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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 109 records · Page 6

A physically consistent model for artificial dissipation in transonic potential flow computations

The effect that artificial dissipation has on numerical solutions of the transonic Full Potential Equation (FPE) are investigated by comparing the artificially dissipative FPE to a Physically Dissipative Potential (PDP) equation. Analytic expressions were derived from the variables C and M sub c that are used in the artificial density formulation. It was shown that these new values generate artificial dissipation which is equivalent to the physical dissipation existing in the PDP equation. The new expression for the variables C and M sub c can easily be incorporated into the existing full potential codes which are based either on the artificial density or on the artificial viscosity formulation. A comparison of Physically Dissipative Potential (PDP), Artificial Density or Viscosity (ADV), Artificial Mass Flux (AMF), and ADV with variable C and M sub c formulation (MCC) is also presented.

Dulikravich, George S.↗

Can shock waves on helicopter rotors generate noise? - A study of the quadrupole source

An analysis has previously established that local shock surfaces attached to helicopter rotor blades moving at high subsonic speeds are potent noise generators; in pursuit of this insight, a novel formulation is presented for the prediction of the noise of a deformable shock, whose area changes as a function of the azimuthal position of the blade. The derivation of this formulation has its basis in a mapping of the moving shock to a time-independent region. In virtue of this mapping, the implementation of the main result on a computer becomes straightforward enough for incorporation into the available rotor-noise prediction code. A problem illustrating the importance of rotor shocks in the generation of high-intensity noise is presented.

Farassat, F.↗

Optimal perturbation models for averaged orbit generation

Averaging techniques applied to the variation of parameters (VOP) formulation of the equations of motion are being investigated as methods for long-term prediction of artificial satellite orbits. Analytically averaged equations were compared with numerically averaged equations with respect to accuracy and efficiency for computation of zonal and nonresonant third-body perturbations. Numerically averaged equations were also evaluated for computation of long-period effects from resonant third-body, tesseral harmonic, and atmospheric drag perturbations. Guidelines will be presented for application of averaged VOP equations to a broad class of orbits.

Long, A. C.↗

Tripropellant engine study

The potential for converting the space shuttle main engine (SSME) to a dual-fuel, dual-mode engine using LOX/hydrocarbon propellants in mode 1 and LOX/H2 in mode 2 was examined. Various engine system concepts were formulated that included staged combustion and gas generator turbine power cycles, and LOX/RP-1, LOX/CH4, and LOX/C3H8 mode 1 propellants. Both oxidizer and fuel regenerative cooling were considered. All of the SSME major components were examined to determine their adaptability to the candidate dual-fuel engines.

Wheeler, D. B.↗

Self-adaptive closed constrained solution algorithms for nonlinear conduction

Self-adaptive solution algorithms are developed for nonlinear heat conduction problems encountered in analyzing materials for use in high temperature or cryogenic conditions. The nonlinear effects are noted to occur due to convection and radiation effects, as well as temperature-dependent properties of the materials. Incremental successive substitution (ISS) and Newton-Raphson (NR) procedures are treated as extrapolation schemes which have solution projections bounded by a hyperline with an externally applied thermal load vector arising from internal heat generation and boundary conditions. Closed constraints are formulated which improve the efficiency and stability of the procedures by employing closed ellipsoidal surfaces to control the size of successive iterations. Governing equations are defined for nonlinear finite element models, and comparisons are made of results using the the new method and the ISS and NR schemes for epoxy, PVC, and CuGe.

Padovan, J.↗

Prediction of high-speed rotor noise with a Kirchhoff formula

A new methodology has been developed to predict the impulsive noise generated by a transonic rotor blade. The formulation uses a full-potential finite-difference method to obtain the pressure field close to the blade. A Kirchhoff integral formulation is then used to extend these finite-difference results into the far-field. This Kirchhoff formula is written in a blade-fixed coordinate system. It requires initial data across a plane at the sonic radius. This data is provided by the finite-difference solution. Acoustic pressure predictions show excellent agreement with hover experimental data for two hover cases of 0.88 and 0.90 tip Mach number, the latter of which has delocalized transonic flow. These results represent the first successful prediction technique for peak pressure amplitudes using a computational code.

Purcell, Timothy W.↗

A linearized model of helicopter dynamics including correlation with flight test

A linearized model for rotorcraft dynamics has been developed through the use of symbolic automatic equation generation techniques. The dynamic model has been formulated in a unique way such that it can be used to analyze a variety of rotor/body coupling problems including a rotor mounted on a flexible shaft with a number of modes as well as free flight stability and control characteristics. Direct comparison of the time response to longitudinaol, lateral and directional control inputs at various trim conditions shows that the linear model yields good to very good correlation with flight test. In particular it is also shown that a dynamic inflow model is essential to obtain good time response correlation especially for the hover trim condition and also that at translational flight trim conditions the main rotor wake interaction with the tail rotor and fixed tail surfaces is a significant contributor to the response. A relatively simple model for the downwash and sidewash at tail surfaces based on flat vortex wake theory is shown to produce good agreement. Finaly, the influence of rotor flap and lag dynamics on automatic control systems feedback gain limitations is investigated with the model.

