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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 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Visual Computing Environment

The Visual Computing Environment (VCE) is a NASA Lewis Research Center project to develop a framework for intercomponent and multidisciplinary computational simulations. Many current engineering analysis codes simulate various aspects of aircraft engine operation. For example, existing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes can model the airflow through individual engine components such as the inlet, compressor, combustor, turbine, or nozzle. Currently, these codes are run in isolation, making intercomponent and complete system simulations very difficult to perform. In addition, management and utilization of these engineering codes for coupled component simulations is a complex, laborious task, requiring substantial experience and effort. To facilitate multicomponent aircraft engine analysis, the CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) is developing the VCE system. This system, which is part of NASA's Numerical Propulsion Simulation System (NPSS) program, can couple various engineering disciplines, such as CFD, structural analysis, and thermal analysis. The objectives of VCE are to (1) develop a visual computing environment for controlling the execution of individual simulation codes that are running in parallel and are distributed on heterogeneous host machines in a networked environment, (2) develop numerical coupling algorithms for interchanging boundary conditions between codes with arbitrary grid matching and different levels of dimensionality, (3) provide a graphical interface for simulation setup and control, and (4) provide tools for online visualization and plotting. VCE was designed to provide a distributed, object-oriented environment. Mechanisms are provided for creating and manipulating objects, such as grids, boundary conditions, and solution data. This environment includes parallel virtual machine (PVM) for distributed processing. Users can interactively select and couple any set of codes that have been modified to run in a parallel distributed fashion on a cluster of heterogeneous workstations. A scripting facility allows users to dictate the sequence of events that make up the particular simulation.

Lawrence, Charles↗
NASA NTRS2008

AutoBayes Program Synthesis System Users Manual

Program synthesis is the systematic, automatic construction of efficient executable code from high-level declarative specifications. AutoBayes is a fully automatic program synthesis system for the statistical data analysis domain; in particular, it solves parameter estimation problems. It has seen many successful applications at NASA and is currently being used, for example, to analyze simulation results for Orion. The input to AutoBayes is a concise description of a data analysis problem composed of a parameterized statistical model and a goal that is a probability term involving parameters and input data. The output is optimized and fully documented C/C++ code computing the values for those parameters that maximize the probability term. AutoBayes can solve many subproblems symbolically rather than having to rely on numeric approximation algorithms, thus yielding effective, efficient, and compact code. Statistical analysis is faster and more reliable, because effort can be focused on model development and validation rather than manual development of solution algorithms and code.

Schumann, Johann↗
NASA NTRS2011

Ten Years of Cloud Properties from MODIS: Global Statistics and Use in Climate Model Evaluation

The NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), launched onboard the Terra and Aqua spacecrafts, began Earth observations on February 24, 2000 and June 24,2002, respectively. Among the algorithms developed and applied to this sensor, a suite of cloud products includes cloud masking/detection, cloud-top properties (temperature, pressure), and optical properties (optical thickness, effective particle radius, water path, and thermodynamic phase). All cloud algorithms underwent numerous changes and enhancements between for the latest Collection 5 production version; this process continues with the current Collection 6 development. We will show example MODIS Collection 5 cloud climatologies derived from global spatial . and temporal aggregations provided in the archived gridded Level-3 MODIS atmosphere team product (product names MOD08 and MYD08 for MODIS Terra and Aqua, respectively). Data sets in this Level-3 product include scalar statistics as well as 1- and 2-D histograms of many cloud properties, allowing for higher order information and correlation studies. In addition to these statistics, we will show trends and statistical significance in annual and seasonal means for a variety of the MODIS cloud properties, as well as the time required for detection given assumed trends. To assist in climate model evaluation, we have developed a MODIS cloud simulator with an accompanying netCDF file containing subsetted monthly Level-3 statistical data sets that correspond to the simulator output. Correlations of cloud properties with ENSO offer the potential to evaluate model cloud sensitivity; initial results will be discussed.

