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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 55 records · Page 3

Using a Commercial Ethernet PHY Device in a Radiation Environment

This work involved placing a commercial Ethernet PHY on its own power boundary, with limited current supply, and providing detection methods to determine when the device is not operating and when it needs either a reset or power-cycle. The device must be radiation-tested and free of destructive latchup errors. The commercial Ethernet PHY's own power boundary must be supplied by a current-limited power regulator that must have an enable (for power cycling), and its maximum power output must not exceed the PHY's input requirements, thus preventing damage to the device. A regulator with configurable output limits and short-circuit protection (such as the RHFL4913, rad hard positive voltage regulator family) is ideal. This will prevent a catastrophic failure due to radiation (such as a short between the commercial device's power and ground) from taking down the board's main power. Logic provided on the board will detect errors in the PHY. An FPGA (field-programmable gate array) with embedded Ethernet MAC (Media Access Control) will work well. The error detection includes monitoring the PHY's interrupt line, and the status of the Ethernet's switched power. When the PHY is determined to be non-functional, the logic device resets the PHY, which will often clear radiation induced errors. If this doesn't work, the logic device power-cycles the FPGA by toggling the regulator's enable input. This should clear almost all radiation induced errors provided the device is not latched up.

Parks, Jeremy↗

Experimental Evaluation of Inlet Distortion on an Ejector Powered Hybrid Wing Body at Take-off and Landing Conditions

As part of the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aircraft project, an ultra high bypass ratio engine integration on a hybrid wing body demonstration was planned. The goal was to include engine and airframe integration concepts that reduced fuel consumption by at least 50% while still reducing noise 42 db cumulative on the ground. Since the engines would be mounted on the upper surface of the aft body of the aircraft, the inlets may be susceptible to vortex ingestion from the wing leading edge at high angles of attack and sideslip, and separated wing/body flow. Consequently, experimental and computational studies were conducted to collect flow surveys useful for characterizing engine operability. The wind tunnel tests were conducted at two NASA facilities, the 14- by 22-foot at NASA Langley and the 40- by 80-foot at NASA Ames Research Center. The test results included in this paper show that the distortion and pressure recovery levels were acceptable for engine operability. The CFD studies conducted to compare to experimental data showed excellent agreement for the angle of attacks examined, although failed to match the low speed experimental data at high sideslip angles.

Carter, Melissa B.↗

Modeling and analysis of several classes of self-oscillating inverters. I - State-plane representations. II - Model extension, classification, and duality relationships

The present investigation is concerned with an important class of power conditioning networks, taking into account self-oscillating dc-to-square-wave transistor inverters. The considered circuits are widely used both as the principal power converting and processing means in many systems and as low-power analog-to-discrete-time converters for controlling the switching of the output-stage semiconductors in a variety of power conditioning systems. Aspects of piecewise-linear modeling are discussed, taking into consideration component models, and an equivalent-circuit model. Questions of singular point analysis and state plane representation are also investigated, giving attention to limit cycles, starting circuits, the region of attraction, a hard oscillator, and a soft oscillator.

Lee, F. C. Y.↗

Ejector-powered lift systems for V/STOL aircraft

The paper takes a brief look at powered lift from the point of view of the operator and the designer, considers application of an ejector-powered lift system to both STOL and VTOL aircraft, and describes some of the advantages of an ejector concept. Performance and noise characteristics of a simple ejector are described, and some comments are made regarding the Buffalo/Spey Augmentor-Wing proof-of-concept aircraft.

Whittley, D. C.↗

Bidirectional dc-to-dc Power Converter

Solid-state, series-resonant converter uses high-voltage thyristors. Converter used either to convert high-voltage, low-current dc power to lowvoltage, high current power or reverse. Taking advantage of newly-available high-voltage thyristors to provide better reliability and efficiency than traditional converters that use vacuum tubes as power switches. New converter essentially maintenance free and provides greatly increased mean time between failures. Attractive in industrial applications whether or not bidirectional capability is required.

