Advanced spacecraft valve technology compilation. Volume 2 - Nonmechanical controls
Advanced fluidic and electro-fluid controls for liquid propellant rocket engines for space flights up to ten years
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Advanced fluidic and electro-fluid controls for liquid propellant rocket engines for space flights up to ten years
Fluidic vortex valve to modulate solid propellant generated hot gas flow
NERVA engine chamber pressure control, investigating replacement of TPCV with fluidic vortex valve
Low-cost fabricating technique produces minute, complex air passages in fluidic devices. Air jet interactions in these function as electronic and electromechanical control systems. Wax cores are fabricated without distortion by two-wax process using nonsoluble pattern-wax and water-soluble wax. Significant steps in fabrication process are discussed.
Zero gravity clothes washer utilizing principles of fluidics to provide washing action and reduction in number of components scale model
Advanced aerospace systems and control including thrust modulation, optimizer research, fluidic devices, hydraulic jet valves, and related research
Fluidic Helmholtz resonator for FM signal analysis, showing instantaneous phase difference between input and output pressures
IR and Raman spectra vibrational analysis of crystalline and fluidic oxalyl bromide, explaining observations by two geometrical isomers existence
Fuel cell system steam/hydrogen mixture mass ratio detector using fluidic delay line oscillator
By ducting spent fluid into a cavitating Venturi sump formed in a main stream of propellant, hazardous working fluid of fluidic systems on board spacecraft or rockets is vented harmlessly.
Resonant spring-mass system detunes flow oscillations of pump's inlet line to prevent structural damage in fluidic system.
Fluidic oscillator, incorporating piezoelectric transducer to sense molecular weight of gas mixture, is used to continuously monitor ratio of a mixture of two gases in a flowing system. Device is lightweight, compact, reliable, easy to install, and also produces a simple output signal for controller. Frequency of oscillation is measured and signal converted to ac output.
An experimental temperature probe package containing a fluidic oscillator temperature probe and a shielded thermocouple temperature probe was tested during several X-15 flights. The X-15 flights provided greatly varying test conditions, including a wide range of rapidly changing total temperatures and Mach numbers which extended from subsonic to hypersonic speeds. Within restricted ranges of free-stream Mach number, free-stream unit weight flow, and local stagnation pressure, both probes yielded ramp outputs of temperature parallel to ramp inputs of free-stream total temperature. Within these ranges both probes were used to determine total temperature in the Mach 6 temperature environment. Because ambient temperature was known, both probes were used to estimate velocity and Mach number.
The performance of three types of normal shock position sensors for supersonic inlets is described. All three sensors determined the shock position from the presence of the large pressure gradient at the normal shock location. The logic means for the three sensors were: (1) electronic, using pressure transducers, (2) fluidic, and (3) direct-coupled pressure switches. The sensors were evaluated in a two-dimensional, Mach 2.7, supersonic inlet having 30-percent internal supersonic area contraction. Both dynamic (from 1 to 80 Hz) and static tests were conducted.
Inexpensive and reliable device is used in conjunction with fluidic-electronic wing-leveler system. Single magnetometer is placed so pilot can make adjustments in aircraft heading simply by rotating magnetometer itself.
A gyro-less wing leveler and directional autopilot were developed and flight tested in a single-engine light airplane. The primary purpose of the project was to develop a simple, reliable, low-cost stability augmentation and autopilot system for light aircraft. The wing leveler used a fluidic inertial rate sensor, electronic signal processing circuitry, and vacuum operated servos. A strap-down magnetic heading reference of simple design provided the wing leveler with directional autopilot capability. Flight tests indicated that the performance of the gyro-less wing leveler was equal to that of a commercial wing leveler using a gyroscopic rate sensor. Drift-free, long-term, heading-hold capability of the magnetic heading reference was demonstrated.
Experimental transport dynamics tests were made on a space power fuel cell of current design. Various operating transients were introduced and transport-related response data were recorded with fluidic humidity sensing instruments. Also, sampled data techniques were developed for measuring the cathode-side electrolyte concentration during transient operation.
A variety of technologies were investigated to determine the benefits to be derived from space activities. The subjects accepted for product development are: (1) eutectics for cold cathodes, (2) higher putiry fiber optics, (3) fluidic wafers, (4) large germanium wafers for gamma ray camera, (5) improved batteries and capacitors, (6) optical filters, (7) corrosion resistant electrodes, (8) high strength carbon-based filaments for plastic reinforcement, and (9) new antibiotics. In addition, three ideas for services, involving disposal of radioactive wastes, blood analysis, and enhanced solar insolation were proposed.