa (300 psi) and 100 g/s. The resistively heated test piece is comprised of 7 electric heaters with embedded thermocouples. The plant design for the Mo100 to Mo99 targets requires sharp bends and geometry changes in themore » helium flow tube immediately before and after the target. An idealized fully developed flow configuration with straight entry and exit will be tested and compared with an option that employs rectangular tubing to make the bend at a radius consistent with and practical for the actual plant design. The current plant design, with circular tubing and a sudden contraction to rectangular just prior to target entrance, will also be tested. This requires some modification of the test piece, as described in the report.« less

High speed variable delivery helical screw compressor/expander automotive air conditioning and waste heat energy recovery system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gagnon, J.A.; Schaefer, D.D.; Shaw, D.N.

1980-09-02

A compact, helical screw compressor/expander unit is described that is mounted in a vehicle and connected to the vehicle engine driven drive shaft has inlet and outlet ports and a capacity control slide valve and a pressure matching or volume ratio slide valve, respectively, for said ports. A refrigerant loop includes the compressor, a condenser mounted in the path of air flow over the engine and an evaporator mounted in a fresh air/cab return air flow duct for the occupant. Heat pipes thermally connect the cab air flow duct to the engine exhaust system which also bears the vapor boiler.more » Selectively operated damper valves control the fresh air/cab return air for passage selectively over the evaporator coil and the heat pipes as well as the exhaust gas flow over opposite ends of the heat pipes and the vapor boiler.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dyachenko, Sergey A.; Zlotnik, Anatoly; Korotkevich, Alexander O.

Here, we develop an operator splitting method to simulate flows of isothermal compressible natural gas over transmission pipelines. The method solves a system of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) of hydrodynamic type for mass flow and pressure on a metric graph, where turbulent losses of momentum are modeled by phenomenological Darcy-Weisbach friction. Mass flow balance is maintained through the boundary conditions at the network nodes, where natural gas is injected or withdrawn from the system. Gas flow through the network is controlled by compressors boosting pressure at the inlet of the adjoint pipe. Our operator splitting numerical scheme ismore » unconditionally stable and it is second order accurate in space and time. The scheme is explicit, and it is formulated to work with general networks with loops. We test the scheme over range of regimes and network configurations, also comparing its performance with performance of two other state of the art implicit schemes.« less

Strategic need for a multi-purpose thermal hydraulic loop for support of advanced reactor technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Brien, James E.; Sabharwall, Piyush; Yoon, Su -Jong

2014-09-01

This report presents a conceptual design for a new high-temperature multi fluid, multi loop test facility for the INL to support thermal hydraulic, materials, and thermal energy storage research for nuclear and nuclear-hybrid applications. In its initial configuration, the facility will include a high-temperature helium loop, a liquid salt loop, and a hot water/steam loop. The three loops will be thermally coupled through an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) and a secondary heat exchanger (SHX). Research topics to be addressed with this facility include the characterization and performance evaluation of candidate compact heat exchangers such as printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs)more » at prototypical operating conditions, flow and heat transfer issues related to core thermal hydraulics in advanced helium-cooled and salt-cooled reactors, and evaluation of corrosion behavior of new cladding materials and accident-tolerant fuels for LWRs at prototypical conditions. Based on its relevance to advanced reactor systems, the new facility has been named the Advanced Reactor Technology Integral System Test (ARTIST) facility. Research performed in this facility will advance the state of the art and technology readiness level of high temperature intermediate heat exchangers (IHXs) for nuclear applications while establishing the INL as a center of excellence for the development and certification of this technology. The thermal energy storage capability will support research and demonstration activities related to process heat delivery for a variety of hybrid energy systems and grid stabilization strategies. Experimental results obtained from this research will assist in development of reliable predictive models for thermal hydraulic design and safety codes over the range of expected advanced reactor operating conditions. Proposed/existing IHX heat transfer and friction correlations and criteria will be assessed with information on materials compatibility and instrumentation needs. The experimental database will guide development of appropriate predictive methods and be available for code verification and validation (V&V) related to these systems.« less

Power flow control based solely on slow feedback loop for heart pump applications.

PubMed

Wang, Bob; Hu, Aiguo Patrick; Budgett, David

2012-06-01

This paper proposes a new control method for regulating power flow via transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) for implantable heart pumps. Previous work on power flow controller requires a fast feedback loop that needs additional switching devices and resonant capacitors to be added to the primary converter. The proposed power flow controller eliminates these additional components, and it relies solely on a slow feedback loop to directly drive the primary converter to meet the heart pump power demand and ensure zero voltage switching. A controlled change in switching frequency varies the resonant tank shorting period of a current-fed push-pull resonant converter, thus changing the magnitude of the primary resonant voltage, as well as the tuning between primary and secondary resonant tanks. The proposed controller has been implemented successfully using an analogue circuit and has reached an end-to-end power efficiency of 79.6% at 10 W with a switching frequency regulation range of 149.3 kHz to 182.2 kHz.

Thermal Management of a Nitrogen Cryogenic Loop Heat Pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gully, Ph.; Yan, T.

2010-04-01

Efficient thermal links are needed to ease the distribution of the cold power in satellites. Loop heat pipes are widely used at room temperature as passive thermal links based on a two-phase flow generated by capillary forces. Transportation of the cold power at cryogenic temperatures requires a specific design. In addition to the main loop, the cryogenic loop heat pipe (CLHP) features a hot reservoir and a secondary loop with a cold reservoir and a secondary evaporator which allows the cool down and the thermal management of the thermal link in normal cold operation. We have studied the influence of a heated cold reservoir and investigated the effect of parasitic heat loads on the performance of a nitrogen CLHP at around 80 K. It is shown that heating of the cold reservoir with a small amount of power (0.1 W) allows controlling the system temperature difference, which can be kept constant at a very low level (1 K) regardless of the transferred cold power (0-10 W). Parasitic heat loads have a significant effect on the thermal resistance, and the power applied on the secondary evaporator has to be increased up to 4 W to get stable operation.

One-loop β-function for an infinite-parameter family of gauge theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasnov, Kirill

2015-03-01

We continue to study an infinite-parametric family of gauge theories with an arbitrary function of the self-dual part of the field strength as the Lagrangian. The arising one-loop divergences are computed using the background field method. We show that they can all be absorbed by a local redefinition of the gauge field, as well as multiplicative renormalisations of the couplings. Thus, this family of theories is one-loop renormalisable. The infinite set of β-functions for the couplings is compactly stored in a renormalisation group flow for a single function of the curvature. The flow is obtained explicitly.

A flow boiling microchannel thermosyphon for fuel cell thermal management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrity, Patrick Thomas

To provide a high power density thermal management system for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications, a passively driven thermal management system was assembled to operate in a closed loop two-phase thermosyphon. The system has two major components; a microchannel evaporator plate and a condenser. The microchannel evaporator plate was fabricated with 56 square channels that have a 1 mm x 1 mm cross section and are 115 mm long. Experiments were conducted with a liquid cooled condenser with heat flux as the control variable. Measurements of mass flow rate, temperature field, and pressure drop have been made for the thermosyphon loop. A model is developed to predict the system characteristics such as the temperature and pressure fields, flow rate, flow regime, heat transfer coefficient, and maximum heat flux. When the system is subjected to a heat load that exceeds the maximum heat flux, an unstable flow regime is observed that causes flow reversal and eventual dryout near the evaporator plate wall. This undesirable phenomenon is modeled based on a quasi-steady state assumption, and the model is capable of predicting the heat flux at the onset of instability for quasi-steady two-phase flow. Another focus of this work is the performance of the condenser portion of the loop, which will be air cooled in practice. The aim is to reduce air side thermal resistance and increase the condenser performance, which is accomplished with extended surfaces. A testing facility is assembled to observe the air side heat transfer performance of three aluminum foam samples and three modified carbon foam samples, used as extended surfaces. The aluminum foam samples have a bulk density of 216 kilograms per cubic meter with pore sizes of 0.5, 1, and 2 mm. The modified carbon foam samples have bulk densities of 284, 317, and 400 kilograms per cubic meter and machined flow passages of 3.2 mm. in diameter. Each sample is observed under forced convection with air velocity as the control variable. Thermocouples and pressure taps are distributed axially along the test section and measurements of pressure and temperature are recorded for air velocities ranging from 1-6 meters per second. Using the Darcy-Forcheimer equation, the porosity is determined for each sample. The volumetric heat transfer coefficient is extracted by means of solving the coupled energy equations of both the solid and fluid respectively. Nusselt number is correlated with Reynolds number. The optimal foam configuration is explored based on a Coefficient of Performance, (COP), Compactness Factor (CF) and Power Density (PD). The COP is the ratio of total heat removed to electrical heat consumption of the blower, CF is the total heat removed per unit volume, and PD is the total heat removed per unit mass. These performance parameters are computed for a hypothetical heat exchanger using each foam sample at various fluid velocities. They are also compared against those for the hypothetical heat exchanger fitted with conventional louvered fins. Given a proper weighting function based on the importance of CF, COP, and PD in the condenser design, an optimal configuration for an air cooled condenser can be obtained for various operating conditions.

On build-up of magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakagawa, Y.; Steinolfson, R. S.; Wu, S. T.

1976-01-01

The dynamic response of the solar atmosphere is examined with the use of self-consistent numerical solutions to the complete set of nonlinear two-dimensional hydromagnetic equations. Of particular interest are the magnetic-energy buildup and the velocity field established by emerging flux at the base of an existing magnetic loop structure in a stationary atmosphere. For a plasma with a relatively low beta (0.03), the magnetic-energy buildup is approximately twice that of the kinetic energy, while the buildup in magnetic energy first exceeds but is eventually overtaken by the kinetic energy for a plasma with an intermediate beta (3). The increased magnetic flux causes the plasma to flow upward near the loop center and downward near the loop edges for the low-beta plasma. The plasma eventually flows downward throughout the lower portion of the loop carrying the magnetic field with it for the intermediate beta plasma. It is hypothesized that this latter case, and possibly the other case as well, may provide a reasonable simulation of the disappearance of prominences by flowing down into the chromosphere (a form of disparition brusque).

Study of blood flow inside the stenosis vessel under the effect of solenoid magnetic field using ferrohydrodynamics principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badfar, Homayoun; Motlagh, Saber Yekani; Sharifi, Abbas

2017-10-01

In this paper, biomagnetic blood flow in the stenosis vessel under the effect of the solenoid magnetic field is studied using the ferrohydrodynamics (FHD) model. The parabolic profile is considered at an inlet of the axisymmetric stenosis vessel. Blood is modeled as electrically non-conducting, Newtonian and homogeneous fluid. Finite volume and the SIMPLE (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations) algorithm are utilized to discretize governing equations. The investigation is studied at different magnetic numbers ( MnF=164, 328, 1640 and 3280) and the number of the coil loops (three, five and nine loops). Results indicate an increase in heat transfer, wall shear stress and energy loss (pressure drop) with an increment in the magnetic number (ratio of Kelvin force to dynamic pressure force), arising from the FHD, and the number of solenoid loops. Furthermore, the flow pattern is affected by the magnetic field, and the temperature of blood can be decreased up to 1.48 {}°C under the effect of the solenoid magnetic field with nine loops and reference magnetic field ( B0) of 2 tesla.

Proposal of experimental setup on boiling two-phase flow on-orbit experiments onboard Japanese experiment module "KIBO"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baba, S.; Sakai, T.; Sawada, K.; Kubota, C.; Wada, Y.; Shinmoto, Y.; Ohta, H.; Asano, H.; Kawanami, O.; Suzuki, K.; Imai, R.; Kawasaki, H.; Fujii, K.; Takayanagi, M.; Yoda, S.

2011-12-01

Boiling is one of the efficient modes of heat transfer due to phase change, and is regarded as promising means to be applied for the thermal management systems handling a large amount of waste heat under high heat flux. However, gravity effects on the two-phase flow phenomena and corresponding heat transfer characteristics have not been clarified in detail. The experiments onboard Japanese Experiment Module "KIBO" in International Space Station on boiling two-phase flow under microgravity conditions are proposed to clarify both of heat transfer and flow characteristics under microgravity conditions. To verify the feasibility of ISS experiments on boiling two-phase flow, the Bread Board Model is assembled and its performance and the function of components installed in a test loop are examined.

GPSS and Modeling of Computer Communication Networks.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-04-01

chains are used to alter the normal "flows" of transactions in a user defined manner. Transaction "flow" may be controlled on the basis of group ...authors refer to loops and rings interchangeably, including those who have designed loop networks with distributed control mechanisms [8,9,10,11,121...that detailed simulation of character by character transmission does not take place; rather, [ control message--data message-- control message! groupings

Airstart performance of a digital electronic engine control system on an F100 engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcham, F. W., Jr.

1984-01-01

The digital electronic engine control (DEEC) system installed on an F100 engine in an F-15 aircraft was tested. The DEEC system incorporates a closed-loop air start feature in which the fuel flow is modulated to achieve the desired rate of compressor acceleration. With this logic the DEEC equipped F100 engine can achieve air starts over a larger envelope. The DEEC air start logic, the test program conducted on the F-15, and its results are described.

A flow-control mechanism for distributed systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maitan, J.

1991-01-01

A new approach to the rate-based flow control in store-and-forward networks is evaluated. Existing methods display oscillations in the presence of transport delays. The proposed scheme is based on the explicit use of an embedded dynamic model of a store-and-forward buffer in a controller's feedback loop. It is shown that the use of the model eliminates the oscillations caused by the transport delays. The paper presents simulation examples and assesses the applicability of the scheme in the new generation of high-speed photonic networks where transport delays must be considered.

NASA Advanced Radiator Technology Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koester, J. Kent; Juhasz, Albert J.

1994-07-01

A practical implementation of the two-phase working fluid of lithium and NaK has been developed experimentally for pumped loop radiator designs. The benefits of the high heat capacity and low mass of lithium have been integrated with the shutdown capability enabled by the low freezing temperature of NaK by mixing these liquid metals directly. The stable and reliable start up and shutdown of a lithium/NaK pumped loop has been demonstrated through the development of a novel lithium freeze-separation technique within the flowing header ducts. The results of a highly instrumented liquid metal test loop are presented in which both lithium fraction as well as loop gravitational effects were varied over a wide range of values. Diagnostics based on dual electric probes are presented in which the convective behavior of the lithium component is directly measured during loop operation. The uniform distribution of the lithium after a freeze separation is verified by neutron radiography. The operating regime for reliable freeze/thaw flow behavior is described in terms of correlations based on dimensional analysis.

Effect of laryngeal anesthesia on pulmonary function testing in normal subjects.

PubMed

Kuna, S T; Woodson, G E; Sant'Ambrogio, G

1988-03-01

Pulmonary function tests (PFT) were performed on 11 normal subjects before and after topical anesthesia of the larynx. The PFT consisted of flow volume loops and body box determinations of functional residual capacity and airway resistance, each performed in triplicate. After the first set of tests, cotton pledgets soaked in 4% lidocaine were held in the pyriform sinuses for 2 min to block the superior laryngeal nerves. In addition, 1.5 ml of 10% cocaine was dropped on the vocal cords via indirect laryngoscopy. PFT were repeated 5 min after anesthesia. Besides routine analysis of the flow volume loops, areas under the inspiratory (Area I) and expiratory (Area E) portions of the loops were calculated by planimetry. Area I, peak inspiratory flow (PIF), as well as forced inspiratory flow at 25, 50, and 75% forced vital capacity (FVC), decreased after anesthesia. Peak expiratory flow decreased after anesthesia, but Area E and forced expiratory flow at 25, 50, and 75% FVC were unchanged. This protocol also was performed in 12 normal subjects with isotonic saline being substituted for the lidocaine and cocaine. In this group, no significant differences were observed when flow volume loop parameters were compared before and after topical application of saline. In 5 spontaneously breathing anesthetized dogs, posterior cricoarytenoid muscle and afferent superior laryngeal nerve activity were recorded before and after laryngeal anesthesia performed with the same procedure used in the human subjects. Laryngeal anesthesia resulted in a substantial decrease or a complete disappearance of afferent SLN activity recorded during unobstructed and obstructed respiration. The data suggest that laryngeal receptors help modulate upper airway patency in man.

Cluster-based control of a separating flow over a smoothly contoured ramp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser, Eurika; Noack, Bernd R.; Spohn, Andreas; Cattafesta, Louis N.; Morzyński, Marek

2017-12-01

The ability to manipulate and control fluid flows is of great importance in many scientific and engineering applications. The proposed closed-loop control framework addresses a key issue of model-based control: The actuation effect often results from slow dynamics of strongly nonlinear interactions which the flow reveals at timescales much longer than the prediction horizon of any model. Hence, we employ a probabilistic approach based on a cluster-based discretization of the Liouville equation for the evolution of the probability distribution. The proposed methodology frames high-dimensional, nonlinear dynamics into low-dimensional, probabilistic, linear dynamics which considerably simplifies the optimal control problem while preserving nonlinear actuation mechanisms. The data-driven approach builds upon a state space discretization using a clustering algorithm which groups kinematically similar flow states into a low number of clusters. The temporal evolution of the probability distribution on this set of clusters is then described by a control-dependent Markov model. This Markov model can be used as predictor for the ergodic probability distribution for a particular control law. This probability distribution approximates the long-term behavior of the original system on which basis the optimal control law is determined. We examine how the approach can be used to improve the open-loop actuation in a separating flow dominated by Kelvin-Helmholtz shedding. For this purpose, the feature space, in which the model is learned, and the admissible control inputs are tailored to strongly oscillatory flows.

Simulation of process identification and controller tuning for flow control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chew, I. M.; Wong, F.; Bono, A.; Wong, K. I.

2017-06-01

PID controller is undeniably the most popular method used in controlling various industrial processes. The feature to tune the three elements in PID has allowed the controller to deal with specific needs of the industrial processes. This paper discusses the three elements of control actions and improving robustness of controllers through combination of these control actions in various forms. A plant model is simulated using the Process Control Simulator in order to evaluate the controller performance. At first, the open loop response of the plant is studied by applying a step input to the plant and collecting the output data from the plant. Then, FOPDT of physical model is formed by using both Matlab-Simulink and PRC method. Then, calculation of controller’s setting is performed to find the values of Kc and τi that will give satisfactory control in closed loop system. Then, the performance analysis of closed loop system is obtained by set point tracking analysis and disturbance rejection performance. To optimize the overall physical system performance, a refined tuning of PID or detuning is further conducted to ensure a consistent resultant output of closed loop system reaction to the set point changes and disturbances to the physical model. As a result, the PB = 100 (%) and τi = 2.0 (s) is preferably chosen for setpoint tracking while PB = 100 (%) and τi = 2.5 (s) is selected for rejecting the imposed disturbance to the model. In a nutshell, selecting correlation tuning values is likewise depended on the required control’s objective for the stability performance of overall physical model.

Inverse spin Hall effect in a closed loop circuit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Omori, Y.; Auvray, F.; Wakamura, T.

We present measurements of inverse spin Hall effects (ISHEs), in which the conversion of a spin current into a charge current via the ISHE is detected not as a voltage in a standard open circuit but directly as the charge current generated in a closed loop. The method is applied to the ISHEs of Bi-doped Cu and Pt. The derived expression of ISHE for the loop structure can relate the charge current flowing into the loop to the spin Hall angle of the SHE material and the resistance of the loop.

Proper Orthogonal Decomposition on Experimental Multi-phase Flow in a Pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viggiano, Bianca; Tutkun, Murat; Cal, Raúl Bayoán

2016-11-01

Multi-phase flow in a 10 cm diameter pipe is analyzed using proper orthogonal decomposition. The data were obtained using X-ray computed tomography in the Well Flow Loop at the Institute for Energy Technology in Kjeller, Norway. The system consists of two sources and two detectors; one camera records the vertical beams and one camera records the horizontal beams. The X-ray system allows measurement of phase holdup, cross-sectional phase distributions and gas-liquid interface characteristics within the pipe. The mathematical framework in the context of multi-phase flows is developed. Phase fractions of a two-phase (gas-liquid) flow are analyzed and a reduced order description of the flow is generated. Experimental data deepens the complexity of the analysis with limited known quantities for reconstruction. Comparison between the reconstructed fields and the full data set allows observation of the important features. The mathematical description obtained from the decomposition will deepen the understanding of multi-phase flow characteristics and is applicable to fluidized beds, hydroelectric power and nuclear processes to name a few.

Critical behavior of a chiral superfluid in a bipartite square lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Junichi; Huang, Wen-Min; Höppner, Robert; Mathey, Ludwig

2018-01-01

We study the critical behavior of Bose-Einstein condensation in the second band of a bipartite optical square lattice in a renormalization group framework at one-loop order. Within our field theoretical representation of the system, we approximate the system as a two-component Bose gas in three dimensions. We demonstrate that the system is in a different universality class than the previously studied condensation in a frustrated triangular lattice due to an additional Umklapp scattering term, which stabilizes the chiral superfluid order at low temperatures. We derive the renormalization group flow of the system and show that this order persists in the low energy limit. Furthermore, the renormalization flow suggests that the phase transition from the thermal phase to the chiral superfluid state is first order.

A Framework for Integrated Component and System Analyses of Instabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, Vineet; Erwin, James; Arunajatesan, Srinivasan; Cattafesta, Lou; Liu, Fei

2010-01-01

Instabilities associated with fluid handling and operation in liquid rocket propulsion systems and test facilities usually manifest themselves as structural vibrations or some form of structural damage. While the source of the instability is directly related to the performance of a component such as a turbopump, valve or a flow control element, the associated pressure fluctuations as they propagate through the system have the potential to amplify and resonate with natural modes of the structural elements and components of the system. In this paper, the authors have developed an innovative multi-level approach that involves analysis at the component and systems level. The primary source of the unsteadiness is modeled with a high-fidelity hybrid RANS/LES based CFD methodology that has been previously used to study instabilities in feed systems. This high fidelity approach is used to quantify the instability and understand the physics associated with the instability. System response to the driving instability is determined through a transfer matrix approach wherein the incoming and outgoing pressure and velocity fluctuations are related through a transfer (or transmission) matrix. The coefficients of the transfer matrix for each component (i.e. valve, pipe, orifice etc.) are individually derived from the flow physics associated with the component. A demonstration case representing a test loop/test facility comprised of a network of elements is constructed with the transfer matrix approach and the amplification of modes analyzed as the instability propagates through the test loop.

Transient boiling in two-phase helium natural circulation loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furci, H.; Baudouy, B.; Four, A.; Meuris, C.

2014-01-01

Two-phase helium natural circulation loops are used for cooling large superconducting magnets, as CMS for LHC. During normal operation or in the case of incidents, transients are exerted on the cooling system. Here a cooling system of this type is studied experimentally. Sudden power changes are operated on a vertical-heated-section natural convection loop, simulating a fast increase of heat deposition on magnet cooling pipes. Mass flow rate, heated section wall temperature and pressure drop variations are measured as a function of time, to assess the time behavior concerning the boiling regime according to the values of power injected on the heated section. The boiling curves and critical heat flux (CHF) values have been obtained in steady state. Temperature evolution has been observed in order to explore the operating ranges where heat transfer is deteriorated. Premature film boiling has been observed during transients on the heated section in some power ranges, even at appreciably lower values than the CHF. A way of attenuating these undesired temperature excursions has been identified through the application of high enough initial heating power.

Fuel Cell Thermal Management Through Conductive Cooling Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Burke, Kenneth A.

2008-01-01

An analysis was performed to evaluate the concept of utilizing conductive cooling plates to remove heat from a fuel cell stack, as opposed to a conventional internal cooling loop. The potential advantages of this type of cooling system are reduced stack complexity and weight and increased reliability through the reduction of the number of internal fluid seals. The conductive cooling plates would extract heat from the stack transferring it to an external coolant loop. The analysis was performed to determine the required thickness of these plates. The analysis was based on an energy balance between the thermal energy produced within the stack and the heat removal from the cooling plates. To accomplish the energy balance, the heat flow into and along the plates to the cooling fluid was modeled. Results were generated for various numbers of cells being cooled by a single cooling plate. The results provided cooling plate thickness, mass, and operating temperature of the plates. It was determined that utilizing high-conductivity pyrolitic graphite cooling plates can provide a specific cooling capacity (W/kg) equivalent to or potentially greater than a conventional internal cooling loop system.

Simple equations to simulate closed-loop recycling liquid-liquid chromatography: Ideal and non-ideal recycling models.

PubMed

Kostanyan, Artak E

2015-12-04

The ideal (the column outlet is directly connected to the column inlet) and non-ideal (includes the effects of extra-column dispersion) recycling equilibrium-cell models are used to simulate closed-loop recycling counter-current chromatography (CLR CCC). Simple chromatogram equations for the individual cycles and equations describing the transport and broadening of single peaks and complex chromatograms inside the recycling closed-loop column for ideal and non-ideal recycling models are presented. The extra-column dispersion is included in the theoretical analysis, by replacing the recycling system (connecting lines, pump and valving) by a cascade of Nec perfectly mixed cells. To evaluate extra-column contribution to band broadening, two limiting regimes of recycling are analyzed: plug-flow, Nec→∞, and maximum extra-column dispersion, Nec=1. Comparative analysis of ideal and non-ideal models has shown that when the volume of the recycling system is less than one percent of the column volume, the influence of the extra-column processes on the CLR CCC separation may be neglected. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vortex shedding in bileaflet heart valve prostheses.

PubMed

Gross, J M; Shermer, C D; Hwang, N H

1988-01-01

A dynamic study of two geometrically similar bileaflet heart valve prostheses (HVP) was performed using a physiologic mock circulatory flow loop. The HVPs studied were the 25 mm St. Jude Medical (SJM) and the 25 mm Carbomedics (CMI) in the aortic position and the 27 mm SJM and 27 mm CMI in the mitral position. All data were collected at a heart rate of 70 beats/min and a cardiac output of 5.0 L/min. Flow visualization was conducted in the transparent flow chambers of the pulsatile mock circulatory flow loop using a 15 mW He-Ne laser light source. A cylindrical lens and optics system converted the incident laser beam into a thin parallel light plane, and 420 microns tracer particles were suspended in the testing fluid to illuminate the flow field at selected planes. Frame-by-frame analysis of the 16 mm high-speed cine provides detailed phasic flow patterns in the vicinity of the HVP. A series of still photographs of flow patterns, taken at approximately 22.5 degrees phase intervals, are sequentially presented for each HVP. In the aortic position, a Karman-like vortex pattern appears downstream of the SJM at the end of the ejection phase. The CMI exhibits a rather symmetrical ejection flow pattern that turns into random motion immediately after the onset of ejection. In the mitral position, the SJM again exhibits a strong core flow during ventricular filling, whereas the CMI produces a more diffuse pattern during the same period. A pair of vortices shed from both the SJM and CMI are clearly visible toward the end of the ventricular filling phase. The vortex mechanisms are discussed in light of leaflet boundary layer formation.

Operator splitting method for simulation of dynamic flows in natural gas pipeline networks

DOE PAGES

Dyachenko, Sergey A.; Zlotnik, Anatoly; Korotkevich, Alexander O.; ...

2017-09-19

Here, we develop an operator splitting method to simulate flows of isothermal compressible natural gas over transmission pipelines. The method solves a system of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) of hydrodynamic type for mass flow and pressure on a metric graph, where turbulent losses of momentum are modeled by phenomenological Darcy-Weisbach friction. Mass flow balance is maintained through the boundary conditions at the network nodes, where natural gas is injected or withdrawn from the system. Gas flow through the network is controlled by compressors boosting pressure at the inlet of the adjoint pipe. Our operator splitting numerical scheme ismore » unconditionally stable and it is second order accurate in space and time. The scheme is explicit, and it is formulated to work with general networks with loops. We test the scheme over range of regimes and network configurations, also comparing its performance with performance of two other state of the art implicit schemes.« less

Active Control of High Frequency Combustion Instability in Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corrigan, Bob (Technical Monitor); DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.

2003-01-01

Active control of high-frequency (greater than 500 Hz) combustion instability has been demonstrated in the NASA single-nozzle combustor rig at United Technologies Research Center. The combustor rig emulates an actual engine instability and has many of the complexities of a real engine combustor (i.e. actual fuel nozzle and swirler, dilution cooling, etc.) In order to demonstrate control, a high-frequency fuel valve capable of modulating the fuel flow at up to 1kHz was developed. Characterization of the fuel delivery system was accomplished in a custom dynamic flow rig developed for that purpose. Two instability control methods, one model-based and one based on adaptive phase-shifting, were developed and evaluated against reduced order models and a Sectored-1-dimensional model of the combustor rig. Open-loop fuel modulation testing in the rig demonstrated sufficient fuel modulation authority to proceed with closed-loop testing. During closed-loop testing, both control methods were able to identify the instability from the background noise and were shown to reduce the pressure oscillations at the instability frequency by 30%. This is the first known successful demonstration of high-frequency combustion instability suppression in a realistic aero-engine environment. Future plans are to carry these technologies forward to demonstration on an advanced low-emission combustor.

Chaotic dynamics and diffusion in a piecewise linear equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahrear, Pabel; Glass, Leon; Edwards, Rod

2015-03-01

Genetic interactions are often modeled by logical networks in which time is discrete and all gene activity states update simultaneously. However, there is no synchronizing clock in organisms. An alternative model assumes that the logical network is preserved and plays a key role in driving the dynamics in piecewise nonlinear differential equations. We examine dynamics in a particular 4-dimensional equation of this class. In the equation, two of the variables form a negative feedback loop that drives a second negative feedback loop. By modifying the original equations by eliminating exponential decay, we generate a modified system that is amenable to detailed analysis. In the modified system, we can determine in detail the Poincaré (return) map on a cross section to the flow. By analyzing the eigenvalues of the map for the different trajectories, we are able to show that except for a set of measure 0, the flow must necessarily have an eigenvalue greater than 1 and hence there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions. Further, there is an irregular oscillation whose amplitude is described by a diffusive process that is well-modeled by the Irwin-Hall distribution. There is a large class of other piecewise-linear networks that might be analyzed using similar methods. The analysis gives insight into possible origins of chaotic dynamics in periodically forced dynamical systems.

