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At least 883 records · Page 49

A combined MeV-neutron and x-ray source for the National Ignition Facility

We report that in support of future radiation-effects testing, a combined environment source has been developed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF), utilizing both NIF’s long-pulse beams, and the Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) short pulse lasers. First, ARC was used to illuminate a gold foil at high-intensity, generating a significant x-ray signal > 1 MeV. This was followed by NIF 10 ns later to implode an exploding pusher target filled with fusionable gas for neutron generation. The neutron and x-ray bursts were incident onto a retrievable, close-standoff diagnostic snout. With separate control over both neutron and x-ray emission, the platform allows for tailored photon and neutron fluences and timing on a recoverable test sample. The platform exceeded its initial fluence goals, demonstrating a neutron fluence of 2.3 ×10 13 n/cm 2 and an x-ray dose of 7 krad.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Design and experimental performance of short curved wall diffusers with axial symmetry utilizing slot suction

The feasibility of designing short curved wall axially symmetrical subsonic diffusers utilizing suction through slots in the diffuser walls to prevent flow separation was investigated. A potential flow analysis was made, and a digital computer program was written for determining the diffuser wall contour for prescribed boundary conditions. The flow field included branch flow so that the suction slot geometry could be a part of the diffuser design. One bell shaped diffuser and three annular diffusers with area ratios of either 2.5:1 or 3:1 were designed, fabricated, and tested. Minimum suction requirements of metastable operation ranged from 6.3 percent to 12 percent when operating with inlet air velocities in the 1000 to 250 ft/sec (30 to 76 m/sec) range. For stable operation suction rates from 10 percent to 22 percent were required. In all cases the diffuser effectiveness was above 95 percent based on the conventional definition, and from 81 percent to 94 percent when the suction loss was accounted for. The exit velocity profiles were virtually flat with no more than + or - 9% variation over 95 percent of the exit area when operated with sufficient suction to prevent flow separation.

Yang, T.↗

Capability for time-resolved diffraction for material phase in extreme conditions (Q2 FY24 Report)

After a series of development experiments, a new x-ray diffraction diagnostic called FIDDLE (Flexible Imaging Diffraction Diagnostic for Laser Experiments) has been designed, built, and fielded on four shots at NIF. Here we document the initial performance of FIDDLE fielded as the detector in the time-resolved x-ray diffraction experimental platform. Early challenges with EMP have been documented using offline testing in the Target Diagnostics Factory to identify EMP leaks. These techniques were used to guide the application of shielding to weak spots where EM radiation was able to penetrate inside the diagnostic. Application of shielding was found to be effective at reducing EMP leaks, enabling detection of x-ray diffraction on three temporally separated frames during a high pressure (~1Mbar) experiment where lead (Pb) was observed to undergo a phase transition from HCP to BCC.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development of high temperature nickel-base alloys for jet engine turbine bucket applications

A program has been initiated to develop a material with superior properties at elevated temperatures for utilization in turbine blade applications. A nickel-base superalloy can provide the necessary high temperature strength by using the maximum capability of the three available strengthening mechanisms - intermetallic gamma prime precipitation (Ni3Al), solid solution strengthening with refractory and precious metals, and stable carbide formations through the addition of strong carbide forming elements. A stress rupture test at 2000 deg F and 15,000 psi was formulated to approximate the desired properties. By adding varying amounts of refractory metals (Mo, W and Ta) it was possible to statistically analyze the effects of each in a basic superalloy composition containing fixed amounts of Co, Cr, C, B, Sr, and Ni at three separate levels of AL and Ta. Metallographic analysis correlated with the mechanical properties of the alloys; those with few strengthening phases were weak and ductile and those with excessive amounts of intermetallic phases present in undesirable morphologies were brittle.

SUPERALLOY↗

Turbulent kinetic energy equation and free mixing

Calculation of free shear flows was carried out to investigate the usefulness of several concepts which were previously successfully applied to wall flows. The method belongs to the class of differential approaches. The turbulence is taken into account by the introduction of one additional partial differential equation, the transport equation for the turbulent shear stress. The structure of turbulence is modeled after Bradshaw et al. This model was used successfully in boundary layers and its applicability to other flows is demonstrated. The work reported differs substantially from that of an earlier attempt to use this approach for calculation of free flows. The most important difference is that the region around the center line is treated by invoking the interaction hypothesis (concerning the structure of turbulence in the regions separated by the velocity extrema). The compressibility effects on shear layer spreading at low and moderate Mach numbers were investigated. In the absence of detailed experiments in free flows, the evidence from boundary layers that at low Mach numbers the structure of turbulence is unaffected by the compressibility was relied on. The present model was tested over a range of self-preserving and developing flows including pressure gradients using identical empirical input. The dependence of the structure of turbulence on the spreading rate of the shear layer was established.

