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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Numerical Modeling of a Vortex Stabilized Arcjet

Arcjet thrusters are being actively considered for use in Earth orbit maneuvering applications. Experimental studies are currently the chief means of determining an optimal thruster configuration. Earlier numerical studies have failed to include all of the effects found in typical arcjets including complex geometries, viscosity, and swirling flow. Arcjet geometries are large area ratio converging nozzles with centerbodies in the subsonic portion of the nozzle. The nozzle walls serve as the anode while the centerbody functions as the cathode. Viscous effects are important because the Reynolds number, based on the throat radius, is typically less than 1,000. Experimental studies have shown that a swirl or circumferential velocity component stabilizes a constricted arc. This dissertation describes the equations governing flow through a constricted arcjet thruster. An assumption that the flowfield is in local thermodynamic equilibrium leads to a single fluid plasma temperature model. An order of magnitude analysis reveals the governing fluid mechanics equations are uncoupled from the electromagnetic field equations. A numerical method is developed to solve the governing fluid mechanics equations, the Thin Layer Navier-Stokes equations. A coordinate transformation is employed in deriving the governing equations to simplify the application of boundary conditions in complex geometries. An axisymmetric formulation is employed to include the swirl velocity component as well as the axial and radial velocity components. The numerical method is an implicit finite-volume technique and allows for large time steps to reach a converged steady-state solution. The inviscid fluxes are flux-split, and Gauss-Seidel line relaxation is used to accelerate convergence. Converging-diverging nozzles with exit-to-throat area ratios up to 100:1 and annular nozzles were examined. Quantities examined included Mach number and static wall pressure distributions, and oblique shock structures. As the level of swirl and viscosity in the flowfield increased the mass flow rate and thrust decreased. The technique was used to predict the flow through a typical arcjet thruster geometry. Results indicate swirl and viscosity play an important role in the complex geometry of an arcjet.

Pawlas, Gary E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

On the convergence of the coupled-wave approach for lamellar diffraction gratings

Among the many existing rigorous methods for analyzing diffraction of electromagnetic waves by diffraction gratings, the coupled-wave approach stands out because of its versatility and simplicity. It can be applied to volume gratings and surface relief gratings, and its numerical implementation is much simpler than others. In addition, its predictions were experimentally validated in several cases. These facts explain the popularity of the coupled-wave approach among many optical engineers in the field of diffractive optics. However, a comprehensive analysis of the convergence of the model predictions has never been presented, although several authors have recently reported convergence difficulties with the model when it is used for metallic gratings in TM polarization. Herein, three points are made: (1) in the TM case, the coupled-wave approach converges much slower than the modal approach of Botten et al; (2) the slow convergence is caused by the use of Fourier expansions for the permittivity and the fields in the grating region; and (3) is manifested by the slow convergence of the eigenvalues and the associated modal fields. The reader is assumed to be familiar with the mathematical formulations of the coupled-wave approach and the modal approach.

Li, Lifeng↗
NASA NTRS2001

Experimental Verification of the Use of Metal Filled Via Hole Fences for Crosstalk Control of Microstrip Lines in LTCC Packages

Coupling between microstrip lines in dense RF packages is a common problem that degrades circuit performance. Prior three-dimensional-finite element method (3-D-FEM) electromagnetic simulations have shown that metal filled via hole fences between two adjacent microstrip lines actually Increases coupling between the lines: however, if the top of the via posts are connected by a metal strip, coupling is reduced. In this paper, experimental verification of the 3-D-FEM simulations is demonstrated for commercially fabricated low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) packages. In addition, measured attenuation of microstrip lines surrounded by the shielding structures is presented and shows that shielding structures do not change the attenuation characteristics of the line.

