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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 73 records · Page 4

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NASA NTRS1976

Producibility aspects of advanced composites for an L-1011 Aileron

The design of advanced composite aileron suitable for long-term service on transport aircraft includes Kevlar 49 fabric skins on honeycomb sandwich covers, hybrid graphite/Kevlar 49 ribs and spars, and graphite/epoxy fittings. Weight and cost savings of 28 and 20 percent, respectively, are predicted by comparison with the production metallic aileron. The structural integrity of the design has been substantiated by analysis and static tests of subcomponents. The producibility considerations played a key role in the selection of design concepts with potential for low-cost production. Simplicity in fabrication is a major factor in achieving low cost using advanced tooling and manufacturing methods such as net molding to size, draping, forming broadgoods, and cocuring components. A broadgoods dispensing machine capable of handling unidirectional and bidirectional prepreg materials in widths ranging from 12 to 42 inches is used for rapid layup of component kits and covers. Existing large autoclaves, platen presses, and shop facilities are fully exploited.

Van Hamersveld, J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Implicit transient finite element structural computations on MIMD systems - FETI vs. direct solvers

A domain decomposition method for implicit schemes that require significantly less storage and is several times faster than factorization algorithms is proposed. The transient domain decomposition method is an extension of the finite element tearing and interconnecting (FETI) method for the solution of static problems. Serial and parallel performance results obtained using the CRAY Y-MP/8 and the iPSC-860/128 systems demonstrate that the FETI method is superior to both serial and parallel direct methods.

Crivelli, Luis↗

NASA NTRS1961

Stress Concentrations in Filamentary Structures

Theoretical analyses are made of the stress distributions in a sheet of parallel filaments which carry normal loads and are imbedded in a matrix which carries only shear. In all cases, uniform loading at infinity is assumed and small-deflection elasticity theory is used. Static and dynamic stress-concentration factors due to one or more filaments being broken are determined. Particular attention is paid the dynamic overshoot resulting when the filaments are suddenly broken. The dynamic-response factor increases from 1.15 to 1.27 as the number of broken filaments is increased from one to infinity. A somewhat lower dynamic-response factor is obtained when a hole is suddenly caused in the filament sheet.

Hedgepeth, John M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Structural Qualification Testing of the WindSat Payload Using Sine Bursts Near Structural Resonance

Sine burst tests are often used for structural qualification of space flight hardware. In most instances, the driving frequency of the shaker is specified far below the structure's first resonant mode, such that the entire test article sees uniform acceleration. For large structures, this limits qualification testing to lower parts of the structure, or else it over-tests the lower structure to achieve qualification of the upper structure. The WindSat payload, a 10.5 foot tall graphite/epoxy, titanium, and aluminum radiometer, experiences accelerations at the six foot diameter reflector nearly four times that at the spacecraft interface. Due to size of the payload, the number of bonded joints, and the lightweight reflector support structure design and construction, using static pull testing to qualify all of the bonded joints in the upper structure would result in large, expensive, and extensive test fixturing. Sine burst testing near the first two structural resonant modes was performed on the WindSat payload to achieve the correct load factor distribution up the stack for structural qualification. In this presentation, how finite element method (FEM) sine burst predictions were used in conjunction with low level random and sine burst tests to achieve correct qualification test load factor distribution on the WindSat payload is discussed. Also presented is the risk mitigation approach for using the uncorrelated FEM in this procedure.

Pontius, Jim↗

NASA NTRS1984

Environmental and structural assessment of four year in-commercial service composite helicopter structures

This paper presents the technical background for including environmental effects in the design of helicopter composite structures. This effort was supported by test results of components and panels having up to four years of field exposure. The preceeding was part of an eight year program to evaluate in-service environmental factors for comparison with laboratory test results. Full scale static and fatigue tests were conducted on composite components removed from S-76 helicopters used in commercial operations in the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana. Small scale tests were conducted using coupons removed from panels exposed to the outdoor environment in Stratford, Connecticut and West Palm Beach, Florida. Panel configurations were representative of S-76 components. Moisture analysis and strength tests on components and panels are reported after two, three and four years of exposure. Moisture levels were compared with predicted values. Mechanical test results were compared to initial certification tests for component strength, and to baseline laboratory coupon testing.

