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Results for “CHARACTERISTIC METHOD”

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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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

A nozzle boundary layer model including the subsonic sublayer usable for determining boundary layer effects on plume flowfields

A model for the boundary layer at the exit plane of a rocket nozzle was developed which, unlike most previous models, includes the subsonic sublayer. The equations for the flow near the nozzle exit plane are presented and the method by which the subsonic sublayer transitions to supersonic flow in the plume is described. The resulting model describes the entire boundary layer and can be used to provide a startline for method-of-characteristics calculations of plume flowfields. The model was incorporated into a method of characteristics computer program and comparisons of computed results to experimental data show good agreement. The data used in the comparisons were obtained in tests in which mass fluxes from a 22.2-N (5 lbf) thrust engine were measured at angles off the nozzle centerline of up to 150 deg. Additional comparisons were made with data obtained during tests of a 0.89-N (0.2 lbr) monopropellant thruster and from the OH-64 space shuttle heating tests. The agreement with the data indicates that the model can be used for calculating plume backflow properties.

Cooper, B. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Design of recursive digital filters having specified phase and magnitude characteristics

A method for a computer-aided design of a class of optimum filters, having specifications in the frequency domain of both magnitude and phase, is described. The method, an extension to the work of Steiglitz, uses the Fletcher-Powell algorithm to minimize a weighted squared magnitude and phase criterion. Results using the algorithm for the design of filters having specified phase as well as specified magnitude and phase compromise are presented.

King, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A post-Pioneer Venus reassessment of the Martian dayside ionosphere as observed by radio occultation methods

Global characteristics of the dayside ionosphere of Mars were investigated by reanalyzing the electron-density dayside altitude profiles obtained by Mariners 4, 6, 7, and 9 and the Viking 1 and 2. The properties of both the electron density peaks and the topside profiles with the behavior expected for a Chapman layer in the Mars ionosphere were compared with those observed at Venus with the Pioneer Venus. The results yield an improved picture of the solar zenith angle dependences of both the peaks and the scale heights of the ionosphere of Mars, and their comparison with Venus at solar minimum. It is shown that, under similar conditions where the incident solar wind dynamic pressure exceeds the peak ionospheric thermal pressure, the Martian dayside ionosphere peaks at higher altitudes in the flanks and has a greater scale height. Thus, Martian and Venusian ionospheres would present different obstacles to solar wind.

Zhang, M. H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Techniques for estimating Space Station aerodynamic characteristics

A method was devised and calculations were performed to determine the effects of reflected molecules on the aerodynamic force and moment coefficients for a body in free molecule flow. A procedure was developed for determining the velocity and temperature distributions of molecules reflected from a surface of arbitrary momentum and energy accommodation. A system of equations, based on momentum and energy balances for the surface, incident, and reflected molecules, was solved by a numerical optimization technique. The minimization of a 'cost' function, developed from the set of equations, resulted in the determination of the defining properties of the flow reflected from the arbitrary surface. The properties used to define both the incident and reflected flows were: average temperature of the molecules in the flow, angle of the flow with respect to a vector normal to the surface, and the molecular speed ratio. The properties of the reflected flow were used to calculate the contribution of multiply reflected molecules to the force and moments on a test body in the flow. The test configuration consisted of two flat plates joined along one edge at a right angle to each other. When force and moment coefficients of this 90 deg concave wedge were compared to results that did not include multiple reflections, it was found that multiple reflections could nearly double lift and drag coefficients, with nearly a 50 percent increase in pitching moment for cases with specular or nearly specular accommodation. The cases of diffuse or nearly diffuse accommodation often had minor reductions in axial and normal forces when multiple reflections were included. There were several cases of intermediate accommodation where the addition of multiple reflection effects more than tripled the lift coefficient over the convex technique.

