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NASA NTRS1983

Test results of modified electrical charged particle generator for application to fog dispersal

Modifications to a charged particle generator for use in fog dispersal applications were made and additional testing carried out. The modified nozzle, however, did not work as planned, and reported results are the unmodified nozzle. The addition of a positive displacement pump to supply the liquid water was highly successful. Measurements of the generator output current were made with a cylindrical collector system as well as with the needle probe used in previous studies. Measurements with the cylindrical collector and the needle probe showed identical agreement within the variability of the experiment. A high-voltage prove was purchased, and measurements of the corona voltage as well as the voltage variation in the charged particle jet were made. Electric fields in the vertical direction on the order of 1,000,000 v/m were measured. The voltage distribution along the centerline of the jet was compared with the numerical solutions of the Poisson equation and showed very good agreement. Velocity measurements using a pitot tube were made. The resulting measurements were compared with theoretical and other reported experimental results. The measured data showed the appropriate trends and agreed well with reported results. Based on the measured current-to-mass ratio from the charged particle generator, a calculation of the average droplet size was made. Droplet sizes were estimated to range between 0.8 and 0.4 microns. Using measured data, an analysis of the height to which the droplet can be dispersed by the charged particle generator was made. Although the mathematical model is highly simplified, the results indicated that particles would achieve heights on the order of 80 m.

Frost, W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Acceleration effects in solid propellant rocket motors

The performance variations due to acceleration loads imposed on spinning solid propellant rocket motors are investigated. The four potentially most significant modes of acceleration-induced phenomena are identified from a study of the literature and modeled. The four modes are a mechanical mode which deals with deformations of the propellant and case: a thermodynamic mode which covers acceleration-induced combustion phenomena; a stress mode which covers the stressed propellant's effect on burn rate; and a gas dynamic mode which deals with changes in gas flow in the chamber and through the nozzle. Simplified models of each mode are developed or taken from the literature and are added to an internal ballistics evaluation computer program. The resulting analysis is the first to include all of the modes. In order to do this an original analysis of the mechanical and stress modes was necessary. However, the analysis shows that the stress mode is not important for the circular perforated grains studied. The other effects are shown to have a significant influence on solid rocket motor performance. The magnitude of the different mode effects are such that one may not be ignored over the others as has been done in the past. The results of the analysis are compared to published rocket motor data. The comparisons indicate an erosive burning effect that is a function of spin rate. A qualitative explanation of the erosive effect is presented.

Langhenry, M. T.↗

NASA NTRS1990

On the instabilities of supersonic mixing layers - A high-Mach-number asymptotic theory

The stability of a family of tanh mixing layers is studied at large Mach numbers using perturbation methods. It is found that the eigenfunction develops a multilayered structure, and the eigenvalue is obtained by solving a simplified version of the Rayleigh equation (with homogeneous boundary conditions) in one of these layers which lies in either of the external streams. This analysis leads to a simple hypersonic similarity law which explains how spatial and temporal phase speeds and growth rates scale with Mach number and temperature ratio. Comparisons are made with numerical results, and it is found that this similarity law provides a good qualitative guide for the behavior of the instability at high Mach numbers. In addition to this asymptotic theory, some fully numerical results are also presented (with no limitation on the Mach number) in order to explain the origin of the hypersonic modes (through mode splitting) and to discuss the role of oblique modes over a very wide range of Mach number and temperature ratio.

Balsa, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Estimability of geodetic parameters from space VLBI observables

The feasibility of space very long base interferometry (VLBI) observables for geodesy and geodynamics is investigated. A brief review of space VLBI systems from the point of view of potential geodetic application is given. A selected notational convention is used to jointly treat the VLBI observables of different types of baselines within a combined ground/space VLBI network. The basic equations of the space VLBI observables appropriate for convariance analysis are derived and included. The corresponding equations for the ground-to-ground baseline VLBI observables are also given for a comparison. The simplified expression of the mathematical models for both space VLBI observables (time delay and delay rate) include the ground station coordinates, the satellite orbital elements, the earth rotation parameters, the radio source coordinates, and clock parameters. The observation equations with these parameters were examined in order to determine which of them are separable or nonseparable. Singularity problems arising from coordinate system definition and critical configuration are studied. Linear dependencies between partials are analytically derived. The mathematical models for ground-space baseline VLBI observables were tested with simulation data in the frame of some numerical experiments. Singularity due to datum defect is confirmed.

