Automated nose fairing design - Honeycomb sandwich construction
Computer program for near optimum structural designs of ring stiffened honeycomb sandwich nose fairings
FAIRING↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “optimum design”
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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Nickel-cadmium cells for optimum overcharge capability.
Design aspects and relation to optimum operation on overcharge in Ni-Cd cells
Catotti, A. J.↗
Optimal Experimental Design With Fast Neural Network Surrogate Models
Designing optimal experiments minimizes the uncertainty of results and maximizes the efficient use of resources. Herein, machine learning surrogate models and the approximate coordinate exchange (ACE) algorithm are used to determine optimum experimental designs over large or arbitrarily restrictive design spaces. Optimal experimental design is particularly salient in materials science where experiments are expensive and material properties must often be inferred indirectly. The proposed framework is demonstrated by finding optimal experiments with which the hidden constituent properties of composite materials can be most efficiently inferred from observable experimental outcomes. The optimum experimental design is given by an information-theoretic criteria, which maximizes the conditional mutual information between the hidden properties and the expected experimental outcomes. To perform tractable optimization a neural network is trained as a surrogate model to mimic a physics based simulation, which can calculate the expected experimental outcome based on a candidate experimental design and sampled constituent properties. The ACE algorithm is used to optimize over large design spaces with many tests and controlled parameters where an exhaustive search would be intractable even with the surrogate model. Using this approach, optimal experimental designs that are consistent with those produced by heuristic knowledge and established best practices are found; then optimal designs in larger design spaces where heuristic knowledge is unavailable are examined.
machine learning↗
Tracing structural optima as a function of available resources by a homotopy method
Optimization problems are typically solved by starting with an initial estimate and proceeding iteratively to improve it until the optimum is found. The design points along the path from the initial estimate to the optimum are usually of no value. The present work proposes a strategy for tracing a path of optimum solutions parameterized by the amount of available resources. The paper specifically treats the optimum design of a structure to maximize its buckling load. Equations for the optimum path are obtained using Lagrange multipliers, and solved by a homotopy method. The solution path has several transitions from unimodal to bimodal solutions. The Lagrange multipliers and second-order optimality conditions are used to detect branching points and to switch to the optimum solution path. The procedure is applied to the design of a foundation which supports a column for maximum buckling load. Using the total available foundation stiffness as a homotopy parameter, a set of optimum foundation designs is obtained.
Haftka, Raphael T.↗
Design of structures for optimum geometry
A general method is proposed for geometric optimization of finite element structures on the assumption that a reasonable initial geometry is specified. The number of finite elements, number of joints, and the element-joint relationships are specified and are not changed during the optimization process. The structure may be statically indeterminate and may support multiple loading conditions. Design variables include geometric and member sizing parameters. Design objectives may be minimum weight or cost, and constraints include strength and stiffness limitations. The optimization procedure is a general mathematical programming approach. An iterative design algorithm is outlined, and the method is specialized for truss structures. Design examples are given.
Vanderplaats, G. N.↗
Computer-aided design of high-contact-ratio gears for minimum dynamic load and stress
A computer aided design procedure is presented for minimizing dynamic effects on high contact ratio gears by modification of the tooth profile. Both linear and parabolic tooth profile modifications of high contact ratio gears under various loading conditions are examined and compared. The effects of the total amount of modification and the length of the modification zone were systematically studied at various loads and speeds to find the optimum profile design for minimizing the dynamic load and the tooth bending stress. Parabolic profile modification is preferred over linear profile modification for high contact ratio gears because of its lower sensitivity to manufacturing errors. For parabolic modification, a greater amount of modification at the tooth tip and a longer modification zone are required. Design charts are presented for high contact ratio gears with various profile modifications operating under a range of loads. A procedure is illustrated for using the charts to find the optimum profile design.
Lin, Hsiang Hsi↗
Analysis and design of three dimensional supersonic nozzles. Volume 3: A design technique for multiple nozzle configurations
An iteration procedure for optimum nozzle design with application to hypersonic aircraft is discussed. In the procedure, intial values of several of the design parameters are assumed from simplified approximate considerations and are then varied systematically in order to determine the value of each parameter which optimizes nozzle performance. Improvements in nozzle performance are obtained by perturbing the initially assumed values of the geometric parameters on the basis of a computer analysis.
