Laser geodynamic satellite thermal/optical/ vibrational analyses and testing. Volume 2: Technical report, book 1. [retroreflector design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The results of the LAGEOS thermal/optical/vibrational analysis and test program are reported. Through analyses and tests it is verified that the MSFC LAGEOS design provides a retroreflector thermal environment which maintains acceptable retroflector internal thermal gradients. The technical results of the study, organized by the major task areas are presented. The interrelationships of the major tasks are described and the major decisions are identified.

In Situ Determination of Thermal Profiles during Czochralski Silicon Crystal Growth by an Eddy Current Technique.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choe, Kwang Su.

An eddy current testing method was developed to continuously monitor crystal growth process and determine thermal profiles in situ during Czochralski silicon crystal growth. The work was motivated by the need to improve the quality of the crystal by controlling thermal gradients and annealing history over the growth cycle. The experimental concept is to monitor intrinsic electrical conductivities of the growing crystal and deduce temperature values from them. The experiments were performed in a resistance-heated Czochralski puller with a 203 mm (8 inch) diameter crucible containing 6.5 kg melt. The silicon crystals being grown were about 80 mm in diameter and monitored by an encircling sensor operating at three different test frequencies (86, 53 and 19 kHz). A one-dimensional analytical solution was employed to translate the detected signals into electrical conductivities. In terms of experiments, the effects of changes in growth condition, which is defined by crystal and crucible rotation rates, crucible position, pull rate, and hot-zone configuration, were investigated. Under a given steady-state condition, the thermal profile was usually stable over the entire length of crystal growth. The profile shifted significantly, however, when the crucible rotation rate was kept too high. As a direct evidence to the effects of melt flow on heat transfer process, a thermal gradient minimum was observed about the crystal/crucible rotation combination of 20/-10 rpm cw. The thermal gradient reduction was still most pronounced when the pull rate or the radiant heat loss to the environment was decreased: a nearly flat axial thermal gradient was achieved when either the pull rate was halved or the height of the exposed crucible wall was effectively doubled. Under these conditions, the average axial thermal gradient along the surface of the crystal was about 4-5 ^{rm o}C/mm. Regardless of growth condition, the three-frequency data revealed radial thermal gradients much larger than what were predicted by existing theoretical models. This discrepancy seems to indicate that optical effects, which are neglected in theoretical modeling, play a major role in the internal heat transfer of the crystal.

A radiant heating test facility for space shuttle orbiter thermal protection system certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherborne, W. D.; Milhoan, J. D.

1980-01-01

A large scale radiant heating test facility was constructed so that thermal certification tests can be performed on the new generation of thermal protection systems developed for the space shuttle orbiter. This facility simulates surface thermal gradients, onorbit cold-soak temperatures down to 200 K, entry heating temperatures to 1710 K in an oxidizing environment, and the dynamic entry pressure environment. The capabilities of the facility and the development of new test equipment are presented.

Failure Mechanisms and Life Prediction of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings under Thermal Gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zju, Dongming; Ghosn, Louis J.; Miller, Robert A.

2008-01-01

Ceramic thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) will play an increasingly important role in gas turbine engines because of their ability to further raise engine temperatures. However, the issue of coating durability is of major concern under high-heat-flux conditions. In particular, the accelerated coating delamination crack growth under the engine high heat-flux conditions is not well understood. In this paper, a laser heat flux technique is used to investigate the coating delamination crack propagation under realistic temperature-stress gradients and thermal cyclic conditions. The coating delamination mechanisms are investigated under various thermal loading conditions, and are correlated with coating dynamic fatigue, sintering and interfacial adhesion test results. A coating life prediction framework may be realized by examining the crack initiation and propagation driving forces for coating failure under high-heat-flux test conditions.

Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminosilicate (CMAS) Infiltration and Cyclic Degradations of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings in Thermal Gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Harder, Bryan; Smialek, Jim; Miller, Robert A.

2014-01-01

In a continuing effort to develop higher temperature capable turbine thermal barrier and environmental barrier coating systems, Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminosilicate (CMAS) resistance of the advanced coating systems needs to be evaluated and improved. This paper highlights some of NASA past high heat flux testing approaches for turbine thermal and environmental barrier coatings assessments in CMAS environments. One of our current emphases has been focused on the thermal barrier - environmental barrier coating composition and testing developments. The effort has included the CMAS infiltrations in high temperature and high heat flux turbine engine like conditions using advanced laser high heat flux rigs, and subsequently degradation studies in laser heat flux thermal gradient cyclic and isothermal furnace cyclic testing conditions. These heat flux CMAS infiltration and related coating durability testing are essential where appropriate CMAS melting, infiltration and coating-substrate temperature exposure temperature controls can be achieved, thus helping quantify the CMAS-coating interaction and degradation mechanisms. The CMAS work is also playing a critical role in advanced coating developments, by developing laboratory coating durability assessment methodologies in simulated turbine engine conditions and helping establish CMAS test standards in laboratory environments.

Validation of Modified Wine-Rack Thermal Design for Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries in Landsat-7 Spacecraft Thermal Vacuum Test and in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.

1999-01-01

A heritage wine-rack thermal/mechanical design for the nickel-hydrogen batteries was the baseline at the Landsat-7 Preliminary Design Review. An integrated thermal and power analysis of the batteries performed by the author in 1994 revealed that the maximum cell-to-cell gradient was 6.6 C. The author proposed modifying the heritage wine-rack design by enhancing heat conduction from cells to cells, and from cells to battery frame. At the 1995 Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC), the author presented a paper on methods of modifying the wine-rack design. It showed that the modified wine-rack option, which uses a metallic filler, could reduce the maximum cell-to-cell temperature gradient to 1.30 C, and could also reduce the maximum cell temperature by as much as 80 C. That design concept was adopted by the Landsat7 Project Office, and a design change was made at the Critical Design Review. Results of the spacecraft thermal vacuum and thermal balance tests, and temperature data in flight show that the temperatures of the battery cells are very uniform. The maximum cell-to-cell gradient is 1.50 C. They validate the modified wine-rack thermal design.

RESPONSE OF HATCHLING AND YEARLING TURTLES TO THERMAL GRADIENTS: COMPARISON OF CHELYDRA SERPENTINA AND TRACHEMYS SCRIPTA

EPA Science Inventory

In laboratory test, young Chelydra serpentina and Trachemys scripta altered their distribution in the presence of a temperature gradient. Selection of temperatures in the gradient for hatchlings and yearlings showed that body temperature (Tbs) of C. serpentina were lower tha...

Development of a Semi-Span Test Capability at the National Transonic Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatlin, G. M.; Parker, P. A.; Owens, L. R., Jr.

2001-01-01

A need for low-speed, high Reynolds number test capabilities has been identified for the design and development of advanced subsonic transport high-lift systems. In support of this need, multiple investigations have been conducted in the National Transonic Facility (NTF) at the NASA Langley Research Center to develop a semi-span testing capability that will provide the low-speed, flight Reynolds number data currently unattainable using conventional sting-mounted, full-span models. Although a semi-span testing capability will effectively double the Reynolds number capability over full-span models, it does come at the expense of contending with the issue of the interaction of the flow over the model with the windtunnel wall boundary layer. To address this issue the size and shape of the semi-span model mounting geometry have been investigated, and the results are presented herein. The cryogenic operating environment of the NTF produced another semi-span test technique issue in that varying thermal gradients have developed on the large semi-span balance. The suspected cause of these thermal gradients and methods to eliminate them are presented. Data are also presented that demonstrate the successful elimination of these varying thermal gradients during cryogenic operations.

JT9D ceramic outer air seal system refinement program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffin, W. O.

1982-01-01

The abradability and durability characteristics of the plasma sprayed system were improved by refinement and optimization of the plasma spray process and the metal substrate design. The acceptability of the final seal system for engine testing was demonstrated by an extensive rig test program which included thermal shock tolerance, thermal gradient, thermal cycle, erosion, and abradability tests. An interim seal system design was also subjected to 2500 endurance test cycles in a JT9D-7 engine.

Rheological Properties of Quasi-2D Fluids in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trittel, Torsten; Stannarius, Ralf; Eremin, Alexey; Harth, Kirsten; Clark, Noel A.; Maclennan, Joseph; Glaser, Matthew; Park, Cheol; Hall, Nancy; Tin, Padetha

2016-01-01

Freely suspended smectic films of sub-micrometer thickness and lateral extensions of several millimeters are used to study thermally driven convection and diffusion in the film plane. The experiments were performed during a six minute microgravity phase of a TEXUS suborbital rocket flight (Texus 52, launched April 27, 2015). The project served as a preliminary test for a planned ISS Experiment with liquid crystal films (OASIS), and in addition it provided new experimental data on smectic films exposed to in-plane thermal gradients.We find an attraction of the smectic material towards the cold edge of the film in a temperature gradient, similar to a Soret effect. This process is reversed when this edge is heated up again. Thermal convection driven by two thermocontacts in the film is practically absent, even at temperature gradients up to 10 Kmm, thermally driven convection sets in when the hot post reaches the transition temperature to the nematic phase.An additional experiment was performed under microgravity conditions to test the stability of liquid crystal bridges in different smectic phases.

Thermal/Dynamic Characterization Test of the Solar Array Panel for Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Kathleen; Hershfeld, Donald J.

1999-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope has experienced a problem maintaining pointing accuracy during emergence of the spacecraft from the Earth's shadow. The problem has been attributed to the rapid thermal gradient that develops when the heat from the Sun strikes the cold solar arrays. The thermal gradient causes the solar arrays to deflect or bend and this motion is sufficient to disturb the pointing control system. In order to alleviate this problem, a new design for the solar arrays has been fabricated. These new solar arrays will replace the current solar arrays during a future Hubble servicing mission. The new solar arrays have been designed so that the effective net motion of the center of mass of each panel is essentially zero. Although the solar array thermal deflection problem has been studied extensively over a period of years, a full scale test of the actual flight panels was required in order to establish confidence in the analyses. This test was conducted in the JPL Solar Simulation Facility in April, 1999. This presentation will discuss the objectives and methods of the test and present some typical test data.

Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) thermal characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyake, R. N.; Wu, Y. C.

1988-01-01

The thermal support group, which is part of the lightweight composite reflector panel program, developed thermal test and analysis evaluation tools necessary to support the integrated interdisciplinary analysis (IIDA) capability. A detailed thermal mathematical model and a simplified spacecraft thermal math model were written. These models determine the orbital temperature level and variation, and the thermally induced gradients through and across a panel, for inclusion in the IIDA.

Estimation of surface temperature variations due to changes in sky and solar flux with elevation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hummer-Miller, S.

1981-01-01

The magnitude of elevation effects due to changes in solar and sky fluxes, on interpretation of single thermal images and composite products such as temperature difference and thermal inertia, are examined. Simple expressions are derived for the diurnal behavior of the two parameters, by fitting field observations in one tropic (Hawaii) and two semi-arid climates (Wyoming and Colorado) (Hummer-Miller, 1981). It is shown that flux variations with elevation can cause changes in the mean diurnal temperature gradient from -4 to -14 degrees C/km, evaluated at 2000 m. Changes in the temperature-difference gradient of 1 to 2 degrees C/km are also produced which is equivalent to an effective thermal-inertia gradient of 100 W s(exp 1/2)/sq m-K-km. An example is presented showing an elevation effect of 12 degrees C on the day and night thermal scenes of a test site in Arizona.

Cycling Performance of a Columnar-Structured Complex Perovskite in a Temperature Gradient Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlegel, N.; Sebold, D.; Sohn, Y. J.; Mauer, G.; Vaßen, R.

2015-10-01

To increase the efficiency of turbines for the power generation and the aircraft industry, advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are required. They need to be long-term stable at temperatures higher than 1200 °C. Nowadays, yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is applied as standard TBC material. But its long-term application at temperatures higher than 1200 °C leads to detrimental phase changes and sintering effects. Therefore, new materials have to be investigated, for example, complex perovskites. They provide high melting points, high thermal expansion coefficients and thermal conductivities of approx. 2.0 W/(m K). In this work, the complex perovskite La(Al1/4Mg1/2Ta1/4)O3 (LAMT) was investigated. It was deposited by the suspension plasma spraying (SPS) process, resulting in a columnar microstructure of the coating. The coatings were tested in thermal cycling gradient tests and they show excellent results, even though some phase decomposition was found.

Environmental Durability and Stress Rupture of EBC/CMCs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, Matthew; Morscher, Gregory N.; Zhu, Dongming

2012-01-01

This research focuses on the strength and creep performance of SiC fiber-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) environmental barrier coating (EBC) systems under complex simulated engine environments. Tensile-strength and stress-rupture testing was conducted to illustrate the material properties under isothermal and thermal gradient conditions. To determine material durability, further testing was conducted under exposure to thermal cycling, thermal gradients and simulated combustion environments. Emphasis is placed on experimental techniques as well as implementation of non-destructive evaluation, including modal acoustic emission and electrical resistivity monitoring, to characterize strength degradation and damage mechanisms. Currently, little is known about the behavior of EBC-CMCs under these conditions; consequently, this work will prove invaluable in the development of structural components for use in high temperature applications.

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

Carbone, L.; Ciani, G.; Dolesi, R.

The low frequency sensitivity of space-borne gravitational wave observatories will depend critically on the geodesic purity of the trajectories of orbiting test masses. Fluctuations in the temperature difference across the enclosure surrounding the free-falling test mass can produce noisy forces through several processes, including the radiometric effect, radiation pressure, and outgassing. We present here a detailed experimental investigation of thermal gradient-induced forces for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) gravitational wave mission and the LISA Pathfinder, employing high resolution torsion pendulum measurements of the torque on a LISA-like test mass suspended inside a prototype of the LISA gravitational reference sensormore » that will surround the test mass in orbit. The measurement campaign, accompanied by numerical simulations of the radiometric and radiation pressure effects, allows a more accurate and representative characterization of thermal-gradient forces in the specific geometry and environment relevant to LISA free-fall. The pressure dependence of the measured torques allows clear identification of the radiometric effect, in quantitative agreement with the model developed. In the limit of zero gas pressure, the measurements are most likely dominated by outgassing, but at a low level that does not threaten the current LISA noise estimate, which assumes a maximum net force per degree of temperature difference of 100(pN/K) for the overall thermal gradient-induced effects.« less

Response of Al-Based Micro- and Nanocomposites to Rapid Fluctuations in Thermal Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dash, K.; Ray, B. C.

2018-05-01

The focus of this work is to highlight the relative response of Al-based micro- and nanocomposites in the form of enhancement in flexural strength via induced thermal stresses at high and cryogenic temperatures in ex situ and in situ atmospheres. In this investigation, we have tried to explore the reliability, matrix-reinforcement interaction and microstructural integrity of these materials in their service period by designing appropriate heat treatment regimes. Al-Al2O3 micro- and nanocomposites had been fabricated by powder processing method. The micro- and nanocomposites were subjected to down-thermal shock (from positive to negative temperature) and up-thermal shock (from negative to positive temperature) with varying thermal gradients. For isothermal conditioning, the composites were exposed to + 80 and - 80 °C for 1 h separately. High-temperature three-point flexural tests were performed at 100 and 250 °C on the composites. All the composites subjected to thermal shock and isothermal conditioning was tested in three-point flexural mode post-treatments. Al-1 vol.% Al2O3 nanocomposite's flexural strength improved to 118 MPa post-thermal shock treatment of gradient of 160 °C. The Al-5 and 10 vol.% Al2O3 microcomposites possessed flexural strength of 200 and 99.8 MPa after thermal shock treatment of gradient of 160 and 80 °C, respectively. The observed improvement in flexural strength of micro- and nanocomposites post-thermal excursions were compared and have been discussed with the support of fractography. The microcomposites showed a higher positive scale of response to the thermal excursions as compared to that of the nanocomposites.

Electric Plasma Arc-Lamp Combustor Liner Durability Test System Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, Jon C.; Halbig, Michael C.

2000-01-01

Silicon carbide matrix composites are candidate materials for high-temperature combustor liners. Because through-the-thickness thermal gradients are the primary cause of stress on combustor liners, a unique test facility was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to simulate in-service pure thermal stress distributions in fiber reinforced silicon carbide cylinders. It was developed initially under Phase II of the High- Speed Research Program. This test stand can accommodate 8-in.-long test cylinders that have outer diameters of 4 in. and a wall thickness of about 0.08 to 0.12 in. One cylinder at a time is loaded vertically into the test stand. Water-cooled plates enclose the open ends of the cylinder and provide cooling. Load plates on the exterior side of the water-cooled plates provide support and compression loads. To evaluate a combustor liner material s potential performance, researchers induce thermal gradients with an axisymmetric, direct-current, electric arc within the cylinder while refrigerated air at a rate of 1.5 lb/sec impinges on the outside surface of the cylinder. The achievable through-the-thickness thermal gradient is predicted to be in excess of 200 C. The 8-in. long, 0.5-in.-diameter plasma arc emits full spectrum visible light; radiant intensity exceeds 300 Watts per square centimeters to produce temperatures in excess of 1500 C on materials with emissivity near unity. Because the system does not rely upon the combustion of fuels to achieve the related thermal conditions, ancillary environmental reactions with the sample are eliminated. The system incorporates a standard mechanical test frame, which can impose constant as well cyclical axial stresses up to 2200 lb upon the test piece. Silicon-carbide-fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix composite cylinders were instrumented with thin-film thermocouples to obtain through-the-thickness thermal flux measurements. Inside wall temperatures reached 1200 C with only 250 A of current. One of the special features of this configuration is the creation of hoop stress states within the cylinder, which up this point have not been obtainable in planar coupon tests. This facility will allow various operational modes, including accelerated tests of thermal transients simulating the effects of repeated engine ignition as well as prescribed thermal and mechanical histories to simulate various duty cycle profiles. Tests can now be performed on thermal-barrier-coated metallic liners and ceramic composite liners that require a combination of high heat flux and controlled mechanical stresses.

Short infrared laser pulses increase cell membrane fluidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, Alex J.; Cantu, Jody C.; Ibey, Bennett L.; Beier, Hope T.

2017-02-01

Short infrared laser pulses induce a variety of effects in cells and tissues, including neural stimulation and inhibition. However, the mechanism behind these physiological effects is poorly understood. It is known that the fast thermal gradient induced by the infrared light is necessary for these biological effects. Therefore, this study tests the hypothesis that the fast thermal gradient induced in a cell by infrared light exposure causes a change in the membrane fluidity. To test this hypothesis, we used the membrane fluidity dye, di-4-ANEPPDHQ, to investigate membrane fluidity changes following infrared light exposure. Di-4-ANEPPDHQ fluorescence was imaged on a wide-field fluorescence imaging system with dual channel emission detection. The dual channel imaging allowed imaging of emitted fluorescence at wavelengths longer and shorter than 647 nm for ratiometric assessment and computation of a membrane generalized polarization (GP) value. Results in CHO cells show increased membrane fluidity with infrared light pulse exposure and this increased fluidity scales with infrared irradiance. Full recovery of pre-infrared exposure membrane fluidity was observed. Altogether, these results demonstrate that infrared light induces a thermal gradient in cells that changes membrane fluidity.

Relationships between heat flow, thermal and pressure fields in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husson, L.; Henry, P.; Le Pichon, X.

2004-12-01

The thermal field of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is restored from a comprehensive temperature-depth database. A striking feature is the systematic sharp gradient increase between 2500 and 4000 m. The analysis of the pressure (fracturation tests and mud weights) indicates a systematic correlation between the pressure and temperature fields, as well as with the thickness of Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary layer, and is interpreted as the fact of cooling from fluid flow in the upper, almost hydrostatically pressured layer. The Nusselt number, that we characterize by the ratio between the near high-P gradient over low-P gradient varies spatially and is correlated to the structural pattern of the GoM; this observation outlines the complex relationships between heat and fluid flows, structure and sedimentation. The deep thermal signal is restored in terms of gradient and heat flow density from a statistical analysis of the thermal data combined to the thermal modelling of about 175 wells. At a regional scale, although the sedimentary cover is warmer in Texas than in Louisiana in terms of temperature, the steady state basal heat flow is higher in Louisiana. In addition, beneath the Corsair Fault, which lay offshore parallel to the Texan coast, the high heat flow suggests a zone of Tertiary lithospheric thinning.

Infrared characterization of thermal gradients on disc brakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panier, Stephane; Dufrenoy, Philippe; Bremond, Pierre

2003-04-01

The heat generated in frictional organs like brakes and clutches induces thermal distortions which may lead to localized contact areas and hot spots developments. Hot spots are high thermal gradients on the rubbing surface. They count among the most dangerous phenomena in frictional organs leading to damage, early failure and unacceptable braking performances such as brake fade or undesirable low frequency vibrations called hot judder. In this paper, an experimental study of hot spots occurrence in railway disc brakes is reported on. The aim of this study was to better classify and to explain the thermal gradients appearance on the surface of the disc. Thermograph measurements with an infrared camera have been carried out on the rubbing surface of brake discs on a full-scale test bench. The infrared system was set to take temperature readings in snap shot mode precisely synchronized with the rotation of the disc. Very short integration time allows reducing drastically haziness of thermal images. Based on thermographs, a classification of hot-spots observed in disc brakes is proposed. A detailed investigation of the most damaging thermal gradients, called macroscopic hot spots (MHS) is given. From these experimental researches, a scenario of hot spots occurrence is suggested step by step. Thanks to infrared measurements at high frequency with high resolution, observations give new highlights on the conditions of hot spots appearance. Comparison of the experimental observations with the theoretical approaches is finally discussed.

Evaluation of thermal gradients in longitudinal spin Seebeck effect measurements

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

Sola, A., E-mail: a.sola@inrim.it; Kuepferling, M.; Basso, V.

2015-05-07

In the framework of the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect (LSSE), we developed an experimental setup for the characterization of LSSE devices. This class of device consists in a layered structure formed by a substrate, a ferrimagnetic insulator (YIG) where the spin current is thermally generated, and a paramagnetic metal (Pt) for the detection of the spin current via the inverse spin-Hall effect. In this kind of experiments, the evaluation of a thermal gradient through the thin YIG layer is a crucial point. In this work, we perform an indirect determination of the thermal gradient through the measurement of the heatmore » flux. We developed an experimental setup using Peltier cells that allow us to measure the heat flux through a given sample. In order to test the technique, a standard LSSE device produced at Tohoku University was measured. We find a spin Seebeck S{sub SSE} coefficient of 2.8×10{sup −7} V K{sup −1}.« less

Heating-freezing effects on the orientation of kaolin clay particles

DOE PAGES

Jaradat, Karam A.; Darbari, Zubin; Elbakhshwan, Mohamed; ...

2017-09-29

The effects of temperature changes on the particle orientation of a consolidated kaolin are studied using XRD experiments. Here, two sets of equipment were utilized in this study: a benchtop equipment, and a synchrotron beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The kaolin specimens tested in the benchtop XRD were subjected to elevated and freezing temperatures ex-situ, while those used for the NSLS-II experiment were exposed to the temperature changes in-situ. The temperatures considered in this study range from freezing (-10 °C) to elevated temperature below boiling (90 °C). The thermally-induced reorientation of claymore » mineral particles is highly dependent on the relative orientation of the clay mineral particles with respect to the applied thermal gradient. For example, kaolin samples with kaolinite particles oriented perpendicular to the thermal gradient, and to the expected thermally-induced pore water flow, experience much higher particles reorientations compared to samples with particles initially oriented parallel to the thermal gradient. Lastly, freezing kaolin preserved its microstructure as ice crystals form.« less

Heating-freezing effects on the orientation of kaolin clay particles

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

Jaradat, Karam A.; Darbari, Zubin; Elbakhshwan, Mohamed

The effects of temperature changes on the particle orientation of a consolidated kaolin are studied using XRD experiments. Here, two sets of equipment were utilized in this study: a benchtop equipment, and a synchrotron beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The kaolin specimens tested in the benchtop XRD were subjected to elevated and freezing temperatures ex-situ, while those used for the NSLS-II experiment were exposed to the temperature changes in-situ. The temperatures considered in this study range from freezing (-10 °C) to elevated temperature below boiling (90 °C). The thermally-induced reorientation of claymore » mineral particles is highly dependent on the relative orientation of the clay mineral particles with respect to the applied thermal gradient. For example, kaolin samples with kaolinite particles oriented perpendicular to the thermal gradient, and to the expected thermally-induced pore water flow, experience much higher particles reorientations compared to samples with particles initially oriented parallel to the thermal gradient. Lastly, freezing kaolin preserved its microstructure as ice crystals form.« less

Durability and Design Issues of Thermal/environmental Barrier Coatings on Sic/sic Ceramic Matrix Composites Under 1650 C Test Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Choi, Sung R.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Ceramic thermal/environmental barrier coatings for SiC-based ceramics will play an increasingly important role in future gas turbine engines because of their ability to effectively protect the engine components and further raise engine temperatures. However, the coating durability remains a major concern with the ever-increasing temperature requirements. Currently, advanced T/EBC systems, which typically include a high temperature capable zirconia- (or hahia-) based oxide top coat (thermal barrier) on a less temperature capable mullite/barium-strontium-aluminosilicate (BSAS)/Si inner coat (environmental barrier), are being developed and tested for higher temperature capability Sic combustor applications. In this paper, durability of several thermal/environmental barrier coating systems on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites was investigated under laser simulated engine thermal gradient cyclic, and 1650 C (3000 F) test conditions. The coating cracking and delamination processes were monitored and evaluated. The effects of temperature gradients and coating configurations on the ceramic coating crack initiation and propagation were analyzed using finite element analysis (FEA) models based on the observed failure mechanisms, in conjunction with mechanical testing results. The environmental effects on the coating durability will be discussed. The coating design approach will also be presented.

Synchrotron X-ray measurement techniques for thermal barrier coated cylindrical samples under thermal gradients.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Sanna F; Knipe, Kevin; Manero, Albert; Meid, Carla; Wischek, Janine; Okasinski, John; Almer, Jonathan; Karlsson, Anette M; Bartsch, Marion; Raghavan, Seetha

2013-08-01

Measurement techniques to obtain accurate in situ synchrotron strain measurements of thermal barrier coating systems (TBCs) applied to hollow cylindrical specimens are presented in this work. The Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition coated specimens with internal cooling were designed to achieve realistic temperature gradients over the TBC coated material such as that occurring in the turbine blades of aeroengines. Effects of the circular cross section on the x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in the various layers, including the thermally grown oxide, are investigated using high-energy synchrotron x-rays. Multiple approaches for beam penetration including collection, tangential, and normal to the layers, along with variations in collection parameters are compared for their ability to attain high-resolution XRD data from the internal layers. This study displays the ability to monitor in situ, the response of the internal layers within the TBC, while implementing a thermal gradient across the thickness of the coated sample. The thermal setup maintained coating surface temperatures in the range of operating conditions, while monitoring the substrate cooling, for a controlled thermal gradient. Through variation in measurement location and beam parameters, sufficient intensities are obtained from the internal layers which can be used for depth resolved strain measurements. Results are used to establish the various techniques for obtaining XRD measurements through multi-layered coating systems and their outcomes will pave the way towards goals in achieving realistic in situ testing of these coatings.

Synchrotron X-ray measurement techniques for thermal barrier coated cylindrical samples under thermal gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqui, Sanna F.; Knipe, Kevin; Manero, Albert; Meid, Carla; Wischek, Janine; Okasinski, John; Almer, Jonathan; Karlsson, Anette M.; Bartsch, Marion; Raghavan, Seetha

2013-08-01

Measurement techniques to obtain accurate in situ synchrotron strain measurements of thermal barrier coating systems (TBCs) applied to hollow cylindrical specimens are presented in this work. The Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition coated specimens with internal cooling were designed to achieve realistic temperature gradients over the TBC coated material such as that occurring in the turbine blades of aeroengines. Effects of the circular cross section on the x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in the various layers, including the thermally grown oxide, are investigated using high-energy synchrotron x-rays. Multiple approaches for beam penetration including collection, tangential, and normal to the layers, along with variations in collection parameters are compared for their ability to attain high-resolution XRD data from the internal layers. This study displays the ability to monitor in situ, the response of the internal layers within the TBC, while implementing a thermal gradient across the thickness of the coated sample. The thermal setup maintained coating surface temperatures in the range of operating conditions, while monitoring the substrate cooling, for a controlled thermal gradient. Through variation in measurement location and beam parameters, sufficient intensities are obtained from the internal layers which can be used for depth resolved strain measurements. Results are used to establish the various techniques for obtaining XRD measurements through multi-layered coating systems and their outcomes will pave the way towards goals in achieving realistic in situ testing of these coatings.

Preparation, testing and analysis of zinc diffusion samples, NASA Skylab experiment M-558

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braski, D. N.; Kobisk, E. H.; Odonnell, F. R.

1974-01-01

Transport mechanisms of zinc atoms in molten zinc were investigated by radiotracer techniques in unit and in near-zero gravity environments. Each melt in the Skylab flight experiments was maintained in a thermal gradient of 420 C to 790 C. Similar tests were performed in a unit gravity environment for comparison. After melting in the gradient furnace followed by a thermal soak period (the latter was used for flight samples only), the samples were cooled and analyzed for Zn-65 distribution. All samples melted in a unit gravity environment were found to have uniform Zn-65 distribution - no concentration gradient was observed even when the sample was brought rapidly to melting and then quenched. Space-melted samples, however, showed textbook distributions, obviously the result of diffusion. It was evident that convection phenomena were the dominant factors influencing zinc transport in unit gravity experiments, while diffusion was the dominant factor in near-zero gravity experiments.

Cryogenic Temperature-Gradient Foam/Substrate Tensile Tester

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vailhe, Christophe

2003-01-01

The figure shows a fixture for measuring the tensile strength of the bond between an aluminum substrate and a thermally insulating polymeric foam. The specimen is meant to be representative of insulating foam on an aluminum tank that holds a cryogenic liquid. Prior to the development of this fixture, tensile tests of this type were performed on foam/substrate specimens immersed in cryogenic fluids. Because the specimens were cooled to cryogenic temperatures throughout their thicknesses, they tended to become brittle and to fracture at loads below true bond tensile strengths. The present fixture is equipped to provide a thermal gradient from cryogenic temperature at the foam/substrate interface to room temperature on the opposite foam surface. The fixture includes an upper aluminum block at room temperature and a lower aluminum block cooled to -423 F (approx. -253 C) by use of liquid helium. In preparation for a test, the metal outer surface (the lower surface) of a foam/substrate specimen is bonded to the lower block and the foam outer surface (the upper surface) of the specimen is bonded to the upper block. In comparison with the through-the-thickness cooling of immersion testing, the cryogenic-to-room-temperature thermal gradient that exists during testing on this fixture is a more realistic approximation of the operational thermal condition of sprayed insulating foam on a tank of cryogenic liquid. Hence, tensile tests performed on this fixture provide more accurate indications of operational bond tensile strengths. In addition, the introduction of the present fixture reduces the cost of testing by reducing the amount of cryogenic liquid consumed and the time needed to cool a specimen.

Thermal-Mechanical Stability of Single Crystal Oxide Refractive Concentrators for High-Temperature Solar Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Jacobson, Nathan S.; Miller, Robert A.

1999-01-01

Single crystal oxides such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2), yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, or YAG), magnesium oxide (MgO) and sapphire (Al2O3) are candidate refractive secondary concentrator materials for high temperature solar propulsion applications. However, thermo-mechanical reliability of these components in severe thermal environments during the space mission sun/shade transition is of great concern. Simulated mission tests are important for evaluating these candidate oxide materials under a variety of transient and steady-state heat flux conditions, and thus provide vital information for the component design. In this paper, a controlled heat flux thermal shock test approach is established for the single crystal oxide materials using a 3.0 kW continuous wave CO2 laser, with a wavelength 10.6 micron. Thermal fracture behavior and failure mechanisms of these oxide materials are investigated and critical temperature gradients are determined under various temperature and heating conditions. The test results show that single crystal sapphire is able to sustain the highest temperature gradient and heating-cooling rate, and thus exhibit the best thermal shock resistance, as compared to the yttria-stabilized zirconia, yttrium aluminum garnet and magnesium oxide.

Thermal-Mechanical Stability of Single Crystal Oxide Refractive Concentrators for High-Temperature Solar Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Jacobson, Nathan S.; Miller, Robert A.

1999-01-01

Single crystal oxides such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2), yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, or YAG), magnesium oxide (MgO) and sapphire (Al2O3) are candidate refractive secondary concentrator materials for high temperature solar propulsion applications. However, thermo-mechanical reliability of these components in severe thermal environments during the space mission sun/shade transition is of great concern. Simulated mission tests are important for evaluating these candidate oxide materials under a variety of transient and steady-state heat flux conditions, and thus provide vital information for the component design. In this paper, a controlled heat flux thermal shock test approach is established for the single crystal oxide materials using a 3.0 kW continuous wave CO2 laser, with a wavelength 10.6 micron. Thermal fracture behavior and failure mechanisms of these oxide materials are investigated and critical temperature gradients are determined under various temperature and heating conditions. The test results show that single crystal sapphire is able to sustain the highest temperature gradient and heating-cooling rate, and thus exhibit the best thermal shock resistance, as compared to the yttria-stabilized zirconia, yttrium aluminum garnet, and magnesium oxide.

Thermal Conductivity Change Kinetics of Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings Determined by the Steady-State Laser Heat Flux Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2000-01-01

A steady-state laser heat flux technique has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to obtain critical thermal conductivity data of ceramic thermal barrier coatings under the temperature and thermal gradients that are realistically expected to be encountered in advanced engine systems. In this study, thermal conductivity change kinetics of a plasma-sprayed, 254-mm-thick ZrO2-8 wt % Y2O3 ceramic coating were obtained at high temperatures. During the testing, the temperature gradients across the coating system were carefully measured by the surface and back pyrometers and an embedded miniature thermocouple in the substrate. The actual heat flux passing through the coating system was determined from the metal substrate temperature drop (measured by the embedded miniature thermocouple and the back pyrometer) combined with one-dimensional heat transfer models.

Thermal Conductivity of Advanced Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings Determined by a Steady-state Laser Heat-flux Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

The development of low conductivity and high temperature capable thermal barrier coatings requires advanced testing techniques that can accurately and effectively evaluate coating thermal conductivity under future high-performance and low-emission engine heat-flux conditions. In this paper, a unique steady-state CO2 laser (wavelength 10.6 microns) heat-flux approach is described for determining the thermal conductivity and conductivity deduced cyclic durability of ceramic thermal and environmental barrier coating systems at very high temperatures (up to 1700 C) under large thermal gradients. The thermal conductivity behavior of advanced thermal and environmental barrier coatings for metallic and Si-based ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component applications has also been investigated using the laser conductivity approach. The relationships between the lattice and radiation conductivities as a function of heat flux and thermal gradient at high temperatures have been examined for the ceramic coating systems. The steady-state laser heat-flux conductivity approach has been demonstrated as a viable means for the development and life prediction of advanced thermal barrier coatings for future turbine engine applications.

Centrifuge in space fluid flow visualization experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, William A.; Wilcox, William R.; Regel, Liya L.; Dunbar, Bonnie J.

1993-01-01

A prototype flow visualization system is constructed to examine buoyancy driven flows during centrifugation in space. An axial density gradient is formed by imposing a thermal gradient between the two ends of the test cell. Numerical computations for this geometry showed that the Prandtl number plays a limited part in determining the flow.

Development of NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly: Summary of GEDS Design, Development Testing, and Thermal Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Connor, Brian; Hernandez, Deborah; Hornsby, Linda; Brown, Maria; Horton-Mullins, Kathryn

2017-01-01

Outline: Background of ISS (International Space Station) Material Science Research Rack; NASA SCA (Sample Cartridge Assembly) Design; GEDS (Gravitational Effects in Distortion in Sintering) Experiment Ampoule Design; Development Testing Summary; Thermal Modeling and Analysis. Summary: GEDS design development challenging (GEDS Ampoule design developed through MUGS (Microgravity) testing; Short duration transient sample processing; Unable to measure sample temperatures); MUGS Development testing used to gather data (Actual LGF (Low Gradient Furnace)-like furnace response; Provided sample for sintering evaluation); Transient thermal model integral to successful GEDS experiment (Development testing provided furnace response; PI (Performance Indicator) evaluation of sintering anchored model evaluation of processing durations; Thermal transient model used to determine flight SCA sample processing profiles).

Response of hatchling and yearling turtles to thermal gradients: Comparison of Chelydra serpentina and Trachemys scripta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bury, R. Bruce; Nebeker, A.B.; Adams, Michael J.

2000-01-01

In laboratory tests, young Chelydra serpentina and Trachemys scripta altered their distribution in the presence of a temperature gradient. Selection of temperatures in the gradient for hatchlings and yearlings showed that body temperatures (Tbs) of C. serpentina were lower than T. scripta, but the difference was insignificant. Relatively low Tbs could allow greater activity range and reduced metabolic maintenance cost for C. serpentina, which seldom leaves water.

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

Ma, Xiangfeng; Tanihata, Kimiaki; Miyamoto, Yoshinari

A TiC/Ni functionally gradient material (FGM) fabricated via gas-pressure combustion sintering is presently investigated to establish its mechanical and thermal properties. Attention is given to the FGM's specific thermal conductivities with different thermal cycling conditions; these are found to decrease with thermal cycling in all samples tested, implying that the lateral cracks are generated in the FGM and then propagated by the thermal cycle. High compressive stresses are induced at the TiC surface when this is constrained by a Cu block. 6 refs.

Fabrication of titanium thermal protection system panels by the NOR-Ti-bond process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, R. R.

1971-01-01

A method for fabricating titanium thermal protection system panels is described. The method has the potential for producing wide faying surface bonds to minimize temperature gradients and thermal stresses resulting during service at elevated temperatures. Results of nondestructive tests of the panels are presented. Concepts for improving the panel quality and for improved economy in production are discussed.

Minimum maximum temperature gradient coil design.

PubMed

While, Peter T; Poole, Michael S; Forbes, Larry K; Crozier, Stuart

2013-08-01

Ohmic heating is a serious problem in gradient coil operation. A method is presented for redesigning cylindrical gradient coils to operate at minimum peak temperature, while maintaining field homogeneity and coil performance. To generate these minimaxT coil windings, an existing analytic method for simulating the spatial temperature distribution of single layer gradient coils is combined with a minimax optimization routine based on sequential quadratic programming. Simulations are provided for symmetric and asymmetric gradient coils that show considerable improvements in reducing maximum temperature over existing methods. The winding patterns of the minimaxT coils were found to be heavily dependent on the assumed thermal material properties and generally display an interesting "fish-eye" spreading of windings in the dense regions of the coil. Small prototype coils were constructed and tested for experimental validation and these demonstrate that with a reasonable estimate of material properties, thermal performance can be improved considerably with negligible change to the field error or standard figures of merit. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thermal dependence of sprint performance in the lizard Psammodromus algirus along a 2200-meter elevational gradient: Cold-habitat lizards do not perform better at low temperatures.

PubMed

Zamora-Camacho, Francisco Javier; Rubiño-Hispán, María Virtudes; Reguera, Senda; Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio

2015-08-01

Sprint speed has a capital relevance in most animals' fitness, mainly for fleeing from predators. Sprint performance is maximal within a certain range of body temperatures in ectotherms, whose thermal upkeep relies on exogenous thermal sources. Ectotherms can respond to diverse thermal environments either by shifting their thermal preferences or maintaining them through different adaptive mechanisms. Here, we tested whether maximum sprint speed of a lizard that shows conservative thermal ecology along a 2200-meter elevational gradient differs with body temperature in lizards from different elevations. Lizards ran faster at optimum than at suboptimum body temperature. Notably, high-elevation lizards were not faster than mid- and low-elevation lizards at suboptimum body temperature, despite their low-quality thermal environment. This result suggests that both preferred body temperature and thermal dependence of speed performance are co-adapted along the elevational gradient. High-elevation lizards display a number of thermoregulatory strategies that allow them to achieve high optimum body temperatures in a low thermal-quality habitat and thus maximize speed performance. As for reproductive condition, we did not find any effect of it on sprint speed, or any significant interaction with elevation or body temperature. However, strikingly, gravid females were significantly slower than males and non-gravid females at suboptimum temperature, but performed similarly well at optimal temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for thermal convection in the deep carbonate aquifer of the eastern sector of the Po Plain, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasquale, V.; Chiozzi, P.; Verdoya, M.

2013-05-01

Temperatures recorded in wells as deep as 6 km drilled for hydrocarbon prospecting were used together with geological information to depict the thermal regime of the sedimentary sequence of the eastern sector of the Po Plain. After correction for drilling disturbance, temperature data were analyzed through an inversion technique based on a laterally constant thermal gradient model. The obtained thermal gradient is quite low within the deep carbonate unit (14 mK m- 1), while it is larger (53 mK m- 1) in the overlying impermeable formations. In the uppermost sedimentary layers, the thermal gradient is close to the regional average (21 mK m- 1). We argue that such a vertical change cannot be ascribed to thermal conductivity variation within the sedimentary sequence, but to deep groundwater flow. Since the hydrogeological characteristics (including litho-stratigraphic sequence and structural setting) hardly permit forced convection, we suggest that thermal convection might occur within the deep carbonate aquifer. The potential of this mechanism was evaluated by means of the Rayleigh number analysis. It turned out that permeability required for convection to occur must be larger than 3 10- 15 m2. The average over-heat ratio is 0.45. The lateral variation of hydrothermal regime was tested by using temperature data representing the aquifer thermal conditions. We found that thermal convection might be more developed and variable at the Ferrara High and its surroundings, where widespread fracturing may have increased permeability.

Thermal rectification in thin films driven by gradient grain microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhe; Foley, Brian M.; Bougher, Thomas; Yates, Luke; Cola, Baratunde A.; Graham, Samuel

2018-03-01

As one of the basic components of phononics, thermal rectifiers transmit heat current asymmetrically similar to electronic rectifiers in microelectronics. Heat can be conducted through them easily in one direction while being blocked in the other direction. In this work, we report a thermal rectifier that is driven by the gradient grain structure and the inherent gradient in thermal properties as found in these materials. To demonstrate their thermal rectification properties, we build a spectral thermal conductivity model with complete phonon dispersion relationships using the thermophysical properties of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond films which possess gradient grain microstructures. To explain the observed significant thermal rectification, the temperature and thermal conductivity distribution are studied. Additionally, the effects of temperature bias and film thickness are discussed, which shed light on tuning the thermal rectification based on the gradient microstructures. Our results show that the columnar grain microstructure makes CVD materials unique candidates for mesoscale thermal rectifiers without a sharp temperature change.

Evaluation of Erosion Resistance of Advanced Turbine Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Kuczmarski, Maria A.; Miller, Robert A.; Cuy, Michael D.

2007-01-01

The erosion resistant turbine thermal barrier coating system is critical to aircraft engine performance and durability. By demonstrating advanced turbine material testing capabilities, we will be able to facilitate the critical turbine coating and subcomponent development and help establish advanced erosion-resistant turbine airfoil thermal barrier coatings design tools. The objective of this work is to determine erosion resistance of advanced thermal barrier coating systems under simulated engine erosion and/or thermal gradient environments, validating advanced turbine airfoil thermal barrier coating systems based on nano-tetragonal phase toughening design approaches.

Very high pressure liquid chromatography using core-shell particles: quantitative analysis of fast gradient separations without post-run times.

PubMed

Stankovich, Joseph J; Gritti, Fabrice; Stevenson, Paul G; Beaver, Lois A; Guiochon, Georges

2014-01-17

Five methods for controlling the mobile phase flow rate for gradient elution analyses using very high pressure liquid chromatography (VHPLC) were tested to determine thermal stability of the column during rapid gradient separations. To obtain rapid separations, instruments are operated at high flow rates and high inlet pressure leading to uneven thermal effects across columns and additional time needed to restore thermal equilibrium between successive analyses. The purpose of this study is to investigate means to minimize thermal instability and obtain reliable results by measuring the reproducibility of the results of six replicate gradient separations of a nine component RPLC standard mixture under various experimental conditions with no post-run times. Gradient separations under different conditions were performed: constant flow rates, two sets of constant pressure operation, programmed flow constant pressure operation, and conditions which theoretically should yield a constant net heat loss at the column's wall. The results show that using constant flow rates, programmed flow constant pressures, and constant heat loss at the column's wall all provide reproducible separations. However, performing separations using a high constant pressure with programmed flow reduces the analysis time by 16% compared to constant flow rate methods. For the constant flow rate, programmed flow constant pressure, and constant wall heat experiments no equilibration time (post-run time) was required to obtain highly reproducible data. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of temperature gradient on liquid-liquid phase separation in a polyolefin blend.

PubMed

Jiang, Hua; Dou, Nannan; Fan, Guoqiang; Yang, Zhaohui; Zhang, Xiaohua

2013-09-28

We have investigated experimentally the structure formation processes during phase separation via spinodal decomposition above and below the spinodal line in a binary polymer blend system exposed to in-plane stationary thermal gradients using phase contrast optical microscopy and temperature gradient hot stage. Below the spinodal line there is a coupling of concentration fluctuations and thermal gradient imposed by the temperature gradient hot stage. Also under the thermal gradient annealing phase-separated domains grow faster compared with the system under homogeneous temperature annealing on a zero-gradient or a conventional hot stage. We suggest that the in-plane thermal gradient accelerates phase separation through the enhancement in concentration fluctuations in the early and intermediate stages of spinodal decomposition. In a thermal gradient field, the strength of concentration fluctuation close to the critical point (above the spinodal line) is strong enough to induce phase separation even in one-phase regime of the phase diagram. In the presence of a temperature gradient the equilibrium phase diagrams are no longer valid, and the systems with an upper critical solution temperature can be quenched into phase separation by applying the stationary temperature gradient. The in-plane temperature gradient drives enhanced concentration fluctuations in a binary polymer blend system above and below the spinodal line.

Creep and Environmental Durability of EBC/CMCs Under Imposed Thermal Gradient Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, Matthew; Morscher, Gregory N.; Zhu, Dongming

2013-01-01

Interest in SiC fiber-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) environmental barrier coating (EBC) systems for use in high temperature structural applications has prompted the need for characterization of material strength and creep performance under complex aerospace turbine engine environments. Stress-rupture tests have been performed on SiC/SiC composites systems, with varying fiber types and coating schemes to demonstrate material behavior under isothermal conditions. Further testing was conducted under exposure to thermal stress gradients to determine the effect on creep resistance and material durability. In order to understand the associated damage mechanisms, emphasis is placed on experimental techniques as well as implementation of non-destructive evaluation; including electrical resistivity monitoring. The influence of environmental and loading conditions on life-limiting material properties is shown.

Growth of large aluminum nitride single crystals with thermal-gradient control

DOEpatents

Bondokov, Robert T; Rao, Shailaja P; Gibb, Shawn Robert; Schowalter, Leo J

2015-05-12

In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Growth of large aluminum nitride single crystals with thermal-gradient control

DOEpatents

Bondokov, Robert T.; Rao, Shailaja P.; Schowalter, Leo J.

2017-02-28

In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Thermal gradients in Southwestern United States and the effect on bridge bearing loads : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

Thermal gradients became a component of bridge design after soffit cracking in prestressed concrete bridges was attributed to nonlinear temperature distribution through the depth of the bridge. While the effect of thermal gradient on stress distribut...

A comparison of experimental and calculated thin-shell leading-edge buckling due to thermal stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Jerald M.

1988-01-01

High-temperature thin-shell leading-edge buckling test data are analyzed using NASA structural analysis (NASTRAN) as a finite element tool for predicting thermal buckling characteristics. Buckling points are predicted for several combinations of edge boundary conditions. The problem of relating the appropriate plate area to the edge stress distribution and the stress gradient is addressed in terms of analysis assumptions. Local plasticity was found to occur on the specimen analyzed, and this tended to simplify the basic problem since it effectively equalized the stress gradient from loaded edge to loaded edge. The initial loading was found to be difficult to select for the buckling analysis because of the transient nature of thermal stress. Multiple initial model loadings are likely required for complicated thermal stress time histories before a pertinent finite element buckling analysis can be achieved. The basic mode shapes determined from experimentation were correctly identified from computation.

Dynamic properties of polydisperse colloidal particles in the presence of thermal gradient studied by a modified Brownian dynamic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Dongxing; Jin, Hui; Jing, Dengwei; Wang, Xin

2018-03-01

Aggregation and migration of colloidal particles under the thermal gradient widely exists in nature and many industrial processes. In this study, dynamic properties of polydisperse colloidal particles in the presence of thermal gradient were studied by a modified Brownian dynamic model. Other than the traditional forces on colloidal particles, including Brownian force, hydrodynamic force, and electrostatic force from other particles, the electrostatic force from the asymmetric ionic diffusion layer under a thermal gradient has been considered and introduced into the Brownian dynamic model. The aggregation ratio of particles (R A), the balance time (t B) indicating the time threshold when {{R}A} becomes constant, the porosity ({{P}BA} ), fractal dimension (D f) and distributions of concentration (DISC) and aggregation (DISA) for the aggregated particles were discussed based on this model. The aggregated structures formed by polydisperse particles are less dense and the particles therein are loosely bonded. Also it showed a quite large compressibility as the increases of concentration and interparticle potential can significantly increase the fractal dimension. The thermal gradient can induce two competitive factors leading to a two-stage migration of particles. When t<{{t}B} , the unsynchronized aggregation is dominant and the particles slightly migrate along the thermal gradient. When t>{{t}B} , the thermophoresis becomes dominant thus the migrations of particles are against the thermal gradient. The effect of thermophoresis on the aggregate structures was found to be similar to the effect of increasing particle concentration. This study demonstrates how the thermal gradient affects the aggregation of monodisperse and polydisperse particles and can be a guide for the biomimetics and precise control of colloid system under the thermal gradient. Moreover, our model can be easily extended to other more complex colloidal systems considering shear, temperature fluctuation, surfactant, etc.

Correlation of Toughness between H-Plate and Charpy Impact Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1959-09-01

thermal cycles having peak temperatures in or near the range of critical transformation temperatures. Notch sensitivity in these regions has been...21- In their recent work the transition temperatures of heat-affected-zone struc- tures produced by thermal cycles having peak temperatures in the...gradient of thermal cycles associated with welding is too complex to have been included in the scope of this report. The superior toughness of the Ni

Influence of natural temperature gradients on measurements of xylem sap flow with thermal dissipation probes. 1. Field observations and possible remedies.

PubMed

Do, F; Rocheteau, A

2002-06-01

The thermal dissipation method is simple and widely used for measuring sap flow in large stems. As with several other thermal methods, natural temperature gradients are assumed to be negligible in the sapwood being measured. We studied the magnitude and variability of natural temperature gradients in sapwood of Acacia trees growing in the Sahelian zone of Senegal, analyzed their effects on sap flow measurements, and investigated possible solutions. A new measurement approach employing cyclic heating (45 minutes of heating and 15 minutes of cooling; 45/15) was also tested. Three-day measurement sequences that included 1 day without heating, a second day with continuous heating and a third day with cyclic heating were recorded during a 6.5-month period using probes installed at three azimuths in a tree trunk. Natural temperature gradients between the two probes of the sensor unit, spaced 8 to 10 cm vertically, were rarely negligible (i.e., < 0.2 degrees C): they were positive during the night and negative during the day, with an amplitude ranging from 0.3 to 3.5 degrees C depending on trunk azimuth, day and season. These temperature gradients had a direct influence on the signal from the continuously heated sensors, inducing fluctuations in the nighttime reference signal. The resulting errors in sap flow estimates can be greater than 100%. Correction protocols have been proposed in previous studies, but they were unsuitable because of the high spatial and temporal variability of the natural temperature gradients. We found that a measurement signal derived from a noncontinuous heating system could be an attractive solution because it appears to be independent of natural temperature gradients. The magnitude and variability of temperature gradients that we observed were likely exacerbated by the combination of open stand, high solar radiation and low sap flow rate. However, for all applications of the thermal dissipation method, it is wise to check regularly for natural temperature gradients by switching off the heater.

Variation in Thermal Sensitivity and Thermal Tolerances in an Invasive Species across a Climatic Gradient: Lessons from the Land Snail Cornu aspersum

PubMed Central

Gaitán-Espitia, Juan Diego; Belén Arias, María; Lardies, Marco A.; Nespolo, Roberto F.

2013-01-01

The ability of organisms to perform at different temperatures could be described by a continuous nonlinear reaction norm (i.e., thermal performance curve, TPC), in which the phenotypic trait value varies as a function of temperature. Almost any shift in the parameters of this performance curve could highlight the direct effect of temperature on organism fitness, providing a powerful framework for testing thermal adaptation hypotheses. Inter-and intraspecific differences in this performance curve are also reflected in thermal tolerances limits (e.g., critical and lethal limits), influencing the biogeographic patterns of species’ distribution. Within this context, here we investigated the intraspecific variation in thermal sensitivities and thermal tolerances in three populations of the invasive snail Cornu aspersum across a geographical gradient, characterized by different climatic conditions. Thus, we examined population differentiation in the TPCs, thermal-coma recovery times, expression of heat-shock proteins and standard metabolic rate (i.e., energetic costs of physiological differentiation). We tested two competing hypotheses regarding thermal adaptation (the “hotter is better” and the generalist-specialist trade-offs). Our results show that the differences in thermal sensitivity among populations of C. aspersum follow a latitudinal pattern, which is likely the result of a combination of thermodynamic constraints (“hotter is better”) and thermal adaptations to their local environments (generalist-specialist trade-offs). This finding is also consistent with some thermal tolerance indices such as the Heat-Shock Protein Response and the recovery time from chill-coma. However, mixed responses in the evaluated traits suggest that thermal adaptation in this species is not complete, as we were not able to detect any differences in neither energetic costs of physiological differentiation among populations, nor in the heat-coma recovery. PMID:23940617

Variation in thermal sensitivity and thermal tolerances in an invasive species across a climatic gradient: lessons from the land snail Cornu aspersum.

PubMed

Gaitán-Espitia, Juan Diego; Belén Arias, María; Lardies, Marco A; Nespolo, Roberto F

2013-01-01

The ability of organisms to perform at different temperatures could be described by a continuous nonlinear reaction norm (i.e., thermal performance curve, TPC), in which the phenotypic trait value varies as a function of temperature. Almost any shift in the parameters of this performance curve could highlight the direct effect of temperature on organism fitness, providing a powerful framework for testing thermal adaptation hypotheses. Inter-and intraspecific differences in this performance curve are also reflected in thermal tolerances limits (e.g., critical and lethal limits), influencing the biogeographic patterns of species' distribution. Within this context, here we investigated the intraspecific variation in thermal sensitivities and thermal tolerances in three populations of the invasive snail Cornu aspersum across a geographical gradient, characterized by different climatic conditions. Thus, we examined population differentiation in the TPCs, thermal-coma recovery times, expression of heat-shock proteins and standard metabolic rate (i.e., energetic costs of physiological differentiation). We tested two competing hypotheses regarding thermal adaptation (the "hotter is better" and the generalist-specialist trade-offs). Our results show that the differences in thermal sensitivity among populations of C. aspersum follow a latitudinal pattern, which is likely the result of a combination of thermodynamic constraints ("hotter is better") and thermal adaptations to their local environments (generalist-specialist trade-offs). This finding is also consistent with some thermal tolerance indices such as the Heat-Shock Protein Response and the recovery time from chill-coma. However, mixed responses in the evaluated traits suggest that thermal adaptation in this species is not complete, as we were not able to detect any differences in neither energetic costs of physiological differentiation among populations, nor in the heat-coma recovery.

Wearable and flexible thermoelectric generator with enhanced package

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francioso, L.; De Pascali, C.; Taurino, A.; Siciliano, P.; De Risi, A.

2013-05-01

Present work shows recent progresses in thin film-based flexible and wearable thermoelectric generator (TEG), finalized to support energy scavenging and local storage for low consumption electronics in Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) applications and buildings integration. The proposed TEG is able to recover energy from heat dispersed into the environment converting a thermal gradient to an effective electrical energy available to power ultra-low consumption devices. A low cost fabrication process based on planar thin-film technology was optimized to scale down the TEG dimensions to micrometer range. The prototype integrates 2778 thermocouples of sputtered Sb2Te3 and Bi2Te3 thin films (1 μm thick) on an area of 25 cm2. The electrical properties of thermoelectric materials were investigated by Van der Pauw measurements. Transfer Length Method (TLM) analysis was performed on three different multi-layer contact schemes in order to select the best solution to use for the definition of the contact pads realized on each section of the thermoelectric array configuration to allow electrical testing of single production areas. Kapton polyimide film was used as flexible substrate in order to add comfortable lightweight and better wearability to the device. The realized TEG is able to autonomously recover the thermal gradient useful to thermoelectric generation thanks to an appropriate package designed and optimized by a thermal analysis based on finite element method (FEM). The proposed package solution consists in coupling the module realized onto Kapton foil to a PDMS layer opportunely molded to thermally insulate TEG cold junctions and enhance the thermal gradient useful for the energy scavenging. Simulations results were compared to experimental tests performed by a thermal infrared camera, in order to evaluate the real performance of the designed package. First tests conducted on the realized TEG indicate that the prototype is able to recover about 5°C between hot and cold thermocouples junctions with a thermal difference of 17°C initially available between body skin and environment, generating about 2 V of open circuit output voltage.

Qualification of the T2 wind tunnel in cryogenic operation. A: Thermal field, preliminary study of a schematic model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dor, J. B.; Mignosi, A.; Plazanet, M.

1984-01-01

The T2 wind tunnel is described. The process of generating a cyrogenic gust using the example of a test made at very low temperature is presented. Detailed results of tests on temperatures for flow in the settling chamber, the interior walls of the system, and the metal casing are given. The transverse temperature distribution in the settling chamber and working section, and of the thermal gradients in the walls, are given as a function of the temperature level of the test.

Limitations of using a thermal imager for snow pit temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schirmer, M.; Jamieson, B.

2013-10-01

Driven by temperature gradients, kinetic snow metamorphism is important for avalanche formation. Even when gradients appear to be insufficient for kinetic metamorphism, based on temperatures measured 10 cm apart, faceting close to a~crust can still be observed. Recent studies that visualized small scale (< 10 cm) thermal structures in a profile of snow layers with an infrared (IR) camera produced interesting results. The studies found melt-freeze crusts to be warmer or cooler than the surrounding snow depending on the large scale gradient direction. However, an important assumption within the studies was that a thermal photo of a freshly exposed snow pit was similar enough to the internal temperature of the snow. In this study, we tested this assumption by recording thermal videos during the exposure of the snow pit wall. In the first minute, the results showed increasing gradients with time, both at melt-freeze crusts and at artificial surface structures such as shovel scours. Cutting through a crust with a cutting blade or a shovel produced small concavities (holes) even when the objective was to cut a planar surface. Our findings suggest there is a surface structure dependency of the thermal image, which is only observed at times with large temperature differences between air and snow. We were able to reproduce the hot-crust/cold-crust phenomenon and relate it entirely to surface structure in a temperature-controlled cold laboratory. Concave areas cooled or warmed slower compared with convex areas (bumps) when applying temperature differences between snow and air. This can be explained by increased radiative transfer or convection by air at convex areas. Thermal videos suggest that such processes influence the snow temperature within seconds. Our findings show the limitations of the use of a thermal camera for measuring pit-wall temperatures, particularly in scenarios where large gradients exist between air and snow and the interaction of snow pit and atmospheric temperatures are enhanced. At crusts or other heterogeneities, we were unable to create a sufficiently homogenous snow pit surface and non-internal gradients appeared at the exposed surface. The immediate adjustment of snow pit temperature as it reacts with the atmosphere complicates the capture of the internal thermal structure of a snowpack even with thermal videos. Instead, the shown structural dependency of the IR signal may be used to detect structural changes of snow caused by kinetic metamorphism. The IR signal can also be used to measure near surface temperatures in a homogenous new snow layer.

The effects of thermal gradients on the Mars Observer Camera primary mirror

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Applewhite, Roger W.; Telkamp, Arthur R.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the effect of thermal gradients on the optical performance of the primary mirror of Mars Observer Camera (MOC), which will be launched on the Mars Observer spacecraft in September 1992. It was found that mild temperature gradients can have a large effect on the mirror surface figure, even for relatively low coefficient-of-thermal-expansion materials. However, in the case of the MOC primary mirror, it was found that the radius of curvature (ROC) of the reflective surface of the mirror changed in a nearly linear fashion with the radial temperature gradient, with little additional aberration. A solid-state ROC controller using the thermal gradient effect was implemented and verified.

Simulation of ion-temperature-gradient turbulence in tokamaks

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

Cohen, B I; Dimits, A M; Kim, C

Results are presented from nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence and transport. The gyrokinetic simulations are found to yield values of the thermal diffusivity significantly lower than gyrofluid or IFS-PPPL-model predictions. A new phenomenon of nonlinear effective critical gradients larger than the linear instability threshold gradients is observed, and is associated with undamped flux-surface-averaged shear flows. The nonlinear gyrokineic codes have passed extensive validity tests which include comparison against independent linear calculations, a series of nonlinear convergence tests, and a comparison between two independent nonlinear gyrokinetic codes. Our most realistic simulations to date have actual reconstructedmore » equilibria from experiments and a model for dilution by impurity and beam ions. These simulations highlight the need for still more physics to be included in the simulations« less

A hot-electron thermophotonic solar cell demonstrated by thermal up-conversion of sub-bandgap photons

PubMed Central

Farrell, Daniel J.; Sodabanlu, Hassanet; Wang, Yunpeng; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Okada, Yoshitaka

2015-01-01

The direct conversion of solar energy to electricity can be broadly separated into two main categories: photovoltaics and thermal photovoltaics, where the former utilizes gradients in electrical potential and the latter thermal gradients. Conventional thermal photovoltaics has a high theoretical efficiency limit (84%) but in practice cannot be easily miniaturized and is limited by the engineering challenges of sustaining large (>1,000 K) temperature gradients. Here we show a hot-carrier-based thermophotonic solar cell, which combines the compact nature of photovoltaic devices with the potential to reach the high-efficiency regime of thermal photovoltaics. In the device, a thermal gradient of 500 K is established by hot electrons, under Stokes illumination, rather than by raising the temperature of the material itself. Under anti-Stokes (sub-bandgap) illumination we observe a thermal gradient of ∼20 K, which is maintained by steady-state Auger heating of carriers and corresponds to a internal thermal up-conversion efficiency of 30% between the collector and solar cell. PMID:26541415

Performance Evaluation and Modeling of Erosion Resistant Turbine Engine Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Robert A.; Zhu, Dongming; Kuczmarski, Maria

2008-01-01

The erosion resistant turbine thermal barrier coating system is critical to the rotorcraft engine performance and durability. The objective of this work was to determine erosion resistance of advanced thermal barrier coating systems under simulated engine erosion and thermal gradient environments, thus validating a new thermal barrier coating turbine blade technology for future rotorcraft applications. A high velocity burner rig based erosion test approach was established and a new series of rare earth oxide- and TiO2/Ta2O5- alloyed, ZrO2-based low conductivity thermal barrier coatings were designed and processed. The low conductivity thermal barrier coating systems demonstrated significant improvements in the erosion resistance. A comprehensive model based on accumulated strain damage low cycle fatigue is formulated for blade erosion life prediction. The work is currently aiming at the simulated engine erosion testing of advanced thermal barrier coated turbine blades to establish and validate the coating life prediction models.

Modeling Issues and Results for Hydrogen Isotopes in NIF Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Arthur A.; Doerner, R. P.; Luckhardt, S. C.; Seraydarian, R.; Sze, D.; Burnham, A.

1998-11-01

The TMAP4 (G. Longhurst, et al. INEL 1992) model of hydrogen isotope transport in solid materials includes a particle diffusion calculation with Fick's Law modified for Soret Effect (Thermal Diffusion or Thermomigration), coupled to heat transport calculations which are needed because of the strong temperature dependence of diffusivity. These TMAP4 calculations applied to NIF show that high temperatures approaching the melting point and strong thermal gradients of 10^6 K/cm are reached in the first micron of wall material during the SXR pulse. These strong thermal gradients can drive hydrogen isotope migration up or down the thermal gradient depending on the sign of the heat of transport (Soret coefficient) which depends on whether the material dissolves hydrogen endothermically or exothermically. Two candidates for NIF wall material-boron carbide and stainless steel are compared. Boron carbide dissolves hydrogen exothermically so it may drive Soret migration down the thermal gradient deeper into the material, although the thermal gradient is not as large and hydrogen is not as mobile as in stainless steel. Stainless steel dissolves hydrogen endothermically, with a negative Soret coefficient which can drive hydrogen up the thermal gradient and out of the wall.

Heat Pipe Thermal Conditioning Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saaski, E. W.

1973-01-01

The technology involved in designing and fabricating a heat pipe thermal conditioning panel to satisfy a broad range of thermal control system requirements on NASA spacecraft is discussed. The design specifications were developed for a 30 by 30 inch heat pipe panel. The fundamental constraint was a maximum of 15 gradient from source to sink at 300 watts input and a flux density of 2 watts per square inch. The results of the performance tests conducted on the panel are analyzed.

Quantitative separation of the anisotropic magnetothermopower and planar Nernst effect by the rotation of an in-plane thermal gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, Oliver; Meier, Daniel; Bovender, Michel; Helmich, Lars; Dreessen, Jan-Oliver; Krieft, Jan; Shestakov, Anatoly S.; Back, Christian H.; Schmalhorst, Jan-Michael; Hütten, Andreas; Reiss, Günter; Kuschel, Timo

2017-01-01

A thermal gradient as the driving force for spin currents plays a key role in spin caloritronics. In this field the spin Seebeck effect (SSE) is of major interest and was investigated in terms of in-plane thermal gradients inducing perpendicular spin currents (transverse SSE) and out-of-plane thermal gradients generating parallel spin currents (longitudinal SSE). Up to now all spincaloric experiments employ a spatially fixed thermal gradient. Thus, anisotropic measurements with respect to well defined crystallographic directions were not possible. Here we introduce a new experiment that allows not only the in-plane rotation of the external magnetic field, but also the rotation of an in-plane thermal gradient controlled by optical temperature detection. As a consequence, the anisotropic magnetothermopower and the planar Nernst effect in a permalloy thin film can be measured simultaneously. Thus, the angular dependence of the magnetothermopower with respect to the magnetization direction reveals a phase shift, that allows the quantitative separation of the thermopower, the anisotropic magnetothermopower and the planar Nernst effect.

Piping Connector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

A complex of high pressure piping at Stennis Space Center carries rocket propellants and other fluids/gases through the Center's Component Test Facility. Conventional clamped connectors tend to leak when propellant lines are chilled to extremely low temperatures. Reflange, Inc. customized an existing piping connector to include a secondary seal more tolerant of severe thermal gradients for Stennis. The T-Con connector solved the problem, and the company is now marketing a commercial version that permits testing, monitoring or collecting any emissions that may escape the primary seal during severe thermal transition.

Development and Fatigue Testing of Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Choi, Sung R.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in future gas turbine engines because of their ability to effectively protect the engine components and further raise engine temperatures. Durability of the coating systems remains a critical issue with the ever-increasing temperature requirements. Thermal conductivity increase and coating degradation due to sintering and phase changes are known to be detrimental to coating performance. There is a need to characterize the coating thermal fatigue behavior and temperature limit, in order to potentially take full advantage of the current coating capability. In this study, thermal conductivity and cyclic fatigue behaviors of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8wt%Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings were evaluated under high temperature, large thermal gradient and thermal cycling conditions. The coating degradation and failure processes were assessed by real-time monitoring of the coating thermal conductivity under the test conditions. The ceramic coating crack initiation and propagation driving forces and failure modes under the cyclic thermal loads will be discussed in light of the high temperature mechanical fatigue and fracture testing results.

