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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 NTRS1980

Variation of the average 'freezing-in' temperature of oxygen ions with solar wind speed

Observations of the average oxygen ionization equilibrium as a function of speed of the solar wind are presented. At low solar wind speeds they indicate a coronal temperature at the freezing-in point of (1.6 + or - 0.2) x 10 to the 6th K. At speeds above 450 km/sec the apparent temperature starts to rise rapidly. This rise is tentatively interpreted in terms of a lack of thermodynamic equilibrium in the source region.

Ogilvie, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On temperature and speed of He/2+/ and O/6+/ ions in the solar wind

First results on fluid parameters of heavy ions in the solar wind from ISEE-1 mass spectrometer data are presented. Temperatures and speeds of the He(2+) and O(6+) ions have been determined for about 150 hours of data in late 1977. It is found that the temperatures are roughly proportional to atomic mass of the ion species. When temperatures are comparatively low, this proportionality does not hold for H(+). At high speeds and high temperatures the minor ions stream somewhat faster than H(+), but there is on average practically no difference between speeds of He(2+) and O(6+).

Schmidt, W. K. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Simpler Variable-Speed Drive for Fan or Pump

Static pressure developed by a fan or pump is used directly to control its speed in a new drive unit. System is simpler and more economical than many other speed controllers, although it is less accurate and has a narrower speed range. However, since very accurate control is not usually required for fans and pumps, unit would work well in many applications.

Obler, H. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Evaluation of flow quality in two large NASA wind tunnels at transonic speeds

Wind tunnel testing of low drag airfoils and basic transition studies at transonic speeds are designed to provide high quality aerodynamic data at high Reynolds numbers. This requires that the flow quality in facilities used for such research be excellent. To obtain a better understanding of the characteristics of facility disturbances and identification of their sources for possible facility modification, detailed flow quality measurements were made in two prospective NASA wind tunnels. Experimental results are presented of an extensive and systematic flow quality study of the settling chamber, test section, and diffuser in the Langley 8 foot transonic pressure tunnel and the Ames 12 foot pressure wind tunnel. Results indicate that the free stream velocity and pressure fluctuation levels in both facilities are low at subsonic speeds and are so high as to make it difficult to conduct meaningful boundary layer control and transition studies at transonic speeds.

Harvey, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Simulator investigation of arrow-wing low-speed handling qualities

Low speed handling qualities of arrow wings were investigated with a piloted simulator. Existing aerodynamic data were used from NASA SCAT 15F tunnel tests augmented with Lockheed low speed wind tunnel test data. Two arrow wing planforms were chosen for the simulation effort a Mach 2.0 design and a Mach 2.7 design. These designs are in the SCAT 15F Mach 2.7 design family, having the same beta AR and beta cot lambda. Piloted simulation results indicate that both the Mach 2.0 and Mach 2.7 planforms have satisfactory longitudinal flying qualities. However, in the control of bank angle the Mach 2.0 planform demonstrates satisfactory handling qualities while the Mach 2.7 planform is unacceptable. This situation applies for crosswind landings at FAA limits and for lineup in heavy turbulence. The low speed superiority of the Mach 2 planform with its lower sweep and higher aspect ratio is also shown by its ability to approach at least 8 m/s slower than the Mach 2.7 planform without degradation in handling qualities.

Averett, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Molecule formation and infrared emission in fast interstellar shocks. II - Dissociation speeds for interstellar shock waves

The postshock destruction of molecules is examined, including the processes of (1) collisions with neutral hydrogen atoms and molecules, (2) electronic collisions, and (3) neutral chemical reactions with atoms, particularly atomic hydrogen. By using conservative estimates of collisional dissociation rates from individual vibrational states, it is found that process (1) leads to the destruction of molecular hydrogen behind shocks with speeds equal to or greater than 25 km/s if the preshock molecular gas has hydrogen nucleus densities of equal to or greater than 10 to the 4th/cu cm. At lower densities (100 per cu cm), destruction occurs for shock speeds equal to or greater than 50 km/s and process (2) dominates. Dissociation of molecules such as CO, H2O, and O2 follows the destruction of H2, as the resultant hydrogen atoms chemically dissociate the metal atoms from their bonds (process 3) in the hot postshock gas. These results demonstrate that many of the observed high-speed interstellar molecules, if shock accelerated, must have dissociated and reformed in the postshock gas.

