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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

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NASA NTRS1976

Space-to-earth power transmission system

A preliminary analysis was conducted to establish the requirements of a space-to-earth microwave power transmission system. The need for accurate phase control on the transmitter was established and methods for assessing the impact of power density and thermal constraints on system performance were demonstrated. Potential radio frequency interference was considered. The sensitivity of transmission system scale to variations in power source, transportation and orbital fabrication and assembly costs was also determined.

Stevens, G. H.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Interface design considerations for terrestrial solar cell modules

The need for increased solar array electrical efficiency and reliability in the achievement of future large-scale system cost goals is discussed. The relative performance of various array module designs currently on the market is evaluated, and further design improvements are suggested. The subjects of module efficiency, temperature control, and series/parallel reliability are analyzed. Applications for various combinations of array characteristics are considered.

Ross, R. G., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Relationships between convective storms and their environment in AVE IV determined from a three-dimensional subsynoptic-scale, trajectory model

The paper describes interrelationships between synoptic-scale and convective-scale systems obtained by following individual air parcels as they traveled within the convective storm environment of AVE IV. (NASA's fourth Atmospheric Variability Experiment, AVE IV, was a 36-hour study in April 1975 of the atmospheric variability and structure in regions of convective storms.) A three-dimensional trajectory model was used to calculate parcel paths, and manually digitized radar was employed to locate convective activity of various intensities and to determine those trajectories that traversed the storm environment. Spatial and temporal interrelationships are demonstrated by reference to selected time periods of AVE IV which contain the development and movement of the squall line in which the Neosho tornado was created.

Wilson, G. S.↗

NASA NTRS1981

A split explicit reformulation of the regional numerical weather prediction model of the Japan Meteorological Agency

The split explicit integration scheme for numerical weather prediction models is employed in a version of the regional numerical weather prediction model of the Japan Meteorological Agency. The finite-difference scheme of the model is designed in the manner proposed by Okamura (1975). The horizontal advection terms in the governing equations are integrated with a time step limited by the wind speed while the terms which describe inertial-gravity oscillations are integrated in a succession of shorter time steps. The physical processes included within the model are precipitation, small-scale convection, surface exchanges of sensible and latent heat, and radiative heating and cooling. An example of a surface pressure forecast over Europe is shown for initial data observed at 0000 GMT 29 December 1979. Quantitative precipitation forecasts over Europe and North America for the 24 h period beginning at 0000 GMT 30 December 1979 are also shown. It is concluded that the model is capable of realistically depicting the evolution of synoptic-scale systems.

Duffy, D. G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Performance of high-altitude, long-endurance, turboprop airplanes using conventional or cryogenic fuels

An analytical study has been conducted to evaluate the potential endurance of remotely piloted, low speed, high altitude, long endurance airplanes designed with 1990 technology. The baseline configuration was a propeller driven, sailplane like airplane powered by turbine engines that used JP-7, liquid methane, or liquid hydrogen as fuel. Endurance was measured as the time spent between 60,000 feet and an engine limited maximum altitude of 70,000 feet. Performance was calculated for a baseline vehicle and for configurations derived by varying aerodynamic, structural or propulsion parameters. Endurance is maximized by reducing wing loading and engine size. The level of maximum endurance for a given wing loading is virtually the same for all three fuels. Constraints due to winds aloft and propulsion system scaling produce maximum endurance values of 71 hours for JP-7 fuel, 70 hours for liquid methane, and 65 hours for liquid hydrogen. Endurance is shown to be strongly effected by structural weight fraction, specific fuel consumption, and fuel load. Listings of the computer program used in this study and sample cases are included in the report.

Liu, G. C.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Progress in computational physics

Recent progress in computational methods for time dependent fluid dynamics is presented. The emphasis is on advances applicable to large scale systems with the connection between the numerics and the physics of the code stressed. All aspects of a working code are discussed including such topics as initialization, boundary conditions, grid generation in addition to algorithmic advances. One sometimes uses a time dependent method as an iteration procedure to reach a steady state solution. Work in accelerating the convergence to the steady state is also surveyed.

