Microthrust and impulse measurement techniques for electrical thrusters.
Microthrust and impulse measurement techniques for low level electrical thrusters
Ferrara, J.↗
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Synopsis of timing measurement techniques used in telecommunications
Historically, Maximum Time Interval Error (MTIE) and Maximum Relative Time Interval Error (MRTIE) have been the main measurement techniques used to characterize timing performance in telecommunications networks. Recently, a new measurement technique, Time Variance (TVAR) has gained acceptance in the North American (ANSI) standards body. TVAR was developed in concurrence with NIST to address certain inadequacies in the MTIE approach. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches are described. Real measurement examples are presented to illustrate the critical issues in actual telecommunication applications. Finally, a new MTIE measurement is proposed (ZTIE) that complements TVAR. Together, TVAR and ZTIE provide a very good characterization of network timing.
Zampetti, George↗
Progress of a Cross-Correlation Based Optical Strain Measurement Technique for Detecting Radial Growth on a Rotating Disk
The Aeronautical Sciences Project under NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program is interested in the development of novel measurement technologies, such as optical surface measurements for the in situ health monitoring of critical constituents of the internal flow path. In situ health monitoring has the potential to detect flaws, i.e. cracks in key components, such as engine turbine disks, before the flaws lead to catastrophic failure. The present study, aims to further validate and develop an optical strain measurement technique to measure the radial growth and strain field of an already cracked disk, mimicking the geometry of a sub-scale turbine engine disk, under loaded conditions in the NASA Glenn Research Center's High Precision Rotordynamics Laboratory. The technique offers potential fault detection by imaging an applied high-contrast random speckle pattern under unloaded and loaded conditions with a CCD camera. Spinning the cracked disk at high speeds (loaded conditions) induces an external load, resulting in a radial growth of the disk of approximately 50.0-μm in the flawed region and hence, a localized strain field. When imaging the cracked disk under static conditions, the disk will be undistorted; however, during rotation the cracked region will grow radially, thus causing the applied particle pattern to be 'shifted'. The resulting particle displacements between the two images is measured using the two-dimensional cross-correlation algorithms implemented in standard Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) software to track the disk growth, which facilitates calculation of the localized strain field. A random particle distribution is adhered onto the surface of the cracked disk and two bench top experiments are carried out to evaluate the technique's ability to measure the induced particle displacements. The disk is shifted manually using a translation stage equipped with a fine micrometer and a hotplate is used to induce thermal growth of the disk, causing the particles to become shifted. For both experiments, reference and test images are acquired before and after the induced shifts, respectively, and then processed using PIV software. The controlled manual translation of the disk resulted in detection of the particle displacements accurate to ~1.75% of full scale and the thermal expansion experiment resulted in successful detection of the disk's thermal growth as compared to the calculated thermal expansion results. After validation of the technique through the induced shift experiments, the technique is implemented in the Rotordynamics Lab for preliminary assessment in a simulated engine environment. The discussion of the findings and plans for future work to improve upon the results are addressed in the paper.
rotordynamics↗
Temperature and pressure measurement techniques for an advanced turbine test facility
A high pressure, high-temperature turbine test facility constructed for use in turbine cooling research is described. Several recently developed temperature and pressure measuring techniques are used in this facility. The measurement techniques, their status, previous applications and some results are discussed. Noncontact surface temperature measurements are made by optical methods. Radiation pyrometry principles combined with photoelectric scanning are used for rotating components and infrared photography for stationary components. Contact (direct) temperature and pressure measurements on rotating components are expected to be handled with an 80 channel rotary data package which mounts on and rotates with the turbine shaft at speeds up to 17,500 rpm. The data channels are time-division multiplexed and converted to digital words in the data package. A rotary transformer couples power and digital data to and from the shaft.
Pollack, F. G.↗
Response Surface Methods For Spatially-Resolved Optical Measurement Techniques
Response surface methods (or methodology), RSM, have been applied to improve data quality for two vastly different spatially-resolved optical measurement techniques. In the first application, modern design of experiments (MDOE) methods, including RSM, are employed to map the temperature field in a direct-connect supersonic combustion test facility at NASA Langley Research Center. The laser-based measurement technique known as coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) is used to measure temperature at various locations in the combustor. RSM is then used to develop temperature maps of the flow. Even though the temperature fluctuations at a single point in the flowfield have a standard deviation on the order of 300 K, RSM provides analytic fits to the data having 95% confidence interval half width uncertainties in the fit as low as +/- 30 K. Methods of optimizing future CARS experiments are explored. The second application of RSM is to quantify the shape of a 5-meter diameter, ultra-lightweight, inflatable space antenna at NASA Langley Research Center. Photogrammetry is used to simultaneously measure the shape of the antenna at approximately 500 discrete spatial locations. RSM allows an analytic model to be developed that describes the shape of the majority of the antenna with an uncertainty of 0.4 mm, with 95% confidence. This model would allow a quantitative comparison between the actual shape of the antenna and the original design shape. Accurately determining this shape also allows confident interpolation between the measured points. Such a model could, for example, be used for ray tracing of radio-frequency waves up to 95 GHz. to predict the performance of the antenna.
