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At least 163 records · Page 9

Flexure-torsion behavior of prismatic beams. I - Section properties via power series

The behavior of a tip-loaded cantilever beam with an arbitrary cross section is studied using Saint-Venant's semi-inverse method along with a power series solution for the out-of-plane flexure and torsion warping functions. The power series coefficients are determined by solving a set of variationally derived linear algebraic equations. For complex cross sections, the calculated coefficients represented a 'best-fit approximation' to the exact warping function. The resulting warping functions are used to determine the cross-sectional properties (torsion constant, shear correction factors, shear deformation coefficients, and shear center location). A new linear relation is developed for locating the shear center, where the twist rate is zero about the line of shear centers. Moreover, the kinematic relations for a new fully compatible one-dimensional beam theory are developed. Numerical results are presented first to verify the approach and second to provide section data on NACA four-series airfoils not currently found in the literature.

Kosmatka, J. B.↗

Transmission Properties of Zitex in the Infrared to Submillimeter

The results of measurements of the refractive index and power absorption coefficient of Zitex at 290 K, 77 K, and 4 K in the spectral region from 1 to 1000 microns are presented. Zitex is a porous Teflon sheet with a filling factor of approximately 50%, and is manufactured in several varieties as a filter paper. Zitex is found to be an effective infrared radiation block, with thin (200 micrometer) sheets transmitting less than 1% in the 1-50 micrometer range while absorbing <10% at wavelengths longer than 200 micrometers. Some variation in the cutoff wavelength is seen, tending to be a shorter wavelength cutoff for a smaller pore size. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of Zitex at cryogenic temperatures has been measured, and is found to be roughly one-half that of bulk Teflon.

Benford, D. J.↗

ISTP Solar Maximum Extended Science Program

We have studied the entry of solar energetic particles (SEPS) into the magnetosphere by following particles in the time dependent magnetic and electric field from global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the magnetosphere. The MHD simulations can either be for idealized interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, or for upstream conditions measured by spacecraft. An important part of the analysis is understanding the response of the magnetosphere to the IMF conditions. In the idealized case, the MHD simulation included a steady interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(sub x), velocity and density, while the B(sub y) and B(sub z) components were varied from southward IMF to dawnward and finally to northward IMF. We launched more than ten million protons, as well as about 1 million He-3 ions and a few thousand electrons upstream of the magnetosphere into the solar wind. They were initialized using a kappa distribution, which is a power law distribution with a power law coefficient of 1.5 at high energies. The particles had energies between 0. 1 and 50 MeV. The particles were run in time dependent MHD fields that were advanced in time as the particles moved through the system.

Ashour-Abdalla, Maha↗

Optical Properties of Zitex in the Infrared Submillimeter

The results of measurements of the refractive index and power attenuation coefficient of Zitex at 290K, 77K, and 4K in the spectral region from 1 to 1000 microns are presented. Zitex is a porous Teflon sheet with a filling factor of approx. 50%, and is manufactured in several varieties as a filter paper. Zitex is found to be an effective IR block, with thin (200 microns) sheets transmitting less than 1% in the 1 - 50 microns range while attenuating less than or approx. 10% at wavelengths longer than 200 microns. Some variation in the cutoff wavelength is seen, tending to be a shorter wavelength cutoff for a smaller pore size. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of Zitex at cryogenic temperatures has been measured, and is found to be roughly one-half that of bulk Teflon. Finally, its dielectric constant has been measured in the submillimeter as n = 1.20, resulting in extremely low dielectric reflection losses. As a result, Zitex is particularly useful as an IR blocking filter in low-noise heterodyne receivers; in the millimeter-wave range (lambda greater than approx. 850 microns or nu less than or = 350 GHz) the attenuation of alpha less than or = 0.01/cm for a 3.5 mm thickness filter of Zitex G125 would raise receiver noise temperatures by less than 1K.

