SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “computation time”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,009 records · Page 56

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1991

Mach number validation of a new zonal CFD method (ZAP2D) for airfoil simulations

A closed-loop overlapped velocity coupling procedure has been utilized to combine a two-dimensional potential-flow panel code and a Navier-Stokes code. The fully coupled two-zone code (ZAP2D) has been used to compute the flow past a NACA 0012 airfoil at Mach numbers ranging from 0.3 to 0.84 near the two-dimensional airfoil C(lmax) point for a Reynolds number of 3 million. For these cases, the grid domain size can be reduced to 3 chord lengths with less than 3-percent loss in accuracy for freestream Mach numbers through 0.8. Earlier validation work with ZAP2D has demonstrated a reduction in the required Navier-Stokes computation time by a factor of 4 for subsonic Mach numbers. For this more challenging condition of high lift and Mach number, the saving in CPU time is reduced to a factor of 2.

Strash, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

General flow field analysis methods for helicopter rotor aeroacoustics

Previous work in the analysis of rotor flow fields for aeroacoustic applications involved the preliminary development of an efficient and accurate Lagrangian simulation of the unsteady vorticity field in the vicinity of helicopter main rotor that could analyze a limited class of rotor/wake interactions. The capabilities of this analysis have subsequently been considerably enhanced to allow it to serve as the foundation for a general analysis of the rotor/wake interaction noise. This paper presents the details of these enhancements, which focus on the expansion of the reconstruction approach developed previously to handle arbitrary vortex wake interactions within three-dimensional regions located near or within the rotor disk. Also, the development of nearfield velocity corrections appropriate for the analysis of such interactions is described, as is a preliminary study of methods for using the new high-resolution flow field analysis for noise predictions. The results show that by employing this novel flow field reconstruction technique it is possible to employ full-span free wake analyses with temporal and spatial resolution suitable for acoustic applications while reducing the computation time required by one to two orders of magnitude relative to traditional methods.

Quackenbush, Todd R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Data space volumes and classification optimization of SPOT and Landsat TM data

In order to compare the data space volume of SPOT XS and Landsat TM images, three data sets, i.e., a wetlands/agricultural data set, an agricultural data set, and a forest data set, are examined. The comparisons are made for the same geographic area. The data space volumes for Landsat TM (2, 3, and 4) are found to be 70 to 100 percent larger than the volumes for the SPOT XS images. It is suggested that the additional midinfrared bands contribute to the difference in data space volumes between Landsat TM and SPOT XS. The data space volumes for Landsat TM bands 3, 4, and 5 are more than an order of magnitude greater than the volumes for the three band SPOT XS data sets. The volumes of the six-band Landsat TM images are four orders of magnitude greater than the SPOT XS. The analysis of the data space volumes is used to optimize the computation time and minimize the storage requirements of a maximum-likelihood classification based on a look-up table.

Ahearn, Sean C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The least-squares mixing models to generate fraction images derived from remote sensing multispectral data

Constrained-least-squares and weighted-least-squares mixing models for generating fraction images derived from remote sensing multispectral data are presented. An experiment considering three components within the pixels-eucalyptus, soil (understory), and shade-was performed. The generated fraction images for shade (shade image) derived from these two methods were compared by considering the performance and computer time. The derived shade images are related to the observed variation in forest structure, i.e., the fraction of inferred shade in the pixel is related to different eucalyptus ages.

Shimabukuro, Yosio Edemir↗

NASA NTRS1990

An easily implemented static condensation method for structural sensitivity analysis

A black-box approach to static condensation for sensitivity analysis is presented with illustrative examples of a cube and a car structure. The sensitivity of the structural response with respect to joint stiffness parameter is calculated using the direct method, forward-difference, and central-difference schemes. The efficiency of the various methods for identifying joint stiffness parameters from measured static deflections of these structures is compared. The results indicate that the use of static condensation can reduce computation times significantly and the black-box approach is only slightly less efficient than the standard implementation of static condensation. The ease of implementation of the black-box approach recommends it for use with general-purpose finite element codes that do not have a built-in facility for static condensation.

