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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Soyuz Landing Reconstructions

Introduction: Recent data show a landing-attributed injury rate among Soyuz crew members to be higher than predicted in original certification analysis. New vehicles being developed for NASA are being certified using analytical tools to quantify injury risk. This assessment will provide data to allow the Agency to evaluate whether these tools are able to capture true injury risk and allow a comparison between Soyuz landings and upcoming vehicles. Methods: A finite element model (FEM) of the Soyuz descent module (DM) and its landing environment were developed to recreate Soyuz landing conditions. Occupant breakout models composed of the Soyuz seat and Sokol helmet were then developed to evaluate occupant response. These models included both anthropomorphic test device (ATD) and human body model (HBM) surrogates in three anthropometric sizes. A generalized distribution analysis of the Soyuz landing environment was performed using landing variable distributions from available literature. Results were used to identify trends in vehicle landing acceleration with landing conditions and to compare landing model injury risk predictions with those estimated in vehicle certification analysis. Next, historic Soyuz landings identified as inducing occupant injury during were reconstructed using the developed landing model and estimated landing conditions. Results and Discussion: This assessment demonstrated the capability of certification metrics, which include a combination of vehicle- and occupant-level injury risk analysis, to identify elevated injury risk landing conditions. However, the developed landing load predictions were limited by available vehicle and landing condition data. Additional data, particularly landing acceleration data specific to historic Soyuz landing conditions, would greatly enhance this assessment’s findings.

Preston Greenhalgh↗
NASA NTRS2015

Extraction-Separation Performance and Dynamic Modeling of Orion Test Vehicles with Adams Simulation: 2nd Edition

NASA's Orion Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) project has advanced into the third generation of its parachute test campaign and requires technically comprehensive modeling capabilities to simulate multi-body dynamics (MBD) of test articles released from a C-17. Safely extracting a 30,000 lbm mated test article from a C-17 and performing stable mid-air separation maneuvers requires an understanding of the interaction between elements in the test configuration and how they are influenced by extraction parachute performance, aircraft dynamics, aerodynamics, separation dynamics, and kinetic energy experienced by the system. During the real-time extraction and deployment sequences, these influences can be highly unsteady and difficult to bound. An avionics logic window based on time, pitch, and pitch rate is used to account for these effects and target a favorable separation state in real time. The Adams simulation has been employed to fine-tune this window, as well as predict and reconstruct the coupled dynamics of the Parachute Test Vehicle (PTV) and Cradle Platform Separation System (CPSS) from aircraft extraction through the mid-air separation event. The test-technique for the extraction of CPAS test articles has evolved with increased complexity and requires new modeling concepts to ensure the test article is delivered to a stable test condition for the programmer phase. Prompted by unexpected dynamics and hardware malfunctions in drop tests, these modeling improvements provide a more accurate loads prediction by incorporating a spring-damper line-model derived from the material properties. The qualification phase of CPAS testing is on the horizon and modeling increasingly complex test-techniques with Adams is vital to successfully qualify the Orion parachute system for human spaceflight.

Fraire, Usbaldo, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Prediction and verification of creep behavior in metallic materials and components for the space shuttle thermal protection system. Volume 2: Phase 2 subsize panel cyclic creep predictions

A method for predicting permanent cyclic creep deflections in stiffened panel structures was developed. The resulting computer program may be applied to either the time-hardening or strain-hardening theories of creep accumulation. Iterative techniques were used to determine structural rotations, creep strains, and stresses as a function of time. Deflections were determined by numerical integration of structural rotations along the panel length. The analytical approach was developed for analyzing thin-gage entry vehicle metallic-thermal-protection system panels subjected to cyclic bending loads at high temperatures, but may be applied to any panel subjected to bending loads. Predicted panel creep deflections were compared with results from cyclic tests of subsize corrugation and rib-stiffened panels. Empirical equations were developed for each material based on correlation with tensile cyclic creep data and both the subsize panels and tensile specimens were fabricated from the same sheet material. For Vol. 1, see N75-21431.

