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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 145 records · Page 8

Evaluation of an Active Clearance Control System Concept

Reducing blade tip clearances through active tip clearance control in the high pressure turbine can lead to significant reductions in emissions and specific fuel consumption as well as dramatic improvements in operating efficiency and increased service life. Current engines employ scheduled cooling of the outer case flanges to reduce high pressure turbine tip clearances during cruise conditions. These systems have relatively slow response and do not use clearance measurement, thereby forcing cold build clearances to set the minimum clearances at extreme operating conditions (e.g., takeoff, reburst) and not allowing cruise clearances to be minimized due to the possibility of throttle transients (e.g., step change in altitude). In an effort to improve upon current thermal methods, a first generation mechanically-actuated active clearance control (ACC) system has been designed and fabricated. The system utilizes independent actuators, a segmented shroud structure, and clearance measurement feedback to provide fast and precise active clearance control throughout engine operation. Ambient temperature performance tests of this first generation ACC system assessed individual seal component leakage rates and both static and dynamic overall system leakage rates. The ability of the nine electric stepper motors to control the position of the seal carriers in both open- and closed-loop control modes for single and multiple cycles was investigated. The ability of the system to follow simulated engine clearance transients in closed-loop mode showed the system was able to track clearances to within a tight tolerance ( 0.001 in. error).

Steinetz, Bruce M.↗

The influence of dynamics on two-dimensional model results - Simulations of C-14 and stratospheric aircraft NO(x) injections

The influence of dynamics on model results is investigated via a 2D photochemical model. Three representations of atmospheric transport are tested in order to simulate total ozone and C-14 amounts after nuclear tests in the early 1960s. Three scenarios of NO(x) injections from a proposed fleet of stratospheric aircraft and their effects on ozone are simulated. The three dynamical formulations used are Dynamics A, a base dynamics used in previous work with this model; Dynamics B, a strong circulation dynamics discussed by Jackman et al. (1989); and Dynamics C, the dynamics used by Shia et al. (1989). The advective component of the stratosphere to the troposphere mass exchange rate is largest for Dynamics B (5.8 x 10 exp 17 kg/yr) and smallest for Dynamics C (1.4 x 10 exp 17 kg/yr), with the advective strat/trop exchange rate for Dynamics A (2.4 x 10 exp 17 kg/yr) being these two extremes. Ozone depletion from NO(x) injections of stratospheric aircraft showed a strong sensitivity to dynamics.

Jackman, Charles H.↗

Reconfigurable Control with Neural Network Augmentation for a Modified F-15 Aircraft

This paper describes the performance of a simplified dynamic inversion controller with neural network supplementation. This 6 DOF (Degree-of-Freedom) simulation study focuses on the results with and without adaptation of neural networks using a simulation of the NASA modified F-15 which has canards. One area of interest is the performance of a simulated surface failure while attempting to minimize the inertial cross coupling effect of a [B] matrix failure (a control derivative anomaly associated with a jammed or missing control surface). Another area of interest and presented is simulated aerodynamic failures ([A] matrix) such as a canard failure. The controller uses explicit models to produce desired angular rate commands. The dynamic inversion calculates the necessary surface commands to achieve the desired rates. The simplified dynamic inversion uses approximate short period and roll axis dynamics. Initial results indicated that the transient response for a [B] matrix failure using a Neural Network (NN) improved the control behavior when compared to not using a neural network for a given failure, However, further evaluation of the controller was comparable, with objections io the cross coupling effects (after changes were made to the controller). This paper describes the methods employed to reduce the cross coupling effect and maintain adequate tracking errors. The IA] matrix failure results show that control of the aircraft without adaptation is more difficult [leas damped) than with active neural networks, Simulation results show Neural Network augmentation of the controller improves performance in terms of backing error and cross coupling reduction and improved performance with aerodynamic-type failures.

Burken, John J.↗

Numerical simulations of particle orbits around 2060 Chiron

Scattered light from orbiting or coorbiting dust is a primary signature by which Earth-based observers study the activity and atmosphere of the unusual outer solar system object 2060 Chiron. Therefore, it is important to understand the lifetime, dynamics, and loss rates of dust in its coma. We report here dynamical simulations of particles in Chiron's collisionless coma. The orbits of 17,920 dust particles were numerically integrated under the gravitational influence of Chiron, the Sun, and solar radiation pressure. These simulations show that particles ejected from Chiron are more likely to follow suborbital trajectories, or to escape altogether, than to enter quasistable orbits. Significant orbital lifetimes can only be achieved for very specific launch conditions. These results call into question models of a long-term, bound coma generated by discrete outbursts, and instead suggest that Chiron's coma state is closely coupled to the nearly instantaneous level of Chiron's surface activity.

