Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “power coefficient”

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.

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

At least 1,135 records · Page 63
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Quantitative Validation of the Integrated Medical Model (IMM) for ISS Missions

Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) provided observed medical event data on 33 ISS and 111 STS person-missions for use in further improving and validating the Integrated Medical Model (IMM). Using only the crew characteristics from these observed missions, the newest development version, IMM v4.0, will simulate these missions to predict medical events and outcomes. Comparing IMM predictions to the actual observed medical event counts will provide external validation and identify areas of possible improvement. In an effort to improve the power of detecting differences in this validation study, the total over each program ISS and STS will serve as the main quantitative comparison objective, specifically the following parameters: total medical events (TME), probability of loss of crew life (LOCL), and probability of evacuation (EVAC). Scatter plots of observed versus median predicted TMEs (with error bars reflecting the simulation intervals) will graphically display comparisons while linear regression will serve as the statistical test of agreement. Two scatter plots will be analyzed 1) where each point reflects a mission and 2) where each point reflects a condition-specific total number of occurrences. The coefficient of determination (R2) resulting from a linear regression with no intercept bias (intercept fixed at zero) will serve as an overall metric of agreement between IMM and the real world system (RWS). In an effort to identify as many possible discrepancies as possible for further inspection, the -level for all statistical tests comparing IMM predictions to observed data will be set to 0.1. This less stringent criterion, along with the multiple testing being conducted, should detect all perceived differences including many false positive signals resulting from random variation. The results of these analyses will reveal areas of the model requiring adjustment to improve overall IMM output, which will thereby provide better decision support for mission critical applications.

validation↗
NASA NTRS1988

Collisional properties of ice spheres at low impact velocities

The results of experimental studies on the impact properties of water ice are discussed. Stable temperatures of 85 K and pressures as low as 10 to the -5th Torr were achieved using a new apparatus consisting of a compound disk pendulum and a stainless steel, temperature-controlled cryostat. The coefficient of restitution as a function of velocity was obtained for ice spheres with four different radii of curvature and with a variety of surface conditions. These data can be well fitted by an exponetial law epsilon of given form for most measurements. Surface conditions can drastically alter the resulting value of epsilon, however. In particular, the presence of frost or a roughened contact surface can lower epsilon at a given velocity by 10-30 percent from that of a smooth sphere. It is shown how the presence of frost can change the velocity behavior of epsilon from an exponential to a power-law form. The applications of the results to the dynamics of Saturn's rings are discussed.

Hatzes, Artie P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Carbon doping in molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs from a heated graphite filament

Carbon doping of GaAs grown by molecular beam epitaxy has been obtained for the first time by use of a heated graphite filament. Controlled carbon acceptor concentrations over the range of 10 to the 17th-10 to the 20th/cu cm were achieved by resistively heating a graphite filament with a direct current power supply. Capacitance-voltage, p/n junction and secondary-ion mass spectrometry measurements indicate that there is negligible diffusion of carbon during growth and with postgrowth rapid thermal annealing. Carbon was used for p-type doping in the base of Npn AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors. Current gains greater than 100 and near-ideal emitter heterojunctions were obtained in transistors with a carbon base doping of 1 x 10 to the 19th/cu cm. These preliminary results indicate that carbon doping from a solid graphite source may be an attractive substitute for beryllium, which is known to have a relatively high diffusion coefficient in GaAs.

Malik, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ethane and acetylene abundances in the Jovian atmosphere

The paper reports spectra of Jupiter in the spectral region from 755 to 850 kaysers, which covers the nu-9 fundamental of ethane and contains lines from the R branch of the nu-5 fundamental of acetylene. The monochromatic absorption coefficient of the central Q branch of the nu-9 fundamental of ethane, which was determined in the laboratory, is applied in a radiative-transfer calculation to evaluate the ethane mixing ratio in the Jovian atmosphere; the present data are also used to place an upper limit on the acetylene mixing ratio. For the radiative-transfer calculation, emission intensity is computed for the region above the 0.02-atm level assuming both an isothermal inversion layer and a previously reported temperature profile. The resulting maximum mixing ratios consistent with the observations are 0.00003 for ethane and 7.5 by 10 to the -8th power for acetylene.

