SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “high field testing”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2001

Flightweight Electro-Magnet Systems

NASA has a need for lightweight high performance magnets to be used in propulsion systems involving plasmas. We report the design, construction, and testing of a six inch diameter by twelve inch long solenoid using high purity aluminum wire operating at a temperature of 77 Kelvin (K) for the current carrying element. High purity aluminum is the material of choice because of three properties that make it optimal for magnetic construction. At 77 K high purity aluminum has one of the lowest resistivities at 77 K of any metal (p = 0.254 muOMEGA-cm), thus reducing the power requirements for creating magnetic fields. Aluminum is a low-density (2.6989 g/cc) material and the end product magnet will be of low total mass compared to similar designs involving copper or other elements. The magneto-resistance of aluminum saturates at low magnetic fields and does not increase indefinitely as is the case in copper. The magnet consists of four layers of closely wound wire and is approximately 150 mm in diameter by 300 mm long. A cylinder made from G - 10 was machined with a spiral groove to hold the high purity Al wire and the wire wound on it. Following the winding, each layer was potted in STYCAST high thermal conductivity epoxy to provide insulation between the turns of the coil and mechanical strength. The magneto-resistance of the coil has been measured at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), Tallahassee, FL in externally applied fields to 10 tesla. Following these tests it was energized to the full 2 tesla field it can produce using the facilities of the NHMFL at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The results of all of these tests will be presented.

Goodrich, Roy G.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Electron Field Emission Properties of Textured Platinum Surfaces

During ground tests of electric microthrusters and space tests of electrodynamic tethers the electron emitters must successfully operate at environmental pressures possibly as high as 1x10(exp -4) Pa. High partial pressures of oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor are expected in such environments. A textured platinum surface was used in this work for field emission cathode assessments because platinum does not form oxide films at low temperatures. Although a reproducible cathode conditioning process did not evolve from this work, some short term tests for periods of 1 to 4 hours showed no degradation of emission current at an electric field of 8 V/mm and background pressures of about 1x10(exp -6) Pa. Increases of background pressure by air flow to about 3x10(exp -4) Pa yield a hostile environment for the textured platinum field emission cathode.

Sovey, James S.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Progress In Plasma Accelerator Development for Dynamic Formation of Plasma Liners

An experimental plasma accelerator for magnetic target fusion (MTF) applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The accelerator is a coaxial pulsed plasma thruster (Figure 1). It has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approx.50 km/sec have been obtained. The plasma jet has been photographed with 10-ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure (Figure 2). Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes and magnetic probes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma and current transit respectively at various barrel locations. Preliminary spatially resolved spectral data and magnetic field probe data are also presented. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter is being characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is being identified.

Thio, Y. C. Francis↗

NASA NTRS2012

Cryogenic Photogrammetry and Radiometry for the James Webb Space Telescope Microshutters

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) relies on several innovations to complete its five year mission. One vital technology is microshutters, the programmable field selectors that enable the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) to perform multi-object spectroscopy. Mission success depends on acquiring spectra from large numbers of galaxies by positioning shutter slits over faint targets. Precise selection of faint targets requires field selectors that are both high in contrast and stable in position. We have developed test facilities to evaluate microshutter contrast and alignment stability at their 35K operating temperature. These facilities used a novel application of image registration algorithms to obtain non-contact, sub-micron measurements in cryogenic conditions. The cryogenic motion of the shutters was successfully characterized. Optical results also demonstrated that shutter contrast far exceeds the NIRSpec requirements. Our test program has concluded with the delivery of a flight-qualified field selection subsystem to the NIRSpec bench.

