Browse Topic: Methanol

Items (121)

AFR Adaptation Strategy Based on Lambda Sensor for a Methanol Engine

2025-01-703901/31/2025

Methanol is an main type clean energy and it taken important part for the future internal combustion engine technology. The Equivalent air-fuel ratio (AFR) is very import for the engine combustion of methanol. And a lot of case the ratio between methanol and gasoline is not the constant number. There are no studies about AFR when fuel ratio is arbitrary in the currently. The AFR changes obviously if the tank was fueled with gasoline by mistake at a methanol spark ignition engine. Emission will be affected heavily at this situation because the AFR of gasoline is 2 times more than methanol. Some fuel trim adaptation error will be detected by engine controller or even the engine will stall if engine controller keep use the previous AFR to do the fuel injection control. The Investigation provide a relevant AFR adaption strategy based on lambda sensor and the fuel pipes configuration. The strategy was proved valid by some simulation cases to reduce lambda disturbance, optimize emission

Liu, Yiqiang, Zhong, Jun, Qian, Pengfei, Qiao, Zhiwei, Zhu, Delei, Zhong, Shuanglei, Dong, Yanzhao, Yu, Xiuju

A comparative study of ethanol and methanol blends on performance and emissions on BSIV and BSVI class of vehicles

2024-26-007301/16/2024

The quest for alternate fuels has led many researchers to evaluate various alcohols as an immediate substitute for gasoline. Among the alcohols, ethanol has received a lot of popularity as it can be produced from biomass feeds such as sugarcane and corn. Several countries have made it mandatory to blend at least 10% of ethanol in gasoline. However, the source of feedstock for ethanol production is posing a threat to food security. In order to restrain this problem, a few countries are promoting the use of methanol as an alternative fuel. Methanol can be obtained by processing naturally available biomass resources, much of which is waste material. Methanol-gasoline blends have been found to have a high octane number, good performance and lower carbon emissions, making it an excellent alternative fuel for engines. In the present study, a comparative analysis was carried out to evaluate the performance and emissions from unmodified vehicles using lower concentrations (up to 20%) of

Teja, Ravi, Khandai, Chinmayananda, Muralidharan, M

Numerical analysis of flame temperature and Intermediate Product Concentration in micro-scale coaxial diffusion combustion of methanol

2022-01-085403/29/2022

As an excellent nanoscale material, carbon nanotubes play a very important role in improving the batteries of new energy vehicles. The micro-scale combustion flame synthesis method is a promising method for preparing carbon nanotubes. In order to explore the optimal growth condition of carbon nanotubes under micro-scale combustion, the detailed mechanism of methanol C3 (114 species, 1999 reactions) was reduced based on whole-species sensitivity analysis, then a suitable model of methanol combustion was established by using Fluent software coupling with simplified mechanism (16 species, 65 reactions) of methanol. The model was used for the numerical simulation of micro-scale coaxial diffusion combustion of methanol, and then it was verified by the experimental results of micro-scale combustion of methanol. They were analyzed that the flame temperature field and important intermediate product concentration (CO, OH and HCO) under different methanol flow and air flow. The results show that

zhang, peng, Ni, Jimin, Shi, Xiuyong

Characteristics of Methanol and Iso-octane Under Flashing and Non-flashing Conditions in ECN-G Spray

2022-01-059003/29/2022

This paper investigated the spray characteristics of methanol under the flash and non-flash boiling conditions defined by the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) Spray G. As a counterpart, the spray features of iso-octane were also simulated and compared to methanol. The Void of Fluid (VOF) approach under the Eulerian scheme was employed to model the internal nozzle flow details, which information was used to initialize the spray parcels and taken as input for the Lagrangian simulations, namely, the one-way coupling method. Since the Eulerian high-fidelity simulations allow capturing the effects of the flow inside the non-symmetrical injector, the rate of injection (ROI) profile, discharge coefficient, and plume angle et al. are not required for the Lagrangian simulations. The simulation results show that the flash boiling led to shorter penetrations and better mixing compared to the non-flash boiling condition. Compared to isooctane, methanol demonstrated a better mixing process owing to

Moreno Cabezas, Kevin, Liu, Xinlei, Im, Hong G.

