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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

Integrated circuit electrometer and sweep circuitry for an atmospheric probe

The design of electrometer circuitry using an integrated circuit operational amplifier with a MOSFET input is described. Input protection against static voltages is provided by a dual ultra low leakage diode or a neon lamp. Factors affecting frequency response leakage resistance, and current stability are discussed, and methods are suggested for increasing response speed and for eliminating leakage resistance and current instabilities. Based on the above, two practical circuits, one having a linear response and the other a logarithmic response, were designed and evaluated experimentally. The design of a sweep circuit to implement mobility measurements using atmospheric probes is presented. A triangular voltage waveform is generated and shaped to contain a step in voltage from zero volts in both positive and negative directions.

Zimmerman, L. E.↗

H2-O2 auxiliary power unit for space shuttle vehicles

A program to establish technology readiness of hydrogen-oxygen (H2-O2) auxiliary power units for use on board the space shuttle orbiter vehicle is discussed. Fundamental objectives include experimentally establishing an acceptable propellant flow control method, verification of combustor stability, and adequate thermal management. An initial APU configuration with recycled hydrogen flow has been studied and revised towards greater simplicity and scaling ease. The selected APU is a recuperated open-cycle, turbine-driven unit. Series flow of cryogenic hydrogen removes internally-generated heat and from the hydraulic system. Steady-state test of the combustor has been successful.

Joyce, J. P.↗

Advanced beaded and tubular structural panels.

A review is presented of an NASA program to develop light-weight beaded and tubular structural panels which can be applied where beaded external surfaces are acceptable aerodynamically or where primary structure is protected by heat shields. The design shapes were obtained with an optimization computer code which iterates geometric parameters to satisfy strength, stability and weight constraints. Methods of fabricating these new configurations are discussed. Nondestructive testing produced extensive combined compression, shear and bending test data on local buckling specimens and large panels. The optimized design concepts offer 25 to 40% weight savings compared to conventional stiffened sheet construction.

Musgrove, M. D.↗

Computational considerations in application of the finite element method for analysis of unsteady flow around airfoils.

Difficulties related to the application of the finite element method for numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equation are discussed. The unsteady flow around a stationary and oscillating NACA 0012 airfoil was analyzed. In an effort to establish the range of applicability of the developed numerical method, the accuracy and stability problems in representing unsteady flow patterns and determining pressure distribution around the airfoil were investigated. Error involved in determining the velocity field and in the numerical integration of the discretized equations were analyzed in terms of geometry of the finite element gridwork, boundary conditions for stationary and oscillating airfoils, angles of attack and flow conditions.

Bratanow, T.↗

H2-O2 auxiliary power unit for Space Shuttle vehicles - A progress report.

Description of a program to establish technology readiness of hydrogen-oxygen (H2-O2) auxiliary power units for use on board the Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle. Fundamental objectives include experimentally establishing an acceptable propellant flow control method, verification of combustor stability, and adequate thermal management. An initial auxiliary power unit (APU) configuration with recycled hydrogen flow has been studied and revised toward greater simplicity and scaling ease. The selected APU is a recuperated open-cycle, turbine-driven unit. Series flow of cryogenic hydrogen removes internally-generated heat and heat from the hydraulic system. The revised configuration schematic and its calculated performance are reviewed. A weight comparison is made between the shuttle baseline hydrazine and H2-O2 APU systems, showing that hydrogen-oxygen APUs have the potential of increasing the payload of the Space Shuttle.

Joyce, J. P.↗

Nutation control during precession of a spin-stabilized spacecraft

The effects of precession thrust pulses and energy dissipation upon nutation of a spin-stabilized spacecraft are studied. Methods for controlling nutation during a precession maneuver are proposed and examined. A precession modulation control law is developed which uses precession thrust pulses to control nutation. Digital simulations show that precession control with separate nutation control is the fastest precessing system; however, the precession modulation method is only fractionally slower while not requiring a separate nutation control system.

Taylor, J. M.↗

Investigation of highly efficient satellite solution methods

Methods for analyzing the stability of satellites are discussed. The subjects considered are: (1) time elements, (2) stabilization by external energy corrections, and (3) long term global solutions for the synchronous satellite. A set of canonical two-body elements referred to as Delaunay-similar elements is presented. In contrast to the classical Delaunay theory which has time as the independent variable, the D-S theory uses an independent variable which is a generalized true anomaly. The numerical integration of the canonical perturbation equations of these elements is developed.

Nacozy, P. E.↗

Stability regions for quasiperiodic motion in the restricted problem of three bodies

Surfaces of section, plotted in configuration space, have been computed for the motion of the massless particle in the restricted problem of three bodies. Nine mass ratios and a wide variety of Jacobi constants were investigated; over four thousand orbits were computed, about half of which were finally used. The plots of surface of section have been reduced to plots of stability regions, following a method due to Henon (1965a, 1965b, 1966b, 1969). Sample surfaces of section are also given. The complete set of 276 surfaces of section has been published as a report (Jefferys, 1971) and is available upon request from the author.

