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At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Turbulent Vortex-Flow Simulation Over a 65 deg Sharp and Blunt Leading-Edge Delta Wing at Subsonic Speeds

Turbulent thin-layer, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes solutions, based on a multi-block structured grid, are presented for a 65 deg delta wing having either a sharp leading edge (SLE) or blunt leading edge (BLE) geometry. The primary objective of the study is to assess the prediction capability of the method for simulating the leading-edge flow separation and the ensuing vortex flow characteristics. Computational results are obtained for two angles of attack of approximately 13 and 20 deg, at free-stream Mach number of 0.40 and Reynolds number of 6 million based on the wing mean aerodynamic chord. The effects of two turbulence models of Baldwin-Lomax with Degani-Schiff (BL/DS) and the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) on the numerical results are also discussed. The computations also explore the effects of two numerical flux-splitting schemes, i.e., flux difference splitting (fds) and flux vector splitting (fvs), on the solution development and convergence characteristics. The resulting trends in solution sensitivity to grid resolution for the selected leading-edge geometries, angles of attack, turbulence models and flux splitting schemes are also presented. The validity of the numerical results is evaluated against a unique set of experimental wind-tunnel data that was obtained in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center.

Ghaffari, Farhad↗
NASA NTRS2016

Techniques for Estimating Emissions Factors from Forest Burning: ARCTAS and SEAC4RS Airborne Measurements Indicate which Fires Produce Ozone

Previous studies of emission factors from biomass burning are prone to large errors since they ignore the interplay of mixing and varying pre-fire background CO2 levels. Such complications severely affected our studies of 446 forest fire plume samples measured in the Western US by the science teams of NASA's SEAC4RS and ARCTAS airborne missions. Consequently we propose a Mixed Effects Regression Emission Technique (MERET) to check techniques like the Normalized Emission Ratio Method (NERM), where use of sequential observations cannot disentangle emissions and mixing. We also evaluate a simpler "consensus" technique. All techniques relate emissions to fuel burned using C(burn) = delta C(tot) added to the fire plume, where C(tot) approximately equals (CO2 = CO). Mixed-effects regression can estimate pre-fire background values of C(tot) (indexed by observation j) simultaneously with emissions factors indexed by individual species i, delta, epsilon lambda tau alpha-x(sub I)/C(sub burn))I,j. MERET and "consensus" require more than emissions indicators. Our studies excluded samples where exogenous CO or CH4 might have been fed into a fire plume, mimicking emission. We sought to let the data on 13 gases and particulate properties suggest clusters of variables and plume types, using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). While samples were mixtures, the NMF unmixing suggested purer burn types. Particulate properties (b scant, b abs, SSA, AAE) and gas-phase emissions were interrelated. Finally, we sought a simple categorization useful for modeling ozone production in plumes. Two kinds of fires produced high ozone: those with large fuel nitrogen as evidenced by remnant CH3CN in the plumes, and also those from very intense large burns. Fire types with optimal ratios of delta-NOy/delta- HCHO associate with the highest additional ozone per unit Cburn, Perhaps these plumes exhibit limited NOx binding to reactive organics. Perhaps these plumes exhibit limited NOx binding to reactive organics

ozone↗
NASA NTRS2007

A Fast Method of Deriving the Kirchhoff Formula for Moving Surfaces

The Kirchhoff formula for a moving surface is very useful in many wave propagation problems, particularly in the prediction of noise from rotating machinery. Several publications in the last two decades have presented derivations of the Kirchhoff formula for moving surfaces in both time and frequency domains. Here we present a method originally developed by Farassat and Myers in time domain that is both simple and direct. It is based on generalized function theory and the useful concept of imbedding the problem in the unbounded three-dimensional space. We derive an inhomogeneous wave equation with the source terms that involve Dirac delta functions with their supports on the moving data surface. This wave equation is then solved using the simple free space Green's function of the wave equation resulting in the Kirchhoff formula. The algebraic manipulations are minimal and simple. We do not need the Green's theorem in four dimensions and there is no ambiguity in the interpretation of any terms in the final formulas. Furthermore, this method also gives the simplest derivation of the classical Kirchhoff formula which has a fairly lengthy derivation in physics and applied mathematics books. The Farassat-Myers method can be used easily in frequency domain.

Farassat, F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

High Speed Civil Transport Design Using Collaborative Optimization and Approximate Models

The design of supersonic aircraft requires complex analysis in multiple disciplines, posing, a challenge for optimization methods. In this thesis, collaborative optimization, a design architecture developed to solve large-scale multidisciplinary design problems, is applied to the design of supersonic transport concepts. Collaborative optimization takes advantage of natural disciplinary segmentation to facilitate parallel execution of design tasks. Discipline-specific design optimization proceeds while a coordinating mechanism ensures progress toward an optimum and compatibility between disciplinary designs. Two concepts for supersonic aircraft are investigated: a conventional delta-wing design and a natural laminar flow concept that achieves improved performance by exploiting properties of supersonic flow to delay boundary layer transition. The work involves the development of aerodynamics and structural analyses, and integration within a collaborative optimization framework. It represents the most extensive application of the method to date.

