Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “axial”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

A new blade element method for calculating the performance of high and intermediate solidity axial flow fans

A method is presented to design and predict the performance of axial flow rotors operating in a duct. The same method is suitable for the design of ducted fans and open propellers. The unified method is based on the blade element approach and the vortex theory for determining the three dimensional effects, so that two dimensional airfoil data can be used for determining the resultant force on each blade element. Resolution of this force in the thrust and torque planes and integration allows the total performance of the rotor, fan or propeller to be predicted. Three different methods of analysis, one based on a momentum flow theory; another on the vortex theory of propellers; and a third based on the theory of ducted fans, agree and reduce cascade airfoil data to single line as a function of the loading and induced angle of attack at values of constant inflow angle. The theory applies for any solidity from .01 to over 1 and any blade section camber. The effects of the duct and blade number can be determined so that the procedure applies over the entire range from two blade open propellers, to ducted helicopter tail rotors, to axial flow compressors with or without guide vanes, and to wind tunnel drive fans.

Borst, H. V.↗

The effects of design and operating variables on the response of an axial flow fan to inlet flow distortions

The results of a study of total pressure and velocity circumferential distortions in an axial-flow fan are presented. Some of the fundamental experimental data needed to understand distorted flow phenomena as affected by design and operating variables are provided. The flow through an isolated rotor was examined at various operating conditions with six different distortions and three different blade stagger angles. Circumferential surveys were conducted upstream and downstream of the rotor using five-hole probes in the nonnulling mode. The total pressure and axial velocity distortion data were analyzed to determine the degree of distortion attenuation as a function of blade stagger angle, mean incidence angle, and reduced frequency. The results indicate that, for the rotors tested, the mean incidence or loading has very little effect on the distortion attenuation.

Yocum, A. M., II↗

Mean velocity and decay characteristics of the guidevane and stator blade wake of an axial flow compressor

Pure tone noise, blade row vibrations, and aerodynamic losses are phenomena which are influenced by stator and IGV (inlet guide vane) blade wake production, decay, and interaction in an axial-flow compressor. The objective of this investigation is to develop a better understanding of the nature of stator and IGV blade wakes that are influenced by the presence of centrifugal forces due to flow curvature. A single sensor hot wire probe was employed to determine the three mean velocity components of stator and IGV wakes of a single stage compressor. These wake profiles indicated a varying decay rate of the tangential and axial wake velocity components and a wake profile similarity. An analysis, which predicts this trend, has been developed. The radial velocities are found to be appreciable in both IGV and the stator wakes.

Lakshminarayana, B.↗

Predicting the time-temperature dependent axial failure of B/A1 composites

Experimental and theoretical studies were conducted in order to understand and predict the effects of time, temperature, and stress on the axial failure modes of boron fibers and B/A1 composites. Due to the anelastic nature of boron fiber deformation, it was possible to determine simple creep functions which can be employed to accurately describe creep and fracture stress of as-produced fibers. Analysis of damping and strength data for B/6061 A1 composites indicates that fiber creep effects of creep on fiber fracture are measurably reduced by the composite fabrication process. The creep function appropriate for fibers with B/Al composites was also determined. A fracture theory is presented for predicting the time-temperature dependence of the axial tensile strength for metal matrix composites in general and B/A1 composites in particular.

Dicarlo, J. A.↗

Buckling of axially compressed conical shells

The buckling of a truncated elastic conical shell subjected to an axial compression is a classical problem in shell structures. The paper reinvestigates the buckling of an axially compressed truncated conical shell with rigid bulkheads. Two improvements are achieved. First, the condition that the total horizontal displacement must vanish due to rigid bulkhead and axisymmetry is treated as a constraint. This constraint is incorporated into the system through the use of the Lagrange multiplier; then the variational method is used to derive a complete set of boundary conditions for conical shells. Second, the stability is evaluated in the deformed state using the asymptotic solutions of the pair of Donnell-type equations for axisymmetric configuration. The results indicate that the buckling strength of conical shells depends mainly on the condition of the smaller end. In addition to the vertex angle, the distance ratio plays, at least, an equally important role.

