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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

Effects of Small Angles of Sweep and Moderate Amounts of Dihedral on Stalling and Lateral Characteristics of a Wing-Fuselage Combination Equipped with Partial- and Full-Span Double Slotted Flaps

Tests of a wing-fuselage combinations incorporating NACA 65-series airfoil sections were conducted in the NACA 19-foot pressure tunnel. The investigation included the tests with flaps neutral and with partial- and full-span double slotted flaps deflected to determine the effects of (1) variations of wing sweep between -4 degrees and 8 degrees on stalling and lateral stability and control characteristics and (2) variations of dihedral between 0 degree and 6.75 degrees on lateral stability characteristics.

Teplitz, Jerome↗

Investigation at Low Speeds of the Effect of Aspect Ratio and Sweep on Rolling Stability Derivatives of Untapered Wings

A low-scale wind-tunnel investigation was conducted in rolling flow to determine the effects of aspect ratio and sweep (when varied independently) on the rolling stability derivatives for a series of untapered wings. The rolling-flow equipment of the Langley stability tunnel was used for the tests. The data of the investigation have been used to develop a method of accounting for the effects of the drag on the yawing moment due to rolling throughout the lift range.

Goodman, Alex↗

Effects of Sweep and Thickness on the Static Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Series of Thin, Low-aspect-ratio, Highly Tapered Wings at Transonic Speeds : Transonic-bump Method

An investigation by the transonic-bump technique of the static longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a series of thin, low-aspect-ratio, highly tapered wings has been made in the Langley high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel. The Mach number range extended from about 0.60 to 1.18, with corresponding Reynolds numbers ranging from about 0.75 x 10(6) to 0.95 x 10(6). The angle of attack range was from -10 degrees to approximately 32 degrees.The effects on drag and lift-drag ratio of a variation in sweep angle from -14.03 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the quarter-chord line for wings of 3-percent-chord thickness was found to be small in comparison to the effects of a variation in thickness from 2 percent chord to 4.5 percent chord for wings with 14.03 degree sweepback. For the range of variables considered, variations in plan form were considerably more important with regard to longitudinal stability characteristics than the variations in thickness. For the series of basic wings having an aspect ratio of 4, the most hearly linear pitching-moment characteristics were obtained with 26.57 degree of sweepback of the quarter-chord line. However, for the modified series of wings (obtained by clipping the tips of the original wings parallel to the plane of symmetry to give an aspect ratio of 3 and a taper ratio of 0.143), the most nearly linear pitching-moment characteristics were obtained with 36.87 degrees of sweepback. By decreasing the thickness-to-chord ratios from 0.03 to 0.02, a large increase in lift-curve slope was obtained for both the basic and modified wings. All of the wings of both series had fairly large inward shifts of the lateral center-of-pressure location (indicative of tip stalling) with increasing lift coefficient, except those wings having minimum sweepback angles.

Fournier, Paul G↗

Forward sweep, low noise rotor blade

A forward-swept, low-noise rotor blade includes an inboard section, an aft-swept section, and a forward-swept outboard section. The rotor blade reduces the noise of rotorcraft, including both standard helicopters and advanced systems such as tiltrotors. The primary noise reduction feature is the forward sweep of the planform over a large portion of the outer blade radius. The rotor blade also includes an aft-swept section. The purpose of the aft-swept region is to provide a partial balance to pitching moments produced by the outboard forward-swept portion of the blade. The noise source showing maximum noise reduction is blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise. Also reduced are thickness, noise, high speed impulsive noise, cabin vibration, and loading noise.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

Pressure-sensitive paint measurements on a supersonic high-sweep oblique wing model

The pressure-sensitive paint method was used in the test of a high-sweep oblique wing model, conducted in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel. Surface pressure data was acquired from both the luminescent paint and conventional pressure taps at Mach numbers between M = 1.6 and 2.0. In addition, schlieren photographs of the outer flow were used to determine the location of shock waves impinging on the model. The results show that the luminescent pressure-sensitive paint can capture both global and fine features of the static surface pressure field. Comparison with conventional pressure tap data shows good agreement between the two techniques, and that the luminescent paint data can be used to make quantitative measurements of the pressure changes over the model surface. The experiment also demonstrates the practical considerations and limitations that arise in the application of this technique under supersonic flow conditions in large-scale facilities, as well as the directions in which future research is necessary in order to make this technique a more practical wind-tunnel testing tool.

