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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 397 records · Page 22

Heat-Pipe Array for Large-Area Cooling

High rates of heat transfer anticipated. Prototype evaporative cold plate gathers waste heat from equipment mounted on it. Plate made by welding together flanges of several sections of heat pipe. Since plate separates liquid and vapor phases at inlet and outlet ports, eliminates complexities and uncertainties of two-phase flow in zero gravity. On earth, inlet valve enables plate to operate at relatively-large height differences with other plates in same system.

Edelstein, F.↗

Void-Free Lid for Food Packaging

Flexible cover eliminates air pockets in sealed container. Universal food-package lid formed from flexible plastic. Partially folded, lid unfolded by depressing center portion. Height of flat portion of lid above flange thereby reduced. Pressure of food against central oval depression pops it out, forming dome that provides finger grip for mixing contents with water or opening lid. Therefore food stays fresh, allows compact stacking of partially filled containers, and resists crushing. Originally developed for packaging dehydrated food for use in human consumption on Space Shuttle missions. Other uses include home canning and commercial food packaging.

Watson, C. D.↗

Lightweight Forms for Epoxy/Aramid Ducts

Aluminum mandrels easy to remove. Lightweight aluminum mandrel for shaping epoxy/aramid ducts simplifies and speeds production. In new process, glass-reinforced epoxy/aramid cloth wrapped on aluminum mandrel. Stainless-steel flanges and other hardware fitted on duct and held by simple tooling. Entire assembly placed in oven to cure epoxy. After curing, assembly placed in alkaline bath dissolves aluminum mandrel in about 4 hours. Epoxy/aramid shell ready for use as duct. Aluminum mandrel used to make ducts of various inside diameters up to 6 in. Standard aluminum forms used. Conventional tube-bending equipment produces requisite curves in mandrels.

Mix, E. W.↗

Improved stud configurations for attaching laminated wood wind turbine blades

A series of bonded stud design configurations was screened on the basis of tension-tension cyclic tests to determine the structural capability of each configuration for joining a laminated wood structure (wind turbine blade) to a steel flange (wind turbine hub). Design parameters which affected the joint strength (ultimate and fatigue) were systematically varied and evaluated through appropriate testing. Two designs showing the most promise were used to fabricate addiate testing. Two designs showing the most promise were used to fabricate additional test specimens to determine ultimate strength and fatigue curves. Test results for the bonded stud designs demonstrated that joint strengths approaching the 10,000 to 12,000 psi ultimate strength and 5000 psi high cycle fatigue strength of the wood epoxy composite could be achieved.

Fadoul, J. R.↗

Failure mechanisms of laminates transversely loaded by bolt push-through

Stiffened composite panels proposed for fuselage and wing design utilize a variety of stiffener-to-skin attachment concepts including mechanical fasteners. The attachment concept is an important factor influencing the panel's strength and can govern its performance following local damage. Mechanical fasteners can be an effective method for preventing stiffener-skin separation. One potential failure mode for bolted panels occurs when the bolts pull through the stiffener attachment flange or skin. The resulting loss of support by the skin to the stiffener and by the stiffener to the skin can result in local buckling and subsequent panel collapse. The characteristic failure modes associated with bolt push-through failure are described and the results of a parametric study of the effects that different material systems, boundary conditions, and laminates have on the forces and displacements required to cause damage and bolt pushthrough failure are presented.

Waters, W. A., Jr.↗

Superconducting magnet

Extensive computer based engineering design effort resulted in optimization of a superconducting magnet design with an average bulk current density of approximately 12KA/cm(2). Twisted, stranded 0.0045 inch diameter NbTi superconductor in a copper matrix was selected. Winding the coil from this bundle facilitated uniform winding of the small diameter wire. Test coils were wound using a first lot of the wire. The actual packing density was measured from these. Interwinding voltage break down tests on the test coils indicated the need for adjustment of the wire insulation on the lot of wire subsequently ordered for construction of the delivered superconducting magnet. Using the actual packing densities from the test coils, a final magnet design, with the required enhancement and field profile, was generated. All mechanical and thermal design parameters were then also fixed. The superconducting magnet was then fabricated and tested. The first test was made with the magnet immersed in liquid helium at 4.2K. The second test was conducted at 2K in vacuum. In the latter test, the magnet was conduction cooled from the mounting flange end.

