Aerospace Engineering Commons^™

Analysis Of Access-To-Space Missions Utilizing On-Board Energy Management And Entropic Analysis, Tyler Winter

Masters Theses

"The overall objective of this study is the thermodynamically consistent quantification of second-law and performance losses for vehicle configurations implemented or suggested for access-to-space missions and the development of the relationships between the mission entropy generation and overall mission performance. The detailed theory which allows thermodynamically rigorous loss accounting (entropy generation and direct relationship to vehicle performance) is developed and discussed for aerospace vehicles. A full vehicle trajectory code utilizing simplified models for multi-stage rockets and air-breathing propulsion systems is developed and validated specifically for use as a testbed for second law-based theory and concepts. Results are shown in which …

Manufacturing Of Glass Ribbon Reinforced Transparent Composites Using The Autoclave Process, Josef Patrick Seale

Masters Theses

"Clear transparent panels have many applications ranging from windows on an aircraft to protective safety guards on industrial equipment. Glass ribbon reinforced transparent composites are light weight, load bearing and have a high impact resistance.

A transparent composite is based on the concept of matching the refractive index of the glass ribbon with that of a resin system. It is not necessary that the resin refractive index match the glass refractive index before the cure cycle, only that the refractive indexes match after curing.

Transparent composites have a high impact resistance that would be mechanically ideal for aircraft windows and …

Low-Thrust Control Of A Lunar Orbiter, Nathan Harl

Masters Theses

"This thesis presents a method for maintaining a long-term lunar Sun-synchronous orbit using continuous low-thrust hardware. The control method is developed using optimal control theory, which involves controlling a system through the minimization of a desired cost function"--Abstract, page iii.

Refrigerant-Based Propulsion System For Small Spacecraft, Carl Reiner Seubert

Masters Theses

"The MR SAT spacecraft under development at UMR requires a propulsion system that can be utilized to perform orbital maneuvers and three-axis attitude control to complete its mission objective of conducting spacecraft formation flight. This thesis documents the research, analysis design and development of the cold gas propulsion system that was integrated on the MR SAT spacecraft"--Abstract, page iii.

Computational Study Of Flow Over Elliptic Airfoils For Rotor/Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Applications, Timothy William Assel

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this study will be to conduct a parametric investigation on the performance of elliptic airfoils for Rotor/Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The objective of this study is to conduct a two-dimensional, aerodynamic analysis on a various elliptic airfoil parameters, compare the reults of the analysis with theoretical predictions and experimental results, and evaluate handling and performance characteristics of Rotor/Wing UAVs during hover, transition, and forward flight"--Abstract, page iii.

Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation In A Scramjet Using A Post Combustor Generator, Nathan Lee Mundis

Masters Theses

"A scramjet with a post combustor MHD generator is examined. A quasi-one-dimensional model is developed to calculate the flow path from tip to tail. The model includes losses due to combustion irreversibility, incomplete combustion, chemically reacting flow, friction, MHD losses, and nozzle plume modeling. Flight Mach number, magnetic field strength, gas conductivity, MHD load factor, and MHD generator expansion angle are all varied in order to assess their effects on MHD power generated and thrust lost in the engine. The trends produced through the above variations are summarized in a set of model-fit equations. It is concluded that a post …

A Guide To The Establishment Of A University Satellite Program, Abbie Marie Stewart

Masters Theses

"The UMR SAT team was formed at the University of Missouri-Rolla to design and build microsatellites. The team competed against ten other universities in the Nanosat 4 competition hosted by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. This document, written by the Chief Engineer, is a description of the process used by the UMR SAT team to develop a successful satellite program. Included in the document are methods based on systems engineering for developing a mission, a discussion of team organization and recruitment, and lessons learned during …

Configuration, Manufacture, Assembly, And Integration Of A University Microsatellite, Lori Ann Ziegler

Masters Theses

"The Space Systems Engineering Team at the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR), in conjunction with a number of Air Force, NASA, and industry mentors, is working toward the design, development, and launch of its first satellite, UMR SAT (University of Missouri-Rolla Satellite). This thesis documents the design of the UMR SAT satellites, specifically focusing attention on the layout of all components, component boxes designed for containment and protection from electromagnetic interference and the attachment of components inside the boxes and the boxes to the structure. This thesis also discusses the development of UMR SAT with challenges faced in manufacturing and prototyping …

Investigation Of Knock In Gaseous Fuels In The Presence Of Diluents, Roshan Ashok Rodrigues

Masters Theses

Recent energy security and environmental concerns have prompted growing interest into utilization of alternative fuels such as, natural gas and landfill gas. These gaseous fuels contain significant amount of diluents in the fuel composition, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapor and other trace gases, which vary by geographical location. Successful engine operation is limited by a phenomenon called "knock", which occurs due to auto-ignition of the end gas ahead of the flame front, and therefore, needs to be investigated with the utilization of these gaseous fuels.

