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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

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1994

Development of a new seal for use on large openings of pressurized spacecraft

The goal of this project was to design, build, and test an example of the seal invented by the author for use on Space Station Freedom and patented in 1991. The seal features a metallic spring core and replaceable elastomeric sealing elements. The metallic spring is designed to retain the sealing force of the elastomeric element against both sides of face seal gland for any specified amount of waviness or separation of the glands. A seal able to tolerate at least 1.3 mm (0.05 in) of flange distortion or separation and a test fixture of this seal which allowed direct comparison testing of O-rings were built. These designs were tested to compare leakage at different amounts of flange deflection. Results of the testing show the development seal exceeded its requirement to seal 1.3 mm of flange separation by 1 mm. This compared with the O-ring leakage, increasing dramatically at 0.5 mm of separation. The development seal also leaked at a lower rate than the O-ring seals in all tests.

Weddendorf, B.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) Structural Component Successfully Tested Under Pseudo-Operating Conditions

A fabrication feasibility demonstration component for the Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) program was evaluated under prototypical engine loading conditions at the Structural Benchmark Test Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The purpose for this test was to verify EPM casting, joining, coating, and life-prediction methods. Electron beam welding techniques developed in the EPM program were used to join two large superalloy cast sections of an exhaust nozzle flap to fabricate the demonstration component. After the joints were inspected, the component was coated with an oxidation-resistant barrier coating and was sent to Lewis for testing. The special test fixture shown in the photo (the Structural Benchmark Test Facility) was designed and built at Lewis to produce a biaxial bending condition similar to the loading condition this part would encounter during engine operation. Several finite element analyses were conducted to validate the mechanical test method. A floating furnace was then designed to provide prototypical thermal profiles in the component. An isothermal low-cycle fatigue test was used to evaluate the component at a cyclic load of 13 kN (maximum) to 1 kN (minimum) at a frequency of 1 Hz. Component failure was defined as a 30-percent increase in the component's compliance. On the basis of this definition, the low-cycle fatigue life of this component would be 35,000 cycles.

Bartolotta, Paul A.↗

NASA NTRS2024

Characterizing Face Sheet/Core Disbonding Using the Single Cantilever Beam Test: Results from an International Round Robin

Test results from an international round robin are presented. The single cantilever beam (SCB) test was used to characterize face sheet/core disbonding in sandwich components in an effort to help standardization. Each of the seven participating laboratories performed a set of five baseline tests using the same protocol, however, using their own specific equipment. In addition, each laboratory performed two sets of tests with altered tests conditions which included using a test fixture with a translating carriage and performing the tests with different loading and unloading speeds. The orientation of the disbond front with respect to the honeycomb core cells was varied and the effect on the fracture toughness was also studied. Additional factors that could influence test results were investigated, such as the use of a saw cut starter disbond as an alternative to Teflon® release film, and the effects of using a face sheet doubler to increase the bending stiffness. For each set of tests, summary results such as load/displacements plots, observed disbond growth location and calculated energy release rates are reported and a comparison of results between labs is presented. Critical strain energy release rate measurements from SCB tests are also compared with measurements made from an alternative test, namely the double cantilever beam with uneven bending moments (DCB-UBM) test, which has been studied extensively at the Technical University of Denmark and proposed as a mixed-mode test standard. A set of recommendations are made with respect to improving the SCB test and a path to standardization is presented.

