Stress to Failure Testing of Pressure Vessels with SHM Sensors at Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) Temperature
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JSC's TransHab project was the first successful development program to prove the viability of inflatable habitats for space applications. Although TransHab was cancelled in 2000, significant progress has been made this past year by JSC engineers. Since February 2005, the following test articles have been manufactured and tested: 1 - An 88-in diameter restraint layer was pressure-tested to failure and reached an ultimate pressure of 197psi. This test article demonstrated the ability to build a 35- foot diameter inflatable with a factor of safety of 4.0 at 10.2 psi. 2 - An 88-in diameter restraint layer with a window frame incorporated into the restraint layer was tested to failure and reached an ultimate pressure of 197 psi. This test article demonstrated the ability to incorporate windows and other structural penetrations in the woven restraint layer without reducing its strength. 3 - An 88-inch diameter folding demonstrator that includes a bladder, restraint layer, and all of the MMOD shell layers was manufactured and assembled. This test article demonstrated an improved and simplified shell assembly and folding technique which installs pre-folded shell sections in a controlled manner. 4 - Fifth-scale MMOD hypervelocity test articles have demonstrated fiberglass as a viable material for a MMOD bumper shield which is cheaper and more readily available than previously used materials. In addition, four different full-scale advanced shape inflatable mockups have been manufactured and evaluated for applications such as lunar habitats, airlocks, and transfer tunnels.
The current state-of-the-art space suit gloves, the Phase VI gloves, have an operational life of 25 -- 8 hour Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) in a dust free, manufactured microgravity EVA environment. Future planetary outpost missions create the need for space suit gloves which can endure up to 90 -- 8 hour traditional EVAs or 576 -- 45 minute suit port-based EVAs in a dirty, uncontrolled planetary environment. Prior to developing improved space suit gloves for use in planetary environments, it is necessary to understand how the current state-of-the-art performs in these environments. The Phase VI glove operational life has traditionally been certified through cycle testing consisting of International Space Station (ISS)-based EVA tasks in a clean environment, and glove durability while performing planetary EVA tasks in a dirty environment has not previously been characterized. Testing was performed in the spring of 2010 by the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Crew and Thermal Systems Division (CTSD) to characterize the durability of the Phase VI Glove and identify areas of the glove design which need improvement to meet the requirements of future NASA missions. Lunar simulant was used in this test to help replicate the dirty lunar environment, and generic planetary surface EVA tasks were performed during testing. A total of 50 manned, pressurized test sessions were completed in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) using one pair of Phase VI gloves as the test article. The 50 test sessions were designed to mimic the total amount of pressurized cycling the gloves would experience over a 6 month planetary outpost mission. The gloves were inspected periodically throughout testing, to assess their condition at various stages in the test and to monitor the gloves for failures. Additionally, motion capture and force data were collected during 18 of the 50 test sessions to assess the accuracy of the cycle model predictions used in testing and to feed into the development of improved cycle model tables. This paper provides a detailed description of the test hardware and methodology, shares the results of the testing, and provides recommendations for future work.
The current state-of-the-art space suit gloves, the Phase VI gloves, have an operational life of 25 - 8 hour Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) in a clean, controlled ISS environment. Future planetary outpost missions create the need for space suit gloves which can endure up to 90 - 8 hour traditional EVAs or 576 - 45 minute suit port-based EVAs in a dirty, uncontrolled planetary environment. Prior to developing improved space suit gloves for use in planetary environments, it is necessary to understand how the current state-of-the-art performs in these environments. The Phase VI glove operational life has traditionally been certified through cycle testing consisting of ISS-based tasks in a clean environment, and glove durability while performing planetary EVA tasks in a dirty environment has not previously been characterized. Testing was performed in the spring of 2010 by the NASA Johnson Space Center Crew and Thermal Systems Division to characterize the durability of the Phase VI Glove and identify areas of the glove design which need improvement to meet the requirements of future NASA missions. Lunar simulant was used in this test to help replicate the dirty lunar environment, and generic planetary surface EVA tasks were performed during testing. A total of 50 manned, pressurized test sessions were completed in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) using one pair of Phase VI gloves as the test article. The 50 test sessions were designed to mimic the total amount of pressurized cycling the gloves would experience over a 6 month planetary outpost mission. The gloves were inspected at periodic intervals throughout testing, to assess their condition at various stages in the test and to monitor the gloves for failures. Additionally, motion capture and force data were collected during 18 of the 50 test sessions to assess the accuracy of the cycle model predictions used in testing and to feed into the development of improved cycle model tables. This paper provides a detailed description of the test hardware and methodology, shares the results of the testing, and provides recommendations for future work.
Stress/strain relationship of complex-shape vessel is recorded under hydrostatic pressure. Technique is used to test pressurized gas cylinders and tubular transition joints made of dissimilar metals and to determine burst or system-failure pressures.
Flow field phenomena associated with a supersonic jet issuing upstream into a hypervelocity flow field were investigated experimentally in support of a new space vehicle aerobraking concept developed by Boeing for Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTV's). Tests were made on OTV models in the NASA Langley 22 in., Mach 20 helium tunnel with jet exit Mach numbers from 1.0 to 6.18 and ballute half angles of 45 and 60 deg. Force data were taken at zero angle of attack to determine the effect of ballute angle, jet Mach number and jet flow rate on vehicle drag. Bow shock structures were examined in terms of flow steadiness to define acceptable jet flow rate regimes for use in drag modulation. Limited tests were made to obtain pressure and temperature distributions around the ballute and to determine the ballute center of pressure. Test results are presented and discussed relative to OTV application and similar previous experimental investigations.
