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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.

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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Strength integrity of the Space Shuttle Orbiter tiles

The development of the thermal protection system (TPS) for shielding the Shuttle from high temperature aerodynamic heating during atmospheric entry is described. The TPS was required to limit structural heating to 350 F, be used for 100 flights, withstand temperature ranges from -250 to 2800 F, attach to an aluminum structure, and provide the aerodynamic moldline. More than 30,000 tiles of individual size, shape, and strength were bonded adhesively to a Nomex felt mat which coated critical areas of the craft. Densification processes for strengthening the tiles in highly loaded areas are outlined and stress sources for each mission phase are analyzed. Aerodynamic, acoustic, combined loads, and verification tests for stress levels up to 125% of nominal were performed for each tile. The one complete and 15 partial tiles lost during the initial flight were all lower strength, undensified tiles.

Moser, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Postbuckling behavior of selected curved stiffened graphite-epoxy panels loaded in axial compression

Results of an experimental and analytical study of the postbuckling behavior of selected curved stiffened graphite-epoxy panels loaded in axial compression are presented. The postbuckling response and failure characteristics of the panels are described. Each panel had four equally-spaced I-shaped stiffeners and 16-ply quasi-isotropic skins. Panels with three different stiffener spacings were tested. Failure of all panels initiated in a skin-stiffener interface region. Analytical results from a nonlinear general shell finite element analysis computer code correlate well with typical postbuckling test results up to failure. The analytical modeling detail necessary to predict accurately the response of the panel is described. Measured initial geometric imperfections were included in the postbuckling analysis.

Knight, N. F., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A global-local approach to solving vibration of large truss structures

A global-local approach was proposed to solve dynamic problems involving truss beams. A continuum Timoshenko beam was used to model sections of truss beams wherever possible and accurate. Near applied loads the continuum model was not adequate and detailed truss finite elements (discrete model) were employed. This approach was also proven efficient for an odd-shaped truss structure connected to a truss beam. Between the continuum model and the discrete model, compatibility conditions were derived.

Sun, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Composite passive damping struts for large precision structures

In the field of viscoelastic dampers, a new strut design comprises a viscoelastic material sandwiched between multiple layers, some of which layers bear and dampen load force. In one embodiment, the layers are composite plies of opposing orientation. In another embodiment, the strut utilizes a viscoelastic layer sandwiched between V-shaped composite plies. In a third embodiment, a viscoelastic layer is sandwiched between sine-shaped plies. Strut strength is equal to or greater than conventional aluminum struts due to the unique high interlaminar shear ply design.

Dolgin, Benjamin P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Nonlinear analyses of composite aerospace structures in sonic fatigue

This report summarizes the semiannual research progress, accomplishments, and future plans performed under the NASA Langley Research Center Grant No. NAG-1-1358. The primary research effort of this project is the development of analytical methods for the prediction of nonlinear random response of composite aerospace structures subjected to combined acoustic and thermal loads. The progress, accomplishments, and future plates on four sonic fatigue research topics are described. The sonic fatigue design and passive control of random response of shape memory alloy hybrid composites presented in section 4, which is suited especially for HSCT, is a new initiative.

Mei, Chuh↗
NASA NTRS1993

Premixed Flame Propagation in an Optically Thick Gas

Flame propagation in both the optically thin and the optically thick regime of radiative transport was studied experimentally using particle-laden gas mixtures. Data on flame shapes, propagation rates, peak pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise, and thermal decay in the burned gases are consistent with the hypothesis that, at low particle loadings, the particles act to increase the radiative loss from the gases, whereas at higher loadings, reabsorption of emitted radiation becomes significant. The reabsorption acts to decrease the net radiative loss and augment conductive heat transport. It is speculated that, in sufficiently large systems, in which the absorption length is much smaller than the system size, flammability limits might not exist at microgravity conditions because emitted radiation would not constitute a loss mechanism.

Abbud-Madrid, Angel↗
NASA NTRS2002

Wave Journal Bearings Under Dynamic Loads

The dynamic behavior of the wave journal bearing was determined by running a three-wave bearing with an eccentrically mounted shaft. A transient analysis was developed and used to predict numerical data for the experimental cases. The three-wave journal bearing ran stably under dynamic loads with orbits well inside the bearing clearance. The orbits were almost circular and nearly free of the influence of, but dynamically dependent on, bearing wave shape. Experimental observations for both the absolute bearing-housing-center orbits and the relative bearing-housing-center-to-shaft-center orbits agreed well with the predictions. Moreover, the subsynchronous whirl motion generated by the fluid film was found experimentally and predicted theoretically for certain speeds.

