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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 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

An improved quasistatic line-shape theory: The effects of molecular motion on the line wings

A theory is presented for the modification of the line-shape functions and absorption coefficient due to the breakdown of the quasistatic approximation. This breakdown arises from the effects of molecular motion and increases the absorption in the near wings. Numerical calculations for the high-frequency wing of the nu(sub 3) band of CO2 broadened by Ar are reported and it is shown that these effects are significant near the bandhead. The importance of such corrections in other spectral regions and for other systems is discussed briefly.

Ma, Q.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Modern Airfoil Ice Accretions

This report presents results from the first icing tests performed in the Modem Airfoils program. Two airfoils have been subjected to icing tests in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). Both airfoils were two dimensional airfoils; one was representative of a commercial transport airfoil while the other was representative of a business jet airfoil. The icing test conditions were selected from the FAR Appendix C envelopes. Effects on aerodynamic performance are presented including the effects of varying amounts of glaze ice as well as the effects of approximately the same amounts of glaze, mixed, and rime ice. Actual ice shapes obtained in these tests are also presented for these cases. In addition, comparisons are shown between ice shapes from the tests and ice shapes predicted by the computer code, LEWICE for similar conditions. Significant results from the tests are that relatively small amounts of ice can have nearly as much effect on airfoil lift coefficient as much greater amounts of ice and that glaze ice usually has a more detrimental effect than either rime or mixed ice. LEWICE predictions of ice shapes, in general, compared reasonably well with ice shapes obtained in the IRT, although differences in details of the ice shapes were observed.

Addy, Harold E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Analysis of Three-Dimensional, Nonlinear Development of Wave-Like Structure in a Compressible Round Jet

An analysis of the nonlinear development of the large-scale structures or instability waves in compressible round jets was conducted using the integral energy method. The equations of motion were decomposed into two sets of equations; one set governing the mean flow motion and the other set governing the large-scale structure motion. The equations in each set were then combined to derive kinetic energy equations that were integrated in the radial direction across the jet after the boundary-layer approximations were applied. Following the application of further assumptions regarding the radial shape of the mean flow and the large structures, equations were derived that govern the nonlinear, streamwise development of the large structures. Using numerically generated mean flows, calculations show the energy exchanges and the effects of the initial amplitude on the coherent structure development in the jet.

Dahl, Milo D.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Flame and Soot Boundaries of Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames

The shapes (flame-sheet and luminous-flame boundaries) or steady weakly buoyant round hydrocarbon-fueled laminar-jet diffusion flames in still and coflowing air were studied both experimentally and theoretically. Flame-sheet shapes were measured from photographs using a CH optical filter to distinguish flame-sheet boundaries in the presence of blue CO2 and OH emissions and yellow continuum radiation from soot. Present experimental conditions included acetylene-, methane-, propane-, and ethylene-fueled flames having initial reactant temperatures of 300 K. ambient pressures of 4-50 kPa, jet-exit Reynolds numbers of 3-54, initial air/fuel velocity ratios of 0-9, and luminous flame lengths of 5-55 mm; earlier measurements for propylene- and 1,3-butadiene-fueled flames for similar conditions were considered as well. Nonbuoyant flames in still air were observed at microgravity conditions; essentially nonbuoyant flames in coflowing air were observed at small pressures to control effects of buoyancy. Predictions of luminous flame boundaries from soot luminosity were limited to laminar smoke-point conditions, whereas predictions of flame-sheet boundaries ranged from soot-free to smoke-point conditions. Flame-shape predictions were based on simplified analyses using the boundary-layer approximations along with empirical parameters to distinguish flame-sheet and luminous-flame (at the laminar smoke point) boundaries. The comparison between measurements and predictions was remarkably good and showed that both flame-sheet and luminous-flame lengths are primarily controlled by fuel flow rates with lengths in coflowing air approaching 2/3 of the lengths in still air as coflowing air velocities are increased. Finally, luminous flame lengths at laminar smoke-point conditions were roughly twice as long as flame-sheet lengths at comparable conditions because of the presence of luminous soot particles in the fuel-lean region of the flames.