Chambers, Victor J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

On the off-axis tension test for unidirectional composites

The off axis tensile test was examined experimentally to obtain actual displacement fields over the surface of graphite polyimide coupon specimens. The experimental results were compared with approximate analytical solutions and generated finite element results. An optical method of high sensitivity moireinterferometry was used to determine the actual displacements to high precision. The approximate analytical solution and the finite element results compare very favorably with the measured centerline displacements in the test section, and the finite element displacement fields provide excellent agreement with the moiredisplacements throughout the specimen. A 15 degree fiber orientation and coupon aspect ratios of 5 and 15 are presented. Previously announced in STAR as N82-23553

Herakovich, C. T.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Room Temperature Radiation Testing of a 500 °C Durable 4H-SiC JFET Integrated Circuit Technology

Total ionizing dose (TID) and single-event effect (SEE) room-temperature radiation test results are presented for developmental prototype 4H-SiC junction field effect transistor (JFET) semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) that have demonstrated prolonged operation in extremely high-temperature (500 °C) environments. The devices tested demonstrated over 7 Mrad(Si) TID tolerance and no destructive SEE susceptibility.

Lauenstein, Jean-Marie↗

NASA NTRS1982

On the off-axis tensile test for unidirectional composites

The off axis tensile test was examined experimentally to obtain actual displacement fields over the surface of graphite polyimide coupon specimens. The experimental results were compared with approximate analytical solutions and generated finite element results. An optical method of high sensitivity moire interferometry was used to determine the actual displacements to high precision. The approximate analytical solution and the finite element results compare very favorably with the measured centerline displacements in the test section, and the finite element displacement fields provide excellent agreement with the moire displacements throughout the specimen. A 15 degree fiber orientation and coupon aspect ratios of 5 and 15 are presented.

Nemeth, M. P.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Impact of nose-probe chines on the vortex flows about the F-16C

A 1/15-scale model of the F-16C aircraft was tested at subsonic and transonic speeds to determine the effects of small nose-probe chines on the high angle-of-attack aerodynamic and stability characteristics. Off-body flow visualization using a laser vapor screen technique and six-component forces and moments were obtained at freestream Mach numbers of 0.30, 0.60, and 0.80. The nose-probe chines generated strong vortices interacting with the vortices generated over the smooth forebody or over the strakes. These vortices in turn led to global flow unsteadiness and model dynamics at the high angles of attack. The test results underscore the sensitivity of the high angle-of-attack flow field to small geometry changes in the nose region.

Hall, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Iosipescu shear characterization of polymeric and metal matrix composites

The paper outlines the results of an experimental/analytical investigation of deformation and stress fields in the test section of graphite/epoxy and boron/aluminum Iosipescu specimens using high-resolution moire interferometry and finite-element analysis. Very good correlation between experiment and analysis is demonstrated for the graphite/epoxy specimens. This, in turn, justifies the use of correction factors employed in the previous investigations to eliminate differences in the initial shear moduli obtained from 0-deg and 90-deg Iosipescu specimens. The significant discrepancies observed in the case of boron/aluminum specimens are attributed to localized yielding at the notch tips caused by the clamping action, the associated in-plane bending effects and changing boundary conditions due to slippage in the grips.

Pindera, M.-J.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Photorefraction Screens Millions for Vision Disorders

Who would have thought that stargazing in the 1980s would lead to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren seeing more clearly today? Collaborating with research ophthalmologists and optometrists, Marshall Space Flight Center scientists Joe Kerr and the late John Richardson adapted optics technology for eye screening methods using a process called photorefraction. Photorefraction consists of delivering a light beam into the eyes where it bends in the ocular media, hits the retina, and then reflects as an image back to a camera. A series of refinements and formal clinical studies followed their highly successful initial tests in the 1980s. Evaluating over 5,000 subjects in field tests, Kerr and Richardson used a camera system prototype with a specifically angled telephoto lens and flash to photograph a subject s eye. They then analyzed the image, the cornea and pupil in particular, for irregular reflective patterns. Early tests of the system with 1,657 Alabama children revealed that, while only 111 failed the traditional chart test, Kerr and Richardson s screening system found 507 abnormalities.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1973

Mass flux measurements and correlations in the back flow region of a nozzle plume.

