scholarly journals Aerodynamic Analysis of a Manned Space Vehicle for Missions to Mars

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Pezzella ◽  
Antonio Viviani

The paper deals with the aerodynamic analysis of a manned braking system entering the Mars atmosphere with the aim to support planetary entry system design studies. The exploration vehicle is an axisymmetric blunt body close to the Apollo capsule. Several fully three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analyses have been performed to address the capsule aerodynamic performance. To this end, a wide range of flow conditions including reacting and nonreacting flow, different angles of attack, and Mach numbers have been investigated and compared. Moreover, nonequilibrium effects on the flow field around the entry vehicle have also been investigated. Results show that real-gas effects, for all the angles of attack considered, increase both the aerodynamic drag and pitching moment whereas the lift is only slighted affected. Finally, results comparisons highlight that experimental and CFD aerodynamic findings available for the Apollo capsule in air adequately represent the static coefficients of the capsule in the Mars atmosphere.

Author(s):  
Eric B. Weston ◽  
Alexander Aurand ◽  
Jonathan S. Dufour ◽  
Gregory G. Knapik ◽  
William S. Marras

Background: In an attempt to reduce heavy lifting exposures, the manual materials handling burden has shifted towards pushing and pulling. Pushing and pulling may pose a biomechanical risk due to excessive loads placed onto the lumbar spine, particularly in anterior/posterior (A/P) shear (Knapik and Marras 2009). The only risk limits available in the scientific literature for pushing and pulling were psychophysically-determined, relying on the assumption that subjective perception of an individual’s maximum acceptable external forces corresponds to biomechanical tolerance (Snook and Ciriello 1991). However, individuals are unlikely able to sense biomechanical loading on critical tissues in the spine due to the lack of nociceptors in the intervertebral disc (Adams et al. 1996). As such, the objective of this study was to create a set of biomechanically-determined risk limits for occupational pushing and pulling that are protective of the low back. Methods: Sixty-two subjects (31 male, 31 female) performed occupational pushing and pulling tasks in a laboratory. Subjects performed three types of exertions (one-handed pull, two-handed pull, two-handed push) at three handle heights (32 in., 40 in., 48 in.) and in one of two directions (straight or turn). Subjects pushed or pulled on custom-built hand transducers connected to an overhead braking system via a rig while performing each exertion. To document a wide range of pushing and pulling exposures, the braking system incrementally increased the linear or rotational resistance proportional to the subject’s changes from the initial global position throughout each trial; subjects exerted up to a maximum voluntary exertion. Dependent measures consisted of the magnitude and direction of three-dimensional forces recorded at the hands, turning torques, net joint moments calculated at each shoulder, and three-dimensional spinal loads (compression, A/P shear, lateral shear) at the superior and inferior endplates of each spinal level extending from T12/L1 to L5/S1, as calculated by a dynamic EMG-driven biomechanical spine model (Knapik and Marras 2009; Hwang et al. 2016a; Hwang et al. 2016b). Multiple linear regression techniques correlated spinal loads with hand force or turning torque in order to develop biomechanically-determined hand force and turning torque limits. The values for straight two-handed pushing and pulling were also compared to psychophysically-determined thresholds developed by Snook and Ciriello (1991). Results and Discussion: The independent measures (exertion type, handle height, and exertion direction) and their interactions significantly influenced dependent measures of hand force, turning torque, shoulder moment, and spinal load. In agreement with Knapik and Marras (2009), spinal loads most frequently exceeded tissue tolerance limits for spinal loading (NIOSH 1981; Gallagher and Marras 2012) in A/P shear. The biomechanically-determined limits developed from this work are up to 30% lower than the closest psychophysically-derived equivalents (Snook and Ciriello 1991). Conclusion: Psychophysically-derived hand force limits are not protective enough of biomechanical risk imposed onto the lumbar spine during pushing and pulling. The biomechanically-determined pushing and pulling guidelines proposed herein provide a more objective and conservative indication of risk and should be implemented moving forward.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 840-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. P. Dyko ◽  
K. Vafai

A heightened awareness of the importance of natural convective cooling as a driving factor in design and thermal management of aircraft braking systems has emerged in recent years. As a result, increased attention is being devoted to understanding the buoyancy-driven flow and heat transfer occurring within the complex air passageways formed by the wheel and brake components, including the interaction of the internal and external flow fields. Through application of contemporary computational methods in conjunction with thorough experimentation, robust numerical simulations of these three-dimensional processes have been developed and validated. This has provided insight into the fundamental physical mechanisms underlying the flow and yielded the tools necessary for efficient optimization of the cooling process to improve overall thermal performance. In the present work, a brief overview of aircraft brake thermal considerations and formulation of the convection cooling problem are provided. This is followed by a review of studies of natural convection within closed and open-ended annuli and the closely related investigation of inboard and outboard subdomains of the braking system. Relevant studies of natural convection in open rectangular cavities are also discussed. Both experimental and numerical results obtained to date are addressed, with emphasis given to the characteristics of the flow field and the effects of changes in geometric parameters on flow and heat transfer. Findings of a concurrent numerical and experimental investigation of natural convection within the wheel and brake assembly are presented. These results provide, for the first time, a description of the three-dimensional aircraft braking system cooling flow field.