Ferri, A.↗
A study of loudness as a metric for sonic boom acceptability
A parametric study of loudness levels with respect to weight, altitude, and Mach number for sonic boom signatures generated by two Mach 2.0 conceptual configurations is presented and compared with a similar study for nose shock overpressure. This paper discusses the relative importance of the two sonic boom metrics and the implications of the trends shown. Of the two configurations considered in this study, one was designed for optimum aerodynamic performance and the second was designed to produce a constrained overpressure sonic boom signature at cruise flight conditions. Results indicate that reductions in both loudness and overpressure level are possible when the configuration is shaped to produce a low boom signature. Results also prove that the loudness metric is a more reliable measure of the disturbance due to sonic booms than nose shock overpressure, because the overpressure does not include the sometimes significant effects of embedded shocks which are often present in mid-field low boom signatures.
Needleman, Kathy E.↗
Interferometric Characterization of the Earth's Atmosphere from Lagrange Point 2
Part of the NASA plans for future Earth Science missions calls for observations using novel vantage points that can produce science products otherwise unobtainable. Observations of the Earth from the Lagrange-2 point, L-2, (1.5 million km behind the Earth on the Earth-Sun line) affords a unique vantage point for atmospheric science. Spectral observation of the Earth's atmosphere using solar occultation techniques in the near infrared (1 to 4 microns) provides one of the most accurate methods of passively sensing attitude profiles of the major species (CO2, O3, O2, CH4, H2O N2O). While traditional polar orbiting occultation measurements can obtain about 14 measurements per day (2 per orbit), solar occultation observations from the Lagrange-2 point will yield hourly profile measurements at all latitudes. The expected spatial resolution is 2 km in altitude, 0.5 degrees in latitude, and 2 degrees in longitude. The result from 24 hours of observations will be a three-dimensional map of atmospheric composition. To accomplish this task from L-2 requires the development of a large moderate spectral resolution instrument whose entrance aperture is about 10 meters. Use of a standard telescope design with a 10-meter circular mirror or a 10-meter strip mirror would be prohibitively expensive and excessively massive. Instead, we are proposing the development of a 10-meter linear interferometer coupled to a Fourier transform imaging spectrometer. The result will be a highly efficient design with sufficient sensitivity, while having both spatial and spectral resolution to produce the desired results. Preliminary calculations show that seven species (CO2, O3, O2, CH4, H2O N2O) have clearly separated spectral features in the I to 4 microns range with sufficient absorption to produce profile information from near the Earth's surface to the middle stratosphere. For CO2 the estimated sensitivity to change is 0.33% or 1 part in 330. This should be sufficient to detect changes that are significant for the carbon cycle studies. Initial instrument design studies are underway to determine the optimum optical design for the interferometer-spectrometer as well as the necessary highly stable mechanical designs. Separate design studies are being conducted for the spacecraft. shuttle launch facility, low-light solar power design, thermal control, and unique navigation requirements to reach and maintain the tight halo orbit about L-2.
Herman, Jay R.↗
Maximizing Archimedes spiral packing density area
In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a broadband Archimedes spiral delay line with high packing density on a silicon photonic platform. This high density is achieved by optimizing the gap between the adjacent waveguides (down to sub-micron scale) in the spiral configuration. However, care must be taken to avoid evanescent coupling, the presence of which will cause the spiral to behave as a novel type of distributed spiral resonator. To this end, an analytical model of the resonance phenomenon was developed for a simple spiral. Moreover, it is demonstrated that this distributed spiral resonator effect can be minimized by ensuring that adjacent waveguides in the spiral configuration have different propagation constants ( β ). Experimental validations were accomplished by fabricating and testing multiple spiral waveguides with varying lengths (i.e., 0.4, 0.8, and 1.4 mm) and separation gaps (i.e., 300 and 150 nm). Finally, a Linear Density Figure of Merit (LDFM) is introduced to evaluate the packing efficiency of various spiral designs in the literature. In this work, the optimum experimental design with mitigated resonance had a length of 1.4mm and occupied an area of 60 × 60µm, corresponding to an LDFM of 388km -1 .
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Three-meter telescope study
A means is presented whereby the effect of various changes in the most important parameters of a three meter aperature space astronomy telescope can be evaluated to determine design trends and to optimize the optical design configuration. Methods are defined for evaluating the theoretical optical performance of axisymmetric, centrally obscured telescopes based upon the intended astronomy research usage. A series of design parameter variations is presented to determine the optimum telescope configuration. The design optimum requires very fast primary mirrors, so the study also examines the current state of the art in fabricating large, fast primary mirrors. The conclusion is that a 3-meter primary mirror having a focal ratio as low as f/2 is feasible using currently established techniques.
Wissinger, A.↗
Optimum spaceborne computer system design by simulation
A deterministic digital simulation model is described which models the Automatically Reconfigurable Modular Multiprocessor System (ARMMS), a candidate computer system for future manned and unmanned space missions. Use of the model as a tool in configuring a minimum computer system for a typical mission is demonstrated. The configuration which is developed as a result of studies with the simulator is optimal with respect to the efficient use of computer system resources, i.e., the configuration derived is a minimal one. Other considerations such as increased reliability through the use of standby spares would be taken into account in the definition of a practical system for a given mission.