Ponchak, George E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Semiclassical Models for Virtual Antiparticle Pairs, the Unit of Charge e, and the QCD Coupling alpha(sub s)

New semiclassical models of virtual antiparticle pairs are used to compute the pair lifetimes, and good agreement with the Heisenberg lifetimes from quantum field theory (QFT) is found. The modeling method applies to both the electromagnetic and color forces. Evaluation of the action integral of potential field fluctuation for each interaction potential yields approximately Planck's constant/2 for both electromagnetic and color fluctuations, in agreement with QFT. Thus each model is a quantized semiclassical representation for such virtual antiparticle pairs, to good approximation. When the results of the new models and QFT are combined, formulae for e and alpha(sub s)(q) are derived in terms of only Planck's constant and c.

Batchelor, David↗
NASA NTRS1991

Analysis of EM penetration into and scattering by electrically large open waveguide cavities using Gaussian beam shooting

Gaussian beam (GB) representation methods are used to analyze the electromagnetic coupling into and the scattering by a large nonuniform cavity. The aperture field in the cavity is decomposed into beams using the Gabor expansion, and shooting techniques are then employed. The method is illustrated only for the two-dimensional (2-D) case. The GBs are tracked axially using the rules of beam optics which ignore any beam distortion upon reflection at the walls. The effects of beam distortion are not significant for relatively slowly varying waveguide cavities. The field scattered into the exterior by the termination within the cavity is found using a reciprocity integral formulation which requires a knowledge of the beam fields near the termination. Numerical results based on this GB approach are presented and compared with results based on an independent reference solution.

Burkholder, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Moment method with isoparametric elements for three-dimensional anisotropic scatterers

A novel method for computing the frequency-domain electromagnetic fields scattered from, and penetrating into, arbitrarily shaped, three-dimensional, lossy, inhomogeneous anisotropic scatters is presented. The method is based on a general volume integrodifferential formulation of the scattering problem and consists of the numerical solution of the coupled integral equations by the moment method and point matching. The numerical model of the scatterer is obtained by parametric volume elements, and the basis functions used to represent the field within each element are the same used in the finite-element method. Element integration problems due to the singular kernel of the integral equations are treated in some detail. Numerical results for both the isotropic and the anisotropic spherical scatterer are presented, including comparisons with results obtained by different numerical methods for the isotropic cases considered. The capability of the numerical code presented to deal with cases where the material parameters of the scatterer are given by singular matrices is discussed for two particular examples.

Graglia, Roberto D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Containerless High Temperature Property Measurements by Atomic Fluorescence

Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) provides a noncontact method for measuring high temperature properties. It is used with aerodynamic and/or electromagnetic levitation, and electromagnetic and/or CW CO2 laser heating to develop new methods for containerless high temperature property measurements and process control. The capabilities and limitations of Earth-based experiments are demonstrated and the information necessary to design improved experiments in space is obtained. The LIF methods were developed to measure temperature and component activities, which will be applied to containerless property measurements on liquids and to process control in synthesis experiments. Component activities will be obtained from relative LIF intensities over a compound and its components at the same temperature.

Nordine, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS2019

X-57 60kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Cruise Motor Finite Element Electromagnetic Modeling

The X-57 60kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor for cruise applications was modeled utilizing a two-dimensional electromagnetics simulation software called Finite Element Method Magnets (FEMM, D. Meeker). Through FEMM, the simulated induction and torque characteristics of the X-57 PMSM were obtained. These parameters and other values were compared to actual static laboratory measurements. A three-dimensional electromagnetic model of the X-57 cruise motor was created utilizing OperaFEA (Dassault Systemes SE, Velizy-Villacoublay, France). Torque, RPM, power, resistance, and inductance characteristics were examined along with establishing work to begin examining heat flow and heat dissipation for efficiency purposes.

