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At least 73 records · Page 4

Development of the NASA Mini/MEMS Tri-Axis Sensor System

This manuscript details the development of a reduced volume attitude sensor developed at NASA. This new sensor uses MEMs based accelerometers to reduce the volume when compared to current sensors used in wind-tunnel models. Our team has designed, fabricated, and evaluated the Mini/MEMs Tri-Axis Sensor System (MTASS). The current MTASS design accommodates three tactical-grade accelerometers into the volume of a single axis accelerometer that is currently used. This arrangement allows for the estimation of model pitch and roll angles. Static testing of the MTASS demonstrated angle accuracies within ±0.01° for both pitch and roll.

angle measurement↗

Estimation of stiffening effect of shaft and housing material outside projected area of a rolling element bearing

In the analysis of distortions occurring in rolling-element bearings, it is common to neglect the stiffening effect of shafting outside the bearing region. The magnitude of such an effect will be dependent primarily on the bearing width-to-bore ratio, the shaft geometry, and the location of the bearing on the shaft. An estimate is given of the stiffening effect for a wide range of these variables. In addition, brief consideration is given to the parallel situation existing at the outer ring housing.

Taylor, C. M.↗

Mixed convective/dynamic roll vortices and their effects on initial wind and temperature profiles

The onset and development of both dynamically and convectively forced boundary layer rolls are studied with linear and nonlinear analyses of a truncated spectral model of shallow Boussinesq flow. Emphasis is given here on the energetics of the dominant roll modes, on the magnitudes of the roll-induced modifications of the initial basic state wind and temperature profiles, and on the sensitivity of the linear stability results to the use of modified profiles as basic states. It is demonstrated that the roll circulations can produce substantial changes to the cross-roll component of the initial wind profile and that significant changes in orientation angle estimates can result from use of a roll-modified profile in the stability analysis. These results demonstrate that roll contributions must be removed from observed background wind profiles before using them to investigate the mechanisms underlying actual secondary flows in the boundary layer. The model is developed quite generally to accept arbitrary basic state wind profiles as dynamic forcing. An Ekman profile is chosen here merely to provide a means for easy comparison with other theoretical boundary layer studies; the ultimate application of the model is to study observed boundary layer profiles. Results of the analytic stability analysis are validated by comparing them with results from a larger linear model. For an appropriate Ekman depth, a complete set of transition curves is given in forcing parameter space for roll modes driven both thermally and dynamically. Preferred orientation angles, horizontal wavelengths and propagation frequencies, as well as energetics and wind profile modifications, are all shown to agree rather well with results from studies on Ekman layers as well as with studies on near-neutral and convective atmospheric boundary layers.

Haack, Tracy↗

CCF Parameter Estimations, 2020 Update

This report documents the quantitative results of the common-cause failure (CCF) data collection effort (which included data through 2020) and summarizes the results of the parameter estimation quantification process performed on CCF data in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) CCF database. This is the 2020 update to NUREG/CR-5497, updating data and parameter estimations for CCFs. This release, CCF Parameter Estimation 2020, reflects the CCF data contained within the CCF database, https://rads.inl.gov/Pages/CCF.aspx, by executing (in August 2021) the CCF query rules in the folder SPAR Rules 2020. The data covers the period from 1/1/2006 to 12/31/2020, the most recent 15-year period in which data are available. The use of the most recent rolling 15-year data in parameter estimation differs from previous updates, in which 1/1/1997 was used as the starting date (e.g., 1/1/1997 to 12/31/2015 for the 2015 update, 1/1/1997 to 12/31/2012 for the 2012 update). The new date range (i.e., the most recent 15-year period), was selected for this CCF update so as to be consistent with the date range chosen for the component reliability parameter estimation, and with the effort to include sufficient data for analysis while simultaneously reflecting the most recent industry performance. These results are appropriate for use in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) studies, including the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models of commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the U.S. This update may be referred as: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "CCF Parameter Estimations, 2020 Update," https://nrcoe.inl.gov/publicdocs/CCF/ccfparamest2020.pdf, November 2021.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Unsteady Aerodynamic Modeling in Roll for the NASA Generic Transport Model

Reducing the impact of loss-of-control conditions on commercial transport aircraft is a primary goal of the NASA Aviation Safety Program. One aspect in developing the supporting technologies is to improve the aerodynamic models that represent these adverse conditions. Aerodynamic models appropriate for loss of control conditions require a more general mathematical representation to predict nonlinear unsteady behaviors. In this paper, a more general mathematical model is proposed for the subscale NASA Generic Transport Model (GTM) that covers both low and high angles of attack. Particular attention is devoted to the stall region where full-scale transports have demonstrated a tendency for roll instability. The complete aerodynamic model was estimated from dynamic wind-tunnel data. Advanced computational methods are used to improve understanding and visualize the flow physics within the region where roll instability is a factor.

