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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 361 records · Page 20

A technique for accelerating iterative convergence in numerical integration, with application in transonic aerodynamics

A technique is described for the efficient numerical solution of nonlinear partial differential equations by rapid iteration. In particular, a special approach is described for applying the Aitken acceleration formula (a simple Pade approximant) for accelerating the iterative convergence. The method finds the most appropriate successive approximations, which are in a most nearly geometric sequence, for use in the Aitken formula. Simple examples are given to illustrate the use of the method. The method is then applied to the mixed elliptic-hyperbolic problem of steady, inviscid, transonic flow over an airfoil in a subsonic free stream.

Martin, E. D.↗

A technique for accelerating iterative convergence in numerical integration, with application in transonic aerodynamics

A technique is described for the efficient numerical solution of nonlinear partial differential equations by rapid iteration. In particular, a special approach is described for applying the Aitken acceleration formula (a simple Pade approximant) for accelerating the iterative convergence. The method finds the most appropriate successive approximations, which are in a most nearly geometric sequence, for use in the Aitken formula. Simple examples are given to illustrate the use of the method. The method is then applied to the mixed elliptic-hyperbolic problem of steady, inviscid, transonic flow over an airfoil in a subsonic free stream.

Martin, E. D.↗

Analysis of shock pulses for environmental tests

Specifications for shock testing of components that will be used on the Space Shuttle vehicles require very high acceleration levels. A special shock machine was built for testing of rocket components to determine if they can meet the specified accelerations. Calibrations of transducers and methods to monitor the shock tests raised several signature-analysis questions. In this report, calibration capabilities of shock accelerometers are found to be limited to 10,000g. Equivalency of the mechanical shock test and the rocket pyrotechnic shock are examined, and two simple relationships for equivalency are proposed. Five different pulse signature-analysis techniques are tested on analytical and experimental pulse data and recommendations are made for the signature technique which most clearly identifies the magnitude of the impulse applied to the test specimen.

Houghton, J. R.↗

Low-energy electron flux and its reaction to active experimentation of Spacelab

An instrument capable of observing the natural electron flux in the energy range from 0.1 to 12.0 kiloelectron volts is discussed for use in an experiment intended as a forerunner of a method that will utilize artificially accelerated electrons as tracer particles for electron fields parallel to the magnetic field. Effects that are of importance either as means of detecting the echo beam or as causes of beam perturbations (e.g., spacecraft charging effects and electron background) are to be studied. The use of electron accelerators as a tool to probe magnetospheric processes rather than to modify them is planned.

Wilhelm, K.↗

A Navier-Stokes solver for cascade flows

A computer code for solving the Reynolds averaged full Navier-Stokes equations has been developed and applied using sheared H-type grids. The Baldwin-Lomax eddy-viscosity model is used for turbulence closure. The integration in time is based on an explicit four-stage Runge-Kutta scheme. Local time stepping, variable coefficient implicit residual smoothing, and a full multigrid method have been implemented to accelerate steady state calculations. Comparisons with experimental data show that the code is an accurate viscous solver and can give very good blade-to-blade predictions for engineering applications in less than 100 multigrid cycles on the finest mesh.

Arnone, A.↗

Rapid Prototyping Of Layered Composite Parts

Numerically controlled cutting accelerates fabrication of layers. Proposed method derived from stereoscopic lithography. CATIA or CAEDS computer program used to generate three-dimensional mathematical model of prototype part. In model, geometry of part specified in layers, as in stereoscopic lithography. Model data for each layer fed to computer-numerically-controlled ultrasonic cutting machine. Sheet of prepreg (uncured composite material) of specified layer thickness placed in machine and cut, under control of model data, to specified shape of layer.

Wolff, Edwin D.↗

Classifying Software For Reuse

Scheme for classifying software facilitates and accelerates retrieval of software components. Method aids reuse of software and increases software developers' productivity. Used to discover software components meeting specified need in large collection of useful, reliable components. Classification and retrieval methodology applies equally to things unrelated to software, such as hardware, patents, legal cases, and books. Searcher enables user to find desired software without being required to answer excessive number of questions and without presenting user with too many possible answers to any one question. Although it guides inexperienced user through system, it lets expert user forge ahead without artificial restriction.