Stern, S. A.↗

Slow and fast motion of cracks in inelastic solids. Part 1: Slow growth of cracks in a rate sensitive tresca solid. Part 2: Dynamic crack represented by the Dugdale model

An extension is proposed of the classical theory of fracture to viscoelastic and elastic-plastic materials in which the plasticity effects are confined to a narrow band encompassing the crack front. It is suggested that the Griffith-Irwin criterion of fracture, which requires that the energy release rate computed for a given boundary value problem equals the critical threshold, ought to be replaced by a differential equation governing the slow growth of a crack prior to the onset of rapid propagation. A new term which enters the equation of motion in the dissipative media is proportional to the energy lost within the end sections of the crack, and thus reflects the extent of inelastic behavior of a solid. A concept of apparent surface energy is introduced to account for the geometry dependent and the rate dependent phenomena which influence toughness of an inelastic solid. Three hypotheses regarding the condition for fracture in the subcritical range of load are compared. These are: (1) constant fracture energy (Cherepanov), (2) constant opening displacement at instability (Morozov) and (3) final stretch criterion (Wnuk).

Wnuk, M. P.↗

Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis

A recently written computer program implements dominant-element-based gradient descent and dynamic initial learning rate (DOGEDYN), which was described in Method of Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis (NPO-40034) NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 1 (January 2005), page 59. To recapitulate: DOGEDYN is a method of sequential principal-component analysis (PCA) suitable for such applications as data compression and extraction of features from sets of data. In DOGEDYN, input data are represented as a sequence of vectors acquired at sampling times. The learning algorithm in DOGEDYN involves sequential extraction of principal vectors by means of a gradient descent in which only the dominant element is used at each iteration. Each iteration includes updating of elements of a weight matrix by amounts proportional to a dynamic initial learning rate chosen to increase the rate of convergence by compensating for the energy lost through the previous extraction of principal components. In comparison with a prior method of gradient-descent-based sequential PCA, DOGEDYN involves less computation and offers a greater rate of learning convergence. The sequential DOGEDYN computations require less memory than would parallel computations for the same purpose. The DOGEDYN software can be executed on a personal computer.

Duong, Vu↗

On the Lower Limit of Chondrule Cooling Rates: The Significance of Iron Loss in Dynamic Crystallization Experiments

Lofgren (1989) and the further analysis of Lofgren's 1989 experiments by Jones and Lofgren (1993) established that cooling rates as slow as 5 C/hour produced analog textures and major and minor element zoning profiles in minerals, implying that a lower limit on chondrule cooling rate may be approximately 5 C/hour These results, however, are in conflict with those reported by Radomsky and Hewins (1990). In their paper, Radomsky and Hewins (1990) established a lower limit on chondrule cooling rates of I 100 C/hour a factor of 20 higher than that suggested by Jones and Lofgren (1993). The higher cooling rates suggested by Radomsky and Hewins (1990) have gained considerable favor within the meteoritic community largely because it appears more consistent with the preservation of Na in chondrules, which tends to volatilize at the slower cooling rates. In their study, however, Radomsky and Hewins (1990) did not use Pt hang wires that were coated or saturated with Fe. The lack of such techniques likely facilitated Fe loss from their experimental chondrules to the hang wire during formation (Jones and Lofgren, 1993). The effect of Fe loss could produce an inaccurate determination of cooling rates since these rates are largely determined by the Mg-Fe distributions in individual crystals.

Paque, Julie M.↗

Transonic Correction Method for Flight Dynamic Stability Analysis of Mach 0.745 Transonic Truss-Braced Wing

