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NASA NTRS2003

Numerical Simulation of High Drag Reduction in a Turbulent Channel Flow with Polymer Additives

The addition of small amounts of long chain polymer molecules to wall-bounded flows can lead to dramatic drag reduction. Although this phenomenon has been known for about fifty years, the action of the polymers and its effect on turbulent structures are still unclear. Detailed experiments have characterized two distinct regimes (Warholic et al. 1999), which are referred to as low drag reduction (LDR) and high drag reduction (HDR). The first regime exhibits similar statistical trends as Newtonian flow: the log-law region of the mean velocity profile remains parallel to that of the Newtonian ow but its lower bound moves away from the wall and the upward shift of the log-region is a function of drag reduction, DR. Although streamwise fluctuations are increased and transverse ones are reduced, the shape of the rms velocity profiles is not qualitatively modified. At higher drag reductions, of the order of 40-50%, the ow enters the HDR regime for which the slope of the log-law is dramatically augmented and the Reynolds shear stress is small (Warholic et al. 1999; Ptasinski et al. 2001). The drag reduction is eventually bounded by a maximum drag reduction (MDR) (Virk & Mickley 1970) which is a function of the Reynolds number. While several experiments report mean velocity profiles very close to the empirical profile of Virk & Mickley (1970) for MDR conditions, the observations regarding the structure of turbulence can differ significantly. For instance, Warholic et al. (1999) measured a near-zero Reynolds shear stress, whereas a recent experiment (Ptasinski et al. 2001) shows evidence of non-negligible Reynolds stress in their MDR flow. To the knowledge of the authors, only the LDR regime has been documented in numerical simulations (Sureshkumar et al. 1997; Dimitropoulos et al. 1998; Min et al. 2001; Dubief & Lele 2001; Sibilla & Baron 2002). This paper discusses the simulation of polymer drag reduced channel ow at HDR using the FENE-P (Finite Elastic non-linear extensibility-Peterlin) model which was used for the first LDR simulation by Sureshkumar et al. (1997). Flow and polymer parameters are close to realistic polymer drag reducing conditions. High drag reductions are achieved by using finite differences and a robust time stepping technique. A minimal channel flow is also used as a numerical experiment to investigate the effect of the outer region turbulent structures on the overall drag at HDR. The drag reducing action of the model is finally studied through the structure of energy transfers from the polymers to the velocity components. This investigation sheds some light on the details of polymer drag reduction.

Dubief, Yves↗

NASA NTRS1989

Flutter suppression control law synthesis for the Active Flexible Wing model

The Active Flexible Wing Project is a collaborative effort between the NASA Langley Research Center and Rockwell International. The objectives are the validation of methodologies associated with mathematical modeling, flutter suppression control law development and digital implementation of the control system for application to flexible aircraft. A flutter suppression control law synthesis for this project is described. The state-space mathematical model used for the synthesis included ten flexible modes, four control surface modes and rational function approximation of the doublet-lattice unsteady aerodynamics. The design steps involved developing the full-order optimal control laws, reducing the order of the control law, and optimizing the reduced-order control law in both the continuous and the discrete domains to minimize stochastic response. System robustness was improved using singular value constraints. An 8th order robust control law was designed to increase the symmetric flutter dynamic pressure by 100 percent. Preliminary results are provided and experiences gained are discussed.

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek↗

NASA NTRS1989

Flutter suppression control law synthesis for the active flexible wing model

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek↗

NASA NTRS1991

Reduced order multirate compensator synthesis

A method for synthesizing reduced-order multirate compensators is presented. Necessary conditions for the compensator parameter values to minimize an infinite-time quadratic cost function are derived. An algorithm for finding compensator parameter values which satisfy the necessary conditions is described. This algorithm is used to design several tip position controllers for a two-link robot arm.

