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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 19 records

Fractional Order Modeling of Atmospheric Turbulence - A More Accurate Modeling Methodology for Aero Vehicles

The presentation covers a recently developed methodology to model atmospheric turbulence as disturbances for aero vehicle gust loads and for controls development like flutter and inlet shock position. The approach models atmospheric turbulence in their natural fractional order form, which provides for more accuracy compared to traditional methods like the Dryden model, especially for high speed vehicle. The presentation provides a historical background on atmospheric turbulence modeling and the approaches utilized for air vehicles. This is followed by the motivation and the methodology utilized to develop the atmospheric turbulence fractional order modeling approach. Some examples covering the application of this method are also provided, followed by concluding remarks.

Atmospheric Turbulence Modeling↗

Modeling methodology for MLS range navigation system errors using flight test data

Flight test data was used to develop a methodology for modeling MLS range navigation system errors. The data used corresponded to the constant velocity and glideslope approach segment of a helicopter landing trajectory. The MLS range measurement was assumed to consist of low frequency and random high frequency components. The random high frequency component was extracted from the MLS range measurements. This was done by appropriate filtering of the range residual generated from a linearization of the range profile for the final approach segment. This range navigation system error was then modeled as an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) process. Maximum likelihood techniques were used to identify the parameters of the ARMA process.

Karmali, M. S.↗

Integrated Modeling Methodology Validation Using the Micro-Precision Interferometer Testbed

This paper validates the integrated modeling methodology used for design and performance evaluation of complex opto-mechanical systems, particularly spaceborne interferometers. The methodology integrates structural modeling, optical modeling, and control system design into a common environment, the Integrated Modeling of Optical Systems (IMOS) software package.

opto-mechanical↗

Comparison of Prediction Modeling Methodologies for Aeroacoustic Characterization of Hovering sUAS Rotors

This work compared artificial neural network and multivariate orthogonal function modeling methodologies for the prediction and characterization of isolated hovering sUAS rotor aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. Design of Experiments was used to create input feature spaces over 9 input features: the number of rotor blades, rotor size, rotor speed, the amount of blade twist, blade taper ratio, tip chord length, collective pitch, airfoil camber, and airfoil thickness. CAMRAD~II and AARON were executed at the points defined by the input feature space to predict aerodynamic and aeroacoustic quantities. These predicted aerodynamic and aeroacoustic data were then used to generate artificial neural networks and polynomial response surface models. The two prediction model methodologies were evaluated over test data previously unseen by the models, which showed good prediction capabilities for both model types, with slightly lower prediction error for the artificial neural networks. A characterization study was performed, which showed that input features correspondent to the spanwise sectional blade lift and drag were the most significant factors to the aerodynamic thrust and power, respectively. It was also shown that the aeroacoustic quantities were highly dependent on variations in rotor speed and size, which affect the Doppler factor for tonal noise and the spanwise Reynolds number for broadband noise.

Christopher S Thurman↗

A Multiscale Progressive Failure Modeling Methodology for Composites that Includes Fiber Strength Stochastics

A multiscale modeling methodology was developed for continuous fiber composites that incorporates a statistical distribution of fiber strengths into coupled multiscale micromechanics/finite element (FE) analyses. A modified two-parameter Weibull cumulative distribution function, which accounts for the effect of fiber length on the probability of failure, was used to characterize the statistical distribution of fiber strengths. A parametric study using the NASA Micromechanics Analysis Code with the Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) was performed to assess the effect of variable fiber strengths on local composite failure within a repeating unit cell (RUC) and subsequent global failure. The NASA code FEAMAC and the ABAQUS finite element solver were used to analyze the progressive failure of a unidirectional SCS-6/TIMETAL 21S metal matrix composite tensile dogbone specimen at 650 degC. Multiscale progressive failure analyses were performed to quantify the effect of spatially varying fiber strengths on the RUC-averaged and global stress-strain responses and failure. The ultimate composite strengths and distribution of failure locations (predominately within the gage section) reasonably matched the experimentally observed failure behavior. The predicted composite failure behavior suggests that use of macroscale models that exploit global geometric symmetries are inappropriate for cases where the actual distribution of local fiber strengths displays no such symmetries. This issue has not received much attention in the literature. Moreover, the model discretization at a specific length scale can have a profound effect on the computational costs associated with multiscale simulations.models that yield accurate yet tractable results.

