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NASTRAN was evaluated for vibration analysis of the helicopter airframe. The first effort involved development of a NASTRAN model of the AH-1G helicopter airframe and comprehensive documentation of the model. The next effort was to assess the validity of the NASTRAN model by comparisons with static and vibration tests.
Blade-like specimens were subjected to static ballistic impact testing to determine their relative FOD impact resistance levels. It was determined that a plus or minus 15 deg layup exhibited good impact resistance. The design of a large solid boron/aluminum fan blade was conducted based on the FOD test results. The CF6 fan blade was used as a baseline for these design studies. The solid boron/aluminum fan blade design was used to fabricate two blades. This effort enabled the assessment of the scale up of existing blade manufacturing details for the fabrication of a large B/Al fan blade. Existing CF6 fan blade tooling was modified for use in fabricating these blades.
Experimental results are presented for static acoustic model tests of various geometrical configurations of coaxial nozzles operating over a range of flow conditions. The geometrical configurations consisted of nozzles with coplanar and non-coplanar exit planes and various exhaust area ratios. Primary and secondary nozzle flows were varied independently over a range of nozzle pressure ratios from 1.4 to 3.0 and gas temperatures from 280 to 1100 K. Acoustic data are presented for the conventional mode of coaxial nozzle operation as well as for the inverted velocity profile mode. Comparisons are presented to show the effect of configuration and flow changes on the acoustic characteristics of the nozzles.
Experimental results are presented for static acoustic model tests of various geometrical configurations of coaxial nozzles operating over a range of flow conditions. The geometrical configurations consisted of nozzles with coplanar and non-coplanar exit planes and various exhaust area ratios. Primary and secondary nozzle flows were varied independently over a range of nozzle pressure ratios from 1.4 to 3.0 and gas temperatures from 280 to 1100 K. Acoustic data are presented for the conventional mode of coaxial nozzle operation as well as for the inverted velocity profile mode. Comparisons are presented to show the effect of configuration and flow changes on the acoustic characteristics of the nozzles.
A series of static and dynamic tests performed on an Air Cushion Landing System (ACLS) incorporating inelastic trunk are described. The tests were performed on an apparatus which had provisions to isolate heave-pitch and roll motion on the prototype cushion. The results of the test show that the sides of the trunk behave differently from the trunk ends. The tests also demonstrate that the current ACLS designs suffer from low heave damping, low roll stiffness and fan stall problems.
Static scale model tests were conducted to evaluate exhaust system mixers for a high bypass ratio engine as part of the NASA sponsored Energy Efficient program. Gross thrust coefficients were measured for a series of mixer configurations which included variations in the number of mixer lobes, tailpipe length, mixer penetration, and length. All of these parameters have a significant impact on exhaust system performance. In addition, flow visualization pictures and pressure/temperature traverses were obtained for selected configurations. Parametric performance trends are discussed and the results considered relative to the Energy Efficient Engine program goals.
Several approaches for implementing the register and multiplexer unit into two CMOS monolithic chip types were evaluated. The CMOS standard cell array technique was selected and implemented. Using this design automation technology, two LSI CMOS arrays were designed, fabricated, packaged, and tested for proper static, functional, and dynamic operation. One of the chip types, multiplexer register type 1, is fabricated on a 0.143 x 0.123 inch chip. It uses nine standard cell types for a total of 54 standard cells. This involves more than 350 transistors and has the functional equivalent of 111 gates. The second chip, multiplexer register type 2, is housed on a 0.12 x 0.12 inch die. It uses 13 standard cell types, for a total of 42 standard cells. It contains more than 300 transistors, the functional equivalent of 112 gates. All of the hermetically sealed units were initially screened for proper functional operation. The static leakage and the dynamic leakage were measured. Dynamic measurements were made and recorded. At 10 V, 14 megabit shifting rates were measured on multiplexer register type 1. At 5 V these units shifted data at a 6.6 MHz rate. The units were designed to operate over the 3 to 15 V operating range and over a temperature range of -55 to 125 C.
Installation of titanium (6Al-4V) threaded fittings on 1/4 in. tubing is sensitive to workmanship and to the state of repair of the installation tooling. Tooling with very slight out-of-specification imperfections produces less than optimum swaged fittings. A significant quantity of samples were fabricated and X-rays were used to determine the depth of swage. Joint performance was assessed through static and dynamic testing.
The feasibility of using static wind tunnel tests to obtain information about spin damping characteristics of an isolated general aviation aircraft tail was investigated. A representative tail section was oriented to the tunnel free streamline at angles simulating an equilibrium spin. A full range of normally encountered spin conditions was employed. Results of parametric studies performed to determine the effect of spin damping on several tail design parameters show satisfactory agreement with NASA rotary balance tests. Wing and body interference effects are present in the NASA studies at steep spin attitudes, but agreement improves with increasing pitch angle and spin rate, suggesting that rotational flow effects are minimal. Vertical position of the horizontal stabilizer is found to be a primary parameter affecting yaw damping, and horizontal tail chordwise position induces a substantial effect on pitching moment.
Through a series of flights in artificial clouds, ice accretions on the main rotor of a UH-1H helicopter were documented in detail upon landing by silicone-rubber molds for both hover and level flights. Full scale reproductions of typical accretions in hover were fabricated by means of epoxy castings and used for a wind-tunnel test program. Surface static pressure distributions were recorded and used to evaluate lift and pitching moment increments while drag was determined by wake surveys. For comparison, accreted ice shapes are presented for two level flight cases as well as preliminary analytical predictions.