Xu, F.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Lunar Geodetic Opportunities with the Laser Altimeter on LRO

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is to be launched at the end of 2008 and will carry 7 instruments, one of which is a laser altimeter (LOLA), and obtain observations of the Moon for a period of 1 year. The orbit will be near polar and approximately circular at 50 km altitude with monthly orbital adjustments to maintain the mean altitude. The LOLA instrument has a -10 cm single-shot accuracy, with 5 beams, and operates at 28 Hz. It provides 5 adjacent profiles, each approximately 12 to 15 meters apart with a swath of approximately 65 meters. The 5 beams are arranged in a cross-shaped pattern that provides simultaneous along and cross track altimetry and providing slopes in 2 orthogonal directions every 50 meters along track. In combination with the LRO tracking data LOLA will be used to improve the model of the lunar gravity by using the altimeter on both the lunar near-side and far-side as an additional tracking system to enable precise positioning of the LRO spacecraft at about the 50 meter level rms. The instrument is expected to provide full polar coverage at very high northern and southern latitudes with spatial resolutions of 25 meters or better. In addition to the range to the surface LOLA measures the surface roughness from the spreading of the laser pulse and also the reflectance of the surface at 1064 nm. These measurements in conjunction with the altimetry will assist in the selection of future landing sites for future robotic and human missions to the Moon.

Zuber, Maria T.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Ring-laser gyroscope system using dispersive element(s)

A ring-laser gyroscope system includes a ring-laser gyroscope (RLG) and at least one dispersive element optically coupled to the RLG's ring-shaped optical path. Each dispersive element has a resonant frequency that is approximately equal to the RLG's lasing frequency. A group index of refraction defined collectively by the dispersive element(s) has (i) a real portion that is greater than zero and less than one, and (ii) an imaginary portion that is less than zero.

Smith, David D.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Self-Healing Composite of Thermoset Polymer and Programmed Super Contraction Fibers

A composition comprising thermoset polymer, shape memory polymer to facilitate macro scale damage closure, and a thermoplastic polymer for molecular scale healing is disclosed; the composition has the ability to resolve structural defects by a bio-mimetic close-then heal process. In use, the shape memory polymer serves to bring surfaces of a structural defect into approximation, whereafter use of the thermoplastic polymer for molecular scale healing allowed for movement of the thermoplastic polymer into the defect and thus obtain molecular scale healing. The thermoplastic can be fibers, particles or spheres which are used by heating to a level at or above the thermoplastic's melting point, then cooling of the composition below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic. Compositions of the invention have the ability to not only close macroscopic defects, but also to do so repeatedly even if another wound/damage occurs in a previously healed/repaired area.

Li, Guoqiang↗
NASA NTRS2015

Laboratory Performance of the Shaped Pupil Coronagraphic Architecture for the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph

One of the two primary architectures being tested for the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument is the shaped pupil coronagraph, which uses a binary aperture in a pupil plane to create localized regions of high contrast in a subsequent focal plane. The aperture shapes are determined by optimization, and can be designed to work in the presence of secondary obscurations and spiders-an important consideration for coronagraphy with WFIRSTAFTA. We present the current performance of the shaped pupil testbed, including the results of AFTA Milestone 2, in which approximately 6 × 10(exp −9) contrast was achieved in three independent runs starting from a neutral setting.

Cady, Eric↗
NASA NTRS2018

Sonic Boom Prediction and Mitigation using Three-Dimensional Earth Effects

As the industry progresses towards realizing a commercial supersonic aircraft, the push to reduce noise from sonic boom has intensified. This emphasizes the need to better understand and accurately model the underlying physics and seek ways to reduce modeling gaps in the calculation of sonic boom noise metrics. To answer this need, sonic boom prediction capability of the atmospheric propagation tool sBOOM is enhanced to include three-dimensional Earth effects during propagation. The discrete adjoint capability under three-dimensional effects is also enhanced to be helpful in design optimization. The differences in ground signatures, noise metrics, and carpet widths are compared against results obtained using flat Earth approximation and discussed. Finally, the developed capability is used in CFD based shape optimization to demonstrate the differences in aircraft outer mold line when ellipsoidal Earth effects during shape optimization for sonic boom mitigation.

