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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 1,009 records · Page 56
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Comptonization of X-rays by low-temperature electrons

A method is described for calculating the spectrum that results from the Compton scattering of a monochromatic source of X-rays by low-temperature electrons, both for initial-value relaxation problems and for steady-state spatial diffusion problems. The method gives an exact solution of the inital-value problem for evolution of the spectrum in an infinite homogeneous medium if Klein-Nishina corrections to the Thomson cross section are neglected. This, together with approximate solutions for problems in which Klein-Nishina corrections are significant and/or spatial diffusion occurs, shows spectral structure near the original photon wavelength that may be used to infer physical conditions in cosmic X-ray sources. Explicit results, shown for examples of time relaxation in an infinite medium and spatial diffusion through a uniform sphere, are compared with results obtained by Monte Carlo calculations and by solving the appropriate Fokker-Planck equation.

Illarionov, A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Heat pipe heat rejection system and demonstration model for the nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) spacecraft

The critical evaluation and subsequent redesign of the power conversion subsystem of the spacecraft are covered. As part of that evaluation and redesign, prototype heat pipe components for the heat rejection system were designed fabricated and tested. Based on the results of these tests in conjunction with changing mission requirements and changing energy conversion devices, new system designs were investigated. The initial evaluation and redesign was based on state-of-the-art fabrication and assembly techniques for high temperature liquid metal heat pipes and energy conversion devices. The hardware evaluation demonstrated the validity of several complicated heat pipe geometries and wick structures, including an annular-to-circular transition, bends in the heat pipe, long heat pipe condensers and arterial wicks. Additionally, a heat pipe computer model was developed which describes the end point temperature profile of long radiator heat pipes to within several degrees celsius.

Ernst, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Report on the subpanel on remapping procedures

Problems associated with remapping procedures are defined and research tasks are proposed. It is noted that the remapping/rectification process could be significantly aided through engineering systems improvements in attitude control, with subsequent improvement in spacecraft ephemeris modeling accuracy. There is a need for state-of-the-art technology assessments prior to initiation of major programs, and the high potential return from well formulated testing of algorithms on selected data sets of actual and synthetic imagery. In addition, there is a need for tasks that incorporate standard photogrammetric methodology and formulas and that more fully utilize platform and calibration data from current and proposed sensors to reproject digital imagery. The impact of improved platform stability and integration of global positioning system measurements on reduced ground segment processing needs to be critically assessed. Also highlighted is the need for a substantial effort in the development of remapping software and systems that are modular and transportable.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1982

Structure of field rotating disturbances in warm plasma

A model in which thermal effects are simulated through use of a multibeam plasma distribution function is developed and investigated to see if solutions which take an initially uniform magnetized plasma to a new uniform state with different field orientation are possible. The momentum conservation integrals are found to admit two classes of such solutions, but only one class exhibits appropriate asymptotic behavior. Extensive numerical integrations have failed to demonstrate the existence of the desired solutions.

Wolfson, R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Minimum-fuel, 3-dimensional flightpath guidance of transfer jets

Minimum fuel, three dimensional flightpaths for commercial jet aircraft are discussed. The theoretical development is divided into two sections. In both sections, the necessary conditions of optimal control, including singular arcs and state constraints, are used. One section treats the initial and final portions (below 10,000 ft) of long optimal flightpaths. Here all possible paths can be derived by generating fields of extremals. Another section treats the complete intermediate length, three dimensional terminal area flightpaths. Here only representative sample flightpaths can be computed. Sufficient detail is provided to give the student of optimal control a complex example of a useful application of optimal control theory.

Neuman, F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The application of satellite data to study the effects of latent heat release on cyclones

Generalized energetics were studied for nonlinear inviscid symmetric instability (SI). It was found that the linear theory fails to predict the stability in certain cases where the basic state is transitional between stability and instability. The initial growth of the SI perturbations can be fairly well approximated by linear theory, but the long time nonlinear evaluations will be bonded energetically if the SI region is finite. However, a further extension of the energetics to conditional symmetric instability (CSI) shows that the nonlinear evolution of circulation will energetically depend much more on the precipitation in a complicated way. By treating the latent heat as a source which is implicitly related to the motion field, the existence, uniqueness and stability of steady viscous (CSI) circulations are studied. Viscous CSI circulations are proved to be unique and asymptotically stable when the heat sources are weak and less sensitive to the motion perturbations. By considering the fact that moist updrafts are narrow and using eddy viscosity of 0(1,000 m squared/s) the stability criterion suggests that some frontal rainbands were probably dominated by the CSI mechanism even in their mature quasi-steady stage.

