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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

System identification of perilymphatic fistula in an animal model

An acute animal model has been developed in the chinchilla for the study of perilymphatic fistulas. Micropunctures were made in three sites to simulate bony, round window, and oval window fistulas. The eye movements in response to pressure applied to the external auditory canal were recorded after micropuncture induction and in preoperative controls. The main pressure stimulus was a pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) that rapidly changed between plus and minus 200 mm of water. The PRBS stimulus, with its wide frequency bandwidth, produced responses clearly above the preoperative baseline in 78 percent of the runs. The response was better between 0.5 and 3.3 Hz than it was below 0.5 Hz. The direction of horizontal eye movement was toward the side of the fistula with positive pressure applied in 92 percent of the runs. Vertical eye movements were also observed. The ratio of vertical eye displacement to horizontal eye displacement depended upon the site of the micropuncture induction. Thus, such a ratio measurement may be clinically useful in the noninvasive localization of perilymphatic fistulas in humans.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1984

Modelling of wind tunnel wall effects on the radiation characteristics of acoustic sources

It is pointed out that the relatively high fuel economy available from propeller-driven aircraft has renewed interest in high speed, highly loaded multiple blade turboprop propulsion systems. Undesirable features related to community noise and the high intensity cabin noise have stimulated new research on the acoustic characteristics of turboprops. The present investigation has the objective to develop a mathematical model of the essential features of the radiation of acoustic disturbances from propellers in a duct and in free space in order to quantify the success with which duct testing can be expected to approximate free field conditions. In connection with the importance of source directionality, a detailed model is considered which consists of a finite element representation of the Gutin propeller theory valid in both the near and far field.

Eversman, W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Spinning mode sound propagation in ducts with acoustic treatment

Recent acoustic data have shown larger noise attenuations than predicted for acoustically treated aircraft engine inlets without splitter rings. These data have stimulated a more detailed theoretical study of the acoustic propagation of spinning modes in acoustically treated open circular ducts. In addition, the suppressor with splitter rings was modeled by using the rectangular approximation to the annular duct. The theoretical models were used to determine optimum impedance and maximum attenuation for several spinning lobe numbers from 0 to 50. It is found that for circular ducts the maximum possible attenuation and the optimum wall impedance are strong functions of the lobe number. For annular ducts the attenuation and optimum wall impedance are insensitive to the spinning lobe number for well cut-on modes. The results help explain why suppressors with splitter rings have been quite effective in spite of the lack of detailed information on the noise-source modal structure. Conversely, effective use of outer-wall treatment alone will require expanded knowledge of the noise-source structure. Approximate solutions are presented to help interpret the more exact theoretical results.

Rice, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An evaluation of proposed acoustic treatments for the NASA LaRC 4 x 7 meter wind tunnel

The NASA LaRC 4 x 7 Meter Wind Tunnel is an existing facility specially designed for powered low speed (V/STOL) testing of large scale fixed wing and rotorcraft models. The enhancement of the facility for scale model acoustic testing is examined. The results are critically reviewed and comparisons are drawn with a similar wind tunnel (the DNW Facility in the Netherlands). Discrepancies observed in the comparison stimulated a theoretical investigation using the acoustic finite element ADAM System, of the ways in which noise propagating around the tunnel circuit radiates into the open test section. The reasons for the discrepancies noted above are clarified and assists in the selection of acoustic treatment options for the facility.

Abrahamson, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Robust, Brillouin Active Embedded Fiber-Is-The-Sensor System in Smart Composite Structures

Extensive review of our proposed sensing scheme, based mainly on the forward Guided Acoustic Wave Brillouin Scattering (GAWBS) with backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (sBs) as an auxiliary scheme for system fault tolerance has been completed during this project period. This preliminary study is conducted for a number of reasons. The most significant reasons lie in the essential capability of the system to measure temperature and pressure. These two measurands have been proposed to be sensed by sBs in our proposal. Temperature and pressure/strain are important measurands in structural monitoring, so that the effectiveness of sensing by sBs needs to be further examined. It has been pointed out initially that sBs shift will be dependent on temperature and pressure/strain simultaneously. The shift versus temperature or strain is linear. Now, the question is how can these two measurands be separated when sBs is used to sense an environment, in which both temperature and strain are changing simultaneously. Typical sBs shift plotted versus strain and varying temperature is shown in Fig. 1. As is clear, a fiber initially stressed will relax with rising temperature. This is verified by a displacement to the right with rising temperature of the sBs shift vs strain curves in the figure. A way to circumvent this ambiguity is by employing two fibers, one pre-stressed and the other is a free fiber. The latter will measure temperature and subtracting data in the latter fiber from those of the former will give us net strain readings. This is a laborious approach, since it involves the use of two identical fibers, and this is hard to accomplish, especially when many sensors are needed. Additional multiplexing of the data stream for data subtraction becomes a necessity.

