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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Advances in magnetospheric physics by numerical simulations - A critical analysis by an outsider

This is a selective, somewhat editorialized assessment, based on a literature survey, of computer simulation as it exists today in magnetospheric physics. Both large (MHD) and small scale dynamical simulations are described and considered from the perspective of what they are trying to do and with what success. Several specific problem areas where simulations are being carried out are called for commentary: global magnetospheric structure, magnetotail and magnetopause reconnection, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, hydrodynamic expansion of ionospheric ions, electric double layers, heavy ion heating, and auroral kilometric radiation. It is concluded that simulation is a necessary tool for understanding magnetospheric physics and that significant progress has been made in simulation development. However, results should be evaluated knowing that many factors, some real and physical, others structural, may contribute to such output. A plea is made for greater intercalibration among different simulators working in parallel areas, so that facts can be distinguished from artifacts.

Birmingham, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Three-Dimensional Electromagnetic Monte Carlo Particle-in-Cell Simulations of Critical Ionization Velocity Experiments in Space

Although the existence of the critical ionization velocity (CIV) is known from laboratory experiments, no agreement has been reached as to whether CIV exists in the natural space environment. In this paper we move towards more realistic models of CIV and present the first fully three-dimensional, electromagnetic particle-in-cell Monte-Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) simulations of typical space-based CIV experiments. In our model, the released neutral gas is taken to be a spherical cloud traveling across a magnetized ambient plasma. Simulations are performed for neutral clouds with various sizes and densities. The effects of the cloud parameters on ionization yield, wave energy growth, electron heating, momentum coupling, and the three-dimensional structure of the newly ionized plasma are discussed. The simulations suggest that the quantitative characteristics of momentum transfers among the ion beam, neutral cloud, and plasma waves is the key indicator of whether CIV can occur in space. The missing factors in space-based CIV experiments may be the conditions necessary for a continuous enhancement of the beam ion momentum. For a typical shaped charge release experiment, favorable CIV conditions may exist only in a very narrow, intermediate spatial region some distance from the release point due to the effects of the cloud density and size. When CIV does occur, the newly ionized plasma from the cloud forms a very complex structure due to the combined forces from the geomagnetic field, the motion induced emf, and the polarization. Hence the detection of CIV also critically depends on the sensor location.

Wang, J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

MEDPRAT Treatment Clusters: Improving Representation of Mission Medical Risk

INTRODUCTION The Medical Extensible Dynamic Probabilistic Risk Assessment Tool (MEDPRAT) implements a computational model that aims to quantify spaceflight medical risk by utilizing probabilistic techniques to simulate critical event incidence and outcomes over thousands of simulated mission trials. The goal of MEDPRAT is to characterize mission medical risk and provide insight into medical resource utilization. In order to analyze the medical resource space, treatment must be mapped from each simulated condition, and resources consumed as a result of this treatment must be tracked throughout the course of the mission. A new MEDPRAT feature, ‘treatment clusters’, provide a more sophisticated method of defining the structure and interaction between resources, more closely mimicking the way treatment is carried out clinically. METHODS Treatment clusters expand on the two existing treatment groupings (combination and alternate) adding a new grouping: bundled treatment. Treatment clusters may be combined to any depth, giving users the ability to specify complex treatment trees whose behavior is governed by several user-specified parameters. This approach emphasizes reusability, as treatment clusters, once defined, can be used to create more complex treatment trees or applied to many conditions. By configuring parameters for contribution, efficacy, necessity, primacy, and equivalence, resource relationships and dependencies can be more accurately represented, thereby allowing users to build capabilities with desired treatment properties, for example an intravenous capability for conditions such as anaphylaxis, acute radiation syndrome, etc. MEDPRAT v1.0 remains backward compatible with existing treatment structures, giving users the ability to define new treatment clusters as evidence becomes available, without having to recode their existing treatment databases. In addition to facilitating the representation of more complex treatment options, by pairing treatment clusters with the internal optimization routine, the MEDPRAT set selector, medical resources can be identified as organized in bundles, where appropriate, so that optimized resource sets include groups of highly-dependent resources only when all resources of the group are together. For example, it would be wasteful to include ultrasound gel but not an ultrasound machine, since the gel provides no benefit as a treatment without the ultrasound machine. With treatment clusters, the user may require that both resources are available to provide any benefit as treatment, so that if one resource is optimized out of the set, the other resource will be optimized out as well. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We will report on MEDPRAT treatment clusters used in a bundling study under the IMPACT project of the ExMC element. We will discuss an example of a complex treatment tree. Through the implementation of this feature MEDPRAT enables treatment to be defined and applied in a way that is more representative of the real world, providing more accurate insight into mission medical risk and the medical resource space.