Simulation Studies on Glow plug Assisted Neat Methanol Combustion in a Diesel Engine

2022-01-061603/29/2022

Methanol due to its high latent heat of vaporization and the oxygen content can lower the NOx and soot levels in a compression ignition (CI) engine. Though methanol has a very low cetane number, hot surface ignition (HSI) using a glow plug can be used for combustion in a CI engine. In this work, a CFD simulation model of a glow plug assisted methanol HSI engine was developed and validated using experimental data on cylinder pressure and heat release reported in literature on a glow plug assisted engine with optical access. The SAGE combustion model, simplified GRI- MECH 3.0 reaction mechanism and adaptive grid refinement were employed. Parametric studies on glow plug surface temperature, injection strategies that use split injection at different split ratios and timings, location of the glow plug and the effect of shielding the glow plug were investigated by applying the model to a three cylinder neat methanol HSI engine. It was observed that combustion of methanol was first initiated

Krishnan, R Anoop, Panda, Kasinath, Ramesh, A

Evolution and Future Development of Vehicle Fuel Specification in China

2021-01-120109/21/2021

Fuel quality has a significant influence on the combustion engine operation. In recent years the increasing concerns about environmental protection, energy saving, energy security and the requirements of protecting fuel injection and aftertreatment systems have been major driving forces for the Chinese fuel specification evolution. The major property changes in the evolution of Chinese national gasoline and diesel standards are introduced and the reasons behind these changes are analyzed in this paper. The gasoline fuel development from State I to State VI-B involved a decrease of sulfur, manganese, olefins, aromatics and benzene content. The diesel fuel quality improvement from State I to State VI included achieving low sulfur fuels and a cetane number (CN) increase. Provincial fuel standards, stricter than corresponding national standards, were implemented in economically developed areas in the past. Currently only Beijing is still implementing regional standards with national

Guo, Zexian, Liu, Zemin, Shuai, Shijin

Comparison of Promising Sustainable C1-Fuels Methanol, Dimethyl Carbonate, and Methyl Formate in a DISI Single Cylinder Light Vehicle Gasoline Engine

2021-01-120409/21/2021

On the way to a climate-neutral mobility synthetic fuels with their potential of a CO2-neutral production are currently in the focus of the internal combustion research. In this study the C1-fuels methanol (MeOH), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and methyl formate (MeFo) are tested as pure C1-fuels mixtures and as blends component for gasoline. The study was performed on a single-cylinder engine in two configurations, thermodynamic and optical. As pure C1-fuels the already investigated DMC/MeFo mixture is compared with a mixture of MeOH/MeFo. DMC is replaced by MeOH, because of its benefits in laminar flame speed, ignition limits and production costs. MeOH/MeFo shows benefits in particle number (PN) emissions at a cooling water temperature of 40°C and in high load operating points. But reversed an increase of 60% in NOx emissions related to DMC/MeFo was observed in hot engine conditions. Both mixtures show no sensitivity in PN emissions for rich combustions. Neither triggered by a global

Blochum, Sebastian, Fellner, Felix, Mühlthaler, Markus, Härtl, Martin, Wachtmeister, Georg, Yoneya, Naoki, Sauerland, Henning

Assembly and Soldering Criteria for High Quality/High Reliability Soldering Wire and Cable Termination in Aerospace Vehicles

AS4461D-TEST-REC (Historical)07/23/2021

This standard is applicable to manual soldering and machine soldering processes utilizing controlled soldering devices, for electrical connections for wiring and cabling used in aerospace vehicles. Description of a component or device herein is not to be construed as authorizing the use of the component or device.

AE-8A Elec Wiring and Fiber Optic Interconnect Sys Install

Assembly and Soldering Criteria for High Quality/High Reliability Soldering Wire and Cable Termination in Aerospace Vehicles

AS4461D (Current)

07/23/2021

This standard is applicable to manual soldering and machine soldering processes utilizing controlled soldering devices, for electrical connections for wiring and cabling used in aerospace vehicles. Description of a component or device herein is not to be construed as authorizing the use of the component or device.