Ronald Krueger↗

NASA NTRS1984

Aerothermal performance and damage tolerance of a Rene 41 metallic standoff thermal protection system at Mach 6.7

A flight-weight, metallic thermal protection system (TPS) model applicable to Earth-entry and hypersonic-cruise vehicles was subjected to multiple cycles of both radiant and aerothermal heating in order to evaluate its aerothermal performance, structural integrity, and damage tolerance. The TPS was designed for a maximum operating temperature of 2060 R and featured a shingled, corrugation-stiffened corrugated-skin heat shield of Rene 41, a nickel-base alloy. The model was subjected to 10 radiant heating tests and to 3 radiant preheat/aerothermal tests. Under radiant-heating conditions with a maximum surface temperature of 2050 R, the TPS performed as designed and limited the primary structure away from the support ribs to temperatures below 780 R. During the first attempt at aerothermal exposure, a failure in the panel-holder test fixture severely damaged the model. However, two radiant preheat/aerothermal tests were made with the damaged model to test its damage tolerance. During these tests, the damaged area did not enlarge; however, the rapidly increasing structural temperature measuring during these tests indicates that had the damaged area been exposed to aerodynamic heating for the entire trajectory, an aluminum burn-through would have occurred.

Avery, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Analyses of Control Surface Seal Tested in the Ames Arc Jet Tunnel (Panel Test Facility)

The contents include: 1) Rope Seal; 2) Improvements to porous medial simulation in CFD-ACE+; 3) Porous media heat transfer validation case-stead-state and transient flat plate; 4) Simulation of GRC cold flow seal test fixture; 5) Simulation of calibration plate in the Panel Test Facility (PTF); and 6) Simulation of rope seal test in the PTF. This paper is in viewgraph form.

Reich, Alton J.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Correlation Results for a Mass Loaded Vehicle Panel Test Article Finite Element Models and Modal Survey Tests

High-fidelity Finite Element Models (FEMs) were developed to support a recent test program at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The FEMs correspond to test articles used for a series of acoustic tests. Modal survey tests were used to validate the FEMs for five acoustic tests (a bare panel and four different mass-loaded panel configurations). An additional modal survey test was performed on the empty test fixture (orthogrid panel mounting fixture, between the reverb and anechoic chambers). Modal survey tests were used to test-validate the dynamic characteristics of FEMs used for acoustic test excitation. Modal survey testing and subsequent model correlation has validated the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the FEMs. The modal survey test results provide a basis for the analysis models used for acoustic loading response test and analysis comparisons

Maasha, Rumaasha↗

NASA NTRS2013

Flight Test Results of an Axisymmetric Channeled Center Body Supersonic Inlet at Off-Design Conditions

Flight-testing of a channeled center-body axisymmetric supersonic inlet design concept was conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center in collaboration with the NASA Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio) and TechLand Research, Inc. (North Olmsted, Ohio). This testing utilized the Propulsion Flight Test Fixture, flown on the NASA F-15B research test bed airplane (NASA tail number 836) at local experiment Mach numbers up to 1.50. The translating channeled center-body inlet was designed by TechLand Research, Inc. (U.S. Patent No. 6,276,632 B1) to allow for a novel method of off-design flow matching, with original test planning conducted under a NASA Small Business Innovative Research study. Data were collected in flight at various off-design Mach numbers for fixed-geometry representations of both the channeled center-body design and an equivalent area smooth center-body design for direct comparison of total pressure recovery and limited distortion measurements.

inlet↗

NASA NTRS1989

Shear testing of fiber reinforced metal matrix composites

This paper outlines the elements of a combined experimental/analytical methodology for accurate shear characterization of unidirectional composites in the linear and nonlinear range, with particular attention devoted to metal matrix composites. It is illustrated that consistent results can be obtained for a large class of composites from two commonly employed shear test methods currently in use by composites researchers when the influence of various factors that affect the determination of the actual shear response is properly analyzed. These factors include the effects of material anisotropy, specimen geometry, manner of load introduction, and test fixture design on the stress and deformation fields in the test section of off-axis and Iosipescu specimens. Common errors associated with the measurement of deformation fields and calculation of stress fields are discussed and quantified. Particular problems in the determination of the shear response of unidirectional boron/aluminum using the Iosipescu test are illustrated and discussed.

