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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

MPLM On-Orbit Interface Dynamic Flexibility Modal Test

Now that the International Space Station (ISS) is being constructed, payload developers have to not only verify the Shuttle-to-payload interface, but also the interfaces their payload will have with the ISS. The Multi Purpose Logistic Module (MPLM) being designed and built by Alenia Spazio in Torino, Italy is one such payload. The MPLM is the primary carrier for the ISS Payload Racks, Re-supply Stowage Racks, and the Resupply Stowage Platforms to re-supply the ISS with food, water, experiments, maintenance equipment and etc. During the development of the MPLM there was no requirement for verification of the on-orbit interfaces with the ISS. When this oversight was discovered, all the dynamic test stands had already been disassembled. A method was needed that would not require an extensive testing stand and could be completed in a short amount of time. The residual flexibility testing technique was chosen. The residual flexibility modal testing method consists of measuring the free-free natural frequencies and mode shapes along with the interface frequency response functions (FRF's). Analytically, the residual flexibility method has been investigated in detail by, MacNeal, Martinez, Carne, and Miller, and Rubin, but has not been implemented extensively for model correlation due to difficulties in data acquisition. In recent years improvement of data acquisition equipment has made possible the implementation of the residual flexibility method as in Admire, Tinker, and Ivey, and Klosterman and Lemon. The residual flexibility modal testing technique is applicable to a structure with distinct points (DOF) of contact with its environment, such as the MPLM-to-Station interface through the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM). The CBM is bolted to a flange on the forward cone of the MPLM. During the fixed base test (to verify Shuttle interfaces) some data was gathered on the forward cone panels. Even though there was some data on the forward cones, an additional modal test was performed to better characterize its behavior. The CBM mounting flange is the only remaining structure of the MPLM that no test data was available. This paper discusses the implementation of the residual flexibility modal testing technique on the CBM flange and the modal test of the forward cone panels.

Bookout, Paul S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A stochastic-dynamic model for global atmospheric mass-field statistics

Global atmospheric mass field error correlations based on satellite observations and on numerical forecasts show strong and systematic latitude dependence. A model for the latitude dependent spatial correlation structure of mass field forecast errors is derived from dynamical considerations. Three methods of solution were tested. In the first method, the equation was solved by expansion in spherical harmonics, and the correlation function was computed analytically using the expansion coefficients. In the second method, the finite difference equivalent of the equation was solved using a fast poisson solver. The correlation function was computed using stratified sampling of the individual realizations. In the third method, a higher order equation was derived, and solved directly in finite differences by two successive applications of the fast poisson solver. The three methods were compared for accuracy and efficiency, and the third method was chosen as clearly superior.

Ghil, M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Finite word length effects on digital filter implementation.

This paper is a discussion of two known techniques to analyze finite word length effects on digital filters. These techniques are extended to several additional programming forms and the results verified experimentally. A correlation of the analytical weighting functions for the two methods is made through the Mason Gain Formula.

Bowman, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Unsteady supersonic aerodynamic theory for interfering surfaces by the method of potential gradient

A generalized solution of the hyperbolic wave equation was further developed to relate the velocity components at a field point to the potential gradient distribution in the dependence domain. Singular integrals were evaluated in closed form, with numerical integration methods for more complex but analytic functions. Idealization of the lifting surfaces by trapezoidal elements with two sides parallel to the streamlines is computationally efficient. Streamwise integrals were performed analytically, and spanwise integrals were neccessary only on element leading and trailing sides. All integrands vanish on the Mach cone. Pressure distribution on a double delta wing and generalized aerodynamic coefficients for three AGARD planforms were calculated and compared with available results.