Ezzo, M. B.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Investigation of bubbles in arterial heat pipes

The behavior of gas occlusions in arterial heat pipes has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Specifically, the gas-liquid system properties, solubility and diffusivity, have been measured from -50 to 100 C for helium and argon in ammonia, Freon-21 (CHC12F), and methanol. Properties values obtained were then used to experimentally test models for gas venting from a heat pipe artery under isothermal conditions (i.e., no-heat flow), although the models, as developed, are also applicable to heat pipes operated at power, with some minor modifications. Preliminary calculations indicated arterial bubbles in a stagnant pipe require from minutes to days to collapse and vent. It has been found experimentally that a gas bubble entrapped within an artery structure has a very long lifetime in many credible situations. This lifetime has an approximately inverse exponential dependence on temperature, and is generally considerably longer for helium than for argon. The models postulated for venting under static conditions were in general quantitative agreement with experimental data. Factors of primary importance in governing bubble stability are artery diameter, artery wall thickness, noncondensible gas partial pressure, and the property group (the Ostwald solubility coefficient multiplied by the gas/liquid diffusivity).

Saaski, E. W.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Many-Body Effects on Bandgap Shrinkage, Effective Masses, and Alpha Factor

Many-body Coulomb effects influence the operation of quantum-well (QW) laser diode (LD) strongly. In the present work, we study a two-band electron-hole plasma (EHP) within the Hatree-Fock approximation and the single plasmon pole approximation for static screening. Full inclusion of momentum dependence in the many-body effects is considered. An empirical expression for carrier density dependence of the bandgap renormalization (BGR) in an 8 nm GaAs/Al(0.3)G(4.7)As single QW will be given, which demonstrates a non-universal scaling behavior for quasi-two-dimension structures, due to size-dependent efficiency of screening. In addition, effective mass renormalization (EMR) due to momentum-dependent self-energy many-body correction, for both electrons and holes is studied and serves as another manifestation of the many-body effects. Finally, the effects on carrier density dependence of the alpha factor is evaluated to assess the sensitivity of the full inclusion of momentum dependence.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

NASA NTRS1992

Design Feasibility Study of a Space Station Freedom Truss

Here, the focus is on the design and configuration feasibility of the short spacer for the Space Station Program in its launch configuration. The product of this study is being used by Rockwell International (Rocketdyne Division) as they continue their design concept of the current short spacer configuration. It is anticipated that the launch loads will dominate the on-orbit loads and dictate the design configuration of the short spacer. At the present time, the on-orbit loads have not been generated. The structural analysis discussed herein is based on the transient events derived from the Space Transportation System (STS) Interface Control Document (ICD). The transient loading events consist of liftoff loads, landing loads, and emergency landing loads. The quasi-static loading events have been neglected, since the magnitude of the acceleration factors are lower than the transient acceleration factors. The normal mode analyses presented herein are based on the most feasible configurations with acceptable stress ranges.

Armand, Sasan C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

An exact zooming method for finite element analyses

An exact zooming technique which employs static condensation and exact structural reanalysis methods was developed. Successive application of static condensation reduces the system to one that is only associated with the degrees of freedom (dof) of the original model. Application of an exact static reanalysis technique permits the displacements at the dof of the original model that are contained in the zoomed portion of the structure to be obtained first. The response external to the zoom, as well as the response of additional dof within various levels of zooming, is computed. With the triangular factor of the stiffness matrix of the original system available, this approach involves only the solution of a system of equations of small order.

Hirai, I.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Test load verification through strain data analysis

A traditional binding acceptance criterion on polycrystalline structures is the experimental verification of the ultimate factor of safety. At fracture, the induced strain is inelastic and about an order-of-magnitude greater than designed for maximum expected operational limit. At this extreme strained condition, the structure may rotate and displace at the applied verification load such as to unknowingly distort the load transfer into the static test article. Test may result in erroneously accepting a submarginal design or rejecting a reliable one. A technique was developed to identify, monitor, and assess the load transmission error through two back-to-back surface-measured strain data. The technique is programmed for expediency and convenience. Though the method was developed to support affordable aerostructures, the method is also applicable for most high-performance air and surface transportation structural systems.