Hollenbach, D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Some limitations in applying classical EHD film thickness formulas to a high-speed bearing

Elastohydrodynamic film thickness was measured for a 20-mm ball bearing using the capacitance technique. The bearing was thrust loaded to 90, 448, and 778 N. The corresponding maximum stresses on the inner race were 1.28, 2.09, and 2.45 GPa. Test speeds ranged from 400 to 14,000 rpm. Film thickness measurements were taken with four different lubricants: (a) synthetic paraffinic, (b) synthetic paraffinic with additives, (c) neopentylpolyol (tetra) ester meeting MIL-L-23699A specifications, and (d) synthetic cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon traction fluid. The test bearing was mist lubricated. Test temperatures were 300, 338, and 393 K. The measured results were compared to theoretical predictions using the formulas of Grubin, Archard and Cowking, Dowson and Higginson, and Hamrock and Dowson. There was good agreement with theory at low dimensionless speed, but the film was much smaller than theory predicts at higher speeds. This was due to kinematic starvation and inlet shear heating effects.

Coy, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Classical and modern control design of a speed-hold system for a STOL airplane

A speed-hold system for an experimental short takeoff and landing jet airplane has been designed using both classical root-locus and modern optimal control synthesis techniques. The purpose of the speed-hold system is to maintain airspeed during final approach in the presence of wind shears, gusts, engine failures, and pilot control inputs. Designs were based on using airspeed as a single measurement and two symmetrically deployed upper surface blown flaps as a single control. An optimal control law feeding back all the states and the integral of airspeed through constant gains provided superior performance in terms of speed tracking and control surface activity. However, when a constant-gain Kalman filter was inserted to estimate the states using only the measurement of airspeed, the performance of the optimal control law was reduced to the same as that of a much simpler classical proportional-path plus integral-path control law. To improve the performance of the optimal control law, additional measurements would be required.

Blight, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Supersonic stall flutter of high-speed fans

An analytical model is proposed for predicting the onset of supersonic stall bending flutter in high-speed rotors. The analysis is based on a modified two-dimensional, compressible, unsteady actuator disk theory. The stability boundary predicted by the analysis is shown to be in good agreement with the measured boundary of a high speed fan. The prediction that the flutter mode would be a forward traveling wave sensitive to wheel speed and aerodynamic loading is confirmed by experimental measurements. In addition, the analysis shows that reduced frequency and dynamic head also play a significant role in establishing the supersonic stall bending flutter boundary of an unshrouded fan.

Adamczyk, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Magnetohydrodynamic interaction of high-speed streams

Numerical solutions of a magnetohydrodynamic model are carried out to describe the nonlinear interaction of corotating high-speed streams near the solar equatorial plane. Two problems are studied. The first problem is to simulate the evolution of an idealized high-speed stream. Numerical solutions are obtained to represent the variations of flow velocity, magnetic field, plasma density, temperature, and conduction heat flux in the interaction region. They demonstrate that the dynamical interaction and heat conduction process are responsible for the thermal structure of a high-speed stream. The second problem deals with the formation of corotating shock waves near the leading edge of a broad stream resulting from the merging of characteristic curves. Corotating shocks do not necessarily occur in pairs; a reverse shock can be formed without a forward shock nearby.

Whang, Y. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Speed-dependent collision effects on radar back-scattering from the ionosphere

A computer code to accurately compute the fluctuation spectrum for linearly speed dependent collision frequencies was developed. The effect of ignoring the speed dependence on the estimates of ionospheric parameters was determined. It is shown that disagreements between the rocket and the incoherent scatter estimates could be partially resolved if the correct speed dependence of the i-n collision frequency is not ignored. This problem is also relevant to the study of ionospheric irregularities in the auroral E-region and their effects on the radio communication with satellites.

Theimer, O.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A digital optical torquemeter for high rotational speed applications

A digital optical torquemeter system designed for applications at high rotational speeds was fabricated and tested for zero stability at speeds up to 20,000 rpm. Data obtained in a spin rig and with simulated inputs demonstrate that the system is capable of measuring torque bar twist to within 0.03 degrees at speeds of 30,000 rpm. The optical system uses fiber optic bundles to transmit light to the torque bar and to silicon avalanche detectors. The system is microcomputer based and provides measurements of average torque and torque as a function of angular shaft position. The torquemeter requires no bearings or other contact between the rotating torque bar and the nonrotating optics, and tolerates movement of the torque bar as large as 1 mm relative to the optics.

