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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Unified Aeroacoustics Analysis for High Speed Turboprop Aerodynamics and Noise: Development of Theory for Blade Loading, Wakes, and Noise - Volume 1

A unified theory for the aerodynamics and noise of advanced turboprops are presented. Aerodynamic topics include calculation of performance, blade load distribution, and non-uniform wake flow fields. Blade loading can be steady or unsteady due to fixed distortion, counter-rotating wakes, or blade vibration. The aerodynamic theory is based on the pressure potential method and is therefore basically linear. However, nonlinear effects associated with finite axial induction and blade vortex flow are included via approximate methods. Acoustic topics include radiation of noise caused by blade thickness, steady loading (including vortex lift), and unsteady loading. Shielding of the fuselage by its boundary layer and the wing are treated in separate analyses that are compatible but not integrated with the aeroacoustic theory for rotating blades.

Hanson, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Structural Testing of a 6m Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator System

NASA is developing low ballistic coefficient technologies to support the Nations long-term goal of landing humans on Mars. Current entry, decent, and landing technologies are not practical for this class of payloads due to geometric constraints dictated by current and future launch vehicle fairing limitations. Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs) are being developed to circumvent this limitation and are now considered a leading technology to enable landing of heavy payloads on Mars. At the beginning of 2014, a 6m diameter HIAD inflatable structure with an integrated flexible thermal protection system (TPS) was subjected to a static load test series to verify its structural performance under flight-relevant loads. The inflatable structure was constructed into a 60 degree sphere-cone configuration using nine inflatable torus segments composed of fiber-reinforced thin films. The inflatable tori were joined together using adhesives and high-strength textile woven structural straps. These straps help distribute the load throughout the inflatable structure. The 6m flexible TPS was constructed using multiple layers of high performance materials that are designed to protect the inflatable structure from heat loads that would be seen in flight during atmospheric entry. A custom test fixture was constructed to perform the static load test series. The fixture consisted of a round structural tub with enough height and width to allow for displacement of the HIAD test article as loads were applied. The bottom of the tub rim had an airtight seal with the floor. The rigid centerbody of the HIAD was mounted to a pedestal in the center of the structural tub. Using an impermeable membrane draped over the HIAD test article, an airtight seal was created with the top rim of the static load tub. This seal allowed partial vacuum to be pulled beneath the HIAD resulting in a uniform static pressure load applied to the outer surface. Using this technique, the test article was subjected to loads of up to 50,000lbs. During the test series an extensive amount of instrumentation was used to provide a rich data set, including deflected shape, structural strap loads, torus cord loads, inflation pressures, and applied static load. In this paper the 2014 6m HIAD static load test series will be discussed in detail, including the design of the 6m HIAD test article, the test setup, and test execution. Analysis results will be described supporting the conclusions that were drawn from the test series..

Hypersonic↗
DOE OSTI2024

Experimental and Analytical Verification of ASME Section IiII Division 5 Creep-Fatigue Design Rules

The continuous advancement of structural materials and the growing demands for more reliable and economical structural components in high-temperature reactor applications have necessitated the development of comprehensive design methodologies and design rules. Mechanical degradation of structural components at elevated temperatures subjected to cyclic deformation is controlled by the creep-fatigue damage. Over the past few decades, diligent research efforts have been dedicated to refining the development of elevated temperature design rules in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), Section III, Division 5 and to develop conservative design rules that can effectively guard against the risk of creep-fatigue failure. In ASME Section III, Division 5, for a design to pass the creep-fatigue acceptance criteria, creep damage and fatigue damage are evaluated separately, and these damages must not violate the bi-linear creep-fatigue interaction diagram, i.e., the so-called D-diagram. The creep-fatigue damage evaluation procedure assumes that the effects of the actual cyclic loading sequence can be bounded by assuming that the individual loading cycles are uniformly distributed throughout the component design life. In this study, creep-fatigue experiments with variable amplitudes and loading sequencies were designed and performed on Alloy 617 at high temperatures. The results were analyzed to evaluate the loading history effect on creep-fatigue damage accumulation and to verify the assumptions for the creep-fatigue evaluation design rules.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Durable Thin‐Film Porous Transport Electrodes for High Current Density PEM Water Electrolysis

