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At least 217 records · Page 12

Cryogenic strain gage techniques used in force balance design for the National Transonic Facility

A force balance is a strain gage transducer used in wind tunnels to measure the forces and moments on aerodynamic models. Techniques have been established for temperature-compensation of force balances to allow their use over the operating temperature range of a cryogenic wind tunnel (-190C to 60C) without thermal control. This was accomplished by using a patented strain gage matching process to minimize inherent thermal differences, and a thermal compensation procedure to reduce the remaining thermally-induced outputs to acceptable levels. A method of compensating for mechanical movement of the axial force measuring beam caused by thermally-induced stresses under transient temperatures was also included.

Ferris, A. T.↗

Loads calibrations of strain gage bridges on the DAST project Aeroelastic Research Wing (ARW-2)

Results from and details of the procedure used to calibrate strain gage bridges for measurements of wing structural loads, shear (V), bending moment (M), and torque (T), at three semispan stations on both the left and right semispans of the ARW-2 wing are presented. The ARW-2 wing has a reference area of 35 square feet, a span of 19 feet, an aspect ratio of 10.3, a midchord line sweepback angle of 25 degrees, and a taper ratio of 0.4. The ARW-2 wing was fabricated using aluminum spars and ribs covered with a fiberglass/honeycomb sandwich skin material. All strain gage bridges are mounted along with an estimate of their accuracy by means of a comparison of computed loads versus actual loads for three simulated flight conditions.

Eckstrom, C. V.↗

Evaluation of a Quartz Bourdon Pressure Gage of Wind Tunnel Mach Number Control System Application

A theoretical and experimental study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of using the National Transonic Facility's high accuracy Mach number measurement system as part of a closed loop Mach number control system. The theoretical and experimental procedures described are applicable to the engineering design of pressure control systems. The results show that the dynamic response characteristics of the NTF Mach number gage (a Ruska DDR-6000 quartz absolute pressure gage) coupled to a typical length of pressure tubing were only marginally acceptable within a limited range of the facility's total pressure envelope and could not be used in the Mach number control system.

Chapin, W. G.↗

Aerodynamic measurements and thermal tests of a strain-gage balance in a cryogenic wind tunnel

An internal strain-gage balance designed and constructed in Europe for use in cryogenic wind tunnels has been tested in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Part of the evaluation was made at equilibrium balance temperatures and it consisted of comparing the data taken at a tunnel stagnation temperature of 300 K with the data taken at 200 K and 110 K while maintaining either the Reynolds number or the stagnation pressure. A sharp-leading-edge delta-wing model was used to provide the aerodynamic loading for these tests. Results obtained with the balance during the force tests were found to be accurate and repeatable both with and without the use of a convection shield on the balance. An additional part of this investigation involved obtaining data on the transient temperature response of the balance during both normal and rapid changes in the tunnel stagnation temperature. The variation of the temperature with time was measured at three locations on the balance near the physical locations of the strain gages. The use of a convection shield significantly increased the time required for the balance to stabilize at a new temperature during the temperature response tests.

Boyden, Richmond P.↗

High temperature static strain gage development contract, tasks 1 and 2

Results are presented for the first two tasks to develop resistive strain gage systems for use up to 1250 K on blades and vanes in gas turbine engines under tests. The objective of these two tasks was to further improve and evaluate two static strain gage alloys identified as candidates in a previous program. Improved compositions were not found for either alloy. Further efforts on the Fe-11.9Al-10.6Cr weigth percent alloy were discontinued because of time dependent drift problems at 1250 K in air. When produced as a 6.5 micrometer thick sputtered film, the Pd-13Cr weight percent alloys is not sufficiently stable for this use in air at 1250 K and a protective overcoat system will need to be developed.

Hulse, C. O.↗

The development of a high temperature static strain gage system

The objective of this program is to develop electrical resistance strain gages which will permit the measurement of static strains on nickel and cobalt superalloy parts inside gas turbine engines running on a test stand. The specific goal is to develop a complete system able to make strain measurements up to plus or minus 2000 mu strain with a total error of no more than plus or minus 10 percent over a 50 hour period at 1250 K. The initial part of this work consisted of a strain gage alloy development effort in which a variety of alloys were evaluated after being prepared by drop-casting or splat cooling.