Thermal gradients for the stabilization of a single domain wall in magnetic nanowires.

PubMed

Mejía-López, J; Velásquez, E A; Mazo-Zuluaga, J; Altbir, D

2018-08-24

By means of Monte Carlo simulations we studied field driven nucleation and propagation of transverse domain walls (DWs) in magnetic nanowires subjected to temperature gradients. Simulations identified the existence of critical thermal gradients that allow the existence of reversal processes driven by a single DW. Critical thermal gradients depend on external parameters such as temperature, magnetic field and wire length, and can be experimentally obtained through the measurement of the mean velocity of the magnetization reversal as a function of the temperature gradient. Our results show that temperature gradients provide a high degree of control over DW propagation, which is of great importance for technological applications.

Present heat flow and paleo-geothermal regime in the Canadian Arctic margin: analysis of industrial thermal data and coalification gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majorowicz, Jacek A.; Embry, Ashton F.

1998-06-01

Calculations of the present geothermal gradient and terrestrial heat flow were made on 156 deep wells of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Corrected bottom hole temperature (BHT) data and drill stem test (DST) temperatures were used to determine the thermal gradients for sites for which the quality of data was sufficient. Thermal gradients evaluated for depths below the base of permafrost for the onshore wells and below sea bottom for the offshore wells were combined with the estimates of effective thermal conductivity to approximate heat flow for these sites. The present geothermal gradient is in the 15-50 mK/m range (mean = 31 ± 7 mK/m). Present heat flow is mainly in the 35-90 mW/m 2 range (mean = 53 ± 12 mW/m 2). Maps of the present geothermal gradient and present heat flow have been constructed for the basin. The analysis of vitrinite reflectance profiles and the calculation of logarithmic coalification gradients for 101 boreholes in the Sverdrup Basin showed large variations related in many cases to regional variations of present terrestrial heat flow. Paleo-geothermal gradients estimated from these data are mostly in the range of 15-50 mK/m (mean = 28 ± 9 mK/m) and paleo-heat flow is in the 40-90 mW/m 2 range (mean = 57 ± 18 mW/m 2) related to the time of maximum burial in the Early Tertiary. Mean values of the present heat flow and paleo-heat flow for the Sverdrup Basin are almost identical considering the uncertainties of the methods used (53 ± 12 versus 57 ± 18 mW/m 2, respectively). Present geothermal gradients and paleo-geothermal gradients are also close when means are compared (31 ± 7 versus 28 ± 9 mK/m respectively). A zone of high present heat flow and a paleo-heat flow zone coincide in places with the northeastern-southwestern incipient rift landward of the Arctic margin first described by Balkwill and Fox (1982). Correlation between present heat flow and paleo-heat flow for the time of maximum burial in the earliest Tertiary suggests that the high heat flow zone has prevailed since that time.

Induction Heating Model of Cermet Fuel Element Environmental Test (CFEET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Carlos F.; Bradley, D. E.; Cavender, D. P.; Mireles, O. R.; Hickman, R. R.; Trent, D.; Stewart, E.

2013-01-01

Deep space missions with large payloads require high specific impulse and relatively high thrust to achieve mission goals in reasonable time frames. Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR) are capable of producing a high specific impulse by employing heat produced by a fission reactor to heat and therefore accelerate hydrogen through a rocket nozzle providing thrust. Fuel element temperatures are very high (up to 3000 K) and hydrogen is highly reactive with most materials at high temperatures. Data covering the effects of high-temperature hydrogen exposure on fuel elements are limited. The primary concern is the mechanical failure of fuel elements due to large thermal gradients; therefore, high-melting-point ceramics-metallic matrix composites (cermets) are one of the fuels under consideration as part of the Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Advance Exploration System (AES) technology project at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The purpose of testing and analytical modeling is to determine their ability to survive and maintain thermal performance in a prototypical NTR reactor environment of exposure to hydrogen at very high temperatures and obtain data to assess the properties of the non-nuclear support materials. The fission process and the resulting heating performance are well known and do not require that active fissile material to be integrated in this testing. A small-scale test bed; Compact Fuel Element Environmental Tester (CFEET), designed to heat fuel element samples via induction heating and expose samples to hydrogen is being developed at MSFC to assist in optimal material and manufacturing process selection without utilizing fissile material. This paper details the analytical approach to help design and optimize the test bed using COMSOL Multiphysics for predicting thermal gradients induced by electromagnetic heating (Induction heating) and Thermal Desktop for radiation calculations.

Damage Characterization of EBC-SiCSiC Ceramic Matrix Composites Under Imposed Thermal Gradient Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, Matthew P.; Morscher, Gregory N.; Zhu, Dongming

2014-01-01

Due to their high temperature capabilities, Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) components are being developed for use in hot-section aerospace engine applications. Harsh engine environments have led to the development of Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) for silicon-based CMCs to further increase thermal and environmental capabilities. This study aims at understanding the damage mechanisms associated with these materials under simulated operating conditions. A high heat-flux laser testing rig capable of imposing large through-thickness thermal gradients by means of controlled laser beam heating and back-side air cooling is used. Tests are performed on uncoated composites, as well as CMC substrates that have been coated with state-of-the-art ceramic EBC systems. Results show that the use of the EBCs may help increase temperature capability and creep resistance by reducing the effects of stressed oxidation and environmental degradation. Also, the ability of electrical resistance (ER) and acoustic emission (AE) measurements to monitor material condition and damage state during high temperature testing is shown; suggesting their usefulness as a valuable health monitoring technique. Micromechanics models are used to describe the localized stress state of the composite system, which is utilized along with ER modeling concepts to develop an electromechanical model capable of characterizing material behavior.

Parametric instability of a non-uniform beam with thermal gradient and elastic end support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kar, R. C.; Sujata, T.

1988-04-01

The influence of an elastic end support and a thermal gradient on the dynamic instability of a non-uniform cantilever beam subjected to a pulsating axial load has been studied. The results reveal that stiffening of the end support has a stabilizing effect, whereas increasing the thermal gradient has a destabilizing one.

Cyclic Fatigue Durability of Uncoated and EBC Coated 3D SiC/SiC Composites Under Thermal Gradient Conditions at 2700F in Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Craig; Harder, Bryan; Zhu, Dongming; Bhatt, Ramakrishna; Kalluri, Sreeramesh

2017-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) such as SiC/SiC are currently being designed and implemented in high temperature sections of aerospace turbine engines. Such components will be subject to through-thickness thermal gradients, which may affect the durability. In this study, SiC/SiC CMCs with a hybrid chemical vapor infiltrated (CVI) and polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) matrix were loaded in tension while one surface was heated with a laser and the opposite surface was cooled. Issues associated with laser testing will be discussed, along with initial results for coated and uncoated samples.

TIGER: Development of Thermal Gradient Compensation Algorithms and Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hereford, James; Parker, Peter A.; Rhew, Ray D.

2004-01-01

In a wind tunnel facility, the direct measurement of forces and moments induced on the model are performed by a force measurement balance. The measurement balance is a precision-machined device that has strain gages at strategic locations to measure the strain (i.e., deformations) due to applied forces and moments. The strain gages convert the strain (and hence the applied force) to an electrical voltage that is measured by external instruments. To address the problem of thermal gradients on the force measurement balance NASA-LaRC has initiated a research program called TIGER - Thermally-Induced Gradients Effects Research. The ultimate goals of the TIGER program are to: (a) understand the physics of the thermally-induced strain and its subsequent impact on load measurements and (b) develop a robust thermal gradient compensation technique. This paper will discuss the impact of thermal gradients on force measurement balances, specific aspects of the TIGER program (the design of a special-purpose balance, data acquisition and data analysis challenges), and give an overall summary.

Infrared Heater Used in Qualification Testing of International Space Station Radiators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemke, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Two heat rejection radiator systems for the International Space Station (ISS) have undergone thermal vacuum qualification testing at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), Plum Brook Station, Sandusky, Ohio. The testing was performed in the Space Power Facility (SPF), the largest thermal vacuum chamber in the world. The heat rejection system radiator was tested first; it removes heat from the ISS crew living quarters. The second system tested was the photovoltaic radiator (PVR), which rejects heat from the ISS photovoltaic arrays and the electrical power-conditioning equipment. The testing included thermal cycling, hot- and cold-soaked deployments, thermal gradient deployments, verification of the onboard heater controls, and for the PVR, thermal performance tests with ammonia flow. Both radiator systems are orbital replacement units for ease of replacement on the ISS. One key to the success of these tests was the performance of the infrared heater system. It was used in conjunction with a gaseous-nitrogen-cooled cryoshroud in the SPF vacuum chamber to achieve the required thermal vacuum conditions for the qualification tests. The heater, which was designed specifically for these tests, was highly successful and easily met the test requirements. This report discusses the heating requirements, the heater design features, the design approach, and the mathematical basis of the design.

Development Status and Performance Comparisons of Environmental Barrier Coating Systems for SiCSiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Harder, Bryan

2016-01-01

Environmental barrier coatings (EBC) and SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will play a crucial role in future aircraft turbine engine systems, because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. This paper presents current NASA EBC-CMC development emphases including: the coating composition and processing improvements, laser high heat flux-thermal gradient thermo-mechanical fatigue - environmental testing methodology development, and property evaluations for next generation EBC-CMC systems. EBCs processed with various deposition techniques including Plasma Spray, Electron Beam - Physical Vapor Deposition, and Plasma Spray Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD) will be particularly discussed. The testing results and demonstrations of advanced EBCs-CMCs in complex simulated engine thermal gradient cyclic fatigue, oxidizing-steam and CMAS environments will help provide insights into the coating development strategies to meet long-term engine component durability goals.

Method and apparatus for determining vertical heat flux of geothermal field

DOEpatents

Poppendiek, Heinz F.

1982-01-01

A method and apparatus for determining vertical heat flux of a geothermal field, and mapping the entire field, is based upon an elongated heat-flux transducer (10) comprised of a length of tubing (12) of relatively low thermal conductivity with a thermopile (20) inside for measuring the thermal gradient between the ends of the transducer after it has been positioned in a borehole for a period sufficient for the tube to reach thermal equilibrium. The transducer is thermally coupled to the surrounding earth by a fluid annulus, preferably water or mud. A second transducer comprised of a length of tubing of relatively high thermal conductivity is used for a second thermal gradient measurement. The ratio of the first measurement to the second is then used to determine the earth's thermal conductivity, k.sub..infin., from a precalculated graph, and using the value of thermal conductivity thus determined, then determining the vertical earth temperature gradient, b, from predetermined steady state heat balance equations which relate the undisturbed vertical earth temperature distributions at some distance from the borehole and earth thermal conductivity to the temperature gradients in the transducers and their thermal conductivity. The product of the earth's thermal conductivity, k.sub..infin., and the earth's undisturbed vertical temperature gradient, b, then determines the earth's vertical heat flux. The process can be repeated many times for boreholes of a geothermal field to map vertical heat flux.

An Experimental Investigation Into the Temperature Profile of a Compliant Foil Air Bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radil, Kevin; Zeszotek, Michelle

2004-01-01

A series of tests was performed to determine the internal temperature profile in a compliant bump-type foil journal air bearing operating at room temperature under various speeds and load conditions. The temperature profile was collected by instrumenting a foil bearing with nine, type K thermocouples arranged in the center and along the bearing s edges in order to measure local temperatures and estimate thermal gradients in the axial and circumferential directions. To facilitate the measurement of maximum temperatures from viscous shearing in the air film, the thermocouples were tack welded to the backside of the bumps that were in direct contact with the top foil. The mating journal was coated with a high temperature solid lubricant that, together with the bearing, underwent high temperature start-stop cycles to produce a smooth, steady-state run-in surface. Tests were conducted at speeds from 20 to 50 krpm and loads ranging from 9 to 222 N. The results indicate that, over the conditions tested, both journal rotational speed and radial load are responsible for heat generation with speed playing a more significant role in the magnitude of the temperatures. The temperature distribution was nearly symmetric about the bearing center at 20 and 30 krpm but became slightly skewed toward one side at 40 and 50 krpm. Surprisingly, the maximum temperatures did not occur at the bearing edge where the minimum film thickness is expected but rather in the middle of the bearing where analytical investigations have predicted the air film to be much thicker. Thermal gradients were common during testing and were strongest in the axial direction from the middle of the bearing to its edges, reaching 3.78 8C/mm. The temperature profile indicated the circumferential thermal gradients were negligible.

Controlling Thermal Gradients During Silicon Web Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. S.; Mchugh, J. P.; Skutch, M. E.; Piotrowski, P. A.

1983-01-01

Strategically placed slot helps to control critical thermal gradients in crucible for silicon web growth. Slot thermally isolates feed region of crucible from growth region; region where pellets are added stays hot. Heat absorbed by pellets during melting causes thermal unbalance than upsets growth conditions.

Thermal Analysis in Support of the Booster Separation Motor Crack Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell; Prickett, Terry; Turner, Larry D. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

During a post-test inspection of a Booster Separation Motor (BSM) from a Lot Acceptance Test (LAT), a crack was noticed in the graphite throat. Since this was an out-of-family occurrence, an investigation team was formed to determine the cause of the crack. This paper will describe thermal analysis techniques used in support of this investigation. Models were generated to predict gradients in nominal motor conditions, as well as potentially anomalous conditions. Analysis was also performed on throats that were tested in the Laser Hardened Material Evaluation Laboratory (LHMEL). Some of these throats were pre-cracked, while others represented configurations designed to amplify effects of thermal stresses. Results from these analyses will be presented in this paper.

Thermal Analysis in Support of the Booster Separation Motor Crack Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell; Prickett, Terry

2002-01-01

During a post-test inspection of a Booster Separation Motor (BSM) from a Lot Acceptance Test (LAT), a crack was noticed in the graphite throat. Since this was an out-of-family occurrence, an investigation team was formed to determine the cause of the crack. This paper will describe thermal analysis techniques used in support of this investigation. Models were generated to predict gradients in nominal motor conditions, as well as potentially anomalous conditions. Analysis was also performed on throats that were tested in the Laser Hardened Material Evaluation Laboratory (LHMEL). Some of these throats were pre-cracked, while others represented configurations designed to amplify effects of thermal stresses. Results from these analyses will be presented in this paper.

Thermal Conductive Heat Transfer and Partial Melting of Volatiles in Icy Moons, Asteroids, and Kuiper Belt Objects (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargel, J. S.; Furfaro, R.

2013-12-01

Thermal gradients within conductive layers of icy satellite and asteroids depend partly on heat flow, which is related to the secular decay of radioactive isotopes, to heat released by chemical phase changes, by conversion of gravitational potential energy to heat during differentiation, tidal energy dissipation, and to release of heat stored from prior periods. Thermal gradients are also dependent on the thermal conductivity of materials, which in turn depends on their composition, crystallinity, porosity, crystal fabric anisotropy, and details of their mixture with other materials. Small impurities can produce lattice defects and changes in polymerization, and thereby have a huge influence on thermal conductivity, as can cage-inclusion (clathrate) compounds. Heat flow and thermal gradients can be affected by fluid phase advection of mass and heat (in oceans or sublimating upper crusts), by refraction related to heterogeneities of thermal conductivity due to lateral variations and composition or porosity. Thermal profiles depend also on the surface temperature controlled by albedo and climate, surface relief, and latitude, orbital obliquity and surface insolation, solid state greenhouses, and endogenic heating of the surface. The thermal state of icy moon interiors and thermal gradients can be limited at depth by fluid phase advection of heat (e.g., percolating meteoric methane or gas emission), by the latent heat of phase transitions (melting, solid-state transitions, and sublimation), by solid-state convective or diapiric heat transfer, and by foundering. Rapid burial of thick volatile deposits can also affect thermal gradients. For geologically inactive or simple icy objects, most of these controls on heat flow and thermal gradients are irrelevant, but for many other icy objects they can be important, in some cases causing large lateral and depth variations in thermal gradients, large variations in heat flow, and dynamically evolving thermal states. Many of these processes result in transient thermal states and hence rapid evolution of icy body interiors. Interesting heat-flow phenomena (approximated as steady-state thermal states) have been modeled in volatile-rich main belt asteroids, Io, Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Pluto, and Makemake (2005 FY9). Thermal conditions can activate geologic processes, but the occurrence of geologic activity can fundamentally alter the thermal conductivity and elasticity of icy objects, which then further affects the distribution and type of subsequent geologic activity. For example, cryoclastic volcanism on Enceladus can increase solid-state greenhouse heating of the upper crust, reduce thermal conductivity, and increase retention of heat and spur further cryovolcanism. Sulfur extrusion on Io can produce low-thermal-conductivity flows, high thermal gradients, basal melting of the flows, and lateral extrusion and spreading of the flows or formation of solid-crusted lava lakes. Impact formation of regoliths and fine-grained dust deposits on large asteroids may generate local variations in thermal gradients. Interior heating and geologic activity can either (1) emplace low-conductivity materials on the surface and cause further interior heating, or (2) drive metamorphism, sintering, and volatile loss, and increase thermal conductivity and cool the object. Thus, the type and distribution of present-day geologic activity on icy worlds is dependent on geologic history. Geology begets geology.

Development and Testing of Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Choi, Sung R.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in future gas turbine engines because of their ability to effectively protect the engine components and further raise engine temperatures. Durability of the coating systems remains a critical issue with the ever-increasing temperature requirements. Thermal conductivity increase and coating degradation due to sintering and phase changes are known to be detrimental to coating performance. There is a need to characterize the coating behavior and temperature limits, in order to potentially take full advantage of the current coating capability, and also accurately assess the benefit gained from advanced coating development. In this study, thermal conductivity behavior and cyclic durability of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8wt%Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings were evaluated under laser heat-flux simulated high temperature, large thermal gradient and thermal cycling conditions. The coating degradation and failure processes were assessed by real-time monitoring of the coating thermal conductivity under the test conditions. The ceramic coating crack propagation driving forces and resulting failure modes will be discussed in light of high temperature mechanical fatigue and fracture testing results.

Crack growth induced by thermal-mechanical loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, R.; Hartman, G. A.; Gallagher, J. P.

1992-06-01

Advanced aerospace structures are often subjected to combined thermal and mechanical loads. The fracture-mechanics behavior of the structures may be altered by the thermal state existing around the crack. Hence, design of critical structural elements requires the knowledge of stress-intensity factors under both thermal and mechanical loads. This paper describes the development of an experimental technique to verify the thermal-stress-intensity factor generated by a temperature gradient around the crack. Thin plate specimens of a model material (AISI-SAE 1095 steel) were used for the heat transfer and thermal-mechanical fracture tests. Rapid thermal loading was achieved using high-intensity focused infrared spot heaters. These heaters were also used to generate controlled temperature rates for heat-transfer verification tests. The experimental results indicate that thermal loads can generate stress-intensity factors large enough to induce crack growth. The proposed thermal-stress-intensity factors appear to have the same effect as the conventional mechanical-stress-intensity factors with respect to fracture.

Thermotropism by primary roots of maize

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

Fortin, M.-C.; Poff, K.L.

1990-05-01

Sensing in the roots of higher plants has long been recognized to be restricted mainly to gravitropism and thigmotropism. However, root responses to temperature gradients have not been extensively studied. We have designed experiments under controlled conditions to test if and how root direction of maize can be altered by thermal gradients perpendicular to the gravity vector. Primary roots of maize grown on agar plates exhibit positive thermotropism (curvature toward the warmer temperature) when exposed to gradients of 0.5 to 4.2{degree}C cm{sup {minus}1}. The extent of thermotropism depends on the temperature gradient and the temperature at which the root ismore » placed within the gradient. The curvature cannot be accounted for by differential growth as a direct effect of temperature on each side of the root.« less

Design of a Thermal Precipitator for the Characterization of Smoke Particles from Common Spacecraft Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Marit Elisabeth

2015-01-01

A thermal precipitator (TP) was designed to collect smoke aerosol particles for microscopic analysis in fire characterization research. Information on particle morphology, size and agglomerate structure obtained from these tests supplements additional aerosol data collected. Modeling of the thermal precipitator throughout the design process was performed with the COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software package, including the Eulerian flow field and thermal gradients in the fluid. The COMSOL Particle Tracing Module was subsequently used to determine particle deposition. Modeling provided optimized design parameters such as geometry, flow rate and temperatures. The thermal precipitator was built and testing verified the performance of the first iteration of the device. The thermal precipitator was successfully operated and provided quality particle samples for microscopic analysis, which furthered the body of knowledge on smoke particulates. This information is a key element of smoke characterization and will be useful for future spacecraft fire detection research.

CNT based thermal Brownian motor to pump water in nanodevices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyarzua, Elton; Zambrano, Harvey; Walther, J. H.

2016-11-01

Brownian molecular motors are nanoscale machines that exploit thermal fluctuations for directional motion by employing mechanisms such as the Feynman-Smoluchowski ratchet. In this study, using Non Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics, we propose a novel thermal Brownian motor for pumping water through Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). To achieve this we impose a thermal gradient along the axis of a CNT filled with water and impose, in addition, a spatial asymmetry by fixing specific zones on the CNT in order to modify the vibrational modes of the CNT. We find that the temperature gradient and imposed spatial asymmetry drive the water flow in a preferential direction. We systematically modified the magnitude of the applied thermal gradient and the axial position of the fixed points. The analysis involves measurement of the vibrational modes in the CNTs using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. We observed water flow in CNTs of 0.94, 1.4 and 2.0 nm in diameter, reaching a maximum velocity of 5 m/s for a thermal gradient of 3.3 K/nm. The proposed thermal motor is capable of delivering a continuous flow throughout a CNT, providing a useful tool for driving liquids in nanofluidic devices by exploiting thermal gradients. We aknowledge partial support from Fondecyt project 11130559.

Cyclic Fatigue Durability of Uncoated and EBC Coated 3D SiC/SiC Composites Under Thermal Gradient Conditions at 2700F in Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Craig; Harder, Bryan; Zhu, Dongming; Bhatt, Ramakrishna; Kalluri, Sreeramesh

2017-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) such as SiCSiC are currently being designed and implemented in high temperature sections of aerospace turbine engines. Such components will be subject to through-thickness thermal gradients, which may affect the durability. In this study, SiCSiC CMCs with a hybrid chemical vapor infiltrated (CVI) and polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) matrix were loaded in tension while one surface was heated with a laser and the opposite surface was cooled. The samples were each coated with an environmental barrier coating (EBC), which was produced by electron beam physical deposition (EBPVD). Results for CMCs tested with and without the EBC be discussed.

Physiological Limits along an Elevational Gradient in a Radiation of Montane Ground Beetles

PubMed Central

Slatyer, Rachel A.; Schoville, Sean D.

2016-01-01

A central challenge in ecology and biogeography is to determine the extent to which physiological constraints govern the geographic ranges of species along environmental gradients. This study tests the hypothesis that temperature and desiccation tolerance are associated with the elevational ranges of 12 ground beetle species (genus Nebria) occurring on Mt. Rainier, Washington, U.S.A. Species from higher elevations did not have greater cold tolerance limits than lower-elevation species (all species ranged from -3.5 to -4.1°C), despite a steep decline in minimum temperature with elevation. Although heat tolerance limits varied among species (from 32.0 to 37.0°C), this variation was not generally associated with the relative elevational range of a species. Temperature gradients and acute thermal tolerance do not support the hypothesis that physiological constraints drive species turnover with elevation. Measurements of intraspecific variation in thermal tolerance limits were not significant for individuals taken at different elevations on Mt. Rainier, or from other mountains in Washington and Oregon. Desiccation resistance was also not associated with a species’ elevational distribution. Our combined results contrast with previously-detected latitudinal gradients in acute physiological limits among insects and suggest that other processes such as chronic thermal stress or biotic interactions might be more important in constraining elevational distributions in this system. PMID:27043311

Limitations of using a thermal imager for snow pit temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schirmer, M.; Jamieson, B.

2014-03-01

Driven by temperature gradients, kinetic snow metamorphism plays an import role in avalanche formation. When gradients based on temperatures measured 10 cm apart appear to be insufficient for kinetic metamorphism, faceting close to a crust can be observed. Recent studies that visualised small-scale (< 10 cm) thermal structures in a profile of snow layers with an infrared (IR) camera produced interesting results. The studies found melt-freeze crusts to be warmer or cooler than the surrounding snow depending on the large-scale gradient direction. However, an important assumption within these studies was that a thermal photo of a freshly exposed snow pit was similar enough to the internal temperature of the snow. In this study, we tested this assumption by recording thermal videos during the exposure of the snow pit wall. In the first minute, the results showed increasing gradients with time, both at melt-freeze crusts and artificial surface structures such as shovel scours. Cutting through a crust with a cutting blade or shovel produced small concavities (holes) even when the objective was to cut a planar surface. Our findings suggest there is a surface structure dependency of the thermal image, which was only observed at times during a strong cooling/warming of the exposed pit wall. We were able to reproduce the hot-crust/cold-crust phenomenon and relate it entirely to surface structure in a temperature-controlled cold laboratory. Concave areas cooled or warmed more slowly compared with convex areas (bumps) when applying temperature differences between snow and air. This can be explained by increased radiative and/or turbulent energy transfer at convex areas. Thermal videos suggest that such processes influence the snow temperature within seconds. Our findings show the limitations of using a thermal camera for measuring pit-wall temperatures, particularly during windy conditions, clear skies and large temperature differences between air and snow. At crusts or other heterogeneities, we were unable to create a sufficiently planar snow pit surface and non-internal gradients appeared at the exposed surface. The immediate adjustment of snow pit temperature as it reacts with the atmosphere complicates the capture of the internal thermal structure of a snowpack with thermal videos. Instead, the shown structural dependency of the IR signal may be used to detect structural changes of snow caused by kinetic metamorphism. The IR signal can also be used to measure near surface temperatures in a homogenous new snow layer.

Advanced single crystal for SSME turbopumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritzemeier, L. G.

1989-01-01

The objective of this program was to evaluate the influence of high thermal gradient casting, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and alternate heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a single crystal nickel base superalloy. The alloy chosen for the study was PWA 1480, a well characterized, commercial alloy which had previously been chosen as a candidate for the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure turbopump turbine blades. Microstructural characterization evaluated the influence of casting thermal gradient on dendrite arm spacing, casting porosity distribution and alloy homogeneity. Hot isostatic pressing was evaluated as a means of eliminating porosity as a preferred fatigue crack initiation site. The alternate heat treatment was chosen to improve hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance and for potential fatigue life improvement. Mechanical property evaluation was aimed primarily at determining improvements in low cycle and high cycle fatigue life due to the advanced processing methods. Statistically significant numbers of tests were conducted to quantitatively demonstrate life differences. High thermal gradient casting improves as-cast homogeneity, which facilitates solution heat treatment of PWA 1480 and provides a decrease in internal pore size, leading to increases in low cycle and high cycle fatigue lives.

Recovery Act. Direct Confirmation of Commercial Geothermal Resources in Colorado Using Remote Sensing and On-Site Exploration, Testing, and Analysis

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

Foley, Paul; Skeehan, Kirsten; Smith, Jerome

Report on the confirmation of Commercial Geothermal Resources in Colorado describing the on site testing and analysis to confirm remote sensing identified potential resources. A series of thermal gradient wells were drilled in the Pagosa Springs region and the data collected is analyzed within.

Improved techniques for thermomechanical testing in support of deformation modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castelli, Michael G.; Ellis, John R.

1992-01-01

The feasibility of generating precise thermomechanical deformation data to support constitutive model development was investigated. Here, the requirement is for experimental data that is free from anomalies caused by less than ideal equipment and procedures. A series of exploratory tests conducted on Hastelloy X showed that generally accepted techniques for strain controlled tests were lacking in at least three areas. Specifically, problems were encountered with specimen stability, thermal strain compensation, and temperature/mechanical strain phasing. The source of these difficulties was identified and improved thermomechanical testing techniques to correct them were developed. These goals were achieved by developing improved procedures for measuring and controlling thermal gradients and by designing a specimen specifically for thermomechanical testing. In addition, innovative control strategies were developed to correctly proportion and phase the thermal and mechanical components of strain. Subsequently, the improved techniques were used to generate deformation data for Hastelloy X over the temperature range, 200 to 1000 C.

Thermal Analysis of the Fastrac Chamber/Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell

2001-01-01

This paper will describe the thermal analysis techniques used to predict temperatures in the film-cooled ablative rocket nozzle used on the Fastrac 60K rocket engine. A model was developed that predicts char and pyrolysis depths, liner thermal gradients, and temperatures of the bondline between the overwrap and liner. Correlation of the model was accomplished by thermal analog tests performed at Southern Research, and specially instrumented hot fire tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Infrared thermography was instrumental in defining nozzle hot wall surface temperatures. In-depth and outboard thermocouple data was used to correlate the kinetic decomposition routine used to predict char and pyrolysis depths. These depths were anchored with measured char and pyrolysis depths from cross-sectioned hot-fire nozzles. For the X-34 flight analysis, the model includes the ablative Thermal Protection System (TPS) material that protects the overwrap from the recirculating plume. Results from model correlation, hot-fire testing, and flight predictions will be discussed.

Thermal Analysis of the MC-1 Chamber/Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell W.; Phelps, Lisa H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper will describe the thermal analysis techniques used to predict temperatures in the film-cooled ablative rocket nozzle used on the MC-1 60K rocket engine. A model was developed that predicts char and pyrolysis depths, liner thermal gradients, and temperatures of the bondline between the overwrap and liner. Correlation of the model was accomplished by thermal analog tests performed at Southern Research, and specially instrumented hot fire tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Infrared thermography was instrumental in defining nozzle hot wall surface temperatures. In-depth and outboard thermocouple data was used to correlate the kinetic decomposition routine used to predict char and pyrolysis depths. These depths were anchored with measured char and pyrolysis depths from cross-sectioned hot-fire nozzles. For the X-34 flight analysis, the model includes the ablative Thermal Protection System (TPS) material that protects the overwrap from the recirculating plume. Results from model correlation, hot-fire testing, and flight predictions will be discussed.

Reptile Embryos Lack the Opportunity to Thermoregulate by Moving within the Egg.

PubMed

Telemeco, Rory S; Gangloff, Eric J; Cordero, Gerardo A; Mitchell, Timothy S; Bodensteiner, Brooke L; Holden, Kaitlyn G; Mitchell, Sarah M; Polich, Rebecca L; Janzen, Fredric J

2016-07-01

Historically, egg-bound reptile embryos were thought to passively thermoconform to the nest environment. However, recent observations of thermal taxis by embryos of multiple reptile species have led to the widely discussed hypothesis that embryos behaviorally thermoregulate. Because temperature affects development, such thermoregulation could allow embryos to control their fate far more than historically assumed. We assessed the opportunity for embryos to behaviorally thermoregulate in nature by examining thermal gradients within natural nests and eggs of the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina; which displays embryonic thermal taxis) and by simulating thermal gradients within nests across a range of nest depths, egg sizes, and soil types. We observed little spatial thermal variation within nests, and thermal gradients were poorly transferred to eggs. Furthermore, thermal gradients sufficiently large and constant for behavioral thermoregulation were not predicted to occur in our simulations. Gradients of biologically relevant magnitude have limited global occurrence and reverse direction twice daily when they do exist, which is substantially faster than embryos can shift position within the egg. Our results imply that reptile embryos will rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to behaviorally thermoregulate by moving within the egg. We suggest that embryonic thermal taxis instead represents a play behavior, which may be adaptive or selectively neutral, and results from the mechanisms for behavioral thermoregulation in free-living stages coming online prior to hatching.

Detection of thermal gradients through fiber-optic Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating (CFBG): Medical thermal ablation scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korganbayev, Sanzhar; Orazayev, Yerzhan; Sovetov, Sultan; Bazyl, Ali; Schena, Emiliano; Massaroni, Carlo; Gassino, Riccardo; Vallan, Alberto; Perrone, Guido; Saccomandi, Paola; Arturo Caponero, Michele; Palumbo, Giovanna; Campopiano, Stefania; Iadicicco, Agostino; Tosi, Daniele

2018-03-01

In this paper, we describe a novel method for spatially distributed temperature measurement with Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating (CFBG) fiber-optic sensors. The proposed method determines the thermal profile in the CFBG region from demodulation of the CFBG optical spectrum. The method is based on an iterative optimization that aims at minimizing the mismatch between the measured CFBG spectrum and a CFBG model based on coupled-mode theory (CMT), perturbed by a temperature gradient. In the demodulation part, we simulate different temperature distribution patterns with Monte-Carlo approach on simulated CFBG spectra. Afterwards, we obtain cost function that minimizes difference between measured and simulated spectra, and results in final temperature profile. Experiments and simulations have been carried out first with a linear gradient, demonstrating a correct operation (error 2.9 °C); then, a setup has been arranged to measure the temperature pattern on a 5-cm long section exposed to medical laser thermal ablation. Overall, the proposed method can operate as a real-time detection technique for thermal gradients over 1.5-5 cm regions, and turns as a key asset for the estimation of thermal gradients at the micro-scale in biomedical applications.

Minimum mass design of large-scale space trusses subjected to thermal gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, R. Brett; Agnes, Gregory S.

2006-01-01

Lightweight, deployable trusses are commonly used to support space-borne instruments including RF reflectors, radar panels, and telescope optics. While in orbit, these support structures are subjected to thermal gradients that vary with altitude, location in orbit, and self-shadowing. Since these instruments have tight dimensional-stability requirements, their truss members are often covered with multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets to minimize thermal distortions. This paper develops a radiation heat transfer model to predict the thermal gradient experienced by a triangular truss supporting a long, linear radar panel in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). The influence of self-shadowing effects of the radar panel are included in the analysis, and the influence of both MLI thickness and outer covers/coatings on the magnitude of the thermal gradient are formed into a simple, two-dimensional analysis. This thermal model is then used to size and estimate the structural mass of a triangular truss that meets a given set of structural requirements.

Application of millisecond pulsed laser for thermal fatigue property evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Sining; Yu, Gang; Li, Shaoxia; He, Xiuli; Xia, Chunyang; Ning, Weijian; Zheng, Caiyun

2018-02-01

An approach based on millisecond pulsed laser is proposed for thermal fatigue property evaluation in this paper. Cyclic thermal stresses and strains within millisecond interval are induced by complex and transient temperature gradients with pulsed laser heating. The influence of laser parameters on surface temperature is studied. The combination of low pulse repetition rate and high pulse energy produces small temperature oscillation, while high pulse repetition rate and low pulse energy introduces large temperature shock. The possibility of application is confirmed by two thermal fatigue tests of compacted graphite iron with different laser controlled modes. The developed approach is able to fulfill the preset temperature cycles and simulate thermal fatigue failure of engine components.

Correlation of Electrical Resistance to CMC Stress-Strain and Fracture Behavior Under High Heat-Flux Thermal and Stress Gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, Matthew; Morscher, Gregory; Zhu, Dongming

2015-01-01

Because SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are under consideration for use as turbine engine hot-section components in extreme environments, it becomes necessary to investigate their performance and damage morphologies under complex loading and environmental conditions. Monitoring of electrical resistance (ER) has been shown as an effective tool for detecting damage accumulation of woven melt-infiltrated SiCSiC CMCs. However, ER change under complicated thermo-mechanical loading is not well understood. In this study a systematic approach is taken to determine the capabilities of ER as a relevant non-destructive evaluation technique for high heat-flux testing, including thermal gradients and localized stress concentrations. Room temperature and high temperature, laser-based tensile tests were conducted in which stress-dependent damage locations were determined using modal acoustic emission (AE) monitoring and compared to full-field strain mapping using digital image correlation (DIC). This information is then compared with the results of in-situ ER monitoring, post-test ER inspection and fractography in order to correlate ER response to convoluted loading conditions and damage evolution.

Thermal Boundary Layer Effects on Line-of-Sight Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) Gas Concentration Measurements.

PubMed

Qu, Zhechao; Werhahn, Olav; Ebert, Volker

2018-06-01

The effects of thermal boundary layers on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) measurement results must be quantified when using the line-of-sight (LOS) TDLAS under conditions with spatial temperature gradient. In this paper, a new methodology based on spectral simulation is presented quantifying the LOS TDLAS measurement deviation under conditions with thermal boundary layers. The effects of different temperature gradients and thermal boundary layer thickness on spectral collisional widths and gas concentration measurements are quantified. A CO 2 TDLAS spectrometer, which has two gas cells to generate the spatial temperature gradients, was employed to validate the simulation results. The measured deviations and LOS averaged collisional widths are in very good agreement with the simulated results for conditions with different temperature gradients. We demonstrate quantification of thermal boundary layers' thickness with proposed method by exploitation of the LOS averaged the collisional width of the path-integrated spectrum.

Variability of the geothermal gradient across two differently aged magma-rich continental rifted margins of the Atlantic Ocean: the Southwest African and the Norwegian margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholamrezaie, Ershad; Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena; Sippel, Judith; Strecker, Manfred R.

2018-02-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the shallow thermal field differences for two differently aged passive continental margins by analyzing regional variations in geothermal gradient and exploring the controlling factors for these variations. Hence, we analyzed two previously published 3-D conductive and lithospheric-scale thermal models of the Southwest African and the Norwegian passive margins. These 3-D models differentiate various sedimentary, crustal, and mantle units and integrate different geophysical data such as seismic observations and the gravity field. We extracted the temperature-depth distributions in 1 km intervals down to 6 km below the upper thermal boundary condition. The geothermal gradient was then calculated for these intervals between the upper thermal boundary condition and the respective depth levels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 km below the upper thermal boundary condition). According to our results, the geothermal gradient decreases with increasing depth and shows varying lateral trends and values for these two different margins. We compare the 3-D geological structural models and the geothermal gradient variations for both thermal models and show how radiogenic heat production, sediment insulating effect, and thermal lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) depth influence the shallow thermal field pattern. The results indicate an ongoing process of oceanic mantle cooling at the young Norwegian margin compared with the old SW African passive margin that seems to be thermally equilibrated in the present day.

Directional solidification at ultra-high thermal gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flemings, M. C.; Lee, D. S.; Neff, M. A.

1980-01-01

A high gradient controlled solidification (HGC) furnace was designed and operated at gradients up to 1800 C/cm to continuously produce aluminum alloys. Rubber '0' rings for the water cooling chamber were eliminated, while still maintaining water cooling directly onto the solidified metal. An HGC unit for high temperature ferrous alloys was also designed. Successful runs were made with cast iron, at thermal gradients up to 500 C/cm.

Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams

DOEpatents

Page, Ralph H.; Beach, Raymond J.

2000-01-01

A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser includes a laser medium and an optically transparent plate with an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the laser medium. The pump face of the laser medium is bonded to a surface of the optically transparent member. Pump light is directed through the transparent plate to optically pump the solid state laser medium. Heat conduction is mainly through the surface of the laser medium where the heat is introduced by the pump light. Heat flows in a direction opposite to that of the pump light because the side of the laser medium that is opposite to that of the pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone. A laser cavity is formed around the laser medium such that laser light oscillating within the laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between the pump face and the optically transparent plate and enters and exits through a thermal gradient-reduced zone.

Creating the Thermal Environment for Safely Testing the James Webb Space Telescope at the Johnson Space Center's Chamber A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homan, Jonathan L.; Lauterbach, John; Garcia, Sam

2016-01-01

Chamber A is the largest thermal vacuum chamber at the Johnson Space Center and is one of the largest space environment chambers in the world. The chamber is 19.8 m (65 ft) in diameter and 36.6 m (120 ft) tall and is equipped with cryogenic liquid nitrogen panels (shrouds) and gaseous helium shrouds to create a simulated space environment. The chamber was originally built to support testing of the Apollo Service and Command Module for lunar missions, but underwent major modifications to be able to test the James Webb Space Telescope in a simulated deep space environment. To date seven tests have been performed in preparation of testing the flight optics for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Each test has had a uniquie thermal profile and set of thermal requirements for cooling down and warming up, controlling contamination, and releasing condensed air. These range from temperatures from 335K to 15K, with tight uniformity and controllability for maintining thermal stability and pressure control. One unique requirement for two test was structurally proof loading hardware by creating thermal gradients at specific temperatures. This paper will discuss the thermal requirements and goals of the tests, the original requirements of the chamber thermal systems for planned operation, and how the new requirements were met by the team using the hardware, system flexiblilty, and engineering creativity. It will also discuss the mistakes and successes to meet the unique goals, especially when meeting the thermal proof load.

The InSight Mars Lander and Its Effect on the Subsurface Thermal Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegler, Matthew A.; Smrekar, Suzanne E.; Grott, Matthias; Piqueux, Sylvain; Mueller, Nils; Williams, Jean-Pierre; Plesa, Ana-Catalina; Spohn, Tilman

2017-10-01

The 2018 InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) Mission has the mission goal of providing insitu data for the first measurement of the geothermal heat flow of Mars. The Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) will take thermal conductivity and thermal gradient measurements to approximately 5 m depth. By necessity, this measurement will be made within a few meters of the lander. This means that thermal perturbations from the lander will modify local surface and subsurface temperature measurements. For HP3's sensitive thermal gradient measurements, this spacecraft influence will be important to model and parameterize. Here we present a basic 3D model of thermal effects of the lander on its surroundings. Though lander perturbations significantly alter subsurface temperatures, a successful thermal gradient measurement will be possible in all thermal conditions by proper (>3 m depth) placement of the heat flow probe.

Preliminary interpretation of thermal data from the Nevada Test Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sass, John Harvey; Lachenbruch, Arthur H.

1982-01-01

Analysis of data from 60 wells in and around the Nevada Test Site, including 16 in the Yucca Mountain area, indicates a thermal regime characterized by large vertical and lateral gradients in heat flow. Estimates of heat flow indicate considerable variation on both regional and local scales. The variations are attributable primarily to hydrologic processes involving interbasin flow with a vertical component of (seepage) velocity (volume flux) of a few mm/yr. Apart from indicating a general downward movement of water at a few mm/yr, the results from Yucca Mountain are as yet inconclusive.

Suppression of Electron Thermal Conduction by Whistler Turbulence in a Sustained Thermal Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberg-Clark, G. T.; Drake, J. F.; Reynolds, C. S.; Swisdak, M.

2018-01-01

The dynamics of weakly magnetized collisionless plasmas in the presence of an imposed temperature gradient along an ambient magnetic field is explored with particle-in-cell simulations and modeling. Two thermal reservoirs at different temperatures drive an electron heat flux that destabilizes off-angle whistler-type modes. The whistlers grow to large amplitude, δ B /B0≃1 , and resonantly scatter the electrons, significantly reducing the heat flux. Surprisingly, the resulting steady-state heat flux is largely independent of the thermal gradient. The rate of thermal conduction is instead controlled by the finite propagation speed of the whistlers, which act as mobile scattering centers that convect the thermal energy of the hot reservoir. The results are relevant to thermal transport in high-β astrophysical plasmas such as hot accretion flows and the intracluster medium of galaxy clusters.

Three-Dimensional Model of Heat and Mass Transfer in Fractured Rocks to Estimate Environmental Conditions Along Heated Drifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedors, R. W.; Painter, S. L.

2004-12-01

Temperature gradients along the thermally-perturbed drifts of the potential high-level waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, will drive natural convection and associated heat and mass transfer along drifts. A three-dimensional, dual-permeability, thermohydrological model of heat and mass transfer was used to estimate the magnitude of temperature gradients along a drift. Temperature conditions along heated drifts are needed to support estimates of repository-edge cooling and as input to computational fluid dynamics modeling of in-drift axial convection and the cold-trap process. Assumptions associated with abstracted heat transfer models and two-dimensional thermohydrological models weakly coupled to mountain-scale thermal models can readily be tested using the three-dimensional thermohydrological model. Although computationally expensive, the fully coupled three-dimensional thermohydrological model is able to incorporate lateral heat transfer, including host rock processes of conduction, convection in gas phase, advection in liquid phase, and latent-heat transfer. Results from the three-dimensional thermohydrological model showed that weakly coupling three-dimensional thermal and two-dimensional thermohydrological models lead to underestimates of temperatures and underestimates of temperature gradients over large portions of the drift. The representative host rock thermal conductivity needed for abstracted heat transfer models are overestimated using the weakly coupled models. If axial flow patterns over large portions of drifts are not impeded by the strong cross-sectional flow patterns imparted by the heat rising directly off the waste package, condensation from the cold-trap process will not be limited to the extreme ends of each drift. Based on the three-dimensional thermohydrological model, axial temperature gradients occur sooner over a larger portion of the drift, though high gradients nearest the edge of the potential repository are dampened. This abstract is an independent product of CNWRA and does not necessarily reflect the view or regulatory position of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Thermal static bending of deployable interlocked booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staugaitis, C. L.; Predmore, R. E.

1973-01-01

Metal ribbons processed with a heat-forming treatment are enabled to form tubelike structures when deployed from a roll. Deployable booms of this have been utilized for gravity-gradient stabilization on the RAE, ATS, and Nimbus D satellites. An experimental thermal-mechanics test apparatus was developed to measure the thermal static bending and twist of booms up to 3 meters long. The apparatus was calibrated by using the correlation between calculated and observed thermal bending of a seamless tube. Thermal static bending values of 16 interlocked deployable booms were observed to be within a factor of 2.5 of the values calculated from seamless-tube theory. Out-of-Sun-plane thermal bending was caused by complex heat transfer across the interlocked seam. Significant thermal static twisting was not observed.

James Webb Space Telescope Integrated Science Instrument Module Thermal Vacuum Thermal Balance Test Campaign at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glazer, Stuart; Comber, Brian (Inventor)

2016-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope is a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter primary mirror, designed as a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope when launched in 2018. Three of the four science instruments contained within the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) are passively cooled to their operational temperature range of 36K to 40K with radiators, and the fourth instrument is actively cooled to its operational temperature of approximately 6K. Thermal-vacuum testing of the flight science instruments at the ISIM element level has taken place in three separate highly challenging and extremely complex thermal tests within a gaseous helium-cooled shroud inside Goddard Space Flight Centers Space Environment Simulator. Special data acquisition software was developed for these tests to monitor over 1700 flight and test sensor measurements, track over 50 gradients, component rates, and temperature limits in real time against defined constraints and limitations, and guide the complex transition from ambient to final cryogenic temperatures and back. This extremely flexible system has proven highly successful in safeguarding the nearly $2B science payload during the 3.5-month-long thermal tests. Heat flow measurement instrumentation, or Q-meters, were also specially developed for these tests. These devices provide thermal boundaries o the flight hardware while measuring instrument heat loads up to 600 mW with an estimated uncertainty of 2 mW in test, enabling accurate thermal model correlation, hardware design validation, and workmanship verification. The high accuracy heat load measurements provided first evidence of a potentially serious hardware design issue that was subsequently corrected. This paper provides an overview of the ISIM-level thermal-vacuum tests and thermal objectives; explains the thermal test configuration and thermal balances; describes special measurement instrumentation and monitoring and control software; presents key test thermal results; lists problems encountered during testing and lessons learned.

Correction of Thermal Gradient Errors in Stem Thermocouple Hygrometers

PubMed Central

Michel, Burlyn E.

1979-01-01

Stem thermocouple hygrometers were subjected to transient and stable thermal gradients while in contact with reference solutions of NaCl. Both dew point and psychrometric voltages were directly related to zero offset voltages, the latter reflecting the size of the thermal gradient. Although slopes were affected by absolute temperature, they were not affected by water potential. One hygrometer required a correction of 1.75 bars water potential per microvolt of zero offset, a value that was constant from 20 to 30 C. PMID:16660685

Monitoring Streambed Scour/Deposition Under Nonideal Temperature Signal and Flood Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeWeese, Timothy; Tonina, Daniele; Luce, Charles

2017-12-01

Streambed erosion and deposition are fundamental geomorphic processes in riverbeds, and monitoring their evolution is important for ecological system management and in-stream infrastructure stability. Previous research showed proof of concept that analysis of paired temperature signals of stream and pore waters can simultaneously provide monitoring scour and deposition, stream sediment thermal regime, and seepage velocity information. However, it did not address challenges often associated with natural systems, including nonideal temperature variations (low-amplitude, nonsinusoidal signal, and vertical thermal gradients) and natural flooding conditions on monitoring scour and deposition processes over time. Here we addressed this knowledge gap by testing the proposed thermal scour-deposition chain (TSDC) methodology, with laboratory experiments to test the impact of nonideal temperature signals under a range of seepage velocities and with a field application during a pulse flood. Both analyses showed excellent match between surveyed and temperature-derived bed elevation changes even under very low temperature signal amplitudes (less than 1°C), nonideal signal shape (sawtooth shape), and strong and changing vertical thermal gradients (4°C/m). Root-mean-square errors on predicting the change in streambed elevations were comparable with the median grain size of the streambed sediment. Future research should focus on improved techniques for temperature signal phase and amplitude extractions, as well as TSDC applications over long periods spanning entire hydrographs.

Strain response of thermal barrier coatings captured under extreme engine environments through synchrotron X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knipe, Kevin; Manero, Albert; Siddiqui, Sanna F.; Meid, Carla; Wischek, Janine; Okasinski, John; Almer, Jonathan; Karlsson, Anette M.; Bartsch, Marion; Raghavan, Seetha

2014-07-01

The mechanical behaviour of thermal barrier coatings in operation holds the key to understanding durability of jet engine turbine blades. Here we report the results from experiments that monitor strains in the layers of a coating subjected to thermal gradients and mechanical loads representing extreme engine environments. Hollow cylindrical specimens, with electron beam physical vapour deposited coatings, were tested with internal cooling and external heating under various controlled conditions. High-energy synchrotron X-ray measurements captured the in situ strain response through the depth of each layer, revealing the link between these conditions and the evolution of local strains. Results of this study demonstrate that variations in these conditions create corresponding trends in depth-resolved strains with the largest effects displayed at or near the interface with the bond coat. With larger temperature drops across the coating, significant strain gradients are seen, which can contribute to failure modes occurring within the layer adjacent to the interface.

Performance benefits from pulsed laser heating in heat assisted magnetic recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, B. X.; Cen, Z. H.; Goh, J. H.; Li, J. M.; Toh, Y. T.; Zhang, J.; Ye, K. D.; Quan, C. G.

2014-05-01

Smaller cross track thermal spot size and larger down track thermal gradient are desired for increasing the density of heat assisted magnetic recording. Both parameters are affected significantly by the thermal energy accumulation and diffusion in the recording media. Pulsed laser heating is one of the ways to reduce the thermal diffusion. In this paper, we describe the benefits from the pulsed laser heating such as the dependences of the cross track thermal width, down track thermal gradient, the required laser pulse/average powers, and the transducer temperature rise on the laser pulse width at different media thermal properties. The results indicate that as the pulse width decreases, the thermal width decreases, the thermal gradient increases, the required pulse power increases and the average power decreases. For shorter pulse heating, the effects of the medium thermal properties on the thermal performances become weaker. This can greatly relax the required thermal properties of the media. The results also show that the pulsed laser heating can effectively reduce the transducer temperature rise and allow the transducer to reach its "dynamically" stable temperature more quickly.

Enhanced Thermal Ablation by Combining Ultrasound Contrast Agents with a Miniature Flat Transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murillo, A.; Goldendstedt, C.; Lafon, C.; Cathignol, D.; Chapelon, J.-Y.

2007-05-01

Miniature transducers can be used for performing interstitial thermal ablation. Increasing the frequency of non-focused transducers enhances energy deposition but limits the therapeutic range. In order to treat extended tumors, new therapeutic strategies must be explored. This work aimed to combine ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) with flat transducers for increasing the treatment depth. The idea consists in increasing attenuation away from the transducer to favor remote heat deposition. Thermal ablation is induced in three steps. 1- Attenuation raises by injecting UCA; 2- Destruction of bubbles next to the transducer by pulsed high intensity bursts, results in a gradient of attenuation; 3- Continuous ultrasound are applied for generating a localized thermal lesion. In vitro tests were performed on temperature-sensitive tissue phantoms in which the UCA BR14 (Bracco) was injected during the liquid phase. The feasibility of the idea was demonstrated in three stages. 1- The coefficient of attenuation was measured with the force balance as a function of the concentration of BR14. For 0.8 and 4.8% attenuation at 10MHz was found to be 0.35 and 1.33 Np/cm respectively. 2- Pulsed ultrasound was applied on phantoms to destroy UCA. Based on the echogenicity decay evidenced on ultrasound images, a 1MPa-pressure was required at 10MHz. 3- Heating beams were applied on phantoms presenting a gradient in attenuation. Lesions were 1.5 times larger than in phantoms with constant attenuation. This study demonstrates that UCA can be selectively destroyed in order to generate a gradient of attenuation and extended thermal lesions.

An operational global-scale ocean thermal analysis system

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

Clancy, R. M.; Pollak, K.D.; Phoebus, P.A.

1990-04-01

The Optimum Thermal Interpolation System (OTIS) is an ocean thermal analysis system designed for operational use at FNOC. It is based on the optimum interpolation of the assimilation technique and functions in an analysis-prediction-analysis data assimilation cycle with the TOPS mixed-layer model. OTIS provides a rigorous framework for combining real-time data, climatology, and predictions from numerical ocean prediction models to produce a large-scale synoptic representation of ocean thermal structure. The techniques and assumptions used in OTIS are documented and results of operational tests of global scale OTIS at FNOC are presented. The tests involved comparisons of OTIS against an existingmore » operational ocean thermal structure model and were conducted during February, March, and April 1988. Qualitative comparison of the two products suggests that OTIS gives a more realistic representation of subsurface anomalies and horizontal gradients and that it also gives a more accurate analysis of the thermal structure, with improvements largest below the mixed layer. 37 refs.« less

Delamination Mechanisms of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Choi, Sung R.; Lee, Kang N.; Miller, Robert A.

1990-01-01

Advanced ceramic thermal barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in future gas turbine engines because of their ability to effectively protect the engine components and further raise engine temperatures. However, the coating durability issue remains a major concern with the ever-increasing temperature requirements. In this paper, thermal cyclic response and delamination failure modes of a ZrO2-8wt%Y2O3 and mullite/BSAS thermal/environmental barrier coating system on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites were investigated using a laser high-heat-flux technique. The coating degradation and delamination processes were monitored in real time by measuring coating apparent conductivity changes during the cyclic tests under realistic engine temperature and stress gradients, utilizing the fact that delamination cracking causes an apparent decrease in the measured thermal conductivity. The ceramic coating crack initiation and propagation driving forces under the cyclic thermal loads, in conjunction with the mechanical testing results, will be discussed.

Thermal Testing of a Stacked Core Mirror for UV Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthews, Gary; Kirk, Charles S.; Maffett, Steven; Hanson, Craig; Eng, Ron; Stahl, H. Philip

2013-01-01

The ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey stated that an advanced large-aperture ultraviolet, optical, near-infrared (UVOIR) telescope is required to enable the next generation of compelling astrophysics and exoplanet science; and, that present technology is not mature enough to affordably build and launch any potential UVOIR mission concept. Under Science and Technology funding, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and ITT Exelis have developed a more cost effective process to make 4m monolithic spaceflight UV quality, low areal density, thermally and dynamically stable primary mirrors. A proof of concept mirror was built and tested down to 250K which would allow imaging out to 2.5 microns. This mirror was thermally tested at the Marshall Spaceflight Center to understand the thermal changes between the processing temperature of 293K and the potential low end of the operational temperature of 250K. Isothermal testing results and front plate gradient results have been evaluated and compared to analysis predictions. Measurement of gravity effects on surface figure will be compared to analytical predictions. Future testing of a larger Pathfinder mirror will also be discussed.

Design of a high-temperature experiment for evaluating advanced structural materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mockler, Theodore T.; Castro-Cedeno, Mario; Gladden, Herbert J.; Kaufman, Albert

1992-01-01

This report describes the design of an experiment for evaluating monolithic and composite material specimens in a high-temperature environment and subject to big thermal gradients. The material specimens will be exposed to aerothermal loads that correspond to thermally similar engine operating conditions. Materials evaluated in this study were monolithic nickel alloys and silicon carbide. In addition, composites such as tungsten/copper were evaluated. A facility to provide the test environment has been assembled in the Engine Research Building at the Lewis Research Center. The test section of the facility will permit both regular and Schlieren photography, thermal imaging, and laser Doppler anemometry. The test environment will be products of hydrogen-air combustion at temperatures from about 1200 F to as high as 4000 F. The test chamber pressure will vary up to 60 psia, and the free-stream flow velocity can reach Mach 0.9. The data collected will be used to validate thermal and stress analysis models of the specimen. This process of modeling, testing, and validation is expected to yield enhancements to existing analysis tools and techniques.

Two-Dimensional Heat Transfer Modeling of the Formosa Ridge Offshore SW Taiwan: Implication for Fluid Migrating Paths of a Cold Seep Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Y.; Chi, W.; Liu, C.; Shyu, C.

2011-12-01

The Formosa Ridge, a small ridge located on the passive China continental slope offshore southwestern Taiwan, is an active cold seep site. Large and dense chemosynthetic communities were found there by the ROV Hyper-Dolphin during the 2007 NT0705 cruise. A vertical blank zone is clearly observed on all the seismic profiles across the cold seep site. This narrow zone is interpreted to be the fluid conduit of the seep site. Previous studies suggest that cold sea water carrying large amount of sulfate could flow into the fluid system from flanks of the ridge, and forms a very effective fluid circulation system that emits both methane and hydrogen sulfide to feed the unusual chemosynthetic communities observed at the Formosa Ridge cold seep site. Here we use thermal signals to study possible fluid flow migration paths. In 2008 and 2010, we have collected vdense thermal probe data at this site. We also study the temperatures at Bottom-Simulating Reflectors (BSRs) based on methane hydrate phase diagram. We perform 2D finite element thermal conductive simulations to study the effects of bathymetry on the temperature field in the ridge, and compare the simulation result with thermal probe and BSR-derived datasets. The boundary conditions include insulated boundaries on both sides, and we assign a fix temperature at the bottom of the model using an average regional geothermal gradient. Sensitivity tests and thermal probe data from a nearby region give a regional background geothermal gradient of 0.04 to 0.05 °C/m. The outputs of the simulation runs include geothermal gradient and temperature at different parts of the model. The model can fit the geothermal gradient at a distance away from the ridge where there is less geophysics evidence of fluid flow. However our model over-predicts the geothermal gradient by 50% at the ridge top. We also compare simulated temperature field and found that under the flanks of the ridge the temperature is cooled by 2 °C compared with the BSR-derived temperatures. These results are consistent with the interpretation of cold seawater being pumped into the ridge from both flanks, cooling the temperature field. In summary, the thermal data are consistence with previously proposed fluid circulation model.

A leading edge heating array and a flat surface heating array: Final design. [for testing the thermal protection system of the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A heating array is described for testing full-scale sections of the leading edge and lower fuselage surfaces of the shuttle. The heating array was designed to provide a tool for development and acceptance testing of leading edge segments and large flat sections of the main body thermal protection system. The array was designed using a variable length module concept to meet test requirements using interchangeable components from one test configuration in another configuration. Heat generating modules and heat absorbing modules were employed to achieve the thermal gradient around the leading edge. A support was developed to hold the modules to form an envelope around a variety of leading edges; to supply coolant to each module; the support structure and to hold the modules in the flat surface heater configuration. An optical pyrometer system mounted within the array was designed to monitor specimen surface temperatures without altering the test article's surface.

Thermal behaviour of Anopheles stephensi in response to infection with malaria and fungal entomopathogens

PubMed Central

Blanford, Simon; Read, Andrew F; Thomas, Matthew B

2009-01-01

Background Temperature is a critical determinant of the development of malaria parasites in mosquitoes, and hence the geographic distribution of malaria risk, but little is known about the thermal preferences of Anopheles. A number of other insects modify their thermal behaviour in response to infection. These alterations can be beneficial for the insect or for the infectious agent. Given current interest in developing fungal biopesticides for control of mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi were examined to test whether mosquitoes showed thermally-mediated behaviour in response to infection with fungal entomopathogens and the rodent malaria, Plasmodium yoelii. Methods Over two experiments, groups of An. stephensi were infected with one of three entomopathogenic fungi, and/or P. yoelii. Infected and uninfected mosquitoes were released on to a thermal gradient (14 – 38°C) for "snapshot" assessments of thermal preference during the first five days post-infection. Mosquito survival was monitored for eight days and, where appropriate, oocyst prevalence and intensity was assessed. Results and conclusion Both infected and uninfected An. stephensi showed a non-random distribution on the gradient, indicating some capacity to behaviourally thermoregulate. However, chosen resting temperatures were not altered by any of the infections. There is thus no evidence that thermally-mediated behaviours play a role in determining malaria prevalence or that they will influence the performance of fungal biopesticides against adult Anopheles. PMID:19379519

Fast ion stabilization of the ion temperature gradient driven modes in the Joint European Torus hybrid-scenario plasmas: a trigger mechanism for internal transport barrier formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, M.; Zocco, A.; Crisanti, F.; Contributors, JET-EFDA

2010-04-01

Understanding and modelling turbulent transport in thermonuclear fusion plasmas are crucial for designing and optimizing the operational scenarios of future fusion reactors. In this context, plasmas exhibiting state transitions, such as the formation of an internal transport barrier (ITB), are particularly interesting since they can shed light on transport physics and offer the opportunity to test different turbulence suppression models. In this paper, we focus on the modelling of ITB formation in the Joint European Torus (JET) [1] hybrid-scenario plasmas, where, due to the monotonic safety factor profile, magnetic shear stabilization cannot be invoked to explain the transition. The turbulence suppression mechanism investigated here relies on the increase in the plasma pressure gradient in the presence of a minority of energetic ions. Microstability analysis of the ion temperature gradient driven modes (ITG) in the presence of a fast-hydrogen minority shows that energetic ions accelerated by the ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) system (hydrogen, nH,fast/nD,thermal up to 10%, TH,fast/TD,thermal up to 30) can increase the pressure gradient enough to stabilize the ITG modes driven by the gradient of the thermal ions (deuterium). Numerical analysis shows that, by increasing the temperature of the energetic ions, electrostatic ITG modes are gradually replaced by nearly electrostatic modes with tearing parity at progressively longer wavelengths. The growth rate of the microtearing modes is found to be lower than that of the ITG modes and comparable to the local E × B-velocity shearing rate. The above mechanism is proposed as a possible trigger for the formation of ITBs in this type of discharges.

Combined use of heat and saline tracer to estimate aquifer properties in a forced gradient test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombani, N.; Giambastiani, B. M. S.; Mastrocicco, M.

2015-06-01

Usually electrolytic tracers are employed for subsurface characterization, but the interpretation of tracer test data collected by low cost techniques, such as electrical conductivity logging, can be biased by cation exchange reactions. To characterize the aquifer transport properties a saline and heat forced gradient test was employed. The field site, located near Ferrara (Northern Italy), is a well characterized site, which covers an area of 200 m2 and is equipped with a grid of 13 monitoring wells. A two-well (injection and pumping) system was employed to perform the forced gradient test and a straddle packer was installed in the injection well to avoid in-well artificial mixing. The contemporary continuous monitor of hydraulic head, electrical conductivity and temperature within the wells permitted to obtain a robust dataset, which was then used to accurately simulate injection conditions, to calibrate a 3D transient flow and transport model and to obtain aquifer properties at small scale. The transient groundwater flow and solute-heat transport model was built using SEAWAT. The result significance was further investigated by comparing the results with already published column experiments and a natural gradient tracer test performed in the same field. The test procedure shown here can provide a fast and low cost technique to characterize coarse grain aquifer properties, although some limitations can be highlighted, such as the small value of the dispersion coefficient compared to values obtained by natural gradient tracer test, or the fast depletion of heat signal due to high thermal diffusivity.

Property Evaluation and Damage Evolution of Environmental Barrier Coatings and Environmental Barrier Coated SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Sub-Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Halbig, Michael; Jaskowiak, Martha; Hurst, Janet; Bhatt, Ram; Fox, Dennis S.

2014-01-01

This paper describes recent development of environmental barrier coatings on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites. The creep and fatigue behavior at aggressive long-term high temperature conditions have been evaluated and highlighted. Thermal conductivity and high thermal gradient cyclic durability of environmental barrier coatings have been evaluated. The damage accumulation and complex stress-strain behavior environmental barrier coatings on SiCSiC ceramic matrix composite turbine airfoil subelements during the thermal cyclic and fatigue testing of have been also reported.

Millisecond ordering of block-copolymer films via photo-thermal gradients

DOE PAGES

Majewski, Pawel W.; Yager, Kevin G.

2015-03-12

For the promise of self-assembly to be realized, processing techniques must be developed that simultaneously enable control of the nanoscale morphology, rapid assembly, and, ideally, the ability to pattern the nanostructure. Here, we demonstrate how photo-thermal gradients can be used to control the ordering of block-copolymer thin films. Highly localized laser heating leads to intense thermal gradients, which induce a thermophoretic force on morphological defects. This increases the ordering kinetics by at least 3 orders-of-magnitude, compared to conventional oven annealing. By simultaneously exploiting the thermal gradients to induce shear fields, we demonstrate uniaxial alignment of a block-copolymer film in lessmore » than a second. Finally, we provide examples of how control of the incident light-field can be used to generate prescribed configurations of block-copolymer nanoscale patterns.« less

Investigating spin-transfer torques induced by thermal gradients in magnetic tunnel junctions by using micro-cavity ferromagnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cansever, H.; Narkowicz, R.; Lenz, K.; Fowley, C.; Ramasubramanian, L.; Yildirim, O.; Niesen, A.; Huebner, T.; Reiss, G.; Lindner, J.; Fassbender, J.; Deac, A. M.

2018-06-01

Similar to electrical currents flowing through magnetic multilayers, thermal gradients applied across the barrier of a magnetic tunnel junction may induce pure spin-currents and generate ‘thermal’ spin-transfer torques large enough to induce magnetization dynamics in the free layer. In this study, we describe a novel experimental approach to observe spin-transfer torques induced by thermal gradients in magnetic multilayers by studying their ferromagnetic resonance response in microwave cavities. Utilizing this approach allows for measuring the magnetization dynamics on micron/nano-sized samples in open-circuit conditions, i.e. without the need of electrical contacts. We performed first experiments on magnetic tunnel junctions patterned into 6  ×  9 µm2 ellipses from Co2FeAl/MgO/CoFeB stacks. We conducted microresonator ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) under focused laser illumination to induce thermal gradients in the layer stack and compared them to measurements in which the sample was globally heated from the backside of the substrate. Moreover, we carried out broadband FMR measurements under global heating conditions on the same extended films the microstructures were later on prepared from. The results clearly demonstrate the effect of thermal spin-torque on the FMR response and thus show that the microresonator approach is well suited to investigate thermal spin-transfer-driven processes for small temperatures gradients, far below the gradients required for magnetic switching.

Thermal-Structural Analysis of PICA Tiles for Solar Tower Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agrawal, Parul; Empey, Daniel M.; Squire, Thomas H.