Thomas, Richard E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Formation of slow shock pairs associated with coronal mass ejections

The formation of a forward-reverse slow shock pair in the solar corona is presently simulated by an MHD model that uses the Rankine-Hugoniot solution to calculate the flow-property jumps at all shock crossings. The shocks divide the solution-domain into several continuous flow regions whose respective governing characteristics are solved by the method of characteristics. The plasma impact compresses the plasma near the front of the coronal mass ejection (CME); as the CME-associated slow shock pair moves outwards in interplanetary space, it evolves into a pair of fast shocks. All three phenomena are eventually manifested in interplanetary space as a magnetic cloud accompanied by a fast shock pair, with a forward shock preceding the cloud and a reverse shock appearing either within or behind the cloud.

Whang, Y. V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A staggered mesh finite difference scheme for the computation of hypersonic Euler flows

A shock capturing finite difference method for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws is presented which avoids the need to solve Riemann problems while being competitive in performance with other current methods. A staggered spatial mesh is employed, so that complicated nonlinear waves generated at cell interfaces are averaged over cell interiors at the next time level. The full method combines to form a conservative version of the modified method of characteristics. The advantages of the method are discussed, and numerical results are presented for the two-dimensional double ellipse problem.

Sanders, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1979

A computerized method for calculating flutter characteristics of a system characterized by two degrees of freedom

A formulation is given for calculating flutter frequency and flutter speed for a problem with two degrees of freedom. Two different solutions for evaluating the flutter determinant are presented and the results for each method are compared. A program flow diagram, partial program listing, and a sample problem with input and output for the two different methods are included. Although the method was developed for computing flutter characteristics of a pylon installed in the NASA Langley VSTOL tunnel, it is sufficiently general to solve any flutter system that can be characterized by two degrees of freedom.

Stalnaker, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Numerical method for gas dynamics combining characteristic and conservation concepts

An efficient implicit numerical method that solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations in arbitrary curvilinear coordinates by the finite-volume technique is presented. An intrinsically dissipative difference scheme and a fully implicit treatment of boundary conditions, based on characteristic and conservation concepts, are used to improve stability and accuracy. Efficiency is achieved by using a diagonal form of the implicit algorithm and spatially varying time-steps. Comparisons of various schemes and methods are presented for one- and two-dimensional flows, including transonic separated flow past a thick circular-arc airfoil in a channel. The new method is equal to or better than a version of MacCormack's hybrid method in accuracy and it converges to a steady state up to an order of magnitude faster.

Coakley, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1958

Application of the Method of Coordinate Perturbation to Unsteady Duct Flow

The method of coordinate perturbation is applied to the unsteady flow of a compressible fluid in ducts of variable cross section. Solutions, in the form of perturbation series, are obtained for unsteady flows in ducts for which the logarithmic derivative of area variation with respect to the space coordinate is a function of the 'smallness' parameter of the perturbation series. This technique is applied to the problem of the interaction of a disturbance and a shock wave in a diffuser flow. It is found that, for a special choice of the function describing the disturbance, the path of the shock wave can be expressed in closed form to first order. The method is then applied to the determination of the flow field behind a shock wave moving on a prescribed path in the x,t-plane. Perturbation series solutions for quite general paths are developed. The perturbation series solutions are compared with the more exact solutions obtained by the application of the method of characteristics. The approximate solutions are shown to be in reasonably accurate agreement with the solutions obtained by the method of characteristics.

Himmel, Seymour C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Theoretical prediction of erosive burning characteristics of solid rocket propellant based on burning rate dependence of pressure and initial temperature and its energetic characteristics

New theoretical method for prediction of erosive burning characteristics of solid propellant, using known ballistic and thermodynamic data only, is presented. Method is based on modified Lenoir-Robillard formula, and is applicable for composite and double base propellants, with or without negative erosion effect. Method is confirmed using experimental data of numerous authors.

Jojic, B.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A numerical method for determining the natural vibration characteristics of rotating nonuniform cantilever blades

A method is presented for determining the free vibration characteristics of a rotating blade having nonuniform spanwise properties and cantilever boundary conditions. The equations which govern the coupled flapwise, chordwise, and torsional motion of such a blade are solved using an integrating matrix method. By expressing the equations of motion and matrix notation, utilizing the integrating matrix as an operator, and applying the boundary conditions, the equations are formulated into an eigenvalue problem whose solutions may be determined by conventional methods. Computer results are compared with experimental data.

