Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “cascade”

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 1,315 records · Page 73

Single step detection of blurred images in a coherent optical processor.

Two important operations that can be performed by coherent optical processing systems are image detection and image restoration. These operations require complex spatial filters, and if both operations are to be performed, cascaded processing stages employing two separate spatial filters are usually needed. Spatial filters are described that will perform in a single step both operations simultaneously, thus eliminating the need for extra processing stages while providing the advantages of higher efficiency and smaller space requirements. The filters are characterized by their simplicity and are easily fabricated using conventional techniques. Experimental results are presented.

Jablonowski, D. P.↗

Electron calibration on a high-energy cosmic ray detector.

The response of the GSFC High Energy Cosmic Ray Detector has been studied using electrons in the energy range from 5.4 to 18 GeV. A semiempirical analytic form has been developed to determine the starting points and the energies of electron-induced cascade showers. The energy resolution thus obtained has a full width at half maximum of 17%, and the starting point can be determined to within 0.1 to 0.2 radiation length. The results of this response calibration provide a basis on which cosmic ray electrons can be reliably identified and analyzed in the presence of a large proton background.

Crannell, C. J.↗

Microwave signatures of snow and fresh water ice

During March of 1971, the NASA Convair 990 Airborne Observatory carrying microwave radiometers in the wavelength range 0.8 to 21 cm was flown over dry snow with different substrata: Lake ice at Bear Lake in Utah; wet soil in the Yampa River Valley near Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and glacier ice, firm and wet snow on the South Cascade Glacier in Washington. The data presented indicate that the transparency of the snow cover is a function of wavelength. False-color images of microwave brightness temperatures obtained from a scanning radiometer operating at a wavelength of 1.55 cm demonstrate the capability of scanning radiometers for mapping snowfields.

Schmugge, T.↗

Fluid pressure amplifier and system

A flueric beam-deflection amplifier and a method of controlling the same are described. Either a single or a series of cascaded fluid amplifier units are provided and each one of which may include the usual power nozzle, control nozzles, outlet passages and vent passages. All vent passages of each fluid amplifier unit lead to an enclosed vent outlet chamber which is connected to the ambient environment or to a return manifold through a variably restricted passage. To control the fluid amplifier unit, power and control stream pressures are first established, after which the restricted passage is reduced to regulate the input bias, the gain and the input impedance of the fluid amplifier unit.

Garner, H. D.↗

Evaluate ERTS imagery for mapping and detection of changes of snowcover on land and on glaciers

The author has identified the following significant results. The standard error of measurement of snow covered areas in major drainage basins in the Cascade Range, Washington, using single measurements of ERTS-1 images, was found to range from 11% to 7% during a typical melt season, but was as high as 32% in midwinter. Many dangerous glacier situations in Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia were observed on ERTS-1 imagery. Glacier dammed lakes in Alaska are being monitored by ERTS-1. Embayments in tidal glaciers show changes detectable by ERTS-1. Surges of Russell and Tweedsmuir Glaciers, now in progress, are clearly visible. The Tweedsmuir surge is likely to dam the large Alsek River by mid-November, producing major floods down-river next summer. An ERTS-1 image of the Pamir Mountains, Tadjik S.S.R., shows the surging Medvezhii (Bear) Glacier just after its surge of early summer which dammed the Abdukagor Valley creating a huge lake and later a flood in the populous Vanch River Valley. A map was compiled from an ERTS-1 image of the Lowell Glacier after its recent surge, compared with an earlier map compiled from pain-stakingly compiled from a mosaic of many aerial photographs, in a total elapsed time of 1.5 hours. This demonstrates the value of ERTS-1 for rapid mapping of large features.

Meier, M. F.↗

Ultra-high energy gamma rays

The production of ultrahigh energy gamma rays by proton interactions with relicit radiation, propagation of gamma rays through the universe, and proton cascading in the presence and absence of galactic magnetic fields is discussed. Detailed data are given on proton spectrum link, gamma ray intensity, and energy spectra of gamma rays on production.

