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At least 73 records · Page 4

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NASA NTRS1985

Static investigation of several yaw vectoring concepts on nonaxisymmetric nozzles

A test has been conducted in the static test facility of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the flow-turning capability and the effects on nozzle internal performance of several yaw vectoring concepts. Nonaxisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzles with throat areas simulating dry and afterburning power settings and single expansion ramp nozzles with a throat area simulating a dry power setting were modified for yaw thrust vectoring. Forward-thrust and pitch-vectored nozzle configurations were tested with each yaw vectoring concept. Four basic yaw vectoring concepts were investigated on the nonaxisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzles: (1) translating sidewall; (2) downstream (of throat) flaps; (3) upstream (of throat) port/flap; and (4) powered rudder. Selected combinations of the rudder with downstream flaps or upstream port/flap were also tested. A single yaw vectoring concept, post-exit flaps, was investigated on the single expansion ramp nozzles. All testing was conducted at static (no external flow) conditions and nozzle pressure ratios varied from 2.0 up to 10.0.

Mason, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Static investigation of two STOL nozzle concepts with pitch thrust-vectoring capability

A static investigation of the internal performance of two short take-off and landing (STOL) nozzle concepts with pitch thrust-vectoring capability has been conducted. An axisymmetric nozzle concept and a nonaxisymmetric nozzle concept were tested at dry and afterburning power settings. The axisymmetric concept consisted of a circular approach duct with a convergent-divergent nozzle. Pitch thrust vectoring was accomplished by vectoring the approach duct without changing the nozzle geometry. The nonaxisymmetric concept consisted of a two dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle. Pitch thrust vectoring was implemented by blocking the nozzle exit and deflecting a door in the lower nozzle flap. The test nozzle pressure ratio was varied up to 10.0, depending on model geometry. Results indicate that both pitch vectoring concepts produced resultant pitch vector angles which were nearly equal to the geometric pitch deflection angles. The axisymmetric nozzle concept had only small thrust losses at the largest pitch deflection angle of 70 deg., but the two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle concept had large performance losses at both of the two pitch deflection angles tested, 60 deg. and 70 deg.

Mason, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Some applicatiaons of Lanczos vectors in structural dynamics

This paper summarizes several applications of Lanczos vectors and Krylov vectors. Lanczos vectors or Krylov vectors for use in component synthesis, Lanczos vectors for systems with unsymmetric damping (unsymmetric Block-Lanczos method), and the use of Lanczos vectors to obtain reduced-order models for control of flexible structures. For each of the above applications the theoretical background is briefly summarized and a numerical example is given.

Craig, Roy R., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Parametric study of a simultaneous pitch/yaw thrust vectoring single expansion ramp nozzle

In the course of the last eleven years, the concept of thrust vectoring has emerged as a promising method of enhancing aircraft control capabilities in post-stall flight incursions during combat. In order to study the application of simultaneous pitch and yaw vectoring to single expansion ramp nozzles, a static test was conducted in the NASA-Langley 16 foot transonic tunnel. This investigation was based on internal performance data provided by force, mass flow and internal pressure measurements at nozzle pressure ratios up to 8. The internal performance characteristics of the nozzle were studied for several combinations of six different parameters: yaw vectoring angle, pitch vectoring angle, upper ramp cutout, sidewall hinge location, hinge inclination angle and sidewall containment. Results indicated a 2-to- 3-percent decrease in resultant thrust ratio with vectoring in either pitch or yaw. Losses were mostly associated with the turning of supersonic flow. Resultant thrust ratios were also decreased by sideways expansion of the jet. The effects of cutback corners in the upper ramp and lower flap on performance were small. Maximum resultant yaw vector angles, about half of the flap angle, were achieved for the configuration with the most forward hinge location.

Schirmer, Alberto W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Thrust vectoring effect on time-optimal 90 degrees angle of attack pitch up maneuvers of a high alpha fighter aircraft

Using thrust vectoring, the problem of pitching up a high alpha fighter aircraft to 90 degrees angle of attack in minimum time is considered. Pontryagin's maximum principle is used together with a two-point boundary value numerical algorithm to derive open-loop controls for various parameterized limits on thrust vectoring angles. Without thrust vectoring, a high alpha fighter with initial conditions 0.6 Mach number and 15,000 feet requires 7.0 seconds to pitch-up to 90 degrees. However, with 20-degree angle thrust vectoring, the pitch-up takes only 1.5 seconds with a final Mach number of 0.47. Also, the gain in altitude is less than 100 feet. More important, additional thrust vectoring yields litle benefit beyond the 20-degree angles. This paper describes control solutions in detail for thrust vectoring angles between 0 and 90 degrees.

