Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “BENDING”

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 1,153 records · Page 64

Shape Sensing Using a Multi-Core Optical Fiber Having an Arbitrary Initial Shape in the Presence of Extrinsic Forces

Shape of a multi-core optical fiber is determined by positioning the fiber in an arbitrary initial shape and measuring strain over the fiber's length using strain sensors. A three-coordinate p-vector is defined for each core as a function of the distance of the corresponding cores from a center point of the fiber and a bending angle of the cores. The method includes calculating, via a controller, an applied strain value of the fiber using the p-vector and the measured strain for each core, and calculating strain due to bending as a function of the measured and the applied strain values. Additionally, an apparent local curvature vector is defined for each core as a function of the calculated strain due to bending. Curvature and bend direction are calculated using the apparent local curvature vector, and fiber shape is determined via the controller using the calculated curvature and bend direction.

Rogge, Matthew D.↗

Structural Analysis and Testing of Multi-nut Joint for TriTruss Structure

Axial and bending tests for a multi-nut joint in the TriTruss structure were conducted at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). This report describes the test procedures used for the axial and bending tests of the multi-nut joint, along with the test results. The joint's equivalent axial stiffness (EA) and equivalent bending stiffness (EI) were characterized based on these test results and are presented in this report. Additionally, finite element models (FEMs) of the axial and bending test specimens were developed, and the predicted axial and bending responses of the multi-nut joint were compared and validated with the test results.

Joint Test↗

Method and apparatus for control of coherent synchrotron radiation effects during recirculation with bunch compression

A modulated-bending recirculating system that avoids CSR-driven breakdown in emittance compensation by redistributing the bending along the beamline. The modulated-bending recirculating system includes a) larger angles of bending in initial FODO cells, thereby enhancing the impact of CSR early on in the beam line while the bunch is long, and 2) a decreased bending angle in the final FODO cells, reducing the effect of CSR while the bunch is short. The invention describes a method for controlling the effects of CSR during recirculation and bunch compression including a) correcting chromatic aberrations, b) correcting lattice and CSR-induced curvature in the longitudinal phase space by compensating T.sub.566, and c) using lattice perturbations to compensate obvious linear correlations x-dp/p and x'-dp/p.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Subwavelength photonic crystal waveguide with trapezoidal shaped dielectric pillars in optical systems

A method for reducing loss in a subwavelength photonic crystal waveguide bend is disclosed. The method comprising: forming the subwavelength photonic crystal waveguide bend with a series of trapezoidal shaped dielectric pillars centered about a bend radius; wherein each of the trapezoidal shaped dielectric pillars comprise a top width, a bottom width, and a trapezoid height; wherein the length of the bottom width is greater than the length of the top width; and wherein the bottom width is closer to the center of the bend radius of the subwavelength photonic crystal waveguide bend than the top width. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Novel "Straight" Merger for Energy Recovery Linacs

One of the most critical design considerations for an energy recovery linac (ERL) is how to merge the injected bunch onto the linac axis with minimal beam degradation. All merger designs in established and upcoming machines involve significant bending of the injected beam ’ even using a so-called straight merger bends the injected beam several degrees. We propose a merger which reduces the bending of the injected beam by an order of magnitude. By passing both beams through a septum magnet followed by an rf separator cavity with a superimposed dipole magnetic field, the injected beam bends minimally within the cavity, while the recirculated beam bends to align with the linac axis. Here we describe the concept in detail and present simulation results to demonstrate the advantages of such a design, particularly for magnetized beams or minimal energy separation between the injected and recirculated beams. Measurements from an experiment at CBETA evaluating the beam dynamics of the rf separator are presented and compared with simulation results.