Platnick, Steven E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Updated Integrated Mission Program

Integrated Mission Program (IMP) is a computer program for simulating spacecraft missions around the Earth, Moon, Mars, and/or other large bodies. IMP solves the differential equations of motion by use of a Runge-Kutta numerical-integration algorithm. Users control missions through selection from a large menu of events and maneuvers. Mission profiles, time lines, propellant requirements, feasibility analyses, and perturbation analyses can be computed quickly and accurately. A prior version of IMP, written in FORTRAN 77, was reported in Program Simulates Spacecraft Missions (MFS-28606), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 17, No. 4 (April 1993), page 60. The present version, written in double-precision Lahey FORTRAN 90, incorporates a number of improvements over the prior version. Some of the improvements modernize the code to take advantage of today's greater central-processing-unit speeds. Other improvements render the code more modular; provide additional input, output, and debugging capabilities; and add to the variety of maneuvers, events, and means of propulsion that can be simulated. The IMP user manuals (of which there are now ten, each addressing a different aspect of the code and its use) have been updated accordingly.

Dauro, Vincent A., Sr.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Survey of Symplectic and Collocation Integration Methods for Orbit Propagation

Demands on numerical integration algorithms for astrodynamics applications continue to increase. Common methods, like explicit Runge-Kutta, meet the orbit propagation needs of most scenarios, but more specialized scenarios require new techniques to meet both computational efficiency and accuracy needs. This paper provides an extensive survey on the application of symplectic and collocation methods to astrodynamics. Both of these methods benefit from relatively recent theoretical developments, which improve their applicability to artificial satellite orbit propagation. This paper also details their implementation, with several tests demonstrating their advantages and disadvantages.

integration↗
NASA NTRS2013

Automated Loads Analysis System (ATLAS)

ATLAS is a generalized solution that can be used for launch vehicles. ATLAS is used to produce modal transient analysis and quasi-static analysis results (i.e., accelerations, displacements, and forces) for the payload math models on a specific Shuttle Transport System (STS) flight using the shuttle math model and associated forcing functions. This innovation solves the problem of coupling of payload math models into a shuttle math model. It performs a transient loads analysis simulating liftoff, landing, and all flight events between liftoff and landing. ATLAS utilizes efficient and numerically stable algorithms available in MSC/NASTRAN.

Gardner, Stephen↗
NASA NTRS2014

In-situ Microwave Brightness Temperature Variability from Ground-based Radiometer Measurements at Dome C in Antarctica Induced by Wind-formed Features

Space-borne microwave radiometers are among the most useful tools to study snow and to collect information on the Antarctic climate. They have several advantages over other remote sensing techniques: high sensitivity to snow properties of interest (temperature, grain size, density), subdaily coverage in the polar regions, and their observations are independent of cloud conditions and solar illumination. Thus, microwave radiometers are widely used to retrieve information over snow-covered regions. For the Antarctic Plateau, many studies presenting retrieval algorithms or numerical simulations have assumed, explicitly or not, that the subpixel-scale heterogeneity is negligible and that the retrieved properties were representative of whole pixels. In this presentation, we investigate the spatial variations of brightness temperature over arange of a few kilometers in the Dome C area (Antarctic Plateau).

Antarctica↗
NASA NTRS2017

Near Real-Time Probabilistic Damage Diagnosis Using Surrogate Modeling and High Performance Computing

This work investigates novel approaches to probabilistic damage diagnosis that utilize surrogate modeling and high performance computing (HPC) to achieve substantial computational speedup. Motivated by Digital Twin, a structural health management (SHM) paradigm that integrates vehicle-specific characteristics with continual in-situ damage diagnosis and prognosis, the methods studied herein yield near real-time damage assessments that could enable monitoring of a vehicle's health while it is operating (i.e. online SHM). High-fidelity modeling and uncertainty quantification (UQ), both critical to Digital Twin, are incorporated using finite element method simulations and Bayesian inference, respectively. The crux of the proposed Bayesian diagnosis methods, however, is the reformulation of the numerical sampling algorithms (e.g. Markov chain Monte Carlo) used to generate the resulting probabilistic damage estimates. To this end, three distinct methods are demonstrated for rapid sampling that utilize surrogate modeling and exploit various degrees of parallelism for leveraging HPC. The accuracy and computational efficiency of the methods are compared on the problem of strain-based crack identification in thin plates. While each approach has inherent problem-specific strengths and weaknesses, all approaches are shown to provide accurate probabilistic damage diagnoses and several orders of magnitude computational speedup relative to a baseline Bayesian diagnosis implementation.

