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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2026

Evaluating Energy Absorption Methods for Integrated Composite Seat Designs

Composite materials have become ubiquitous in the aerospace industry due to their exceptionally light weight and high strength characteristics, as well as their unique ability to be engineered and tailored to meet specific loading conditions and performance requirements. These advanced materials offer superior strength-to-weight ratios compared to traditional metallic materials, making them particularly valuable in weight-critical aerospace applications where every pound saved translates to improved efficiency and performance. In currently operating fleets of commercial and military aircraft, composite materials have been successfully applied to critical structural components, including primary load-bearing elements such as the fuselage sections and flooring structures, which must withstand significant in-flight loads and provide passenger safety. Additionally, these materials have been specifically tailored and optimized for aerodynamic components such as wings and tail assemblies, where their ability to be molded into complex shapes while maintaining structural integrity is particularly advantageous. The application of composite materials extends beyond primary structural elements into the realm of internal cabin components, most notably in innovative seat designs where weight reduction and structural integration are paramount concerns. Modern composite seat structures can be designed to integrate multiple functions, including structural support, comfort features, and safety systems, all while maintaining the lightweight characteristics essential for aircraft performance.

Digital image correlation↗
NASA NTRS1976

Considerations for the application of finite element beam modeling to vibration analysis of flight vehicle structures

The manner of representing a flight vehicle structure as an assembly of beam, spring, and rigid-body components for vibration analysis is described. The development is couched in terms of a substructures methodology which is based on the finite-element stiffness method. The particular manner of employing beam, spring, and rigid-body components to model such items as wing structures, external stores, pylons supporting engines or external stores, and sprung masses associated with launch vehicle fuel slosh is described by means of several simple qualitative examples. A detailed numerical example consisting of a tilt-rotor VTOL aircraft is included to provide a unified illustration of the procedure for representing a structure as an equivalent system of beams, springs, and rigid bodies, the manner of forming the substructure mass and stiffness matrices, and the mechanics of writing the equations of constraint which enforce deflection compatibility at the junctions of the substructures. Since many structures, or selected components of structures, can be represented in this manner for vibration analysis, the modeling concepts described and their application in the numerical example shown should prove generally useful to the dynamicist.

Kvaternik, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Aerodynamic characteristics, including effect of body shape, of a Mach 6 aircraft concept

Longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics for a hydrogen-fueled hypersonic transport concept at Mach 6 are presented. The model components consist of four bodies with identical longitudinal area distributions but different cross-sectional shapes and widths, a wing, horizontal and vertical tails, and a set of wing-mounted nacelles simulated by slid bodies on the wing upper surface. Lift-drag ratios were found to be only sightly affected by fuselage planform width or cross sectional shape. Relative distribution of fuselage volume above and below the wing was found to have an effect on the lift-drag ratio, with a higher lift drag ratio produced by the higher wing position.

Riebe, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Feasibility and concept study to convert the NASA/AMES vertical motion simulator to a helicopter simulator

The conceptual design for converting the vertical motion simulator (VMS) to a multi-purpose aircraft and helicopter simulator is presented. A unique, high performance four degrees of freedom (DOF) motion system was developed to permanently replace the present six DOF synergistic system. The new four DOF system has the following outstanding features: (1) will integrate with the two large VMS translational modes and their associated subsystems; (2) can be converted from helicopter to fixed-wing aircraft simulation through software changes only; (3) interfaces with an advanced cab/visual display system of large dimensions; (4) makes maximum use of proven techniques, convenient materials and off-the-shelf components; (5) will operate within the existing building envelope without modifications; (6) can be built within the specified weight limit and avoid compromising VMS performance; (7) provides maximum performance with a minimum of power consumption; (8) simple design minimizes coupling between motions and maximizes reliability; and (9) can be built within existing budgetary figures.

Belsterling, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Aircraft Conceptual Design Using Vehicle Sketch Pad

Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) is a parametric geometry modeling tool that is intended for use in the conceptual design of aircraft. The intent of this software is to rapidly model aircraft configurations without expending the expertise and time that is typically required for modeling with traditional Computer Aided Design (CAD) packages. VSP accomplishes this by using parametrically defined components, such as a wing that is defined by span, area, sweep, taper ratio, thickness to cord, and so on. During this phase of frequent design builds, changes to the model can be rapidly visualized along with the internal volumetric layout. Using this geometry-based approach, parameters such as wetted areas and cord lengths can be easily extracted for rapid external performance analyses, such as a parasite drag buildup. At the completion of the conceptual design phase, VSP can export its geometry to higher fidelity tools. This geometry tool was developed by NASA and is freely available to U.S. companies and universities. It has become integral to conceptual design in the Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch (ASAB) here at NASA Langley Research Center and is currently being used at over 100 universities, aerospace companies, and other government agencies. This paper focuses on the use of VSP in recent NASA conceptual design studies to facilitate geometry-centered design methodology. Such a process is shown to promote greater levels of creativity, more rapid assessment of critical design issues, and improved ability to quickly interact with higher order analyses. A number of VSP vehicle model examples are compared to CAD-based conceptual design, from a designer perspective; comparisons are also made of the time and expertise required to build the geometry representations as well.

Fredericks, William J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Coupling equivalent plate and finite element formulations in multiple-method structural analyses

A coupled multiple-method analysis procedure for use late in conceptual design or early in preliminary design of aircraft structures is described. Using this method, aircraft wing structures are represented with equivalent plate models, and structural details such as engine/pylon structure, landing gear, or a 'stick' model of a fuselage are represented with beam finite element models. These two analysis methods are implemented in an integrated multiple-method formulation that involves the assembly and solution of a combined set of linear equations. The corresponding solution vector contains coefficients of the polynomials that describe the deflection of the wing and also the components of translations and rotations at the joints of the beam members. Two alternative approaches for coupling the methods are investigated; one using transition finite elements and the other using Lagrange multipliers. The coupled formulation is applied to the static analysis and vibration analysis of a conceptual design model of a fighter aircraft. The results from the coupled method are compared with corresponding results from an analysis in which the entire model is composed of finite elements.

VIBRATION ANALYSIS↗
NASA NTRS1977

Flight service evaluation of Kevlar-49/epoxy composite panels in wide-bodied commercial transport aircraft

Kevlar-49 fairing panels, installed as flight service components on three L-1011s, were inspected after three years' service, and found to be performing satisfactorily. There are six Kevlar-49 panels on each aircraft, including sandwich and solid laminate wing-body panels, and 150 C service aft engine fairings. The service history to date indicates that Kevlar-49 epoxy composite materials have satisfactory service characteristics for use in aircraft secondary structure.

Stone, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Modeling and Prediction of Krueger Device Noise

This paper presents the development of a noise prediction model for aircraft Krueger flap devices that are considered as alternatives to leading edge slotted slats. The prediction model decomposes the total Krueger noise into four components, generated by the unsteady flows, respectively, in the cove under the pressure side surface of the Krueger, in the gap between the Krueger trailing edge and the main wing, around the brackets supporting the Krueger device, and around the cavity on the lower side of the main wing. For each noise component, the modeling follows a physics-based approach that aims at capturing the dominant noise-generating features in the flow and developing correlations between the noise and the flow parameters that control the noise generation processes. The far field noise is modeled using each of the four noise component's respective spectral functions, far field directivities, Mach number dependencies, component amplitudes, and other parametric trends. Preliminary validations are carried out by using small scale experimental data, and two applications are discussed; one for conventional aircraft and the other for advanced configurations. The former focuses on the parametric trends of Krueger noise on design parameters, while the latter reveals its importance in relation to other airframe noise components.

Guo, Yueping↗
NASA NTRS1996

Wind Tunnel Measured Effects on a Twin-Engine Short-Haul Transport Caused by Simulated Ice Accretions

A series of wind tunnel tests were conducted to assess the effects of leading edge ice contamination upon the performance of a short-haul transport. The wind tunnel test was conducted in the NASA Langley 14 by 22 foot facility. The test article was a 1/8 scale twin-engine short-haul jet transport model. Two separate leading edge ice contamination configurations were tested in addition to the uncontaminated baseline configuration. Several aircraft configurations were examined including various flap and slat deflections, with and without landing gear. Data gathered included force measurements via an internal six-component force balance, pressure measurements through 700 electronically scanned wing pressure ports, and wing surface flow visualization measurements. The artificial ice contamination caused significant performance degradation and caused visible changes demonstrated by the flow visualization. The data presented here is just a portion of the data gathered. A more complete data report is planned for publication as a NASA Technical Memorandum and data supplement.