Manning, Valerie Michelle↗
NASA NTRS1974

Status of two studies on active control of aeroelastic response at NASA Langley Research Center

The application of active control technology to the suppression of flutter was successfully demonstrated during two recent studies in the Langley transonic dynamics tunnel. The first study involved the implementation of an aerodynamic-energy criterion, using both leading- and trailing-edge controls, to suppress flutter of a simplified delta-wing model. Use of this technique resulted in an increase in the flutter dynamic pressure of approximately 12 percent for this model at a Mach number of 0.9. Analytical methods used to predict the open- and closed-loop behavior of the model are also discussed. The second study, which is a joint effort with the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, was conducted to establish the effect of active flutter suppression on a model of the Boeing B-52 Configured Vehicle (CCV). Some preliminary results of this study indicate significant improvements in the damping associated with the critical flutter mode.

Abel, I.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A lifting surface theory in rotational flow

The partial differential equation for small disturbance steady rotational flow in three dimensions is solved through an integral equation approach. The solution is obtained by using the method of weighted residuals. Specific applications are directed to wings in nonuniform subsonic parallel streams with velocity varying in vertical and spanwise directions and to airfoils in nonuniform freestream. Comparison with limited known results indicates that the present method is reasonably accurate. Numerical results for the lifting pressure of airfoil, lift, induced drag, and pitching moments of airfoil, lift, induced drag, and pitching moments of elliptic, rectangular, and delta wings in a jet, wake, or monotonic sheared stream are presented. It is shown that, in addition to the effect of local dynamic pressures, a positive velocity gradient tends to enhance the lift.

Shiau, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Appendix: Limits on the use of heterodyning and amplification in optical interferometry

The development of optical fibers, lasers, and mixers at optical frequencies has offered the hope that active methods can contribute to optical interferometry. Heterodyning, in particular, looks attractive, even though bandwidths are narrower than one would like at present; one might expect this limitation to lessen as technology develops. That expectation, unfortunately, is not likely to benefit interferometry at optical wavelengths because of the intervention of quantum mechanics and the second law of thermodynamics, as Burke (1985a) pointed out. So much 'second quantization' noise is generated that only at infrared frequencies, somewhere in the 10-100 micron range, can one look forward to heterodyning in any realistic sense. The reason is easily understood. Every amplifier, in the quantum limit, works by stimulated emission, even though this basic truth is not obvious at radio frequencies. This means that there must be spontaneous emission occurring within every amplifier, and Strandberg (1957) showed that this implied a limiting noise temperature, T sub N = h nu/k, for any amplifier. Burke (1969) used this result to demonstrate that, if it were not for this quantum noise, the VLBI method would allow one to tell which slit a photon went through before forming an interference pattern, thus violating basic tenants of quantum mechanics. In essence, the second quantization condition Delta N Delta phi greater than or = 1 saves one from paradox. One can state the conclusion simply: any amplifier produces approximately one photon per Hertz of bandwidth. In optical interferometry, one will certainly want bandwidth in the 10(exp 12) to 10(exp 14) Hz range, and that implies an intolerable cacophony of noise photons. Only at infrared frequencies can one tolerate the quantum noise, where the natural noise background may be high and the mixers are not as efficient as one would hope for. The crossover at present is about 10 or 20 microns, but the boundary will shift to longer wavelengths as noise performance improves. One might guess that ultimately a wavelength of about 100 microns will mark the limit of useful amplification and heterodyning in astronomical aperture synthesis interferometry.

Burke, Bernard F.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Gravitational Wave Search with the Clock Mission

Doppler tracking of distant spacecraft is the only method currently available to search for gravitational waves in the low-frequency (approx. 0.0001-0.1 Hz) band. In this technique the Doppler system measures the relative dimensionless velocity 2(delta)v/c = (delta)f/f(sub o) between the earth and the spacecraft as a function of time, where (delta)f is the frequency perturbation and f(sub o) is the nominal frequency of the radio link. A gravitational wave of amplitude h incident on this system causes small frequency perturbations, of order h in (delta)f/f(sub o), replicated three times in the observed record (Estabrook and Wahlquist 1975). All experiments to date and those planned for the near future involve only 'two-way' Doppler-i.e., uplink signal coherently transponded by the spacecraft with Doppler measured using a frequency standard common to the transmit and receive chains of the ground station. If, as on the proposed Clock Mission, there is an additional frequency standard on the spacecraft and a suitable earth-spacecraft radio system, some noise sources can be isolated and removed from the data (Vessot and Levine 1978). Supposing that the Clock Mission spacecraft is transferred into a suitable interplanetary orbit, I discuss here how the on-board frequency standard could be employed with an all-Ka-band radio system using the very high stability Deep Space Network station DSS 25 being instrumented for Cassini. With this configuration, the Clock Mission could search for gravitational waves at a sensitivity limited by the frequency standards, rather than plasma or tropospheric scintillation effects, whenever the sun-earth-spacecraft angle is greater than 90 degrees.