White, W. F., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computational methods for analyzing the transmission characteristics of a beta particle magnetic analysis system

Computational methods were developed to study the trajectories of beta particles (positrons) through a magnetic analysis system as a function of the spatial distribution of the radionuclides in the beta source, size and shape of the source collimator, and the strength of the analyzer magnetic field. On the basis of these methods, the particle flux, their energy spectrum, and source-to-target transit times have been calculated for Na-22 positrons as a function of the analyzer magnetic field and the size and location of the target. These data are in studies requiring parallel beams of positrons of uniform energy such as measurement of the moisture distribution in composite materials. Computer programs for obtaining various trajectories are included.

Singh, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Mission Reliability Estimation for Repairable Robot Teams

A mission reliability estimation method has been designed to translate mission requirements into choices of robot modules in order to configure a multi-robot team to have high reliability at minimal cost. In order to build cost-effective robot teams for long-term missions, one must be able to compare alternative design paradigms in a principled way by comparing the reliability of different robot models and robot team configurations. Core modules have been created including: a probabilistic module with reliability-cost characteristics, a method for combining the characteristics of multiple modules to determine an overall reliability-cost characteristic, and a method for the generation of legitimate module combinations based on mission specifications and the selection of the best of the resulting combinations from a cost-reliability standpoint. The developed methodology can be used to predict the probability of a mission being completed, given information about the components used to build the robots, as well as information about the mission tasks. In the research for this innovation, sample robot missions were examined and compared to the performance of robot teams with different numbers of robots and different numbers of spare components. Data that a mission designer would need was factored in, such as whether it would be better to have a spare robot versus an equivalent number of spare parts, or if mission cost can be reduced while maintaining reliability using spares. This analytical model was applied to an example robot mission, examining the cost-reliability tradeoffs among different team configurations. Particularly scrutinized were teams using either redundancy (spare robots) or repairability (spare components). Using conservative estimates of the cost-reliability relationship, results show that it is possible to significantly reduce the cost of a robotic mission by using cheaper, lower-reliability components and providing spares. This suggests that the current design paradigm of building a minimal number of highly robust robots may not be the best way to design robots for extended missions.

Trebi-Ollennu, Ashitey↗
NASA NTRS1982

The equivalent angle-of-attack method for estimating the nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics of missile wings and control surfaces

A method has been developed for estimating the nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics of missile wing and control surfaces. The method is based on the following assumption: if a fin on a body has the same normal-force coefficient as a wing alone composed of two of the same fins joined together at their root chords, then the other force and moment coefficients of the fin and the wing alone are the same including the nonlinearities. The method can be used for deflected fins at arbitrary bank angles and at high angles of attack. In the paper, a full derivation of the method is given, its accuracy demonstrated and its use in extending missile data bases is shown.

Hemsch, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1954

Methods for obtaining desired helicopter stability characteristics

A brief summary is made of methods available to the helicopter designer for obtaining desired stability characteristics by modifications to the airframe design. The discussion is based on modifications made during the establishment of flying-qualities criteria and includes sample indications of theoretical studies of additional methods.

Helicopters↗
NASA NTRS1984

Development and Certification of a New Stall Warning and Avoidance System

Several methods may be employed to improve natural stall characteristics. The method employed on all learjets to obtain improved stall characteristics is a stall warning and avoidance system that employs angle of attack vanes, an electronic computer, a control column shaker motor, and a torquer which drives the control column in a pusher mode to avoid unwanted further buildup of angle of attack. The new system was developed with changes that improve system response with no performance penalty or increase in turbulence sensitivity. The following changes were made included modified system time constants and (alpha) time rate of change of vane angle dead zone and the addition of an alpha signal limiter and an alpha cut out below a specified angle of attack.

Gertsen, W. M.↗