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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

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NASA NTRS1995

What determines the direction of minimum variance of the magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind?

The solar wind is not an isotropic medium; two symmetry axis are provided, first the radial direction (because the mean wind is radial) and second the spiral direction of the mean magnetic field, which depends on heliocentric distance. Observations show very different anisotropy directions, depending on the frequency waveband; while the large-scale velocity fluctuations are essentially radial, the smaller scale magnetic field fluctuations are mostly perpendicular to the mean field direction, which is not the expected linear (WkB) result. We attempt to explain how these properties are related, with the help of numerical simulations.

Grappin, R.↗

NASA NTRS1973

A numerical study of rays in random media

Statistics of electromagnetic rays in a random medium are studied numerically by the Monte Carlo method. Two dimensional random surfaces with prescribed correlation functions are used to simulate the random media. Rays are then traced in these sample media. Statistics of the ray properties such as the ray positions and directions are computed. Histograms showing the distributions of the ray positions and directions at different points along the ray path as well as at given points in space are given. The numerical experiment is repeated for different cases corresponding to weakly and strongly random media with isotropic and anisotropic irregularities. Results are compared with those derived from theoretical investigations whenever possible.

Youakim, M. Y.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Identifying Bearing Rotodynamic Coefficients Using an Extended Kalman Filter

An Extended Kalman Filter is developed to estimate the linearized direct and indirect stiffness and damping force coefficients for bearings in rotor dynamic applications from noisy measurements of the shaft displacement in response to imbalance and impact excitation. The bearing properties are modeled as stochastic random variables using a Gauss-Markov model. Noise terms are introduced into the system model to account for all of the estimation error, including modeling errors and uncertainties and the propagation of measurement errors into the parameter estimates. The system model contains two user-defined parameters that can be tuned to improve the filter's performance; these parameters correspond to the covariance of the system and measurement noise variables. The filter is also strongly influenced by the initial values of the states and the error covariance matrix. The filter is demonstrated using numerically simulated data for a rotor bearing system with two identical bearings, which reduces the number of unknown linear dynamic coefficients to eight. The filter estimates for the direct damping coefficients and all four stiffness coefficients correlated well with actual values, whereas the estimates for the cross-coupled damping coefficients were the least accurate.

Miller, Brad A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Numerical simulation of rotorcraft

The objective of the research is to develop and validate accurate, user-oriented viscous CFD codes (with inviscid options) for three-dimensional, unsteady aerodynamic flows about arbitrary rotorcraft configurations. Unsteady, three-dimensional Euler and Navier-Stokes codes are developed, adapted, and extended to rotor-body combinations. Flow solvers are coupled with zonal grid topologies, including rotating and nonrotating blocks. Special grid clustering and wave-fitting techniques were developed to capture low-level radiating acoustic waves. Significant progress was made in computing the propagation of acoustic waves due to the interaction of a concentrated vortex and a helicopter airfoil. The need for higher-order schemes was firmly established in relatively inexpensive two-dimensional calculations. In three dimensions, the number of grid points required to capture the low-level acoustic waves becomes very large, so that large supercomputer memory becomes essential. Good agreement was obtained between the numerical results obtained with a thin-layer Navier-Stokes code and experimental data from a model rotor. In addition, several nonrotating configurations that are sometimes proposed to simulate rotor blade tips in conventional wind tunnels were examined, and the complex flow around the radical tip shape of the world's fastest helicopter is under investigation. These studies demonstrate the flexibility and power of CFD to gain physical insight, study novel ideas, and examine various possibilities that might be difficult or impossible to set up in physical experiments. As a prelude to studies of rotor-body aerodynamic interactions, a preliminary grid topology and moving-interface strategy were developed. A new Euler/Navier-Stokes code using these techniques computes the vortical wake directly, rather than modeling it, as in most previous rotorcraft studies. Several hover cases were run for conventional and advanced-geometry blades. Numerical schemes using multi-zones and/or adaptive grids appear to be necessary to simulate the complex vortical flows in rotor wakes.

Mccroskey, William J.↗

NASA NTRS2007

A Reduced-Order Model For Zero-Mass Synthetic Jet Actuators

Accurate details of the general performance of fluid actuators is desirable over a range of flow conditions, within some predetermined error tolerance. Designers typically model actuators with different levels of fidelity depending on the acceptable level of error in each circumstance. Crude properties of the actuator (e.g., peak mass rate and frequency) may be sufficient for some designs, while detailed information is needed for other applications (e.g., multiple actuator interactions). This work attempts to address two primary objectives. The first objective is to develop a systematic methodology for approximating realistic 3-D fluid actuators, using quasi-1-D reduced-order models. Near full fidelity can be achieved with this approach at a fraction of the cost of full simulation and only a modest increase in cost relative to most actuator models used today. The second objective, which is a direct consequence of the first, is to determine the approximate magnitude of errors committed by actuator model approximations of various fidelities. This objective attempts to identify which model (ranging from simple orifice exit boundary conditions to full numerical simulations of the actuator) is appropriate for a given error tolerance.