Adam, Jozsef↗

NASA NTRS1988

Maximum likelihood identification for large space structures

This paper examines the use of on-orbit identification based on Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) to provide these high-order, high-accuracy control design models for large space structures (LSS's). First, it outlines a general MLE identification algorithm, together with a covariance-analysis procedure to assess algorithm performance in terms of systematic and stochastic errors. Next, it examines various simplifications appropriate for the LSS identification application. Simplified analytical performance results are presented, as are numerical results to support these analyses. Finally, a graphical interpretation of these results is given.

Barrett, Michael F.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Callable Virtual Observatory Functionality: Sample Use Cases

A virtual observatory with an Application Programming Interface (API) can become a powerful tool in analysis and modeling. In particular, an API that integrates time selection on such criteria as "most recent" and closest to a given absolute time simplifies the user-end programming considerably. We examine three types of use cases (nowcasting, data assimilation input, and user-defined sampling rates) for such functionality in the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO).

Gurman, Joseph B.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

New Perspective on Slosh Dynamics in High-Gravity Regimes for Lunar Missions

Slosh dynamics particularly in high gravity regime is of high interest to the NASA Human Landing Systems program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. This paper reexamines the commonly accepted equivalence between pendulum and massspring-damper mechanical analogies, demonstrating the differences through simulations and their impact on design and analysis. This study re-derives equations of motion for these mechanical models including mass-spring-damper (MSD) and pendulum by relaxing simplifying assumptions that had been typically applied to large launch vehicles and may be violated for lunar and planetary landing applications. The newly-derived equations uncover potential modeling gaps when applying the pendulum and MSD models, and the need for additional considerations in their application. Finally, the newly-derived equations are validated using MathWorks® Simscape™ Multibody™ dynamics toolbox simulation.

Pendulum↗

NASA NTRS1997

Development of Curved-Plate Elements for the Exact Buckling Analysis of Composite Plate Assemblies Including Transverse-Shear Effects

The analytical formulation of curved-plate non-linear equilibrium equations including transverse-shear-deformation effects is presented. The formulation uses the principle of virtual work. A unified set of non-linear strains that contains terms from both physical and tensorial strain measures is used. Linearized, perturbed equilibrium equations (stability equations) that describe the response of the plate just after buckling occurs are then derived after the application of several simplifying assumptions. These equations are then modified to allow the reference surface of the plate to be located at a distance z(sub c) from the centroidal surface. The implementation of the new theory into the VICONOPT exact buckling and vibration analysis and optimum design computer program is described as well. The terms of the plate stiffness matrix using both Classical Plate Theory (CPT) and first-order Shear-Deformation Plate Theory (SDPT) are presented. The necessary steps to include the effects of in-plane transverse and in-plane shear loads in the in-plane stability equations are also outlined. Numerical results are presented using the newly implemented capability. Comparisons of results for several example problems with different loading states are made. Comparisons of analyses using both physical and tensorial strain measures as well as CPT and SDPF are also made. Results comparing the computational effort required by the new analysis to that of the analysis currently in the VICONOPT program are presented. The effects of including terms related to in-plane transverse and in-plane shear loadings in the in-plane stability equations are also examined. Finally, results of a design-optimization study of two different cylindrical shells subject to uniform axial compression are presented.

McGowan, David Michael↗

NASA NTRS1994

Structural analysis of airborne flux estimates over a region

Aircraft-based observations of turbulence fields of velocity, moisture, and temperature are used to study coherent turbulent structures that dominate turbulent transfer of moisture and heat above three different eco-systems. Flux traces are defragmented, to reconstruct the presumed full size (along the sampled transect) of these structures, and flux traces are simplified by elimination of those that contribute negligibly to the flux estimate. Structures are analyzed in terms of size, spatial distribution, and contribution to the flux, in the four 'quadrant' modes of eddy-covariance transfer (excess up/down and deficit up/down). The effect of nonlinear detrending of moisture and temperature data on this 'structural analysis,' over surfaces with heterogeneous surface wetness, is also examined. Results over grassland, wetland, and moist and dry agricultural land, show that nonlinear detrending may provide a more physically realistic description of structures. Significant differences are observed between structure size and associated relative flux contribution, between moist and dry areas, with smaller structures playing a more important role over the moist areas. Structure size generally increases with height, as spatial reorganization from smaller structures into larger ones takes place. This coincides with a gradual loss of surface 'signature' (position and clustering of plumes above localized source areas). The data are expected to provide a basis for an eventual statistical description of boundary-layer transfer events , and help to interpret the link between boundary-layer transfer and hydrological surface conditions.

