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At least 703 records · Page 39

Test Data of Flow Field of Shuttle SRM Nozzle Joint with Bond Defects, Using Unheated Air

The nozzle-to-case joint on the Shuttle SRM (as redesigned after the Challenger accident) features an adhesive sealant filling and bonding the joint, with a wiper O-ring to prevent the adhesive from reaching and disabling the closure O-ring. Flawless implementation of that joint design would ensure that hot, corrosive propellant combustion gases never reach the closure O-ring. However, understanding the flow field related to bonding defects is prudent. A comprehensive test program was conducted to quantify such flow fields and associated heating environments. A two-dimensional, full-scale model represented 65 inches of the nozzle joint, using unheated air as the test medium, in a blowdown mode. Geometry variations modeled RSRM assembly tolerances, and two types of bonding defects: pullaways and blowholes. A range of the magnitude of each type defect was tested. Also a range of operational parameters was tested, representative of the RSRM flow environment, including duplication of RSRM Mach and Reynolds numbers. Extensive instrumentation was provided to quantify pressures, heat rates, and velocities. The resulting data established that larger geometric defects cause larger pressure and larger heating, at the closure O-ring region. Velocity trends were not so straight-forward. Variations in assembly tolerances did not generally affect flow fields or heating. Operational parameters affected flow fields and heating as might be expected, increasing density or velocity increased heating. Complete details of this test effort are presented.

Hair, Leroy M.↗

Single–Well Injection–Drift Test to Estimate Groundwater Velocity

A simple algebraic equation is presented here to estimate the magnitude of groundwater velocity based on data from a single-well injection-drift test thereby eliminating the time-consuming and costly extraction phase. A volume of tracer-amended water was injected by forced-gradient into a single well followed by monitoring of the conservative solute tracers under natural-gradient conditions as their upgradient portions drifted back through the well. The breakthrough curve data from the single well during the drift phase was analyzed to determine the mean travel times of the tracers. The estimated mean upgradient travel distance back through the single well and the mean travel times of the tracers were used in a simple algebraic equation to estimate groundwater velocity. The groundwater velocity based on the single-well injection-drift test was estimated to be approximately 0.64 ft per day. Two transects of observation wells were used to monitor the natural-gradient tracer transport downgradient of the injection well. The one-dimensional, or dual-well, transport of the tracer from the injection well to the nearest downgradient observation well indicated that the groundwater velocity was 0.55 ft per day. The two-dimensional, or multi-well, transport of the center of mass of the tracers indicated that the groundwater velocity was 0.60 ft per day; the dual- and multi-well results were in excellent agreement with those from the single-well and validated the simple algebraic equation. In conclusion, the new single-well method presented here is relatively simple, rapid, and does not require an extraction phase.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Methodology for the Elimination of Reflection and System Vibration Effects in Particle Image Velocimetry Data Processing

A methodology to eliminate model reflection and system vibration effects from post processed particle image velocimetry data is presented. Reflection and vibration lead to loss of data, and biased velocity calculations in PIV processing. A series of algorithms were developed to alleviate these problems. Reflections emanating from the model surface caused by the laser light sheet are removed from the PIV images by subtracting an image in which only the reflections are visible from all of the images within a data acquisition set. The result is a set of PIV images where only the seeded particles are apparent. Fiduciary marks painted on the surface of the test model were used as reference points in the images. By locating the centroids of these marks it was possible to shift all of the images to a common reference frame. This image alignment procedure as well as the subtraction of model reflection are performed in a first algorithm. Once the images have been shifted, they are compared with a background image that was recorded under no flow conditions. The second and third algorithms find the coordinates of fiduciary marks in the acquisition set images and the background image and calculate the displacement between these images. The final algorithm shifts all of the images so that fiduciary mark centroids lie in the same location as the background image centroids. This methodology effectively eliminated the effects of vibration so that unbiased data could be used for PIV processing. The PIV data used for this work was generated at the NASA Langley Research Center Quiet Flow Facility. The experiment entailed flow visualization near the flap side edge region of an airfoil model. Commercial PIV software was used for data acquisition and processing. In this paper, the experiment and the PIV acquisition of the data are described. The methodology used to develop the algorithms for reflection and system vibration removal is stated, and the implementation, testing and validation of these algorithms are presented.