Yamaleev, Nail K.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Integrated Flush Air Data Sensing System Modeling for Planetary Entry Guidance with Direct Force Control

Flush air data sensing (FADS) systems have been previously used at both Earth and Mars to provide onboard estimates of angle of attack, sideslip angle, and dynamic pressure. However, these FADS data were often not used in an in-the-loop sense to inform the onboard guidance and control systems. A method to integrate FADS-derived density and wind estimates with a numerical predictor-corrector guidance algorithm is presented. The method is demonstrated in a high-fidelity simulation of a human-scale Mars entry vehicle that utilizes a hypersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (HIAD) with direct force control. Effects on guidance commands and state uncertainties both with and without FADS system modeling are presented and discussed.

Lugo, Rafael A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Brush seal numerical simulation: Concepts and advances

The development of the brush seal is considered to be most promising among the advanced type seals that are presently in use in the high speed turbomachinery. The brush is usually mounted on the stationary portions of the engine and has direct contact with the rotating element, in the process of limiting the 'unwanted' leakage flows between stages, or various engine cavities. This type of sealing technology is providing high (in comparison with conventional seals) pressure drops due mainly to the high packing density (around 100 bristles/sq mm), and brush compliance with the rotor motions. In the design of modern aerospace turbomachinery leakage flows between the stages must be minimal, thus contributing to the higher efficiency of the engine. Use of the brush seal instead of the labyrinth seal reduces the leakage flow by one order of magnitude. Brush seals also have been found to enhance dynamic performance, cost less, and are lighter than labyrinth seals. Even though industrial brush seals have been successfully developed through extensive experimentation, there is no comprehensive numerical methodology for the design or prediction of their performance. The existing analytical/numerical approaches are based on bulk flow models and do not allow the investigation of the effects of brush morphology (bristle arrangement), or brushes arrangement (number of brushes, spacing between them), on the pressure drops and flow leakage. An increase in the brush seal efficiency is clearly a complex problem that is closely related to the brush geometry and arrangement, and can be solved most likely only by means of a numerically distributed model.

Braun, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Finite element simulation of thunderstorm electrodynamics in the proximity of the storm

Observations of electric fields, Maxwell current density, and air conductivity over thunderstorms were presented. The measurements were obtained using electric field mils and conductivity probes installed on a U2 aircraft as the aircraft passed approximately directly over an active thunderstorm at an altitude of 18 to 20 km. Accurate electrical observations of this type are rare and provide important information to those involved in numerically modeling a thunderstorm. A preliminary set of computer simulations based on this data were conducted and are described. The simulations show good agreement with measurements and are used to infer the thundercloud's charging current and amount of charge exchanged per flash.

Baginski, Michael Edward↗

NASA NTRS1987

Application of CFD codes to the design and development of propulsion systems

The internal flows of aerospace propulsion engines have certain common features that are amenable to analysis through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer codes. Although the application of CFD to engineering problems in engines was delayed by the complexities associated with internal flows, many codes with different capabilities are now being used as routine design tools. This is illustrated by examples taken from the aircraft gas turbine engine of flows calculated with potential flow, Euler flow, parabolized Navier-Stokes, and Navier-Stokes codes. Likely future directions of CFD applied to engine flows are described, and current barriers to continued progress are highlighted. The potential importance of the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator (NAS) to resolution of these difficulties is suggested.

Lord, W. K.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Modeling the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of mixed finite plant canopies and soil

An analytical model of the bidirectional reflectance for optically semi-infinite plant canopies has been extended to describe the reflectance of finite depth canopies contributions from the underlying soil. The model depends on 10 independent parameters describing vegetation and soil optical and structural properties. The model is inverted with a nonlinear minimization routine using directional reflectance data for lawn (leaf area index (LAI) is equal to 9.9), soybeans (LAI, 2.9) and simulated reflectance data (LAI, 1.0) from a numerical bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model (Myneni et al., 1988). While the ten-parameter model results in relatively low rms differences for the BRDF, most of the retrieved parameters exhibit poor stability. The most stable parameter was the single-scattering albedo of the vegetation. Canopy albedo could be derived with an accuracy of less than 5% relative error in the visible and less than 1% in the near-infrared. Sensitivity were performed to determine which of the 10 parameters were most important and to assess the effects of Gaussian noise on the parameter retrievals. Out of the 10 parameters, three were identified which described most of the BRDF variability. At low LAI values the most influential parameters were the single-scattering albedos (both soil and vegetation) and LAI, while at higher LAI values (greater than 2.5) these shifted to the two scattering phase function parameters for vegetation and the single-scattering albedo of the vegetation. The three-parameter model, formed by fixing the seven least significant parameters, gave higher rms values but was less sensitive to noise in the BRDF than the full ten-parameter model. A full hemispherical reflectance data set for lawn was then interpolated to yield BRDF values corresponding to advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) scan geometries collected over a period of nine days. The resulting parameters and BRDFs are similar to those for the full sampling geometry, suggesting that the limited geometry of AVHRR measurements might be used to reliably retrieve BRDF and canopy albedo with this model.

