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At least 163 records · Page 9

Acoustic pressures emanating from a turbomachine stage

A knowledge of the acoustic energy emission of each blade row of a turbomachine is useful for estimating the overall noise level of the machine and for determining its discrete frequency noise content. Because of the close spacing between the rotor and stator of a compressor stage, the strong aerodynamic interactions between them have to be included in obtaining the resultant flow field. A three dimensional theory for determining the discrete frequency noise content of an axial compressor consisting of a rotor and a stator each with a finite number of blades are outlined. The lifting surface theory and the linearized equation of an ideal, nonsteady compressible fluid motion are used for thin blades of arbitrary cross section. The combined pressure field at a point of the fluid is constructed by linear addition of the rotor and stator solutions together with an interference factor obtained by matching them for net zero vorticity behind the stage.

Ramachandra, S. M.↗

Acoustic pressures emanating from a turbomachine stage

A knowledge of the acoustic energy emission of each blade row of a turbomachine is useful for estimating the overall noise level of the machine and for determining its discrete frequency noise content. Because of the close spacing between the rotor and stator of a compressor stage, the strong aerodynamic interactions between them have to be included in obtaining the resultant flow field. This paper outlines a three-dimensional theory for determining the discrete frequency noise content of an axial compressor consisting of a rotor and a stator each with a finite number of blades. The lifting surface theory and the linearized equation of an ideal, nonsteady compressible fluid motion are used for thin blades of arbitrary cross section. The combined pressure field at a point of the fluid is constructed by linear addition of the rotor and stator solutions together with an interference factor obtained by matching them for net zero vorticity behind the stage.

Ramachandra, S. M.↗

SMP: A solid modeling program version 2.0

The Solid Modeling Program (SMP) provides the capability to model complex solid objects through the composition of primitive geometric entities. In addition to the construction of solid models, SMP has extensive facilities for model editing, display, and analysis. The geometric model produced by the software system can be output in a format compatible with existing analysis programs such as PATRAN-G. The present version of the SMP software supports six primitives: boxes, cones, spheres, paraboloids, tori, and trusses. The details for creating each of the major primitive types is presented. The analysis capabilities of SMP, including interfaces to existing analysis programs, are discussed.

Randall, D. P.↗

Low temperature storage container for transporting perishables to space station

This invention is directed to the long term storage of frozen and refrigerated food and biological samples by the space shuttle to the space station. A storage container is utilized which has a passive system so that fluid/thermal and electrical interfaces with the logistics module is not required. The container for storage comprises two units, each having an inner storage shell and an outer shell receiving the inner shell and spaced about it. The novelty appears to lie in the integration of thermally efficient cryogenic storage techniques with phase change materials, including the multilayer metalized surface thin plastic film insulation and the vacuum between the shells. Additionally the fiberglass constructed shells having fiberglass honeycomb portions, and the lining of the space between the shells with foil combine to form a storage container which may keep food and biological samples at very low temperatures for very long periods of time utilizing a passive system.

Dean, William G↗

High-voltage, full-floating 10-MHz square-wave generator with phase control

Wherein a fast (50 ns) rise-time high-frequency square-wave generator capable of switching between arbitrary voltages of high potential difference (1000 V or more) is described utilizing solid-state circuitry of low power consumption. Power field effect transistors are used as the active switching element, which afford compact size and simplified circuit construction. With the addition of monostable multivibrators, high-voltage square-wave pulse trains of controllable phase are produced. The generator should find application in a wide variety of situations where fast switching between high voltages is required, such as in time-of-flight, coincidence, and beams-modulation experiments.

Bernius, Mark T.↗

Scattering properties of woven fibrous insulations - Effects of interference for normal incidence

This paper examines the scattering properties of woven fibrous materials in order to model the interactions between the scattered radiation from individual fibers. A normally incident plane electromagnetic wave is considered and different representative geometries are analyzed theoretically. Experimental results are presented for specific woven thermal insulation fabrics. Previous studies in the literature have mostly ignored the effect of constructive or destructive addition of scattered waves from individual fibers with the exception of the case of parallel fibers. Whereas the light-scattering characteristics of a single long fiber depend only on the size parameter and on the material optical constants, the additional mechanism of interference between the scattered waves from fibers of parallel or perpendicular orientation introduces an additional dependence on fiber locations. In this study, analytical models are developed for obtaining the radiative scattering characteristics of woven fibrous media taking into account the mechanism of interference. Experimental measurements of forward- and backward-scattered light from a woven silica cloth over a broad range of wavelengths in the infrared are obtained and compared with the predicted results for a system of two orthogonal families of infinite parallel fibers.

