Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Predictive Data analytics”

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 469 records · Page 26

Input guide for computer programs to generate thermodynamic data for air and Freon CF4

FORTRAN computer programs were developed to calculate the thermodynamic properties of Freon 14 and air for isentropic expansion from given plenum conditions. Thermodynamic properties for air are calculated with equations derived from the Beattie-Bridgeman nonstandard equation of state and, for Freon 14, with equations derived from the Redlich-Quang nonstandard equation of state. These two gases are used in scale model testing of model rocket nozzle flow fields which requires simulation of the prototype plume shape with a cold flow test approach. Utility of the computer programs for use in analytical prediction of flow fields is enhanced by arranging card or tape output of the data in a format compatible with a method-of-characteristics computer program.

Tevepaugh, J. A.↗

In Situ Inference for Earth System Predictability

Focal Area: Focal Area 3: Insight gleaned from complex simulated data using AI, big data analytics, and other advanced methods, including explainable AI and physics- or knowledge-guided AI. Science Challenge: An understanding of future evolution in precipitation extremes is critical to numerous DOE mission questions. Extreme events are by nature short time-scale events that are difficult to diagnose in available model data. Accurate modeling of extreme events necessarily requires high spatial resolution at the storm scale locally. However, the environment in which storms grow is dependent on global, remote, processes. These complex spatiotemporal relationships are impossible to diagnose at resolutions required to accurately model storms responsible for extreme precipitation. At exascale, climate simulations will produce results at fine enough resolution to investigate these relationships. However, the resulting data from these simulations will be far too large to save for post-simulation analysis. We advocate for fitting statistical models inside the simulations as they run, a context known as in situ, which will facilitate scientific investigations using the full fine-scale data stream. Figure 1 shows an example of the type of model we could consider, a Bayesian hierarchical spatial regression model. Precipitation extremes at each grid cell are modeled using extreme value distributions. Since extremes are rare, fitting models to individual grid cells can result in high variance and poor estimates. Instead, the model can be made more robust by smoothing the parameters of the extreme value model across space. Additionally, the parameters themselves can be functionally linked to other variables elsewhere in the simulation. Thus, we can use the fine-scale data to build more robust models for extremes that link extreme behavior to other climate patterns.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

TDRSS performance evaluation for TDRSS services using analytical simulation

An analytical simulation package which can predict bit error rate and tracking performance for nonlinear, bandlimited satellite links was developed for the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). It is based on analytical simulation, i.e., a combination of simulation techniques and analytical performance evaluation. This allows the use of a more realistic signal format than is possible with a purely analytical approach and maintains the advantage of short computation time on bandlimited, nonlinear channels with a noisy uplink. The link models and the main features of the program are described and an overview of the mathematical approach is given. Sample results of computer runs are provided for current power budgets and system design parameters for both forward and return links.

Braun, W. R.↗

Structural stability of thin overhanging walls during material extrusion additive manufacturing of thermoset-based ink

Recent developments have enabled material extrusion additive manufacturing of thermoset-based composite inks on the large scale. In addition, printing out-of-plane components is of broad interest to the polymer material extrusion community. Here, we address some of the challenges associated with both large-scale and out-of-plane thermoset material extrusion additive manufacturing by studying the height at which thin overhanging walls collapse. Walls at a range of overhang angles were printed until they collapsed. An optical camera captured the profile of each wall throughout the print, allowing the collapse height to be identified and the geometric fidelity to the programmed angle to be evaluated. Using previously measured rheological properties, predictive models were generated to approximate the collapse height and profile of the deflected walls. First, an analytical model was created to predict the height at which the walls would yield. The analytical model assumes the walls exhibit a perfectly linear profile; however, experiments proved this assumption to be false. Therefore, a finite element simulation was developed to account for the elastic deflection that occurs during printing. The finite element simulation predicts both the yield height and the deflected profile after the deposition of each layer. For the properties of the thermoset ink used here, the yield height predicted by the analytical model and finite element simulation are virtually identical. These predictions match experimental data reasonably well, but minor errors are observed. Accounting for the fully plastic moment appears to explain the small mismatch between experimental data and predictions. Additionally, the finite element simulation provides an excellent prediction of the deflected profile before the wall begins to collapse. Finally, by demonstrating that the collapse height and deflected profile of thin overhanging walls can be predicted, this work illustrates how the soft viscoelastic properties of thermoset-based composite inks limit the scale of a key feature required to print some nonplanar components. It also provides a basis to tailor in-process curing systems to suppress deflection and collapse of thin overhanging walls.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Envisioning U.S. Climate Predictions and Projections to Meet New Challenges