Rallabhandi, Sriram K.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Least Squares Reverse Time Migration (LSRTM) for Damage Imaging in Composite Laminates

A method for adapting least squares reverse time migration (LSRTM) for ultrasonic guided wave imaging of composite laminates is proposed in this paper. As composites become more widely used in fields such as the aerospace industry, the need for high-resolution imaging in structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is also growing. For instance, delamination is a common problem in composite laminates, which has led to a certain degree of apprehension in the use of composite materials for load-bearing structures. Although the solver-based imaging techniques using conventional reverse time migration (RTM) methods illuminate damage with a wide range of damage-scattering effects, the resulting images do not fully define the damage regions due to the limited data acquisition aperture, sensor density, frequencies/wavelengths, and incompleteness of adjoint reconstruction. Previously, the LSRTM theory was derived by incorporating a least squares migration (LSM) algorithm into RTM, and benchmarked its high-resolution damage imaging performance for isotropic plates. To improve damage imaging in composite laminates, a process to create an ultrasonic guided wave-based LSRTM method for anisotropic materials is proposed in this paper. The derivation of the forward modeling operator and the adjoint operator is presented. Numerical case studies were conducted to show the improvement of LSRTM over RTM in mapping damage in composite plates. Multiple damage sites or damage with a complex shape were created in the numerical studies based on 1) Born approximation-based modeling or 2) reduction of the plate stiffness-based modeling. LSRTM begins by using a forward modeling process. The forward modeling accuracy for the flexural wave solver used in this study for LSRTM was also compared with the results from a three-dimensional rotated staggered grid (RSG) elastodynamic finite difference solver, previously open-sourced by NASA Langley Research Center. These benchmarking studies have shown that the LSRTM method is more effective in reducing artifacts, improving resolution, and enhancing damage model reconstruction compared to RTM in composite laminates.

Jiaze He↗
NASA NTRS1973

Synthesis of multiple shaped beam antenna patterns

Results are presented of research into the problem of finding an excitation of a given antenna such that the desired radiation pattern is approximated to within acceptable limits. This is to be done in such a fashion that boundary conditions involving hardware limitations may be inserted into the problem. The intended application is synthesis of multiple shaped beam antennas. Since this is perhaps the most difficult synthesis problem an antenna engineer is likely to encounter, the approach taken was to include as a by-product capability for synthesizing simpler patterns. The synthesis technique has been almost totally computerized. The class of antennas which may be synthesized with the computer program are those which may be represented as planar (continuous or discrete) current distributions. The technique is not limited in this sense and could indeed by extended to include, for example, the synthesis of conformal arrays or current distributions on the surface of reflectors. The antenna types which the program is set up to synthesize are: line source, rectangular aperture, circular aperture, linear array, rectangular array, and arbitrary planar array.

Stutzman, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Visualization of Flowfield Modification by RCS Jets on a Capsule Entry Vehicle

Nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) has been used to visualize the flow on the aft-body of an entry capsule having an activated RCS jet in NASA Langley Research Center's 31-Inch Mach 10 wind tunnel facility. A capsule shape representative of the Apollo command module was tested. These tests were performed to demonstrate the ability of the PLIF method to visualize RCS jet flow while providing some preliminary input to NASA's Orion Vehicle design team. Two different RCS nozzle designs - conical and contoured - were tested. The conical and contoured nozzles had area ratios of 13.4 and 22.5 respectively. The conical nozzle had a half-angle of 10 . Low- and high-Reynolds number cases were investigated by changing the tunnel stagnation pressure from 350 psi to 1300 psi, resulting in freestream Reynolds numbers of 0.56 and 1.8 million per foot respectively. For both of these cases, three different jet plenum pressures were tested (nominally 56, 250 and 500 psi). A single angle-of-attack was investigated (24 degrees). NO PLIF uses an ultraviolet laser sheet to interrogate a slice in the flow containing seeded NO; this UV light excites fluorescence from the NO molecules which is detected by a high-speed digital camera. The system has spatial resolution of about 200 microns (2 pixel blurring) and has flow-stopping time resolution (approximately 1 microsecond). NO was seeded into the flow two different ways. First, the RCS jet fluid was seeded with approximately 1-5% NO, with the balance N2. This allowed observation of the shape, structure and trajectory of the RCS jets. Visualizations of both laminar and turbulent flow jet features were obtained. Visualizations were obtained with the tunnel operating at Mach 10 and also with the test section held at a constant pressure similar to the aftbody static pressure (0.04 psi) obtained during tunnel runs. These two conditions are called "tunnel on" and "tunnel off" respectively. Second, the forebody flow was seeded with a very low flowrate (<100 standard cubic centimeters per minute) of pure NO. This trace gas was entrained into and allowed visualization of the shear layer forming between the expansion fan on the shoulder of the model and the recirculating separated flow in the wake of the model. This shear layer was observed to be laminar in the absence of the RCS jet operation and turbulent above a certain RCS jet flowrate. Furthermore, the operation of the RCS jet is seen to push the shear layer out away from the model, with a higher jet pressures resulting in larger deflections. Figures show some data from this test, partially processed. In the final paper, these images will be processed and rendered on a three dimensional visualization of the test hardware for clearer visualization and interpretation of the flowfields.

Danehy, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Controls on Martian Hydrothermal Systems: Application to Valley Network and Magnetic Anomaly Formation

Models of hydrothermal groundwater circulation can quantify limits to the role of hydrothermal activity in Martian crustal processes. We present here the results of numerical simulations of convection in a porous medium due to the presence of a hot intruded magma chamber. The parameter space includes magma chamber depth, volume, aspect ratio, and host rock permeability and porosity. A primary goal of the models is the computation of surface discharge. Discharge increases approximately linearly with chamber volume, decreases weakly with depth (at low geothermal gradients), and is maximized for equant-shaped chambers. Discharge increases linearly with permeability until limited by the energy available from the intrusion. Changes in the average porosity are balanced by changes in flow velocity and therefore have little effect. Water/rock ratios of approximately 0.1, obtained by other workers from models based on the mineralogy of the Shergotty meteorite, imply minimum permeabilities of 10(exp -16) sq m2 during hydrothermal alteration. If substantial vapor volumes are required for soil alteration, the permeability must exceed 10(exp -15) sq m. The principal application of our model is to test the viability of hydrothermal circulation as the primary process responsible for the broad spatial correlation of Martian valley networks with magnetic anomalies. For host rock permeabilities as low as 10(exp -17) sq m and intrusion volumes as low as 50 cu km, the total discharge due to intrusions building that part of the southern highlands crust associated with magnetic anomalies spans a comparable range as the inferred discharge from the overlying valley networks.

Harrison, Keith P.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Constraints on Porosity and Mass Loss in O-star Winds from the Modeling of X-ray Emission Line Profile Shapes

We fit X-ray emission line profiles in high resolution XMM-Newton and Chandra grating spectra of the early O supergiant Zeta Pup with models that include the effects of porosity in the stellar wind. We explore the effects of porosity due to both spherical and flattened clumps. We find that porosity models with flattened clumps oriented parallel to the photosphere provide poor fits to observed line shapes. However, porosity models with isotropic clumps can provide acceptable fits to observed line shapes, but only if the porosity effect is moderate. We quantify the degeneracy between porosity effects from isotropic clumps and the mass-loss rate inferred from the X-ray line shapes, and we show that only modest increases in the mass-loss rate (40%) are allowed if moderate porosity effects (h(sub infinity) less than approximately R(sub ∗)) are assumed to be important. Large porosity lengths, and thus strong porosity effects, are ruled out regardless of assumptions about clump shape. Thus, X-ray mass-loss rate estimates are relatively insensitive to both optically thin and optically thick clumping. This supports the use of X-ray spectroscopy as a mass-loss rate calibration for bright, nearby O stars

porosity↗
DOE OSTI2023

Aerodynamic Sensitivity of a Novel Data-Driven Airfoil Shape Representation Framework

