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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 559 records · Page 31

Solar system installation at Louisville, Kentucky

The installation of a solar space heating and domestic hot water system is described. The overall philosophy used was to install both a liquid and a hot air system retrofitted to existing office and combined warehouse building. The 1080 sq. ft. office space is heated first and excess heat is dumped into the warehouse. The two systems offer a unique opportunity to measure the performance and compare results of both air and liquid at one site.

Source record↗

Design principles of the PORT library

The design of PORT stemmed from the basic principles of portability and ease of use. The attributes and mechanisms used in the library to support this philosophy include the use of a portable subset of FORTRAN, and the use of (machine-dependent) functions to supply the necessary environment parameters. Abbreviated calling sequences are mede possible by a simplified error-handling technique, and by the use of a portable stack allocator for temporary workspace. Experiences to date with these approaches, and plans for the future are reviewed.

Fox, P.↗

Validation of scramjet exhaust simulation technique at Mach 6

Current design philosophy for hydrogen-fueled, scramjet-powered hypersonic aircraft results in configurations with strong couplings between the engine plume and vehicle aerodynamics. The experimental verification of the scramjet exhaust simulation is described. The scramjet exhaust was reproduced for the Mach 6 flight condition by the detonation tube simulator. The exhaust flow pressure profiles, and to a large extent the heat transfer rate profiles, were then duplicated by cool gas mixtures of Argon and Freon 13B1 or Freon 12. The results of these experiments indicate that a cool gas simulation of the hot scramjet exhaust is a viable simulation technique except for phenomena which are dependent on the wall temperature relative to flow temperature.

Hopkins, H. B.↗

Investigation and characterization of constraint effects on flaw growth during fatigue loading of composite materials

An investigative program is presented in an attempt to add to the current understanding of constraint effects on the response of composite materials under cyclic loading. The objectives were: (1) to use existing data and to develop additional data in order to establish an understanding and quantitative description of flaw growth in unidirectional lamina under cyclic loading at different load direction to fiber direction angles; (2) to establish a similar understanding and description of flaw growth in lamina which are embedded in laminates between other unflawed lamina; (3) to determine the nature of the influence of constraint on flaw growth by quantitatively comparing the results of the tests; and (4) to develop a model and philosophy of constraints effects based on our investigative results.

Stinchcomb, W. W.↗

Commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system technology development

Reducing cost and increasing reliability were the technology drivers in both the electric utility and on-site integrated energy system applications. The longstanding barrier to the attainment of these goals was materials. Differences in approaches and their technological features, including electrodes, matrices, intercell cooling, bipolar/separator plates, electrolyte management, fuel selection, and system design philosophy were discussed.

Prokopius, P. R.↗

An impedance technique for determining low-frequency payload environments

The technique presented is based on frequency domain analysis and eliminates the necessity of final eigen solution for coupled payload/booster systems. A demonstration of the technique using Titan flight data and a low frequency environment prediction for a Shuttle payload are included. Criteria and philosophy for the technique for future payloads is discussed.

Payne, K. R.↗

Hypersonic airframe structures: Technology needs and flight test requirements

Hypersonic vehicles, that may be produced by the year 2000, were identified. Candidate thermal/structural concepts that merit consideration for these vehicles were described. The current status of analytical methods, materials, manufacturing techniques, and conceptual developments pertaining to these concepts were reviewed. Guidelines establishing meaningful technology goals were defined and twenty-eight specific technology needs were identified. The extent to which these technology needs can be satisfied, using existing capabilities and facilities without the benefit of a hypersonic research aircraft, was assessed. The role that a research aircraft can fill in advancing this technology was discussed and a flight test program was outlined. Research aircraft thermal/structural design philosophy was also discussed. Programs, integrating technology advancements with the projected vehicle needs, were presented. Program options were provided to reflect various scheduling and cost possibilities.

Stone, J. E.↗

US Army lithium cell applications

The how, why and where the Army is applying lithium batteries are addressed. The Army is committing its efforts to the utilization of lithium batteries in new equipment that will be going into the field possibly from FY-80 and thereafter. The Army's philosophy is to guide their users and the equipment designers, to use battery packs are opposed to singel cells. After a detailed description of the battery types that are being considered, a discussion is presented in which questions and comments are exchanged among the Workshop participants.

Legath, A. J.↗

Safety considerations in the design and operation of large wind turbines

The engineering and safety techniques used to assure the reliable and safe operation of large wind turbine generators utilizing the Mod 2 Wind Turbine System Program as an example is described. The techniques involve a careful definition of the wind turbine's natural and operating environments, use of proven structural design criteria and analysis techniques, an evaluation of potential failure modes and hazards, and use of a fail safe and redundant component engineering philosophy. The role of an effective quality assurance program, tailored to specific hardware criticality, and the checkout and validation program developed to assure system integrity are described.