Stalford, Harold↗

NASA NTRS1990

Static investigation of a two-dimensional convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle with multiaxis thrust-vectoring capability

An investigation was conducted in the Static Test Facility of the NASA Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the internal performance of two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzles designed to have simultaneous pitch and yaw thrust vectoring capability. This concept utilized divergent flap rotation of thrust vectoring in the pitch plane and deflection of flat yaw flaps hinged at the end of the sidewalls for yaw thrust vectoring. The hinge location of the yaw flaps was varied at four positions from the nozzle exit plane to the throat plane. The yaw flaps were designed to contain the flow laterally independent of power setting. In order to eliminate any physical interference between the yaw flap deflected into the exhaust stream and the divergent flaps, the downstream corners of both upper and lower divergent flaps were cut off to allow for up to 30 deg of yaw flap deflection. The impact of varying the nozzle pitch vector angle, throat area, yaw flap hinge location, yaw flap length, and yaw flap deflection angle on nozzle internal performance characteristics, was studied. High-pressure air was used to simulate jet exhaust at nozzle pressure ratios up to 7.0. Static results indicate that configurations with the yaw flap hinge located upstream of the exit plane provide relatively high levels of thrust vectoring efficiency without causing large losses in resultant thrust ratio. Therefore, these configurations represent a viable concept for providing simultaneous pitch and yaw thrust vectoring.

Taylor, John G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Internal performance of two nozzles utilizing gimbal concepts for thrust vectoring

The internal performance of an axisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzle and a nonaxisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzle, both of which utilized a gimbal type mechanism for thrust vectoring was evaluated in the Static Test Facility of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel. The nonaxisymmetric nozzle used the gimbal concept for yaw thrust vectoring only; pitch thrust vectoring was accomplished by simultaneous deflection of the upper and lower divergent flaps. The model geometric parameters investigated were pitch vector angle for the axisymmetric nozzle and pitch vector angle, yaw vector angle, nozzle throat aspect ratio, and nozzle expansion ratio for the nonaxisymmetric nozzle. All tests were conducted with no external flow, and nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 2.0 to approximately 12.0.

Berrier, Bobby L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Development of load-dependent Ritz vector method for structural dynamic analysis of large space structures

The development and preliminary assessment of a method for dynamic structural analysis based on load-dependent Ritz vectors are presented. The vector basis is orthogonalized with respect to the mass and structural stiffness in order that the equations of motion can be uncoupled and efficient analysis of large space structure performed. A series of computer programs was developed based on the algorithm for generating the orthogonal load-dependent Ritz vectors. Transient dynamic analysis performed on the Space Station Freedom using the software was found to provide solutions that require a smaller number of vectors than the modal analysis method. Error norm based on the participation of the mass distribution of the structure and spatial distribution of structural loading, respectively, were developed in order to provide an indication of vector truncation. These norms are computed before the transient analysis is performed. An assessment of these norms through a convergence study of the structural response was performed. The results from this assessment indicate that the error norms can provide a means of judging the quality of the vector basis and accuracy of the transient dynamic solution.

Ricles, James M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Pacific-North American plate motion from very long baseline interferometry compared with motion inferred from magnetic anomalies, transform faults, and earthquake slip vectors

Geodetic VLBI measurements were used to test whether the Pacific-North American plate velocity averaged over several years of direct observation (1984-1987) equals that averaged over millions of years. It was also tested whether this velocity parallels the San Andreas fault, transform faults and earthquake slip vectors in the Gulf of California, and earthquake slip vectors along the Queen Charlotte fault, along the Alaskan peninsula, and along the Kamchatkan peninsula. The VLBI data provide an estimate of the direction of plate motion that is independent of estimates from fault azimuths and earthquake slip vectors. The Euler vector determined from VLBI was found to be nearly identical to the Euler vector of plate motion model NUVEL-1, which is based on the trends of transform faults, earthquake slip vectors, and spreading rates from marine magnetic anomalies that average motion since 3 Ma. The velocity between the Pacific and North American plates averaged over the past several years equals or nearly equals its velocity averaged over the past several million years, the difference along their boundary nowhere exceeding 4 + or - 7 mm/yr.

