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At least 235 records · Page 13

An elastic-perfectly plastic analysis of the bending of the lithosphere at a trench

A number of authors have modeled the flexure of the lithosphere at an oceanic trench using a thin elastic plate with a hydrostatic restoring force. In some cases good agreement with observed topography is obtained but in other cases the slope of the lithosphere within the trench is greater than that predicted by the elastic theory. In this paper the bending of a thin plate is considered using an elastic-perfectly plastic rheology. It is found that the lithosphere behaves elastically seaward of the trench, but that plasticity decreases the radius of curvature within the trench. The results are compared with a number of observed trench profiles. The elastic-perfectly plastic profiles are in excellent agreement with those profiles that deviate from elastic behavior.

Turcotte, D. L.↗

Study of dense aluminum plasmas

Studies directed toward the development of a computer program describing the penetration of a thin aluminum plate by a quartz sphere are reported. The aluminum simulates a bumper plate for micrometeoroids. The ablation of a rock sphere by penetrating a stack of paper sheets is described, and an equation for losses near the surface of the sphere is derived. The expansions of aluminum plasma sphere with initial energies of 44.45, 20.8, and 7.136 eV are investigated, including shock compression during penetration and adiabatic expansion. The equations of state were derived for aluminum and quartz, as well as one of the Mie-Grunesen type. A technique to determine momentum at the bottom surface of the thin plate, and the energy for hypervelocity separation of fragments of the aluminum plate are also considered.

Todd, F. C.↗

Experimental aerodynamic characteristics for slender bodies with thin wings and tail at angles of attack from 0 deg to 58 deg and Mach numbers from 0.6 to 2.0

An experimental investigation was conducted by wind tunnel to measure the static aerodynamic characteristics for bodies of circular and elliptic cross section with various thin flat plate wings and a thin tail consisting of horizontal and vertical parts. The wings had aspect ratios of 4 and taper ratios of about 0, 0.25, and 0.5. Two additional wings, which had taper ratios near 0.25 and aspect ratios of about 3 and 5, were also tested in combination with the bodies and tail. All wings had about the same planform area. The exposed area of the horizontal portion of the tail was about 33 to 36 percent of the exposed area of the wings. The exposed area of the vertical tail fin was about 22 to 24 percent of the exposed area of the wings. The elliptic body, with an a/b = 2 cross section, had the same length and axial distribution of cross sectional area as the circular body. The circular body had a cylindrical aftersection of fineness ratio 7, and it was tested with the wings and tail in combination with tangent ogive noses that had fineness ratios of 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 5.0. In addition, an ogive nose with a rounded tip and an ogive nose with two different nose strake arrangements were used. Nineteen configuration combinations were tested at Mach numbers of 0.6, 0.9, 1.5, and 2.0 at angles of attack from 0 to 58 deg. The Reynolds numbers, based on body base diameter, were about 4.3 X 100,000.

Jorgensen, L. H.↗

Time domain scattering and radar cross section calculations for a thin, coated perfectly conducting plate

Radar cross section (RCS) calculations for flat, perfectly conducting plates are readily available through the use of conventional frequency domain techniques such as the Method of Moments (MOM). However, if the plate is covered with a dielectric material that is relatively thick in comparison with the wavelength in the material, these frequency domain techniques become increasingly difficult to apply. We present the application of the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) Technique to the problem of electromagnetic scattering and RCS calculations from a thin, perfectly conducting plate that is coated with a thick layer of lossless dielectric material. Both time domain and RCS calculations are presented and disclosed.

Luebbers, Raymond J.↗

Time domain scattering and radar cross section calculations for a thin, coated perfectly conducting plate

Radar cross section (RCS) calculations for flat, perfectly conducting plates are readily available through the use of conventional frequency domain techniques such as the Method of Moments (MOM). However, if the plate is covered with a dielectric material that is relatively thick in comparison with the wavelength in the material, these frequency domain techniques become increasingly difficult to apply. The application is presented of the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) technique to the problem of electromagnetic scattering and RCS calculations from a thin, perfectly conducting plate that is coated with a thick layer of lossless dielectric material. Both time domain and RCS calculations are presented and discussed.

