On the recombination mechanism of atomic nitrogen near a catalytic surface in a stream of dissociated air

It is shown that the heterogeneous recombination of nitrogen atoms on a catalytically active surface in a stream of dissociated air is accompanied by intense gas-phase recombination of the nitrogen in exchange reactions whose rate is determined by the rate of heterogeneous recombination of atomic oxygen.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 156–158, May–June, 1980.     

Analysis of catalytic properties of siliconized heat-shielding coatings

The catalytic properties of heat-shielding coatings (β-cristobalite and SiC) used on space vehicles are analyzed on the basis of the microscopic approach with consideration of the molecular structure of the near-surface layer. The heterogeneous recombination coefficient of oxygen atoms and the recombination energy accommodation coefficient are determined. The energy distribution by internal degrees of freedom is calculated. In particular, it is found that, when the energy of collision of atoms with the surface is small, the oxygen atom heterogeneous recombination is more efficient for SiC coatings, whereas this recombination is more efficient in the case of β-cristobalite if the collision energy is large. Nevertheless, the heat-transfer coefficient is greater for SiC coatings in the studied range of collision energy variations, since the recombination energy accommodation is larger.     

Effect of surface catalytic activity on nonequilibrium heat transfer in a subsonic jet of dissociated nitrogen

The present paper investigates experimentally and numerically the effect of the heterogeneous recombination of atoms on the heat transfer of models in a subsonic jet of dissociated nitrogen for the conditions of an experiment in the VGU-2 plasma generator and determines the effective probabilities of the heterogeneous recombination of nitrogen atoms for a number of materials at high temperatures.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 166–172, May–June, 1985.     

Experimental study and BEM analysis of fatigue crack growth in a cracked heterogeneous body

A model for analysing a soft-hard heterogeneous body with a crack in the hard region is presented in this paper. The result of fatigue experiments shows that mechanical heterogeneity affects the rate of propagation of fatigue crack. Meanwhile the results computed by BEM for cracked heterogeneous bodies under cycling loading indicate that the smaller the distance between the crack and the interface of hard and soft regions is, the smaller the amplitude of crack opening displacement, COD and ofJ-integral as well at the same step during the fatigue crack growth will be. The effect of heterogeneity on the rate of fatigue crack propagation is shown by the variation of J. The smaller the distance of the crack to the interface is, the smaller the rate of fatigue crack growth will be.     

A Lattice Gas Automaton Simulation of the Nonlinear Diffusion Equation: A Model for Moisture Flow in Unsaturated Porous Media

We investigate a two-dimensional lattice gas automaton (LGA) for simulating the nonlinear diffusion equation in a random heterogeneous structure. The utilility of the LGA for computation of nonlinear diffusion arises from the fact that, the diffusion coefficient in the LGA depends on the local density of fluid particles which statistically determines the collision rate and thus, the mean free path of the particles at the microscopic scale. The LGA may therefore be used as a physical analogue to simulate moisture flow in unsaturated porous media. The capability of the LGA to account for unsaturated flow is tested through a set of numerical experiments simulating one-dimensional infiltration in a simplified semi-infinite homogenous isotropic porous material. Different mechanisms of interactions are used between the fluid and the solid phase to simulate various fluid–solid interfaces. The heterogeneous medium, initially at low density is submitted to a steep density gradient by continuously injecting fluid particles at high concentration and zero velocity along one face of the model. The propagation of the infiltration front is visualized at different time steps through concentration profiles parallel to the applied concentration gradient and the infiltration rate is measured continuously until steady-state flow is reached. The numerical results show close agreement with the classical theory of flow in unsaturated porous media. The cumulative absorption exhibits the expected t ^1/2 dependence. The evolution of the effective diffusion coefficient with the particle concentration is estimated from the measured density profiles for the various porous materials. Depending on the applied fluid–solid interactions, the macroscopic effective diffusivity may vary by more than two orders of magnitude with density.     

Stiffness problem in modeling wave flows of heterogeneous media with a three‐temperature scheme of interphase heat and mass transfer

The numerical modeling of wave flows of heterogeneous media with a threetemperature scheme of interphase heat and mass transfer involves the problem of equation stiffness. A discrete model of improved stability was developed to describe these processes. Test calculations of the interaction of a shock wave with a bounded layer of a mixture of a gas and droplets assuming a discrete model over a wide range of initial data showed that the stability conditions do not depend on the rate of interphase interaction (Cstability).     

