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At least 181 records · Page 10

Advancing GRCop-based Bimetallic Additive Manufacturing to Optimize Component Design and Applications for Liquid Rocket Engines

Additive manufacturing (AM) is advancing many applications of component design for liquid rocket engines. The ability to rapidly design and manufacture components has provided significant opportunities for development and flight programs across the propulsion industry. AM has demonstrated significant advantages that include cost and schedule savings in addition to performance improvements through new design opportunities. While these performance advantages can be in the characteristics of complex design features, they can also be in the form of new materials. AM has been demonstrated in these various component applications using a variety of metal alloys, many of which are traditional alloys for extreme environments. Additional developments were completed using AM to provide new alloys and maturing these material uses for high performance applications. Almost all of the prior developments across component applications have focused on single-alloys in these AM processes. NASA and industry partners have focused in recent years to advance processing to create bimetallic and multicomponent AM processes and materials. The role of multi-alloy AM offers advantages since it can further optimize weight, optimize reliability and performance by increasing the strength to weight ratio of a component, and can optimize materials for various engineering requirements. This is particularly important in liquid rocket engine combustion devices that must reject heat in high heat flux environments yet maintain adequate structural margins under high operational pressure. NASA has been exploring several AM processes, materials, and applications for combustion devices, specifically combustion chambers, injectors, nozzles, and ignition systems. These components require fine geometric features for internal flow or cooling functionality. They experience high thermal gradients across thin-walls and must survive high pressures and temperatures from propellants and the combustion process. A copper-based alloy is normally used to provide high thermal conductivity, but at the detriment of increased weight if used as a single alloy in an AM chamber. Various AM processes were demonstrated on these components using a copper-based alloy/superalloy bimetallic solution. The AM processes being explored individually and in combination for bimetallic applications include Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED), and cold spray. The combination of bimetallic material combinations explored in this research include copper-based material primarily and superalloys, Inconel 625 or NASA HR-1. The various aspects of the additive manufacturing processes and challenges, materials characterization, and the testing of bimetallic components in a relevant environment will be discussed.

Additive Manufacturing↗

Analyzing the Use of Gaseous Helium as a Pressurant with Cryogenic Propellants with Thermodynamic Venting System Modelling and Test Data

Cryogens are viable candidate propellants for NASA's Lunar and Mars exploration programs. To provide adequate mass flow to the system's engines and/or to prevent feed system cavitation, gaseous helium (GHe) is frequently considered as a pressurant. During low gravity operations, a Thermodynamic Venting System (TVS) is designed to maintain tank pressure during low gravity operations without propellant resettling. Therefore, a series of tests were conducted in the Multi-purpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in order to evaluate the effects of GHe pressurant on pressure control performance of a TVS with liquid hydrogen (LH2) and nitrogen (LN2) as the test liquids. The TVS used in these test series consists of a recirculation pump, Joule-Thomson (J-T) expansion valve, and a parallel flow concentric tube heat exchanger combined with a longitudinal spray bar. Using a small amount of liquid extracted from the tank recirculation line, passing it through the J-T valve, and then through the heat exchanger, thermal energy is extracted from the bulk liquid and ullage thereby enabling pressure control. The LH2/GHe tests were performed at fill levels of 90%, 50%, and 25% and LN2/GHe tests were conducted at fill levels of 50% and 25%. Moreover, each test was conducted with a specified tank ullage pressure control band. A one-dimensional TVS performance program was used to analyze and correlate the test data. Predictions and comparisons with test data of ullage pressure and temperature and bulk liquid saturation pressure and temperature with test data are presented.

Hedayat, A.↗

Liquid rocket combustor computer code development

The Advanced Rocket Injector/Combustor Code (ARICC) that has been developed to model the complete chemical/fluid/thermal processes occurring inside rocket combustion chambers are highlighted. The code, derived from the CONCHAS-SPRAY code originally developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory incorporates powerful features such as the ability to model complex injector combustion chamber geometries, Lagrangian tracking of droplets, full chemical equilibrium and kinetic reactions for multiple species, a fractional volume of fluid (VOF) description of liquid jet injection in addition to the gaseous phase fluid dynamics, and turbulent mass, energy, and momentum transport. Atomization and droplet dynamic models from earlier generation codes are transplated into the present code. Currently, ARICC is specialized for liquid oxygen/hydrogen propellants, although other fuel/oxidizer pairs can be easily substituted.

