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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 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Structural Acoustic Prediction and Interior Noise Control Technology

This report documents the results of Task 14, "Structural Acoustic Prediction and Interior Noise Control Technology". The task was to evaluate the performance of tuned foam elements (termed Smart Foam) both analytically and experimentally. Results taken from a three-dimensional finite element model of an active, tuned foam element are presented. Measurements of sound absorption and sound transmission loss were taken using the model. These results agree well with published data. Experimental performance data were taken in Boeing's Interior Noise Test Facility where 12 smart foam elements were applied to a 757 sidewall. Several configurations were tested. Noise reductions of 5-10 dB were achieved over the 200-800 Hz bandwidth of the controller. Accelerometers mounted on the panel provided a good reference for the controller. Configurations with far-field error microphones outperformed near-field cases.

Mathur, G. P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Uncertainty Estimates for Sonic-Boom Pressure Signatures and Loudness Carpets

A non-intrusive uncertainty quantification method is applied to computational analysis of supersonic, low-boom aircraft. The mean and standard deviation statistics of the pressure waveforms and loudness metrics are evaluated through use of numerical quadrature. The probability density function (p.d.f.) of these outputs is evaluated via kernel density estimation. The simulations use an inviscid, embedded-boundary Cartesian-mesh flow solver in the nearfield combined with an augmented Burgers’ equation solver for propagation in the farfield. The results show that the p.d.f. of the waveform is bimodal at shocks, which makes the mean and standard deviation statistics inappropriate. Despite this limitation, we show that the moment statistics can provide effective assessment of discrepancies when comparing with experimental data. This is demonstrated by presenting uncertainty analysis of a wind-tunnel test and showing that we significantly improve the predictions when we include the test uncertainties in the simulation. Normal distributions are obtained for the ground signature and loudness metrics, which is primarily due to the careful shaping of the low-boom waveform. Separation of variables and error control are used to reduce computational cost. We demonstrate that this is an efficient approach in the sense of balancing numerical errors in the statistics quadrature with discretization errors in the solvers.

ARMD↗
NASA NTRS1986

An experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of random testing of fault-tolerant software

Results of a fault-tolerant software (FTS) experiment are used to show deficiencies of the simple random testing approach. Testing was performed using randomly generated test cases supplemented with extremal and special value (ESV) cases. Error detection efficiency of the random testing approach, with emphasis on correlated errors, was compared to the error detecting capabilities of the ESV data and found deficient. The use of carefully designed test cases as a supplement to random testing, as well as the use of structure based testing are recommended.

Vouk, Mladen A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Intercomparison of neutral composition measurements from the satellite Esro 4, Aeros A, Aeros B, and Atmosphere Explorer C

Number-density data obtained at orbital 'crossover' points with the neutral-gas mass spectrometers aboard the Esro 4, Aeros A, AE-C, and Aeros B satellites are intercompared. All the mass spectrometers were designed to measure the ambient number densities of atomic oxygen, molecular nitrogen, helium, and argon. It is found that the agreement for N2 and O is satisfactory within the experimental errors and that the He measurements exhibit unexpectedly large discrepancies far outside the error range. Calibration and instrument sources of error are considered.

Trinks, H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

An experimental verification of laser-velocimeter sampling bias and its correction

The existence of 'sampling bias' in individual-realization laser velocimeter measurements is experimentally verified and shown to be independent of sample rate. The experiments were performed in a simple two-stream mixing shear flow with the standard for comparison being laser-velocimeter results obtained under continuous-wave conditions. It is also demonstrated that the errors resulting from sampling bias can be removed by a proper interpretation of the sampling statistics. In addition, data obtained in a shock-induced separated flow and in the near-wake of airfoils are presented, both bias-corrected and uncorrected, to illustrate the effects of sampling bias in the extreme.

