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At least 145 records · Page 8

Thermal Analysis of a Finite Element Model in a Radiation Dominated Environment

This paper presents a brief overview of thermal analysis, evaluating the University of Arizona mirror design, for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Pre-Phase A vehicle concept. Model building begins using Thermal Desktop(Tm), by Cullimore and Ring Technologies, to import a NASTRAN bulk data file from the structural model of the mirror assembly. Using AutoCAD(R) capabilities, additional surfaces are added to simulate the thermal aspects of the problem which, for due reason, are not part of the structural model. Surfaces are then available to accept thermophysical and thermo-optical properties. Thermal Desktop(Tm) calculates radiation conductors using Monte Carlo simulations. Then Thermal Desktop(Tm) generates the SINDA/Fluint input file having a one-to-one correspondence with the NASTRAN node and element definitions. A model is now available to evaluate the mirror design in the radiation dominated environment conduct parametric trade studies of the thermal design, and provide temperatures to the finite element structural model.

Page, Arhur T.↗

Thermal Analysis of a Finite Element Model in a Radiation Dominated Environment

This paper presents a brief overview of thermal analysis, evaluating the University of Arizona mirror design, for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Pre-Phase A vehicle concept. Model building begins using Thermal Desktop(TM), by Cullimore and Ring Technologies, to import a NASTRAN bulk data file from the structural model of the mirror assembly. Using AutoCAD(R) capabilities, additional surfaces are added to simulate the thermal aspects of the problem which, for due reason, are not part of the structural model. Surfaces are then available to accept thermophysical and thermo-optical properties. Thermal Desktop(TM) calculates radiation conductors using Monte Carlo simulations. Then Thermal Desktop(TM) generates the SINDA input file having a one-to-one correspondence with the NASTRAN node and element definitions. A model is now available to evaluate the mirror design in the radiation dominated environment, conduct parametric trade studies of the thermal design, and provide temperatures to the finite element structural model.

Page, Arthur T.↗

Using Digital Image Correlation for Material Testing at Cryogenic Temperatures

Recent efforts were made to parametrize an aluminum alloy at cryogenic temperatures to calibrate finite element models simulating material deformation. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used to measure material properties using front/back strains of specimens during tensile tests. Data acquired from DIC was compared to physical extensometer measurements. Two camera pairs (front and back) were mounted via aluminum extrusion to the exterior of an environmental chamber of a hydraulic test stand. Images were taken through single-pane optical glass windows of the environment chamber. Positive pressure bags encased the cameras, attaching to the perimeter of the glass to keep out moisture and prevent windows from frosting. Figure 1 shows the environmental setup and the camera setup during cryogenic testing. Some of the challenges during testing at cryogenic temperatures include the gaseous flow of liquid nitrogen in the optical path of the mounted cameras, frost buildup on the windows as seen in Figure 1b, and frost on the test coupon. The temperature gradient present during the introduction of liquid nitrogen into the chamber can increase the projection error of images captured of the specimen. Figure 2 shows the estimated projection error from DIC as a function of temperature during the cool down process. This presentation addresses some of the concerns and observations when using DIC for testing at cryogenic temperatures using methods of isolated camera system and techniques for maintaining the glass panel clear from frost.

Joseph Cochran↗

Evaluation of an improved finite-element thermal stress calculation technique

A procedure for generating accurate thermal stresses with coarse finite element grids (Ojalvo's method) is described. The procedure is based on the observation that for linear thermoelastic problems, the thermal stresses may be envisioned as being composed of two contributions; the first due to the strains in the structure which depend on the integral of the temperature distribution over the finite element and the second due to the local variation of the temperature in the element. The first contribution can be accurately predicted with a coarse finite-element mesh. The resulting strain distribution can then be combined via the constitutive relations with detailed temperatures from a separate thermal analysis. The result is accurate thermal stresses from coarse finite element structural models even where the temperature distributions have sharp variations. The range of applicability of the method for various classes of thermostructural problems such as in-plane or bending type problems and the effect of the nature of the temperature distribution and edge constraints are addressed. Ojalvo's method is used in conjunction with the SPAR finite element program. Results are obtained for rods, membranes, a box beam and a stiffened panel.

Camarda, C. J.↗

Heat-flux measurements for the rotor of a full-stage turbine. II - Description of analysis technique and typical time-resolved measurements

An analytical technique for obtaining the time-resolved heat flux of a turbine blade is applied to the case of a TFE 731-2 hp full-stage rotating turbine. In order to obtain the heat flux values from the thin film gage temperature histories, a finite difference procedure is used to solve the heat equation with variable thermal properties. After setting out the data acquisition and analysis procedures, their application is illustrated for three midspan locations on the blade and operation at the design flow function. Results demonstrate that the magnitude of the heat flux fluctuation due to vane-balde interaction is large by comparison to the time-averaged heat flux at all investigated locations; FFT of a portion of the heat flux record illustrates that the dominant frequencies occur at the wake-cutting frequency and its harmonics.

