Engineering topics

Erwin, John R.

Publications and source records attributed to Erwin, John R..

4 records

NASA NTRS1953

Investigation of a Related Series of Turbine-Blade Profiles in Cascade

An application of airfoil design methods was used to design series of related turbine-blade profiles to satisfy the conditions of inlet flow angle and turning angle encountered in the usual range of turbine operation. A series of blade profiles applicable to most turbine blading requirements and a secondary series with particular reference to impulse conditions were designed. Five blade sections from these series ranging in mean-line turning angles from 63 deg. to 120 deg. were tested in low-speed cascade tunnels. From low-speed test results optimum blade angles of attack were selected at each test condition. The induced angle and the deviation angle of the flow were determined from the low-speed data. If these angles are known for the solidity and inlet angle of an application, the necessary camber is specified. A method of predicting high-speed pressure distributions from low-speed cascade test results is presented to extend the usefulness of the low-speed data. Sample high-speed tests of two of the five blade sections were made at Mach numbers up to the critical value. The results indicated satisfactory flow conditions in all of the blade passages tested.

Dunavant, James C.↗

NASA NTRS1951

Systematic Two-Dimensional Cascade Tests of NACA 65-Series Compressor Blades at Low Speeds

The performance of NACA 65-series compressor blade section in cascade has been investigated systematically in a low-speed cascade tunnel. Porous test-section side walls and for high-pressure-rise conditions, porous flexible end walls were employed to establish conditions closely simulating two-dimensional flow. Blade sections of design lift coefficients from 0 to 2.7 were tested over the usable angle-of-attack range for various combinations of inlet-flow angle. A sufficient number of combinations were tested to permit interpolation and extrapolation of the data to all conditions within the usual range of application. The results of this investigation indicate a continuous variation of blade-section performance as the major cascade parameters, blade camber, inlet angle, and solidity were varied over the test range. Summary curves of the results have been prepared to enable compressor designers to select the proper blade camber and angle of attack when the compressor velocity diagram and desired solidity have been determined.

Herrig, L. Joseph↗

NASA NTRS1947

Investigation of an Experimental Supersonic Axial-Flow Compressor

An investigation is in progress at the Langley Laboratory of the NACA to explore the possibilities of axial-flow compressors operating with supersonic velocities relative to the blade rows. The first phase of this investigation, a study of supersonic diffusers, has been reported. The second phase, an analysis of supersonic compressors, has also been reported. Preliminary calculations have shown that very high pressure ratios across a stage, together with somewhat increased mass flows, are possible with compressors which decelerate air through the speed of sound in their rotor blading. These performance characteristics are desirable in compressors for aircraft jet propulsion units, gas turbines, or superchargers. The third phase, presented here, is a preliminary experimental investigation of a supersonic compressor designed to produce a high pressure ratio in a single stage.

Erwin, John R.↗

NASA NTRS1943

Study of the Two-Dimensional Flow Through a Converging-Diverging Nozzle

A study of a flow through a straight converging-diverging nozzle of simple design has been made preliminary to studies of other supersonic flows. The diverging part of the nozzle was designed by the Prandtl-Busemann method to give a uniform pressure at its exit of 0.298 times the initial total head, that is, to give a Mach number of 1.436. Schlieren photographs of the flow and pressure-distribution measurements along the diverging part of the nozzle were made. A comparison of the theory with these measurements is presented.

Kantrowitz, Arthur↗