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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1948

Performance of J-33-A-21 Turbojet-Engine Compressor I - Over-All Performance Characteristics at Equivalent Impeller Speeds from 6000 to 13,400 RPM

The NACA is investigating a series of J-33 turbojet-engine compressors to determine the over-all and component performances and to improve theories of flow through large centrifugal compressors, The production model J-33-A-21 was operated over a range of inlet temperatures from 80 to -40 F and inlet pressures from 14 to 5 inches mercury absolute for equivalent impeller speeds from 6000 to 13,400 rpm. At the equivalent design speed of 11,500 rpm, the compressor had a peak pressure ratio of 3.98 at an equivalent weight flow of 73.4 pounds per second and an adiabatic temperature-rise , efficiency of 0.701. When the compressor speed was reduced from the design speed to 6000 rpm, the adiabatic temperature-rise efficiency increased to 0.747. At the maximum equivalent speed investigated (13,400 rpm), a peak pressure ratio of 5.09 was obtained at an adiabatic temperature-rise efficiency of 0.617 and an equivalent weight flow of 66.O pounds per second. An increase in inlet pressure from 5.5 to 14 inches mercury absolute, with a consequent increase in Reynolds number index, improved the pressure ratio but had no apparent effect on the ratio of temperature rise through the compressor to inlet temperature. The variation of the peak adiabatic temperature-rise efficiency with inlet pressure is in the direction that would be expected from a Reynolds number effect. Decrease in the inlet temperature from 80 to -40 F, with a consequent increase in Reynolds number index, resulted in scatter of the pressure-ratio data and increased values of temperature ratio. The variation of the adiabatic temperature-rise efficiency with inlet temperature is probably the result of heat-transfer effects and scatter in the pressure ratio.

Beede, William L.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Designing Low-Thrust Enabled Trajectories for a Heliophysics Smallsat Mission to Sun-Earth L5

A small satellite deployed to Sun-Earth L5 could serve as a low-cost platform to observe solar phenomena such as coronal mass ejections. However, the small satellite platform introduces significant challenges in the trajectory design process via limited thrusting capabilities, power and operational constraints, and fixed deployment conditions. To address these challenges, a strategy employing dynamical systems theory is used to design a low-thrust-enabled trajectory for a small satellite to reach the Sun-Earth L5 region. This procedure is demonstrated for a small satellite that launches as a secondary payload with a larger spacecraft destined for a Sun-Earth L2 halo orbit.

Stuart, Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS1986

Radarclinometry

A general theory based on the implicit mathematical determinacy, and a corresponding algorithm, are developed to derive topographic maps from radar images as photometric arrays. Starting from a control profile, the theory produces topography by an area integration of radar brightness, and the control profile is formed under the assumption that the terrain properties are locally cylindrical. The calibration curve for pixel brightness versus incidence-angle is also produced. In the operational algorithm, topography is produced as a set of independent line integrations down each of the parallel range lines of the image using the theory for control-profile formation. An adaptive technique was employed to process SEASAT images of sand dunes, and the present method is demonstrated with a Motorola image of Crazy Jug Point in the Grand Canyon.

Wildey, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Optimal digital control of a Stirling cycle cooler

This short paper describes work in progress on the conceptual design of a control system for a cryogenic cooler intended for use aboard spacecraft. The cooler will produce 5 watts of cooling at 65 K and will be used to support experiments associated with the following: earth observation; atmospheric measurements; infrared, x-ray, and gamma-ray astronomy; and magnetic field characterization. The cooler has been designed and constructed for NASA/GSFC by Philips Laboratories and is described in detail. The cooler has a number of unique design features intended to enhance long life and maintenance free operation in space including use of the high efficiency Stirling thermodynamic refrigeration cycle, linear magnetic motors, clearance-seals, and magnetic bearings. The proposed control system design is based on optimal control theory and is targeted for custom integrated circuit implementation. The resulting control system will meet the following mission requirements: efficiency, reliability, optimal thermodynamic, electrical, and mechanical performance; freedom from operator intervention; light weight; and small size.

Feeley, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Theory of a ring laser

Development of a systematic formulation of the theory of a ring laser which is based on first principles and uses a well-known model for laser operation. A simple physical derivation of the electromagnetic field equations for a noninertial reference frame in uniform rotation is presented, and an attempt is made to clarify the nature of the Fox-Li modes for an open polygonal resonator. The polarization of the active medium is obtained by using a Fourier-series method which permits the formulation of a strong-signal theory, and solutions are given in terms of continued fractions. It is shown that when such a continued fraction is expanded to third order in the fields, the familiar small-signal ring-laser theory is obtained.

Menegozzi, L. N.↗
NASA NTRS1944

The conformal transformation of an airfoil into a straight line and its application to the inverse problem of airfoil theory

A method of conformal transformation is developed that maps an airfoil into a straight line, the line being chosen as the extended chord line of the airfoil. The mapping is accomplished by operating directly with the airfoil ordinates. The absence of any preliminary transformation is found to shorten the work substantially over that of previous methods. Use is made of the superposition of solutions to obtain a rigorous counterpart of the approximate methods of thin-airfoils theory. The method is applied to the solution of the direct and inverse problems for arbitrary airfoils and pressure distributions. Numerical examples are given. Applications to more general types of regions, in particular to biplanes and to cascades of airfoils, are indicated. (author)

Mutterperl, William↗
NASA NTRS1990

Semigroup theory and numerical approximation for equations in linear viscoelasticity

A class of abstract integrodifferential equations used to model linear viscoelastic beams is investigated analytically, applying a Hilbert-space approach. The basic equation is rewritten as a Cauchy problem, and its well-posedness is demonstrated. Finite-dimensional subspaces of the state space and an estimate of the state operator are obtained; approximation schemes for the equations are constructed; and the convergence is proved using the Trotter-Kato theorem of linear semigroup theory. The actual convergence behavior of different approximations is demonstrated in numerical computations, and the results are presented in tables.

