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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 307 records · Page 17

Shuttle vertical fin flowfield by the direct simulation Monte Carlo method

The flow properties in a model flowfield, simulating the shuttle vertical fin, determined using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method. The case analyzed corresponds to an orbit height of 225 km with the freestream velocity vector orthogonal to the fin surface. Contour plots of the flowfield distributions of density, temperature, velocity and flow angle are presented. The results also include mean molecular collision frequency (which reaches 1/60 sec near the surface), collision frequency density (approaches 7 x 10 to the 18/cu m sec at the surface) and the mean free path (19 m at the surface).

Hueser, J. E.↗

Tethers for Mars space operations

A tether-mediated transport system is proposed in which mass may be transferred between the Martian surface, Mars orbit, and open space, using the orbital momentum of Phobos and Deimos. The performance and materials strength requirements of a prototype tether system are studied with attention given to: tether dynamics effects during different stages of operation; micrometeoroid impact effects; replacement of tether segments; and contingency methods in case of tether failure. A schematic diagram of the proposed tether transportation system is provided.

Penzo, P. A.↗

Models for application of radiation boundary condition for MHD waves in collapse calculations

The problem of reflection of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves at the boundary of a numerical grid has to be resolved in order to obtain reliable results for the end state of the (isothermal) collapse of a rotating, magnetic protostellar cloud. Since the goal of investigating magnetic braking in collapse simulations is to see if the transport of angular momentum via alfven waves is large enough to solve the angular momentum problem an approximation that artificially suppresses large amplitudes in the MHD waves can be self-defeating. For this reason, four alternate methods of handling reflected waves where no assumptions are made regarding the amplitudes of the waves were investigated. In order to study this problem (of reflection) without interference from other effects these methods were tried on two simpler cases. The four methods are discussed.

Vanajakshi, C. T.↗

On Blockage Corrections for Two-dimensional Wind Tunnel Tests Using the Wall-pressure Signature Method

The Wall-Pressure Signature Method for correcting low-speed wind tunnel data to free-air conditions has been revised and improved for two-dimensional tests of bluff bodies. The method uses experimentally measured tunnel wall pressures to approximately reconstruct the flow field about the body with potential sources and sinks. With the use of these sources and sinks, the measured drag and tunnel dynamic pressure are corrected for blockage effects. Good agreement is obtained with simpler methods for cases in which the blockage corrections were about 10% of the nominal drag values.

Allmaras, S. R.↗

Supercritical flow past a symmetrical bicircular arc airfoil

A numerical scheme is developed for computing steady supercritical flow about symmetrical airfoils, applying it to an ellipse for zero angle of attack. An algorithmic description of this new scheme is presented. Application to a symmetrical bicircular arc airfoil is also proposed. The flow field before the shock is region 1. For transonic flow, singularity can be avoided by integrating the resulting ordinary differential equations away from the body. Region 2 contains the shock which will be located by shock fitting techniques. The shock divides region 2 into supersonic and subsonic regions and there is no singularity problem in this case. The Method of Lines is used in this region and it is advantageous to integrate the resulting ordinary differential equation along the body for shock fitting. Coaxial coordinates have to be used for the bicircular arc airfoil so that boundary values on the airfoil body can be taken with one direction of the coaxial coordinates fixed. To avoid taking boundary values at + or - infinity in the coaxial co-ordinary system, approximate analytical representation of the flow field near the tips of the airfoil is proposed.

Holt, Maurice↗

Thomson scattering in magnetic fields

The equation of transfer in Thomson scattering atmospheres with magnetic fields is solved using Monte Carlo methods. Two cases, a plane parallel atmosphere with a magnetic field perpendicular to the atmosphere, and a dipole star, are investigated. The wavelength dependence of polarization from plane-parallel atmosphere is qualitatively similar to that observed in the magnetic white dwarf Grw+70 deg 8247, and the field strength determined by the calculation, 320 MG, is quantitatively similar to that determined from the line spectrum. The dipole model does not resemble the data as well as the single plane-parallel atmosphere.

Whitney, Barbara↗

Some observations on the Houbolt-Rainey and peak-hold methods of flutter onset prediction

A subcritical response method for flutter onset prediction developed by Houbolt and Rainey in 1958 is compared with the Peak-Hold Method which was apparently first applied to flutter onset prediction by Sandford, Abel, and Gray in the early 1970's. The rational argument presented shows that the two methods are not different, but are actually the same. So, because there is an analytical foundation for the Houbolt-Rainey Method, then there is the same analytical foundation for the Peak-Hold Method. Further, it is suggested that, in applying Peak-Hold Method in cases where turbulence is used as the excitation force, the variation of the reciprocal of the response amplitude with the reciprocal of the dynamic pressure to be used to extrapolate to flutter onset rather than the variation with dynamic pressure which is the current practice because the linear trend which is predicted to occur for the former is easier to extrapolate to the flutter condition than the nonlinear trend predicted to occur for the latter.