AE-8A Elec Wiring and Fiber Optic Interconnect Sys Install

Oxygen System and Component Cleaning

ARP1176B (Current)

10/19/2020

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) provides recommended practices for the cleaning of aircraft oxygen equipment, both metallic and non-metallic articles, such as oxygen lines (tubes, hoses, etc.), components (including regulator and valve parts), cylinders, and ground-based equipment that may be used to support aircraft oxygen systems. This document also specifies work area details, methods for selecting suitable cleaning agents, cleaning methods, and test methods for verifying levels of cleanliness. The cleanliness coding scheme specified in this document provides a method for documenting minimum cleanliness level requirements and for identifying compliance.

A-10 Aircraft Oxygen Equipment Committee

Oxygen System and Component Cleaning

ARP1176B-TEST-REC (Historical)10/19/2020

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) provides recommended practices for the cleaning of aircraft oxygen equipment, both metallic and non-metallic articles, such as oxygen lines (tubes, hoses, etc.), components (including regulator and valve parts), cylinders, and ground-based equipment that may be used to support aircraft oxygen systems. This document also specifies work area details, methods for selecting suitable cleaning agents, cleaning methods, and test methods for verifying levels of cleanliness. The cleanliness coding scheme specified in this document provides a method for documenting minimum cleanliness level requirements and for identifying compliance.

A-10 Aircraft Oxygen Equipment Committee

Process Directly Converts Methane to Methanol

TBMG-3493408/01/2019

Methanol is a key feedstock for the production of chemicals, some of which are used to make products such as plastics, plywood, and paints. Methanol also can fuel vehicles or be reformed to produce high-grade hydrogen for fuel cells. The current method for producing methanol from methane- or coal-derived synthesis gas involves a multi-step process that is neither efficient nor economical in small-scale applications. As a result, methane emissions from oil wells — accounting for 210 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually — are being vented and flared, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Effect of EGR and Premixed Mass Percentage on Cycle to Cycle Variation of Methanol/Diesel Dual Fuel RCCI Combustion

01/09/2019

Reactivity controlled compression ignition has been a proven combustion strategy for better reduction of NOx and PM emissions without compromising the fuel economy. However, the combustion strategy still need more investigation to overcome its operational stability. In this study, the influence of hot/cooled exhaust gas recirculation and premixed mass percentage and there cyclic variation of Methanol/Diesel dual fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion was investigated in a modified 3 cylinder light duty, turbocharged, CRDI diesel engine. Methanol/Diesel RCCI combustion was achieved by premixing methanol with intake air in the intake port and injecting diesel directly into the cylinder by flexible common rail direct injection system. The intake manifold was altered to adopt port fuel injection of methanol and EGR. Experiments were conducted at 3.4 bar and 5.1 bar BMEP at 1500 rpm by varying EGR and premixed mass percentage. Overall, the results shows that 26

Duraisamy, Ganesh, Rangasamy, Murugan, Nagarajan, Govindan

Catalytic Mechanism Converts CO2 to Methanol

TBMG-3284109/01/2018

Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and converting it to useful chemicals such as methanol could reduce both pollution and U.S. dependence on petroleum products. Catalysts are used to bring the reacting chemicals together in a way that makes it easier for them to break and rearrange their chemical bonds. Understanding details of these molecular interactions could point to strategies to improve the catalysts for more energy-efficient reactions.

Experimental Investigation on CO ₂ Reduction in Exhaust Gases of CI Engine Fuelled with Blend of Cotton Seed Oil Methyl Ester and Diesel

2018-28-003507/09/2018

Global warming and climate change problems resulting from the greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), have paved the way for the need of research in minimizing the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere. Though various CO2 capture technologies have been proposed for post combustion processes, Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) by the absorbent is a simple and better method for CO2 emission reduction. In the present study experimental investigation has been carried out in a single cylinder, 4-stroke, computerized water-cooled, diesel engine of 5.2 kW rated power, fuelled with diesel, a blend of 20% methyl ester of cotton seed oil and 80% diesel (B20) with and without integration of CCS using wooden charcoal and activated carbon to absorb CO2 from the exhaust gas. The analysis includes the performance and emission characteristics of the engine and the carbon capture potential of CCS. The results revealed a 19% reduction in CO2 emission with charcoal and 32

