SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
On-line programming for the following topics is discussed: (1) artificial intelligence, (2) automata theory, (3) cellular automata, (4) computation structures, (5) computer systems research, (6) dynamic modeling, computer graphics, and computer networks, (7) education, (8) implicit computation, (10) interactive management systems, (11) interactive algebraic manipulation, and (12) programming languages.
Topics concerning the modeling, analysis, and optimization of large space structures are discussed including structure-control interaction, structural and structural dynamics modeling, thermal analysis, testing, and design.
Topics addressed include: modeling and controlling the Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) configurations; slewing maneuvers; mathematical models; vibration damping; gravitational effects; structural dynamics; finite element method; distributed parameter system; on-line pulse control; stability augmentation; and stochastic processes.
Topics addressed include: numerical aerodynamic simulation; computational mechanics; supercomputers; aerospace propulsion systems; computational modeling in ballistics; turbulence modeling; computational chemistry; computational fluid dynamics; and computational astrophysics.
The topics addressed are: (1) eye safety revision of infrared MPE; (2) Tm:Ho dynamics characterization, which includes spectroscopy, laser experiments, and modeling; and (3) Q.M. model calculation, which includes energy levels, electric and magnetic dipole transition probabilities, lifetimes, branching ratios, absorption spectra, and emission spectra; (3) Q.M. model calculation; and (4) heat propagation in a laser rod.
The topics covered include the following: general characteristics of sea ice drift; sea ice rheology; ice thickness distribution; sea ice thermodynamic models; equilibrium thermodynamic models; effect of internal brine pockets and snow cover; model simulations of Arctic Sea ice; and sensitivity of sea ice models to climate change.
LWS (Living With a Star) is research science focused to facilitate enabling science for spacecraft design (specifically environment specification models) and spacecraft operations (specifically Space Weather research). The following topics are discussed: LWS goals and program, program architecture, the solar dynamic observer, the geospace plan, the space environment testbed concept, and the heliosphere missions.
The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) sponsored a workshop to dis-cuss low-g slosh. Over a dozen different NASA centers and industry partners participated in this workshop. The main topics were to identify the state of the art regarding test data, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis resources, and GN&C models that are available for this problem. The primary intent was to determine deficiencies in the collective knowledge base and to identify priorities that should be established for proactive work in the areas of model development, validation, and model integration. Recommendations from workshop participants include establishing an online slosh modeling resource, conducting ground/flight testing, developing surrogate models, and establishing co-simulation techniques. This paper summarizes the workshop findings and recommendations for the larger community.
The Integrated Structural Modeling (ISM) program is being developed for the Air Force Weapons Laboratory and will be available for Air Force work. Its goal is to provide a design, analysis, and simulation tool intended primarily for directed energy weapons (DEW), kinetic energy weapons (KEW), and surveillance applications. The code is designed to run on DEC (VMS and UNIX), IRIS, Alliant, and Cray hosts. Several technical disciplines are included in ISM, namely structures, controls, optics, thermal, and dynamics. Four topics from the broad ISM goal are discussed. The first is project configuration management and includes two major areas: the software and database arrangement and the system model control. The second is interdisciplinary data transfer and refers to exchange of data between various disciplines such as structures and thermal. Third is a discussion of the integration of component models into one system model, i.e., multiple discipline model synthesis. Last is a presentation of work on a distributed processing computing environment.
Current dilemmas in experimental fluid dynamics are discussed in the context of their relevance to ongoing and future work in computational fluid dynamics. Among the topics discussed are the following: (1) the round jet; (2) the turbulent boundary layer; (3) the plane wake; and (4) the dissipation.
This report covers research conducted during the first year of the two-year grant. The research, entitled 'Application of Lanczos Vectors to Control Design of Flexible Structures' concerns various ways to obtain reduced-order mathematical models for use in dynamic response analyses and in control design studies. This report summarizes research described in several reports and papers that were written under this contract. Extended abstracts are presented for technical papers covering the following topics: controller reduction by preserving impulse response energy; substructuring decomposition and controller synthesis; model reduction methods for structural control design; and recent literature on structural modeling, identification, and analysis.