Cramer, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Creep analysis capability for stiffened panel structures

A method of analysis developed for predicting permanent cyclic creep deflections in stiffened panel structures is presented. The resulting computer program (TPSC, for Thermal Protection System Creep) applies either the time hardening or strain hardening theories of creep accumulation, using iterative techniques to determine structural rotations, creep strains, and stresses as a function of time. Deflections are determined by numerical integration of structural rotations along the panel length. The analytical approach was developed for purposes of analyzing thin gage entry vehicle metallic thermal protection system panels subjected to cyclic bending loads at high temperatures. The method is applicable to any panel subjected to bending loads. Predicted panel creep deflections are compared with results from cyclic tests of subsize and full size corrugation and rib stiffened panels. Empirical equations used in the analysis were developed for each material based on correlation with tensile cyclic creep data.

Cramer, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of Integrally-Stiffened Al-2139 Panel with Curved Stiffeners

A curvilinear stiffened panel was designed, manufactured, and tested in the Combined Load Test Fixture at NASA Langley Research Center. The panel is representative of a large wing engine pylon rib and was optimized for minimum mass subjected to three combined load cases. The optimization included constraints on web buckling, material yielding, crippling or local stiffener failure, and damage tolerance using a new analysis tool named EBF3PanelOpt. Testing was performed for the critical combined compression-shear loading configuration. The panel was loaded beyond initial buckling, and strains and out-of-plane displacements were extracted from a total of 20 strain gages and 6 linear variable displacement transducers. The VIC-3D system was utilized to obtain full field displacements/strains in the stiffened side of the panel. The experimental data were compared with the strains and out-of-plane deflections from a high fidelity nonlinear finite element analysis. The experimental data were also compared with linear elastic finite element results of the panel/test-fixture assembly. Overall, the panel buckled very near to the predicted load in the web regions.

Havens, David↗
NASA NTRS2024

Test and Analysis of the 8-foot Diameter Cylindrical Sandwich Composite Test Article CTA8.2B: As part of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project

The buckling response of thin-walled cylindrical structures have long been shown to be sensitive to various imperfections. That is, imperfections related to load introduction, boundary conditions, material property variation, and geometric deviations can all contribute to experimentally obtained buckling loads being lower than the buckling loads predicted for perfect representations of the same thin-walled cylindrical structure. To account for the influence of geometry-based imperfections of a thin-walled cylindrical structure on buckling response, a design factor (also known as a buckling knockdown factor) is used during the design phase. Guidelines for buckling knockdown factors are readily available in NASA SP-8007, Buckling of Thin Walled Circular Cylinders, which was updated in 2020. Prior to this recent update, NASA SP-8007 had not been updated since 1969, and since that time, computational analysis, experimental testing, and manufacturing methods have significantly improved. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project (SBKF, NESC Assessment 07-010-E) had the goal of developing buckling design recommendations for select classes of metallic and composite launch-vehicle structures [3]. Specifically, the test and analysis results from the fourth SBKF composite test article SBKF-P3-CYL-CTA8.2B, which is referred to as CTA8.2B, are described in this paper. This test was the fourth in a series of four tests on sandwich composite cylinders that will be used to experimentally validate analysis methods, which in turn can be used to develop new analysis-based shell buckling design guidelines for typical sandwich composite launch vehicle cylindrical structures. Publications describing previous test validation with analysis are available in Refs. CTA8.2B was designed to occupy one corner of the design space with approximately equal bending stiffnesses in the axial and transverse directions and have a larger ratio of radius to effective shell thickness. Each test article had a unique design and was designed to occupy a specific region of the design space. CTA8.2B was an 8-foot diameter honeycomb-core sandwich cylinder that was fabricated and tested at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The primary objectives of this test were to interrogate the structural capability of a composite test article, and to verify the test article design and analysis approach for cylinders subjected to axial compression and combined axial and bending loads. First, descriptions of the test article design and test are given in Section 2.0, and modeling and analysis methods used in support of the test article design and testing activities are described briefly in Section 3.0. Then, select test results are presented and compared to predicted results in Section 4.0, and concluding remarks are presented in Section 5.0. Finally, drawings of CTA8.2B and references used to support the test and analysis are provided in the Appendix.

