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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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At least 217 records · Page 12

Foam on Tile Impact Modeling for the Space Shuttle Program

Following the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia during reentry a NASA-wide investigation team was formed to examine the probable damage inflicted on Orbiter Thermal Protection System (TPS) elements by impact of External Tank insulating foam projectiles. Our team was to apply rigorous, physics-based analysis techniques to help determine parameters of interest for an experimental test program, utilize validated codes to investigate the full range of impact scenarios, and use analysis derived models to predict aero-thermal-structural responses to entry conditions. We were to operate on a non-interference basis with the j Team, and were to supply significant findings to that team and to the Orbiter Vehicle Engineering Working Group, being responsive to any solicitations for support from these entities. The authors formed a working sub-group within the larger team to apply the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics code SPHC to the damage estimation problem. Numerical models of the LI-900 TPS tiles and of the BX-250 foam were constructed and used as inputs into the code. Material properties needed to properly model the tiles and foam were obtained from other working sub-groups who performed tests on these items for this purpose. Two- and three- dimensional models of the tiles were constructed, including the glass outer layer, the densified lower layer of LI-900 insulation, the Nomex felt Strain Isolation Pad (SIP) mounting layer, and the underlying aluminum 2024 vehicle skin. A model for the BX-250 foam including porous compression, elastic rebound, and surface erosion was developed. Code results for the tile damage and foam behavior were extensively validated through comparison with the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) foam-on-tile impact experiments carried out in 1999. These tests involved small projectiles striking individual tiles and small tile arrays. Following code and model validation we simulated impacts of larger ET foam projectiles on the TPS tile systems used on the wings of the orbiter. Tiles used on the Wing Acreage, the Main Landing Gear Door, and the Carrier Panels near the front edge of the wing were modeled. Foam impacts shot for the CAB investigation were modeled, as well as impacts at larger angles, including rapid rotation of the projectile, and with varying foam properties. General results suggest that foam impacts on tiles at about 500 mph could cause appreciable damage if the impact angle is greater than about 20 degrees. Some variations of the foam properties, such as increased brittleness or increased density could increase damage in some cases. Rapid (17 rps) rotation failed to increase the damage for the two cases considered. This does not rule out other cases in which the rotational energy might lead to an increase in tile damage, but suggests that in most cases rotation will not be an important factor. Similar models will be applied for other impacting materials, other velocities, and other geometries as part of the Return to Flight process.

Stellingwerf, R. F.↗

Experimental Results of the First Two Stages of an Advanced Transonic Core Compressor Under Isolated and Multi-Stage Conditions

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Program calls for investigation of the technology barriers associated with improved fuel efficiency of large gas turbine engines. Under ERA the task for a High Pressure Ratio Core Technology program calls for a higher overall pressure ratio of 60 to 70. This mean that the HPC would have to almost double in pressure ratio and keep its high level of efficiency. The challenge is how to match the corrected mass flow rate of the front two supersonic high reaction and high corrected tip speed stages with a total pressure ratio of 3.5. NASA and GE teamed to address this challenge by using the initial geometry of an advanced GE compressor design to meet the requirements of the first 2 stages of the very high pressure ratio core compressor. The rig was configured to run as a 2 stage machine, with Strut and IGV, Rotor 1 and Stator 1 run as independent tests which were then followed by adding the second stage. The goal is to fully understand the stage performances under isolated and multi-stage conditions and fully understand any differences and provide a detailed aerodynamic data set for CFD validation. Full use was made of steady and unsteady measurement methods to isolate fluid dynamics loss source mechanisms due to interaction and endwalls. The paper will present the description of the compressor test article, its predicted performance and operability, and the experimental results for both the single stage and two stage configurations. We focus the detailed measurements on 97 and 100 of design speed at 3 vane setting angles.

turbomachinery↗

Response of discretely stiffened structures

This paper presents a theoretical study on dynamic response of complex discretely stiffened and interconnected structures to random loads. Modal and transfer matrix techniques are utilized to analyze these multidimensional structures. Application of this formulation for response and noise generation studies in space station and fuselage-wing design is discussed. The response spectral densities are calculated for several typical discretely stiffened and interconnected structural systems. It is found that this approach allows for easy parametric evaluation and that by proper selection of structural parameters and loading conditions, the vibration response can be reduced.

Vaicaitis, R.↗

Exprimental Results of the First Two Stages of an Advanced Transonic Core Compressor Under Isolated and Multi-Stage Conditions.

