Measurement of hydrodynamic force generation by swimming dolphins using bubble DPIV.

PubMed

Fish, Frank E; Legac, Paul; Williams, Terrie M; Wei, Timothy

2014-01-15

Attempts to measure the propulsive forces produced by swimming dolphins have been limited. Previous uses of computational hydrodynamic models and gliding experiments have provided estimates of thrust production by dolphins, but these were indirect tests that relied on various assumptions. The thrust produced by two actively swimming bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) was directly measured using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). For dolphins swimming in a large outdoor pool, the DPIV method used illuminated microbubbles that were generated in a narrow sheet from a finely porous hose and a compressed air source. The movement of the bubbles was tracked with a high-speed video camera. Dolphins swam at speeds of 0.7 to 3.4 m s(-1) within the bubble sheet oriented along the midsagittal plane of the animal. The wake of the dolphin was visualized as the microbubbles were displaced because of the action of the propulsive flukes and jet flow. The oscillations of the dolphin flukes were shown to generate strong vortices in the wake. Thrust production was measured from the vortex strength through the Kutta-Joukowski theorem of aerodynamics. The dolphins generated up to 700 N during small amplitude swimming and up to 1468 N during large amplitude starts. The results of this study demonstrated that bubble DPIV can be used effectively to measure the thrust produced by large-bodied dolphins.

The Relationship between Power Generated by Thrust and Power to Overcome Drag in Elite Short Distance Swimmers.

PubMed

Gatta, Giorgio; Cortesi, Matteo; Zamparo, Paola

At constant average speed (v), a balance between thrust force (Ft) and drag force (Fd) should occur: Ft-Fd = 0; hence the power generated by thrust forces (Pt = Ft·v) should be equal to the power needed to overcome drag forces at that speed (Pd = Fd·v); the aim of this study was to measure Pt (tethered swims), to estimate Pd in active conditions (at sprint speed) and to compare these values. 10 front crawl male elite swimmers (expertise: 93.1 ± 2.4% of 50 m world record) participated to the study; their sprint speed was measured during a 30 m maximal trial. Ft was assessed during a 15 s tethered effort; passive towing measurement were performed to determine speed specific drag in passive conditions (kP = passive drag force/v2); drag force in active conditions (Fd = kA·v2) was calculated assuming that kA = 1.5·kP. Average sprint speed was 2.20 ± 0.07 m·s-1; kA, at this speed, was 37.2 ± 2.7 N·s2·m-2. No significant differences (paired t-test: p > 0.8) were observed between Pt (399 ± 56 W) and Pd (400 ± 57 W) and a strong correlation (R = 0.95, p < 0.001) was observed between these two parameters. The Bland-Altman plot indicated a good agreement and a small, acceptable, error (bias: -0.89 W, limits of agreement: -25.5 and 23.7 W). Power thrust experiments can thus be suggested as a valid tool for estimating a swimmer's power propulsion.

Generation Mechanism of Work Hardened Surface Layer in Metal Cutting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hikiji, Rikio; Kondo, Eiji; Kawagoishi, Norio; Arai, Minoru

Finish machining used to be carried out in grinding, but it is being replaced by cutting with very small undeformed chip thickness. In ultra precision process, the effects of the cutting conditions and the complicated factors on the machined surface integrity are the serious problems. In this research, work hardened surface layer was dealt with as an evaluation of the machined surface integrity and the effect of the mechanical factors on work hardening was investigated experimentally in orthogonal cutting. As a result, it was found that work hardened surface layer was affected not only by the shear angle varied under the cutting conditions and the thrust force of cutting resistance, but also by the thrust force acting point, the coefficient of the thrust force and the compressive stress equivalent to the bulk hardness. Furthermore, these mechanical factors acting on the depth of the work hardened surface layer were investigated with the calculation model.

Force Generation by Flapping Foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandyopadhyay, P. R.; Donnelly, M.

1996-11-01

Aquatic animals like fish use flapping caudal fins to produce axial and cross-stream forces. During WW2, German scientists had built and tested an underwater vehicle powered by similar flapping foils. We have examined the forces produced by a pair of flapping foils. We have examined the forced produced by a pair of flapping foils attached to the tail end of a small axisymmetric cylinder. The foils operate in-phase (called waving), or in anti-phase (called clapping). In a low-speed water tunnel, we have undertaken time-dependent measurements of axial and cross-stream forces and moments that are exerted by the vortex shedding process over the entire body. Phase-matched LDV measurements of vorticity-velocity vectors, as well as limited flow visualization of the periodic vortex shedding process have also been carried out. The direction of the induced velocity within a pair of shed vortices determines the nature of the forces produced, viz., thrust or drag or cross-stream forces. The clapping mode produces a widely dispersed symmetric array of vortices which results in axial forces only (thrust and rag). On the other hand, the vortex array is staggered in the waving mode and cross-stream (maneuvering) forces are then generated.

Electro-hydrodynamic force field and flow patterns generated by a DC corona discharge in the air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monrolin, Nicolas; Plouraboue, Franck; Praud, Olivier

2016-11-01

Ionic wind refers to the electro-convection of ionised air between high voltage electrodes. Microscopic ion-neutral collisions are responsible for momentum transfer from accelerated ions, subjected to the electric field, to the neutral gas molecules resulting in a macroscopic airflow acceleration. In the past decades it has been investigated for various purposes from food drying through aerodynamic flow control and eventually laptop cooling. One consequence of air acceleration between the electrodes is thrust generation, often referred to as the Biefeld-Brown effect or electro-hydrodynamic thrust. In this experimental study, the ionic wind velocity field is measured with the PIV method. From computing the acceleration of the air we work out the electrostatic force field for various electrodes configurations. This enables an original direct evaluation of the force distribution as well as the influence of electrodes shape and position. Thrust computation based on the flow acceleration are compared with digital scale measurements. Complex flow features are highlighted such as vortex shedding, indicating that aerodynamic effects may play a significant role. Furthermore, the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the electrodes is quantified by choosing an appropriate control volume. Authors thank Region Midi-Pyrenee and CNES Launcher Directorate for financial support.

An Experiment on Repetitive Pulse Operation of Microwave Rocket

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oda, Yasuhisa; Shibata, Teppei; Komurasaki, Kimiya

2008-04-28

Microwave Rocket was operated with repetitive pulses. The microwave rocket model with forced breathing system was used. The pressure history in the thruster was measured and the thrust impulse was deduced. As a result, the impulse decreased at second pulse and impulses at latter pulses were constant. The dependence of the thrust performance on the partial filling rate of the thruster was compared to the thrust generation model based on the shock wave driven by microwave plasma. The experimental results showed good agreement to the predicted dependency.

A novel technique for micro-hole forming on skull with the assistance of ultrasonic vibration.

PubMed

Li, Zhe; Yang, Daoguo; Hao, Weidong; Wu, Tiecheng; Wu, Song; Li, Xiaoping

2016-04-01

Micro-hole opening on skull is technically challenging and is hard to realize by micro-drilling. Low-stiffness of the drill bit is a serious drawback in micro-drilling. To deal with this problem, a novel ultrasonic vibration assisted micro-hole forming technique has been developed. Tip geometry and vibration amplitude are two key factors affecting the performance of this hole forming technique. To investigate their effects, experiment was carried out with 300μm diameter tools of three different tip geometries at three different vibration amplitudes. Hole forming performance was evaluated by the required thrust force, dimensional accuracy, exit burr and micro-structure of bone tissue around the generated hole. Based on the findings from current study, the 60° conically tipped tool helps generate a micro-hole of better quality at a smaller thrust force, and it is more suitable for hole forming than the 120° conically tipped tool and the blunt tipped tool. As for the vibration amplitude, when a larger amplitude is used, a micro-hole of better quality and higher dimensional accuracy can be formed at a smaller thrust force. Findings from this study would lay a technical foundation for accurately generating a high-quality micro-hole on skull, which enables minimally invasive insertion of a microelectrode into brain for neural activity measuring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrodynamic thrust generation and power consumption investigations for piezoelectric fins with different aspect ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahab, S.; Tan, D.; Erturk, A.

2015-12-01

Bio-inspired hydrodynamic thrust generation using piezoelectric transduction has recently been explored using Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators. The MFC technology strikes a balance between the actuation force and structural deformation levels for effective swimming performance, and additionally offers geometric scalability, silent operation, and ease of fabrication. Recently we have shown that mean thrust levels comparable to biological fish of similar size can be achieved using MFC fins. The present work investigates the effect of length-to-width (L/b) aspect ratio on the hydrodynamic thrust generation performance of MFC cantilever fins by accounting for the power consumption level. It is known that the hydrodynamic inertia and drag coefficients are controlled by the aspect ratio especially for L/b< 5. The three MFC bimorph fins explored in this work have the aspect ratios of 2.1, 3.9, and 5.4. A nonlinear electrohydroelastic model is employed to extract the inertia and drag coefficients from the vibration response to harmonic actuation for the first bending mode. Experiments are then conducted for various actuation voltage levels to quantify the mean thrust resultant and power consumption levels for different aspect ratios. Variation of the thrust coefficient of the MFC bimorph fins with changing aspect ratio is also semi-empirically modeled and presented.

Experimental study on thrust and power of flapping-wing system based on rack-pinion mechanism.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Vu Phan, Hoang; Au, Thi Kim Loan; Park, Hoon Cheol

2016-06-20

This experimental study investigates the effect of three parameters: wing aspect ratio (AR), wing offset, and flapping frequency, on thrust generation and power consumption of a flapping-wing system based on a rack-pinion mechanism. The new flapping-wing system is simple but robust, and is able to create a large flapping amplitude. The thrust measured by a load cell reveals that for a given power, the flapping-wing system using a higher wing AR produces larger thrust and higher flapping frequency at the wing offset of 0.15[Formula: see text] or 0.20[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] is the mean chord) than other wing offsets. Of the three parameters, the flapping frequency plays a more significant role on thrust generation than either the wing AR or the wing offset. Based on the measured thrusts, an empirical equation for thrust prediction is suggested, as a function of wing area, flapping frequency, flapping angle, and wing AR. The difference between the predicted and measured thrusts was less than 7%, which proved that the empirical equation for thrust prediction is reasonable. On average, the measured power consumption to flap the wings shows that 46.5% of the input power is spent to produce aerodynamic forces, 14.0% to overcome inertia force, 9.5% to drive the rack-pinion-based flapping mechanism, and 30.0% is wasted as the power loss of the installed motor. From the power analysis, it is found that the wing with an AR of 2.25 using a wing offset of 0.20[Formula: see text] showed the optimal power loading in the flapping-wing system. In addition, the flapping frequency of 25 Hz is recommended as the optimal frequency of the current flapping-wing system for high efficiency, which was 48.3%, using a wing with an AR of 2.25 and a wing offset of 0.20[Formula: see text] in the proposed design.

Use of magnetic sails for advanced exploration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Dana G.; Zubrin, Robert M.

1990-01-01

The magnetic sail, or magsail, is a field effect device which interacts with the ambient solar wind or interstellar medium over a considerable volume of space to generate drag and lift forces. Two theories describing the method of thrust generation are analyzed and data results are presented. The techniques for maintaining superconductor temperatures in interplanetary space are analyzed and low risk options presented. Comparisons are presented showing mission performance differences between currently proposed spacecraft using chemical and electric propulsion systems, and a Magsail propelled spacecraft capable of generating an average thrust of 250 Newtons at a radius of one A.U. The magsail also provides unique capabilities for interstellar missions, in that at relativistic speeds the magnetic field would ionize and deflect the interstellar medium producing a large drag force. This would make it an ideal brake for decelerating a spacecraft from relativistic speeds and then maneuvering within the target star system.

A Layman's Guide to Thrust Engine Development for Super/Hyper Sonic Flight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiesse, James L.

The intention of this paper is to discuss the advances in thrust engines from the initial development of the J58/SR-71 (JT11D-20) of the U.S. Air Force's SR-71 Blackbird to the development of the RAM and SCRAM engines necessary to propel the new generations of high-flying super-speed aircraft. Engineering complexities suggest that the engines and…

Characterization of the non axial thrust generated by large solid propellant rocket motors in three axis stabilized ascent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosmann, W. J.; Dionne, E. R.; Klemetson, R. W.

1978-01-01

Nonaxial thrusts produced by solid rocket motors during three-axis stabilized attitude control have been determined from ascent experience on twenty three Burner II, Burner IIA and Block 5D-1 upper stage vehicles. A data base representing four different rocket motor designs (three spherical and one extended spherical) totaling twenty five three-axis stabilized firings is generated. Solid rocket motor time-varying resultant and lateral side force vector magnitudes, directions and total impulses, and roll torque couple magnitudes, directions, and total impulses are tabulated in the appendix. Population means and three sigma deviations are plotted. Existing applicable ground test side force and roll torque magnitudes and total impulses are evaluated and compared to the above experience data base. Within the spherical motor population, the selected AEDC ground test data consistently underestimated experienced motor side forces, roll torques and total impulses. Within the extended spherical motor population, the selected AEDC test data predicted experienced motor side forces, roll torques, and total impulses, with surprising accuracy considering the very small size of the test and experience populations.

Continuous Wheel Momentum Dumping Using Magnetic Torquers and Thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hwa-Suk; Choi, Wan-Sik; Eun, Jong-Won

1996-12-01

Two momentum management schemes using magnetic torquers and thrusters are sug-gested. The stability of the momentum dumping logic is proved at a general attitude equilibrium. Both momentum dumping control laws are implemented with Pulse-Width- Pulse-Frequency Modulated on-off control, and shown working equally well with the original continuous and variable strength control law. Thrusters are assummed to be asymmetrically configured as a contingency case. Each thruster is fired following separated control laws rather than paired thrusting. Null torque thrusting control is added on the thrust control calculated from the momentum control law for the gener-ation of positive thrusting force. Both magnetic and thrusting control laws guarantee the momentum dumping, however, the wheel inner loop control is needed for the "wheel speed" dumping, The control laws are simulated on the KOrea Multi-Purpose SATellite (KOMPSAT) model.

Apparatus and Method for Generating Thrust Using a Two Dimensional, Asymmetrical Capacitor Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A capacitor module system is provided for creating a thrust force. The system includes a capacitor module provided with a first conductive element having a cylindrical geometry. The first conductive element can be a hollow cylinder or a solid cylinder. The capacitor module also includes a second conductive element axially spaced from the first conductive element and of smaller axial extent. The second conductive element can be a flat disk, a dome, or a conductive tip at the end of a dielectric rod. A dielectric element is disposed between the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The system also includes a high voltage source having first and second terminals connected respectively to the first and second conductive elements. The high voltage source applies a high voltage to the conductive elements of sufficient value to create a thrust force on the module inducing movement thereof.

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of an Induction Planar Actuator with Different Secondaries—A Planar Driver Application for Metallic Surface Inspection

PubMed Central

Treviso, Felipe; Silveira, Marilia A.; Flores Filho, Aly F.; Dorrell, David G.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a study on an induction planar actuator concept. The device uses the same principles as a linear induction motor in which the interaction between a travelling magnetic field and a conducting surface produces eddy currents that leads to the generation of a thrust force and can result in movement over a metallic surface. This can benefit the inspection of metallic surfaces based on the driving platform provided by the induction planar actuator. Equations of the magnetic and electric fields are presented and, by means of these equations, the forces involved were calculated. The behaviour of thrust and normal forces was analysed through the equations and by numerical models, and compared with the results obtained by measurements on a device prototype built in the laboratory as part of the study. With relation to the surface under inspection that forms the secondary, three cases were analysed: (1) a double-layered secondary formed by aluminium and ferromagnetic slabs; (2) a single aluminium layer and (3) a single ferromagnetic layer. Theoretical and measured values of thrust and normal forces showed good correlation. PMID:27007377

The hydrodynamics of linear accelerations in bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, Tyler; Boden, Alex; Schwalbe, Margot; Tytell, Eric

2015-11-01

As fish swim, their body interacts with the fluid around them in order to generate thrust. In this study, we examined the hydrodynamics of linear acceleration by bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, which swims using a carangiform mode. Carangiform swimmers primarily use their caudal fin and posterior body for propulsion, which is different from anguilliform swimmers, like eels, that undulate almost their whole body to swim. Most previous studies have examined steady swimming, but few have looked at linear accelerations, even though most fish do not often swim steadily. During steady swimming, thrust and drag forces are balanced, which makes it difficult to separate the two, but during acceleration, thrust exceeds drag, making it easier to measure; this may reveal insights into how thrust is produced. This study used particle image velocimetry (PIV) to compare the structure of the wake during steady swimming and acceleration and to estimate the axial force. Axial force increased during acceleration, but the orientation of the vortices did not differ between steady swimming and acceleration, which is different than anguilliform swimmers, whose wakes change structure during acceleration. This difference may point to fundamental differences between the two swimming modes. This material is based upon work supported by the U. S. Army Research Office under grant number W911NF-14-1-0494.

Performance characterization of a permanent-magnet helicon plasma thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Kazunori; Charles, Christine; Boswell, Rod

2012-10-01

Helicon plasma thrusters operated at a few kWs of rf power is an active area of an international research. Recent experiments have clarified part of the thrust-generation mechanisms. Thrust components which have been identified include an electron pressure inside the source region and a Lorentz force due to an electron diamagnetic drift current and a radial component of the applied magnetic field. The use of permanent magnets (PMs) instead of solenoids is one of the solutions for improving the thruster efficiency because it does not require electricity for the magnetic nozzle formation. Here the thrust imparted from a permanent-magnet helicon plasma thruster is directly measured using a pendulum thrust balance. The source consists of permanent magnet (PM) arrays, a double turn rf loop antenna powered by a 13.56 MHz rf generator and a glass source tube. The PM arrays provide a magnetic nozzle near the open exit of the source and two configurations, which have maximum field strengths of about 100 and 270 G, are tested. A thrust of 15 mN, specific impulse of 2000 sec and a thrust efficiency of 8 percent are presently obtained for 2 kW of input power, 24 sccm flow rate of argon and the stronger magnetic field configuration.

Relationship between Biomechanical Characteristics of Spinal Manipulation and Neural Responses in an Animal Model: Effect of Linear Control of Thrust Displacement versus Force, Thrust Amplitude, Thrust Duration, and Thrust Rate

PubMed Central

Reed, William R.; Cao, Dong-Yuan; Long, Cynthia R.; Kawchuk, Gregory N.; Pickar, Joel G.

2013-01-01

High velocity low amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM) is used frequently to treat musculoskeletal complaints. Little is known about the intervention's biomechanical characteristics that determine its clinical benefit. Using an animal preparation, we determined how neural activity from lumbar muscle spindles during a lumbar HVLA-SM is affected by the type of thrust control and by the thrust's amplitude, duration, and rate. A mechanical device was used to apply a linear increase in thrust displacement or force and to control thrust duration. Under displacement control, neural responses during the HVLA-SM increased in a fashion graded with thrust amplitude. Under force control neural responses were similar regardless of the thrust amplitude. Decreasing thrust durations at all thrust amplitudes except the smallest thrust displacement had an overall significant effect on increasing muscle spindle activity during the HVLA-SMs. Under force control, spindle responses specifically and significantly increased between thrust durations of 75 and 150 ms suggesting the presence of a threshold value. Thrust velocities greater than 20–30 mm/s and thrust rates greater than 300 N/s tended to maximize the spindle responses. This study provides a basis for considering biomechanical characteristics of an HVLA-SM that should be measured and reported in clinical efficacy studies to help define effective clinical dosages. PMID:23401713

The effect of exhaust plume/afterbody interaction on installed Scramjet performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Thomas Alan

1988-01-01

Newly emerging aerospace technology points to the feasibility of sustained hypersonic flight. Designing a propulsion system capable of generating the necessary thrust is now the major obstacle. First-generation vehicles will be driven by air-breathing scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) engines. Because of engine size limitations, the exhaust gas leaving the nozzle will be highly underexpanded. Consequently, a significant amount of thrust and lift can be extracted by allowing the exhaust gases to expand along the underbody of the vehicle. Predicting how these forces influence overall vehicle thrust, lift, and moment is essential to a successful design. This work represents an important first step toward that objective. The UWIN code, an upwind, implicit Navier-Stokes computer program, has been applied to hypersonic exhaust plume/afterbody flow fields. The capability to solve entire vehicle geometries at hypersonic speeds, including an interacting exhaust plume, has been demonstrated for the first time. Comparison of the numerical results with available experimental data shows good agreement in all cases investigated. For moderately underexpanded jets, afterbody forces were found to vary linearly with the nozzle exit pressure, and increasing the exit pressure produced additional nose-down pitching moment. Coupling a species continuity equation to the UWIN code enabled calculations indicating that exhaust gases with low isentropic exponents (gamma) contribute larger afterbody forces than high-gamma exhaust gases. Moderately underexpanded jets, which remain attached to unswept afterbodies, underwent streamwise separation on upswept afterbodies. Highly underexpanded jets produced altogether different flow patterns, however. The highly underexpanded jet creates a strong plume shock, and the interaction of this shock with the afterbody was found to produce complicated patterns of crossflow separation. Finally, the effect of thrust vectoring on vehicle balance has been shown to alter dramatically the vehicle pitching moment.

The forces applied by female and male chiropractors during thoracic spinal manipulation.

PubMed

Forand, D; Drover, J; Suleman, Z; Symons, B; Herzog, Walter

2004-01-01

On average, women weigh less, have a smaller frame, and are less muscular than men. Since the peak thrust force applied during spinal manipulative treatments can be quite high and must be reached in a very short period of time, one might question the physical ability of women to generate such high forces. To study the forces generated by male and female chiropractors as they deliver spinal manipulation to the thoracic spine. Fourteen male and 14 female experience-matched chiropractors participated in this study. They each manipulated 1 of 9 asymptomatic male adult subjects of similar height and weight. The clinicians were asked to manipulate a transverse process in the vicinity of T4 and T9. Any technique could be used as long as the treatment thrust was in a posterior to anterior direction and the hand contact fit onto the sensor pad (area = 100 cm2). There were no significant differences (P<.05) between male and female chiropractors for any measurements in the upper thoracic area. For the lower thoracic manipulations, the preload forces for the male chiropractors were significantly greater (P<.05) than those for the female chiropractors. The remaining variables were the same between the 2 groups. Female chiropractors produce, from a mechanical point of view, similar manual treatments as their male colleagues.

An artificial muscle actuator for biomimetic underwater propulsors.

PubMed

Yim, Woosoon; Lee, Joonsoo; Kim, Kwang J

2007-06-01

In this paper, we introduce the analytical framework of the modeling dynamic characteristics of a soft artificial muscle actuator for aquatic propulsor applications. The artificial muscle used for this underwater application is an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) which can generate bending motion in aquatic environments. The inputs of the model are the voltages applied to multiple IPMCs, and the output can be either the shape of the actuators or the thrust force generated from the interaction between dynamic actuator motions and surrounding water. In order to determine the relationship between the input voltages and the bending moments, the simplified RC model is used, and the mechanical beam theory is used for the bending motion of IPMC actuators. Also, the hydrodynamic forces exerted on an actuator as it moves relative to the surrounding medium or water are added to the equations of motion to study the effect of actuator bending on the thrust force generation. The proposed method can be used for modeling the general bending type artificial muscle actuator in a single or segmented form operating in the water. The segmented design has more flexibility in controlling the shape of the actuator when compared with the single form, especially in generating undulatory waves. Considering an inherent nature of large deformations in the IPMC actuator, a large deflection beam model has been developed and integrated with the electrical RC model and hydrodynamic forces to develop the state space model of the actuator system. The model was validated against existing experimental data.

3D Structure of the Inverse Karman Vortex Street in the Wake of a Flapping Foil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozkurttas, Meliha; Mittal, Rajat; Dong, Haibo

2004-11-01

Flapping foils are being considered for lift generation and/or propulsion in Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). In the present study, a DNS/LES solver that is capable of simulating these flows in all their complexity will be used. The flow around a NACA 0012 foil undergoing pitch oscillation at a chord Reynolds number of 12600 has been investigated and the comparison of mean thrust coefficient results with the experiment has indicated significant under-prediction of the thrust although good match is observed with a 2D RANS calculation. This discrepancy could be related to the absence of 3D effects in both numerical simulations. Although this conclusion has also been reached in other studies, the details of the physical mechanism that lead to inaccurate prediction of surface pressure and ultimately to thrust force for pitching and heaving flapping foils have not been clarified yet. In this study, the streamwise (secondary) vortical structures in the inverse Karman Vortex Street generated in the wake of a thrust producing flapping foil will be studied.

Multiaxis Thrust-Vectoring Characteristics of a Model Representative of the F-18 High-Alpha Research Vehicle at Angles of Attack From 0 deg to 70 deg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asbury, Scott C.; Capone, Francis J.

1995-01-01

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to determine the multiaxis thrust-vectoring characteristics of the F-18 High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). A wingtip supported, partially metric, 0.10-scale jet-effects model of an F-18 prototype aircraft was modified with hardware to simulate the thrust-vectoring control system of the HARV. Testing was conducted at free-stream Mach numbers ranging from 0.30 to 0.70, at angles of attack from O' to 70', and at nozzle pressure ratios from 1.0 to approximately 5.0. Results indicate that the thrust-vectoring control system of the HARV can successfully generate multiaxis thrust-vectoring forces and moments. During vectoring, resultant thrust vector angles were always less than the corresponding geometric vane deflection angle and were accompanied by large thrust losses. Significant external flow effects that were dependent on Mach number and angle of attack were noted during vectoring operation. Comparisons of the aerodynamic and propulsive control capabilities of the HARV configuration indicate that substantial gains in controllability are provided by the multiaxis thrust-vectoring control system.

Dynamics of the vortex wakes of flying and swimming vertebrates.

PubMed

Rayner, J M

1995-01-01

The vortex wakes of flying and swimming animals provide evidence of the history of aero- and hydrodynamic force generation during the locomotor cycle. Vortex-induced momentum flux in the wake is the reaction of forces the animal imposes on its environment, which must be in equilibrium with inertial and external forces. In flying birds and bats, the flapping wings generate lift both to provide thrust and to support the weight. Distinct wingbeat and wake movement patterns can be identified as gaits. In flow visualization experiments, only two wake patterns have been identified: a vortex ring gait with inactive upstroke, and a continuous vortex gait with active upstroke. These gaits may be modelled theoretically by free vortex and lifting line theory to predict mechanical energy consumption, aerodynamic forces and muscle activity. Longer-winged birds undergo a distinct gait change with speed, but shorter-winged species use the vortex ring gait at all speeds. In swimming fish, the situation is more complex: the wake vortices form a reversed von Kármán vortex street, but little is known about the mechanism of generation of the wake, or about how it varies with speed and acceleration or with body form and swimming mode. An unresolved complicating factor is the interaction between the drag wake of the flapping fish body and the thrusting wake from the tail.

Changes in Manipulative Peak Force Modulation and Time to Peak Thrust among First-Year Chiropractic Students Following a 12-Week Detraining Period.

PubMed

Starmer, David J; Guist, Brett P; Tuff, Taylor R; Warren, Sarah C; Williams, Matthew G R

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences in peak force modulation and time-to-peak thrust in posterior-to-anterior (PA) high-velocity-low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulations in first-year chiropractic students prior to and following a 12-week detraining period. Chiropractic students (n=125) performed 2 thrusts prior to and following a 12-week detraining period: total peak force targets were 400 and 600 N, on a force-sensing table using a PA hand contact of the participant's choice (bilateral hypothenar, bilateral thenar, or cross bilateral). Force modulation was compared to defined target total peak force values of 600 and 400 N, and time-to-peak thrust was compared between data sets using 2-tailed paired t-tests. Total peak force for the 600 N intensity varied by 124.11 + 65.77 N during the pre-test and 123.29 + 61.43 N during the post-test compared to the defined target of 600 N (P = .90); total peak force for the 400 N intensity varied by 44.91 + 34.67 N during the pre-test and 44.60 + 32.63 N during the post-test compared to the defined target of 400 N (P = .57). Time-to-peak thrust for the 400 N total peak force was 137.094 + 42.47 milliseconds during the pre-test and 125.385 + 37.46 milliseconds during the post-test (P = .0004); time-to-peak thrust for the 600 N total peak force was 136.835 + 40.48 milliseconds during the pre-test and 125.385 + 33.78 milliseconds during the post-test (P = .03). The results indicate no drop-off in the ability to modulate force for either thrust intensity, but did indicate a statistically significant change in time-to-peak thrust for the 400 N total peak force thrust intensity in first-year chiropractic students following a 12-week detraining period. Copyright © 2016 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-contact thrust stand calibration method for repetitively pulsed electric thrusters.

PubMed

Wong, Andrea R; Toftul, Alexandra; Polzin, Kurt A; Pearson, J Boise

2012-02-01

A thrust stand calibration technique for use in testing repetitively pulsed electric thrusters for in-space propulsion has been developed and tested using a modified hanging pendulum thrust stand. In the implementation of this technique, current pulses are applied to a solenoid to produce a pulsed magnetic field that acts against a permanent magnet mounted to the thrust stand pendulum arm. The force on the magnet is applied in this non-contact manner, with the entire pulsed force transferred to the pendulum arm through a piezoelectric force transducer to provide a time-accurate force measurement. Modeling of the pendulum arm dynamics reveals that after an initial transient in thrust stand motion the quasi-steady average deflection of the thrust stand arm away from the unforced or "zero" position can be related to the average applied force through a simple linear Hooke's law relationship. Modeling demonstrates that this technique is universally applicable except when the pulsing period is increased to the point where it approaches the period of natural thrust stand motion. Calibration data were obtained using a modified hanging pendulum thrust stand previously used for steady-state thrust measurements. Data were obtained for varying impulse bit at constant pulse frequency and for varying pulse frequency. The two data sets exhibit excellent quantitative agreement with each other. The overall error on the linear regression fit used to determine the calibration coefficient was roughly 1%.

A robotic platform for studying sea lion thrust production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leftwich, Megan; Patel, Rahi; Kulkarni, Aditya; Friedman, Chen

California Sea Lions are agile swimmers and, uniquely, use their foreflippers (rather than hind flipper undulation) to generate thrust. Recently, a sea lion flipper from a deceased subject was externally scanned in high detail for fluid dynamics research. The flipper's geometry is used in this work to build an accurate scaled down flipper model (approximately 68% of the full size span). The flipper model is placed in a water flume to obtain lift and drag force measurements. The unique trailing edge features are then examined for their effect on the measured forces by comparing to similar flipper models with a smooth trailing edge, sinusoidal trailing edge, and a saw-tooth trailing edge. Additionally, a robotic flipper is being designed and built, replicating the sea lion foreflipper anatomical structure. The robot is actuated by a set of servo motors and replicates the sea lion flipper clap motion based on previously extracted kinematics. The flipper tip speed is designed to match typical full scale Reynolds numbers for an acceleration from rest maneuver. The model is tested in the water flume as well to obtain the forces and flow structures during the thrust production phase of the flipper motion.

Novel permanent magnet linear motor with isolated movers: analytical, numerical and experimental study.

PubMed

Yan, Liang; Peng, Juanjuan; Jiao, Zongxia; Chen, Chin-Yin; Chen, I-Ming

2014-10-01

This paper proposes a novel permanent magnet linear motor possessing two movers and one stator. The two movers are isolated and can interact with the stator poles to generate independent forces and motions. Compared with conventional multiple motor driving system, it helps to increase the system compactness, and thus improve the power density and working efficiency. The magnetic field distribution is obtained by using equivalent magnetic circuit method. Following that, the formulation of force output considering armature reaction is carried out. Then inductances are analyzed with finite element method to investigate the relationships of the two movers. It is found that the mutual-inductances are nearly equal to zero, and thus the interaction between the two movers is negligible. A research prototype of the linear motor and a measurement apparatus on thrust force have been developed. Both numerical computation and experiment measurement are conducted to validate the analytical model of thrust force. Comparison shows that the analytical model matches the numerical and experimental results well.

Measuring Model Rocket Engine Thrust Curves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Kim; Slaton, William V.

2010-01-01

This paper describes a method and setup to quickly and easily measure a model rocket engine's thrust curve using a computer data logger and force probe. Horst describes using Vernier's LabPro and force probe to measure the rocket engine's thrust curve; however, the method of attaching the rocket to the force probe is not discussed. We show how a…

Development of a Transient Thrust Stand with Sub-Millisecond Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spells, Corbin Fraser

The transient thrust stand has been developed to offer 0.1 ms time resolved thrust measurements for the characterization of mono-propellant thrusters for spacecraft applications. Results demonstrated that the system was capable of obtaining dynamic thrust profiles within 5 % and 0.1 ms. Measuring and improving the thrust performance of mono-propellant thrusters will require 1 ms time resolved forces to observe shot-to-shot variations, oscillations, and minimum impulse bits. To date, no thrust stand is capable of measuring up to 22 N forces with a time response of up to 10 kHz. Calibration forces up to 22 N with a frequency response greater than 0.1 ms were obtained using voice coil actuators. Steady state and low frequency measurements were obtained using displacement and velocity sensors and were combined with high frequency vibration modes measured using several accelerometers along the thrust stand arm. The system uses a predictor-based subspace algorithm to obtain a high order state space model of the thrust stand capable of defining the high frequency vibration modes. The high frequency vibration modes are necessary to provide the time response of 0.1 ms. Thruster forces are estimated using an augmented Kalman filter to combine sensor traces from four accelerometers, a velocity sensor, and displacement transducer. Combining low frequency displacement data with high frequency acceleration measurements provides accurate force data across a broad time domain. The transient thrust stand uses a torsional pendulum configuration to minimize influence from external vibration and achieve high force resolution independent of thruster weight.

Effects of spanwise flexibility on the performance of flapping flyers in forward flight.

PubMed

Kodali, Deepa; Medina, Cory; Kang, Chang-Kwon; Aono, Hikaru

2017-11-01

Flying animals possess flexible wings that deform during flight. The chordwise flexibility alters the wing shape, affecting the effective angle of attack and hence the surrounding aerodynamics. However, the effects of spanwise flexibility on the locomotion are inadequately understood. Here, we present a two-way coupled aeroelastic model of a plunging spanwise flexible wing. The aerodynamics is modelled with a two-dimensional, unsteady, incompressible potential flow model, evaluated at each spanwise location of the wing. The two-way coupling is realized by considering the transverse displacement as the effective plunge under the dynamic balance of wing inertia, elastic restoring force and aerodynamic force. The thrust is a result of the competition between the enhancement due to wing deformation and induced drag. The results for a purely plunging spanwise flexible wing agree well with experimental and high-fidelity numerical results from the literature. Our analysis suggests that the wing aspect ratio of the abstracted passerine and goose models corresponds to the optimal aeroelastic response, generating the highest thrust while minimizing the power required to flap the wings. At these optimal aspect ratios, the flapping frequency is near the first spanwise natural frequency of the wing, suggesting that these birds may benefit from the resonance to generate thrust. © 2017 The Author(s).

Analysis on the multi-dimensional spectrum of the thrust force for the linear motor feed drive system in machine tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaojun; Lu, Dun; Ma, Chengfang; Zhang, Jun; Zhao, Wanhua

2017-01-01

The motor thrust force has lots of harmonic components due to the nonlinearity of drive circuit and motor itself in the linear motor feed drive system. What is more, in the motion process, these thrust force harmonics may vary with the position, velocity, acceleration and load, which affects the displacement fluctuation of the feed drive system. Therefore, in this paper, on the basis of the thrust force spectrum obtained by the Maxwell equation and the electromagnetic energy method, the multi-dimensional variation of each thrust harmonic is analyzed under different motion parameters. Then the model of the servo system is established oriented to the dynamic precision. The influence of the variation of the thrust force spectrum on the displacement fluctuation is discussed. At last the experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis above. It can be found that the thrust harmonics show multi-dimensional spectrum characteristics under different motion parameters and loads, which should be considered to choose the motion parameters and optimize the servo control parameters in the high-speed and high-precision machine tools equipped with the linear motor feed drive system.

Measuring axial pump thrust

DOEpatents

Suchoza, Bernard P.; Becse, Imre

1988-01-01

An apparatus for measuring the hydraulic axial thrust of a pump under operation conditions is disclosed. The axial thrust is determined by forcing the rotating impeller off of an associated thrust bearing by use of an elongate rod extending coaxially with the pump shaft. The elongate rod contacts an impeller retainer bolt where a bearing is provided. Suitable measuring devices measure when the rod moves to force the impeller off of the associated thrust bearing and the axial force exerted on the rod at that time. The elongate rod is preferably provided in a housing with a heat dissipation mechanism whereby the hot fluid does not affect the measuring devices.

Measuring axial pump thrust

DOEpatents

Suchoza, B.P.; Becse, I.

1988-11-08

An apparatus for measuring the hydraulic axial thrust of a pump under operation conditions is disclosed. The axial thrust is determined by forcing the rotating impeller off of an associated thrust bearing by use of an elongate rod extending coaxially with the pump shaft. The elongate rod contacts an impeller retainer bolt where a bearing is provided. Suitable measuring devices measure when the rod moves to force the impeller off of the associated thrust bearing and the axial force exerted on the rod at that time. The elongate rod is preferably provided in a housing with a heat dissipation mechanism whereby the hot fluid does not affect the measuring devices. 1 fig.

Thrust Removal Scheme for the FAST-MAC Circulation Control Model Tested in the National Transonic Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, David T.; Milholen, William E., II; Jones, Gregory S.; Goodliff, Scott L.

2014-01-01

A second wind tunnel test of the FAST-MAC circulation control semi-span model was recently completed in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. The model allowed independent control of four circulation control plenums producing a high momentum jet from a blowing slot near the wing trailing edge that was directed over a 15% chord simple-hinged flap. The model was configured for transonic testing of the cruise configuration with 0deg flap deflection to determine the potential for drag reduction with the circulation control blowing. Encouraging results from analysis of wing surface pressures suggested that the circulation control blowing was effective in reducing the transonic drag on the configuration, however this could not be quantified until the thrust generated by the blowing slot was correctly removed from the force and moment balance data. This paper will present the thrust removal methodology used for the FAST-MAC circulation control model and describe the experimental measurements and techniques used to develop the methodology. A discussion on the impact to the force and moment data as a result of removing the thrust from the blowing slot will also be presented for the cruise configuration, where at some Mach and Reynolds number conditions, the thrust-removed corrected data showed that a drag reduction was realized as a consequence of the blowing.

Large Eddy Simulation of Crashback in Marine Propulsors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyunchul

Crashback is an operating condition to quickly stop a propelled vehicle, where the propeller is rotated in the reverse direction to yield negative thrust. The crashback condition is dominated by the interaction of the free stream flow with the strong reverse flow. This interaction forms a highly unsteady vortex ring, which is a very prominent feature of crashback. Crashback causes highly unsteady loads and flow separation on the blade surface. The unsteady loads can cause propulsor blade damage, and also affect vehicle maneuverability. Crashback is therefore well known as one of the most challenging propeller states to analyze. This dissertation uses Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) to predict the highly unsteady flow field in crashback. A non-dissipative and robust finite volume method developed by Mahesh et al. (2004) for unstructured grids is applied to flow around marine propulsors. The LES equations are written in a rotating frame of reference. The objectives of this dissertation are: (1) to understand the flow physics of crashback in marine propulsors with and without a duct, (2) to develop a finite volume method for highly skewed meshes which usually occur in complex propulsor geometries, and (3) to develop a sliding interface method for simulations of rotor-stator propulsor on parallel platforms. LES is performed for an open propulsor in crashback and validated against experiments performed by Jessup et al. (2004). The LES results show good agreement with experiments. Effective pressures for thrust and side-force are introduced to more clearly understand the physical sources of thrust and side-force. Both thrust and side-force are seen to be mainly generated from the leading edge of the suction side of the propeller. This implies that thrust and side-force have the same source---the highly unsteady leading edge separation. Conditional averaging is performed to obtain quantitative information about the complex flow physics of high- or low-amplitude events. The events for thrust and side force show the same tendency. The conditional averages show that during high amplitude events, the vortex ring core is closer to the propeller blades, the reverse flow induced by the propeller rotation is lower, the forward flow is higher at the root of the blades, and leading and trailing edge flow separations are larger. The instantaneous flow field shows that during low amplitude events, the vortex ring is more axisymmetric and the stronger reverse flow induced by the vortex ring suppresses the forward flow so that flow separation on the blades is smaller. During high amplitude events, the vortex ring is less coherent and the weaker reverse flow cannot overcome the forward flow. The stronger forward flow makes flow separation on the blades larger. The effect of a duct on crashback is studied with LES. Thrust mostly arises from the blade surface, but most of side-force is generated from the duct surface. Both mean and RMS of pressure are much higher on inner surface of duct, especially near blade tips. This implies that side-force on the ducted propulsor is caused by the blade-duct interaction. Strong tip leakage flow is observed behind the suction side at the tip gap. The physical source of the tip leakage flow is seen to be the large pressure difference between pressure and suction sides. The conditional average for high amplitude event shows consistent results; the tip leakage flow and pressure difference are significantly higher when thrust and side-force are higher. A sliding interface method is developed to allow simulations of rotor-stator propulsor in crashback. The method allows relative rotations between different parts of the computational grid. Search algorithm for sliding elements, data structures for message passing, and accurate interpolation scheme at the sliding interface are developed for arbitrary shaped unstructured grids on parallel computing platforms. Preliminary simulations of open propulsor in crashback show reasonable performance.

Non-Contact Thrust Stand Calibration Method for Repetitively-Pulsed Electric Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Andrea R.; Toftul, Alexandra; Polzin, Kurt A.; Pearson, J. Boise

2011-01-01

A thrust stand calibration technique for use in testing repetitively-pulsed electric thrusters for in-space propulsion has been developed and tested using a modified hanging pendulum thrust stand. In the implementation of this technique, current pulses are applied to a solenoidal coil to produce a pulsed magnetic field that acts against the magnetic field produced by a permanent magnet mounted to the thrust stand pendulum arm. The force on the magnet is applied in this non-contact manner, with the entire pulsed force transferred to the pendulum arm through a piezoelectric force transducer to provide a time-accurate force measurement. Modeling of the pendulum arm dynamics reveals that after an initial transient in thrust stand motion the quasisteady average deflection of the thrust stand arm away from the unforced or zero position can be related to the average applied force through a simple linear Hooke s law relationship. Modeling demonstrates that this technique is universally applicable except when the pulsing period is increased to the point where it approaches the period of natural thrust stand motion. Calibration data were obtained using a modified hanging pendulum thrust stand previously used for steady-state thrust measurements. Data were obtained for varying impulse bit at constant pulse frequency and for varying pulse frequency. The two data sets exhibit excellent quantitative agreement with each other as the constant relating average deflection and average thrust match within the errors on the linear regression curve fit of the data. Quantitatively, the error on the calibration coefficient is roughly 1% of the coefficient value.

Unsteady hydrodynamic forces acting on a robotic arm and its flow field: application to the crawl stroke.

PubMed

Takagi, Hideki; Nakashima, Motomu; Ozaki, Takashi; Matsuuchi, Kazuo

2014-04-11

This study aims to clarify the mechanisms by which unsteady hydrodynamic forces act on the hand of a swimmer during a crawl stroke. Measurements were performed for a hand attached to a robotic arm with five degrees of freedom independently controlled by a computer. The computer was programmed so the hand and arm mimicked a human performing the stroke. We directly measured forces on the hand and pressure distributions around it at 200 Hz; flow fields underwater near the hand were obtained via 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV). The data revealed two mechanisms that generate unsteady forces during a crawl stroke. One is the unsteady lift force generated when hand movement changes direction during the stroke, leading to vortex shedding and bound vortex created around it. This bound vortex circulation results in a lift that contributes to the thrust. The other occurs when the hand moves linearly with a large angle of attack, creating a Kármán vortex street. This street alternatively sheds clockwise and counterclockwise vortices, resulting in a quasi-steady drag contributing to the thrust. We presume that professional swimmers benefit from both mechanisms. Further studies are necessary in which 3D flow fields are measured using a 3D PIV system and a human swimmer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combination radial and thrust magnetic bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blumenstock, Kenneth A. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A combination radial and thrust magnetic bearing is disclosed that allows for both radial and thrust axes control of an associated shaft. The combination radial and thrust magnetic bearing comprises a rotor and a stator. The rotor comprises a shaft, and first and second rotor pairs each having respective rotor elements. The stator comprises first and second stator elements and a magnet-sensor disk. In one embodiment, each stator element has a plurality of split-poles and a corresponding plurality of radial force coils and, in another embodiment, each stator element does not require thrust force coils, and radial force coils are replaced by double the plurality of coils serving as an outer member of each split-pole half.

Evaluation of Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge Actuator Substrate Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, Stephen P.; Siochi, Emilie J.; Sauti, Godfrey; Xu, Tian-Bing; Meador, Mary Ann; Guo, Haiquan

2014-01-01

A key, enabling element of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuator is the dielectric substrate material. While various investigators have studied the performance of different homogeneous materials, most often in the context of related DBD experiments, fundamental studies focused solely on the dielectric materials have received less attention. The purpose of this study was to conduct an experimental assessment of the body-force-generating performance of a wide range of dielectric materials in search of opportunities to improve DBD actuator performance. Materials studied included commonly available plastics and glasses as well as a custom-fabricated polyimide aerogel. Diagnostics included static induced thrust, electrical circuit parameters for 2D surface discharges and 1D volume discharges, and dielectric material properties. Lumped-parameter circuit simulations for the 1D case were conducted showing good correspondence to experimental data provided that stray capacitances are included. The effect of atmospheric humidity on DBD performance was studied showing a large influence on thrust. The main conclusion is that for homogeneous, dielectric materials at forcing voltages less than that required for streamer formation, the material chemical composition appears to have no effect on body force generation when actuator impedance is properly accounted for.

Multiply charged ion generation according to magnetic field configurations in Hall thruster plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Holak; Lee, Seunghun; Kim, Junbum; Lim, Youbong; Choe, Wonho; KIMS Collaboration

2016-09-01

Plasma propulsion is the most promising techniques to operate satellites for low earth orbit as well as deep space exploration. A typical plasma propulsion system is Hall thruster (HT) that uses crossed electromagnetic fields to ionize a propellant gas and to accelerate the ionized gas. In HT the tailoring of magnetic fields is significant due to that the electron confinement in the electromagnetic fields affects thruster performances such as thrust force, specific impulse, power efficiency, and life time. We designed an anode layer HT (TAL) with the magnetic field tailoring. The TAL is possible to keep discharge in 1 2 kilovolts, which voltage is useful to obtain high specific impulse The magnetic field tailoring is adapted to minimize undesirable heat dissipations and secondary electron emissions at a wall surrounding plasma In presentation, we will report TAL performances including thrust force, specific impulse, and anode efficiency measured by a pendulum thrust stand. This mechanical measurement will be compared to the plasma diagnostics conducted by angular Faraday probe, retarding potential analyzer, and ExB probe Grant No. 2014M1A3A3A02034510.

Spinal manipulation force and duration affect vertebral movement and neuromuscular responses.

PubMed

Colloca, Christopher J; Keller, Tony S; Harrison, Deed E; Moore, Robert J; Gunzburg, Robert; Harrison, Donald D

2006-03-01

Previous study in human subjects has documented biomechanical and neurophysiological responses to impulsive spinal manipulative thrusts, but very little is known about the neuromechanical effects of varying thrust force-time profiles. Ten adolescent Merino sheep were anesthetized and posteroanterior mechanical thrusts were applied to the L3 spinous process using a computer-controlled, mechanical testing apparatus. Three variable pulse durations (10, 100, 200 ms, force = 80 N) and three variable force amplitudes (20, 40, 60 N, pulse duration = 100 ms) were examined for their effect on lumbar motion response (L3 displacement, L1, L2 acceleration) and normalized multifidus electromyographic response (L3, L4) using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Increasing L3 posteroanterior force amplitude resulted in a fourfold linear increase in L3 posteroanterior vertebral displacement (p < 0.001) and adjacent segment (L1, L2) posteroanterior acceleration response (p < 0.001). L3 displacement was linearly correlated (p < 0.001) to the acceleration response over the 20-80 N force range (100 ms). At constant force, 10 ms thrusts resulted in nearly fivefold lower L3 displacements and significantly increased segmental (L2) acceleration responses compared to the 100 ms (19%, p = 0.005) and 200 ms (16%, p = 0.023) thrusts. Normalized electromyographic responses increased linearly with increasing force amplitude at higher amplitudes and were appreciably affected by mechanical excitation pulse duration. Changes in the biomechanical and neuromuscular response of the ovine lumbar spine were observed in response to changes in the force-time characteristics of the spinal manipulative thrusts and may be an underlying mechanism in related clinical outcomes.

International Aviation (Selected Articles).

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-15

large axial aerodynamic load for a long time, operating life greatly decreased. For this reason, most adopted the following measures: 1) Readjusted...little. This can cause the forward axial force of the entire rotor to increase (this affects the load on the thrust bearing). For this reason, it is...generator. When the prototype is a turbofan , the following method can be adopted to obtain a gas generator: 1. Eliminate the fan and low pressure

Flapping Tail Membrane in Bats Produces Potentially Important Thrust during Horizontal Takeoffs and Very Slow Flight

PubMed Central

Adams, Rick A.; Snode, Emily R.; Shaw, Jason B.

2012-01-01

Historically, studies concerning bat flight have focused primarily on the wings. By analyzing high-speed video taken on 48 individuals of five species of vespertilionid bats, we show that the capacity to flap the tail-membrane (uropatagium) in order to generate thrust and lift during takeoffs and minimal-speed flight (<1 m s−1) was largely underestimated. Indeed, bats flapped the tail-membrane by extensive dorso-ventral fanning motions covering as much as 135 degrees of arc consistent with thrust generation by air displacement. The degree of dorsal extension of the tail-membrane, and thus the potential amount of thrust generated during platform launches, was significantly correlated with body mass (P = 0.02). Adduction of the hind limbs during upstrokes collapsed the tail-membrane thereby reducing its surface area and minimizing negative lift forces. Abduction of the hind limbs during the downstroke fully expanded the tail-membrane as it was swept ventrally. The flapping kinematics of the tail-membrane is thus consistent with expectations for an airfoil. Timing offsets between the wings and tail-membrane during downstrokes was as much as 50%, suggesting that the tail-membrane was providing thrust and perhaps lift when the wings were retracting through the upstoke phase of the wing-beat cycle. The extent to which the tail-membrane was used during takeoffs differed significantly among four vespertilionid species (P = 0.01) and aligned with predictions derived from bat ecomorphology. The extensive fanning motion of the tail membrane by vespertilionid bats has not been reported for other flying vertebrates. PMID:22393378

Static internal performance evaluation of several thrust reversing concepts for 2D-CD nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, R. K.; Duss, D. J.; Leavitt, L. D.

1984-01-01

Recent performance testing of the two-dimensional convergent-divergent (2D-CD) nozzle has established the concept as a viable alternative to the axisymmetric nozzle for advanced technology aircraft. This type of exhaust system also offers potential integration and performance advantages in the areas of thrust reversing and vectoring over axi-symmetric nozzles. These advantages include the practical integration of thrust reversers which operate not only to reduce landing roll but also operate in-flight for enhanced maneuvering and thrust spoiling. To date there is a very limited data base available from which criteria can be developed for the design and evaluation of this type of thrust reverser system. For this reason, a static scale model test was conducted in which five different thrust reverser designs were evaluated. Each of the five models had varying performance/integration requirements which dictated the five different designs. Some of the parameters investigated in this test included; variable angle external cascade vanes, fixed angle internal cascade vanes, variable position inner doors, external slider doors and internal slider valves. In addition, normal force and yawing moment generation was investigated using the thrust reverser system. Selected results from this test will be presented and discussed in this paper.

Gravity tectonics and seismic gaps in the mantle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, H. S.

1974-01-01

The concept of gravity tectonics is applied to reveal the major clue as to the conditions which result in the correspondence of seismic and tectonic gaps in the mantle. An asymptotic theory is developed for the calculation of the thrust and moment when a descending lithospheric plate encounters resistance to its downward motion in the mesosphere. Dynamic analysis falls into two parts: (1) deriving equations for forces in the descending lithosphere, (2) deducing moment distribution which causes the detachment of lithosphere. For the analysis of forces a mathematical theory of shells is given. In order to determine the detachment mechanism, solutions of equations are obtained by asymptotic integration. It is found that a thrust N sub phi coupled with a moment M sub phi due to gravitational forces generated by density contrast may play a key role in the initial detachment of a piece of descending lithosphere. The results are in agreement with the observed seismic gaps beneath South America, Toga-Fiji, New Zealand and New Hebrides regions.

Study of tapping process of carbon fiber reinforced plastic composites/AA7075 stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Orazio, Alessio; Mehtedi, Mohamad El; Forcellese, Archimede; Nardinocchi, Alessia; Simoncini, Michela

2018-05-01

The present investigation aims at studying the tapping process of a three-layer stack constituted by two CFRP layers and a core plate in AA7075 aluminum alloy. The CFRP laminates were obtained by a pre-impregnated woven sample made up of T700 carbon fibers and a thermoset epoxy matrix. Tapping experiments were performed on a 5-axis machining center instrumented with a dynamometer to measure thrust force generated during process. A high-speed steel tool, coated with nanocomposite TiAlN, was used. According to the tool manufacturer recommendations, rotational speed and feed rate were 800 rpm and 1000 mm/min, respectively. Similar thrust force time history responses were obtained by tapping different holes, even though the vertical force increases with number of threaded holes. Furthermore, a quantitative evaluation of delamination at the periphery of entry holes was carried out. The delamination at the entry hole strongly increases with number of threaded holes.

Pitching motion control of a butterfly-like 3D flapping wing-body model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Kosuke; Minami, Keisuke; Inamuro, Takaji

2014-11-01

Free flights and a pitching motion control of a butterfly-like flapping wing-body model are numerically investigated by using an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method. The model flaps downward for generating the lift force and backward for generating the thrust force. Although the model can go upward against the gravity by the generated lift force, the model generates the nose-up torque, consequently gets off-balance. In this study, we discuss a way to control the pitching motion by flexing the body of the wing-body model like an actual butterfly. The body of the model is composed of two straight rigid rod connected by a rotary actuator. It is found that the pitching angle is suppressed in the range of +/-5° by using the proportional-plus-integral-plus-derivative (PID) control for the input torque of the rotary actuator.

Supervisory control of drilling of composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozaki, Motoyoshi

Composite materials have attractive features, such as high ratios of strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight. However, they are easily damaged when they are machined. A typical damage is delamination, which can occur when fiber reinforced composite laminates are drilled. The objective of this research is to study the drilling processes of carbon fiber reinforced laminates, and to develop and test a supervisory control strategy for their delamination-free drilling. Characterization of thrust force and torque is achieved through constant feedrate drilling experiments. The average values of thrust force and torque during the full engagement of the drill are utilized to obtain the Shaw's equations' parameters. The thrust force profile just before exit is given special attention. The Hocheng-Dharan equations, which give conservative values of delamination at the entrance and at the exit, are modified to express the influence of one lamina thickness explicitly. They are utilized not only for the characterization of thrust force but also for the determination of the thrust force reference for force control. In the design of the controllers of thrust force and torque, both thrust force and torque are assumed to be proportional to FPHR (Feed Per Half Revolution). A discrete-time dynamic model is established for the case when the time interval for a half revolution of the drill is divided by the sampling time, and the model is extended to the case of general spindle speeds. PI controllers are designed for the dynamic models of thrust force and torque. Root-locus techniques are used in the analysis. The phases of the drilling process are introduced and the control strategy at each phase is explained. The supervisory controller chooses not only the best control strategy for each phase, but also the reference value and the controller gain that are suitable at each drill position. Drilling experiments are conducted to show the usefulness of the concepts introduced in this dissertation, and to give an example of installing the control parameters, which were derived from data obtained in this research, on the supervisory controller. Efficient Delamination-free drilling is given special emphasis in the experiments.

Application of the electroosmotic effect for thrust generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Thomas Edward

The present work focuses on demonstrating the capabilities of electroosmotic pumps, (EOP) to generate thrust. An underwater glider was successfully propelled by electroosmosis for the first time published - at 0.85 inches per second. Asymmetric AC voltage pulsing proved to produce higher flow rates then equivalent DC pumps for the same average voltage. Ultra-short pulsing proved 100 nanosecond rise times in EOP are possible, which surpassed published predictions by three orders of magnitude. Theories behind efficiency losses of high power EOP were investigated. Direct measurement of effective voltage at the face of a membrane is the most accurate way to determine voltage drop across the electrolyte of an EOP. Forced convection lowered efficiency of the EOP for low voltages by preventing capacitance charging, but proved to prolong pump life during high power application.

Effect of Cutting Parameters on Thrust Force and Surface Roughness in Drilling of Al-2219/B4C/Gr Metal Matrix Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravindranath, V. M.; Basavarajappa, G. S. Shiva Shankar S.; Suresh, R.

2016-09-01

In aluminium matrix composites, reinforcement of hard ceramic particle present inside the matrix which causes tool wear, high cutting forces and poor surface finish during machining. This paper focuses on effect of cutting parameters on thrust force, surface roughness and burr height during drilling of MMCs. In the present work, discuss the influence of spindle speed and feed rate on drilling the pure base alloy (Al-2219), mono composite (Al- 2219+8% B4C) and hybrid composite (Al-2219+8%B4C+3%Gr). The composites were fabricated using liquid metallurgy route. The drilling experiments were conducted by CNC machine with TiN coated HSS tool, M42 (Cobalt grade) and carbide tools at various spindle speeds and feed rates. The thrust force, surface roughness and burr height of the drilled hole were investigated in mono composite and hybrid composite containing graphite particles, the experimental results show that the feed rate has more influence on thrust force and surface roughness. Lesser thrust force and discontinuous chips were produced during machining of hybrid composites when compared with mono and base alloy during drilling process. It is due to solid lubricant property of graphite which reduces the lesser thrust force, burr height and lower surface roughness. When machining with Carbide tool at low feed and high speeds good surface finish was obtained compared to other two types of cutting tool materials.

Afro-Caribbean International Students' Ethnic Identity Development: Fluidity, Intersectionality, Agency, and Performativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malcolm, Zaria T.; Mendoza, Pilar

2014-01-01

Afro-Caribbean international students (ACIS) often become engrossed in a complex racial and ethnic dialogue wherein they are thrust into homogenous categorizations forcing them to negotiate their Afro-Caribbean self with other identities perceived by others such as African American, first- and second-generation Caribbean immigrant, African, and…

33 CFR 165.756 - Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....756 Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia. (a) Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). The... as a method of operation by which a towing vessel generates towline forces by thrust alone at an... presumed to be heel. Indirect mode means a towing technique defined as a method of operation by which an...

33 CFR 165.756 - Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....756 Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia. (a) Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). The... as a method of operation by which a towing vessel generates towline forces by thrust alone at an... presumed to be heel. Indirect mode means a towing technique defined as a method of operation by which an...

33 CFR 165.756 - Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....756 Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia. (a) Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). The... as a method of operation by which a towing vessel generates towline forces by thrust alone at an... presumed to be heel. Indirect mode means a towing technique defined as a method of operation by which an...

33 CFR 165.756 - Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....756 Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia. (a) Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). The... as a method of operation by which a towing vessel generates towline forces by thrust alone at an... presumed to be heel. Indirect mode means a towing technique defined as a method of operation by which an...

33 CFR 165.756 - Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....756 Regulated Navigation Area; Savannah River, Georgia. (a) Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). The... as a method of operation by which a towing vessel generates towline forces by thrust alone at an... presumed to be heel. Indirect mode means a towing technique defined as a method of operation by which an...

A Double-Sided Linear Primary Permanent Magnet Vernier Machine

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a new double-sided linear primary permanent magnet (PM) vernier (DSLPPMV) machine, which can offer high thrust force, low detent force, and improved power factor. Both PMs and windings of the proposed machine are on the short translator, while the long stator is designed as a double-sided simple iron core with salient teeth so that it is very robust to transmit high thrust force. The key of this new machine is the introduction of double stator and the elimination of translator yoke, so that the inductance and the volume of the machine can be reduced. Hence, the proposed machine offers improved power factor and thrust force density. The electromagnetic performances of the proposed machine are analyzed including flux, no-load EMF, thrust force density, and inductance. Based on using the finite element analysis, the characteristics and performances of the proposed machine are assessed. PMID:25874250

A double-sided linear primary permanent magnet vernier machine.

PubMed

Du, Yi; Zou, Chunhua; Liu, Xianxing

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a new double-sided linear primary permanent magnet (PM) vernier (DSLPPMV) machine, which can offer high thrust force, low detent force, and improved power factor. Both PMs and windings of the proposed machine are on the short translator, while the long stator is designed as a double-sided simple iron core with salient teeth so that it is very robust to transmit high thrust force. The key of this new machine is the introduction of double stator and the elimination of translator yoke, so that the inductance and the volume of the machine can be reduced. Hence, the proposed machine offers improved power factor and thrust force density. The electromagnetic performances of the proposed machine are analyzed including flux, no-load EMF, thrust force density, and inductance. Based on using the finite element analysis, the characteristics and performances of the proposed machine are assessed.

Measurement and analysis of thrust force in drilling sisal-glass fiber reinforced polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, M.; Gopinath, A.

2017-05-01

Drilling of composite materials is difficult when compared to the conventional materials because of its in-homogeneous nature. The force developed during drilling play a major role in the surface quality of the hole and minimizing the damages around the surface. This paper focuses the effect of drilling parameters on thrust force in drilling of sisal-glass fiber reinforced polymer composite laminates. The quadratic response models are developed by using response surface methodology (RSM) to predict the influence of cutting parameters on thrust force. The adequacy of the models is checked by using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). A scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis is carried out to analyze the quality of the drilled surface. From the results, it is found that, the feed rate is the most influencing parameter followed by spindle speed and the drill diameter is the least influencing parameter on the thrust force.

The effects on propulsion-induced aerodynamic forces of vectoring a partial-span rectangular jet at Mach numbers from 0.40 to 1.20

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capone, F. J.

1975-01-01

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel to determine the induced lift characteristics of a vectored thrust concept in which a rectangular jet exhaust nozzle was located in the fuselage at the wing trailing edge. The effects of nozzle deflection angles of 0 deg to 45 deg were studied at Mach numbers from 0.4 to 1.2, at angles of attack up to 14 deg, and with thrust coefficients up to 0.35. Separate force balances were used to determine total aerodynamic and thrust forces as well as thrust forces which allowed a direct measurement of jet turning angle at forward speeds. Wing pressure loading and flow characteristics using oil flow techniques were also studied.

Development of a Thrust Stand to Meet LISA Mission Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, William D., III; Zakrzwski, Charles M.; Merkowitz, Stephen M.

2002-01-01

A thrust stand has been built to measure the force-noise produced by electrostatic micro-Newton (muN) thrusters. The LISA mission's Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) requires thrusters that are capable of producing continuous thrust levels between 1-100 muN with a resolution of 0.1 muN. The stationary force-noise produced by these thrusters must not exceed 0.1 muN/dHz in the measurement bandwidth 10(exp -4) to 1 Hz. The LISA Thrust Stand (LTS) is a torsion-balance type thrust stand designed to meet the following requirements: stationary force-noise measurements from l0( -4) to 1 Hz with 0.1 muN/dHz sensitivity, absolute thrust measurements from 1-100 muN with better than 0.1 muN resolution, and dynamic thruster response from to 10 Hz. The LTS employs a unique vertical configuration, autocollimator for angular position measurements, and electrostatic actuators that are used for dynamic pendulum control and null-mode measurements. Force-noise levels are measured indirectly by characterizing the thrust stand as a spring-mass system. The LTS was initially designed to test the indium FEEP thruster developed by the Austrian Research Center in Seibersdorf (ARCS), but can be modified for testing other thrusters of this type.

Development of A Thrust Stand to Meet LISA Mission Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, William D., III; Zakrzwski, C. M.; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A thrust stand has been built and tested that is capable of measuring the force-noise produced by electrostatic micro-Newton (micro-Newton) thrusters. The LISA mission's Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) requires thrusters that are capable of producing continuous thrust levels between 1-100 micro-Newton with a resolution of 0.1 micro-Newton. The stationary force-noise produced by these thrusters must not exceed 0.1 pN/4Hz in a 10 Hz bandwidth. The LISA Thrust Stand (LTS) is a torsion-balance type thrust stand designed to meet the following requirements: stationary force-noise measurements from 10(exp-4) to 1 Hz with 0.1 micro-Newton resolution, absolute thrust measurements from 1-100 micro-Newton with better than 0.1 micro-Newton resolution, and dynamic thruster response from 10(exp -4) to 10 Hz. The ITS employs a unique vertical configuration, autocollimator for angular position measurements, and electrostatic actuators that are used for dynamic pendulum control and null-mode measurements. Force-noise levels are measured indirectly by characterizing the thrust stand as a spring-mass system. The LTS was initially designed to test the indium FEEP thruster developed by the Austrian Research Center in Seibersdorf (ARCS), but can be modified for testing other thrusters of this type.

Investigation on the Effect of a Pre-Center Drill Hole and Tool Material on Thrust Force, Surface Roughness, and Cylindricity in the Drilling of Al7075.

PubMed

Ghasemi, Amir Hossein; Khorasani, Amir Mahyar; Gibson, Ian

2018-01-16

Drilling is one of the most useful metal cutting processes and is used in various applications, such as aerospace, electronics, and automotive. In traditional drilling methods, the thrust force, torque, tolerance, and tribology (surface roughness) are related to the cutting condition and tool geometry. In this paper, the effects of a pre-center drill hole, tool material, and drilling strategy (including continuous and non-continuous feed) on thrust force, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy (cylindricity) have been investigated. The results show that using pre-center drill holes leads to a reduction of the engagement force and an improvement in the surface quality and cylindricity. Non-continuous drilling reduces the average thrust force and cylindricity value, and High Speed Steels HSS-Mo (high steel speed + 5-8% Mo) reduces the maximum quantity of cutting forces. Moreover, cylindricity is directly related to cutting temperature and is improved by using a non-continuous drilling strategy.