Closed-Loop Control of Chemical Injection Rate for a Direct Nozzle Injection System

PubMed Central

Cai, Xiang; Walgenbach, Martin; Doerpmond, Malte; Schulze Lammers, Peter; Sun, Yurui

2016-01-01

To realize site-specific and variable-rate application of agricultural pesticides, accurately metering and controlling the chemical injection rate is necessary. This study presents a prototype of a direct nozzle injection system (DNIS) by which chemical concentration transport lag was greatly reduced. In this system, a rapid-reacting solenoid valve (RRV) was utilized for injecting chemicals, driven by a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal at 100 Hz, so with varying pulse width the chemical injection rate could be adjusted. Meanwhile, a closed-loop control strategy, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method, was applied for metering and stabilizing the chemical injection rate. In order to measure chemical flow rates and input them into the controller as a feedback in real-time, a thermodynamic flowmeter that was independent of chemical viscosity was used. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the performance of DNIS and PID control strategy. Due to the nonlinear input–output characteristics of the RRV, a two-phase PID control process obtained better effects as compared with single PID control strategy. Test results also indicated that the set-point chemical flow rate could be achieved within less than 4 s, and the output stability was improved compared to the case without control strategy. PMID:26805833

THE CONTRACTION OF OVERLYING CORONAL LOOP AND THE ROTATING MOTION OF A SIGMOID FILAMENT DURING ITS ERUPTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, X. L.; Qu, Z. Q.; Xue, Z. K.

We present an observation of overlying coronal loop contraction and rotating motion of the sigmoid filament during its eruption on 2012 May 22 observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Our results show that the twist can be transported into the filament from the lower atmosphere to the higher atmosphere. The successive contraction of the coronal loops was due to a suddenly reduced magnetic pressure underneath the filament, which was caused by the rising of the filament. Before the sigmoid filament eruption, there was a counterclockwise flow in the photosphere at the right feet of the filament and the contractionmore » loops and a convergence flow at the left foot of the filament. The hot and cool materials have inverse motion along the filament before the filament eruption. Moreover, two coronal loops overlying the filament first experienced brightening, expansion, and contraction successively. At the beginning of the rising and rotation of the left part of the filament, the second coronal loop exhibited rapid contraction. The top of the second coronal loop also showed counterclockwise rotation during the contraction process. After the contraction of the second loop, the left part of the filament rotated counterclockwise and expanded toward the right of NOAA AR 11485. During the filament expansion, the right part of the filament also exhibited counterclockwise rotation like a tornado.« less

The Contraction of Overlying Coronal Loop and the Rotating Motion of a Sigmoid Filament during Its Eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, X. L.; Pan, G. M.; Liu, J. H.; Qu, Z. Q.; Xue, Z. K.; Deng, L. H.; Ma, L.; Kong, D. F.

2013-06-01

We present an observation of overlying coronal loop contraction and rotating motion of the sigmoid filament during its eruption on 2012 May 22 observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Our results show that the twist can be transported into the filament from the lower atmosphere to the higher atmosphere. The successive contraction of the coronal loops was due to a suddenly reduced magnetic pressure underneath the filament, which was caused by the rising of the filament. Before the sigmoid filament eruption, there was a counterclockwise flow in the photosphere at the right feet of the filament and the contraction loops and a convergence flow at the left foot of the filament. The hot and cool materials have inverse motion along the filament before the filament eruption. Moreover, two coronal loops overlying the filament first experienced brightening, expansion, and contraction successively. At the beginning of the rising and rotation of the left part of the filament, the second coronal loop exhibited rapid contraction. The top of the second coronal loop also showed counterclockwise rotation during the contraction process. After the contraction of the second loop, the left part of the filament rotated counterclockwise and expanded toward the right of NOAA AR 11485. During the filament expansion, the right part of the filament also exhibited counterclockwise rotation like a tornado.

Excitation of flare-induced waves in coronal loops and the effects of radiative cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provornikova, Elena; Ofman, Leon; Wang, Tongjiang

2018-01-01

EUV imaging observations from several space missions (SOHO/EIT, TRACE, and SDO/AIA) have revealed a presence of propagating intensity disturbances in solar coronal loops. These disturbances are typically interpreted as slow magnetoacoustic waves. However, recent spectroscopic observations with Hinode/EIS of active region loops revealed that the propagating intensity disturbances are associated with intermittent plasma upflows (or jets) at the footpoints which are presumably generated by magnetic reconnection. For this reason, whether these disturbances are waves or periodic flows is still being studied. This study is aimed at understanding the physical properties of observed disturbances by investigating the excitation of waves by hot plasma injections from below and the evolution of flows and wave propagation along the loop. We expand our previous studies based on isothermal 3D MHD models of an active region to a more realistic model that includes full energy equation accounting for the effects of radiative losses. Computations are initialized with an equilibrium state of a model active region using potential (dipole) magnetic field, gravitationally stratified density and temperature obtained from the polytropic equation of state. We model an impulsive injection of hot plasma into the steady plasma outflow along the loops of different temperatures, warm (∼1 MK) and hot (∼6 MK). The simulations show that hot jets launched at the coronal base excite slow magnetoacoustic waves that propagate to high altitudes along the loops, while the injected hot flows decelerate rapidly with heights. Our results support that propagating disturbances observed in EUV are mainly the wave features. We also find that the effect of radiative cooling on the damping of slow-mode waves in 1-6 MK coronal loops is small, in agreement with the previous conclusion based on 1D MHD models.

Long-term pumping test to study the impact of an open-loop geothermal system on seawater intrusion in a coastal aquifer: the case study of Bari (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clementina Caputo, Maria; Masciale, Rita; Masciopinto, Costantino; De Carlo, Lorenzo

2016-04-01

The high cost and scarcity of fossil fuels have promoted the increased use of natural heat for a number of direct applications. Just as for fossil fuels, the exploitation of geothermal energy should consider its environmental impact and sustainability. Particular attention deserves the so-called open loop geothermal groundwater heat pump (GWHP) system, which uses groundwater as geothermal fluid. From an economic point of view, the implementation of this kind of geothermal system is particularly attractive in coastal areas, which have generally shallow aquifers. Anyway the potential problem of seawater intrusion has led to laws that restrict the use of groundwater. The scarcity of freshwater could be a major impediment for the utilization of geothermal resources. In this study a new methodology has been proposed. It was based on an experimental approach to characterize a coastal area in order to exploit the low-enthalpy geothermal resource. The coastal karst and fractured aquifer near Bari, in Southern Italy, was selected for this purpose. For the purpose of investigating the influence of an open-loop GWHP system on the seawater intrusion, a long-term pumping test was performed. The test simulated the effects of a prolonged withdrawal on the chemical-physical groundwater characteristics of the studied aquifer portion. The duration of the test was programmed in 16 days, and it was performed with a constant pumping flowrate of 50 m3/h. The extracted water was outflowed into an adjacent artificial channel, by means of a piping system. Water depth, temperature and electrical conductivity of the pumped water were monitored for 37 days, including also some days before and after the pumping duration. The monitored parameters, collected in the pumping and in five observation wells placed 160 m down-gradient with respect to the groundwater flow direction, have been used to estimate different scenarios of the impact of the GWHP system on the seawater intrusion by mean of a numerical model. Model flow simulations were carried out under transient flow conditions, in order to determine perturbations of the saline front into the Bari fractured aquifer, caused by the long-term pumping at 50 m3/h.

Optimal Micro-Scale Secondary Flow Control for the Management of High Cycle Fatigue and Distortion in Compact Inlet Diffusers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Keller, Dennis J.

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study on micro-scale secondary flow control (MSFC) is to study the aerodynamic behavior of micro-vane effectors through their factor (i.e., the design variable) interactions and to demonstrate how these statistical interactions, when brought together in an optimal manner, determine design robustness. The term micro-scale indicates the vane effectors are small in comparison to the local boundary layer height. Robustness in this situation means that it is possible to design fixed MSFC robust installation (i.e.. open loop) which operates well over the range of mission variables and is only marginally different from adaptive (i.e., closed loop) installation design, which would require a control system. The inherent robustness of MSFC micro-vane effector installation designs comes about because of their natural aerodynamic characteristics and the manner in which these characteristics are brought together in an optimal manner through a structured Response Surface Methodology design process.

Chord length distributions interpretation using a polydispersed population: Modeling and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameirao, A.; Le Ba, H.; Darbouret, M.; Herri, J.-M.; Peytavy, J.-L.; Glénat, P.

2012-03-01

Chord length distributions were measured during the crystallization of gas hydrates in a flow loop. The conditions on the flow loop were similar with the conditions in the marine pipelines. The flow loop was filled with water in oil emulsion and pressurized with methane (7 MPa) at low temperature (277 K). During crystallization water droplets crystallize and agglomerate. The CLD measures were interpreted in a preceding work [Le Ba et al., 2010] [1] by constructing random aggregates with known geometrical proprieties from a monodispersed population of droplets and calculating their CLD. Comparing calculated CLD with CLD from the experiment, the geometrical parameters: number of primary particles and fractal dimension of experimental aggregates are identified. However some differences remained between the experiment and the calculated CLD. In the present work the droplets population was considered polydispersed improving the comparison between the model and the experiment.

Liquid Hydrogen Recirculation System for Forced Flow Cooling Test of Superconducting Conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirai, Y.; Kainuma, T.; Shigeta, H.; Shiotsu, M.; Tatsumoto, H.; Naruo, Y.; Kobayashi, H.; Nonaka, S.; Inatani, Y.; Yoshinaga, S.

2017-12-01

The knowledge of forced flow heat transfer characteristics of liquid hydrogen (LH2) is important and necessary for design and cooling analysis of high critical temperature superconducting devices. However, there are few test facilities available for LH2 forced flow cooling for superconductors. A test system to provide a LH2 forced flow (∼10 m/s) of a short period (less than 100 s) has been developed. The test system was composed of two LH2 tanks connected by a transfer line with a controllable valve, in which the forced flow rate and its period were limited by the storage capacity of tanks. In this paper, a liquid hydrogen recirculation system, which was designed and fabricated in order to study characteristics of superconducting cables in a stable forced flow of liquid hydrogen for longer period, was described. This LH2 loop system consists of a centrifugal pump with dynamic gas bearings, a heat exchanger which is immersed in a liquid hydrogen tank, and a buffer tank where a test section (superconducting wires or cables) is set. The buffer tank has LHe cooled superconducting magnet which can produce an external magnetic field (up to 7T) at the test section. A performance test was conducted. The maximum flow rate was 43.7 g/s. The lowest temperature was 22.5 K. It was confirmed that the liquid hydrogen can stably circulate for 7 hours.

High average power laser using a transverse flowing liquid host

DOEpatents

Ault, Earl R.; Comaskey, Brian J.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

2003-07-29

A laser includes an optical cavity. A diode laser pumping device is located within the optical cavity. An aprotic lasing liquid containing neodymium rare earth ions fills the optical cavity. A circulation system that provides a closed loop for circulating the aprotic lasing liquid into and out of the optical cavity includes a pump and a heat exchanger.

Method for culturing mammalian cells in a perfused bioreactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarz, Ray P. (Inventor); Wolf, David A. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A bio-reactor system wherein a tubular housing contains an internal circularly disposed set of blade members and a central tubular filter all mounted for rotation about a common horizontal axis and each having independent rotational support and rotational drive mechanisms. The housing, blade members and filter preferably are driven at a constant slow speed for placing a fluid culture medium with discrete microbeads and cell cultures in a discrete spatial suspension in the housing. Replacement fluid medium is symmetrically input and fluid medium is symmetrically output from the housing where the input and the output are part of a loop providing a constant or intermittent flow of fluid medium in a closed loop.

Rotating bio-reactor cell culture apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarz, Ray P. (Inventor); Wolf, David A. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A bioreactor system is described in which a tubular housing contains an internal circularly disposed set of blade members and a central tubular filter all mounted for rotation about a common horizontal axis and each having independent rotational support and rotational drive mechanisms. The housing, blade members and filter preferably are driven at a constant slow speed for placing a fluid culture medium with discrete microbeads and cell cultures in a discrete spatial suspension in the housing. Replacement fluid medium is symmetrically input and fluid medium is symmetrically output from the housing where the input and the output are part of a loop providing a constant or intermittent flow of fluid medium in a closed loop.

Self-driven cooling loop for a large superconducting magnet in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mord, A. J.; Snyder, H. A.

1992-01-01

Pressurized cooling loops in which superfluid helium circulation is driven by the heat being removed have been previously demonstrated in laboratory tests. A simpler and lighter version which eliminates a heat exchanger by mixing the returning fluid directly with the superfluid helium bath was analyzed. A carefully designed flow restriction must be used to prevent boiling in this low-pressure system. A candidate design for Astromag is shown that can keep the magnet below 2.0 K during magnet charging. This gives a greater margin against accidental quench than approaches that allow the coolant to warm above the lambda point. A detailed analysis of one candidate design is presented.

Advanced radiator concepts feasibility demonstration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhee, Hyop S.; Begg, Lester; Wetch, Joseph R.; Juhasz, Albert J.

1991-01-01

An innovative pumped loop concept for 600 K space power system radiators is under development utilizing direct contact heat transfer, which facilitates repeated startup/shutdown of the power system without complex and time-consuming coolant thawing during power startup. The melting/freezing process of Li in a NaK flow was studied experimentally to demonstrate the Li/NaK radiator feasibility during startup (thawing) and shutdown (cold-trapping). Results of the vapor grown carbon fiber/composite thermal conductivity measurements are also presented.

Advanced radiator concepts feasibility demonstration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhee, Hyop S.; Begg, Lester; Wetch, Joseph R.; Juhasz, Albert J.

An innovative pumped loop concept for 600 K space power system radiators is under development utilizing direct contact heat transfer, which facilitates repeated startup/shutdown of the power system without complex and time-consuming coolant thawing during power startup. The melting/freezing process of Li in a NaK flow was studied experimentally to demonstrate the Li/NaK radiator feasibility during startup (thawing) and shutdown (cold-trapping). Results of the vapor grown carbon fiber/composite thermal conductivity measurements are also presented.

Design and Evaluation of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swenson, Harry N.; Thipphavong, Jane; Sadovsky, Alex; Chen, Liang; Sullivan, Chris; Martin, Lynne

2011-01-01

This paper describes the design, development and results from a high fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation of an integrated set of trajectory-based automation tools providing precision scheduling, sequencing and controller merging and spacing functions. These integrated functions are combined into a system called the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system. It is a strategic and tactical planning tool that provides Traffic Management Coordinators, En Route and Terminal Radar Approach Control air traffic controllers the ability to efficiently optimize the arrival capacity of a demand-impacted airport while simultaneously enabling fuel-efficient descent procedures. The TAPSS system consists of four-dimensional trajectory prediction, arrival runway balancing, aircraft separation constraint-based scheduling, traffic flow visualization and trajectory-based advisories to assist controllers in efficient metering, sequencing and spacing. The TAPSS system was evaluated and compared to today's ATC operation through extensive series of human-in-the-loop simulations for arrival flows into the Los Angeles International Airport. The test conditions included the variation of aircraft demand from a baseline of today's capacity constrained periods through 5%, 10% and 20% increases. Performance data were collected for engineering and human factor analysis and compared with similar operations both with and without the TAPSS system. The engineering data indicate operations with the TAPSS show up to a 10% increase in airport throughput during capacity constrained periods while maintaining fuel-efficient aircraft descent profiles from cruise to landing.

Servo-controlled pneumatic pressure oscillator for respiratory impedance measurements and high-frequency ventilation.

PubMed

Kaczka, David W; Lutchen, Kenneth R

2004-04-01

The ability to provide forced oscillatory excitation of the respiratory system can be useful in mechanical impedance measurements as well as high frequency ventilation (HFV). Experimental systems currently used for generating forced oscillations are limited in their ability to provide high amplitude flows or maintain the respiratory system at a constant mean pressure during excitation. This paper presents the design and implementation of a pneumatic pressure oscillator based on a proportional solenoid valve. The device is capable of providing forced oscillatory excitations to the respiratory system over a bandwidth suitable for mechanical impedance measurements and HVF. It delivers high amplitude flows (> 1.4 l/s) and utilizes a servo-control mechanism to maintain a load at a fixed mean pressure during simultaneous oscillation. Under open-loop conditions, the device exhibited a static hysteresis of approximately 7%, while its dynamic magnitude and phase responses were flat out to 10 Hz. Broad-band measurement of total harmonic distortion was approximately 19%. Under closed-loop conditions, the oscillator was able to maintain a mechanical test load at both positive and negative mean pressures during oscillatory excitations from 0.1 to 10.0 Hz. Impedance of the test load agreed closely with theoretical predictions. We conclude that this servo-controlled oscillator can be a useful tool for respiratory impedance measurements as well as HFV.

Determination of VIT 45 (IND#63,243 - American Regent) removal by closed loop in vitro hemodialysis system.

PubMed

Manley, H J; McClaran, M L

2006-11-01

Intravenous iron is typically administered during the hemodialysis (HD) procedure. The extent of VIT 45, a novel intravenous iron formulation, removal by high-flux (HF) or high-efficiency (HE) dialysis membranes at various ultrafiltration rates (UFR) is unknown. An in vitro HD system was constructed to determine the dialyzability of iron from a normal saline compartment (NSC) containing 1000 mg iron of VIT 45. The in vitro system utilized a 6-L closed-loop SBS system that was subject to 4 different HD conditions conducted over 4 hours: HE membrane + 0 ml/h UFR; HE membrane + 500 ml/h UFR; HF membrane + 0 ml/h UFR; HF membrane + 500 ml/h UFR. Blood flow and dialysate flow rates were 500 ml/min and 800 ml/min, respectively. The dialysate compartment was a 6-L closed-loop system. A volumetric HD machine controlled all blood, dialysate, and ultrafiltration rates. NSC and dialysate compartment samples were taken at various time points and iron elimination rate (khd) and HD clearance (Clhd) was determined. Iron removal from the NSC > 15% was considered clinically significant. The percent removal of iron from the NSC was < 0.5% at all time points in the study. Dialysate recovery of iron was negligible: 1.7-5.1 mg. VIT 45 removal elimination rates from NSC were less than -0.001 h(-1) (range -0.0002 +/- 0.0001 to -0.0001 +/- 0.0002 h (-1)) for all study conditions. Dialyzer type or UFR did not effect iron removal. HF or HE dialysis membranes do not remove clinically significant amounts of VIT 45 over a 4-hour in vitro HD session. This effect remained constant even controlling for UFR up to 500 ml/hour. VIT 45 is not dialyzed by HE or HF dialysis membranes irrespective of UFR.

Generalized environmental control and life support system computer program (G1894), phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcenulty, R. E.

1978-01-01

The work performed during Phase 3 of the Generalized Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS) Computer Program is reported. Phase 3 of this program covered the period from December 1977 to September 1978. The computerized simulation of the Shuttle Orbiter ECLSS was upgraded in the following areas: (1) the payload loop of the Shuttle simulation was completely recoded and checked out; (2) the Shuttle simulation water and freon loop initialization logic was simplified to permit easier program input for the user; (3) the computerized simulation was modified to accept the WASP subroutine, which is a subroutine to evaluate thermal properties of water and freon; (4) the 1108 operating system was upgraded by LEC; (5) the Shuttle simulation was modified to permit failure cases which simulate zero component flow values; and (6) the Shuttle SEPS version was modified and secure files were setup on the 1108 and 1110 systems to permit simulation runs to be made from remote terminals.

Program user's manual: cryogen system for the analysis for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-04-01

The Mirror Fusion Test Facility being designed and constructed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory requires a liquid helium liquefaction, storage, distribution, and recovery system and a liquid nitrogen storage and distribution system. To provide a powerful analytical tool to aid in the design evolution of this system through hardware, a thermodynamic fluid flow model was developed. This model allows the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to verify that the design meets desired goals and to play what if games during the design evolution. For example, what if the helium flow rate is changed in the magnet liquid helium flow loop; how doesmore » this affect the temperature, fluid quality, and pressure. This manual provides all the information required to run all or portions of this program as desired. In addition, the program is constructed in a modular fashion so changes or modifications can be made easily to keep up with the evolving design.« less

RiverHeath: Neighborhood Loop Geothermal Exchange System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geall, Mark

2016-07-11

The goal of the RiverHeath project is to develop a geothermal exchange system at lower capital infrastructure cost than current geothermal exchange systems. The RiverHeath system features an innovative design that incorporates use of the adjacent river through river-based heat exchange plates. The flowing water provides a tremendous amount of heat transfer. As a result, the installation cost of this geothermal exchange system is lower than more traditional vertical bore systems. Many urban areas are located along rivers and other waterways. RiverHeath will serve as a template for other projects adjacent to the water.

Interesting examples of supervised continuous variable systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, Christopher; Serrano, Joe; Ramadge, Peter

1990-01-01

The authors analyze two simple deterministic flow models for multiple buffer servers which are examples of the supervision of continuous variable systems by a discrete controller. These systems exhibit what may be regarded as the two extremes of complexity of the closed loop behavior: one is eventually periodic, the other is chaotic. The first example exhibits chaotic behavior that could be characterized statistically. The dual system, the switched server system, exhibits very predictable behavior, which is modeled by a finite state automaton. This research has application to multimodal discrete time systems where the controller can choose from a set of transition maps to implement.

Performance evaluation of a ground-source heat pump system utilizing a flowing well and estimation of suitable areas for its installation in Aizu Basin, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Gaurav; Uchida, Youhei; Kuronuma, Satoru; Yamaya, Mutsumi; Katsuragi, Masahiko; Kaneko, Shohei; Shibasaki, Naoaki; Yoshioka, Mayumi

2017-08-01

Development of a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system with higher efficiency, and evaluation of its operating performance, is essential to expand the growth of GSHP systems in Japan. A closed-loop GSHP system was constructed utilizing a flowing (artesian) well as a ground heat exchanger (GHE). The system was demonstrated for space-heating and space-cooling of a room (area 126.7 m2) in an office building. The average coefficient of performance was found to be 4.5 for space-heating and 8.1 for space-cooling. The maximum heat exchange rate was 70.8 W/m for space-heating and 57.6 W/m for space-cooling. From these results, it was determined that a GSHP system with a flowing well as a GHE can result in higher performance. With this kind of highly efficient system, energy saving and cost reduction can be expected. In order to assess appropriate locations for the installation of similar kinds of GSHP systems in Aizu Basin, a suitability map showing the distribution of groundwater up-flowing areas was prepared based on the results of a regional-scale three-dimensional analytical model. Groundwater up-flowing areas are considered to be suitable because the flowing well can be constructed at these areas. Performance evaluation of the GSHP system utilizing the flowing well, in conjunction with the prepared suitability map for its installation, can assist in the promotion of GSHP systems in Japan.

Initial testing of a 3D printed perfusion phantom using digital subtraction angiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Rachel P.; Khobragade, Parag; Ying, Leslie; Snyder, Kenneth; Wack, David; Bednarek, Daniel R.; Rudin, Stephen; Ionita, Ciprian N.

2015-03-01

Perfusion imaging is the most applied modality for the assessment of acute stroke. Parameters such as Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF), Cerebral Blood volume (CBV) and Mean Transit Time (MTT) are used to distinguish the tissue infarct core and ischemic penumbra. Due to lack of standardization these parameters vary significantly between vendors and software even when provided with the same data set. There is a critical need to standardize the systems and make them more reliable. We have designed a uniform phantom to test and verify the perfusion systems. We implemented a flow loop with different flow rates (250, 300, 350 ml/min) and injected the same amount of contrast. The images of the phantom were acquired using a Digital Angiographic system. Since this phantom is uniform, projection images obtained using DSA is sufficient for initial validation. To validate the phantom we measured the contrast concentration at three regions of interest (arterial input, venous output, perfused area) and derived time density curves (TDC). We then calculated the maximum slope, area under the TDCs and flow. The maximum slope calculations were linearly increasing with increase in flow rate, the area under the curve decreases with increase in flow rate. There was 25% error between the calculated flow and measured flow. The derived TDCs were clinically relevant and the calculated flow, maximum slope and areas under the curve were sensitive to the measured flow. We have created a systematic way to calibrate existing perfusion systems and assess their reliability.

Precise nanoliter fluid handling system with integrated high-speed flow sensor.

PubMed

Haber, Carsten; Boillat, Marc; van der Schoot, Bart

2005-04-01

A system for accurate low-volume delivery of liquids in the micro- to nanoliter range makes use of an integrated miniature flow sensor as part of an intelligent feedback control loop driving a micro-solenoid valve. The flow sensor is hydraulically connected with the pressurized system liquid in the dispensing channel and located downstream from the pressure source, above the solenoid valve. The sensor operates in a differential mode and responds in real-time to the internal flow-pulse resulting from the brief opening interval of the solenoid valve leading to a rapid ejection of a fluid droplet. The integral of the flow-pulse delivered by the sensor is directly proportional to the volume of the ejected droplet from the nozzle. The quantitative information is utilized to provide active control of the effectively dispensed or aspirated volume by adjusting the solenoid valve accordingly. This process significantly enhances the precision of the fluid delivery. The system furthermore compensates automatically for any changes in the viscosity of the dispensed liquid. The data delivered by the flow sensor can be saved and backtracked in order to confirm and validate the aspiration and dispensing process in its entirety. The collected dispense information can be used for quality control assessments and automatically be made part of an electronic record.

Design of a High-Reynolds Number Recirculating Water Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, Libin; Elbing, Brian

2014-11-01

An experimental fluid mechanics laboratory focused on turbulent boundary layers, drag reduction techniques, multiphase flows and fluid-structure interactions has recently been established at Oklahoma State University. This laboratory has three primary components; (1) a recirculating water tunnel, (2) a multiphase pipe flow loop, and (3) a multi-scale flow visualization system. The design of the water tunnel is the focus of this talk. The criteria used for the water tunnel design was that it had to produce a momentum-thickness based Reynolds number in excess of 104, negligible flow acceleration due to boundary layer growth, maximize optical access for use of the flow visualization system, and minimize inlet flow non-uniformity. This Reynolds number was targeted to bridge the gap between typical university/commercial water tunnels (103) and the world's largest water tunnel facilities (105) . These objectives were achieved with a 152 mm (6-inch) square test section that is 1 m long and has a maximum flow speed of 10 m/s. The flow non-uniformity was mitigated with the use of a tandem honeycomb configuration, a settling chamber and an 8.5:1 contraction. The design process that produced this final design will be presented along with its current status.

A project management system for the X-29A flight test program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, J. F.; Bauer, C. A.

1983-01-01

The project-management system developed for NASA's participation in the X-29A aircraft development program is characterized from a theoretical perspective, as an example of a system appropriate to advanced, highly integrated technology projects. System-control theory is applied to the analysis of classical project-management techniques and structures, which are found to be of closed-loop multivariable type; and the effects of increasing project complexity and integration are evaluated. The importance of information flow, sampling frequency, information holding, and delays is stressed. The X-29A system is developed in four stages: establishment of overall objectives and requirements, determination of information processes (block diagrams) definition of personnel functional roles and relationships, and development of a detailed work-breakdown structure. The resulting system is shown to require a greater information flow to management than conventional methods. Sample block diagrams are provided.

Numerical Analysis of Combined Well and Open-Closed Loops Geothermal (CWG) Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Yu-Chul

2016-04-01

Open-loop geothermal heat pump (GHP) system and closed-loop heat pump systems have been used in Korea to reduce emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2). The GHP systems have the pros and cons, for example, the open-loop GHP system is good energy-efficient and the closed-loop GHP system requires minimum maintenance costs. The open-loop GHP system can be used practically only with large amount of groundwater supply. The closed-loop GHP system can be used with high costs of initial installation. The performance and efficiency of the GHP system depend on the characteristics of the GHP system itself in addition to the geologic conditions. To overcome the cons of open-loop or closed-loop GHP system, the combined well and open-closed loops geothermal (CWG) system was designed. The open-loop GHP system is surrounded with closed-loop GHP systems in the CWG system. The geothermal energy in closed-loop GHP systems is supplied by the groundwater pumped by the open-loop GHP system. In this study, 2 different types of the CWG systems (small aperture hybrid CWG system and large aperture CWG system) are estimated using numerical simulation models in the aspect of energy efficiency. This work was supported by the New & Renewable Energy Core Technology Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea. (No.20153030111120).

Simulations of flow induced structural transition of the β-switch region of glycoprotein Ibα.

PubMed

Han, Mengzhi; Xu, Ji; Ren, Ying; Li, Jinghai

2016-02-01

Binding of glycoprotein Ibα to von Willebrand factor induces platelet adhesion to injured vessel walls and initiates a multistep hemostatic process. It has been hypothesized that the flow condition could induce a loop to β-sheet conformational change in the β-switch region of glycoprotein Ibα, which regulates it binding to the von Willebrand factor and facilitates the blood clot formation and wound healing. In this work, direct molecular dynamics (MD), flow MD and metadynamics, were employed to investigate the mechanisms of this flow induced conformational transition process. Specifically, the free energy landscape of the whole transition process was drawn by metadynamics with the path collective variable approach. The results reveal that without flow, the free energy landscape has two main basins, including a random loop basin stabilized by large conformational entropy and a partially folded β-sheet basin. The free energy barrier separating these two basins is relatively high and the β-switch could not fold from loop to β-sheet state spontaneously. The fully β-sheet conformations located in high free energy regions, which are also unstable and gradually unfold into partially folded β-sheet state with flow. Relatively weak flow could trigger some folding of the β-switch but could not fold it into fully β-sheet state. Under strong flow conditions, the β-switch could readily overcome the high free energy barrier and fold into fully β-sheet state. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

System identification from closed-loop data with known output feedback dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phan, Minh; Juang, Jer-Nan; Horta, Lucas G.; Longman, Richard W.