Danehy, P. M.↗
Response Surface Methods for Spatially-Resolved Optical Measurement Techniques
Response surface methods (or methodology), RSM, have been applied to improve data quality for two vastly different spatial ly-re solved optical measurement techniques. In the first application, modern design of experiments (MDOE) methods, including RSM, are employed to map the temperature field in a direct-connect supersonic combustion test facility at NASA Langley Research Center. The laser-based measurement technique known as coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) is used to measure temperature at various locations in the combustor. RSM is then used to develop temperature maps of the flow. Even though the temperature fluctuations at a single point in the flowfield have a standard deviation on the order of 300 K, RSM provides analytic fits to the data having 95% confidence interval half width uncertainties in the fit as low as +/-30 K. Methods of optimizing future CARS experiments are explored. The second application of RSM is to quantify the shape of a 5-meter diameter, ultra-light, inflatable space antenna at NASA Langley Research Center.
Danehy, P. M.↗
Temperature and pressure measurement techniques for an advanced turbine test facility
A high pressure, high-temperature turbine test facility is being constructed at the NASA Lewis Research Center for use in turbine cooling research. Several recently developed temperature and pressure measuring techniques will be used in this facility. This paper describes these measurement techniques, their status, previous applications and some results. Noncontact surface temperature measurements will be made by optical methods. Radiation pyrometry principles combined with photoelectric scanning will be used for rotating components and infrared photography for stationary components. Contact (direct) temperature and pressure measurements on rotating components will be handled with an 80-channel rotary data package which mounts on and rotates with the turbine shaft at speeds up to 17,500 rpm. The data channels are time-division multiplexed and converted to digital words in the data package. A rotary transformer couples power and digital data to and from the shaft.
Pollack, F. G.↗
Review of Physiological Measurement Techniques for Applicability to Space Flight Conditions
Physiological measurement techniques reviewed for applicability to conditions of manned space laboratory
Fraser, T. M.↗
Solar radiation measurement - Techniques and instrumentation
A general survey is presented of solar radiation measurement, techniques, and instrumentation. The importance of determining the total and spectral irradiance of the sun is examined in the context of the energy crisis and utilization of solar energy. The survey includes the extraterrestrial solar fluxes, their possible variations, problems relating to energy received by collecting surfaces on the ground, major types of instrumentation, and the radiation scales to which the measurements are referred. The type of insolation data available is reviewed. Alternate techniques of deriving insolation data with high space-time resolution are discussed with reference to solar energy conversion requirements. Energy received on the ground can be computed from known values of the extraterrestrial solar spectrum and of the spectral absorption parameters of the atmosphere. Another technique is based on measurements made by meteorological satellites of the cloud-cover and of the solar energy reflected and scattered back to space by the earth-atmosphere system.
Thekaekara, M. P.↗
Unified Instrumentation: Examining the Simultaneous Application of Advanced Measurement Techniques for Increased Wind Tunnel Testing Capability
A Unified Instrumentation Test examining the combined application of Pressure Sensitive Paint, Projection Moire Interferometry, Digital Particle Image Velocimetry, Doppler Global Velocimetry, and Acoustic Microphone Array has been conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center. The fundamental purposes of conducting the test were to: (a) identify and solve compatibility issues among the techniques that would inhibit their simultaneous application in a wind tunnel, and (b) demonstrate that simultaneous use of advanced instrumentation techniques is feasible for increasing tunnel efficiency and identifying control surface actuation / aerodynamic reaction phenomena. This paper provides summary descriptions of each measurement technique used during the Unified Instrumentation Test, their implementation for testing in a unified fashion, and example results identifying areas of instrument compatibility and incompatibility. Conclusions are drawn regarding the conditions under which the measurement techniques can be operated simultaneously on a non-interference basis. Finally, areas requiring improvement for successfully applying unified instrumentation in future wind tunnel tests are addressed.
