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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 1,099 records · Page 61

Explicit Finite Element Modeling of Multilayer Composite Fabric for Gas Turbine Engine Containment Systems, Phase II: Material Model Development and Simulation of Experiments - Part 3

A team consisting of Arizona State University, Honeywell Engines, Systems & Services, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Glenn Research Center, and SRI International collaborated to develop computational models and verification testing for designing and evaluating turbine engine fan blade fabric containment structures. This research was conducted under the Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Assurance Center of Excellence and was sponsored by the Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Program. The research was directed toward improving the modeling of a turbine engine fabric containment structure for an engine blade-out containment demonstration test required for certification of aircraft engines. The research conducted in Phase II began a new level of capability to design and develop fan blade containment systems for turbine engines. Significant progress was made in three areas: (1) further development of the ballistic fabric model to increase confidence and robustness in the material models for the Kevlar(TradeName) and Zylon(TradeName) material models developed in Phase I, (2) the capability was improved for finite element modeling of multiple layers of fabric using multiple layers of shell elements, and (3) large-scale simulations were performed. This report concentrates on the material model development and simulations of the impact tests.

Zylon↗

Enabling modern data discovery for atmospheric measurements

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is a US Department of Energy Office of Science user facility that is managed and operated through a collaborative effort led by nine US Department of Energy national laboratories. The ARM Data Center, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is responsible for the timely collection, processing, and delivery of data products to the scientific community. The ARM Data Center holds more than 11,000 data products, including metadata collected from field campaigns, instruments, value-added products, and principal investigator–contributed data. These data sets are checked for successful transfer (for most data, this transfer is carried out automatically via the network; however, some of the largest data sets and some of the most remote sites require manual shipping of hard disks) and both the data and metadata are processed to a standard format, which is an ARM-standardized structure, via the Network Common Data Form. The Network Common Data Form is a self-describing binary format with many compatible software tools. Once processed, the data are cataloged, stored in the ARM Data Archive, and made discoverable through association with an array of metadata-characterizing information, such as location and measurement classification. These metadata enable powerful search capabilities through the ARM Data Center Data Discovery interface. This paper discusses the workflow of how the new discovery system has been redesigned from user requirements and how the data are distributed to the scientific community.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Communication Lower Bounds and Optimal Algorithms for Symmetric Matrix Computations

In this article, we focus on the communication costs of three symmetric matrix computations: (i) multiplying a matrix with its transpose, known as a symmetric rank-k update (SYRK) (ii) adding the result of the multiplication of a matrix with the transpose of another matrix and the transpose of that result, known as a symmetric rank-2k update (SYR2K) (iii) performing matrix multiplication with a symmetric input matrix (SYMM). All three computations appear in the Level 3 Basic Linear Algebra Subroutines (BLAS) and have wide use in applications involving symmetric matrices. We establish communication lower bounds for these kernels using sequential and distributed-memory parallel computational models, and we show that our bounds are tight by presenting communication-optimal algorithms for each setting. Our lower bound proofs rely on applying a geometric inequality for symmetric computations and analytically solving constrained nonlinear optimization problems. As a result, the symmetric matrix and its corresponding computations are accessed and performed according to a triangular block partitioning scheme in the optimal algorithms.

Al Daas, Hussam [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, D↗

A status of the activities of the NASA. Marshall Space Flight Center Combustion Devices Technology Team

The Consortium for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Applications in Propulsion Technology was established to focus on computational fluid dynamics applications in propulsion. Specific areas of effort include developing the CFD technology required to address rocket propulsion issues, validating the technology, and applying the validated technology to design problems. The Combustion Devices Technology Team was formed to implement the above objectives in the broad area of combustion driven flows. In an effort to bring CFD to bear in the design environment, the team has focused its efforts on the Space Transportation Main Engine nozzle. The main emphasis has been on the film cooling scheme used to cool the nozzle wall. Benchmark problems have been chosen to validate CFD film cooling capabilities. CFD simulations of the subscale nozzle have been made. Also, CFD predictions of the base flow resulting from this type of nozzle have been made. The status of these calculations is presented along with future plans. Information is given in viewgraph form.

Tucker, Kevin↗

Computational fluid dynamics

An overview of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) activities at the Langley Research Center is given. The role of supercomputers in CFD research, algorithm development, multigrid approaches to computational fluid flows, aerodynamics computer programs, computational grid generation, turbulence research, and studies of rarefied gas flows are among the topics that are briefly surveyed.

