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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Noninvasive measures of bone bending rigidity in the monkey /M. nemestrina/

The in vivo bending rigidity and bone mineral content of monkey ulnae and tibiae were measured. Bending rigidity in the anteroposterior plane was measured by an impedance probe technique. Forced vibrations of the bones were induced with an electromechanical shaker, and force and velocity at the driving point were determined. The responses over the range of 100-250 Hz were utilized to compute the bending rigidity. Bone mineral content in the cross section was determined by a photon absorption technique. Seventeen male monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) weighing 6-14 kg were evaluated. Bending rigidity was correlated with the mineral content of the cross section, with a correlation coefficient of 0.899. Two monkeys were evaluated during prolonged hypodynamic restraint. Restraint produced regional losses of bone most obviously in the proximal tibia. The local bone mineral content declines 17 to 24% and the average bending rigidity declines 12 to 22%. Changes in bones leading to a reduction in mineral content and stiffness are discussed.

Young, D. R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

IACMI Project 4.7: Pultruded Textile Carbon Fiber for Spar Caps (Final Report)

The primary objective of this project was to demonstrate the potential to significantly reduce the cost of wind turbine blades with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) structure. Applicability of textile carbon fibers (TCF) were evaluated for use in pultruded spar cap (SC) elements as a path to cost reduction for utility scale wind turbine blades. In earlier work for the Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO), a collaboration of Sandia National Laboratory (SNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Montana State University has demonstrated potential for pultruded TCF to compete with infused fiberglass and commercially available carbon fiber pultruded sections for spar cap construction. In the design cases evaluated, the TCF sections fared well when compared on cost per unit composite stiffness and cost per unit composite compressive strength for those designs [1]. Both stiffness and compressive strength tend to be key factors in the design of blade composite Spar Cap which carry the bulk of the blade structural loads in bending. Spar Cap design tends to distribute largely symmetric tensile and compressive stresses to opposite sides of the spar structure, but since carbon fiber composite compressive strength is typically 20-50% lower than tensile strength, the compressive loading reaches failure levels well before the tensile loading. Stiffness is critical in containing the large tip deflection in high wind loading situations. However, materials and process development were very limited in the earlier study and the work in this project was expanded to make the comparative information more representative of what will be required in order to make further inroads towards implementation. Similar to that study, this project team confirmed that the primary materials of interest for pultruded spar cap elements should be thermoset (TS) resins reinforced by carbon fibers, utilizing as high a percentage of TCF as practical to benchmark cost and performance against commercial carbon fibers. To make the closest comparison possible and eliminate specific test article size, resin selection, and equipment/operational nuance effects, the team planned to pultrude sections with 100% commercially available carbon fiber (Panex 35 carbon fiber from Zoltek) as well as samples utilizing high fractions of TCF. The resin system chosen was based on formulations recommended by large wind industry supplier Hexion and consisted of Hexion resin RSL-4597, curing agent CCA-138, and internal mold release additive 117, along with common kaolin filler ASP400P from BASF. As commonly deployed in spar cap configurations, the team had a mold built to pultrude a rectangular spar cap element of 100mm width and 3mm thickness. The extremely limited number of samples produced for the earlier study were produced with a “generic” epoxy utilized for a variety of applications by the pultruder contracted to produce test articles for demonstration purposes. More importantly, those samples were produced at a fiber fraction only slightly over 50%. Based on feedback from our industrial advisory team for that project and strongly recommended by this project team, the consensus is that it is highly desirable to obtain fiber fractions of 65-68% for significant penetration in wind blade spar cap. Although this requirement has yet to be exhaustively confirmed in readily available information, this was established as a project goal and informally decided we needed to exceed 60% fiber fraction to gain serious industry consideration. Previous TCF pultrusion trials have been challenged by the lack of robust TCF packages, resulting in non-uniform tension across and between tows, as well as excess labor and waste for removal of interleaved paper. The non-uniform tension and associated intermingling of tows in textile acrylic fiber tows and associated difficulties created from broken filaments in carbon fiber conversion inhibit the ordered packing necessary to enhance fiber fraction elevation. (These “cross-overs” are not considered undesirable for textile applications and there is some sense that they might be advantageous for those applications). In addition to work that is ongoing at the acrylic fiber manufacturers to improve their formats, The Institute of Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) Project 6.12 (report PA16-0349-6.12-01) [2] has developed and demonstrated a more robust packaging and creeling approach that at least partially addresses these issues, thus improving control of the TCF feed into the pultrusion unit. It was hoped that these and other improvements currently being implemented would allow us to achieve fiber fractions at least approaching these fiber fraction targets. During this project, sections utilizing 100% commercially available carbon fiber reinforcement were produced as a baseline, as well as sections reinforced with about 94% TCF and the balance being commercially available fiber for comparison. The most important finding was that similar to results reported in the earlier WETO-funded project and results from tests of TCF reported at IACMI meetings, this work demonstrated that sections pultruded with TCF in an epoxy resin frequently utilized in actual spar cap production had stiffness and compressive strengths largely comparable to similar sections pultruded with a commercially available carbon fiber also frequently utilized in the wind industry. Although the amount of that data is limited, some of the tensile strength results were actually closer than would have been expected based on fiber strength results provided by the TCF and commercial fiber producers. The actual test data are reported and discussed in detail in Section 5. The pultruded sections dominated by TCF reinforcement were approximately 8-10% lower in fiber fraction than for the sections produced using commercial fiber alone, making direct comparison difficult. The COVID-19 project has provided significant insight into the current state-of-the-art with various TCF product forms. The data obtained in this project will guide the planned improvements at the precursor level, especially in attaining uniform tensioning and payout to facilitate enhanced fiber fractions and overall processability of the TCF composites. The project team is providing guidance to stakeholders concerning the attributes, needs, and potential demand for TCF in wind blade spar caps. Results achieved in this project are consistent with findings in the related work cited [1] and support this guidance and the high potential for this product type. TCF precursor-producing partners continue to express interest in enhancing their product forms and the team looks forward to working with these improved materials as they become available.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1993