2009-01-01

Thermal protection materials used in spacecraft heatshields are subjected to severe thermal and mechanical loading environments during re-entry into earth atmosphere. In order to investigate the reliability of PICA tiles in the presence of high thermal gradients as well as mechanical loads, the authors designed and conducted solar-tower tests. This paper presents the design and analysis work for this tests series. Coupled non-linear thermal-mechanical finite element analyses was conducted to estimate in-depth temperature distribution and stress contours for various cases. The first set of analyses performed on isolated PICA tile showed that stresses generated during the tests were below the PICA allowable limit and should not lead to any catastrophic failure during the test. The tests results were consistent with analytical predictions. The temperature distribution and magnitude of the measured strains were also consistent with predicted values. The second test series is designed to test the arrayed PICA tiles with various gap-filler materials. A nonlinear contact method is used to model the complex geometry with various tiles. The analyses for these coupons predict the stress contours in PICA and inside gap fillers. Suitable mechanical loads for this architecture will be predicted, which can be applied during the test to exceed the allowable limits and demonstrate failure modes. Thermocouple and strain-gauge data obtained from the solar tower tests will be used for subsequent analyses and validation of FEM models.

The snake geothermal drilling project. Innovative approaches to geothermal exploration

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

Shervais, John W.; Evans, James P.; Liberty, Lee M.

2014-02-21

The goal of our project was to test innovative technologies using existing and new data, and to ground-truth these technologies using slim-hole core technology. The slim-hole core allowed us to understand subsurface stratigraphy and alteration in detail, and to correlate lithologies observed in core with surface based geophysical studies. Compiled data included geologic maps, volcanic vent distribution, structural maps, existing well logs and temperature gradient logs, groundwater temperatures, and geophysical surveys (resistivity, magnetics, gravity). New data included high-resolution gravity and magnetic surveys, high-resolution seismic surveys, three slimhole test wells, borehole wireline logs, lithology logs, water chemistry, alteration mineralogy, fracture distribution,more » and new thermal gradient measurements.« less

In Situ Elevated Temperature Testing of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Composites.

PubMed

Vickers, Les; Pan, Zhu; Tao, Zhong; van Riessen, Arie

2016-06-03

In situ elevated temperature investigations using fly ash based geopolymers filled with alumina aggregate were undertaken. Compressive strength and short term creep tests were carried out to determine the onset temperature of viscous flow. Fire testing using the standard cellulose curve was performed. Applying a load to the specimen as the temperature increased reduced the temperature at which viscous flow occurred (compared to test methods with no applied stress). Compressive strength increased at the elevated temperature and is attributed to viscous flow and sintering forming a more compact microstructure. The addition of alumina aggregate and reduction of water content reduced the thermal conductivity. This led to the earlier onset and shorter dehydration plateau duration times. However, crack formation was reduced and is attributed to smaller thermal gradients across the fire test specimen.

Geothermal regime of Tarim basin, NW China: insights from borehole temperature logging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, S.; Lei, X.

2013-12-01

Geothermal regime of sedimentary basin is vital for understanding basin (de)formation process, hydrocarbon generation status and assessing the resource potential. Located at the Precambrian craton block, the Tarim basin is the largest intermountain basin in China, which is also the ongoing target of oil and gas exploration. Previous knowledge of thermal regime of this basin is from limited oil exploration borehole testing temperature, the inherent deficiency of data of this type makes accurate understanding of its thermal regime impossible. Here we reported our latest steady temperature logging results in this basin and analyze its thermal regime as well. In this study, 10 temperature loggings are conducted in the northern Tarim basin where the major oil and gas fields are discovered. All the boreholes for temperature logging are non-production wells and are shut in at least more than 2~3 years, ensuring the temperature equilibrium after drilling. The derived geothermal gradient varies from 20.2 to 26.1 degree/km, with a mean of 22.0 degree/km. However, some previous reported gradients in this area are obviously lower than our results; for example, the previous gradient of THN2 well is 13.2 degree/km but 23.2 degree/km in this study, and not enough equilibrium time in previous logging accounts for this discrepancy. More important, it is found that high gradients usually occur in the gas field and the gradients of the gas fields are larger than those in other oil fields, indicating higher thermal regime in gas field. The cause of this phenomenon is unclear, and the upward migration of hot fluid along fault conduit is speculated as the possible mechanism for this high geothermal anomaly in the oil and gas fields. Combined with measured thermal conductivity data, 10 new heat flow values are also achieved, and the heat flow of the Tarim basin is between 38mW/m2 and 52mW/m2, with a mean of 43 mW/m2. This relatively low heat flow is coincident with that of typical Precambrian craton basin in the world, considering that the Tarim basin has not experienced obvious Meso-Cenozoic tectono-thermal events after its formation. The heat flow distribution of the Tarim basin is characterized by large values in the uplift areas and low in the depressions, showing the influence of lateral contrast in thermal properties within the basin on present-day geothermal regime.

Development of NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly: Design, Thermal Analysis, and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Connor, Brian; Hernandez, Deborah; Duffy, James

2015-01-01

NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) project is responsible for designing and validating a payload that contains a materials research sample in a sealed environment. The SCA will be heated in the European Space Agency's (ESA) Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) that is housed inside the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR) located in the International Space Station (ISS). Sintered metals and crystal growth experiments in microgravity are examples of some of the types of materials research that may be performed with a SCA. The project's approach has been to use thermal models to guide the SCA through several design iterations. Various layouts of the SCA components were explored to meet the science and engineering requirements, and testing has been done to help prove the design. This paper will give an overview of the SCA design. It will show how thermal analysis is used to support the project. Also some testing that has been completed will also be discussed, including changes that were made to the thermal profile used during brazing.

Quantification of the effect of temperature gradients in soils on subsurface radon signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haquin, Gustavo; Ilzycer, Danielle; Kamai, Tamir; Zafrir, Hovav; Weisbrod, Noam

2017-04-01

Temperature gradients that develop in soils due to atmospheric temperature cycles are factors of primary importance in determining the rates and directions of subsurface gas flow. Models including mechanisms of thermal convection and thermal diffusion partially explain the impact of temperature gradients on subsurface radon transport. However, the overall impact of temperature gradients on subsurface radon transport is still not well understood. A laboratory setup was designed and built to experimentally investigate the influence of temperature gradients on radon transport under well controlled conditions. A 60 cm diameter and 120 cm tall column was thermally insulated except from the atmosphere-soil interface, such that it was constructed to simulate field conditions where temperature gradients in soils are developed following atmospheric temperature cycles. The column was filled with fine grinded phosphate rock which provided the porous media with radon source. Radon in soil-air was continuously monitored using NaI gamma detectors positioned at different heights along the column. Soil temperature, differential pressure, and relative humidity were monitored along the column. Experiments based on steep and gradual stepwise changes in ambient temperature were conducted. Absolute changes on radon levels in the order of 10-30% were measured at temperature gradients of up to ±20oC/m. Results showed a non-linear correlation between the temperature gradient and the subsurface radon concentration. An asymmetric relationship between the radon concentration and the temperature gradients for ΔT>0 and ΔT<0 was also observed. Laboratory simulations of the time- and depth-dependent temperature wave functions with frequencies ranged from a daily cycle to few days were performed. In response to the harmonic temperature behaviour radon oscillations at similar frequencies were detected correspondingly. In this work a quantitative relationship between radon and temperature gradients will be presented for cases beyond the classical conditions for thermal convection and thermal diffusion.

Microgravity Particle Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Ivan O.; Johnson, Edward J.

1996-01-01

This research seeks to identify the experiment design parameters for future flight experiments to better resolve the effects of thermal and velocity gradients on gas-solid flows. By exploiting the reduced body forces and minimized thermal convection current of reduced gravity experiments, features of gas-solid flow normally masked by gravitationally induced effects can be studied using flow regimes unattainable under unigravity. This paper assesses the physical scales of velocity, length, time, thermal gradient magnitude, and velocity gradient magnitude likely to be involved in laminar gas-solid multiphase flight experiments for 1-100 micro-m particles.

Evidence of Magnetic Breakdown on the Defects With Thermally Suppressed Critical Field in High Gradient SRF Cavities

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

Eremeev, Grigory; Palczewski, Ari

2013-09-01

At SRF 2011 we presented the study of quenches in high gradient SRF cavities with dual mode excitation technique. The data differed from measurements done in 80's that indicated thermal breakdown nature of quenches in SRF cavities. In this contribution we present analysis of the data that indicates that our recent data for high gradient quenches is consistent with the magnetic breakdown on the defects with thermally suppressed critical field. From the parametric fits derived within the model we estimate the critical breakdown fields.

Fossilization processes in siliceous thermal springs: trends in preservation along thermal gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cady, S. L.; Farmer, J. D.

1996-01-01

To enhance our ability to extract palaeobiological and palaeoenvironmental information from ancient thermal spring deposits, we have studied the processes responsible for the development and preservation of stromatolites in modern subaerial thermal spring systems in Yellowstone National Park (USA). We investigated specimens collected from silica-depositing thermal springs along the thermal gradient using petrographic techniques and scanning electron microscopy. Although it is known that thermophilic cyanobacteria control the morphogenesis of thermal spring stromatolites below 73 degrees C, we have found that biofilms which contain filamentous thermophiles contribute to the microstructural development of subaerial geyserites that occur along the inner rims of thermal spring pools and geyser effluents. Biofilms intermittently colonize the surfaces of subaerial geyserites and provide a favoured substrate for opaline silica precipitation. We have also found that the preservation of biotically produced microfabrics of thermal spring sinters reflects dynamic balances between rates of population growth, decomposition of organic matter, silica deposition and early diagenesis. Major trends in preservation of thermophilic organisms along the thermal gradient are defined by differences in the mode of fossilization, including replacement, encrustation and permineralization.

Robust Low Cost Liquid Rocket Combustion Chamber by Advanced Vacuum Plasma Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Richard; Elam, Sandra; Ellis, David L.; McKechnie, Timothy; Hickman, Robert; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Next-generation, regeneratively cooled rocket engines will require materials that can withstand high temperatures while retaining high thermal conductivity. Fabrication techniques must be cost efficient so that engine components can be manufactured within the constraints of shrinking budgets. Three technologies have been combined to produce an advanced liquid rocket engine combustion chamber at NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) using relatively low-cost, vacuum-plasma-spray (VPS) techniques. Copper alloy NARloy-Z was replaced with a new high performance Cu-8Cr-4Nb alloy developed by NASA-Glenn Research Center (GRC), which possesses excellent high-temperature strength, creep resistance, and low cycle fatigue behavior combined with exceptional thermal stability. Functional gradient technology, developed building composite cartridges for space furnaces was incorporated to add oxidation resistant and thermal barrier coatings as an integral part of the hot wall of the liner during the VPS process. NiCrAlY, utilized to produce durable protective coating for the space shuttle high pressure fuel turbopump (BPFTP) turbine blades, was used as the functional gradient material coating (FGM). The FGM not only serves as a protection from oxidation or blanching, the main cause of engine failure, but also serves as a thermal barrier because of its lower thermal conductivity, reducing the temperature of the combustion liner 200 F, from 1000 F to 800 F producing longer life. The objective of this program was to develop and demonstrate the technology to fabricate high-performance, robust, inexpensive combustion chambers for advanced propulsion systems (such as Lockheed-Martin's VentureStar and NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle, RLV) using the low-cost VPS process. VPS formed combustion chamber test articles have been formed with the FGM hot wall built in and hot fire tested, demonstrating for the first time a coating that will remain intact through the hot firing test, and with no apparent wear. Material physical properties and the hot firing tests are reviewed.

Thermal design concept for a high resolution UV spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, P.; Stipandic, E.

1979-01-01

The thermal design concept described has been developed for the High Resolution UV Spectrometer/Polarimeter to be flown on the Solar Maximum Mission. Based on experience gained from a similar Orbiting Solar Observatory mission payload, it has been recognized that initial protection of the optical elements, contamination control, reduction of scattered light, tight bulk temperature, and gradient constraints are key elements that must be accommodated in any thermal control concept for this class of instrument. Salient features of the design include: (1) a telescope door providing contamination protection of an aplanatic Gregorian telescope; (2) a rastering system for the secondary mirror; (3) a unique solar heat absorbing device; (4) heat pipes and special radiators; (5) heaters for active temperature control and optics contamination protection; and (6) high precision platinum resistance thermometers. Viability of the design concept has been established by extensive thermal analysis and some subsystem testing. A summary of analytical and test results is included.

Thermal Conductivity and Water Vapor Stability of Ceramic HfO2-Based Coating Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Fox, Dennis S.; Bansal, Narottam P.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 are candidate thermal/environmental barrier coating materials for gas turbine ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor liner applications because of their relatively low thermal conductivity and high temperature capability. In this paper, thermal conductivity and high temperature phase stability of plasma-sprayed coatings and/or hot-pressed HfO2-5mol%Y2O3, HfO2-15mol%Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 were evaluated at temperatures up to 1700 C using a steady-state laser heat-flux technique. Sintering behavior of the plasma-sprayed coatings was determined by monitoring the thermal conductivity increases during a 20-hour test period at various temperatures. Durability and failure mechanisms of the HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 coatings on mullite/SiC Hexoloy or CMC substrates were investigated at 1650 C under thermal gradient cyclic conditions. Coating design and testing issues for the 1650 C thermal/environmental barrier coating applications will also be discussed.

Mechanisms Underpinning Degradation of Protective Oxides and Thermal Barrier Coatings in High Hydrogen Content (HHC) - Fueled Turbines

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

Mumm, Daniel

2013-08-31

The overarching goal of this research program has been to evaluate the potential impacts of coal-derived syngas and high-hydrogen content fuels on the degradation of turbine hot-section components through attack of protective oxides and thermal barrier coatings. The primary focus of this research program has been to explore mechanisms underpinning the observed degradation processes, and connections to the combustion environments and characteristic non-combustible constituents. Based on the mechanistic understanding of how these emerging fuel streams affect materials degradation, the ultimate goal of the program is to advance the goals of the Advanced Turbine Program by developing materials design protocols leadingmore » to turbine hot-section components with improved resistance to service lifetime degradation under advanced fuels exposures. This research program has been focused on studying how: (1) differing combustion environments – relative to traditional natural gas fired systems – affect both the growth rate of thermally grown oxide (TGO) layers and the stability of these oxides and of protective thermal barrier coatings (TBCs); and (2) how low levels of fuel impurities and characteristic non-combustibles interact with surface oxides, for instance through the development of molten deposits that lead to hot corrosion of protective TBC coatings. The overall program has been comprised of six inter-related themes, each comprising a research thrust over the program period, including: (i) evaluating the role of syngas and high hydrogen content (HHC) combustion environments in modifying component surface temperatures, heat transfer to the TBC coatings, and thermal gradients within these coatings; (ii) understanding the instability of TBC coatings in the syngas and high hydrogen environment with regards to decomposition, phase changes and sintering; (iii) characterizing ash deposition, molten phase development and infiltration, and associated corrosive/thermo-chemical attack mechanisms; (iv) developing a mechanics-based analysis of the driving forces for crack growth and delamination, based on molten phase infiltration, misfit upon cooling, and loss of compliance; (v) understanding changes in TGO growth mechanisms associated with these emerging combustion product streams; and (vi) identifying degradation resistant alternative materials (including new compositions or bi-layer concepts) for use in mitigating the observed degradation modes. To address the materials stability concerns, this program integrated research thrusts aimed at: (1) Conducting tests in simulated syngas and HHC environments to evaluate materials evolution and degradation mechanisms; assessing thermally grown oxide development unique to HHC environmental exposures; carrying out high-resolution imaging and microanalysis to elucidate the evolution of surface deposits (molten phase formation and infiltration); exploring thermo-chemical instabilities; assessing thermo-mechanical drivers and thermal gradient effects on degradation; and quantitatively measuring stress evolution due to enhanced sintering and thermo-chemical instabilities induced in the coating. (2) Executing experiments to study the melting and infiltration of simulated ash deposits, and identifying reaction products and evolving phases associated with molten phase corrosion mechanisms; utilizing thermal spray techniques to fabricate test coupons with controlled microstructures to study mechanisms of instability and degradation; facilitating thermal gradient testing; and developing new materials systems for laboratory testing; (3) Correlating information on the resulting combustion environments to properly assess materials exposure conditions and guide the development of lab-scale simulations of material exposures; specification of representative syngas and high-hydrogen fuels with realistic levels of impurities and contaminants, to explore differences in heat transfer, surface degradation, and deposit formation; and facilitating combustion rig testing of materials test coupons.« less

Experimental and numerical study of two dimensional heat and mass transfer in unsaturated soil with and application to soil thermal energy storage (SBTES) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, A.; Smits, K. M.

2014-12-01

A promising energy storage option to compensate for daily and seasonal energy offsets is to inject and store heat generated from renewable energy sources (e.g. solar energy) in the ground, oftentimes referred to as soil borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES). Nonetheless in SBTES modeling efforts, it is widely recognized that the movement of water vapor is closely coupled to thermal processes. However, their mutual interactions are rarely considered in most soil water modeling efforts or in practical applications. The validation of numerical models that are designed to capture these processes is difficult due to the scarcity of experimental data, limiting the testing and refinement of heat and water transfer theories. A common assumption in most SBTES modeling approaches is to consider the soil as a purely conductive medium with constant hydraulic and thermal properties. However, this simplified approach can be improved upon by better understanding the coupled processes at play. Consequently, developing new modeling techniques along with suitable experimental tools to add more complexity in coupled processes has critical importance in obtaining necessary knowledge in efficient design and implementation of SBTES systems. The goal of this work is to better understand heat and mass transfer processes for SBTES. In this study, we implemented a fully coupled numerical model that solves for heat, liquid water and water vapor flux and allows for non-equilibrium liquid/gas phase change. This model was then used to investigate the influence of different hydraulic and thermal parameterizations on SBTES system efficiency. A two dimensional tank apparatus was used with a series of soil moisture, temperature and soil thermal properties sensors. Four experiments were performed with different test soils. Experimental results provide evidences of thermally induced moisture flow that was also confirmed by numerical results. Numerical results showed that for the test conditions applied here, moisture flow is more influenced by thermal gradients rather than hydraulic gradients. The results also demonstrate that convective fluxes are higher compared to conductive fluxes indicating that moisture flow has more contribution to the overall heat flux than conductive fluxes.

Localized Temperature Variations in Laser-Irradiated Composites with Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors.

PubMed

Jenkins, R Brian; Joyce, Peter; Mechtel, Deborah

2017-01-27

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensors are embedded in composites to detect localized temperature gradients resulting from high energy infrared laser radiation. The goal is to detect the presence of radiation on a composite structure as rapidly as possible and to identify its location, much the same way human skin senses heat. A secondary goal is to determine how a network of sensors can be optimized to detect thermal damage in laser-irradiated composite materials or structures. Initial tests are conducted on polymer matrix composites reinforced with either carbon or glass fiber with a single optical fiber embedded into each specimen. As many as three sensors in each optical fiber measure the temporal and spatial thermal response of the composite to high energy radiation incident on the surface. Additional tests use a 2 × 2 × 3 array of 12 sensors embedded in a carbon fiber/epoxy composite to simultaneously measure temperature variations at locations on the composite surface and through the thickness. Results indicate that FBGs can be used to rapidly detect temperature gradients in a composite and their location, even for a direct strike of laser radiation on a sensor, when high temperatures can cause a non-uniform thermal response and FBG decay.

Localized Temperature Variations in Laser-Irradiated Composites with Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

PubMed Central

Jenkins, R. Brian; Joyce, Peter; Mechtel, Deborah

2017-01-01

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensors are embedded in composites to detect localized temperature gradients resulting from high energy infrared laser radiation. The goal is to detect the presence of radiation on a composite structure as rapidly as possible and to identify its location, much the same way human skin senses heat. A secondary goal is to determine how a network of sensors can be optimized to detect thermal damage in laser-irradiated composite materials or structures. Initial tests are conducted on polymer matrix composites reinforced with either carbon or glass fiber with a single optical fiber embedded into each specimen. As many as three sensors in each optical fiber measure the temporal and spatial thermal response of the composite to high energy radiation incident on the surface. Additional tests use a 2 × 2 × 3 array of 12 sensors embedded in a carbon fiber/epoxy composite to simultaneously measure temperature variations at locations on the composite surface and through the thickness. Results indicate that FBGs can be used to rapidly detect temperature gradients in a composite and their location, even for a direct strike of laser radiation on a sensor, when high temperatures can cause a non-uniform thermal response and FBG decay. PMID:28134815

Characterization of thermotropism in primary roots of maize: dependence on temperature and temperature gradient, and interaction with gravitropism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poff, K. L.

1991-01-01

Thermotropism in primary roots of Zea mays L. was studied with respect to gradient strength (degrees C cm-1), temperature of exposure within a gradient, pre-treatment temperature, and gravitropic stimulation. The magnitude of the response decreased with gradient strength. Maximum thermotropism was independent of gradient strength and pre-treatment temperature. The range of temperature for positive and negative thermotropism did not change with pre-treatment temperature. However, the exact range of temperatures for positive and negative thermotropism varied with gradient strengths. In general, temperatures of exposure lower than 25 degrees C resulted in positive tropic responses while temperatures of exposure of 39 degrees C or more resulted in negative tropic responses. Thermotropism was shown to modify and reverse the normal gravitropic curvature of a horizontal root when thermal gradients were applied opposite the 1 g vector. It is concluded that root thermotropism is a consequence of thermal sensing and that the curvature of the primary root results from the interaction of the thermal and gravitational sensing systems.

Regional geothermal exploration in Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, P.; Boulos, F. K.; Swanberg, C. A.

1983-01-01

A study is presented of the evaluation of the potential geothermal resources of Egypt using a thermal gradient/heat flow technique and a groundwater temperature/chemistry technique. Existing oil well bottom-hole temperature data, as well as subsurface temperature measurements in existing boreholes, were employed for the thermal gradient/heat flow investigation before special thermal gradient holes were drilled. The geographic range of the direct subsurface thermal measurements was extended by employing groundwater temperature and chemistry data. Results show the presence of a regional thermal high along the eastern margin of Egypt with a local thermal anomaly in this zone. It is suggested that the sandstones of the Nubian Formation may be a suitable reservoir for geothermal fluids. These findings indicate that temperatures of 150 C or higher may be found in this reservoir in the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea coastal zones where it lies at a depth of 4 km and deeper.

Geologic and geophysical data for wells drilled at Raft River Valley, Cassia County, Idaho, in 1977-1978 and data for wells drilled previously

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nathenson, Manuel; Urban, Thomas C.; Covington, Harry R.

2014-01-01

For purposes of defining the thermal anomaly for the geothermal system, temperature gradients are calculated over long depth intervals on the basis of the appearance of reasonable linear segments on a temperature versus plot depth.  Temperature versus depth data for some drill holes can be represented by a single gradient, whereas others require multiple gradients to match the data.  Data for some drill holes clearly reflect vertical flows of water in the formation surrounding the drill holes, and water velocities are calculated for these drill holes.  Within The Narrows area, temperature versus depth data show reversals at different depth in different drill holes.  In the main thermal area, temperatures in intermediate-depth drill holes vary approximately linearly but with very high values of temperature gradient.  Temperature gradients on a map of the area can be reasonable divided into a large area of regional gradients and smaller areas defining the thermal anomalies.

Influence of Applied Thermal Gradients and a Static Magnetic Field on Bridgman-Grown GeSi Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Szofran, F. R.; Cobb, S. D.; Ritter, T. M.

1999-01-01

The effect of applied axial and radial thermal gradients and an axial static magnetic field on the macrosegregation profiles of Bridgman-grown GeSi alloy crystals has been assessed. The axial thermal gradients were adjusted by changing the control setpoints of a seven-zone vertical Bridgman furnace. The radial thermal gradients were affected by growing samples in ampoules with different thermal conductivities, namely graphite, hot-pressed boron nitride (BN), and pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN). Those samples grown in a graphite ampoule exhibited radial profiles consistent with a highly concave interface and axial profiles indicative of complete mixing in the melt. The samples grown in BN and PBN ampoules had less radial variation. Axial macrosegregation profiles of these samples fell between the predictions for a completely mixed melt and one where solute transport is dominated by diffusion. All of the samples were grown on Ge seeds. This resulted in a period of free growth until the Si concentration in the solid was in equilibrium with the Si concentration in the liquid. The length of crystal grown during this period was inversely proportional to the applied axial thermal gradient. Several samples were grown in an axial 5 Tesla magnetic field. Measured macroscopic segregation profiles on these samples indicate that the magnetic field did not, in general, reduce the melt flow velocities to below the growth velocities.

Thermal shock effect on Mechanical and Physical properties of pre-moisture treated GRE composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraverty, A. P.; Panda, A. B.; Mohanty, U. K.; Mishra, S. C.; Biswal, B. B.

2018-03-01

Many practical situations may be encountered under which a GFRP (Glass fibre reinforced polymer) composite, during its service life, is exposed to the severities of sudden temperature fluctuations. Moisture absorption of GRE (Glass fibre reinforced epoxy) composites followed by various gradients of temperature fluctuations may cause thermo- mechanical degradation. It is on this context, the hand layed GRE composite samples are exposed to up-thermal shock (-40°C to +50°C) and down-thermal shock (+50°C to -40°C) for various time interval after several periods of moisture (hydrothermal/hygrothermal) conditioning. The thermally shocked GRE specimens are put to 3-point bend test to divulge inter laminar shear strength (ILSS). Least ILSS values are recorded for the samples with maximum period of moisture treatments under with both up-thermal and down-thermal shock conditions. Lower glass transition temperature (Tg) values, as revealed through the low temperature DSC test, are exhibited at maximum durations of both up-thermal and down-thermal shock for the samples with higher periods of hygrothermal/hydrothermal treatments. SEM fractographs of representative GRE specimens after optimum period of moisture treatments and thermal shock show the various modes of failures.

The mechanism of thermal-gradient mass transfer in the sodium hydroxide-nickel system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, Charles E

1958-01-01

"Thermal-gradient mass transfer" was investigated in the molten sodium hydroxide-nickel system. Possible mechanisms (physical, electrochemical, and chemical) are discussed in terms of experimental and theoretical evidence. Experimental details are included in appendixes.

Delamination Mechanisms of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Choi, Sung R.; Lee, Kang N.; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Advanced ceramic thermal harrier coatings will play an increasingly important role In future gas turbine engines because of their ability to effectively protect the engine components and further raise engine temperatures. However, the coating durability issue remains a major concern with the ever-increasing temperature requirements. In this paper, thermal cyclic response and delamination failure modes of a ZrO2-8wt%Y2O3 and mullite/BSAS thermaVenvironmenta1 barrier coating system on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites were investigated using a laser high-heat-flux technique. The coating degradation and delamination processes were monitored in real time by measuring coating apparent conductivity changes during the cyclic tests under realistic engine temperature and stress gradients, utilizing the fact that delamination cracking causes an apparent decrease in the measured thermal conductivity. The ceramic coating crack initiation and propagation driving forces under the cyclic thermal loads, in conjunction with the mechanical testing results, will be discussed.

The low thermal gradient CZ technique as a way of growing of dislocation-free germanium crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskovskih, V. A.; Kasimkin, P. V.; Shlegel, V. N.; Vasiliev, Y. V.; Gridchin, V. A.; Podkopaev, O. I.

2014-09-01

This paper considers the possibility of growth of dislocation-free germanium single crystals. This is achieved by reducing the temperature gradients at the level of 1 K/cm and lower. Single germanium crystals 45-48 mm in diameter with a dislocation density of 102 cm-2 were grown by a Low Thermal Gradient Czochralski technique (LTG CZ).

Interfacial free energy and stiffness of aluminum during rapid solidification

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

Brown, Nicholas T.; Martinez, Enrique; Qu, Jianmin

Using molecular dynamics simulations and the capillary fluctuation method, we have calculated the anisotropic crystal-melt interfacial free energy and stiffness of aluminum in a rapid solidification system where a temperature gradient is applied to enforce thermal non-equilibrium. To calculate these material properties, the standard capillary fluctuation method typically used for systems in equilibrium has been modified to incorporate a second-order Taylor expansion of the interfacial free energy term. The result is a robust method for calculating interfacial energy, stiffness and anisotropy as a function of temperature gradient using the fluctuations in the defined interface height. This work includes the calculationmore » of interface characteristics for temperature gradients ranging from 11 to 34 K/nm. The captured results are compared to a thermal equilibrium case using the same model and simulation technique with a zero gradient definition. We define the temperature gradient as the change in temperature over height perpendicular to the crystal-melt interface. The gradients are applied in MD simulations using defined thermostat regions on a stable solid-liquid interface initially in thermal equilibrium. The results of this work show that the interfacial stiffness and free energy for aluminum are dependent on the magnitude of the temperature gradient, however the anisotropic parameters remain independent of the non-equilibrium conditions applied in this analysis. As a result, the relationships of the interfacial free energy/stiffness are determined to be linearly related to the thermal gradient, and can be interpolated to find material characteristics at additional temperature gradients.« less

Interfacial free energy and stiffness of aluminum during rapid solidification

DOE PAGES

Brown, Nicholas T.; Martinez, Enrique; Qu, Jianmin

2017-05-01

Using molecular dynamics simulations and the capillary fluctuation method, we have calculated the anisotropic crystal-melt interfacial free energy and stiffness of aluminum in a rapid solidification system where a temperature gradient is applied to enforce thermal non-equilibrium. To calculate these material properties, the standard capillary fluctuation method typically used for systems in equilibrium has been modified to incorporate a second-order Taylor expansion of the interfacial free energy term. The result is a robust method for calculating interfacial energy, stiffness and anisotropy as a function of temperature gradient using the fluctuations in the defined interface height. This work includes the calculationmore » of interface characteristics for temperature gradients ranging from 11 to 34 K/nm. The captured results are compared to a thermal equilibrium case using the same model and simulation technique with a zero gradient definition. We define the temperature gradient as the change in temperature over height perpendicular to the crystal-melt interface. The gradients are applied in MD simulations using defined thermostat regions on a stable solid-liquid interface initially in thermal equilibrium. The results of this work show that the interfacial stiffness and free energy for aluminum are dependent on the magnitude of the temperature gradient, however the anisotropic parameters remain independent of the non-equilibrium conditions applied in this analysis. As a result, the relationships of the interfacial free energy/stiffness are determined to be linearly related to the thermal gradient, and can be interpolated to find material characteristics at additional temperature gradients.« less

Lateral Temperature-Gradient Method for High-Throughput Characterization of Material Processing by Millisecond Laser Annealing.

PubMed

Bell, Robert T; Jacobs, Alan G; Sorg, Victoria C; Jung, Byungki; Hill, Megan O; Treml, Benjamin E; Thompson, Michael O

2016-09-12

A high-throughput method for characterizing the temperature dependence of material properties following microsecond to millisecond thermal annealing, exploiting the temperature gradients created by a lateral gradient laser spike anneal (lgLSA), is presented. Laser scans generate spatial thermal gradients of up to 5 °C/μm with peak temperatures ranging from ambient to in excess of 1400 °C, limited only by laser power and materials thermal limits. Discrete spatial property measurements across the temperature gradient are then equivalent to independent measurements after varying temperature anneals. Accurate temperature calibrations, essential to quantitative analysis, are critical and methods for both peak temperature and spatial/temporal temperature profile characterization are presented. These include absolute temperature calibrations based on melting and thermal decomposition, and time-resolved profiles measured using platinum thermistors. A variety of spatially resolved measurement probes, ranging from point-like continuous profiling to large area sampling, are discussed. Examples from annealing of III-V semiconductors, CdSe quantum dots, low-κ dielectrics, and block copolymers are included to demonstrate the flexibility, high throughput, and precision of this technique.

Counter-Gradient Variation in Respiratory Performance of Coral Reef Fishes at Elevated Temperatures

PubMed Central

Gardiner, Naomi M.; Munday, Philip L.; Nilsson, Göran E.

2010-01-01

The response of species to global warming depends on how different populations are affected by increasing temperature throughout the species' geographic range. Local adaptation to thermal gradients could cause populations in different parts of the range to respond differently. In aquatic systems, keeping pace with increased oxygen demand is the key parameter affecting species' response to higher temperatures. Therefore, respiratory performance is expected to vary between populations at different latitudes because they experience different thermal environments. We tested for geographical variation in respiratory performance of tropical marine fishes by comparing thermal effects on resting and maximum rates of oxygen uptake for six species of coral reef fish at two locations on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. The two locations, Heron Island and Lizard Island, are separated by approximately 1200 km along a latitudinal gradient. We found strong counter-gradient variation in aerobic scope between locations in four species from two families (Pomacentridae and Apogonidae). High-latitude populations (Heron Island, southern GBR) performed significantly better than low-latitude populations (Lizard Island, northern GBR) at temperatures up to 5°C above average summer surface-water temperature. The other two species showed no difference in aerobic scope between locations. Latitudinal variation in aerobic scope was primarily driven by up to 80% higher maximum rates of oxygen uptake in the higher latitude populations. Our findings suggest that compensatory mechanisms in high-latitude populations enhance their performance at extreme temperatures, and consequently, that high-latitude populations of reef fishes will be less impacted by ocean warming than will low-latitude populations. PMID:20949020

Thermal Mechanical Stability of Single-Crystal-Oxide Refractive Concentrators Evaluated for High-Temperature Solar-Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Nathan S.; Jacobson, Nathan S.; Miller, Robert A.

1999-01-01

Recently, refractive secondary solar concentrator systems were developed for solar thermal power and propulsion (ref. 1). Single-crystal oxides-such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2), yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, or YAG), magnesium oxide (MgO), and sapphire (Al2O3)-are candidate refractive secondary concentrator materials. However, the refractive concentrator system will experience high-temperature thermal cycling in the solar thermal engine during the sun/shade transition of a space mission. The thermal mechanical reliability of these components in severe thermal environments is of great concern. Simulated mission tests are important for evaluating these candidate oxide materials under a variety of transient and steady-state heat flux conditions. In this research at the NASA Lewis Research Center, a controlled heat flux test approach was developed for investigating the thermal mechanical stability of the candidate oxide. This approach used a 3.0-kW continuous-wave (wavelength, 10.6 mm) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser (ref. 2). The CO2 laser is especially well-suited for single-crystal thermal shock tests because it can directly deliver well-characterized heat energy to the oxide surfaces. Since the oxides are opaque at the 10.6-mm wavelength of the laser beam, the light energy is absorbed at the surfaces rather than transmitting into the crystals, and thus generates the required temperature gradients within the specimens. The following figure is a schematic diagram of the test rig.

Large format lithium ion pouch cell full thermal characterisation for improved electric vehicle thermal management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandjean, Thomas; Barai, Anup; Hosseinzadeh, Elham; Guo, Yue; McGordon, Andrew; Marco, James

2017-08-01

It is crucial to maintain temperature homogeneity in lithium ion batteries in order to prevent adverse voltage distributions and differential ageing within the cell. As such, the thermal behaviour of a large-format 20 Ah lithium iron phosphate pouch cell is investigated over a wide range of ambient temperatures and C rates during both charging and discharging. Whilst previous studies have only considered one surface, this article presents experimental results, which characterise both surfaces of the cell exposed to similar thermal media and boundary conditions, allowing for thermal gradients in-plane and perpendicular to the stack to be quantified. Temperature gradients, caused by self-heating, are found to increase with increasing C rate and decreasing temperature to such an extent that 13.4 ± 0.7% capacity can be extracted using a 10C discharge compared to a 0.5C discharge, both at -10 °C ambient temperature. The former condition causes an 18.8 ± 1.1 °C in plane gradient and a 19.7 ± 0.8 °C thermal gradient perpendicular to the stack, which results in large current density distributions and local state of charge differences within the cell. The implications of these thermal and electrical inhomogeneities on ageing and battery pack design for the automotive industry are discussed.

Ni-Mn-Ga shape memory nanoactuation

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

Kohl, M., E-mail: manfred.kohl@kit.edu; Schmitt, M.; Krevet, B.

2014-01-27

To probe finite size effects in ferromagnetic shape memory nanoactuators, double-beam structures with minimum dimensions down to 100 nm are designed, fabricated, and characterized in-situ in a scanning electron microscope with respect to their coupled thermo-elastic and electro-thermal properties. Electrical resistance and mechanical beam bending tests demonstrate a reversible thermal shape memory effect down to 100 nm. Electro-thermal actuation involves large temperature gradients along the nanobeam in the order of 100 K/μm. We discuss the influence of surface and twin boundary energies and explain why free-standing nanoactuators behave differently compared to constrained geometries like films and nanocrystalline shape memory alloys.

Ni-Mn-Ga shape memory nanoactuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohl, M.; Schmitt, M.; Backen, A.; Schultz, L.; Krevet, B.; Fähler, S.

2014-01-01

To probe finite size effects in ferromagnetic shape memory nanoactuators, double-beam structures with minimum dimensions down to 100 nm are designed, fabricated, and characterized in-situ in a scanning electron microscope with respect to their coupled thermo-elastic and electro-thermal properties. Electrical resistance and mechanical beam bending tests demonstrate a reversible thermal shape memory effect down to 100 nm. Electro-thermal actuation involves large temperature gradients along the nanobeam in the order of 100 K/μm. We discuss the influence of surface and twin boundary energies and explain why free-standing nanoactuators behave differently compared to constrained geometries like films and nanocrystalline shape memory alloys.

Texturing of high T(sub c) superconducting polycrystalline fibers/wires by laser-driven directional solidification in an thermal gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varshney, Usha; Eichelberger, B. Davis, III

1995-01-01

This paper summarizes the technique of laser-driven directional solidification in a controlled thermal gradient of yttria stabilized zirconia core coated Y-Ba-Cu-O materials to produce textured high T(sub c) superconducting polycrystalline fibers/wires with improved critical current densities in the extended range of magnetic fields at temperatures greater than 77 K. The approach involves laser heating to minimize phase segregation by heating very rapidly through the two-phase incongruent melt region to the single phase melt region and directionally solidifying in a controlled thermal gradient to achieve highly textured grains in the fiber axis direction. The technique offers a higher grain growth rate and a lower thermal budget compared with a conventional thermal gradient and is amenable as a continuous process for improving the J(sub c) of high T(sub c) superconducting polycrystalline fibers/wires. The technique has the advantage of suppressing weak-link behavior by orientation of crystals, formation of dense structures with enhanced connectivity, formation of fewer and cleaner grain boundaries, and minimization of phase segregation in the incongruent melt region.

Microfludic Device for Creating Ionic Strength Gradients over DNA Microarrays for Efficient DNA Melting Studies and Assay Development

PubMed Central

Petersen, Jesper; Poulsen, Lena; Birgens, Henrik; Dufva, Martin

2009-01-01

The development of DNA microarray assays is hampered by two important aspects: processing of the microarrays is done under a single stringency condition, and characteristics such as melting temperature are difficult to predict for immobilized probes. A technical solution to these limitations is to use a thermal gradient and information from melting curves, for instance to score genotypes. However, application of temperature gradients normally requires complicated equipment, and the size of the arrays that can be investigated is restricted due to heat dissipation. Here we present a simple microfluidic device that creates a gradient comprising zones of defined ionic strength over a glass slide, in which each zone corresponds to a subarray. Using this device, we demonstrated that ionic strength gradients function in a similar fashion as corresponding thermal gradients in assay development. More specifically, we noted that (i) the two stringency modulators generated melting curves that could be compared, (ii) both led to increased assay robustness, and (iii) both were associated with difficulties in genotyping the same mutation. These findings demonstrate that ionic strength stringency buffers can be used instead of thermal gradients. Given the flexibility of design of ionic gradients, these can be created over all types of arrays, and encompass an attractive alternative to temperature gradients, avoiding curtailment of the size or spacing of subarrays on slides associated with temperature gradients. PMID:19277213

Microfludic device for creating ionic strength gradients over DNA microarrays for efficient DNA melting studies and assay development.

PubMed

Petersen, Jesper; Poulsen, Lena; Birgens, Henrik; Dufva, Martin

2009-01-01

The development of DNA microarray assays is hampered by two important aspects: processing of the microarrays is done under a single stringency condition, and characteristics such as melting temperature are difficult to predict for immobilized probes. A technical solution to these limitations is to use a thermal gradient and information from melting curves, for instance to score genotypes. However, application of temperature gradients normally requires complicated equipment, and the size of the arrays that can be investigated is restricted due to heat dissipation. Here we present a simple microfluidic device that creates a gradient comprising zones of defined ionic strength over a glass slide, in which each zone corresponds to a subarray. Using this device, we demonstrated that ionic strength gradients function in a similar fashion as corresponding thermal gradients in assay development. More specifically, we noted that (i) the two stringency modulators generated melting curves that could be compared, (ii) both led to increased assay robustness, and (iii) both were associated with difficulties in genotyping the same mutation. These findings demonstrate that ionic strength stringency buffers can be used instead of thermal gradients. Given the flexibility of design of ionic gradients, these can be created over all types of arrays, and encompass an attractive alternative to temperature gradients, avoiding curtailment of the size or spacing of subarrays on slides associated with temperature gradients.

In Situ Elevated Temperature Testing of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Composites

PubMed Central

Vickers, Les; Pan, Zhu; Tao, Zhong; van Riessen, Arie

2016-01-01

In situ elevated temperature investigations using fly ash based geopolymers filled with alumina aggregate were undertaken. Compressive strength and short term creep tests were carried out to determine the onset temperature of viscous flow. Fire testing using the standard cellulose curve was performed. Applying a load to the specimen as the temperature increased reduced the temperature at which viscous flow occurred (compared to test methods with no applied stress). Compressive strength increased at the elevated temperature and is attributed to viscous flow and sintering forming a more compact microstructure. The addition of alumina aggregate and reduction of water content reduced the thermal conductivity. This led to the earlier onset and shorter dehydration plateau duration times. However, crack formation was reduced and is attributed to smaller thermal gradients across the fire test specimen. PMID:28773568

Thermoelastic response of metal matrix composites with large-diameter fibers subjected to thermal gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aboudi, Jacob; Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Arnold, Steven M.

1993-01-01

A new micromechanical theory is presented for the response of heterogeneous metal matrix composites subjected to thermal gradients. In contrast to existing micromechanical theories that utilize classical homogenization schemes in the course of calculating microscopic and macroscopic field quantities, in the present approach the actual microstructural details are explicitly coupled with the macrostructure of the composite. Examples are offered that illustrate limitations of the classical homogenization approach in predicting the response of thin-walled metal matrix composites with large-diameter fibers when subjected to thermal gradients. These examples include composites with a finite number of fibers in the thickness direction that may be uniformly or nonuniformly spaced, thus admitting so-called functionally gradient composites. The results illustrate that the classical approach of decoupling micromechanical and macromechanical analyses in the presence of a finite number of large-diameter fibers, finite dimensions of the composite, and temperature gradient may produce excessively conservative estimates for macroscopic field quantities, while both underestimating and overestimating the local fluctuations of the microscopic quantities in different regions of the composite. Also demonstrated is the usefulness of the present approach in generating favorable stress distributions in the presence of thermal gradients by appropriately tailoring the internal microstructure details of the composite.

Thermal Conductivity and Stability of HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 Evaluated for 1650 Deg C Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Bansal, Narottam P.; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 are candidate thermal and environmental barrier coating (T/EBC) materials for gas turbine ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor applications because of their relatively low thermal conductivity and high temperature capability. In this paper, thermal conductivity and high temperature stability of hot-pressed and plasma sprayed specimens with representative partially-stabilized and fully-cubic HfO2-Y2O3 compositions and La2Zr2O7 were evaluated at temperatures up to 1700 C using a steady-state laser heat-flux technique. Sintering behavior of the plasmasprayed coatings was determined by monitoring the thermal conductivity increases during a 20-hour test period at various temperatures. Durability and failure mechanisms of the HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 coatings on mullite/SiC hexoloy or SiC/SiC CMC substrates were investigated at 1650 C under thermal gradient cyclic conditions. Coating design and testing issues for the 1650 C thermal/environmental barrier coating applications are also discussed.

Thermophysical and Thermomechanical Properties of Thermal Barrier Coating Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2000-01-01

Thermal barrier coatings have been developed for advanced gas turbine and diesel engine applications to improve engine reliability and fuel efficiency. However, the issue of coating durability under high temperature cyclic conditions is still of major concern. The coating failure is closely related to thermal stresses and oxidation in the coating systems. Coating shrinkage cracking resulting from ceramic sintering and creep at high temperatures can further accelerate the coating failure process. The purpose of this paper is to address critical issues such as ceramic sintering and creep, thermal fatigue and their relevance to coating life prediction. Novel test approaches have been established to obtain critical thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of the coating systems under near-realistic temperature and stress gradients encountered in advanced engine systems. Emphasis is placed on the dynamic changes of the coating thermal conductivity and elastic modulus, fatigue and creep interactions, and resulting failure mechanisms during the simulated engine tests. Detailed experimental and modeling results describing processes occurring in the thermal barrier coating systems provide a framework for developing strategies to manage ceramic coating architecture, microstructure and properties.

Test and On-Orbit Experiences of FalconSAT-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saylor, W. W.; France, M. E. B.

2008-08-01

The fundamental objectives of the capstone design project in the Department of Astronautics at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) are for cadets to learn important engineering lessons by executing a real space mission on a Department of Defense-funded satellite project. FalconSAT-3 is a 50 kg, gravity gradient-stabilized designed and built by cadets and launched March 2007 on the first ESPA (Enhanced extended launch vehicle Satellite Payload Adapter) mission. FalconSAT-3 was one of six satellites integrated onto the launch vehicle and the nature of the mission made it that the satellite was subject to the full formality of testing requirements. Two successive gravity gradient booms failed either design requirements or environmental testing; design requirements grew dramatically during the design phase; ambiguous thermal vacuum test results led to uncertainty at launch; and after launch it was not possible to contact the satellite for several weeks.

Evaluation of thermal X/5-detector Skylab S-192 data for estimating evapotranspiration and thermal properties of soils for irrigation management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, D. G.; Horton, M. L.; Russell, M. J.; Myers, V. I.

1975-01-01

An energy budget approach to evaluating the SKYLAB X/5-detector S-192 data for prediction of soil moisture and evapotranspiration rate was pursued. A test site which included both irrigated and dryland agriculture in Southern Texas was selected for the SL-4 SKYLAB mission. Both vegetated and fallow fields were included. Data for a multistage analysis including ground, NC-130B aircraft, RB-57F aircraft, and SKYLAB altitudes were collected. The ground data included such measurements as gravimetric soil moisture, percent of the ground covered by green vegetation, soil texture, net radiation, soil temperature gradients, surface emittance, soil heat flux, air temperature and humidity gradients, and cultural practices. Ground data were used to characterize energy budgets and to evaluate the utility of an energy budget approach for determining soil moisture differences among twelve specific agricultural fields.

Sea surface temperature of the coastal zones of France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deschamps, P. Y.; Crepon, M.; Monget, J. M.; Verger, F. (Principal Investigator); Frouin, R.; Cassanet, J.; Wald, L.

1980-01-01

The various thermal gradients in the coastal zones of France were mapped with regard to natural phenomena and man made thermal effluents. The mesoscale thermal features of the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, and the northwestern Mediterranean Sea were also studied. The evolution of the thermal gradients generated by the main estuaries of the French coastal zones was investigated along with the modeling of diurnal heating of the sea surface and its influence on the oceanic surface layers.

Design and development of polyphenylene oxide foam as a reusable internal insulation for LH2 tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Material specification and fabrication process procedures for foam production are presented. The properties of mechanical strength, modulus of elasticity, density and thermal conductivity were measured and related to foam quality. Properties unique to the foam such as a gas layer insulation, density gradient parallel to the fiber direction, and gas flow conductance in both directions were correlated with foam quality. Inspection and quality control tests procedures are outlined and photographs of test equipment and test specimens are shown.

In vitro cell-mediated immunity after thermal injury is not impaired. Density gradient purification of mononuclear cells is associated with spurious (artifactual) immunosuppression.

PubMed Central

Xu, D Z; Deitch, E A; Sittig, K; Qi, L; McDonald, J C

1988-01-01

Mononuclear cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation from the peripheral blood of burn patients, but not healthy volunteers, are contaminated with large numbers of nonmononuclear cells. These contaminating leukocytes could cause artifactual alterations in standard in vitro tests of lymphocyte function. Thus, we compared the in vitro blastogenic response of density gradient purified leukocytes and T-cell purified lymphocytes from 13 burn patients to mitogenic (PHA) and antigenic stimuli. The mitogenic and antigenic response of the patients' density gradient purified leukocytes were impaired compared to healthy volunteers (p less than 0.01). However, when the contaminating nonlymphocytes were removed, the patients' cells responded normally to both stimuli. Thus, density gradient purified mononuclear cells from burn patients are contaminated by leukocytes that are not phenotypically or functionally lymphocytes. Since the lymphocytes from burn patients respond normally to PHA and alloantigens after the contaminating nonlymphocyte cell population has been removed, it appears that in vitro assays of lymphocyte function using density gradient purified leukocytes may give spurious results. PMID:2973771

Effects of temperature distribution and elastic properties of materials on gas-turbine-disk stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holms, Arthur G; Faldetta, Richard D

1947-01-01

Calculations were made to determine the influence of changes in temperature distribution and in elastic material properties on calculated elastic stresses for a typical gas-turbine disk. Severe temperature gradients caused thermal stresses of sufficient magnitude to reduce the operating safety of the disk. Small temperature gradients were found to be desirable because they produced thermal stresses that subtracted from the centrifugal stresses in the region of the rim. The thermal gradients produced a tendency for a severe stress condition to exist near the rim but this stress condition could be shifted away from the region of blade attachment by altering the temperature distribution. The investigation of elastic material properties showed that centrifugal stresses are slightly affected by changes in modulus of elasticity, but that thermal stresses are approximately proportional to modulus of elasticity and to coefficient of thermal expansion.

Characterization of the thermal conductivity for Advanced Toughened Uni-piece Fibrous Insulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A.; Leiser, Daniel B.

1993-01-01

Advanced Toughened Uni-piece Fibrous Insulations (TUFI) is discussed in terms of their thermal response to an arc-jet air stream. A modification of the existing Ames thermal conductivity program to predict the thermal response of these functionally gradient materials is described in the paper. The modified program was used to evaluate the effect of density, surface porosity, and density gradient through the TUFI materials on the thermal response of these insulations. Predictions using a finite-difference code and calculated thermal conductivity values from the modified program were compared with in-depth temperature measurements taken from TUFI insulations during short exposures to arc-jet hypersonic air streams.

Effect of gold nanoparticles on thermal gradient generation and thermotaxis of E. coli cells in microfluidic device.

PubMed

Murugesan, Nithya; Panda, Tapobrata; Das, Sarit K

2016-08-01

Bacteria responds to changing chemical and thermal environment by moving towards or away from a particular location. In this report, we looked into thermal gradient generation and response of E. coli DH5α cells to thermal gradient in the presence and in the absence of spherical gold nanoparticles (size: 15 to 22 nm) in a static microfluidic environment using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) made microfluidic device. A PDMS-agarose based microfluidic device for generating thermal gradient has been developed and the thermal gradient generation in the device has been validated with the numerical simulation. Our studies revealed that the presence of gold nanoparticles, AuNPs (0.649 μg/mL) has no effect on the thermal gradient generation. The E. coli DH5α cells have been treated with AuNPs of two different concentrations (0.649 μg/mL and 0.008 μg/mL). The thermotaxis behavior of cells in the presence of AuNPs has been studied and compared to the thermotaxis of E.coli DH5α cells in the absence of AuNPs. In case of thermotaxis, in the absence of the AuNPs, the E. coli DH5α cells showed better thermotaxis towards lower temperature range, whereas in the presence of AuNPs (0.649 μg/mL and 0.008 μg/mL) thermotaxis of the E. coli DH5α cells has been inhibited. The results show that the spherical AuNPs intervenes in the themotaxis of E. coli DH5α cells and inhibits the cell migration. The reason for the failure in thermotaxis response mechanism may be due to decreased F-type ATP synthase activity and collapse of membrane potential by AuNPs, which, in turn, leads to decreased ATP levels. This has been hypothesized since both thermotaxis and chemotaxis follows the same response mechanism for migration in which ATP plays critical role.

Precision Measurement of Phonon-Polaritonic Near-Field Energy Transfer between Macroscale Planar Structures Under Large Thermal Gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghashami, Mohammad; Geng, Hongyao; Kim, Taehoon; Iacopino, Nicholas; Cho, Sung Kwon; Park, Keunhan

2018-04-01

Despite its strong potentials in emerging energy applications, near-field thermal radiation between large planar structures has not been fully explored in experiments. Particularly, it is extremely challenging to control a subwavelength gap distance with good parallelism under large thermal gradients. This article reports the precision measurement of near-field radiative energy transfer between two macroscale single-crystalline quartz plates that support surface phonon polaritons. Our measurement scheme allows the precise control of a gap distance down to 200 nm in a highly reproducible manner for a surface area of 5 × 5 mm2 . We have measured near-field thermal radiation as a function of the gap distance for a broad range of thermal gradients up to ˜156 K , observing more than 40 times enhancement of thermal radiation compared to the blackbody limit. By comparing with theoretical prediction based on fluctuational electrodynamics, we demonstrate that such remarkable enhancement is owing to phonon-polaritonic energy transfer across a nanoscale vacuum gap.

Thermal niches are more conserved at cold than warm limits in arctic-alpine plant species

PubMed Central

Pellissier, Loïc; Bråthen, Kari Anne; Vittoz, Pascal; Yoccoz, Nigel G.; Dubuis, Anne; Meier, Eliane S.; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Randin, Christophe F.; Thuiller, Wilfried; Garraud, Luc; Van Es, Jérémie; Guisan, Antoine

2014-01-01

Aim Understanding the stability of realized niches is crucial for predicting the responses of species to climate change. One approach is to evaluate the niche differences of populations of the same species that occupy regions that are geographically disconnected. Here, we assess niche conservatism along thermal gradients for 26 plant species with a disjunct distribution between the Alps and the Arctic. Location European Alps and Norwegian Finnmark. Methods We collected a comprehensive dataset of 26 arctic-alpine plant occurrences in two regions. We assessed niche conservatism through a multispecies comparison and analysed species rankings at cold and warm thermal limits along two distinct gradients corresponding to (1) air temperatures at 2 m above ground level and (2) elevation distances to the tree line (TLD) for the two regions. We assessed whether observed relationships were close to those predicted under thermal limit conservatism. Results We found a weak similarity in species ranking at the warm thermal limits. The range of warm thermal limits for the 26 species was much larger in the Alps than in Finnmark. We found a stronger similarity in species ranking and correspondence at the cold thermal limit along the gradients of 2-m temperature and TLD. Yet along the 2-m temperature gradient the cold thermal limits of species in the Alps were lower on average than those in Finnmark. Main conclusion We found low conservatism of the warm thermal limits but a stronger conservatism of the cold thermal limits. We suggest that biotic interactions at the warm thermal limit are likely to modulate species responses more strongly than at the cold limit. The differing biotic context between the two regions is probably responsible for the observed differences in realized niches. PMID:24790524

Development of Detectability Limits for On-Orbit Inspection of Space Shuttle Wing Leading Edge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephan, Ryan A.; Johnson, David G.; Mastropietro, A. J.; Ancarrow, Walt C.

2005-01-01

At the conclusion of the Columbia Accident Investigation, one of the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) was that NASA develop and implement an inspection plan for the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) system components of the Space Shuttle. To address these issues, a group of scientists and engineers at NASA Langley Research Center proposed the use of an IR camera to inspect the RCC. Any crack in an RCC panel changes the thermal resistance of the material in the direction perpendicular to the crack. The change in thermal resistance can be made visible by introducing a heat flow across the crack and using an IR camera to image the resulting surface temperature distribution. The temperature difference across the crack depends on the change in the thermal resistance, the length of the crack, the local thermal gradient, and the rate of radiation exchange with the environment. This paper describes how the authors derived the minimum thermal gradient detectability limits for a through crack in an RCC panel. This paper will also show, through the use of a transient, 3-dimensional, finite element model, that these minimum gradients naturally exist on-orbit. The results from the finite element model confirm that there are sufficient thermal gradient to detect a crack on 96% of the RCC leading edge.

Use of vertical temperature gradients for prediction of tidal flat sediment characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miselis, Jennifer L.; Holland, K. Todd; Reed, Allen H.; Abelev, Andrei

2012-01-01

Sediment characteristics largely govern tidal flat morphologic evolution; however, conventional methods of investigating spatial variability in lithology on tidal flats are difficult to employ in these highly dynamic regions. In response, a series of laboratory experiments was designed to investigate the use of temperature diffusion toward sediment characterization. A vertical thermistor array was used to quantify temperature gradients in simulated tidal flat sediments of varying compositions. Thermal conductivity estimates derived from these arrays were similar to measurements from a standard heated needle probe, which substantiates the thermistor methodology. While the thermal diffusivities of dry homogeneous sediments were similar, diffusivities for saturated homogeneous sediments ranged approximately one order of magnitude. The thermal diffusivity of saturated sand was five times the thermal diffusivity of saturated kaolin and more than eight times the thermal diffusivity of saturated bentonite. This suggests that vertical temperature gradients can be used for distinguishing homogeneous saturated sands from homogeneous saturated clays and perhaps even between homogeneous saturated clay types. However, experiments with more realistic tidal flat mixtures were less discriminating. Relationships between thermal diffusivity and percent fines for saturated mixtures varied depending upon clay composition, indicating that clay hydration and/or water content controls thermal gradients. Furthermore, existing models for the bulk conductivity of sediment mixtures were improved only through the use of calibrated estimates of homogeneous end-member conductivity and water content values. Our findings suggest that remotely sensed observations of water content and thermal diffusivity could only be used to qualitatively estimate tidal flat sediment characteristics.

Ectotherm thermal stress and specialization across altitude and latitude.

PubMed

Buckley, Lauren B; Miller, Ethan F; Kingsolver, Joel G

2013-10-01

Gradients of air temperature, radiation, and other climatic factors change systematically but differently with altitude and latitude. We explore how these factors combine to produce altitudinal and latitudinal patterns of body temperature, thermal stress, and seasonal overlap that differ markedly from patterns based solely on air temperature. We use biophysical models to estimate body temperature as a function of an organism's phenotype and environmental conditions (air and surface temperatures and radiation). Using grasshoppers as a case study, we compare mean body temperatures and the incidence of thermal extremes along altitudinal gradients both under past and current climates. Organisms at high elevation can experience frequent thermal stress despite generally cooler air temperatures due to high levels of solar radiation. Incidences of thermal stress have increased more rapidly than have increases in mean conditions due to recent climate change. Increases in air temperature have coincided with shifts in cloudiness and solar radiation, which can exacerbate shifts in body temperature. We compare altitudinal thermal gradients and their seasonality between tropical and temperate mountains to ask whether mountain passes pose a greater physiological barrier in the tropics (Janzen's hypothesis). We find that considering body temperature rather than air temperature generally increases the amount of overlap in thermal conditions along gradients in elevation and thus decreases the physiological barrier posed by tropical mountains. Our analysis highlights the limitations of predicting thermal stress based solely on air temperatures, and the importance of considering how phenotypes influence body temperatures.

Design Evaluation Using Finite Element Analysis of Cooled Silicon Nitride Plates for a Turbine Blade Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Baaklini, George Y.; Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.

2001-01-01

Two- and three-dimensional finite element analyses were performed on uncoated and thermal barrier coated (TBC) silicon nitride plates with and without internal cooling by air. Steady-state heat-transfer analyses were done to optimize the size and the geometry of the cooling channels to reduce thermal stresses, and to evaluate the thermal environment experienced by the plate during burner rig testing. The limited experimental data available were used to model the thermal profile exerted by the flame on the plate. Thermal stress analyses were performed to assess the stress response due to thermal loading. Contours for the temperature and the representative stresses for the plates were generated and presented for different cooling hole sizes and shapes. Analysis indicates that the TBC experienced higher stresses, and the temperature gradient was much reduced when the plate was internally cooled by air. The advantages and disadvantages of several cooling channel layouts were evaluated.

Design of a Resistively Heated Thermal Hydraulic Simulator for Nuclear Rocket Reactor Cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, Ron J.; Foote, John P.; Ramachandran, Narayanan; Wang, Ten-See; Anghaie, Samim

2007-01-01

A preliminary design study is presented for a non-nuclear test facility which uses ohmic heating to replicate the thermal hydraulic characteristics of solid core nuclear reactor fuel element passages. The basis for this testing capability is a recently commissioned nuclear thermal rocket environments simulator, which uses a high-power, multi-gas, wall-stabilized constricted arc-heater to produce high-temperature pressurized hydrogen flows representative of reactor core environments, excepting radiation effects. Initially, the baseline test fixture for this non-nuclear environments simulator was configured for long duration hot hydrogen exposure of small cylindrical material specimens as a low cost means of evaluating material compatibility. It became evident, however, that additional functionality enhancements were needed to permit a critical examination of thermal hydraulic effects in fuel element passages. Thus, a design configuration was conceived whereby a short tubular material specimen, representing a fuel element passage segment, is surrounded by a backside resistive tungsten heater element and mounted within a self-contained module that inserts directly into the baseline test fixture assembly. With this configuration, it becomes possible to create an inward directed radial thermal gradient within the tubular material specimen such that the wall-to-gas heat flux characteristics of a typical fuel element passage are effectively simulated. The results of a preliminary engineering study for this innovative concept are fully summarized, including high-fidelity multi-physics thermal hydraulic simulations and detailed design features.

Heat pipes for wing leading edges of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boman, B. L.; Citrin, K. M.; Garner, E. C.; Stone, J. E.

1990-01-01

Wing leading edge heat pipes were conceptually designed for three types of vehicle: an entry research vehicle, aero-space plane, and advanced shuttle. A full scale, internally instrumented sodium/Hastelloy X heat pipe was successfully designed and fabricated for the advanced shuttle application. The 69.4 inch long heat pipe reduces peak leading edge temperatures from 3500 F to 1800 F. It is internally instrumented with thermocouples and pressure transducers to measure sodium vapor qualities. Large thermal gradients and consequently large thermal stresses, which have the potential of limiting heat pipe life, were predicted to occur during startup. A test stand and test plan were developed for subsequent testing of this heat pipe. Heat pipe manufacturing technology was advanced during this program, including the development of an innovative technique for wick installation.

Gradient of the temperature function at the voxel (i, j, k) for heterogeneous bio-thermal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cen, Wei; Hoppe, Ralph; Sun, Aiwu; Gu, Ning; Lu, Rongbo

2018-06-01

Determination of the relationship between electromagnetic power absorption and temperature distributions inside highly heterogeneous biological samples based on numerical methods is essential in biomedical engineering (e.g. microwave thermal ablation in clinic). In this paper, the gradient expression is examined and analyzed in detail, as how the gradient operators can be discretized is the only real difficulty to the solution of bio-heat equation for highly inhomogeneous model utilizing implicit scheme.

Variable Temperature Blackbodies via Variable Conductance: Thermal Design, Modelling and Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melzack, N.; Jones, E.; Peters, D. M.; Hurley, J. G.; Watkins, R. E. J.; Fok, S.; Sawyer, C.; Marchetaux, G.; Acreman, A.; Winkler, R.; Lowe, D.; Theocharous, T.; Montag, V.; Gibbs, D.; Pearce, A. B.; Bishop, G.; Newman, E.; Keen, S.; Stokes, J.; Pearce, A.; Stamper, R.; Cantell-Hynes, A.

2017-02-01

This paper presents the overall design for large (˜ 400 mm aperture) reference blackbody cavities currently under development at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space Department (STFC RAL Space), in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). These blackbodies are designed to operate in vacuum over a temperature range from 160 K to 370 K, with an additional capability to operate at ˜ 100 K as a point of near-zero radiance. This is a challenging problem for a single blackbody. The novel thermal design presented in this paper enables one target that can physically achieve and operate successfully at both thermal extremes, whilst also meeting stringent temperature gradient requirements. The overall blackbody design is based upon a helium gas-gap heat switch and modified to allow for variable thermal conductance. The blackbody design consists of three main concentric cylinder components—an inner cavity (aluminium alloy), a radiation shield (aluminium) and an outer liquid nitrogen (LN2) jacket (stainless steel). The internal surface of the cavity is the effective radiating surface. There is a helium gas interspace surrounding the radiation shield and enclosed by the LN2 jacket and the inner cavity. The blackbodies are now at a mature stage of development. In this paper, the overall design, focusing upon the thermal design solution, is detailed. This paper will also concern the full-scale prototype breadboard model, for which results on thermal stability, spatial gradients and other sensitivities will be presented.

Ocean thermal gradient hydraulic power plant.

PubMed

Beck, E J

1975-07-25

Solar energy stored in the oceans may be used to generate power by exploiting ploiting thermal gradients. A proposed open-cycle system uses low-pressure steam to elevate vate water, which is then run through a hydraulic turbine to generate power. The device is analogous to an air lift pump.

Development of the Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) for SARAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costes, Vincent; Gasc, Karine; Sengenes, Pierre; Salcedo, Corinne; Imperiali, Stéphan; du Jeu, Christian

2017-11-01

CNES (French spatial agency) will provide the AltiKa high resolution altimeter, Doris instrument and the LRA (Laser Retroreflector Array) for SARAL (Satellite with Argos and AltiKa) in cooperation with ISRO (Indian space agency). The LRA is a passive equipment reflecting the laser beams coming from the Earth ground stations. Computing the send-return time travel of the laser beams allows the determination of the satellite altitude within an accuracy of a few millimeters. The reflective function is done by a set of 9 corner cube reflectors, with a conical arrangement providing a 150 degrees wide field of view over the full 360 degrees azimuth angle. According to CNES optomechanical specifications, the LRA has been developed by SESO (French optical firm). SESO has succeeded in providing the corner cube reflectors with a very stringent dihedral angle error of 1.6 arcsec and an accuracy within +/-0.5 arcsec. During this development, SESO has performed mechanical, thermal and thermo-optical analyses. The optical gradient of each corner cube, as well as angular deviations and PSF (Point Spread Function) in each laser range finding direction, have been computed. Mechanical and thermal tests have been successfully performed. A thermo-optical test has successfully confirmed the optical effect of the predicted in-flight thermal gradients. Each reflector is characterized in order to find its best location in the LRA housing and give the maximum optimization to the space telemetering mission.

Synthetic receiver function profiles through the upper mantle and the transition zone for upwelling scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, Thorsten; Düsterhöft, Erik; Schiffer, Christian

2017-04-01

We investigate the signature relevant mantle lithologies leave in the receiver function record for different adiabatic thermal gradients down to 800 kilometers depth. The parameter space is chosen to target the visibility of upwelling mantle (a plume). Seismic velocities for depleted mantle, primitive mantle, and three pyroxenites are extracted from thermodynamically calculated phases diagrams, which also provide the adiabatic decompression paths. Results suggest that compositional variations, i.e. the presence or absence of considerable amounts of pyroxenites in primitive mantle should produce a clear footprint while horizontal differences in thermal gradients for similar compositions might be more subtle. Peridotites best record the classic discontinuities at around 410 and 650 kilometers depth, which are associated with the olivin-wadsleyite and ringwoodite-perovskite transitions, respectively. Pyroxenites, instead, show the garnet-perovskite transition below 700 kilometers depth and SiO2-supersaturated compositions like MORB display the coesite-stishovite transition between 300 and 340 kilometers depth. The latter shows the strongest temperature-depth dependency of all significant transitions potentially allowing to infer information about the thermal state if the mantle contains a sufficient fraction of MORB-like compositions. For primitive and depleted mantle compositions, the olivin-wadsleyite transition shows a certain temperature-depth dependency reflected in slightly larger delay times for higher thermal gradients. The lower-upper-mantle discontinuity, however, is predicted to display larger delay times for higher thermal gradients although the associated assemblage transition occurs at shallower depths thus requiring a very careful depth migration if a thermal anomaly should be recognized. This counterintuitive behavior results from the downward replacement of the assemblage wadsleyite+garnet with the assemblage garnet+periclase at high temperatures. This transition causes even lower seismic velocities with greater depth (following an adiabatic gradient), the highly continuous nature of the reaction, however, should produce only a smooth negative conversion. In contrast, a small positive conversion is expected at normal thermal gradients in the same depth range between 500 and 550 kilometers because of the wadsleyite-ringwoodite-transition. Hence, the polarity of the 520 discontinuity also offers a possibility to recognize the thermal state of the upper mantle.