Kumar, Sunil↗

The lightcraft project

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been developing a transatmospheric 'Lightcraft' technology which uses beamed laser energy to propel advanced shuttle craft to orbit. In the past several years, Rensselaer students have analyzed the unique combined-cycle Lightcraft engine, designed a small unmanned Lightcraft Technology Demonstrator, and conceptualized larger manned Lightcraft - to name just a few of the interrelated design projects. The 1990-91 class carried out preliminary and detailed design efforts for a one-person 'Mercury' Lightcraft, using computer-aided design and finite-element structural modeling techniques. In addition, they began construction of a 2.6 m-diameter, full-scale engineering prototype mockup. The mockup will be equipped with three robotic legs that 'kneel' for passenger entry and exit. More importantly, the articulated tripod gear is crucial for accurately pointing at, and tracking the laser relay mirrors, a maneuver that must be performed just prior to liftoff. Also accomplished were further design improvements on a 6-inch-diameter Lightcraft model (for testing in RPI's hypersonic tunnel), and new laser propulsion experiments. The resultant experimental data will be used to calibrate Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) codes and analytical laser propulsion models that can simulate vehicle/engine flight conditions along a transatmospheric boost trajectory. These efforts will enable the prediction of distributed aerodynamic and thruster loads over the entire full-scale spacecraft.

Messitt, Don G.↗

Thermocapillary migration of a small chain of bubbles

The quasistatic thermocapillary migration of a chain of two or three spherical bubbles in an unbounded fluid possessing a uniform temperature gradient is investigated in the limit of vanishing Reynolds and Peclet numbers. The line of bubble centers is permitted to be either parallel or perpendicular to the direction of the undisturbed temperature gradient. The governing equations are solved by a truncated-series, boundary-collocation technique. Results are presented which demonstrate the impact of the presence of other bubbles on a test bubble. In the three-bubble case, a simple pairwise-additive approximation is constructed from the reflections solution, and found to perform well except when the bubbles are close to each other. Also, features of the flow topology in the fluid are explored. Separated reverse flow wakes are found in the axisymmetric problem, and other interesting structures are noted for the case in which the line of centers is perpendicular to the applied temperature gradient. The observed flow structure is shown to be the result of superposition of simpler basic flows.

Wei, Huailiang↗

Laboratory and Industrial Ventilation

This handbook supplements the Facilities Engineering Handbook (NHB 7320.1) and provides additional policies and criteria for uniform application to ventilation systems. It expands basic requirements, provides additional design and construction guidance, and places emphasis on those design considerations which will provide for greater effectiveness in the use of these systems. The provisions of this handbook are applicable to all NASA field installations and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Since supply of this handbook is limited, abstracts of the portion or portions applicable to a given requirement will be made for the individual specific needs encountered rather than supplying copies of the handbook as has been past practice.

Source record↗

Prioritized LT Codes

The original Luby Transform (LT) coding scheme is extended to account for data transmissions where some information symbols in a message block are more important than others. Prioritized LT codes provide unequal error protection (UEP) of data on an erasure channel by modifying the original LT encoder. The prioritized algorithm improves high-priority data protection without penalizing low-priority data recovery. Moreover, low-latency decoding is also obtained for high-priority data due to fast encoding. Prioritized LT codes only require a slight change in the original encoding algorithm, and no changes at all at the decoder. Hence, with a small complexity increase in the LT encoder, an improved UEP and low-decoding latency performance for high-priority data can be achieved. LT encoding partitions a data stream into fixed-sized message blocks each with a constant number of information symbols. To generate a code symbol from the information symbols in a message, the Robust-Soliton probability distribution is first applied in order to determine the number of information symbols to be used to compute the code symbol. Then, the specific information symbols are chosen uniform randomly from the message block. Finally, the selected information symbols are XORed to form the code symbol. The Prioritized LT code construction includes an additional restriction that code symbols formed by a relatively small number of XORed information symbols select some of these information symbols from the pool of high-priority data. Once high-priority data are fully covered, encoding continues with the conventional LT approach where code symbols are generated by selecting information symbols from the entire message block including all different priorities. Therefore, if code symbols derived from high-priority data experience an unusual high number of erasures, Prioritized LT codes can still reliably recover both high- and low-priority data. This hybrid approach decides not only "how to encode" but also "what to encode" to achieve UEP. Another advantage of the priority encoding process is that the majority of high-priority data can be decoded sooner since only a small number of code symbols are required to reconstruct high-priority data. This approach increases the likelihood that high-priority data is decoded first over low-priority data. The Prioritized LT code scheme achieves an improvement in high-priority data decoding performance as well as overall information recovery without penalizing the decoding of low-priority data, assuming high-priority data is no more than half of a message block. The cost is in the additional complexity required in the encoder. If extra computation resource is available at the transmitter, image, voice, and video transmission quality in terrestrial and space communications can benefit from accurate use of redundancy in protecting data with varying priorities.