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High-temperature properties of gases

Computational chemistry is being applied at NASA Ames Research Center to a variety of problems in chemistry, physics, and materials sciences. Supercomputers and modern computational chemistry techniques have provided a powerful new tool to help fill NASA's continuing need for information about the properties of gases and materials as well as their interaction. For example, radiative transition probabilities, spectroscopic constants, bond dissociation energies, transport properties, and chemical reaction rates for molecules can be determined computationally just as reliably as by experiment. Recent results on the radiative transition probabilities of the strongly radiating systems of air species, based on state-of-the-art computational chemistry calculations, are presented and compared with experimental data.

Cooper, David M.↗

Aircraft stress sequence development: A complex engineering process made simple

Development of stress sequences for critical aircraft structure requires flight measured usage data, known aircraft loads, and established relationships between aircraft flight loads and structural stresses. Resulting cycle-by-cycle stress sequences can be directly usable for crack growth analysis and coupon spectra tests. Often, an expert in loads and spectra development manipulates the usage data into a typical sequence of representative flight conditions for which loads and stresses are calculated. For a fighter/trainer type aircraft, this effort is repeated many times for each of the fatigue critical locations (FCL) resulting in expenditure of numerous engineering hours. The Aircraft Stress Sequence Computer Program (ACSTRSEQ), developed by Southwest Research Institute under contract to San Antonio Air Logistics Center, presents a unique approach for making complex technical computations in a simple, easy to use method. The program is written in Microsoft Visual Basic for the Microsoft Windows environment.

Schrader, K. H.↗

Effect of localization on photoluminescence and zero-field splitting of silicon color centers

The study of defect centers in silicon has been recently reinvigorated by their potential applications in optical quantum information processing. A number of silicon defect centers emit single photons in the telecommunication O-band, making them promising building blocks for quantum networks between computing nodes. The two-carbon G-center, self-interstitial W-center, and spin-1/2 T-center are the most intensively studied silicon defect centers, yet despite this, there is no consensus on the precise configurations of defect atoms in these centers, and their electronic structures remain ambiguous. Here, in this work, we employ ab initio density functional theory to characterize these defect centers, providing insight into the relaxed structures, band structures, and photoluminescence spectra, which are compared to experimental results. Motivation is provided for how these properties are intimately related to the localization of electronic states in the defect centers. In particular, we present the calculation of the zero-field splitting for the excited triplet state of the G-center defect as the structure is linearly interpolated from the A-configuration to the B-configuration, showing a sudden increase in the magnitude of the D zz component of the zero-field-splitting tensor. By performing projections onto the local orbital states of the defect, we analyze this transition in terms of the symmetry and bonding character of the G-center defect, which sheds light on its potential application as a spin-photon interface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The hack attack - Increasing computer system awareness of vulnerability threats

The paper discusses the issue of electronic vulnerability of computer based systems supporting NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) by unauthorized users. To test the security of the system and increase security awareness, NYMA, Inc. employed computer 'hackers' to attempt to infiltrate the system(s) under controlled conditions. Penetration procedures, methods, and descriptions are detailed in the paper. The procedure increased the security consciousness of GSFC management to the electronic vulnerability of the system(s).

Quann, John↗

Theoretical and experimental study of the nitrogen-vacancy center in 4H-SiC.

Using first-principles calculations and magnetic resonance experiments, we investigated the physical properties of the negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in 4H-SiC, a promising spin qubit. Our predictive theoretical model in conjunction with experimental measurements reveals a large sensitivity to strain and symmetry. The measured and computed zero-phonon lines (ZPLs) are in agreement and show a consistent trend as a function of the defect location in the crystal. The computed ZPLs are extremely sensitive to the geometrical configurations of the ground and excited states, and large supercells with more than 2 000 atoms are required to obtain accurate numerical results. We find that the computed decoherence time of the basal NV centers at zero magnetic field is substantially larger than that of the axial configurations. Furthermore, at natural nuclear spin abundance and zero field, the Hahn-echo coherence time of one of the basal configurations is similar to that of the axial divacancy in isotopically purified SiC.

