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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 595 records · Page 33

Composite structural materials

The use of filamentary composite materials in the design and construction of primary aircraft structures is considered with emphasis on efforts to develop advanced technology in the areas of physical properties, structural concepts and analysis, manufacturing, and reliability and life prediction. The redesign of a main spar/rib region on the Boeing 727 elevator near its actuator attachment point is discussed. A composite fabrication and test facility is described as well as the use of minicomputers for computer aided design. Other topics covered include (1) advanced structural analysis methids for composites; (2) ultrasonic nondestructive testing of composite structures; (3) optimum combination of hardeners in the cure of epoxy; (4) fatigue in composite materials; (5) resin matrix characterization and properties; (6) postbuckling analysis of curved laminate composite panels; and (7) acoustic emission testing of composite tensile specimens.

Ansell, G. S.↗

Development of rotorcraft interior noise control concepts. Phase 3: Development of noise control concepts

The goal of this research is the understanding of helicopter internal noise mechanisms and the development, design, and testing of noise control concepts which will produce significant reductions in the acoustic environment to which passengers are exposed. The Phase 3 effort involved the identification and evaluation of current and advanced treatment concepts, including isolation of structure-borne paths. In addition, a plan was devised for the full-scale evaluation of an isolation concept. Specific objectives were as follows: (1) identification and characterization of various noise control concepts; (2) implementation of noise control concepts within the S-76 SEA (statistical energy analysis) model; (3) definition and evaluation of a preliminary acoustic isolation design to reduce structure-borne transmission of acoustic frequency main gearbox gear clash vibrations into the airframe; (4) formulation of a plan for the full-scale validation of the isolation concept; and (5) prediction of the cabin noise environment with various noise control concepts installed.

Yoerkie, Charles A.↗

The role of unsteady aerodynamics in aeroacoustics

The role of acoustics and unsteady aerodynamics research in understanding the fundamental physics of time-dependent fluid phenomena is reviewed. The key issues are illustrated by considering the sound radiation of turbulent jets and the aeroacoustics of rotating bodies such as helicopter rotors. The importance of computational methods as a link between aerodynamics and acoustics is also discussed. It is noted that where acoustic analogy techniques are sufficiently accurate, unsteady aerodynamics can be used for acoustic prediction. In supersonic problems where acoustics and aerodynamics are coupled, an integrated nonlinear analysis can provide an accurate problem solution.

Pao, S. Paul↗

Effect of higher harmonic control on helicopter rotor blade-vortex interaction noise: Prediction and initial validation

The paper presents a status of theoretical tools of AFDD, DLR, NASA and ONERA for prediction of the effect of HHC on helicopter main rotor BVI noise. Aeroacoustic predictions from the four research centers, concerning a wind tunnel simulation of a typical descent flight case without and with HHC are presented and compared. The results include blade deformation, geometry of interacting vortices, sectional loads and noise. Acoustic predictions are compared to experimental data. An analysis of the results provides a first insight of the mechanisms by which HHC may affect BVI noise.

Beaumier, P.↗

Nondestructive Evaluation of Adhesively Bonded Joints

The final report consists of 5 published papers in referred journals and a technical letter to the technical monitor. These papers include the following: (1) Comparison of the effects of debonds and voids in adhesive; (2) On the peak shear stresses in adhesive joints with voids; (3) Nondestructive evaluation of adhesively bonded joints by acousto-ultrasonic technique and acoustic emission; (4) Multiaxial fatigue life evaluation of tubular adhesively bonded joints; (5) Theoretical and experimental evaluation of the bond strength under peeling loads. The letter outlines the progress of the research. Also included is preliminary information on the study of nondestructive evaluation of composite materials subjected to localized heat damage. The investigators studied the effects of localized heat on unidirectional fiber glass epoxy composite panels. Specimens of the fiber glass epoxy composites were subjected to 400 C heat for varying lengths of time. The specimens were subjected to nondestructive tests. The specimens were then pulled to their failure and acoustic emission of these specimens were measured. The analysis of the data was continuing as of the writing of the letter, and includes a finite element stress analysis of the problem.