2012 ◽  
Vol 696 ◽  
pp. 228-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kourmatzis ◽  
J. S. Shrimpton

AbstractThe fundamental mechanisms responsible for the creation of electrohydrodynamically driven roll structures in free electroconvection between two plates are analysed with reference to traditional Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC). Previously available knowledge limited to two dimensions is extended to three-dimensions, and a wide range of electric Reynolds numbers is analysed, extending into a fully inherently three-dimensional turbulent regime. Results reveal that structures appearing in three-dimensional electrohydrodynamics (EHD) are similar to those observed for RBC, and while two-dimensional EHD results bear some similarities with the three-dimensional results there are distinct differences. Analysis of two-point correlations and integral length scales show that full three-dimensional electroconvection is more chaotic than in two dimensions and this is also noted by qualitatively observing the roll structures that arise for both low (${\mathit{Re}}_{E} = 1$) and high electric Reynolds numbers (up to ${\mathit{Re}}_{E} = 120$). Furthermore, calculations of mean profiles and second-order moments along with energy budgets and spectra have examined the validity of neglecting the fluctuating electric field ${ E}_{i}^{\ensuremath{\prime} } $ in the Reynolds-averaged EHD equations and provide insight into the generation and transport mechanisms of turbulent EHD. Spectral and spatial data clearly indicate how fluctuating energy is transferred from electrical to hydrodynamic forms, on moving through the domain away from the charging electrode. It is shown that ${ E}_{i}^{\ensuremath{\prime} } $ is not negligible close to the walls and terms acting as sources and sinks in the turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent scalar flux and turbulent scalar variance equations are examined. Profiles of hydrodynamic terms in the budgets resemble those in the literature for RBC; however there are terms specific to EHD that are significant, indicating that the transfer of energy in EHD is also attributed to further electrodynamic terms and a strong coupling exists between the charge flux and variance, due to the ionic drift term.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 343
Author(s):  
Veronica Folliero ◽  
Carla Zannella ◽  
Annalisa Chianese ◽  
Debora Stelitano ◽  
Annalisa Ambrosino ◽  
...  

Despite advances in medical knowledge, parasitic diseases remain a significant global health burden and their pharmacological treatment is often hampered by drug toxicity. Therefore, drug delivery systems may provide useful advantages when used in combination with conventional therapeutic compounds. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymeric structures, characterized by a central core, branches and terminal functional groups. These nanostructures are known for their defined structure, great water solubility, biocompatibility and high encapsulation ability against a wide range of molecules. Furthermore, the high ratio between terminal groups and molecular volume render them a hopeful vector for drug delivery. These nanostructures offer several advantages compared to conventional drugs for the treatment of parasitic infection. Dendrimers deliver drugs to target sites with reduced dosage, solving side effects that occur with accepted marketed drugs. In recent years, extensive progress has been made towards the use of dendrimers for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes for the management of parasitic infections. The present review highlights the potential of several dendrimers in the management of parasitic diseases.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2950
Author(s):  
Hongwei Song ◽  
Xinle Li

The most active research area is nanotechnology in cementitious composites, which has a wide range of applications and has achieved popularity over the last three decades. Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as possible materials to be used in the field of civil engineering. Previous research has concentrated on evaluating the effect of different NPs in cementitious materials to alter material characteristics. In order to provide a broad understanding of how nanomaterials (NMs) can be used, this paper critically evaluates previous research on the influence of rheology, mechanical properties, durability, 3D printing, and microstructural performance on cementitious materials. The flow properties of fresh cementitious composites can be measured using rheology and slump. Mechanical properties such as compressive, flexural, and split tensile strength reveal hardened properties. The necessary tests for determining a NM’s durability in concrete are shrinkage, pore structure and porosity, and permeability. The advent of modern 3D printing technologies is suitable for structural printing, such as contour crafting and binder jetting. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has opened up new avenues for the building and construction industry to become more digital. Regardless of the material science, a range of problems must be tackled, including developing smart cementitious composites suitable for 3D structural printing. According to the scanning electron microscopy results, the addition of NMs to cementitious materials results in a denser and improved microstructure with more hydration products. This paper provides valuable information and details about the rheology, mechanical properties, durability, 3D printing, and microstructural performance of cementitious materials with NMs and encourages further research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaojian Chen ◽  
Manjesh Kumar Singh ◽  
Katrin Wunderlich ◽  
Sean Harvey ◽  
Colette J. Whitfield ◽  
...  

