Engineering topics

Mcconnaughey, P. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Mcconnaughey, P. K..

11 records

NASA NTRS1993

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applications in rocket propulsion analysis and design

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been used in recent applications to affect subcomponent designs in liquid propulsion rocket engines. This paper elucidates three such applications for turbine stage, pump stage, and combustor chamber geometries. Details of these applications include the development of a high turning airfoil for a gas generator (GG) powered, liquid oxygen (LOX) turbopump, single-stage turbine using CFD as an integral part of the design process. CFD application to pump stage design has emphasized analysis of inducers, impellers, and diffuser/volute sections. Improvements in pump stage impeller discharge flow uniformity have been seen through CFD optimization on coarse grid models. In the area of combustor design, recent CFD analysis of a film cooled ablating combustion chamber has been used to quantify the interaction between film cooling rate, chamber wall contraction angle, and geometry and their effects of these quantities on local wall temperature. The results are currently guiding combustion chamber design and coolant flow rate for an upcoming subcomponent test. Critical aspects of successful integration of CFD into the design cycle includes a close-coupling of CFD and design organizations, quick turnaround of parametric analyses once a baseline CFD benchmark has been established, and the use of CFD methodology and approaches that address pertinent design issues. In this latter area, some problem details can be simplified while retaining key physical aspects to maintain analytical integrity.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Overview of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) CFD Consortium for Applications in Propulsion Technology

This paper presents an overview of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Consortium for Applications in Propulsion Technology (CAPT). The objectives of this consortium are discussed, as is the approach of managing resources and technology to achieve these objectives. Significant results by the three CFD CAPT teams (Turbine, Pump, and Combustion) are briefly highlighted with respect to the advancement of CFD applications, the development and evaluation of advanced hardware concepts, and the integration of these results and CFD as a design tool to support Space Transportation Main Engine and National Launch System development.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Numerical evaluation of single central jet for turbine disk cooling

The cooling arrangement of the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOTP) incorporates two jet rings, each of which produces 19 high-velocity coolant jets. At some operating conditions, the frequency of excitation associated with the 19 jets coincides with the natural frequency of the turbine blades, contributing to fatigue cracking of blade shanks. In this paper, an alternate turbine disk cooling arrangement, applicable to disk faces of zero hub radius, is evaluated, which consists of a single coolant jet impinging at the center of the turbine disk. Results of the CFD analysis show that replacing the jet ring with a single central coolant jet in the HPOTP leads to an acceptable thermal environment at the disk rim. Based on the predictions of flow and temperature fields for operating conditions, the single central jet cooling system was recommended for implementation into the development program of the Technology Test Bed Engine at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Subbaraman, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Management of a CFD organization in support of space hardware development

The management strategy of NASA-Marshall's CFD branch in support of space hardware development and code validation implements various elements of total quality management. The strategy encompasses (1) a teaming strategy which focuses on the most pertinent problem, (2) quick-turnaround analysis, (3) the evaluation of retrofittable design options through sensitivity analysis, and (4) coordination between the chief engineer and the hardware contractors. Advanced-technology concepts are being addressed via the definition of technology-development projects whose products are transferable to hardware programs and the integration of research activities with industry, government agencies, and universities, on the basis of the 'consortium' concept.

Schutzenhofer, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Comparison of experiment with calculations using curvature-corrected zero and two equation turbulence models for a two-dimensional U-duct

In this paper experimental measurements are compared with Navier-Stokes calculations using seven different turbulence models for the internal flow in a two-dimensional U-duct. The configuration is representative of many internal flows of engineering interst that experience strong curvature. In an effort to improve agreement, this paper tests several versions of the two-equation k-epsilon turbulence model including the standard version, an extended version with a production range time scale, and a version that includes curvature time scales. Each is tested in its high and low Reynolds number formulations. Calculations using these new models and the original mixing length model are compared here with measurements of mean and turbulence velocities, static pressure and skin friction in the U-duct at two Reynolds numbers. The comparisons show that only the low Reynolds number version of the extended k-epsilon model does a reasonable job of predicting the important features of this flow at both Reynolds numbers tested.

Monson, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Role of CFD in propulsion design - Government perspective

Various aspects of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), as it relates to design applications in rocket propulsion activities from the government perspective, are discussed. Specific examples are given that demonstrate the application of CFD to support hardware development activities, such as Space Shuttle Main Engine flight issues, and the associated teaming strategy used for solving such problems. In addition, select examples that delineate the motivation, methods of approach, goals and key milestones for several space flight progams are cited. An approach is described toward applying CFD in the design environment from the government perspective. A discussion of benchmark validation, advanced technology hardware concepts, accomplishments, needs, future applications, and near-term expectations from the flight-center perspective is presented.

