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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 289 records · Page 16

The Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications (LEIA) Pre-Flight Tests: Mechanical Considerations​

The BioSensor payload on the upcoming LEIA platform aboard the CLPS (CP-22) lander will carry yeast to the Moon's south pole to study the effects of lunar radiation and gravity. From Earth, BioSensor will transport desiccated yeast within 16 fluidic cards, each containing 16 fluidic wells of 100 microliters volume. At the start of the experiment, these microbes will be autonomously rehydrated on the Moon, and optical absorbance measurements at three wavelengths will be performed across all 256 wells. Absorbance measurements in fluidic wells are susceptible to noise and artifacts due to bubble formation during well rehydration and microbial growth. BioSensor, as a biofluidics system, faces significant data anomalies caused by payload vibrations, particularly from the operation of the co-located PROSPECT’s ProSEED drill, to assess lunar resources by penetrating the subsurface. To evaluate the impact of drill vibrations, fully assembled and filled fluidic cards were subjected to sine sweep signals in the x, y, z planes, ranging from 5 - 2560 Hz at g-loads of 0.25 and 0.5, with on-board accelerometer for localized vibration measurement. Wells with various fill conditions, including partial fills with different bubble sizes and completely filled wells, were tested. Results indicated that small bubbles adhered to well walls at high frequencies but were dislodged at low frequencies, causing data anomalies. Medium and large bubbles exhibited higher interference with optical data due to lower surface tension and variable bubble surface flexion. Overall, it was found that irrespective of the fill type, low-frequency vibrations were most detrimental to optical readings. Understanding the drill schedule and correlating it with BioSensor timestamps will help identify periods when BioSensor data is unreliable, a crucial step for accurately interpreting the microbial response data and ensuring the validity of the BioSensor's scientific measurements on the lunar surface.

Chinmayee Govinda Raj↗

An evaluation of excitation techniques for time domain based flutter data processing

Numerically simulated, wind tunnel and flight test experimental data were used to evaluate various types of system excitation sources for subcritical flutter testing. Emphasis was placed upon the determination of modal frequencies and damping from relatively short time series records. Parameter identification based upon digital time series models was used to predict modal characteristics from subcritical test data. Various types of excitation were considered. These were: 1) impulsive loading and the resulting transient free vibration response, 2) random forced response, in which the 'mechanical' forcing function could be directly measured, 3) sine sweep forced response, in which the 'mechanical' forcing function could be directly measured, and 4) forced response from unsteady aerodynamic excitation or turbulence, in which the excitation could only be indirectly inferred from other measurements.

Pinkelman, J. K.↗

The color bar phase meter: A simple and economical method for calibrating crystal oscillators

Comparison of crystal oscillators to the rubidium stabilized color burst is made easy and inexpensive by use of the color bar phase meter. Required equipment consists of an unmodified color TV receiver, a color bar synthesizer and a stop watch (a wrist watch or clock with sweep second hand may be used with reduced precision). Measurement precision of 1 x 10 to the minus 10th power can be realized in measurement times of less than two minutes. If the color bar synthesizer were commercially available, user cost should be less than $200.00, exclusive of the TV receiver. Parts cost for the color bar synthesizer which translates the crystal oscillator frequency to 3.579MHz and modulates the received RF signal before it is fed to the receiver antenna terminals is about $25.00. A more sophisticated automated version, with precision of 1 x 10 to the minus 11th power would cost about twice as much.

