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NASA NTRS1986

Direct solar-pumped iodine laser amplifier

In order to evaluate the feasibility of the solar pumped dye laser, the parametric study of a dye laser amplifier pumped by a solar simulator and flashlamp was carried out, and the amplifier gains were measured at various pump beam irradiances on the dye cell. Rhodamine 6G was considered as a candidate for the solar pumped laser because of its good utilization of the solar spectrum and high quantum efficiency. The measurement shows that a solar concentration of 20,000 is required to reach the threshold of the dye. The work to construct a kinetic model algorithm which predicts the output parameter of laser was progressed. The kinetic model was improved such that there is good agreement between the theoretical model and experimental data for the systems defined previously as flashlamp pumped laser oscillator, and the long path length solar pumped laser.

Han, Kwang S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Investigation of hypersonic rarefied flow on a spherical nose of the AOTV

The Navier-Stokes (NS) equations were integrated numerically for investigating the flow characteristics on the forepart of the spherical nose of a space vehicle such as the AOTV or AFE by a modified Accelerated Successive Replacement (ASR) scheme under hypersonic rarefied conditions. Technical feasibility of the mathematical approach was demonstrated by computing the flowfield on a spherical nose under conditions that the AFE encounters at times t = 15 and 20 seconds after its reentry into the atmosphere. Local similar solutions for the merged layer flow along the stagnation line of the sphere were developed. These are correct to the same degree of accuracy as the NS equations. These solutions provided stagnation line boundary conditions for the domain of integration on the spherical noise. Also, a parametric study of the stagnation line solution was made with a view to understand the flow characteristics in tunnels with different ambient fluids. Analytical expressions for surface slip temperature, jump conditions, and concentration level in the presence of the real gas effects at the top of the Knudsen layer were derived and used to calculate the stagnation line flowfield with nonequilibrium dissociation and ionization. A number of graphics were drawn to illustrate the basic physics of the flowfields. The present analysis can be extended to include real gas effects and to bodies of arbitrary shapes. It can further provide boundary conditions for integrating the NS equations in the near wake region.

Jain, Amolak C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Vibrations and structureborne noise in space station

Analytical models were developed to predict vibrations and structureborne noise generation of cylindrical and rectangular acoustic enclosures. These models are then used to determine structural vibration levels and interior noise to random point input forces. The guidelines developed could provide preliminary information on acoustical and vibrational environments in space station habitability modules under orbital operations. The structural models include single wall monocoque shell, double wall shell, stiffened orthotropic shell, descretely stiffened flat panels, and a coupled system composed of a cantilever beam structure and a stiffened sidewall. Aluminum and fiber reinforced composite materials are considered for single and double wall shells. The end caps of the cylindrical enclosures are modeled either as single or double wall circular plates. Sound generation in the interior space is calculated by coupling the structural vibrations to the acoustic field in the enclosure. Modal methods and transfer matrix techniques are used to obtain structural vibrations. Parametric studies are performed to determine the sensitivity of interior noise environment to changes in input, geometric and structural conditions.

Vaicaitis, R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Theoretical performance of hydrogen-bromine rechargeable SPE fuel cell

A mathematical model was formulated to describe the performance of a hydrogen-bromine fuel cell. Porous electrode theory was applied to the carbon felt flow-by electrode and was coupled to theory describing the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) system. Parametric studies using the numerical solution to this model were performed to determine the effect of kinetic, mass transfer, and design parameters on the performance of the fuel cell. The results indicate that the cell performance is most sensitive to the transport properties of the SPE membrane. The model was also shown to be a useful tool for scale-up studies.

Savinell, Robert F.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Finite element analysis of the end notched flexure specimen for measuring Mode II fracture toughness

The paper presents a finite element analysis of the end-notched flexure (ENF) test specimen for Mode II interlaminar fracture testing of composite materials. Virtual crack closure and compliance techniques employed to calculate strain energy release rates from linear elastic two-dimensional analysis indicate that the ENF specimen is a pure Mode II fracture test within the constraints of small deflection theory. Furthermore, the ENF fracture specimen is shown to be relatively insensitive to process-induced cracks, offset from the laminate midplane. Frictional effects are investigated by including the contact problem in the finite element model. A parametric study investigating the influence of delamination length, span, thickness, and material properties assessed the accuracy of beam theory expressions for compliance and strain energy release rate, GII. Finite element results indicate that data reduction schemes based upon beam theory underestimate GII by approximately 20-40 percent for typical unidirectional graphite fiber composite test specimen geometries. Consequently, an improved data reduction scheme is proposed.

