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At least 847 records · Page 47

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NASA NTRS1977

Peripheral processors for high-speed simulation

This paper describes some of the results of a study directed to the specification and procurement of a new cockpit simulator for an advanced class of helicopters. A part of the study was the definition of a challenging benchmark problem, and detailed analyses of it were made to assess the suitability of a variety of simulation techniques. The analyses showed that a particularly cost-effective approach to the attainment of adequate speed for this extremely demanding application is to employ a large minicomputer acting as host and controller for a special-purpose digital peripheral processor. Various realizations of such peripheral processors, all employing state-of-the-art electronic circuitry and a high degree of parallelism and pipelining, are available or under development. The types of peripheral processors array processors, simulation-oriented processors, and arrays of processing elements - are analyzed and compared. They are particularly promising approaches which should be suitable for high-speed simulations of all kinds, the cockpit simulator being a case in point.

Karplus, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Landsat applied to landslide mapping

A variety of features characteristic of rotational landslides may be identified on Landsat imagery. These include tonal mottling, tonal banding, major and secondary scarps, and ponds. Pseudostereoscopic viewing of 9 by 9 in. transparencies was useful for the detailed identification of landslides, whereas 1:250,000 prints enlarged from 70 mm negatives were most suitable for regional analysis. Band 7 is the most useful band for landslide recognition, due to accentuation of ponds and shadows. Examination of both bands 7 and 5, including vegetation information, was found to be most suitable. Although, given optimum terrain conditions, some landslides in Colorado may be recognized, many smaller landslides are not identifiable. Consequently, Landsat is not recommended for detailed regional mapping, or for use in areas similar to Colorado, where alternative (aircraft) imagery is available. However, Landsat may prove useful for preliminary landslide mapping in relatively unknown areas.

Sauchyn, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Durability of foam insulation for LH2 fuel tanks of future subsonic transports

In connection with the potential short-supply of petroleum based fuels, NASA has initiated investigations concerning the feasibility of aircraft using as fuel hydrogen which is to be stored in liquid form. One of the problems to be solved for an operation of such aircraft is related to the possibility of a suitable storage of the liquid hydrogen. A description is presented of an experimental study regarding the suitability of commercially available organic foams as cryogenic insulation for liquid hydrogen tanks under extensive thermal cycling typical of subsonic airline type operation. Fourteen commercially available organic foam insulations were tested. The thermal performance of all insulations was found to deteriorate with increased simulated flight cycles. Two unreinforced polyurethane foams survived over 4200 thermal cycles (representative of approximately 15 years of airline service) without evidence of structural deterioration. The polyurethane foam insulations also exhibited excellent thermal performance.

Sharpe, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Synthesis of porous polyaromatic column packings for GC analysis of extraterrestrial atmospheres

The preparation of a polymer for the Pioneer-Venus Large Probe Gas Chromatograph and another polymer for gas-chromatographic analysis of the Jovian atmosphere is described. Technical-grade divinylbenzene is used as a reliable and economical source of monomer for the preparation of polymer beads. The discussion covers monomeric preparation, polymerization apparatus, first-stage polymer beads, second-stage polymer beads, amino-polymer, columns and gas-chromatographic testing instrumentation used. The polymer for the Pioneer-Venus gas chromatograph is also suitable for ammonia but not for amine analysis. However, the polymer for the analysis of the Jovian atmosphere is a chemically derivatized aromatic polymer that is suitable for amine analysis. The two-stage polymerization produces a highly efficient polymer packing clearly superior to others prepared by adjusted dilution of the aqueous-organic suspension system.

Woeller, F. H.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Test and evaluation of bubble memories

A description is presented of a test program which has shown that well-constructed bubble memories can operate reliably over long periods of time and at low error rates. Even the relatively high error rate of one memory during burn-in can be considered acceptable if compared with tape recorder standards. No wear-out mechanism or aging could be detected. Bubble memories are now considered suitable for long-duration space missions and certainly are suitable for many military and commercial applications. It must be recognized, however, that bubble memories are complex devices and not yet fully understood. While the particular memory tested may never find practical applications, it nevertheless has provided insight into performance characteristics considered typical of bubble memories.

Bahm, E.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Conceptual design of thermal energy storage systems for near term electric utility applications. Volume 1: Screening of concepts

Over forty thermal energy storage (TES) concepts gathered from the literature and personal contacts were studied for their suitability for the electric utility application of storing energy off-peak discharge during peak hours. Twelve selections were derived from the concepts for screening; they used as storage media high temperature water (HTW), hot oil, molten salts, and packed beds of solids such as rock. HTW required pressure containment by prestressed cast-iron or concrete vessels, or lined underground cavities. Both steam generation from storage and feedwater heating from storage were studied. Four choices were made for further study during the project. Economic comparison by electric utility standard cost practices, and near-term availability (low technical risk) were principal criteria but suitability for utility use, conservation potential, and environmental hazards were considered.