A series of tests were conducted to measure the mass flux in the far field of a nozzle plume in a high vacuum with emphasis on the back flow region. The measurements presented in this report provide fairly accurate data for off-axis angles as large as 140 deg (i.e., the back flow region). The tests utilized five different nozzles. Parameters such as expansion ratio, throat diameter, nozzle lip shape, and plenum (chamber) pressure were varied. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases were passed through, and mass flux measurements were taken using quartz crystal microbalances in as many as nine different locations relative to the test nozzle. The tests resulted in a large matrix of data that were correlated and compared to existing prediction theories. Several conclusions with respect to the effect of nozzle and gas parameters on the amount of back flow mass flux are offered, and it was demonstrated that gaseous mass fluxes, which are not predictable by present theories, are encountered in the region behind the nozzle exit plane.

Chirivella, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Detection of hidden mineral deposits by airborne spectral analysis of forest canopies

Data from field surveys and biogeochemical tests conducted in Maine, Montana, and Washington strongly correlate with results obtained using high resolution airborne spectroradiometer which detects an anomalous spectral waveform that appears definitely associated with sulfide mineralization. The spectral region most affected by mineral stress is between 550 nm and 750 nm. Spectral variations observed in the field occur on the wings of the red chlorophyll band centered at about 690 nm. The metal-stress-induced variations on the absorption band wing are most successfully resolved in the high spectral resolution field data using a waveform analysis technique. The development of chlorophyll pigments was retarded in greenhouse plants doped with copper and zinc in the laboratory. The lowered chlorophyll production resulted in changes on the wings of the chlorophyll bands of reflectance spectra of the plants. The airborne spectroradiometer system and waveform analysis remains the most sensitive technique for biogeochemical surveys.

Collins, W.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Comparison between design and installed acoustic characteristics of NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot low-speed wind tunnel acoustic treatment

The test section of the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel was acoustically treated to allow the measurement of sound under simulated free-field conditions. The treatment was designed for high sound absorption at frequencies above 250 Hz and for withstanding the environmental conditions in the test section. In order to achieve the design requirements, a fibrous, bulk-absorber material was packed into removable panel sections. Each section was divided into two equal-depth layers packed with material to different bulk densities. The lower density was next to the facing of the treatment. The facing consisted of a perforated plate and screening material layered together. Sample tests for normal-incidence acoustic absorption were also conducted in an impedance tube to provide data to aid in the treatment design. Tests with no airflow, involving the measurement of the absorptive properties of the treatment installed in the 9- by 15-foot wind tunnel test section, combined the use of time-delay spectrometry with a previously established free-field measurement method. This new application of time-delay spectrometry enabled these free-field measurements to be made in nonanechoic conditions. The results showed that the installed acoustic treatment had absorption coefficients greater than 0.95 over the frequency range 250 Hz to 4 kHz. The measurements in the wind tunnel were in good agreement with both the analytical prediction and the impedance tube test data.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Design, Fabrication, and Critical Current Testing of No-Insulation Superconducting Rotor Coils for NASA's 1.4 MW High-Efficiency Megawatt Motor

NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a 1.4 MW high-efficiency electric machine for future electrified aircraft to reduce energy consumption, emissions, and noise. This wound-field, synchronous machine employs a self-cooled, superconducting rotor to achieve excellent specific power and efficiency. This paper discusses the design and fabrication of the no-insulation high temperature superconducting (HTS) rotor coils and compares them to conventionally insulated HTS coils. Two sub-scale test coils with epoxy on only one axial face were fabricated. Critical current testing of the coils at 77 K and self field was conducted to study the influence of thermal cycling on their critical current and n-value. After two or four aggressive thermal cycles between 77 K and about 278 K (5 degree C), the critical current and n-value were nearly unchanged, indicating very little to no degradation.

electric aircraft propulsion↗

NASA NTRS1989

The use of high-resolution terrain data in gravity field prediction

Different types of gravity prediction methods for local and regional gravity evaluation are developed, tested, and compared. Four different test areas were particularly selected in view of different prediction requirements. Also different parts of the spectrum of the gravity field were considered.

