Engineering topics

Smart, Michael K.

Publications and source records attributed to Smart, Michael K..

9 records

NASA NTRS2014

Testing of DLR C/C-SiC and C/C for HIFiRE 8 Scramjet Combustor

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have been proposed for use as lightweight hot structures in scramjet combustors. Previous studies have calculated significant weight savings by utilizing CMCs (active and passive) versus actively cooled metallic scramjet structures. Both a carbon/carbon (C/C) and a carbon/carbon-silicon carbide (C/C-SiC) material fabricated by DLR (Stuttgart, Germany) are being considered for use in a passively cooled combustor design for Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) 8, a joint Australia / Air Force Research Laboratory hypersonic flight program, expected to fly at Mach 7 for approximately 30 sec, at a dynamic pressure of 55 kilopascals. Flat panels of the DLR C/C and C/C-SiC materials were installed downstream of a hydrogen-fueled, dual-mode scramjet combustor and tested for several minutes at conditions simulating flight at Mach 5 and Mach 6. Gaseous hydrogen fuel was used to fuel the scramjet combustor. The test panels were instrumented with embedded Type K and Type S thermocouples. Zirconia felt insulation was used during some of the tests to reduce heat loss from the back surface and thus increase the heated surface temperature of the C/C-SiC panel approximately 177 C (350 F). The final C/C-SiC panel was tested for three cycles totaling over 135 sec at Mach 6 enthalpy. Slightly more erosion was observed on the C/C panel than the C/C-SiC panels, but both material systems demonstrated acceptable recession performance for the HIFiRE 8 flight.

Glass, David E.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Design of Modular, Shape-transitioning Inlets for a Conical Hypersonic Vehicle

For a hypersonic vehicle, propelled by scramjet engines, integration of the engines and airframe is highly desirable. Thus, the forward capture shape of the engine inlet should conform to the vehicle body shape. Furthermore, the use of modular engines places a constraint on the shape of the inlet sidewalls. Finally, one may desire a combustor cross- section shape that is different from that of the inlet. These shape constraints for the inlet can be accommodated by employing a streamline-tracing and lofting technique. This design technique was developed by Smart for inlets with a rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition. In this paper, we generalise that technique to produce inlets that conform to arbitrary shape requirements. As an example, we show the design of a body-integrated hypersonic inlet on a winged-cone vehicle, typical of what might be used in a three-stage orbital launch system. The special challenge of inlet design for this conical vehicle at an angle-of-attack is also discussed. That challenge is that the bow shock sits relatively close to the vehicle body.

Gollan, Rowan J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Free-jet Testing of a REST Scramjet at Off-Design Conditions

Scramjet flowpaths employing elliptical combustors have the potential to improve structural efficiency and performance relative to those using planar geometries. NASA Langley has developed a scramjet flowpath integrated into a lifting body vehicle, while transitioning from a rectangular capture area to both an elliptical throat and combustor. This Rectangular-to-Elliptical Shape Transition (REST) scramjet, has a design point of Mach 7.1, and is intended to operate with fixed-geometry between Mach 4.5 and 8.0. This paper describes initial free-jet testing of the heat-sink REST scramjet engine model at conditions simulating Mach 5.3 flight. Combustion of gaseous hydrogen fuel at equivalence ratios between 0.5 and 1.5 generated robust performance after ignition with a silane-hydrogen pilot. Facility model interactions were experienced for fuel equivalence ratios above 1.1, yet despite this, the flowpath was not unstarted by fuel addition at the Mach 5.3 test condition. Combustion tests at reduced stagnation enthalpy indicated that the engine self-started following termination of the fuel injection. Engine data is presented for the largest fuel equivalence ratio tested without facility interaction. These results indicate that this class of three-dimensional scramjet engine operates successfully at off-design conditions.

Smart, Michael K.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Flight Data Analysis of HyShot 2

The development of scramjet propulsion for alternative launch and payload delivery capabilities has comprised largely of ground experiments for the last 40 years. With the goal of validating the use of short duration ground test facilities, the University of Queensland, supported by a large international contingency, devised a ballistic re-entry vehicle experiment called HyShot to achieve supersonic combustion in flight above Mach 7.5. It consisted of a double wedge intake and two back-to-back constant area combustors; one supplied with hydrogen fuel at an equivalence ratio of 0.33 and the other un-fueled. Following a first launch failure on October 30th 2001, the University of Queensland conducted a successful second launch on July 30th, 2002. Post-flight data analysis of the second launch confirmed the presence of supersonic combustion during the approximately 3 second test window at altitudes between 35 and 29 km. Reasonable correlation between flight and some pre-flight shock tunnel tests was observed.

