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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 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

A numerical simulation of hypersonic viscous flow over arbitrary geometries at angle of attack

An implicit conservative, noniterative, finite-difference algorithm that predicts the supersonic, laminar or turbulent viscous flow about arbitrary geometries at large angles of attack is presented. The three-dimensional parabolized form of the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations are written in generalized coordinates. These equations are solved using the delta form of the Beam-Warming implicit algorithm. Flow field simulations have been obtained for a blunt biconic with windward and leeward cuts and an X-24C lifting body for both laminar and turbulent flow at various Mach numbers and angles of attack. When compared with experiment or with previous theories, these computational predictions show good agreement.

Chaussee, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Magnetoelectrostatic thruster physical geometry tests

Inert gas tests are conducted with several magnetoelectrostatic containment discharge chamber geometries. The configurations tested include three discharge chamber lengths; three boundary magnet patterns; two different flux density magnet materials; hemispherical and conical shaped thrusters having different surface-to-volume ratios; and two and three grid ion optics. Argon mass utilizations of 60 to 79% are attained at 210 to 280 eV/ion in different test configurations. Short hemi thruster configurations are found to produce 70 to 92% xenon mass utilization at 185 to 220 eV/ion.

Ramsey, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Tip geometry effects on the model helicopter rotor low frequency broadband noise

The effect of rotor blade tip shapes and performance parameters on the low frequency broadband noise (LFBN) is investigated experimentally. The experimental results show 2 to 5 dB reductions for swept geometries compared with square tip blades at constant blade loading. A theoretical model is formulated which includes a detailed lift response function. For the square tip blades, theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. While the effects of advance ratio and tip speed on the LFBN are explicable, those of blade loading are not clearly understood.

Humbad, N. G.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Experimental and analytical investigation of axisymmetric supersonic cruise nozzle geometry at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.30

Quantitative pressure and force data for five axisymmetric boattail nozzle configurations were examined. These configurations simulate the variable-geometry feature of a single nozzle design operating over a range of engine operating conditions. Five nozzles were tested in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.30. The experimental data were also compared with theoretical predictions.

Carson, G. T., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effects of cable geometry and aircraft attitude on the accuracy of a magnetic leader cable system for aircraft guidance during rollout and turnoff

A theoretical analysis of a single wire magnetic leader cable system for aircraft rollout and turnoff guidance was performed to determine the errors produced by the leader cable installation geometry and aircraft attitude. It was found that errors in the measurement of lateral displacement from the cable are smaller than errors in the measurement of aircraft heading and that both errors are smallest at or near the cable.

Bundick, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Application of Computer Axial Tomography (CAT) to measuring crop canopy geometry

The feasibility of using the principles of computer axial topography (CAT) to quantify the structure of crop canopies was investigated because six variables are needed to describe the position-orientation with time of a small piece of canopy foliage. Several cross sections were cut through the foliage of healthy, green corn and soybean canopies in the dent and full pod development stages, respectively. A photograph of each cross section representing the intersection of a plane with the foliage was enlarged and the air-foliage boundaries delineated by the plane were digitized. A computer program was written and used to reconstruct the cross section of the canopy. The approach used in applying optical computer axial tomography to measuring crop canopy geometry shows promise of being able to provide needed geometric information for input data to canopy reflectance models. The difficulty of using the CAT scanner to measure large canopies of crops like corn is discussed and a solution is proposed involving the measurement of plants one at a time.

Bauer, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Global differential geometry: An introduction for control engineers

The basic concepts and terminology of modern global differential geometry are discussed as an introduction to the Lie theory of differential equations and to the role of Grassmannians in control systems analysis. To reach these topics, the fundamental notions of manifolds, tangent spaces, vector fields, and Lie algebras are discussed and exemplified. An appendix reviews such concepts needed for vector calculus as open and closed sets, compactness, continuity, and derivative. Although the content is mathematical, this is not a mathematical treatise but rather a text for engineers to understand geometric and nonlinear control.