Liang, P. Y.↗

Passive Cooling in Aerogel-Based Insulation Systems for Liquid Hydrogen Upper Stage Launch Vehicle Tanks

Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI) is typically used to protect the windward-facing side of flight tanks for space launch vehicle liquid hydrogen (LH2) stages. SOFI is an excellent insulator in ambient pressure environments, however, its performance pales in comparison to reflective-type systems such as Multi-Layer Insulation in the thermal radiation dominated vacuum environment of space. If a windward insulation system employing radiation shields could be devised to replace or supplement SOFI, the on-orbit heat load could be drastically reduced, and the residual propellants could then be used to facilitate secondary missions. Such insulation systems, utilizing aerogel blanket insulation, have been explored by the Cryogenics Test Laboratory at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Owing to its nano-porous structure, aerogel is an excellent adsorbent as well as an insulator at cryogenic temperatures and will readily uptake condensable background gasses such as air when protecting a surface near LH2 temperatures. When an adsorbed blanket is rapidly exposed to a vacuum, such as during the ascent of a rocket, it will release the background gas, producing a passive cooling effect that could potentially reduce or eliminate the heat load on the propellant tank for a time. This work discusses the setup and results of a test program carried out to determine the effectiveness and impact of this cooling effect as it pertains to LH2 upper stage tanks. A vertical-cylindrical liquid nitrogen (LN2) calorimeter test instrument acted as the upper stage analog. The cold-mass was wrapped with two layers of 10 mm thick aerogel blanket material, with and without aluminum heat shields depending on the test, and interspersed with numerous thermocouple temperature sensors. Gaseous argon was used as a stand-in for air as the condensable background gas. The test procedure mimicked vehicle cryo-loading/stabilization, and ascent phases, with the ascent phase accomplished using parallel vacuum pumps. Results show that the desorption cooling effect was enough to not only eliminate the heat load on the LN2 cold-mass entirely, but further refrigerated the liquid below its boiling point.

A.M. Swanger↗

Cryogenic Moisture Analysis of Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI)

The NASA Cryogenics Test Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center conducted long-term testing of SOFI materials under actual-use cryogenic conditions. The lab tested NCFI 24-124 (acreage foam), BX-265 (close-out foam, including intertank flange and bipod areas), and a potential alternate material, NCFI 27-68 (acreage foam with the flame retardant removed). Specimens of all three materials were placed at a site that simulated aging (the Vehicle Assembly Building [VAB]) and a site that simulated weathering (Atmospheric Exposure Test Site [beach site]). After aging/ weathering intervals of 3, 6, and 12 months, the samples were retrieved and tested for their ability to absorb moisture under conditions similar to those experienced by the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) during the loading of cryogenic propellants.

Source record↗

Fundamental problems of injector design

The principal control of the combustion within a liquid-propellant rocket thrust chamber is provided by the injector. Only when precise control of the injection process is attained can optimum performance, dynamic stability, heat transfer compatibility and reproducibility be provided. Control must be designed into each step of the injection process with sufficient isolation provided to insure stability. In the design of the injector manifolding, the main desire is to provide mass and mixture ratio regulation across the injector face. The design of the injector orifices must be such that this mass and mixture ratio control is retained through the orifices and imparted to the droplet sprays that are produced. Furthermore, the orifice design must control the size and distribution of the droplets generated so that combustion will be completed within the chamber. Mechanical damping devices are often required to protect the early mixing zone from transverse velocities and associated displacement effects in the chamber. Only when each phase of the injection process is carefully controlled can the design aims be reached.