The present contribution discusses the experimental set-up, procedure and results of the investigation …

Selection Of Attractor Sounds For An Audio-Based Navigation System For The Visually Impaired, Brad Salisbury

Masters Theses

Research in to human hearing has been very ‘laboratory’ oriented in the sense that the test environments do not replicate most ‘real world’ situations [J.C. Middlebrooks and D.M. Green, Ann. Rev. of Psychology, 42, 135-159 (1991)]. While very useful information is gained from these types of tests, it is difficult to see how ‘real world’ situations affect sound source localization, recognition, and navigation (walking/way finding) performance. Such information is especially important to people who are visually impaired and dependent on prior knowledge of the environment or audio cues for travel. The research reported here was conducted during the development of …

Subcooled Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Using R113 On Flat Surface, Kamleshkumar J. Suthar

Masters Theses

Pool boiling experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of subcooling on boiling of R-113 using 25mm effective dia. flat surface copper heater. Pool boiling heat transfer measurements were taken for wide temperature range of 5 - 39^o C subcooling and investigated thoroughly. Variation in value of wall superheat of incipience boiling, from 27 to 34^o C and 7 to 11^o C temperature excursion observed. Noticeable effect of subcooling on boiling heat transfer is observed. Degree of subcooling was maintained constant by regulating pressure and keeping constant fluid temperature for each test run. Tests were conducted by …

Using The Boundary Element Method For Prediction Of Sound Radiated From An Arbitrarily Shaped Vibrating Body, Mark J. Christensen

Masters Theses

The Boundary Element Method can be used to predict sound pressure levels radiated from an arbitrarily shaped vibrating body. Using the Direct, Indirect and Approximation formulation one can solve such an ‘exterior’ acoustic problem. In this work, the Direct formulation was chosen. The two major methods employed for implementation of this formulation are the Combined Helmholtz Integral Equation Formulation (CHIEF) and the Burton–Miller Method. Since the CHIEF method was easier to program and adapt to changes, it was decided that the CHIEF method would be the focus of this research. Using the CHIEF method as a guide, a computer simulation …

Development Of An Integrated Sensor For The Measurement Of The Acoustic Local Volume Displacement Of Vibrating Beams, Randall Rozema

Masters Theses

Currently, the methods used for sensing the volume displacement of a vibrating structure entail the use of a polyvinylidene fluoride sensor that spans the entire length of the structure. However, this work shows that the surface behavior related to volume displacement can be measured through the use of a polyvinylidene fluoride sensor that spans only the area of interest. In this application it was shown that two-point sensors are required in addition to the distributed, polyvinylidene fluoride sensor to achieve an accurate measurement. As a result, a set of four beams with different end conditions were constructed so that the …

The Hygrothermal Response And Physical Aging Of Polymer Matrix Textile Composites, Natalie L. Dixon

Masters Theses

"Woven graphite/epoxy composite laminate is one type of composite currently being investigated for use in aircraft engine components. However, polymers tend to become brittle with age, especially when exposed to elevated temperature. It is necessary to understand the physical changes in a material during the aging process in order to predict the long-term behavior.

In addition to aging, materials used in aircraft will be exposed to a wide variety of temperatures and relative humidity levels. Variations in temperature and moisture content affect both the physical and the mechanical properties of composites.

Experimental methods are described for hygrothermal testing of a …

Experimental Investigation Of Water Spray Cooling Characteristics Of A Solid Heated Surface, Rainer F. Ponzel

Masters Theses

Water spray cooling characteristics of a solid heated surface were investigated to better understand the physical phenomenon of nucleate boiling heat transfer for full cone sprays. An experimental test loop was developed to conduct the spray cooling experiments. A uniform heat flux condition was assumed, and the liquid flow rate and nozzle orifice diameter were selected as the main variables. Two water temperatures were chosen to perform the study. Saturated water spray was utilized to measure the wall superheat temperature. Subcooled water spray was applied to investigate the effect of water spray in the single-phase regime.

Experiments conducted using the …

Flow Due To A Moving Pressure Distribution Over Free-Surface With Finite-Depth Bottom, Noriaki Okita

Masters Theses

Two-dimensional, steady-state and time-dependent analysis of wave making phenomenon due to a moving pressure distribution in sub-critical Froude number was performed. The domain is consisted of undisturbed free-surface at y=0, flat bottom at y=-h, and it is unbounded in horizontal direction. The pressure distribution was treated as an ideal model of an air-cushioned-vehicle (ACV). Ideal flow theory and linearized boundary conditions were used. Numerical integration algorithm was developed to evaluate the analytical solution. The surface elevation, bottom pressure profiles, and wave resistance were analyzed as functions of speed and depth.

