Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Directional Effect”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 631 records · Page 35

Strength capabilities and load requirements while performing torquing tasks in zero gravity

A generic examination of the loads produced by individuals performing maximal efforts with a torquing tool in zero gravity, to determine operator strength when performing torquing tasks; quantify the loads placed on foot restraints while performing these tasks; and examine effects of orientation and direction of tool rotation on strength effectiveness was conducted. The experiment was conducted aboard NASA's KC-135 reduced-gravity aircraft, using two force plates attached to a test stand, one with a foot restraint. Subjects used a wrench to apply maximum torques to various fittings, in different positions, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. It was seen that these subjects could produce approximately 400 to 750 N of force, depending on the orientation of the tool and the direction of effort. The most force could be produced when pushing the tool upwards. A force effectiveness ratio (FER) defined as an indication of how much of the subjects' total effort actually went into performing the desired task. Values of FER ranged from 0.55 to 0.90, with the greatest FER occurring with UP and DOWN efforts, and the lowest with AWAY and LEFT efforts. Designers can use these results to set specifications for craft structures; tools can be developed based on the known strength of the tool users; and tasks can be developed to not exceed the crewmembers' capabilities.

Poliner, Jeffrey↗

Effect of grain orientation and coating on thermal fatigue resistance of a directionally solidified superalloy (MAR-M 247)

The effect of off-axis directionally solidified (DS) grain growth on thermal fatigue life of Mar-M 247 alloy was evaluated. Uncoated conventionally cast as well as DS wedge bars were cycled in a burner rig between 1070 C and room temperature. The longitudinal axis and leading edge of the specimen coincided. As the angle between the specimen longitudinal axis and growth axis increased, the thermal fatigue life decreased for both the uncoated and aluminide-coated bars. Life increases of about 50 cycles for the DS conditions were attributed to coating. The decrease in thermal fatigue life with increasing angle is primarily attributed to the increase in modulus of elasticity with increasing angle and not to the intersection of DS grain boundaries with the specimen leading edge. The thermal fatigue cracks were observed to be transgranular in the DS material. Limited tensile and stress-rupture properties of conventionally cast and off-axis DS Mar-M 247 alloy are also presented.

Bizon, P. T.↗

Wind-tunnel investigation of the effect of power and flaps on the static lateral characteristics of a single-engine low-wing airplane model

Tests were made in the Langley 7- by 10-foot tunnel to determine the lateral-stability characteristics with and without power of a model of a typical low-wing single-engine airplane with flaps neutral, with a full-span single slotted flap, and with a full-span double slotted flap. Power decreased the dihedral effect regardless of flap condition, and the double-slotted flap configuration showed the most marked decrease. The usual effect of power in increasing the directional stability was also shown. Deflection of the single slotted flap produced negative dihedral effect, but increased the directional stability. The effects of deflecting the double slotted flap were erratic and marked changes in both effective dihedral and directional stability occurred. The addition of the tail surfaces always contributed directional stability and generally produced positive dihedral effect.

Tamburello, Vito↗

Flight effects on the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of inverted profile coannular nozzles, volume 1

Jet noise spectra obtained at static conditions from an acoustic wind tunnel and an outdoor facility are compared. Data curves are presented for (1) the effect of relative velocity on OASPL directivity (all configurations); (2) the effect of relative velocity on noise spectra (all configurations); (3) the effect of velocity on PNL directivity (coannular nozzle configurations); (4) nozzle exhaust plume velocity profiles; and (5) the effect of relative velocity on aerodynamic performance.

Kozlowski, H.↗

Effects of G-Jitter on Directional Solidification of a Binary Alloy

A study of directional solidification of a weak binary alloy (specifically, Bi - 1 at% Sn) based on the fixed grid single domain approach is being undertaken. The enthalpy method is used to solve for the temperature field over the computational domain including both the solid and liquid phases; latent heat evolution is treated with the aid of an effective specific heat coefficient. A source term accounting for the release of solute into the liquid during solidification has been incorporated into the solute transport equation. The vorticity-stream function formulation is used to describe thermo-solutal convection in the liquid region. In this paper we present a numerical simulation of g-jitter. A background gravity of 1 microgram has been assumed, and new results for the effects of periodic disturbances over a range of amplitudes and frequencies on solute field and segregation have been presented.

