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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1969

Fluidic displays

Fluidic display, discussing applications for fluidic computers and control systems

Van Der Heyden, J.↗
NASA NTRS2018

PEG Enhancement for EM1 and EM2+ Missions

NASA is currently building the Space Launch System (SLS) Block-1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. The next evolution of SLS, the Block-1B Exploration Mission 2 (EM-2), is currently being designed. The Block-1 and Block-1B vehicles will use the Powered Explicit Guidance (PEG) algorithm. Due to the relatively low thrust-to-weight ratio of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), certain enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm are needed to perform Block-1B missions. In order to accommodate mission design for EM-2 and beyond, PEG has been significantly improved since its use on the Space Shuttle program. The current version of PEG has the ability to switch to different targets during Core Stage (CS) or EUS flight, and can automatically reconfigure for a single Engine Out (EO) scenario, loss of communication with the Launch Abort System (LAS), and Inertial Navigation System (INS) failure. The Thrust Factor (TF) algorithm uses measured state information in addition to a priori parameters, providing PEG with an improved estimate of propulsion information. This provides robustness against unknown or undetected engine failures. A loft parameter input allows LAS jettison while maximizing payload mass. The current PEG algorithm is now able to handle various classes of missions with burn arcs much longer than were seen in the shuttle program. These missions include targeting a circular LEO orbit with a low-thrust, long-burn-duration upper stage, targeting a highly eccentric Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) orbit, targeting a disposal orbit using the low-thrust Reaction Control System (RCS), and targeting a hyperbolic orbit. This paper will describe the design and implementation of the TF algorithm, the strategy to handle EO in various flight regimes, algorithms to cover off-nominal conditions, and other enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm. This paper illustrates challenges posed by the Block-1B vehicle, and results show that the improved PEG algorithm is capable for use on the SLS Block 1-B vehicle as part of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control System.

Von der Porten, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2018

Auralization of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Under Propeller Phase Control

Community noise has been identified as a major barrier to entry into service of unmanned aerial vehicle platforms. Common among such vehicle architectures is a distributed electric propulsion system, in which many propellers and/or rotors are used for thrust and/or lift. A promising noise reduction technique was recently developed to favorably modify the vehicle source noise directivity, by adjusting the relative azimuthal position of the prop/rotor blades between propulsors. Un- der idealized conditions, such phase control can yield noise reductions on the order of 20 dB at a ground observer relative to the average case having a random phase distribution. However, human perception of the resulting noise may not be fully captured by such a simple acoustic measure. To this end, this paper under- takes the auralization of the tonal vehicle noise. Specifically, total propeller tonal noise is optimized over a set of observer zones, e.g., 45 deg. wedges, around the vehicle. Each zone represents a unique set of relative phases. The forward flight of the vehicle adjacent to a noise-sensitive area is simulated by prescribing a series of zones over the flight path having minimum noise in the direction of the ob- server. Auralizations and their associated metrics are compared with a reference condition.

Pascioni, Kyle A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Nanostructured Composites: Effective Mechanical Property Determination of Nanotube Bundles

Carbon nanotubes naturally tend to form crystals in the form of hexagonally packed bundles or ropes that should exhibit a transversely isotropic constitutive behavior. Although the intratube axial stiffness is on the order of 1 TPa due to a strong network of delocalized bonds, the intertube cohesive strength is orders of magnitude less controlled by weak, nonbonding van der Waals interactions. An accurate determination of the effective mechanical properties of nanotube bundles is important to assess potential structural applications such as reinforcement in future composite material systems. A direct method for calculating effective material constants is developed in the present study. The Lennard-Jones potential is used to model the nonbonding cohesive forces. A complete set of transverse moduli are obtained and compared with existing data.

