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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

Sample Acquisition and Handling System from a Remote Platform

A system has been developed to acquire and handle samples from a suspended remote platform. The system includes a penetrator, a penetrator deployment mechanism, and a sample handler. A gravity-driven harpoon sampler was used for the system, but other solutions can be used to supply the penetration energy, such as pyrotechnic, pressurized gas, or springs. The deployment mechanism includes a line that is attached to the penetrator, a spool for reeling in the line, and a line engagement control mechanism. The penetrator has removable tips that can collect liquid, ice, or solid samples. The handling mechanism consists of a carousel that can store a series of identical or different tips, assist in penetrator reconfiguration for multiple sample acquisition, and deliver the sample to a series of instruments for analysis. The carousel sample handling system was combined with a brassboard reeling mechanism and a penetrator with removable tips. It can attach the removable tip to the penetrator, release and retrieve the penetrator, remove the tip, and present it to multiple instrument stations. The penetrator can be remotely deployed from an aerobot, penetrate and collect the sample, and be retrieved with the sample to the aerobot. The penetrator with removable tips includes sample interrogation windows and a sample retainment spring for unconsolidated samples. The line engagement motor can be used to control the penetrator release and reeling engagement, and to evenly distribute the line on the spool by rocking between left and right ends of the spool. When the arm with the guiding ring is aligned with the spool axis, the line is free to unwind from the spool without rotating the spool. When the arm is perpendicular to the spool axis, the line can move only if the spool rotates.

Badescu, Mircea↗

Analyses of Noise from Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) Firings

NASA s Space Launch Vehicle (SLS) program has chosen the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor V (RSRMV) as the booster system for initial flights. Lift off acoustics continue to be a consideration in overall vehicle vibroacoustic evaluations and launch pad modifications. Work started with the Ares program to understand solid rocket noise mechanisms is continuing through SLS program in conjunction with BYU/Blue Ridge Research Consulting.

Gee, Kent L.↗

Dynamic Characterization of Galfenol

A novel and precise characterization of the constitutive behavior of solid and laminated research-grade, polycrystalline Galfenol (Fe81:6Ga18:4) under under quasi-static (1 Hz) and dynamic (4 to 1000 Hz) stress loadings was recently conducted by the authors. This paper summarizes the characterization by focusing on the experimental design and the dynamic sensing response of the solid Galfenol specimen. Mechanical loads are applied using a high frequency load frame. The dynamic stress amplitude for minor and major loops is 2.88 and 31.4 MPa, respectively. Dynamic minor and major loops are measured for the bias condition resulting in maximum, quasi-static sensitivity. Three key sources of error in the dynamic measurements are accounted for: (1) electromagnetic noise in strain signals due to Galfenol's magnetic response, (2) error in load signals due to the inertial force of fixturing, and (3) time delays imposed by conditioning electronics. For dynamic characterization, strain error is kept below 1.2 % of full scale by wiring two collocated gauges in series (noise cancellation) and through lead wire weaving. Inertial force error is kept below 0.41 % by measuring the dynamic force in the specimen using a nearly collocated piezoelectric load washer. The phase response of all conditioning electronics is explicitly measured and corrected for. In general, as frequency increases, the sensing response becomes more linear due to an increase in eddy currents. The location of positive and negative saturation is the same at all frequencies. As frequency increases above about 100 Hz, the elbow in the strain versus stress response disappears as the active (soft) regime stiffens toward the passive (hard) regime.

Dynamic sensing↗

Mechanisms of lubrication and wear of a bonded solid lubricant film

To obtain a better understanding of how bonded solid lubricant films lubricate and wear (in general), the tribological properties of polyimide-bonded graphite fluoride films were studied (in specific). A pin-on-disk type of testing apparatus was used; but in addition to sliding a hemispherically tipped rider, a rider with a 0.95 mm diameter flat area was slid against the film. This was done so that a lower, less variable contact stress could be achieved. Two stages of lubrication occurred. In the first, the film supported the load. The lubricating mechanism consisted of the shear of a thin surface layer (of the film) between the rider and the bulk of the film. The second occurred after the bonded film had worn to the substrate, and consisted of the shear of very thin lubricant films between the rider and flat plateaus generated on the metallic substrate asperities. The film wear mechanism was strongly dependent on contact stress.

Fusaro, R. L.↗

A statistical mechanical calculation of the thermodynamic properties of interstitial solid solutions involving second nearest neighbor interactions.

A previous calculation of the thermodynamic properties of interstitial solid solutions based on the technique of Kirkwood expansions has been extended to include the effects of second nearest neighbor solute atom mutual interactions. The error inherent in the first order (or quasi-chemical) counting of the degeneracy of the solution crystal is avoided. It is shown that, at high temperatures, even strong second nearest neighbor solute mutual interactions have a negligible effect on the entropy of the solution and a small, temperature-dependent effect on the solute partial enthalpy.

Alex, K.↗

Influence of gaseous hydrogen on the mechanical properties of incoloy 903

Solid specimens of the alloy Inconel 903 (iron based alloy) were exposed to four gaseous environments and high temperatures. Air, pure helium, pure hydrogen, and hydrogen and water vapor combined were the gaseous environments employed, and the temperature was 1400 F. Various mechanical property tests (low cycle fatigue, creep-rupture, tensile properties) were performed on the alloy. Results indicate that the hydrogen and water vapor environment cause a sharp reduction in the mechanical properties of the alloy. Photographs of the test equipment used and the microstructure of the tested alloy are included.