Schluessel, G.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Energy transfer in compressible turbulence

This letter investigates the compressible energy transfer process. We extend a methodology developed originally for incompressible turbulence and use databases from numerical simulations of a weak compressible turbulence based on Eddy-Damped-Quasi-Normal-Markovian (EDQNM) closure. In order to analyze the compressible mode directly, the well known Helmholtz decomposition is used. While the compressible component has very little influence on the solenoidal part, we found that almost all of the compressible turbulence energy is received from its solenoidal counterpart. We focus on the most fundamental building block of the energy transfer process, the triadic interactions. This analysis leads us to conclude that, at low turbulent Mach number, the compressible energy transfer process is dominated by a local radiative transfer (absorption) in both inertial and energy containing ranges.

Bataille, Francoise↗

NASA NTRS1997

RIACS

Topics considered include: high-performance computing; cognitive and perceptual prostheses (computational aids designed to leverage human abilities); autonomous systems. Also included: development of a 3D unstructured grid code based on a finite volume formulation and applied to the Navier-stokes equations; Cartesian grid methods for complex geometry; multigrid methods for solving elliptic problems on unstructured grids; algebraic non-overlapping domain decomposition methods for compressible fluid flow problems on unstructured meshes; numerical methods for the compressible navier-stokes equations with application to aerodynamic flows; research in aerodynamic shape optimization; S-HARP: a parallel dynamic spectral partitioner; numerical schemes for the Hamilton-Jacobi and level set equations on triangulated domains; application of high-order shock capturing schemes to direct simulation of turbulence; multicast technology; network testbeds; supercomputer consolidation project.

Oliger, Joseph↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Mechanistic Study of Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer Under Microgravity Conditions

Experimental studies of growth and detachment processes of a single bubble and multiple bubbles formed on a heated surface have been conducted in the parabola flights of KC-135 aircraft. Distilled water and PF5060 were used as the test liquids. A micro-fabricated test surface was designed and built. Artificial cavities of diameters 10 microns, 7 microns and 4 microns were made on a thin polished Silicon wafer that was electrically heated by a number of small heating elements on the back side in order to control the surface superheat. Bubble growth period, bubble size and shape from nucleation to departure were measured under subcooled and saturation conditions. Significantly larger bubble departure diameters and bubble growth periods than those at earth normal gravity were observed. Bubble departure diameters as large as 20 mm for water and 6 mm for PF5060 were observed as opposed to about 3 mm for water and less than 1 mm for PF5060 at earth normal gravity respectively. It is found that the bubble departure diameter can be approximately related to the gravity level through the relation D(sub d) proportional 1/g(exp 1/2). For water,the effect of wall superheat and liquid subcooling on bubble departure diameter is found to be small.The growth periods are found to be very sensitive to liquid subcooling at a given wall superheat. However,the preliminary results of single bubble dynamics using PF5060 showed that the departure diameter increases when wall superheat is elevated at the same gravity and subcooling. Growth period of single bubbles in water has been found to vary as t(sub g) proportional g(exp -.93). For water, when the magnitude of horizontal gravitational components was comparable to that of gravity normal to the surface, single bubbles slid along the heater surface and departed with smaller diameter at the same gravity level in the direction normal to the surface. For PF5060, even a very small horizontal gravitational component caused the sliding of bubble along the surface. The numerical simulation has been carried out by solving under the condition of axisymmetry, the mass, momentum, and energy equations for the vapor and the liquid phases. In the model the contribution of micro-layer has been included and instantaneous shape of the evolving vapor-liquid interface is determined from the analysis. Consistent with the experimental results, it is found that effect of reduced gravity is to stretch the growth period and bubble diameter It is found that effect of reduced gravity is to stretch the growth period and bubble diameter at departure. The numerical simulations are in good agreement with the experimental data for both the departure diameters and the growth periods. In the study on dynamics of multiple bubbles, horizontal merger of 2,3 4,and 5 bubbles was observed. It is found that after merger of 2 and 3 bubbles the equivalent diameter of the detached bubble is smaller than that of a single bubble departing at the same gravity level. During and after bubble merger, liquid still fills the space between the vapor stems so as to form mushroom type bubbles. The experimental and numerical studies conducted so far have brought us a step closer to prediction of nucleate boiling heat fluxes under low gravity conditions. Preparations for a space flight are continuing.