Bremmer, David M.↗

Custom Accessors: Enabling Scalable Data Ingestion, (Re-)Organization, and Analysis on Distributed Systems

The emerging class of high velocity and high volume data analytic workflows comprise interwoven data ingestion, organization, and processing stages, with ingestion and organization steps often contributing comparable or even higher computational costs than actual processing steps. Since complex workflows consist of a variety of phases that view and use data differently, being able to construct efficient, scalable, distributed data structures (arrays, vectors, sets, maps, and multi-maps) is essential and requires custom methods to extend and shrink containers, analyze and position data, and, maintain globallyconsistent meta-data. In this paper, we propose a novel datastructure access paradigm based on the concept of Accessors. At a high level, accessors are customizable callable objects that can modify the behavior of insert, read, update, and delete operations for distributed containers while preserving atomicity guarantees. Accessors provide a very clean and natural way to implement a variety of programming patterns, e.g., conditional insertion/deletion and cascading computations, which would be otherwise hard (or even impossible) to express in parallel and distributed settings without using locks. We demonstrate the practicality and usefulness of our approach with two representative use cases and study the performance of these applications on a distributed High-Performance Computing system. Our analysis highlights that our proposed abstraction allows for an effective overlapping and concurrent execution of different workflow steps (e.g., data ingestion and analysis), which in a conventional analytics pipeline would execute sequentially, contributing cumulatively to the overall latency.

Castellana, Vito G. [BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)] (O↗

Heat and extension at mid- and lower crustal levels of the Rio Grande rift

The process by which large amounts (50 to 200 percent) of crustal extension are produced was concisely described by W. Hamilton in 1982 and 1983. More recently, England, Sawyer, P. Morgan and others have moved toward quantifying models of lithospheric thinning by incorporating laboratory and theoretical data on rock rheology as a function of composition, temperature, and strain rate. Hamilton's description identifies three main crustal layers, each with a distinctive mechanical behavior; brittle fracturing and rotation in the upper crust, discontinuous ductile flow in the middle crust and laminar ductile flow in the lower crust. The temperature and composition dependent brittle-ductile transition essentially defines the diffuse boundary between upper and middle crust. It was concluded that the heat responsible for the highly ductile nature of the lower crust and the lensoidal and magma body structures at mid-crustal depths in the rift was infused into the crust by relatively modest ( 10 percent by mass) magmatic upwelling (feeder dikes) from Moho levels. Seismic velocity-versus-depth data, supported by gravity modeling and the fact that volumes of rift related volcanics are relatively modest ( 6000 cubic km) for the Rio Grande system, all imply velocities and densities too small to be consistent with a massive, composite, mafic intrusion in the lower crust.

Olsen, K. H.↗

Experimental verification of turbulent skin friction reduction with compliant walls

Preliminary compliant wall skin friction test results obtained in a low-turbulence pressure tunnel are reported. Compliant surface skins consisted of 0.0025 cm thick mylar, stretched under tension and area-bonded or longitudinally strip-bonded with silicone rubber adhesive to polyurethane foam. Mean velocity and fluctuating survey data were obtained with a single slanted hot wire. Mean velocity profiles for the area-bonded mylar surface skins indicated up to a 20% reduction in boundary-layer thickness (and lower momentum thickness) over rigid surfaces. This reduction in boundary-layer thickness indicates that a drag reduction occurred. In addition, a 16% reduction in wall shear was evident for the mylar/compressor foam compliant surface.