Doolin, B. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Investigations of flowfields found in typical combustor geometries

Experimental and theoretical research undertaken on 2-D axisymmetric geometries under low speed, nonreacting, turbulent, swirling flow conditions is reported. The flow enters the test section and proceeds into a larger chamber (the expansion ratio D/d = 2) via a sudden or gradual expansion (sidewall angle alpha = 90 and 45 degrees). Inlet swirl vanes are adjustable to a variety of vane angles with values of phi = 0, 38, 45, 60 and 70 degrees being emphasized.

Lilley, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Soybean canopy reflectance as a function of view and illumination geometry

The results of an experiment designed to characterize a soybean field by its reflectance at various view and illumination angles and by its physical and agronomic attributes are presented. Reflectances were calculated from measurements at four wavelength bands through eight view azimuth and seven view zenith directions for various solar zenith and azimuth angles during portions of three days. An ancillary data set consisting of the agronomic and physical characteristics of the soybean field is described. The results indicate that the distribution of reflectance from a soybean field is a function of the solar illumination and viewing geometry, wavelength and row direction, as well as the state of development of the canopy. Shadows between rows greatly affected the reflectance in the visible wavelength bands and to a lesser extent in the near infrared wavelengths. A model is proposed that describes the reflectance variation as a function of projected solar and projected viewing angles. The model appears to approximate the reflectance variations in the visible wavelength bands from a canopy with well defined row structure.

Bauer, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

On the prediction of swirling flowfields found in axisymmetric combustor geometries

The paper reports research restricted to steady turbulence flow in axisymmetric geometries under low speed and nonreacting conditions. Numerical computations are performed for a basic two-dimensional axisymmetrical flow field similar to that found in a conventional gas turbine combustor. Calculations include a stairstep boundary representation of the expansion flow, a conventional k-epsilon turbulence model and realistic accomodation of swirl effects. A preliminary evaluation of the accuracy of computed flowfields is accomplished by comparisons with flow visualizations using neutrally-buoyant helium-filled soap bubbles as tracer particles. Comparisons of calculated results show good agreement, and it is found that a problem in swirling flows is the accuracy with which the sizes and shapes of the recirculation zones may be predicted, which may be attributed to the quality of the turbulence model.

Rhode, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Turbulent boundary layer over porous surfaces with different surface geometries

The turbulent boundary layer over three porous walls with different surface geometries was studied in order to investigate the individual influences of porosity and small roughness, as well as their combined effects, on turbulent boundary layer behavior. The tests were conducted in a 2 m x 2 m tunnel on a large axisymmetric model at speeds corresponding to Re(L) = 5,000,000-6,000,000. The development of the turbulent boundary layer was compared for that of sintered metal, bonded screening, and perforated sheet and then to that for the flow over a solid smooth wall and a solid, sand-roughened wall. The comparisons reveal that the effect of porosity is to shift the logarithmic region of the wall law down by a certain amount from the solid wall results and to increase the skin friction values by about 30-40%. The downward shift of the logarithmic region of the wall law and the increase of the skin friction value by the combined effects of small roughness and porosity are found to be roughly the sum of their individual effects.

Kong, F. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Soybean canopy reflectance as a function of view and illumination geometry

Reflectances were calculated from measurements at four wavelength bands through eight view azimuth and seven view zenith directions, for various solar zenith and azimuth angles over portions of three days, in an experimental characterization of a soybean field by means of its reflectances and physical and agronomic attributes. Results indicate that the distribution of reflectance from a soybean field is a function of the solar illumination and viewing geometry, wavelength, and row direction, as well as the state of canopy development. Shadows between rows were found to affect visible wavelength band reflectance to a greater extent than near-IR reflectance. A model describing reflectance variation as a function of projected solar and viewing angles is proposed, which approximates the visible wavelength band reflectance variations of a canopy with a well-defined row structure.