Tokunaga, A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Long-wavelength Radar Studies of the Lunar Maria

Radar measurements at 70 cm and 7.5 m wavelengths provide insight into the structure and chemical properties of the upper 5-100 m of the lunar regolith and crust. Past work has identified a number of anomalous regions and changes in echo strength, some attributed to differences in titanium content. There has been little opportunity, however, to compare calibrated long-wavelength backscatter among different units or to theoretical model results. We combine recent high-resolution (3-5 km) 70-cm radar data for the nearside with earlier calibrated full-disk observations to provide a reasonable estimate of the true lunar backscatter coefficient. These data are tested against models for quasi-specular scattering from the surface, echoes from a buried substrate, and Mie scattering from surface and buried rocks. We find that 70 cm echoes likely arise from Mie scattering by distributed rocks within the soil, consistent with earlier hypotheses. Returns from a buried substrate would provide a plausible fit to the observations only if the regolith depth were ~3 m or less and varied little across the maria. Depolarized echoes are due to some combination of single and multiple scattering events, but it appears that single scattering alone could account for the observed echo power, based on comparisons with terrestrial rocky surfaces. Backscatter strength from the regolith is most strongly affected by the loss tangent, whose variation with mineral content is still poorly defined. We compared the backscatter values for the mare deposits to the oxide contents inferred from spectral ratio methods, and found that in general the unit boundaries evident in radar images closely follow those seen in color difference images. The 70-cm data are not well correlated with TiO2 values found using the Charette relationship nor with Fe abundances derived from Clementine observations. The lack of a relationship between radar echo and Fe content is reasonable given the distribution of iron among various mineral phases, but ilmenite content (FeTiO3) has typically been cited as the dominant cause of changes in loss tangent (and thus the radar absorption). The lack of correlation between the radar data and TiO2 estimates may arise from uncertainties in the Charette technique, subtle differences in the upper surface and bulk properties of the regolith, mineralogic effects on the radar not linked to titanium content, or to some combination of these factors. Dark crater haloes in the mare and highlands, and low radar returns from apparent cryptomare regions, are used to illustrate the role radar data can play in identifying changes in regolith composition; low-return haloes around craters such as Petavius may indicate 5-25% contamination of the highlands soil by excavated mare material or a layer of rock-poor ejecta at least several meters deep. The 7.5-m data were shown to correlate to a reasonable degree with estimates of Fe abundance, suggesting that this component of the mare basalts is primarily responsible for attenuation losses at very long wavelengths. The different sensitivities of the two radar wavelengths and multispectral data offers the potential for future deep mapping of the mare lava flows and regolith.

Lunar MariaRadarLunar Studies↗
NASA NTRS1995

Long-wavelength Radar Studies of the Lunar Maria

Radar measurements at 70 cm and 7.5 m wavelengths provide insight into the structure and chemical properties of the upper 5-100 m of the lunar regolith and crust. Past work has identified a number of anomalous regions and changes in echo strength, some attributed to differences in titanium content. There has been little opportunity, however, to compare calibrated long-wavelength backscatter among different units or to theoretical model results. We combine recent high-resolution (3-5 km) 70-cm radar data for the nearside with earlier calibrated full-disk observations to provide a reasonable estimate of the true lunar backscatter coefficient. These data are tested against models for quasi-specular scattering from the surface, echoes from a buried substrate, and Mie scattering from surface and buried rocks. We find that 70 cm echoes likely arise from Mie scattering by distributed rocks within the soil, consistent with earlier hypotheses. Returns from a buried substrate would provide a plausible fit to the observations only if the regolith depth were approx.3 m or less and varied little across the maria. Depolarized echoes are due to some combination of single and multiple scattering events, but it appears that single scattering alone could account for the observed echo power, based on comparisons with terrestrial rocky surfaces. Backscatter strength from the regolith is most strongly affected by the loss tangent, whose variation with mineral content is still poorly defined. We compared the backscatter values for the mare deposits to the oxide contents inferred from spectral ratio methods, and found that in general the unit boundaries evident in radar images closely follow those seen in color difference images. The 70-cm data are not well correlated with TiO2 values found using the Charette relationship nor with Fe abundances derived from Clementine observations. The lack of a relationship between radar echo and Fe content is reasonable given the distribution of iron among various mineral phases, but ilmenite content (FeTiO3) has typically been cited as the dominant cause of changes in loss tangent (and thus the radar absorption). The lack of correlation between the radar data and TiO2 estimates may arise from uncertainties in the Charette technique, subtle differences in the upper surface and bulk properties of the regolith, mineralogic effects on the radar not linked to titanium content, or to some combination of these factors. Dark crater haloes in the mare and highlands, and low radar returns from apparent cryptomare regions, are used to illustrate the role radar data can play in identifying changes in regolith composition; low-return haloes around craters such as Petavius may indicate 5-25% contamination of the highlands soil by excavated mare material or a layer of rock-poor ejecta at least several meters deep. The 7.5-m data were shown to correlate to a reasonable degree with estimates of Fe abundance, suggesting that this component of the mare basalts is primarily responsible for attenuation losses at very long wavelengths. The different sensitivities of the two radar wavelengths and multispectral data offers the potential for future deep mapping of the mare lava flows and regolith.