Pindera, Marek-Jerzy↗

NASA NTRS1998

Method and Apparatus for Testing Microwave Devices and Circuits in a Controlled Environment

A test system is disclosed that enables the testing of microwave components in a controlled environment without disturbing that environment. The system includes a test fixture which holds the calibration standards and the component being tested, and environmental control chamber, and a microwave switching system. The system provides a coaxial connection to microwave testing equipment, such as an automatic network analyzer (ANA) and facilitates both calibration and testing while maintaining environmental integrity.

Miranda, Felix A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Thermal Vacuum Testing of Swift XRT Ethane Heat Pipes

This paper presents the results obtained from a recent ethane heat pipe program. Three identical ethane heat pipes were tested individually, and then two selected heat pipes were tested collectively in their system configuration. Heat transport, thermal conductance, and non-condensable gas tests were performed on each heat pipe. To gain insight into the reflux operation as seen at spacecraft level ground testing, the test fixture was oriented in a vertical configuration. The system level test included a computer-controlled heater designed to emulate the heat load generated at the thermoelectric cooler interface. The system performance was successfully characterized for a wide range of environmental conditions while staying within the operating limits.

Kobel, Mark↗

NASA NTRS2003

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2003

opics covered include: Integrated Electrode Arrays for Neuro-Prosthetic Implants; Eroding Potentiometers; Common/Dependent-Pressure-Vessel Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries; 120-GHz HEMT Oscillator With Surface-Wave-Assisted Antenna; 80-GHz MMIC HEMT Voltage-Controlled Oscillator; High-Energy-Density Capacitors; Microscale Thermal-Transpiration Gas Pump; Instrument for Measuring Temperature of Water; Improved Measurement of Coherence in Presence of Instrument Noise; Compact Instruments Measure Helium-Leak Rates; Irreversible Entropy Production in Two-Phase Mixing Layers; Subsonic and Supersonic Effects in Bose-Einstein Condensate; Nanolaminate Mirrors With "Piston" Figure-Control Actuators; Mixed Conducting Electrodes for Better AMTEC Cells; Process for Encapsulating Protein Crystals; Lightweight, Self-Deployable Wheels; Grease-Resistant O Rings for Joints in Solid Rocket Motors; LabVIEW Serial Driver Software for an Electronic Load; Software Computes Tape-Casting Parameters; Software for Tracking Costs of Mars Projects; Software for Replicating Data Between X.500 and LDAP Directories; The Technical Work Plan Tracking Tool; Improved Multiple-DOF SAW Piezoelectric Motors; Propulsion Flight-Test Fixture; Mechanical Amplifier for a Piezoelectric Transducer; Swell Sleeves for Testing Explosive Devices; Linear Back-Drive Differentials; Miniature Inchworm Actuators Fabricated by Use of LIGA; Using ERF Devices to Control Deployments of Space Structures; High-Temperature Switched-Reluctance Electric Motor; System for Centering a Turbofan in a Nacelle During Tests; Fabricating Composite-Material Structures Containing SMA Ribbons; Optimal Feedback Control of Thermal Networks; Artifacts for Calibration of Submicron Width Measurements; Navigating a Mobile Robot Across Terrain Using Fuzzy Logic; Designing Facilities for Collaborative Operations; and Quantitating Iron in Serum Ferritin by Use of ICP-MS.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2015

Hexavalent Chrome Free Coatings for Electronics Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding Effectiveness (SE) Interim Test Report

Test specimen configuration was provided by Parker Chomerics. The EMI gasket used in this project was Cho-Seal 6503E. Black oxide alloy steel socket head bolts were used to hold the plates together. Non-conductive spacers were used to control the amount of compression on the gaskets. The following test fixture specifications were provided by Parker Chomerics. The CHO‐TP09 test plate sets selected for this project consist of two aluminum plates manufactured to the specifications detailed in CHO‐TP09. The first plate, referred to as the test frame, is illustrated in Figure 1. The test frame is designed with a cutout in the center and two alternating bolt patterns. One pattern is used to bolt the test frame to the corresponding test cover plate (Figure 2), forming a test plate set. The second pattern accepts the hardware used to mount the fully assembled test plate set to the main adapter plate (Figure 3).

