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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 271 records · Page 15

Investigation of the Arcjet near Field Plume Using Electrostatic Probes

The near field plume of a 1 kW class arcjet thruster was investigated using electrostatic probes of various geometries. The electron number densities and temperatures were determined in a simulated hydrazine plume at axial distances between 3 cm (1.2 in.) and 15 cm (5.9 in.) and radial distances extending to 10 cm (3.9 in.) off centerline. Values of electron number densities obtained using cylindrical and spherical probes of different geometries agreed very well. The electron density on centerline followed a source flow approximation for axial distances as near as 3 cm (1.2 in.) from the nozzle exit plane. The model agreed well with previously obtained data in the far field. The effects of propellant mass flow rate and input power level were also studied. Cylindrical probes were used to obtain ion streamlines by changing the probe orientation with respect to the flow. The effects of electrical configuration on the plasma characteristics of the plume were also investigated by using a segmented anode/nozzle thruster. The results showed that the electrical configuration in the nozzle affected the distribution of electrons in the plume.

Sankovic, John M.↗

Development of an analytical tool to study power quality of AC power systems for large spacecraft

A harmonic power flow program applicable to space power systems with sources of harmonic distortion is described. The algorithm is a modification of the Electric Power Research Institute's HARMFLO program which assumes a three phase, balanced, AC system with loads of harmonic distortion. The modified power flow program can be used with single phase, AC systems. Early results indicate that the required modifications and the models developed are quite adequate for the analysis of a 20 kHz testbed built by General Dynamics Corporation. This is demonstrated by the acceptable correlation of present results with published data. Although the results are not exact, the discrepancies are relatively small.

Kraft, L. Alan↗

Development of an analytical tool to study power quality of ac power systems for large spacecraft

A harmonic power flow program applicable to space power systems with sources of harmonic distortion is described. The algorithm is a modification of Electric Power Research Institute's HARMFLO program which assumes a three-phase, balanced, ac system with loads of harmonic distortion. The modified power flow program can be used with single phase, ac systems. Early results indicate that the required modifications and the models developed are quite adequate for the analysis of a 20-kHz testbed built by General Dynamics Corporation. This is demonstrated by the acceptable correlation of the present results with published data. Although the results are not exact, the discrepancies are relatively small.

Kraft, L. A.↗

Pickup protons and water ions at Comet Halley - Comparisons with Giotto observations

The cometary ion pickup process along the sun-comet line at Comet Halley is investigated using a quasi-linear diffusion model including both pitch angle and energy diffusion, adiabatic compression, and convective motion with the solar wind flow. The model results are compared with energetic ion distributions observed by instruments on board the Giotto spacecraft. The observed power spectrum index of magnetic turbulence (gamma) is 2-2.5. The present simulation shows that when gamma was 2, the calculated proton distributions were much more isotropic than the observed ones. The numerical solutions of the quasi-linear diffusion equations show that the isotropization of the pickup ion distribution, particularly at the pickup velocity, is not complete even close to the bow shock. Given the observed turbulence level, quasi-linear theory yields pickup ion energy distributions that agree with the observed ones quite well and easily produces energetic ions with energies up to hundreds of keV.

Ye, G.↗

Io's heat flow from infrared radiometry: 1983-1993

We report the following results from a decade of infrared radiometry of Io: (1) The average global heat flow is more than approx. 2.5 W/sq.m, (2) large warm (less than or equal to 200 K) volcanic regions dominate the global heat flow, (3) smal high-temperature (greater than or = 300 K) 'hotspots' contribute little to the average heat flow, (4) thermal anomalies on the leading hemisphere contribute about half of the heat flow, (5) a substantial amount of heat is radiated during Io's night, (6) high-temperature (greater than or = 600 K) 'outbursts' occurred during approx. 4% of the nights we observed, (7) 'Loki' is the brightest, persistent, infrared emission feature, and (8) some excess emission is always present at the longitude of Loki, but its intensity and other characteristics change between apparitions. Observations of Io at M(4.8 micrometer), 8.7 micrometer, N(10 micrometer), and Q(20 micrometer) with the Infrared Telescope Facility presented here were collected during nine apparitions between 1983 and 1993. These measurements provide full longitudinal coveraged as well as an eclipse observation and the detection of two outbursts. Reflected sunlight, passive thermal emission, and radiation from thermal anomalies all contribute to the observed flux densities. We find that a new thermophysical model is required to match all the data. Two key elements of this model are (1) a 'thermal reservoir' unit which lowers daytime temperatures, and (2) the 'thermal pedestal effect' which shifts to shorter wavelengths the spectral emission due to the reradiation of solar energy absorbed by the thermal anomalies. The thermal anomalies are modeled with a total of 10 source components at five locations. Io's heat flow is the sum of the power from these components.