Gnanasikamani, Balaji, K, Sureshkumar, Marimuthu, Cheralathan

Study of Alcohol-Gasoline Separation Technology to Suppress Knock and Enable Higher Efficiency Engines

2018-01-088204/03/2018

HONDA has investigated On Board Separation (OBS) of high octane alcohol and aromatics from current commercial fuels such as E10, a blend of 10 volume % ethanol and 90 volume % gasoline. The high-octane components concentrated from commercial fuel can be injected when needed to suppress knock. The availability of high octane fuel enables the engine to be designed with a compression ratio and boost which gives the Octane Boost Engine (OBE) higher efficiency. 3M has developed pervaporation separation modules made with flexible organic membranes that selectively remove and concentrate ethanol and methanol from gasoline blends. The separation module profile can be circular or rectangular to best fit the available space. Organic membrane performance has been studied for up to 15% ethanol and up to 15% methanol blended with 5% ethanol added for humid condition stability. Aromatic separation capability has also been evaluated. Performance stability has been evaluated for hundreds of separation

Mizuno, Kazuhiko, Chishima, Hiroshi, Zhou, Jinsheng, Carpenter, Barry, Wickert, Peter, Welling, Shane, Seitz, D. Scott

Biodiesel (Mangifera Oil Methyl Ester) Derived from Triglycerides of Mangifera Kernel Seed and Leaves Oil by using Heterogeneous Catalyst

2015-01-168204/14/2015

The mangifera indica oil is a nonedible vegetable oil, which is available in large quantities in mango cultivating countries including India. Very little research has been done on utilization of oil in general and optimization of transesterification process for biodiesel production. In present study, the transesterification processes with heterogeneous catalyst. The various input parameters like methanol to oil molar ratio (1:08, 1:12 and 1:16), heterogeneous catalyst types (ZnO, MgO and CaO), catalyst concentration (0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt %) and reaction temperature (59, 64 and 69°C) were studied by applying the orthogonal experimental array L9.ANOVA (F-test at P=0.05 contribution of each signal to noise factor) technique was used for optimization with the objective of maximizing the yield of high quality mangifera indica oil biodiesel. The optimum conditions for transesterification process are1:16 methanol to oil molar ratio of, 1.0 wt.% catalyst concentration, CaO as the catalyst type

Jadhav, Sangram D., Tandale, Madhukar S

Alcohol-Water Mixtures

AMS3006H (Current)

12/05/2013

This specification covers mixtures of methyl alcohol and/or ethyl alcohol with water in the form of liquids.

AMS B Finishes Processes and Fluids Committee

Banks Super-Turbo Freightliner a testbed for advanced technology

1175311/27/2013

The engineering behind this souped-up Class 8 truck that screamed up Pikes Peak earlier this year was detailed at the 2013 SEMA Show by Gale Banks and race/stunt driver Mike Ryan. Read full article at http://articles.sae.org/12620.

Contaminants for Testing Air Brake Components and Auxiliary Pneumatic Devices—Truck and Bus

J2024_201305 (Historical)05/23/2013

This SAE Information Report establishes a minimum level of uniform recipes for contaminants which may be used when durability testing pneumatic components to obtain additional information on how a device may perform under more true-to-life operating conditions. This type of contamination testing, however, is not meant to replace the type of performance testing described in SAE J1409 and SAE J1410. Durability testing in the presence of contamination, however, will yield results more reflective of actual in-service field conditions and provide an additional evaluation of pneumatic devices. While the contaminant supply rate and other test criteria of the device being tested must be set by the device manufacturer or user, the items covered in this document will be:

Truck and Bus Brake Supply and Control Components Committee

Sustainable Technologies Category Winner (Winner of an HP Workstation)

TBMG-1516111/01/2012

Bill Zebuhr, Scott Newquist, David Dussault, E. Andrew Condon, Steven Sahagian, Nicholas Wong, Michael Easton, William Burie, Charles Blanchard, and Nicole Sandoval, Aquaback Technologies, Tewksbury, MA

Detection of Carbon Monoxide Using Polymer-Composite Films With a Porphyrin-Functionalized Polypyrrole

TBMG-1388706/01/2012

Post-fire air constituents that are of interest to NASA include CO and some acid gases (HCl and HCN). CO is an important analyte to be able to sense in human habitats since it is a marker for both pre-fire detection and post-fire cleanup.

