Statistics of state-vector corrections for Apollo onboard computers
Apollo onboard computers tracking data state- vector corrections covariance matrix, considering initial estimate, noise and tracking geometry errors
Pixley, P. T.↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “Computational Geometry”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Engineering parameter determination from the radio astronomy explorer /RAE I/ satellite attitude data
An RAE-I satellite description is given, taking into account a dynamics experiment and the attitude sensing system. A computer program for analyzing flexible spacecraft attitude motions is considered, giving attention to the geometry of rod deformation. The characteristics of observed attitude data are discussed along with an analysis of the main boom root angle, the bending rigidity, and the damper plane angle.
Lawlor, E. A.↗
Finite element techniques applied to cracks interacting with selected singularities
The finite-element method for computing the extensional stress-intensity factor for cracks approaching selected singularities of varied geometry is described. Stress-intensity factors are generated using both displacement and J-integral techniques, and numerical results are compared to those obtained experimentally in a photoelastic investigation. The selected singularities considered are a colinear crack, a circular penetration, and a notched circular penetration. Results indicate that singularities greatly influence the crack-tip stress-intensity factor as the crack approaches the singularity. In addition, the degree of influence can be regulated by varying the overall geometry of the singularity. Local changes in singularity geometry have little effect on the stress-intensity factor for the cases investigated.
Conway, J. C.↗
Wheat signature modeling and analysis for improved training statistics: Supplement. Simulated LANDSAT wheat radiances and radiance components
Simulated scanner system data values generated in support of LACIE (Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment) research and development efforts are presented. Synthetic inband (LANDSAT) wheat radiances and radiance components were computed and are presented for various wheat canopy and atmospheric conditions and scanner view geometries. Values include: (1) inband bidirectional reflectances for seven stages of wheat crop growth; (2) inband atmospheric features; and (3) inband radiances corresponding to the various combinations of wheat canopy and atmospheric conditions. Analyses of these data values are presented in the main report.
Malila, W. A.↗
Internally insulated thermal storage system development program
A cost effective thermal storage system for a solar central receiver power system using molten salt stored in internally insulated carbon steel tanks is described. Factors discussed include: testing of internal insulation materials in molten salt; preliminary design of storage tanks, including insulation and liner installation; optimization of the storage configuration; and definition of a subsystem research experiment to demonstrate the system. A thermal analytical model and analysis of a thermocline tank was performed. Data from a present thermocline test tank was compared to gain confidence in the analytical approach. A computer analysis of the various storage system parameters (insulation thickness, number of tanks, tank geometry, etc.,) showed that (1) the most cost-effective configuration was a small number of large cylindrical tanks, and (2) the optimum is set by the mechanical constraints of the system, such as soil bearing strength and tank hoop stress, not by the economics.
Scott, O. L.↗
Optimum structural design with plate bending elements - A survey
A survey is presented of recently published papers in the field of optimum structural design of plates, largely with respect to the minimum-weight design of plates subject to such constraints as fundamental frequency maximization. It is shown that, due to the availability of powerful computers, the trend in optimum plate design is away from methods tailored to specific geometry and loads and toward methods that can be easily programmed for any kind of plate, such as finite element methods. A corresponding shift is seen in optimization from variational techniques to numerical optimization algorithms. Among the topics covered are fully stressed design and optimality criteria, mathematical programming, smooth and ribbed designs, design against plastic collapse, buckling constraints, and vibration constraints.
Haftka, R. T.↗
Parametric analysis of diffuser requirements for high expansion ratio space engine
A supersonic diffuser ejector design computer program was developed. Using empirically modified one dimensional flow methods the diffuser ejector geometry is specified by the code. The design code results for calculations up to the end of the diffuser second throat were verified. Diffuser requirements for sea level testing of high expansion ratio space engines were defined. The feasibility of an ejector system using two commonly available turbojet engines feeding two variable area ratio ejectors was demonstrated.
Wojciechowski, C. J.↗
Interactive graphics for quick-geometry modeling
The QUICK-geometry system is a method for defining configuration shapes in completely analytical form. It was developed for use when the analytical definition of aircraft geometry is advantageous or necessary for the solution of the flow around it. While the QUICK-geometry system provides a convenient and flexible method for generating configurations with completely analytical definitions, experience showed that it can be difficult to match a previously defined configuration with a QUICK-geometry definition. Therefore, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other users developed computer programs that aid in the generation of QUICK inputs. A NASA-developed set of such programs which recently were upgraded extensively to improve its usability and portability are described.