The steady-state wave resistance calculated from the surface elevation profile …

Dynamic Pulse Buckling Of Columns With Viscous Damping, Murli Kadandale

Masters Theses

This is a study of dynamic pulse buckling of columns with viscous damping. The differential equations of motion were obtained using the Bemoulli-Navier hypothesis. The effects of axial and rotary inertia were included in the analysis. The Voigt-Kelvin model for a viscoelastic material is used. The Finite Difference Method was employed to solve the differential equations of motion. First columns without geometrical imperfections were studied, and a correlation between the damping modulus and the more familiar damping ratio was obtained. Then beams with initial geometrical imperfection were studied. A suitable dynamic buckling criterion was defined. It was observed that viscous …

An Investigation And Improvement Of Electrorheological (Er) Fluid Technology, Adil F. Dalal

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate and overcome the limitations of Electrorheological (ER) fluids and to introduce this advanced technology at WMU. Electrorheological (ER) Fluids are a special class of fluids, which exhibit a reversible, infinitely variable phase transition from a liquid to a solid/semi-plastic state, in the presence of an electric field.

ER fluids can provide a unique solution to the problems of vibration isolation of systems. The applications are currently limited due to the high voltage requirements, electric power related heating and limited research into wear/abrasive characteristics of ER fluids.

A specially designed and constructed "electro-viscosimeter" …

Primary Coolant Flow Characteristics As It Exits The Palisades Reactor, Gregory Alan Baustian

Masters Theses

During fuel cycles 9 and 10 at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, new phenomena have been observed using the resistance temperature devices installed in the reactor coolant piping. Oscillations in the temperature readings have been observed leading to the assumptions that there is temperature stratification of the coolant in the reactor hot-legs and that the coolant rotates as it leaves the reactor. In addition, oscillations in the bulk coolant flow within the two hot legs have been postulated. This report outlines work performed using computational fluid dynamics modelling which predict the observed and assumed flow characteristics of the Palisades reactor …

Analysis Of Sandwich Plates Subjected To Blast Loading, Vijay Prasad Bulla

Masters Theses

A dynamic analysis is presented for the bending response of square sandwich plates with isotropic core and facings under blast type pressure. The maximum central deflections of simply supported plates under static and dynamic loadings are compared for various thicknesses and elastic moduli. The deviation of the thick sandwich plate results from the pure-bending theory results is presented for various core properties. Small deflection dynamic iso-response plots are shown for different core rigidities. To study the limits of small deformation linearity for various sandwich plates, non-linear results for deformations under high pressure loads are compared with the linear results. The …

Aerodynamics Of Closely Coupled Wings For Varying Chords And Airfoil Planforms, Gary D. Vincent

Masters Theses

"Aerodynamic characteristics of a dual wing aircraft were analyzed with variations in airfoil sections and chord ratios over existing equal chard ratio dual wing and monoplane aircraft designs. Two- and three-dimensional aerodynamic studies were conducted to find the wing geometry which would create the minimum cruise drag. The two-dimensional aerodynamic data was obtained from a multi-element inviscid vortex panel program coupled to a momentum integral boundary layer program to account for the aerodynamic coupling between the wings. With this data, a three-dimensional vortex lattice program calculated the three-dimensional aerodynamic data. compared to an equal chard ratio dual wing aircraft, lower …

Aerodynamic Study Of Dual Lifting Surfaces, Kamran Rokhsaz

Masters Theses

"Aerodynamic characteristics of two-dimensional dual airfoil systems have been investigated in an incompressible flow field in the area where improved aerodynamic characteristics are realized, due to the flow field coupling of the two airfoils. A simple analytic model has been developed to demonstrate some of the basic coupling effects in such systems. Laplace's differential equation for the stream-function has been solved numerically to determine the potential flow about dual airfoil geometries of different gap, stagger, and decalage. Two numerical methods have been employed; a finite-difference approach in Cartesian coordinates, for which the mixed boundary conditions have been transformed to the …

Experimental Investigation Of Supporting Wire Interference Effects In The Supersonic Near Wakes Of Slender Bodies., Dale M. Pitt

Masters Theses

"It is generally recognized that the presence of a model support sting i s likely to affect the model's base pressure and wake characteristics. The use of a wire-supported model is usually relied upon to obtain minimum disturbance measurements in the model's wake. Investigations into the disturbances caused by different size supporting wires have been conducted with the use of a 16-degree wedge and cone. The tests were conducted in the University of Missouri-Rolla axisymmetric supersonic wind tunnel at Mach 3.15, and at a Reynolds number of 2.14 X 10⁶ per inch. Pitot pressure traverses were made in the …

A Study Of The Potential Performance Improvements Available From The Ga(W)-1 Airfoil As Compared To The Naca 2412 Airfoil., Robert Keith Rice

Masters Theses

"A direct comparison of the current NACA 2412 section general aviation airfoil and the recently developed GA(W)-1 airfoil was conducted in the University of Missouri - Rolla's subsonic wind tunnel. Finite aspect ratio performance of both airfoils equipped with 30 percent chord flaps was studied to predict possible performance gains for general aviation aircraft available from the GA(W)-1 section.