Hausz, W.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Chemical vapor deposition growth

The objective was to investigate and develop chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques for the growth of large areas of Si sheet on inexpensive substrate materials, with resulting sheet properties suitable for fabricating solar cells that would meet the technical goals of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array Project. The program involved six main technical tasks: (1) modification and test of an existing vertical-chamber CVD reactor system; (2) identification and/or development of suitable inexpensive substrate materials; (3) experimental investigation of CVD process parameters using various candidate substrate materials; (4) preparation of Si sheet samples for various special studies, including solar cell fabrication; (5) evaluation of the properties of the Si sheet material produced by the CVD process; and (6) fabrication and evaluation of experimental solar cell structures, using impurity diffusion and other standard and near-standard processing techniques supplemented late in the program by the in situ CVD growth of n(+)/p/p(+) sheet structures subsequently processed into experimental cells.

Ruth, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Experimental evaluation of a pilot multinozzle-duct apparatus

A pilot multinozzle and duct were tested at ambient enthalpy to evaluate the suitability of such apparatus for testing thermal protection system panels mounted in the sidewalls of the duct downstream of the nozzle array. The flow field in the duct was complex: effects of wakes and shock waves from the nozzle dominated the flow field; the wakes continually mixed with the surrounding fluid; the boundary layer on the sidewalls of the duct was nonuniform; and near the exit of the duct the sidewall pressure variation was as much as 8.5 percent about the mean wall pressure. Starting loads on the duct walls were higher than those of a similar conventional nozzle and duct. It was concluded that the multinozzle-duct apparatus was not suitable for testing TPS panels, although the design and flow-field information should be of interest to designers of high-energy gasdynamic lasers.

Puster, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Prosthetic EMG control enhancement through the application of man-machine principles

An area in medicine that appears suitable to man-machine principles is rehabilitation research, particularly when the motor aspects of the body are involved. If one considers the limb, whether functional or not, as the machine, the brain as the controller and the neuromuscular system as the man-machine interface, the human body is reduced to a man-machine system that can benefit from the principles behind such systems. The area of rehabilitation that this paper deals with is that of an arm amputee and his prosthetic device. Reducing this area to its man-machine basics, the problem becomes one of attaining natural multiaxis prosthetic control using Electromyographic activity (EMG) as the means of communication between man and prothesis. In order to use EMG as the communication channel it must be amplified and processed to yield a high information signal suitable for control. The most common processing scheme employed is termed Mean Value Processing. This technique for extracting the useful EMG signal consists of a differential to single ended conversion to the surface activity followed by a rectification and smoothing.

Simcox, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Aerosol and nucleation research in support of NASA cloud physics experiments in space

Tasks performed in the development of an ice nucleus generator which, within the facility concept of the ACPL, would provide a test aerosol suitable for a large number and variety of potential experiments are described. The impact of Atmospheric Cloud Physics Laboratory scientific functional requirements on ice nuclei generation and characterization subsystems was established. Potential aerosol generating systems were evaluated with special emphasis on reliability, repeatability and general suitability for application in Spacelab. Possible contamination problems associated with aerosol generation techniques were examined. The ice nucleating abilities of candidate test aerosols were examined and the possible impact of impurities on the nucleating abilities of those aerosols were assessed as well as the relative merits of various methods of aerosol size and number density measurements.

Vali, G.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Large area CCD image sensors for space astronomy

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has a substantial program to develop a 2200 x 2200 pixel CCD (Charge Coupled Device) mosaic array made up of 400 individual CCD's, 110 x 110 pixels square. This type of image sensor appeared to have application in space and ground-based astronomy. Under this grant a CCD television camera system was built which was capable of operating an array of 4 CCD's to explore the suitability of the CCD's to explore the suitability of the CCD for astronomical applications. Two individual packaged CCD's were received and evaluated. Evaluation of the basic characteristics of the best individual chips was encouraging, but the manufacturer found that their yield in manufacturing this design is two low to supply sufficient CDD's for the DARPA mosaic array. The potential utility of large mosaic arrays in astronomy is still substantial and continued monitoring of the manufacturers progress in the coming year is recommended.

Schwarzschild, M.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Analysis and preliminary design of optical sensors for propulsion control

A fiber-optic sensor concept screening study was performed. Twenty sensor subsystems were identified and evaluated. Two concepts selected for further study were the Fabry-Perot fiber-optic temperature sensor and the pulse-width-modulated phosphorescent temperature sensor. Various designs suitable for a Fabry-Perot temperature sensor to be used as a remote fiber-optic transducer were investigated. As a result, a particular design was selected and constructed. Tests on this device show that spectral peaks are produced from visible white light, and the change in wavelength of the spectral peaks produced by a change in temperature is consistent with theory and is 36 nm/C for the first order peak. A literature search to determine a suitable phosphor for implementing the pulse-width-modulated fiber optic temperature sensor was conducted. This search indicated that such a device could be made to function for temperatures up to approximately 200 C. Materials like ZnCdS and ZnSe activated with copper will be particularly applicable to temperature sensing in the cryogenic to room temperature region. While this sensing concept is probably not applicable to jet engines, the simplicity and potential reliability make the concept highly desirable for other applications.

