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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Structure analysis of turbulent liquid phase by POD and LSE techniques

In this paper, vortical structures and turbulence characteristics of liquid phase in both single liquid phase and two-phase slug flow in pipes were studied. Two dimensional velocity vector fields of liquid phase were obtained by Particle image velocimetry (PIV). Two cases were considered one single phase liquid flow at 80 l/m and second slug flow by introducing gas at 60 l/m while keeping liquid flow rate same. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and Linear stochastic estimation techniques were used for the extraction of coherent structures and analysis of turbulence in liquid phase for both cases. POD has successfully revealed large energy containing structures. The time dependent POD spatial mode coefficients oscillate with high frequency for high mode numbers. The energy distribution of spatial modes was also achieved. LSE has pointed out the coherent structured for both cases and the reconstructed velocity fields are in well agreement with the instantaneous velocity fields.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2014

Structural Analysis Using NX Nastran 9.0

NX Nastran is a powerful Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software package used to solve linear and non-linear models for structural and thermal systems. The software, which consists of both a solver and user interface, breaks down analysis into four files, each of which are important to the end results of the analysis. The software offers capabilities for a variety of types of analysis, and also contains a respectable modeling program. Over the course of ten weeks, I was trained to effectively implement NX Nastran into structural analysis and refinement for parts of two missions at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Restore mission and the Orion mission.

NX Nastran↗
NASA NTRS1965

Stiffness matrix structural analysis

Computer program for stiffness of structure with lumped masses, weightless members, and many degrees of freedom - structural dynamics

COMPUTER PROGRAM↗
NASA NTRS1985

Orbit on demand - Structural analysis finds vertical launchers weigh less

Structural considerations arising from favored design concepts for the next generation on-demand launch vehicles are explored. The two emerging concepts are a two stage fully reusable vertical take-off vehicle (V-2) and a horizontal take-off, two stage subsonic boost launch vehicle (H-2-Sub). Both designs have an 1100 n. mi. cross-range capability, with the V-2 orbiter having small wings with winglets for hypersonic trim and the H-2-Sub requiring larger, swept wings. The rockets would be cryogenic, while airbreathing initial boosters would be either turbofans, turbojets and/or ramjets. Dynamic loading is lower in the launch of a V-2. The TPS is a critical factor due to thinner leading edges than on the Shuttle and may require heat-pipe cooling. Airframe structures made of metal matrix composites have passed finite element simulations of projected loads and can now undergo proof-of-concept tests, although whisker-reinforced materials may be superior once long-whisker technology is developed.

Taylor, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

NASA Structural Analysis System (NASTRAN)

Program aids in structural design of wide range of objects, from high-impact printer parts to turbine engine blades, and fully validated. Since source code included, NASTRAN modified or enhanced for new applications.

Purves, L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Integrated finite element thermal-structural analysis with radiation heat transfer

An integrated approach for efficiently coupling thermal and stress analyses of structures with radiation heat transfer is presented. A new integrated one dimensional element based on a nodeless variable formulation is introduced. Lumped and consistent formulations of the nonlinear radiation heat transfer matrix are presented. The accuracy of the integrated approach is assessed by comparisons with analytical solutions and conventional finite element thermal-structural analyses. Results show that the nodeless variable thermal element yields accuracy equivalent to a higher order element but permits a common discretization with a lower order congruent structural element. The integrated element thus provides improved accuracy and efficiency of thermal stress analysis for structures with complex temperature distributions.

Thornton, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Structural analysis consultation using artificial intelligence

The primary goal of consultation is definition of the best strategy to deal with a structural engineering analysis objective. The knowledge base to meet the need is designed to identify the type of numerical analysis, the needed modeling detail, and specific analysis data required. Decisions are constructed on the basis of the data in the knowledge base - material behavior, relations between geometry and structural behavior, measures of the importance of time and temperature changes - and user supplied specifics characteristics of the spectrum of analysis types, the relation between accuracy and model detail on the structure, its mechanical loadings, and its temperature states. Existing software demonstrated the feasibility of the approach, encompassing the 36 analysis classes spanning nonlinear, temperature affected, incremental analyses which track the behavior of structural systems.

Melosh, R. J.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Structural analysis of β-glucosidase mutants derived from a hyperthermophilic tetrameric structure