Benford, Dominic J.↗

Investigation of the Loads on a Conventional Front and Rear Sliding Canopy

As one phase of a comprehensive canopy load investigation, conventional front and rear sliding canopies which are typified by installation on the SB2C-4E airplane, were tested in the Langley full-scale tunnel to determine the pressure distributions and the aerodynamic loads on the canopies. A preliminary analysis of the results of these tests is presented in this report. Plots are presented that show the distribution of pressure at four longitudinal stations through each canopy for a range of conditions selected to determine the effects of varying canopy position, yaw, lift coefficient, and power. The results indicate that the maximum loads, based on the external-internal pressure differential, for the front and rear canopies were obtained with the airplane simulating the high speed flight condition. The highest loading on the front canopy was in the exploding direction for the configuration with the front and rear canopies closed. The highest loads on the rear canopy were in the crushing direction with the front canopy open and the rear canopy closed. For most of the simulated flight conditions, the highest loads on the front canopy, per unit area, were over twice as great as the highest loads on the rear canopy when the comparison was made for the most critical canopy configuration in each case. The external pressure distribution over the front and rear canopies, which were fairly symmetrical to 0 degree angle of yaw, were greatly distorted at other yaw attitudes, particularly for the propeller operating conditions. These distorted pressure distributions resulted in local exploding and crushing loads on both canopies which were often considerably higher than the average canopy loads.

Dexter, Howard E.↗

Energy Finite Element Analysis for Computing the High Frequency Vibration of the Aluminum Testbed Cylinder and Correlating the Results to Test Data

The Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) is a finite element based computational method for high frequency vibration and acoustic analysis. The EFEA solves with finite elements governing differential equations for energy variables. These equations are developed from wave equations. Recently, an EFEA method for computing high frequency vibration of structures either in vacuum or in contact with a dense fluid has been presented. The presence of fluid loading has been considered through added mass and radiation damping. The EFEA developments were validated by comparing EFEA results to solutions obtained by very dense conventional finite element models and solutions from classical techniques such as statistical energy analysis (SEA) and the modal decomposition method for bodies of revolution. EFEA results have also been compared favorably with test data for the vibration and the radiated noise generated by a large scale submersible vehicle. The primary variable in EFEA is defined as the time averaged over a period and space averaged over a wavelength energy density. A joint matrix computed from the power transmission coefficients is utilized for coupling the energy density variables across any discontinuities, such as change of plate thickness, plate/stiffener junctions etc. When considering the high frequency vibration of a periodically stiffened plate or cylinder, the flexural wavelength is smaller than the interval length between two periodic stiffeners, therefore the stiffener stiffness can not be smeared by computing an equivalent rigidity for the plate or cylinder. The periodic stiffeners must be regarded as coupling components between periodic units. In this paper, Periodic Structure (PS) theory is utilized for computing the coupling joint matrix and for accounting for the periodicity characteristics.

Vlahopoulos, Nickolas↗

Comparison of Comet Enflow and VA One Acoustic-to-Structure Power Flow Predictions

Comet Enflow is a commercially available, high frequency vibroacoustic analysis software based on the Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA). In this method the same finite element mesh used for structural and acoustic analysis can be employed for the high frequency solutions. Comet Enflow is being validated for a floor-equipped composite cylinder by comparing the EFEA vibroacoustic response predictions with Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) results from the commercial software program VA One from ESI Group. Early in this program a number of discrepancies became apparent in the Enflow predicted response for the power flow from an acoustic space to a structural subsystem. The power flow anomalies were studied for a simple cubic, a rectangular and a cylindrical structural model connected to an acoustic cavity. The current investigation focuses on three specific discrepancies between the Comet Enflow and the VA One predictions: the Enflow power transmission coefficient relative to the VA One coupling loss factor; the importance of the accuracy of the acoustic modal density formulation used within Enflow; and the recommended use of fast solvers in Comet Enflow. The frequency region of interest for this study covers the one-third octave bands with center frequencies from 16 Hz to 4000 Hz.