trivalent chromium↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Fracture Mechanics Testing of Titanium 6AL-4V in LMP-103S Propellant

Propellant tank safe-life analysis is a spacecraft propulsion subsystem Launch Range processing requirement. The material property inputs for the safe-life analysis include the stress intensity factor for environment-assisted cracking (KEAC). The KEAC for titanium alloy Ti 6Al-4V in LMP-103S propellant was determined experimentally using an innovative test method following ASTM E1681, Standard Test Method for Determining Threshold Stress Intensity Factor for Environment-Assisted Cracking of Metallic Materials. This effort was a collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Kennedy Space Center to expose the test specimens in the propellant, while loaded in the test fixtures, for 1000- hour (42 days) at 50°C. Two test rounds have been completed to date; 1) testing mechanically loaded specimens but without propellant and 2) testing mechanically loaded specimens wetted with LMP-103S propellant. The dry test was to evaluate the crack growth without exposure to the LMP-103S propellant, and further assess the un-wetted stress intensity factor for the full 1000-hour duration. The second round of testing included the propellant soak for the requisite 1000- hour at 50°C. Current results show that the threshold intensity factor for environment-assisted cracking (exposed to LMP103S) is 22.5 ksi√in for the bulk material and 36. 2 ksi√in for the weld material. A generic ‘candidate’ tank geometry and material thickness is developed for a damage tolerance of known surface cracks below the nondestructive inspection technique detection limit. Evaluations with and without the use of a threshold intensity factor for environment-assisted cracking is performed for the required 4x propellant tank service life using the software tool NASGRO. SP2024_00239

Green propulsion↗

NASA NTRS1996

Passive Magnetic Bearing With Ferrofluid Stabilization

A new class of magnetic bearings is shown to exist analytically and is demonstrated experimentally. The class of magnetic bearings utilize a ferrofluid/solid magnet interaction to stabilize the axial degree of freedom of a permanent magnet radial bearing. Twenty six permanent magnet bearing designs and twenty two ferrofluid stabilizer designs are evaluated. Two types of radial bearing designs are tested to determine their force and stiffness utilizing two methods. The first method is based on the use of frequency measurements to determine stiffness by utilizing an analytical model. The second method consisted of loading the system and measuring displacement in order to measure stiffness. Two ferrofluid stabilizers are tested and force displacement curves are measured. Two experimental test fixtures are designed and constructed in order to conduct the stiffness testing. Polynomial models of the data are generated and used to design the bearing prototype. The prototype was constructed and tested and shown to be stable. Further testing shows the possibility of using this technology for vibration isolation. The project successfully demonstrated the viability of the passive magnetic bearing with ferrofluid stabilization both experimentally and analytically.

Jansen, Ralph↗

NASA NTRS2007

Calculating Nozzle Side Loads using Acceleration Measurements of Test-Based Models

As part of a NASA/MSFC research program to evaluate the effect of different nozzle contours on the well-known but poorly characterized "side load" phenomena, we attempt to back out the net force on a sub-scale nozzle during cold-flow testing using acceleration measurements. Because modeling the test facility dynamics is problematic, new techniques for creating a "pseudo-model" of the facility and nozzle directly from modal test results are applied. Extensive verification procedures were undertaken, resulting in a loading scale factor necessary for agreement between test and model based frequency response functions. Side loads are then obtained by applying a wide-band random load onto the system model, obtaining nozzle response PSD's, and iterating both the amplitude and frequency of the input until a good comparison of the response with the measured response PSD for a specific time point is obtained. The final calculated loading can be used to compare different nozzle profiles for assessment during rocket engine nozzle development and as a basis for accurate design of the nozzle and engine structure to withstand these loads. The techniques applied within this procedure have extensive applicability to timely and accurate characterization of all test fixtures used for modal test.A viewgraph presentation on a model-test based pseudo-model used to calculate side loads on rocket engine nozzles is included. The topics include: 1) Side Loads in Rocket Nozzles; 2) Present Side Loads Research at NASA/MSFC; 3) Structural Dynamic Model Generation; 4) Pseudo-Model Generation; 5) Implementation; 6) Calibration of Pseudo-Model Response; 7) Pseudo-Model Response Verification; 8) Inverse Force Determination; 9) Results; and 10) Recent Work.