Caramori, Paulo↗

NASA NTRS1963

Lunar Flight Study Series: Volume 7. Earth-Moon Transit Studies Based on Ephemeris Data and Using Best Available Computer Program: Principles for Reducing Earth-Moon Trajectory Analysis to Fundamentals - 2

This report presents an empirical investigation of earth-to-moon trajectories. The primary objective is to uncover relationships that result in the reduction of mission analysis or trajectory analysis problems to fundamentals. It is considered imperative that the results be accurate to the extent that any relationships that are uncovered are not brought about by simplifying or unrealistic assumptions. Consequently, the model used is as accurate as is presently available for use and the computations are performed under strict error controls. Procedures are reasonable from the engineering viewpoint. Some very helpful principles are uncovered. These may be briefly stated as follows: 1) Trajectories of constant flight time to the moon (in the 66 hour to 90 hour range), and arriving within a few minutes of the same time pass over a common point on the moon regardless of the arrival altitude and inclination, This common point of passage for such a family of trajectories is arbitrarily referred to as a VERTEX point; 2) These VERTEX points lie within a bounded region on the lunar surface as arrival time varies throughout the years, for a given flight time or flight time spread; 3) Increasing flight time results primarily in a longitude shift of the VERTEX point for a given arrival time; 4) Launch azimuth should be treated as a strong parameter regarding its influence on the vertex. Launch azimuth variations up to +/- 20 degrees about 90 degrees can shift the vertex as much as 3 degrees in latitude even when one is free to pick launch time, coast time, and S-IVB burn time appropriately with launch azimuth; and 5) The locus of periselenum, as arrival inclination takes on all possible values, is nearly circular about the vertex point for a given arrival altitude. A publication is now in preparation that applies these principles to much advantage in the solution of various trajectory analysis problems.

LUNAR FLIGHT↗

NASA NTRS2019

Linear Analysis of a Two-Parachute System Undergoing Pendulum Motion

Motion resembling that of a pendulum undergoing large-amplitude oscillation was ob- served during a series of flight tests of an unoccupied Orion Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) drop-test vehicle. Large excursions away from vertical by the capsule could cause it to strike the ground or ocean at a large angle with respect to vertical, with an undesirable attitude with respect to heading, or with a large horizontal or vertical speed. These conditions are to be avoided because they would endanger the occupants of the capsule in an actual mission. Pendulum motion is intimately related to a parachute’s aerodynamic normal force coefficient, which is a nonlinear function of angle of attack. An analytical investigation of the dynamics of pendulum motion is undertaken with the aid of a simplified model of the physical system and the assumption that the normal force coefficient is a linear function of angle of attack in the neighborhood of a value corresponding to stable equilibrium. The analysis leads to a simple relationship for the location of a pivot point, which provides insights that are consistent with previous studies.

Roithmayr, Carlos M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Unsteady Pressure Measurement on a Simplified High-Lift Configuration of the Common Research Model using Active Flow Control

The High-Lift Common Research Model (CRM-HL) is a product of the NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project intended to study various high-lift aerodynamic phenomena including enhanced lift, acoustic noise generation, and optimum placement of leading and trailing-edge devices. The current study was conducted in the NASA Langley 14-by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel (14x22) for the purpose of evaluating enhanced lift through the use of active flow control (AFC). The current paper documents the effect of sweeping-jet actuation combined with steady blowing on a simplified high-lift configuration using unsteady pressure measurements. The time-series parameters for the measurements are documented as well as the data acquisition system used to acquire the data. An uncertainty analysis will be presented in order to document the system performance and provide an estimate of the data quality. Repeatability of the data will be shown along with trends associated with model angle of attack, and those associated with changes in the nozzle pressure ratio (NPR) of the AFC system.

Common Research Model↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Method of Integrating Aeroheating into Conceptual Reusable Launch Vehicle Design: Evaluation of Advanced Thermal Protection Techniques for Future Reusable Launch Vehicles

A method for integrating Aeroheating analysis into conceptual reusable launch vehicle (RLV) design is presented in this thesis. This process allows for faster turn-around time to converge a RLV design through the advent of designing an optimized thermal protection system (TPS). It consists of the coupling and automation of four computer software packages: MINIVER, TPSX, TCAT, and ADS. MINIVER is an Aeroheating code that produces centerline radiation equilibrium temperatures, convective heating rates, and heat loads over simplified vehicle geometries. These include flat plates and swept cylinders that model wings and leading edges, respectively. TPSX is a NASA Ames material properties database that is available on the World Wide Web. The newly developed Thermal Calculation Analysis Tool (TCAT) uses finite difference methods to carry out a transient in-depth 1-D conduction analysis over the center mold line of the vehicle. This is used along with the Automated Design Synthesis (ADS) code to correctly size the vehicle's thermal protection system (TPS). The numerical optimizer ADS uses algorithms that solve constrained and unconstrained design problems. The resulting outputs for this process are TPS material types, unit thicknesses, and acreage percentages. TCAT was developed for several purposes. First, it provides a means to calculate the transient in-depth conduction seen by the surface of the TPS material that protects a vehicle during ascent and reentry. Along with the in-depth conduction, radiation from the surface of the material is calculated along with the temperatures at the backface and interior parts of the TPS material. Secondly, TCAT contributes added speed and automation to the overall design process. Another motivation in the development of TCAT is optimization. In some vehicles, the TPS accounts for a high percentage of the overall vehicle dry weight. Optimizing the weight of the TPS will thereby lower the percentage of the dry weight accounted for by the TPS. Also, this will lower the cost of the TPS and the overall cost of the vehicle.

