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At least 91 records · Page 5

Slot spiral antenna modeling using hybrid/mixed FE-BI technique

This report is concerned with the numerical simulation of the printed slot spiral antenna (SSA) using the finite element - boundary integral (FE-BI) analysis. It has been reported that the FE-BI technique is suited for modeling microstrip patch antennas of any shape, printed on layered planar structure or cylindrical platform and fed with a coaxial cable or a microstripline network underneath the radiating elements. However, direct application of the hybrid FE-BI technique to thin slot spirals requires excessive sampling rates to accurately simulate the geometry. To alleviate the meshing/modeling difficulties encountered with cavity-backed slot antennas, we describe a mixed finite element-boundary integral formulation. As in the past, the boundary integral is used to describe the radiation of the slot above the cavity. However the cavity is now modeled using a suitable mix of edge and node elements. The latter are used only at the aperture of the thin slot so that the nodes follow the center line of the slot. In this manner, regular size elements can be used regardless of the slot's width and any meshing restrictions are substantially relaxed. The proposed mixed element FE-BI formulation introduces three different computational regions and as expected this complicates the generation of the discrete system.

Gong, Jian↗

The Development of an 8-inch by 8-inch Slotted Tunnel for Mach Numbers up to 1.28

An 8-inch by 8-inch transonic tunnel model with test section slotted on two opposite walls was constructed in which particular emphasis -was given to the development of slot geometry, slot-flow reentry section, and short-diffuser configurations for good test-region flow and minimum total-pressure losses. Center-line static pressures through the test section, wall static pressures through the other parts of the tunnel, and total-pressure distributions at the inlet and exit stations of the diffuser were measured- With a slot length equal to two tunnel heights and 1/14 open-area-ratio slotted walls) a test region one tunnel height in length was obtained in which the deviation from the mean Mach number was less than +/- 0.01 up to Mach number 1.15. With 1/7 open-area-ratio slotted walls, a test region 0.84 tunnel heights in length with deviation less than +/- O.01 was obtained up to Mach number 1.26. Increasing the tunnel diffuser angle from 6.4 to 10 deg. increased pressure loss through the tunnel at Mach number 1.20 from 15 percent to 20 percent of the total pressure. The use of other diffusers with equivalent angles of 10 deg. but contoured so that the initial diffusion angle was less than 10 deg. and the final angle was 200 reduced the losses to as low as 16 percent. A method for changing the test-section Mach number rapidly by controlling the flow through a bypass line from the tunnel settling chamber to the slot-flow plenum chamber of the test section was very effective. The test-section Mach number was reduced approximately 5 percent in 1/8 second by bleeding into the test section a flow of air equal to 2 percent of the mainstream flow and 30 percent in 1/4 second with bleed flow equal to 10 percent of the mainstream flow. The rate of reduction was largely determined by the opening rate of the bleed-flow-control valve.

Little, B. H., Jr.↗

Dual frequency, dual polarized, multi-layered microstrip slot and dipole array antenna

An antenna array system is disclosed which uses subarrays of slots and subarrays of dipoles on separate planes. The slots and dipoles respectively are interleaved, which is to say there is minimal overlap between them. Each subarray includes a microstrip transmission line and a plurality of elements extending perpendicular thereto. The dipoles form the transmission elements and the slots form the receive elements. The plane in which the slots are formed also forms a ground plane for the dipoles--hence the feed to the dipole is on the opposite side of this ground plane as the feed to the slots. HPAs are located adjacent the dipoles on one side of the substrate and LNAs are located adjacent the slots on the other side of the substrate. The dipoles and slots are tuned by setting different offsets between each element and the microstrip transmission line.

