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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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At least 1,783 records · Page 99
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Analysis and preliminary design of optical sensors for propulsion control

A fiber-optic sensor concept screening study was performed. Twenty sensor subsystems were identified and evaluated. Two concepts selected for further study were the Fabry-Perot fiber-optic temperature sensor and the pulse-width-modulated phosphorescent temperature sensor. Various designs suitable for a Fabry-Perot temperature sensor to be used as a remote fiber-optic transducer were investigated. As a result, a particular design was selected and constructed. Tests on this device show that spectral peaks are produced from visible white light, and the change in wavelength of the spectral peaks produced by a change in temperature is consistent with theory and is 36 nm/C for the first order peak. A literature search to determine a suitable phosphor for implementing the pulse-width-modulated fiber optic temperature sensor was conducted. This search indicated that such a device could be made to function for temperatures up to approximately 200 C. Materials like ZnCdS and ZnSe activated with copper will be particularly applicable to temperature sensing in the cryogenic to room temperature region. While this sensing concept is probably not applicable to jet engines, the simplicity and potential reliability make the concept highly desirable for other applications.

James, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A generalization of binary minimum shift keying and staggered quadriphase shift keying modulation

A generalized modulation scheme, which includes minimum shift keying (MSK) and staggered quadriphase shift keying (SQPSK) as special cases, is analyzed. The general modulator is realized as a one-input, two-output sequence transducer whose outputs select the carrier signal for each band. This form of the modulator has the practical advantage of not requiring any RF filtering since there is no actual mixing of the carriers with the modulating signals. It is shown that the optimum demodulator (whether hard-decision or soft-decision) always can make its decisions from the received waveform over two bands when the interference is additive white Gaussian noise, thus generalizing a well-known result for hard decision demodulation of MSK and SQPSK signals. The power spectra of MSK and SQPSK signals are derived to isolate the role played by coherency between the modulating signals and the carriers.

Massey, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Force and impulse measurement

Practices are outlined for the design, installation, checkout, calibration, and operation of a thrust measurement system to be used during tests of a liquid monopropellant rocket engine. Appendixes include: (1) thrust measurement system elemental uncertainties; (2) short- and long-term thrust measurement system uncertainty; and (3) shunt calibration of force transducers.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Use of piezoelectric multicomponent force measuring devices in fluid mechanics

The characterisitics of piezoelectric multicomponent transducers are discussed, giving attention to the advantages of quartz over other materials. The main advantage of piezoelectric devices in aerodynamic studies is their ability to indicate rapid changes in the values of physical parameters. Problems in the accuracy of measurments by piezoelectric devices can be overcome by suitable design approaches. A practical example is given of how such can be utilized to measure rapid fluctuations of fluid forces exerted on a circular cylinder mounted in a water channel.

Richter, A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A new approach to helicopter rotor blade research instrumentation

A rotor-blade-mounted telemetry instrumentation system developed and used in flight tests by the NASA/Langley Research Center is described. The system uses high-speed digital techniques to acquire research data from miniature pressure transducers on advanced rotor airfoils which are flight tested using an AH-1G helicopter. The system employs microelectronic PCM multiplexer-digitizer stations located remotely on the blade and in a hub-mounted metal canister. The electronics contained in the canister digitizes up to 16 sensors, formats this data with serial PCM data from the remote stations, and transmits the data from the canister which is above the plane of the rotor. Data is transmitted over an RF link to the ground for real-time monitoring and to the helicopter fuselage for tape recording.

Knight, V. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Unsteady pressures on a NACA 64A010 airfoil - Experimental and theoretical results

Transonic testing of an NACA 64A010 airfoil at the Ohio State University Aero-Astro Research Laboratory is described, and results of fixed angle of attack and pitch oscillation experiments are discussed. The operating range was Mach 0.20 to 1.07 with available total pressures of 140,000 N/m2 to 620,000 N/m2. The airfoil model was mounted on roller bearings installed in the solid sidewalls of the tunnel test section. The equipment included transducers to measure unsteady pressures, and static pressure taps obtaining steady-state data. The data gathered at Mach 0.8 gave an indication of the influence of the natural shock instability and shock-induced flow separation on the unsteady pressures, with the location of the peak disturbance level shifting forward in the comparison of 0 to 2 deg pitch angle data. The oscillating airfoil data is examined in terms of harmonic content and the in-phase and out-of-phase components. It is concluded that the experimental data has good qualitative comparison with methods accounting for shock interaction.

Davis, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Deformation and failure information from composite materials via acoustic emission

The paper reviews some principles of applying acoustic emission (AE) to the study of fiber-composite materials and structures. This review covers the basics of using AE to monitor the deformation and fracture processes that occur when fiber-composite materials are stressed. Also, new results in some areas of current research interest are presented. The following areas are emphasized: study of couplants for AE testing of composites, evaluation of a special immersion-type AE transducer, and wave propagation complications and the development of techniques for locating AE sources in Kevlar 49/epoxy composite pre

Hamstad, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Effect of ultrasonic irradiation on mammalian cells and chromosomes in vitro

Human peripheral blood and HeLa cells were irradiated in vitro at the ultrasonic frequency of 65 kHz. The whole blood and HeLa cell suspensions were exposed to continuous and pulsed ultrasonic power levels of 0.12, 0.16, 0.72, 1.12 and 2.24 W for a period of one minute. The method of ultrasonic irradiation was carried out with the whole blood or HeLa cell suspensions coupled directly to a cylindrical transducer while heating of the cell suspensions in excess of 41 C was avoided. Irradiated and unirradiated peripheral blood lymphocyte chromosome cultures were prepared and scored for selected numerical and morphological aberrations. There was no significant difference in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations between irradiated and unirradiated cells.