Clark, J. H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Acoustic emission evaluation of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Acoustic emission techniques have recently been used in a number of studies to investigate the performance and failure behavior of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings. Failure of the coating is a complex phenomena, especially when the composite nature of the coating is considered in the light of possible failure mechanisms. Thus it can be expected that both the metal and ceramic components (i.e., the bond coat and ceramic overlay) of a composite thermal protection system influence the macroscopic behavior and performance of the coating. The aim of the present work is to summarize the 'state-of-the-art' in terms of this initial work and indicate where future progress may be made.

Berndt, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An MHD model of the earth's magnetosphere

It is pointed out that the earth's magnetosphere arises from the interaction of the solar wind with the earth's geomagnetic field. A global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model of the earth's magnetosphere has drawn much attention in recent years. In this model, MHD equations are used to describe the solar wind interaction with the magnetosphere. In the present paper, some numerical aspects of the model are considered. Attention is given to the ideal MHD equations, an equation of state for the plasma, the model as an initial- and boundary-value problem, the shock capturing technique, computational requirements and techniques for global MHD modeling, a three-dimensional mesh system employed in the global MHD model, and some computational results.

Wu, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Space station automation study: Automation requirements derived from space manufacturing concepts. Volume 1: Executive summary

The electroepitaxial process and the Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) circuits (chips) facilities were chosen because each requires a very high degree of automation, and therefore involved extensive use of teleoperators, robotics, process mechanization, and artificial intelligence. Both cover a raw materials process and a sophisticated multi-step process and are therfore highly representative of the kinds of difficult operation, maintenance, and repair challenges which can be expected for any type of space manufacturing facility. Generic areas were identified which will require significant further study. The initial design will be based on terrestrial state-of-the-art hard automation. One hundred candidate missions were evaluated on the basis of automation portential and availability of meaning ful knowldege. The design requirements and unconstrained design concepts developed for the two missions are presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

Modeling of transient heat pipe operation

The use of heat pipes is being considered as a means of reducing the peak temperature and large thermal gradients at the leading edges of reentry vehicles and hypersonic aircraft and in nuclear reactors. In the basic cooling concept, the heat pipe covers the leading edge, a portion of the lower wing surface, and a portion of the upper wing surface. Aerodynamic heat is mainly absorbed at the leading edge and transported through the heat pipe to the upper and lower wing surface, where it is rejected by thermal radiation and convection. Basic governing equations are written to determine the startup, transient, and steady state performance of a haet pipe which has initially frozen alkali-metal as the working fluid.

Colwell, Gene T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Homogeneous cosmological models and new inflation

The promise of the inflationary-universe scenario is to free the present state of the universe from extreme dependence upon initial data. Paradoxically, inflation is usually analyzed in the context of the homogeneous and isotropic Robertson-Walker cosmological models. It is shown that all but a small subset of the homogeneous models undergo inflation. Any initial anisotropy is so strongly damped that if sufficient inflation occurs to solve the flatness and horizon problems, the universe today would still be very isotropic.

Turner, Michael S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Nonlinear evolution of radiation-driven thermally unstable fluids

The nonlinear evolution of a radiation-driven thermally unstable planar fluid is simulated numerically using a semiimplicit finite-difference algorithm. When the equilibrium state of the fluid is perturbed by random initial excitation of the velocity field, dense, cool, two-dimensional structures are found to form in a rarer, warmer surrounding medium. The nonlinear phase of evolution is characterized by the turbulent contraction of the condensed region, accompanied by a significant increase in the amount of energy radiated. It is found that, if the random velocity perturbation has a sufficiently large amplitude, the fluid will not form condensed structures. Finally, the relationship of these results to observations of the solar chromosphere, transition region, and corona is discussed.