Morel, T.↗

Materials processing in space - New challenges for industry

A summary is presented of NASA's activity in materials research in zero-g. Very simple experiments to determine the effects of zero-g upon solidification processes, upon heat flow, convection and mass transport, and upon the separation of biological cells were conducted during three Apollo flights. The investigations were continued in a series of experiments conducted on Skylab. The experiments provided data on a wide range of space-processing topics. The various tests and the results obtained in them are discussed. Attention is also given to experiments planned for the Apollo-Soyuz experiment, studies to be conducted with the aid of sounding rockets, and an evaluation of the possibilities provided by space processing for industry.

Bredt, J. H.↗

Performance of a V/STOL tilt nacelle inlet with blowing boundary layer control

A scale model of a V/STOL tilt nacelle fitted to a 0.508 m single stage fan was tested in the NASA Lewis low speed wind tunnel to determine the effect of diffuser blowing on the inlet aerodynamics and aeromechanical performance. The test was conducted over a range of freestream speeds (up to 120 knots) and angles-of attack (up to 120 deg). In general, diffuser blowing had a beneficial affect on all performance parameters. The angle-of-attack range for a separation-free flow substantially increased, and the fan face distortion reduced with a corresponding increase in total pressure recovery. Discrete narrow band blade stress peaks which were common to the nonblowing (baseline) configuration were eradicated with diffuser blowing.

Johns, A. L.↗

Investigation of CAST-10-2/DOA 2 airfoil in NAE high Reynolds number two-dimensional test facility

A common airfoil model with the CAST 10-2/DOA-2 profile and 228 mm (9 inches) chord length was tested. The tests performed in NAE covered the Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.8 and Reynolds numbers from 10 to 30 million. The model was tested with transition free and with transition fixed at 5 percent chord for both the upper and the lower surfaces. The data obtained were analyzed for the effects of Reynolds number, transition fixing and Mach number. The role of the boundary layer on the displacement effect, the interaction with the shock wave and the trailing edge separation are examined. The results are summarized as follows: (1) the airfoil performance depends strongly on Reynolds number and transition fixing; (2) with transition fixed, the aerodynamic quantities such as lift, pitching moment and drag show a monotonic variation with Reynolds number; (3) with transition free, the aerodynamic quantities vary less regularly with Reynolds number and a slight parametric dependency is shown. The weak dependency is due to the compensatory effect of the forward shift of the transition position and the thinning of the turbulent boundary layer as Reynolds number increases; (4) the shock Mach number and the shock position are weakly dependent on Reynolds number; and (5) the long extent of the laminar boundary layer at transonic speeds reduces the drag appreciably at low Reynolds numbers. The drag bucket around the design Mach number can be observed below Reynolds number 15 million.

Chan, Y. Y.↗

Weavability of dry polymer powder towpreg

Carbon fiber yarns (3k, 6k, 12k) were impregnated with LARC (tm) thermoplastic polyimide dry powder. Parameters for weaving these yarns were established. Eight-harness satin fabrics were successfully woven from each of the three classes of yarns and consolidated into test specimens to determine mechanical properties. It was observed that for optimum results warp yarns should have flexural rigidities between 10,000 and 100,000 mg-cm. Tow handling minimization, low tensioning, and tow bundle twisting were used to reduce fiber breakage, the separation of filaments, and tow-to-tow abrasion. No apparent effect of tow size or twist was observed on either tension or compression modulus. However, fiber damage and processing costs favor the use of 12k yarn bundles versus 3k or 6k yarn bundles in the weaving of powder-coated towpreg.

Hugh, Maylene K.↗

Vortical Flow Prediction Using an Adaptive Unstructured Grid Method

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been employed to compute vortical flows around slender wing/body configurations. The emphasis of the paper is on the effectiveness of an adaptive grid procedure in "capturing" concentrated vortices generated at sharp edges or flow separation lines of lifting surfaces flying at high angles of attack. The method is based on a tetrahedral unstructured grid technology developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two steady-state, subsonic, inviscid and Navier-Stokes flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving practical vortical flow problems. The first test case concerns vortex flow over a simple 65' delta wing with different values of leading-edge bluntness, and the second case is that of a more complex fighter configuration. The superiority of the adapted solutions in capturing the vortex flow structure over the conventional unadapted results is demonstrated by comparisons with the windtunnel experimental data. The study shows that numerical prediction of vortical flows is highly sensitive to the local grid resolution and that the implementation of grid adaptation is essential when applying CFD methods to such complicated flow problems.