Lunar Studies↗
NASA NTRS1984

Periodic control of the individual-blade-control helicopter rotor

Results of an investigation into methods of controller design for an individual helicopter rotor blade in the high forward-flight speed regime are described. This operating condition poses a unique control problem in that the perturbation equations of motion are linear with coefficients that vary periodically with time. The design of a control law was based on extensions to modern multivariate synthesis techniques and incorporated a novel approach to the reconstruction of the missing system state variables. The controller was tested on both an electronic analog computer simulation of the out-of-plane flapping dynamics, and on a four foot diameter single-bladed model helicopter rotor in the M.I.T. 5x7 subsonic wind tunnel at high levels of advance ratio. It is shown that modal control using the IBC concept is possible over a large range of advance ratios with only a modest amount of computational power required.

Mckillip, R. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Multiobjective optimization of hybrid regenerative life support technologies. Topic D: Technology Assessment

We developed simple mathematical models for many of the technologies constituting the water reclamation system in a space station. These models were employed for subsystem optimization and for the evaluation of the performance of individual water reclamation technologies, by quantifying their operational 'cost' as a linear function of weight, volume, and power consumption. Then we performed preliminary investigations on the performance improvements attainable by simple hybrid systems involving parallel combinations of technologies. We are developing a software tool for synthesizing a hybrid water recovery system (WRS) for long term space missions. As conceptual framework, we are employing the state space approach. Given a number of available technologies and the mission specifications, the state space approach would help design flowsheets featuring optimal process configurations, including those that feature stream connections in parallel, series, or recycles. We visualize this software tool to function as follows: given the mission duration, the crew size, water quality specifications, and the cost coefficients, the software will synthesize a water recovery system for the space station. It should require minimal user intervention. The following tasks need to be solved for achieving this goal: (1) formulate a problem statement that will be used to evaluate the advantages of a hybrid WRS over a single technology WBS; (2) model several WRS technologies that can be employed in the space station; (3) propose a recycling network design methodology (since the WRS synthesis task is a recycling network design problem, it is essential to employ a systematic method in synthesizing this network); (4) develop a software implementation for this design methodology, design a hybrid system using this software, and compare the resulting WRS with a base-case WRS; and (5) create a user-friendly interface for this software tool.

Manousiouthakis, Vasilios↗
NASA NTRS2005

Characterization of Meta-Materials Using Computational Electromagnetic Methods

An efficient and powerful computational method is presented to synthesize a meta-material to specified electromagnetic properties. Using the periodicity of meta-materials, the Finite Element Methodology (FEM) is developed to estimate the reflection and transmission through the meta-material structure for a normal plane wave incidence. For efficient computations of the reflection and transmission over a wide band frequency range through a meta-material a Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) approach is also developed. Using the Nicholson-Ross method and the Genetic Algorithms, a robust procedure to extract electromagnetic properties of meta-material from the knowledge of its reflection and transmission coefficients is described. Few numerical examples are also presented to validate the present approach.

Deshpande, Manohar↗
NASA NTRS1984

Fuselage and nozzle pressure distributions of a 1/12-scale F-15 propulsion model at transonic speeds. Effect of fuselage modifications and nozzle variables

Static pressure coefficient distributions on the forebody, afterbody, and nozzles of a 1/12 scale F-15 propulsion model was determined in the 16 foot transonic tunnel for Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.20, angles of attack from -2 deg to 7 deg and ratio of jet total pressure to free stream static pressure from 1 up to about 7, depending on Mach number. The effects of nozzle geometry and horizontal tail deflection on the pressure distributions were investigated. Boundary layer total pressure profiles were determined at two locations ahead of the nozzles on the top nacelle surface. Reynolds number varied from about 1.0 x 10 to the 7th power per meter, depending on Mach number.