We explore the aerodynamic implications of a novel data-driven separable shape tensor framework used to represent discrete airfoil shapes. In this study, we construct a data-driven parameter space defined by separable shape tensors and informed by tens of thousands of distinct airfoils. We use this design space to generate new airfoil designs to study parametric sensitivities with respect to various aerodynamic responses. We use a HAM2D RANS solver to approximate the lift, drag, and moment coefficients for the generated airfoils at two different angles-of-attack. We analyze the robustness and sensitivities of using the separable shape tensor design space by examining the coverage of the aerodynamic response space, uncovering low-dimensional polynomial ridge approximations, and computing various sensitivity metrics. The results show that the data-driven design space produce significant variation in target aerodynamic quantities and facilitate highly accurate approximations (R^2 > 0.96) of one- and two-dimensional structures in each aerodynamic response. This further reduces the effective dimension to enable simplified design and optimization tasks.

aerodynamics↗
DOE OSTI2022

The use of subchondral bone topography to approximate the center of rotation of the elbow joint in dogs

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the approximate center of rotation in normal and diseased elbows in dogs. Study design Cross‐sectional study Sample population Computer tomography scans of nine dogs with unilateral fragmented medial coronoid process (FMCP). Methods A board certified radiologist confirmed that each dog had unilateral FMCP, and a normal contralateral elbow. Digital 3D models of all elbow joints were uploaded into a surgical planning software package. Four axes approximating the center of rotation (COR) of elbow joints were generated using five geometric shapes based on subchondral topography of the humeral condyle radius and ulna. Images showing the locations where axes exited the medial and lateral cortex of the humeral condyle were captured and imported into a second software package, for measurement of distances between exit points and the origin of a system of axes. Results In normal joints 20/27 (74%) axes exited the medial cortex, and 25/27 (93%) axes exited the lateral cortex cranial and distal to the medial and lateral epicondyles, respectively. In diseased joints 22/27 (81%) axes exited medial cortex and 19/27 (70%) axes exited the lateral cortex, caudal and distal to the medial and lateral epicondyles, respectively. Conclusion Based on CT‐ derived geometry, the COR of elbow affected with FMCP was generally more caudal than normal. Clinical significance External landmarks approximating the location of the elbow COR are provided, and while not validated, may assist in planning, creation, and assessment of procedures for FMCP.

Berger, Chen↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Community Radiative Transfer Model: Implementing A New Cloud Scattering Database and Developing the Forward Radar Module

The Mie theory is used by many fast RT models to estimate the optical properties of single particles. The Mie theory assumes spherical shapes for ice or snow particles with mixture of air and ice. However, hydrometeors scattering radiation at microwave frequencies have different shapes, sizes, and orientations. Therefore, using Mie theory to determine their optical properties leads to large uncertainties in all-sky radiative transfer calculations. The discrete dipole approximation (DDA) which approximates the optical properties of large objects in terms of discrete dipoles has shown promises in calculating the scattering properties of particles with different shapes in the microwave frequencies. The goal of the research was to enhance the CRTM scattering calculations for frozen hydrometeors in the microwave frequencies using the DDA technique. Given that such optical properties cannot be practically calculated on the fly, pre-computed look-up tables need to be implemented into the fast RT models to calculate the scattering properties of these particles using the DDA technique and the inputs provided by the users. Therefore, we implemented such pre-computed DDA databases into CRTM. In addition to using stand-alone CRTM calculations using collocated ATMS and reanalysis profiles, the data assimilation experiments conducted using the NOAA FV3GFS forecast system will be used to evaluate the scattering improvements. Additionally, we used the backscattering information from the DDA database to implement a radar simulator into CRTM. The radar operators takes advantage of CRTM different modules to calculate clouds absorption and scattering properties. In addition to the forward model both adjoint and tangent linear of the radar simulator are implemented and evaluated as well. The radar simulator is currently being tested within the JEDI/GEOS data assimilation framework to facilitate the assimilation of radar measurements such as CloudSat CPR and GPM DPR into the NASA GEOS model.

Isaac Moradi↗