Investigation on the Effect of a Pre-Center Drill Hole and Tool Material on Thrust Force, Surface Roughness, and Cylindricity in the Drilling of Al7075

PubMed Central

Ghasemi, Amir Hossein; Khorasani, Amir Mahyar

2018-01-01

Drilling is one of the most useful metal cutting processes and is used in various applications, such as aerospace, electronics, and automotive. In traditional drilling methods, the thrust force, torque, tolerance, and tribology (surface roughness) are related to the cutting condition and tool geometry. In this paper, the effects of a pre-center drill hole, tool material, and drilling strategy (including continuous and non-continuous feed) on thrust force, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy (cylindricity) have been investigated. The results show that using pre-center drill holes leads to a reduction of the engagement force and an improvement in the surface quality and cylindricity. Non-continuous drilling reduces the average thrust force and cylindricity value, and High Speed Steels HSS-Mo (high steel speed + 5–8% Mo) reduces the maximum quantity of cutting forces. Moreover, cylindricity is directly related to cutting temperature and is improved by using a non-continuous drilling strategy. PMID:29337858

Measurement of the Differential and Total Thrust and Torque of Six Full-Scale Adjustable-Pitch Propellers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stickle, George W

1933-01-01

Force measurements giving total thrust and torque, and propeller slip stream surveys giving differential thrust and torque were simultaneously made on each of six full-scale propellers in the 20-foot propeller-research tunnel of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. They were adjustable-pitch metal propellers 9.5 feet in diameter; three had modified Clark Y blade sections and three had modified RAF-6 blade sections. This report gives the differential thrust and torque and the variation caused by changing the propeller tip speed and the pitch setting. The total thrust and torque obtained from integration of the thrust and torque distribution curves are compared with those obtained by direct force measurements.

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-11

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have begun a series of engine tests on a new breed of space propulsion: a Reaction Control Engine developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The engine, developed by TRW Space and Electronics of Redondo Beach, California, is an auxiliary propulsion engine designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit. It is used for docking, reentry, attitude control, and fine-pointing while the vehicle is in orbit. The engine uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, a feature that creates a safer environment for ground operators, lowers cost, and increases efficiency with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions. Testing includes 30 hot-firings. This photograph shows the first engine test performed at MSFC that includes SLI technology. Another unique feature of the Reaction Control Engine is that it operates at dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The low-level thrust of 25 pounds of force allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock while the high-level thrust of 1,000 pounds of force is used for reentry, orbit transfer, and coarse positioning. SLI is a NASA-wide research and development program, managed by the MSFC, designed to improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for second generation reusable launch vehicles.

Reaction Control Engine for Space Launch Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have begun a series of engine tests on a new breed of space propulsion: a Reaction Control Engine developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The engine, developed by TRW Space and Electronics of Redondo Beach, California, is an auxiliary propulsion engine designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit. It is used for docking, reentry, attitude control, and fine-pointing while the vehicle is in orbit. The engine uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, a feature that creates a safer environment for ground operators, lowers cost, and increases efficiency with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions. Testing includes 30 hot-firings. This photograph shows the first engine test performed at MSFC that includes SLI technology. Another unique feature of the Reaction Control Engine is that it operates at dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The low-level thrust of 25 pounds of force allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock while the high-level thrust of 1,000 pounds of force is used for reentry, orbit transfer, and coarse positioning. SLI is a NASA-wide research and development program, managed by the MSFC, designed to improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for second generation reusable launch vehicles.

An aerodynamic model for insect flapping wings in forward flight.

PubMed

Han, Jong-Seob; Chang, Jo Won; Han, Jae-Hung

2017-03-31

This paper proposes a semi-empirical quasi-steady aerodynamic model of a flapping wing in forward flight. A total of 147 individual cases, which consisted of advance ratios J of 0 (hovering), 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and  ∞, and angles of attack α of  -5 to 95° at intervals of 5°, were examined to extract the aerodynamic coefficients. The Polhamus leading-edge suction analogy and power functions were then employed to establish the aerodynamic model. In order to preserve the existing level of simplicity, K P and K V , the correction factors of the potential and vortex force models, were rebuilt as functions of J and α. The estimations were nearly identical to direct force/moment measurements which were obtained from both artificial and practical wingbeat motions of a hawkmoth. The model effectively compensated for the influences of J, particularly showing outstanding moment estimation capabilities. With this model, we found that using a lower value of α during the downstroke would be an effective strategy for generating adequate lift in forward flight. The rotational force and moment components had noticeable portions generating both thrust and counteract pitching moment during pronation. In the upstroke phase, the added mass component played a major role in generating thrust in forward flight. The proposed model would be useful for a better understanding of flight stability, control, and the dynamic characteristics of flapping wing flyers, and for designing flapping-wing micro air vehicles.

Measurement of plasma momentum exerted on target by a small helicon plasma thruster and comparison with direct thrust measurement.

PubMed

Takahashi, Kazunori; Komuro, Atsushi; Ando, Akira

2015-02-01

Momentum, i.e., force, exerted from a small helicon plasma thruster to a target plate is measured simultaneously with a direct thrust measurement using a thrust balance. The calibration coefficient relating a target displacement to a steady-state force is obtained by supplying a dc to a calibration coil mounted on the target, where a force acting to a small permanent magnet located near the coil is directly measured by using a load cell. As the force exerted by the plasma flow to the target plate is in good agreement with the directly measured thrust, the validity of the target technique is demonstrated under the present operating conditions, where the thruster is operated in steady-state. Furthermore, a calibration coefficient relating a swing amplitude of the target to an impulse bit is also obtained by pulsing the calibration coil current. The force exerted by the pulsed plasma, which is estimated from the measured impulse bit and the pulse width, is also in good agreement with that obtained for the steady-state operation; hence, the thrust assessment of the helicon plasma thruster by the target is validated for both the steady-state and pulsed operations.

Application of Chaboche Model in Rocket Thrust Chamber Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asraff, Ahmedul Kabir; Suresh Babu, Sheela; Babu, Aneena; Eapen, Reeba

2017-06-01

Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines are commonly used in space technology. Thrust chamber is one of the most important subsystems of a rocket engine. The thrust chamber generates propulsive thrust force for flight of the rocket by ejection of combustion products at supersonic speeds. Often double walled construction is employed for these chambers. The thrust chamber investigated here has its hot inner wall fabricated out of a high thermal conductive material like copper alloy and outer wall made of stainless steel. Inner wall is subjected to high thermal and pressure loads during operation of engine due to which it will be in the plastic regime. Main reasons for the failure of such chambers are fatigue in the plastic range (called as low cycle fatigue since the number of cycles to failure will be low in plastic range), creep and thermal ratcheting. Elasto plastic material models are required to simulate the above effects through a cyclic stress analysis. This paper gives the details of cyclic stress analysis carried out for the thrust chamber using different plasticity model combinations available in ANSYS (Version 15) FE code. The best model among the above is applied in the cyclic stress analysis of two dimensional (plane strain and axisymmetric) and three dimensional finite element models of thrust chamber. Cyclic life of the chamber is calculated from stress-strain graph obtained from above analyses.

Anomalous Thrust Production from an RF Test Device Measured on a Low-Thrust Torsion Pendulum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, David; White, Harold G.; March, Paul; Lawrence, James T.; Davies, Frank J.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the eight-day August 2013 test campaign designed to investigate and demonstrate viability of using classical magnetoplasmadynamics to obtain a propulsive momentum transfer via the quantum vacuum virtual plasma. This paper will not address the physics of the quantum vacuum plasma thruster, but instead will describe the test integration, test operations, and the results obtained from the test campaign. Approximately 30-50 micro-Newtons of thrust were recorded from an electric propulsion test article consisting primarily of a radio frequency (RF) resonant cavity excited at approximately 935 megahertz. Testing was performed on a low-thrust torsion pendulum that is capable of detecting force at a single-digit micronewton level, within a stainless steel vacuum chamber with the door closed but at ambient atmospheric pressure. Several different test configurations were used, including two different test articles as well as a reversal of the test article orientation. In addition, the test article was replaced by an RF load to verify that the force was not being generated by effects not associated with the test article. The two test articles were designed by Cannae LLC of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The torsion pendulum was designed, built, and operated by Eagleworks Laboratories at the NASA Johnson Space Center of Houston, Texas. Approximately six days of test integration were required, followed by two days of test operations, during which, technical issues were discovered and resolved. Integration of the two test articles and their supporting equipment was performed in an iterative fashion between the test bench and the vacuum chamber. In other words, the test article was tested on the bench, then moved to the chamber, then moved back as needed to resolve issues. Manual frequency control was required throughout the test. Thrust was observed on both test articles, even though one of the test articles was designed with the expectation that it would not produce thrust. Specifically, one test article contained internal physical modifications that were designed to produce thrust, while the other did not (with the latter being referred to as the "null" test article). Test data gathered includes torsion pendulum displacement measurements which are used to calculate generated force, still imagery in the visible spectrum to document the physical configuration, still imagery in the infrared spectrum to characterize the thermal environment, and video imagery. Post-test data includes static and animated graphics produced during RF resonant cavity characterization using the COMSOL Multiphysics® software application. Excerpts from all of the above are included and discussed in this paper. Lessons learned from test integration and operations include identification of the need to replace manual control of the resonant cavity target frequency with an automated frequency control capability. Future test plans include the development of an automatic frequency control circuit. Test results indicate that the RF resonant cavity thruster design, which is unique as an electric propulsion device, is producing a force that is not attributable to any classical electromagnetic phenomenon and therefore is potentially demonstrating an interaction with the quantum vacuum virtual plasma. Future test plans include independent verification and validation at other test facilities.

Separability of drag and thrust in undulatory animals and machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bale, Rahul; Shirgaonkar, Anup A.; Neveln, Izaak D.; Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; Maciver, Malcolm A.; Patankar, Neelesh A.

2014-12-01

For nearly a century, researchers have tried to understand the swimming of aquatic animals in terms of a balance between the forward thrust from swimming movements and drag on the body. Prior approaches have failed to provide a separation of these two forces for undulatory swimmers such as lamprey and eels, where most parts of the body are simultaneously generating drag and thrust. We nonetheless show that this separation is possible, and delineate its fundamental basis in undulatory swimmers. Our approach unifies a vast diversity of undulatory aquatic animals (anguilliform, sub-carangiform, gymnotiform, bal-istiform, rajiform) and provides design principles for highly agile bioinspired underwater vehicles. This approach has practical utility within biology as well as engineering. It is a predictive tool for use in understanding the role of the mechanics of movement in the evolutionary emergence of morphological features relating to locomotion. For example, we demonstrate that the drag-thrust separation framework helps to predict the observed height of the ribbon fin of electric knifefish, a diverse group of neotropical fish which are an important model system in sensory neurobiology. We also show how drag-thrust separation leads to models that can predict the swimming velocity of an organism or a robotic vehicle.

Ball to separator contact forces in angular contact ball bearings under thrust and radial loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nypan, L. J.

1977-01-01

Experimental data is reported on ball to cage contact forces in a 110 mm bore ball bearing operating at speeds to 12000 rpm under radial and thrust loads. Information is also reported on cage to inner race land contact force, cage to inner race land clearance, and cage to shaft speed ratios.

Another Look at Rocket Thrust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hester, Brooke; Burris, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Rocket propulsion is often introduced as an example of Newton's third law. The rocket exerts a force on the exhaust gas being ejected; the gas exerts an equal and opposite force--the thrust--on the rocket. Equivalently, in the absence of a net external force, the total momentum of the system, rocket plus ejected gas, remains constant. The law of…

The hydrodynamics of swimming at intermediate Reynolds numbers in the water boatman (Corixidae).

PubMed

Ngo, Victoria; McHenry, Matthew James

2014-08-01

The fluid forces that govern propulsion determine the speed and energetic cost of swimming. These hydrodynamics are scale dependent and it is unclear what forces matter to the tremendous diversity of aquatic animals that are between a millimeter and a centimeter in length. Animals at this scale generally operate within the regime of intermediate Reynolds numbers, where both viscous and inertial fluid forces have the potential to play a role in propulsion. The present study aimed to resolve which forces create thrust and drag in the paddling of the water boatman (Corixidae), an animal that spans much of the intermediate regime (10

Thrust shock vector control of an axisymmetric conical supersonic nozzle via secondary transverse gas injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zmijanovic, V.; Lago, V.; Sellam, M.; Chpoun, A.

2014-01-01

Transverse secondary gas injection into the supersonic flow of an axisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzle is investigated to describe the effects of the fluidic thrust vectoring within the framework of a small satellite launcher. Cold-flow dry-air experiments are performed in a supersonic wind tunnel using two identical supersonic conical nozzles with the different transverse injection port positions. The complex three-dimensional flow field generated by the supersonic cross-flows in these test nozzles was examined. Valuable experimental data were confronted and compared with the results obtained from the numerical simulations. Different nozzle models are numerically simulated under experimental conditions and then further investigated to determine which parameters significantly affect thrust vectoring. Effects which characterize the nozzle and thrust vectoring performances are established. The results indicate that with moderate secondary to primary mass flow rate ratios, ranging around 5 %, it is possible to achieve pertinent vector side forces. It is also revealed that injector positioning and geometry have a strong effect on the shock vector control system and nozzle performances.

Micro thrust and heat generator

DOEpatents

Garcia, E.J.

1998-11-17

A micro thrust and heat generator have a means for providing a combustion fuel source to an ignition chamber of the micro thrust and heat generator. The fuel is ignited by a ignition means within the micro thrust and heat generator`s ignition chamber where it burns and creates a pressure. A nozzle formed from the combustion chamber extends outward from the combustion chamber and tappers down to a narrow diameter and then opens into a wider diameter where the nozzle then terminates outside of said combustion chamber. The pressure created within the combustion chamber accelerates as it leaves the chamber through the nozzle resulting in pressure and heat escaping from the nozzle to the atmosphere outside the micro thrust and heat generator. The micro thrust and heat generator can be microfabricated from a variety of materials, e.g., of polysilicon, on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or high aspect ratio micromachining techniques (LIGA). 30 figs.

Effects of thrust amplitude and duration of high velocity low amplitude spinal manipulation on lumbar muscle spindle responses to vertebral position and movement

PubMed Central

Cao, Dong-Yuan; Reed, William R.; Long, Cynthia R.; Kawchuk, Gregory N.; Pickar, Joel G.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE Mechanical characteristics of high velocity low amplitude spinal manipulations (HVLA-SM) can be variable. Sustained changes in peripheral neuronal signaling due to altered load transmission to a sensory receptor’s local mechanical environment are often considered a mechanism contributing to the therapeutic effects of spinal manipulation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an HVLA-SM’s thrust amplitude or duration altered neural responsiveness of lumbar muscle spindles to either vertebral movement or position. METHODS Anesthetized cats (n=112) received L6 HVLA-SMs delivered to the spinous process. Cats were divided into 6 cohorts depending upon the peak thrust force (25%, 55%, 85% body weight) or thrust displacement (1, 2, 3mm) they received. Cats in each cohort received 8 thrust durations (0–250ms). Afferent discharge from 112 spindles was recorded in response to ramp and hold vertebral movement before and after the manipulation. Changes in mean instantaneous frequency (MIF) during the baseline period preceding the ramps (ΔMIFresting), during ramp movements (ΔMIFmovement), and with the vertebra held in the new position (ΔMIFposition) were compared. RESULTS Thrust duration had a small but statistically significant effect on ΔMIFresting at all six thrust amplitudes compared to control (0ms thrust duration). The lowest amplitude thrust displacement (1mm) increased ΔMIFresting at all thrust durations. For all the other thrust displacements and forces, the direction of change in ΔMIFresting was not consistent and the pattern of change was not systematically related to thrust duration. Regardless of thrust force, displacement, or duration, ΔMIFmovement and ΔMIFposition were not significantly different from control. Conclusion Relatively low amplitude thrust displacements applied during an HVLA-SM produced sustained increases in the resting discharge of paraspinal muscle spindles regardless of the duration over which the thrust was applied. However, regardless of the HVLA-SM’s thrust amplitude or duration, the responsiveness of paraspinal muscle spindles to vertebral movement and to a new vertebral position was not affected. PMID:23499141

10. DETAIL SHOWING THRUST MEASURING SYSTEM. Looking up from the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. DETAIL SHOWING THRUST MEASURING SYSTEM. Looking up from the test stand deck to east. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Ball to separator contact forces in angular contact ball bearings under thrust and radial loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nypan, L. J.

1978-01-01

Experimental data are reported on ball to cage contact forces in a 110 mm bore ball bearing operating at speeds to 12,000 rpm under radial and thrust loads. Information is also reported on cage to inner race land contact force, cage to inner race land clearance, and cage to shaft speed ratios.

A self-running standing wave-type bidirectional slider for the ultrasonically levitated thin linear stage.

PubMed

Koyama, Daisuke; Takei, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Kentaro; Ueha, Sadayuki

2008-08-01

A slider for a self-running standing wave-type, ultrasonically levitated, thin linear stage is discussed. The slider can be levitated and moved using acoustic radiation force and acoustic streaming. The slider has a simple configuration and consists of an aluminum vibrating plate and a piezoelectric zirconate titanate (PZT) element. The large asymmetric vibration distribution for the high thrust and levitation performance was obtained by adjusting the configuration determined by finite elemental analysis (FEA). As a preliminary step, the computed results of the sound pressure distribution in the 1-mm air gap by FEA was com pared with experimental results obtained using a fiber optic probe. The direction of the total driving force for the acoustic streaming in the small air gap was estimated by the sound pressure distribution calculated by FEA, and it was found that the direction of the acoustic streaming could be altered by controlling the vibration mode of the slider. The flexural standing wave could be generated along the vibrating plate near the frequencies predicted based on the FEA results. The slider could be levitated by the acoustic radiation force radiated from its own vibrating plate at several frequencies. The slider could be moved in the negative and positive directions at 68 kHz and 69 kHz, which correspond to the results computed by FEA, with the asymmetric vibration distribution of the slider's vibrating plate. Larger thrust could be obtained with the smaller levitation distance, and the maximum thrust was 19 mN.

Derivation of the Data Reduction Equations for the Calibration of the Six-component Thrust Stand in the CE-22 Advanced Nozzle Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Kin C.

2003-01-01

This paper documents the derivation of the data reduction equations for the calibration of the six-component thrust stand located in the CE-22 Advanced Nozzle Test Facility. The purpose of the calibration is to determine the first-order interactions between the axial, lateral, and vertical load cells (second-order interactions are assumed to be negligible). In an ideal system, the measurements made by the thrust stand along the three coordinate axes should be independent. For example, when a test article applies an axial force on the thrust stand, the axial load cells should measure the full magnitude of the force, while the off-axis load cells (lateral and vertical) should read zero. Likewise, if a lateral force is applied, the lateral load cells should measure the entire force, while the axial and vertical load cells should read zero. However, in real-world systems, there may be interactions between the load cells. Through proper design of the thrust stand, these interactions can be minimized, but are hard to eliminate entirely. Therefore, the purpose of the thrust stand calibration is to account for these interactions, so that necessary corrections can be made during testing. These corrections can be expressed in the form of an interaction matrix, and this paper shows the derivation of the equations used to obtain the coefficients in this matrix.

Micro thrust and heat generator

DOEpatents

Garcia, Ernest J.

1998-01-01

A micro thrust and heat generator has a means for providing a combustion fuel source to an ignition chamber of the micro thrust and heat generator. The fuel is ignited by a ignition means within the micro thrust and heat generator's ignition chamber where it burns and creates a pressure. A nozzle formed from the combustion chamber extends outward from the combustion chamber and tappers down to a narrow diameter and then opens into a wider diameter where the nozzle then terminates outside of said combustion chamber. The pressure created within the combustion chamber accelerates as it leaves the chamber through the nozzle resulting in pressure and heat escaping from the nozzle to the atmosphere outside the micro thrust and heat generator. The micro thrust and heat generator can be microfabricated from a variety of materials, e.g., of polysilicon, on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication techniques or high aspect ratio micromachining techniques (LIGA).

Non-invasive 3D geometry extraction and robotic modeling of a Sea lion foreflipper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, R. K.; Leftwich, M. C.; Friedman, C.

2016-02-01

California Sea Lions are very agile swimmers and unlike many marine animals, they use their fore flipper rather than their hind flipper undulations to generate high thrust values. To date there exist limited amount of qualitative studies for sea lions swimming that show the flippers are used for thrust, stability, and control during swimming motions. Quantitative studies mainly measured drag used for cost of transport, and analyzed banked turn performance. Recently, the kinematics of a California sea lion flipper during the thrust phase was extracted using video tracking in two dimensions. This work extends the tracking ability to three dimensions using a non-invasive Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) technique employed on non-research sea lions at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. The flippers are therefore marker-less and tracking is carried out manually in post processing after capturing complete dorsal-ventral flipper motions. Two cameras are used (3840 × 2160 pixels resolution) and calibrated in space using a calibration target inserted into the sea lion habitat. They are synchronized in time using a simple light flash. The fluid flow and forces generated by a sea lion clap is also being explored. Recently, a sea lion flipper from a deceased subject was externally scanned in high detail for fluid dynamics research. The flipper's geometry is being used in this work to design and build an articulate flipper model that is approximately 60% of the full size span. The model is actuated by servo motors and is designed to mimic a sea lion flipper clap motion based on the previously extracted kinematics from above. The model incorporates three axles, simulating the movements of the sea lion's elbow, wrist, and knuckles. The flipper tip speed is designed to match typical Reynolds numbers for the full-scale flipper for an acceleration from rest maneuver. The model will be tested in a water flume to obtain the forces during the thrust production phase of the flipper motion.

Study on bird's & insect's wing aerodynamics and comparison of its analytical value with standard airfoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Md. Nesar; Alam, Mahbubul; Hossain, Md. Abed; Ahmed, Md. Imteaz

2017-06-01

Flight is the main mode of locomotion used by most of the world's bird & insect species. This article discusses the mechanics of bird flight, with emphasis on the varied forms of bird's & insect's wings. The fundamentals of bird flight are similar to those of aircraft. Flying animals flap their wings to generate lift and thrust as well as to perform remarkable maneuvers with rapid accelerations and decelerations. Insects and birds provide illuminating examples of unsteady aerodynamics. Lift force is produced by the action of air flow on the wing, which is an airfoil. The airfoil is shaped such that the air provides a net upward force on the wing, while the movement of air is directed downward. Additional net lift may come from airflow around the bird's & insect's body in some species, especially during intermittent flight while the wings are folded or semi-folded. Bird's & insect's flight in nature are sub-divided into two stages. They are Unpowered Flight: Gliding and Soaring & Powered Flight: Flapping. When gliding, birds and insects obtain both a vertical and a forward force from their wings. When a bird & insect flaps, as opposed to gliding, its wings continue to develop lift as before, but the lift is rotated forward to provide thrust, which counteracts drag and increases its speed, which has the effect of also increasing lift to counteract its weight, allowing it to maintain height or to climb. Flapping flight is more complicated than flight with fixed wings because of the structural movement and the resulting unsteady fluid dynamics. Flapping involves two stages: the down-stroke, which provides the majority of the thrust, and the up-stroke, which can also (depending on the bird's & insect's wings) provide some thrust. Most kinds of bird & insect wing can be grouped into four types, with some falling between two of these types. These types of wings are elliptical wings, high speed wings, high aspect ratio wings and soaring wings with slots. Hovering is used by several species of birds. Hovering, which is generating only lift through flapping alone rather than as a product of thrust, demands a lot of energy. On the other hand, for practical knowledge we also fabricate the various bird's, insect's & fighter jet wing by using random value of parameter & test those airfoil in wind tunnel. Finally for comparison & achieving analytical knowledge we also test those airfoil model in various simulation software.

Separability of drag and thrust in undulatory animals and machines

PubMed Central

Bale, Rahul; Shirgaonkar, Anup A.; Neveln, Izaak D.; Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; MacIver, Malcolm A.; Patankar, Neelesh A.

2014-01-01

For nearly a century, researchers have tried to understand the swimming of aquatic animals in terms of a balance between the forward thrust from swimming movements and drag on the body. Prior approaches have failed to provide a separation of these two forces for undulatory swimmers such as lamprey and eels, where most parts of the body are simultaneously generating drag and thrust. We nonetheless show that this separation is possible, and delineate its fundamental basis in undulatory swimmers. Our approach unifies a vast diversity of undulatory aquatic animals (anguilliform, sub-carangiform, gymnotiform, bal-istiform, rajiform) and provides design principles for highly agile bioinspired underwater vehicles. This approach has practical utility within biology as well as engineering. It is a predictive tool for use in understanding the role of the mechanics of movement in the evolutionary emergence of morphological features relating to locomotion. For example, we demonstrate that the drag-thrust separation framework helps to predict the observed height of the ribbon fin of electric knifefish, a diverse group of neotropical fish which are an important model system in sensory neurobiology. We also show how drag-thrust separation leads to models that can predict the swimming velocity of an organism or a robotic vehicle. PMID:25491270

Lift, drag and thrust measurement in a hypersonic impulse facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuttle, S. L.; Mee, D. J.; Simmons, J. M.

1995-01-01

This paper reports the extension of the stress wave force balance to the measurement of forces on models which are non-axisymmetric or which have non-axisymmetric load distributions. Recent results are presented which demonstrate the performance of the stress wave force balance for drag measurement, for three-component force measurement and preliminary results for thrust measurement on a two-dimensional scramjet nozzle. In all cases, the balances respond within a few hundred microseconds.

Laser-Driven Mini-Thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterling, Enrique; Lin, Jun; Sinko, John; Kodgis, Lisa; Porter, Simon; Pakhomov, Andrew V.; Larson, C. William; Mead, Franklin B.

2006-05-01

Laser-driven mini-thrusters were studied using Delrin® and PVC (Delrin® is a registered trademark of DuPont) as propellants. TEA CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm) was used as a driving laser. Coupling coefficients were deduced from two independent techniques: force-time curves measured with a piezoelectric sensor and ballistic pendulum. Time-resolved ICCD images of the expanding plasma and combustion products were analyzed in order to determine the main process that generates the thrust. The measurements were also performed in a nitrogen atmosphere in order to test the combustion effects on thrust. A pinhole transmission experiment was performed for the study of the cut-off time when the ablation/air breakdown plasma becomes opaque to the incoming laser pulse.

Mechanisms underlying rhythmic locomotion: body–fluid interaction in undulatory swimming

PubMed Central

Chen, J.; Friesen, W. O.; Iwasaki, T.

2011-01-01

Swimming of fish and other animals results from interactions of rhythmic body movements with the surrounding fluid. This paper develops a model for the body–fluid interaction in undulatory swimming of leeches, where the body is represented by a chain of rigid links and the hydrodynamic force model is based on resistive and reactive force theories. The drag and added-mass coefficients for the fluid force model were determined from experimental data of kinematic variables during intact swimming, measured through video recording and image processing. Parameter optimizations to minimize errors in simulated model behaviors revealed that the resistive force is dominant, and a simple static function of relative velocity captures the essence of hydrodynamic forces acting on the body. The model thus developed, together with the experimental kinematic data, allows us to investigate temporal and spatial (along the body) distributions of muscle actuation, body curvature, hydrodynamic thrust and drag, muscle power supply and energy dissipation into the fluid. We have found that: (1) thrust is generated continuously along the body with increasing magnitude toward the tail, (2) drag is nearly constant along the body, (3) muscle actuation waves travel two or three times faster than the body curvature waves and (4) energy for swimming is supplied primarily by the mid-body muscles, transmitted through the body in the form of elastic energy, and dissipated into the water near the tail. PMID:21270304

Thrust rollers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vranish, John M. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A thrust roller bearing system comprising an inner rotating member, an outer rotating member and multiple rollers coupling the inner rotating member with outer rotating member. The inner and outer rotating members include thrust lips to enable the rollers to act as thrust rollers. The rollers contact inner and outer rotating members at bearing contact points along a contact line. Consequently, the radial/tilt and thrust forces move synchronously and simultaneously to create a bearing action with no slipping.

Comparison of straight and 15 degree vectored nozzles using a six component thrust stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Thomas W.; Flake, Scott

1991-01-01

This project compared the forces and moments produced by straight and 15 degree vectored nozzles. Using the six component thrust stand in the engines laboratory at California Polytechnic State University, several trials were performed. This data was then reduced using first a computer program and then later an electronic spreadsheet. This reduced data was graphed and compared. As a result of these comparisons some unexpected forces were discovered. Several more tests were run including a zero thrust test and a statistical comparison were done to discover the source of these discrepancies. As a direct result several nozzle changes were made and significant revisions to the thrust stand are being made.

RS-84 Engine Completes Design Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This is an artist's concept of the kerosene-fueled RS-84 engine, one of several technologies competing to power NASA's next generation of launch vehicles. The RS-84 has successfully completed its preliminary design review as a reusable, liquid kerosene booster engine that will deliver a thrust level of 1 million pounds of force. The preliminary design review is a lengthy technical analysis that evaluates engine design according to stringent system requirements. The review ensures development is on target to meet Next Generation Launch Technology goals: Improved safety, reliability, and cost.

Advanced Active-Magnetic-Bearing Thrust-Measurement System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imlach, Joseph; Kasarda, Mary; Blumber, Eric

2008-01-01

An advanced thrust-measurement system utilizes active magnetic bearings to both (1) levitate a floating frame in all six degrees of freedom and (2) measure the levitation forces between the floating frame and a grounded frame. This system was developed for original use in measuring the thrust exerted by a rocket engine mounted on the floating frame, but can just as well be used in other force-measurement applications. This system offers several advantages over prior thrust-measurement systems based on mechanical support by flexures and/or load cells: The system includes multiple active magnetic bearings for each degree of freedom, so that by selective use of one, some, or all of these bearings, it is possible to test a given article over a wide force range in the same fixture, eliminating the need to transfer the article to different test fixtures to obtain the benefit of full-scale accuracy of different force-measurement devices for different force ranges. Like other active magnetic bearings, the active magnetic bearings of this system include closed-loop control subsystems, through which the stiffness and damping characteristics of the magnetic bearings can be modified electronically. The design of the system minimizes or eliminates cross-axis force-measurement errors. The active magnetic bearings are configured to provide support against movement along all three orthogonal Cartesian axes, and such that the support along a given axis does not produce force along any other axis. Moreover, by eliminating the need for such mechanical connections as flexures used in prior thrust-measurement systems, magnetic levitation of the floating frame eliminates what would otherwise be major sources of cross-axis forces and the associated measurement errors. Overall, relative to prior mechanical-support thrust-measurement systems, this system offers greater versatility for adaptation to a variety of test conditions and requirements. The basic idea of most prior active-magnetic-bearing force-measurement systems is to calculate levitation forces on the basis of simple proportionalities between changes in those forces and changes in feedback-controlled currents applied to levitating electromagnetic coils. In the prior systems, the effects of gap lengths on fringing magnetic fields and the concomitant effects on magnetic forces were neglected. In the present system, the control subsystems of the active magnetic bearings are coupled with a computer-based automatic calibration system running special-purpose software wherein gap-length-dependent fringing factors are applied to current and magnetic-flux-based force equations and combined with a multipoint calibration method to obtain greater accuracy.

In vivo recording of aerodynamic force with an aerodynamic force platform: from drones to birds.

PubMed

Lentink, David; Haselsteiner, Andreas F; Ingersoll, Rivers

2015-03-06

Flapping wings enable flying animals and biomimetic robots to generate elevated aerodynamic forces. Measurements that demonstrate this capability are based on experiments with tethered robots and animals, and indirect force calculations based on measured kinematics or airflow during free flight. Remarkably, there exists no method to measure these forces directly during free flight. Such in vivo recordings in freely behaving animals are essential to better understand the precise aerodynamic function of their flapping wings, in particular during the downstroke versus upstroke. Here, we demonstrate a new aerodynamic force platform (AFP) for non-intrusive aerodynamic force measurement in freely flying animals and robots. The platform encloses the animal or object that generates fluid force with a physical control surface, which mechanically integrates the net aerodynamic force that is transferred to the earth. Using a straightforward analytical solution of the Navier-Stokes equation, we verified that the method is accurate. We subsequently validated the method with a quadcopter that is suspended in the AFP and generates unsteady thrust profiles. These independent measurements confirm that the AFP is indeed accurate. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the AFP by studying aerodynamic weight support of a freely flying bird in vivo. These measurements confirm earlier findings based on kinematics and flow measurements, which suggest that the avian downstroke, not the upstroke, is primarily responsible for body weight support during take-off and landing.

Force-motion phase relations and aerodynamic performance of a plunging plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Onur; Cetiner, Oksan

2018-02-01

Due to the unsteady motion of a plunging plate, forces acting on the body experience a phase difference with respect to the motion. These phase relations are investigated experimentally for a harmonically plunging plate within an amplitude range of 0.05≤ {a/c}≤ 0.6, reduced frequency range of 0.78<{k}<7.06, and at a constant Reynolds number of 10,000. Both streamwise and cross-stream force components are found to have a phase lag following the motion; however, their variations are different. The phase lag of the force on the cross-stream direction increases as the amplitude increases. Drag-thrust transition has an influence on the streamwise force phase lags, which starts to increase when the thrust starts to be produced. Particle image velocimetry measurements are also performed to reveal the relations between vortex structures and force measurements. Leading edge vortex shedding characteristics are observed to be changing from drag occurring cases to thrust producing cases in parallel with the increment in phase lags.

Shock Mounting for Heavy Machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, A. R.

1984-01-01

Elastomeric bearings eliminate extraneous forces. Rocket thrust transmitted from motor to load cells via support that absorbs extraneous forces so they do not affect accuracy of thrust measurements. Adapter spoked cone fits over forward end of rocket motor. Shock mounting developed for rocket engines under test used as support for heavy machines, bridges, or towers.

Resistive thrust production can be as crucial as added mass mechanisms for inertial undulatory swimmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piñeirua, M.; Godoy-Diana, R.; Thiria, B.

2015-08-01

In this Rapid Communication, we address a crucial point regarding the description of moderate to high Reynolds numbers aquatic swimmers. For decades, swimming animals have been classified in two different families of propulsive mechanisms based on the Reynolds number: the resistive swimmers, using local friction to produce the necessary thrust force for locomotion at low Reynolds number, and the reactive swimmers, lying in the high Reynolds range, and using added mass acceleration (described by perfect fluid theory). However, inertial swimmers are also systems that dissipate energy, due to their finite size, therefore involving strong resistive contributions, even for high Reynolds numbers. Using a complete model for the hydrodynamic forces, involving both reactive and resistive contributions, we revisit here the physical mechanisms responsible for the thrust production of such swimmers. We show, for instance, that the resistive part of the force balance is as crucial as added mass effects in the modeling of the thrust force, especially for elongated species. The conclusions brought by this work may have significant contributions to the understanding of complex swimming mechanisms, especially for the future design of artificial swimmers.

Modes of thrust generation in flying animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Haoxiang; Song, Jialei; Tobalske, Bret; Luo Team; Tobalske Team

2016-11-01

For flying animals in forward flight, thrust is usually much smaller as compared with weight support and has not been given the same amount of attention. Several modes of thrust generation are discussed in this presentation. For insects performing slow flight that is characterized by low advance ratios (i.e., the ratio between flight speed and wing speed), thrust is usually generated by a "backward flick" mode, in which the wings moves upward and backward at a faster speed than the flight speed. Paddling mode is another mode used by some insects like fruit flies who row their wings backward during upstroke like paddles (Ristroph et al., PRL, 2011). Birds wings have high advance ratios and produce thrust during downstroke by directing aerodynamic lift forward. At intermediate advance ratios around one (e.g., hummingbirds and bats), the animal wings generate thrust during both downstroke and upstroke, and thrust generation during upstroke may come at cost of negative weight support. These conclusions are supported by previous experiment studies of insects, birds, and bats, as well as our recent computational modeling of hummingbirds. Supported by the NSF.

Vortex flow structures and interactions for the optimum thrust efficiency of a heaving airfoil at different mean angles of attack

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martín-Alcántara, A.; Fernandez-Feria, R.; Sanmiguel-Rojas, E.

The thrust efficiency of a two-dimensional heaving airfoil is studied computationally for a low Reynolds number using a vortex force decomposition. The auxiliary potentials that separate the total vortex force into lift and drag (or thrust) are obtained analytically by using an elliptic airfoil. With these auxiliary potentials, the added-mass components of the lift and drag (or thrust) coefficients are also obtained analytically for any heaving motion of the airfoil and for any value of the mean angle of attack α. The contributions of the leading- and trailing-edge vortices to the thrust during their down- and up-stroke evolutions are computedmore » quantitatively with this formulation for different dimensionless frequencies and heave amplitudes (St{sub c} and St{sub a}) and for several values of α. Very different types of flows, periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic described as St{sub c}, St{sub a}, and α, are varied. The optimum values of these parameters for maximum thrust efficiency are obtained and explained in terms of the interactions between the vortices and the forces exerted by them on the airfoil. As in previous numerical and experimental studies on flapping flight at low Reynolds numbers, the optimum thrust efficiency is reached for intermediate frequencies (St{sub c} slightly smaller than one) and a heave amplitude corresponding to an advance ratio close to unity. The optimal mean angle of attack found is zero. The corresponding flow is periodic, but it becomes chaotic and with smaller average thrust efficiency as |α| becomes slightly different from zero.« less

Development of a spined underwater biomimetic vehicle with SMA actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rediniotis, Othon K.; Lagoudas, Dimitris C.; Garner, Luke J.; Wilson, Larry N.

1999-06-01

We present here our progress towards the development of a type of biomimetic active hydrofoil that utilizes Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator technology. The actuation is presently applied to the control of hydrodynamic forces and moments, including thrust generation, on a 2D hydrofoil. The SMA actuation elements are two sets of thin wires (0.015' to 0.027') on either side of an elastomer element that provides the main structural support. Controlled heating and cooling of the two wire sets generates bi-directional bending of the elastomer, which in turn deflects (for quasi-static control) or oscillates (for thrust generation) the trailing edge of the hydrofoil. The aquatic environment of the hydrofoil lends itself to cooling schemes that utilize the excellent heat transfer properties of water. The SMA actuator was able to deflect the trailing edge by +/- 5 degree(s) at rates as high as 2 Hz. FEM modeling of hydrofoil response to thermoelectric heating has been carried out using a thermomechanical constitutive model for SMAs. FEM predictions are compared with experimental measurements.

Investigation on the Effect of Drill Geometry and Pilot Holes on Thrust Force and Burr Height When Drilling an Aluminium/PE Sandwich Material

PubMed Central

Rezende, Bruna Aparecida; Silveira, Michele L.; Vieira, Luciano M. G.; Abrão, Alexandre M.; de Faria, Paulo Eustáquio; Rubio, Juan C. Campos

2016-01-01

Composite materials are widely employed in the naval, aerospace and transportation industries owing to the combination of being lightweight and having a high modulus of elasticity, strength and stiffness. Drilling is an operation generally used in composite materials to assemble the final product. Damages such as the burr at the drill entrance and exit, geometric deviations and delamination are typically found in composites subjected to drilling. Drills with special geometries and pilot holes are alternatives used to improve hole quality as well as to increase tool life. The present study is focused on the drilling of a sandwich composite material (two external aluminum plates bound to a polyethylene core). In order to minimize thrust force and burr height, the influence of drill geometry, the pilot hole and the cutting parameters was assessed. Thrust force and burr height values were collected and used to perform an analysis of variance. The results indicated that the tool and the cutting speed were the parameters with more weight on the thrust force and for burr height they were the tool and the interaction between tool and feed. The results indicated that drilling with a pilot hole of Ø4 mm exhibited the best performance with regard to thrust force but facilitated plastic deformation, thus leading to the elevation of burr height, while the lowest burr height was obtained using the Brad and Spur drill geometry. PMID:28773895

Investigation on the Effect of Drill Geometry and Pilot Holes on Thrust Force and Burr Height When Drilling an Aluminium/PE Sandwich Material.

PubMed

Rezende, Bruna Aparecida; Silveira, Michele L; Vieira, Luciano M G; Abrão, Alexandre M; Faria, Paulo Eustáquio de; Rubio, Juan C Campos

2016-09-13

Composite materials are widely employed in the naval, aerospace and transportation industries owing to the combination of being lightweight and having a high modulus of elasticity, strength and stiffness. Drilling is an operation generally used in composite materials to assemble the final product. Damages such as the burr at the drill entrance and exit, geometric deviations and delamination are typically found in composites subjected to drilling. Drills with special geometries and pilot holes are alternatives used to improve hole quality as well as to increase tool life. The present study is focused on the drilling of a sandwich composite material (two external aluminum plates bound to a polyethylene core). In order to minimize thrust force and burr height, the influence of drill geometry, the pilot hole and the cutting parameters was assessed. Thrust force and burr height values were collected and used to perform an analysis of variance. The results indicated that the tool and the cutting speed were the parameters with more weight on the thrust force and for burr height they were the tool and the interaction between tool and feed. The results indicated that drilling with a pilot hole of Ø4 mm exhibited the best performance with regard to thrust force but facilitated plastic deformation, thus leading to the elevation of burr height, while the lowest burr height was obtained using the Brad and Spur drill geometry.

Experimental investigation of SDBD plasma actuator driven by AC high voltage with a superimposed positive pulse bias voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Xiao-Hua; Yan, Hui-Jie; Yang, Liang; Hua, Yue; Ren, Chun-Sheng

2017-08-01

In this work, a driven voltage consisting of AC high voltage with a superimposed positive pulse bias voltage ("AC+ Positive pulse bias" voltage) is adopted to study the performance of a surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator under atmospheric conditions. To compare the performance of the actuator driven by single-AC voltage and "AC+ Positive pulse bias" voltage, the actuator-induced thrust force and power consumption are measured as a function of the applied AC voltage, and the measured results indicate that the thrust force can be promoted significantly after superimposing the positive pulse bias voltage. The physical mechanism behind the thrust force changes is analyzed by measuring the optical properties, electrical characteristics, and surface potential distribution. Experimental results indicate that the glow-like discharge in the AC voltage half-cycle, next to the cycle where a bias voltage pulse has been applied, is enhanced after applying the positive pulse bias voltage, and this perhaps is the main reason for the thrust force increase. Moreover, surface potential measurement results reveal that the spatial electric field formed by the surface charge accumulation after positive pulse discharge can significantly affect the applied external electric field, and this perhaps can be responsible for the experimental phenomenon that the decrease of thrust force is delayed by pulse bias voltage action after the filament discharge occurs in the glow-like discharge region. The schlieren images further verify that the actuator-induced airflow velocity increases with the positive pulse voltage.

Tsien's method for generating non-Keplerian trajectories. Part 2: The question of thrust to orbit a sphere and the restricted three-body problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murad, P. A.

1993-01-01

Tsien's method is extended to treat the orbital motion of a body undergoing accelerations and decelerations. A generalized solution is discussed for the generalized case where a body undergoes azimuthal and radial thrust and the problem is further simplified for azimuthal thrust alone. Judicious selection of thrust could generate either an elliptic or hyperbolic trajectory. This is unexpected especially when the body has only enough energy for a lower state trajectory. The methodology is extended treating the problem of vehicle thrust for orbiting a sphere and vehicle thrust within the classical restricted three-body problem. Results for the latter situation can produce hyperbolic trajectories through eigen value decomposition. Since eigen values for no-thrust can be imaginary, thrust can generate real eigen values to describe hyperbolic trajectories. Keplerian dynamics appears to represent but a small subset of a much larger non-Keplerian domain especially when thrust effects are considered. The need for high thrust long duration space-based propulsion systems for changing a trajectory's canonical form is clearly demonstrated.

Initiation process of a thrust fault revealed by analog experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Yasuhiro; Dotare, Tatsuya; Adam, Juergen; Hori, Takane; Sakaguchi, Hide

2016-04-01

We conducted 2D (cross-sectional) analog experiments with dry sand using a high resolution digital image correlation (DIC) technique to reveal initiation process of a thrust fault in detail, and identified a number of "weak shear bands" and minor uplift prior to the thrust initiation. The observations suggest that the process can be divided into three stages. Stage 1: characterized by a series of abrupt and short-lived weak shear bands at the location where the thrust will be generated later. Before initiation of the fault, the area to be the hanging wall starts to uplift. Stage 2: defined by the generation of the new thrust and its active displacement. The location of the new thrust seems to be constrained by its associated back-thrust, produced at the foot of the surface slope (by the previous thrust). The activity of the previous thrust turns to zero once the new thrust is generated, but the timing of these two events is not the same. Stage 3: characterized by a constant displacement along the (new) thrust. Similar minor shear bands can be seen in the toe area of the Nankai accretionary prism, SW Japan and we can correlate the along-strike variations in seismic profiles to the model results that show the characteristic features in each thrust development stage.

Improving plasma actuator performance at low pressure, and an analysis of the pointing capabilities of cubeSats using Plasmonic Force Propulsion (PFP) thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friz, Paul Daniel

This thesis details the work done on two unrelated projects, plasma actuators, an aerodynamic flow control device, and Plasmonic Force Propulsion (PFP) thrusters, a space propulsion system for small satellites. The first half of the thesis is a paper published in the International Journal of Flow Control on plasma actuators. In this paper the thrust and power consumption of plasma actuators with varying geometries was studied at varying pressure. It was found that actuators with longer buried electrodes produce the most thrust over all and that they substantially improved thrust at low pressure. In particular actuators with 75 mm buried electrodes produced 26% more thrust overall and 34% more thrust at low pressure than the standard 15 mm design. The second half details work done modeling small satellite attitude and reaction control systems in order to compare the use of Plasmonic Force Propulsion thrusters with other state of the art reaction control systems. The model uses bang bang control algorithms and assumes the worst case scenario solar radiation pressure is the only disturbing force. It was found that the estimated 50-500 nN of thrust produced by PFP thrusters would allow the spacecraft which use them extremely high pointing and positioning accuracies (<10-9 degrees and 3 pm). PFP thrusters still face many developmental challenges such as increasing specific impulse which require more research, however, they have great potential to be an enabling technology for future NASA missions such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, and The Stellar Imager.

A microNewton thrust stand for average thrust measurement of pulsed microthruster.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei-Jing; Hong, Yan-Ji; Chang, Hao

2013-12-01

A torsional thrust stand has been developed for the study of the average thrust for microNewton pulsed thrusters. The main body of the thrust stand mainly consists of a torsional balance, a pair of flexural pivots, a capacitive displacement sensor, a calibration assembly, and an eddy current damper. The behavior of the stand was thoroughly studied. The principle of thrust measurement was analyzed. The average thrust is determined as a function of the average equilibrium angle displacement of the balance and the spring stiffness. The thrust stand has a load capacity up to 10 kg, and it can theoretically measure the force up to 609.6 μN with a resolution of 24.4 nN. The static calibrations were performed based on the calibration assembly composed of the multiturn coil and the permanent magnet. The calibration results demonstrated good repeatability (less than 0.68% FSO) and good linearity (less than 0.88% FSO). The assembly of the multiturn coil and the permanent magnet was also used as an exciter to simulate the microthruster to further research the performance of the thrust stand. Three sets of force pulses at 17, 33.5, and 55 Hz with the same amplitude and pulse width were tested. The repeatability error at each frequency was 7.04%, 1.78%, and 5.08%, respectively.

Direct thrust measurement of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, K.; Lafleur, T.; Charles, C.

2011-04-04

Direct thrust measurements of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster have been made using a pendulum thrust balance and a high sensitivity laser displacement sensor. At the low pressures used (0.08 Pa) an ion beam is detected downstream of the thruster exit, and a maximum thrust force of about 3 mN is measured for argon with an rf input power of about 700 W. The measured thrust is proportional to the upstream plasma density and is in good agreement with the theoretical thrust based on the maximum upstream electron pressure.

Calculation of Turbine Axial Thrust by Coupled CFD Simulations of the Main Flow Path and Secondary Cavity Flow in an SLI LOX Turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorney, D. J.; Marci, Bogdan; Tran, Ken; Sargent, Scott

2003-01-01

Each single reusable Space Launch Initiative (SLI) booster rocket is an engine operating at a record vacuum thrust level of over 730,000 Ibf using LOX and LH2. This thrust is more than 10% greater than that of the Delta IV rocket, resulting in relatively large LOX and LH2 turbopumps. Since the SLI rocket employs a staged combustion cycle the level of pressure is very high (thousands of psia). This high pressure creates many engineering challenges, including the balancing of axial-forces on the turbopumps. One of the main parameters in the calculation of the axial force is the cavity pressure upstream of the turbine disk. The flow in this cavity is very complex. The lack of understanding of this flow environment hinders the accurate prediction of axial thrust. In order to narrow down the uncertainty band around the actual turbine axial force, a coupled, unsteady computational methodology has been developed to simulate the interaction between the turbine main flow path and the cavity flow. The CORSAIR solver, an unsteady three- dimensional Navier-Stokes code for turbomachinery applications, was used to solve for both the main and the secondary flow fields. Turbine axial thrust values are presented in conjunction with the CFD simulation, together with several considerations regarding the turbine instrumentation for axial thrust estimations during test.

Effect of a direct current bias on the electrohydrodynamic performance of a surface dielectric barrier discharge actuator for airflow control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Huijie; Yang, Liang; Qi, Xiaohua; Ren, Chunsheng

2015-02-01

The effect of a DC bias on the electrohydrodynamics (EHD) force induced by a surface dielectric barrier AC discharge actuator for airflow control at the atmospheric pressure is investigated. The measurement of the surface potential due to charge deposition at different DC biases is carried out by using a special designed corona like discharge potential probe. From the surface potential data, the plasma electromotive force is shown not affected much by the DC biases except for some reduction of the DC bias near the exposed electrode edge for the sheath-like configuration. The total thrust is measured by an analytical balance, and an almost linear relationship to the potential voltage at the exposed electrode edge is found for the direct thrust force. The temporally averaged ionic wind characteristics are investigated by Pitot tube sensor and schlieren visualization system. It is found that the ionic wind velocity profiles with different DC biases are almost the same in the AC discharge plasma area but gradually diversified in the further downstream area as well as the upper space away from the discharge plasma area. Also, the DC bias can significantly modify the topology of the ionic wind produced by the AC discharge actuator. These results can provide an insight into how the DC biases to affect the force generation.

Bubble mass center and fluid feedback force fluctuations activated by constant lateral impulse with variable thrust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, R. J.; Long, Y. T.

1995-01-01

Sloshing dynamics within a partially filled rotating dewar of superfluid helium 2 are investigated in response to constant lateral impulse with variable thrust. The study, including how the rotating bubble of superfluid helium 2 reacts to the constant impulse with variable time period of thrust action in microgravity, how amplitudes of bubble mass center fluctuates with growth and decay of disturbances, and how fluid feedback forces fluctuates in activating on the rotating dewar through the dynamics of sloshing waves are investigated. The numerical computation of sloshing dynamics is based on the non-inertial frame spacecraft bound coordinate with lateral impulses actuating on the rotating dewar in both inertial and non-inertial frames of thrust. Results of the simulations are illustrated.

Maximizing propulsive thrust of a driven filament at low Reynolds number via variable flexibility.

PubMed

Peng, Zhiwei; Elfring, Gwynn J; Pak, On Shun

2017-03-22

At low Reynolds numbers the locomotive capability of a body can be dramatically hindered by the absence of inertia. In this work, we show how propulsive performance in this regime can be significantly enhanced by employing spatially varying flexibility. As a prototypical example, we consider the propulsive thrust generated by a filament periodically driven at one end. The rigid case leads to zero propulsion, as so constrained by Purcell's scallop theorem, while for uniform filaments there exists a bending stiffness maximizing the propulsive force at a given frequency; here we demonstrate explicitly how considerable further improvement can be achieved by simply varying the stiffness along the filament. The optimal flexibility distribution is strongly configuration-dependent: while increasing the flexibility towards the tail-end enhances the propulsion of a clamped filament, for a hinged filament decreasing the flexibility towards the tail-end is instead favorable. The results reveal new design principles for maximizing propulsion at low Reynolds numbers, potentially useful for developing synthetic micro-swimmers requiring large propulsive force for various biomedical applications.

Development of superconducting magnetic bearing using superconducting coil and bulk superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seino, H.; Nagashima, K.; Arai, Y.

2008-02-01

The authors conducted a study on superconducting magnetic bearing, which consists of superconducting rotor and stator to apply the flywheel energy-storage system for railways. In this study, high temperature bulk superconductor (HTS bulk) was combined with superconducting coils to increase the load capacity of the bearing. In the first step of the study, the thrust rolling bearing was selected for application by using liquid nitrogen cooled HTS bulk. 60mm-diameter HTS bulks and superconducting coil which generated a high gradient of magnetic field by cusp field were adopted as a rotor and a stator for superconducting magnetic bearing, respectively. The results of the static load test and the rotation test, creep of the electromagnetic forces caused by static flux penetration and AC loss due to eccentric rotation were decreased to the level without any problems in substantial use by using two HTS bulks. In the result of verification of static load capacity, levitation force (thrust load) of 8900N or more was supportable, and stable static load capacity was obtainable when weight of 460kg was levitated.

Aerodynamics and flow features of a damselfly in takeoff flight.

PubMed

Bode-Oke, Ayodeji T; Zeyghami, Samane; Dong, Haibo

2017-09-26

Flight initiation is fundamental for survival, escape from predators and lifting payload from one place to another in biological fliers and can be broadly classified into jumping and non-jumping takeoffs. During jumping takeoffs, the legs generate most of the initial impulse. Whereas the wings generate most of the forces in non-jumping takeoffs, which are usually voluntary, slow, and stable. It is of great interest to understand how these non-jumping takeoffs occur and what strategies insects use to generate large amount of forces required for this highly demanding flight initiation mode. Here, for the first time, we report accurate wing and body kinematics measurements of a damselfly during a non-jumping takeoff. Furthermore, using a high fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulation, we identify the 3D flow features and compute the wing aerodynamics forces to unravel the key mechanisms responsible for generating large flight forces. Our numerical results show that a damselfly generates about three times its body weight during the first half-stroke for liftoff. In generating these forces, the wings flap through a steeply inclined stroke plane with respect to the horizon, slicing through the air at high angles of attack (45°-50°). Consequently, a leading edge vortex (LEV) is formed during both the downstroke and upstroke on all the four wings. The formation of the LEV, however, is inhibited in the subsequent upstrokes following takeoff. Accordingly, we observe a drastic reduction in the magnitude of the aerodynamic force, signifying the importance of LEV in augmenting force production. Our analysis also shows that forewing-hindwing interaction plays a favorable role in enhancing both lift and thrust production during takeoff.

"Fan-Tip-Drive" High-Power-Density, Permanent Magnet Electric Motor and Test Rig Designed for a Nonpolluting Aircraft Propulsion Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Gerald V.; Kascak, Albert F.

2004-01-01

A scaled blade-tip-drive test rig was designed at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The rig is a scaled version of a direct-current brushless motor that would be located in the shroud of a thrust fan. This geometry is very attractive since the allowable speed of the armature is approximately the speed of the blade tips (Mach 1 or 1100 ft/s). The magnetic pressure generated in the motor acts over a large area and, thus, produces a large force or torque. This large force multiplied by the large velocity results in a high-power-density motor.

The effect of fin ray flexural rigidity on the propulsive forces generated by a biorobotic fish pectoral fin.

PubMed

Tangorra, James L; Lauder, George V; Hunter, Ian W; Mittal, Rajat; Madden, Peter G A; Bozkurttas, Meliha

2010-12-01

A biorobotic pectoral fin was developed and used to study how the flexural rigidities of fin rays within a highly deformable fish fin affect the fin's propulsive forces. The design of the biorobotic fin was based on a detailed analysis of the pectoral fin of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). The biorobotic fin was made to execute the kinematics used by the biological fin during steady swimming, and to have structural properties that modeled those of the biological fin. This resulted in an engineered fin that had a similar interaction with the water as the biological fin and that created close approximations of the three-dimensional motions, flows, and forces produced by the sunfish during low speed, steady swimming. Experimental trials were conducted during which biorobotic fins of seven different stiffness configurations were flapped at frequencies from 0.5 to 2.0 Hz in flows with velocities that ranged from 0 to 270 mm s(-1). During these trials, thrust and lift forces were measured, kinematics were recorded in three dimensions, and digital particle image velocimetry was used to evaluate flow hydrodynamics. The results of the trials revealed that slight changes to the fin's mechanical properties or to the operating conditions can have significant impact on the direction, magnitude and time course of the propulsive forces. In general, the magnitude of the 2-D (thrust and lift) propulsive force scaled with fin ray stiffness, and increased as the fin's flapping speed increased or as the velocity of the flow decreased.

Hydrodynamic aspects of thrust generation in gymnotiform swimming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirgaonkar, Anup A.; Curet, Oscar M.; Patankar, Neelesh A.; Maciver, Malcolm A.

2008-11-01

The primary propulsor in gymnotiform swimmers is a fin running along most of the ventral midline of the fish. The fish propagates traveling waves along this ribbon fin to generate thrust. This unique mode of thrust generation gives these weakly electric fish great maneuverability cluttered spaces. To understand the mechanical basis of gymnotiform propulsion, we investigated the hydrodynamics of a model ribbon-fin of an adult black ghost knifefish using high-resolution numerical experiments. We found that the principal mechanism of thrust generation is a central jet imparting momentum to the fluid with associated vortex rings near the free edge of the fin. The high-fidelity simulations also reveal secondary vortex rings potentially useful in rapid sideways maneuvers. We obtained the scaling of thrust with respect to the traveling wave kinematic parameters. Using a fin-plate model for a fish, we also discuss improvements to Lighthill's inviscid theory for gymnotiform and balistiform modes in terms of thrust magnitude, viscous drag on the body, and momentum enhancement.

An Aerodynamic Assessment of Micro-Drag Generators (MDGs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Steven X. S.

1998-01-01

Commercial transports as well as fighter aircraft of the future are being designed with very low drag (friction and pressure). Concurrently, commuter airports are being built or envisioned to be built in the centers of metropolitan areas where shorter runways and/or reduced noise footprints on takeoff and landing are required. These requirements and the fact that drag is lower on new vehicles than on older aircraft have resulted in vehicles that require a large amount of braking force (from landing-gear brakes, spoilers, high-lift flaps, thrust reversers, etc.). Micro-drag generators (MDGs) were envisioned to create a uniformly distributed drag force along a vehicle by forcing the flow to separate on the aft-facing surface of a series of deployable devices, thus, generating drag. The devices are intended to work at any speed and for any type of vehicle (aircraft, ground vehicles, sea-faring vehicles). MDGs were applied to a general aviation wing and a representative fuselage shape and tested in two subsonic wind tunnels. The results showed increases in drag of 2 to 6 times that of a "clean" configuration.

Kadenancy effect, acoustical resonance effect valveless pulse jet engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Rafis Suizwan; Jailani, Azrol; Haron, Muhammad Adli

2017-09-01

A pulse jet engine is a tremendously simple device, as far as moving parts are concerned, that is capable of using a range of fuels, an ignition device, and the ambient air to run an open combustion cycle at rates commonly exceeding 100 Hz. The pulse jet engine was first recognized as a worthy device for aeronautics applications with the introduction of the German V-1 Rocket, also known as the "Buzz Bomb." Although pulse jets are somewhat inefficient compared to other jet engines in terms of fuel usage, they have an exceptional thrust to weight ratio if the proper materials are chosen for its construction. For this reason, many hobbyists have adopted pulse jet engines for a propulsive device in RC planes, go-karts, and other recreational applications. The concept behind the design and function of propulsion devices are greatly inspired by the Newton's second and third laws. These laws quantitatively described thrust as a reaction force. Basically, whenever a mass is accelerated or expelled from one direction by a system, such a mass will exert the same force which will be equal in magnitude, however that will be opposite in direction over the same system. Thrust is that force utilized over a facade in a direction normal and perpendicular to the facade which is known as the thrust. This is the simplest explanation of the concept, on which propulsion devices functions. In mechanical engineering, any force that is orthogonal to the main load is generally referred to as thrust [1].

Thrust Generation with Low-Power Continuous-Wave Laser and Aluminum Foil Interaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horisawa, Hideyuki; Sumida, Sota; Funaki, Ikkoh

2010-05-06

The micro-newton thrust generation was observed through low-power continuous-wave laser and aluminum foil interaction without any remarkable ablation of the target surface. To evaluate the thrust characteristics, a torsion-balance thrust stand capable for the measurement of the thrust level down to micro-Newton ranges was developed. In the case of an aluminum foil target with 12.5 micrometer thickness, the maximum thrust level was 15 micro-newtons when the laser power was 20 W, or about 0.75 N/MW. It was also found that the laser intensity, or laser power per unit area, irradiated on the target was significantly important on the control ofmore » the thrust even under the low-intensity level.« less

Nonlinear feedback control for high alpha flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stalford, Harold

1990-01-01

Analytical aerodynamic models are derived from a high alpha 6 DOF wind tunnel model. One detail model requires some interpolation between nonlinear functions of alpha. One analytical model requires no interpolation and as such is a completely continuous model. Flight path optimization is conducted on the basic maneuvers: half-loop, 90 degree pitch-up, and level turn. The optimal control analysis uses the derived analytical model in the equations of motion and is based on both moment and force equations. The maximum principle solution for the half-loop is poststall trajectory performing the half-loop in 13.6 seconds. The agility induced by thrust vectoring capability provided a minimum effect on reducing the maneuver time. By means of thrust vectoring control the 90 degrees pitch-up maneuver can be executed in a small place over a short time interval. The agility capability of thrust vectoring is quite beneficial for pitch-up maneuvers. The level turn results are based currently on only outer layer solutions of singular perturbation. Poststall solutions provide high turn rates but generate higher losses of energy than that of classical sustained solutions.

Schlieren Imaging of a Single-Ejector, Multi-Tube Pulsed Detonation Engine (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

studies have shown the potential of an ejector to almost double the thrust of a pulsed detonation engine ( PDE ) tube [1-3]. Axial misalignment of the... Detonation Research Facility in the Air Force Research Laboratory were used for this study. The PDE utilizes automotive valving to feed up to four... detonation tubes. The damped thrust stand was setup to measure PDE thrust alone for baseline tests or total thrust from ejector and PDE . This

Estimation of the radial force using a disturbance force observer for a magnetically levitated centrifugal blood pump.

PubMed

Pai, C N; Shinshi, T; Shimokohbe, A

2010-01-01

Evaluation of the hydraulic forces in a magnetically levitated (maglev) centrifugal blood pump is important from the point of view of the magnetic bearing design. Direct measurement is difficult due to the absence of a rotor shaft, and computational fluid dynamic analysis demands considerable computational resource and time. To solve this problem, disturbance force observers were developed, using the radial controlled magnetic bearing of a centrifugal blood pump, to estimate the radial forces on the maglev impeller. In order to design the disturbance observer, the radial dynamic characteristics of a maglev impeller were evaluated under different working conditions. It was observed that the working fluid affects the additional mass and damping, while the rotational speed affects the damping and stiffness of the maglev system. Based on these results, disturbance force observers were designed and implemented. The designed disturbance force observers present a bandwidth of 45 Hz. In non-pulsatile conditions, the magnitude of the estimated radial thrust increases in proportion to the flowrate, and the rotational speed has little effect on the force direction. At 5 l/min against 100 mmHg, the estimated radial thrust is 0.95 N. In pulsatile conditions, this method was capable of estimating the pulsatile radial thrust with good response.

Dual throat engine design for a SSTO launch vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, C. J.; Salmon, J. W.

1980-01-01

A propulsion system analysis of a dual fuel, dual throat engine for launch vehicle application was conducted. Basic dual throat engine characterization data are presented to allow vehicle optimization studies to be conducted. A preliminary baseline engine system was defined. Dual throat engine performance, envelope, and weight parametric data were generated over the parametric range of thrust from 890 to 8896 KN (200K to 2M lb-force), chamber pressure from 6.89 million to 34.5 million N/sq m (1000 to 5000 psia) thrust ratio from 1.2 to 5, and a range of mixture ratios for the two tripropellant combinations: LO2/RP-1 + LH2 and LO2/LCH4 + LH2. The results of the study indicate that the dual fuel dual throat engine is a viable single stage to orbit candidate.

Swimming in a granular frictional fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, Daniel

2012-02-01

X-ray imaging reveals that the sandfish lizard swims within granular media (sand) using axial body undulations to propel itself without the use of limbs. To model the locomotion of the sandfish, we previously developed an empirical resistive force theory (RFT), a numerical sandfish model coupled to an experimentally validated Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of the granular medium, and a physical robot model. The models reveal that only grains close to the swimmer are fluidized, and that the thrust and drag forces are dominated by frictional interactions among grains and the intruder. In this talk I will use these models to discuss principles of swimming within these granular ``frictional fluids". The empirical drag force laws are measured as the steady-state forces on a small cylinder oriented at different angles relative to the displacement direction. Unlike in Newtonian fluids, resistive forces are independent of speed. Drag forces resemble those in viscous fluids while the ratio of thrust to drag forces is always larger in the granular media than in viscous fluids. Using the force laws as inputs, the RFT overestimates swimming speed by approximately 20%. The simulation reveals that this is related to the non-instantaneous increase in force during reversals of body segments. Despite the inaccuracy of the steady-state assumption, we use the force laws and a recently developed geometric mechanics theory to predict optimal gaits for a model system that has been well-studied in Newtonian fluids, the three-link swimmer. The combination of the geometric theory and the force laws allows us to generate a kinematic relationship between the swimmer's shape and position velocities and to construct connection vector field and constraint curvature function visualizations of the system dynamics. From these we predict optimal gaits for forward, lateral and rotational motion. Experiment and simulation are in accord with the theoretical prediction, and demonstrate that swimming in sand can be viewed as movement in a localized frictional fluid.

Tail thrust of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix at different buoyancies, speeds, and swimming angles.