Mason, Gregory S.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Utilizing a Common Model Architecture for the Simulation of On-Orbit Human Spaceflight Operations

Advances in computing and simulation technology during the 1980 s promoted the development of multiple simulations for on-orbit human spaceflight operations at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC). By the late 1980 s, it became increasingly clear that redundancy risked leading to inefficiencies in dissemination and incorporation of models across simulations, institutional organizations, and spaceflight programs. Software development tools, such as the Trick Simulation Environment, began to emerge providing a generalized framework for the development, integration, and operation of simulations. Throughout the 1990s, engineering, operations, and training simulations began to migrate to Trick in order to take advantage of a common simulation environment. Due to forecasted reductions in funding to the Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) programs in the early 2000s, the common framework that arose from this simulation migration was formalized as the Common Model Architecture (CMA). The CMA was established in order to further reduce redundancy, while promoting model sharing and enhancing model integrity. A minimal set of standards for data flows, functional interactions, and model organization based on Trick were defined for those features found to be most important in facilitating model interaction. Model-providing organizations within NASA JSC took ownership of models for their specific areas of expertise, and agreements were reached on common model sharing and usage. This paper describes the evolution of commonality enabled by the Trick Simulation Environment at JSC leading to the CMA, the standards defined by the CMA, a recent CMA simulation example, and potential application of the CMA to NASA s new Exploration program.

Leslie J Quiocho↗

NASA NTRS2017

Robust Acoustic Objective Functions and Sensitivities in Adjoint-Based Design Optimizations

The multidisciplinary design of aircraft typically includes considerations of performance, weight, fuel burn, and noise, among other factors. An objective function is applied to each of these considerations in order to weight the influence of trade-offs between different designs. Higher-order optimization exercises have utilized an adjoint approach to reach an optimal set of objective functions, such as maximum lift and reduced drag. Taking advantage of the adjoint approach significantly reduces the computational time required to find an optimal configuration. Including acoustics in the set of objective functions during an adjoint-based design optimization requires the sensitivity of the acoustic objective function. This document will present an approach for defining the sensitivity of several acoustic metrics and operations that can fill the role of the acoustic objective function. This includes time-integrated metrics such as effective perceived noise level (EPNL) and frequency-integrated metrics such as overall sound pressure level (OASPL). A demonstration case, validation, and details on the implementation in the second generation Aircraft NOise Prediction Program (ANOPP2) are also shown.

Lopes, Leonard V.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Staffing implications of software productivity models

The attributes of software project staffing and productivity implied by equating the effects of two popular software models in a small neighborhood of a given effort-duration point are investigated. The first model presupposes that organizational productivity decreases as a function of the project staff size due to interfacing and intercommunication. The second, the so-called software equation, relates the product size to effort and duration through a power law tradeoff formula. The conclusions that may be reached by assuming that both of these describe project behavior, the former as a global phenomenon and the latter as a localized effect in a small neighborhood of a given effort duration point, are that (1) there is a calculable maximum effective staff level, which, if exceeded, reduces the project production rate, (2) there is a calculable maximum extent to which effort and time may be traded effectively, (3) it becomes ineffective in a practical sense to expend more than an additional 25 to 50% of resources in order to reduce delivery time, and (4) the team production efficiency can be computed directly from the staff level, the slope of the intercommunication loss function, and the ratio of exponents in the software equation.

Tausworthe, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Functional implications of component commonality in operational systems

The application of commonality in a system represents an attempt to reduce costs by reducing the number of unique components. Research in this area has primarily addressed a significant benefit of commonality, the reduction of parts inventories in assemble-to-order manufacturing systems. Likewise, in an operational system subject to component failures, spares inventories are reduced through the increased commonality of components. However, commonality tends to degrade system performance parameters, a degradation that can preclude commonality in resource-constrained systems such as spacecraft. The functional impacts of component commonality on a system is addressed in a manner that allows inclusion in a commonality analysis.

Thomas, Lawrence D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Reflections, diffractions, and surface waves for an interior impedance wedge of arbitrary angle

The asymptotic-impedance wedge solution for plane-wave illumination at normal incidence is examined for interior wedge diffraction. An efficient method for calculating the diffraction coefficient for arbitrary wedge angle is presented. The asymptotic solution isolates the incident, singly reflected, multiply reflected, diffracted, surface-wave, and associated-surface-wave transition fields. Multiply reflected fields (of any order) from the exact solution arise as ratios of auxiliary Maliuzhinets functions; however, by using properties of these functions, the representation can be reduced to products of reflection coefficients, much more efficient for calculation. A surface-wave transition field is added to the surface wave to retain continuity of the total field at the surface wave boundaries. This formulation is equally valid for both exterior and interior wedges with uniform but different impedances on each face, for both soft and hard polarizations.