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Program calls for investigation of the technology barriers associated with improved fuel efficiency for large gas turbine engines. Under ERA, the highly loaded core compressor technology program attempts to realize the fuel burn reduction goal by increasing overall pressure ratio of the compressor to increase thermal efficiency of the engine. Study engines with overall pressure ratio of 60 to 70 are now being investigated. This means that the high pressure compressor would have to almost double in pressure ratio while keeping a high level of efficiency. NASA and GE teamed to address this challenge by testing the first two stages of an advanced GE compressor designed to meet the requirements of a very high pressure ratio core compressor. Previous test experience of a compressor which included these front two stages indicated a performance deficit relative to design intent. Therefore, the current rig was designed to run in 1-stage and 2-stage configurations in two separate tests to assess whether the bow shock of the second rotor interacting with the upstream stage contributed to the unpredicted performance deficit, or if the culprit was due to interaction of rotor 1 and stator 1. Thus, the goal was to fully understand the stage 1 performance under isolated and multi-stage conditions, and additionally to provide a detailed aerodynamic data set for CFD validation. Full use was made of steady and unsteady measurement methods to understand fluid dynamics loss source mechanisms due to rotor shock interaction and endwall losses. This paper will present the description of the compressor test article and its measured performance and operability, for both the single stage and two stage configurations. We focus the paper on measurements at 97% corrected speed with design intent vane setting angles.

transonic compressors↗

Motivation in vigilance - Effects of self-evaluation and experimenter-controlled feedback.

Vigilance experiments have been performed to study the relative efficiency of feedback operations in enhancing vigilance performance. Two feedback operations were compared - i.e., experimenter-controlled feedback in the form of knowledge of results (KR) regarding response times to signal detections, and subject-controlled feedback in the form of self-evaluation (SE) of response times to signal detections. The subjects responded to the aperiodic offset of a visual signal during a 1-hr vigil. Both feedback operations were found to enhance performance efficiency: subjects in the KR and SE conditions had faster response times than controls receiving no evaluative feedback. Moreover, the data of the KR and SE groups did not differ significantly from each other. The results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that self-evaluation is a critical factor underlying the incentive value of KR in vigilance tasks.

Warm, J. S.↗

Dynamic response of Mach 2.5 axisymmetric inlet with 40 percent supersonic internal area contraction

Results of experimental tests conducted on a supersonic, mixed compression, axisymmetric inlet are presented. The inlet is designed for operation at Mach 2.5 with a turbofan engine (TF-30). The inlet was terminated with either a choked-orifice plate or a long pipe with variable area choked exit plug. Frequency responses were obtained for selected static pressures in the diffuser. These pressures were selected as potential control signals for terminal shock control. Frequency responses were obtained for the Mach 2 and 2.5 conditions for different terminations. Responses also were obtained with and without cowl bleed. Internal disturbances were produced by sinusoidally varying the inlet overboard bypass doors at frequencies out to 100 hertz.

Baumbick, R. J.↗

Improved ultrasonic standard reference blocks

A program to improve the quality, reproducibility and reliability of nondestructive testing through the development of improved ASTM-type ultrasonic reference standards is described. Reference blocks of aluminum, steel, and titanium alloys were considered. Equipment representing the state-of-the-art in laboratory and field ultrasonic equipment was obtained and evaluated. Some RF and spectral data on ten sets of ultrasonic reference blocks were taken as part of a task to quantify the variability in response from nominally identical blocks. Techniques for residual stress, preferred orientation, and microstructural measurements were refined and are applied to a reference block rejected by the manufacturer during fabrication in order to evaluate the effect of metallurgical condition on block response.

Eitzen, D. G.↗

LACIE: Wheat yield models for the USSR

A quantitative model determining the relationship between weather conditions and wheat yield in the U.S.S.R. was studied to provide early reliable forecasts on the size of the U.S.S.R. wheat harvest. Separate models are developed for spring wheat and for winter. Differences in yield potential and responses to stress conditions and cultural improvements necessitate models for each class.

Sakamoto, C. M.↗

Effects of repeated Valsalva maneuver straining on cardiac and vasoconstrictive baroreflex responses

INTRODUCTION: We hypothesized that repeated respiratory straining maneuvers (repeated SM) designed to elevate arterial BPs (arterial baroreceptor loading) would acutely increase baroreflex responses. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis by measuring cardiac baroreflex responses to carotid baroreceptor stimulation (neck pressures), and changes in heart rate and diastolic BP after reductions in BP induced by a 15-s Valsalva maneuver in 10 female and 10 male subjects at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after performing repeated SM. Baroreflex responses were also measured in each subject at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h at the same time on a separate day without repeated SM (control) in a randomized, counter-balanced cross-over experimental design. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in carotid-cardiac and peripheral vascular baroreflex responses measured across time following repeated SM compared with the control condition. Integrated cardiac baroreflex response (deltaHR/ deltaSBP) measured during performance of a Valsalva maneuver was increased by approximately 50% to 1.1 +/- 0.2 bpm x mm Hg(-1) at 1 h and 1.0 +/- 0.1 bpm x mm Hg(-1) at 3 h following repeated SM compared with the control condition (0.7 +/- 0.1 bpm x mm Hg(-1) at both 1 and 3 h, respectively). However, integrated cardiac baroreflex response after repeated SM returned to control levels at 6 and 24 h after training. These responses did not differ between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with the notion that arterial baroreceptor loading induced by repeated SM increased aortic, but not carotid, cardiac baroreflex responses for as long as 3 h after repeated SM. We conclude that repeated SM increases cardiac baroreflex responsiveness which may provide patients, astronauts, and high-performance aircraft pilots with protection from development of orthostatic hypotension.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation of Modular Antenna Assembly

