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At least 793 records · Page 44

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NASA NTRS1992

Design prediction for long term stress rupture service of composite pressure vessels

Extensive stress rupture studies on glass composites and Kevlar composites were conducted by the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory beginning in the late 1960's and extending to about 8 years in some cases. Some of the data from these studies published over the years were incomplete or were tainted by spurious failures, such as grip slippage. Updated data sets were defined for both fiberglass and Kevlar composite stand test specimens. These updated data are analyzed in this report by a convenient form of the bivariate Weibull distribution, to establish a consistent set of design prediction charts that may be used as a conservative basis for predicting the stress rupture life of composite pressure vessels. The updated glass composite data exhibit an invariant Weibull modulus with lifetime. The data are analyzed in terms of homologous service load (referenced to the observed median strength). The equations relating life, homologous load, and probability are given, and corresponding design prediction charts are presented. A similar approach is taken for Kevlar composites, where the updated stand data do show a turndown tendency at long life accompanied by a corresponding change (increase) of the Weibull modulus. The turndown characteristic is not present in stress rupture test data of Kevlar pressure vessels. A modification of the stress rupture equations is presented to incorporate a latent, but limited, strength drop, and design prediction charts are presented that incorporate such behavior. The methods presented utilize Cartesian plots of the probability distributions (which are a more natural display for the design engineer), based on median normalized data that are independent of statistical parameters and are readily defined for any set of test data.

Robinson, Ernest Y.↗

NASA NTRS1983

An EBIC equation for solar cells

When an electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) impinges on an N-P junction, the generation of electron-hole pairs by impact ionization causes a characteristic short circuit current I(sc) to flow. The I(sc), i.e., EBIC (electron beam induced current) depends strongly on the configuration used to investigate the cell's response. In this paper the case where the plane of the junction is perpendicular to the surface is considered. An EBIC equation amenable to numerical computations is derived as a function of cell thickness, source depth, surface recombination velocity, diffusion length, and distance of the junction to the beam-cell interaction point for a cell with an ohmic contact at its back surface. It is shown that the EBIC equation presented here is more general and easier to use than those previously reported. The effects of source depth, ohmic contact, and diffusion length on the normalized EBIC characteristic are discussed.

Luke, K. L.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Sensitivity of rotor blade vibration characteristics to torsional oscillations.

A theoretical investigation of dynamic response characteristics of helicopter rotor blades in forward flight was carried out with special emphasis on the torsional degrees-of-freedom. The finite element method was applied in the formulation of the coupled equations of motion for flapwise bending and torsion for blades with non-collinear elastic, mass and aerodynamic axes. The sensitivity of blade vibration characteristics with respect to structural, geometric and aerodynamic properties as well as flight conditions was evaluated. Numerical results for sample blades were plotted to show the variation of the coupling between bending and torsional components of the response.

Bratanow, T.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Limit Cycle Analysis Applied to the Oscillations of Decelerating Blunt-Body Entry Vehicles

Many blunt-body entry vehicles have nonlinear dynamic stability characteristics that produce self-limiting oscillations in flight. Several different test techniques can be used to extract dynamic aerodynamic coefficients to predict this oscillatory behavior for planetary entry mission design and analysis. Most of these test techniques impose boundary conditions that alter the oscillatory behavior from that seen in flight. Three sets of test conditions, representing three commonly used test techniques, are presented to highlight these effects. Analytical solutions to the constant-coefficient planar equations-of-motion for each case are developed to show how the same blunt body behaves differently depending on the imposed test conditions. The energy equation is applied to further illustrate the governing dynamics. Then, the mean value theorem is applied to the energy rate equation to find the effective damping for an example blunt body with nonlinear, self-limiting dynamic characteristics. This approach is used to predict constant-energy oscillatory behavior and the equilibrium oscillation amplitudes for the various test conditions. These predictions are verified with planar simulations. The analysis presented provides an overview of dynamic stability test techniques and illustrates the effects of dynamic stability, static aerodynamics and test conditions on observed dynamic motions. It is proposed that these effects may be leveraged to develop new test techniques and refine test matrices in future tests to better define the nonlinear functional forms of blunt body dynamic stability curves.

Schoenenberger, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1973

Nonlinear Equations for Bending of Rotating Beams with Application to Linear Flap-Lag Stability of Hingeless Rotors

The nonlinear partial differential equations for the flapping and lead-lag degrees of freedom of a torisonally rigid, rotating cantilevered beam are derived. These equations are linearized about an equilibrium condition to study the flap-lag stability characteristics of hingeless helicopter rotor blades with zero twist and uniform mass and stiffness in the hovering flight condition. The results indicate that these configurations are stable because the effect of elastic coupling more than compensates for the destabilizing flap-lag Coriolis and aerodynamic coupling. The effect of higher bending modes on the lead-lag damping was found to be small and the common, centrally hinged, spring restrained, rigid blade approximation for elastic rotor blades was shown to be resonably satisfactory for determining flap-lag stability. The effect of pre-cone was generally stabilizing and the effects of rotary inertia were negligible.