Griesser, Timothy↗

NASA NTRS2019

High-Performance Computing Optimization for Aladyn – Adaptive Neural Network Molecular Dynamics Mini-Application

This report provides a description and performance evaluation of the optimization techniques for high performance computing (HPC) implementation of the open source Computational Materials mini-application Aladyn (https://github.com/nasa/aladyn). Aladyn is a basic molecular dynamics code written in FORTRAN 2003, which is designed to demonstrate the use of adaptive neural networks (ANNs) in atomistic simulations. The role of ANNs is to efficiently reproduce the very complex energy landscape resulting from the atomic interactions in materials with the accuracy of the more expensive quantum mechanics-based calculations. The ANN is trained on a large set of atomic structures calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) method. While achieving orders of magnitude faster computational performance than DFT, the ANN-based approach was still very computationally demanding compared to the conventional approach of using empirically fitted energy functions. After its initial development, Aladyn was evaluated and optimized by experts at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) division to exploit modern supercomputer architectures. The code has been optimized for execution on multicore central processing units (CPUs), including Intel® Skylake microarchitecture, and on graphic accelerators, such as Nvidia® V100 graphic processing units (GPUs), using Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP) and Open Accelerators (OpenACC) programming interfaces. The optimization achieved a speedup of 4.7 times the baseline version on CPU performance and an additional 2.4 times on CPU+GPU performance. Atomistic computer simulations are a fundamental tool in materials research to model material properties form physics-based first principles. Atomic interaction, governed by Quantum Mechanics (QM) require sophisticated and highly computationally demanding mathematical models to calculate [1]. Classical methods use approximate functional forms, empirically fitted through a set of variable parameters to emulate atomic energies as direct functions of atomic coordinates [2]. While empirical potentials are computationally much simpler, allowing simulations of large-scale systems of up to a trillion (1012) atoms [3], they are substantially less accurate compared to quantum calculations and applicable only to very specific atomic configurations or predefined crystallographic phases. A recently suggested approach is to use heuristic machine learning methods [4], such as those based on Adaptive Neural Networks (ANNs) to predict atomic energies, after being trained on a sufficiently large database of QM-calculated structures [5,6]. This approach reduces significantly the computational complexity, allowing for simulations of orders of magnitude larger systems compared to QM-based methods without compromising accuracy. Still, compared to classical methods using empirical energy functions, ANN methods remain two- to three orders of magnitude more computationally demanding. Hence, the computational cost of simulations, together with the need for extensive training of ANNs, still makes the practical implementation of ANN-based methods quite challenging. The purpose of the Aladyn mini-application software [7], available as open source at https://github.com/nasa/aladyn, is to be a testbed for exploring possible optimization strategies to develop highly scalable parallel algorithms for ANN-based atomistic simulations. Aladyn is aimed at utilizing the architecture of the high-end modern highperformance computing (HPC) hardware based on multicore central processing units (CPUs) equipped with graphic processing unit (GPU) accelerators. Specifically, the goal is to optimize the performance on a single HPC compute node, before implementing scaling to multi-node parallelization using message passing interface (MPI). At the same time, the open source code of Aladyn can serve as a training model for students and professors in academia.

Yamakov, Vesselin I.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Two-dimensional mesh embedding for Galerkin B-spline methods

A number of advantages result from using B-splines as basis functions in a Galerkin method for solving partial differential equations. Among them are arbitrary order of accuracy and high resolution similar to that of compact schemes but without the aliasing error. This work develops another property, namely, the ability to treat semi-structured embedded or zonal meshes for two-dimensional geometries. This can drastically reduce the number of grid points in many applications. Both integer and non-integer refinement ratios are allowed. The report begins by developing an algorithm for choosing basis functions that yield the desired mesh resolution. These functions are suitable products of one-dimensional B-splines. Finally, test cases for linear scalar equations such as the Poisson and advection equation are presented. The scheme is conservative and has uniformly high order of accuracy throughout the domain.

