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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

An experimental data base for material selection and design of high-speed, high-pressure, oxygen turbomachinery

New technologies for space-based, reusable, throttleable, cryogenic, orbit transfer propulsion are being evaluated. A variable-thrust (200 to 3000 lbF), 2000 psi chamber pressure, LO2/LH2 engine has been selected to demonstrate the 20-hour, 500-restart life goal, and a specific impulse of 480 lbF-sec/lbM. The advanced design uses warm oxygen to power a fully integrated turbopump that delivers 4500 psi LO2. The selected engine cycle provides the following advantages over conventional expander cycle designs which use H2 to drive the LH2 and LO2 pumps; higher engine operating pressures and performance in a smaller envelope, lower turbine operating temperatures, elimination of interpropellant seals and purges, and an extended throttling range. The design approach and results of testing to characterize materials for use in high-pressure gaseous oxygen are discussed. Test methods include particle impact testing in a sonic-flow, hot GO2 streams and forced, high-speed friction rubbing testing. Materials are exposed to oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres at pressures of 100, 1000, and 3000 psi to identify separately the gas cooling effects from the metal oxidation effects at the rubbing surface. The selection of candidate design materials is based on an analytical parameter defined as the burn factor. Typical materials tested include carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel, copper, and monel alloys.

Schoenman, L.↗

Comparison of computations and experimental data for leading edge vortices - Effects of yaw and vortex flaps

Computations are presented using the conical Euler equations for swept delta wings with leading edge vortices. All the wings have sharp leading edges swept at 75 degrees to the freestream. In addition to an idealized flat plate model, geometrical features also included are thickness, centerbody, and two vortex flaps. Freestream Mach numbers of 1.7 to 2.8, angles of attack of 10 and 12 degrees, and angles of yaw of 0 and 8 degrees are considered. The computations are compared with pitot pressure traverses for one case. Other calculations are compared with pitot pressure traverses for one case. Other calculations are compared with surface pressure data and vapor screen pictures recently obtained at NASA Langley Research Center. The comparisons indicate that the dominant features of these flows are adequately modeled by the Euler equations, but viscous models are needed for the surface boundary layer and secondary separations.

Murman, E. M.↗

Comparison of computations and experimental data for leading edge vortices - Effects of yaw and vortex flaps

Computations are presented using the conical Euler equations for swept delta wings with leading edge vortices. All the wings have sharp leading edges swept at 75 degrees to the freestream. In addition to an idealized flat plate model, geometrical features also included are thickness, centerbody, and two vortex flaps. Freestream Mach numbers of 1.7 to 2.8, angles of attack of 10 and 12 degrees, and angles of yaw of 0 and 8 degrees are considered. The computations are compared with pitot pressure traverses for one case. Other calculations are compared with surface pressure data and vapor screen pictures recently obtained at NASA Langley Research Center. The comparisons indicate that the dominant features of these flows are adequately modeled by the Euler equations, but viscous models are needed for the surface boundary layer and secondary separations.

Murman, E. M.↗

Propfan experimental data analysis

A data reduction method, which is consistent with the performance prediction methods used for analysis of new aircraft designs, is defined and compared to the method currently used by NASA using data obtained from an Ames Res. Center 11 foot transonic wind tunnel test. Pressure and flow visualization data from the Ames test for both the powered straight underwing nacelle, and an unpowered contoured overwing nacelle installation is used to determine the flow phenomena present for a wind mounted turboprop installation. The test data is compared to analytic methods, showing the analytic methods to be suitable for design and analysis of new configurations. The data analysis indicated that designs with zero interference drag levels are achieveable with proper wind and nacelle tailoring. A new overwing contoured nacelle design and a modification to the wing leading edge extension for the current wind tunnel model design are evaluated. Hardware constraints of the current model parts prevent obtaining any significant performance improvement due to a modified nacelle contouring. A new aspect ratio wing design for an up outboard rotation turboprop installation is defined, and an advanced contoured nacelle is provided.