Development of a Cryogenic Thermal Distortion Measurement Facility for Testing the James Webb Space Telescope Instrument Support Integration Module 2-D Test Assemblies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Franklin; Bagdanove, paul; Blake, Peter; Canavan, Ed; Cofie, Emmanuel; Crane, J. Allen; Dominquez, Kareny; Hagopian, John; Johnston, John; Madison, Tim;

Preliminary map of temperature gradients in the conterminous United States

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

Guffanti, M.; Nathenson, M.

1980-09-01

Temperature gradients have been determined from temperature/depth measurements made in drill holes deeper than 600 m and used in the construction of a temperature-gradient map of the conterminous United States. The map displays temperature gradients (in /sup 0/C/km) that can be expected to exist regionally in a conductive thermal regime to a depth of 2 km. The major difference between this map and the AAPG-USGS temperature-gradient map is in the midcontinental region where the AAPG-USGS map does not demarcate a division between colder eastern and warmer western thermal regimes. A comparison with the heat-flow map of Sass et al. (1980)more » indicates that temperature gradients commonly reflect regional heat flow, and the gross east-west division of the United States on the basis of heat flow is also expressed by temperature gradient.« less

Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurements on Surfaces with Non-Uniform Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bencic, Timothy J.

1999-01-01

Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) has become a useful tool to augment conventional pressure taps in measuring the surface pressure distribution of aerodynamic components in wind tunnel testing. While the PSP offers the advantage of a non-intrusive global mapping of the surface pressure, one prominent drawback to the accuracy of this technique is the inherent temperature sensitivity of the coating's luminescent intensity. A typical aerodynamic surface PSP test has relied on the coated surface to be both spatially and temporally isothermal, along with conventional instrumentation for an in situ calibration to generate the highest accuracy pressure mappings. In some tests however, spatial and temporal thermal gradients are generated by the nature of the test as in a blowing jet impinging on a surface. In these cases, the temperature variations on the painted surface must be accounted for in order to yield high accuracy and reliable data. A new temperature correction technique was developed at NASA Lewis to collapse a "family" of PSP calibration curves to a single intensity ratio versus pressure curve. This correction allows a streamlined procedure to be followed whether or not temperature information is used in the data reduction of the PSP. This paper explores the use of conventional instrumentation such as thermocouples and pressure taps along with temperature-sensitive paint (TSP) to correct for the thermal gradients that exist in aeropropulsion PSP tests. Temperature corrected PSP measurements for both a supersonic mixer ejector and jet cavity interaction tests are presented.

Direct Electricity from Heat: A Solution to Assist Aircraft Power Demands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, Jon C.

2010-01-01

A thermionic device produces an electrical current with the application of a thermal gradient whereby the temperature at one electrode provides enough thermal energy to eject electrons. The system is totally predicated on the thermal gradient and the work function of the electrode collector relative to the emitter electrode. Combined with a standard thermoelectric device high efficiencies may result, capable of providing electrical energy from the waste heat of gas turbine engines.

The interaction of horizontal eddy transport and thermal drive in the stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salby, Murry L.; O'Sullivan, Donal; Callaghan, Patrick; Garcia, Rolando R.

1990-01-01

The two processes that determine the average state of the circulation; i.e., horizontal eddy transport and thermal dissipation, are examined, and the effects of their interaction on circulation and on tracer distribution in the stratosphere are investigated using barotropic calculations on the sphere. It is shown that eddy advection tends to homogenize the meridional gradient Q at low latitudes, while thermal dissipation restores the gradient after episodes of mixing.

A novel high-temperature furnace for combined in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and infrared thermal imaging to investigate the effects of thermal gradients upon the structure of ceramic materials

PubMed Central

Robinson, James B.; Brown, Leon D.; Jervis, Rhodri; Taiwo, Oluwadamilola O.; Millichamp, Jason; Mason, Thomas J.; Neville, Tobias P.; Eastwood, David S.; Reinhard, Christina; Lee, Peter D.; Brett, Daniel J. L.; Shearing, Paul R.

2014-01-01

A new technique combining in situ X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation and infrared thermal imaging is reported. The technique enables the application, generation and measurement of significant thermal gradients, and furthermore allows the direct spatial correlation of thermal and crystallographic measurements. The design and implementation of a novel furnace enabling the simultaneous thermal and X-ray measurements is described. The technique is expected to have wide applicability in material science and engineering; here it has been applied to the study of solid oxide fuel cells at high temperature. PMID:25178003

Influence of fast alpha diffusion and thermal alpha buildup on tokamak reactor performance

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

Uckan, N.A.; Tolliver, J.S.; Houlberg, W.A.

1987-11-01

The effect of fast alpha diffusion and thermal alpha accumulation on the confinement capability of a candidate Engineering Test Reactor (ETR) plasma (Tokamak Ignition/Burn Experimental Reactor (TIBER-II)) in achieving ignition and steady-state driven operation has been assessed using both global and 1-1/2-D transport models. Estimates are made of the threshold for radial diffusion of fast alphas and thermal alpha buildup. It is shown that a relatively low level of radial transport, when combined with large gradients in the fast alpha density, leads to a significant radial flow with a deleterious effect on plasma performance. Similarly, modest levels of thermal alphamore » concentration significantly influence the ignition and steady-state burn capability. 23 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Experimental evidence of temperature gradients in cavitating microflows seeded with thermosensitive nanoprobes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayela, Frédéric; Medrano-Muñoz, Manuel; Amans, David; Dujardin, Christophe; Brichart, Thomas; Martini, Matteo; Tillement, Olivier; Ledoux, Gilles

2013-10-01

Thermosensitive fluorescent nanoparticles seeded in deionized water combined with confocal microscopy enables thermal mapping over three dimensions of the liquid phase flowing through a microchannel interrupted by a microdiaphragm. This experiment reveals the presence of a strong thermal gradient up to ˜105 K/m only when hydrodynamic cavitation is present. Here hydrodynamic cavitation is the consequence of high shear rates downstream in the diaphragm. This temperature gradient is located in vortical structures associated with eddies in the shear layers. We attribute such overheating to the dissipation involved by the cavitating flow regime. Accordingly, we demonstrate that the microsizes of the device enhance the intensity of the thermal gap.

Thermal Gradient During Vacuum-Deposition Dramatically Enhances Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors: Toward High-Performance N-Type Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Kim, Joo-Hyun; Han, Singu; Jeong, Heejeong; Jang, Hayeong; Baek, Seolhee; Hu, Junbeom; Lee, Myungkyun; Choi, Byungwoo; Lee, Hwa Sung

2017-03-22

A thermal gradient distribution was applied to a substrate during the growth of a vacuum-deposited n-type organic semiconductor (OSC) film prepared from N,N'-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-1,7-dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboxyimide) (PDI-CN2), and the electrical performances of the films deployed in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) were characterized. The temperature gradient at the surface was controlled by tilting the substrate, which varied the temperature one-dimensionally between the heated bottom substrate and the cooled upper substrate. The vacuum-deposited OSC molecules diffused and rearranged on the surface according to the substrate temperature gradient, producing directional crystalline and grain structures in the PDI-CN2 film. The morphological and crystalline structures of the PDI-CN2 thin films grown under a vertical temperature gradient were dramatically enhanced, comparing with the structures obtained from either uniformly heated films or films prepared under a horizontally applied temperature gradient. The field effect mobilities of the PDI-CN2-FETs prepared using the vertically applied temperature gradient were as high as 0.59 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , more than a factor of 2 higher than the mobility of 0.25 cm 2 V -1 s -1 submitted to conventional thermal annealing and the mobility of 0.29 cm 2 V -1 s -1 from the horizontally applied temperature gradient.

Thermal Barrier Coatings Chemically and Mechanically Resistant to High Temperature Attack by Molten Ashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gledhill, Andrew

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are ceramic coatings used on component in the hottest sections of gas turbine engines, used for power generation and aviation. These coatings insulate the underlying metal components and allow for much higher engine operating temperatures, improving the engine efficiency. These increase temperatures engender a new set of materials problems for TBCs. Operating temperatures in engines are now high enough for silicate impurities, either present in the fuel or ingested into the engines, to melt and adhere to the surface of the TBCs. The effects of four such impurities, two coal fly ashes, a petroleum coke-fly ash blend, and volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano were tested with conventional yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings, and found to penetrate through the entire thickness of the coating. This penetration reduces the strain tolerance of the coatings, and can result in premature failure. Testing on a newly built thermal gradient burner rig with simultaneous injection of ash impurities has shown a reduction of life up to 99.6% in these coatings when ash is present. Coatings of an alternative ceramic, gadolinium zirconate (Gd2Zr 2O7), were found to form a dense reaction layer with each of these impurities, preventing further penetration of the molten ash. This dense layer also reduces the strain tolerance, but these coatings were found to have a significantly higher life than the YSZ coatings. Testing with a small amount of ash baked onto the samples showed thirteen times the life of YSZ coatings. When the ash is continuously sprayed onto the hot sample, the life of the Gd2Zr2O7 coatings was nearly twice that of the YSZ. Finally, a delamination model was employed to explain the degradation of both types of coatings. This elastic model that takes into account the degree of penetration, differential cooling in thermal gradient testing, and thermal expansion mismatch with the underlying substrate, predicted the failure of YSZ coatings with the observed degree of penetration. The model shows that deposition optimization can be employed to further enhance the life of Gd 2Zr2O7coatings.

Heat transfer in a real engine environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladden, Herbert J.

1985-10-01

The hot section facility at the Lewis Research Center was used to demonstrate the capability of instruments to make required measurements of boundary conditions of the flow field and heat transfer processes in the hostile environment of the turbine. The results of thermal scaling tests show that low temperature and pressure rig tests give optimistic estimates of the thermal performance of a cooling design for high pressure and temperature application. The results of measuring heat transfer coefficients on turbine vane airfoils through dynamic data analysis show good comparison with measurements from steady state heat flux gauges. In addition, the data trends are predicted by the STAN5 boundary layer code. However, the magnitude of the experimental data was not predicted by the analysis, particularly in laminar and transitional regions near the leading edge. The infrared photography system was shown capable of providing detailed surface thermal gradients and secondary flow features on a turbine vane and endwell.

Stream bed temperature profiles as indicators of percolation characteristics beneath arroyos in the middle Rio Grande Basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, J.; Thomas, C.L.

1997-01-01

Stream bed temperature profiles were monitored continuously during water year 1990 and 1991 (WY90 and 91) in two New Mexico arroyos, similar in their meteorological features and dissimilar in their hydrological features. Stream bed temperature profiles between depths of 30 and 300 cm were examined to determine whether temporal changes in temperature profiles represent accurate indicators of the timing, depth and duration of percolation in each stream bed. These results were compared with stream flow, air temperature, and precipitation records for WY90 and 91, to evaluate the effect of changing surface conditions on temperature profiles. Temperature profiles indicate a persistently high thermal gradient with depth beneath Grantline Arroyo, except during a semi-annual thermal reversal in spring and autumn. This typifies the thermal response of dry sediments with low thermal conductivities. High thermal gradients were disrupted only during infrequent stream flows, followed by rapid re-establishment of high gradients. The stream bed temperature at 300 cm was unresponsive to individual precipitation or stream flow during WY90 and 91. This thermal pattern provides strong evidence that most seepage into Grantline Arroyo failed to percolate at a sufficient rate to reach 300 cm before being returned to the atmosphere. A distinctly different thermal pattern was recorded beneath Tijeras Arroyo. Low thermal gradients between 30 and 300 cm and large diurnal variations in temperature, suggest that stream flow created continuous, advection-dominated heat transport for over 300 days, annually. Beneath Tijeras Arroyo, low thermal gradients were interrupted only briefly during periodic, dry summer conditions. Comparisons of stream flow records for WY90 and 91 with stream bed temperature profiles indicate that independent analysis of thermal patterns provides accurate estimates of the timing, depth and duration of percolation beneath both arroyos. Stream flow loss estimates indicate that seepage rates were 15 times greater for Tijeras Arroyo than for Grantline Arroyo, which supports qualitative conclusions derived from analysis of stream bed temperature responses to surface conditions. ?? 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effects of Venus' thermal structure on buoyant magma ascent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakimoto, S. E. H.; Zuber, M. T.

1992-01-01

The recent Magellan images have revealed a broad spatial distribution of surface volcanism on Venus. Previous work in modeling the ascent of magma on both Venus and Earth has indicated that the planetary thermal structure significantly influences the magmatic cooling rates and thus the amount of magma that can be transported to the surface before solidification. In order to understand which aspects of the thermal structure have the greatest influence on the cooling of ascending magma, we have constructed magma cooling curves for both plutonic and crack buoyant ascent mechanisms, and evaluated the curves for variations in the planetary mantle temperature, thermal gradient curvature with depth, surface temperature gradient, and surface temperature. The planetary thermal structure is modeled as T/T(sub 0) = 1-tau(1-Z/Z(sub 0)(exp n), where T is the temperature, T(sub 0) is the source depth temperature, tau = 1-(T(sub s)/T(sub 0)) where T(sub s) is the planetary surface temperature, Z is the depth, Z(sub 0) is the source depth, and n is a constant that controls thermal gradient curvature with depth. The equation is used both for mathematical convenience and flexibility, as well as its fit to the thermal gradients predicted by the cooling half-space models. We assume a constant velocity buoyant ascent, body-averaged magma temperatures and properties, an initially crystal-free magma, and the same liquidus and solidus for both Venus and Earth.

Temperature sensitivity and enzymatic mechanisms of soil organic matter decomposition along an altitudinal gradient on Mount Kilimanjaro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blagodatskaya, Evgenia; Blagodatsky, Sergey; Khomyakov, Nikita; Myachina, Olga; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2016-02-01

Short-term acceleration of soil organic matter decomposition by increasing temperature conflicts with the thermal adaptation observed in long-term studies. Here we used the altitudinal gradient on Mt. Kilimanjaro to demonstrate the mechanisms of thermal adaptation of extra- and intracellular enzymes that hydrolyze cellulose, chitin and phytate and oxidize monomers (14C-glucose) in warm- and cold-climate soils. We revealed that no response of decomposition rate to temperature occurs because of a cancelling effect consisting in an increase in half-saturation constants (Km), which counteracts the increase in maximal reaction rates (Vmax with temperature). We used the parameters of enzyme kinetics to predict thresholds of substrate concentration (Scrit) below which decomposition rates will be insensitive to global warming. Increasing values of Scrit, and hence stronger canceling effects with increasing altitude on Mt. Kilimanjaro, explained the thermal adaptation of polymer decomposition. The reduction of the temperature sensitivity of Vmax along the altitudinal gradient contributed to thermal adaptation of both polymer and monomer degradation. Extrapolating the altitudinal gradient to the large-scale latitudinal gradient, these results show that the soils of cold climates with stronger and more frequent temperature variation are less sensitive to global warming than soils adapted to high temperatures.

Thermal regime of the deep carbonate reservoir of the Po Plain (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasquale, V.; Chiozzi, P.; Verdoya, M.

2012-04-01

Italy is one of the most important countries in the world with regard to high-medium enthalpy geothermal resources, a large part of which is already extracted at relatively low cost. High temperatures at shallow to medium depth occur within a wide belt, several hundred kilometre long, west of the Apennines mountain chain. This belt, affected by recent lithosphere extension, includes several geothermal fields, which are largely exploited for electricity generation. Between the Alps and Apennines ranges, the deeper aquifer, occurring in carbonate rocks of the Po Plain, can host medium enthalpy fluids, which are exploited for district heating. Such a general picture of the available geothermal resources has been well established through several geophysical investigations and drillings. Nevertheless, additional studies are necessary to evaluate future developments, especially with reference to the deep carbonate aquifer of the Po Plain. In this paper, we focus on the eastern sector of the plain and try to gain a better understanding of the thermal regime by using synergically geothermal methodologies and geological information. The analysis of the temperatures recorded to about 6 km depth in hydrocarbon wells supplies basic constraints to outline the thermal regime of the sedimentary basin and to investigate the occurrence and importance of hydrothermal processes in the carbonate layer. After correction for drilling disturbance, temperatures were analysed, together with geological information, through an inversion technique based on a laterally constant thermal gradient model. The inferred thermal gradient changes with depth; it is quite low within the carbonate layer, while is larger in the overlying, practically impermeable formations. As the thermal conductivity variation does not justify such a thermal gradient difference, the vertical change can be interpreted as due to convective processes occurring in the carbonate layer, acting as thermal reservoir. The hydrogeological characteristics hardly permit forced convection in the deep aquifer. Thus, we argue that thermal convection could be the driving mechanism of water flow in the carbonate reservoir. The potential of this mechanism was evaluated by means of the Rayleigh number analysis. A relatively low permeability is required for thermal convection to occur. The carbonate reservoir can be thus envisaged as a hydrothermal convection system of large thickness and extension having a large over-heat ratio. Lateral variation of hydrothermal regime was also tested by using temperature data representing the reservoir thermal conditions. We found that thermal convection is of variable intensity and may more likely occur at an area (Ferrara structural high) where widespread fracturing due to tectonism is expected yielding a local increase in permeability.

Thermal Considerations for Reducing the Cooldown and Warmup Duration of the James Webb Space Telescope OTIS Cryo-Vacuum Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Kan; Glazer, Stuart; Ousley, Wes; Burt, William

2017-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), set to launch in 2018, is NASAs next-generation flagship telescope. The Optical Telescope Element (OTE) and Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) contain all of the optical surfaces and instruments to capture and analyze the telescopes infrared targets. The integrated OTE and ISIM are denoted as OTIS, and will be tested as a single unit in a critical thermal-vacuum test in mid-2017 at NASA Johnson Space Centers Chamber A facility. The payload will be evaluated for workmanship and functionality in a 20K simulated flight environment during this thermal-vacuum test. However, the sheer thermal mass of the OTIS payload as well as the restrictive gradient, rate, and contamination-related constraints placed on test components precludes rapid cooldown or warmup to its steady-state cryo-balance condition. Hardware safety considerations precludes injection of helium gas for free molecular heat transfer. Initial thermal analysis predicted that transient radiative cooldown from ambient temperatures, while meeting all limits and constraints, would take 33.3 days; warmup similarly would take 28.4 days. This paper discusses methods used to reduce transition times from the original predictions through modulation of boundary temperatures and environmental conditions. By optimizing helium shroud transition rates and heater usage, as well as rigorously re-examining previously imposed constraints, savings of up to three days on cooldown and up to a week on warmup can be achieved. The efficiencies gained through these methods allow the JWST thermal test team to create faster cooldown and warmup profiles, thus reducing the overall test duration and cost, while keeping all of the required test operations.

Hubble Space Telescope solar cell module thermal cycle test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglas, Alexander; Edge, Ted; Willowby, Douglas; Gerlach, Lothar

1992-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar array consists of two identical double roll-out wings designed after the Hughes flexible roll-up solar array (FRUSA) and was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) to meet specified HST power output requirements at the end of 2 years, with a functional lifetime of 5 years. The requirement that the HST solar array remain functional both mechanically and electrically during its 5-year lifetime meant that the array must withstand 30,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) thermal cycles between approximately +100 and -100 C. In order to evaluate the ability of the array to meet this requirement, an accelerated thermal cycle test in vacuum was conducted at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), using two 128-cell solar array modules which duplicated the flight HST solar array. Several other tests were performed on the modules. The thermal cycle test was interrupted after 2,577 cycles, and a 'cold-roll' test was performed on one of the modules in order to evaluate the ability of the flight array to survive an emergency deployment during the dark (cold) portion of an orbit. A posttest static shadow test was performed on one of the modules in order to analyze temperature gradients across the module. Finally, current in-flight electrical performance data from the actual HST flight solar array will be tested.

Precision Measurement of Phonon-Polaritonic Near-Field Energy Transfer between Macroscale Planar Structures Under Large Thermal Gradients.

PubMed

Ghashami, Mohammad; Geng, Hongyao; Kim, Taehoon; Iacopino, Nicholas; Cho, Sung Kwon; Park, Keunhan

2018-04-27

Despite its strong potentials in emerging energy applications, near-field thermal radiation between large planar structures has not been fully explored in experiments. Particularly, it is extremely challenging to control a subwavelength gap distance with good parallelism under large thermal gradients. This article reports the precision measurement of near-field radiative energy transfer between two macroscale single-crystalline quartz plates that support surface phonon polaritons. Our measurement scheme allows the precise control of a gap distance down to 200 nm in a highly reproducible manner for a surface area of 5×5  mm^{2}. We have measured near-field thermal radiation as a function of the gap distance for a broad range of thermal gradients up to ∼156  K, observing more than 40 times enhancement of thermal radiation compared to the blackbody limit. By comparing with theoretical prediction based on fluctuational electrodynamics, we demonstrate that such remarkable enhancement is owing to phonon-polaritonic energy transfer across a nanoscale vacuum gap.

Thermal Modeling and Analysis of a Cryogenic Tank Design Exposed to Extreme Heating Profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Craig A.; Hanna, Gregory J.

1991-01-01

A cryogenic test article, the Generic Research Cryogenic Tank, was designed to qualitatively simulate the thermal response of transatmospheric vehicle fuel tanks exposed to the environment of hypersonic flight. One-dimensional and two-dimensional finite-difference thermal models were developed to simulate the thermal response and assist in the design of the Generic Research Cryogenic Tank. The one-dimensional thermal analysis determined the required insulation thickness to meet the thermal design criteria and located the purge jacket to eliminate the liquefaction of air. The two-dimensional thermal analysis predicted the temperature gradients developed within the pressure-vessel wall, estimated the cryogen boiloff, and showed the effects the ullage condition has on pressure-vessel temperatures. The degree of ullage mixing, location of the applied high-temperature profile, and the purge gas influence on insulation thermal conductivity had significant effects on the thermal behavior of the Generic Research Cryogenic Tank. In addition to analysis results, a description of the Generic Research Cryogenic Tank and the role it will play in future thermal structures and transatmospheric vehicle research at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility is presented.

A numerical and experimental investigation of the thermal control performance of a spaceborne compressor assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyun-Ung; Lee, Min-Kyu; Shin, Somin; Hong, Joo-Sung

2011-09-01

Spaceborne pulse tube type cryocoolers are widely used for providing cryogenic temperatures for sensitive infrared, gamma-ray and X-ray detectors. Thermal control for the compressor of the cryocooler is one of the important technologies for the cooling performance, mission life time, and jitter stability of the cooler. The thermal design of the compressor assembly proposed in this study is basically composed of a heat pipe, a radiator, and a heater. In the present work, a method for heat pipe implementation is proposed and investigated to ensure the jitter stability of the compressor under the condition that one heat pipe is not working. An optimal design of the radiator that uses ribs for effective use by minimizing the temperature gradient on the radiator and reducing its weight is introduced. The effectiveness of the thermal design of the compressor assembly is demonstrated by on-orbit thermal analysis using the correlated thermal model obtained from the thermal balance test that is performed under a space simulating environment.

Improvement of determinating seafloor benchmark position with large-scale horizontal heterogeneity in the ocean area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uemura, Y.; Tadokoro, K.; Matsuhiro, K.; Ikuta, R.

2015-12-01

The most critical issue in reducing the accuracy of seafloor positioning system, GPS/Acoustic technique, is large-scale thermal gradient of sound-speed structure [Muto et al., 2008] due to the ocean current. For example, Kuroshio Current, near our observation station, forms this structure. To improve the accuracy of seafloor benchmark position (SBP), we need to directly measure the structure frequently, or estimate it from travel time residual. The former, we repeatedly measure the sound-speed at Kuroshio axis using Underway CTD and try to apply analysis method of seafloor positioning [Yasuda et al., 2015 AGU meeting]. The latter, however, we cannot estimate the structure using travel time residual until now. Accordingly, in this study, we focus on azimuthal dependence of Estimated Mean Sound-Speed (EMSS). EMSS is defined as distance between vessel position and estimated SBP divided by travel time. If thermal gradient exists and SBP is true, EMSS should have azimuthal dependence with the assumption of horizontal layered sound-speed structure in our previous analysis method. We use the data at KMC located on the central part of Nankai Trough, Japan on Jan. 28, 2015, because on that day KMC was on the north edge of Kuroshio, where we expect that thermal gradient exists. In our analysis method, the hyper parameter (μ value) weights travel time residual and rate of change of sound speed structure. However, EMSS derived from μ value determined by Ikuta et al. [2008] does not have azimuthal dependence, that is, we cannot estimate thermal gradient. Thus, we expect SBP has a large bias. Therefore, in this study, we use another μ value and examine whether EMSS has azimuthal dependence or not. With the μ value of this study, which is 1 order of magnitude smaller than the previous value, EMSS has azimuthal dependence that is consistent with observation day's thermal gradient. This result shows that we can estimate the thermal gradient adequately. This SBP displaces 25.6 cm to the north and 11.8 cm to the east compared to previous SBP. This displacement reduces the bias of SBP and RMS of horizontal component in time series to 1/3. Therefore, determination of SBP is suitable when the thermal gradient exists on observation day and EMSS has azimuthal dependence for redetermination of μ value.

Ordering pathway of block copolymers under dynamic thermal gradients studied by in situ GISAXS

DOE PAGES

Samant, Saumil; Strzalka, Joseph; Yager, Kevin G.; ...

2016-10-31

Dynamic thermal gradient-based processes for directed self-assembly of block copolymer (BCP) thin films such as cold zone annealing (CZA) have demonstrated much potential for rapidly fabricating highly ordered patterns of BCP domains with facile orientation control. As a demonstration, hexagonally packed predominantly vertical cylindrical morphology, technologically relevant for applications such as membranes and lithography, was achieved in 1 μm thick cylinder-forming PS-b-PMMA (cBCP) films by applying sharp thermal gradients (CZA-Sharp) at optimum sample sweep rates. A thorough understanding of the molecular level mechanisms and pathways of the BCP ordering that occur during this CZA-S process is presented, useful to fullymore » exploit the potential of CZA-S for large-scale BCP-based device fabrication. To that end, we developed a customized CZA-S assembly to probe the dynamic structure evolution and ordering of the PS-b-PMMA cBCP film in situ as it undergoes the CZA-S process using the grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) technique. Four distinct regimes of BCP ordering were observed within the gradient that include microphase separation from an “as cast” unordered state (Regime I), evolution of vertical cylinders under a thermally imposed strain gradient (Regime II), reorientation of a fraction of cylinders due to preferential substrate interactions (Regime III), and finally grain-coarsening on the cooling edge (Regime IV). The ordering pathway in the different regimes is further described within the framework of an energy landscape. A novel aspect of this study is the identification of a grain-coarsening regime on the cooling edge of the gradient, previously obscure in zone annealing studies of BCPs. Furthermore, such insights into the development of highly ordered BCP nanostructures under template-free thermal gradient fields can potentially have important ramifications in the field of BCP-directed self-assembly and self-assembling polymer systems more broadly.« less

Improved Cloud Condensation Nucleus Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leu, Ming-Taun

2010-01-01

An improved thermal-gradient cloud condensation nucleus spectrometer (CCNS) has been designed to provide several enhancements over prior thermal- gradient counters, including fast response and high-sensitivity detection covering a wide range of supersaturations. CCNSs are used in laboratory research on the relationships among aerosols, supersaturation of air, and the formation of clouds. The operational characteristics of prior counters are such that it takes long times to determine aerosol critical supersaturations. Hence, there is a need for a CCNS capable of rapid scanning through a wide range of supersaturations. The present improved CCNS satisfies this need. The improved thermal-gradient CCNS (see Figure 1) incorporates the following notable features: a) The main chamber is bounded on the top and bottom by parallel thick copper plates, which are joined by a thermally conductive vertical wall on one side and a thermally nonconductive wall on the opposite side. b) To establish a temperature gradient needed to establish a supersaturation gradient, water at two different regulated temperatures is pumped through tubes along the edges of the copper plates at the thermally-nonconductive-wall side. Figure 2 presents an example of temperature and supersaturation gradients for one combination of regulated temperatures at the thermally-nonconductive-wall edges of the copper plates. c) To enable measurement of the temperature gradient, ten thermocouples are cemented to the external surfaces of the copper plates (five on the top plate and five on the bottom plate), spaced at equal intervals along the width axis of the main chamber near the outlet end. d) Pieces of filter paper or cotton felt are cemented onto the interior surfaces of the copper plates and, prior to each experimental run, are saturated with water to establish a supersaturation field inside the main chamber. e) A flow of monodisperse aerosol and a dilution flow of humid air are introduced into the main chamber at the inlet end. The inlet assembly is designed to offer improved (relative to prior such assemblies) laminar-flow performance within the main chamber. Dry aerosols are subjected to activation and growth in the supersaturation field. f) After aerosol activation, at the outlet end of the main chamber, a polished stainless-steel probe is used to sample droplets into a laser particle counter. The probe features an improved design for efficient sampling. The counter has six channels with size bins in the range of 0.5- to 5.0-micron diameter. g) To enable efficient sampling, the probe is scanned along the width axis of the main chamber (thereby effecting scanning along the temperature gradient and thereby, further, effecting scanning along the supersaturation gradient) by means of a computer-controlled translation stage.

Two gimbal bearing case studies: Some lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenthal, Stuart H.

1988-01-01

Two troublesome, torque related problems associated with gimbal actuators are discussed. Large, thin section angular contact bearings can have a surprisingly high torque sensitivity to radial thermal gradients. A predictive thermal-mechanical bearing analysis, as described, was helpful in establishing a safe temperature operating envelope. In the second example, end-of-travel torque limits of an oscillatory gimbal bearing appoached motor stall during limit cycling life tests. Bearing modifications required to restore acceptable torque performance are described. The lessons learned from these case studies should benefit designers of precision gimbals where singular bearing torque related problems are not uncommon.

Dynamic and Thermal Turbulent Time Scale Modelling for Homogeneous Shear Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwab, John R.; Lakshminarayana, Budugur

1994-01-01

A new turbulence model, based upon dynamic and thermal turbulent time scale transport equations, is developed and applied to homogeneous shear flows with constant velocity and temperature gradients. The new model comprises transport equations for k, the turbulent kinetic energy; tau, the dynamic time scale; k(sub theta), the fluctuating temperature variance; and tau(sub theta), the thermal time scale. It offers conceptually parallel modeling of the dynamic and thermal turbulence at the two equation level, and eliminates the customary prescription of an empirical turbulent Prandtl number, Pr(sub t), thus permitting a more generalized prediction capability for turbulent heat transfer in complex flows and geometries. The new model also incorporates constitutive relations, based upon invariant theory, that allow the effects of nonequilibrium to modify the primary coefficients for the turbulent shear stress and heat flux. Predictions of the new model, along with those from two other similar models, are compared with experimental data for decaying homogeneous dynamic and thermal turbulence, homogeneous turbulence with constant temperature gradient, and homogeneous turbulence with constant temperature gradient and constant velocity gradient. The new model offers improvement in agreement with the data for most cases considered in this work, although it was no better than the other models for several cases where all the models performed poorly.

Two-dimensional modeling of thermal inversion layers in the middle atmosphere of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theodore, B.; Chassefiere, E.

1993-01-01

There is some evidence that the thermal structure of the martian middle atmosphere may be altered in a significant way by the general circulation motions. Indeed, while it is well known that the circulation in the meridional plane is responsible for the reversal of the latitudinal thermal gradient at the solstice through the adiabatic heating due to sinking motions above the winter pole, here we want to emphasize that a likely by-product effect could be the formation of warm layers, mainly located in the winter hemisphere, and exhibiting an inversion of the vertical thermal gradient.

Ocean thermal gradient as a generator of electricity. OTEC power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enrique, Luna-Gomez Victor; Angel, Alatorre-Mendieta Miguel

2016-04-01

The OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) is a power plant that uses the thermal gradient of the sea water between the surface and a depth of about 700 meters. It works by supplying the heat to a steam machine, for evaporation, with sea water from the surface and cold, to condense the steam, with deep sea water. The energy generated by the power plant OTEC can be transferred to the electric power grid, another use is to desalinate seawater. During the twentieth century in some countries experimental power plants to produce electricity or obtaining drinking water they were installed. On the Mexico's coast itself this thermal gradient, as it is located in tropical seas it occurs, so it has possibilities of installing OTEC power plant type. In this paper one type OTEC power plant operation is represented in most of its components.

Development of NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly: Summary of GEDS Design, Development Testing, and Thermal Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Connor, Brian; Hernandez, Deborah; Hornsby, Linda; Brown, Maria; Horton-Mullins, Kathryn

2017-01-01

NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) project is responsible for designing and validating a payload that contains materials research samples in a sealed environment. The SCA will be heated in the European Space Agency's (ESA) Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) that is housed inside the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR) located on the International Space Station (ISS). The first Principle Investigator (PI) to utilize the SCA will focus on Gravitational Effects on Distortion in Sintering (GEDS) research. This paper will give a summary of the design and development test effort for the GEDS SCA and will discuss the role of thermal analysis in developing test profiles to meet the science and engineering requirements. Lessons learned will be reviewed and salient design features that may differ for each PI will be discussed.

Thermal modeling of nickel-hydrogen battery cells operating under transient orbital conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrage, Dean S.

1991-01-01

An analytical study of the thermal operating characteristics of nickel-hydrogen battery cells is presented. Combined finite-element and finite-difference techniques are employed to arrive at a computationally efficient composite thermal model representing a series-cell arrangement operating in conjunction with a radiately coupled baseplate and coldplate thermal bus. An aggressive, low-mass design approach indicates that thermal considerations can and should direct the design of the thermal bus arrangement. Special consideration is given to the potential for mixed conductive and convective processes across the hydrogen gap. Results of a compressible flow model are presented and indicate the transfer process is suitably represented by molecular conduction. A high-fidelity thermal model of the cell stack (and related components) indicates the presence of axial and radial temperature gradients. A detailed model of the thermal bus reveals the thermal interaction of individual cells and is imperative for assessing the intercell temperature gradients.

Applications of thermal-gradients method for the optimization of α-amylase crystallization conditions based on dynamic and static light scattering data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delboni, L. F.; Iulek, J.; Burger, R.; da Silva, A. C. R.; Moreno, A.

2002-02-01

The expression, purification, crystallization, and characterization by X-ray diffraction of α-amylase are described here. Dynamic and static light scattering methods with a temperature controller was used to optimize the crystallization conditions of α-amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus an important enzyme in many fields of industrial activity. After applying thermal gradients for growing crystals, X-ray cryo-crystallographic methods were employed for the data collection. Crystals grown by these thermal-gradients diffracted up to a maximum resolution of 3.8 Å, which allowed the determination of the unit cell constants as follows: a=61.7 Å, b=86.7 Å, c=92.2 Å and space group C222 (or C222 1).

Modeling and Studying the Effect of Texture and Elastic Anisotropy of Copper Microstructure in Nanoscale Interconnects on Reliability in Integrated Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basavalingappa, Adarsh

Copper interconnects are typically polycrystalline and follow a lognormal grain size distribution. Polycrystalline copper interconnect microstructures with a lognormal grain size distribution were obtained with a Voronoi tessellation approach. The interconnect structures thus obtained were used to study grain growth mechanisms, grain boundary scattering, scattering dependent resistance of interconnects, stress evolution, vacancy migration, reliability life times, impact of orientation dependent anisotropy on various mechanisms, etc. In this work, the microstructures were used to study the impact of microstructure and elastic anisotropy of copper on thermal and electromigration induced failure. A test structure with copper and bulk moduli values was modeled to do a comparative study with the test structures with textured microstructure and elastic anisotropy. By subjecting the modeled test structure to a thermal stress by ramping temperature down from 400 °C to 100 °C, a significant variation in normal stresses and pressure were observed at the grain boundaries. This variation in normal stresses and hydrostatic stresses at the grain boundaries was found to be dependent on the orientation, dimensions, surroundings, and location of the grains. This may introduce new weak points within the metal line where normal stresses can be very high depending on the orientation of the grains leading to delamination and accumulation sites for vacancies. Further, the hydrostatic stress gradients act as a driving force for vacancy migration. The normal stresses can exceed certain grain orientation dependent critical threshold values and induce delamination at the copper and cap material interface, thereby leading to void nucleation and growth. Modeled test structures were subjected to a series of copper depositions at 250 °C followed by copper etch at 25 °C to obtain initial stress conditions. Then the modeled test structures were subjected to 100,000 hours ( 11.4 years) of simulated thermal stress at an elevated temperature of 150 °C. Vacancy migration due to concentration gradients, thermal gradients, and mechanical stress gradients were considered under the applied thermal stress. As a result, relatively high concentrations of vacancies were observed in the test structure due to a driving force caused by the pressure gradients resulting from the elastic anisotropy of copper. The grain growth mechanism was not considered in these simulations. Studies with two grain analysis demonstrated that the stress gradients developed will be severe when (100) grains are adjacent to (111) grains, therefore making them the weak points for potentially reliability failures. Ilan Blech discovered that electromigration occurs above a critical product of the current density and metal length, commonly referred as Blech condition. Electromigration stress simulations in this work were carried out by subjecting test structures to scaled current densities to overcome the Blech condition of (jL)crit for small dimensions of test structure and the low temperature stress condition used. Vacancy migration under the electromigration stress conditions was considered along with the vacancy migration induced stress evolution. A simple void growth model was used which assumes voids start to form when vacancies reach a critical level. Increase of vacancies in a localized region increases the resistance of the metal line. Considering a 10% increase in resistance as a failure criterion, the distributions of failure times were obtained for given electromigration stress conditions. Bimodal/multimodal failure distributions were obtained as a result. The sigma values were slightly lower than the ones commonly observed from experiments. The anisotropy of the elastic moduli of copper leads to the development of significantly different stress values which are dependent on the orientation of the grains. This results in some grains having higher normal stress than the others. This grain orientation dependent normal stress can reach a critical stress necessary to induce delamination at the copper and cap interface. Time taken to reach critical stress was considered as time to fail and distributions of failure times were obtained for structures with different grain orientations in the microstructure for different critical stress values. The sigma values of the failure distributions thus obtained for different constant critical stress values had a strong dependence of on the critical stress. It is therefore critical to use the appropriate critical stress value for the delamination of copper and cap interface. The critical stress necessary to overcome the local adhesion of the copper and the cap material interface is dependent on grain orientation of the copper. Simulations were carried out by considering grain orientation dependent critical normal stress values as failure criteria. The sigma value thus obtained with selected critical stress values were comparable to sigma values commonly observed from experiments.

Active Pattern Factor Control for Gas Turbine Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, James E.

1998-01-01

Small variations in fuel/air mixture ratios within gas turbine combustors can result in measurable, and potentially detrimental, exit thermal gradients. Thermal gradients can increase emissions, as well as shorten the design life of downstream turbomachinery, particularly stator vanes. Uniform temperature profiles are usually sought through careful design and manufacturing of related combustor components. However, small componentto-component variations as well as numerous aging effects degrade system performance. To compensate for degraded thermal performance, researchers are investigating active, closed-loop control schemes.

Distribution of thermal neutrons in a temperature gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molinari, V. G.; Pollachini, L.

A method to determine the spatial distribution of the thermal spectrum of neutrons in heterogeneous systems is presented. The method is based on diffusion concepts and has a simple mathematical structure which increases computing efficiency. The application of this theory to the neutron thermal diffusion induced by a temperature gradient, as found in nuclear reactors, is described. After introducing approximations, a nonlinear equation system representing the neutron temperature is given. Values of the equation parameters and its dependence on geometrical factors and media characteristics are discussed.

Sea surface temperature of the coastal zones of France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deschamps, P. Y.; Crepon, M.; Monget, J. M.; Verger, F. (Principal Investigator); Frouin, R.; Cassanet, J.; Wald, L.

1982-01-01

Thermal gradients in French coastal zones for the period of one year were mapped in order to enable a coherent study of certain oceanic features detectable by the variations in the sea surface temperature field and their evolution in time. The phenomena examined were mesoscale thermal features in the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, and the northwestern Mediterranean; thermal gradients generated by French estuary systems; and diurnal heating in the sea surface layer. The investigation was based on Heat Capacity Mapping Mission imagery.

Investigation of Hyporheic Thermal Flux and Downstream Attenuation Driven by Hydropeaking in the Colorado River, Austin, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, J. A.; Cardenas, M. B.; Neilson, B. T.; Bennett, P. C.

2015-12-01

Thermal flux related to regulated river hydropeaking has been extensively researched at the single-study site scale, but little work has been done quantifying the downstream attenuation of a single regulated flood pulse at multiple sites. In order to better understand this flood pulse attenuation we instrumented four sites with temperature probes along a 91 km stretch of the Colorado River downstream of longhorn dam, Austin, TX. Piezometer transects perpendicular to the river at each site were instrumented with HOBO thermistors over a 1.4m screened interval within the saturated zone at 20cm spacing. As flood pulses are attenuated downstream, temperature gradients and distance of lateral temperature pulse penetration into the bank are hypothesized to decrease. The data collected in this investigation will test this hypothesis by providing 2D temperature cross-sections along an attenuating flood pulse, providing detailed spatial data on temperature gradients adjacent to the river.

Crystal growth and annealing for minimized residual stress

DOEpatents

Gianoulakis, Steven E.

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for producing crystals that minimizes birefringence even at large crystal sizes, and is suitable for production of CaF.sub.2 crystals. The method of the present invention comprises annealing a crystal by maintaining a minimal temperature gradient in the crystal while slowly reducing the bulk temperature of the crystal. An apparatus according to the present invention includes a thermal control system added to a crystal growth and annealing apparatus, wherein the thermal control system allows a temperature gradient during crystal growth but minimizes the temperature gradient during crystal annealing.

Dimensional stability performance of a CFRP sandwich optical bench for microsatellite payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desnoyers, N.; Goyette, P.; Leduc, B.; Boucher, M.-A.

2017-09-01

Microsatellite market requires high performance while minimizing mass, volume and cost. Telescopes are specifically targeted by these trade-offs. One of these is to use the optomechanical structure of the telescope to mount electronic devices that may dissipate heat. However, such approach may be problematic in terms of distortions due to the presence of high thermal gradients throughout the telescope structure. To prevent thermal distortions, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) technology can be used for the optomechanical telescope material structure. CFRP is typically about 100 times less sensitive to thermal gradients and its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is about 200 to 600 times lower than standard aluminum alloys according to inhouse measurements. Unfortunately, designing with CFRP material is not as straightforward as with metallic materials. There are many parameters to consider in order to reach the desired dimensional stability under thermal, moisture and vibration exposures. Designing optomechanical structures using CFRP involves many challenges such as interfacing with optics and sometimes dealing with high CTE mounting interface structures like aluminum spacecraft buses. INO has designed a CFRP sandwich telescope structure to demonstrate the achievable performances of such technology. Critical parameters have been optimized to maximize the dimensional stability while meeting the stringent environmental requirements that microsatellite payloads have to comply with. The telescope structure has been tested in vacuum from -40°C to +50°C and has shown a good fit with finite element analysis predictions.

Thermal Barrier Coatings for Advanced Gas Turbine and Diesel Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

1999-01-01

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCS) have been developed for advanced gas turbine and diesel engine applications to improve engine reliability and fuel efficiency. However, durability issues of these thermal barrier coatings under high temperature cyclic conditions are still of major concern. The coating failure depends not only on the coating, but also on the ceramic sintering/creep and bond coat oxidation under the operating conditions. Novel test approaches have been established to obtain critical thermomechanical and thermophysical properties of the coating systems under near-realistic transient and steady state temperature and stress gradients encountered in advanced engine systems. This paper presents detailed experimental and modeling results describing processes occurring in the ZrO2-Y2O3 thermal barrier coating systems, thus providing a framework for developing strategies to manage ceramic coating architecture, microstructure and properties.

Use of Ground Penetrating Radar to Study Gradient Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titov, A.

2016-12-01

Nowadays Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is often used to solve different problems of applied geophysics including the hydrological ones. This work was motivated by detection of weak reflections in the body of water observed during the surveys on the freshwater lakes using GPR. The same reflections were first analyzed by John Bradford in 2007. These reflections can arise from the thermal gradient layer or thermocline due to different dielectric permittivity of cold and warm water. We employed physical and mathematical modeling to identify the properties of such thermoclines. We have constructed a special GPR stand to study the gradient media in our laboratory. The stand consists of a water-filled plastic tank and plastic tubes, which gather the cold water under the warm water. Our stand allows for changing parameters of the gradient layer, such as limits of dielectric permittivity and the thickness of the gradient layer. GPR antenna was placed slightly under the water surface to remove the parasitic reflections. To visualize the thermal distribution, an infrared camera and thermal sensors were used. Analysis of the GPR traces after physical modeling, performed in the MATLAB environment, allows us to locate the weak reflection from the gradient layer. We observed that (i) the change of the gradient boundary values alters the amplitude of the signal, (ii) the arrival time of the impulse reflected from the gradient layer corresponds to the arrival time of the impulse reflected from the top boundary of this layer, and (iii) the shape of the signal reflected from the gradient layer coincides with the shape of the signal reflected from the non-gradient boundary between two bodies. The quantitative properties of thermocline can be determined using amplitude analysis of GPR signals. Finally, the developed methods were successfully applied to real field data.

Ultra-High Accelerating Gradients in Radio-Frequency Cryogenic Copper Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Alexander David

Normal conducting radio-frequency (rf) particle accelerators have many applications, including colliders for high energy physics, high-intensity synchrotron light sources, non-destructive testing for security, and medical radiation therapy. In these applications, the accelerating gradient is an important parameter. Specifically for high energy physics, increasing the accelerating gradient extends the potential energy reach and is viewed as a way to mitigate their considerable cost. Furthermore, a gradient increase will enable for more compact and thus accessible free electron lasers (FELs). The major factor limiting larger accelerating gradients is vacuum rf breakdown. Basic physics of this phenomenon has been extensively studied over the last few decades. During which, the occurrence of rf breakdowns was shown to be probabilistic, and can be characterized by a breakdown rate. The current consensus is that vacuum rf breakdowns are caused by movements of crystal defects induced by periodic mechanical stress. The stress may be caused by pulsed surface heating and large electric fields. A compelling piece of evidence that supports this hypothesis is that accelerating structures constructed from harder materials exhibit larger accelerating gradients for similar breakdown rates. One possible method to increase sustained electric fields in copper cavities is to cool them to temperatures below 77 K, where the rf surface resistance and coefficient of thermal expansion decrease, while the yield strength (which correlates with hardness) and thermal conductivity increase. These changes in material properties at low temperature increases metal hardness and decreases the mechanical stress from exposure to rf electromagnetic fields. To test the validity of the improvement in breakdown rate, experiments were conducted with cryogenic accelerating cavities in the Accelerator Structure Test Area (ASTA) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. A short 11.4 GHz standing wave accelerating structure was conditioned to an accelerating gradient of 250 MV/m at 45 K with 108 rf pulses. At gradients greater than 150 MV/m I observed a degradation in the intrinsic quality factor of the cavity, Q0. I developed a model for the change in Q0 using measured field emission currents and rf signals. I found that the Q 0 degradation is consistent with the rf power being absorbed by strong field emission currents accelerated inside the cavity. I measured rf breakdown rates for 45 K and found 2*10-4/pulse/meter when accounting for any change in Q0. These are the largest accelerating gradients for a structure with similar breakdown rates. The final chapter presents the design of an rf photoinjector electron source that uses the cryogenic normal conducting accelerator technology: the TOPGUN. With this cryogenic rf photoinjector, the beam brightness will increase by over an order of a magnitude when compared to the current photoinjector for the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). When using the TOPGUN as the source for an X-ray Free Electron Laser, the higher brightness would allow for a decrease in the required length of the LCLS undulator by more than a factor of two.

Evidence of counter-gradient growth in western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) across thermal gradients

Treesearch

Melissa L. Snover; Michael J. Adams; Donald T. Ashton; Jamie B. Bettaso; Hartwell H. Welsh

2015-01-01

Summary1. Counter-gradient growth, where growth per unit temperature increases as temperature decreases, can reduce the variation in ectothermic growth rates across environmental gradients. Understanding how ectothermic species respond to changing temperatures is essential to their conservation and management due to human-altered habitats and changing...

Electric control of emergent magnonic spin current and dynamic multiferroicity in magnetic insulators at finite temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xi-guang; Chotorlishvili, L.; Guo, Guang-hua; Berakdar, J.

2018-04-01

Conversion of thermal energy into magnonic spin currents and/or effective electric polarization promises new device functionalities. A versatile approach is presented here for generating and controlling open circuit magnonic spin currents and an effective multiferroicity at a uniform temperature with the aid of spatially inhomogeneous, external, static electric fields. This field applied to a ferromagnetic insulator with a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya type coupling changes locally the magnon dispersion and modifies the density of thermally excited magnons in a region of the scale of the field inhomogeneity. The resulting gradient in the magnon density can be viewed as a gradient in the effective magnon temperature. This effective thermal gradient together with local magnon dispersion result in an open-circuit, electric field controlled magnonic spin current. In fact, for a moderate variation in the external electric field the predicted magnonic spin current is on the scale of the spin (Seebeck) current generated by a comparable external temperature gradient. Analytical methods supported by full-fledge numerics confirm that both, a finite temperature and an inhomogeneous electric field are necessary for this emergent non-equilibrium phenomena. The proposal can be integrated in magnonic and multiferroic circuits, for instance to convert heat into electrically controlled pure spin current using for example nanopatterning, without the need to generate large thermal gradients on the nanoscale.

Recognition of mite-infested brood by honeybee (Apis mellifera) workers may involve thermal sensing.

PubMed

Bauer, Daniel; Wegener, Jakob; Bienefeld, Kaspar

2018-05-01

Hygienic behavior, i.e. the removal of diseased or damaged brood by worker honey bees (Apis mellifera), is seen as one of the principal behavioral elements of this species' social immunity. Identification of the stimuli that trigger it would be helpful in searching for biochemical and molecular markers of this important breeding trait. While many studies at the genomic, transcriptomic, and behavioral level have pointed to the implication of chemical cues, we here hypothesized that thermal cues are alternatively/additionally involved. To test this hypothesis, we first measured whether infestation by the mite Varroa destructor (a condition known to induce hygienic behavior) leads to a thermal gradient between affected and unaffected brood. We found that infested brood cells were between 0.03 and 0.19 °C warmer than uninfested controls. Next, we tested whether artificially heating an area of a brood comb would increase the removal of infested or uninfested brood as compared to an unheated control area, and found that this was not the case. Finally, we investigated whether the heating of individual brood cells, as opposed to comb areas, would influence brood removal from cells adjacent to the heated one. This was the case for uninfested, though not for infested cells. We conclude that infestation by V. destructor leads to a heating of brood cells that should be perceivable by bees, and that small-scale temperature gradients can influence brood removal. This makes it appear possible that thermal cues play a role in triggering hygienic behavior of honey bees directed at varroa-infested larvae/pupae, although our results are insufficient to prove such an involvement. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Long-range transverse spin Seebeck effect in permalloy stripes using Sagnac interferometer microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haoliang; McLaughlin, Ryan; Sun, Dali; Valy Vardeny, Z.

2018-04-01

Coupling of spins and phonons in ferromagnets (FM) may persist up to mm length scale, thus generating macroscopic spatially distributed spin accumulation along the direction of an applied thermal gradient to an FM slab. This typical feature of transverse spin Seebeck effect (TSSE) has been demonstrated so far using electrical detection methods in FM films, in particular in a patterned structure, in which FM stripes grown onto a substrate perpendicular to the applied thermal gradient direction are electrically and magnetically isolated. Here we report optically detected TSSE response in isolated FM stripes based on permalloy deposited on SiN substrate, upon the application of a thermal gradient. For these measurements we used the magneto-optic Kerr effect measured by an ultrasensitive Sagnac interferometer microscope that is immune to thermo-electrics artefacts. We found that the optical TSSE coefficient in the NiFe stripes geometry is about one order of magnitude smaller than that in the continuous NiFe film, which is due to the limited phonons path in the FM stripes along the thermal gradient direction. Our results further confirm the existence of TSSE response in conducting FM compounds.

Thermal Design to Meet Stringent Temperature Gradient/Stability Requirements of SWIFT BAT Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.

2000-01-01

The Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) is an instrument on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) SWIFT spacecraft. It is designed to detect gamma ray burst over a broad region of the sky and quickly align the telescopes on the spacecraft to the gamma ray source. The thermal requirements for the BAT detector arrays are very stringent. The maximum allowable temperature gradient of the 256 cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors is PC. Also, the maximum allowable rate of temperature change of the ASICs of the 256 Detector Modules (DMs) is PC on any time scale. The total power dissipation of the DMs and Block Command & Data Handling (BCDH) is 180 W. This paper presents a thermal design that uses constant conductance heat pipes (CCHPs) to minimize the temperature gradient of the DMs, and loop heat pipes (LHPs) to transport the waste heat to the radiator. The LHPs vary the effective thermal conductance from the DMs to the radiator to minimize heater power to meet the heater power budget, and to improve the temperature stability. The DMs are cold biased, and active heater control is used to meet the temperature gradient and stability requirements.

Application of C/C composites to the combustion chamber of rocket engines. Part 1: Heating tests of C/C composites with high temperature combustion gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadano, Makoto; Sato, Masahiro; Kuroda, Yukio; Kusaka, Kazuo; Ueda, Shuichi; Suemitsu, Takeshi; Hasegawa, Satoshi; Kude, Yukinori

1995-04-01

Carbon fiber reinforced carbon composite (C/C composite) has various superior properties, such as high specific strength, specific modulus, and fracture strength at high temperatures of more than 1800 K. Therefore, C/C composite is expected to be useful for many structural applications, such as combustion chambers of rocket engines and nose-cones of space-planes, but C/C composite lacks oxidation resistivity in high temperature environments. To meet the lifespan requirement for thermal barrier coatings, a ceramic coating has been employed in the hot-gas side wall. However, the main drawback to the use of C/C composite is the tendency for delamination to occur between the coating layer on the hot-gas side and the base materials on the cooling side during repeated thermal heating loads. To improve the thermal properties of the thermal barrier coating, five different types of 30-mm diameter C/C composite specimens constructed with functionally gradient materials (FGM's) and a modified matrix coating layer were fabricated. In this test, these specimens were exposed to the combustion gases of the rocket engine using nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) / monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) to evaluate the properties of thermal and erosive resistance on the thermal barrier coating after the heating test. It was observed that modified matrix and coating with FGM's are effective in improving the thermal properties of C/C composite.

Nonlinear verification of a linear critical gradient model for energetic particle transport by Alfven eigenmodes

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

Bass, Eric M.; Waltz, R. E.

Here, a “stiff transport” critical gradient model of energetic particle (EP) transport by EPdriven Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) is verified against local nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of a well-studied beam-heated DIII-D discharge 146102. A greatly simplifying linear “recipe” for the limiting EP-density gradient (critical gradient) is considered here. In this recipe, the critical gradient occurs when the AE linear growth rate, driven mainly by the EP gradient, exceeds the ion temperature gradient (ITG) or trapped electron mode (TEM) growth rate, driven by the thermal plasma gradient, at the same toroidal mode number (n) as the AE peak growth, well below the ITG/TEMmore » peak n. This linear recipe for the critical gradient is validated against the critical gradient determined from far more expensive local nonlinear simulations in the gyrokinetic code GYRO, as identified by the point of transport runaway when all driving gradients are held fixed. The reduced linear model is extended to include the stabilization from equilibrium E×B velocity shear. The nonlinear verification unambiguously endorses one of two alternative recipes proposed in Ref. 1: the EP-driven AE growth rate should be determined with rather than without added thermal plasma drive.« less

Nonlinear verification of a linear critical gradient model for energetic particle transport by Alfven eigenmodes

DOE PAGES

Bass, Eric M.; Waltz, R. E.

2017-12-08

Here, a “stiff transport” critical gradient model of energetic particle (EP) transport by EPdriven Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) is verified against local nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of a well-studied beam-heated DIII-D discharge 146102. A greatly simplifying linear “recipe” for the limiting EP-density gradient (critical gradient) is considered here. In this recipe, the critical gradient occurs when the AE linear growth rate, driven mainly by the EP gradient, exceeds the ion temperature gradient (ITG) or trapped electron mode (TEM) growth rate, driven by the thermal plasma gradient, at the same toroidal mode number (n) as the AE peak growth, well below the ITG/TEMmore » peak n. This linear recipe for the critical gradient is validated against the critical gradient determined from far more expensive local nonlinear simulations in the gyrokinetic code GYRO, as identified by the point of transport runaway when all driving gradients are held fixed. The reduced linear model is extended to include the stabilization from equilibrium E×B velocity shear. The nonlinear verification unambiguously endorses one of two alternative recipes proposed in Ref. 1: the EP-driven AE growth rate should be determined with rather than without added thermal plasma drive.« less

SOFI/Substrate integrity testing for cryogenic propellant tanks at extreme thermal gradient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, M.; Fabian, P.

2015-12-01

Liquid propellant tank insulation for space flight requires low weight as well as high insulation factors. Use of Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI) is an accepted, cost effective technique for insulating a single wall cryogenic propellant tank and has been used extensively throughout the aerospace industry. Determining the bond integrity of the SOFI to the metallic substrate as well as its ability to withstand the in-service strains, both mechanical and thermal, is critical to the longevity of the insulation. This determination has previously been performed using highly volatile, explosive cryogens, which increases the test costs enormously, as well as greatly increasing the risk to both equipment and personnel. CTD has developed a new test system, based on a previous NASA test that simulates the mechanical and thermal strains associated with filling a large fuel tank with a cryogen. The test enables a relatively small SOFI/substrate sample to be monitored for any deformations, delaminations, or disjunctures during the cooling and mechanical straining process of the substrate, and enables the concurrent application of thermal and physical strains to two specimens at the same time. The thermal strains are applied by cooling the substrate to the desired cryogen temperature (from 4 K to 250 K) while maintaining the outside surface of the SOFI foam at ambient conditions. Multiple temperature monitoring points are exercised to ensure even cooling across the substrate, while at the same time, surface temperatures of the SOFI can be monitored to determine the heat flow. The system also allows for direct measurement of the strains in the substrate during the test. The test system as well as test data from testing at 20 K, for liquid Hydrogen simulation, will be discussed.

Convection induced by thermal gradients on thin reaction fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruelas Paredes, David R. A.; Vasquez, Desiderio A.

2017-09-01

We present a thin front model for the propagation of chemical reaction fronts in liquids inside a Hele-Shaw cell or porous media. In this model we take into account density gradients due to thermal and compositional changes across a thin interface. The front separating reacted from unreacted fluids evolves following an eikonal relation between the normal speed and the curvature. We carry out a linear stability analysis of convectionless flat fronts confined in a two-dimensional rectangular domain. We find that all fronts are stable to perturbations of short wavelength, but they become unstable for some wavelengths depending on the values of compositional and thermal gradients. If the effects of these gradients oppose each other, we observe a range of wavelengths that make the flat front unstable. Numerical solutions of the nonlinear model show curved fronts of steady shape with convection propagating faster than flat fronts. Exothermic fronts increase the temperature of the fluid as they propagate through the domain. This increment in temperature decreases with increasing speed.

Spin and charge thermopower effects in the ferromagnetic graphene junction

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

Vahedi, Javad, E-mail: javahedi@gmail.com; Center for Theoretical Physics of Complex Systems, Institute for Basic Science; Barimani, Fattaneh

2016-08-28

Using wave function matching approach and employing the Landauer-Buttiker formula, a ferromagnetic graphene junction with temperature gradient across the system is studied. We calculate the thermally induced charge and spin current as well as the thermoelectric voltage (Seebeck effect) in the linear and nonlinear regimes. Our calculation revealed that due to the electron-hole symmetry, the charge Seebeck coefficient is, for an undoped magnetic graphene, an odd function of chemical potential while the spin Seebeck coefficient is an even function regardless of the temperature gradient and junction length. We have also found with an accurate tuning external parameter, namely, the exchangemore » filed and gate voltage, the temperature gradient across the junction drives a pure spin current without accompanying the charge current. Another important characteristic of thermoelectric transport, thermally induced current in the nonlinear regime, is examined. It would be our main finding that with increasing thermal gradient applied to the junction the spin and charge thermovoltages decrease and even become zero for non zero temperature bias.« less

Laser window with annular grooves for thermal isolation

DOEpatents

Warner, B.E.; Horton, J.A.; Alger, T.W.

1983-07-13

A laser window or other optical element which is thermally loaded, heats up and causes optical distortions because of temperature gradients between the center and the edge. A number of annular grooves, one to three or more, are formed in the element between a central portion and edge portion, producing a web portion which concentrates the thermal gradient and thermally isolates the central portion from the edge portion, producing a uniform temperature profile across the central portion and therefore reduce the optical distortions. The grooves are narrow and closely spaced with respect to the thickness of the element, and successive grooves are formed from alternate sides of the element.

Effects of Planetary Thermal Structure on the Ascent and Cooling of Magma on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakimoto, Susan E. H.; Zuber, Maria T.

1995-01-01

Magellan radar images of the surface of Venus show a spatially broad distribution of volcanic features. Models of magmatic ascent processes to planetary surfaces indicate that the thermal structure of the interior significantly influences the rate of magmatic cooling and thus the amount of magma that can be transported to the surface before solidification. In order to understand which aspects of planetary thermal structure have the greatest influence on the cooling of buoyantly ascending magma, we have constructed magma cooling profiles for a plutonic ascent mechanism, and evaluated the profiles for variations in the surface and mantle temperature, surface temperature gradient, and thermal gradient curvature. Results show that, for a wide variety of thermal conditions, smaller and slower magma bodies are capable of reaching the surface on Venus compared to Earth, primarily due to the higher surface temperature of Venus. Little to no effect on the cooling and transport of magma are found to result from elevated mantle temperatures, elevation-dependent surface temperature variations, or details of the thermal gradient curvature. The enhanced tendency of magma to reach the surface on Venus may provide at least a partial explanation for the extensive spatial distribution of observed volcanism on the surface.

An Update on the Non-Mass-Dependent Isotope Fractionation under Thermal Gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Tao; Niles, Paul; Bao, Huiming; Socki, Richard; Liu, Yun

2013-01-01

Mass flow and compositional gradient (elemental and isotope separation) occurs when flu-id(s) or gas(es) in an enclosure is subjected to a thermal gradient, and the phenomenon is named thermal diffusion. Gas phase thermal diffusion has been theoretically and experimentally studied for more than a century, although there has not been a satisfactory theory to date. Nevertheless, for isotopic system, the Chapman-Enskog theory predicts that the mass difference is the only term in the thermal diffusion separation factors that differs one isotope pair to another,with the assumptions that the molecules are spherical and systematic (monoatomic-like structure) and the particle collision is elastic. Our previous report indicates factors may be playing a role because the Non-Mass Dependent (NMD) effect is found for both symmetric and asymmetric, linear and spherical polyatomic molecules over a wide range of temperature (-196C to +237C). The observed NMD phenomenon in the simple thermal-diffusion experiments demands quantitative validation and theoretical explanation. Besides the pressure and temperature dependency illustrated in our previous reports, efforts are made in this study to address issues such as the role of convection or molecular structure and whether it is a transient, non-equilibrium effect only.

Strain effects on thermal conductivity of nanostructured silicon by Raman piezothermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Kathryn Fay

A fundamental problem facing the rational design of materials is the independent control of electrical and thermal properties, with implications for a wide range of applications including thermoelectrics, solar thermal power generation, and thermal logic. One strategy for controlling transport involves manipulating the length scales which affect it. For instance, Si thermal conductivity may be reduced with relatively little change in electrical properties when the confining dimension (e.g., nanowire diameter) is small enough that heat carriers are preferentially scattered at free surfaces. However, tailoring properties by geometry or chemistry alone does not allow for on-demand modification, precluding applications which require responsive behavior such as thermal transistors, thermoelectric modules which adapt to their environmental temperature, or switchable thermal barriers. One means of tuning transport is elastic strain, which has long been exploited to improve carrier mobility in electronic devices. Uniform strain is predicted to affect thermal conductivity primarily via changes in heat capacity and phonon velocity, and crystalline defects such as vacancies or dislocations---which induce large strain gradients---should lower thermal conductivity by decreasing the phonon mean free path. Nanowires are ideal for the study of strain and defect effects due to the availability of a range of elastic strain an order of magnitude larger than in bulk and due to their small volumes. However, experimental measurements of strain-mediated thermal conductivity in nanowires have been limited due to the complexity of simultaneously applying and measuring stress or strain, heating, and measuring temperature. In this dissertation, we measure strain effects on thermal conductivity using a novel non-contact approach which we name Raman piezothermography. We apply a uniaxial load to individual Si nanowires, Si thin films, and Si micromeshes under a confocal mu-Raman microscope and, using the Raman laser as a heat source and the Raman spectrum as a measure of temperature, determine thermal transport properties. We show that uniaxial strain up to ˜1% has a weak effect on Si nanowire or thin film thermal conductivity, but irradiation-induced defects in nanowires yield dramatic reductions due to increased phonon scattering. Such defects are accompanied by large strain gradients, but decoupling the effect of these gradients from local changes in mass and interatomic potential is experimentally untenable. To isolate the effect of strain gradients, we extend our method to Si micromeshes, which exhibit nonuniform strains upon loading. The complex strain states achieved cause more drastic reductions of thermal conductivity due to enhanced phonon-phonon scattering in the presence of a strain gradient. The directions suggested by our experiments, as well as the development of the method, will allow for more robust understanding and control of thermal transport in nanostructures.

Colloidal attraction induced by a temperature gradient.

PubMed

Di Leonardo, R; Ianni, F; Ruocco, G

2009-04-21

Colloidal crystals are of extreme importance for applied research and for fundamental studies in statistical mechanics. Long-range attractive interactions, such as capillary forces, can drive the spontaneous assembly of such mesoscopic ordered structures. However, long-range attractive forces are very rare in the colloidal realm. Here we report a novel strong, long-ranged attraction induced by a thermal gradient in the presence of a wall. By switching the thermal gradient on and off, we can rapidly and reversibly form stable hexagonal 2D crystals. We show that the observed attraction is hydrodynamic in nature and arises from thermally induced slip flow on particle surfaces. We used optical tweezers to measure the force law directly and compare it to an analytical prediction based on Stokes flow driven by Marangoni-like forces.

Field testing of lake water chemistry with a portable and an AUV-based mass spectrometer.