Grosveld, Ferdinand W.↗

Energy Finite Element Analysis Developments for Vibration Analysis of Composite Aircraft Structures

The Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) has been utilized successfully for modeling complex structural-acoustic systems with isotropic structural material properties. In this paper, a formulation for modeling structures made out of composite materials is presented. An approach based on spectral finite element analysis is utilized first for developing the equivalent material properties for the composite material. These equivalent properties are employed in the EFEA governing differential equations for representing the composite materials and deriving the element level matrices. The power transmission characteristics at connections between members made out of non-isotropic composite material are considered for deriving suitable power transmission coefficients at junctions of interconnected members. These coefficients are utilized for computing the joint matrix that is needed to assemble the global system of EFEA equations. The global system of EFEA equations is solved numerically and the vibration levels within the entire system can be computed. The new EFEA formulation for modeling composite laminate structures is validated through comparison to test data collected from a representative composite aircraft fuselage that is made out of a composite outer shell and composite frames and stiffeners. NASA Langley constructed the composite cylinder and conducted the test measurements utilized in this work.

Vlahopoulos, Nickolas↗

Aerodynamic Analyses and Database Development for Ares I Vehicle First Stage Separation

This paper presents the aerodynamic analysis and database development for the first stage separation of the Ares I A106 Crew Launch Vehicle configuration. Separate databases were created for the first stage and upper stage. Each database consists of three components: isolated or free-stream coefficients, power-off proximity increments, and power-on proximity increments. The power-on database consists of three parts, all plumes firing at nominal conditions, the one booster deceleration motor out condition, and the one ullage settling motor out condition. The isolated and power-off incremental databases were developed using wind tunnel test data. The power-on proximity increments were developed using CFD solutions.

Pamadi, Bandu N.↗

Gravity and Heater Size Effects on Pool Boiling Heat Transfer

The current work is based on observations of boiling heat transfer over a continuous range of gravity levels between 0g to 1.8g and varying heater sizes with a fluorinert as the test liquid (FC-72/n-perfluorohexane). Variable gravity pool boiling heat transfer measurements over a wide range of gravity levels were made during parabolic flight campaigns as well as onboard the International Space Station. For large heaters and-or higher gravity conditions, buoyancy dominated boiling and heat transfer results were heater size independent. The power law coefficient for gravity in the heat transfer equation was found to be a function of wall temperature under these conditions. Under low gravity conditions and-or for smaller heaters, surface tension forces dominated and heat transfer results were heater size dependent. A pool boiling regime map differentiating buoyancy and surface tension dominated regimes was developed along with a unified framework that allowed for scaling of pool boiling over a wide range of gravity levels and heater sizes. The scaling laws developed in this study are expected to allow performance quantification of phase change based technologies under variable gravity environments eventually leading to their implementation in space based applications.

Boiling↗

Design of Multifunctional Materials: Chalcogenides and Chalcopyrites

There is a strong need for developing multifunctional materials to reduce the cost of applied material without compromising the performance of the detectors, devices and sensors. The materials design, processing, growth and fabrication of bulk and nanocrystals and fabrication into devices and sensors involve huge cost and resources including a multidisciplinary team of experts. Because of this reason, prediction of multifunctionality of materials before design and development should be evaluated. Chalcogenides and chalcopyrites are a very exciting class of materials for developing multifunctionality. Materials such as Gallium selenide GaSe and zinc selenide ZnSe have been proven to be excellent examples. GaSe is a layered material and very difficult to grow in large crystal. However, it's ternary and quaternary analogs such as thallium gallium selenide TlGaSe2, thallium gallium selenide sulfide TlGaSe2-xSs, thallium arsenic selenide Tl3AsSe3, silver gallium selenide AgGaGe3Se8, AgGaGe5Se12 and several others have shown great promise for multifunctionality. Several of these materials have shown good efficiency for frequency conversion (nonlinear optical NLO), electro-optic modulation, and acousto-optic tunable filters and imagers suitable for the visible, near-infrared wavelength, mid wave infrared (MWIR), long wave infrared (LWIR) and even up to Tera hertz wavelength (THW) regions. In addition, this class of materials have demonstrated low absorption coefficients and power handling capability in the systems. Also, these crystals do not require post growth annealing, show very large transparency range and fabricability.