Curtiss, H. C.↗

A study of helicopter stability and control including blade dynamics

A linearized model of rotorcraft dynamics has been developed through the use of symbolic automatic equation generating techniques. The dynamic model has been formulated in a unique way such that it can be used to analyze a variety of rotor/body coupling problems including a rotor mounted on a flexible shaft with a number of modes as well as free-flight stability and control characteristics. Direct comparison of the time response to longitudinal, lateral and directional control inputs at various trim conditions shows that the linear model yields good to very good correlation with flight test. In particular it is shown that a dynamic inflow model is essential to obtain good time response correlation, especially for the hover trim condition. It also is shown that the main rotor wake interaction with the tail rotor and fixed tail surfaces is a significant contributor to the response at translational flight trim conditions. A relatively simple model for the downwash and sidewash at the tail surfaces based on flat vortex wake theory is shown to produce good agreement. Then, the influence of rotor flap and lag dynamics on automatic control systems feedback gain limitations is investigated with the model. It is shown that the blade dynamics, especially lagging dynamics, can severly limit the useable values of the feedback gain for simple feedback control and that multivariable optimal control theory is a powerful tool to design high gain augmentation control system. The frequency-shaped optimal control design can offer much better flight dynamic characteristics and a stable margin for the feedback system without need to model the lagging dynamics.

Zhao, Xin↗

Nested hierarchical controller with partial autonomy

The problem of computer architecture for intelligent robots with partial autonomy is addressed. A robot with partial autonomy is considered a degenerated case of a fully autonomous robot. Thus, the problem of man-machine communication is formulated, and the conditions are determined for generating a language for such a communication. The duties of the master are determined.

Meystel, A.↗

On processing development for fabrication of fiber reinforced composite, part 2

Fiber-reinforced composite laminates are used in many aerospace and automobile applications. The magnitudes and durations of the cure temperature and the cure pressure applied during the curing process have significant consequences for the performance of the finished product. The objective of this study is to exploit the potential of applying the optimization technique to the cure cycle design. Using the compression molding of a filled polyester sheet molding compound (SMC) as an example, a unified Computer Aided Design (CAD) methodology, consisting of three uncoupled modules, (i.e., optimization, analysis and sensitivity calculations), is developed to systematically generate optimal cure cycle designs. Various optimization formulations for the cure cycle design are investigated. The uniformities in the distributions of the temperature and the degree with those resulting from conventional isothermal processing conditions with pre-warmed platens. Recommendations with regards to further research in the computerization of the cure cycle design are also addressed.

Hou, Tan-Hung↗

Computation of hypersonic flow fields

The present discussion of the theory, solution methods, and development status of chemically reactive flow CFD codes pertaining to the flow field around a hypersonic vehicle encompasses the formulation of multicomponent viscous equations, grid-generation techniques, and finite-difference algorithms. The Navier-Stokes equations presented focus on such particularities of high speed vehicles as their aerodynamic configuration, lee and wake flow, bow shock, and chemistry and low density effects. Issues for which further development is desirable encompass boundary treatments, grid quality, shock capturing, and the decoupling of chemistry from flow variables.

Li, Chien-Peng↗

Io's volcanic and sublimation atmospheres

Fully 3D axisymmetric gasdynamic equations simulating SO2 and H2S frost sublimation and SO2 dayside and nightside volcanic atmospheres on Io are numerically solved, using a time-explicit finite-volume formulation. Both the sublimation and volcanic atmospheres generate horizontal supersonic winds away from the subsolar point or the volcanic vent. While the sublimation atmosphere is primarily driven by horizontal pressure gradients determined by surface temperatures, the volcanic atmosphere is driven by pressure gradients that are determined by the source rate. Sublimation and condensation produce patterns of surface deposits which are characteristic of the two types of atmospheres. The volcanic model is quantitatively consistent with Voyager observations of ring deposits.

Moreno, Miguel A.↗

Automatic specification of reliability models for fault-tolerant computers

The calculation of reliability measures using Markov models is required for life-critical processor-memory-switch structures that have standby redundancy or that are subject to transient or intermittent faults or repair. The task of specifying these models is tedious and prone to human error because of the large number of states and transitions required in any reasonable system. Therefore, model specification is a major analysis bottleneck, and model verification is a major validation problem. The general unfamiliarity of computer architects with Markov modeling techniques further increases the necessity of automating the model specification. Automation requires a general system description language (SDL). For practicality, this SDL should also provide a high level of abstraction and be easy to learn and use. The first attempt to define and implement an SDL with those characteristics is presented. A program named Automated Reliability Modeling (ARM) was constructed as a research vehicle. The ARM program uses a graphical interface as its SDL, and it outputs a Markov reliability model specification formulated for direct use by programs that generate and evaluate the model.