Robots are playing an increasing role in space exploration and in-space servicing. Robotic arms are good for performing in-space tasks such as modular assembly. The SPIDER arm (SPace Infrastructure Dexterous Robot) of the OSAM-1 mission represents an example of a system that can perform modular antenna assembly tasks in environmental conditions that would be dangerous for astronauts. One of the WVRTC activities is to perform independent verification and validation of the SPIDER assembly operations. Space robotic systems adopting large manipulators such as the SPIDER arm are complex to test and verify under normal 1-G conditions. Our work involves proof-of-principle testing of a hardware-inthe-loop (HIL) simulator operating in 1-g conditions, which replicates the motion of the space robot end-effector under the same geometric, kinematic and dynamic conditions, and in response to externally applied forces from its space environment. In particular, our software simulates in real-time the robot dynamics inclusive of flexibility, an important aspect in case of a long robotic arms operating in 0-G conditions. For example, the same oscillatory motions of the space manipulator’s end-effector can be mimicked on ground through our industrial manipulator, allowing us to test the feasibility of complex operation such as assembling modular components.

Robotic Assembly↗

Improved ultrasonic standard reference blocks

A program to improve the quality, reproducibility and reliability of nondestructive testing through the development of improved ASTM-type ultrasonic reference standards is described. Reference blocks of aluminum, steel, and titanium alloys are to be considered. Equipment representing the state-of-the-art in laboratory and field ultrasonic equipment was obtained and evaluated. RF and spectral data on ten sets of ultrasonic reference blocks have been taken as part of a task to quantify the variability in response from nominally identical blocks. Techniques for residual stress, preferred orientation, and micro-structural measurements were refined and are applied to a reference block rejected by the manufacturer during fabrication in order to evaluate the effect of metallurgical condition on block response. New fabrication techniques for reference blocks are discussed and ASTM activities are summarized.

Eitzen, D. G.↗

Remarks on a dynamical higher-order theory of laminated plates and its application in random vibration response

This paper presents an analysis of the equations governing the dynamics of shear-deformable composite plates, without recourse to a variational procedure. It is noted that the operator associated with the governing equations is nonsymmetric; using a first-order perturbation technique, it is shown to be positive-definite. In addition, using the biorthogonality condition, the dynamic response of the plate is formulated.

Cederbaum, G.↗

Insights on the Vulnerability of Antarctic Glaciers From the ISMIP6 Ice Sheet Model Ensemble and Associated Uncertainty

The Antarctic Ice Sheet represents the largest source of uncertainty in future sea level rise projections, with a contribution to sea level by 2100 ranging from −5 to 43 cm of sea level equivalent under high carbon emission scenarios estimated by the recent Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison for CMIP6 (ISMIP6). ISMIP6 highlighted the different behaviors of the East and West Antarctic ice sheets, as well as the possible role of increased surface mass balance in offsetting the dynamic ice loss in response to changing oceanic conditions in ice shelf cavities. However, the detailed contribution of individual glaciers, as well as the partitioning of uncertainty associated with this ensemble, have not yet been investigated. Here, we analyze the ISMIP6 results for high carbon emission scenarios, focusing on key glaciers around the Antarctic Ice Sheet, and we quantify their projected dynamic mass loss, defined here as mass loss through increased ice discharge into the ocean in response to changing oceanic conditions. We highlight glaciers contributing the most to sea level rise, as well as their vulnerability to changes in oceanic conditions. We then investigate the different sources of uncertainty and their relative role in projections, for the entire continent and for key individual glaciers. We show that, in addition to Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers in West Antarctica, Totten and Moscow University glaciers in East Antarctica present comparable future dynamic mass loss and high sensitivity to ice shelf basal melt. The overall uncertainty in additional dynamic mass loss in response to changing oceanic conditions, compared to a scenario with constant oceanic conditions, is dominated by the choice of ice sheet model, accounting for 52 % of the total uncertainty of the Antarctic dynamic mass loss in 2100. Its relative role for the most dynamic glaciers varies between 14 % for MacAyeal and Whillans ice streams and 56 % for Pine Island Glacier at the end of the century. The uncertainty associated with the choice of climate model increases over time and reaches 13 % of the uncertainty by 2100 for the Antarctic Ice Sheet but varies between 4 % for Thwaites Glacier and 53 % for Whillans Ice Stream. The uncertainty associated with the ice–climate interaction, which captures different treatments of oceanic forcings such as the choice of melt parameterization, its calibration, and simulated ice shelf geometries, accounts for 22 % of the uncertainty at the ice sheet scale but reaches 36 % and 39 % for Institute Ice Stream and Thwaites Glacier, respectively, by 2100. Overall, this study helps inform future research by highlighting the sectors of the ice sheet most vulnerable to oceanic warming over the 21st century and by quantifying the main sources of uncertainty.

