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At least 523 records · Page 29

Aero-optics overview

Various aero-optical phenomena are discussed with reference to their effect on airborne high energy lasers. Major emphasis is placed on: compressibility effects induced in the surrounding flow field; viscous effects which manifests themselves as aircraft boundary layers or shear layers; inviscid flow fields surrounding the aircraft due to airflow around protuberance such as laser turret assemblies; and shocks, established whenever local flow exceeds Mach one. The significant physical parameters affecting the interaction of a laser beam with a turbulent boundary layer are also described.

Gilbert, K. G.↗

Details of the computed flowfield over a circular cylinder at Reynolds number 1200

The application of an upwind-biased implicit approximate factorization Navier-Stokes algorithm to the unsteady impulsive start-up flow over a circular cylinder at Reynolds number 1200 is described. The complete form of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is used, and the algorithm is second-order accurate in both space and time. The development with time of the shape and size of the separated vortical flow region is computed, as well as the time-variation of several boundary layer parameters and profile shapes. Computations, in general, show excellent agreement with experiment, although the present method predicts a more rapid onset of reversed flow on the cylinder than evidenced in experiment. The changes that the vortical region behind the cylinder undergoes as the symmetric flow transitions to periodic vortex shedding are discussed. The flow becomes periodic with a Strouhal frequency of 0.222, which compares well with the experimental value of approximately 0.21. The effect of grid density on the development of the unsteady flow is also shown.

Rumsey, C. L.↗

Inviscid spatial stability of a compressible mixing layer. Part 2: The flame sheet model

The results of an inviscid spatial calculation for a compressible reacting mixing layer are reported. The limit of infinitive activation energy is taken and the diffusion flame is approximated by a flame sheet. Results are reported for the phase speeds of the neutral waves and maximum growth rates of the unstable waves as a function of the parameters of the problem: the ratio of the temperature of the stationary stream to that of the moving stream, the Mach number of the moving streams, the heat release per unit mass fraction of the reactant, the equivalence ratio of the reaction, and the frequency of the disturbance. These results are compared to the phase speeds and growth rates of the corresponding nonreacting mixing layer. We show that the addition of combustion has important, and complex effects on the flow stability.

Jackson, T. L.↗

Separation shock motion in fin, cylinder, and compression ramp - Induced turbulent interactions

In conjunction with new experimental results at Mach 5, an examination has been made of published data on unsteadiness of shock-induced turbulent boundary-layer separation. The data are all wall pressure fluctuation measurements made under the unsteady separation shock and are from interactions induced by compression ramps, blunt and sharp fins, and circular cylinders. There is little evidence of a link between the separation shock zero-crossing frequency and characteristic frequency of the incoming boundary layer. The low shock frequencies and low shock speeds, and the trends with changes in model geometric parameters and incoming boundary layer, suggest that turbulent or global fluctuations at the upstream boundary of the separated flow drive the shock motion.

Dolling, D. S.↗

Inviscid spatial stability of a compressible mixing layer. II - The flame sheet model

The results of an inviscid spatial calculation for a compressible reacting mixing layer are reported. The limit of infinitive activation energy is taken and the diffusion flame is approximated by a flame sheet. Results are reported for the phase speeds of the neutral waves and maximum growth rates of the unstable waves as a function of the parameters of the problem: the ratio of the temperature of the stationary stream to that of the moving stream, the Mach number of the moving streams, the heat release per unit mass fraction of the reactant, the equivalence ratio of the reaction, and the frequency of the disturbance. These results are compared to the phase speeds and growth rates of the corresponding nonreacting mixing layer. We show that the addition of combustion has important and complex effects on the flow stability.

Jackson, T. L.↗

On a solution of the nonlinear differential equation for transonic flow past a wave-shaped wall

The Prandtl-Busemann small-perturbation method is utilized to obtain the flow of a compressible fluid past an infinitely long wave-shaped wall. When the essential assumption for transonic flow (that all Mach numbers in the region of flow are nearly unity) is introduced, the expression for the velocity potential takes the form of a power series in the transonic similarity parameter. On the basis of this form of the solution, an attempt is made to solve the nonlinear differential equation for transonic flow past the wavy wall. The analysis utilized exhibits clearly the difficulties inherent in nonlinear-flow problems.

