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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 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

An implicit Navier-Stokes analysis of turbine rotor-stator interaction

An implicit Navier-Stokes analysis using a single deforming mesh has been developed for the unsteady rotor-stator interaction problem. The technique has been used to simulate the flow through a turbine stator-rotor stage. Periodic two-dimensional solutions have been obtained using 1000 time steps per cycle without iteration at each time step. Computed surface pressure distributions compare favorably with experimental data available for this configuration.

Gibeling, Howard J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An empirical model of the effects of curvature and convergence on dilution jet mixing

An existing empirical model of the temperature field downstream of single and multiple rows of jets injected into a confined crossflow has been extended to model the effects of curvature and convergence on the mixing. This extension is based on the results of a numerical study of these effects using a 3-D turbulent flow computer code. Temperature distributions calculated with the empirical model are presented to show the effects of flow area convergence, radius of curvature, and inner and outer wall injection for single and opposed rows of jets.

Holdeman, James D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The 13-inch magnetic suspension and balance system wind tunnel

NASA Langley has a small, subsonic wind tunnel in use with the 13-inch Magnetic Suspension and Balance System (MSBS). The tunnel is capable of speeds up to Mach 0.5. This report presents tunnel design and construction details. It includes flow uniformity, angularity, and velocity fluctuation data. It also compares experimental Mach number distribution data with computed results for the General Electric Streamtube Curvature Program.

Johnson, William G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An approximate methods approach to probabilistic structural analysis

A probabilistic structural analysis method (PSAM) is described which makes an approximate calculation of the structural response of a system, including the associated probabilistic distributions, with minimal computation time and cost, based on a simplified representation of the geometry, loads, and material. The method employs the fast probability integration (FPI) algorithm of Wu and Wirsching. Typical solution strategies are illustrated by formulations for a representative critical component chosen from the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) as part of a major NASA-sponsored program on PSAM. Typical results are presented to demonstrate the role of the methodology in engineering design and analysis.

Mcclung, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Advanced flight computers for planetary exploration

Research concerning flight computers for use on interplanetary probes is reviewed. The history of these computers from the Viking mission to the present is outlined. The differences between ground commercial computers and computers for planetary exploration are listed. The development of a computer for the Mariner Mark II comet rendezvous asteroid flyby mission is described. Various aspects of recently developed computer systems are examined, including the Max real time, embedded computer, a hypercube distributed supercomputer, a SAR data processor, a processor for the High Resolution IR Imaging Spectrometer, and a robotic vision multiresolution pyramid machine for processsing images obtained by a Mars Rover.

Stephenson, R. Rhoads↗
NASA NTRS1989

Control/structure interaction design methodology

The Control Structure Interaction Program is a technology development program for spacecraft that exhibit interactions between the control system and structural dynamics. The program objectives include development and verification of new design concepts (such as active structure) and new tools (such as a combined structure and control optimization algorithm) and their verification in ground and possibly flight test. The new CSI design methodology is centered around interdisciplinary engineers using new tools that closely integrate structures and controls. Verification is an important CSI theme and analysts will be closely integrated to the CSI Test Bed laboratory. Components, concepts, tools and algorithms will be developed and tested in the lab and in future Shuttle-based flight experiments. The design methodology is summarized in block diagrams depicting the evolution of a spacecraft design and descriptions of analytical capabilities used in the process. The multiyear JPL CSI implementation plan is described along with the essentials of several new tools. A distributed network of computation servers and workstations was designed that will provide a state-of-the-art development base for the CSI technologies.

Briggs, Hugh C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Telepresence and Space Station Freedom workstation operations

The Space Station Freedom workstation system is a distributed network of computer based workstations that provides the man-machine interfaces for controlling space station systems. This includes control of external manipulator, robotic and free flyer devices by crewmembers in the space station's pressurized shirt-sleeve environment. These remotely controlled devices help minimize the requirement for costly crew extravehicular activity (EVA) time for such tasks as station assembly and payload support. Direct window views may be used for controlling some of the systems, but many activities will be remote or require levels of detail not possible by direct observation. Since controlling remote devices becomes more difficult when direct views are inadequate or unavailable, many performance enhancing techniques have been considered for representing information about remote activities to the operator. Described here are the telepresence techniques under consideration to support operations and training. This includes video enhancements (e.g., graphic and text overlays and stereo viewing), machine vision systems, remote activity animation, and force reflection representation.