A unit-cell model of textile composite beams for predicting stiffness properties

Flexural stiffness properties of a textile composite beam are obtained from a finite-element model of the unit cell. Three linearly independent deformations, namely, pure extension, pure bending and pure shear, are applied to the unit cell. The top and bottom surfaces of the beam are assumed to be traction free. Periodic boundary conditions on the lateral boundaries of the unit cell are enforced by multi-point constraint elements. From the forces acting on the unit cell, the flexural stiffness coefficients of the composite beam are obtained. The difficulties in determining the transverse shear stiffness are discussed, and a modified approach is presented. The methods are first verified by applying them to isotropic and bimaterial beams for which the results are known, and then illustrated for a simple plain-weave textile composite.

Sankar, Bhavani V.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Metallic positive expulsion diaphragms

High-cycle life ring-reinforced hemispherical type positive expulsion diaphragm performance was demonstrated by room temperature fluid expulsion tests of 13" diameter, 8 mil thick stainless steel configurations. A maximum of eleven (11) leak-free, fluid expulsions were achieved by a 25 deg cone angle diaphragm hoop-reinforced with .110-inch cross-sectional diameter wires. This represents a 70% improvement in diaphragm reversal cycle life compared to results previously obtained. The reversal tests confirmed analytic predictions for diaphragm cycle life increases due to increasing values of diaphragm cone angle, radius to thickness ratio and material strain to necking capacity. Practical fabrication techniques were demonstrated for forming close-tolerance, thin corrugated shells and for obtaining closely controlled reinforcing ring stiffness required to maximize diaphragm cycle life. A non-destructive inspection technique for monitoring large local shell bending strains was developed.

Gleich, D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Higher-order effects of initial deformation on the vibrations of crystal plates

A system of plate equations for the thickness-shear and flexural vibrations superposed on large initial deflection due to bending is derived; in the stress-strain relations, the terms associated with the fourth-order elastic stiffness coefficients are retained. An explicit formula for the change in the fundamental cut-off thickness shear frequency is obtained, and the effects of the terms associated with the fourth-order constants appear to be significant for large gradients of the rotation angles.

