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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Near-field noise predictions of an aircraft in cruise

The physics of the coupling of sound waves with the boundary layer is not yet well understood. It is believed, however, that for effective coupling of the sound waves and instability waves in the boundary layer, a matching of both frequency and wave number must occur. This requires that the sound field be accurately defined in both space and time. Currently analytical prediction methods lack sufficient accuracy to predict the noise levels from components of a turbofan engine. Although empirical methods do not yield the detail required for an analysis of the receptivity of sound by a boundary layer, valuable insight can be gained as to the changes in noise levels that might be expected under various operating conditions and aircraft configurations.

Rawls, John W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Numerical and analytical investigations of three-dimensional lee waves

A conceptual framework for the three-dimensional lee wave is given, and the severe limits of mathematical analysis as applied to the problem are described. It is shown that numerical simulation is the only feasible approach and some simulation results are displayed. These results are then compared with those from corresponding simulations of the much more familiar case of two-dimensional flow over a ridge. The problem of predicting in which portions of the lee wave clear air turbulence encounters are most probable is addressed. Here, idealized linear models are employed to establish a few tentative guidelines.

Wurtele, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

On the acceleration of energetic ions in Jupiter's magnetosphere

Several aspects of the problem of high-energy ions in the Jovian magnetosphere are addressed. Voyager observations pertaining to the problem of high-energy ions in the magnetosphere are summarized, and the charge exchange emission of fast neutral sulfur and oxygen atoms and their subsequent recapture by electron impact, charge exchange, and photoionization is considered. Solutions are given to the diffusion equation assuming a source of ions injected with a gyroenergy corresponding to pickup in the middle and outer magnetosphere. It is concluded that no reasonable model parameters exist to produce the required steep spectra of the particle observations with only pickup and adiabatic radial diffusion included. A local acceleration mechanism based on nonadiabatic wave-particle interactions is needed. The assumptions and model predictions of stochastic acceleration by MHD turbulence for the Jovian magnetosphere are described. The model makes a specific correspondence between MHD wave spectrum properties and particle spectrum properties at energies above the Alfven energy.

Barbosa, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Two dimensional PIC simulations of plasma heating by the dissipation of Alfven waves

Two dimensional plasma particle simulations of the evolution of large amplitude circularly polarized Alfven waves propagating parallel to the magnetic field show that the waves decay via both one- and two- dimensional parametric decay instabilities. For parameters studied, one-dimensional processes dominate the simulations, but two-dimensional decay processes, including the recently predicted filamentation instability are also observed. The daughter waves generated by the parametric decay are primarily damped by the ions, leading to ion heating. The parametric decay processes efficiently convert the ordered fluid ion motion in the Alfven wave into ion thermal energy. These processes may be important for the dissipation of Alfven waves in the solar wind, the corona and other space plasma environments. The computations were performed on the Intel Touchstone parallel supercomputer.

Liewer, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Boundary Layer Stability and Laminar-Turbulent Transition Analysis with Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Applied to Martian Atmospheric Entry

As Martian atmospheric entry vehicles increase in size to accommodate larger payloads, transitional ow may need to be taken into account in the design of the heat shield in order to reduce heat shield mass. The mass of the Thermal Protection System (TPS) comprises a significant portion of the vehicle mass, and a reduction of this mass would result in fuel savings. The current techniques used to design entry shields generally assume fully turbulent flow when the vehicle is large enough to expect transitional flow, and while this worst-case scenario provides a greater factor of safety it may also result in overdesigned TPS and unnecessarily high vehicle mass. Greater accuracy in the prediction of transition would also reduce uncertainty in the thermal and aerodynamic loads. Stability analysis, using e(sup⁡ N) -based methods including Linear Stability Theory (LST) and the Parabolized Stability Equations (PSE), offers a physics-based method of transition prediction that has been thoroughly studied and applied in perfect gas flows, and to a more limited extent in reacting and nonequilibrium flows. These methods predict the amplification of a known disturbance frequency and allow identification of the most unstable frequency. Transition is predicted to occur at a critical amplification or N Factor, frequently determined through experiment and empirical correlations. The LAngley Stability and TRansition Analysis Code (LASTRAC), with modifications for thermochemically reacting flows and arbitrary gas mixtures, will be presented with LST results on a simulation of a high enthalpy CO2 gas wind tunnel test relevant to Martian atmospheric entry. The results indicate transition caused by modified Tollmien-Schlichting waves on the leeward side, which are predicted to be more stable and cause transition slightly downstream when thermochemical nonequilibrium is included in the stability analysis for the same mean flow solution.

