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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Improving Computational Efficiency of Prediction in Model-Based Prognostics Using the Unscented Transform

Model-based prognostics captures system knowledge in the form of physics-based models of components, and how they fail, in order to obtain accurate predictions of end of life (EOL). EOL is predicted based on the estimated current state distribution of a component and expected profiles of future usage. In general, this requires simulations of the component using the underlying models. In this paper, we develop a simulation-based prediction methodology that achieves computational efficiency by performing only the minimal number of simulations needed in order to accurately approximate the mean and variance of the complete EOL distribution. This is performed through the use of the unscented transform, which predicts the means and covariances of a distribution passed through a nonlinear transformation. In this case, the EOL simulation acts as that nonlinear transformation. In this paper, we review the unscented transform, and describe how this concept is applied to efficient EOL prediction. As a case study, we develop a physics-based model of a solenoid valve, and perform simulation experiments to demonstrate improved computational efficiency without sacrificing prediction accuracy.

Daigle, Matthew John↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Computationally-Efficient Inverse Approach to Probabilistic Strain-Based Damage Diagnosis

This work presents a computationally-efficient inverse approach to probabilistic damage diagnosis. Given strain data at a limited number of measurement locations, Bayesian inference and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling are used to estimate probability distributions of the unknown location, size, and orientation of damage. Substantial computational speedup is obtained by replacing a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model with an efficient surrogate model. The approach is experimentally validated on cracked test specimens where full field strains are determined using digital image correlation (DIC). Access to full field DIC data allows for testing of different hypothetical sensor arrangements, facilitating the study of strain-based diagnosis effectiveness as the distance between damage and measurement locations increases. The ability of the framework to effectively perform both probabilistic damage localization and characterization in cracked plates is demonstrated and the impact of measurement location on uncertainty in the predictions is shown. Furthermore, the analysis time to produce these predictions is orders of magnitude less than a baseline Bayesian approach with the FE method by utilizing surrogate modeling and effective numerical sampling approaches.

Warner, James E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A computationally efficient model for turbulent droplet dispersion in spray combustion

A novel model for turbulent droplet dispersion is formulated having significantly improved computational efficiency in comparison to the conventional point source stochastic sampling methodology. In the proposed model, a computational parcel representing a group of physical particles is considered to have a normal (Gaussian) probability density function (PDF) in three-dimensional space. The mean of each PDF is determined by Lagrangian tracking of each computational parcel, either deterministically or stochastically. The variance is represented by a turbulence-induced mean squared dispersion which is based on statistical inferences from the linearized direct modeling formulation for particle/eddy interactions. Convolution of the computational parcel PDF's produces a single PDF for the physical particle distribution profile. The validity of the new model is established by comparison with the conventional stochastic sampling method, where in each parcel is represented by a delta function distribution, for non-evaporating particles injected into simple turbulent air flows.

Litchford, Ron J.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Computationally-efficient Structural Models for Analysis of Woven Composites

The paper presents a novel approach to model woven composite using the computationally efficient one-dimensional models. The framework is built within the scheme of the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), a generalized hierarchical formulation that generates variable kinematic structural theories. Various components of the woven composite unit cell are modeled using a combination of straight and curved one-dimensional CUF models. By employing a component-wise approach, a modeling technique within CUF, the complex geometry of the woven composite components is modeled precisely. The ability of CUF models to accurately resolve stress and strain fields are exploited to capture complex deformation within a woven composite unit cell. Numerical results include analyses of a non-crimped textile composite, a curved tow under tension, and a dry woven textile unit cell.

Kaleel, Ibrahim↗
NASA NTRS1979

On the efficient computation of Fraunhofer and Fresnel region fields radiated by reflector and planar-aperture antennas

Computation of fields radiated by parabolic reflectors and planar apertures is a problem of prime importance, and conventional approaches to performing these computations are often very time-consuming. The paper demonstrates the usefulness of a series expansion technique for efficient computation of radiated fields in both the Fraunhofer and Fresnel regions. The series approach is based on the use of the Jacobi polynomials. The application of the series method to determining the far-field pattern of the antenna from the near-field measurements for an arbitrary aperture antenna is also discussed.