Source record↗

Grasp synthesis for planar and solid objects

This paper presents an analysis of the mechanics for multifingered grasps of planar and solid objects. Squeezing and frictional effects between the fingers and the grasped objects is fully visualized through our approach. An algorithm for qualitively choosing the grasp points is developed based on the mechanics of grasping. It is shown further that our method can be easily extended for the soft-fingered grasp model where the torsional moments along the contact normals can be transmitted through the grasp points.

Chen, Yu-Che↗

Assessment of tbe Performance of Ablative Insulators Under Realistic Solid Rocket Motor Operating Conditions (a Doctoral Dissertation)

Ablative insulators are used in the interior surfaces of solid rocket motors to prevent the mechanical structure of the rocket from failing due to intense heating by the high-temperature solid-propellant combustion products. The complexity of the ablation process underscores the need for ablative material response data procured from a realistic solid rocket motor environment, where all of the potential contributions to material degradation are present and in their appropriate proportions. For this purpose, the present study examines ablative material behavior in a laboratory-scale solid rocket motor. The test apparatus includes a planar, two-dimensional flow channel in which flat ablative material samples are installed downstream of an aluminized solid propellant grain and imaged via real-time X-ray radiography. In this way, the in-situ transient thermal response of an ablator to all of the thermal, chemical, and mechanical erosion mechanisms present in a solid rocket environment can be observed and recorded. The ablative material is instrumented with multiple micro-thermocouples, so that in-depth temperature histories are known. Both total heat flux and thermal radiation flux gauges have been designed, fabricated, and tested to characterize the thermal environment to which the ablative material samples are exposed. These tests not only allow different ablative materials to be compared in a realistic solid rocket motor environment but also improve the understanding of the mechanisms that influence the erosion behavior of a given ablative material.

Martin, Heath Thomas↗

On internal fracture of solids.

Internal fracture of solids analyzing initiation by converging tensile pulses in prolate spheroid and crack propagation in infinite solid

FRACTURE MECHANICS↗

Mechanisms of lubrication and wear of a bonded solid-lubricant film

The tribological properties of polyimide-bonded graphite fluoride films were investigated. A pin-on-disk type of testing apparatus was used; in addition to sliding a hemispherically tipped rider, a rider with a 0.95-mm-diameter flat area was slid against the film so that a lower, less variable contact stress could be achieved. Two stages of lubrication occurred: in the first, the film supported the load and the lubricating mechanism consisted of the shear of a thin surface layer between the rider and the bulk of the film. The second occurred after the bonded film had worn to the substrate, and consisted of the shear of very thin lubricant films between the rider and flat plateaus generated on the metallic substrate asperities. The film wear mechanism was strongly dependent on contact stress.

Fusaro, R. L.↗

Compact, Broadband Infrared Spectrometer

Large-aperture, wide-angle, broad-band infrared spectrometer compact and light in weight. Based on double-pass version of Schmidt optical system that acts as both collimator and camera. Because optical system contained in piece of solid glass, it is mechanically and thermally stable. System made of water-free fused silica to minimize absorption of infrared radiation. Although in principle made from single, solid piece, in practice made in two pieces cemented together. Fabrication easier and simpler if more cemented surfaces used so each optical surface grounded and polished like single lens element.

Page, Norman A.↗

On surface energy and the continuum thermodynamics of brittle fracture

When a separating body is viewed as a nonequilibrium thermodynamic process, the full thermodynamic nature of the surface energy induced by crack propagation becomes apparent. Within such a general framework it is no longer possible to view the surface energy as a material constant. For the self-propagating crack the induced surface energy is shown to depend explicitly on the square of the crack propagation speed. It is also shown that a separating body produces entropy even though the mechanical response of the solid may be elastic. The introduction of surface quantities such as surface energy into the continuum description of the fracture process forces a major departure from the mechanics appropriate to the nonseparating body. Local equations of balance are no longer obtainable as derived consequences of postulated global balance equations. They must instead be imposed as separate additional postulates.

Eftis, J.↗

Constraints on the origin of viscoelastic bodies

While the oceans undoubtly contribute to energy dissipation, it seems implausible that such a small amount (0.02%) of the Earth's mass could play such a dominant role in lunar orbital evolution. An alternate hypothesis assumes that most of the dissipation is associated with solid-body tides. This mechanism is also capable of varying significantly over time for viscoelastic bodies. In such an analysis of orbital evolution, the bodies are modeled as incompressible, Kelvin-Voight solids. While this material is simplistic, it does provide an analytical characterization of solid-body dissipation and the resulting tidal moment. The orbital history of a two body system is traced back in time to develop constraints on the satellite's origin. These constraints suggest the Moon appeared in a significantly inclined orbit at a distance greater than ten Earth radii. This distance is outside of the Roche limit and would appear to alleviate some difficulties associated with capture hypotheses. Small eccentricity at close approach suggests an origin by accretion.

Vanarsdale, W. E.↗