Kaplan, Carl↗

An engineering model of woven composites based on micromechanics

Composites with three-dimensional woven architectures exhibit large strains to failure when compared to composites made up of the same materials but not with three-dimensional interlocking tows. The fracture mechanics of such three-dimensional architectures is a subject requiring substantial investigation and experimental testing. Classical fracture mechanics concepts (for instance, an isolated defect in a homogeneous body) will not be applicable to the woven fracture test specimen. The use of an isolated singularity to characterize an entire specimen is inadequate when the density of defects is considerable and the material is heterogeneous. Modelling of such a complex system requires a great deal of insight and consideration as well as prudent choices of model sizes to make numerical schemes feasible. The purpose of this manuscript is to review our recently acquired knowledge of damage accumulation in woven composites and to describe a practicable model of the macroscopic behavior in these and other complex composite architectures based on such knowledge. In this manuscript, discussion will be limited to uniaxial compressive loading; considerations of general loading (monotonic and cyclic) will appear in a subsequent manuscript. Our modelling efforts may be briefly described as follows: the composite is subdivided into microstructural elements (microelements) in which the micromechanical modelling is either understood rigorously or can be represented adequately by statistical parameters. There can be microstructural elements for many different types of composite components, such as the various types of warp and weft and matrix for three-dimensional woven composites. The physical dimensions of microelements are made as large as possible while the response within the element can still be represented by a single micromechatlical calculation. The various elements are linked together(sometimes by associating distinct corners and edges, sometimes by superposition) in a pattern which resembles a particular weave architecture. The model can then be loaded in any manner and the linear and nonlinear elastic responses of representative weaves can be calculated. After the elastic regime, the fracture response is determined by monitoring the damage accumulation.

Carter, W. C.↗

Canonical fluid thermodynamics

The space-time integral of the thermodynamic pressure plays in a certain sense the role of the thermodynamic potential for compressible adiabatic flow. The stability criterion can be converted into a variational minimum principle by requiring the molar free-enthalpy and temperature to be generalized velocities. In the fluid context, the definition of proper-time differentiation involves the fluid velocity expressed in terms of three particle identity parameters. The pressure function is then converted into a functional which is the Lagrangian density of the variational principle. Being also a minimum principle, the variational principle provides a means for comparing the relative stability of different flows. For boundary conditions with a high degree of symmetry, as in the case of a uniformly expanding spherical gas box, the most stable flow is a rectilinear flow for which the world-trajectory of each particle is a straight line. Since the behavior of the interior of a freely expanding cosmic cloud may be expected to be similar to that of the fluid in the spherical box of gas, this suggests that the cosmic principle is a consequence of the laws of thermodynamics, rather than just an ad hoc postulate.

Schmid, L. A.↗

Techniques in processing multi-frequency multi-polarization spaceborne SAR data

This paper presents the algorithm design of the SIR-C ground data processor, with emphasis on the unique elements involved in the production of registered multifrequency polarimetric data products. A quick-look processing algorithm used for generation of low-resolution browse image products and estimation of echo signal parameters is also presented. Specifically the discussion covers: (1) azimuth reference function generation to produce registered polarimetric imagery; (2) geometric rectification to accommondate cross-track and along-track Doppler drifts; (3) multilook filtering designed to generate output imagery with a uniform resolution; and (4) efficient coding to compress the polarimetric image data for distribution.

Curlander, John C.↗

2D axisymmetric analysis of SRM ignition transient

To analyze ignition transient of Space Shuttle solid rocket motor, a transient two-dimensional numerical model based on turbulent compressible Navier-Stokes equations in a generalized coordinate system was developed. One-dimensional numerical models (Peretz et al., 1973; Han, 1992; Pardue and Han, 1992) with empirical correlations data obtained from steady turbulent boundary layer flows agrees reasonably well with test rocket data by adjusting a few parameters. However, a 1D model can not provide a physical insight into the complex multidimensional thermal fields and flowfields in the chamber and the converging-diverging rocket nozzle. As an interim step, a 2D model was developed and compared with test data. A modified version of SIMPLE algorithm was used for the numerical model, and the standard k-epsilon model with a wall function was used for turbulence closure. Transient flowfields and thermal fields in the combustion chamber and the attached nozzle were obtained for a selected rocket geometry and propellant. Transient behaviors of the flow and thermal fields were analyzed, and were found to be in good agreement with physical expectations.