Griesbach, C. R.↗

Contingency power for a small turboshaft engine by using water injection into turbine cooling air

Because of one-engine-inoperative (OEI) requirements, together with hot-gas reingestion and hot-day, high-altitude take-off situations, power augmentation for multiengine rotorcraft has always been of critical interest. However, power augmentation by using overtemperature at the turbine inlet will shorten turbine life unless a method of limiting thermal and mechanical stress is found. A possible solution involves allowing the turbine inlet temperature to rise to augment power while injecting water into the turbine cooling air to limit hot-section metal temperatures. An experimental water injection device was installed in an engine and successfully tested. Although concern for unprotected subcomponents in the engine hot section prevented demonstration of the technique's maximum potential, it was still possible to demonstrate increases in power while maintaining nearly constant turbine rotor blade temperature.

Biesiadny, Thomas J.↗

Application of supercomputers to computational aerodynamics

Computers are playing an increasingly important role in the field of aerodynamics such that they now serve as a major complement to wind tunnels in aerospace research and development. Factors pacing advances in computational aerodynamics are identified, including the amount of computational power required to take the next major step in the discipline. Example results obtained from the successively refined forms of the governing equations are discussed, both in the context of levels of computer power required and the degree to which they either further the frontiers of research or apply to problems of practical importance. Finally, the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program - with its 1988 target of achieving a sustained computational rate of 1 billion floating point operations per second and operating with a memory of 240 million words - is discussed in terms of its goals and its projected effect on the future of computational aerodynamics.

Peterson, V. L.↗

The problem of automation: Inappropriate feedback and interaction, not overautomation

As automation increasingly takes its place in industry, especially high-risk industry, it is often blamed for causing harm and increasing the chance of human error when failures occur. It is proposed that the problem is not the presence of automation, but rather its inappropriate design. The problem is that the operations are performed appropriately under normal conditions, but there is inadequate feedback and interaction with the humans who must control the overall conduct of the task. When the situations exceed the capabilities of the automatic equipment, then the inadequate feedback leads to difficulties for the human controllers. The problem is that the automation is at an intermediate level of intelligence, powerful enough to take over control that which used to be done by people, but not powerful enough to handle all abnormalities. Moreover, its level of intelligence is insufficient to provide the continual, appropriate feedback that occurs naturally among human operators. To solve this problem, the automation should either be made less intelligent or more so, but the current level is quite inappropriate. The overall message is that it is possible to reduce error through appropriate design considerations.

Norman, Donald A.↗

Skylab technology electrical power system

The solar array/battery power systems for the Skylab vehicle were designed to operate in a solar inertial pointing mode to provide power continuously to the Skylab. Questions of power management are considered, taking into account difficulties caused by the reduction in power system performance due to the effects of structural failure occurring during the launching process. The performance of the solar array of the Apollo Telescope Mount Power System is discussed along with the Orbital Workshop solar array performance and the Airlock Module power conditioning group performance. A list is presented of a number of items which have been identified during mission monitoring and are recommended for electrical power system concepts, designs, and operation for future spacecraft.

Woosley, A. P.↗

Calculation of the relativistic Bloch correction to stopping power

Bloch's technique of joining the nonrelativistic Bethe and Bohr stopping-power expressions by taking into account wave-packet effects for close collisions is extended to the relativistic case. It is found that Bloch's nonrelativistic correction term must be modified and that charge asymmetric terms appear. Excellent agreement is observed by comparing the results of these calculations to recent data on the stopping power of relativistic heavy ions.

