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At least 847 records · Page 47
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Rotor Airloads Prediction Using Unstructured Meshes and Loose CFD/CSD Coupling

The FUN3D unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver for unstructured grids has been modified to allow prediction of trimmed rotorcraft airloads. The trim of the rotorcraft and the aeroelastic deformation of the rotor blades are accounted for via loose coupling with the CAMRAD II rotorcraft computational structural dynamics code. The set of codes is used to analyze the HART-II Baseline, Minimum Noise and Minimum Vibration test conditions. The loose coupling approach is found to be stable and convergent for the cases considered. Comparison of the resulting airloads and structural deformations with experimentally measured data is presented. The effect of grid resolution and temporal accuracy is examined. Rotorcraft airloads prediction presents a very substantial challenge for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Not only must the unsteady nature of the flow be accurately modeled, but since most rotorcraft blades are not structurally stiff, an accurate simulation must account for the blade structural dynamics. In addition, trim of the rotorcraft to desired thrust and moment targets depends on both aerodynamic loads and structural deformation, and vice versa. Further, interaction of the fuselage with the rotor flow field can be important, so that relative motion between the blades and the fuselage must be accommodated. Thus a complete simulation requires coupled aerodynamics, structures and trim, with the ability to model geometrically complex configurations. NASA has recently initiated a Subsonic Rotary Wing (SRW) Project under the overall Fundamental Aeronautics Program. Within the context of SRW are efforts aimed at furthering the state of the art of high-fidelity rotorcraft flow simulations, using both structured and unstructured meshes. Structured-mesh solvers have an advantage in computation speed, but even though remarkably complex configurations may be accommodated using the overset grid approach, generation of complex structured-mesh systems can require months to set up. As a result, many rotorcraft simulations using structured-grid CFD neglect the fuselage. On the other hand, unstructured-mesh solvers are easily able to handle complex geometries, but suffer from slower execution speed. However, advances in both computer hardware and CFD algorithms have made previously state-of-the-art computations routine for unstructured-mesh solvers, so that rotorcraft simulations using unstructured grids are now viable. The aim of the present work is to develop a first principles rotorcraft simulation tool based on an unstructured CFD solver.

Biedron, Robert T.↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the optimization of discrete structures with aeroelastic constraints

The paper deals with the problem of dynamic structural optimization where constraints relating to flutter of a wing (or other dynamic aeroelastic performance) are imposed along with conditions of a more conventional nature such as those relating to stress under load, deflection, minimum dimensions of structural elements, etc. The discussion is limited to a flutter problem for a linear system with a finite number of degrees of freedom and a single constraint involving aeroelastic stability, and the structure motion is assumed to be a simple harmonic time function. Three search schemes are applied to the minimum-weight redesign of a particular wing: the first scheme relies on the method of feasible directions, while the other two are derived from necessary conditions for a local optimum so that they can be referred to as optimality-criteria schemes. The results suggest that a heuristic redesign algorithm involving an optimality criterion may be best suited for treating multiple constraints with large numbers of design variables.

Mcintosh, S. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Modal interaction in linear dynamic systems near degenerate modes

In various problems in structural dynamics, the eigenvalues of a linear system depend on a characteristic parameter of the system. Under certain conditions, two eigenvalues of the system approach each other as the characteristic parameter is varied, leading to modal interaction. In a system with conservative coupling, the two eigenvalues eventually repel each other, leading to the curve veering effect. In a system with nonconservative coupling, the eigenvalues continue to attract each other, eventually colliding, leading to eigenvalue degeneracy. Modal interaction is studied in linear systems with conservative and nonconservative coupling using singularity theory, sometimes known as catastrophe theory. The main result is this: eigenvalue degeneracy is a cause of instability; in systems with conservative coupling, it induces only geometric instability, whereas in systems with nonconservative coupling, eigenvalue degeneracy induces both geometric and elastic instability. Illustrative examples of mechanical systems are given.

Afolabi, D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

High Temperature Propulsion System Structural Seals for Future Space Launch Vehicles

High temperature, dynamic structural seals are required in advanced hypersonic engines to seal the perimeters of movable engine ramps for efficient, safe operation in high heat flux environments at temperatures from 2000 to 2500 F. NASA GRC became involved in the development of high temperature structural seals in the late 1980 s and early 1990 s during the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) program. Researchers at GRC carried out an in-house program to develop seals for the NASP hypersonic engine and oversaw industry efforts for airframe and propulsion system seal development for this vehicle. The figure shows one of the seal locations in the NASP engine. Seals were needed along the edges of movable panels in the engine to seal gaps between the panels and adjacent engine sidewalls. Seals developed during the NASP program met many requirements but fell short of leakage, durability, and resiliency goals. Due to program termination the seals could not be adequately matured. To overcome these shortfalls, GRC is currently developing advanced seals and seal preloading devices for the hypersonic engines of future space vehicles as part of NASA s Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program.

Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Vibration Testing of Stirling Power Convertors

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are currently developing a high efficient, long life, free piston Stirling convertor for use as an advanced spacecraft power system for future NASA missions. As part of this development, a Stirling Technology Demonstrator Convertor (TDC), developed by Stirling Technology Company (STC) for DOE, was vibration tested at GRC s Structural Dynamics Laboratory (SDU7735) in November- December 1999. This testing demonstrated that the Stirling TDC is able to withstand the harsh random vibration (20 to 2000 Hertz) seen during a typical spacecraft launch and survive with no structural damage or functional power performance degradation, thereby enabling its usage in future spacecraft power systems. The Stirling Vibration Test Team at NASA GRC and STC personnel conducted tests on a single 55 electric watt TDC. The purpose was to characterize the TDC s structural response to vibration and determine if the TDC could survive the vibration criteria established by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for launch environments. The TDC was operated at full-stroke and full power conditions during the vibration testing. The TDC was tested in two orientations, with the direction of vibration parallel and perpendicular to the TDC s moving components (displacer and piston). The TDC successfully passed a series of sine and random vibration tests. The most severe test was a 12.3 Grms random vibration test (peak vibration level of 0.2 g2/Hz from 50 to 250 Hertz) with test durations of 3 minutes per axis. The random vibration test levels were chosen to simulate, with margin, the maximum anticipated launch vibration conditions. As a result of this very successful vibration testing and successful evaluations in other key technical readiness areas, the Stirling power system is now considered a viable technology for future application for NASA spacecraft missions. Possible usage of the Stirling power system would be to supply on- board electric spacecraft power for future NASA Deep-Space Missions, performing as an attractive alternative to Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG). Usage of the Stirling technology is also being considered as the electric power source for future Mars rovers, whose mission profiles may exclude the use of photovoltaic power systems (such as exploring at high Martian latitudes or for missions of lengthy durations). GRC s Thermo-Mechanical Systems Branch (5490) provides Stirling technology expertise under a Space Act Agreement with the DOE. Additional vibration testing, by GRC s Structural Systems Dynamics Branch (7733, is planned to continue to demonstrate the Stirling power system s vibration capability as its technology and flight system designs progress.

Hughes, Bill↗
NASA NTRS1989

A continuum model for dynamic analysis of the Space Station

Dynamic analysis of the International Space Station using MSC/NASTRAN had 1312 rod elements, 62 beam elements, 489 nodes and 1473 dynamic degrees of freedom. A realtime, man-in-the-loop simulation of such a model is impractical. This paper discusses the mathematical model for realtime dynamic simulation of the Space Station. Several key questions in structures and structural dynamics are addressed. First, to achieve a significant reduction in the number of dynamic degrees of freedom, a continuum equivalent representation of the Space Station truss structure which accounted for the unsymmetry of the basic configuration and resulted in the coupling of extensional and transverse deformation, is developed. Next, dynamic equations for the continuum equivalent of the Space Station truss structure are formulated using a matrix version of Kane's dynamical equations. Flexibility is accounted for by using a theory that accommodates extension, bending in two principal planes and shear displacement. Finally, constraint equations suitable for dynamic analysis of flexible bodies with closed loop configuration are developed and solution of the resulting system of equations is based on the zero eigenvalue theorem.

Thomas, Segun↗
NASA NTRS2008

An Integrated Approach to Damage Accommodation in Flight Control

In this paper we present an integrated approach to in-flight damage accommodation in flight control. The approach is based on Multiple Models, Switching and Tuning (MMST), and consists of three steps: In the first step the main objective is to acquire a realistic aircraft damage model. Modeling of in-flight damage is a highly complex problem since there is a large number of issues that need to be addressed. One of the most important one is that there is strong coupling between structural dynamics, aerodynamics, and flight control. These effects cannot be studied separately due to this coupling. Once a realistic damage model is available, in the second step a large number of models corresponding to different damage cases are generated. One possibility is to generate many linear models and interpolate between them to cover a large portion of the flight envelope. Once these models have been generated, we will implement a recently developed-Model Set Reduction (MSR) technique. The technique is based on parameterizing damage in terms of uncertain parameters, and uses concepts from robust control theory to arrive at a small number of "centered" models such that the controllers corresponding to these models assure desired stability and robustness properties over a subset in the parametric space. By devising a suitable model placement strategy, the entire parametric set is covered with a relatively small number of models and controllers. The third step consists of designing a Multiple Models, Switching and Tuning (MMST) strategy for estimating the current operating regime (damage case) of the aircraft, and switching to the corresponding controller to achieve effective damage accommodation and the desired performance. In the paper present a comprehensive approach to damage accommodation using Model Set Design,MMST, and Variable Structure compensation for coupling nonlinearities. The approach was evaluated on a model of F/A-18 aircraft dynamics under control effector damage, augmented by nonlinear cross-coupling terms and a structural dynamics model. The proposed approach achieved excellent performance under severe damage effects.