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.↗

Vortical Flow Prediction Using an Adaptive Unstructured Grid Method

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been employed to compute vortical flows around slender wing/body configurations. The emphasis of the paper is on the effectiveness of an adaptive grid procedure in "capturing" concentrated vortices generated at sharp edges or flow separation lines of lifting surfaces flying at high angles of attack. The method is based on a tetrahedral unstructured grid technology developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two steady-state, subsonic, inviscid and Navier-Stokes flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving practical vortical flow problems. The first test case concerns vortex flow over a simple 65deg delta wing with different values of leading-edge bluntness, and the second case is that of a more complex fighter configuration. The superiority of the adapted solutions in capturing the vortex flow structure over the conventional unadapted results is demonstrated by comparisons with the windtunnel experimental data. The study shows that numerical prediction of vortical flows is highly sensitive to the local grid resolution and that the implementation of grid adaptation is essential when applying CFD methods to such complicated flow problems.

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.↗

Vortical Flow Prediction Using an Adaptive Unstructured Grid Method

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been employed to compute vortical flows around slender wing/body configurations. The emphasis of the paper is on the effectiveness of an adaptive grid procedure in "capturing" concentrated vortices generated at sharp edges or flow separation lines of lifting surfaces flying at high angles of attack. The method is based on a tetrahedral unstructured grid technology developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two steady-state, subsonic, inviscid and Navier-Stokes flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving practical vortical flow problems. The first test case concerns vortex flow over a simple 65 delta wing with different values of leading-edge radius. Although the geometry is quite simple, it poses a challenging problem for computing vortices originating from blunt leading edges. The second case is that of a more complex fighter configuration. The superiority of the adapted solutions in capturing the vortex flow structure over the conventional unadapted results is demonstrated by comparisons with the wind-tunnel experimental data. The study shows that numerical prediction of vortical flows is highly sensitive to the local grid resolution and that the implementation of grid adaptation is essential when applying CFD methods to such complicated flow problems.

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.↗

Acoustic Predictions of Manned and Unmanned Rotorcraft Using the Comprehensive Analytical Rotorcraft Model for Acoustics (CARMA) Code System

The Comprehensive Analytical Rotorcraft Model for Acoustics (CARMA) is being developed under the Quiet Aircraft Technology Project within the NASA Vehicle Systems Program. The purpose of CARMA is to provide analysis tools for the design and evaluation of efficient low-noise rotorcraft, as well as support the development of safe, low-noise flight operations. The baseline prediction system of CARMA is presented and current capabilities are illustrated for a model rotor in a wind tunnel, a rotorcraft in flight and for a notional coaxial rotor configuration; however, a complete validation of the CARMA system capabilities with respect to a variety of measured databases is beyond the scope of this work. For the model rotor illustration, predicted rotor airloads and acoustics for a BO-105 model rotor are compared to test data from HART-II. For the flight illustration, acoustic data from an MD-520N helicopter flight test, which was conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in September 2003, are compared with CARMA full vehicle flight predictions. Predicted acoustic metrics at three microphone locations are compared for limited level flight and descent conditions. Initial acoustic predictions using CARMA for a notional coaxial rotor system are made. The effect of increasing the vertical separation between the rotors on the predicted airloads and acoustic results are shown for both aerodynamically non-interacting and aerodynamically interacting rotors. The sensitivity of including the aerodynamic interaction effects of each rotor on the other, especially when the rotors are in close proximity to one another is initially examined. The predicted coaxial rotor noise is compared to that of a conventional single rotor system of equal thrust, where both are of reasonable size for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Boyd, D. Douglas, Jr.↗

High Resolution Millimeter Wave Detection of Vertical Cracks in the Space Shuttle External Tank Spray-On-Foam Insulation (SOFI)

Space Shuttle Columbia s catastrophic failure, the separation of a piece of spray-on-foam insulation (SOFI) from the external tank (ET) in the Space Shuttle Discovery s flight in 2005 and crack detected in its ET foam prior to its successful launch in 2006 emphasize the need for effective nondestructive methods for inspecting the shuttle ET SOFI. Millimeter wave nondestructive testing methods have been considered as potential and effective inspection tools for evaluating the integrity of the SOFI. This paper presents recent results of an investigation for the purpose of detecting vertical cracks in SOFI panels using a focused millimeter wave (150 GHz) reflectometer. The presented images of the SOFI panels show the capability of this reflectometer for detecting tight vertical cracks (also as a function of crack opening dimension) in exposed SOFI panels and while covered by a piece of SOFI ramp simulating a more realistic and challenging situation.