Murphy, Patrick C.↗

Relationships Between Vestibular Measures as Potential Predictors for Spaceflight Sensorimotor Adaptation

Introduction: During space exploration missions astronauts are exposed to a series of novel sensorimotor environments, requiring sensorimotor adaptation. Until adaptation is complete, sensorimotor decrements occur, affecting critical tasks such as piloted landing or docking. Of particularly interest are locomotion tasks such as emergency vehicle egress or extra-vehicular activity. While nearly all astronauts eventually adapt sufficiently, it appears there are substantial individual differences in how quickly and effectively this adaptation occurs. These individual differences in capacity for sensorimotor adaptation are poorly understood. Broadly, we aim to identify measures that may serve as pre-flight predictors of and individual's adaptation capacity to spaceflight-induced sensorimotor changes. As a first step, since spaceflight is thought to involve a reinterpretation of graviceptor cues (e.g. otolith cues from the vestibular system) we investigate the relationships between various measures of vestibular function in humans. Methods: In a set of 15 ground-based control subjects, we quantified individual differences in vestibular function using three measures: 1) ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), 2) computerized dynamic posturography and 3) vestibular perceptual thresholds. oVEMP responses are elicited using a mechanical stimuli approach. Computerized dynamic posturography was used to quantify Sensory Organization Tests (SOTs), including SOT5M which involved performing pitching head movements while balancing on a sway-reference support surface with eyes closed. We implemented a vestibular perceptual threshold task using the tilt capabilities of the Tilt-Translation Sled (TTS) at JSC. On each trial, the subject was passively roll-tilted left ear down or right ear down in the dark and verbally provided a forced-choice response regarding which direction they felt tilted. The motion profile was a single-cycle sinusoid of angular acceleration with a duration of 5 seconds (frequency of 0.2 Hz), which was selected as it requires sensory integration of otolith and semicircular canal cues. Stimuli direction was randomized and magnitude was determined using an adaptive sampling procedure. One hundred trials were provided and each subject's responses were fit with a psychometric curve to estimate the subject's threshold. Results: Roll tilt perceptual thresholds at 0.2 Hz ranged from 0.5 degrees to 1.82 degrees across the 15 subjects (geometric mean of 1.04 degrees), consistent with previous studies. The inter-individual variability in thresholds may be able to help explain individual differences observed in sensorimotor adaptation to spaceflight. Analysis is ongoing for the oVEMPS and computerized dynamic posturography to identify relationships between the various vestibular measures. Discussion: Predicting individual differences in sensorimotor adaptation is critical both for the development of personalized countermeasures and mission planning. Here we aim to develop a basis of vestibular tests and parameters which may serve as predictors of individual differences in sensorimotor adaptability through studying the relationship between these measures.

Clark, T. K.↗

Measuring Success: A Refined Methodology for Estimating Long-term Continuous Improvement

Successful resource management systems require current and detailed feedback on operational and corporate-level performance. As corporate accountability concerns intensify, the precision and reliability of these performance metrics have become crucial. Traditional savings estimation methods can be difficult to understand, particularly linear regression, and can provide varying results. This paper reviews common efficiency metrics and highlights underlying mathematical inconsistencies when estimating total and percent savings with current methods. A refined approach to calculating long-term utility savings is proposed that simplifies current methodologies utilizing ratios to define an adjusted baseline, allowing for consistent and fair aggregation of results across multiple scales from resources to corporate performance. A simplified example demonstrates how the proposed methodology improves upon existing methods, especially in intermediate years. This paper’s major contributions are the simplified approach for converting modeled utility usage into estimated savings and the consistent roll-up methodology enabling more comparable, aggregable, and actionable results across scales.

Price, Chris [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000202007906)↗

Two-dimensional Gaussian processes applied to the determination of contact between lubricated rolling surfaces

The effectiveness of a lubricant film preventing metallic contact between two rolling surfaces (such as in ball bearings) as a function of surface roughness parameters was investigated. The parameters considered are the spectral moments of the two-dimensional surface obtained by superposition of the two rolling surfaces. The peak height distribution, estimation of one-dimensional profile spectral moments, and the estimation of two-dimensional surface moments from several profile measurements were considered. Also given is an asymptotic relation between the mean film thickness and contact occurrences.