Hodges, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Space shuttle GN and C equation document no. 21: Shuttle unified navigation filter

The space shuttle navigation equations are presented in a form for a single unified navigation filter used in each mission phase. The document serves as a single reference for the navigation equations replacing each of the individual mission phase navigation documents previously published. The fundamental characteristics of the navigation filter are described. The features of the unified formulation of the filter are analyzed.

Muller, E. S., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Hydrogen atom in intense magnetic field.

The structure of a hydrogen atom situated in an intense magnetic field is investigaged. Three approaches are employed. An elementary Bohr picture establishes a crucial magnetic field strength, H sub a approximately equal to 5 x 10 to the 9th G. Fields in excess of H sub a are intense in that they are able to modify the characteristic atomic scales of length and binding energy. A second approach solves the Schrodinger equation by a combination of variational methods and perturbation theory. It yields analytic expressions for the wave functions and energy eigenvalues. A third approach determines the energy eigenvalues by reducing the Schrodinger equation to a one-dimensional wave equation, which is then solved numerically. Energy eigenvalues are tabulated for field strengths of 2 x 10 to the 10th G and 2 x 10 to the 12th G. It is found that at 2 x 10 to the 12th G the lowest energy eigenvalue is changed from -13.6 to about -180 eV in agreement with previous variational computations.

Canuto, V.↗

NASA NTRS1974

A source flow characteristic technique for the analysis of scramjet exhaust flow field

The factors which influence the design and selection of a nozzle for a hypersonic scramjet are described. A two dimensional second-order characteristic procedure capable of analyzing the aerodynamic performance of typical nozzle configurations is presented. Equations of motion governing the two dimensional, axisymmetric, or axially expanding inviscid flow of a gas mixture, with frozen chemistry, are provided. Diagrams of the flow conditions for various configurations are included.

Delguidice, P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

A numerical method for determining the natural vibration characteristics of rotating nonuniform cantilever blades

A method is presented for determining the free vibration characteristics of a rotating blade having nonuniform spanwise properties and cantilever boundary conditions. The equations which govern the coupled flapwise, chordwise, and torsional motion of such a blade are solved using an integrating matrix method. By expressing the equations of motion and matrix notation, utilizing the integrating matrix as an operator, and applying the boundary conditions, the equations are formulated into an eigenvalue problem whose solutions may be determined by conventional methods. Computer results are compared with experimental data.

White, W. F., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Metal-insulator-semi-conductor studies of lead telluride

The capacitance and conductance-voltage characteristics were measured on metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors fabricated with zirconium dioxide films on single-crystal lead telluride. At 77 K, on both n- and p-type substrates, evidence of surface potential control was obtained. Comparison of the measured capacitance-voltage characteristics with those calculated from the equilibrium solution of the one-dimensional Poisson equation indicated qualitative agreement, although the slope of the measured capacitance in the region near the capacitance minimum was less steep than calculated.

Lilly, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Mercury's helium exosphere after Mariner 10's third encounter

From a comparison of the Mariner 10 third encounter UV spectrometer data with intensities generated from a newly constructed model exosphere, a new value of 4.5 x 10 to the -4th power for the fraction of the solar wind He(++) flux to be intercepted and captured by Mercury's magnetosphere, if the observed He atmosphere is maintained by the solar wind, has been derived. If an internal source for He prevails, the corresponding upper bound for the global outgassing rate is estimated to be 4.5 x 10 to the 22nd power/s. These values differ from those given earlier because of the present use of a surface temperature distribution satisfying the heat equation over Mercury's entire surface which employs Mariner-10-determined mean surface thermal characteristics. The mean standoff distance of Mercury's magnetopause averaged over Mercury's orbit is also used. Agreement between the observed and calculated intensities is found to be good. Minor discrepancies on the nightside of the terminator are explicable in terms of differences between actual and computed temperatures and scale height structure changes.

Curtis, S. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

IMP: Interactive mass properties program. Volume 1: Program description

A method of computing a weights and center of gravity analysis of a flight vehicle using interactive graphical capabilities of the Adage 340 computer is described. The equations used to calculate area, volume, and mass properties are based on elemental surface characteristics. The input/output methods employ the graphic support of the Adage computer. Several interactive program options are available for analyzing the mass properties of a vehicle. These options are explained.