Turkel, E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Thermal management considerations for 100 kW(e) In-Core Thermionic Space Nuclear Power System

The general thermal management approach for the SP-100 In-Core Thermionic Space Nuclear Power System is presented. Thermal advantages and design features of the heat transport subsystem are addressed, including the selection of parameters, heat transport fluid, and materials. Pumping considerations, thermal insulation requirements, and radiator design are discussed, and the impacts of system scaling to higher power levels are projected.

Van Hagan, T. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

WRAP-RIB antenna technology development

The wrap-rib deployable antenna concept development is based on a combination of hardware development and testing along with extensive supporting analysis. The proof-of-concept hardware models are large in size so they will address the same basic problems associated with the design fabrication, assembly and test as the full-scale systems which were selected to be 100 meters at the beginning of the program. The hardware evaluation program consists of functional performance tests, design verification tests and analytical model verification tests. Functional testing consists of kinematic deployment, mesh management and verification of mechanical packaging efficiencies. Design verification consists of rib contour precision measurement, rib cross-section variation evaluation, rib materials characterizations and manufacturing imperfections assessment. Analytical model verification and refinement include mesh stiffness measurement, rib static and dynamic testing, mass measurement, and rib cross-section characterization. This concept was considered for a number of potential applications that include mobile communications, VLBI, and aircraft surveillance. In fact, baseline system configurations were developed by JPL, using the appropriate wrap-rib antenna, for all three classes of applications.

Freeland, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Application of satellite data to tropic/subtropic moisture coupling

The objective is to develop analysis tools for use of satellite data to interpret synoptic-scale systems in data-void regions. Interim goals are to: (1) quantify the synoptic information content of satellite data; and (2) utilize these data in the diagnosis of moisture bursts in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Researchers developed and implemented a statistical procedure for using TIROS N microwave data to infer infrared channel data for overcast conditions; they used the same procedure for deducing full TIROS N channel radiance profiles from NOAA 5 VTPR channel data over regions where the TIROS N data are missing. An empirical orthogonal function analysis of twice-daily channel radiance fields over the tropical eastern Pacific was completed. The vertically oriented eigenfunctions were interpreted in terms of typical meteorological events. The horizontal distribution of the eigenfunction amplitudes relates these meteorological signals to moisture bursts. A pair of moisture burst climatologies is complete: one of four years using infrared imagery (including the highly anomalous 1982 to 83 cold season); the other implementing 850 to 200 mb wind analyses in conjunction with GOES imagery. A number of different evaluations of the synoptic evolution of moisture fields (enhanced infrared imagery, moisture channel data, FGGE humidity analysis, and in situ station and sounding observations) are compared. All have limitations; all can be utilized together; all together are still less than adequate in the tropical Pacific.

Mcguirk, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

An investigation of tip planform influence on the aerodynamic load characteristics of semispan, upswept wing and wing-tip

A semi-span wing, equipped with an interchangeable tip, which was varied in planform and size was examined. Total wing aerodynamic loading was obtained from the wind tunnel scale system. The wing tip was mounted on a separate six-component strain gauge balance, which provided the aerodynamic loads on the tip. The tests were accomplished in the NASA Ames 7X10-Foot Wind Tunnel at a Mach number of 0.178. The aerodynamic load characteristics of the wing and of the tip were presented with the tip at several incidence angles relative to the wing inboard section.

Vanaken, Johannes M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Placing dynamic sensors and actuators on flexible space structures

Input/Output Cost Analysis involves decompositions of the quadratic cost function into contributions from each stochastic input and each weighted output. In the past, these suboptimal cost decomposition methods of sensor and actuator selection (SAS) have been used to locate perfect (infinite bandwidth) sensor and actuators on large scale systems. This paper extends these ideas to the more practical case of imperfect actuators and sensors with dynamics of their own. NASA's SCOLE examples demonstrate that sensor and actuator dynamics affect the optimal selection and placement of sensors and actuators.

