Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “excel”

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 721 records · Page 40

Effect of satellite potential on direct ion density measurements through the plasmapause

A simplified theory has been developed for calculating the effect of satellite potential on the ion current measured by an experiment such as an ion mass spectrometer or an ion trap. The theory is based on the use of a spherically symmetric Debye potential distribution in the sheath around the satellite and is particularly appropriate for use in regions where the Debye length is large, such as in the plasmasphere and magnetosphere. Ion data obtained from the ion trap on the Ogo 3 satellite during a pass through the plasmasphere show excellent agreement with the theory. The inferred ion densities from this analysis are as much as 1 order of magnitude different from what would be inferred from previous analyses.

Whipple, E. C.↗

Comparison of transition and freestream disturbance measurements obtained in two wind tunnel facilities

Boundary-layer transition measurements have been made on two 5-deg half-angle cones at Mach 7 in the Ames 3.5-foot and the Langley variable density wind tunnels. Although there were differences between the measured freestream disturbance scales and pressure fluctuation levels, the choice of consistent locations within the transition region, using either thin-film fluctuation or surface heat-transfer data results in excellent agreement between the transition Reynolds numbers in both facilities. However, there is an apparent connection between changes in freestream pressure fluctuation levels and movement of boundary-layer transition location in the two facilities.

Owen, F. K.↗

Fluid-structure finite-element vibrational analysis

A fluid finite element has been developed for a quasi-compressible fluid. Both kinetic and potential energy are expressed as functions of nodal displacements. Thus, the formulation is similar to that used for structural elements, with the only differences being that the fluid can possess gravitational potential, and the constitutive equations for fluid contain no shear coefficients. Using this approach, structural and fluid elements can be used interchangeably in existing efficient sparse-matrix structural computer programs such as SPAR. The theoretical development of the element formulations and the relationships of the local and global coordinates are shown. Solutions of fluid slosh, liquid compressibility, and coupled fluid-shell oscillation problems which were completed using a temporary digital computer program are shown. The frequency correlation of the solutions with classical theory is excellent.

Feng, G. C.↗

A finite element method for potential aerodynamics around complex configurations

A general formulation for steady and oscillatory, subsonic and supersonic, potential linearized aerodynamic flow around complex configurations is presented. A linear integral equation relating the unknown potential on the surface of the body to the known downwash is used. The formulation is applied to the analysis of the flow field around wings and wing-body combinations. The surface is divided into small quadrilateral elements which are approximated with a hyperboloidal surface. The potential is assumed to be constant within each element. This yields a set of linear algebraic equations. The coefficients are evaluated analytically. Numerical results for steady and oscillatory, subsonic and supersonic flows indicate that the method, intrinsically general and flexible, is also fast, accurate and in excellent agreement with existing results.

Chen, L.-T.↗

In-situ measurement of the rate of U-235 fission induced by lunar neutrons

The depth profile of the neutron-induced fission rate of U-235 was directly measured to a depth of 350 g/sq cm by the Apollo 17 Lunar Neutron Probe Experiment. The fission rate rises sharply from the surface to a broad maximum from 110 to 160 g/sq cm and drops off at greater depths. The shape of the theoretical depth profile of Lingenfelter et al (1972) fits the measured capture rates well at all depths. The absolute magnitude of the experimental fission rates are (11 plus or minus 17)% lower than those calculated theoretically. The excellent agreement between theory and experiment implies that conclusions drawn previously by interpreting lunar sample data with the theoretical capture rates will not require revision. In particular, lunar surface processes, rather than uncertainties in the capture rates, are required to explain the relatively low neutron fluences observed for surface soil samples compared to the fluences expected for a uniformly mixed regolith.