Boskovic, Jovan D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Dynamic Characterization of an Inflatable Concentrator for Solar Thermal Propulsion

An inflatable structural system that is a technology demonstrator for solar thermal propulsion and other applications is characterized for structural dynamic behavior both experimentally and computationally. The inflatable structure is a pressurized assembly developed for use in orbit to support a Fresnel lens or inflatable lenticular element for focusing sunlight into a solar thermal rocket engine. When the engine temperature reaches a pre-set level, the propellant is injected into the engine, absorbs heat from an exchanger, and is expanded through the nozzle to produce thrust. The inflatable structure is a passively adaptive system in that a regulator and relief valve are utilized to maintain pressure within design limits during the full range of orbital conditions. Modeling and test activities are complicated by the fact that the polyimide film material used for construction of the inflatable is nonlinear, with modulus varying as a function of frequency, temperature, and level of excitation. Modal vibration testing and finite element modeling are described in detail in this paper. The test database is used for validation and modification of the model. This work is highly significant because of the current interest in inflatable structures for space application, and because of the difficulty in accurately modeling such systems.

Leigh, Larry↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Historical Perspective on Dynamics Testing at the Langley Research Center

The history of structural dynamics testing research over the past four decades at the Langley Research Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is reviewed. Beginning in the early sixties, Langley investigated several scale model and full-scale spacecraft including the NIMBUS and various concepts for Apollo and Viking landers. Langley engineers pioneered the use of scaled models to study the dynamics of launch vehicles including Saturn I, Saturn V, and Titan III. In the seventies, work emphasized the Space Shuttle and advanced test and data analysis methods. In the eighties, the possibility of delivering large structures to orbit by the Space Shuttle shifted focus towards understanding the interaction of flexible space structures with attitude control systems. Although Langley has maintained a tradition of laboratory-based research, some flight experiments were supported. This review emphasizes work that, in some way, advanced the state of knowledge at the time.

Horta, Lucas G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Low-power millimeter-wave radar observations of the atmosphere

Historically, cloud structures, dynamics, and precipitation processes have been observed and measured with sensors from two different spatial resolutions. Laser-based sensors have volume resolutions on the order of 10(exp -4) to 10(exp -2) cubic meters for a 1-s sample. Radar systems operating at wavelengths between 1 and 10 cm have resolutions on the order of 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 7) cubic meters. The resolutions of micro-wave systems depend primarily on the system RF bandwidth and antenna bandwidth. Both resolution regimes were useful in the study of cloud structures and processes - the former for determining resolution on the individual cloud particle scale and the latter for studying the coarse characteristics of cloud dynamics and structure. There are, however, cloud processes and structures that occur on scales that lie between these two regimes: the process of entrainment, where outside air is brought within the cloud boundaries; the mixing of in-cloud particles with different histories; cloud particle coalescence; and ice formation. The use of mm-wave (30- to 300-GHz) radars offers an opportunity to observe cloud processes at these scales and determine their influence on precipitation development, cloud albedos, cloud lifetimes, chemical cycling of tract substances, aircraft icing, and other meteorological phenomena. To determine the usefulness of a 35-GHz radar for observing these precipitation and cloud processes, a research program was initiated. The objectives of this program are to develop a 35-GHz radar, to measure scattering from precipitation and clouds, and to develop a model to compute scattering from clouds using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique.

Ronnau, James F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

3D reconstruction methods of coronal structures by radio observations

The ability to carry out the three dimensional (3D) reconstruction of structures in the solar corona would represent a major advance in the study of the physical properties in active regions and in flares. Methods which allow a geometric reconstruction of quasistationary coronal structures (for example active region loops) or dynamic structures (for example flaring loops) are described: stereoscopy of multi-day imaging observations by the VLA (Very Large Array); tomography of optically thin emission (in radio or soft x-rays); multifrequency band imaging by the VLA; and tracing of magnetic field lines by propagating electron beams.

Aschwanden, Markus J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Active damping in a flexible manipulator

Viewgraphs on active damping in a flexible manipulator are presented. Topics covered include: Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS); flexible structures; vibration; modeling of a flexible manipulator dynamical structure; designing control law criterion that minimizes vibration; and candidate application of fuzzy logic control law to the problem.