Strong, A. W.↗

Particle flow in blade passages of turbomachinery with application to laser-Doppler velocimetry

A theoretical analysis was conducted of the dynamic behavior of micron size particles entrained in gas flow on the two-dimensional blade-to-blade surface of a circular stationary cascade of turbine stator blades. The particle velocity lag and angular deviation relative to the gas was determined as a function of particle diameter and mass density. Particles size and density were varied over ranges selected to correspond to typical laser-Doppler velocimeter (LDV) flow field mapping applications. It was found that velocity lag and angular deviation increased whenever particle size or mass density increased, and that particle tracking was more sensitive to a change in particle diameter than to a change in mass density. Results indicated that LDV applications employing 1 gm/cc tracer particles with diameters greater than approximately 1 micron, or 0.5 micron diameter particles with mass densities greater than 4 gm/cc would experience velocity and angular deviations generally greater than 2 percent and 1 degree, respectively.

Maxwell, B. R.↗

Cold-air study of the effect on turbine stator blade aerodynamic performance of coolant ejection from various trailing-edge slot geometries. 1: Experimental results

Trailing-edge slot configurations were investigated in a two-dimensional cascade of turbine stator blades. The trailing-edge slots were incorporated into blades with round trailing edges. The five blade configurations investigated included blades with two different trailing-edge thicknesses and four different slot widths. The results of the investigation showed that there was, in general, a significant increase in primary-air efficiency due to the coolant flow, the increase varying with slot configuration. For the five configurations tested, the average percent change in primary-air efficiency per percent coolant flow varied almost linearly from zero to about 1.4 percent over a range of coolant- to primary-air exit-velocity ratios between 0 and 1.2. However, for different configurations there was considerable deviation from the average values in the lower range of exit velocity ratios.

Prust, H. W., Jr.↗

Crossflow effects on impingement cooling of a turbine vane

An air-cooled turbine vane was tested in a four-vane cascade. Heat transfer characteristics of the impingement cooled midchord region are reported. Experimental Nusselt numbers of six midchord locations are examined for the effect of crossflow and compared to those predicted by impingement correlations found in the literature.

Gauntner, J. W.↗

Differential analysis for the turbulent boundary layer on a compressor blade element (including boundary-layer separation)

A two-dimensional differential analysis is developed to approximate the turbulent boundary layer on a compressor blade element with strong adverse pressure gradients, including the separated region with reverse flow. The predicted turbulent boundary layer thicknesses and velocity profiles are in good agreement with experimental data for a cascade blade, even in the separated region.

Schmidt, J. F.↗

Thermal surveillance of active volcanoes

The author has identified the following significant results. By the end of 1973, aerial infrared scanner traverses for thermal anomaly recordings of all Cascade Range volcanoes were essentially completed. Amplitude level slices of the Mount Baker anomalies were completed and compiled at a scale of 1:24,000, thus producing, for the first time, an accurate map of the distribution and intensity of thermal activity on Mount Baker. The major thermal activity is concentrated within the crater south of the main summit and although it is characterized by intensive solfataric activity and warm ground, it is largely subglacial, causing the development of sizable glacier perforation features. The outgoing radiative flux from the east breach anomalies is sufficient to account for the volume of ice melted to form the glacier perforations. DCP station 6251 has been monitoring a thermally anomalous area on the north slope of Mount Baker. The present thermal activity of Mount Baker accounts for continuing hydrothermal alteration in the crater south of the main summit and recurrent debris avalanches from Sherman Peak on its south rim. The infrared anomalies mapped as part of the experiment SR 251 are considered the basic evidence of the subglacial heating which was the probable triggering mechanism of an avalanche down Boulder Glacier on August 20-21, 1973.

Friedman, J. D.↗

An adverse effect of film cooling on the suction surface of a turbine vane

Film-cooling-air ejection from the suction surface of a turbine vane was investigated. This investigation was conducted in a four-vane cascade on a J75 size turbine vane which had a row of holes near the leading edge. The experimental data are presented. It was found that a small amount of film-cooling air has a detrimental effect on the downstream vane wall cooling effectiveness. It was also shown that the presence of the film-cooling holes, without blowing, also cause an increase in vane wall temperatures. These results came from an increase in the gas-side heat transfer coefficient that was apparently caused by a laminar or transitional boundary layer becoming transitional or turbulent.

Gladden, H. J.↗

Numerical solution of the time-dependent compressible Navier-Stokes equations in inlet regions

The results of a study to determine the effects of compressibility on the viscous flow through channels that have straight, parallel walls are presented. Two channel configurations are considered, the flow between two semi-infinite flat plates with uniform flow prescribed at the inlet plane and a cascade of semi-infinite flat plates with uniform flow introduced upstream. The flow field is modeled by using the time dependent, compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Time dependent solutions are obtained by using an explicit finite difference technique which advances the pressure on near field subsonic boundaries such that accurate steady state solutions are obtained. Steady state results at Reynolds number 20 and 150 are presented for Mach numbers between 0.09 and 0.36 and compared with the incompressible solutions of previous studies.

