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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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A comprehensive technical description is presented of the Radiation Monitor which is part of the GSFC cosmic X-ray experiment to be flown on the OSO-1 satellite. The theory of operation, fabrication and assembly, and cone angle determination are reported.
The theory and operation of a FORTRAN 4 computer code, designated as TEMOD, used to calcuate tubular thermoelectric generator performance is described in WANL-TME-1906. The original version of TEMOD was developed in 1969. A description is given of additions to the mathematical model and an update of the input instructions to the code. Although the basic mathematical model described in WANL-TME-1906 has remained unchanged, a substantial number of input/output options were added to allow completion of module performance parametrics as required in support of the compact thermoelectric converter system technology program.
The theory of operation of the thermal flow meter is presented, and a theoretical model is used to determine design parameters for a device capable of measuring mercury flows in the range of 0 to 5 gm/hr. Flow meter construction is described. Tests performed using a positive displacement mercury pump as well as those performed with the device in the feed line of an operating thruster are discussed. A flow meter response time of about a minute and a sensitivity of about 10 mv/gm/hr are demonstrated. Additional work to relieve a sensitivity of the device to variations in ambient temperature is indicated to improve its quantitative performance.
A computer program is described that will compute the transient response of a thermal protection material to a prescribed heat input at the surface. The program has the capability of analyzing pyrolysis gas chemical kinetics in detail and treating pyrolysis reactions-in-depth. Deposition of solid products produced by chemical reactions in the gas phase is included in the analysis. An outline is given for the theory. detailed operating instructions for the computer program are included.
An alternate method of testing was developed in which flow through the porous walls of the tunnel was actively controlled so as to approximate free air conditions in the neighborhood of the model during the test. The amount and distribution of the controlled flow through the walls is computed using a potential flow representation of the model based on the measured lift. Theoretical analysis is presented to prove the convergence of the method to free air conditions and to substantiate the general three-dimensional theory of operation when the normal flow distribution is continuous. A two-dimensional tunnel was constructed to evaluate the concept. Results show that substantial reduction of wall interference may be achieved with relatively low values of porosity of actively controlled walls.
The man-computer interactive data access system (McIDAS) hardware and software design is outlined, with emphasis on meteorological applications. The McIDAS system features a flexible digital image enhancement device. Theory of operation, the McIDAS language, the McIDAS executive monitor, image acquisition, image parameters, image display, graphics, image navigation, and image massaging are explained. The WINDCO/CLDHGT system, developed to align time sequences of geosynchronous satellite pictures and to determine the motion and height of selected cloud targets, is also described.
Optoacoustic detectors are used to measure pressure changes occurring in enclosed gases, liquids, or solids being excited by intensity or frequency modulated electromagnetic radiation. Radiation absorption spectra, collisional relaxation rates, substance compositions, and reactions can be determined from the time behavior of these pressure changes. Very successful measurements of gaseous air pollutants have, for instance, been performed by using detectors of this type together with different lasers. The measuring instrument consisting of radiation source, modulator, optoacoustic detector, etc. is often called spectrophone. In the present paper, a thorough optoacoustic detector optimization analysis based upon a review of its theory of operation is introduced. New quantitative rules and suggestions explaining how to design detectors with maximal pressure responsivity and over-all sensitivity and minimal background signal are presented.
Corrections for wind tunnel wall interferences are applied successfully to high lift models when the model to tunnel size ratio is small. The accuracy of the corrections becomes poorer when larger models are tested. An alternate method of testing was developed in which flow through the porous walls of the tunnel was actively controlled so as to approximate free air conditions in the neighborhood of the model during the test. The amount and distribution of the controlled flow through the walls is computed using a potential flow representation of the model based on the measured lift. Theoretical analysis is presented to prove the convergence of the method to free air conditions and to substantiate the general three dimensional theory of operation when the normal flow distribution is continuous. A two dimensional tunnel was constructed to evaluate the concept. Results show that substantial reduction of wall interference may be achieved with relatively low values of porosity of actively controlled walls.