Davis, D. D.↗

Test Cases for a Rectangular Supercritical Wing Undergoing Pitching Oscillations

Steady and unsteady measured pressures for a Rectangular Supercritical Wing (RSW) undergoing pitching oscillations have been presented. From the several hundred compiled data points, 27 static and 36 pitching oscillation cases have been proposed for computational Test Cases to illustrate the trends with Mach number, reduced frequency, and angle of attack. The wing was designed to be a simple configuration for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) comparisons. The wing had an unswept rectangular planform plus a tip of revolution, a panel aspect ratio of 2.0, a twelve per cent thick supercritical airfoil section, and no twist. The model was tested over a wide range of Mach numbers, from 0.27 to 0.90, corresponding to low subsonic flows up to strong transonic flows. The higher Mach numbers are well beyond the design Mach number such as might be required for flutter verification beyond cruise conditions. The pitching oscillations covered a broad range of reduced frequencies. Some early calculations for this wing are given for lifting pressure as calculated from a linear lifting surface program and from a transonic small perturbation program. The unsteady results were given primarily for a mild transonic condition at M = 0.70. For these cases the agreement with the data was only fair, possibly resulting from the omission of viscous effects. Supercritical airfoil sections are known to be sensitive to viscous effects (for example, one case cited). Calculations using a higher level code with the full potential equations have been presented for one of the same cases, and with the Euler equations. The agreement around the leading edge was improved, but overall the agreement was not completely satisfactory. Typically for low-aspect-ratio rectangular wings, transonic shock waves on the wing tend to sweep forward from root to tip such that there are strong three-dimensional effects. It might also be noted that for most of the test, the model was tested with free transition, but a few points were taken with an added transition strip for comparison. Some unpublished results of a rigid wing of the same airfoil and planform that was tested on the pitch and plunge apparatus mount system (PAPA) showed effects of the lower surface transition Strip on flutter at the lower subsonic Mach numbers. Significant effects of a transition strip were also obtained on a wing with a thicker supercritical section on the PAPA mount system. Both of these flutter tests on the PAPA resulted in very low reduced frequencies that may be a factor in this influence of the transition strip. However, these results indicate that correlation studies for RSW may require some attention to the estimation of transition location to accurately treat viscous effects. In this report several Test Cases are selected to illustrate trends for a variety of different conditions with emphasis on transonic flow effects. An overview of the model and tests is given and the standard formulary for these data is listed. Sample data points are presented in both tabular and graphical form. A complete tabulation and plotting of all the Test Cases is given. Only the static pressures and the real and imaginary parts of the first harmonic of the unsteady pressures are available. All the data for the test are available in electronic file form. The Test Cases are also available as separate electronic files.

Bennett, Robert M.↗

Minimization of Measurement Uncertainty in Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry

Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) is a technique for interrogating optical fiber sensors to generate relative, quasi-distributed measurements. Although Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) is increasingly being adopted for aerospace, energy production, and structural monitoring applications, the quantification of uncertainty for OFDR measurements has not been developed beyond sparse empirical relationships. To address this knowledge gap, an uncertainty metric for OFDR measurements was developed. This uncertainty metric was applied to weight the edges between OFDR measurements on directed correlation graphs and analyzed to minimize the cumulative uncertainty. In conclusion, this work is the first to propose an uncertainty metric for OFDR and provides a generalized mathematical framework for optimizing OFDR hardware selection, optical fiber sensor selection, and postprocessing strategy.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Unsteady surface pressure distributions on a delta wing undergoing large amplitude pitching motions

Wind tunnel experiments were performed on a 70-deg-sweep delta wing to determine the effect of a sinusoidal pitching motion on the pressure field on the suction side of the wing. Pressure taps were placed from 35-90 percent of the chord, at 60 percent of the local semi-span. Pressure coefficients were measured as functions of Reynolds number and pitch rate. The surface pressure distribution was seen to vary at the same frequency as the pitching frequency, though distortion due to the vortex breakdown was observed. Comparing the upstroke (angle of attack increasing) and downstroke (angle of attack decreasing) pressures for a specific angle of attack, a time lag in the pressure distribution was observed. The downstroke pressures were slightly larger at the forward chord locations. Vortex breakdown was seen to have the most significant effect at the 40-45-percent chord location, where an increase in local pressure was apparent, as well as a distortion of the periodic pressure fluctuation.