Tulintseff, Ann N.↗

100-GHz Phase Switch/Mixer Containing a Slot-Line Transition

A circuit that can function as a phase switch, frequency mixer, or frequency multiplier operates over a broad frequency range in the vicinity of 100 GHz. Among the most notable features of this circuit is a grounded uniplanar transition (in effect, a balun) between a slot line and one of two coplanar waveguides (CPWs). The design of this circuit is well suited to integration of the circuit into a microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) package. One CPW is located at the input end and one at the output end of the top side of a substrate on which the circuit is fabricated (see Figure 1). The input CPW feeds the input signal to antiparallel flip-chip Schottky diodes connected to the edges of the slot line. Phase switching is effected by the combination of (1) the abrupt transition from the input CPW to the slot line and (2) CPW ground tuning effected by switching of the bias on the diodes. Grounding of the slot metal to the bottom metal gives rise to a frequency cutoff in the slot. This cutoff is valuable for separating different frequency components when the circuit is used as a mixer or multiplier. Proceeding along the slot line toward the output end, one encounters the aforementioned transition, which couples the slot line to the output CPW. Impedance tuning of the transition is accomplished by use of a high-impedance section immediately before the transition.

Gaier, Todd↗

Slot-Antenna/Permanent-Magnet Device for Generating Plasma

A device that includes a rectangular-waveguide/slot-antenna structure and permanent magnets has been devised as a means of generating a substantially uniform plasma over a relatively large area, using relatively low input power and a low gas flow rate. The device utilizes electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) excited by microwave power to efficiently generate plasma in a manner that is completely electrodeless in the sense that, in principle, there is no electrical contact between the plasma and the antenna. Plasmas generated by devices like this one are suitable for use as sources of ions and/or electrons for diverse material-processing applications (e.g., etching or deposition) and for ion thrusters. The absence of plasma/electrode contact essentially prevents plasma-induced erosion of the antenna, thereby also helping to minimize contamination of the plasma and of objects exposed to the plasma. Consequently, the operational lifetime of the rectangular-waveguide/ slot-antenna structure is long and the lifetime of the plasma source is limited by the lifetime of the associated charged-particle-extraction grid (if used) or the lifetime of the microwave power source. The device includes a series of matched radiating slot pairs that are distributed along the length of a plasma-source discharge chamber (see figure). This arrangement enables the production of plasma in a distributed fashion, thereby giving rise to a uniform plasma profile. A uniform plasma profile is necessary for uniformity in any electron- or ion-extraction electrostatic optics. The slotted configuration of the waveguide/ antenna structure makes the device scalable to larger areas and higher powers. All that is needed for scaling up is the attachment of additional matched radiating slots along the length of the discharge chamber. If it is desired to make the power per slot remain constant in scaling up, then the input microwave power must be increased accordingly. Unlike in prior ECR microwave plasma-generating devices, there is no need for an insulating window on the antenna. Such windows are sources of contamination and gradually become ineffective as they become coated with erosion products over time. These characteristics relegate prior ECR microwave plasma-generating devices to non-ion beam, non-deposition plasma applications. In contrast, the lack of need for an insulating window in the present device makes it possible to use the device in both ion-beam (including deposition) and electron-beam applications. The device is designed so that ECR takes place above each slot and the gradient of the magnetic field at each slot is enough to prevent backflow of plasma.

Foster, John E.↗

Modern Design of Resonant Edge-Slot Array Antennas

Resonant edge-slot (slotted-waveguide) array antennas can now be designed very accurately following a modern computational approach like that followed for some other microwave components. This modern approach makes it possible to design superior antennas at lower cost than was previously possible. Heretofore, the physical and engineering knowledge of resonant edge-slot array antennas had remained immature since they were introduced during World War II. This is because despite their mechanical simplicity, high reliability, and potential for operation with high efficiency, the electromagnetic behavior of resonant edge-slot antennas is very complex. Because engineering design formulas and curves for such antennas are not available in the open literature, designers have been forced to implement iterative processes of fabricating and testing multiple prototypes to derive design databases, each unique for a specific combination of operating frequency and set of waveguide tube dimensions. The expensive, time-consuming nature of these processes has inhibited the use of resonant edge-slot antennas. The present modern approach reduces costs by making it unnecessary to build and test multiple prototypes. As an additional benefit, this approach affords a capability to design an array of slots having different dimensions to taper the antenna illumination to reduce the amplitudes of unwanted side lobes. The heart of the modern approach is the use of the latest commercially available microwave-design software, which implements finite-element models of electromagnetic fields in and around waveguides, antenna elements, and similar components. Instead of building and testing prototypes, one builds a database and constructs design curves from the results of computational simulations for sets of design parameters. The figure shows a resonant edge-slot antenna designed following this approach. Intended for use as part of a radiometer operating at a frequency of 10.7 GHz, this antenna was fabricated from dimensions defined exclusively by results of computational simulations. The final design was found to be well optimized and to yield performance exceeding that initially required.