Substitutive mutations that convert a tetrameric β-glucosidase into a dimeric state lead to improvement of its crystal quality. β-Glucosidase from Pyrococcus furiosus (BGLPf) is a hyperthermophilic tetrameric enzyme which can degrade cellooligosaccharides to glucose under hyperthermophilic conditions and thus holds promise for the saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass at high temperature. Prior to the production of large amounts of this enzyme, detailed information regarding the oligomeric structure of the enzyme is required. Several crystals of BGLPf have been prepared over the past ten years, but its crystal structure had not been solved until recently. In 2011, the first crystal structure of BGLPf was solved and a model was constructed at somewhat low resolution (2.35 Å). In order to obtain more detailed structural data on BGLPf, the relationship between its tetrameric structure and the quality of the crystal was re-examined. A dimeric form of BGLPf was constructed and its crystal structure was solved at a resolution of 1.70 Å using protein-engineering methods. Furthermore, using the high-resolution crystal structural data for the dimeric form, a monomeric form of BGLPf was constructed which retained the intrinsic activity of the tetrameric form. The thermostability of BGLPf is affected by its oligomeric structure. Here, the biophysical and biochemical properties of engineered dimeric and monomeric BGLPfs are reported, which are promising prototype models to apply to the saccharification reaction. Furthermore, details regarding the oligomeric structures of BGLPf and the reasons why the mutations yielded improved crystal structures are discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Short-range order and longer-range disorder revealed in germanium–tin alloy thin films by extended x-ray absorption fine structure analysis

Short-range order (SRO) in semiconductor alloys, a relatively under-studied structural phenomenon in which local atomic arrangements differ from those of a random solid solution, is investigated in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown GeSn thin films. A novel preparation technique is used to pattern these films into microscale ribbons that are released from the substrate for extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. The results indicate a strong SRO in which the first shell around Sn atoms is greatly denuded of Sn atoms relative to the nominal atomic composition of the alloy. This effect is more pronounced than that observed recently in GeSn nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition. Additionally, the presence of a longer-range disorder detected by EXAFS analysis in the shells of atoms more distant from the absorbers is indicative of the defects and inhomogeneous strain present in the MBE-grown films. The evident existence of the SRO in GeSn alloys deposited by different growth methods and in different strain states suggests that SRO is a general phenomenon in the thin films of this metastable solid solution.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1988

Integrated nonlinear structural analysis and design

An integrated approach to the design optimization of structures which require nonlinear analysis is proposed. The optimization process begins with a linearized structural response and the amount of nonlinearity is increased as the optimum design becomes closer. The proposed approach has the potential of reducing substantially the computational cost of the optimization. Two truss examples are used for demonstration.

Haftka, Raphael T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space Shuttle Main Engine structural analysis and data reduction/evaluation. Volume 7: High pressure fuel turbo-pump third stage impeller analysis

This volume summarizes the analysis used to assess the structural life of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Fuel Turbo-Pump (HPFTP) Third Stage Impeller. This analysis was performed in three phases, all using the DIAL finite element code. The first phase was a static stress analysis to determine the mean (non-varying) stress and static margin of safety for the part. The loads involved were steady state pressure and centrifugal force due to spinning. The second phase of the analysis was a modal survey to determine the vibrational modes and natural frequencies of the impeller. The third phase was a dynamic response analysis to determine the alternating component of the stress due to time varying pressure impulses at the outlet (diffuser) side of the impeller. The results of the three phases of the analysis show that the Third Stage Impeller operates very near the upper limits of its capability at full power level (FPL) loading. The static loading alone creates stresses in some areas of the shroud which exceed the yield point of the material. Additional cyclic loading due to the dynamic force could lead to a significant reduction in the life of this part. The cyclic stresses determined in the dynamic response phase of this study are based on an assumption regarding the magnitude of the forcing function.

Pool, Kirby V.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Structural Analysis and Testing of the Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE)

The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) is a 3.0 meter, 60 degree half-angle sphere cone, inflatable aeroshell experiment designed to demonstrate various aspects of inflatable technology during Earth re-entry. IRVE will be launched on a Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket from NASA s Wallops Flight Facility in the fall of 2006 to an altitude of approximately 164 kilometers and re-enter the Earth s atmosphere. The experiment will demonstrate exo-atmospheric inflation, inflatable structure leak performance throughout the flight regime, structural integrity under aerodynamic pressure and associated deceleration loads, thermal protection system performance, and aerodynamic stability. Structural integrity and dynamic response of the inflatable will be monitored with photogrammetric measurements of the leeward side of the aeroshell during flight. Aerodynamic stability and drag performance will be verified with on-board inertial measurements and radar tracking from multiple ground radar stations. In addition to demonstrating inflatable technology, IRVE will help validate structural, aerothermal, and trajectory modeling and analysis techniques for the inflatable aeroshell system. This paper discusses the structural analysis and testing of the IRVE inflatable structure. Equations are presented for calculating fabric loads in sphere cone aeroshells, and finite element results are presented which validate the equations. Fabric material properties and testing are discussed along with aeroshell fabrication techniques. Stiffness and dynamics tests conducted on a small-scale development unit and a full-scale prototype unit are presented along with correlated finite element models to predict the in-flight fundamental mod

Lindell, Michael C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Selective deuteration of an RNA:RNA complex for structural analysis using small-angle scattering

The structures of RNA:RNA complexes regulate many biological processes. Despite their importance, protein-free RNA:RNA complexes represent a tiny fraction of experimentally determined structures. Here, we describe a joint small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) approach to structurally interrogate conformational changes in a model RNA:RNA complex. Using SAXS, we measured the solution structures of the individual RNAs and of the overall RNA:RNA complex. With SANS, we demonstrate, as a proof of principle, that isotope labeling and contrast matching (CM) can be combined to probe the bound state structure of an RNA within a selectively deuterated RNA:RNA complex. Furthermore, we show that experimental scattering data can validate and improve predicted AlphaFold 3 RNA:RNA complex structures to reflect its solution structure. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that in silico modeling, SAXS, and CM-SANS can be used in concert to directly analyze conformational changes within RNAs when in complex, enhancing our understanding of RNA structure in functional assemblies.