Gangadharan, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Finite element solution of optimal control problems with inequality constraints

A finite-element method based on a weak Hamiltonian form of the necessary conditions is summarized for optimal control problems. Very crude shape functions (so simple that element numerical quadrature is not necessary) can be used to develop an efficient procedure for obtaining candidate solutions (i.e., those which satisfy all the necessary conditions) even for highly nonlinear problems. An extension of the formulation allowing for discontinuities in the states and derivatives of the states is given. A theory that includes control inequality constraints is fully developed. An advanced launch vehicle (ALV) model is presented. The model involves staging and control constraints, thus demonstrating the full power of the weak formulation to date. Numerical results are presented along with total elapsed computer time required to obtain the results. The speed and accuracy in obtaining the results make this method a strong candidate for a real-time guidance algorithm.

Bless, Robert R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Active vibration absorber for the CSI evolutionary model - Design and experimental results

The development of control of large flexible structures technology must include practical demonstrations to aid in the understanding and characterization of controlled structures in space. To support this effort, a testbed facility has been developed to study practical implementation of new control technologies under realistic conditions. The paper discusses the design of a second order, acceleration feedback controller which acts as an active vibration absorber. This controller provides guaranteed stability margins for collocated sensor/actuator pairs in the absence of sensor/actuator dynamics and computational time delay. Experimental results in the presence of these factors are presented and discussed. The robustness of this design under model uncertainty is demonstrated.

Bruner, Anne M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Simulation of deep one- and two-dimensional redshift surveys

It is shown that slice or pencil-beam redshift surveys of galaxies can be simulated in a box with nonequal sides. This method saves a lot of computer time and memory while providing essentially the same results as from whole-cube simulations. A 2457.6/h Mpc-long rod (out to a redshift z = 0.58 in two opposite directions) is simulated using the standard biased cold dark matter model as an example to mimic the recent deep pencil-beam surveys by Broadhurst et al. (1990). The structures (spikes) seen in these simulated samples occur when the narrow pencil-beam pierces walls, filaments, and clusters appearing randomly along the line-of-sight. A statistical test for goodness of fit to a periodic lattice has been applied to the observations and the simulations. It is found that the statistical significance level (P = 15.4 percent) is not strong enough to reject the null hypothesis that the observations and the simulations were drawn at random from the same set.

Park, Changbom↗

NASA NTRS1991

An efficient formulation and implementation of the analytic energy gradient method to the single and double excitation coupled-cluster wave function - Application to Cl2O2

The analytic energy gradient for the single and double excitation coupled-cluster (CCSD) wave function has been reformulated and implemented in a new set of programs. The reformulated set of gradient equations have a smaller computational cost than any previously published. The iterative solution of the linear equations and the construction of the effective density matrices are fully vectorized, being based on matrix multiplications. The new method has been used to investigate the Cl2O2 molecule, which has recently been postulated as an important intermediate in the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. In addition to reporting computational timings, the CCSD equilibrium geometries, harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, and relative energetics of three isomers of Cl2O2 are presented.

Rendell, Alistair P.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Determination of total column water vapor in the atmosphere at high spatial resolution from AVIRIS data using spectral curve fitting and band ratioing techniques

Techniques are developed for quantitative retrievals of high spatial resolution column atmospheric water vapor that is largely contained in the lower portion of the troposphere. One method consists of curve fitting observed spectra with simulated spectra in the 1.14 microns or the 0.94 micron water vapor band absorption region. The other method is a simple band ratioing technique, which requires less computer time than the curve fitting method. The advantage of the technique over humidity sounding by IR emission measurements is that the retrieved column water vapor amounts over land surfaces have significantly higher precision.

Gao, Bo-Cai↗

NASA NTRS1990

NASA/MSFC Large Space Structures Ground Test Facility

The NASA/MFSC Large Space Structures Ground Test Facility (LSS GTF) is described in terms of the testing, evaluation, and implementation of control and system identification techniques for typical large space structures. The GTF comprises Control, Astrophysics, and Structures Experiment in Space (CASES) GTF which is being developed and the operational Single Structure Control (SSC) laboratory (an LSS flexible beam suspended vertically with sensor and actuator systems, a real-time computer system, a disturbance system, and an optical pointing system). The configuration of the laboratory and the systems used are set forth in terms of monitoring simulated disturbances. The Shuttle-based CASES experiment involves a 105-foot boom as part of an X-ray experiment, and the control of this structure will be tested at the CASES GTF. The actuation, measurement, sensor, and computer systems are described, and the configuration of the GTF is given.