Mittra, R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A computationally efficient error-based adaptive control scheme for kinematically redundant manipulators

A Cartesian-space control scheme is developed to control the motion of kinematically redundant manipulators with 7 degrees of freedom (DOF). The control scheme consists mainly of proportional-derivative (PD) controllers whose gains are adjusted by an adaptation law driven by the errors between the desired and actual trajectories. The adaptation law is derived using the concept of model reference adaptive control (MRAC) and Liapunov direct method under the assumption that the manipulator performs noncompliant and slowly-varying motions. The developed control scheme is computationally efficient because its implementation does not require the computation of the manipulator dynamics. Computer simulation performed to evaluate the control scheme performance is presented and discussed.

Nguyen, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An efficient computational method for characterizing the effects of random surface errors on the average power pattern of reflectors

Based on the works of Ruze (1966) and Vu (1969), a novel mathematical model has been developed to determine efficiently the average power pattern degradations caused by random surface errors. In this model, both nonuniform root mean square (rms) surface errors and nonuniform illumination functions are employed. In addition, the model incorporates the dependence on F/D in the construction of the solution. The mathematical foundation of the model rests on the assumption that in each prescribed annular region of the antenna, the geometrical rms surface value is known. It is shown that closed-form expressions can then be derived, which result in a very efficient computational method for the average power pattern. Detailed parametric studies are performed with these expressions to determine the effects of different random errors and illumination tapers on parameters such as gain loss and sidelobe levels. The results clearly demonstrate that as sidelobe levels decrease, their dependence on the surface rms/wavelength becomes much stronger and, for a specified tolerance level, a considerably smaller rms/wavelength is required to maintain the low sidelobes within the required bounds.

Rahmat-Samii, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Adding computationally efficient realism to Monte Carlo turbulence simulation

Frequently in aerospace vehicle flight simulation, random turbulence is generated using the assumption that the craft is small compared to the length scales of turbulence. The turbulence is presumed to vary only along the flight path of the vehicle but not across the vehicle span. The addition of the realism of three-dimensionality is a worthy goal, but any such attempt will not gain acceptance in the simulator community unless it is computationally efficient. A concept for adding three-dimensional realism with a minimum of computational complexity is presented. The concept involves the use of close rational approximations to irrational spectra and cross-spectra so that systems of stable, explicit difference equations can be used to generate the turbulence.

Campbell, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Description and Validation of a Computationally-Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOH) Module for 3D Model Applications

We present the Efficient CH4-CO-OH Module (ECCOH) that allows for the simulation of the methane, carbon monoxide and hydroxyl radical (CH4-CO-OH cycle, within a chemistry climate model, carbon cycle model, or earth system model. The computational efficiency of the module allows many multi-decadal, sensitivity simulations of the CH4-CO-OH cycle, which primarily determines the global tropospheric oxidizing capacity. This capability is important for capturing the nonlinear feedbacks of the CH4-CO-OH system and understanding the perturbations to relatively long-lived methane and the concomitant impacts on climate. We implemented the ECCOH module into the NASA GEOS-5 Atmospheric Global Circulation Model (AGCM), performed multiple sensitivity simulations of the CH4-CO-OH system over two decades, and evaluated the model output with surface and satellite datasets of methane and CO. The favorable comparison of output from the ECCOH module (as configured in the GEOS-5 AGCM) with observations demonstrates the fidelity of the module for use in scientific research.