Townsend, J. C.↗
Boundary conditions for the solution of compressible Navier-Stokes equations by an implicit factored method
A method is presented for formulating the boundary conditions in implicit finite-difference form needed for obtaining solutions to the compressible Navier-Stokes equations by the Beam and Warming implicit factored method. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated (a) by establishing the boundary conditions applicable to the analysis of the flow inside an axisymmetric piston-cylinder configuration and (b) by calculating velocities and mass fractions inside the cylinder for different geometries and different operating conditions. Stability, selection of time step and grid sizes, and computer time requirements are discussed in reference to the piston-cylinder problem analyzed.
Shih, T. I.-P.↗
Analytical fuel property effects--small combustors
The consequences of using broad-property fuels in both conventional and advanced state-of-the-art small gas turbine combustors are assessed. Eight combustor concepts were selected for initial screening, of these, four final combustor concepts were chosen for further detailed analysis. These included the dual orifice injector baseline combustor (a current production 250-C30 engine combustor) two baseline airblast injected modifications, short and piloted prechamber combustors, and an advanced airblast injected, variable geometry air staged combustor. Final predictions employed the use of the STAC-I computer code. This quasi 2-D model includes real fuel properties, effects of injector type on atomization, detailed droplet dynamics, and multistep chemical kinetics. In general, fuel property effects on various combustor concepts can be classified as chemical or physical in nature. Predictions indicate that fuel chemistry has a significant effect on flame radiation, liner wall temperature, and smoke emission. Fuel physical properties that govern atomization quality and evaporation rates are predicted to affect ignition and lean-blowout limits, combustion efficiency, unburned hydrocarbon, and carbon monoxide emissions.
Sutton, R. D.↗
Three-dimensional inviscid analysis of radial turbine flow and a limited comparison with experimental data
The three-dimensional inviscid DENTON code is used to analyze flow through a radial-inflow turbine rotor. Experimental data from the rotor are compared with analytical results obtained by using the code. The experimental data available for comparison are the radial distributions of circumferentially averaged values of absolute flow angle and total pressure downstream of the rotor exit. The computed rotor-exit flow angles are generally underturned relative to the experimental values, which reflect the boundary-layer separation at the trailing edge and the development of wakes downstream of the rotor. The experimental rotor is designed for a higher-than-optimum work factor of 1.126 resulting in a nonoptimum positive incidence and causing a region of rapid flow adjustment and large velocity gradients. For this experimental rotor, the computed radial distribution of rotor-exit to turbine-inlet total pressure ratios are underpredicted due to the errors in the finite-difference approximations in the regions of rapid flow adjustment, and due to using the relatively coarser grids in the middle of the blade region where the flow passage is highly three-dimensional. Additional results obtained from the three-dimensional inviscid computation are also presented, but without comparison due to the lack of experimental data. These include quasi-secondary velocity vectors on cross-channel surfaces, velocity components on the meridional and blade-to-blade surfaces, and blade surface loading diagrams. Computed results show the evolution of a passage vortex and large streamline deviations from the computational streamwise grid lines. Experience gained from applying the code to a radial turbine geometry is also discussed.
Choo, Y. K.↗
Performance of Oil Pumping Rings: An Analytical and Experimental Study
A steady-state design computer program was developed to predict the performance of pumping rings as functions of geometry, applied loading, speed, ring modulus, and fluid viscosity. Additional analyses were developed to predict transient behavior of the ring and the effects of temperature rises occurring in the hydrodynamic film between the ring and shaft. The analysis was initially compared with previous experimental data and then used to design additional rings for further testing. Tests were performed with Rulon, carbon-graphite, and babbit rings. The design analysis was used to size all of the rings and to select the ranges of clearances, thickness, and loading. Although full quantitative agreement was lacking, relative agreement existed in that rings that were predicted to perform well theoretically, generally performed well experimentally. Some causes for discrepanices between theory and experiment are believed to be due to starvation, leakage past the secondary seal at high pressures, and uncertainties in the small clearances and local inlet temperatures to the pumping ring. A separate preliminary analysis was performed for a pumping Leningrader seal. This anlaysis can be used to predict the film thickness and flow rate thr ough the seal as a function of pressure, speed, loading, and geometry.