Jefferys, W. H.↗

Time and frequency requirement for the earth and ocean physics applications program

The application of time and frequency standards to the Earth and Ocean Physics Applications Program (EOPAP) is discussed. The goals and experiments of the EOPAP are described. Methods for obtaining frequency stability and time synchronization are analyzed. The orbits, trajectories, and characteristics of the satellites used in the program are reported.

Vonbun, F. O.↗

Advanced beaded and tubular structural panels

A program to develop lightweight beaded and tubular structural panels is described. Applications include external surfaces, where aerodynamically acceptable, and primary structure protected by heat shields. The design configurations were optimized and selected with a computer code which iterates geometric parameters to satisfy strength, stability, and weight constraints. Methods of fabricating these configurations are discussed. Nondestructive testing produced extensive combined compression, shear, and bending test data on local buckling specimens and large panels. The optimized design concepts offer 25 to 30% weight savings compared to conventional stiffened sheet construction.

Musgrove, M. D.↗

Some Problems of Nonlinear Waves in Solid Propellant Rocket Motors

This paper is concerned with analyses of nonlinear waves in solid propellant rockets. Most attention is given to an approximate technique which inexpensively provides results which appear to be quite accurate at least up to amplitudes of ten percent. The connection with linear stability analysis is shown. Primarily to study nonlinear stability, or triggering, the method is extended to third order in the amplitude of wave motion; no explicit results have been obtained. Application of the approximate method to the behavior of pulses is described.

F E C Culick↗

An alternating-direction-implicit algorithm for the unsteady potential equation in conservation form

An implicit finite difference scheme for an efficient computation of unsteady potential flow about airfoils is presented. The formulation uses density and velocity potential as dependent variables, and is cast in conservation form to assure the theoretically correct determination of shockwave location and speed. To enable boundary conditions to be imposed directly on the airfoil surface, a time varying sheared rectilinear coordinate transformation is employed. Calculated time history solutions on a pulsating airfoil are compared with the results of another unsteady transonic code. It is concluded that the method has excellent numerical stability and gives accurate solutions with sharply resolved shocks.

Chipman, R. R.↗

Error propagation in the numerical solutions of the differential equations of orbital mechanics

The relationship between the eigenvalues of the linearized differential equations of orbital mechanics and the stability characteristics of numerical methods is presented. It is shown that the Cowell, Encke, and Encke formulation with an independent variable related to the eccentric anomaly all have a real positive eigenvalue when linearized about the initial conditions. The real positive eigenvalue causes an amplification of the error of the solution when used in conjunction with a numerical integration method. In contrast an element formulation has zero eigenvalues and is numerically stable.

Bond, V. R.↗

Stability analysis of flexible wind turbine blades using finite element method

Static vibration and flutter analysis of a straight elastic axis blade was performed based on a finite element method solution. The total potential energy functional was formulated according to linear beam theory. The inertia and aerodynamic loads were formulated according to the blade absolute acceleration and absolute velocity vectors. In vibration analysis, the direction of motion of the blade during the first out-of-lane and first in-plane modes was examined; numerical results involve NASA/DOE Mod-0, McCauley propeller, north wind turbine and flat plate behavior. In flutter analysis, comparison cases were examined involving several references. Vibration analysis of a nonstraight elastic axis blade based on a finite element method solution was performed in a similar manner with the straight elastic axis blade, since it was recognized that a curved blade can be approximated by an assembly of a sufficient number of straight blade elements at different inclinations with respect to common system of axes. Numerical results involve comparison between the behavior of a straight and a curved cantilever beam during the lowest two in-plane and out-of-plane modes.

Kamoulakos, A.↗

NASA/Howard University Large Space Structures Institute

Basic research on the engineering behavior of large space structures is presented. Methods of structural analysis, control, and optimization of large flexible systems are examined. Topics of investigation include the Load Correction Method (LCM) modeling technique, stabilization of flexible bodies by feedback control, mathematical refinement of analysis equations, optimization of the design of structural components, deployment dynamics, and the use of microprocessors in attitude and shape control of large space structures. Information on key personnel, budgeting, support plans and conferences is included.

Broome, T. H., Jr.↗

A study of the high frequency limitations of series resonant converters

A transformer induced oscillation in series resonant (SR) converters is studied. It may occur in the discontinuous current mode. The source of the oscillation is an unexpected resonant circuit formed by normal resonance components in series with the magnetizing inductance of the output transformers. The methods for achieving cyclic stability are: to use a half bridge SR converter where q0.5. Q should be as close to 1.0 as possible. If 0.5q1.0, the instability will be avoided if psi2/3q-1/3. The second objective was to investigate a power field effect transistor (FET) version of the SR converter capable of operating at frequencies above 100 KHz, to study component stress and losses at various frequencies.

Stuart, T. A.↗

MOD silver metallization for photovoltaics

Photovoltaic cells require back side metallization and a collector grid system on the front surface. Both front and back surface metallizations should have good adhesion, low contact resistance, low sheet resistance, long term stability, and their deposition methods should not degrade the n-p junction. Advantages and disadvantages of different deposition methods are discussed.

Vest, G. M.↗