1992-01-01

This paper presents a procedure to identify the open loop systems when it is operating under closed loop conditions. First, closed loop excitation data are used to compute the system open loop and closed loop Markov parameters. The Markov parameters, which are the pulse response samples, are then used to compute a state space representation of the open loop system. Two closed loop configurations are considered in this paper. The closed loop system can have either a linear output feedback controller or a dynamic output feedback controller. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the proposed closed loop identification method.

A bioreactor system for the nitrogen loop in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saulmon, M. M.; Reardon, K. F.; Sadeh, W. Z.

1996-01-01

As space missions become longer in duration, the need to recycle waste into useful compounds rises dramatically. This problem can be addressed by the development of Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) (i.e., Engineered Closed/Controlled Eco-Systems (ECCES)), consisting of human and plant modules. One of the waste streams leaving the human module is urine. In addition to the reclamation of water from urine, recovery of the nitrogen is important because it is an essential nutrient for the plant module. A 3-step biological process for the recycling of nitrogenous waste (urea) is proposed. A packed-bed bioreactor system for this purpose was modeled, and the issues of reaction step segregation, reactor type and volume, support particle size, and pressure drop were addressed. Based on minimization of volume, a bioreactor system consisting of a plug flow immobilized urease reactor, a completely mixed flow immobilized cell reactor to convert ammonia to nitrite, and a plug flow immobilized cell reactor to produce nitrate from nitrite is recommended. It is apparent that this 3-step bioprocess meets the requirements for space applications.

Extracorporeal bypass model of blood circulation for the study of microvascular hemodynamics.

PubMed

Nam, Kweon-Ho; Yeom, Eunseop; Lee, Sang Joon

2012-05-01

Many studies have been performed to better understand the hemodynamics in microvessels, such as arterioles and venules. However, due to the heterogeneous features of size, shape, blood-flow velocity, and pulsatility of microvessels, conducting a systematic study on these factors has been almost impossible. Although in vitro studies have been performed for this purpose, the usefulness of in vitro data is limited by the fact that the rheological properties of blood are changed as blood is exposed to in vitro environments. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the feasibility of a rat extracorporeal bypass model that combines in vivo and in vitro models. An arteriovenous shunt loop with a sub-bypass loop of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) microtube was constructed between the jugular vein and femoral artery of a rat. Three pinch valves were installed in the main loop. Microscopic images of the blood flow in the FEP tube were sequentially captured with a high-speed camera, and the whole velocity field information was obtained using a micro-particle image velocimetry technique. Experimental results reveal that the velocity fields of the blood flow inside the microtube are well measured because the FEP tube is transparent and has nearly the same refractive index as water. The flow velocity and the pulsatility index of the blood flow in the microtube can be controlled by adjusting the three pinch valves installed upstream, midstream, and downstream of the bypass loop. This hybrid model that combines in vivo and in vitro models can be useful in studying microvascular hemodynamics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental study of histological changes in vascular loops according to the duration of the postoperative period: Application in reconstructive microsurgery

PubMed Central

Paulos, Renata Gregorio; Rudelli, Bruno Alves; Filippe, Renee Zon; dos Santos, Gustavo Bispo; Herrera, Ana Abarca; Ribeiro, Andre Araujo; de Rezende, Marcelo Rosa; Hsiang-Wei, Teng; Mattar-Jr, Rames

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the histological changes observed in venous grafts subjected to arterial blood flow as a function of the duration of the postoperative period to optimize their use in free flap reconstructions. METHOD: Twenty-five rats (7 females and 18 males) underwent surgery. Surgeries were performed on one animal per week. Five weeks after the first surgery, the same five animals were subjected to an additional surgery to assess the presence or absence of blood flow through the vascular loop, and samples were collected for histological analysis. This cycle was performed five times. RESULTS: Of the rats euthanized four to five weeks after the first surgery, no blood flow was observed through the graft in 80% of the cases. In the group euthanized three weeks after the first surgery, no blood flow was observed in 20% of the cases. In the groups euthanized one to two weeks after the first surgery, blood flow through the vascular loop was observed in all animals. Moreover, intimal proliferation tended to increase with the duration of the postoperative period. Two weeks after surgery, intimal proliferation increased slightly, whereas strong intimal proliferation was observed in all rats evaluated five weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION: Intimal proliferation was the most significant change noted in venous grafts as a function of the duration of the postoperative period and was directly correlated with graft occlusion. In cases in which vascular loops are required during free flap reconstruction, both procedures should preferably be performed during the same surgery. PMID:29069256

Experimental study of histological changes in vascular loops according to the duration of the postoperative period: Application in reconstructive microsurgery.

PubMed

Paulos, Renata Gregorio; Rudelli, Bruno Alves; Filippe, Renee Zon; Dos Santos, Gustavo Bispo; Herrera, Ana Abarca; Ribeiro, Andre Araujo; de Rezende, Marcelo Rosa; Hsiang-Wei, Teng; Mattar, Rames

2017-10-01

To analyze the histological changes observed in venous grafts subjected to arterial blood flow as a function of the duration of the postoperative period to optimize their use in free flap reconstructions. Twenty-five rats (7 females and 18 males) underwent surgery. Surgeries were performed on one animal per week. Five weeks after the first surgery, the same five animals were subjected to an additional surgery to assess the presence or absence of blood flow through the vascular loop, and samples were collected for histological analysis. This cycle was performed five times. Of the rats euthanized four to five weeks after the first surgery, no blood flow was observed through the graft in 80% of the cases. In the group euthanized three weeks after the first surgery, no blood flow was observed in 20% of the cases. In the groups euthanized one to two weeks after the first surgery, blood flow through the vascular loop was observed in all animals. Moreover, intimal proliferation tended to increase with the duration of the postoperative period. Two weeks after surgery, intimal proliferation increased slightly, whereas strong intimal proliferation was observed in all rats evaluated five weeks after surgery. Intimal proliferation was the most significant change noted in venous grafts as a function of the duration of the postoperative period and was directly correlated with graft occlusion. In cases in which vascular loops are required during free flap reconstruction, both procedures should preferably be performed during the same surgery.

Fate of superconductivity in three-dimensional disordered Luttinger semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Ipsita

2018-05-01

Superconducting instability can occur in three-dimensional quadratic band crossing semimetals only at a finite coupling strength due to the vanishing of density of states at the quadratic band touching point. Since realistic materials are always disordered to some extent, we study the effect of short-ranged-correlated disorder on this superconducting quantum critical point using a controlled loop-expansion applying dimensional regularization. The renormalization group (RG) scheme allows us to determine the RG flows of the various interaction strengths and shows that disorder destroys the superconducting quantum critical point. In fact, the system exhibits a runaway flow to strong disorder.

X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Electrochemically Generated Species

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

that is a modification of our previously reported design (17) with reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) as the working electrode. A peristaltic pump...and a flowing analyte stream. A packed carbon -bed bulk electrolysis cell generates the desired metal oxidation state. Completa oxidation and...packed carbon -bed bulk electrolysis cell generates the desired metal oxidation state. The system consists of a closed loop of electrolyte solution

Vortex multiplication in applied flow: A precursor to superfluid turbulence.

PubMed

Finne, A P; Eltsov, V B; Eska, G; Hänninen, R; Kopu, J; Krusius, M; Thuneberg, E V; Tsubota, M

2006-03-03

A surface-mediated process is identified in 3He-B which generates vortices at a roughly constant rate. It precedes a faster form of turbulence where intervortex interactions dominate. This precursor becomes observable when vortex loops are introduced in low-velocity rotating flow at sufficiently low mutual friction dissipation at temperatures below 0.5Tc. Our measurements indicate that the formation of new loops is associated with a single vortex interacting in the applied flow with the sample boundary. Numerical calculations show that the single-vortex instability arises when a helical Kelvin wave expands from a reconnection kink at the wall and then intersects again with the wall.

Testing of active heat sink for advanced high-power laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetrovec, John; Copeland, Drew A.; Feeler, Ryan; Junghans, Jeremy

2011-03-01

We report on the development of a novel active heat sink for high-power laser diodes offering unparalleled capacity in high-heat flux handling and temperature control. The heat sink employs convective heat transfer by a liquid metal flowing at high speed inside a miniature sealed flow loop. Liquid metal flow in the loop is maintained electromagnetically without any moving parts. Thermal conductance of the heat sink is electronically adjustable, allowing for precise control of diode temperature and the laser light wavelength. This paper presents the principles and challenges of liquid metal cooling, and data from testing at high heat flux and high heat loads.

Electronic Circuit Experiments and SPICE Simulation of Double Covering Bifurcation of 2-Torus Quasi-Periodic Flow in Phase-Locked Loop Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiyama, Kyohei; Endo, Tetsuro; Imai, Isao; Komuro, Motomasa

2016-06-01

Double covering (DC) bifurcation of a 2-torus quasi-periodic flow in a phase-locked loop circuit was experimentally investigated using an electronic circuit and via SPICE simulation; in the circuit, the input radio-frequency signal was frequency modulated by the sum of two asynchronous sinusoidal baseband signals. We observed both DC and period-doubling bifurcations of a discrete map on two Poincaré sections, which were realized by changing the sample timing from one baseband sinusoidal signal to the other. The results confirm the DC bifurcation of the original flow.

Low-Dimensional Model of a Cylinder Wake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luchtenburg, Mark; Cohen, Kelly; Siegel, Stefan; McLaughlin, Tom

2003-11-01

In a two-dimensional cylinder wake, self-excited oscillations in the form of periodic shedding of vortices are observed above a critical Reynolds number of about 47. These flow-induced non-linear oscillations lead to some undesirable effects associated with unsteady pressures such as fluid-structure interactions. An effective way of suppressing the self-excited flow oscillations is by the incorporation of closed-loop flow control. In this effort, a low dimensional, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) model is based on data obtained from direct numerical simulations of the Navier Stokes equations for the two dimensional circular cylinder wake at a Reynolds number of 100. Three different conditions are examined, namely, the unforced wake experiencing steady-state vortex shedding, the transient behavior of the unforced wake at the startup of the simulation, and transient response to open-loop harmonic forcing by translation. We discuss POD mode selection and the number of modes that need to be included in the low-dimensional model. It is found that the transient dynamics need to be represented by a coupled system that includes an aperiodic mean-flow mode, an aperiodic shift mode and the periodic von Karman modes. Finally, a least squares mapping method is introduced to develop the non-linear state equations. The predictive capability of the state equations demonstrates the ability of the above approach to model the transient dynamics of the wake.

A Virtual Upgrade Validation Method for Software-Reliant Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

3.4 Root Cause Areas of System-Level Faults 11 3.4.1 End-to-End Flow of Data Streams 11 3.4.2 Distributed Communicating State Machines 13 3.4.3...FlyByWire/FlyByWire_english.pdf (Accessed on November 11 , 2011.) [Apple 2005] Apple Support Communities , jazzman40. iTunes Crashes When Ripping...Strategies 39 7.1 Application Pattern Modeling Strategies 39 7.1.1 Control Loops 39 7.1.2 State Transition Communication 42 7.1.3 Sensor/Signal Fusion

Modeling Plasticity of Ni3Al-Based L12 Intermetallic Single Crystals-I. Anomalous Temperature Dependence of the Flow Behavior (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

dislocation-loop expansion . The new model was used to simulate the thermally reversible flow behaviour for C-S type two-step deformation, and the results are...implemented into the finite element software ABAQUS through a User MATerial subroutine (UMAT). A tangent modulus method [48] was used for the time...locking under a dislocation loop- expansion configuration. This approach was motivated by modern understanding of dislocation mechanisms for Ni3Al

Shock Position Control for Mode Transition in a Turbine Based Combined Cycle Engine Inlet Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey T.; Stueber, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

A dual flow-path inlet for a turbine based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion system is to be tested in order to evaluate methodologies for performing a controlled inlet mode transition. Prior to experimental testing, simulation models are used to test, debug, and validate potential control algorithms which are designed to maintain shock position during inlet disturbances. One simulation package being used for testing is the High Mach Transient Engine Cycle Code simulation, known as HiTECC. This paper discusses the development of a mode transition schedule for the HiTECC simulation that is analogous to the development of inlet performance maps. Inlet performance maps, derived through experimental means, describe the performance and operability of the inlet as the splitter closes, switching power production from the turbine engine to the Dual Mode Scram Jet. With knowledge of the operability and performance tradeoffs, a closed loop system can be designed to optimize the performance of the inlet. This paper demonstrates the design of the closed loop control system and benefit with the implementation of a Proportional-Integral controller, an H-Infinity based controller, and a disturbance observer based controller; all of which avoid inlet unstart during a mode transition with a simulated disturbance that would lead to inlet unstart without closed loop control.

Evaluation of peristaltic micromixers for highly integrated microfluidic systems

PubMed Central

Kim, Duckjong; Rho, Hoon Suk; Jambovane, Sachin; Shin, Soojeong; Hong, Jong Wook

2016-01-01

Microfluidic devices based on the multilayer soft lithography allow accurate manipulation of liquids, handling reagents at the sub-nanoliter level, and performing multiple reactions in parallel processors by adapting micromixers. Here, we have experimentally evaluated and compared several designs of micromixers and operating conditions to find design guidelines for the micromixers. We tested circular, triangular, and rectangular mixing loops and measured mixing performance according to the position and the width of the valves that drive nanoliters of fluids in the micrometer scale mixing loop. We found that the rectangular mixer is best for the applications of highly integrated microfluidic platforms in terms of the mixing performance and the space utilization. This study provides an improved understanding of the flow behaviors inside micromixers and design guidelines for micromixers that are critical to build higher order fluidic systems for the complicated parallel bio/chemical processes on a chip. PMID:27036809

Evaluation of peristaltic micromixers for highly integrated microfluidic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Duckjong; Rho, Hoon Suk; Jambovane, Sachin; Shin, Soojeong; Hong, Jong Wook

2016-03-01

Microfluidic devices based on the multilayer soft lithography allow accurate manipulation of liquids, handling reagents at the sub-nanoliter level, and performing multiple reactions in parallel processors by adapting micromixers. Here, we have experimentally evaluated and compared several designs of micromixers and operating conditions to find design guidelines for the micromixers. We tested circular, triangular, and rectangular mixing loops and measured mixing performance according to the position and the width of the valves that drive nanoliters of fluids in the micrometer scale mixing loop. We found that the rectangular mixer is best for the applications of highly integrated microfluidic platforms in terms of the mixing performance and the space utilization. This study provides an improved understanding of the flow behaviors inside micromixers and design guidelines for micromixers that are critical to build higher order fluidic systems for the complicated parallel bio/chemical processes on a chip.

Thermally-actuated, phase change flow control for microfluidic systems.

PubMed

Chen, Zongyuan; Wang, Jing; Qian, Shizhi; Bau, Haim H

2005-11-01

An easy to implement, thermally-actuated, noninvasive method for flow control in microfluidic devices is described. This technique takes advantage of the phase change of the working liquid itself-the freezing and melting of a portion of a liquid slug-to noninvasively close and open flow passages (referred to as a phase change valve). The valve was designed for use in a miniature diagnostic system for detecting pathogens in oral fluids at the point of care. The paper describes the modeling, construction, and characteristics of the valve. The experimental results favorably agree with theoretical predictions. In addition, the paper demonstrates the use of the phase change valves for flow control, sample metering and distribution into multiple analysis paths, sealing of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chamber, and sample introduction into and withdrawal from a closed loop. The phase change valve is electronically addressable, does not require any moving parts, introduces only minimal dead volume, is leakage and contamination free, and is biocompatible.

V/STOL Systems Research Aircraft: A Tool for Cockpit Integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stortz, Michael W.; ODonoghue, Dennis P.; Tiffany, Geary (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The next generation ASTOVL aircraft will have a complicated propulsion System. The configuration choices include Direct Lift, Lift-Fan and Lift+Lift /Cruise but the aircraft must also have supersonic performance and low-observable characteristics. The propulsion system may have features such as flow blockers, vectoring nozzles and flow transfer schemes. The flight control system will necessarily fully integrate the aerodynamic surfaces and the propulsive elements. With a fully integrated, fly-by-wire flight/propulsion control system, the options for cockpit integration are interesting and varied. It is possible to decouple longitudinal and vertical responses allowing the pilot to close the loop on flight path and flight path acceleration directly. In the hover, the pilot can control the translational rate directly without having to stabilize the inner rate and attitude loops. The benefit of this approach, reduced workload and increased precision. has previously been demonstrated through several motion-based simulations. In order to prove the results in flight, the V/STOL System Research Aircraft (VSRA) was developed at the NASA Ames Research Center. The VSRA is the YAV-8B Prototype modified with a research flight control system using a series-parallel servo configuration in all the longitudinal degrees of freedom (including thrust and thrust vector angle) to provide an integrated flight and propulsion control system in a limited envelope. Development of the system has been completed and flight evaluations of the response types have been performed. In this paper we will discuss the development of the VSRA, the evolution of the flight path command and translational rate command response types and the Guest Pilot evaluations of the system. Pilot evaluation results will be used to draw conclusions regarding the suitability of the system to satisfy V/STOL requirements.

V/STOL systems research aircraft: A tool for cockpit integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stortz, Michael W.; ODonoghue, Dennis P.

1995-01-01

The next generation ASTOVL aircraft will have a complicated propulsion system. The configuration choices include Direct Lift, Lift-Fan and Lift + Lift/Cruise but the aircraft must also have supersonic performance and low-observable characteristics. The propulsion system may have features such as flow blockers, vectoring nozzles and flow transfer schemes. The flight control system will necessarily fully integrate the aerodynamic surfaces and the propulsive elements. With a fully integrated, fly-by-wire flight/propulsion control system, the options for cockpit integration are interesting and varied. It is possible to de-couple longitudinal and vertical responses allowing the pilot to close the loop on flightpath and flightpath acceleration directly. In the hover, the pilot can control the translational rate directly without having to stabilize the inner rate and attitude loops. The benefit of this approach, reduced workload and increased precision, has previously been demonstrated through several motion-based simulations. In order to prove the results in flight, the V/STOL System Research Aircraft (VSRA) was developed at the NASA Ames Research Center. The VSRA is the YAV-8B Prototype modified with a research flight control system using a series-parallel servo configuration in all the longitudinal degrees of freedom (including thrust and thrust vector angle) to provide an integrated flight and propulsion control system in a limited envelope. Development of the system has been completed and flight evaluations of the response types have been performed. In this paper we will discuss the development of the VSRA, the evolution of the flightpath command and translational rate command response types and the Guest Pilot evaluations of the system. Pilot evaluation results are used to draw conclusions regarding the suitability of the system to satisfy V/STOL requirements.

NaK loop testing of thermoelectric converter modules (SNAP program)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. L.

1973-01-01

The history of testing of compact tubular modules in flowing NaK loops is summarized. Test procedures, data handling, and instrument calibration are discussed. Also included is descriptive information of the test facilities, operational problems encountered, and some recommendations for testing.

Simulation of the MELiSSA closed loop system as a tool to define its integration strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poughon, Laurent; Farges, Berangere; Dussap, Claude-Gilles; Godia, Francesc; Lasseur, Christophe

Inspired from a terrestrial ecosystem, MELiSSA (Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative) is a project of closed life support system future long-term manned missions (Moon and Mars bases). Started on ESA in 1989, this 5 compartments concept has evolved following a mechanistic engineering approach for acquiring both theoretical and technical knowledge. In its current state of development the project can now start to demonstrate the MELiSSA loop concept at a pilot scale. Thus an integration strategy for a MELiSSA Pilot Plant (MPP) was defined, describing the different phases for tests and connections between compartments. The integration steps should be started in 2008 and be completed with a complete operational loop in 2015, which final objective is to achieve a closed liquid and gas loop with 100 Although the integration logic could start with the most advanced processes in terms of knowledge and hardware development, this logic needs to be completed by high politic of simulation. Thanks to this simulation exercise, the effective demonstrations of each independent process and its progressive coupling with others will be performed in operational conditions as close as possible to the final configuration. The theoretical approach described in this paper is based on mass balance models of each of the MELiSSA biological compartments which are used to simulate each integration step and the complete MPP loop itself. These simulations will help to identify criticalities of each integration steps and to check the consistencies between objectives, flows, recycling efficiencies and sizing of the pilot reactors. A MPP scenario compatible with the current knowledge of the operation of the pilot reactors was investigated and the theoretical performances of the system compared to the objectives of the MPP. From this scenario the most important milestone steps in the integration are highlighted and their behaviour can be simulated.

Closed-loop control of renal perfusion pressure in physiological experiments.

PubMed

Campos-Delgado, D U; Bonilla, I; Rodríguez-Martínez, M; Sánchez-Briones, M E; Ruiz-Hernández, E

2013-07-01

This paper presents the design, experimental modeling, and control of a pump-driven renal perfusion pressure (RPP)-regulatory system to implement precise and relatively fast RPP regulation in rats. The mechatronic system is a simple, low-cost, and reliable device to automate the RPP regulation process based on flow-mediated occlusion. Hence, the regulated signal is the RPP measured in the left femoral artery of the rat, and the manipulated variable is the voltage applied to a dc motor that controls the occlusion of the aorta. The control system is implemented in a PC through the LabView software, and a data acquisition board NI USB-6210. A simple first-order linear system is proposed to approximate the dynamics in the experiment. The parameters of the model are chosen to minimize the error between the predicted and experimental output averaged from eight input/output datasets at different RPP operating conditions. A closed-loop servocontrol system based on a pole-placement PD controller plus dead-zone compensation was proposed for this purpose. First, the feedback structure was validated in simulation by considering parameter uncertainty, and constant and time-varying references. Several experimental tests were also conducted to validate in real time the closed-loop performance for stepwise and fast switching references, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed automatic system to regulate the RPP in the rat, in a precise, accurate (mean error less than 2 mmHg) and relatively fast mode (10-15 s of response time).

A microfluidic culture model of the human reproductive tract and 28-day menstrual cycle

PubMed Central

Xiao, Shuo; Coppeta, Jonathan R.; Rogers, Hunter B.; Isenberg, Brett C.; Zhu, Jie; Olalekan, Susan A.; McKinnon, Kelly E.; Dokic, Danijela; Rashedi, Alexandra S.; Haisenleder, Daniel J.; Malpani, Saurabh S.; Arnold-Murray, Chanel A.; Chen, Kuanwei; Jiang, Mingyang; Bai, Lu; Nguyen, Catherine T.; Zhang, Jiyang; Laronda, Monica M.; Hope, Thomas J.; Maniar, Kruti P.; Pavone, Mary Ellen; Avram, Michael J.; Sefton, Elizabeth C.; Getsios, Spiro; Burdette, Joanna E.; Kim, J. Julie; Borenstein, Jeffrey T.; Woodruff, Teresa K.

2017-01-01

The endocrine system dynamically controls tissue differentiation and homeostasis, but has not been studied using dynamic tissue culture paradigms. Here we show that a microfluidic system supports murine ovarian follicles to produce the human 28-day menstrual cycle hormone profile, which controls human female reproductive tract and peripheral tissue dynamics in single, dual and multiple unit microfluidic platforms (Solo-MFP, Duet-MFP and Quintet-MPF, respectively). These systems simulate the in vivo female reproductive tract and the endocrine loops between organ modules for the ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, cervix and liver, with a sustained circulating flow between all tissues. The reproductive tract tissues and peripheral organs integrated into a microfluidic platform, termed EVATAR, represents a powerful new in vitro tool that allows organ–organ integration of hormonal signalling as a phenocopy of menstrual cycle and pregnancy-like endocrine loops and has great potential to be used in drug discovery and toxicology studies. PMID:28350383

Phylogeography and Sex-Biased Dispersal across Riverine Manatee Populations (Trichechus inunguis and Trichechus manatus) in South America

PubMed Central

Satizábal, Paula; Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A.; Duchêne, Sebastián; Caicedo-Herrera, Dalila; Perea-Sicchar, Carlos M.; García-Dávila, Carmen R.; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana J.

2012-01-01

Phylogeographic patterns and sex-biased dispersal were studied in riverine populations of West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (T. inunguis) in South America, using 410bp D-loop (Control Region, Mitochondrial DNA) sequences and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. This multi-locus approach was key to disentangle complex patterns of gene flow among populations. D-loop analyses revealed population structuring among all Colombian rivers for T. manatus, while microsatellite data suggested no structure. Two main populations of T. inunguis separating the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon were supported by analysis of the D-loop and microsatellite data. Overall, we provide molecular evidence for differences in dispersal patterns between sexes, demonstrating male-biased gene flow dispersal in riverine manatees. These results are in contrast with previously reported levels of population structure shown by microsatellite data in marine manatee populations, revealing low habitat restrictions to gene flow in riverine habitats, and more significant dispersal limitations for males in marine environments. PMID:23285054

Phylogeography and sex-biased dispersal across riverine manatee populations (Trichechus inunguis and Trichechus manatus) in South America.

PubMed

Satizábal, Paula; Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A; Duchêne, Sebastián; Caicedo-Herrera, Dalila; Perea-Sicchar, Carlos M; García-Dávila, Carmen R; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana J

2012-01-01

Phylogeographic patterns and sex-biased dispersal were studied in riverine populations of West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (T. inunguis) in South America, using 410bp D-loop (Control Region, Mitochondrial DNA) sequences and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. This multi-locus approach was key to disentangle complex patterns of gene flow among populations. D-loop analyses revealed population structuring among all Colombian rivers for T. manatus, while microsatellite data suggested no structure. Two main populations of T. inunguis separating the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon were supported by analysis of the D-loop and microsatellite data. Overall, we provide molecular evidence for differences in dispersal patterns between sexes, demonstrating male-biased gene flow dispersal in riverine manatees. These results are in contrast with previously reported levels of population structure shown by microsatellite data in marine manatee populations, revealing low habitat restrictions to gene flow in riverine habitats, and more significant dispersal limitations for males in marine environments.

Flow Structure and Force Variation with Aspect Ratio for a Two-Degree-of-Freedom Flapping Wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burge, Matthew; Favale, James; Ringuette, Matthew

2014-11-01

We investigate experimentally the effect of aspect ratio (AR) on the flow structure and forces of a two-degree-of-freedom flapping wing. Flapping wings are known to produce complex and unsteady vortex loop structures, and the objective is to characterize their variation with AR and how this influences the lift force. Previous results on rotating wings demonstrated that changes in AR significantly affect the three-dimensional flow structure and lift coefficient. This is primarily due to the relatively greater influence of the tip vortex for lower AR. At Reynolds number of order O(103) we test wings of AR = 2-4, values typically found in nature, with simplified planform shapes. The lift force is measured using a submersible transducer at the base of the wing in a glycerin-water mixture. The qualitative, three-dimensional vortex loop structure for different ARs is obtained using multi-color dye flow visualization. Guided by this, quantitative three-component flow information, namely vorticity, the Q-criterion, and circulation, is acquired from stereoscopic particle image velocimetry in key planes. Of interest is how these parameters and the vortex loop topology vary with AR, and their connection to features in the unsteady force signal. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, Award Number 1336548, supervised by Dr. Dimitrios Papavassiliou.

Advanced Hybrid Spacesuit Concept Featuring Integrated Open Loop and Closed Loop Ventilation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daniel, Brian A.; Fitzpatrick, Garret R.; Gohmert, Dustin M.; Ybarra, Rick M.; Dub, Mark O.

2013-01-01

A document discusses the design and prototype of an advanced spacesuit concept that integrates the capability to function seamlessly with multiple ventilation system approaches. Traditionally, spacesuits are designed to operate both dependently and independently of a host vehicle environment control and life support system (ECLSS). Spacesuits that operate independent of vehicle-provided ECLSS services must do so with equipment selfcontained within or on the spacesuit. Suits that are dependent on vehicle-provided consumables must remain physically connected to and integrated with the vehicle to operate properly. This innovation is the design and prototype of a hybrid spacesuit approach that configures the spacesuit to seamlessly interface and integrate with either type of vehicular systems, while still maintaining the ability to function completely independent of the vehicle. An existing Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) was utilized as the platform from which to develop the innovation. The ACES was retrofitted with selected components and one-off items to achieve the objective. The ventilation system concept was developed and prototyped/retrofitted to an existing ACES. Components were selected to provide suit connectors, hoses/umbilicals, internal breathing system ducting/ conduits, etc. The concept utilizes a lowpressure- drop, high-flow ventilation system that serves as a conduit from the vehicle supply into the suit, up through a neck seal, into the breathing helmet cavity, back down through the neck seal, out of the suit, and returned to the vehicle. The concept also utilizes a modified demand-based breathing system configured to function seamlessly with the low-pressure-drop closed-loop ventilation system.

Design and evaluation of a flow-to-frequency converter circuit with thermal feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowski, Eligiusz

2017-05-01

A novel thermal flow sensor with a frequency output is presented. The sensor provides a pulse-train output whose frequency is related to the fluid flow rate around a self-heating thermistor. The integrating properties of the temperature sensor have been used, which allowed for realization of the pulse frequency modulator with a thermal feedback loop, stabilizing the temperature of the sensor placed in the flowing medium. The system assures a balance of the amount of heat supplied in the impulses to the sensor and the heat given up by the sensor in a continuous way to the flowing medium. Therefore the frequency of output pulse-train is proportional to the medium flow velocity around the sensor. The special feature of the presented solution is the total integration of the thermal sensor with the measurement signal conditioning system. i.e. the sensor and conditioning system are not separate elements of the measurement circuit, but constitute a whole in the form of a thermal heat-balance mode flow-to-frequency converter. The frequency signal from the converter may be directly connected to the microprocessor digital input, which with use of the standard built-in counters may convert the frequency into a numerical value of high precision. The sensor has been experimentally characterized as a function of the average flow velocity of air at room temperature.