David T Harrje↗

CFD Simulation of Liquid Rocket Engine Injectors

Detailed design issues associated with liquid rocket engine injectors and combustion chamber operation require CFD methodology which simulates highly three-dimensional, turbulent, vaporizing, and combusting flows. The primary utility of such simulations involves predicting multi-dimensional effects caused by specific injector configurations. SECA, Inc. and Engineering Sciences, Inc. have been developing appropriate computational methodology for NASA/MSFC for the past decade. CFD tools and computers have improved dramatically during this time period; however, the physical submodels used in these analyses must still remain relatively simple in order to produce useful results. Simulations of clustered coaxial and impinger injector elements for hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels, which account for real fluid properties, is the immediate goal of this research. The spray combustion codes are based on the FDNS CFD code' and are structured to represent homogeneous and heterogeneous spray combustion. The homogeneous spray model treats the flow as a continuum of multi-phase, multicomponent fluids which move without thermal or velocity lags between the phases. Two heterogeneous models were developed: (1) a volume-of-fluid (VOF) model which represents the liquid core of coaxial or impinger jets and their atomization and vaporization, and (2) a Blob model which represents the injected streams as a cloud of droplets the size of the injector orifice which subsequently exhibit particle interaction, vaporization, and combustion. All of these spray models are computationally intensive, but this is unavoidable to accurately account for the complex physics and combustion which is to be predicted, Work is currently in progress to parallelize these codes to improve their computational efficiency. These spray combustion codes were used to simulate the three test cases which are the subject of the 2nd International Workshop on-Rocket Combustion Modeling. Such test cases are considered by these investigators to be very valuable for code validation because combustion kinetics, turbulence models and atomization models based on low pressure experiments of hydrogen air combustion do not adequately verify analytical or CFD submodels which are necessary to simulate rocket engine combustion. We wish to emphasize that the simulations which we prepared for this meeting are meant to test the accuracy of the approximations used in our general purpose spray combustion models, rather than represent a definitive analysis of each of the experiments which were conducted. Our goal is to accurately predict local temperatures and mixture ratios in rocket engines; hence predicting individual experiments is used only for code validation. To replace the conventional JANNAF standard axisymmetric finite-rate (TDK) computer code 2 for performance prediction with CFD cases, such codes must posses two features. Firstly, they must be as easy to use and of comparable run times for conventional performance predictions. Secondly, they must provide more detailed predictions of the flowfields near the injector face. Specifically, they must accurately predict the convective mixing of injected liquid propellants in terms of the injector element configurations.

Farmer, Richard↗

Investigation into Cryogenic Tank Insulation Systems for the Mars Surface Environment

In order to use oxygen that is produced on the surface of Mars from In-Situ production processes in a chemical propulsion system, the oxygen must first be converted from vapor phase to liquid phase and then stored within the propellant tanks of the propulsion system. The oxygen must then be stored in the liquid phase for several years between when the liquefaction operations are initiated and when the ascent stage lifts off the Martian surface. Since the Space Exploration Initiative, NASA has been investing small sums of money into soft vacuum systems for Mars Applications. A study was done into these various insulation systems for soft vacuum insulation, to determine what types of systems might be best to further pursue. Five different architectures or cycles were considered: Aerogel-based multilayer Insulation (MLAI), Space Evacuated Mars Vacuum Jacket (SEMOV) (also known as lightweight vacuum jacket), Load Responsive-Multilayer Insulation, Spray on Foam with MLI, and MLAI in SEMOV. Models of each architecture were developed to give insight into the performance and losses of each of the options. The results were then compared across six categories: Insulation System Mass, Active System Power (both input and heat rejection), Insulation System Cost, Manufacturability, Reliability, and Operational Flexibility. The result was that a trade between reliability and mass was clearly identified. Systems with high mass, also had high perceived reliability; whereas, systems with lower mass and power had a much lower perceived reliability. In the end, the numerical trades of these systems showed nominally identical rankings. As a result it is recommended that NASA focus its Martian insulation development activities on demonstrating and improving the reliability of the lightweight identified systems.