Nonlinear analysis↗
NASA NTRS1988

Method to predict external store carriage characteristics at transonic speeds

Development of a computational method for prediction of external store carriage characteristics at transonic speeds is described. The geometric flexibility required for treatment of pylon-mounted stores is achieved by computing finite difference solutions on a five-level embedded grid arrangement. A completely automated grid generation procedure facilitates applications. Store modeling capability consists of bodies of revolution with multiple fore and aft fins. A body-conforming grid improves the accuracy of the computed store body flow field. A nonlinear relaxation scheme developed specifically for modified transonic small disturbance flow equations enhances the method's numerical stability and accuracy. As a result, treatment of lower aspect ratio, more highly swept and tapered wings is possible. A limited supersonic freestream capability is also provided. Pressure, load distribution, and force/moment correlations show good agreement with experimental data for several test cases. A detailed computer program description for the Transonic Store Carriage Loads Prediction (TSCLP) Code is included.

Rosen, Bruce S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Review of the Effects of Microstructure on Fatigue in Aluminum Alloys

Literature survey was conducted to determine the effects of different microstructural features and different load histories on fatigue crack initiation and propagation of aluminum alloys. Comparison of microstructure and monotonic and cyclic properties between powder metallurgy (P/M) and ingot metallurgy (I/M) alloys is presented. The two alloys that are representative of each process on which the comparison is focused are X7091 and 7050. Included is a detailed description of the microstructure produced through the P/M and I/M proesses. The effect of each pertinent microstructural feature on monotonic and cyclic properties, such as yield strength, toughness, crack initiation and propagation is discussed. Also discussed are the proposed mechanisms for crack initiation and propagation, as well as the effects of aggressive environments on these cyclic properties. The effects of variable amplitude loadin on fatigue crack propagation and the various models proposed to predict load interaction effects are discussed.

Telesman, J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Comparison of Electrical Output Format Options for the Analysis of Strain-Gage Balance Calibration Data

Fundamental characteristics of three gage output formats are discussed that may be used to both interpret and analyze wind tunnel strain-gage balance data. The first output format uses raw outputs, i.e., absolute voltage measurements, for the analysis. This choice requires an intercept term in the regression model of the outputs if the Iterative Method is chosen for the load prediction. Raw outputs can be used for the analysis of all known output characteristics as long as the Iterative Method is applied. However, raw outputs cannot be used to analyze data of a balance with bi-directional outputs if the Non-Iterative Method is chosen for the analysis. The second output format, i.e., difference type 1, uses the difference between raw outputs and the natural zeros of the balance gages for the analysis. In this case, the use of the intercept term becomes optional. Analysis results for difference type 1 will exactly match analysis results obtained by using raw outputs as long as identical math models are used for the regression analysis. In addition, difference type 1 may be used to analyze data of a balance with bi directional outputs if an analyst prefers to process data using the Non-Iterative Method. The third output format, i.e., difference type 2, uses the difference between raw outputs and the outputs of the zero load point of a load series for the data analysis. The application of this format is only recommended if the maximum magnitude of all tare loads of a given balance calibration data set is less than two percent of capacity. Data from the calibration of a force balance is used to illustrate the application of the three gage output formats.

Wind Tunnel Strain-Gage Balance↗
NASA NTRS1985

A New Finite Element Approach for Prediction of Aerothermal Loads: Progress in Inviscid Flow Computations

Recent progress in the development of finite element methodology for the prediction of aerothermal loads is described. Two dimensional, inviscid computations are presented, but emphasis is placed on development of an approach extendable to three dimensional viscous flows. Research progress is described for: (1) utilization of a commerically available program to construct flow solution domains and display computational results, (2) development of an explicit Taylor-Galerkin solution algorithm, (3) closed form evaluation of finite element matrices, (4) vector computer programming strategies, and (5) validation of solutions. Two test problems of interest to NASA Langley aerothermal research are studied. Comparisons of finite element solutions for Mach 6 flow with other solution methods and experimental data validate fundamental capabilities of the approach for analyzing high speed inviscid compressible flows.

Bey, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A new finite element approach for prediction of aerothermal loads - Progress in inviscid flow computations

Recent progress in the development of finite element methodology for the prediction of aerothermal loads is described. Two dimensional, inviscid computations are presented, but emphasis is placed on development of an approach extendable to three dimensional viscous flows. Research progress is described for: (1) utilization of a commercially available program to construct flow solution domains and display computational results, (2) development of an explicit Taylor-Galerkin solution algorithm, (3) closed form evaluation of finite element matrices, (4) vector computer programming strategies, and (5) validation of solutions. Two test problems of interest to NASA Langley aerothermal research are studied. Comparisons of finite element solutions for Mach 6 flow with other solution methods and experimental data validate fundamental capabilities of the approach for analyzing high speed inviscid compressible flows.