Luebbers, Raymond J.↗

Chemical stability enhancement of lithium conducting solid electrolyte plates using sputtered LiPON thin film

Sputter deposition of LiPON films directly onto high Li+ conductivity solid electrolyte plates has been investigated as a means to minimize the reactivity of the plates to metallic Li. The LiPON films were shown to effectively passivate the plates in contact with metallic Li, in contrast to unpassivated plates that reacted immediately in contact with Li metal.

LiPON lithium metals electrolyte plates↗

Pressures in Tumuli: A Study of Tumuli Formation

Tumuli form via localized inflation in surface lava flows. These domed features have widths of 10-20 m, lengths of 10-150 m, and heights of 1-9 m. The axial fracture exposes a brittle crust overlying a ductilely deformed layer. The total crustal thickness is typically less than lm. Tumuli are observed on both terrestrial and martian lava flow surfaces, and provide insight on the flow formation processes and rates. Past studies have estimated the inflation pressure using a bending model for a circular, thin elastic plate, assuming small deflection (Rossi and Gudmundson, 1996). This formulation results in unrealistic pressures for some tumuli. We thus examine alternative models, including those with different shapes, bending of the ductile crust, large deflection, plastic deformation, and thick plate bending. Using the thickness of the ductile crust in the equations for thin, circular plates reduces most pressures to reasonable values. Alternative plate shapes do not cause a significant reduction in inflation pressure. Although the large deflection equations should be applicable based on the plate thickness to tumuli height ratios, they give even less realistic pressures. Tumuli with unrealistic pressures appear to have exceeded the critical bending moment, and have relatively thick crusts, requiring thick plate bending models.

Hansen, James E.↗

Shear buckling of square perforated plates

The behavior of thin square perforated plates under the action of uniform shear deformation is studied experimentally and analytically using finite element analysis. Elastic Shear buckling strength is established as a function of the diameter of a round, centrally located hole in the plate. Post buckling behavior and the behavior of perforated plates with various ring stiffeners are also studied experimentally.

Grosskurth, J. F., Jr.↗

Effects of backing plates on the electron exposure of thin polymer films

The effects of backing plates on the radiation dose received by thin nylon films were calculated using recently developed multilayer electron transport codes. The film dose increased with increasing atomic number of the backing plate. The estimated dose could be off by a factor of 2 or more if the backing plate were ignored in the calculations.

Chang, C. K.↗

Status of Pulsed Inductive Thruster Research

The TRW Pulsed Inductive Thruster (PIT) is an electromagnetic propulsion system that can provide high thrust efficiency over a wide range of specific impulse values. In its basic form, the PIT consists of a flat spiral coil covered by a thin dielectric plate. A pulsed gas injection nozzle distributes a thin layer of gas propellant across the plate surface at the same time that a pulsed high current discharge is sent through the coil. The rising current creates a time varying magnetic field, which in turn induces a strong azimuthal electric field above the coil. The electric field ionizes the gas propellant and generates an azimuthal current flow in the resulting plasma. The current in the plasma and the current in the coil flow in opposite directions, providing a mutual repulsion that rapidly blows the ionized propellant away from the plate to provide thrust. The thrust and specific impulse can be tailored by adjusting the discharge power, pulse repetition rate, and propellant mass flow, and there is minimal if any erosion due to the electrodeless nature of the discharge. Prior single-shot experiments performed with a 1-meter diameter version of the PIT at TRW demonstrated specific impulse values between 2,000 seconds and 8,000 seconds, with thruster efficiencies exceeding 55% for ammonia and hydrazine propellants. This paper outlines current and planned activities to transition the single shot device into a multiple repetition rate thruster capable of supporting future DOD and NASA strategic enterprise missions.

