Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “theoretical models”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 397 records · Page 22

Models of the zodiacal light

Zodiacal light theoretical models, considering interplanetary particles optics, Mie theory and multicolor polarization

Greenberg, J. M.↗

Stellar chromospheric models

Described are two basic types of theoretical models - radiative equilibrium and empirical - that are used to represent stellar chromospheres. The construction of radiative-equilibrium model atmospheres that show an outward temperature increase in the surface layers is reported. Also discussed is chromospheric cooling due to spectral lines. Solar empirical models describe the empirical determination of solar-type chromospheric models that, in order to match observations, imply a temperature rise substantially greater than that predicted by radiative equilibrium. Such a temperature rise must be largely due to mechanical heating. An attempt is made to apply a scaled solar chromospheric model to a star with a different surface gravity. The results suggest that the chromospheric optical thickness is sensitive to gravity and that the width of chromospheric line emission increases with stellar luminosity.

Avrett, E. H.↗

Thermonuclear-flash models for X-ray burst sources

Theoretical models for X-ray burst sources that invoke thermonuclear flashes in the surface layers of an accreting neutron star are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the studies by Joss (1978) and Joss and Li (1979) on the evolution of the helium-burning shell. Numerical calculations with regard to the mass accretion rate, core temperature of the neutron star and the sensitivity of the flash properties to the assumed mass and radius of the neutron star are considered. Attention is also given to the behavior of the surface luminosity following a thermonuclear flash, the decline from maximum X-ray luminosity, structure of the surface layers prior to and during the first helium-burning flash and the temporal evolution of the first X-ray burst.

Joss, P. C.↗

A first-principles model for orificed hollow cathode operation

A theoretical model describing orificed hollow cathode discharge is presented. The approach adopted is based on a purely analytical formulation founded on first principles. The present model predicts the emission surface temperature and plasma properties such as electron temperature, number densities and plasma potential. In general, good agreements between theory and experiment are obtained. Comparison of the results with the available related experimental data shows a maximum difference of 10 percent in emission surface temperature, 20 percent in electron temperature and 35 percent in plasma potential. In case of the variation of the electron number density with the discharge current a maximum discrepancy of 36 percent is obtained. However, in the case of the variation with the cathode internal pressure, the predicted electron number density is higher than the experimental data by a maximum factor of 2.

Salhi, A.↗

Analysis of data from NASA B-57B gust gradient program

Statistical analysis of the turbulence measured in flight 6 of the NASA B-57B over Denver, Colorado, from July 7 to July 23, 1982 included the calculations of average turbulence parameters, integral length scales, probability density functions, single point autocorrelation coefficients, two point autocorrelation coefficients, normalized autospectra, normalized two point autospectra, and two point cross sectra for gust velocities. The single point autocorrelation coefficients were compared with the theoretical model developed by von Karman. Theoretical analyses were developed which address the effects spanwise gust distributions, using two point spatial turbulence correlations.

Frost, W.↗

Airframe Noise

Current understanding of airframe noise was reviewed as represented by experiment at model and full scale, by theoretical modeling, and by empirical correlation models. The principal component sources are associated with the trailing edges of wing and tail, deflected trailing edge flaps, flap side edges, leading edge flaps or slats, undercarriage gear elements, gear wheel wells, fuselage and wing boundary layers, and panel vibration, together with many minor protrusions like radio antennas and air conditioning intakes which may contribute significantly to perceived noise. There are also possibilities for interactions between the various mechanisms. With current engine technology, the principal airframe noise mechanisms dominate only at low frequencies, typically less than 1 kHz and often much lower, but further reduction of turbomachinery noise in particular may make airframe noise the principal element of approach noise at frequencies in the sensitive range.

Trailing-Edge↗

Additive Manufacturing Thermal Performance Testing of Single Channel GRCop-84 SLM Components

The surface finish found on components manufactured by sinter laser manufacturing (SLM) is rougher (0.013 - 0.0006 inches) than parts made using traditional fabrication methods. Internal features and passages built into SLM components do not readily allow for roughness reduction processes. Alternatively, engineering literature suggests that the roughness of a surface can enhance thermal performance within a pressure drop regime. To further investigate the thermal performance of SLM fabricated pieces, several GRCop-84 SLM single channel components were tested using a thermal conduction rig at MSFC. A 20 kW power source running at 25% duty cycle and 25% power level applied heat to each component while varying water flow rates between 2.1 - 6.2 gallons/min (GPM) at a supply pressure of 550 to 700 psi. Each test was allowed to reach quasi-steady state conditions where pressure, temperature, and thermal imaging data were recorded. Presented in this work are the heat transfer responses compared to a traditional machined OHFC Copper test section. An analytical thermal model was constructed to anchor theoretical models with the empirical data.