PubMed

Ogilvy, C S; DuBois, A B

1982-06-01

1. The tail thrust of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix was measured using a body accelerometer at different water speeds, buoyancies, and angles of water flow to determine the contribution of tail thrust in overcoming parasitic drag, induced drag, and weight directed along the track. The lengths and weights of the fish averaged 0.52 m and 1.50 kg respectively. 2. The tail thrust overcoming parasitic drag in Newtons, as measured during neutral buoyancy, was: 0.51 x speed + 0.15, with a standard error of estimate of 0.09 N. 3. When buoyancy was altered by the introduction or removal of air from a balloon implanted in the swim bladder, the tail thrust was altered by an amount of the same order as the value calculated for the induced drag of the pectoral fins. 4. The component of weight directed backward along the track was the weight in water multiplied by the sine of the angle of the swimming tunnel relative to horizontal. When this force was added to the calculated induced drag and tail thrust measured at neutral buoyancy, the rearward force equal to the tail thrust, at 45 ml negative buoyancy, 0.5 m s-1, and 15 degrees head up, was 0.12 N due to weight + 0.05 N due to induced drag + 0.40 N due to parasitic drag = 0.57 N total rearward force. 5. The conditions required for gliding were not achieved in our bluefish because the drag exceeded the component of the weight in water directed forward along the track at speeds above the stalling speed of the pectoral fins.

Effect of decollement rheology and deformation rate on the structural development of fold thrust belts in sand box models and their implications for the Naga fold thrust belt (NE India)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, B.; Dietl, C.

2009-04-01

Previous studies on decollement kinematics have shed light on the differing structures of fold thrust belt forming above lithologically different decollements, such as shales, carbonates and evaporites. Factors, affecting the decollement kinematics most are (1) rock rheology and (2) deformation rate. This study is intended to explain the deformation style of the Naga fold thrust belt (NFTB, NE India) with the aid of sand box modelling performed at a basal temperature of 50C and deformed at varying strain rates from 3*10-6 s-1 to 4*10-3 s-1. The models are made up (from bottom to top) of a 0.25 cm thick layer of temperature-sensitive PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), overlain by 1.75 cm of alternating black and yellow sand. The basal PDMS layer simulates a shale decollement. Decollements in the NFTB are generally developed in the Barail Shale of Oligocene age at 50C (the depth of the Barail Shale is about 2 km and the prevailing geothermal gradient is 25C/km). The sand layers simulate the brittlely behaving sandstones which prevail in the NFTB. All of the models were subjected to 35% compression, as the NFTB experienced similar shortening. The varying deformation velocities were chosen to model differing decollement rheologies. PDMS simulates shale decollement, which is mobile when overpressured and undergoes compression. The rheology of PDMS changes considerably with the applied temperature and strain rate. PDMS, although generally regarded as Newtonian, does behave non-Newtonian at strain rates of 10-3 s-1. The relation between decollement pore fluid overpressure with that of model strain rate, the material rheology, scaled body forces, density of the decollement in nature can be expressed as: λ = 1- [ V ηmodel / f Hmodel ρnatureg Hnature σ*] where λ = coeifficient of pore fluid overpressure in the decollement, V = the deformation velocity with which the models are deforming, ηmodel= viscosity of the decollement material, f = the co efficient of overpressure, and is estimated 0.85 for frictional decollement, Hmodel = thickness of the decollement in the models, ρnature = density of the shale decollement in its natural analogue, g = the acceleration of gravity, Hnature = thickness of the decollement in nature, σ* = the scaled body forces. Hence, it can be suggested that, the value of pore fluid overpressure is dependent on the variables like velocity of the deformation, viscosity and thickness of the model decollement, nature to model ratio of body forces, density and thickness of the natural analogues. The values for natural analogue and model decollement thickness are constant, only the viscosity (dependent on temperature and applied strain rate) varies with different models, in turn altering the co efficient of overpressure values. Rapid shortening rates (model group 1, deforming at a strain rate varying from 4*10-5 s-1 to 4*10-3 s-1) generate more complicated structures than that of those shortening at lower rates (model group 2, deforming at a strain rate varying from 3*10-6 s-1 to 1.6*10-5 s-1). Thrust related folds predominate in model group 1, whereas, thrusts and backthursts dominate in model group 2. Group 1 models display closely spaced horse blocks. Shortening in the horse blocks is accommodated mainly by box folding and they generate fewer backthrusts than group 2 models. Group 2 models develop large spacing between the horse blocks and show structural highs bordered by both forethrusts and backthrusts. The horses are persistent along strike direction. Group 1 models are higher and possess higher structural taper than the group 2 models. In both the models, it is observed that, once a new structure forms, deformation cease to act in the old structure and it is structurally abandoned. Results of these physical models therefore demonstrate very well that the deformation rate and the decollement rheology are the key factors in controlling the structural style of a fold thrust belt. Comparing the modelling results with the published seismic section of the NFTB, it becomes very clear that structures observed in the models of group 2, i.e. those models deformed at slow strain rates, are very close to the deformation structures observed in the NFTB. The seismic section shows a basal decollement forming a low angle thrust that reaches up to the surface. Thrust horses are separated by broad synclines. Furthermore, the data reveal the buried nature of the thrust front with a triangle zone geometry. This observation is in agreement with the results of the group 2 models, which show development of dominantly forward imbricate thrust sequence. Obviously, the deformation evolution and structural features of the NFTB is governed by its weak substrata deforming under slow strain rate resulting in the generation of imbricate thrust zone.

Multiaxis control power from thrust vectoring for a supersonic fighter aircraft model at Mach 0.20 to 2.47

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capone, Francis J.; Bare, E. Ann

1987-01-01

The aeropropulsive characteristics of an advanced twin-engine fighter aircraft designed for supersonic cruise have been studied in the Langley 16-Foot Tansonic Tunnel and the Lewis 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Tunnel. The objective was to determine multiaxis control-power characteristics from thrust vectoring. A two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle was designed to provide yaw vector angles of 0, -10, and -20 deg combined with geometric pitch vector angles of 0 and 15 deg. Yaw thrust vectoring was provided by yaw flaps located in the nozzle sidewalls. Roll control was obtained from differential pitch vectoring. This investigation was conducted at Mach numbers from 0.20 to 2.47. Angle of attack was varied from 0 to about 19 deg, and nozzle pressure ratio was varied from about 1 (jet off) to 28, depending on Mach number. Increments in force or moment coefficient that result from pitch or yaw thrust vectoring remain essentially constant over the entire angle-of-attack range of all Mach numbers tested. There was no effect of pitch vectoring on the lateral aerodynamic forces and moments and only very small effects of yaw vectoring on the longitudinal aerodynamic forces and moments. This result indicates little cross-coupling of control forces and moments for combined pitch-yaw vectoring.

Thrust Vector Control of an Overexpanded Supersonic Nozzle Using Pin Insertion and Rotating Airfoils

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

12 THRUST VECTOR CONTROL OP AN OVEREXPANDED 3UPfRSONIC NOZZLE USING PIN INSERTION AND ROTATINO AIRFOILS THESIS Presented to the Faculty of the School...gather data that would aid in the evaluation of thrust vector control mechanisms for nozzle applications. I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr... Control Nozzle. MS Thesis . Air Force Institute of Technology (AU), Wright- Patterson AFB OH, December 1988. 4. Herup, Eric J. Confined Jet Thrust Vector

Active arc-continent collision: Earthquakes, gravity anomalies, and fault kinematics in the Huon-Finisterre collision zone, Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abers, Geoffrey A.; McCaffrey, Robert

1994-04-01

The Huon-Finisterre island arc terrane is actively colliding with the north edge of the Australian continent. The collision provides a rare opportunity to study continental accretion while it occurs. We examine the geometry and kinematics of the collision by comparing earthquake source parameters to surface fault geometries and plate motions, and we constrain the forces active in the collision by comparing topographic loads to gravity anomalies. Waveform inversion is used to constrain focal mechanisms for 21 shallow earthquakes that occurred between 1966 and 1992 (seismic moment 1017 to 3 × 1020 N m). Twelve earthquakes show thrust faulting at 22-37 km depth. The largest thrust events are on the north side of the Huon Peninsula and are consistent with slip on the Ramu-Markham thrust fault zone, the northeast dipping thrust fault system that bounds the Huon-Finisterre terrane. Thus much of the terrane's crust but little of its mantle is presently being added to the Australian continent. The large thrust earthquakes also reveal a plausible mechanism for the uplift of Pleistocene coral terraces on the north side of the Huon Peninsula. Bouguer gravity anomalies are too negative to allow simple regional compensation of topography and require large additional downward forces to depress the lower plate beneath the Huon Peninsula. With such forces, plate configurations are found that are consistent with observed gravity and basin geometry. Other earthquakes give evidence of deformation above and below the Ramu-Markham thrust system. Four thrust events, 22-27 km depth directly below the Ramu-Markham fault outcrop, are too deep to be part of a planar Ramu-Markham thrust system and may connect to the north dipping Highlands thrust system farther south. Two large strike-slip faulting earthquakes and their aftershocks, in 1970 and 1987, show faulting within the upper plate of the thrust system. The inferred fault planes show slip vectors parallel to those on nearby thrust faults, and may represent small offsets in the overriding plate. These faults, along with small normal-faulting earthquakes beneath the Huon-Finisterre ranges and a 25° along-strike rotation of slip vectors, demonstrate the presence of along-strike extension of the accreting terrane and along-strike compression of the lower plate.

Pulsed thrust measurements using electromagnetic calibration techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang Haibin; Shi Chenbo; Zhang Xin'ai

2011-03-15

A thrust stand for accurately measuring impulse bits, which ranged from 10-1000 {mu}N s using a noncontact electromagnetic calibration technique is described. In particular, a permanent magnet structure was designed to produce a uniform magnetic field, and a multiturn coil was made to produce a calibration force less than 10 mN. The electromagnetic calibration force for pulsed thrust measurements was linear to the coil current and changed less than 2.5% when the distance between the coil and magnet changed 6 mm. A pulsed plasma thruster was first tested on the thrust stand, and afterward five single impulse bits were measuredmore » to give a 310 {mu}N s average impulse bit. Uncertainty of the measured impulse bit was analyzed to evaluate the quality of the measurement and was found to be 10 {mu}N s with 95% credibility.« less

Ultrasonically assisted drilling of rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailova, N. V.; Onawumi, P. Y.; Roy, A.; Silberschmidt, V. V.

2018-05-01

Conventional drilling of rocks can generate significant damage in the drilled material; a material layer is often split off a back surface of a sample during drilling, negatively affecting its strength. To improve finish quality, ultrasonically assisted drilling (UAD) was employed in two rocks - sandstone and marble. Damage areas in both materials were reduced in UAD when compared to conventional drilling. Reductions in a thrust force and a torque reduction were observed only for UAD in marble; ultrasonic assistance in sandstone drilling did not result in improvements in this regard.

Airplane automatic control force trimming device for asymmetric engine failures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Eric C. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

The difference in dynamic pressure in the propeller slipstreams as measured by sensors is divided by the freestream dynamic pressure generating a quantity proportional to the differential thrust coefficient. This quantity is used to command an electric trim motor to change the position of trim tab thereby retrimming the airplane to the new asymmetric power condition. The change in position of the trim tab produced by the electric trim motor is summed with the pilot's input to produce the actual trim tab position.

A linear induction motor with a coated conductor superconducting secondary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xin; Zheng, Shijun; Li, Jing; Ma, Guang Tong; Yen, Fei

2018-07-01

A linear induction motor system composed of a high-Tc superconducting secondary with close-ended coils made of REBCO coated conductor wire was designed and tested experimentally. The measured thrust, normal force and power loss are presented and explained by combining the flux dynamics inside superconductors with existing linear drive theory. It is found that an inherent capacitive component associated to the flux motion of vortices in the Type-II superconductor reduces the impedance of the coils; from such, the associated Lorentz forces are drastically increased. The resulting breakout thrust of the designed linear motor system was found to be extremely high (up to 4.7 kN/m2) while the associated normal forces only a fraction of the thrust. Compared to its conventional counterparts, high-Tc superconducting secondaries appear to be more feasible for use in maglev propulsion and electromagnetic launchers.

Effect of tool geometry and cutting parameters on delamination and thrust forces in drilling CFRP/Al-Li

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Bouami, Souhail; Habak, Malek; Franz, Gérald; Velasco, Raphaël; Vantomme, Pascal

2016-10-01

Composite materials are increasingly used for structural parts in the aeronautic industries. Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) are often used in combination with metallic materials, mostly aluminium alloys. This raises new problems in aircraft assembly. Delamination is one of these problems. In this study, CFRP/Al-Li stacks is used as experimental material for investigation effect of interaction of cutting parameters (cutting speed and feed rate) and tool geometry on delamination and thrust forces in drilling operation. A plan of experiments, based on Taguchi design method, was employed to investigate the influence of tool geometry and in particular the point angle and cutting parameters on delamination and axial effort. The experimental results demonstrate that the feed rate is the major parameter and the importance of tool point angle in delamination and thrust forces in the stacks were shown.

Investigation of microscale dielectric barrier discharge plasma devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zito, Justin C.

This dissertation presents research performed on reduced-scale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators. A first generation of microscale DBD actuators are designed and manufactured using polymeric dielectric layers, and successfully demonstrate operation at reduced scales. The actuators are 1 cm long and vary in width from tens of microns to several millimeters. A thin-film polymer or ceramic material is used as the dielectric barrier with thicknesses from 5 to 20 microns. The devices are characterized for their electrical, fluidic and mechanical performance. With electrical input of 5 kVpp, 1 kHz, the microscale DBD actuators induce a wall jet with velocity reaching up to 2 m/s and produce 3.5 mN/m of thrust, while consuming an average power of 20 W/m. A 5 mN/m plasma body force was observed, acting on the surrounding air. Failure of the microscale DBD actuators is investigated using thermal measurements of the dielectric surface in addition to both optical and scanning electron microscopy. The cause of device failure is identified as erosion of the dielectric surface due to collisions with ions from the discharge. A second generation of microscale actuators is then designed and manufactured using a more reliable dielectric material, namely silicon dioxide. These actuators demonstrate a significant improvement in device lifetime compared with first-generation microscale DBD actuators. The increase in actuator lifetime allowed the electrical, fluidic and mechanical characterization to be repeated over several input voltages and frequencies. At 7 kVpp, 1 kHz, the actuators with SiO2 dielectric induced velocities up to 1.5 m/s and demonstrated 1.4 mN/m of thrust while consuming an average power of 41 W/m. The plasma body force reached up to 2.5 mN/m. Depending on electrical input, the induced velocity and thrust span an order of magnitude in range. Comparisons are made with macroscale DBD actuators which relate the actuator's output performance and power consumption with the mass and volume of the actuator design. The small size and of microscale DBD actuators reduces its weight and power requirements, making them attractive for portable or battery-powered applications (e.g., on UAVs).

Thrust Control Loop Design for Electric-Powered UAV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Heejae; Park, Sanghyuk

2018-04-01

This paper describes a process of designing a thrust control loop for an electric-powered fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a propeller and a motor. In particular, the modeling method of the thrust system for thrust control is described in detail and the propeller thrust and torque force are modeled using blade element theory. A relation between current and torque of the motor is obtained using an experimental setup. Another relation between current, voltage and angular velocity is also obtained. The electric motor and the propeller dynamics are combined to model the thrust dynamics. The associated trim and linearization equations are derived. Then, the thrust dynamics are coupled with the flight dynamics to allow a proper design for the thrust loop in the flight control. The proposed method is validated by an application to a testbed UAV through simulations and flight test.

Formation of the heliospheric boundaries and the induced dynamics of the solar system: a multifluid view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahr, Hans-Jörg

2000-05-01

In many papers in the literature it is shown that wind-driving stars with a peculiar motion relative to the ambient interstellar medium within dynamical time periods form a dynamically adapted astropause as separatrix between the stellar wind plasma and the surrounding interstellar plasma. As we shall show in this chapter stars with an adapted astropause are subject to thrust forces finally acting on the wing-generating central body and thus influencing the stellar motion. Thereby the actual magnitude of the resulting thrust force depends on the actual counterflow configuration of stellar and interstellar winds determined by the particular kinematic situation, i.e. the instantaneous Mach number of the motion relative to the ambient medium. We shall study the sensitivity of this configuration to whether the interstellar flow is sub- or supersonic. The resulting net force is shown to vary in a non-monotonic way with the actual peculiar velocity. For subsonic motions this force generally has an accelerating nature, i.e. operating like a rocket thrust motor, whereas for supersonic motions at supercritical Mach numbers μS≥μS,c, to the contrary, it is of a decelerating nature. For an adequate description of a time-dependent circumstellar flow configuration, we shall use an analytic, hydrodynamic modeling of the counterflow configuration representing the case of a stellar wind system in subsonic or supersonic motion with respect to the local interstellar medium. For the purpose of analytical treatability we assume irrotational and incompressible flows downstream of the inner and outer shocks and give quantitative numbers for forces acting on the central star. We also describe long-period evolutions of star motions and give typical acceleration time periods for different types of wind-driving stars. As we shall emphasize here the dynamical influence of these thrust forces onto the central stellar body requires an understanding of how the presence of the counterflowing interstellar plasma is communicated upstream in the supersonic stellar wind up to the origin of this wind, the stellar corona. The answer we shall give is based on the multifluid character of the relevant counterflow situation invalidating the conventional mono-Mach-number concept of hydrodynamical flows. In fact stellar winds can only be described by a poly-Mach-number concept, with stellar-wind protons being supersonic, with pick-up ions being marginally sonic, and with electrons and anomalous cosmic ray particles being strongly subsonic. We shall present solutions for multifluid counterflow configurations based on computational simulations in which a consistent picture of the interaction of all these different species is given. Our final conclusion is that already the solar wind when passing over the Earth's orbit tells us about the interstellar medium beyond the heliopause.

Design, fabrication, and characterization of multifunctional wings to harvest solar energy in flapping wing air vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Rosado, Ariel; Gehlhar, Rachel D.; Nolen, Savannah; Gupta, Satyandra K.; Bruck, Hugh A.

2015-06-01

Currently, flapping wing unmanned aerial vehicles (a.k.a., ornithopters or robotic birds) sustain very short duration flight due to limited on-board energy storage capacity. Therefore, energy harvesting elements, such as flexible solar cells, need to be used as materials in critical components, such as wing structures, to increase operational performance. In this paper, we describe a layered fabrication method that was developed for realizing multifunctional composite wings for a unique robotic bird we developed, known as Robo Raven, by creating compliant wing structure from flexible solar cells. The deformed wing shape and aerodynamic lift/thrust loads were characterized throughout the flapping cycle to understand wing mechanics. A multifunctional performance analysis was developed to understand how integration of solar cells into the wings influences flight performance under two different operating conditions: (1) directly powering wings to increase operation time, and (2) recharging batteries to eliminate need for external charging sources. The experimental data is then used in the analysis to identify a performance index for assessing benefits of multifunctional compliant wing structures. The resulting platform, Robo Raven III, was the first demonstration of a robotic bird that flew using energy harvested from solar cells. We developed three different versions of the wing design to validate the multifunctional performance analysis. It was also determined that residual thrust correlated to shear deformation of the wing induced by torsional twist, while biaxial strain related to change in aerodynamic shape correlated to lift. It was also found that shear deformation of the solar cells induced changes in power output directly correlating to thrust generation associated with torsional deformation. Thus, it was determined that multifunctional solar cell wings may be capable of three functions: (1) lightweight and flexible structure to generate aerodynamic forces, (2) energy harvesting to extend operational time and autonomy, and (3) sensing of an aerodynamic force associated with wing deformation.

A flow visualization study of single-arm sculling movement emulating cephalopod thrust generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazakidi, Asimina; Gnanamanickam, Ebenezer P.; Tsakiris, Dimitris P.; Ekaterinaris, John A.

2014-11-01

In addition to jet propulsion, octopuses use arm-swimming motion as an effective means of generating bursts of thrust, for hunting, defense, or escape. The individual role of their arms, acting as thrust generators during this motion, is still under investigation, in view of an increasing robotic interest for alternative modes of propulsion, inspired by the octopus. Computational studies have revealed that thrust generation is associated with complex vortical flow patterns in the wake of the moving arm, however further experimental validation is required. Using the hydrogen bubble technique, we studied the flow disturbance around a single octopus-like robotic arm, undergoing two-stroke sculling movements in quiescent fluid. Although simplified, sculling profiles have been found to adequately capture the fundamental kinematics of the octopus arm-swimming behavior. In fact, variation of the sculling parameters alters considerably the generation of forward thrust. Flow visualization revealed the generation of complex vortical structures around both rigid and compliant arms. Increased disturbance was evident near the tip, particularly at the transitional phase between recovery and power strokes. These results are in good qualitative agreement with computational and robotic studies. Work funded by the ESF-GSRT HYDRO-ROB Project PE7(281).

Simulation of friction stir drilling process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayabaskar, P.; Hynes, N. Rajesh Jesudoss

2018-05-01

The project is the study of the thermal drilling process. The process is a hole forming process in the sheet metals using the heat generated by means of friction. The main advantage of the process over the conventional drilling process is that the holes formed using this process does not need any backing arrangements such as weld nuts, rivet nuts etc. Because the extruded bush itself acts as a supporting structure for the fasteners. This eliminates the need for the access to the backside of the work material for fastening operations. The major factors contributing the thermal drilling operation are the spindle speed and the thrust force required for forming a hole. The process of finding out the suitable thrust force and the speed for drilling a particular material with particular thickness is a tedious process. The process can be simplified by forming a mathematical model by combining the empirical formulae from the literature. These formulae were derived in the literature from the experimental trials by following certain assumptions. In this paper a suitable mathematical model is formed by replicating the experiments and tried to be validated by the results from numerical analysis. The numerical analysis of the model is done using the ANSYS software.

Large-Eddy Simulation of Crashback in a Ducted Propulsor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyunchul; Mahesh, Krishnan

2011-11-01

Crashback is an operating condition to quickly stop a propelled vehicle, where the propeller is rotated in the reverse direction to yield negative thrust. The crashback condition is dominated by the interaction of free stream flow with strong reverse flow. Crashback causes highly unsteady loads and flow separation on blade surface. This study uses Large-Eddy Simulation to predict the highly unsteady flow field in crashback for a ducted propulsor. Thrust mostly arises from the blade surface, but most of side-force is generated from the duct surface. Both mean and RMS of pressure are much higher on inner surface of duct, especially near blade tips. This implies that side-force on the ducted propulsor is caused by the blade-duct interaction. Strong tip leakage flow is observed behind the suction side at the tip gap. The physical source of the tip leakage flow is seen to be the large pressure difference between pressure and suction sides. The conditional average during high amplitude event shows that the tip leakage flow and pressure difference are significantly higher. This work is supported by the United States Office of Naval Research under ONR Grant N00014-05-1-0003.

Design analysis and performance assessment of hybrid magnetic bearings for a rotary centrifugal blood pump.

PubMed

Ren, Zhaohui; Jahanmir, Said; Heshmat, Hooshang; Hunsberger, Andrew Z; Walton, James F

2009-01-01

A hybrid magnetic bearing system was designed for a rotary centrifugal blood pump being developed to provide long-term circulatory support for heart failure patients. This design consists of two compact bearings to suspend the rotor in five degrees-of-freedom with single axis active control. Permanent magnets are used to provide passive radial support and electromagnets to maintain axial stability of the rotor. Characteristics of the passive radial and active thrust magnetic bearing system were evaluated by the electromagnetic finite element analysis. A proportional-integral-derivative controller with force balance algorithm was implemented for closed loop control of the magnetic thrust bearing. The control position is continuously adjusted based on the electrical energy in the bearing coils, and thus passive magnetic forces carry static thrust loads to minimize the bearing current. Performance of the magnetic bearing system with associated control algorithm was evaluated at different operating conditions. The bearing current was significantly reduced with the force balance control method and the power consumption was below 0.5 W under various thrust loads. The bearing parameters predicted by the analysis were validated by the experimental data.

Nondestructive evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, S.

1993-03-01

This report discusses Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) thrust area which supports initiatives that advance inspection science and technology. The goal of the NDE thrust area is to provide cutting-edge technologies that have promise of inspection tools three to five years in the future. In selecting projects, the thrust area anticipates the needs of existing and future Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) programs. NDE provides materials characterization inspections, finished parts, and complex objects to find flaws and fabrication defects and to determine their physical and chemical characteristics. NDE also encompasses process monitoring and control sensors and the monitoring of in-service damage. For concurrent engineering, NDE becomes a frontline technology and strongly impacts issues of certification and of life prediction and extension. In FY-92, in addition to supporting LLNL programs and the activities of nuclear weapons contractors, NDE has initiated several projects with government agencies and private industries to study aging infrastructures and to advance manufacturing processes. Examples of these projects are (1) the Aging Airplanes Inspection Program for the Federal Aviation Administration, (2) Signal Processing of Acoustic Signatures of Heart Valves for Shiley, Inc., and (3) Turbine Blade Inspection for the Air Force, jointly with Southwest Research Institute and Garrett. In FY-92, the primary contributions of the NDE thrust area, described in this report, were in fieldable chemical sensor systems, computed tomography, and laser generation and detection of ultrasonic energy.

Initiation of a thrust fault revealed by analog experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotare, Tatsuya; Yamada, Yasuhiro; Adam, Juergen; Hori, Takane; Sakaguchi, Hide

2016-08-01

To reveal in detail the process of initiation of a thrust fault, we conducted analog experiments with dry quartz sand using a high-resolution digital image correlation technique to identify minor shear-strain patterns for every 27 μm of shortening (with an absolute displacement accuracy of 0.5 μm). The experimental results identified a number of "weak shear bands" and minor uplift prior to the initiation of a thrust in cross-section view. The observations suggest that the process is closely linked to the activity of an adjacent existing thrust, and can be divided into three stages. Stage 1 is characterized by a series of abrupt and short-lived weak shear bands at the location where the thrust will subsequently be generated. The area that will eventually be the hanging wall starts to uplift before the fault forms. The shear strain along the existing thrust decreases linearly during this stage. Stage 2 is defined by the generation of the new thrust and active displacements along it, identified by the shear strain along the thrust. The location of the new thrust may be constrained by its back-thrust, generally produced at the foot of the surface slope. The activity of the existing thrust falls to zero once the new thrust is generated, although these two events are not synchronous. Stage 3 of the thrust is characterized by a constant displacement that corresponds to the shortening applied to the model. Similar minor shear bands have been reported in the toe area of the Nankai accretionary prism, SW Japan. By comparing several transects across this subduction margin, we can classify the lateral variations in the structural geometry into the same stages of deformation identified in our experiments. Our findings may also be applied to the evaluation of fracture distributions in thrust belts during unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and production.

53. THRUST SECTION HEATER AND GASEOUS NITROGEN PURGE CONTROLS ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

53. THRUST SECTION HEATER AND GASEOUS NITROGEN PURGE CONTROLS ON EAST SIDE OF LAUNCH DECK. LAUNCHER IN BACKGROUND. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Design of Force Sensor Leg for a Rocket Thrust Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woten, Douglas; McGehee, Tripp; Wright, Anne

2005-03-01

A hybrid rocket is composed of a solid fuel and a separate liquid or gaseous oxidizer. These rockets may be throttled like liquid rockets, are safer than solid rockets, and are much less complex than liquid rockets. However, hybrid rockets produce thrust oscillations that are not practical for large scale use. A lab scale hybrid rocket at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) Hybrid Rocket Facility is used to develop sensors to measure physical properties of hybrid rockets. Research is currently being conducted to design a six degree of freedom force sensor to measure the thrust and torque in all three spacial dimensions. The detector design uses six force sensor legs. Each leg utilizes strain gauges and a Wheatstone bridge to produce a voltage propotional to the force on the leg. The leg was designed using the CAD software ProEngineer and ProMechanica. Computer models of the strains on the single leg will be presented. A prototype leg was built and was tested in an INSTRON and results will be presented.

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Leslie; Johnson, Les; Brown, Norman S. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system to generate thrust in space by decreasing the orbital altitude of a Delta 11 Expendable Launch Vehicle second stage. ProSEDS, which is planned on an Air Force GPS Satellite replacement mission in June 2002, will use the flight proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5 km bare wire plus 10 km non-conducting Dyneema) from a Delta 11 second stage to achieve approx. 0.4N drag thrust. ProSEDS will utilize the tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. The ProSEDS instrumentation includes Langmuir probes and Differential Ion Flux Probes, which will determine the characteristics of the ambient ionospheric plasma. Two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers will be used (one on the Delta and one on the endmass) to help determine tether dynamics and to limit transmitter operations to occasions when the spacecraft is over selected ground stations. The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission, which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. An immediate application of ProSEDS technology is for the removal of spent satellites for orbital debris mitigation. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer and debris mitigation it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere.

Channel-wing System for Thrust Deflection and Force/Moment Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englar, Robert J. (Inventor); Bushnell, Dennis M. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An aircraft comprising a Channel Wing having blown c h - ne1 circulation control wings (CCW) for various functions. The blown channel CCW includes a channel that has a rounded or near-round trailing edge. The channel further has a trailing-edge slot that is adjacent to the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The trailing-edge slot has an inlet connected to a source of pressurized air and is capable of tangentially discharging pressurized air over the rounded trailing edge. The aircraft further has a propeller that is located in the channel and ahead of the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The propeller provides a propeller thrust exhaust stream across the channel wing to propel the aircraft through the air and to provide high lift. The pressurized air being discharged over the rounded trailing edge provides a high lift that is obtained independent of an aircraft angle of attack, thus preventing the asymmetry. separated flow, and stall experienced by the CC wing at the high angle of attack it required for high lift generation. The aircraft can further include blown outboard circulation control wings (CCW) that are synergistically connected to the blown channel CCWs. The blown outboard CCWs provide additional high lift, control thrust/drag interchange, and can provide all three aerodynamic moments when differential blowing is applied front-to-rear or left-to-right. Both the blown channel CCW and the outboard CCW also have leading-edge blowing slots to prevent flow separation or to provide aerodynamic moments for control.

Fluid lubricated bearing assembly

DOEpatents

Boorse, Henry A.; Boeker, Gilbert F.; Menke, John R.

1976-01-01

1. A support for a loaded rotatable shaft comprising in combination on a housing having a fluid-tight cavity encasing an end portion of said shaft, a thrust bearing near the open end of said cavity for supporting the axial thrust of said shaft, said thrust bearing comprising a thrust plate mounted in said housing and a thrust collar mounted on said shaft, said thrust plate having a central opening the peripheral portion of which is hermetically sealed to said housing at the open end of said cavity, and means for supplying a fluid lubricant to said thrust bearing, said thrust bearing having a lubricant-conducting path connecting said lubricant supplying means with the space between said thrust plate and collar intermediate the peripheries thereof, the surfaces of said plate and collar being constructed and arranged to inhibit radial flow of lubricant and, on rotation of said thrust collar, to draw lubricant through said path between the bearing surfaces and to increase the pressure therebetween and in said cavity and thereby exert a supporting force on said end portion of said shaft.

Powered Descent Guidance with General Thrust-Pointing Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carson, John M., III; Acikmese, Behcet; Blackmore, Lars

2013-01-01

The Powered Descent Guidance (PDG) algorithm and software for generating Mars pinpoint or precision landing guidance profiles has been enhanced to incorporate thrust-pointing constraints. Pointing constraints would typically be needed for onboard sensor and navigation systems that have specific field-of-view requirements to generate valid ground proximity and terrain-relative state measurements. The original PDG algorithm was designed to enforce both control and state constraints, including maximum and minimum thrust bounds, avoidance of the ground or descent within a glide slope cone, and maximum speed limits. The thrust-bound and thrust-pointing constraints within PDG are non-convex, which in general requires nonlinear optimization methods to generate solutions. The short duration of Mars powered descent requires guaranteed PDG convergence to a solution within a finite time; however, nonlinear optimization methods have no guarantees of convergence to the global optimal or convergence within finite computation time. A lossless convexification developed for the original PDG algorithm relaxed the non-convex thrust bound constraints. This relaxation was theoretically proven to provide valid and optimal solutions for the original, non-convex problem within a convex framework. As with the thrust bound constraint, a relaxation of the thrust-pointing constraint also provides a lossless convexification that ensures the enhanced relaxed PDG algorithm remains convex and retains validity for the original nonconvex problem. The enhanced PDG algorithm provides guidance profiles for pinpoint and precision landing that minimize fuel usage, minimize landing error to the target, and ensure satisfaction of all position and control constraints, including thrust bounds and now thrust-pointing constraints.

Design and Analysis of an Electromagnetic Thrust Bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerjee, Bibhuti; Rao, Dantam K.

1996-01-01

A double-acting electromagnetic thrust bearing is normally used to counter the axial loads in many rotating machines that employ magnetic bearings. It essentially consists of an actuator and drive electronics. Existing thrust bearing design programs are based on several assumptions. These assumptions, however, are often violated in practice. For example, no distinction is made between maximum external loads and maximum bearing forces, which are assumed to be identical. Furthermore, it is assumed that the maximum flux density in the air gap occurs at the nominal gap position of the thrust runner. The purpose of this paper is to present a clear theoretical basis for the design of the electromagnetic thrust bearing which obviates such assumptions.

Rapid prototype fabrication processes for high-performance thrust cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, K.; Chwiedor, T.; Diab, J.; Williams, R.

1994-01-01

The Thrust Cell Technologies Program (Air Force Phillips Laboratory Contract No. F04611-92-C-0050) is currently being performed by Rocketdyne to demonstrate advanced materials and fabrication technologies which can be utilized to produce low-cost, high-performance thrust cells for launch and space transportation rocket engines. Under Phase 2 of the Thrust Cell Technologies Program (TCTP), rapid prototyping and investment casting techniques are being employed to fabricate a 12,000-lbf thrust class combustion chamber for delivery and hot-fire testing at Phillips Lab. The integrated process of investment casting directly from rapid prototype patterns dramatically reduces design-to-delivery cycle time, and greatly enhances design flexibility over conventionally processed cast or machined parts.

A lifting surface theory for thrust augmenting ejectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bevilaqua, P. M.

1977-01-01

The circulation theory of airfoil lift has been applied to calculate the performance of thrust augmenting ejectors. The ejector shroud is considered to be 'flying' in the secondary velocity field induced by the entrainment of the primary jet, so that the augmenting thrust is viewed as analogous to the lift on an airfoil. Vortex lattice methods are utilized to compute the thrust augmentation from the force on the flaps. The augmentation is shown to be a function of the length and shape of the flaps, as well as their position and orientation. Predictions of this new theory are compared with the results of classical methods of calculating the augmentation by integration of the stream thrust.

On the role of tip curvature on flapping plates.

PubMed

Martin, Nathan; Gharib, Morteza

2018-01-09

During the flapping motion of a fish's tail, the caudal fin exhibits antero-posterior bending and dorso-ventral bending, the latter of which is referred to as chord-wise bending herein. The impact of chord-wise tip curvature on the hydrodynamic forces for flapping plates is investigated to explore potential mechanisms to improve the maneuverability or the performance of autonomous underwater vehicles. First, actuated chord-wise tip curvature is explored. Comparison of rigid curved geometries to a rigid flat plate as a baseline suggests that an increased curvature decreases the generated forces. An actuated plate with a dynamic tip curvature is created to illustrate a modulation of this decrease in forces. Second, the impact of curvature is isolated using curved plates with an identical planform area. Comparison of rigid curved geometries as a baseline corroborates the result that an increased curvature decreases the generated forces, with the exception that presenting a concave geometry into the flow increases the thrust and the efficiency. A passively-actuated plate is designed to capitalize on this effect by presenting a concave geometry into the flow throughout the cycle. The dynamically and passively actuated plates show potential to improve the maneuverability and the efficiency of autonomous underwater vehicles, respectively.

Transitions in the vortex wake behind the plunging profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozłowski, Tomasz; Kudela, Henryk

2014-12-01

In this study we investigate numerically the vortex wake formation behind the profile performing simple harmonic motion known in the literature as plunging. This research was inspired by the flapping motion which is appropriate for birds, insects and fishes. We assume the two dimensional model of flow. Depending on the parameters such as plunging amplitude, frequency and the Reynolds number, we demonstrate many different types of vortex street behind the profile. It is well known that the type of vortex wake determines the hydrodynamic forces acting on the profile. Dependences of the plunging amplitude, the Strouhal number and various topology vortices are established by constructing the phase transition diagram. The areas in the diagram related to the drag, thrust, and lift force generation are captured. We notice also the areas where the vorticity field is disordered. The disordered vorticity field does not allow maintenance of the periodic forces on the profile. An increase in the Reynolds number leads to the transition of the vortex wake behind the profile. The transition is caused by the phenomenon of boundary layer eruption. Further increase of the Reynolds number causes the vortex street related to the generation of the lift force to vanish.

Underwater thrust and power generation using flexible piezoelectric composites: an experimental investigation toward self-powered swimmer-sensor platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erturk, Alper; Delporte, Ghislain

2011-12-01

Fiber-based flexible piezoelectric composites offer several advantages to use in energy harvesting and biomimetic locomotion. These advantages include ease of application, high power density, effective bending actuation, silent operation over a range of frequencies, and light weight. Piezoelectric materials exhibit the well-known direct and converse piezoelectric effects. The direct piezoelectric effect has received growing attention for low-power generation to use in wireless electronic applications while the converse piezoelectric effect constitutes an alternative to replace the conventional actuators used in biomimetic locomotion. In this paper, underwater thrust and electricity generation are investigated experimentally by focusing on biomimetic structures with macro-fiber composite piezoelectrics. Fish-like bimorph configurations with and without a passive caudal fin (tail) are fabricated and compared. The favorable effect of having a passive caudal fin on the frequency bandwidth is reported. The presence of a passive caudal fin is observed to bring the second bending mode close to the first one, yielding a wideband behavior in thrust generation. The same smart fish configuration is tested for underwater piezoelectric power generation in response to harmonic excitation from its head. Resonant piezohydroelastic actuation is reported to generate milli-newton level hydrodynamic thrust using milli-watt level actuation power input. The average actuation power requirement for generating a mean thrust of 19 mN at 6 Hz using a 10 g piezoelastic fish with a caudal fin is measured as 120 mW. This work also discusses the feasibility of thrust generation using the harvested energy toward enabling self-powered swimmer-sensor platforms with comparisons based on the capacity levels of structural thin-film battery layers as well as harvested solar and vibrational energy.

Thrust measurements of a complete axisymmetric scramjet in an impulse facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paull, A.; Stalker, R. J.; Mee, D.

1995-01-01

This paper describes tests which were conducted in the hypersonic impulse facility T4 on a fully integrated axisymmetric scramjet configuration. In these tests the net force on the scramjet vehicle was measured using a deconvolution force balance. This measurement technique and its application to a complex model such as the scramjet are discussed. Results are presented for the scramjet's aerodynamic drag and the net force on the scramjet when fuel is injected into the combustion chambers. It is shown that a scramjet using a hydrogen-silane fuel produces greater thrust than its aerodynamic drag at flight speeds equivalent to 260 m/s.

Annular Internal-External-Expansion Rocket Nozzles for Large Booster Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connors, James F.; Cubbison, Robert W.; Mitchell, Glenn A.

1961-01-01

For large-thrust booster applications, annular rocket nozzles employing both internal and external expansion are investigated. In these nozzles, free-stream air flows through the center as well as around the outside of the exiting jet. Flaps for deflecting the rocket exhaust are incorporated on the external-expansion surface for thrust-vector control. In order to define nozzle off-design performance, thrust vectoring effectiveness, and external stream effects, an experimental investigation was conducted on two annular nozzles with area ratios of 15 and 25 at Mach 0, 2, and 3 in the Lewis 10- by 10-foot wind tunnel. Air, pressurized to 600 pounds per square inch absolute, was used to simulate the exhaust flow. For a nozzle-pressure-ratio range of 40 to 1000, the ratio of actual to ideal thrust was essentially constant at 0.98 for both nozzles. Compared with conventional convergent-divergent configurations on hypothetical boost missions, the performance gains of the annular nozzle could yield significant orbital payload increases (possibly 8 to 17 percent). A single flap on the external-expansion surface of the area-ratio-25 annular nozzle produced a side force equal to 4 percent of the axial force with no measurable loss in axial thrust.

Measurement of Pressure Fluctuations inside a Model Thrust Bearing Using PVDF Sensors

PubMed Central

Youssef, Andrew; Matthews, David; Guzzomi, Andrew; Pan, Jie

2017-01-01

Thrust bearings play a vital role in propulsion systems. They rely on a thin layer of oil being trapped between rotating surfaces to produce a low friction interface. The “quality” of this bearing affects many things from noise transmission to the ultimate catastrophic failure of the bearing itself. As a result, the direct measure of the forces and vibrations within the oil filled interface would be very desirable and would give an indication of the condition of the bearing in situ. The thickness of the oil film is, however, very small and conventional vibration sensors are too cumbersome to use in this confined space. This paper solves this problem by using a piezoelectric polymer film made from Polyvinylidine Fluoride (PVDF). These films are very thin (50 μm) and flexible and easy to install in awkward spaces such as the inside of a thrust bearing. A model thrust bearing was constructed using a 3D printer and PVDF films inserted into the base of the bearing. In doing so, it was possible to directly measure the force fluctuations due to the rotating pads and investigate various properties of the thrust bearing itself. PMID:28420152

Measurement of Pressure Fluctuations inside a Model Thrust Bearing Using PVDF Sensors.

PubMed

Youssef, Andrew; Matthews, David; Guzzomi, Andrew; Pan, Jie

2017-04-16

Thrust bearings play a vital role in propulsion systems. They rely on a thin layer of oil being trapped between rotating surfaces to produce a low friction interface. The "quality" of this bearing affects many things from noise transmission to the ultimate catastrophic failure of the bearing itself. As a result, the direct measure of the forces and vibrations within the oil filled interface would be very desirable and would give an indication of the condition of the bearing in situ. The thickness of the oil film is, however, very small and conventional vibration sensors are too cumbersome to use in this confined space. This paper solves this problem by using a piezoelectric polymer film made from Polyvinylidine Fluoride (PVDF). These films are very thin (50 m) and flexible and easy to install in awkward spaces such as the inside of a thrust bearing. A model thrust bearing was constructed using a 3D printer and PVDF films inserted into the base of the bearing. In doing so, it was possible to directly measure the force fluctuations due to the rotating pads and investigate various properties of the thrust bearing itself.

Swimming activity in marine fish.

PubMed

Wardle, C S

1985-01-01

Marine fish are capable of swimming long distances in annual migrations; they are also capable of high-speed dashes of short duration, and they can occupy small home territories for long periods with little activity. There is a large effect of fish size on the distance fish migrate at slow swimming speeds. When chased by a fishing trawl the effect of fish size on swimming performance can decide their fate. The identity and thickness of muscle used at each speed and evidence for the timing of myotomes used during the body movement cycle can be detected using electromyogram (EMG) electrodes. The cross-sectional area of muscle needed to maintain different swimming speeds can be predicted by relating the swimming drag force to the muscle force. At maximum swimming speed one completed cycle of swimming force is derived in sequence from the whole cross-sectional area of the muscles along the two sides of the fish. This and other aspects of the swimming cycle suggest that each myotome might be responsible for generating forces involved in particular stages of the tail sweep. The thick myotomes at the head end shorten during the peak thrust of the tail blade whereas the thinner myotomes nearer the tail generate stiffness appropriate for transmission of these forces and reposition the tail for the next cycle.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Nozzle Plume Impingement on Spacecraft Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ketsdever, A. D.; Lilly, T. C.; Gimelshein, S. F.; Alexeenko, A. A.

2005-05-01

An experimental and numerical effort was undertaken to assess the effects of a cold gas (To=300K) nozzle plume impinging on a simulated spacecraft surface. The nozzle flow impingement is investigated experimentally using a nano-Newton resolution force balance and numerically using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) numerical technique. The Reynolds number range investigated in this study is from 0.5 to approximately 900 using helium and nitrogen propellants. The thrust produced by the nozzle was first assessed on a force balance to provide a baseline case. Subsequently, an aluminum plate was attached to the same force balance at various angles from 0° (parallel to the plume flow) to 10°. For low Reynolds number helium flow, a 16.5% decrease in thrust was measured for the plate at 0° relative to the free plume expansion case. For low Reynolds number nitrogen flow, the difference was found to be 12%. The thrust degradation was found to decrease at higher Reynolds numbers and larger plate angles.

Analogy between a flapping wing and a wind turbine with a vertical axis of revolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorelov, D. N.

2009-03-01

Based on an analysis of available experimental data, the hypothesis about an analogy between a flapping wing and a wind turbine of the Darrieus rotor type is justified. It is demonstrated that the torque on the shaft of the Darrieus rotor is generated by thrust forces acting on the blades in a pulsed flow. A conclusion is drawn that it is necessary to perform aerodynamic calculations of blades on the basis of the nonlinear theory of the wing in an unsteady flow with allowance for the airfoil thickness.

IPD 100% Power Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-12

The Integrated Powerhead Demonstration engine was fired at 100 percent power for the first time July 12, 2006 at NASA Stennis Space Center's E Test Complex. The IPD, which can generate about 250,000 pounds of thrust, is a reusable engine system whose technologies could one day help Americans return to the moon, and travel to Mars and beyond. The IPD engine has been designed, developed and tested through the combined efforts of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Aerojet, under the direction of the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

EC96-43479-5

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-03-22

During the final phase of tests with the HARV, Dryden technicians installed nose strakes, which were panels that fitted flush against the sides of the forward nose. When the HARV was at a high alpha, the aerodynamics of the nose caused a loss of directional stability. Extending one or both of the strakes results in strong side forces that, in turn, generated yaw control. This approach, along with the aircraft's Thrust Vectoring Control system, proved to be stability under flight conditions in which conventional surfaces, such as the vertical tails, were ineffective.

Operationalizing Special Operations Aviation in Indonesia

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-15

special operations forces Builder: Lockheed Power Plant: Four Allison T56 -A-15 turboprop engines Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower each engine...Builder: Lockheed Power Plant: Four Allison T56 -A-15 turboprop engines Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower each engine Length: 98 feet, 9 inches (30.09

Design and characterization of a nano-Newton resolution thrust stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soni, J.; Roy, S.

2013-09-01

The paper describes the design, calibration, and characterization of a thrust stand capable of nano-Newton resolution. A low uncertainty calibration method is proposed and demonstrated. A passive eddy current based damper, which is non-contact and vacuum compatible, is employed. Signal analysis techniques are used to perform noise characterization, and potential sources are identified. Calibrated system noise floor suggests thrust measurement resolution of the order of 10 nN is feasible under laboratory conditions. Force measurement from this balance for a standard macroscale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator is benchmarked with a commercial precision balance of 9.8 μN resolution and is found to be in good agreement. Published results of a microscale DBD plasma actuator force measurement and low pressure characterization of conventional plasma actuators are presented for completeness.

Design and optimization of a modal- independent linear ultrasonic motor.

PubMed

Zhou, Shengli; Yao, Zhiyuan

2014-03-01

To simplify the design of the linear ultrasonic motor (LUSM) and improve its output performance, a method of modal decoupling for LUSMs is proposed in this paper. The specific embodiment of this method is decoupling of the traditional LUSM stator's complex vibration into two simple vibrations, with each vibration implemented by one vibrator. Because the two vibrators are designed independently, their frequencies can be tuned independently and frequency consistency is easy to achieve. Thus, the method can simplify the design of the LUSM. Based on this method, a prototype modal- independent LUSM is designed and fabricated. The motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 47 N, maximum unloaded speed of 0.43 m/s, and maximum power of 7.85 W at applied voltage of 200 Vpp. The motor's structure is then optimized by controlling the difference between the two vibrators' resonance frequencies to reach larger output speed, thrust, and power. The optimized results show that when the frequency difference is 73 Hz, the output force, speed, and power reach their maximum values. At the input voltage of 200 Vpp, the motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 64.2 N, maximum unloaded speed of 0.76 m/s, maximum power of 17.4 W, maximum thrust-weight ratio of 23.7, and maximum efficiency of 39.6%.

Pulsed Electric Propulsion Thrust Stand Calibration Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Andrea R.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Pearson, J. Boise

2011-01-01

The evaluation of the performance of any propulsion device requires the accurate measurement of thrust. While chemical rocket thrust is typically measured using a load cell, the low thrust levels associated with electric propulsion (EP) systems necessitate the use of much more sensitive measurement techniques. The design and development of electric propulsion thrust stands that employ a conventional hanging pendulum arm connected to a balance mechanism consisting of a secondary arm and variable linkage have been reported in recent publications by Polzin et al. These works focused on performing steady-state thrust measurements and employed a static analysis of the thrust stand response. In the present work, we present a calibration method and data that will permit pulsed thrust measurements using the Variable Amplitude Hanging Pendulum with Extended Range (VAHPER) thrust stand. Pulsed thrust measurements are challenging in general because the pulsed thrust (impulse bit) occurs over a short timescale (typically 1 micros to 1 millisecond) and cannot be resolved directly. Consequently, the imparted impulse bit must be inferred through observation of the change in thrust stand motion effected by the pulse. Pulsed thrust measurements have typically only consisted of single-shot operation. In the present work, we discuss repetition-rate pulsed thruster operation and describe a method to perform these measurements. The thrust stand response can be modeled as a spring-mass-damper system with a repetitive delta forcing function to represent the impulsive action of the thruster.

Experimental measurement of dolphin thrust generated during a tail stand using DPIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Timothy; Fish, Frank; Williams, Terrie; Wu, Vicki; Sherman, Erica; Misfeldt, Mitchel; Ringenberg, Hunter; Rogers, Dylan

2016-11-01

The thrust generated by dolphins doing tail stands was measured using DPIV. The technique entailed measuring vortex strength associated with the tail motion and correlating it to above water video sequences showing the amount of the dolphin's body that was being lifted out of the water. The underlying drivers for this research included: i) understanding the physiology, hydrodynamics and efficiency of dolphin locomotion, ii) developing non-invasive measurement techniques for studying marine swimming and iii) quantifying the actual propulsive capabilities of these animals. Two different bottlenose dolphins at the Long Marine Lab at UC-Santa Cruz were used as test subjects. Application of the Kutta-Joukowski Theorem on measured vortex circulations yielded thrust values that were well correlated with estimates of dolphin body weight being supported above water. This demonstrates that the tail motion can be interpreted as a flapping hydrofoil that can generate a sustained thrust roughly equal to the dolphin's weight. Videos of DPIV measurements overlaid with the dolphins will be presented along with thrust/weight data.

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Solid Rocket ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Solid Rocket Booster Disassembly & Refurbishment Complex, Thrust Vector Control Deservicing Facility, Hangar Road, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

Magnetic docking aid for orbiter to ISS docking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, William C.; Nagy, Kornel; Schliesing, John A.

1996-01-01

The present docking system for the Orbiter uses mechanical capture latches that are actuated by contact forces. The forces are generated when the two approaching masses collide at the docking mechanism. There is always a trade-off between having high enough momentum to effect capture and low enough momentum to avoid structural overload or unacceptable angular displacements. The use of the present docking system includes a contact thrusting maneuver that causes high docking loads to be included into Space Station. A magnetic docking aid has been developed to reduce the load s during docking. The magnetic docking aid is comprised of two extendible booms that are attached adjacent to the docking structure with electromagnets attached on the end of the boom. On the mating vehicle, two steel plates are attached. As the Orbiter approaches Space Station, the booms are extended, and the magnets attach to the actuated (without thrusting), by slowly driving the extendible booms to the stowed position, thus reacting the load into the booms. This results in a docking event that has lower loads induced into Space Station structure. This method also greatly simplifies the Station berthing tasks, since the Shuttle Remote Manipulation System (SRMS) arm need only place the element to be berthed on the magnets (no load required), rather than firing the Reaction Control System (RCS) jets to provide the required force for capture latch actuation. The Magnetic Docking Aid was development testing on a six degree-of-freedom (6 DOF) system at JSC.

Inertia and Couple-Stress Effects in a Curvilinear Thrust Hydrostatic Bearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walicka, A.; Jurczak, P.; Falicki, J.

2017-08-01

The flow of a couple-stress lubricant in a clearance of a curvilinear thrust hydrostatic bearing with impermeable walls is considered. The flow in the bearing clearance is considered with inertia forces. The equations of motion are solved by an averaged inertia method. As a result, the formulae for pressure distributions without and with inertia effects were obtained. Radial thrust bearings and spherical bearings are discussed as numerical examples. It is shown that inertia effects influence the bearing performance considerably.

Shock Control and Power Extraction by MHD Processes in Hypersonic Air Flow

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

green) directions. The lower curve is smoothed to remove the pulser induced oscillations. E. Modeling of Hypersonic Aerodynamic Control and Thrust ...combination of deceleration near the surface and acceleration of the outer flow at XzO. 5 , to only acceleration ( thrust ) at y=l (Fig. 19). 1 - 1 - f...7 8 9 10 M Figure 20. Thrust (F.) and lift (AL) forces, their ratio (AL/AD), and the MHD deposited power versus Mach number for MHD accelerator with X

Investigation of advanced thrust vectoring exhaust systems for high speed propulsive lift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutchison, R. A.; Petit, J. E.; Capone, F. J.; Whittaker, R. W.

1980-01-01

The paper presents the results of a wind tunnel investigation conducted at the NASA-Langley research center to determine thrust vectoring/induced lift characteristics of advanced exhaust nozzle concepts installed on a supersonic tactical airplane model. Specific test objectives include: (1) basic aerodynamics of a wing body configuration, (2) investigation of induced lift effects, (3) evaluation of static and forward speed performance, and (4) the effectiveness of a canard surface to trim thrust vectoring/induced lift forces and moments.

Notched K-wire for low thermal damage bone drilling.

PubMed

Liu, Yao; Belmont, Barry; Wang, Yiwen; Tai, Bruce; Holmes, James; Shih, Albert

2017-07-01

The Kirschner wire (K-wire) is a common bone drilling tool in orthopedic surgery to affix fractured bone. Significant heat is produced due to both the cutting and the friction between the K-wire and the bone debris during drilling. Such heat can result in high temperatures, leading to osteonecrosis and other secondary injuries. To reduce thermal injury and other high-temperature associated complications, a new K-wire design with three notches along the three-plane trocar tip fabricated using a thin micro-saw tool is studied. These notches evacuate bone debris and reduce the clogging and heat generation during bone drilling. A set of four K-wires, one without notches and three notched, with depths of 0.5, 0.75, and 1mm, are evaluated. Bone drilling experiments conducted on bovine cortical bone show that notched K-wires could effectively decrease the temperature, thrust force, and torque during bone drilling. K-wires with notches 1mm deep reduced the thrust force and torque by approximately 30%, reduced peak temperatures by 43%, and eliminated blackened burn marks in bone. This study demonstrates that a simple modification of the tip of K-wires can effectively reduce bone temperatures during drilling. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling and simulation of fish swimming with active muscles.

PubMed

Curatolo, Michele; Teresi, Luciano

2016-11-21

Our goal is to reproduce the key features of carangiform swimming by modeling muscle functioning using the notion of active distortions, thus emphasizing the kinematical role of muscle, the generation of movement, rather than the dynamical one, the production of force. This approach, already proposed to model the action of muscles in different contexts, is here tested again for the problem of developing an effective and reliable framework to model and simulate swimming. A proper undulatory movement of a fish-like body is reproduced by defining a pattern of distortions, tuned in both space and time, meant to model the muscles activation which produce the flexural motion of body fish; eventually, interactions with the surrounding water yields the desired thrust. Carangiform swimmers have a relatively inflexible anterior body section and a generally flat, flexible posterior section. Because of this configuration, undulations sent rearward along the body attain a significant amplitude only in the posterior section. We compare the performances of different swimming gaits, and we are able to find some important relations between key parameters such as frequencies, wavelength, tail amplitude, and the achieved swim velocity, or the generated thrust, which summarize the swimming performance. In particular, an interesting relation is found between the Strouhal number and the wavelength of muscles activation. We highlight the muscle function during fish locomotion describing the activation of muscles and the relation between the force production and the shortening-lengthening cycle of muscle. We found a great accordance between results and empirical relations, giving an implicit validation of our models. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selected Performance Measurements of the F-15 Active Axisymmetric Thrust-vectoring Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orme, John S.; Sims, Robert L.

1998-01-01

Flight tests recently completed at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center evaluated performance of a hydromechanically vectored axisymmetric nozzle onboard the F-15 ACTIVE. A flight-test technique whereby strain gages installed onto engine mounts provided for the direct measurement of thrust and vector forces has proven to be extremely valuable. Flow turning and thrust efficiency, as well as nozzle static pressure distributions were measured and analyzed. This report presents results from testing at an altitude of 30,000 ft and a speed of Mach 0.9. Flow turning and thrust efficiency were found to be significantly different than predicted, and moreover, varied substantially with power setting and pitch vector angle. Results of an in-flight comparison of the direct thrust measurement technique and an engine simulation fell within the expected uncertainty bands. Overall nozzle performance at this flight condition demonstrated the F100-PW-229 thrust-vectoring nozzles to be highly capable and efficient.

Selected Performance Measurements of the F-15 ACTIVE Axisymmetric Thrust-Vectoring Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orme, John S.; Sims, Robert L.

1999-01-01

Flight tests recently completed at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center evaluated performance of a hydromechanically vectored axisymmetric nozzle onboard the F-15 ACTIVE. A flight-test technique whereby strain gages installed onto engine mounts provided for the direct measurement of thrust and vector forces has proven to be extremely valuable. Flow turning and thrust efficiency, as well as nozzle static pressure distributions were measured and analyzed. This report presents results from testing at an altitude of 30,000 ft and a speed of Mach 0.9. Flow turning and thrust efficiency were found to be significantly different than predicted, and moreover, varied substantially with power setting and pitch vector angle. Results of an in-flight comparison of the direct thrust measurement technique and an engine simulation fell within the expected uncertainty bands. Overall nozzle performance at this flight condition demonstrated the F100-PW-229 thrust-vectoring nozzles to be highly capable and efficient.

Numerical analysis of the static performance of an annular aerostatic gas thrust bearing applied in the cryogenic turbo-expander of the EAST subsystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Tianwei; Fu, Bao; Chen, Shuangtao; Zhang, Qiyong; Hou, Yu

2017-02-01

The EAST superconducting tokamak, an advanced steady-state plasma physics experimental device, has been built at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All the toroidal field magnets and poloidal field magnets, made of NbTi/Cu cable-in-conduit conductor, are cooled with forced flow supercritical helium at 3.8 K. The cryogenic system of EAST consists of a 2 kW/4 K helium refrigerator and a helium distribution system for the cooling of coils, structures, thermal shields, bus-lines, etc. The high-speed turbo-expander is an important refrigerating component of the EAST cryogenic system. In the turbo-expander, the axial supporting technology is critical for the smooth operation of the rotor bearing system. In this paper, hydrostatic thrust bearings are designed based on the axial load of the turbo-expander. Thereafter, a computational fluid dynamics-based numerical model of the aerostatic thrust bearing is set up to evaluate the bearing performance. Tilting effect on the pressure distribution and bearing load is analyzed for the thrust bearing. Bearing load and stiffness are compared with different static supply pressures. The net force from the thrust bearings can be calculated for different combinations of bearing clearance and supply pressure.

Anomalous Thrust Production from an RF Test Device Measured on a Low-Thrust Torsion Pendulum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, David A.; White, Harold G.; March, Paul; Lawrence, James T.; Davies, Frank J.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the test campaigns designed to investigate and demonstrate viability of using classical magnetoplasmadynamics to obtain a propulsive momentum transfer via the quantum vacuum virtual plasma. This paper will not address the physics of the quantum vacuum plasma thruster (QVPT), but instead will describe the recent test campaign. In addition, it contains a brief description of the supporting radio frequency (RF) field analysis, lessons learned, and potential applications of the technology to space exploration missions. During the first (Cannae) portion of the campaign, approximately 40 micronewtons of thrust were observed in an RF resonant cavity test article excited at approximately 935 megahertz and 28 watts. During the subsequent (tapered cavity) portion of the campaign, approximately 91 micronewtons of thrust were observed in an RF resonant cavity test article excited at approximately 1933 megahertz and 17 watts. Testing was performed on a low-thrust torsion pendulum that is capable of detecting force at a single-digit micronewton level. Test campaign results indicate that the RF resonant cavity thruster design, which is unique as an electric propulsion device, is producing a force that is not attributable to any classical electromagnetic phenomenon and therefore is potentially demonstrating an interaction with the quantum vacuum virtual plasma.

Static performance and noise tests on a thrust reverser for an augmentor wing aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkonen, D. L.; Marrs, C. C.; Okeefe, J. V.

1974-01-01

A 1/3 scale model static test program was conducted to measure the noise levels and reverse thrust performance characteristics of wing-mounted thrust reverser that could be used on an advanced augmentor wing airplane. The configuration tested represents only the most fundamental designs where installation and packaging restraints are not considered. The thrust reverser performance is presented in terms of horizontal, vertical, and resultant effectiveness ratios and the reverser noise is compared on the basis of peak perceived noise level (PNL) and one-third octave band data (OASPL). From an analysis of the model force and acoustic data, an assessment is made on the stopping distance versus noise for a 90,900 kg (200,000 lb) airplane using this type of thrust reverser.

4. COMPLETE X15 VEHICLE TEST STAND, DETAIL OF THRUST MOUNTING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. COMPLETE X-15 VEHICLE TEST STAND, DETAIL OF THRUST MOUNTING STRUCTURE AT ENGINE END OF PLANE. - Edwards Air Force Base, X-15 Engine Test Complex, Rocket Engine & Complete X-15 Vehicle Test Stands, Rogers Dry Lake, east of runway between North Base & South Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

Surface Instability of Liquid Propellant under Vertical Oscillatory Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, H. Q.; Peugeot, John

2011-01-01

Fluid motion in a fuel tank produced during thrust oscillations can circulate sub-cooled hydrogen near the liquid-vapor interface resulting in increased condensation and ullage pressure collapse. The first objective of this study is to validate the capabilities of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool, CFD-ACE+, in modeling the fundamental interface transition physics occurring at the propellant surface. The second objective is to use the tool to assess the effects of thrust oscillations on surface dynamics. Our technical approach is to first verify the CFD code against known theoretical solutions, and then validate against existing experiments for small scale tanks and a range of transition regimes. A 2D axisymmetric, multi-phase model of gases, liquids, and solids is used to verify that CFD-ACE+ is capable of modeling fluid-structure interaction and system resonance in a typical thrust oscillation environment. Then, the 3D mode is studied with an assumed oscillatory body force to simulate the thrust oscillating effect. The study showed that CFD modeling can capture all of the transition physics from solid body motion to standing surface wave and to droplet ejection from liquid-gas interface. Unlike the analytical solutions established during the 1960 s, CFD modeling is not limited to the small amplitude regime. It can extend solutions to the nonlinear regime to determine the amplitude of surface waves after the onset of instability. The present simulation also demonstrated consistent trends from numerical experiments through variation of physical properties from low viscous fluid to high viscous fluids, and through variation of geometry and input forcing functions. A comparison of surface wave patterns under various forcing frequencies and amplitudes showed good agreement with experimental observations. It is concluded that thrust oscillations can cause droplet formation at the interface, which results in increased surface area and enhanced heat transfer between the liquid and gas phases as the ejected droplets travel well into the warmer gas region.

A trajectory generation and system characterization model for cislunar low-thrust spacecraft. Volume 2: Technical manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korsmeyer, David J.; Pinon, Elfego, III; Oconnor, Brendan M.; Bilby, Curt R.

1990-01-01

The documentation of the Trajectory Generation and System Characterization Model for the Cislunar Low-Thrust Spacecraft is presented in Technical and User's Manuals. The system characteristics and trajectories of low thrust nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft can be generated through the use of multiple system technology models coupled with a high fidelity trajectory generation routine. The Earth to Moon trajectories utilize near Earth orbital plane alignment, midcourse control dependent upon the spacecraft's Jacobian constant, and capture to target orbit utilizing velocity matching algorithms. The trajectory generation is performed in a perturbed two-body equinoctial formulation and the restricted three-body formulation. A single control is determined by the user for the interactive midcourse portion of the trajectory. The full spacecraft system characteristics and trajectory are provided as output.

Electrohydrodynamic ionic wind, force field, and ionic mobility in a positive dc wire-to-cylinders corona discharge in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monrolin, Nicolas; Praud, Olivier; Plouraboué, Franck

2018-06-01

Ionic wind refers to the acceleration of partially ionized air between two high-voltage electrodes. We study the momentum transfer from ions to air, resulting from ionic wind created by two asymmetric electrodes and producing a net thrust. This electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrust, has already been measured in previous studies with digital scales. In this study, we provide more insights into the electrohydrodynamic momentum transfer for a wire-to-cylinder(s) positive dc corona discharge. We provide a simple and general theoretical derivation for EHD thrust, which is proportional to the current/mobility ratio and also to an effective distance integrated on the surface of the electrodes. By considering various electrode configurations, our investigation brings out the physical origin of previously obtained optimal configurations, associated with a better tradeoff between Coulomb forcing, friction occurring at the collector, and wake interactions. By measuring two-dimensional velocity fields using particle image velocimetry (PIV), we are able to evaluate the resulting local net force, including the pressure gradient. It is shown that the contribution of velocity fluctuations in the wake of the collecting electrode(s) must be taken into account to recover the net thrust. We confirm the proportionality between the EHD force and the current/mobility ratio experimentally, and evaluate the ion mobility from PIV measurements. A spectral analysis of the velocity fluctuations indicates a dominant frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number of 0.3 based on the ionic wind velocity and the collector size. Finally, the effective mobility of charge carriers is estimated by a PIV based method inside the drift region.

Electrodynamic Tethers. 1: Power Generator in LEO. 2: Thrust for Propulsion and Power Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccoy, J. E.