PubMed

Hemond, Harry F; Mueller, Amy V; Hemond, Michael

2008-10-01

Two mass spectrometers (MS) are tested for the measurement of volatile substances, such as hydrocarbons and metabolic gases, in natural waters. KOALA is a backpackable MS operated from above the water surface, in which samples are pumped through a flow cell using a syringe. NEREUS is an underwater instrument hosted by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that is linked to a communications network to provide chemical data in real time. The mass analyzers of the two MS are nearly identical cycloids, and both use flat-plate membrane inlets. Testing took place in an eutrophic, thermally stratified lake exhibiting steep chemical gradients and significant levels of methane. KOALA provided rapid multispecies analysis of dissolved gases, with a detection limit for methane of 0.1 ppm (readily extendable to 0.01 ppm) and savings of time of at least a factor of 10 compared to that of conventional analysis. The AUV-mounted NEREUS additionally provided rapid spatial coverage and the capability of performing chemical surveys autonomously. Tests demonstrated the need for temperature control of a membrane inlet when steep thermal gradients are present in a water body, as well as the benefits of co-locating all sensors on the AUV to avoid interference from chemically different waters entering and draining from the free-flooding outer hull. The ability to measure dissolved volatiles provided by MS offers potential for complementarity with ionic sensors in the study of natural waters, such as in the case of the carbonate system.

Field-scale permeability and temperature of volcanic crust from borehole data: Campi Flegrei, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlino, Stefano; Piochi, Monica; Tramelli, Anna; Mormone, Angela; Montanaro, Cristian; Scheu, Bettina; Klaus, Mayer

2018-05-01

We report combined measurements of petrophysical and geophysical parameters for a 501-m deep borehole located on the eastern side of the active Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy), namely (i) in situ permeability by pumping tests, (ii) laboratory-determined permeability of the drill core, and (iii) thermal gradients by distributed fiber optic and thermocouple sensors. The borehole was drilled during the Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project (in the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program) and gives information on the least explored caldera sector down to pre-caldera deposits. The results allow comparative assessment of permeability obtained from both borehole (at depth between 422 a 501 m) and laboratory tests (on a core sampled at the same depth) for permeability values of 10-13 m2 (borehole test) and 10-15 m2 (laboratory test) confirm the scale-dependency of permeability at this site. Additional geochemical and petrophysical determinations (porosity, density, chemistry, mineralogy and texture), together with gas flow measurements, corroborate the hypothesis that discrepancies in the permeability values are likely related to in-situ fracturing. The continuous distributed temperature profile points to a thermal gradient of about 200 °C km-1. Our findings (i) indicate that scale-dependency of permeability has to be carefully considered in modelling of the hydrothermal system at Campi Flegrei, and (ii) improve the understanding of caldera dynamics for monitoring and mitigation of this very high volcanic risk area.

Discipline-based planetary education research and computational fluid dynamics analysis of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coba, Filis

This thesis originates from the testing and implementation of an IRB-approved interactive animation designed to help students understand what causes The Reasons For The Seasons (RFTS) on Earth. Results from the testing indicated a small improvement in student understanding after exposure to the animation. Next, using the 3-D mapping tool Google Earth, students explored seasons and other planetary features on Mercury, Venus, the Moon and Mars through IRB-approved interactive tours which were developed and tested for astronomy education. Results from the tests indicated that there were statistically significant learning gains (p-value < 0.05) after students interacted with the tours compared to those who did not. The development of the tours inspired a geophysics study of the possibility of former plate motion (or plate tectonics) on Mars. A 2-D finite element convection model for the mantle of Mars was designed and solved using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.1, to investigate whether or not thermal gradients in a Mars-sized planet could cause vigorous upper mantle convection, consistent with plate tectonic processes. Results from this project indicated that stable convection could occur in the interior of a Mars-like planet assuming the presence of sufficiently high thermal gradients at about 0.8 times the mantle temperature of Earth. The convective patterns resembled hot upwelling and cool downwelling which may be similar to subduction-like features. Furthermore, increasing the temperature of the hot boundaries resulted in faster, more rigorous convective motions and a hotter average temperature.

Testing of typical spacecraft materials in a simulated substorm environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, N. J.; Berkopec, F. D.; Staskus, J. V.; Blech, R. A.; Narciso, S. J.

1977-01-01

The test specimens were spacecraft paints, silvered Teflon, thermal blankets, and solar array segments. The samples, ranging in size from 300 to 1000 sq cm were exposed to monoenergetic electron energies from 2 to 20 keV at a current density of 1 NA/sq cm. The samples generally behaved as capacitors with strong voltage gradient at their edges. The charging characteristics of the silvered Teflon, Kapton, and solar cell covers were controlled by the secondary emission characteristics. Insulators that did not discharge were the spacecraft paints and the quartz fiber cloth thermal blanket sample. All other samples did experience discharges when the surface voltage reached -8 to -16kV. The discharges were photographed. The breakdown voltage for each sample was determined and the average energy lost in the discharge was computed.

Evidence of counter-gradient growth in western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) across thermal gradients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snover, Melissa; Adams, Michael J.; Ashton, Donald T.; Bettaso, Jamie B.; Welsh, Hartwell H.

2015-01-01

Given the importance of size and age at reproductive maturity to population dynamics, this information on counter-gradient growth will improve our ability to understand and predict the consequences of dam operations for downstream turtle populations.

Termination for superconducting power transmission systems

DOEpatents

Forsyth, E.B.; Jensen, J.E.

1975-08-26

This patent relates to a cold, electrical gradient, terminal section for a superconducting cable for alternating current power transmission. A cold electrical gradient section filled with a gaseous coolant acting as an insulator is provided in series with a separate thermal gradient section. (auth)

Thermal Gradient Fining of Glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, W.

1983-01-01

Molten glass fined (cleared of bubbles) by heating with suitable temperature gradient, according to preliminary experiments. Temperature gradient produces force on gas bubbles trapped in molten glass pushing bubbles to higher temperature region where they are collected. Concept demonstrated in experiments on Earth and on rocket.

Behaviour and physiology: the thermal strategy of leatherback turtles.

PubMed

Bostrom, Brian L; Jones, T Todd; Hastings, Mervin; Jones, David R

2010-11-10

Adult leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) exhibit thermal gradients between their bodies and the environment of ≥8°C in sub-polar waters and ≤4°C in the tropics. There has been no direct evidence for thermoregulation in leatherbacks although modelling and morphological studies have given an indication of how thermoregulation may be achieved. We show for the first time that leatherbacks are indeed capable of thermoregulation from studies on juvenile leatherbacks of 16 and 37 kg. In cold water (< 25°C), flipper stroke frequency increased, heat loss through the plastron, carapace and flippers was minimized, and a positive thermal gradient of up to 2.3°C was maintained between body and environment. In warm water (25 - 31°C), turtles were inactive and heat loss through their plastron, carapace and flippers increased. The thermal gradient was minimized (0.5°C). Using a scaling model, we estimate that a 300 kg adult leatherback is able to maintain a maximum thermal gradient of 18.2°C in cold sub-polar waters. In juvenile leatherbacks, heat gain is controlled behaviourally by increasing activity while heat flux is regulated physiologically, presumably by regulation of blood flow distribution. Hence, harnessing physiology and behaviour allows leatherbacks to keep warm while foraging in cold sub-polar waters and to prevent overheating in a tropical environment.

Behaviour and Physiology: The Thermal Strategy of Leatherback Turtles

PubMed Central

Bostrom, Brian L.; Jones, T. Todd; Hastings, Mervin; Jones, David R.

2010-01-01

Background Adult leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) exhibit thermal gradients between their bodies and the environment of ≥8°C in sub-polar waters and ≤4°C in the tropics. There has been no direct evidence for thermoregulation in leatherbacks although modelling and morphological studies have given an indication of how thermoregulation may be achieved. Methodology/Principal Findings We show for the first time that leatherbacks are indeed capable of thermoregulation from studies on juvenile leatherbacks of 16 and 37 kg. In cold water (< 25°C), flipper stroke frequency increased, heat loss through the plastron, carapace and flippers was minimized, and a positive thermal gradient of up to 2.3°C was maintained between body and environment. In warm water (25 – 31°C), turtles were inactive and heat loss through their plastron, carapace and flippers increased. The thermal gradient was minimized (0.5°C). Using a scaling model, we estimate that a 300 kg adult leatherback is able to maintain a maximum thermal gradient of 18.2°C in cold sub-polar waters. Conclusions/Significance In juvenile leatherbacks, heat gain is controlled behaviourally by increasing activity while heat flux is regulated physiologically, presumably by regulation of blood flow distribution. Hence, harnessing physiology and behaviour allows leatherbacks to keep warm while foraging in cold sub-polar waters and to prevent overheating in a tropical environment. PMID:21085716

Hovering in the heat: effects of environmental temperature on heat regulation in foraging hummingbirds

PubMed Central

Langland, Kathleen M.; Wethington, Susan M.; Powers, Sean D.; Graham, Catherine H.

2017-01-01

At high temperature (greater than 40°C) endotherms experience reduced passive heat dissipation (radiation, conduction and convection) and increased reliance on evaporative heat loss. High temperatures challenge flying birds due to heat produced by wing muscles. Hummingbirds depend on flight for foraging, yet inhabit hot regions. We used infrared thermography to explore how lower passive heat dissipation during flight impacts body-heat management in broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris, 3.0 g), black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri, 3.0 g), Rivoli's (Eugenes fulgens, 7.5 g) and blue-throated (Lampornis clemenciae, 8.0 g) hummingbirds in southeastern Arizona and calliope hummingbirds (Selasphorus calliope, 2.6 g) in Montana. Thermal gradients driving passive heat dissipation through eye, shoulder and feet dissipation areas are eliminated between 36 and 40°C. Thermal gradients persisted at higher temperatures in smaller species, possibly allowing them to inhabit warmer sites. All species experienced extended daytime periods lacking thermal gradients. Broad-billed hummingbirds lacking thermal gradients regulated the mean total-body surface temperature at approximately 38°C, suggesting behavioural thermoregulation. Blue-throated hummingbirds were inactive when lacking passive heat dissipation and hence might have the lowest temperature tolerance of the four species. Use of thermal refugia permitted hummingbirds to tolerate higher temperatures, but climate change could eliminate refugia, forcing distributional shifts in hummingbird populations. PMID:29308244

Nanocharacterization of the adhesion effect and bending stiffness in optical MEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pustan, Marius; Birleanu, Corina; Dudescu, Cristian

2017-11-01

The scope of this paper is the reliability design and testing of flexible MEMS components as clamp-clamp beams for the out-of-plane displacement. The field of implementation of such structures is in optical relevant applications such as the optical microsensors or optical microswitches. Moreover these structures can be successfully implemented in RF switches or in the other MEMS applications. The research studies presented in this paper consider the analytical and numerical analysis follow by the experimental validation. The mechanical and tribological characteristics such as the sample static response under an applied force and the adhesion effect between the flexible structure and substrate are investigated. The samples under test are fabricated from a reflective material - gold. Experimental investigations are performed by atomic force microscopy in order to determine the response of the gold microbridges under an applied force. Moreover, to identify the proper geometry that is less sensitive to a thermal gradient, different geometrical configurations of microbridges are tested under different temperatures. An etalon structure is considered as a reference beam and it is compared with the other samples fabricated in the same geometrical dimensions but with some additional rectangular holes performed on the flexible plate. The scope of holes is to reduce the temperature influence on the mechanical behaviour of clamp-clamp beam from application where a thermal gradient occurs. During numerical analysis and experimental investigations, the temperature of samples is increased from 20 °C to 100 °C and the sample response is monitored. A comparison between numerical and experimental results is provided at the end of paper. The research results are useful for designers to predict the behaviour of material and structure from optical or thermal applications in order to improve the reliability and the MEMS lifetime.

Differential heating: A versatile method for thermal conductivity measurements in high-energy-density matter

DOE PAGES

Ping, Y.; Fernandez-Panella, A.; Sio, H.; ...

2015-09-04

We propose a method for thermal conductivity measurements of high energy density matter based on differential heating. A temperature gradient is created either by surface heating of one material or at an interface between two materials by different energy deposition. The subsequent heat conduction across the temperature gradient is observed by various time-resolved probing techniques. Conceptual designs of such measurements using laser heating, proton heating, and x-ray heating are presented. As a result, the sensitivity of the measurements to thermal conductivity is confirmed by simulations.

Salt-gradient Solar Ponds: Summary of US Department of Energy Sponsored Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, R. L.; Johnson, D. H.; Jones, G. F.; Zangrando, F.

1984-01-01

The solar pond research program conducted by the United States Department of Energy was discontinued after 1983. This document summarizes the results of the program, reviews the state of the art, and identifies the remaining outstanding issues. Solar ponds is a generic term but, in the context of this report, the term solar pond refers specifically to saltgradient solar pond. Several small research solar ponds have been built and successfully tested. Procedures for filling the pond, maintaining the gradient, adjusting the zone boundaries, and extracting heat were developed. Theories and models were developed and verified. The major remaining unknowns or issues involve the physical behavior of large ponds; i.e., wind mixing of the surface, lateral range or reach of horizontally injected fluids, ground thermal losses, and gradient zone boundary erosion caused by pumping fluid for heat extraction. These issues cannot be scaled and must be studied in a large outdoor solar pond.

Optical performance of the SO/PHI full disk telescope due to temperature gradients effect on the heat rejection entrance window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garranzo, D.; Núñez, A.; Zuluaga-Ramírez, P.; Barandiarán, J.; Fernández-Medina, A.; Belenguer, T.; Álvarez-Herrero, A.

2017-11-01

The Polarimetric Helioseismic Imager for Solar Orbiter (SO/PHI) is an instrument on board in the Solar Orbiter mission. The Full Disk Telescope (FDT) will have the capability of providing images of the solar disk in all orbital faces with an image quality diffraction-limited. The Heat Rejection Entrance Window (HREW) is the first optical element of the instrument. Its function is to protect the instrument by filtering most of the Solar Spectrum radiation. The HREW consists of two parallel-plane plates made from Suprasil and each surface has a coating with a different function: an UV shield coating, a low pass band filter coating, a high pass band filter coating and an IR shield coating, respectively. The temperature gradient on the HREW during the mission produces a distortion of the transmitted wave-front due to the dependence of the refractive index with the temperature (thermo-optic effect) mainly. The purpose of this work is to determine the capability of the PHI/FDT refocusing system to compensate this distortion. A thermal gradient profile has been considered for each surface of the plates and a thermal-elastic analysis has been done by Finite Element Analysis to determine the deformation of the optical elements. The Optical Path Difference (OPD) between the incident and transmitted wavefronts has been calculated as a function of the ray tracing and the thermo-optic effect on the optical properties of Suprasil (at the work wavelength of PHI) by means of mathematical algorithms based on the 3D Snell Law. The resultant wavefronts have been introduced in the optical design of the FDT to evaluate the performance degradation of the image at the scientific focal plane and to estimate the capability of the PHI refocusing system for maintaining the image quality diffraction-limited. The analysis has been carried out considering two different situations: thermal gradients due to on axis attitude of the instrument and thermal gradients due to 1° off pointing attitude. The effect over the boresight at the instrument focal plane has also been analyzed. The results show that the effect of the FDT HREW thermal gradients on the FDT performance can be optically corrected. The influence of the thermal gradients on the system is also presented.

Suppression of electron temperature gradient turbulence via negative magnetic shear in NSTX.

PubMed

Yuh, H Y; Kaye, S M; Levinton, F M; Mazzucato, E; Mikkelsen, D R; Smith, D R; Bell, R E; Hosea, J C; LeBlanc, B P; Peterson, J L; Park, H K; Lee, W

2011-02-04

Negative magnetic shear is found to suppress electron turbulence and improve electron thermal transport for plasmas in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Sufficiently negative magnetic shear results in a transition out of a stiff profile regime. Density fluctuation measurements from high-k microwave scattering are verified to be the electron temperature gradient (ETG) mode by matching measured rest frequency and linear growth rate to gyrokinetic calculations. Fluctuation suppression under negligible E×B shear conditions confirm that negative magnetic shear alone is sufficient for ETG suppression. Measured electron temperature gradients can significantly exceed ETG critical gradients with ETG mode activity reduced to intermittent bursts, while electron thermal diffusivity improves to below 0.1 electron gyro-Bohms.

Design and test of a pumped two-phase mounting plate. [for spacecraft thermal control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grote, M. G.; Swanson, T. D.

1985-01-01

The design, fabrication, and testing of the full-scale development unit of a pumped two-phase mounting plate (TPMP) used in advanced two-phase spacecraft thermal control systems are described. The mounting plate is tested with R-11 in the evaporator mode for total heat loads of over 3000 watts and local heat fluxes over 4 W/sq cm, and in the condenser mode with condenser loads from 60 to 400 watts and inlet qualities from 8 to 94 percent. The calculated heat-transfer coefficients are between 0.66 and 1.0 W/sq cm/C and are nearly independent of the flow rate and heat load except at very low heat loads. It is shown that the TPMP can be run with inlet conditions down to 22 C subcooling without any significant gradients in the plate and that it performs well with nonuniform heat fluxes.

Thermal design and performance of the REgolith x-ray imaging spectrometer (REXIS) instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, Kevin D.; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-08-01

The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument is a student collaboration instrument on the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission scheduled for launch in September 2016. The REXIS science mission is to characterize the elemental abundances of the asteroid Bennu on a global scale and to search for regions of enhanced elemental abundance. The thermal design of the REXIS instrument is challenging due to both the science requirements and the thermal environment in which it will operate. The REXIS instrument consists of two assemblies: the spectrometer and the solar X-ray monitor (SXM). The spectrometer houses a 2x2 array of back illuminated CCDs that are protected from the radiation environment by a one-time deployable cover and a collimator assembly with coded aperture mask. Cooling the CCDs during operation is the driving thermal design challenge on the spectrometer. The CCDs operate in the vicinity of the electronics box, but a 130 °C thermal gradient is required between the two components to cool the CCDs to -60 °C in order to reduce noise and obtain science data. This large thermal gradient is achieved passively through the use of a copper thermal strap, a large radiator facing deep space, and a two-stage thermal isolation layer between the electronics box and the DAM. The SXM is mechanically mounted to the sun-facing side of the spacecraft separately from the spectrometer and characterizes the highly variable solar X-ray spectrum to properly interpret the data from the asteroid. The driving thermal design challenge on the SXM is cooling the silicon drift detector (SDD) to below -30 °C when operating. A two-stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is located directly beneath the detector to provide active cooling, and spacecraft MLI blankets cover all of the SXM except the detector aperture to radiatively decouple the SXM from the flight thermal environment. This paper describes the REXIS thermal system requirements, thermal design, and analyses, with a focus on the driving thermal design challenges for the instrument. It is shown through both analysis and early testing that the REXIS instrument can perform successfully through all phases of its mission.

Thermosolutal convection in high-aspect-ratio enclosures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chen, C. T.

1988-01-01

Convection in high-aspect-ratio rectangular enclosures with combined horizontal temperature and concentration gradients is studied experimentally. An electrochemical system is employed to impose the concentration gradients. The solutal buoyancy force either opposes or augments the thermal buoyancy force. Due to a large difference between the thermal and solutal diffusion rates the flow possesses double-diffusive characteristics. Various complex flow patterns are observed with different experimental conditions.

A Theoretical and Experimental Study of Emission Spectroscopy of Planetary Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Bradley Gray

1995-01-01

This thesis explores the spectral emissivity of particulate materials on planetary surfaces through theoretical modeling and supporting laboratory and field investigations. In the first part of the thesis, I develop a Monte Carlo ray tracing model to calculate the directional and spectral emissivity and the polarization state of the radiation emitted from a particulate, isothermal surface for emission angles 0^circ-90^ circ and wavelengths 7-16 mu m. The results show that roughness and scattering significantly affect the character of the emitted radiation field and should be taken into account when interpreting the physical properties of a planetary surface from IR spectrophotometry or spectropolarimetry. The remainder of the thesis focuses on understanding near-surface thermal gradients and their effects on emission spectra for different planetary environments. These gradients are formed by radiative cooling in the top few hundred microns of low conductivity particulate materials on planetary surfaces with little or no atmosphere. I model the heat transfer by conduction and radiation in the top few millimeters of a planetary regolith for scattering and non-scattering media. In conjunction with the modeling, I measure emission spectra of fine-grained quartz in an environment chamber designed to simulate the conditions on other planetary surfaces. The results show that significant thermal gradients will form in the near surface of materials on the surface of the Moon and Mercury. Their presence increases spectral contrast and creates emission maxima in the transparent regions of the spectrum. Thermal gradients are shown to be responsible for the observed wavelength shifts of the Christiansen emission peak with variations in thermal conductivity and grain size. The results are also used to analyze recent telescopic spectra of the Moon and Mercury and can explain certain features seen in those data. Thermal gradients are shown to be minor for the surface of Mars and negligible on Earth. I conclude that the spectral effects created by near-surface thermal gradients are predictable and might even provide an extra source of information about the physical nature of a planetary surface, and mid-IR emission spectroscopy should therefore prove to be useful for remote sensing of airless bodies.

Experience with duplex bearings in narrow angle oscillating applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, D. D.; Pollard, C. L.; Hinricks, J. T.

1988-01-01

Duplex ball bearings are matched pairs on which the abutting faces of the rings have been accurately ground so that when the rings are clamped together, a controlled amount of interference (preload) exists across the balls. These bearings are vulnerable to radial temperature gradients, blocking in oscillation and increased sensitivity to contamination. These conditions decrease the service life of these bearings. It was decided that an accelerated thermal vacuum life test should be conducted. The test apparatus and results are described and the rationale is presented for reducing a multiyear life test on oil lubricated bearings to less than a year.

The thermal impact of subsurface building structures on urban groundwater resources - A paradigmatic example.

PubMed

Epting, Jannis; Scheidler, Stefan; Affolter, Annette; Borer, Paul; Mueller, Matthias H; Egli, Lukas; García-Gil, Alejandro; Huggenberger, Peter

2017-10-15

Shallow subsurface thermal regimes in urban areas are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic activities, which include infrastructure development like underground traffic lines as well as industrial and residential subsurface buildings. In combination with the progressive use of shallow geothermal energy systems, this results in the so-called subsurface urban heat island effect. This article emphasizes the importance of considering the thermal impact of subsurface structures, which commonly is underestimated due to missing information and of reliable subsurface temperature data. Based on synthetic heat-transport models different settings of the urban environment were investigated, including: (1) hydraulic gradients and conductivities, which result in different groundwater flow velocities; (2) aquifer properties like groundwater thickness to aquitard and depth to water table; and (3) constructional features, such as building depths and thermal properties of building structures. Our results demonstrate that with rising groundwater flow velocities, the heat-load from building structures increase, whereas down-gradient groundwater temperatures decrease. Thermal impacts on subsurface resources therefore have to be related to the permeability of aquifers and hydraulic boundary conditions. In regard to the urban settings of Basel, Switzerland, flow velocities of around 1 md -1 delineate a marker where either down-gradient temperature deviations or heat-loads into the subsurface are more relevant. Furthermore, no direct thermal influence on groundwater resources should be expected for aquifers with groundwater thicknesses larger 10m and when the distance of the building structure to the groundwater table is higher than around 10m. We demonstrate that measuring temperature changes down-gradient of subsurface structures is insufficient overall to assess thermal impacts, particularly in urban areas. Moreover, in areas which are densely urbanized, and where groundwater flow velocities are low, appropriate measures for assessing thermal impacts should specifically include a quantification of heat-loads into the subsurface which result in a more diffuse thermal contamination of urban groundwater resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal regimes of Malaysian sedimentary basins

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

Abdul Halim, M.F.

1994-07-01

Properly corrected and calibrated thermal data are important in estimating source-rock maturation, diagenetics, evolution of reservoirs, pressure regimes, and hydrodynamics. Geothermal gradient, thermal conductivity, and heat flow have been determined for the sedimentary succession penetrated by exploratory wells in Malaysia. Geothermal gradient and heat-flow maps show that the highest average values are in the Malay Basin. The values in the Sarawak basin are intermediate between those of the Malay basin and the Sabah Basin, which contains the lowest average values. Temperature data were analyzed from more than 400 wells. An important parameter that was studied in detail is the circulationmore » time. The correct circulation time is essential in determining the correct geothermal gradient of a well. It was found that the most suitable circulation time for the Sabah Basin is 20 hr, 30 hr for the Sarawak Basin and 40 hr for the Malay Basin. Values of thermal conductivity, determined from measurement and calibrated calculations, were grouped according to depositional units and cycles in each basin.« less

Preparation and application of silver nanopaste as thermal interface materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Lianfeng

The power densities in electronic devices have increased dramatically; heat dissipation has become a major challenge in high performance electronics applications. We have investigated a new type of resin-free hybrid silver nanopastes, which contain silver micro-flakes with particle sizes of 1 - 10 um and silver nanoparticles with diameters of 3 - 8 nm. The assemble temperature can be as low as 150oC due to the low sintering temperature of silver nanoparticles. The fused silver micro-and nanoparticles in TIM form continuous metallic networks, resulting in good thermal, electrical and mechanical bonding. The steady-state thermal gradient measurement show the bulk thermal conductivity between 20W/ (m*K) and 100 W/ (m*K), which is higher than commercial product in the market. The application specific performance of the nanopaste has been using LED lamp on heat sinks as model test vehicle.

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

Hadgu, Teklu; Matteo, Edward N.

An example case is presented for testing analytical thermal models. The example case represents thermal analysis of a generic repository in bedded salt at 500 m depth. The analysis is part of the study reported in Matteo et al. (2016). Ambient average ground surface temperature of 15°C, and a natural geothermal gradient of 25°C/km, were assumed to calculate temperature at the near field. For generic salt repository concept crushed salt backfill is assumed. For the semi-analytical analysis crushed salt thermal conductivity of 0.57 W/m-K was used. With time the crushed salt is expected to consolidate into intact salt. In thismore » study a backfill thermal conductivity of 3.2 W/m-K (same as intact) is used for sensitivity analysis. Decay heat data for SRS glass is given in Table 1. The rest of the parameter values are shown below. Results of peak temperatures at the waste package surface are given in Table 2.« less

Thermal analyses of the IF-300 shipping cask

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

Meier, J.K.

1978-07-01

In order to supply temperature data for structural testing and analysis of shipping casks, a series of thermal analyses using the TRUMP thermal analyzer program were performed on the GE IF-300 spent fuel shipping cask. Major conclusions of the analyses are: (1) Under normal cooling conditions and a cask heat load of 262,000 BTU/h, the seal area of the cask will be roughly 100/sup 0/C (180/sup 0/F) above the ambient surroundings. (2) Under these same conditions the uranium shield at the midpoint of the cask will be between 69/sup 0/C (125/sup 0/F) and 92/sup 0/C (166/sup 0/F) above the ambientmore » surroundings. (3) Significant thermal gradients are not likely to develop between the head studs and the surrounding metal. (4) A representative time constant for the cask as a whole is on the order of one day.« less

Crystal growth and annealing method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Gianoulakis, Steven E.; Sparrow, Robert

2001-01-01

A method and apparatus for producing crystals that minimizes birefringence even at large crystal sizes, and is suitable for production of CaF.sub.2 crystals. The method of the present invention comprises annealing a crystal by maintaining a minimal temperature gradient in the crystal while slowly reducing the bulk temperature of the crystal. An apparatus according to the present invention includes a thermal control system added to a crystal growth and annealing apparatus, wherein the thermal control system allows a temperature gradient during crystal growth but minimizes the temperature gradient during crystal annealing. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a secondary heater incorporated into a conventional crystal growth and annealing apparatus. The secondary heater supplies heat to minimize the temperature gradients in the crystal during the annealing process. The secondary heater can mount near the bottom of the crucible to effectively maintain appropriate temperature gradients.

Thermal-gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yagnik, S. K.

1982-09-01

High level nuclear waste disposal in a geologic repository was proposed. Natural salt deposits which are considered contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In this work, thermal gradient migration of both all liquid and gas liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusion shape and size are discussed.

Thermal effects on the enhanced ductility in non-monotonic uniaxial tension of DP780 steel sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majidi, Omid; Barlat, Frederic; Korkolis, Yannis P.; Fu, Jiawei; Lee, Myoung-Gyu

2016-11-01

To understand the material behavior during non-monotonic loading, uniaxial tension tests were conducted in three modes, namely, the monotonic loading, loading with periodic relaxation and periodic loading-unloadingreloading, at different strain rates (0.001/s to 0.01/s). In this study, the temperature gradient developing during each test and its contribution to increasing the apparent ductility of DP780 steel sheets were considered. In order to assess the influence of temperature, isothermal uniaxial tension tests were also performed at three temperatures (298 K, 313 K and 328 K (25 °C, 40 °C and 55 °C)). A digital image correlation system coupled with an infrared thermography was used in the experiments. The results show that the non-monotonic loading modes increased the apparent ductility of the specimens. It was observed that compared with the monotonic loading, the temperature gradient became more uniform when a non-monotonic loading was applied.

Transient Thermal Analyses of Passive Systems on SCEPTOR X-57

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Jeffrey C.; Schnulo, Sydney L.; Smith, Andrew D.

2017-01-01

As efficiency, emissions, and noise become increasingly prominent considerations in aircraft design, turning to an electric propulsion system is a desirable solution. Achieving the intended benefits of distributed electric propulsion (DEP) requires thermally demanding high power systems, presenting a different set of challenges compared to traditional aircraft propulsion. The embedded nature of these heat sources often preclude the use of traditional thermal management systems in order to maximize performance, with less opportunity to exhaust waste heat to the surrounding environment. This paper summarizes the thermal analyses of X-57 vehicle subsystems that don't employ externally air-cooled heat sinks. The high-power battery, wires, high-lift motors, and aircraft outer surface are subjected to heat loads with stringent thermal constraints. The temperature of these components are tracked transiently, since they never reach a steady-state equilibrium. Through analysis and testing, this report demonstrates that properly characterizing the material properties is key to accurately modeling peak temperature of these systems, with less concern for spatial thermal gradients. Experimentally validated results show the thermal profile of these systems can be sufficiently estimated using reduced order approximations.

Creep Behavior of Hafnia and Ytterbium Silicate Environmental Barrier Coating Systems on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Fox, Dennis S.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Harder, Bryan

2011-01-01

Environmental barrier coatings will play a crucial role in future advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to significantly extend the temperature capability and stability of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) engine components, thus improving the engine performance. In order to develop high performance, robust coating systems for engine components, appropriate test approaches simulating operating temperature gradient and stress environments for evaluating the critical coating properties must be established. In this paper, thermal gradient mechanical testing approaches for evaluating creep and fatigue behavior of environmental barrier coated SiC/SiC CMC systems will be described. The creep and fatigue behavior of Hafnia and ytterbium silicate environmental barrier coatings on SiC/SiC CMC systems will be reported in simulated environmental exposure conditions. The coating failure mechanisms will also be discussed under the heat flux and stress conditions.

In situ determination of heat flow in unconsolidated sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sass, J.H.; Kennelly, J.P.; Wendt, W.E.; Moses, T.H.; Ziagos, J.P.

1979-01-01

Subsurface thermal measurements are the most effective, least ambiguous tools for identifying and delineating possible geothernml resources. Measurements of thermal gradient in the upper few tens of meters generally are sufficient to outline the major anomalies, but it is always desirable to combine these gradients with reliable estimates of thermal conductivity to provide data on the energy flux and to constrain models for the heat sources responsible for the observed, near-surface thermal anomalies. The major problems associated with heat-flow measurements in the geothermal exploration mode are concerned with the economics of casing and/or grouting holes, the repeated site visits necessary to obtain equilibrium temperature values, the possible legal liability associated with the disturbance of underground aquifers, the surface hazards presented by pipes protruding from the ground, and the security problems associated with leaving cased holes open for periods of weeks to months. We have developed a technique which provides reliable 'real-time' determinations of temperature, thermal conductivity, and hence, of heat flow during the drilling operation in unconsolidated sediments. A combined temperature, gradient, and thermal conductivity experiment can be carried out, by driving a thin probe through the bit about 1.5 meters into the formation in the time that would otherwise be required for a coring trip. Two or three such experiments over the depth range of, say, 50 to 150 meters provide a high-quality heat-flow determination at costs comparable to those associated with a standard cased 'gradient hole' to comparable depths. The hole can be backfilled and abandoned upon cessation of drilling, thereby eliminating the need for casing, grouting, or repeated site visits.

AMCC casting development, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

PCC successfully cast and performed nondestructive testing, FPI and x-ray, on seventeen AMCC castings. Destructive testing, lab analysis and chemical milling, was performed on eleven of the castings and the remaining six castings were shipped to NASA or Aerojet. Two of the six castings shipped, lots 015 and 016, were fully processed per blueprint requirements. PCC has fully developed the gating and processing parameters of this part and feels the part could be implemented into production, after four more castings have been completed to ensure the repeatability of the process. The AMCC casting has been a technically challenging part due to its size, configuration, and alloy type. The height and weight of the wax pattern assembly necessitated the development of a hollow gating system to ensure structural integrity of the shell throughout the investment process. The complexity in the jacket area of the casting required the development of an innovative casting technology that PCC has termed 'TGC' or thermal gradient control. This method of setting up thermal gradients in the casting during solidification represents a significant process improvement for PCC and has been successfully implemented on other programs. The alloy, JBK75, is a relatively new alloy in the investment casting arena and required our engineering staff to learn the gating, processing, and dimensional characteristics of the material.

Escalation of polymerization in a thermal gradient

PubMed Central

Mast, Christof B.; Schink, Severin; Gerland, Ulrich; Braun, Dieter

2013-01-01

For the emergence of early life, the formation of biopolymers such as RNA is essential. However, the addition of nucleotide monomers to existing oligonucleotides requires millimolar concentrations. Even in such optimistic settings, no polymerization of RNA longer than about 20 bases could be demonstrated. How then could self-replicating ribozymes appear, for which recent experiments suggest a minimal length of 200 nt? Here, we demonstrate a mechanism to bridge this gap: the escalated polymerization of nucleotides by a spatially confined thermal gradient. The gradient accumulates monomers by thermophoresis and convection while retaining longer polymers exponentially better. Polymerization and accumulation become mutually self-enhancing and result in a hyperexponential escalation of polymer length. We describe this escalation theoretically under the conservative assumption of reversible polymerization. Taking into account the separately measured thermophoretic properties of RNA, we extrapolate the results for primordial RNA polymerization inside a temperature gradient in pores or fissures of rocks. With a dilute, nanomolar concentration of monomers the model predicts that a pore length of 5 cm and a temperature difference of 10 K suffice to polymerize 200-mers of RNA in micromolar concentrations. The probability to generate these long RNAs is raised by a factor of >10600 compared with polymerization in a physical equilibrium. We experimentally validate the theory with the reversible polymerization of DNA blocks in a laser-driven thermal trap. The results confirm that a thermal gradient can significantly enlarge the available sequence space for the emergence of catalytically active polymers. PMID:23630280

Mechanical Properties of Layered La2Zr2O7 Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xingye; Li, Li; Park, Hyeon-Myeong; Knapp, James; Jung, Yeon-Gil; Zhang, Jing

2018-04-01

Lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7) has been proposed as a promising thermal barrier coating (TBC) material due to its low thermal conductivity and high stability at high temperatures. In this work, both single and double-ceramic-layer (DCL) TBC systems of La2Zr2O7 and 8 wt.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) were prepared using air plasma spray (APS) technique. The thermomechanical properties and microstructure were investigated. Thermal gradient mechanical fatigue (TGMF) tests were applied to investigate the thermal cycling performance. The results showed that DCL La2Zr2O7 + 8YSZ TBC samples lasted fewer cycles compared with single-layered 8YSZ TBC samples in TGMF tests. This is because DCL La2Zr2O7 TBC samples had higher residual stress during the thermal cycling process, and their fracture toughness was lower than that of 8YSZ. Bond strength test results showed that 8YSZ TBC samples had higher bond strength compared with La2Zr2O7. The erosion rate of La2Zr2O7 TBC samples was higher than that of 8YSZ samples, due to the lower critical erodent velocity and fracture toughness of La2Zr2O7. DCL porous 8YSZ + La2Zr2O7 had a lower erosion rate than other SCL and DCL La2Zr2O7 coatings, suggesting that porous 8YSZ serves as a stress-relief buffer layer.

Physical vapor transport of mercurous chloride under a nonlinear thermal profile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mennetrier, Christophe; Duval, Walter M. B.; Singh, Narsingh B.

1992-01-01

Our study investigates numerically the flow field characteristics during the growth of mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2) crystals in a rectangular ampoule under terrestrial and microgravity conditions for a nonlinear thermal gradient. With a residual gas lighter than the nutrient, the solutal Grashof number is dominant. We observe that in tilted configurations, when solutal convection is dominant, the maximum transport rate occurs at approximately 40 percent. For the vertical configurations, we were able to obtain solutions only for the cases either below the critical Rayleigh numbers or the stabilized configurations. The total mass flux decreases exponentially with an increase of pressure of residual gas, but it increases following a power law with the temperature difference driving the transport. The nonlinear thermal gradient appears to destabilize the flow field when thermal convection is dominant for both vertical top-heated and bottom-heated configurations. However, when the solutal Grashof number is dominant, the density gradient resulting from the solutal gradient appears to stabilize the flow for the bottom-heated configuration. The flow field for the top-heated configuration is destabilized for high Grashof numbers. The microgravity environment provides a means for lowering convection. For gravity levels of 10(exp -3) g(0) or less, the Stefan wind drives the flow, and no recirculating cell is predicted.

Thermal adaptation of net ecosystem exchange

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thermal adaptation of gross primary production and ecosystem respiration has been well documented over broad thermal gradients. However, no study has examined their interaction as a function of temperature, i.e. the thermal responses of net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE). In this study, we const...

Numerical simulation of gas-phonon coupling in thermal transpiration flows.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaohui; Singh, Dhruv; Murthy, Jayathi; Alexeenko, Alina A

2009-10-01

Thermal transpiration is a rarefied gas flow driven by a wall temperature gradient and is a promising mechanism for gas pumping without moving parts, known as the Knudsen pump. Obtaining temperature measurements along capillary walls in a Knudsen pump is difficult due to extremely small length scales. Meanwhile, simplified analytical models are not applicable under the practical operating conditions of a thermal transpiration device, where the gas flow is in the transitional rarefied regime. Here, we present a coupled gas-phonon heat transfer and flow model to study a closed thermal transpiration system. Discretized Boltzmann equations are solved for molecular transport in the gas phase and phonon transport in the solid. The wall temperature distribution is the direct result of the interfacial coupling based on mass conservation and energy balance at gas-solid interfaces and is not specified a priori unlike in the previous modeling efforts. Capillary length scales of the order of phonon mean free path result in a smaller temperature gradient along the transpiration channel as compared to that predicted by the continuum solid-phase heat transfer. The effects of governing parameters such as thermal gradients, capillary geometry, gas and phonon Knudsen numbers and, gas-surface interaction parameters on the efficiency of thermal transpiration are investigated in light of the coupled model.

Thermal history of Bakken shale in Williston basin

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

Gosnold, W.D. Jr.; Lefever, R.D.; Crashell, J.J.

1989-12-01

Stratigraphic and thermal conductivity data were combined to analyze the thermostratigraphy of the Williston basin. The present thermostratigraphy is characterized by geothermal gradients of the order of 60 mK/m in the Cenozoic and Mesozoic units, and 30 mK/m in the Paleozoic units. The differences in geothermal gradients are due to differences in thermal conductivities between the shale-dominated Mesozoic and Cenozoic units and the carbonate-dominated Paleozoic units. Subsidence and compaction rates were calculated for the basin and were used to determine models for time vs. depth and time vs. thermal conductivity relationships for the basin. The time/depth and time/conductivity relationships includemore » factors accounting for thermal conductivity changes due to compaction, cementation, and temperature. The thermal history of the Bakken shale, a primary oil source rock in the Williston basin, was determined using four different models, and values for Lopatin's time-temperature index (TTI) were calculated for each model. The first model uses a geothermal gradient calculated from bottom-hole temperature data, the second uses present-day thermostratigraphy, the third uses the thermostratigraphic relationship determined in this analysis, and the fourth modifies the third by including assumed variations in continental heat flow. The thermal histories and the calculated TTI values differ markedly among the models with TTI values differing by a factor of about two between some models.« less

Latest Results of ILC High-Gradient R&D 9-cell Cavities at JLAB

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

Geng, Rongli

2008-02-11

It has been over a year since JLAB started processing and testing ILC 9-cell cavities in the frame work of ILC high-gradient cavity R&D, aiming at the goal of a 35 MV/m gradient at a Q of 1E10 with a yield of 90%. The necessary cavity processing steps include field flatness tuning, electropolishing (EP), hydrogen out-gassing under vacuum, high-pressure water rinsing, clean room assembly, and low temperature bake. These are followed by RF test at 2 Kelvin. Ultrasonic cleaning with Micro-90, an effective post-EP rinsing recipe discovered at JLAB, is routinely used. Seven industry manufactured 9-cell TESLAshape cavities are processedmore » and tested repeatedly. So far, 33 EP cycles are accumulated, corresponding to more than 65 hours of active EP time. An emphasis put on RF testing is to discern cavity quench characteristics, including its nature and its location. Often times, the cavity performance is limited by thermal-magnetic quench instead of field emission. The quench field in some cavities is lower than 20 MV/m and remains unchanged despite repeated EP, implying material and/or fabrication defects. The quench field in some other cavities is high but changes unpredictably after repeated EP, suggesting processing induced defects. Based on our experience and results, several areas are identified where improvement is needed to improve cavity performance as well as yield.« less

Environmental and Mechanical Stability of Environmental Barrier Coated SA Tyrannohex SiC Composites Under Simulated Turbine Engine Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Halbig, Michael Charles; Sing, Mrityunjay

2014-01-01

The environmental stability and thermal gradient cyclic durability performance of SA Tyrannohex composites were investigated for turbine engine component applications. The work has been focused on investigating the combustion rig recession, cyclic thermal stress resistance and thermomechanical low cycle fatigue of uncoated and environmental barrier coated Tyrannohex SiC SA composites in simulated turbine engine combustion water vapor, thermal gradients, and mechanical loading conditions. Flexural strength degradations have been evaluated, and the upper limits of operating temperature conditions for the SA composite material systems are discussed based on the experimental results.

Design of Electrical Systems for Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities at the John C. Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Mark S.; Davis, Dawn M.; Bakker, Henry J.; Jensen, Scott L.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the design of the electrical systems that are required for the testing of rockets at the Rocket Propulsion Facility at NASA Stennis Space Center (NASA SSC). NASA/SSC s Mission in Rocket Propulsion Testing Is to Acquire Test Performance Data for Verification, Validation and Qualification of Propulsion Systems Hardware. These must be accurate reliable comprehensive and timely. Data acquisition in a rocket propulsion test environment is challenging: severe temporal transient dynamic environments, large thermal gradients, vacuum to 15 ksi pressure regimes SSC has developed and employs DAS, control systems and control systems and robust instrumentation that effectively satisfies these challenges.

Toward the Application of the Maximum Entropy Production Principle to a Broader Range of Far From Equilibrium Dissipative Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lineweaver, C. H.

2005-12-01

The principle of Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) is being usefully applied to a wide range of non-equilibrium processes including flows in planetary atmospheres and the bioenergetics of photosynthesis. Our goal of applying the principle of maximum entropy production to an even wider range of Far From Equilibrium Dissipative Systems (FFEDS) depends on the reproducibility of the evolution of the system from macro-state A to macro-state B. In an attempt to apply the principle of MEP to astronomical and cosmological structures, we investigate the problematic relationship between gravity and entropy. In the context of open and non-equilibrium systems, we use a generalization of the Gibbs free energy to include the sources of free energy extracted by non-living FFEDS such as hurricanes and convection cells. Redox potential gradients and thermal and pressure gradients provide the free energy for a broad range of FFEDS, both living and non-living. However, these gradients have to be within certain ranges. If the gradients are too weak, FFEDS do not appear. If the gradients are too strong FFEDS disappear. Living and non-living FFEDS often have different source gradients (redox potential gradients vs thermal and pressure gradients) and when they share the same gradient, they exploit different ranges of the gradient. In a preliminary attempt to distinguish living from non-living FFEDS, we investigate the parameter space of: type of gradient and steepness of gradient.

Implementation and testing of the on-the-fly thermal scattering Monte Carlo sampling method for graphite and light water in MCNP6

DOE PAGES

Pavlou, Andrew T.; Ji, Wei; Brown, Forrest B.

2016-01-23

Here, a proper treatment of thermal neutron scattering requires accounting for chemical binding through a scattering law S(α,β,T). Monte Carlo codes sample the secondary neutron energy and angle after a thermal scattering event from probability tables generated from S(α,β,T) tables at discrete temperatures, requiring a large amount of data for multiscale and multiphysics problems with detailed temperature gradients. We have previously developed a method to handle this temperature dependence on-the-fly during the Monte Carlo random walk using polynomial expansions in 1/T to directly sample the secondary energy and angle. In this paper, the on-the-fly method is implemented into MCNP6 andmore » tested in both graphite-moderated and light water-moderated systems. The on-the-fly method is compared with the thermal ACE libraries that come standard with MCNP6, yielding good agreement with integral reactor quantities like k-eigenvalue and differential quantities like single-scatter secondary energy and angle distributions. The simulation runtimes are comparable between the two methods (on the order of 5–15% difference for the problems tested) and the on-the-fly fit coefficients only require 5–15 MB of total data storage.« less

The NTF Inlet Guide Vanes Thermal Gradient Problem and Its Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkat, Venki S.; Paryz, Roman W.; Bissett, Owen W.; Kilgore, W.

2013-01-01

The National Transonic Facility (NTF) utilizes Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV) to provide precise, quick response Mach number control for the tunnel. During cryogenic operations, the massive IGV structure can experience large thermal gradients, measured as "Delta T or (Delta)T", between the IGV ring and its support structure called the transfer case. If these temperature gradients are too large, the IGV structure can be stressed beyond its safety limit and cease operation. In recent years, (Delta)T readings exceeding the prescribed safety limits were observed frequently during cryogenic operations, particularly during model access. The tactical operation methods of the tunnel to minimize (Delta)T did not always succeed. One obvious option to remedy this condition is to warm up the IGV structure by disabling the main drive operation, but this "natural" warm up method can takes days in some cases, resulting in productivity loss. This paper documents the thermal gradient problem associated with the IGV structure during cryogenic operation and how the facility has recently achieved an acceptable mitigation which has resulted in improved efficiency of operations.

Atmospheric characterization on the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Jonathan; Coffaro, Joseph; Wu, Chensheng; Paulson, Daniel; Davis, Christopher

2017-08-01

Large temperature gradients are a known source of strong atmospheric turbulence conditions. Often times these areas of strong turbulence conditions are also accompanied by conditions that make it difficult to conduct long term optical atmospheric tests. The Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) provides a prime testing environment that is capable of generating strong atmospheric turbulence yet is also easily accessible for well instrumented testing. The Shuttle Landing Facility features a 5000 m long and 91 m wide concrete runway that provides ample space for measurements of atmospheric turbulence as well as the opportunity for large temperature gradients to form as the sun heats the surface. We present the results of a large aperture LED scintillometer, a triple aperture laser scintillometer, and a thermal probe system that were used to calculate a path averaged and a point calculation of Cn2. In addition, we present the results of the Plenoptic Sensor that was used to calculate a path averaged Cn2 value. These measurements were conducted over a multi-day continuous test with supporting atmospheric and weather data provided by the University of Central Florida.

Laser-induced cracks in ice due to temperature gradient and thermal stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Song; Yang, Ying-Ying; Zhang, Jing-Yuan; Zhang, Zhi-Yan; Zhang, Ling; Lin, Xue-Chun

2018-06-01

This work presents the experimental and theoretical investigations on the mechanism of laser-induce cracks in ice. The laser-induced thermal gradient would generate significant thermal stress and lead to the cracking without thermal melting in the ice. The crack density induced by a pulsed laser in the ice critically depends on the laser scanning speed and the size of the laser spot on the surface, which determines the laser power density on the surface. A maximum of 16 cracks within an area of 17 cm × 10 cm can be generated when the laser scanning speed is at 10 mm/s and the focal point of the laser is right on the surface of the ice with a laser intensity of ∼4.6 × 107 W/cm2. By comparing the infrared images of the ice generated at various experimental conditions, it was found that a larger temperature gradient would result in more laser-induced cracks, while there is no visible melting of the ice by the laser beam. The data confirm that the laser-induced thermal stress is the main cause of the cracks created in the ice.

A Multi-Point Measurement Method for Thermal Characterization of Foil Bearings Using Customized Thermocouples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubieniecki, Michał; Roemer, Jakub; Martowicz, Adam; Wojciechowski, Krzysztof; Uhl, Tadeusz

2016-03-01

Gas foil bearings have become widespread covering the applications of micro-turbines, motors, compressors, and turbocharges, prevalently of small size. The specific construction of the bearing, despite all of its advantages, makes it vulnerable to a local difference in heat generation rates that can be extremely detrimental. The developing thermal gradients may lead to thermal runaway or seizure that eventually causes bearing failure, usually abrupt in nature. The authors propose a method for thermal gradient removal with the use of current-controlled thermoelectric modules. To fulfill the task of control law adoption the numerical model of the heat distribution in a bearing has been built. Although sparse readings obtained experimentally with standard thermocouples are enough to determine thermal gradients successfully, validation of the bearing numerical model may be impeded. To improve spatial resolution of the experimental measurements the authors proposed a matrix of customized thermocouples located on the top foil. The foil acts as a shared conductor for each thermocouple that reduces the number of cable connections. The proof of concept of the control and measurement systems has been demonstrated in a still bearing heated by a cartridge heater.

Selection considerations between ZERODUR® and silicon carbide for dimensionally-stable spaceborne optical telescopes in two-earth-orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Tony; Westerhoff, Thomas; Weidmann, Gunter

2015-09-01

A key consideration in defining a space telescope mission is definition of the optical materials. This selection defines both the performance of the system and system complexity and cost. Optimal material selection for system stability must consider the thermal environment and its variation. Via numerical simulations, we compare the thermal and structural-mechanical behavior of ZERODUR® and SiC as mirror substrates for telescope assemblies in space. SiC has significantly larger CTE values then ZERODUR®, but also its thermal diffusivity k/(ρcp) is larger, and that helps to homogenize thermal gradients in the mirror. Therefore it is not obvious at first glance which material performs with better dimensional stability under realistic unsteady, inhomogeneous thermal loads. We specifically examine the telescope response to transient, gradient driving, thermal environments representative of low- and high-earth- orbits.

CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents.

PubMed

Kerr, Jeremy T; Pindar, Alana; Galpern, Paul; Packer, Laurence; Potts, Simon G; Roberts, Stuart M; Rasmont, Pierre; Schweiger, Oliver; Colla, Sheila R; Richardson, Leif L; Wagner, David L; Gall, Lawrence F; Sikes, Derek S; Pantoja, Alberto

2015-07-10

For many species, geographical ranges are expanding toward the poles in response to climate change, while remaining stable along range edges nearest the equator. Using long-term observations across Europe and North America over 110 years, we tested for climate change-related range shifts in bumblebee species across the full extents of their latitudinal and thermal limits and movements along elevation gradients. We found cross-continentally consistent trends in failures to track warming through time at species' northern range limits, range losses from southern range limits, and shifts to higher elevations among southern species. These effects are independent of changing land uses or pesticide applications and underscore the need to test for climate impacts at both leading and trailing latitudinal and thermal limits for species. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

A sandwich-designed temperature-gradient incubator for studies of microbial temperature responses.

PubMed

Elsgaard, Lars; Jørgensen, Leif Wagner

2002-03-01

A temperature-gradient incubator (TGI) is described, which produces a thermal gradient over 34 aluminium modules (15x30x5 cm) intersected by 2-mm layers of partly insulating graphite foil (SigraFlex Universal). The new, sandwich-designed TGI has 30 rows of six replicate sample wells for incubation of 28-ml test tubes. An electric plate heats one end of the TGI, and the other end is cooled by thermoelectric Peltier elements in combination with a liquid cooling system. The TGI is equipped with 24 calibrated Pt-100 temperature sensors and insulated by polyurethane plates. A PC-operated SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) software (Genesis 4.20) is applied for temperature control using three advanced control loops. The precision of the TGI temperature measurements was better than +/-0.12 degrees C, and for a 0-40 degrees C gradient, the temperature at the six replicate sample wells varied less than +/-0.04 degrees C. Temperatures measured in incubated water samples closely matched the TGI temperatures, which showed a linear relationship to the sample row number. During operation for 8 days with a gradient of 0-40 degrees C, the temperature at the cold end was stable within +/-0.02 degrees C, while the temperatures at the middle and the warm end were stable within +/-0.08 degrees C (n=2370). Using the new TGI, it was shown that the fine-scale (1 degrees C) temperature dependence of S(o) oxidation rates in agricultural soil (0-29 degrees C) could be described by the Arrhenius relationship. The apparent activation energy (E(a)) for S(o) oxidation was 79 kJ mol(-1), which corresponded to a temperature coefficient (Q(10)) of 3.1. These data demonstrated that oxidation of S(o) in soil is strongly temperature-dependent. In conclusion, the new TGI allowed a detailed study of microbial temperature responses as it produced a precise, stable, and certifiable temperature gradient by the new and combined use of sandwich-design, thermoelectric cooling, and advanced control loops. The sandwich-design alone reduced the disadvantageous thermal gradient over individual sample wells by 56%.

The x-ray telescope eROSITA: qualification of the thermal control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fürmetz, Maria; Eder, Josef; Pfeffermann, Elmar; Predehl, Peter

2014-07-01

eROSITA is the core instrument on the Spektrum-Röntgen-Gamma (SRG) mission, scheduled for launch in 2016. The main tasks of the thermal control system are heating of the mirror modules, cooling of the camera electronics, cooling of the CCD detectors and temperature control of the telescope structure in general. Special attention is paid to the camera cooling, since it is the most critical one. The complex assembly with the sevenfold symmetry of the eROSITA telescope requires an innovative design. Large distances and a very low operating temperature (-90°C to -100°C) place high demands on the cooling chain. In total, three different types of low-temperature ethane heat pipes are used to transport the heat from the cameras to two radiators outside the telescope structure. Extreme environmental temperature gradients with the Sun on the one side and the cold space on the other present a real challenge not only to the camera cooling systems, but to the overall thermal control. A thermal model of the complete telescope was used to predict the thermal behavior of the telescope and its subsystems. Through various tests, this model could be improved step by step. The most complex test was the space simulation test of the eROSITA qualification model in January 2013 at the IABG facilities in Ottobrunn, Germany. About 50 heaters, a liquid-nitrogen-cooled chamber and a Sun simulator provided realistic mission conditions. Approximately 200 temperature sensors monitored the relevant temperatures during the test. The results were predominantly within the predicted intervals and therefore not only verified the complete concept but also enabled a further refining of the thermal model. This, in turn, allows for reliable predictions of the thermal behavior during the mission. Some deviations required minor changes in the final design which were implemented and re-qualified in a separate test of the thermal control system flight model in March 2014 in the PANTER test facility of MPE. The results of both tests will be presented in this contribution.

Instrumentation by accelerometers and distributed optical fiber sensors of a real ballastless track structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapeleau, Xavier; Cottineau, Louis-Marie; Sedran, Thierry; Cailliau, Joël; Gueguen, Ivan; Dumoulin, Jean

2015-04-01

While relatively expensive to build, ballastless track structures are presently seen as an attractive alternative to conventional ballast. Firstly, they are built quickly since the slabs can be cast in place in an automated fashion by a slipform paver. Secondly, with its service life of at least 60 years, they requires little maintenance and hence they offers great availability. Other reasons for using ballastless tracks instead of ballasted tracks are the lack of suitable ballast material and the need of less noise and vibration for high-speed, in particularly. In the framework of a FUI project (n° 072906053), a new ballastless track structure based on concrete slabs was designed and its thermal-mechanical behavior in fatigue under selected mechanical and thermal conditions was tested on a real scale mockup in our laboratory [1,2]. By applying to the slabs both together mechanical stresses and thermal gradients, finite elements simulation and experimental results show that the weather conditions influence significantly the concrete slabs curvatures and by the way, the contact conditions with the underlaying layers. So it is absolutely necessary to take into account this effect in the design of the ballastless track structures in order to guarantee a long target life of at least of 50 years. After design and experimental tests in laboratory, a real ballastless track structure of 1km was built in France at the beginning of year 2013. This structure has 2 tracks on which several trains circulate every day since the beginning of year 2014. Before the construction, it was decided to monitor this structure to verify that the mechanical behavior is conform to the simulations. One part of the instrumentation is dedicated to monitor quasi-continuously the evolution of the curvature of a concrete slab. For this, 2 accelerometers were fixed on the slab under the track. One was placed on the edge and the other in the middle of the slab. The acquisition of the signals by a nano computer (called Pegase and developed at Ifsttar for data acquisition [3]) were performed automatically every time that a threshold is exceeded due to the passage of a train. These data are then send to a web server via a 3G Wireless Network. Many data was thus stored daily for several months. Moreover, several thermocouples were embedded at different depths in order to measure thermal gradients into the track slab. From the accelerometers signals, the deflection of the track slab are then obtained and compared to the measurements of thermal gradients. This comparison show clearly the daily evolution of the curvature with the thermal gradient changes as estimated by the simulation. This result was confirmed indirectly by strain profile measurements obtained by the Rayleigh fiber optic sensing technique. Two fiber optics embedded in the upper and lower part of the foundation slab show that contact conditions between the foundation slab and the track slab change with thermal gradient. 1 - X. Chapeleau, T. Sedran, L.-M. Cottineau, J. Cailliau, F. Taillade, I. Gueguen, J.-M. Henault. Study of ballastless track structure monitoring by distributed optical fiber sensors on a real-scale mockup in laboratory. Engineering Structures, 2013, 56, pp. 1751-1757. 2 - X. Chapeleau, L.-M. Cottineau, T. Sedran, J. Cailliau, I. Gueguen. Instrumentation by distributed optical fiber sensors of a new ballastless track structure. EGU General Assembly 2013, held 7-12 April, 2013 in Vienna, Austria, id. EGU2013-8946 3 - V. Le Cam, L. Lemarchand, L-M. Cottineau and F. Bourquin. Design of a generic smart and wireless sensors network - benefits of emerging technologies. Structural Health Monitoring 2008, 1(1), pp. 598-605.

NASA-UVa light aerospace alloy and structures technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangloff, Richard P.; Haviland, John K.; Herakovich, Carl T.; Pilkey, Walter D.; Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Scully, John R.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Swanson, Robert E.; Thornton, Earl A.; Wawner, Franklin E., Jr.

1991-01-01

The general objective of the NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program was to conduct research on the performance of next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites, and associated thermal gradient structures. The following research areas were actively investigated: (1) mechanical and environmental degradation mechanisms in advanced light metals and composites; (2) aerospace materials science; (3) mechanics of materials and composites for aerospace structures; and (4) thermal gradient structures.

Elevated temperature crack growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malik, S. N.; Vanstone, R. H.; Kim, K. S.; Laflen, J. H.

1987-01-01

The objective of the Elevated Temperature Crack Growth Program is to evaluate proposed nonlinear fracture mechanics methods for application to hot section components of aircraft gas turbine engines. Progress during the past year included linear-elastic fracture mechanics data reduction on nonlinear crack growth rate data on Alloy 718. The bulk of the analytical work centered on thermal gradient problems and proposed fracture mechanics parameters. Good correlation of thermal gradient experimental displacement data and finite element prediction was obtained.

High-Thermal- and Air-Stability Cathode Material with Concentration-Gradient Buffer for Li-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Shi, Ji-Lei; Qi, Ran; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Wang, Peng-Fei; Fu, Wei-Gui; Yin, Ya-Xia; Xu, Jian; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2017-12-13

Delivery of high capacity with high thermal and air stability is a great challenge in the development of Ni-rich layered cathodes for commercialized Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein we present a surface concentration-gradient spherical particle with varying elemental composition from the outer end LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NCM) to the inner end LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA). This cathode material with the merit of NCM concentration-gradient protective buffer and the inner NCA core shows high capacity retention of 99.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. Furthermore, this cathode material exhibits much improved thermal and air stability compared with bare NCA. These results provide new insights into the structural design of high-performance cathodes with high energy density, long life span, and storage stability materials for LIBs in the future.

Flow regimes in a shallow rotating cylindrical annulus with temperature gradients imposed on the horizontal boundaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, D. H.; Fowlis, W. W.

1986-01-01

Experimental flow regime diagrams are determined for a new rotating cylindrical annulus configuration which permits a measure of control over the internal vertical temperature gradient. The new annulus has radial temperature gradients imposed on plane horizontal thermally conducting endwalls (with the cylindrical sidewalls as insulators) and is considered to be more relevant to atmospheric dynamics studies than the classical cylindrical annulus. Observations have revealed that, in addition to the axisymmetric flow and nonaxisymmetric baroclinic wave flow which occur in the classical annulus, two additional nonaxisymmetric flow types occur in the new annulus: boundary-layer thermal convection and deep thermal convection. Flow regime diagrams for three different values of the imposed vertical temperature difference are presented, and explanations for the flow transitions are offered. The new annulus provides scientific backup for the proposed Atmospheric General Circulation Experiment for Spacelab. The apparatus diagram is included.

Thermal transfer in extracted incisors during thermal pulp sensitivity testing.

PubMed

Linsuwanont, P; Palamara, J E; Messer, H H

2008-03-01

To measure the temperature distribution within tooth structure during and after application of thermal stimuli used during pulp sensitivity testing. Extracted intact human maxillary anterior teeth were investigated for temperature changes at the labial enamel, the dentino-enamel junction (DEJ) and pulpal surface during and after a 5-s application of six different thermal stimuli: hot water (80 degrees C), heated gutta-percha (140 degrees C), carbon dioxide dry ice (-72 degrees C), refrigerant spray (-50 degrees C), ice stick (0 degrees C) and cold water (2 degrees C). J-type thermocouples and heat conduction paste were used to detect temperature changes, together with a data acquisition system (Labview). Data were analysed using analysis of variance, with a confidence level of P < 0.05. Temperature change was detected more quickly at the DEJ and pulpal surface with the application of hot water, heated gutta-percha and refrigerant spray than with carbon dioxide dry ice and ice (P < 0.05). Cold water and refrigerant spray were in the same range in terms of time to detect temperature change at both the DEJ and pulpal surface. Thermal stimuli with greater temperature difference from tooth temperature created a greater thermal gradient initially, followed by a greater temperature change at the DEJ and the pulpal surface. In this regard, ice and cold water were weaker stimuli than others (P < 0.05). Thermal stimuli used in pulp testing are highly variable in terms of temperature of the stimulus, rate of thermal transfer to the tooth and extent of temperature change within tooth structure. Overall, dry ice and refrigerant spray provide the most consistent stimuli, whereas heated gutta-percha and hot water were highly variable. Ice was a weak stimulus.

Thermal Barrier Coatings Resistant to Glassy Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drexler, Julie Marie

Engineering of alloys has for years allowed aircraft turbine engines to become more efficient and operate at higher temperatures. As advancements in these alloy systems have become more difficult, ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), often yttria (7 wt %) stabilized zirconia (7YSZ), have been utilized for thermal protection. TBCs have allowed for higher engine operating temperatures and better fuel efficiency but have also created new engineering problems. Specifically, silica based particles such as sand and volcanic ash that enter the engine during operation form glassy deposits on the TBCs. These deposits can cause the current industrial 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings to fail since the glass formed penetrates and chemically interacts with the TBC. When this occurs, coating failure may occur due to a loss of strain tolerance, which can lead to fracture, and phase changes of the TBC material. There have been several approaches used to stop calcium-magnesium aluminio-silcate (CMAS) glasses (molten sand) from destroying the entire TBC, but overall there is still limited knowledge. In this thesis, 7YSZ and new TBC materials will be examined for thermochemical and thermomechanical performance in the presence of molten CMAS and volcanic ash. Two air plasma sprayed TBCs will be shown to be resistant to volcanic ash and CMAS. The first type of coating is a modified 7YSZ coating with 20 mol% Al2O3 and 5 mol% TiO2 in solid solution (YSZ+20Al+5Ti). The second TBC is made of gadolinium zirconate. These novel TBCs impede CMAS and ash penetration by interacting with the molten CMAS or ash and drastically changing the chemistry. The chemically modified CMAS or ash will crystallize into an apatite or anorthite phase, blocking the CMAS or ash from further destroying the coating. A presented mechanism study will show these coatings are effective due to the large amount of solute (Gd, Al) in the zirconia structure, which is the key to creating the crystalline apatite or anorthite phases. In fact, it will be shown that if the industrial standard 7YSZ coatings contained more Y2O3 they would be very effective in stopping CMAS penetration. Lastly, thermal cyclic testing of 7YSZ and YSZ+20Al+5Ti TBCs reveals that partially CMAS-impregnated TBCs can survive mechanically if cycled in thermal gradient while in most isothermal tests they would fail. Since parts in a jet engine are in a thermal gradient, this type of testing should be performed on future CMAS resistant TBCs.

Imposed Thermal Fatigue and Post-Thermal-Cycle Wear Resistance of Biomimetic Gray Cast Iron by Laser Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Qi; Zhou, Hong; Zhang, Deping; Chen, Zhikai; Zhang, Peng

2017-08-01

The present study aims to create coupling biomimetic units on gray cast iron substrate by laser surface treatment (LST). LSTs for single-step (LST1) and two-step (LST2) processes, were carried out on gray cast iron in different media (air and water). Their effects on microstructure, thermal fatigue, and post-thermal-cycle wear (PTW) resistance on the specimens were studied. The tests were carried out to examine the influence of crack-resistance behavior as well as the biomimetic surface on its post-thermal-cycle wear behavior and different units, with different laser treatments for comparison. Results showed that LST2 enhanced the PTW behaviors of gray cast iron, which then led to an increase in its crack resistance. Among the treated cast irons, the one treated by LST2 in air showed the lowest residual stress, due to the positive effect of the lower steepness of the thermal gradient. Moreover, the same specimen showed the best PTW performance, due to its superior crack resistance and higher hardness as a result of it.

Sintering Characteristics of Multilayered Thermal Barrier Coatings Under Thermal Gradient and Isothermal High Temperature Annealing Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rai, Amarendra K.; Schmitt, Michael P.; Bhattacharya, Rabi; Zhu, Dongming; Wolfe, Douglas E.

2014-01-01

Pyrochlore oxides have most of the relevant attributes for use as next generation thermal barrier coatings such as phase stability, low sintering kinetics and low thermal conductivity. One of the issues with the pyrochlore oxides is their lower toughness and therefore higher erosion rate compared to the current state-of-the-art TBC material, yttria (6 to 8 wt%) stabilized zirconia (YSZ). In this work, sintering characteristics were investigated for novel multilayered coating consisted of alternating layers of pyrochlore oxide viz Gd2Zr2O7 and t' low k (rare earth oxide doped YSZ). Thermal gradient and isothermal high temperature (1316 C) annealing conditions were used to investigate sintering and cracking in these coatings. The results are then compared with that of relevant monolayered coatings and a baseline YSZ coating.