Fabiano, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1997

An Accurate Potential Energy Surface for H2O

We have carried out extensive high quality ab initio electronic structure calculations of the ground state potential energy surface (PES) and dipole moment function (DMF) for H2O. A small adjustment is made to the PES to improve the agreement of line positions from theory and experiment. The theoretical line positions are obtained from variational ro-vibrational calculations using the exact kinetic energy operator. For the lines being fitted, the root-mean-square error was reduced from 6.9 to 0.08 /cm. We were then able to match 30,092 of the 30,117 lines from the HITRAN 96 data base to theoretical lines, and 80% of the line positions differed less than 0.1 /cm. About 3% of the line positions in the experimental data base appear to be incorrect. Theory predicts the existence of many additional weak lines with intensities above the cutoff used in the data base. To obtain results of similar accuracy for HDO, a mass dependent correction to the PH is introduced and is parameterized by simultaneously fitting line positions for HDO and D2O. The mass dependent PH has good predictive value for T2O and HTO. Nonadiabatic effects are not explicitly included. Line strengths for vibrational bands summed over rotational levels usually agree well between theory and experiment, but individual line strengths can differ greatly. A high temperature line list containing about 380 million lines has been generated using the present PES and DMF

Schwenke, David W.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The History of EVA Safety at NASA

With NASA’s past and current involvement in Human Space Exploration in low Earth orbit and on the Moon, in lunar orbit and on the surface in the near future, and interplanetary space and the surface of Mars in the coming decades, the safety of the crew during Extravehicular Activity (EVA) remains paramount. EVAs during human space flight will challenge the crew and Mission Control for not only maintenance and reliability tasks but also exploration activities during a mission. Outside of launch and landing, EVA is the most dangerous crewed operation during a mission, making proper safety measures essential. This paper will explore how EVA safety operations havebeen managed throughout NASA’s history during the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, how it is currently being managed for the International Space Station Program, and how these methods are planned to be utilized for Exploration efforts for human space flight into the future. Understanding the theory and processes that led to the documented safety requirements in the past and present will give insight into how to manage Exploration operations in the future, and may lead to process improvement with the advancements of technology in work today.

EVA↗
NASA NTRS1976

Airframe noise: A design and operating problem

A critical assessment of the state of the art in airframe noise is presented. Full-scale data on the intensity, spectra, and directivity of this noise source are evaluated in light of the comprehensive theory developed by Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings. Vibration of panels on the aircraft is identified as a possible additional source of airframe noise. The present understanding and methods for prediction of other component sources - airfoils, struts, and cavities - are discussed. Operating problems associated with airframe noise as well as potential design methods for airframe noise reduction are identified.

Hardin, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1971

An investigation of tandem-row, high-head pump inducers

Investigation results indicate optimum design is tandem inducer system using supercavitating first stage and subcavitating second stage operating over wide range of suction specific speeds and flow coefficients. Fluid-flow cavitation effects theory and experimental results also apply to other fluid power system designs.

Etter, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Propagation and application of waves in the ionosphere.

This review deals with the propagation of waves, especially radio waves in the ionosphere. In the macroscopic electromagnetic theory, the mathematical structure of wave propagation problems depends entirely on the properties of the dielectric operator in a magnetically nonpermeable medium. These properties can be deduced from general discussions of symmetry and considerations of physical principles. When the medium is specifically the ionosphere, various physical phenomena may occur. Because of a large number of parameters, it is desirable to define a parameter space. A point in the parameter space corresponds to a specific plasma. The parameter space is subdivided into regions whose boundaries correspond to conditions of resonance and cutoff. As the point crosses these boundaries, the refractive index surface transforms continuously.

Yeh, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A review of averaging techniques and their application to orbit determination systems

The theory of numerical averaging and analytical averaging will be reviewed and the application of these techniques to orbit and parameter estimation problems will be presented. Comparisons will be made between utilizing mean elements versus tracking data as the observation types. Results will be presented comparing the accuracy and efficiency of the combined orbit estimation and orbit prediction problem using averaged equations of motion, the Cowell equations of motion and the Brouwer general perturbation theory. The problem of converting the averaged element space back to osculating element space for orbit operations will also be discussed.

Velez, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Ionospheric research

Progress is reported in the following areas: D-region theory; E and F-region; wave propagation; mass spectrometer measurements; and atmospheric reactions. Various supporting operations are included: design and construction of instrumentation; and programming.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1975

Flight Flutter Testing of Supersonic Interceptors

A summary is presented of experiences in connection with flight flutter testing of supersonic interceptors. The planning and operational aspects involved are described along with the difficulties encountered, and the correlation between measurement and theory. Recommendations for future research and development to advance the science of flight flutter testing are included.

Dublin, M.↗