Jensen, Dean G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Numerical simulation of an F-16A at angle of attack

The transonic flowfield around an F-16A fighter configuration at a moderate incidence angle is simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations on a single-block grid. The numerical solution matches experimental freestream conditions with a mach number of 0.85, 16 degrees angle of attack, and a characteristic Reynolds number of 12.75 million. MacCormack's explicit algorithm is used in conjuction with a local time step and consecutive mesh refinement procedure to accelerate numerical convergence. The Baldwin-Lomax algebraic model provides turbulent closure. Computed surface pressure distributions and the aircraft lift coefficient compare favorably with wind tunnel data. The drag coefficient in the simulation overpredicts the experimental value by 8 percent.

Huband, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Joint analysis of multiparameter radar and radiometer measurements of convective storms

An account is given of the radiative properties of hydrometeors in order to evaluate the influences of water, ice, and melting layers on the upwelling microwave radiances of convective storms. Attention is given to storm overflights conducted by the ER-2 aircraft in coordination with the NCAR dual-polarization/dual-wavelength mode radar. Radar-radiometer comparisons are conducted for one overflight from each day of the study campaign, using the various multiparameter radar observations to delineate regions of water, ice, and melting, as well as to obtain raindrop-size distribution. Model-computed brightness temperatures are compared with the ER-2 aircraft measurements.

Vivekanandan, J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The evolution of horizontal-branch stars - Theoretical sequences

A new grid of standard (i.e., solar CNO/Fe, no core rotation, and including semiconvection) horizontal-branch evolutionary sequences are presented which extend the grid of Sweigart both by including the final phase of core helium exhaustion and by using a finer grid of compositions. These sequences were constructed specifically for the studies of the Sandage period-shift effect and the second parameter phenomenon among the Galactic globular clusters. The numerical results for the observable characteristics of the sequences are tabulated which can be directly used to synthesize the observed horizontal-branch distributions. The present computations suggest that the observed difference in period change of RR Lyrae stars in the globular clusters M3 and M15 could be attributed, at least in the mean, to stellar evolution.

Lee, Young-Wook↗
NASA NTRS1990

Relative efficiency and accuracy of two Navier-Stokes codes for simulating attached transonic flow over wings

In the present study, two codes which solve the three-dimensional Thin-Layer Navier-Stokes (TLNS) equations are used to compute the steady-state flow for two test cases representing typical finite wings at transonic conditions. Several grids of C-O topology and varying point densities are used. After a description of each code and test case, standards for determining code efficiency and accuracy are defined and applied to determine the relative performance of the two codes in predicting turbulent transonic wing flows. Comparisons of computed surface pressure distributions with experimental data are made.

Bonhaus, Daryl L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Relative efficiency and accuracy of two Navier-Stokes codes for simulating attached transonic flow over wings

Two codes which solve the 3-D Thin Layer Navier-Stokes (TLNS) equations are used to compute the steady state flow for two test cases representing typical finite wings at transonic conditions. Several grids of C-O topology and varying point densities are used to determine the effects of grid refinement. After a description of each code and test case, standards for determining code efficiency and accuracy are defined and applied to determine the relative performance of the two codes in predicting turbulent transonic wing flows. Comparisons of computed surface pressure distributions with experimental data are made.

Bonhaus, Daryl L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Multiphase complete exchange on a circuit switched hypercube

On a distributed memory parallel computer, the complete exchange (all-to-all personalized) communication pattern requires each of n processors to send a different block of data to each of the remaining n - 1 processors. This pattern is at the heart of many important algorithms, most notably the matrix transpose. For a circuit switched hypercube of dimension d(n = 2(sup d)), two algorithms for achieving complete exchange are known. These are (1) the Standard Exchange approach that employs d transmissions of size 2(sup d-1) blocks each and is useful for small block sizes, and (2) the Optimal Circuit Switched algorithm that employs 2(sup d) - 1 transmissions of 1 block each and is best for large block sizes. A unified multiphase algorithm is described that includes these two algorithms as special cases. The complete exchange on a hypercube of dimension d and block size m is achieved by carrying out k partial exchange on subcubes of dimension d(sub i) Sigma(sup k)(sub i=1) d(sub i) = d and effective block size m(sub i) = m2(sup d-di). When k = d and all d(sub i) = 1, this corresponds to algorithm (1) above. For the case of k = 1 and d(sub i) = d, this becomes the circuit switched algorithm (2). Changing the subcube dimensions d, varies the effective block size and permits a compromise between the data permutation and block transmission overhead of (1) and the startup overhead of (2). For a hypercube of dimension d, the number of possible combinations of subcubes is p(d), the number of partitions of the integer d. This is an exponential but very slowly growing function and it is feasible over these partitions to discover the best combination for a given message size. The approach was analyzed for, and implemented on, the Intel iPSC-860 circuit switched hypercube. Measurements show good agreement with predictions and demonstrate that the multiphase approach can substantially improve performance for block sizes in the 0 to 160 byte range. This range, which corresponds to 0 to 40 floating point numbers per processor, is commonly encountered in practical numeric applications. The multiphase technique is applicable to all circuit-switched hypercubes that use the common e-cube routing strategy.

