Breadboard development of a fluid infusion system

A functional breadboard of a zero gravity Intravenous Infusion System (IVI) is presented. Major components described are: (1) infusate pack pressurizers; (2) pump module; (3) infusion set; and (4) electronic control package. The IVI breadboard was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of using the parallel solenoid pump and spring powered infusate source pressurizers for the emergency infusion of various liquids in a zero gravity environment. The IVI was tested for flow rate and sensitivity to back pressure at the needle. Results are presented

Method of purifying metallurgical grade silicon employing reduced pressure atmospheric control

A method in which a quartz tube is charged with chunks of metallurgical grade silicon and/or a mixture of such chunks and high purity quartz sand, and impurities from a class including aluminum, boron, as well as certain transition metals including nickel, iron, and manganese is described. The tube is then evacuated and heated to a temperature within a range of 800 C to 1400 C. A stream of gas comprising a reactant, such as silicon tetrafluoride, is continuously delivered at low pressures through the charge for causing a metathetical reaction of impurities of the silicon and the reactant to occur for forming a volatile halide and leaving a residue of silicon of an improved purity. The reactant which included carbon monoxide gas and impurities such as iron and nickel react to form volatile carbonyls

Production and condensation of organic gases in the atmosphere of Titan

The rates and altitudes for the dissociation of atmospheric constituents on Titan are calculated for solar ultraviolet radiation, the solar wind, Saturn magnetospheric particles, the Saturn co-rotating plasma, and cosmic rays. Laboratory experiments show that a variety of simple gas phase organic molecules and more complex organic solids called tholins are produced by such irradiations of simulated Titanian atmospheres. Except for ultraviolet wavelengths longward of the methane photodissociation continuum, most dissociation events occur between about 3100 and 3600 km altitude, corresponding well to the region of EUV opacity detected by Voyager. For a wide variety of simple to moderately complex organic gases in the Titanian atmosphere, condensation occurs below the top of the main cloud deck at about 2825 km. It is proposed that such condensates, beginning with CH4 at about 2615 km, comprise the principal mass of the Titan clouds. There is a distinct tendency for the atmosphere of Titan to act as a fractional distillation device, molecules of greater complexity condensing out at higher altitudes

Advanced propulsion for LEO-Moon transport. 2: Tether configurations in the LEO-Moon system

This brief work discusses a possible application of a tether as a dynamical element in a low Earth orbit (LEO)-Moon transport system, and is a part of the Cal Space study of that transport system. To be specific, that study concentrated on the downward transport of O2 from the Moon to LEO, where it is stored for use as a rocket propellant, thus reducing Earth liftoff mass requirements by a factor of about 8. Moreover, in order to display clearly the role of advanced technology, only one novel technology was introduced at a single node in the transport system, the rest being 'conventional' rocket transport. Tethers were found useful in several different roles: hanging from platforms in lunar orbits, as supports for elevators, spinning in LEO, or spinning in a tether transport orbit, an elliptical orbit with perigee at approximately 600 km. This last use is considered here. Presented are the usefulness of the tether, nature of the tether system, the apparatus needed to support, deploy, and control it, and a discussion of needed developments

Semiconductor grade, solar silicon purification project

Experimental apparatus and procedures used in the development of a 3-step SiF2(x) polymer transport purification process are described. Both S.S.M.S. and E.S. analysis demonstrated that major purification had occured and some samples were indistinguishable from semiconductor grade silicon (except possibly for phosphorus). Recent electrical analysis via crystal growth reveals that the product contains compensated phosphorus and boron. The low projected product cost and short energy payback time suggest that the economics of this process will result in a cost less than the goal of $10/Kg(1975 dollars). The process appears to be readily scalable to a major silicon purification facility

Study of critical defects in ablative heat shield systems for the space shuttle

Results are presented from an investigation to determine the effects of fabrication-induced defects on the performance of an ablative heat shield material in a simulated space shuttle reentry environment. Nondestructive methods for detecting the defects were investigated. The material considered is a fiber-filled, honeycomb-reinforced, low-density elastomer. Results were obtained for density variations, voids, fiber bundles, crushed honeycomb, undercut honeycomb, unbonded areas, face sheet delaminations, and cure variations. The data indicate that, within reasonable tolerances, the fabrication defects investigated are not critical in terms of reentry performance of the heat shield

Turbulence characteristics of an axisymmetric reacting flow

Turbulent sudden expansion flows are of significant theoretical and practical importance. Such flows have been the subject of extensive analytical and experimental study for decades, but many issues are still unresolved. Detailed information on reacting sudden expansion flows is very limited, since suitable measurement techniques have only been available in recent years. The present study of reacting flow in an axisymmetric sudden expansion was initiated under NASA support in December 1983. It is an extension of a reacting flow program which has been carried out with Air Force support under Contract F33615-81-K-2003. Since the present effort has just begun, results are not yet available. Therefore a brief overview of results from the Air Force program will be presented to indicate the basis for the work to be carried out

The Algebra of Strand Splitting. II. A Presentation for the Braid Group on One Strand

Presentations are computed for a braided version BV of Thompson's group V and for V itself showing that there is an Artin group/Coxeter group relation between them. The presentation for V is obtained from that for BV by declaring all that all generators are involutions.Comment: 15 page

Semiconductor Grade, Solar Silicon Purification Project

A low cost by-product, SiF4, is reacted with mg silicon to form SiF2 gas which is polymerized. The (SiF2)x polymer is heated forming volatile SixFy homologues which disproportionate on a silicon particle bed forming silicon and SiF4. The silicon analysis procedure relied heavily on mass spectroscopic and emission spectroscopic analysis. These analyses demonstrated that major purification had occured and some samples were indistinguishable from semiconductor grade silicon (except possibly for phosphorus). However, electrical analysis via crystal growth reveal that the product contains compensated phosphorus and boron