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At least 631 records · Page 35

Integrated payload and mission planning, phase 3. Volume 4: Optimum utilization of Spacelab racks and pallets

The methodology to optimize the utilization of Spacelab racks and pallets and to apply this methodology to the early STS Spacelab missions was developed. A review was made of Spacelab Program requirements and flow plans, generic flow plans for racks and pallets were examined, and the principal optimization criteria and methodology were established. Interactions between schedule, inventory, and key optimization factors; schedule and cost sensitivity to optional approaches; and the development of tradeoff methodology were addressed. This methodology was then applied to early spacelab missions (1980-1982). Rack and pallet requirements and duty cycles were defined, a utilization assessment was made, and several trade studies performed involving varying degrees of Level IV integration, inventory level, and shared versus dedicated Spacelab racks and pallets.

Logston, R. G.↗

Chemical kinetic modeling of propane oxidation behind shock waves

The stoichiometric combustion of propane behind incident shock waves was studied experimentally and analytically over a temperature range from 1700 K to 2600 K and a pressure range from 1.2 to 1.9 atm. Measurements of the concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and the product of the oxygen atom and carbon dioxide concentrations (O)(CO) were made after passage of the incident shock wave. A kinetic mechanism was developed which, when used in a computer program for a flowing, reacting gas behind an incident shock wave predicted experimentally measured results quite well. Ignition delay times from the literature were also predicted quite well. The kinetic mechanism consisted of 59 individual kinetic steps.

Mclain, A. G.↗

Interactive analysis of thermal imagery

Necessary knowledge is presented on data acquisition and preparation for analysis of thermal imagery of power plant heated discharges remotely sensed from an aircraft, with special emphasis on analog to digital conversion of analog tapes acquired during scanning and to geometrical scaling. The central element in the interactive analysis of thermal imagery is an interactive graphics computer terminal which allows an interpreter to effectively interact with a large-scale computer, providing decisions or data as computations are carried out. A temperature calibration is performed, which the interpreter may test anywhere on the image. When satisfied that calibration is correct, the portion of the image to be analyzed is outlined. Printed and microfiche analyses of the plume are produced. The flow chart of programs for analysis of thermal imagery is presented and discussed in some detail.

Madding, R. P.↗

WAKE and WASH

Two computer programs determine onset flow in vicinity of horizontal tail of light aircraft.

Smetana, F. O.↗

Analysis of stability contributions of high dihedral V-tails

An investigation was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of four analytical methods (empirical, modified empirical, vortex-lattice, and an inviscid, three dimensional, potential flow, wing body program) to estimate the lateral and longitudinal static stability characteristics of an isolated V-tail wind tunnel model. The experimental tests were conducted in the V/STOL tunnel at a Mach number of 0.18. Angle-of-attack data were obtained from -12 deg to 8 deg at 0 deg sideslip. Sideslip sweeps from -5 deg to 10 deg were made at angles of attack of 4 deg, 0 deg and -4 deg. The V-tail dihedral angles were 45 deg, 50 deg, 55 deg, and 60 deg.

Freeman, C. E.↗

Optimized aerodynamic design process for subsonic transport wing fitted with winglets

The aerodynamic design of a wind-tunnel model of a wing representative of that of a subsonic jet transport aircraft, fitted with winglets, was performed using two recently developed optimal wing-design computer programs. Both potential flow codes use a vortex lattice representation of the near-field of the aerodynamic surfaces for determination of the required mean camber surfaces for minimum induced drag, and both codes use far-field induced drag minimization procedures to obtain the required spanloads. One code uses a discrete vortex wake model for this far-field drag computation, while the second uses a 2-D advanced panel wake model. Wing camber shapes for the two codes are very similar, but the resulting winglet camber shapes differ widely. Design techniques and considerations for these two wind-tunnel models are detailed, including a description of the necessary modifications of the design geometry to format it for use by a numerically controlled machine for the actual model construction.

Kuhlman, J. M.↗

Digital adaptive controllers for VTOL vehicles. Volume 2: Software documentation

The VTOL approach and landing test (VALT) adaptive software is documented. Two self-adaptive algorithms, one based on an implicit model reference design and the other on an explicit parameter estimation technique were evaluated. The organization of the software, user options, and a nominal set of input data are presented along with a flow chart and program listing of each algorithm.

Hartmann, G. L.↗

Scheduling Algorithm for Mission Planning and Logistics Evaluation (SAMPLE). Volume 3: The GREEDY algorithm

The functional specifications, functional design and flow, and the program logic of the GREEDY computer program are described. The GREEDY program is a submodule of the Scheduling Algorithm for Mission Planning and Logistics Evaluation (SAMPLE) program and has been designed as a continuation of the shuttle Mission Payloads (MPLS) program. The MPLS uses input payload data to form a set of feasible payload combinations; from these, GREEDY selects a subset of combinations (a traffic model) so all payloads can be included without redundancy. The program also provides the user a tutorial option so that he can choose an alternate traffic model in case a particular traffic model is unacceptable.

Dupnick, E.↗

Sounding rocket research Aries/Firewheel, series 22, issue 15

Rocket experiments in ionospheric particle and field research flow in seven programs during the last decade are summarized. Experimental techniques were developed and are discussed including the double-probe field technique. The auroral zone, polar cap, and equatorial spread F were studied.

Mozer, F. S.↗

AVE-SESAME program for the REEDA System

The REEDA system software was modified and improved to process the AVE-SESAME severe storm data. A random access file system for the AVE storm data was designed, tested, and implemented. The AVE/SESAME software was modified to incorporate the random access file input and to interface with new graphics hardware/software now available on the REEDA system. Software was developed to graphically display the AVE/SESAME data in the convention normally used by severe storm researchers. Software was converted to AVE/SESAME software systems and interfaced with existing graphics hardware/software available on the REEDA System. Software documentation was provided for existing AVE/SESAME programs underlining functional flow charts and interacting questions. All AVE/SESAME data sets in random access format was processed to allow developed software to access the entire AVE/SESAME data base. The existing software was modified to allow for processing of different AVE/SESAME data set types including satellite surface and radar data.

