Unit operations for gas-liquid mass transfer in reduced gravity environments

Basic scaling rules are derived for converting Earth-based designs of mass transfer equipment into designs for a reduced gravity environment. Three types of gas-liquid mass transfer operations are considered: bubble columns, spray towers, and packed columns. Application of the scaling rules reveals that the height of a bubble column in lunar- and Mars-based operations would be lower than terrestrial designs by factors of 0.64 and 0.79 respectively. The reduced gravity columns would have greater cross-sectional areas, however, by factors of 2.4 and 1.6 for lunar and Martian settings. Similar results were obtained for spray towers. In contract, packed column height was found to be nearly independent of gravity

Oxygen-Partial-Pressure Sensor for Aircraft Oxygen Mask

A device that generates an alarm when the partial pressure of oxygen decreases to less than a preset level has been developed to help prevent hypoxia in a pilot or other crewmember of a military or other high-performance aircraft. Loss of oxygen partial pressure can be caused by poor fit of the mask or failure of a hose or other component of an oxygen distribution system. The deleterious physical and mental effects of hypoxia cause the loss of a military aircraft and crew every few years. The device is installed in the crewmember s oxygen mask and is powered via communication wiring already present in all such oxygen masks. The device (see figure) includes an electrochemical sensor, the output potential of which is proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen. The output of the sensor is amplified and fed to the input of a comparator circuit. A reference potential that corresponds to the amplified sensor output at the alarm oxygen-partial-pressure level is fed to the second input of the comparator. When the sensed partial pressure of oxygen falls below the minimum acceptable level, the output of the comparator goes from the low state (a few millivolts) to the high state (near the supply potential, which is typically 6.8 V for microphone power). The switching of the comparator output to the high state triggers a tactile alarm in the form of a vibration in the mask, generated by a small 1.3-Vdc pager motor spinning an eccentric mass at a rate between 8,000 and 10,000 rpm. The sensation of the mask vibrating against the crewmember s nose is very effective at alerting the crewmember, who may already be groggy from hypoxia and is immersed in an environment that is saturated with visual cues and sounds. Indeed, the sensation is one of rudeness, but such rudeness could be what is needed to stimulate the crewmember to take corrective action in a life-threatening situation

Determination of Flaw Growth Characteristics of Ti-6Al-4V Sheet in the Solution-Treated and Aged Condition

The specific experimental investigation undertaken was designed to answer these questions on Ti-6Al-4V in the solution treated and aged condition. The defect growth and fracture characteristics were studied in parent (unwelded) and welded sheet material. The results of the study indicate that cryogenic proof testing will screen smaller size defects than proof testing at ambient conditions. However some unusual crack growth behavior during the proof test simulation suggests that some further study be made of stress and time duration effects

Method and apparatus for monitoring oxygen partial pressure in air masks

Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring an oxygen partial pressure in an air mask and providing a tactile warning to the user. The oxygen partial pressure in the air mask is detected using an electrochemical sensor, the output signal from which is provided to a comparator. The comparator compares the output signal with a preset reference value or range of values representing acceptable oxygen partial pressures. If the output signal is different than the reference value or outside the range of values, the air mask is vibrated by a vibrating motor to alert the user to a potentially hypoxic condition

Socializing signage and technology courtesy zones: A community socialization project

This project attempts to address the growing bullying problem in four schools in the Jeollanam-do region in South Korea through using students to create signage advertising against bullying and modeling appropriate behavior. Given the cultural and language barriers, the methodology chosen was to support the growth of social capital within the school community, as bullying and isolation were considered symptoms of a growing decline of social capital. Students were selected to participate in this program, which involved creating signage, monitoring bullying behavior and training stakeholders about bullying. The signage was intended to serve as the cornerstone of a larger marketing campaign done by the students to address social issues within the school and emphasized empowering students to make full use of their talents at addressing their own issues. The result of the three-month program was that observed bullying behavior did decline, although it was likely this reduction was through the increased training and awareness, rather than behavioral modification. (Author abstract)Pettit, D. (2013). Socializing signage and technology courtesy zones: A community socialization project. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.eduMaster of Science (M.S.)Community Economic DevelpopmentSchool of Busines

The International Space Station Supports International Polar Year (IPY)

Every day, ISS astronauts photograph designated sites and dynamic events on the Earth's surface using digital cameras equipped with a variety of lenses. Depending on observation parameters, astronauts can collect high resolution (4-6 m pixel size) or synoptic views (lower resolution but covering very large areas) digital data in 3 (red-green-blue) color bands. ISS crews have daily opportunities to document a variety of high-latitude phenomena. Although lighting conditions, ground track and other viewing parameters change with orbital precessions and season, the 51.6o orbital inclination and 400 km altitude of the ISS provide the crew an unique vantage point for collecting image-based data of polar phenomena, including surface observations to roughly 65o latitude, and upper atmospheric observations that reach nearly to the poles. During the 2007-2009 timeframe of the IPY, polar observations will become a scientific focus for the CEO experiment; the experiment is designated ISS-IPY. We solicit requests from scientists for observations from the ISS that are coordinated with or complement ground-based polar studies. The CEO imagery website for ISS-IPY provides an on-line form that allows IPY investigators to interact with CEO scientists and define their imagery requests. This information is integrated into daily communications with the ISS astronauts about their Earth Observations targets. All data collected are cataloged and posted on the website for downloading and assimilation into IPY projects. Examples of imagery and detailed information about scientific observations from the ISS can also be downloaded from the ISS-IPY web site

Electrostatic Model Applied to ISS Charged Water Droplet Experiment

The electrostatic force can be used to create novel relative motion between charged bodies if it can be isolated from the stronger gravitational and dissipative forces. Recently, Coulomb orbital motion was demonstrated on the International Space Station by releasing charged water droplets in the vicinity of a charged knitting needle. In this investigation, the Multi-Sphere Method, an electrostatic model developed to study active spacecraft position control by Coulomb charging, is used to simulate the complex orbital motion of the droplets. When atmospheric drag is introduced, the simulated motion closely mimics that seen in the video footage of the experiment. The electrostatic force's inverse dependency on separation distance near the center of the needle lends itself to analytic predictions of the radial motion

The Project in Chemistry

Some time ago the writer became convinced that the typical presentation of high school chemistry left many things to be desired, especially with that group who are completing their scholastic work with their high school diploma. As a rule they are leaving school pretty thoroughly disgusted with class work in general, and, although they had originally intended to continue in school as evidenced by their election of chemistry, they find that the prospect offers no allure. In many cases I am afraid that the course in chemistry helped to turn them from further scholastic endeavor. In order to furnish some stimulant to revive their interest the project method was tried

Space Weather Monitoring for ISS Space Environments Engineering and Crew Auroral Observations

The awareness of potentially significant impacts of space weather on spaceand ground ]based technological systems has generated a strong desire in many sectors of government and industry to effectively transform knowledge and understanding of the variable space environment into useful tools and applications for use by those entities responsible for systems that may be vulnerable to space weather impacts. Essentially, effectively transitioning science knowledge to useful applications relevant to space weather has become important. This talk will present proven methodologies that have been demonstrated to be effective, and how in the current environment those can be applied to space weather transition efforts