Analysis of Thermal Structure of Arctic Lakes at Local and Regional Scales Using in Situ and Multidate Landsat-8 Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yan; Liu, Hongxing; Hinkel, Kenneth; Yu, Bailang; Beck, Richard; Wu, Jianping

2017-11-01

The Arctic coastal plain is covered with numerous thermokarst lakes. These lakes are closely linked to climate and environmental change through their heat and water budgets. We examined the intralake thermal structure at the local scale and investigated the water temperature pattern of lakes at the regional scale by utilizing extensive in situ measurements and multidate Landsat-8 remote sensing data. Our analysis indicates that the lake skin temperatures derived from satellite thermal sensors during most of the ice-free summer period effectively represent the lake bulk temperature because the lakes are typically well-mixed and without significant vertical stratification. With the relatively high-resolution Landsat-8 thermal data, we were able to quantitatively examine intralake lateral temperature differences and gradients in relation to geographical location, topography, meteorological factors, and lake morphometry for the first time. Our results suggest that wind speed and direction not only control the vertical stratification but also influences lateral differences and gradients of lake surface temperature. Wind can considerably reduce the intralake temperature gradient. Interestingly, we found that geographical location (latitude, longitude, distance to the ocean) and lake morphometry (surface size, depth, volume) not only control lake temperature regionally but also affect the lateral temperature gradient and homogeneity level within each individual lake. For the Arctic coastal plain, at regional scales, inland and southern lakes tend to have larger horizontal temperature differences and gradients compared to coastal and northern lakes. At local scales, large and shallow lakes tend to have large lateral temperature differences relative to small and deep lakes.

Estimation of tropical forest canopy temperatures, thermal response numbers, and evapotranspiration using an aircraft-based thermal sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Lieberman, Diana; Lieberman, Milton; Hartshorn, Gary S.; Peralta, Rodolfo

1990-01-01

Thermal infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data were collected at a resolution of 5 to 10 m from a tropical rain forest over an elevation gradient from 35 to 2700 m in the Braulio Carrillo National Park in Costa Rica. Flight lines were repeated with a 15 to 30 minute time difference for measurement of forest canopy thermal response over time. Concurrent radiosonde measurements of atmospheric profiles of air temperature and moisture provided inputs to LOWTRAN6 for atmospheric radiance corrections of the TIMS data. Techniques for using calibrated aircraft-based thermal scanner data to examine tropical forest canopy thermal properties are described. Forest canopy temperature changes over time assessed between repeated, duplicated flight lines were combined with estimates of surface radiative energy measurements from towers above the forest canopy to determine temperature spatial variability, calculate Thermal Response Numbers (TRN), and estimate evapotranspiration along the elevation gradient from selected one hectare forest inventory plots.

Analysis of vortical structures in turbulent natural convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sangro; Lee, Changhoon

2014-11-01

Natural convection of fluid within two parallel walls, Rayleigh-Bénard convection, is studied by direct numerical simulation using a spectral method. The flow is in soft turbulence regime with Rayleigh number 106, 107, 108, Prandtl number 0 . 7 and aspect ratio 4. We investigate the relations between thermal plumes and vortical structures through manipulating the evolution equations of vorticity and velocity gradient tensor. According to simulation results, horizontal vorticity occurs near the wall and changes into vertical vorticity by vertical stretching of fluid element which is caused by vertical movement of the thermal plume. Additionally, eigenvalues, eigenvectors and invariants of velocity gradient tensor show the topologies of vortical structures, including how vortical structures are tilted or stretched. Difference of velocity gradient tensor between inside thermal plumes and background region is also investigated, and the result indicates that thermal plumes play an important role in changing the distribution of vortical structures. The results of this study are consistent with other researches which suggest that vertical vorticity is stronger in high Rayleigh number flows. Details will be presented in the meeting.

The role of thermal vapor diffusion in the subsurface hydrologic evolution of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clifford, Stephen M.

1991-01-01

The hydrologic response of groundwater to the thermal evolution of the early martian crust is considered. When a temperature gradient is present in a moist porous medium, it gives rise to a vapor-pressure gradient that drives the diffusion of water vapor from regions of high to low temperature. By this process, a geothermal gradient as small as 15 K/km could drive the vertical transport of 1 km of water to the freezing front at the base of the martian crysophere every 10 exp 6-10 exp 7 years, or the equivalent of about 100-1000 km of water over the course of martian geologic history. Models of the thermal history of Mars suggest that this thermally-driven vapor flux may have been as much as 3-5 times greater in the past. The magnitude of this transport suggests that the process of geothermally-induced vapor diffusion may have played a critical role in the initial emplacement of ground ice and the subsequent geomorphic and geochemical evolution of the martian crust.

Size Dependence of Residual Thermal Stresses in Micro Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors by Using Finite Element Unit Cell Model Including Strain Gradient Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, W. G.; Xiong, C. A.; Wu, X. G.

2013-11-01

The residual thermal stresses induced by the high-temperature sintering process in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are investigated by using a finite-element unit cell model, in which the strain gradient effect is considered. The numerical results show that the residual thermal stresses depend on the lateral margin length, the thickness ratio of the dielectrics layer to the electrode layer, and the MLCC size. At a given thickness ratio, as the MLCC size is scaled down, the peak shear stress reduces significantly and the normal stresses along the length and thickness directions change slightly with the decrease in the ceramic layer thickness t d as t d > 1 μm, but as t d < 1 μm, the normal stress components increase sharply with the increase in t d. Thus, the residual thermal stresses induced by the sintering process exhibit strong size effects and, therefore, the strain gradient effect should be taken into account in the design and evaluation of MLCC devices

EARTHSHINE ON A YOUNG MOON: EXPLAINING THE LUNAR FARSIDE HIGHLANDS

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

Roy, Arpita; Wright, Jason T.; Sigurðsson, Steinn

2014-06-20

The lunar farside highlands problem refers to the curious and unexplained fact that the farside lunar crust is thicker, on average, than the nearside crust. Here we recognize the crucial influence of Earthshine, and propose that it naturally explains this hemispheric dichotomy. Since the accreting Moon rapidly achieved synchronous rotation, a surface and atmospheric thermal gradient was imposed by the proximity of the hot, post-giant impact Earth. This gradient guided condensation of atmospheric and accreting material, preferentially depositing crust-forming refractories on the cooler farside, resulting in a primordial bulk chemical inhomogeneity that seeded the crustal asymmetry. Our model provides amore » causal solution to the lunar highlands problem: the thermal gradient created by Earthshine produced the chemical gradient responsible for the crust thickness dichotomy that defines the lunar highlands.« less

Variable reluctance proximity sensors for cryogenic valve position indication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cloyd, R. A.

1982-01-01

A test was conducted to determine the performance of a variable reluctance proximity sensor system when installed in a space shuttle external tank vent/relief valve. The sensors were used as position indicators. The valve and sensors were cycled through a series of thermal transients; while the valve was being opened and closed pneumatically, the sensor's performance was being monitored. During these thermal transients, the vent valve was cooled ten times by liquid nitrogen and two times by liquid hydrogen. It was concluded that the sensors were acceptable replacements for the existing mechanical switches. However, the sensors need a mechanical override for the target similar to what is presently used with the mechanical switches. This override could insure contact between sensor and target and eliminate any problems of actuation gap growth caused by thermal gradients.

Preliminary Analysis of a Water Shield for a Surface Power Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, J. Boise

2006-01-01

A water based shielding system is being investigated for use on initial lunar surface power systems. The use of water may lower overall cost (as compared to development cost for other materials) and simplify operations in the setup and handling. The thermal hydraulic performance of the shield is of significant interest. The mechanism for transferring heat through the shield is natural convection. A simple 1-D thermal model indicates the necessity of natural convection to maintain acceptable temperatures and pressures in the water shield. CFD analysis is done to quantify the natural convection in the shield, and predicts sufficient natural convection to transfer heat through the shield with small temperature gradients. A test program will he designed to experimentally verify the thermal hydraulic performance of the shield, and to anchor the CFD models to experimental results.

Interactive Mechanisms of Sliding-Surface Bearings.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

lower, upper) bearing surface V Three-dimensional gradient operator ix Two-dimensional surface gradient operator ( ),. Pertaining to the bearing surface...thermal gradients . The tilt-pad feature required the pad inclination to be determined by the condition of moment equilibrium about the pivot point. This...into the computation of pressure and shear in a fluid film. Incipience Point of Film Rupture On page 93 of Appendix A, pressure gradient and pressure of

Thermal Design, Analysis, and Testing of the Quench Module Insert Bread Board

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breeding Shawn; Khodabandeh, Julia; Turner, Larry D. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The science requirements for materials processing is to provide the desired PI requirements of thermal gradient, solid/liquid interface front velocity for a given processing temperature desired by the PI. Processing is performed by translating the furnace with the sample in a stationary position to minimize any disturbances to the solid/liquid interface front during steady state processing. Typical sample materials for this metals and alloys furnace are lead-tin alloys, lead-antimony alloys, and aluminum alloys. Samples must be safe to process and therefore typically are contained with hermetically sealed cartridge tubes (gas tight) with inner ceramic liners (liquid tight) to prevent contamination and/or reaction of the sample material with the cartridge tube.

Assessment of geothermal resources at Newcastle, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blackett, Robert E.; Shubat, Michael A.; Chapman, David S.; Forster, Craig B.; Schlinger, Charles M.

1989-01-01

Integrated geology, geophysics, and geochemistry studies in the Newcastle area of southwest Utah are used to develop a conceptual geologic model of a blind, moderate-temperature hydrothermal system. Studies using 12 existing and 12 new, thermal gradient test holes, in addition to geologic mapping, gravity surveys, and other investigations have helped define the thermal regime. Preliminary results indicate that the up-flow region is located near the west-facing escarpment of an adjacent mountain range, probably related to the bounding range-front fault. Chemical geothermometers suggest equilibration temperatures ranging from 140??C to 170??C. The highest temperature recorded in the system is 130??C from an exploration well drilled by the Unocal Corporation.

Correlation of Aerogravity and BHT Data to Develop a Geothermal Gradient Map of the Northern Western Desert of Egypt using an Artificial Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Haby S.; Abdel Zaher, Mohamed; Senosy, Mahmoud M.; Saibi, Hakim; El Nouby, Mohamed; Fairhead, J. Derek

2015-06-01

The northern part of the Western Desert of Egypt represents the second most promising area of hydrocarbon potential after the Gulf of Suez province. An artificial neural network (ANN) approach was used to develop a new predictive model for calculation of the geothermal gradients in this region based on gravity and corrected bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data. The best training data set was obtained with an ANN architecture composed of seven neurons in the hidden layer, which made it possible to predict the geothermal gradient with satisfactory efficiency. The BHT records of 116 deep oil wells (2,000-4,500 m) were used to evaluate the geothermal resources in the northern Western Desert. Corrections were applied to the BHT data to obtain the true formation equilibrium temperatures, which can provide useful constraints on the subsurface thermal regime. On the basis of these corrected data, the thermal gradient was computed for the linear sections of the temperature-versus-depth data at each well. The calculated geothermal gradient using temperature log data was generally 30 °C/km, with a few local high geothermal gradients in the northwestern parts of the study area explained by potential local geothermal fields. The Bouguer gravity values from the study area ranged from -60 mGal in the southern parts to 120 mGal in the northern areas, and exhibited NE-SW and E-W trends associated with geological structures. Although the northern Western Desert of Egypt has low regional temperature gradients (30 °C/km), several potential local geothermal fields were found (>40 °C/km). The heat flow at each well was also computed by combining sets of temperature gradients and thermal conductivity data. Aerogravity data were used to delineate the subsurface structures and tectonic framework of the region. The result of this study is a new geothermal gradient map of the northern Western Desert developed from gravity and BHT log data.

A nonlocal strain gradient model for dynamic deformation of orthotropic viscoelastic graphene sheets under time harmonic thermal load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radwan, Ahmed F.; Sobhy, Mohammed

2018-06-01

This work presents a nonlocal strain gradient theory for the dynamic deformation response of a single-layered graphene sheet (SLGS) on a viscoelastic foundation and subjected to a time harmonic thermal load for various boundary conditions. Material of graphene sheets is presumed to be orthotropic and viscoelastic. The viscoelastic foundation is modeled as Kelvin-Voigt's pattern. Based on the two-unknown plate theory, the motion equations are obtained from the dynamic version of the virtual work principle. The nonlocal strain gradient theory is established from Eringen nonlocal and strain gradient theories, therefore, it contains two material scale parameters, which are nonlocal parameter and gradient coefficient. These scale parameters have two different effects on the graphene sheets. The obtained deflection is compared with that predicted in the literature. Additional numerical examples are introduced to illustrate the influences of the two length scale coefficients and other parameters on the dynamic deformation of the viscoelastic graphene sheets.

Magnetothermal Convection of Water with the Presence or Absence of a Magnetic Force Acting on the Susceptibility Gradient.

PubMed

Maki, Syou

2016-01-01

Heat transfer of magnetothermal convection with the presence or absence of the magnetic force acting on the susceptibility gradient (fsc) was examined by three-dimensional numerical computations. Thermal convection of water enclosed in a shallow cylindrical vessel (diameter over vessel height = 6.0) with the Rayleigh-Benard model was adopted as the model, under the conditions of Prandtl number 6.0 and Ra number 7000, respectively. The momentum equations of convection were nondimensionalized, which involved the term of fsc and the term of magnetic force acting on the magnetic field gradient (fb). All the computations resulted in axisymmetric steady rolls. The values of the averaged Nu, the averaged velocity components U, V, and W, and the isothermal distributions and flow patterns were almost completely the same, regardless of the presence or absence of the term of fsc. As a result, we found that the effect of fsc was extremely small, although much previous research emphasized the effect with paramagnetic solutions under an unsteady state. The magnitude of fsc depends not only on magnetic conditions (magnitudes of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic flux density), but also on the thermal properties of the solution (thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and viscosity). Therefore the effect of fb becomes dominant on the magnetothermal convection. Active control over the density gradient with temperature will be required to advance heat transfer with the effect of fsc.

Distribution and movement of Caenorhabditis elegans on a thermal gradient.

PubMed

Yamada, Yohko; Ohshima, Yasumi

2003-08-01

To analyze thermal responses of Caenorhabditis elegans in detail, distribution of a worm population and movement of individual worms were examined on a linear, reproducible and broad temperature gradient. Assay methods were improved compared with those reported previously to ensure good motility and dispersion of worms. Well-fed, wild-type worms distributed over a wide temperature range of up to 10 degrees C, and, within this range, worms migrated in both directions of the gradient at similar frequencies without any specific response to the growth temperature in most cases. By contrast, worms migrated down the gradient if put in a region warmer than the warm boundary of distribution. The distribution range changed depending on the growth temperature and starvation, but active avoidance of a starvation temperature was not detected. These findings contradict previous hypotheses of taxis or migration to the growth temperature in association with food and instead indicate avoidance of a warm temperature. Our results favor a model for thermal response of C. elegans that postulates a single drive based on warm sensation rather than downward and upward drives in the physiological temperature range. Mutants in ttx-3, tax-2, tax-4 or egl-4 genes showed abnormal thermal responses, suggesting that these genes are involved in warm avoidance. Laser ablation and gene expression studies suggest that AFD neurons are not important, and tax-4 expression in neurons other than AFD is required, for warm avoidance.

Effects of body position on thermal, cardiorespiratory and metabolic activity in low birth weight infants.

PubMed

Ammari, Amer; Schulze, Karl F; Ohira-Kist, Kiyoko; Kashyap, Sudha; Fifer, William P; Myers, Michael M; Sahni, Rakesh

2009-08-01

Low birth weight (LBW) infants sleeping prone are known to exhibit many physiological differences from those sleeping supine, including lower energy expenditure (heat production) and higher surface temperature. This apparent increase in heat storage suggests that heat loss may be inhibited in the prone position which, in turn, might influence cardiorespiratory activity. To determine the effects of body position (prone vs. supine) on absolute surface temperature profile (heat storage), central-peripheral (C-P) thermal gradients (vasomotor response), cardiorespiratory activity and metabolic gas exchange in growing LBW infants. Six-hour continuous recordings of absolute surface temperature profiles, cardiorespiratory activity and O2 and CO2 exchange, along with minute-to-minute assessment of behavioral sleep states were performed in 32 healthy growing LBW infants (birth weight 805-1590 g, gestational age 26-35 weeks and postconceptional age at study 33-38 weeks). Each infant was randomly assigned to the prone or supine position for the first 3 h of the study and then reversed for the second 3 h. Surface temperatures were recorded from 4 sites (forehead, flank, forearm and leg) and averaged each minute. Central (forehead and flank)-to-peripheral (forearm and leg) and forehead-to-environment (H-E) thermal gradients were calculated from the surface temperatures. Corresponding sleep states were aligned with minute averages obtained from the temperature and cardiorespiratory measurements. Data were then sorted for prone and supine positions during quiet (QS) and active sleep (AS) and compared using paired t-tests. In the prone position during both AS and QS, infants had higher forehead, flank, forearm and leg surface temperatures, narrower C-P gradients, higher heart rates and respiratory frequency, and lower heart rate and respiratory variability. Despite similar environmental temperatures, the H-E gradient was higher in the prone position. In the prone position infants demonstrated lower O2 consumption and CO2 production and a higher respiratory quotient. Despite thermoregulatory adjustments in cardiorespiratory function, infants sleeping prone have relatively higher body temperature. The cardiorespiratory responses to this modest increase in temperature indicate that thermal and metabolic control of cardiac and respiratory pumps seem to work in opposition. The consequences of any attendant changes in blood gas activity (e.g. hypocapnia and/or increased mixed venous oxygen concentration) due to this override of metabolic control remains speculative.

Adaptation to a latitudinal thermal gradient within a widespread copepod species: the contributions of genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Understanding how populations adapt to heterogeneous thermal regimes is essential for comprehending how latitudinal gradients in species diversification are formed, and how taxa will respond to ongoing climate change. Adaptation can occur by innate genetic factors, by phenotypic plasticity, or by a combination of both mechanisms. Yet, the relative contribution of such mechanisms to large-scale latitudinal gradients of thermal tolerance across conspecific populations remains unclear. We examine thermal performance in 11 populations of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus, ranging from Baja California Sur (Mexico) to British Columbia (Canada). Common garden experiments show that survivorship to acute heat-stress differs between populations (by up to 3.8°C in LD50 values), reflecting a strong genetic thermal adaptation. Using a split-brood experiment with two rearing temperatures, we also show that developmental phenotypic plasticity is beneficial to thermal tolerance (by up to 1.3°C), and that this effect differs across populations. Although genetic divergence in heat tolerance strongly correlates with latitude and temperature, differences in the plastic response do not. In the context of climate warming, our results confirm the general prediction that low-latitude populations are most susceptible to local extinction because genetic adaptation has placed physiological limits closer to current environmental maxima, but our results also contradict the prediction that phenotypic plasticity is constrained at lower latitudes. PMID:28446698

An Overview of the Thermal Challenges of Designing Microgravity Furnaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westra, Douglas G.

2001-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center is involved in a wide variety of microgravity projects that require furnaces, with hot zone temperatures ranging from 300 C to 2300 C, requirements for gradient processing and rapid quench, and both semi-conductor and metal materials. On these types of projects, the thermal engineer is a key player in the design process. Microgravity furnaces present unique challenges to the thermal designer. One challenge is designing a sample containment assembly that achieves dual containment, yet allows a high radial heat flux. Another challenge is providing a high axial gradient but a very low radial gradient. These furnaces also present unique challenges to the thermal analyst. First, there are several orders of magnitude difference in the size of the thermal 'conductors' between various parts of the model. A second challenge is providing high fidelity in the sample model, and connecting the sample with the rest of the furnace model, yet maintaining some sanity in the number of total nodes in the model. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the challenges involved in designing and analyzing microgravity furnaces and how some of these challenges have been overcome. The thermal analysis tools presently used to analyze microgravity furnaces and will be listed. Challenges for the future and a description of future analysis tools will be given.

Determining solid-fluid interface temperature distribution during phase change of cryogenic propellants using transient thermal modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellur, K.; Médici, E. F.; Hermanson, J. C.; Choi, C. K.; Allen, J. S.

2018-04-01

Control of boil-off of cryogenic propellants is a continuing technical challenge for long duration space missions. Predicting phase change rates of cryogenic liquids requires an accurate estimation of solid-fluid interface temperature distributions in regions where a contact line or a thin liquid film exists. This paper described a methodology to predict inner wall temperature gradients with and without evaporation using discrete temperature measurements on the outer wall of a container. Phase change experiments with liquid hydrogen and methane in cylindrical test cells of various materials and sizes were conducted at the Neutron Imaging Facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Two types of tests were conducted. The first type of testing involved thermal cycling of an evacuated cell (dry) and the second involved controlled phase change with cryogenic liquids (wet). During both types of tests, temperatures were measured using Si-diode sensors mounted on the exterior surface of the test cells. Heat is transferred to the test cell by conduction through a helium exchange gas and through the cryostat sample holder. Thermal conduction through the sample holder is shown to be the dominant mode with the rate of heat transfer limited by six independent contact resistances. An iterative methodology is employed to determine contact resistances between the various components of the cryostat stick insert, test cell and lid using the dry test data. After the contact resistances are established, inner wall temperature distributions during wet tests are calculated.

Spatial and temporal variations in mango colour, acidity, and sweetness in relation to temperature and ethylene gradients within the fruit.

PubMed

Nordey, Thibault; Léchaudel, Mathieu; Génard, Michel; Joas, Jacques

2014-11-01

Managing fruit quality is complex because many different attributes have to be taken into account, which are themselves subjected to spatial and temporal variations. Heterogeneous fruit quality has been assumed to be partly related to temperature and maturity gradients within the fruit. To test this assumption, we measured the spatial variability of certain mango fruit quality traits: colour of the peel and of the flesh, and sourness and sweetness, at different stages of fruit maturity using destructive methods as well as vis-NIR reflectance. The spatial variability of mango quality traits was compared to internal variations in thermal time, simulated by a physical model, and to internal variations in maturity, using ethylene content as an indicator. All the fruit quality indicators analysed showed significant spatial and temporal variations, regardless of the measurement method used. The heterogeneity of internal fruit quality traits was not correlated with the marked internal temperature gradient we modelled. However, variations in ethylene content revealed a strong internal maturity gradient which was correlated with the spatial variations in measured mango quality traits. Nonetheless, alone, the internal maturity gradient did not explain the variability of fruit quality traits, suggesting that other factors, such as gas, abscisic acid and water gradients, are also involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Developments in Test Facility and Data Networking for the Altitude Test Stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center: A General Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebert, Phillip W.

2008-01-01

NASA/SSC's Mission in Rocket Propulsion Testing Is to Acquire Test Performance Data for Verification, Validation and Qualification of Propulsion Systems Hardware: Accurate, Reliable, Comprehensive, and Timely. Data Acquisition in a Rocket Propulsion Test Environment Is Challenging: a) Severe Temporal Transient Dynamic Environments; b) Large Thermal Gradients; c) Vacuum to high pressure regimes. A-3 Test Stand Development is equally challenging with respect to accommodating vacuum environment, operation of a CSG system, and a large quantity of data system and control channels to determine proper engine performance as well as Test Stand operation. SSC is currently in the process of providing modernized DAS, Control Systems, Video, and network systems for the A-3 Test Stand to overcome these challenges.

Solar thermal technology report, FY 1981. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The activities of the Department of Energy's Solar Thermal Technology Program are discussed. Highlights of technical activities and brief descriptions of each technology are given. Solar thermal conversion concepts are discussed in detail, particularily concentrating collectors and salt-gradient solar ponds.

Preliminary Results of an Experimental Investigation of the Qu Superconducting Heat Pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackmon, James B.; Entrekin, Sean F.

2006-01-01

This note on preliminary results of our evaluation of the so-called Qu Tube is prompted in part by recent concerns expressed to the authors by some researchers regarding the performance characteristics of the superconducting, solid-state heat pipe as described in the patents, or on the company's websites. Briefly, the company's claims include: a new type of heat transfer mechanism that is a form of solid state thermal superconductivity, which results in an effective thermal conductivity of the order of tens of thousands of times that of an equivalent solid silver bar, or, tens to hundreds of times that of liquid - vapor heat pipes. The company's website also refers to tests conducted by Stanford Research Institute that substantiate these claims, but the report is apparently not publicly available. We are conducting an investigation of the Qu Tube under a NASA Grant, and in general find that these claims have merit, but our study is not yet complete. We present some of our preliminary results in part to show that it would not be imprudent to conduct such studies, especially for possible future applications requiring exceptional thermal management performance capabilities. Working with HiTek Services, we originally acquired several Qu Tubes, including 17" long, 5/16" diameter copper tubes, one that is 7 7/8" long, 3/16" diameter, and one that is 4" long, 1" diameter. We subjected the smaller tubes to various exploratory tests, including a transient test with electrical band heaters, boiling water tests, and a series of steady state tests with electrical band heaters heating one end with free convective cooling along the remainder of the length. All results indicate a very high thermal conductivity, but the length of these tubes limited our ability to obtain accurate data on temperature gradients, necessary to determine the effective thermal conductivity. We then acquired nine Qu Tubes that are 10' long, 5/16" diameter, and we have recently conducted initial tests, which further support the claims of exceptional thermal conductivity.

Study of thermocline development inside a dual-media storage tank at the beginning of dynamic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esence, Thibaut; Bayón, Rocío; Bruch, Arnaud; Rojas, Esther

2017-06-01

This work presents some of the experimental results obtained during a test campaign performed at the STONE facility of CEA-Grenoble in collaboration with CIEMAT-PSA supported by both the SFERA-II and the STAGE-STE project. This installation consists of a thermocline tank with thermal oil and rock/sand filler and the tests aimed to study the development of the temperature profile inside the tank at the beginning of charge/discharge processes. The investigation of how this profile is created and which is its dependence on the experimental parameters is crucial for predicting the behavior of a dual-media thermocline tank. Tests have been performed for dynamic processes from initial states with constant uniform temperature or with a thermal gradient already present due to a partial thermocline zone extraction in the former process. Tests at different fluid velocities and temperatures have been carried out as well, in order to evaluate the influence of operating conditions. When a dynamic process of charge or discharge is started, the development of the thermal front is very sharp and localized at tank top or bottom if initial tank temperature is uniform, whereas it is less pronounced if the test begins from a non-thermally uniform initial state. In terms of operating conditions, it has been observed that the development of the thermocline thermal front is independent not only of the fluid velocity but also of its temperatures, within the working ranges here considered. Due to these experimental results, it will be possible to improve simulation models for thermocline tanks and hence to predict their behavior more accurately, especially when they are implemented in annual simulations of CSP plants.

Optimization of ceramic strength using elastic gradients

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yu; Ma, Li

2009-01-01

We present a new concept for strengthening ceamics by utilizing a graded structure with a low elastic modulus at both top and bottom surfaces sandwiching a high-modulus interior. Closed-form equations have been developed for stress analysis of simply supported graded sandwich beams subject to transverse center loads. Theory predicts that suitable modulus gradients at the ceramic surface can effectively reduce and spread the maximum bending stress from the surface into the interior. The magnitude of such stress dissipation is governed by the thickness ratio of the beam to the graded layers. We test our concept by infiltrating both top and bottom surfaces of a strong class of zirconia ceramic with an in-house prepared glass of similar coefficient of thermal expansion and Poisson’s ratio to zirconia, producing a controlled modulus gradient at the surface without significant long-range residual stresses. The resultant graded glass/zirconia/glass composite exhibits significantly higher load-bearing capacity than homogeneous zirconia. PMID:20161019

Do sex, body size and reproductive condition influence the thermal preferences of a large lizard? A study in Tupinambis merianae.

PubMed

Cecchetto, Nicolas Rodolfo; Naretto, Sergio

2015-10-01

Body temperature is a key factor in physiological processes, influencing lizard performances; and life history traits are expected to generate variability of thermal preferences in different individuals. Gender, body size and reproductive condition may impose specific requirements on preferred body temperatures. If these three factors have different physiological functions and thermal requirements, then the preferred temperature may represent a compromise that optimizes these physiological functions. Therefore, the body temperatures that lizards select in a controlled environment may reflect a temperature that maximizes their physiological needs. The tegu lizard Tupinambis merianae is one of the largest lizards in South America and has wide ontogenetic variation in body size and sexual dimorphism. In the present study we evaluate intraspecific variability of thermal preferences of T. merianae. We determined the selected body temperature and the rate at which males and females attain their selected temperature, in relation to body size and reproductive condition. We also compared the behavior in the thermal gradient between males and females and between reproductive condition of individuals. Our study show that T. merianae selected body temperature within a narrow range of temperatures variation in the laboratory thermal gradient, with 36.24±1.49°C being the preferred temperature. We observed no significant differences between sex, body size and reproductive condition in thermal preferences. Accordingly, we suggest that the evaluated categories of T. merianae have similar thermal requirements. Males showed higher rates to obtain heat than females and reproductive females, higher rates than non-reproductive ones females. Moreover, males and reproductive females showed a more dynamic behavior in the thermal gradient. Therefore, even though they achieve the same selected temperature, they do it differentially. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and testing a high fuel volume fraction, externally finned, thermionic emitter.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peelgren, M. L.; Ernst, D. M.

1971-01-01

A prototypical, high fuel volume fraction, thermionic emitter body was designed and tested. The emitter body is all tungsten, with a 1.40-cm ID, a 3.23-cm OD, and eight full-length axial fins. The emitter thickness is 0.15 cm while the fins and outer clad are 0.075 cm thick. Different methods of fabrication were used in making the test samples. Stress analysis was performed with a three-dimensional elastic code. Thermal testing of the samples, duplicating calculated radial temperature gradients, heatup and cooldown rates, and emitter body temperatures in operation, was performed with no structural failures noted (six heatup and cooldown cycles per sample). Further emitter analysis and testing is planned.

Observation of the Spin Nernst Effect in Platinum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goennenwein, Sebastian

Thermoelectric effects - arising from the interplay between thermal and charge transport phenomena - have been extensively studied and are considered well established. Upon taking into account the spin degree of freedom, however, qualitatively new phenomena arise. A prototype example for these so-called magneto-thermoelectric or spin-caloritronic effects is the spin Seebeck effect, in which a thermal gradient drives a pure spin current. In contrast to their thermoelectric counterparts, not all the spin-caloritronic effects predicted from theory have yet been observed in experiment. One of these `missing' phenomena is the spin Nernst effect, in which a thermal gradient gives rise to a transverse pure spin current. We have observed the spin Nernst effect in yttrium iron garnet/platinum (YIG/Pt) thin film bilayers. Upon applying a thermal gradient within the YIG/Pt bilayer plane, a pure spin current flows in the direction orthogonal to the thermal drive. We detect this spin current as a thermopower voltage, generated via magnetization-orientation dependent spin transfer into the adjacent YIG layer. Our data shows that the spin Nernst and the spin Hall effect in in Pt have different sign, but comparable magnitude, in agreement with first-principles calculations. Financial support via Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Priority Programme SPP 1538 Spin-Caloric Transport is gratefully acknowledged.

La prospection geothermique de surface au Maroc: hydrodynamisme, anomalies thermiques et indices de surfaceGeothermal prospecting in Morocco: hydrodynamics, thermal anomalies and surface indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarhloule, Y.; Lahrache, A.; Ben Abidate, L.; Khattach, D.; Bouri, S.; Boukdir, A.; Ben Dhia, H.

2001-05-01

Shallow geothermal prospecting ( < 700 m) has been performed in four zones in Morocco for which few deep data are available: northwestern basin, northeastern basin, Tadla Basin and Agadir Basin. These areas are different geologically and hydrogeologically. The temperature data from 250 wells at depths between 15 and 500 m have been analysed in order to estimate the natural geothermal gradient in these areas, to determine the principal thermal anomalies, to identify the main thermal indices and to characterise the recharge, discharge and potential mixing limits of the aquifers. The hydrostratigraphical study of each basin revealed several potential reservoir layers in which the Turonian carbonate aquifer (Tadal and Agadir Basins) and Liassic acquifer (Moroccan northwestern and northeastern basins) are the most important hot water reservoirs in Morocco. The recharge zones of each aquifer are characterised by high topography, high water potential, shallow cold water, low geothermal gradient and negative anomalies. The discharge zones are characterized by low topography, low piezometric level, high geothermal gradient, high temperature with hot springs and positive anomalies. The main thermal indices and the principal thermal anomalies that coincide with the artesian zones of the Turonian and Liassic aquifers have been identified.

Design and fabrication of brazed Rene 41 honeycomb sandwich structural panels for advanced space transportation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hepler, A. K.; Swegle, A. R.

1981-01-01

The design and fabrication of two large brazed Rene 41 honeycomb panels, the establishment of a test plan, the design and fabrication of a test fixture to subject the panels to cyclic thermal gradients and mechanical loads equivalent to those imposed on an advanced space transportation vehicle during its boost and entry trajectories are discussed. The panels will be supported at four points, creating three spans. The outer spans are 45.7 cm (18 in.) and the center span 76.2 cm (30 in). Specimen width is 30.5 cm (12 in.). The panels were primarily designed by boost conditions simulated by subjecting the panels to liquid nitrogen, 77K (-320 F) on one side and 455K (360 F) on the other side and by mechanically imposing loads representing vehicle fuel pressure loads. Entry conditions were simulated by radiant heating to 1034K (1400 F). The test program subjected the panels to 500 boost thermal conditions. Results are presented.

Low-Cost Radiator for Fission Power Thermal Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxwell, Taylor; Tarau, Calin; Anderson, William; Hartenstine, John; Stern, Theodore; Walmsley, Nicholas; Briggs, Maxwell

2014-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is developing fission power system technology for future Lunar surface power applications. The systems are envisioned in the 10 to 100kW(sub e) range and have an anticipated design life of 8 to 15 years with no maintenance. NASA GRC is currently setting up a 55 kW(sub e) non-nuclear system ground test in thermal-vacuum to validate technologies required to transfer reactor heat, convert the heat into electricity, reject waste heat, process the electrical output, and demonstrate overall system performance. Reducing the radiator mass, size, and cost is essential to the success of the program. To meet these goals, Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) and Vanguard Space Technologies, Inc. (VST) are developing a single facesheet radiator with heat pipes directly bonded to the facesheet. The facesheet material is a graphite fiber reinforced composite (GFRC) and the heat pipes are titanium/water. By directly bonding a single facesheet to the heat pipes, several heavy and expensive components can be eliminated from the traditional radiator design such as, POC(TradeMark) foam saddles, aluminum honeycomb, and a second facesheet. A two-heat pipe radiator prototype, based on the single facesheet direct-bond concept, was fabricated and tested to verify the ability of the direct-bond joint to withstand coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) induced stresses during thermal cycling. The thermal gradients along the bonds were measured before and after thermal cycle tests to determine if the performance degraded. Overall, the results indicated that the initial uniformity of the adhesive was poor along one of the heat pipes. However, both direct bond joints showed no measureable amount of degradation after being thermally cycled at both moderate and aggressive conditions.

Optimum temperature for growth and preferred temperatures of age-0 lake trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edsall, Thomas A.; Cleland, Joshua

2000-01-01

This study was performed to determine the thermal preferences and optimum temperature for growth of age-0 lake trout Salvelinus namaycush to help predict the thermal habitat they select when they leave the spawning grounds and to assess the risk posed to them in the Great Lakes by piscivorus, nonnative fishes whose thermal habitat preferences are known. The test fish were hatched in the laboratory from eggs taken from wild fish, acclimated to 5, 10, 15, and 18°C, and fed to excess with commercial trout food for 47 d. The test fish grew at all of the temperatures, and the specific growth rate was highest at about 12.5°C (3.8% wet body weight/d). Fish used in the growth study were also tested in a vertical thermal gradient tank and had a final thermal preferendum between 10.1°C and 10.2°C. These results, which generally agreed with those of an earlier laboratory study of the temperature preference of age-1 lake trout and the limited information on thermal habitat use by age-0 lake trout in the Great Lakes, indicated age-0 lake trout would tend to seek temperatures near 10°C, or as high as 12.5°C, during summer if food was abundant. Published information on thermal habitat use of age-1 and adult alewives Alosa pseudoharengus and rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax indicated they would be expected to co-occur with age-0 lake trout during much of the time when the lake trout were small enough to be eaten by these two introduced piscivores.

Numerical Study on Density Gradient Carbon-Carbon Composite for Vertical Launching System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jin-Young; Kim, Chun-Gon; Lim, Juhwan

2018-04-01

This study presents new carbon-carbon (C/C) composite that has a density gradient within single material, and estimates its heat conduction performance by a numerical method. To address the high heat conduction of a high-density C/C, which can cause adhesion separation in the steel structures of vertical launching systems, density gradient carbon-carbon (DGCC) composite is proposed due to its exhibiting low thermal conductivity as well as excellent ablative resistance. DGCC is manufactured by hybridizing two different carbonization processes into a single carbon preform. One part exhibits a low density using phenolic resin carbonization to reduce heat conduction, and the other exhibits a high density using thermal gradient-chemical vapor infiltration for excellent ablative resistance. Numerical analysis for DGCC is performed with a heat conduction problem, and internal temperature distributions are estimated by the forward finite difference method. Material properties of the transition density layer, which is inevitably formed during DGCC manufacturing, are assumed to a combination of two density layers for numerical analysis. By comparing numerical results with experimental data, we validate that DGCC exhibits a low thermal conductivity, and it can serve as highly effective ablative material for vertical launching systems.

Repeatability of gradient ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods in instrument-controlled thermal environments.

PubMed

Grinias, James P; Wong, Jenny-Marie T; Kennedy, Robert T

2016-08-26

The impact of viscous friction on eluent temperature and column efficiency in liquid chromatography is of renewed interest as the need for pressures exceeding 1000bar to use with columns packed with sub-2μm particles has grown. One way the development of axial and radial temperature gradients that arise due to viscous friction can be affected is by the thermal environment the column is placed in. In this study, a new column oven integrated into an ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatograph that enables both still-air and forced-air operating modes is investigated to find the magnitude of the effect of the axial thermal gradient that forms in 2.1×100mm columns packed with sub-2μm particles in these modes. Temperature increases of nearly 30K were observed when the generated power of the column exceeded 25W/m. The impact of the heating due to viscous friction on the repeatability of peak capacity, elution time, and peak area ratio to an internal standard for a gradient UHPLC-MS/MS method to analyze neurotransmitters was found to be limited. This result indicates that high speed UHPLC-MS/MS gradient methods under conditions of high viscous friction may be possible without the negative effects typically observed with isocratic separations under similar conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and testing of Parabolic Dish Concentrator No. 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennison, E. W.; Thostesen, T. O.

1984-01-01

Parabolic Dish Concentrator No. 1 (PDC-1) is a 12-m-diameter prototype concentrator with low life-cycle costs for use with thermal-to-electric energy conversion devices. The concentrator assembly features panels made of a resin transfer molded balsa core/fiberglass sandwich with plastic reflective film as the reflective surface and a ribbed framework to hold the panels in place. The concentrator assembly tracks in azimuth and elevation on a base frame riding on a circular track. It is shown that the panels do not exhibit the proper parabolic contour. However, thermal gradients were discovered in the panels with daily temperature changes. The PDC-1 has sufficient optical quality to operate satisfactorily in a dish-electric system. The PDC-1 development provides the impetus for creating innovative optical testing methods and valuable information for use in designing and fabricating concentrators of future dish-electric systems.

Amplification, attenuation, and dispersion of sound in inhomogeneous flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kentzer, C. P.

1975-01-01

First order effects of gradients in nonuniform potential flows of a compressible gas are included in a dispersion relation for sound waves. Three nondimensional numbers, the ratio of the change in the kinetic energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy of the gas, the ratio of the change in the total energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy, and the ratio of the dillatation frequency (the rate of expansion per unit volume) to the acoustic frequency, play a role in the separation of the effects of flow gradients into isotropic and anisotropic effects. Dispersion and attenuation (or amplification) of sound are found to be proportional to the wavelength for small wavelength, and depend on the direction of wave propagation relative to flow gradients. Modification of ray acoustics for the effects of flow gradients is suggested, and conditions for amplification and attenuation of sound are discussed.

Mercury Conditions for the MESSENGER Mission Simulated in High- Solar-Radiation Vacuum Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Wayne A.

2003-01-01

The MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft, planned for launch in March 2004, will perform two flybys of Mercury before entering a year-long orbit of the planet in September 2009. The mission will provide opportunities for detailed characterization of the surface, interior, atmosphere, and magnetosphere of the closest planet to the Sun. The NASA Glenn Research Center and the MESSENGER spacecraft integrator, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, have partnered under a Space Act Agreement to characterize a variety of critical components and materials under simulated conditions expected near Mercury. Glenn's Vacuum Facility 6, which is equipped with a solar simulator, can simulate the vacuum and high solar radiation anticipated in Mercury orbit. The MESSENGER test hardware includes a variety of materials and components that are being characterized during the Tank 6 vacuum tests, where the hardware will be exposed to up to 11 suns insolation, simulating conditions expected in Mercury orbit. In 2002, ten solar vacuum tests were conducted, including beginning of life, end of life, backside exposure, and solar panel thermal shock cycling tests. Components tested include candidate solar array panels, sensors, thermal shielding materials, and communication devices. As an example, for the solar panel thermal shock cycling test, two candidate solar array panels were suspended on a lift mechanism that lowered the panels into a liquid-nitrogen-cooled box. After reaching -140 C, the panels were then lifted out of the box and exposed to the equivalent of 6 suns (8.1 kilowatts per square meters). After five cold soak/heating cycles were completed successfully, there was no apparent degradation in panel performance. An anticipated 100-hr thermal shield life test is planned for autumn, followed by solar panel flight qualification tests in winter. Glenn's ongoing support to the MESSENGER program has been instrumental in identifying design solutions and validating thermal performance models under a very aggressive development schedule. The test data have assisted Johns Hopkins engineers in selecting a flight solar array vendor and a thermal shield design. MESSENGER is one in a series of missions in NASA's Discovery Program. Infrared thermography provides data on the thermal gradients in the MESSENGER components during high solar insolation vacuum testing.

Fabrication And Evaluation Of Sic/Sic Tubes With Various Fiber Architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yun, H. M.; DiCarlo, J. A.; Fox, D. S.

2003-01-01

SiC/SiC composites are excellent material candidates for high temperature applications where the performance requirements are high strength, high creep-rupture resistance, high environmental durability, and high thermal conductivity. In the past, the NASA UEET program has demonstrated fabrication of high-performance SiC/SiC flat panels reinforced by Sylramic-iBN SiC fibers. Currently NASA UEET is scaling up this SiC/SiC system by fabrication of more complex shaped components using the same fiber type. This paper reports the effects of various fiber architectures on the processing, mechanical, and durability behavior of small-diameter 0.5" ID SiC/SiC tubes, which are potential sub-elements for leading edges and cooling channels in turbine vanes and blades. Nine different fiber architectures were utilized for construction of seamless tube preforms, from simple 2D jelly-rolling to complex braiding, pin-weaving, filament-winding and 3D orthogonal weaving with approximately 5% fibers in the thru-thickness direction. Using the BN interphase and Sic matrix processing steps established for the flat panels, SiC/SiC tubes were fabricated with wall thicknesses of approximately 60 mils and total fiber fractions of approximately 35%. The "D" split ring tests for hoop tensile properties, micro-structural examinations for relationship between fiber architecture formation and matrix infiltration, and the low-pressure burner rig tests for the high temperature durability under thru-thickness thermal gradient were conducted. The better matrix infiltration and higher hoop strength were achieved using the tri-axial braided and the three-float pin woven SiC/SiC tubes. In general, it needs not only higher hoop direction fibers but also axial direction fibers for the higher hoop strength and the better infiltration, respectively. These results are analyzed to offer general guidelines for selecting fiber pre-form architectures and SiC/SiC processes that maximize tube hoop strength, thru-thickness thermal conductivity, and burner-rig durability under a high thermal gradient.

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

Samant, Saumil; Strzalka, Joseph; Yager, Kevin G.

Dynamic thermal gradient-based processes for directed self-assembly of block copolymer (BCP) thin films such as cold zone annealing (CZA) have demonstrated much potential for rapidly fabricating highly ordered patterns of BCP domains with facile orientation control. As a demonstration, hexagonally packed predominantly vertical cylindrical morphology, technologically relevant for applications such as membranes and lithography, was achieved in 1 μm thick cylinder-forming PS-b-PMMA (cBCP) films by applying sharp thermal gradients (CZA-Sharp) at optimum sample sweep rates. A thorough understanding of the molecular level mechanisms and pathways of the BCP ordering that occur during this CZA-S process is presented, useful to fullymore » exploit the potential of CZA-S for large-scale BCP-based device fabrication. To that end, we developed a customized CZA-S assembly to probe the dynamic structure evolution and ordering of the PS-b-PMMA cBCP film in situ as it undergoes the CZA-S process using the grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) technique. Four distinct regimes of BCP ordering were observed within the gradient that include microphase separation from an “as cast” unordered state (Regime I), evolution of vertical cylinders under a thermally imposed strain gradient (Regime II), reorientation of a fraction of cylinders due to preferential substrate interactions (Regime III), and finally grain-coarsening on the cooling edge (Regime IV). The ordering pathway in the different regimes is further described within the framework of an energy landscape. A novel aspect of this study is the identification of a grain-coarsening regime on the cooling edge of the gradient, previously obscure in zone annealing studies of BCPs. Furthermore, such insights into the development of highly ordered BCP nanostructures under template-free thermal gradient fields can potentially have important ramifications in the field of BCP-directed self-assembly and self-assembling polymer systems more broadly.« less

Subnanometer Motion of Cargoes Driven by Thermal Gradients Along Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreiro, Amelia; Rurali, Riccardo; Hernández, Eduardo R.; Moser, Joel; Pichler, Thomas; Forró, László; Bachtold, Adrian

2008-05-01

An important issue in nanoelectromechanical systems is developing small electrically driven motors. We report on an artificial nanofabricated motor in which one short carbon nanotube moves relative to another coaxial nanotube. A cargo is attached to an ablated outer wall of a multiwalled carbon nanotube that can rotate and/or translate along the inner nanotube. The motion is actuated by imposing a thermal gradient along the nanotube, which allows for subnanometer displacements, as opposed to an electromigration or random walk effect.

IR-to-visible image upconverter under nonlinear crystal thermal gradient operation.

PubMed

Maestre, H; Torregrosa, A J; Fernández-Pousa, C R; Capmany, J

2018-01-22

In this work we study the enhancement of the field-of-view of an infrared image up-converter by means of a thermal gradient in a PPLN crystal. Our work focuses on compact upconverters, in which both a short PPLN crystal length and high numerical aperture lenses are employed. We found a qualitative increase in both wavelength and angular tolerances, compared to a constant temperature upconverter, which makes it necessary a correct IR wavelength allocation in order to effectively increase the up-converted area.

Cosmic-ray shock acceleration in oblique MHD shocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, G. M.; Drury, L. OC.; Volk, H. J.

1986-01-01

A one-dimensional, steady-state hydrodynamical model of cosmic-ray acceleration at oblique MHD shocks is presented. Upstream of the shock the incoming thermal plasma is subject to the adverse pressure gradient of the accelerated particles, the J x B force, as well as the thermal gas pressure gradient. The efficiency of the acceleration of cosmic-rays at the shock as a function of the upstream magnetic field obliquity and upstream plasma beta is investigated. Astrophysical applications of the results are briefly discussed.

Drug-induced regulatory overcompensation has motivational consequences: Implications for homeostatic and allostatic models of drug addiction

PubMed Central

Ramsay, Douglas S; Woods, Stephen C; Kaiyala, Karl J

2014-01-01

Initial administration of 60% nitrous oxide (N2O) at 21°C ambient temperature reduces core temperature (Tc) in rats, but tolerance develops to this hypothermic effect over several administrations. After additional N2O administrations, a hyperthermic overcompensation (sign-reversal) develops such that Tc exceeds control levels during N2O inhalation. This study investigated whether rats would employ behavioral thermoregulation to facilitate, or oppose, a previously acquired hyperthermic overcompensation during N2O administration. To establish a hyperthermic sign-reversal, male Long-Evans rats (N = 12) received 10 3-h administrations of 60% N2O while housed in a gas-tight, live-in, “inactive” thermal gradient (∼21°C). Following the tenth N2O exposure, the thermal gradient was activated (range of 10–37°C), and rats received both a control gas session and a 60% N2O test session in counterbalanced order. Mean Tc during N2O inhalation in the inactive gradient was reliably hypothermic during the first exposure but was reliably hyperthermic by the tenth exposure. When subsequently exposed to 60% N2O in the active gradient, rats selected a cooler Ta, which blunted the hyperthermic sign-reversal and lowered Tc throughout the remainder of the N2O exposure. Thus, autonomic heat production effectors mediating the hyperthermia were opposed by a behavioral effector that promoted increased heat loss via selection of a cooler ambient temperature. These data are compatible with an allostatic model of drug addiction that suggests that dysregulatory overcompensation in the drugged-state may motivate behaviors (e.g., drug taking) that oppose the overcompensation, thereby creating a vicious cycle of escalating drug consumption and recurring dysregulation. PMID:25938126

Implementing Recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board: Development of On-Orbit IR Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ottens, Brian P.; Parker, Bradford; Stephan, Ryan

2005-01-01

One of NASA's Space Shuttle Return-to-Flight (RTF) efforts has been to develop thermography for the on-orbit inspection of the Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) portion of the Orbiter Wing Leading Edge (WLE). This paper addresses the capability of thermography to detect cracks in RCC by using in-plane thermal gradients that naturally occur on-orbit. Crack damage, which can result from launch debris impact, is a detection challenge for other on-orbit sensors under consideration for RTF, such as the Intensified Television Camera and Laser Dynamic Range Imager. We studied various cracks in RCC, both natural and simulated, along with material characteristics, such as emissivity uniformity, in steady-state thermography. Severity of crack, such as those likely and unlikely to cause burn through were tested, both in-air and in-vacuum, and the goal of this procedure was to assure crew and vehicle safety during reentry by identification and quantification of a damage condition while on-orbit. Expected thermal conditions are presented in typical shuttle orbits, and the expected damage signatures for each scenario are presented. Finally, through statistical signal detection, our results show that even at very low in-plane thermal gradients, we are able to detect damage at or below the threshold for fatality in the most critical sections of the WLE, with a confidence exceeding 1 in 10,000 probability of false negative.

Advanced Environmental Barrier Coating and SA Tyrannohex SiC Composites Integration for Improved Thermomechanical and Environmental Durability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Halbig, Michael; Singh, Mrityunjay

2018-01-01

The development of 2700 degF capable environmental barrier coating (EBC) systems, particularly, the Rare Earth "Hafnium" Silicon bond coat systems, have significantly improved the temperature capability and environmental stability of SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Systems. We have specifically developed the advanced 2700 degF EBC systems, integrating the EBC to the high temperature SA Tyrannohex SiC fiber composites, for comprehensive performance and durability evaluations for potential turbine engine airfoil component applications. The fundamental mechanical properties, environmental stability and thermal gradient cyclic durability performance of the EBC - SA Tyrannohex composites were investigated. The paper will particularly emphasize the high pressure combustion rig recession, cyclic thermal stress resistance and thermomechanical low cycle fatigue testing of uncoated and environmental barrier coated Tyrannohex SiC SA composites in these simulated turbine engine combustion water vapor, thermal gradients, and mechanical loading conditions. We have also investigated high heat flux and flexural fatigue degradation mechanisms, determined the upper limits of operating temperature conditions for the coated SA composite material systems in thermomechanical fatigue conditions. Recent progress has also been made by using the self-healing rare earth-silicon based EBCs, thus enhancing the SA composite hexagonal fiber columns bonding for improved thermomechanical and environmental durability in turbine engine operation environments. More advanced EBC- composite systems based on the new EBC-Fiber Interphases will also be discussed.

Implementing Recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board - Development of on-Orbit RCC Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ottens, Brian; Parker, Brad; Stephen, Ryan

2005-01-01

One of NASA s Space Shuttle Return-to-Flight (RTF) efforts has been to develop thermography for the on-orbit inspection of the Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) portion of the Orbiter Wing Leading Edge (WLE). This paper addresses the capability of thermography to detect cracks in RCC by using in-plane thermal gradients that naturally occur on-orbit. Crack damage, which can result from launch debris impact, is a detection challenge for other on-orbit sensors under consideration for RTF, such as the Intensified Television Camera and Laser Dynamic Range Imager. We studied various cracks in RCC, both natural and simulated, along with material characteristics, such as emissivity uniformity, in steady-state thermography. Severity of crack, such as those likely and unlikely to cause burn through were tested, both in-air and in-vacuum, and the goal of this procedure was to assure crew and vehicle safety during re-entry by identification and quantification of a damage condition while on-orbit. Expected thermal conditions are presented in typical shuttle orbits, and the expected damage signatures for each scenario are presented. Finally, through statistical signal detection, our results show that even at very low in-plane thermal gradients, we are able to detect damage at or below the threshold for fatality in the most critical sections of the WLE, with a confidence exceeding 1 in 10,000 probability of false negative.

Numerical study on the thermo-chemically driven Geodynamo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trümper, Tobias; Hansen, Ulrich

2014-05-01

In our numerical study we consider magneto-convection in the Earth's outer core driven by buoyancy induced by heterogeneities both in the thermal and the chemical field. The outer core is thus treated as a self-gravitating, rotating, spherical shell with unstable thermal and chemical gradients across its radius. The thermal gradient is maintained by secular cooling of the core and the release of latent heat at the inner core freezing front. Simultaneously, the concentration of the light constituents of the liquid phase increases at the inner core boundary since only a smaller fraction of the light elements can be incorporated during solidification. Thus, the inner core boundary constitutes a source of compositional buoyancy. The molecular diffusivities of the driving agents differ by some orders of magnitude so that a double-diffusive model is employed in order to study the flow dynamics of this system. We investigate the influence of different thermo-chemical driving scenarios on the structure of the flow and the internal magnetic field. A constant ratio of the diffusivities (Le=10) and a constant Ekman number (Ek=10-4) are adopted. Apart from testing different driving scenarios, the double-diffusive approach also allows to implement distinct boundary conditions on temperature and composition. Isochemical and fixed chemical flux boundary conditions are implemented in order to investigate their respective influence on the flow and magnetic field generation.

Thermal stress analysis of symmetric shells subjected to asymmetric thermal loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Negaard, G. R.

1980-01-01

The performance of the NASTRAN level 16.0 axisymmetric solid elements when subjected to both symmetric and asymmetric thermal loading was investigated. A ceramic radome was modeled using both the CTRAPRG and the CTRAPAX elements. The thermal loading applied contained severe gradients through the thickness of the shell. Both elements were found to be more sensitive to the effect of the thermal gradient than to the aspect ratio of the elements. Analysis using the CTRAPAX element predicted much higher thermal stresses than the analysis using the CTRAPRG element, prompting studies of models for which theoretical solutions could be calculated. It was found that the CTRAPRG element solutions were satisfactory, but that the CTRAPAX element was very geometry dependent. This element produced erroneous results if the geometry was allowed to vary from a rectangular cross-section. The most satisfactory solution found for this type of problem was to model a small segment of a symmetric structure with isoparametric solid elements and apply the cyclic symmetry option in NASTRAN.

Failure Analysis of Sapphire Refractive Secondary Concentrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.; Quinn, George D.

2009-01-01

Failure analysis was performed on two sapphire, refractive secondary concentrators (RSC) that failed during elevated temperature testing. Both concentrators failed from machining/handling damage on the lens face. The first concentrator, which failed during testing to 1300 C, exhibited a large r-plane twin extending from the lens through much of the cone. The second concentrator, which was an attempt to reduce temperature gradients and failed during testing to 649 C, exhibited a few small twins on the lens face. The twins were not located at the origin, but represent another mode of failure that needs to be considered in the design of sapphire components. In order to estimate the fracture stress from fractographic evidence, branching constants were measured on sapphire strength specimens. The fractographic analysis indicated radial tensile stresses of 44 to 65 MPa on the lens faces near the origins. Finite element analysis indicated similar stresses for the first RSC, but lower stresses for the second RSC. Better machining and handling might have prevented the fractures, however, temperature gradients and resultant thermal stresses need to be reduced to prevent twinning.

Ecological impacts of invasive alien species along temperature gradients: testing the role of environmental matching.

PubMed

Iacarella, Josephine C; Dick, Jaimie T A; Alexander, Mhairi E; Ricciardi, Anthony

2015-04-01

Invasive alien species (IAS) can cause substantive ecological impacts, and the role of temperature in mediating these impacts may become increasingly significant in a changing climate. Habitat conditions and physiological optima offer predictive information for IAS impacts in novel environments. Here, using meta-analysis and laboratory experiments, we tested the hypothesis that the impacts of IAS in the field are inversely correlated with the difference in their ambient and optimal temperatures. A meta-analysis of 29 studies of consumptive impacts of IAS in inland waters revealed that the impacts of fishes and crustaceans are higher at temperatures that more closely match their thermal growth optima. In particular, the maximum impact potential was constrained by increased differences between ambient and optimal temperatures, as indicated by the steeper slope of a quantile regression on the upper 25th percentile of impact data compared to that of a weighted linear regression on all data with measured variances. We complemented this study with an experimental analysis of the functional response (the relationship between predation rate and prey supply) of two invasive predators (freshwater mysid shrimp, Hemimysis anomala and Mysis diluviana) across. relevant temperature gradients; both of these species have previously been found to exert strong community-level impacts that are corroborated by their functional responses to different prey items. The functional response experiments showed that maximum feeding rates of H. anomala and M. diluviana have distinct peaks near their respective thermal optima. Although variation in impacts may be caused by numerous abiotic or biotic habitat characteristics, both our analyses point to temperature as a key mediator of IAS impact levels in inland waters and suggest that IAS management should prioritize habitats in the invaded range that more closely match the thermal optima of targeted invaders.

The Design of a Transparent Vertical Multizone Furnace: Application to Thermal Field Tuning and Crystal Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duvual, Walter M. B.; Batur, Celal; Bennett, Robert J.

1998-01-01

We present an innovative design of a vertical transparent multizone furnace which can operate in the temperature range of 25 C to 750 C and deliver thermal gradients of 2 C/cm to 45 C/cm for the commercial applications to crystal growth. The operation of the eight zone furnace is based on a self-tuning temperature control system with a DC power supply for optimal thermal stability. We show that the desired thermal profile over the entire length of the furnace consists of a functional combination of the fundamental thermal profiles for each individual zone obtained by setting the set-point temperature for that zone. The self-tuning system accounts for the zone to zone thermal interactions. The control system operates such that the thermal profile is maintained under thermal load, thus boundary conditions on crystal growth ampoules can be predetermined prior to crystal growth. Temperature profiles for the growth of crystals via directional solidification, vapor transport techniques, and multiple gradient applications are shown to be easily implemented. The unique feature of its transparency and ease of programming thermal profiles make the furnace useful in scientific and commercial applications for determining the optimized process parameters for crystal growth.

A Thermally-Regenerative Ammonia-Based Flow Battery for Electrical Energy Recovery from Waste Heat.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiuping; Rahimi, Mohammad; Gorski, Christopher A; Logan, Bruce

2016-04-21

Large amounts of low-grade waste heat (temperatures <130 °C) are released during many industrial, geothermal, and solar-based processes. Using thermally-regenerative ammonia solutions, low-grade thermal energy can be converted to electricity in battery systems. To improve reactor efficiency, a compact, ammonia-based flow battery (AFB) was developed and tested at different solution concentrations, flow rates, cell pairs, and circuit connections. The AFB achieved a maximum power density of 45 W m(-2) (15 kW m(-3) ) and an energy density of 1260 Wh manolyte (-3) , with a thermal energy efficiency of 0.7 % (5 % relative to the Carnot efficiency). The power and energy densities of the AFB were greater than those previously reported for thermoelectrochemical and salinity-gradient technologies, and the voltage or current could be increased using stacked cells. These results demonstrated that an ammonia-based flow battery is a promising technology to convert low-grade thermal energy to electricity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Approximate analysis of thermal convection in a crystal-growth cell for Spacelab 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dressler, R. F.

1982-01-01

The transient and steady thermal convection in microgravity is described. The approach is applicable to many three dimensional flows in containers of various shapes with various thermal gradients imposed. The method employs known analytical solutions to two dimensional thermal flows in simpler geometries, and does not require recourse to numerical calculations by computer.

Surface Tension Gradients Induced by Temperature: The Thermal Marangoni Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gugliotti, Marcos; Baptisto, Mauricio S.; Politi, Mario J.

2004-01-01

Surface tensions gradients were generated in a thin liquid film because of the local increase in temperature, for demonstration purposes. This is performed using a simple experiment and allows different alternatives for heat generation to be used.

Tracking the Subsurface Signal of Decadal Climate Warming to Quantify Vertical Groundwater Flow Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bense, V. F.; Kurylyk, B. L.

2017-12-01

Sustained ground surface warming on a decadal time scale leads to an inversion of thermal gradients in the upper tens of meters. The magnitude and direction of vertical groundwater flow should influence the propagation of this warming signal, but direct field observations of this phenomenon are rare. Comparison of temperature-depth profiles in boreholes in the Veluwe area, Netherlands, collected in 1978-1982 and 2016 provided such direct measurement. We used these repeated profiles to track the downward propagation rate of the depth at which the thermal gradient is zero. Numerical modeling of the migration of this thermal gradient "inflection point" yielded estimates of downward groundwater flow rates (0-0.24 m a-1) that generally concurred with known hydrogeological conditions in the area. We conclude that analysis of inflection point depths in temperature-depth profiles impacted by surface warming provides a largely untapped opportunity to inform sustainable groundwater management plans that rely on accurate estimates of long-term vertical groundwater fluxes.

On thermal conditions and properties of thallium bromide single crystals grown by the Electro Dynamic Gradient method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhiping; Yu, Yongtao; Gong, Shuping; Fu, Qiuyun; Zhou, Dongxiang

2013-05-01

The Electro Dynamic Gradient (EDG) method has been proved to be a feasible way to grow TlBr crystals in our previous work. In this research, the influence of thermal conditions such as cooling rate during growth process on the crystal performance was investigated. Crystals of approximately 12 mm diameter were obtained by the EDG method at different cooling rates during the growth process, and the quality of the crystals was routinely evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) transmission, I-V measurement and energy response spectrum. The results proved that thermal conditions during growth had a profound influence on the characteristics of the crystals.

Instability of a gravity gradient satellite due to thermal distortion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, R. L.

1975-01-01

A nonlinear analytical model and a corresponding computer program were developed to study the influence of solar heating on the anomalous low frequency, orbital instability of the Naval Research Laboratory's gravity gradient satellite 164. The model's formulation was based on a quasi-static approach in which deflections of the satellite's booms were determined in terms of thermally induced bending without consideration of boom vibration. Calculations, which were made for variations in absorptivity, sun angle, thermal lag, and hinge stiffness, demonstrated that, within the confines of a relatively narrow stability criteria, the quasi-static model of NRL 164 not only becomes unstable, but, in a number of cases, responses were computed that closely resembled flight data.

Thermal Imaging of Aerospace Battery Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shue, Jack; Ramirez, Julian B.; Sullivan, David; Lee, Leonine; Rao, Gopalakrishna

2006-01-01

Surface Thermal Profiles of Eagle Picher rabbit-ear 50Ah NiH2 and of Saft 40 Ah Li-ion cylindrical cells have been studied using ThermCAM S60 FLIR Systems. Popping Phenomenon in NiH2 cell is demonstrated Temperature gradient in NiH2 is slightly higher than normally considered, for example. Middle of stack to top or bottom is about 12.9 C compared to <7 C (may be due to passive cooling). Less than 1 C thermal gradient on the Li-Ion cell vessel surface. Significantly lower heat generation in Li-Ion cell compared to NiH2 cell. -May be due to a favorable charge method used for Li-Ion cell.

Assimilation of temperature and hydraulic gradients for quantifying the spatial variability of streambed hydraulics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiang; Andrews, Charles B.; Liu, Jie; Yao, Yingying; Liu, Chuankun; Tyler, Scott W.; Selker, John S.; Zheng, Chunmiao

2016-08-01

Understanding the spatial and temporal characteristics of water flux into or out of shallow aquifers is imperative for water resources management and eco-environmental conservation. In this study, the spatial variability in the vertical specific fluxes and hydraulic conductivities in a streambed were evaluated by integrating distributed temperature sensing (DTS) data and vertical hydraulic gradients into an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and smoother (EnKS) and an empirical thermal-mixing model. The formulation of the EnKF/EnKS assimilation scheme is based on a discretized 1D advection-conduction equation of heat transfer in the streambed. We first systematically tested a synthetic case and performed quantitative and statistical analyses to evaluate the performance of the assimilation schemes. Then a real-world case was evaluated to calculate assimilated specific flux. An initial estimate of the spatial distributions of the vertical hydraulic gradients was obtained from an empirical thermal-mixing model under steady-state conditions using a constant vertical hydraulic conductivity. Then, this initial estimate was updated by repeatedly dividing the assimilated specific flux by estimates of the vertical hydraulic gradients to obtain a refined spatial distribution of vertical hydraulic gradients and vertical hydraulic conductivities. Our results indicate that optimal parameters can be derived with fewer iterations but greater simulation effort using the EnKS compared with the EnKF. For the field application in a stream segment of the Heihe River Basin in northwest China, the average vertical hydraulic conductivities in the streambed varied over three orders of magnitude (5 × 10-1 to 5 × 102 m/d). The specific fluxes ranged from near zero (qz < ±0.05 m/d) to ±1.0 m/d, while the vertical hydraulic gradients were within the range of -0.2 to 0.15 m/m. The highest and most variable fluxes occurred adjacent to a debris-dam and bridge pier. This phenomenon is very likely the result of heterogeneous streambed hydraulic characteristics in these areas. Our results have significant implications for hyporheic micro-habitats, fish spawning and other wildlife incubation, regional flow and hyporheic solute transport models in the Heihe River Basin, as well as in other similar hydrologic settings.

Thermophoresis of dissolved molecules and polymers: Consideration of the temperature-induced macroscopic pressure gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, Semen; Schimpf, Martin

2004-01-01

The movement of molecules and homopolymer chains dissolved in a nonelectrolyte solvent in response to a temperature gradient is considered a consequence of temperature-induced pressure gradients in the solvent layer surrounding the solute molecules. Local pressure gradients are produced by nonuniform London van der Waals interactions, established by gradients in the concentration (density) of solvent molecules. The density gradient is produced by variations in solvent thermal expansion within the nonuniform temperature field. The resulting expression for the velocity of the solute contains the Hamaker constants for solute-solvent and solute-solute interactions, the radius of the solute molecule, and the viscosity and cubic coefficient of thermal expansion of the solvent. In this paper we consider an additional force that arises from directional asymmetry in the interaction between solvent molecules. In a closed cell, the resulting macroscopic pressure gradient gives rise to a volume force that affects the motion of dissolved solutes. An expression for this macroscopic pressure gradient is derived and the resulting force is incorporated into the expression for the solute velocity. The expression is used to calculate thermodiffusion coefficients for polystyrene in several organic solvents. When these values are compared to those measured in the laboratory, the consistency is better than that found in previous reports, which did not consider the macroscopic pressure gradient that arises in a closed thermodiffusion cell. The model also allows for the movement of solute in either direction, depending on the relative values of the solvent and solute Hamaker constants.

Method for determining thermal conductivity and thermal capacity per unit volume of earth in situ

DOEpatents

Poppendiek, Heinz F.

