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At least 595 records · Page 33

A Galerkin type finite element method for rotary-wing aeroelasticity in hover and forward flight

A Galerkin finite element method for the spatial discretization of the nonlinear, nonselfadjoint, partial differential equations governing rotary-wing aeroelasticity is presented. This method reduces algebraic manipulative labor significantly when compared to the global Galerkin method based on assumed modes. Furthermore, the Galerkin finite element method is ideally suited to treat rotor blades with discontinuous mass and stiffness distribution and structurally redundant configurations as they appear in bearingless rotors. Implementation of the method is illustrated for the coupled flap-lag aeroelastic problem of hingeless rotor blades in hover and forward flight. Numerical results for stability and response illustrate the numerical properties and convergence behavior of the method. It is concluded that the Galerkin finite element method is a practical tool for solving rotary-wing aeroelastic stability and response problems.

Straub, F. K.↗

Circular waveguide bifurcation for asymmetric modes

An analytical solution for a circular waveguide bifurcation with incident TE(11)- and TM(11)-modes is presented using the residue calculus method. It is shown how the coupling between the TE(1n)- and TM(1n)-modes can be taken into account by expressing the coupling factor as a contour integral, which is the key step enabling the residue calculus method to be applied. Graphical results for the scattering matrix parameters of the junction are given for a range of waveguide radii of interest in the design of dual-mode coaxial prime focus feeds for paraboloidal antennas.

Schilling, H. W.↗

A computational method for subsonic compressible flow in diffusers

Integral methods are used to model subsonic flow in planar diffusers operating with or without stall. Turbulent boundary layers are computed with a lag-entrainment method employing new correlations for shape factor and skin friction, which are based on a Coles-Van Driest velocity profile. The inviscid flow is modeled as one dimensional and is easily coupled with the boundary layer method to yield equations that can be solved by integrating in the downstream direction. Analysis of the equations describing flow in a diffuser shows that the boundary layer separation singularity may not be eliminated by viscous-inviscid interaction; a modified interaction scheme is used to guarantee a non-singular equation set. The nature of this singularity offers an explanation for the apparent universality of asymmetric stall in planar diffusers. Results for several flows demonstrate the accuracy and range of applicability of the method.

Childs, R. E.↗

Characteristics of Coupled Nongray Radiating Gas Flows with Ablation Product Effects About Blunt Bodies During Planetary Entries

A computational method was developed for the fully-coupled solution of nongray, radiating gas flows with ablation product effects about blunt bodies during planetary entries. The treatment of radiation accounts for molecular band, continuum, and atomic line transitions with a detailed frequency dependence of the absorption coefficient. The ablation of the entry body was solved as part of the solution for a steady-state ablation process. The method was applied by results at typical conditions during entry to Venus. The radiative heating rates along the downstream region of the body can exceed the stagnation point value. The radiative heating to the body is attenuated in the boundary layer at the downstream region of the body and at the stagnation point of the body. A study of the radiation, inviscid flow about spherically capped, conical bodies during planetary entries shows that the nondimensional, radiative heating distributions are nonsimilar with entry conditions. Caution should be exercised in attempting to extrapolate results from known distributions to other entry conditions for which solutions have not yet been obtained.

Sutton, K.↗

Prediction of jump phenomena in rotationally-coupled maneuvers of aircraft, including nonlinear aerodynamic effects

An analytical method has been developed for predicting critical control inputs for which nonlinear rotational coupling may cause sudden jumps in aircraft response. The analysis includes the effect of aerodynamics which are nonlinear in angle of attack. The method involves the simultaneous solution of two polynomials in roll rate, whose coefficients are functions of angle of attack and the control inputs. Results obtained using this procedure are compared with calculated time histories to verify the validity of the method for predicting jump-like instabilities.

Young, J. W.↗

Static Aeroelastic Analysis with an Inviscid Cartesian Method

An embedded-boundary, Cartesian-mesh flow solver is coupled with a three degree-of-freedom structural model to perform static, aeroelastic analysis of complex aircraft geometries. The approach solves a nonlinear, aerostructural system of equations using a loosely-coupled strategy. An open-source, 3-D discrete-geometry engine is utilized to deform a triangulated surface geometry according to the shape predicted by the structural model under the computed aerodynamic loads. The deformation scheme is capable of modeling large deflections and is applicable to the design of modern, very-flexible transport wings. The coupling interface is modular so that aerodynamic or structural analysis methods can be easily swapped or enhanced. After verifying the structural model with comparisons to Euler beam theory, two applications of the analysis method are presented as validation. The first is a relatively stiff, transport wing model which was a subject of a recent workshop on aeroelasticity. The second is a very flexible model recently tested in a low speed wind tunnel. Both cases show that the aeroelastic analysis method produces results in excellent agreement with experimental data.

Aeroelastic↗

Interaction of the space shuttle control system with pogo

The asymmetric configuration of the space shuttle results in coupled pitch and axial vibration modes. This coupling results in interaction between the pogo and control systems. A detailed model of representative space shuttle structure, feedline, control, and engine systems revealed the coupled system may be unstable even though the pogo and control systems are stable individually. A method is developed for predicting the coupled system stability in terms of the stability of the separate systems.