Parametric analyses of planned flowing uranium hexafluoride critical experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, R. J.; Latham, T. S.

1976-01-01

Analytical investigations were conducted to determine preliminary design and operating characteristics of flowing uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gaseous nuclear reactor experiments in which a hybrid core configuration comprised of UF6 gas and a region of solid fuel will be employed. The investigations are part of a planned program to perform a series of experiments of increasing performance, culminating in an approximately 5 MW fissioning uranium plasma experiment. A preliminary design is described for an argon buffer gas confined, UF6 flow loop system for future use in flowing critical experiments. Initial calculations to estimate the operating characteristics of the gaseous fissioning UF6 in a confined flow test at a pressure of 4 atm, indicate temperature increases of approximately 100 and 1000 K in the UF6 may be obtained for total test power levels of 100 kW and 1 MW for test times of 320 and 32 sec, respectively.

Pump and Flow Control Subassembly of Thermal Control Subsystem for Photovoltaic Power Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motil, Brian; Santen, Mark A.

1993-01-01

The pump and flow control subassembly (PFCS) is an orbital replacement unit (ORU) on the Space Station Freedom photovoltaic power module (PVM). The PFCS pumps liquid ammonia at a constant rate of approximately 1170 kg/hr while providing temperature control by flow regulation between the radiator and the bypass loop. Also, housed within the ORU is an accumulator to compensate for fluid volumetric changes as well as the electronics and firmware for monitoring and control of the photovoltaic thermal control system (PVTCS). Major electronic functions include signal conditioning, data interfacing and motor control. This paper will provide a description of each major component within the PFCS along with performance test data. In addition, this paper will discuss the flow control algorithm and describe how the nickel hydrogen batteries and associated power electronics will be thermally controlled through regulation of coolant flow to the radiator.

Computational Model of Heat Transfer on the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torian, John G.; Rischar, Michael L.

2008-01-01

SCRAM Lite (SCRAM signifies Station Compact Radiator Analysis Model) is a computer program for analyzing convective and radiative heat-transfer and heat-rejection performance of coolant loops and radiators, respectively, in the active thermal-control systems of the International Space Station (ISS). SCRAM Lite is a derivative of prior versions of SCRAM but is more robust. SCRAM Lite computes thermal operating characteristics of active heat-transport and heat-rejection subsystems for the major ISS configurations from Flight 5A through completion of assembly. The program performs integrated analysis of both internal and external coolant loops of the various ISS modules and of an external active thermal control system, which includes radiators and the coolant loops that transfer heat to the radiators. The SCRAM Lite run time is of the order of one minute per day of mission time. The overall objective of the SCRAM Lite simulation is to process input profiles of equipment-rack, crew-metabolic, and other heat loads to determine flow rates, coolant supply temperatures, and available radiator heat-rejection capabilities. Analyses are performed for timelines of activities, orbital parameters, and attitudes for mission times ranging from a few hours to several months.

Analysis of Complex Valve and Feed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, Vineet; Hosangadi, Ashvin; Shipman, Jeremy; Cavallo, Peter; Dash, Sanford

2007-01-01

A numerical framework for analysis of complex valve systems supports testing of propulsive systems by simulating key valve and control system components in the test loop. In particular, it is designed to enhance the analysis capability in terms of identifying system transients and quantifying the valve response to these transients. This system has analysis capability for simulating valve motion in complex systems operating in diverse flow regimes ranging from compressible gases to cryogenic liquids. A key feature is the hybrid, unstructured framework with sub-models for grid movement and phase change including cryogenic cavitations. The multi-element unstructured framework offers improved predictions of valve performance characteristics under steady conditions for structurally complex valves such as pressure regulator valve. Unsteady simulations of valve motion using this computational approach have been carried out for various valves in operation at Stennis Space Center such as the split-body valve and the 10-in. (approx.25.4-cm) LOX (liquid oxygen) valve and the 4-in. (approx.10 cm) Y-pattern valve (liquid nitrogen). Such simulations make use of variable grid topologies, thereby permitting solution accuracy and resolving important flow physics in the seat region of the moving valve. An advantage to this software includes possible reduction in testing costs incurred due to disruptions relating to unexpected flow transients or functioning of valve/flow control systems. Prediction of the flow anomalies leading to system vibrations, flow resonance, and valve stall can help in valve scheduling and significantly reduce the need for activation tests. This framework has been evaluated for its ability to predict performance metrics like flow coefficient for cavitating venturis and valve coefficient curves, and could be a valuable tool in predicting and understanding anomalous behavior of system components at rocket propulsion testing and design sites.

Modeling and Simulation of the ITER First Wall/Blanket Primary Heat Transfer System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ying, Alice; Popov, Emilian L

2011-01-01

ITER inductive power operation is modeled and simulated using a thermal-hydraulics system code (RELAP5) integrated with a 3-D CFD (SC-Tetra) code. The Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) functions are predicted together with the main parameters operational ranges. The control algorithm strategy and derivation are summarized as well. The First Wall and Blanket modules are the primary components of PHTS, used to remove the major part of the thermal heat from the plasma. The modules represent a set of flow channels in solid metal structure that serve to absorb the radiation heat and nuclear heating from the fusion reactions and tomore » provide shield for the vacuum vessel. The blanket modules are water cooled. The cooling is forced convective with constant blanket inlet temperature and mass flow rate. Three independent water loops supply coolant to the three blanket sectors. The main equipment of each loop consists of a pump, a steam pressurizer and a heat exchanger. A major feature of ITER is the pulsed operation. The plasma does not burn continuously, but on intervals with large periods of no power between them. This specific feature causes design challenges to accommodate the thermal expansion of the coolant during the pulse period and requires active temperature control to maintain a constant blanket inlet temperature.« less

Optimal and Adaptive Control of Flow in a Thermal Convection Loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuen, Po Ki; Bau, Haim

1998-11-01

In theory and experiment, we use nonlinear and linear optimal and adaptive controllers to suppress the naturally occurring chaotic convection in a thermal convection loop. The thermal convection loop is a simple experimental analog of the Lorenz equations, and it provides a convenient platform for testing and comparing the performance of various control strategies in a fluid mechanical setting. The performance of the optimal and adaptive controllers is compared with that of a previously developed simple feedback controller (Singer, J., Wang, Y., & Bau, H., H., 1991, Physical Review Letters, 66,123-1125.)(Wang, Y., Singer, J., & Bau, H., H., 1992, J. Fluid Mechanics, 237, 479-498.), a nonlinear controller with a cubic nonlinearity(Yuen, P., & Bau, H., H., 1996, J. Fluid Mechanics, 317, 91-109.), and a neural net controller(Yuen, P., & Bau, H., H., 1998, Neural Networks, 11, 557 - 569, 1998.). It is demonstrated that an adaptive controller can perform successfully even when the system's model is not known.

Brain-endocrine interactions: a microvascular route in the mediobasal hypothalamus.

PubMed

Ciofi, Philippe; Garret, Maurice; Lapirot, Olivier; Lafon, Pierrette; Loyens, Anne; Prévot, Vincent; Levine, Jon E

2009-12-01

Blood-borne hormones acting in the mediobasal hypothalamus, like those controlling food intake, require relatively direct access to target chemosensory neurons of the arcuate nucleus (ARC). An anatomical substrate for this is a permeable microvasculature with fenestrated endothelial cells in the ARC, a system that has awaited comprehensive documentation. Here, the immunofluorescent detection of endothelial fenestral diaphragms in the rat ARC allowed us to quantitate permeable microvessels throughout its rostrocaudal extent. We have determined that permeable microvessels are part of the subependymal plexus irrigating exclusively the ventromedial (vm) ARC from the subadjacent neuroendocrine median eminence. Unexpectedly, permeable microvessels were concentrated proximal to the pituitary stalk. This marked topography strongly supports the functional importance of retrograde blood flow from the pituitary to the vmARC, therefore making a functional relationship between peripheral long-loop, pituitary short-loop, and neuroendocrine ultra-short loop feedback, altogether converging for integration in the vmARC (formerly known as the hypophysiotrophic area), thereby so pivotal as a multicompetent brain endocrinostat.

Improved process robustness by using closed loop control in deep drawing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthau, M.; Liewald, M.; Christian, Held

2017-09-01

The production of irregular shaped deep-drawing parts with high quality requirements, which are common in today’s automotive production, permanently challenges production processes. High requirements on lightweight construction of passenger car bodies following European regulations until 2020 have been massively increasing the use of high strength steels substantially for years and are also leading to bigger challenges in sheet metal part production. Of course, the more and more complex shapes of today’s car body shells also intensify the issue due to modern and future design criteria. The metal forming technology tries to meet these challenges by developing a highly sophisticated layout of deep drawing dies that consider part quality requirements, process robustness and controlled material flow during the deep or stretch drawing process phase. A new method for controlling material flow using a closed loop system was developed at the IFU Stuttgart. In contrast to previous approaches, this new method allows a control intervention during the deep-drawing stroke. The blank holder force around the outline of the drawn part is used as control variable. The closed loop is designed as trajectory follow up with feed forward control. The used command variable is the part-wall stress that is measured with a piezo-electric measuring pin. In this paper the used control loop will be described in detail. The experimental tool that was built for testing the new control approach is explained here with its features. A method for gaining the follow up trajectories from simulation will also be presented. Furthermore, experimental results considering the robustness of the deep drawing process and the gain in process performance with developed control loop will be shown. Finally, a new procedure for the industrial application of the new control method of deep drawing will be presented by using a new kind of active element to influence the local blank holder pressure onto part flange.

Results from tests of TFL Hydragard sampling loop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steimke, J.L.

When the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is operational, processed radioactive sludge will be transferred in batches to the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME), where glass frit will be added and the contents concentrated by boiling. Batches of the slurry mixture are transferred from the SME to the Melter Feed Tank (MFT). Hydragard{reg_sign} sampling systems are used on the SME and the MFT for collecting slurry samples in vials for chemical analysis. An accurate replica of the Hydragard sampling system was built and tested in the thermal Fluids Laboratory (TFL) to determine the hydragard accuracy. It was determined that the originalmore » Hydragard valve frequently drew a non-representative sample stream through the sample vial that ranged from frit enriched to frit depleted. The Hydragard valve was modified by moving the plunger and its seat backwards so that the outer surface of the plunger was flush with the inside diameter of the transfer line when the valve was open. The slurry flowing through the vial accurately represented the composition of the slurry in the reservoir for two types of slurries, different dilution factors, a range of transfer flows and a range of vial flows. It was then found that the 15 ml of slurry left in the vial when the Hydragard valve was closed, which is what will be analyzed at DWPF, had a lower ratio of frit to sludge as characterized by the lithium to iron ratio than the slurry flowing through it. The reason for these differences is not understood at this time but it is recommended that additional experimentation be performed with the TFL Hydragard loop to determine the cause.« less

A production-theory-based framework for analysing recycling systems in the e-waste sector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt, Mario

2005-07-15

Modern approaches in the production theory of business and management economics propose that objects (e.g. materials) be divided into good, bad or neutral. In transformation processes such as occur in production or recycling this makes it possible to distinguish stringently between the economic revenue of a process and the economic and ecological expenditures for it. This approach can be transferred to entire systems of processes in order to determine the system revenue and the system expenditure. Material flow nets or graphs are used for this purpose. In complex material flow systems it becomes possible to calculate not only the costs,more » but also the direct and indirect environmental impacts of an individual process or a system revenue (for example a product or the elimination of waste) consistently. The approach permits a stringent analysis as well as different analysis perspectives of a material flow system. It is particularly suitable for closed-loop economic systems in which material backflows occur. With the aid of an example developed jointly with Hewlett Packard Europe, the paper outlines how this approach can be employed in the field of e-waste management.« less

Apparatus for and method of monitoring for breached fuel elements

DOEpatents

Gross, K.C.; Strain, R.V.

1981-04-28

This invention teaches improved apparatus for the method of detecting a breach in cladded fuel used in a nuclear reactor. The detector apparatus uses a separate bypass loop for conveying part of the reactor coolant away from the core, and at least three separate delayed-neutron detectors mounted proximate this detector loop. The detectors are spaced apart so that the coolant flow time from the core to each detector is different, and these differences are known. The delayed-neutron activity at the detectors is a function of the delay time after the reaction in the fuel until the coolant carrying the delayed-neutron emitter passes the respective detector. This time delay is broken down into separate components including an isotopic holdup time required for the emitter to move through the fuel from the reaction to the coolant at the breach, and two transit times required for the emitter now in the coolant to flow from the breach to the detector loop and then via the loop to the detector.

Informational Closed-Loop Coding-Decoding Control Concept as the Base of the Living or Organized Systems Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirvelis, Dobilas; Beitas, Kastytis

2008-10-01

The aim of this work is to show that the essence of life and living systems is their organization as bioinformational technology on the base of informational anticipatory control. Principal paradigmatic and structural schemes of functional organization of life (organisms and their systems) are constructed on the basis of systemic analysis and synthesis of main phenomenological features of living world. Life is based on functional elements that implement engineering procedures of closed-loop coding-decoding control (CL-CDC). Phenomenon of natural bioinformational control appeared and developed on the Earth 3-4 bln years ago, when the life originated as a result of chemical and later biological evolution. Informatics paradigm considers the physical and chemical transformations of energy and matter in organized systems as flows that are controlled and the signals as means for purposive informational control programs. The social and technical technological systems as informational control systems are a latter phenomenon engineered by man. The information emerges in organized systems as a necessary component of control technology. Generalized schemes of functional organization on levels of cell, organism and brain neocortex, as the highest biosystem with CL-CDC, are presented. CL-CDC concept expands the understanding of bioinformatics.

The development of a closed-loop flight controller with panel method integration for gust alleviation using biomimetic feathers on aircraft wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blower, Christopher J.; Lee, Woody; Wickenheiser, Adam M.

2012-04-01

This paper presents the development of a biomimetic closed-loop flight controller that integrates gust alleviation and flight control into a single distributed system. Modern flight controllers predominantly rely on and respond to perturbations in the global states, resulting in rotation or displacement of the entire aircraft prior to the response. This bio-inspired gust alleviation system (GAS) employs active deflection of electromechanical feathers that react to changes in the airflow, i.e. the local states. The GAS design is a skeletal wing structure with a network of featherlike panels installed on the wing's surfaces, creating the airfoil profile and replacing the trailing-edge flaps. In this study, a dynamic model of the GAS-integrated wing is simulated to compute gust-induced disturbances. The system implements continuous adjustment to flap orientation to perform corrective responses to inbound gusts. MATLAB simulations, using a closed-loop LQR integrated with a 2D adaptive panel method, allow analysis of the morphing structure's aerodynamic data. Non-linear and linear dynamic models of the GAS are compared to a traditional single control surface baseline wing. The feedback loops synthesized rely on inertial changes in the global states; however, variations in number and location of feather actuation are compared. The bio-inspired system's distributed control effort allows the flight controller to interchange between the single and dual trailing edge flap profiles, thereby offering an improved efficiency to gust response in comparison to the traditional wing configuration. The introduction of aero-braking during continuous gusting flows offers a 25% reduction in x-velocity deviation; other flight parameters can be reduced in magnitude and deviation through control weighting optimization. Consequently, the GAS demonstrates enhancements to maneuverability and stability in turbulent intensive environments.

Performance evaluation of an automotive thermoelectric generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubitsky, Andrei O.

Around 40% of the total fuel energy in typical internal combustion engines (ICEs) is rejected to the environment in the form of exhaust gas waste heat. Efficient recovery of this waste heat in automobiles can promise a fuel economy improvement of 5%. The thermal energy can be harvested through thermoelectric generators (TEGs) utilizing the Seebeck effect. In the present work, a versatile test bench has been designed and built in order to simulate conditions found on test vehicles. This allows experimental performance evaluation and model validation of automotive thermoelectric generators. An electrically heated exhaust gas circuit and a circulator based coolant loop enable integrated system testing of hot and cold side heat exchangers, thermoelectric modules (TEMs), and thermal interface materials at various scales. A transient thermal model of the coolant loop was created in order to design a system which can maintain constant coolant temperature under variable heat input. Additionally, as electrical heaters cannot match the transient response of an ICE, modelling was completed in order to design a relaxed exhaust flow and temperature history utilizing the system thermal lag. This profile reduced required heating power and gas flow rates by over 50%. The test bench was used to evaluate a DOE/GM initial prototype automotive TEG and validate analytical performance models. The maximum electrical power generation was found to be 54 W with a thermal conversion efficiency of 1.8%. It has been found that thermal interface management is critical for achieving maximum system performance, with novel designs being considered for further improvement.

Flow Control in Wells Turbines for Harnessing Maximum Wave Power.

PubMed

Lekube, Jon; Garrido, Aitor J; Garrido, Izaskun; Otaola, Erlantz; Maseda, Javier

2018-02-10

Oceans, and particularly waves, offer a huge potential for energy harnessing all over the world. Nevertheless, the performance of current energy converters does not yet allow us to use the wave energy efficiently. However, new control techniques can improve the efficiency of energy converters. In this sense, the plant sensors play a key role within the control scheme, as necessary tools for parameter measuring and monitoring that are then used as control input variables to the feedback loop. Therefore, the aim of this work is to manage the rotational speed control loop in order to optimize the output power. With the help of outward looking sensors, a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique is employed to maximize the system efficiency. Then, the control decisions are based on the pressure drop measured by pressure sensors located along the turbine. A complete wave-to-wire model is developed so as to validate the performance of the proposed control method. For this purpose, a novel sensor-based flow controller is implemented based on the different measured signals. Thus, the performance of the proposed controller has been analyzed and compared with a case of uncontrolled plant. The simulations demonstrate that the flow control-based MPPT strategy is able to increase the output power, and they confirm both the viability and goodness.

Flow Control in Wells Turbines for Harnessing Maximum Wave Power

PubMed Central

Garrido, Aitor J.; Garrido, Izaskun; Otaola, Erlantz; Maseda, Javier

2018-01-01

Oceans, and particularly waves, offer a huge potential for energy harnessing all over the world. Nevertheless, the performance of current energy converters does not yet allow us to use the wave energy efficiently. However, new control techniques can improve the efficiency of energy converters. In this sense, the plant sensors play a key role within the control scheme, as necessary tools for parameter measuring and monitoring that are then used as control input variables to the feedback loop. Therefore, the aim of this work is to manage the rotational speed control loop in order to optimize the output power. With the help of outward looking sensors, a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique is employed to maximize the system efficiency. Then, the control decisions are based on the pressure drop measured by pressure sensors located along the turbine. A complete wave-to-wire model is developed so as to validate the performance of the proposed control method. For this purpose, a novel sensor-based flow controller is implemented based on the different measured signals. Thus, the performance of the proposed controller has been analyzed and compared with a case of uncontrolled plant. The simulations demonstrate that the flow control-based MPPT strategy is able to increase the output power, and they confirm both the viability and goodness. PMID:29439408

Impact of Groundwater Flow and Energy Load on Multiple Borehole Heat Exchangers.

PubMed

Dehkordi, S Emad; Schincariol, Robert A; Olofsson, Bo

2015-01-01

The effect of array configuration, that is, number, layout, and spacing, on the performance of multiple borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) is generally known under the assumption of fully conductive transport. The effect of groundwater flow on BHE performance is also well established, but most commonly for single BHEs. In multiple-BHE systems the effect of groundwater advection can be more complicated due to the induced thermal interference between the boreholes. To ascertain the influence of groundwater flow and borehole arrangement, this study investigates single- and multi-BHE systems of various configurations. Moreover, the influence of energy load balance is also examined. The results from corresponding cases with and without groundwater flow as well as balanced and unbalanced energy loads are cross-compared. The groundwater flux value, 10(-7) m/s, is chosen based on the findings of previous studies on groundwater flow interaction with BHEs and thermal response tests. It is observed that multi-BHE systems with balanced loads are less sensitive to array configuration attributes and groundwater flow, in the long-term. Conversely, multi-BHE systems with unbalanced loads are influenced by borehole array configuration as well as groundwater flow; these effects become more pronounced with time, unlike when the load is balanced. Groundwater flow has more influence on stabilizing loop temperatures, compared to array characteristics. Although borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) systems have a balanced energy load function, preliminary investigation on their efficiency shows a negative impact by groundwater which is due to their dependency on high temperature gradients between the boreholes and surroundings. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

An open-loop controlled active lung simulator for preterm infants.

PubMed

Cecchini, Stefano; Schena, Emiliano; Silvestri, Sergio

2011-01-01

We describe the underlying theory, design and experimental evaluation of an electromechanical analogue infant lung to simulate spontaneous breathing patterns of preterm infants. The aim of this work is to test the possibility to obtain breathing patterns of preterm infants by taking into consideration the air compressibility. Respiratory volume function represents the actuation pattern, and pulmonary pressure and flow-rate waveforms are mathematically obtained through the application of the perfect gas and adiabatic laws. The mathematical model reduces the simulation interval into a step shorter than 1 ms, allowing to consider an entire respiratory act as composed of a large number of almost instantaneous adiabatic transformations. The device consists of a spherical chamber where the air is compressed by four cylinder-pistons, moved by stepper motors, and flows through a fluid-dynamic resistance, which also works as flow-rate sensor. Specifically designed software generates the actuators motion, based on the desired ventilation parameters, without controlling the gas pneumatic parameters with a closed-loop. The system is able to simulate tidal volumes from 3 to 8 ml, breathing frequencies from 60 to 120 bpm and functional residual capacities from 25 to 80 ml. The simulated waveforms appear very close to the measured ones. Percentage differences on the tidal volume waveform vary from 7% for the tidal volume of 3 ml, down to 2.2-3.5% for tidal volumes in the range of 4-7 ml, and 1.3% for the tidal volume equal to 8 ml in the whole breathing frequency and functional residual capacity ranges. The open-loop electromechanical simulator shows that gas compressibility can be theoretically assessed in the typical pneumatic variable range of preterm infant respiratory mechanics. Copyright © 2010 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal heat-balance mode flow-to-frequency converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowski, Eligiusz

2016-11-01

This paper presents new type of thermal flow converter with the pulse frequency output. The integrating properties of the temperature sensor have been used, which allowed for realization of pulse frequency modulator with thermal feedback loop, stabilizing temperature of sensor placed in the flowing medium. The system assures balancing of heat amount supplied in impulses to the sensor and heat given up by the sensor in a continuous way to the flowing medium. Therefore the frequency of output impulses is proportional to the heat transfer coefficient from sensor to environment. According to the King's law, the frequency of those impulses is a function of medium flow velocity around the sensor. The special feature of presented solution is total integration of thermal sensor with the measurement signal conditioning system. Sensor and conditioning system are not the separate elements of the measurement circuit, but constitute a whole in form of thermal heat-balance mode flow-to-frequency converter. The advantage of such system is easiness of converting the frequency signal to the digital form, without using any additional analogue-to-digital converters. The frequency signal from the converter may be directly connected to the microprocessor input, which with use of standard built-in counters may convert the frequency into numerical value of high precision. Moreover, the frequency signal has higher resistance to interference than the voltage signal and may be transmitted to remote locations without the information loss.

Simulation of a Canard in Fluid Flow Driven by a Piezoelectric Beam with a Software Control Loop

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

The canard is actuated by a piezoelectric beam that bends as voltage is applied. The voltage is controlled by a software subroutine that measures...Dynamic system Modeling Co-simulation Simulation Abaqus Finite element analysis (FEA) Finite element method (FEM) Computational...is unlimited. i CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 Model Description 1 Fluid Model 2 Structural Model 3 Control Subroutine 4 Results 4

Buoyancy Driven Coolant Mixing Studies of Natural Circulation Flows at the ROCOM Test Facility Using ANSYS CFX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hohne, Thomas; Kliem, Soren; Rohde, Ulrich

2006-07-01

Coolant mixing in the cold leg, downcomer and the lower plenum of pressurized water reactors is an important phenomenon mitigating the reactivity insertion into the core. Therefore, mixing of the de-borated slugs with the ambient coolant in the reactor pressure vessel was investigated at the four loop 1:5 scaled ROCOM mixing test facility. Thermal hydraulics analyses showed, that weakly borated condensate can accumulate in particular in the pump loop seal of those loops, which do not receive safety injection. After refilling of the primary circuit, natural circulation in the stagnant loops can re-establish simultaneously and the de-borated slugs are shiftedmore » towards the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). In the ROCOM experiments, the length of the flow ramp and the initial density difference between the slugs and the ambient coolant was varied. From the test matrix experiments with 0 resp. 2% density difference between the de-borated slugs and the ambient coolant were used to validate the CFD software ANSYS CFX. To model the effects of turbulence on the mean flow a higher order Reynolds stress turbulence model was employed and a mesh consisting of 6.4 million hybrid elements was utilized. Only the experiments and CFD calculations with modeled density differences show a stratification in the downcomer. Depending on the degree of density differences the less dense slugs flow around the core barrel at the top of the downcomer. At the opposite side the lower borated coolant is entrained by the colder safety injection water and transported to the core. The validation proves that ANSYS CFX is able to simulate appropriately the flow field and mixing effects of coolant with different densities. (authors)« less

Natural circulation in a liquid metal one-dimensional loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarantino, M.; De Grandis, S.; Benamati, G.; Oriolo, F.

2008-06-01

A wide use of pure lead, as well as its alloys (such as lead-bismuth, lead-lithium), is foreseen in several nuclear-related fields: it is studied as coolant in critical and sub-critical nuclear reactors, as spallation target for neutron generation in several applications and for tritium generation in fusion systems. In this framework, a new facility named NAtural CIrculation Experiment (NACIE), has been designed at ENEA-Brasimone Research Centre. NACIE is a rectangular loop, made by stainless steel pipes. It consists mainly of a cold and hot leg and an expansion tank installed on the top of the loop. A fuel bundle simulator, made by three electrical heaters placed in a triangular lattice, is located in the lower part of the cold leg, while a tube in tube heat exchanger is installed in the upper part of the hot leg. The adopted secondary fluid is THT oil, while the foreseen primary fluid for the tests is lead-bismuth in eutectic composition (LBE). The aim of the facility is to carry out experimental tests of natural circulation and collect data on the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) for heavy liquid metal flowing through rod bundles. The paper is focused on the preliminary estimation of the LBE flow rate along the loop. An analytical methodology has been applied, solving the continuity, momentum and energy transport equations under appropriate hypothesis. Moreover numerical simulations have been performed. The FLUENT 6.2 CFD code has been utilized for the numerical simulations. The main results carried out from the pre-tests simulations are illustrated in the paper, and a comparison with the theoretical estimations is done.

Force Balance and Substorm Effects in the Magnetotail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufmann, Richard L.; Larson, Douglas J.; Kontodinas, Ioannis D.; Ball, Bryan M.

1997-01-01

A model of the quiet time middle magnetotail is developed using a consistent orbit tracing technique. The momentum equation is used to calculate geocentric solar magnetospheric components of the particle and electromagnetic forces throughout the current sheet. Ions generate the dominant x and z force components. Electron and ion forces almost cancel in the y direction because the two species drift earthward at comparable speeds. The force viewpoint is applied to a study of some substorm processes. Generation of the rapid flows seen during substorm injection and bursty bulk flow events implies substantial force imbalances. The formation of a substorm diversion loop is one cause of changes in the magnetic field and therefore in the electromagnetic force. It is found that larger forces are produced when the cross-tail current is diverted to the ionosphere than would be produced if the entire tail current system simply decreased. Plasma is accelerated while the forces are unbalanced resulting in field lines within a diversion loop becoming more dipolar. Field lines become more stretched and the plasma sheet becomes thinner outside a diversion loop. Mechanisms that require thin current sheets to produce current disruption then can create additional diversion loops in the newly thinned regions. This process may be important during multiple expansion substorms and in differentiating pseudoexpansions from full substorms. It is found that the tail field model used here can be generated by a variety of particle distribution functions. However, for a given energy distribution the mixture of particle mirror or reflection points is constrained by the consistency requirement. The study of uniqueness also leads to the development of a technique to select guiding center electrons that will produce charge neutrality all along a flux tube containing nonguiding center ions without the imposition of a parallel electric field.

Influence of spatiotemporally distributed irradiance data input on temperature evolution in parabolic trough solar field simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bubolz, K.; Schenk, H.; Hirsch, T.

2016-05-01

Concentrating solar field operation is affected by shadowing through cloud movement. For line focusing systems the impact of varying irradiance has been studied before by several authors with simulations of relevant thermodynamics assuming spatially homogeneous irradiance or using artificial test signals. While today's simulation capabilities allow more and more a higher spatiotemporal resolution of plant processes there are only few studies on influence of spatially distributed irradiance due to lack of available data. Based on recent work on generating real irradiance maps with high spatial resolution this paper demonstrates their influence on solar field thermodynamics. For a case study an irradiance time series is chosen. One solar field section with several loops and collecting header is modeled for simulation purpose of parabolic trough collectors and oil as heat transfer medium. Assuming homogeneous mass flow distribution among all loops we observe spatially varying temperature characteristics. They are analysed without and with mass flow control and their impact on solar field control design is discussed. Finally, the potential of distributed irradiance data is outlined.

Impedance matched, high-power, rf antenna for ion cyclotron resonance heating of a plasma

DOEpatents

Baity, Jr., Frederick W.; Hoffman, Daniel J.; Owens, Thomas L.