Weinstein, L. M.↗

An improved method for predicting the effects of flight on jet mixing noise

The NASA method (1976) for predicting the effects of flight on jet mixing noise was improved. The earlier method agreed reasonably well with experimental flight data for jet velocities up to about 520 m/sec (approximately 1700 ft/sec). The poorer agreement at high jet velocities appeared to be due primarily to the manner in which supersonic convection effects were formulated. The purely empirical supersonic convection formulation of the earlier method was replaced by one based on theoretical considerations. Other improvements of an empirical nature included were based on model-jet/free-jet simulated flight tests. The revised prediction method is presented and compared with experimental data obtained from the Bertin Aerotrain with a J85 engine, the DC-10 airplane with JT9D engines, and the DC-9 airplane with refanned JT8D engines. It is shown that the new method agrees better with the data base than a recently proposed SAE method.

Stone, J. R.↗

Measurement of CPAS Main Parachute Rate of Descent

The Crew Exploration Vehicle Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) is being designed to land the Orion Crew Module (CM) at a safe rate of descent at splashdown. Flight test performance must be measured to a high degree of accuracy to ensure this requirement is met with the most efficient design possible. Although the design includes three CPAS Main parachutes, the requirement is that the system must not exceed 33 ft/s under two Main parachutes, should one of the Main parachutes fail. Therefore, several tests were conducted with clusters of two Mains. All of the steady-state rate of descent data are normalized to standard sea level conditions and checked against the limit. As the Orion design gains weight, the system is approaching this limit to within measurement precision. Parachute "breathing," cluster interactions, and atmospheric anomalies can cause the rate of descent to vary widely and lead to challenges in characterizing parachute terminal performance. An early test had contradictory rate of descent results from optical trajectory and Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS). A thorough analysis of the data sources and error propagation was conducted to determine the uncertainty in the trajectory. It was discovered that the Time Space Position Information (TSPI) from the optical tracking provided accurate position data. However, the velocity from TPSI must be computed via numerical differentiation, which is prone to large error. DGPS obtains position through pseudo-range calculations from multiple satellites and velocity through Doppler shift of the carrier frequency. Because the velocity from DGPS is a direct measurement, it is more accurate than TSPI velocity. To remedy the situation, a commercial off-the-shelf product that combines GPS and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) was purchased to significantly improve rate of descent measurements. This had the added benefit of solving GPS dropouts during aircraft extraction. Statistical probability distributions for CPAS Main parachute rate of descent and drag coefficient were computed and plotted. Using test data, a terminal rate of descent at splashdown can be estimated as a function of canopy loading.

Ray, Eric S.↗

Shape Servoing of Deformable Objects Using Model Estimation and Barrier Lyapunov Function

An adaptive shape servoing control method is presented in this article to manipulate a deformable object into a desired shape in 3-D. A finite-point-based representation of the deformable object is used and the deformation Jacobian matrix is approximated using Fourier series basis functions. The unknown parameters of the deformation Jacobian are learned by using the velocity applied to a control point on the object and corresponding change of positions of the points describing the entire object. An integral concurrent learning (ICL)-based parameter update law is designed along with a constrained controller to satisfy the state constraints on the motion of the control point using Barrier Lyapunov function analysis. ICL-based parameter update law uses data history of velocity and corresponding positions of the points along with their current values. An efficient algorithm to update the history stack using singular value maximization is proposed based on the structure of the regressor matrix. Simulations using a physical simulator and experiments using a robot platform are performed to validate the performance of the proposed controller on two different deformable objects.