This paper presents a transonic correction method for obtaining dynamic stability derivatives for flight dynamic stability analysis. The method provides a transonic correction to the Theodorsen's theory of unsteady aerodynamics using FUN3D CFD solver of unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) for a series of wing sections of the Mach 0.745 Transonic Truss-Braced Wing in pitch and plunge oscillations. Unsteady lift and pitching moment coefficients are obtained and used to develop the correction terms in the Theodorsen's theory to account for transonic aerodynamics. The unsteady lift and pitching moment derivatives with respect to the unsteady angle of attack are obtained as frequency response functions of the reduced frequency. These frequency response functions are used to compute the dynamic stability derivatives of lift and pitching moment due to the angle of attack and pitch rate and the dynamic stability derivatives for the rolling moment and yawing moment with respect to the roll rate and yaw rate. A transonic correction is applied to steady-state stability derivatives computed by VSPAERO solver using transonic small disturbance code TSFOIL coupled to an integral boundary method. A dynamic stability analysis is conducted for longitudinal and lateral-directional motions. Without transonic corrections and dynamic stability derivatives, the analysis indicates an unstable phugoid mode. The transonic correction applied to the steady-state stability derivatives computed by VSPAERO shows a stable phugoid mode. This is due to the increase of the drag stability derivatives as a result of the additional wave drag contribution in transonic flow. The effect of the transonic dynamic stability derivatives is observed to be a significant contributor to the increase in the damping values of all the flight dynamic modes of the Mach 0.745 Transonic-Truss Braced Wing.

Transonic↗

Atomic hydrogen production rates for comet P/Halley from observations with Dynamics Explorer I

Newly analyzed observations of the Dynamics Explorer I (DE1), launched on August 3, 1981, were used to determine the hydrogen production rate for Comet Halley at heliocentric distances, r, less than about 1.5 AU from measurements of the total Lyman-alpha flux at earth due to the cometary neutral hydrogen distribution. The production rates, determined as a function of r, were found to be consistent with in situ measurements from the Giotto and Vega spacecraft. The calculated rates are also consistent with remote observations using two sounding rockets and with the Pioneer-Venus and IUE spacecraft.

Craven, J. D.↗

Chebyshev minimax problems for skip trajectories

The dimensionless equations of motion for hypersonic flight in the upper layer of the atmosphere are presented. The necessary conditions for the Chebyshev minimax problems are provided. Some important properties concerning the peak heating rate, the peak dynamic pressure and the peak altitude drop for a skip trajectory are discussed. As application of the theory, the problem of minimizing the peak altitude drop is solved. The numerical results support the theory that the nearly-grazing trajectory is useful in reducing the peak heating rate and the peak dynamic pressure.

Vinh, N. X.↗

Estimability and simple dynamical analyses of range (range-rate range-difference) observations to artificial satellites

Non-Bayesian statistics were used in simulation studies centered around laser range observations to LAGEOS. The capabilities of satellite laser ranging especially in connection with relative station positioning are evaluated. The satellite measurement system under investigation may fall short in precise determinations of the earth's orientation (precession and nutation) and earth's rotation as opposed to systems as very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and lunar laser ranging (LLR). Relative station positioning, determination of (differential) polar motion, positioning of stations with respect to the earth's center of mass and determination of the earth's gravity field should be easily realized by satellite laser ranging (SLR). The last two features should be considered as best (or solely) determinable by SLR in contrast to VLBI and LLR.

Vangelder, B. H. W.↗

Control Synthesis for a Class of Hybrid Systems Subject to Configuration-Based Safety Constraints

We examine a class of hybrid systems which we call Composite Hybrid Machines (CHM's) that consists of the concurrent (and partially synchronized) operation of Elementary Hybrid Machines (EHM's). Legal behavior, specified by a set of illegal configurations that the CHM may not enter, is to be achieved by the concurrent operation of the CHM with a suitably designed legal controller. In the present paper we focus on the problem of synthesizing a legal controller, whenever such a controller exists. More specifically, we address the problem of synthesizing the minimally restrictive legal controller. A controller is minimally restrictive if, when composed to operate concurrently with another legal controller, it will never interfere with the operation of the other controller and, therefore, can be composed to operate concurrently with any other controller that may be designed to achieve liveness specifications or optimality requirements without the need to reinvestigate or reverify legality of the composite controller. We confine our attention to a special class of CHM's where system dynamics is rate-limited and legal guards are conjunctions or disjunctions of atomic formulas in the dynamic variables (of the type x less than or equal to x(sub 0), or x greater than or equal to x(sub 0)). We present an algorithm for synthesis of the minimally restrictive legal controller. We demonstrate our approach by synthesizing a minimally restrictive controller for a steam boiler (the verification of which recently received a great deal of attention).