Hendricks, Robert C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Fracture Analysis of Semi-Elliptical Surface Cracks in Ductile Materials

Accurate life assessment of structural components may require advanced life prediction criteria and methodologies. Structural components often exhibit several different types of defects, among the most prevalent being surface cracks. A semi-elliptical surface crack subjected to monotonic loading will exhibit stable crack growth until the crack has reached a critical size, at which the crack loses stability and fracture ensues (Newman, 2000). The shape and geometry of the flaw are among the most influential factors. When considering simpler crack configurations, such as a through-the-thickness crack, a three-dimensional (3D) geometry may be modeled under the approximation of two-dimensional (2D) plane stress or plane strain. The more complex surface crack is typically modeled numerically with the Finite Element Method (FEM). A semi-elliptical surface crack is illustrated in Figure 1-1.

Daniewicz, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Additive Manufacturing of SiC Based Ceramics and Ceramic Matrix Composites

Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics and SiC fiber reinforcedSiC ceramic matrix composites (SiCSiC CMCs) offer high payoff as replacements for metals in turbine engine applications due to their lighter weight, higher temperature capability, and lower cooling requirements. Additive manufacturing approaches can offer game changing technologies for the quick and low cost fabrication of parts with much greater design freedom and geometric complexity. Four approaches for developing these materials are presented. The first two utilize low cost 3D printers. The first uses pre-ceramic pastes developed as feed materials which are converted to SiC after firing. The second uses wood containing filament to print a carbonaceous preform which is infiltrated with a pre-ceramic polymer and converted to SiC. The other two approaches pursue the AM of CMCs. The first is binder jet SiC powder processing in collaboration with rp+m (Rapid Prototyping+Manufacturing). Processing optimization was pursued through SiC powder blending, infiltration with and without SiC nano powder loading, and integration of nanofibers into the powder bed. The second approach was laminated object manufacturing (LOM) in which fiber prepregs and laminates are cut to shape by a laser and stacked to form the desired part. Scanning electron microscopy was conducted on materials from all approaches with select approaches also characterized with XRD, TGA, and bend testing.

3-D printing↗
NASA NTRS1993

surf3d: A 3-D finite-element program for the analysis of surface and corner cracks in solids subjected to mode-1 loadings

A computer program, surf3d, that uses the 3D finite-element method to calculate the stress-intensity factors for surface, corner, and embedded cracks in finite-thickness plates with and without circular holes, was developed. The cracks are assumed to be either elliptic or part eliptic in shape. The computer program uses eight-noded hexahedral elements to model the solid. The program uses a skyline storage and solver. The stress-intensity factors are evaluated using the force method, the crack-opening displacement method, and the 3-D virtual crack closure methods. In the manual the input to and the output of the surf3d program are described. This manual also demonstrates the use of the program and describes the calculation of the stress-intensity factors. Several examples with sample data files are included with the manual. To facilitate modeling of the user's crack configuration and loading, a companion program (a preprocessor program) that generates the data for the surf3d called gensurf was also developed. The gensurf program is a three dimensional mesh generator program that requires minimal input and that builds a complete data file for surf3d. The program surf3d is operational on Unix machines such as CRAY Y-MP, CRAY-2, and Convex C-220.

Raju, I. S.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Navier-Stokes Analysis of the Flowfield Characteristics of an Ice Contaminated Aircraft Wing

An analytical study was performed as part of the NASA Lewis support of a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aircraft accident investigation. The study was focused on the performance degradation associated with ice contamination on the wing of a commercial turbo-prop-powered aircraft. Based upon the results of an earlier numerical study conducted by the authors, a prominent ridged-ice formation on the subject aircraft wing was selected for detailed flow analysis using 2-dimensional (2-D), as well as, 3-dimensional (3-D) Navier-Stokes computations. This configuration was selected because it caused the largest lift decrease and drag increase among all the ice shapes investigated in the earlier study. A grid sensitivity test was performed to find out the influence of grid spacing on the lift, drag, and associated angle-of-attack for the maximum lift (C(sub lmax)). This study showed that grid resolution is important and a sensitivity analysis is an essential element of the process in order to assure that the final solution is independent of the grid. The 2-D results suggested that a severe stability and control difficulty could have occurred at a slightly higher angle-of-attack (AOA) than the one recorded by the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). This stability and control problem was thought to have resulted from a decreased differential lift on the wings with respect to the normal loading for the configuration. The analysis also indicated that this stability and control problem could have occurred whether or not natural ice shedding took place. Numerical results using an assumed 3-D ice shape showed an increase of the angle at which this phenomena occurred of about 4 degrees. As it occurred with the 2-D case, the trailing edge separation was observed but started only when the AOA was very close to the angle at which the maximum lift occurred.