Generalized Method of Cells↗

The IDEAL (Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis Languages) modeling methodology: Capabilities and Applications

The IDEAL (Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis Languages) modeling methodology has been formulated and applied over a five-year period. It has proven to be a unique, integrated approach utilizing a top-down, structured technique to define and document the system of interest; a knowledge engineering technique to collect and organize system descriptive information; a rapid prototyping technique to perform preliminary system performance analysis; and a sophisticated simulation technique to perform in-depth system performance analysis.

Evers, Ken H.↗

A computer modeling methodology and tool for assessing design concepts for the Space Station Data Management System

A computer modeling tool is being developed to assess candidate designs for the Space Station Data Management System (DMS). The DMS is to be a complex distributed computer system including the processor, storage devices, local area networks, and software that will support all processing functions onboard the Space Station. The modeling tool will allow a candidate design for the DMS, or for other subsystems that use the DMS, to be evaluated in terms of parameters. The tool and its associated modeling methodology are intended for use by DMS and subsystem designers to perform tradeoff analyses between design concepts using varied architectures and technologies.

Jones, W. R.↗

Implementing the Simple Biosphere Model (SiB) in a general circulation model: Methodologies and results

The Simple Biosphere MOdel (SiB) of Sellers et al., (1986) was designed to simulate the interactions between the Earth's land surface and the atmosphere by treating the vegetation explicitly and relistically, thereby incorporating biophysical controls on the exchanges of radiation, momentum, sensible and latent heat between the two systems. The steps taken to implement SiB in a modified version of the National Meteorological Center's spectral GCM are described. The coupled model (SiB-GCM) was used with a conventional hydrological model (Ctl-GCM) to produce summer and winter simulations. The same GCM was used with a conventional hydrological model (Ctl-GCM) to produce comparable 'control' summer and winter variations. It was found that SiB-GCM produced a more realistic partitioning of energy at the land surface than Ctl-GCM. Generally, SiB-GCM produced more sensible heat flux and less latent heat flux over vegetated land than did Ctl-GCM and this resulted in the development of a much deeper daytime planetary boundary and reduced precipitation rates over the continents in SiB-GCM. In the summer simulation, the 200 mb jet stream and the wind speed at 850 mb were slightly weakened in the SiB-GCM relative to the Ctl-GCM results and equivalent analyses from observations.

Sato, N.↗

Optimization of the propulsion cycles for advanced shuttles. I - Propulsion mass model methodology

During the past year NASA and DLR computer codes were combined in order to analyze and optimize advanced rocket launcher systems. Previous optimization results led to relatively low chamber pressures and nozzle area ratios for the different cycles. Additional effort has been made to improve the verification of propulsive parameters such as chamber pressure, nozzle extension, kind of cycle, tripropellant systems, variable mixture ratio rocket motors, new technology effects, etc. The emphasis of this paper is to describe the methodology of the improved propulsion mass model.

Manski, Detlef↗

Electric Aircraft Propulsion Power System Impedance Modelling Methodology

This paper describes techniques to be used to model megawatt Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (MW EAP) components, specifically motor/generators and inverters, DC-DC converters, and long power leads; resulting in impedance-based models which require no information from the component manufacturers. A custom curve fitting method is described, and an example power supply model is fit using measured impedance data. A method called subscale measurement, employing measurement equipment which has much lower power capability than the MW EAP system under test, is described, simulated, and used to generate an impedance transfer function model of a load. Finally, stability analysis using a Nyquist based approach is performed on the combined supply and load system, using the generated models.

