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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 181 records · Page 10

A New Analysis Tool Assessment for Rotordynamic Modeling of Gas Foil Bearings

Gas foil bearings offer several advantages over traditional bearing types that make them attractive for use in high-speed turbomachinery. They can operate at very high temperatures, require no lubrication supply (oil pumps, seals, etc.), exhibit very long life with no maintenance, and once operating airborne, have very low power loss. The use of gas foil bearings in high-speed turbomachinery has been accelerating in recent years, although the pace has been slow. One of the contributing factors to the slow growth has been a lack of analysis tools, benchmarked to measurements, to predict gas foil bearing behavior in rotating machinery. To address this shortcoming, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has supported the development of analytical tools to predict gas foil bearing performance. One of the codes has the capability to predict rotordynamic coefficients, power loss, film thickness, structural deformation, and more. The current paper presents an assessment of the predictive capability of the code, named XLGFBTH (Texas A&M University). A test rig at GRC is used as a simulated case study to compare rotordynamic analysis using output from the code to actual rotor response as measured in the test rig. The test rig rotor is supported on two gas foil journal bearings manufactured at GRC, with all pertinent geometry disclosed. The resulting comparison shows that the rotordynamic coefficients calculated using XLGFBTH represent the dynamics of the system reasonably well, especially as they pertain to predicting critical speeds.

Howard, Samuel A.↗

HSCT Ref-H Transonic Flap Data Base: Wind-Tunnel Test and Comparison with Theory

In cooperation with personnel from the Boeing ANP Laboratory and NASA Langley, a performance test was conducted using the Reference-H 1.675% model ("NASA Modular Model") without nacelles at the NASA Langley 16-Ft Transonic Tunnel. The main objective of the test was to determine the drag reduction achievable with leading-edge and trailing-edge flaps deflected along the outboard wing span at transonic Mach numbers (M = 0.9 to 1.2) for purpose of preliminary design and for comparison with computational predictions. The obtained drag data with flap deflections for Mach numbers of 1.07 to 1.20 are unique for the Reference H wing. Four leading-edge and two trailing-edge flap deflection angles were tested at a mean-wing chord-Reynolds number of about 5.7 million. An outboard-wing leading-edge flap deflection of 81 provides a 4.5 percent drag reduction at M = 1.2 A = 0.2), and much larger values at lower Mach numbers with larger flap deflections. The present results for the baseline (no flaps deflected) compare reasonably well with previous Boeing and NASA Ref-H tunnel tests, including high-Reynolds number NTF results. Viscous CFD simulations using the OVERFLOW thin-layer N.S. method properly predict the observed trend in drag reduction at M = 1.2 as function of leading-edge flap deflection. Modified linear theory properly predicts the flap effects on drag at subsonic conditions (Aero2S code), and properly predicts the absolute drag for the 40 and 80 leading-edge deflection at M = 1.2 (A389 code).

Vijgen, Paul M.↗

Multi-dimensional modulation codes for fading channel

Some new codes are presented which have good performance on Rician fading channel with small decoding complexities. A new M-way partition chain is proposed for the L x MPSK (L less than or equal to M) signal set which maximizes the intra-set distance of each subset at each partition level. Based on this partition chain, a class of asymptotical optimum codes was found. For M = 4, these codes have both large symbol distances and product distances. Multi-level coding scheme allows to construct a code by hand such that the code meets some desired parameters, e.g., symbol distance, product distance, etc. In design of a multi-level code, all factors were considered which affect the performance and complexity of the code, such as, the decoding scheme, decoding complexity, and performance under the decoding scheme, e.g., if the multi-stage decoding scheme is used, the performance degradation due to the suboptimum decoding is taken into consideration. The performance for most of the presented codes was simulated on Rayleigh fading channel, and the results show that these codes have good performance with small decoding complexities.

Lin, Shu↗

An Efficient Variable Length Coding Scheme for an IID Source

A scheme is examined for using two alternating Huffman codes to encode a discrete independent and identically distributed source with a dominant symbol. This combined strategy, or alternating runlength Huffman (ARH) coding, was found to be more efficient than ordinary coding in certain circumstances.

data decompression Huffman code coding scheme↗

Interpreting ion-energy distributions using charge exchange emitted from deeply kinetic field-reversed-configuration plasmas

Energy resolving the atomic hydrogen outflux created within plasmas by charge exchange (CX) of hot plasma ions with cooler hydrogen neutrals is used to infer the ion energy distribution within the plasma, IED p . In high- β plasma with field nulls and ion gyro-radii comparable to the plasma size, the measured ion energy distribution (IED m ) of the CX outflux will depend on the viewing angle and position of the detector. Here, we describe the physics for this, results from a synthetic diagnostic code that contrasts the IED m to the IED p within relatively small and hot field-reversed-configuration plasmas, and how these data can show the presence of magnetic nulls and different orbit classes in the plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The Development of a Nonequilibrium Radiative Heat Transfer Computational Model for High Altitude Entry Vehicle Flowfield Methods