Chang, C.-H.↗

Analytical and experimental study of mean flow and turbulence characteristics inside the passages of an axial flow inducer

The inviscid and viscid effects existing within the passages of a three bladed axial flow inducer operating at a flow coefficient of 0.065 are investigated. The blade static pressure and blade limiting streamline angle distributions were determined and the three components of mean velocity, turbulence intensities, and turbulence stresses were measured at locations inside the inducer blade passage utilizing a rotating three sensor hotwire probe. Applicable equations were derived for the hotwire data reduction analysis and solved numerically to obtain the appropriate flow parameters. The three dimensional inviscid flow in the inducer was predicted by numerically solving the exact equations of motion, and the three dimensional viscid flow was predicted by incorporating the dominant viscous terms into the exact equations. The analytical results are compared with the experimental measurements and design values where appropriate. Radial velocities are found to be of the same order as axial velocities within the inducer passage, confirming the highly three dimensional characteristic of inducer flow. Total relative velocity distribution indicate a substantial velocity deficiency near the tip at mid-passage which expands significantly as the flow proceeds toward the inducer trailing edge. High turbulence intensities and turbulence stresses are concentrated within this core region. Considerable wake diffusion occurs immediately downstream of the inducer trailing edge to decay this loss core. Evidence of boundary layer interactions, blade blockage effects, radially inward flows, annulus wall effects, and backflows are all found to exist within the long, narrow passages of the inducer.

Gorton, C. A.↗

Application of the line-spring model to a cylindrical shell containing a circumferential or axial part-through crack

An approximate solution was obtained for a cylindrical shell containing a part-through surface crack. It was assumed that the shell contains a circumferential or axial semi-elliptic internal or external surface crack and was subjected to a uniform membrane loading or a uniform bending moment away from the crack region. A Reissner type theory was used to account for the effects of the transverse shear deformations. The stress intensity factor at the deepest penetration point of the crack was tabulated for bending and membrane loading by varying three dimensionless length parameters of the problem formed from the shell radius, the shell thickness, the crack length, and the crack depth. The upper bounds of the stress intensity factors are provided by the results of the elasticity solution obtained from the axisymmetric crack problem for the circumferential crack, and that found from the plane strain problem for a circular ring having a radial crack for the axial crack. The line-spring model gives the expected results in comparison with the elasticity solutions. Results also compare well with the existing finite element solution of the pressurized cylinder containing an internal semi-elliptic surface crack.

Delale, F.↗

The experimental verification of a streamline curvature numerical analysis method applied to the flow through an axial flow fan

The experimental verification of an inviscid, incompressible through-flow analysis method is presented. The primary component of this method is an axisymmetric streamline curvature technique which is used to compute the hub-to-tip flow field of a given turbomachine. To analyze the flow field in the blade-to-blade plane of the machine, the potential flow solution of an infinite cascade of airfoils is also computed using a source model technique. To verify the accuracy of such an analysis method an extensive experimental verification investigation was conducted using an axial flow research fan. Detailed surveys of the blade-free regions of the machine along with intra-blade surveys using rotating pressure sensing probes and blade surface static pressure taps provide a one-to-one relationship between measured and predicted data. The results of this investigation indicate the ability of this inviscid analysis method to predict the design flow field of the axial flow fan test rotor to within a few percent of the measured values.

Pierzga, M. J.↗

Equations of motion for a free-electron laser with an electromagnetic pump field and an axial electrostatic field

The equations of motion for a free-electron laser (FEL) with an electromagnetic pump field and a static axial electric field are derived using a Hamiltonian formalism. Equations governing the energy transfer between the electron beam and each of the electromagnetic fields are given, and the phase shift for each of the electromagnetic fields is derived from a linearized Maxwell wave equation. The relation between the static axial electric field and the resonant phase is given. Laser gain and the fraction of the electron energy converted to photon energy are determined using a simplified resonant particle model. These results are compared to those of a more exact particle simulation code.