Stewart, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Finite element analysis of transonic flows in highly staggered cascades

Finite element method is employed in the solution of full-potential equation for analyzing steady, transonic flows through a series of highly staggered cascades. Convergence characteristics and efficiency of the developed numerical procedure are discussed. Accuracy of the mathematical model is investigated in terms of the employed computational grid. In particular, the importance of accurate representation of the trailing edge together with the shock on the obtained flow results are studied. Numerical results include choked flows, for a cascade of NACA 0012 airfoils with pitch/chord length = 1, and stagger angle of 45 deg.

Akay, H. U.↗

NASA NTRS1984

One-dimensional unsteady modeling of supersonic inlet unstart/restart

A quasi-one-dimensional unsteady inviscid analysis of mixed-compression supersonic inlet flow is presented with emphasis on modeling of inlet unstart/restart phenomena. Numerical solution of the governing equations of motion is performed using a computationally efficient shock-capturing split-characteristics algorithm. Inlet unstart is modeled using a mass balance method which relates the expelled normal shock position ahead of the inlet cowl to the amount of spilled mass flow over the inlet housing. Comparison of computed results with experimental data for an axisymmetric inlet at a free-stream Mach number of 2.50 shows quite reasonable agreement over an entire unstart/restart transient which includes centerbody translation and retraction as well as bypass mass flow variations.

Adams, J. C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic wave scattering in a two-layer anisotropic random medium

For electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering in an anisotropic random medium, the Dyson equation for the mean field and the Bethe-Salpeter equation for the correlation or the covariance of the field were derived. With the random permittivity expressed in a general anisotropic form, the bilocal and the nonlinear approximations are employed to solve the Dyson equation, and the ladder approximation to solve the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The mean dyadic Green's function for a two-layer anisotropic random medium with arbitrary three-dimensional correlation functions has been investigated with the zeroth-order solutions to the Dyson equation under the nonlinear approximation. The effective propagation constants are calculated for the four characteristic waves associated with the coherent vector fields, propagating in an anisotropic random-medium layer, which are the ordinary and extraordinary waves with upward- and downward-propagating vectors.

Lee, J. K.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Acoustic propagation using computational fluid dynamics

The propagation characteristics of several helicopter airfoil profiles have been investigated using the transonic small disturbance equation. A test case was performed to generate a moving shock that propagated off the airfoil. Various grids were then examined to determine their ability to accurately capture these propagating shock waves. Finally, the case of airfoil-vortex interactions was thoroughly studied over a wide range of Mach numbers and airfoil shapes with particular emphasis on the transonic regime; this results in a highly conplicated fluctuation of lift, drag, and pitching moment. The calculated acoustic intensity levels, along with the details of the computational flow field, provide new insights into the understanding of transonic airfoil-vortex interactions.

Baeder, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Numerical optimization of conical flow waveriders including detailed viscous effects

A family of optimized hypersonic waveriders is generated and studied wherein detailed viscous effects are included within the optimization process itself. This is in contrast to previous optimized waverider work, wherein purely inviscid flow is used to obtain the waverider shapes. For the present waveriders, the undersurface is a streamsurface of an inviscid conical flowfield, the upper surface is a streamsurface of the inviscid flow over a tapered cylinder (calculated by the axisymmetric method of characteristics), and the viscous effects are treated by integral solutions of the boundary layer equations. Transition from laminar to turbulent flow is included within the viscous calculations. The optimization is carried out using a nonlinear simplex method. The resulting family of viscous hypersonic waveriders yields predicted high values of lift/drag, high enough to break the L/D barrier based on experience with other hypersonic configurations. Moreover, the numerical optimization process for the viscous waveriders results in distinctly different shapes compared to previous work with inviscid-designed waveriders. Also, the fine details of the viscous solution, such as how the shear stress is distributed over the surface, and the location of transition, are crucial to the details of the resulting waverider geometry. Finally, the moment coefficient variations and heat transfer distributions associated with the viscous optimized waveriders are studied.

Bowcutt, Kevin G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Distributed parameter estimation for large beam-like structures for general inputs

In this paper, maximum likelihood estimation for distributed parameter models of large flexible structures has been formulated. Distributed parameter models involve far fewer unknown parameters than independent modal characteristics of finite element models. The closed-form solutions for the partial differential equations with general forced inputs have been derived. The closed-form expressions of the sensitivity functions lead to highly efficient algorithms for analyzing ground or on-orbit test results. Numerical simulations with impulse and step inputs to the NASA Mini-MAST trust have been demonstrated. The estimations of modal properties involve its longitudinal elongation modes, lateral bending modes and torsional modes. The results show that distributed parameter models are promising in the parameter estimation of large flexible structures.

Shen, Ji-Yao↗