Benjapiyaporn, C.↗

Effect of g-jitter on Directional Solidification of a Binary Alloy

A study of directional solidification of a weak binary alloy (specifically, Bi - 1 at% Sn) based on the fixed grid single domain approach is being undertaken. The enthalpy method is used to solve for the temperature field over the computational domain including both the solid and liquid phases; latent heat evolution is treated with the aid of an effective specific heat coefficient. A source term accounting for the release of solute into the liquid during solidification has been incorporated into the solute transport equation. The vorticity-stream function formulation is used to describe thermosolutal convection in the liquid region. In this paper we present a numerical simulation of g-jitter: the small, rapid fluctuations in gravitational acceleration which may be experienced in an orbiting space vehicle. A background gravity of 1 micro-g has been assumed, and new results for the effects of orientation angle of the periodic disturbances over a range of amplitudes and frequencies on solute field and segregation have been presented.

Santiviriyapanich, P.↗

Effect of grinding on the fatigue life of titanium alloy (5 Al-2.5 Sn) under dry and wet conditions

The principal factors in the performance of aerospace materials are strength-to-weight ratio, fatigue life, fracture toughness, survivability and, of course, reliability. Machining processes and, in particular, grinding under adverse conditions have been found to cause damage to surface integrity and affect the residual stress distribution in the surface and subsurface region. These effects have a direct bearing on the fatigue life. In this investigation the effects of grinding conditions on the fatigue life of Titanium 5 Al-2.5Sn were studied. This alloy is used in ground form in the manufacturing of some critical components in the space shuttle's main engine. It is essential that materials for such applications be properly characterized for use in severe service conditions. Flat sub-size specimens 0.1 inch thick were ground on a surface grinding machine equipped with a variable speed motor at speeds of 2000 to 6000 rpm using SiC wheels of grit sizes 60 and 120. The grinding parameters used in this investigation were chosen from a separate study. The ground specimens were then fatigued at a selected stress and the resulting lives were compared with that of the virgin material. The surfaces of the specimens were examined under a scanning electron microscope, and the roughness and hardness were measured using a standard profilometer and microhardness tester, respectively. The fatigue life of the ground specimens was found to decrease with the increase in speed for both dry and wet conditions. The fatigue life of specimens ground under wet conditions showed a significant increase at the wheel speed of 2000 rpm for both the grit sizes and thereafter decreased with increase profilometry, microhardness measurements and scanning electron microscopic examination.

Rangaswamy, Partha↗

Effects of an applied magnetic field on directional solidification of off-eutectic Bi-Mn alloys

Off-eutectic compositions of Bi-Mn were directionally solidified in applied transverse magnetic fields up to 3 kG to determine the effects on thermal and solutal convection. For Bi-rich compositions, the magnetic field appeared to increase mixing as determined from thermal, morphological, chemical and magnetic analyses. For Mn-rich compositions morphological and chemical analyses suggest some reduction in mixing due to application of the magnetic field. Conductivity gradients in the melt are suggested as a possible mechanism for the observed results.

Decarlo, J. L.↗

Some effects of nonlinear variation in the directional-stability and damping-in-yawing derivatives on the lateral stability of an airplane

A theoretical investigation has been made to determine the effect of nonlinear stability derivatives on the lateral stability of an airplane. Motions were calculated on the assumption that the directional-stability and the damping-in-yawing derivatives are functions of the angle of sideslip. The application of the Laplace transform to the calculation of an airplane motion when certain types of nonlinear derivatives are present is described in detail. The types of nonlinearities assumed correspond to the condition in which the values of the directional-stability and damping-in-yawing derivatives are zero for small angle of sideslip.