Shariff, Karim↗

NASA NTRS1985

Towards a renewal of the propeller in aeronautics

The reasons for reconsidering the propeller for aircraft propulsion, the areas of application, and necessary developments are considered. Rising fuel costs and an increasing theoretical and experimental data base for turboprop engines have demonstrated that significant cost savings can be realized by the use of propellers. Propellers are well-suited to powering aircraft traveling at speeds up to Mach 0.65. Work is progressing on the development of a 150 seat aircraft which has a cruise speed of Mach 0.8, powered by a turboprop attached to an engine of 15,000 shp. Aeroelasticity analyses ae necessary in order to characterize the behavior of thin profile propfan blades, particularly to predict the oscillations through the entire functional range. High-power reducers must be developed, and the level of cabin noise must be controlled to less than 90 dB. Commercial applications are predicted for turboprops in specific instances.

Berger, D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Algorithm For Optimal Control Of Large Structures

Cost of computation appears competitive with other methods. Problem to compute optimal control of forced response of structure with n degrees of freedom identified in terms of smaller number, r, of vibrational modes. Article begins with Hamilton-Jacobi formulation of mechanics and use of quadratic cost functional. Complexity reduced by alternative approach in which quadratic cost functional expressed in terms of control variables only. Leads to iterative solution of second-order time-integral matrix Volterra equation of second kind containing optimal control vector. Cost of algorithm, measured in terms of number of computations required, is of order of, or less than, cost of prior algoritms applied to similar problems.

Salama, Moktar A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

High-Lift Systems on Commercial Subsonic Airliners

The early breed of slow commercial airliners did not require high-lift systems because their wing loadings were low and their speed ratios between cruise and low speed (takeoff and landing) were about 2:1. However, even in those days the benefit of high-lift devices was recognized. Simple trailing-edge flaps were in use, not so much to reduce landing speeds, but to provide better glide-slope control without sideslipping the airplane and to improve pilot vision over the nose by reducing attitude during low-speed flight. As commercial-airplane cruise speeds increased with the development of more powerful engines, wing loadings increased and a real need for high-lift devices emerged to keep takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits. The high-lift devices of that era were generally trailing-edge flaps. When jet engines matured sufficiently in military service and were introduced commercially, airplane speed capability had to be increased to best take advantage of jet engine characteristics. This speed increase was accomplished by introducing the wing sweep and by further increasing wing loading. Whereas increased wing loading called for higher lift coefficients at low speeds, wing sweep actually decreased wing lift at low speeds. Takeoff and landing speeds increased on early jet airplanes, and, as a consequence, runways worldwide had to be lengthened. There are economical limits to the length of runways; there are safety limits to takeoff and landing speeds; and there are speed limits for tires. So, in order to hold takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits, more powerful high-lift devices were required. Wing trailing-edge devices evolved from plain flaps to Fowler flaps with single, double, and even triple slots. Wing leading edges evolved from fixed leading edges to a simple Krueger flap, and from fixed, slotted leading edges to two- and three-position slats and variable-camber (VC) Krueger flaps. The complexity of high-lift systems probably peaked on the Boeing 747, which has a VC Krueger flap and triple-slotted, inboard and outboard trailing-edge flaps. Since then, the tendency in high-lift system development has been to achieve high levels of lift with simpler devices in order to reduce fleet acquisition and maintenance costs. The intent of this paper is to: (1) review available high-lift devices, their functions, and design criteria; (2) appraise high-lift systems presently in service on commercial air liners; (3) present personal study results on high-lift systems; (4) develop a weight and cost model for high-lift systems; and (5) discuss the development tendencies of future high-lift systems.