Johnson, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Overview of Code Verification

The verified code for the SIFT Executive is not the code that executes on the SIFT system as delivered. The running versions of the SIFT Executive contain optimizations and special code relating to the messy interface to the hardware broadcast interface and to packing of data to conserve space in the store of the BDX930 processors. The running code was in fact developed prior to and without consideration of any mechanical verification. This was regarded as necessary experimentation with the SIFT hardware and special purpose Pascal compiler. The Pascal code sections cover: the selection of a schedule from the global executive broadcast, scheduling, dispatching, three way voting, and error reporting actions of the SIFT Executive. Not included in these sections of Pascal code are: the global executive, five way voting, clock synchronization, interactive consistency, low level broadcasting, and program loading, initialization, and schedule construction.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2010

Scaled CMOS Technology Reliability Users Guide

The desire to assess the reliability of emerging scaled microelectronics technologies through faster reliability trials and more accurate acceleration models is the precursor for further research and experimentation in this relevant field. The effect of semiconductor scaling on microelectronics product reliability is an important aspect to the high reliability application user. From the perspective of a customer or user, who in many cases must deal with very limited, if any, manufacturer's reliability data to assess the product for a highly-reliable application, product-level testing is critical in the characterization and reliability assessment of advanced nanometer semiconductor scaling effects on microelectronics reliability. A methodology on how to accomplish this and techniques for deriving the expected product-level reliability on commercial memory products are provided.Competing mechanism theory and the multiple failure mechanism model are applied to the experimental results of scaled SDRAM products. Accelerated stress testing at multiple conditions is applied at the product level of several scaled memory products to assess the performance degradation and product reliability. Acceleration models are derived for each case. For several scaled SDRAM products, retention time degradation is studied and two distinct soft error populations are observed with each technology generation: early breakdown, characterized by randomly distributed weak bits with Weibull slope (beta)=1, and a main population breakdown with an increasing failure rate. Retention time soft error rates are calculated and a multiple failure mechanism acceleration model with parameters is derived for each technology. Defect densities are calculated and reflect a decreasing trend in the percentage of random defective bits for each successive product generation. A normalized soft error failure rate of the memory data retention time in FIT/Gb and FIT/cm2 for several scaled SDRAM generations is presented revealing a power relationship. General models describing the soft error rates across scaled product generations are presented. The analysis methodology may be applied to other scaled microelectronic products and their key parameters.

Microelectronics Reliability↗
NASA NTRS1975

Experimental test of general relativity using time-delay data from Mariner 6 and Mariner 7

Range and Doppler data from Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 have been analyzed for purposes of measuring the effect of the sun's gravity field on S-band radio transmissions to the spacecraft. The prediction of general relativity, that the round-trip time delays between the station and the spacecraft will be increased by about 200 microsec near superior conjunction, has been verified with an uncertainty of 3 per cent or less. The dominant error source on the experiment is the stochastic nongravitational forces which act on the spacecraft and which limit the accuracy of the determination of the Mariner orbits. Effects of free coronal electrons on the round-trip propagation also make the measurement difficult, but the coronal contribution to the error is only about 1 per cent. Separate analyses of data from Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 yield two values near unity for the parameter gamma* which differ by about 0.3 per cent from each other. This and other considerations suggest that the error in the experiment is perhaps less than 3 per cent.

Anderson, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Coaxial prime focus feeds for paraboloidal reflectors

A TE11 - TM11 dual mode coaxial feed for use in prime focus paraboloidal antenna systems is investigated. The scattering matrix parameters of the internal bifurcation junction was determined by the residue calculus technique. The scattering parameters and radiation fields of the aperture were found from the Weinstein solution. The optimum modeing ratio for minimum cross-polarization was determined along with the corresponding optimum feed dimensions. A peak cross-polarization level of -58 dB is predicted. The frequency characteristics were also investigated and a bandwidth of 5% is predicted over which the cross-polarization remains below -30 dB, the input VSWR is below 1.15, and the phase error is less than 10 deg. Theoretical radiation patterns and efficiency curves for a paraboloidal reflector illuminated by this feed were computed. The predicted sidelobe level is below -30 dB and aperture efficiencies greater than 70% are possible. Experimental results are also presented that substantiates the theoretical results. In addition, experimental results for a 'short-cup' coaxial feed are given. The report includes extensive design data for the dual-mode feed along with performance curves showing cross-polarization as a function of feed parameters. The feed is useful for low-cost ground based receiving antennas for use in direct television satellite broadcasting service.

Collin, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Nonlinear aerodynamic modeling using multivariate orthogonal functions

A technique was developed for global modeling of nonlinear aerodynamic coefficients using multivariate orthogonal functions based on the data. Each orthogonal function retained in the model was decomposed into an expansion of ordinary polynomials in the independent variables, so that the final model could be interpreted as selectively retained terms from a multivariable power series expansion. A predicted squared-error metric was used to determine the orthogonal functions to be retained in the model; analytical derivatives were easily computed. The approach was demonstrated on the Z-body axis aerodynamic force coefficient (Cz) wind tunnel data for an F-18 research vehicle which came from a tabular wind tunnel and covered the entire subsonic flight envelope. For a realistic case, the analytical model predicted experimental values of Cz very well. The modeling technique is shown to be capable of generating a compact, global analytical representation of nonlinear aerodynamics. The polynomial model has good predictive capability, global validity, and analytical differentiability.