Chung, J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Shake Test Results and Dynamic Calibration Efforts for the Large Rotor Test Apparatus

Prior to the full-scale wind tunnel test of the UH-60A Airloads rotor, a shake test was completed on the Large Rotor Test Apparatus. The goal of the shake test was to characterize the oscillatory response of the test rig and provide a dynamic calibration of the balance to accurately measure vibratory hub loads. This paper provides a summary of the shake test results, including balance, shaft bending gauge, and accelerometer measurements. Sensitivity to hub mass and angle of attack were investigated during the shake test. Hub mass was found to have an important impact on the vibratory forces and moments measured at the balance, especially near the UH-60A 4/rev frequency. Comparisons were made between the accelerometer data and an existing finite-element model, showing agreement on mode shapes, but not on natural frequencies. Finally, the results of a simple dynamic calibration are presented, showing the effects of changes in hub mass. The results show that the shake test data can be used to correct in-plane loads measurements up to 10 Hz and normal loads up to 30 Hz.

Large Rotor Test Apparatus↗
NASA NTRS2019

Utilizing Shape Memory Alloys for Novel, Non-Pneumatic Tire Design - Designing for the Best of Both Worlds

Materials are a fundamental building block that often get overlooked as a critical component that shapes our world. Numerous products that impact our lives are enabled by the materials from which they are made. With regard to Martian and lunar rover applications, conventional mobility elements, such as pneumatic tires, suffer from a number of issues related to reliability. Two of the more prevalent problems are the high likelihood of single point failure owing to puncture (i.e. flat tire), and loss of efficiency due to reduction in tire pressure over time. Solid, rigid wheels suffer from the inability to handle the high, localized loads while encountering rugged terrain and also produce relatively poor traction and operating efficiency. In an effort to overcome these problems, non-pneumatic, compliant tire designs are being developed, using Nickel-Titanium (NiTi), a thermally activated shape memory alloy (SMA), that is less sensitive to temperature and exhibits much greater plastic deformation than do conventional vulcanized rubber pneumatic tires.

Padula, Santo, II↗
NASA NTRS2019

Utilizing Shape Memory Alloys for Novel, Non-Pneumatic Tire Design - Designing for the Best of Both Worlds

Materials are a fundamental building block that often get overlooked as a critical component that shapes our world. Numerous products that impact our lives are enabled by the materials from which they are made. With regard to Martian and lunar rover applications, conventional mobility elements, such as pneumatic tires, suffer from a number of issues related to reliability. Two of the more prevalent problems are the high likelihood of single point failure owing to puncture (i.e. flat tire), and loss of efficiency due to reduction in tire pressure over time. Solid, rigid wheels suffer from the inability to handle the high, localized loads while encountering rugged terrain and also produce relatively poor traction and operating efficiency. In an effort to overcome these problems, non-pneumatic, compliant tire designs are being developed, using Nickel-Titanium (NiTi), a thermally activated shape memory alloy (SMA), that is less sensitive to temperature and exhibits much greater plastic deformation than do conventional vulcanized rubber pneumatic tires.

Padula, Santo, II↗
DOE OSTI2024

On the role of geometrically necessary dislocations in void formation and growth in response to shock loading conditions in wrought and additively manufactured Ta

This study investigates the role of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) and microstructure on void nucleation and growth in wrought and additively manufactured (AM) tantalum subjected to high-strain rate loading. Multi-modal 3D data was collected using TriBeam tomography to calculate GND densities and their spatial relationship to voids. A microstructural comparison between the wrought and AM samples identified distinct void shapes and locations, with intragranular voids and more spherical voids frequently observed in the AM dataset. Results indicate that voids preferentially form at both high-angle grain boundaries and low-angle subgrain boundaries, the latter of which are frequently observed in the AM material. Through a radial distribution analysis of all voids in the datasets, significant GND localization to near-void-surface regions was observed in both samples. 3D crystal plasticity simulations were employed to extend the experimental observations, revealing higher void growth rates in [111] oriented grains when compared to [001] grains. The simulations also suggest that GNDs can be generated as part of the void growth process, with more GND accumulation for growth in a [111] grain than a [001] grain. These findings provide valuable insights into the links between nanoscale void nucleation, mesoscale void growth, and microstructural effects in dynamically loaded tantalum.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2003

Strength Differential Measured in Inconel 718: Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure Studied