Garcia, Chance P.↗

Thermal Performance Testing of Single Channel GRCop-84 SLM Components

The surface finish found on components manufactured by sinter laser manufacturing (SLM) is rougher (0.013 - 0.0006 inches) than parts made using traditional fabrication methods. Internal features and passages built into SLM components do not readily allow for roughness reduction processes. Alternatively, engineering literature suggests that the roughness of a surface can enhance thermal performance within a pressure drop regime. To further investigate the thermal performance of SLM fabricated pieces, several GRCop‐84 SLM single channel components were tested using a thermal conduction rig at MSFC. A 20 kW power source running at 25% duty cycle and 25% power level applied heat to each component while varying water flow rates between 2.1 - 6.2 gallons/min (GPM) at a supply pressure of 500 to 750 psi. Each test was allowed to reach quasi‐steady state conditions where pressure, temperature, and thermal imaging data were recorded. Presented in this work are the heat transfer responses compared to a traditional machined OHFC Copper test section. An analytical thermal model was constructed to anchor theoretical models with the empirical data.

Garcia, Chance P.↗

Aerodynamic data banks for Clark-Y, NACA 4-digit and NACA 16-series airfoil families

With the renewed interest in propellers as means of obtaining thrust and fuel efficiency in addition to the increased utilization of the computer, a significant amount of progress was made in the development of theoretical models to predict the performance of propeller systems. Inherent in the majority of the theoretical performance models to date is the need for airfoil data banks which provide lift, drag, and moment coefficient values as a function of Mach number, angle-of-attack, maximum thickness to chord ratio, and Reynolds number. Realizing the need for such data, a study was initiated to provide airfoil data banks for three commonly used airfoil families in propeller design and analysis. The families chosen consisted of the Clark-Y, NACA 16 series, and NACA 4 digit series airfoils. The various component of each computer code, the source of the data used to create the airfoil data bank, the limitations of each data bank, program listing, and a sample case with its associated input-output are described. Each airfoil data bank computer code was written to be used on the Amdahl Computer system, which is IBM compatible and uses Fortran.

Korkan, K. D.↗

Scattering and Optical Properties of Water Ice

Light scattering by planetary ices of interest such as water, methane, clathrated species, will provide insight into the nature of the Jovian moons targeted by the JIMO mission - Europa, Callisto and Ganymede - composition, surface properties and thickness of ice mantles. Although much remote sensing data exists, theoretical models lag the data. We highlight the current state of theoretical and experimental models for water ice and highlight areas of study necessary to address the JIMO goals regarding surface and subsurface properties.

Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.↗

Analysis of an entrainment model of the jet in a crossflow

A theoretical model has been proposed for the problem of a round jet in an incompressible cross-flow. The method of matched asymptotic expansions has been applied to this problem. For the solution to the flow problem in the inner region, the re-entrant wake flow model was used with the re-entrant flow representing the fluid entrained by the jet. Higher order corrections are obtained in terms of this basic solution. The perturbation terms in the outer region was found to be a line distribution of doublets and sources. The line distribution of sources represents the combined effect of the entrainment and the displacement.

Chang, H. S.↗

Guiding center model to interpret neutral particle analyzer results

The theoretical model is discussed, which accounts for drift and cyclotron components of ion motion in a partially ionized plasma. Density and velocity distributions are systematically precribed. The flux into the neutral particle analyzer (NPA) from this plasma is determined by summing over all charge exchange neutrals in phase space which are directed into apertures. Especially detailed data, obtained by sweeping the line of sight of the apertures across the plasma of the NASA Lewis HIP-1 burnout device, are presented. Selection of randomized cyclotron velocity distributions about mean azimuthal drift yield energy distributions which compared well with experiment. Use of data obtained with a bending magnet on the NPA showed that separation between energy distribution curves of various mass species correlate well with a drift divided by mean cyclotron energy parameter of the theory. Use of the guiding center model in conjunction with NPA scans across the plasma aid in estimates of ion density and E field variation with plasma radius.

