Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Number”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 901 records · Page 50

Effects of wing and tail location on the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane for Mach numbers from 0.25 to 4.63

Experimental investigations have been conducted to determine the effect of wing vertical position and horizontal-tail vertical and axial position on the static aerodynamic characteristics of a wing-body horizontal-tail configuration. The configurations investigated included the wing in a high, mid, or low position on the body with the horizontal tail in each of these vertical positions as well as in three axial positions. The closest position of the horizontal tail to the wing essentially provided on all-wing configuration. In addition, tests were made for the three wing positions with the horizontal tail removed. The tests were made in three different wind tunnels to provide data for a Mach number range from 0.25 to 4.63. The purpose of the investigation was to illustrate the strong effects of interference flow fields as a function of geometry and flight regime. An analysis of the results indicate some arrangements that might lead to aerodynamic problems and others in which the interference flow fields might be favorably exploited. The results suggest that a coplanar concept with a translating horizontal tail could potentially minimize the aerodynamic changes with Mach number and provide more optimum performance over the Mach number range.

Spearman, M. L.↗

Number and placement of control system sensors considering possible failures

A methodology has been presented which is intended to assist the designer of a control system for a large space structure to decide how many sensors should be incorporated in the system and where they should be placed on the structure. This approach is intended to be especially useful in the early stages of the evolution of the system, before a complete control system concept has been defined. This methodology is based on a quantitative measure of the observability of the system for a given set of sensors. The effect of possible component failures during the mission period was incorporated in the measure. The question of sensor placement is then resolved by finding the locations which maximize the performance measure. The number of components to use cannot be determined by optimizing the measure because the observability always improves with increased number of sensors if they are optimally located. However, the improvement in the measure with component number can be determined, and this information can be used along with data on cost, power required, etc., to decide how many sensors to use.

Vandervelde, W. E.↗

Cryogenic wind tunnels for high Reynolds number testing

The present investigation has the objective to provide an overview of the development of cryogenic wind tunnels and their application to high Reynolds number testing. The current need for wind tunnels reflects the fact that many complex three-dimensional flows cannot yet be adequately dealt with analytically. Imperfections of wind tunnels are partly related to the fact that for most wind tunnel tests the Reynolds number is much too low. The best solution to this problem appears to be an operation of the tunnel at cryogenic temperatures (arbitrarily defined as temperatures of 150 K or less. In addition to decreasing the temperature, there are three other approaches for increasing the Reynolds number. These approaches include the use of a heavy gas, an increase in the model size, and an increase in pressure. Attention is given to the variable density tunnel concept, problems with high dynamic pressures, low-speed cryogenic tunnel results, transonic cryogenic tunnel tests, and the injection of liquid nitrogen into the tunnel.

Kilgore, R. A.↗

Large numbers hypothesis. II - Electromagnetic radiation

This paper develops the theory of electromagnetic radiation in the units covariant formalism incorporating Dirac's large numbers hypothesis (LNH). A direct field-to-particle technique is used to obtain the photon propagation equation which explicitly involves the photon replication rate. This replication rate is fixed uniquely by requiring that the form of a free-photon distribution function be preserved, as required by the 2.7 K cosmic radiation. One finds that with this particular photon replication rate the units covariant formalism developed in Paper I actually predicts that the ratio of photon number to proton number in the universe varies as t to the 1/4, precisely in accord with LNH. The cosmological red-shift law is also derived and it is shown to differ considerably from the standard form of (nu)(R) - const.

Adams, P. J.↗

Experimental studies of the boundary layer on an airfoil at low Reynolds numbers

An experimental wind tunnel investigation was carried out to study the effect of laminar separation bubbles on a NACA 66(3)-018 airfoil for Reynolds numbers less than 4.0 x 10 to the 5th. Leading edge laminar separation bubbles formed for angles of attack of approximately 7 to 12 deg. To study the leading edge separation bubble more closely, hotwire anemometer measurements were made in the airfoil a Reynolds number of 8.0 x 10 to the 4th. Velocity and turbulence intensity profiles were obtained and boundary layer parameters were calculated. Frequency spectra were also calculated at key points in the airfoil boundary layer for this case. Correlation of the anemometry data with static pressure distributions, and flow visualization data provided insight into laminar separation bubble behavior at low Reynolds numbers.

Jansen, B. J., Jr.↗

Differences in the temporal variations of solar UV flux, 10.7-cm solar radio flux, sunspot number, and Ca-K plage data caused by solar rotation and active region evolution

Attention is given to two types of temporal variations in the solar UV spectral irradiance caused by solar rotation and active region evolution. It is noted that the first type of dissimilar temporal behavior occurs when concentrations of solar active regions evolve at solar longitudes nearly 180 deg apart. Both the UV observations and modeled UV fluxes based on Ca-K plage data then exhibit pronounced 13-day periodicity, whereas the 10.7-cm solar radio flux and sunspot number exhibit quite dissimilar temporal variations. This type of dissimilarity is related to the modeled UV flux and has a dependence on the solar central meridian distance that is narrower than that for the 10.7-cm radio flux or for sunspot numbers. A second case of marked dissimilarity is seen when major new solar active regions arise and dominate the full-disk fluxes for several rotations. It is found that the strongest peaks in 10.7 cm and sunspot numbers tend to occur on their first rotation, for example, during major dips in the total solar irradiance, whereas the Ca-K plages and UV enhancements peak on the next rotation and then decay more slowly on subsequent rotations.