Verderaime, V.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Rapid X-ray spectral variability in NGC 3227

We present preliminary results of an ASCA observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy, NGC 3227. The source exhibits rapid X-ray amplitude and spectral variability, the flux below 2 keV varying by a factor of approximately 3 in approximately 10,000 s while the flux in the 2-10 keV band varies by a factor of approximately 2 in the same interval. The spectrum below approximately 1 keV shows complex structure compared to a simple power-law model. We argue that the simplest interpretation of the spectrum is in terms of a power-law continuum modified by absorption in a photoionized medium. Simple, static, ionized absorber models yield an ionization parameter of approximately 0.05 and column density approximately 3.6 x 10(exp 21)/sq cm. However, the data strongly indicate that the situation is much more complex than this. If the spectral variability is caused by a changing ionization state of the absorber, then both the ionization state and column density are required to decrease as the intrinsic source luminosity increases. This does not have a simple physical interpretation. On the other hand, the data are also consistent with the spectral variability being due to changes in the intrinsic power-law index with little change in the ionization state of the absorber. This case could correspond to an absorber which is always in some average ionization state and the continuum variability is too fast for the absorber to deviate significantly from that, or the absorber could be in the form of an X-ray-heated wind.

Ptak, A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Structural modeling for multicell composite rotor blades

Composite material systems are currently good candidates for aerospace structures, primarily for the design flexibility they offer, i.e., it is possible to tailor the material and manufacturing approach to the application. A working definition of elastic or structural tailoring is the use of structural concept, fiber orientation, ply stacking sequence, and a blend of materials to achieve specific performance goals. In the design process, choices of materials and dimensions are made which produce specific response characteristics, and which permit the selected goals to be achieved. Common choices for tailoring goals are preventing instabilities or vibration resonances or enhancing damage tolerance. An essential, enabling factor in the design of tailored composite structures is structural modeling that accurately, but simply, characterizes response. The objective of this paper is to present a new multicell beam model for composite rotor blades and to validate predictions based on the new model by comparison with a finite element simulation in three benchmark static load cases.

Rehfield, Lawrence W.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

3D Representation of UAV-obstacle Collision Risk Under Off-nominal Conditions

Safe operations of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in low-altitude airspace with beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights demand robust risk monitoring of airspace as well as of people and property on ground. One of the safety critical factors for UAV flights is the risk of collision with static and dynamic obstacles in proximity to its flight path. This paper presents a detailed formulation of risk of obstacle collision incorporating the effects of off-nominal conditions introduced by component failures, degraded controllability and environmental disturbances such as wind gusts. The risk is represented in terms of a matrix with rows corresponding to the likelihood of occurrence of collision and columns representing severity of collision to the vehicle and surrounding structures. Risk likelihood is generated using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) that compiles knowledge from related Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEAs) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to determine the probability of collision based on on-board sensor measurements indicative of vehicle health and controllability. Risk severity is computed utilizing a point-mass 3D kinematic model of the vehicle in presence of wind. The proposed risk factor is demonstrated on real flight data from experimental flights of an octocopter at NASA Langley Research Center in presence of simulated obstacles and wind conditions. Effect of varying wind conditions, level of controllability and obstacle measurement noise on the risk factor is demonstrated. The proposed approach enables risk-informed decision making for timely mitigation of current and future unsafe events in autonomous systems.

risk analysis↗

NASA NTRS2018

Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification of a Low-Boom Aircraft Configuration

As the state of the art in uncertainty quantification for low-boom aircraft advances, the underlying assumption of a rigid airframe must be revisited. The goal of this research is to investigate the impact of uncertainties in aeroelastic deformation of a low-boom aircraft on ground noise. Variations in structural properties and uncertainties in loading, derived from flight conditions, both factor into the overall aeroelastic deformation and subsequently the ground noise. Incorporation of these aeroelastic uncertainties in the prediction of ground noise during the design phase can lead to improved robustness. In this paper, a review of methodologies and techniques employed in low-boom uncertainty quantification will be given. In addition, methods for aeroelastic uncertainty quantification are integrated into the previous work and a generalized set of procedures is established. In a case study implementing the analysis procedures, ground noise generated from a static aeroelastic deformed low-boom aircraft increased slightly over that from the undeformed geometry for both undertrack and offtrack angles. Ground noise sensitivities to uncertainties in near field conditions and structural parameters varied significantly with atmospheric profiles. Shifts in confidence interval width in addition to shifts in deterministic values of ground noise were observed while varying atmospheric conditions.