Englert, G. W.↗

A model for nitrogen chemisorption in ion thrusters

A theoretical model describing the formation of nitrogen species subject to chemisorption on ion thruster discharge chamber surfaces is presented. Molecules, atoms, atomic ions and molecular ions are identified as the important species in the analysis. Current densities of the atomic and molecular ions predicted by the model are compared to current densities measured in the beam of a SERT II thruster. The predicted and measured values of these two current densities are shown to agree within about + or - 100%. The mechanisms involved in the erosion of a surface subjected to simultaneous nitrogen chemisorption and sputter erosion by high energy ions are also discussed.

Wilbur, P. J.↗

Density fluctuations in the interstellar medium: Evidence for anisotropic magnetogasdynamic turbulence. I - Model and astrophysical sites

A self-consistent theoretical model of turbulent fluctuations in a compressible electrically conducting gas is developed in order to quantitatively study a turbulent fluid origin for the small spiral scale density fluctuations observed by Armstrong et al. (1981). A heuristic description of turbulent flows in compressible fluids is offered as an analogy for the small-scale turbulent velocity and magnetic field variations which derive density variations in the presence of a strong local magnetic field.

Higdon, J. C.↗

Static current-sheet models of quiescent prominences

A particular class of theoretical models idealize the prominence to be a discrete flat electric-current sheet suspended vertically in a potential magnetic field. The weight of the prominence is supported by the Lorentz force in the current sheet. These models can be extended to have curved electric-current sheets and to vary three-dimensionally. The equation for force balance is 1 over 4 pi (del times B) times Bdel p- p9 z=zero. Using Cartesian coordinates we take, for simplicity, a uniform gravity with constant acceleration g in the direction -z. If we are interested not in the detailed internal structure of the prominence, but in the global magnetic configuration around the prominence, we may take prominence plasma to be cold. Consideration is given to how such equilibrium states can be constructed. To simplify the mathematical problem, suppose there is no electric current in the atmosphere except for the discrete currents in the cold prominence sheet. Let us take the plane z =0 to be the base of the atmosphere and restrict our attention to the domain z greater than 0. The task we have is to solve for a magnetic field which is everywhere potential except on some free surface S, subject to suit able to boundary conditions. The surface S is determined by requiring that it possesses a discrete electric current density such that the Lorentz force on it is everywhere vertically upward to balance the weight of the material m(S). Since the magnetic field is potential in the external atmosphere, the latter is decoupled from the magnetic field and its plane parallel hydrostatic pressure and density can be prescribed.

Wu, F.↗

Adaptive State Predictor Based Human Operator Modeling on Longitudinal and Lateral Control

Control-theoretic modeling of the human operator dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long and rich history. In the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in modeling the human operator. There has also been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. The purpose of this research is to attempt to go beyond pilot identification based on collected experimental data and to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. An experiment was conducted to categorize these interactions of the pilot with an adaptive controller compensating during control surface failures. A general linear in-parameter model structure is used to represent a pilot. Three different estimation methods are explored. A gradient descent estimator (GDE), a least squares estimator with exponential forgetting (LSEEF), and a least squares estimator with bounded gain forgetting (LSEBGF) used the experiment data to predict pilot stick input. Previous results have found that the GDE and LSEEF methods are fairly accurate in predicting longitudinal stick input from commanded pitch. This paper discusses the accuracy of each of the three methods - GDE, LSEEF, and LSEBGF - to predict both pilot longitudinal and lateral stick input from the flight director's commanded pitch and bank attitudes.

Trujillo, Anna C.↗

An expanded set of brown dwarf and very low mass star models

We present in this paper updated and improved theoretical models of brown dwarfs and late M dwarfs. The evolution and characteristics of objects between 0.01 and 0.2 solar mass are exhaustively investigated and special emphasis is placed on their properties at early ages. The dependence on the helium fraction, deuterium fraction, and metallicity of the masses, effective temperature and luminosities at the edge of the hydrogen main sequence are calculated. We derive luminosity functions for representative mass functions and compare our predictions to recent cluster data. We show that there are distinctive features in the theoretical luminosity functions that can serve as diagnostics of brown dwarf physics. A zero-metallicity model is presented as a bound to or approximation of a putative extreme halo population.

Burrows, A.↗