Snyder, William V.↗

A Navier-Stokes solver for turbomachinery applications

A computer code for solving the Reynolds-averaged full Navier-Stokes equations has been developed and applied using H- and C-type grids. The Baldwin-Lomax eddy-viscosity model is used for turbulence closure. The integration in time is based on an explicit four-stage Runge-Kutta scheme. Local time stepping, variable coefficient implicit residual smoothing, and a full multigrid method have been implemented to accelerate steady-state calculations. A grid independence analysis is presented for a transonic rotor blade. Comparisons with experimental data show that the code is an accurate viscous solver and can give very good blade-to-blade predictions for engineering applications.

Arnone, A.↗

A Method of Calibrating Airspeed Installations on Airplanes at Transonic and Supersonic Speeds by the Use of Accelerometer and Attitude-Angle Measurements

A method is described for calibrating airspeed installation on airplanes at transonic and supersonic speeds in vertical-plane maneuvers in which use is made of measurements of normal and longitudinal accelerations and attitude angle. In this method all the required instrumentation is carried within the airplane. An analytical study of the effects of various sources of error on the accuracy of an airspeed calibration by the accelerometer method indicated that the required measurements can be made accurately enough to insure a satisfactory calibration.

Zalovick, John A↗

Microgravity Environment Characterization Program

The Microgravity Science and Applications Division (MSAD), a division within NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Science and Applications, sponsors a broad range of space-based research in biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science. To better understand and exploit the orbital environment, MSAD has developed methods and hardware to characterize accelerations on microgravity experiment carriers. MSAD supports research to verify analytically derived acceleration requirements for experiments and provides vibration isolation for sensitive experiments. The Microgravity Measurement and Analysis Project (MMAP), supported by MSAD, incorporates four projects: the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), the SAMS for International Space Station (SAMS-II), and the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services (PIMS). SAMS was developed to record microgravity accelerations and the OARE was developed to record very low-frequency microgravity accelerations on-board the NASA Orbiters. The SAMS is also used for cooperative investigations on the Russian Mir space station. The SAMS-II is being developed for the same function on-board the International Space Station (ISS). PIMS utilizes microgravity acceleration data to develop a description of each microgravity mission's acceleration environment and to support microgravity investigators in interpreting possible effects of the acceleration environment on their experiments. These elements of the MSAD program will be used to define acceleration requirements for future Orbiter and ISS payloads. This paper describes the MMAP and summarizes the products and services available to principal investigators and other users. This paper also presents some microgravity acceleration characterization results from the last six years of Orbiter microgravity missions.

DeLombard, Richard↗

Cassini spacecraft and instrument force limited vibration testing

The application of force limiting to spacecraft equipment is illustrated with the random vibration test of the Cassini radio plasma wave subsystem antenna instrument. Force limiting was used in the vibration tests of most of the instruments and major equipment on the Cassini spacecraft, as well as in the vibration test of the complete flight spacecraft. Force limits for the Cassini instruments and complete spacecraft vibration tests were developed using a semi-empirical method which only requires the acceleration specification and the data from a low level pre-test in order to determine the mass of the test item.

Chang, Kurng Y.↗

Solder Joint Health Monitoring Testbed System

The density and pin count for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) has been increasing, and has exceeded current methods of solder joint inspection, making early detection of failures more problematic. These failures are a concern for both flight safety and maintenance in commercial aviation. Ridgetop Group, Inc. has developed a method for detecting solder joint failures in real time. The NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is developing a set of boards to test this method in ground environmental and accelerated testing as well as flight test on a Dryden F-15 or F-18 research aircraft. In addition to detecting intermittent and total solder joint failures, environmental data on the boards, such as temperature and vibration, will be collected and time-correlated to aircraft state data. This paper details the technical approach involved in the detection process, and describes the design process and products to date for Dryden s FPGA failure detection boards.