McLachlan, B. G.↗

Transition of the Laminar Boundary Layer on a Delta Wing with 74 degree Sweep in Free Flight at Mach Numbers from 2.8 to 5.3

The tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 2.8 to 5.3, with model surface temperatures small compared to boundary-layer recovery temperature. The effects of Mach number, temperature ratio, unit Reynolds number, leading-edge diameter, and angle of attack were investigated in an exploratory fashion. The effect of heat-transfer condition (i.e., wall temperature to total temperature ratio) and Mach number can not be separated explicitly in free-flight tests. However, the data of the present report, as well as those of NACA TN 3473, were found to be more consistent when plotted versus temperature ratio. Decreasing temperature ratio increased the transition Reynolds number. The effect of unit Reynolds number was small as was the effect of leading-edge diameter within the range tested. At small values of angle of attack, transition moved forward on the windward surface and rearward on the leeward surface. This trend was reversed at high angles of attack (6 deg to 18 deg). Possible reasons for this are the reduction of crossflow on the windward side and the influence of the lifting vortices on the leeward surface. When the transition results on the 740 delta wing were compared to data at similar test conditions for an unswept leading edge, the results bore out the results of earlier research at nearly zero heat transfer; namely, sweep causes a large reduction in the transition Reynolds number.

Chapman, Gary T.↗

Low Subsonic Pressure Distributions on Three Rigid Wings Simulating Paragliders with Varied Canopy Curvature and Leading-Edge Sweep

An investigation has been made in the Langley 7- by 10-foot transonic tunnel to determine the subsonic pressure distribution of three paraglider models through an angle-of-attack range from 0 deg to 74 deg. Three rigid metal models simulated a 45 deg basic flat planform paraglider with leading-edge sweep angles of 61.6 deg, 52.5 deg, and 48.6 deg. These configurations resulted in one-half-circle, one-third-circle, and one-quarter-circle semispan trailing-edge curvature when viewed from downstream. The results of the investigation are presented as curves of chordwise pressure distributions at four spanwise locations.

Fournier, Paul G.↗

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Some Effects of Wing Sweep and Horizontal-Tail Height on the Static Stability of an Airplane Model at Transonic Speeds

A research model of an airplane with a configuration suitable for supersonic flight was tested at transonic speeds in order to establish the effects on longitudinal and lateral stability of certain changes in both wing sweep and height of the horizontal tail. Two wings of aspect ratio 3 and taper ratio 0.15, one having the quarter-chord line swept back 30 deg and the other 45 deg, were each tested with the horizontal tail of the model in a low and in a high position. One configuration was also tested with fuselage strakes. The tests were made at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.17 and Reynolds numbers from 1.9 x 10(exp 6) to 2.6 x 10(exp 6). The results indicated that a low horizontal-tail position (below the wing-chord plane) gave positive longitudinal stability for the model for all angles of attack used (angles of attack up to 24 deg); whereas, a higher tail position (above the wing-chord plane) resulted in a large reduction in stability at moderate angles of attack. With the higher horizontal tail, the 30 deg-swept-wing model had somewhat more stability than the 45 deg-swept-wing model at subsonic Mach numbers. With the lower tail, the 45 deg-swept-wing model had slightly more stability at all Mach numbers. The model with the 30 deg swept wing had greater directional stability with the tail in the higher rather than the lower position, but the opposite was true for the 45 deg-swept-wing model. The directional stability decreased sharply at high angles of attack; this characteristic was alleviated by the use of fuselage strakes which, however, proved to be detrimental to the longitudinal stability of the model tested.

Fisher, Lewis R.↗

Forward sweep, low noise rotor blade

A forward-swept, low-noise rotor blade includes an inboard section, an aft-swept section and a forward-swept outboard section. The rotor blade reduces the noise of rotorcraft, including both standard helicopters and advanced systems such as tiltrotors. The primary noise reduction feature is the forward sweep of the planform over a large portion of the outer blade radius. The rotor blade also includes an aft-swept section. The purpose of the aft-swept region is to provide a partial balance to pitching moments produced by the outboard forward-swept portion of the blade. The rotor blade has a constant chord width; or has a chord width which decreases linearly along the entire blade span; or combines constant and decreasing chord widths, wherein the blade is of constant chord width from the blade root to a certain location on the rotor blade, then decreases linearly to the blade tip thereafter. The noise source showing maximum noise reduction is blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise. Also reduced are thickness, noise, high speed impulsive noise, cabin vibration and loading noise.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