Schutzenhofer, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of the SSME HPOTP bearing inlet cavity

Analysis of the flow in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP) bearing no. 1 inlet cavity was completed in support of return-to-flight. With the incorporation of several design changes in the Phase 2 turbopump, rotordynamic stability of the pumps was enhanced, but the durability and life of the LOX-cooled bearings has decreased. During the post-Challenger SSME recertification, the causes of limited bearing durability were investigated. One topic addressed was the flow environment upstream of the pump-end bearing and the effect of seal exit swirl and a cavity anti-vortex rib on the bearing environment and life. The objective is to define the hydrodynamic environment upstream of the pump-end bearing and determine the effect of seal exit swirl and the anti-vortex rib on bearing inlet swirl. The problem was posed as an axisymmetric cavity flow with the computational domain extending from the seal exit to the bearing inlet. This domain was discretized with 22800 grid points. Boundary conditions were obtained from a 1-D model of the SSME coolant path. The inlet Mach number was 0.19 and the problem was solved with the CMINT code utilizing the Briley-McDonald/Beam-Warming algorithm with preconditioning to speed convergence at low Mach numbers. Three parametric cases with inlet swirl of 50 percent shaft speed (labyrinth seal), 20 percent shaft speed (damping seal), and no inlet swirl were considered. Computational results indicate large vortical flow structures in the cavity, with the labyrinth, damping, and no-swirl cases yielding bearing inlet swirl rates of 14, 10, and 9 percent of shaft speed, respectively. When these results were used as input to the SHABRETH bearing model, limited durability could not be explained by these small differences in swirl. Also, based on these results, a proposed design change for the cavity anti-vortex rib was not implemented by the SSME chief engineer.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A combined Eulerian-Lagrangian two-phase analysis of the SSME HPOTP nozzle plug trajectories

As a result of high cycle fatigue, hydrogen embrittlement, and extended engine use, it was observed in testing that the trailing edge on the first stage nozzle plug in the High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump (HPOTP) could detach. The objective was to predict the trajectories followed by particles exiting the turbine. Experiments had shown that the heat exchanger soils, which lie downstream of the turbine, would be ruptured by particles traveling in the order of 360 ft/sec. An axisymmetric solution of the flow was obtained from the work of Lin et. al., who used INS3D to obtain the solution. The particle trajectories were obtained using the method of de Jong et. al., which employs Lagrangian tracking of the particle through the Eulerian flow field. The collision parameters were obtained from experiments conducted by Rocketdyne using problem specific alloys, speeds, and projectile geometries. A complete 3-D analysis using the most likely collision parameters shows maximum particle velocities of 200 ft/sec. in the heat exchanger region. Subsequent to this analysis, an engine level test was conducted in which seven particles passed through the turbine but no damage was observed on the heat exchanger coils.

Garcia, Robert↗

NASA NTRS1989

A combined Eulerian-Lagrangian two-phase flow analysis of SSME HPOTP nozzle plug trajectories. II - Results

An analysis of Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure oxygen turbopump nozzle plug trajectories has been performed, using a Lagrangian method to track nozzle plug particles expelled from a turbine through a high Reynolds number flow in a turnaround duct with turning vanes. Axisymmetric and parametric analyses reveal that if nozzle plugs exited the turbine they would probably impact the LOX heat exchanger with impact velocities which are significantly less than the penetration velocity. The finding that only slight to moderate damage will result from nozzle plug failure in flight is supported by the results of a hot-fire engine test with induced nozzle plug failures.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The prediction of secondary flow in curved ducts of square cross-section

A three-dimensional, fully-viscous Navier-Stokes code designated INS3D is presently used for the prediction of secondary and axial flows in curved ducts of square cross-section. Attention is given to a 90-deg bend, an S-shaped duct with two 22.5-deg bends, and an 180-deg bend. The sensitivity of predicted axial and secondary flows to grid resolution and artificial dissipation is investigated in the 90-deg bend case. Good agreement is found between predicted and experimentally measured flow components.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Comparison of Space Shuttle Hot Gas Manifold analysis to air flow data

This paper summarizes several recent analyses of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Hot Gas Manifold and compares predicted flow environments to air flow data. Codes used in these analyses include INS3D, PAGE, PHOENICS, and VAST. Both laminar (Re = 250, M = 0.30) and turbulent (Re = 1.9 million, M = 0.30) results are discussed, with the latter being compared to data for system losses, outer wall static pressures, and manifold exit Mach number profiles. Comparison of predicted results for the turbulent case to air flow data shows that the analysis using INS3D predicted system losses within 1 percent error, while the PHOENICS, PAGE, and VAST codes erred by 31, 35, and 47 percent, respectively. The INS3D, PHOENICS, and PAGE codes did a reasonable job of predicting outer wall static pressure, while the PHOENICS code predicted exit Mach number profiles with acceptable accuracy. INS3D was approximately an order of magnitude more efficient than the other codes in terms of code speed and memory requirements. In general, it is seen that complex internal flows in manifold-like geometries can be predicted with a limited degree of confidence, and further development is necessary to improve both efficiency and accuracy of codes if they are to be used as design tools for complex three-dimensional geometries.

Mcconnaughey, P. K.↗