Hulse, Charles O.↗

Elevated temperature strain gages

Materials were evaluated that could be used in manufacturing electrical resistance strain gages for static strain measurements at temperatures at or above 1273 K. Strain gage materials must have a characteristic response to strain, temperature and time that is reproducible or that varies in a predictable manner within specified limits. Several metallic alloys were evaluated, as well as a series of transition metal carbides, nitrides and silicides.

Brittain, J. O.↗

Electrical Properties of Materials for Elevated Temperature Resistance Strain Gage Application

The objective was to study the electrical resistances of materials that are potentially useful as resistance strain gages at 1000 C. Transition metal carbides and nitrides, boron carbide and silicon carbide were selected for the experimental phase of this research. Due to their low temperature coefficient of resistance and good stability, TiC, ZrC, B sub 4 C and beta-SiC are suggested as good candidates for high temperature resistance strain gage applications.

Lei, Jih-Fen↗

Elevated temperature strain gages

One of the goals of the HOST Program is the development of electrical resistance strain gages for static strain measurements at temperatures equal to or greater than 1273 K. Strain gage materials must have a reproducible or predictable response to temperature, time and strain. It is the objective of this research to investigate criteria for the selection of materials for such applications through electrical properties studies. The results of the investigation of two groups of materials, refractory compounds and binary alloy solid solutions are presented.

Brittain, J. O.↗

Development of a high temperature thin film static strain gage

The objective is to develop a new thin film resistance strain gage system which will be suitable for use inside gas turbine engines on blades or vanes at temperatures up to 1250 K. These gages are to be capable of making strain measurements to plus or minus 2000 microstrain with total errors of no more than plus or minus 10 percent during a 50 hour period. In addition to survival and stability in this hostile environment, attaining a low temperature coefficient of resistance, of the order of 20 ppm/K or less, is an important goal. This requirement arises from the presently unavoidable uncertainties in the measurement of exact temperatures inside gas turbine engines for use in making corrections for apparent strain.

Hulse, Charles O.↗

Progress on a PdCr wire strain gage

The principal activity under the HOST effort to improve the state of the art in high temperature static strain measurement has been a contract under which a palladium-chromium (PdCr) alloy was developed. The contract effort is continuing with the goal of developing a thin film high temperature static strain gage system. In addition to this effort, researchers contracted with Battelle-Columbus Laboratories to draw the PdCr allow into wire while researchers at Lewis worked to gain experience with this alloy as a wire strain gage.

Englund, David R.↗

Application of strain gages to measure adhesive strains through the thickness of an adhesively-bonded stiffened strip

The purpose of the study is to measure the through-the-thickness strain distribution in an adhesively bonded stiffened strip subject to four-point bending and to compare the distribution with predicted results. Small-strain gages are used for measuring the normal strain in the adhesive layer of the strip. A total of 16 120-ohm encapsulated strain gages were mounted on the adhesive layer, and the specimen was loaded quasi-statistically and never to failure. Both the experimental and analytical results show good correlation and, in particular, a high strain gradient acting near the edge of the adhesive layer.

Lopez, O. F.↗

Adjustable depth gage

A quick adjust depth gage includes a handle-clamp assembly wherein the clamp includes an opening in which a cylindrical shaft with suitable depth measurement markings thereon is reviewed. Turning the handle on the clamp enables the gage to be set to the desired depth.