Lesco, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Reduction of high-speed impulsive noise by blade planform modification of a model helicopter rotor

The reduction of high speed impulsive noise for the UH-1H helicopter was investigated by using an advanced main rotor system. The advanced rotor system had a tapered blade planform compared with the rectangular planform of the standard rotor system. Models of both the advanced main rotor system and the UH-1H standard main rotor system were tested at 1/4 scale in the 4 by 7 Meter Tunnel. In plane acoustic measurements of the high speed impulsive noise demonstrated that the advanced rotor system on the UH-1H helicopter reduced the high speed impulsive noise by up to 20 dB, with a reduction in overall sound pressure level of up to 5 dB.

Conner, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Farfield inflight measurement of high-speed turboprop noise

A flight program was carried out to determine the variation of noise level with distance from a model high speed propeller. Noise measurements were obtained at different distances from a SR-3 propeller mounted on a JetStar aircraft, with the test instrumentation mounted on a Lear jet flown in formation. The propeller was operated at 0.8 flight Mach number, 1.12 helical tip Mach number and at 0.7 flight Mach number, 1.0 helical tip Mach number. The instantaneous pressure from individual blades was observed to rise faster at the 0.8 M flight speed, than at the 0.7 M flight speed. The measured levels appeared to decrease in good agreement with a 6 dB/doubling of distance decay, over the measurement range of approximately 16 m to 100 m distance. Further extrapolation, to the distances represented by a community, would suggest that the propagated levels during cruise would not cause a serious community annoyance.

Balombin, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Aeroacoutic characteristics of a large, variable-pitch, variable-speed fan system

The acoustic and aerodynamic performance of the new drive fans for the NASA Ames 40- by 80-/80- by 120-foot wind tunnel was investigated. Results show that a fan system with variable-speed and variable-pitch rotor blades allows the operator to control noise and energy consumption, at a given mass flow rate, through the choice of blade speed and pitch. A low speed and high blade pitch will generally create the least noise at the least energy cost. An empirical method is described which predicts the sound power of this fan system reasonably well.

Soderman, P. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design of a high-speed digital processing element for parallel simulation

A prototype of a custom designed computer to be used as a processing element in a multiprocessor based jet engine simulator is described. The purpose of the custom design was to give the computer the speed and versatility required to simulate a jet engine in real time. Real time simulations are needed for closed loop testing of digital electronic engine controls. The prototype computer has a microcycle time of 133 nanoseconds. This speed was achieved by: prefetching the next instruction while the current one is executing, transporting data using high speed data busses, and using state of the art components such as a very large scale integration (VLSI) multiplier. Included are discussions of processing element requirements, design philosophy, the architecture of the custom designed processing element, the comprehensive instruction set, the diagnostic support software, and the development status of the custom design.

Milner, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Effect of lead-aircraft ground-speed on self-spacing performance using a cockpit display of traffic information

A simulator investigation was conducted to determine the effect of the lead-aircraft ground-speed quantization level on self-spacing performance using a Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI). The study utilized a simulator employing cathode-ray tubes for the primary flight and navigation displays and highly augmented flight control modes. The pilot's task was to follow, and self-space on, a lead aircraft which was performing an idle-thrust profile descent to an instrument landing system (ILS) approach and landing. The spacing requirement was specified in terms of both a minimum distance and a time interval. The results indicate that the ground-speed quantization level, lead-aircraft scenario, and pilot technique had a significant effect on self-spacing performance. However, the ground-speed quantization level only had a significant effect on the performance when the lead aircraft flew a fast final approach.

Kelly, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Evaluation of Seasat SMMR wind speed measurements

The Seasat scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) is able to measure the wind speed at the ocean surface through the change in ocean surface microwave emissivity caused by the wind. In this paper the SMMR-derived wind speeds are compared to the wind speeds derived from an active microwave scatterometer also aboard the Seasat, the Seasat A scanning scatterometer (SASS). Four orbits that passed over the severe storm that damaged the Queen Elizabeth II are examined in detail. These orbits and five others were used to investigate effects which degrade the SMMR wind retrievals. When the data are filtered for such effects, it is found that the SMMR winds agree with the SASS winds with a scatter (1 sigma) of less than 2 m/s about a bias of 1 to 2 m/s.

Cardone, V.↗