Armstrong, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Techniques for Estimating Emissions Factors from Forest Burning: ARCTAS and SEAC4RS Airborne Measurements Indicate Which Fires Produce Ozone

Previous studies of emission factors from biomass burning are prone to large errors since they ignore the interplay of mixing and varying pre-fire background CO2 levels. Such complications severely affected our studies of 446 forest fire plume samples measured in the Western US by the science teams of NASA's SEAC4RS and ARCTAS airborne missions. Consequently we propose a Mixed Effects Regression Emission Technique (MERET) to check techniques like the Normalized Emission Ratio Method (NERM), where use of sequential observations cannot disentangle emissions and mixing. We also evaluate a simpler "consensus" technique. All techniques relate emissions to fuel burned using C(sub burn) = delta C(sub tot) added to the fire plume, where C(sub tot) approximately equals (CO2 + CO). Mixed-effects regression can estimate pre-fire background values of Ctot (indexed by observation j) simultaneously with emissions factors indexed by individual species i, delta epsilon lambda tau alpha−x(sub i)/(C(sub burn))i,j., MERET and "consensus" require more than two emissions indicators. Our studies excluded samples where exogenous CO or CH4 might have been fed into a fire plume, mimicking emission. We sought to let the data on 13 gases and particulate properties suggest clusters of variables and plume types, using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). While samples were mixtures, the NMF unmixing suggested purer burn types. Particulate properties (bscat, babs, SSA, AAE) and gas-phase emissions were interrelated. Finally, we sought a simple categorization useful for modeling ozone production in plumes. Two kinds of fires produced high ozone: those with large fuel nitrogen as evidenced by remnant CH3CN in the plumes, and also those from very intense large burns. Fire types with optimal ratios of delta-NOy/delta- HCHO associate with the highest additional ozone per unit Cburn, Perhaps these plumes exhibit limited NOx binding to reactive organics. Perhaps these plumes exhibit limited NOx binding to reactive organics.

fires↗
NASA NTRS1993

Sun-perturbed Earth-to-moon transfers with ballistic capture

A method is described for constructing a new type of low energy transfer trajectory from the Earth to the moon leading to ballistic capture. This is accomplished by utilizing the nonlinear Earth-moon-sun perturbations on a point mass in three dimensions. The interaction of the gravitational fields of the bodies defines transition regions in the position-velocity space where the dynamic effects on the point mass tend to balance. These are termed weak stability boundaries. The transfer is obtained by the use of trajectories connecting the weak stability boundaries. It uses approximately 18 percent less Delta-V than the Hohmann transfer to insert a spacecraft into a circular orbit about the moon. The use of this transfer has recently been demonstrated by Japan's Hiten spacecraft, which arrived at the moon on October 2, 1991. Application of the transfer method is also made to the Lunar Observer Mission.

Belbruno, Edward A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Status of two studies on active control of aeroelastic response

The application of active control technology to the suppression of flutter has been successfully demonstrated during two recent studies in the Langley transonic dynamics tunnel. The first study involved the implementation of an aerodynamic-energy criterion, using both leading- and trailing-edge controls, to suppress flutter of a simplified delta-wing model. Use of this technique has resulted in an increase in the flutter dynamic pressure of approximately 12 percent for this model at a Mach number of 0.9 Analytical methods used to predict the open- and closed-loop behavior of the model are also discussed. The second study, was conducted to establish the effect of active flutter suppression on a model of the Boeing B-52 Control Configured Vehicle (CCV). Some preliminary results of this study indicate significant improvements in the damping associated with the critical flutter mode.