Norris, Gregory A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Sensor failure detection using generalized parity relations for flexible structures

Analytical redundancy may be preferable to hardware redundancy in failure detection/isolation tasks for such large-scale systems as space structures. Generalized single-sensor parity relations are presently applied to this problem; they are noted to yield a very simple isolation logic, and their generation is found to be extremely rapid, even in the case of extremely complex systems, provided only that the eigenstructure of the system be known. Their implementation is, however, extremely sensitive to modeling errors and noise.

Mercadal, Mathieu↗

NASA NTRS1989

Psychophysical rating of image compression techniques

Image compression schemes abound with little work which compares their bit-rate performance based on subjective fidelity measures. Statistical measures of image fidelity, such as squared error measures, do not necessarily correspond to subjective measures of image fidelity. Most previous comparisons of compression techniques have been based on these statistical measures. A psychophysical method has been used to estimate, for a number of compression techniques, a threshold bit-rate yielding a criterion level of performance in discriminating original and compressed images. The compression techniques studied include block truncation, Laplacian pyramid, block discrete cosine transform, with and without a human visual system scaling, and cortex transform coders.

Stein, Charles S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Forced flow He II in relation to stability of internally cooled superconductors

Current understanding of forced flow He II as it is used to cool large superconducting devices is presented. Experimental measurements of pressure loss and heat transfer to He II at relatively high flow rates are compared with classical hydrodynamic relations and theoretical models based on two fluid hydrodynamics. The results of this analysis suggest that reliable design of large scale systems is achievable. Implications to forced flow He II cooling of superconducting magnets are discussed in the context of model stability experiments on internally cooled composite superconductors.

Van Sciver, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A hierarchical-multiobjective framework for risk management

A broad hierarchical-multiobjective framework is established and utilized to methodologically address the management of risk. United into the framework are the hierarchical character of decision-making, the multiple decision-makers at separate levels within the hierarchy, the multiobjective character of large-scale systems, the quantitative/empirical aspects, and the qualitative/normative/judgmental aspects. The methodological components essentially consist of hierarchical-multiobjective coordination, risk of extreme events, and impact analysis. Examples of applications of the framework are presented. It is concluded that complex and interrelated forces require an analysis of trade-offs between engineering analysis and societal preferences, as in the hierarchical-multiobjective framework, to successfully address inherent risk.

Haimes, Yacov Y.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A process for prototyping onboard payload displays for Space Station Freedom

Significant advances have been made in the area of Human-Computer Interface design. However, there is no well-defined process for going from user interface requirements to user interface design. Developing and designing a clear and consistent user interface for medium to large scale systems is a very challenging and complex task. The task becomes increasingly difficult when there is very little guidance and procedures on how the development process should flow from one stage to the next. Without a specific sequence of development steps each design becomes difficult to repeat, to evaluate, to improve, and to articulate to others. This research contributes a process which identifies the phases of development and products produced as a result of each phase for a rapid prototyping process to be used to develop requirements for the onboard payload displays for Space Station Freedom. The functional components of a dynamic prototyping environment in which this process can be carried out is also discussed. Some of the central questions which are answered here include: How does one go from specifications to an actual prototype? How is a prototype evaluated? How is usability defined and thus measured? How do we use the information from evaluation in redesign of an interface? and Are there techniques which allow for convergence on a design?

Moore, Loretta A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Analytical solutions to constrained hypersonic flight trajectories

The flight trajectory of aerospace vehicles subject to a class of path constraints is considered. The constrained dynamics is shown to be a natural two-time-scale system. Asymptotic analytical solutions are obtained. Problems of trajectory optimization and guidance can be dramatically simplified with these solutions. Applications in trajectory design for an aerospace plane strongly support the theoretical development.

Lu, Ping↗

NASA NTRS1993

Enabler 1 and 2 engine system design modeling and comparisons

Viewgraphs on Enabler 1 and 2 engine system design modeling and comparisons are presented. The objective of this research was to define a near-term solid-core nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) engine system scaling database. A unified set of performance, weight, and size scaling data are identified and documented. Results should be useful to meet initial mission and concept design study requirements.

Pelaccio, Dennis G.↗