Hopkins, A. S.↗

Modeling of nonequilibrium space plasma flows

Godunov-type numerical solution of the 20 moment plasma transport equations. One of the centerpieces of our proposal was the development of a higher order Godunov-type numerical scheme to solve the gyration dominated 20 moment transport equations. In the first step we explored some fundamental analytic properties of the 20 moment transport equations for a low b plasma, including the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of propagating disturbances. The eigenvalues correspond to wave speeds, while the eigenvectors characterize the transported physical quantities. In this paper we also explored the physically meaningful parameter range of the normalized heat flow components. In the second step a new Godunov scheme type numerical method was developed to solve the coupled set of 20 moment transport equations for a quasineutral single-ion plasma. The numerical method and the first results were presented at several national and international meetings and a paper describing the method has been published in the Journal of Computational Physics. To our knowledge this is the first numerical method which is capable of producing stable time-dependent solutions to the full 20 (or 16) moment set of transport equations, including the full heat flow equation. Previous attempts resulted in unstable (oscillating) solutions of the heat flow equations. Our group invested over two man-years into the development and implementation of the new method. The present model solves the 20 moment transport equations for an ion species and thermal electrons in 8 domain extending from a collision dominated to a collisionless region (200 km to 12,000 km). This model has been applied to study O+ acceleration due to Joule heating in the lower ionosphere.

Gombosi, Tamas↗

Use of Climate Change Projections for Resilience Planning in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In this study we use three different methodologies to document and compare temperature and precipitation projections for the city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) over the 21st century. It aims to explore in what way the differences and similarities of those methodologies and their outcomes support the incorporation of climate risks in urban planning and improve effective urban climate change governance. We compared the projections for RJ from the Eta Regional Climate Model from the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research nested in two Hadley Center Global Climate Models (GCMs) (Eta-HadCM3 method and Eta-HadGEM2-ES method) and 33 GCMs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 multi-model dataset (Urban Climate Change Research Network - UCCRN method). The three methods showed increasing temperatures for RJ at the end of the century. Precipitation projections span a 13% decrease to a 12% increase when using the UCCRN method or are reduced between 0.4 and 0.5%, when using the Eta-HadGEM2-ES method. However, the middle range of the projections from UCCRN and Eta-HadGEM2-ES is similar. The three methods project an increase of warm days and nights and a decrease of cold days and nights. Nevertheless, although the directions of change are the same applying the three methods, the magnitude differs when considering warm and cold nights. Hence, city stakeholders are better informed when we apply different projection methods as it gives them the opportunity to consider the level of risk they are willing to bear in the future. We observed that defining climate change projections on the city scale based on clear communication and an interactive process between scientists and stakeholders can be used to inform citywide adaptation strategies and sector-specific uses, as well as promote urban climate risk governance.

urban governance and management↗

Structural shape optimization in multidisciplinary system synthesis

Structural shape optimization couples with other discipline optimization in the design of complex engineering systems. For instance, the wing structural weight and elastic deformations couple to aerodynamic loads and aircraft performance through drag. This coupling makes structural shape optimization a subtask in the overall vehicle synthesis. Decomposition methods for optimization and sensitivity analysis allow the specialized disciplinary methods to be used while the disciplines are temporarily decoupled, after which the interdisciplinary couplings are restored at the system level. Application of decomposition methods to structures-aerodynamics coupling in aircraft is outlined and illustrated with a numerical example of a transport aircraft. It is concluded that these methods may integrate structural and aerodynamic shape optimizations with the unified objective of the maximum aircraft performance.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw↗

Live 129I-129Xe dating

A technique of cosmic ray exposure age dating using cosmic ray produced I-129 and Xe-129 components is discussed. The live I-129 - Xe-129 method provides an ideal monitor for cosmic ray flux variations on the 10(7)y - 10(8)y time-scale. It is based on low-energy neutron reactions on Te, and these data, when coupled to those from other methods, may facilitate the detection of complex exposure histories.

Marti, K.↗

Experimental and Theoretical Study of Thermodynamics of the Reaction of Titania and Water at High Temperatures

The transpiration method was used to determine the volatility of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in water vapor-containing environments at temperatures between 1473 and 1673 K. Water contents ranged from 0 to 76 mole % in oxygen or argon carrier gases for 20 to 250 hr exposure times. Results indicate that oxygen is not a key contributor to volatilization and the primary reaction for volatilization in this temperature range is: TiO2(s) + H2O(g) = TiO(OH)2(g). Data were analyzed with both the second and third law methods to extract an enthalpy and entropy of formation. The geometry and vibrational frequencies of TiO(OH)2(g) were computed using B3LYP density functional theory, and the enthalpy of formation was computed using the coupled-cluster singles and doubles method with a perturbative correction for connected triple substitutions [CCSD(T)]. Thermal functions are calculated using both a structure with bent and linear hydroxyl groups. Calculated second and third heats show closer agreement with the linear hydroxyl group, suggesting more experimental and computational spectroscopic and structural work is needed on this system.