Dhir, V. K.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Target & Propagation Models for the FINDER Radar

Finding persons still alive in piles of rubble following an earthquake, a severe storm, or other disaster is a difficult problem. JPL is currently developing a victim detection radar called FINDER (Finding Individuals in Emergency and Response). The subject of this paper is directed toward development of propagation & target models needed for simulation & testing of such a system. These models are both physical (real rubble piles) and numerical. Early results from the numerical modeling phase show spatial and temporal spreading characteristics when signals are passed through a randomly mixed rubble pile.

propagation↗

NASA NTRS2017

A Fuzzy Logic Approach for Separation Assurance and Collision Avoidance for Unmanned Aerial Systems

In the coming years, operations in low altitude airspace will vastly increase as the capabilities and applications of small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) continue to multiply. Therefore, solutions to managing sUAS in highly congested airspace must be explored. In this study, a Fuzzy Logic based approach was used to help mitigate the risk of collisions between aircraft using separation assurance and collision avoidance techniques. The system was evaluated for its effectiveness to mitigate the risk of mid-air collisions between aircraft. This system utilizes only current state information and can resolve potential conflicts without knowledge of intruder intent. The avoidance logic was verified using formal methods and shown to select the correct action in all instances. Additionally, the Fuzzy Logic Controllers were shown to always turn the vehicles in the correct direction. Numerical testing demonstrated that the avoidance system was able to prevent a mid-air collision between two sUAS in all tested cases. Simulations were also performed in a three-dimensional environment with a heterogenous fleet of sUAS performing a variety of realistic missions. Simulations showed that the system was 99.98 effective at preventing mid-air collisions when separation assurance was disabled (unmitigated case) and 100 effective when enabled (mitigated case).

Verification & Validation of a Fuzzy Logic Control↗

NASA NTRS2023

Understanding the Deflection of the “Cartwheel CME”: Data Analysis and Modeling

We study the low corona evolution of the “Cartwheel” coronal mass ejection (CME; 2008 April 9) by- reconstructing its three-dimensional path and modeling it with magnetohydrodynamic simulations. This event exhibited a double deflection that has been reported and analyzed in previous works but whose underlying cause remained unclear. The Cartwheel CME traveled toward a coronal hole (CH) and against the magnetic gradients. Using a high-cadence, full-trajectory reconstruction, we accurately determine the location of the magnetic flux rope (MFR) and, consequently, the magnetic environment in which it is immersed. We find a pseudostreamer (PS) structure whose null point may be responsible for the complex evolution of the MFR at the initial phase. From the preeruptive magnetic field reconstruction, we estimate the dynamic forces acting on the MFR and provide a new physical insight into the motion exhibited by the 2008 April 9 event. By setting up a similar magnetic configuration in a 2.5D numerical simulation we are able to reproduce the observed behavior, confirming the importance of the PS null point. We find that the magnetic forces directed toward the null point cause the first deflection, directing the MFR toward the CH. Later, the magnetic pressure gradient of the CH produces the reversal motion of the MFR.

Solar prominences↗

NASA NTRS2008

Identifying Bearing Rotordynamic Coefficients using an Extended Kalman Filter

An Extended Kalman Filter is developed to estimate the linearized direct and indirect stiffness and damping force coefficients for bearings in rotor-dynamic applications from noisy measurements of the shaft displacement in response to imbalance and impact excitation. The bearing properties are modeled as stochastic random variables using a Gauss-Markov model. Noise terms are introduced into the system model to account for all of the estimation error, including modeling errors and uncertainties and the propagation of measurement errors into the parameter estimates. The system model contains two user-defined parameters that can be tuned to improve the filter s performance; these parameters correspond to the covariance of the system and measurement noise variables. The filter is also strongly influenced by the initial values of the states and the error covariance matrix. The filter is demonstrated using numerically simulated data for a rotor-bearing system with two identical bearings, which reduces the number of unknown linear dynamic coefficients to eight. The filter estimates for the direct damping coefficients and all four stiffness coefficients correlated well with actual values, whereas the estimates for the cross-coupled damping coefficients were the least accurate.

Miller, Bard A.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Identifying Bearing Rotordynamic Coefficients using an Extended Kalman Filter

Miller, Brad A.↗