Groten, E.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Computational Simulations of the NASA Langley HyMETS Arc-Jet Facility

The Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System (HyMETS) arc-jet facility located at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is primarily used for the research, development, and evaluation of high-temperature thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles and reentry systems. In order to improve testing capabilities and knowledge of the test article environment, an effort is underway to computationally simulate the flow-field using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A detailed three-dimensional model of the arc-jet nozzle and free-jet portion of the flow-field has been developed and compared to calibration probe Pitot pressure and stagnation-point heat flux for three test conditions at low, medium, and high enthalpy. The CFD model takes into account uniform pressure and non-uniform enthalpy profiles at the nozzle inlet as well as catalytic recombination efficiency effects at the probe surface. Comparing the CFD results and test data indicates an effectively fully-catalytic copper surface on the heat flux probe of about 10% efficiency and a 2-3 kpa pressure drop from the arc heater bore, where the pressure is measured, to the plenum section, prior to the nozzle. With these assumptions, the CFD results are well within the uncertainty of the stagnation pressure and heat flux measurements. The conditions at the nozzle exit were also compared with radial and axial velocimetry. This simulation capability will be used to evaluate various three-dimensional models that are tested in the HyMETS facility. An end-to-end aerothermal and thermal simulation of HyMETS test articles will follow this work to provide a better understanding of the test environment, test results, and to aid in test planning. Additional flow-field diagnostic measurements will also be considered to improve the modeling capability.

Brune, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Atomization and combustion performance of antimisting kerosene and jet fuel

Combustion performance of antimisting kerosene (AMK) containing FM-9 polymer was investigated at various levels of degradation (restoration of AMK for normal use in a gas turbine engine). To establish the relationship of degradation and atomization to performance in an aircraft gas turbine combustor, sprays formed by the nozzle of a JT8-D combustor with Jet A and AMK at 1 atmosphere (atm) (14.1 lb/square in absolute) pressure and 22 C at several degradation levels were analyzed. A new spray characterization technique based on digital image analysis of high resolution, wide field spray images formed under pulsed ruby laser sheet illumination was developed. Combustion tests were performed for these fuels in a JT8-D single can combustor facility to measure combustion efficiency and the lean extinction limit. Correlation of combustion performance under simulated engine operating conditions with nozzle spray Sauter mean diameter (SMD) measured at 1 atm and 22 C were observed. Fuel spray SMD and hence the combustion efficiency are strongly influenced by fuel degradation level. Use of even the most highly degraded AMK tested (filter ratio = 1.2) resulted in an increase in fuel consumption of 0.08% to 0.20% at engine cruise conditions.

Fleeter, R.↗

NASA NTRS1995

K/Ka-band channel characterization for mobile satellite systems

Mobile satellite systems allow truly ubiquitous wireless communications to users anywhere and anytime. NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) provides an ideal space-based platform for the measurement of K/Ka band propagation characteristics in a land mobile satellite application. Field tests conducted in Southern California during the first seven months of 1994 using JPL's ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) provided channel characterization data for the K/Ka-band link. A pilot tone was transmitted from a fixed station in Cleveland, Ohio through the satellite and downlinked at 20 GHz in the Southern California spot beam. The AMT was equipped with a narrow beam, high gain antenna which tracked the satellite in azimuth for a fixed elevation angle (46 degrees for this case). The field tests were conducted in three basic environments: clear line-of-sight (LOS) highways, lightly shadowed suburban, and heavily shadowed suburban. Preliminary results of these field tests indicate very little multipath for rural environments and for clear LOS links (as expected with a narrow beam antenna). Deep fades were experienced in shadowed areas, especially those where tree canopies covered the road.

Pinck, Deborah S.↗