Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “conditional approach”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 451 records · Page 25

Flight evaluation of augmented controls for approach and landing of powered-lift aircraft

Flight experiments were conducted with Ames Research Center's Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft to evaluate the influence of highly augmented control modes on the ability of pilots to execute precision instrument flight operations in the terminal area, particularly approaches to and landings on a short runway. The aircraft is a powered-lift, short-takeoff and landing configuration that is equipped with a modern digital fly-by-wire flight control system, a head-up display, and a solar head-down display that make it possible to investigate control concepts and display format and content for full envelope, powered-lift operations. Considerable attention has been devoted in this flight program to assessing flightpath and airspeed command and stabilization modes developed using nonlinear, inverse model-following methods. The primary benefit of this control concept was realized when the pilot was required to execute a complex transition and approach under instrument conditions and in the presence of a wide range of wind and turbulence conditions.

Franklin, J. A.↗

Synthesis and characterization of processable polyimides with enhanced thermal stability

Many of the emerging applications of polymers on space vehicles require materials with outstanding thermal stability. These polymers must also be readily processable in order to facilitate their use. The syntheses and polymerization of a cardo dianhydride were investigated. This monomer was prepared via the reaction of N-methyl 4-nitrophthalimide with a cardo diol. Polyimides containing oxyalkylene linkages were studied. The effects of two additional structural modifications on the polymers' properties were investigated. The effects of carrying out the preparation of poly(amic acid)s under non-equilibrium conditions were examined. Approaches that were investigated included the in-situ neutralization of the generated amic acid and its in-situ esterification.

Harris, Frank W.↗

A new approach to the oxidational theory of mild wear

The wear and friction of 316 stainless steel was investigated in relation to oxidation at the real area of contact. An approach describing the oxidation characteristics of mild wear in terms of linear oxidation kinetics is presented. Linear oxidation kinetics more closely approaches the physical conditions involved where oxide growth on asperities is continuously interrupted by spalling and removal. The mild wear rate may now be described mathematically by two empirical equations in terms of the operational variables and the oxidational constants without using the critical oxide thickness, which is dependent on asperity size, shape and temperature, and is difficult to measure. The resulting activation energy for oxidational wear was significantly lower than that for static oxidation governed by diffusion controlled kinetics.

Hong, H.↗

Multiple boundary condition test (MBCT) - Identification with mode shapes

The multiple boundary condition test (MBCT) approach is a ground test method to test a class of large flexible structures which cannot be ground tested by state-of-the-art test methods due to the adverse terrestrial environment. The ultimate objective of a ground test is considered to be the validation and update of a mathematical model of the structure. The research to date has indicated the MBCT does work on numerical simulations and on experimental laboratory hardware. To date only the eigenvalue has been used in the model correlation/update by inclusion of the information in the nonlinear terms resulting from the difference between the analytical and measured eigenvectors. This paper presents the results of utilizing additional information, namely the difference in the analytical and the test eigenvectors, in the validation and update of the mathematical model.

Kuo, C. P.↗

Flight evaluation of pursuit displays for precision approach of powered-lift aircraft

Flight experiments with NASA Ames Research Center's quiet short-haul research aircraft evaluated the influence of pursuit displays on the ability of pilots to execute precision-instrument flight operations in the terminal area, particularly approaches to and landings on a short runway. The aircraft is a powered-lift, short-takeoff and landing configuration equipped with a modern digital fly-by-wire flight control system, a head-up display, and a color head-down display that make it possible to investigate control and display concepts for full-envelope, powered-lift operations. Flight-path-oriented displays that provide status and command information in a format with minimal clutter were investigated. The pilots could fly the aircraft with the precision associated with flight-director guidance and with a high degree of situation awareness. The primary benefits of this display concept were realized when the pilot was required to execute a complex transition and approach under instrument conditions and in the presence of a wide range of wind and turbulence conditions.

Hynes, Charles S.↗

Non-contact temperature measurement requirements of ground-based research and flight programs at JPL

The Modular Containerless Processing Facility project is responsible for the development of flight equipment and of the accompanying scientific and technological research necessary to carry out containerless investigations in the low gravity of earth orbit. The requirement for sample temperature measurement is just one of the many physical properties determination needs that must be satisfied before the useful exploitation of low gravity and containerless experimentation techniques can be achieved. The specific implementation of temperature measurement for the ground-based research program is different from that of the flight hardware development project. The needs of the latter must also be differentiated according to the chronological order of the relevant space flight missions. Immediate demands of Spacelab instruments must be addressed by the adaptation of existing reliable technology to the special and restrictive on-orbit environment, while more advanced and yet unperfected techniques will be assigned to enterprises further in the future. The wide range of application of the containerless methods to the study of phenomena involving different states of matter and environmental conditions requires the satisfaction of a variety of boundary conditions through different approaches. An important issue to be resolved will be whether an integrated program dedicated to solve the problems of all the microgravity experimental effort will allow the solution of specific demands of existing as well as future flight equipment.