Veeder, Glenn J.↗

NASA Tech Briefs, April 2012

Topics include: Computational Ghost Imaging for Remote Sensing; Digital Architecture for a Trace Gas Sensor Platform; Dispersed Fringe Sensing Analysis - DFSA; Indium Tin Oxide Resistor-Based Nitric Oxide Microsensors; Gas Composition Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Arrays; Sensor for Boundary Shear Stress in Fluid Flow; Model-Based Method for Sensor Validation; Qualification of Engineering Camera for Long-Duration Deep Space Missions; Remotely Powered Reconfigurable Receiver for Extreme Environment Sensing Platforms; Bump Bonding Using Metal-Coated Carbon Nanotubes; In Situ Mosaic Brightness Correction; Simplex GPS and InSAR Inversion Software; Virtual Machine Language 2.1; Multi-Scale Three-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation System for Coastal Ocean Prediction; Pandora Operation and Analysis Software; Fabrication of a Cryogenic Bias Filter for Ultrasensitive Focal Plane; Processing of Nanosensors Using a Sacrificial Template Approach; High-Temperature Shape Memory Polymers; Modular Flooring System; Non-Toxic, Low-Freezing, Drop-In Replacement Heat Transfer Fluids; Materials That Enhance Efficiency and Radiation Resistance of Solar Cells; Low-Cost, Rugged High-Vacuum System; Static Gas-Charging Plug; Floating Oil-Spill Containment Device; Stemless Ball Valve; Improving Balance Function Using Low Levels of Electrical Stimulation of the Balance Organs; Oxygen-Methane Thruster; Lunar Navigation Determination System - LaNDS; Launch Method for Kites in Low-Wind or No-Wind Conditions; Supercritical CO2 Cleaning System for Planetary Protection and Contamination Control Applications; Design and Performance of a Wideband Radio Telescope; Finite Element Models for Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication Process Autonomous Information Unit for Fine-Grain Data Access Control and Information Protection in a Net-Centric System; Vehicle Detection for RCTA/ANS (Autonomous Navigation System); Image Mapping and Visual Attention on the Sensory Ego-Sphere; HyDE Framework for Stochastic and Hybrid Model-Based Diagnosis; and IMAGESEER - IMAGEs for Education and Research.

Source record↗

Wind tunnel and ground static tests of a .094 scale powered model of a modified T-39 lift/cruise fan V/STOL research airplane

Ground static and wind tunnel test of a scale model modified T-39 airplane are reported. The configuration in the nose and replacement of the existing nacelles with tilting lift/cruise fans. The model was powered with three 14 cm diameter tip driven turbopowered simulators. Forces and moments were measured by an internal strain guage balance. Engine simulator thrust and mass flow were measured by calibrated pressure and temperature instrumentation mounted downstream of the fans. The low speed handling qualities and general aerodynamic characteristics of the modified T-39 were defined. Test variables include thrust level and thrust balance, forward speed, model pitch and sideslip angle at forward speeds, model pitch, roll, and ground height during static tests, lift/cruise fan tilt angle, flap and aileron deflection angle, and horizonal stabilizer angle. The effects of removing the landing gear, the lift/cruise fans, and the tail surfaces were also investigated.

Hunt, D.↗

Can standard cosmological models explain the observed Abell cluster bulk flow?

Lauer and Postman (LP) observed that all Abell clusters with redshifts less than 15,000 km/s appear to be participating in a bulk flow of 689 km/s with respect to the cosmic microwave background. We find this result difficult to reconcile with all popular models for large-scale structure formation that assume Gaussian initial conditions. This conclusion is based on Monte Carlo realizations of the LP data, drawn from large particle-mesh N-body simulations for six different models of the initial power spectrum (standard, tilted, and Omega(sub 0) = 0.3 cold dark matter, and two variants of the primordial baryon isocurvature model). We have taken special care to treat properly the longest-wavelength components of the power spectra. The simulations are sampled, 'observed,' and analyzed as identically as possible to the LP cluster sample. Large-scale bulk flows as measured from clusters in the simulations are in excellent agreement with those measured from the grid: the clusters do not exhibit any strong velocity bias on large scales. Bulk flows with amplitude as large as that reported by LP are not uncommon in the Monte Carlo data stes; the distribution of measured bulk flows before error bias subtraction is rougly Maxwellian, with a peak around 400 km/s. However the chi squared of the observed bulk flow, taking into account the anisotropy of the error ellipsoid, is much more difficult to match in the simulations. The models examined are ruled out at confidence levels between 94% and 98%.