Woolum, D. S.↗

Vanguard/PLACE experiment system design and test plan

A system design and test plan are described for operational evaluation of the NASA-Goddard position location and aircraft communications equipment (PLACE), at C-band (4/6 GHz), using NASA's ship, the USNS Vanguard, and the ATS-3 and ATS-5 synchronous satellites. The sea test phase, extending from Mar. 29, 1973 to Apr. 15, 1973 has been successfully completed; the principal objectives of the experiment were achieved. Typical PLACE-computed, position-location data are shown for the Vanguard. Position location and voice-quality measurements were excellent; ship position was determined within 2 n mi; high-quality, 2-way voice transmissions resulted as determined from audience participation, intelligibility and articulation-index analysis. A C-band/L-band satellite trilateration experiment is discussed.

Taylor, R. E.↗

Application of an integral equation formulation to the prediction of space shuttle annular slot antenna radiation patterns

Pitch and roll plane radiation patterns computed by use of an integral equation formulation are presented for a space shuttle annular slot communications antenna. The excellent agreement between computed patterns and experimental patterns obtained from 1/35 scale models supports the use of this method as a design tool for similar spacecraft/aircraft antenna applications.

Jones, J. E.↗

Instrument to measure energy and charge of low energy interplanetary particles

An experiment to measure the charge composition and energy spectra of ultra low energy charged particles in interplanetary space has been developed and launched on the IMP 8 (Explorer 50) satellite on Oct. 26, 1973. The instrument consists of two separate sensors sharing common electronics. One of these sensors uses a thin window gas proportional counter to measure the rate of energy loss and a totally depleted silicon surface barrier detector to measure total energy of incoming particles. The energy range for two dimensional analysis extends from 300 KeV to 2.5 MeV for protons and 60 KeV/nucleon to 25 MeV/nucleon for iron with excellent resolution of individual chemical elements. The other sensor combines electrostatic deflection with total energy measurements in silicon surface barrier detectors to give the ionic charge and kinetic energy of the particle.

Tums, E.↗

Character of the pair interaction in solid and gaseous H2

Existing theoretical H2 pair potentials are investigated. We develop a spherically symmetric potential applicable to solid H2. It yields a ground-state energy of -98.7 K (experimental values range from -93.5 to -101 K). Pressure-volume data are also in excellent agreement with experiment between 0 and 25 kbar. Second virial coefficients using this potential are consistently too low. When an anisotropic pair potential is used, agreement becomes very good.

England, W.↗

Simultaneous satellite and riometer studies

The expected 30 and 50 MHz riometer absorption was calculated for the 7 June, 25 September and 2 November 1969 solar events using data from the McDonnell Douglas charged particle experiment on the polar orbiting OGO-6 Satellite. Excellent agreement was found between measured polar cap riometer absorption during the events and absorption calculated from detailed particle data obtained on the satellite passing over the riometer. Electrons are found to contribute the greater part of the 30 MHz absorption before the peak of the 2 November 1969 event; at all other times protons produce most of the absorption. The alpha-particle contribution is negligible in all cases.

Baker, M. B.↗

Clinical aspects of blood pressure autorhythmometry

Self-measurements made by a 55-year-old physician with mild to moderate hypertension of ten years' duration are considered. The physician had been in excellent health until age 45 when sustained elevation of blood pressure up to 180/100 mmHg and a slight aortic diastolic murmur were noted. On the basis of the investigation it is suggested that physical and mental performance measures provide an objective basis for assessing the desirability of a given physiological change. Such studies will have to be complemented by a search for long-term effects.

Levine, H.↗

Rapid correction of electron microprobe data for multicomponent metallic systems

This paper describes an empirical relation for the correction of electron microprobe data for multicomponent metallic systems. It evaluates the empirical correction parameter, a for each element in a binary alloy system using a modification of Colby's MAGIC III computer program and outlines a simple and quick way of correcting the probe data. This technique has been tested on a number of multicomponent metallic systems and the agreement with the results using theoretical expressions is found to be excellent. Limitations and suitability of this relation are discussed and a model calculation is also presented in the Appendix.