Bey, K. S.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Envelope-driven comfort risk in residential demand response

Residential demand response (DR) is a valuable resource for grid reliability, but remains challenging because the highly heterogeneous residential building stock leads to widely varying and hard-to-predict load and comfort responses during DR events. Although prior research has estimated the technical potential of DR-capable technologies for achieving energy demand savings, little is known about how they affect thermal comfort. In particular, it remains unclear how indoor thermal conditions due to DR depend on the thermal envelope characteristics of the housing stock. To address this gap, this study provides a systematic, location-specific assessment of indoor thermal performance during DR-events across the US housing stock using both typical DR weather data and detailed building metadata. We evaluate how envelope characteristics influence indoor temperatures during realistic simulated summer and winter DR events across 37 US locations, applying both temperature threshold and rate of temperature change criteria to estimate region-level probabilities of discomfort. Additionally, we show the impact of distinct weather patterns that intensify or abate thermal stress on comfort outcomes. Results show a near-universal overheating risk in summer DR events, where comfort outcomes are strongly influenced by rapid risk of comfort violations. In contrast, overall winter DR discomfort risk is lower, risk escalation is more gradual and shows greater sensitivity to event duration. These findings offer a data-driven quantification of comfort risk across diverse climates and building envelopes, demonstrating the need for region-specific DR scheduling and discomfort mitigation strategies tailored to local weather patterns and the performance of existing residential buildings.

Demand response↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development and Verification of an Improved Wake-Added Turbulence Model in FAST.Farm

We introduce a generalized wake-added turbulence (WAT) model in the multiphysics, multiturbine simulation tool FAST.Farm. The WAT model introduces additional small-scale turbulence that represents the breakdown of vortical structures and shear layers in the wake. The article describes the development, implementation, calibration, and verification of the model. The novelties of the model include support for wake asymmetry, buildup of WAT across the wind farm, and secondary effects of wake-induced turbulence (e.g., wake meandering) driven by smaller-scale turbulence structures that arise from wake breakdown. Large-eddy simulations were run to support the calibration of the WAT parameters and verification of the model. Previous studies hypothesized that the lack of WAT modeling was the source of underprediction of fatigue loads, in particular for cases at low turbulence intensities and/or stable atmospheric boundary layers. This study confirms that the newly implemented WAT model enhances the loads predictions in these cases.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1968

Tensile failure of fiber composites.

Composite tensile-failure modes, discussing failure load prediction, experimental data and statistical analysis of stress concentration effects

Zweben, C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Metal aircraft structural elements reinforced with graphite filamentary composites

Strain compatibility equations are used to evaluate the thermal stresses existing when unidirectional graphite composites are bonded to aluminum structures. Based on thermal stresses and optimum placement of the composite, skin-stringer aluminum panels are optimized for minimum weight compression panels with selective composite reinforcement. Composite reinforced skin-stringer panels are thermal cycled to determine the effect of thermal fatigue on structural integrity. Both cycled and uncycled panels are tested in compression and tension. Test results are correlated with predicted loads. Use of filamentary graphite composites is an efficient method of reinforcing metal structures, but care must be taken to minimize thermal stresses.

Berg, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Development of flat-plate solar collectors for the heating and cooling of buildings

The relevant design parameters in the fabrication of a solar collector for heating liquids were examined. The objective was to design, fabricate, and test a low-cost, flat-plate solar collector with high collection efficiency, high durability, and requiring little maintenance. Computer-aided math models of the heat transfer processes in the collector assisted in the design. The preferred physical design parameters were determined from a heat transfer standpoint and the absorber panel configuration, the surface treatment of the absorber panel, the type and thickness of insulation, and the number, spacing and material of the covers were defined. Variations of this configuration were identified, prototypes built, and performance tests performed using a solar simulator. Simulated operation of the baseline collector configuration was combined with insolation data for a number of locations and compared with a predicted load to determine the degree of solar utilization.

Ramsey, J. W.↗