Dahlburg, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1988

NASA-Ames workload research program

Research has been underway for several years to develop valid and reliable measures and predictors of workload as a function of operator state, task requirements, and system resources. Although the initial focus of this research was on aeronautics, the underlying principles and methodologies are equally applicable to space, and provide a set of tools that NASA and its contractors can use to evaluate design alternatives from the perspective of the astronauts. Objectives and approach of the research program are described, as well as the resources used in conducting research and the conceptual framework around which the program evolved. Next, standardized tasks are described, in addition to predictive models and assessment techniques and their application to the space program. Finally, some of the operational applications of these tasks and measures are reviewed.

Hart, Sandra↗
NASA NTRS1990

A computational study of the taxonomy of vortex breakdown

The results of a fully three-dimensional numerical simulation of vortex breakdown using the unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are presented. The solutions show that the freestream axial velocity distribution has a significant effect on the position and type of vortex breakdown. Common features between bubble-type and spiral-type breakdown are identified and the role of flow stagnation and the critical state are discussed as complimentary ideas describing the initiation of breakdown.

Spall, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The role of high-speed plasma flows in plasmaspheric refilling

A model of time-dependent one-stream interhemispheric plasma flow is used to investigate plasmaspheric refilling. In the model the coupled time-dependent hydrodynamic equations (continuity, momentum and energy) of a two-ion, H(+) and O(+), quasi-neutral, currentless plasma are solved for a closed geomagnetic field line. For the present set of calculations an L = 2 field line was used. A steady state solution was found and used as the initial condition in subsequent simulations of the effect of density depletions. Density depletions were modeled by reducing the densities by an arbitrary factor above 2500 km altitude, while keeping the velocities and temperatures unchanged. Shock structures develop which move up the field line, meeting and reflecting at the equator. The reflected shocks are absorbed by the dense neutral atmosphere when they reach the model flux tube boundaries. After the upwelling streams collide, refilling occurs from the equator downward for 2 to 3 hours; thereafter there is steady refilling from the ionospheres upward.

Guiter, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An infrastructure assessment of alternative Mars Transfer Vehicles

Development and evolutionary paths for many space transportation elements must be considered as the United States space program embarks on the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). A central element of the space transportation infrastructure necessary to support the SEI is Mars Transportation System (MTS). This system consists of the Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV) and Mars Excursion Vehicle. This paper describes the process and results in evaluating the alternate MTV propulsion concepts. Primary discriminators in evaluating different options for the MTV alternatives are: requirements for earth-to-orbit delivery, on-orbit facility and assembly requirements, and mission performance. Propulsion candidates assessed in this paper include nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear electric propulsion, solar electric propulsion, and cryogenic chemical propulsion (LO2/LH2). The primary discriminators as well as additional selection criteria will be discussed for each MTS alternative.

Holdridge, Jeffrey D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Predicted torque equilibrium attitude utilization for Space Station attitude control

An approximate knowledge of the torque equilibrium attitude (TEA) is shown to improve the performance of a control moment gyroscope (CMG) momentum management/attitude control law for Space Station Freedom. The linearized equations of motion are used in conjunction with a state transformation to obtain a control law which uses full state feedback and the predicted TEA to minimize both attitude excursions and CMG peak and secular momentum. The TEA can be computationally determined either by observing the steady state attitude of a 'controlled' spacecraft using arbitrary initial attitude, or by simulating a fixed attitude spacecraft flying in desired orbit subject to realistic environmental disturbance models.

Kumar, Renjith R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Range optimization for a supersonic aircraft

Range optimal trajectories for an aircraft flying in the vertical plane are obtained from Pontryagin's Minimum Principle. Control variables are load factor n which appears nonlinearly in the equations of motion and throttle setting eta, which appears only linearly. Both controls are subject to fixed bounds, namely eta between values of 0 and 1 and absolute value of n not greater than n(max). Additionally, a dynamic pressure limit is imposed, which represents a first-order state-inequality constraint. For fixed flight time, fixed initial coordinates, and partially fixed final coordinates, the effect of the load factor limit absolute value of n not greater than n(max) is studied. Upon varying n(max), six different switching structures are obtained. All trajectories involve singular control along arcs with active dynamic pressure limit.

Seywald, Hans↗