Yu, Chung↗
NASA NTRS1980

Role of the middle ear muscle apparatus in mechanisms of speech signal discrimination

A method of impedance reflexometry was used to examine 101 students with hearing impairment in order to clarify the interrelation between speech discrimination and the state of the middle ear muscles. Ability to discriminate speech signals depends to some extent on the functional state of intraaural muscles. Speech discrimination was greatly impaired in the absence of stapedial muscle acoustic reflex, in the presence of low thresholds of stimulation and in very small values of reflex amplitude increase. Discrimination was not impeded in positive AR, high values of relative thresholds and normal increase of reflex amplitude in response to speech signals with augmenting intensity.

Moroz, B. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Assessment of inflow control structure effectiveness and design system development

Inflow control structures used during static testing of fans are shown to minimize inflow distortions and thus stimulate the inflight flow field and noise generating mechanisms. Acoustic tests are conducted on a Pratt and Whitney aircraft JT9D engine with and without an inflow control structure. Raw data are corrected to 77 deg, and time is averaged over 0.5 second intervals. Use of an inflow control structure is found to significantly reduce blade passage frequency tone, while having little effect on twice blade passage frequency tones, and significantly improves agreement between static data projected to flight and flight data for the blade passage frequency fan tone. A design system is also presented, which prescribes structure shape, size and construction.

Peracchio, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Simplifications of the RELIEF flow tagging system for laboratory use

The use of an O2:He stimulated Raman cell to generate the Stokes beam for the Raman vibrational pumping step of the RELIEF (Raman Excitation plus Laser-Induced Electronic Fluorescence) flow tagging method is reported. Use of the Raman cell rather than a dye laser provides pump and Stokes beams which are automatically frequency matched and temporally and spatially overlapped. The Nd:YAG pump laser is operated multilongitudinal mode, which eliminates the need for injection seeding, resulting in decreased operation complexity and improved stability with respect to acoustic noise. Results are presented for 1st Stokes conversion efficiency and stimulated Brillouin backscattering loss and are compared to the case of pure O2. Scanning CARS measurements of the Q-branch lineshape for both pure O2 and the O2:He mixture are also presented.

Lempert, Walter R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Inspection Tools

A "NASA Tech Briefs" article describing an inspection tool and technique known as Optically Stimulated Electron Emission (OSEE) led to the formation of Photo Acoustic Technology, Inc. (PAT). PAT produces sensors and scanning systems which assure surface cleanliness prior to bonding, coating, painting, etc. The company's OP1000 series realtime pre-processing detection capability assures 100 percent surface quality testing. The technique involves brief exposure of the inspection surface to ultraviolet radiation. The energy interacts with the surface layer, causing free electrons to be emitted from the surface to be picked up by the detector. When contamination is present, it interferes with the electron flow in proportion to the thickness of the contaminant layer enabling measurement by system signal output. OP1000 systems operate in conventional atmospheres on all types of material and detect both organic and inorganic contamination.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1991

Modal analysis for characterization of fatigue cracks in thin metal plates

Detailed experimental investigation and numerical analysis were performed on the characterization of fatigue cracks in thin aluminum alloys by a low frequency resonant modal analysis technique. The resonance frequency of plate modes is altered by the presence of fatigue cracks. This frequency shift was analyzed using a finite element approach and the results were compared to experimental data. Acoustic sensors were used to detect the fatigue cracks which were stimulated by standing waves in 0.1 cm aluminum alloy plates. The response of several different sensors to the crack noise was studied, as was the response at higher order modes. It was found that critical crack information can be obtained from the amplitude and phase of the emitted signal with respect to that of the external driving force.

Wincheski, B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Acoustic interactions between an altitude test facility and jet engine plumes: Theory and experiments

The overall objective of the described effort was to develop an understanding of the physical mechanisms involved in the flow/acoustic interactions experienced in full-scale altitude engine test facilities. This is done by conducting subscale experiments and through development of a theoretical model. Model cold jet experiments with an axisymmetric convergent nozzle are performed in a test setup that stimulates a supersonic jet exhausting into a cylindrical diffuser. The measured data consist of detailed flow visualization data and acoustic spectra for a free and a ducted plume. It is shown that duct resonance is most likely responsible by theoretical calculations. Theoretical calculations also indicate that the higher discrete tones observed in the measurements are related to the screech phenomena. Limited experiments on the sensitivity of a free 2-D, C-D nozzle to externally imposed sound are also presented. It is shown that a 2-D, C-D nozzle with a cutback is less excitable than a 2-D C-D nozzle with no cutback. At a pressure ratio of 1.5 unsteady separation from the diverging walls of the nozzle is noticed. This separation switches from one wall to the opposite wall thus providing an unsteady deflection of the plume. It is shown that this phenomenon is related to the venting provided by the cutback section.