Abel, I.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Life sciences payload definition and integration study. Volume 4: Appendix, costs, and data management requirements of the dedicated 30-day laboratory

The results of the updated 30-day life sciences dedicated laboratory scheduling and costing activities are documented, and the 'low cost' methodology used to establish individual equipment item costs is explained in terms of its allowances for equipment that is commerical off-the-shelf, modified commercial, and laboratory prototype; a method which significantly lowers program costs. The costs generated include estimates for non-recurring development, recurring production, and recurring operations costs. A cost for a biomedical emphasis laboratory and a Delta cost to provide a bioscience and technology laboratory were also generated. All cost reported are commensurate with the design and schedule definitions available.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1974

Nonlinear prediction of the aerodynamic loads on lifting surfaces

A numerical procedure is used to predict the nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics of lifting surfaces of low aspect ratio at high angles of attack for low subsonic Mach numbers. The procedure utilizes a vortex-lattice method and accounts for separation at sharp tips and leading edges. The shapes of the wakes emanating from the edges are predicted, and hence the nonlinear characteristics are calculated. Parallelogram and delta wings are presented as numerical examples. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Kandil, O. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Large-scale wind-tunnel investigation of a close-coupled canard-delta-wing fighter model through high angles of attack

Data obtained through very high angles of attack from a large-scale, subsonic wind-tunnel test of a close-coupled canard-delta-wing fighter model are analyzed. The canard delays wing leading-edge vortex breakdown, even for angles of attack at which the canard is completely stalled. A vortex-lattice method was applied which gave good predictions of lift and pitching moment up to an angle of attack of about 20 deg, where vortex-breakdown effects on performance become significant. Pitch-control inputs generally retain full effectiveness up to the angle of attack of maximum lift, beyond which, effectiveness drops off rapidly. A high-angle-of-attack prediction method gives good estimates of lift and drag for the completely stalled aircraft. Roll asymmetry observed at zero sideslip is apparently caused by an asymmetry in the model support structure.

Stoll, F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Viscosity and mass transport in nonuniform Keplerian disks

A quantitative formalism for Keplerian particulate disk dynamics having its basis in a heuristic description of viscous transport is presently applied to the case of a ring with optical thickness radial gradient. A steady-state velocity distribution solution directly yields both the radial mass transport and the viscosity. The analytical method employed involves the solution of a novel form of the Krook equation through the separation of the phase-space collisional-products distribution into a symmetrical component and a delta function-approachable remainder. While this model is simplified for the case treated, its general approach may be extended to less artificially restricted cases.

Ojakangas, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An incremental strategy for calculating consistent discrete CFD sensitivity derivatives

In this preliminary study involving advanced computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes, an incremental formulation, also known as the 'delta' or 'correction' form, is presented for solving the very large sparse systems of linear equations which are associated with aerodynamic sensitivity analysis. For typical problems in 2D, a direct solution method can be applied to these linear equations which are associated with aerodynamic sensitivity analysis. For typical problems in 2D, a direct solution method can be applied to these linear equations in either the standard or the incremental form, in which case the two are equivalent. Iterative methods appear to be needed for future 3D applications; however, because direct solver methods require much more computer memory than is currently available. Iterative methods for solving these equations in the standard form result in certain difficulties, such as ill-conditioning of the coefficient matrix, which can be overcome when these equations are cast in the incremental form; these and other benefits are discussed. The methodology is successfully implemented and tested in 2D using an upwind, cell-centered, finite volume formulation applied to the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations. Results are presented for two laminar sample problems: (1) transonic flow through a double-throat nozzle; and (2) flow over an isolated airfoil.

Korivi, Vamshi Mohan↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of a NASA standard gas generator

The goals of the NASA Standard Gas Generator (NSGG) Program are to create a NASA standard gas generating cartridge, characterize its performance, and make it readily available to users. A cartridge within the same envelope as the NASA Standard Initiator (NSI) has the greatest potential use. This potential use is described in viewgraph form. Our approach for NSGG development and qualification was planned to be conducted in several phases. Test methods were developed to evaluate output performance for a variety of potential applications. A feasibility study using modified NSI's was accomplished. Preliminary and final development will be conducted with a delta qualification to evaluate the effects of manufacturing lots and environments. Feasibility study results, feasibility study conclusions, and future plans are presented.

Bement, Laurence J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A multigrid nonoscillatory method for computing high speed flows

A multigrid method using different smoothers has been developed to solve the Euler equations discretized by a nonoscillatory scheme up to fourth order accuracy. The best smoothing property is provided by a five-stage Runge-Kutta technique with optimized coefficients, yet the most efficient smoother is a backward Euler technique in factored and diagonalized form. The singlegrid solution for a hypersonic, viscous conic flow is in excellent agreement with the solution obtained by the third order MUSCL and Roe's method. Mach 8 inviscid flow computations for a complete entry probe have shown that the accuracy is at least as good as the symmetric TVD scheme of Yee and Harten. The implicit multigrid method is four times more efficient than the explicit multigrid technique and 3.5 times faster than the single-grid implicit technique. For a Mach 8.7 inviscid flow over a blunt delta wing at 30 deg incidence, the CPU reduction factor from the three-level multigrid computation is 2.2 on a grid of 37 x 41 x 73 nodes.

Li, C. P.↗