1984-01-01

An electrodynamic tether consists of a long insulated wire in space whose orbital motion cuts across lines of magnetic flux to produce an induce voltage that in typical low orbits averages about 200 v/km. Such a system should be capable of generating substantial electrical power, at the expense of IXB drag acting on its orbital energy. If a reverse current is driven against the induced voltage, the system should act as a motor producing IXB thrust. A reference system was designed, capable of generating 20 KW of power into an electrical load located anywhere along the wire at the expense of 2.6N (20,000 J/sec) drag on the wire. In an ideal system, the conversion between mechanical and electrical energy would reach 100% efficiency. In the actual system part of the 20 KW is lost to internal resistance of the wire, plasma and ionosphere, while the drag force is increased by residual air drag. The 20 KW PMG system as designed is estimated to provide 18.7 KW net power to the load at total drag loss of 20.4 KJ/sec, or an overall efficiency of 92%. Similar systems using heavier wire appear capable of producing power levels in excess of 1 Megawatt at voltages of 2-4 KV, with conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical power better than 95%. The hollow cathode based system should be readily reversible from generator to motor operation by driving a reverse current using onboard power.

Effect of rotation rate on the forces of a rotating cylinder: Simulation and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, John A.; Ou, Yuh-Roung

1993-01-01

In this paper we present numerical solutions to several optimal control problems for an unsteady viscous flow. The main thrust of this work is devoted to simulation and control of an unsteady flow generated by a circular cylinder undergoing rotary motion. By treating the rotation rate as a control variable, we can formulate two optimal control problems and use a central difference/pseudospectral transform method to numerically compute the optimal control rates. Several types of rotations are considered as potential controls, and we show that a proper synchronization of forcing frequency with the natural vortex shedding frequency can greatly influence the flow. The results here indicate that using moving boundary controls for such systems may provide a feasible mechanism for flow control.

Transonic Drag Reduction Through Trailing-Edge Blowing on the FAST-MAC Circulation Control Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, David T.; Jones, Gregory S.; Milholen, William E., II; Goodliff, Scott L.

2017-01-01

A third wind tunnel test of the FAST-MAC circulation control semi-span model was completed in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center where the model was configured for transonic testing of the cruise configuration with 0deg flap detection to determine the potential for transonic drag reduction with the circulation control blowing. The model allowed independent control of four circulation control plenums producing a high momentum jet from a blowing slot near the wing trailing edge that was directed over a 15% chord simple-hinged ap. Recent upgrades to transonic semi-span flow control testing at the NTF have demonstrated an improvement to overall data repeatability, particularly for the drag measurement, that allows for increased confidence in the data results. The static thrust generated by the blowing slot was removed from the wind-on data using force and moment balance data from wind-o thrust tares. This paper discusses the impact of the trailing-edge blowing to the transonic aerodynamics of the FAST-MAC model in the cruise configuration, where at flight Reynolds numbers, the thrust-removed corrected data showed that an overall drag reduction and increased aerodynamic efficiency was realized as a consequence of the blowing.

Laser Plasma Microthruster Performance Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luke, James R.; Phipps, Claude R.

2003-05-01

The micro laser plasma thruster (μLPT) is a sub-kilogram thruster that is capable of meeting the Air Force requirements for the Attitude Control System on a 100-kg class small satellite. The μLPT uses one or more 4W diode lasers to ablate a solid fuel, producing a jet of hot gas or plasma which creates thrust with a high thrust/power ratio. A pre-prototype continuous thrust experiment has been constructed and tested. The continuous thrust experiment uses a 505 mm long continuous loop fuel tape, which consists of a black laser-absorbing fuel material on a transparent plastic substrate. When the laser is operated continuously, the exhaust plume and thrust vector are steered in the direction of the tape motion. Thrust steering can be avoided by pulsing the laser. A torsion pendulum thrust stand has been constructed and calibrated. Many fuel materials and substrates have been tested. Best performance from a non-energetic fuel material was obtained with black polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which produced an average of 70 μN thrust and coupling coefficient (Cm) of 190 μN/W. A proprietary energetic material was also tested, in which the laser initiates a non-propagating detonation. This material produced 500 μN of thrust.

Plasma Acceleration by Rotating Magnetic Field Method using Helicon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furukawa, Takeru; Shimura, Kaichi; Kuwahara, Daisuke; Shinohara, Shunjiro

2017-10-01

Electrodeless plasma thrusters are very promising due to no electrode damage, leading to realize further deep space exploration. As one of the important proposals, we have been concentrating on Rotating Magnetic Field (RMF) acceleration method. High-dense plasma (up to 1013 cm-3) can be generated by using a radio frequency (rf) external antenna, and also accelerated by an antenna wound around outside of a discharge tube. In this scheme, thrust increment is achieved by the axial Lorentz force caused by non linear effects. RMF penetration condition into plasma can be more satisfied than our previous experiment, by increasing RMF coil current and decreasing the RMF frequency, causing higher thrust and fuel efficiency. Measurements of AC RMF component s have been conducted to investigate the acceleration mechanism and the field penetration experimentally. This study has been partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B: 17H02995) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Numerical simulation of X-wing type biplane flapping wings in 3D using the immersed boundary method.

PubMed

Tay, W B; van Oudheusden, B W; Bijl, H

2014-09-01

The numerical simulation of an insect-sized 'X-wing' type biplane flapping wing configuration is performed in 3D using an immersed boundary method solver at Reynolds numbers equal to 1000 (1 k) and 5 k, based on the wing's root chord length. This X-wing type flapping configuration draws its inspiration from Delfly, a bio-inspired ornithopter MAV which has two pairs of wings flapping in anti-phase in a biplane configuration. The objective of the present investigation is to assess the aerodynamic performance when the original Delfly flapping wing micro-aerial vehicle (FMAV) is reduced to the size of an insect. Results show that the X-wing configuration gives more than twice the average thrust compared with only flapping the upper pair of wings of the X-wing. However, the X-wing's average thrust is only 40% that of the upper wing flapping at twice the stroke angle. Despite this, the increased stability which results from the smaller lift and moment variation of the X-wing configuration makes it more suited for sharp image capture and recognition. These advantages make the X-wing configuration an attractive alternative design for insect-sized FMAVS compared to the single wing configuration. In the Reynolds number comparison, the vorticity iso-surface plot at a Reynolds number of 5 k revealed smaller, finer vortical structures compared to the simulation at 1 k, due to vortices' breakup. In comparison, the force output difference is much smaller between Re = 1 k and 5 k. Increasing the body inclination angle generates a uniform leading edge vortex instead of a conical one along the wingspan, giving higher lift. Understanding the force variation as the body inclination angle increases will allow FMAV designers to optimize the thrust and lift ratio for higher efficiency under different operational requirements. Lastly, increasing the spanwise flexibility of the wings increases the thrust slightly but decreases the efficiency. The thrust result is similar to one of the spanwise studies, but the efficiency result contradicts it, indicating that other flapping parameters are involved as well. Results from this study provide a deeper understanding of the underlying aerodynamics of the X-wing type, which will help to improve the performance of insect-sized FMAVs using this unique configuration.

Statistical error model for a solar electric propulsion thrust subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bantell, M. H.

1973-01-01

The solar electric propulsion thrust subsystem statistical error model was developed as a tool for investigating the effects of thrust subsystem parameter uncertainties on navigation accuracy. The model is currently being used to evaluate the impact of electric engine parameter uncertainties on navigation system performance for a baseline mission to Encke's Comet in the 1980s. The data given represent the next generation in statistical error modeling for low-thrust applications. Principal improvements include the representation of thrust uncertainties and random process modeling in terms of random parametric variations in the thrust vector process for a multi-engine configuration.

Predicting Folding Sequences Based on the Maximum Rock Strength and Mechanical Equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cubas, N.; Souloumiac, P.; Maillot, B.; Leroy, Y. M.

2007-12-01

The objective is to propose and validate simple procedures, compared to the finite-element method, to select and optimize the dominant mode of folding in fold-and-thrust belts and accretionary wedges, and to determine its stress distribution. Mechanical equilibrium as well as the constraints due to the limited rock strength of the bulk material and of major discontinuities, such as décollements, are accounted for. The first part of the proposed procedure, which is at the core of the external approach of classical limit analysis, consists in estimating the least upper bound on the tectonic force by minimisation of the internal dissipation and part of the external work. The new twist to the method is that the optimization is also done with respect to the geometry of the evolving fold. If several folding events are possible, the dominant mode is the one leading to the least upper bound. The second part of the procedure is based on the Equilibrium Element Method, which is an application of the internal approach of limit analysis. The optimum stress field, obtained by spatial discretisation of the fold, provides the best lower bound on the tectonic force. The difference between the two bounds defines an error estimate of the exact unknown tectonic force. To show the merits of the proposed procedure, its first part is applied to predict the life span of a thrust within an accretionary prism, from its onset, its development with a relief build up and its arrest because of the onset of a more favorable new thrust (Cubas et al., 2007). This life span is sensitive to the friction angles over the ramp and the décollement. It is shown how the normal sequence of thrusting in a supercritical wedge is ended with the first out-of sequence event. The second part of the procedure provides the stress state over each thrust showing that the active back thrust is a narrow fan which dip is sensitive to the friction angle over the ramp and the amount of relief build up (Souloumiac et al., 2007). The stress state is dominated by a concentration at the root of the active ramp and the presence of the back thrust. Analogue experiments with sand demonstrate the ability of the first part of the proposed procedure to predict the position and the lifetime of thrusts, the topographic evolution, as well as the value of the compressive force. The simplicity and lightness of the procedure allows to determine probability distributions of the friction angles of the décollement, the ramps, and the pristine material using an inverse problem formalism. Applied to a section at the front of Nanka'i's wedge, Southeast Japon, the two parts of the method confirm the relative weakness of the basal décollement. From the first part, we conclude that the active thrust is necessarily weaker than the incipient thrust and that the frontal section is likely inhomogeneous. The second part shows that, close to criticality, for minutes changes in the décollement friction angle, the stress concentrations, marking the onset of thrusting, can be positioned at very different locations, the details of which depend on relief irregularities.

In-vitro analysis of forces in conventional and ultrasonically assisted drilling of bone.

PubMed

Alam, K; Hassan, Edris; Imran, Syed Husain; Khan, Mushtaq

2016-05-12

Drilling of bone is widely performed in orthopaedics for repair and reconstruction of bone. Current paper is focused on the efforts to minimize force generation during the drilling process. Ultrasonically Assisted Drilling (UAD) is a possible option to replace Conventional Drilling (CD) in bone surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the effect of drilling parameters and ultrasonic parameters on the level of drilling thrust force in the presence of water irrigation. Drilling tests were performed on young bovine femoral bone using different parameters such as spindle speeds, feed rates, coolant flow rates, frequency and amplitudes of vibrations. The drilling force was significantly dropped with increase in drill rotation speed in both types of drilling. Increase in feed rate was more influential in raising the drilling force in CD compared to UAD. The force was significantly dropped when ultrasonic vibrations up to 10 kHz were imposed on the drill. The drill force was found to be unaffected by the range of amplitudes and the amount of water supplied to the drilling region in UAD. Low frequency vibrations with irrigation can be successfully used for safe and efficient drilling in bone.

The effects of cutting parameters on cutting forces and heat generation when drilling animal bone and biomechanical test materials.

PubMed

Cseke, Akos; Heinemann, Robert

2018-01-01

The research presented in this paper investigated the effects of spindle speed and feed rate on the resultant cutting forces (thrust force and torque) and temperatures while drilling SawBones ® biomechanical test materials and cadaveric cortical bone (bovine and porcine femur) specimens. It also investigated cortical bone anisotropy on the cutting forces, when drilling in axial and radial directions. The cutting forces are only affected by the feed rate, whereas the cutting temperature in contrast is affected by both spindle speed and feed rate. The temperature distribution indicates friction as the primary heat source, which is caused by the rubbing of the tool margins and the already cut chips over the borehole wall. Cutting forces were considerably higher when drilling animal cortical bone, in comparison to cortical test material. Drilling direction, and therewith anisotropy, appears to have a negligible effect on the cutting forces. The results suggest that this can be attributed to the osteons being cut at an angle rather than in purely axial or radial direction, as a result of a twist drill's point angle. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reverse Core Engine with Thrust Reverser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandler, Jesse M. (Inventor); Suciu, Gabriel L. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An engine system has a gas generator, a bi-fi wall surrounding at least a portion of the gas generator, a casing surrounding a fan, and the casing having first and second thrust reverser doors which in a deployed position abut each other and the bi-fi wall.

Turbofan forced mixer lobe flow modeling. Part 3: Application to augment engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barber, T.; Moore, G. C.; Blatt, J. R.

1988-01-01

Military engines frequently need large quantities of thrust for short periods of time. The addition of an augmentor can provide such thrust increases but with a penalty of increased duct length and engine weight. The addition of a forced mixer to the augmentor improves performance and reduces the penalty, as well as providing a method for siting the required flame holders. In this report two augmentor concepts are investigated: a swirl-mixer augmentor and a mixer-flameholder augmentor. Several designs for each concept are included and an experimental assessment of one of the swirl-mixer augmentors is presented.

Optimization of Low-Thrust Spiral Trajectories by Collocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falck, Robert D.; Dankanich, John W.

2012-01-01

As NASA examines potential missions in the post space shuttle era, there has been a renewed interest in low-thrust electric propulsion for both crewed and uncrewed missions. While much progress has been made in the field of software for the optimization of low-thrust trajectories, many of the tools utilize higher-fidelity methods which, while excellent, result in extremely high run-times and poor convergence when dealing with planetocentric spiraling trajectories deep within a gravity well. Conversely, faster tools like SEPSPOT provide a reasonable solution but typically fail to account for other forces such as third-body gravitation, aerodynamic drag, solar radiation pressure. SEPSPOT is further constrained by its solution method, which may require a very good guess to yield a converged optimal solution. Here the authors have developed an approach using collocation intended to provide solution times comparable to those given by SEPSPOT while allowing for greater robustness and extensible force models.

Low-speed wind tunnel tests of a 50.8-centimeter (20-in.) 1.15-pressure-ratio fan engine model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesoky, H. L.; Abbott, J. M.; Albers, J. A.; Dietrich, D. A.

1974-01-01

At a typical STOL aircraft takeoff and landing velocity, wind tunnel aerodynamic and acoustic measurements demonstrated that an inlet lip-area contraction ratio of 1.35 was superior to a ratio of 1.26 at high incidence angles. A 17 percent reduction in net thrust and an increase of 9 decibels in sound pressure level at the blade passing frequency resulted from inlet flow separation at an incidence angle of 50 deg with the 1.26-contraction-ratio inlet. Reverse-thrust forces obtained with blade rotation through the feathered angle were 1.8 times larger than with blade rotation through the flat angle. Reverse-thrust force was reduced from 30 to 50 percent and sound pressure level increased from 3 to 7 decibels at the blade passing frequency between the wind-tunnel-off condition and a typical STOL aircraft landing velocity.

Cranial tibial wedge osteotomy: a technique for eliminating cranial tibial thrust in cranial cruciate ligament repair.

PubMed

Slocum, B; Devine, T

1984-03-01

Cranial tibial wedge osteotomy, surgical technique for cranial cruciate ligament rupture, was performed on 19 stifles in dogs. This procedure leveled the tibial plateau, thus causing weight-bearing forces to be compressive and eliminating cranial tibial thrust. Without cranial tibial thrust, which was antagonistic to the cranial cruciate ligament and its surgical reconstruction, cruciate ligament repairs were allowed to heal without constant loads. This technique was meant to be used as an adjunct to other cranial cruciate ligament repair techniques.

The Influence of Chordwise Flexibility on the Flow Structure and Streamwise Force of a Sinusoidally Pitching Airfoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, David Arthur

Many natural flyers and swimmers need to exploit unsteady mechanisms in order to generate sufficient aerodynamic forces for sustained flight and propulsion. This is, in part, due to the low speed and length scales at which they typically operate. In this low Reynolds number regime, there are many unanswered questions on how existing aerodynamic theory for both steady and unsteady flows can be applied. Additionally, most of these natural flyers and swimmers have deformable wing/fin structures, three dimensional wing planforms, and exhibit complex kinematics during motion. While some biologically-inspired studies seek to replicate these complex structures and kinematics in the laboratory or in numerical simulations, it becomes difficult to draw explicit connections to the existing knowledge base of classical unsteady aerodynamic theory due to the complexity of the problems. In this experimental study, wing kinematics, structure, and planform are greatly simplified to investigate the effect of chordwise flexibility on the streamwise force (thrust) and wake behavior of a sinusoidally pitching airfoil. The study of flexibility in the literature has typically utilized flat plates with varying thicknesses or lengths to change their chordwise flexibility. This choice introduces additional complexities when comparing to the wealth of knowledge originally developed on streamlined aerodynamic shapes. The current study capitalizes on the recent developments in 3D printer technology to create accurate shapes out of materials with varying degrees of flexibility by creating two standard NACA 0009 airfoils: one rigid and one flexible. Each of the two airfoils are sinusoidally pitched about the quarter chord over a range of oscillation amplitudes and frequencies while monitoring the deformation of the airfoil. The oscillation amplitude is selected to be small enough such that leading edge vortices do not form, and the vortical structures in the wake are formed from the trailing edge. Two-component Molecular Tagging Velocimetry (MTV) is employed to measure the vortical flowfield over the first chord length behind the airfoil. A control volume method is used to estimate the mean thrust of the airfoil based on the mean and fluctuating velocity profiles from the MTV results. The mean thrust results show chordwise flexibility increases the thrust produced by the airfoil over the range of motion parameters and the flexibility considered in this study. The flexible airfoil is also seen to experience the drag-to-thrust crossover at a lower oscillation frequency than its rigid counterpart. The relative change in thrust due to flexibility decreases with increasing amplitude. The increase in thrust can, however, be captured as an amplitude effect when the Strouhal number based on the actual trailing edge displacement, Stte, is used for scaling. Scaling based strictly on the prescribed motion, typically employed in the literature, is not sufficient for the data to collapse. Motion trajectories which produced a classical von Karman vortex street or a reverse von Karman vortex street (depending on the arrangement of the vortices), are considered for further study. The vortices in the wake are characterized in terms of their strength, size, and spacing using phase-averaged MTV results. The circulation of the vortices are shown to collapse for both rigid and flexible airfoils when plotted against Stte. The actual trailing edge displacement is used as a length scale to normalize the transverse and streamwise spacing, and the vortex core size. These measurements also now collapse when plotted against Stte across oscillation amplitude for both the rigid and flexible airfoils.

Isolated Performance at Mach Numbers From 0.60 to 2.86 of Several Expendable Nozzle Concepts for Supersonic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Re, Richard J.; Berrier, Bobby L.; Abeyounis, William K.

2001-01-01

Investigations have been conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel (at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.25) and in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (at Mach numbers from 2.16 to 2.86) at an angle of attack of 0 deg to determine the isolated performance of several expendable nozzle concepts for supersonic nonaugmented turbojet applications. The effects of centerbody base shape, shroud length, shroud ventilation, cruciform shroud expansion ratio, and cruciform shroud flap vectoring were investigated. The nozzle pressure ratio range, which was a function of Mach number, was between 1.9 and 11.8 in the 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel and between 7.9 and 54.9 in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. Discharge coefficient, thrust-minus-drag, and the forces and moments generated by vectoring the divergent shroud flaps (for Mach numbers of 0.60 to 1.25 only) of a cruciform nozzle configuration were measured. The shortest nozzle had the best thrust-minus-drag performance at Mach numbers up to 0.95 but was approached in performance by other configurations at Mach numbers of 1.15 and 1.25. At Mach numbers above 1.25, the cruciform nozzle configuration having the same expansion ratio (2.64) as the fixed geometry nozzles had the best thrust-minus-drag performance. Ventilation of the fixed geometry divergent shrouds to the nozzle external boattail flow generally improved thrust-minus-drag performance at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.25, but decreased performance above a Mach number of 1.25.

Parametric Model of an Aerospike Rocket Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korte, J. J.

2000-01-01

A suite of computer codes was assembled to simulate the performance of an aerospike engine and to generate the engine input for the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories. First an engine simulator module was developed that predicts the aerospike engine performance for a given mixture ratio, power level, thrust vectoring level, and altitude. This module was then used to rapidly generate the aerospike engine performance tables for axial thrust, normal thrust, pitching moment, and specific thrust. Parametric engine geometry was defined for use with the engine simulator module. The parametric model was also integrated into the iSIGHTI multidisciplinary framework so that alternate designs could be determined. The computer codes were used to support in-house conceptual studies of reusable launch vehicle designs.

Parametric Model of an Aerospike Rocket Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korte, J. J.

2000-01-01

A suite of computer codes was assembled to simulate the performance of an aerospike engine and to generate the engine input for the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories. First an engine simulator module was developed that predicts the aerospike engine performance for a given mixture ratio, power level, thrust vectoring level, and altitude. This module was then used to rapidly generate the aerospike engine performance tables for axial thrust, normal thrust, pitching moment, and specific thrust. Parametric engine geometry was defined for use with the engine simulator module. The parametric model was also integrated into the iSIGHT multidisciplinary framework so that alternate designs could be determined. The computer codes were used to support in-house conceptual studies of reusable launch vehicle designs.

Space Shuttle booster thrust imbalance analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, W. R.; Blackwell, D. L.

1985-01-01

An analysis of the Shuttle SRM thrust imbalance during the steady-state and tailoff portions of the boost phase of flight are presented. Results from flights STS-1 through STS-13 are included. A statistical analysis of the observed thrust imbalance data is presented. A 3 sigma thrust imbalance history versus time was generated from the observed data and is compared to the vehicle design requirements. The effect on Shuttle thrust imbalance from the use of replacement SRM segments is predicted. Comparisons of observed thrust imbalances with respect to predicted imbalances are presented for the two space shuttle flights which used replacement aft segments (STS-9 and STS-13).

Background and principles of throttles-only flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcham, Frank W., Jr.

1995-01-01

There have been many cases in which the crew of a multi-engine airplane had to use engine thrust for emergency flight control. Such a procedure is very difficult, because the propulsive control forces are small, the engine response is slow, and airplane dynamics such as the phugoid and dutch roll are difficult to damp with thrust. In general, thrust increases are used to climb, thrust decreases to descend, and differential thrust is used to turn. Average speed is not significantly affected by changes in throttle setting. Pitch control is achieved because of pitching moments due to speed changes, from thrust offset, and from the vertical component of thrust. Roll control is achieved by using differential thrust to develop yaw, which, through the normal dihedral effect, causes a roll. Control power in pitch and roll tends to increase as speed decreases. Although speed is not controlled by the throttles, configuration changes are often available (lowering gear, flaps, moving center-of-gravity) to change the speed. The airplane basic stability is also a significant factor. Fuel slosh and gyroscopic moments are small influences on throttles-only control. The background and principles of throttles-only flight control are described.

On INM's Use of Corrected Net Thrust for the Prediction of Jet Aircraft Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McAninch, Gerry L.; Shepherd, Kevin P.

2011-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration s (FAA) Integrated Noise Model (INM) employs a prediction methodology that relies on corrected net thrust as the sole correlating parameter between aircraft and engine operating states and aircraft noise. Thus aircraft noise measured for one set of atmospheric and aircraft operating conditions is assumed to be applicable to all other conditions as long as the corrected net thrust remains constant. This hypothesis is investigated under two primary assumptions: (1) the sound field generated by the aircraft is dominated by jet noise, and (2) the sound field generated by the jet flow is adequately described by Lighthill s theory of noise generated by turbulence.

Orbit Determination and Maneuver Detection Using Event Representation with Thrust-Fourier-Coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubey, D.; Ko, H.; Scheeres, D.

The classical orbit determination (OD) method of dealing with unknown maneuvers is to restart the OD process with post-maneuver observations. However, it is also possible to continue the OD process through such unknown maneuvers by representing those unknown maneuvers with an appropriate event representation. It has been shown in previous work (Ko & Scheeres, JGCD 2014) that any maneuver performed by a satellite transitioning between two arbitrary orbital states can be represented as an equivalent maneuver connecting those two states using Thrust-Fourier-Coefficients (TFCs). Event representation using TFCs rigorously provides a unique control law that can generate the desired secular behavior for a given unknown maneuver. This paper presents applications of this representation approach to orbit prediction and maneuver detection problem across unknown maneuvers. The TFCs are appended to a sequential filter as an adjoint state to compensate unknown perturbing accelerations and the modified filter estimates the satellite state and thrust coefficients by processing OD across the time of an unknown maneuver. This modified sequential filter with TFCs is capable of fitting tracking data and maintaining an OD solution in the presence of unknown maneuvers. Also, the modified filter is found effective in detecting a sudden change in TFC values which indicates a maneuver. In order to illustrate that the event representation approach with TFCs is robust and sufficiently general to be easily adjustable, different types of measurement data are processed with the filter in a realistic LEO setting. Further, cases with mis-modeling of non-gravitational force are included in our study to verify the versatility and efficiency of our presented algorithm. Simulation results show that the modified sequential filter with TFCs can detect and estimate the orbit and thrust parameters in the presence of unknown maneuvers with or without measurement data during maneuvers. With no measurement data during maneuvers, the modified filter with TFCs uses an existing pre-maneuver orbit solution to compute a post-maneuver orbit solution by forcing TFCs to compensate for an unknown maneuver. With observation data available during maneuvers, maneuver start time and stop time is determined

Tactical STOL moment balance through innovative configuration technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckard, G. J.; Sutton, R. C.; Poth, G. E.

1981-01-01

Innovative and conventional thrust vectoring moment balance mechanisms, as applied to advanced tactical fighters, are examined. The innovative mechanisms include thrust line translation, life line translation, and auxiliary power control; the conventional mechanisms under investigation are horizontal tails, canards, and variable sweep wings. These mechanisms are tested for their ability to provide negative static margins for landing approach or relocation of the vectored thrust line nearer the aircraft's center of gravity. The net pitching moment due to wing, flaps, and vectored thrust lift would then be small, making possible beneficial trim forces from small trimming devices. These innovative mechanisms are, however, possibly heavy and must be evaluated on their complexity, reliability, maintainability, and STOL capabilities. Several candidate fighter configurations are compared and evaluated.

Recent developments in ejector technology in the Air Force: An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagaraja, K. S.

1979-01-01

Basic and applied studies in thrust augmentation conducted at the Aerospace Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB which led to an effective configuration of the jet flap diffuser ejector, are reviewed. A method for compressible ejector flow analysis, developed in support of the preliminary design of an ejector thrust aircraft, is discussed and applied to single- and two-stage ejectors.

CVD Rhenium Engines for Solar-Thermal Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Brian E.; Fortini, Arthur J.; Tuffias, Robert H.; Duffy, Andrew J.; Tucker, Stephen P.

1999-01-01

Solar-thermal upper-stage propulsion systems have the potential to provide specific impulse approaching 900 seconds, with 760 seconds already demonstrated in ground testing. Such performance levels offer a 100% increase in payload capability compared to state-of-the-art chemical upper-stage systems, at lower cost. Although alternatives such as electric propulsion offer even greater performance, the 6- to 18- month orbital transfer time is a far greater deviation from the state of the art than the one to two months required for solar propulsion. Rhenium metal is the only material that is capable of withstanding the predicted thermal, mechanical, and chemical environment of a solar-thermal propulsion device. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most well-established and cost-effective process for the fabrication of complex rhenium structures. CVD rhenium engines have been successfully constructed for the Air Force ISUS program (bimodal thrust/electricity) and the NASA Shooting Star program (thrust only), as well as under an Air Force SBIR project (thrust only). The bimodal engine represents a more long-term and versatile approach to solar-thermal propulsion, while the thrust-only engines provide a potentially lower weight/lower cost and more near-term replacement for current upper-stage propulsion systems.

Procedure for utilizing the lift and thrust forces of ornithopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bezard, C.

1985-01-01

This procedure is distinguished by two beating wings which together describe, in space, a succession of interlaced triangles. On these wings, whose incidence varies automatically, identical forces are exerted: simultaneous lift and thrust when they make their descent, which is inclined toward the front of the craft, and lift alone when they make their ascent, which is inclined toward the rear of the craft and follows a slide horizontal movement. A mechanical device makes these movements possible. It includes: two wings with hollow profiles, connected by a framework located above a rigid frame and attached to it by bars with joints. These bars are moved with control rods which gear down the drive force. A mechanism with elastic bands or springs automatically varies the incidence of the wings.

Dryden/Edwards 1994 Thrust-Vectoring Aircraft Fleet - F-18 HARV, X-31, F-16 MATV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The three thrust-vectoring aircraft at Edwards, California, each capable of flying at extreme angles of attack, cruise over the California desert in formation during flight in March 1994. They are, from left, NASA's F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), flown by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; the X-31, flown by the X-31 International Test Organization (ITO) at Dryden; and the Air Force F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring (MATV) aircraft. All three aircraft were flown in different programs and were developed independently. The NASA F-18 HARV was a testbed to produce aerodynamic data at high angles of attack to validate computer codes and wind tunnel research. The X-31 was used to study thrust vectoring to enhance close-in air combat maneuvering, while the F-16 MATV was a demonstration of how thrust vectoring could be applied to operational aircraft.

Optimal Electrodynamic Tether Phasing Maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bitzer, Matthew S.; Hall, Christopher D.

2007-01-01

We study the minimum-time orbit phasing maneuver problem for a constant-current electrodynamic tether (EDT). The EDT is assumed to be a point mass and the electromagnetic forces acting on the tether are always perpendicular to the local magnetic field. After deriving and non-dimensionalizing the equations of motion, the only input parameters become current and the phase angle. Solution examples, including initial Lagrange costates, time of flight, thrust plots, and thrust angle profiles, are given for a wide range of current magnitudes and phase angles. The two-dimensional cases presented use a non-tilted magnetic dipole model, and the solutions are compared to existing literature. We are able to compare similar trajectories for a constant thrust phasing maneuver and we find that the time of flight is longer for the constant thrust case with similar initial thrust values and phase angles. Full three-dimensional solutions, which use a titled magnetic dipole model, are also analyzed for orbits with small inclinations.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis Method Developed for Rocket-Based Combined Cycle Engine Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Renewed interest in hypersonic propulsion systems has led to research programs investigating combined cycle engines that are designed to operate efficiently across the flight regime. The Rocket-Based Combined Cycle Engine is a propulsion system under development at the NASA Lewis Research Center. This engine integrates a high specific impulse, low thrust-to-weight, airbreathing engine with a low-impulse, high thrust-to-weight rocket. From takeoff to Mach 2.5, the engine operates as an air-augmented rocket. At Mach 2.5, the engine becomes a dual-mode ramjet; and beyond Mach 8, the rocket is turned back on. One Rocket-Based Combined Cycle Engine variation known as the "Strut-Jet" concept is being investigated jointly by NASA Lewis, the U.S. Air Force, Gencorp Aerojet, General Applied Science Labs (GASL), and Lockheed Martin Corporation. Work thus far has included wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigations with the NPARC code. The CFD method was initiated by modeling the geometry of the Strut-Jet with the GRIDGEN structured grid generator. Grids representing a subscale inlet model and the full-scale demonstrator geometry were constructed. These grids modeled one-half of the symmetric inlet flow path, including the precompression plate, diverter, center duct, side duct, and combustor. After the grid generation, full Navier-Stokes flow simulations were conducted with the NPARC Navier-Stokes code. The Chien low-Reynolds-number k-e turbulence model was employed to simulate the high-speed turbulent flow. Finally, the CFD solutions were postprocessed with a Fortran code. This code provided wall static pressure distributions, pitot pressure distributions, mass flow rates, and internal drag. These results were compared with experimental data from a subscale inlet test for code validation; then they were used to help evaluate the demonstrator engine net thrust.

Mechanical energy generation and transfer in the racket arm during table tennis topspin backhands.

PubMed

Iino, Yoichi; Kojima, Takeji

2016-06-01

The ability to generate a high racket speed and a large amount of racket kinetic energy on impact is important for table tennis players. The purpose of this study was to understand how mechanical energy is generated and transferred in the racket arm during table tennis backhands. Ten male advanced right-handed table tennis players hit topspin backhands against pre-impact topspin and backspin balls. The joint kinetics at the shoulder, elbow and wrist of the racket arm was determined using inverse dynamics. A majority of the mechanical energy of the racket arm acquired during forward swing (65 and 77% against topspin and backspin, respectively) was due to energy transfer from the trunk. Energy transfer by the shoulder joint force in the vertical direction was the largest contributor to the mechanical energy of the racket arm against both spins and was greater against backspin than against topspin (34 and 28%, respectively). The shoulder joint force directed to the right, which peaked just before impact, transferred additional energy to the racket. Our results suggest that the upward thrust of the shoulder and the late timing of the axial rotation of the upper trunk are important for an effective topspin backhand.

Performance, Stability, and Control Investigation at Mach Numbers from 0.4 to 0.9 of a Model of the "Swallow" with Outer Wing Panels Swept 25 degree with and without Power Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Runckel, Jack F.; Schmeer, James W.; Cassetti, Marlowe D.

1960-01-01

An investigation of the performance, stability, and control characteristics of a variable-sweep arrow-wing model (the "Swallow") with the outer wing panels swept 25 deg has been conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel. The wing was uncambered and untwisted and had RAE 102 airfoil sections with a thickness-to-chord ratio of 0.14 normal to the leading edge. Four outboard engines located above and below the wing provided propulsive thrust, and, by deflecting in the pitch direction and rotating in the lateral plane, also produced control forces. A pair of swept lateral fins and a single vertical fin were mounted on each engine nacelle to provide aerodynamic stability and control. Jets-off data were obtained with flow-through nacelles, stimulating the effects of inlet flow; jet thrust and hot-jet interference effects were obtained with faired-nose nacelles housing hydrogen peroxide gas generators. Six-component force and moment data were obtained through a Mach number range of 0.40 to 0.90 at angles of attack and angles of sideslip from 0 deg to 15 deg. Longitudinal, directional, and lateral control were obtained by deflecting the nacelle-fin combinations as elevators, rudders, and ailerons at several fixed angles for each control.

Laboratory simulation of the rocket motor thrust as a follower force

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Ground tests of solid propellant rocket motors have shown that metal-containing propellants produce various amounts of slag (primarily aluminum oxide), which is trapped in the motor case causing a loss of specific impulse. Although not yet definitely established, the presence of a liquid pool of slag also may contribute to nutational instabilities that have been observed with certain spin-stabilized, upper-stage vehicles. Because of the rocket's axial acceleration - absent in the ground tests - estimates of in-flight slag mass have been very uncertain. Yet such estimates are needed to determine the magnitude of the control authority of the systems required for eliminating the instability. A test rig with an eccentrically mounted hemispherical bowl was designed and built that incorporates a follower force that properly aligns the thrust vector along the axis of spin. A program that computes the motion of a point mass in the spinning and precessing bowl was written. Using various rpm, friction factors, and initial starting conditions, plots were generated showing the trace of the point mass around the inside of the fuel tank. The apparatus will be used extensively during the 1990 to 1991 academic year and incorporate future design features such as a variable nutation angle and a film height measuring instrument. Data obtained on the nutational instability characteristics will be used to determine order-of-magnitude estimates of control authority needed to minimize the sloshing effect.

Dynamic response and stability of a gas-lubricated Rayleigh-step pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, C.; Cheng, H. S.

1973-01-01

The quasi-static, pressure characteristics of a gas-lubricated thrust bearing with shrouded, Rayleigh-step pads are determined for a time-varying film thickness. The axial response of the thrust bearing to an axial forcing function or an axial rotor disturbance is investigated by treating the gas film as a spring having nonlinear restoring and damping forces. These forces are related to the film thickness by a power relation. The nonlinear equation of motion in the axial mode is solved by the Ritz-Galerkin method as well as the direct, numerical integration. Results of the nonlinear response by both methods are compared with the response based on the linearized equation. Further, the gas-film instability of an infinitely wide Rayleigh step thrust pad is determined by solving the transient Reynolds equation coupled with the equation of the motion of the pad. Results show that the Rayleigh-step geometry is very stable for bearing number A up to 50. The stability threshold is shown to exist only for ultrahigh values of Lambda equal to or greater than 100, where the stability can be achieved by making the mass heavier than the critical mass.

13. Photocopy of photograph (original photograph in possession of 30th ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. Photocopy of photograph (original photograph in possession of 30th Audiovisual Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California). Photography by United States Air Force, date unknown. THRUST AUGMENTED THOR PREPARED FOR LAUNCH FROM SLC-3W. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) Propulsion and Power Systems for Outer Planetary Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borowski, S. K.; Cataldo, R. L.

2001-01-01

The high specific impulse (I (sub sp)) and engine thrust generated using liquid hydrogen (LH2)-cooled Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) propulsion makes them attractive for upper stage applications for difficult robotic science missions to the outer planets. Besides high (I (sub sp)) and thrust, NTR engines can also be designed for "bimodal" operation allowing substantial amounts of electrical power (10's of kWe ) to be generated for onboard spacecraft systems and high data rate communications with Earth during the course of the mission. Two possible options for using the NTR are examined here. A high performance injection stage utilizing a single 15 klbf thrust engine can inject large payloads to the outer planets using a 20 t-class launch vehicle when operated in an "expendable mode". A smaller bimodal NTR stage generating approx. 1 klbf of thrust and 20 to 40 kWe for electric propulsion can deliver approx. 100 kg using lower cost launch vehicles. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Spatial measurement in rotating magnetic field plasma acceleration method by using two-dimensional scanning instrument and thrust stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furukawa, T.; Takizawa, K.; Yano, K.; Kuwahara, D.; Shinohara, S.

2018-04-01

A two-dimensional scanning probe instrument has been developed to survey spatial plasma characteristics in our electrodeless plasma acceleration schemes. In particular, diagnostics of plasma parameters, e.g., plasma density, temperature, velocity, and excited magnetic field, are essential for elucidating physical phenomena since we have been concentrating on next generation plasma propulsion methods, e.g., Rotating Magnetic Field plasma acceleration method, by characterizing the plasma performance. Moreover, in order to estimate the thrust performance in our experimental scheme, we have also mounted a thrust stand, which has a target type, on this movable instrument, and scanned the axial profile of the thrust performance in the presence of the external magnetic field generated by using permanent magnets, so as to investigate the plasma captured in a stand area, considering the divergent field lines in the downstream region of a generation antenna. In this paper, we will introduce the novel measurement instrument and describe how to measure these parameters.

Study of superconducting magnetic bearing applicable to the flywheel energy storage system that consist of HTS-bulks and superconducting-coils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seino, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Ken; Tanaka, Yoshichika; Nakauchi, Masahiko

2010-06-01

The Railway Technical Research Institute conducted a study to develop a superconducting magnetic bearing applicable to the flywheel energy-storage system for railways. In the first step of the study, the thrust rolling bearing was selected for application, and adopted liquid-nitrogen-cooled HTS-bulk as a rotor, and adopted superconducting coil as a stator for the superconducting magnetic bearing. Load capacity of superconducting magnetic bearing was verified up to 10 kN in the static load test. After that, rotation test of that approximately 5 kN thrust load added was performed with maximum rotation of 3000rpm. In the results of bearing rotation test, it was confirmed that position in levitation is able to maintain with stability during the rotation. Heat transfer properties by radiation in vacuum and conductivity by tenuous gas were basically studied by experiment by the reason of confirmation of rotor cooling method. The experimental result demonstrates that the optimal gas pressure is able to obtain without generating windage drag. In the second stage of the development, thrust load capacity of the bearing will be improved aiming at the achievement of the energy capacity of a practical scale. In the static load test of the new superconducting magnetic bearing, stable 20kN-levitation force was obtained.

A Rotary Microactuator Supported on Encapsulated Microball Bearings using an Electro-Pneumatic Thrust Balance

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Additionally, high-speed air bearings have been demonstrated in micromotors (55 000 rpm) and micro-turbomachinery (2 million rpm) [7, 8]. While...without thrust balances [11]. For applications requiring continuous rotation ( micromotors and micropumps) this hydrostatic balancing force can be...conditions for stable actuation of the micromotor leading to maximum speeds. In addition to increased speed, this device demonstrates a substantial

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-06-07

This photograph depicts the Rocketdyne static firing of the F-1 engine at the towering 76-meter Test Stand 1-C in Area 1-125 of the Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Saturn V S-IC (first) stage utilized five F-1 engines for its thrust. Each engine provided 1,500,000 pounds, for a combined thrust of 7,500,000 pounds with liquid oxygen and kerosene as its propellants.

Fin Ray Stiffness and Fin Morphology Control Ribbon-Fin-Based Propulsion.

PubMed

Liu, Hanlin; Taylor, Bevan; Curet, Oscar M

2017-06-01

Ribbon-fin-based propulsion has rich locomotor capabilities that can enhance the mobility and performance of underwater vehicles navigating in complex environments. Bony fishes using this type of propulsion send one or multiple traveling waves along an elongated fin with the actuation of highly flexible rays that are interconnected by an elastic membrane. In this work, we study how the use of flexible rays and different morphology can affect the performance of ribbon-fin propulsion. We developed a physical model composed of 15 rays that are interconnected with an elastic membrane. We tested four different ray flexural stiffness and four aspect ratios. The robotic model was tested in a low-turbulence flume under two flow conditions ([Formula: see text] wavelength/s). In two experimental sets, we measured fin kinematics, net surge forces, and power consumption. Using these data, we perform a thrust and power analysis of the undulating fin. We present the thrust coefficient, power coefficient, and propulsive efficiency. We find that the thrust generation was linear with the enclosed area swept by the fin, and square of the relative velocity between the incoming flow and traveling wave. The thrust coefficient levels off around 0.5. In addition, for our parameter range, we find that the power consumption scales by the cube of the effective tangential velocity of the rays [Formula: see text] (A is the amplitude of the ray oscillating motion, and [Formula: see text] is the angular velocity). We show that a decay in stiffness decreases both thrust production and power consumption. However, for rays with high flexural stiffness, the difference in thrust compared with rigid rays is minimal. Moreover, our results show that flexible rays can improve the propulsive efficiency compared with a rigid counterpart. Finally, we find that the morphology of ribbon fin affects its propulsive efficiency. For the aspect ratio considered in our experiments, [Formula: see text] was the most efficient compared with [Formula: see text]. Our results suggest that there could be an optimal morphology for a given ribbon fin kinematics. Therefore, both natural swimmers and underwater vehicles using ribbon-fin-based propulsion can take advantage of flexible rays and optimal aspect ratio to improve propulsive performance.

In vivo measurement of aerodynamic weight support in freely flying birds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lentink, David; Haselsteiner, Andreas; Ingersoll, Rivers

2014-11-01

Birds dynamically change the shape of their wing during the stroke to support their body weight aerodynamically. The wing is partially folded during the upstroke, which suggests that the upstroke of birds might not actively contribute to aerodynamic force production. This hypothesis is supported by the significant mass difference between the large pectoralis muscle that powers the down-stroke and the much smaller supracoracoideus that drives the upstroke. Previous works used indirect or incomplete techniques to measure the total force generated by bird wings ranging from muscle force, airflow, wing surface pressure, to detailed kinematics measurements coupled with bird mass-distribution models to derive net force through second derivatives. We have validated a new method that measures aerodynamic force in vivo time-resolved directly in freely flying birds which can resolve this question. The validation of the method, using independent force measurements on a quadcopter with pulsating thrust, show the aerodynamic force and impulse are measured within 2% accuracy and time-resolved. We demonstrate results for quad-copters and birds of similar weight and size. The method is scalable and can be applied to both engineered and natural flyers across taxa. The first author invented the method, the second and third authors validated the method and present results for quadcopters and birds.

Aerodynamics power consumption for mechanical flapping wings undergoing flapping and pitching motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razak, N. A.; Dimitriadis, G.; Razaami, A. F.

2017-07-01

Lately, due to the growing interest in Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAV), interest in flapping flight has been rekindled. The reason lies in the improved performance of flapping wing flight at low Reynolds number regime. Many studies involving flapping wing flight focused on the generation of unsteady aerodynamic forces such as lift and thrust. There is one aspect of flapping wing flight that received less attention. The aspect is aerodynamic power consumption. Since most mechanical flapping wing aircraft ever designed are battery powered, power consumption is fundamental in improving flight endurance. This paper reports the results of experiments carried out on mechanical wings under going active root flapping and pitching in the wind tunnel. The objective of the work is to investigate the effect of the pitch angle oscillations and wing profile on the power consumption of flapping wings via generation of unsteady aerodynamic forces. The experiments were repeated for different airspeeds, flapping and pitching kinematics, geometric angle of attack and wing sections with symmetric and cambered airfoils. A specially designed mechanical flapper modelled on large migrating birds was used. It will be shown that, under pitch leading conditions, less power is required to overcome the unsteady aerodnamics forces. The study finds less power requirement for downstroke compared to upstroke motion. Overall results demonstrate power consumption depends directly on the unsteady lift force.

Wind tunnel test of model target thrust reversers for the Pratt and Whitney aircraft JT8D-100 series engines installed on a 727-200 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hambly, D.

1974-01-01

The results of a low speed wind tunnel test of 0.046 scale model target thrust reversers installed on a 727-200 model airplane are presented. The full airplane model was mounted on a force balance, except for the nacelles and thrust reversers, which were independently mounted and isolated from it. The installation had the capability of simulating the inlet airflows and of supplying the correct proportions of primary and secondary air to the nozzles. The objectives of the test were to assess the compatibility of the thrust reversers target door design with the engine and airplane. The following measurements were made: hot gas ingestion at the nacelle inlets; model lift, drag, and pitching moment; hot gas impingement on the airplane structure; and qualitative assessment of the rudder effectiveness. The major parameters controlling hot gas ingestion were found to be thrust reverser orientation, engine power setting, and the lip height of the bottom thrust reverser doors on the side nacelles. The thrust reversers tended to increase the model lift, decrease the drag, and decrease the pitching moment.

Optimal propulsive flapping in Stokes flows.

PubMed

Was, Loïc; Lauga, Eric

2014-03-01

Swimming fish and flying insects use the flapping of fins and wings to generate thrust. In contrast, microscopic organisms typically deform their appendages in a wavelike fashion. Since a flapping motion with two degrees of freedom is able, in theory, to produce net forces from a time-periodic actuation at all Reynolds numbers, we compute in this paper the optimal flapping kinematics of a rigid spheroid in a Stokes flow. The hydrodynamics for the force generation and energetics of the flapping motion is solved exactly. We then compute analytically the gradient of a flapping efficiency in the space of all flapping gaits and employ it to derive numerically the optimal flapping kinematics as a function of the shape of the flapper and the amplitude of the motion. The kinematics of optimal flapping are observed to depend weakly on the flapper shape and are very similar to the figure-eight motion observed in the motion of insect wings. Our results suggest that flapping could be a exploited experimentally as a propulsion mechanism valid across the whole range of Reynolds numbers.

Configuration management and automatic control of an augmentor wing aircraft with vectored thrust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cicolani, L. S.; Sridhar, B.; Meyer, G.

1979-01-01

An advanced structure for automatic flight control logic for powered-lift aircraft operating in terminal areas is under investigation at Ames Research Center. This structure is based on acceleration control; acceleration commands are constructed as the sum of acceleration on the reference trajectory and a corrective feedback acceleration to regulate path tracking errors. The central element of the structure, termed a Trimmap, uses a model of the aircraft aerodynamic and engine forces to calculate the control settings required to generate the acceleration commands. This report describes the design criteria for the Trimmap and derives a Trimmap for Ames experimental augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft.

Design of a Six Degree of Freedom Thrust Sensor for a Hybrid Rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGehee, Tripp

2005-03-01

A hybrid rocket is composed of a solid fuel and a separate liquid or gaseous oxidizer. These rockets may be throttled like liquid rockets, are safer than solid rockets, and are much less complex than liquid rockets. However, hybrid rockets produce thrust oscillations that are not practical for large scale use. A lab scale hybrid rocket at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) Hybrid Rocket Facility is used to develop sensors to measure physical properties of hybrid rockets. Research is currently being conducted to design a six degree of freedom force sensor to measure the thrust and torque in all three spatial dimensions. The current design mounts the rocket in a rigid cage and connects the cage to a solid table by six sensor legs. The legs utilize strain gauges and a Wheatstone bridge to produce a voltage proportional to the force on the leg. A detailed description of the cage design and the design process will be given.

Thrust performance of unsteady propulsors using a novel measurement system, and corresponding wake patterns

PubMed Central

Clark, Richard P.; Smits, Alexander J.

2009-01-01

An apparatus is described for the measurement of unsteady thrust and propulsive efficiency produced by biologically inspired oscillating hydrodynamic propulsors. Force measurement is achieved using a strain-gauge-based force transducer, augmented with a lever to amplify or attenuate the applied force and control the measurement sensitivity and natural frequency of vibration. The lever can be used to tune the system to a specific application and it is shown that, using the lever, the stiffness can be made to increase more rapidly than the measurement sensitivity decreases. Efficiency is computed from measurements of the time-averaged power imparted to the fluid. The apparatus is applied to two different propulsors, demonstrating the versatility of the system; wake visualizations are examined, which provide insight into the physical mechanisms of efficient propulsion. PMID:19946574

A prediction model for lift-fan simulator performance. M.S. Thesis - Cleveland State Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuska, J. A.

1972-01-01

The performance characteristics of a model VTOL lift-fan simulator installed in a two-dimensional wing are presented. The lift-fan simulator consisted of a 15-inch diameter fan driven by a turbine contained in the fan hub. The performance of the lift-fan simulator was measured in two ways: (1) the calculated momentum thrust of the fan and turbine (total thrust loading), and (2) the axial-force measured on a load cell force balance (axial-force loading). Tests were conducted over a wide range of crossflow velocities, corrected tip speeds, and wing angle of attack. A prediction modeling technique was developed to help in analyzing the performance characteristics of lift-fan simulators. A multiple linear regression analysis technique is presented which calculates prediction model equations for the dependent variables.

Aircraft Brake Systems Testing Handbook.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

distribution is unlimited. AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST CENTER EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE , CALIFORNIA AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND UNITED STATES AIR FORCE A This handbook... Base , California 93523. This handbook has been reviewed and cleared for open publication and/or public release by the AFFTC Office of Public Affairs in...Force lbs Ft Engine Thrust lbs F vrt Vertical Force acting on the tire at the qround lbs 9 Acceleration due to gravity 32.17 ft/sec 2 h Distance

Optimal low-thrust trajectories for nuclear and solar electric propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genta, G.; Maffione, P. F.

2016-01-01

The optimization of the trajectory and of the thrust profile of a low-thrust interplanetary transfer is usually solved under the assumption that the specific mass of the power generator is constant. While this is reasonable in the case of nuclear electric propulsion, if solar electric propulsion is used the specific mass depends on the distance of the spacecraft from the Sun. In the present paper the optimization of the trajectory of the spacecraft and of the thrust profile is solved under the latter assumption, to obtain optimized interplanetary trajectories for solar electric spacecraft, also taking into account all phases of the journey, from low orbit about the starting planet to low orbit about the destination one. General plots linking together the travel time, the specific mass of the generator and the propellant consumption are obtained.

Static investigation of the circulation control wing/upper surface blowing concept applied to the quiet short haul research aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppel, J. C.; Shovlin, M. D.; Jaynes, D. N.; Englar, R. J.; Nichols, J. H., Jr.

1982-01-01

Full scale static investigations were conducted on the Quiet Short Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) to determine the thrust deflecting capabilities of the circulation control wing/upper surface blowing (CCW/USB) concept. This scheme, which combines favorable characteristics of both the A-6/CCW and QSRA, employs the flow entrainment properties of CCW to pneumatically deflect engine thrust in lieu of the mechanical USB flap system. Results show that the no moving parts blown system produced static thrust deflections in the range of 40 deg to 97 deg (depending on thrust level) with a CCW pressure of 208,900 Pa (30.3 psig). In addition, the ability to vary horizontal forces from thrust to drag while maintaining a constant vertical (or lift) value was demonstrated by varying the blowing pressure. The versatility of the CCW/USB system, if applied to a STOL aircraft, was confirmed, where rapid conversion from a high drag approach mode to a thrust recovering waveoff or takeoff configuration could be achieved by nearly instantaneous blowing pressure variation.

Force-time profile differences in the delivery of simulated toggle-recoil spinal manipulation by students, instructors, and field doctors of chiropractic.

PubMed

DeVocht, James W; Owens, Edward F; Gudavalli, Maruti Ram; Strazewski, John; Bhogal, Ramneek; Xia, Ting

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the force-time profiles of toggle recoil using an instrumented simulator to objectively measure and evaluate students' skill to determine if they become quicker and use less force during the course of their training and to compare them to course instructors and to field doctors of chiropractic (DCs) who use this specific technique in their practices. A load cell was placed within a toggle recoil training device. The preload, speed, and magnitude of the toggle recoil thrusts were measured from 60 students, 2 instructors, and 77 DCs (ie, who use the toggle recoil technique in their regular practice). Student data were collected 3 times during their toggle course (after first exposure, at midterm, and at course end.) Thrusts showed a dual-peak force-time profile not previously described in other forms of spinal manipulation. There was a wide range of values for each quantity measured within and between all 3 subject groups. The median peak load for students decreased over the course of their class, but they became slower. Field doctors were faster than students or instructors and delivered higher peak loads. Toggle recoil thrusts into a dropping mechanism varied based upon subject and amount of time practicing the task. As students progressed through the class, speed reduced as they increased control to lower peak loads. In the group studies, field DCs applied higher forces and were faster than both students and instructors. There appears to be a unique 2-peak feature of the force-time plot that is unique to toggle recoil manipulation with a drop mechanism. Copyright © 2013 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Low eddy loss axial hybrid magnetic bearing with gimballing control ability for momentum flywheel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jiqiang; Sun, Jinji; Fang, Jiancheng; Shuzhi Sam, Ge

2013-03-01

For a magnetically suspended momentum flywheel (MSMF), the spinning rotor can be tilted by a pair of the presented axial hybrid magnetic bearing (AHMB) with eight poles and rotates around the radial axes to generate a large torque to maneuver the spacecraft. To improve the control performance and gimballing control ability of the AHMB, characteristics such as magnetic suspension force, angular stiffness and tilting momentum are researched. These segmented stator poles cause the magnetic density in the thrust rotor plate to be uneven unavoidably and the rotational loss is large at high speed, but we optimized the stator poles configuration and caused the thrust rotor plate formed by bulk DT4C and laminated material to make the magnetic density in the thrust rotor plate change less and be smoother. Laminated material such as 1J50 film with a thickness of 0.1 mm can make the variation of the magnetic density in DT4C become very small and the eddy loss of it be negligible, but the stress produced in the “O” shape stacks by reeling has a bad effect on its power loss. Nanocrystalline can reduce eddy losses and is not affected by the reeling process. Based on the AHBM consisting of the stator with eight improved poles and the presented thrust rotor plate with DT4 and nanocrystalline, the rotational loss of 5-DOF magnetically suspended momentum flywheel with angular momentum of 15 N m s at 5000 rpm has reduced from 23.4 W to 3.2 W, which proved that this AHMB has low eddy loss for the gimballing control ability.

Development of a CFRP Engine Thrust Frame for the Next Generation Launchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatemi, Javad; van der Bas, Finn; Cruijssen, Henk

2012-07-01

This paper addresses the activities related to the development of technologies for a composite Engine Thrust Frame (ETF) for the next generation launchers. In particular, the design and analyses of a full Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) engine thrust frame are presented in more detail. The ETF concept is composed of three main parts, i.e. an aluminium top-ring which connects the ETF to the upper-stage tank, a CFRP cone, and a CFRP cone-cap which connects the Vinci engine to the ETF. The main challenging requirements for development of a CFRP ETF are recalled. The ETF concept and its mechanical performances are assessed.

C2 of Space: The Key to Full Spectrum Dominance

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

created the Air Force Research Laboratory in 1997, AFRL/IF was tasked to provide Information Dominance technologies to the warfighter. These critical...allowing the future Battle Manager’s control of the battlespace. The first five ITTPs come under AFRL’s Information Dominance thrust area...time Sensor-to-Shooter, falls under the Precision Strike thrust area. This paper provides a brief background regarding Information Dominance and

EC94-42513-3

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-03-15

The three thrust-vectoring aircraft at Edwards, California, each capable of flying at extreme angles of attack, cruise over the California desert in formation during flight in March 1994. They are, from left, NASA's F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), flown by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; the X-31, flown by the X-31 International Test Organization (ITO) at Dryden; and the Air Force F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring (MATV) aircraft.

Near Real-Time Closed-Loop Optimal Control Feedback for Spacecraft Attitude Maneuvers

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

60 3.8 Positive ωi Static Thrust Fan Characterization Polynomial Coefficients . . 62 3.9 Negative ωi Static Thrust Fan...Characterization Polynomial Coefficients . 62 4.1 Coefficients for SimSAT II’s Air Drag Polynomial Function . . . . . . . . . . . 78 5.1 OLOC Simulation...maneuver. Researchers using OCT identified that naturally occurring aerodynamic drag and gravity forces could be exploited in such a way that the CMGs

Cruise Missile Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Williams International's F107 fanjet engine is used in two types of cruise missiles, Navy-sponsored Tomahawk and the Air Force AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). Engine produces about 600 pounds thrust, is one foot in diameter and weighs only 141 pounds. Design was aided by use of a COSMIC program in calculating airflows in engine's internal ducting, resulting in a more efficient engine with increased thrust and reduced fuel consumption.

A computer module used to calculate the horizontal control surface size of a conceptual aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandlin, Doral R.; Swanson, Stephen Mark

1990-01-01

The creation of a computer module used to calculate the size of the horizontal control surfaces of a conceptual aircraft design is discussed. The control surface size is determined by first calculating the size needed to rotate the aircraft during takeoff, and, second, by determining if the calculated size is large enough to maintain stability of the aircraft throughout any specified mission. The tail size needed to rotate during takeoff is calculated from a summation of forces about the main landing gear of the aircraft. The stability of the aircraft is determined from a summation of forces about the center of gravity during different phases of the aircraft's flight. Included in the horizontal control surface analysis are: downwash effects on an aft tail, upwash effects on a forward canard, and effects due to flight in close proximity to the ground. Comparisons of production aircraft with numerical models show good accuracy for control surface sizing. A modified canard design verified the accuracy of the module for canard configurations. Added to this stability and control module is a subroutine that determines one of the three design variables, for a stable vectored thrust aircraft. These include forward thrust nozzle position, aft thrust nozzle angle, and forward thrust split.

Comet Halley and nongravitational forces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeomans, D. K.

1977-01-01

The motion of comet Halley is investigated over the 1607-1911 interval. The required nongravitational-force model was found to be most consistent with a rocket-type thrust from the vaporization of water ice in the comet's nucleus. The nongravitational effects are time-independent over the investigated interval.

Optimal orbit transfer suitable for large flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterjee, Alok K.

1989-01-01

The problem of continuous low-thrust planar orbit transfer of large flexible structures is formulated as an optimal control problem with terminal state constraints. The dynamics of the spacecraft motion are treated as a point-mass central force field problem; the thrust-acceleration magnitude is treated as an additional state variable; and the rate of change of thrust-acceleration is treated as a control variable. To ensure smooth transfer, essential for flexible structures, an additional quadratic term is appended to the time cost functional. This term penalizes any abrupt change in acceleration. Numerical results are presented for the special case of a planar transfer.

Developing stochastic model of thrust and flight dynamics for small UAVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjhai, Chandra

This thesis presents a stochastic thrust model and aerodynamic model for small propeller driven UAVs whose power plant is a small electric motor. First a model which relates thrust generated by a small propeller driven electric motor as a function of throttle setting and commanded engine RPM is developed. A perturbation of this model is then used to relate the uncertainty in throttle and engine RPM commanded to the error in the predicted thrust. Such a stochastic model is indispensable in the design of state estimation and control systems for UAVs where the performance requirements of the systems are specied in stochastic terms. It is shown that thrust prediction models for small UAVs are not a simple, explicit functions relating throttle input and RPM command to thrust generated. Rather they are non-linear, iterative procedures which depend on a geometric description of the propeller and mathematical model of the motor. A detailed derivation of the iterative procedure is presented and the impact of errors which arise from inaccurate propeller and motor descriptions are discussed. Validation results from a series of wind tunnel tests are presented. The results show a favorable statistical agreement between the thrust uncertainty predicted by the model and the errors measured in the wind tunnel. The uncertainty model of aircraft aerodynamic coefficients developed based on wind tunnel experiment will be discussed at the end of this thesis.

A Contamination-Free Ultrahigh Precision Formation Flying Method for Micro-, Nano-, and Pico-Satellites with Nanometer Accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Young K.

2006-01-01

Formation flying of clusters of micro-, nano- and pico-satellites has been recognized to be more affordable, robust and versatile than building a large monolithic satellite in implementing next generation space missions requiring large apertures or large sample collection areas and sophisticated earth imaging/monitoring. We propose a propellant free, thus contamination free, method that enables ultrahigh precision satellite formation flying with intersatellite distance accuracy of nm (10-9 m) at maximum estimated distances in the order of tens of km. The method is based on ultrahigh precision CW intracavity photon thrusters and tethers. The pushing-out force of the intracavity photon thruster and the pulling-in force of the tether tension between satellites form the basic force structure to stabilize crystalline-like structures of satellites and/or spacecrafts with a relative distance accuracy better than nm. The thrust of the photons can be amplified by up to tens of thousand times by bouncing them between two mirrors located separately on pairing satellites. For example, a 10 W photon thruster, suitable for micro-satellite applications, is theoretically capable of providing thrusts up to mN, and its weight and power consumption are estimated to be several kgs and tens of W, respectively. The dual usage of photon thruster as a precision laser source for the interferometric ranging system further simplifies the system architecture and minimizes the weight and power consumption. The present method does not require propellant, thus provides significant propulsion system mass savings, and is free from propellant exhaust contamination, ideal for missions that require large apertures composed of highly sensitive sensors. The system can be readily scaled down for the nano- and pico-satellite applications.

The Relationship between Appendage Geometry and Propeller Blade Unsteady Forces.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

unsteady thrust and torque for a given propeller geometry. The results indicate that unsteady force reduction can be obtained by modification of the flow ... unsteady force calculation methods available are: 1) quasi-steady using uniform flow ; 2) quasi-steady using lifting-line theory; 3) two-dimensional... experimental data and the calculated unsteady forces that both the flow field near the body surface and behind the appendage tip must be

Optimal electric potential profile in a collisional magnetized thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fruchtman, Amnon; Makrinich, Gennady

2016-10-01

A major figure of merit in propulsion in general and in electric propulsion in particular is the thrust per unit of deposited power, the ratio of thrust over power. We have recently demonstrated experimentally and theoretically that for a fixed deposited power in the ions, the momentum delivered by the electric force is larger if the accelerated ions collide with neutrals during the acceleration. As expected, the higher thrust for given power is achieved for a collisional plasma at the expense of a lower thrust per unit mass flow rate. Operation in the collisional regime can be advantageous for certain space missions. We analyze a Hall thruster configuration in which the flow is only weakly ionized but there are frequent ion-neutral collisions. With a variational method we seek an electric potential profile that maximizes thrust over power. We then examine what radial magnetic field profile should determine such a potential profile. Supported by the Israel Science Foundation Grant 765/11.

Computational Investigations of Inboard Flow Separation and Mitigation Techniques on Multi-Megawatt Wind Turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Raymond

The aerodynamic characteristics of the NREL 5-MW rotor have been examined using a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes method, OVERFLOW2. A comprehensive off-body grid independence study has been performed. A strong dependence on the size of the near-body wake grid has been found. Rapid diffusion of the wake appears to generate an overprediction of power and thrust. A large, continuous near-wake grid at minimum of two rotor diameters downstream of the rotor appears to be necessary for accurate predictions of near-body forces. The NREL 5-MW rotor demonstrates significant inboard flow separation up to 30% of span. This separation appears to be highly three-dimensional, with a significant amount of radial flow increasing the size of the separated region outboard. Both integrated aerodynamic coefficients and detailed wake structures for the baseline NREL 5-MW rotor are in excellent agreement with results by Riso at Uinfinity = 8 and 11 m/s. A simple, continuous full-chord fence was applied at the maximum chord location of the blade, within the region of separation. This non-optimized device reduced the boundary-layer cross-flow and resulting separation, and increased rotor power capture by 0.9% and 0.6% at U infinity = 8 and 11 m/s, respectively. Suction side only fences perform similarly in terms of power capture but reduce the increase in rotor thrust. Fence heights from 0.5% to 17.5% of the maximum chord all demonstrate some level of effectiveness, with fences (1-2.5%cmax) showing similar performance gains to taller fences with smaller penalties in thrust. Performance in terms of power capture is not very sensitive to spanwise location when placed within the separation region. Blunt trailing edge modifications to the inboard region of the blade showed a relatively significant effect on rotor power. Over a large range of trailing edge thicknesses from hTE = 10 to 25%c, power was found to increase by 1.4%. Thrust increased proportionally with the thicknesses examined, reaching a comparable increase of 1.4% by a trailing edge thickness of 15%c. Decreasing inboard twist only acted to increase thrust without increasing power capture any further at U infinity = 11 m/s. While increasing inboard blade twist decreased power, but decreased thrust at even a higher rate. Vortex generators were not successively configured to significantly improve power capture in this study. Two of the three configurations examined actually decreased power capture and increased the separation region. The results found in this study are not believed to be representative of a properly sized and located array of VGs. The presence of the nose cone and nacelle body at the hub of the rotor is found to have a minimal effect on the power and thrust of the overall rotor. The downstream wake structure however is changed by the nacelle, potentially useful for wake tailoring when turbines are closely spaced together.

Rapid Preliminary Design of Interplanetary Trajectories Using the Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englander, Jacob

2016-01-01

This set of tutorial slides is an introduction to the Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator (EMTG), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's autonomous tool for preliminary design of interplanetary missions. This slide set covers the basics of creating and post-processing simple interplanetary missions in EMTG using both high-thrust chemical and low-thrust electric propulsion along with a variety of operational constraints.