Gosselin, R. B.↗

Large Ka-Band Slot Array for Digital Beam-Forming Applications

This work describes the development of a large Ka Band Slot Array for the Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography Interferometer (GLISTIN), a proposed spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar for topographic mapping of ice sheets and glaciers. GLISTIN will collect ice topography measurement data over a wide swath with sub-seasonal repeat intervals using a Ka-band digitally beamformed antenna. For technology demonstration purpose a receive array of size 1x1 m, consisting of 160x160 radiating elements, was developed. The array is divided into 16 sticks, each stick consisting of 160x10 radiating elements, whose outputs are combined to produce 16 digital beams. A transmit array stick was also developed. The antenna arrays were designed using Elliott's design equations with the use of an infinite-array mutual-coupling model. A Floquet wave model was used to account for external coupling between radiating slots. Because of the use of uniform amplitude and phase distribution, the infinite array model yielded identical values for all radiating elements but for alternating offsets, and identical coupling elements but for alternating positive and negative tilts. Waveguide-fed slot arrays are finding many applications in radar, remote sensing, and communications applications because of their desirable properties such as low mass, low volume, and ease of design, manufacture, and deployability. Although waveguide-fed slot arrays have been designed, built, and tested in the past, this work represents several advances to the state of the art. The use of the infinite array model for the radiating slots yielded a simple design process for radiating and coupling slots. Method of moments solution to the integral equations for alternating offset radiating slots in an infinite array environment was developed and validated using the commercial finite element code HFSS. For the analysis purpose, a method of moments code was developed for an infinite array of subarrays. Overall the 1x1 m array was found to be successful in meeting the objectives of the GLISTIN demonstration antenna, especially with respect to the 0.042deg, 1/10th of the beamwidth of each stick, relative beam alignment between sticks.

Rengarajan, Sembiam↗

Design Exploration of a Slotted-Wing Common Research Model

A knowledge-based aerodynamic design method, Constrained Direct Iterative Surface Cur-vature (CDISC), has been leveraged for the computational design exploration of a Common Research Model with Reduced-Sweep and Slotted Wings (CRMRS-SW). Cruise-slotted-wing airfoils include a slot near the trailing edge of a main airfoil component to introduce stream air to the low-momentum, upper-surface boundary layer on a flap airfoil component with the goal of allowing for a more aft loading, relative to supercritical airfoils, without shock-induced separation. Ultimately, the cruise slotted wing is a passive technology that allows for an in-crease in the drag divergence Mach number and/or an increase in aerodynamic efficiency at agiven cruise condition. These aerodynamic benefits may be realized at the vehicle level through a trade space that includes the following design options: increasing cruise Mach number, in-creasing wing thickness, decreasing wing sweep, increasing lift coefficient and/or decreasing drag coefficient. The present study aimed to evaluate the slotted-wing concept’s potential as adrag-saving technology in application to a single-aisle transonic transport aircraft at a given cruise condition. The CDISC design method was used to develop a better understanding of the slotted-wing design variables that have a significant impact on the variability in aircraft drag and leverage this newly-developed knowledge to quantify the aerodynamic performance benefits enabled by the cruise slotted wing.