Morelli, Eugene A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Adaptive data rate control TDMA systems as a rain attenuation compensation technique

Rainfall attenuation has a severe effect on signal strength and impairs communication links for future mobile and personal satellite communications using Ka-band and millimeter wave frequencies. As rain attenuation compensation techniques, several methods such as uplink power control, site diversity, and adaptive control of data rate or forward error correction have been proposed. In this paper, we propose a TDMA system that can compensate rain attenuation by adaptive control of transmission rates. To evaluate the performance of this TDMA terminal, we carried out three types of experiments: experiments using a Japanese CS-3 satellite with Ka-band transponders, in house IF loop-back experiments, and computer simulations. Experimental results show that this TDMA system has advantages over the conventional constant-rate TDMA systems, as resource sharing technique, in both bit error rate and total TDMA burst lengths required for transmitting given information.

Sato, Masaki↗
NASA NTRS1998

Computational Modeling Program

An Integrated Product Team (IPT) has been formed at NASA Ames Research Center which has set objectives to investigate devices and processes suitable for meeting NASA requirements on ultrahigh performance computers, fast and low power devices, and high temperature wide bandgap materials. These devices may ultimately be sub-100nm feature-size. Processes and equipment must meet the stringent demands posed by the fabrication of such small devices. Until now, the reactors for Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and plasma processes have been designed by trial and error procedures. Further, once the reactor is in place, optimum processing parameters are found through expensive and time-consuming experimentation. If reliable models are available that describe processes and the operation of the reactors, that chore would be reduced to a routine task while being a cost-effective option. The goal is to develop such a design tool, validate that tool using available data from current generation processes and reactors, and then use that tool to explore avenues for meeting NASA needs for ultrasmall device fabrication. Under the present grant, ARL/Penn State along with other IPT members has been developing models and computer code to meet IPT goals. Some of the accomplishments achieved during the first year of the grant are described in this report

Govindan, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Experimental Characterization of Piezoelectric Radial Field Diaphragms for Fluidic Control

NASA has recently developed a new piezoelectric actuator, the Radial Field Diaphragm or RFD. This actuator uses a radially-directed electric field to generate concentric out-of-plane (Z-axis) motion that allows this packaged device to be used as a pump or valve diaphragm. In order to efficiently use this new active device, experimental determination of pressure, flow rate, mechanical work, power consumption and overall efficiency needs to be determined by actually building a pump. However, without an optimized pump design, it is difficult to assess the quality of the data, as these results are inherent to the actual pump. Hence, separate experiments must be conducted in order to generate independent results to help guide the design criteria and pump quality. This paper focuses on the experiments used to generate the RFD's operational parameters and then compares these results to the experimentally determined results of several types of ball pumps. Also discussed are how errors are inherently introduced into the experiments, the pump design, experimental hardware and their effects on the overall system efficiency.

Bryant, R. G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Nodal Modeling of Tank Pressurization and Draining using a Multi-Node-Ullage Approach

The purpose of the pressurization system in liquid rocket propulsion is to control the pressure in the gas space of the propellant tank (known as the ullage space) and the propellant mass flowrate to the engine. A mathematical model is required to predict the amount of pressurant necessary to ensure that pressure and temperature levels inside the tank remain within acceptable limits and that the propellant pressure leaving the tank satisfies the net positive suction pressure (NPSP) requirement of the pump feeding the engine. Nodal codes typically model tank pressurization and draining using a single node to represent the ullage and a single node to represent the propellant. As the tank drains, the ullage node grows and the propellant node shrinks. The heat transfer between ullage to wall and ullage to propellant is governed by natural convection. Designers of liquid propulsion systems often use empirical correlations to estimate the “Collapse Factor” which represents the ratio of pressurant required with heat transfer and the amount of pressurant required without heat transfer. A single node ullage model of tank pressurization was developed using GFSSP to compute the collapse factor reasonably well and later was used to model tank pressurization during test firing of the FASTRAC rocket engine. The predicted tank pressure compared well with the test data. In the early 1970’s, pressurization and drain tests with liquid methane were performed at NASA Lewis Research Center in a vacuum chamber. A 5 ft diameter spherical aluminum tank was tested to drain from 95% to 5% full using gaseous helium, hydrogen, nitrogen and methane as pressurant. Tests were conducted with different pressurant inlet temperatures and drain times. Measured data include pressurant requirement, amount of pressurant condensed, and ullage and wall temperatures at various heights in the ullage space at the end of draining. A single node GFSSP model was developed to simulate helium pressurization of the methane tank. Predicted helium consumption was 8-23% less than measured. The average error of the six test cases was 16%. A single ullage node with multiple solid node model was developed using Thermal Desktop. Predicted helium consumption compares with the test data within 2%. This paper describes the development of a GFSSP multi-node ullage model of the test configuration and compares the predicted pressurant consumption for both helium and autogenous pressurization using gaseous methane with experimental as well as TD predictions.