Deitrick, K. E.↗

Understanding the Effects of Inhomogeneities at the Back Interface of CdTe‐Based Solar Cells Using 2D Modeling

One-dimensional modeling cannot capture lateral inhomogeneities in CdTe-based devices. Here, we use 2D modeling to investigate the role of varying energetics at the back interface. We consider improvements in the back interface layer (BIL) through either reducing back surface recombination velocity (BSRV) or decreasing the downward band bending near the back interface. We show that when the BSRV is reduced, but strong downward band bending remains, there is no change in the device performance until the BSRV of 90% of the back interface is improved by the BIL. On the other hand, any coverage with a BIL that improves band bending results in device improvements. We use band bending, back interface recombination current densities, and voltage dependent current flow through the device to understand these improvements. The modeling shows that lateral flow of carriers greatly affects device performance, which is not captured in parallel diode modeling, and demonstrates improved understanding with 2D modeling.

2D modelling↗

Effect of cobalt doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires

In this work, we investigate the influence of doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires (NWs) by comparing the mechanical properties of pure and Co-doped ZnO NWs grown in similar conditions and having the same crystallographic orientation [0001]. The mechanical characterization included three-point bending tests made with atomic force microscopy and cantilever beam bending tests performed inside scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the Young's modulus of ZnO NWs containing 5% of Co was approximately a third lower than that of the pure ZnO NWs. Bending strength values were comparable for both materials and in both cases were close to theoretical strength indicating high quality of NWs. Dependence of mechanical properties on NW diameter was found for both doped and undoped ZnO NWs. - Highlights: •Effect of Co doping on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires is studied. •Co substitutes Zn atoms in ZnO crystal lattice. •Co addition affects crystal lattice parameters. •Co addition results in significantly decreased Young's modulus of ZnO. •Bending strength for doped and undoped wires is close to the theoretical strength.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Dynamics of hydrogen in silicon

The frequency of local hydrogen vibration in silicon and its decay process have been studied theoretically. It is believed that the H in Si is located at the bond center in equilibrium. By analyzing the discrepancy between the frequency of the antisymmetric stretching mode in a frozen-phonon calculation and the frequency in a molecular dynamic simulation, it is found that the Si–H–Si bond is dynamically bending. The reason is that the adiabatic potential along a direction perpendicular to the bond axis is so flat that random thermal motion of atoms easily scatters the H atom from the axis. A fast relaxation (∼1 ps) around the axis hides this bending from observation by slow-response measurements. One consequence of the bending is that it renders the frequency of the symmetric stretching mode higher than when the bond is not bent. Another, more interesting consequence of this bending is the fast decay rate of the antisymmetric stretching mode, in spite of its local-mode character. Again, the ease of conversion of the H motion from parallel to perpendicular to the bond axis is the cause of this fast decay, which is otherwise difficult to explain by a simple combination law of frequencies.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Molecular dynamics simulations of cholesterol-rich membranes using a coarse-grained force field for cyclic alkanes

The architecture of a biological membrane hinges upon the fundamental fact that its properties are determined by more than the sum of its individual components. Studies on model membranes have shown the need to characterize in molecular detail how properties such as thickness, fluidity, and macroscopic bending rigidity are regulated by the interactions between individual molecules in a non-trivial fashion. Simulation-based approaches are invaluable to this purpose but are typically limited to short sampling times and model systems that are often smaller than the required properties. To alleviate both limitations, the use of coarse-grained (CG) models is nowadays an established computational strategy. We here present a new CG force field for cholesterol, which was developed by using measured properties of small molecules, and can be used in combination with our previously developed force field for phospholipids. The new model performs with precision comparable to atomistic force fields in predicting the properties of cholesterol-rich phospholipid bilayers, including area per lipid, bilayer thickness, tail order parameter, increase in bending rigidity, and propensity to form liquid-ordered domains in ternary mixtures. We suggest the use of this model to quantify the impact of cholesterol on macroscopic properties and on microscopic phenomena involving localization and trafficking of lipids and proteins on cellular membranes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High temperature and low pressure chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride on AlGaN: Band offsets and passivation studies