Brett R. Hiller↗

Numerical assessment of the new V-shape small-angle slot divertor on DIII-D

The small-angle slot (SAS) divertor of the DIII-D tokamak, and its upcoming upgrade, the V-shape small-angle slot (SAS-V) divertor, are numerically investigated using the SOLPS-ITER code package, including the effect of particle drifts, for a range of plasma density, heating power, strike point position in the slot, and for both magnetic field directions. The simulations show that the electron temperature near the strike point is reduced in SAS-V compared to SAS, for both magnetic field directions, such that SAS-V achieves divertor detachment at a lower value of the outboard mid-plane separatrix electron density. The detachment threshold is lower because the V-shape focuses recycling neutrals on the V-end, densifying and cooling the plasma in the slot. At sufficiently high density, the V-shape also reduces the radial gradient of the temperature profile at the target, which in turns reduces the radial electric field and the E x B drift velocities, further densifying and cooling the plasma in the slot and leading to detachment. The V-shape effect, however, is reduced for higher heating power. With more heating power, the detachment density increases, reducing the ionization mean free path of recycled neutrals, which therefore become less sensitive to target shape changes. Furthermore, this suggests that in a fusion reactor, where the heating power is high, optimization of the divertor target shape needs to be combined with other strategies to lower the detachment density, such as in-slot injection of low-Z impurities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Investigation of the three-dimensional turbulent flow downstream of swept slot injection in hypersonic flow

Results of an experimental and numerical investigation of tangential swept slot injection (sweep angles of 22.5 and 45 deg) into a thick turbulent boundary layer at Mach 6 are presented. Film cooling effectiveness, skin friction, and flow structure downstream of the swept slot injection are investigated. The data are compared to that for unswept slots, and it is found that cooling effectiveness and skin-friction reductions are not significantly affected by sweeping the slot. Predictions of cooling effectiveness and skin friction obtained by a numerical finite-difference technique agree reasonably well with experimental surface variables. As in previous supersonic two-dimensional slot research, reduced mixing was found downstream of the slot lip in the present three-dimensional case.

Hefner, J. N.↗

A Theoretical Investigation of the Input Characteristics of a Rectangular Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna

Equations which represent the magnetic and electric stored energies are derived for an infinite section of rectangular waveguide and a rectangular cavity. These representations which are referred to as being physically observable are obtained by considering the difference in the volume integrals appearing in the complex Poynting theorem. It is shown that the physically observable stored energies are determined by the field components that vanish in a reference plane outside the aperture. These physically observable representations are used to compute the input admittance of a rectangular cavity-backed slot antenna in which a single propagating wave is assumed to exist in the cavity. The slot is excited by a voltage source connected across its center; a sinusoidal distribution is assumed in the slot. Input-admittance calculations are compared with measured data. In addition, input-admittance curves as a function of electrical slot length are presented for several size cavities. For the rectangular cavity backed slot antenna, the quality factor and relative bandwidth were computed independently by using these energy relationships. It is shown that the asymptotic relationship which is usually assumed to exist between the quality bandwidth and the reciprocal of relative bandwidth is equally valid for the rectangular cavity backed slot antenna.

Cockrell, C. R.↗

Multiple slot skin friction reduction

The paper investigates analytically the effect of multiple slot injection on skin friction for a representative fuselage shape (ogive-cylinder body) and evaluates the potential of slot injection as a drag reduction system in subsonic flow. Typical CTOL cruise flight conditions (Mach number equals 0.82 at altitudes of 11 km) were adopted for a fuselage 67.06 m in length and with maximum diameter of 7.32 m. The numerical method of Price and Harris (1972) was used to calculate the boundary-layer characteristics up to the first slot, while the finite-difference method of Beckwith and Bushnell (1971) was used to calculate the velocity profile downstream of one, three, five, or ten slots. An integral expression is proposed for characterizing skin friction reduction effectiveness, and it is seen that large reductions in viscous drag (50%) are available through slot injection. Skin friction reduction is improved by increasing the number of injection slots but at a diminishing rate.

Howard, F. G.↗

Direct measurements at Mach 6 of turbulent skin-friction reduction by injection from single and multiple flush slots

The surface skin-friction reduction downstream of one to four successive flush slots injecting at an angle of 10 deg into a turbulent Mach 6 boundary layer has been determined from direct measurements of surface shear. Increasing the number of succeeding slots increases the skin-friction reduction, but this trend reverses at high injection rates. The incremental improvement in skin-friction reduction decreases with increasing number of slots. Comparison with previously reported step slot data indicates that step slots with tangential injection are more effective in reducing skin friction than the present flush slot configuration. Finite-difference predictions are in reasonable agreement with skin-friction and boundary-layer profile data.