Megawatt electrified aircraft propulsion↗

One-Dimensional Modeling Methodology for Shock Tubes: Application to the EAST Facility

In this work, a one-dimensional methodology for simulating shock tubes is developed. The model accounts for the viscous interactions of the shock with the shock tube wall by adding an area change source term in the 1-D conservation equations corresponding to the boundary layer growth. This source term corresponds to the mass and energy going into the boundary layer. The boundary layer growth is computed using a simple model with a scaling factor. This scale factor is used to tailor a solution to match the deceleration profile of a shock tube test. In doing so, not only will the source term take into account boundary layer losses, it will also cover any effect due to radiative cooling loses from the gas. For this study, the Electric Arc Shock Tube(EAST) facility at NASA Ames Research Center is modeled for Earth reentry conditions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if anomalies identified for certain conditions in the EAST data are due to shock deceleration. These anomalies include measuring electron number density above equilibrium predictions and observing that radiance profiles can continually increase behind the shock, never reach steady state, for certain shots (typically those less than 10 km/s). An eleven species air mixture is chosen to study the chemistry of the flow. Comparisons of the simulations to the experimental results are presented. Good agreement with the shock deceleration profiles was achieved by tuning in the boundary layer scale factor. The temperature as well as electron number density increases behind the shock, as has also been observed in the experiments. Finally, radiance comparisons between results from NEQAIR and experiments also show good agreement for some shots, but significant discrepancies are still observed for others.

Sharma, Maitreyee↗

One-Dimensional Modeling Methodology for Shock Tubes: Application to the EAST Facility

In this work, a one-dimensional methodology for simulating shock tubes is developed. The model accounts for the viscous interactions of the shock with the shock tube wall by adding an area change source term in the 1-D conservation equations corresponding to the boundary layer growth. This source term corresponds to the mass and energy going into the boundary layer. The boundary layer growth is computed using a simple model with a scaling factor. This scale factor is used to tailor a solution to match the deceleration profile of a shock tube test. In doing so, not only will the source term take into account boundary layer losses, it will also cover any effect due to radiative cooling loses from the gas. For this study, the Electric Arc Shock Tube(EAST) facility at NASA Ames Research Center is modeled for Earth reentry conditions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if anomalies identified for certain conditions in the EAST data are due to shock deceleration. These anomalies include measuring electron number density above equilibrium predictions and observing that radiance profiles can continually increase behind the shock, never reach steady state, for certain shots (typically those less than 10 km/s). An eleven species air mixture is chosen to study the chemistry of the flow. Comparisons of the simulations to the experimental results are presented. Good agreement with the shock deceleration profiles was achieved by tuning in the boundary layer scale factor. The temperature as well as electron number density increases behind the shock, as has also been observed in the experiments. Finally, radiance comparisons between results from NEQAIR and experiments also show good agreement for some shots, but significant discrepancies are still observed for others.

Sharma, Maitreyee↗

Coupled Reactor and Engine Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Modeling Methodology

The design and development process of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system requires extensive multiphysics modeling to couple the neutron physics and thermal feedback effects to determine the reactor’s power shape. Propulsion system performance codes utilize this power shape to determine NTP key performance parameters. While the power shape is heavily dependent on the temperature profile and geometry of the reactor, many analyses either assume a constant power shape, or use neutronics analysis to determine a power shape for a specific reactor configuration. The development of a coupling interface for a propulsion system performance code and a Monte Carlo neutron transport code (OpenMC) allows for the reactor power shape to be calculated in an iteration loop. The interface utilizes a file share system to transfer geometry dimensions, temperatures, and material identifiers to OpenMC, which is used to perform a neutron transport simulation of a design like the government Testing Reference Design reactor. The interface is then able to post-process the results from OpenMC and use the same file share system to share a power shape and other important neutron transport parameters to the system performance code. Initial results show that neglecting the changes to power shape when comparing reactor configurations can yield inaccurate results. Furthermore, utilizing propellants other than hydrogen gas can cause significant changes to the power shape, and thus, the thermal performance of a specific reactor design. This methodology is being expanded to allow for multiple families of NTP reactors to be analyzed, including block moderator, particle bed, and NERVA-derived reactors.