Singh, N. B.↗

Aerodynamic Rotor Design for a 25 MW Offshore Downwind Turbine

Continuously increasing offshore wind turbine scales require rotor designs that maximize power and performance. Downwind rotors offer advantages in lower mass due to reduced potential for tower strike, and is especially true at large scales, e.g., for a 25 MW turbine. In this study, three 25 MW downwind rotors, each with different prescribed lift coefficient distributions were designed (chord, geometry, and twist) and compared to maximize power production at unprecedented scales and Reynolds numbers, including a new approach to optimize rotor tilt and coning based on aeroelastic effects. To achieve this objective the design process was focused on achieving high power coefficients, while maximizing swept area and minimizing blade mass. Maximizing swept area was achieved by prescribing pre-cone and shaft tilt angles to ensure the aeroelastic orientation when the blades point upwards was nearly vertical at nearly rated conditions. Maximizing the power coefficient was achieved by prescribing axial induction factor and lift coefficient distributions which were then used as inputs for an inverse rotor design tool. The resulting rotors were then simulated to compare performance and subsequently optimized for minimum rotor mass. To achieve these goals, a high Reynolds number design space was developed using computational predictions as well as new empirical correlations for flatback airfoil drag and maximum lift. Within this design space, three rotors of small, medium and large chords were considered for clean airfoil conditions (effects of premature transition were also considered but did not significantly modify the design space). The results indicated that the medium chord design provided the best performance, producing the highest power in Region 2 from simulations while resulting in the lowest rotor mass, both of which support minimum LCOE. The methodology developed herein can be used for the design of other extreme-scale (upwind and downwind) turbines.

downwind rotors↗

Viscous, radiating hypersonic flow about a blunt body

The viscous, radiating hypersonic flow past an axisymmetric blunt body is analyzed based on the Navier-Stokes equations, plus a radiative equation of transfer derived from the Milne-Eddington differential approximation. The fluid is assumed to be a perfect gas with constant specific heats, a constant Prandtl number of order unity, a viscosity coefficient varying as a power of the temperature, and an absorption coefficient varying as the first power of the density and as a power of the temperature. The gray gas assumption is invoked, thereby making the absorption coefficient independent of the spectral frequency. Limiting forms of the solutions are studied as the freestream Mach number freestream Reynolds number and the temperature ratio across the shock wave, go to infinity, and as the Bouguer number and the density ratio across the shock wave go to zero. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used in the analysis, and it is shown that there is a far-field precursor, composed of two regions, in which the fluid mechanics can be neglected for all practical purposes but included for completeness.

Passamaneck, R. S.↗

Earth's isostatic gravity anomaly field: Contributions to National Geodetic Satellite Program

On the assumption that the compensation for the topographic load is achieved in the manner of Airy-Heiskenenan hypothesis at a compensation depth of 30 kilometers, the spherical harmonic coefficients of the isostatic reduction potential U are computed. The degree power spectra of these coefficients are compared with the power spectra of the isostatic reduction coefficients given by Uotila. Results are presented in tabular form.

Khan, M. A.↗

Phase modulating with odd and even finite power series of a modulating signal

Method and apparatus is presented for producing a phase-modulated waveform having a high degree of linearity between the modulating signal and the phase of the modulated carrier signal. Two signals representing finite odd and even power series transformations of the modulating signal are produced and multiplied with two quadrature components of the input carrier signal, respectively. One of the multiplied signals is subtracted from the other and the resulting signal is hard-limited to produce a phase-modulated output signal. The means for producing the two signals representing the odd and even power series of the modulating signal includes means for varying the coefficients of the two power series. By means of an existing computer program, the coefficients of the two power series are selected such that there is an extremely high degree of linearity between the modulating signal and the phase of the modulated carrier signal.

Hearn, C. P.↗

Realization of a wide steering end-fire facet optical phased array using silicon rich silicon nitride

The design, fabrication, and characterization of a 16-element optical phased array (OPA) using a high index (n = 3.1) silicon-rich silicon nitride (SRN) is demonstrated. Here, we present one-dimensional beam steering with end-fire facet antennas over a wide steering range of >115° at a fixed wavelength of 1525 nm. A beam width of 6.3° has been measured at boresight, consistent with theory. We demonstrate SRN as a viable material choice for chip-scale OPA applications due to its high thermo-optic coefficient, high optical power handling capacity [negligible two-photon absorption (TPA)], wide transparency window, and CMOS compatibility.

Nejadriahi, Hani↗