Warner, James E.↗
NASA NTRS2018

A Higher-Order Space-Time Finite-Element Method for Moving-Body and Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems

We present a high-order finite-element method for moving body and fluid/structure interaction problems. Our solution strategy is based on a space-time discontinuous Galerkin (DG) spectral-element discretization which extends to arbitrary order of accuracy. The space-time DG discretization is a natural choice for moving body and fluid-structure interaction problems as moving surfaces are incorporated simply by considering curved space-time elements whose space-time faces align with the moving body. We present a discontinuous-Galerkin in time discretization for six-degree of motion modeling of rigid bodies, and a continuous-Galerkin discretization for equations of linear elasticity to generate curved space-time meshes. Numerical results for several simple 2D test cases are presented in order to verify the implementation of the different models. Finally we present a preliminary dynamic simulation of a parachute.

High-Order↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Construction of an Exact Pressure-Equilibrium Scheme for the Five-Equation Two-Phase Flow Model With Thermal Relaxation

Numerical simulation of compressible multiphase flows based on the four-equation (homogeneous relaxation) model is known to suffer from two fundamental difficulties with (a) wave propagation and (b) pressure equilibrium preservation. First, the mixture sound speed exhibits non-monotonic dependency with respect to the volume fraction, which leads to robustness issues in the resolution of shocks and acoustic wave propagation across two-phase regions. This difficulty can be mitigated by solving Allaire’s five-equation model augmented with infinitely fast phasic temperature equilibrium, from which solutions of the four-equation model can be recovered. However, when temperature is non-uniform, this augmented five-equation formulation still fails to preserve pressure equilibrium across material interfaces. In this work, we propose a fully conservative numerical scheme that exactly preserves pressure equilibrium at the discrete level for the augmented five-equation model, for arbitrary initial distributions of temperature and volume fraction. Combined with the monotonic sound speed property of the five-equation formulation, the proposed pressure-equilibrium preserving scheme significantly improves robustness in the presence of strong multiphase interactions, including shock–interface interactions and advection of material interfaces.

ESG↗
NASA NTRS2022

A Transient Hydrodynamic Model of Screen Channel Liquid Acquisition Devices for In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Management

Screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) will play a crucial role in future deep space travel. It is essential that vapor-free delivery of propellants during tank-to-tank transfer is ensured to maximize yield from storage tanks and prevent potential combustion instabilities. The screen channel LAD utilizes a fine screen wire mesh that can separate phases in a low Bond number (i.e. microgravity) environment using surface tension forces. This study presents the development and verification of a new model for transient screen compliance, one of the influential factors for screen channel LAD design. Screen compliance is crucial during LAD channel outflow transients because the slight deflection of the screen can provide needed mass to satisfy rapid outflow demands and reduce the pressure difference across the screen. The model is successfully verified against CFD simulations. In addition, the characteristic speed for the governing screen compliance equations is derived which allows for numerical stability criteria to be established. As shown in this study, the transient maximum pressure difference across the screen can greatly exceed the steady state maximum pressure difference across the screen in many cases.

Hydrodynamics Simulations↗
NASA NTRS1986

Parametric effects of CFL number and artificial smoothing on numerical solutions using implicit approximate factorization algorithm

An implicit approximate factorization algorithm is employed to quantify the parametric effects of Courant number and artificial smoothing on numerical solutions of the unsteady 3-D Euler equations for a windmilling propeller (low speed) flow field. The results show that propeller global or performance chracteristics vary strongly with Courant number and artificial dissipation parameters, though the variation is such less severe at high Courant numbers. Candidate sets of Courant number and dissipation parameters could result in parameter-dependent solutions. Parameter-independent numerical solutions can be obtained if low values of the dissipation parameter-time step ratio are used in the computations. Furthermore, it is realized that too much artificial damping can degrade numerical stability. Finally, it is demonstrated that highly resolved meshes may, in some cases, delay convergence, thereby suggesting some optimum cell size for a given flow solution. It is suspected that improper boundary treatment may account for the cell size constraint.