Ahlen, S. P.↗

Computational fluid dynamics at NASA Ames and the numerical aerodynamic simulation program

Computers are playing an increasingly important role in the field of aerodynamics such as that they now serve as a major complement to wind tunnels in aerospace research and development. Factors pacing advances in computational aerodynamics are identified, including the amount of computational power required to take the next major step in the discipline. The four main areas of computational aerodynamics research at NASA Ames Research Center which are directed toward extending the state of the art are identified and discussed. Example results obtained from approximate forms of the governing equations are presented and discussed, both in the context of levels of computer power required and the degree to which they either further the frontiers of research or apply to programs of practical importance. Finally, the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Program--with its 1988 target of achieving a sustained computational rate of 1 billion floating-point operations per second--is discussed in terms of its goals, status, and its projected effect on the future of computational aerodynamics.

Peterson, V. L.↗

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Subsonic Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Tiltable-Wing Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing Supersonic Bomber Configuration Including Turbojet Power Effects

Jet-powered model tests were made to determine the low-speed longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a vertical-take-off and-landing supersonic bomber configuration. The configuration has an unique engine-wing arrangement wherein six large turbojet engines (three on each side of the fuselage) are buried in a low-aspect-ratio wing which is tilted into the vertical plane for take-off. An essentially two-dimensional variable inlet, spanning the leading edge of each wing semispan, provides air for the engines. Jet flow conditions were simulated for a range of military (nonafterburner) and afterburner turbojet-powered flight at subsonic speeds. Three horizontal tails were tested at a station down-stream of the jet exit and at three heights above the jet axes. A semi-span model was used and test parameters covered wing-fuselage incidence angles from 0 deg to 15 deg, wing angles of attack from -4 deg to 36 deg, a variable range of horizontal-tail incidence angles, and some variations in power simulation conditions. Results show that, with all horizontal tails tested, there were large variations in static stability throughout the lift range. When the wing and fuselage were alined, the model was statically stable throughout the test range only with the largest tail tested (tail span of 1.25 wing span) and only when the tail was located in the low test position which placed the tail nearest to the undeflected jet. For transition flight conditions, none of the tail configurations provided satisfactory longitudinal stability or trim throughout the lift range. Jet flow was destabilizing for most of the test conditions, and varying the jet-exit flow conditions at a constant thrust coefficient had little effect on the stability of this model. Wing leading-edge simulation had some important effects on the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics.

Thompson, Robert F.↗

Recent Results from Dragonfly Testing/Analysis as we head to PDR

Dragonfly is a relocatable lander mission to Saturn's moon Titan4, which as well as being a target of out-standing astrobiological interest as an organic-rich Ocean World, has the combination of low gravity (1/7 that of Earth) and a thick atmosphere (4x the density of Earth), making it an environment uniquely suitable for flight. Thus, the Dragonfly lander (similar in size to the Curiosity Mars rover) can take off using lift from a set of eight rotors and fly to a new landing site several kilometers away. The ability to perform such flights, lasting approximately 30 minutes, every month or so on Titan brings unprecedented mobility to planetary exploration, on a world known to have a diverse land-scape of dunes, craters and other features. Dragonfly is planned to launch in 2027, and following a nearly seven year interplanetary cruise would arrive at Titan by 2034. Due to the large scale height of the Titan atmosphere, Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) will be prolonged affair, taking nearly two hours to reach the surface. The ballistic entry environments that Dragonfly will be subjected to are fairly similar to that experienced by recent Mars missions; peak heating on the aeroshell will be about 300 W/sq.cm and peak deceleration is about 10g’s. Following the five minute entry segment, much of the remaining time is spent descending on the drogue and main para-chutes, which carry the dual role of decelerating the spacecraft and stabilizing the system during the long descent. While on one hand, this leisurely EDL sequence affords a relaxed timeline and plenty of time for event staging, it also provides ample opportunity for small disturbances to grow into potential flight safety risks, adding emphasis to the need for careful modeling, simulation and testing of key dynamic events. About two hours after entering the atmosphere, the nearly one metric ton rotocraft will be lowered approximately one meter out of the backshell (the ‘pose’ maneuver) to expose all eight rotors. The rotors will then be used to arrest any residual spin rate and prepare the system for transition to powered flight. Once despin is complete and the lander reaches a target altitude of 1.2 km above the surface (as verified by on-board lidar), the lander will be released and free fall for approximately one second before beginning controlled free flight. This entire “preparation for powered flight” process takes place over several minutes while the system is subject to the dynamic environment produced by so-called “wrist-mode” oscillations as the lander and backshell swing on the main parachute. Once in free flight, the lander will engage on-board terrain relative navigation to locate and navigate to a safe landing zone in the Shangri-La dune field south of Selk crater. Communication during this sequence will be limited to a series of direct-to-Earth X-band tones signalling key events and providing forensic information. Once on the ground, the lander will begin to send additional information, including data collected during this EDL sequence by the on-board Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Measurements (DrEAM) instrumentation suite. This presentation will walk through the entry to first landing timeline in more detail, with a focus on recent analysis and testing results that inform system performance, margins and residual risk estimation.