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-13

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, has begun a series of engine tests on the Reaction Control Engine developed by TRW Space and Electronics for NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI). SLI is a technology development effort aimed at improving the safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for reusable launch vehicles. The engine in this photo, the first engine tested at MSFC that includes SLI technology, was tested for two seconds at a chamber pressure of 185 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). Propellants used were liquid oxygen as an oxidizer and liquid hydrogen as fuel. Designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit, the engine is used as an auxiliary propulsion system for docking, reentry, fine-pointing, and orbit transfer while the vehicle is in orbit. The Reaction Control Engine has two unique features. It uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, which creates a safer environment with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions, and it operates in dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The force of low level thrust allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock, while the force of the high level thrust is used for reentry, orbital transfer, and course positioning.

Dynamic Positioning Capability Analysis for Marine Vessels Based on A DPCap Polar Plot Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Yang, Jian-min; Xu, Sheng-wen

2018-03-01

Dynamic positioning capability (DPCap) analysis is essential in the selection of thrusters, in their configuration, and during preliminary investigation of the positioning ability of a newly designed vessel dynamic positioning system. DPCap analysis can help determine the maximum environmental forces, in which the DP system can counteract in given headings. The accuracy of the DPCap analysis is determined by the precise estimation of the environmental forces as well as the effectiveness of the thrust allocation logic. This paper is dedicated to developing an effective and efficient software program for the DPCap analysis for marine vessels. Estimation of the environmental forces can be obtained by model tests, hydrodynamic computation and empirical formulas. A quadratic programming method is adopted to allocate the total thrust on every thruster of the vessel. A detailed description of the thrust allocation logic of the software program is given. The effectiveness of the new program DPCap Polar Plot (DPCPP) was validated by a DPCap analysis for a supply vessel. The present study indicates that the developed program can be used in the DPCap analysis for marine vessels. Moreover, DPCap analysis considering the thruster failure mode might give guidance to the designers of vessels whose thrusters need to be safer.

Influence of drill helical direction on exit damage development in drilling carbon fiber reinforced plastic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Y.; Jia, Z. Y.; Wang, F. J.; Fu, R.; Guo, H. B.; Cheng, D.; Zhang, B. Y.

2017-06-01

Drilling is inevitable for CFRP components’ assembling process in the aviation industry. The exit damage frequently occurs and affects the load carrying capacity of components. Consequently, it is of great urgency to enhance drilling exit quality on CFRP components. The article aims to guide the reasonable choice of drill helical direction and effectively reduce exit damage. Exit observation experiments are carried out with left-hand helical, right-hand helical and straight one-shot drill drilling T800S CFRP laminates separately. The development rules of exit damage and delamination factor curves are obtained. Combined with loading conditions and fracture modes of push-out burrs, and thrust force curves, the influence of drill helical direction on exit damage development is derived. It is found that the main fracture modes for left-hand helical, right-hand helical, and straight one-shot drill are mode I, extrusive fracture, mode III respectively. Among them, mode III has the least effect on exit damage development. Meanwhile, the changing rate of thrust force is relative slow for right-hand helical and straight one-shot drill in the thrust force increasing phase of stage II, which is disadvantaged for exit damage development. Therefore, straight one-shot drill’s exit quality is the best.

Nasal versus oronasal raised volume forced expirations in infants – A real physiologic challenge

PubMed Central

Morris, Mohy G.

2012-01-01

Summary Raised volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression (RTC) generates forced expiration (FE) in infants typically from an airway opening pressure of 30 cm H2O (V30). We hypothesized that the higher nasal than pulmonary airway resistance limits forced expiratory flows (FEF%) during (nasal) FEn, which an opened mouth, (oronasal) FEo, would resolve. Measurements were performed during a brief post-hyperventilation apnea on twelve healthy infants aged 6.9–104 weeks. In two infants, forced expiratory (FEFV) flow volume (FV) curves were generated using a facemask that covered the nose and a closed mouth, then again with a larger mask with the mouth opened. In other infants (n=10), the mouth closed spontaneously during FE. Oronasal passive expiration from V30 generated either the inspiratory capacity (IC) or by activating RTC before end-expiration, the slow vital capacity (jSVC). Peak flow (PF), FEF25, FEF50, FEF25–75, FEV0.4 and FEV0.5 were lower via FEn than FEo (p<0.05), but the ratio of expired volume at PF and forced vital capacity (FVC) as percent was higher (p<0.05). FEF75, FEF85, FEF90, FVC as well as the applied jacket pressures were not different (p>0.05). FEFV curves generated via FEo exhibited higher PF than FV curves of IC (p< 0.05); PF of those produced via FEn were not different from FV curves of IC (p> 0.05) but lower than those of jSVC (p< 0.05). In conclusion, the higher nasal than pulmonary airways resistance unequivocally affects the FEFV curves by consistently reducing PF and decreases mid-expiratory flows. A monitored slightly opened mouth and a gentle anterior jaw thrust are physiologically integral for raised volume RTC in order to maximize the oral and minimize nasal airways contribution to FE so that flow limitation would be in the pulmonary not nasal airways. PMID:22328241

Thrust generation experiments on microwave rocket with a beam concentrator for long distance wireless power feeding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukunari, Masafumi; Yamaguchi, Toshikazu; Nakamura, Yusuke; Komurasaki, Kimiya; Oda, Yasuhisa; Kajiwara, Ken; Takahashi, Koji; Sakamoto, Keishi

2018-04-01

Experiments using a 1 MW-class gyrotron were conducted to examine a beamed energy propulsion rocket, a microwave rocket with a beam concentrator for long-distance wireless power feeding. The incident beam is transmitted from a beam transmission mirror system. The beam transmission mirror system expands the incident beam diameter to 240 mm to extend the Rayleigh length. The beam concentrator receives the beam and guides it into a 56-mm-diameter cylindrical thruster tube. Plasma ignition and ionization front propagation in the thruster were observed through an acrylic window using a fast-framing camera. Atmospheric air was used as a propellant. Thrust generation was achieved with the beam concentrator. The maximum thrust impulse was estimated as 71 mN s/pulse from a pressure history at the thrust wall at the input energy of 638 J/pulse. The corresponding momentum coupling coefficient, Cm was inferred as 204 N/MW.

X-31 Unloading Returning from Paris Air Show

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

After being flown in the Paris Air Show in June 1995, the X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, based at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is off-loaded from an Air Force Reserve C-5 transport after the ferry flight back to Edwards. At the air show, the X-31 demonstrated the value of using thrust vectoring (directing engine exhaust flow) coupled with advanced flight control systems to provide controlled flight at very high angles of attack. The X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) demonstrator flew at the Ames- Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California (redesignated the Dryden Flight Research Center in 1994) from February 1992 until 1995 and before that at the Air Force's Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The goal of the project was to provide design information for the next generation of highly maneuverable fighter aircraft. This program demonstrated the value of using thrust vectoring (directing engine exhaust flow) coupled with an advanced flight control system to provide controlled flight to very high angles of attack. The result was a significant advantage over most conventional fighters in close-in combat situations. The X-31 flight program focused on agile flight within the post-stall regime, producing technical data to give aircraft designers a better understanding of aerodynamics, effectiveness of flight controls and thrust vectoring, and airflow phenomena at high angles of attack. Stall is a condition of an airplane or an airfoil in which lift decreases and drag increases due to the separation of airflow. Thrust vectoring compensates for the loss of control through normal aerodynamic surfaces that occurs during a stall. Post-stall refers to flying beyond the normal stall angle of attack, which in the X-31 was at a 30-degree angle of attack. During Dryden flight testing, the X-31 aircraft established several milestones. On November 6, 1992, the X-31 achieved controlled flight at a 70-degree angle of attack. On April 29, 1993, the second X-31 successfully executed a rapid minimum-radius, 180-degree turn using a post-stall maneuver, flying well beyond the aerodynamic limits of any conventional aircraft. This revolutionary maneuver has been called the 'Herbst Maneuver' after Wolfgang Herbst, a German proponent of using post-stall flight in air-to-air combat. It is also called a 'J Turn' when flown to an arbitrary heading change. The aircraft was flown in tactical maneuvers against an F/A-18 and other tactical aircraft as part of the test flight program. During November and December 1993, the X-31 reached a supersonic speed of Mach 1.28. In 1994, the X-31 program installed software to demonstrate quasi-tailless operation. The X-31 flight test program was conducted by an international test organization (ITO) managed by the Advanced Research Projects Office (ARPA), known as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Office (DARPA) before March 1993. The ITO included the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, Rockwell Aerospace, the Federal Republic of Germany, Daimler-Benz (formerly Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm and Deutsche Aerospace), and NASA. Gary Trippensee was the ITO director and NASA Project Manager. Pilots came from participating organizations. The X-31 was 43.33 feet long with a wingspan of 23.83 feet. It was powered by a single General Electric P404-GE-400 turbofan engine that produced 16,000 pounds of thrust in afterburner.

A unified view of energetic efficiency in active drag reduction, thrust generation and self-propulsion through a loss coefficient with some applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arakeri, Jaywant H.; Shukla, Ratnesh K.

2013-08-01

An analysis of the energy budget for the general case of a body translating in a stationary fluid under the action of an external force is used to define a power loss coefficient. This universal definition of power loss coefficient gives a measure of the energy lost in the wake of the translating body and, in general, is applicable to a variety of flow configurations including active drag reduction, self-propulsion and thrust generation. The utility of the power loss coefficient is demonstrated on a model bluff body flow problem concerning a two-dimensional elliptical cylinder in a uniform cross-flow. The upper and lower boundaries of the elliptic cylinder undergo continuous motion due to a prescribed reflectionally symmetric constant tangential surface velocity. It is shown that a decrease in drag resulting from an increase in the strength of tangential surface velocity leads to an initial reduction and eventual rise in the power loss coefficient. A maximum in energetic efficiency is attained for a drag reducing tangential surface velocity which minimizes the power loss coefficient. The effect of the tangential surface velocity on drag reduction and self-propulsion of both bluff and streamlined bodies is explored through a variation in the thickness ratio (ratio of the minor and major axes) of the elliptical cylinders.

Static Performance of a Wing-Mounted Thrust Reverser Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asbury, Scott C.; Yetter, Jeffrey A.

1998-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted in the Jet-Exit Test Facility at NASA Langley Research Center to study the static aerodynamic performance of a wing-mounted thrust reverser concept applicable to subsonic transport aircraft. This innovative engine powered thrust reverser system is designed to utilize wing-mounted flow deflectors to produce aircraft deceleration forces. Testing was conducted using a 7.9%-scale exhaust system model with a fan-to-core bypass ratio of approximately 9.0, a supercritical left-hand wing section attached via a pylon, and wing-mounted flow deflectors attached to the wing section. Geometric variations of key design parameters investigated for the wing-mounted thrust reverser concept included flow deflector angle and chord length, deflector edge fences, and the yaw mount angle of the deflector system (normal to the engine centerline or parallel to the wing trailing edge). All tests were conducted with no external flow and high pressure air was used to simulate core and fan engine exhaust flows. Test results indicate that the wing-mounted thrust reverser concept can achieve overall thrust reverser effectiveness levels competitive with (parallel mount), or better than (normal mount) a conventional cascade thrust reverser system. By removing the thrust reverser system from the nacelle, the wing-mounted concept offers the nacelle designer more options for improving nacelle aero dynamics and propulsion-airframe integration, simplifying nacelle structural designs, reducing nacelle weight, and improving engine maintenance access.

Full Flight Envelope Direct Thrust Measurement on a Supersonic Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conners, Timothy R.; Sims, Robert L.

1998-01-01

Direct thrust measurement using strain gages offers advantages over analytically-based thrust calculation methods. For flight test applications, the direct measurement method typically uses a simpler sensor arrangement and minimal data processing compared to analytical techniques, which normally require costly engine modeling and multisensor arrangements throughout the engine. Conversely, direct thrust measurement has historically produced less than desirable accuracy because of difficulty in mounting and calibrating the strain gages and the inability to account for secondary forces that influence the thrust reading at the engine mounts. Consequently, the strain-gage technique has normally been used for simple engine arrangements and primarily in the subsonic speed range. This paper presents the results of a strain gage-based direct thrust-measurement technique developed by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and successfully applied to the full flight envelope of an F-15 aircraft powered by two F100-PW-229 turbofan engines. Measurements have been obtained at quasi-steady-state operating conditions at maximum non-augmented and maximum augmented power throughout the altitude range of the vehicle and to a maximum speed of Mach 2.0 and are compared against results from two analytically-based thrust calculation methods. The strain-gage installation and calibration processes are also described.

Hall Effect Thruster Ground Testing Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-18

the specic impulse, g is Earth’s gravitational constant, η is the thrust efficiency, ṁ is the propellant...lines form a composite spring with an effective spring constant of K . The thruster displaces the inverted pendulum a distance x, and the thrust stand...destabilizing force as shown in Eqn. 5. x = T K − Mgh (5) The effective spring constant is adjusted such that the unstable condition of K = Mg/h is avoided,

Estimation of wing nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics at supersonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, H. W.; Mack, R. J.

1980-01-01

A computational system for estimation of nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics of wings at supersonic speeds was developed and was incorporated in a computer program. This corrected linearized theory method accounts for nonlinearities in the variation of basic pressure loadings with local surface slopes, predicts the degree of attainment of theoretical leading edge thrust, and provides an estimate of detached leading edge vortex loadings that result when the theoretical thrust forces are not fully realized.

Rapid deceleration mode evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conners, Timothy R.; Nobbs, Steven G.; Orme, John S.

1995-01-01

Aircraft with flight capability above 1.4 normally have an RPM lockup or similar feature to prevent inlet buzz that would occur at low engine airflows. This RPM lockup has the effect of holding the engine thrust level at the intermediate power (maximum non-afterburning). For aircraft such as military fighters or supersonic transports, the need exists to be able to rapidly slow from supersonic to subsonic speeds. For example, a supersonic transport that experiences a cabin decompression needs to be able to slow/descend rapidly, and this requirement may size the cabin environmental control system. For a fighter, there may be a desire to slow/descend rapidly, and while doing so to minimize fuel usage and engine exhaust temperature. Both of these needs can be aided by achieving the minimum possible overall net propulsive force. As the intermediate power thrust levels of engines increase, it becomes even more difficult to slow rapidly from supersonic speeds. Therefore, a mode of the performance seeking control (PSC) system to minimize overall propulsion system thrust has been developed and tested. The rapid deceleration mode reduces the engine airflow consistent with avoiding inlet buzz. The engine controls are trimmed to minimize the thrust produced by this reduced airflow, and moves the inlet geometry to degrade the inlet performance. As in the case of the other PSC modes, the best overall performance (in this case the least net propulsive force) requires an integrated optimization of inlet, engine, and nozzle variables. This paper presents the predicted and measured results for the supersonic minimum thrust mode, including the overall effects on aircraft deceleration.

Work Optimization Predicts Accretionary Faulting: An Integration of Physical and Numerical Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBeck, Jessica A.; Cooke, Michele L.; Herbert, Justin W.; Maillot, Bertrand; Souloumiac, Pauline

2017-09-01

We employ work optimization to predict the geometry of frontal thrusts at two stages of an evolving physical accretion experiment. Faults that produce the largest gains in efficiency, or change in external work per new fault area, ΔWext/ΔA, are considered most likely to develop. The predicted thrust geometry matches within 1 mm of the observed position and within a few degrees of the observed fault dip, for both the first forethrust and backthrust when the observed forethrust is active. The positions of the second backthrust and forethrust that produce >90% of the maximum ΔWext/ΔA also overlap the observed thrusts. The work optimal fault dips are within a few degrees of the fault dips that maximize the average Coulomb stress. Slip gradients along the detachment produce local elevated shear stresses and high strain energy density regions that promote thrust initiation near the detachment. The mechanical efficiency (Wext) of the system decreases at each of the two simulated stages of faulting and resembles the evolution of experimental force. The higher ΔWext/ΔA due to the development of the first pair relative to the second pair indicates that the development of new thrusts may lead to diminishing efficiency gains as the wedge evolves. The numerical estimates of work consumed by fault propagation overlap the range calculated from experimental force data and crustal faults. The integration of numerical and physical experiments provides a powerful approach that demonstrates the utility of work optimization to predict the development of faults.

Apparatus for Generating Thrust Using a Two Dimensional, Asymmetrical Capacitor Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

An asymmetrical capacitor module for generating thrust includes two conductive elements of similar but different geometries separated by a dielectric member. Improved embodiments provided in the construction of conductive elements of smaller axial extent include those where the element is formed by an annular wire or a dielectric supported ring. Other embodiments concern the dielectric member and involve changes in the extent and shape thereof.

The Determination of Forces and Moments on a Gimballed SRM Nozzle Using a Cold Flow Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitesides, R. Harold; Bacchus, David L.; Hengel, John E.

1994-01-01

The Solid Rocket Motor Air Flow Facility (SAF) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was used to characterize the flow in the critical aft end and nozzle of a solid propellant rocket motor (SRM) as part of the design phase of development. The SAF is a high pressure, blowdown facility which supplies a controlled flow of air to a subscale model of the internal port and nozzle of a SRM to enable measurement and evaluation of the flow field and surface pressure distributions. The ASRM Aft Section/Nozzle Model is an 8 percent scale model of the 19 second burn time aft port geometry and nozzle of the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor, the now canceled new generation space Shuttle Booster. It has the capability to simulate fixed nozzle gimbal angles of 0, 4, and 8 degrees. The model was tested at full scale motor Reynolds Numbers with extensive surface pressure instrumentation to enable detailed mapping of the surface pressure distributions over the nozzle interior surface, the exterior surface of the nozzle nose and the surface of the simulated propellant grain in the aft motor port. A mathematical analysis and associated numerical procedure were developed to integrate the measured surface pressure distributions to determine the lateral and axial forces on the moveable section of the nozzle, the effective model thrust and the effective aerodynamic thrust vector (as opposed to the geometric nozzle gimbal angle). The nozzle lateral and axial aerodynamic loads and moments about the pivot point are required for design purposes and require complex, three dimensional flow analyses. The alignment of the thrust vector with the nozzle geometric centerline is also a design requirement requiring three dimensional analyses which were supported by this experimental program. The model was tested with all three gimbal angles at three pressure levels to determine Reynolds number effects and reproducibility. This program was successful in demonstrating that a measured surface pressure distribution could be integrated to determine the lateral and axial loads, moments and thrust vector alignment for the scaled model of a large space booster nozzle. Numerical results were provided which are scaleable to the full scale rocket motor and can be used as benchmark data for 3-D CFD analyses.

Shaping low-thrust trajectories with thrust-handling feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taheri, Ehsan; Kolmanovsky, Ilya; Atkins, Ella

2018-02-01

Shape-based methods are becoming popular in low-thrust trajectory optimization due to their fast computation speeds. In existing shape-based methods constraints are treated at the acceleration level but not at the thrust level. These two constraint types are not equivalent since spacecraft mass decreases over time as fuel is expended. This paper develops a shape-based method based on a Fourier series approximation that is capable of representing trajectories defined in spherical coordinates and that enforces thrust constraints. An objective function can be incorporated to minimize overall mission cost, i.e., achieve minimum ΔV . A representative mission from Earth to Mars is studied. The proposed Fourier series technique is demonstrated capable of generating feasible and near-optimal trajectories. These attributes can facilitate future low-thrust mission designs where different trajectory alternatives must be rapidly constructed and evaluated.

Preliminary Investigation of an Underwater Ramjet Powered by Compressed Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mottard, Elmo J.; Shoemaker, Charles J.

1961-01-01

Part I contains the results of a preliminary experimental investigation of a particular design of an underwater ramjet or hydroduct powered by compressed air. The hydroduct is a propulsion device in which the energy of an expanding gas imparts additional momentum to a stream of water through mixing. The hydroduct model had a fineness ratio of 5.9, a maximum diameter of 3.2 inches, and a ratio of inlet area to frontal area of 0.32. The model was towed at a depth of 1 inch at forward speeds between 20 and 60 feet per second for airflow rates from 0.1 to 0.3 pound per second. Longitudinal force and pressures at the inlet and in the mixing chamber were determined. The hydroduct produced a positive thrust-minus-drag force at every test speed. The force and pressure coefficients were functions primarily of the ratio of weight airflow to free-stream velocity. The maximum propulsive efficiency based on the net internal thrust and an isothermal expansion of the air was approximately 53 percent at a thrust coefficient of 0.10. The performance of the test model may have been influenced by choking of the exit flow. Part II is a theoretical development of an underwater ramjet using air as "fuel." The basic assumption of the theoretical analysis is that a mixture of water and air can be treated as a compressible gas. More information on the properties of air-water mixtures is required to confirm this assumption or to suggest another approach. A method is suggested from which a more complete theoretical development, with the effects of choking included, may be obtained. An exploratory computation, in which this suggested method was used, indicated that the effect of choked flow on the thrust coefficient was minor.

Mechanical design, fabrication, and test of biomimetic fish robot using LIPCA as artificial muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiguna, T.; Syaifuddin, M.; Park, Hoon C.; Heo, S.

2006-03-01

This paper presents a mechanical design, fabrication and test of biomimetic fish robot using the Lightweight Piezocomposite Curved Actuator (LIPCA). We have designed a mechanism for converting actuation of the LIPCA into caudal fin movement. This linkage mechanism consists of rack-pinion system and four-bar linkage. We also have tested four types of caudal fin in order to examine effect of different shape of caudal fin on thrust generation by tail beat. Subsequently, based on the caudal fin test, four caudal fins which resemble fish caudal fin shapes of ostraciiform, subcarangiform, carangiform and thunniform, respectively, are attached to the posterior part of the robotic fish. The swimming test using 300 V pp input with 1 Hz to 1.5 Hz frequency was conducted to investigate effect of changing tail beat frequency and shape of caudal fin on the swimming speed of the robotic fish. The maximum swimming speed was reached when the device was operated at its natural swimming frequency. At the natural swimming frequency 1 Hz, maximum swimming speeds of 1.632 cm/s, 1.776 cm/s, 1.612 cm/s and 1.51 cm/s were reached for ostraciiform-, subcarangiform-, carangiform- and thunniform-like caudal fins, respectively. Strouhal numbers, which are a measure of thrust efficiency, were calculated in order to examine thrust performance of the present biomimetic fish robot. We also approximated the net forward force of the robotic fish using momentum conservation principle.

Varus alignment leads to increased forces in the anterior cruciate ligament.

PubMed

van de Pol, Gerrit Jan; Arnold, Markus P; Verdonschot, Nico; van Kampen, Albert

2009-03-01

Varus thrust of the knee is a dynamic increase of an often preexisting varus angle and it is suspected to be a major reason for failure of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. However, it is not known if a direct relationship exists between varus thrust and forces in the anterior cruciate ligament. Forces in the anterior cruciate ligament increase with increasing varus alignment, and consequently an anterior cruciate ligament deficiency in a varus-aligned leg leads to more lateral tibiofemoral joint opening. Controlled laboratory study. Six human cadaver legs were axially loaded with 3 different weightbearing lines--a neutral weightbearing line, a weightbearing line that passes through the middle of the medial tibial plateau (50% varus), and a line passing the edge of the medial tibial plateau (100% varus)--that were used to create a varus moment. The resulting lateral tibiofemoral joint opening and corresponding anterior cruciate ligament tension were measured. The tests were repeated with and without the anterior cruciate ligament in place. In the neutral aligned legs, there was no apparent lateral joint opening, and no anterior cruciate ligament tension change was noted. The lateral joint opening increased when the weightbearing line increased from 0% to 50% to 100%. The lateral joint opening was significantly higher in 10 degrees of knee flexion compared with knee extension. In the 100% varus weightbearing line, the anterior cruciate ligament tension was significantly higher (53.9 N) compared with neutral (31 N) or the 50% weightbearing line (37.9 N). A thrust could only be observed in the 100% weightbearing line tests. In the absence of an anterior cruciate ligament, there was more lateral joint opening, although this was only significant in the 100% weightbearing line. There is a direct relationship between varus alignment and anterior cruciate ligament tension. In the absence of an anterior cruciate ligament, the amount of lateral opening tends to increase. With increasing lateral opening, a thrust can sometimes be experimentally observed. A varus alignment in an anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee does not necessarily lead to a varus thrust and therefore does not always need operative varus alignment correction. However, in an unstable anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee with a varus thrust, it might be safer to perform a high valgus tibial osteotomy to minimize the risk of an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction failure.

Axial forces in centrifugal compressor couplings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, A. N.; Ivanov, N. M.; Yun, V. K.

2017-08-01

The article presents the results of the theoretical and experimental investigation of axial forces arising in the toothed and plate couplings of centrifugal compressor shaft lines. Additional loads on the thrust bearing are considered that can develop in the toothed couplings as a result of coupled rotors misalignment. Design relationships to evaluate the level of axial forces and recommendations for their reduction in the operating conditions are given.

Boundary Layer Flow Control with a One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Surface Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, J. Reece; Sherman, Daniel M.; Wilkinson, Stephen P.

1998-01-01

Low speed wind tunnel data have been acquired for planar panels covered by a uniform, glow-discharge surface plasma in atmospheric pressure air known as the One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma (OAUGDP). Streamwise and spanwise arrays of flush, plasma-generating surface electrodes have been studied in laminar, transitional, and fully turbulent boundary layer flow. Plasma between symmetric streamwise electrode strips caused large increases in panel drag, whereas asymmetric spanwise electrode configurations produced a significant thrust. Smoke wire flow visualization and mean velocity diagnostics show the primary cause of the phenomena to be a combination of mass transport and vortical structures induced by strong paraelectric ElectroHydroDynamic (EHD) body forces on the flow.

Flapping Wings of an Inclined Stroke Angle: Experiments and Reduced-Order Models in Dual Aerial/Aquatic Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izraelevitz, Jacob; Triantafyllou, Michael

2016-11-01

Flapping wings in nature demonstrate a large force actuation envelope, with capabilities beyond the limits of static airfoil section coefficients. Puffins, guillemots, and other auks particularly showcase this mechanism, as they are able to both generate both enough thrust to swim and lift to fly, using the same wing, by changing the wing motion trajectory. The wing trajectory is therefore an additional design criterion to be optimized along with traditional aircraft parameters, and could possibly enable dual aerial/aquatic flight. We showcase finite aspect-ratio flapping wing experiments, dynamic similarity arguments, and reduced-order models for predicting the performance of flapping wings that carry out complex motion trajectories.

Improvement of hemocompatibility in centrifugal blood pump with hydrodynamic bearings and semi-open impeller: in vitro evaluation.

PubMed

Kosaka, Ryo; Maruyama, Osamu; Nishida, Masahiro; Yada, Toru; Saito, Sakae; Hirai, Shusaku; Yamane, Takashi

2009-10-01

We have developed a noncontact-type centrifugal blood pump with hydrodynamic bearings and a semi-open impeller for mechanical circulatory assist. The impeller is levitated by an original spiral-groove thrust bearing and a herringbone-groove journal bearing, without any additional displacement-sensing module or additional complex control circuits. The pump was improved by optimizing the groove direction of the spiral-groove thrust bearing and the pull-up magnetic force between the rotor magnet and the stator coil against the impeller. To evaluate hemocompatibility, we conducted a levitation performance test and in vitro hemocompatibility tests by means of a mock-up circulation loop. In the hemolysis test, the normalized index of hemolysis was reduced from 0.721 to 0.0335 g/100 L corresponding to an expansion of the bearing gap from 1.1 to 56.1 microm. In the in vitro antithrombogenic test, blood pumps with a wide thrust bearing gap were effective in preventing thrombus formation. Through in vitro evaluation tests, we confirmed that hemocompatibility was improved by balancing the hydrodynamic fluid dynamics and magnetic forces.

Full scale hover test of a 25 foot tilt rotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helf, S.; Broman, E.; Gatchel, S.; Charles, B.

1973-01-01

The tilt rotor underwent a hover performance test on the Aero Propulsion Laboratory whirl stand at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The maximum thrust over density ratio measured at the design tip speed of 740 feet per second was 10,016 pounds. This occurred when the power over density ratio was 1721 horsepower. At the hover overspeed rpm, the thrust and power, over density ratio, were 11,008 pounds and 1866 horsepower. During the test, the maximum measured thrust coefficient was 0.177, and the rotor figure of merit exceeded 0.81. Measured lifting efficiency was 8.35 pounds per horsepower at the thrust a 13,000-pound aircraft would require for hover at sea level on a standard day. No effect of compressibility on performance is discernible in the test results (the range of tip Mach numbers tested was 0.55 to 0.71).

Effect of varying internal geometry on the static performance of rectangular thrust-reverser ports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Re, Richard J.; Mason, Mary L.

1987-01-01

An investigation has been conducted to evaluate the effects of several geometric parameters on the internal performance of rectangular thrust-reverser ports for nonaxisymmetric nozzles. Internal geometry was varied with a test apparatus which simulated a forward-flight nozzle with a single, fully deployed reverser port. The test apparatus was designed to simulate thrust reversal (conceptually) either in the convergent section of the nozzle or in the constant-area duct just upstream of the nozzle. The main geometric parameters investigated were port angle, port corner radius, port location, and internal flow blocker angle. For all reverser port geometries, the port opening had an aspect ratio (throat width to throat height) of 6.1 and had a constant passage area from the geometric port throat to the exit. Reverser-port internal performance and thrust-vector angles computed from force-balance measurements are presented.

Oil-generation kinetics for organic facies with Type-II and -IIS kerogen in the Menilite Shales of the Polish Carpathians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewan, M.D.; Kotarba, M.J.; Curtis, John B.; Wieclaw, D.; Kosakowski, P.

2006-01-01

The Menilite Shales (Oligocene) of the Polish Carpathians are the source of low-sulfur oils in the thrust belt and some high-sulfur oils in the Carpathian Foredeep. These oil occurrences indicate that the high-sulfur oils in the Foredeep were generated and expelled before major thrusting and the low-sulfur oils in the thrust belt were generated and expelled during or after major thrusting. Two distinct organic facies have been observed in the Menilite Shales. One organic facies has a high clastic sediment input and contains Type-II kerogen. The other organic facies has a lower clastic sediment input and contains Type-IIS kerogen. Representative samples of both organic facies were used to determine kinetic parameters for immiscible oil generation by isothermal hydrous pyrolysis and S2 generation by non-isothermal open-system pyrolysis. The derived kinetic parameters showed that timing of S2 generation was not as different between the Type-IIS and -II kerogen based on open-system pyrolysis as compared with immiscible oil generation based on hydrous pyrolysis. Applying these kinetic parameters to a burial history in the Skole unit showed that some expelled oil would have been generated from the organic facies with Type-IIS kerogen before major thrusting with the hydrous-pyrolysis kinetic parameters but not with the open-system pyrolysis kinetic parameters. The inability of open-system pyrolysis to determine earlier petroleum generation from Type-IIS kerogen is attributed to the large polar-rich bitumen component in S2 generation, rapid loss of sulfur free-radical initiators in the open system, and diminished radical selectivity and rate constant differences at higher temperatures. Hydrous-pyrolysis kinetic parameters are determined in the presence of water at lower temperatures in a closed system, which allows differentiation of bitumen and oil generation, interaction of free-radical initiators, greater radical selectivity, and more distinguishable rate constants as would occur during natural maturation. Kinetic parameters derived from hydrous pyrolysis show good correlations with one another (compensation effect) and kerogen organic-sulfur contents. These correlations allow for indirect determination of hydrous-pyrolysis kinetic parameters on the basis of the organic-sulfur mole fraction of an immature Type-II or -IIS kerogen. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A modified blade element theory for estimation of forces generated by a beetle-mimicking flapping wing system.

PubMed

Truong, Q T; Nguyen, Q V; Truong, V T; Park, H C; Byun, D Y; Goo, N S

2011-09-01

We present an unsteady blade element theory (BET) model to estimate the aerodynamic forces produced by a freely flying beetle and a beetle-mimicking flapping wing system. Added mass and rotational forces are included to accommodate the unsteady force. In addition to the aerodynamic forces needed to accurately estimate the time history of the forces, the inertial forces of the wings are also calculated. All of the force components are considered based on the full three-dimensional (3D) motion of the wing. The result obtained by the present BET model is validated with the data which were presented in a reference paper. The difference between the averages of the estimated forces (lift and drag) and the measured forces in the reference is about 5.7%. The BET model is also used to estimate the force produced by a freely flying beetle and a beetle-mimicking flapping wing system. The wing kinematics used in the BET calculation of a real beetle and the flapping wing system are captured using high-speed cameras. The results show that the average estimated vertical force of the beetle is reasonably close to the weight of the beetle, and the average estimated thrust of the beetle-mimicking flapping wing system is in good agreement with the measured value. Our results show that the unsteady lift and drag coefficients measured by Dickinson et al are still useful for relatively higher Reynolds number cases, and the proposed BET can be a good way to estimate the force produced by a flapping wing system.

The Development of NASA's Low Thrust Trajectory Tool Set

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, Jon; Artis, Gwen; Kos, Larry

2006-01-01

Highly efficient electric propulsion systems can enable interesting classes of missions; unfortunately, they provide only a limited amount of thrust. Low-thrust (LT) trajectories are much more difficult to design than impulsive-type (chemical propulsion) trajectories. Previous low-thrust (LT) trajectory optimization software was often difficult to use, often had difficulties converging, and was somewhat limited in the types of missions it could support. A new state-of-the-art suite (toolbox) of low-thrust (LT) tools along with improved algorithms and methods was developed by NASA's MSFC, JPL, JSC, and GRC to address the needs of our customers to help foster technology development in the areas of advanced LT propulsion systems, and to facilitate generation of similar results by different analysts.

U.S. Air Force Bomber Sustainment and Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-04

turbofan Thrust: Each engine up to 17,000 pounds Wingspan: 185 feet (56.4 meters) Length: 159 feet, 4 inches (48.5 meters) Height: 40 feet, 8...precision and non-precision weapons. Features The B-1B’s blended wing and body configuration, variable-geometry wings, and turbofan afterburning engines... turbofan engine with afterburner Thrust: 30,000-plus pounds with afterburner, per engine Wingspan: 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet

Conducting-polymer-driven actively shaped propellers and screws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madden, John D.; Schmid, Bryan; Lafontaine, Serge R.; Madden, Peter G. A.; Hover, Franz S.; McLetchie, Karl; Hunter, Ian W.

2003-07-01

Conducting polymer actuators are employed to create actively shaped hydrodynamic foils. The active foils are designed to allow control over camber, much like the ailerons of an airplane wing. Control of camber promises to enable variable thrust in propellers and screws, increased maneuverability, and improved stealth. The design and fabrication of the active foils are presented, the forces are measured and operation is demonstrated both in still air and water. The foils have a "wing" span of 240 mm, and an average chord length (width) of 70 mm. The trailing 30 mm of the foil is composed of a thin polypyrrole actuator that curls chordwise to achieve variable camber. The actuator consists of two 30 μm thick sheets of hexafluorophosphate doped polypyrrole separated from each other by a gel electrolyte. A polymer layer encapsulates the entire structure. Potentials are applied between the polymer layers to induce reversible bending by approximately 35 degrees, and generating forces of 0.15 N. These forces and displacements are expected to enable operation in water at flow rates of > 1 m/s and ~ 30 m/s in air.

Dynamic Method for Identifying Collected Sample Mass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carson, John

2008-01-01

G-Sample is designed for sample collection missions to identify the presence and quantity of sample material gathered by spacecraft equipped with end effectors. The software method uses a maximum-likelihood estimator to identify the collected sample's mass based on onboard force-sensor measurements, thruster firings, and a dynamics model of the spacecraft. This makes sample mass identification a computation rather than a process requiring additional hardware. Simulation examples of G-Sample are provided for spacecraft model configurations with a sample collection device mounted on the end of an extended boom. In the absence of thrust knowledge errors, the results indicate that G-Sample can identify the amount of collected sample mass to within 10 grams (with 95-percent confidence) by using a force sensor with a noise and quantization floor of 50 micrometers. These results hold even in the presence of realistic parametric uncertainty in actual spacecraft inertia, center-of-mass offset, and first flexibility modes. Thrust profile knowledge is shown to be a dominant sensitivity for G-Sample, entering in a nearly one-to-one relationship with the final mass estimation error. This means thrust profiles should be well characterized with onboard accelerometers prior to sample collection. An overall sample-mass estimation error budget has been developed to approximate the effect of model uncertainty, sensor noise, data rate, and thrust profile error on the expected estimate of collected sample mass.

Fluid dynamics of flapping aquatic flight in the bird wrasse: three-dimensional unsteady computations with fin deformation.

PubMed

Ramamurti, Ravi; Sandberg, William C; Löhner, Rainald; Walker, Jeffrey A; Westneat, Mark W

2002-10-01

Many fishes that swim with the paired pectoral fins use fin-stroke parameters that produce thrust force from lift in a mechanism of underwater flight. These locomotor mechanisms are of interest to behavioral biologists, biomechanics researchers and engineers. In the present study, we performed the first three-dimensional unsteady computations of fish swimming with oscillating and deforming fins. The objective of these computations was to investigate the fluid dynamics of force production associated with the flapping aquatic flight of the bird wrasse Gomphosus varius. For this computational work, we used the geometry of the wrasse and its pectoral fin, and previously measured fin kinematics, as the starting points for computational investigation of three-dimensional (3-D) unsteady fluid dynamics. We performed a 3-D steady computation and a complete set of 3-D quasisteady computations for a range of pectoral fin positions and surface velocities. An unstructured, grid-based, unsteady Navier-Stokes solver with automatic adaptive remeshing was then used to compute the unsteady flow about the wrasse through several complete cycles of pectoral fin oscillation. The shape deformation of the pectoral fin throughout the oscillation was taken from the experimental kinematics. The pressure distribution on the body of the bird wrasse and its pectoral fins was computed and integrated to give body and fin forces which were decomposed into lift and thrust. The velocity field variation on the surface of the wrasse body, on the pectoral fins and in the near-wake was computed throughout the swimming cycle. We compared our computational results for the steady, quasi-steady and unsteady cases with the experimental data on axial and vertical acceleration obtained from the pectoral fin kinematics experiments. These comparisons show that steady state computations are incapable of describing the fluid dynamics of flapping fins. Quasi-steady state computations, with correct incorporation of the experimental kinematics, are useful when determining trends in force production, but do not provide accurate estimates of the magnitudes of the forces produced. By contrast, unsteady computations about the deforming pectoral fins using experimentally measured fin kinematics were found to give excellent agreement, both in the time history of force production throughout the flapping strokes and in the magnitudes of the generated forces.

Thrust Stand Characterization of the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diamant, Kevin D.; Pollard, James E.; Crofton, Mark W.; Patterson, Michael J.; Soulas, George C.

2010-01-01

Direct thrust measurements have been made on the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion engine using a standard pendulum style thrust stand constructed specifically for this application. Values have been obtained for the full 40-level throttle table, as well as for a few off-nominal operating conditions. Measurements differ from the nominal NASA throttle table 10 (TT10) values by 3.1 percent at most, while at 30 throttle levels (TLs) the difference is less than 2.0 percent. When measurements are compared to TT10 values that have been corrected using ion beam current density and charge state data obtained at The Aerospace Corporation, they differ by 1.2 percent at most, and by 1.0 percent or less at 37 TLs. Thrust correction factors calculated from direct thrust measurements and from The Aerospace Corporation s plume data agree to within measurement error for all but one TL. Thrust due to cold flow and "discharge only" operation has been measured, and analytical expressions are presented which accurately predict thrust based on thermal thrust generation mechanisms.

Aerodynamics of a Flapping Airfoil with a Flexible Tail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Alan Kai San

This dissertation presents computational solutions to an airfoil in a oscillatory heaving motion with a aeroelastically flexible tail attachment. An unsteady potential flow solver is coupled to a structural solver to obtain the aeroelastic flow solution over an inviscid fluid to investigate the propulsive performance of such a configuration. The simulation is then extended to a two-dimensional viscous solver by coupling NASA's CFL3D solver to the structural solver to study how the flow is altered by the presence of viscosity. Finally, additional simulations are done in three dimensions over wings with varying aspect ratio to study the three-dimensional effects on the propulsive performance of an airfoil with an aeroelastic tail. The computation reveals that the addition of the aeroelastic trailing edge improved the thrust generated by a heaving airfoil significantly. As the frequency of the heaving motion increases, the thrust generated by the airfoil with the tail increases exponentially. In an inviscid fluid, the increase in thrust is insufficient to overcome the increase in power required to maintain the motion and as a result the overall propulsive efficiency is reduced. When the airfoil is heaving in a viscous fluid, the presence of a suction boundary layer and the appearance of leading edge vortex increase the thrust generated to such an extent that the propulsive efficiency is increased by about 3% when compared to the same airfoil with a rigid tail. The three-dimensional computations shows that the presence of the tip vorticies suppress some of the increase in thrust observed in the two-dimensional viscous computations for short span wings. For large span wings, the overall thrust enhancing capabilities of the aeroelastic tail is preserved.

Titan I propulsion system modeling and possible performance improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giusti, Oreste

This thesis features the Titan I propulsion systems and offers data-supported suggestions for improvements to increase performance. The original propulsion systems were modeled both graphically in CAD and via equations. Due to the limited availability of published information, it was necessary to create a more detailed, secondary set of models. Various engineering equations---pertinent to rocket engine design---were implemented in order to generate the desired extra detail. This study describes how these new models were then imported into the ESI CFD Suite. Various parameters are applied to these imported models as inputs that include, for example, bi-propellant combinations, pressure, temperatures, and mass flow rates. The results were then processed with ESI VIEW, which is visualization software. The output files were analyzed for forces in the nozzle, and various results were generated, including sea level thrust and ISP. Experimental data are provided to compare the original engine configuration models to the derivative suggested improvement models.

Computational Investigation of Fluidic Counterflow Thrust Vectoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Craig A.; Deere, Karen A.

1999-01-01

A computational study of fluidic counterflow thrust vectoring has been conducted. Two-dimensional numerical simulations were run using the computational fluid dynamics code PAB3D with two-equation turbulence closure and linear Reynolds stress modeling. For validation, computational results were compared to experimental data obtained at the NASA Langley Jet Exit Test Facility. In general, computational results were in good agreement with experimental performance data, indicating that efficient thrust vectoring can be obtained with low secondary flow requirements (less than 1% of the primary flow). An examination of the computational flowfield has revealed new details about the generation of a countercurrent shear layer, its relation to secondary suction, and its role in thrust vectoring. In addition to providing new information about the physics of counterflow thrust vectoring, this work appears to be the first documented attempt to simulate the counterflow thrust vectoring problem using computational fluid dynamics.

Magnet pole shape design for reduction of thrust ripple of slotless permanent magnet linear synchronous motor with arc-shaped magnets considering end-effect based on analytical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Kyung-Hun; Park, Hyung-Il; Kim, Kwan-Ho; Jang, Seok-Myeong; Choi, Jang-Young

2017-05-01

The shape of the magnet is essential to the performance of a slotless permanent magnet linear synchronous machine (PMLSM) because it is directly related to desirable machine performance. This paper presents a reduction in the thrust ripple of a PMLSM through the use of arc-shaped magnets based on electromagnetic field theory. The magnetic field solutions were obtained by considering end effect using a magnetic vector potential and two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The analytical solution of each subdomain (PM, air-gap, coil, and end region) is derived, and the field solution is obtained by applying the boundary and interface conditions between the subdomains. In particular, an analytical method was derived for the instantaneous thrust and thrust ripple reduction of a PMLSM with arc-shaped magnets. In order to demonstrate the validity of the analytical results, the back electromotive force results of a finite element analysis and experiment on the manufactured prototype model were compared. The optimal point for thrust ripple minimization is suggested.

Vector thrust induced lift effects for several ejector exhaust locations on a V/STOL wind tunnel model at forward speed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharon, A. D.

1975-01-01

The results and analysis of aerodynamic force data obtained from a small scale model of a V/STOL research vehicle in a low speed wind tunnel are presented. The analysis of the data includes the evaluation of aerodynamic-propulsive lift performance when operating twin ejector nozzles with thrust deflected. Three different types of thrust deflector systems were examined: 90 deg downward deflected nozzle, 90 deg slotted nozzle with boundary layer control, and an externally blown flap configuration. Several nozzle locations were tested, including over and underwing positions. The interference lift of the nacelle and model due to jet exhaust thrust is compared and results show that 90 deg turned nozzles located over the wing (near the trailing edge) produce the largest interference lift increment for an untrimmed aircraft, and that the slotted nozzle located under the wing near the trailing edge (in conjunction with a BLC flap) gives a comparable interference lift in the trimmed condition. The externally blown flap nozzle produced the least interference lift and significantly less total lift due to jet thrust effects.

Static performance of vectoring/reversing non-axisymmetric nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willard, C. M.; Capone, F. J.; Konarski, M.; Stevens, H. L.

1977-01-01

An experimental program sponsored by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory is currently in progress to determine the internal and installed performance characteristics of five different thrust vectoring/reversing non-axisymmetric nozzle concepts for tactical fighter aircraft applications. Internal performance characteristics for the five non-axisymmetric nozzles and an advanced technology axisymmetric baseline nozzle were determined in static tests conducted in January 1977 at the NASA-Langley Research Center. The non-axisymmetric nozzle models were tested at thrust deflection angles of up to 30 degrees from horizontal at throat areas associated with both dry and afterburning power. In addition, dry power reverse thrust geometries were tested for three of the concepts. The best designs demonstrated internal performance levels essentially equivalent to the baseline axisymmetric nozzle at unvectored conditions. The best designs also gave minimum performance losses due to vectoring, and reverse thrust levels up to 50% of maximum dry power forward thrust. The installed performance characteristics will be established based on wind tunnel testing to be conducted at Arnold Engineering Development Center in the fall of 1977.

Efficient Optimization of Low-Thrust Spacecraft Trajectories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Seungwon; Fink, Wolfgang; Russell, Ryan; Terrile, Richard; Petropoulos, Anastassios; vonAllmen, Paul

2007-01-01

A paper describes a computationally efficient method of optimizing trajectories of spacecraft driven by propulsion systems that generate low thrusts and, hence, must be operated for long times. A common goal in trajectory-optimization problems is to find minimum-time, minimum-fuel, or Pareto-optimal trajectories (here, Pareto-optimality signifies that no other solutions are superior with respect to both flight time and fuel consumption). The present method utilizes genetic and simulated-annealing algorithms to search for globally Pareto-optimal solutions. These algorithms are implemented in parallel form to reduce computation time. These algorithms are coupled with either of two traditional trajectory- design approaches called "direct" and "indirect." In the direct approach, thrust control is discretized in either arc time or arc length, and the resulting discrete thrust vectors are optimized. The indirect approach involves the primer-vector theory (introduced in 1963), in which the thrust control problem is transformed into a co-state control problem and the initial values of the co-state vector are optimized. In application to two example orbit-transfer problems, this method was found to generate solutions comparable to those of other state-of-the-art trajectory-optimization methods while requiring much less computation time.

Three-dimensional splay fault geometry and implications for tsunami generation.

PubMed

Moore, G F; Bangs, N L; Taira, A; Kuramoto, S; Pangborn, E; Tobin, H J

2007-11-16

Megasplay faults, very long thrust faults that rise from the subduction plate boundary megathrust and intersect the sea floor at the landward edge of the accretionary prism, are thought to play a role in tsunami genesis. We imaged a megasplay thrust system along the Nankai Trough in three dimensions, which allowed us to map the splay fault geometry and its lateral continuity. The megasplay is continuous from the main plate interface fault upwards to the sea floor, where it cuts older thrust slices of the frontal accretionary prism. The thrust geometry and evidence of large-scale slumping of surficial sediments show that the fault is active and that the activity has evolved toward the landward direction with time, contrary to the usual seaward progression of accretionary thrusts. The megasplay fault has progressively steepened, substantially increasing the potential for vertical uplift of the sea floor with slip. We conclude that slip on the megasplay fault most likely contributed to generating devastating historic tsunamis, such as the 1944 moment magnitude 8.1 Tonankai event, and it is this geometry that makes this margin and others like it particularly prone to tsunami genesis.

Space Launch Initiative (SLI) Engine Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, has begun a series of engine tests on the Reaction Control Engine developed by TRW Space and Electronics for NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI). SLI is a technology development effort aimed at improving the safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for reusable launch vehicles. The engine in this photo, the first engine tested at MSFC that includes SLI technology, was tested for two seconds at a chamber pressure of 185 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). Propellants used were liquid oxygen as an oxidizer and liquid hydrogen as fuel. Designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit, the engine is used as an auxiliary propulsion system for docking, reentry, fine-pointing, and orbit transfer while the vehicle is in orbit. The Reaction Control Engine has two unique features. It uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, which creates a safer environment with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions, and it operates in dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The force of low level thrust allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock, while the force of the high level thrust is used for reentry, orbital transfer, and course positioning.

Application of Taguchi-grey method to optimize drilling of EMS 45 steel using minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) with multiple performance characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soepangkat, Bobby O. P.; Suhardjono, Pramujati, Bambang

2017-06-01

Machining under minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) has drawn the attention of researchers as an alternative to the traditionally used wet and dry machining conditions with the purpose to minimize the cooling and lubricating cost, as well as to reduce cutting zone temperature, tool wear, and hole surface roughness. Drilling is one of the important operations to assemble machine components. The objective of this study was to optimize drilling parameters such as cutting feed and cutting speed, drill type and drill point angle on the thrust force, torque, hole surface roughness and tool flank wear in drilling EMS 45 tool steel using MQL. In this study, experiments were carried out as per Taguchi design of experiments while an L18 orthogonal array was used to study the influence of various combinations of drilling parameters and tool geometries on the thrust force, torque, hole surface roughness and tool flank wear. The optimum drilling parameters was determined by using grey relational grade obtained from grey relational analysis for multiple-performance characteristics. The drilling experiments were carried out by using twist drill and CNC machining center. This work is useful for optimum values selection of various drilling parameters and tool geometries that would not only minimize the thrust force and torque, but also reduce hole surface roughness and tool flank wear.

A parametric experimental investigation of a scramjet nozzle at Mach 6 with Freon and argon or air used for exhaust simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cubbage, James M.; Monta, William J.

1991-01-01

A parametric experimental investigation of a scramjet nozzle was conducted with a gas mixture used to simulate the scramjet engine exhaust flow at a free-stream Reynolds number of approximately 6.5 x 10(exp 6) per foot. External nozzle surface angles of 16, 20, and 24 deg were tested with a fixed-length ramp and for cowl internal surface angles of 6 and 12 deg. Pressure data on the external nozzle surface were obtained for mixtures of Freon and argon gases with a ratio of specific heats of about 1.23, which matches that of a scramjet exhaust. Forces and moments were determined by integration of the pressure data. Two nozzle configurations were also tested with air used to simulate the exhaust flow. On the external nozzle surface, lift and thrust forces for air exhaust simulation were approximately half of those for Freon-argon exhaust simulation and the pitching moment was approximately a third. These differences were primarily due to the difference in the ratios of specific heats between the two exhaust simulation gases. A 20 deg external surface angle produced the greatest thrust for a 6 deg cowl internal surface angle. A flow fence significantly increased lift and thrust forces over those for the nozzle without a flow fence.

Development of the water-lubricated thrust bearing of the hydraulic turbine generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, K.; Deguchi, K.; Okude, K.; Fujimoto, R.

2012-11-01

In hydropower plant, a large quantities of turbine oil is used as machine control pressure oil and lubricating oil. If the oil leak out from hydropower plant, it flows into a river. And such oil spill has an adverse effect on natural environment because the oil does not degrade easily. Therefore the KANSAI and Hitachi Mitsubishi Hydro developed the water-lubricated thrust bearing for vertical type hydraulic turbine generator. The water-lubricated bearing has advantages in risk avoidance of river pollution because it does not need oil. For proceeding the development of the water-lubricated thrust bearing, we studied following items. The first is the examination of the trial products of water lubricating liquid. The second is the study of bearing structure which can satisfy bearing performance such as temperature characteristic and so on. The third is the mock-up testing for actual application in the future. As a result, it was found that the water-lubricated thrust bearing was technically applicable to actual equipments.

Experimental Testing and Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Maple Seeds and Performance Analysis as a Wind Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, Jacob R.

Descending maple seeds generate lift to slow their fall and remain aloft in a blowing wind; have the wings of these seeds evolved to descend as slowly as possible? A unique energy balance equation, experimental data, and computational fluid dynamics simulations have all been developed to explore this question from a turbomachinery perspective. The computational fluid dynamics in this work is the first to be performed in the relative reference frame. Maple seed performance has been analyzed for the first time based on principles of wind turbine analysis. Application of the Betz Limit and one-dimensional momentum theory allowed for empirical and computational power and thrust coefficients to be computed for maple seeds. It has been determined that the investigated species of maple seeds perform near the Betz limit for power conversion and thrust coefficient. The power coefficient for a maple seed is found to be in the range of 48-54% and the thrust coefficient in the range of 66-84%. From Betz theory, the stream tube area expansion of the maple seed is necessary for power extraction. Further investigation of computational solutions and mechanical analysis find three key reasons for high maple seed performance. First, the area expansion is driven by maple seed lift generation changing the fluid momentum and requiring area to increase. Second, radial flow along the seed surface is promoted by a sustained leading edge vortex that centrifuges low momentum fluid outward. Finally, the area expansion is also driven by the spanwise area variation of the maple seed imparting a radial force on the flow. These mechanisms result in a highly effective device for the purpose of seed dispersal. However, the maple seed also provides insight into fundamental questions about how turbines can most effectively change the momentum of moving fluids in order to extract useful power or dissipate kinetic energy.

Wing kinematics measurement and aerodynamics of a dragonfly in turning flight.

PubMed

Li, Chengyu; Dong, Haibo

2017-02-03

This study integrates high-speed photogrammetry, 3D surface reconstruction, and computational fluid dynamics to explore a dragonfly (Erythemis Simplicicollis) in free flight. Asymmetric wing kinematics and the associated aerodynamic characteristics of a turning dragonfly are analyzed in detail. Quantitative measurements of wing kinematics show that compared to the outer wings, the inner wings sweep more slowly with a higher angle of attack during the downstroke, whereas they flap faster with a lower angle of attack during the upstroke. The inner-outer asymmetries of wing deviations result in an oval wingtip trajectory for the inner wings and a figure-eight wingtip trajectory for the outer wings. Unsteady aerodynamics calculations indicate significantly asymmetrical force production between the inner and outer wings, especially for the forewings. Specifically, the magnitude of the drag force on the inner forewing is approximately 2.8 times greater than that on the outer forewing during the downstroke. In the upstroke, the outer forewing generates approximately 1.9 times greater peak thrust than the inner forewing. To keep the body aloft, the forewings contribute approximately 64% of the total lift, whereas the hindwings provide 36%. The effect of forewing-hindwing interaction on the aerodynamic performance is also examined. It is found that the hindwings can benefit from this interaction by decreasing power consumption by 13% without sacrificing force generation.

Experimental demonstration of ion extraction from magnetic thrust chamber for laser fusion rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Naoya; Yamamoto, Naoji; Morita, Taichi; Edamoto, Masafumi; Nakashima, Hideki; Fujioka, Shinsuke; Yogo, Akifumi; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Sunahara, Atsushi; Mori, Yoshitaka; Johzaki, Tomoyuki

2018-05-01

A magnetic thrust chamber is an important system of a laser fusion rocket, in which the plasma kinetic energy is converted into vehicle thrust by a magnetic field. To investigate the plasma extraction from the system, the ions in a plasma are diagnosed outside the system by charge collectors. The results clearly show that the ion extraction does not strongly depend on the magnetic field strength when the energy ratio of magnetic field to plasma is greater than 4.3, and the magnetic field pushes back the plasma to generate a thrust, as previously suggested by numerical simulation and experiments.

To flap or not to flap: continued discussion with particle image velocimetry of the near wake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Nathan; Roh, Chris; Idrees, Suhail; Gharib, Morteza

2017-11-01

We continue the discussion of which underwater propulsion mechanism is more effective: flapping used by fish or periodic contractions used by jellyfish. The two propulsion mechanisms are simplified into flapping and clapping plate motions, respectively, to allow for a direct comparison. A device is designed to operate in either mode of propulsion between Reynolds numbers 1,880 and 11,260, based on the average tip velocity and the span of the plate. The stroke angle, stroke time, flexibility, and duty cycle are varied to determine their impact on the generated thrust and the required torque. Overall, the clapping mode tends to require significantly more power to generate a similar thrust compared to that from the flapping mode. The performance of the clapping mode is increased by modifying the duty cycle such that the closing motion is faster than the opening motion causing a greater thrust and a similar efficiency to that from the flapping mode. Interestingly, when using rigid plates, the average thrust generated per cycle is similar between the two modes when the overall kinematics are equivalent. Investigation of the near wake of both modes through digital particle image velocimetry provides insight into the cause of this similar thrust. This work was supported by the Charyk Bio-inspired Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1144469, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships program.

A novel technique to neutralize the Yawing moment due to asymmetric thrust in a hybrid buoyant aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haque, Anwar U.; Asrar, Waqar; Omar, Ashraf A.; Sulaeman, Erwin; J. S Ali, Mohamed

2016-03-01

Dorsal fin is used in swimming animals like shark for the generation of thrust as well as to meet the requirement of the lateral stability. In the case of aircraft, rudders are normally used for the said requirement. In the present work, this nature inspired idea is explored for its application to neutralize the unavoidable asymmetric thrust produced by the twin engines of a hybrid buoyant aircraft. First, the estimation of asymmetric thrust is obtained with the help of analytical techniques for maximum thrust condition at 4 degree angle of attack. The moment generated by it is utilized for the sizing of a dorsal fin which looks similar to a tapered wing and is placed aft of the center of gravity. Wind tunnel testing at subsonic speed is carried out to explore the design features of this rotatable dorsal fin. It is found that a small rotation of 5 degree can generate the required moment. However, such rotation requires a complete pneumatic/electro-mechanical system and an alternative of it is to use a cambered airfoil for the dorsal fin installed at fixed location. Such a flow controlling device can also be used as an antenna mast, which is commonly installed out the fuselage of the aircraft for communication purposes. Moreover, by incorporating this technique, a pilot doesn't have to put an extra effort to make the aircraft stable in the presence of side wind.

The Santa Cruz - Tarija Province of Central South America: Los Monos - Machareti(!) Petroleum System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, Sandra J.

1999-01-01

The Los Monos - Machareti(!) total petroleum system is in the Santa Cruz - Tarija Province of Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. Province history is that of a Paleozoic, intracratonic, siliciclastic rift basin that evolved into a Miocene (Andean) foreland fold and thrust belt. Existing fields are typified by alternating reservoir and seal rocks in post-Ordovician sandstones and shales on anticlines. Thick Devonian and Silurian shale source rocks, depositionally and erosionally confined to this province, at a minimum have generated 4.1 BBOE known ultimate recoverable reserves (as of 1995, 77% gas, 15% condensate, 8% oil) into dominantly Carboniferous reservoirs with average 20% porosity and 156 md permeability. Major detachment surfaces within the source rocks contributed to the thin-skinned and laterally continuous nature of the deformation. Tertiary foreland burial adequate for significant source maturation coincided with the formation of compressional traps. Further hydrocarbon discovery in the fold and thrust belt is expected. In the foreland basin, higher thermal gradients and variable burial history - combined with the presence of unconformity and onlap wedges - create potential there for stratigraphic traps and pre-Andean, block-fault and forced-fold traps.

NASA Researcher Examines an Aircraft Model with a Four-Fan Thrust Reverser

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-03-21

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researcher John Carpenter inspects an aircraft model with a four-fan thrust reverser which would be studied in the 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel at the Lewis Research Center. Thrust reversers were introduced in the 1950s as a means for slowing high-speed jet aircraft during landing. Engineers sought to apply the technology to Vertical and Short Takeoff and Landing (VSTOL) aircraft in the 1970s. The new designs would have to take into account shorter landing areas, noise levels, and decreased thrust levels. A balance was needed between the thrust reverser’s efficiency, its noise generation, and the engine’s power setting. This model underwent a series of four tests in the 9- by 15-foot tunnel during April and May 1974. The model, with a high-wing configuration and no tail, was equipped with four thrust-reverser engines. The investigations included static internal aerodynamic tests on a single fan/reverser, wind tunnel isolated fan/reverser thrust tests, installation effects on a four-fan airplane model in a wind tunnel, and single reverser acoustic tests. The 9-by 15 was built inside the return leg of the 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel in 1968. The facility generates airspeeds from 0 to 175 miles per hour to evaluate the aerodynamic performance and acoustic characteristics of nozzles, inlets, and propellers, and investigate hot gas re-ingestion of advanced VSTOL concepts. John Carpenter was a technician in the Wind Tunnels Service Section of the Test Installations Division.

The effectiveness of resistive force theory in granular locomotiona)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tingnan; Goldman, Daniel I.

2014-10-01

Resistive force theory (RFT) is often used to analyze the movement of microscopic organisms swimming in fluids. In RFT, a body is partitioned into infinitesimal segments, each of which generates thrust and experiences drag. Linear superposition of forces from elements over the body allows prediction of swimming velocities and efficiencies. We show that RFT quantitatively describes the movement of animals and robots that move on and within dry granular media (GM), collections of particles that display solid, fluid, and gas-like features. RFT works well when the GM is slightly polydisperse, and in the "frictional fluid" regime such that frictional forces dominate material inertial forces, and when locomotion can be approximated as confined to a plane. Within a given plane (horizontal or vertical) relationships that govern the force versus orientation of an elemental intruder are functionally independent of the granular medium. We use the RFT to explain features of locomotion on and within granular media including kinematic and muscle activation patterns during sand-swimming by a sandfish lizard and a shovel-nosed snake, optimal movement patterns of a Purcell 3-link sand-swimming robot revealed by a geometric mechanics approach, and legged locomotion of small robots on the surface of GM. We close by discussing situations to which granular RFT has not yet been applied (such as inclined granular surfaces), and the advances in the physics of granular media needed to apply RFT in such situations.

Paleozoic-involving thrust array in the central Sierras Interiores (South Pyrenean Zone, Central Pyrenees): regional implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, L.; Cuevas, J.; Tubía, J. M.

2012-04-01

This work deals with the structural evolution of the Sierras Interiores between the Tena and Aragon valleys. The Sierras Interiores is a WNW-trending mountain range that bounds the South Pyrenean Zone to the north and that is characterized by a thrust-fold system with a strong lithological control that places preferably decollements in Triassic evaporites. In the studied area of the Sierras Interiores Cenomanian limestones cover discordantly the Paleozoic rocks of the Axial Zone because there is a stratigraphic lacuna developed from Triassic to Late Cretaceous times. A simple lithostratigraphy of the study area is made up of Late Cenomanian to Early Campanian limestones with grey colour and massive aspect in landscape (170 m, Lower calcareous section), Campanian to Maastrichtian brown coloured sandstones (400-600 m, Marboré sandstones) and, finally, Paleocene light-coloured massive limestones (130-230 m), that often generate the higher topographic levels of the Sierras Interiores due to their greater resistance to erosion. Above the sedimentary sequence of the Sierras Interiores, the Jaca Basin flysch succession crops out discordantly. Based on a detailed mapping of the studied area of the Sierras Interiores, together with well and structural data of the Jaca Basin (Lanaja, 1987; Rodríguez and Cuevas, 2008) we have constructed a 12 km long NS cross section, approximately parallel to the movement direction deduced for this region (Rodríguez et al., 2011). The main structure is a thrust array made up of at least four Paleozoic-involving thrusts (the deeper thrust system) of similar thickness in a probably piggyback sequence, some of which are blind thrusts that generate fold-propagation-folds in upper levels. The higher thrust of the thrust array crops out duplicating the lower calcareous section all over the Sierras Interiores. The emplacement of the deeper thrust system generated the tightness of previous structures: south directed piggyback duplexes (the upper thrust system) affecting the Marboré sandstones and the Paleocene limestones, deformed by angular south-vergent folds and their related axial plane foliation. The transect explained above clearly summarizes the alpine evolution of northern part of the Sierras Interiores. Moreover, well data available indicate the presence of two thrust soled in the lower calcareous section covering Triassic evaporites at 5 km depth and 8 km to the south of the Sierras Interiores. Because the Triassic evaporites constitute a main decollement level in the South Pyrenean Zone, the deeper thrust system is associated to the emplacement of the Gavarnie nappe. Lanaja, J.M., 1987, Contribución de la exploración petrolífera al conocimiento de la Geología de España, IGME, Madrid, 465 p. Rodríguez, L., Cuevas, J., 2008. Geogaceta 44, 51-54. Rodríguez, L., Cuevas, J., Tubia, J.M., 2011. Geophysical Research Abstracts 13, 2273.

General equilibrium characteristics of a dual-lift helicopter system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cicolani, L. S.; Kanning, G.

1986-01-01

The equilibrium characteristics of a dual-lift helicopter system are examined. The system consists of the cargo attached by cables to the endpoints of a spreader bar which is suspended by cables below two helicopters. Results are given for the orientation angles of the suspension system and its internal forces, and for the helicopter thrust vector requirements under general circumstances, including nonidentical helicopters, any accelerating or static equilibrium reference flight condition, any system heading relative to the flight direction, and any distribution of the load to the two helicopters. Optimum tether angles which minimize the sum of the required thrust magnitudes are also determined. The analysis does not consider the attitude degrees of freedom of the load and helicopters in detail, but assumes that these bodies are stable, and that their aerodynamic forces in equilibrium flight can be determined independently as functions of the reference trajectory. The ranges of these forces for sample helicopters and loads are examined and their effects on the equilibrium characteristics are given parametrically in the results.

Low-thrust orbit transfer optimization with refined Q-law and multi-objective genetic algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Seungwon; Petropoulos, Anastassios E.; von Allmen, Paul

2005-01-01

An optimization method for low-thrust orbit transfers around a central body is developed using the Q-law and a multi-objective genetic algorithm. in the hybrid method, the Q-law generates candidate orbit transfers, and the multi-objective genetic algorithm optimizes the Q-law control parameters in order to simultaneously minimize both the consumed propellant mass and flight time of the orbit tranfer. This paper addresses the problem of finding optimal orbit transfers for low-thrust spacecraft.