Hickey, J. S.↗

Numerical solution of transonic wing flow fields

A fast, fully implicit, approximate factorization algorithm designed to solve the conservative full-potential equation is used to compute lifting-wing flow fields with embedded transonic flow. The computer program (TWING - transonic wing analysis) uses an elliptic-solver numerical grid-generation routine and is capable of analyzing arbitrary wing geometries with sweep, twist, taper, and section variation. Computed flowfield results for several wing geometries are presented; they demonstrate substantial improvement in convergence speed relative to the FL028 computer code.

Holst, T. L.↗

Orbital performance of a one-year lifetime superfluid helium dewar based on ground testing and computer modelling

The ground-test results of the 550-liter superfluid-He dewar built for IRAS are presented and discussed, and a computer projection of its orbital performance life is developed. The ground-testing program included flow-swap, cold-flow, power-off, hot/cold-viewport, and strap-thermal-efficiency tests. After one set of trials, some design changes were made, and the thermal-network computer model of the system was modified as well. The driving boundary conditions of dewar orbital operation used in this model are vacuum-shell temperature = 170 K, aperture heating = 8.0 mW, and focal-plane power dissipation = 16.2 mW. An operational lifetime of 319 days and an He loss rate of 2.54 mg/sec are predicted.

Hopkins, R. A.↗

Numerical optimization design of advanced transonic wing configurations

A computationally efficient and versatile technique for use in the design of advanced transonic wing configurations has been developed. A reliable and fast transonic wing flow-field analysis program, TWING, has been coupled with a modified quasi-Newton method, unconstrained optimization algorithm, QNMDIF, to create a new design tool. Fully three-dimensional wing designs utilizing both specified wing pressure distributions and drag-to-lift ration minimization as design objectives are demonstrated. Because of the high computational efficiency of each of the components of the design code, in particular the vectorization of TWING and the high speed of the Cray X-MP vector computer, the computer time required for a typical wing design is reduced by approximately an order of magnitude over previous methods. In the results presented here, this computed wave drag has been used as the quantity to be optimized (minimized) with great success, yielding wing designs with nearly shock-free (zero wave drag) pressure distributions and very reasonable wing section shapes.

Cosentino, G. B.↗

User's manual for airfoil flow field computer code SRAIR

A two dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes calculation procedure with specific application to the isolated airfoil problem is presented. The procedure solves the full, ensemble averaged Navier-Stokes equations with turbulence represented by a mixing length model. The equations are solved in a general nonorthogonal coordinate system which is obtained via an external source. Specific Cartesian locations of grid points are required as input for this code. The method of solution is based upon the Briley-McDonald LBI procedure. The manual discusses the analysis, flow of the program, control steam, input and output.

Shamroth, S. J.↗

Numerical optimization design of advanced transonic wing configurations

A computationally efficient and versatile technique for use in the design of advanced transonic wing configurations has been developed. A reliable and fast transonic wing flow-field analysis program, TWING, has been coupled with a modified quasi-Newton method, unconstrained optimization algorithm, QNMDIF, to create a new design tool. Fully three-dimensional wing designs utilizing both specified wing pressure disributions and drag-to-lift ratio minimization as design objectives are demonstrated. Because of the high computational efficiency of each of the components of the design code, in particular the vectorization of TWING and the high speed of the Cray X-MP vector computer, the computer time required for a typical wing design is reduced by approximately an order of magnitude over previous methods. In the results presented here, this computed wave drag has been used as the quantity to be optimized (minimized) with great success, yielding wing designs with nearly shock-free (zero wave drag) pressure distributions and very reasonable wing section shapes.

Cosentino, G. B.↗

Evaluation of existing and proposed computer architectures for future ground-based systems

Parallel processing architectures and techniques used in current supercomputers are described and projections are made of future advances. Presently, the von Neumann sequential processing pattern has been accelerated by having separate I/O processors, interleaved memories, wide memories, independent functional units and pipelining. Recent supercomputers have featured single-input, multiple data stream architectures, which have different processors for performing various operations (vector or pipeline processors). Multiple input, multiple data stream machines have also been developed. Data flow techniques, wherein program instructions are activated only when data are available, are expected to play a large role in future supercomputers, along with increased parallel processor arrays. The enhanced operational speeds are essential for adequately treating data from future spacecraft remote sensing instruments such as the Thematic Mapper.

Schulbach, C.↗

Acoustically excited heated jets. 1: Internal excitation

The effects of relatively strong upstream acoustic excitation on the mixing of heated jets with the surrounding air are investigated. To determine the extent of the available information on experiments and theories dealing with acoustically excited heated jets, an extensive literature survey was carried out. The experimental program consisted of flow visualization and flowfield velocity and temperature measurements for a broad range of jet operating and flow excitation conditions. A 50.8-mm-diam nozzle was used for this purpose. Parallel to the experimental study, an existing theoretical model of excited jets was refined to include the region downstream of the jet potential core. Excellent agreement was found between theory and experiment in moderately heated jets. However, the theory has not yet been confirmed for highly heated jets. It was found that the sensitivity of heated jets to upstream acoustic excitation varies strongly with the jet operating conditions and that the threshold excitation level increases with increasing jet temperature. Furthermore, the preferential Strouhal number is found not to change significantly with a change of the jet operating conditions. Finally, the effects of the nozzle exit boundary layer thickness appear to be similar for both heated and unheated jets at low Mach numbers.

Lepicovsky, J.↗