Argus, Donald F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Design of thrust vectoring exhaust nozzles for real-time applications using neural networks

Thrust vectoring continues to be an important issue in military aircraft system designs. A recently developed concept of vectoring aircraft thrust makes use of flexible exhaust nozzles. Subtle modifications in the nozzle wall contours produce a non-uniform flow field containing a complex pattern of shock and expansion waves. The end result, due to the asymmetric velocity and pressure distributions, is vectored thrust. Specification of the nozzle contours required for a desired thrust vector angle (an inverse design problem) has been achieved with genetic algorithms. This approach is computationally intensive and prevents the nozzles from being designed in real-time, which is necessary for an operational aircraft system. An investigation was conducted into using genetic algorithms to train a neural network in an attempt to obtain, in real-time, two-dimensional nozzle contours. Results show that genetic algorithm trained neural networks provide a viable, real-time alternative for designing thrust vectoring nozzles contours. Thrust vector angles up to 20 deg were obtained within an average error of 0.0914 deg. The error surfaces encountered were highly degenerate and thus the robustness of genetic algorithms was well suited for minimizing global errors.

Prasanth, Ravi K.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Structure/load dependent vectors for linear structural dynamic analysis

The dynamic solution vectors yielded by the present structure/load dependent-vectors method for large-scale linear structural dynamic analyses involving complex loadings can be used as starting vectors, so that both structure and load characteristics are encompassed by the basis vectors. The method is shown to entail fewer vectors than current alternatives for a given level of accuracy, especially in the cases of structures that have external concentrated masses. Numerical results are presented which illustrate the advantages of this dependent-vectors method relative to other reduction methods.

Qin, Jiangning↗

NASA NTRS1992

Thrust vectoring characteristics of the F-18 high alpha research vehicle at angles of attack from 0 to 70 deg

An investigation was conducted to determine the multiaxis thrust-vectoring characteristics of the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). A 0.10-scale model was modified with hardware to simulate the three-vane thrust vectoring system of the F-18/HARV. This investigation was conducted at Mach numbers ranging from 0.30 to 0.70, at angles of attack from 0 to 70 deg, and nozzle-pressure ratios from 2.0 to approximately 5.0. Results indicate that the thrust vectoring system of F-18/HARV can successfully generate multiaxis thrust vectoring. During vectoring, resultant thrust-vector angles were always less than the corresponding geometric vane deflection angle and were accompanied by large thrust losses.

Asbury, Scott C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Rate determination from vector observations

Vector observations are a common class of attitude data provided by a wide variety of attitude sensors. Attitude determination from vector observations is a well-understood process and numerous algorithms such as the TRIAD algorithm exist. These algorithms require measurement of the line of site (LOS) vector to reference objects and knowledge of the LOS directions in some predetermined reference frame. Once attitude is determined, it is a simple matter to synthesize vehicle rate using some form of lead-lag filter, and then, use it for vehicle stabilization. Many situations arise, however, in which rate knowledge is required but knowledge of the nominal LOS directions are not available. This paper presents two methods for determining spacecraft angular rates from vector observations without a priori knowledge of the vector directions. The first approach uses an extended Kalman filter with a spacecraft dynamic model and a kinematic model representing the motion of the observed LOS vectors. The second approach uses a 'differential' TRIAD algorithm to compute the incremental direction cosine matrix, from which vehicle rate is then derived.