Zhu, Yizhi↗

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2012

Topics covered include: Mars Science Laboratory Drill; Ultra-Compact Motor Controller; A Reversible Thermally Driven Pump for Use in a Sub-Kelvin Magnetic Refrigerator; Shape Memory Composite Hybrid Hinge; Binding Causes of Printed Wiring Assemblies with Card-Loks; Coring Sample Acquisition Tool; Joining and Assembly of Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Through Capacitive Discharge; 670-GHz Schottky Diode-Based Subharmonic Mixer with CPW Circuits and 70-GHz IF; Self-Nulling Lock-in Detection Electronics for Capacitance Probe Electrometer; Discontinuous Mode Power Supply; Optimal Dynamic Sub-Threshold Technique for Extreme Low Power Consumption for VLSI; Hardware for Accelerating N-Modular Redundant Systems for High-Reliability Computing; Blocking Filters with Enhanced Throughput for X-Ray Microcalorimetry; High-Thermal-Conductivity Fabrics; Imidazolium-Based Polymeric Materials as Alkaline Anion-Exchange Fuel Cell Membranes; Electrospun Nanofiber Coating of Fiber Materials: A Composite Toughening Approach; Experimental Modeling of Sterilization Effects for Atmospheric Entry Heating on Microorganisms; Saliva Preservative for Diagnostic Purposes; Hands-Free Transcranial Color Doppler Probe; Aerosol and Surface Parameter Retrievals for a Multi-Angle, Multiband Spectrometer LogScope; TraceContract; AIRS Maps from Space Processing Software; POSTMAN: Point of Sail Tacking for Maritime Autonomous Navigation; Space Operations Learning Center; OVERSMART Reporting Tool for Flow Computations Over Large Grid Systems; Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of Particle-Laden Temporal Mixing Layers; Projection of Stabilized Aerial Imagery Onto Digital Elevation Maps for Geo-Rectified and Jitter-Free Viewing; Iterative Transform Phase Diversity: An Image-Based Object and Wavefront Recovery; 3D Drop Size Distribution Extrapolation Algorithm Using a Single Disdrometer; Social Networking Adapted for Distributed Scientific Collaboration; General Methodology for Designing Spacecraft Trajectories; Hemispherical Field-of-View Above-Water Surface Imager for Submarines; and Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) Focal Plane Assembly.

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Derivation of Integrated Load Distributions from Resampled Computational Data

Principal component analysis (PCA) has been the center of many surrogate models used to characterize fluid flows in recent years. However, little work has been done to character- ize the uncertainty in the PCA transform itself and its effect on derived surrogate models. To explore the uncertainty, a typical interpolated surrogate model is constructed for a represen- tative aerodynamic body from computational data. The computational data is then resampled to explore the robustness of the PCA transformation. The variations of the model predictions during this resampling are analyzed to get a measure of confidence in the PCA transformation, which is then applied to the interpolated surrogate model to get uncertainty on integrated force predictions. An initial test case has been explored with promising results.

Principal Component Analysis↗

Derivation of Integrated Load Distributions from Resampled Computational Data

Principal component analysis (PCA) has been the center of many surrogate models used to characterize fluid flows in recent years. However, little work has been done to character- ize the uncertainty in the PCA transform itself and its effect on derived surrogate models. To explore the uncertainty, a typical interpolated surrogate model is constructed for a represen- tative aerodynamic body from computational data. The computational data is then resampled to explore the robustness of the PCA transformation. The variations of the model predictions during this resampling are analyzed to get a measure of confidence in the PCA transformation, which is then applied to the interpolated surrogate model to get uncertainty on integrated force predictions. An initial test case has been explored with promising results.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

A coupled multipoint stress–multipoint flux mixed finite element method for the Biot system of poroelasticity

In this work, we present a mixed finite element method for a five-field formulation of the Biot system of poroelasticity that reduces to a cell-centered pressure–displacement system on simplicial and quadrilateral grids. A mixed stress–displacement–rotation formulation for elasticity with weak stress symmetry is coupled with a mixed velocity–pressure Darcy formulation. The spatial discretization is based on combining the multipoint stress mixed finite element (MSMFE) method for elasticity and the multipoint flux mixed finite element (MFMFE) method for Darcy flow. It uses the lowest order Brezzi–Douglas–Marini mixed finite element spaces for the poroelastic stress and Darcy velocity, piecewise constant displacement and pressure, and continuous piecewise linear or bilinear rotation. A vertex quadrature rule is applied to the velocity, stress, and stress–rotation bilinear forms, which block-diagonalizes the corresponding matrices and allows for local velocity, stress, and rotation elimination. This leads to a cell-centered positive-definite system for pressure and displacement at each time step. We perform error analysis for the semidiscrete and fully discrete formulations, establishing first order convergence for all variables in their natural norms. The numerical tests confirm the theoretical convergence rates and illustrate the locking-free property of the method.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Unveiling the thermite-driven lithium fire ignition in solid-state batteries