Vrithik Raj Guthikonda↗

Machine Learning Analysis of Hydrologic Exchange Flows and Transit Time Distributions in a Large Regulated River

Hydrologic exchange between river channels and adjacent subsurface environments is a key process that influences water quality and ecosystem function in river corridors. High-resolution numerical models were often used to resolve the spatial and temporal variations of exchange flows, which are computationally expensive. In this study, we adopt Random Forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) approaches for deriving reduced order models of hydrologic exchange flows and associated transit time distributions, with integrated field observations (e.g., bathymetry) and hydrodynamic simulation data (e.g., river velocity, depth). The setup allows an improved understanding of the influences of various physical, spatial, and temporal factors on the hydrologic exchange flows and transit times. The predictors also contain those derived using hybrid clustering, leveraging our previous work on river corridor system hydromorphic classification. The machine learning-based predictive models are developed and validated along the Columbia River Corridor, and the results show that the top parameters are the thickness of the top geological formation layer, the flow regime, river velocity, and river depth; the RF and XGB models can achieve 70% to 80% accuracy and therefore are effective alternatives to the computational demanding numerical models of exchange flows and transit time distributions. Each machine learning model with its favorable configuration and setup have been evaluated. The transferability of the models to other river reaches and larger scales, which mostly depends on data availability, is also discussed.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Characteristics of inhomogeneous jets in confined swirling air flows

An experimental program to study the characteristics of inhomogeneous jets in confined swirling flows to obtain detailed and accurate data for the evaluation and improvement of turbulent transport modeling for combustor flows is discussed. The work was also motivated by the need to investigate and quantify the influence of confinement and swirl on the characteristics of inhomogeneous jets. The flow facility was constructed in a simple way which allows easy interchange of different swirlers and the freedom to vary the jet Reynolds number. The velocity measurements were taken with a one color, one component DISA Model 55L laser-Doppler anemometer employing the forward scatter mode. Standard statistical methods are used to evaluate the various moments of the signals to give the flow characteristics. The present work was directed at the understanding of the velocity field. Therefore, only velocity and turbulence data of the axial and circumferential components are reported for inhomogeneous jets in confined swirling air flows.

So, R. M. C.↗

Flow-Field Surveys for Rectangular Nozzles

Flow field survey results for three rectangular nozzles are presented for a low subsonic condition obtained primarily by hot-wire anemometry. The three nozzles have aspect ratios of 2:1, 4:1 and 8:1. A fourth case included has 2:1 aspect ratio with chevrons added to the long edges. Data on mean velocity, turbulent normal and shear stresses as well as streamwise vorticity are presented covering a streamwise distance up to sixteen equivalent diameters from the nozzle exit. These detailed flow properties, including initial boundary layer characteristics, are usually difficult to measure in high speed flows and the primary objective of the study is to aid ongoing and future computational and noise modeling efforts. This supplement contains data files, charts and source code.

K B M Q Zaman↗

Bayesian State-Space Modeling Framework for Understanding and Predicting Golden Eagle Movements Using Telemetry Data

Predicting raptor movements through a wind power plant under given atmospheric and topographical conditions is a crucial first step in the overall goal of quantifying the risk of turbine-related collisions and mortalities. Extracting behavioral traits of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) from telemetry data requires the fusion of noisy and sparse movement data (location, heading, velocity) with a stochastic mathematical representation of the eagles' decision-making processes. In this study, we framed this problem in a Bayesian state-space framework where both observations and decision-making are assumed to be stochastic processes connected through hidden states (mode of flight, intent), and the unknown model parameters are assumed to be random variables that are calibrated using the available telemetry data. This framework allowed for rigorous consideration of underlying uncertainties while allowing for both data and prior biological knowledge to contribute to a probabilistic and predictive agent-based movement model. We implemented and applied the Bayesian framework to understand movement behavior of 23 GPS-tagged golden eagles travelling in the western US for years 2019 and 2020. Our preliminary findings show that the Bayesian state-space framework provides a robust inverse modeling apparatus to decode eagle behavioral characteristics from telemetry data. This study was primarily aimed at verifying and validating the framework with selected golden eagle tracks (both long- and short-ranged), with future research aimed at extending the framework to include multi-mode flight, consideration of atmospheric data and uplift mechanisms, eagle-to-eagle interaction, and eagle-to-turbine interaction.

