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Park, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Park, C..

At least 37 records · Page 2

Proposed radiometric measurement of the wake of a blunt aerobrake

This paper describes the aerothermal environment in the afterbody region of a blunt entry body. Recent ground-based experiments and computational predictions of the afterbody flow structure and radiation are presented. The similarity between the flowfield structures observed in the ground-based experiments and that obtained by calculation is encouraging. Approximate calculations of the radiative heating rate to the base are presented. Many of the phenomena associated with the expanding flow at the corner and the formation of the wake neck, however, are not well understood and require further study. A flight experiment is described that would use spectral and total measurements of the wake radiation as a nonintrusive diagnostic method to provide insight into the thermodynamic state of the wake gas.

Strawa, A. W.

An overview of Ames experimental aerothermodynamics

This paper reviews the recent experimental research activities on aerothermodynamics within NASA Ames Research Center. The activities included in this review are those in (1) the electric arc-driven shock tubes, (2) the combustion-driven shock tube, (3) the ballistic ranges, and (4) the arc-jet wind tunnel facilities. The paper is a collection and collation of the papers published previously in the open literature on the activities in these facilities. The paper highlights the contributions made by each facility in the high temperature real-gas flow regimes.

Park, C.

Radiometric investigation of the wake flow of the forthcoming Aeroassist Flight Experiment

This paper describes the rationale for conducting the proposed radiation measurement in the afterbody region of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) vehicle, the results of the calculations of expected radiation intensities performed to date, and the instrumentation for the measurement. The experiment, named the Afterbody Radiometry Experiment (ARE), is one of the experiments that will be carried on board the AFE vehicle. The paper collates the existing experimental data to show the possibility that there may be substantial radiative heating of the afterbody region of an Aeroassisted Space Transfer Vehicle, which necessitates an experiment of the kind proposed. Calculations of the radiative heating rate to the base of the AFE are, qualitatively, in fair agreement with previous experimental work, which indicated that the radiative heating of the base is about 5 percent of that at the stagnation point.

Strawa, A. W.

The Importance of the Measurement of the Unsteady Wake of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment Vehicle: A White Paper

The High Frequency Radiometer (HFR) is the only instrument on the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) with sufficient temporal resolution to discern the frequency of unsteady wake oscillations. Determining both the frequency and amplitude of wake unsteadiness during AFE atmospheric entry is essential for reliably predicting the geometry and motion of the wake of future Aeroassisted Space Transfer Vehicles (ASTV). These parameters directly affect the location and size of the pay- load and the weight of the required afterbody heat protection. The purpose of the AFE is to validate the technologies required for the design of ASTVs, which will be used to exploit Earth-lunar space. This validation will be conducted at a combination of vehicle size, altitude, and velocity not obtainable in ground-based facilities. The AFE will provide the experimental flight data needed to improve our understanding of hypersonic-wake physics and to validate computational predictions of the aerodynamic and heating loads, including afterbody radiative heating loads, on an ASTV. Reliable prediction of ASTV wake flows will ensure that payloads are located within the shear-layer envelope and will determine the amount of thermal protection the payloads require. Specifically, understanding the temporal nature of the wake unsteadiness is important for two reasons. Most importantly, analysis of ground-based experiments suggests that wake unsteadiness results in a variation of as much as +/- 5 deg in the shear-flow turning angle. This angle must be reliably predicted to avoid shear-layer impingement on the vehicle afterbody, which would result in heating rates of about 10 W/sq cm, of the same order as on the forebody stagnation point. Secondly, the energy associated with wake unsteadiness will reduce the static enthalpy of the wake fluid and cause an error of as much as 30% in the amount of predicted wake radiative heating. Therefore, the HFR flight data, which will quantify the frequency and amplitude of the wake unsteadiness, are required for the verification of computational models of ASTV flowfields. Measurement of wake unsteadiness has been endorsed by the Peer Science Steering Group and the AFE Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Working Group. The Peer Science Steering Group has stressed that a reliable measurement of the wake unsteadiness is fundamental because incorporating unsteadiness represents a substantial challenge to the CFD community, and a reliable measurement will raise confidence in the computer simulation. The AFE CFD Working Group has stated that 44 any data which would prove the existence and effects of unsteady flow would be extremely valuable.

Strawa, A. W.

Theory of radiation from low velocity heated air

The application of hypersonic computational fluid dynamics models to low velocity vehicles is examined. Modeling aspects such as chemical kinetics, electronic excitation/deexcitation mechanisms, and existence of equilibrium versus nonequilibrium conditions in the flow were examined. Flowfield properties and in-band radiances in the wavelength region of .25 micron in the vicinity of the stagnation streamline are given for a three-inch hemisphere.