A series of ground-based studies have been conducted to develop actuated forebody strake controls for flight test evaluations using the NASA F-18 High-Alpha Research Vehicle. The actuated forebody strake concept has been designed to provide increased levels of yaw control at high angles of attack where conventional rudders become ineffective. Results are presented from tests conducted with the flight-test strake design, including static and dynamic wind-tunnel tests, transonic wind-tunnel tests, full-scale wind-tunnel tests, pressure surveys, and flow visualization tests. Results from these studies show that a pair of conformal actuated forebody strakes applied to the F-18 HARV can provide a powerful and precise yaw control device at high angles of attack. The preparations for flight testing are described, including the fabrication of flight hardware and the development of aircraft flight control laws. The primary objectives of the flight tests are to provide flight validation of the groundbased studies and to evaluate the use of this type of control to enhance fighter aircraft maneuverability.
Pressure transducer system for liquid metal applications - fabrication of test pressure capsules, and deflection tests using optical measurement technique
Work has included significant research in several areas aimed at further clarification of the aging and chemical failure mechanism of thermoplastics (PVDF or Tefzel) for pipes. Among the areas investigated were the crystallinity changes associated with both the Coflon and Tefzel after various simulated environmental exposures using X-Ray diffraction analysis. We have found that significant changes in polymer crystallinity levels occur as a function of the exposures. These crystallinity changes may have important consequences on the fracture, fatigue, tensile, and chemical resistance of the materials. We have also noted changes in the molecular weight distribution of the Coflon material using a dual detector Gel Permeation Analysis. Again these changes may result in variation in the mechanical and chemical properties in the material. We conducted numerous analytical studies with methods including X-Ray Diffraction, Gel Permeation Chromatography, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. We investigated a number of aged samples of both Tefzel and Coflon that were forwarded from MERL. Pressurized tests were performed in a modified Fluid G, which we will call G2. In this case the ethylene diamine concentration was increased to 3 percent in methanol. Coflon pipe sections and powdered Coflon were exposed in pressure cells at 1700 psi at three separate test temperatures, 70 C, 110 C, and 130 C. The primary purpose of the pressure tests in Fluid G2 was to further elucidate the aging mechanism of PVDF degradation.
This report will serve to present results of a test of the pressure sensitive paint (PSP) technique on the Common Research Model (CRM). This test was conducted at the National Transonic Facility (NTF) at NASA Langley Research Center. PSP data was collected on several surfaces with the tunnel operating in both cryogenic mode and standard air mode. This report will also outline lessons learned from the test as well as possible approaches to challenges faced in the test that can be applied to later entries.
Terahertz radiation nondestructive evaluation was applied to a set of Kevlar composite overwrapped pressure vessel bottles that had undergone a series of thermal and pressure tests to simulate stress rupture effects. The bottles in these nondestructive evaluation tests were bottles that had not ruptured but had survived various times at the elevated load and temperature levels. Some of the bottles showed evidence of minor composite failures. The terahertz radiation did detect visible surface flaws, but did not detect any internal chemical or material degradation of the thin overwraps.
Tests in which metals were rubbed against themselves in oxygen have revealed that increasing oxygen pressure does not always increase the potential for ignition. It is believed that there exists a specific pressure above which convective heat loss due to higher oxygen density will overcome the potential increase in the oxidation rate afforded by the increase in oxygen pressure. Test results have shown that, once a specific oxygen pressure is exceeded, greater rates of frictional energy were required for ignition of metals as pressure is increased. Other test results have indicated that as oxygen pressure is increased during the rubbing process, the bulk sample equilibrium temperatures decrease. These results support the belief that increases in convective heat loss as pressure is increased can raise the energy requirements for ignition of metals or lower their ignition potentials. Testing has also indicated that, when metals were exposed to a rubbing process and oxygen pressure was increased, metals such as carbon steel exhibited a decrease in their bulk ignition temperatures, whereas metals such as Monel showed bulk ignition temperatures independent of pressure.
Report presents the results of drag and pressure tests of spheres having diameters of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 inches in eight NACA wind tunnels, in the air ahead of the carriage in the NACA tank, and beneath an autogiro in flight .
Turbomachinery test facilities are at present scarce to non-existent world-wide. The turbomachinery test facility at Stennis Space Center will provide for advanced development and research and development capabilities for liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellant rocket engine components. The facility will provide ultra-high pressure via gas generators to deliver the needed turbine drive on various turbomachinery. State of the art process control systems will provide the vital pressure, temperature and flow requirements during tests. These systems will better control adverse transient conditions during start-up and shutdown, and by using advanced control theory, as well as incorporate test article health monitoring. Also, digital data acquisition systems will obtain high frequency (up to 20 KHz) and low frequency (up to 1 KHz) data during the test. Pressures of up to 15,000 psi will be generated to pressurize high pressure tanks supplying cryogens to various test article inlets thus pushing turbopump materials and manufacturing processes to their limits. By planning for future projects the test facility will be easily adaptable to multi-program test configurations over a range of thermodynamic positions.
To provide NASA a comprehensive suite of materials strength, fracture toughness and crack growth rate test results for use in remaining life calculations for aging multilayer pressure vessels, Southwest Research Institute (R) (SwRI) was contracted in two phases to obtain relevant material property data from a representative vessel. This report describes Phase 1 of this effort which includes a preliminary material property assessment as well as a fractographic, fracture mechanics and fatigue crack growth analyses of an induced flaw in the outer shell of a representative multilayer vessel that was subjected to cyclic pressure test. SwRI performed this Phase 1 effort under contract to the Digital Wave Corporation in support of their contract to Jacobs ATOM for the NASA Ames Research Center.