In the face of a changing climate, the understanding, predictions, and projections of natural and human systems are increasingly crucial to prepare and cope with extremes and cascading hazards, determine unexpected feedbacks and potential tipping points, inform long-term adaptation strategies, and guide mitigation approaches. Increasingly complex socio-economic systems require enhanced predictive information to support advanced practices. Such new predictive challenges drive the need to fully capitalize on ambitious scientific and technological opportunities. These include the unrealized potential for very high-resolution modeling of global-to-local Earth system processes across timescales, reduction of model biases, enhanced integration of human systems and the Earth Systems, better quantification of predictability and uncertainties; expedited science-to-service pathways, and co-production of actionable information with stakeholders. Enabling technological opportunities include exascale computing, advanced data storage, novel observations and powerful data analytics, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. Looking to generate community discussions on how to accelerate progress on U.S. climate predictions and projections, representatives of Federally-funded U.S. modeling groups outline here perspectives on a six-pillar national approach grounded in climate science that builds on the strengths of the U.S. modeling community and agency goals. This calls for an unprecedented level of coordination to capitalize on transformative opportunities, augmenting and complementing current modeling center capabilities and plans to support agency missions. Tangible outcomes include projections with horizontal spatial resolutions finer than 10 km, representing extremes and associated risks in greater detail, reduced model errors, better predictability estimates, and more customized projections to support next generation climate services.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Model studies of crosswind landing-gear configurations for STOL aircraft

A dynamic model was used to directly compare four different crosswind landing gear mechanisms. The model was landed as a free body onto a laterally sloping runway used to simulate a crosswind side force. A radio control system was used for steering to oppose the side force as the model rolled to a stop. The configuration in which the landing gears are alined by the pilot and locked in the direction of motion prior to touchdown gave the smoothest runout behavior with the vehicle maintaining its crab angle throughout the landing roll. Nose wheel steering was confirmed to be better than steering with nose and main gears differentially or together. Testing is continuing to obtain quantitative data to establish an experimental data base for validation of an analytical program that will be capable of predicting full scale results.

Stubbs, S. M.↗

Measuring Hole Elongation in Bolted Joints

Measurement does not affect joint parameters. Verification of analytical and strength-prediction methods for bolted composite joints based generally on data obtained experimentally from double-lap-joint specimens. In mechanically fastened joints, stresses maximal at fastener holes. Ability to measure accurately hole elongations without affecting joint parameters provides better understanding of elastic and plastic behavior of joint material leading to failure mechanisms in mechanically fastened joints required for design of more-efficient, lightweight composite joints.

Wichorek, G. R.↗

The NASA JSC Hypervelocity Impact Test Facility (HIT-F)

The NASA Johnson Space Center Hypervelocity Impact Test Facility was created in 1980 to study the hypervelocity impact characteristics of composite materials. The facility consists of the Hypervelocity Impact Laboratory (HIRL) and the Hypervelocity Analysis Laboratory (HAL). The HIRL supports three different-size light-gas gun ranges which provide the capability of launching particle sizes from 100 micron spheres to 12.7 mm cylinders. The HAL performs three functions: (1) the analysis of data collected from shots in the HIRL, (2) numerical and analytical modeling to predict impact response beyond test conditions, and (3) risk and damage assessments for spacecraft exposed to the meteoroid and orbital debris environments.