5000 Hours Aging of THERBAN ^® (HNBR) Elastomers in an Aggressive Biodiesel Blend

2012-01-094304/16/2012

TERBAN® hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) is a specialty elastomer used in demanding engineering applications such as the automotive, heavy duty, and industrial markets. It has excellent combination of heat, oil and abrasion resistance in addition to its high mechanical strength, very good dynamic and sealing properties. This paper will present data on aging HNBR for five thousand hours in an aggressive and un-stabilized B30A biodiesel fuel blend (70% ULSD, 30% SME, and an aggressive additive package) and explore the effect of HNBR polymer properties and vulcanizate composition on the performance in such fuel blends.

Nasreddine, Victor, Mueller, Christian, Bille, Hubert, Kulbaba, Kevin, Soddemann, Matthias, Bischoff, Andreas

All-Solid-State 2.45-to-2.78-THz Source

TBMG-1222112/01/2011

Sources in the THz range are required in order for NASA to implement heterodyne instruments in this frequency range. The source that has been demonstrated here will be used for an instrument on the SOFIA platform as well as for upcoming astrophysics missions. There are currently no electronic sources in the 2–3-THz frequency range. An electronically tunable compact source in this frequency range is needed for lab spectroscopy as well as for compact space-deployable heterodyne receivers. This solution for obtaining useful power levels in the 2–3-THz range is based on utilizing power-combined multiplier stages. Utilizing power combining, the input power can be distributed between different multiplier chips and then recombined after the frequency multiplication.

Polymerization Initiated at the Sidewalls of Carbon Nanotubes

TBMG-1085009/01/2011

A process has been developed for growing polymer chains via anionic, cationic, or radical polymerization from the side walls of functionalized carbon nanotubes, which will facilitate greater dispersion in polymer matrices, and will greatly enhance reinforcement ability in polymeric material.

Determination Of Mixture Of Methanol And Ethanol Blends In Gasoline Fuels Using A Miniaturized NIR Flex Fuel Sensor

2011-01-198808/30/2011

Based on their 25 world-wide years experience in refining and fuel formulation using Near Infrared technology, the SP3H team has developed an innovative and miniaturized optical fuel quality sensor. The sensor output is based on an HCP matrix (HydroCarbon Profilers) and provides information on the fine chemistry of fuels such as aromatics, olefins, isoparaffins and oxygenates content and information related to the lengths of the Carbon-Carbon Chain. The goal of this study is to answer the need for new flex-fuel sensors able to provide the rate and the type of oxygenates used in different mixtures of binary and ternary blends of methanol, ethanol and gasoline for the emerging markets. This paper presents the results of the models and the accuracy of the optical sensor for the determination and prediction of Methanol-Ethanol-gasoline mixtures based on the HCP approach.

Lunati, Alain, Galtier, Oswin

Polymerization Initiated at the Sidewalls of Carbon Nanotubes

TBMG-TB-01085008/23/2011

A process has been developed for growing polymer chains via anionic, cationic, or radical polymerization from the side walls of functionalized carbon nanotubes, which will facilitate greater dispersion in polymer matrices, and will greatly enhance reinforcement ability in polymeric material.

Catalytic Generation of Lift Gases for Balloons

TBMG-944303/01/2011

A lift-gas cracker (LGC) is an apparatus that generates a low-molecular-weight gas (mostly hydrogen with smaller amounts of carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide) at low gauge pressure by methanol reforming. LGCs are undergoing development for use as sources of buoyant gases for filling zero-gauge-pressure meteorological and scientific balloons in remote locations where heavy, high-pressure helium cylinders are not readily available. LGCs could also be used aboard large, zero-gauge-pressure, stratospheric research balloons to extend the duration of flight.