Brown, Andrew M.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Design and Calibration of a Flowfield Survey Rake for Inlet Flight Research

The Propulsion Flight Test Fixture at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is a unique test platform available for use on NASA's F-15B aircraft, tail number 836, as a modular host for a variety of aerodynamics and propulsion research. For future flight data from this platform to be valid, more information must be gathered concerning the quality of the airflow underneath the body of the F-15B at various flight conditions, especially supersonic conditions. The flow angularity and Mach number must be known at multiple locations on any test article interface plane for measurement data at these locations to be valid. To determine this prerequisite information, flight data will be gathered in the Rake Airflow Gauge Experiment using a custom-designed flowfield rake to probe the airflow underneath the F-15B at the desired flight conditions. This paper addresses the design considerations of the rake and probe assembly, including the loads and stress analysis using analytical methods, computational fluid dynamics, and finite element analysis. It also details the flow calibration procedure, including the completed wind-tunnel test and posttest data reduction, calibration verification, and preparation for flight-testing.

Flynn, Darin C.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Force Limited Vibration Testing

This slide presentation reviews the concept and applications of Force Limited Vibration Testing. The goal of vibration testing of aerospace hardware is to identify problems that would result in flight failures. The commonly used aerospace vibration tests uses artificially high shaker forces and responses at the resonance frequencies of the test item. It has become common to limit the acceleration responses in the test to those predicted for the flight. This requires an analysis of the acceleration response, and requires placing accelerometers on the test item. With the advent of piezoelectric gages it has become possible to improve vibration testing. The basic equations have are reviewed. Force limits are analogous and complementary to the acceleration specifications used in conventional vibration testing. Just as the acceleration specification is the frequency spectrum envelope of the in-flight acceleration at the interface between the test item and flight mounting structure, the force limit is the envelope of the in-flight force at the interface . In force limited vibration tests, both the acceleration and force specifications are needed, and the force specification is generally based on and proportional to the acceleration specification. Therefore, force limiting does not compensate for errors in the development of the acceleration specification, e.g., too much conservatism or the lack thereof. These errors will carry over into the force specification. Since in-flight vibratory force data are scarce, force limits are often derived from coupled system analyses and impedance information obtained from measurements or finite element models (FEM). Fortunately, data on the interface forces between systems and components are now available from system acoustic and vibration tests of development test models and from a few flight experiments. Semi-empirical methods of predicting force limits are currently being developed on the basis of the limited flight and system test data. A simple two degree of freedom system is shown and the governing equations for basic force limiting results for this system are reviewed. The design and results of the shuttle vibration forces (SVF) experiments are reviewed. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) also was used to validate force limiting. Test instrumentation and supporting equipment are reviewed including piezo-electric force transducers, signal processing and conditioning systems, test fixtures, and vibration controller systems. Several examples of force limited vibration testing are presented with some results.

random vibration testing↗

NASA NTRS1983

Load deflection characteristics of inflated structures

A single, closed form relationship to relate load to the deformed dimensions of the horizontal torus was developed. Wall elasticity was included in the analysis, and special care was taken to predict the final footprint area of the loaded structure. The test fixture utilized is shown. The tori used for the bulk of the testing were rubber inner tubes for a 32 and 160 pneumatic tire. The inner tube being tested was plumbed, to a mercury-filled manometer, which had a 50 inch measurement capacity, by use of a special adapter. The adapter fit over the valve stem and allowed air to be added from a shop-air source and to be bled through the standard valve mechanism. In this fashion, tests requiring the maintenance of a constant indication of air pressure could be run with little difficulty.

Baumgarten, J. R.↗