Jones, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Dynamic Analysis of Large In-Space Deployable Membrane Antennas

This paper presents a vibration analysis of an eight-meter diameter membrane reflectarray antenna, which is composed of a thin membrane and a deployable frame. This analysis process has two main steps. In the first step, a two-variable-parameter (2-VP) membrane model is developed to determine the in-plane stress distribution of the membrane due to pre-tensioning, which eventually yields the differential stiffness of the membrane. In the second step, the obtained differential stiffness is incorporated in a dynamic equation governing the transverse vibration of the membrane-frame assembly. This dynamic equation is then solved by a semi-analytical method, called the Distributed Transfer Function Method (DTFM), which produces the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the antenna. The combination of the 2-VP model and the DTFM provides an accurate prediction of the in-plane stress distribution and modes of vibration for the antenna.

vibrations↗
NASA NTRS1982

A numerical method for integrating the kinetic equations of droplet spectra evolution by condensation/evaporation and by coalescence/breakup processes

An extension of the method of moments is developed for the numerical integration of the kinetic equations of droplet spectra evolution by condensation/evaporation and by coalescence/breakup processes. The number density function n sub k (x,t) in each separate droplet packet between droplet mass grid points (x sub k, x sub k+1) is represented by an expansion in orthogonal polynomials with a given weighting function. In this way droplet number concentrations, liquid water contents and other moments in each droplet packet are conserved and the problem of solving the kinetic equations is replaced by one of solving a set of coupled differential equations for the number density function moments. The method is tested against analytic solutions of the corresponding kinetic equations. Numerical results are obtained for different coalescence/breakup and condensation/evaporation kernels and for different initial droplet spectra. Also droplet mass grid intervals, weighting functions, and time steps are varied.

Emukashvily, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Design of Multi-Parameter Steerable Functions Using Cascade Basis Reduction

A new cascade basis reduction method of computing the optimal least-squares set of basis functions steering a given function is presented. The method combines the Lie group-theoretic and the singular value decomposition approaches in such a way that their respective strengths complement each other. Since the Lie group-theoretic approach is used, the set of basis and steering functions computed can be expressed analytically. Because the singular value decomposition method is used, this set of basis and steering functions is optimal in the least-squares sense. Furthermore, the computational complexity in designing basis functions for transformation groups with large numbers of parameters is significantly reduced. The efficiency of the cascade basis reduction method is demonstrated by designing a set of basis functions that steers a Gabor function under the four-parameter linear transformation group.

Teo, P.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Some methods for determining the profile functions of inhomogeneous media

The problem of determining the electric permittivity of an inhomogeneous dielectric medium is considered. Two analytical methods and one numerical method for solving this problem are presented. All these methods utilize the reflection coefficient measured as a function of the angular spectrum variable. This allows measurements at a fixed frequency, and these methods, therefore, can be used when the medium being studied is dispensive. A few examples are provided and some comments are made regarding the stability of solutions obtained using the various methods.

Mittra, R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A note on the accuracy of spectral method applied to nonlinear conservation laws

Fourier spectral method can achieve exponential accuracy both on the approximation level and for solving partial differential equations if the solutions are analytic. For a linear partial differential equation with a discontinuous solution, Fourier spectral method produces poor point-wise accuracy without post-processing, but still maintains exponential accuracy for all moments against analytic functions. In this note we assess the accuracy of Fourier spectral method applied to nonlinear conservation laws through a numerical case study. We find that the moments with respect to analytic functions are no longer very accurate. However the numerical solution does contain accurate information which can be extracted by a post-processing based on Gegenbauer polynomials.

Shu, Chi-Wang↗
NASA NTRS1972

Evaluation of spacecraft boom deployment dynamics by combined analysis and testing.

Discussion of the deployment of multiple hinged booms from the IMP-I satellite, which is a good example of the use of the combined analysis and testing approach for preflight system reliability evaluation. The procedures used for test and evaluation of the booms are described, and problems encountered and results achieved are considered. Analytical methods, using a digital computer program, and functional test operation with the best possible environmental simulation, were both applied to the problem and comparisons between analytical and test results were made to evaluate their validity and to reveal the effects of errors and imperfections. There is a synergistic advantage in the combined approach in that mutual comparison gives better evaluation of both analysis and test results than independent study of either. An appendix presents some results of a later and as yet incomplete test program involving the IMP-H satellite.