Dunn, M. G.↗

Invariant two-dimensional structures of vorticity field in nonviscous fluid

It is shown that a fluid flow which are invariant under translations along their vorticity field directions can be described in terms of a formally 2D system. Its nonviscous behavior of the scalar vorticity is governed by Hamiltonian dynamics, similar to the 2D line vortex case. Applying a statistical mechanical method, the equilibrium distribution of the vorticity field for such a general 2D system is shown to obey a nonlinear partial differential equation that is a generalization of the sinh-Poisson equation derived by Montgomery and Joyce (1973, 1974). Thus, if the domain containing the fluid is finite, similar negative temperature states may occur and the distribution of the vorticity intensity may become localized in space. The results are believed to have applications in studying large-scale partial and temporal properties of flows having small but nonzero viscosity. The analysis can probably be extended to other fluid systems with curved magnetic field lines.

Chen, Hudong↗

Augmentation of the IUE Ultraviolet Spectral Atlas

Observations of normal stars in order to fulfill the following goals (1) to provide a stellar library to support astronomical research by the scientific community; and (2) to obtain a sufficient sample of stars to guard against variability and peculiarity, and to allow a finite range of temperature, gravity, and metallicity in a given spectral type-luminosity class combination, are reported.

Wu, Chi-Chao↗

Augmentation of the IUE Ultraviolet Spectral Atlas

The IUE Ultraviolet Spectral Atlas and the first addendum were published by Wu et al. in printed and machine readable versions. This atlas and addendum contain UV spectra of 315 stars with spectral types ranging from O3 to M5 and many spectral type-luminosity class combinations. There were three criteria for selecting these stars: (1) they were not spectroscopic binaries or variables with significant changes in magnitude or color, (2) they must have well-determined spectral types (many are MK standards), and (3) the stars should not be heavily reddened. Further augmentation of the atlas is desirable to provide a more complete coverage of the spectral type-luminosity class combinations and more than one star per combination. The extra spectral type-luminosity class combinations reduce the need for interpolation. The extra stars within a given combination guard against variability and peculiarity, and allow for a finite range of temperature, metallicity and gravity. The previous atlas and addendum presented data that were obtained through the eleventh episode under IUE programs with C.-C. Wu and D. Burstein as principal investigators. In this second addendum, we present the spectra obtained by Wu's programs during the twelfth through seventeenth episodes: SALCW, SAMCW, SANCW, SAOCW, SAPCW and SAQCW. During the period between July 1989 and September 1994, Wu observed 183 stars under these programs. Most of these observations are high quality trails or pseudo-trails (multiple exposures in the large aperture).

Wu, Chi-Chao↗

Ablator Response Model Development: From Flight Data Back to Fundamental Experiments

The successful Mars atmospheric entry by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL-Curiosity) combined with the success of the Earth atmospheric entry by the Stardust capsule have established PICA as a major Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) material. We expect that this class of materials will be on the short list selected by NASA for any atmospheric entry missions and that it will be the lead of that list of materials in any planning, feasibility studies or flight readiness studies. In addition to NASAs successes, the Dragon capsule, the successful commercial space vehicle built by SpaceX, uses PICA-X, while the European Space Agency is considering ASTERM for its exploration missions that involve atmospheric entries, both of these materials are of the same family as PICA. In the talk, a high-fidelity model will be detailed and discussed. The model tracks the chemical composition of the gases produced during pyrolysis. As in the conventional models, it uses equilibrium chemistry to determine the recession rate at high temperatures but switches to in-volume finite-rate ablation for lower temperatures. It also tracks the time evolution of the porosity of the material. Progress in implementing this high-fidelity model in a code will be presented. In addition, a set of basic experimental data being supported for model validation will be summarized. The validation process for the model development will be discussed. Preliminary results will be presented for a case where detailed pyrolysis product chemistry is computed. Finally, a wish list for a set of validation experiments will be outlined and discussed.

Mansour, Nagi N.↗

A generalized approach to the thermal analysis of the Long Duration Exposure Facility's flight experiments

The generalized method used in the thermal analysis of the LDEF flight experiments is presented. The approach consists of developing a mathematical lumped parameter node representation of the experiment; defining the source and sink temperature boundary conditions; calculating the albedo, infrared, and solar orbital heating fluxes; and solving with a finite difference technique. The temperature predictions can be made either on a per orbit basis or for any length of mission time using a daily averaged calculated composite flux. The thermal analysis of the Ultra Heavy Cosmic Ray Experiment (UHCRE-A0178) is presented as an example of this approach.