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers rely on relatively expensive Ir-based catalysts for efficient and durable hydrogen production. To reduce system costs, Ir loadings can be reduced if performance and durability are maintained. Sputter deposition is a readily scalable method to synthesize uniform, low-loading catalyst layers with controlled composition. A catalyst applied directly to the porous transport layer can have advantages for performance, manufacturing simplicity, and catalyst recovery. Suitable porous transport layer porosity can minimize activity losses when reducing loadings. Here, methods are presented to deposit metallic Ir as well as amorphous and rutile Ir oxides. The activity and durability of these materials in the porous transport electrode architecture is evaluated. The metallic and amorphous forms have better initial activity, however, operation at 3 A cm −2 with 0.1 mg Ir cm −2 shows that only rutile IrO 2 maintains performance beyond 100 h with a 50 mV improvement after 700 h. A >10x reduced dissolution rate is shown for rutile IrO 2 . With a low-porosity transport layer and 0.4 mg Ir cm −2 , a steady-state voltage decay rate of 6 µV h −1 is achieved. The results demonstrate that sputter-deposited rutile IrO 2 porous transport electrodes with low Ir loading can be operated at high current density to reduce hydrogen production costs.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2003

Buckling Of Long Compression-Loaded Anisotropic Plates Restrained Against Inplane Lateral and Shear Deformations

An approach for synthesizing buckling results and behavior for thin balanced and unbalanced symmetric laminates that are subjected to uniform axial compression loads and elastically restrained against inplane expansion, contraction, and shear deformation is presented. This approach uses a nondimensional analysis for infinitely long, flexurally anisotropic plates (coupling between bending and twisting) that are subjected to combined mechanical loads and is based on nondimensional parameters. In addition, nondimensional loading parameters are derived that account for the effects of the elastic inplane deformation restraints, membrane orthotropy, and membrane anisotropy on the induced prebuckling stress state. The loading parameters are used to determine buckling coefficients that include the effects of flexural orthotropy and flexural anisotropy. Many results are presented, for some selected laminates, that are intended to facilitate a structural designer's transition to the use of the generic buckling design curves that are presented and discussed in the paper. Several buckling response curves are presented that provide physical insight into the behavior for combined loads, in addition to providing useful design data. An example is presented that demonstrates the use of the generic design curves, which are applicable to a wide range of laminate constructions. The analysis approach and generic results indicate the effects and characteristics of laminate orthotropy and anisotropy in a very general and unifying manner.

Nemeth, Michael P.↗
NASA NTRS2010

An Experimental Investigation of Silicone-to-Metal Bond Strength in Composite Space Docking System Seals

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently developing a new universal docking mechanism for future space exploration missions called the Low Impact Docking System (LIDS). A candidate LIDS main interface seal design is a composite assembly of silicone elastomer seals vacuum molded into grooves in an electroless nickel plated aluminum retainer. The strength of the silicone-tometal bond is a critical consideration for the new system, especially due to the presence of small areas of disbond created during the molding process. In the work presented herein, seal-to-retainer bonds of subscale seal specimens with different sizes of intentional disbond were destructively tensile tested. Nominal specimens without intentional disbonds were also tested. Tension was applied either uniformly on the entire seal circumference or locally in one short circumferential length. Bond failure due to uniform tension produced a wide scatter of observable failure modes and measured load-displacement behaviors. Although the preferable failure mode for the seal-to-retainer bond is cohesive failure of the elastomer material, the dominant observed failure mode under the uniform loading condition was found to be the less desirable adhesive failure of the bond in question. The uniform tension case results did not show a correlation between disbond size and bond strength. Localized tension was found to produce failure either as immediate tearing of the elastomer material outside the bond region or as complete peel-out of the seal in one piece. The obtained results represent a valuable benchmark for comparison in the future between adhesion loads under various separation conditions and composite seal bond strength.