Sidik, S. M.↗

Experimental determination of the principal moments of inertia of the Helios prototype spacecraft

The moment of inertia of the Helios Spacecraft about its spin axis was determined by use of a roll-fixture using two sets of crossed flexure pivots as elastic constraints. The test procedure entailed measurement of a system oscillation period with each of a set of added moment-of-inertia increments. The tare effect of the fixture was determined by a like process and was subtracted from the gross value to yield the spacecraft roll moment of inertia to an estimated accuracy of 0.2%. Lateral moments of inertia (i.e., about each of three axes normal to the spin axis) were determined by a gravity pendulum method that makes use of the fact that any physical pendulum has a minimum period of oscillation determined by a particular distance from the axis of rotation to the system center of gravity.

Gayman, W. H.↗

Model order reduction applied to a hot-bench simulation of an aeroelastic wind-tunnel model

Simulations of an aeroelastically scaled wind-tunnel model were developed for hot-bench testing of a digital controller. The digital controller provided active flutter-suppression, rolling-maneuver-load alleviation, and plant estimation. To achieve an acceptable time scale for the hot-bench application, the mathematical model of the wind-tunnel model was reduced from 220 states to approximately 130 states while assuring that the required accuracy was preserved for all combinations of 10 inputs and 56 outputs. The reduction was achieved by focussing on a linear, aeroelastic submodel of the full mathematical model and by applying a method based on the internally balanced realization of a dynamic system. The error-bound properties of the internally balanced realization significantly contribute to its utility in the model reduction process. The reduction method and the results achieved are described.

Buttrill, Carey S.↗

Estimation of the maximum angle of sideslip for determination of vertical-tail loads in rolling maneuvers

Report includes the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Technical Reports 1135 through 1157. Recent experiences have indicated that angles of sideslip in rolling maneuvers may be critical in the design of vertical tails for current research airplanes having weight distributed mainly along the fuselage. Previous investigations have indicated the seriousness of the problem for the World War II type of airplane. This report presents some preliminary calculations for airplanes of current design, particularly with weight distributed primarily along the fuselage. The results of this study indicate that existing simplified expressions for calculating maximum sideslip angles to determine the vertical-tail loads in rolling maneuvers are not generally applicable to airplanes of current design.

Stone, Ralph W , Jr↗

The inclusion of rotor dynamics in controller design for helicopters.

State-feedback-controllers and state-estimators (filters) are designed for the roll-pitch-horizontal motions of a helicopter near hover, using a new quadratic synthesis technique. One model (tenth order) uses a dynamic model of the rotor, whereas the other model (sixth order) assumes the rotor can be tilted instantaneously. It is shown that, for tight control, neglecting the rotor dynamics in designing the autopilot can produce unstable closed-loop response on the model that includes rotor dynamics. Two filters are designed to use only fuselage sensors and two are designed to use both fuselage and rotor sensors. It is shown that rotor states can be estimated with sufficient accuracy using only fuselage sensors so that it does not seem worthwhile to use rotor sensors. The mean square response of the vehicle to a gusty, random wind, using several different filter/state-feedback compensators, is shown to be satisfactory.

Hall, W. E., Jr.↗

The lateral-directional characteristics of a 74-degree Delta wing employing gothic planform vortex flaps

The low speed lateral/directional characteristics of a generic 74 degree delta wing body configuration employing the latest generation, gothic planform vortex flaps was determined. Longitudinal effects are also presented. The data are compared with theoretical estimates from VORSTAB, an extension of the Quasi vortex lattice Method of Lan which empirically accounts for vortex breakdown effects in the calculation of longitudinal and lateral/directional aerodynamic characteristics. It is indicated that leading edge deflections of 30 and 40 degrees reduce the magnitude of the wing effective dihedral relative to the baseline for a specified angle of attack or lift coefficient. For angles of attack greater than 15 degrees, these flap deflections reduce the configuration directional stability despite improved vertical tail effectiveness. It is shown that asymmetric leading edge deflections are inferior to conventional ailerons in generating rolling moments. VORSTAB calculations provide coarse lateral/directional estimates at low to moderate angles of attack. The theory does not account for vortex flow induced, vertical tail effects.