Sternfield, Leonard↗

Flight Investigation of the Effect of Various Vertical-Tail Modifications on the Directional Stability and Control Characteristics of a Propeller-Driven Fighter Airplane

A flight investigation was made to determine the effect of various vertical-tail modifications and of some combinations of these modifications on the directional stability and control characteristics of a propeller-driven fighter airplane. Six different vertical-tail configurations were investigated to determine the lateral-directional oscillation characteristics, the sideslip characteristics, the yaw due to ailerons in rudder-fixed rolls from turns and pull-outs, the trim changes due to speed changes, and the tim changes due to power changes. Results of the tests showed that increasing the aspect ratio of the vertical tail by 40 percent while increasing the area by only 12 percent approximately doubled the directional stability of the airplane. The pilots considered the directional characteristics of the airplane unsatisfactory with original vertical tail but satisfactory with the enlarged vertical tail. The ventral and dorsal fins tested had little effect on the directional stability of the airplane but were effective in eliminating rudder-force reversals in high-engine-power sideslips.

Johnson, Harold I↗

Radiative Energetics of Mineral Dust Aerosols from Ground-Based Measurements

Airborne dust aerosols worldwide contribute a significant part to air quality problems and, to some extent, regional climatic issues (e.g., radiative forcing, hydrological cycle, and primary biological productivity in oceans). Evaluating the direct solar radiative effect of dust aerosols is relatively straightforward due in part to the relatively large SIN ratio in broadband irradiance measurements. The longwave (LW) impact, on the other hand, is rather difficult to ascertain since the measured dust signal level (approx.10 W/sq m) is on the same order as the instrumental uncertainties. Although the magnitude of the LW impact is much smaller than that of the shortwave (SW), it can still have a noticeable influence on the energy distribution of Earth-atmosphere system, particularly due to the strong light-absorptive properties commonly found in many terrestrial minerals. The current effort is part of an ongoing research study to perform a global assessment of dust direct aerosol radiative effects (DARE) during major field deployments of key dust source regions worldwide. In this work we present results stemming from two previous field deployments: the 2006 NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Activities and the 2008 Asian Monsoon Years, both utilizing NASA Goddard's mobile ground-based facility. The former study focused on transported Saharan dust at Sal (16.73degN, 22.93degW), Cape Verde along the west coast of Africa while the latter focused on Asian dust at Zhangye (39.082degN, 100.276degE), China near the source between the Taklimakan and Gobi deserts. Due to the compelling variability in spatial and temporal scale of dust properties during field experiments, a deterministic I-D radiative transfer model constrained by local measurements (i.e., spectral photometry/interferometry and lidar for physical/microphysical, mineralogy, and single-scattering properties) is employed to evaluate dust's local instantaneous SW/LW DARE both at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere along with heating rate profiles for cloud-free atmospheres. In both dust cases the efficiency in the L W DARE is investigated and its significance is compared relative to that of diurnally SW.

Tsay, Si-Chee↗

Study on spectral/radiometric characteristics of the thematic mapper for land use applications

The change in mean signal level as a function of scan angle and scan direction was studied. The overall scan angle effect corresponded to that expected based on atmospheric modeling and scene characteristics. An initial, empirical correction model employing exponential decay was developed for reflective bands. Band 6 has a significant scan direction effect which is markedly different from that found in the reflective bands. A low frequency noise was discovered which was most pronounced in Band 1, detectors 4, 12, 10, and 8, having amplitudes of approximately 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.75 quantizing levels, respectively. This low frequency variation in mean signal amplitude was highly correlated among these four Band 1 detectors. Low frequency noise was also observed in Band 7, detector 7; band 2, detector 1; Band 3, detectors 1 and 16; and Band 5, detector 10.

Malila, W. A.↗

Preliminary Results of the 1.5% TCA (Modular) Controls Model in the NASA Langley UPWT

To summarize the significant highlights in this report: (1) Data quality, determined by multiple repeat runs performed on the TCA baseline configuration, and long-term repeatability, determined by comparing baseline Reference H data from this test to a previous test, have been shown to be good. (2) The longitudinal stability of the TCA is more non-linear than for the Reference H, and while it is similar at normal lift values, the TCA has considerably more pitch-up at higher lift. (3) Longitudinal control effectiveness of the TCA is similar to the Reference H and the ratio of elevator effectiveness to horizontal tail effectiveness is approximately 0.3. 4) The directional stability of the TCA is improved relative to Reference H at higher angles-of attack. The chine is effective for improving directional stability. (5) The directional control effectiveness 'of the TCA rudder is the same as that of the Reference H rudder at low angles-of-attack, after taking factors, such as number of rudder panels deflected and vertical tail volume into account. However, rudder effectiveness was shown to be reduced at higher angles-of-attack. (6) The lateral stability was shown to be reduced relative to the Reference H, which may be beneficial at low speeds for alleviating lateral control saturation. (7) Lateral control effectiveness for the TCA was shown to be similar to the Reference H for negative trailing-edge flap deflections and was reduced by approximately 25% for positive trailing-edge flap deflections.