Gaier, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Load-shortening behavior of an initially curved eccentrically loaded column

To explore the feasibility of using buckled columns to provide a soft support system for simulating a free-free boundary condition in dynamic testing, the nonlinear load-shortening behavior of initially imperfect, eccentrically loaded slender columns is analyzed. Load-shortening curves are obtained for various combinations of load eccentricity and uniform initial curvature and are compared, for reference purposes, with the limiting case of the classical elastica. Results for numerous combinations of initial curvature and load eccentricity show that, over a wide range of shortening, an axially loaded slender column exhibits load-deflection compliance which is of the same order as that of a straight but otherwise identical cantilever beam under lateral tip loading.

Fichter, W. B.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Bolted Double-Lap Composite Joints Under Mechanical and Thermal Loading

This study concerns the determination of the contact stresses and contact region around bolt holes and the bolt load distribution in single- and double-lap joints of composite laminates with arbitrarily located bolts under general mechanical loading conditions and uniform temperature change. The unknown contact stress distribution and contact region between the bolt and laminates and the interaction among the bolts require the bolt load distribution, as well as the contact stresses, to be as part of the solution. The present method is based on the complex potential theory and the variational formulation in order to account for bolt stiffness, bolt-hole clearance, and finite geometry of the composite laminates.

Kradinov, V.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Non-Contact Thermal Characterization of NASA's HERMeS Hall Thruster

The thermal characterization test of NASA's 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding has been completed. This thruster was developed to support a number of potential Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission concepts, including the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission concept. As a part of the preparation for this characterization test, an infrared-based, non-contact thermal imaging system was developed to measure the temperature of various thruster surfaces that are exposed to high voltage or plasma. An in-situ calibration array was incorporated into the setup to improve the accuracy of the temperature measurement. The key design parameters for the calibration array were determined in a separate pilot test. The raw data from the characterization test was analyzed though further work is needed to obtain accurate anode temperatures. Examination of the front pole and discharge channel temperatures showed that the thruster temperature was driven more by discharge voltage than by discharge power. Operation at lower discharge voltages also yielded more uniform temperature distributions than at higher discharge voltages. When operating at high discharge voltage, increasing the magnetic field strength appeared to have made the thermal loading azimuthally more uniform.

Hall Thrusters↗
NASA NTRS2014

Overview of the 6 Meter HIAD Inflatable Structure and Flexible TPS Static Load Test Series

To support NASAs long term goal of landing humans on Mars, technologies which enable the landing of heavy payloads are being developed. Current entry, decent, and landing technologies are not practical for this class of payloads due to geometric constraints dictated by current launch vehicle fairing limitations. Therefore, past and present technologies are now being explored to provide a mass and volume efficient solution to atmospheric entry, including Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs). At the beginning of 2014, a 6m HIAD inflatable structure with an integrated flexible thermal protection system (TPS) was subjected to a static load test series to verify the designs structural performance. The 6m HIAD structure was constructed in a stacked toroid configuration using nine inflatable torus segments composed of fiber reinforced thin films, which were joined together using adhesives and high strength textile woven structural straps to help distribute the loads throughout the inflatable structure. The 6m flexible TPS was constructed using multiple layers of high performance materials to protect the inflatable structure from heat loads that would be seen during atmospheric entry. To perform the static load test series, a custom test fixture was constructed. The fixture consisted of a structural tub rim with enough height to allow for displacement of the inflatable structure as loads were applied. The bottom of the tub rim had an airtight seal with the floor. The centerbody of the inflatable structure was attached to a pedestal mount as seen in Figure 1. Using an impermeable membrane seal draped over the test article, partial vacuum was pulled beneath the HIAD, resulting in a uniform static pressure load applied to the outer surface. During the test series an extensive amount of instrumentation was used to provide many data sets including: deformed shape, shoulder deflection, strap loads, cord loads, inflation pressures, and applied static load.In this overview, the 6m HIAD static load test series will be discussed in detail, including the 6m HIAD inflatable structure and flexible TPS design, test setup and execution, and finally initial results and conclusions from the test series.