Catalytic Generation of Lift Gases for Balloons

TBMG-TB-00944303/01/2011

Relatively lightweight, low-power gas generators are based on methanol reforming. A lift-gas cracker (LGC) is an apparatus that generates a low-molecular-weight gas (mostly hydrogen with smaller amounts of carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide) at low gauge pressure by methanol reforming. LGCs are undergoing development for use as sources of buoyant gases for filling zero-gauge-pressure meteorological and scientific balloons in remote locations where heavy, high-pressure helium cylinders are not readily available. LGCs could also be used aboard large, zero-gauge-pressure, stratospheric research balloons to extend the duration of flight.

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Esterified Karanja Oil Biodiesel on Lubricating Oil and Wear of a 780 hp Military CIDI Engine

2010-01-152105/05/2010

Global warming due to exhaust pollution and rapid depletion of petroleum reserves, has given us opportunity to find bio fuels. Bio diesel is an alternative diesel fuel that can be produced from renewable feedstock such as edible and non-edible vegetable oils, wasted frying oils and animal fats. Bio diesel is an oxygenated, sulphur free, non-toxic, biogradable and renewable fuel. Use of karanja oil methyl ester (KOME) biodiesel in a compression ignition engine was found highly compatible with engine performance along with low emission characteristics. A Military 780 hp, CIDI engine was operated using biodiesel (KOME) and diesel fuel respectively. These were subjected to 100 hours long term endurance tests. Lubricating oil samples drawn from engine after a fixed interval (20 hours), were subjected to elemental analysis. Metal debris concentration analysis was done by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Wear of metals were found to be about 30% lower for biodiesel operated engine. The

Pandey, Anand Kumar, Nandgaonkar, MR

Improved Polymer/Solid-Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cells

TBMG-TB-00706501/25/2010

Because water would be unnecessary for proton conductivity, operating temp- eratures could be increased. A class of devel- opmental membrane electrolyte materials for methanol/air and hydrogen/air fuel cells is exemplified by a composite of (1) a melt-processable polymer [in particular, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)] and (2) a solid proton conductor (in particular, cesium hydrogen sulfate). In comparison with previously tested membrane electrolyte materials, including those described in the two preceding articles, these developmental materials offer potential advantages of improved performance, lower cost, and greater amenability to manufacturing of fuel cells.

Extended Shelf Life for PMR Polyimide Resins and Prepregs

TBMG-693701/01/2010

An improved class of formulations for PMR polyimide resins retards the imidization that undesirably occurs during handling and storage. While imidization is desired at the final (deliberate polymerization) stage of production of a polyimide, imidization results in premature aging when it occurs during earlier stages of synthesis, shipping, prepregging, and fabrication layup. By retarding imidization at storage and handling temperatures, the improved class of formulations increases both shelf life and the upper limit of allowable temperature for handling and storage prior to final polymerization.

Validation of Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP)-Free Torque Seal Inspection Lacquer

TBMG-631912/01/2009

The Army uses numerous adhesives and sealants, among other coating materials, that contain significant amounts of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). This work examines laboratory and field demonstration/validation of one sealant, Torque Seal. A HAP-free alternative to Torque Seal containing ethanol as the carrier solvent has been identified. Laboratory testing including adhesion, resistance to fluids, resistance to humidity, and drying time validated that the HAP-free sealant performs very similarly to the baseline Torque Seal containing methanol (HAP). Furthermore, a demonstration study at Fort Rucker, AL, using a UH-1 helicopter rotor, shows that the HAP-free sealant performed as well as the Torque Seal.

Composite Silica Aerogels Opacified With Titania

TBMG-589611/01/2009

A further improvement has been made to reduce the high-temperature thermal conductivities of the aerogel-matrix composite materials described in “Improved Silica Aerogel Composite Materials” (NPO-44287), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 9 (September 2008), page 50. Because the contribution of infrared radiation to heat transfer increases sharply with temperature, the effective high-temperature thermal conductivity of a thermal-insulation material can be reduced by opacifying the material to reduce the radiative contribution. Therefore, the essence of the present improvement is to add an opacifying constituent material (specifically, TiO2 powder) to the aerogel-matrix composites.