Williams, T.↗
Optimum spaceborne computer system design by simulation
A deterministic simulator is described which models the Automatically Reconfigurable Modular Multiprocessor System (ARMMS), a candidate computer system for future manned and unmanned space missions. Its use as a tool to study and determine the minimum computer system configuration necessary to satisfy the on-board computational requirements of a typical mission is presented. The paper describes how the computer system configuration is determined in order to satisfy the data processing demand of the various shuttle booster subsytems. The configuration which is developed as a result of studies with the simulator is optimal with respect to the efficient use of computer system resources.
Williams, T.↗
Optimum filters and smoothers design for carrier phase and frequency tracking
The report presents the application of fixed lag smoothing algorithms to the problem of estimation of the phase and frequency of a sinusoidal carrier received in the presence of process noise and additive observation noise. A suboptimal structure consists of a phase-locked loop (PLL) followed by post-loop correction to the phase and frequency estimates. When the PLL is operating under high signal-to-noise ratio, the phase detector is approximately linear, and the smoother equations then correspond to the optimal linear equations for an equivalent linear signal model. The performance of such a smoother can be predicted by linear filtering theory. However, if the PLL is operating near the threshold region of the signal-to-noise ratio, the phase detector cannot be assumed to be linear. Then the actual performance of the smoother can significantly differ from that predicted by linear theory. In this report we present both the theoretical and simulated performance of such smoothers derived on the basis of various models for the phase and frequency processes.
Kumar, Rajendra↗
Optimum thrust nozzle contours for chemically reacting gas flows
Supersonic rocket nozzle design for optimum thrust with chemically reacting gas flows
GAS FLOW↗
Thermal/structural optimization of cryogenic storage systems.
An analytical method has been developed to optimize a cryogenic storage system designed for long term storage of cryogenic propellants. The type of propellant, mission duration, thermal environment, insulation thermal properties, insulation vent time, and the storage system weight penalty imposed by the design pressure were considered as the dependent parameters. The optimum system insulation thickness and vent pressure were then calculated in terms of these parameters. The method was applied to the design of the Space Shuttle Orbiter oxygen and hydrogen tanks to obtain an optimum design. It was determined that for the mission examined, the hydrogen tank optimum design was close to the initial pressure. A continuously vented hydrogen tank, therefore, was close to the optimum design. Also, it was determined that for this particular mission the oxygen tank should not be vented.
Navickas, J.↗
Magnetized ICF implosions: Ignition at low laser energy using designs with more ablator mass remaining
This paper is the first work to redesign a spherical ICF implosion to best utilize the benefits of applying an external magnetic field. The sub-ignition experiment N170601 is taken as the baseline design, which used 1.57 MJ of laser energy. The optimum magnetized design benefits from increasing the shell thickness by 14 μ m and decreasing the ice thickness by 18 μ m, resulting in a neutron yield of 8.9 × 10 17 . This is 34 × greater than the unmagnetized simulation of the same design, and 18.5 × the greatest unmagnetized simulation across all designs simulated. The resultant implosion velocity for the magnetized design is lower, which would also reduce ablation front instability growth. This design was found by using a simplified 1D magnetization model and then validated against full 2D extended-MHD capsule simulations with radiation asymmetries applied to correct the shape.
Walsh, Christopher A. [Lawrence Livermore National↗
A THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF FLUSH MOUNTING CONFIGURATIONS FOR LOG PERIODIC STRUCTURES
Many types of log periodic structures have been described in the literature; but, as far as is known, flush-mounted log periodic antennas have not been studied heretofore. The purpose of this study is to investigate, primarily by experimental methods, the input impedance and radiation characteristics of a particular type of log periodic antenna when flush-mounted over a suitable cavity or recess in a conducting surface. The particular type of log periodic antenna chosen for use in the investigation is referred to as a monopole-tooth antenna and is described in detail in Part II of the report. A suitable cavity over which the monopole-tooth antenna may be mounted is described in Part III, and experimentally determined characteristics of the antenna-cavity assembly are presented in Part IV. The first objective of the study was to obtain an optimum or nearoptimum design of the antenna-cavity assembly. This objective has been reached within the limits of the experimental approach, and the results obtained are summarized in Part V of the report. A second objective, which will be reported upon at a future date, is to establish optimum design criteria and performance characteristics of the antenna-cavity assembly when the cavity is filled with low-loss dielectric material.
RADIATION FUNCTION↗