Thompson, S. A.↗

Radar Back End for NASA/ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Instrument

In this paper we present design, manufacture and qualification of a Radar Back End (RBE) for NISAR Mission’s Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Instrument. The instrument uses Sweep SAR technique to generate high fidelity radar images while capturing an image over a large swath. It requires highly stable clocks to accomplish that. NISAR RBE is the heart of the L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (LSAR) instrument. It generates radar’s transmit chirp signals, ultra-stable clocks and oscillators signals. In order to generate ultra-stable clocks some novel filtering and frequency multiplication techniques were utilized. These techniques have been presented in this paper. NISAR mission requires over 200 chirps to perform science measurements. Hardware and firmware architecture utilized to generate chirps have been presented in this paper. Unique space qualified techniques for DC to DC conversion has been presented in this paper. In addition, RBE was designed to be block redundant space qualified assembly. Novel cross strapping techniques were implemented to achieve that. Validation and qualification process employed to certify RBE flight hardware for flight has been presented in this paper.

Quddus, Momin↗

Booster cavity damper redesign for PIP-II

A new Higher Order Mode (HOM) damper was designed and is undergoing testing for the Booster accelerator cavity at Fermilab. In anticipation of the PIP-II upgrade, it was discovered that the higher intensity of PIP-II may cause beam instability due to an excited mode at 106 MHz. This unfortunately corresponds with the cavity’s 2nd order harmonic mode, which will sweep from 86-105.7 MHz. The new damper is a modification of an existing damper that was designed to reduce an existing static HOM at 83 MHz, with the new design intending to cover the 2nd order HOM as well. The existing damper uses an inductive coupling loop to extract RF energy from the cavity which then goes through a filter in order to reflect the fundamental frequency back into the cavity while passing HOMs to a dump load. The new damper intends to replace the filter portion of the system with a wider band variant while also changing the topology from a coaxial cable loop filter to a componentized PCB-based design. Primary design challenges include bandwidth coverage, impedance matching of the various modes, long term thermal and mechanical stability, radiation hardness, and high voltage handling. Initial designs achieved the desired damping but were found to quickly succumb to destructive arcing due to the voltages present. More finalized designs intend to address this problem through circuit design modifications as well as the use of hardier components.

Pieper, Dustin [Fermilab]↗

Booster Cavity Damper Redesign for PIP-II

A new Higher Order Mode (HOM) damper was designed and tested for the Booster accelerator cavity at Fermilab. In anticipation of the PIP-II upgrade, it was discovered that the higher beam intensity of PIP-II may cause beam instability due to an excited mode at 106 MHz. This unfortunately corresponds with the cavity s 2nd order harmonic mode, which will sweep from 86-105.7 MHz. The new damper is a modification of an existing damper that was designed to reduce an existing static HOM at 83 MHz, with the new design intending to cover the 2nd order HOM as well. The existing damper uses an inductive coupling loop to extract RF energy from the cavity which then goes through a filter in order to reflect the fundamental frequency back into the cavity while passing HOMs to a dump load. The new damper intends to replace the filter portion of the system with a wider band variant while also changing the topology from a coaxial cable loop filter to a componentized PCB-based design. Primary design challenges include bandwidth coverage, impedance matching of the various modes, long term thermal and mechanical stability, radiation hardness, and high voltage handling. Initial designs achieved the desired damping but were found to quickly succumb to destructive arcing due to the voltages present. More finalized designs intend to address this problem through circuit design modifications as well as the use of hardier components.