Remote Sensing↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Description and Validation of a Computationally-Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOHv1.01) Chemistry Module for 3D Model Applications

We present the Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOH) chemistry module that allows for the simulation of the methane, carbon monoxide, and hydroxyl radical (CH4-CO- OH) system, within a chemistry climate model, carbon cycle model, or Earth system model. The computational efficiency of the module allows many multi-decadal sensitivity simulations of the CH4-CO-OH system, which primarily determines the global atmospheric oxidizing capacity. This capability is important for capturing the nonlinear feedbacks of the CH4-CO-OH system and understanding the perturbations to methane, CO, and OH, and the concomitant impacts on climate. We implemented the ECCOH chemistry module in the NASA GEOS-5 atmospheric global circulation model (AGCM), performed multiple sensitivity simulations of the CH4-CO-OH system over 2 decades, and evaluated the model output with surface and satellite data sets of methane and CO. The favorable comparison of output from the ECCOH chemistry module (as configured in the GEOS- 5 AGCM) with observations demonstrates the fidelity of the module for use in scientific research.

carbon cycle model↗
NASA NTRS1990

A computational efficient modelling of laminar separation bubbles

In predicting the aerodynamic characteristics of airfoils operating at low Reynolds numbers, it is often important to account for the effects of laminar (transitional) separation bubbles. Previous approaches to the modelling of this viscous phenomenon range from fast but sometimes unreliable empirical correlations for the length of the bubble and the associated increase in momentum thickness, to more accurate but significantly slower displacement-thickness iteration methods employing inverse boundary-layer formulations in the separated regions. Since the penalty in computational time associated with the more general methods is unacceptable for airfoil design applications, use of an accurate yet computationally efficient model is highly desirable. To this end, a semi-empirical bubble model was developed and incorporated into the Eppler and Somers airfoil design and analysis program. The generality and the efficiency was achieved by successfully approximating the local viscous/inviscid interaction, the transition location, and the turbulent reattachment process within the framework of an integral boundary-layer method. Comparisons of the predicted aerodynamic characteristics with experimental measurements for several airfoils show excellent and consistent agreement for Reynolds numbers from 2,000,000 down to 100,000.

Dini, Paolo↗
NASA NTRS2015

Interannual Variability and Trends of CH4, CO and OH Using the Computationally-Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOH) Module

Methane (CH4) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). Its 100-year global warming potential (GWP) is 34 times larger than that for carbon dioxide. The 100-year integrated GWPof CH4 is sensitive to changes in hydroxyl radical (OH) levels.Oxidation of CH4 and carbon monoxide (CO) by OH is the main loss process, thus affecting the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere and contributing to the global ozone background. Limitations of using archived, monthly OH fields for studies of methane's and COs evolution are that feedbacks of the CH4-CO-OH system on methane, CO and OH are not captured. In this study, we employ the computationally Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOH) module (Elshorbany et al., 2015) to investigate the nonlinear feedbacks of the CH4-CO-OH system on the interannual variability and trends of the CH4, CO, OH system.

Methane↗
NASA NTRS2023

A computationally efficient statistically downscaled 100 m resolution Greenland product from the regional climate model MAR

The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has been contributing directly to sea level rise, and this contribution is projected to accelerate over the next decades. A crucial tool for studying the evolution of surface mass loss (e.g., surface mass balance, SMB) consists of regional climate models (RCMs), which can provide current estimates and future projections of sea level rise associated with such losses. However, one of the main limitations of RCMs is the relatively coarse horizontal spatial resolution at which outputs are currently generated. Here, we report results concerning the statistical downscaling of the SMB modeled by the Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MAR) RCM from the original spatial resolution of 6 km to 100 m building on the relationship between elevation and mass losses in Greenland. To this goal, we developed a geospatial framework that allows the parallelization of the downscaling process, a crucial aspect to increase the computational efficiency of the algorithm. Using the results obtained in the case of the SMB, surface and air temperature are assessed through the comparison of the modeled outputs with in situ and satellite measurement. The downscaled products show a considerable improvement in the case of the downscaled product with respect to the original coarse output, with the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) increasing from 0.868 for the original MAR output to 0.935 for the SMB downscaled product. Moreover, the value of the slope and intercept of the linear regression fitting modeled and measured SMB values shifts from 0.865 for the original MAR to 1.015 for the downscaled product in the case of the slope and from the value −235 mm w.e. yr -1 (original) to −57 mm w.e. yr -1 (downscaled) in the case of the intercept, considerably improving upon results previously published in the literature.

