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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 505 records · Page 28
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NASA NTRS1976

Reduced state feedback gain computation

Because application of conventional optimal linear regulator theory to flight controller design requires the capability of measuring and/or estimating the entire state vector, it is of interest to consider procedures for computing controls which are restricted to be linear feedback functions of a lower dimensional output vector and which take into account the presence of measurement noise and process uncertainty. Therefore, a stochastic linear model that was developed is presented which accounts for aircraft parameter and initial uncertainty, measurement noise, turbulence, pilot command and a restricted number of measurable outputs. Optimization with respect to the corresponding output feedback gains was performed for both finite and infinite time performance indices without gradient computation by using Zangwill's modification of a procedure originally proposed by Powell. Results using a seventh order process show the proposed procedures to be very effective.

Kaufman, H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Stabilization of large-scale systems - A spinning flexible spacecraft

Stabilization of high-order constant systems by multilevel control is proposed in the framework of the decomposition-aggregation method for stability analysis of large-scale systems. An 11-order linear model of a spinning flexible spacecraft is stabilized by the method using both the passive and the active stabilization devices. The method can take advantage of the special structural features of the model to provide the best estimate of the stability region for an important parameter which couples the wobble and the spin motion of the spacecraft.

Siljak, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Simulation of radiation from lightning return strokes: The effects of tortuosity

A Monte Carlo simulation has been developed for the electromagnetic fields radiated from a tortuous lightning channel. This was done using a piecewise linear model for the channel and employing for each element the field radiated by a traveling wave on an arbitrarily oriented filament over a conducting plane. The simulation reproduces experimental data reasonably well and had been used to study the effects of tortuousity on the fields radiated by return strokes. Tortuosity can significantly modify the radiated waveform, tending to render it less representative of the current pulse and more nearly unipolar than one would expect based on the theory for a long straight channel. In the frequency domain the effect of tortuosity is an increase in high frequency energy as compared with an equivalent straight channel. The extent of this increase depends on the mean length of the elements comprising the channel and can be significant.

Levine, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Scaled equation of state parameters for gases in the critical region

In the light of recent theoretical developments, the paper presents an accurate characterization of anomalous thermodynamic behavior of xenon, helium 4, helium 3, carbon dioxide, steam and oxygen in the critical region. This behavior is associated with long range fluctuations in the system and the physical properties depend primarily on a single variable, namely, the correlation length. A description of the thermodynamic behavior of fluids in terms of scaling laws is formulated, and the two successfully used scaled equations of state (NBS equation and Linear Model parametric equation) are compared. Methods for fitting both equations to experimental equation of state data are developed and formulated, and the optimum fit for each of the two scaled equations of the above gases are presented and the results are compared. By extending the experimental data for the above one-component fluids to partially miscible binary liquids, superfluid liquid helium, ferromagnets and solids exhibiting order-disorder transitions, the principle of universality is concluded. Finally by using this principle, the critical regions for nine additional fluids are described.

Sengers, J. M. H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Additional comments on 'Multistage least-squares parameter estimation'

The purpose of this correspondence is to call attention to other solutions to the problem addressed in the above paper, that of adding or deleting parameters or measurements from a given linear model. The solution algorithms proposed in the article are numerically ill-conditioned and are less efficient, in terms of both computational and storage requirements, than the methods described here. Several numerically stable, compact, flexible, and efficient algorithms for analyzing the parameter estimation problem are described and others are referenced.

Bierman, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The generation of sound by vorticity waves in swirling duct flows

Swirling flow in an axisymmetric duct can support vorticity waves propagating parallel to the axis of the duct. When the cross-sectional area of the duct changes a portion of the wave energy is scattered into secondary vorticity and sound waves. Thus the swirling flow in the jet pipe of an aeroengine provides a mechanism whereby disturbances produced by unsteady combustion or turbine blading can be propagated along the pipe and subsequently scattered into aerodynamic sound. In this paper a linearized model of this process is examined for low Mach number swirling flow in a duct of infinite extent. It is shown that the amplitude of the scattered acoustic pressure waves is proportional to the product of the characteristic swirl velocity and the perturbation velocity of the vorticity wave. The sound produced in this way may therefore be of more significance than that generated by vorticity fluctuations in the absence of swirl, for which the acoustic pressure is proportional to the square of the perturbation velocity. The results of the analysis are discussed in relation to the problem of excess jet noise.