Heymann, Michael↗

Changes in the Magnetic Field Topology and the Dayside/Nightside Reconnection Rates in Response to a Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Front A Case Study

One of the most significant observations associated with a sharp enhancement in solar wind dynamic pressure, SWP, is the poleward expansion of the auroral oval and the closing of the polar cap. The polar cap shrinking over a wide range of magnetic local times (MLTs), in connection with an observed increase in ionospheric convection and the transpolar potential, led to the conclusion that the nightside reconnection rate is significantly enhanced after a pressure front impact. However, this enhanced tail reconnection has never been directly measured. We demonstrate the effect of a solar wind dynamic pressure front on the polar cap closure, and for the first time, measure the enhanced reconnection rate in the magnetotail, for a case occurring during southward background Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) conditions. We use Polar Ultra-Violet Imager (UVI) measurements to detect the location of the open-closed field line boundary, and combine them with Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) potentials to calculate the ionospheric electric field along the polar cap boundary, and thus evaluate the variation of the dayside/nightside reconnection rates. We find a strong response of the polar cap boundary at all available MLTs, exhibiting a significant reduction of the open flux content. We also observe an immediate response of the dayside reconnection rate, plus a phased response, delayed by 15–20min, of the nightside reconnection rate. Finally, we provide comparison of the observations with the results of the Open Geospace General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM), elucidating significant agreements and disagreements

A Boudouridis↗

Kinematic equations for resolved-rate control of an industrial robot arm

An operator can use kinematic, resolved-rate equations to dynamically control a robot arm by watching its response to commanded inputs. Known resolved-rate equations for the control of a particular six-degree-of-freedom industrial robot arm and proceeds to simplify the equations for faster computations are derived. Methods for controlling the robot arm in regions which normally cause mathematical singularities in the resolved-rate equations are discussed.

Barker, L. K.↗

Analysis of homogeneous turbulent reacting flows

Full turbulence simulations at low Reynolds numbers were made for the single-step, irreversible, bimolecular reaction between non-premixed reactants in isochoric, decaying homogeneous turbulence. Various initial conditions for the scalar field were used in the simulations to control the initial scalar dissipation length scale, and simulations were also made for temperature-dependent reaction rates and for non-stoichiometric and unequal diffusivity conditions. Joint probability density functions (pdf's), conditional pdf's, and various statistical quantities appearing in the moment equations were computed. Preliminary analysis of the results indicates that compressive strain-rate correlates better than other dynamical quantities with local reaction rate, and the locations of peak reaction rates seem to be insensitive to the scalar field initial conditions.

Leonard, A. D.↗

Calculations on the rate of the ion-molecule reaction between NH3(+) and H2

The rate coefficient for the ion-molecule reaction NH3(+) + H2 yields NH4(+) + H has been calculated as a function of temperature with the use of the statistical phase space approach. The potential surface and reaction complex and transition state parameters used in the calculation have been taken from ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The calculated rate coefficient has been found to mimic the unusual temperature dependence measured in the laboratory, in which the rate coefficient decreases with decreasing temperature until 50-100 K and then increases at still lower temperatures. Quantitative agreement between experimental and theoretical rate coefficients is satisfactory given the uncertainties in the ab initio results and in the dynamics calculations. The rate coefficient for the unusual three-body process NH3(+) + H2 + He yields NH4(+) + H + He has also been calculated as a function of temperature and the result found to agree well with a previous laboratory determination.

Herbst, Eric↗

Hybrid simulations of collisionless ion tearing

Ion tearing in a thin collisionless neutral sheet is investigated using hybrid (particle ion, massless fluid electron) simulations in which dissipation effects are included through a model of the full electron pressure tensor in which self-consistently generated anisotropies are reduced via an isotropization time factor. The linear growth rates and ion dynamics are in qualitative agreement with linear theory and one-component simulations. The reconnection rate increases with the isotropization time.

Hesse, Michael↗

Collective effects of temperature gradients and gravity on droplet coalescence

The interaction and coalescence of small spherical drops in dilute, homogeneous dispersions are considered theoretically under conditions, where drop motion results from gravity settling and thermocapillary migration acting simultaneously. A trajectory analysis is used to predict pairwise collision rates, and population dynamics equations are solved to predict the time evolution of the droplet size distribution. The rate of droplet collisions and growth may be reduced dramatically by antiparallel alignment of the gravitational and thermocapillary velocities. For such antiparallel alignment with the gravitational relative velocity exceeding the thermocapillary relative velocity for two widely separated drops, there is a 'collision-forbidden region' in parameter space. This occurs because the gravitational relative velocity decays more rapidly with decreasing separation distance between the drops than does the thermocapillary relative velocity, and so the resultant relative velocity along the line-of-centers from these two sources combined becomes zero at a finite separation and the drops are unable to collide. As a result, small drops which initially collide and coalesce due to thermocapillary motion will only grow until they reach a critical size for which the oppositely directed gravitational motion balances the thermocapillary motion.

Zhang, Xiaoguang↗