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At least 109 records · Page 6

Effect of Preconditioning on Post-Soldering Failures in Tantalum Capacitors

Soldering have a strong effect on performance and reliability of most surface mount technology components, including tantalum capacitors. High quality tantalum capacitors are likely the only type of components where soldering simulation is the first step during screening. Nevertheless, post-soldering failures of tantalum capacitors do happen and require additional analysis. Popcorning is a well-known effect in plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEM) and it occurs also in chip tantalum capacitors. The sensitivity of parts to the presence of moisture during soldering is characterized by the moisture sensitivity level (MSL); however, contrary to PEMs, there is no standard procedure for establishing MSL for tantalum capacitors, and standard J-STD-020 is applicable partially only. In this work, the effect of absorbed moisture on soldering related degradation and failures in tantalum capacitors have been studied using 22 types of polymer and 11 types of MnO2 cathodes tantalum capacitors including single and multianode parts. The amount of moisture released during soldering has been estimated by measurements of mass and capacitance variations. Results show that moisture uptake in similar parts is approximately two times greater in polymer than in MnO2 capacitors. Cracking of the case and degradation of parameters can occur in both types of parts, but MnO2 capacitors are much more susceptible to catastrophic short circuit failures and their ignition is possible during the first power-on cycle. This type of failure in MnO2 capacitors is lot-related, can occur even at derated voltages and relatively low levels of moisture sorption corresponding to room conditions. Baking before soldering is an effective measure to prevent failures even in lots susceptible to popcorning damage. Recommendations for testing to establish MSL and for baking to reduce the probability of failures are suggested.

tantalum polymer capacitors↗

Pseudo-compressibility methods for the incompressible flow equations

Preconditioning methods to accelerate convergence to a steady state for the incompressible fluid dynamics equations are considered. The analysis relies on the inviscid equations. The preconditioning consists of a matrix multiplying the time derivatives. Thus the steady state of the preconditioned system is the same as the steady state of the original system. The method is compared to other types of pseudo-compressibility. For finite difference methods preconditioning can change and improve the steady state solutions. An application to viscous flow around a cascade with a non-periodic mesh is presented.

Turkel, Eli↗

Liquid hydrogen turbopump rapid start program

This program was to analyze, test, and evaluate methods of achieving rapid-start of a liquid hydrogen feed system (inlet duct and turbopump) using a minimum of thermal preconditioning time and propellant. The program was divided into four tasks. Task 1 includes analytical studies of the testing conducted in the other three tasks. Task 2 describes the results from laboratory testing of coating samples and the successful adherence of a KX-635 coating to the internal surfaces of the feed system tested in Task 4. Task 3 presents results of testing an uncoated feed system. Tank pressure was varied to determine the effect of flowrate on preconditioning. The discharge volume and the discharge pressure which initiates opening of the discharge valve were varied to determine the effect on deadhead (no through-flow) start transients. Task 4 describes results of testing a similar, internally coated feed system and illustrates the savings in preconditioning time and propellant resulting from the coatings.

Wong, G. S.↗

Numerical solution of large nonsymmetric eigenvalue problems

Several methods are discribed for combinations of Krylov subspace techniques, deflation procedures and preconditionings, for computing a small number of eigenvalues and eigenvectors or Schur vectors of large sparse matrices. The most effective techniques for solving realistic problems from applications are those methods based on some form of preconditioning and one of several Krylov subspace techniques, such as Arnoldi's method or Lanczos procedure. Two forms of preconditioning are considered: shift-and-invert and polynomial acceleration. The latter presents some advantages for parallel/vector processing but may be ineffective if eigenvalues inside the spectrum are sought. Some algorithmic details are provided that improve the reliability and effectiveness of these techniques.

Saad, Youcef↗

The impact of time step definition on code convergence and robustness

We have implemented preconditioning for multi-species reacting flows in two independent codes, an implicit (ADI) code developed in-house and the RPLUS code (developed at LeRC). The RPLUS code was modified to work on a four-stage Runge-Kutta scheme. The performance of both the codes was tested, and it was shown that preconditioning can improve convergence by a factor of two to a hundred depending on the problem. Our efforts are currently focused on evaluating the effect of chemical sources and on assessing how preconditioning may be applied to improve convergence and robustness in the calculation of reacting flows.

Venkateswaran, S.↗

Design of optimally smoothing multistage schemes for the Euler equations

A recently derived local preconditioning of the Euler equations is shown to be useful in developing multistage schemes suited for multigrid use. The effect of the preconditioning matrix on the spatial Euler operator is to equalize the characteristic speeds. When applied to the discretized Euler equations, the preconditioning has the effect of strongly clustering the operator's eigenvalues in the complex plane. This makes possible the development of explicit marching schemes that effectively damp most high-frequency Fourier modes, as desired in multigrid applications. The technique is the same as developed earlier for scalar convection schemes: placement of the zeros of the amplification factor of the multistage scheme in locations where eigenvalues corresponding to high-frequency modes abound.