Lawrence Leinweber↗
NASA NTRS1982

Research through simulation

The design of the computer operating system at Langley Research Center allows for concurrent support of time-critical simulations and background analytical computing on the same machine. Signal path interconnections between computing hardware and flight simulation hardware is provided to allow up to six simulation programs to be in operation at one time. Capabilities and research applications are discussed for the: (1) differential maneuvering simulator; (2) visual motion simulator; (3) terminal configured vehicle simulator; (4) general aviation aircraft simulator; (5) general purpose fixed based simulator; (6) transport simulator; (7) digital fly by wire simulator; (8) general purpose fighter simulator; and (9) the roll-up cockpit. The visual landing display system and graphics display system are described and their simulator support applications are listed.

Copeland, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Space Shuttle Orbiter nose cap and wing leading edge certification test program

A reinforced carbon-carbon thermal protection system is used on the space shuttle orbiter vehicle's nose cap and wing leading edge regions where temperatures reach 1538 C (2800 F). To verify the analyses used to certify reinforced carbon-carbon for the first flight and operational missions, a multi-environment incremental test program was developed and implemented through the combined efforts of Rockwell International and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Three separate facilities at the Johnson Space Center were used to subject full-scale nose cap and wing leading edge test articles to simulated critical launch, on-orbit, and atmospheric entry environments.

Suppanz, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Wide field of view helmet mounted display systems for helicopter simulation

This paper elaborates on visually-coupled Wide Field of View Helmet Mounted Display (WFOVHMD) system technology as a viable visual presentation system for helicopter simulation. Critical research issues on helmet mounted displays are reviewed. Tradeoffs associated with this mode of presentation as well as research and training applications are discussed.

Haworth, Loran A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Measuring the spectral emissivity of thermal protection materials during atmospheric reentry simulation

Hypersonic spacecraft reentering the earth's atmosphere encounter extreme heat due to atmospheric friction. Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials shield the craft from this searing heat, which can reach temperatures of 2900 F. Various thermophysical and optical properties of TPS materials are tested at the Johnson Space Center Atmospheric Reentry Materials and Structures Evaluation Facility, which has the capability to simulate critical environmental conditions associated with entry into the earth's atmosphere. Emissivity is an optical property that determines how well a material will reradiate incident heat back into the atmosphere upon reentry, thus protecting the spacecraft from the intense frictional heat. This report describes a method of measuring TPS emissivities using the SR5000 Scanning Spectroradiometer, and includes system characteristics, sample data, and operational procedures developed for arc-jet applications.

Marble, Elizabeth↗
NASA NTRS2011

Taurus II Stage Test Simulations: Using Large-Scale CFD Simulations to Provide Critical Insight into Plume Induced Environments During Design

This paper describes the use of targeted Loci/CHEM CFD simulations to evaluate the effects of a dual-engine first-stage hot-fire test on an evolving integrated launch pad/test article design. This effort was undertaken as a part of the NESC Independent Assessment of the Taurus II Stage Test Series. The underlying conceptual model included development of a series of computational models and simulations to analyze the plume induced environments on the pad, facility structures and test article. A pathfinder simulation was first developed, capable of providing quick-turn around evaluation of plume impingement pressures on the flame deflector. Results from this simulation were available in time to provide data for an ongoing structural assessment of the deflector. The resulting recommendation was available in a timely manner and was incorporated into construction schedule for the new launch stand under construction at Wallops Flight Facility. A series of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) quasi-steady simulations representative of various key elements of the test profile was performed to identify potential concerns with the test configuration and test profile. As required, unsteady Hybrid-RANS/LES simulations were performed, to provide additional insight into critical aspects of the test sequence. Modifications to the test-specific hardware and facility structures thermal protection as well as modifications to the planned hot-fire test profile were implemented based on these simulation results.

Struzenberg, L. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Solid-state Precipitation in Molecular Dynamics: KMC-MD Hybrid Simulations

A critical drawback of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations when modeling physical properties is the limitation to short timescales. Solid state precipitation is one behavior that is not significantly observable at timescales accessible to MD, and thus has been difficult to simulate at an MD scale. Taking inspiration from Kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) methods for simulating diffusion on a rigid lattice, we have developed a hybrid KMC-MD approach to enable simulation of solid-state precipitation during MD simulation implemented in LAMMPS. This method incorporates the atomic neighbor hopping behavior utilized by KMC simulations into a MD simulation with a variable local lattice configuration. By accelerating nearest-neighbor atomic hopping with this technique, solid-state precipitation can be observed at an MD timescale. Utilizing theory based on persistent-embryo methods for liquid-solid precipitation in MD we demonstrate the calculation of critical nucleus size for the gamma’ precipitation out of gamma phase in the Ni-Al system.