multiphysics coupling↗

Coupled Reactor and Engine Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Modeling Methodology

The design and development process of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system requires extensive multiphysics modeling to couple the neutron physics and thermal feedback effects to determine the reactor’s power shape. Propulsion system performance codes utilize this power shape to determine NTP key performance parameters. While the power shape is heavily dependent on the temperature profile and geometry of the reactor, many analyses either assume a constant power shape, or use neutronics analysis to determine a power shape for a specific reactor configuration. The development of a coupling interface for a propulsion system performance code and a Monte Carlo neutron transport code (OpenMC) allows for the reactor power shape to be calculated in an iteration loop. The interface utilizes a file share system to transfer geometry dimensions, temperatures, and material identifiers to OpenMC, which is used to perform a neutron transport simulation of a design like the government Testing Reference Design reactor. The interface is then able to post-process the results from OpenMC and use the same file share system to share a power shape and other important neutron transport parameters to the system performance code. Initial results show that neglecting the changes to power shape when comparing reactor configurations can yield inaccurate results. Furthermore, utilizing propellants other than hydrogen gas can cause significant changes to the power shape, and thus, the thermal performance of a specific reactor design. This methodology is being expanded to allow for multiple families of NTP reactors to be analyzed, including block moderator, particle bed, and NERVA-derived reactors.

multiphysics coupling↗

Diabatic forcing and initialization with assimilation of cloud and rain water in a forecast model: Methodology

The focus of this part of the investigation is to find one or more general modeling techniques that will help reduce the time taken by numerical forecast models to initiate or spin-up precipitation processes and enhance storm intensity. If the conventional data base could explain the atmospheric mesoscale flow in detail, then much of our problem would be eliminated. But the data base is primarily synoptic scale, requiring that a solution must be sought either in nonconventional data, in methods to initialize mesoscale circulations, or in ways of retaining between forecasts the model generated mesoscale dynamics and precipitation fields. All three methods are investigated. The initialization and assimilation of explicit cloud and rainwater quantities computed from conservation equations in a mesoscale regional model are examined. The physical processes include condensation, evaporation, autoconversion, accretion, and the removal of rainwater by fallout. The question of how to initialize the explicit liquid water calculations in numerical models and how to retain information about precipitation processes during the 4-D assimilation cycle are important issues that are addressed. The explicit cloud calculations were purposely kept simple so that different initialization techniques can be easily and economically tested. Precipitation spin-up processes associated with three different types of weather phenomena are examined. Our findings show that diabatic initialization, or diabatic initialization in combination with a new diabatic forcing procedure, work effectively to enhance the spin-up of precipitation in a mesoscale numerical weather prediction forecast. Also, the retention of cloud and rain water during the analysis phase of the 4-D data assimilation procedure is shown to be valuable. Without detailed observations, the vertical placement of the diabatic heating remains a critical problem.

Raymond, William H.↗

Coupled Reactor and Engine Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Modeling Methodology

The design and development process of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system requires extensive multiphysics modeling to couple the neutron physics and thermal feedback effects to determine the reactor’s power shape. Propulsion system performance codes utilize this power shape to determine NTP key performance parameters. While the power shape is heavily dependent on the temperature profile and geometry of the reactor, many analyses either assume a constant power shape, or use neutronics analysis to determine a power shape for a specific reactor configuration. The development of a coupling interface for a propulsion system performance code and a Monte Carlo neutron transport code (OpenMC) allows for the reactor power shape to be calculated in a Picard iteration.

Jacob Stonehill↗