Liceaga, Carlos A.↗

Algebraic grid generation with control points

The control-point form (CPF) formulation is an algebraically defined class of coordinate transformations by means of which the interior form of the coordinates can be manipulated in the local fashion, and any boundary can be either specified or manipulated in a similar manner. Currently, the most intense activity involving CPF is with such graphic interactive codes as TurboI and TurboT, for which detailed illustrative examples are given; these have furnished experience on whose basis future interactive strategies can be developed.

Eiseman, Peter R.↗

Sensor/Actuator Selection for Gust and Turbulence Control

From aircraft fuselages and space stations to vacuum cleaners and automobiles, active control of noise and/or vibration has come of age. Determining the number of active control devices (e.g. actuators) to be placed and where they are to be placed is the prototypical location problem. However, unlike typical location problems, where the customer is readily identified and is actively engaged in the assessment of the performance of the chosen locations, the customers that active control devices serve are not so easily identified and their impact on system performance issues may be unclear. For example, consider the problem of where to locate actuators to attenuate cabin noise in a propeller driven aircraft. Clearly, the ultimate customers are the passengers who will travel in these aircraft. But to decide whether one set of actuator locations is better than another it is unlikely we will ask passengers to fly in the aircraft and fill out a questionnaire about noise levels. Instead a set of sensors (pseudo-customers) are placed and the system performance of the actuators, as measured by these sensors, is recorded. Hence, we have yet another location problem. How many sensors should there be and where should they be located? In many instances collocation of sensors and actuators is the answer but in other instances it is not. A variety of approaches have been taken to address these sensor/actuator location problems. With regard to damping vibrations in truss structures (space station prototypes) it was formulated a new noxious location problem and generated high-quality solutions with a combination of LP-relaxations and heuristic search procedures. Other related efforts are summarized the actuator location problem for a single frequency interior noise control problem was examined for an idealized aircraft cabin. A tabu search procedure was shown to generate better locations for the actuators than a modal decomposition approach. The model was extended to include multi-frequency information. The sensor location problem is addressed. In the latter article a reactive tabu search scheme was shown to dominate a static tabu search approach. Our focus here is to determine locations to control and/or sense vibrations on a truss structure. However, instead of using one of the earlier optimization models referenced in the above paragraph we adopt an experimental design approach.

Kincaid, Rex K.↗

Titan's Cold Case Files - Outstanding Questions After Cassini-Huygens

The entry of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft into orbit around Saturn in July 2004 marked the start of a golden era in the exploration of Titan, Saturn's giant moon. During the prime mission (2004-2008), ground-breaking discoveries were made by the Cassini orbiter including the equatorial dune fields (flyby T3, 2005), northern lakes and seas (T16, 2006), and the large positive and negative ions (T16 & T18, 2006), to name a few. In 2005 the Huygens probe descended through Titan's atmosphere, taking the first close-up pictures of the surface, including large networks of dendritic channels leading to a dried-up seabed, and also obtaining detailed profiles of temperature and gas composition during the atmospheric descent. The discoveries continued through the Equinox mission (2008-2010) and Solstice mission (2010-2017) totaling 127 targeted flybys of Titan in all. Now at the end of the mission, we are able to look back on the high-level scientific questions from the start of the mission, and assess the progress that has been made towards answering these. At the same time, new scientific questions regarding Titan have emerged from the new discoveries that have been made. In this paper we review a cross-section of important scientific questions that remain partially or completely unanswered, ranging from Titan's deep interior to the exosphere. Our intention is to help formulate the science goals for the next generation of planetary missions to Saturn and Titan, and to stimulate new experimental, observation and theoretical investigations in the interim, before such missions arrive again at Titan.

Nixon, C. A.↗

Incompressible Navier-Stokes and parabolized Navier-Stokes formulations and computational techniques

The differential formulations and computational techniques currently used for the incompressible Navier-Stokes (NS) and parabolic Navier-Stokes (PNS) equations are reviewed. In particular, attention is given to problems associated with the choice of difference equations, the method of solution and the choice of algorithm, the coupling of dependent variables and discretized equations, the application of boundary conditions, and grid generation. A new composite velocity NS and PNS formulation in (u,v,p) variables is presented, and the applicability of a 'forward' difference global pressure iteration for the (u,v,p) PNS system is demonstrated.

Rubin, S. G.↗