An analysis of bipropellant neutralization for spacecraft refueling operations

Refueling of satellites on orbit with storable propellants will involve venting part or all of the pressurant gas from the propellant tanks. This gas will be saturated with propellant vapor, and it may also have significant amounts of entrained fine droplets of propellant. The two most commonly used bipropellants, monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4), are highly reactive and toxic. Various possible ways of neutralizing the vented propellants are examined. The amount of propellant vented in a typical refueling operation is shown to be in the range of 0.2 to 5% of the tank capacity. Four potential neutralization schemes are examined: chemical decomposition, chemical reaction, condensation and adsorption. Chemical decomposition to essentially inert materials is thermodynamically feasible for both MMH and N2O4. It would be the simplest and easiest neutralization method to implement. Chemical decomposition would require more complex control. Condensation would require a refrigeration system and a very efficent phase separator. Adsorption is likely to be much heavier. A preliminary assessment of the four neutralization shemes is presented, along with suggested research and development plans

Oriented Quantum Algebras and Coalgebras, Invariants of Oriented 1-1 Tangles, Knots and Links

In this paper we study oriented quantum coalgebras which are structures closely related to oriented quantum algebras. We study the relationship between oriented quantum coalgebras and oriented quantum algebras and the relationship between oriented quantum coalgebras and quantum coalgebras. We show that there are regular isotopy invariants of oriented 1-1 tangles and of oriented knots and links associated to oriented and twist oriented quantum coalgebras respectively. There are many parallels between the theory of oriented quantum coalgebras and the theory of quantum coalgebra

On Filamentations and Virtual Knots

In this paper, we discuss filamentations on oriented chord diagrams. When a filamentation cannot be realized on an oriented chord diagram, then the corresponding flat virtual knot is non-trivial. If a flat knot diagram is non-trivial, then any virtual diagram whose shadow is the flat diagram must also be non-trivial. We introduce a class of flat diagrams for which no filamentations exist. This class gives the first example of an infinite set of virtual knots for which the Jones polynomial and the fundamental group both evaluate trivially. The related generalized Alexander polynomials for the virtual knots in this class turn out to be distinct, proving that the class is indeed infinite.Comment: Corrected/Updated version. 34 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables, latex document, xypic required to compil

Oriented Quantum Algebras and Invariants of Knots and Links

In GT/0006019 oriented quantum algebras were motivated and introduced in a natural categorical setting. Invariants of knots and links can be computed from oriented quantum algebras, and this includes the Reshetikhin-Turaev theory for Ribbon Hopf algebras. Here we continue the study of oriented quantum algebras from a more algebraic perspective, and develop a more detailed theory for them and their associated invariants.Comment: LAteX document, 45 pages, 17 figure