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At least 1,207 records · Page 67

Microgravity testing a surgical isolation containment system for Space Station use

Anticipated hazards for crewmembers in future long term space flights may result in a variety of injuries including trauma and burns. Management of these injuries will require special techniques because of the lack of gravity, limitations of space and environmental restrictions. A small surgical isolation containment system was developed and tested in microgravity. The chamber provided both protection of the injury and of the cabin environment and is felt to be the most effective means of trauma and burn care in future Health Maintenance Facilities planned for prolonged space exposure.

Markham, Sanford M.↗

The role of matrix material and CCl4 (electron acceptor) on the ionization mechanisms of matrix-isolated naphthalene

The formation mechanisms and optical properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) isolated in argon and neon matrices were studied in a systematic manner in an attempt to provide spectroscopic data on PAH ions under conditions relevant to astrophysical applications. The results obtained indicate the strong influence of the matrix material on the competing radiative (fluorescence and phosphorescence) and nonradiative (internal conversion and intersystem crossing) relaxation processes of the trapped molecule.

Salama, F.↗

Human Adaptation To Isolated And Confined Environments

Data from Antarctic research station analyzed. Report describes study of physiology and psychology of humans in isolated and confined environment. Suggests ways in which such environments made more acceptable to human inhabitants.

Evans, Gary W.↗

Electrically Isolating Transmission-Line Driver

Proposed optoelectronic coupling circuit used to insert signal in transmission line and to isolate transmission line from ground of circuit in which signal originates. Made from commercially available components, reduces susceptibility to interference along transmission path.

Marchman, Robert H.↗

Intelligent fault isolation and diagnosis for communication satellite systems

Discussed here is a prototype diagnosis expert system to provide the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) System with autonomous diagnosis capability. The system, the Fault Isolation and Diagnosis EXpert (FIDEX) system, is a frame-based system that uses hierarchical structures to represent such items as the satellite's subsystems, components, sensors, and fault states. This overall frame architecture integrates the hierarchical structures into a lattice that provides a flexible representation scheme and facilitates system maintenance. FIDEX uses an inexact reasoning technique based on the incrementally acquired evidence approach developed by Shortliffe. The system is designed with a primitive learning ability through which it maintains a record of past diagnosis studies.

Tallo, Donald P.↗

A six degree-of-freedom magnetic bearing for microgravity vibration isolation

A design for a magnetic bearing, proposed as the fine stage of a coarse-fine actuator for microgravity vibration isolation, is presented. The bearing is novel in that it uses a geometry that has just three independent flux path systems. This contrasts the twelve flux path systems (six bidirectional thrust bearings) used in conventional designs. The design results in compactness, light weight, and high performance when compared with the published designs. A control system is proposed to reject disturbances caused by an umbilical connection to the experiment.

Allan, A. Peter↗

KC-135 Large Motion Isolation Mount (LMIM)

Information on the Large Motion Isolation Mount (LMIM) to be used on the KC-135 is given in viewgraph form. Information given includes the cost per Kg-sec, program elements, the effect of aircraft acceleration level on free float time, and program objectives.

Tryggvason, Bjarni V.↗

Effect of afterbody geometry on aerodynamic characteristics of isolated nonaxisymmetric afterbodies at transonic Mach numbers

A parametric study was conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel on an isolated nonaxisymmetic fuselage model that simulates a twin-engine fighter. The effects of aft-end closure distribution (top/bottom) nozzle-flap boattail angle versus nozzle-sidewall boattail angle) and afterbody and nozzle corner treatment (sharp or radius) were investigated. Four different closure distributions with three different corner radii were tested. Tests were conducted over a range of Mach numbers from 0.40 to 1.25 and over a range of angles of attack from -3 to 9 degrees. Solid plume simulators were used to simulate the jet exhaust. For a given closure distribution in the range of Mach numbers tested, the sharp-corner nozzles generally had the highest drag, and the 2-in. corner-radius nozzles generally had the lowest drag. The effect of closure distribution on afterbody drag was highly dependent on configuration and flight condition.

Bangert, Linda S.↗

Fault isolation detection expert (FIDEX). Part 1: Expert system diagnostics for a 30/20 Gigahertz satellite transponder

LeRC has recently completed the design of a Ka-band satellite transponder system, as part of the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) System. To enhance the reliability of this satellite, NASA funded the University of Akron to explore the application of an expert system to provide the transponder with an autonomous diagnosis capability. The results of this research was the development of a prototype diagnosis expert system called FIDEX (fault-isolation and diagnosis expert). FIDEX is a frame-based expert system that was developed in the NEXPERT Object development environment by Neuron Data, Inc. It is a MicroSoft Windows version 3.0 application, and was designed to operate on an Intel i80386 based personal computer system.

Durkin, John↗

Buoyancy effects of a growing, isolated dendrite

The buoyancy effect of a growing isolated dendrite on the solidification process in the undercooling liquid material was investigated by developing an analytic solution to the growth/convection problem in powers of a buoyancy parameter G. The solution depends on the Prandtl number P and the Stefan number S (undercooling) for the local velocity and thermal fields and also the buoyant alteration of the interface shape. Results suggest that buoyancy effect for metals (low P) may be qualitatively different from that for organics (high P).

