Overview
Sentry was designed from the outset to be robust, capable of automated execution, and require minimal user interaction during a run. As such, Sentry is written in the modern, object-oriented C++ programming language and will execute on Windows®, Mac OS X®, and SGI® platforms.
Heating: the next level
Perform one-dimensional, unsteady heat transfer analysis with convection, conduction, and radiative effects at each node on a user-specified analysis grid representing the vehicle being considered. Discover and obtain peak surface temperatures, integrated heat loads, and transient temperature distribution across their system.
Complete analysis of the entire picture
Unlike other codes that may only consider a centerline analysis, you can examine the entire vehicle surface and determine the TPS requirements individually at each node identified by the user’s geometry grid with Sentry
Material Properties
Include over a hundred different materials including metals, ceramics, ablators, insulators, and adhesives provided in the default material property files based on NASA Ames TPS-X database. Or choose to specify and use your own material properties with as much detail as available.
Apply several stackups
Examine an unlimited number of candidate TPS materials or “stackups” at each surface node with up to 10 material layers per stackup. Make your own stackup or use defaults that include the most commonly used materials from the material property database. Have Sentry accurately select an appropriate material based on the maximum surface temperatures experienced and minimum weight
Analyze weight
Investigate the total TPS, unit weight, and material weight by material type and maximum surface temperature at all locations. Achieve minimum weight by optimizing each candidate material and selecting the most ideal. Impose material temperature limits as well as minimum and maximum gauge thickness.
Plot results in Tecplot® or Paraview®
Visualize maximum surface temperatures, material thicknesses, and material types over the entire vehicle or analysis grid. Review surface temperature history over time at specified locations on the vehicle as well as the temperature distribution into the structure over time.
Details
Setup time for a complete vehicle analysis is a few hours, with execution times on the order of 5-45 minutes, depending on the analysis grid resolution (i.e. number of vehicle nodes), the number of candidate materials, and specific design options selected by the user. The user interface options currently include a command-line executable with ASCII input and output files. Additionally, the tool has been successfully wrapped as a component for use within Phoenix Integration's ModelCenter® environment.
The Sentry tool is composed of five analysis modules:
1) Convective Heat Rate Generation
2) Material Properties Database and Stackup Definition
3) Heat Transfer Analysis
4) Material Selection and Sizing Algorithm, and
5) Stagnation Point Analyzer.
The general analysis procedure for operation of Sentry is as follows:
- Obtain trajectory profile data for vehicle concept, typically from POST or OTIS
- Generate Qconv data using APAS's S/HABP routine (at bounding points for Database option)
- Construct input file with S/HABP model data and candidate TPS materials
- Execute Sentry executable
- Perform initial or cursory results examination of main output file
- Obtain vehicle results using graphical output data in Tecplot
- Perform detailed examination of specific node results at selected points on vehicle
After Sentry completes its analysis and optimization at all the vehicle TPS nodes, a single ASCII output file that contains summary information of the results is generated. This file includes:
- Total TPS weight and smeared weight per unit area for entire vehicle (or all components analyzed))
- TPS weights and weight per unit area by component (e.g. wing, tail, etc.) that comprise the total
- Acreage material fractions by component (e.g. forebody is made up of 25% CRI and 75% TUFI AETB-8)
- Maximum stagnation and non-stagnation point temperatures encountered
Additionally, Sentry will generate the following files:
- Tecplot® formatted visualization software input file with maximum surface temperature, material/stackup thicknesses, and material type over entire analysis grid
- Surface temperature history versus time at user specified locations on the vehicle as well as the temperature history into the material stackup structure vs. time (through the thickness temperature profiles)
Versions of the tool for operation on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations and the Mac OS X Unix environment are available by request.
System Requirements
General
- Java™ Runtime Environment 1.5 or higher (JRE 5)
- Cost Analysis Module: NAFCOM© 2004, 2006, 2007 (All builds)
- Cost Analysis Module: SEER-H 7.0®
- ModelCenter® 6.1 and above
Microsoft®:
- Microsoft Windows XP, 2000, NT, and ME
Mac®:
Optional:
- S/HABP mk 3 (in APAS)
- S/HABP mk 5
Software Delivery
- Physical delivery of this software product is required due to ITAR restrictions. We will ship this product on a CD-ROM via FedEx for no additional charge.