Olds, John R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Evaluation of Advanced Thermal Protection Techniques for Future Reusable Launch Vehicles

A method for integrating Aeroheating analysis into conceptual reusable launch vehicle RLV design is presented in this thesis. This process allows for faster turn-around time to converge a RLV design through the advent of designing an optimized thermal protection system (TPS). It consists of the coupling and automation of four computer software packages: MINIVER, TPSX, TCAT and ADS. MINIVER is an Aeroheating code that produces centerline radiation equilibrium temperatures, convective heating rates, and heat loads over simplified vehicle geometries. These include flat plates and swept cylinders that model wings and leading edges, respectively. TPSX is a NASA Ames material properties database that is available on the World Wide Web. The newly developed Thermal Calculation Analysis Tool (TCAT) uses finite difference methods to carry out a transient in-depth I-D conduction analysis over the center mold line of the vehicle. This is used along with the Automated Design Synthesis (ADS) code to correctly size the vehicle's thermal protection system JPS). The numerical optimizer ADS uses algorithms that solve constrained and unconstrained design problems. The resulting outputs for this process are TPS material types, unit thicknesses, and acreage percentages. TCAT was developed for several purposes. First, it provides a means to calculate the transient in-depth conduction seen by the surface of the TPS material that protects a vehicle during ascent and reentry. Along with the in-depth conduction, radiation from the surface of the material is calculated along with the temperatures at the backface and interior parts of the TPS material. Secondly, TCAT contributes added speed and automation to the overall design process. Another motivation in the development of TCAT is optimization.

Olds, John R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Noise from two-dimensional vortices

The fluctuating flow in an idealized model of a turbulent shear layer composed of many discrete vortices is analyzed. Computer solutions reveal irregular motions which are similar in many respects to observed flows in turbulent three-dimensional layers. The model is further simplified to a pair of equal co-rotating vortices and the noise generation is analyzed in terms of equivalent quadrupole oscillations. Results of the analysis in a uniform medium are consistent with Lighthill's results. New results are obtained for the effects of mean velocity gradients, compressibility, temperature inhomogenities, and gradients of the mean Mach number.

Sanders, N. D.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Noise from two-dimensional vortices.

Sanders, N. D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of the 60-Hz power system at KSC: The Orsino substation

An analysis of the Orsino Substation, a component (50 percent) of the 60-Hertz electric power system at the Kennedy Space Center, is presented. Presented here are separate single-line diagrams of the sixteen feeder circuits to permit easy access to information on the individual feeders for future planning. The load condition of each feeder and load break switch are presented and a heuristic reliability analysis of the system is performed. Information is given about the system fashion useful for decision making purposes. The beauty of it is in the simplified manner by which information about the system can be obtained.

Kalu, Alex O.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Dynamics of flames near the rich-flammability limit of hydrogen-air mixtures

Flames near the rich-flammability limit of hydrogen-air mixtures are studied using a detailed, time-dependent, one-dimensional Lagrangian model. Results from the numerical simulations indicate that a steady burning velocity is not obtained for very rich hydrogen-air mixtures. As the amount of hydrogen is increased, a damped oscillation is observed in the flame and burning velocities, and then, with further increase in the amount of hydrogen, an undamped oscillation with a complex set of frequencies is observed. Simulations with a simplified one-step irreversible chemical reaction do not show these oscillations, suggesting that chemical kinetics plays a strong role in inducing these oscillations. Further analysis shows that the oscillations are due to a competition for H atoms between chain branching and chain-terminating reactions. Simulations of spherically expanding flames suggest that stretch effects (due to curvature) will cause the oscillations to occur in less rich mixtures than that observed for planar flames. The implications of these oscillations on the rich-flammability limit as well as the role of chemical kinetics in creating a fundamental flammability limit is discussed.

Kailasanath, K.↗