Bai, S. D.↗

The Compressible Laminar Boundary Layer with Fluid Injection

A solution of the equations of the compressible laminar boundary layer including the effects of transpiration cooling is presented. The analysis applies to the flow over an isothermal porous plate with a velocity of fluid injection proportional to the reciprocal of the square root of the distance from the leading edge. The effect of several flow parameters on coolant-flow rates is discussed with the aid of representative examples. A stability analysis indicates that, although transpiration cooling requires a lower surface temperature for stable flow than does internal wall cooling, this lower temperature can be obtained with a smaller expenditure of coolant.

Low, George M↗

Silicon Nitride Creep Under Various Specimen-Loading Configurations

Extensive creep testing of a hot-pressed silicon nitride (NC 132) was performed at 1300 C in air using five different specimen-loading configurations: (1) pure tension, (2) pure compression, (3) four-point uniaxial flexure, (4) ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, and (5) ring-on-ring biaxial flexure. This paper reports experimental results as well as test techniques developed in this work. Nominal creep strain and its rate for a given nominal applied stress were greatest in tension, least in compression, and intermediate in uniaxial and biaxial flexure. Except for the case of compression loading, nominal creep strain generally decreased with time, resulting in a less-defined steady-state condition. Of the four creep formulations-power-law, hyperbolic sine, step, and redistribution--the conventional power-law formulation still provides the most convenient and reasonable estimation of the creep parameters of the NC 132 material. The data base to be obtained will be used to validate the NASA Glenn-developed design code CARES/Creep (ceramics analysis and reliability evaluation of structures and creep).

Choi, Sung R.↗

Spatially Developing Secondary Instabilities and Attachment Line Instability in Supersonic Boundary Layers

This paper reports on progress towards developing a spatial stability code for compressible shear flows with two inhomogeneous directions, such as crossflow dominated swept-wing boundary layers and attachment line flows. Certain unique aspects of formulating a spatial, two-dimensional eigenvalue problem for the secondary instability of finite amplitude crossflow vortices are discussed. A primary test case used for parameter study corresponds to the low-speed, NLF-0415(b) airfoil configuration as tested in the ASU Unsteady Wind Tunnel, wherein a spanwise periodic array of roughness elements was placed near the leading edge in order to excite stationary crossflow modes with a specified fundamental wavelength. The two classes of flow conditions selected for this analysis include those for which the roughness array spacing corresponds to either the naturally dominant crossflow wavelength, or a subcritical wavelength that serves to reduce the growth of the naturally excited dominant crossflow modes. Numerical predictions are compared with the measured database, both as indirect validation for the spatial instability analysis and to provide a basis for comparison with a higher Reynolds number, supersonic swept-wing configuration. Application of the eigenvalue analysis to the supersonic configuration reveals that a broad spectrum of stationary crossflow modes can sustain sufficiently strong secondary instabilities as to potentially cause transition over this configuration. Implications of this finding for transition control in swept wing boundary layers are examined. Finally, extension of the spatial stability analysis to supersonic attachment line flows is also considered.

Li, Fei↗

Shrink Tape Technique for Heat Forming Aluminum Substrates for Thin Foil X-Ray Mirrors and the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer X-Ray Concentrators

Consistent improvements in the design and fabrication of thin-foil, epoxy-replicated x-ray mirrors for astronomical telescopes have yielded increasingly higher quality and more precise astrophysical data. The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) x-ray timing mission optics continues this tradition and introduces design elements that promise even more accurate measurements and precise astrophysical parameters. The singly reflecting concentrators have a curved axial profile to improve photon concentration and a sturdy full shell structure for enhanced module stability. These design elements introduced the challenge of reliably forming mirror substrates at an acceptable production rate. By developing a technique using heat shrink tape to compress and conform thin aluminum mirror substrates to shaping mandrels, production rate improved with successful fabrication. The technique's efficiency was analyzed by measuring hundreds of substrate profiles postforming, performance testing completely assembled concentrators composed of every size substrate, and comparing the results to simulated fabrication scenarios. On average, the profiles were copied within 4.6 plus or minus 3.7 percent. These measurements and the overall success of NICER's optics, via ground calibration, have shown that the heat-shrink tape method is reliable, repeatable, and could be used in future missions to increase production rate and improve performance.