1988-01-01

A resonant double loop radio frequency (rf) antenna for radiating high-power rf energy into a magnetically confined plasma. An inductive element in the form of a large current strap, forming the radiating element, is connected between two variable capacitors to form a resonant circuit. A real input impedance results from tapping into the resonant circuit along the inductive element, generally near the midpoint thereof. The impedance can be matched to the source impedance by adjusting the separate capacitors for a given tap arrangement or by keeping the two capacitances fixed and adjustng the tap position. This results in a substantial reduction in the voltage and current in the transmission system to the antenna compared to unmatched antennas. Because the complete circuit loop consisting of the two capacitors and the inductive element is resonant, current flows in the same direction along the entire length of the radiating element and is approximately equal in each branch of the circuit. Unidirectional current flow permits excitation of low order poloidal modes which penetrate more deeply into the plasma.

Assessment of Closed-Loop Control Using Multi-Mode Sensor Fusion For a High Reynolds Number Transonic Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, Kerwin; Elhadidi, Basman; Glauser, Mark

2009-11-01

Understanding the different noise production mechanisms caused by the free shear flows in a turbulent jet flow provides insight to improve ``intelligent'' feedback mechanisms to control the noise. Towards this effort, a control scheme is based on feedback of azimuthal pressure measurements in the near field of the jet at two streamwise locations. Previous studies suggested that noise reduction can be achieved by azimuthal actuators perturbing the shear layer at the jet lip. The closed-loop actuation will be based on a low-dimensional Fourier representation of the hydrodynamic pressure measurements. Preliminary results show that control authority and reduction in the overall sound pressure level was possible. These results provide motivation to move forward with the overall vision of developing innovative multi-mode sensing methods to improve state estimation and derive dynamical systems. It is envisioned that estimating velocity-field and dynamic pressure information from various locations both local and in the far-field regions, sensor fusion techniques can be utilized to ascertain greater overall control authority.

Active Control of Thermal Convection in a Rectangular Loop by Changing its Spatial Orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bratsun, Dmitry A.; Krasnyakov, Ivan V.; Zyuzgin, Alexey V.

2018-02-01

The problem of the automatic control of the fluid flow in a rectangular convective loop heated from below is studied theoretically and experimentally. The control is performed by using a feedback subsystem which changes the convection regimes by introducing small discrete changes in the spatial orientation of the loop with respect to gravity. We focus on effects that arise when the feedback controller operates with an unavoidable time delay, which is cause by the thermal inertia of the medium. The mathematical model of the phenomenon is developed. The dynamic regimes of the convection in the thermosyphon loop under control are studied. It is shown that the proposed control method can successfully stabilize not only a no-motion state of the fluid, but also time-dependent modes of convection including the irregular fluid flow at high values of the Rayleigh number. It is shown that the excessive gain of the proportional feedback can result in oscillations in the loop orientation exciting the unsteady convection modes. The comparison of the experimental data obtained for dielectric oil and dodecane with theory is given, and their good agreement is demonstrated.

Active Control of Thermal Convection in a Rectangular Loop by Changing its Spatial Orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bratsun, Dmitry A.; Krasnyakov, Ivan V.; Zyuzgin, Alexey V.

2017-12-01

The problem of the automatic control of the fluid flow in a rectangular convective loop heated from below is studied theoretically and experimentally. The control is performed by using a feedback subsystem which changes the convection regimes by introducing small discrete changes in the spatial orientation of the loop with respect to gravity. We focus on effects that arise when the feedback controller operates with an unavoidable time delay, which is cause by the thermal inertia of the medium. The mathematical model of the phenomenon is developed. The dynamic regimes of the convection in the thermosyphon loop under control are studied. It is shown that the proposed control method can successfully stabilize not only a no-motion state of the fluid, but also time-dependent modes of convection including the irregular fluid flow at high values of the Rayleigh number. It is shown that the excessive gain of the proportional feedback can result in oscillations in the loop orientation exciting the unsteady convection modes. The comparison of the experimental data obtained for dielectric oil and dodecane with theory is given, and their good agreement is demonstrated.

High Torque-to-Inertia Servo System for Stabilizing Sensor Systems. Candidate Systems Include Missile Guidance, Surveillance, and Tracking

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

specifications ... 3-10 25. Typical isolation curve ... 3-12 26. Servo amp/motor/load frequency response (inner gimbal) ... 4-3 27. Slave loop ( open loop...slave loop ( open loop) frequency response (inner gimbal) . . . 4-4 30. Slave loop (closed loop) frequency response (inner gimbal) ... 4-5 3 . Slave...loop inner gimbal time response ... 4-5 32. Servo amp/motor/load frequency response (outer gimbal) ... 4-6 33. Slave loop ( open loop) uncompensated

NETL - Chemical Looping Reactor

ScienceCinema

None

2018-02-14

NETL's Chemical Looping Reactor unit is a high-temperature integrated CLC process with extensive instrumentation to improve computational simulations. A non-reacting test unit is also used to study solids flow at ambient temperature. The CLR unit circulates approximately 1,000 pounds per hour at temperatures around 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Liquid-Vapor Flow Regime Transitions for Spacecraft Heat Transfer Loops

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

effects of fluid properties on flow regime transitions. 5 A carnauba wax with no additives was used because it resists dissolution by oil. 19 4.2...importance of an annular flow entrance geometry and of waxing the tube wall to change its wetting properties (to prevent inverse annular flow) were

Influence of anatomical dominance and hypertension on coronary conduit arterial and microcirculatory flow patterns: a multiscale modeling study.

PubMed

Mynard, Jonathan P; Smolich, Joseph J

2016-07-01

Coronary hemodynamics are known to be affected by intravascular and extravascular factors that vary regionally and transmurally between the perfusion territories of left and right coronary arteries. However, despite clinical evidence that left coronary arterial dominance portends greater cardiovascular risk, relatively little is known about the effects of left or right dominance on regional conduit arterial and microcirculatory blood flow patterns, particularly in the presence of systemic or pulmonary hypertension. We addressed this issue using a multiscale numerical model of the human coronary circulation situated in a closed-loop cardiovascular model. The coronary model represented left or right dominant anatomies and accounted for transmural and regional differences in vascular properties and extravascular compression. Regional coronary flow dynamics of the two anatomical variants were compared under normotensive conditions, raised systemic or pulmonary pressures with maintained flow demand, and after accounting for adaptations known to occur in acute and chronic hypertensive states. Key findings were that 1) right coronary arterial flow patterns were strongly influenced by dominance and systemic/pulmonary hypertension; 2) dominance had minor effects on left coronary arterial and all microvascular flow patterns (aside from mean circumflex flow); 3) although systemic hypertension favorably increased perfusion pressure, this benefit varied regionally and transmurally and was offset by increased left ventricular and septal flow demands; and 4) pulmonary hypertension had a substantial negative effect on right ventricular and septal flows, which was exacerbated by greater metabolic demands. These findings highlight the importance of interactions between coronary arterial dominance and hypertension in modulating coronary hemodynamics. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Sensor Systems Collect Critical Aerodynamics Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

With the support of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Dryden Flight Research Center, Tao of Systems Integration Inc. developed sensors and other components that will ultimately form a first-of-its-kind, closed-loop system for detecting, measuring, and controlling aerodynamic forces and moments in flight. The Hampton, Virginia-based company commercialized three of the four planned components, which provide sensing solutions for customers such as Boeing, General Electric, and BMW and are used for applications such as improving wind turbine operation and optimizing air flow from air conditioning systems. The completed system may one day enable flexible-wing aircraft with flight capabilities like those of birds.

Thermal boundary layer due to sudden heating of fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurkal, K.R.; Munukutla, S.

This paper proposes to solve computationally the heat-transfer problems (introduced by Munukutla and Venkataraman, 1988) related to a closed-cycle pulsed high-power laser flow loop. The continuity and the momentum equations as well as the unsteady energy equation are solved using the Keller-Box method. The solutions were compared with the steady-state solutions at large times, and the comparison was found to be excellent. Empirical formulas are proposed for calculating the time-dependent boundary-layer thickness and mass-heat transfer, that can be used by laser flow loop designers. 6 refs.

Thermal boundary layer due to sudden heating of fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurkal, K. R.; Munukutla, S.

1989-10-01

This paper proposes to solve computationally the heat-transfer problems (introduced by Munukutla and Venkataraman, 1988) related to a closed-cycle pulsed high-power laser flow loop. The continuity and the momentum equations as well as the unsteady energy equation are solved using the Keller-Box method. The solutions were compared with the steady-state solutions at large times, and the comparison was found to be excellent. Empirical formulas are proposed for calculating the time-dependent boundary-layer thickness and mass-heat transfer, that can be used by laser flow loop designers.

Experimental study on heat transfer to supercritical water flowing through tubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, M.; Gu, H.; Cheng, X.

2012-07-01

A test facility named SWAMUP (Supercritical Water Multi-Purpose Loop) has been constructed in Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. to investigate heat transfer and pressure drop through tubes and rod bundles. SWAMUP is a closed loop with operating pressure up to 30 MPa, outlet-water temperature up to 550 deg. C, and mass flow rate up to 5 t/h. In this paper, experimental study has been carried out on heat transfer of supercritical water flowing vertically through tubes (ID=7.6 and 10 mm). A large number of test points in tubes has been obtained with a wide range of heat flux (200-1500 kw/m{sup 2})more » and mass flux (450-2000 kg/m{sup 2}s). Test results showed that heat transfer deterioration (HTD) caused by buoyancy effect only appears in upward flow and HTD caused by acceleration effect appears both in upward flow and downward flow. The heat transfer coefficients (HTC) produced in tube tests were compared with existing heat transfer correlations. (authors)« less

Reflux cooling experiments on the NCSU scaled PWR facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doster, J.M.; Giavedoni, E.

1993-01-01

Under loss of forced circulation, coupled with the loss or reduction in primary side coolant inventory, horizontal stratified flows can develop in the hot and cold legs of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Vapor produced in the reactor vessel is transported through the hot leg to the steam generator tubes where it condenses and flows back to the reactor vessel. Within the steam generator tubes, the flow regimes may range from countercurrent annular flow to single-phase convection. As a result, a number of heat transfer mechanisms are possible, depending on the loop configuration, total heat transfer rate, and the steam flowmore » rate within the tubes. These include (but are not limited to) two-phase natural circulation, where the condensate flows concurrent to the vapor stream and is transported to the cold leg so that the entire reactor coolant loop is active, and reflux cooling, where the condensate flows back down the interior of the coolant tubes countercurrent to the vapor stream and is returned to the reactor vessel through the hot leg. While operating in the reflux cooling mode, the cold leg can effectively be inactive. Heat transfer can be further influenced by noncondensables in the vapor stream, which accumulate within the upper regions of the steam generator tube bundle. In addition to reducing the steam generator's effective heat transfer area, under these conditions operation under natural circulation may not be possible, and reflux cooling may be the only viable heat transfer mechanism. The scaled PWR (SPWR) facility in the nuclear engineering department at North Carolina State Univ. (NCSU) is being used to study the effectiveness of two-phase natural circulation and reflux cooling under conditions associated with loss of forced circulation, midloop coolant levels, and noncondensables in the primary coolant system.« less

Fuel cell stack arrangements

DOEpatents

Kothmann, Richard E.; Somers, Edward V.

1982-01-01

Arrangements of stacks of fuel cells and ducts, for fuel cells operating with separate fuel, oxidant and coolant streams. An even number of stacks are arranged generally end-to-end in a loop. Ducts located at the juncture of consecutive stacks of the loop feed oxidant or fuel to or from the two consecutive stacks, each individual duct communicating with two stacks. A coolant fluid flows from outside the loop, into and through cooling channels of the stack, and is discharged into an enclosure duct formed within the loop by the stacks and seals at the junctures at the stacks.

Space Suit Environment Testing of the Orion Atmosphere Revitalization Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Button, Amy B.; Sweterlitsch, Jeffrey J.; Cox, Marlon R.

2010-01-01

An amine-based carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor sorbent in pressure-swing regenerable beds has been developed by Hamilton Sundstrand and baselined for the Orion Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS). In three previous years at this conference, reports were presented on extensive Johnson Space Center (JSC) testing of this technology. That testing was performed in a sea-level pressure environment with both simulated and real human metabolic loads, and in both open and closed-loop configurations. The Orion ARS is designed to also support space-suited operations in a depressurized cabin, so the next step in developmental testing at JSC was to test the ARS technology in a typical closed space suit-loop environment with low-pressure oxygen inside the process loop and vacuum outside the loop. This was the first instance of low-pressure, high-oxygen, closed-loop testing of the Orion ARS technology, and it was conducted with simulated human metabolic loads in March 2009. The test investigated pressure drops and flow balancing through two different styles of prototype suit umbilical connectors. General swing-bed performance was tested with both umbilical configurations, as well as with a short jumper line installed in place of the umbilicals. Other interesting results include observations on the thermal effects of swing-bed operation in a vacuum environment and a recommendation of cycle time to maintain acceptable suit atmospheric CO2 and moisture levels.

Application of low-dimensional techniques for closed-loop control of turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ausseur, Julie

The groundwork for an advanced closed-loop control of separated shear layer flows is laid out in this document. The experimental testbed for the present investigation is the turbulent flow over a NACA-4412 model airfoil tested in the Syracuse University subsonic wind tunnel at Re=135,000. The specified control objective is to delay separation - or stall - by constantly keeping the flow attached to the surface of the wing. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is shown to he a valuable tool to provide a low-dimensional estimate of the flow state and the first POD expansion coefficient is proposed to he used as the control variable. Other reduced-order techniques such as the modified linear and quadratic stochastic measurement methods (mLSM, mQSM) are applied to reduce the complexity of the flow field and their ability to accurately estimate the flow state from surface pressure measurements alone is examined. A simple proportional feedback control is successfully implemented in real-time using these tools and flow separation is efficiently delayed by over 3 degrees angle of attack. To further improve the quality of the flow state estimate, the implementation of a Kalman filter is foreseen, in which the knowledge of the flow dynamics is added to the computation of the control variable to correct for the potential measurement errors. To this aim, a reduced-order model (ROM) of the flow is developed using the least-squares method to obtain the coefficients of the POD/Galerkin projection of the Navier-Stokes equations from experimental data. To build the training ensemble needed in this experimental procedure, the spectral mLSM is performed to generate time-resolved series of POD expansion coefficients from which temporal derivatives are computed. This technique, which is applied to independent PIV velocity snapshots and time-resolved surface measurements, is able to retrieve the rational temporal evolution of the flow physics in the entire 2-D measurement area. The quality of the spectral measurements is confirmed by the results from both the linear and quadratic dynamical systems. The preliminary results from the linear ROM strengthens the motivation for future control implementation of a linear Kalman filter in this flow.

Novel application of polyelectrolyte multilayers as nanoscopic closures with hermetic sealing.

PubMed

Marcott, Stephanie A; Ada, Sena; Gibson, Phillip; Camesano, Terri A; Nagarajan, R

2012-03-01

Closure systems for personnel protection applications, such as protective clothing or respirator face seals, should provide effective permeation barrier to toxic gases. Currently available mechanical closure systems based on the hook and loop types (example, Velcro) do not provide adequate barrier to gas permeation. To achieve hermetic sealing, we propose a nonmechanical, nanoscopic molecular closure system based on complementary polyelectrolyte multilayers, one with a polycation outermost layer and the other with a polyanion outermost layer. The closure surfaces were prepared by depositing polyelectrolyte multilayers under a variety of deposition conditions, on conformable polymer substrates (thin films of polyethylene teraphthalate, PET or polyimide, PI). The hermetic sealing property of the closures was evaluated by measuring the air flow resistance using the dynamic moisture permeation cell (DMPC) at different humidity conditions. The DMPC measurements show that the polyelectrolyte multilayer closures provide significantly large resistance to air flow, approximately 20-800 times larger than that possible with conventional hook and loop type closure systems, at all humidity levels (from 5 to 95% relative humidity). Hence, from the point of view of providing a hermetic seal against toxic gas permeation, the polyelectrolyte multilayer closures are viable candidates for further engineering development. However, the adhesive strength of the multilayer closures measured by atomic force microscopy suggests that the magnitude of adhesion is much smaller than what is possible with mechanical closures. Therefore, we envisage the development of a composite closure system combining the mechanical closure to provide strong adhesion and the multilayer closure to provide hermetic sealing. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Analysis of a combined refrigerator-generator space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klann, J. L.

1973-01-01

Description of a single-shaft and a two-shaft rotating machinery arrangements using neon for application in a combined refrigerator-generator power system for space missions. The arrangements consist of combined assemblies of a power turbine, alternator, compressor, and cry-turbine with a single-stage radial-flow design. A computer program was prepared to study the thermodynamics of the dual system in the evaluation of its cryocooling/electric capacity and appropriate weight. A preliminary analysis showed that a two-shaft arrangement of the power- and refrigeration-loop rotating machinery provided better output capacities than a single-shaft arrangement, without prohibitive operating compromises.

Radon as a tracer to characterize the interactions between groundwater and surface water around the ground source heat pump system in riverside area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jaeyeon; Lee, Seong-Sun; Lee, Kang-Kun

2016-04-01

The interaction characteristics between groundwater and surface water was examined by using Radon-222 at Han River Environmental Research Center (HRERC) in Korea where a geothermal resource using indirect open loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) has been developed. For designing a high efficiency performance of the open loop system in shallow aquifer, the riverside area was selected for great advantage of full capacity of well. From this reason groundwater properties of the study site can be easily influenced by influx of surrounding Han River. Therefore, 12 groundwater wells were used for monitoring radon concentration and groundwater level with fluctuation of river stage from May, 2014 to Apr., 2015. The short term monitoring data showed that the radon concentration was changed in accordance with flow meter data which was reflected well by the river stage fluctuation. The spatial distribution of radon concentration from long term monitoring data was also found to be affected by water level fluctuation by nearby dam activity and seasonal effect such as heavy rainfall and groundwater pumping. The estimated residence time indicates that river flows to the study site change its direction according to the combined effect of river stage and groundwater hydrology. In the linear regression of the values, flow velocities were yielded around 0.04 to 0.25 m/day which were similar to flow meter data. These results reveal that Radon-222 can be used as an appropriate environmental tracer in examining the characteristics of interaction in consideration of fluctuating river flow on operation of GSHP in the riverside area. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work was supported by the research project of "Advanced Technology for Groundwater Development and Application in Riversides (Geowater+) in "Water Resources Management Program (code 11 Technology Innovation C05)" of the MOLIT and the KAIA in Korea.

Performance Characterization of the Production Facility Prototype Helium Flow System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woloshun, Keith Albert; Dale, Gregory E.; Dalmas, Dale Allen

2015-12-16

The roots blower in use at ANL for in-beam experiments and also at LANL for flow tests was sized for 12 mm diameter disks and significantly less beam heating. Currently, the disks are 29 mm in diameter, with a 12 mm FWHM Gaussian beam spot at 42 MeV and 2.86 μA on each side of the target, 5.72 μA total. The target design itself is reported elsewhere. With the increased beam heating, the helium flow requirement increased so that a larger blower was need for a mass flow rate of 400 g/s at 2.76 MPa (400 psig). An Aerzen GMmore » 12.4 blower was selected, and is currently being installed at the LANL facility for target and component flow testing. This report describes this blower/motor/pressure vessel package and the status of the facility preparations. Blower performance (mass flow rate as a function of loop pressure drop) was measured at 4 blower speeds. Results are reported below.« less

Modular life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management.

PubMed

Haupt, M; Kägi, T; Hellweg, S

2018-05-31

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is commonly applied to examine the environmental performance of waste management systems. The system boundaries are, however, often limited to either one tonne of material or to specific waste treatments and are, therefore, lacking a systems perspective. Here, a framework is proposed to assess complete waste management systems based on actual waste flows, assessed with a detailed material flow analysis (MFA) in a modular MFA/LCA approach. The transformation of the MFA into a product-process-matrix facilitates a direct link between MFA and LCA, therefore allowing for the assessment of variations in flows. To allow for an up-to-date and geographically specific assessment, 190 LCA modules were set up based on primary industrial data and the ecoinvent database. The LCA modules show where there have been improvements in different recycling processes over the past years (e.g. for paper recycling) and highlight that, from an environmental perspective, closed-loop recycling is not always preferable to open-loop recycling. In a case study, the Swiss municipal solid waste management system, of which there is already a detailed MFA, was modeled using the new LCA modules and applying the modular MFA/LCA approach. Five different mass flow distribution scenarios for the Swiss municipal solid waste management system were assessed to show the environmental impact of political measures and to test the sensitivity of the results to key parameters. The results of the case study highlight the importance of the dominant fractions in the overall environmental impacts assessment; while the metal fraction has the highest impact on a per kilogram basis, paper, cardboard, glass and mixed municipal solid waste were found to dominate the environmental impacts of the Swiss waste management system due to their mass. The scenarios also highlight the importance of the energy efficiency of municipal solid waste incineration plants and the credits from material substitution as key variables. In countries with advanced waste management systems such as Switzerland, there is limited improvement potential with further increases in recycling rates. In these cases, the focus of political measures should be laid on (i) the utilization of secondary materials in applications where they replace high-impact primary production, and (ii) an increased recovery of energy in waste-to-energy plants. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Preliminary design of a supercritical CO2 wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Re, B.; Rurale, A.; Spinelli, A.; Guardone, A.

2017-03-01

The preliminary design of a test-rig for non-ideal compressible-fluid flows of carbon dioxide is presented. The test-rig is conceived to investigate supersonic flows that are relevant to the study of non-ideal compressible-fluid flows in the close proximity of the critical point and of the liquid-vapor saturation curve, to the investigation of drop nucleation in compressors operating with supercritical carbon dioxide and and to the study of flow conditions similar to those encountered in turbines for Organic Rankine Cycle applications. Three different configurations are presented and examined: a batch-operating test-rig, a closed-loop Brayton cycle and a closed-loop Rankine cycle. The latter is preferred for its versatility and for economic reasons. A preliminary design of the main components is reported, including the heat exchangers, the chiller, the pumps and the test section.

Investigation of natural circulation instability and transients in passively safe novel modular reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Shanbin

The Purdue Novel Modular Reactor (NMR) is a new type small modular reactor (SMR) that belongs to the design of boiling water reactor (BWR). Specifically, the NMR is one third the height and area of a conventional BWR reactor pressure vessel (RPV) with an electric output of 50 MWe. The fuel cycle length of the NMR-50 is extended up to 10 years due to optimized neutronics design. The NMR-50 is designed with double passive engineering safety system. However, natural circulation BWRs (NCBWR) could experience certain operational difficulties due to flow instabilities that occur at low pressure and low power conditions. Static instabilities (i.e. flow excursion (Ledinegg) instability and flow pattern transition instability) and dynamic instabilities (i.e. density wave instability and flashing/condensation instability) pose a significant challenge in two-phase natural circulation systems. In order to experimentally study the natural circulation flow instability, a proper scaling methodology is needed to build a reduced-size test facility. The scaling analysis of the NMR uses a three-level scaling method, which was developed and applied for the design of the Purdue Multi-dimensional Integral Test Assembly (PUMA). Scaling criteria is derived from dimensionless field equations and constitutive equations. The scaling process is validated by the RELAP5 analysis for both steady state and startup transients. A new well-scaled natural circulation test facility is designed and constructed based on the scaling analysis of the NMR-50. The experimental facility is installed with different equipment to measure various thermal-hydraulic parameters such as pressure, temperature, mass flow rate and void fraction. Characterization tests are performed before the startup transient tests and quasi-steady tests to determine the loop flow resistance. The controlling system and data acquisition system are programmed with LabVIEW to realize the real-time control and data storage. The thermal-hydraulic and nuclear coupled startup transients are performed to investigate the flow instabilities at low pressure and low power conditions. Two different power ramps are chosen to study the effect of power density on the flow instability. The experimental startup transient tests show the existence of three different flow instability mechanisms during the low pressure startup transients, i.e., flashing instability, condensation induced instability, and density wave oscillations. Flashing instability in the chimney section of the test loop and density wave oscillation are the main flow instabilities observed when the system pressure is below 0.5 MPa. They show completely different type of oscillations, i.e., intermittent oscillation and sinusoidal oscillation, in void fraction profile during the startup transients. In order to perform nuclear-coupled startup transients with void reactivity feedback, the Point Kinetics model is utilized to calculate the transient power during the startup transients. In addition, the differences between the electric resistance heaters and typical fuel element are taken into account. The reactor power calculated shows some oscillations due to flashing instability during the transients. However, the void reactivity feedback does not have significant influence on the flow instability during the startup procedure for the NMR-50. Further investigation of very small power ramp on the startup transients is carried out for the thermal-hydraulic startup transients. It is found that very small power density can eliminate the flashing oscillation in the single phase natural circulation and stabilize the flow oscillations in the phase of net vapor generation. Furthermore, initially pressurized startup procedure is investigated to eliminate the main flow instabilities. The results show that the pressurized startup procedure can suppress the flashing instability at low pressure and low power conditions. In order to have a deep understanding of natural circulation flow instability, the quasi-steady tests are performed using the test facility installed with preheater and subcooler. The effects of system pressure, core inlet subcooling, core power density, inlet flow resistance coefficient, and void reactivity feedback are investigated in the quasi-steady state tests. The stability boundaries are determined between unstable and stable flow conditions in the dimensionless stability plane of inlet subcooling number and Zuber number. In order to predict the stability boundary theoretically, linear stability analysis in the frequency domain is performed at four sections of the loop. The flashing in the chimney is considered as an axially uniform heat source. The dimensionless characteristic equation of the pressure drop perturbation is obtained by considering the void fraction effect and outlet flow resistance in the chimney section. The flashing boundary shows some discrepancies with previous experimental data from the quasi-steady state tests. In the future, thermal non-equilibrium is recommended to improve the accuracy of flashing instability boundary.

Sheet Membrane Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bue, Grant; Trevino, Luis; Zapata, Felipe; Dillion, Paul; Castillo, Juan; Vonau, Walter; Wilkes, Robert; Vogel, Matthew; Frodge, Curtis

2013-01-01

A document describes a sheet membrane spacesuit water membrane evaporator (SWME), which allows for the use of one common water tank that can supply cooling water to the astronaut and to the evaporator. Test data showed that heat rejection performance dropped only 6 percent after being subjected to highly contaminated water. It also exhibited robustness with respect to freezing and Martian atmospheric simulation testing. Water was allowed to freeze in the water channels during testing that simulated a water loop failure and vapor backpressure valve failure. Upon closing the backpressure valve and energizing the pump, the ice eventually thawed and water began to flow with no apparent damage to the sheet membrane. The membrane evaporator also serves to de-gas the water loop from entrained gases, thereby eliminating the need for special degassing equipment such as is needed by the current spacesuit system. As water flows through the three annular water channels, water evaporates with the vapor flowing across the hydrophobic, porous sheet membrane to the vacuum side of the membrane. The rate at which water evaporates, and therefore, the rate at which the flowing water is cooled, is a function of the difference between the water saturation pressure on the water side of the membrane, and the pressure on the vacuum side of the membrane. The primary theory is that the hydrophobic sheet membrane retains water, but permits vapor pass-through when the vapor side pressure is less than the water saturation pressure. This results in evaporative cooling of the remaining water.

Three-dimensional prominence-hosting magnetic configurations: Creating a helical magnetic flux rope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xia, C.; Keppens, R.; Guo, Y.

2014-01-10

The magnetic configuration hosting prominences and their surrounding coronal structure is a key research topic in solar physics. Recent theoretical and observational studies strongly suggest that a helical magnetic flux rope is an essential ingredient to fulfill most of the theoretical and observational requirements for hosting prominences. To understand flux rope formation details and obtain magnetic configurations suitable for future prominence formation studies, we here report on three-dimensional isothermal magnetohydrodynamic simulations including finite gas pressure and gravity. Starting from a magnetohydrostatic corona with a linear force-free bipolar magnetic field, we follow its evolution when introducing vortex flows around the mainmore » polarities and converging flows toward the polarity inversion line near the bottom of the corona. The converging flows bring the feet of different loops together at the polarity inversion line, where magnetic reconnection and flux cancellation happen. Inflow and outflow signatures of the magnetic reconnection process are identified, and thereby the newly formed helical loops wind around preexisting ones so that a complete flux rope grows and ascends. When a macroscopic flux rope is formed, we switch off the driving flows and find that the system relaxes to a stable state containing a helical magnetic flux rope embedded in an overlying arcade structure. A major part of the formed flux rope is threaded by dipped field lines that can stably support prominence matter, while the total mass of the flux rope is in the order of 4-5× 10{sup 14} g.« less

Stability and performance tradeoffs in bi-lateral telemanipulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannaford, Blake

1989-01-01

Kinesthetic force feedback provides measurable increase in remote manipulation system performance. Intensive computation time requirements or operation under conditions of time delay can cause serious stability problems in control-system design. Here, a simplified linear analysis of this stability problem is presented for the forward-flow generalized architecture, applying the hybrid two-port representation to express the loop gain of the traditional master-slave architecture, which can be subjected to similar analysis. The hybrid two-port representation is also used to express the effects on the fidelity of manipulation or feel of one design approach used to stabilize the forward-flow architecture. The results suggest that, when local force feedback at the slave side is used to reduce manipulator stability problems, a price is paid in terms of telemanipulation fidelity.

Design and testing of a high power spacecraft thermal management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccabe, Michael E., Jr.; Ku, Jentung; Benner, Steve

1988-01-01

The design and test results are presented of an ammonia hybrid capillary pumped loop thermal control system which could be used for heat acquisition and transport on future large space platforms and attached payloads, such as those associated with the NASA Space Station. The High Power Spacecraft Thermal Management System (HPSTM) can operate as either a passive, capillary pumped two phase thermal control system, or, when additional pressure head is required, as a mechanically pumped loop. Testing has shown that in the capillary mode, the HPSTM evaporators can acquire a total heat load of between 600 W and 24 kW, transported over 10 meters, at a maximum heat flux density of 4.3 W/sq cm. With the mechanical pump circulating the ammonia, a heat acquisition potential of 52 kW was demonstrated for 15 minutes without an evaporator failure. These results represent a significant improvement over the maximum transport capability previously displayed in other capillary systems. The HPSTM system still retains the proven capillary capabilities of heat load sharing and flow control between evaporator plates, rapid power cycling, and nonuniform heating in both the capillary and hybrid operating modes.