Hrbud, Ivana↗

Status of Pulsed Inductive Thruster Research

The TRW Pulsed Inductive Thruster (PIT) is an electromagnetic propulsion system that can provide high thrust efficiency over a wide range of specific impulse values. In its basic form, the PIT consists of a flat spiral coil covered by a thin dielectric plate. A pulsed gas injection nozzle distributes a thin layer of gas propellant across the plate surface at the same time that a pulsed high current discharge is sent through the coil. The rising current creates a time varying magnetic field, which in turn induces a strong azimuthal electric field above the coil. The electric field ionizes the gas propellant and generates an azimuthal current flow in the resulting plasma. The current in the plasma and the current in the coil flow in opposite directions, providing a mutual repulsion that rapidly blows the ionized propellant away from the plate to provide thrust. The thrust and specific impulse can be tailored by adjusting the discharge power, pulse repetition rate, and propellant mass flow, and there is minimal if any erosion due to the electrodeless nature of the discharge. Prior single-shot experiment,; performed with a Diameter diameter version of the PIT at TRW demonstrated specific impulse values between 2,000 seconds and 8,000 seconds, with thruster efficiencies of about 52% for ammonia. This paper outlines current and planned activities to transition the single shot device into a multiple repetition rate thruster capable of supporting NASA strategic enterprise missions.

Hrbud, Ivana↗

Development and Experimental Evaluation of Passive Fuel Cell Thermal Control

To provide uniform cooling for a fuel cell stack, a cooling plate concept was evaluated. This concept utilized thin cooling plates to extract heat from the interior of a fuel cell stack and move this heat to a cooling manifold where it can be transferred to an external cooling fluid. The advantages of this cooling approach include a reduced number of ancillary components and the ability to directly utilize an external cooling fluid loop for cooling the fuel cell stack. A number of different types of cooling plates and manifolds were developed. The cooling plates consisted of two main types; a plate based on thermopyrolytic graphite (TPG) and a planar (or flat plate) heat pipe. The plates, along with solid metal control samples, were tested for both thermal and electrical conductivity. To transfer heat from the cooling plates to the cooling fluid, a number of manifold designs utilizing various materials were devised, constructed, and tested. A key aspect of the manifold was that it had to be electrically nonconductive so it would not short out the fuel cell stack during operation. Different manifold and cooling plate configurations were tested in a vacuum chamber to minimize convective heat losses. Cooling plates were placed in the grooves within the manifolds and heated with surface-mounted electric pad heaters. The plate temperature and its thermal distribution were recorded for all tested combinations of manifold cooling flow rates and heater power loads. This testing simulated the performance of the cooling plates and manifold within an operational fuel cell stack. Different types of control valves and control schemes were tested and evaluated based on their ability to maintain a constant temperature of the cooling plates. The control valves regulated the cooling fluid flow through the manifold, thereby controlling the heat flow to the cooling fluid. Through this work, a cooling plate and manifold system was developed that could maintain the cooling plates within a minimal temperature band with negligible thermal gradients over power profiles that would be experienced within an operating fuel cell stack.

Fuel Cells↗

Air flow in the boundary layer near a plate

The published data on the distribution of speed near a thin flat plate with sharp leading edge placed parallel to the flow (skin friction plate) are reviewed and the results of some additional measurements are described. The purpose of the experiments was to study the basic phenomena of boundary-layer flow under simple conditions.

Dryden, Hugh L↗

Finite element structural model of a large, thin, completely free, flat plate

A finite element structural model of a 30.48 m x 30.48 m x 2.54 mm completely free aluminum plate is described and modal frequencies and mode shape data for the first 44 modes are presented. An explanation of the procedure for using the data is also presented. The model should prove useful for the investigation of controller design approaches for large flexible space structures.

Joshi, S. M.↗