Markenscoff, X.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Graphite fiber reinforced thermoplastic resins

The results of a program designed to optimize the fabrication procedures for graphite thermoplastic composites are described. The properties of the composites as a function of temperature were measured and graphite thermoplastic fan exit guide vanes were fabricated and tested. Three thermoplastics were included in the investigation: polysulfone, polyethersulfone, and polyarylsulfone. Type HMS graphite was used as the reinforcement. Bending fatigue tests of HMS graphite/polyethersulfone demonstrated a gradual shear failure mode which resulted in a loss of stiffness in the specimens. Preliminary curves were generated to show the loss in stiffness as a function of stress and number of cycles. Fan exit guide vanes of HMS graphite polyethersulfone were satisfactorily fabricated in the final phase of the program. These were found to have stiffness and better fatigue behavior than graphite epoxy vanes which were formerly bill of material.

Navak, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1961

An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Mach Number, Stabilizer Dihedral, and Fin Torsional Stiffness on the Transonic Flutter Characteristics of a Tee-Tail

A transonic flutter investigation was made of elastically and dynamically scaled models of the tee-tail of a patrol bomber. It was found that removal of the 15 deg. dihedral of the stabilizer used on the airplane raised the flutter boundary to higher dynamic pressures. The effect of Mach number on the flutter boundary was different for dihedral angles of 0 and 15 deg. The dynamic pressure at the flutter boundary increased approximately linearly with the torsional stiffness of the fin. High-speed motion pictures indicated that the flutter mode consisted primarily of fin bending and fin torsion.

Land, Norman S.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Analysis of Potential for Titanium Liner Buckling after Proof in a Large Kevlar/Epoxy COPV

We analyze the potential for liner buckling in a 40-in Kevlar49/epoxy overwrapped spherical pressure vessel (COPV) due to long, local depressions or valleys in the titanium liner, which appeared after proof testing (autofrettage). We begin by presenting the geometric characteristics of approximately 20 mil (0.02 in.) deep depressions measured by laser profilometry in several vessels. While such depths were more typical, depths of more than 40 mils (0.02 in.) were seen near the equator in one particular vessel. Such depressions are largely the result of overlap of the edges of overwrap bands (with rectangular cross-section prepreg tows) from the first or second wrap patterns particularly where they start and end. We then discuss the physical mechanisms of formation of the depressions during the autofrettage process in terms of uneven void compaction in the overwrap around the tow overlap lines and the resulting 10-fold increase in through-thickness stiffness of the overwrap. We consider the effects of liner plastic yielding mechanisms in the liner on residual bending moments and interface pressures with the overwrap both at the peak proof pressure (approx.6500 psi) and when reducing the pressure to 0 psi. During depressurization the Bauschinger phenomenon becomes very important whereby extensive yielding in tension reduces the magnitude of the yield threshold in compression by 30 to 40%, compared to the virgin annealed state of the liner titanium. In the absence of a depression, the liner is elastically stable in compression even at liner overwrap interface pressures nominally 6 times the approx. 1000 psi interface pressure that exists at 0 psi. Using a model based on a plate-on-an-elastic-foundation, we develop an extensive analysis of the possible destabilizing effects of a frozen-in valley. The analysis treats the modifying effects of the residual bending moments and interface pressures remaining after the proof hold as well as the Bauschinger effect on the compressive yield threshold. The key result is that depression depths of up to 40 mils can be tolerated, but above 40 mils, the Bauschinger effect drives destabilization, and buckling becomes increasingly likely depending on the details of depression formation during autofrettage. It is almost certain that destabilization and buckling will occur for depression depths beyond 55 mils. The main equations and formulas for treating the various phases of depression development and potential buckling, are only briefly outlined in the paper, but are available from the authors.