Forsgren, Roger C.↗

A comparison of airborne and ground-based radar observations with rain gages during the CaPE experiment

The vicinity of KSC, where the primary ground truth site of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) program is located, was the focal point of the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification (CaPE) experiment in Jul. and Aug. 1991. In addition to several specialized radars, local coverage was provided by the C-band (5 cm) radar at Patrick AFB. Point measurements of rain rate were provided by tipping bucket rain gage networks. Besides these ground-based activities, airborne radar measurements with X- and Ka-band nadir-looking radars on board an aircraft were also recorded. A unique combination data set of airborne radar observations with ground-based observations was obtained in the summer convective rain regime of central Florida. We present a comparison of these data intending a preliminary validation. A convective rain event was observed simultaneously by all three instrument types on the evening of 27 Jul. 1991. The high resolution aircraft radar was flown over convective cells with tops exceeding 10 km and observed reflectivities of 40 to 50 dBZ at 4 to 5 km altitude, while the low resolution surface radar observed 35 to 55 dBZ echoes and a rain gage indicated maximum surface rain rates exceeding 100 mm/hr. The height profile of reflectivity measured with the airborne radar show an attenuation of 6.5 dB/km (two way) for X-band, corresponding to a rainfall rate of 95 mm/hr.

Satake, Makoto↗

A comparison of airborne and ground-based radar observations with rain gages during the CaPE experiment

The vicinity of KSC, where the primary ground truth site of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) program is located, was the focal point of the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification (CaPE) experiment in July and Aug. 1991. In addition to several specialized radars, local coverage was provided by the C-band (5 cm) radar at Patrick AFB. Point measurements of rain rate were provided by tipping bucket rain gage networks. Besides these ground-based activities, airborne radar measurements with X- and Ka-band nadir-looking radars on board an aircraft were also recorded. A unique combination data set of airborne radar observations with ground-based observations was obtained in the summer convective rain regime of central Florida. We present a comparison of these data intending a preliminary validation. A convective rain event was observed simultaneously by all three instrument types on the evening of 27 July 1991. The high resolution aircraft radar was flown over convective cells with tops exceeding 10 km and observed reflectivities of 40 to 50 dBZ at 4 to 5 km altitude, while the low resolution surface radar observed 35 to 55 dBZ echoes and a rain gage indicated maximum surface rain rates exceeding 100 mm/hr. The height profile of reflectivity measured with the airborne radar show an attenuation of 6.5 dB/km (two way) for X-band, corresponding to a rainfall rate of 95 mm/hr.

Satake, Makoto↗

Adaptor for Measuring Principal Strains with Tuckerman Strain Gage

An adapter is described which uses three Tuckerman optical strain gages to measure the displacement of the three vortices of an equilateral triangle along lines 120 degrees apart. These displacements are substituted in well-known equations in order to compute the magnitude and direction of the principal strains. Tests of the adaptor indicate that principal strains over a gage length of 1.42 inch may be measured with a systematic error not exceeding 4 percent and a mean observational error of the order of + or minus 0.000006. The maximum observed error in strain was of the order of 0.00006. The directions of principal strains for unidirectional stress were measured with the adaptor with an average error of the order of 1 degree.

INSTRUMENTS-STRAIN GAUGES-RUGE & DE FOREST↗

A photoelastic fiber optic strain gage

This paper reports on the development of a photoelastic fiber optic strain gage sensitive to transverse strain. The sensing element is made from an epoxy resin which is stress frozen to passively achieve the quadrature condition. Light, emitted from an LED operating at 820 nm, is transmitted to and from the sensing element via multimode fibers and the signal is detected using a dual channel operational photodiode/amplifier. This unique combination of optics and electronics produces a fiber optic sensor having a high signal to noise ratio which is lead-in/out insensitive. Results show that strains on the order of 1 microstrain can be measured over an 800 microstrain range and that dummy gages can be used for temperature compensation.

Su, Wei↗

A Conversion of Wheatstone Bridge to Current-Loop Signal Conditioning for Strain Gages

Current loop circuitry replaced Wheatstone bridge circuitry to signal-condition strain gage transducers in more than 350 data channels for two different test programs at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The uncorrected test data from current loop circuitry had a lower noise level than data from comparable Wheatstone bridge circuitry, were linear with respect to gage-resistance change, and were uninfluenced by varying lead-wire resistance. The current loop channels were easier for the technicians to set up, verify, and operate than equivalent Wheatstone bridge channels. Design choices and circuit details are presented in this paper in addition to operational experience.

Anderson, Karl F.↗