Soft vacuum↗

Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS) Forming of Solar Thermal Propulsion Components Using Refractory Metals

The Thermal Spray Laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a fabrication technique using Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS) to form structural components from a tungsten/rhenium alloy. The components were assembled into an absorption cavity for a fully-functioning, ground test unit of a solar thermal propulsion engine. The VPS process deposits refractory metal onto a graphite mandrel of the desired shape. The mandrel acts as a male mold, forming the required contour and dimensions of the inside surface of the deposit. Tungsten and tungsten/25% rhenium were used in the development and production of several absorber cavity components. These materials were selected for their high temperature (less than 2500 C) strength. Each absorber cavity comprises 3 coaxial shells with two, double-helical flow passages through which the propellant gas flows. This paper describes the processing techniques, design considerations, and process development associated with forming these engine components.

Zimmerman, Frank↗

Cryogenic Moisture Uptake in Foam Insulation for Space Launch Vehicles

Rigid polyurethane foams and rigid polyisocyanurate foams (spray-on foam insulation), like those flown on Shuttle, Delta IV, and will be flown on Ares-I and Ares-V, can gain an extraordinary amount of water when under cryogenic conditions for several hours. These foams, when exposed for eight hours to launch pad environments on one side and cryogenic temperature on the other, increase their weight from 35 to 80 percent depending on the duration of weathering or aging. This effect translates into several thousand pounds of additional weight for space vehicles at lift-off. A new cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus was designed to determine the amount of water/ice taken into the specimen under actual-use propellant loading conditions. This experimental study included the measurement of the amount of moisture uptake within different foam materials. Results of testing using both aged specimens and weathered specimens are presented. To better understand cryogenic foam insulation performance, cryogenic moisture testing is shown to be essential. The implications for future launch vehicle thermal protection system design and flight performance are discussed.

Fesmire, James E.↗

Development and Validation of Two-Phase CFD Models for Key Elements of Propellant Tank CFM Operations in 1G and Microgravity –An Overview

This paper presents an overview of the state-of-the-art two-phase CFD models that have been developed for various propellant tank storage and transfer operations in 1g, partial gravity, and microgravity. The models are developed in the framework of the industry standard ANSYS/Fluent CFD code, the capabilities of which have been significantly enhanced and customized through the incorporation of unique submodels via User Defined Functions (UDF)s to satisfy the requirements of its intended variable gravity Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) applications. These models/submodels have been validated against experimental data that cross spatial scales, fluid types, and gravity levels in order to properly anchor the models’ physical and numerical fidelity. The CFM application/processes that have been modeled include tank self-pressurization, tank autogenous pressurization, tank pressure control using both subcooled jet mixing and droplet spray injection mechanisms, tank chilldown/filling, tank drainage, tank slosh for both volatile and non-volatile fluids. The strength and shortcomings of the two-phase models for each application are highlighted and discussed briefly.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS) Forming of Solar Thermal Propulsion Components Using Refractory Metals

The Thermal Spray Laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a fabrication technique using Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS) to form structural components from a tungsten/rhenium alloy. The components were assembled into an absorber cavity for a fully-functioning, ground test unit of a solar then-nal propulsion engine. The VPS process deposits refractory metal onto a graphite mandrel of the desired shape. The mandrel acts as a male mold, forming the required contour and dimensions of the inside surface of the deposit. Tungsten and tungsten/25% rhenium were used in the development and production of several absorber cavity components. These materials were selected for their high temperature (greater than 25000 C [greater than 4530 F]) strength. Each absorber cavity comprises 3 coaxial shells with two, double-helical flow passages through which the propellant gas flows. This paper describes the processing techniques, design considerations, and process development associated with forming these engine components.