Hass, Neal E.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Mach 4 Performance of a Fixed-Geometry Hypersonic Inlet with Rectangular-to-Elliptical Shape Transition

Wind-tunnel testing of a hypersonic inlet with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition has been conducted at Mach 4.0. These tests were performed to investigate the starting and back-pressure limits of this fixed-geometry inlet at conditions well below the Mach 5.7 design point. Results showed that the inlet required side spillage holes in order to self-start at Mach 4.0. Once started, the inlet generated a compression ratio of 12.6, captured almost 80% of available air and withstood a back-pressure ratio of 30.3 relative to tunnel static pressure. The spillage penalty for self-starting was estimated to be 4% of available air. These experimental results, along with previous experimental results at Mach 6.2 indicate that fixed-geometry inlets with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition are a viable configuration for airframe- integrated scramjets that operate over a significant Mach number range.

Smart, Michael K.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Mach 4 Performance of a Fixed-Geometry Hypersonic Inlet with Rectangular-to-Elliptical Shape Transition

Wind-tunnel testing of a hypersonic inlet with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition has been conducted at Mach 4.0. These tests were performed to investigate the starting and back-pressure limits of this fixed-geometry inlet at conditions well below the Mach 5.7 design point. Results showed that the inlet required side spillage holes in order to self-start at Mach 4.0. Once started, the inlet generated a compression ratio of 12.6, captured almost 80% of available air and withstood a back-pressure ratio of 30.3 relative to tunnel static pressure. The spillage penalty for self-starting was estimated to be 4% of available air. These experimental results, along with previous experimental results at Mach 6.2 indicate that fixed-geometry inlets with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition are a viable configuration for airframe-integrated scramjets that operate over a significant Mach number range. Nomenclature

Smart, Michael K.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Computational Investigation of the Performance and Back-Pressure Limits of a Hypersonic Inlet

A computational analysis of Mach 6.2 operation of a hypersonic inlet with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition has been performed. The results of the computations are compared with experimental data for cases with and without a manually imposed back-pressure. While the no-back-pressure numerical solutions match the general trends of the data, certain features observed in the experiments did not appear in the computational solutions. The reasons for these discrepancies are discussed and possible remedies are suggested. Most importantly, however, the computational analysis increased the understanding of the consequences of certain aspects of the inlet design. This will enable the performance of future inlets of this class to be improved. Computational solutions with back-pressure under-estimated the back-pressure limit observed in the experiments, but did supply significant insight into the character of highly back-pressured inlet flows.

Smart, Michael K.↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Combined Experimental/Computational Investigation of a Rocket Based Combined Cycle Inlet

A rocket based combined cycle inlet geometry has undergone wind tunnel testing and computational analysis with Mach 4 flow at the inlet face. Performance parameters obtained from the wind tunnel tests were the mass capture, the maximum back-pressure, and the self-starting characteristics of the inlet. The CFD analysis supplied a confirmation of the mass capture, the inlet efficiency and the details of the flowfield structure. Physical parameters varied during the test program were cowl geometry, cowl position, body-side bleed magnitude and ingested boundary layer thickness. An optimum configuration was determined for the inlet as a result of this work.

Smart, Michael K.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Measurements of Supersonic Wing Tip Vortices

An experimental survey of supersonic wing tip vortices has been conducted at Mach 2.5 using small performed 2.25 chords down-stream of a semi-span rectangular wing at angle of attack of 5 and 10 degrees. The main objective of the experiments was to determine the Mach number, flow angularity and total pressure distribution in the core region of supersonic wing tip vortices. A secondary aim was to demonstrate the feasibility of using cone probes calibrated with a numerical flow solver to measure flow characteristics at supersonic speeds. Results showed that the numerically generated calibration curves can be used for 4-hole cone probes, but were not sufficiently accurate for conventional 5-hole probes due to nose bluntness effects. Combination of 4-hole cone probe measurements with independent pitot pressure measurements indicated a significant Mach number and total pressure deficit in the core regions of supersonic wing tip vortices, combined with an asymmetric 'Burger like' swirl distribution.

Smart, Michael K.↗