Non-linear control of a hydraulic piezo-valve using a generalised Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanski, Frederik; Minorowicz, Bartosz; Persson, Johan; Plummer, Andrew; Bowen, Chris

2017-01-01

The potential to actuate proportional flow control valves using piezoelectric ceramics or other smart materials has been investigated for a number of years. Although performance advantages compared to electromagnetic actuation have been demonstrated, a major obstacle has proven to be ferroelectric hysteresis, which is typically 20% for a piezoelectric actuator. In this paper, a detailed study of valve control methods incorporating hysteresis compensation is made for the first time. Experimental results are obtained from a novel spool valve actuated by a multi-layer piezoelectric ring bender. A generalised Prandtl-Ishlinskii model, fitted to experimental training data from the prototype valve, is used to model hysteresis empirically. This form of model is analytically invertible and is used to compensate for hysteresis in the prototype valve both open loop, and in several configurations of closed loop real time control system. The closed loop control configurations use PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) control with either the inverse hysteresis model in the forward path or in a command feedforward path. Performance is compared to both open and closed loop control without hysteresis compensation via step and frequency response results. Results show a significant improvement in accuracy and dynamic performance using hysteresis compensation in open loop, but where valve position feedback is available for closed loop control the improvements are smaller, and so conventional PID control may well be sufficient. It is concluded that the ability to combine state-of-the-art multi-layer piezoelectric bending actuators with either sophisticated hysteresis compensation or closed loop control provides a route for the creation of a new generation of high performance piezoelectric valves.

One-loop perturbative coupling of A and A⊙ through the chiral overlap operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makino, Hiroki; Morikawa, Okuto; Suzuki, Hiroshi

2017-06-01

We study the one-loop effective action defined by the chiral overlap operator in the four-dimensional lattice formulation of chiral gauge theories by Grabowska and Kaplan. In the tree-level continuum limit, the left-handed component of the fermion is coupled only to the original gauge field A, while the right-handed one is coupled only to A_\\star, which is given by the gradient flow of A with infinite flow time. In this paper, we show that the continuum limit of the one-loop effective action contains local interaction terms between A and A_\\star, which do not generally vanish even if the gauge representation of the fermion is anomaly free. We argue that the presence of such interaction terms can be regarded as undesired gauge symmetry-breaking effects in the formulation.

Conditions for Stabilizability of Linear Switched Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minh, Vu Trieu

2011-06-01

This paper investigates some conditions that can provide stabilizability for linear switched systems with polytopic uncertainties via their closed loop linear quadratic state feedback regulator. The closed loop switched systems can stabilize unstable open loop systems or stable open loop systems but in which there is no solution for a common Lyapunov matrix. For continuous time switched linear systems, we show that if there exists solution in an associated Riccati equation for the closed loop systems sharing one common Lyapunov matrix, the switched linear systems are stable. For the discrete time switched systems, we derive a Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) to calculate a common Lyapunov matrix and solution for the stable closed loop feedback systems. These closed loop linear quadratic state feedback regulators guarantee the global asymptotical stability for any switched linear systems with any switching signal sequence.

Biofluid mechanics of special organs and the issue of system control. Sixth International Bio-Fluid Mechanics Symposium and Workshop, March 28-30, 2008 Pasadena, California.

PubMed

Zamir, Mair; Moore, James E; Fujioka, Hideki; Gaver, Donald P

2010-03-01

In the field of fluid flow within the human body, focus has been placed on the transportation of blood in the systemic circulation since the discovery of that system; but, other fluids and fluid flow phenomena pervade the body. Some of the most fascinating fluid flow phenomena within the human body involve fluids other than blood and a service other than transport--the lymphatic and pulmonary systems are two striking examples. While transport is still involved in both cases, this is not the only service which they provide and blood is not the only fluid involved. In both systems, filtration, extraction, enrichment, and in general some "treatment" of the fluid itself is the primary function. The study of the systemic circulation has also been conventionally limited to treating the system as if it were an open-loop system governed by the laws of fluid mechanics alone, independent of physiological controls and regulations. This implies that system failures can be explained fully in terms of the laws of fluid mechanics, which of course is not the case. In this paper we examine the clinical implications of these issues and of the special biofluid mechanics issues involved in the lymphatic and pulmonary systems.

Gas-liquid mass transfer and flow phenomena in the Peirce-Smith converter: a water model study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xing; Zhao, Hong-liang; Zhang, Li-feng; Yang, Li-qiang

2018-01-01

A water model with a geometric similarity ratio of 1:5 was developed to investigate the gas-liquid mass transfer and flow characteristics in a Peirce-Smith converter. A gas mixture of CO2 and Ar was injected into a NaOH solution bath. The flow field, volumetric mass transfer coefficient per unit volume ( Ak/V; where A is the contact area between phases, V is the volume, and k is the mass transfer coefficient), and gas utilization ratio ( η) were then measured at different gas flow rates and blow angles. The results showed that the flow field could be divided into five regions, i.e., injection, strong loop, weak loop, splashing, and dead zone. Whereas the Ak/V of the bath increased and then decreased with increasing gas flow rate, and η steadily increased. When the converter was rotated clockwise, both Ak/V and η increased. However, the flow condition deteriorated when the gas flow rate and blow angle were drastically increased. Therefore, these parameters must be controlled to optimal conditions. In the proposed model, the optimal gas flow rate and blow angle were 7.5 m3·h-1 and 10°, respectively.

Hydrological hysteresis and its value for assessing process consistency in catchment conceptual models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fovet, O.; Ruiz, L.; Hrachowitz, M.; Faucheux, M.; Gascuel-Odoux, C.

2015-01-01

While most hydrological models reproduce the general flow dynamics, they frequently fail to adequately mimic system-internal processes. In particular, the relationship between storage and discharge, which often follows annual hysteretic patterns in shallow hard-rock aquifers, is rarely considered in modelling studies. One main reason is that catchment storage is difficult to measure, and another one is that objective functions are usually based on individual variables time series (e.g. the discharge). This reduces the ability of classical procedures to assess the relevance of the conceptual hypotheses associated with models. We analysed the annual hysteric patterns observed between stream flow and water storage both in the saturated and unsaturated zones of the hillslope and the riparian zone of a headwater catchment in French Brittany (Environmental Research Observatory ERO AgrHys (ORE AgrHys)). The saturated-zone storage was estimated using distributed shallow groundwater levels and the unsaturated-zone storage using several moisture profiles. All hysteretic loops were characterized by a hysteresis index. Four conceptual models, previously calibrated and evaluated for the same catchment, were assessed with respect to their ability to reproduce the hysteretic patterns. The observed relationship between stream flow and saturated, and unsaturated storages led us to identify four hydrological periods and emphasized a clearly distinct behaviour between riparian and hillslope groundwaters. Although all the tested models were able to produce an annual hysteresis loop between discharge and both saturated and unsaturated storage, the integration of a riparian component led to overall improved hysteretic signatures, even if some misrepresentation remained. Such a system-like approach is likely to improve model selection.

Estimating turbulent electrovortex flow parameters hear the dynamo cycle bifurcation point

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zimin, V.D.; Kolpakov, N.Yu.; Khripchenko, S.Yu.

1988-07-01

Models for estimating turbulent electrovortex flow parameters, derived in earlier studies, were delineated and extended in this paper to express those parameters near the dynamo cycle bifurcation point in a spherical cavity. Toroidal and poloidal fields rising from the induction currents within the liquid metal and their electrovortex interactions were calculated. Toroidal field strengthening by the poloidal electrovortex flow, the first part of the dynamo loop, was determined by the viscous dissipation in the liquid metal. The second part of the loop, in which the toroidal field localized in the liquid metal is converted to a poloidal field and emergesmore » from the sphere, was also established. The dissipative effects near the critical magnetic Reynolds number were estimated.« less

Multimodal flow visualization and optimization of pneumatic blood pump for sorbent hemodialysis system.

PubMed

Shu, Fangjun; Parks, Robert; Maholtz, John; Ash, Steven; Antaki, James F

2009-04-01

Renal Solutions Allient Sorbent Hemodialysis System utilizes a two-chambered pneumatic pump (Pulsar Blood Pump, Renal Solutions, Inc., Warrendale, PA, USA) to avoid limitations associated with peristaltic pumping systems. Single-needle access is enabled by counter-pulsing the two pump chambers, thereby obviating compliance chambers or blood reservoirs. Each chamber propels 20 cc per pulse of 3 s (dual access) or 6 s (single access) duration, corresponding to a peak Reynolds number of approximately 8000 (based on inlet velocity and chamber diameter). A multimodal series of flow visualization studies (tracer particle, dye washout, and dye erosion) was conducted on a sequence of pump designs with varying port locations and diaphragms to improve the geometry with respect to risk of thrombogenesis. Experiments were conducted in a simplified flow loop using occluders to simulate flow resistance induced by tubing and dialyzer. Tracer visualization revealed flow patterns and qualitatively indicated turbulence intensity. Dye washout identified dwell volume and areas of flow stagnation for each design. Dye erosion results indicated the effectiveness and homogeneity of surface washing. Compared to a centered inlet which resulted in a fluid jet that produced two counter-rotating vortices, a tangential inlet introduced a single vortex, and kept the flow laminar. It also provided better surface washing on the pump inner surface. However, a tangential outlet did not present as much benefit as expected. On the contrary, it created a sharp defection to the flow when transiting from filling to ejection.

The Caltech experimental investigation of fast 3D non-equilbrium dynamics: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul; Shikama, Taiichi; Chai, Kilbyoung; Ha, Bao; Chaplin, Vernon; Kendall, Mark; Moser, Auna; Stenson, Eve; Tobin, Zachary; Zhai, Xiang

2012-10-01

The formation and dynamics of writhing, plasma-filled, twisted open magnetic flux tubes is being investigated using pulsed-power laboratory experiments. This work is relevant to solar corona loops, astrophysical jets, spheromak formation, and open field lines in tokamaks and RFP's. MHD forces have been observed to drive fast axial plasma flows into the flux tube from the boundary it intercepts. These flows fill the flux tube with plasma while simultaneously injecting linked frozen-in azimuthal flux; helicity injection is thus associated with mass injection. Recent results include observation of a secondary instability (Rayleigh-Taylor driven by the effective gravity of an exponentially growing kink mode), color-coded plasmas manifesting bidirectional axial flows in a geometry similar to a solar corona loop, and spectroscopic measurements of the internal vector magnetic field. Experiments underway include investigating how an external magnetic field straps down a solar loop, investigation of the details of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, development of a fast EUV movie camera, increasing the jet velocity, excitation of Alfven waves, and investigating 3D magnetic reconnection.

Closed-loop separation control over a sharp edge ramp using genetic programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debien, Antoine; von Krbek, Kai A. F. F.; Mazellier, Nicolas; Duriez, Thomas; Cordier, Laurent; Noack, Bernd R.; Abel, Markus W.; Kourta, Azeddine

2016-03-01

We experimentally perform open and closed-loop control of a separating turbulent boundary layer downstream from a sharp edge ramp. The turbulent boundary layer just above the separation point has a Reynolds number Re_{θ }≈ 3500 based on momentum thickness. The goal of the control is to mitigate separation and early re-attachment. The forcing employs a spanwise array of active vortex generators. The flow state is monitored with skin-friction sensors downstream of the actuators. The feedback control law is obtained using model-free genetic programming control (GPC) (Gautier et al. in J Fluid Mech 770:442-457, 2015). The resulting flow is assessed using the momentum coefficient, pressure distribution and skin friction over the ramp and stereo PIV. The PIV yields vector field statistics, e.g. shear layer growth, the back-flow area and vortex region. GPC is benchmarked against the best periodic forcing. While open-loop control achieves separation reduction by locking-on the shedding mode, GPC gives rise to similar benefits by accelerating the shear layer growth. Moreover, GPC uses less actuation energy.

Energy saving potential of a two-pipe system for simultaneous heating and cooling of office buildings

DOE PAGES

Maccarini, Alessandro; Wetter, Michael; Afshari, Alireza; ...

2016-10-31

This paper analyzes the performance of a novel two-pipe system that operates one water loop to simultaneously provide space heating and cooling with a water supply temperature of around 22 °C. To analyze the energy performance of the system, a simulation-based research was conducted. The two-pipe system was modelled using the equation-based Modelica modeling language in Dymola. A typical office building model was considered as the case study. Simulations were run for two construction sets of the building envelope and two conditions related to inter-zone air flows. To calculate energy savings, a conventional four-pipe system was modelled and used formore » comparison. The conventional system presented two separated water loops for heating and cooling with supply temperatures of 45 °C and 14 °C, respectively. Simulation results showed that the two-pipe system was able to use less energy than the four-pipe system thanks to three effects: useful heat transfer from warm to cold zones, higher free cooling potential and higher efficiency of the heat pump. In particular, the two-pipe system used approximately between 12% and 18% less total annual primary energy than the four-pipe system, depending on the simulation case considered.« less

Energy saving potential of a two-pipe system for simultaneous heating and cooling of office buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maccarini, Alessandro; Wetter, Michael; Afshari, Alireza

This paper analyzes the performance of a novel two-pipe system that operates one water loop to simultaneously provide space heating and cooling with a water supply temperature of around 22 °C. To analyze the energy performance of the system, a simulation-based research was conducted. The two-pipe system was modelled using the equation-based Modelica modeling language in Dymola. A typical office building model was considered as the case study. Simulations were run for two construction sets of the building envelope and two conditions related to inter-zone air flows. To calculate energy savings, a conventional four-pipe system was modelled and used formore » comparison. The conventional system presented two separated water loops for heating and cooling with supply temperatures of 45 °C and 14 °C, respectively. Simulation results showed that the two-pipe system was able to use less energy than the four-pipe system thanks to three effects: useful heat transfer from warm to cold zones, higher free cooling potential and higher efficiency of the heat pump. In particular, the two-pipe system used approximately between 12% and 18% less total annual primary energy than the four-pipe system, depending on the simulation case considered.« less

Design Choices for Thermofluid Flow Components and Systems that are Exported as Functional Mockup Units

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wetter, Michael; Fuchs, Marcus; Nouidui, Thierry

This paper discusses design decisions for exporting Modelica thermofluid flow components as Functional Mockup Units. The purpose is to provide guidelines that will allow building energy simulation programs and HVAC equipment manufacturers to effectively use FMUs for modeling of HVAC components and systems. We provide an analysis for direct input-output dependencies of such components and discuss how these dependencies can lead to algebraic loops that are formed when connecting thermofluid flow components. Based on this analysis, we provide recommendations that increase the computing efficiency of such components and systems that are formed by connecting multiple components. We explain what codemore » optimizations are lost when providing thermofluid flow components as FMUs rather than Modelica code. We present an implementation of a package for FMU export of such components, explain the rationale for selecting the connector variables of the FMUs and finally provide computing benchmarks for different design choices. It turns out that selecting temperature rather than specific enthalpy as input and output signals does not lead to a measurable increase in computing time, but selecting nine small FMUs rather than a large FMU increases computing time by 70%.« less

Optimal Control of Airfoil Flow Separation using Fluidic Excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahrabi, Arireza F.

This thesis deals with the control of flow separation around a symmetric airfoils with the aid of multiple synthetic jet actuators (SJAs). CFD simulation methods have been implemented to uncover the flow separation regimes and associated properties such as frequencies and momentum ratio. In the first part of the study, the SJA was studied thoroughly. Large Eddy Simulations (LES) were performed for one individual cavity; the time history of SJA of the outlet velocity profile and the net momentum imparted to the flow were analyzed. The studied SJA is asymmetrical and operates with the aid of a piezoelectric (PZT) ceramic circular plate actuator. A three-dimensional mesh for the computational domain of the SJA and the surrounding volume was developed and was used to evaluate the details of the airflow conditions inside the SJA as well as at the outlet. The vibration of the PZT ceramic actuator was used as a boundary condition in the computational model to drive the SJA. Particular attention was given to developing a predictive model of the SJA outlet velocity. Results showed that the SJA velocity output is correlated to the PZT ceramic plate vibration, especially for the first frequency mode. SJAs are a particular class of zero net mass flux (ZNMF) fluidic devices with net imparted momentum to the flow. The net momentum imparted to the flow in the separated region is such that positive enhancement during AFC operations is achieved. Flows around the NACA 0015 airfoil were simulated for a range of operating conditions. Attention was given to the active open and closed loop control solutions for an airfoil with SJA at different angles of attack and flap angles. A large number of simulations using RANS & LES models were performed to study the effects of the momentum ratio (Cμ) in the range of 0 to 11% and of the non-dimensional frequency, F+, in the range of 0 to 2 for the control of flow separation at a practical angle of attack and flap angle. The optimum value of Cμ as well as F+ were evaluated and discussed. The computational model predictions showed good agreement with the experimental data. It was observed that different angles of attack and flap angles have different requirements for the minimum value of the momentum coefficient, Cμ, in order for the SJA to be effective for control of separation. It was also found that the variation of F + noticeably affects the lift and drag forces acting on the airfoil. The optimum values of parameters during open loop control simulations have been applied in order to introduce the optimal open loop control outcome. An innovative approach has been implemented to formulate optimal frequencies and momentum ratios of vortex shedding which depends on angle of attack and static pressure of the separation zone in the upper chord. Optimal open loop results have been compared with the optimal closed loop results. Cumulative case studies in the matter of angle of attacks, flap angles, Re, Cμ and F+ provide a convincing collection of evidence to the following conclusion. An improvement of a direct closed loop control was demonstrated, and an analytical formula describing the properties of a separated flow and vortex shedding was proposed. Best AFC solutions are offered by providing optimal frequencies and momentum ratios at a variety of flow conditions.

MFCVs (Manual Flow Control Valves) in the Lab

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-07

ISS020-E-017705 (7 July 2009) --- NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 20 flight engineer, works at a rotated rack in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station during in-flight maintenance (IFM) to adjust the periodic flow rate of manual flow control valves for coolant loops.

MFCVs (Manual Flow Control Valves) in the Lab

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-07

ISS020-E-017710 (7 July 2009) --- NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 20 flight engineer, works at a rotated rack in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station during in-flight maintenance (IFM) to adjust the periodic flow rate of manual flow control valves for coolant loops.

Once-through integral system (OTIS): Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gloudemans, J R

1986-09-01

A scaled experimental facility, designated the once-through integral system (OTIS), was used to acquire post-small break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) data for benchmarking system codes. OTIS was also used to investigate the application of the Abnormal Transient Operating Guidelines (ATOG) used in the Babcock and Wilcox (B and W) designed nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) during the course of an SBLOCA. OTIS was a single-loop facility with a plant to model power scale factor of 1686. OTIS maintained the key elevations, approximate component volumes, and loop flow resistances, and simulated the major component phenomena of a B and W raised-loop nuclearmore » plant. A test matrix consisting of 15 tests divided into four categories was performed. The largest group contained 10 tests and was defined to parametrically obtain an extensive set of plant-typical experimental data for code benchmarking. Parameters such as leak size, leak location, and high-pressure injection (HPI) shut-off head were individually varied. The remaining categories were specified to study the impact of the ATOGs (2 tests), to note the effect of guard heater operation on observed phenomena (2 tests), and to provide a data set for comparison with previous test experience (1 test). A summary of the test results and a detailed discussion of Test 220100 is presented. Test 220100 was the nominal or reference test for the parametric studies. This test was performed with a scaled 10-cm/sup 2/ leak located in the cold leg suction piping.« less

Mathematical Modeling Of Life-Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seshan, Panchalam K.; Ganapathi, Balasubramanian; Jan, Darrell L.; Ferrall, Joseph F.; Rohatgi, Naresh K.

1994-01-01

Generic hierarchical model of life-support system developed to facilitate comparisons of options in design of system. Model represents combinations of interdependent subsystems supporting microbes, plants, fish, and land animals (including humans). Generic model enables rapid configuration of variety of specific life support component models for tradeoff studies culminating in single system design. Enables rapid evaluation of effects of substituting alternate technologies and even entire groups of technologies and subsystems. Used to synthesize and analyze life-support systems ranging from relatively simple, nonregenerative units like aquariums to complex closed-loop systems aboard submarines or spacecraft. Model, called Generic Modular Flow Schematic (GMFS), coded in such chemical-process-simulation languages as Aspen Plus and expressed as three-dimensional spreadsheet.

Clot accumulation characteristics of plasminogen-bearing liposomes in a flow-system. Groningen Utrecht Institute for Drug Exploration.

PubMed

Heeremans, J L; Prevost, R; Feitsma, H; Kluft, C; Crommelin, D J

1998-01-01

In this study, the clot accumulation properties of liposome-coupled plasminogen were compared to those of free (non-liposomal) plasminogen in an in vitro, closed-loop, flow-system. After introduction of a clot into the closed system, double-radiolabelled plasminogen-liposomes were administered and the accumulation of radiolabel on the entire clot was measured. Liposomal plasminogen showed improved accumulation over free plasminogen, on both a fibrin clot and a whole blood clot. Moreover, once liposomal plasminogen was fibrin associated, it could not be washed away with buffer, in contrast to free plasminogen. Liposomal plasminogen was able to compete successfully with an excess of free plasminogen. The plateau levels for the accumulated amount of plasminogen depended on the incubated amount of plasminogen and were influenced by partial degradation of the clot. Furthermore, it was shown that a threshold liposomal plasminogen surface-density was needed for optimum clot accumulation.

Compatibility of information and mode of control: The case for natural control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, Dean H.

1993-01-01

The operation of control systems has been determined largely by mechanical constraints. Compatibility with the characteristics of the operator is a secondary consideration, with the result that control may never be optimal, control workload may interfere with performance of secondary tasks, and learning may be more difficult and protracted than necessary. With the introduction of a computer in the control loop, the mode of operation can be adapted to the operator, rather than vice versa. The concept of natural control is introduced to describe a system that supports control of the information used by the operator in achieving an intended goal. As an example, control of speed during simulated approach to a pad by helicopter pilots is used to contrast path-speed control with direct control of global optical flow-pattern information. Differences are evidenced in the performance domains of control activity, speed, and global optical flow velocity.

Slope seeking for autonomous lift improvement by plasma surface discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benard, Nicolas; Moreau, Eric; Griffin, John; Cattafesta, Louis N., III

2010-05-01

The present paper describes an experimental investigation of closed-loop separation control using plasma actuators. The post-stall-separated flow over a NACA 0015 airfoil is controlled using a single dielectric barrier discharge actuator located at the leading edge. Open-loop measurements are first performed to highlight the effects of the voltage amplitude on the control authority for freestream velocities of 10-30 m/s (chord Re = 1.3 × 105 to 4 × 105). The results indicate that partial or full reattachment can be achieved and motivate the choice of the slope seeking approach as the control algorithm. A single-input/single-output algorithm is used to autonomously seek the optimal voltage required to achieve the control objective (full flow reattachment associated with maximum lift). The paper briefly introduces the concept of slope seeking, and a detailed parameterization of the controller is considered. Static (fixed speed) closed-loop experiments are then discussed, which demonstrate the capability of the algorithm. In each case, the flow can be reattached in an autonomous fashion. The last part of the paper demonstrates the robustness of the gradient-based, model-free scheme for dynamic freestream conditions. This paper highlights the capability of slope seeking to autonomously achieve high lift when used to drive the voltage of a plasma actuator. It also describes the advantages and drawbacks of such a closed-loop approach.

Active Flow Control on a Boundary-Layer-Ingesting Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorton, Susan Althoff; Owens, Lewis R.; Jenkins, Luther N.; Allan, Brian G.; Schuster, Ernest P.

2004-01-01

Boundary layer ingestion (BLI) is explored as means to improve overall system performance for Blended Wing Body configuration. The benefits of BLI for vehicle system performance benefit are assessed with a process derived from first principles suitable for highly-integrated propulsion systems. This performance evaluation process provides framework within which to assess the benefits of an integrated BLI inlet and lays the groundwork for higher-fidelity systems studies. The results of the system study show that BLI provides a significant improvement in vehicle performance if the inlet distortion can be controlled, thus encouraging the pursuit of active flow control (AFC) as a BLI enabling technology. The effectiveness of active flow control in reducing engine inlet distortion was assessed using a 6% scale model of a 30% BLI offset, diffusing inlet. The experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley Basic Aerodynamics Research Tunnel with a model inlet designed specifically for this type of testing. High mass flow pulsing actuators provided the active flow control. Measurements were made of the onset boundary layer, the duct surface static pressures, and the mass flow through the duct and the actuators. The distortion was determined by 120 total pressure measurements located at the aerodynamic interface plane. The test matrix was limited to a maximum freestream Mach number of 0.15 with scaled mass flows through the inlet for that condition. The data show that the pulsed actuation can reduce distortion from 29% to 4.6% as measured by the circumferential distortion descriptor DC60 using less than 1% of inlet mass flow. Closed loop control of the actuation was also demonstrated using a sidewall surface static pressure as the response sensor.

Research on phase locked loop in optical memory servo system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Liqin; Ma, Jianshe; Zhang, Jianyong; Pan, Longfa; Deng, Ming

2005-09-01

Phase locked loop (PLL) is a closed loop automatic control system, which can track the phase of input signal. It widely applies in each area of electronic technology. This paper research the phase locked loop in optical memory servo area. This paper introduces the configuration of digital phase locked loop (PLL) and phase locked servo system, the control theory, and analyses system's stability. It constructs the phase locked loop experiment system of optical disk spindle servo, which based on special chip. DC motor is main object, this system adopted phase locked servo technique and digital signal processor (DSP) to achieve constant linear velocity (CLV) in controlling optical spindle motor. This paper analyses the factors that affect the stability of phase locked loop in spindle servo system, and discusses the affection to the optical disk readout signal and jitter due to the stability of phase locked loop.

Smeared quasidistributions in perturbation theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monahan, Christopher

2018-03-01

Quasi- and pseudodistributions provide a new approach to determining parton distribution functions from first principles' calculations of QCD. Here, I calculate the flavor nonsinglet unpolarized quasidistribution at one loop in perturbation theory, using the gradient flow to remove ultraviolet divergences. I demonstrate that, as expected, the gradient flow does not change the infrared structure of the quasidistribution at one loop and use the results to match the smeared matrix elements to those in the MS ¯ scheme. This matching calculation is required to relate numerical results obtained from nonperturbative lattice QCD computations to light-front parton distribution functions extracted from global analyses of experimental data.

Detailed flow, hydrometeor and lightning characteristics of an isolated thunderstorm during COPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, K.; Hagen, M.; Höller, H.; Richard, E.; Volkert, H.

2012-04-01

The three-hour life-cycle of the isolated thunderstorm on 15 July 2007 during the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) is documented in detail, with a special emphasis on the rapid development and mature phases. Remote sensing techniques as 5-min rapid scans from geostationary satellites, combined velocity retrievals from up to four Doppler-radars, the polarimetric determination of hydrometeors and spatio-temporal occurrences of lightning strokes are employed to arrive at a synoptic quantification of the physical parameters of this, during the COPS period, rare event. Inner cloud flow fields are available from radar multiple Doppler analyses, gridded on a 500 m-mesh, at four consecutive times separated by 15 min-intervals (14:35, 14:50, 15:05, 15:20; all times are in UTC). They contain horizontal winds of around 15 m s-1 and updrafts exceeding 5 m s-1, the latter collocated with lightning strokes. Reflectivity and polarimetric data indicate the existence of hail at the 2 km level around 14:40. Furthermore, polarimetric and Doppler radar variables indicate intense hydrometeor variability and cloud dynamics corresponding to an enhanced variance of the retrieved 3-D wind fields. Profiles of flow and hydrometeor statistics over the entire cloud volume provide reference data for high-resolution, episode-type numerical weather prediction runs in research mode. The study embarks from two multi-channel time-lapse movie-loops from geostationary satellite imagery (as Supplement), which provide an intuitive distinction of six phases making up the entire life-cycle of the thunderstorm. It concludes with a triple image-loop, juxtaposing a close-up of the cloud motion as seen by Meteosat, simulated brightness temperature (as a proxy for clouds seen by the infrared satellite channel), and a perspective view on the model generated system of cloud cells. By employing the motion-geared human visual system, such multiple image loops provide a high, and as yet hardly utilised potential for a well-grounded specification of further sensitivity experiments in the modelling community.

Multiphase flow and phase change in microgravity: Fundamental research and strategic research for exploration of space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Bhim S.

2003-01-01

NASA is preparing to undertake science-driven exploration missions. The NASA Exploration Team's vision is a cascade of stepping stones. The stepping-stone will build the technical capabilities needed for each step with multi-use technologies and capabilities. An Agency-wide technology investment and development program is necessary to implement the vision. The NASA Exploration Team has identified a number of areas where significant advances are needed to overcome all engineering and medical barriers to the expansion of human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. Closed-loop life support systems and advanced propulsion and power technologies are among the areas requiring significant advances from the current state-of-the-art. Studies conducted by the National Academy of Science's National Research Council and Workshops organized by NASA have shown that multiphase flow and phase change play a crucial role in many of these advanced technology concepts. Lack of understanding of multiphase flow, phase change, and interfacial phenomena in the microgravity environment has been a major hurdle. An understanding of multiphase flow and phase change in microgravity is, therefore, critical to advancing many technologies needed. Recognizing this, the Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR) has initiated a strategic research thrust to augment the ongoing fundamental research in fluid physics and transport phenomena discipline with research especially aimed at understanding key multiphase flow related issues in propulsion, power, thermal control, and closed-loop advanced life support systems. A plan for integrated theoretical and experimental research that has the highest probability of providing data, predictive tools, and models needed by the systems developers to incorporate highly promising multiphase-based technologies is currently in preparation. This plan is being developed with inputs from scientific community, NASA mission planners and industry personnel. The fundamental research in multiphase flow and phase change in microgravity is aimed at developing better mechanistic understanding of pool boiling and ascertaining the effects of gravity on heat transfer and the critical heat flux. Space flight experiments conducted in space have shown that nucleate pool boiling can be sustained under certain conditions in the microgravity environment. New space flight experiments are being developed to provide more quantitative information on pool boiling in microgravity. Ground-based investigations are also being conducted to develop mechanistic models for flow and pool boiling. An overview of the research plan and roadmap for the strategic research in multiphase flow and phase change as well as research findings from the ongoing program will be presented.