Reehorst, Andrew↗
NASA NTRS2022

Linear and Geometrically Nonlinear Structural Shape Sensing from Strain Data

An aircraft’s shape must be measured during flight to implement active shape controls such as active trim shape, divergence, and sonic boom controls. A basis function method for linear as well as geometrically nonlinear structural shape sensing is proposed in this study. Basis functions can be mode shapes, linear static deformation shapes, and/or geometrically nonlinear static deformation shapes. The proposed basis function method is validated using a high-aspect-ratio wing, a swept test plate, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration X-59 aircraft. A large structural deformation of a high-aspect-ratio wing is successfully captured using the proposed basis function method with less than 0.3%prediction error at the wing-tip section. The basis function method gives excellent deformation prediction, even with stress concentration. Performance of the basis functions is compared using the X-59 stabilator sample case. In most of the sample load cases, static deformations give a better correlation with the target deformation than do mode shapes. Wing shape sensing with sparse strain data are also demonstrated in this study using the X-59 aircraft. Predicted structural deformations match reasonably with the target deformations, even without strain gauges on some structural components. The predicted deformations have a good match with the target deformations.

Static Deformation↗
NASA NTRS1973

Program for establishing long time flight service performance of composite materials in the central wing structure of C-130 aircraft. Phase 2: Detailed design

The design, fabrication, and evaluation of boron-epoxy reinforced C-130 center wing boxes are discussed. Design drawings, static strength, fatigue endurance, flutter, and weight analyses required for the wing box fabrication are presented. Additional component testing to verify the design for panel buckling and to evaluate specific local design areas are reported.

Harvill, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Handling Qualities Optimization for Rotorcraft Conceptual Design

Over the past decade, NASA, under a succession of rotary-wing programs has been moving towards coupling multiple discipline analyses in a rigorous consistent manner to evaluate rotorcraft conceptual designs. Handling qualities is one of the component analyses to be included in a future NASA Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization framework for conceptual design of VTOL aircraft. Similarly, the future vision for the capability of the Concept Design and Assessment Technology Area (CD&A-TA) of the U.S Army Aviation Development Directorate also includes a handling qualities component. SIMPLI-FLYD is a tool jointly developed by NASA and the U.S. Army to perform modeling and analysis for the assessment of flight dynamics and control aspects of the handling qualities of rotorcraft conceptual designs. An exploration of handling qualities analysis has been carried out using SIMPLI-FLYD in illustrative scenarios of a tiltrotor in forward flight and single-main rotor helicopter at hover. Using SIMPLI-FLYD and the conceptual design tool NDARC integrated into a single process, the effects of variations of design parameters such as tail or rotor size were evaluated in the form of margins to fixed- and rotary-wing handling qualities metrics as well as the vehicle empty weight. The handling qualities design margins are shown to vary across the flight envelope due to both changing flight dynamic and control characteristics and changing handling qualities specification requirements. The current SIMPLI-FLYD capability and future developments are discussed in the context of an overall rotorcraft conceptual design process.

Handling Qualities↗
NASA NTRS1987

Development of circulation control technology for powered-lift STOL aircraft

The flow entraining capabilities of the Circulation Control Wing high lift system were employed to provide an even stronger STOL potential when synergistically combined with upper surface mounted engines. The resulting configurations generate very high supercirculation lift in addition to a vertical component of the pneumatically deflected engine thrust. A series of small scale wind tunnel tests and full scale static thrust deflection tests are discussed which provide a sufficient data base performance. These tests results show thrust deflections of greater than 90 deg produced pneumatically by nonmoving aerodynamic surfaces, and the ability to maintain constant high lift while varying the propulsive force from high thrust recovery required for short takeoff to high drag generation required for short low speed landings.

Englar, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

A Parametric Study of Actuator Requirements for Active Turbine Tip Clearance Control of a Modern High Bypass Turbofan Engine

The efficiency of aircraft gas turbine engines is sensitive to the distance between the tips of its turbine blades and its shroud, which serves as its containment structure. Maintaining tighter clearance between these components has been shown to increase turbine efficiency, increase fuel efficiency, and reduce the turbine inlet temperature, and this correlates to a longer time-on-wing for the engine. Therefore, there is a desire to maintain a tight clearance in the turbine, which requires fast response active clearance control. Fast response active tip clearance control will require an actuator to modify the physical or effective tip clearance in the turbine. This paper evaluates the requirements of a generic active turbine tip clearance actuator for a modern commercial aircraft engine using the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k) software that has previously been integrated with a dynamic tip clearance model. A parametric study was performed in an attempt to evaluate requirements for control actuators in terms of bandwidth, rate limits, saturation limits, and deadband. Constraints on the weight of the actuation system and some considerations as to the force which the actuator must be capable of exerting and maintaining are also investigated. From the results, the relevant range of the evaluated actuator parameters can be extracted. Some additional discussion is provided on the challenges posed by the tip clearance control problem and the implications for future small core aircraft engines.