Howe, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Computation of output feedback gains for linear stochastic systems using the Zangwill-Powell method

Because conventional optimal linear regulator theory results in a controller which requires the capability of measuring and/or estimating the entire state vector, it is of interest to consider procedures for computing controls which are restricted to be linear feedback functions of a lower dimensional output vector and which take into account the presence of measurement noise and process uncertainty. To this effect a stochastic linear model has been developed that accounts for process parameter and initial uncertainty, measurement noise, and a restricted number of measurable outputs. Optimization with respect to the corresponding output feedback gains was then performed for both finite and infinite time performance indices without gradient computation by using Zangwill's modification of a procedure originally proposed by Powell.

Kaufman, H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Simulation of radiation from lightning return strokes - The effects of tortuosity

A Monte Carlo simulation has been developed for the electromagnetic fields radiated from a tortuous lightning channel. This was done using a piecewise linear model for the channel and employing for each element the field radiated by a traveling wave on an arbitrarily oriented filament over a conducting plane. The simulation reproduces experimental data reasonably well and has been used to study the effects of tortuosity on the fields radiated by return strokes. Tortuosity can significantly modify the radiated waveform, tending to render it less representative of the current pulse and more nearly unipolar than one would expect based on the theory for a long straight channel. In the frequency domain the effect of tortuosity is an increase in high frequency energy as compared with an equivalent straight channel. The extent of this increase depends on the mean length of the elements comprising the channel and can be significant.

Levine, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

On reliable control system designs with and without feedback reconfigurations

This paper contains an overview of a theoretical framework for the design of reliable multivariable control systems, with special emphasis on actuator failures and necessary actuator redundancy levels. Using a linear model of the system, with Markovian failure probabilities and quadratic performance index, an optimal stochastic control problem is posed and solved. The solution requires the iteration of a set of highly coupled Riccati-like matrix difference equations; if these converge one has a reliable design; if they diverge, the design is unreliable, and the system design cannot be stabilized. In addition, it is shown that the existence of a stabilizing constant feedback gain and the reliability of its implementation is equivalent to the convergence properties of a set of coupled Riccati-like matrix difference equations. In summary, these results can be used for offline studies relating the open loop dynamics, required performance, actuator mean time to failure, and functional or identical actuator redundancy, with and without feedback gain reconfiguration strategies.

Birdwell, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

An analytical study of electric vehicle handling dynamics

Hypothetical electric vehicle configurations were studied by applying available analytical methods. Elementary linearized models were used in addition to a highly sophisticated vehicle dynamics computer simulation technique. Physical properties of specific EV's were defined for various battery and powertrain packaging approaches applied to a range of weight distribution and inertial properties which characterize a generic class of EV's. Computer simulations of structured maneuvers were performed for predicting handling qualities in the normal driving range and during various extreme conditions related to accident avoidance. Results indicate that an EV with forward weight bias will possess handling qualities superior to a comparable EV that is rear-heavy or equally balanced. The importance of properly matching tires, suspension systems, and brake system front/rear torque proportioning to a given EV configuration during the design stage is demonstrated.

Greene, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Magnetic Cepheids

The role of a magnetic field in the pulsational behavior of classical Cepheids has been studied by computing linearized models of pulsating stellar envelopes pervaded by a well-tangled magnetic field. It is found that the 'pulsational' masses of Cepheids that are implied by the theoretical values of the quantities Q(0), P(1)/P(0), and (possibly) P(2)/P(0) can be brought into line with the large 'evolutionary' masses, if the pressure due to the postulated magnetic field is assumed to be comparable to the thermodynamic pressure everywhere in the pulsating layers. The field strengths that are required - several hundred gauss at the surface and several ten thousand gauss at the base - are quite reasonable from the point of view of the observed magnetic fields in Cepheids. The influence of the magnetic field on the location of the blue edge of the instability strip in the H-R diagram is estimated to be very slight.

Stothers, R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Quantitative representation of nonrepetitive temporal behavior

Analytical representations suitable to analyze the nonrepetitive pulse-like temporal behavior of physical quantities are derived. The representation utilizes solutions of a linear model equation in which the temporal variation is subject to time-dependent driving and dissipative forces. The property of solutions is described, and it is shown that such representations can provide a basis for quantitative comparisons of behaviors and a basis for physically meaningful interpretations of the results. Observations of solar flares in the soft X-ray flux have been analyzed with this method.