Saether, E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The effect of the London-van der Waals dispersion force on interline heat transfer

A theoretical procedure to determine the heat transfer characteristics of the interline region (junction of liquid-solid-vapor) from the macroscopic optical and thermophysical properties of the system is outlined. The analysis is based on the premise that the interline transport processes are controlled by the London-van der Waals dispersion force between condensed phases (solid and liquid). Numerical values of the dispersion constant are presented. The procedure is used to compare the relative size of the interline heat sink of various systems using a constant heat flux mode. This solution demonstrates the importance of the interline heat flow number, which is evaluated for various systems.

Wayner, P. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The effect of the liquid-solid system properties on the interline heat transfer coefficient

A theoretical procedure to determine the heat transfer characteristics of the interline region of an evaporating meniscus using the macroscopic optical and thermophysical properties of the system is outlined. The analysis is based on the premise that the interline transport processes are controlled by the London-van der Waals forces between condensed phases (solid and liquid). The procedure is used to compare the relative size of the interline heat sink of various systems using a constant heat flux model. This solution demonstrates the importance of the interline heat flow number which is evaluated for various systems. The heat transfer characteristics of the decane-steel system are numerically compared with those of the carbon tetrachloride-quartz system.

Wayner, P. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Powered Explicit Guidance Modifications and Enhancements for Space Launch System Block-1 and Block-1B Vehicles

NASA is currently building the Space Launch System (SLS) Block-1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. NASA is also currently designing the next evolution of SLS, the Block-1B. The Block-1 and Block-1B vehicles will use the Powered Explicit Guidance (PEG) algorithm (of Space Shuttle heritage) for closed loop guidance. To accommodate vehicle capabilities and design for future evolutions of SLS, modifications were made to PEG for Block-1 to handle multi-phase burns, provide PEG updated propulsion information, and react to a core stage engine out. In addition, due to the relatively low thrust-to-weight ratio of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) and EUS carrying out Lunar Vicinity and Earth Escape missions, certain enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm are needed to perform Block-1B missions to account for long burn arcs and target translunar and hyperbolic orbits. This paper describes the design and implementation of modifications to the Block-1 PEG algorithm as compared to Space Shuttle. Furthermore, this paper illustrates challenges posed by the Block-1B vehicle and the required PEG enhancements. These improvements make PEG capable for use on the SLS Block-1B vehicle as part of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) System.

Von der Porten, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2019

Bowles-Tatnall Wake Vortex Encounter Hazard Metric

Wake vortex spacing standards constrict the terminal area throughput and impose severe constraints on the overall capacity and efficiency of the National Airspace System. For more than two decades starting in the early 1990s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted extensive research on characterizing the formation and evolution of aircraft wakes. This multidisciplinary work included comprehensive field experiments (Pruis et al. 2016), flight tests (Vicroy et al. 1998), and wind tunnel tests (Rossow 1994; Chow et al. 1997). Parametric studies using large eddy simulations (Proctor 1998; Proctor et al. 2006) were conducted in order to develop fast-time models for the prediction of wake transport and decay (Ahmad et al. 2016). Substantial effort was spent on the formulation of acceptable vortex hazard metrics (Tatnall 1995; Hinton and Tatnall 1997). Several wake encounter severity metrics have been suggested in the past, which include the wake circulation strength, vortex-induced rolling moment coefficient (Clv), bank angle, and the roll control ratio (Tatnall 1995; Hinton and Tatnall 1997; Van der Geest 2012). The vortex-induced rolling moment coefficient introduced by Bowles and Tatnall (Tatnall 1995; Gloudemans et al. 2016) has been used extensively for risk and safety analysis of newly proposed air traffic management concepts and procedures. The original method of Bowles and Tatnall assumed a constant wing loading (the wing lift-curve slope, CL is constant), which resulted in an overestimation of the vortexinduced rolling moment coefficient. Bowles (2014) suggested a correction to the original method that provides more accurate values of Clv and which is also consistent with the underlying physics of the problem. The overestimation of Clv in the original method can be corrected by assuming an elliptical lift distribution. Figure 1.1 illustrates the correction in Clv achieved by the modified method.