Roseboro, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Aircraft wake flow effect and horizontal tail buffet

As part of a program to investigate the fluctuating pressure distribution and response behavior of a fighter aircraft in transonic maneuver, an F-5A scale model has previously been tested in an 11-ft transonic wind tunnel. The model, with a number of static and dynamic pressure transducers imbedded in the lifting surfaces was tested at various angles of attack up to 16 deg. In this paper, test results of particular interest to wake flow and horizontal tail buffet are described. It is shown that the dynamic pressure data on the tail surface at the specified flight conditions serve to determine the local dynamic loads. They also influence the control performance of the aircraft under maneuver conditions where buffet is encountered. The data presented demonstrate a number of contributing factors that affect the tail dynamic pressures in the transonic regime.

Hwang, C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A tethering system for direct measurement of cardiovascular function in the caged baboon

A device suitable for the continuous measurement of physiological activity in large, conscious monkeys has permitted the direct recording of systemic arterial blood pressure and heart rate in caged baboons. The device comprises a lightweight fiberglass backpack, retained in place on the baboon by a thoracic elastic band and shoulder straps, and a flexible stainless steel tether connecting the pack to an electrocannular slip-ring in the top center of the baboon's cage. A chronically indwelling arterial catheter inserted retrograde into the abdominal aorta via the internal iliac artery and connected to a small pressure transducer on the pack provides direct measurement of blood pressure and heart rate. Body fluids can be sampled or drugs administered via an indwelling catheter in the inferior vena cava. Electrical and fluid connections between the fiberglass pack and recording and infusion equipment located outside the cage pass through the flexible tether and remain protected from the subject. The reliability of the tethering system has been demonstrated in physiological, pharmacological, and behavioral experiments with baboons.

Byrd, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A simplified gross thrust computing technique for an afterburning turbofan engine

A simplified gross thrust computing technique extended to the F100-PW-100 afterburning turbofan engine is described. The technique uses measured total and static pressures in the engine tailpipe and ambient static pressure to compute gross thrust. Empirically evaluated calibration factors account for three-dimensional effects, the effects of friction and mass transfer, and the effects of simplifying assumptions for solving the equations. Instrumentation requirements and the sensitivity of computed thrust to transducer errors are presented. NASA altitude facility tests on F100 engines (computed thrust versus measured thrust) are presented, and calibration factors obtained on one engine are shown to be applicable to the second engine by comparing the computed gross thrust. It is concluded that this thrust method is potentially suitable for flight test application and engine maintenance on production engines with a minimum amount of instrumentation.

Hamer, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Signal processing in ultrasound

Signal is the term used to denote the characteristic in the time or frequency domain of the probing energy of the system. Processing of this signal in diagnostic ultrasound occurs as the signal travels through the ultrasonic and electrical sections of the apparatus. The paper discusses current signal processing methods, postreception processing, display devices, real-time imaging, and quantitative measurements in noninvasive cardiology. The possibility of using deconvolution in a single transducer system is examined, and some future developments using digital techniques are outlined.

Le Croissette, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Energy transduction in Halobacterium halobium

The properties and functions of the light-energy-transducing purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium are reviewed. Consideration is given to the protein structure and composition of the membrane and the photochemistry of the protein-retinal complex known as bacteriorhodopsin. The role of bacteriorhodpsin in establishing and maintaining an electrochemical (H(+)) gradient is examined, and interactions of this gradient with Na(+) and K(+) gradients, the light-induced transport of amino acids and the light-induced phosphorylation of ADP are considered. Bacteriorhodopsin and the respiratory chain are discussed as alternative sources of energy for the maintenance of the H(+) gradient. Advantages of the Halobacterium purple membrane system for studies of membrane energetics and the confirmation of the chemiosmotic hypothesis are also noted.

Lanyi, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Position monitor for mining machines

Circuit at output of incremental transducer records progress of longwall shearer. In contrast to mechanical shaft encoders, electronic circuit can be easily packaged to withstand shock and vibration of mining machine as it cuts across coal seam.

Lubich, J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Fresnel lenses for ultrasonic inspection

Ultrasonic Fresnel lenses are effective focusing elements with potential applications in ultrasonic "contact" testing for defects in materials. Ultrasonic beams focused on concave lenses are used successfully with immersion transducers, for which test object is immersed in water bath. However, for large objects, objects that are already installed, objects on production lines, and objects that can be damaged by water, contact testing is more practical than immersion.

Kammerer, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Test fittings for dimensionally critical tubes

Method using lightweight fitting protects tubes and tube stubs during testing and through to final welding. Fitting does not interfere with final welding or brazing like temporary test fittings, and is not heavy like machined-on integral fittings with face-seal 0-rings. Fitting approach is adaptable to many types of components, including valves, transducers, and filters.

Hagler, R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Receiving signals of any polarization

Two-channel detection accomodates linear, circular, and elliptical polarization in one receiving unit. Receiver employs orthomode transducer which breaks any type signal into one left and one right circular component. These are processed in separate receiver channels with equal time-delay, and then recombined for data extraction. System eliminates losses due to polarization mismatch.

Ohlson, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Fast calibration of gas flowmeters

Digital unit automates calibration sequence using calculator IC and programmable read-only memory to solve calibration equations. Infrared sensors start and stop calibration sequence. Instrument calibrates mass flowmeters or rotameters where flow measurement is based on mass or volume. This automatic control reduces operator time by 80 percent. Solid-state components are very reliable, and digital character allows system accuracy to be determined primarily by accuracy of transducers.

Lisle, R. V.↗