Pieper, Dustin [Fermilab]↗

Water-tunnel study of transition flow around circular cylinders

The recently reported phenomenon of asymmetric flow separation from a circular cylinder in the critical Reynolds number regime has been confirmed in a water-tunnel experiment. For the first time, an attempt was made to visualize the wake of the cylinder during the transition from subcritical to critical flow and to correlate the visualizations with lift and drag measurements. The occurrence of a dominant asymmetric-flow state was quite repeatable, both when increasing and decreasing the Reynolds number, resulting in a mean lift coefficient of C sub L approx 1.2 and a shift in the angle of the wake by about 12 deg. A distinctive step change in the drag and shedding frequency was also found to occur. A hysteresis was confirmed to exist in this region as the Reynolds number was cycled over the transition range. Both boundaries of the asymmetry appear to be supercritical bifurcations in the flow. The asymmetry was normally steady in the mean; however, there were instances when the direction of the asymmetry reversed and remained so for the duration of the Reynolds number sweep through this transition region. A second asymmetry was observed at a higher Reynolds number; however, the mean lift coefficient was much lower, and the direction of the asymmetry was not observed to reverse. Introducing a small local disturbance into the boundary layer was found to prevent the critical asymmetry from developing along the entire span of the cylinder.

Almosnino, D.↗

Using Formal to Exhaustively Determine Unsafe Clock Ratios Between Asynchronous Blocks

In this paper we will show how formal property checking can be used to exhaustively sweep the range of allowable clock ratios between any two blocks to determine if their correct operation is maintained. First, we obtain, or create, models of the sending and receiving blocks (in either VHDL or Verilog). After basic functional validation of these models, we then write the property set to reflect the functional requirements of each block. As the clocks between them allow for a range of frequency ratios, we employ the formal analysis principal of nondeterminism to lock-on to a particular supported frequency ratio and prove that the functional requirements are still met.

Hendrickson, Eric↗

Results of buffet tests in a cryogenic wind tunnel

Buffet tests on two semispan wing models with different leading edge sweep show that it is feasibile to use the standard dynamic wing root bending moment technique in a cryogenic wind tunnel. One model was a slender 65 deg swept delta wing with sharp leading edges. The other model was an unswept wing of aspect ratio 1.5 with a British NPL 9510 airfoil section. The results for the 65 deg swept delta wing indicate the importance of matching the reduced frequency parameter in model tests for planforms which are sensitive to reduced frequency parameter if quantitative buffet measurements are required. The unique ability of a pressurized cryogenic wind tunnel to separate the effects of Reynolds number and of static aeroelastic distortion by variations in the tunnel stagnation temperature and pressure were demonstrated.

Boyden, R. P.↗

Surface pressure distributions on a delta wing undergoing large amplitude pitching oscillations

Wind tunnel experiments were performed on a 70 deg sweep delta wing to determine the effect of a sinusoidal pitching motion on the pressure field on the suction side of the wing. Twelve pressure taps were placed from 35 to 90 percent of the chord, at 60 percent of the local semi-span. Pressure coefficients were measured as a function of Reynolds number and pitch rate. The pressure coefficient was seen to vary at approximately the same frequency as the pitching frequency. The relative pressure variation at each chord location was comparable for each case. The average pressure distribution through each periodic motion was near the static distribution for the average angle of attack. Upon comparing the upstroke and downstroke pressures for a specific angle of attack, the downstroke pressures were slightly larger. Vortex breakdown was seen to have the most significant effect at the 40 to 45 percent chord location, where a decrease in pressure was apparent.

Thompson, Scott A.↗

Transonic single-mode flutter and buffet of a low aspect ratio wing having a subsonic airfoil shape

Transonic flutter and buffet results obtained from wind-tunnel tests of a low aspect ratio semispan wing model are presented. The tests were conducted to investigate potential transonic aeroelastic problems of vehicles having subsonic airfoil sections. The model employed NACA 00XX-64 airfoil sections in the streamwise direction and had a 14 deg leading edge sweep angle. Aspect ratio, and average thickness were 4.0, 0.35, and 8 percent, respectively. The model was tested at Mach numbers from 0.6 to 0.95 at angles of attack from 0 deg to 15 deg. Two zero lift flutter conditions were found that involved essentially single normal mode vibrations. With boundary layer trips on the model, flutter occurred in a narrow Mach number range centered at about Mach 0.90. The frequency and motion of this flutter were like that of the first normal mode vibration. With the trips removed flutter occurred at a slightly high Mach number but in a mode strongly resembling that of the second normal mode.