Crews, Jeanne L.↗

Closed-form analytical solutions of high-temperature heat pipe startup and frozen startup limitation

Previous numerical and experimental studies indicate that the high-temperature heat pipe startup process is characterized by a moving hot zone with relatively sharp fronts. Based on the above observation, a flat-front model for an approximate analytical solution is proposed. A closed-form solution related to the temperature distribution in the hot zone and the hot zone length as a function of time are obtained. The analytical results agree well with the corresponding experimental data, and provide a quick prediction method for the heat pipe startup performance. Finally, a heat pipe limitation related to the frozen startup process is identified, and an explicit criterion for the high-temperature heat pipe startup is derived. The frozen startup limit identified in this paper provides a fundamental guidance for high-temperature heat pipe design.

Cao, Y.↗

Assessment of an Automated Touchdown Detection Algorithm for the Orion Crew Module

Orion Crew Module (CM) touchdown detection is critical to activating the post-landing sequence that safe?s the Reaction Control Jets (RCS), ensures that the vehicle remains upright, and establishes communication with recovery forces. In order to accommodate safe landing of an unmanned vehicle or incapacitated crew, an onboard automated detection system is required. An Orion-specific touchdown detection algorithm was developed and evaluated to differentiate landing events from in-flight events. The proposed method will be used to initiate post-landing cutting of the parachute riser lines, to prevent CM rollover, and to terminate RCS jet firing prior to submersion. The RCS jets continue to fire until touchdown to maintain proper CM orientation with respect to the flight path and to limit impact loads, but have potentially hazardous consequences if submerged while firing. The time available after impact to cut risers and initiate the CM Up-righting System (CMUS) is measured in minutes, whereas the time from touchdown to RCS jet submersion is a function of descent velocity, sea state conditions, and is often less than one second. Evaluation of the detection algorithms was performed for in-flight events (e.g. descent under chutes) using hi-fidelity rigid body analyses in the Decelerator Systems Simulation (DSS), whereas water impacts were simulated using a rigid finite element model of the Orion CM in LS-DYNA. Two touchdown detection algorithms were evaluated with various thresholds: Acceleration magnitude spike detection, and Accumulated velocity changed (over a given time window) spike detection. Data for both detection methods is acquired from an onboard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor. The detection algorithms were tested with analytically generated in-flight and landing IMU data simulations. The acceleration spike detection proved to be faster while maintaining desired safety margin. Time to RCS jet submersion was predicted analytically across a series of simulated Orion landing conditions. This paper details the touchdown detection method chosen and the analysis used to support the decision.

Gay, Robert S.↗

The L-CAPE Project at FNAL

The controls system at FNAL records data asynchronously from several thousand Linac devices at their respective cadences, ranging from 15Hz down to once per minute. In case of downtimes, current operations are mostly reactive, investigating the cause of an outage and labeling it after the fact. However, as one of the most upstream systems at the FNAL accelerator complex, the Linac’s foreknowledge of an impending downtime as well as its duration could prompt downstream systems to go into standby, potentially leading to energy savings. The goals of the Linac Condition Anomaly Prediction of Emergence (L-CAPE) project that started in late 2020 are (1) to apply data-analytic methods to improve the information that is available to operators in the control room, and (2) to use machine learning to automate the labeling of outage types as they occur and discover patterns in the data that could lead to the prediction of outages. We present an overview of the challenges in dealing with time-series data from 2000+ devices, our approach to developing an ML-based automated outage labeling system, and the status of augmenting operations by identifying the most likely devices predicting an outage.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Toward comparing experiment and theory for corroborative research on hingeless rotor stability in forward flight (an experimental and analytical investigation of isolated rotor-flap-lag stability in forward flight)