Weiss, Jerold L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Performance characteristics of a variable-area vane nozzle for vectoring an ASTOVL exhaust jet up to 45 deg

Many conceptual designs for advanced short-takeoff, vertical landing (ASTOVL) aircraft need exhaust nozzles that can vector the jet to provide forces and moments for controlling the aircraft's movement or attitude in flight near the ground. A type of nozzle that can both vector the jet and vary the jet flow area is called a vane nozzle. Basically, the nozzle consists of parallel, spaced-apart flow passages formed by pairs of vanes (vanesets) that can be rotated on axes perpendicular to the flow. Two important features of this type of nozzle are the abilities to vector the jet rearward up to 45 degrees and to produce less harsh pressure and velocity footprints during vertical landing than does an equivalent single jet. A one-third-scale model of a generic vane nozzle was tested with unheated air at the NASA Lewis Research Center's Powered Lift Facility. The model had three parallel flow passages. Each passage was formed by a vaneset consisting of a long and a short vane. The longer vanes controlled the jet vector angle, and the shorter controlled the flow area. Nozzle performance for three nominal flow areas (basic and plus or minus 21 percent of basic area), each at nominal jet vector angles from -20 deg (forward of vertical) to +45 deg (rearward of vertical) are presented. The tests were made with the nozzle mounted on a model tailpipe with a blind flange on the end to simulate a closed cruise nozzle, at tailpipe-to-ambient pressure ratios from 1.8 to 4.0. Also included are jet wake data, single-vaneset vector performance for long/short and equal-length vane designs, and pumping capability. The pumping capability arises from the subambient pressure developed in the cavities between the vanesets, which could be used to aspirate flow from a source such as the engine compartment. Some of the performance characteristics are compared with characteristics of a single-jet nozzle previously reported.

Mcardle, Jack G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Performance characteristics of a variable-area vane nozzle for vectoring an ASTOVL exhaust jet up to 45 deg

Mcardle, Jack G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Static internal performance of a single expansion ramp nozzle with multiaxis thrust vectoring capability

An investigation was conducted at static conditions in order to determine the internal performance characteristics of a multiaxis thrust vectoring single expansion ramp nozzle. Yaw vectoring was achieved by deflecting yaw flaps in the nozzle sidewall into the nozzle exhaust flow. In order to eliminate any physical interference between the variable angle yaw flap deflected into the exhaust flow and the nozzle upper ramp and lower flap which were deflected for pitch vectoring, the downstream corners of both the nozzle ramp and lower flap were cut off to allow for up to 30 deg of yaw vectoring. The effects of nozzle upper ramp and lower flap cutout, yaw flap hinge line location and hinge inclination angle, sidewall containment, geometric pitch vector angle, and geometric yaw vector angle were studied. This investigation was conducted in the static-test facility of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at nozzle pressure ratios up to 8.0.

Capone, Francis J.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Modeling the two-point correlation of the vector stream function

A new model for the two-point vector stream function correlation has been developed using tensor invariant arguments and evaluated by the comparison of model predictions with DNS data for incompressible homogeneous turbulent shear flow. This two-point vector stream function model correlation can then be used to calculate the two-point velocity correlation function and other quantities useful in turbulence modeling. The model assumes that the two-point vector stream function correlation can be written in terms of the separation vector and a new tensor function that depends only on the magnitude of the separation vector. The model has a single free model coefficient, which has been chosen by comparison with the DNS data. The relative error of the model predictions of the two-point vector stream function correlation is only a few percent for a broad range of the model coefficient. Predictions of the derivatives of this correlation, which are of interest in turbulence modeling, may not be this accurate.

Oberlack, M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Internal performance characteristics of thrust-vectored axisymmetric ejector nozzles

A series of thrust-vectored axisymmetric ejector nozzles were designed and experimentally tested for internal performance and pumping characteristics at the Langley research center. This study indicated that discontinuities in the performance occurred at low primary nozzle pressure ratios and that these discontinuities were mitigated by decreasing expansion area ratio. The addition of secondary flow increased the performance of the nozzles. The mid-to-high range of secondary flow provided the most overall improvements, and the greatest improvements were seen for the largest ejector area ratio. Thrust vectoring the ejector nozzles caused a reduction in performance and discharge coefficient. With or without secondary flow, the vectored ejector nozzles produced thrust vector angles that were equivalent to or greater than the geometric turning angle. With or without secondary flow, spacing ratio (ejector passage symmetry) had little effect on performance (gross thrust ratio), discharge coefficient, or thrust vector angle. For the unvectored ejectors, a small amount of secondary flow was sufficient to reduce the pressure levels on the shroud to provide cooling, but for the vectored ejector nozzles, a larger amount of secondary air was required to reduce the pressure levels to provide cooling.

Lamb, Milton↗