Strauss, Michael A.↗

Transient Simulation of the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) Rocket Engine

The IPD rocket engine is the product of a joint Air Force/NASA program to demonstrate the concept of a full-flow staged combustion power cycle. In this type of rocket engine cycle, both the entire fuel flow and the entire oxidizer flow are combusted in one of two pre-bumers and used to drive two turbopumps, thus utilizing the flow work of the total propellant flow. The basis of the IPD engine program relies on integrating newly developed and pre-existing hardware to demonstrate the component and material technologies to make this concept feasible, while simultaneously saving development time and costs. To provide insight to the project team and contractors during engine development and test phases, the engine system was modeled at MSFC using the Rocket Engine Transient Simulation (ROCETS) software to analyze system performance and determine component integration issues. The ROCETS software is used extensively a MSFC to perform steady-state power-balances and transient simulations of thermodynamic power and general fluid systems. The software is favored for its capability to solve large systems of non-linear equations, its librarie of fluid properties and flow devices, its flexibility to modify existing code to improve the physics-derived approximations of real fluid thermodynamic behavior, and the ability to add unique system constraints. The purpose of this paper is to present the methodology used to model the IPD engine system, detail the pitfalls encountered with the software, and explain the approximations made to more accurately represent engine component and fluid behavior. Engine system performance output from the model will be presented and explained in comparison with real fluid and component behavior.

Guidos, Mike↗

The application of LQR synthesis techniques to the turboshaft engine control problem

A power turbine governor was designed for a recent-technology turboshaft engine coupled to a modern, articulated rotor system using Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) and Kalman Filter (KF) techniques. A linear, state-space model of the engine and rotor system was derived for six engine power settings from flight idle to maximum continuous. An integrator was appended to the fuel flow input to reduce the steady-state governor error to zero. Feedback gains were calculated for the system states at each power setting using the LQR technique. The main rotor tip speed state is not measurable, so a Kalman Filter of the rotor was used to estimate this state. The crossover of the system was increased to 10 rad/s compared to 2 rad/sec for a current governor. Initial computer simulations with a nonlinear engine model indicate a significant decrease in power turbine speed variation with the LQR governor compared to a conventional governor.

Pfeil, W. H.↗

The application of LQR synthesis techniques to the turboshaft engine control problem

A power turbine governor was designed for a recent-technology turboshaft engine coupled to a modern, articulated rotor system using Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) and Kalman Filter (KF) techniques. A linear, state-space model of the engine and rotor system was derived for six engine power settings from flight idle to maximum continuous. An integrator was appended to the fuel flow input to reduce the steady-state governor error to zero. Feedback gains were calculated for the system states at each power setting using the LQR technique. The main rotor tip speed state is not measurable, so a Kalman Filter of the rotor was used to estimate this state. The crossover of the system was increased to 10 rad/s compared to 2 rad/sec for a current governor. Initial computer simulations with a nonlinear engine model indicate a significant decrease in power turbine speed variation with the LQR governor compared to a conventional governor.

Pfeil, W. H.↗

Modeling Two-Phase Flow and Vapor Cycles Using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program

This work presents three new applications for the general purpose fluid network solver code GFSSP developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center: (1) cooling tower, (2) vapor-compression refrigeration system, and (3) vapor-expansion power generation system. These systems are widely used across engineering disciplines in a variety of energy systems, and these models expand the capabilities and the use of GFSSP to include fluids and features that are not part of its present set of provided examples. GFSSP provides pressure, temperature, and species concentrations at designated locations, or nodes, within a fluid network based on a finite volume formulation of thermodynamics and conservation laws. This paper describes the theoretical basis for the construction of the models, their implementation in the current GFSSP modeling system, and a brief evaluation of the usefulness of the model results, as well as their applicability toward a broader spectrum of analytical problems in both university teaching and engineering research.