Vernon, David F.↗

The thermoluminescence sensitivity-metamorphism relationship in ordinary chondrites - Experimental data on the mechanism and implications for terrestrial systems

Hydrothermal annealing experiments have been performed on samples of the Sharps meteorite in order to investigate the mechanism responsible for the metamorphism-related, 10-to-the-5th-fold range in the thermoluminescence (TL) sensitivity in ordinary chondrites. Duplicate 50 mg samples of meteorite were annealed under the following conditions: (1) 168 h at 785 C and 1 kbar; (2) the same time, temperature and pressure, but with 2 wt pct water; (3) 174 h at 855 C and 0.77 kbar with 2 wt pct water and 2 molal sodium disilicate (NadiSi); (4) the same time, temperature and pressure as the preceding samples, but with 10 wt pct H2O and 2 molal NadiSi. Samples annealed under the first three sets of conditions showed little or no change in their TL sensitivities, however the samples annealed with 10 wt pct water and 2 molal NadiSi showed a three-fold to 10-fold increase in TL sensitivity, and the temperature of the TL peak was suggestive of feldspar in the high-temperature form. It is suggested that these data are consistent with the TL sensitivity-metamorphism relationship in ordinary chondrites being due to the formation of the TL phosphor, feldspar, by the crystallization of chondrule glass.

Guimon, R. K.↗

Description of an aircraft lightning and simulated nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) threat based on experimental data

Lightning data obtained by measuring the surface electromagnetic fields on a CV-580 research aircraft during 48 lightning strikes between 1500 and 18,000 feet in central Florida during the summers of 1984 and 1985, and nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) data obtained by surface electromagnetic field measurements using a 1:74 CV-580 scale model, are presented. From one lightning event, maximum values of 3750 T/s for the time rate of change of the surface magnetic flux density, and 4.7 kA for the peak current, were obtained. From the simulated NEMP test, maximum values of 40,000 T/s for the time rate of change of the surface magnetic flux density, and 90 A/sq m for the total normal current density, were found. The data have application to the development of a military aircraft lightning/NEMP standard.

Rustan, Pedro L., Jr.↗

Collisional interchange instability. II - A comparison of the numerical simulations with the in situ experimental data

A two-dimensional model applicable to F region ionosphere plasma instabilities has been developed and described in a companion paper. Here the model is applied to equatorial F region irregularities and is tested against rocket and satellite data. As a diagnostic, simulated data sets are created which are similar to the one-dimensional measurements of plasma density performed by space probes and the Fourier transform of these data is taken in the same manner and used by the space experimentors. Unlike previous simulations of this phenomenon, an inherent anisotropy is found in the instability development which is mirrored in the in situ data. Evidence that the shallow spectral slopes which often characterize spread F rocket spectra near the F peak may be due to a change in the angle between the rocket velocity vector and the characteristic directions in the medium is presented.

Kelley, M. C.↗

Boundary-layer stability analysis of NLF and LFC experimental data at subsonic and transonic speeds

NASA-Lewis has conducted wind tunnel experiments to ascertain the effectiveness of state-of-the-art in natural laminar flow (NLF) and LFC airfoils for subsonic and transonic speeds, such as the NLF(1)-0414F and the SCLFC(1)-0513F. Attention is given to the effects of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) and/or crossflow linear mechanisms amplifying small disturbances to generate turbulence. It is found that the incompressible TS transitional n-factors were generally in the 9-12 range, in agreement with earlier correlation studies; the TS instability was the dominant instability mode on a swept-planform LFC airfoil over the entire range of test conditions.

Berry, Scott A.↗

On ice shape prediction methodologies and comparison with experimental data

Comparisons are made between the analysis of Wilder (1969), Bragg (1982), and the ice shape predictions of LEWICE given a specific airfoil geometry and set of meteorological conditions. Also, comparisons are made between the actual ice shapes as found in flight tests of the NASA Lewic RC Twin Otter and that predicted by the approximate methods noted earlier and LEWICE. Further, an investigation of two important parameters in the analysis of LEWICE has been made. Time stepping and initial surface roughness has been varied to identify any trends in the results. Guidelines have been identified for the correlation of these two parameters with the results in terms of atmospheric conditions. The range of meteorological conditions chosen, such as droplet diameter, free air temperature, and liquid water content has allowed rime, mixed, and glaze ice shapes at the leading edge of an airfoil to be investigated.