Donnelly, R. F.↗

Viscous thermocapillary convection at high Marangoni number

A liquid, contained in a quarter plane, undergoes steady motion due to thermocapillary forcing on its upper boundary, a free surface separating the liquid from a passive gas. The rigid vertical sidewall has a strip whose temperature is elevated compared with the liquid at infinity. A boudnary-layer analysis is performed that is valid for large Marangoni numbers M and Prandtl numbers P. It is found that the Nusselt number N for the horizontal heat transport satisfies N proportional to min (M to the 1 2/7/power, M to the 1 1/5/power, M to the 1 1/10/power) Generalizations are discussed.

Cowley, S. J.↗

Frequency dependence of coherent structures in a Mach number 0.6 jet

The existence of a large scale structure in a Mach number 0.6, axisymmetric jet of cold air has been proven by previous work. In order to further characterize the coherent structure, phase averaged measurements of the axial mass velocity, radial velocity, and one component of the Reynolds stress tensor were made. These measured values were compared to the total fluctuation levels for each quantity and the result expressed as a percent of the total fluctuation level contained in the organized structure at Strouhal numbers of 0.16, 0.32, 0.474, 0.95, and 1.26. All of the phase averaged measurements required that the jet be artificially excited. The fluctuation profiles showed that the axial mass velocity fluctuations maximized when excited at a Strouhal number of 0.474. The radial velocity fluctuations possessed a lower amplitude for both the full wave and phase averaged fluctuations than the axial mass velocity fluctuation. The Reynolds stress decayed faster than the other two quantities past the end of the potential core for both the full wave and phase averaged components. The coherence contours showed that the radial velocity fluctuations possessed higher levels of coherence than the axial mass velocity fluctuation and the Reynolds stress.

Morrison, G. L.↗

Manipulation of Numbers With Many Digits

PRECISION designed for manipulation of numbers with accurate retention of up to thousands of digits per number. Use of PRECISION prevents underflow and overflow in programs that generate extreme numbers such as probability theory, statistics, and scientific applications.

Howell, L. W.↗

VLSI Architectures for the Multiplication of Integers Modulo a Fermat Number

Multiplication is central in the implementation of Fermat number transforms and other residue number algorithms. There is need for a good multiplication algorithm that can be realized easily on a very large scale integration (VLSI) chip. The Leibowitz multiplier is modified to realize multiplication in the ring of integers modulo a Fermat number. This new algorithm requires only a sequence of cyclic shifts and additions. The designs developed for this new multiplier are regular, simple, expandable, and, therefore, suitable for VLSI implementation.

Chang, J. J.↗

Aeroacoustic data for high Reynolds number supersonic axisymmetric jets

Both aerodynamic and near field acoustic behavior of several unheated axisymmetric shock free and shock containing high speed jet plumes are reported. The exit Mach number range for these data is from 0.9 to 2.5. The aerodynamic measurements include both mean and turbulence quantities for a shock free jet plume produced by a convergent divergent nozzle designed to have an exit Mach number of 2. The near field acoustic measurements presented include narrow band spectra, directivity and contour plots of select one third octave band data, and near field microphone correlations from a linear array. Shock noise results are also included as obtained by operating an underexpanded convergent nozzle at the design point of two supersonic exist Mach number convergent divergent nozzles.

Seiner, J. M.↗

Aerothermal tests of a 12.5 percent cone at Mach 6.7 for various Reynolds numbers, angles of attack and nose shapes

The effects of free-stream unit Reynolds number, angle of attack, and nose shape on the aerothermal environment of a 3-ft basediameter, 12.5 deg half-angle cone were investigated in the Langley 8-foot high temperature tunnel at Mach 6.7. The average total temperature was 3300 R, the freestream unit Reynolds number ranged from 400,000 to 1,400,000 per foot, and the angle of attack ranged from 0 deg to 10 deg. Three nose configurations were tested on the cone: a 3-in-radius tip, a 1-in-radius tip on an ogive frustum, and a sharp tip on an ogive frustum. Surface-pressure and cold-wall heating-rate distributions were obtained for laminar, transitional temperature in the shock layer were obtained. The location of the start of transition moved forward both on windward and leeward sides with increasing free-stream Reynolds numbers, increasing angle of attack, and decreasing nose bluntness.