1982-01-01

A method for determining the thermal conductivity of the earth in situ is based upon a cylindrical probe (10) having a thermopile (16) for measuring the temperature gradient between sets of thermocouple junctions (18 and 20) of the probe after it has been positioned in a borehole and has reached thermal equilibrium with its surroundings, and having means (14) for heating one set of thermocouple junctions (20) of the probe at a constant rate while the temperature gradient of the probe is recorded as a rise in temperature over several hours (more than about 3 hours). A fluid annulus thermally couples the probe to the surrounding earth. The recorded temperature curves are related to the earth's thermal conductivity, k.sub..infin., and to the thermal capacity per unit volume, (.gamma.c.sub.p).sub..infin., by comparison with calculated curves using estimates of k.sub..infin. and (.gamma.c.sub.p).sub..infin. in an equation which relates these parameters to a rise in the earth's temperature for a known and constant heating rate.

Thermoelectric spin voltage in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sierra, Juan F.; Neumann, Ingmar; Cuppens, Jo; Raes, Bart; Costache, Marius V.; Valenzuela, Sergio O.

2018-02-01

In recent years, new spin-dependent thermal effects have been discovered in ferromagnets, stimulating a growing interest in spin caloritronics, a field that exploits the interaction between spin and heat currents1,2. Amongst the most intriguing phenomena is the spin Seebeck effect3-5, in which a thermal gradient gives rise to spin currents that are detected through the inverse spin Hall effect6-8. Non-magnetic materials such as graphene are also relevant for spin caloritronics, thanks to efficient spin transport9-11, energy-dependent carrier mobility and unique density of states12,13. Here, we propose and demonstrate that a carrier thermal gradient in a graphene lateral spin valve can lead to a large increase of the spin voltage near to the graphene charge neutrality point. Such an increase results from a thermoelectric spin voltage, which is analogous to the voltage in a thermocouple and that can be enhanced by the presence of hot carriers generated by an applied current14-17. These results could prove crucial to drive graphene spintronic devices and, in particular, to sustain pure spin signals with thermal gradients and to tune the remote spin accumulation by varying the spin-injection bias.

Potential pressurized payloads: Fluid and thermal experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Theodore D.

1992-01-01

Space Station Freedom (SSF) presents the opportunity to perform long term fluid and thermal experiments in a microgravity environment. This presentation provides perspective on the need for fluids/thermal experimentation in a microgravity environment, addresses previous efforts, identifies possible experiments, and discusses the capabilities of a proposed fluid physics/dynamics test facility. Numerous spacecraft systems use fluids for their operation. Thermal control, propulsion, waste management, and various operational processes are examples of such systems. However, effective ground testing is very difficult. This is because the effect of gravity induced phenomena, such as hydrostatic pressure, buoyant convection, and stratification, overcome such forces as surface tension, diffusion, electric potential, etc., which normally dominate in a microgravity environment. Hence, space experimentation is necessary to develop and validate a new fluid based technology. Two broad types of experiments may be performed on SSF: basic research and applied research. Basic research might include experiments focusing on capillary phenomena (with or without thermal and/or solutal gradients), thermal/solutal convection, phase transitions, and multiphase flow. Representative examples of applied research might include two-phase pressure drop, two-phase flow instabilities, heat transfer coefficients, fluid tank fill/drain, tank slosh dynamics, condensate removal enhancement, and void formation within thermal energy storage materials. In order to better support such fluid/thermal experiments on board SSF, OSSA has developed a conceptual design for a proposed Fluid Physics/Dynamics Facility (FP/DF). The proposed facility consists of one facility rack permanently located on SSF and one experimenter rack which is changed out as needed to support specific experiments. This approach will minimize the on-board integration/deintegration required for specific experiments. The FP/DF will have acceleration/vibration compensation, power and thermal interfaces, computer command/data collection, a video imaging system, and a portable glove box for operations. This facility will allow real-time astronaut interaction with the testing.

Susceptibility to a metal under global warming is shaped by thermal adaptation along a latitudinal gradient.

PubMed

Dinh Van, Khuong; Janssens, Lizanne; Debecker, Sara; De Jonge, Maarten; Lambret, Philippe; Nilsson-Örtman, Viktor; Bervoets, Lieven; Stoks, Robby

2013-09-01

Global warming and contamination represent two major threats to biodiversity that have the potential to interact synergistically. There is the potential for gradual local thermal adaptation and dispersal to higher latitudes to mitigate the susceptibility of organisms to contaminants and global warming at high latitudes. Here, we applied a space-for-time substitution approach to study the thermal dependence of the susceptibility of Ischnura elegans damselfly larvae to zinc in a common garden warming experiment (20 and 24 °C) with replicated populations from three latitudes spanning >1500 km in Europe. We observed a striking latitude-specific effect of temperature on the zinc-induced mortality pattern; local thermal adaptation along the latitudinal gradient made Swedish, but not French, damselfly larvae more susceptible to zinc at 24 °C. Latitude- and temperature-specific differences in zinc susceptibility may be related to the amount of energy available to defend against and repair damage since Swedish larvae showed a much stronger zinc-induced reduction of food intake at 24 °C. The pattern of local thermal adaptation indicates that the predicted temperature increase of 4 °C by 2100 will strongly magnify the impact of a contaminant such as zinc at higher latitudes unless there is thermal evolution and/or migration of lower latitude genotypes. Our results underscore the critical importance of studying the susceptibility to contaminants under realistic warming scenarios taking into account local thermal adaptation across natural temperature gradients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thermoregulation in the lizard Psammodromus algirus along a 2200-m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamora-Camacho, Francisco Javier; Reguera, Senda; Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio

2016-05-01

Achieving optimal body temperature maximizes animal fitness. Since ambient temperature may limit ectotherm thermal performance, it can be constrained in too cold or hot environments. In this sense, elevational gradients encompass contrasting thermal environments. In thermally pauperized elevations, ectotherms may either show adaptations or suboptimal body temperatures. Also, reproductive condition may affect thermal needs. Herein, we examined different thermal ecology and physiology capabilities of the lizard Psammodromus algirus along a 2200-m elevational gradient. We measured field (Tb) and laboratory-preferred (Tpref) body temperatures of lizards with different reproductive conditions, as well as ambient (Ta) and copper-model operative temperature (Te), which we used to determine thermal quality of the habitat (de), accuracy (db), and effectiveness of thermoregulation (de-db) indexes. We detected no Tb trend in elevation, while Ta constrained Tb only at high elevations. Moreover, while Ta decreased more than 7 °C with elevation, Tpref dropped only 0.6 °C, although significantly. Notably, low-elevation lizards faced excess temperature (Te > Tpref). Notably, de was best at middle elevations, followed by high elevations, and poorest at low elevations. Nonetheless, regarding microhabitat, high-elevation de was more suitable in sun-exposed microhabitats, which may increase exposition to predators, and at midday, which may limit daily activity. As for gender, db and de-db were better in females than in males. In conclusion, P. algirus seems capable to face a wide thermal range, which probably contributes to its extensive corology and makes it adaptable to climate changes.

Compensation of thermal constraints along a natural environmental gradient in a Malagasy iguanid lizard (Oplurus quadrimaculatus).

PubMed

Theisinger, Ole; Berg, W; Dausmann, K H

2017-08-01

Physiological or behavioural adjustments are a prerequisite for ectotherms to cope with different thermal environments. One of the world's steepest environmental gradients in temperature and precipitation can be found in southeastern Madagascar. This unique gradient allowed us to study the compensation of thermal constraints in the heliothermic lizard Oplurus quadrimaculatus on a very small geographic scale. The lizard occurs from hot spiny forest to intermediate gallery and transitional forest to cooler rain forest and we investigated whether these habitat differences are compensated behaviourally or physiologically. To study activity skin temperature (as proxy for body temperature) and the activity time of lizards, we attached temperature loggers to individuals in three different habitats. In addition, we calculated field resting costs from field resting metabolic rate to compare energy expenditure along the environmental gradient. We found no variation in activity skin temperature, despite significant differences in operative environmental temperature among habitats. However, daily activity time and field resting costs were reduced by 35% and 28% in the cool rain forest compared to the hot spiny forest. Our study shows that O. quadrimaculatus relies on behavioural mechanisms rather than physiological adjustments to compensate thermal differences between habitats. Furthermore, its foraging activity in open, sun exposed habitats facilitates such a highly effective thermoregulation that cold operative temperature, not energetically expensive heat, presents a greater challenge for these lizards despite living in a hot environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Phylogenetic conservatism of thermal traits explains dispersal limitation and genomic differentiation of Streptomyces sister-taxa.

PubMed

Choudoir, Mallory J; Buckley, Daniel H

2018-06-07

The latitudinal diversity gradient is a pattern of biogeography observed broadly in plants and animals but largely undocumented in terrestrial microbial systems. Although patterns of microbial biogeography across broad taxonomic scales have been described in a range of contexts, the mechanisms that generate biogeographic patterns between closely related taxa remain incompletely characterized. Adaptive processes are a major driver of microbial biogeography, but there is less understanding of how microbial biogeography and diversification are shaped by dispersal limitation and drift. We recently described a latitudinal diversity gradient of species richness and intraspecific genetic diversity in Streptomyces by using a geographically explicit culture collection. Within this geographically explicit culture collection, we have identified Streptomyces sister-taxa whose geographic distribution is delimited by latitude. These sister-taxa differ in geographic distribution, genomic diversity, and ecological traits despite having nearly identical SSU rRNA gene sequences. Comparative genomic analysis reveals genomic differentiation of these sister-taxa consistent with restricted gene flow across latitude. Furthermore, we show phylogenetic conservatism of thermal traits between the sister-taxa suggesting that thermal trait adaptation limits dispersal and gene flow across climate regimes as defined by latitude. Such phylogenetic conservatism of thermal traits is commonly associated with latitudinal diversity gradients for plants and animals. These data provide further support for the hypothesis that the Streptomyces latitudinal diversity gradient was formed as a result of historical demographic processes defined by dispersal limitation and driven by paleoclimate dynamics.

Magnetothermal Convection of Water with the Presence or Absence of a Magnetic Force Acting on the Susceptibility Gradient

PubMed Central

Maki, Syou

2016-01-01

Heat transfer of magnetothermal convection with the presence or absence of the magnetic force acting on the susceptibility gradient (fsc) was examined by three-dimensional numerical computations. Thermal convection of water enclosed in a shallow cylindrical vessel (diameter over vessel height = 6.0) with the Rayleigh-Benard model was adopted as the model, under the conditions of Prandtl number 6.0 and Ra number 7000, respectively. The momentum equations of convection were nondimensionalized, which involved the term of fsc and the term of magnetic force acting on the magnetic field gradient (fb). All the computations resulted in axisymmetric steady rolls. The values of the averaged Nu, the averaged velocity components U, V, and W, and the isothermal distributions and flow patterns were almost completely the same, regardless of the presence or absence of the term of fsc. As a result, we found that the effect of fsc was extremely small, although much previous research emphasized the effect with paramagnetic solutions under an unsteady state. The magnitude of fsc depends not only on magnetic conditions (magnitudes of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic flux density), but also on the thermal properties of the solution (thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and viscosity). Therefore the effect of fb becomes dominant on the magnetothermal convection. Active control over the density gradient with temperature will be required to advance heat transfer with the effect of fsc. PMID:27606823

An Advanced One-Dimensional Finite Element Model for Incompressible Thermally Expandable Flow

DOE PAGES

Hu, Rui

2017-03-27

Here, this paper provides an overview of a new one-dimensional finite element flow model for incompressible but thermally expandable flow. The flow model was developed for use in system analysis tools for whole-plant safety analysis of sodium fast reactors. Although the pressure-based formulation was implemented, the use of integral equations in the conservative form ensured the conservation laws of the fluid. A stabilization scheme based on streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin and pressure-stabilizing/Petrov-Galerkin formulations is also introduced. The flow model and its implementation have been verified by many test problems, including density wave propagation, steep gradient problems, discharging between tanks, and the conjugate heatmore » transfer in a heat exchanger.« less

An Advanced One-Dimensional Finite Element Model for Incompressible Thermally Expandable Flow

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

Hu, Rui

Here, this paper provides an overview of a new one-dimensional finite element flow model for incompressible but thermally expandable flow. The flow model was developed for use in system analysis tools for whole-plant safety analysis of sodium fast reactors. Although the pressure-based formulation was implemented, the use of integral equations in the conservative form ensured the conservation laws of the fluid. A stabilization scheme based on streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin and pressure-stabilizing/Petrov-Galerkin formulations is also introduced. The flow model and its implementation have been verified by many test problems, including density wave propagation, steep gradient problems, discharging between tanks, and the conjugate heatmore » transfer in a heat exchanger.« less

Effects of solid-propellant temperature gradients on the internal ballistics of the Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sforzini, R. H.; Foster, W. A., Jr.; Shackelford, B. W., Jr.

1978-01-01

The internal ballistic effects of combined radial and circumferential grain temperature gradients are evaluated theoretically for the Space Shuttle solid rocket motors (SRMs). A simplified approach is devised for representing with closed-form mathematical expressions the temperature distribution resulting from the anticipated thermal history prior to launch. The internal ballistic effects of the gradients are established by use of a mathematical model which permits the propellant burning rate to vary circumferentially. Comparative results are presented for uniform and axisymmetric temperature distributions and the anticipated gradients based on an earlier two-dimensional analysis of the center SRM segment. The thrust imbalance potential of the booster stage is also assessed based on the difference in the thermal loading of the individual SRMs of the motor pair which may be encountered in both summer and winter environments at the launch site. Results indicate that grain temperature gradients could cause the thrust imbalance to be approximately 10% higher in the Space Shuttle than the imbalance caused by SRM manufacturing and propellant physical property variability alone.

Quantum optomechanical piston engines powered by heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mari, A.; Farace, A.; Giovannetti, V.

2015-09-01

We study two different models of optomechanical systems where a temperature gradient between two radiation baths is exploited for inducing self-sustained coherent oscillations of a mechanical resonator. From a thermodynamic perspective, such systems represent quantum instances of self-contained thermal machines converting heat into a periodic mechanical motion and thus they can be interpreted as nano-scale analogues of macroscopic piston engines. Our models are potentially suitable for testing fundamental aspects of quantum thermodynamics in the laboratory and for applications in energy efficient nanotechnology.

Performance Technology Program (PTP-S II), Volume IX. Evaluation of Reentry Vehicle Nosetip Transition and Heat Transfer in the AEDC Hyperballistics Track G

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

8217qround test programs, has shown that nosetip related effects markedly influence reentry vehicle performance. In clear air environments e’:he twc major...free flight configuration, extraneous shock layer radia- tion and surface chemiluminescence which may influence the sur- face temperature measurements...in the postf light model may result from range debris or thermal stress in the graphite from the large tem- perature gradients, their influence on

Thermal adaptation and diversity in tropical ecosystems: evidence from cicadas (Hemiptera, Cicadidae).

PubMed

Sanborn, Allen F; Heath, James E; Phillips, Polly K; Heath, Maxine S; Noriega, Fernando G

2011-01-01

The latitudinal gradient in species diversity is a central problem in ecology. Expeditions covering approximately 16°54' of longitude and 21°4' of latitude and eight Argentine phytogeographic regions provided thermal adaptation data for 64 species of cicadas. We test whether species diversity relates to the diversity of thermal environments within a habitat. There are general patterns of the thermal response values decreasing in cooler floristic provinces and decreasing maximum potential temperature within a habitat except in tropical forest ecosystems. Vertical stratification of the plant communities leads to stratification in species using specific layers of the habitat. There is a decrease in thermal tolerances in species from the understory communities in comparison to middle level or canopy fauna. The understory Herrera umbraphila Sanborn & Heath is the first diurnally active cicada identified as a thermoconforming species. The body temperature for activity in H. umbraphila is less than and significantly different from active body temperatures of all other studied species regardless of habitat affiliation. These data suggest that variability in thermal niches within the heterogeneous plant community of the tropical forest environments permits species diversification as species adapt their physiology to function more efficiently at temperatures different from their potential competitors.

Analysis and Testing of High Temperature Fibrous Insulation for Reusable Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daryabeigi, Kamran

1999-01-01

Analytical models were developed to model the heat transfer through high-temperature fibrous insulation used in metallic thermal protection systems on reusable launch vehicles. The optically thick approximation was used to simulate radiation heat transfer through the insulation. Different models for gaseous conduction and solid conduction in the fibers, and for combining the various modes of heat transfer into a local, volume-averaged, thermal conductivity were considered. The governing heat transfer equations were solved numerically, and effective thermal conductivities were calculated from the steady-state results. An experimental apparatus was developed to measure the apparent thermal conductivity of insulation subjected to pressures, temperatures and temperature gradients representative of re-entry conditions for launch vehicles. The apparent thermal conductivity of an alumina fiber insulation was measured at nominal densities of 24, 48 and 96 kg/cu m. Data were obtained at environmental pressures from 10(exp 4) to 760 torr, with the insulation cold side maintained at room temperature and its hot side temperature varying up to 1000 C. The experimental results were used to evaluate the analytical models. The best analytical model resulted in effective thermal conductivity predictions that were within 8% of experimental results.

Dimensionless numbers in additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, T.; Manvatkar, V.; De, A.; DebRoy, T.

2017-02-01

The effects of many process variables and alloy properties on the structure and properties of additively manufactured parts are examined using four dimensionless numbers. The structure and properties of components made from 316 Stainless steel, Ti-6Al-4V, and Inconel 718 powders for various dimensionless heat inputs, Peclet numbers, Marangoni numbers, and Fourier numbers are studied. Temperature fields, cooling rates, solidification parameters, lack of fusion defects, and thermal strains are examined using a well-tested three-dimensional transient heat transfer and fluid flow model. The results show that lack of fusion defects in the fabricated parts can be minimized by strengthening interlayer bonding using high values of dimensionless heat input. The formation of harmful intermetallics such as laves phases in Inconel 718 can be suppressed using low heat input that results in a small molten pool, a steep temperature gradient, and a fast cooling rate. Improved interlayer bonding can be achieved at high Marangoni numbers, which results in vigorous circulation of liquid metal, larger pool dimensions, and greater depth of penetration. A high Fourier number ensures rapid cooling, low thermal distortion, and a high ratio of temperature gradient to the solidification growth rate with a greater tendency of plane front solidification.

The heat flow study in the Tertiary Basin of Vietnam offshore

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

Huyen, T.

1994-07-01

In Vietnam, study of heat flow has paralleled petroleum exploration activities. For a long time there had only been results on temperature gradients in the Tertiary basin. Recently, with its participation in CCOP's project on the establishment of heat flow regional maps (1992-1993) and the government's mineral resources program (1993-1995) (Coded KT-01-18), Vietnam Petroleum Institute's group on heat flow obtained results on heat flow. A heat flow study in the oil basinal area in Vietnam has been conducted using data from 76 exploratory wells. Thermal conductivity of 427 cores was measured using the quick thermal conductivity meter (QTM) within temperaturemore » gradients of wells calculated from well log data and from testing data. The average heat flow of sedimentary basins in Vietnam follows: Hanoi graben, 125 Q (mW/m2); north Gulf of Tonkin, 87 Q (mW/m2); south Gulf of Tonkin, 119 Q (mW/m2); Danang Graben, 89 Q (mW/m2); northeast-south Conson, 88 Q (mW/m2); southwest-south Conson, 85 Q (mW/m2); Mekong Basin, 64 Q (mW/m2).« less

AMCC casting development. Volume 1: Executive Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Advanced Combustion Chamber Casting (AMCC) has been a technically challenging part due to its size, configuration, and alloy type. The height and weight of the wax pattern assembly necessitated the development of a hollow gating system to ensure structural integrity of the shell throughout the investment process. The complexity in the jacket area of the casting required the development of an innovative casting technology that PCC has termed 'TGC' or Thermal Gradient Control. This method, of setting up thermal gradients in the casting during solidification, represents a significant process improvement for PCC and has been successfully implemented on other programs. Metallurgical integrity of the final four castings was very good. Only the areas of the parts that utilized 'TGC Shape & Location System #2' showed any significant areas of microshrinkage when evaluated by non-destructive tests. Alumina oxides detected by FPI on the 'float' surfaces (top sid surfaces of the casting during solidification) of the part were almost entirely less than the acceptance criteria of .032 inches in diameter. Destructive chem mill of the castings was required to determine the effect of the process variables used during the processing of these last four parts (with the exception of the 'Shape & Location of TGC' variable).

Thermal transpiration: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

T, Joe Francis; Sathian, Sarith P.

2014-12-01

Thermal transpiration is a phenomenon where fluid molecules move from the cold end towards the hot end of a channel under the influence of longitudinal temperature gradient alone. Although the phenomenon of thermal transpiration is observed at rarefied gas conditions in macro systems, the phenomenon can occur at atmospheric pressure if the characteristic dimensions of the channel is less than 100 nm. The flow through these nanosized channels is characterized by the free molecular flow regimes and continuum theory is inadequate to describe the flow. Thus a non-continuum method like molecular dynamics (MD) is necessary to study such phenomenon. In the present work, MD simulations were carried out to investigate the occurance of thermal transpiration in copper and platinum nanochannels at atmospheric pressure conditions. The mean pressure of argon gas confined inside the nano channels was maintained around 1 bar. The channel height is maintained at 2nm. The argon atoms interact with each other and with the wall atoms through the Lennard-Jones potential. The wall atoms are modelled using an EAM potential. Further, separate simulations were carried out where a Harmonic potential is used for the atom-atom interaction in the platinum channel. A thermally insulating wall was introduced between the low and high temperature regions and those wall atoms interact with fluid atoms through a repulsive potential. A reduced cut off radius were used to achieve this. Thermal creep is induced by applying a temperature gradient along the channel wall. It was found that flow developed in the direction of the increasing temperature gradient of the wall. An increase in the volumetric flux was observed as the length of the cold and the hot regions of the wall were increased. The effect of temperature gradient and the wall-fluid interaction strength on the flow parameters have been studied to understand the phenomenon better.

Crystal Growth Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duval, Walter M. B.; Batur, Celal; Bennett, Robert J.

1997-01-01

We present an innovative design of a vertical transparent multizone furnace which can operate in the temperature range of 25 C to 750 C and deliver thermal gradients of 2 C/cm to 45 C/cm for the commercial applications to crystal growth. The operation of the eight zone furnace is based on a self-tuning temperature control system with a DC power supply for optimal thermal stability. We show that the desired thermal profile over the entire length of the furnace consists of a functional combination of the fundamental thermal profiles for each individual zone obtained by setting the set-point temperature for that zone. The self-tuning system accounts for the zone to zone thermal interactions. The control system operates such that the thermal profile is maintained under thermal load, thus boundary conditions on crystal growth ampoules can be predetermined prior to crystal growth. Temperature profiles for the growth of crystals via directional solidification, vapor transport techniques, and multiple gradient applications are shown to be easily implemented. The unique feature of its transparency and ease of programming thermal profiles make the furnace useful for scientific and commercial applications for the determination of process parameters to optimize crystal growth conditions.

Temperature and deflection data from the asymmetric heating of cross-ply composite tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyer, Michael W.; Cooper, David E.; Tompkins, S. S.; Cohen, David

1987-01-01

Data generated while heating several cross-ply graphite-epoxy tubes on one side, along their lengths, and cooling them on the other side are presented. This heating arrangement produces a circumferential temperature gradient, and the data show that the gradient can be represented by a cosinusoidal temperature distribution. The thermally induced bending deflections caused by the temperature gradient are also presented.

Innovative Methodologies for thermal Energy Release Measurement: case of La Solfatara volcano (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marfe`, Barbara; Avino, Rosario; Belviso, Pasquale; Caliro, Stefano; Carandente, Antonio; Marotta, Enrica; Peluso, Rosario

2015-04-01

This work is devoted to improve the knowledge on the parameters that control the heat flux anomalies associated with the diffuse degassing processes of volcanic and hydrothermal areas. The methodologies currently used to measure heat flux (i.e. CO2 flux or temperature gradient) are either poorly efficient or effective, and are unable to detect short to medium time (days to months) variation trends in the heat flux. A new method, based on the use of thermal imaging cameras, has been applied to estimate the heat flux and its time variations. This approach will allow faster heat flux measurement than already accredited methods, improving in this way the definition of the activity state of a volcano and allowing a better assessment of the related hazard and risk mitigation. The idea is to extrapolate the heat flux from the ground surface temperature that, in a purely conductive regime, is directly correlated to the shallow temperature gradient. We use thermal imaging cameras, at short distances (meters to hundreds of meters), to quickly obtain a mapping of areas with thermal anomalies and a measure of their temperature. Preliminary studies have been carried out throughout the whole of the La Solfatara crater in order to investigate a possible correlation between the surface temperature and the shallow thermal gradient. We have used a FLIR SC640 thermal camera and K type thermocouples to assess the two measurements at the same time. Results suggest a good correlation between the shallow temperature gradient ΔTs and the surface temperature Ts depurated from background, and despite the campaigns took place during a period of time of a few years, this correlation seems to be stable over the time. This is an extremely motivating result for a further development of a measurement method based only on the use of small range thermal imaging camera. Surveys with thermal cameras may be manually done using a tripod to take thermal images of small contiguous areas and then joining them together in a bigger map of the whole area. However this kind of scanning does not fully solve the low speed problem of traditional techniques: a future development of this technique will be the use of drone-born IR cameras.

Testing the Stress-Gradient Hypothesis at the Roof of the World: Effects of the Cushion Plant Thylacospermum caespitosum on Species Assemblages

PubMed Central

Dvorský, Miroslav; Doležal, Jiří; Kopecký, Martin; Chlumská, Zuzana; Janatková, Kateřina; Altman, Jan; de Bello, Francesco; Řeháková, Klára

2013-01-01

Many cushion plants ameliorate the harsh environment they inhabit in alpine ecosystems and act as nurse plants, with significantly more species growing within their canopy than outside. These facilitative interactions seem to increase with the abiotic stress, thus supporting the stress-gradient hypothesis. We tested this prediction by exploring the association pattern of vascular plants with the dominant cushion plant Thylacospermum caespitosum (Caryophyllaceae) in the arid Trans-Himalaya, where vascular plants occur at one of the highest worldwide elevational limits. We compared plant composition between 1112 pair-plots placed both inside cushions and in surrounding open areas, in communities from cold steppes to subnival zones along two elevational gradients (East Karakoram: 4850–5250 m and Little Tibet: 5350–5850 m). We used PERMANOVA to assess differences in species composition, Friedman-based permutation tests to determine individual species habitat preferences, species-area curves to assess whether interactions are size-dependent and competitive intensity and importance indices to evaluate plant-plant interactions. No indications for net facilitation were found along the elevation gradients. The open areas were not only richer in species, but not a single species preferred to grow exclusively inside cushions, while 39–60% of 56 species detected had a significant preference for the habitat outside cushions. Across the entire elevation range of T. caespitosum, the number and abundance of species were greater outside cushions, suggesting that competitive rather than facilitative interactions prevail. This was supported by lower soil nutrient contents inside cushions, indicating a resource preemption, and little thermal amelioration at the extreme end of the elevational gradient. We attribute the negative associations to competition for limited resources, a strong environmental filter in arid high-mountain environment selecting the stress-tolerant species that do not rely on help from other plants during their life cycle and to the fact the cushions do not provide a better microhabitat to grow in. PMID:23326446

IMPROVED TEMPERATURE GRADIENT FOR MONITORING BEHAVIORAL THERMOREGULATION IN THE RAT

EPA Science Inventory

Past studies have found that the laboratory rat placed In a temperature gradient prefers temperatures that are markedly below its lower critical ambient temperature (LCT), whereas other rodents (e.g., mouse, hamster, and guinea pig) generally select thermal environments associate...

Thermal gradient crystals as tuneable monochromator for high energy X-rays

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

Ruett, U.; Schulte-Schrepping, H.; Heuer, J.

2010-06-23

At the high energy synchrotron radiation beamline BW5 at DORIS III at DESY a new monochromator providing broad energy bandwidth and high reflectivity is in use. On a small 10x10x5 mm{sup 3} silicon crystal scattering at the (311) reflection a thermal gradient is applied, which tunes the scattered energy bandwidth. The (311) reflection strongly suppresses the higher harmonics allowing the use of an image plate detector for crystallography. The monochromator can be used at photon energies above 60 keV.

Effect of structural in-depth heterogeneities on electrical properties of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48) O3 thin films as revealed by nano-beam X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaxelaire, N.; Kovacova, V.; Bernasconi, A.; Le Rhun, G.; Alvarez-Murga, M.; Vaughan, G. B. M.; Defay, E.; Gergaud, P.

2016-09-01

A direct quantification of a structural in-depth composition in the lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films of morphotropic composition has been conducted using the newly available X-ray nano-pencil beam (i.e., beam size of 100 nm × 1 μm) diffraction approach. We tested two samples with different Zr/Ti chemical gradients. Here, we demonstrate the presence of a significant microstructural gradient between the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases through PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT) films with a 100 nm in-depth resolution. The phase gradient extends over around 350 nm, and it is repeated through the PZT film three times, which corresponds to the number of thermal annealings. Moreover, this microstructural gradient is in agreement with the Zr/Ti chemical gradient observed by the secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Indeed, the quantity of tetragonal phases rises in the Ti-rich zones as revealed by SIMS, and the quantity of rhombohedral phases rises in the Zr-rich zones. We also demonstrated a huge difference in the in-depth phase variation between the two tested samples. The gradient free sample still contains 4.7% of phase variation through the film and the amplified gradient contains 9.6% of phase variation through the film. Knowing that the gradient free sample shows better electric and piezoelectric coefficients, one can draw a correlation between the chemical composition, crystallographic homogeneity, and electro-mechanical properties of the film. The more close the film is to the morphotropic composition and the more it is crystallographically homogeneous, the higher the piezoelectric coefficients of the PZT are. Finally, the adequate knowledge of phase variation and its relation to the fabrication technique are crucial for the enhancement of the PZT electro-mechanical properties. Our methodology and findings open up new perspectives in establishing a relevant quantitative feedback to reach an ultimate electro-mechanical coupling in the sol-gel PZT thin films.

Numerical model of thermo-mechanical coupling for the tensile failure process of brittle materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Yu; Wang, Zhe; Ren, Fengyu; Wang, Daguo

2017-10-01

A numerical model of thermal cracking with a thermo-mechanical coupling effect was established. The theory of tensile failure and heat conduction is used to study the tensile failure process of brittle materials, such as rock and concrete under high temperature environment. The validity of the model is verified by thick-wall cylinders with analytical solutions. The failure modes of brittle materials under thermal stresses caused by temperature gradient and different thermal expansion coefficient were studied by using a thick-wall cylinder model and an embedded particle model, respectively. In the thick-wall cylinder model, different forms of cracks induced by temperature gradient were obtained under different temperature boundary conditions. In the embedded particle model, radial cracks were produced in the medium part with lower tensile strength when temperature increased because of the different thermal expansion coefficient. Model results are in good agreement with the experimental results, thereby providing a new finite element method for analyzing the thermal damage process and mechanism of brittle materials.

Prospects for Nonlinear Laser Diagnostics in the Jet Noise Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herring, Gregory C.; Hart, Roger C.; Fletcher, mark T.; Balla, R. Jeffrey; Henderson, Brenda S.

2007-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to test whether optical methods, which rely on laser beam coherence, would be viable for off-body flow measurement in high-density, compressible-flow wind tunnels. These tests measured the effects of large, unsteady density gradients on laser diagnostics like laser-induced thermal acoustics (LITA). The first test was performed in the Low Speed Aeroacoustics Wind Tunnel (LSAWT) of NASA Langley Research Center's Jet Noise Laboratory (JNL). This flow facility consists of a dual-stream jet engine simulator (with electric heat and propane burners) exhausting into a simulated flight stream, reaching Mach numbers up to 0.32. A laser beam transited the LSAWT flow field and was imaged with a high-speed gated camera to measure beam steering and transverse mode distortion. A second, independent test was performed on a smaller laboratory jet (Mach number < 1.2 and mass flow rate < 0.1 kg/sec). In this test, time-averaged LITA velocimetry and thermometry were performed at the jet exit plane, where the effect of unsteady density gradients is observed on the LITA signal. Both experiments show that LITA (and other diagnostics relying on beam overlap or coherence) faces significant hurdles in the high-density, compressible, and turbulent flow environments similar to those of the JNL.

Consequences of a chromospheric temperature gradient on the width of H Alpha in late-type giants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zarro, D. M.

1984-01-01

An analytic expression for the integrated H alpha optical depth profile is derived for a one dimensional slab geometry model chromosphere, with electron temperature increasing as a power law with height. The formula predicts H alpha opacity and profile width to be sensitive functions of the thermal gradient. Application of the model to observation reveals that broad H alpha absorption widths in G and K giant stars are consistent with a mean H alpha chromospheric optical depth of 50, while narrower widths in M stars indicate slightly lower opacities. It is proposed that differences in H alpha width between late-type giants of similar spectral type may be due, in part, to differences in their chromospheric thermal gradient, and associated H alpha opacity.

Enhanced Geothermal System Potential for Sites on the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho

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

Robert K Podgorney; Thomas R. Wood; Travis L McLing

2013-09-01

The Snake River volcanic province overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle and represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America (Blackwell and Richards, 2004). This makes the Snake River Plain (SRP) one of the most under-developed and potentially highest producing geothermal districts in the United States. Elevated heat flow is typically highest along the margins of the topographic SRP and lowest along the axis of the plain, where thermal gradients are suppressed by the Snake River aquifer. Beneath this aquifer, however, thermal gradients rise again and may tap even higher heat flows associatedmore » with the intrusion of mafic magmas into the mid-crustal sill complex (e.g., Blackwell, 1989).« less

Intraspecific Adaptations to Thermal Gradients in a Cosmopolitan Coccolithophore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matson, P. G.; Ladd, T. M.; Iglesias-Rodriguez, D.

2016-02-01

The species concept in marine phytoplankton has enormous biological complexity. Differences in genomic, morphological, physiological, biogeochemical, and ecological/biogeographic properties between strains of the same species can be comparable or even exceed those between species. This complexity is particularly pronounced in the cosmopolitan coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi. This bloom-forming species is found at nearly every latitude in a variety of environments including upwelling regions, and exposed to large temperature gradients. We present results from experiments using two strains of E. huxleyi isolated from different latitudes and environmental conditions. Tests involved semi-continuous culturing in lab manipulation experiments to determine how carbon fixation, growth, and morphology respond to temperature-driven alterations in physico-chemical conditions. This talk will discuss the observed differences in physiology within an ecological context and the implications of these biogeochemical differences in modeling carbon fluxes driven by phytoplankton.

A Multi-Gradient Generator in a Single Microfluidic Device for Optical Microscopy and Interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedrossian, Manuel; Nadeau, Jay; Lindensmith, Chris

2016-11-01

The goal of this work was to create a single microfluidic device capable of establishing multiple types of gradients in a quantifiable manner. Many microbial species are known to exhibit directed motility in the presence of stimuli. This phenomenon, known as taxis, can be used as a bio-signature and a means of identifying microorganisms. Directed microbial motility has been seen as a response to the presence of certain chemicals, light, heat, magnetic fields, and other stimuli. Microbial movement along the gradient vector, that cannot be explained by passive hydrodynamics or Brownian motion, can shed light on whether the sample contains living microbes or not. The ability to create multiple types of gradients in a single microfluidic device allows for high throughput testing of heterogeneous samples to detect taxis. There has been increased interest in the search for life within our solar system where liquid water is known to exist. Induced directional motility can serve as a viable method for detecting living organisms that actively respond to their environment. The device developed here includes a chemical, photonic, thermal, and magnetic gradient generator, while maintaining high optical quality in order to be used for microscopy as well as quantitative phase imaging This work was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, who the authors wish to thank for their generosity.

Nuclear fuel cycle waste stream immobilization with cermets for improved thermal properties and waste consolidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Luis H.; Kaminski, Michael D.; Zeng, Zuotao; Cunnane, James

2013-07-01

In the pursuit of methods to improve nuclear waste form thermal properties and combine potential nuclear fuel cycle wastes, a bronze alloy was combined with an alkali, alkaline earth metal bearing ceramic to form a cermet. The alloy was prepared from copper and tin (10 mass%) powders. Pre-sintered ceramic consisting of cesium, strontium, barium and rubidium alumino-silicates was mixed with unalloyed bronze precursor powders and cold pressed to 300 × 103 kPa, then sintered at 600 °C and 800 °C under hydrogen. Cermets were also prepared that incorporated molybdenum, which has a limited solubility in glass, under similar conditions. The cermet thermal conductivities were seven times that of the ceramic alone. These improved thermal properties can reduce thermal gradients within the waste forms thus lowering internal temperature gradients and thermal stresses, allowing for larger waste forms and higher waste loadings. These benefits can reduce the total number of waste packages necessary to immobilize a given amount of high level waste and immobilize troublesome elements.

Thermal impulse response and the temperature preference of Escherichia coli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, William

2010-03-01

From a broad perspective, exposure to environmental temperature changes is a universal condition of living organisms. Escherichia coli is a powerful model system to study how a biochemical network measures and processes thermal information to produce adaptive changes in behavior. E. coli performs thermotaxis, directing its movements to a preferred temperature in spatial thermal gradients. How does the system perform thermotaxis? Where biologically is this analog value of thermal preference stored? Previous studies using populations of cells have shown that E.coli accumulate in spatial thermal gradients, but these experiments did not cleanly separate thermal responses from chemotactic responses. Here we have isolated the thermal behavior by studying the thermal impulse response of single, tethered cells. The motor output of cells was measured in response to small, impulsive increases in temperature, delivered by an infrared laser, over a range of ambient temperature (23 to 43 degrees C). The thermal impulse response at temperatures < 31 degrees C is similar to the chemotactic impulse response: both follow a similar time course, share the same directionality, and show biphasic characteristics. At temperatures > 31 degrees C, some cells show an inverted response, switching from warm- to cold-seeking behavior. The fraction of inverted responses increases nonlinearly with temperature, switching steeply at the preferred temperature of 37 degrees C.

A Simple Temperature Gradient Apparatus To Determine Thermal Preference in "Daphnia."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenske, Christiane; McCauley, Robert

2002-01-01

Explores the dominant factor controlling the distribution of Daphnia. Describes components of a temperature gradient apparatus that can be assembled from materials readily obtainable in the laboratory and hardware stores. Investigates whether the mean depth of Daphnia is determined by temperature. (KHR)

Development of a Novel, Bicombinatorial Approach to Alloy Development, and Application to Rapid Screening of Creep Resistant Titanium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Brian

Combinatorial approaches have proven useful for rapid alloy fabrication and optimization. A new method of producing controlled isothermal gradients using the Gleeble Thermomechanical simulator has been developed, and demonstrated on the metastable beta-Ti alloy beta-21S, achieving a thermal gradient of 525-700 °C. This thermal gradient method has subsequently been coupled with existing combinatorial methods of producing composition gradients using the LENS(TM) additive manufacturing system, through the use of elemental blended powders. This has been demonstrated with a binary Ti-(0-15) wt% Cr build, which has subsequently been characterized with optical and electron microscopy, with special attention to the precipitate of TiCr2 Laves phases. The TiCr2 phase has been explored for its high temperature mechanical properties in a new oxidation resistant beta-Ti alloy, which serves as a demonstration of the new bicombinatorial methods developed as applied to a multicomponent alloy system.

The effect of viscous flow and thermal flux on the rate of chemical reaction in dilute gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cukrowski, A. S.; Popielawski, J.

1986-11-01

Expression for the corrections describing the effect of viscous flow and thermal flux on the rate of chemical reaction have been derived for the reaction A + A = B + C described by Prigogine-Xhrouet and Present. These corrections are calculated for the velocity distribution function up to the second-order approximation for the Chapman-Enskog solution of the Boltzmann equation. These corrections are shown to be the same as those which would follow after application of the method of linearized-moments equations described by Eu and Li. The effects of viscous flow and thermal flux are presented as functions of activation energy of chemical reaction, temperature, density, coefficients of shear viscosity of thermal conductivity, and relevant gradients of mean molecular velocity or temperature. It is pointed out that for very slow reactions and for very large gradients (e.g. in shock waves) these effects can be quite significant.

Molecular reorientation of a nematic liquid crystal by thermal expansion

PubMed Central

Kim, Young-Ki; Senyuk, Bohdan; Lavrentovich, Oleg D.

2012-01-01

A unique feature of nematic liquid crystals is orientational order of molecules that can be controlled by electromagnetic fields, surface modifications and pressure gradients. Here we demonstrate a new effect in which the orientation of nematic liquid crystal molecules is altered by thermal expansion. Thermal expansion (or contraction) causes the nematic liquid crystal to flow; the flow imposes a realigning torque on the nematic liquid crystal molecules and the optic axis. The optical and mechanical responses activated by a simple temperature change can be used in sensing, photonics, microfluidic, optofluidic and lab-on-a-chip applications as they do not require externally imposed gradients of temperature, pressure, surface realignment, nor electromagnetic fields. The effect has important ramifications for the current search of the biaxial nematic phase as the optical features of thermally induced structural changes in the uniaxial nematic liquid crystal mimic the features expected of the biaxial nematic liquid crystal. PMID:23072803

Effect of temperature gradient on the optical quality of mercurous chloride crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N. B.; Davies, D. K.; Gottlieb, M.; Henningsen, T.; Mazelsky, R.

1989-01-01

Single crystals of mercurous chloride were grown at temperature gradients of 8, 11 and 17 K/cm by the physical vapor transport method. The optical quality of these crystals was evaluated by measuring bulk scattering and inhomogeneity of refractive index by birefringence interferometry. It was observed that a high temperature gradient at the solid-vapor interface induced thermal stresses and crystals showed higher scattering and irregular fringes.

Mass Dependency of Isotope Fractionation of Gases Under Thermal Gradient and Its Possible Implications for Planetary Atmosphere Escaping Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Tao; Niles, Paul; Bao, Huiming; Socki, Richard

2014-01-01

Physical processes that unmix elements/isotopes of gas molecules involve phase changes, diffusion (chemical or thermal), effusion and gravitational settling. Some of those play significant roles for the evolution of chemical and isotopic compositions of gases in planetary bodies which lead to better understanding of surface paleoclimatic conditions, e.g. gas bubbles in Antarctic ice, and planetary evolution, e.g. the solar-wind erosion induced gas escaping from exosphere on terrestrial planets.. A mass dependent relationship is always expected for the kinetic isotope fractionations during these simple physical processes, according to the kinetic theory of gases by Chapman, Enskog and others [3-5]. For O-bearing (O16, -O17, -O18) molecules the alpha O-17/ alpha O-18 is expected at 0.5 to 0.515, and for S-bearing (S32,-S33. -S34, -S36) molecules, the alpha S-33/ alpha S-34 is expected at 0.5 to 0.508, where alpha is the isotope fractionation factor associated with unmixing processes. Thus, one isotope pair is generally proxied to yield all the information for the physical history of the gases. However, we recently] reported the violation of mass law for isotope fractionation among isotope pairs of multiple isotope system during gas diffusion or convection under thermal gradient (Thermal Gradient Induced Non-Mass Dependent effect, TGI-NMD). The mechanism(s) that is responsible to such striking observation remains unanswered. In our past studies, we investigated polyatomic molecules, O2 and SF6, and we suggested that nuclear spin effect could be responsible to the observed NMD effect in a way of changing diffusion coefficients of certain molecules, owing to the fact of negligible delta S-36 anomaly for SF6.. On the other hand, our results also showed that for both diffusion and convection under thermal gradient, this NMD effect is increased by lower gas pressure, bigger temperature gradient and lower average temperature, which indicate that the nuclear spin effect may not be the significant contributor as the energies involved in the hyperfine effect are much smaller than those with molecular collisions, especially under convective conditions.

Thermoregulation in the lizard Psammodromus algirus along a 2200-m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (Spain).

PubMed

Zamora-Camacho, Francisco Javier; Reguera, Senda; Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio

2016-05-01

Achieving optimal body temperature maximizes animal fitness. Since ambient temperature may limit ectotherm thermal performance, it can be constrained in too cold or hot environments. In this sense, elevational gradients encompass contrasting thermal environments. In thermally pauperized elevations, ectotherms may either show adaptations or suboptimal body temperatures. Also, reproductive condition may affect thermal needs. Herein, we examined different thermal ecology and physiology capabilities of the lizard Psammodromus algirus along a 2200-m elevational gradient. We measured field (T(b)) and laboratory-preferred (T(pref)) body temperatures of lizards with different reproductive conditions, as well as ambient (T(a)) and copper-model operative temperature (T(e)), which we used to determine thermal quality of the habitat (d(e)), accuracy (d(b)), and effectiveness of thermoregulation (de-db) indexes. We detected no Tb trend in elevation, while T(a) constrained T(b) only at high elevations. Moreover, while Ta decreased more than 7 °C with elevation, T(pref) dropped only 0.6 °C, although significantly. Notably, low-elevation lizards faced excess temperature (T(e) > T(pref)). Notably, de was best at middle elevations, followed by high elevations, and poorest at low elevations. Nonetheless, regarding microhabitat, high-elevation de was more suitable in sun-exposed microhabitats, which may increase exposition to predators, and at midday, which may limit daily activity. As for gender, d(b) and d(e)-d(b) were better in females than in males. In conclusion, P. algirus seems capable to face a wide thermal range, which probably contributes to its extensive corology and makes it adaptable to climate changes.

Deep thermal disturbances related to the sub-surface groundwater flow (Western Alps, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mommessin, Grégoire; Dzikowski, Marc; Menard, Gilles; Monin, Nathalie

2013-04-01

In mountain area, the bedrock of the valley side is affected by a thickness of decompressed rock in subsurface (decompressed zone). Groundwater flowing in this zone disrupts the depth geothermal gradients. The evolution of thermal gradients under the decompressed zone depends of groundwater temperature changes into the decompressed zone. In this study, the phenomenon is studied from data acquired in exploration drilling prior to the construction of the France - Italy transalpine tunnel (High Speed Line project between Lyon and Turin). The study area is located in the Vanoise siliceous series between Modane and Avrieux (Western Alps, France). Of 31 boreholes, we selected 14 wells showing a natural thermal disturbance (not due to the drilling) linked to the groundwater flow in decompressed zone. The drill holes have a length between 200 and 1380m and well logs were carried out (gamma log, acoustic log, temperature log, flowmeter log). The rocks are constituted mainly by quartzite with high thermal conductivity or by schist and gneiss with low thermal conductivity. The decompressed zone concerns the quartzite with thicknesses ranging from 50m to 750m where groundwater flow imposes a constant temperature throughout the rock thickness. In the very low permeability rocks under the decompressed zone, the thermal gradient shows variations with depth. These variations suggest a water temperature change in the decompressed zone probably due to a paleoclimate event. We used the derived of the equation describing the propagation of a temperature in a 1D semi-infinite, in response to a sudden temperature disturbance at the boundary of the medium, to estimate the age and the amplitude of temperature change in the decompressed zone. The medium under the decompressed zone is supposed to be initially in a steady state and only conductive. Numerical tests assess that the 1D model is applicable in the slope context. The results obtained from 13 wells data show a few warming degrees (1 to 4°K) of the decompressed zone occurring about two to four centuries BP. The latest high altitude drilling shows about two degrees cooling of the decompressed zone two centuries ago. The groundwater temperature warming can be due to a type of recharge change with a reduction of the snowmelt contribution or it can be provided by an increase of atmospheric and rainfall temperature. The observed cooling in the latest drilling can be interpreted as a groundwater flow change caused by the permafrost melting. The temperature change occurs during the end of Little Ice Age.

Cooling vests with phase change materials: the effects of melting temperature on heat strain alleviation in an extremely hot environment.

PubMed

Gao, Chuansi; Kuklane, Kalev; Holmér, Ingvar

2011-06-01

A previous study by the authors using a heated thermal manikin showed that the cooling rates of phase change material (PCM) are dependent on temperature gradient, mass, and covering area. The objective of this study was to investigate if the cooling effects of the temperature gradient observed on a thermal manikin could be validated on human subjects in extreme heat. The subjects wore cooling vests with PCMs at two melting temperatures (24 and 28°C) and fire-fighting clothing and equipment, thus forming three test groups (vest24, vest28 and control group without the vest). They walked on a treadmill at a speed of 5 km/h in a climatic chamber (air temperature = 55°C, relative humidity = 30%, vapour pressure = 4,725 Pa, and air velocity = 0.4 m/s). The results showed that the PCM vest with a lower melting temperature (24°C) has a stronger cooling effect on the torso and mean skin temperatures than that with a higher melting temperature (28°C). Both PCM vests mitigate peak core temperature increase during the resting recovery period. The two PCM vests tested, however, had no significant effect on the alleviation of core temperature increase during exercise in the heat. To study the possibility of effective cooling of core temperature, cooling garments with PCMs at even lower melting temperatures (e.g. 15°C) and a larger covering area should be investigated.

Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate‐sensitive mammal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waterhouse, Matthew D.; Erb, Liesl P.; Beever, Erik; Russello, Michael A.

2018-01-01

The American pika is a thermally sensitive, alpine lagomorph species. Recent climate-associated population extirpations and genetic signatures of reduced population sizes range-wide indicate the viability of this species is sensitive to climate change. To test for potential adaptive responses to climate stress, we sampled pikas along two elevational gradients (each ~470 to 1640 m) and employed three outlier detection methods, BAYESCAN, LFMM, and BAYPASS, to scan for genotype-environment associations in samples genotyped at 30,763 SNP loci. We resolved 173 loci with robust evidence of natural selection detected by either two independent analyses or replicated in both transects. A BLASTN search of these outlier loci revealed several genes associated with metabolic function and oxygen transport, indicating natural selection from thermal stress and hypoxia. We also found evidence of directional gene flow primarily downslope from large high-elevation populations and reduced gene flow at outlier loci, a pattern suggesting potential impediments to the upward elevational movement of adaptive alleles in response to contemporary climate change. Finally, we documented evidence of reduced genetic diversity associated the south-facing transect and an increase in corticosterone stress levels associated with inbreeding. This study suggests the American pika is already undergoing climate-associated natural selection at multiple genomic regions. Further analysis is needed to determine if the rate of climate adaptation in the American pika and other thermally sensitive species will be able to keep pace with rapidly changing climate conditions.

Increasing the collected energy and reducing the water requirements in salt-gradient solar ponds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez, F. I.; Ruskowitz, J. A.; Tyler, S. W.; Childress, A. E.

2013-12-01

Salt-gradient solar ponds are low-cost, large-scale solar collectors with integrated storage that can be used as an energy source in many thermal systems. For instance, solar ponds have proven to be a promising solution to drive thermal desalination in arid zones. However, in zones with limited water availability, where evaporation constrains the use of solar ponds in areas with the greatest potential for solar energy development, evaporation losses at the surface of the pond constrain their use. Therefore, evaporation represents a significant challenge for development of these low-cost solar systems in arid settings. In this investigation, different transparent floating elements were tested to suppress evaporation: flat discs, hemispheres, and a continuous cover. Flat discs were the most effective evaporation suppression element. Evaporation decreased from 4.8 to 2.5 mm/day when 88% of the pond was covered with the flat discs. In addition, the highest temperature increased from 34 to 43°C and the heat content increased from 179 to 220 MJ (a 22% increase). Reduced evaporative losses at the surface of the pond resulted in lower conductive losses from the storage zone and increased the collected energy. The magnitude of evaporation reduction observed in this work is important as it allows solar pond operation in locations with limited water supply for replenishment. The increase in stored heat allows more energy to be withdrawn from the pond for use in external applications, which significantly improves the thermal efficiencies of solar ponds.

Bergmann's Rule rules body size in an ectotherm: heat conservation in a lizard along a 2200-metre elevational gradient.

PubMed

Zamora-Camacho, F J; Reguera, S; Moreno-Rueda, G

2014-12-01

Bergmann's Rule predicts larger body sizes in colder habitats, increasing organisms' ability to conserve heat. Originally formulated for endotherms, it is controversial whether Bergmann's Rule may be applicable to ectotherms, given that larger ectotherms show diminished capacity for heating up. We predict that Bergmann's Rule will be applicable to ectotherms when the benefits of a higher conservation of heat due to a larger body size overcompensate for decreased capacity to heating up. We test this hypothesis in the lizard Psammodromus algirus, which shows increased body size with elevation in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). We measured heating and cooling rates of lizards from different elevations (from 300 to 2500 m above sea level) under controlled conditions. We found no significant differences in the heating rate along an elevational gradient. However, the cooling rate diminished with elevation and body size: highland lizards, with larger masses, have a higher thermal inertia for cooling, which allows them to maintain heat for more time and keep a high body temperature despite the lower thermal availability. Consequently, the net gaining of heat increased with elevation and body size. This study highlights that the heat conservation mechanism for explaining Bergmann's Rule works and is applicable to ectotherms, depending on the thermal benefits and costs associated with larger body sizes. © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Biophysical model of prokaryotic diversity in geothermal hot springs.

PubMed

Klales, Anna; Duncan, James; Nett, Elizabeth Janus; Kane, Suzanne Amador

2012-02-01

Recent studies of photosynthetic bacteria living in geothermal hot spring environments have revealed surprisingly complex ecosystems with an unexpected level of genetic diversity. One case of particular interest involves the distribution along hot spring thermal gradients of genetically distinct bacterial strains that differ in their preferred temperatures for reproduction and photosynthesis. In such systems, a single variable, temperature, defines the relevant environmental variation. In spite of this, each region along the thermal gradient exhibits multiple strains of photosynthetic bacteria adapted to several distinct thermal optima, rather than a single thermal strain adapted to the local environmental temperature. Here we analyze microbiology data from several ecological studies to show that the thermal distribution data exhibit several universal features independent of location and specific bacterial strain. These include the distribution of optimal temperatures of different thermal strains and the functional dependence of the net population density on temperature. We present a simple population dynamics model of these systems that is highly constrained by biophysical data and by physical features of the environment. This model can explain in detail the observed thermal population distributions, as well as certain features of population dynamics observed in laboratory studies of the same organisms. © 2012 American Physical Society

The impact of LDEF results on the space application of metal matrix composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steckel, Gary L.; Le, Tuyen D.

1993-01-01

Over 200 graphite/aluminum and graphite/magnesium composites were flown on the leading and trailing edges of LDEF on the Advanced Composites Experiment. The performance of these composites was evaluated by performing scanning electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of exposed surfaces, optical microscopy of cross sections, and on-orbit and postflight thermal expansion measurements. Graphite/aluminum and graphite/magnesium were found to be superior to graphite/polymer matrix composites in that they are inherently resistant to atomic oxygen and are less susceptible to thermal cycling induced microcracking. The surface foils on graphite/aluminum and graphite/magnesium protect the graphite fibers from atomic oxygen and from impact damage from small micrometeoroid or space debris particles. However, the surface foils were found to be susceptible to thermal fatigue cracking arising from contamination embrittlement, surface oxidation, or stress risers. Thus, the experiment reinforced requirements for carefully protecting these composites from prelaunch oxidation or corrosion, avoiding spacecraft contamination, and designing composite structures to minimize stress concentrations. On-orbit strain measurements demonstrated the importance of through-thickness thermal conductivity in composites to minimize thermal distortions arising from thermal gradients. Because of the high thermal conductivity of aluminum, thermal distortions were greatly reduced in the LDEF thermal environment for graphite/aluminum as compared to graphite/magnesium and graphite/polymer composites. The thermal expansion behavior of graphite/aluminum and graphite/magnesium was stabilized by on-orbit thermal cycling in the same manner as observed in laboratory tests.

Anti-iridescent colloidal photonic nanostructure from thermal gradients and polymeric brush effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seung Yeol; Kim, Hyoungsoo; Kim, Shin-Hyun; Stone, Howard

2017-11-01

Colloidal nanostructures induced by self-assembly are important in reflective displays, plasmonic or photonic sensors, and color pigments. During the evaporation of droplets of colloidal suspension, due to the non-uniform evaporation rate along the droplet interface, a radially outward flow is created and it carries colloidal particles to the pinned contact line of the droplet. We document that the packing at the contact line is a face-center-cubic (fcc) colloidal nanostructure in a ring shape. The fcc structure of the colloidal nanoparticles exhibits angle-dependent color. In particular, we introduce a novel method to suppress the familiar coffee-ring effect and modify colloidal nanostructures to exhibit angle-independent optical properties. A suspension of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-coated silica nanoparticles dispersed in ethanol-water mixture is prepared. The droplet containing the nanoparticles dries on a heated substrate, which creates a thermal gradient along the interface of the droplet. This thermal gradient induces thermal-Marangoni stresses that suppress the coffee-ring effects. PEO adsorbed on the surface of silica nanoparticles produces an additional interaction between colloidal nanoparticles, which makes the final structure disordered. The disordered photonic nanostructures in our experiments exhibit angle-independent structural color. This technique can be applied to printing or optical filtering systems.

Global convergence in leaf respiration from estimates of thermal acclimation across time and space.

PubMed

Vanderwel, Mark C; Slot, Martijn; Lichstein, Jeremy W; Reich, Peter B; Kattge, Jens; Atkin, Owen K; Bloomfield, Keith J; Tjoelker, Mark G; Kitajima, Kaoru

2015-09-01

Recent compilations of experimental and observational data have documented global temperature-dependent patterns of variation in leaf dark respiration (R), but it remains unclear whether local adjustments in respiration over time (through thermal acclimation) are consistent with the patterns in R found across geographical temperature gradients. We integrated results from two global empirical syntheses into a simple temperature-dependent respiration framework to compare the measured effects of respiration acclimation-over-time and variation-across-space to one another, and to a null model in which acclimation is ignored. Using these models, we projected the influence of thermal acclimation on: seasonal variation in R; spatial variation in mean annual R across a global temperature gradient; and future increases in R under climate change. The measured strength of acclimation-over-time produces differences in annual R across spatial temperature gradients that agree well with global variation-across-space. Our models further project that acclimation effects could potentially halve increases in R (compared with the null model) as the climate warms over the 21st Century. Convergence in global temperature-dependent patterns of R indicates that physiological adjustments arising from thermal acclimation are capable of explaining observed variation in leaf respiration at ambient growth temperatures across the globe. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

[INVITED] Coupling of polarisation of high frequency electric field and electronic heat conduction in laser created plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamaly, Eugene G.; Rode, Andrei V.

2016-08-01

Powerful short laser pulse focused on a surface swiftly transforms the solid into the thermally and electrically inhomogeneous conductive plasma with the large temperature and dielectric permeability gradients across the focal spot. The laser-affected spot becomes thermally inhomogeneous with where temperature has maximum in the centre and gradually decreasing to the boundaries of the spot in accord to the spatial intensity distribution of the Gaussian pulse. Here we study the influence of laser polarisation on ionization and absorption of laser radiation in the focal spot. In this paper we would like to discuss new effect in thermally inhomogeneous plasma under the action of imposed high frequency electric field. We demonstrate that high-frequency (HF) electric field is coupled with the temperature gradient generating the additional contribution to the conventional electronic heat flow. The additional heat flow strongly depends on the polarisation of the external field. It appears that effect has maximum when the imposed electric field is collinear to the thermal gradient directed along the radius of a circular focal spot. Therefore, the linear polarised field converts the circular laser affected spot into an oval with the larger oval's axis parallel to the field direction. We compare the developed theory to the available experiments, discuss the results and future directions.

Peanut seed vigor elavuation using a thermal gradient

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Experiments were conducted from 2007 to 2009 to evaluate the seed germination response of multiple peanut cultivars using a continuous temperature gradient ranging from 14 to 35 C (1.0 C increments). Growing degree day (GDD) accumulation for each temperature increment was measured. Two indices, maxi...

Effect of the thermal environment on the efficiency of packed columns in supercritical fluid chromatography.

PubMed

Zauner, Jordan; Lusk, Ryan; Koski, Steven; Poe, Donald P

2012-11-30

When a packed column is operated at temperatures and pressures near the critical point in supercritical fluid chromatography, the thermal environment in which it is placed has a significant impact on retention and efficiency. We measured the retention factors, plate heights, and related parameters for elution of a test mixture of alkylbenzenes with 5% methanol/95% carbon dioxide mobile phase on a 250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. column packed with 5-micron Luna-C18 particles. Separations were performed at outlet pressures from 100 to 150 bar and a column oven temperature of 323K. For a bare column thermostated with convective air, significant efficiency losses were observed for outlet pressures equal to or less than 120 bar. These large efficiency losses are attributed to radial temperature gradients. Addition of foam insulation resulted in significant improvements in efficiency. Operating the column in still air using a commercially available column heater provided the best overall performance, with no measurable efficiency loss over the entire range of pressures studied. A reduced plate height of 1.88 was obtained at an optimum flow rate of 3.0 mL/min at 100 bar outlet pressure and with the temperature of the incoming mobile phase set approximately 2.3K above the temperature of the column oven. Retention time repeatability for all three thermal conditions was equal to or less than 0.5% RSD. These results demonstrate that it is possible to perform fast, efficient separations with excellent repeatability using SFC under near-critical conditions if the thermal environment is optimized to minimize the generation of radial temperature gradients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compensated geothermal gradient: new map of old data

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

Ibrahim, M.W.

1986-05-01

Bottom-hole temperature measurement is one of the oldest forms of downhole information acquired by the oil industry. Old and new geothermal maps that are based on these measurements have invariably been drawn with an assumed constant or average ground surface temperature over the mapped areas. However, near ground-surface equilibrium temperature is a variable rather than a constant over any region; therefore, old and current geothermal gradient mapping methods give a false impression of the true thermal level of subsurface strata, and may lead to erroneous results of temperature-based calculations, such as the TTI. In this paper, a geothermal mapping methodmore » is presented in which extrapolated surface temperature is coupled with the corresponding geothermal gradient over the mapped area. The method was tested on areas in the Middle East and Africa. Results indicate that it is especially effective in delineating loci of vertical geothermal heat flux carried upwards by ascending subsurface fluids; such areas are preferential sites for hydrocarbon entrapment, especially in young sedimentary basins where migration is still in progress.« less

Influence of two-dimensional hygrothermal gradients on interlaminar stresses near free edges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, G. L.; Herakovich, C. T.

1977-01-01

Interlaminar stresses are determined for mechanical loading, uniform hygrothermal loading, and gradient moisture loading through implementation of a finite element computer code. Nonuniform two-dimensional hygroscopic gradients are obtained from a finite difference solution of the diffusion equation. It is shown that hygroscopic induced stresses can be larger than those resulting from mechanical and thermal loading, and that the distribution of the interlaminar normal stress may be changed significantly in the presence of a two-dimensional moisture gradient in the boundary layer of a composite laminate.

Tools for Designing and Analyzing Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luz, Paul L.

2005-01-01

Structural Design and Analysis Toolset is a collection of approximately 26 Microsoft Excel spreadsheet programs, each of which performs calculations within a different subdiscipline of structural design and analysis. These programs present input and output data in user-friendly, menu-driven formats. Although these programs cannot solve complex cases like those treated by larger finite element codes, these programs do yield quick solutions to numerous common problems more rapidly than the finite element codes, thereby making it possible to quickly perform multiple preliminary analyses - e.g., to establish approximate limits prior to detailed analyses by the larger finite element codes. These programs perform different types of calculations, as follows: 1. determination of geometric properties for a variety of standard structural components; 2. analysis of static, vibrational, and thermal- gradient loads and deflections in certain structures (mostly beams and, in the case of thermal-gradients, mirrors); 3. kinetic energies of fans; 4. detailed analysis of stress and buckling in beams, plates, columns, and a variety of shell structures; and 5. temperature dependent properties of materials, including figures of merit that characterize strength, stiffness, and deformation response to thermal gradients

Bithermal fatigue: A simplified alternative to thermomechanical fatigue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verrilli, Michael J.

1988-01-01

A bithermal fatigue test technique was proposed as a simplified alternative to the thermomechanical fatigue test. Both the thermomechanical cycle and the bithermal technique can be used to study nonisothermal fatigue behavior. The difference between the two cycles is that in a conventional thermomechanical fatigue cycle the temperature is continuously varied concurrently with the applied mechanical strains, but in the bithermal fatigue cycle the specimen is held at zero load during the temperature excursions and all the loads are applied at the two extreme temperatures of the cycle. Experimentally, the bithermal fatigue test technique offers advantages such as ease in synchronizing the temperature and mechanical strain waveforms, in minimizing temperature gradients in the specimen gauge length, and in reducing and interpreting thermal fatigue such as the influence of alternate high and low temperatures on the cyclic stress-strain response characteristics, the effects of thermal state, and the possibility of introducing high- and low-temperature deformation mechanisms within the same cycle. The bithermal technique was used to study nonisothermal fatigue behavior of alloys such as single-crystal PWA 1480, single-crystal Rene N4, cast B1900+Hf, and wrought Haynes 188.

Latitudinal Dependence of the Radial IMF Component - Interplanetary Imprint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suess, S. T.; Smith, E. J.; Phillips, J.; Goldstein, B. E.; Nerney, S.

1996-01-01

Ulysses measurements have confirmed that there is no significant gradient with respect to heliomagnetic latitude in the radial component, B(sub r,), of the interplanetary magnetic field. There are two processes responsible for this observation. In the corona, the plasma beta is much less than 1, except directly above streamers, so both longitudinal and latitudinal (meridional) gradients in field strength will relax, due to the transverse magnetic pressure gradient force, as the solar wind carries magnetic flux away from the Sun. This happens so quickly that the field is essentially uniform by 5 solar radius. Beyond 10 solar radius, beta is greater than 1 and it is possible for a meridional thermal pressure gradient to redistribute magnetic flux - an effect apparently absent in Ulysses and earlier ICE and Interplanetary Magnetic Physics (IMP) data. We discuss this second effect here, showing that its absence is mainly due to the perpendicular part of the anisotropic thermal pressure gradient in the interplanetary medium being too small to drive significant meridional transport between the Sun and approx. 4 AU. This is done using a linear analytic estimate of meridional transport. The first effect was discussed in an earlier paper.

Pulsed-field-gradient measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mair, R. W.; Cory, D. G.; Peled, S.; Tseng, C. H.; Patz, S.; Walsworth, R. L.

1998-01-01

Pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques are demonstrated for measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion. The standard PGSE technique and variants, applied to a free gas mixture of thermally polarized xenon and O2, are found to provide a reproducible measure of the xenon diffusion coefficient (5.71 x 10(-6) m2 s-1 for 1 atm of pure xenon), in excellent agreement with previous, non-NMR measurements. The utility of pulsed-field-gradient NMR techniques is demonstrated by the first measurement of time-dependent (i.e., restricted) gas diffusion inside a porous medium (a random pack of glass beads), with results that agree well with theory. Two modified NMR pulse sequences derived from the PGSE technique (named the Pulsed Gradient Echo, or PGE, and the Pulsed Gradient Multiple Spin Echo, or PGMSE) are also applied to measurements of time dependent diffusion of laser polarized xenon gas, with results in good agreement with previous measurements on thermally polarized gas. The PGMSE technique is found to be superior to the PGE method, and to standard PGSE techniques and variants, for efficiently measuring laser polarized noble gas diffusion over a wide range of diffusion times. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Variation of turbulence in a coastal thermal internal boundary layer

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

SethuRaman, S.; Raynor, G.S.; Brown, R.M.