Results show that the NACA 2412 airfoil with a standard slotted type flap gives a maximum lift coefficient of 1.88 with the flap deflected 30 degrees and a test Reynolds number of 4.Sxl0 5 based on wing chord. The GA(W)-1 section …

A Parametric Investigation Of The Validity Of 1/25 Scale Automobile Aerodynamic Testing., Marvin Eugene Doberenz

Masters Theses

"Wind tunnel tests have been performed measuring the aerodynamic forces and underbody boundary layer profiles for 1/25 scale models. The trends of the force coefficients with Reynolds number, the underbody boundary layer profiles, and the influence of the ground plane boundary layer on the force coefficients of small-scale models has been shown to be similar with previous results from larger models. This study has shown the usefulness of small-scale models for parametric studies of automobile aerodynamics. The agreement of the data with previous results, also supports the possih1lity o f a method of correction for boundary layer growth on fixed …

Experimental Determination Of Improved Aerodynamic Characteristics Utilizing Biplane Wing Configurations, Elmer Carl Olson

Masters Theses

"Improving the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane with respect to a higher lift coefficient, a lower drag coefficient and a higher lift over drag ratio as a function of angle of attack will make it more efficient, thus conserving energy or improving performance. Investigations were carried out to determine if the aerodynamic characteristics of biplane wing systems could be made more efficient, for low subsonic speeds, than a monoplane of comparable area and aspect ratio. A variable position three-dimensional biplane wing system, and a fuselage that could be fitted with a monoplane wing or the variable position biplane wing system …

Parametric Resonance Of A Beam Subjected To A Sawtooth, Axial Force, Alfred George Richardson

Masters Theses

"This study considers the response of a perfectly elastic straight beam subjected to a periodic, non-harmonic, axial load. A two-mode solution is sought and the effects of axial inertia are included in the analysis. General equations of motion for the beam are developed and their stability is studied with the aid of an analog computer. Results are presented in graphical form. Regions of instability are defined for both modes. A region of combination resonance is also found to occur for the case of a two-mode solution with axial inertia. Typical response curves are presented and the effects of axial inertia …

An Optical Detector Of Water Droplets Within A Thermal Diffusion Chamber, Duane Burton Bush

Masters Theses

"A technique is investigated for counting water droplets formed in a vertical plate steady flow thermal diffusion chamber designed to count cloud condensation nuclei. The counting technique utilizes light scattering. The light source is a He-Ne laser. The detector is a photomultiplier tube. The technique differs from that used in instruments manufactured by Bausch and Lomb, Royco, Climet, etc., in that the aerosol is not passed through a capillary tube. Instead, the viewed volume is optically defined.

It was found that in the configuration tested, the viewed volume is not well enough defined for use with polydisperse aerosols, although the …

Design And Preliminary Testing Of A Rotary Internal Combustion Engine, Frank Darrell Statkus

Masters Theses

"With the advent of legislation against pollution, and rising wage, manufacturing, and materials costs, the prime mover industry is presently intent on developing new economical, non-polluting methods of power. It was the hope of the author that the engine described herein would provide an advancement towards meeting the new requirements. The design and resulting prototype is an eight cylinder rotary internal combustion engine, weighing approximately sixty pounds, and operating on the tour stroke principle. Theoretical calculations were made to determine ideal horsepower, mean effective pressure, and efficiency. Ideal horsepower ranged from 38.7 to 62.8. A dynamic analysis of the pistons …

Experimental Studies Of Supporting Wire Disturbances In The Near Viscous Wakes Of Slender Supersonic Bodies, Kenneth Anthony Mirly

Masters Theses

"Wires have often been used as a means of mechanically supporting a model so that its wake will be relatively free of support interference. Such support systems have many advantages over stings and are less costly than magnetic suspension systems. Investigations into the disturbances caused by these supporting wires have been carried out with the use of a two-dimensional flat plate and a wire supported slender cone. The tests were conducted in the University of Missouri-Rolla axisymmetric, supersonic wind tunnel at Mach 3.15, and at a Reynolds number of 2.14 X 10⁶ per inch. Schlieren photography, pitot and static pressure …