Phoenix, S. Leigh↗
NASA NTRS1991

Effect of damage on elastically tailored composite laminates

A variationally consistent theory is derived in order to predict the response of anisotropic thin-walled closed sections subjected to axial load, torsion and bending. The theory is valid for arbitrary cross-sections made of laminated composite materials with variable thickness and stiffness. Closed form expressions for the stiffness coefficients are provided as integrals in terms of lay-ups parameters and cross-sectional geometry. A comparison of stiffness coefficients and response with finite element predictions and a closed form solution is performed. The theory is applied to the investigation of the effect of damage on the extension-twist coupling in a thin-walled closed section beam. The damage is simulated as a progressive ply-by-ply failure. Results show that damage can have a significant effect on the extension-twist coupling.

Armanios, Erian↗
NASA NTRS1992

Relationship between mechanical-property and energy-absorption trends for composite tubes

U.S. Army helicopters are designed to dissipate prescribed levels of crash impact kinetic energy without compromising the integrity of the fuselage. Because of the complexity of the energy-absorption process it is imperative for designers of energy-absorbing structures to develop an in-depth understanding of how and why composite structures absorb energy. A description of the crushing modes and mechanisms of energy absorption for composite tubes and beams is presented. Three primary crushing modes of composite structures including transverse shearing, lamina bending, and local buckling are described. The experimental data presented show that fiber and matrix mechanical properties and laminate stiffness and strength mechanical properties cannot reliably predict the energy-absorption response of composite tubes.

Farley, Gary L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Foil bearings

The rolling element bearings (REB's) which support many turbomachinery rotors offer high load capacity, low power requirements, and durability. Two disadvantages of REB's are: (1) rolling or sliding contact within the bearing has life-limiting consequences; and (2) REB's provide essentially no damping. The REB's in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopumps must sustain high static and dynamic loads, at high speeds, with a cryogenic fluid as lubricant and coolant. The pump end ball bearings limit the life of the SSME high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP). Compliant foil bearing (CFB) manufacturers have proposed replacing turbopump REB's with CFB's CFB's work well in aircraft air cycle machines, auxiliary power units, and refrigeration compressors. In a CFB, the rotor only contracts the foil support structure during start up and shut down. CFB damping is higher than REB damping. However, the load capacity of the CFB is low, compared to a REB. Furthermore, little stiffness and damping data exists for the CFB. A rotordynamic analysis for turbomachinery critical speeds and stability requires the input of bearing stiffness and damping coefficients. The two basic types of CFB are the tension-dominated bearing and the bending-dominated bearing. Many investigators have analyzed and measured characteristics of tension-dominated foil bearings, which are applied principally in magnetic tape recording. The bending-dominated CFB is used more in rotating machinery. This report describes the first phase of a structural analysis of a bending-dominated, multileaf CFB. A brief discussion of CFB literature is followed by a description and results of the present analysis.

Elrod, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Large deflection analysis of a tension-foil bearing

The rolling element bearings (REB's) which support many turbomachinery rotors offer high load capacity, low power requirements, and durability. Two disadvantages of REB's are as follows: rolling or sliding contact within the bearing has life-limiting consequences; and REB's provide essentially no damping. The REB's in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopumps must sustain high static and dynamic loads, at high speeds, with a cryogenic fluid as lubricant and coolant. The pump end ball bearings limit the life of the SSME high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP). Compliant foil bearing (CFB) manufacturers have proposed replacing turbopump REB's with CFB's. CFB's work well in aircraft air cycle machines, auxiliary power units, and refrigeration compressors. In a CFB, the rotor only contacts the foil support structure during start up and shut down. CFB damping is higher than REB damping. However, the load capacity of the CFB is low, compared to a REB. Furthermore, little stiffness and damping data exist for the CFB. A rotordynamic analysis for turbomachinery critical speeds and stability requires the input of bearing stiffness and damping coefficients. The two basic types of CFB are the tension-dominated bearing and the bending-dominated bearing. Many investigators have analyzed and measured characteristics of tension-dominated foil bearings, which are applied principally in magnetic tape recording. The bending-dominated CFB is used more in rotating machinery. Recently, a new tension-foil bearing configuration has been proposed for turbomachinery applications.