Lang, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Enhancements to the SSME transfer function modeling code

This report details the results of a one year effort by Ohio University to apply the transfer function modeling and analysis tools developed under NASA Grant NAG8-167 (Irwin, 1992), (Bartholomew, 1992) to attempt the generation of Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Turbopump transfer functions from time domain data. In addition, new enhancements to the transfer function modeling codes which enhance the code functionality are presented, along with some ideas for improved modeling methods and future work. Section 2 contains a review of the analytical background used to generate transfer functions with the SSME transfer function modeling software. Section 2.1 presents the 'ratio method' developed for obtaining models of systems that are subject to single unmeasured excitation sources and have two or more measured output signals. Since most of the models developed during the investigation use the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA) for model generation, Section 2.2 presents an introduction of ERA, and Section 2.3 describes how it can be used to model spectral quantities. Section 2.4 details the Residue Identification Algorithm (RID) including the use of Constrained Least Squares (CLS) and Total Least Squares (TLS). Most of this information can be found in the report (and is repeated for convenience). Section 3 chronicles the effort of applying the SSME transfer function modeling codes to the a51p394.dat and a51p1294.dat time data files to generate transfer functions from the unmeasured input to the 129.4 degree sensor output. Included are transfer function modeling attempts using five methods. The first method is a direct application of the SSME codes to the data files and the second method uses the underlying trends in the spectral density estimates to form transfer function models with less clustering of poles and zeros than the models obtained by the direct method. In the third approach, the time data is low pass filtered prior to the modeling process in an effort to filter out high frequency characteristics. The fourth method removes the presumed system excitation and its harmonics in order to investigate the effects of the excitation on the modeling process. The fifth method is an attempt to apply constrained RID to obtain better transfer functions through more accurate modeling over certain frequency ranges. Section 4 presents some new C main files which were created to round out the functionality of the existing SSME transfer function modeling code. It is now possible to go from time data to transfer function models using only the C codes; it is not necessary to rely on external software. The new C main files and instructions for their use are included. Section 5 presents current and future enhancements to the XPLOT graphics program which was delivered with the initial software. Several new features which have been added to the program are detailed in the first part of this section. The remainder of Section 5 then lists some possible features which may be added in the future. Section 6 contains the conclusion section of this report. Section 6.1 is an overview of the work including a summary and observations relating to finding transfer functions with the SSME code. Section 6.2 contains information relating to future work on the project.

Irwin, R. Dennis↗
NASA NTRS1981

GRID3O: Computer program for fast generation of multilevel, three-dimensional boundary-conforming O-type computational grids

A fast algorithm was developed for accurately generating boundary-conforming, three-dimensional, consecutively refined computational grids applicable to arbitrary wing-body and axial turbomachinery geometries. The method is based on using an analytic function to generate two-dimensional grids on a number of coaxial axisymmetric surfaces positioned between the centerbody and the outer radial boundary. These grids are of the O-type and are characterized by quasi-orthogonality, geometric periodicity, and an adequate resolution throughout the flow field. Because the built-in nonorthogonal coordinate stretching and shearing cause the grid lines leaving the blade or wing trailing edge to end at downstream infinity, the numerical treatment of the three-dimensional trailing vortex sheets is simplified.

Dulikravich, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the thermal nitridation of SiO2/Si

The dependence of the nitrogen distribution in thermally nitrided SiO2 films on the nitridation time and temperature has been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photoelectron peak intensities were measured by fitting Voigt profiles to the XPS spectra and were used to calculate the film composition as a function of film depth, applying an analytical method described in detail. The times of appearance of the maxima in interfacial nitrogen concentration are shown for 800, 1000, and 1150 C, and the data are related to a kinetic model of Vasquez and Madhukar (1985), which considers the effect of interfacial strain on the nitridation kinetics. In addition, the intensity of a fluorine marker (from the HF used in the etching step) was found to correlate with the nitrogen concentration. It is postulated that the F bonds preferentially to defects. This hypothesis and the measured F intensities are consistent with the proposed strain-dependent energy of defect formation.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Supersonic wing and wing-body shape optimization using an adjoint formulation