1981-01-01

Internal boundary layers (IBL) form when an air mass encounters a change in surface characteristics. There are essentially two types of internal boundary layers - one caused by the change in surface roughness and the other by the variation in surface heating. The former is known as the aerodynamic internal boundary layer (AIBL) and the latter the thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL). Change in shear stress generally characterizes the AIBL and change in turbulence the TIBL. Results of some observations of the vertical component of turbulence made in a coastal TIBL over Long Island, New York from 1974 to 1978more » are reported. Vertical turbulence measured by a simple sail plane variometer in a thermal internal boundary layer over Long Island with onshore flows indicates the structure to depend significantly on the land-water temperature difference. The position of the vertical velocity fluctuation maximum seems to vary from one test to another but its variation could not be correlated to other parameters due to lack of a sufficient number of tests. The structure of vertical turbulence was found to be different for sea breeze flows as compared to gradient winds.« less

Testing of the BipiColombo Antenna Pointing Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campo, Pablo; Barrio, Aingeru; Martin, Fernando

2015-09-01

BepiColombo is an ESA mission to Mercury, its planetary orbiter (MPO) has two antenna pointing mechanism, High gain antenna (HGA) pointing mechanism steers and points a large reflector which is integrated at system level by TAS-I Rome. Medium gain antenna (MGA) APM points a 1.5 m boom with a horn antenna. Both radiating elements are exposed to sun fluxes as high as 10 solar constants without protections.A previous paper [1] described the design and development process to solve the challenges of performing in harsh environment.. Current paper is focused on the testing process of the qualification units. Testing performance of antenna pointing mechanism in its specific environmental conditions has required special set-up and techniques. The process has provided valuable feedback on the design and the testing methods which have been included in the PFM design and tests.Some of the technologies and components were developed on dedicated items priort to EQM, but once integrated, test behaviour had relevant differences.Some of the major concerns for the APM testing are:- Create during the thermal vacuum testing the qualification temperature map with gradients along the APM. From of 200oC to 70oC.- Test in that conditions the radio frequency and pointing performances adding also high RF power to check the power handling and self-heating of the rotary joint.- Test in life up to 12000 equivalent APM revolutions, that is 14.3 million motor revolutions in different thermal conditions.- Measure low thermal distortion of the mechanical chain, being at the same time insulated from external environment and interfaces (55 arcsec pointing error)- Perform deployment of large items guaranteeing during the process low humidity, below 5% to protect dry lubrication- Verify stability with representative inertia of large boom or reflector 20 Kgm2.

Thermal conductivity anisotropy in holey silicon nanostructures and its impact on thermoelectric cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zongqing; Lee, Jaeho

2018-01-01

Artificial nanostructures have improved prospects of thermoelectric systems by enabling selective scattering of phonons and demonstrating significant thermal conductivity reductions. While the low thermal conductivity provides necessary temperature gradients for thermoelectric conversion, the heat generation is detrimental to electronic systems where high thermal conductivity are preferred. The contrasting needs of thermal conductivity are evident in thermoelectric cooling systems, which call for a fundamental breakthrough. Here we show a silicon nanostructure with vertically etched holes, or holey silicon, uniquely combines the low thermal conductivity in the in-plane direction and the high thermal conductivity in the cross-plane direction, and that the anisotropy is ideal for lateral thermoelectric cooling. The low in-plane thermal conductivity due to substantial phonon boundary scattering in small necks sustains large temperature gradients for lateral Peltier junctions. The high cross-plane thermal conductivity due to persistent long-wavelength phonons effectively dissipates heat from a hot spot to the on-chip cooling system. Our scaling analysis based on spectral phonon properties captures the anisotropic size effects in holey silicon and predicts the thermal conductivity anisotropy ratio up to 20. Our numerical simulations demonstrate the thermoelectric cooling effectiveness of holey silicon is at least 30% greater than that of high-thermal-conductivity bulk silicon and 400% greater than that of low-thermal-conductivity chalcogenides; these results contrast with the conventional perception preferring either high or low thermal conductivity materials. The thermal conductivity anisotropy is even more favorable in laterally confined systems and will provide effective thermal management solutions for advanced electronics.

Thermal conductivity anisotropy in holey silicon nanostructures and its impact on thermoelectric cooling.

PubMed

Ren, Zongqing; Lee, Jaeho

2018-01-26

Artificial nanostructures have improved prospects of thermoelectric systems by enabling selective scattering of phonons and demonstrating significant thermal conductivity reductions. While the low thermal conductivity provides necessary temperature gradients for thermoelectric conversion, the heat generation is detrimental to electronic systems where high thermal conductivity are preferred. The contrasting needs of thermal conductivity are evident in thermoelectric cooling systems, which call for a fundamental breakthrough. Here we show a silicon nanostructure with vertically etched holes, or holey silicon, uniquely combines the low thermal conductivity in the in-plane direction and the high thermal conductivity in the cross-plane direction, and that the anisotropy is ideal for lateral thermoelectric cooling. The low in-plane thermal conductivity due to substantial phonon boundary scattering in small necks sustains large temperature gradients for lateral Peltier junctions. The high cross-plane thermal conductivity due to persistent long-wavelength phonons effectively dissipates heat from a hot spot to the on-chip cooling system. Our scaling analysis based on spectral phonon properties captures the anisotropic size effects in holey silicon and predicts the thermal conductivity anisotropy ratio up to 20. Our numerical simulations demonstrate the thermoelectric cooling effectiveness of holey silicon is at least 30% greater than that of high-thermal-conductivity bulk silicon and 400% greater than that of low-thermal-conductivity chalcogenides; these results contrast with the conventional perception preferring either high or low thermal conductivity materials. The thermal conductivity anisotropy is even more favorable in laterally confined systems and will provide effective thermal management solutions for advanced electronics.

Silicide/Silicon Hetero-Junction Structure for Thermoelectric Applications.

PubMed

Jun, Dongsuk; Kim, Soojung; Choi, Wonchul; Kim, Junsoo; Zyung, Taehyoung; Jang, Moongyu

2015-10-01

We fabricated silicide/silicon hetero-junction structured thermoelectric device by CMOS process for the reduction of thermal conductivity with the scatterings of phonons at silicide/silicon interfaces. Electrical conductivities, Seebeck coefficients, power factors, and temperature differences are evaluated using the steady state analysis method. Platinum silicide/silicon multilayered structure showed an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and power factor characteristics, which was considered for p-leg element. Also, erbium silicide/silicon structure showed an enhanced Seebeck coefficient, which was considered for an n-leg element. Silicide/silicon multilayered structure is promising for thermoelectric applications by reducing thermal conductivity with an enhanced Seebeck coefficient. However, because of the high thermal conductivity of the silicon packing during thermal gradient is not a problem any temperature difference. Therefore, requires more testing and analysis in order to overcome this problem. Thermoelectric generators are devices that based on the Seebeck effect, convert temperature differences into electrical energy. Although thermoelectric phenomena have been used for heating and cooling applications quite extensively, it is only in recent years that interest has increased in energy generation.

Experimental Investigation of InSight HP3 Mole Interaction with Martian Regolith Simulant. Quasi-Static and Dynamic Penetration Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Jason P.; Hudson, Troy L.; Andrade, José E.

2017-10-01

The InSight mission launches in 2018 to characterize several geophysical quantities on Mars, including the heat flow from the planetary interior. This quantity will be calculated by utilizing measurements of the thermal conductivity and the thermal gradient down to 5 meters below the Martian surface. One of the components of InSight is the Mole, which hammers into the Martian regolith to facilitate these thermal property measurements. In this paper, we experimentally investigated the effect of the Mole's penetrating action on regolith compaction and mechanical properties. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments were run with a 2D model of the 3D cylindrical mole. Force resistance data was captured with load cells. Deformation information was captured in images and analyzed using Digitial Image Correlation (DIC). Additionally, we used existing approximations of Martian regolith thermal conductivity to estimate the change in the surrounding granular material's thermal conductivity due to the Mole's penetration. We found that the Mole has the potential to cause a high degree of densification, especially if the initial granular material is relatively loose. The effect on the thermal conductivity from this densification was found to be relatively small in first-order calculations though more complete thermal models incorporating this densification should be a subject of further investigation. The results obtained provide an initial estimate of the Mole's impact on Martian regolith thermal properties.

Thermal Conductivity of Ceramic Thermal Barrier and Environmental Barrier Coating Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Bansal, Narottam P.; Lee, Kang N.; Miller, Robert A.

2001-01-01

Thermal barrier and environmental barrier coatings (TBC's and EBC's) have been developed to protect metallic and Si-based ceramic components in gas turbine engines from high temperature attack. Zirconia-yttria based oxides and (Ba,Sr)Al2Si2O8(BSAS)/mullite based silicates have been used as the coating materials. In this study, thermal conductivity values of zirconia-yttria- and BSAS/mullite-based coating materials were determined at high temperatures using a steady-state laser heat flux technique. During the laser conductivity test, the specimen surface was heated by delivering uniformly distributed heat flux from a high power laser. One-dimensional steady-state heating was achieved by using thin disk specimen configuration (25.4 mm diam and 2 to 4 mm thickness) and the appropriate backside air-cooling. The temperature gradient across the specimen thickness was carefully measured by two surface and backside pyrometers. The thermal conductivity values were thus determined as a function of temperature based on the 1-D heat transfer equation. The radiation heat loss and laser absorption corrections of the materials were considered in the conductivity measurements. The effects of specimen porosity and sintering on measured conductivity values were also evaluated.

Thermal lift generation and drag reduction in rarefied aerodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekardan, Cem; Alexeenko, Alina

2016-11-01

With the advent of the new technologies in low pressure environments such as Hyperloop and helicopters designed for Martian applications, understanding the aerodynamic behavior of airfoils in rarefied environments are becoming more crucial. In this paper, verification of rarefied ES-BGK solver and ideas such as prediction of the thermally induced lift and drag reduction in rarefied aerodynamics are investigated. Validation of the rarefied ES-BGK solver with Runge-Kutta discontinous Galerkin method with experiments in transonic regime with a Reynolds number of 73 showed that ES-BGK solver is the most suitable solver in near slip transonic regime. For the quantification of lift generation, A NACA 0012 airfoil is studied with a high temperature surface on the bottom for the lift creation for different Knudsen numbers. It was seen that for lower velocities, continuum solver under predicts the lift generation when the Knudsen number is 0.00129 due to local velocity gradients reaching slip regime although lift coefficient is higher with the Boltzmann ES-BGK solutions. In the second part, the feasibility of using thermal transpiration for drag reduction is studied. Initial study in drag reduction includes an application of a thermal gradient at the upper surface of a NACA 0012 airfoil near trailing edge at a 12-degree angle of attack and 5 Pa pressure. It was seen that drag is reduced by 4 percent and vortex shedding frequency is reduced due to asymmetry introduced in the flow due to temperature gradient causing reverse flow due to thermal transpiration phenomena.

Depth-related gradients of viral activity in Lake Pavin.

PubMed

Colombet, J; Sime-Ngando, T; Cauchie, H M; Fonty, G; Hoffmann, L; Demeure, G

2006-06-01

High-resolution vertical sampling and determination of viral and prokaryotic parameters in a deep volcanic lake shows that in the absence of thermal stratification but within light, oxygen, and chlorophyll gradients, host availability empirically is prevalent over the physical and chemical environments and favors lytic over lysogenic "viral life cycles."

Underwater optical communications using orbital angular momentum-based spatial division multiplexing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willner, Alan E.; Zhao, Zhe; Ren, Yongxiong; Li, Long; Xie, Guodong; Song, Haoqian; Liu, Cong; Zhang, Runzhou; Bao, Changjing; Pang, Kai

2018-02-01

In this paper, we review high-capacity underwater optical communications using orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based spatial division multiplexing. We discuss methods to generate and detect blue-green optical data-carrying OAM beams as well as various underwater effects, including attenuation, scattering, current, and thermal gradients on OAM beams. Attention is also given to the system performance of high-capacity underwater optical communication links using OAM-based space division multiplexing. The paper closes with a discussion of a digital signal processing (DSP) algorithm to mitigate the inter-mode crosstalk caused by thermal gradients.

Thermal and ghost reflection modeling for a 180-deg. field-of-view long-wave infrared lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Weimin; Couture, Michael E.

2001-03-01

Optics 1, Inc. has successfully designed and developed a 180 degree(s) field of view long wave infrared lens for USAF/AFRL under SBIR phase I and II funded projects in support of the multi-national Programmable Integrated Ordinance Suite (PIOS) program. In this paper, a procedure is presented on how to evaluate image degradation caused by asymmetric aerodynamic dome heating. In addition, a thermal gradient model is proposed to evaluate degradation caused by axial temperature gradient throughout the entire PIOS lens. Finally, a ghost reflection analysis is demonstrated with non-sequential model.

On the relationship between isostatic elevation and the wavelengths of tectonic surface features on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuber, M. T.; Parmentier, E. M.

1990-01-01

Venus lithospheric structure models are presently formulated in which regional isostatic elevation, d, and the spacing wavelength, lambda, of tectonic features formed due to horizontal extension and compression are functions of both surface thermal gradient and crustal thickness c. It is shown that, in areas of Venus where the upper mantle is stronger than the upper crust, the spacings of short-wavelength features should increase with increasing d, if that change in turn is due to increasing c, but should decrease with increasing d, if this change is in turn due to increasing surface thermal gradient.

Experiments and simulation of thermal behaviors of the dual-drive servo feed system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jun; Mei, Xuesong; Feng, Bin; Zhao, Liang; Ma, Chi; Shi, Hu

2015-01-01

The machine tool equipped with the dual-drive servo feed system could realize high feed speed as well as sharp precision. Currently, there is no report about the thermal behaviors of the dual-drive machine, and the current research of the thermal characteristics of machines mainly focuses on steady simulation. To explore the influence of thermal characterizations on the precision of a jib boring machine assembled dual-drive feed system, the thermal equilibrium tests and the research on thermal-mechanical transient behaviors are carried out. A laser interferometer, infrared thermography and a temperature-displacement acquisition system are applied to measure the temperature distribution and thermal deformation at different feed speeds. Subsequently, the finite element method (FEM) is used to analyze the transient thermal behaviors of the boring machine. The complex boundary conditions, such as heat sources and convective heat transfer coefficient, are calculated. Finally, transient variances in temperatures and deformations are compared with the measured values, and the errors between the measurement and the simulation of the temperature and the thermal error are 2 °C and 2.5 μm, respectively. The researching results demonstrate that the FEM model can predict the thermal error and temperature distribution very well under specified operating condition. Moreover, the uneven temperature gradient is due to the asynchronous dual-drive structure that results in thermal deformation. Additionally, the positioning accuracy decreases as the measured point became further away from the motor, and the thermal error and equilibrium period both increase with feed speeds. The research proposes a systematical method to measure and simulate the boring machine transient thermal behaviors.

Modelling of directional solidification of BSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chenting; Motakef, Shahryar

1993-03-01

A thermo-fluid model for vertical Bridgman growth of bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) as model material for semi-transparent, low thermal conductivity oxides is developed. Internal radiative heat transfer, together with convective and conductive heat transfer are considered in this model. Due to the strong internal thermal radiation within the grown crystal, the growth interface is highly convex into the melt, instead of being concave as is the case for opaque materials with the thermal conductivity of the melt larger than that of the solid. Reduction of the growth interface non-planarity through variations in the growth configuration is investigated. A furnace temperature profile consisting of a steep gradient on the melt side and shallow gradient on the solid side of the charge is found to be the most effective approach.

Effects of thermally induced porosity on an as-HIP powder metallurgy superalloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreshfield, R. L.; Miner, R. V., Jr.

1980-01-01

The effect of thermally induced porosity on the mechanical properties of an as-hot-isostatically pressed and heat-treated pressing made from low carbon Astroloy is examined. Tensile, stress-rupture, creep, and low cycle fatigue tests were performed and the results were compared with industrial acceptance criteria. It is shown that the porous pressing has a porosity gradient from the rim to the bore with the bore having 1-1/2% greater porosity. Mechanical properties of the test ring below acceptance level are tensile reduction in area at room temperature and 538 C and time for 0.1% creep at 704 C. It is also found that the strength, ductility, and rupture life of the rim are slightly inferior to those of the rim of the sound pressings, while those of the bore are generally below the acceptable level. At strain ranges typical of commercial aircraft engines, the low cycle fatigue life of the rim of the porous pressings is slightly lower than that of the sound pressings.

Investigation of Advanced Processed Single-Crystal Turbine Blade Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. J.; Biondo, C. M.; DeLuca, D. P.

1995-01-01

This investigation studied the influence of thermal processing and microstructure on the mechanical properties of the single-crystal, nickel-based superalloys PWA 1482 and PWA 1484. The objective of the program was to develop an improved single-crystal turbine blade alloy that is specifically tailored for use in hydrogen fueled rocket engine turbopumps. High-gradient casting, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and alternate heat treatment (HT) processing parameters were developed to produce pore-free, eutectic-free microstructures with different (gamma)' precipitate morphologies. Test materials were cast in high thermal gradient solidification (greater than 30 C/cm (137 F/in.)) casting furnaces for reduced dendrite arm spacing, improved chemical homogeneity, and reduced interdendritic pore size. The HIP processing was conducted in 40 cm (15.7 in.) diameter production furnaces using a set of parameters selected from a trial matrix study. Metallography was conducted on test samples taken from each respective trial run to characterize the as-HIP microstructure. Post-HIP alternate HT processes were developed for each of the two alloys. The goal of the alternate HT processing was to fully solution the eutectic gamma/(gamma)' phase islands and to develop a series of modified (gamma)' morphologies for subsequent characterization testing. This was accomplished by slow cooling through the (gamma)' solvus at controlled rates to precipitate volume fractions of large (gamma)'. Post-solution alternate HT parameters were established for each alloy providing additional volume fractions of finer precipitates. Screening tests included tensile, high-cycle fatigue (HCF), smooth and notched low-cycle fatigue (LCF), creep, and fatigue crack growth evaluations performed in air and high pressure (34.5 MPa (5 ksi)) hydrogen at room and elevated temperature. Under the most severe embrittling conditions (HCF and smooth and notched LCF in 34.5 MPa (5 ksi) hydrogen at 20 C (68 F), screening test results showed increases in fatigue life typically on the order of 1OX, when compared to the current Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Alternate Turbopump (AT) blade alloy (PWA 1480).

Temperature-gradient-induced

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Cheol; Glaser, Matt; Maclennan, Joe; Clark, Noel; Trittel, Torsten; Stannarius, Ralf

Freely-suspended smectic films of sub-micrometer thickness and lateral extensions of several millimeters were used to study thermally driven migration and convection in the film plane. Film experiments were performed during the 6 minute microgravity phase of a TEXUS suborbital rocket flight (Texus 52, launched April 27, 2015). We have found an attraction of the smectic material towards the cold edge of the film in a temperature gradient, similar to the Soret effect. This process is reversed when this edge is heated up again. Thermal convection driven by two thermocontacts in the film is practically absent, even at temperature gradients up to 10 K/mm, with thermally driven convection only setting in when the hot post reaches the transition temperature to the nematic phase. The Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS) flight hardware was launched on SpaceX-6 in April 2015 and experiments on smectic bubbles were carried out on the International Space Station using four different smectic A and C liquid crystal materials in separate sample chambers. We observed that smectic islands on the surface of the bubbles migrated towards the colder part of the bubble in a temperature gradient. This work was supported by NASA Grant No. NNX-13AQ81G, by the Soft Materials Research Center under NSF MRSEC Grants No. DMR-0820579 and No. DMR-1420736, and by DLR Grants 50WM1127 and 50WM1430.

Probing of molecular replication and accumulation in shallow heat gradients through numerical simulations.

PubMed

Keil, Lorenz; Hartmann, Michael; Lanzmich, Simon; Braun, Dieter

2016-07-27

How can living matter arise from dead matter? All known living systems are built around information stored in RNA and DNA. To protect this information against molecular degradation and diffusion, the second law of thermodynamics imposes the need for a non-equilibrium driving force. Following a series of successful experiments using thermal gradients, we have shown that heat gradients across sub-millimetre pores can drive accumulation, replication, and selection of ever longer molecules, implementing all the necessary parts for Darwinian evolution. For these lab experiments to proceed with ample speed, however, the temperature gradients have to be quite steep, reaching up to 30 K per 100 μm. Here we use computer simulations based on experimental data to show that 2000-fold shallower temperature gradients - down to 100 K over one metre - can still drive the accumulation of protobiomolecules. This finding opens the door for various environments to potentially host the origins of life: volcanic, water-vapour, or hydrothermal settings. Following the trajectories of single molecules in simulation, we also find that they are subjected to frequent temperature oscillations inside these pores, facilitating e.g. template-directed replication mechanisms. The tilting of the pore configuration is the central strategy to achieve replication in a shallow temperature gradient. Our results suggest that shallow thermal gradients across porous rocks could have facilitated the formation of evolutionary machines, significantly increasing the number of potential sites for the origin of life on young rocky planets.

Data for ground-water test hole near Zamora, Central Valley Aquifer Project, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, J.J.; Page, R.W.; Bertoldi, G.L.

1982-01-01

Preliminary data are presented for the first of seven test holes drilled as a part of the Central Valley Aquifer Project which is part of the National Regional Aquifer Systems Analysis Program. The test hole was drilled in the SW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec. 34, T. 12 N. , R. 1 E., Yolo County, California, about 3 miles northeast of the town of Zamora. Drilled to a depth of 2,500 feet below land surface, the hole is cased to a depth of 190 feet and equipped with three piezometer tubes to depths of 947, 1,401, and 2,125 feet. A 5-foot well screen is at the bottom of each piezometer. Eighteen cores and 68 sidewall cores were recovered. Laboratory tests were made for mineralogy, hydraulic conductivity, porosity , consolidation, grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, X-ray diffraction, diatom identification, thermal conductivity, and chemical analysis of water. Geophysical and thermal gradient logs were made. The hole is sampled periodically for chemical analysis and measured for water level in the three tapped zones. This report presents methods used to obtain field samples, laboratory procedures, and the data obtained. (USGS)

Thermal Adaptation and Diversity in Tropical Ecosystems: Evidence from Cicadas (Hemiptera, Cicadidae)

PubMed Central

Sanborn, Allen F.; Heath, James E.; Phillips, Polly K.; Heath, Maxine S.; Noriega, Fernando G.

2011-01-01

The latitudinal gradient in species diversity is a central problem in ecology. Expeditions covering approximately 16°54′ of longitude and 21°4′ of latitude and eight Argentine phytogeographic regions provided thermal adaptation data for 64 species of cicadas. We test whether species diversity relates to the diversity of thermal environments within a habitat. There are general patterns of the thermal response values decreasing in cooler floristic provinces and decreasing maximum potential temperature within a habitat except in tropical forest ecosystems. Vertical stratification of the plant communities leads to stratification in species using specific layers of the habitat. There is a decrease in thermal tolerances in species from the understory communities in comparison to middle level or canopy fauna. The understory Herrera umbraphila Sanborn & Heath is the first diurnally active cicada identified as a thermoconforming species. The body temperature for activity in H. umbraphila is less than and significantly different from active body temperatures of all other studied species regardless of habitat affiliation. These data suggest that variability in thermal niches within the heterogeneous plant community of the tropical forest environments permits species diversification as species adapt their physiology to function more efficiently at temperatures different from their potential competitors. PMID:22242117

Thermal transport in lithium ion batteries: An experimental investigation of interfaces and granular materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaitonde, Aalok Jaisheela Uday

Increasing usage and recent accidents due to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries exploding or catching on fire has inspired research on the characterization and thermal management of these batteries. In cylindrical 18650 cells, heat generated during the battery's charge/discharge cycle is poorly dissipated to the surrounding through its metallic case due to the poor thermal conductivity of the jelly roll, which is spirally wound with many interfaces between electrodes and the polymeric separator. This work presents a technique to measure the thermal conduction across the metallic case-plastic separator interface, which ultimately limits heat transfer out of the jelly roll. The polymeric separator and metallic case are harvested from discharged commercial 18650 battery cells for thermal testing. A miniaturized version of the reference bar method enables measurements of the interface resistance between the case and the separator by establishing a temperature gradient across a multilayer stack consisting of two reference layers of known thermal conductivity and the case-separator sample. The case-separator interfacial conductance is reported for a range of case temperatures and interface pressures. The mean thermal conductance across the case-separator interface is 670 +/- 275 W/(m2K) and no significant temperature or pressure dependence is observed. The effective thermal conductivity of the battery stack is measured to be 0.27 W/m/K and 0.32 W/m/K in linear and radial configurations, respectively. Many techniques for fabricating battery electrodes involve coating particles of the active materials on metallic current collectors. The impact of mechanical shearing on the resultant thermal properties of these packed particle beds during the fabrication process has not yet been studied. Thus, the final portion of this thesis designs and validates a measurement system to measure the effects of mechanical shearing on the thermal conductivity of packed granular beds. This system simultaneously shears the sample while applying a temperature gradient across the particle bed, enabling thermal conductivity measurements using a radial equivalent of the conventional reference bar method. Results of this research, which includes characterization of thermal conductance across the rate limiting separator-case interface, will help improve the design and reliability of lithium ion batteries. Cells of larger dimension and capacity could also be achieved by the improved understanding of thermal transport across the microscopic electrode stack. Better analytic models of the thermal response of the batteries could be constructed, by taking into account the interfacial conductance and thermal conductivity of the electrodes measured in this work. This is of particular importance in the current circumstances, where accidents and safety issues related to lithium ion batteries are on the increase.

Influence of Ta content in high purity niobium on cavity performance

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

P. Kneisel; G. Ciovati; G. R. Myneni

In a previous paper [1] we have reported about initial tests of single cell 1500 MHz cavities made from high purity niobium with three different Ta contents of 160 ppm , {approx}600 ppm and {approx}1400 ppm. These cavities had been treated by buffered chemical polishing several times and 100 {micro}m, 200 {micro}m and 300 {micro}m of material had been removed from the surfaces. This contribution reports about subsequent tests following post purification heat treatments with Ti and ''in situ'' baking. As a result, all cavities exhibited increased quench fields due to the improved thermal conductivity after the heat treatment. Aftermore » the ''in situ'' baking at 120 C for {approx} 40 hrs the always present Q-drop at high fields disappeared and further improvements in accelerating gradient could be realized. Gradients as high as E{sub acc} = 35 MV/m were achieved and there were no clear indications that the cavity performance was influenced by the Ta content in the material. A multi-cell cavity from the high Ta content material has been fabricated and initial results are reported.« less

Thermal management and design for optical refrigeration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Symonds, G.; Farfan, B. G.; Ghasemkhani, M. R.; Albrecht, A. R.; Sheik-Bahae, M.; Epstein, R. I.

2016-03-01

We present our recent work in developing a robust and versatile optical refrigerator. This work focuses on minimizing parasitic energy losses through efficient design and material optimization. The cooler's thermal linkage system and housing are studied using thermal analysis software to minimize thermal gradients through the device. Due to the extreme temperature differences within the device, material selection and characterization are key to constructing an efficient device. We describe the design constraints and material selections necessary for thermally efficient and durable optical refrigeration.

Shadowgraph Study of Gradient Driven Fluctuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cannell, David; Nikolaenko, Gennady; Giglio, Marzio; Vailati, Alberto; Croccolo, Fabrizio; Meyer, William

2002-01-01

A fluid or fluid mixture, subjected to a vertical temperature and/or concentration gradient in a gravitational field, exhibits greatly enhanced light scattering at small angles. This effect is caused by coupling between the vertical velocity fluctuations due to thermal energy and the vertically varying refractive index. Physically, small upward or downward moving regions will be displaced into fluid having a refractive index different from that of the moving region, thus giving rise to the enhanced scattering. The scattered intensity is predicted to vary with scattering wave vector q, as q(sup -4), for sufficiently large q, but the divergence is quenched by gravity at small q. In the absence of gravity, the long wavelength fluctuations responsible for the enhanced scattering are predicted to grow until limited by the sample dimensions. It is thus of interest to measure the mean-squared amplitude of such fluctuations in the microgravity environment for comparison with existing theory and ground based measurements. The relevant wave vectors are extremely small, making traditional low-angle light scattering difficult or impossible because of stray elastically scattered light generated by optical surfaces. An alternative technique is offered by the shadowgraph method, which is normally used to visualize fluid flows, but which can also serve as a quantitative tool to measure fluctuations. A somewhat novel shadowgraph apparatus and the necessary data analysis methods will be described. The apparatus uses a spatially coherent, but temporally incoherent, light source consisting of a super-luminescent diode coupled to a single-mode optical fiber in order to achieve extremely high spatial resolution, while avoiding effects caused by interference of light reflected from the various optical surfaces that are present when using laser sources. Results obtained for a critical mixture of aniline and cyclohexane subjected to a vertical temperature gradient will be presented. The sample was confined between two horizontal parallel sapphire plates with a vertical spacing of 1 mm. The temperatures of the sapphire plates were controlled by independent circulating water loops that used Peltier devices to add or remove heat from the room air as required. For a mixture with a temperature gradient, two effects are involved in generating the vertical refractive index gradient, namely thermal expansion and the Soret effect, which generates a concentration gradient in response to the applied temperature gradient. For the aniline/cyclohexane system, the denser component (aniline) migrates toward the colder surface. Consequently, when heating from above, both effects result in the sample density decreasing with altitude and are stabilizing in the sense that no convective motion occurs regardless of the magnitude of the applied temperature gradient. The Soret effect is strong near a binary liquid critical point, and thus the dominant effect is due to the induced concentration gradient. The results clearly show the divergence at low q and the predicted gravitational quenching. Results obtained for different applied temperature gradients at varying temperature differences from the critical temperature, clearly demonstrate the predicted divergence of the thermal diffusion ratio. Thus, the more closely the critical point is approached, the smaller becomes the temperature gradient required to generate the same signal. Two different methods have been used to generate pure concentration gradients. In the first, a sample cell was filled with a single fluid, ethylene glycol, and a denser miscible fluid, water, was added from below thus establishing a sharp interface to begin the experiment. As time went on the two fluids diffused into each other, and large amplitude fluctuations were clearly observed at low q. The effects of gravitational quenching were also evident. In the second method, the aniline/cyclohexane sample was used, and after applying a vertical temperature gradient for several hours, the top and bottom temperatures were set equal and the thermal gradient died on a time scale of seconds, leaving the Soret induced concentration gradient in place. Again, large-scale fluctuations were observed and died away slowly in amplitude as diffusion destroyed the initial concentration gradient.

Numerical Modelling of Airflow and Temperature Distribution in a Living Room with Different Heat Exchange Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gendelis, S.; Jakovičs, A.

2010-01-01

Numerical mathematical modelling of the indoor thermal conditions and of the energy losses for separate rooms is an important part of the analysis of the heat-exchange balance and energy efficiency in buildings. The measurements of heat transfer coefficients for bounding structures, the air-tightness tests and thermographic diagnostics done for a building allow the influence of those factors to be predicted more correctly in developed numerical models. The temperature distribution and airflows in a typical room (along with the heat losses) were calculated for different heater locations and solar radiation (modelled as a heat source) through the window, as well as various pressure differences between the openings in opposite walls. The airflow velocities and indoor temperature, including its gradient, were also analysed as parameters of thermal comfort conditions. The results obtained show that all of the listed factors have an important influence on the formation of thermal comfort conditions and on the heat balance in a room.

Active two-phase cooling of an IR window for a hypersonic interceptor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burzlaff, B. H.; Chivian, Jay S.; Cotten, W. D.; Hemphill, R. B.; Huhlein, Michael A.

1993-06-01

A novel actively cooled window for an IR sensor on a hypersonic interceptor is envisioned which achieves an IR window with high transmittance, low emittance, and low image distortion under high aerodynamic heat flux. The cooling concept employs two-phase convective boiling of liquid ammonia. Coolant is confined to narrow, parallel channels within the window to minimize obscuration of the aperture. The high latent heat of vaporization of ammonia minimizes coolant mass-flow requirements. Low boiling temperatures at projected operating pressures promote high thermal conductivity and low emissivity in the window. The concept was tested with thermal measurements on sub-mm width coolant channels in Si. High values for heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux were obtained. Thermal gradients within the window can be controlled by the coolant channel configuration. Design options are investigated by predicting the effect of aerodynamic heat flux on the image produced by an IR sensor with a cooled window. Ammonia-cooled IR windows will function in the anticipated aerothermal environment.

Ballistic Performance Model of Crater Formation in Monolithic, Porous Thermal Protection Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. E.; Christiansen, E. L.; Deighton, K. D.

2014-01-01

Porous monolithic ablative systems insulate atmospheric reentry vehicles from reentry plasmas generated by atmospheric braking from orbital and exo-orbital velocities. Due to the necessity that these materials create a temperature gradient up to several thousand Kelvin over their thickness, it is important that these materials are near their pristine state prior to reentry. These materials may also be on exposed surfaces to space environment threats like orbital debris and meteoroids leaving a probability that these exposed surfaces will be below their prescribed values. Owing to the typical small size of impact craters in these materials, the local flow fields over these craters and the ablative process afford some margin in thermal protection designs for these locally reduced performance values. In this work, tests to develop ballistic performance models for thermal protection materials typical of those being used on Orion are discussed. A density profile as a function of depth of a typical monolithic ablator and substructure system is shown in Figure 1a.

Anisotropic Thermal Diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, Thomas

2013-10-01

Anisotropic thermal diffusion in magnetized plasmas is an important physical phenomena for a diverse set of physical conditions ranging from astrophysical plasmas to MFE and ICF. Yet numerically simulating this phenomenon accurately poses significant challenges when the computational mesh is misaligned with respect to the magnetic field. Particularly when the temperature gradients are unresolved, one frequently finds entropy violating solutions with heat flowing from cold to hot zones for χ∥ /χ⊥ >=102 which is substantially smaller than the range of interest which can reach 1010 or higher. In this talk we present a new implicit algorithm for solving the anisotropic thermal diffusion equations and demonstrate its characteristics on what has become a fairly standard set of test problems in the literature. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. SAND2013-5687A.

The effects of temperature on fiber composite bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

In this study the fiber composite bridge decks were subjected to thermal gradients to obtain the temperature difference between the top and bottom surface of the decks and to determine the thermal properties of the deck. The fiber composite bridge de...

Test of 1D carbon-carbon composite prototype tiles for the SPIDER diagnostic calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serianni, G.; Pimazzoni, A.; Canton, A.; Palma, M. Dalla; Delogu, R.; Fasolo, D.; Franchin, L.; Pasqualotto, R.; Tollin, M.

2017-08-01

Additional heating will be provided to the thermonuclear fusion experiment ITER by injection of neutral beams from accelerated negative ions. In the SPIDER test facility, under construction at Consorzio RFX in Padova (Italy), the production of negative ions will be studied and optimised. To this purpose the STRIKE (Short-Time Retractable Instrumented Kalorimeter Experiment) diagnostic will be used to characterise the SPIDER beam during short operation (several seconds) and to verify if the beam meets the ITER requirement regarding the maximum allowed beam non-uniformity (below ±10%). The most important measurements performed by STRIKE are beam uniformity, beamlet divergence and stripping losses. The major components of STRIKE are 16 1D-CFC (Carbon matrix-Carbon Fibre reinforced Composite) tiles, observed at the rear side by a thermal camera. The requirements of the 1D CFC material include a large thermal conductivity along the tile thickness (at least 10 times larger than in the other directions); low specific heat and density; uniform parameters over the tile surface; capability to withstand localised heat loads resulting in steep temperature gradients. So 1D CFC is a very anisotropic and delicate material, not commercially available, and prototypes are being specifically realised. This contribution gives an overview of the tests performed on the CFC prototype tiles, aimed at verifying their thermal behaviour. The spatial uniformity of the parameters and the ratio between the thermal conductivities are assessed by means of a power laser at Consorzio RFX. Dedicated linear and non-linear simulations are carried out to interpret the experiments and to estimate the thermal conductivities; these simulations are described and a comparison of the experimental data with the simulation results is presented.

Efficient thermal diode with ballistic spacer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shunda; Donadio, Davide; Benenti, Giuliano; Casati, Giulio

2018-03-01

Thermal rectification is of importance not only for fundamental physics, but also for potential applications in thermal manipulations and thermal management. However, thermal rectification effect usually decays rapidly with system size. Here, we show that a mass-graded system, with two diffusive leads separated by a ballistic spacer, can exhibit large thermal rectification effect, with the rectification factor independent of system size. The underlying mechanism is explained in terms of the effective size-independent thermal gradient and the match or mismatch of the phonon bands. We also show the robustness of the thermal diode upon variation of the model's parameters. Our finding suggests a promising way for designing realistic efficient thermal diodes.

Texas A&M vortex type phase separator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Best, Frederick

2000-01-01

Phase separation is required for regenerative biological and chemical process systems as well as thermal transport and rejection systems. Liquid and gas management requirements for future spacecraft will demand small, passive systems able to operate over wide ranges of inlet qualities. Conservation and recycling of air and water is a necessary part of the construction and operation of the International Space Station as well as future long duration space missions. Space systems are sensitive to volume, mass, and power. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to recycle wastewater with minimal power consumption. Regenerative life support systems currently being investigated require phase separation to separate the liquid from the gas produced. The microgravity phase separator designed and fabricated at Texas A&M University relies on centripetal driven buoyancy forces to form a gas-liquid vortex within a fixed, right-circular cylinder. Two-phase flow is injected tangentially along the inner wall of this cylinder producing a radial acceleration gradient. The gradient produced from the intrinsic momentum of the injected mixture results in a rotating flow that drives the buoyancy process by the production of a hydrostatic pressure gradient. Texas A&M has flown several KC-135 flights with separator. These flights have included scaling studies, stability and transient investigations, and tests for inventory instrumentation. Among the hardware tested have been passive devices for separating mixed vapor/liquid streams into single-phase streams of vapor only and liquid only. .

Numerical Simulations of Thermo-Mechanical Processes during Thermal Spallation Drilling for Geothermal Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogler, D.; Walsh, S. D. C.; Rudolf von Rohr, P.; Saar, M. O.

2017-12-01

Drilling expenses constitute a significant share of the upfront capital costs and thereby the associated risks of geothermal energy production. This is especially true for deep boreholes, as drilling costs per meter increase significantly with depth. Thermal spallation drilling is a relatively new drilling technique, particularly suited to the hard crystalline (e.g., basement) rocks in which many deep geothermal resources are located. The method uses a hot jet-flame to rapidly heat the rock surface, which leads to large temperature gradients in the rock. These temperature gradients cause localized thermal stresses that, in combination with the in situ stress field, lead to the formation and ejection of spalls. These spalls are then transported out of the borehole with the drilling mud. Thermal spallation not only in principle enables much faster rates of penetration than traditional rotary drilling, but is also contact-less, which significantly reduces the long tripping times associated with conventional rotary head drilling. We present numerical simulations investigating the influence of rock heterogeneities on the thermal spallation process. Special emphasis is put on different mineral compositions, stress regimes, and heat sources.

Phenotypic clines, energy balances and ecological responses to climate change.

PubMed

Buckley, Lauren B; Nufio, César R; Kingsolver, Joel G

2014-01-01

The Metabolic Theory of Ecology has renewed interest in using energetics to scale across levels of ecological organization. Can scaling from individual phenotypes to population dynamics provides insight into why species have shifted their phenologies, abundances and distributions idiosyncratically in response to recent climate change? We consider how the energetic implications of phenotypes may scale to understand population and species level responses to climate change using four focal grasshopper species along an elevation gradient in Colorado. We use a biophysical model to translate phenotypes and environmental conditions into estimates of body temperatures. We measure thermal tolerances and preferences and metabolic rates to assess rates of energy use and acquisition. Body mass declines along the elevation gradient for all species, but mass-specific metabolic rates increases only modestly. We find interspecific differences in both overall thermal tolerances and preferences and in the variation of these metrics along the elevation gradient. The more dispersive species exhibit significantly higher thermal tolerance and preference consistent with much of their range spanning hot, low elevation areas. When integrating these metrics to consider metabolic constraints, we find that energetic costs decrease along the elevation gradient due to decreasing body size and temperature. Opportunities for energy acquisition, as reflected by the proportion of time that falls within a grasshopper's thermal tolerance range, peak at mid elevations. We discuss methods for translating these energetic metrics into population dynamics. Quantifying energy balances and allocation offers a viable approach for predicting how populations will respond to climate change and the consequences for species composed of populations that may be locally adapted. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

Thermal Design and Analysis for the Cryogenic MIDAS Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amundsen, Ruth McElroy

1997-01-01

The Materials In Devices As Superconductors (MIDAS) spaceflight experiment is a NASA payload which launched in September 1996 on the Shuttle, and was transferred to the Mir Space Station for several months of operation. MIDAS was developed and built at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The primary objective of the experiment was to determine the effects of microgravity and spaceflight on the electrical properties of high-temperature superconductive (HTS) materials. The thermal challenge on MIDAS was to maintain the superconductive specimens at or below 80 K for the entire operation of the experiment, including all ground testing and 90 days of spaceflight operation. Cooling was provided by a small tactical cryocooler. The superconductive specimens and the coldfinger of the cryocooler were mounted in a vacuum chamber, with vacuum levels maintained by an ion pump. The entire experiment was mounted for operation in a stowage locker inside Mir, with the only heat dissipation capability provided by a cooling fan exhausting to the habitable compartment. The thermal environment on Mir can potentially vary over the range 5 to 40 C; this was the range used in testing, and this wide range adds to the difficulty in managing the power dissipated from the experiment's active components. Many issues in the thermal design are discussed, including: thermal isolation methods for the cryogenic samples; design for cooling to cryogenic temperatures; cryogenic epoxy bonds; management of ambient temperature components self-heating; and fan cooling of the enclosed locker. Results of the design are also considered, including the thermal gradients across the HTS samples and cryogenic thermal strap, electronics and thermal sensor cryogenic performance, and differences between ground and flight performance. Modeling was performed in both SINDA-85 and MSC/PATRAN (with direct geometry import from the CAD design tool Pro/Engineer). Advantages of both types of models are discussed. Correlation of several models to ground testing and flight data (where available) is presented. Both SINDA and PATRAN models predicted the actual thermal performance of the experiment well, even without post-flight correlation adjustments of the models.

Wellbore and groundwater temperature distribution eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho: Implications for groundwater flow and geothermal potential

DOE PAGES

McLing, Travis L.; Smith, Richard P.; Smith, Robert W.; ...

2016-04-10

A map of groundwater temperatures from the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) regional aquifer can be used to identify and interpret important features of the aquifer, including aquifer flow direction, aquifer thickness, and potential geothermal anomalies. The ESRP is an area of high heat flow, yet most of this thermal energy fails to reach the surface, due to the heat being swept downgradient by the aquifer to the major spring complexes near Thousand Springs, ID, a distance of 300 km. Nine deep boreholes that fully penetrate the regional aquifer display three common features: (1) high thermal gradients beneath the aquifer,more » corresponding to high conductive heat flow in low-permeability hydrothermally-altered rocks; (2) isothermal temperature profiles within the aquifer, characteristic of an actively flowing groundwater; and (3) moderate thermal gradients in the vadose zone with values that indicate that over half of the geothermal heat flow is removed by advective transport in the regional aquifer system. This study utilized temperature data from 250 ESRP aquifer wells to evaluate regional aquifer flow direction, aquifer thickness, and potential geothermal anomalies. Because the thermal gradients are typically low in the aquifer, any measurement of groundwater temperature is a reasonable estimate of temperature throughout the aquifer thickness, allowing the construction of a regional aquifer temperature map for the ESRP. Mapped temperatures are used to identify cold thermal plumes associated with recharge from tributary valleys and adjacent uplands, and warm zones associated with geothermal input to the aquifer. Warm zones in the aquifer can have various causes, including local circulation of groundwater through the deep conductively dominated region, slow groundwater movement in low-permeability regions, or localized heat flow from deeper thermal features.« less

Comparison of the temperature accuracy between smart phone based and high-end thermal cameras using a temperature gradient phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klaessens, John H.; van der Veen, Albert; Verdaasdonk, Rudolf M.

2017-03-01

Recently, low cost smart phone based thermal cameras are being considered to be used in a clinical setting for monitoring physiological temperature responses such as: body temperature change, local inflammations, perfusion changes or (burn) wound healing. These thermal cameras contain uncooled micro-bolometers with an internal calibration check and have a temperature resolution of 0.1 degree. For clinical applications a fast quality measurement before use is required (absolute temperature check) and quality control (stability, repeatability, absolute temperature, absolute temperature differences) should be performed regularly. Therefore, a calibrated temperature phantom has been developed based on thermistor heating on both ends of a black coated metal strip to create a controllable temperature gradient from room temperature 26 °C up to 100 °C. The absolute temperatures on the strip are determined with software controlled 5 PT-1000 sensors using lookup tables. In this study 3 FLIR-ONE cameras and one high end camera were checked with this temperature phantom. The results show a relative good agreement between both low-cost and high-end camera's and the phantom temperature gradient, with temperature differences of 1 degree up to 6 degrees between the camera's and the phantom. The measurements were repeated as to absolute temperature and temperature stability over the sensor area. Both low-cost and high-end thermal cameras measured relative temperature changes with high accuracy and absolute temperatures with constant deviations. Low-cost smart phone based thermal cameras can be a good alternative to high-end thermal cameras for routine clinical measurements, appropriate to the research question, providing regular calibration checks for quality control.

Perioperative thermal insulation.

PubMed

Bräuer, Anselm; Perl, Thorsten; English, Michael J M; Quintel, Michael

2007-01-01

Perioperative hypothermia remains a common problem during anesthesia and surgery. Unfortunately, the implementation of new minimally invasive surgical procedures has not lead to a reduction of this problem. Heat losses from the skin can be reduced by thermal insulation to avoid perioperative hypothermia. However, only a small amount of information is available regarding the physical properties of insulating materials used in the Operating Room (OR). Therefore, several materials using validated manikins were tested. Heat loss from the surface of the manikin can be described as:"Q = h . DeltaT . A" where Q = heat flux, h = heat exchange coefficient, DeltaT = temperature gradient between the environment and surface, and A = covered area. Heat flux per unit area and surface temperature were measured with calibrated heat flux transducers. Environmental temperature was measured using a thermoanemometer. The temperature gradient between the surface and environment (DeltaT) was varied and "h" was determined by linear regression analysis as the slope of "DeltaT" versus heat flux per unit area. The reciprocal of the heat exchange coefficient defines the insulation. The insulation values of the materials varied between 0.01 Clo (plastic bag) to 2.79 Clo (2 layers of a hospital duvet). Given the range of insulating materials available for outdoor activities, significant improvement in insulation of patients in the OR is both possible and desirable.

CWIS Experiment On Board REXUS-16 Sounding Rocket: Investigation of the Chemical Wave in Binary Mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzevelecos, W.; Pugliese, A.; de Filippis, L.; Manzone, S.; Alfano, B.; Mancino, F.; Runge, W.; Desenfans, O.; Galand, Q.; Van Vaerenbergh, S.

2015-09-01

Chemical Wave in Soret Effect (CWIS) is an experiment launched in May 2014 on-board a REXUS sounding rocket from Esrange Space Center. The experiment was completely designed and assembled by students from different countries under an international collaboration between the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the University of Naples Federico II. This student program called REXUS/BEXUS allows students to perform experiments in space science applications under the supervision of the European Space Agency (ESA). The objective of the CWIS Team was to visualize the Chemical Wave (CW) during the transient of the Soret effect. The CW is a concentration front that rapidly propagates under thermal gradient in a liquid mixture, and which marks the beginning of the chemical separation phenomenon by thermodiffusion (the separation process is itself named Soret effect, but is usually analyzed statically). The selected mixture was a solution of Ethylene Glycol in Water and concentration variation due to thermal gradients was recorded using a modified Fizeau interferometer, with modifications designed to enlarge a very small region of the test cell using cylindrical squeezing. We recorded more than 100 images with the chemical information and in this paper work we will show the final results of the sounding rocket experiment.

Paleogeothermal gradients and timing of oil generation in the Belden Formation, Eagle Basin, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nuccio, V.F.; Johnson, S.Y.; Schenk, C.J.

1989-01-01

Paleogeothermal gradients and timing of oil generation for the Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian Belden Formation have been estimated for four locations in the Eagle Basin of northwestern Colorado, by comparing measured vitrinite reflectance with maturity modeling. Two thermal models were made for each location: one assumes a constant paleogeothermal gradient through time while the other is a two-stage model with changing paleogeothermal gradients. The two-stage paleogeothermal gradient scenario is considered more geologically realistic and is used to estimate the timing of oil generation throughout the Eagle basin. From the data and interpretations, one would expect Belden oil to be found in either upper Paleozoic or Mesozoic reservoir rocks. -Authors

Depth-Related Gradients of Viral Activity in Lake Pavin

PubMed Central

Colombet, J.; Sime-Ngando, T.; Cauchie, H. M.; Fonty, G.; Hoffmann, L.; Demeure, G.

2006-01-01

High-resolution vertical sampling and determination of viral and prokaryotic parameters in a deep volcanic lake shows that in the absence of thermal stratification but within light, oxygen, and chlorophyll gradients, host availability empirically is prevalent over the physical and chemical environments and favors lytic over lysogenic “viral life cycles.” PMID:16751565

The Influence of Wavelength-Dependent Absorption and Temperature Gradients on Temperature Determination in Laser-Heated Diamond-Anvil Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, J.; Lee, K. K. M.; Du, Z.; Benedetti, L. R.

2016-12-01

In situ temperature measurements in the laser-heated diamond-anvil cell (LHDAC) are among the most fundamental experiments undertaken in high-pressure science. Despite its importance, few efforts have been made to examine the alteration of thermal radiation spectra of hot samples by wavelength-dependent absorption of the sample itself together with temperature gradients within samples while laser heating and their influence on temperature measurement. For example, iron-bearing minerals show strong wavelength dependent absorption in the wavelength range used to determine temperature, which, together with temperature gradients can account for largely aliased apparent temperatures (e.g., 1200 K deviation for a 4000 K melting temperature) in some experiments obtained by fitting of detected thermal radiation intensities. As such, conclusions of melting temperatures, phase diagrams and partitioning behavior, may be grossly incorrect for these materials. In general, wavelength-dependent absorption and temperature gradients of samples are two key factors to consider in order to rigorously constrain temperatures, which have been largely ignored in previous LHDAC studies. A reevaluation of temperatures measured in recent high-profile papers will be reviewed.

Thermodiffusion as a means to manipulate liquid film dynamics on chemically patterned surfaces

PubMed Central

Kalpathy, Sreeram K.; Shreyes, Amrita Ravi

2017-01-01

The model problem examined here is the stability of a thin liquid film consisting of two miscible components, resting on a chemically patterned solid substrate and heated from below. In addition to surface tension gradients, the temperature variations also induce gradients in the concentration of the film by virtue of thermodiffusion/Soret effects. We study the stability and dewetting behaviour due to the coupled interplay between thermal gradients, Soret effects, long-range van der Waals forces, and wettability gradient-driven flows. Linear stability analysis is first employed to predict growth rates and the critical Marangoni number for chemically homogeneous surfaces. Then, nonlinear simulations are performed to unravel the interfacial dynamics and possible locations of the film rupture on chemically patterned substrates. Results suggest that appropriate tuning of the Soret parameter and its direction, in conjunction with either heating or cooling, can help manipulate the location and time scales of the film rupture. The Soret effect can either potentially aid or oppose film instability depending on whether the thermal and solutal contributions to flow are cooperative or opposed to each other. PMID:28595391

A new thermo-mechanical coupled DEM model with non-spherical grains for thermally induced damage of rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhiqiang; Jin, Xu; Wang, Moran

2018-07-01

Thermally induced damage often occurs in rocks in geophysical systems. Discrete element method (DEM) is a useful tool to model this thermo-mechanical coupled process owing to its explicit representation of fracture initiation and propagation. However, the previous DEM models for this are mostly based on spherical discrete elements, which are not able to capture all consequences (e.g. high ratio of compressive to tensile strength) of real rocks (e.g. granite) composed of complex-geometry grains. In order to overcome this intrinsic limitation, we present a new model allowing to mimick thermally induced damage of brittle rock with non-spherical grains. After validations, the new model is used to study thermal gradient cracking with a special emphasis on the effects from rock heterogeneity. The obtained fracture initiation and propagation are consistent with experimental observations, which demonstrates the ability of current model to reproduce the thermally induced damage of rocks. Meanwhile, the results show that rock heterogeneity influences thermal gradient cracking significantly, and more micro cracks uniformly scattering around the borehole are induced in the heterogeneous sample, which is not good for applications such as nuclear waste disposal. The present model provides a promising approach at micro-scale to explore mechanisms of thermally induced damage of rocks in geological engineering.

A geothermal AMTEC system

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

Schuller, M.J.; LeMire, R.A.; Horner-Richardson, K.

1995-12-31

The Phillips Laboratory Power and Thermal Management Division (PL/VTP), with the support of ORION International Technologies, is investigating new methods of advanced thermal to electric power conversion for space and terrestrial applications. The alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC), manufactured primarily by Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) of Ann Arbor, MI, has reached a level of technological maturity which would allow its use in a constant, unattended thermal source, such as a geothermal field. Approximately 95,000 square miles in the western United States has hot dry rock with thermal gradients of 60 C/km and higher. Several places in the United Statesmore » and the world have thermal gradients of 500 C/km. Such heat sources represent an excellent thermal source for a system of modular power units using AMTEC devices to convert the heat to electricity. AMTEC cells using sodium as a working fluid require heat input at temperatures between 500 and 1,000 C to generate power. The present state of the art is capable of 15% efficiency with 800 C heat input and has demonstrated 18% efficiency for single cells. This paper discusses the basics of AMTEC operation, current drilling technology as a cost driver, design of modular AMTEC power units, heat rejection technologies, materials considerations, and estimates of power production from a geothermal AMTEC concept.« less

Seasonal and latitudinal acclimatization of cardiac transcriptome responses to thermal stress in porcelain crabs, Petrolisthes cinctipes.

PubMed

Stillman, Jonathon H; Tagmount, Abderrahmane

2009-10-01

Central predictions of climate warming models include increased climate variability and increased severity of heat waves. Physiological acclimatization in populations across large-scale ecological gradients in habitat temperature fluctuation is an important factor to consider in detecting responses to climate change related increases in thermal fluctuation. We measured in vivo cardiac thermal maxima and used microarrays to profile transcriptome heat and cold stress responses in cardiac tissue of intertidal zone porcelain crabs across biogeographic and seasonal gradients in habitat temperature fluctuation. We observed acclimatization dependent induction of heat shock proteins, as well as unknown genes with heat shock protein-like expression profiles. Thermal acclimatization had the largest effect on heat stress responses of extensin-like, beta tubulin, and unknown genes. For these genes, crabs acclimatized to thermally variable sites had higher constitutive expression than specimens from low variability sites, but heat stress dramatically induced expression in specimens from low variability sites and repressed expression in specimens from highly variable sites. Our application of ecological transcriptomics has yielded new biomarkers that may represent sensitive indicators of acclimatization to habitat temperature fluctuation. Our study also has identified novel genes whose further description may yield novel understanding of cellular responses to thermal acclimatization or thermal stress.

Thermal transport dynamics in the quasi-single helicity state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinney, I. J.; Terry, P. W.

2017-06-01

A dynamical model describing oscillations between multiple and single helicity configurations in the quasi-single helicity (QSH) state of the reversed field pinch [P. W. Terry and G. G. Whelan, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 56, 094003 (2014)] is extended to include electron temperature profile dynamics. It is shown that QSH dynamics is linked to the electron temperature profile because the suppression of mode coupling between tearing modes proposed to underlie QSH also suppresses magnetic-fluctuation-induced thermal transport. Above the threshold of dominant-mode shear that marks the transition to QSH, the model produces temperature-gradient steepening in the strong shear region. Oscillations of the dominant and secondary mode amplitudes give rise to oscillations of the temperature gradient. The phasing and amplitude of temperature gradient oscillations relative to those of the dominant mode are in agreement with experiment. This provides further evidence that the model, while heuristic, captures key physical aspects of the QSH state.

The influence of gamma prime on the recrystallization of an oxide dispersion strengthened superalloy - MA 6000E

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hotzler, R. K.; Glasgow, T. K.

1982-01-01

The requirement of large, recrystallized, highly elongated grains is of primary importance to the development of suitable high temperature properties in oxide dispersion strengthened-superalloys. In the present study the recrystallization behavior of MA 6000E, a recently developed Y2O3 strengthened superalloy produced by mechanical alloying, was examined using transmission and replication microscopy. Gradient and isothermal annealing treatments were applied to extruded and hot rolled products. It was found that conversion from a very fine (0.2 micron) grain structure to a coarse (approximately 10 mm) grain structure is controlled by the dissolution of the gamma prime phase, while grain shape was controlled primarily by the thermal gradient. The fine uniform oxide dispersion appeared to have only a secondary influence in determining the grain shape as columnar grains could be grown transverse to the working direction by appropriate application of the thermal gradient.

Geothermal Resource/Reservoir Investigations Based on Heat Flow and Thermal Gradient Data for the United States

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

D. D. Blackwell; K. W. Wisian; M. C. Richards

2000-04-01

Several activities related to geothermal resources in the western United States are described in this report. A database of geothermal site-specific thermal gradient and heat flow results from individual exploration wells in the western US has been assembled. Extensive temperature gradient and heat flow exploration data from the active exploration of the 1970's and 1980's were collected, compiled, and synthesized, emphasizing previously unavailable company data. Examples of the use and applications of the database are described. The database and results are available on the world wide web. In this report numerical models are used to establish basic qualitative relationships betweenmore » structure, heat input, and permeability distribution, and the resulting geothermal system. A series of steady state, two-dimensional numerical models evaluate the effect of permeability and structural variations on an idealized, generic Basin and Range geothermal system and the results are described.« less

Microstructure actuation and gas sensing by the Knudsen thermal force

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

Strongrich, Andrew; Alexeenko, Alina, E-mail: alexeenk@purdue.edu

2015-11-09

The generation of forces and moments on structures immersed in rarefied non-isothermal gas flows has received limited practical implementation since first being discovered over a century ago. The formation of significant thermal stresses requires both large thermal gradients and characteristic dimensions which are comparable to the gas molecular mean free path. For macroscopic geometries, this necessitates impractically high temperatures and very low pressures. At the microscale, however, these conditions are easily achieved, allowing the effects to be exploited, namely, for gas-property sensing and microstructure actuation. In this letter, we introduce and experimentally evaluate performance of a microelectromechanical in-plane Knudsen radiometricmore » actuator, a self-contained device having Knudsen thermal force generation, sensing, and tuning mechanisms integrated onto the same platform. Sensitivity to ambient pressure, temperature gradient, as well as gas composition is demonstrated. Results are presented in terms of a non-dimensional force coefficient, allowing measurements to be directly compared to the previous experimental and computational data on out-of-plane cantilevered configurations.« less

Seismology of adolescent neutron stars: Accounting for thermal effects and crust elasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, C. J.; Ho, W. C. G.; Andersson, N.

2015-09-01

We study the oscillations of relativistic stars, incorporating key physics associated with internal composition, thermal gradients and crust elasticity. Our aim is to develop a formalism which is able to account for the state-of-the-art understanding of the complex physics associated with these systems. As a first step, we build models using a modern equation of state including composition gradients and density discontinuities associated with internal phase transitions (like the crust-core transition and the point where muons first appear in the core). In order to understand the nature of the oscillation spectrum, we carry out cooling simulations to provide realistic snapshots of the temperature distribution in the interior as the star evolves through adolescence. The associated thermal pressure is incorporated in the perturbation analysis, and we discuss the presence of g -modes arising as a result of thermal effects. We also consider interface modes due to phase-transitions and the gradual formation of the star's crust and the emergence of a set of shear modes.

Effects of thermal inhomogeneity on 4m class mirror substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jedamzik, Ralf; Kunisch, Clemens; Westerhoff, Thomas

2016-07-01

The new ground based telescope generation is moving to a next stage of performance and resolution. Mirror substrate material properties tolerance and homogeneity are getting into focus. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) homogeneity is even more important than the absolute CTE. The error in shape of a mirror, even one of ZERODUR, is affected by changes in temperature, and by gradients in temperature. Front to back gradients will change the radius of curvature R that in turn will change the focus. Some systems rely on passive athermalization and do not have means to focus. Similarly changes in soak temperature will result in surface changes to the extent there is a non-zero coefficient of thermal expansion. When there are in-homogeneities in CTE, the mirror will react accordingly. Results of numerical experiments are presented discussing the impact of CTE in-homogeneities on the optical performance of 4 m class mirror substrates. Latest improvements in 4 m class ZERODUR CTE homogeneity and the thermal expansion metrology are presented as well.

Direct detection of spin Nernst effect in platinum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bose, A.; Bhuktare, S.; Singh, H.; Dutta, S.; Achanta, V. G.; Tulapurkar, A. A.

2018-04-01

Generation of spin current lies at the heart of spintronic research. The spin Hall effect and the spin Seebeck effect have drawn considerable attention in the last few years to create pure spin current by heavy metals and ferromagnets, respectively. In this work, we show the direct evidence of heat current to spin current conversion in non-magnetic Platinum by the spin Nernst effect (SNE) at room temperature. This is the thermal analogue of the spin Hall effect in non-magnets. We have shown that the 8 K/μm thermal gradient in Pt can lead to the generation of pure spin current density of the order of 108 A/m2 by virtue of SNE. This opens up an additional possibility to couple the relativistic spin-orbit interaction with the thermal gradient for spintronic applications.

Four Bed Molecular Sieve - Exploration (4BMS-X) Virtual Heater Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schunk, R. Gregory; Peters, Warren T.; Thomas, John T., Jr.

2017-01-01

A 4BMS-X (Four Bed Molecular Sieve - Exploration) design and heater optimization study for CO2 sorbent beds in proposed exploration system architectures is presented. The primary objectives of the study are to reduce heater power and thermal gradients within the CO2 sorbent beds while minimizing channeling effects. Some of the notable changes from the ISS (International Space Station) CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) to the proposed exploration system architecture include cylindrical beds, alternate sorbents and an improved heater core. Results from both 2D and 3D sorbent bed thermal models with integrated heaters are presented. The 2D sorbent bed models are used to optimize heater power and fin geometry while the 3D models address end effects in the beds for more realistic thermal gradient and heater power predictions.

Chandra Observations and Models of the Mixed Morphology Supernova Remnant W44: Global Trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelton, R. L.; Kuntz, K. D.; Petre, R.

2004-01-01

We report on the Chandra observations of the archetypical mixed morphology (or thermal composite) supernova remnant, W44. As with other mixed morphology remnants, W44's projected center is bright in thermal X-rays. It has an obvious radio shell, but no discernable X-ray shell. In addition, X-ray bright knots dot W44's image. The spectral analysis of the Chandra data show that the remnant s hot, bright projected center is metal-rich and that the bright knots are regions of comparatively elevated elemental abundances. Neon is among the affected elements, suggesting that ejecta contributes to the abundance trends. Furthermore, some of the emitting iron atoms appear to be underionized with respect to the other ions, providing the first potential X-ray evidence for dust destruction in a supernova remnant. We use the Chandra data to test the following explanations for W44's X-ray bright center: 1.) entropy mixing due to bulk mixing or thermal conduction, 2.) evaporation of swept up clouds, and 3.) a metallicity gradient, possibly due to dust destruction and ejecta enrichment. In these tests, we assume that the remnant has evolved beyond the adiabatic evolutionary stage, which explains the X-ray dimness of the shell. The entropy mixed model spectrum was tested against the Chandra spectrum for the remnant's projected center and found to be a good match. The evaporating clouds model was constrained by the finding that the ionization parameters of the bright knots are similar to those of the surrounding regions. While both the entropy mixed and the evaporating clouds models are known to predict centrally bright X-ray morphologies, their predictions fall short of the observed brightness gradient. The resulting brightness gap can be largely filled in by emission from the extra metals in and near the remnant's projected center. The preponderance of evidence (including that drawn from other studies) suggests that W44's remarkable morphology can be attributed to dust destruction and ejecta enrichment within an entropy mixed, adiabatic phase supernova remnant. The Chandra data prompts a new question - by what astrophysical mechanisms are the metals distributed so inhomogeneously in the supernova remnant.

Repeated nitrous oxide exposure in rats causes a thermoregulatory sign-reversal with concurrent activation of opposing thermoregulatory effectors

PubMed Central

Ramsay, Douglas S; Woods, Stephen C; Kaiyala, Karl J

2014-01-01

Initial administration of 60% nitrous oxide (N2O) to rats at an ambient temperature of 21°C decreases core temperature (Tc), primarily via increased heat loss (HL). Over repeated N2O administrations, rats first develop tolerance to this hypothermia and subsequently exhibit hyperthermia (a sign-reversal) due primarily to progressive increases in heat production (HP). When rats initially receive 60% N2O in a thermal gradient, they become hypothermic while selecting cooler ambient temperatures that facilitate HL. This study investigated whether rats repeatedly administered 60% N2O in a thermal gradient would use the gradient to behaviorally facilitate, or oppose, the development of chronic tolerance and a hyperthermic sign-reversal. Male Long-Evans rats (N = 16) received twelve 3-h administrations of 60% N2O in a gas-tight, live-in thermal gradient. Hypothermia (Sessions 1–3), complete chronic tolerance (Sessions 4–6), and a subsequent transient hyperthermic sign-reversal (Sessions 7–12) sequentially developed. Despite the progressive recovery and eventual hyperthermic sign-reversal of Tc, rats consistently selected cooler ambient temperatures during all N2O administrations. A final 60% N2O administration in a total calorimeter indicated that the hyperthermic sign-reversal resulted primarily from increased HP. Thus, rats did not facilitate chronic tolerance development by moving to warmer locations in the gradient, and instead selected cooler ambient temperatures while simultaneously increasing autonomic HP. The inefficient concurrent activation of opposing effectors and the development of a sign-reversal are incompatible with homeostatic models of drug-adaptation and may be better interpreted using a model of drug-induced allostasis. PMID:25938127

Refractive index-based detection of gradient elution liquid chromatography using chip-integrated microring resonator arrays.

PubMed

Wade, James H; Bailey, Ryan C

2014-01-07

Refractive index-based sensors offer attractive characteristics as nondestructive and universal detectors for liquid chromatographic separations, but a small dynamic range and sensitivity to minor thermal perturbations limit the utility of commercial RI detectors for many potential applications, especially those requiring the use of gradient elutions. As such, RI detectors find use almost exclusively in sample abundant, isocratic separations when interfaced with high-performance liquid chromatography. Silicon photonic microring resonators are refractive index-sensitive optical devices that feature good sensitivity and tremendous dynamic range. The large dynamic range of microring resonators allows the sensors to function across a wide spectrum of refractive indices, such as that encountered when moving from an aqueous to organic mobile phase during a gradient elution, a key analytical advantage not supported in commercial RI detectors. Microrings are easily configured into sensor arrays, and chip-integrated control microrings enable real-time corrections of thermal drift. Thermal controls allow for analyses at any temperature and, in the absence of rigorous temperature control, obviates extended detector equilibration wait times. Herein, proof of concept isocratic and gradient elution separations were performed using well-characterized model analytes (e.g., caffeine, ibuprofen) in both neat buffer and more complex sample matrices. These experiments demonstrate the ability of microring arrays to perform isocratic and gradient elutions under ambient conditions, avoiding two major limitations of commercial RI-based detectors and maintaining comparable bulk RI sensitivity. Further benefit may be realized in the future through selective surface functionalization to impart degrees of postcolumn (bio)molecular specificity at the detection phase of a separation. The chip-based and microscale nature of microring resonators also make it an attractive potential detection technology that could be integrated within lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic separation devices.