Turbine↗
NASA NTRS1990

Heavy rain effects on airplane performance

The objective is to determine if the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane are altered while flying in the rain. Wind-tunnel tests conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) have shown losses in maximum lift, reduction in stall angle, and increases in drag when a wing is placed in a simulated rain spray. For these tests the water spray concentration used represented a very heavy rainfall. A lack of definition of the scaling laws for aerodynamic testing in a two-phase, two-component flow makes interpolation of the wind-tunnel test uncertain. Tests of a large-scale wing are to be conducted at the LaRC. The large-scale wing is mounted on top of the Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility (ALDF) carriage. This carriage (which is 70-foot long, 30-foot wide, and 30-foot high) is propelled with the wing model attached down a 3000-foot long test track by a water jet at speeds of up to 170 knots. A simulated rain spray system has been installed along 500 feet of the test track and can simulate rain falls from 2 to 40 inches/hour. Operational checks are underway and the initial tests should be completed by the Fall of 1989.

Dunham, R. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Structural Shape Sensing from Strain Data Using the Basis Function Method

An aircraft shape must be measured during flight to implement an active trim shape control, such as an active dihedral control for a highly flexible aircraft with a high-aspect-ratio wing, and an active sonic boom control for a supersonic transport aircraft. A basis function method for linear as well as geometrically nonlinear structural shape sensing is proposed in this study. Basis functions can be mode shapes, linear static deformation shapes, or geometrically nonlinear static deformation shapes. The proposed basis function method is validated using a high-aspect-ratio wing, a swept test plate, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Low Boom Flight Demonstration mission X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft (Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Maryland). A large structural deformation of a high-aspect-ratio wing is successfully captured using the proposed basis function method with less than 0.3-percentprediction error at the wing-tip section. The basis function method gives excellent deformation prediction, even with stress concentration. Performance of the basis functions is compared using the X-59 stabilator sample case. In most of the sample load cases, static deformations give a better correlation with the target deformation than do mode shapes. Wing shape sensing with sparse strain data is also demonstrated in this study using the X-59 QueSST aircraft. Predicted structural deformations match reasonably with the target deformations even without strain gauges on some structural components. The predicted deformations have a good match with the target deformations.

Chan-gi Pak↗
NASA NTRS1976

Remote intensity fluctuation measurements with a laser Doppler radar

A coaxial focused CW scanning laser Doppler velocimeter (SLDV) radar equipment applying heterodyne detection at 10.6 microns can measure intensity fluctuations under field conditions. The set includes a 20 W CO2 laser, a coaxial Cassegrainian telescope, standard heterodyne equipment, and a SAW spectrum analyzer with 100 kHz signal resolution. Operation of the equipment and techniques for taking remote measurements are described briefly. Applications to remote measurements of transverse component of wind speed, as a complement to the traditional Doppler method of determining axial velocity, are under study. SLDV equipment has been used in detection, tracking, and measurements of atmospheric turbulence associated with aircraft wing-tip vortices or with dust devils, and in measurement of general atmospheric wind profiles.

Kennedy, L. Z.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Three-Dimensional Piecewise-Continuous Class-Shape Transformation of Wings

Class-Shape Transformation (CST) is a popular method for creating analytical representations of the surface coordinates of various components of aerospace vehicles. A wide variety of two- and three-dimensional shapes can be represented analytically using only a modest number of parameters, and the surface representation is smooth and continuous to as fine a degree as desired. This paper expands upon the original two-dimensional representation of airfoils to develop a generalized three-dimensional CST parametrization scheme that is suitable for a wider range of aircraft wings than previous formulations, including wings with significant non-planar shapes such as blended winglets and box wings. The method uses individual functions for the spanwise variation of airfoil shape, chord, thickness, twist, and reference axis coordinates to build up the complete wing shape. An alternative formulation parameterizes the slopes of the reference axis coordinates in order to relate the spanwise variation to the tangents of the sweep and dihedral angles. Also discussed are methods for fitting existing wing surface coordinates, including the use of piecewise equations to handle discontinuities, and mathematical formulations of geometric continuity constraints. A subsonic transport wing model is used as an example problem to illustrate the application of the methodology and to quantify the effects of piecewise representation and curvature constraints.

Olson, Erik D.↗