Performance Enhancement of a Vertical Tail Model with Sweeping Jet Actuators

Active Flow Control (AFC) experiments performed at the Caltech Lucas Adaptive Wall Wind Tunnel on a 12%-thick, generic vertical tail model indicated that sweeping jets emanating from the trailing edge (TE) of the vertical stabilizer significantly increased the side force coefficient for a wide range of rudder deflection angles and yaw angles at free-stream velocities approaching takeoff rotation speed. The results indicated that 2% blowing momentum coefficient (C(sub mu) increased the side force in excess of 50% at the maximum conventional rudder deflection angle in the absence of yaw. Even C(sub mu) = 0.5% increased the side force in excess of 20% under these conditions. This effort was sponsored by the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project and the successful demonstration of this flow-control application could have far reaching implications. It could lead to effective applications of AFC technologies on key aircraft control surfaces and lift enhancing devices (flaps) that would aid in reduction of fuel consumption through a decrease in size and weight of wings and control surfaces or a reduction of the noise footprint due to steeper climb and descent.

Seele, Roman↗

Unsteady Flow Simulation of a Sweeping Jet Actuator Using a Lattice-Boltzmann Method

Active flow control technology is increasingly used in aerospace applications to control flow separation and to improve aerodynamic performance. In this paper, PowerFLOW is used to simulate the flow through a sweeping jet actuator at two different pressure ratios. The lower pressure ratio leads to a high subsonic flow, whereas the high pressure ratio produces a choked flow condition. Comparison of numerical results with experimental data is shown, which includes qualitatively good agreement of pressure histories and spectra. PIV measurements are also available but the simulation overestimates mean and fluctuation quantities outside the actuator. If supply pressure is matched at one point inside the mixing chamber a good qualitative agreement is achieved at all other monitor points.

Duda, B.↗

Natural Laminar Flow Design for Wings with Moderate Sweep

A new method for the aerodynamic design of wings with natural laminar flow is under development at the NASA Langley Research Center. The approach involves the addition of new flow constraints to an existing knowledge-based design module for use with advanced flow solvers. The uniqueness of the new approach lies in the tailoring of target pressure distributions to achieve laminar flow on transonic wings with leading-edge sweeps and Reynolds numbers typical of current transports. The method is demonstrated on the Common Research Model configuration at critical N-factor levels representative of both flight and high-Reynolds number wind tunnel turbulence levels. The design results for the flight conditions matched the target extent of laminar flow very well. The design at wind tunnel conditions raised some design issues that prompted further improvements in the method, but overall has given promising results.

Campbell, Richard L.↗

Robust Trajectory Optimization Techniques Using a Sweeping Gradient Method and Linear Covariance Analysis

We present robust trajectory optimization techniques using a sweeping gradient method for ordinary differential equations with events (SGM) and linear covariance analysis (LinCov). SGM is a method for computing the gradient of trajectory analyses defined by performance indices over initial value problems with events with respect to static parameters. LinCov is an analytic technique for predicting stochastic behavior of dynamical systems. By combining SGM and LinCov, it is possible use efficient, off-the-shelf, gradient-based optimizers to solve robust optimal trajectory design problems. We describe the individual methods and some details on how they can be combined. Then we apply the combined techniques to a variety of orbital trajectory design problems to demonstrate its use, including minimum fuel transfer and mid-course correction burn scheduling.

Benjamin W L Margolis↗

Co-Optimization of Navigation System Requirements and Trajectory Design Using a Sweeping Gradient Method and Linear Covariance Analysis

We describe the application of a sweeping gradient method for ordinary differential equations with events (SGM) and linear covariance analysis (LinCov) to the co-optimization of navigation system requirement generation and robust trajectory design. SGM is a method for computing the gradient of trajectory analyses defined by performance indices over initial value problems with events with respect to static parameters. LinCov is an analytic technique for predicting stochastic behavior of dynamical systems. By combining SGM and LinCov, it is possible use efficient, off-the-shelf, gradient-based optimizers to solve a combined robust optimal trajectory and navigation system design problem. In this paper, we formulate the required models to apply the combined SGM and LinCov techniques to a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit rendezvous approach scenario and show results for several intermediate problems.

Benjamin W L Margolis↗