Eusepi, M. W.↗
Three-dimensional inviscid analysis of radial-turbine flow and a limited comparison with experimental data
The three-dimensional inviscid DENTON code is used to analyze flow through a radial-inflow turbine rotor. Experimental data from the rotor are compared with analytical results obtained by using the code. The experimental data available for comparison are the radial distributions of circumferentially averaged values of absolute flow angle and total pressure downstream of the rotor exit. The computed rotor-exit flow angles are generally underturned relative to the experimental values, which reflect the boundary-layer separation at the trailing edge and the development of wakes downstream of the rotor. The experimental rotor is designed for a higher-than-optimum work factor of 1.126 resulting in a nonoptimum positive incidence and causing a region of rapid flow adjustment and large velocity gradients. For this experimental rotor, the computed radial distribution of rotor-exit to turbine-inlet total pressure ratios are underpredicted due to the errors in the finite-difference approximations in the regions of rapid flow adjustment, and due to using the relatively coarser grids in the middle of the blade region where the flow passage is highly three-dimensional. Additional results obtained from the three-dimensional inviscid computation are also presented, but without comparison due to the lack of experimental data. These include quasi-secondary velocity vectors on cross-channel surfaces, velocity components on the meridional and blade-to-blade surfaces, and blade surface loading diagrams. Computed results show the evolution of a passage vortex and large streamline deviations from the computational streamwise grid lines. Experience gained from applying the code to a radial turbine geometry is also discussed.
Choo, Y. K.↗
Quantifying uncertainties in the structural response of SSME blades
To quantify the uncertainties associated with the geometry and material properties of a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopump blade, a computer code known as STAEBL was used. A finite element model of the blade used 80 triangular shell elements with 55 nodes and five degrees of freedom per node. The whole study was simulated on the computer and no real experiments were conducted. The structural response has been evaluated in terms of three variables which are natural frequencies, root (maximum) stress, and blade tip displacements. The results of the study indicate that only the geometric uncertainties have significant effects on the response. Uncertainties in material properties have insignificant effects.
Nagpal, Vinod K.↗
A theoretical study of the excited states of Ag3
Recently there was considerable interest in the properties and reactivities of small metal clusters. However, for the transition metal trimers, gas phase spectroscopy exists only for Cu3. Calculations are reported for the excited states of the Ag3 molecule. The excitation energies, geometries, derived harmonic frequencies, and transition moments are presented. The electronic structure of these states is very similar to the analogous states of Cu3. From the VCI wave functions transition moments were calculated between each of the Rydberg excited states and the ground state for an equilateral triangle geometry with R sub Ag-Ag = 5.3 a sub 0. One state was computed for the configuration 4d29 5sa sup prime 2 sub 1 5se sup prime 1 sub x 5se sup prime 1 sub y. This configuration was considered since the corresponding configuration for Cu3 is low-lying. Calculations were carried out for a quartet wavefunction in which the 4d hole was localized on the central Ag atom. The spectrum for Ag3 is expected to be simpler than for Cu3 since the 5s2 4d9 states are shifted to higher energy.
Walch, Stephen P.↗
TRANAIR - A computer code for transonic analyses of arbitrary configurations
Attention is given to a new approach to solving full potential equations about arbitrary configurations. Numerical algorithms from such fields as finite elements, preconditioned Krylov subspace methods, discrete Fourier analysis, and integral equations are combined to take advantage of the size and speed of current and emerging supercomputers. On the basis of this appraoch, a robust, efficient and easy to use computer code referred to as TRANAIR has been developed for transonic analysis of complex geometries.
Samant, S. S.↗
Analytical modeling of the structureborne noise path on a small twin-engine aircraft
The structureborne noise path of a six passenger twin-engine aircraft is analyzed. Models of the wing and fuselage structures as well as the interior acoustic space of the cabin are developed and used to evaluate sensitivity to structural and acoustic parameters. Different modeling approaches are used to examine aspects of the structureborne path. These approaches are guided by a number of considerations including the geometry of the structures, the frequency range of interest, and the tractability of the computations. Results of these approaches are compared with experimental data.
Cole, J. E., III↗
Component-specific modeling
Accomplishments are described for a 3 year program to develop methodology for component-specific modeling of aircraft hot section components (turbine blades, turbine vanes, and burner liners). These accomplishments include: (1) engine thermodynamic and mission models, (2) geometry model generators, (3) remeshing, (4) specialty three-dimensional inelastic structural analysis, (5) computationally efficient solvers, (6) adaptive solution strategies, (7) engine performance parameters/component response variables decomposition and synthesis, (8) integrated software architecture and development, and (9) validation cases for software developed.
Mcknight, R. L.↗