Elrod, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Initial Mechanical Testing of Superalloy Lattice Block Structures Conducted

The first mechanical tests of superalloy lattice block structures produced promising results for this exciting new lightweight material system. The testing was performed in-house at NASA Glenn Research Center's Structural Benchmark Test Facility, where small subelement-sized compression and beam specimens were loaded to observe elastic and plastic behavior, component strength levels, and fatigue resistance for hundreds of thousands of load cycles. Current lattice block construction produces a flat panel composed of thin ligaments arranged in a three-dimensional triangulated trusslike structure. Investment casting of lattice block panels has been developed and greatly expands opportunities for using this unique architecture in today's high-performance structures. In addition, advances made in NASA's Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Program have extended the lattice block concept to superalloy materials. After a series of casting iterations, the nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718 (IN 718, Inco Alloys International, Inc., Huntington, WV) was successfully cast into lattice block panels; this combination offers light weight combined with high strength, high stiffness, and elevated-temperature durability. For tests to evaluate casting quality and configuration merit, small structural compression and bend test specimens were machined from the 5- by 12- by 0.5-in. panels. Linear elastic finite element analyses were completed for several specimen layouts to predict material stresses and deflections under proposed test conditions. The structural specimens were then subjected to room-temperature static and cyclic loads in Glenn's Life Prediction Branch's material test machine. Surprisingly, the test results exceeded analytical predictions: plastic strains greater than 5 percent were obtained, and fatigue lives did not depreciate relative to the base material. These assets were due to the formation of plastic hinges and the redundancies inherent in lattice block construction, which were not considered in the simplified computer models. The fatigue testing proved the value of redundancies since specimen strength was maintained even after the fracture of one or two ligaments. This ongoing test program is planned to continue through high-temperature testing. Also scheduled for testing are IN 718 lattice block panels with integral face sheets, as well as specimens cast from a higher temperature alloy. The initial testing suggests the value of this technology for large panels under low and moderate pressure loadings and for high-risk, damage-tolerant structures. Potential aeropropulsion uses for lattice blocks include turbine-engine actuated panels, exhaust nozzle flaps, and side panel structures.

Krause, David L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Loads and Performance Data from a Wind-Tunnel Test of Generic Model Helicopter Rotor Blades

An investigation was conducted in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel to acquire data for use in assessing the ability of current and future comprehensive analyses to predict helicopter rotating-system and fixed-system vibratory loads. The investigation was conducted with a generic model helicopter rotor system using blades with rectangular planform, no built-in twist, uniform radial distribution of mass and stiffnesses, and a NACA 0012 airfoil section. Rotor performance data, as well as mean and vibratory components of blade bending and torsion moments, fixed-system forces and moments, and pitch link loads were obtained at advance ratios up to 0.35 for various combinations of rotor shaft angle-of-attack and collective pitch. The data are presented without analysis.

Yeager, William T., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Instability of a gravity gradient satellite due to thermal distortion

A nonlinear analytical model and a corresponding computer program were developed to study the influence of solar heating on the anomalous low frequency, orbital instability of the Naval Research Laboratory's gravity gradient satellite 164. The model's formulation was based on a quasi-static approach in which deflections of the satellite's booms were determined in terms of thermally induced bending without consideration of boom vibration. Calculations, which were made for variations in absorptivity, sun angle, thermal lag, and hinge stiffness, demonstrated that, within the confines of a relatively narrow stability criteria, the quasi-static model of NRL 164 not only becomes unstable, but, in a number of cases, responses were computed that closely resembled flight data.

Goldman, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Vibration characteristics of hexagonal radial rib and hoop platforms

Experiment and analysis have been used to characterize the modes of vibration of planar radial rib and hoop hexagonal platforms. Finite element analysis correlated very well with experimental results. The sensitivity of mode shapes and frequencies to cable stiffness and initial tension is presented. Threshold values have been identified, above which changes in cable stiffness do not affect the first few platform vibration modes. Primary vibration modes of the radial rib platform involve beam bending. Vibration modes of the hoop platform exhibit both beam bending and frame bending and torsion. Results indicate for low order polygonal structures, the radial rib concept produced a higher fundamental frequency. For high order polygonal structures, the hoop concept has the potential to achieve a higher fundamental frequency than the radial rib concept.