Kubiatko, Paul↗

Measurement of the Static Stability and Control and the Damping Derivatives of a 0.13-Scale Model of the Convair XFY-1 Airplane, TED No. NACA DE 368

An investigation has been conducted to determine the static stability and control and damping in roll and yaw of a 0.13-scale model of the Convair XFY-1 airplane with propellers off from 0 deg to 90 deg angle of attack. The tests showed that a slightly unstable pitch-up tendency occurred simultaneously with a break in the normal-force curve in the angle-of-attack range from about 27 deg to 36 deg. The top vertical tail contributed positive values of static directional stability and effective dihedral up to an angle of attack of about 35 deg. The bottom tail contributed positive values of static directional stability but negative values of effective dihedral throughout the angle-of-attack range. Effectiveness of the control surfaces decreased to very low values at the high angles of attack, The model had positive damping in yaw and damping in roll about the body axes over the angle-of-attack range but the damping in yaw decreased to about zero at 90 deg angle of attack.

Johnson, Joseph L.↗

Electric fields and secondary emission near a dielectric-metal interface

Dielectric surface-charge distributions near a metal-dielectric interface in vacuum depend upon secondary emission processes in the presence of normal and tangential components of electric field. From measured charge distributions created by exposing a specimen of fluorinated ethylene-propylene to monoenergetic electron fluxes, it has been possible to calculate potentials and fields on and near the dielectric surface. The effect of the normal electric field upon secondary emission is measured directly, and the effect of the tangential field is inferred from the charge-distribution data. The critical point (unity crossover) for secondary emission is shifted by the application of fields, so that it occurs at much higher primary energies than normally. Primary beams having energies up to 20 keV are used, and surface fields are as high as 20 kV/mm.

Robinson, J. W.↗

A search for correlation between geomagnetic activity and stratospheric ozone

The total ozone column content (TOZ) measured from the Nimbus 4 BUV experiment is analyzed in geomagnetic coordinates to study a possible link between the solar corpuscular radiation and the lower stratosphere. Using planetary magnetic index Ap as a measure of the solar corpuscular radiation, it is shown that the correlation between TOZ and Ap, if any, occurs predominantly at high latitudes during winter seasons. This is typical of most of the claimed correlations between sun and weather and may be the result of the winter increase of planetary wave activity which by coincidence have periods comparable to magnetic activity. The fact that even major magnetic storms have no detectable effect on the stratospheric ozone during summer does not support a direct cause and effect relation between solar and stratospheric perturbations.

Chandra, S.↗

How Do Climate Change Experiments Alter Plot-Scale Climate?

To understand and forecast biological responses to climate change, scientists frequently use field experiments that alter temperature and precipitation. Climate manipulations can manifest in complex ways, however, challenging interpretations of biological responses. We reviewed publications to compile a database of daily plot-scale climate data from 15 active-warming experiments. We find that the common practices of analysing treatments as mean or categorical changes (e.g. warmed vs.unwarmed) masks important variation in treatment effects over space and time. Our synthesis showed that measured mean warming, in plots with the same target warming within a study, differed by up to 1.6° Celsius degrees (63% of target), on average, across six studies with blocked designs. Variation was high across sites and designs: for example, plots differed by 1.1°Celsius degrees (47% of target) on average, for infrared studies with feedback control (n = 3) vs. by 2.2° Celsius degrees (80% of target) on average for infrared with constant wattage designs (n = 2). Warming treatments produce non-temperature effects as well, such as soil drying. The combination of these direct and indirect effects is complex and can have important biological consequences. With a case study of plant phenology across five experiments in our database, we show how accounting for drier soils with warming tripled the estimated sensitivity of budburst to temperature. We provide recommendations for future analyses, experimental design,and data sharing to improve our mechanistic understanding from climate change experiments, and thus their utility to accurately forecast species' responses.

warming experiment↗