Zimmerman, Frank R.↗

Cryogenic Propellant Long-Term Storage With Zero Boil-Off

Significant boil-off losses from cryogenic propellant storage systems in long-duration space mission applications result in additional propellant and larger tanks. The potential propellant mass loss reductions with the Zero Boil-off (ZBO) concept are substantial; therefore, further exploration through technology programs has been initiated within NASA. A large-scale demonstration of the ZBO concept has been devised utilizing the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) along with a cryo-cooler unit. The ZBO concept consists of an active cryo-cooling system integrated with traditional passive thermal insulation. The cryo-cooler is interfaced with the MHTB and spraybar recirculation/mixer system in a manner that enables thermal energy removal at a rate that equals the total tank heat leak. The liquid hydrogen (LH2) is withdrawn from the tank, passed through a heat exchanger, and then the chilled liquid is sprayed back into the tank through a spraybar. The test series will be performed over a 20-30 day period. Tests will be conducted at multiple fill levels to demonstrate concept viability and to provide benchmark data to be used in analytical model development. In this paper the test set-up and test procedures are presented.

Hedayat, Ali↗

Cryogenic Propellant Long-term Storage With Zero Boil-off

Significant boil-off losses of cryogenic propellant storage systems in long-duration space mission applications result in additional propellant and large tanks. The zero boil-off (ZBO) concept consists of an active cryo-cooling system integrated with traditional passive thermal insulation. The potential mass reductions with the ZBO concept are Substantial; therefore, further exploration through technology programs has been initiated within NASA. A large-scale demonstration of the ZBO concept has been devised utilizing the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Multipurpose Hydrogen Test Bed (MHTB) along with a cryo-cooler unit. The cryo-cooler with the MHTB and spraybar recirculation/mixer system in a manner that enables thermal energy removal at a rate that equals the total tank heat leak. The liquid hydrogen is withdrawn from the tank, passed through a heat exchanger, and then the chilled liquid is sprayed back into the tank through a spraybar. The test series will be performed over a 30-40 day period. Tests will be conducted at multiple fill levels and various mixer operational cycles to demonstrate concept viability and to provide benchmark data to be used in analytical model development. In this paper. analytical models for heat flows through the MHTB tank, cryo-cooler performance. and spraybar performance will be presented.

Hedayat, A.↗

A Combined Water-Bromotrifluoromethane Crash-Fire Protection System for a T-56 Turbopropeller Engine

A crash-fire protection system is described which will suppress the ignition of crash-spilled fuel that may be ingested by a T-56 turbo-propeller engine. This system includes means for rapidly extinguishing the combustor flame, means for cooling and inerting with water the hot engine parts likely to ignite engine ingested fuel, and means for blanketing with bromotrifluoromethane massive metal parts that may reheat after the engine stops rotating. Combustion-chamber flames were rapidly extinguished at the engine fuel nozzles by a fuel shutoff and drain valve. Hot engine parts were inerted and cooled by 42 pounds of water discharged at seven engine stations. Massive metal parts that could reheat were inerted with 10 pounds of bromotrifluoromethane discharged at two engine stations. Performance trials of the crash-fire protection system were conducted by bringing the engine up to takeoff temperature, actuating the crash-fire protection system, and then spraying fuel into the engine to simulate crash-ingested fuel. No fires occurred during these trials, although fuel was sprayed into the engine from 0.3 second to 15 minutes after actuating the crash-fire protection system.

Campbell, John A.↗

Hydrodynamic Investigation of the the Take-Off Characteristics of a 1/10-Scale Dynamic Model of the Convair XF2Y-1 Airplane

An investigation was made of the take-off characteristics of a 1/10-scale dynamic model of the Convair XF2Y-1 airplane. This airplane is a water-based, jet-propelled, delta-wing fighter incorporating a hydro-ski landing gear. Tests were made with the original configuration, with the beaching wheels removed, and with the wheels installed and fairings added in front of the wheels. Each configuration was tested at weight and balance conditions simulating 17,000 pounds gross weight with the moment due t o 7,600 pounds of thrust, 17,300 pounds gross weight with a 9,500-pound thrust condition, and 23,000 pounds gross weight with a 9,300-pound thrust condition. Constant-speed runs were made at various elevon settings and vertical ski-strut positions; and trim, rise, and resistance were measured. Accelerated runs were made with controlled elevons and scale shock struts which could be extended as desired, and the longitudinal stability and spray characteristics were observed and photographed.