Subcritical-Water Extraction of Organics From Solid Matrices

TBMG-543507/01/2009

An apparatus for extracting organic compounds from soils, sands, and other solid matrix materials utilizes water at subcritical temperature and pressure as a solvent. The apparatus, called subcritical water extractor (SCWE), is a prototype of subsystems of future instrumentation systems to be used in searching for organic compounds as signs of past or present life on Mars. An aqueous solution generated by an apparatus like this one can be analyzed by any of a variety of established chromatographic or spectroscopic means to detect the dissolved organic compound(s). The apparatus can be used on Earth: indeed, in proof-of-concept experiments, SCWE was used to extract amino acids from soils of the Atacama Desert (Chile), which was chosen because the dryness and other relevant soil conditions there approximate those on Mars.

Amorphous Silk Fibroin Membranes for Separation of CO₂

TBMG-518005/01/2009

Amorphous silk fibroin has shown promise as a polymeric material derivable from natural sources for making membranes for use in removing CO2 from mixed-gas streams. For most applications of silk fibroin, for purposes other than gas separation, this material is used in its highly crystalline, nearly natural form because this form has uncommonly high tensile strength. However, the crystalline phase of silk fibroin is impermeable, making it necessary to convert the material to amorphous form to obtain the high permeability needed for gas separation.

Amorphous Silk Fibroin Membranes for Separation of CO2

TBMG-TB-00518004/30/2009

Amorphous silk fibroin has shown promise as a polymeric material derivable from natural sources for making membranes for use in removing CO2 from mixed-gas streams. For most applications of silk fibroin, for purposes other than gas separation, this material is used in its highly crystalline, nearly natural form because this form has uncommonly high tensile strength. However, the crystalline phase of silk fibroin is impermeable, making it necessary to convert the material to amorphous form to obtain the high permeability needed for gas separation.

Effects of Temperature on Polymer/Carbon Chemical Sensors

TBMG-347801/01/2009

Experiments were conducted on the effects of temperature, polymer molecular weight, and carbon loading on the electrical resistances of polymer/carbon-black composite films. The experiment were performed in a continuing effort to develop such films as part of the JPL Electronic Nose (ENose), that would be used to detect, identify, and quantify parts-per-million (ppm) concentration levels of airborne chemicals in the space shuttle/space station environments. The polymers used in this study were three formulations of poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO] that had molecular weights of 20 kilodaltons, 600 kilodaltons, and 1 megadalton, respectively.

The Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC): Determination of Model Parameters

2008-01-285611/11/2008

This paper is contributed to determining model parameters for DMFCs. Theoretical evaluations are carried out to set up the relationship between the unknown and measurable parameters or variables. A laboratory-scale liquid-feed cell was simulated under different operating conditions. The resulting measurable static performance curves are used as basic information. Some key kinetic and physical parameters can be determined or estimated for a DMFC model.

Zhou, Su, Ji, Guangji, Ma, Tiancai, Sundmacher, Kai

Alcohol-Water Mixtures

AMS3006G (Historical)10/21/2008

This specification covers mixtures of methyl alcohol and/or ethyl alcohol with water in the form of liquids.

AMS B Finishes Processes and Fluids Committee

Improved Silica Aerogel Composite Materials

TBMG-312509/01/2008

A family of aerogel-matrix composite materials having thermal-stability and mechanical-integrity properties better than those of neat aerogels has been developed. Aerogels are known to be excellent thermal- and acoustic-insulation materials because of their molecular-scale porosity, but heretofore, the use of aerogels has been inhibited by two factors:

Nano-Engineered Catalysts for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

TBMG-308009/01/2008

Nano-engineered catalysts, and a method of fabricating them, have been developed in a continuing effort to improve the performances of direct methanol fuel cells as candidate power sources to supplant primary and secondary batteries in a variety of portable electronic products. In order to realize the potential for high energy densities (as much as 1.5 W•h/g) of direct methanol fuel cells, it will be necessary to optimize the chemical compositions and geometric configurations of catalyst layers and electrode structures. High performance can be achieved when catalyst particles and electrode structures have the necessary small feature sizes (typically of the order of nanometers), large surface areas, optimal metal compositions, high porosity, and hydrophobicity.