HIV-1 dimerization initiation site↗
NASA NTRS1968

Crystal structure analysis of intermetallic compounds

Study concerns crystal structures and lattice parameters for a number of new intermetallic compounds. Crystal structure data have been collected on equiatomic compounds, formed between an element of the Sc, Ti, V, or Cr group and an element of the Co or Ni group. The data, obtained by conventional methods, are presented in an easily usable tabular form.

Conner, R. A., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Functional and structural analysis of a highly-expressed Yersinia pestis small RNA following infection of cultured macrophages

Non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) are found in practically all bacterial genomes and play important roles in regulating gene expression to impact bacterial metabolism, growth, and virulence. We performed transcriptomics analysis to identify sRNAs that are differentially expressed in Yersinia pestis that invaded the human macrophage cell line THP-1, compared to pathogens that remained extracellular in the presence of host. Using ultra high-throughput sequencing, we identified 37 novel and 143 previously known sRNAs in Y. pestis . In particular, the sRNA Ysr170 was highly expressed in intracellular Yersinia and exhibited a log2 fold change ~3.6 higher levels compared to extracellular bacteria. We found that knock-down of Ysr170 expression attenuated infection efficiency in cell culture and growth rate in response to different stressors. In addition, we applied selective 2’-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) analysis to determine the secondary structure of Ysr170 and observed structural changes resulting from interactions with the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamycin and the RNA chaperone Hfq. Interestingly, gentamicin stabilized helix 4 of Ysr170, which structurally resembles the native gentamicin 16S ribosomal binding site. Lastly, we modeled the tertiary structure of Ysr170 binding to gentamycin using RNA motif modeling. Integration of these experimental and structural methods can provide further insight into the design of small molecules that can inhibit function of sRNAs required for pathogen virulence.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural Analysis of a Serpentine Superconducting Magnet for the Interaction Region of the Electron Ion Collider

The electron ion collider (EIC) is under design to collide the high energy and highly polarized hadron with electron beams with luminosities up to 10 34 cm −2 s −1 . The superconducting magnet designs at the interaction region (IR) are quite challenging due to the close proximity of the hadron and electron beams. Several serpentine types of superconducting magnets have been designed due to the space restrictions at the IR. Here, to validate the designs in terms of the mechanical strength, structural integrity, as well as the allowed deformations, a detailed structural mechanical analysis for a 12-layer superconducting quadrupole serpentine magnet (Q1BpR) in the rear side hadron beams has been carried out using the finite element method (FEM) considering the pretension stress, shrinking due to cool down, and the electromagnetic force on the conductors. Anisotropy material properties and individual roving tension have been considered. The electro-magnetic (EM) simulations were performed using COMSOL, confirmed with RAT, the structural mechanical analysis were performed using COMSOL by considering the contact elements.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

An airfoil-based synthetic actuator disk model for wind turbine aerodynamic and structural analysis

Here, this study introduces an airfoil-based refinement technique to enhance the Actuator Disk Model (ADM) for improved wind turbine aerodynamic load prediction and structural simulation in conjunction with Large Eddy Simulations of the wind flow. While ADM offers higher computational efficiency than the more detailed but resource-intensive Actuator Line Model (ALM), it traditionally lacks the resolution needed to capture the localized blade forces accurately. To address this limitation, we introduce a refinement technique that uses airfoil-specific data and employs interpolation-based grid point refinement, achieving ALM-comparable accuracy while preserving ADM's efficiency. Unlike conventional ADM that provides only rotor-disk averaged forces, our synthetic method tracks transient aerodynamic load variations over multiple blade revolutions, allowing us to calculate the distributions of maximum and minimum loads during typical cycles. Applied to the NREL 5 MW reference turbine, our enhanced ADM accurately predicts key aerodynamic parameters (angle of attack, axial velocity, lift, drag, axial and tangential forces along the blades) as well as structural responses (blade tip deflection, maximum stress, and stress concentration). Our results show that the tip deflection ranges from 2.33m (3.69 % of blade length) to 4.28m (6.79 %), with maximum stress concentration occurring near the blade root. This research demonstrates that a refined synthetic ADM approach can serve as a computationally efficient alternative for both aerodynamic analysis and structural simulation of wind turbine blades subjected to realistic wind fields.

17 WIND ENERGY↗