Nayeb-Hashemi, Hamid↗

Quantifying Instability Sources in Liquid Rocket Engines

Computational fluid dynamics methodology to predict the effects of combusting flows on acoustic pressure oscillations in liquid rocket engines (LREs) is under development. 'Me intent of the investigation is to develop the causal physics of combustion driven acoustic resonances in LREs. The crux of the analysis is the accurate simulation of pressure/density/sound speed in a combustor which when used by the FDNS-RFV CFD code will produce realistic flow phenomena. An analysis of a gas generator considered for the Fastrac engine will be used as a test validation case.

Farmer, Richard C.↗

Technology for the Sound of Music

In the early 1960s during an industry recession, Kaman Aircraft lost several defense contracts. Forced to diversify, the helicopter manufacturer began to manufacture acoustic guitars. Kaman's engineers used special vibration analysis equipment based on aerospace technology. While a helicopter's rotor system is highly susceptible to vibration, which must be reduced or "dampened," vibration enhances a guitar's sound. After two years of vibration analysis Kaman produced an instrument, which is very successful. The Ovation guitar is made of fiberglass. It is stronger than the traditional rosewood and manufactured with adapted aircraft techniques such as jigs and fixtures, reducing labor and assuring quality and cost control. Kaman Music Corporation now has annual sales of $100 million.

Source record↗

Bayesian Statistical Models for Community Annoyance Survey Data

This paper demonstrates the use of two Bayesian statistical models to analyze single-event sonic boom exposure and human annoyance data from community response surveys. Each model is fit to data from a NASA pilot study.Unlike many community noise surveys, this study used a panel sample to collect multiple observations per participant instead of a single observation. Thus, a multilevel (also known as hierarchical or mixed-effects) model is used to account for the within-subject correlation in the panel sample data. This paper describes a multilevel logistic regression model and a multilevel ordinal regression model. The paper also proposes a method for calculating a summary dose-response curve from the multilevel models that represents the population. The two models’ summary dose-response curves are visually similar. However, their estimates differ when calculating the noise dose at a fixed percent highly annoyed.

Musical instruments↗

Uncertainty Quantification for Empirical X-59 Sonic Boom Loudness Levels

Estimates of the total uncertainty for empirically determined loudness levels are documented when GRS (Ground Recording System) noise monitors are used to record X 59 sonic boom waveforms. The total uncertainty is characterized by combining nine different sources of uncertainty that may affect the apparent gain of the measurement chain. These uncertainty estimates are presented as expected measurement error relative to the true loudness level, and separate error estimates are provided for eight different noise metrics in which NASA has interest. The behavior of the Perceived Level (PL) metric is studied within the report body, while the total uncertainties for the seven other noise metrics are summarized in appendices for brevity. The effects of four sources of uncertainty are estimated simply from information found on hardware specification sheets provided by the manufacturer. However, mock acoustic recordings are created to estimate the effects of other sources because those effects are expected to induce spectral coloration, so they may vary with noise metric type and sound level. These sources are not well modeled by simple gain adjustments. Importantly, measurement error is computable when processing mock recordings since the true levels are knowable, which is not the case when processing data recorded in the field. Specifically, the true levels are knowable because the components of the mock recordings are separable – e.g., loudness levels of booms can be computed with or without superimposed background noise. Mock acoustic recordings also have the benefit of allowing analysis of sonic booms from vehicles that are not yet flying, like the X-59, since the mock recordings are created by combining vehicle-specific predicted waveforms with other audio sources. The estimates of total measurement error are documented as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the loudness level, where the corrected SNR is computed while accounting for the effects of the method that is used to correct for background noise contamination when computing the noise metric values. The corrected SNR calculations used here can be applied to both mock recordings and in-field measurements, so the uncertainty of in-field recordings can be found using pre-computed lookup tables that identify the relationship between metric type, corrected SNR, and the expected measurement error.

