Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “analytic solution”

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 559 records · Page 31

Element Library for Three-Dimensional Stress Analysis by the Integrated Force Method

The Integrated Force Method, a recently developed method for analyzing structures, is extended in this paper to three-dimensional structural analysis. First, a general formulation is developed to generate the stress interpolation matrix in terms of complete polynomials of the required order. The formulation is based on definitions of the stress tensor components in term of stress functions. The stress functions are written as complete polynomials and substituted into expressions for stress components. Then elimination of the dependent coefficients leaves the stress components expressed as complete polynomials whose coefficients are defined as generalized independent forces. Such derived components of the stress tensor identically satisfy homogenous Navier equations of equilibrium. The resulting element matrices are invariant with respect to coordinate transformation and are free of spurious zero-energy modes. The formulation provides a rational way to calculate the exact number of independent forces necessary to arrive at an approximation of the required order for complete polynomials. The influence of reducing the number of independent forces on the accuracy of the response is also analyzed. The stress fields derived are used to develop a comprehensive finite element library for three-dimensional structural analysis by the Integrated Force Method. Both tetrahedral- and hexahedral-shaped elements capable of modeling arbitrary geometric configurations are developed. A number of examples with known analytical solutions are solved by using the developments presented herein. The results are in good agreement with the analytical solutions. The responses obtained with the Integrated Force Method are also compared with those generated by the standard displacement method. In most cases, the performance of the Integrated Force Method is better overall.

Kaljevic, Igor↗

Transient Effects in Planar Solidification of Dilute Binary Alloys

The initial transient during planar solidification of dilute binary alloys is studied in the framework of the boundary integral method that leads to the non-linear Volterra integral governing equation. An analytical solution of this equation is obtained for the case of a constant growth rate which constitutes the well-known Tiller's formula for the solute transient. The more physically relevant, constant ramping down temperature case has been studied both numerically and analytically. In particular, an asymptotic analytical solution is obtained for the initial transient behavior. A numerical technique to solve the non-linear Volterra equation is developed and the solution is obtained for a family of the governing parameters. For the rapid solidification condition, growth rate spikes have been observed even for the infinite kinetics model. When recirculating fluid flow is included into the analysis, the spike feature is dramatically diminished. Finally, we have investigated planar solidification with a fluctuating temperature field as a possible mechanism for frequently observed solute trapping bands.

Mazuruk, K.↗

Transient Effects in Planar Solidification of Dilute Binary Alloys

The initial transient during planar solidification of dilute binary alloys is studied in the framework of the boundary integral method that leads to the non-linear Volterra integral governing equation. An analytical solution of this equation is obtained for the case of a constant growth rate which constitutes the well-known Tiller's formula for the solute transient. The more physically relevant, constant ramping down temperature case has been studied both numerically and analytically. In particular, an asymptotic analytical solution is obtained for the initial transient behavior. A numerical technique to solve the non-linear Volterra equation is developed and the solution is obtained for a family of the governing parameters. For the rapid solidification condition, growth rate spikes have been observed even for the infinite kinetics model. When recirculating fluid flow is included into the analysis, the spike feature is dramatically diminished. Finally, we have investigated planar solidification with a fluctuating temperature field as a possible mechanism for frequently observed solute trapping bands.

Mazuruk, Konstantin↗

Computational Simulation of Acoustic Modes in Rocket Combustors

A combination of computational fluid dynamic analysis and analytical solutions is being used to characterize the dominant modes in liquid rocket engines in conjunction with laboratory experiments. The analytical solutions are based on simplified geometries and flow conditions and are used for careful validation of the numerical formulation. The validated computational model is then extended to realistic geometries and flow conditions to test the effects of various parameters on chamber modes, to guide and interpret companion laboratory experiments in simplified combustors, and to scale the measurements to engine operating conditions. In turn, the experiments are used to validate and improve the model. The present paper gives an overview of the numerical and analytical techniques along with comparisons illustrating the accuracy of the computations as a function of grid resolution. A representative parametric study of the effect of combustor mean flow Mach number and combustor aspect ratio on the chamber modes is then presented for both transverse and longitudinal modes. The results show that higher mean flow Mach numbers drive the modes to lower frequencies. Estimates of transverse wave mechanics in a high aspect ratio combustor are then contrasted with longitudinal modes in a long and narrow combustor to provide understanding of potential experimental simulations.