Micro-Resistojet for Small Satellites

TBMG-287606/01/2008

An efficient micro- resistojet has been developed with thrust in the millinewton level, with a specific impulse of approximately 250 seconds and power input of 20 watts or less that is useful for applications of up to 1,000 hours of operation or more. The essential feature of this invention is a gas- carrying tube surrounding a central heating element. The propellant is flashed into vapor and then passes through a narrow annulus between the tube and the heater where it is cracked (in the case of methanol, into CO and H2) before being discharged through a de Laval nozzle to produce thrust.

Special Polymer/Carbon Composite Films for Detecting SO₂

TBMG-286406/01/2008

A family of polymer/ carbon films has been developed for use as sensory films in electronic noses for detecting SO2 gas at concentrations as low as 1 part per million (ppm). Most previously reported SO2 sensors cannot detect SO2 at concentrations below tens of ppm; only a few can detect SO2 at 1 ppm. Most of the sensory materials used in those sensors (especially inorganic ones that include solid oxide electrolytes, metal oxides, and cadmium sulfide) must be used under relatively harsh conditions that include operation and regeneration at temperatures >100 °C. In contrast, the present films can be used to detect 1 ppm of SO2 at typical operating temperatures between 28 and 32 °C and can be regenerated at temperatures between 36 and 40 °C.

Hydroxide-Assisted Bonding of Ultra-Low-Expansion Glass

TBMG-271204/01/2008

A process for hydroxide-assisted bonding has been developed as a means of joining optical components made of ultra-low-expansion (ULE) glass, while maintaining sufficiently precise alignment between. The process is intended mainly for use in applications in which (1) bonding of glass optical components by use of epoxy does not enable attainment of the required accuracy and dimensional stability and (2) conventional optical contacting (which affords the required accuracy and stability) does not afford adequate bond strength.

Low-Pt-Content Anode Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

TBMG-261602/01/2008

Combinatorial experiments have led to the discovery that a nanophase alloy of Pt, Ru, Ni, and Zr is effective as an anode catalyst material for direct methanol fuel cells. This discovery has practical significance in that the electronic current densities achievable by use of this alloy are comparable or larger than those obtained by use of prior Pt/Ru catalyst alloys containing greater amounts of Pt. Heretofore, the high cost of Pt has impeded the commercialization of direct methanol fuel cells. By making it possible to obtain a given level of performance at reduced Pt content (and, hence, lower cost), the discovery may lead to reduction of the economic impediment to commercialization.

Direct Methanol Fuel Cells With Aerosol Feed

TBMG-TB-00224909/16/2007

Relative to liquid feed, aerosol feed would result in less methanol crossover. Direct methanol fuel cells that would function with aerosol feed (instead of all-gas or all-liquid feed) have been proposed. As explained below, aerosol feed would afford the advantages of liquid feed, while reducing or eliminating some of the disadvantageous effects of liquid feed.

Making Ternary Quantum Dots From Single-Source Precursors

TBMG-196006/01/2007

A process has been devised for making ternary (specifically, CuInS2) nanocrystals for use as quantum dots (QDs) in a contemplated next generation of highefficiency solar photovoltaic cells. The process parameters can be chosen to tailor the sizes (and, thus, the absorption and emission spectra) of the QDs.

Compact Fuel-Cell System Would Consume Neat Methanol

TBMG-196306/01/2007

In a proposed direct methanol fuelcell electric- power-generating system, the fuel cells would consume neat methanol, in contradistinction to the dilute aqueous methanol solutions consumed in prior direct methanol fuel-cell systems. The design concept of the proposed fuel-cell system takes advantage of (1) electro-osmotic drag and diffusion processes to manage the flows of hydrogen and water between the anode and the cathode and (2) evaporative cooling for regulating temperature. The design concept provides for supplying enough water to the anodes to enable the use of neat methanol while ensuring conservation of water for the whole fuel-cell system. By rendering unnecessary some of the auxiliary components and subsystems needed in other direct methanol fuel-cell systems for redistributing water, diluting methanol, and regulating temperature, this fuel-cell design would make it possible to construct a more compact, less massive, more energy-efficient fuel-cell system.

Alcohol-Water Mixtures

AMS3006F (Historical)04/21/2006

This specification covers mixtures of methyl alcohol and/or ethyl alcohol with water in the form of liquids.

AMS B Finishes Processes and Fluids Committee

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