Bayesian modeling↗

Experimental Study of Tip Vortex Flow from a Periodically Pitched Airfoil Section

An experimental investigation of a tip vortex from a NACA0012 airfoil is conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel at a chord Reynolds number of 4x10(exp 4). Initially, data for a stationary airfoil held at various angles-of-attack (alpha) are gathered. Detailed surveys are done for two cases: alpha=10 deg with attached flow and alpha=25 deg with massive flow separation on the upper surface. Distributions of various properties are obtained using hot-wire anemometry. Data include mean velocity, streamwise vorticity and turbulent stresses at various streamwise locations. For all cases, the vortex core is seen to involve a mean velocity deficit. The deficit apparently traces to the airfoil wake, part of which gets wrapped by the tip vortex. At small alpha, the vortex is laminar within the measurement domain. The strength of the vortex increases with increasing alpha but undergoes a sudden drop around alpha (is) greater than 16 deg. The drop in peak vorticity level is accompanied by transition and a sharp rise in turbulence within the core. Data are also acquired with the airfoil pitched sinusoidally. All oscillation cases pertain to a mean alpha=15 deg while the amplitude and frequency are varied. An example of phase-averaged data for an amplitude of +/-10 deg and a reduced frequency of k=0.2 is discussed. All results are compared with available data from the literature shedding further light on the complex dynamics of the tip vortex.

vortex flows↗

Vehicle Transponder for Preemption of Traffic Lights

The purpose of this article is to describe, in more detail, the transponder installed in each vehicle that participates in the emergency traffic-light-preemption system described in the immediately preceding article. The transponder (see figure) is a fully autonomous data--collection, data-processing, information-display, and communication subsystem that performs robustly in preemption of traffic lights and monitoring of the statuses of street intersections. This transponder monitors the condition of the emergency vehicle in which it is installed and determines when the vehicle has been placed in an emergency-response condition with its siren and/or warning lights activated. Upon detection of such a condition, the transponder collects real-time velocity and acceleration data from the onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer of the vehicle. For this purpose, the transponder contains an OBD interface circuit, including a microprocessor that determines the manufacturer and model of the vehicle and then sends the appropriate commands to the OBD computer requesting the speed and acceleration data. At the same time, data from an onboard navigation system are collected to determine the location and the heading of the vehicle. Then acceleration, speed, position, and heading data are processed and combined with a vehicle-identification number and the resulting set of data is transmitted to monitoring and control units located at all intersections within communication range. When the unit at an intersection determines that this vehicle is approaching and has priority to preempt the intersection, it transmits a signal declaring the priority and the preemption to all participating vehicles (including this one) in the vicinity. If the unit at the intersection has determined that other participating vehicles are also approaching the intersection, then this unit also transmits, to the vehicle that has priority, a message that the other vehicles are approaching the same intersection. The texts of these messages, plus graphical symbols that show the directions and numbers of the approaching vehicles, are presented on the display panel of a computer that is part of the transponder.

Foster, Conrad↗

Utah FORGE: GES Well 16A(78)-32 and Well 16B(78)-32 Stimulation Seismic Event Catalogs

This dataset contains seismic event catalogs from the hydraulic stimulation of wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 at the Utah FORGE site in April 2024. The data was collected by Geo Energy Suisse (GES) using a variety of seismic monitoring technologies, including 3-component (3C) geophones and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems. These technologies were deployed across several locations, including wells 16A, 16B, and Delano-1, with sensor arrays at multiple depths to capture microseismic activity during the stimulations. The catalogs provide both real-time and manually checked seismic event locations, with detailed parameters such as trigger conditions, velocity models, and data acquisition settings. The dataset includes information on the stimulation stages, event rates, and hydraulic injection conditions for each well, with a report detailing the data acquisition configuration and seismic event location methodologies. Users will need to reference the included report for a complete understanding of the sensor network, data processing techniques, and accuracy considerations.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