Phillips, Benjamin D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Calculation of structural dynamic forces and stresses using mode acceleration

While the standard mode acceleration formulation in structural dynamics has often been interpreted to suggest that the reason for improved convergence obtainable is that the dynamic correction factor is divided by the modal frequencies-squared, an alternative formulation is presented which clearly indicates that the only difference between mode acceleration and mode displacement data recovery is the addition of a static correction term. Attention is given to the advantages in numerical implementation associated with this alternative, as well as to an illustrative example.

Blelloch, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1996

Static test induced loads verification beyond elastic limit

Increasing demands for reliable and least-cost high performance aerostructures are pressing design analyses, materials, and manufacturing processes to new and narrowly experienced performance and verification technologies. This study assessed the adequacy of current experimental verification of the traditional binding ultimate safety factor which covers rare events in which no statistical design data exist. Because large, high-performance structures are inherently very flexible, boundary rotations and deflections under externally applied loads approaching fracture may distort their transmission and unknowingly accept submarginal structures or prematurely fracturing reliable ones. A technique was developed, using measured strains from back-to-back surface mounted gauges, to analyze, define, and monitor induced moments and plane forces through progressive material changes from total-elastic to total inelastic zones within the structural element cross section. Deviations from specified test loads are identified by the consecutively changing ratios of moment-to-axial load.

Verderaime, V.↗

NASA NTRS1993

SPDE/SPRE final summary report

Mechanical Technology Incorporated (MTI) performed acceptance testing on the Space Power Research Engine (SPRE), which demonstrated satisfactory operation and sufficient reliability for delivery to NASA Lewis Research Center. The unit produced 13.5 kW PV power with an efficiency of 22 percent versus design goals of 28.8 kW PV power and efficiency of 28 percent. Maximum electric power was only 8 kWe due to lower alternator efficiency. One of the major shortcomings of the SPRE was linear alternator efficiency, which was only 70 percent compared to a design value of 90 percent. It was determined from static tests that the major cause for the efficiency shortfall was the location of the magnetic structure surrounding the linear alternator. Testing of an alternator configuration without a surrounding magnetic structure on a linear dynamometer confirmed earlier static test results. Linear alternator efficiency improved from 70 percent to over 90 percent. Testing of the MTI SPRE was also performed with hydrodynamic bearings and achieved full-stroke, stable operation. This testing indicated that hydrodynamic bearings may be useful in free piston Stirling engines. An important factor in achieving stable operation at design stroke was isolating a portion of the bearing length from the engine pressure variations. In addition, the heat pipe heater head design indicates that integration of a Stirling engine with a heat source can be performed via heat pipes. This design provides a baseline against which alternative designs can be measured.

Dochat, George↗

NASA NTRS1992

Failure analysis of thick composite cylinders under external pressure

Failure of thick section composites due to local compression strength and overall structural instability is treated. Effects of material nonlinearity, imperfect fiber architecture, and structural imperfections upon anticipated failure stresses are determined. Comparisons with experimental data for a series of test cylinders are described. Predicting the failure strength of composite structures requires consideration of stability and material strength modes of failure using linear and nonlinear analysis techniques. Material strength prediction requires the accurate definition of the local multiaxial stress state in the material. An elasticity solution for the linear static analysis of thick anisotropic cylinders and rings is used herein to predict the axisymmetric stress state in the cylinders. Asymmetric nonlinear behavior due to initial cylinder out of roundness and the effects of end closure structure are treated using finite element methods. It is assumed that local fiber or ply waviness is an important factor in the initiation of material failure. An analytical model for the prediction of compression failure of fiber composites, which includes the effects of fiber misalignments, matrix inelasticity, and multiaxial applied stresses is used for material strength calculations. Analytical results are compared to experimental data for a series of glass and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy cylinders subjected to external pressure. Recommendations for pretest characterization and other experimental issues are presented. Implications for material and structural design are discussed.

Caiazzo, A.↗