Levin, D. A.

Aerodynamic and thermal characteristics of modified raked-off blunted cone

One of the leading candidate concepts of aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles incorporates an aerobrake in the shape of a raked-off ellipsoidally blunted elliptic cone. The present paper proposes modifying this geometry to a spherically blunted circular cone to avoid flow impingement on the afterbody. In addition, the vehicle components are arranged axially so that the vehicle is always aerodynamically stable and controllable. The Newtonian aerodynamic characteristics of the modified aerobrake geometry are determined and are shown to be nearly identical to those of the elliptic cone described above. Flight regimes and heat transfer rates, both convective and nonequilibrium radiative, are calculated using the most up-to-date methods. It is shown that the total heat transfer rates for a noncatalytic heat shield will remain below tolerable limits.

Davies, C. B.

Assessment of two-temperature kinetic model for dissociating and weakly-ionizing nitrogen

The validity of the author's two-temperature, chemical/kinetic model which the author has recently improved is assessed by comparing the calculated results with the existing experimental data for nitrogen in the dissociating and weakly ionizing regime produced behind a normal shock wave. The computer program Shock Tube Radiation Program (STRAP) based on the two-temperature model is used in calculating the flow properties behind the shock wave and the Nonequilibrium Air Radiation (NEQAIR) program, in determining the radiative characteristics of the flow. Both programs were developed earlier. Comparison is made between the calculated and the existing shock tube data on (1) spectra in the equilibrium region, (2) rotational temperature of the N2(+) B state, (3) vibrational temperature of the N2(+) B state, (4) electronic excitation temperature of the N2 B state, (5) the shape of time-variation of radiation intensities, (6) the times to reach the peak in radiation intensity and equilibrium, and (7) the ratio of nonequilibrium to equilibrium radiative heat fluxes. Good agreement is seen between the experimental data and the present calculation except for the vibrational temperature. A possible reason for the discrepancy is given.

Park, C.

Theory of idealized two-dimensional ballute in Newtonian hypersonic flow

A differential equation governing the geometry of a two-dimensional ballute in hypersonic flow and its constraining boundary conditions are derived under idealized assumptions. By solving these equations, the shape of the ballute is determined over a range of conditions. Lift, drag, pitching moment, and the allowed limit of center-of-gravity location for stability (meta-center) are then calculated using Newtonian hypersonic approximation. It is shown that the meta-center occurs near the forward end because of compliance of the ballute membrane to the shock layer pressures, especially at low free-stream densities. In order for the vehicle employing the ballute to be stable at all densities, the center of gravity must be within approximately the forward 20 percent of overall length of the vehicle. However, typical flight trajectories of an aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicle employing the ballute for aerobraking show that the vehicle may be able to complete its atmospheric flight without tumbling provided that the center of gravity is located within the forward 43 percent of the vehicle length because of the relatively short duration of flight through the destabilizing low-density regime.

Park, C.

A review of shock waves around aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles

Aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTVs) are a proposed type of reusable spacecraft that would be used to transport cargoes from one earth-bound orbit to another. Such vehicles could be based on the proposed space station and used to transport commercial satellites from the space station to geostationary orbits or to polar orbits and return. During a mission, AOTVs would fly through earth's atmosphere, thus generating aerodynamic forces that could be used for decelerating the vehicles or changing their direction. AOTV research findings were concerned with the shock-wave-induced, high-temperature airflows that would be produced around these vehicles during atmospheric flight. Special emphasis was placed on the problems of: (1) the chemical physics of multitemperature, ionizing, nonequilibrium air flows, and (2) the dynamics of the flows in the base region of a blunt body with complex afterbody geometry.

Park, C.

Nonequilibrium air radiation (Nequair) program: User's manual

A supplement to the data relating to the calculation of nonequilibrium radiation in flight regimes of aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles contains the listings of the computer code NEQAIR (Nonequilibrium Air Radiation), its primary input data, and explanation of the user-supplied input variables. The user-supplied input variables are the thermodynamic variables of air at a given point, i.e., number densities of various chemical species, translational temperatures of heavy particles and electrons, and vibrational temperature. These thermodynamic variables do not necessarily have to be in thermodynamic equilibrium. The code calculates emission and absorption characteristics of air under these given conditions.

Park, C.