Bokhari, Shahid H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Projection methods for the numerical solution of Markov chain models

Projection methods for computing stationary probability distributions for Markov chain models are presented. A general projection method is a method which seeks an approximation from a subspace of small dimension to the original problem. Thus, the original matrix problem of size N is approximated by one of dimension m, typically much smaller than N. A particularly successful class of methods based on this principle is that of Krylov subspace methods which utilize subspaces of the form span(v,av,...,A(exp m-1)v). These methods are effective in solving linear systems and eigenvalue problems (Lanczos, Arnoldi,...) as well as nonlinear equations. They can be combined with more traditional iterative methods such as successive overrelaxation, symmetric successive overrelaxation, or with incomplete factorization methods to enhance convergence.

Saad, Youcef↗
NASA NTRS1991

ISE advanced technology

Information on Space Station Freedom scheduling problems and techniques are presented in viewgraph form. Topics covered include automated scheduling systems, user interface standards, benefits of interactive scheduling systems, incremental scheduling, software engineering, computer graphics interface, distributed resource management, and advanced applications.

Fox, Barry R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

High order parallel numerical schemes for solving incompressible flows

The use of parallel computers for numerically solving flow fields has gained much importance in recent years. This paper introduces a new high order numerical scheme for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) specifically designed for parallel computational environments. A distributed MIMD system gives the flexibility of treating different elements of the governing equations with totally different numerical schemes in different regions of the flow field. The parallel decomposition of the governing operator to be solved is the primary parallel split. The primary parallel split was studied using a hypercube like architecture having clusters of shared memory processors at each node. The approach is demonstrated using examples of simple steady state incompressible flows. Future studies should investigate the secondary split because, depending on the numerical scheme that each of the processors applies and the nature of the flow in the specific subdomain, it may be possible for a processor to seek better, or higher order, schemes for its particular subcase.

Lin, Avi↗
NASA NTRS1991

Engineering method for aero-propulsive characteristics at hypersonic Mach numbers

An engineering method has been developed for the rapid analysis of external aerodynamics and propulsive performance characteristics of airbreathing vehicles at hypersonic Mach numbers. This method, based on the theory of characteristics, has been developed to analyze fuselage-wing body combinations and body flaps with blunt or sharp leading/trailing edges. Arbitrary ratio of specific heat for the flowing medium can be specified in the program. Furthermore, the capability exists in the code to compute the inviscid inlet mass capture and momentum flux. The method is under development for computations of pressure distribution, and flow characteristics in the inlet, along with the effect of viscosity. Correlative studies have been performed for representative hypersonic configurations using the current method. The results of these correlations for various aerodynamics parameters are encouraging.

Goradia, Suresh↗
NASA NTRS1992

Extension and validation of an unsteady wake model for rotors

A new three-dimensional, finite-state induced-flow model is extended to treat nonlinearities associated with the mass flow induced through the rotor plane. This new theory is then applied to the correlation of a recent set of unsteady, hover laser Doppler velocimetry inflow measurements conducted in the Aeroelastic Rotor Test Chamber at Georgia Institute of Technology. Although the model is intended primarily as a representation of unsteady aerodynamics for aeroelasticity applications, the results show that it has an excellent capability in predicting the inflow distribution in hover except near the root and tip. In addition, the computed unsteady spanwise lift distribution of a rotor is compared with that from an unsteady vortex lattice method for pitch oscillations at various frequencies. The new model is shown to be capable of prediction of unsteady loads typical of aeroelastic response.

Su, AY↗