Pham, Trung T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A self-defining hierarchical data system

The Self-Defining Data System (SDS) is a system which allows the creation of self-defining hierarchical data structures in a form which allows the data to be moved between different machine architectures. Because the structures are self-defining they can be used for communication between independent modules in a distributed system. Unlike disk-based hierarchical data systems such as Starlink's HDS, SDS works entirely in memory and is very fast. Data structures are created and manipulated as internal dynamic structures in memory managed by SDS itself. A structure may then be exported into a caller supplied memory buffer in a defined external format. This structure can be written as a file or sent as a message to another machine. It remains static in structure until it is reimported into SDS. SDS is written in portable C and has been run on a number of different machine architectures. Structures are portable between machines with SDS looking after conversion of byte order, floating point format, and alignment. A Fortran callable version is also available for some machines.

Bailey, J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Structural Modeling Using "Scanning and Mapping" Technique

Supported by NASA Glenn Center, we are in the process developing a structural damage diagnostic and monitoring system for rocket engines, which consists of five modules: Structural Modeling, Measurement Data Pre-Processor, Structural System Identification, Damage Detection Criterion, and Computer Visualization. The function of the system is to detect damage as it is incurred by the engine structures. The scientific principle to identify damage is to utilize the changes in the vibrational properties between the pre-damaged and post-damaged structures. The vibrational properties of the pre-damaged structure can be obtained based on an analytic computer model of the structure. Thus, as the first stage of the whole research plan, we currently focus on the first module - Structural Modeling. Three computer software packages are selected, and will be integrated for this purpose. They are PhotoModeler-Pro, AutoCAD-R14, and MSC/NASTRAN. AutoCAD is the most popular PC-CAD system currently available in the market. For our purpose, it plays like an interface to generate structural models of any particular engine parts or assembly, which is then passed to MSC/NASTRAN for extracting structural dynamic properties. Although AutoCAD is a powerful structural modeling tool, the complexity of engine components requires a further improvement in structural modeling techniques. We are working on a so-called "scanning and mapping" technique, which is a relatively new technique. The basic idea is to producing a full and accurate 3D structural model by tracing on multiple overlapping photographs taken from different angles. There is no need to input point positions, angles, distances or axes. Photographs can be taken by any types of cameras with different lenses. With the integration of such a modeling technique, the capability of structural modeling will be enhanced. The prototypes of any complex structural components will be produced by PhotoModeler first based on existing similar components, then passed to AutoCAD for modification and correction of any discrepancies seen in the Photomodeler version of the 3Dmodel. These three software packages are fully compatible. The DXF file can be used to transfer drawings among those packages. To begin this entire process, we are using a small replica of an actual engine blade as a test object. This paper introduces the accomplishment of our recent work.

Amos, Courtney L.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Initial Aerodynamic and Acoustic Study of an Active Twist Rotor Using a Loosely Coupled CFD/CSD Method

Preliminary aerodynamic and performance predictions for an active twist rotor for a HART-II type of configuration are performed using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, OVERFLOW2, and a computational structural dynamics (CSD) code, CAMRAD -II. These codes are loosely coupled to compute a consistent set of aerodynamics and elastic blade motions. Resultant aerodynamic and blade motion data are then used in the Ffowcs-Williams Hawkins solver, PSU-WOPWOP, to compute noise on an observer plane under the rotor. Active twist of the rotor blade is achieved in CAMRAD-II by application of a periodic torsional moment couple (of equal and opposite sign) at the blade root and tip at a specified frequency and amplitude. To provide confidence in these particular active twist predictions for which no measured data is available, the rotor system geometry and computational set up examined here are identical to that used in a previous successful Higher Harmonic Control (HHC) computational study. For a single frequency equal to three times the blade passage frequency (3P), active twist is applied across a range of control phase angles at two different amplitudes. Predicted results indicate that there are control phase angles where the maximum mid-frequency noise level and the 4P non -rotating hub vibrations can be reduced, potentially, both at the same time. However, these calculated reductions are predicted to come with a performance penalty in the form of a reduction in rotor lift-to-drag ratio due to an increase in rotor profile power.

Boyd, David D. Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Adaptive identification for the dynamics of large space structures

A new approach for identifying the dynamics of large space structures using noisy measurements is presented. In this approach, a modal system description is avoided and, hence, the a priori specification of model order. Instead, the system's order is recursively determined on-line, along with its parameters, using recursive lattice filters which are widely used in adaptive signal processing. The order determination is carried out based on statistical hypothesis testing theory. The approach is illustrated for the problem of identifying the structural dynamic characteristics of a free-free beam. Results on the effectiveness and accuracy of the identification scheme with respect to noise levels, sampling rates, and data window sizes are presented

Sundararajan, N.↗