Smith, Amanda D.↗

Analysis of dewar and transfer line cooldown in Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer Flight Experiment (SHOOT)

The Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer Flight Experiment (SHOOT) is designed to demonstrate the techniques and components required for orbital superfluid (He II) replenishment of observatories and satellites. One of the tasks planned in the experiment is to cool a warm cryogen tank and a warm transfer line to liquid helium temperature. A math model, based on single-phase vapor flow heat transfer, has been developed to predict the cooldown time, component temperature histories, and helium consumption rate, for various initial conditions of the components and for the thermomechanical pump heater powers of 2 W and 0.5 W. This paper discusses the model and the analytical results, which can be used for planning the experiment operations and determining the pump heater power required for the cooldown operation.

Ng, Y. S.↗

Engineering model system study for a regenerative fuel cell: Study report

Key design issues of the regenerative fuel cell system concept were studied and a design definition of an alkaline electrolyte based engineering model system or low Earth orbit missions was completed. Definition of key design issues for a regenerative fuel cell system include gaseous reactant storage, shared heat exchangers and high pressure pumps. A power flow diagram for the 75 kW initial space station and the impact of different regenerative fuel cell modular sizes on the total 5 year to orbit weight and volume are determined. System characteristics, an isometric drawing, component sizes and mass and energy balances are determined for the 10 kW engineering model system. An open loop regenerative fuel cell concept is considered for integration of the energy storage system with the life support system of the space station. Technical problems and their solutions, pacing technologies and required developments and demonstrations for the regenerative fuel cell system are defined.

Chang, B. J.↗

CFD Analysis of Hypersonic Flowfields With Surface Thermochemistry and Ablation

In the past forty years much progress has been made in computational methods applied to the solution of problems in spacecraft hypervelocity flow and heat transfer. Although the basic thermochemical and physical modeling techniques have changed little in this time, several orders of magnitude increase in the speed of numerically solving the Navier-Stokes and associated energy equations have been achieved. The extent to which this computational power can be applied to the design of spacecraft heat shields is dependent on the proper coupling of the external flow equations to the boundary conditions and governing equations representing the thermal protection system in-depth conduction, pyrolysis and surface ablation phenomena. A discussion of the techniques used to do this in past problems as well as the current state-of-art is provided. Specific examples, including past missions such as Galileo, together with the more recent case studies of ESA/Rosetta Sample Comet Return, Mars Pathfinder and X-33 will be discussed. Modeling assumptions, design approach and computational methods and results are presented.

Henline, W. D.↗

Combined Quadrupole-dipole Model for Inlet Flow Distortion Noise from a Subsonic Fan

A combined quadrupole-dipole model has been developed for the noise generated by inlet flow distortion in a subsonic fan. A formula is derived for the total upstream-radiated acoustic power in each tone as a function of the design parameters of the fan and the properties of the inlet flow distortion. Numerical results are obtained for values of the parameters corresponding to various quiet fans. The analysis is compared with noise measurements taken on a 51-cm (20-in.) diameter research fan as well as with those taken on a number of full-scale fan stages. Fairly good agreement was obtained. It should therefore be possible to use this model to study the noise-reduction potential of the various fan design parameters.

Goldstein, M. E.↗

Development of turbulence models for shear flows by a double expansion technique

Turbulence models are developed by supplementing the renormalization group (RNG) approach of Yakhot and Orszag with scale expansions for the Reynolds stress and production of dissipation terms. The additional expansion parameter (eta) is the ratio of the turbulent to mean strain time scale. While low-order expansions appear to provide an adequate description of the Reynolds stress, no finite truncation of the expansion for the production of dissipation term in powers of eta suffices - terms of all orders must be retained. Based on these ideas, a new two-equation model and Reynolds stress transport model are developed for turbulent shear flows. The models are tested for homogeneous shear flow and flow over a backward facing step. Comparisons between the model predictions and experimental data are excellent.

Yakhot, V.↗

Development of turbulence models for shear flows by a double expansion technique

Turbulence models are developed by supplementing the renormalization group (RNG) approach of Yakhot and Orszag with scale expansions for the Reynolds stress and production of dissipation terms. The additional expansion parameter (eta) is the ratio of the turbulent to mean strain time scale. While low-order expansions appear to provide an adequate description of the Reynolds stress, no finite truncation of the expansion for the production of dissipation term in powers of eta suffices - terms of all orders must be retained. Based on these ideas, a new two-equation model and Reynolds stress transport model are developed for turbulent shear flows. The models are tested for homogeneous shear flow and flow over a backward facing step. Comparisons between the model predictions and experimental data are excellent.

Yakhot, V.↗