Nowak, R. J.↗

Three-dimensional baroclinic instability of a Hadley cell for small Richardson number

A three-dimensional, linear stability analysis of a baroclinic flow for Richardson number, Ri, of order unity is presented. The model considered is a thin horizontal, rotating fluid layer which is subjected to horizontal and vertical temperature gradients. The basic state is a Hadley cell which is a solution of the complete set of governing, nonlinear equations and contains both Ekman and thermal boundary layers adjacent to the rigid boundaries; it is given in a closed form. The stability analysis is also based on the complete set of equations; and perturbation possessing zonal, meridional, and vertical structures were considered. Numerical methods were developed for the stability problem which results in a stiff, eighth-order, ordinary differential eigenvalue problem. The previous work on three-dimensional baroclinic instability for small Ri was extended to a more realistic model involving the Prandtl number, sigma, and the Ekman number, E, and to finite growth rates and a wider range of the zonal wavenumber.

Antar, B. N.↗

Techniques for Computing the DFT Using the Residue Fermat Number Systems and VLSI

The integer complex multiplier and adder over the direct sum of two copies of a finite field is specialized to the direct sum of the rings of integers modulo Fermat numbers. Such multiplications and additions can be used in the implementation of a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a sequence of complex numbers. The advantage of the present approach is that the number of multiplications needed for the DFT can be reduced substantially over the previous approach. The architectural designs using this approach are regular, simple, expandable and, therefore, naturally suitable for VLSI implementation.

Truong, T. K.↗

Static and dynamic pressure measurements on a NACA 0012 airfoil in the Ames High Reynolds Number Facility

The supercritical flows at high subsonic speeds over a NACA 0012 airfoil were studied to acquire aerodynamic data suitable for evaluating numerical-flow codes. The measurements consisted primarily of static and dynamic pressures on the airfoil and test-channel walls. Shadowgraphs were also taken of the flow field near the airfoil. The tests were performed at free-stream Mach numbers from approximately 0.7 to 0.8, at angles of attack sufficient to include the onset of buffet, and at Reynolds numbers from 1 million to 14 million. A test action was designed specifically to obtain two-dimensional airfoil data with a minimum of wall interference effects. Boundary-layer suction panels were used to minimize sidewall interference effects. Flexible upper and lower walls allow test-channel area-ruling to nullify Mach number changes induced by the mass removal, to correct for longitudinal boundary-layer growth, and to provide contouring compatible with the streamlines of the model in free air.

Mcdevitt, J. B.↗

Simulations of high-Mach-number collisionless perpendicular shocks in astrophysical plasmas

A problem of critical importance to space physics and astrophysics is the existence and properties of high-Mach-number shocks. Preliminary results of a simulation of a perpendicular shock with Alfven Mach number 22 are reported. It is shown that for sufficiently small electron resistivity the dissipation for this shock is provided by a periodic rather than time-stationary reflection of ions. The problem of electron heating and the extension to higher Mach numbers are discussed.

Quest, K. B.↗

The application of cryogenics to high Reynolds number testing in wind tunnels. I - Evolution, theory, and advantages

During the time which has passed since the construction of the first wind tunnel in 1870, wind tunnels have been developed to a high degree of sophistication. However, their development has consistently failed to keep pace with the demands placed on them. One of the more serious problems to be found with existing transonic wind tunnels is their inability to test subscale aircraft models at Reynolds numbers sufficiently near full-scale values to ensure the validity of using the wind tunnel data to predict flight characteristics. The Reynolds number capability of a wind tunnel may be increased by a number of different approaches. However, the best solution in terms of model, balance, and model support loads, as well as in terms of capital and operating cost appears to be related to the reduction of the temperature of the test gas to cryogenic temperatures. The present paper has the objective to review the evolution of the cryogenic wind tunnel concept and to describe its more important advantages.

Kilgore, R. A.↗

Pressure distributions from high Reynolds number tests of a Boeing BAC 1 airfoil in the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

A wind-tunnel investigation designed to test a Boeing advanced-technology airfoil from low to flight-equivalent Reynolds numbers has been completed in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. This investigation represents the first in a series of NASA/U.S. industry two-dimensional airfoil studies to be completed in the Advanced Technology Airfoil Test program. Test temperature was varied from ambient to about 100 K at pressures ranging from about 1.2 to 6.0 atm. Mach number was varied from about 0.40 to 0.80. These variables provided a Reynolds number (based on airfoil chord) range from 4.4 X 10 to the 6th power to 50.0 X 10 to the 6th power. All the test objectives were met. The pressure data are presented without analysis in plotted and tabulated formats for use in conjunction with the aerodynamic coefficient data published as NASA TM-81922. At the time of the test, these pressure data were considered proprietary and have only recently been made available by Boeing for general release. Data are included which demonstrate the effects of fixed transition. Also included are remarks on the model design, the model structural integrity, and the overall test experience.

Johnson, W. G., Jr.↗