Molecular Dynamics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Solid-state Precipitation in Molecular Dynamics: kMC-MD Hybrid Simulations

A critical drawback of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations when modeling physical properties is the limitation to short timescales. Solid state precipitation is one behavior that is not significantly observable at timescales accessible to MD, and thus has been difficult to simulate at an MD scale. Taking inspiration from Kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) methods for simulating diffusion on a rigid lattice, we have developed a hybrid KMC-MD approach to enable simulation of solid-state precipitation during MD simulation implemented in LAMMPS. This method incorporates the atomic neighbor hopping behavior utilized by KMC simulations into a MD simulation with a variable local lattice configuration. By accelerating nearest-neighbor atomic hopping with this technique, solid-state precipitation can be observed at an MD timescale. Utilizing theory based on persistent-embryo methods for liquid-solid precipitation in MD we demonstrate the calculation of critical nucleus size for the gamma’ precipitation out of gamma phase in the Ni-Al system.

Molecular Dynamics↗
NASA NTRS1994

Particle-in-cell simulations of the critical ionization velocity effect in finite size clouds

The critical ionization velocity (CIV) mechanism in a finite size cloud is studied with a series of electrostatic particle-in-cell simulations. It is observed that an initial seed ionization, produced by non-CIV mechanisms, generates a cross-field ion beam which excites a modified beam-plasma instability (MBPI) with frequency in the range of the lower hybrid frequency. The excited waves accelerate electrons along the magnetic field up to the ion drift energy that exceeds the ionization energy of the neutral atoms. The heated electrons in turn enhance the ion beam by electron-neutral impact ionization, which establishes a positive feedback loop in maintaining the CIV process. It is also found that the efficiency of the CIV mechanism depends on the finite size of the gas cloud in the following ways: (1) Along the ambient magnetic field the finite size of the cloud, L (sub parallel), restricts the growth of the fastest growing mode, with a wavelength lambda (sub m parallel), of the MBPI. The parallel electron heating at wave saturation scales approximately as (L (sub parallel)/lambda (sub m parallel)) (exp 1/2); (2) Momentum coupling between the cloud and the ambient plasma via the Alfven waves occurs as a result of the finite size of the cloud in the direction perpendicular to both the ambient magnetic field and the neutral drift. This reduces exponentially with time the relative drift between the ambient plasma and the neutrals. The timescale is inversely proportional to the Alfven velocity. (3) The transvers e charge separation field across the cloud was found to result in the modulation of the beam velocity which reduces the parallel heating of electrons and increases the transverse acceleration of electrons. (4) Some energetic electrons are lost from the cloud along the magnetic field at a rate characterized by the acoustic velocity, instead of the electron thermal velocity. The loss of energetic electrons from the cloud seems to be larger in the direction of plasma drift relative to the neutrals, where the loss rate is characterized by the neutral drift velocity. It is also shown that a factor of 4 increase in the ambient plasma density, increases the CIV ionization yield by almost 2 orders of magnitude at the end of a typical run. It is concluded that a larger ambient plasma density can result in a larger CIV yield because of (1) larger seed ion production by non-CIV mechanisms, (2) smaller Alfven velocity and hence weak momentum coupling, and (3) smaller ratio of the ion beam density to the ambient ion density, and therefore a weaker modulation of the beam velocity. The simulation results are used to interpret various chemical release experiments in space.

Moghaddam-Taaheri, E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project: The Critical Components to Simulate Cirrus Initiation Explicitly - Phase 1

The Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project, a project of the GCSS (GEWEX Cloud System Studies) Working Group on Cirrus Cloud Systems, involves the systematic comparison of current models of ice crystal nucleation and growth for specified, typical, cirrus cloud environments. In Phase I of the project reported here, simulated cirrus cloud microphysical properties are compared for situations of "warm" (40 C) and "cold" (-60 C) cirrus, both subject to updrafts of 4, 20 and 100 centimeters per second. Five models participated. The various models employ explicit microphysical schemes wherein the size distribution of each class of particles (aerosols and ice crystals) is resolved into bins or treated separately. Simulations are made including both the homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanisms. A single initial aerosol population of sulfuric acid particles is prescribed for all simulations. To isolate the treatment of the homogeneous freezing (of haze droplets) nucleation process, the heterogeneous nucleation mechanism is disabled for a second parallel set of simulations. Qualitative agreement is found for the homogeneous-nucleation- only simulations, e.g., the number density of nucleated ice crystals increases with the strength of the prescribed updraft. However, significant quantitative differences are found. Detailed analysis reveals that the homogeneous nucleation rate, haze particle solution concentration, and water vapor uptake rate by ice crystal growth (particularly as controlled by the deposition coefficient) are critical components that lead to differences in predicted microphysics. Systematic bias exists between results based on a modified classical theory approach and models using an effective freezing temperature approach to the treatment of nucleation. Each approach is constrained by critical freezing data from laboratory studies, but each includes assumptions that can only be justified by further laboratory research. Consequently, it is not yet clear if the two approaches can be made consistent. Large haze particles may deviate considerably from equilibrium size in moderate to strong updrafts (20-100 centimeters per second) at -60 C when the commonly invoked equilibrium assumption is lifted. The resulting difference in particle-size- dependent solution concentration of haze particles may significantly affect the ice particle formation rate during the initial nucleation interval. The uptake rate for water vapor excess by ice crystals is another key component regulating the total number of nucleated ice crystals. This rate, the product of particle number concentration and ice crystal diffusional growth rate, which is particularly sensitive to the deposition coefficient when ice particles are small, modulates the peak particle formation rate achieved in an air parcel and the duration of the active nucleation time period. The effects of heterogeneous nucleation are most pronounced in weak updraft situations. Vapor competition by the heterogeneously nucleated ice crystals may limit the achieved ice supersaturation and thus suppresses the contribution of homogeneous nucleation. Correspondingly, ice crystal number density is markedly reduced. Definitive laboratory and atmospheric benchmark data are needed for the heterogeneous nucleation process. Inter-model differences are correspondingly greater than in the case of the homogeneous nucleation process acting alone.