This final report will attempt to concisely summarize the activities and accomplishments associated with NASA Grant and to include pertinent documents in an appendix. The project initially had one primary and several secondary objectives. The original primary objective was to couple into the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) nonequilibrium chemistry Euler equation entry vehicle flowfield code, INEQ3D, the Texas A&M University (TAMU) local thermodynamic nonequilibrium (LTNE) radiation model. This model had previously been developed and verified under NASA Langley and NASA Johnson sponsorship as part of a viscous shock layer entry vehicle flowfield code. The secondary objectives were: (1) to investigate the necessity of including the radiative flux term in the vibrational-electron-electronic (VEE) energy equation as well as in the global energy equation, (2) to determine the importance of including the small net change in electronic energy between products and reactants which occurs during a chemical reaction, and (3) to study the effect of atom-atom impact ionization reactions on entry vehicle nonequilibrium flowfield chemistry and radiation. For each, of these objectives, it was assumed that the code would be applicable to lunar return entry conditions, i.e. altitude above 75 km, velocity greater, than 11 km/sec, where nonequilibrium chemistry and radiative heating phenomena would be significant. In addition, it was tacitly assumed that as part of the project the code would be applied to a variety of flight conditions and geometries.

Carlson, Leland A.↗

Bit Error Rate of Coherent M-ary PSK

The bit error rate (BER) for the coherent detection of M-ary PSK signals with Gray code bit mapping is considered. A closed-form expression for the exact BER of M-ary PSK is presented. Tight upper and lower bounds on BER are also obtained for M-ary PSK with larger M.

Lee, P. J.↗

A Radiation Solver for the National Combustion Code

A methodology is given that converts an existing finite volume radiative transfer method that requires input of local absorption coefficients to one that can treat a mixture of combustion gases and compute the coefficients on the fly from the local mixture properties. The Full-spectrum k-distribution method is used to transform the radiative transfer equation (RTE) to an alternate wave number variable, g . The coefficients in the transformed equation are calculated at discrete temperatures and participating species mole fractions that span the values of the problem for each value of g. These results are stored in a table and interpolation is used to find the coefficients at every cell in the field. Finally, the transformed RTE is solved for each g and Gaussian quadrature is used to find the radiant heat flux throughout the field. The present implementation is in an existing cartesian/cylindrical grid radiative transfer code and the local mixture properties are given by a solution of the National Combustion Code (NCC) on the same grid. Based on this work the intention is to apply this method to an existing unstructured grid radiation code which can then be coupled directly to NCC.

National Combustion Code↗

Conceptual design of ELM control coils for the TCABR tokamak

An upgrade of the Tokamak à Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien (TCABR) is being designed to make it capable of creating a well controlled environment where the impact of resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields on edge localised modes can be addressed over a wide range of (i) plasma shapes, (ii) divertor configurations, (iii) RMP coil geometries and (iv) perturbed magnetic field spectra. To this end, a unique set of in-vessel RMP coils is being designed and, in this work, their conceptual design is presented. This unique set of coils is composed of three toroidal arrays of coils on the low field side and three toroidal arrays of coils on the high field side. Each of these six toroidal arrays is composed of 18 coils thus allowing for the creation of RMP fields with toroidal mode numbers n ≤ 9 and with increased control of the poloidal mode number spectrum. To study dynamical effects of RMP fields of different toroidal mode numbers, all rotating simultaneously with different velocities, each of the 108 RMP coils will be powered independently by power supplies that can provide voltages of up to 4 kV and electric currents of up to 2 kA, with frequencies varying continuously from 0Hz up to 10kHz. A set of physical criteria were used to determine the optimal coil geometry and their respective number of turns to reduce the coil currents and voltages during operation with alternate current. Further, the conceptual design was carried out using both the vacuum approach (no plasma response) and the single-fluid response approach, which accounts for the response of a linear, single-fluid, visco-resistive plasma calculated using the M3D-C 1 code.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Charged particle transport coefficient challenges in high energy density plasmas