inflatable aerodynamic decelerator↗
NASA NTRS2014

Overview of the 6m HIAD Inflatable Structure and Flexible TPS Static Load Test Series

To support NASAs long term goal of landing humans on Mars, technologies which enable the landing of heavy payloads are being developed. Current entry, decent, and landing technologies are not practical for this class of payloads due to geometric constraints dictated by current launch vehicle fairing limitations. Therefore, past and present technologies are now being explored to provide a mass and volume efficient solution to atmospheric entry, including Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs). At the beginning of 2014, a 6m HIAD inflatable structure with an integrated flexible thermal protection system (TPS) was subjected to a static load test series to verify the designs structural performace. The 6m HIAD structure was constructed in a stacked toroid configuration using nine inflatable torus segments composed of fiber reinforced thin films, which were joined together using adhesives and high strength textile woven structural straps to help distribute the loads throughout the inflatable structure. The 6m flexible TPS was constructed using multiple layers of high performance materials to protect the inflatable structure from heat loads that would be seen during atmospheric entry. To perform the static load test series, a custom test fixture was constructed. The fixture consisted of a structural tub rim with enough height to allow for displacement of the inflatable structure as loads were applied. The bottom of the tub rim had an airtight seal with the floor. The centerbody of the inflatable structure was attached to a pedestal mount as seen in Figure 1. Using an impermeable membrane seal draped over the test article, partial vacuum was pulled beneath the HIAD, resulting in a uniform static pressure load applied to the outer surface. During the test series an extensive amount of instrumentation was used to provide many data sets including: deformed shape, shoulder deflection, strap loads, cord loads, inflation pressures, and applied static load.In this overview, the 6m HIAD static load test series will be discussed in detail, including the 6m HIAD inflatable structure and flexible TPS design, test setup and execution, and finally initial results and conclusions from the test series.

TPS↗
NASA NTRS1976

Preliminary weight and costs of sandwich panels to distribute concentrated loads

Minimum mass honeycomb sandwich panels were sized for transmitting a concentrated load to a uniform reaction through various distances. The form skin gages were fully stressed with a finite element computer code. The panel general stability was evaluated with a buckling computer code labeled STAGS-B. Two skin materials were considered; aluminum and graphite-epoxy. The core was constant thickness aluminum honeycomb. Various panel sizes and load levels were considered. The computer generated data were generalized to allow preliminary least mass panel designs for a wide range of panel sizes and load intensities. An assessment of panel fabrication cost was also conducted. Various comparisons between panel mass, panel size, panel loading, and panel cost are presented in both tabular and graphical form.

Belleman, G.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Overview of the 2nd Gen 3.7m HIAD Static Load Test

To support NASAs long term goal of landing humans on Mars, technologies which enable the landing of heavy payloads are being developed. Current entry, decent, and landing technologies are not practical for human class payloads due to geometric constraints dictated by current launch vehicle fairing limitations. Therefore, past and present technologies are now being explored to provide a mass and volume efficient solution to atmospheric entry, including Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs). In October of 2014, a 3.7m HIAD inflatable structure with an integrated flexible thermal protection sys-tem (F-TPS) was subjected to a static load test series to verify the designs structural performance. The 3.7m HIAD structure was constructed in a 70 deg sphere-cone stacked-toroid configuration using eight inflatable tori, which were joined together using adhesives and high strength textile webbing to help distribute the loads throughout the inflatable structure. The inflatable structure was fabricated using 2nd generation structural materials that permit an increase in use temperature to 400 C+ as compared to the 250 C limitation of the 1st generation materials. In addition to the temperature benefit, these materials also offer a 40 reduction in structure mass. The 3.7m F-TPS was fabricated using high performance materials to protect the inflatable structure from heat loads that would be seen during atmospheric entry. The F-TPS was constructed of 2nd generation TPS materials increasing its heating capability from 35W sq cm to over 100W sq cm. This test article is the first stacked-torus HIAD to be fabricated and tested with a 70 deg sphere-cone. All previous stacked-torus HIADs have employed a 60o sphere-cone. To perform the static load test series, a custom test fixture was constructed. The fixture consisted of a structural tub rim with enough height to allow for dis-placement of the inflatable structure as loads were applied. The tub rim was attached to the floor to provide an airtight seal. The center body of the inflatable structure was attached to a pedestal mount as seen in Figure 1. Using an impermeable membrane seal draped over the test article, partial vacuum was pulled beneath the HIAD, resulting in a uniform static pressure load applied to the outer surface. During the test series an extensive amount of instrumentation was used to characterize deformed shape, shoulder deflection, strap loads, and cord loads as a function of structural configuration and applied static load. In this overview, the 3.7m HIAD static load test series will be discussed in detail, including the 3.7m HIAD inflatable structure and flexible TPS design, test setup and execution, and finally results and conclusions from the test series.

