Ongoing research in NASA Glenn Research Center s Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch to develop smart materials technologies for adaptive aeropropulsion components has resulted in the design of a prototype variable-area exhaust nozzle (see the preceding photograph). The novel design exploits the potential of smart materials to improve the performance of existing fixed-area exhaust nozzles by introducing new capabilities for adaptive shape control, vibration damping, and flow manipulation....
Topics: NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS), ACTUATORS, EXHAUST NOZZLES, PROTOTYPES, SHAPE CONTROL,...

A magnetorheological device comprising a housing having a divider within the housing is disclosed and claimed. A rotary impeller having two paddles is rotatably mounted within the housing. The rotary impeller sealingly engages the divider and the paddles in combination with the divider forms a first chamber and a second chamber. Magnetorheological fluid resides in the chambers and a passageway interconnects the first and second chambers. A coil surrounds a portion of the passageway such that...
Topics: NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS), MECHANICAL DEVICES, DAMPERS, MAGNETIC MATERIALS, SEALS...

An approach for synthesizing buckling results and behavior for thin, balanced and unbalanced symmetric laminates that are subjected to uniform heating or cooling and which are fully-restrained against thermal expansion or contraction is presented. This approach uses a nondimensional analysis for infinitely long, flexurally anisotropic plates that are subjected to combined mechanical loads and is based on useful nondimensional parameters. In addition, stiffness-weighted laminate...
Topics: SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, ILLUMINATORS, CONDENSED...

InSPACE is a microgravity fluid physics experiment that was operated on the International Space Station (ISS) in the Microgravity Science Glovebox from late March 2003 through early July 2003. (InSPACE is an acronym for Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates From Colloidal Emulsions.) The purpose of the experiment is to obtain fundamental data of the complex properties of an exciting class of smart materials termed magnetorheological (MR) fluids. MR fluids are suspensions, or...
Topics: NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS), MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS, MICROGRAVITY, SMART MATERIALS,...

Particle dynamics of magnetorheological fluids (fluids that change properties in response to magnetic fields) are studied to help understand adaptable new fluids for use in such applications as brake systems and robotics.
Topics: NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS), MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS, MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS,...

The Light Microscopy Module (LMM) is a state-of-the-art space station payload to provide investigations in the fields of fluids, condensed matter physics, and biological sciences. The LMM hardware will reside inside the Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR), a multi-user facility class payload that will provide fundamental services for the LMM and future payloads. LMM and FIR will be launched in 2005 and both will reside in the Destiny module of the International Space Station (ISS). There are five...
Topics: NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS), SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, LIGHT (VISIBLE RADIATION), OPTICAL...