Pendergraft, O. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Thermal Expansion Studies of Selected High Temperature Thermoelectric Materials

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) generate electrical power by converting the heat released from the nuclear decay of radioactive isotopes (typically plutonium-238) into electricity using a thermoelectric converter. RTGs have been successfully used to power a number of space missions and have demonstrated their reliability over an extended period of time (tens of years) and are compact, rugged, radiation resistant, scalable, and produce no noise, vibration or torque during operation. System conversion efficiency for state-of-practice RTGs is about 6% and specific power less than or equal to 5.1 W/kg. Higher specific power would result in more on-board power for the same RTG mass, or less RTG mass for the same on-board power. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been leading, under the advanced thermoelectric converter (ATEC) project, the development of new high-temperature thermoelectric materials and components for integration into advanced, more efficient RTGs. Thermoelectric materials investigated to date include skutterudites, the Yb14MnSb11 compound, and SiGe alloys. The development of long-lived thermoelectric couples based on some of these materials has been initiated and is assisted by a thermo-mechanical stress analysis to ensure that all stresses under both fabrication and operation conditions will be within yield limits for those materials. Several physical parameters are needed as input to this analysis. Among those parameters, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is critically important. Thermal expansion coefficient measurements of several thermoelectric materials under consideration for ATEC are described in this paper. The stress response at the interfaces in material stacks subjected to changes in temperature is discussed, drawing on work from the literature and project-specific tools developed here. The degree of CTE mismatch and the associated effect on the formation of stress is highlighted.

silicon germanium↗
NASA NTRS1921

The Factors that Determine the Minimum Speed of an Airplane

The author argues that because of a general misunderstanding of the principles of flight at low speed, there are a large number of airplanes that could be made to fly several miles per hour slower than at present by making slight modifications. In order to show how greatly the wing section affects the minimum speed, curves are plotted against various loadings. The disposition of wings on the airplane slightly affects the lift coefficient, and a few such cases are discussed. Another factor that has an effect on minimum speed is the extra lift exerted by the slip stream on the wings. Also discussed are procedures to be followed by the pilot, especially with regard to stick movements during low speed flight. Also covered are stalling, yaw, rolling moments, lateral control, and the effectiveness of ailerons and rudders.

AIRPLANES - SPEED AND POWER AIRPLANE - SPEED↗
NASA NTRS1972

Investigation of bubbles in arterial heat pipes

The behavior of gas occlusions in arterial heat pipes has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Specifically, the gas-liquid system properties, solubility and diffusivity, have been measured from -50 to 100 C for helium and argon in ammonia, Freon-21 (CHC12F), and methanol. Properties values obtained were then used to experimentally test models for gas venting from a heat pipe artery under isothermal conditions (i.e., no-heat flow), although the models, as developed, are also applicable to heat pipes operated at power, with some minor modifications. Preliminary calculations indicated arterial bubbles in a stagnant pipe require from minutes to days to collapse and vent. It has been found experimentally that a gas bubble entrapped within an artery structure has a very long lifetime in many credible situations. This lifetime has an approximately inverse exponential dependence on temperature, and is generally considerably longer for helium than for argon. The models postulated for venting under static conditions were in general quantitative agreement with experimental data. Factors of primary importance in governing bubble stability are artery diameter, artery wall thickness, noncondensible gas partial pressure, and the property group (the Ostwald solubility coefficient multiplied by the gas/liquid diffusivity).

Saaski, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Longitudinal stability and control characteristics of the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA)

Flight experiments were conducted to evaluate various aerodynamic characteristics of the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA), an experimental aircraft that makes use of the upper-surface blown (USB) powered-lift concept. Time-history records from maneuvers performed with the aircraft in landing-approach and take-off configurations (with its stability augmentation system disengaged) were analyzed to obtain longitudinal stability and control derivatives and performance characteristics. The experiments included measuring the aircraft responses to variations in the deflection of direct-lift control spoilers and to thrust variations as well as to elevator inputs. The majority of the results are given for the aircraft in a landing configuration with the USB flaps at 50 degrees. For this configuration, if the static longitudinal stability is defined as the variation of the pitching-moment coefficient with the lift coefficient at a constant thrust coefficient, this stability decreases significantly with increasing angle of attack above 9 degrees. For this configuration, at small and negative angles of attack and high levels of thrust, the elevators and the horizontal stabilizer lost effectiveness owing to incipent stalling, but this occurred only during unsteady maneuvers and for brief time intervals.