Transition↗
NASA NTRS1995

New Predictions of the Jovian Aurora: Location, Latitudinal Width, and Intensity

A model/theory for the Jovian aurora is formed based on a similar model for the dayside aurora at Earth and recent Ulysses field and particle measurements at Jupiter. Items discussed are plasma boundary layer, wave-particle resonant interactions, and the model's prediction of the aurora's location, latitudinal width, and intensity.

Jupiter Jovian Aurora Ulysses Plasma↗
NASA NTRS1984

Finite Element Prediction of Acoustic Scattering and Radiation from Submerged Elastic Structures

A finite element formulation is derived for the scattering and radiation of acoustic waves from submerged elastic structures. The formulation uses as fundamental unknowns the displacement in the structure and a velocity potential in the field. Symmetric coefficient matrices result. The outer boundary of the fluid region is terminated with an approximate local wave-absorbing boundary condition which assumes that outgoing waves are locally planar. The finite element model is capable of predicting only the near-field acoustic pressures. Far-field sound pressure levels may be determined by integrating the surface pressures and velocities over the wet boundary of the structure using the Helmholtz integral. Comparison of finite element results with analytic results show excellent agreement. The coupled fluid-structure problem may be solved with general purpose finite element codes by using an analogy between the equations of elasticity and the wave equation of linear acoustics.

Everstine, G. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analytical prediction and experimental verification of performance at various operating conditions of a dual-mode traveling wave tube with multistage depressed collectors

A comparison of analytical and experimental results is presented for a high performance dual-mode traveling wave tube (TWT) operated over a wide range conditions. The computations are carried out with advanced multidimensional computer programs. These programs model the electron beam as a series of disks or rings of charge and follow their trajectories from the rf input of the TWT through the slow-wave structure refocusing system to their points of impacts in the depressed collector. TWT performance, collector efficiency, and collector current distribution are computed and compared with measurements. Very good agreement was obtained between computed and measured TWT performance and collector efficiencies, and the computer design of a highly efficient collector was demonstrated.

Dayton, J. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Approximate method for predicting the permanent set in a beam in vacuo and in water subject to a shock wave

An approximate method to compute the maximum deformation and permanent set of a beam subjected to shock wave laoding in vacuo and in water was investigated. The method equates the maximum kinetic energy of the beam (and water) to the elastic plastic work done by a static uniform load applied to a beam. Results for the water case indicate that the plastic deformation is controlled by the kinetic energy of the water. The simplified approach can result in significant savings in computer time or it can expediently be used as a check of results from a more rigorous approach. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated by various examples of beams with simple support and clamped support boundary conditions.

Stiehl, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Fractional Whirl Motion in Wave Journal Bearings

Unloaded gas, plain journal bearings experience sub-synchronous whirl motion due to fluid film instabilities and wall contact usually occurs immediately after the onset of the whirl motion. An alternative is the wave journal bearing which significantly improves bearing stability. The predicted threshold where the sub-synchronous whirl motion starts was well confirmed by the experimental observation. In addition, both a two-wave and a three-wave journal bearing can operate free of sub-synchronous whirl motion over a large range in speeds. When the sub-synchronous whirl motion occurs, both the two-wave and three-wave bearing can run in a whirl orbit well within the bearing clearance. At large clearances and wave amplitudes a two-wave bearing, unliKe other bearings, can exhibit a sub-synchronous whirl movement at both low and high speeds, but can run extremely stable and without whirl at intermediate speeds. Moreover, in these cases, the whirl frequencies are close to a quarter of the synchronous speed. The three-wave bearing can exhibit sub-synchronous whirl motion only after a specific threshold when the speed increases and the whirl frequencies are close to half of the synchronous speed.