Dragonfly↗

Impact of computers on aerodynamics research and development

Factors motivating the development of computational aerodynamics as a discipline are traced back to the limitations of the tools available to the aerodynamicist before the development of digital computers. Governing equations in exact and approximate forms are discussed together with approaches to their numerical solution. Example results obtained from the successively refined forms of the equations are presented and discussed, both in the context of levels of computer power required and the degree of the effect that their solution has on aerodynamic research and development. Factors pacing advances in computational aerodynamics are identified, including the amount of computational power required to take the next major step in the discipline. Finally, the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program - with its 1987 target of achieving a sustained computational rate of 1 billion floating-point operations per second operating on a memory of 240 million words - is briefly discussed in terms of its projected effect on the future of computational aerodynamics.

Peterson, V. L.↗

Alterations and Tests of the "Farnboro" Engine Indicator

The 'Farnboro' electric indicator was tested as received from the manufacturers, and modifications made to the instrument to improve its operation. The original design of disk valve was altered so as to reduce the mass, travel, and seat area. Changes were made to the recording mechanism, which included a new method of locating the top center position on the record. The effect of friction on the motion of the pointer while taking motoring and power cards was eliminated by providing a means of putting pressure lines on the record. The modified indicator gives a complete record of the average cyclic variation in pressure per crank degree for any set of engine operating conditions which can be held constant for the period of time required to build up the composite card. The value of the record for accurate quantitative measurement is still questioned, although the maximum indicated pressure recorded on the motoring and power cards checks the readings of the balanced diaphragm type of maximum cylinder pressure indicator.

Collins, John H , Jr↗

Robust stability of diamond families of polynomials with complex coefficients

Like the interval model of Kharitonov, the diamond model proves to be an alternative powerful device for taking into account the variation of parameters in prescribed ranges. The robust stability of some kinds of diamond polynomial families with complex coefficients are discussed. By exploiting the geometric characterizations of their value sets, we show that, for the family of polynomials with complex coefficients and both their real and imaginary parts lying in a diamond, the stability of eight specially selected extreme point polynomials is necessary as well as sufficient for the stability of the whole family. For the so-called simplex family of polynomials, four extreme point and four exposed edge polynomials of this family need to be checked for the stability of the entire family. The relations between the stability of various diamonds are also discussed.

Xu, Zhong Ling↗

STS-96 Crew Training

The training for the crew members of the STS-96 Discovery Shuttle is presented. Crew members are Kent Rominger, Commander; Rick Husband, Pilot; Mission Specialists, Tamara Jernigan, Ellen Ochoa, and Daniel Barry; Julie Payette, Mission Specialist (CSA); and Valery Ivanovich Tokarev, Mission Specialist (RSA). Scenes show the crew sitting and talking about the Electrical Power System; actively taking part in virtual training in the EVA Training VR (Virtual Reality) Lab; using the Orbit Space Vision Training System; being dropped in water as a part of the Bail-Out Training Program; and taking part in the crew photo session.

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