Hélène Seroussi↗

Systemic Microgravity Response: Utilizing GeneLab to Develop Hypotheses for Spaceflight Risks

Biological risks associated with microgravity is a major concern for space travel. Although determination of risk has been a focus for NASA research, data examining systemic (i.e., multi- or pan-tissue) responses to space flight are sparse. The overall goal of our work is to identify potential master regulators responsible for such responses to microgravity conditions. To do this we utilized the NASA GeneLab database which contains a wide array of omics experiments, including data from: 1) different flight conditions (space shuttle (STS) missions vs. International Space Station (ISS); 2) different tissues; and 3) different types of assays that measure epigenetic, transcriptional, and protein expression changes. We have performed meta-analysis identifying potential master regulators involved with systemic responses to microgravity. The analysis used 7 different murine and rat data sets, examining the following tissues: liver, kidney, adrenal gland, thymus, mammary gland, skin, and skeletal muscle (soleus, extensor digitorum longus, tibialis anterior, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius). Using a systems biology approach, we were able to determine that p53 and immune related pathways appear central to pan-tissue microgravity responses. Evidence for a universal response in the form of consistency of change across tissues in regulatory pathways was observed in both STS and ISS experiments with varying durations; while degree of change in expression of these master regulators varied across species and strain, some change in these master regulators was universally observed. Interestingly, certain skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius and soleus) show an overall down-regulation in these genes, while in other types (extensor digitorum longus, tibialis anterior and quadriceps) they are up-regulated, suggesting certain muscle tissues may be compensating for atrophy responses caused by microgravity. Studying these organtissue-specific perturbations in molecular signaling networks, we demonstrate the value of GeneLab in characterizing potential master regulators associated with biological risks for spaceflight.

Microgravity↗

Changing Physical Conditions and Lower and Upper Trophic Level Responses on the US Northeast Shelf

Sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, and chlorophyll concentration (CHL) have changed in the US Northeast Shelf ecosystem over recent decades. The changes in these parameters were distinctly marked by change points around the year 2012 resulting in a 0.83°C increase in SST, a 0.3 PSU increase in salinity, and decrease in CHL in excess of 0.4 mg m–3. Where temperature and salinity shifted in mean level around their respective change points, CHL declined in a more monotonic fashion. Modeled data suggest that the shift in CHL resulted in a greater contribution of pico- and nanophytoplankton and a decreased contribution of microphytoplankton to overall CHL. Complementary estimates of the contribution of different phytoplankton functional types suggest a diminished contribution of diatoms to the phytoplankton community. Hence, not only is there evidence of a decline in the overall primary production capacity of the ecosystem, but also evidence of a fundamental change in the size and quality of phytoplankton supporting food webs. Two ecosystem responses to the observed changes in SST, salinity, and CHL were analyzed. Both length and weight at age have declined for a number of species, and both measures of growth appear to be negatively associated with temperature and positively associated with CHL. Biomass of fish and macroinvertebrates has declined in recent years, with a decrease in pelagic species associated with a decrease in CHL, while the decline in demersal species was associated with an increase in temperature. Collectively, these ecosystem changes appear to be the result of the complex interactions of both thermal effects and changes at the base of the food web.

Kevin D. Friedland↗

Transient technique for measuring heat transfer coefficients on stator airfoils in a jet engine environment

A transient technique was used to measure heat transfer coefficients on stator airfoils in a high-temperature annular cascade at real engine conditions. The transient response of thin film thermocouples on the airfoil surface to step changes in the gas stream temperature was used to determine these coefficients. In addition, gardon gages and paired thermocouples were also utilized to measure heat flux on the airfoil pressure surface at steady state conditions. The tests were conducted at exit gas stream Reynolds numbers of one-half to 1.9 million based on true chord. The results from the transient technique show good comparison with the steady-state results in both trend and magnitude. In addition, comparison is made with the STAN5 boundary layer code and shows good comparison with the trends. However, the magnitude of the experimental data is consistently higher than the analysis.

Gladden, H. J.↗