Marrufo, Marco↗
NASA NTRS1989

High-frequency asymptotic methods for analyzing the EM scattering by open-ended waveguide cavities

Four high-frequency methods are described for analyzing the electromagnetic (EM) scattering by electrically large open-ended cavities. They are: (1) a hybrid combination of waveguide modal analysis and high-frequency asymptotics, (2) geometrical optics (GO) ray shooting, (3) Gaussian beam (GB) shooting, and (4) the generalized ray expansion (GRE) method. The hybrid modal method gives very accurate results but is limited to cavities which are made up of sections of uniform waveguides for which the modal fields are known. The GO ray shooting method can be applied to much more arbitrary cavity geometries and can handle absorber treated interior walls, but it generally only predicts the major trends of the RCS pattern and not the details. Also, a very large number of rays need to be tracked for each new incidence angle. Like the GO ray shooting method, the GB shooting method can handle more arbitrary cavities, but it is much more efficient and generally more accurate than the GO method because it includes the fields diffracted by the rim at the open end which enter the cavity. However, due to beam divergence effects the GB method is limited to cavities which are not very long compared to their width. The GRE method overcomes the length-to-width limitation of the GB method by replacing the GB's with GO ray tubes which are launched in the same manner as the GB's to include the interior rim diffracted field. This method gives good accuracy and is generally more efficient than the GO method, but a large number of ray tubes needs to be tracked.

Burkholder, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Coilgun Acceleration Model Containing Multiple Interacting Coils

A coilgun operates by pulsing current through an axially-arranged series of independently-controlled coils inductively interacting with a small, electrically-conductive, azimuthally-symmetric projectile to accelerate it to high velocities. The electrical circuits are programmed to pulse current through the coils in such a way so as to impart further electromagnetic acceleration in each stage. A method is developed to calculate the mutual inductance between the coils and between each coil and the projectile. These terms are used to write a system of first-order ordinary differential equations governing the projectile velocity and the current flow in each coil. While the inclusion of the electromagnetic interactions between coils significantly complicates the equation set as more coil sets are included in the problem, casting the problem symbolically in mass matrix form permits solution using standard numerical Runge-Kutta techniques. Comparing a projectile with a single-turn to that comprised of nine-turns, the inductance of the former is much smaller, but this leads to a greater induced projectile current. The lower inductance and greater current appear to offset each other with little difference in the acceleration profile for the two cases. For the limited cases studied, coils with a discharge half-cycle equal to the time for a projectile to transit from one coil to the next yield increased efficiency.

Polzin, Kurt A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Numerical analysis of electromagnetic cascades in emulsion chambers

A new calculational scheme of the Monte Carlo method assigned for the investigation of the development of high and extremely high energy electromagnetic cascades (EMC) in the matter was elaborated. The scheme was applied to the analysis of angular and radial distributions of EMC electrons in the atmosphere. By means of this scheme the EMC development in dense medium is investigated and some preliminary data are presented on the behavior of EMC in emulsion chambers. The results of more detailed theoretical analysis of the EMC development in emulsion chambers are discussed.

Plyasheshnikov, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Magnetic evidence concerning a lunar core

Two different methods were used to determine the lunar electromagnetic response: (1) comparison of Apollo 12 and Explorer 35 magnetometer data; and (2) observation of the dipole field configuration by orbiting Apollo 15 and 16 subsatellites. The methods give significantly different results. The subsatellite observations require the existence of a core, while the Apollo 12 and Explorer magnetometer measurements allow, but do not require, the existence of a core. Despite this, an upper limit of 580 km has been computed for the radius of the core.

Goldstein, B. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A comparative study of an ABC and an artificial absorber for truncating finite element meshes

The type of mesh termination used in the context of finite element formulations plays a major role on the efficiency and accuracy of the field solution. The performance of an absorbing boundary condition (ABC) and an artificial absorber (a new concept) for terminating the finite element mesh was evaluated. This analysis is done in connection with the problem of scattering by a finite slot array in a thick ground plane. The two approximate mesh truncation schemes are compared with the exact finite element-boundary integral (FEM-BI) method in terms of accuracy and efficiency. It is demonstrated that both approximate truncation schemes yield reasonably accurate results even when the mesh is extended only 0.3 wavelengths away from the array aperture. However, the artificial absorber termination method leads to a substantially more efficient solution. Moreover, it is shown that the FEM-BI method remains quite competitive with the FEM-artificial absorber method when the FFT is used for computing the matrix-vector products in the iterative solution algorithm. These conclusions are indeed surprising and of major importance in electromagnetic simulations based on the finite element method.