Conventional ultrasonic transducers transform acoustic waves into electrical signals preserving phase and amplitude information. When the acoustic wavelength is significantly smaller than the transducer diameter, severe phase modulation of the electrical signal can occur. This results in anomalous attenuation measurements, background noise in nondestructive evaluation, and in general complicates data interpretation. This article describes and evaluates a phase-insensitive transducer based on the acoustoelectric effect. Theory of operation of the acoustoelectric transducer (AET) is discussed, and some optimization procedures outlined for its use. Directivity data for the AET are contrasted with a conventional piezoelectric transducer. In addition, transmission scanning data of phantom flaws in metal plates are presented for both transducers and demonstrate a significant improvement in resolution with the AET.
Several sets of related Adage utility programs are described. A general description of the software group, instructions on how to use the programs, and a programmers description of the theory of operation are given along with a printed example of the program in use and a listing of the program.
A modular CAMAC based system is described which was developed to meet a variety of precise time and frequency measurement and distribution needs. The system was based on a generalization of the dual mixer concept. By using a 16 channel 100 ns event clock, the system can intercompare the phase of 16 frequency standards with subpicosecond resolution. The system has a noise floor of 26 fs and a long term stability on the order of 1 ps or better. The system also used a digitally controlled crystal oscillator in a control loop to provide an offsettable 5 MHz output with subpicosecond phase tracking capability. A detailed description of the system is given including theory of operation and performance. A method to improve the performance of the dual mixer technique is discussed when phase balancing of the two input ports cannot be accomplished.
The design and theory of operation of the servoactuator used for thrust vector control of the space shuttle solid rocket booster is described accompanied by highlights from the development and qualification test programs. Specific details are presented concerning major anomalies that occurred during the test programs and the corrective courses of action pursued.
A generalization of the hydrodynamic expression for Hertzian contacts is described and various methods for calculating the thickness of the oil film winter steady-state, isothermal conditions are given. This is important for engineering applications such as gears and bearings because these results are closer to real operating conditions. Theories of lubrication are discussed, and the mathematics involved are presented using approximately 30 equations and 13 figures. For lubricated, linear, elliptical or point Hertzian contacts it is demonstrated how to calculate the thickness of the oil film at the center of the contact for steady-state isothermal conditions.
An appraisal of whether to improve the existing multi-laser/multi detector system was undertaken. Two features of the elevation scanning mast which prevent the system from meeting desired specifications were studied. Then elevation scanning mast has 20 detectors, as opposed to the desired 40. This influences the system's overall resolution. The mirror shaft encoder's finite resolution prevents the laser from being aimed exactly as desired. This influences the system's overall accuracy. It was concluded that the existing system needs no modification at present. The design and construction of a data emulator which allowed testing data transactions with a PRIME computer is described, and theory of operation briefly discussed. A full blown PRIME/Rover Interface was designed and built. The capabilities of this Interface and its operating principles are discussed.
A software package was designed and written to process in real-time any one quadrature channel pair of radar scatterometer signals form the NASA L- or C-Band radar scatterometer systems. The software was successfully tested in the C-Band processor breadboard hardware using recorded radar and NERDAS (NASA Earth Resources Data Annotation System) signals as the input data sources. The processor development program and the overall processor theory of operation and design are described. The real-time processor software system is documented and the results of the laboratory software tests, and recommendations for the efficient application of the data processing capabilities are presented.
An MC68000 based microcomputer including a hardware multiplier processor has been designed and prototyped for a reentry vehicle navigation and control application. In this paper, the microcomputer is discussed with emphasis on the multiplier processor architecture, software control and theory of operation.
The NASA multipurpose differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system uses two high conversion efficiency dye lasers which are optically pumped by two frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers mounted rigidly on a supporting structure that also contains the transmitter, receiver, and data system. The DIAL system hardware design and data acquisition system are described. Timing diagrams, logic diagrams, and schematics, and the theory of operation of the control electronics are presented. Success in obtaining remote measurements of ozone profiles with an airborne systems is reported and results are analyzed.
A compact magnetograph system based on solid Fabry-Perot interferometers as the spectral isolation elements was studied. The theory of operation of several Fabry-Perot systems, the suitability of various magnetic lines, signal levels expected for different modes of operation, and the optimal detector systems were investigated. The requirements that the lack of a polarization modulator placed upon the electronic signal chain was emphasized. The PLZT modulator was chosen as a satisfactory component with both high reliability and elatively low voltage requirements. Thermal control, line centering and velocity offset problems were solved by a Fabry-Perot configuration.