Sonic Boom↗

Analysis of noise measured from a propeller in a wake

In this experimental study, the acoustic characteristics of a propeller operating in a wake were studied. The propeller performance and noise were measured from two 0.25 scale propellers operating in an open jet anechoic flow environment with and without a wake. One propeller had NACA 16 series sections; the other, ARA-D. Wake thicknesses of 1 and 3 propeller chords were generated by an airfoil which spanned the full diameter of the propeller. The airfoil wake profiles were measured. Noise measurements were made in and out of the flow. The propellers were operated at 40, 83, and 100 inf of thrust. The acoustic data are analyzed, and the effects on the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and scaled A weighted sound level L sub A with propeller thrust, wake thickness, and observer location are presented. The analysis showed that, generally, the wake increased the overall noise (OASPL) produced by the propeller; increased the harmonic content of the noise, thus the scaled L sub a; and produced an azimuthal dependence. With few exceptions, both propellers generally produced the same trends in delta OASPL and delta L sub a with thrust and wake thickness.

Block, P. J. W.↗

PIV Measurements of Supersonic Internally-Mixed Dual-Stream Jets

While externally mixed, or separate flow, nozzle systems are most common in high bypass-ratio aircraft, they are not as attractive for use in lower bypass-ratio systems and on aircraft that will fly supersonically. The noise of such propulsion systems is also dominated by jet noise, making the study and noise reduction of these exhaust systems very important, both for military aircraft and future civilian supersonic aircraft. This paper presents particle image velocimetry of internally mixed nozzle with different area ratios between core and bypass, and nozzles that are ideally expanded and convergent. Such configurations independently control the geometry of the internal mixing layer and of the external shock structure. These allow exploration of the impact of shocks on the turbulent mixing layers, the impact of bypass ratio on broadband shock noise and mixing noise, and the impact of temperature on the turbulent flow field. At the 2009 AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference the authors presented data and analysis from a series of tests that looked at the acoustics of supersonic jets from internally mixed nozzles. In that paper the broadband shock and mixing noise components of the jet noise were independently manipulated by holding Mach number constant while varying bypass ratio and jet temperature. Significant portions of that analysis was predicated on assumptions regarding the flow fields of these jets, both shock structure and turbulence. In this paper we add to that analysis by presenting particle image velocimetry measurements of the flow fields of many of those jets. In addition, the turbulent velocity data documented here will be very useful for validation of computational flow codes that are being developed to design advanced nozzles for future aircraft.

Bridges, James E.↗

Acoustic wave propagation in the solar atmosphere 1. Rediscussion of the linearized theory including nonstationary solutions

The normal dispersion analysis for linear adiabatic wave propagation in stratified atmospheres adopts a real frequency and solves for the complex vertical wavenumber. We show that an exponentially stratified atmosphere does not have any spatially bounded normal modes for real frequencies. The usual treatment involves a representation where the imaginary part of the vertical wavenumber yields a rho(sup -1/2) dependence of the velocity amplitude which diverges as the absolute value of z approaches infinity. This solution includes a cutoff frequency below which acoustic modes cannot propagate. The standard dispersion analysis is a local representation of the wave behavior in both space and time but which is assumed to represent the motion throughout - infinity is less than t is less than infinity and 0 is less than infinity. However, any solution which has a purely sinusoidal time dependence extends through this full domain and is divergent due to the rho(sup -1/2) dependence. We show that a proper description is in terms of a near field of a boundary piston which is driven arbitrarily as a function of space and time. The atmosphere which responds to this piston is a semi-infinite layer which has an initially constant sound speed but which has the usual gravitational stratification. In a restricted domain of space and time above this boundary, the wavelike behavior of the medium may be described by frequencies and vertical wavenumbers which are both complex. When both parameters are allowed to have imaginary components, a new range of solutions is found for which there is virtually no cutoff frequency. We show that vertical energy propagation can take place through the solar atmosphere as a result of oscillations below the nominal cutoff frequency. Previously, the largest amplitude oscillations which generally have low frequencies were dropped from the calculation of energy flux becuase their frequencies are below the cutoff frequency. This new family of near-field waves permits these modes to carry energy vertically outward and raises the possibility that the largest amplitude 5 minute oscillations play a substantial role in the transport of acoustic energy to the chromosphere.