Trinh, E. H.↗

New generation of free-piston shock tunnels

Consideration is given to three free-piston driven hypersonic tunnels under construction that will greatly enhance existing test capabilities. The tunnel being built at Caltech will feature energy capabilities about 40 percent higher than those of the world's largest operational free-piston tunnel to date. The second tunnel under construction will allow full-size engine hardware at near-orbital speeds. The third facility is a high-performance expansion tube that will be capable of generating high enthalpy flows at speeds of up to 9 km/sec. It will provide flows with dissociation levels much lower than are attainable with a reflected shock tunnel, approaching actual flight conditions. A table shows the tunnels' characteristics.

Morrison, W. R. B.↗

Self-organization of cosmic radiation pressure instability. II - One-dimensional simulations

The clustering of statistically uniform discrete absorbing particles moving solely under the influence of radiation pressure from uniformly distributed emitters is studied in a simple one-dimensional model. Radiation pressure tends to amplify statistical clustering in the absorbers; the absorbing material is swept into empty bubbles, the biggest bubbles grow bigger almost as they would in a uniform medium, and the smaller ones get crushed and disappear. Numerical simulations of a one-dimensional system are used to support the conjecture that the system is self-organizing. Simple statistics indicate that a wide range of initial conditions produce structure approaching the same self-similar statistical distribution, whose scaling properties follow those of the attractor solution for an isolated bubble. The importance of the process for large-scale structuring of the interstellar medium is briefly discussed.

Hogan, Craig J.↗

Design, analysis, and control of large transport aircraft utilizing engine thrust as a backup system for the primary flight controls

A review of accidents that involved the loss of hydraulic flight control systems serves as an introduction to this project. In each of the accidents--involving transport aircraft such as the DC-10, the C-5A, the L-1011, and the Boeing 747--the flight crew attempted to control the aircraft by means of thrust control. Although these incidents had tragic endings, in the absence of control power due to primary control system failure, control power generated by selective application of engine thrust has proven to be a viable alternative. NASA Dryden has demonstrated the feasibility of controlling an aircraft during level flight, approach, and landing conditions using an augmented throttles-only control system. This system has been successfully flown in the flight test simulator for the B-720 passenger transport and the F-15 air superiority fighter and in actual flight tests for the F-15 aircraft. The Douglas Aircraft Company is developing a similar system for the MD-11 aircraft. The project's ultimate goal is to provide data for the development of thrust control systems for mega-transports (600+ passengers).

Gerren, Donna S.↗

Transport phenomena in the crystallization of lysozyme by osmotic dewatering and liquid-liquid diffusion in low gravity

Two methods of protein crystallization, osmotic dewatering and liquid-liquid diffusion, like the vapor diffusion (hanging-drop and sessile-drop) methods allow a gradual approach to supersaturation conditions. The crystallization of hen egg-white lysozyme, an extensively characterized protein crystal, in the presence of sodium chloride was used as an experimental model with which to compare these two methods in low gravity and in the laboratory. Comparisons of crystal growth rates by the two methods under the two conditions have, to date, indicated that the rate of crystal growth by osmotic dewatering is nearly the same in low gravity and on the ground, while much faster crystal growth rates can be achieved by the liquid-liquid diffusion method in low gravity.

Todd, Paul↗

HHC study in the DNW to reduce BVI noise - An analysis

The noise of an aeroelastically scaled helicopter rotor has been studied in the German-Dutch wind tunnel in order to assess the utility of higher-harmonic control (HHC) in reducing blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise. Acoustic data are presented for 3/rev, 4/rev, and 5/rev HHC, as applied to a typical landing approach rotor operating condition; noise reduction of up to 6 dB were found for advancing-blade BVI noise radiating upstream of the rotor, as well as for retreating blade BVI noise radiating below and downstream of the rotor.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

Linearized Lifting-Surface and Lifting-line Evaluations of Sidewash Behind Rolling Triangular Wings at Supersonic Speeds

The lifting-surface sidewash behind rolling triangular wings has been derived for a range of supersonic Mach numbers for which the wing leading edges remain swept behind the mark cone emanating from the wing apex. Variations of the sidewash with longitudinal distance in the vertical plane of symmetry are presented in graphical form. An approximate expression for the sidewash has been developed by means of an approach using a horseshoe-vortex approximate-lifting-line theory. By use of this approximate expression, sidewash may be computed for wings of arbitrary plan form and span loading. A comparison of the sidewash computed by lifting-surface and lifting-line expressions for the triangular wing showed good agreement except in the vicinity of the trailing edge when the leading edge approached the sonic condition. An illustrative calculation has been made of the force induced by the wing sidewash on a vertical tail located in various longitudinal positions.