Combustion instability modeling of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) remains a topic of active research. Many rockets display violent fluctuations in pressure, velocity, and temperature originating from the complex interactions between the combustion process, acoustics, and steady-state gas dynamics. Recent advances in defining the energy transport of disturbances within steady flow-fields have been applied by combustion stability modelers to improve the analysis framework. Employing this more accurate global energy balance requires a higher fidelity model of the SRM flow-field and acoustic mode shapes. The current industry standard analysis tool utilizes a one dimensional analysis of the time dependent fluid dynamics along with a quasi-three dimensional propellant grain regression model to determine the SRM ballistics. The code then couples with another application that calculates the eigenvalues of the one dimensional homogenous wave equation. The mean flow parameters and acoustic normal modes are coupled to evaluate the stability theory developed and popularized by Culick. The assumption of a linear, non-dissipative wave in a quiescent fluid remains valid while acoustic amplitudes are small and local gas velocities stay below Mach 0.2. The current study employs the COMSOL Multiphysics finite element framework to model the steady flow-field parameters and acoustic normal modes of a generic SRM. This work builds upon previous efforts to verify the use of the acoustic velocity potential equation (AVPE) laid out by Campos. The acoustic velocity potential (psi) describing the acoustic wave motion in the presence of an inhomogeneous steady high-speed flow is defined by, del squared psi - (lambda/c) squared psi - M x [M x del((del)(psi))] - 2((lambda)(M)/c + M x del(M) x (del)(psi) - 2(lambda)(psi)[M x del(1/c)] = 0. with M as the Mach vector, c as the speed of sound, and λ as the complex eigenvalue. The study requires one way coupling of the CFD High Mach Number Flow (HMNF) and mathematics module. The HMNF module evaluates the gas flow inside of a SRM using St. Robert's law to model the solid propellant burn rate, slip boundary conditions, and the supersonic outflow condition. Results from the HMNF model are verified by comparing the pertinent ballistics parameters with the industry standard code outputs (i.e. pressure drop, axial velocity, exit velocity). These results are then used by the coefficient form of the mathematics module to determine the complex eigenvalues of the AVPE. The mathematics model is truncated at the nozzle sonic line, where a zero flux boundary condition is self-satisfying. The remaining boundaries are modeled with a zero flux boundary condition, assuming zero acoustic absorption on all surfaces. The one way coupled analysis is perform four times utilizing geometries determined through traditional SRM modeling procedures. The results of the steady-state CFD and AVPE analyses are used to calculate the linear acoustic growth rate as is defined by Flandro and Jacob. In order to verify the process implemented within COMSOL we first employ the Culick theory and compare the results with the industry standard. After the process is verified, the Flandro/Jacob energy balance theory is employed and results displayed.