Stick-slip as a monitor of rates, states and frictional properties along thrusts in sand wedges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenau, Matthias; Santimano, Tasca; Ritter, Malte; Oncken, Onno

2014-05-01

We developed a sandbox setup which allows monitoring the push of the moving backwall indenting a layer of sand. Depending on the ratio between indenter compliancy versus strain weakening of the granular material, wedge deformation shows unstable slip marked by force drops of various sizes and at multiple temporal scales. Basically we observe long-period slip instabilities related to strain localization during the formation of new thrusts, intermediate-period slip instabilities related to reactivation of existing thrusts and short-period slip instabilities related to the stick-slip mechanism of slip accumulation along "seismic" faults. Observed stick-slip is characterized by highly correlated size and frequency ("regular stick-slip") and is sensitive to integrated normal load, slip rate and frictional properties along the active thrust(s). By independently constraining the frictional properties using a ring-shear tester, we infer the integrated normal loads on the active faults from the stick-slip events and benchmark the results against a model calculating the normal loads from the wedge geometry. This way we are able to monitor rates, states and frictional properties along thrusts in sand wedges at unprecedented detail. As an example of application, a kinematic analysis of the stick slip events in the sandbox demonstrates how slip rates along thrusts vary systematically within accretion cycles although the kinematic boundary condition is stationary. Accordingly transient fault slip rates may accelerate up to twice the long-term convergence rate during formation of new thrusts and decelerate in the post-thrust formation stage in a non-linear way. Applied to nature this suggests that fault slip rate variations at the thousand-year time scale might be attributable to the elasticity of plates and material weakening rather than changes in plate velocities.

Study on electromagnetic plasma propulsion using rotating magnetic field acceleration scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furukawa, T.; Takizawa, K.; Kuwahara, D.; Shinohara, S.

2017-04-01

As one of the electromagnetic plasma acceleration systems, we have proposed a rotating magnetic field (RMF) acceleration scheme to overcome the present problem of direct plasma-electrode interactions, leading to a short lifetime with a poor plasma performance due to contamination. In this scheme, we generate a plasma by a helicon wave excited by a radio frequency (rf) antenna which has no direct-contact with a plasma. Then, the produced plasma is accelerated by the axial Lorentz force fz = jθ × Br (jθ is an azimuthal current induced by RMF, and Br is an external radial magnetic field). Erosion of electrodes and contamination are not expected in this total system since RMF coils and an rf antenna do not have contact with the plasma directly. Here, we have measured the plasma parameters (electron density ne and axial ion velocity vi) to demonstrate this RMF acceleration scheme by the use of AC currents in two sets of opposing coils to generate a RMF. The maximum increasing rate Δvi /vi was ˜28% (maximum vi of ˜3 km/s), while the density increasing rate of Δne/ne is ˜ 70% in the case of a RMF current frequency fRMF of 3 MHz, which showed a better plasma performance than that with fRMF = 5 MHz. Moreover, thrust characteristics such as a specific impulse and a thrust efficiency were discussed, although a target plasma was not optimized.

Ever Fly a Tetrahedron?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Kenneth

2004-01-01

Few things capture the spirit of spring like flying a kite. Watching a kite dance and sail across a cloud spotted sky is not only a visually appealing experience it also provides a foundation for studies in science and mathematics. Put simply, a kite is an airfoil surface that flies when the forces of lift and thrust are greater than the forces of…

Helicon double layer thruster operation in a low magnetic field mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harle, T.; Pottinger, S. J.; Lappas, V. J.

2013-02-01

Direct thrust measurements are made of a helicon double layer thruster operating in a low magnetic field mode. The relationship between the imposed axial magnetic field and generated thrust is investigated for a radio frequency input power range 200-500 W for propellant flow rates of 16.5 and 20 sccm (0.46 and 0.55 mg s-1) of argon. The measured thrust shows a strong dependence on the magnetic field strength, increasing by up to a factor of 5 compared with the minimum thrust level recorded. A peak thrust of 0.4-1.1 mN depending on thruster operating conditions is obtained. This increase is observed to take place over a small range of peak magnetic field strengths in the region of 70-110 G. The magnitude of the thrust and the corresponding magnitude of the magnetic field at which the peak thrust occurs is shown to increase with increasing input power for a given propellant flow rate. The ion current determined using a retarding field energy analyser and the electron number density found using a microwave resonator probe both correlate with the observed trend in thrust as a function of applied magnetic field.

Static Thrust and Vectoring Performance of a Spherical Convergent Flap Nozzle with a Nonrectangular Divergent Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.

1998-01-01

The static internal performance of a multiaxis-thrust-vectoring, spherical convergent flap (SCF) nozzle with a non-rectangular divergent duct was obtained in the model preparation area of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel. Duct cross sections of hexagonal and bowtie shapes were tested. Additional geometric parameters included throat area (power setting), pitch flap deflection angle, and yaw gimbal angle. Nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 2 to 12 for dry power configurations and from 2 to 6 for afterburning power configurations. Approximately a 1-percent loss in thrust efficiency from SCF nozzles with a rectangular divergent duct was incurred as a result of internal oblique shocks in the flow field. The internal oblique shocks were the result of cross flow generated by the vee-shaped geometric throat. The hexagonal and bowtie nozzles had mirror-imaged flow fields and therefore similar thrust performance. Thrust vectoring was not hampered by the three-dimensional internal geometry of the nozzles. Flow visualization indicates pitch thrust-vector angles larger than 10' may be achievable with minimal adverse effect on or a possible gain in resultant thrust efficiency as compared with the performance at a pitch thrust-vector angle of 10 deg.

Nonlinear dynamic simulation of single- and multi-spool core engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schobeiri, T.; Lippke, C.; Abouelkheir, M.

1993-01-01

In this paper a new computational method for accurate simulation of the nonlinear dynamic behavior of single- and multi-spool core engines, turbofan engines, and power generation gas turbine engines is presented. In order to perform the simulation, a modularly structured computer code has been developed which includes individual mathematical modules representing various engine components. The generic structure of the code enables the dynamic simulation of arbitrary engine configurations ranging from single-spool thrust generation to multi-spool thrust/power generation engines under adverse dynamic operating conditions. For precise simulation of turbine and compressor components, row-by-row calculation procedures were implemented that account for the specific turbine and compressor cascade and blade geometry and characteristics. The dynamic behavior of the subject engine is calculated by solving a number of systems of partial differential equations, which describe the unsteady behavior of the individual components. In order to ensure the capability, accuracy, robustness, and reliability of the code, comprehensive critical performance assessment and validation tests were performed. As representatives, three different transient cases with single- and multi-spool thrust and power generation engines were simulated. The transient cases range from operating with a prescribed fuel schedule, to extreme load changes, to generator and turbine shut down.

Oxygen/Alcohol Dual Thrust RCS Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angstadt, Tara; Hurlbert, Eric

1999-01-01

A non-toxic dual thrust RCS engine offers significant operational, safety, and performance advantages to the space shuttle and the next generation RLVs. In this concept, a single engine produces two thrust levels of 25 and 870 lbf. The low thrust level is provided by the spark torch igniter, which, with the addition of 2 extra valves, can also be made to function as a vernier. A dual thrust RCS engine allows 38 verniers to be packaged more efficiently on a vehicle. These 38 vemiers improve translation and reduce cross coupling, thereby providing more pure roll, pitch, and yaw maneuvers of the vehicle. Compared to the 6 vemiers currently on the shuttle, the 38 dual thrust engines would be 25 to 40% more efficient for the same maneuvers and attitude control. The vernier thrust level also reduces plume impingement and contamination concerns. Redundancy is also improved, thereby improving mission success reliability. Oxygen and ethanol are benign propellants which do not create explosive reaction products or contamination, as compared to hypergolic propellants. These characteristics make dual-thrust engines simpler to implement on a non-toxic reaction control system. Tests at WSTF in August 1999 demonstrated a dual-thrust concept that is successful with oxygen and ethanol. Over a variety of inlet pressures and mixture ratios at 22:1 area ratio, the engine produced between 230 and 297 sec Isp, and thrust levels from 8 lbf. to 50 lbf. This paper describes the benefits of dual-thrust engines and the recent results from tests at WSTF.

Addition of Passive Dynamics to a Flapping Airfoil to Improve Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asselin, Daniel; Young, Jay; Williamson, C. H. K.

2017-11-01

Animals which fly or swim typically employ flapping motions of their wings and fins in order to produce thrust and to maneuver. Small, unmanned vehicles might also exploit such motions and are of considerable interest for the purposes of surveillance, environmental monitoring, and search and rescue. Flapping refers to a combination of pitch and heave and has been shown to provide good thrust and efficiency (Read, et al. 2003) when both axes are independently controlled (an Active-Active system). In this study, we examine the performance of an airfoil actuated only in the heave direction but allowed to pitch passively under the control of a torsion spring (an Active-Passive system). The presence of the spring is simulated in software using a force-feedback control system called Cyber-Physical Fluid Dynamics, or CPFD (Mackowski & Williamson 2011, 2015, 2016). Adding passive pitch to active heave provides significantly improved thrust and efficiency compared with heaving alone, especially when the torsion spring stiffness is selected so that the system operates near resonance (in an Active-Passive system). In many cases, values of thrust and efficiency are comparable to or better than those obtained with two actively controlled degrees of freedom. By using carefully-designed passive dynamics in the pitch direction, we can eliminate one of the two actuators, saving cost, complexity, and weight, while maintaining performance. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grant No. FA9550-15-1-0243, monitored by Dr. Douglas Smith.

MagnetoSperm: A microrobot that navigates using weak magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalil, Islam S. M.; Dijkslag, Herman C.; Abelmann, Leon; Misra, Sarthak

2014-06-01

In this work, a propulsion system similar in motion to a sperm-cell is investigated. This system consists of a structure resembling a sperm-cell with a magnetic head and a flexible tail of 42 μm and 280 μm in length, respectively. The thickness, length, and width of this structure are 5.2 μm, 322 μm, and 42 μm, respectively. The magnetic head includes a 200 nm-thick cobalt-nickel layer. The cobalt-nickel layer provides a dipole moment and allows the flexible structure to align along oscillating weak (less than 5 mT) magnetic field lines, and hence generates a propulsion thrust force that overcomes the drag force. The frequency response of this system shows that the propulsion mechanism allows for swimming at an average speed of 158 ± 32 μm/s at alternating weak magnetic field of 45 Hz. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate controlled steering of the flexible structure towards reference positions.

Evaluation of peak force of a manually operated chiropractic adjusting instrument with an adapter for use in animals.

PubMed

Duarte, Felipe Coutinho Kullmann; Kolberg, Carolina; Barros, Rodrigo R; Silva, Vivian G A; Gehlen, Günter; Vassoler, Jakson M; Partata, Wania A

2014-05-01

This study was designed to assess the peak force of a manually operated chiropractic adjusting instrument, the Activator Adjusting Instrument 4 (AAI 4), with an adapter for use in animals, which has a 3- to 4-fold smaller contact surface area than the original rubber tip. Peak force was determined by thrusting the AAI 4 with the adapter or the original rubber tip onto a load cell. First, the AAI 4 was applied perpendicularly by a doctor of chiropractic onto the load cell. Then, the AAI 4 was fixed in a rigid framework and applied to the load cell. This procedure was done to prevent any load on the load cell before the thrust impulse. In 2 situations, trials were performed with the AAI 4 at all force settings (settings I, II, III, and IV, minimum to maximum, respectively). A total of 50000 samples per second over a period of 3 seconds were collected. In 2 experimental protocols, the use of the adapter in the AAI 4 increased the peak force only with setting I. The new value was around 80% of the maximum value found for the AAI 4. Nevertheless, the peak force values of the AAI 4 with the adapter and with the original rubber tip in setting IV were similar. The adapter effectively determines the maximum peak force value at force setting I of AAI 4. Copyright © 2014 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kinematic development of the Tibetan Plateau's northern margin: A traverse across the Qilian Shan-Nan Shan thrust belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuza, A. V.; Levy, D. A.; Wang, Z.; Xiong, X.; Chen, X.

2017-12-01

The active Cenozoic Qilian Shan-Nan Shan thrust belt defines the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. The kinematic development of this thrust belt has implications models of plateau growth and Himalayan-Tibetan orogen strain accommodation. We present new field observations and analytical data from a traverse across the 350-km-wide doubly vergent Qilian Shan, which is bound by the south-dipping North Qilian thrust system in the north and the north-dipping range-bounding Qinghai Nanshan-Dulan Shan thrust system in the south. These faults, and several other major thrusts within the thrust-belt interior, disrupt relatively thick Oligocene-Miocene basin deposits. Of note, many of the thrust faults across the width of the Qilian Shan have Quaternary fault scarps, indicating that active deformation is distributed and not only concentrated along the northern frontal faults. By integrating our detailed structural traverse with new geophysical observations and thermochronology data across the northern plateau margin, we construct a kinematic model for the development of the Tibetan Plateau's northern margin. Deformation initiated in the Eocene-Oligocene along the north-dipping Qinghai Nanshan-Dulan Shan and south-dipping Tuolai Nan Shan thrusts, the latter of which then defined the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau. This early deformation was focused along preexisting early Paleozoic structures. A 200-km-wide basin formed between these ranges, and from the Miocene to present, new thrust- and strike-slip-fault-bounded ranges developed, including the north-directed North Qilian and the south-directed Tuolai Nan thrusts. Thus, our observations do not support northward propagating thrust-belt expansion. Instead, we envision that the initial thrust-belt development generated a wide Oligocene-Miocene north-plateau basin that was subsequently disintegrated by later Miocene to present thrusting and strike-slip faulting. Ultimately, the Qilian Shan-Nan Shan thrust belt differs from a typical orogenic thrust wedge, and active deformation is distributed across the range.

Development of soft robots using dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godaba, Hareesh; Wang, Yuzhe; Cao, Jiawei; Zhu, Jian

2016-04-01

Soft robots are gaining in popularity due to their unique attributes such as low weight, compliance, flexibility and diverse range in motion types. This paper illustrates soft robots and actuators which are developed using dielectric elastomer. These developments include a jellyfish robot, a worm like robot and artificial muscle actuators for jaw movement in a robotic skull. The jellyfish robot which employs a bulged dielectric elastomer membrane has been demonstrated too generate thrust and buoyant forces and can move effectively in water. The artificial muscle for jaw movement employs a pure shear configuration and has been shown to closely mimic the jaw motion while chewing or singing a song. Thee inchworm robot, powered by dielectric elastomer actuator can demonstrate stable movement in one-direction.

Structural characteristics around the frontal thrust along the Nankai Trough revealed by bathymetric and seismic reflection survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, M.; Nakanishi, A.; Moore, G. F.; Kodaira, S.; Nakamura, Y.; Miura, S.; Kaneda, Y.

2016-12-01

Great earthquakes with tsunamis with recurrence intervals of 100-200 years have occurred along the Nankai Trough near central Japan where the Shikoku Basin is subducting with thick sediments on the Philippine Sea plate. To predict the exact height of the tsunami on the coast region generated by these large ruptures, it is important to estimate the vertical deformation that occurs on the seaward end of the rupture area. Recent drilling results have also yielded evidence not only of splay faults that generate tsunamigenic rupture, but also new evidence of tsunamigenic rupture along the frontal thrust at the trench axis in the Nankai Trough. In order to understand the deformation around the frontal thrust at the trench axis, we conducted a dense high-resolution seismic reflection survey with 10-20 km spacing over 1500 km of line length during 2013 and 2014. Clear seismic reflection images of frontal thrusts in the accretionary prism and subducting Shikoku Basin, image deformation along the trench axis between off Muroto Cape and off Ashizuri Cape. The cumulative displacement along the frontal thrust and second thrust are measured from picked distinct reflectors in depth-converted profiles. The average value of cumulative displacement of the frontal thrust is more than 100 m within 2 km depth beneath the seafloor. The location of highest displacement of 300 m displacement agree with the seaward end of slip distribution of the 1946 Nankai event calculated by numerical simulations. We also evaluate the seaward structure for understanding the future rupture distribution. The protothrust zone (PTZ) consisting of many incipient thrusts is identifiable in the portion of trough-fill sediments seaward of the frontal thrust. In order to emphasize the characteristics of frontal thrust and PTZ, we construct the detailed relief image for focusing on the lineated slope of the PTZ at the trough axis. Although our surveys covered a part of Nankai seismogenic zone, it is important to evaluate the initiation and evolution of frontal thrust at the toe of Nankai trough axis. This study is part of "Research project for compound disaster mitigation on the great earthquakes and tsunamis around the Nankai Trough region" funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan.

Propulsion Utilizing Laser-Driven Ponderomotive Fields for Deep-Space Missions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, George J.; Gilland, James H.

The generation of large amplitude electric fields in plasmas by high-power lasers has been studied for several years in the context of high-energy particle acceleration. Fields on the order of GeV/m are generated in the plasma wake of the laser by non-linear ponderomotive forces. The laser fields generate longitudinal and translational electron plasma waves with phase velocities close to the speed of light. These fields and velocities offer the potential to revolutionize spacecraft propulsion, leading to extended deep space robotic probes. Based on these initial calculations, plasma acceleration by means of laser-induced ponderomotive forces appears to offer significant potential formore » spacecraft propulsion. Relatively high-efficiencies appear possible with proper beam conditioning, resulting in an order of magnitude more thrust than alternative concepts for high I{sub SP} (>10{sup 5} s) and elimination of the primary life-limiting erosion phenomena associated with conventional electric propulsion systems. Ponderomotive propulsion readily lends itself to beamed power which might overcome some of the constraints of power-limited propulsion concepts. A preliminary assessment of the impact of these propulsion systems for several promising configurations on mission architectures has been conducted. Emphasizing interstellar and interstellar-precursor applications, performance and technical requirements are identified for a number of missions. The use of in-situ plasma and gas for propellant is evaluated as well.« less

The Chevron Foil Thrust Bearing: Improved Performance Through Passive Thermal Management and Effective Lubricant Mixing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruckner, Robert

2013-01-01

An improved foil thrust bearing is described that eliminates or reduces the need for forced cooling of the bearing foils while at the same time improves the load capacity of the bearing, enhances damping, provides overload tolerance, and eliminates the high speed load capacity drop-off that plagues the current state of the art. The performance improvement demonstrated by the chevron foil thrust bearing stems from a novel trailing edge shape that splays the hot lubricant in the thin film radially, thus preventing hot lubricant carry-over into the ensuing bearing sector. Additionally, the chevron shaped trailing edge induces vortical mixing of the hot lubricant with the gas that is naturally resident within the inter-pad region of a foil thrust bearing. The elimination of hot gas carry-over in combination with the enhanced mixing has enabled a completely passive thermally managed foil bearing design. Laboratory testing at NASA has confirmed the original analysis and reduced this concept to practice.

Experimental equipment for measuring physical properties of the annular hydrostatic thrust bearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozdera, Michal; Drábková, Sylva; Bojko, Marian

2014-03-01

The hydraulic circuit, through which the mineral oil is brought, is an important part of hydrostatic bearings. The annular hydrostatic thrust bearing consists of two sliding plates divided by a layer of mineral oil. In the lower plate, there are oil grooves which distribute the liquid between the sliding areas. The hydraulic circuit is made of two basic parts: the energy source and the controlling part. The hydraulic pump, which brings the liquid into the sliding bearing, is the source of the pressure energy. The sliding bearing is weighted down by axial force, which can be changed during the process. That's why in front of the particular oil grooves control components adjusting pressure and flow size are located. This paper deals with a project of a hydraulic circuit for regulation of fluid layer in the annular hydrostatic thrust bearing and the testing equipment for measuring its physical properties. It will include the issue of measuring loading capacity and height of the fluid layer in the annular hydrostatic thrust bearing.

Thrust Stand for Vertically Oriented Electric Propulsion Performance Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moeller, Trevor; Polzin, Kurt A.

2010-01-01

A variation of a hanging pendulum thrust stand capable of measuring the performance of an electric thruster operating in the vertical orientation is presented. The vertical orientation of the thruster dictates that the thruster must be horizontally offset from the pendulum pivot arm, necessitating the use of a counterweight system to provide a neutrally-stable system. Motion of the pendulum arm is transferred through a balance mechanism to a secondary arm on which deflection is measured. A non-contact light-based transducer is used to measure displacement of the secondary beam. The members experience very little friction, rotating on twisting torsional pivots with oscillatory motion attenuated by a passive, eddy current damper. Displacement is calibrated using an in situ thrust calibration system. Thermal management and self-leveling systems are incorporated to mitigate thermal and mechanical drifts. Gravitational restoring force and torsional spring constants associated with flexure pivots provide restoring moments. An analysis of the design indicates that the thrust measurement range spans roughly four decades, with the stand capable of measuring thrust up to 12 N for a 200 kg thruster and up to approximately 800 mN for a 10 kg thruster. Data obtained from calibration tests performed using a 26.8 lbm simulated thruster indicated a resolution of 1 mN on 100 mN-level thrusts, while those tests conducted on 200 lbm thruster yielded a resolution of roughly 2.5 micro at thrust levels of 0.5 N and greater.

Thrust stand for vertically oriented electric propulsion performance evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moeller, Trevor; Polzin, Kurt A.

A variation of a hanging pendulum thrust stand capable of measuring the performance of an electric thruster operating in the vertical orientation is presented. The vertical orientation of the thruster dictates that the thruster must be horizontally offset from the pendulum pivot arm, necessitating the use of a counterweight system to provide a neutrally stable system. Motion of the pendulum arm is transferred through a balance mechanism to a secondary arm on which deflection is measured. A noncontact light-based transducer is used to measure displacement of the secondary beam. The members experience very little friction, rotating on twisting torsional pivotsmore » with oscillatory motion attenuated by a passive, eddy-current damper. Displacement is calibrated using an in situ thrust calibration system. Thermal management and self-leveling systems are incorporated to mitigate thermal and mechanical drifts. Gravitational force and torsional spring constants associated with flexure pivots provide restoring moments. An analysis of the design indicates that the thrust measurement range spans roughly four decades, with the stand capable of measuring thrust up to 12 N for a 200 kg thruster and up to approximately 800 mN for a 10 kg thruster. Data obtained from calibration tests performed using a 26.8 lbm simulated thruster indicated a resolution of 1 mN on 100 mN level thrusts, while those tests conducted on a 200 lbm thruster yielded a resolution of roughly 2.5 mN at thrust levels of 0.5 N and greater.« less

An Investigation of Ionic Wind Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Jack; Perkins, Hugh D.; Thompson, William K.

2009-01-01

A corona discharge device generates an ionic wind and thrust, when a high voltage corona discharge is struck between sharply pointed electrodes and larger radius ground electrodes. The objective of this study was to examine whether this thrust could be scaled to values of interest for aircraft propulsion. An initial experiment showed that the thrust observed did equal the thrust of the ionic wind. Different types of high voltage electrodes were tried, including wires, knife-edges, and arrays of pins. A pin array was found to be optimum. Parametric experiments, and theory, showed that the thrust per unit power could be raised from early values of 5 N/kW to values approaching 50 N/kW, but only by lowering the thrust produced, and raising the voltage applied. In addition to using DC voltage, pulsed excitation, with and without a DC bias, was examined. The results were inconclusive as to whether this was advantageous. It was concluded that the use of a corona discharge for aircraft propulsion did not seem very practical.

Linear Test Bed. Volume 2: Test Bed No. 2. [linear aerospike test bed for thrust vector control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Test bed No. 2 consists of 10 combustors welded in banks of 5 to 2 symmetrical tubular nozzle assemblies, an upper stationary thrust frame, a lower thrust frame which can be hinged, a power package, a triaxial combustion wave ignition system, a pneumatic control system, pneumatically actuated propellant valves, a purge and drain system, and an electrical control system. The power package consists of the Mark 29-F fuel turbopump, the Mark 29-0 oxidizer turbopump, a gas generator assembly, and propellant ducting. The system, designated as a linear aerospike system, was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept and to explore technology related to thrust vector control, thrust vector optimization, improved sequencing and control, and advanced ignition systems. The propellants are liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen. The system was designed to operate at 1200-psia chamber pressure at an engine mixture ratio of 5.5. With 10 combustors, the sea level thrust is 95,000 pounds.

Characterization of DBD Plasma Actuators Performance without External Flow . Part I; Thrust-Voltage Quadratic Relationship in Logarithmic Space for Sinusoidal Excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashpis, David E.; Laun, Matthew C.

2016-01-01

We present results of thrust measurements of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators. We have used a test setup, measurement, and data processing methodology that we developed in prior work. The tests were conducted with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) actuators of three thicknesses. The applied voltage driving the actuators was a pure sinusoidal waveform. The test setup was suspended actuators with a partial liquid interface. The tests were conducted at low ambient humidity. The thrust was measured with an analytical balance and the results were corrected for anti-thrust to isolate the plasma generated thrust. Applying this approach resulted in smooth and repeatable data. It also enabled curve fitting that yielded quadratic relations between the plasma thrust and voltage in log-log space at constant frequencies. The results contrast power law relationships developed in literature that appear to be a rough approximation over a limited voltage range.

A static investigation of the thrust vectoring system of the F/A-18 high-alpha research vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Mary L.; Capone, Francis J.; Asbury, Scott C.

1992-01-01

A static (wind-off) test was conducted in the static test facility of the Langley 16-foot Transonic Tunnel to evaluate the vectoring capability and isolated nozzle performance of the proposed thrust vectoring system of the F/A-18 high alpha research vehicle (HARV). The thrust vectoring system consisted of three asymmetrically spaced vanes installed externally on a single test nozzle. Two nozzle configurations were tested: A maximum afterburner-power nozzle and a military-power nozzle. Vane size and vane actuation geometry were investigated, and an extensive matrix of vane deflection angles was tested. The nozzle pressure ratios ranged from two to six. The results indicate that the three vane system can successfully generate multiaxis (pitch and yaw) thrust vectoring. However, large resultant vector angles incurred large thrust losses. Resultant vector angles were always lower than the vane deflection angles. The maximum thrust vectoring angles achieved for the military-power nozzle were larger than the angles achieved for the maximum afterburner-power nozzle.

Initial Thrust Measurements of Marshall's Ion-ioN Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, Natalie R. S.; Scogin, Tyler; Liu, Thomas M.; Walker, Mitchell L. R.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Dankanich, John W.

2015-01-01

Electronegative ion thrusters are a variation of traditional gridded ion thruster technology differentiated by the production and acceleration of both positive and negative ions. Benefits of electronegative ion thrusters include the elimination of lifetime-limiting cathodes from the thruster architecture and the ability to generate appreciable thrust from both charge species. While much progress has been made in the development of electronegative ion thruster technology, direct thrust measurements are required to unambiguously demonstrate the efficacy of the concept and support continued development. In the present work, direct thrust measurements of the thrust produced by the MINT (Marshall's Ion-ioN Thruster) are performed using an inverted-pendulum thrust stand in the High-Power Electric Propulsion Laboratory's Vacuum Test Facility-1 at the Georgia Institute of Technology with operating pressures ranging from 4.8 x 10(exp -5) and 5.7 x 10(exp -5) torr. Thrust is recorded while operating with a propellant volumetric mixture ratio of 5:1 argon to nitrogen with total volumetric flow rates of 6, 12, and 24 sccm (0.17, 0.34, and 0.68 mg/s). Plasma is generated using a helical antenna at 13.56 MHz and radio frequency (RF) power levels of 150 and 350 W. The acceleration grid assembly is operated using both sinusoidal and square waveform biases of +/-350 V at frequencies of 4, 10, 25, 125, and 225 kHz. Thrust is recorded for two separate thruster configurations: with and without the magnetic filter. No thrust is discernable during thruster operation without the magnetic filter for any volumetric flow rate, RF forward Power level, or acceleration grid biasing scheme. For the full thruster configuration, with the magnetic filter installed, a brief burst of thrust of approximately 3.75 mN +/- 3 mN of error is observed at the start of grid operation for a volumetric flow rate of 24 sccm at 350 W RF power using a sinusoidal waveform grid bias at 125 kHz and +/- 350 V. Similar bursts in thrust are observed using a square waveform grid bias at 10 kHz and +/- 350 V for volumetric flow rates of 6, 10, and 12 sccm at 150, 350, and 350 W respectively. The only operating condition that exhibits repeated thrust spikes throughout thruster operation is the 24 sccm condition with a 5:1 mixture ratio at 150 W RF power using the 10 kHz square waveform acceleration grid bias. Thrust spikes for this condition measure 3 mN with an error of +/- 2.5 mN. There are no operating conditions tested that show continuous thrust production.

Comparative kinematics of the forelimb during swimming in red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) and spiny softshell (Apalone spinifera) turtles.

PubMed

Pace, C M; Blob, R W; Westneat, M W

2001-10-01

Softshell turtles (Family Trionychidae) possess extensive webbing between the digits of the manus, suggesting that the forelimb may serve as an effective thrust generator during aquatic locomotion. However, the hindlimb has previously been viewed as the dominant propulsive organ in swimming freshwater turtles. To evaluate the potential role of the forelimb in thrust production during swimming in freshwater turtles, we compared the forelimb morphology and three-dimensional forelimb kinematics of a highly aquatic trionychid turtle, the spiny softshell Apalone spinifera, and a morphologically generalized emydid turtle, the red-eared slider Trachemys scripta. Spiny softshells possess nearly twice as much forelimb surface area as sliders for generating drag-based thrust. In addition, although both species use drag-based propulsion, several aspects of forelimb kinematics differ significantly between these species. During the thrust phase of the forelimb cycle, spiny softshells hold the elbow and wrist joints significantly straighter than sliders, thereby further increasing the surface area of the limb that can move water posteriorly and increasing the velocity of the distal portion of the forelimb. These aspects of swimming kinematics in softshells should increase forelimb thrust production and suggest that the forelimbs make more substantial contributions to forward thrust in softshell turtles than in sliders. Spiny softshells also restrict forelimb movements to a much narrower dorsoventral and anteroposterior range than sliders throughout the stroke, thereby helping to minimize limb movements potentially extraneous to forward thrust production. These comparisons demonstrate considerable diversity in the forelimb kinematics of turtles that swim using rowing motions of the limbs and suggest that the evolution of turtle forelimb mechanics produced a variety of contrasting solutions for aquatic specialization.

Age-related differences in postural adjustments in connection with different tasks involving weight transfer while standing.

PubMed

Jonsson, Erika; Henriksson, Marketta; Hirschfeld, Helga

2007-10-01

Weight transfer designed to change the area of the supportive base during the performance of three different motor tasks (one-leg stance, tandem stance and gait initiation) was examined both in healthy, physically active elderly people and younger adults. The former two tasks are balance tests used clinically. Our hypothesis was that the elderly subjects would demonstrate age-related changes in their postural adjustments that could be detected by analysis of the ground reaction forces. While 24 healthy elderly adults (65-77 years of age) and 26 younger adults (24-40 years of age) performed these three tasks, the ground reaction forces were recorded from two force plates. Prior to the onset of all three tasks, the elderly placed significantly more weight on the leg that was to provide support (the stance leg), than did the younger individuals. The analyses revealed two distinct phases of weight transfer, i.e., an initial thrust and a subsequent unloading phase. The elderly individuals exhibited a significantly longer unloading phase, as well as a higher frequency of peaks of vertical and lateral forces during this phase. Moreover, the maximal force rate during this phase was achieved at an earlier time point by the elderly. However, both groups generated forces of similar magnitudes and force rates. In conclusion, our findings indicate the presence of age-related differences in the temporal phasing of the ground reaction forces in all three of these tasks involving weight transfer, whereas the magnitude and rates of change of these forces are independent of age.

IPMC-driven thrust generation: a new conceptual design (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Zakai; Kim, Kwang Jin

2017-04-01

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMC) are highly functional actuators that find many uses in the field of soft robotics due to their low actuation voltage and ability to operate in aquatic environments. The actuation of an IPMC relies on the swelling of the negatively charged side when a potential is applied, due to the free-moving cations and water molecules migrating to that half. While this bending type actuation can be utilized to perform many tasks, it is ill suited for the primary propulsion mechanism in certain soft robotic applications. Here, a new conceptual design is presented which utilizes the bending of IPMC materials to achieve complex actuation motion in an attempt to generate a non-zero net thrust for propulsion of soft robots. The design capitalizes on advances in the manufacturing processes of electroactive polymer materials, which now allow for more complex shapes and thus new and unique modes of actuation. By utilizing the consistent bending deformation of IPMC actuators, in conjunction with carefully considered geometry, an IPMC driven body may serve as a primary mode of propulsion through a positive net thrust generation. This work consists of the initial feasibility study, concept testing, and optimization for such an actuator through computer modeling and simulation. COMSOL will be used for the finite element analysis to design the most efficient and optimized design for a positive net thrust generation. Such an IPMC design may find a great deal of applications, and the potential of future integration into other soft robotic systems is considered.

A New Approach to Attitude Stability and Control for Low Airspeed Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, K. B.; Shin, Y-Y.; Moerder, D. D.; Cooper, E. G.

2004-01-01

This paper describes an approach for controlling the attitude of statically unstable thrust-levitated vehicles in hover or slow translation. The large thrust vector that characterizes such vehicles can be modulated to provide control forces and moments to the airframe, but such modulation is accompanied by significant unsteady flow effects. These effects are difficult to model, and can compromise the practical value of thrust vectoring in closed-loop attitude stability, even if the thrust vectoring machinery has sufficient bandwidth for stabilization. The stabilization approach described in this paper is based on using internal angular momentum transfer devices for stability, augmented by thrust vectoring for trim and other "outer loop" control functions. The three main components of this approach are: (1) a z-body axis angular momentum bias enhances static attitude stability, reducing the amount of control activity needed for stabilization, (2) optionally, gimbaled reaction wheels provide high-bandwidth control torques for additional stabilization, or agility, and (3) the resulting strongly coupled system dynamics are controlled by a multivariable controller. A flight test vehicle is described, and nonlinear simulation results are provided that demonstrate the efficiency of the approach.

Flight-Determined Subsonic Longitudinal Stability and Control Derivatives of the F-18 High Angle of Attack Research Vehicle (HARV) with Thrust Vectoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iliff, Kenneth W.; Wang, Kon-Sheng Charles

1997-01-01

The subsonic longitudinal stability and control derivatives of the F-18 High Angle of Attack Research Vehicle (HARV) are extracted from dynamic flight data using a maximum likelihood parameter identification technique. The technique uses the linearized aircraft equations of motion in their continuous/discrete form and accounts for state and measurement noise as well as thrust-vectoring effects. State noise is used to model the uncommanded forcing function caused by unsteady aerodynamics over the aircraft, particularly at high angles of attack. Thrust vectoring was implemented using electrohydraulically-actuated nozzle postexit vanes and a specialized research flight control system. During maneuvers, a control system feature provided independent aerodynamic control surface inputs and independent thrust-vectoring vane inputs, thereby eliminating correlations between the aircraft states and controls. Substantial variations in control excitation and dynamic response were exhibited for maneuvers conducted at different angles of attack. Opposing vane interactions caused most thrust-vectoring inputs to experience some exhaust plume interference and thus reduced effectiveness. The estimated stability and control derivatives are plotted, and a discussion relates them to predicted values and maneuver quality.

Boundary element analysis of active mountain building and stress heterogeneity proximal to the 2015 Nepal earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, T. B.; Meade, B. J.

2015-12-01

The Himalayas are the tallest mountains on Earth with ten peaks exceeding 8000 meters, including Mt. Everest. The geometrically complex fault system at the Himalayan Range Front produces both great relief and great earthquakes, like the recent Mw=7.8 Nepal rupture. Here, we develop geometrically accurate elastic boundary element models of the fault system at the Himalayan Range Front including the Main Central Thrust, South Tibetan Detachment, Main Frontal Thrust, Main Boundary Thrust, the basal detachment, and surface topography. Using these models, we constrain the tectonic driving forces and frictional fault strength required to explain Quaternary fault slip rate estimates. These models provide a characterization of the heterogeneity of internal stress in the region surrounding the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Aeroassisted orbit transfer vehicle trajectory analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Robert D.; Suit, William T.

1988-01-01

The emphasis in this study was on the use of multiple pass trajectories for aerobraking. However, for comparison, single pass trajectories, trajectories using ballutes, and trajectories corrupted by atmospheric anomolies were run. A two-pass trajectory was chosen to determine the relation between sensitivity to errors and payload to orbit. Trajectories that used only aerodynamic forces for maneuvering could put more weight into the target orbits but were very sensitive to variations from the planned trajectors. Using some thrust control resulted in less payload to orbit, but greatly reduced the sensitivity to variations from nominal trajectories. When compared to the non-thrusting trajectories investigated, the judicious use of thrusting resulted in multiple pass trajectories that gave 97 percent of the payload to orbit with almost none of the sensitivity to variations from the nominal.

Three-dimensional analysis of tubular permanent magnet machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, J.; Wang, J.; Howe, D.

2006-04-01

This paper presents results from a three-dimensional finite element analysis of a tubular permanent magnet machine, and quantifies the influence of the laminated modules from which the stator core is assembled on the flux linkage and thrust force capability as well as on the self- and mutual inductances. The three-dimensional finite element (FE) model accounts for the nonlinear, anisotropic magnetization characteristic of the laminated stator structure, and for the voids which exist between the laminated modules. Predicted results are compared with those deduced from an axisymmetric FE model. It is shown that the emf and thrust force deduced from the three-dimensional model are significantly lower than those which are predicted from an axisymmetric field analysis, primarily as a consequence of the teeth and yoke being more highly saturated due to the presence of the voids in the laminated stator core.

Cylindrical Asymmetrical Capacitor Devices for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

An asymmetrical capacitor system is provided which creates a thrust force. The system is adapted for use in space applications and includes a capacitor device provided with a first conductive element and a second conductive element axially spaced from the first conductive element and of smaller axial extent. A shroud supplied with gas surrounds the capacitor device. The second conductive element can be a wire ring or mesh mounted on dielectric support posts affixed to a dielectric member which separates the conductive elements or a wire or mesh annulus surrounding a barrel-shaped dielectric member on which the h t element is also mounted. A high voltage source is connected across the conductive elements and applies a high voltage to the conductive elements of sufficient value to create a thrust force on the system inducing movement thereof.

Investigation of Effectiveness of a Wing Equipped with a 50-percent-chord Sliding Flap, a 30-percent-chord Slotted Flap, and a 30-percent-chord Slat in Deflecting Propeller Slipstreams Downward for Vertical Take-off

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, Richard E

1957-01-01

Results are presented of an investigation of the effectiveness of a wing equipped with a 50-percent-chord sliding flap and a 30-percent-chord slotted flap in deflecting a propeller slipstream downward for vertical take-off. Tests were conducted at zero forward speed in a large room and included the effects of flap deflection, proximity to the ground, a leading-edge slat, and end plates. A turning angle of about 70 degrees and a resultant force of about 100 percent of the thrust were achieved near the ground. Out of the ground-effect region, the turning angle was also about 70 degrees but the resultant force was reduced to about 86 percent of the thrust.

Machinability of drilling T700/LT-03A carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite laminates using candle stick drill and multi-facet drill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cheng-Dong; Qiu, Kun-Xian; Chen, Ming; Cai, Xiao-Jiang

2015-03-01

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) composite laminates are widely used in aerospace and aircraft structural components due to their superior properties. However, they are regarded as difficult-to-cut materials because of bad surface quality and low productivity. Drilling is the most common hole making process for CFRP composite laminates and drilling induced delamination damage usually occurs severely at the exit side of drilling holes, which strongly deteriorate holes quality. In this work, the candle stick drill and multi-facet drill are employed to evaluate the machinability of drilling T700/LT-03A CFRP composite laminates in terms of thrust force, delamination, holes diameter and holes surface roughness. S/N ratio is used to characterize the thrust force while an ellipse-shaped delamination model is established to quantitatively analyze the delamination. The best combination of drilling parameters are determined by full consideration of S/N ratios of thrust force and the delamination. The results indicate that candle stick drill will induce the unexpected ellipse-shaped delamination even at its best drilling parameters of spindle speed of 10,000 rpm and feed rate of 0.004 mm/tooth. However, the multi-facet drill cutting at the relative lower feed rate of 0.004 mm/tooth and lower spindle speed of 6000 rpm can effectively prevent the delamination. Comprehensively, holes quality obtained by multi-facet drill is much more superior to those obtained by candle stick drill.

Numerical and experimental investigations on unsteady aerodynamics of flapping wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Meilin

The development of a dynamic unstructured grid high-order accurate spectral difference (SD) method for the three dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations and its applications in flapping-wing aerodynamics are carried out in this work. Grid deformation is achieved via an algebraic blending strategy to save computational cost. The Geometric Conservation Law (GCL) is imposed to ensure that grid deformation will not contaminate the flow physics. A low Mach number preconditioning procedure is conducted in the developed solver to handle the bio-inspired flow. The capability of the low Mach number preconditioned SD solver is demonstrated by a series of two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) simulations of the unsteady vortex dominated flow. Several topics in the flapping wing aerodynamics are numerically and experimentally investigated in this work. These topics cover some of the cutting-edge issues in flapping wing aerodynamics, including the wake structure analysis, airfoil thickness and kinematics effects on the aerodynamic performances, vortex structure analysis around 3D flapping wings and the kinematics optimization. Wake structures behind a sinusoidally pitching NACA0012 airfoil are studied with both experimental and numerical approaches. The experiments are carried out with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and two types of wake transition processes, namely the transition from a drag-indicative wake to a thrust-indicative wake and that from the symmetric wake to the asymmetric wake are distinguished. The numerical results from the developed SD solver agree well with the experimental results. It is numerically found that the deflective direction of the asymmetric wake is determined by the initial conditions, e.g. initial phase angle. As most insects use thin wings (i. e., wing thickness is only a few percent of the chord length) in flapping flight, the effects of airfoil thickness on thrust generation are numerically investigated by simulating the flow fields around a series of plunging NACA symmetric airfoils with thickness ratio ranging from 4.0% to 20.0% of the airfoil chord length. The contribution of viscous force to flapping propulsion is accessed and it is found that viscous force becomes thrust producing, instead of drag producing, and plays a non-negligible role in thrust generation for thin airfoils. This is closely related to the variations of the dynamics of the unsteady vortex structures around the plunging airfoils. As nature flyers use complex wing kinematics in flapping flight, kinematics effects on the aerodynamic performance with different airfoil thicknesses are numerically studied by using a series of NACA symmetric airfoils. It is found that the combined plunging and pitching motion can outperform the pure plunging or pitching motion by sophisticatedly adjusting the airfoil gestures during the oscillation stroke. The thin airfoil better manipulates leading edge vortices (LEVs) than the thick airfoil (NACA0030) does in studied cases, and there exists an optimal thickness for large thrust generation with reasonable propulsive efficiency. With the present kinematics and dynamic parameters, relatively low reduced frequency is conducive for thrust production and propulsive efficiency for all tested airfoil thicknesses. In order to obtain the optimal kinematics parameters of flapping flight, a kinematics optimization is then performed. A gradient-based optimization algorithm is coupled with a second-order SD Navier-Stokes solver to search for the optimal kinematics of a certain airfoil undergoing a combined plunging and pitching motion. Then a high-order SD scheme is used to verify the optimization results and reveal the detailed vortex structures associated with the optimal kinematics of the flapping flight. It is found that for the case with maximum propulsive efficiency, there exists no leading edge separation during most of the oscillation cycle. In order to provide constructive suggestions to the design of micro-air-vehicles (MAVs), 3D simulations of the flapping wings are carried out in this work. Both the rectangular and bio-inspired wings with different kinematics are investigated. The formation process of two-jet-like wake patterns behind the finite-span flapping wing is found to be closely related to the interaction between trailing edge vortices and tip vortices. Then the effects of the wing planforms on the aerodynamics performance of the finite-span flapping wings are elucidated in terms of the evolution and dynamic interaction of unsteady vortex structures.

An Automatic Medium to High Fidelity Low-Thrust Global Trajectory Toolchain; EMTG-GMAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beeson, Ryne T.; Englander, Jacob A.; Hughes, Steven P.; Schadegg, Maximillian

2015-01-01

Solving the global optimization, low-thrust, multiple-flyby interplanetary trajectory problem with high-fidelity dynamical models requires an unreasonable amount of computational resources. A better approach, and one that is demonstrated in this paper, is a multi-step process whereby the solution of the aforementioned problem is solved at a lower-fidelity and this solution is used as an initial guess for a higher-fidelity solver. The framework presented in this work uses two tools developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: the Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator (EMTG) and the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT). EMTG is a medium to medium-high fidelity low-thrust interplanetary global optimization solver, which now has the capability to automatically generate GMAT script files for seeding a high-fidelity solution using GMAT's local optimization capabilities. A discussion of the dynamical models as well as thruster and power modeling for both EMTG and GMAT are given in this paper. Current capabilities are demonstrated with examples that highlight the toolchains ability to efficiently solve the difficult low-thrust global optimization problem with little human intervention.

Modelling the Dynamics of Bodies Self-Propelled by Exponential Mass Exhaustion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodrigues, Hilario; Pinho, Marcos Oliveira; Portes, Dirceu, Jr.; Santiago, Arnaldo Jose

2008-01-01

We present a study of the ascending vertical motion of a self-propelled body under a uniform gravitational field suffering the action of two different types of air friction forces: linear on the velocity, which is valid for slowly moving bodies, and quadratic on the velocity. We study the special case where the thrust force is a decreasing…

Particle Swarm Optimization of Low-Thrust, Geocentric-to-Halo-Orbit Transfers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, Andrew J.

Missions to Lagrange points are becoming increasingly popular amongst spacecraft mission planners. Lagrange points are locations in space where the gravity force from two bodies, and the centrifugal force acting on a third body, cancel. To date, all spacecraft that have visited a Lagrange point have done so using high-thrust, chemical propulsion. Due to the increasing availability of low-thrust (high efficiency) propulsive devices, and their increasing capability in terms of fuel efficiency and instantaneous thrust, it has now become possible for a spacecraft to reach a Lagrange point orbit without the aid of chemical propellant. While at any given time there are many paths for a low-thrust trajectory to take, only one is optimal. The traditional approach to spacecraft trajectory optimization utilizes some form of gradient-based algorithm. While these algorithms offer numerous advantages, they also have a few significant shortcomings. The three most significant shortcomings are: (1) the fact that an initial guess solution is required to initialize the algorithm, (2) the radius of convergence can be quite small and can allow the algorithm to become trapped in local minima, and (3) gradient information is not always assessable nor always trustworthy for a given problem. To avoid these problems, this dissertation is focused on optimizing a low-thrust transfer trajectory from a geocentric orbit to an Earth-Moon, L1, Lagrange point orbit using the method of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The PSO method is an evolutionary heuristic that was originally written to model birds swarming to locate hidden food sources. This PSO method will enable the exploration of the invariant stable manifold of the target Lagrange point orbit in an effort to optimize the spacecraft's low-thrust trajectory. Examples of these optimized trajectories are presented and contrasted with those found using traditional, gradient-based approaches. In summary, the results of this dissertation find that the PSO method does, indeed, successfully optimize the low-thrust trajectory transfer problem without the need for initial guessing. Furthermore, a two-degree-of-freedom PSO problem formulation significantly outperformed a one-degree-of-freedom formulation by at least an order of magnitude, in terms of CPU time. Finally, the PSO method is also used to solve a traditional, two-burn, impulsive transfer to a Lagrange point orbit using a hybrid optimization algorithm that incorporates a gradient-based shooting algorithm as a pre-optimizer. Surprisingly, the results of this study show that "fast" transfers outperform "slow" transfers in terms of both Deltav and time of flight.

Effect of spiral outlet hydraulic passage geometrics on the radial thrust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lugova, S. O.; Ignateva, P. I.

2017-08-01

The article presents the results of investigation of the effect of geometrics of a double-volute outlet hydraulic passage on the magnitude and direction of acting of the radial reaction forces in a between-bearings single-stage centrifugal pump with a double entry impeller. The investigation has been performed with the use of a computing experiment. Characteristic curves as well as values and directions of the radial thrust have been compared for three variants of outlet hydraulic passages differing in the width at their entrance.

Elastohydrodynamics of microfilament under distributed body actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, T. Sonamani; Yadava, R. D. S.

2018-05-01

The dynamics of an active filament in low Reynolds (Re) number regime is analyzed under distributed body actuation represented by the sliding filament model. The governing elastohydrodynamic equations are formulated by assuming the resistive force theory (RFT). The effect of geometric nonlinearity in bending stiffness on the propulsive thrust has been analyzed where the former is introduced by cross-sectional tapering. Two types of boundary conditions (clamped-free and hinged-free) are analyzed. A comparison with the uniform filament dynamics reveals that the tapering enhances the thrust under both types of boundary conditions.

Proceedings of the Seminar on the DoD Computer Security Initiative Program (3rd), National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 18-20, 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

TECHNIQUES IMPROVING RAPIDLY C-7 INDUSTRY THRUSTS IN 70s DRIVING FORCE : IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY * EASE MAINTENANCE, MODIFICATION IMPROVE PERFORMANCE...together a task force to make recommendations on what we should be doing about computer secur- ity. Other members of the task force came from both our...of the marketing task force mostly echoed and endorsed the user’s report. Both reports were issued in March of 1973. Notice that DoD 5200.28 had just

Lubrication of optimized-design tapered-roller bearings to 2.4 million DN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, R. J.; Pinel, S. I.; Signer, Hans R.

1980-01-01

The performance of 120.65 mm (4.75 in.) bore high speed design, tapered roller bearings was investigated at shaft speeds to 20,000 rpm (2.4 million DN) under combined thrust and radial load. The test bearing design was computer optimized for high speed operation. Temperature distribution bearing heat generation were determined as a function of shaft speed, radial and thrust loads, lubricant flow rates, and lubricant inlet temperature. The high speed design, tapered roller bearing operated successfully at shaft speeds up to 20,000 rpm under heavy thrust and radial loads. Bearing temperatures and heat generation with the high speed design bearing were significantly less than those of a modified standard bearing tested previously. Cup cooling was effective in decreasing the high cup temperatures to levels equal to the cone temperature.

Fluidic Emergency Thruster for Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Honda, T. S.

1972-01-01

The design, development, fabrication and test evaluation of two prototype fluidic emergency thrusters (FET) for aircraft stabilization are discussed. The fluidic control units were designed to provide, between two diametrically opposed nozzles, a thrust differential proportional to an input voltage signal. The emergency roll control requirements of the X-14 VTOL research aircraft were defined as typical design goals. Two control units, one on each wing tip, are intended to provide a maximum thrust of 224 pounds per unit. The units are designed to operate with 2500 psig, 2000 F gas from a solid propellant gas generator. The emergency system including the gas generator was designed to add less than 11 pounds per wing tip. The operating time under emergency conditions was specified as five seconds. The fluidic emergency thruster is similar in concept to a JATO system but has the added feature of controllable thrust.

Experimental and analytical investigation of the thermal necrosis in high-speed drilling of bone.

PubMed

Shakouri, Ehsan; Sadeghi, Mohammad H; Maerefat, Mehdi; Shajari, Shaghayegh

2014-04-01

Bone loss due to thermo necrosis may weaken the purchase of surgically placed screws and pins, causing them to loosen postoperatively. The heat generated during the bone drilling is proportional to cutting speed and force and may be partially dissipated by the blood and tissue fluids, and somehow carried away by the chips formed. Increasing cutting speed will reduce cutting force and machining time. Therefore, it is of interest to study the effects of the increasing cutting speed on bone drilling characteristics. In this article, the effects of the increasing cutting speed ranging from 500 up to 18,000 r/min on the thrust force and the temperature rise are studied for bovine femur bone. The results of this study reveal that the high-speed drilling of 6000-7000 r/min may effectively reduce the two parameters of maximum cortical temperature and duration of exposure at temperatures above the allowable levels, which in turn reduce the probability of thermal necrosis in the drill site. This is due to the reduction of the cutting force and the increase in the chip disposal speed. However, more increases in the drill bit rotational speed result in an increase in the amount of temperature elevation, not because of sensible change in drilling force but a considerable increase in friction among the chips, drill bit and the hole walls.

Review on advanced composite materials boring mechanism and tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Runping; Wang, Chengyong

2010-12-01

With the rapid development of aviation and aerospace manufacturing technology, advanced composite materials represented by carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) and super hybrid composites (fibre/metal plates) are more and more widely applied. The fibres are mainly carbon fibre, boron fibre, Aramid fiber and Sic fibre. The matrixes are resin matrix, metal matrix and ceramic matrix. Advanced composite materials have higher specific strength and higher specific modulus than glass fibre reinforced resin composites of the 1st generation. They are widely used in aviation and aerospace industry due to their high specific strength, high specific modulus, excellent ductility, anticorrosion, heat-insulation, sound-insulation, shock absorption and high&low temperature resistance. They are used for radomes, inlets, airfoils(fuel tank included), flap, aileron, vertical tail, horizontal tail, air brake, skin, baseboards and tails, etc. Its hardness is up to 62~65HRC. The holes are greatly affected by the fibre laminates direction of carbon fibre reinforced composite material due to its anisotropy when drilling in unidirectional laminates. There are burrs, splits at the exit because of stress concentration. Besides there is delamination and the hole is prone to be smaller. Burrs are caused by poor sharpness of cutting edge, delamination, tearing, splitting are caused by the great stress caused by high thrust force. Poorer sharpness of cutting edge leads to lower cutting performance and higher drilling force at the same time. The present research focuses on the interrelation between rotation speed, feed, drill's geometry, drill life, cutting mode, tools material etc. and thrust force. At the same time, holes quantity and holes making difficulty of composites have also increased. It requires high performance drills which won't bring out defects and have long tool life. It has become a trend to develop super hard material tools and tools with special geometry for drilling composite materials.

Review on advanced composite materials boring mechanism and tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Runping; Wang, Chengyong

2011-05-01

With the rapid development of aviation and aerospace manufacturing technology, advanced composite materials represented by carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) and super hybrid composites (fibre/metal plates) are more and more widely applied. The fibres are mainly carbon fibre, boron fibre, Aramid fiber and Sic fibre. The matrixes are resin matrix, metal matrix and ceramic matrix. Advanced composite materials have higher specific strength and higher specific modulus than glass fibre reinforced resin composites of the 1st generation. They are widely used in aviation and aerospace industry due to their high specific strength, high specific modulus, excellent ductility, anticorrosion, heat-insulation, sound-insulation, shock absorption and high&low temperature resistance. They are used for radomes, inlets, airfoils(fuel tank included), flap, aileron, vertical tail, horizontal tail, air brake, skin, baseboards and tails, etc. Its hardness is up to 62~65HRC. The holes are greatly affected by the fibre laminates direction of carbon fibre reinforced composite material due to its anisotropy when drilling in unidirectional laminates. There are burrs, splits at the exit because of stress concentration. Besides there is delamination and the hole is prone to be smaller. Burrs are caused by poor sharpness of cutting edge, delamination, tearing, splitting are caused by the great stress caused by high thrust force. Poorer sharpness of cutting edge leads to lower cutting performance and higher drilling force at the same time. The present research focuses on the interrelation between rotation speed, feed, drill's geometry, drill life, cutting mode, tools material etc. and thrust force. At the same time, holes quantity and holes making difficulty of composites have also increased. It requires high performance drills which won't bring out defects and have long tool life. It has become a trend to develop super hard material tools and tools with special geometry for drilling composite materials.

Note: Radial-thrust combo metal mesh foil bearing for microturbomachinery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Cheol Hoon; Choi, Sang Kyu; Hong, Doo Euy; Yoon, Tae Gwang; Lee, Sung Hwi

2013-10-01

This Note proposes a novel radial-thrust combo metal mesh foil bearing (MMFB). Although MMFBs have advantages such as higher stiffness and damping over conventional air foil bearings, studies related to MMFBs have been limited to radial MMFBs. The novel combo MMFB is composed of a radial top foil, thrust top foils, and a ring-shaped metal mesh damper—fabricated by compressing a copper wire mesh—with metal mesh thrust pads for the thrust bearing at both side faces. In this study, the combo MMFB was fabricated in half-split type to support the rotor for a micro gas turbine generator. The manufacture and assembly process for the half-split-type combo MMFB is presented. In addition, to verify the proposed combo MMFB, motoring test results up to 250 000 rpm and axial displacements as a function of rotational speed are presented.

A Method of Efficient Inclination Changes for Low-thrust Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falck, Robert; Gefert, Leon

2002-01-01

The evolution of low-thrust propulsion technologies has reached a point where such systems have become an economical option for many space missions. The development of efficient, low trip time control laws has received an increasing amount of attention in recent years, though few studies have examined the subject of inclination changing maneuvers in detail. A method for performing economical inclination changes through the use of an efficiency factor is derived front Lagrange's planetary equations. The efficiency factor can be used to regulate propellant expenditure at the expense of trip time. Such a method can be used for discontinuous-thrust transfers that offer reduced propellant masses and trip-times in comparison to continuous thrust transfers, while utilizing thrusters that operate at a lower specific impulse. Performance comparisons of transfers utilizing this approach with continuous-thrust transfers are generated through trajectory simulation and are presented in this paper.

Note: Radial-thrust combo metal mesh foil bearing for microturbomachinery.

PubMed

Park, Cheol Hoon; Choi, Sang Kyu; Hong, Doo Euy; Yoon, Tae Gwang; Lee, Sung Hwi

2013-10-01

This Note proposes a novel radial-thrust combo metal mesh foil bearing (MMFB). Although MMFBs have advantages such as higher stiffness and damping over conventional air foil bearings, studies related to MMFBs have been limited to radial MMFBs. The novel combo MMFB is composed of a radial top foil, thrust top foils, and a ring-shaped metal mesh damper--fabricated by compressing a copper wire mesh--with metal mesh thrust pads for the thrust bearing at both side faces. In this study, the combo MMFB was fabricated in half-split type to support the rotor for a micro gas turbine generator. The manufacture and assembly process for the half-split-type combo MMFB is presented. In addition, to verify the proposed combo MMFB, motoring test results up to 250,000 rpm and axial displacements as a function of rotational speed are presented.

Evaluation of aperture cover tank vent nozzles for the IRAS spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richter, R.

1983-01-01

The influence of coefficients for the three axes of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) were established to determine the maximum allowable thrust difference between the two vent nozzles of the aperture cover tank low thrust vent system and their maximum misalignment. Test data generated by flow and torque measurements permitted the selection of two nozzles whose thrust differential was within the limit of the attitude control capability. Based on thrust stand data, a thrust vector misalignment was indicated that was slightly higher than permissible for the worst case, i.e., considerable degradation of the torque capacity of the attitude control system combined with venting of helium at its upper limit. The probability of destabilizing the IRAS spacecraft by activating the venting system appeared to be very low. The selection and mounting of the nozzles have satisfied all the requirements for the safe venting of helium.

Physician-applied contact pressure and table force response during unilateral thoracic manipulation.

PubMed

Kirstukas, S J; Backman, J A

1999-06-01

To measure the applied loading to human subjects during the reinforced unilateral thoracic manipulation. Biomechanical descriptive study. The National College of Chiropractic Clinical Biomechanical Laboratory in Lombard, Illinois. Seven men, ages 24 to 47, with no positive responses regarding muscle relaxants or thoracic spinal fractures, surgeries, or pain. We measured the contact pressure distribution at the physician-subject contact region and extracted three biomechanical parameters. From the measured time-dependent support force magnitudes, we extracted five additional biomechanical parameters. In the application of the reinforced unilateral manipulative treatment, the physician establishes contact and applies a near-static preload force of 250 to 350 N. The dynamic portion of the typical thrust is preceded by a 22% decrease in force magnitude, and the peak thrust magnitude is linearly related to the preload force magnitude. We estimate that the peak contact pressure beneath the chiropractor's pisiform can exceed 1000 kPa, with the highest pressures transmitted over areas as small as 3.6 cm2, depending on manipulative style. This work represents the first attempt at performing simultaneous measurements of the physician-applied loading and table force response and measuring the contact pressure distribution at the physician-patient contact region during chiropractic manipulation. This type of work will lead to a better understanding of the relationship between the dynamic physician-applied normal forces and the resulting load response at the table and gives us additional outcome parameters to quantify manipulative technique.

Accelerator system and method of accelerating particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wirz, Richard E. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

An accelerator system and method that utilize dust as the primary mass flux for generating thrust are provided. The accelerator system can include an accelerator capable of operating in a self-neutralizing mode and having a discharge chamber and at least one ionizer capable of charging dust particles. The system can also include a dust particle feeder that is capable of introducing the dust particles into the accelerator. By applying a pulsed positive and negative charge voltage to the accelerator, the charged dust particles can be accelerated thereby generating thrust and neutralizing the accelerator system.

Ionic polymer-metal composite enabled robotic manta ray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zheng; Um, Tae I.; Bart-Smith, Hilary

2011-04-01

The manta ray, Manta birostris, demonstrates excellent swimming capabilities; generating highly efficient thrust via flapping of dorsally flattened pectoral fins. In this paper, we present an underwater robot that mimics the swimming behavior of the manta ray. An assembly-based fabrication method is developed to create the artificial pectoral fins, which are capable of generating oscillatory with a large twisting angle between leading and trailing edges. Ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators are used as artificial muscles in the fin. Each fin consists of four IPMC beams bonded with a compliant poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane. By controlling each individual IPMC strips, we are able to generate complex flapping motions. The fin is characterized in terms of tip deflection, tip blocking force, twist angle, and power consumption. Based on the characteristics of the artificial pectoral fin, a small size and free-swimming robotic manta ray is developed. The robot consists of two artificial pectoral fins, a rigid body, and an on-board control unit with a lithium ion rechargeable battery. Experimental results show that the robot swam at a speed of up to 0.055 body length per second (BL/sec).

X-31 Loaded in C-5 Cargo Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, based at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is secured inside the fuselage of an Air Force Reserve C-5 transport. The C-5 was used to ferry the X-31 from Europe back to Edwards, after being flown in the Paris Air Show in June 1995. The X-31's right wing, removed so the aircraft could fit inside the C-5, is in the shipping container in the foreground. At the air show, the X-31 demonstrated the value of using thrust vectoring (directing engine exhaust flow) coupled with advanced flight control systems to provide controlled flight at very high angles of attack. The X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) demonstrator flew at the Ames- Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California (redesignated the Dryden Flight Research Center in 1994) from February 1992 until 1995 and before that at the Air Force's Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The goal of the project was to provide design information for the next generation of highly maneuverable fighter aircraft. This program demonstrated the value of using thrust vectoring (directing engine exhaust flow) coupled with an advanced flight control system to provide controlled flight to very high angles of attack. The result was a significant advantage over most conventional fighters in close-in combat situations. The X-31 flight program focused on agile flight within the post-stall regime, producing technical data to give aircraft designers a better understanding of aerodynamics, effectiveness of flight controls and thrust vectoring, and airflow phenomena at high angles of attack. Stall is a condition of an airplane or an airfoil in which lift decreases and drag increases due to the separation of airflow. Thrust vectoring compensates for the loss of control through normal aerodynamic surfaces that occurs during a stall. Post-stall refers to flying beyond the normal stall angle of attack, which in the X-31 was at a 30-degree angle of attack. During Dryden flight testing, the X-31 aircraft established several milestones. On November 6, 1992, the X-31 achieved controlled flight at a 70-degree angle of attack. On April 29, 1993, the second X-31 successfully executed a rapid minimum-radius, 180-degree turn using a post-stall maneuver, flying well beyond the aerodynamic limits of any conventional aircraft. This revolutionary maneuver has been called the 'Herbst Maneuver' after Wolfgang Herbst, a German proponent of using post-stall flight in air-to-air combat. It is also called a 'J Turn' when flown to an arbitrary heading change. The aircraft was flown in tactical maneuvers against an F/A-18 and other tactical aircraft as part of the test flight program. During November and December 1993, the X-31 reached a supersonic speed of Mach 1.28. In 1994, the X-31 program installed software to demonstrate quasi-tailless operation. The X-31 flight test program was conducted by an international test organization (ITO) managed by the Advanced Research Projects Office (ARPA), known as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Office (DARPA) before March 1993. The ITO included the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, Rockwell Aerospace, the Federal Republic of Germany, Daimler-Benz (formerly Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm and Deutsche Aerospace), and NASA. Gary Trippensee was the ITO director and NASA Project Manager. Pilots came from participating organizations. The X-31 was 43.33 feet long with a wingspan of 23.83 feet. It was powered by a single General Electric P404-GE-400 turbofan engine that produced 16,000 pounds of thrust in afterburner.

Optimization design of energy deposition on single expansion ramp nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Shengjun; Yan, Chao; Wang, Xiaoyong; Qin, Yupei; Ye, Zhifei

2017-11-01

Optimization design has been widely used in the aerodynamic design process of scramjets. The single expansion ramp nozzle is an important component for scramjets to produces most of thrust force. A new concept of increasing the aerodynamics of the scramjet nozzle with energy deposition is presented. The essence of the method is to create a heated region in the inner flow field of the scramjet nozzle. In the current study, the two-dimensional coupled implicit compressible Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes and Menter's shear stress transport turbulence model have been applied to numerically simulate the flow fields of the single expansion ramp nozzle with and without energy deposition. The numerical results show that the proposal of energy deposition can be an effective method to increase force characteristics of the scramjet nozzle, the thrust coefficient CT increase by 6.94% and lift coefficient CN decrease by 26.89%. Further, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm coupled with the Radial Basis Function neural network surrogate model has been employed to determine optimum location and density of the energy deposition. The thrust coefficient CT and lift coefficient CN are selected as objective functions, and the sampling points are obtained numerically by using a Latin hypercube design method. The optimized thrust coefficient CT further increase by 1.94%, meanwhile, the optimized lift coefficient CN further decrease by 15.02% respectively. At the same time, the optimized performances are in good and reasonable agreement with the numerical predictions. The findings suggest that scramjet nozzle design and performance can benefit from the application of energy deposition.