Wang, Zhengzhi↗

Far-Field Acoustic Power Level and Performance Analyses of F31/A31 Open Rotor Model at Simulated Scaled Takeoff, Nominal Takeoff, and Approach Conditions: Technical Report I

Far-field acoustic power level and performance analyses of open rotor model F31/A31 have been performed to determine its noise characteristics at simulated scaled takeoff, nominal takeoff, and approach flight conditions. The nonproprietary parts of the data obtained from experiments in 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (915 LSWT) tests were provided by NASA Glenn Research Center to perform the analyses. The tone and broadband noise components have been separated from raw test data by using a new data analysis tool. Results in terms of sound pressure levels, acoustic power levels, and their variations with rotor speed, angle of attack, thrust, and input shaft power have been presented and discussed. The effect of an upstream pylon on the noise levels of the model has been addressed. Empirical equations relating model's acoustic power level, thrust, and input shaft power have been developed. The far-field acoustic efficiency of the model is also determined for various simulated flight conditions. It is intended that the results presented in this work will serve as a database for comparison and improvement of other open rotor blade designs and also for validating open rotor noise prediction codes.

Prop-Fan Technology↗

A note on the interaction of unsteady flow with an acoustic liner

The effects of a mean grazing flow on the energy exchanges involved in the interaction of a bias-flow acoustic liner with, respectively, incident sound and boundary layer turbulence are contrasted. The analysis of model problems which make use of a line vortex to simulate large scale, unsteady boundary layer structures indicates that, whereas acoustic waves may be effectively attenuated, dissipation caused by 'jetting' in the apertures of the liner can result in a net transfer of energy from the mean flow to the turbulence in the boundary layer.

Howe, M. S.↗

KSC VAB Aeroacoustic Hazard Assessment

NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) carried out an analysis of the effects of aeroacoustics produced by stationary solid rocket motors in processing areas at KSC. In the current paper, attention is directed toward the acoustic effects of a motor burning within the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The analysis was carried out with support from ASRC Aerospace who modeled transmission effects into surrounding facilities. Calculations were done using semi-analytical models for both aeroacoustics and transmission. From the results it was concluded that acoustic hazards in proximity to the source of ignition and plume can be severe; acoustic hazards in the far-field are significantly lower.

Oliveira, Justin M.↗

Acoustic emission from a growing crack

An analytical method is being developed to determine the signature of an acoustic emission waveform from a growing crack and the results of this analysis are compared to experimentally obtained values. Within the assumptions of linear elastic fracture mechanics, a two dimensional model is developed to examine a semi-infinite crack that, after propagating with a constant velocity, suddenly stops. The analytical model employs an integral equation method for the analysis of problems of dynamic fracture mechanics. The experimental procedure uses an interferometric apparatus that makes very localized absolute measurements with very high fidelity and without acoustically loading the specimen.

Jacobs, Laurence J.↗

Data acquisition and analysis on a Macintosh

The introduction of inexpensive analog-to-digital boards for the Macintosh opens the way for its use in areas that have previously been filled by either specialized, dedicated or more expensive mainframe based systems. Two such Macintosh-based systems are the Acoustic Laboratory Data Acquisition System (ALDAS) and the Jet Calibration and Hover Test Facility (JCAHT) data acquisition system. ALDAS provides an inexpensive, transportable means to digitize four channels at up to 50,000 samples per second and analyze this data. The ALDAS software package was written for use with rotorcraft acoustics and performs automatic acoustic calibration of channels, data display, and various types of data analysis. The program can use data obtained either from internal analog-to-digital conversion or discrete external data imported in ASCII format. All aspects of ALDAS can be improved as new hardware becomes available and new features are introduced into the code. The JCAHT data acquisition system was built as not only an analysis program but also to act as the online safety monitoring system. This paper will provide an overview of these systems.

Watts, Michael E.↗

A new technique for aerodynamic noise calculation

A novel method for the numerical analysis of aerodynamic noise generation is presented. The method involves first solving for the time-dependent incompressible flow for the given geometry. This fully nonlinear method that is tailored to extract the relevant acoustic fluctuations seems to be an efficient approach to the numerical analysis of aerodynamic noise generation.

Hardin, J. C.↗