Grantz, A. C.↗

Analytic Solution to the Problem of Aircraft Electric Field Mill Calibration

It is by no means a simple task to retrieve storm electric fields from an aircraft instrumented with electric field mill sensors. The presence of the aircraft distorts the ambient field in a complicated way. Before retrievals of the storm field can be made, the field mill measurement system must be "calibrated". In other words, a relationship between impressed (i.e., ambient) electric field and mill output must be established. If this relationship can be determined, it is mathematically inverted so that ambient field can be inferred from the mill outputs. Previous studies have primarily focused on linear theories where the relationship between ambient field and mill output is described by a "calibration matrix" M. Each element of the matrix describes how a particular component of the ambient field is enhanced by the aircraft. For example the product M(sub ix), E(sub x), is the contribution of the E(sub x) field to the i(th) mill output. Similarly, net aircraft charge (described by a "charge field component" E(sub q)) contributes an amount M(sub iq)E(sub q) to the output of the i(th) sensor. The central difficulty in obtaining M stems from the fact that the impressed field (E(sub x), E(sub y), E(sub z), E(sub q) is not known but is instead estimated. Typically, the aircraft is flown through a series of roll and pitch maneuvers in fair weather, and the values of the fair weather field and aircraft charge are estimated at each point along the aircraft trajectory. These initial estimates are often highly inadequate, but several investigators have improved the estimates by implementing various (ad hoc) iterative methods. Unfortunately, none of the iterative methods guarantee absolute convergence to correct values (i.e., absolute convergence to correct values has not been rigorously proven). In this work, the mathematical problem is solved directly by analytic means. For m mills installed on an arbitrary aircraft, it is shown that it is possible to solve for a single 2m-vector that provides all other needed variables (i.e., the unknown fair weather field, the unknown aircraft charge, and the unknown matrix M). Numerical tests of the solution, effects of measurement errors, and studies of solution non-uniqueness are ongoing as of this writing.

Koshak, William↗

A simple attitude data filter for three-axis attitude initialization for autonomous ascent of Shuttle-launched spacecraft

A method for accurately initializing spacecraft attitude after release from the Orbiter is described. It is noted that the method is suitable for an autonomous ascent to mission orbit. Test results are given from a FORTRAN simulation of the estimation algorithm using measurement data from a detailed spacecraft dynamics simulation program. The technique here is orbital yaw-gyrocompassing. Attitude is estimated through a Kalman filter, using pitch and roll measurements from an earth sensor, while gyro data provide the system dynamics information. In the tests described, gyro and earth sensor data are generated by an existing control system simulation of earth-search and yaw-gyrocompassing attitude dynamics; they include realistic errors such as delays, random noise and quantization effects. The estimated attitude history is compared with the true attitude history from the simulation program to assess the accuracy and convergence of the filter in the presence of noisy measurements and disturbances, including thruster firings for momentum control. It is noted that since the earth sensor provides direct measurements of pitch and roll, the main criterion of filter performance is yaw accuracy.

Joshi, R. T.↗

Nonlinear slender wing aerodynamics

On present day high performance aircraft, a large portion of the lift is generated by leading edge vortices generated by flow separation off the highly swept leading edges of the lifting surfaces employed. It has been shown in an earlier paper how the vortex effects can be superimposed on a modified slender wing theory to give the unsteady longitudinal characteristics of sharp-edged delta wings up to very high angles of attack. The present paper extends the previous analysis to include the effects of leading edge roundness and trailing edge sweep on the aerodynamic characteristics. The paper also derives analytic means for prediction of the yaw stability of slender wings and the first order effects of Mach number. Universal scaling laws are defined for rapid preliminary design estimates of the slender wing lift and rolling moment. The results indicate that simple analytic tools can be developed to predict the aeroelastic characteristics of the space shuttle ascent configuration with its complicated flow field and aeroelastic cross-couplings.

Ericsson, L. E.↗

Estimation of Handling Qualities Parameters of the Tu-144 Supersonic Transport Aircraft from Flight Test Data

Low order equivalent system (LOES) models for the Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft were identified from flight test data. The mathematical models were given in terms of transfer functions with a time delay by the military standard MIL-STD-1797A, "Flying Qualities of Piloted Aircraft," and the handling qualities were predicted from the estimated transfer function coefficients. The coefficients and the time delay in the transfer functions were estimated using a nonlinear equation error formulation in the frequency domain. Flight test data from pitch, roll, and yaw frequency sweeps at various flight conditions were used for parameter estimation. Flight test results are presented in terms of the estimated parameter values, their standard errors, and output fits in the time domain. Data from doublet maneuvers at the same flight conditions were used to assess the predictive capabilities of the identified models. The identified transfer function models fit the measured data well and demonstrated good prediction capabilities. The Tu-144 was predicted to be between level 2 and 3 for all longitudinal maneuvers and level I for all lateral maneuvers. High estimates of the equivalent time delay in the transfer function model caused the poor longitudinal rating.

Curry, Timothy J.↗