HIAD↗
NASA NTRS2002

Effects of Imperfections on the Buckling Response of Compression-Loaded Composite Shells

The results of an experimental and analytical study of the effects of initial imperfections on the buckling and postbuckling response of three unstiffened thin-walled compression-loaded graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells with different orthotropic and quasi-isotropic shell-wall laminates are presented. The results identify the effects of traditional and non-traditional initial imperfections on the non-linear response and buckling loads of the shells. The traditional imperfections include the geometric shell-wall mid-surface imperfect ions that are commonly discussed in the literature on thin shell buckling. The non-traditional imperfections include shell-wall thickness variations local shell-wall ply-gaps associated with the fabrication process, sheltered geometric imperfections, non-uniform applied end loads, and variations in the boundary conditions including the effects of elastic boundary conditions. A high-fidelity non-linear shell analysis procedure that accurately accounts for the effects of these traditional and non-traditional imperfections on the nonlinear response, and buckling loads of the shells is described. The analysis procedure includes a non-linear static analysis that predicts stable response characteristics of the shells and a non-linear transient analysis that predicts unstable response characteristics.

Hilburger, Mark W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

NASTRAN static and buckling analysis - comparison with other large-capacity programs

A square plate with clamped edges under a concentrated load was modeled using NASTRAN and ASKA finite element computer programs. Deflections were computed for various width-to-thickness ratios (b/t) of the plate element, and were compared against the classical theory to determine the b/t limitations. A cylinder with simply supported ends was modeled using NASTRAN and STAGS computer programs for buckling analysis. The models were subjected to a uniform radial pressure loading. Several parameters were changed, and the effects of those variations are presented. Utilizing these data, a model which will produce results comparable to published empirical data can be constructed and processed for a minimized cost.

Shah, L. C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Advancing Photo(Electro)Chemical Water Splitting: The Promise of Atomically Dispersed Single‐, Dual‐, and Alloy‐Site Catalysts

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have rapidly gained prominence as an emerging class of electrocatalysts for water splitting, owing to their uniform and precisely defined active sites. By maintaining uniform reaction pathways, SACs minimize the formation of unwanted byproducts, thus exhibiting extremely high selectivity and atomic efficiency. A key determinant of SAC performance lies in the interfacial interaction between the isolated metal atoms and the supporting material under strong metal–support coordination, which is vital for maintaining long-term activity. However, despite these benefits, reproducibly synthesizing SACs with high metal loadings while retaining uniform dispersion remains a significant challenge. To address the intrinsic challenges of SACs, recent research has expanded into dual-atom catalysts (DACs) and single-atom alloy catalysts (SAACs), providing synergistic active sites and combining the benefits of SACs with bimetallic systems. Furthermore, this review systematically explores the latest advancements in synthesis methods and innovations for SACs for electrochemical water splitting. Additionally, it examines the evolution of catalyst design, emphasizing the unique structural and electronic characteristics of single-site, dual-site, and alloyed SAC systems and highlighting their critical roles in accelerating water-splitting reaction kinetics as well as the prevailing challenges and outlining promising directions for advancing hydrogen production via water electrolysis.

08 HYDROGEN↗