Aeropropulsion components, such as disks, blades, and shafts, are commonly subjected to multiaxial stress states at elevated temperatures. Experimental results from loadings as complex as those experienced in service are needed to help guide the development of accurate viscoplastic, multiaxial deformation models that can be used to improve the design of these components. During a recent study on multiaxial deformation (ref. 1) on a common aerospace material, Inconel 718, it was shown that the material in the aged state exhibits a strength differential effect (SDE), whereby the uniaxial compressive yield and subsequent flow behavior are significantly higher than those in uniaxial tension. Thus, this material cannot be described by a standard von Mises yield formulation. There have been other formulations postulated (ref. 2) that involve other combinations of the stress invariants, including the effect of hydrostatic stress. The question remained as to which invariants are necessary in the flow model. To capture the physical mechanisms occurring during deformation and reflect them in the plasticity formulation, researchers examined the flow of Inconel 718 under various amounts of hydrostatic stress to determine whether or not hydrostatic stress is needed in the formulation. Under NASA Grant NCC3-464, monitored by the NASA Glenn Research Center, a series of tensile tests were conducted at Case Western Reserve University on aged (precipitation hardened) Inconel 718 at 650 C and with superimposed hydrostatic pressure. Dogbone shaped tensile specimens (3-mm-diameter gauge by 16-mm gauge length) and cylindrical compression specimens (3-mm-diameter gauge by 6-mm gauge length) were strain gauged and loaded in a high-pressure testing apparatus. Hydrostatic pressures were obtained with argon and ranged from 210 to 630 MPa. The aged Inconel 718 showed a pronounced difference in the tension and compression yield strength (i.e., an SDE), as previously observed. Also, there were no significant effects of hydrostatic pressure on either the tensile and compressive yield strength (see the graph) or on the magnitude of the SDE. This behavior is not consistent with the pressure-dependent theory of the SDE, which postulates that the SDE is associated with pressure-dependent and/or internal friction dependent deformation associated with non-Schmid effects at the crystal level (refs. 3 and 4). Flow in Inconel 718 appears to be independent of hydrostatic pressure, suggesting that this invariant may be removed from the phenomenological constitutive model. As part of an ongoing effort to develop advanced constitutive models, Glenn s Life Prediction Branch coordinated this work with that of research on the multiaxial deformation behavior of Inconel 718 being conducted at Pennsylvania State University under NASA Grant NCC597.

Lewandowski, John J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Magnetized liner inertial fusion platform development to assess performance scaling with drive parameters

Magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) experiments have demonstrated fusion-relevant ion temperatures up to 3.1 keV and thermonuclear production of up to 1.1 × 1013 deuterium–deuterium neutrons. This performance was enabled through platform development that provided increases in applied magnetic field, coupled preheat energy, and drive current. Advanced coil designs with internal reinforcement enabled an increase from 10 to 20 T. An improved laser pulse shape, beam smoothing, and thinner laser entrance foils increased preheat energy coupling from less than 1 to 2.3 kJ. A redesign of the final transmission line and load region increased peak load current from 16 to 20 MA. The wider range of input parameters was leveraged to study target performance trends with preheat energy, applied magnetic field, and peak load current. Ion temperature and neutron yield generally followed trends in two-dimensional clean Lasnex calculations. Stagnation performance improved with peak load current when other input parameters were also increased such that convergence was maintained. This dataset suggests that reducing convergence to less than 30 would improve predictability of target performance. Lasnex was used to identify a simulation-optimized scaling path, which suggests 10+ kJ of fusion yield is possible on the Z facility with achievable input parameters. This path also indicates >10 MJ could be generated through volume burn on a future facility with a path to high yield (>200 MJ) using cryogenic dense fuel layers. The newly developed MagLIF platform enables exploration of both this simulation optimized scaling path and a recently developed similarity-scaling path.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1977

Noise characteristics of upper surface blown configurations. Experimental program and results

An experimental data base was developed from the model upper surface blowing (USB) propulsive lift system hardware. While the emphasis was on far field noise data, a considerable amount of relevant flow field data were also obtained. The data were derived from experiments in four different facilities resulting in: (1) small scale static flow field data; (2) small scale static noise data; (3) small scale simulated forward speed noise and load data; and (4) limited larger-scale static noise flow field and load data. All of the small scale tests used the same USB flap parts. Operational and geometrical variables covered in the test program included jet velocity, nozzle shape, nozzle area, nozzle impingement angle, nozzle vertical and horizontal location, flap length, flap deflection angle, and flap radius of curvature.

Brown, W. H.↗