Belvin, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Internal rotor friction instability

The analytical developments and experimental investigations performed in assessing the effect of internal friction on rotor systems dynamic performance are documented. Analytical component models for axial splines, Curvic splines, and interference fit joints commonly found in modern high speed turbomachinery were developed. Rotor systems operating above a bending critical speed were shown to exhibit unstable subsynchronous vibrations at the first natural frequency. The effect of speed, bearing stiffness, joint stiffness, external damping, torque, and coefficient of friction, was evaluated. Testing included material coefficient of friction evaluations, component joint quantity and form of damping determinations, and rotordynamic stability assessments. Under conditions similar to those in the SSME turbopumps, material interfaces experienced a coefficient of friction of approx. 0.2 for lubricated and 0.8 for unlubricated conditions. The damping observed in the component joints displayed nearly linear behavior with increasing amplitude. Thus, the measured damping, as a function of amplitude, is not represented by either linear or Coulomb friction damper models. Rotordynamic testing of an axial spline joint under 5000 in.-lb of static torque, demonstrated the presence of an extremely severe instability when the rotor was operated above its first flexible natural frequency. The presence of this instability was predicted by nonlinear rotordynamic time-transient analysis using the nonlinear component model developed under this program. Corresponding rotordynamic testing of a shaft with an interference fit joint demonstrated the presence of subsynchronous vibrations at the first natural frequency. While subsynchronous vibrations were observed, they were bounded and significantly lower in amplitude than the synchronous vibrations.

Walton, J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Characterization of Composite Fan Case Resins

The majority of commercial turbine engines that power today s aircraft use a large fan driven by the engine core to generate thrust which dramatically increases the engine s efficiency. However, if one of these fan blades fails during flight, it becomes high energy shrapnel, potentially impacting the engine or puncturing the aircraft itself and thus risking the lives of passengers. To solve this problem, the fan case must be capable of containing a fan blade should it break off during flight. Currently, all commercial fan cases are made of either just a thick metal barrier or a thinner metal wall surrounded by Kevlar-an ultra strong fiber that elastically catches the blade. My summer 2004 project was to characterize the resins for a composite fan case that will be lighter and more efficient than the current metal. The composite fan case is created by braiding carbon fibers and injecting a polymer resin into the braid. The resin holds the fibers together, so at first using the strongest polymer appears to logically lead to the strongest fan case. Unfortunately, the stronger polymers are too viscous when melted. This makes the manufacturing process more difficult because the polymer does not flow as freely through the braid, and the final product is less dense. With all of this in mind, it is important to remember that the strength of the polymer is still imperative; the case must still contain blades with high impact energy. The research identified which polymer had the right balance of properties, including ease of fabrication, toughness, and ability to transfer the load to the carbon fibers. Resin deformation was studied to better understand the composite response during high speed impact. My role in this research was the testing of polymers using dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile, compression, and torsion testing. Dynamic mechanical analysis examines the response of materials under cyclic loading. Two techniques were used for dynamic mechanical analysis. The ARES Instrument analyzed the material through torsion. The second machine, TA Instruments apparatus, applied a bending force to the specimen. These experiments were used to explore the effects of temperature and strain rate on the stiffness and strength of the resins. The two different types of loading allowed us to verify our results. An axial-torsional load frame, manufactured by MTS Systems, Inc., was used to conduct the tensile, compression, and torsional testing. These tests were used to determine the stress-strain curves for the resins. The elastic and plastic deformation data was provided to another team member for characterization of high fidelity material property predictions. This information was useful in having a better understanding of the polymers so that the fan cases could be as sturdy as possible. Deformation studies are the foundation for the computational modeling that provides the structural design of a composite engine case as well as detailed analysis of the blade impact event.

Dvoracek, Charlene M.↗