Here, this study challenges the assumption of the non-flammability of lithium metal all-solid-state batteries (LiSSBs) and other lithium metal batteries without flammable electrolytes. Through thermodynamic calculations and ex situ experiments, we reveal for the first time the risk of thermite reactions between lithium metal and LiFePO 4 in both charged and discharged states. Reactivity is worsened by excess lithium metal in the cell, reaching final maximum adiabatic temperatures of 2,500°C in the charged state, which is hot enough to boil lithium. The thermite reaction triggers spontaneously at 500°C, with poor surface contact, while increasing surface contact through mixing initiates the reaction at room temperature in an inert environment. Despite its fast kinetics, this reaction is transport limited due to lithium passivation, leading to long burn times and reignition risks. Given the risk of lithium metal contacting the cathode during failure, understanding these reactions is crucial for ensuring the safe deployment of LiSSBs.

LiFePO4↗

Computational and Experimental Study of Supersonic Nozzle Flow and Shock Interactions

This study focused on the capability of NASA Tetrahedral Unstructured Software System's CFD code USM3D capability to predict the interaction between a shock and supersonic plume flow. Previous studies, published in 2004, 2009 and 2013, investigated USM3D's supersonic plume flow results versus historical experimental data. This current study builds on that research by utilizing the best practices from the early papers for properly capturing the plume flow and then adding a wedge acting as a shock generator. This computational study is in conjunction with experimental tests conducted at the Glenn Research Center 1'x1' Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The comparison of the computational and experimental data shows good agreement for location and strength of the shocks although there are vertical shifts between the data sets that may be do to the measurement technique.

Carter, Melissa B.↗

Structural Analysis Made 'NESSUSary'

Everywhere you look, chances are something that was designed and tested by a computer will be in plain view. Computers are now utilized to design and test just about everything imaginable, from automobiles and airplanes to bridges and boats, and elevators and escalators to streets and skyscrapers. Computer-design engineering first emerged in the 1970s, in the automobile and aerospace industries. Since computers were in their infancy, however, architects and engineers during the time were limited to producing only designs similar to hand-drafted drawings. (At the end of 1970s, a typical computer-aided design system was a 16-bit minicomputer with a price tag of $125,000.) Eventually, computers became more affordable and related software became more sophisticated, offering designers the "bells and whistles" to go beyond the limits of basic drafting and rendering, and venture into more skillful applications. One of the major advancements was the ability to test the objects being designed for the probability of failure. This advancement was especially important for the aerospace industry, where complicated and expensive structures are designed. The ability to perform reliability and risk assessment without using extensive hardware testing is critical to design and certification. In 1984, NASA initiated the Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods (PSAM) project at Glenn Research Center to develop analysis methods and computer programs for the probabilistic structural analysis of select engine components for current Space Shuttle and future space propulsion systems. NASA envisioned that these methods and computational tools would play a critical role in establishing increased system performance and durability, and assist in structural system qualification and certification. Not only was the PSAM project beneficial to aerospace, it paved the way for a commercial risk- probability tool that is evaluating risks in diverse, down- to-Earth application

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A terminology for scientific workflow systems

The term “scientific workflow” has evolved over the last two decades to encompass a broad range of compositions of interdependent compute tasks and data movements. It has also become an umbrella term for processing in modern scientific applications. Today, many scientific applications can be considered as workflows made of multiple dependent steps, and hundreds of workflow systems have been developed to manage and run these scientific workflows. However, no turnkey solution has emerged from the field to address the diversity of scientific processes and the infrastructure on which they are supposed to be implemented. Instead, new research problems requiring the execution of scientific workflows with some novel feature often lead to the development of an entirely new workflow system. A direct consequence of this situation is that many existing workflow management systems (WMSs) share some salient features, offer similar functionalities, and can manage the same categories of workflows but at the same time also have some distinct capabilities that can be important for specific applications. This situation makes researchers who develop workflows face the complex question of selecting a WMS. This selection can be driven by technical considerations, to find the system that is the most appropriate for their application and for the computing and storage resources available to them, or other factors such as reputation, adoption, strong community support, or long-term sustainability. To address this problem, a group of WMS developers and practitioners joined their efforts to produce a community-based terminology of WMSs. This paper summarizes their findings and introduces this new terminology to characterize WMSs. Furthermore, this terminology is composed of fives axes: workflow structure and characteristics, composition, orchestration, data management, and metadata capture. Each axis comprises several concepts that capture the prominent features of WMSs. Based on this terminology, this paper also presents a classification of 23 existing WMSs according to the proposed axes and terms.

Community-based terminology↗