Jones, Victoria L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

CFD in the 1980's from one point of view

The present interpretive treatment of the development history of CFD in the 1980s gives attention to advancements in such algorithmic techniques as flux Jacobian-based upwind differencing, total variation-diminishing and essentially nonoscillatory schemes, multigrid methods, unstructured grids, and nonrectangular structured grids. At the same time, computational turbulence research gave attention to turbulence modeling on the bases of increasingly powerful supercomputers and meticulously constructed databases. The major future developments in CFD will encompass such capabilities as structured and unstructured three-dimensional grids.

Lomax, Harvard↗

NASA NTRS1991

Flutter analysis of cascades using a two dimensional Euler solver

Flutter analysis of a cascade of blades in compressible flow is presented, with each blade of the cascade modeled as a typical section having pitching and plunging degrees of freedom. The aerodynamic forces are obtained from an unsteady, 2-D cascade solver based on the Euler equations. To reduce the computational time, an influence coefficient technique and a pulse response technique are also used to obtain the unsteady force coefficients for any frequency and phase angle. The predicted steady and unsteady aerodynamic forces for selected cascade geometries and flow conditions correlate well with the available experimental and analytical data.

Reddy, T. S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A rapid method of estimating the collision frequencies between the earth and the earth-crossing bodies

The present study examines a very fast method of calculating the collision frequency between two low-eccentricity orbiting bodies for evaluating the evolution of earth-orbiting objects such as space debris. The results are very accurate and the required computer time is negligible. The method is now applied without modification to calculate the collision frequencies for moderately and highly eccentric orbits.

Su, Shin-Yi↗

NASA NTRS1991

The role of the remotely augmented vehicle (RAV) laboratory in flight research

This paper presents on overview of the unique capabilities and historical significance of the Remotely Augmented Vehicle (RAV) Laboratory at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility. The report reviews the role of the RAV Laboratory in enhancing flight test programs and efficient testing of new aircraft control laws. The history of the RAV Laboratory is discussed with a sample of its application using the X-29 aircraft. The RAV Laboratory allows for closed- or open-loop augmentation of the research aircraft while in flight using ground-based, high performance real-time computers. Telemetry systems transfer sensor and control data between the ground and the aircraft. The RAV capability provides for enhanced computational power, improved flight data quality, and alternate methods for the testing of control system concepts. The Laboratory is easily reconfigured to reflect changes within a flight program and can be adapted to new flight programs.

Cohen, Dorothea↗

NASA NTRS1991

Comparison of hypersonic experiments and PNS predictions. I - Aerothermodynamics. II - Aerodynamics

A 3D parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) technique is examined in terms of applications to equilibrium-air and perfect-gas hypersonic flows at different Mach numbers and angles of attack. The method renders sublayer approximation unnecessary, and treats axis-normal coupling effects first followed by a shock solution and a corrector step. Predictions of hypersonic flowfields over several blunt conical configurations are found to agree with established wind-tunnel and flight data, although those for the Dhawan-Narasimha (1958) transition model vary from the experimental data. The PNS technique is also applied to predictions of wall-pressure distributions and force and moment data, and the results agree with experimental values. The PNS method allows the calculation of a wide variety of configurations with only a slight increase over traditional computing times.

Bhutta, Bilal A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Characteristics-based methods applied to infinite Prandtl number thermal convection in the hard turbulent regime

Characteristics-based methods for the advection-diffusion equation are presented and directly applied to study thermal convection with extremely large Rayleigh number (Ra). It is shown that the operator-splitting method for advection-diffusion problems is very accurate for determining the advected field at extremely high Peclet number (Pe). The technique presented is considered to have great potential for solving advection-dominated problems, while the Langrangian method is more accurate for lower Pe. It is noted that the accuracy of these characteristics-based methods strongly depends on the quality of interpolation. The computational time for the operator-splitting method grows with the number of time steps employed. The Langrangian method was used for simulations of convection at very high Ra, up to 3 x 10 to the 9th, and time-dependent, thermal convection solutions were obtained for infinite Prandtl number.

Malevsky, A. V.↗

NASA NTRS1991

An improved algorithm for determining neutral winds from the height of the F2 peak electron density

The algorithm of Miller et al. (1986) for determining neutral winds in the thermosphere from the height of the F2 peak electron density is modified, making it possible to reduce the amount of computation time by two thirds. The improved algorithm also provides a more accurate reproduction of h(m)F2 by an ionospheric model than does the original algorithm. The winds obtained from the new algorithm were found to agree well with both the optical and radar measurements conducted at Arecibo on August 17-18, 1982.

Richards, P. G.↗