Balsamo, Erin↗

Use of two-phase flow heat transfer method in spacecraft thermal system

In space applications, weight, volume and power are critical parameters. Presently liquid freon is used in the radiator planels of the Space Shuttle to dissipate heat. This requires a large amount of freon, large power for pumps, large volume and weight. Use of two-phase flow method to transfer heat can reduce them significantly. A modified commercial vapor compression refrigerator/freezer was sucessfully flown in STS-4 to study the effect of zero-gravity on the system. The duty cycle was about 5 percent higher in flight as compared to that on earth due to low flow velocity in condenser. The vapor Reynolds number at exit was about 4000 as compared to about 12,000. Efforts are underway to design a refrigerator/freezer using an oil-free compressor for Spacelab Mission 4 scheduled to fly in January 1986. A thermal system can be designed for spacecraft using the two-phase flow to transfer heat economically.

Hye, A.↗

High-Order Hyperbolic Residual-Distribution Schemes on Arbitrary Triangular Grids

In this paper, we construct high-order hyperbolic residual-distribution schemes for general advection-diffusion problems on arbitrary triangular grids. We demonstrate that the second-order accuracy of the hyperbolic schemes can be greatly improved by requiring the scheme to preserve exact quadratic solutions. We also show that the improved second-order scheme can be easily extended to third-order by further requiring the exactness for cubic solutions. We construct these schemes based on the LDA and the SUPG methodology formulated in the framework of the residual-distribution method. For both second- and third-order-schemes, we construct a fully implicit solver by the exact residual Jacobian of the second-order scheme, and demonstrate rapid convergence of 10-15 iterations to reduce the residuals by 10 orders of magnitude. We demonstrate also that these schemes can be constructed based on a separate treatment of the advective and diffusive terms, which paves the way for the construction of hyperbolic residual-distribution schemes for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical results show that these schemes produce exceptionally accurate and smooth solution gradients on highly skewed and anisotropic triangular grids, including curved boundary problems, using linear elements. We also present Fourier analysis performed on the constructed linear system and show that an under-relaxation parameter is needed for stabilization of Gauss-Seidel relaxation.

Mazaheri, Alireza↗

Modeling-Driven Damage Tolerant Design of Graphene Nanoplatelet/Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Hybrid Composite Panels for Full-Scale Aerospace Structures

The objective of this study is to design a new nano graphenecarbon fiberpolymer hybrid composite that can be used for the NASA SLS Composite Exploration Upper Stage (CEUS) forward skirt structure. The new material will improve the resistance to open-hole compression failure of the structure relative to traditional polymer fiber composites. The material is designed rapidly and with little cost using the Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approach. Multiscale modeling and experiments are used to synergistically optimize the material design to yield improved properties and performance by controlling key processing parameters for manufacturing nano-enhanced materials. Specifically, the nanocomposite panel showed a 22 reduction in mass relative to the traditional composite panel, while both designs are equal in terms of ease of manufacture. This potential mass savings corresponds to an estimated 45 savings in materials and manufacturing costs. The multiscale ICME workflow developed for this project can be readily applied to the development of nano-enhanced composite materials and large aerospace structures. In addition, all key aspects of ICME were employed to complete this project including multiscale modeling, experimental characterization and visualization, data management, visualization, error and uncertainty quantification, and education. The results presented herein indicate a dramatic level of success, as well as the power and potential of ICME approach and multiscale modeling for composite materials.

computational mechanics↗

Brazing of beryllium for structural applications

Progress made in fabricating a beryllium compression tube structure and a stiffened beryllium panel. The compression tube was 7.6cm in diameter and 30.5cm long with titanium end fittings. The panel was 203cm long and stiffened with longitudinal stringers. Both units were assembled by brazing with BAg-18 braze alloy. The detail parts were fabricated by hot forming 0.305cm beryllium sheet and the brazing parameters established.

Vogan, J. W.↗