Doggett, Robert V., Jr.↗

Time simulation of flutter with large stiffness changes

Time simulation of flutter, involving large local structural changes, is formulated with a state-space model that is based on a relatively small number of generalized coordinates. Free-free vibration modes are first calculated for a nominal finite-element model with relatively large fictitious masses located at the area of structural changes. A low-frequency subset of these modes is then transformed into a set of structural modal coordinates with which the entire simulation is performed. These generalized coordinates and the associated oscillatory aerodynamic force coefficient matrices are used to construct an efficient time-domain, state-space model for a basic aeroelastic case. The time simulation can then be performed by simply changing the mass, stiffness, and damping coupling terms when structural changes occur. It is shown that the size of the aeroelastic model required for time simulation with large structural changes at a few apriori known locations is similar to that required for direct analysis of a single structural case. The method is applied to the simulation of an aeroelastic wind-tunnel model. The diverging oscillations are followed by the activation of a tip-ballast decoupling mechanism that stabilizes the system but may cause significant transient overshoots.

Karpel, Mordechay↗

An activity-based methodology for operations cost analysis

This report describes an activity-based cost estimation method, proposed for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), as an alternative to NASA's traditional mass-based cost estimation method. A case study demonstrates how the activity-based cost estimation technique can be used to identify the operations that have a significant impact on costs over the life cycle of the SEI. The case study yielded an operations cost of $101 billion for the 20-year span of the lunar surface operations for the Option 5a program architecture. In addition, the results indicated that the support and training costs for the missions were the greatest contributors to the annual cost estimates. A cost-sensitivity analysis of the cultural and architectural drivers determined that the length of training and the amount of support associated with the ground support personnel for mission activities are the most significant cost contributors.

Korsmeyer, David↗

Time simulation of flutter with large stiffness changes

Time simulation of flutter, involving large local structural changes, is formulated with a state-space model that is based on a relatively small number of generalized coordinates. Free-free vibration modes are first calculated for a nominal finite-element model with relatively large fictitious masses located at the area of structural changes. A low-frequency subset of these modes is then transformed into a set of structural modal coordinates with which the entire simulation is performed. These generalized coordinates and the associated oscillatory aerodynamic force coefficient matrices are used to construct an efficient time-domain, state-space model for basic aeroelastic case. The time simulation can then be performed by simply changing the mass, stiffness and damping coupling terms when structural changes occur. It is shown that the size of the aeroelastic model required for time simulation with large structural changes at a few a priori known locations is similar to that required for direct analysis of a single structural case. The method is applied to the simulation of an aeroelastic wind-tunnel model. The diverging oscillations are followed by the activation of a tip-ballast decoupling mechanism that stabilizes the system but may cause significant transient overshoots.

Karpel, M.↗

Drag of wings with end plates

In this report a formula for calculating the induced drag of multiplanes with end plates is derived. The frictional drag of the end plates are used, is sufficiently large to increase the efficiency of the wing. Curves showing the reduction of drag for monoplanes and biplanes are constructed; the influence of gap-chord ratio, aspect ratio, and height of end plate are determined for typical cases. The method of obtaining the reduction of drag for a multiplane is described. Comparisons are made of calculated and experimental results obtained in wind tunnel tests with airfoils of various aspect ratios and end plates of various sizes. The agreement between calculated and experimental results is good. Analysis of the experimental results shows that the shape and section of the end plates are important.

Hemke, Paul E↗

Accurate calculation of multispar cantilever and semicantilever wings with parallel webs under direct and indirect loading

In the present report the computation is actually carried through for the case of parallel spars of equal resistance in bending without direct loading, including plotting of the influence lines; for other cases the method of calculation is explained. The development of large size airplanes can be speeded up by accurate methods of calculation such as this.