Combustion instability modeling of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) remains a topic of active research. Many rockets display violent fluctuations in pressure, velocity, and temperature originating from the complex interactions between the combustion process, acoustics, and steady-state gas dynamics. Recent advances in defining the energy transport of disturbances within steady flow-fields have been applied by combustion stability modelers to improve the analysis framework [1, 2, 3]. Employing this more accurate global energy balance requires a higher fidelity model of the SRM flow-field and acoustic mode shapes. The current industry standard analysis tool utilizes a one dimensional analysis of the time dependent fluid dynamics along with a quasi-three dimensional propellant grain regression model to determine the SRM ballistics. The code then couples with another application that calculates the eigenvalues of the one dimensional homogenous wave equation. The mean flow parameters and acoustic normal modes are coupled to evaluate the stability theory developed and popularized by Culick [4, 5]. The assumption of a linear, non-dissipative wave in a quiescent fluid remains valid while acoustic amplitudes are small and local gas velocities stay below Mach 0.2. The current study employs the COMSOL multiphysics finite element framework to model the steady flow-field parameters and acoustic normal modes of a generic SRM. The study requires one way coupling of the CFD High Mach Number Flow (HMNF) and mathematics module. The HMNF module evaluates the gas flow inside of a SRM using St. Robert's law to model the solid propellant burn rate, no slip boundary conditions, and the hybrid outflow condition. Results from the HMNF model are verified by comparing the pertinent ballistics parameters with the industry standard code outputs (i.e. pressure drop, thrust, ect.). These results are then used by the coefficient form of the mathematics module to determine the complex eigenvalues of the Acoustic Velocity Potential Equation (AVPE). The mathematics model is truncated at the nozzle sonic line, where a zero flux boundary condition is self-satisfying. The remaining boundaries are modeled with a zero flux boundary condition, assuming zero acoustic absorption on all surfaces. The results of the steady-state CFD and AVPE analyses are used to calculate the linear acoustic growth rate as is defined by Flandro and Jacob [2, 3]. In order to verify the process implemented within COMSOL we first employ the Culick theory and compare the results with the industry standard. After the process is verified, the Flandro/Jacob energy balance theory is employed and results displayed.
The present conference discusses such topics as large object fluxes in near-earth space and the probabilities of terrestrial impacts, the geological record of impacts, dynamics modeling for large body impacts on continents and oceans, physical, chemical, and biological models of large impacts' atmospheric effects, dispersed impact ejecta and their signatures, general considerations concerning mass biological extinctions, the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary event, geochemical signatures in the stratigraphic record, and other phanerozoic events. Attention is given to terrestrial impact rates for long- and short-period comets, estimates of crater size for large body impact, a first-order estimate of shock heating and vaporization in oceanic impacts, atmospheric effects in the first few minutes after an impact, a feasibility test for biogeographic extinction, and the planktonic and dinosaur extinctions.
Four important current topics in helicopter rotor dynamics and aeroelasticity are discussed: (1) the role of geometric nonlinearities in rotary-wing aeroelasticity; (2) structural modeling, free vibration, and aeroelastic analysis of composite rotor blades; (3) modeling of coupled rotor/fuselage areomechanical problems and their active control; and (4) use of higher-harmonic control for vibration reduction in helicopter rotors in forward flight. The discussion attempts to provide an improved fundamental understanding of the current state of the art. In this way, future research can be focused on problems which remain to be solved instead of producing marginal improvements on problems which are already understood.
An experimental investigation of the effect of upper surface blowing on dynamic stall was conducted. Progress made during the period from Jun. to Dec. 1993 is summarized. Topics covered include VR-7 wing model, pulse valve, and wing/load cell junction.
Various papers on turbulence are presented. Individual topics addressed include: modeling the dissipation rate in rotating turbulent flows, mapping closures for turbulent mixing and reaction, understanding turbulence in vortex dynamics, models for the structure and dynamics of near-wall turbulence, complexity of turbulence near a wall, proper orthogonal decomposition, propagating structures in wall-bounded turbulence flows. Also discussed are: constitutive relation in compressible turbulence, compressible turbulence and shock waves, direct simulation of compressible turbulence in a shear flow, structural genesis in wall-bounded turbulence flows, vortex lattice structure of turbulent shear slows, etiology of shear layer vortices, trilinear coordinates in fluid mechanics.
This paper expands on the hybrid control architecture developed at the NASA Ames Research Center by addressing issues related to indirect adaptation using the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm. Specifically, the hybrid control architecture is an adaptive flight controller that features both direct and indirect adaptation techniques. This paper will focus almost exclusively on the modifications necessary to achieve quality indirect adaptive control. Additionally this paper will present results that, using a full non -linear aircraft model, demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid control architecture given drastic changes in an aircraft s dynamics. Throughout the development of this topic, a thorough discussion of the RLS algorithm as a system identification technique will be provided along with results from seven well-known modifications to the popular RLS algorithm.