Reilly, D. H.↗

Thermal design analysis of shuttle cargo bay payloads

The thermal design analysis methodology, the thermal control philosophy, and preliminary thermal analysis results associated with specific shuttle payloads are presented. The payloads considered are the Get-Away Special canisters being developed by NASA Goddard, which may be flown on a variety of missions, and the six experiments which are mounted on the GSFC pallet to be flown on Operational Flight test No. 4 (OFT-4). The thermal control alternatives currently available to OFT-4 instruments are the use of pallet cold plates (if available) or operational constraints which allow passive thermal control without the use of excessive heater power. The characteristics of a completely passive thermal control design are evidenced by the results of the Get-Away Special canister analysis.

Bartoszek, J. T.↗

Reflections on the NASA standardization effort

The NASA standardization effort which has been in existence for four years is described. A significant number of equipments have been declared standard in order to achieve multimission utilization with the consequent avoidance of high nonrecurring development costs. The small numbers of equipments and significant gaps in time before the next user requires the item raise questions of the value of maintaining a standard, how to assure its producibility economically in the future, and how to prevent its technical obsolescence. Increasing pressures to broaden the participation of industry in the space program have also contributed to a reexamination of the philosophy of standardization.

Sonnemann, H.↗

Shuttle communication systems compatibility and performance testing

The Shuttle communications system consists of major space and ground elements. The compatibility and performance of each of these major elements functioning as a complete system must be certified prior to operational missions. This paper discusses the Shuttle communication systems compatibility and performance testing. The system test philosophy for the complex communication channels is described in terms of the major phases, which include early breadboard system design evaluation tests, system development tests with prototype hardware, and system certification testing with qualifiable (flight) hardware. The system hardware configuration, facility requirements, test and evaluation techniques, and operational approaches required to accomplish each major phase of testing are reviewed. Results of recently completed space-to-space and space-to-ground system tests are presented. Test techniques and measurement accuracies proven over ten years of unique system-evaluation experience are reviewed. Techniques used in relating experimental and predicted system performance, and conclusions regarding the effectiveness of system level testing of such complex hardware, are addressed.

Seyl, J. W.↗

Automation of the deep space network

Approaches to automating the radiofrequency system used in the deep space network (DSN) are discussed. The goal is to operate DSN, which communicates with U.S. space probes that travel beyond the moon, in an unattended mode in order to reduce operating costs. The philosophy of a hierachical automation plan, which emphasizes distributed control and the utilization of DSN hardware development engineers to develop automation software, is discussed, and software development as well as common software and common microcontroller hardware are considered. It is planned that a station controller will serve as the operator interface and control and coordinate the operation of three system controllers (RF system, digital system, and antenna system). These systems are described.

Crow, R. B.↗

An engineering approach to the prediction of fatigue behavior of unnotched/notched fiber reinforced composite laminates

An engineering approach is proposed for predicting unnotched/notched laminate fatigue behavior from basic lamina fatigue data. The fatigue analysis procedure was used to determine the laminate property (strength/stiffness) degradation as a function of fatigue cycles in uniaxial tension and in plane shear. These properties were then introduced into the failure model for a notched laminate to obtain damage growth, residual strength, and failure mode. The approach is thus essentially a combination of the cumulative damage accumulation (akin to the Miner-Palmgren hypothesis and its derivatives) and the damage growth rate (similar to the fracture mechanics approach) philosophies. An analysis/experiment correlation appears to confirm the basic postulates of material wearout and the predictability of laminate fatigue properties from lamina fatigue data.

Kulkarni, S. V.↗

Keynote address

The Space Shuttle test program is described. Consideration is given to thermal vacuum testing, static testing, ground vibration testing, high temperature testing, propulsion system testing, etc. Emphasis is placed on the Shuttle test philosophy and how it differs from that of past programs.

Yardley, J. F.↗

Considerations in STS payload environmental verification

The current philosophy of the GSFS regarding environmental verification of Shuttle payloads is reviewed. In the structures area, increased emphasis will be placed on the use of analysis for design verification, with selective testing performed as necessary. Furthermore, as a result of recent cost optimization analysis, the multitier test program will presumably give way to a comprehensive test program at the major payload subassembly level after adequate workmanship at the component level has been verified. In the thermal vacuum area, thought is being given to modifying the approaches used for conventional spacecraft.

Keegan, W. B.↗

Testing programs for the Multimission Modular Spacecraft

The Multimission Modular Spacecraft (MMS) provides a standard spacecraft bus to a user for a variety of space missions ranging from near-earth to synchronous orbits. The present paper describes the philosophy behind the MMS module test program and discusses the implementation of the test program. It is concluded that the MMS module test program provides an effective and comprehensive customer buy-off at the subsystem contractor's plant, is an optimum approach for checkout of the subsystems prior to use for on-orbit servicing in the Shuttle Cargo Bay, and is a cost-effective technique for environmental testing.

Greenwell, T. J.↗

Space Shuttle Orbiter thermal protection material development and testing

The research work described in the present paper was carried out to develop and evaluate thermal protection materials for application to the Space Shuttle and future programs. The philosophy, methodology of testing, and facilities are discussed which had to be developed in view of the new requirements placed on the thermal protection system, in particular the requirement of multiple flight capability.

Larson, H. K.↗