McBridge, Ellis E.↗

Recent Ground Hold and Rapid Depressurization Testing of Multilayer Systems

In the development of flight insulation systems for large cryogenic orbital storage (spray on foam and multilayer insulation), testing need include all environments that are experienced during flight. While large efforts have been expended on studying, bounding, and modeling the orbital performance of the insulation systems, little effort has been expended on the ground hold and ascent phases of a mission. Historical cryogenic in-space systems that have flown have been able to ignore these phases of flight due to the insulation system being within a vacuum jacket. In the development phase of the Nuclear Mars Vehicle and the Shuttle Nuclear Vehicle, several insulation systems were evaluated for the full mission cycle. Since that time there had been minimal work on these phases of flight until the Constellation program began investigating cryogenic service modules and long duration upper stages. With the inception of the Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Technology Demonstration Mission, a specific need was seen for the data and as such, several tests were added to the Cryogenic Boil-off Reduction System liquid hydrogen test matrix to provide more data on a insulation system. Testing was attempted with both gaseous nitrogen (GN2) and gaseous helium (GHe) backfills. The initial tests with nitrogen backfill were not successfully completed due to nitrogen liquefaction and solidification preventing the rapid pumpdown of the vacuum chamber. Subsequent helium backfill tests were successful and showed minimal degradation. The results are compared to the historical data.

Space Environment Simulation↗

Numerical Simulation of No Vent Chill and Fill of a Large Liquid Hydrogen Tank

On orbit transfer of cryogenic liquids is necessary for many future space missions. The techniques required to transfer cryogens in micro gravity are quite different from ground system applications. In normal gravity, cryogenic tanks are usually filled from the bottom at nearly atmospheric pressure. The vapor generated due to heat transfer from warm tank walls, is allowed to vent from the top of the tank while the tank is being filled. If the normal gravity technique is used on orbit, the uncertainty of liquid and vapor distributions in unsettled condition may result in dumping of large amounts of liquid propellant overboard. The Vented Chill and No Vent Fill (VCNVF) process is a methodology [1] used to reduce propellant loss by holding the vent valve open during initial wall chilldown, preventing over-pressurization of the tank and stalling of the incoming flow, but closing the tank vent valve after chilling the tank wall sufficiently. An accurate simulation of no vent tank chill and fill is necessary to estimate the amount of propellant necessary to chill the tank, determine the maximum sustainable flowrate to fill the tank without stalling, and establish a timeline for the filling process. Numerical modeling of filling a cryogenic tank is complex because the flow is two-phase and the process involves both boiling and condensation with heat transfer between solid and fluid. In recent years, progress has been made to develop a numerical modeling technique [2,3,4] that has been verified by comparing with the test data from a small flight tank using liquid nitrogen [5]. The purpose of the present paper is to apply this technique in a larger tank with liquid hydrogen and compare with the test data of Chato [1]. The K-site Test Facility [1], shown in Figure 1, consists of a Test Tank, spray system, instrumentation, and the vacuum chamber. The test tank selected was ellipsoidal with an 87 inch major diameter and a 1.2 to 1 major to minor axis ratio. The two ends are joined by a short 1.5 inch cylindrical section. The tank is made of 2219 aluminum chemically milled to a nominal thickness of 0.087 inches. The tank weighs 329.25 pounds, and the tank volume is 175 ft 3 . The GFSSP model of the Test Tank is shown in Figure 2. Node 13 is a boundary node that represents the supply tank which is supplying liquid hydrogen at a given pressure and temperature. The total measured flowrate is evenly distributed through Branches 131 through 139. Nodes 1 through 9 represent the test tank and they are connected with metal solid nodes 14 through 22 through fluid-to-solid conductors that allow convective heat transfer between the solid and fluid nodes. The predicted tank pressure, filling rate, wall temperature and fluid temperature will be compared with test data.

Alok Majumdar↗