Steady state statistical correlations predict bistability in reaction motifs.

PubMed

Chakravarty, Suchana; Barik, Debashis

2017-03-28

Various cellular decision making processes are regulated by bistable switches that take graded input signals and convert them to binary all-or-none responses. Traditionally, a bistable switch generated by a positive feedback loop is characterized either by a hysteretic signal response curve with two distinct signaling thresholds or by characterizing the bimodality of the response distribution in the bistable region. To identify the intrinsic bistability of a feedback regulated network, here we propose that bistability can be determined by correlating higher order moments and cumulants (≥2) of the joint steady state distributions of two components connected in a positive feedback loop. We performed stochastic simulations of four feedback regulated models with intrinsic bistability and we show that for a bistable switch with variation of the signal dose, the steady state variance vs. covariance adopts a signatory cusp-shaped curve. Further, we find that the (n + 1)th order cross-cumulant vs. nth order cross-cumulant adopts a closed loop structure for at least n = 3. We also propose that our method is capable of identifying systems without intrinsic bistability even though the system may show bimodality in the marginal response distribution. The proposed method can be used to analyze single cell protein data measured at steady state from experiments such as flow cytometry.

Apparatus for moving a pipe inspection probe through piping

DOEpatents

Zollinger, W.T.; Appel, D.K.; Lewis, G.W.

1995-07-18

A method and apparatus are disclosed for controllably moving devices for cleaning or inspection through piping systems, including piping systems with numerous piping bends therein, by using hydrostatic pressure of a working fluid introduced into the piping system. The apparatus comprises a reservoir or other source for supplying the working fluid to the piping system, a launch tube for admitting the device into the launcher and a reversible, positive displacement pump for controlling the direction and flow rate of the working fluid. The device introduced into the piping system moves with the flow of the working fluid through the piping system. The launcher attaches to the valved ends of a piping system so that fluids in the piping system can recirculate in a closed loop. The method comprises attaching the launcher to the piping system, supplying the launcher with working fluid, admitting the device into the launcher, pumping the working fluid in the direction and at the rate desired so that the device moves through the piping system for pipe cleaning or inspection, removing the device from the launcher, and collecting the working fluid contained in the launcher. 8 figs.

Apparatus for moving a pipe inspection probe through piping

DOEpatents

Zollinger, W. Thor; Appel, D. Keith; Lewis, Gregory W.

1995-01-01

A method and apparatus for controllably moving devices for cleaning or inspection through piping systems, including piping systems with numerous piping bends therein, by using hydrostatic pressure of a working fluid introduced into the piping system. The apparatus comprises a reservoir or other source for supplying the working fluid to the piping system, a launch tube for admitting the device into the launcher and a reversible, positive displacement pump for controlling the direction and flow rate of the working fluid. The device introduced into the piping system moves with the flow of the working fluid through the piping system. The launcher attaches to the valved ends of a piping system so that fluids in the piping system can recirculate in a closed loop. The method comprises attaching the launcher to the piping system, supplying the launcher with working fluid, admitting the device into the launcher, pumping the working fluid in the direction and at the rate desired so that the device moves through the piping system for pipe cleaning or inspection, removing the device from the launcher, and collecting the working fluid contained in the launcher.

Analysis of fine coal pneumatic systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathur, M.P.; Rohatgi, N.D.; Klinzing, G.E.

1987-01-01

Many fossil fuel energy processes depend on the movement of solids by pneumatic transport. Despite the considerable amount of work reported in the literature on pneumatic transport, the design of new industrial systems for new products continues to rely to a great extent on empiricism. A pilot-scale test facility has been constructed at Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) and is equipped with modern sophisticated measuring techniques (such as Pressure Transducers, Auburn Monitors, Micro Motion Mass flowmeters) and an automatic computer-controlled data acquisition system to study the effects of particle pneumatic transport. Pittsburgh Seam and Montana rosebud coals of varying sizemore » consist and moisture content were tested in the atmospheric and pressurized coal flow test loops (AP/CFTL and HP/CFTL) at PETC. The system parameters included conveying gas velocity, injector tank pressure, screw conveyor speed, pipe radius, and pipe bends. In the following report, results from the coal flow tests were presented and analyzed. Existing theories and correlations on two-phase flows were reviewed. Experimental data were compared with values calculated from empirically or theoretically derived equations available in the literature, and new correlations were proposed, when applicable, to give a better interpretation of the data and a better understanding of the various flow regimes involved in pneumatic transport. 55 refs., 56 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Optimal frequency-response sensitivity of compressible flow over roughness elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fosas de Pando, Miguel; Schmid, Peter J.

2017-04-01

Compressible flow over a flat plate with two localised and well-separated roughness elements is analysed by global frequency-response analysis. This analysis reveals a sustained feedback loop consisting of a convectively unstable shear-layer instability, triggered at the upstream roughness, and an upstream-propagating acoustic wave, originating at the downstream roughness and regenerating the shear-layer instability at the upstream protrusion. A typical multi-peaked frequency response is recovered from the numerical simulations. In addition, the optimal forcing and response clearly extract the components of this feedback loop and isolate flow regions of pronounced sensitivity and amplification. An efficient parametric-sensitivity framework is introduced and applied to the reference case which shows that first-order increases in Reynolds number and roughness height act destabilising on the flow, while changes in Mach number or roughness separation cause corresponding shifts in the peak frequencies. This information is gained with negligible effort beyond the reference case and can easily be applied to more complex flows.

High-speed pressure clamp.

PubMed

Besch, Stephen R; Suchyna, Thomas; Sachs, Frederick

2002-10-01

We built a high-speed, pneumatic pressure clamp to stimulate patch-clamped membranes mechanically. The key control element is a newly designed differential valve that uses a single, nickel-plated piezoelectric bending element to control both pressure and vacuum. To minimize response time, the valve body was designed with minimum dead volume. The result is improved response time and stability with a threefold decrease in actuation latency. Tight valve clearances minimize the steady-state air flow, permitting us to use small resonant-piston pumps to supply pressure and vacuum. To protect the valve from water contamination in the event of a broken pipette, an optical sensor detects water entering the valve and increases pressure rapidly to clear the system. The open-loop time constant for pressure is 2.5 ms for a 100-mmHg step, and the closed-loop settling time is 500-600 micros. Valve actuation latency is 120 micros. The system performance is illustrated for mechanically induced changes in patch capacitance.

Electrical detection of liquid lithium leaks from pipe joints.

PubMed

Schwartz, J A; Jaworski, M A; Mehl, J; Kaita, R; Mozulay, R

2014-11-01

A test stand for flowing liquid lithium is under construction at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. As liquid lithium reacts with atmospheric gases and water, an electrical interlock system for detecting leaks and safely shutting down the apparatus has been constructed. A defense in depth strategy is taken to minimize the risk and impact of potential leaks. Each demountable joint is diagnosed with a cylindrical copper shell electrically isolated from the loop. By monitoring the electrical resistance between the pipe and the copper shell, a leak of (conductive) liquid lithium can be detected. Any resistance of less than 2 kΩ trips a relay, shutting off power to the heaters and pump. The system has been successfully tested with liquid gallium as a surrogate liquid metal. The circuit features an extensible number of channels to allow for future expansion of the loop. To ease diagnosis of faults, the status of each channel is shown with an analog front panel LED, and monitored and logged digitally by LabVIEW.

Development and Analysis of Cold Trap for Use in Fission Surface Power-Primary Test Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfe, T. M.; Dervan, C. A.; Pearson, J. B.; Godfroy, T. J.

2012-01-01

The design and analysis of a cold trap proposed for use in the purification of circulated eutectic sodium potassium (NaK-78) loops is presented. The cold trap is designed to be incorporated into the Fission Surface Power-Primary Test Circuit (FSP-PTC), which incorporates a pumped NaK loop to simulate in-space nuclear reactor-based technology using non-nuclear test methodology as developed by the Early Flight Fission-Test Facility. The FSP-PTC provides a test circuit for the development of fission surface power technology. This system operates at temperatures that would be similar to those found in a reactor (500-800 K). By dropping the operating temperature of a specified percentage of NaK flow through a bypass containing a forced circulation cold trap, the NaK purity level can be increased by precipitating oxides from the NaK and capturing them within the cold trap. This would prevent recirculation of these oxides back through the system, which may help prevent corrosion.

Heat-transfer analysis of double-pipe heat exchangers for indirect-cycle SCW NPP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thind, Harwinder

SuperCritical-Water-cooled Reactors (SCWRs) are being developed as one of the Generation-IV nuclear-reactor concepts. SuperCritical Water (SCW) Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) are expected to have much higher operating parameters compared to current NPPs, i.e., pressure of about 25 MPa and outlet temperature up to 625 °C. This study presents the heat transfer analysis of an intermediate Heat exchanger (HX) design for indirect-cycle concepts of Pressure-Tube (PT) and Pressure-Vessel (PV) SCWRs. Thermodynamic configurations with an intermediate HX gives a possibility to have a single-reheat option for PT and PV SCWRs without introducing steam-reheat channels into a reactor. Similar to the current CANDU and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) NPPs, steam generators separate the primary loop from the secondary loop. In this way, the primary loop can be completely enclosed in a reactor containment building. This study analyzes the heat transfer from a SCW primary (reactor) loop to a SCW and Super-Heated Steam (SHS) secondary (turbine) loop using a double-pipe intermediate HX. The numerical model is developed with MATLAB and NIST REFPROP software. Water from the primary loop flows through the inner pipe, and water from the secondary loop flows through the annulus in the counter direction of the double-pipe HX. The analysis on the double-pipe HX shows temperature and profiles of thermophysical properties along the heated length of the HX. It was found that the pseudocritical region has a significant effect on the temperature profiles and heat-transfer area of the HX. An analysis shows the effect of variation in pressure, temperature, mass flow rate, and pipe size on the pseudocritical region and the heat-transfer area of the HX. The results from the numerical model can be used to optimize the heat-transfer area of the HX. The higher pressure difference on the hot side and higher temperature difference between the hot and cold sides reduces the pseudocritical-region length, thus decreases the heat-transfer surface area of the HX.

Effect of aminophylline on hindlimb blood flow autoregulation during increased metabolism in dogs.

PubMed

Metting, P J; Weldy, D L; Ronau, T F; Britton, S L

1986-06-01

The contribution of adenosine to hindlimb blood flow autoregulation during treadmill exercise or the administration of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) was evaluated in 9 conscious dogs by determining hindlimb vascular bed pressure-flow relationships in the presence and absence of the adenosine receptor site antagonist, aminophylline. Hindlimb pressure-flow relationships were obtained by measuring blood flow during stepwise reductions in perfusion pressure produced with an occlusion cuff located distal to a flow probe on the external iliac artery. The efficiency of autoregulation was quantitated by calculating the closed-loop gain of flow regulation (Gc) at each pressure decrement utilizing the equation Gc = 1 - (% delta flow/% delta pressure). A Gc of one represents perfect autoregulation of flow, and a Gc of zero is indicative of a rigid system. During exercise, Gc averaged 0.44 +/- 0.07. Aminophylline reduced the Gc during exercise to -0.07 +/- 0.06 (P less than 0.05). During DNP administration, Gc averaged 0.54 +/- 0.09 and declined to -0.09 +/- 0.10 in the presence of aminophylline (P less than 0.05). These results support the hypothesis that adenosine is a primary mediator of hindlimb blood flow autoregulation during conditions that increase hindlimb metabolism.

Simulation of a main steam line break with steam generator tube rupture using trace

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallardo, S.; Querol, A.; Verdu, G.

A simulation of the OECD/NEA ROSA-2 Project Test 5 was made with the thermal-hydraulic code TRACE5. Test 5 performed in the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF) reproduced a Main Steam Line Break (MSLB) with a Steam Generator Tube Rupture (SGTR) in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The result of these simultaneous breaks is a depressurization in the secondary and primary system in loop B because both systems are connected through the SGTR. Good approximation was obtained between TRACE5 results and experimental data. TRACE5 reproduces qualitatively the phenomena that occur in this transient: primary pressure falls after the break, stagnation ofmore » the pressure after the opening of the relief valve of the intact steam generator, the pressure falls after the two openings of the PORV and the recovery of the liquid level in the pressurizer after each closure of the PORV. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to know the effect of varying the High Pressure Injection (HPI) flow rate in both loops on the system pressures evolution. (authors)« less

Closed-loop dialog model of face-to-face communication with a photo-real virtual human

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiss, Bernadette; Benedek, Balázs; Szijárto, Gábor; Takács, Barnabás

2004-01-01

We describe an advanced Human Computer Interaction (HCI) model that employs photo-realistic virtual humans to provide digital media users with information, learning services and entertainment in a highly personalized and adaptive manner. The system can be used as a computer interface or as a tool to deliver content to end-users. We model the interaction process between the user and the system as part of a closed loop dialog taking place between the participants. This dialog, exploits the most important characteristics of a face-to-face communication process, including the use of non-verbal gestures and meta communication signals to control the flow of information. Our solution is based on a Virtual Human Interface (VHI) technology that was specifically designed to be able to create emotional engagement between the virtual agent and the user, thus increasing the efficiency of learning and/or absorbing any information broadcasted through this device. The paper reviews the basic building blocks and technologies needed to create such a system and discusses its advantages over other existing methods.

LM-research opportunities and activities at Beer-Sheva

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lesin, S.

1996-06-01

Energy conversion concepts based on liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) technology was intensively investigated at the Center for MHD Studies (CMHDS), in the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. LMMHD energy conversion systems operate in a closed cycle as follows: heat intended for conversion into electricity is added to a liquid metal contained in a closed loop of pipes. The liquid metal is mixed with vapor or gas introduced from outside so that a two-phase mixture is formed. The gaseous phase performs a thermodynamic cycle, converting a certain amount of heat into mechanical energy of the liquid metal. Thismore » energy is converted into electrical power as the metal flows across a magnetic field in the MHD channel. Those systems where the expanding thermodynamic fluid performs work against gravitational forces (natural circulation loops) and using heavy liquid metals are named ETGAR systems. A number of different heavy-metal facilities have been specially constructed and tested with fluid combinations of mercury and steam, mercury and nitrogen, mercury and freon, lead-bismuth and steam, and lead and steam. Since the experimental investigation of such flows is a very difficult task and all the known measurment methods are incomplete and not fully reliable, a variety of experimental approaches have been developed. In most experiments, instantaneous pressure distribution along the height of the upcomer were measured and the average void fraction was calculated numerically using the one-dimensional equation for the two-phase flow. The research carried out at the CMHDS led to significant improvements in the characterization of the two-phase phenomena expected in the riser of ETGAR systems. One of the most important outcomes is the development of a new empirical correlation which enables the reliable prediction of the velocity ratio between the LM and the steam (slip), the friction factor, as well as of the steam void fraction distribution along the riser.« less

Stainless Steel NaK Circuit Integration and Fill Submission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garber, Anne E.

2006-01-01

The Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) team has been tasked by the Marshall Space Flight Center Nuclear Systems Office to design, fabricate, and test an actively pumped alkali metal flow circuit. The system, which was originally designed to hold a eutectic mixture of sodium potassium (NaK), was redesigned to hold lithium; but due to a shift in focus, it is once again being prepared for use with NaK. Changes made to the actively pumped, high temperature loop include the replacement of the expansion reservoir, addition of remotely operated valves, and modification of the support table. Basic circuit components include: reactor segment, NaK to gas heat exchanger, electromagnetic (EM) liquid metal pump, load/drain reservoir, expansion reservoir, instrumentation, and a spill reservoir. A 37-pin partial-array core (pin and flow path dimensions are the same as those in a full design) was selected for fabrication and test. This document summarizes the integration and fill of the pumped liquid metal NaK flow circuit.

Present status of the liquid lithium target facility in the international fusion materials irradiation facility (IFMIF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Hiroo; Riccardi, B.; Loginov, N.; Ara, K.; Burgazzi, L.; Cevolani, S.; Dell'Orco, G.; Fazio, C.; Giusti, D.; Horiike, H.; Ida, M.; Ise, H.; Kakui, H.; Matsui, H.; Micciche, G.; Muroga, T.; Nakamura, Hideo; Shimizu, K.; Sugimoto, M.; Suzuki, A.; Takeuchi, H.; Tanaka, S.; Yoneoka, T.

2004-08-01

During the three year key element technology phase of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) project, completed at the end of 2002, key technologies have been validated. In this paper, these results are summarized. A water jet experiment simulating Li flow validated stable flow up to 20 m/s with a double reducer nozzle. In addition, a small Li loop experiment validated stable Li flow up to 14 m/s. To control the nitrogen content in Li below 10 wppm will require surface area of a V-Ti alloy getter of 135 m 2. Conceptual designs of diagnostics have been carried out. Moreover, the concept of a remote handling system to replace the back wall based on `cut and reweld' and `bayonet' options has been established. Analysis by FMEA showed safe operation of the target system. Recent activities in the transition phase, started in 2003, and plan for the next phase are also described.

Summary of Test Results From a 1 kW(sub e)-Class Free-Piston Stirling Power Convertor Integrated With a Pumped NaK Loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.; Geng, Steven M.; Pearson, J. Boise; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

As a step towards development of Stirling power conversion for potential use in Fission Surface Power (FSP) systems, a pair of commercially available 1 kW class free-piston Stirling convertors was modified to operate with a NaK liquid metal pumped loop for thermal energy input. This was the first-ever attempt at powering a free-piston Stirling engine with a pumped liquid metal heat source and is a major FSP project milestone towards demonstrating technical feasibility. The tests included performance mapping the convertors over various hot and cold-end temperatures, piston amplitudes and NaK flow rates; and transient test conditions to simulate various start-up and fault scenarios. Performance maps of the convertors generated using the pumped NaK loop for thermal input show increases in power output over those measured during baseline testing using electric heating. Transient testing showed that the Stirling convertors can be successfully started in a variety of different scenarios and that the convertors can recover from a variety of fault scenarios.

Summary of Test Results From a 1 kWe-Class Free-Piston Stirling Power Convertor Integrated With a Pumped NaK Loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.; Geng, Steven M.; Pearson, J. Boise; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

As a step towards development of Stirling power conversion for potential use in Fission Surface Power (FSP) systems, a pair of commercially available 1 kW class free-piston Stirling convertors was modified to operate with a NaK liquid metal pumped loop for thermal energy input. This was the first-ever attempt at powering a free-piston Stirling engine with a pumped liquid metal heat source and is a major FSP project milestone towards demonstrating technical feasibility. The tests included performance mapping the convertors over various hot and cold-end temperatures, piston amplitudes and NaK flow rates; and transient test conditions to simulate various start-up and fault scenarios. Performance maps of the convertors generated using the pumped NaK loop for thermal input show increases in power output over those measured during baseline testing using electric heating. Transient testing showed that the Stirling convertors can be successfully started in a variety of different scenarios and that the convertors can recover from a variety of fault scenarios.

Human life support during interplanetary travel and domicile. III - Mars expedition system trade study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seshan, P. K.; Ferrall, Joseph F.; Rohatgi, Naresh K.

1991-01-01

Several alternative configurations of life-support systems (LSSs) for a Mars missions are compared analytically on a quantitative basis in terms of weight, volume, and power. A baseline technology set is utilized for the illustrations of systems including totally open loop, carbon dioxide removal only, partially closed loop, and totally closed loop. The analytical model takes advantage of a modular, top-down hierarchical breakdown of LSS subsystems into functional elements that represent individual processing technologies. The open-loop systems are not competitive in terms of weight for both long-duration orbiters and short-duration lander vehicles, and power demands are lowest with the open loop and highest with the closed loop. The closed-loop system can reduce vehicle weight by over 70,000 lbs and thereby overcome the power penalty of 1600 W; the closed-loop variety is championed as the preferred system for a Mars expedition.

Experimental control of a fluidic pinball using genetic programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raibaudo, Cedric; Zhong, Peng; Noack, Bernd R.; Martinuzzi, Robert J.

2017-11-01

The wake stabilization of a triangular cluster of three rotating cylinders was investigated in the present study. Experiments were performed at Reynolds number Re 6000, and compared with URANS-2D simulations at same flow conditions. 2D2C PIV measurements and constant temperature anemometry were used to characterize the flow without and with actuation. Open-loop actuation was first considered for the identification of particular control strategies. Machine learning control was also implemented for the experimental study. Linear genetic programming has been used for the optimization of open-loop parameters and closed-loop controllers. Considering a cost function J based on the fluctuations of the velocity measured by the hot-wire sensor, significant performances were achieved using the machine learning approach. The present work is supported by the senior author's (R. J. Martinuzzi) NSERC discovery Grant. C. Raibaudo acknowledges the financial support of the University of Calgary Eyes-High PDF program.

High-temperature self-circulating thermoacoustic heat exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backhaus, S.; Swift, G. W.; Reid, R. S.

2005-07-01

Thermoacoustic and Stirling engines and refrigerators use heat exchangers to transfer heat between the oscillating flow of their thermodynamic working fluids and external heat sources and sinks. An acoustically driven heat-exchange loop uses an engine's own pressure oscillations to steadily circulate its own thermodynamic working fluid through a physically remote high-temperature heat source without using moving parts, allowing for a significant reduction in the cost and complexity of thermoacoustic and Stirling heat exchangers. The simplicity and flexibility of such heat-exchanger loops will allow thermoacoustic and Stirling machines to access diverse heat sources and sinks. Measurements of the temperatures at the interface between such a heat-exchange loop and the hot end of a thermoacoustic-Stirling engine are presented. When the steady flow is too small to flush out the mixing chamber in one acoustic cycle, the heat transfer to the regenerator is excellent, with important implications for practical use.

An Experimental Test Facility to Support Development of the Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoder Jr, Graydon L; Aaron, Adam M; Cunningham, Richard Burns

2014-01-01

The need for high-temperature (greater than 600 C) energy exchange and delivery systems is significantly increasing as the world strives to improve energy efficiency and develop alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. Liquid fluoride salts are one of the few energy transport fluids that have the capability of operating at high temperatures in combination with low system pressures. The Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor design uses fluoride salt to remove core heat and interface with a power conversion system. Although a significant amount of experimentation has been performed with these salts, specific aspects of this reactor concept will require experimental confirmation during themore » development process. The experimental facility described here has been constructed to support the development of the Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor concept. The facility is capable of operating at up to 700 C and incorporates a centrifugal pump to circulate FLiNaK salt through a removable test section. A unique inductive heating technique is used to apply heat to the test section, allowing heat transfer testing to be performed. An air-cooled heat exchanger removes added heat. Supporting loop infrastructure includes a pressure control system; trace heating system; and a complement of instrumentation to measure salt flow, temperatures, and pressures around the loop. The initial experiment is aimed at measuring fluoride salt heat transfer inside a heated pebble bed similar to that used for the core of the pebble bed advanced high-temperature reactor. This document describes the details of the loop design, auxiliary systems used to support the facility, the inductive heating system, and facility capabilities.« less

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of LTR Training versus Simulation Training and Stress Inoculation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

training must be completed during a short period of time and in a “ hyper -realistic” stressful and shocking environment. An understanding of how the...period of time and in a “ hyper -realistic” stressful and shocking environment. An understanding of how the training modality impacts the translation of...understand systems and how they change with a specific focus on identifying and evaluating the impact of feedback loops , accumulations (stocks and flows

Physiological control of a rotary blood pump with selectable therapeutic options: control of pulsatility gradient.

PubMed

Arndt, Andreas; Nüsser, Peter; Graichen, Kurt; Müller, Johannes; Lampe, Bernhard

2008-10-01

A control strategy for rotary blood pumps meeting different user-selectable control objectives is proposed: maximum support with the highest feasible flow rate versus medium support with maximum ventricular washout and controlled opening of the aortic valve (AoV). A pulsatility index (PI) is calculated from the pressure difference, which is deduced from the axial thrust measured by the magnetic bearing of the pump. The gradient of PI with respect to pump speed (GPI) is estimated via online system identification. The outer loop of a cascaded controller regulates GPI to a reference value satisfying the selected control objective. The inner loop controls the PI to a reference value set by the outer loop. Adverse pumping states such as suction and regurgitation can be detected on the basis of the GPI estimates and corrected by the controller. A lumped-parameter computer model of the assisted circulation was used to simulate variations of ventricular contractility, pulmonary venous pressure, and aortic pressure. The performance of the outer control loop was demonstrated by transitions between the two control modes. Fast reaction of the inner loop was tested by stepwise reduction of venous return. For maximum support, a low PI was maintained without inducing ventricular collapse. For maximum washout, the pump worked at a high PI in the transition region between the opening and the permanently closed AoV. The cascaded control of GPI and PI is able to meet different control objectives and is worth testing in vitro and in vivo.

Modification of "Pressed" Atmospheres in Active Regions of Ultracool Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaitsev, V. V.; Kronshtadtov, P. V.; Stepanov, A. V.

2017-12-01

Ultracool stars usually have active regions, which is confirmed by their high-power radiofrequency emission modulated by the star axial rotation. The interpretation of this emission is commonly based on the electron cyclotron maser mechanism realized in the active regions. A plasma mechanism of radiofrequency emission is not considered, because ultracool star atmospheres are tightly "pressed" against the star surface, and the plasma frequency is much lower than the electron gyrofrequency ( f L ≪ f B) at the coronal levels. This paper explores active regions of ultracool stars for the possible existence of a system of coronal magnetic loops carrying electric current generated by photospheric convection. It is shown that current dissipation induces a temperature increase inside the loops to about 107 K, which causes an increase in the scale of height of the inhomogeneous atmosphere and, at the coronal levels, effectuates condition f L ≫ f B, at which the plasma mechanism of radiofrequency emission prevails over the electron cyclotron maser mechanism. The magnetic loop parameters, intensity of electric currents generated by the photospheric convection, and efficiency of plasma heating inside the magnetic loops are evaluated on the example of the brown dwarf TVLM513-46546. The scale of the height of the modified atmosphere, which appears to be comparable to the star radius, is calculated; it is shown that the soft X-ray flow created by the hot modified atmosphere inside a coronal magnetic loop is about equal to that observed for brown dwarf TVLM513-46546.

Significant Association between Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria and Uranium-Reducing Microbial Communities as Revealed by a Combined Massively Parallel Sequencing-Indicator Species Approach▿ †

PubMed Central

Cardenas, Erick; Wu, Wei-Min; Leigh, Mary Beth; Carley, Jack; Carroll, Sue; Gentry, Terry; Luo, Jian; Watson, David; Gu, Baohua; Ginder-Vogel, Matthew; Kitanidis, Peter K.; Jardine, Philip M.; Zhou, Jizhong; Criddle, Craig S.; Marsh, Terence L.; Tiedje, James M.

2010-01-01

Massively parallel sequencing has provided a more affordable and high-throughput method to study microbial communities, although it has mostly been used in an exploratory fashion. We combined pyrosequencing with a strict indicator species statistical analysis to test if bacteria specifically responded to ethanol injection that successfully promoted dissimilatory uranium(VI) reduction in the subsurface of a uranium contamination plume at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center in Tennessee. Remediation was achieved with a hydraulic flow control consisting of an inner loop, where ethanol was injected, and an outer loop for flow-field protection. This strategy reduced uranium concentrations in groundwater to levels below 0.126 μM and created geochemical gradients in electron donors from the inner-loop injection well toward the outer loop and downgradient flow path. Our analysis with 15 sediment samples from the entire test area found significant indicator species that showed a high degree of adaptation to the three different hydrochemical-created conditions. Castellaniella and Rhodanobacter characterized areas with low pH, heavy metals, and low bioactivity, while sulfate-, Fe(III)-, and U(VI)-reducing bacteria (Desulfovibrio, Anaeromyxobacter, and Desulfosporosinus) were indicators of areas where U(VI) reduction occurred. The abundance of these bacteria, as well as the Fe(III) and U(VI) reducer Geobacter, correlated with the hydraulic connectivity to the substrate injection site, suggesting that the selected populations were a direct response to electron donor addition by the groundwater flow path. A false-discovery-rate approach was implemented to discard false-positive results by chance, given the large amount of data compared. PMID:20729318

Significant association between sulfate-reducing bacteria and uranium-reducing microbial communities as revealed by a combined massively parallel sequencing-indicator species approach.

PubMed

Cardenas, Erick; Wu, Wei-Min; Leigh, Mary Beth; Carley, Jack; Carroll, Sue; Gentry, Terry; Luo, Jian; Watson, David; Gu, Baohua; Ginder-Vogel, Matthew; Kitanidis, Peter K; Jardine, Philip M; Zhou, Jizhong; Criddle, Craig S; Marsh, Terence L; Tiedje, James M

2010-10-01

Massively parallel sequencing has provided a more affordable and high-throughput method to study microbial communities, although it has mostly been used in an exploratory fashion. We combined pyrosequencing with a strict indicator species statistical analysis to test if bacteria specifically responded to ethanol injection that successfully promoted dissimilatory uranium(VI) reduction in the subsurface of a uranium contamination plume at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center in Tennessee. Remediation was achieved with a hydraulic flow control consisting of an inner loop, where ethanol was injected, and an outer loop for flow-field protection. This strategy reduced uranium concentrations in groundwater to levels below 0.126 μM and created geochemical gradients in electron donors from the inner-loop injection well toward the outer loop and downgradient flow path. Our analysis with 15 sediment samples from the entire test area found significant indicator species that showed a high degree of adaptation to the three different hydrochemical-created conditions. Castellaniella and Rhodanobacter characterized areas with low pH, heavy metals, and low bioactivity, while sulfate-, Fe(III)-, and U(VI)-reducing bacteria (Desulfovibrio, Anaeromyxobacter, and Desulfosporosinus) were indicators of areas where U(VI) reduction occurred. The abundance of these bacteria, as well as the Fe(III) and U(VI) reducer Geobacter, correlated with the hydraulic connectivity to the substrate injection site, suggesting that the selected populations were a direct response to electron donor addition by the groundwater flow path. A false-discovery-rate approach was implemented to discard false-positive results by chance, given the large amount of data compared.