A micro-scale cutting model for UD CFRP composites with thermo-mechanical coupling

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Hui; Gao, Jiaying; Kafka, Orion Landauer; ...

2017-09-23

Cutting a unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (UD CFRP) structure is the basic unit for CFRP machining, which is a complex thermal-mechanically coupled process. To reveal the deformation mechanism and predict cutting force in UD CFRP micro cutting, a micro-scale fracture model for UD CFRP cutting with thermal-mechanical coupling is demonstrated in this paper, which captures the failure modes for fibers, matrix and the interface based on a micro-level RVE using a relatively simple damage based fracture method. The thermal-mechanical coupling model at the micro scale is developed on the basis of the plastic energy dissipation and frictional heating during cutting.more » Failure models for the fiber, matrix and interface region are applied depending on the material properties of each of these three phases. Numerical simulations based on the above model with different fiber orientations were performed to predict the deformation and forces of different components in UD CFRP. Cutting experiments with the same fiber orientations as considered in the simulations were carried out to validate the force and deformation results. The predicted force and deformation patterns match well with evidence from our experiments. In general, the cutting force is larger than the thrust force regardless of fiber orientation. The cutting force reaches a maximum as the fiber orientation approaches 90 , but thrust forces do not vary substantially across cases. When the fiber orientation is acute, the deformation of fibers is much smaller than when the cutting angle is obtuse. Surface roughness follows the same trend with cutting angle as fiber deformation.« less

A micro-scale cutting model for UD CFRP composites with thermo-mechanical coupling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Hui; Gao, Jiaying; Kafka, Orion Landauer

Cutting a unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (UD CFRP) structure is the basic unit for CFRP machining, which is a complex thermal-mechanically coupled process. To reveal the deformation mechanism and predict cutting force in UD CFRP micro cutting, a micro-scale fracture model for UD CFRP cutting with thermal-mechanical coupling is demonstrated in this paper, which captures the failure modes for fibers, matrix and the interface based on a micro-level RVE using a relatively simple damage based fracture method. The thermal-mechanical coupling model at the micro scale is developed on the basis of the plastic energy dissipation and frictional heating during cutting.more » Failure models for the fiber, matrix and interface region are applied depending on the material properties of each of these three phases. Numerical simulations based on the above model with different fiber orientations were performed to predict the deformation and forces of different components in UD CFRP. Cutting experiments with the same fiber orientations as considered in the simulations were carried out to validate the force and deformation results. The predicted force and deformation patterns match well with evidence from our experiments. In general, the cutting force is larger than the thrust force regardless of fiber orientation. The cutting force reaches a maximum as the fiber orientation approaches 90 , but thrust forces do not vary substantially across cases. When the fiber orientation is acute, the deformation of fibers is much smaller than when the cutting angle is obtuse. Surface roughness follows the same trend with cutting angle as fiber deformation.« less

Electrodeless plasma thrusters for spacecraft: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bathgate, S. N.; Bilek, M. M. M.; McKenzie, D. R.

2017-08-01

The physics of electrodeless electric thrusters that use directed plasma to propel spacecraft without employing electrodes subject to plasma erosion is reviewed. Electrodeless plasma thrusters are potentially more durable than presently deployed thrusters that use electrodes such as gridded ion, Hall thrusters, arcjets and resistojets. Like other plasma thrusters, electrodeless thrusters have the advantage of reduced fuel mass compared to chemical thrusters that produce the same thrust. The status of electrodeless plasma thrusters that could be used in communications satellites and in spacecraft for interplanetary missions is examined. Electrodeless thrusters under development or planned for deployment include devices that use a rotating magnetic field; devices that use a rotating electric field; pulsed inductive devices that exploit the Lorentz force on an induced current loop in a plasma; devices that use radiofrequency fields to heat plasmas and have magnetic nozzles to accelerate the hot plasma and other devices that exploit the Lorentz force. Using metrics of specific impulse and thrust efficiency, we find that the most promising designs are those that use Lorentz forces directly to expel plasma and those that use magnetic nozzles to accelerate plasma.

Method for obtaining aerodynamic data on hypersonic configurations with scramjet exhaust flow simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartill, W. R.

1977-01-01

A hypersonic wind tunnel test method for obtaining credible aerodynamic data on a complete hypersonic vehicle (generic X-24c) with scramjet exhaust flow simulation is described. The general problems of simulating the scramjet exhaust as well as accounting for scramjet inlet flow and vehicle forces are analyzed, and candidate test methods are described and compared. The method selected as most useful makes use of a thrust-minus-drag flow-through balance with a completely metric model. Inlet flow is diverted by a fairing. The incremental effect of the fairing is determined in the testing of two reference models. The net thrust of the scramjet module is an input to be determined in large-scale module tests with scramjet combustion. Force accounting is described, and examples of force component levels are predicted. Compatibility of the test method with candidate wind tunnel facilities is described, and a preliminary model mechanical arrangement drawing is presented. The balance design and performance requirements are described in a detailed specification. Calibration procedures, model instrumentation, and a test plan for the model are outlined.

A Coupled Aeroelastic Model for Launch Vehicle Stability Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, Jeb S.

2010-01-01

A technique for incorporating distributed aerodynamic normal forces and aeroelastic coupling effects into a stability analysis model of a launch vehicle is presented. The formulation augments the linear state-space launch vehicle plant dynamics that are compactly derived as a system of coupled linear differential equations representing small angular and translational perturbations of the rigid body, nozzle, and sloshing propellant coupled with normal vibration of a set of orthogonal modes. The interaction of generalized forces due to aeroelastic coupling and thrust can be expressed as a set of augmenting non-diagonal stiffness and damping matrices in modal coordinates with no penalty on system order. While the eigenvalues of the structural response in the presence of thrust and aeroelastic forcing can be predicted at a given flight condition independent of the remaining degrees of freedom, the coupled model provides confidence in closed-loop stability in the presence of rigid-body, slosh, and actuator dynamics. Simulation results are presented that characterize the coupled dynamic response of the Ares I launch vehicle and the impact of aeroelasticity on control system stability margins.

Development of a Specific Impulse Balance for a Pulsed Capillary Discharge (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-13

thrust stand [rad/s] I. Introduction A capillary discharge based coaxial , electrothermal pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) is currently under...20-23 July 2008. 14. ABSTRACT A capillary discharge based pulsed plasma thruster is currently under development at the Air Force Research...Edwards AFB, CA 93524 A capillary discharge based pulsed plasma thruster is currently under development at the Air Force Research Laboratory. A

Fuel-optimal, low-thrust transfers between libration point orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuart, Jeffrey R.

Mission design requires the efficient management of spacecraft fuel to reduce mission cost, increase payload mass, and extend mission life. High efficiency, low-thrust propulsion devices potentially offer significant propellant reductions. Periodic orbits that exist in a multi-body regime and low-thrust transfers between these orbits can be applied in many potential mission scenarios, including scientific observation and communications missions as well as cargo transport. In light of the recent discovery of water ice in lunar craters, libration point orbits that support human missions within the Earth-Moon region are of particular interest. This investigation considers orbit transfer trajectories generated by a variable specific impulse, low-thrust engine with a primer-vector-based, fuel-optimizing transfer strategy. A multiple shooting procedure with analytical gradients yields rapid solutions and serves as the basis for an investigation into the trade space between flight time and consumption of fuel mass. Path and performance constraints can be included at node points along any thrust arc. Integration of invariant manifolds into the design strategy may also yield improved performance and greater fuel savings. The resultant transfers offer insight into the performance of the variable specific impulse engine and suggest novel implementations of conventional impulsive thrusters. Transfers incorporating invariant manifolds demonstrate the fuel savings and expand the mission design capabilities that are gained by exploiting system symmetry. A number of design applications are generated.

Pilot Wave Model for Impulsive Thrust from RF Test Device Measured in Vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Harold; Lawrence, James; Sylvester, Andre; Vera, Jerry; Chap, Andrew; George, Jeff

2017-01-01

A physics model is developed in detail and its place in the taxonomy of ideas about the nature of the quantum vacuum is discussed. The experimental results from the recently completed vacuum test campaign evaluating the impulsive thrust performance of a tapered RF test article excited in the TM212 mode at 1,937 megahertz (MHz) are summarized. The empirical data from this campaign is compared to the predictions from the physics model tools. A discussion is provided to further elaborate on the possible implications of the proposed model if it is physically valid. Based on the correlation of analysis prediction with experimental data collected, it is proposed that the observed anomalous thrust forces are real, not due to experimental error, and are due to a new type of interaction with quantum vacuum fluctuations.

Integrated Control System Engineering Support.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

interference susceptibility. " Study multiplex bus loading requirements. Flight Control Software 0 " Demonstrate efficiencies of modular software and...Major technical thrusts include the development of: (a) task-tailored mutimode con- trol laws incorporating direct force and weapon line pointing

Static performance investigation of a skewed-throat multiaxis thrust-vectoring nozzle concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.

1994-01-01

The static performance of a jet exhaust nozzle which achieves multiaxis thrust vectoring by physically skewing the geometric throat has been characterized in the static test facility of the 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. The nozzle has an asymmetric internal geometry defined by four surfaces: a convergent-divergent upper surface with its ridge perpendicular to the nozzle centerline, a convergent-divergent lower surface with its ridge skewed relative to the nozzle centerline, an outwardly deflected sidewall, and a straight sidewall. The primary goal of the concept is to provide efficient yaw thrust vectoring by forcing the sonic plane (nozzle throat) to form at a yaw angle defined by the skewed ridge of the lower surface contour. A secondary goal is to provide multiaxis thrust vectoring by combining the skewed-throat yaw-vectoring concept with upper and lower pitch flap deflections. The geometric parameters varied in this investigation included lower surface ridge skew angle, nozzle expansion ratio (divergence angle), aspect ratio, pitch flap deflection angle, and sidewall deflection angle. Nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 2 to a high of 11.5 for some configurations. The results of the investigation indicate that efficient, substantial multiaxis thrust vectoring was achieved by the skewed-throat nozzle concept. However, certain control surface deflections destabilized the internal flow field, which resulted in substantial shifts in the position and orientation of the sonic plane and had an adverse effect on thrust-vectoring and weight flow characteristics. By increasing the expansion ratio, the location of the sonic plane was stabilized. The asymmetric design resulted in interdependent pitch and yaw thrust vectoring as well as nonzero thrust-vector angles with undeflected control surfaces. By skewing the ridges of both the upper and lower surface contours, the interdependency between pitch and yaw thrust vectoring may be eliminated and the location of the sonic plane may be further stabilized.

Joint Manipulation: Toward a General Theory of High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude Thrust Techniques.

PubMed

Harwich, Andrew S

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to describe the initial stage of a generalized theory of high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust (HVLAT) techniques for joint manipulation. This study examined the movements described by authors from the fields of osteopathy, chiropractic, and physical therapy to produce joint cavitation in both the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint and the cervical spine apophysial joint. This study qualitatively compared the kinetics, the similarities, and the differences between MCP cavitation and cervical facet joint cavitation. A qualitative vector analysis of forces and movements was undertaken by constructing computer-generated, simplified graphical models of the MCP joint and a typical cervical apophysial joint and imposing the motions dictated by the clinical technique. Comparing the path to cavitation of 2 modes of HVLAT for the MCP joint, namely, distraction and hyperflexion, it was found that the hyperflexion method requires an axis of rotation, the hinge axis, which is also required for cervical HVLAT. These results show that there is an analogue of cervical HVLAT in one of the MCP joint HVLATs. The study demonstrated that in a theoretical model, the path to joint cavitation is the same for asymmetric separation of the joint surfaces in the cervical spine and the MCP joints.

Calibration for Thrust and Airflow Measurements in the CE-22 Advanced Nozzle Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werner, Roger A.; Wolter, John D.

2010-01-01

CE-22 facility procedures and measurements for thrust and airflow calibration obtained with choked-flow ASME nozzles are presented. Six calibration nozzles are used at an inlet total pressure from 20 to 48 psia. Throat areas are from 9.9986 to 39.986 sq. in.. Throat Reynolds number varies from 1.8 to 7.9 million. Nozzle gross thrust coefficient (CFG) uncertainty is 0.25 to 0.75 percent, with smaller uncertainly generally for larger nozzles and higher inlet total pressure. Nozzle discharge coefficient (CDN) uncertainty is 0.15 percent or less for all the data. ASME nozzle calibrations need to be done before and after research model testing to achieve these uncertainties. In addition, facility capability in terms of nozzle pressure ratio (NPR) and nozzle airflow are determined. Nozzle pressure ratio of 50 or more is obtainable at 40 psia for throat areas between 20 and 30 sq. in.. Also presented are results for two of the ASME nozzles vectored at 10deg, a dead-weight check of the vertical (perpendicular to the jet axis) force measurement, a calibration of load cell forces for the effects of facility tank deflection with tank pressure, and the calibration of the metric-break labyrinth seal.

Simulation test results for lift/cruise fan research and technology aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bland, M. P.; Konsewicz, R. K.

1976-01-01

A flight simulation program was conducted on the flight simulator for advanced aircraft (FSAA). The flight simulation was a part of a contracted effort to provide a lift/cruise fan V/STOL aircraft mathematical model for flight simulation. The simulated aircraft is a configuration of the Lift/Cruise Fan V/STOL research technology aircraft (RTA). The aircraft was powered by three gas generators driving three fans. One lift fan was installed in the nose of the aircraft, and two lift/cruise fans at the wing root. The thrust of these fans was modulated to provide pitch and roll control, and vectored to provide yaw, side force control, and longitudinal translation. Two versions of the RTA were defined. One was powered by the GE J97/LF460 propulsion system which was gas-coupled for power transfer between fans for control. The other version was powered by DDA XT701 gas generators driving 62 inch variable pitch fans. The flight control system in both versions of the RTA was the same.

Integration and Test Flight Validation Plans for the Pulsed Plasma Thruster Experiment on EO- 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zakrzwski, Charles; Benson, Scott; Sanneman, Paul; Hoskins, Andy; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) Experiment on the Earth Observing One (EO-1) spacecraft has been designed to demonstrate the capability of a new generation PPT to perform spacecraft attitude control. The PPT is a small, self-contained pulsed electromagnetic propulsion system capable of delivering high specific impulse (900-1200 s), very small impulse bits (10-1000 uN-s) at low average power (less than 1 to 100 W). Teflon fuel is ablated and slightly ionized by means of a capacitative discharge. The discharge also generates electromagnetic fields that accelerate the plasma by means of the Lorentz Force. EO-1 has a single PPT that can produce thrust in either the positive or negative pitch direction. The flight validation has been designed to demonstrate of the ability of the PPT to provide precision pointing accuracy, response and stability, and confirmation of benign plume and EMI effects. This paper will document the success of the flight validation.

Tomographic particle image velocimetry of desert locust wakes: instantaneous volumes combine to reveal hidden vortex elements and rapid wake deformation

PubMed Central

Bomphrey, Richard J.; Henningsson, Per; Michaelis, Dirk; Hollis, David

2012-01-01

Aerodynamic structures generated by animals in flight are unstable and complex. Recent progress in quantitative flow visualization has advanced our understanding of animal aerodynamics, but measurements have hitherto been limited to flow velocities at a plane through the wake. We applied an emergent, high-speed, volumetric fluid imaging technique (tomographic particle image velocimetry) to examine segments of the wake of desert locusts, capturing fully three-dimensional instantaneous flow fields. We used those flow fields to characterize the aerodynamic footprint in unprecedented detail and revealed previously unseen wake elements that would have gone undetected by two-dimensional or stereo-imaging technology. Vortex iso-surface topographies show the spatio-temporal signature of aerodynamic force generation manifest in the wake of locusts, and expose the extent to which animal wakes can deform, potentially leading to unreliable calculations of lift and thrust when using conventional diagnostic methods. We discuss implications for experimental design and analysis as volumetric flow imaging becomes more widespread. PMID:22977102

A novel single-phase flux-switching permanent magnet linear generator used for free-piston Stirling engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Ping; Sui, Yi; Tong, Chengde; Bai, Jingang; Yu, Bin; Lin, Fei

2014-05-01

This paper investigates a novel single-phase flux-switching permanent-magnet (PM) linear machine used for free-piston Stirling engines. The machine topology and operating principle are studied. A flux-switching PM linear machine is designed based on the quasi-sinusoidal speed characteristic of the resonant piston. Considering the performance of back electromotive force and thrust capability, some leading structural parameters, including the air gap length, the PM thickness, the ratio of the outer radius of mover to that of stator, the mover tooth width, the stator tooth width, etc., are optimized by finite element analysis. Compared with conventional three-phase moving-magnet linear machine, the proposed single-phase flux-switching topology shows advantages in less PM use, lighter mover, and higher volume power density.

The effect of chordwise flexibility on flapping foil propulsion in quiescent fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, Sachin; Arakeri, Jaywant

2010-11-01

Motivated to understand the role of wing flexibility of flying creatures during hovering, we experimentally study the effect of chordwise flexibility on the flow generated in quiescent fluid by a sinusoidally pitching rigid symmetrical foil with a flexible flap attached at the trailing edge. This foil produces a narrow, coherent jet containing reverse Karman vortex street, and a corresponding thrust. The thrust and flow is similar to that produced by a hovering bird or insect, however the mechanism seems to be different from known hovering mechanisms. Novelty of the present hovering mechanism is that the thrust generation is due to the coordinated pushing action of rigid foil and flexible flap. We identify the flow and vortex generation mechanism. This foil produces jet flows over a range of flapping frequencies and amplitudes. In contrast, the foil without flap i.e. with rigid trailing edge produces a weak, divergent jet that meanders randomly. Appending a flexible flap to the foil suppresses jet-meandering and strengthens the jet. Flexibility of flap is crucial in determining the flow structure. This study is useful in designing MAVs and thrusters.

An integrated platform enabling optogenetic illumination of Caenorhabditis elegans neurons and muscular force measurement in microstructured environments

PubMed Central

Qiu, Zhichang; Tu, Long; Huang, Liang; Zhu, Taoyuanmin; Nock, Volker; Yu, Enchao; Liu, Xiao; Wang, Wenhui

2015-01-01

Optogenetics has been recently applied to manipulate the neural circuits of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to investigate its mechanosensation and locomotive behavior, which is a fundamental topic in model biology. In most neuron-related research, free C. elegans moves on an open area such as agar surface. However, this simple environment is different from the soil, in which C. elegans naturally dwells. To bridge up the gap, this paper presents integration of optogenetic illumination of C. elegans neural circuits and muscular force measurement in a structured microfluidic chip mimicking the C. elegans soil habitat. The microfluidic chip is essentially a ∼1 × 1 cm2 elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane micro-pillar array, configured in either form of lattice (LC) or honeycomb (HC) to mimic the environment in which the worm dwells. The integrated system has four key modules for illumination pattern generation, pattern projection, automatic tracking of the worm, and force measurement. Specifically, two optical pathways co-exist in an inverted microscope, including built-in bright-field illumination for worm tracking and pattern generation, and added-in optogenetic illumination for pattern projection onto the worm body segment. The behavior of a freely moving worm in the chip under optogenetic manipulation can be recorded for off-line force measurements. Using wild-type N2 C. elegans, we demonstrated optical illumination of C. elegans neurons by projecting light onto its head/tail segment at 14 Hz refresh frequency. We also measured the force and observed three representative locomotion patterns of forward movement, reversal, and omega turn for LC and HC configurations. Being capable of stimulating or inhibiting worm neurons and simultaneously measuring the thrust force, this enabling platform would offer new insights into the correlation between neurons and locomotive behaviors of the nematode under a complex environment. PMID:25759756

Preliminary flight evaluation of an engine performance optimization algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, H. H.; Gilyard, G. B.; Chisholm, J. D.; Kerr, L. J.

1991-01-01

A performance seeking control (PSC) algorithm has undergone initial flight test evaluation in subsonic operation of a PW 1128 engined F-15. This algorithm is designed to optimize the quasi-steady performance of an engine for three primary modes: (1) minimum fuel consumption; (2) minimum fan turbine inlet temperature (FTIT); and (3) maximum thrust. The flight test results have verified a thrust specific fuel consumption reduction of 1 pct., up to 100 R decreases in FTIT, and increases of as much as 12 pct. in maximum thrust. PSC technology promises to be of value in next generation tactical and transport aircraft.

Supersonic combustion ramjet propulsion experiments in a shock tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paull, A.; Stalker, R. J.; Mee, D. J.

1995-01-01

Measurements have been made of the propulsive effect of supersonic combustion ramjets incorporated into a simple axisymmetric model in a free piston shock tunnel. The nominal Mach number was 6, and the stagnation enthalpy varied from 2.8 MJ kg(exp -1) to 8.5 MJ kg(exp -1). A mixture of 13 percent silane and 87 percent hydrogen was used as fuel, and experiments were conducted at equivalence ratios up to approximately 0.8. The measurements involved the axial force on the model, and were made using a stress wave force balance, which is a recently developed technique for measuring forces in shock tunnels. A net thrust was experienced up to a stagnation enthalpy of 3.7 MJ kg(exp -1), but as the stagnation enthalpy increased, an increasing net drag was recorded. pitot and static pressure measurements showed that the combustion was supersonic. The results were found to compare satisfactorily with predictions based on established theoretical models, used with some simplifying approximations. The rapid reduction of net thrust with increasing stagnation enthalpy was seen to arise from increasing precombustion temperature, showing the need to control this variable if thrust performance was to be maintained over a range of stagnation enthalpies. Both the inviscid and viscous drag were seen to be relatively insensitive to stagnation enthalpy, with the combustion chambers making a particularly significant contribution to drag. The maximum fuel specific impulse achieved in the experiments was only 175 sec., but the theory indicates that there is considerable scope for improvement on this through aerodynamic design.

The ISR Asymmetrical Capacitor Thruster: Experimental Results and Improved Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canning, Francis X.; Cole, John; Campbell, Jonathan; Winet, Edwin

2004-01-01

A variety of Asymmetrical Capacitor Thrusters has been built and tested at the Institute for Scientific Research (ISR). The thrust produced for various voltages has been measured, along with the current flowing, both between the plates and to ground through the air (or other gas). VHF radiation due to Trichel pulses has been measured and correlated over short time scales to the current flowing through the capacitor. A series of designs were tested, which were increasingly efficient. Sharp features on the leading capacitor surface (e.g., a disk) were found to increase the thrust. Surprisingly, combining that with sharp wires on the trailing edge of the device produced the largest thrust. Tests were performed for both polarizations of the applied voltage, and for grounding one or the other capacitor plate. In general (but not always) it was found that the direction of the thrust depended on the asymmetry of the capacitor rather than on the polarization of the voltage. While no force was measured in a vacuum, some suggested design changes are given for operation in reduced pressures.

Asymmetrical Capacitors for Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canning, Francis X.; Melcher, Cory; Winet, Edwin

2004-01-01

Asymmetrical Capacitor Thrusters have been proposed as a source of propulsion. For over eighty years, it has been known that a thrust results when a high voltage is placed across an asymmetrical capacitor, when that voltage causes a leakage current to flow. However, there is surprisingly little experimental or theoretical data explaining this effect. This paper reports on the results of tests of several Asymmetrical Capacitor Thrusters (ACTs). The thrust they produce has been measured for various voltages, polarities, and ground configurations and their radiation in the VHF range has been recorded. These tests were performed at atmospheric pressure and at various reduced pressures. A simple model for the thrust was developed. The model assumed the thrust was due to electrostatic forces on the leakage current flowing across the capacitor. It was further assumed that this current involves charged ions which undergo multiple collisions with air. These collisions transfer momentum. All of the measured data was consistent with this model. Many configurations were tested, and the results suggest general design principles for ACTs to be used for a variety of purposes.

Estimating Thruster Impulses From IMU and Doppler Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lisano, Michael E.; Kruizinga, Gerhard L.

2009-01-01

A computer program implements a thrust impulse measurement (TIM) filter, which processes data on changes in velocity and attitude of a spacecraft to estimate the small impulsive forces and torques exerted by the thrusters of the spacecraft reaction control system (RCS). The velocity-change data are obtained from line-of-sight-velocity data from Doppler measurements made from the Earth. The attitude-change data are the telemetered from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) aboard the spacecraft. The TIM filter estimates the threeaxis thrust vector for each RCS thruster, thereby enabling reduction of cumulative navigation error attributable to inaccurate prediction of thrust vectors. The filter has been augmented with a simple mathematical model to compensate for large temperature fluctuations in the spacecraft thruster catalyst bed in order to estimate thrust more accurately at deadbanding cold-firing levels. Also, rigorous consider-covariance estimation is applied in the TIM to account for the expected uncertainty in the moment of inertia and the location of the center of gravity of the spacecraft. The TIM filter was built with, and depends upon, a sigma-point consider-filter algorithm implemented in a Python-language computer program.

Stem thrust prediction model for W-K-M double wedge parallel expanding gate valves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eldiwany, B.; Alvarez, P.D.; Wolfe, K.

1996-12-01

An analytical model for determining the required valve stem thrust during opening and closing strokes of W-K-M parallel expanding gate valves was developed as part of the EPRI Motor-Operated Valve Performance Prediction Methodology (EPRI MOV PPM) Program. The model was validated against measured stem thrust data obtained from in-situ testing of three W-K-M valves. Model predictions show favorable, bounding agreement with the measured data for valves with Stellite 6 hardfacing on the disks and seat rings for water flow in the preferred flow direction (gate downstream). The maximum required thrust to open and to close the valve (excluding wedging andmore » unwedging forces) occurs at a slightly open position and not at the fully closed position. In the nonpreferred flow direction, the model shows that premature wedging can occur during {Delta}P closure strokes even when the coefficients of friction at different sliding surfaces are within the typical range. This paper summarizes the model description and comparison against test data.« less

Human Exploration and Settlement of the Moon Using LUNOX-Augmented NTR Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borowski, Stanley K.; Culver, Donald W.; Bulman, Melvin J.

1995-01-01

An innovative trimodal nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) concept is described which combines conventional liquid hydrogen (LH2)-cooled NTR, Brayton cycle power generation and supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) technologies. Known as the liquid oxygen (LOX) augmented NTR (LANTR), this concept utilizes the large divergent section of the NTR nozzle as an 'afterburner' into which LOX is injected and supersonically combusted with nuclear preheated hydrogen emerging from the LANTR's choked sonic throat--'scramjet propulsion in reverse.' By varying the oxygen-to-hydrogen mixture ratio (MR), the LANTR can operate over a wide range of thrust and specific impulse (Isp) values while the reactor core power level remains relatively constant. As the MR varies from zero to seven, the thrust-to-weight ratio for a 15 thousand pound force (klbf) NTR increases by approximately 440%--from 3 to 13--while the Isp decreases by only approximately 45%--from 940 to 515 seconds. This thrust augmentation feature of the LANTR means that 'big engine' performance can be obtained using smaller more affordable, easier to test NTR engines. 'Reoxidizing' the bipropellant LANTR system in low lunar orbit (LLO) with high density 'lunar-derived' LOX (LUNOX) enables a reusable, reduced size and mass lunar transfer vehicle (LTV) which can be deployed and resupplied using two 66 t-class Shuttle-derived launch vehicles. The reusable LANTR can also transport 200 to 300% more payload on each piloted round trip mission than an expendable 'all LH2' NTR system. As initial outposts grow to eventual lunar settlements and LUNOX production capacity increases, the LANTR concept can also enable a rapid 'commuter' shuttle capable of 36 to 24 hour 'one way' trips to the Moon and back with reasonable size vehicles and initial mass in low Earth orbit (IMLEO) requirements.

Human exploration and settlement of the Moon using LUNOX-augmented NTR propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borowski, Stanley K.; Culver, Donald W.; Bulman, Melvin J.

1995-10-01

An innovative trimodal nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) concept is described which combines conventional liquid hydrogen (LH2)-cooled NTR, Brayton cycle power generation and supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) technologies. Known as the liquid oxygen (LOX) augmented NTR (LANTR), this concept utilizes the large divergent section of the NTR nozzle as an 'afterburner' into which LOX is injected and supersonically combusted with nuclear preheated hydrogen emerging from the LANTR's choked sonic throat--'scramjet propulsion in reverse.' By varying the oxygen-to-hydrogen mixture ratio (MR), the LANTR can operate over a wide range of thrust and specific impulse (Isp) values while the reactor core power level remains relatively constant. As the MR varies from zero to seven, the thrust-to-weight ratio for a 15 thousand pound force (klbf) NTR increases by approximately 440%--from 3 to 13--while the Isp decreases by only approximately 45%--from 940 to 515 seconds. This thrust augmentation feature of the LANTR means that 'big engine' performance can be obtained using smaller more affordable, easier to test NTR engines. 'Reoxidizing' the bipropellant LANTR system in low lunar orbit (LLO) with high density 'lunar-derived' LOX (LUNOX) enables a reusable, reduced size and mass lunar transfer vehicle (LTV) which can be deployed and resupplied using two 66 t-class Shuttle-derived launch vehicles. The reusable LANTR can also transport 200 to 300% more payload on each piloted round trip mission than an expendable 'all LH2' NTR system. As initial outposts grow to eventual lunar settlements and LUNOX production capacity increases, the LANTR concept can also enable a rapid 'commuter' shuttle capable of 36 to 24 hour 'one way' trips to the Moon and back with reasonable size vehicles and initial mass in low Earth orbit (IMLEO) requirements.

Human exploration and settlement of the moon using lunox-augmented NTR propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borowski, Stanley K.; Culver, Donald W.; Bulman, Melvin J.

1995-01-01

An innovative trimodal nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) concept is described which combines conventional liquid hydrogen (LH2)-cooled NTR, Brayton cycle power generation and supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) technologies. Known as the liquid oxygen (LOS)-augmented NTR (LANTR), this concept utilizes the large divergent section of the NTR nozzle as an ``afterburner'' into which LOX is injected and supersonically combusted with nuclear preheated hydrogen emerging from the LANTR's choked sonic throat—``scramjet propulsion in reverse.'' By varying the oxygen-to-hydrogen mixture ratio (MR), the LANTR can operate over a wide range of thrust and specific impulse (Isp) values while the reactor core power level remains relatively constant. As the MR varies from zero to seven, the thrust-to-weight ratio for a 15 thousand pound force (klbf) NTR increases by ˜440%—from 3 to 13—while the Isp decreases by only ˜45%—from 940 to 515 seconds. This thrust augmentation feature of the LANTR means that ``big engine'' performance can be obtained using smaller, more affordable, easier to test NTR engines. ``Reoxidizing'' the bipropellant LANTR system in low lunar orbit (LLO) with high density ``lunar-derived'' LOX (LUNOX) enables a reusable, reduced size and mass lunar transfer vehicle (LTV) which can be deployed and resupplied using two 66 t-class Shuttle-derived launch vehicles. The reusable LANTR can also transport 200 to 300% more payload on each piloted round trip mission than an expendable ``all LH2'' NTR system. As initial outposts grow to eventual lunar settlements and LUNOX production capacity increases, the LANTR concept can also enable a rapid ``commuter'' shuttle capable of 36 to 24 hour ``one way'' trip to the Moon and back with reasonable size vehicles and initial mass in low Earth orbit (IMLEO) requirements.

Hydrotectonics; principles and relevance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kopf, R.W.

1982-01-01

Hydrotectonics combines the principles of hydraulics and rock mechanics. The hypothesis assumes that: (1) no faults are truly planar, (2) opposing noncongruent wavy wallrock surfaces form chambers and bottlenecks along the fault, and (3) most thrusting occurs beneath the water table. These physical constraints permit the following dynamics. Shear displacement accompanying faulting must constantly change the volume of each chamber. Addition of ground water liquefies dry fault breccia to a heavy incompressible viscous muddy breccia I call fault slurry. When the volume of a chamber along a thrust fault decreases faster than its fault slurry can escape laterally, overpressurized slurry is hydraulically injected into the base of near-vertical fractures in the otherwise impervious overriding plate. Breccia pipes commonly form where such fissures intersect. Alternating decrease and increase in volume of the chamber subjects this injection slurry to reversible surges that not only raft and abrade huge clasts sporadically spalled from the walls of the conduit but also act as a forceful hydraulic ram which periodically widens the conduit and extends its top. If the pipe perforates a petroleum reservoir, leaking hydrocarbons float to its top. Sudden faulting may generate a powerful water hammer that can be amplified at some distal narrow ends of the anastomosing plumbing system, where the shock may produce shatter cones. If vented on the Earth's surface, the muddy breccia, now called extrusion slurry, forms a mud volcano. This hypothesis suggests that many highly disturbed features presently attributed to such catastrophic processes as subsurface explosions or meteorite impacts are due to the rheology of tectonic slurry in an intermittently reactivated pressure-relief tube rooted in a powerful reciprocating hydrotectonic pump activated by a long-lived deep-seated thrust fault.

Implementation of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Augmentation to Tsunami Early Warning Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaBrecque, John

2016-04-01

The Global Geodetic Observing System has issued a Call for Participation to research scientists, geodetic research groups and national agencies in support of the implementation of the IUGG recommendation for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Augmentation to Tsunami Early Warning Systems. The call seeks to establish a working group to be a catalyst and motivating force for the definition of requirements, identification of resources, and for the encouragement of international cooperation in the establishment, advancement, and utilization of GNSS for Tsunami Early Warning. During the past fifteen years the populations of the Indo-Pacific region experienced a series of mega-thrust earthquakes followed by devastating tsunamis that claimed nearly 300,000 lives. The future resiliency of the region will depend upon improvements to infrastructure and emergency response that will require very significant investments from the Indo-Pacific economies. The estimation of earthquake moment magnitude, source mechanism and the distribution of crustal deformation are critical to rapid tsunami warning. Geodetic research groups have demonstrated the use of GNSS data to estimate earthquake moment magnitude, source mechanism and the distribution of crustal deformation sufficient for the accurate and timely prediction of tsunamis generated by mega-thrust earthquakes. GNSS data have also been used to measure the formation and propagation of tsunamis via ionospheric disturbances acoustically coupled to the propagating surface waves; thereby providing a new technique to track tsunami propagation across ocean basins, opening the way for improving tsunami propagation models, and providing accurate warning to communities in the far field. These two new advancements can deliver timely and accurate tsunami warnings to coastal communities in the near and far field of mega-thrust earthquakes. This presentation will present the justification for and the details of the GGOS Call for Participation.

Cylindrical Asymmetrical Capacitors for Use in Outer Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W.

2007-01-01

A report proposes that cylindrical asymmetrical capacitors (CACs) be used to generate small thrusts for precise maneuvering of spacecraft on long missions. The report notes that it has been known for decades that when high voltages are applied to CACs in air, thrusts are generated - most likely as a result of ionization of air molecules and acceleration of the ions by the high electric fields. The report goes on to discuss how to optimize the designs of CACs for operation as thrusters in outer space. Components that could be used to enable outerspace operation include a supply of gas and a shroud, partly surrounding a CAC, into which the gas would flow. Other elements of operation and design discussed in the report include variation of applied voltage and/or of gas flow to vary thrust, effects of CAC and shroud dimensions on thrust and weight, some representative electrode configurations, and several alternative designs, including one in which the basic CAC configuration would be modified into something shaped like a conventional rocket engine with converging/diverging nozzle and an anode with gas feed in the space that, in a conventional rocket engine, would be the combustion chamber.

Low-thrust trajectory analysis for the geosynchronous mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasper, T. P.

1973-01-01

Methodology employed in development of a computer program designed to analyze optimal low-thrust trajectories is described, and application of the program to a Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS) geosynchronous mission is discussed. To avoid the zero inclination and eccentricity singularities which plague many small-force perturbation techniques, a special set of state variables (equinoctial) is used. Adjoint equations are derived for the minimum time problem and are also free from the singularities. Solutions to the state and adjoint equations are obtained by both orbit averaging and precision numerical integration; an evaluation of these approaches is made.

A control-volume method for analysis of unsteady thrust augmenting ejector flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, Colin K.

1988-01-01

A method for predicting transient thrust augmenting ejector characteristics is presented. The analysis blends classic self-similar turbulent jet descriptions with a control volume mixing region discretization to solicit transient effects in a new way. Division of the ejector into an inlet, diffuser, and mixing region corresponds with the assumption of viscous-dominated phenomenon in the latter. Inlet and diffuser analyses are simplified by a quasi-steady analysis, justified by the assumptions that pressure is the forcing function in those regions. Details of the theoretical foundation, the solution algorithm, and sample calculations are given.

Effect of yaw angle on steering forces for the lunar roving vehicle wheel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, A. J.

1974-01-01

A series of tests was conducted with a Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) wheel operating at yaw angles ranging from -5 to +90 deg. The load was varied from 42 to 82 lb (187 to 365 N), and the speed was varied from 3.5 to 10.0 ft/sec (1.07 to 3.05 m/sec). It was noted that speed had an effect on side thrust and rut depth. Side thrust, rut depth, and skid generally increased as the yaw angle increased. For the range of loads used, the effect of load on performance was not significant.

Hybrid propulsion technology program: Phase 1. Volume 3: Thiokol Corporation Space Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuler, A. L.; Wiley, D. R.

1989-01-01

Three candidate hybrid propulsion (HP) concepts were identified, optimized, evaluated, and refined through an iterative process that continually forced improvement to the systems with respect to safety, reliability, cost, and performance criteria. A full scale booster meeting Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) thrust-time constraints and a booster application for 1/4 ASRM thrust were evaluated. Trade studies and analyses were performed for each of the motor elements related to SRM technology. Based on trade study results, the optimum HP concept for both full and quarter sized systems was defined. The three candidate hybrid concepts evaluated are illustrated.

A numerical investigation of flow around octopus-like arms: near-wake vortex patterns and force development.

PubMed

Kazakidi, A; Vavourakis, V; Tsakiris, D P; Ekaterinaris, J A

2015-01-01

The fluid dynamics of cephalopods has so far received little attention in the literature, due to their complexity in structure and locomotion. The flow around octopuses, in particular, can be complicated due to their agile and dexterous arms, which frequently display some of the most diverse mechanisms of motion. The study of this flow amounts to a specific instance of the hydrodynamics problem for rough tapered cylinder geometries. The outstanding manipulative and locomotor skills of octopuses could inspire the development of advanced robotic arms, able to operate in fluid environments. Our primary aim was to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of such bio-inspired robotic models and to derive the hydrodynamic force coefficients as a concise description of the vortical flow effects. Utilizing computational fluid dynamic methods, the coefficients were computed on realistic morphologies of octopus-like arm models undergoing prescribed solid-body movements; such motions occur in nature for short durations in time, e.g. during reaching movements and exploratory behaviors. Numerical simulations were performed on translating, impulsively rotating, and maneuvering arms, around which the flow field structures were investigated. The results reveal in detail the generation of complex vortical flow structures around the moving arms. Hydrodynamic forces acting on a translating arm depend on the angle of incidence; forces generated during impulsive rotations of the arms are independent of their exact morphology and the angle of rotation; periodic motions based on a slow recovery and a fast power stroke are able to produce considerable propulsive thrust while harmonic motions are not. Parts of these results have been employed in bio-inspired models of underwater robotic mechanisms. This investigation may further assist elucidating the hydrodynamics underlying aspects of octopus locomotion and exploratory behaviors.

Thrust Stand for Electric Propulsion Performance Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Markusic, Thomas E.; Stanojev, Boris J.; Dehoyos, Amado; Spaun, Benjamin

2006-01-01

An electric propulsion thrust stand capable of supporting testing of thrusters having a total mass of up to 125 kg and producing thrust levels between 100 microN to 1 N has been developed and tested. The design features a conventional hanging pendulum arm attached to a balance mechanism that converts horizontal deflections produced by the operating thruster into amplified vertical motion of a secondary arm. The level of amplification is changed through adjustment of the location of one of the pivot points linking the system. Response of the system depends on the relative magnitudes of the restoring moments applied by the displaced thruster mass and the twisting torsional pivots connecting the members of the balance mechanism. Displacement is measured using a non-contact, optical linear gap displacement transducer and balance oscillatory motion is attenuated using a passive, eddy-current damper. The thrust stand employs an automated leveling and thermal control system. Pools of liquid gallium are used to deliver power to the thruster without using solid wire connections, which can exert undesirable time-varying forces on the balance. These systems serve to eliminate sources of zero-drift that can occur as the stand thermally or mechanically shifts during the course of an experiment. An in-situ calibration rig allows for steady-state calibration before, during and after thruster operation. Thrust measurements were carried out on a cylindrical Hall thruster that produces mN-level thrust. The measurements were very repeatable, producing results that compare favorably with previously published performance data, but with considerably smaller uncertainty.

Aerodynamic performance and particle image velocimetery of piezo actuated biomimetic manduca sexta engineered wings towards the design and application of a flapping wing flight vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuca, Anthony M.

Considerable research and investigation has been conducted on the aerodynamic performance, and the predominate flow physics of the Manduca Sexta size of biomimetically designed and fabricated wings as part of the AFIT FWMAV design project. Despite a burgeoning interest and research into the diverse field of flapping wing flight and biomimicry, the aerodynamics of flapping wing flight remains a nebulous field of science with considerable variance into the theoretical abstractions surrounding aerodynamic mechanisms responsible for aerial performance. Traditional FWMAV flight models assume a form of a quasi-steady approximation of wing aerodynamics based on an infinite wing blade element model (BEM). An accurate estimation of the lift, drag, and side force coefficients is a critical component of autonomous stability and control models. This research focused on two separate experimental avenues into the aerodynamics of AFIT's engineered hawkmoth wings|forces and flow visualization. 1. Six degree of freedom force balance testing, and high speed video analysis was conducted on 30°, 45°, and 60° angle stop wings. A novel, non-intrusive optical tracking algorithm was developed utilizing a combination of a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and ComputerVision (OpenCV) tools to track the wing in motion from multiple cameras. A complete mapping of the wing's kinematic angles as a function of driving amplitude was performed. The stroke angle, elevation angle, and angle of attack were tabulated for all three wings at driving amplitudes ranging from A=0.3 to A=0.6. The wing kinematics together with the force balance data was used to develop several aerodynamic force coefficient models. A combined translational and rotational aerodynamic model predicted lift forces within 10%, and vertical forces within 6%. The total power consumption was calculated for each of the three wings, and a Figure of Merit was calculated for each wing as a general expression of the overall efficiency of the wing. Th 60° angle stop wing achieved the largest total stroke angle and generated the most lift for the lowest power consumption of the wings tested. 2. Phase averaged stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data was collected at eight phases through the flap cycle on the 30°, 45°, and 60° angle stop wings. Wings were mounted transverse and parallel to the interrogating laser sheet, and planar velocity intersections at the wing mid-span, one chord below the wing, were compared to one another to verify data fidelity. A Rankine-Froude actuator disk model was adapted to calculate the approximate vertical thrust generated from the total momentum flux through the flapping semi-disk using the velocity field measurements. Three component stereo u, v, and w-velocity contour measurements confirmed the presence of extensive vortical structures in the vicinity of the wing. The leading edge vortex was successfully tracked through the stroke cycle appearing at approximately 25% span, increasing in circulatory strength and translational velocity down the span toward the tip, and dissipating just after 75% span. Thrust calculations showed the vertically mounted wing more accurately represented the vertical forces when compared to its corresponding force balance measurement than the horizontally mounted wing. The mid-span showed the highest vertical velocity profile below the wing; and hence, was the location responsible for the majority of lift production along the span.

The DTIC Review, Urban Warfare. Volume 4, Number 4

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-08-01

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Handbook on the Law of War for Armed Forces, by Frederic de Mulinen (Geneva: International Committee of the Red...or developing logistical stabilizing force within a volatile region - or as Cupporfornatng oravopng logistica demonstration of US political...attack. It can be described as an in combat formations. After seizing the objec- arrow or dagger thrust into the enemy de -in ombt frmaion

Initial Thrust Measurements of Marshall's Ion-ioN Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schloeder, Natalie R.; Scogin, Tyler; Liu, Thomas M.; Walker, Mitchell L. R.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Dankanich, John W.; Aanesland, Ane

2015-01-01

Electronegative ion thrusters are a variation of tradition gridded ion thruster technology differentiated by the production and acceleration of both positive and negative ions. Benefits of electronegative ion thrusters include the elimination of lifetime-limiting cathodes from the thruster architecture and the ability to generate appreciable thrust from both charge species. Following the continued development of electronegative ion thruster technology as exhibited by the PEGASES (Plasma Propulsion with Electronegative GASES) thruster, direct thrust measurements are required to push interest in electronegative ion thruster technology forward. For this work, direct thrust measurements of the MINT (Marshall's Ion-ioN Thruster) will be taken on a hanging pendulum thrust stand for propellant mixtures of Sulfur Hexafluoride and Argon at volumetric flow rates of 5-25 sccm at radio frequency power levels of 100-600 watts at a radio frequency of 13.56 MHz. Acceleration grid operation is operated using a square waveform bias of +/-300 volts at a frequency of 25 kHz.

Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

Petroleum generation in the North Cuba Basin is primarily the result of thrust loading of Jurassic and Cretaceous source rocks during formation of the North Cuba fold and thrust belt in the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene. The fold and thrust belt formed as Cuban arc-forearc rocks along the leading edge of the Caribbean plate translated northward during the opening of the Yucatan Basin and collided with the passive margin of southern North America in the Paleogene. Petroleum fluids generated during thrust loading migrated vertically into complex structures in the fold and thrust belt, into structures in the foreland basin, and possibly into carbonate reservoirs along the margins of the Yucatan and Bahama carbonate platforms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defined a Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS) and three assessment units (AU)-North Cuba Fold and Thrust Belt AU, North Cuba Foreland Basin AU, and the North Cuba Platform Margin Carbonate AU-within this TPS based mainly on structure and reservoir type (fig. 1). There is considerable geologic uncertainty as to the extent of petroleum migration that might have occurred within this TPS to form potential petroleum accumulations. Taking this geologic uncertainty into account, especially in the offshore area, the mean volumes of undiscovered resources in the composite TPS of the North Cuba Basin are estimated at (1) 4.6 billion barrels of oil (BBO), with means ranging from an F95 probability of 1 BBO to an F5 probability of 9 BBO; and (2) 8.6 trillion cubic feet of of gas (TCFG), of which 8.6 TCFG is associated with oil fields, and about 1.2 TCFG is in nonassociated gas fields in the North Cuba Foreland Basin AU.

Experimental Study of an Axisymmetric Dual Throat Fluidic Thrust Vectoring Nozzle for Supersonic Aircraft Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flamm, Jeffrey D.; Deere, Karen A.; Mason, Mary L.; Berrier, Bobby L.; Johnson, Stuart K.

2007-01-01

An axisymmetric version of the Dual Throat Nozzle concept with a variable expansion ratio has been studied to determine the impacts on thrust vectoring and nozzle performance. The nozzle design, applicable to a supersonic aircraft, was guided using the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code, PAB3D. The axisymmetric Dual Throat Nozzle concept was tested statically in the Jet Exit Test Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. The nozzle geometric design variables included circumferential span of injection, cavity length, cavity convergence angle, and nozzle expansion ratio for conditions corresponding to take-off and landing, mid climb and cruise. Internal nozzle performance and thrust vectoring performance was determined for nozzle pressure ratios up to 10 with secondary injection rates up to 10 percent of the primary flow rate. The 60 degree span of injection generally performed better than the 90 degree span of injection using an equivalent injection area and number of holes, in agreement with computational results. For injection rates less than 7 percent, thrust vector angle for the 60 degree span of injection was 1.5 to 2 degrees higher than the 90 degree span of injection. Decreasing cavity length improved thrust ratio and discharge coefficient, but decreased thrust vector angle and thrust vectoring efficiency. Increasing cavity convergence angle from 20 to 30 degrees increased thrust vector angle by 1 degree over the range of injection rates tested, but adversely affected system thrust ratio and discharge coefficient. The dual throat nozzle concept generated the best thrust vectoring performance with an expansion ratio of 1.0 (a cavity in between two equal minimum areas). The variable expansion ratio geometry did not provide the expected improvements in discharge coefficient and system thrust ratio throughout the flight envelope of typical a supersonic aircraft. At mid-climb and cruise conditions, the variable geometry design compromised thrust vector angle achieved, but some thrust vector control would be available, potentially for aircraft trim. The fixed area, expansion ratio of 1.0, Dual Throat Nozzle provided the best overall compromise for thrust vectoring and nozzle internal performance over the range of NPR tested compared to the variable geometry Dual Throat Nozzle.

Coseismic Contortion and Coupled Nocturnal Ionospheric Perturbations During 2016 Kaikoura, Mw 7.8 New Zealand Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagiya, Mala S.; Sunil, P. S.; Sunil, A. S.; Ramesh, D. S.

2018-02-01

The oblique-thrust Kaikoura earthquake of Mw 7.8 that struck New Zealand on 13 November 2016 at 11:02:56 UTC (local time at 00:02:56 a.m. on 14 November 2016) was one of the most geometrically and tectonically complex earthquakes recorded onshore in modern seismology. The event ruptured in the region of multisegmented faults and propagated unilaterally northeastward for more than 170 km from the epicenter. The GPS derived coseismic surface displacements reveal a larger widespread horizontal and vertical coseismic surface offsets of 6 m and 2 m, respectively, with two distinct tectonic thrust zones. We study the characteristics of coseismic ionospheric perturbations based on tectonic and nontectonic forcing mechanisms and demonstrate that these perturbations are linked to two distinct surface thrust zones with rotating horizontal reinforcement trending the rupture, rather than merely to the displacements oriented along the rupture propagation direction.

Numerical analysis and design optimization of supersonic after-burning with strut fuel injectors for scramjet engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candon, M. J.; Ogawa, H.

2018-06-01

Scramjets are a class of hypersonic airbreathing engine that offer promise for economical, reliable and high-speed access-to-space and atmospheric transport. The expanding flow in the scramjet nozzle comprises of unburned hydrogen. An after-burning scheme can be used to effectively utilize the remaining hydrogen by supplying additional oxygen into the nozzle, aiming to augment the thrust. This paper presents the results of a single-objective design optimization for a strut fuel injection scheme considering four design variables with the objective of maximizing thrust augmentation. Thrust is found to be augmented significantly owing to a combination of contributions from aerodynamic and combustion effects. Further understanding and physical insights have been gained by performing variance-based global sensitivity analysis, scrutinizing the nozzle flowfields, analyzing the distributions and contributions of the forces acting on the nozzle wall, and examining the combustion efficiency.

Low-thrust trajectory optimization in a full ephemeris model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Xing-Shan; Chen, Yang; Li, Jun-Feng

2014-10-01

The low-thrust trajectory optimization with complicated constraints must be considered in practical engineering. In most literature, this problem is simplified into a two-body model in which the spacecraft is subject to the gravitational force at the center of mass and the spacecraft's own electric propulsion only, and the gravity assist (GA) is modeled as an instantaneous velocity increment. This paper presents a method to solve the fuel-optimal problem of low-thrust trajectory with complicated constraints in a full ephemeris model, which is closer to practical engineering conditions. First, it introduces various perturbations, including a third body's gravity, the nonspherical perturbation and the solar radiation pressure in a dynamic equation. Second, it builds two types of equivalent inner constraints to describe the GA. At the same time, the present paper applies a series of techniques, such as a homotopic approach, to enhance the possibility of convergence of the global optimal solution.

State variable modeling of the integrated engine and aircraft dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotaru, Constantin; Sprinţu, Iuliana

2014-12-01

This study explores the dynamic characteristics of the combined aircraft-engine system, based on the general theory of the state variables for linear and nonlinear systems, with details leading first to the separate formulation of the longitudinal and the lateral directional state variable models, followed by the merging of the aircraft and engine models into a single state variable model. The linearized equations were expressed in a matrix form and the engine dynamics was included in terms of variation of thrust following a deflection of the throttle. The linear model of the shaft dynamics for a two-spool jet engine was derived by extending the one-spool model. The results include the discussion of the thrust effect upon the aircraft response when the thrust force associated with the engine has a sizable moment arm with respect to the aircraft center of gravity for creating a compensating moment.

Improved Method for Prediction of Attainable Wing Leading-Edge Thrust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Harry W.; McElroy, Marcus O.; Lessard, Wendy B.; McCullers, L. Arnold

1996-01-01

Prediction of the loss of wing leading-edge thrust and the accompanying increase in drag due to lift, when flow is not completely attached, presents a difficult but commonly encountered problem. A method (called the previous method) for the prediction of attainable leading-edge thrust and the resultant effect on airplane aerodynamic performance has been in use for more than a decade. Recently, the method has been revised to enhance its applicability to current airplane design and evaluation problems. The improved method (called the present method) provides for a greater range of airfoil shapes from very sharp to very blunt leading edges. It is also based on a wider range of Reynolds numbers than was available for the previous method. The present method, when employed in computer codes for aerodynamic analysis, generally results in improved correlation with experimental wing-body axial-force data and provides reasonable estimates of the measured drag.

Comparison of theoretical and experimental thrust performance of a 1030:1 area ratio rocket nozzle at a chamber pressure of 2413 kN/m2 (350 psia)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Tamara A.; Pavli, Albert J.; Kacynski, Kenneth J.

1987-01-01

The joint Army. Navy, NASA. Air Force (JANNAF) rocket engine peformnace prediction procedure is based on the use of various reference computer programs. One of the reference programs for nozzle analysis is the Two-Dimensional Kinetics (TDK) Program. The purpose of this report is to calibrate the JANNAF procedure incorporated into the December l984 version of the TDK program for the high-area-ratio rocket engine regime. The calibration was accomplished by modeling the performance of a 1030:1 rocket nozzle tested at NASA Lewis Research Center. A detailed description of the experimental test conditions and TDK input parameters is given. The results show that the computer code predicts delivered vacuum specific impulse to within 0.12 to 1.9 percent of the experimental data. Vacuum thrust coefficient predictions were within + or - 1.3 percent of experimental results. Predictions of wall static pressure were within approximately + or - 5 percent of the measured values. An experimental value for inviscid thrust was obtained for the nozzle extension between area ratios of 427.5 and 1030 by using an integration of the measured wall static pressures. Subtracting the measured thrust gain produced by the nozzle between area ratios of 427.5 and 1030 from the inviscid thrust gain yielded experimental drag decrements of 10.85 and 27.00 N (2.44 and 6.07 lb) for mixture ratios of 3.04 and 4.29, respectively. These values correspond to 0.45 and 1.11 percent of the total vacuum thrust. At a mixture ratio of 4.29, the TDK predicted drag decrement was 16.59 N (3.73 lb), or 0.71 percent of the predicted total vacuum thrust.

The Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt of Eastern Sardinia: Evidences from the integration of field data with numerically balanced geological cross section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arragoni, S.; Maggi, M.; Cianfarra, P.; Salvini, F.

2016-06-01

Newly collected structural data in Eastern Sardinia (Italy) integrated with numerical techniques led to the reconstruction of a 2-D admissible and balanced model revealing the presence of a widespread Cenozoic fold-and-thrust belt. The model was achieved with the FORC software, obtaining a 3-D (2-D + time) numerical reconstruction of the continuous evolution of the structure through time. The Mesozoic carbonate units of Eastern Sardinia and their basement present a fold-and-thrust tectonic setting, with a westward direction of tectonic transport (referred to the present-day coordinates). The tectonic style of the upper levels is thin skinned, with flat sectors prevailing over ramps and younger-on-older thrusts. Three regional tectonic units are present, bounded by two regional thrusts. Strike-slip faults overprint the fold-and-thrust belt and developed during the Sardinia-Corsica Block rotation along the strike of the preexisting fault ramps, not affecting the numerical section balancing. This fold-and-thrust belt represents the southward prosecution of the Alpine Corsica collisional chain and the missing link between the Alpine Chain and the Calabria-Peloritani Block. Relative ages relate its evolution to the meso-Alpine event (Eocene-Oligocene times), prior to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Tortonian). Results fill a gap of information about the geodynamic evolution of the European margin in Central Mediterranean, between Corsica and the Calabria-Peloritani Block, and imply the presence of remnants of this double-verging belt, missing in the Southern Tyrrhenian basin, within the Southern Apennine chain. The used methodology proved effective for constraining balanced cross sections also for areas lacking exposures of the large-scale structures, as the case of Eastern Sardinia.

Noise generated by a flight weight, air flow control valve in a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft thrust vectoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, Ronald G.

1989-01-01

Tests were conducted in the NASA Lewis Research Center's Powered Lift Facility to experimentally evaluate the noise generated by a flight weight, 12 in. butterfly valve installed in a proposed vertical takeoff and landing thrust vectoring system. Fluctuating pressure measurements were made in the circular duct upstream and downstream of the valve. This data report presents the results of these tests. The maximum overall sound pressure level is generated in the duct downstream of the valve and reached a value of 180 dB at a valve pressure ratio of 2.8. At the higher valve pressure ratios the spectra downstream of the valve is broad banded with its maximum at 1000 Hz.

Magnetized Target Fusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Steven T.

2002-01-01

Magnetized target fusion (MTF) is under consideration as a means of building a low mass, high specific impulse, and high thrust propulsion system for interplanetary travel. This unique combination is the result of the generation of a high temperature plasma by the nuclear fusion process. This plasma can then be deflected by magnetic fields to provide thrust. Fusion is initiated by a small traction of the energy generated in the magnetic coils due to the plasma's compression of the magnetic field. The power gain from a fusion reaction is such that inefficiencies due to thermal neutrons and coil losses can be overcome. Since the fusion reaction products are directly used for propulsion and the power to initiate the reaction is directly obtained from the thrust generation, no massive power supply for energy conversion is required. The result should be a low engine mass, high specific impulse and high thrust system. The key is to successfully initiate fusion as a proof-of-principle for this application. Currently MSFC is implementing MTF proof-of-principle experiments. This involves many technical details and ancillary investigations. Of these, selected pertinent issues include the properties, orientation and timing of the plasma guns and the convergence and interface development of the "pusher" plasma. Computer simulations of the target plasma's behavior under compression and the convergence and mixing of the gun plasma are under investigation. This work is to focus on the gun characterization and development as it relates to plasma initiation and repeatability.

Development of an analytical guidance algorithm for lunar descent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chomel, Christina Tvrdik

In recent years, NASA has indicated a desire to return humans to the moon. With NASA planning manned missions within the next couple of decades, the concept development for these lunar vehicles has begun. The guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) computer programs that will perform the function of safely landing a spacecraft on the moon are part of that development. The lunar descent guidance algorithm takes the horizontally oriented spacecraft from orbital speeds hundreds of kilometers from the desired landing point to the landing point at an almost vertical orientation and very low speed. Existing lunar descent GN&C algorithms date back to the Apollo era with little work available for implementation since then. Though these algorithms met the criteria of the 1960's, they are cumbersome today. At the basis of the lunar descent phase are two elements: the targeting, which generates a reference trajectory, and the real-time guidance, which forces the spacecraft to fly that trajectory. The Apollo algorithm utilizes a complex, iterative, numerical optimization scheme for developing the reference trajectory. The real-time guidance utilizes this reference trajectory in the form of a quartic rather than a more general format to force the real-time trajectory errors to converge to zero; however, there exist no guarantees under any conditions for this convergence. The proposed algorithm implements a purely analytical targeting algorithm used to generate two-dimensional trajectories "on-the-fly"' or to retarget the spacecraft to another landing site altogether. It is based on the analytical solutions to the equations for speed, downrange, and altitude as a function of flight path angle and assumes two constant thrust acceleration curves. The proposed real-time guidance algorithm has at its basis the three-dimensional non-linear equations of motion and a control law that is proven to converge under certain conditions through Lyapunov analysis to a reference trajectory formatted as a function of downrange, altitude, speed, and flight path angle. The two elements of the guidance algorithm are joined in Monte Carlo analysis to prove their robustness to initial state dispersions and mass and thrust errors. The robustness of the retargeting algorithm is also demonstrated.

A Method for Integrating Thrust-Vectoring and Actuated Forebody Strakes with Conventional Aerodynamic Controls on a High-Performance Fighter Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lallman, Frederick J.; Davidson, John B.; Murphy, Patrick C.

1998-01-01

A method, called pseudo controls, of integrating several airplane controls to achieve cooperative operation is presented. The method eliminates conflicting control motions, minimizes the number of feedback control gains, and reduces the complication of feedback gain schedules. The method is applied to the lateral/directional controls of a modified high-performance airplane. The airplane has a conventional set of aerodynamic controls, an experimental set of thrust-vectoring controls, and an experimental set of actuated forebody strakes. The experimental controls give the airplane additional control power for enhanced stability and maneuvering capabilities while flying over an expanded envelope, especially at high angles of attack. The flight controls are scheduled to generate independent body-axis control moments. These control moments are coordinated to produce stability-axis angular accelerations. Inertial coupling moments are compensated. Thrust-vectoring controls are engaged according to their effectiveness relative to that of the aerodynamic controls. Vane-relief logic removes steady and slowly varying commands from the thrust-vectoring controls to alleviate heating of the thrust turning devices. The actuated forebody strakes are engaged at high angles of attack. This report presents the forward-loop elements of a flight control system that positions the flight controls according to the desired stability-axis accelerations. This report does not include the generation of the required angular acceleration commands by means of pilot controls or the feedback of sensed airplane motions.

Preliminary Results of Performance Measurements on a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster with Magnetic Field Generated by Permanent Magnets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, K. A.; Raitses, Y.; Merino, E.; Fisch, N. J.

2008-01-01

The performance of a low-power cylindrical Hall thruster, which more readily lends itself to miniaturization and low-power operation than a conventional (annular) Hall thruster, was measured using a planar plasma probe and a thrust stand. The field in the cylindrical thruster was produced using permanent magnets, promising a power reduction over previous cylindrical thruster iterations that employed electromagnets to generate the required magnetic field topology. Two sets of ring-shaped permanent magnets are used, and two different field configurations can be produced by reorienting the poles of one magnet relative to the other. A plasma probe measuring ion flux in the plume is used to estimate the current utilization for the two magnetic configurations. The measurements indicate that electron transport is impeded much more effectively in one configuration, implying a higher thrust efficiency. Preliminary thruster performance measurements on this configuration were obtained over a power range of 100-250 W. The thrust levels over this power range were 3.5-6.5 mN, with anode efficiencies and specific impulses spanning 14-19% and 875- 1425 s, respectively. The magnetic field in the thruster was lower for the thrust measurements than the plasma probe measurements due to heating and weakening of the permanent magnets, reducing the maximum field strength from 2 kG to roughly 750-800 G. The discharge current levels observed during thrust stand testing were anomalously high compared to those levels measured in previous experiments with this thruster.

Instability of Hawaiian volcanoes: Chapter 4 in Characteristics of Hawaiian volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Denlinger, Roger P.; Morgan, Julia K.; Poland, Michael P.; Takahashi, T. Jane; Landowski, Claire M.

2014-01-01

All seaward flank movement occurs along a detachment fault, or décollement, that forms within the mixture of pelagic clays and volcaniclastic deposits on the old seafloor and pushes up a bench of debris along the distal margin of the flank. The offshore uplift that builds this bench is generated by décollement slip that terminates upward into the overburden along thrust faults. Finite strain and finite strength models for volcano growth on a low-friction décollement reproduce this bench structure, as well as much of the morphology and patterns of faulting observed on the actively growing volcanoes of Mauna Loa and Kīlauea. These models show how stress is stored within growing volcano flanks, but not how rapid, potentially seismic slip is triggered along their décollements. The imbalance of forces that triggers large, rapid seaward displacement of the flank after decades of creep may result either from driving forces that change rapidly, such as magma pressure gradients; from resisting forces that rapidly diminish with slip, such as those arising from coupling of pore pressure and dilatancy within décollement sediment; or, from some interplay between driving and resisting forces that produces flank motion. Our understanding of the processes of flank motion is limited by available data, though recent studies have increased our ability to quantitatively address flank instability and associated hazards.

Exploring Unsteady Sail Propulsion in Olympic Class Sailboats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schutt, Riley; Williamson, C. H. K.

2014-11-01

Unsteady sailing techniques, defined as ``flicking,'' ``roll-tacking'' and ``roll-gybing'' are used by athletes to propel their boats on an Olympic race course faster than using the wind alone. Body weight movements induce unsteady sail motion, increasing driving force and enhancing maneuvering performance. In this research, we explore the dynamics of an Olympic class Laser sailboat equipped with a GPS, IMU, wind sensor, and camera array. The velocity heading of a sailing boat is oriented at an apparent wind angle to the flow. In contrast to classic flapping propulsion, the heaving of the sail section (induced by the sailor's body movement) is not perpendicular to the sail's motion through the air. This leads to an ``exotic heave,'' with components parallel and perpendicular to the incident flow. The characteristic motion is recreated in a towing tank where the vortex structures generated by a representative 2-D sail section are observed, along with a measurement of thrust and lift forces. When combined with turning maneuvers, these heaving sail motions can lead to significant increases in velocity made good, a critical variable used when assessing racing performance.

Thrust Augmentation Study of Cross-Flow Fan for Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

configuration by varying the gap between the CFFs. Computational fluid simulations of the dual CFF configuration was performed using ANSYS CFX to find the...Computational fluid simulations of the dual CFF configuration was performed using ANSYS CFX to find the thrust generated as well as the optimal operating point...RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................................................43 APPENDIX A. ANSYS CFX SETTINGS FOR DUAL CFF (8,000

Unsteady propulsion by an intermittent swimming gait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akoz, Emre; Moored, Keith W.