Scaling mixing during miscible displacement in heterogeneous porous media

This paper discusses scaling of mixing during miscible flow in heterogeneous porous media. In large field systems dispersivity appears to depend on system length due to heterogeneities. Three types of scaling are discussed to investigate the heterogeneous effects. Dimensional analysis of mixing during flow through geometerically scaled heterogeneous models is illustrated using measured dispersion. Fractal analysis of mixing in statistically scaled heterogeneous porous media is discussed. Analog scaling of pressure transients in heterogeneous porous media is suggested as an in-situ method of estimating dispersion.Notation L Length - M mass - t time, (1) indicates dimensionless - a dispersivity (L) - V local velocity (L/t) - c concentration (l). - v velocity (L/t) - C₁ fluid compressibility (Lt²/M) - v time averaged velocity (LJt) - D dispersion VA) - W width (L) - D fractional dimension (1) - x coordinate (L) - d Euclidean dimension (1) - Y Y=In \-k (l) - \-d average particle size (L) - y coordinate (L) - g acceleration due to gravity (L/t2) - _c fractal cutoff (L) - \-k average permeability (L2) - viscosity (LM/t) - L length (L) - porosity (1) - L correlation scale (1/L) - density (N/L³) - N Number of sites (l) - ² variance (dimension depends on variable) - p pressure (W/t²L) - spectral exponent (l) - [R] randomnumber (1) - r radius (L) - t time (t)     

Modeling of catalytic activity of an Al2O3 surface on the basis of the first principles

The adsorption, desorption, impact, and associative heterogeneous recombination rate coefficients are determined for atomic oxygen in the temperature range between 500 and 2000 K on the basis of quantum chemical data on the energy of interaction of atomic and molecular oxygen with the clusters that model an α-Al₂0₃ surface. These coefficients are used to calculate the heterogeneous recombination probabilities and the heat fluxes to the surface under the conditions similar to those of the MESOX facility.     

Static crack resistance of iron‐based sintered powder materials

A boundaryvalue problem of static crack resistance of structurally heterogeneous sintered materials is formulated within the framework of the structurally phenomenological approach. A numerical algorithm for modeling the mechanical behavior of structurally heterogeneous cracked powder materials is proposed. Crack resistance of some structurally heterogeneous powder materials is estimated. The anomalous character of the crack resistance revealed is studied with the use of fractography. Theoretical findings are supported by results of mechanical cracking tests.     

Shock wave kinetics of Fe + NO based on Fe, O, and N atom measurements

The reaction of Fe atoms with NO was studied behind incident shock waves in the temperature range of 780–1,020 K at pressures between 0.3 and 1.2 bar. Atomic-resonance-absorption spectroscopy (ARAS) was applied for the time-resolved measurement of Fe , N, and O atoms in gas mixtures containing Fe(CO)₅ and NO, highly diluted in argon. The experiments showed a Fe-atom consumption without an associated O- or N-atom formation which can be explained by a recombination of Fe and NO:

Microwave and optical techniques for gas discharge studies

Summary Some recently developed microwave and optical techniques for studying fundamental processes in gas discharges are described. Microwave apparatus which measures the change of resonant frequency andQ of a cavity containing a gas discharge is used to determine the concentration of electrons and their rate of collision with gas atoms in the discharge. Time sampling techniques are used to reduce the statistical fluctuations in data obtained in very low intensity optical emission studies. These techniques have been employed in direct recording spectrographic and interferometric equipments which require orders of magnitude less exposure time than conventional photographic recording methods. Time sampling has also been applied to optical absorption techniques used to study metastable atoms, with a hundred-fold increase in detection sensitivity over previous methods. The use of these methods is illustrated by a brief discussion of studies of electron-ion recombination, conversion of singlet metastable atoms to triplet metastables by collisions with slow electrons, and the formation and decay of excited mercury molecules.     

Numerical study on local entropy generation in a burner fueled with various fuels

This study considers numerical simulations of the combustions of hydrogen and various hydrocarbons with air, including 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen, in a burner and the numerical solution of the local entropy generation rate due to the high temperature and velocity gradients in the combustion chamber. The combustion is simulated for the fuel mass flow rates providing the same heat transfer rate to the combustion chamber in the each fuel case. The effects of (only in the case of H₂ fuel) and equivalence ratio () on the combustion and entropy generation rate are investigated for the different (from 5,000 to 10,000 W) and s (from 0.5 to 1.0). The numerical calculation of combustion is performed individually for all cases with the help of the Fluent CFD code. Furthermore, a computer program has been developed to numerically calculate the volumetric entropy generation rate distributions and the other thermodynamic parameters by using the results of the calculations performed with the FLUENT code. The calculations bring out that the maximum reaction rates decrease with the increase of (or the decrease of ). The large positive and negative temperature gradients occur in the axial direction, nonetheless, the increase of significantly reduces them. The calculations bring out also that with the increase of from 0.5 to 1.0, the volumetric local entropy generation rates decrease about 4% and that the merit numbers increase about 16%.     

Experimental and Theoretical Simulation of Heterogeneous Catalysis in Aerothermochemistry (a Review)

The design of aerospace vehicles has required the solution of radically new scientific and technological problems. One of the important problems has been to create reusable heat shield materials. In [1, 2] information concerning the methods and results of solving these problems, including the development of composites from ultrathin quartz fibers and carbon-carbon materials for the “Buran” orbital vehicle heat shield, was presented. The basic thermophysical characteristics of these materials include both the rate or probability coefficients of heterogeneous nitrogen and oxygen atom recombination and the accommodation coefficients of energy recombination at high surface temperatures. In the present paper the experimental and computational aspects of determining these parameters, which are also of interest for new heat shield materials for future space transport systems, are discussed.     