For flap-lag stability of isolated rotors, experimental and analytical investigations are conducted in hover and forward flight on the adequacy of a linear quasisteady aerodynamics theory with dynamic inflow. Forward flight effects on lag regressing mode are emphasized. Accordingly, a soft inplane hingeless rotor with three blades is tested at advance ratios as high as 0.55 and at shaft angles as high as 20 degrees. The 1.62 m model rotor is untrimmed with an essentially unrestricted tilt of the tip path plane. In combination with lag natural frequencies, collective pitch settings and flap-lag coupling parameters, the data base comprises nearly 1200 test points (damping and frequency) in forward flight and 200 test points in hover. By computerized symbolic manipulation, a linear analytical model is developed in substall to predict stability margins with mode identificaton. To help explain the correlation between theory and data it also predicts substall and stall regions of the rotor disk from equilibrium values. The correlation shows both the strengthts and weaknesses of the theory in substall.

Gaonkar, G.↗

Characterization of structural connections using free and forced response test data

The accurate prediction of system dynamic response often has been limited by deficiencies in existing capabilities to characterize connections adequately. Connections between structural components often are complex mechanically, and difficult to accurately model analytically. Improved analytical models for connections are needed to improve system dynamic predictions. A procedure for identifying physical connection properties from free and forced response test data is developed, then verified utilizing a system having both a linear and nonlinear connection. Connection properties are computed in terms of physical parameters so that the physical characteristics of the connections can better be understood, in addition to providing improved input for the system model. The identification procedure is applicable to multi-degree of freedom systems, and does not require that the test data be measured directly at the connection locations.

Lawrence, C.↗

Particle Engulfment and Pushing (PEP): Past Micro-Gravity Experiments and Future Experimental Plan on the International Space Station (ISS)

The interaction of an insoluble particle with a growing solid-liquid interface (SLI) has been a subject of investigation for the four decades. For a metallurgist or a material scientist understanding the fundamental physics of such an interaction is relevant for applications that include distribution of reinforcement particles in metal matrix composites, inclusion management in castings, and distribution of Y2Ba1Cu1O5 (211) precipitates (flux pinning sites) in Y1Ba2Cu3O7 (123) superconducting crystals. The same physics is also applicable to other areas including geological applications (frost heaving in soils) and preservation of biological cells. Experimentally this interaction can be quantified in terms of a critical growth velocity, Vcr, of the SLI below which particles are pushed ahead of the advancing interface, and above which the particles are engulfed. Past experimental evidence suggests that this Vcr is an inverse function of the particle radius, R. In order to isolate the fundamental physics that governs such a relationship it is necessary to minimize natural convection at the SLI that is inherent in ground based experiments. Hence for the purpose of producing benchmark data (Vcr vs. R) PEP is a natural candidate for micro-gravity experimentation. Accordingly, experiments with pure Al containing a dispersion of ZrO2 particles and an organic analogue, succinonitrile (SCN) containing polystyrene particles have been performed on the LMS and USMP-4 mission respectively. In this paper we will summarize the experimental data that was obtained during these two micro-gravity missions and show that the results differ compared to terrestrial experiments. We will also discuss the basic elements of our analytical and numerical model and present a comparison of the predictions of these models against micro-gravity experimental data. Finally. we will discuss our future experimental plan that includes the ISS glovebox and MSRRl.