Sampair, Thomas R.↗

Electromagnetic fluctuations for anisotropic media and the generalized Kirchhoff's law

In this paper the polarimetric emission parameters for anisotropic media are derived using the generalized Kirchhoff's law for media with a uniform temperature and the fluctuation-dissipation theory for media with a temperature profile. Both finite-size objects and half-space media are considered. When the object has a uniform temperature across its body, the Kirchhoff's law, based on the condition of energy conservation in thermal equilibrium is generalized to obtain the emission parameters of an anisotropic medium, which can be interpreted as the absorptivity or the absorption cross section of the complementary object with a permittivity that is the transpose of the original object. When the medium has a nonuniform temperature distribution, the fluctuation-dissipation theory is applied for deriving the covariances between vector components of the thermal currents and, consequently, the covariances of the polarizations of electric fields radiated by the thermal currents. To verify the formulas derived from the fluctuation-dissipation theory, we let the temperature of the object be a constant and show that the results reduce to those obtained from the generalized Kirchhoff's law.

Yueh, Simon H.↗

Reentry heating analysis of space shuttle with comparison of flight data

Surface heating rates and surface temperatures for a space shuttle reentry profile were calculated for two wing cross sections and one fuselage cross section. Heating rates and temperatures at 12 locations on the wing and 6 locations on the fuselage are presented. The heating on the lower wing was most severe, with peak temperatures reaching values of 1240 C for turbulent flow and 900 C for laminar flow. For the fuselage, the most severe heating occured on the lower glove surface where peak temperatures of 910 C and 700 C were calculated for turbulent flow and laminar flow, respectively. Aluminum structural temperatures were calculated using a finite difference thermal analyzer computer program, and the predicted temperatures are compared to measured flight data. Skin temperatures measured on the lower surface of the wing and bay 1 of the upper surface of the wing agreed best with temperatures calculated assuming laminar flow. The measured temperatures at bays two and four on the upper surface of the wing were in quite good agreement with the temperatures calculated assuming separated flow. The measured temperatures on the lower forward spar cap of bay four were in good agreement with values predicted assuming laminar flow.

Gong, L.↗

Effect of temperature on nonlinear two-dimensional panel flutter using finite elements

A finite element formulation and solution procedures is presented for limit-cycle motions of 2D panels subjected simultaneously to thermal and aerodynamic loads. The thermal load is described by a steady-state temperature distribution and the quasi-steady first-order piston theory is used for aerodynamic pressure. The von Karman nonlinear strain-displacement relationship is used for the large panel deflections. Three temperature distributions are evaluated: (1) uniform; (2) symmetric sinusoidal varying temperature along panel length; and (3) linearly varying temperature through panel thickness. The influence of these three temperature distributions on limit-cycle motions and flutter boundaries of a simply supported 2D panel is investigated.

Mei, Chuh↗

Theoretical studies of a molecular beam generator

We consider the problem of modeling a high temperature diatomic gas N2 flowing through a converging-diverging high expansion nozzle. The problem is modeled in two ways. The first model uses a single temperature with variable specific heats as functions of this temperature. For the second model we assume that the various degrees of freedom all have a Boltzmann population distribution which means that each degree of freedom has its own temperature and consequently each system state can be characterized by these temperatures. This suggests the formulation of a second model with a vibrational degree of freedom as having its own temperature along with a rotational-translational degree of freedom with its own temperature. Initially the vibrational degree of freedom is excited by heating the gas to a high temperature. As the high temperature gas expands through the nozzle throat there is a sudden drop in the rotational-translational temperature along with a finite relaxation time for the vibrational degree of freedom to achieve equilibrium with the rotational-translational degree of freedom. That is, the temperature change that occurs when the N2 gas passes through the nozzle throat is so great that the changes in the vibrational degree of freedom lags behind the rotational-translational energy changes. The resulting relaxation time is finite. It is in this context that the term nonequilibrium is used. That is, the term nonequilibrium denotes the fact that the energy content of the various degrees of freedom are characterized by two temperatures. We neglect any chemical reactions resulting from the high temperatures which could also add nonequilibrium effects. We develop the basic equations for the two models in various forms in order to check the derivations with other sources. The final form which is solved numerically consists of the scaled equations in a conservative dimensionless form.

Heinbockel, John H.↗

Solidification of a binary mixture

The time dependent concentration and temperature profiles of a finite layer of a binary mixture are investigated during solidification. The coupled time dependent Stefan problem is solved numerically using an implicit finite differencing algorithm with the method of lines. Specifically, the temporal operator is approximated via an implicit finite difference operator resulting in a coupled set of ordinary differential equations for the spatial distribution of the temperature and concentration for each time. Since the resulting differential equations set form a boundary value problem with matching conditions at an unknown spatial point, the method of invariant imbedding is used for its solution.

Antar, B. N.↗