Gillespie, J. W., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A theoretical investigation of laser-sustained plasma thruster

A numerical code has been successfully developed for the investigation of thruster performance using a laser-sustained hydrogen plasma as the propellant. The plasma was sustained using a 10.6-micron CO2 laser beam focused at different positions within the thruster. The physical model assumed that plasma is in thermodynamical equilibrium (LTE), and geometric ray tracing was adopted to describe the laser beam. The steady-state, axisymmetric, Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the laser power absorption process have been solved numerically. A pressure based Navier-Stokes numerical solver using body-fitted coordinates was used to calculate the laser-supported rocket flow which includes both subsonic and supersonic flow regions. From the limited parametric study, which did not try to optimize the rocket performance, it was found that better performance was obtained when the laser beam was focused closer to the rocket throat.

Jeng, San-Mou↗

NASA NTRS1986

Design concepts/parameters assessment and sensitivity analyses of select composite structural components

Formal approaches are summarized to evaluate design concepts and perform sensitivity analyses on design parameters of composite structural components for vehicles. The formal approaches include structural analyses coupled with composite micromechanics to assess the structural response of beams made from various intraply hybrids, finite element analysis in conjunction with composite mechanics to assess the structural response of panels made from strip hybrids, and sensitivity analysis through optimization to assess the effects of various design parameters on the optimum design of a panel made from angleplied composite laminates. Results obtained from these approaches are presented in graphical and tabular form to illustrate parametric studies and acceptable ranges of various design parameters.

Chamis, C. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Two- and three-dimensional viscous computations of a hypersonic inlet flow

The three-dimensional parabolized Navier-Stokes code has been used to investigate the flow through a Mach 7.4 inlet. A two-dimensional parametric study of grid resolution, turbulence modeling and effect of gamma has been done and compared with experimental results. The results show that mesh resolution of the shock waves, real gas effects and turbulence length scaling are very important to get accurate results for hypersonic inlet flows. In addition a three-dimensional calculation of the Mach 7.4 inlet has been done on a straight sideplate configuration. The results show that the glancing shock/boundary layer interaction phenomena causes significant three-dimensional flow in the inlet.

Kunik, William G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Effects of transverse shear deformation on buckling of laminated cylinders as a function of thickness and ply orientation

Buckling loads of thick-walled, orthotropic, simply-supported right circular cylinders are predicted using a new higher-order transverse shear deformation theory. The higher-order theory shows that, by more accurately accounting for transverse shear deformation effects, the predicted buckling load may be reduced by as much as 80 percent compared to predictions based on conventional transverse shear deformation theory. A parametric study of the effect of ply orientation on the buckling load of axially compressed cylinders indicates that laminates containing 0 deg plies are the most sensitive to transverse shear deformation effects. Interaction curves for buckling of cylinders with axial compressive and external pressure loadings indicate that buckling loads due to external pressure loadings are much less sensitive to transverse shear deformation effects than those due to axial compressive loadings.

Jegley, Dawn C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Analysis of cracked laminates with holes using the boundary force method

The boundary force method is an indirect boundary element technique for the analysis of composite laminates with holes and cracks which uses the orthotropic elasticity solution for a concentrated horizontal and vertical force applied at a given point in a cracked infinite sheet. The orthotropic formulation of the method is verified by comparison with accepted solutions for a counter-crack specimen that is subjected to uniaxial tension. Parametric studies are conducted for two configurations for which no orthotropic solutions are available: cracks emanating from a circular hole, and a four-hole cracked specimen; both are loaded in uniaxial tension.

Tan, P. W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Composite space antenna structures - Properties and environmental effects

The thermal behavior of composite spacecraft antenna reflectors has been investigated with the integrated Composites Analyzer (ICAN) computer code. Parametric studies have been conducted on the face sheets and honeycomb core which constitute the sandwich-type structures. Selected thermal and mechanical properties of the composite faces and sandwich structures are presented graphically as functions of varying fiber volume ratio, temperature, and moisture content. The coefficients of thermal expansion are discussed in detail since these are the critical design parameters. In addition, existing experimental data are presented and compared to the ICAN predictions.

Ginty, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Performance characterization of a low power hydrazine arcjet

Hydrazine arcjets, which offer substantial performance advantages over alternatives in geosynchronous satellite stationkeeping applications, have undergone startup, materials compatibility, lifetime, and power conditioning unit design issues. Devices in the 1000-3000 W output range have been characterized for several different electrode configurations. Constrictor length and diameter, electrode gap setting, and vortex strength have been parametrically studied in order to ascertain the influence of each on specific impulse and efficiency; specific impulse levels greater than 700 sec have been achieved.