Canright, D.↗

Unsteady Thermocapillary Migration of Isolated Drops in Creeping Flow

The problem of an isolated immiscible drop that slowly migrates due to unsteady thermocapillary stresses is considered. All physical properties except for interfacial tension are assumed constant for the two Newtonian fluids. Explicit expressions are found for the migration rate and stream functions in the Laplace domain. The resulting microgravity theory is useful, e.g., in predicting the distance a drop will migrate due to an impulsive interfacial temperature gradient as well as the time required to attain steady flow conditions from an initially resting state.

Dill, Loren H.↗

Active vibration isolation using smart structures

Passive technologies for the isolation of structures from vibrating sources are often inadequate. Using active control inputs applied directly to the source or designing a structure integrating the transducers required for the control inputs and the response measurements are ways of dealing with the problem. Results are given which were obtained on an experimental set up simulating this kind of problem where the form and the position of the transducers could be varied. By measuring the response of the structure integrated over a particular area the effects of particular types of modes could be taken into account to deal with specific types of input or limit particular modes of response more efficiently. Results of using different modes of vibration excitation of the receiving structure with and without control are presented for particular input frequencies. The problems of optimizing the control system to deal with multiple frequency inputs are discussed.

Guigou, C.↗

Isolation of major Venus thermospheric cooling mechanism and implications for earth and Mars

The additional cooling mechanism responsible for the unexpectedly cold dayside Venus thermosphere is isolated. Consideration is given not only to the condition that the calculated temperatures must be reduced to the observed dayside temperatures but also that the theoretical temperature variations must be in accord with the observed low amplitude of temperature variations associated with the 27-d variations of the sun. It is found that the low amplitude of the 27-d oscillations, combined with the cooling necessary for observed 300-K dayside temperatures, cannot be explained by eddy conduction cooling and can only be explained by very strong 15-micron cooling. Implications of the decrease in amplitude of the 11-yr Venus thermospheric variability due to the 15-micron thermostat effect are examined.

Keating, Gerald M.↗

Active isolation of vibrations with adaptive structures

Vibration transmission in structures is controlled by means of a technique which employs distributed arrays of piezoelectric transducers bonded to the supporting structure. Distributed PVDF piezoelectric strips are employed as error sensors, and a two-channel feedforward adaptive LMS algorithm is used for minimizing error signals and thereby controlling the structure. A harmonic force input excites a thick plate, and a receiving plate is configured with three pairs of piezoelectric actuators. Modal analyses are performed to determine the resonant frequencies of the system, and a scanning laser vibrometer is used to study the shape of the response of the receiving plate during excitation with and without the control algorithm. Efficient active isolation of the vibrations is achieved with modal suppression, and good control is noted in the on-resonance cases in which increased numbers of PVDF sensors and piezoelectric actuators are employed.

Guigou, C.↗

Chemical isolation of quartz for measurement of in-situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides

An isolation method relying totally on chemical steps was developed to separate large quantities (10-200 g) of clean mono-minerallic quartz samples from a variety of terrestrial rocks and soils for the purpose of measuring Be-10 (t1/2 = 1.5 Myr) and Al-26 (t1/2 = 0.705 Myr) produced by cosmic rays in situ in the quartz phase. The procedure consists of grinding the sample, heating it in HCl, and treating it with a series of leaches using a dilute HF/HNO3 mixture in a heated ultrasonic tank. The purified quartz was also used for the measurements of in situ cosmic-ray-produced Ne-21 and C-14 (t1/2 = 5730 yr). The method is applicable to any problem requiring purified quartz on a large scale.

Kohl, C. P.↗

Active Thermal Isolation For Hot-Film Anemometers

Local heating compensates for conduction of heat from sensors into modules. Two hot-film sensors stacked on wind-tunnel model. Outer sensor detects changes in boundary-layer flow. Inner sensor provides active thermal isolation between outer sensor and model. Thermal boundary condition controlled at response time of detection hot-film sensor, significantly less than response time of internally heated model. Requires less power to maintain outer hot-film sensor at given temperature, enabling system to respond over greater dynamic range before power limits of instrument reached. Stacked sensors bonded to surface of most wind-tunnel models, even to curved surfaces, and removed after completion of experiments.

Martinson, Scott D.↗

Actively Controlled Magnetic Vibration-Isolation System

Prototype magnetic suspension system with active control isolates object from vibrations in all six degrees of freedom at frequencies as low as 0.01 Hz. Designed specifically to protect instruments aboard spacecraft by suppressing vibrations to microgravity levels; basic control approach used for such terrestrial uses as suppression of shocks and other vibrations in trucks and railroad cars.

Grodsinky, Carlos M.↗

Study Of Active Vibration Isolators

Report presents study of single-link ibration-isolating active suspensions, used to suppress vibrations in structures or to protect delicate scientific instruments from vibrations generated by nearby machinery. In study, suspensions analyzed in terms of mechanical impedance.

Lurie, Boris J.↗