Woo, Simon S.↗

Turbulence Measurements of Rectangular Nozzles with Bevel

This paper covers particle image velocimetry measurements of a family of rectangular nozzles with aspect ratios 2, 4, and 8, in the high subsonic flow regime. Far-field acoustic results, presented previously, showed that increasing aspect ratios increased the high frequency noise, especially directed in the polar plane containing the minor axis of the nozzle. The measurements presented here have important implications in the modeling of turbulent sources for acoustic analogy theories. While the nonaxisymmetric mean flow from the rectangular nozzles can be studied reliably using computational solutions, the nonaxisymmetry of the turbulent fluctuations, particularly at the level of velocity components, cannot; only measurements such as these can determine the impact of nozzle geometry on acoustic source anisotropy. Additional nozzles were constructed that extended the wide lip on one side of these nozzles to form beveled nozzles. The paper first documents the velocity fields, mean and variance, from the round, rectangular, and beveled rectangular nozzles at high subsonic speeds. A second section introduces measures of the isotropy of the turbulence, such as component ratios and lengthscales, first by showing them for a round jet and then for the rectangular nozzles. From these measures the source models of acoustic analogy codes can be judged or modified to account for these anisotropies.

Rectangular Nozzle↗

Arc-jet Testing of Continuously Woven Aeroshells–Spiderweave–for Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology

The Adaptable, Deployable Entry Placement Technology (ADEPT) is an entry system that, when deployed, creates a large, umbrella-like drag surface that can be used to decelerate spacecraft during atmospheric entry, resulting in lower entry loads and heating than a rigid aeroshell of equivalent mass. Until needed for entry, the system can remain stowed, enabling missions to overcome launch vehicle fairing diameter constraints. 12-inch diameter umbrella-like articles, similar to a small reentry probe using ADEPT, were tested in the Ames 20-MWAerodynamic Heating Facility. Performance of the test articles built with a novel, continuously woven aeroshell construction (called Spiderweave) is compared against those built with legacy construction styles. In addition, candidate thermal protective layer treatments applied to structurally sensitive regions of the aeroshell are assessed using data from on-board instrumentation as well as facility optical instruments.

ADEPT↗

Bringing Research to New Heights: How CASEI Integrates Data Curation, Discovery, and Education in Earth and Atmospheric Science

A challenging aspect of any project is finding all the relevant data and information needed to address the research objective. Searching for data and its contextual metadata can become overwhelming for both undergraduate and graduate students, potentially hindering their work and affecting the scientific discoveries that could be made in the long run. To ease this, the NASA Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG), part of the Interagency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT), has developed the new Catalog of Archived Suborbital Earth science Investigations (CASEI). CASEI includes a web portal that users, be they professionals or students, can use to search, browse, discover, and locate relevant observations associated with NASA’s airborne and field campaigns. Users are able to query data in a variety of ways (via keywords, locations, timeframe, etc) from one online portal, minimizing the amount of time needed to search. CASEI also allows access to key contextual metadata and data from a wide array of Earth and Atmospheric Science topics such as aerosols and boundary layer processes, as well as ice and glacial properties or processes. Users are able to access the data via DOI links to data set landing pages. This presentation will demonstrate how CASEI can be used for classwork and student research. Teachers can provide CASEI to their students as a tool for their studies, or use it to find data themselves while constructing their curriculums. Additionally, users can leverage CASEI to learn about NASA’s Earth and Atmospheric Science research efforts and to find data relevant for assignments or other research projects. The metadata in CASEI has been carefully curated, and highlights important information about the campaigns and their data. Students can explore and learn about the scientific objectives of the campaigns, as well as descriptions of the campaign’s best research days. Having access to contextual metadata in an easy to understand way can help plant the seeds of new ideas in students at any point in their academic journey. From class projects to theses/dissertations and other research, CASEI is a valuable emerging tool for data discovery, giving access to all users and guiding researchers to NASA’s unique airborne data to answer the burning Earth Science questions of our time.

education↗

LUNAR REGOLITH:SMALL SCALE ROBOTIC SITE PREPARATION AND GEOTECHNICAL EXPERIMENTSWITH SCOOPS

NASA’s Moon-To-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project seeks to research, develop, and demonstrate lunar surface construction capabilities. Quantification of lunar regolith’s geotechnical properties allows for effective prediction of forces and displacement during excavation and construction and is critical to facilitating regolith sintering capabilities all of which benefit lunar infrastructure plans. Knowledge of shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb cohesion, angle of internal friction, bearing strength, bulk density, etc. is needed. The use of ground-based testing of various lunar simulants with relevant hardware (e.g., robotic arm tools) enables validation of technology choices, tool paths, and lunar surface construction activities. In addition, the use of Taguchi methods will minimize the number of needed experiments to explore critical input parameters.