Bobbitt, Percy J↗

Generalized seismic analysis

There is a constant need to be able to solve for enforced motion of structures. Spacecraft need to be qualified for acceleration inputs. Truck cargoes need to be safeguarded from road mishaps. Office buildings need to withstand earthquake shocks. Marine machinery needs to be able to withstand hull shocks. All of these kinds of enforced motions are being grouped together under the heading of seismic inputs. Attempts have been made to cope with this problem over the years and they usually have ended up with some limiting or compromise conditions. The crudest approach was to limit the problem to acceleration occurring only at a base of a structure, constrained to be rigid. The analyst would assign arbitrarily outsized masses to base points. He would then calculate the magnitude of force to apply to the base mass (or masses) in order to produce the specified acceleration. He would of necessity have to sacrifice the determination of stresses in the vicinity of the base, because of the artificial nature of the input forces. The author followed the lead of John M. Biggs by using relative coordinates for a rigid base in a 1975 paper, and again in a 1981 paper . This method of relative coordinates was extended and made operational as DMAP ALTER packets to rigid formats 9, 10, 11, and 12 under contract N60921-82-C-0128. This method was presented at the twelfth NASTRAN Colloquium. Another analyst in the field developed a method that computed the forces from enforced motion then applied them as a forcing to the remaining unknowns after the knowns were partitioned off. The method was translated into DMAP ALTER's but was never made operational. All of this activity jelled into the current effort. Much thought was invested in working out ways to unshakle the analysis of enforced motions from the limitations that persisted.

Butler, Thomas G.↗

A computer program for condensing heat exchanger performance in the presence of noncondensable gases

A computer model has been developed which evaluates the performance of a heat exchanger. This model is general enough to be used to evaluate many heat exchanger geometries and a number of different operating conditions. The film approach is used to describe condensation in the presence of noncondensables. The model is also easily expanded to include other effects like fog formation or suction.

Yendler, Boris↗

Active Control of Fan Noise-Feasibility Study: Flyover System Noise Studies - Volume 1

A study has been completed to examine the potential reduction of aircraft flyover noise by the method of active noise control (ANC). It is assumed that the ANC system will be designed such that it cancels discrete tones radiating from the engine fan inlet or fan exhaust duct. Thus, without considering the engineering details of the ANC system design, tone levels are arbitrarily removed from the engine component noise spectrum and the flyover noise EPNL levels are compared with and without the presence of tones. The study was conducted for a range of engine cycles, corresponding to fan pressure ratios from 1.3 to 1.75. The major conclusions that can be drawn are that, for a fan pressure ratio of 1.75, ANC of tones gives about the same suppression as acoustic treatment without ANC, and for a fan pressure ratio of 1.45, ANC appears to offer less effectiveness than passive treatment. Additionally, ANC appears to be more effective at sideline and cutback conditions than at approach. Overall EPNL suppressions due to tone removal range from about 1 to 3 dB at takeoff engine speeds and from 1 to 5 db at approach speeds. Studies of economic impact of the installation of an ANC system for the four engine cases indicate increases of DOC ranging from 1 to 2 percent, favoring the lower fan pressure ratio engines. Further study is needed to confirm the results by examining additional engine data, particularly at low fan pressure ratios, and studying the details of the current results to obtain a more complete understanding. Further studies should also include determining the effects of combining passive and active treatment.

Kraft, Robert E.↗

Flight Test of a Propulsion-Based Emergency Control System on the MD-11 Airplane with Emphasis on the Lateral Axis

A large, civilian, multi-engine transport MD-11 airplane control system was recently modified to perform as an emergency backup controller using engine thrust only. The emergency backup system, referred to as the propulsion-controlled aircraft (PCA) system, would be used if a major primary flight control system fails. To allow for longitudinal and lateral-directional control, the PCA system requires at least two engines and is implemented through software modifications. A flight-test program was conducted to evaluate the PCA system high-altitude flying characteristics and to demonstrate its capacity to perform safe landings. The cruise flight conditions, several low approaches and one landing without any aerodynamic flight control surface movement, were demonstrated. This paper presents results that show satisfactory performance of the PCA system in the longitudinal axis. Test results indicate that the lateral-directional axis of the system performed well at high attitude but was sluggish and prone to thermal upsets during landing approaches. Flight-test experiences and test techniques are also discussed with emphasis on the lateral-directional axis because of the difficulties encountered in flight test.

Burken, John J.↗

Diffuse Reflectance Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool for the Identification of Surface Contamination on Sandblasted Metals

The SOC 400 Surface Inspection Machine/Infrared (SIMIR) is a small, ruggedized Fourier transform infrared spectrometer having dedicated diffuse reflectance optics. The SOC 400 was designed for the purpose of detecting (qualitatively and quantitatively) oil stains on the inside surface of solid rocket motor casings in the as-sandblasted and cleaned condition at levels approaching 1 mg. sq ft. The performance of this instrument is described using spectral mapping techniques.

G. Louis Powell↗

Thermal Barrier Coatings for Advanced Gas Turbine and Diesel Engines

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCS) have been developed for advanced gas turbine and diesel engine applications to improve engine reliability and fuel efficiency. However, durability issues of these thermal barrier coatings under high temperature cyclic conditions are still of major concern. The coating failure depends not only on the coating, but also on the ceramic sintering/creep and bond coat oxidation under the operating conditions. Novel test approaches have been established to obtain critical thermomechanical and thermophysical properties of the coating systems under near-realistic transient and steady state temperature and stress gradients encountered in advanced engine systems. This paper presents detailed experimental and modeling results describing processes occurring in the ZrO2-Y2O3 thermal barrier coating systems, thus providing a framework for developing strategies to manage ceramic coating architecture, microstructure and properties.

Zhu, Dongming↗