Olson, L. E.↗

Evaluate ERTS imagery for mapping and detection of changes of snowcover on land and on glaciers

The author has identified the following significant results. The area of snowcover on 10 individual drainage basins in the North Cascades, Washington, has been determined by use of a semi-automatic radiance threshold technique. The result is a unique record of the changing water storage as snow in these important hydrologic units, the runoff of which is utilized for hydroelectric power, dilution of wastes and heat, support of salmon migration, and irrigation. These data allow a new type of hydrologic modelling to proceed which should permit more accurate forecasts of streamflow. A new technique has been developed for measuring snow-covered area or snowline altitude semi-automatically. This variable contour overlay method permits the snowcover to be matched efficiently to the best fit contour of altitude. The motion of the Yentna Glacier during the concluding phase of its surge was successfully measured by a flicker technique using images of two dates. It appears that displacements as small as 100 to 200 m can be measured. Motion of the Tweedsmuir Glacier in Alaska was measured using ERTS-1 images enlarged to 1:50,000. Changes detected included a shock wave moving down the glacier, the margin expanding, the moraine pattern deforming, and the marginal valley deepening.

Meier, M. F.↗

Transient cooling of solid bodies of classical form by radiation

An approximate analytic method is presented for analysis of the unsteady process of radiative cooling of solid bodies of classical form. The nonlinear heat transfer problem is solved by the cascade linearization technique with use of the iteration method. Comparison of the results obtained even in the first approximation with the available numerical solutions indicates adequate engineering accuracy of the proposed technique.

Novikov, V. S.↗

Optical radiation from the Crab pulsar

Possible mechanisms for producing the optical radiation from the Crab pulsar are proposed and discussed. There are severe difficulties in interpreting the radiation as being produced by an incoherent process, whether it be synchrotron radiation, inverse-Compton radiation or curvature radiation. It is proposed therefore that radiation in the optical part of the spectrum is coherent. In the polar cap model, a small bunch of electrons and positrons forms near each primary electron as a result of the pair-production cascade process. Ambient electric fields give rise to energy separation, as a result of which either the electrons or positrons will dominate the radiation from each bunch. The roll-off in the infrared is ascribed to synchrotron absorption by electrons and positrons located between the surface of the star and the force-balance radius. Various consequences of this model, which may be subjected to observational test, are discussed.

Sturrock, P. A.↗

Acoustic results of supersonic tip speed fan blade modification

A supersonic tip speed single stage fan was modified with the intent of reducing multiple pure tone (MPT) or buzz saw noise. There were three modifications to the blades from the original design. The modifications to the blade resulted in an increase in cascade throat area causing the shock to start at a lower corrected fan speed. The acoustic results without acoustically absorbing liners showed substantial reduction in multiple pure tone levels. However, an increase in the blade passing frequency noise at takeoff fan speed accompanied the MPT reduction. The net result however, was a reduction in the maximum 1000-foot (304.8 m) altitude level flyover PNL. For the case with acoustic treatment in the inlet outer wall, the takeoff noise increased relative to an acoustically treated baseline. This was largely due to the increased blade passing frequency noise which was not effectively reduced by the liner.

Jutras, R. R.↗

Evaluate ERTS imagery for mapping and detection of changes of snowcover on land and on glaciers

The author has identified the following significant results. Snowlines on a small (6 sq km) drainage basin were accurately measured without use of digital processing, and snow patches as small as 150 m (maximum dimension) were correctly identified, proving that the resolution of ERTS is ample for snow mapping needs. The area of snow cover on 10 individual drainage basins in the North Cascades, Washington, has been determined at 12 different times; these data can be used for more accurate forecasts of streamflow. Progress has been made in distinguishing snow in trees using multispectral analysis. Motion of the surging Tweedsmuir Glacier was measured. Velocities ranged from 2 to 88 m per day; a zone of intense crevassing also appeared to spread up and down the glacier (at about 200 m per day upglacier). This tentative result may be of great importance to an understanding of surging glacier dynamics. ERTS images also show that the most recent debris flow (20-21 August 1973) from Mount Baker can be clearly discerned and mapped, in order to monitor this potential hazard.

Meier, M. F.↗