Engineering topics

Smith, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Smith, M..

226 records · Page 13

NASA NTRS1974

NASA Lewis H2-O2 MHD program

Performance and power costs of H2-O2 combustion powered steam-MHD central power systems are estimated. Hydrogen gas is assumed to be transmitted by pipe from a remote coal gasifier into the city and converted to electricity in a steam MHD plant having an integral gaseous oxygen plant. These steam MHD systems appear to offer an attractive alternative to both in-city clean fueled conventional steam power plants and to remote coal fired power plants with underground electric transmission into the city. Status and plans are outlined for an experimental evaluation of H2-O2 combustion-driven MHD power generators at NASA Lewis Research Center.

Smith, M.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Reusable silica surface-insulation material

Material was specifically developed for manufacture of insulating tiles, but it can be molded into other shapes as required. Basic raw materials are high-purity silica fiber, fumed-silica powder, and reagent-grade starch. Only purest materials are used, and care must be taken to avoid contamination during processing.

Goldstein, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Silica Reusable Surface Insulation Improvement Research

Fiber characterization, fabrication processes, physical properties, and thermal responses are investigated to improve silica reusable surface insulation tiles. Criteria for fiber selection on the basis of chemical composition, shrinkage, and devitrification have been defined and a simple process for fabricating silica surface insulation materials has been developed that produces only 5% shrinkage and no devitrification of tiles at 1533 K in ten hours. Anisotropic tile with improved weak direction strength has been fabricated using conventional molding techniques.

Goldstein, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Candidate configuration trade study, Stellar-inertial Measurement Systems (SIMS) for an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS)

The results of analytical and simulation studies of the stellar-inertial measurement system (SIMS) for an earth observation satellite are presented. Subsystem design analyses and sensor design trades are reported. Three candidate systems are considered: (1) structure-mounted gyros with structure-mounted star mapper, (2) structure-mounted gyros with gimbaled star tracker, and (3) gimbaled gyros with structure-mounted star mapper. The purpose of the study is to facilitate the decisions pertaining to gimbaled versus structure-mounted gyros and star sensors, and combinations of systems suitable for the EOS satellite.

Ogletree, G.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Apollo guidance, navigation, and control: Candidate configuration trade study, Stellar-Inertial Measurement System (SIMS) for an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS)

The ten candidate SIMS configurations were reduced to three in preparation for the final trade comparison. The report emphasizes subsystem design trades, star availability studies, data processing (smoothing) methods, and the analytical and simulation studies at subsystem and system levels from which candidate accuracy estimates will be presented.

Ogletree, G.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Quasi-linear theory of electron density and temperature fluctuations with application to MHD generators and MPD arc thrusters

Fluctuations in electron density and temperature coupled through Ohm's law are studied for an ionizable medium. The nonlinear effects are considered in the limit of a third order quasi-linear treatment. Equations are derived for the amplitude of the fluctuation. Conditions under which a steady state can exist in the presence of the fluctuation are examined and effective transport properties are determined. A comparison is made to previously considered second order theory. The effect of third order terms indicates the possibility of fluctuations existing in regions predicted stable by previous analysis.

Smith, M.↗

NASA NTRS1971