Dimofte, Florin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of TAO Observation System on ENSO Predictions from the GMAO S2S Forecast System

Since the early 1990’s, the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) mooring array has been instrumental for observing Kelvin and Rossby wave propagation which is key for El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) prediction. However, recent funding and programmatical issues have highlighted the need to rigorously assess the impact of the TAO observing system on ENSO predictions. Therefore, we evaluate the TAO using data assimilation observation denial experiments (also known as Observing System Evaluation or OSE experiments). This presentation will evaluate the TAO observing impact on both reanalyses and prediction of the big 2015 El Nino. We have completed reanalyses for July 2014-Dec 2015 for both the CONTROL experiment (that assimilates all available data) and the NOTAO experiment (that is identical to the CONTROL but withholds all TAO observations) using the best available NASA GEOS-S2S V3 seasonal prediction system. Validation of these reanalyses shows that TAO assimilation generally improves comparisons of temperature and salinity versus gridded in situ observations. Temperature is universally improved above the thermocline near the equator, but the biggest improvement is found in the eastern Pacific, just below the thermocline, where the variation of the thermocline defines ENSO events. In addition, a surprising result is that even with relatively few observations, salinity is improved throughout the equatorial region except near 120oW near the surface. ENSO forecasts were performed that were initialized from these CONTROL and NOTAO reanalyses. For the 9-month forecasts which were initialized in January, July, and October 2015, the NINO3.4 SST shows that the CONTROL forecasts are warmer and closer to observations than the NOTAO forecasts. We will show that upwelling and shoaling of the mixed layer amplifies the ENSO signal due to TAO assimilation. Prior to (after) April 2015, this upwelling is caused by relatively stronger Rossby (Kelvin) waves in the CONTROL than in the NOTAO experiments.

E. Hackert↗
NASA NTRS1980

Plane waves at or near grazing incidence in the parabolic approximation

The parabolic approximation for the acoustic equations of motion is applied to the study of the sound field generated by a plane wave at or near grazing incidence to a finite impedance boundary. It is shown how this approximation accounts for effects neglected in the usual plane wave reflection analysis which, at grazing incidence, erroneously predicts complete cancellation of the incident field by the reflected field. Examples are presented which illustrate that the solution obtained by the parabolic approximation contains several of the physical phenomena known to occur in wave propagation near an absorbing boundary.

Mcaninch, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization and Cruise Mach Number Study of Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft

The Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) Phase III was led by Dr. Rakesh K. Kapania and Dr. Joseph A. Schetz at the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Center for Advanced Vehicles, Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. The research was performed from December 2014 to December 2015. Three major areas were investigated: Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) studies of truss braced wing (TBW) and strut braced wing (SBW) vehicles at cruise Mach numbers of 0.7 and 0.8 for a flight mission similar to current market single aisle configurations. The performance and the characteristics of the optimized vehicles were compared to the SUGAR Phase II TBW vehicle. These results were obtained without applying any of the extended transonic aerodynamic and aeroelastic tools that will be discussed later. It was found that the cruise Mach number has a large effect on the best “truss” configuration. At Mach 0.7, an SBW has a better fuel consumption and better take-off gross weight (TOGW). However, at Mach 0.8, the TBW is superior because the jury strut aids in satisfying the flutter constraint; Two-dimensional, steady, transonic aerodynamic analysis of the Boeing Airfoil J (BACJ) airfoil was performed for a range of thickness ratios, Mach numbers and lift coefficients. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations were solved to obtain the lift-curve slope, wave drag coefficient, the location of the center of pressure and to predict the separation at the trailing edge, which may lead to buffeting. One of the goals was to develop a database of lift-curve slope and the location of center of pressure, which could be used in a transonic aeroelastic analysis. Another goal was to compare the wave drag coefficients to those predicted by Lock’s fourth-power law and also to compare the transonic effects obtained from RANS simulations to those predicted by the Korn equations. A third goal was to develop a buffet boundary, which can be integrated into the MDO framework to prevent the optimized designs from probable buffeting; A state-space transonic aeroelastic analysis tool was developed, which can incorporate the nonlinear transonic effects in the unsteady aerodynamics but is yet computationally cheap when used within the VT MDO framework. The aeroelastic analysis uses Leishman- Beddoes (LB) indicial functions, which generated a state-space representation of the aeroelastic system. The indicial functions allow the incorporation of data for steady lift-curve slope and location of the center of pressure. Thus, the steady transonic effects are included, and the unsteady aerodynamic responses are a linearization about the steady results. The aeroelastic approach discretizes the wing into numerous strips, which results in a large eigenvalue problem as each strip has eight augmented aerodynamic states as per the LB theory. Thus, to reduce the computation expense, a reduced order model (ROM) was developed. The approach was validated using a few examples.