R. P. Mueller↗

Lunar Regolith: Small Scale Robotic Site Preparation and Geotechnical Experiments with Scoops

- NASA’s Moon-To-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project seeks to research, develop, and demonstrate lunar surface construction capabilities. - Quantification of lunar regolith’s geotechnical properties allows for effective prediction of forces and displacement during excavation and construction and is critical to facilitating regolith sintering capabilities all of which benefit lunar infrastructure plans. - Knowledge of shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb cohesion, angle of internal friction, bearing strength, bulk density, etc. is needed. - The use of ground-based testing of various lunar simulants with relevant hardware (e.g., robotic arm tools) enables validation of technology choices, tool paths, and lunar surface construction activities. - In addition, the use of Taguchi methods [1] will minimize the number of needed experiments to explore critical input parameters. - The Jet Propulsion Lab is preparing to fly the COLDarm payload on a CLPS lunar mission with a geotechnical measurement scoop

Regolith↗

Establishing and Maintaining the Digital Thread of Additively Manufactured Materials and Applications

Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) are complementary enabling technologies for design and manufacturing of “fit-for-purpose” materials. Both technologies will impact rapid material design, reduction in cost- and time-to-market for new applications, and discovery and implementation of new materials. An ICME approach to design, however, requires experimentally validated material models at multiple length and time scales, an integrated framework that can connect analysis tools with one another to ensure the digital thread of an application is maintained, and the manufacturing (e.g., AM) capability to leverage processing-structure-property-performance (PSPP) relationships to achieve spatially varying material properties where desired. AM enables the implementation of the design of an optimized, spatially varying microstructure through careful selection of the processing parameters used during an additively manufactured build. In order to establish these PSPP relations, a large amount of data is necessary, and that data must be properly captured, analyzed and maintained in an information management system that can establish the required traceability between various aspects of the design process to ensure an application’s digital thread is maintained (from design to end of life). Such an information management system must be able to capture feedstock material pedigree, resulting microstructure from various build parameters, subsequent mechanical properties derived from testing, developed material models, and enable spatial variations in material assignment in an engineering application. Furthermore, the information management system should be easily integrated with traditionally engineered materials in a single, centralized platform to enable an ICME optimization tool to explore both types of manufacturing processes. At NASA GRC, a robust, 21st century materials information management system has been previously developed with a focus towards enabling ICME. In this work, GRC’s ICME schema is extended to accommodate additively manufactured materials, enabling storage of both traditionally and additively manufactured materials in the same construct. The methodology for properly capturing additively manufactured materials across the entire material lifecycle is presented, following the previously established database best practices, as a potential framework for establishing PSPP relationships for additively manufactured materials and applying them to engineering applications.

Data management↗

Environmental projects, volume 11. Environmental assessment: Addition to operations building, Mars site

An Environmental Assessment was performed of the proposed addition to building G-86 at the Mars Site, which will provide space for new electronic equipment to consolidate the Deep Space Network (DSN) support facilities from other Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex (GDSCC) sites at the Mars Site, and will include a fifth telemetry and command group with its associated link monitor, control processor, and operator consoles. The addition of these facilities will increase the capability of the DSN to support future sophisticated NASA spacecraft missions such as the International Solar and Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) Program. The planned construction of this building addition requires an Environmental Assessment (EA) document that records the existing environmental conditions at the Mars Site, that analyzes the environmental effects that possibly could be expected from the construction and use of the new building addition, and that recommends measures to be taken to mitigate any possible deleterious environmental effects.

Source record↗

Additive-Induced Morphology Change of Polymer Film Enables Enhanced Charge Mobility and Faster Organic Electrochemical Transistor Switching

Conjugated polymers (CPs) play an important role in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) for bioelectronics and related applications, where they serve as channel materials. Currently, most successful polymers for CPs are re-engineered from traditional CPs by replacing hydrophobic alkyl side chains with hydrophilic ethylene glycol or ionic groups. Frustratingly, the enhanced ion transport often compromises the charge mobility of the original CP. In this work, we present an additive-mediated method to construct a modified poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) film to enable efficient ion migration. The additive is designed with a cleavable diazo group that releases nitrogen and 2-methoxyethanol, a volatile compound, to alter the P3HT film morphology. OECTs based on the film exhibit improved response times. Interestingly, the process also enhances the crystallinity of P3HT, leading to higher hole mobility compared with pristine P3HT. This study proposes an in situ strategy to achieve the functionality of the OMIEC via morphological regulation, offering a promising route to simultaneously enhance both ion accessibility and charge mobility.

Organic polymers↗