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Reducing the scale of the power engines, pose problems that are not encountered at large scale. Several effects, which are negligible at large scale, prove to dominate these viscous forces driven flows. Particularly, it is useful to investigate unsteady machines at small scales when subject to pressure waves. In this paper, the effects of scale on the propagation of shock waves in narrow shock tubes are studied using analytical and numerical modeling approaches. It is discussed how the size scale can become a decisive factor in governing the behavior of these small-scale devices. The results, in agreement with previous studies, suggest that the wall viscous stresses and heat conduction lead to deviation in flow characteristics compared to ideal shock wave behaviors observed in larger scales. The numerical results show shock-wave attenuation along the length of a narrow shock tube, in accordance with the developed analytical models.

The Wave Disk Engine (WDE) is a novel engine that has the potential for higher efficiency and power density of power-generation systems. A recent version of wave disk engine architecture known as the two-stage WDE has been studied to address existing challenges of an existing WDE. After describing the engine operation, a cold air-standard thermodynamic model supporting the physical phenomena occurring inside the device is introduced to evaluate performance of the engine. The developed model is general and does not depend on the shape of the wave rotor, it can be applied to radial and axial combustion wave rotors integrated with turbomachinery devices. The analysis starts with predicting internal waves propagating inside the channels of the engine and linking various flow states to each other using thermodynamics relationships. The goal is to find analytical expressions of work output and efficiency in terms of known pressure and temperature ratios.

The addition of metal nanoparticles to standard coolant fluids dramatically increases the thermal conductivity of the liquid. The properties of the prepared nanofluids will allow for lighter, smaller, and higher efficiency spacecraft thermal control systems to be developed. Nanofluids with spherical or rod-shaped metal nanoparticles were investigated. At a volume concentration of 0.5%, the room temperature thermal conductivity of a 2 nm spherical gold nanoparticle-water solution was increased by more than 10% over water alone. Silver nanorods increased the thermal conductivity of ethylene glycol by 53% and water by 26%.