Harper, Brent↗

Using Ensemble Data Assimilation to Estimate Transient Hydrologic Exchange Flow Under Highly Dynamic Flow Conditions

Abstract Quantifying dynamic hydrologic exchange flows (HEFs) within river corridors that experience high‐frequency flow variations caused by dam regulations is important for understanding the biogeochemical processes at the river water and groundwater interfaces. Heat has been widely used as a tracer to infer steady‐state flow velocities through analytical solutions of heat transport defined by the diurnal temperature signals. Under sub‐daily dynamic flow conditions, however, such analytical solutions are not applicable due to the violation of their fundamental assumptions. In this study, we developed a data assimilation‐based approach to estimate the sub‐daily flux under highly dynamic flow conditions using multi‐depth temperature observations at a 5‐min resolution. If the hydraulic gradient is measured, Darcy's law was used to calculate the flux with permeability estimated from temperature responses below the riverbed. Otherwise, flux was estimated directly by assimilating multi‐depth temperature data at 1‐ or 2‐hr time intervals assuming one‐dimensional flow and heat transport governing equation. By comparing estimated fluxes with model‐generated synthetic truth, we demonstrated that both schemes have robust performance in estimating fluxes under highly dynamic flow conditions. This data assimilation‐based flux estimation method was able to capture the vertical sub‐daily fluxes using multi‐depth high‐resolution temperature data alone, even in the presence of multi‐dimensional flow. This approach has been successfully applied to real field temperature data collected at the Hanford site, which experiences highly dynamic HEFs. Our study shows the promise of adopting distributed 1‐D temperature monitoring to capture spatial and temporal exchange dynamics in river corridors at a watershed scale or beyond.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Ascending Columns, WTG, and Convective Aggregation

Analytic solutions are derived for a convecting atmosphere with mean ascent using a zero-buoyancy bulk-plume approximation for moist convection. It has been suggested that such solutions should serve as a model for the relationship between humidity, instability, and precipitation in the tropics, but it is shown here that this interpretation is incompatible with the observed weak temperature gradient (WTG). Instead, the solutions can be used to understand the atmospheric state averaged over all tropical convecting regions. Further, using the analytic solutions in this way, they predict the changes in humidity, instability, and precipitation as a function of the size of the moist patch in a convectively aggregated state.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

End-to-End Performance Optimization of a Crewed Lunar Landing Mission Staged from a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit

A crewed lunar landing mission staged from a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) presents a unique set of challenges not considered before for the Apollo-type direct missions. The NRHO does not have a fixed orbital plane and its period also changes with time, due to which the mission performance is very sensitive to the timing and location of the NRHO departure and arrival burns for a near-polar surface landing site. For such type of mission staged from the NRHO, an end-to-end optimization approach for the entire mission, from the NRHO departure to surface landing and from surface lift-off to the NRHO insertion, is well-suited for extracting the maximum performance out of this design. In this paper, an integrated approach for performing end-to-end optimization of a NRHO-staged crewed lunar landing mission is proposed that optimizes the in-space and powered flight segments simultaneously using Copernicus trajectory optimization tool. Copernicus is augmented with analytical approximations for the in-space, powered descent, and powered ascent segments in this work to improve the convergence of its multiple-shooting based direct optimization method. New analytical solutions are derived for the different phases of the powered flight segments by solving associated guidance problems. These analytical solutions act as initial guesses for starting the numerical optimization of the integrated mission in Copernicus. An example lunar landing mission is simulated to validate the proposed end-to-end optimization approach and the results are compared with the conventional patched trajectory approach.

Bharat Mahajan↗

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of a Stirling engine heat exchanger

The first phase of an effort to develop multidimensional models of Stirling engine components is described; the ultimate goal is to model an entire engine working space. More specifically, parallel plate and tubular heat exchanger models with emphasis on the central part of the channel (i.e., ignoring hydrodynamic and thermal end effects) are described. The model assumes: laminar, incompressible flow with constant thermophysical properties. In addition, a constant axial temperature gradient is imposed. The governing equations, describing the model, were solved using Crank-Nicloson finite-difference scheme. Model predictions were compared with analytical solutions for oscillating/reversing flow and heat transfer in order to check numerical accuracy. Excellent agreement was obtained for the model predictions with analytical solutions available for both flow in circular tubes and between parallel plates. Also the heat transfer computational results are in good agreement with the heat transfer analytical results for parallel plates.