Sanger, Eugen↗

Calculation of Propulsive Nozzle Flowfields in Multidiffusing Chemically Reacting Environments

An advanced engineering model has been developed to aid in the analysis and design of hydrogen/oxygen chemical rocket engines. The complete multispecies, chemically reacting and multidiffusing Navier-Stokes equations are modelled, including the Soret thermal diffusion and the Dufour energy transfer terms. In addition to the spectrum of multispecies aspects developed, the model developed in this study is also conservative in axisymmetric flow for both inviscid and viscous flow environments and the boundary conditions employ a viscous, chemically reacting, reference plane characteristics method. Demonstration cases are presented for a 1030:1 area ratio nozzle, a 25 lbf film cooled nozzle, and a transpiration cooled plug and spool rocket engine. The results indicate that the thrust coefficient predictions of the 1030:1 and the 25 lbf film cooled nozzle are within 0.2 to 0.5 percent, respectively, of experimental measurements when all of the chemical reaction and diffusion terms are considered. Further, the model's predictions agree very well with the heat transfer measurements made in all of the nozzle test cases. The Soret thermal diffusion term is demonstrated to have a significant effect on the predicted mass fraction of hydrogen along the wall of the nozzle in both the laminar flow 1030:1 nozzle and the turbulent flow plug and spool nozzle analysis cases performed. Further, the Soret term was shown to represent an important fraction of the diffusion fluxes occurring in a transpiration cooled rocket engine.

Kacynski, Kenneth John↗

BUCKY instruction manual, version 3.3

The computer program BUCKY is a p-version finite element package for the solution of structural problems. The current version of BUCKY solves the 2-D plane stress, 3-D plane stress plasticity, 3-D axisymmetric, Mindlin and Kirchoff plate bending, and buckling problems. The p-version of the finite element method is a highly accurate version of the traditional finite element method. Example cases are presented to show the accuracy and application of BUCKY.

Smith, James P.↗

The Role of Computers in Research and Development at Langley Research Center

This document is a compilation of presentations given at a workshop on the role cf computers in research and development at the Langley Research Center. The objectives of the workshop were to inform the Langley Research Center community of the current software systems and software practices in use at Langley. The workshop was organized in 10 sessions: Software Engineering; Software Engineering Standards, methods, and CASE tools; Solutions of Equations; Automatic Differentiation; Mosaic and the World Wide Web; Graphics and Image Processing; System Design Integration; CAE Tools; Languages; and Advanced Topics.

Wieseman, Carol D.↗

Output Tracking for Systems with Non-Hyperbolic and Near Non-Hyperbolic Internal Dynamics: Helicopter Hover Control

A technique to achieve output tracking for nonminimum phase linear systems with non-hyperbolic and near non-hyperbolic internal dynamics is presented. This approach integrates stable inversion techniques, that achieve exact-tracking, with approximation techniques, that modify the internal dynamics to achieve desirable performance. Such modification of the internal dynamics is used (1) to remove non-hyperbolicity which an obstruction to applying stable inversion techniques and (2) to reduce large pre-actuation time needed to apply stable inversion for near non-hyperbolic cases. The method is applied to an example helicopter hover control problem with near non-hyperbolic internal dynamic for illustrating the trade-off between exact tracking and reduction of pre-actuation time.

Devasia, Santosh↗

Prediction of Unshsrouded Rotor Blade Tip Heat Transfer

The rate of heat transfer on the tip of a turbine rotor blade and on the blade surface in the vicinity of the tip, was successfully predicted. The computations were performed with a multiblock computer code which solves the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations using an efficient multigrid method. The case considered for the present calculations was the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) high pressure fuel side turbine. The predictions of the blade tip heat transfer agreed reasonably well with the experimental measurements using the present level of grid refinement. On the tip surface, regions with high rate of heat transfer was found to exist close to the pressure side and suction side edges. Enhancement of the heat transfer was also observed on the blade surface near the tip. Further comparison of the predictions was performed with results obtained from correlations based on fully developed channel flow.

Ameri, A. A.↗

Affordable Design: A Methodolgy to Implement Process-Based Manufacturing Cost into the Traditional Performance-Focused Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the use of process-based manufacturing and assembly cost models in a traditional performance-focused multidisciplinary design and optimization process. The use of automated cost-performance analysis is an enabling technology that could bring realistic processbased manufacturing and assembly cost into multidisciplinary design and optimization. In this paper, we present a new methodology for incorporating process costing into a standard multidisciplinary design optimization process. Material, manufacturing processes, and assembly processes costs then could be used as the objective function for the optimization method. A case study involving forty-six different configurations of a simple wing is presented, indicating that a design based on performance criteria alone may not necessarily be the most affordable as far as manufacturing and assembly cost is concerned.

Bao, Han P.↗