AbstractThe creation of synthetic polymer nanoobjects with well-defined hierarchical structures is important for a wide range of applications such as nanomaterial synthesis, catalysis, and therapeutics. Inspired by the programmability and precise three-dimensional architectures of biomolecules, here we demonstrate the strategy of fabricating controlled hierarchical structures through self-assembly of folded synthetic polymers. Linear poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) of different lengths are folded into cyclic polymers and their self-assembly into hierarchical structures is elucidated by various experimental techniques and molecular dynamics simulations. Based on their structural similarity, macrocyclic brush polymers with amphiphilic block side chains are synthesized, which can self-assemble into wormlike and higher-ordered structures. Our work points out the vital role of polymer folding in macromolecular self-assembly and establishes a versatile approach for constructing biomimetic hierarchical assemblies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (163) ◽  
pp. 20190721
Author(s):  
J. Larsson ◽  
A. M. Westram ◽  
S. Bengmark ◽  
T. Lundh ◽  
R. K. Butlin

The growth of snail shells can be described by simple mathematical rules. Variation in a few parameters can explain much of the diversity of shell shapes seen in nature. However, empirical studies of gastropod shell shape variation typically use geometric morphometric approaches, which do not capture this growth pattern. We have developed a way to infer a set of developmentally descriptive shape parameters based on three-dimensional logarithmic helicospiral growth and using landmarks from two-dimensional shell images as input. We demonstrate the utility of this approach, and compare it to the geometric morphometric approach, using a large set of Littorina saxatilis shells in which locally adapted populations differ in shape. Our method can be modified easily to make it applicable to a wide range of shell forms, which would allow for investigations of the similarities and differences between and within many different species of gastropods.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1109
Author(s):  
Varnakavi. Naresh ◽  
Nohyun Lee

A biosensor is an integrated receptor-transducer device, which can convert a biological response into an electrical signal. The design and development of biosensors have taken a center stage for researchers or scientists in the recent decade owing to the wide range of biosensor applications, such as health care and disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, water and food quality monitoring, and drug delivery. The main challenges involved in the biosensor progress are (i) the efficient capturing of biorecognition signals and the transformation of these signals into electrochemical, electrical, optical, gravimetric, or acoustic signals (transduction process), (ii) enhancing transducer performance i.e., increasing sensitivity, shorter response time, reproducibility, and low detection limits even to detect individual molecules, and (iii) miniaturization of the biosensing devices using micro-and nano-fabrication technologies. Those challenges can be met through the integration of sensing technology with nanomaterials, which range from zero- to three-dimensional, possessing a high surface-to-volume ratio, good conductivities, shock-bearing abilities, and color tunability. Nanomaterials (NMs) employed in the fabrication and nanobiosensors include nanoparticles (NPs) (high stability and high carrier capacity), nanowires (NWs) and nanorods (NRs) (capable of high detection sensitivity), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (large surface area, high electrical and thermal conductivity), and quantum dots (QDs) (color tunability). Furthermore, these nanomaterials can themselves act as transduction elements. This review summarizes the evolution of biosensors, the types of biosensors based on their receptors, transducers, and modern approaches employed in biosensors using nanomaterials such as NPs (e.g., noble metal NPs and metal oxide NPs), NWs, NRs, CNTs, QDs, and dendrimers and their recent advancement in biosensing technology with the expansion of nanotechnology.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Viacheslav Glinskikh ◽  
Oleg Nechaev ◽  
Igor Mikhaylov ◽  
Kirill Danilovskiy ◽  
Vladimir Olenchenko

This paper is dedicated to the topical problem of examining permafrost’s state and the processes of its geocryological changes by means of geophysical methods. To monitor the cryolithozone, we proposed and scientifically substantiated a new technique of pulsed electromagnetic cross-well sounding. Based on the vector finite-element method, we created a mathematical model of the cross-well sounding process with a pulsed source in a three-dimensional spatially heterogeneous medium. A high-performance parallel computing algorithm was developed and verified. Through realistic geoelectric models of permafrost with a talik under a highway, constructed following the results of electrotomography field data interpretation, we numerically simulated the pulsed sounding on the computing resources of the Siberian Supercomputer Center of SB RAS. The simulation results suggest the proposed system of pulsed electromagnetic cross-well monitoring to be characterized by a high sensitivity to the presence and dimensions of the talik. The devised approach can be oriented to addressing a wide range of issues related to monitoring permafrost rocks under civil and industrial facilities, buildings, and constructions.


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