Ranson, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Generation of three-dimensional boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate systems for wing/wing-tip geometries using the elliptic solver method

A three-dimensional elliptic solver technique is utilized to generate surface-fitted coordinates about wing/wing-tip configurations. The method is applicable to wings of arbitrary section profile and camber, leading-edge sweep, taper ratio, and spanwise thickness variation. The basic theory of three-dimensional elliptic mappings is developed along with a method to compute interior coordinate control functions. Examples of grids generated about several wing/wing-tip geometries are given. A 49 x 33 x 17 grid requires about 3 minutes of CPU time on a CYBER 203 computer.

Thames, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Wave-driven winds from cool stars. I - Some effects of magnetic field geometry

The wave-driven wind theory of Hartmann and MacGregor (1980) is extended to include effects due to non-radial divergence of the flow. Specifically, isothermal expansion within a flow tube whose cross-sectional area increases outward faster than the square of the radius near the stellar surface is considered. It is found that the qualitative conclusions of Hartmann and MacGregor concerning the physical properties of Alfven wave-driven winds are largely unaffected. In particular, mass fluxes of similar magnitude are obtained, and wave dissipation is still necessary to produce acceptably small terminal velocities. Increasingly divergent flow geometries generally lead to higher initial wind speeds and slightly lower terminal velocities. For some cases of extremely rapid flow tube divergence, steady supersonic wind solutions which extend to infinity with vanishing gas pressure cannot be obtained. In addition, departures from spherical symmetry can cause the relative Alfven wave amplitude delta-B/B to become approximately greater than 1 within several stellar radii of the base of the wind, suggesting that nonlinear processes may contribute to the wave dissipation required by the theory.

Hartmann, L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Theoretical method for calculating relative joint geometry of assembled robot arms

Equations are developed to extract the relative joint parameters of an assembled robot arm. Specifically, the Denavit-Hartenberg parameters, which completely characterize the relative joint geometry, are calculated. These parameters are needed to control the hand of the robot arm by resolved rate. As an example, the parameter extraction equations are used with perfect simulated data (no measurement noise) obtained from a mathematical model of a six-degree-of-freedom robot arm. For an actual application, measurement data needed to estimate the relative joint parameters can be generated by moving a robot arm to different positions, measuring the location of the hand (or other extension) in base coordinates, and recording the corresponding joint angles.

Barker, L. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Thrust performance of a variable-geometry, divergent exhaust nozzle on a turbojet engine at altitude

A variable geometry, low aspect ratio, nonaxisymmetric, two dimensional, convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle was tested at simulated altitude on a turbojet engine to obtain baseline axial, dry thrust performance over wide ranges of operating nozzle pressure ratios, throat areas, and internal expansion area ratios. The thrust data showed good agreement with theory and scale model test results after the data were corrected for seal leakage and coolant losses. Wall static pressure profile data were also obtained and compared with one dimensional theory and scale model data. The pressure data indicate greater three dimensional flow effects in the full scale tests than with models. The leakage and coolant penalties were substantial, and the method to determine them is included.

Straight, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Spectral methods for flows in complex geometries

Three methods for the application of spectral methods to flows in complex geometries are discussed. They are the spectral iteration method, the spectral embedding method, and the spectral element method. Applications are given to the flow over wavy walls, past a large-eddy breakup device (LEBU), and to flow over a step.

Orszag, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The AGCE related studies of baroclinic flows in spherical geometry

Steady state, axisymmetric motions of a Boussineaq fluid continued in rotating spherical anmulus are considered. The motions are driven by latitudinally varying temperature gradient at the shells. Linearized formulations for a narrow gap are derived and the flow field is divided into the Ekman layers and the geostrophic interior. The Ekman layer flows are consistent with the known results for cylindrical geometries. Within the framework of rather restrictive assumptions, the interior flows are solved by a series of associated Legendre polynomials. The solutions show qualitative features valid at midlatitudes.

Hyun, J. M.↗