Greenland Ice Sheet↗
NASA NTRS2021

Evaluation of Higher-order Quadrature Schemes in Improving Computational Efficiency for Orientation-averaged Single-Scattering Properties of Nonspherical Ice Particles

We evaluate several high-order quadrature schemes for accuracy and efficacy in obtaining orientation-averaged single-scattering properties (SSPs). We use the highly efficient MIDAS to perform electromagnetic scattering calculations to evaluate the gain in efficiency from these schemes. MIDAS is shown to be superior to DDSCAT, a popular discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. This study is motivated by the fact that quality physical precipitation retrievals rely on using accurate orientation-averaged SSPs derived from realistic hydrometeors as input to radiative transfer Models (RTMs). The DDA has been a popular choice for single-scattering calculations, due to its versatility with respect to target geometry. However, being iterative-solver-based (ISB), the most used DDA codes, e.g. DDSCAT and ADDA, must solve the scattering problem for each orientation of the target separately. As the size parameter and geometric anisotropy of the hydrometeor increase, the number of orientations needed to obtain accurate orientation-averages can increase drastically and so does the computation cost incurred by the ISB-DDA methods. MIDAS is a Direct-Solver-Based (DSB) code, its decomposition of the original large matrix with a high rank into multiple more manageable smaller matrices of lower ranks makes it much more computationally efficient while maintaining excellent accuracy. In addition, direct solvers consider all requested orientations at once, giving MIDAS further advantage over popular ISB-DDA methods. MIDAS, when combined with high-order quadrature for orientation averaging, can be greater than three orders of magnitude more efficient in obtaining RTM-ready SSPs of complex-shaped hydrometeors than existing ISB-DDA methods, with the native quadrature schemes they offer.

Ines Fenni↗
NASA NTRS1995

Computing Efficiency Of Transfer Of Microwave Power

BEAM computer program enables user to calculate microwave power-transfer efficiency between two circular apertures at arbitrary range. Power-transfer efficiency obtained numerically. Two apertures have generally different sizes and arbitrary taper illuminations. BEAM also analyzes effect of distance and taper illumination on transmission efficiency for two apertures of equal size. Written in FORTRAN.

Pinero, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Algorithms for Efficient Computation of Transfer Functions for Large Order Flexible Systems

An efficient and robust computational scheme is given for the calculation of the frequency response function of a large order, flexible system implemented with a linear, time invariant control system. Advantage is taken of the highly structured sparsity of the system matrix of the plant based on a model of the structure using normal mode coordinates. The computational time per frequency point of the new computational scheme is a linear function of system size, a significant improvement over traditional, still-matrix techniques whose computational times per frequency point range from quadratic to cubic functions of system size. This permits the practical frequency domain analysis of systems of much larger order than by traditional, full-matrix techniques. Formulations are given for both open- and closed-loop systems. Numerical examples are presented showing the advantages of the present formulation over traditional approaches, both in speed and in accuracy. Using a model with 703 structural modes, the present method was up to two orders of magnitude faster than a traditional method. The present method generally showed good to excellent accuracy throughout the range of test frequencies, while traditional methods gave adequate accuracy for lower frequencies, but generally deteriorated in performance at higher frequencies with worst case errors being many orders of magnitude times the correct values.

Maghami, Peiman G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Efficient computation of volume in flow predictions

An efficient method for calculating cell volumes for time-dependent three-dimensional flow predictions by finite volume calculations is presented. Eight arbitrary corner points are considered and the shape face is divided into two planar triangles. The volume is then dependent on the orientation of the partitioning. In the case of a hexahedron, it is noted that any open surface with a boundary that is a closed curve possesses a surface vector independent of the surface shape. Expressions are defined for the surface vector, which is independent of the partitioning surface diagonal used to quantify the volume. Using a decomposition of the cell volume involving two corners, with each the vertex of three diagonals and six corners which are vertices of one diagonal, gives portions which are tetrahedra. The resultant mesh is can be used for time-dependent finite volume calculations one requires less computer time than previous methods.

Vinokur, M.↗