Erickson, L. L.↗

Flutter clearance of the F-14 variable-sweep transition flight experiment airplane, phase 1

An F-14 airplane was modified to become the test bed aircraft for the variable sweep transition flight experiment (VSTFE) program. The latter is a laminar flow program designed to measure the effects of wing sweep on boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The airplane was modified by adding an upper surface foam-fiberglass glove over a portion of the left wing. Ground vibration and flight flutter testing were accomplished to clear a sufficient flight envelope to conduct the laminar flow experiments. Flight test data indicated satisfactory damping levels and damping trends for the elastic structural modes of the airplane. The data presented include frequency and damping as functions of Mach number.

Kehoe, Michael W.↗

Variable Sweep Transition Flight Experiment (VSTFE): Unified Stability System (USS). Description and Users' Manual

NASA initiated the Variable Sweep Transition Flight Experiment (VSTFE) to establish a boundary layer transition database for laminar flow wing design. For this experiment, full-span upper surface gloves were fitted to a variable sweep F-14 aircraft. The development of an improved laminar boundary layer stability analysis system called the Unified Stability System (USS) is documented and results of its use on the VSTFE flight data are shown. The USS consists of eight computer codes. The theoretical background of the system is described, as is the input, output, and usage hints. The USS is capable of analyzing boundary layer stability over a wide range of disturbance frequencies and orientations, making it possible to use different philosophies in calculating the growth of disturbances on sweptwings.

Rozendaal, Rodger A.↗

Thermal Control using Electrochromism

The applicability of a charge balanced electrochromic device to modulate the frequencies in the thermal infrared region is examined in this study. The device consisted of a transparent conductor, WO3 anode, PMMA/LiClO4 electrolyte, V2O5 cathode and transparent conductor. The supporting structure in the device is SnO2 coated glass and the edges are sealed with epoxy to reduce moisture absorption. The performance evaluation comprised of cyclic voltammetric measurements and determination of transmittance at various wavelengths. The device was subjected to anodic and cathodic polarization by sweeping the potential at a rate of 10 mV/sec from -0.8V to 1.8V. The current versus voltage profile indicated no reaction between -0.5 and +0.5 V. The device is colored green at 1.8V with a transmittance of 5% at a wavelength, lambda=900 nm and colorless at -0.8V with a transmittance of 74% at lambda=500 nm. The optical modulation is limited to 400-1500 nm and there is no activity in the thermal infrared. The switching time is 75 seconds for transmittance to decrease from 74% to 50%. The device yielded reproducible values for transmittance when cycled between colored and bleached states by application of 1.8V and -0.8V, respectively.

Vaidyanathan, Hari↗

Thermal Control Using Electrochromism

The applicability of a charge balanced electrochromic device to modulate the frequencies in the thermal infrared region is examined in this study. The device consisted of a transparent conductor, WO3, anode, PMMA/LiClO4 electrolyte, V2O5 cathode and transparent conductor. The supporting structure in the device is SnO2 coated glass and the edges are sealed with epoxy to reduce moisture absorption. The performance evaluation comprised of cyclic voltammetric measurements and determination of transmittance at various wavelengths. The device was subjected to anodic and cathodic polarization by sweeping the potential at a rate of 10 mV/sec from -0.8V to 1.8V. The current versus voltage profile indicated no reaction between -0.5 and +0.5 V. The device is colored green at 1.8 V with a transmittance of 5% at a wavelength, lambda = 900 nm and colorless at -0.8 V with a transmittance of 74% at lambda = 500 nm. The optical modulation is limited to 400-1500 nm and there is no activity in the thermal infrared. The switching time is a function of temperature and time for coloring reaction was slower than the bleaching reaction. The device yielded reproducible values for transmittance when cycled between colored and bleached states by application of 1.8V and -0.8V, respectively.

Vaidyanathan, Hari↗