Ibrahim, Mounir B.↗

Potential profile near singularity point in kinetic Tonks-Langmuir discharges as a function of the ion sources temperature

A plasma-sheath transition analysis requires a reliable mathematical expression for the plasma potential profile {Phi}(x) near the sheath edge x{sub s} in the limit {epsilon}{identical_to}{lambda}{sub D}/l=0 (where {lambda}{sub D} is the Debye length and l is a proper characteristic length of the discharge). Such expressions have been explicitly calculated for the fluid model and the singular (cold ion source) kinetic model, where exact analytic solutions for plasma equation ({epsilon}=0) are known, but not for the regular (warm ion source) kinetic model, where no analytic solution of the plasma equation has ever been obtained. For the latter case, Riemann [J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 24, 493 (1991)] only predicted a general formula assuming relatively high ion-source temperatures, i.e., much higher than the plasma-sheath potential drop. Riemann's formula, however, according to him, never was confirmed in explicit solutions of particular models (e.g., that of Bissell and Johnson [Phys. Fluids 30, 779 (1987)] and Scheuer and Emmert [Phys. Fluids 31, 3645 (1988)]) since ''the accuracy of the classical solutions is not sufficient to analyze the sheath vicinity''[Riemann, in Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Gaseous Electronic Conference, APS Meeting Abstracts, Vol. 54 (APS, 2009)]. Therefore, for many years, there has been a need for explicit calculation that might confirm the Riemann's general formula regarding the potential profile at the sheath edge in the cases of regular very warm ion sources. Fortunately, now we are able to achieve a very high accuracy of results [see, e.g., Kos et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 093503 (2009)]. We perform this task by using both the analytic and the numerical method with explicit Maxwellian and ''water-bag'' ion source velocity distributions. We find the potential profile near the plasma-sheath edge in the whole range of ion source temperatures of general interest to plasma physics, from zero to ''practical infinity.'' While within limits of ''very low'' and ''relatively high'' ion source temperatures, the potential is proportional to the space coordinate powered by rational numbers {alpha}=1/2 and {alpha}=2/3, with medium ion source temperatures. We found {alpha} between these values being a non-rational number strongly dependent on the ion source temperature. The range of the non-rational power-law turns out to be a very narrow one, at the expense of the extension of {alpha}=2/3 region towards unexpectedly low ion source temperatures.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The oscillations of superfluid neutron stars

The effects of superfluid hydrodynamics on the oscillations of neutron stars are investigated. The equations describing the small-amplitude pulsations of a neutron star's neutron-proton superfluid mixture are reduced to a system of three second-order equations for three scalar potentials. A variational principle is developed from which the frequencies of the modes of these superfluid oscillations may be estimated. These pulsations are studied by finding analytical solutions to the equations for simple uniform models of nonrotating neutron stars and numerical solutions for realistic models (including rotation). These solutions reveal that the lowest frequency modes are almost indistinguishable from those based on ordinary-fluid hydrodynamics. The analytical solutions also reveal the existence of a new set of modes having no ordinary-fluid counterpart.

Lindblom, Lee↗

Thermal Analysis of Antenna Structures. Part 2: Panel Temperature Distribution

This article is the second in a series that analyzes the temperature distribution in microwave antennas. An analytical solution in a series form is obtained for the temperature distribution in a flat plate analogous to an antenna surface panel under arbitrary temperature and boundary conditions. The solution includes the effects of radiation and air convection from the plate. Good agreement is obtained between the numerical and analytical solutions.

Schonfeld, D.↗

Approximate solutions of radiative transfer in dusty nebulae. 2: Hydrogen and helium

The ionization structure of hydrogen and helium in dusty nebulae is discussed. The general equations for pure hydrogen nebulae are modified to include helium. An approximate analytic solution is presented for Stroemgren radii of hydrogen and helium in the absence of dust. It is shown that these results, with simple modifications, are also applicable to dusty nebulae where the effective absorption cross section of dust grains varies slowly with frequency in the 1000 to 200A range. No analytic solutions are possible if this cross section varies rapidly with frequency. In this case, however, simple coupled differential equations are derived. Approximate analytic expressions are presented for evaluation of the variation of the fraction of ionizing radiation absorbed by dust and the ratio of the volume emission measures of He II to H II regions with the spectrum of the ionizing source, helium abundance, and absorption properties of dust. The effects of dust on the He III zone are discussed. Results are restricted to spherically symmetric nebulae, but nonuniform gas and dust distributions and clumpiness can be taken into account.

Dana, R. A.↗

An Investigation of Chaotic Diffusion in a Family of Hamiltonian Mappings Whose Angles Diverge in the Limit of Vanishingly Action

The chaotic diffusion for a family of Hamiltonian mappings whose angles diverge in the limit of vanishingly action is investigated by using the solution of the diffusion equation. The system is described by a two-dimensional mapping for the variables action, I, and angle, θ and controlled by two control parameters: (i) ϵ, controlling the nonlinearity of the system, particularly a transition from integrable for ϵ=0 to non-integrable for ϵ≠0 and; (ii) γ denoting the power of the action in the equation defining the angle. For ϵ≠0 the phase space is mixed and chaos is present in the system leading to a finite diffusion in the action characterized by the solution of the diffusion equation. The analytical solution is then compared to the numerical simulations showing a remarkable agreement between the two procedures.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

i-SPin: an integrator for multicomponent Schrödinger-Poisson systems with self-interactions