James, K. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Development of crashworthy passenger seats for general-aviation aircraft

Two types of energy absorbing passenger seat concepts suitable for installation in light twin-engine fixed wing aircraft were developed. An existing passenger seat for such an aircraft was used to obtain the envelope constraints. Ceiling suspended and floor supported seat concept designs were developed. A restraint system suitable for both concepts was designed. Energy absorbing hardware for both concepts was fabricated and tension and compression tests were conducted to demonstrate the stroking capability and the force deflection characteristics. Crash impact analysis was made and seat loads developed. The basic seat structures were analyzed to determine the adequacy of their strength under impact loading.

Reilly, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Axisymmetric internal flows with shocks

Internal flow problems with supersonic entrance conditions and subsonic exit conditions are studied. The suitability of applying the transonic-small disturbance theory to internal flows is examined and found to be very limited. The full inviscid equations in nonconservative form are solved by relaxation. Jump conditions which conserve mass and normal momentum are applied explicitly at shock waves. This method is suitable for solving flows which include supersonic-subsonic shock waves nearly normal to the streamlines.

Rizk, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Performance degradation mechanisms and modes in terrestrial photovoltaic arrays and technology for their diagnosis

Accelerated life-prediction test methodologies have been developed for the validation of a 20-year service life for low-cost photovoltaic arrays. Array failure modes, relevant materials property changes, and primary degradation mechanisms are discussed as a prerequisite to identifying suitable measurement techniques and instruments. Measurements must provide sufficient confidence to permit selection among alternative designs and materials and to stimulate widespread deployment of such arrays. Furthermore, the diversity of candidate materials and designs, and the variety of potential environmental stress combinations, degradation mechanisms and failure modes require that combinations of measurement techniques be identified which are suitable for the characterization of various encapsulation system-cell structure-environment combinations.

Noel, G. T.↗

NASA NTRS1979

LARC-13 polyimide adhesive bonding

The development of an addition-curing polyimide adhesive suitable for low pressure bonding without the generation of volatiles during cure is reported. LARC-13 is designed for bonding of polyimide matrix composites and of titanium to be used above 500 F, and is based on an oligomeric bis-nadimide which allows its processing at 50 psi or less, making it suitable for the bonding of fragile honeycomb sandwich structures. Few volatiles are evolved during its cure allowing large enclosed structures to be bonded, and it has high room and elevated temperature strengths and good strength retention after short terms up to 1100 F. LARC-13 was successfully used to bond the outer and inner skins of a polyimide/graphite wing shear panel for 500 F use, and for a short-term exposure up to 1100 F. Preparation of the adhesive, bonding, aging, and testing of lap shear and honeycomb samples are discussed.

Saint Clair, T. L.↗

NASA NTRS1980

A singular perturbation analysis of minimum time long range intercept

The application of singular perturbation theory for deriving algorithms suitable for on board real time computation of optimal aircraft trajectory control was investigated. Minimum time intercept in three dimensions was selected as a pilot problem formulation, and data for an early version F-4 aircraft was used to represent aircraft aerodynamic and propulsion characteristics. Results include the derivation of nonlinear, near optimal feedback control laws that are readily implementable in an aircraft flight computer, performance results for a variety of initial conditions (including optimal intercept at short ranges), and a point mass three dimensional simulation suitable for representing fighter aircraft under closed loop optimal control.

Calise, A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Application of functional analysis to perturbation theory of differential equations

The deviation of the solution of the differential equation y' = f(t, y), y(O) = y sub O from the solution of the perturbed system z' = f(t, z) + g(t, z), z(O) = z sub O was investigated for the case where f and g are continuous functions on I x R sup n into R sup n, where I = (o, a) or I = (o, infinity). These functions are assumed to satisfy the Lipschitz condition in the variable z. The space Lip(I) of all such functions with suitable norms forms a Banach space. By introducing a suitable norm in the space of continuous functions C(I), introducing the problem can be reduced to an equivalent problem in terminology of operators in such spaces. A theorem on existence and uniqueness of the solution is presented by means of Banach space technique. Norm estimates on the rate of growth of such solutions are found. As a consequence, estimates of deviation of a solution due to perturbation are obtained. Continuity of the solution on the initial data and on the perturbation is established. A nonlinear perturbation of the harmonic oscillator is considered a perturbation of equations of the restricted three body problem linearized at libration point.

Bogdan, V. M.↗