In this work, we employed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the band offsets and interface Fermi level at the heterojunction formed by stoichiometric silicon nitride deposited on Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (of varying Al composition “x”) via low pressure chemical vapor deposition. Silicon nitride is found to form a type II staggered band alignment with AlGaN for all Al compositions (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) and present an electron barrier into AlGaN even at higher Al compositions, where E{sub g}(AlGaN) > E{sub g}(Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}). Further, no band bending is observed in AlGaN for x ≤ 0.6 and a reduced band bending (by ∼1 eV in comparison to that at free surface) is observed for x > 0.6. The Fermi level in silicon nitride is found to be at 3 eV with respect to its valence band, which is likely due to silicon (≡Si{sup 0/−1}) dangling bonds. The presence of band bending for x > 0.6 is seen as a likely consequence of Fermi level alignment at Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/AlGaN hetero-interface and not due to interface states. Photoelectron spectroscopy results are corroborated by current-voltage-temperature and capacitance-voltage measurements. A shift in the interface Fermi level (before band bending at equilibrium) from the conduction band in Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/n-GaN to the valence band in Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/p-GaN is observed, which strongly indicates a reduction in mid-gap interface states. Hence, stoichiometric silicon nitride is found to be a feasible passivation and dielectric insulation material for AlGaN at any composition.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Deformation mechanisms of bent Si nanowires governed by the sign and magnitude of strain

In this study, the deformation mechanisms of bent Si nanowires are investigated at the atomic scale with bending strain up to 12.8%. The sign and magnitude of the applied strain are found to govern their deformation mechanisms, in which the dislocation types (full or partial dislocations) can be affected by the sign (tensile or compressive) and magnitude of the applied strain. In the early stages of bending, plastic deformation is controlled by 60° full dislocations. As the bending increases, Lomer dislocations can be frequently observed. When the strain increases to a significant level, 90° partial dislocations induced from the tensile surfaces of the bent nanowires are observed. This study provides a deeper understanding of the effect of the sign and magnitude of the bending strain on the deformation mechanisms in bent Si nanowires.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Stress measurements of planar dielectric elastomer actuators

Dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) micro- and nano-structures are referred to artificial muscles because of their specific continuous power and adequate time response. The bending measurement of an asymmetric, planar DEA is described. The asymmetric cantilevers consist of 1 or 5 μm-thin DEAs deposited on polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates 16, 25, 38, or 50 μm thick. The application of a voltage to the DEA electrodes generates an electrostatic pressure in the sandwiched silicone elastomer layer, which causes the underlying PEN substrate to bend. Optical beam deflection enables the detection of the bending angle vs. applied voltage. Bending radii as large as 850 m were reproducibly detected. DEA tests with electric fields of up to 80 V/μm showed limitations in electrode’s conductivity and structure failures. The actuation measurement is essential for the quantitative characterization of nanometer-thin, low-voltage, single- and multi-layer DEAs, as foreseen for artificial sphincters to efficiently treat severe urinary and fecal incontinence.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Probing the electronic structure and Au—C chemical bonding in AuC{sub n}{sup −} and AuC{sub n}H{sup −} (n = 2, 4, and 6) using high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy

We report a joint photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical study on AuC{sub 4}{sup −}, AuC{sub 6}{sup −}, and AuC{sub n}H{sup −} (n = 2, 4, and 6) using high-resolution photoelectron imaging and ab initio calculations. The ground state of AuC{sub 2}H{sup −}, AuC{sub 4}H{sup −}, and AuC{sub 6}H{sup −} is found to be linear, while that of AuC{sub 4}{sup −} and AuC{sub 6}{sup −} is bent. All the species are found to be linear in their neutral ground states. The electron affinities (EAs) are measured to be 3.366(1) and 3.593(1) eV for AuC{sub 4} and AuC{sub 6}, respectively. Both bending and stretching frequencies are resolved in the spectra of AuC{sub 4}{sup −} and AuC{sub 6}{sup −}. High-resolution data of AuC{sub n}H{sup −} reveal major vibrational progressions in the Au—C stretching and bending modes. AuC{sub 2}H{sup −} has a ground state stretching frequency of 445(10) cm{sup −1} and a bending frequency of 260(10) cm{sup −1}; AuC{sub 4}H{sup −} has a ground state stretching frequency of 340(10) cm{sup −1}; AuC{sub 6}H{sup −} has a ground state stretching frequency of 260(10) cm{sup −1} and a bending frequency of 55(10) cm{sup −1}. The EAs are measured to be 1.475(1), 1.778(1), and 1.962(1) eV for AuC{sub 2}H, AuC{sub 4}H, and AuC{sub 6}H, respectively. The strength of the Au—C bond decreases as the number of carbon atoms increases. The current study provides a wealth of electronic structure information about AuC{sub 4}{sup −}, AuC{sub 6}{sup −}, and AuC{sub n}H{sup −} (n = 2, 4, and 6) and their corresponding neutrals.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Theoretical Parametric Study of the Relative Advantages of Winglets and Wing-Tip Extensions

This study provides sweeping confirmation, for a wide range of wings, of the recommendations of Whitcomb in NASA TN D-8560. For identical increases in bending moment, a winglet provides a greater gain in induced efficiency than tip extension. Winglet toe angle allows design trades between efficiency and root moment. A winglet shows the greatest benefit when the wing loads are heavy near the tip. Washout diminishes the benefit of either tip modification, and the gain in induced efficiency becomes a function of lift coefficient; thus, heavy wing loadings obtain the greatest benefit from a winglet, and low-speed performance is enhanced even more than cruise performance. Both induced efficiency and bending moment increase with winglet length and outward cant. The benefit of a winglet relative to a tip extension is greatest for a nearly vertical winglet. Root bending moment is proportional to the minimum weight of bending material required in the wing; thus, it is a valid index of the impact of tip modifications on a new wing design.

Aerodynamics↗

FAST.Farm Development and Validation of Structural Load Prediction Against Large Eddy Simulations

FAST.Farm is a mid-fidelity engineering tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory targeted at accurately and efficiently predicting wind turbine power production and structural loading in wind farm settings, including wake interactions between turbines. FAST.Farm is based on several principles of the dynamic wake meandering (DWM) model, but also addresses limitations of previous DWM implementations. Previous FAST.Farm studies have shown the similarities and differences between FAST.Farm and large eddy simulations for rigid turbine cases. The objective of this work is to quantify the ability of FAST.Farm to accurately predict turbine structural response in a small wind farm. This is done by comparing FAST.Farm structural response to SOWFA-OpenFAST results for three laterally-aligned turbines. The purpose of this study is to characterize the similarities and differences between FAST.Farm and a higher fidelity model for predicting turbine structural response in a wind farm for differing atmospheric inflows. Strong statistical agreement was found between FAST.Farm and SOWFA-OpenFAST structural response for the non-waked upstream turbine, and good agreement was found for the downstream turbines for most structural quantities. Higher differences were seen for downstream turbines with low ambient turbulence intensity or yawed turbines, suggesting areas for FAST.Farm wake dynamics modeling improvements. For all cases and turbines, small statistical differences were seen between blade deflections and bending moments, with larger differences for tower-top and tower-base bending moments. Overall, the results establish confidence for applying FAST.Farm to wind farm power and loads analyses and identify areas where further model validations and model improvements should be targeted.