Nakagawa, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A new approach to active control of rotorcraft vibration

A state-variable feedback approach is utilized for active control of rotorcraft vibration. Fuselage accelerations are passed through undamped second-order filters with resonant frequencies at N/rev. The resulting outputs contain predominantly the N/rev vibration components, phase shifted by 180 deg, and are used to drive the blade pitch to cancel this component of fuselage vibration. The linear-quadratic-gaussian (LQG) method is used to design a feedback control system utilizing these filtered accelerations. The design is based on a nine-degree-of-freedom linear model of the Rotor System Research Aircraft (RSRA) in hover and is evaluated on a nonlinear blade-element simulation of the RSRA for this flight condition. The system is shown to essentially eliminate vibrations at N/rev in all axes. The required blade-pitch amplitude is within the capability of conventional actuators at the N/rev frequency.

Gupta, N. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Testing and evaluation of a stall-flutter-suppression system for helicopter rotors using individual-blade-control

The development and testing of a feedback system designed to alleviate the violent blade first torsion mode oscillations associated with stall flutter are described. The system, based on previously developed M.I.T. Individual-Blade-Control hardware, employs blade-mounted accelerometers to sense torsional oscillations and feeds back rate informaton to increase the damping of the first torsion mode. A linear model of the blade and control system dynamics is developed and is used to give qualitative and quantitative guidance in the design process as well as to aid in analysis of experimental results. System performance in wind tunnel tests, both in hover and forward flight, is described, and evidence is given of the system's ability to provide substantial additional damping to stall-induced blade oscillations.

Quackenbush, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Stability analysis of numerical boundary conditions and implicit difference approximations for hyperbolic equations

Implicit, noniterative, finite difference schemes were recently developed by several authors for multidimensional systems of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations. When applied to linear model equations with periodic boundary conditions those schemes are unconditionally stable (A-stable). As applied in practice the algorithms often face a severe time step restriction. A major source of the difficulty is the treatment of the numerical boundary conditions. One conjecture was that unconditional stability requires implicit numerical boundary conditions. An apparent counter example was the space time extrapolation considered by Gustafsson, Kreiss, and Sunstrom. Spatial (implicit) and space time (explicit) extrapolation using normal mode analysis for a finite and infinite number of spatial mesh intervals are examined. The results indicate that for unconditional stability with a finite number of spatial mesh intervals, the numerical boundary conditions must be implicit.

Beam, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Density response of the mesospheric sodium layer to gravity wave perturbations

Lidar observations of the mesospheric sodium layer often reveal wavelike features moving through the layer. It is often assumed that these features are a layer density response to gravity waves. Chiu and Ching (1978) described the approximate form of the linear response of atmospheric layers to gravity waves. In this paper, their results are used to predict the response of the sodium layer to gravity waves. These simulations are compared with experimental observations and a good correlation is found between the two. Because of the thickness of the sodium layer and the density gradients found in it, a linear model of the layer response is not always adequate to describe gravity wave-sodium layer interactions. Inclusion of nonlinearities in the layer response is briefly discussed. Experimental data is seen to contain features consistent with the predicted nonlinearities.

Shelton, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Wave transience in a compressible atmosphere. I - Transient internal wave, mean-flow interaction. II - Transient equatorial waves in the quasi-biennial oscillation

Analytical and numerical solutions are obtained in an approximate quasi-linear model, to describe the way in which vertically propagating waves give rise to mean flow accelerations in an atmosphere due to the effects of wave transience. These effects in turn result from compressibility and vertical group velocity feedback, and culminate in the spontaneous formation and descent of regions of strong mean wind shear. The numerical solutions display mean flow accelerations due to Kelvin waves in the equatorial stratosphere, with wave absorption altering the transience mechanism in such significant respects as causing the upper atmospheric mean flow acceleration to be very sensitive to the precise magnitude and distribution of the damping mechanisms. The numerical simulations of transient equatorial waves in the quasi-biennial oscillation are also considered.

Dunkerton, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Experimental and analytical investigation of a fluidic power generator

A combined experimental and analytical investigation was performed to understand the various fluid processes associated with the conversion of flow energy into electric power in a fluidic generator. Experiments were performed under flight-simulated laboratory conditions and results were compared with those obtained in the free-flight conditions. It is concluded that the mean mass flow critically controlled the output of the fluidic generator. Cross-correlation of the outputs of transducer data indicate the presence of a standing wave in the tube; the mechanism of oscillation is an acoustic resonance tube phenomenon. A linearized model was constructed coupling the flow behavior of the jet, the jet-layer, the tube, the cavity, and the holes of the fluidic generator. The analytical results also show that the mode of the fluidic power generator is an acoustical resonance phenomenon with the frequency of operation given by f approx = a/4L, where f is the frequency of jet swallowing, a is the average speed of sound in the tube, and L is the length of the tube. Analytical results further indicated that oscillations in the fluidic generator are always damped and consequently there is a forcing of the system in operation.

Sarohia, V.↗