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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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An overview is presented of an investigation which was conducted to determine the actual effects of the Skylab environment on flight films. Examples of the flight film performance data are provided. Attention is given to the Skylab film, the environmental parameters, a major events profile of the Skylab mission, and a film environmental effects analysis. Representative Skylab film environmental response data are shown in a graph.
The newly improved 12.6-cm Arecibo radar system on Puerto Rico was employed in a study of the Galilean satellites, conducted during the time between September 28 and November 1, 1975. An additional night was assigned for observing Io on January 16, 1976. The radar cross sections obtained for Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto show nearly the same relative values as do the optical cross sections. Radar scattering spectra are presented in graphs. A table with the results of the radar investigations is also provided.
The superconducting transition temperature and the superconducting upper critical fields for sputtered films of copper-containing ternary molybdenum chalcogenides (chevrel phases) were determined. The theory presented by Werthamer, Helfand, and Hohenberg (WHH) (1966) was used to make computer-generated plots of the superconducting upper critical field values versus the superconducting transition temperature values for various values of the Maki paramagnetic pair-breaking parameter and the spin-orbit scattering parameter. The interpretation of the graph suggests that the experimental data for at least one sample are above the maximum WHH theoretical limit in the lower temperature range. Possible explanations of this situation are discussed. In other calculations, a scaling law was found suitable for determining pinning force densities; this data was used to calculate critical current values. The relation between resistivity and temperature was studied.
The synchronizing of a wind turbine generator against an infinite bus under random conditions is studied for the first time. With a digital computer, complete solutions for rotor speed, generator power angle, electromagnetic torque, wind turbine torque, wind turbine blade pitch angle, and armature current are obtained and presented by graphs. Experiments have been recently performed on the ERDA-NASA 100 kW wind turbine. Experimental results matched computer study results very closely and confirmed that the synchronization can be accomplished by means of the existing speed control system and an automatic synchronizer.
A description is given of experiments which have been carried out in a circular air jet facility consisting of two settling chambers in sequence. Sinusoidal perturbations in the exit profile are introduced at controlled frequencies and amplitudes with the aid of a loudspeaker attached to the wall of the first chamber. It was found that vortex pairing in circular jets can occur in two distinct modes, including the shear layer mode and the jet mode. Amplitude variations, the conditions for strong vortex pairing, and the spectral evolution downstream are illustrated with the aid of graphs.
The plane motion of an articulated pipe made of two segments is examined and the flow velocity at which flutter manifests itself is sought. The pressure in the reservoir feeding the pipe is kept constant. In contrast to previous works, the flow velocity is not taken as a prescribed parameter of the system but is left to follow the laws of motion. This approach requires a nonlinear formulation of the problem and the equations of motion are solved using Krylov-Bogoliubov's method. A graph of the amplitude of the limit cycles, as a function of the fluid-system mass ratio, is presented and conclusions are drawn as to the necessity of considering nonlinearities in the analysis.
An investigation is conducted concerning the behavior of the sun during the last 7000 years. The C-14 content in carbonaceous fossil material can be used as an indicator regarding the level of solar activity at the time when the carbon was assimilated in the process of photosynthesis. Living trees, such as the bristlecone pine, provide a solar activity record to about 3000 B.C. The record can be extended with the aid of well-preserved dead wood to beyond 5000 B.C. The results of an analysis of solar activity levels as a function of time on the basis of C-14 contents are presented in a graph. Attention is given to the Maunder Minimum, a history of the sun in the last 5000 years, an interpretation of the major C-14 excursions, and the sun and climate history.
Directed graphs are associated with dynamic systems in order to determine in any given system if each state can be reached by at least one input (input reachability), or can each state reach at least one output (output reachability). Then, the structural perturbations of a dynamic system are identified as lines or points removals from the corresponding digraph, and a system is considered vulnerable at those lines or points of the digraph whose removal destroys its input or output reachability. A suitable framework is formulated for resolving the problems of reachability and vulnerability which applies to both linear and nonlinear systems alike.
Critical currents in a sputtered Chevrel-phase copper molybdenum sulfide have been measured at 4.2 K as a function of applied magnetic field. Self-field critical-current values up to 10 to the 9th A/sq m were found, decreasing to 10 to the 8th A/sq m at 3 T. Graphs of pinning forces versus field were found to be independent of field direction, and the pinning mechanism is sample independent. Critical-current densities for sputtered lead molybdenum sulphide are estimated to be about 10 to the 8th A/sq m at 26 T based on a scaling law for pinning.
Spectral output of fluorescent lamps can be precisely adjusted by using computer-assisted analysis for custom blending lamp phosphors. With technique, spectrum of main bank of lamps is measured and stored in computer memory along with emission characteristics of commonly available phosphors. Computer then calculates ratio of green and blue intensities for each phosphor according to manufacturer's specifications and plots them as coordinates on graph. Same ratios are calculated for measured spectrum. Once proper mix is determined, it is applied as coating to fluorescent tubing.
Report presents technique involving single embedded thermocouple used to predict flux and temperature for high-or-low conductivity materials that have temperature-and-pressure dependent properties. Technique solves for heat rate and temperature at given surface at each time step, rather than for entire history. Newton-Raphson technique is used for temperature solutions; then quadratic fit is employed. Report contains representative graphs and tables.
Report describes application of order statistics to analysis of failure modes in redundant systems. Report provides detailed mathematical discussion of approach, accompanied by graphs and equations. Techniques are relevant to process that demand high reliability, such as manufacture of dangerous chemicals. It also includes discussion of quad-redundant system.
Complete solar-energy domestic-hot-water system for single-family residences is described in brochure. It contains data on procurement, installation, operation, and maintainance of system in residential or light commercial buildings. Appendix includes vendor brochures for major system components. Drawings, tables, and graphs complement text.
Report contains procedures and results of thermal-performance tests on double-glazed air solar collector. Four types of tests were carried out including thermal-efficiency and stagnation tests, collector time-constant tests to assess effects of transients, and incident-angle modifier tests. Data are presented in tables and as graphs and are discussed and analyzed.
Report presents procedures and results of thermal performance tests on single-covered liquid solar collector under simulated comditions. Test conditions and data are given in tables and graphs for stagnation tests and thermal performance test. In addition, time-constant test and incident-angle modifier test were conducted to determine transient effect and incident-angle effect. Results of collector load tests are also given.
Report contains design data, performance specifications, and drawings for hot-air flat-plate solar-energy collector. Evaluation consists of tests on thermal performance time constance, and incidence angle modifier test. Results are presented in table and graph form and are analyzed in detail.
Noncontained rotor failures in U.K. engines resulting from low cycle fatigue, low cycle fatigue with superimposed high cycle fatigue, and overheating and-or overspeeding were analyzed. The size, shape, weight, velocity, energy, and direction of the fragments released from turbines and compressors were studied and are presented in graph.
Empirical guidelines for the design of minimum weight turbine rotor disk fragment containment rings made from a monolithic metal were generated by experimentally establishing the relationship between a variable that provides a measure of containment ring capability and several other variables that both characterized the configurational aspects of the rotor fragments and containment ring, and had been found from exploratory testing to have had significant influence on the containment process. Test methodology and data analysis techniques are described. Results are presented in graphs and tables.