Experimental study of operation performance for hydrocarbon fuel pump with low specific speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xianyu; Yang, Jun; Jin, Xuan

2017-10-01

In this paper, a small flow rate hydrocarbon turbine pump was used to pressurize the fuel supply system of scramjet engine. Some experiments were carried out to investigate the characteristics of turbine pump driven by nitrogen or combustion gas under different operating conditions. A experimental database with regard to the curves of the rotational speed, mass flow rate and net head with regard to centrifugal pump were plotted. These curves were represented as functions of the pressure and temperature at turbine inlet/outlet and the throttle diameter at downstream of centrifugal pump. A sensitivity study has been carried out based on design of experiments. The experimental was employed to analyze net head of centrifugal and throttle characteristics. The research results can accumulate foundations for the close loop control system of turbine pump.

Simultaneous drag and flow measurements of Olympic skeleton athletes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Yae Eun; Digiulio, David; Peters, Steve; Wei, Timothy

2009-11-01

The Olympic sport of skeleton involves an athlete riding a small sled face first down a bobsled track at speeds up to 130 km/hr. In these races, the difference between gold and missing the medal stand altogether can be hundredths of a second per run. As such, reducing aerodynamic drag through proper body positioning is of first order importance. To better study the flow behavior and to improve the performance of the athletes, we constructed a static force balance system on a mock section of a bobsled track. Athlete and the sled are placed on the force balance system which is positioned at the exit of an open loop wind tunnel. Simultaneous drag force and DPIV velocity field measurements were made along with video recordings of body position to aid the athletes in determining their optimal aerodynamic body position.

Low flow vortex shedding flowmeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waugaman, Charles J.

1989-01-01

The purpose was to continue a development project on a no moving parts vortex shedding flowmeter used for flow measurement of hypergols. The project involved the design and construction of a test loop to evaluate the meter for flow of Freon which simulates the hypergol fluids. Results were obtained on the output frequency characteristics of the flow meter as a function of flow rate. A family of flow meters for larger size lines and ranges of flow was sized based on the results of the tested meter.

Digital computer study of nuclear reactor thermal transients during startup of 60-kWe Brayton power conversion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jefferies, K. S.; Tew, R. C.

1974-01-01

A digital computer study was made of reactor thermal transients during startup of the Brayton power conversion loop of a 60-kWe reactor Brayton power system. A startup procedure requiring the least Brayton system complication was tried first; this procedure caused violations of design limits on key reactor variables. Several modifications of this procedure were then found which caused no design limit violations. These modifications involved: (1) using a slower rate of increase in gas flow; (2) increasing the initial reactor power level to make the reactor respond faster; and (3) appropriate reactor control drum manipulation during the startup transient.

Stopped-in-loop flow analysis system for successive determination of trace vanadium and iron in drinking water using their catalytic reactions.

PubMed

Ayala Quezada, Alejandro; Ohara, Keisuke; Ratanawimarnwong, Nuanlaor; Nacapricha, Duangjai; Murakami, Hiroya; Teshima, Norio; Sakai, Tadao

2015-11-01

An automated stopped-in-loop flow analysis (SILFA) system is proposed for the successive catalytic determination of vanadium and iron. The determination of vanadium was based on the p-anisidine oxidation by potassium bromate in the presence of Tiron as an activator to form a reddish dye, which has an absorption maximum at 510 nm. The selectivity of the vanadium determination was greatly improved by adding diphosphate as a masking agent of iron. For the iron determination, an iron-catalyzed oxidative reaction of p-anisidine by hydrogen peroxide with 1,10-phenanthroline as an activator to produce a reddish dye (510 nm) was employed. The SILFA system consisted of two peristaltic pumps, two six-port injection valves, a four-port selection valve, a heater device, a spectrophotometric detector and a data acquisition device. One six-port injection valve was used for the isolation of a mixed solution of standard/sample and reagent to promote each catalytic reaction, and another six-port injection valve was used for switching the reagent for vanadium or iron to achieve selective determination of each analyte. The above mentioned four-port selection valve was used to select standard solutions or sample. These three valves and the two peristaltic pumps were controlled by a built-in programmable logic controller in a touchscreen controller. The obtained results showed that the proposed SILFA monitoring system constituted an effective approach for the selective determination of vanadium and iron. The limits of detection, 0.052 and 0.55 µg L(-1), were obtained for vanadium and iron, respectively. The proposed system was successfully applied to drinking water samples without any preconcentration procedures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inland Treatment of the Brine Generated from Reverse Osmosis Advanced Membrane Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Epuvalisation System

PubMed Central

Qurie, Mohannad; Abbadi, Jehad; Scrano, Laura; Mecca, Gennaro; Bufo, Sabino A.; Khamis, Mustafa; Karaman, Rafik

2013-01-01

The reverse osmosis (RO) brine generated from the Al-Quds University wastewater treatment plant was treated using an epuvalisation system. The advanced integrated wastewater treatment plant included an activated sludge unit, two consecutive ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filters (20 kD and 100 kD cutoffs) followed by an activated carbon filter and a reverse osmosis membrane. The epuvalisation system consisted of salt tolerant plants grown in hydroponic channels under continuous water flowing in a closed loop system, and placed in a greenhouse at Al-Quds University. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants were selected, and underwent two consecutive hydroponic flowing stages using different brine-concentrations: an adaptation stage, in which a 1:1 mixture of brine and fresh water was used; followed by a functioning stage, with 100% brine. A control treatment using fresh water was included as well. The experiment started in April and ended in June (2012). At the end of the experiment, analysis of the effluent brine showed a remarkable decrease of electroconductivity (EC), PO43−, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and K+ with a reduction of 60%, 74%, 70%, and 60%, respectively, as compared to the influent. The effluent of the control treatment showed 50%, 63%, 46%, and 90% reduction for the same parameters as compared to the influent. Plant growth parameters (plant height, fresh and dry weight) showed no significant difference between fresh water and brine treatments. Obtained results suggest that the epuvalisation system is a promising technique for inland brine treatment with added benefits. The increasing of channel number or closed loop time is estimated for enhancing the treatment process and increasing the nutrient uptake. Nevertheless, the epuvalisation technique is considered to be simple, efficient and low cost for inland RO brine treatment. PMID:23823802

Improved dual-loop detection system for collecting real-time truck data

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-02-01

The WSDOTs dual-loop detectors capability of measuring vehicle lengths makes the dual-loop detection system a potential real-time truck data source for freight movement study. However, a previous study found the WSDOT dual-loop detection system...

ADVANCED CUTTINGS TRANSPORT STUDY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stefan Miska; Nicholas Takach; Kaveh Ashenayi

2004-07-31

We have tested the loop elevation system. We raised the mast to approximately 25 to 30 degrees from horizontal. All went well. However, while lowering the mast, it moved laterally a couple of degrees. Upon visual inspection, severe spalling of the concrete on the face of the support pillar, and deformation of the steel support structure was observed. At this time, the facility is ready for testing in the horizontal position. A new air compressor has been received and set in place for the ACTS test loop. A new laboratory has been built near the ACTS test loop Roughened cupsmore » and rotors for the viscometer (RS300) were obtained. Rheologies of aqueous foams were measured using three different cup-rotor assemblies that have different surface roughness. The relationship between surface roughness and foam rheology was investigated. Re-calibration of nuclear densitometers has been finished. The re-calibration was also performed with 1% surfactant foam. A new cuttings injection system was installed at the bottom of the injection tower. It replaced the previous injection auger. A mechanistic model for cuttings transport with aerated mud has been developed. Cuttings transport mechanisms with aerated water at various conditions were experimentally investigated. A total of 39 tests were performed. Comparisons between the model predictions and experimental measurements show a satisfactory agreement. Results from the ultrasonic monitoring system indicated that we could distinguish between different sand levels. We also have devised ways to achieve consistency of performance by securing the sensors in the caps in exactly the same manner as long as the sensors are not removed from the caps. A preliminary test was conducted on the main flow loop at 100 gpm flow rate and 20 lb/min cuttings injection rate. The measured bed thickness using the ultrasonic method showed a satisfactory agreement with nuclear densitometer readings. Thirty different data points were collected after the test section was put into liquid holdup mode. Readings indicated 2.5 to 2.7 inches of sand. The corresponding nuclear densitometers readings were between 2.5 and 3.1 inches. Lab tests were conducted to check an on-line viewing system. Sharp images were obtained through a CCD camera with the use of a ring light or fiber light. A prototype device for measuring the average bubble size for the foam generator-viscometer was constructed from a 1/2 inch fitting. The new windowed cell has been received and installed on the ACTF Bubble Characterization Cart.« less

Measuring the mechanical efficiency of a working cardiac muscle sample at body temperature using a flow-through calorimeter.

PubMed

Taberner, Andrew J; Johnston, Callum M; Pham, Toan; June-Chiew Han; Ruddy, Bryan P; Loiselle, Denis S; Nielsen, Poul M F

2015-08-01

We have developed a new `work-loop calorimeter' that is capable of measuring, simultaneously, the work-done and heat production of isolated cardiac muscle samples at body temperature. Through the innovative use of thermoelectric modules as temperature sensors, the development of a low-noise fluid-flow system, and implementation of precise temperature control, the heat resolution of this device is 10 nW, an improvement by a factor of ten over previous designs. These advances have allowed us to conduct the first flow-through measurements of work output and heat dissipation from cardiac tissue at body temperature. The mechanical efficiency is found to vary with peak stress, and reaches a peak value of approximately 15 %, a figure similar to that observed in cardiac muscle at lower temperatures.

Large-scale flows, sheet plumes and strong magnetic fields in a rapidly rotating spherical dynamo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, F.

2011-12-01

Mechanisms of magnetic field intensification by flows of an electrically conducting fluid in a rapidly rotating spherical shell is investigated. Bearing dynamos of the Eartn and planets in mind, the Ekman number is set at 10-5. A strong dipolar solution with magnetic energy 55 times larger than the kinetic energy of thermal convection is obtained. In a regime of small viscosity and inertia with the strong magnetic field, convection structure consists of a few large-scale retrograde flows in the azimuthal direction and sporadic thin sheet-like plumes. The magnetic field is amplified through stretching of magnetic lines, which occurs typically through three types of flow: the retrograde azimuthal flow near the outer boundary, the downwelling flow of the sheet plume, and the prograde azimuthal flow near the rim of the tangent cylinder induced by the downwelling flow. It is found that either structure of current loops or current sheets is accompanied in each flow structure. Current loops emerge as a result of stretching the magnetic lines along the magnetic field, wheres the current sheets are formed to counterbalance the Coriolis force. Convection structure and processes of magnetic field generation found in the present model are distinct from those in models at larger/smaller Ekman number.

3D MHD Models of Active Region Loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ofman, Leon

2004-01-01

Present imaging and spectroscopic observations of active region loops allow to determine many physical parameters of the coronal loops, such as the density, temperature, velocity of flows in loops, and the magnetic field. However, due to projection effects many of these parameters remain ambiguous. Three dimensional imaging in EUV by the STEREO spacecraft will help to resolve the projection ambiguities, and the observations could be used to setup 3D MHD models of active region loops to study the dynamics and stability of active regions. Here the results of 3D MHD models of active region loops are presented, and the progress towards more realistic 3D MHD models of active regions. In particular the effects of impulsive events on the excitation of active region loop oscillations, and the generation, propagations and reflection of EIT waves are shown. It is shown how 3D MHD models together with 3D EUV observations can be used as a diagnostic tool for active region loop physical parameters, and to advance the science of the sources of solar coronal activity.

Site-specific investigations on aquifer thermal energy storage for space and process cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. R.

1991-08-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has completed three preliminary site-specific feasibility studies that investigated aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) for reducing space and process cooling costs. Chilled water stored in an ATES system could be used to meet all or part of the process and/or space cooling loads at the three facilities investigated. Seasonal or diurnal chill ATES systems could be significantly less expensive than a conventional electrically-driven, load-following chiller system at one of the three sites, depending on the cooling water loop return temperature and presumed future electricity escalation rate. For the other two sites investigated, a chill ATES system would be economically competitive with conventional chillers if onsite aquifer characteristics were improved. Well flow rates at one of the sites were adequate, but the expected thermal recovery efficiency was too low. The reverse of this situation was found at the other site, where the thermal recovery efficiency was expected to be adequate, but well flow rates were too low.

Development and Validation of an Automated Simulation Capability in Support of Integrated Demand Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arneson, Heather; Evans, Antony D.; Li, Jinhua; Wei, Mei Yueh

2017-01-01

Integrated Demand Management (IDM) is a near- to mid-term NASA concept that proposes to address mismatches in air traffic system demand and capacity by using strategic flow management capabilities to pre-condition demand into the more tactical Time-Based Flow Management System (TBFM). This paper describes an automated simulation capability to support IDM concept development. The capability closely mimics existing human-in-the-loop (HITL) capabilities, while automating both the human components and collaboration between operational systems, and speeding up the real-time aircraft simulations. Such a capability allows for parametric studies to be carried out that can inform the HITL simulations, identifying breaking points and parameter values at which significant changes in system behavior occur. The paper describes the initial validation of the automated simulation capability against results from previous IDM HITL experiments, quantifying the differences. The simulator is then used to explore the performance of the IDM concept under the simple scenario of a capacity constrained airport under a wide range of wind conditions.

Shape Morphing Adaptive Radiator Technology (SMART) Updates to Techport Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, Lisa; Bertagne, Christopher; Hartl, Darren; Witcomb, John; Cognata, Thomas

2017-01-01

The Shape-Morphing Adaptive Radiator Technology (SMART) project builds off the FY16 research effort that developed a flexible composite radiator panel and demonstrated its ability to actuate from SMA's attached to it. The proposed FY17 Shape-Morphing Adaptive Radiator Technology (SMART) project's goal is to 1) develop a practical radiator design with shape memory alloys (SMAs) bonded to the radiator's panel, and 2) build a multi-panel radiator prototype for subsequent system level thermal vacuum tests. The morphing radiator employs SMA materials to passively change its shape to adapt its rate of heat rejection to vehicle requirements. Conceptually, the radiator panel has a naturally closed position (like a cylinder) in a cold environment. Whenever the radiator's temperature gradually rises, SMA's affixed to the face sheet will pull the face sheet open a commensurate amount - increasing the radiators view to space and causing it to reject more heat. In a vehicle, the radiator's variable heat rejection capabilities would reduce the number of additional heat rejection devices in a vehicle's thermal control system. This technology aims to help achieve the required maximum to minimum heat rejection ratio required for manned space vehicles to adopt a lighter, simpler, single loop thermal control architecture (ATCS). Single loop architectures are viewed as an attractive means to reduce mass and complexity over traditional dual-loop solutions. However, fluids generally considered safe enough to flow within crewed cabins (e.g. propylene glycol-water mixtures) have much higher freezing points and viscosities than those used in the external sides of dual loop ATCSs (e.g. Ammonia and HFE7000).

Control of intrauterine fluid pressure during operative hysteroscopy.

PubMed

Shirk, G J; Gimpelson, R J

1994-05-01

To evaluate the safety of a commonly used piston pump that controls the infusion pressure of low-viscosity fluids in a continuous-flow hysteroscopic system during operative hysteroscopy. Consecutive patients requiring operative hysteroscopy. Three hospital facilities in the Midwest. Sequential sample of 250 women who underwent operative hysteroscopy. Endometrial ablations, resection of submucosal or pedunculated uterine leiomyomata with or without endometrial ablation, polyp resections, metroplasty, and lysis of synechiae. The most serious complication of operative hysteroscopy is fluid overload due to intravasation into the patient's vascular system. Low-viscosity fluids were infused by the Zimmer Controlled Distention Irrigation System. The instrument uses a closed-feedback loop to monitor cavity pressure and automatically regulates the flow to maintain the set point pressure. It is designed to operate in a pressure range of 0 to 80 mm Hg and at flows in excess of 450 ml/minute. In 250 operative hysteroscopies no fluid complications occurred when intrauterine pressure was maintained below 80 mm Hg. No clinically significant differences in intravasation were seen in any type of operative hysteroscopy. This controlled mechanical pump system with exact intrauterine pressure measurement reduced many technical difficulties associated with low-viscosity media, and created a safe environment for the media's use in operative hysteroscopy.

MFCV

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-08

ISS020-E-020259 (8 July 2009) --- NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 20 flight engineer, works at a rotated rack in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station during in-flight maintenance (IFM) to adjust the periodic flow rate of manual flow control valves for coolant loops.

MFCV

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-08

ISS020-E-020260 (8 July 2009) --- NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 20 flight engineer, works at a rotated rack in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station during in-flight maintenance (IFM) to adjust the periodic flow rate of manual flow control valves for coolant loops.

Thermal management of high power space based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwangbo, H.; Mcever, W. S.

1985-01-01

Conventional techniques of using a portion of the spacecraft skin for radiation of waste heat will be inadequate for high powered payloads (50 to 100 kWe) due to the lack of sufficient area. A Shuttle type system using a pumped single phase fluid loop could be scaled up to higher power but this type of system would require excessive pump power and weight. A pumped two-phase heat transfer loop has a much lower pumping requirement due to the higher latent heat of vaporization of the fluid in comparison to the sensible heat it can absorb through a temperature change. Concepts for an evaporator and a condenser for a pumped two-phase system are described. The condenser uses capillary grooves and a separate pumped condensate return line to achieve high heat transfer coefficients and stable operation due to the separation of the vapor and liquid flows. The cold plate evaporator uses wicks to contain the liquid and transport it to the heated surface. It can also function as a condenser for warming components. Control concepts for the cold plate are discussed. Concepts for deployment or erection of large space radiators are also considered.

Design and implementation of sensor systems for control of a closed-loop life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alnwick, Leslie; Clark, Amy; Debs, Patricia; Franczek, Chris; Good, Tom; Rodrigues, Pedro

1989-01-01

The sensing and controlling needs for a Closed-Loop Life Support System (CLLSS) were investigated. The sensing needs were identified in five particular areas and the requirements were defined for workable sensors. The specific areas of interest were atmosphere and temperature, nutrient delivery, plant health, plant propagation and support, and solids processing. The investigation of atmosphere and temperature control focused on the temperature distribution within the growth chamber as well as the possibility for sensing other parameters such as gas concentration, pressure, and humidity. The sensing needs were studied for monitoring the solution level in a porous membrane material along with the requirements for measuring the mass flow rate in the delivery system. The causes and symptoms of plant disease were examined and the various techniques for sensing these health indicators were explored. The study of sensing needs for plant propagation and support focused on monitoring seed viability and measuring seed moisture content as well as defining the requirements for drying and storing the seeds. The areas of harvesting, food processing, and resource recycling, were covered with a main focus on the sensing possibilities for regulating the recycling process.

Configuration and Generation of Substorm Current Wedge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Xiangning

The substorm current wedge (SCW), a core element of substorm dynamics coupling the magnetotail to the ionosphere, is crucial in understanding substorms. It has been suggested that the field-aligned currents (FACs) in the SCW are caused by either pressure gradients or flow vortices, or both. Our understanding of FAC generations is based predominately on numerical simulations, because it has not been possible to organize spacecraft observations in a coordinate system determined by the SCW. This dissertation develops an empirical inversion model of the current wedge and inverts midlatitude magnetometer data to obtain the parameters of the current wedge for three solar cycles. This database enables statistical data analysis of spacecraft plasma and magnetic field observations relative to the SCW coordinate. In chapter 2, a new midlatitude positive bay (MPB) index is developed and calculated for three solar cycles of data. The MPB index is processed to determine the substorm onset time, which is shown to correspond to the auroral breakup onset with at most 1-2 minutes difference. Substorm occurrence rate is found to depend on solar wind speed while substorm duration is rather constant, suggesting that substorm process has an intrinsic pattern independent of external driving. In chapter 3, an SCW inversion technique is developed to determine the strength and locations of the FACs in an SCW. The inversion parameters for FAC strength and location, and ring current strength are validated by comparison with other measurements. In chapter 4, the connection between earthward flows and auroral poleward expansion is examined using improved mapping, obtained from a newly-developed dynamic magnetospheric model by superimposing a standard magnetospheric field model with substorm current wedge obtained from the inversion technique. It is shown that the ionospheric projection of flows observed at a fixed point in the equatorial plane map to the bright aurora as it expands poleward, suggesting that auroral poleward expansion is mainly a consequence of magnetic dipolarization caused by the SCW. Chapter 5 shows that increased plasma pressure caused by flow braking has a temporal pattern similar to that of the currents in the SCW. In contrast, flow vortices vanish quickly, suggesting that pressure gradient is an important factor in generating the SCW. The measured pressure gradients are found to be organized relative to SCW central meridian. Nonalignment between pressure gradient and flux tube volume gradient lead to the generation of an SCW with quadrupole FACs (inner and outer loop of FACs). Because the inner current loop is weaker than the outer loop, the combined magnetic effect of the two current loops is similar to a classic SCW. The final chapter studies the magnetic flux transport by earthward flows, and accumulated inside the SCW and enclosed within auroral poleward boundary. Their good agreement suggests that flux accumulation causes magnetic dipolarization and auroral poleward expansion. The strength of the SCW is positively correlated with the amount of magnetic flux accumulated.

Design of a Mechanical NaK Pump for Fission Space Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mireles, Omar R.; Bradley, David; Godfroy, Thomas

2010-01-01

Alkali liquid metal cooled fission reactor concepts are under development for mid-range spaceflight power requirements. One such concept utilizes a sodium-potassium eutectic (NaK) as the primary loop working fluid. Traditionally, linear induction pumps have been used to provide the required flow and head conditions for liquid metal systems but can be limited in performance. This paper details the design, build, and check-out test of a mechanical NaK pump. The pump was designed to meet reactor cooling requirements using commercially available components modified for high temperature NaK service.

Closed-Loop Control Better than Open-Loop Control of Profofol TCI Guided by BIS: A Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Trial to Evaluate the CONCERT-CL Closed-Loop System

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuena; Wu, Anshi; Yao, Shanglong; Xue, Zhanggang; Yue, Yun

2015-01-01

Background The CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system designed by VERYARK Technology Co., Ltd. (Guangxi, China) is an innovation using TCI combined with closed-loop controlled intravenous anesthesia under the guide of BIS. In this study we performed a randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare closed-loop control and open-loop control of propofol by using the CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system. Methods 180 surgical patients from three medical centers undergone TCI intravenous anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil were randomly assigned to propofol closed-loop group and propofol opened-loop groups. Primary outcome was global score (GS, GS = (MDAPE+Wobble)/% of time of bispectral index (BIS) 40-60). Secondary outcomes were doses of the anesthetics and emergence time from anesthesia, such as, time to tracheal extubation. Results There were 89 and 86 patients in the closed-loop and opened-loop groups, respectively. GS in the closed-loop groups (22.21±8.50) were lower than that in the opened-loop group (27.19±15.26) (p=0.009). The higher proportion of time of BIS between 40 and 60 was also observed in the closed-loop group (84.11±9.50%), while that was 79.92±13.17% in the opened-loop group, (p=0.016). No significant differences in propofol dose and time of tracheal extubation were observed. The frequency of propofol regulation in the closed-loop group (31.55±9.46 times/hr) was obverse higher than that in the opened-loop group (6.84±6.21 times/hr) (p=0.000). Conclusion The CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system can automatically regulate the TCI of propofol, maintain the BIS value in an adequate range and reduce the workload of anesthesiologists better than open-loop system. Trial Registration ChiCTR ChiCTR-OOR-14005551 PMID:25886041

Use of a Hands Free, Instantaneous, Closed-Loop Communication Device Improves Perception of Communication and Workflow Integration in an Academic Teaching Hospital: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Fang, Daniel Z; Patil, Teja; Belitskaya-Levy, Ilana; Yeung, Marianne; Posley, Keith; Allaudeen, Nazima

2017-11-17

Efficient and effective communication between providers is critical to quality patient care within a hospital system. Hands free communication devices (HFCD) allow instantaneous, closed-loop communication between physicians and other members of a multidisciplinary team, providing a communication advantage over traditional pager systems. HFCD have been shown to decrease emergency room interruptions, improve nursing communication, improve speed of information flow, and eliminate health care waste. We evaluated the integration of an HFCD with an existing alphanumeric paging system on an acute inpatient medicine service. We conducted a prospective, observational, survey-based study over twenty-four weeks in an academic tertiary care center with attending physicians and residents. Our intervention involved the implementation of an HFCD alongside the existing paging system. Fifty-six pre and post surveys evaluated the perception of improvement in communication and the integration of the HFCD into existing workflow. We saw significant improvements in the ability of an HFCD to help physicians communicate thoughts clearly, communicate thoughts effectively, reach team members, reach ancillary staff, and stay informed about patients. Physicians also reported better workflow integration during admissions, rounds, discharge, and teaching sessions. Qualitative data from post surveys demonstrated that the greatest strengths of the HFCD included the ability to reach colleagues and staff quickly, provide instant access to individuals of the care team, and improve overall communication. Integration of an instantaneous, hands free, closed loop communication system alongside the existing pager system can provide improvements in the perceptions of communication and workflow integration in an academic medicine service. Future studies are needed to correlate these subjective findings with objective measures of quality and safety.

An open-loop ground-water heat pump system: transient numerical modeling and site experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo Russo, S.; Taddia, G.; Gnavi, L.

2012-04-01

KEY WORDS: Open-loop ground water heat pump; Feflow; Low-enthalpy; Thermal Affected Zone; Turin; Italy The increasing diffusion of low-enthalpy geothermal open-loop Groundwater Heat Pumps (GWHP) providing buildings air conditioning requires a careful assessment of the overall effects on groundwater system, especially in the urban areas where several plants can be close together and interfere. One of the fundamental aspects in the realization of an open loop low-enthalpy geothermal system is therefore the capacity to forecast the effects of thermal alteration produced in the ground, induced by the geothermal system itself. The impact on the groundwater temperature in the surrounding area of the re-injection well (Thermal Affected Zone - TAZ) is directly linked to the aquifer properties. The transient dynamic of groundwater discharge and temperature variations should be also considered to assess the subsurface environmental effects of the plant. The experimental groundwater heat pump system used in this study is installed at the "Politecnico di Torino" (NW Italy, Piedmont Region). This plant provides summer cooling needs for the university buildings. This system is composed by a pumping well, a downgradient injection well and a control piezometer. The system is constantly monitored by multiparameter probes measuring the dynamic of groundwater temperature. A finite element subsurface flow and transport simulator (FEFLOW) was used to investigate the thermal aquifer alteration. Simulations were continuously performed during May-October 2010 (cooling period). The numerical simulation of the heat transport in the aquifer was solved with transient conditions. The simulation was performed by considering only the heat transfer within the saturated aquifer, without any heat dispersion above or below the saturated zone due to the lack of detailed information regarding the unsaturated zone. Model results were compared with experimental temperature data derived from groundwater monitoring in the surrounding area of the injection well. Such analysis showed that the measured values differ slightly from the simulated values. That small difference is probably due to the simplification assumptions in the modelling. This hypothesis is still under investigation.

Real time closed loop control of an Ar and Ar/O2 plasma in an ICP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faulkner, R.; Soberón, F.; McCarter, A.; Gahan, D.; Karkari, S.; Milosavljevic, V.; Hayden, C.; Islyaikin, A.; Law, V. J.; Hopkins, M. B.; Keville, B.; Iordanov, P.; Doherty, S.; Ringwood, J. V.

2006-10-01

Real time closed loop control for plasma assisted semiconductor manufacturing has been the subject of academic research for over a decade. However, due to process complexity and the lack of suitable real time metrology, progress has been elusive and genuine real time, multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) control of a plasma assisted process has yet to be successfully implemented in an industrial setting. A Splasma parameter control strategy T is required to be adopted whereby process recipes which are defined in terms of plasma properties such as critical species densities as opposed to input variables such as rf power and gas flow rates may be transferable between different chamber types. While PIC simulations and multidimensional fluid models have contributed considerably to the basic understanding of plasmas and the design of process equipment, such models require a large amount of processing time and are hence unsuitable for testing control algorithms. In contrast, linear dynamical empirical models, obtained through system identification techniques are ideal in some respects for control design since their computational requirements are comparatively small and their structure facilitates the application of classical control design techniques. However, such models provide little process insight and are specific to an operating point of a particular machine. An ideal first principles-based, control-oriented model would exhibit the simplicity and computational requirements of an empirical model and, in addition, despite sacrificing first principles detail, capture enough of the essential physics and chemistry of the process in order to provide reasonably accurate qualitative predictions. This paper will discuss the development of such a first-principles based, control-oriented model of a laboratory inductively coupled plasma chamber. The model consists of a global model of the chemical kinetics coupled to an analytical model of power deposition. Dynamics of actuators including mass flow controllers and exhaust throttle are included and sensor characteristics are also modelled. The application of this control-oriented model to achieve multivariable closed loop control of specific species e.g. atomic Oxygen and ion density using the actuators rf power, Oxygen and Argon flow rates, and pressure/exhaust flow rate in an Ar/O2 ICP plasma will be presented.