Ahuja, K. K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Observations of stimulated Raman scattering and laser-induced breakdown in millimeter-sized droplets

We report the first observations, to our knowledge, of nonlinear optical effects in large (millimeter-sized) droplets. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and laser-induced breakdown (LIB) are simultaneously observed in acoustically levitated millimeter-sized glycerol droplets irradiated by either a frequency-doubled (532-nm) or a frequency-tripled (355-nm) Nd:YAG laser. The two processes, which occur above a nearby coincident irradiation threshold, are conjectured to arise from a common initiation mechanism: self-focusing. LIB generates vapor bubbles within the droplet, resulting in the quenching of SRS emission.

Biswas, A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparative transduction mechanisms of hair cells in the bullfrog utriculus. II. Sensitivity and response dynamics to hair bundle displacement

1. Hair cells in whole-mount in vitro preparations of the utricular macula of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) were selected according to their macular location and hair bundle morphology. The sensitivity and response dynamics of selected hair cells to natural stimulation were examined by recording their voltage responses to step and sinusoidal hair bundle displacements applied to their longest stereocilia. 2. The voltage responses of 31 hair cells to sinusoidal hair bundle displacements were characterized by their gains and phases, taken with respect to peak hair bundle displacement. The gains of Type B and Type C cells at both 0.5 and 5.0 Hz were markedly lower than those of Type F and Type E cells. Phases, with the exception of Type C cells, lagged hair bundle displacement at 0.5 Hz. Type C cells had phase leads of 25-40 degrees. At 5.0 Hz, response phases in all cells were phase lagged with respect to those at 0.5 Hz. Type C cells had larger gains and smaller phase leads at 5.0 Hz than at 0.5 Hz, suggesting the presence of low-frequency adaptation. 3. Displacement-response curves, derived from the voltage responses to 5.0-Hz sinusoids, were sigmoidal in shape and asymmetrical, with the depolarizing response having a greater magnitude and saturating less abruptly than the hyperpolarizing response. When normalized to their largest displacement the linear ranges of these curves varied from < 0.5 to 1.25 microns and were largest in Type B and smallest in Type F and Type E cells. Sensitivity, defined as the slope of the normalized displacement-response curve, was inversely correlated with linear range. 4. The contribution of geometric factors associated with the hair bundle to linear range and sensitivity were predicted from realistic models of utricular hair bundles created using morphological data obtained from light and electron microscopy. Three factors, including 1) the inverse ratio of the lengths of the kinocilium and longest stereocilia, representing the lever arm between kinociliary and stereociliary displacement; 2) tip link extension/linear displacement, largely a function of stereociliary height and separation; and 3) stereociliary number, an estimate of the number of transduction channels, were considered in this analysis. The first of these factors was quantitatively more important than the latter two factors and their total contribution was largest in Type B and Type C cells. Theoretical models were also used to calculate the relation between rotary and linear displacement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS).

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1975

Program to stimulate graduate training in the field of aeroacoustics

An experiment is reported to cross correlate the output of hot film probes located at various points in the flow field of a jet-blown flap with the output of microphones in the acoustic far field. Fluid dynamic measurements of the flow fields of the test configuration are reported.

Becker, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Quality Factor and Microslipping of Fatigue Cracks in Thin Plates at Resonant Vibration

Resonant vibrations have been stimulated in thin metal plates using a non-contacting electromagnetic driver. A sinusoidal force was applied in a swept frequency fashion and the resulting surface displacements were monitored through the use of an acoustic microphone. It has been found that the presence of a fatigue crack in the sample causes a broadening of the second resonance peak. The Q factors of the resonance curves were determined and are directly correlated with the presence of fatigue cracks in the samples. The broadening of the curves is explained in terms of a microslipping at the crack face walls which reduces the amplitude of the resonant vibration by increasing the damping of the system. A comparison is made between the resonance characteristics of fatigue damaged and notched samples, where the stiffness of the two systems is nearly constant while the interaction between crack face walls is eliminated in the latter.

Wincheski, B.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Cleanroom Contaminant Monitor

Under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Femtometrics, Inc. developed the Real-Time Non-Volatile Residue (NVR) monitor. Criteria established by KSC called for a technology that could regulate the accumulation of nonvolatile residues in cleanroom environments. The company accommodated the Center's need with an advanced, highly sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) microsensor capable of detecting sub-monolayer deposition in cleanrooms where aerospace systems are assembled. Years earlier, Femtometrics responded to and received SBIR contracts from Langley Research Center for highly sensitive aerosol detectors for environmental researchers. Stimulated by the SBIR wins, the company set about to develop the SAW resonator technology. A new type of sensor has evolved from the research, one that has the ability to measure a range of chemical vapors by applying chemical-specific coating on the sensing surface. Commercial applications of the Real-Time NVR include Class 1 cleanrooms at semiconductor and hard-disk manufacturing plants.

Source record↗