Macro-Scale Dynamic Effects in Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Porous Media

It is known that the classical capillary pressure-saturation relationship may be deficient under non-equilibrium conditions when large saturation changes may occur. An extended relationship has been proposed in the literature which correlates the rate of change of saturation to the difference between the phase pressures and the equilibrium capillary pressure. This linear relationship contains a damping coefficient, \tau, that may be a function of saturation. The extended relationship is examined at the macro-scale through simulations using the two-phase simulator MUFTE-UG. In these simulations, it is assumed that the traditional equilibrium relationship between the water saturation and the difference in fluid pressures holds locally. Steady-state and dynamic numerical experiments are performed where a non-wetting phase displaces a wetting phase in homogeneous and heterogeneous domains with varying boundary conditions, domain size, and soil parameters. From these simulations the damping coefficient can be identified as a (non-linear) function of the water saturation. It is shown that the value of increases with an increased domain size and/or with decreased intrinsic permeability. Also, the value of for a domain with a spatially correlated random distribution of intrinsic permeability is compared to a homogeneous domain with equivalent permeability; they are shown to be almost equal.     

Diffusion separation of chemical elements on a catalytic surface

An asymptotic expansion of the solution, for large Schmidt numbers, of the system of equations of a chemically nonequilibrium multicomponent boundary layer on the catalytic surface of a blunt body [1] is used to obtain expressions for the diffusion fluxes of the reaction products and chemical elements and the heat flux as functions of the gradients of the reaction product concentrations, chemical element concentrations and enthalpy across the boundary layer. It is shown that when the body is exposed to a supersonic air flow, the diffusion separation of the chemical element oxygen depends importantly on the atom concentration at the outer edge of the boundary layer and the nature of the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic reactions. If the surface promotes the rapid recombination of oxygen atoms and is chemically neutral with respect to nitrogen atoms, then an excess of the chemical element oxygen is formed on the body. Otherwise we get an enhanced concentration of the element nitrogen. As distinct from the case of an ideally catalytic wall [2–4], on a surface possessing the property of catalytic selectivity the diffusion separation of chemical elements takes place even when only atoms are present at the outer edge of the boundary layer. On a chemically neutral surface diffusion separation may be caused by homogeneous recombination reactions between oxygen and nitrogen atoms if their rate constants are essentially different.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 115–121, July–August, 1988.     

On the interference of a weak and a strong shock wave in a dissociating nitrogen flow

The influence of the nitrogen dissociation on the interactions due to the interference of two planar shock waves in a hypersonic high enthalpy flow is theoretically investigated for infinite reaction rates. The two limiting cases of infinitely slow and infinitely fast reactions are modelled as a perfect gas and an ideal dissociating gas in chemical equilibrium.To investigate the influence of finite reaction rates on the interactions of shock waves, experiments are performed in the high enthalpy shock tunnel Göttingen (HEG) with a wind tunnel model consisting of a wedge type shock generator and a transversally mounted cylinder. The pressure and heat transfer loads resulting from the shock wave interferences are measured and the flow field is visualized by means of interferograms. The experimental results are compared with the results of a numerical simulation for a dissociating nitrogen flow and with the experimental results for a perfect gas flow.     

Interaction of an unsteady two‐phase jet with a layer of a disperse medium

Discharge of a twophase jet from a cylindrical channel into a bounded layer of a disperse medium is numerically simulated using the equations of the mechanics of heterogeneous media with allowance for the differences in velocity, temperature, and phase stresses. The effect of separation of the gas phase from the disperse phase in the layer is revealed and verified experimentally. A comparison with a similar process of gas discharge at equal initial pressures shows that in the interaction with the disperse layer, the twophase flow has a longer momentum and direction.     

Shift of chemical equilibrium in a resonance infrared radiation field

The degree of displacement of chemical equilibrium in dissociation reactions, including three-particle recombination due to laser radiation at an isolated vibrational degree of freedom of the molecules, is determined. Dependences of the vibrational temperature and the chemical equilibrium constant on the vibrational excitation probability are obtained.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 1, pp. 10–12, January–February, 1976.The authors wish to express their appreciation to R. V. Khokhlov for support and interest in the work.     

Performance investigation of plasma magnetohydrodynamic power generator

magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generator system involves several subjects such as magnetohydrodynamics, plasma physics, material science, and structure mechanics. Therefore, the performance of the MHD power generator is affected by many factors, among which the load coefficient k is of great importance. This paper reveals the effect of some system parameters on the performance by three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation for a Faraday type MHD power generator using He/Xe as working plasma. The results show that average electrical conductivity increases first and then decreases with the addition of magnetic field intensity. Electrical conductivity reaches the maximum value of 11.05 S/m, while the applied magnetic field strength is B = 1.75 T. When B > 3T, the ionization rate along the midline well keeps stable, which indicates that the ionization rate and three-body recombination rate (three kinds of particles combining to two kinds of particles) are approximately equal, and the relatively stable plasma structure of the mainstream is preserved. Efficiency of power generation of the Faraday type channel increases with an increment of the load factor. However, enthalpy extraction first increases to a certain value, and then decreases with the load factor. The enthalpy extraction rate reaches the maximum when the load coefficient k equals 0.625, which is the best performance of the power generator channel with the maximum electricity production.