Kharkovsky, S.↗

Vortical Flow Prediction using an Adaptive Unstructured Grid Method

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been employed to compute vortical flows around slender wing/body configurations. The emphasis of the paper is on the effectiveness of an adaptive grid procedure in "capturing" concentrated vortices generated at sharp edges or flow separation lines of lifting surfaces flying at high angles of attack. The method is based on a tetrahedral unstructured grid technology developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two steady-state, subsonic, inviscid and Navier-Stokes flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving vortical flow problems. The first test case concerns vortex flow over a simple 65 delta wing with different values of leading-edge radius. Although the geometry is quite simple, it poses a challenging problem for computing vortices originating from blunt leading edges. The second case is that of a more complex fighter configuration. The superiority of the adapted solutions in capturing the vortex flow structure over the conventional unadapted results is demonstrated by comparisons with the wind-tunnel experimental data. The study shows that numerical prediction of vortical flows is highly sensitive to the local grid resolution and that the implementation of grid adaptation is essential when applying CFD methods to such complicated flow problems.

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.↗

Analysis and Test of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Power System for Space Power Applications

An effort is underway to develop a prototype Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell breadboard system for fuhlre space applications. This prototype will be used to develop a comprehensive design basis for a space-rated PEM fuel cell powerplant. The prototype system includes reactant pressure regulators, ejector-based reactant pumps, a 4-kW fuel cell stack and cooling system, and a passive, membranebased oxygen / water separator. A computer model is being developed concurrently to analytically predict fluid flow in the oxidant reactant system. Fuel cells have historically played an important role in human-rated spacecraft. The Gemini and Apollo spacecraft used fuel cells for vehicle electrical power. The Space Shuttle currently uses three Alkaline Fuel Cell Powerplants (AFCP) to generate all of the vehicle's 15-20kW electrical power. Engineers at the Johnson Space Center have leveraged off the development effort ongoing in the commercial arena to develop PEM fuel cel ls for terrestrial uses. The prototype design originated from efforts to develop a PEM fuel cell replacement for the current Space Shuttle AFCP' s. In order to improve on the life and an already excellent hi storical record of reliability and safety, three subsystems were focused on. These were the fuel cell stack itself, the reactant circulation devices, and reactant / product water separator. PEM fuel cell stack performance is already demonstrating the potential for greater than four times the useful life of the current Shuttle's AFCP. Reactant pumping for product water removal has historically been accomplished with mechanical pumps. Ejectors offer an effective means of reactant pumping as well as the potential for weight reduction, control simplification, and long life. Centrifugal water separation is used on the current AFCP. A passive, membrane-based water separator offers compatibility with the micro-gravity environment of space, and the potential for control simplification, elimination of moving parts in an oxygen environment, and long life. The prototype system has been assembled from components that have previously been tested and evaluated at the component level. Preliminary data obtained from tests performed with the prototype system, as well as other published data, has been used to validate the analytical component models. These components have been incorporated into an integrated oxidant fluid system model. Results obtained from both the performance tests and the analytical model are presented.

Vasquez, Arturo↗

Investigation of jet exhaust and local Mach number effects on the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) base pressures (fa19)

Two single nozzles with flare angles of 10 and 20 degrees were tested at Mach numbers of 0.5, 0.9, 1.2, 1.46, 1.96 and 3.48 in the presence of gaseous plumes. An attempt was made to determine the local Mach number above the flare by utilizing a pitot probe. This objective was only partially satisfied because the 20 degree flare separated the flow ahead of the flare for Mach numbers of 0.5 to 1.96. An accurate local Mach number could not be determined because of the separated flow. To meet the objective of a data base as a function of freestream Mach number, model surface and base pressures were obtained in the presence of gaseous plumes for a matrix of chamber pressures and temperatures at Mach numbers of 0.5, 0.9, 1.2, 1.46, 1.96 and 3.48.

Love, D. A.↗

Preliminary results of flight tests of vortex attenuating splines

Flight tests have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a wingtip vortex attenuating device, referred to as a spline. Vortex penetrations were made with a PA-28 behind a C-54 aircraft with and without wingtip splines attached and the resultant rolling acceleration was measured and related to the roll acceleration capability of the PA-28. Tests were conducted over a range of separation distances from about 5 nautical miles (n. mi.) to less than 1 n. mi. Preliminary results indicate that, with the splines installed, there was a significant reduction in the vortex induced roll acceleration experienced by the PA-28 probe aircraft, and the distance at which the PA-28 roll control became ineffective was reduced from 2.5 n. mi. to 0.6 n. mi., or less. There was a slight increase in approach noise (approximately 4 db) with the splines installed due primarily to the higher engine power used during approach. Although splines significantly reduced the C-54 rate of climb, the rates available with four engines were acceptable for this test program. Splines did not introduce any noticeable change in the handling qualities of the C-54.

Hastings, E. C., Jr.↗