High energy density physics (HEDP) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research typically relies on computational modeling using radiation-hydrodynamics codes in order to design experiments and understand their results. These tools, in turn, rely on numerous charged particle transport and relaxation coefficients to account for laser energy absorption, viscous dissipation, mass transport, thermal conduction, electrical conduction, non-local ion (including charged fusion product) transport, non-local electron transport, magnetohydrodynamics, multi-ion-species thermalization, and electron-ion equilibration. In many situations, these coefficients couple to other physics, such as imposed or self-generated magnetic fields. Furthermore, how these coefficients combine are sensitive to plasma conditions as well as how materials are distributed within a computational cell. Uncertainties in these coefficients and how they couple to other physics could explain many of the discrepancies between simulation predictions and experimental results that persist in even the most detailed calculations. This paper reviews the challenges faced by radiation-hydrodynamics in predicting the results of HEDP and ICF experiments with regard to these and other physics models typically included in simulation codes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) Science Plan

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) series is a long-term NNSA research and development effort designed to improve U.S. arms control and nuclear nonproliferation verification and monitoring capabilities. The findings from the SPE will advance the United States’ nuclear explosion monitoring capabilities, particularly with respect to detection, discrimination and determination of yields associated with small nuclear explosions that can be lost amid the noisy seismo-acoustic background from other sources. The data generated from the SPE, a series of well-designed and recorded chemical explosions, will contribute to the development and validation of first-principles explosive source generated seismo-acoustic modeling codes. These codes will then facilitate the update of semi-empirical methods, currently based on historic test site data, such that key explosion observables can be reproduced, thus improving confidence in nuclear test monitoring in new areas and/or under novel emplacement conditions. The overall SPE project is comprised of both the development of the new explosion simulation codes and the chemical explosion test series. The chemical explosion test series will generate the empirical data required to both develop and validate the new simulation codes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Three-Dimensional CFD Analysis of Construction Design Alternatives for an ERDC Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory Flow Accelerator

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, ERDC, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory in Vicksburg Mississippi is planning to build a large flume with a 10-foot-wide flow channel. Three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was used in the design of the flume entry and flow accelerator sections that feed into the 10-foot-wide channel. The design is based on the plans of the existing fiberglass flume inlet at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory in McLean Virginia. The TFHRC flume inlet feeds water to a 6-foot-wide flume channel, and therefore a scale up factor of 10/6 in the width of the inlet section of the TFHRC flume would meet the width requirement of the ERDC flume channel. The CFD analysis was performed using STAR-CCM+ commercial CFD software. Additional analysis was done with the open-source CFD software, OpenFOAM, to cross-check the analysis of one of the cases with a code-to-code comparison.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Electric Readiness in Residential Energy Codes (Technical Brief)

This technical brief provides requirements for electric readiness that could be incorporated into model residential energy codes. It provides background on the basis and benefits of the provisions, and model code language that can be plugged into the IECC or adapted into other energy codes.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of acoustic instability of solid propellant rocket motors

A three dimensional finite element solution of the acoustic vibration problem in a solid propellant rocket motor is presented. The solution yields the natural circular frequencies of vibration and the corresponding acoustic pressure mode shapes, considering the coupled response of the propellant grain to the acoustic oscillations occurring in the motor cavity. The near incompressibility of the solid propellant is taken into account in the formulation. A relatively simple example problem is solved in order to illustrate the applicability of the analysis and the developed computer code.

Hackett, R. M.↗

Monotone implicit algorithms for the small-disturbance and full potential equations applied to transonic flows

Numerical calculations of transonic flows by potential equations typically use algorithms that change the method of calculation for regions of subsonic and supersonic flow. In this paper, implicit approximate-factorization algorithms are modified to use the monotonic switch in the type of finite-differencing that was developed by Godunov for the Euler equations. Calculations of flows over airfoils by these algorithms are compared with calculations by other methods that are in common usage. For the small-disturbance potential equation, comparisons are made with the Murman-Cole method and the monotone method of Engquist and Osher for both steady and unsteady flows. For the full potential equation, comparisons are made with the methods of Jameson and of Holst and Ballhaus for steady flows. The comparisons show that the monotone methods are more stable. For steady flows, solutions are obtained for cases where the Murman-Cole switch requires a time step over ten times smaller in order for the calculations to remain stable. These improvements are achieved with no increase in computer storage and only minor modifications in current codes.

Goorjian, P. M.↗

Cut-off rate calculations for the outer channel in a concatenated cooling system

Concatenated codes were long used as a practical means of achieving long block or constraint lengths for combating errors on very noisy channels. The inner and outer encoders are normally separated by an interleaver, so that decoded error bursts coming from the inner decoder are randomized before entering the outer decoder. The effectiveness of this interleaver is examined by calculating the cut-off rate of the outer channel seen by the outer decoder with and without interleaving. Interleaving never hurts the performance of a concatenated code, and when the inner code rate is near the cut-off rate of the inner channel, interleaving significantly improves code performance.

Herro, M. A.↗