Oezdemir, T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Flux-focusing eddy current probe and method for flaw detection

A flux-focusing electromagnetic sensor which uses a ferromagnetic flux-focusing lens simplifies inspections and increases detectability of fatigue cracks and material loss in high conductivity material is presented. The unique feature of the device is the ferrous shield isolating a high-turn pick-up coil from an excitation coil. The use of the magnetic shield is shown to produce a null voltage output across the receiving coil in the presence of an unflawed sample. A redistribution of the current flow in the sample caused by the presence of flaws, however, eliminates the shielding condition and a large output voltage is produced, yielding a clear unambiguous flaw signal. The maximum sensor output is obtained when positioned symmetrically above the crack. Hence, by obtaining the position of the maximum sensor output, it is possible to track the fault and locate the area surrounding its tip. The accuracy of tip location is enhanced by two unique features of the sensor; a very high signal-to-noise ratio of the probe's output which results in an extremely smooth signal peak across the fault, and a rapidly decaying sensor output outside a small area surrounding the crack tip which enables the region for searching to be clearly defined. Under low frequency operation, material thinning due to corrosion damage causes an incomplete shielding of the pick-up coil. The low frequency output voltage of the probe is therefore a direct indicator of the thickness of the test sample.

Simpson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Flux-focusing eddy current probe and rotating probe method for flaw detection

A flux-focusing electromagnetic sensor which uses a ferromagnetic flux-focusing lens simplifies inspections and increases detectability of fatigue cracks about circular fasteners and other circular inhomogeneities in high conductivity material. The unique feature of the device is the ferrous shield isolating a high-turn pick-up coil from an excitation coil. The use of the magnetic shield is shown to produce a null voltage output across the receiving coil in the presence of an unflawed sample. A redistribution of the current flow in the sample caused by the presence of flaws, however, eliminates the shielding condition and a large output voltage is produced, yielding a clear unambiguous flaw signal. By rotating the probe in a path around a circular fastener such as a rivet while maintaining a constant distance between the probe and the center of a rivet, the signal due to current flow about the rivet can be held constant. Any further changes in the current distribution, such as due to a fatigue crack at the rivet joint, can be detected as an increase in the output voltage above that due to the flow about the rivet head.

Wincheski, Buzz A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

External Magnetic Field Reduction Techniques for the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator

Linear alternators coupled to high efficiency Stirling engines are strong candidates for thermal-to-electric power conversion in space. However, the magnetic field emissions, both AC and DC, of these permanent magnet excited alternators can interfere with sensitive instrumentation onboard a spacecraft. Effective methods to mitigate the AC and DC electromagnetic interference (EMI) from solenoidal type linear alternators (like that used in the Advanced Stirling Convertor) have been developed for potential use in the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator. The methods developed avoid the complexity and extra mass inherent in data extraction from multiple sensors or the use of shielding. This paper discusses these methods, and also provides experimental data obtained during breadboard testing of both AC and DC external magnetic field devices.

Thermoelectric Power Generation↗
NASA NTRS2004

Electromagnetic Formation Flight (EMFF) for Sparse Aperture Arrays

Traditional methods of actuating spacecraft in sparse aperture arrays use propellant as a reaction mass. For formation flying systems, propellant becomes a critical consumable which can be quickly exhausted while maintaining relative orientation. Additional problems posed by propellant include optical contamination, plume impingement, thermal emission, and vibration excitation. For these missions where control of relative degrees of freedom is important, we consider using a system of electromagnets, in concert with reaction wheels, to replace the consumables. Electromagnetic Formation Flight sparse apertures, powered by solar energy, are designed differently from traditional propulsion systems, which are based on V. This paper investigates the design of sparse apertures both inside and outside the Earth's gravity field.

Kwon, Daniel W.↗