Daso, E. O.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Automated design using numerical optimization

Numerical optimization concepts are described with limited technical detail. The purpose is to provide the nonspecialist with sufficient information to judge the applicability of these methods to his particular design problem. The concepts are first described in physical terms to give a basic understanding of the iterative procedure employed by these methods. Next, the typical engineering task is presented and converted to a form ammenable to solution by numerical optimization. Basic algorithms for solving this problem are identified. Numerous applications are referenced, emphasizing the structural design discipline. The state of the art allows for the routine solution of nonlinear design problems of approximately 20 independent variables subject to 100 or more constraints. In many applications, much larger design problems may be solved. Selected references are provided which describe the methods and applications in more detail.

Vanderplaats, G. N.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Two-dimensional atmospheric transport and chemistry model - Numerical experiments with a new advection algorithm

Extensive testing of the advective scheme proposed by Prather (1986) has been carried out in support of the California Institute of Technology-Jet Propulsion Laboratory two-dimensional model of the middle atmosphere. The original scheme is generalized to include higher-order moments. In addition, it is shown how well the scheme works in the presence of chemistry as well as eddy diffusion. Six types of numerical experiments including simple clock motion and pure advection in two dimensions have been investigated in detail. By comparison with analytic solutions, it is shown that the new algorithm can faithfully preserve concentration profiles, has essentially no numerical diffusion, and is superior to a typical fourth-order finite difference scheme.

Shia, Run-Lie↗
NASA NTRS1989

The upwind control volume scheme for unstructured triangular grids

A new algorithm for the numerical solution of the Euler equations is presented. This algorithm is particularly suited to the use of unstructured triangular meshes, allowing geometric flexibility. Solutions are second-order accurate in the steady state. Implementation of the algorithm requires minimal grid connectivity information, resulting in modest storage requirements, and should enhance the implementation of the scheme on massively parallel computers. A novel form of upwind differencing is developed, and is shown to yield sharp resolution of shocks. Two new artificial viscosity models are introduced that enhance the performance of the new scheme. Numerical results for transonic airfoil flows are presented, which demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.

Giles, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Model Predictive Control to Improve Grid Resilience

The following article details a model predictive control (MPC) to improve grid resilience when faced with variable generation resources. This topic is of significant interest to utility power systems where distributed intermittent energy sources will increase significantly and be relied on for electric grid ancillary services. Previous work on MPCs has focused on narrowly targeted control applications such as improving electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure or reducing the cost of integrating Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) into the grid. In contrast, this article develops a comprehensive treatment of the construction of an MPC tailored to electric grids and then applies it integration of intermittent energy resources. To accomplish this, the following article includes a description of a reduced order model (ROM) of an electric power grid based on a circuit model, an optimization formulation that describes the MPC, a collocation method for solving linear time-dependent differential algebraic equations (DAEs) that result from the ROM, and an overall strategy for iteratively refining the behavior of the MPC. Next, the algorithm is validated using two separate numerical experiments. First, the algorithm is compared to an existing MPC code and the results are verified by a numerically precise simulation. It is shown that this algorithm produces a control comparable to existing algorithms and the behavior of the control carefully respects the bounds specified. Second, the MPC is applied to a small nine bus system that contains a mix of turbine-spinning-machine-based and intermittent generation in order to demonstrate the algorithm’s utility for resource planning and control of intermittent resources. This study demonstrates how the MPC can be tuned to change the behavior of the control, which can then assist with the integration of intermittent resources into the grid. The emphasis throughout the paper is to provide systematic treatment of the topic and produce a novel nonlinear control compatible design framework applicable to electric grids and the control of variable resources. This differs from the more targeted application-based focus in most presentations.

microgrid↗