NASA LogoNTRSNTRS - NASA Technical Reports ServerSearchmore_vertCollectionsAboutNewsHelpLogin Back to ResultsLiquid Motion Experiment Flight Test ResultsThe Liquid Motion Experiment (LME), designed to study the effects of liquid motion in rotating tanks, was flown on STS 84. LME was essentially a spin table that created a realistic nutation motion of scale-model tanks containing liquid. TWo spherical and two cylindrical transparent tanks were tested simultaneously, and three sets of such tanks were employed to vary liquid viscosity, fill level, and propellant management device (PMD) design. All the tanks were approximately 4.5 inches diameter. The primary test measurements were the radial and tangential torques exerted on the tanks by the liquid. Resonant frequencies and damping of the liquid oscillations were determined by sine sweep tests. For a given tank shape, the resonant frequency depended on fill level. For the cylindrical tanks, the resonances had somewhat different frequencies for the tangential axis (0.55 to 0.75 times spin rate) and the radial axis (0.73 to 0.78 times spin rate), and the tangential axis resonance agreed more closely with available analytical models. For the spherical tanks, the resonant frequencies were between 0.74 to 0.77 times the spin rate and were the same for the tangential and radial axes. The damping coefficients varied from about I% to 3% of critical, depending on tank shape, fill level, and liquid viscosity. 'Me viscous energy dissipation rates of the liquid oscillations were determined from sine dwell tests. The LME energy dissipation rates varied from 0.3 to 0.5 times the estimates obtained from scaling previous ground tests and spacecraft flight data. The PNDs sometimes enhanced the resonances and energy dissipation rates and sometimes decreased them, which points out the need to understand better the effects of PMD on liquid motion as a function of PMD and tank design.Document ID19980234592Acquisition SourceLegacy CDMSDocument TypeReprint (Version printed in journal)AuthorsChato David J.*(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)*Dalton, Penni J.*(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)*Dodge, Franklin T.*(Southwest Research Inst. San Antonio, TX United States)*Green, Steve*(Southwest Research Inst. San Antonio, TX United States)*Date AcquiredSeptember 6, 2013Publication DateJuly 1, 1998Subject CategoryFluid Mechanics And Heat TransferReport/Patent NumberE-11252NASA/TM-1998-208479AIAA Paper 98-3197NAS 1.15:208479Meeting InformationMeeting: Joint Propulsion ConferenceLocation: Cleveland, OHCountry: United StatesStart Date: July 12, 1998End Date: July 15, 1998Sponsors:American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics,Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.,American Society for Electrical Engineers,American Society of Mechanical EngineersFunding Number(s)PROJECT: RTOP 632-1A-1XDistribution LimitsPublicCopyrightWork of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.Available DownloadsNameType19980234592.pdfSTIcloud_downloadcontent_copyvisibilityRelated RecordsThere are no records associated with this record.visibility_offNo Preview Available
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