Stephenson, Jack D.↗
NASA NTRS1949

Flight Investigations at High-Subsonic, Transonic, and Supersonic Speeds to Determine Zero-Lift Drag of Fin-Stabilized Bodies of Revolution having Fineness Ratios of 12.5, 8.91, and 6.04 and Varying Positions of Maximum Diameter

Rocket-powered models were flown at high-subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds to determine the zero-lift drag of fin-stabilized parabolic bodies of revolution differing in fineness ratio and in position of maximum diameter. The present paper presents the results for fineness ratio 12.5, 8.91 and 6.04 bodies having maximum diameters located at stations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 percent of body length. All configurations had cut-off sterns and all had equal base, frontal, and exposed fin areas. For most of the supersonic-speed range models having their maximum diameters at the 60-percent station gave the lowest values of drag coefficient. At supersonic speeds, increasing the fineness ratio generally reduced the drag coefficient for a given position of maximum diameter.

Hart, Roger G.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Theory and Simulation of Self- and Mutual-Diffusion of Carrier Density and Temperature in Semiconductor Lasers

Carrier diffusion and thermal conduction play a fundamental role in the operation of high-power, broad-area semiconductor lasers. Restricted geometry, high pumping level and dynamic instability lead to inhomogeneous spatial distribution of plasma density, temperature, as well as light field, due to strong light-matter interaction. Thus, modeling and simulation of such optoelectronic devices rely on detailed descriptions of carrier dynamics and energy transport in the system. A self-consistent description of lasing and heating in large-aperture, inhomogeneous edge- or surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) require coupled diffusion equations for carrier density and temperature. In this paper, we derive such equations from the Boltzmann transport equation for the carrier distributions. The derived self- and mutual-diffusion coefficients are in general nonlinear functions of carrier density and temperature including many-body interactions. We study the effects of many-body interactions on these coefficients, as well as the nonlinearity of these coefficients for large-area VCSELs. The effects of mutual diffusions on carrier and temperature distributions in gain-guided VCSELs will be also presented.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗
NASA NTRS2002

Evaluation of two fiber optic-based solar collection and distribution systems for advanced space life support

Growing plants in an enclosed controlled environment is crucial in developing bioregenerative life-support systems (BLSS) for space applications. The major challenge currently facing a BLSS is the extensive use of highly energy-intensive electric light sources, which leads to substantial energy wastes through heat dissipations by these lamps. An alternative lighting strategy is the use of a solar irradiance collection, transmission, and distribution system (SICTDS). Two types of fiber optic-based SICTDS, a Fresnel-lens Himawari and a parabolic-mirror optical waveguide (OW) lighting system, were evaluated. The overall efficiency for the OW SICTDS of 40.5% exceeded by 75% that for the Himawari of 23.2%. The spectral distributions of the light delivered by the Himawari and the OW SICTDS were almost identical and had practically no difference from that of terrestrial solar radiation. The ratios of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to total emitted radiation (k) of 0.39 +/- 0.02 for the Himawari and 0.41 +/- 0.04 for the OW SICTDS were statistically indistinguishable, were not significantly different from that of 0.042 +/- 0.01 for terrestrial solar radiation, and were comparable to that of 0.35 for a high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamp. The coefficients of variation (CV) of 0.34 and 0.39 for PPF distributions, both at 50 mm X 50 mm square grid arrays, corresponding to the Himawari and the OW SICTDS, respectively, were comparable with each other but were both significantly greater than the CV of 0.08 corresponding to the HPS lamp. The average fresh weight or dry weight of lettuce grown in the solar chamber with either the Himawari or the OW SICTDS showed no statistical difference from the average fresh weight or dry weight of lettuce grown in the reference chamber with the HPS lamp. The results of this study suggest that an SICTDS could help reduce the electric power demand in a BLSS.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗
NASA NTRS1921

The calculated performance of airplanes equipped with supercharging engines

In part one of this report are presented the theoretical performance curves of an airplane engine equipped with a supercharging compressor. In predicting the gross power of a supercharging engine, the writer uses temperature and pressure correction factors based on experiments made at the Bureau of Standards (NACA report nos. 45 and 46). Means for estimating the temperature rise in the compressor are outlined. Part two of this report presents an estimation of the performance curves of an airplane fitted with a supercharging engine. A supercharging installation suitable for commercial use is described, and it is shown that with the use of the compressor a great saving in fuel and a considerable increase in carrying capacity can be effected simultaneously. In an appendix the writer derives a theoretical formula for the correction of the thrust coefficient of an airscrew to offset the added resistance of the airplane due to the slip-stream effect.

Kemble, E C↗