Kapania, Rakesh K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Drag of two-dimensional small-amplitude symmetric and asymmetric wavy walls in turbulent boundary layers

Included are results of an experimental investigation of low-speed turbulent flow over multiple two-dimensional transverse rigid wavy surfaces having a wavelength on the order of the boundary-layer thickness. Data include surface pressure and total drag measurements on symmetric and asymmetric wall waves under a low-speed turbulent boundary-layer flow. Several asymmetric wave configurations exhibited drag levels below the equivalent symmetric (sine) wave. The experimental results compare favorably with numerical predictions from a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes spectral code. The reported results are of particular interest for the estimation of drag, the minimization of fabrication waviness effects, and the study of wind-wave interactions.

Lin, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A numerical study of fundamental shock noise mechanisms

The results of this thesis demonstrate that direct numerical simulation can predict sound generation in unsteady aerodynamic flows containing shock waves. Shock waves can be significant sources of sound in high speed jet flows, on helicopter blades, and in supersonic combustion inlets. Direct computation of sound permits the prediction of noise levels in the preliminary design stage and can be used as a tool to focus experimental studies, thereby reducing cost and increasing the probability of a successfully quiet product in less time. This thesis reveals and investigates two mechanisms fundamental to sound generation by shocked flows: shock motion and shock deformation. Shock motion is modeled by the interaction of a sound wave with a shock. During the interaction, the shock wave begins to move and the sound pressure is amplified as the wave passes through the shock. The numerical approach presented in this thesis is validated by the comparison of results obtained in a quasi-one dimensional simulation with linear theory. Analysis of the perturbation energy demonstrated for the first time that acoustic energy is generated by the interaction. Shock deformation is investigated by the numerical simulation of a ring vortex interacting with a shock. This interaction models the passage of turbulent structures through the shock wave. The simulation demonstrates that both acoustic waves and contact surfaces are generated downstream during the interaction. Analysis demonstrates that the acoustic wave spreads cylindrically, that the sound intensity is highly directional, and that the sound pressure level increases significantly with increasing shock strength. The effect of shock strength on sound pressure level is consistent with experimental observations of shock noise, indicating that the interaction of a ring vortex with a shock wave correctly models a dominant mechanism of shock noise generation.

Meadows, Kristine R.↗
NASA NTRS1970

A rough earth scattering model for multipath prediction

The most important phenomena to be considered in a model of radio wave communication between earth satellites are scattering from the surface of the earth. A model is derived and implemented on a computer to predict the field received after reflection from a rough, spherical earth. The scattering integrals are computed numerically; the domain of integration is the appropriate region on the surface of the earth. Calculations have been performed at VHF frequencies and for terrain which could be described as marshy land. Rough surface scattering calculations must be performed over a spherical earth when satellites are involved. There is a definite dependence on the values of the roughness, and the correlation length.

Page, L. J.↗