Fleming, Gary A.↗
Precision flow measurement techniques for low thrust auxiliary propulsion liquid rockets
Precision flow measurement techniques for low thrust auxiliary propulsion liquid rockets
FLOW MEASUREMENT↗
Solar Cell Calibration and Measurement Techniques
The increasing complexity of space solar cells and the increasing international markets for both cells and arrays has resulted in workshops jointly sponsored by NASDA, ESA and NASA. These workshops are designed to obtain international agreement on standardized values for the AMO spectrum and constant, recommend laboratory measurement practices and establish a set of protocols for international comparison of laboratory measurements. A working draft of an ISO standard, WDI 5387, 'Requirements for Measurement and Calibration Procedures for Space Solar Cells' was discussed with a focus on the scope of the document, a definition of primary standard cell, and required error analysis for all measurement techniques. Working groups addressed the issues of Air Mass Zero (AMO) solar constant and spectrum, laboratory measurement techniques, and the international round robin methodology. A summary is presented of the current state of each area and the formulation of the ISO document.
Bailey, Sheila↗
Solar Cell Calibration and Measurement Techniques
The increasing complexity of space solar cells and the increasing international markets for both cells and arrays has resulted in workshops jointly sponsored by NASDA, ESA and NASA. These workshops are designed to obtain international agreement on standardized values for the AMO spectrum and constant, recommend laboratory measurement practices and establish a set of protocols for international comparison of laboratory measurements. A working draft of an ISO standard, WD15387, "Requirements for Measurement and Calibration Procedures for Space Solar Cells" was discussed with a focus on the scope of the document, a definition of primary standard cell, and required error analysis for all measurement techniques. Working groups addressed the issues of Air Mass Zero (AMO) solar constant and spectrum, laboratory measurement techniques, and te international round robin methodology. A summary is presented of the current state of each area and the formulation of the ISO document.
Bailey, Sheila↗
Unstable and multiple pulsing can be invisible to ultrashort pulse measurement techniques
Here, multiple pulsing occurs in most ultrashort-pulse laser systems when pumped at excessively high powers, and small fluctuations in pump power in certain regimes can cause unusual variations in the temporal separations of sub-pulses. Unfortunately, the ability of modern intensity-and-phase pulse measurement techniques to measure such unstable multi-pulsing has not been studied. Here we report calculations and simulations finding that allowing variations in just the relative phase of a satellite pulse causes the second pulse to completely disappear from a spectral interferometry for direct electric field reconstruction (SPIDER) measurement. We find that, although neither frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) nor autocorrelation can determine the precise properties of satellite pulses due to the presence of instability, they always succeed in, at least, seeing the satellite pulses. Also, additional post-processing of the measured FROG trace can determine the correct approximate relative height of the satellite pulse and definitively indicate the presence of unstable multiple-pulsing.
42 ENGINEERING↗
A noncontacting displacement measuring technique and its application to current vibration testing
Noncontacting displacement measuring technique and applications to vibration testing
Flagge, B.↗
The application of measurement techniques to track flutter testing
The application is discussed of measurement techniques to captive flight flutter tests at the Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track (SNORT), U. S. Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, California. The high-speed track, by its ability to prove the validity of design and to accurately determine the actual margin of safety, offers a unique method of flutter testing for the aircraft design engineer.
Roglin, H. R.↗
Comparison of ozone measurement techniques using aircraft, balloon, and ground-based measurements
In order to verify the ultraviolet absorption technique used in the Global Atmospheric Sampling Program, two flight experiments were conducted employing several techniques, both in situ and remote, for measuring atmospheric ozone. The first experiment used the NASA CV-990 equipped with an ultraviolet absorption ozone monitor and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer, a balloon ozonesonde, and a Dobson station for determining and comparing the ozone concentration data. A second experiment compared ozone data from an automated sampling system aboard a B-747 with data from a manned system installed on the NASA CV-990 during a cross-country flight with both aircraft following the same flight path separated by 32 kilometers.
Briehl, D.↗
Measurement techniques for millimeter wave substrate mounted MMW antennas
An overview of measurement techniques for millimeter wave substrate mounted antennas is presented. Scattering and pickup of the millimeter wave radiation on the low frequency leads is a significant problem in these measurements. Methods to reduce these effects are discussed, and preliminary work on dipole antennas at 230 GHz is presented.
Gouker, M. A.↗