Van Leer, Bram↗

Using Correlation to Compute Better Probability Estimates in Plan Graphs

Plan graphs are commonly used in planning to help compute heuristic "distance" estimates between states and goals. A few authors have also attempted to use plan graphs in probabilistic planning to compute estimates of the probability that propositions can be achieved and actions can be performed. This is done by propagating probability information forward through the plan graph from the initial conditions through each possible action to the action effects, and hence to the propositions at the next layer of the plan graph. The problem with these calculations is that they make very strong independence assumptions - in particular, they usually assume that the preconditions for each action are independent of each other. This can lead to gross overestimates in probability when the plans for those preconditions interfere with each other. It can also lead to gross underestimates of probability when there is synergy between the plans for two or more preconditions. In this paper we introduce a notion of the binary correlation between two propositions and actions within a plan graph, show how to propagate this information within a plan graph, and show how this improves probability estimates for planning. This notion of correlation can be thought of as a continuous generalization of the notion of mutual exclusion (mutex) often used in plan graphs. At one extreme (correlation=0) two propositions or actions are completely mutex. With correlation = 1, two propositions or actions are independent, and with correlation > 1, two propositions or actions are synergistic. Intermediate values can and do occur indicating different degrees to which propositions and action interfere or are synergistic. We compare this approach with another recent approach by Bryce that computes probability estimates using Monte Carlo simulation of possible worlds in plan graphs.

Bryce, Daniel↗

Integrated Demand Management: Concepts and Procedures

This report provides a comprehensive description of the Integrated Demand Management concept. Motivation: NASA’s Integrated Demand Management (IDM) research explores the idea that, under certain conditions, time-based flow management (TBFM) arrival operations can benefit from the coordinated use of a strategic traffic management initiative (TMI) to “precondition” the inbound demand. The research was motivated by the observation that TBFM was usually turned off during convective weather, even in facilities where it was routinely used. Our hypothesis was that strategic adjustments to the inbound traffic so that it provided a better match to the off-nominal changes in capacity observed during these conditions could enable TBFM scheduling to continue to provide effective support for arrival traffic management. Concept: IDM proposes that a TMI (e.g., a Collaborative Trajectory Options Program, or CTOP) be used to adjust the rate and/or geographic distribution across flows of the traffic inbound to a high-demand, TBFM-managed airport before that traffic reaches the TBFM planning horizon. After this strategic preconditioning, TBFM can then tactically fine-tune the demand to deliver a well-managed, orderly feed to the destination airport. Coordinated use of these two flow management capabilities is intended to improve system performance in terms of: • Equity of ground delay assignment, avoiding excessive ground delay for TBFM-scheduled departures, without penalizing longer flights; • Throughput, by distributing traffic to maximize use of available capacity; • Predictability for operators, providing advance notice about the impact on individual flights; • Increased flexibility, supporting operator mitigation strategies such as slot swapping or trajectory options; • Efficiency of flight operations, using ground delay more effectively and reducing airborne delay. The operational description in this document highlights how the IDM concept builds upon already existing tools and procedures, and also indicates where tool enhancements could facilitate conduct of IDM operations. However, enhanced tools are not a requirement for concept introduction. In fact, initial deployment that focused on training procedures and rationale for coordinated use of TFMS and TBFM, without changes to existing tools, might be a simpler way to introduce and to familiarize traffic managers with the idea of preconditioning. The concept and procedures described in this document can hopefully provide useful guidance for introduction of IDM into field operations..

IDM↗

Emittance of TD-NiCr after simulated reentry

The effects of simulated reentry heating on the emittance of TD-NiCr were investigated. Groups of specimens with three different preconditioning treatments were exposed to 6, 24, and 30 half-hour simulated reentry exposure cycles in a supersonic arc tunnel at each of three conditions intended to produce surface temperatures of 1255, 1365, and 1475 K. Emittance was determined at 1300 K on specimens which were preconditioned only and specimens after completion of reentry simulation exposure. Oxide morphology and chemistry were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. A consistent relationship was established between oxide morphology and total normal emittance. Specimens with coarser textured oxides tended to have lower emittances than specimens with finer textured oxides.

Clark, R. K.↗

Preconditioners for the spectral multigrid method

The systems of algebraic equations which arise from spectral discretizations of elliptic equations are full and direct solutions of them are rarely feasible. Iterative methods are an attractive alternative because Fourier transform techniques enable the discrete matrix-vector products to be computed with nearly the same efficiency as is possible for corresponding but sparse finite difference discretizations. For realistic Dirichlet problems preconditioning is essential for acceptable convergence rates. A brief description of Chebyshev spectral approximations and spectral multigrid methods for elliptic problems is given. A survey of preconditioners for Dirichlet problems based on second-order finite difference methods is made. New preconditioning techniques based on higher order finite differences and on the spectral matrix itself are presented. The preconditioners are analyzed in terms of their spectra and numerical examples are presented.

Phillips, T. N.↗

An iterative method for the Helmholtz equation

An iterative algorithm for the solution of the Helmholtz equation is developed. The algorithm is based on a preconditioned conjugate gradient iteration for the normal equations. The preconditioning is based on an SSOR sweep for the discrete Laplacian. Numerical results are presented for a wide variety of problems of physical interest and demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Bayliss, A.↗