Gupta, K. P.↗

Performance of epitaxial back surface field cells

Epitaxial back surface field structures were formed by depositing a 10 micron thick 10 ohm-cm epitaxial silicon layer onto substrates with resistivities of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10 ohm-cm. A correlation between cell open-circuit voltage and substrate resistivity was observed and was compared to theory. The cells were also irradiated with 1-MeV electrons to a fluence of 5 times 10 to the 15th electrons per sq cm. The decrease of cell open-circuit voltage was in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions and the measured short-circuit currents were within 2% of the prediction. Calculations are presented for optimum cell performance as functions of epitaxial layer thickness, radiation fluence, and substrate diffusion length.

Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.↗

Polybenzimidazoles, status report

Particular attention is given to polybenzimidazoles derived from the condensation of tetraaminobiphenyl and diphenylisophthalate. The polybenzimidazoles can be prepared by the condensation of equimolar amounts of the monomers in the absence of solvent. However, the polymerization has also been carried out in a variety of solvents. The polybenzimidazoles have excellent technical possibilities. These possibilities have currently not yet been commercially realized.

Leal, J. R.↗

An approximate inviscid radiating flow-field analysis for sphere-cone Venusian entry vehicles

A computational method based on the earlier work of one of the authors has been improved and modified to provide an accurate and rapid prediction of the radiating flow about blunt conical probes entering the atmosphere of Venus. Special features include a more general approximate equation of state, a more rapidly converging iteration scheme, a 38-step absorption coefficient model for a Venus atmosphere gas mixture model, and a shock-shape formula which yields a computed body shape in excellent agreement with the desired body. The method was used to calculate distributions of radiative heating for a large spherically blunted conical probe vehicle (1.219 m base diameter) and for three small spherically blunted conical probe vehicles (0.724 m base diameter). Solutions obtained with the presently developed approximate method required short computing times of the order of 1 to 3 minutes for each complete solution and gave agreements of 10% to 15% with the more exact predictions.

Falanga, R. A.↗

Automatic numerical generation of body-fitted curvilinear coordinate system for field containing any number of arbitrary two-dimensional bodies

A method for automatic numerical generation of a general curvilinear coordinate system with coordinate lines coincident with all boundaries of a general multi-connected region containing any number of arbitrarily shaped bodies is presented. With this procedure the numerical solution of a partial differential system may be done on a fixed rectangular field with a square mesh with no interpolation required regardless of the shape of the physical boundaries, regardless of the spacing of the curvilinear coordinate lines in the physical field, and regardless of the movement of the coordinate system. Numerical solutions for the lifting and nonlifting potential flow about Joukowski and Karman-Trefftz airfoils using this coordinate system generation show excellent comparison with the analytic solutions. The application to fields with multiple bodies is illustrated by a potential flow solution for multiple airfoils.

Thompson, J. F.↗

Eleventh-order geopotential resonance on the orbit of Vanguard 3

The orbit of Vanguard 3 (1959-7A) is strongly resonant with eleventh-order and odd degree terms in the geopotential. It affords an excellent opportunity to determine a significant linear constraint between these terms. Tracking data on this satellite (in the form of mean Kepler elements) are analyzed over a 3.5-year period in the early 1960s, which ends with the orbit having just passed through perfect commensurability. The eccentricity e and inclination I show the deep resonance variations (up to .0002 in e and 0.02 deg in I) with great clarity. Previous and current geopotential solutions fail to explain these perturbations. A constraint for the deep resonant terms is determined in fully normalized harmonics.

Wagner, C. A.↗

An exact solution of a simplified two-phase plume model

An exact solution of a simplified two-phase, gas-particle, rocket exhaust plume model is presented. It may be used to make the upper-bound estimation of the heat flux and pressure loads due to particle impingement on the objects existing in the rocket exhaust plume. By including the correction factors to be determined experimentally, the present technique will provide realistic data concerning the heat and aerodynamic loads on these objects for design purposes. Excellent agreement in trend between the best available computer solution and the present exact solution is shown.

Wang, S.-Y.↗