Sen, Subhayu↗

Prediction of hemiwicking dynamics in micropillar arrays

Dynamic hemiwicking behavior is observable in both nature and a wide range of industrial applications ranging from biomedical devices to thermal management. We present a semi-analytical modeling framework (without empirical fitting coefficients) to predict transient capillary-driven hemiwicking behavior of a liquid through a nano/microstructured surface, specifically a micropillar array. In our model framework, the liquid domain is discretized into micropillar unit cells to enable the time marching of the hemiwicking front. A simplified linear pressure drop is assumed along the hemiwicking length such that the local meniscus curvature, contact angle, and effective liquid height are determined at each time step in our transient model. This semi-analytical model is validated with experimental data from our own experiments and from published literature for different fluids. Our model predicts hemiwicking dynamics with <20% error over a broad range of micropillar geometries with height-to-pitch ratio ranging between ≈0.34 and 6.7 and diameter-to-pitch ratio in the range of ≈0.25–0.7 and without any fitting parameters. For lower diameter-to-pitch ratio data points related to sparse micropillar array arrangements, we suggest modifications to the semi-analytical model. This work sheds light on complex and dynamic solid–liquid–vapor interfacial interactions which could serve as a guide for the design of textured surfaces for wicking enhancement in multi-phase thermal and mass transport technologies and applications.

Mechanics↗

Machine Learning in the Context of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

The integration of machine learning (ML) with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has revolutionized the analytical capabilities of LIBS. The combi-nation of both methods enables more accurate and efficient data analysis. While LIBS itself is a powerful technique for elemental analysis, the vast amount of spectral data it generates can be hard to interpret. Machine learning addresses these challenges by leveraging algorithms that can learn from data, identify patterns, and make predictions without explicit programming for the interpretation of each specific task. In LIBS application, ML techniques are used to enhance various analytical processes. For example, ML algorithms can classify materials based on their spectral fingerprints, predict the concentration of elements in a sample, and identify underlying patterns within complex datasets. Here, this application improves the precision of LIBS analyses while significantly reducing the time required for data processing and interpretation. In this chapter, the fundamental concepts of ML will be discussed first. Following this, the process of data splitting and the importance of feature selection will be examined. Several machine learning methods will then be closely examined, exploring how each can benefit LIBS analysis and highlighting their respective advantages and shortcomings. This structured approach will provide a comprehensive understanding of the integration of ML in the context of LIBS analysis.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Hypersonic characteristics of an advanced aerospace plane

A series of hypersonic wind-tunnel tests have been conducted in the NASA Langley Hypersonic Facilities Complex to obtain the static longitudinal and lateral-directional aerodynamic characteristics of an advanced aerospace plane. Data were obtained at 0 to 20 deg angles of attack and -3 to 3 deg angles of sideslip at Mach numbers of 6 and 10 in air and 20 in helium. Results show that stable trim capability exists at angles of attack near maximum lift-drag ratio (L/D). Both performance and stability exhibited some Mach number dependency. The vehicle was longitudinally unstable at low angles of attack but stable at angles of attack near and above maximum L/D. It was directionally unstable with positive dihedral effect. The rudder showed an inability to provide lateral-directional control, and removing the vertical tail resulted in increased directional instability. Analytical predictions of the static longitudinal aerodynamic coefficients gave relatively good comparisons with the experimental data.

Mccandless, R. S.↗

Contra-Rotating Open Rotor Tone Noise Prediction

Reliable prediction of contra-rotating open rotor (CROR) noise is an essential element of any strategy for the development of low-noise open rotor propulsion systems that can meet both the community noise regulations and the cabin noise limits. Since CROR noise spectra typically exhibits a preponderance of tones, significant efforts have been directed towards predicting their tone spectra. To that end, there has been an ongoing effort at NASA to assess various in-house open rotor tone noise prediction tools using a benchmark CROR blade set for which significant aerodynamic and acoustic data had been acquired in wind tunnel tests. In the work presented here, the focus is on the near-field noise of the benchmark open rotor blade set at the cruise condition. Using an analytical CROR tone noise model with input from high-fidelity aerodynamic simulations, detailed tone noise spectral predictions have been generated and compared with the experimental data. Comparisons indicate that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the data, especially for the dominant CROR tones and their overall sound pressure level. The results also indicate that, whereas individual rotor tones are well predicted by the linear sources (i.e., thickness and loading), for the interaction tones it is essential that the quadrupole sources be included in the analysis.

Propeller Noise↗