Srokowski, A. J.↗

Scan-independent slot arrays with parasitic wire arrays in stratified medium

The effect of a parasitic wire array on the scan admittance of a slot array has been investigated. Structures considered can consist of an infinite slot array and an arbitrary number of parasitic infinte arrays of piecewise linear wires, all arrays being embedded in a stratified medium. These include, as particular cases, phased arrays of Clavin elements. Expressing the fields from the arrays as plane waves, a procedure similar to the periodic moment method for infinite periodic structures is set up to obtain the the scan admittance of the slot array. Scan admittances are presented for a slot array with monopole arrays in free space, and a slot array with a tilted dipole array in a stratified medium. Blind spots at which the incident energy is mainly reflected rather than transmitted were found. Results obtained indicate the possibility of using parasitic wire arrays for scan compensation of active slot arrays.

Ng, Kwong T.↗

CFD Mixing Analysis of Jets Injected from Straight and Slanted Slots into Confined Crossflow in Rectangular Ducts

A CFD study was performed to analyze the mixing potential of opposed rows of staggered jets injected into confined crossflow in a rectangular duct. Three jet configurations were numerically tested: (1) straight (0 deg) slots; (2) perpendicular slanted (45 deg) slots angled in opposite directions on top and bottom walls; and (3) parallel slanted (45 deg) slots angled in the same direction on top and bottom walls. All three configurations were tested at slot spacing-to-duct height ratios (S/H) of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0; a jet-to-mainstream momentum flux ratio (J) of 100; and a jet-to-mainstream mass flow ratio of 0.383. Each configuration had its best mixing performance at S/H of 0.75. Asymmetric flow patterns were expected and predicted for all slanted slot configurations. The parallel slanted slot configuration was the best overall configuration at x/H of 1.0 for S/H of 0.75.

Bain, D. B.↗

CFD mixing analysis of jets injected from straight and slanted slots into confined crossflow in rectangular ducts

A CFD study was performed to analyze the mixing potential of opposed rows of staggered jets injected into confined crossflow in a rectangular duct. Three jet configurations were numerically tested: (1) straight (0 deg) slots; (2) perpendicular slanted (45 deg) slots angled in opposite directions on top and bottom walls; and (3) parallel slanted (45 deg) slots angled in the same direction on top and bottom walls. All three configurations were tested at slot spacing-to-duct height rations (S/H) of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0; a jet-to-mainstream momentum flux ratio (J) of 100; and a jet-to-mainstream mass flow ratio of 0.383. Each configuration had its best mixing performance at S/H of 0.75. Asymmetric flow patterns were expected and predicted for all slanted slot configurations. The parallel slanted slot configuration was the best overall configuration at x/H of 1.0 for S/H of 0.75.

Bain, D. B.↗

The Effect of Slots and Flaps on the Lift and Drag of the Mcdonnell Airplanes Determined in Flight

This note contains the results of flight test conducted by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics on a low-wing monoplane equipped with leading-edge slots extending over the entire wing and flaps extending only to the ailerons, to find their effect on the lift and drag characteristics of the airplane. Curves are given showing the lift and drag characteristics of the airplane for the following conditions of the slots and flaps neutral; slots closed and flaps down; and slots open and flaps down. In addition, the high and low speed in level flight and the climbing characteristics are given. The results show that the slots used alone increase the maximum lift coefficient 54 per cent; the flaps alone increase it 38 per cent; and the slots and flaps in combination decrease the landing speed from 60 to 43 m.p.h.; increase the speed range of the airplane 40 per cent; and increase the glide angle at landing speed 4.2 degrees.

Soule, Hartley A↗

Effect of length of Handley Page tip slots on the lateral-stability factor, damping in roll

Tests have been made in the NACA 7 by 10 foot wind tunnel on a Clark Y wing model equipped with various lengths of Handley Page slots extending inward from the wing tips. The slot lengths tested ranged from 20 to 100 per cent of the semi span. The effect of slot lengths on damping in roll was determined by means of both free-autorotation and forced-rotation test. In addition, the maximum lift coefficient was found with each slot length. The optimum length of slot for satisfactory damping in roll over a large range of angles of attack was found to be slightly over 50 per cent of the semispan for the form of slot tested.

Weick, Fred E↗