Rudolph, Peter K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Fast Integer Ambiguity Resolution for GPS Attitude Determination

In this paper, a new algorithm for GPS (Global Positioning System) integer ambiguity resolution is shown. The algorithm first incorporates an instantaneous (static) integer search to significantly reduce the search space using a geometric inequality. Then a batch-type loss function is used to check the remaining integers in order to determine the optimal integer. This batch function represents the GPS sightline vectors in the body frame as the sum of two vectors, one depending on the phase measurements and the other on the unknown integers. The new algorithm has several advantages: it does not require an a-priori estimate of the vehicle's attitude; it provides an inherent integrity check using a covariance-type expression; and it can resolve the integers even when coplanar baselines exist. The performance of the new algorithm is tested on a dynamic hardware simulator.

Lightsey, E. Glenn↗

NASA NTRS2011

Proximity Effects and Nonequilibrium Superconductivity in Transition-Edge Sensors

We have recently shown that normal-metal/superconductor (N/S) bilayer TESs (superconducting Transition-Edge Sensors) exhibit weak-link behavior.l Here we extend our understanding to include TESs with added noise-mitigating normal-metal structures (N structures). We find TESs with added Au structures also exhibit weak-link behavior as evidenced by exponential temperature dependence of the critical current and Josephson-like oscillations of the critical current with applied magnetic field. We explain our results in terms of an effect converse to the longitudinal proximity effect (LoPE) 1, the lateral inverse proximity effect (LaiPE), for which the order parameter in the N/S bilayer is reduced due to the neighboring N structures. Resistance and critical current measurements are presented as a function of temperature and magnetic field taken on square Mol Au bilayer TESs with lengths ranging from 8 to 130 {\mu}m with and without added N structures. We observe the inverse proximity effect on the bilayer over in-plane distances many tens of microns and find the transition shifts to lower temperatures scale approximately as the inverse square of the in- plane N-structure separation distance, without appreciable broadening of the transition width. We also present evidence for nonequilbrium superconductivity and estimate a quasiparticle lifetime of 1.8 \times 10-10 s for the bilayer. The LoPE model is also used to explain the increased conductivity at temperatures above the bilayer's steep resistive transition.

Sadleir, John E.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Longitudinal Proximity Effect, Lateral Inverse Proximity Effect, and Nonequilibrium Superconductivity in Transition-edge Sensors

We have recently shown that normal-metal/superconductor (N/S) bilayer TESs (superconducting Transition-Edge Sensors) exhibit weak-link behavior. Our measurements were explained in terms of a longitudinal proximity effect model in which superconducting order from the higher transition temperature leads is induced into the TES bilayer plane over remarkably long distances (up to 290 micron). Here we extend our understanding to include TESs with added noise-mitigating normal-metal structures (N structures). We explain our results of an effect converse to the longitudinal proximity effect (LoPE), the lateral inverse proximity effect (LaiPE), for which the order parameter in the N/S bilayer is reduced due to the neighboring N structures. We present resistance and critical current measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field taken on square Mo/Au bilayer TESs with lengths ranging from 8 to 130 micron with and without added N structures. We observe the inverse proximity effect on the bilayer over in-plane distances many tens of microns and find the transition shifts to lower temperature scale approximately as the inverse square of the in-plane N-structure separation distance, without appreciable broadening of the transition width. We find TESs with added Au structures exhibit weak-link behavior as evidenced by exponential temperature dependence of the critical current and Josephson-like oscillations of the critical current with applied magnetic field. We also present evidence for nonequilbrium superconductivity and estimate a quasiparticle lifetime of 1.8 x 10(exp -10) s for the bilayer. The LoPE model is also used to explain the increased conductivity at temperatures above the bilayer's steep resistive transition

Sadleir, John E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Unsymmetric Lanczos model reduction and linear state function observer for flexible structures

This report summarizes part of the research work accomplished during the second year of a two-year grant. The research, entitled 'Application of Lanczos Vectors to Control Design of Flexible Structures' concerns various ways to use Lanczos vectors and Krylov vectors to obtain reduced-order mathematical models for use in the dynamic response analyses and in control design studies. This report presents a one-sided, unsymmetric block Lanczos algorithm for model reduction of structural dynamics systems with unsymmetric damping matrix, and a control design procedure based on the theory of linear state function observers to design low-order controllers for flexible structures.

Su, Tzu-Jeng↗