49 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Wind (EE-4W↗

Effects of the rolling temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties of 2Cr13/316L laminated composites prepared by accumulative roll-bonding (ARB)

Highlights: • The rolling temperature affects the grain size and microstructural phases of the composite plates. • The rolling temperature affects tensile strength and bending strength of 2Cr13/316L properties of the composite plates. • The temperature gradient and thermal deformation of center and outside regions are different during rolling process. • Composite plate with higher strength and elongation can be obtained by rolling processes. - Abstract: The microstructure and mechanical properties of 2Cr13/316L composite plates by hot-rolling at different rolling temperatures of 1130 °C, 1180 °C, 1250 °C, 1300 °C are investigated in details. With the increase of the rolling temperature, the tensile strength and bending strength of 2Cr13/316Lwere reduced first and then increased slightly due to the coarsening of grains and the increasing of ferrite content in 2Cr13 layers. The highest tensile elongation is obtained at the composite plate with rolling temperature of 1180 °C. 2Cr13/316L composite plates obtained by hot rolling processes were able to withstand larger bending deformation, and no cracks or interfacial delamination can be found in the bending process because of a strong combined interface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Comparative investigation on microstructures and mechanical properties of (TiB + TiC)/Ti-6Al-4V composites from Ti-B4C-C and Ti-TiB2-TiC systems

Highlights: • The (TiB{sub w}+TiC{sub p})/Ti-6Al-4V composites were fabricated from Ti-B{sub 4}C-C and Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC systems by reactive hot-pressed sintering. • Microstructures and mechanical properties of the two kinds of composites were comparatively investigated. • The composites from Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC system possess higher elastic modulus and Vickers hardness than those from Ti-B{sub 4}C-C system. • The composites from Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC system have higher bending strength than the other system while employing same conditions. • The composites from Ti-B{sub 4}C-C system present better abrasion resistance than those from Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC system. - Abstract: Two percentages of TiB + TiC reinforced Ti-6Al-4V composites from Ti-B{sub 4}C-C and Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC systems were fabricated by reactive hot-pressed sintering. Their microstructures and mechanical properties involving elastic modulus, Vickers hardness, bending strength and wear property were investigated comparatively. The experimental results show that needle-like TiB whiskers and near-equiaxed TiC particles are evenly distributed in the Ti-6Al-4V matrix. The mechanical properties of the (TiB + TiC)/Ti-6Al-4V composites are closely related with the nominal composition and synthesis system of TiB + TiC reinforcement and the microstructures of composites. With increasing the nominal volume fraction of reinforcement, both elastic modulus and Vickers hardness increase more or less and the bending strength decreases in varying degrees. A certain increase of pores in the composites with the sintering temperature increasing to 1300 °C can markedly affect the bending strength. Moreover, no matter what the sintering temperature and nominal volume fraction of reinforcement, the elastic modulus and Vickers hardness of composites from the Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC system are higher than those from the Ti-B{sub 4}C-C system. Similarly, the composites from the Ti-B{sub 4}C-C system present better abrasion resistance than those from the Ti-TiB{sub 2}-TiC system due to the difference of interfacial bonding between the TiC particles and Ti-6Al-4V matrix in the two kinds of composites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

One of the Substrate Waters for O 2 Formation in Photosystem II Is Provided by the Water-Splitting Mn 4 CaO 5 Cluster’s Ca 2+ Ion

During the catalytic step immediately prior to O–O bond formation in Photosystem II, a water molecule deprotonates and moves next to the water-splitting Mn 4 CaO 5 cluster’s O5 oxo bridge. Considerable evidence identifies O5 as one of the two substrate waters that ultimately form O 2 . The relocated oxygen, known as O6 or Ox, may be the second. It is currently debated whether O6 or Ox originates as the Mn-bound water denoted W2 or as the Ca 2+ -bound water denoted W3. To distinguish between these two possibilities, we analyzed the D–O–D bending mode of the water molecule that deprotonates/relocates to become O6/Ox. Here, we show that this D–O–D bending mode is not altered by the D1-S169A mutation. Previously, we showed that this D–O–D bending mode is altered substantially when Sr 2+ is substituted for Ca 2+ . Because Sr 2+ /Ca 2+ substitution alters this D–O–D bending mode but the D1-S169A mutation does not, we conclude that the water-derived oxygen that relocates and becomes O6/Ox derives from the Ca 2+ -bound W3. This conclusion provides an important constraint for proposed mechanisms of O–O bond formation in Photosystem II.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