Modeling study on the flow, heat transfer and energy conversion characteristics of low-power arc-heated hydrogen/nitrogen thrusters

A modeling study is conducted to investigate the effect of hydrogen content in propellants on the plasma flow, heat transfer and energy conversion characteristics of low-power (kW class) arc-heated hydrogen/nitrogen thrusters (arcjets). 1:0 (pure hydrogen), 3:1 (to simulate decomposed ammonia), 2:1 (to simulate decomposed hydrazine) and 0:1 (pure nitrogen) hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures are chosen as the propellants. Both the gas flow region inside the thruster nozzle and the anode-nozzle wall are included in the computational domain in order to better treat the conjugate heat transfer between the gas flow region and the solid wall region. The axial variations of the enthalpy flux, kinetic energy flux, directed kinetic-energy flux, and momentum flux, all normalized to the mass flow rate of the propellant, are used to investigate the energy conversion process inside the thruster nozzle. The modeling results show that the values of the arc voltage, the gas axial-velocity at the thruster exit, and the specific impulse of the arcjet thruster all increase with increasing hydrogen content in the propellant, but the gas temperature at the nitrogen thruster exit is significantly higher than that for other three propellants. The flow, heat transfer, and energy conversion processes taking place in the thruster nozzle have some common features for all the four propellants. The propellant is heated mainly in the near-cathode and constrictor region, accompanied with a rapid increase of the enthalpy flux, and after achieving its maximum value, the enthalpy flux decreases appreciably due to the conversion of gas internal energy into its kinetic energy in the divergent segment of the thruster nozzle. The kinetic energy flux, directed kinetic energy flux and momentum flux also increase at first due to the arc heating and the thermodynamic expansion, assume their maximum inside the nozzle and then decrease gradually as the propellant flows toward the thruster exit. It is found that a large energy loss (31-52%) occurs in the thruster nozzle due to the heat transfer to the nozzle wall and too long nozzle is not necessary. Modeling results for the NASA 1-kW class arcjet thruster with hydrogen or decomposed hydrazine as the propellant are found to compare favorably with available experimental data.

Modeling study to compare the flow and heat transfer characteristics of low-power hydrogen, nitrogen and argon arc-heated thrusters

A modelling study is performed to compare the plasma °ow and heat transfer char- acteristics of low-power arc-heated thrusters (arcjets) for three di®erent propellants: hydrogen, nitrogen and argon. The all-speed SIMPLE algorithm is employed to solve the governing equa- tions, which take into account the e®ects of compressibility, Lorentz force and Joule heating, as well as the temperature- and pressure-dependence of the gas properties. The temperature, veloc- ity and Mach number distributions calculated within the thruster nozzle obtained with di®erent propellant gases are compared for the same thruster structure, dimensions, inlet-gas stagnant pressure and arc currents. The temperature distributions in the solid region of the anode-nozzle wall are also given. It is found that the °ow and energy conversion processes in the thruster nozzle show many similar features for all three propellants. For example, the propellant is heated mainly in the near-cathode and constrictor region, with the highest plasma temperature appear- ing near the cathode tip; the °ow transition from the subsonic to supersonic regime occurs within the constrictor region; the highest axial velocity appears inside the nozzle; and most of the input propellant °ows towards the thruster exit through the cooler gas region near the anode-nozzle wall. However, since the properties of hydrogen, nitrogen and argon, especially their molecular weights, speci¯c enthalpies and thermal conductivities, are di®erent, there are appreciable di®er- ences in arcjet performance. For example, compared to the other two propellants, the hydrogen arcjet thruster shows a higher plasma temperature in the arc region, and higher axial velocity but lower temperature at the thruster exit. Correspondingly, the hydrogen arcjet thruster has the highest speci¯c impulse and arc voltage for the same inlet stagnant pressure and arc current. The predictions of the modelling are compared favourably with available experimental results.

Numerical modeling of heat transfer and plasma flow in a low power arcjet thruster

Modeling studies are preformed to investigate the plasma and heat transfer characteristics of a low power argon arcjet thruster. Computed temperature, velocity, static pressure, and Mach number distribution in arcjet thruster under typical operating condition are presented in this paper. It shows that the performance data from numerical modeling results are basically consistent with the experimental measured values.

Asymmetric heat conduction through a weak link

We study the heat conduction of two nonlinear lattices joined by a weak harmonic link. When the system reaches a steady state, the heat conduction of the system is decided by the tunneling heat flow through the weak link. We present an analytical analysis by the combination of the self-consistent phonon theory and the heat tunneling transport formalism, and then the tunneling heat flow can be obtained. Moreover, the nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations are performed and the simulations results are consistent with the analytical predictions.