2018-01-01

Inviscid computational results are presented on a self-propelled swimmer modeled as a virtual body combined with a two-dimensional hydrofoil pitching intermittently about its leading edge. Lighthill (1971) originally proposed that this burst-and-coast behavior can save fish energy during swimming by taking advantage of the viscous Bone-Lighthill boundary layer thinning mechanism. Here, an additional inviscid Garrick mechanism is discovered that allows swimmers to control the ratio of their added mass thrust-producing forces to their circulatory drag-inducing forces by decreasing their duty cycle, DC, of locomotion. This mechanism can save intermittent swimmers as much as 60% of the energy it takes to swim continuously at the same speed. The inviscid energy savings are shown to increase with increasing amplitude of motion, increase with decreasing Lighthill number, Li, and switch to an energetic cost above continuous swimming for sufficiently low DC. Intermittent swimmers are observed to shed four vortices per cycle that form into groups that are self-similar with the DC. In addition, previous thrust and power scaling laws of continuous self-propelled swimming are further generalized to include intermittent swimming. The key is that by averaging the thrust and power coefficients over only the bursting period then the intermittent problem can be transformed into a continuous one. Furthermore, the intermittent thrust and power scaling relations are extended to predict the mean speed and cost of transport of swimmers. By tuning a few coefficients with a handful of simulations these self-propelled relations can become predictive. In the current study, the mean speed and cost of transport are predicted to within 3% and 18% of their full-scale values by using these relations.

A One-year, Short-Stay Crewed Mars Mission Using Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Electric Propulsion (BNTEP) - A Preliminary Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Laura M.; Borowski, Stanley K.; McCurdy, David R.; Packard, Thomas W.

2013-01-01

A crewed mission to Mars poses a significant challenge in dealing with the physiological issues that arise with the crew being exposed to a near zero-gravity environment as well as significant solar and galactic radiation for such a long duration. While long surface stay missions exceeding 500 days are the ultimate goal for human Mars exploration, short round trip, short surface stay missions could be an important intermediate step that would allow NASA to demonstrate technology as well as study the physiological effects on the crew. However, for a 1-year round trip mission, the outbound and inbound hyperbolic velocity at Earth and Mars can be very large resulting in a significant propellant requirement for a high thrust system like Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP). Similarly, a low thrust Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) system requires high electrical power levels (10 megawatts electric (MWe) or more), plus advanced power conversion technology to achieve the lower specific mass values needed for such a mission. A Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Electric Propulsion (BNTEP) system is examined here that uses three high thrust Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (BNTR) engines allowing short departure and capture maneuvers. The engines also generate electrical power that drives a low thrust Electric Propulsion (EP) system used for efficient interplanetary transit. This combined system can help reduce the total launch mass, system and operational requirements that would otherwise be required for equivalent NEP or Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) mission. The BNTEP system is a hybrid propulsion concept where the BNTR reactors operate in two separate modes. During high-thrust mode operation, each BNTR provides 10's of kilo-Newtons of thrust at reasonably high specific impulse (Isp) of 900 seconds for impulsive transplanetary injection and orbital insertion maneuvers. When in power generation/EP mode, the BNTR reactors are coupled to a Brayton power conversion system allowing each reactor to generate 100's of kWe of electrical power to a very high Isp (3000 s) EP thruster system for sustained vehicle acceleration and deceleration in heliocentric space.

A One-year, Short-Stay Crewed Mars Mission Using Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Electric Propulsion (BNTEP) - A Preliminary Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Laura A.; Borowski, Stanley K.; McCurdy, David R.; Packard, Thomas W.

2013-01-01

A crewed mission to Mars poses a signi cant challenge in dealing with the physiolog- ical issues that arise with the crew being exposed to a near zero-gravity environment as well as signi cant solar and galactic radiation for such a long duration. While long sur- face stay missions exceeding 500 days are the ultimate goal for human Mars exploration, short round trip, short surface stay missions could be an important intermediate step that would allow NASA to demonstrate technology as well as study the physiological e ects on the crew. However, for a 1-year round trip mission, the outbound and inbound hy- perbolic velocity at Earth and Mars can be very large resulting in a signi cant propellant requirement for a high thrust system like Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP). Similarly, a low thrust Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) system requires high electrical power lev- els (10 megawatts electric (MWe) or more), plus advanced power conversion technology to achieve the lower speci c mass values needed for such a mission. A Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Electric Propulsion (BNTEP) system is examined here that uses three high thrust Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (BNTR) engines allowing short departure and capture maneuvers. The engines also generate electrical power that drives a low thrust Electric Propulsion (EP) system used for ecient interplanetary transit. This combined system can help reduce the total launch mass, system and operational requirements that would otherwise be required for equivalent NEP or Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) mission. The BNTEP system is a hybrid propulsion concept where the BNTR reactors operate in two separate modes. During high-thrust mode operation, each BNTR provides 10's of kilo- Newtons of thrust at reasonably high speci c impulse (Isp) of 900 seconds for impulsive trans-planetary injection and orbital insertion maneuvers. When in power generation / EP mode, the BNTR reactors are coupled to a Brayton power conversion system allowing each reactor to generate 100's of kWe of electrical power to a very high Isp (3000 s) EP thruster system for sustained vehicle acceleration and deceleration in heliocentric space.

Decreased knee adduction moment does not guarantee decreased medial contact force during gait.

PubMed

Walter, Jonathan P; D'Lima, Darryl D; Colwell, Clifford W; Fregly, Benjamin J

2010-10-01

Excessive contact force is believed to contribute to the development of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. The external knee adduction moment (KAM) has been identified as a surrogate measure for medial contact force during gait, with an abnormally large peak value being linked to increased pain and rate of disease progression. This study used in vivo gait data collected from a subject with a force-measuring knee implant to assess whether KAM decreases accurately predict corresponding decreases in medial contact force. Changes in both quantities generated via gait modification were analyzed statistically relative to the subject's normal gait. The two gait modifications were a "medial thrust" gait involving knee medialization during stance phase and a "walking pole" gait involving use of bilateral walking poles. Reductions in the first (largest) peak of the KAM (32-33%) did not correspond to reductions in the first peak of the medial contact force. In contrast, reductions in the second peak and angular impulse of the KAM (15-47%) corresponded to reductions in the second peak and impulse of the medial contact force (12-42%). Calculated reductions in both KAM peaks were highly sensitive to rotation of the shank reference frame about the superior-inferior axis of the shank. Both peaks of medial contact force were best predicted by a combination of peak values of the external KAM and peak absolute values of the external knee flexion moment (R(2) = 0.93). Future studies that evaluate the effectiveness of gait modifications for offloading the medial compartment of the knee should consider the combined effect of these two knee moments. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:1348-1354, 2010.

Effects of internal yaw-vectoring devices on the static performance of a pitch-vectoring nonaxisymmetric convergent-divergent nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asbury, Scott C.

1993-01-01

An investigation was conducted in the static test facility of the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to evaluate the internal performance of a nonaxisymmetric convergent divergent nozzle designed to have simultaneous pitch and yaw thrust vectoring capability. This concept utilized divergent flap deflection for thrust vectoring in the pitch plane and flow-turning deflectors installed within the divergent flaps for yaw thrust vectoring. Modifications consisting of reducing the sidewall length and deflecting the sidewall outboard were investigated as means to increase yaw-vectoring performance. This investigation studied the effects of multiaxis (pitch and yaw) thrust vectoring on nozzle internal performance characteristics. All tests were conducted with no external flow, and nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 2.0 to approximately 13.0. The results indicate that this nozzle concept can successfully generate multiaxis thrust vectoring. Deflection of the divergent flaps produced resultant pitch vector angles that, although dependent on nozzle pressure ratio, were nearly equal to the geometric pitch vector angle. Losses in resultant thrust due to pitch vectoring were small or negligible. The yaw deflectors produced resultant yaw vector angles up to 21 degrees that were controllable by varying yaw deflector rotation. However, yaw deflector rotation resulted in significant losses in thrust ratios and, in some cases, nozzle discharge coefficient. Either of the sidewall modifications generally reduced these losses and increased maximum resultant yaw vector angle. During multiaxis (simultaneous pitch and yaw) thrust vectoring, little or no cross coupling between the thrust vectoring processes was observed.

Kinematic reconstruction of a thin-skinned, deep-water fold and thrust belt: the case of the Outer Tuscan Nappe (Umbria, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carboni, Filippo; Barchi, Massimiliano; Brozzetti, Francesco; Cruciani, Francesco; Ercoli, Maurizio; Mirabella, Francesco; Porreca, Massimiliano

2017-04-01

Fold-and-Thrust Belts occur worldwide in a variety of tectonic settings. Most of them develop in a deepwater environment (Deep Water Fold-and-Thrust Belts, DWFTBs), at both continental passive and active margins, driven by gravity (near-field stresses) and tectonic forces (far-field stresses) respectively. Here we present a multidisciplinary geological study of the Outer Tuscan Nappe (OTN), an imbricate thrust system in the Northern Apennines of Italy, emplaced in Early Miocene times in deep water environment. Despite the wide scientific literature, the geometry and the kinematic evolution of the OTN were never reconstructed in detail. Furthermore, its total amount of shortening and then its shortening rate, were never measured and calculated through proper restoration techniques. The OTN involves a 2000 m thick, Late Cretaceous-Tertiary "Tuscan" succession, consisting of arenaceous turbidites (Macigno Fm.), overlying a thick level of marls and calcarenites (Scaglia Toscana Fm.), which form the major basal décollement of the imbricate system. Along this basal décollement, the OTN overthrusts eastward younger turbidite units (Mt. Rentella and Marnoso-Arenacea successions). In this study we interpreted a set of 2D seismic reflection profiles calibrated with a deep borehole, crossing transversally (WSW-ENE) and longitudinally (NNW-SSE) the OTN. To better constrain the interpretation, selected controls of key outcrops was performed, mainly aimed at reconstructing: i) the actual transport direction during the OTN emplacement; ii) the position of the subsequent, NNW-SSE trending, extensional faults dissecting the tectonic wedge; iii) the role of transversal faults, longitudinally segmenting the thrust system. Combining the aforesaid data, we drew an integrated 20 km long geological cross section showing the internal geometry of the imbricate thrust system, down to the main basal décollement. The integrated section was successively restored in 2D using the software MOVE (Midland Valley). The integrated section shows a thin-skinned deformation, where the basal thrust becomes progressively shallower from W to E, from a depth of about 5 km to 1 km. Correspondingly, the reconstructed OTN tectonic wedge is up to 5 km thick in its western part, and tapers progressively eastward: these values are consistent with previous estimates, based on thermal burial data. The total measured shortening of the OTN imbricate thrust system is about 43 km, including 19 km of internal imbrication and, at least, 24 km of horizontal ENE-ward transport along the basal décollement. To this, we have to add 13 km of passive transport caused by the subsequent deformation of the underlying units (e.g., Mt. Rentella and Marnoso-Arenacea successions). The total percentage of internal shortening is 42 % (measured as an average value between the Macigno and the Scaglia Toscana formations). Finally, we discuss the possible role of gravity in the evolution of this DW-FTB, generated in convergent settings, in an early collisional stage. The OTN geometry (e.g., high taper angle, close-range internal thrusts) and the high percentage of shortening are not characteristic of an exclusively gravity driven DWFTB therefore we think it should be interpreted as a Type 2b DWFTB (exclusively far-field stress-driven) based on the Morley's DWFTBs classification.

SEP thrust subsystem performance sensitivity analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkins, K. L.; Sauer, C. G., Jr.; Kerrisk, D. J.

1973-01-01

This is a two-part report on solar electric propulsion (SEP) performance sensitivity analysis. The first part describes the preliminary analysis of the SEP thrust system performance for an Encke rendezvous mission. A detailed description of thrust subsystem hardware tolerances on mission performance is included together with nominal spacecraft parameters based on these tolerances. The second part describes the method of analysis and graphical techniques used in generating the data for Part 1. Included is a description of both the trajectory program used and the additional software developed for this analysis. Part 2 also includes a comprehensive description of the use of the graphical techniques employed in this performance analysis.

Aeroelastic Wing Shaping Using Distributed Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan T. (Inventor); Reynolds, Kevin Wayne (Inventor); Ting, Eric B. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An aircraft has wings configured to twist during flight. Inboard and outboard propulsion devices, such as turbofans or other propulsors, are connected to each wing, and are spaced along the wing span. A flight controller independently controls thrust of the inboard and outboard propulsion devices to significantly change flight dynamics, including changing thrust of outboard propulsion devices to twist the wing, and to differentially apply thrust on each wing to change yaw and other aspects of the aircraft during various stages of a flight mission. One or more generators can be positioned upon the wing to provide power for propulsion devices on the same wing, and on an opposite wing.

Effects of Cavity on the Performance of Dual Throat Nozzle During the Thrust-Vectoring Starting Transient Process.

PubMed

Gu, Rui; Xu, Jinglei

2014-01-01

The dual throat nozzle (DTN) technique is capable to achieve higher thrust-vectoring efficiencies than other fluidic techniques, without compromising thrust efficiency significantly during vectoring operation. The excellent performance of the DTN is mainly due to the concaved cavity. In this paper, two DTNs of different scales have been investigated by unsteady numerical simulations to compare the parameter variations and study the effects of cavity during the vector starting process. The results remind us that during the vector starting process, dynamic loads may be generated, which is a potentially challenging problem for the aircraft trim and control.

Intrinsic And Extrinsic Controls On Unsteady Deformation Rates, Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anastasio, D. J.; Gunderson, K. L.; Pazzaglia, F. J.; Kodama, K. P.

2017-12-01

The slip rates of faults in the Northern Apennine Mountains were unsteady at 104-105 year timescales during the Neogene and Quaternary. Fault slip rates were recovered from growth strata and uplifted fluvial terraces associated with the Salsomaggiore, Quatto Castella, and Castevetro fault-related folds, sampled along the Stirone, Enza, and Panaro Rivers, respectively. The forelimb stratigraphy of each anticline was dated using rock magnetic-based cyclostratigraphy, which varies with Milankovitch periodicity, multispecies biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, OSL luminescence dating, TCN burial dating, and radiocarbon dating of uplifted and folded fluvial terraces. Fault slip magnitudes were constrained with trishear forward models. We observed decoupled deformation and sediment accumulation rates at each structure. From 3.5Ma deformation of a thick and thin-skinned thrusts was temporally variable and controlled by intrinsic rock processes, whereas, the more regional Pede-Apenninic thrust fault, a thick-skinned thrust underlying the mountain front, was likely activated because of extrinsic forcing from foreland basin sedimentation rate accelerations since 1.4Ma. We found that reconstructed slip rate variability increased as the time resolution increased. The reconstructed slip history of the thin-skinned thrust faults was characterized relatively long, slow fold growth and associated fault slip, punctuated by shorter, more rapid periods limb rotation, and slip on the underlying thrust fault timed asynchronously. Thrust fault slip rates slip rates were ≤ 0.1 to 6 mm/yr at these intermediate timescales. The variability of slip rates on the thrusts is likely related to strain partitioning neighboring faults within the orogenic wedge. The studied structures slowed down at 1Ma when there was a switch to slower synchronous fault slip coincident with orogenic wedge thickening due to the emplacement of the out of sequence Pene-Apenninic thrust fault that was emplaced at 1.4±0.7 mm/yr. Both tectonic control and climate controlled variability on syntectonic sedimentation was observed in the growth sections.

Fundamental Understanding of Rotor Aeromechanics at High Advance Ratio Through Wind Tunnel Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Benjamin

The purpose of this research is to further the understanding of rotor aeromechanics at advance ratios (mu) beyond the maximum of 0.5 (ratio of forward airspeed to rotor tip speed) for conventional helicopters. High advance ratio rotors have applications in high speed compound helicopters. In addition to one or more conventional main rotors, these aircraft employ either thrust compounding (propellers), lift compounding (fixed-wings), or both. An articulated 4-bladed model rotor was constructed, instrumented, and tested up to a maximum advance ratio of mu=1.6 in the Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel at the University of Maryland. The data set includes steady and unsteady rotor hub forces and moments, blade structural loads, blade flapping angles, swashplate control angles, and unsteady blade pressures. A collective-thrust control reversal--where increasing collective pitch results in lower rotor thrust--was observed and is a unique phenomenon to the high advance ratio flight regime. The thrust reversal is explained in a physical manner as well as through an analytical formulation. The requirements for the occurrence of the thrust reversal are enumerated. The effects of rotor geometry design on the thrust reversal onset are explored through the formulation and compared to the measured data. Reverse-flow dynamic stall was observed to extend the the lifting capability of the edgewise rotor well beyond the expected static stall behavior of the airfoil sections. Through embedded unsteady blade surface pressure transducers, the normal force, pitching moment, and shed dynamic stall vortex time histories at a blade section in strong reverse flow were analyzed. Favorable comparisons with published 2-D pitching airfoil reverse flow dynamic stall data indicate that the 3-D stall environment can likely be predicted using models developed from such 2-D experiments. Vibratory hub loads were observed to increase with advance ratio. Maximum amplitude was observed near mu=1, with a reduction in vibratory loads at higher advance ratios. Blade load 4/rev harmonics dominated due to operation near a 4/rev fanplot crossing of the 2nd flap bending mode natural frequency. Oscillatory loads sharply increase in the presence of retreating blade reverse flow dynamic stall, and are evident in blade torsion, pitch link, and hub load measurements. The blades exhibited torsion moment vibrations at the frequency of the 1st torsion mode in response to the reverse flow pitching moment loading.

A Design Method and an Application for Contrarotating Propellers

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

force gen- stricted to uniform flow , it fhowed that the analysis of CR pro- erated by the contrarotating propeller to be balanced by the drag... uniform flow at where the operating point of the propeller for a typical high-speed sur- ,/2 face ship. Force measurements for the CR propelier in... experimental thrust coefficient, torque Bronze. Since this propeller set is designed for uniform flow , coefficient, and efficiency for the CR propellers

Prototype Development and Dynamic Characterization of Deployable CubeSat Booms

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

constant force of gravity and the constant force of photons impinging on the reflective Mylar surface of the craft. This could, in effect, provide a much...reflected photons of light for spacecraft propulsion. As acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass for a constant thrust, this method of...of the satellite. Additionally, with so much boom essentially stuffed within a small cavity, binding and entanglement issues are a near certainty

Survey of the present state of the art of piezoelectric linear motors

PubMed

Hemsel; Wallaschek

2000-03-01

Piezoelectric ultrasonic motors have been investigated for several years and have already found their first practical applications. Their key feature is that they are able to produce a high thrust force related to their volume. Beside rotary drives like the travelling wave motor, linear drives have also been developed, but only a few are presently commercially available. In the present paper, we first describe the state of the art of linear piezoelectric motors. The motors are characterized with respect to their no-load velocity, maximum thrust force, efficiency and other technical properties. In the second part, we present a new motor, which is judged to be capable of surpassing the characteristics of other piezoelectric motors because of its unique design which allows the piezoelectric drive elements to be pre-stressed in the direction of their polarization. The piezoelectric elements convert energy using the longitudinal d33 effect which allows an improved reliability, large vibration amplitudes and excellent piezoelectric coupling. Energy loss by vibration damping is minimized, and the efficiency can be improved significantly. Experimental results show that the motor characteristics can be optimized for a particular task by choosing the appropriate operating parameters such as exciting voltage, exciting frequency and normal force.

MEMS earthworm: a thermally actuated peristaltic linear micromotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthur, Craig; Ellerington, Neil; Hubbard, Ted; Kujath, Marek

2011-03-01

This paper examines the design, fabrication and testing of a bio-mimetic MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) earthworm motor with external actuators. The motor consists of a passive mobile shuttle with two flexible diamond-shaped segments; each segment is independently squeezed by a pair of stationary chevron-shaped thermal actuators. Applying a specific sequence of squeezes to the earthworm segments, the shuttle can be driven backward or forward. Unlike existing inchworm drives that use clamping and thrusting actuators, the earthworm actuators apply only clamping forces to the shuttle, and lateral thrust is produced by the shuttle's compliant geometry. The earthworm assembly is fabricated using the PolyMUMPs process with planar dimensions of 400 µm width by 800 µm length. The stationary actuators operate within the range of 4-9 V and provide a maximum shuttle range of motion of 350 µm (approximately half its size), a maximum shuttle speed of 17 mm s-1 at 10 kHz, and a maximum dc shuttle force of 80 µN. The shuttle speed was found to vary linearly with both input voltage and input frequency. The shuttle force was found to vary linearly with the actuator voltage.

Large Eddy Simulation of Ducted Propulsors in Crashbac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyunchul; Mahesh, Krishnan

2008-11-01

Flow around a ducted marine propulsor is computed using the large eddy simulation methodology under crashback conditions. Crashback is an operating condition where a propulsor rotates in the reverse direction while the vessel moves in the forward direction. It is characterized by massive flow separation and highly unsteady propeller loads, which affect both blade life and maneuverability. The simulations are performed on unstructured grids using the algorithm developed by Mahesh at al. (2004, J. Comput. Phys 197). The flow is computed at the advance ratio J=-0.7 and Reynolds number Re=480,000 based on the propeller diameter. Average and RMS values of the unsteady loads such as thrust, torque, and side force on the blades and duct are compared to experiment. It is seen that even though effects of the duct on thrust and torque are not large enough, those on the side force are significant. The rms of side forces is much higher in the presence of the duct. Pressure distributions on blade surfaces and duct surface are examined and used to explain this effect. This work was supported by the United States Office of Naval Research under ONR Grant N00014-05-1-0003.

Propulsion at low Reynolds number via beam extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosselin, Frederick; Neetzow, Paul

2014-03-01

We present experimental and theoretical results on the extrusion of a slender beam in a viscous fluid. We are particularly interested in the force necessary to extrude the beam as it buckles with large amplitude due to viscous friction. The problem is inspired by the propulsion of Paramecium via trichocyst extrusion. Self-propulsion in micro-organisms is mostly achieved through the beating of flagella or cilia. However, to avoid a severe aggression, unicellular Paramecium has been observed to extrude trichocysts in the direction of the aggression to burst away. These trichocysts are rod-like organelles which, upon activation, grow to about 40 μm in length in 3 milliseconds before detaching from the animal. The drag force created by these extruding rods pushing against the viscous fluid generates thrust in the opposite direction. We developed an experimental setup to measure the force required to push a steel piano wire into an aquarium filled with corn syrup. This setup offers a near-zero Reynolds number, and allows studying deployments for a range of constant extrusion speeds. The experimental results are reproduced with a numerical model coupling a large amplitude Euler-Bernoulli beam theory with a fluid load model proportional to the local beam velocity. This study was funded in part by the The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Mesoscale simulations of hydrodynamic squirmer interactions.

PubMed

Götze, Ingo O; Gompper, Gerhard

2010-10-01

The swimming behavior of self-propelled microorganisms is studied by particle-based mesoscale simulations. The simulation technique includes both hydrodynamics and thermal fluctuations that are both essential for the dynamics of microswimmers. The swimmers are modeled as squirmers, i.e., spherical objects with a prescribed tangential surface velocity, where the focus of thrust generation can be tuned from pushers to pullers. For passive squirmers (colloids), we show that the velocity autocorrelation function agrees quantitatively with the Boussinesq approximation. Single active squirmers show a persistent random-walk behavior, determined by forward motion, lateral diffusion, and orientational fluctuations, in agreement with theoretical predictions. For pairs of squirmers, which are initially swimming in parallel, we find an attraction for pushers and a repulsion for pullers, as expected. The hydrodynamic force between squirmer pairs is calculated as a function of the center-to-center distances d(cm) and is found to be consistent with a logarithmic distance dependence for d(cm) less than about two sphere diameters; here, the force is considerably stronger than expected from the far-field expansion. The dependence of the force strength on the asymmetry of the polar surface velocity is obtained. During the collision process, thermal fluctuations turn out to be very important and to strongly affect the postcollision velocity directions of both squirmers.

Development and Hotfire Testing of Additively Manufactured Copper Combustion Chambers for Liquid Rocket Engine Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gradl, Paul R.; Greene, Sandy; Protz, Chris

2017-01-01

NASA and industry partners are working towards fabrication process development to reduce costs and schedules associated with manufacturing liquid rocket engine components with the goal of reducing overall mission costs. One such technique being evaluated is powder-bed fusion or selective laser melting (SLM), commonly referred to as additive manufacturing (AM). The NASA Low Cost Upper Stage Propulsion (LCUSP) program was designed to develop processes and material characterization for GRCop-84 (a NASA Glenn Research Center-developed copper, chrome, niobium alloy) commensurate with powder bed AM, evaluate bimetallic deposition, and complete testing of a full scale combustion chamber. As part of this development, the process has been transferred to industry partners to enable a long-term supply chain of monolithic copper combustion chambers. To advance the processes further and allow for optimization with multiple materials, NASA is also investigating the feasibility of bimetallic AM chambers. In addition to the LCUSP program, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has completed a series of development programs and hot-fire tests to demonstrate SLM GRCop-84 and other AM techniques. MSFC’s efforts include a 4,000 pounds-force thrust liquid oxygen/methane (LOX/CH4) combustion chamber. Small thrust chambers for 1,200 pounds-force LOX/hydrogen (H2) applications have also been designed and fabricated with SLM GRCop-84. Similar chambers have also completed development with an Inconel 625 jacket bonded to the GRCop-84 material, evaluating direct metal deposition (DMD) laser- and arc-based techniques. The same technologies for these lower thrust applications are being applied to 25,000-35,000 pounds-force main combustion chamber (MCC) designs. This paper describes the design, development, manufacturing and testing of these numerous combustion chambers, and the associated lessons learned throughout their design and development processes.

A simple apparatus for the experimental study of non-steady flow thrust-augmenter ejector configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khare, J. M.; Kentfield, J. A. C.

1979-01-01

A flexible, and easily modified, test rig is described which allows a one dimensional nonsteady flow stream to be generated, economically from a steady flow source of compressed air. This nonsteady flow is used as the primary stream in a nonsteady flow ejector constituting part of the test equipment. Standard piezo-electric pressure transducers etc. allow local pressures to be studied, as functions of time, in both the primary and secondary (mixed) flow portions of the apparatus. Provision is also made for measuring the primary and secondary mass flows and the thrust generated. Sample results obtained with the equipment are presented.

Regional magnetic anomalies, crustal strength, and the location of the northern Cordilleran fold-and-thrust belt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltus, R.W.; Hudson, T.L.

2007-01-01

The northern Cordilleran fold-and-thrust belt in Canada and Alaska is at the boundary between the broad continental margin mobile belt and the stable North American craton. The fold-and-thrust belt is marked by several significant changes in geometry: cratonward extensions in the central Yukon Territory and northeastern Alaska are separated by marginward re-entrants. These geometric features of the Cordilleran mobile belt are controlled by relations between lithospheric strength and compressional tectonic forces developed along the continental margin. Regional magnetic anomalies indicate deep thermal and compositional characteristics that contribute to variations in crustal strength. Our detailed analysis of one such anomaly, the North Slope deep magnetic high, helps to explain the geometry of the fold-and-thrust front in northern Alaska. This large magnetic anomaly is inferred to reflect voluminous mafic magmatism in an old (Devonian?) extensional domain. The presence of massive amounts of malic material in the lower crust implies geochemical depletion of the underlying upper mantle, which serves to strengthen the lithosphere against thermal erosion by upper mantle convection. We infer that deep-source magnetic highs are an important indicator of strong lower crust and upper mantle. This stronger lithosphere forms buttresses that play an important role in the structural development of the northern Cordilleran fold-and-thrust belt. ?? 2007 The Geological Society of America.

Hydrodynamic interactions in metachronal paddling: effects of varying stroke kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samaee, Milad; Kasoju, Vishwa; Lai, Hong Kuan; Santhanakrishnan, Arvind

2017-11-01

Crustaceans such as shrimp and krill use a drag-based technique for propulsion, in which multiple pairs of limbs are paddled rhythmically from the tail to the head. Each limb is phase-shifted in time relative to its neighbor. Most studies of this type of metachronal swimming have focused on the jet formed in the animal's wake. However, synergistic hydrodynamic interactions between adjacent limbs in metachrony have received minimal attention. We used a dynamically scaled robotic model to experimentally investigate how variations in stroke kinematics impact inter-paddle hydrodynamic interactions and thrust generation. Physical models of limbs were fitted to the robot and paddled with two different motion profiles (MPs)-1) MP1: metachronal power stroke (PS) and metachronal recovery stroke (RS); and 2) MP2: metachronal PS and synchronous RS. Stroke frequency and amplitude were maintained constant across both MPs. Our results show that MP2 produced faster jets in the thrust-generating direction as compared to MP1. The necessity for a pause in MP2 after completion of PS by the paddles leading the motion, prior to executing the synchronous RS, aided in further downstream flow propagation. The effect of using asymmetric stroke kinematics on thrust generated will be discussed.

Generation of buckle folds in Naga fold thrust belt, north-east India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, B.; Dietl, C.

2009-04-01

Naga fold thrust belt (NFTB), India, formed as a result of northward migration of the Indian plate initiated in Eocene and its subsequent collision with the Burmese plate during Oligocene. The NW-SE oriented compression generated a spectrum of structures; among them, we intend to focus on the folds- varying from gentle to tight asymmetric in geometry. Large recumbent folds are often associated with thrusting. Buckle folds forming under shallow crustal conditions are frequently reported from NFTB. Buckle folding occurs mainly within sandstones with intercalated shale layers which are in the study area typical for the Barail, Surma and Tipam Groups. We have tried to explain the controlling factors behind the variation of the buckle fold shapes and their varying wavelengths throughout the fold thrust belt with the aid of analogue (sand box) modelling. It is undoubted that competence contrast along with the layer parallel compressive stress are the major influencing factors in generation of buckle folds. Schmalholz and Podladchikov (1999) and Jeng et al. (2002) have shown that when low strain rate and low temperature are applicable, not only the viscosity contrast, but also the elasticity contrast govern the geometry of the developing buckle folds. Rocks deforming under high temperature and high pressure deform in pure viscous manner, whereas, rocks undergoing less confining stress and less temperature, are subjected to pure elastic deformation. However, they are the end members, and most of the deformations are a combination of these two end members, i.e. of viscoelastic nature. Our models are made up of sieved sand (0.5 mm grain size) and mica layers (1-5 mm) This interlayering imparts a mechanical anisotropy in the model. Mica is not a pure viscous material, rather it displays more elastic behaviour. The mica layers in the model produce bedding parallel slip during shortening through internal reorganization of the individual mica crystals leading to the thickening of the layer. The experiments are performed in a low stress and low temperature environment (ambient temperature being room temperature). The models produce a spectrum of fold shapes ranging from tight asymmetric to gentle. The folds generate initially as gentle folds with rounded hinges in the thick incompetent mica layers and box folds in the thin incompetent mica layers. Thrusts develop and grow by intersecting the existing fold limbs. With incremental compression, the folds become tighter. The thin mica layer is more affected by thrusting than the thicker layer. Our models have a clear advantage of using mixed layer models (sand + mica) over that of pure sand models, because mica accommodates the applied stress both by folding and thrusting. The pure sand models fail to reflect the subtle competence contrast and thus the buckle folds though they excellently simulate the upper crustal layer deformation through thrusting. From our experiments we infer that the difference in fold and thrust morphology is governed by the interplay of two main factors; namely: degree of competence contrast and thickness of competent unit. High mechanical anisotropy give rise to box folds with steep straight limbs, horizontal hinge and conjugate axial planes when the competent unit is a thick one; whereas comparatively low mechanical anisotropy generates rounded buckle fold when the competent unit is a thin one. The geometry of the buckle folds in the NFTB are in good agreement with our experimentally produced buckle folds. The competence contrast throughout the belt has been consistent, only minor variations of sand-shale content have been observed. The competence contrast remaining more or less constant throughout the region, the variable thickness of the stratigraphic units plays a significant role in determining the fold shape. The thicker incompetent units give rise to rounded tight folds and the thinner ones to open box shaped folds, both modified by simultaneously or later generated thrusts. This coexistence of folds as well as thrusts developing simultaneously has been well demonstrated with our models. Therefore, our modelling results give insight into the folding process and the occurrence of differing buckle fold geometry across the NFTB. Reference: Jeng F. S., Lin M.L., Lai Y.C., Teng M.H., 2002. Influence of strain rate on buckle folding of an elasto-viscous single layer. Journal of Structural Geology 24, 501-516. Schmalholz S.M., Podladchikov, Y.Y., 1999. Buckling versus folding: importance of viscoelasticity. Geophysical Research Letters 26, 2641-2644.

Wind tunnel test results of a 1/8-scale fan-in-wing model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, John C.; Gentry, Garl L.; Gorton, Susan A.

1996-01-01

A 1/8-scale model of a fan-in-wing concept considered for development by Grumman Aerospace Corporation for the U.S. Army was tested in the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel. Hover testing, which included height above a pressure-instrumented ground plane, angle of pitch, and angle of roll for a range of fan thrust, was conducted in a model preparation area near the tunnel. The air loads and surface pressures on the model were measured for several configurations in the model preparation area and in the tunnel. The major hover configuration change was varying the angles of the vanes attached to the exit of the fans for producing propulsive force. As the model height above the ground was decreased, there was a significant variation of thrust-removed normal force with constant fan speed. The greatest variation was generally for the height-to-fan exit diameter ratio of less than 2.5; the variation was reduced by deflecting fan exit flow outboard with the vanes. In the tunnel angles of pitch and sideslip, height above the tunnel floor, and wind speed were varied for a range of fan thrust and different vane angle configurations. Other configuration features such as flap deflections and tail incidence were evaluated as well. Though the V-tail empennage provided an increase in static longitudinal stability, the total model configuration remained unstable.

Static properties of hydrostatic thrust gas bearings with curved surfaces.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rehsteiner, F. H.; Cannon, R. H., Jr.

1971-01-01

The classical treatment of circular, hydrostatic, orifice-regulated thrust gas bearings, in which perfectly plane bearing plates are assumed, is extended to include axisymmetric, but otherwise arbitrary, plate profiles. Plate curvature has a strong influence on bearing load capability, static stiffness, tilting stiffness, and side force per unit misalignment angle. By a suitable combination of gas inlet impedance and concave plate profile, the static stiffness can be made almost constant over a wide load range, and to remain positive at the closure load. Extensive measurements performed with convex and concave plates agree with theory to within the experimental error throughout and demonstrate the practical feasibility of using curved plates.

Pulsed thermionic converter study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A nuclear electric propulsion concept using a thermionic reactor inductively coupled to a magnetoplasmadynamic accelerator (MPD arc jet) is described, and the results of preliminary analyses are presented. In this system, the MPD thruster operates intermittently at higher voltages and power levels than the thermionic generating unit. A typical thrust pulse from the MPD arc jet is characterized by power levels of 1 to 4 MWe, a duration of 1 msec, and a duty cycle of approximately 20%. The thermionic generating unit operates continuously but with a lower power level of approximately 0.4 MWe. Energy storage between thrust pulses is provided by building up a large current in an inductor using the output of the thermionic converter array. Periodically, the charging current is interrupted, and the energy stored in the magnetic field of the inductor is utilized for a short duration thrust pulse. The results of the preliminary analysis show that a coupling effectiveness of approximately 85 to 90% is feasible for a nominal 400 KWe system with an inductive unit suitable for a flight vehicle.

Metal Nanoshells for Plasmonically Enhanced Solar to Fuel Photocatalytic Conversion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-18

but are still under development. Scheme 2. Strategy for the Synthesis of Tin Oxide-Coated Gold- Silver Nanoshells Publication List: 1. Li, C.-H...DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT A DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED: PB Public Release 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT First thrust: Gold- silver nanoshells...interlayer of ~17 nm generated a rate of hydrogen production 2.6 times higher than that of unmodified ZIS. Second thrust: Tin oxide-coated gold- silver

TMS installation at A-1 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-03

A new thrust measurement system is lifted onto the A-1 Test Stand deck at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in preparation for its installation. The new system is a state-of-the-art upgrade for the testing structure, which is being prepared for testing of next-generation rocket engines. The system was fabricated by Thrust Measurement Systems in Illinois at a cost of about $3.5 million.

The DTIC Review. Hybrid and Electronic Vehicles. Volume 4. Number 1, June 1998.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-01

ARGONNE NATIONAL LAB KIRTLAND AFB, NM IL (U) Constant-Thrust Orbit-Raising Transfer Charts. • (U) Dynamics and Controls in Maglev Systems DESCRIPTIVE...method to levitated ( MAGLEV ) ground transportation systems has generate minimum-fuel trajectories between coplanar important consequences for safety...satellite designers to control systems must be considered if MAGLEV systems assess preliminary fuel requirements for constant-thrust are to be economically

Influence of hydrodynamic thrust bearings on the nonlinear oscillations of high-speed rotors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatzisavvas, Ioannis; Boyaci, Aydin; Koutsovasilis, Panagiotis; Schweizer, Bernhard

2016-10-01

This paper investigates the effect of hydrodynamic thrust bearings on the nonlinear vibrations and the bifurcations occurring in rotor/bearing systems. In order to examine the influence of thrust bearings, run-up simulations may be carried out. To be able to perform such run-up calculations, a computationally efficient thrust bearing model is mandatory. Direct discretization of the Reynolds equation for thrust bearings by means of a Finite Element or Finite Difference approach entails rather large simulation times, since in every time-integration step a discretized model of the Reynolds equation has to be solved simultaneously with the rotor model. Implementation of such a coupled rotor/bearing model may be accomplished by a co-simulation approach. Such an approach prevents, however, a thorough analysis of the rotor/bearing system based on extensive parameter studies. A major point of this work is the derivation of a very time-efficient but rather precise model for transient simulations of rotors with hydrodynamic thrust bearings. The presented model makes use of a global Galerkin approach, where the pressure field is approximated by global trial functions. For the considered problem, an analytical evaluation of the relevant integrals is possible. As a consequence, the system of equations of the discretized bearing model is obtained symbolically. In combination with a proper decomposition of the governing system matrix, a numerically efficient implementation can be achieved. Using run-up simulations with the proposed model, the effect of thrust bearings on the bifurcations points as well as on the amplitudes and frequencies of the subsynchronous rotor oscillations is investigated. Especially, the influence of the magnitude of the axial force, the geometry of the thrust bearing and the oil parameters is examined. It is shown that the thrust bearing exerts a large influence on the nonlinear rotor oscillations, especially to those related with the conical mode of the rotor. A comparison between a full co-simulation approach and a reduced Galerkin implementation is carried out. It is shown that a speed-up of 10-15 times may be obtained with the Galerkin model compared to the co-simulation model under the same accuracy.

Experimental verification of high energy laser-generated impulse for remote laser control of space debris.

PubMed

Lorbeer, Raoul-Amadeus; Zwilich, Michael; Zabic, Miroslav; Scharring, Stefan; Eisert, Lukas; Wilken, Jascha; Schumacher, Dennis; Roth, Markus; Eckel, Hans-Albert

2018-05-31

Walking along a beach one may notice debris being washed ashore from the vast oceans. Then, turning your head up at night you even might noticed a shooting star or a bright spot passing by. Chances are, that you witnessed space debris, endangering future space flight in lower earth orbit. If it was possible to turn cm-sized debris into shooting stars the problem might be averted. Unfortunately, these fragments counting in the 100 thousands are not controllable. To possibly regain control we demonstrate how to exert forces on a free falling debris object from a distance by ablating material with a high energy ns-laser-system. Thrust effects did scale as expected from simulations and led to speed gains above 0.3 m/s per laser pulse in an evacuated micro-gravity environment.

Low Thrust, Deep Throttling, US/CIS Integrated NTRE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culver, Donald W.; Kolganov, Vyacheslav; Rochow, Richard F.

1994-07-01

In 1993 our international team performed a follow-on ``Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine (NTRE) Extended Life Feasibility Assessment'' study for the Nuclear Propulsion Office (NPO) at NASAs Lewis Research Center. The main purpose of this study was to complete the 1992 study matrix to assess NTRE designs at thrust levels of 22.5, 11.3, and 6.8 tonnes, using Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) reactor technology. An additional Aerojet goal was to continue improving the NTRE concept we had generated. Deep throttling, mission performance optimized engine design parametrics, and reliability/cost enhancing engine system simplifications were studied, because they seem to be the last three basic design improvements sorely needed by post-NERVA NTRE. Deep throttling improves engine life by eliminating damaging thermal and mechanical shocks caused by after-cooling with pulsed coolant flow. Alternately, it improves mission performance with steady flow after-cooling by minimizing reactor over-cooling. Deep throttling also provides a practical transition from high pressures and powers of the high thrust power cycle to the low pressures and powers of our electric power generating mode. Two deep throttling designs are discussed; a workable system that was studied and a simplified system that is recommended for future study. Mission-optimized engine thrust/weight (T/W) and Isp predictions are included along with system flow schemes and concept sketches.

Engine Cycle Analysis of Air Breathing Microwave Rocket with Reed Valves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fukunari, Masafumi; Komatsu, Reiji; Yamaguchi, Toshikazu

The Microwave Rocket is a candidate for a low cost launcher system. Pulsed plasma generated by a high power millimeter wave beam drives a blast wave, and a vehicle acquires impulsive thrust by exhausting the blast wave. The thrust generation process of the Microwave Rocket is similar to a pulse detonation engine. In order to enhance the performance of its air refreshment, the air-breathing mechanism using reed valves is under development. Ambient air is taken to the thruster through reed valves. Reed valves are closed while the inside pressure is high enough. After the time when the shock wave exhaustsmore » at the open end, an expansion wave is driven and propagates to the thrust-wall. The reed valve is opened by the negative gauge pressure induced by the expansion wave and its reflection wave. In these processes, the pressure oscillation is important parameter. In this paper, the pressure oscillation in the thruster was calculated by CFD combined with the flux through from reed valves, which is estimated analytically. As a result, the air-breathing performance is evaluated using Partial Filling Rate (PFR), the ratio of thruster length to diameter L/D, and ratio of opening area of reed valves to superficial area {alpha}. An engine cycle and predicted thrust was explained.« less

An Investigation of the Performance of Various Reaction Control Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Paul A.

1959-01-01

An investigation of a small-scale reaction control devices in still air with both subsonic and supersonic internal flows has shown that lateral forces approaching 70 percent of the resultant force of the undeflected jet can be obtained. These results were obtained with a tilted extension at a deflection of 40 deg. The tests of tilted extensions indicated an optimum length-to-diameter ratio of approximately 0.75 to 1.00, dependent upon the deflection angle. For the two geometric types of spoiler tabs tested, blockage-area ratio appears to be the only variable affecting the lateral force developed. Usable values of lateral force were developed by the full-eyelid type of device with reasonably small losses in the thrust and weight flow. Somewhat larger values of lateral force were developed by injecting a secondary flow normal to the primary jet, but for conditions of these tests the losses in thrust and weight flow were large. Relatively good agreement with other investigations was obtained for several of the devices. The agreement of the present results with those of an investigation made with larger-scale equipment indicates that Reynolds number may not be critical for these tests. In as much as the effects of external flow could influence the performance and other factors affecting the choice of a reaction control for a specific use, it would appear desirable to make further tests of the devices described in this report in the presence of external flow.

An analysis of thrust of a realistic solar sail with focus on a flight validation mission in a geocentric orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Bruce A.

Several scientifically important space flight missions have been identified that, at this time, can only be practically achieved using a solar sail propulsion system. These missions take advantage of the potentially continuous force on the sail, provided by solar radiation, to produce significant changes in the spacecraft's velocity, in both magnitude and/or direction, without the need for carrying the enormous amount of fuel that conventional propulsion systems would require to provide the same performance. However, to provide thrust levels that would support these missions requires solar sail areas in the (tens of) thousands of square meter sizes. To realize this, many technical areas must be developed further and demonstrated in space before solar sails will be accepted as a viable space mission propulsion system. One of these areas concerns understanding the propulsion performance of a realistic solar sail well enough for mission planning. Without this understanding, solar sail orbits could not be predicted well enough to meet defined mission requirements, such as rendezvous or station-keeping, and solar sail orbit optimization, such as minimizing flight time, could be close to impossible. In most mission studies, either an "ideal" sail's performance is used for mission planning, or some top-level assumptions of certain nonideal sail characteristics are incorporated to give a slightly better estimate of the sail performance. This paper identifies the major sources of solar sail thrust performance uncertainty, and analyzes the most significant ones to provide a more comprehensive understanding of thrust generation by a "realistic" solar sail. With this understanding, mission planners will be able to more confidently and accurately estimate the capabilities of such a system. The first solar sail mission will likely be a system validation mission, using a relatively small sail in a geocentric (Earth-centered) orbit. The author has been involved in conceptual design of such missions, and through this became aware of the current status in solar sail system development, and the need for a better understanding of the thrust performance of a "realistic" solar sail. Such a validation mission is significantly different than most of the "operational" science missions envisioned to utilize a solar sail propulsion system. These future missions will likely use very large, very light sails in heliocentric orbits far away from major gravity fields like planets, have very long mission lifetimes (years), and will conduct relatively minor and slow orbital and attitude control maneuvers. Nonetheless, most of the capabilities of later systems can be gleaned from a small geocentric validation mission. This paper is a significant step toward understanding the thrust characteristics and performance of a realistic solar sail, and provides insight to the methods by which this understanding can be corroborated by a solar sail validation mission.

Formation of fold-and-thrust belts on Venus by thick-skinned deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuber, M. T.; Parmentier, E. M.

1995-10-01

ON Venus, fold-and-thrust belts—which accommodate large-scale horizontal crustal convergence—are often located at the margins of kilometre-high plateaux1-5. Such mountain belts, typically hundreds of kilometres long and tens to hundreds of kilometres wide, surround the Lakshmi Planum plateau in the Ishtar Terra highland (Fig. 1). In explaining the origin of fold-and-thrust belts, it is important to understand the relative importance of thick-skinned deformation of the whole lithosphere and thin-skinned, large-scale overthrusting of near-surface layers. Previous quantitative analyses of mountain belts on Venus have been restricted to thin-skinned models6-8, but this style of deformation does not account for the pronounced topographic highs at the plateau edge. We propose that the long-wavelength topography of these venusian fold-and-thrust belts is more readily explained by horizontal shortening of a laterally heterogeneous lithosphere. In this thick-skinned model, deformation within the mechanically strong outer layer of Venus controls mountain building. Our results suggest that lateral variations in either the thermal or mechanical structure of the interior provide a mechanism for focusing deformation due to convergent, global-scale forces on Venus.

Parametric study of a simultaneous pitch/yaw thrust vectoring single expansion ramp nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schirmer, Alberto W.; Capone, Francis J.

1989-01-01

In the course of the last eleven years, the concept of thrust vectoring has emerged as a promising method of enhancing aircraft control capabilities in post-stall flight incursions during combat. In order to study the application of simultaneous pitch and yaw vectoring to single expansion ramp nozzles, a static test was conducted in the NASA-Langley 16 foot transonic tunnel. This investigation was based on internal performance data provided by force, mass flow and internal pressure measurements at nozzle pressure ratios up to 8. The internal performance characteristics of the nozzle were studied for several combinations of six different parameters: yaw vectoring angle, pitch vectoring angle, upper ramp cutout, sidewall hinge location, hinge inclination angle and sidewall containment. Results indicated a 2-to- 3-percent decrease in resultant thrust ratio with vectoring in either pitch or yaw. Losses were mostly associated with the turning of supersonic flow. Resultant thrust ratios were also decreased by sideways expansion of the jet. The effects of cutback corners in the upper ramp and lower flap on performance were small. Maximum resultant yaw vector angles, about half of the flap angle, were achieved for the configuration with the most forward hinge location.

Effect of a part-span variable inlet guide vane on the performance of a high-bypass turbofan engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobula, G. A.; Soeder, R. H.; Burkardt, L. A.

1981-01-01

The ability of a part span variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) to modulate the thrust of a high bypass turbofan engine was evaluated at altitude/Mach number conditions of 4572 m/0.6 and 9144 m/0.93. Fan tip, gas generator and supercharger performance were also determined, both on operating lines and during fan duct throttling. The evaluation was repeated with the bypass splitter extended forward to near the fan blade trailing edge. Gross thrust attentuation of over 50 percent was achieved with 50 degree VIGV closure at 100 percent corrected fan speed. Gas generator supercharger performance fell off with VIGV closure, but this loss was reduced when a splitter extension was added. The effect of VIVG closure on gas generator performance was minimal.

Variational differential equations for engineering type trajectories close to a planet with an atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickmanns, E. D.

1972-01-01

The differential equations for the adjoint variables are derived and coded in FORTRAN. The program is written in a form to either take into account or neglect thrust, aerodynamic forces, planet rotation and oblateness, and altitude dependent winds.

Advanced engine study for mixed-mode orbit-transfer vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mellish, J. A.

1978-01-01

Engine design, performance, weight and envelope data were established for three mixed-mode orbit-transfer vehicle engine candidates. Engine concepts evaluated are the tripropellant, dual-expander and plug cluster. Oxygen, RP-1 and hydrogen are the propellants considered for use in these engines. Theoretical performance and propellant properties were established for bipropellant and tripropellant mixes of these propellants. RP-1, hydrogen and oxygen were evaluated as coolants and the maximum attainable chamber pressures were determined for each engine concept within the constraints of the propellant properties and the low cycle thermal fatigue (300 cycles) requirement. The baseline engine design and component operating characteristics are determined at a thrust level of 88,964N (20,000 lbs) and a thrust split of 0.5. The parametric data is generated over ranges of thrust and thrust split of 66.7 to 400kN (15 to 90 klb) and 0.4 to 0.8, respectively.

Design and Analysis of Linear Fault-Tolerant Permanent-Magnet Vernier Machines

PubMed Central

Xu, Liang; Liu, Guohai; Du, Yi; Liu, Hu

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a new linear fault-tolerant permanent-magnet (PM) vernier (LFTPMV) machine, which can offer high thrust by using the magnetic gear effect. Both PMs and windings of the proposed machine are on short mover, while the long stator is only manufactured from iron. Hence, the proposed machine is very suitable for long stroke system applications. The key of this machine is that the magnetizer splits the two movers with modular and complementary structures. Hence, the proposed machine offers improved symmetrical and sinusoidal back electromotive force waveform and reduced detent force. Furthermore, owing to the complementary structure, the proposed machine possesses favorable fault-tolerant capability, namely, independent phases. In particular, differing from the existing fault-tolerant machines, the proposed machine offers fault tolerance without sacrificing thrust density. This is because neither fault-tolerant teeth nor the flux-barriers are adopted. The electromagnetic characteristics of the proposed machine are analyzed using the time-stepping finite-element method, which verifies the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis. PMID:24982959

Finite element analysis of drilling in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phadnis, V. A.; Roy, A.; Silberschmidt, V. V.

2012-08-01

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) laminates are attractive for many applications in the aerospace industry especially as aircraft structural components due to their superior properties. Usually drilling is an important final machining process for components made of composite laminates. In drilling of CFRP, it is an imperative task to determine the maximum critical thrust forces that trigger inter-laminar and intra-laminar damage modes owing to highly anisotropic fibrous media; and negotiate integrity of composite structures. In this paper, a 3D finite element (FE) model of drilling in CFRP composite laminate is developed, which accurately takes into account the dynamic characteristics involved in the process along with the accurate geometrical considerations. A user defined material model is developed to account for accurate though thickness response of composite laminates. The average critical thrust forces and torques obtained using FE analysis, for a set of machining parameters are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results from literature.

Effect of the number of blades and solidity on the performance of a vertical axis wind turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delafin, PL; Nishino, T.; Wang, L.; Kolios, A.

2016-09-01

Two, three and four bladed ϕ-shape Vertical Axis Wind Turbines are simulated using a free-wake vortex model. Two versions of the three and four bladed turbines are considered, one having the same chord length as the two-bladed turbine and the other having the same solidity as the two-bladed turbine. Results of the two-bladed turbine are validated against published experimental data of power coefficient and instantaneous torque. The effect of solidity on the power coefficient is presented and the instantaneous torque, thrust and lateral force of the two-, three- and four-bladed turbines are compared for the same solidity. It is found that increasing the number of blades from two to three significantly reduces the torque, thrust and lateral force ripples. Adding a fourth blade further reduces the ripples except for the torque at low tip speed ratio. This work aims to help choosing the number of blades during the design phase of a vertical axis wind turbine.

CFD study of leakage flows in shroud cavities of a compressor impeller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldatova, K.

2017-08-01

The flow character in a gap between shroud disc of an impeller and a stator surface (shroud cavity) influences disc friction loss, labyrinth seal loss (parasitic losses) and thrust force. Flow calculations inside the shroud cavity of a model of centrifugal compressor stage and its labyrinth seal in a range of flow rates and axial width and radial gap are presented. The results are presented in terms of non-dimensional coefficients of flow, disc friction and seal leakage losses coefficients and pressure coefficient. The distributions meridional and tangential flow velocities correspond to the continuity and equilibrium equations - flow radial circulation exists in wide cavity and is absent in narrow cavities. The radial pressure distributions as measured and calculated are not fully comparable. The possible reason is that CFD-calculated leakage coefficient is less than calculated by A.Stodola formula. The influence of a cavity width on the losses and the thrust force requires a balanced design.

Design and analysis of linear fault-tolerant permanent-magnet vernier machines.

PubMed

Xu, Liang; Ji, Jinghua; Liu, Guohai; Du, Yi; Liu, Hu

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a new linear fault-tolerant permanent-magnet (PM) vernier (LFTPMV) machine, which can offer high thrust by using the magnetic gear effect. Both PMs and windings of the proposed machine are on short mover, while the long stator is only manufactured from iron. Hence, the proposed machine is very suitable for long stroke system applications. The key of this machine is that the magnetizer splits the two movers with modular and complementary structures. Hence, the proposed machine offers improved symmetrical and sinusoidal back electromotive force waveform and reduced detent force. Furthermore, owing to the complementary structure, the proposed machine possesses favorable fault-tolerant capability, namely, independent phases. In particular, differing from the existing fault-tolerant machines, the proposed machine offers fault tolerance without sacrificing thrust density. This is because neither fault-tolerant teeth nor the flux-barriers are adopted. The electromagnetic characteristics of the proposed machine are analyzed using the time-stepping finite-element method, which verifies the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis.

Momentum Flux Measuring Instrument for Neutral and Charged Particle Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chavers, Greg; Chang-Diaz, Franklin; Schafer, Charles F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An instrument to measure the momentum flux (total pressure) of plasma and neutral particle jets onto a surface has been developed. While this instrument was developed for magnetized plasmas, the concept works for non-magnetized plasmas as well. We have measured forces as small as 10(exp -4) Newtons on a surface immersed in the plasma where small forces are due to ionic and neutral particles with kinetic energies on the order of a few eV impacting the surface. This instrument, a force sensor, uses a target plate (surface) that is immersed in the plasma and connected to one end of an alumina rod while the opposite end of the alumina rod is mechanically connected to a titanium beam on which four strain gauges are mounted. The force on the target generates torque causing strain in the beam. The resulting strain measurements can be correlated to a force on the target plate. The alumina rod electrically and thermally isolates the target plate from the strain gauge beam and allows the strain gauges to be located out of the plasma flow while also serving as a moment arm of several inches to increase the strain in the beam at the strain gauge location. These force measurements correspond directly to momentum flux and may be used with known plasma conditions to place boundaries on the kinetic energies of the plasma and neutral particles. The force measurements may also be used to infer thrust produced by a plasma propulsive device. Stainless steel, titanium, molybdenum, and aluminum flat target plates have been used. Momentum flux measurements of H2, D2, He, and Ar plasmas produced in a magnetized plasma device have been performed.

A hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine coolant passage design program (RECOP) for fluid-cooled thrust chambers and nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomsik, Thomas M.

1994-01-01

The design of coolant passages in regeneratively cooled thrust chambers is critical to the operation and safety of a rocket engine system. Designing a coolant passage is a complex thermal and hydraulic problem requiring an accurate understanding of the heat transfer between the combustion gas and the coolant. Every major rocket engine company has invested in the development of thrust chamber computer design and analysis tools; two examples are Rocketdyne's REGEN code and Aerojet's ELES program. In an effort to augment current design capabilities for government and industry, the NASA Lewis Research Center is developing a computer model to design coolant passages for advanced regeneratively cooled thrust chambers. The RECOP code incorporates state-of-the-art correlations, numerical techniques and design methods, certainly minimum requirements for generating optimum designs of future space chemical engines. A preliminary version of the RECOP model was recently completed and code validation work is in progress. This paper introduces major features of RECOP and compares the analysis to design points for the first test case engine; the Pratt & Whitney RL10A-3-3A thrust chamber.

A simple dynamic engine model for use in a real-time aircraft simulation with thrust vectoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Steven A.

1990-01-01

A simple dynamic engine model was developed at the NASA Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility, for use in thrust vectoring control law development and real-time aircraft simulation. The simple dynamic engine model of the F404-GE-400 engine (General Electric, Lynn, Massachusetts) operates within the aircraft simulator. It was developed using tabular data generated from a complete nonlinear dynamic engine model supplied by the manufacturer. Engine dynamics were simulated using a throttle rate limiter and low-pass filter. Included is a description of a method to account for axial thrust loss resulting from thrust vectoring. In addition, the development of the simple dynamic engine model and its incorporation into the F-18 high alpha research vehicle (HARV) thrust vectoring simulation. The simple dynamic engine model was evaluated at Mach 0.2, 35,000 ft altitude and at Mach 0.7, 35,000 ft altitude. The simple dynamic engine model is within 3 percent of the steady state response, and within 25 percent of the transient response of the complete nonlinear dynamic engine model.

Engine performance analysis and optimization of a dual-mode scramjet with varied inlet conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Lu; Chen, Li-Hong; Chen, Qiang; Zhong, Feng-Quan; Chang, Xin-Yu

2016-02-01

A dual-mode scramjet can operate in a wide range of flight conditions. Higher thrust can be generated by adopting suitable combustion modes. Based on the net thrust, an analysis and preliminary optimal design of a kerosene-fueled parameterized dual-mode scramjet at a crucial flight Mach number of 6 were investigated by using a modified quasi-one-dimensional method and simulated annealing strategy. Engine structure and heat release distributions, affecting the engine thrust, were chosen as analytical parameters for varied inlet conditions (isolator entrance Mach number: 1.5-3.5). Results show that different optimal heat release distributions and structural conditions can be obtained at five different inlet conditions. The highest net thrust of the parameterized dual-mode engine can be achieved by a subsonic combustion mode at an isolator entrance Mach number of 2.5. Additionally, the effects of heat release and scramjet structure on net thrust have been discussed. The present results and the developed analytical method can provide guidance for the design and optimization of high-performance dual-mode scramjets.

The hydrodynamic principle for the caudal fin shape of small aquatic animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jeongsu; Park, Yong-Jai; Cho, Kyu-Jin; Kim, Ho-Young

2014-11-01

The shape of caudal fins of small aquatic animals is completely different from that of large cruising animals like dolphin and tuna which have high aspect-ratio lunate tail. To unveil the physical principle behind natural selection of caudal fins of small aquatic animals, here we investigate the hydrodynamics of an angularly reciprocating plate as a model for the caudal fin oscillation. We find that the thrust production of a reciprocating plate at high Strouhal numbers is dominated by generation of two distinct vortical structures associated with the acceleration and deceleration of the plate regardless of their shape. Based on our observations, we construct a scaling law to predict the thrust of the flapping plate, which agrees well with the experimental data. We then seek the optimal aspect ratio to maximize thrust and efficiency of a flapping plate for fixed flapping frequency and amplitude. Thrust is maximized for the aspect ratio of approximately 0.7. We also theoretically explain the power law behaviors of the thrust and efficiency as a function of the aspect ratio.

Pressure and Thrust Measurements of a High-Frequency Pulsed-Detonation Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Namtran C.; Cutler, Andrew D.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the development of a small-scale, high-frequency pulsed detonation actuator. The device utilized a fuel mixture of H2 and air, which was injected into the device at frequencies of up to 1200 Hz. Pulsed detonations were demonstrated in an 8-inch long combustion volume, at approx.600 Hz, for the lambda/4 mode. The primary objective of this experiment was to measure the generated thrust. A mean value of thrust was measured up to 6.0 lb, corresponding to specific impulse of 2611 s. This value is comparable to other H2-fueled pulsed detonation engines (PDEs) experiments. The injection and detonation frequency for this new experimental case was approx.600 Hz, and was much higher than typical PDEs, where frequencies are usually less than 100 Hz. The compact size of the model and high frequency of detonation yields a thrust-per-unit-volume of approximately 2.0 lb/cu in, and compares favorably with other experiments, which typically have thrust-per-unit-volume values of approximately 0.01 lb/cu in.

Large-Scale Crustal-Block-Extrusion During Late Alpine Collision.

PubMed

Herwegh, Marco; Berger, Alfons; Baumberger, Roland; Wehrens, Philip; Kissling, Edi

2017-03-24

The crustal-scale geometry of the European Alps has been explained by a classical subduction-scenario comprising thrust-and-fold-related compressional wedge tectonics and isostatic rebound. However, massive blocks of crystalline basement (External Crystalline Massifs) vertically disrupt the upper-crustal wedge. In the case of the Aar massif, top basement vertically rises for >12 km and peak metamorphic temperatures increase along an orogen-perpendicular direction from 250 °C-450 °C over horizontal distances of only <15 km (Innertkirchen-Grimselpass), suggesting exhumation of midcrustal rocks with increasing uplift component along steep vertical shear zones. Here we demonstrate that delamination of European lower crust during lithosphere mantle rollback migrates northward in time. Simultaneously, the Aar massif as giant upper crustal block extrudes by buoyancy forces, while substantial volumes of lower crust accumulate underneath. Buoyancy-driven deformation generates dense networks of steep reverse faults as major structures interconnected by secondary branches with normal fault component, dissecting the entire crust up to the surface. Owing to rollback fading, the component of vertical motion reduces and is replaced by a late stage of orogenic compression as manifest by north-directed thrusting. Buoyancy-driven vertical tectonics and modest late shortening, combined with surface erosion, result in typical topographic and metamorphic gradients, which might represent general indicators for final stages of continent-continent collisions.

Laboratory Simulation of the Effect of Rocket Thrust on a Precessing Space Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvarez, Oscar; Bausley, Henry; Cohen, Sam; Falcon-Martin, Miguel; Furumoto, Gary (Editor); Horio, Asikin; Levitt, David; Walsh, Amy

1990-01-01

Ground tests of solid propellant rocket motors have shown that metal-containing propellants produce various amounts of slag (primarily aluminum oxide) which is trapped in the motor case, causing a loss of specific impulse. Although not yet definitely established, the presence of a liquid pool of slag also may contribute to nutational instabilities that have been observed with certain spin-stabilized, upper-stage vehicles. Because of the rocket's axial acceleration, absent in the ground tests, estimates of in-flight slag mass have been very uncertain. Yet such estimates are needed to determine the magnitude of the control authority of the systems required for eliminating the instability. A test rig with an eccentrically mounted hemispherical bowl was designed and built which incorporates a follower force that properly aligns the thrust vector along the axis of spin. A program that computes the motion of a point mass in the spinning and precessing bowl was written. Using various RPMs, friction factors, and initial starting conditions, plots were generated showing the trace of the point mass around the inside of the fuel tank. The apparatus will incorporate future design features such as a variable nutation angle and a film height measuring instrument. Data obtained on the nutational instability characteristics will be used to determine order of magnitude estimates of control authority needed to minimize the sloshing effect.

Analysis of an arched outer-race ball bearing considering centrifugal forces.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamrock, B. J.; Anderson, W. J.

1972-01-01

Thrust-load analysis of a 150-mm angular contact ball bearing, taking into account centrifugal forces but omitting gyroscopics, elastohydrodynamics, and thermal effects. A Newton-Raphson method of iteration is used to evaluate the radial and axial projection of the distance between the ball center and the outer raceway groove curvature center. Fatigue life of the bearing is evaluated. Results for life, contact loads, and angles are given for a conventional bearing and two arched bearings.

Finite Element Simulations of Micro Turning of Ti-6Al-4V using PCD and Coated Carbide tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagadesh, Thangavel; Samuel, G. L.

2017-02-01

The demand for manufacturing axi-symmetric Ti-6Al-4V implants is increasing in biomedical applications and it involves micro turning process. To understand the micro turning process, in this work, a 3D finite element model has been developed for predicting the tool chip interface temperature, cutting, thrust and axial forces. Strain gradient effect has been included in the Johnson-Cook material model to represent the flow stress of the work material. To verify the simulation results, experiments have been conducted at four different feed rates and at three different cutting speeds. Since titanium alloy has low Young's modulus, spring back effect is predominant for higher edge radius coated carbide tool which leads to the increase in the forces. Whereas, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tool has smaller edge radius that leads to lesser forces and decrease in tool chip interface temperature due to high thermal conductivity. Tool chip interface temperature increases by increasing the cutting speed, however the increase is less for PCD tool as compared to the coated carbide tool. When uncut chip thickness decreases, there is an increase in specific cutting energy due to material strengthening effects. Surface roughness is higher for coated carbide tool due to ploughing effect when compared with PCD tool. The average prediction error of finite element model for cutting and thrust forces are 11.45 and 14.87 % respectively.

TMS delivered for A-3 Test Stand

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-17

A state-of-the-art thrust measurement system for the A-3 Test Stand under construction at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center was delivered March 17. Once completed, the A-3 stand (seen in background) will allow simulated high-altitude testing on the next generation of rocket engines for America's space program. Work on the stand began in 2007, with activation scheduled for 2012. The stand is the first major test structure to be built at Stennis since the 1960s. The recently delivered TMS was fabricated by Thrust Measurement Systems in Illinois. It is an advanced calibration system capable of measuring vertical and horizontal thrust loads with an accuracy within 0.15 percent at 225,000 pounds.

Direct measurement of the impulse in a magnetic thrust chamber system for laser fusion rocket

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeno, Akihiro; Yamamoto, Naoji; Nakashima, Hideki

2011-08-15

An experiment is conducted to measure an impulse for demonstrating a magnetic thrust chamber system for laser fusion rocket. The impulse is produced by the interaction between plasma and magnetic field. In the experiment, the system consists of plasma and neodymium permanent magnets. The plasma is created by a single-beam laser aiming at a polystyrene spherical target. The impulse is 1.5 to 2.2 {mu}Ns by means of a pendulum thrust stand, when the laser energy is 0.7 J. Without magnetic field, the measured impulse is found to be zero. These results indicate that the system for generating impulse is working.