This paper describes the implementation of optimization techniques based on control theory for wing and wing-body design of supersonic configurations. The work represents an extension of our earlier research in which control theory is used to devise a design procedure that significantly reduces the computational cost by employing an adjoint equation. In previous studies it was shown that control theory could be used to~eviseransonic design methods for airfoils and wings in which the shape and the surrounding body-fitted mesh are both generated analytically, and the control is the mapping function. The method has also been implemented for both transonic potential flows and transonic flows governed by the Euler equations using an alternative formulation which employs numerically generated grids, so that it can treat more general configurations. Here results are presented for three-dimensional design cases subject to supersonic flows governed by the Euler equation.

Reuther, James↗
NASA NTRS2003

Wind Tunnel Database Development using Modern Experiment Design and Multivariate Orthogonal Functions

A wind tunnel experiment for characterizing the aerodynamic and propulsion forces and moments acting on a research model airplane is described. The model airplane called the Free-flying Airplane for Sub-scale Experimental Research (FASER), is a modified off-the-shelf radio-controlled model airplane, with 7 ft wingspan, a tractor propeller driven by an electric motor, and aerobatic capability. FASER was tested in the NASA Langley 12-foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, using a combination of traditional sweeps and modern experiment design. Power level was included as an independent variable in the wind tunnel test, to allow characterization of power effects on aerodynamic forces and moments. A modeling technique that employs multivariate orthogonal functions was used to develop accurate analytic models for the aerodynamic and propulsion force and moment coefficient dependencies from the wind tunnel data. Efficient methods for generating orthogonal modeling functions, expanding the orthogonal modeling functions in terms of ordinary polynomial functions, and analytical orthogonal blocking were developed and discussed. The resulting models comprise a set of smooth, differentiable functions for the non-dimensional aerodynamic force and moment coefficients in terms of ordinary polynomials in the independent variables, suitable for nonlinear aircraft simulation.

Morelli, Eugene A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The uniform asymptotic swallowtail approximation - Practical methods for oscillating integrals with four coalescing saddle points

Methods that can be used in the numerical implementation of the uniform swallowtail approximation are described. An explicit expression for that approximation is presented to the lowest order, showing that there are three problems which must be overcome in practice before the approximation can be applied to any given problem. It is shown that a recently developed quadrature method can be used for the accurate numerical evaluation of the swallowtail canonical integral and its partial derivatives. Isometric plots of these are presented to illustrate some of their properties. The problem of obtaining the arguments of the swallowtail integral from an analytical function of its argument is considered, describing two methods of solving this problem. The asymptotic evaluation of the butterfly canonical integral is addressed.

Connor, J. N. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computer modeling of a two-junction, monolithic cascade solar cell

The theory and design criteria for monolithic, two-junction cascade solar cells are described. The departure from the conventional solar cell analytical method and the reasons for using the integral form of the continuity equations are briefly discussed. The results of design optimization are presented. The energy conversion efficiency that is predicted for the optimized structure is greater than 30% at 300 K, AMO and one sun. The analytical method predicts device performance characteristics as a function of temperature. The range is restricted to 300 to 600 K. While the analysis is capable of determining most of the physical processes occurring in each of the individual layers, only the more significant device performance characteristics are presented.

Lamorte, M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Fast Generation of body conforming grids for 3-D

A fast algorithm was developed for accurately generating boundary conforming, three dimensional, consecutively refined, computational grids applicable to arbitrary axial turbomachinery geometry. The method is based on using a single analytic function to generate two dimensional grids on a number of coaxial axisymmetric surfaces positioned between the hub and the shroud. These grids are of the "O" type and are characterized by quasi-orthogonality, geometric periodicity, and an adequate resolution throughout the flowfield. Due to the built in additional nonorthogonal coordinate stretching and shearing, the grid lines leaving the trailing of the blade end at downstream infinity, thus simplifying the numerical treatment of the three dimensional trailing vortex sheet.

Dulikravich, O.↗