Dimensional crossover of heat conduction in low dimensions

The dimensional crossover phenomena of heat conduction is studied by a two-dimensional (2D) Fermi-Pasta-Ulam lattice. The 2D divergence law of the thermal conductivity is confirmed by the simulations results. The divergence law of the thermal conductivity will change from the 2D class to 1D class as delta=N-y/N-x decreases, here N-y is the size in transverse direction and N-x in longitude direction. The simulation's results suggest that the dimensional crossover happens in delta(*)-> 0 as N-x ->infinity.

Asymmetric heat conduction in nonlinear lattices

In this Letter, we conduct an extensive study of the two-segment Frenkel-Kontorova model. We show that the rectification effect of the heat flux reported in recent literature is possible only in the weak interfacial coupling limit. The rectification effect will be reversed when the properties of the interface and the system size change. These two types of asymmetric heat conduction are governed by different mechanisms though both are induced by nonlinearity. An intuitive physical picture is proposed to interpret the reversal of the rectification effect. Since asymmetric heat conduction depends critically on the properties of the interface and the system size, it is probably not an easy task to fabricate a thermal rectifier or thermal diode in practice.

Low-temperature heat capacities and derived thermodynamic functions of cyclohexane

The low-temperature heat capacities of cyclohexane were measured in the temperature range from 78 to 350 K by means of an automatic adiabatic calorimeter equipped with a new sample container adapted to measure heat capacities of liquids. The sample container was described in detail. The performance of this calorimetric apparatus was evaluated by heat capacity measurements on water. The deviations of experimental heat capacities from the corresponding smoothed values lie within +/-0.3%, while the inaccuracy is within +/-0.4%, compared with the reference data in the whole experimental temperature range. Two kinds of phase transitions were found at 186.065 and 279.684 K corresponding solid-solid and solid-liquid phase transitions, respectively. The entropy and enthalpy of the phase transition, as well as the thermodynamic functions {H-(T)- H-298.15 K} and {S-(T)-S-298.15 K}, were derived from the heat capacity data. The mass fraction purity of cyclohexane sample used in the present calorimetric study was determined to be 99.9965% by fraction melting approach.

Heat capacities and thermodynamic properties of chrysanthemic acid

The heat capacities of chrysanthemic acid in the temperature range from 80 to 400 K were measured with a precise automatic adiabatic calorimeter. The chrysanthemic acid sample was prepared with the purity of 0.9855 mole fraction. A solid-liquid fusion phase transition was observed in the experimental temperature range. The melting point, T-m, enthalpy and entropy of fusion, Delta(fus)H(m), Delta(fus)S(m), were determined to be 390.741 +/- 0.002 K, 14.51 +/- 0.13 kJ mol(-1), 37.13 +/- 0.34 J mol(-1) K-1, respectively. The thermodynamic functions of chrysanthemic acid, H-(T)-H-(298.15), S-(T)-S-(298.15) and G((T))-G((298.15)) were reported with a temperature interval of 5 K. The TG analysis under the heating rate of 10 K min(-1) confirmed that the thermal decomposition of the sample starts at ca. 410 K and terminates at ca. 471 K. The maximum decomposition rate was obtained at 466 K. The purity of the sample was determined by a fractional melting method.

Low-temperature heat capacities and standard molar enthalpy of formation of aspirin

Molar heat capacities (C-p,C-m) of aspirin were precisely measured with a small sample precision automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 78 to 383 K. No phase transition was observed in this temperature region. The polynomial function of Cp, vs. T was established in the light of the low-temperature heat capacity measurements and least square fitting method. The corresponding function is as follows: for 78 Kless than or equal toTless than or equal to383 K, C-p,C-m/J mol(-1) K-1=19.086X(4)+15.951X(3)-5.2548X(2)+90.192X+176.65, [X=(T-230.50/152.5)]. The thermodynamic functions on the base of the reference temperature of 298.15 K, {DeltaH(T)-DeltaH(298.15)} and {S-T-S-298.15}, were derived.

Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of pyrimethanil myristic salt (C26H41N3O2)

Pyrimethanil myristic salt was synthesized and its heat capacities were measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from T = (79 to 360) K. The melting point, molar enthalpy, Delta(fus)H(m) and entropy, Delta(fus)S(m), of fusion of this compound were determined to be (321.84 +/- 0.05) K, (56.53 +/- 0.03) kJ . mol(-1) and (175.64 +/- 0.05) J . mol(-1) . K-1, respectively. The purity of the compound was calculated to be 98.99 mol% by using the fractional melting technique. The thermodynamic functions relative to the reference temperature, T = 298.15 K, were calculated based on the heat capacity measurements in the temperature ranges from T = (80 to 360) K. The TG-DTG results demonstrate that the mass loss of the sample takes place in one step with the maximum rate at T = 500 K, which was caused by evaporation of the sample. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.