Joel Malissa↗
NASA NTRS2010

SPARCLE: Electrostatic Dust Control Tool Proof of Concept

Successful exploration of most planetary surfaces, with their impact-generated dusty regoliths, will depend on the capabilities to keep surfaces free of the performance-compromising dust. Once in contact with surfaces, whether set in motion by natural or mechanical means, regolith fines, or dust, behave like abrasive Velcro, coating surfaces, clogging mechanisms, making movement progressively more difticult, and being almost impossible to remove by mechanical mcans (brushing). The successful dust removal strategy will deal with dust dynamics resulting from interaction between Van der Waals and Coulombic forces. Here, proof of concept for an electrostatically-based concept for dust control tool is described and demonstrated. A low power focused electron beam is used in the presence of a small electrical field to increase the negative charge to mass ratio of a dusty surface until dust repulsion and attraction to a lower potential surface, acting as a dust collector, occurred. Our goal is a compact device of less than 5 kg mass and using less than 5 watts of power to be operational in less than 5 years with heritage from ionic sweepers for active spacecraft potential control (e.g ., on POLAR). Rovers could be fitted with devices that could hamess the removal of dust for sampling as part of the extended exploration process on Mercury, Mars, asteroids or outer solar system satellites, as well as the Moon.

Clark, P. E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Low-Storage, Explicit Runge-Kutta Schemes for the Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations

The derivation of storage explicit Runge-Kutta (ERK) schemes has been performed in the context of integrating the compressible Navier-Stokes equations via direct numerical simulation. Optimization of ERK methods is done across the broad range of properties, such as stability and accuracy efficiency, linear and nonlinear stability, error control reliability, step change stability, and dissipation/dispersion accuracy, subject to varying degrees of memory economization. Following van der Houwen and Wray, 16 ERK pairs are presented using from two to five registers of memory per equation, per grid point and having accuracies from third- to fifth-order. Methods have been assessed using the differential equation testing code DETEST, and with the 1D wave equation. Two of the methods have been applied to the DNS of a compressible jet as well as methane-air and hydrogen-air flames. Derived 3(2) and 4(3) pairs are competitive with existing full-storage methods. Although a substantial efficiency penalty accompanies use of two- and three-register, fifth-order methods, the best contemporary full-storage methods can be pearl), matched while still saving two to three registers of memory.

Kennedy, Chistopher A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Hindlimb suspension diminishes femoral cross-sectional growth in the rat

Growth, functional adaptation, and torsional strength were examined in the femora of 39-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to hindlimb suspension for 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks and were compared with measurements for age-matched control animals. Our goal was to understand the effect of reduced loading on the normal age-related changes in femoral properties during growth. The control animals exhibited growth-related increases in all geometric and torsional properties of the femur. The mean body mass and femoral length of the hindlimb-suspended rats were similar to those of the controls throughout the experiment. Over 4 weeks, the femoral cross-sectional and torsional measurements from the hindlimb-suspended rats demonstrated increases in comparison with the basal values (+33% cross-sectional area, +64% polar moment of inertia, +67% ultimate torque, and +181% torsional rigidity), but the age-matched controls showed significantly greater growth-related increases (+71% cross-sectional area, +136% polar moment of inertia, +127% ultimate torque, and +367% torsional rigidity). The differences in femoral structural strength between the hindlimb-suspended animals and the age-matched controls were attributable to differences in altered cross-sectional geometry.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗
NASA NTRS2016

Grippers Based on Opposing Van Der Waals Adhesive Pads

Novel gripping structures based on van der Waals adhesive forces are disclosed. Pads covered with fibers can be activated in pairs by opposite forces, thereby enabling control of the adhesive force in an ON or OFF state. Pads can be used in groups, each comprising a group of opposite pads. The adhesive structures enable anchoring forces that can resist adverse forces from different directions. The adhesive structures can be used to enable the operation of robots on surfaces of space vehicles.

Parness, Aaron↗