Source record↗

Stiffener-skin interactions in pressure-loaded composite panels

The effects of flange thickness, web height, and skin stiffness on the strain distributions in the skin-stiffener interface region of pressure-loaded graphite-epoxy panels, stiffened by the type-T stiffener, were examined at pressure levels up to one atmosphere. The results indicate that at these pressures geometric nonlinearities are important, and that the overall stiffener stiffness has a significant effect on panel response, particularly on the out-of-plane deformation or pillowing of the skin. The strain gradients indicated that the interface between the skin and the stiffener experiences two components of shear stress, in addition to a normal (peel) stress. Thus, the skin-stiffener interface problem is a three-dimensional problem rather than a two-dimensional one, as is often assumed.

Loup, D. C.↗

Removing Welding Fumes

Portable exhaust duct for machining and welding shops removes oil mist, dust, smoke, and fumes. Duct used with shop exhaust system, inlets of which placed at various convenient locations in shop floor. Flanged connector on underside of wheeled base links flexible tube to exhaust system under floor. Made especially for welding in room with low ceiling.

Moore, Lloyd J.↗

Heater for Combustible-Gas Tanks

Proposed heater for pressurizing hydrogen, oxygen, or another combustible liquid or gas sealed in immersion cup in pressurized tank. Firmly supported in finned cup, coiled rod transfers heat through liquid metal to gas tank. Heater assembly welded or bolted to tank flange.

Ingle, Walter B.↗

DSN microwave antenna holography. Part 2: Data processing and display of high-resolution effective maps

The results of a recently completed computer graphic package for the process and display of holographically recorded data into effective aperture maps are presented. The term effective maps (labelled provisional on the holograms) signifies that the maps include contributions of surface mechanical errors as well as other electromagnetic factors (phase error due to feed/subreflector misalignment, linear phase error contribution due to pointing errors, subreflector flange diffraction effects, and strut diffraction shadows). While these maps do not show the true mechanical surface errors, they nevertheless show the equivalent errors, which are effective in determining overall antenna performance. Final steps to remove electromagnetic pointing and misalignment factors are now in progress. The processing and display of high-resolution effective maps of a 64m antenna (DSS 63) are presented.

Rochblatt, D. J.↗

Structural optimization of an alternate design for the space shuttle solid rocket booster field joint

A structural optimization procedure is used to determine the shape of an alternate design for the shuttle solid rocket booster field joint. In contrast to the tang and clevis design of the existing joint, this alternate design consists of two flanges bolted together. Configurations with 150 studs of 1 1/8 in. diameter and 135 studs of 1 3/16 in. diameter are considered. Using a nonlinear programming procedure, the joint weight is minimized under constraints on either von Mises or maximum normal stresses, joint opening and geometry. The procedure solves the design problem by replacing it by a sequence of approximate (convex) subproblems; the pattern of contact between the joint halves is determined every few cycles by a nonliner displacement analysis. The minimum weight design has 135 studs of 1 3/16 in. diameter and is designed under constraints on normal stresses. It weighs 1144 lb per joint more than the current tang and clevis design.

Barthelemy, J.-F. M.↗

Structural design of an in-line bolted joint for the space shuttle solid rocket motor case segments

Results of a structural design study of an in-line bolted joint concept which can be used to assemble Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) case segments are presented. Numerous parametric studies are performed to characterize the in-line bolted joint behavior as major design variables are altered, with the primary objective always being to keep the inside of the joint (where the O-rings are located) closed during the SRM firing. The resulting design has 180 1-inch studs, an eccentricity of -0.5 inch, a flange thickness of 3/4 inch, a bearing plate thickness of 1/4 inch, and the studs are subjected to a preload which is 70% of ultimate. The mass penalty per case segment joint for the in-line design is 346 lbm more than the weight penalty for the proposed capture tang fix.

Dorsey, John T.↗

Self indexing latch system

A self-latching jaw assembly is described which includes a pair of jaws for latching a fitting of an associated structure such as the keel fitting of a space telescope. The jaw assembly automatically locates the fitting received on a positioning pedestal and latches it in its original location on the pedestal without need of precision alignment. The first jaw is actuated and moved to the right whereupon a reciprocating plunger, extended from the nose of the jaw senses the hub of the spool. A jaw position responsive switch is then actuated to terminate the drive motor of the jaw. The astronaut will then actuate the drive motor of the jaw and the jaw will move to the left, whereupon the standoff will engage the face of the jaw in a latching position. In the latching position, the noses of the jaws will be under the flanges of the spool.