Delaney, Michael M.↗

Compressible laminar boundary layers with large acceleration and cooling

The paper extends an approximate prediction method involving the integral form of the momentum equation to deduce the flow quantities of interest when compressibility effects become important and heat transfer may occur. The approximate method is applicable to a two-dimensional laminar boundary layer on an impermeable surface of negligible curvature for a specified integral momentum equation. The proposed approximate method involves the use of similar solutions in conjunction with the integral momentum equation for isentropic freestream flow of a perfect gas by assuming that viscosity is proportional to stagnation condition and Prandtl number is unity. The study pertains to larger values of acceleration (acceleration parameter to 20 rather than 2) than previously considered to account for rapidly accelerating flows such as in supersonic nozzles. A discussion of some applications confirms the advantages of the method in establishing better confidence in the predictions.

Back, L. H.↗

Merging for Particle-Mesh Complex Particle Kinetic Modeling of the Multiple Plasma Beams

We suggest a merging procedure for the Particle-Mesh Complex Particle Kinetic (PMCPK) method in case of inter-penetrating flow (multiple plasma beams). We examine the standard particle-in-cell (PIC) and the PMCPK methods in the case of particle acceleration by shock surfing for a wide range of the control numerical parameters. The plasma dynamics is described by a hybrid (particle-ion-fluid-electron) model. Note that one may need a mesh if modeling with the computation of an electromagnetic field. Our calculations use specified, time-independent electromagnetic fields for the shock, rather than self-consistently generated fields. While a particle-mesh method is a well-verified approach, the CPK method seems to be a good approach for multiscale modeling that includes multiple regions with various particle/fluid plasma behavior. However, the CPK method is still in need of a verification for studying the basic plasma phenomena: particle heating and acceleration by collisionless shocks, magnetic field reconnection, beam dynamics, etc.

Lipatov, Alexander S.↗

Center of Gravity Quasi-Static Load Estimate Using Random Vibration Responses

The quasi-static load (QSL) is often levied on flight hardware structural designers as a requirement. This requirement is verified either by test or analysis with engineers using different approaches to meet this requirement. A commonly used approach is to consider the rms acceleration Center of Gravity (CG) responses of test articles undergoing random vibration tests. The differences between structural engineers and/or test conductors within the space industry exist on how the data obtained from flight hardware random vibration tests are used to estimate QSLs. In this paper, a method to accurately estimate the CG grms from the acceleration power spectral densities with an appropriate sigma value to estimate peak CG accelerations is discussed. Recommendations are made to ensure that the community follows consistent QSL estimation from random vibration test data. The method of estimating the CG acceleration responses may also be used to response limit if the flight hardware responses exceed flight limit loads with margins.

Kolaini, Ali↗

Generalized conjugate-gradient methods for the Navier-Stokes equations

A generalized conjugate-gradient method is used to solve the two-dimensional, compressible Navier-Stokes equations of fluid flow. The equations are discretized with an implicit, upwind finite-volume formulation. Preconditioning techniques are incorporated into the new solver to accelerate convergence of the overall iterative method. The superiority of the new solver is demonstrated by comparisons with a conventional line Gauss-Siedel Relaxation solver. Computational test results for transonic flow (trailing edge flow in a transonic turbine cascade) and hypersonic flow (M = 6.0 shock-on-shock phenoena on a cylindrical leading edge) are presented. When applied to the transonic cascade case, the new solver is 4.4 times faster in terms of number of iterations and 3.1 times faster in terms of CPU time than the Relaxation solver. For the hypersonic shock case, the new solver is 3.0 times faster in terms of number of iterations and 2.2 times faster in terms of CPU time than the Relaxation solver.

Ajmani, Kumud↗

Acceleration of transonic potential flow calculations on arbitrary meshes by the multiple grid method

A multiple grid method for transonic flow calculations is developed. The proposed scheme incorporates a generalized alternating direction method as the smoothing algorithm. Numerical experiments indicate that this multigrid alternating direction method converges rapidly and reliably for a range of cases typical of the cruising regime up to the onset of drag rise. It also appears that the method can be readily generalized to treat three-dimensional flows.

Jameson, A.↗