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At least 37 records · Page 2

Experimental aerothermodynamic research of hypersonic aircraft

The 2-D and 3-D advance computer codes being developed for use in the design of such hypersonic aircraft as the National Aero-Space Plane require comparison of the computational results with a broad spectrum of experimental data to fully assess the validity of the codes. This is particularly true for complex flow fields with control surfaces present and for flows with separation, such as leeside flow. Therefore, the objective is to provide a hypersonic experimental data base required for validation of advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer codes and for development of more thorough understanding of the flow physics necessary for these codes. This is being done by implementing a comprehensive test program for a generic all-body hypersonic aircraft model in the NASA/Ames 3.5 foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel over a broad range of test conditions to obtain pertinent surface and flowfield data. Results from the flow visualization portion of the investigation are presented.

Cleary, Joseph W.↗

Body weight of hypersonic aircraft, part 1

The load bearing body weight of wing-body and all-body hypersonic aircraft is estimated for a wide variety of structural materials and geometries. Variations of weight with key design and configuration parameters are presented and discussed. Both hot and cool structure approaches are considered in isotropic, organic composite, and metal matrix composite materials; structural shells are sandwich or skin-stringer. Conformal and pillow-tank designs are investigated for the all-body shape. The results identify the most promising hypersonic aircraft body structure design approaches and their weight trends. Geometric definition of vehicle shapes and structural analysis methods are presented in appendices.

Ardema, Mark D.↗

High heat flux actively cooled honeycomb sandwich structural panel for a hypersonic aircraft

The results of a program to design and fabricate an unshielded actively cooled structural panel for a hypersonic aircraft are presented. The design is an all-aluminum honeycomb sandwich with embedded cooling passages soldered to the inside of the outer moldline skin. The overall finding is that an actively cooled structure appears feasible for application on a hypersonic aircraft, but the fabrication process is complex and some material and manufacturing technology developments are required. Results from the program are summarized and supporting details are presented.

Koch, L. C.↗

Static and dynamic aeroelastic characterization of an aerodynamically heated generic hypersonic aircraft configuration

This work-in-progress presentation describes an ongoing research activity at the NASA Langley Research Center to develop analytical methods for the prediction of aerothermoelastic stability of hypersonic aircraft including active control systems. The objectives of this research include application of aerothermal loads to the structural finite element model, determination of the thermal effects on flutter, and assessment of active controls technology applied to overcome any potential adverse aeroelastic stability or response problems due to aerodynamic heating- namely flutter suppression and ride quality improvement. For this study, a generic hypersonic aircraft configuration was selected which incorporates wing flaps, ailerons and all-moveable fins to be used for active control purposes. The active control systems would use onboard sensors in a feedback loop through the aircraft flight control computers to move the surfaces for improved structural dynamic response as the aircraft encounters atmospheric turbulence.

Heeg, Jennifer↗

Optimum element density studies for finite-element thermal analysis of hypersonic aircraft structures

Different finite element models previously set up for thermal analysis of the space shuttle orbiter structure are discussed and their shortcomings identified. Element density criteria are established for the finite element thermal modelings of space shuttle orbiter-type large, hypersonic aircraft structures. These criteria are based on rigorous studies on solution accuracies using different finite element models having different element densities set up for one cell of the orbiter wing. Also, a method for optimization of the transient thermal analysis computer central processing unit (CPU) time is discussed. Based on the newly established element density criteria, the orbiter wing midspan segment was modeled for the examination of thermal analysis solution accuracies and the extent of computation CPU time requirements. The results showed that the distributions of the structural temperatures and the thermal stresses obtained from this wing segment model were satisfactory and the computation CPU time was at the acceptable level. The studies offered the hope that modeling the large, hypersonic aircraft structures using high-density elements for transient thermal analysis is possible if a CPU optimization technique was used.

Ko, William L.↗

Buckling behavior of Rene 41 tubular panels for a hypersonic aircraft wing

The buckling characteristics of Rene 41 tubular panels for a hypersonic aircraft wing were investigated. The panels were repeatedly tested for buckling characteristics using a hypersonic wing test structure and a universal tension/compression testing machine. The nondestructive buckling tests were carried out under different combined load conditions and in different temperature environments. The force/stiffness technique was used to determine the buckling loads of the panel. In spite of some data scattering, resulting from large extrapolations of the data fitting curve (because of the termination of applied loads at relatively low percentages of the buckling loads), the overall test data correlate fairly well with theoretically predicted buckling interaction curves. Also, the structural efficiency of the tubular panels was found to be slightly higher than that of beaded panels.

Ko, W. L.↗

Buckling behavior of Rene 41 tubular panels for a hypersonic aircraft wing

The buckling characteristics of Rene 41 tubular panels for a hypersonic aircraft wing were investigated. The panels were repeatedly tested for buckling characteristics using a hypersonic wing test structure and a universal tension/compression testing machine. The nondestructive buckling tests were carried out under different combined load conditions and in different temperature environments. The force/stiffness technique was used to determine the buckling loads of the panels. In spite of some data scattering resulting from large extrapolations of the data-fitting curve (because of the termination of applied loads at relatively low percentages of the buckling loads), the overall test data correlate fairly well with theoretically predicted buckling interaction curves. Also, the structural efficiency of the tubular panels was found to be slightly higher than that of beaded panels.

Ko, W. L.↗

Analysis of cooling systems for hypersonic aircraft

A computer program has been written to analyze cooling systems of hypersonic aircraft. This computer program called NASP/SINDA is written into the SINDA'85 command structure and uses the SINDA'85 finite difference subroutines. Both internal fluid flow and heat transfer must be analyzed, because increased heating causes a decrease in the flow of the coolant. Also local hot spots will cause a redistribution of the coolant in the system. Both steady state and transient analyses have been performed. Details of empirical correlations are presented. Results for two cooling system applications are given.

Petley, Dennis H.↗

Cooling Panel Optimization for the Active Cooling System of a Hypersonic Aircraft

Optimization of cooling panels for an active cooling system of a hypersonic aircraft is explored. The flow passages are of rectangular cross section with one wall heated. An analytical fin-type model for incompressible flow in smooth-wall rectangular ducts with coupled wall conduction is proposed. Based on this model, the a flow rate of coolant to each design minimum mass flow rate or coolant for a single cooling panel is obtained by satisfying hydrodynamic, thermal, and Mach number constraints. Also, the sensitivity of the optimal mass flow rate of coolant to each design variable is investigated. In addition, numerical solutions for constant property flow in rectangular ducts, with one side rib-roughened and coupled wall conduction, are obtained using a k-epsilon and wall function turbulence model, these results are compared with predictions of the analytical model.

Youn, B.↗

Actively cooled plate fin sandwich structural panels for hypersonic aircraft

An unshielded actively cooled structural panel was designed for application to a hypersonic aircraft. The design was an all aluminum stringer-stiffened platefin sandwich structure which used a 60/40 mixture of ethylene glycol/water as the coolant. Eight small test specimens of the basic platefin sandwich concept and three fatigue specimens from critical areas of the panel design was fabricated and tested (at room temperature). A test panel representative of all features of the panel design was fabricated and tested to determine the combined thermal/mechanical performance and structural integrity of the system. The overall findings are that; (1) the stringer-stiffened platefin sandwich actively cooling concept results in a low mass design that is an excellent contender for application to a hypersonic vehicle, and (2) the fabrication processes are state of the art but new or modified facilities are required to support full scale panel fabrication.

Smith, L. M.↗