A review of shock waves around aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles

Aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTVs) are a proposed type of reusable spacecraft that would be used to transport cargoes from one Earth-bound orbit to another. Such vehicles could be based on the proposed space station and used to transport commercial satellites from the space station to geostationary orbits or to polar orbits and return. During a mission, AOTVs would fly through Earth's atmosphere, thus generating aerodynamic forces that could be used for decelerating the vehicles or changing their direction. AOTV research findings were concerned with the shock-wave-induced, high-temperature airflows that would be produced around these vehicles during atmospheric flight. Special emphasis was placed on the problems of: (1) the chemical physics of multitemperature, ionizing, nonequilibrium air flows, and (2) the dynamics of the flows in the base region of a blunt body with complex afterbody geometry.

Park, C.

Optimum configuration of high-lift aeromaneuvering orbital transfer vehicles in viscous flow

The results of an analysis to determine the geometrical configuration of an aeroassisted transfer vehicle with a high lift-to-drag ratio (L/D) are described and the constraints imposed on this type of entry vehicle are considered. The aerodynamic characteristics of three configurations, a flat-plate delta wing, a truncated straight cone, and a truncated bent biconic are compared. The effect of viscosity is included in the analysis which examines the rounding of the sharp leading edges. It is shown that, under the constraints of carrying a given volume in the dead air region, the values of L/D are similar for each configuration and that a small blunt leading edge only slightly affects each vehicle's aerodynamic performance, causing less than a 5 percent drop in L/D. The truncated bent biconic is found to be the only configuration that provides the necessary stabilizing moments.

Davies, C. B.

Radiative viscous-shock-layer analysis of Fire, Apollo, and PAET flight data

Equilibrium, radiating viscous-shock-layer solutions are obtained for a number of trajectory points of the Fire II, Apollo 4, and PAET experimental flight vehicles. Convective heating rates calculated by a benchmark code agree well, except at high altitudes corresponding to low densities, with two engineering correlations. Calculated radiation intensities are compared with the flight radiometer data and with inviscid flow results. Differences as great as 70 percent are observed between measured data and the viscous calculations. Viscous effects reduce the intensity toward the wall, because of boundary-layer absorption, by as much as 30 percent, compared with inviscid intensities. Preliminary chemical and thermal nonequilibrium flow calculations along a stagnation streamline for a PAET trajectory predict enhancement of radiation owing to chemical relaxation. Stagnation point solutions are also presented for future air-assisted orbital transfer vehicle geometries with nose radii ranging from 0.3 to 15 m.

Balakrishnan, A.

Radiometer experiment for the aeroassist flight experiment

A forthcoming NASA flight experiment is described that provides an opportunity to obtain a large base of radiometric data for high-altitude, high-velocity thermochemically nonequilibrated-flow conditions. As a preliminary to the design of a radiometer for this experiment, an approximate method for predicting both equilibrium and nonequilibrium radiative surface fluxes is described. Spectral results for one trajectory state, a velocity of 10 km/sec at an altitude of 85 km, are presented. These results are then used to develop some of the instrument parameters that will be needed for designing of the three genre of radiometers that are proposed for this experiment.

Davy, W. C.

Decomposition of ethylene on small Pd particles

New results have been obtained which contribute to the understanding of hydrocarbon reactions on the surface of highly dispersed metal systems. Small particle of Pd were grown by electron beam evaporation on cleavage planes of high purity natural mica under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Samples were subsequently characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Average particle sizes ranged from about 1 to 10 nm diameter. The chemisoption and decomposition of C2H4 on the Pd particles was studied using Auger electron spectroscopy and flash thermal desorption. It is shown that (a) C2H4 decomposes on Pd particles at room temperature, (b) specific surface sites are causing decomposition, and (c) the proportion of such active sites is significantly greater for the smaller metal particles. This enhanced reactivity may be due to an increase in the density of step, corner, and edge sites with a decrease in particle size.

Durrer, W. G.

The interaction of small metal particles with refractory oxide supports

Islands and continuous layers of Pd were grown in UHV on Mo and MoO subtrates. As-deposited Pd islands and layers exhibited bulk Pd adsorption properties for CO when the Pd had been deposited at RT and at thicknesses exceeding 3 ML. However, CO adsorption was drastically reduced upon annealing. This deactivation was interpreted in terms of substrate/support interaction involving the diffusion of substrate species toward the Pd surface, using AES, TPD, and work function measurement techniques. A study of the growth and annealing behavior of Pd on Mo(110) was made for thicknesses up to 12 monolayers and substrate temperatures up to 1300K, using AES, XPS, LEED, and work function measurements. At low tempertures Pd formed a monolayer without alloying. In thick layers (12 ML) annealed about 700 K, Mo diffusion into the Pd layer and alloying were noted. Such layers remained continuous up to 1100 K. Thinner Pd layers were less stable and started coalescing upon annealing to as little as 550 K. Significant changes in Pd Auger peak shape, as well as shifts of Pd core levels, were observed during layer growth and annealing.

Park, C.