Nodal Model↗
NASA NTRS1980

Block 4 receiver tracking loop performance in the presence of a CW RFI

A model that allows one to predict the tracking performance of the Block 4 receiver in the presence of a continuous wave radio frequency interference is discussed. Experimental and analytical results are provided for a typical Deep Space Network operational mode. Simulation and experimental results show good agreement with theoretical prediction for the static phase error and out-of-lock values. Predicted phase jitter is consistently lower than the experimental and simulated results by a factor of one-half for small interference to signal ratio (ISR) when the offset frequency is small. For large ISR, good agreement is observed. The analytical model assumes a noiseless condition, which is valid only when the loop is operated at strong signal levels. Experimental data indicate, however, that even at the minimum operating signal level of 10-dB carrier margin, reasonably good prediction can still be obtained. A curve of protection criteria that extends the current recommendation is also presented.

Sue, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The effects of receiver tracking phase error on the performance of the concatenated Reed-Solomon Viterbi channel coding system

In connection with attempts to achieve very low error probabilities, Odenwalder (1970) proposed a concatenated coding system using the Viterbi-decoded convolutional codes as the inner code and Reed-Solomon (RS) codes as the outer code. Analytical and experimental results are presented concerning the effects of the receiver tracking phase error on the performance of the concatenated RS/Viterbi channel coding system. On the basis of these results it is concluded that certain problems regarding communication operations on deep-space missions can be alleviated by employing the RS/Viterbi coding system. In one-way communication, an employment of RS/Viterbi coding will also provide greater data protection than the Viterbi-decoded convolutional-only coding system.

Liu, K. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Single event upset vulnerability of selected 4K and 16K CMOS static RAM's

Upset thresholds for bulk CMOS and CMOS/SOS RAMS were deduced after bombardment of the devices with 140 MeV Kr, 160 MeV Ar, and 33 MeV O beams in a cyclotron. The trials were performed to test prototype devices intended for space applications, to relate feature size to the critical upset charge, and to check the validity of computer simulation models. The tests were run on 4 and 1 K memory cells with 6 transistors, in either hardened or unhardened configurations. The upset cross sections were calculated to determine the critical charge for upset from the soft errors observed in the irradiated cells. Computer simulations of the critical charge were found to deviate from the experimentally observed variation of the critical charge as the square of the feature size. Modeled values of series resistors decoupling the inverter pairs of memory cells showed that above some minimum resistance value a small increase in resistance produces a large increase in the critical charge, which the experimental data showed to be of questionable validity unless the value is made dependent on the maximum allowed read-write time.

Kolasinski, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A Mach 6 external nozzle experiment with Argon-Freon exhaust simulation

A scramjet exhaust simulation technique for hypersonic wind tunnel testing has been developed. Mixtures of Argon and Freon correctly match the inviscid simulation parameters of Mach number, static-pressure ratio, and the ratio of specific heats at the combustor exit location; this simulation is accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures and without combustion. An investigation of nozzle parametrics in a Mach 6 freestream showed that the external nozzle ramp angle, the cowl trailing-edge angle, an external nozzle flow fence and the nozzle static-pressure ratio significantly affected the external nozzle thrust and pitching moment as measured by the integration of surface-pressure data. A comparison of Argon-Freon and air exhaust simulation showed that the external nozzle thrust and pitching moment were in error by roughly a factor of 2 using air due to the incorrect match of the ratio of specific heats. An assessment of two-dimensional Euler and Navier-Stokes codes for predicting external nozzle aerodynamic characteristics was made by comparing computed and experimental results.

Pittman, James L.↗