Korkan, K. D.↗

A study of ice shape prediction methodologies and comparison with experimental data

Current analytical ice shape prediction methods are described and evaluated. The analyses of Gray (1958), Wilder (1969), and Bragg (1982) are compared with the prediction of the LEWICE computer analysis. The effects of time stepping and initial surface roughness on analysis predictions are studied utilizing the prediction methods and flight data. Rime, mixed, and glazed ice shapes at the leading edge of an airfoil are analyzed. It is observed that there is no change in ice shape prediction if ice accumulation is less than 0.01, a minimum of 2 time steps is need to incorporate time dependent behavior into the analysis, and the LEWICE analysis provided the most accurate predictions.

Korkan, K. D.↗

The use of artificial neural networks in experimental data acquisition and aerodynamic design

It is proposed that an artificial neural network be used to construct an intelligent data acquisition system. The artificial neural networks (ANN) model has a potential for replacing traditional procedures as well as for use in computational fluid dynamics validation. Potential advantages of the ANN model are listed. As a proof of concept, the author modeled a NACA 0012 airfoil at specific conditions, using the neural network simulator NETS, developed by James Baffes of the NASA Johnson Space Center. The neural network predictions were compared to the actual data. It is concluded that artificial neural networks can provide an elegant and valuable class of mathematical tools for data analysis.

Meade, Andrew J., Jr.↗

The application of experimental data to blade wake interaction noise prediction

Blade wake interaction noise (BWI) has been defined as the broadband noise generated by the ingestion of turbulent trailing tip vortices by helicopter rotors. This has been shown to be the dominant contributor to the subjectively important part of the acoustic spectrum for the approach stage of a helicopter flyover. A prediction method for BWI noise based on the calculated trailing vortex trajectories has been developed and estimates of the vortex turbulence have been made. These measurements were made on a trailing vortex from a split wing arrangement and did not give the spectrum of the velocity fluctuations. A recent experiment carried out to measure the turbulence associated with a trailing vortex and the application of the results to BWI noise prediction is described.

Glegg, Stewart A. L.↗

A linear programming approach to characterizing norm bounded uncertainty from experimental data

The linear programming spectral overbounding and factorization (LPSOF) algorithm, an algorithm for finding a minimum phase transfer function of specified order whose magnitude tightly overbounds a specified nonparametric function of frequency, is introduced. This method has direct application to transforming nonparametric uncertainty bounds (available from system identification experiments) into parametric representations required for modern robust control design software (i.e., a minimum-phase transfer function multiplied by a norm-bounded perturbation).

Scheid, R. E.↗

Theoretical nozzle performance of a microwave electrothermal thruster using experimental data

Research aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of the plasma processes as applied to spacecraft propulsion is presented. Calorimetric, photographic, and spectrophotometric measurements based on the TM011 and TM012 modes in the resonance cavity have been performed. The efficiency of a thruster has been calculated using a theoretical model for predicting temperature, velocity, and species density within the propellant. It is concluded that the microwave electrothermal thruster is a viable alternative to electrode thrusters.

Haraburda, Scott S.↗

Identification of system, observer, and controller from closed-loop experimental data

This paper considers the identification problem of a system operating in closed-loop with an existing feedback controller. The closed-loop system is excited by a known excitation signal, and the resulting time histories of the closed-loop system response and the feedback signal are measured. From the time history data, the algorithm computes the Markov parameters of a closed-loop observer, from which the Markov parameters of the individual open-loop plant, observer, and controller are recovered. A state space model of the open-loop plant and the gain matrices for the controller and the observer are then realized. The results of the paper are demonstrated by an example using actual aircraft flutter test data.

Juang, Jer-Nan↗

ARID relative calibration experimental data and analysis

Several experiments measure the orientation error of the ARID end-frame as well as linear displacements in the Orbiter's y- and z-axes. In each experiment the position of the ARID on the trolley is fixed and the manipulator extends and retracts along the Orbiter's y-axis. A sensor platform consisting of four sonars arranged in a '+' pattern measures the platform pitch about the Orbiter's y-axis (angle b) and yaw about the Orbiter's x-axis (angle alpha). Corroborating measurements of the yaw error were performed using a carpenter's level to keep the platform perpendicular to the gravity vector at each ARID pose being measured.

Doty, Keith L↗