John C Gibson↗

Enhanced mixing of an axisymmetric jet by aerodynamic excitation

The main objective of acoustic excitation studies is to gain a high level of control over processes governing free shear flow characteristics. The basic premise is that inherent instability waves in free shear flows are excitable by external perturbations with frequencies close to the natural instability frequency of the flow. An 8.89 cm diameter axisymmetric jet was acoustically excited by four loudspeakers placed upstream of the nozzle exit. Measurements were made at Mach numbers of 0.435 and 0.2. A single hot-wire probe was used to obtain turbulence levels at the nozzle exit and along the centerline, and a microphone at the nozzle exit was used to study the resonance characteristics of the rig. A Pitot probe was stationed at X/D = 9 downstream along the nozzle axis to study the Strouhal number dependence and to look at threshold levels for excitation. The test results were obtained after a preliminary evaluation and facility improvement. Excitation at the correct Strouhal number enhanced mixing significantly. The effects were most prominent in the Strouhal number range between 0.4 and 1.0. The effects of acoustic excitation also depend considerably on the sound pressure level at the nozzle exit and were more pronounced at higher sound levels. Other factors which influenced the excitability were valve noise, exit turbulence levels, extraneous noise, and a flanged nozzle. Analysis of the hot-wire signal, in conditions of optimum jet mixing, showed vortex pairing to occur between 2 and 3 diameters downstream.

Raman, Ganesh↗

Structural optimization of an alternate design for the Space Shuttle solid rocket booster field joint

A structural optimization procedure is used to determine the shape of an alternate design for the Shuttle's solid rocket booster field joint. In contrast to the tang and clevis design of the existing joint, this alternate design consists of two flanges bolted together. Configurations with 150 studs of 1 1/8 in diameter and 135 studs of 1 3/16 in diameter are considered. Using a nonlinear programming procedure, the joint weight is minimized under constraints on either von Mises or maximum normal stresses, joint opening and geometry. The procedure solves the design problem by replacing it by a sequence of approximate (convex) subproblems; the pattern of contact between the joint halves is determined every few cycles by a nonlinear displacement analysis. The minimum weight design has 135 studs of 1 3/16 in diameter and is designed under constraints on normal stresses. It weighs 1144 lb per joint more than the current tang and clevis design.

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M.↗

Calculation of stresses and forces between the skin and stiffener in composite panels

A methodology for computing the stresses at the interface between the skin and stiffener in stiffened composite panels is described. The methodology is based on finite-element analyses and on elasticity solution. The finite-element analyses are standard, while the elasticity solution is based on eigenvalue expansions of the stress function. The eigenvalue expansions are assumed to be valid in the local region where the stiffener flange terminates. The local elasticity solution is coupled to the global finite-element analysis using collocation on the boundary of the local region. Accuracy and convergence of the method are discussed and several examples of its utility are presented.

Hyer, M. W.↗

Checking Fits With Digital Image Processing

Computer-aided video inspection of mechanical and electrical connectors feasible. Report discusses work done on digital image processing for computer-aided interface verification (CAIV). Two kinds of components examined: mechanical mating flange and electrical plug.

Davis, R. M.↗

Experimental studies on the tripping behavior of narrow T-stiffened flat plates subjected to hydrostatic pressure and underwater shock

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the static and dynamic responses of a specific stiffened flat plate design. The air-backed rectangular flat plates of 6061-T6 aluminum with an externally machined longitudinal narrow-flanged T-stiffener and clamped boundary conditions were subjected to static loading by water hydropump pressure and shock loading from an eight pound TNT charge detonated underwater. The dynamic test plate was instrumented to measure transient strains and free field pressure. The static test plate was instrumented to measure transient strains, plate deflection, and pressure. Emphasis was placed upon forcing static and dynamic stiffener tripping, obtaining relevant strain and pressure data, and studying the associated plate-stiffener behavior.

Budweg, H. L.↗