Knowles, S. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Analytical flutter investigation of a composite propfan model

A theoretical model and an associated computer program for predicting subsonic bending-torsion flutter in propfans are presented. The model is based on two-dimensional unsteady cascade strip theory and three-dimensional steady and unsteady lifting surface aerodynamic theory in conjunction with a finite element structural model for the blade. The analytical results compare well with published experimental data. Additional parametric studies are also presented illustrating the effects on flutter speed of steady aeroelastic deformations, blade setting angle, rotational speed, number of blades, structural damping, and number of modes.

Kaza, K. R. V.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A 3-D computational model for solar wind/magnetosphere interactions - Prediction of polar flattening of Jupiter and Saturn magnetospheres

The development of a computational model for determining the solution of the gasdynamic portion of the gasdynamic convected magnetic field model for solar wind flow past three-dimensional magnetoionopauses of nonaxisymmetric shape is described. Results are presented for the shape of the bow wave and the flow properties in magnetosheaths of polar flattened magnetopauses representative of Jupiter and Saturn. Through a parametric study in which the amount of polar flattening is varied, a quantitative determination is obtained of the degree of flattening at both Jupiter and Saturn. These new three-dimensional results are shown to be in good agreement with observations, and account for most of the differences between the observations and the axisymmetric model results.

Stahara, S. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Combustion stability analysis of preburners in liquid propellant rocket engines during shutdown

A linearized one-dimensional lumped-parameter model capable of predicting the occurrence of the low frequency combustion instability (chugging) experienced during preburner shutdown in the Space Shuttle Main Engines is discussed, and predictions are compared with NASA experimental results. Results from a parametric study of parameters including chamber pressure, fuel and oxygen temperatures, and the effective bulk modulus of the liquid oxidizer suggest that chugging is probably affected by conditions at shutdown through the fuel and oxidizer temperatures. It is suggested that chugging is initiated when the fuel, oxidizer, and helium temperature and flow rates pass into an unstable region, and that chugging may be terminated by decaying pressures.

Lim, Kair-Chuan↗

NASA NTRS1987

Impeller shroud to casing leakage flow simulations in the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure fuel pump

Quasi-three-dimensional Navier-Stokes calculations were carried out for the Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure fuel pump to simulate the impeller shroud to casing leakage flow. This flow geometry was modeled as an axisymmetric cavity flow with a stationary surface representing the casing, and a rotating surface denoting the impeller. A 63 x 81-node mesh provided sufficient resolution in the regions of greatest flow variations and reduced the effects of numerical diffusion. The turbulence field was closed with the high Reynolds number form of the k-epsilon model supplemented with wall functions in the vicinity of the walls. Finally, a parametric study quantified the effects of through mass flow changes on this leakage flow.

Sindir, Munir M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Mach number scaling of helicopter rotor blade/vortex interaction noise

A parametric study of model helicopter rotor blade slap due to blade vortex interaction (BVI) was conducted in a 5 by 7.5-foot anechoic wind tunnel using model helicopter rotors with two, three, and four blades. The results were compared with a previously developed Mach number scaling theory. Three- and four-bladed rotor configurations were found to show very good agreement with the Mach number to the sixth power law for all conditions tested. A reduction of conditions for which BVI blade slap is detected was observed for three-bladed rotors when compared to the two-bladed baseline. The advance ratio boundaries of the four-bladed rotor exhibited an angular dependence not present for the two-bladed configuration. The upper limits for the advance ratio boundaries of the four-bladed rotors increased with increasing rotational speed.

Leighton, Kenneth P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Sizing an emergency venting system for a cryogenic dewar

If the vacuum vessel that insulates a cryogenic dewar for a spaceborne experiment prior to launch is damaged, air will leak into the vacuum insulation space. As the sudden heat load causes the pressure to rise in the dewar, a safety disk in the emergency vent line will burst at the design pressure differential to allow vaporized cryogenic fluid to escape. The emergency vent line should be sized such that sufficient gaseous cryogen will be vented to keep the pressure inside the dewar below the design limit. On the other hand, the line should not be so large as to impose an unnecessary heat load on the dewar filled with cryogenic fluid. A vent-line computer program was generated to compute the maximum flow rate allowed for a proposed vent-line system. Parametric studies have been carried out for different burst disk pressure differentials, liquid cryogen ullage, and vent-line sizes.

Liu, C. K.↗