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At least 1,495 records · Page 83

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NASA NTRS1980

Computer-aided roll pass design in rolling of airfoil shapes

This paper describes two computer-aided design (CAD) programs developed for modeling the shape rolling process for airfoil sections. The first program, SHPROL, uses a modular upper-bound method of analysis and predicts the lateral spread, elongation, and roll torque. The second program, ROLPAS, predicts the stresses, roll separating force, the roll torque and the details of metal flow by simulating the rolling process, using the slab method of analysis. ROLPAS is an interactive program; it offers graphic display capabilities and allows the user to interact with the computer via a keyboard, CRT, and a light pen. The accuracy of the computerized models was evaluated by (a) rolling a selected airfoil shape at room temperature from 1018 steel and isothermally at high temperature from Ti-6Al-4V, and (b) comparing the experimental results with computer predictions. The comparisons indicated that the CAD systems, described here, are useful for practical engineering purposes and can be utilized in roll pass design and analysis for airfoil and similar shapes.

Akgerman, N.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Computation of separated flows by a vortex-tracing algorithm

Numerical solutions for two-dimensional, time-dependent, separated flows around bodies are obtained, using a new version of the vortex method. This method provides an efficient representation of flows involving large regions of separation. The modifications incorporated in the new version, which improve its accuracy, versatility, and computing speed, are described. The computer cost is only of the order of the 3/2 power on N, instead of N-squared, for each step with N vortices. Arbitrary shapes can be treated; a conformal mapping is not required. Special attention is paid to the viscous character of the solution and to the accurate computation of the pressure distribution at the body surface. The vortex solution for the outer flow is coupled to an inner solution for the attached part of the boundary layer. Numerical results are presented for several bluff bodies exhibiting dependence on Reynolds number, for stationary airfoils under steady or transient conditions and for oscillating airfoils, including dynamic stalls. These results are compared with other available results, analytical or experimental, and demonstrate the enhanced reliability and accuracy of the improved method.

Spalart, P. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Efficient computation of the stability of three-dimensional compressible boundary layers

Methods for the computer analysis of the stability of three-dimensional compressible boundary layers are discussed and the user-oriented Compressible Stability Analysis (COSAL) computer code is described. The COSAL code uses a matrix finite-difference method for local eigenvalue solution when a good guess for the eigenvalue is available and is significantly more computationally efficient than the commonly used initial-value approach. The local eigenvalue search procedure also results in eigenfunctions and, at little extra work, group velocities. A globally convergent eigenvalue procedure is also developed which may be used when no guess for the eigenvalue is available. The global problem is formulated in such a way that no unstable spurious modes appear so that the method is suitable for use in a black-box stability code. Sample stability calculations are presented for the boundary layer profiles of an LFC swept wing.

Malik, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

An efficient method for computing the absorption of solar radiation by water vapor

Chou and Arking (1980) have developed a fast but accurate method for computing the IR cooling rate due to water vapor. Using a similar approach, the considered investigation develops a method for computing the heating rates due to the absorption of solar radiation by water vapor in the wavelength range from 4 to 8.3 micrometers. The validity of the method is verified by comparison with line-by-line calculations. An outline is provided of an efficient method for transmittance and flux computations based upon actual line parameters. High speed is achieved by employing a one-parameter scaling approximation to convert an inhomogeneous path into an equivalent homogeneous path at suitably chosen reference conditions.

Chou, M.-D.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Computation of simple three-dimensional wing-vortex interaction in transonic flow

An implicit delta form finite-difference algorithm for Euler equations in conservation law form has been used in preliminary calculations of three-dimensional wing-vortex interactions. Both steady and unsteady transonic flow wing-vortex interactions are computed. The computations themselves are meant to guide upcoming wind tunnel experiments of the same flow field. Various modifications to the numerical method that are intended to improve computational efficiency are also described and tested in both two- and three-dimensions.

Srinivasan, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Precision orbit computations for an operational environment

Taking advantage of the improvements to the Earth's gravitation field and tracking station coordinates, an orbital computational consistency of the order of 5 meters was achieved for total position differences between orbital solutions for the Seasat and GEOS-3. The main source of error in these solutions was in the mathematical models that are required to generate these results, i.e., gravitation, atmospheric drag, etc. Different Earth gravitation fields and tracking coordinates were analyzed and evaluated in obtaining these computational results. Comparisons and evaluations of the Seasat results were obtained in terms of different solution types such as the Doppler only, Laser only, Doppler and Laser, etc. Other investigation using the Seasat data were made in order to determine their effect on the computational results at this particular level of consistency.