Abstract We provide an algorithm and a publicly available code to numerically evolve multicomponent Schrödinger-Poisson (SP) systems with a SO( n ) symmetry, including attractive or repulsive self-interactions in addition to gravity. Focusing on the case where the SP system represents the non-relativistic limit of a massive vector field, non-gravitational self-interactions (in particular spin-spin interactions) introduce complexities related to mass and spin conservation which are not present in purely gravitational systems. We address them with an analytical solution for the `kick' step in the algorithm, where we are able to decouple the multicomponent system completely. Equipped with this analytical solution, the full field evolution is second order accurate, preserves spin and mass to machine precision, and is reversible. Our algorithm allows for an expanding universe relevant for cosmology, and the inclusion of external potentials relevant for laboratory settings.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Seamless Digital Environment – Data Analytics Use Case Study

Multiple research efforts in the U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program studies the need and design of an underlying architecture to support the increased amount and use of data in the nuclear power plant. More specifically the three LWRS research efforts; Digital Architecture for an Automated Plant, Automated Work Packages, Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers, and the Online Monitoring efforts all have identified the need for a digital architecture and more importantly the need for a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE). A SDE provides a mean to access multiple applications, gather the data points needed, conduct the analysis requested, and present the result to the user with minimal or no effort by the user. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting the nuclear utilities identified the need for research focused on data analytics. The effort was to develop and evaluate use cases for data mining and analytics for employing information from plant sensors and database for use in developing improved business analytics. The goal of the study is to research potential approaches to building an analytics solution for equipment reliability, on a small scale, focusing on either a single piece of equipment or a single system. The analytics solution will likely consist of a data integration layer, predictive and machine learning layer and the user interface layer that will display the output of the analysis in a straight forward, easy to consume manner. This report describes the use case study initiated by NITSL and conducted in a collaboration between Idaho National Laboratory, Arizona Public Service – Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, and NextAxiom Inc.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Further studies on the dimensionless parameters associated with the 'in vivo' transport of heat within biological tissue.

Dimensionless parameters appearing in the analysis of transport of heat within living biological tissues are presented and discussed. Dimensional analysis as well as some analytical solutions have been employed to obtain the physically and physiologically most significant dimensionless parameters associated with these types of problems. Some analytical solutions are presented for both steady state and transient cases to illustrate the significance of the derived parameters.-

Shitzer, A.↗

The free compressible viscous vortex

The present study investigates the effects of compressibility on free (unsteady) viscous heat-conducting vortices. Analytical solutions are found in the limit of large but finite Reynolds number and small but finite Mach number. It is shown that the spreading of the vortex causes a radial flow. This flow is given by the solution of an ordinary differential equation, which gives the dependence of the radial velocity on the tangential velocity, density, and temperature profiles of the vortex. Estimates of the radial velocity found by solving this equation are found to be in good agreement with numerical solutions of the full equations. The equations for the viscous evolution are expanded in powers of Mach number to obtain detailed analytical solutions. It is shown that swirling axisymmetric compressible flows generate negative radial velocities far from the vortex core owing to viscous effects, regardless of the initial distributions of vorticity, density, and entropy.

Colonius, Tim↗

PROVIDING PLANT DATA ANALYTICS THROUGH A SEAMLESS DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

As technology continues to evolve and become more integrated into a worker’s daily routine in the Nuclear Power industry the need for easy access to data becomes a priority. Not only does the need for data increase but the amount of data collected increases. In most cases the data is collected and stored in various software applications, many of which are legacy systems, which do not offer any other option to access the data except through the application’s user interface. Furthermore the data gets grouped in “silos” according to work function and not necessarily by subject. Hence, in order to access all the information needed for a particular task or analysis one may have to access multiple applications to gather all the data needed. The industry and the research community have identified the need for a digital architecture and more importantly the need for a Seamless Digital Environment. An SDE provides a means to access multiple applications, gather the data points needed, conduct the analysis requested, and present the result to the user with minimal or no effort by the user. In addition, the nuclear utilities have identified the need for research focused on data analytics. The effort should develop and evaluate use cases for data mining and analytics for employing information from plant sensors and database for use in developing improved business analytics. Idaho National Laboratory is leading such effort, which is conducted in close collaboration with vendors, nuclear utilities, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and Electric Power Research Institute. The goal of the study is to research potential approaches to building an analytics solution for equipment reliability, on a small scale, focusing on either a single piece of equipment or a single system. The analytics solution will likely consist of a data integration layer, predictive and machine learning layer and the user interface layer that will display the output of the analysis in a straight forward, easy to consume manner. This paper will describe the study and the initial results.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