Using the George Washington University biaxial test system, a static fracture toughness study of two polymers (PMMA and PVC) and three aluminum alloys was performed for several variations in specimen geometry. Photoelastic experiments indicate that the applied load biaxiality has a very strong influence on the size and shape of the crack-tip stress field, and fracture toughness values for both polymers were seen to decrease with increasing load biaxiality. The load biaxiality was also found to have a strong influence on the crack growth direction in PMMA and a negligible influence on the PVC. The 7075-T6 aluminum toughness values increased with biaxiality, while intermediate peak toughness values were noted at a 0.5 biaxiality ratio for the more ductile 2024-T3 and 6061-T4 alloys. Fracture toughnesses at the highest biaxiality ratios were found to be equal to the uniaxial results.
An experimental investigation of dynamic ground effect was conducted in the Univ. of Kansas wind tunnel using delta wings of 60, 70, 75 deg sweep; the XB-70 wing; and the F-104A wing. Both static and dynamic tests were made. Test data were compared to other test data, including dynamic flight test data of the XB-70 and F-104A. Limited flow visualization test were conducted. A significant dynamic effect was found for highly swept delta wings.
Demanding tribological properties are required of the materials used for the sliding seal between the sidewalls and the lower wall of the variable area hypersonic engine. Temperatures range from room temperature and below to operating temperatures of 1000 C in an environment of air, hydrogen, and water vapor. Candidate sealing materials for this application are an alumina-boria-silicate, ceramic, fabric rope sliding against the engine walls which may be made from copper- or nickel-based alloys. Using a pin-on-disk tribometer, the friction and wear properties of some of these potential materials and possible lubrication methods are evaluated. The ceramic fabric rope displayed unacceptably high friction coefficients (0.6 to 1.3) and, thus, requires lubrication. Sputtered thin films of gold, silver, and CaF2 reduced the friction by a factor of two. Sprayed coatings of boride nitride did not effectively lubricate the fabric. Static heat treatment tests at 950 C indicate that the fabric is chemically attacked by large quantities of silver, CaF2, and boron nitride. Sputtered films or powder impregnation of the fabric with gold may provide adequate lubrication up to 1000 C without showing any chemical attack.
The design and development of the regenerator seals used in the AGT101 gas turbine engine are described in this paper. The all ceramic AGT101 gas turbine engine was designed for 100 hp at 5:1 pressure ratio with 2500F(1371C) turbine inlet temperature. Six distinct phases of seal design were investigated experimentally and analytically to develop the final design. Static and dynamic test rig results obtained during the seal development program are presented. In addition, analytical techniques are described. The program objectives of reduced seal leakage, without additional diaphragm cooling, to 3.6 percent of total engine airflow and higher seal operating temperature resulting from the 2000F (1093C) inlet exhaust gas temperature were met.
Static and fatigue tests were carried out on two commercial modified epoxy film adhesives with a wide open knit polyester carrier in order to compare crack resistance in mode I and mixed mode I-III loading. The carrier cloth is found to have a significant influence on the cracking behavior of the adhesives. The open air net carrier used in this study separates from the adhesive in mode I cracking but shreds during mixed-mode crack extension. This decreases the opening mode toughness but increases the mixed-mode toughness as compared with results obtained earlier using a heavier knit carrier. The results suggest that the type of carrier may have a far larger influence on crack resistance than is generally recognized.
The effect of 0.1 at. pct Zr on the cyclic oxidation of hipped beta-NiAl was studied. Oxidation testing was performed in static air at 1100-1200 C, using 1-hr exposure cycles for test times up to 3000 hr. The weight change versus time data were modeled with the COSP computer program to analyze and predict cyclic-oxidation behavior. Zr additions significantly change the nature of the scale-spalling process during cooling, so that the oxide spalls near the oxide-air interface at a relatively low depth within the scale. Without Zr, the predominantly alpha-Al2O3 scale tends to spall randomly to bare metal at relatively high effective-scale-loss rates, particularly at 1150 C and 1200 C. This leads to higher rates of Al consumption for the Zr-free aluminide and much earlier depletion of Al, leading to eventual breakaway (i.e., failure).
Demanding tribological properties are required of the materials used for the sliding seal between the sidewalls and the lower wall of the variable area hypersonic engine. Temperatures range from room temperature and below to operating temperatures of 1000 C in an environment of air, hydrogen, and water vapor. Candidate sealing materials for this application are an alumina-boria-silicate, ceramic, fabric rope sliding against the engine walls which may be made from copper- or nickel-based alloys. Using a pin-on-disk tribometer, the friction and wear properties of some of these potential materials and possible lubrication methods are evaluated. The ceramic fabric rope displayed unacceptably high friction coefficients (0.6 to 1.3) and, thus, requires lubrication. Sputtered thin films of gold, silver, and CaF2 reduced the friction by a factor of two. Sprayed coatings of boride nitride did not effectively lubricate the fabric. Static heat treatment tests at 950 C indicate that the fabric is chemically attacked by large quantities of silver, CaF2, and boron nitride. Sputtered films or powder impregnation of the fabric with gold may provide adequate lubrication up to 1000 C without showing any chemical attack.
Proposed combustion-testing chamber burns specimens of materials in fully contained, high-pressure oxygen atmosphere. Test operator uses handles on threaded retaining rings to attach or remove top or bottom plates sealing combustion chamber. Tests conducted in static or flowing oxygen. Oxygen inlet and outlet far enough above burning specimen, little danger of entrainment of burning fragments in oxygen flowing out.