Doll, C. E.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Computer simulation of spacecraft charging on SCATHA

Computer simulation to determine spacecraft charging on P78-2 (SCATHA) during a substorm and for modeling the effects of electron beam emission on the P78-2 ground potential for a variety of beam voltages and currents was used. Measured and computed spacecraft potentials are obtained to within several hundred eV. Computation of the electron beam emission effects on the spacecraft ground potential are shown. It is concluded that the spacecraft ground potential can be controlled by emitting an electron beam.

Rubin, A. G.↗

NASA NTRS1981

On-board computer progress in development of A 310 flight testing program

Onboard computer progress in development of an Airbus A 310 flight testing program is described. Minicomputers were installed onboard three A 310 airplanes in 1979 in order to: (1) assure the flight safety by exercising a limit check of a given set of parameters; (2) improve the efficiency of flight tests and allow cost reduction; and (3) perform test analysis on an external basis by utilizing onboard flight types. The following program considerations are discussed: (1) conclusions based on simulation of an onboard computer system; (2) brief descriptions of A 310 airborne computer equipment, specifically the onboard universal calculator (CUB) consisting of a ROLM 1666 system and visualization system using an AFIGRAF CRT; (3) the ground system and flight information inputs; and (4) specifications and execution priorities for temporary and permanent programs.

Reau, P.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Comparison of two and three dimensional flow computations with laser anemometer measurements in a transonic compressor rotor

A procedure for using an efficient axisymmetric code to generate downstream pressure input for more costly Euler codes is discussed. Two and three dimensional inviscid solutions for the flow within a transonic axial compressor rotor at design speed are compared to laser anemometer measurements at maximum flow and near stall operating points. Computational details of the 2-D axisymmetric stream function solution and the 3-D full Euler solution are described. Relative Mach number contours, shock location, and shock strength as measured and as predicted by the 3-D code are compared. Downstream of the rotor the inviscid computations agree with each other but predict higher pressure ratios than those measured. Euler codes require a downstream pressure as input. Since that pressure controls the computed mass flow and shock system, it must be consistent with an inviscid solution.

Chima, R. V.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Computational Aspects of Heat Transfer in Structures

Techniques for the computation of heat transfer and associated phenomena in complex structures are examined with an emphasis on reentry flight vehicle structures. Analysis methods, computer programs, thermal analysis of large space structures and high speed vehicles, and the impact of computer systems are addressed.

Adelman, H. M.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Survey of computer programs for heat transfer analysis

An overview is presented of the current capabilities of thirty-eight computer programs that can be used for solution of heat transfer problems. These programs range from the large, general-purpose codes with a broad spectrum of capabilities, large user community and comprehensive user support (e.g., ANSYS, MARC, MITAS 2 MSC/NASTRAN, SESAM-69/NV-615) to the small, special purpose codes with limited user community such as ANDES, NNTB, SAHARA, SSPTA, TACO, TEPSA AND TRUMP. The capabilities of the programs surveyed are listed in tabular form followed by a summary of the major features of each program. As with any survey of computer programs, the present one has the following limitations: (1) It is useful only in the initial selection of the programs which are most suitable for a particular application. The final selection of the program to be used should, however, be based on a detailed examination of the documentation and the literature about the program; (2) Since computer software continually changes, often at a rapid rate, some means must be found for updating this survey and maintaining some degree of currency.

Noor, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Application of Computer Axial Tomography (CAT) to measuring crop canopy geometry

The feasibility of using the principles of computer axial topography (CAT) to quantify the structure of crop canopies was investigated because six variables are needed to describe the position-orientation with time of a small piece of canopy foliage. Several cross sections were cut through the foliage of healthy, green corn and soybean canopies in the dent and full pod development stages, respectively. A photograph of each cross section representing the intersection of a plane with the foliage was enlarged and the air-foliage boundaries delineated by the plane were digitized. A computer program was written and used to reconstruct the cross section of the canopy. The approach used in applying optical computer axial tomography to measuring crop canopy geometry shows promise of being able to provide needed geometric information for input data to canopy reflectance models. The difficulty of using the CAT scanner to measure large canopies of crops like corn is discussed and a solution is proposed involving the measurement of plants one at a time.