Lin, Ruei-Fong↗
NASA NTRS1978

Numerical aerodynamic simulation facility

Critical to the advancement of computational aerodynamics capability is the ability to simulate flows about three-dimensional configurations that contain both compressible and viscous effects, including turbulence and flow separation at high Reynolds numbers. Analyses were conducted of two solution techniques for solving the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations describing the mean motion of a turbulent flow with certain terms involving the transport of turbulent momentum and energy modeled by auxiliary equations. The first solution technique is an implicit approximate factorization finite-difference scheme applied to three-dimensional flows that avoids the restrictive stability conditions when small grid spacing is used. The approximate factorization reduces the solution process to a sequence of three one-dimensional problems with easily inverted matrices. The second technique is a hybrid explicit/implicit finite-difference scheme which is also factored and applied to three-dimensional flows. Both methods are applicable to problems with highly distorted grids and a variety of boundary conditions and turbulence models.

Bailey, F. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Mission and Safety Critical (MASC): An EVACS simulation with nested transactions

The Extra-Vehicular Activity Control System (EVACS) Simulation with Nested Transactions, a recent effort of the MISSION Kernel Team, is documented. The EVACS simulation is a simulation of some aspects of the Extra-Vehicular Activity Control System, in particular, just the selection of communication frequencies. The simulation is a tool to explore mission and safety critical (MASC) applications. For the purpose of this effort, its current definition is quite narrow serving only as a starting point for prototyping purposes. (Note that EVACS itself has been supplanted in a larger scenario of a lunar outpost with astronauts and a lunar rover). The frequency selection scenario was modified to embed its processing in nested transactions. Again as a first step, only two aspects of transaction support were implemented in this prototype: architecture and state recovery. Issues of concurrency and distribution are yet to be addressed.

Auty, David↗
NASA NTRS2018

Understanding Extended Projected Profile (EPP) Trajectory Error Using a Medium-Fidelity Aircraft Simulation

A critical component of Trajectory-Based Operations is the ability for a consistent and accurate 4-dimensional trajectory to be shared and synchronized between airborne and ground systems as well as amongst various ground automation systems. The Aeronautical Telecommunication Network—Baseline 2 standard defines the Extended Projected Profile (EPP) trajectory that can be sent via Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract from an aircraft to ground automation. The EPP trajectory message contains a representation of the reference trajectory from an aircraft’s Flight Management System (FMS). In this work, a set of scenarios were run in a medium-fidelity aircraft and FMS simulation to perform an initial characterization of EPP trajectory errors under a given set of conditions. The parameters investigated were the route length, route type, wind magnitude error, wind direction error, and with and without a required time-of-arrival constraint.

Guerreiro, Nelson M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Simulation Credibility: Advances in Verification, Validation, and Uncertainty Quantification

Decision makers and other users of simulations need to know quantified simulation credibility to make simulation-based critical decisions and effectively use simulations, respectively. The credibility of a simulation is quantified by its accuracy in terms of uncertainty, and the responsibility of establishing credibility lies with the creator of the simulation. In this volume, we present some state-of-the-art philosophies, principles, and frameworks. The contributing authors involved in this publication have been dedicated to advancing simulation credibility. They detail and provide examples of key advances over the last 10 years in the processes used to quantify simulation credibility: verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification. The philosophies and assessment methods presented here are anticipated to be useful to other technical communities conducting continuum physics-based simulations; for example, issues related to the establishment of simulation credibility in the discipline of propulsion are discussed. We envision that simulation creators will find this volume very useful to guide and assist them in quantitatively conveying the credibility of their simulations.

Simulation Credibility↗