equilibrium↗

Investigation of a Parabolic Iterative Solver for Three-dimensional Configurations

A parabolic iterative solution procedure is investigated that seeks to extend the parabolic approximation used within the internal propagation module of the duct noise propagation and radiation code CDUCT-LaRC. The governing convected Helmholtz equation is split into a set of coupled equations governing propagation in the positive and negative directions. The proposed method utilizes an iterative procedure to solve the coupled equations in an attempt to account for possible reflections from internal bifurcations, impedance discontinuities, and duct terminations. A geometry consistent with the NASA Langley Curved Duct Test Rig is considered and the effects of acoustic treatment and non-anechoic termination are included. Two numerical implementations are studied and preliminary results indicate that improved accuracy in predicted amplitude and phase can be obtained for modes at a cut-off ratio of 1.7. Further predictions for modes at a cut-off ratio of 1.1 show improvement in predicted phase at the expense of increased amplitude error. Possible methods of improvement are suggested based on analytic and numerical analysis. It is hoped that coupling the parabolic iterative approach with less efficient, high fidelity finite element approaches will ultimately provide the capability to perform efficient, higher fidelity acoustic calculations within complex 3-D geometries for impedance eduction and noise propagation and radiation predictions.

Nark, Douglas M.↗

Rotor blade aeroelastic stability and response in forward flight

The aeroelastic stability and response problem of the coupled flap-lag-torsional dynamics of a hingeless rotor blade in forward flight is treated in a comprehensive manner. The spatial dependence of the partial differential, nonlinear, equations of motion is discretized using a multimodal Galerkin method. The aeroelastic problem is coupled with the trim state of the helicopter obtained from improved, representative, trim procedures. The nonlinear time dependent equilibrium position, or response, about which the equations are linearized is obtained by solving a sequence of linear periodic response problems, using quasi-linearization. Numerous results illustrating blade behavior in forward flight are presented.

Friedmann, P. P.↗

RF Coupling into the Fuel Tank of a Large Transport Aircraft from Intentionally Transmitting Peds in the Passenger Cabin

An investigation was performed to study the potential for radio frequency (RF) power radiated from Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) to create an arcing/sparking event within the fuel tank of a large transport aircraft. This paper describes the experimental methods used for measuring RF coupling to the fuel tank and Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS) wiring from PED sources located in the passenger cabin. To allow comparison of voltage/current data obtained in a laboratory chamber FQIS installation to an actual aircraft FQIS installation, aircraft fuel tank RF reverberation characteristics were also measured. Results from the measurements, along with a survey of threats from typical intentional transmitting PEDs are presented. The resulting worst-case power coupled onto fuel tank FQIS wiring is derived. The same approach can be applied to measure RF coupling into various other aircraft systems.

Nguyen, Truong X.↗

Stability sensitivity analysis for the aeroelastic optimization of a helicopter rotor

A sensitivity study of blade stability in forward flight for a hingeless rotor with respect to structural design variables is carried out using a direct analytical method. Structural design variables include nonstructural mass distribution (spanwise and chordwise), chordwise offset of center of gravity, and blade bending stiffnesses (flap, lag and torsion). The formulation for blade steady response is based on a finite element method in space and time. The vehicle trim and blade steady response are calculated iteratively as one coupled solution using a modified Newton method. Eigenvalues corresponding to different blade modes are calculated using Floquet transition matrix theory. The formulation for derivatives of the eigenvalues with respect to design variables is implemented using a direct analytical approach (chain rule differentiation), and constitutes an integral part of the regular stability analysis. The stability sensitivity derivatives were obtained at a fraction of computation time compared to the frequently adopted finite difference method. A parametric study showed that nonstructural mass and chordwise cg offset of outboarad elements, and lag bending stiffness of inboard elements, have powerful influence on blade stability.

Lim, Joon W.↗

Experiments In Characterizing Vibrations Of A Structure

Report discusses experiments conducted to test methods of identification of vibrational and coupled rotational/vibrational modes of flexible structure. Report one in series that chronicle development of integrated system of methods, sensors, actuators, analog and digital signal-processing equipment, and algorithms to suppress vibrations in large, flexible structure even when dynamics of structure partly unknown and/or changing. Two prior articles describing aspects of research, "Autonomous Frequency-Domain Indentification" (NPO-18099), and "Automated Characterization Of Vibrations Of A Structure" (NPO-18141).

Yam, Yeung↗

A finite element method for the thermochemical decomposition of polymeric materials. I - Theory

The governing differential equations are developed to model the thermomechanical behavior of chemically decomposing, polymeric materials. These equations account for thermal and gaseous diffusion through a poroelastic, transversely isotropic solid. The Bubnov-Galerkin finite element method is applied to the governing equations to cast the coupled set into a single matrix equation. A method for solving these equations simultaneously at each time step is discussed.

Sullivan, R. M.↗