Bauer, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Computations of soot and and NO sub x emissions from gas turbine combustors

An analytical program was conducted to compute the soot and NOx emissions from a combustor and the radiation heat transfer to the combustor walls. The program involved the formulation of an emission and radiation model and the incorporation of this model into the Garrett 3-D Combustor Perfomance Computer Program. Computations were performed for the idle, cruise, and take-off conditions of a JT8D can combustor. The predicted soot and NOx emissions and the radiation heat transfer to the combustor walls agree reasonably well with the limited experimental data available.

Srivatsa, S. K.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Design and verification of a multiple fault tolerant control system for STS applications using computer simulation

General Dynamics/Convair is under NASA contract to integrate the Centaur upper stage into the space transportation system for future planetary missions. This requires that control of all safety critical functions be two-failure tolerant. The control system developed consists of five asynchronous computers, each contributing at their outputs to a 3-out-of-5 voting plane. Subsystem control is based on an end function redundancy management scheme. Analysis of multiple component failures and worst-case time-phase asynchrony among the computers is performed by a real-time computer simulation. The simulation emulates the hardware and subsystem interfaces, wire by wire, providing assessibility to any component for the insertion of preprogrammed failures. Observability is provided via a graphics system and diagnostic software. The simulation provides an engineering tool where the integrity of control system hardware and imbedded software can be demonstrated.

Szatkowski, G. P.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Computation of three-dimensional inviscid flow over hypersonic missile configurations using the GIM code

A three-dimensional computational technique was used to obtain flowfield solutions to the Euler equations over selected hypersonic missile configurations. The General Interpolants Method (GIM) computer code was used with interpolation functions in an algebraic approach to generate a discrete computational grid for each configuration. The spatial marching version of the GIM code, which treats the parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) equations or the Euler equations with a shock capturing, 'MacCormack-like' scheme, was used to advance the solution hyperbolically over each configuration. The inviscid flowfield solutions over the two three-dimensional missile configurations, calculated using the GIM hyperbolic scheme, are presented here. The flow field over a wing/body configuration at zero degree angle of attack is presented. Flow over the fuselage of a tactical missile, termed the TAME 10, at both zero degree and 7.5 degree angles of attack is presented. In addition, an inviscid, two-dimensional analysis of an inlet configuration designed to mount on the TAME 10 is included. Contour maps of velocity and pressure are included for each configuration. Comparison of calculation and data show good agreement.

Xiques, K. E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Computation of supersonic turbulent flow past a spinning cone

Computational results are presented for supersonic laminar and turbulent flow past a pointed cone at angle of attack obtained with a parabolic Navier-Stokes marching code. The code takes into account the asymmetries in the flowfield resulting from spinning motion and computes the asymmetric shock shape, crossflow and streamwise shear, heat transfer, crossflow separation, and vortex structure. The Magnus force and moments are also computed. Comparisons are made with other analyses based on boundary-layer equations. For certain laminar flow conditions, an anomaly is discovered in the displacement thickness contribution to the Magnus force when compared with boundary-layer results. For turbulent flow, at small angles of attack, good agreement is obtained with the experimental data and other theoretical results.

Agarwal, R. K.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The impact of distributed computing on education

In this paper, developments in digital computer technology since the early Fifties are reviewed briefly, and the parallelism which exists between these developments and developments in analysis and design procedures of structural engineering is identified. The recent trends in digital computer technology are examined in order to establish the fact that distributed processing is now an accepted philosophy for further developments. The impact of this on the analysis and design practices of structural engineering is assessed by first examining these practices from a data processing standpoint to identify the key operations and data bases, and then fitting them to the characteristics of distributed processing. The merits and drawbacks of the present philosophy in educating structural engineers are discussed and projections are made for the industry-academia relations in the distributed processing environment of structural analysis and design. An ongoing experiment of distributed computing in a university environment is described.

Utku, S.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Telemetry Computer System at Wallops Flight Center

This paper describes the Telemetry Computer System in operation at NASA's Wallops Flight Center for real-time or off-line processing, storage, and display of telemetry data from rockets and aircraft. The system accepts one or two PCM data streams and one FM multiplex, converting each type of data into computer format and merging time-of-day information. A data compressor merges the active streams, and removes redundant data if desired. Dual minicomputers process data for display, while storing information on computer tape for further processing. Real-time displays are located at the station, at the rocket launch control center, and in the aircraft control tower. The system is set up and run by standard telemetry software under control of engineers and technicians. Expansion capability is built into the system to take care of possible future requirements.

Bell, H.↗