Hiddleston, H. R.↗

Fatigue life prediction in bending from axial fatigue information

Bending fatigue in the low cyclic life range differs from axial fatigue due to the plastic flow which alters the linear stress-strain relation normally used to determine the nominal stresses. An approach is presented to take into account the plastic flow in calculating nominal bending stress (S sub bending) based on true surface stress. These functions are derived in closed form for rectangular and circular cross sections. The nominal bending stress and the axial fatigue stress are plotted as a function of life (N sub S) and these curves are shown for several materials of engineering interest.

Manson, S. S.↗

Application of Computer Axial Tomography (CAT) to measuring crop canopy geometry

The feasibility of using the principles of computer axial topography (CAT) to quantify the structure of crop canopies was investigated because six variables are needed to describe the position-orientation with time of a small piece of canopy foliage. Several cross sections were cut through the foliage of healthy, green corn and soybean canopies in the dent and full pod development stages, respectively. A photograph of each cross section representing the intersection of a plane with the foliage was enlarged and the air-foliage boundaries delineated by the plane were digitized. A computer program was written and used to reconstruct the cross section of the canopy. The approach used in applying optical computer axial tomography to measuring crop canopy geometry shows promise of being able to provide needed geometric information for input data to canopy reflectance models. The difficulty of using the CAT scanner to measure large canopies of crops like corn is discussed and a solution is proposed involving the measurement of plants one at a time.

Bauer, M. E.↗

Heat transfer analysis of the Bridgman-Stockbarger configuration for crystal growth. Part 1: Analytical treatment of the axial temperature distribution

All first order effects on the axial temperature distribution in a solidifying charge in a Bridgman-Stockbarger configuration for crystal growth are analyzed on the basis of a one dimensional model whose validity can be verified through comparison with published finite difference ana;uses of two dimensional models. The model presented includes an insulated region between axially aligned heat pipes and considers the effects of charge diameter, charge motion, thickness, and thermal conductivity of a confining crucible, thermal conductivity change at the crystal-melt interface, generation of latent heat at the interface, and finite charge length. Results are primarily given in analytical form and can be used without recourse to computer work for both improve furnace design and optimization of growth conditions in a given thermal configuration.

Jasinski, T. J.↗

Three dimensional flow field inside the passage of a low speed axial flow compressor rotor

Measurements of the subsonic flow in the rotor passage of a single stage axial flow compressor were made to study the nature of the flow field and to verify the existing numerical codes. The velocity and pressure fields were measured across the entire rotor passage at six axial locations and at five radial locations. A five-hole probe, rotating with the rotor, was used to measure the three components of velocity, the static and the total pressure. The experimental results are compared with the predictions from Katsanis and McNally's computer program. The agreement between the two is good for most of the cases.

Pouagare, M.↗

Ultrasonic measurement of axial stress

The theory of acoustic propagation in strained media is examined, with particular emphasis on rod (bolt) geometries. The continuous wave (CW) approach is the basis of the study, and the theory is developed from a frequency domain analysis standpoint in order to obtain an applied stress/normalized frequency shift relationship. CW measurements may be influenced by such factors as propagation effects, mode conversion, frequency, material properties, and geometry. After the first loading cycle, axial stress measurements for a preloading with an initial frequency of 4.995 36 MHz dropped to 4.989 19 MHz, indicating a 6.17 kHz change. CW and pseudo-CW ultrasonic techniques are found to be reliable for axial stress measurements, and acoustic attenuation measurements correlated to residual stress fields may possibly involve transducer phase cancellation. It is thus concluded that signal drop is an artifact of the transducer directivity, rather than an actual acoustic power decrease.

Heyman, J. S.↗

The WISGSK: A computer code for the prediction of a multistage axial compressor performance with water ingestion

A computer code is presented for the prediction of off-design axial flow compressor performance with water ingestion. Four processes were considered to account for the aero-thermo-mechanical interactions during operation with air-water droplet mixture flow: (1) blade performance change, (2) centrifuging of water droplets, (3) heat and mass transfer process between the gaseous and the liquid phases and (4) droplet size redistribution due to break-up. Stage and compressor performance are obtained by a stage stacking procedure using representative veocity diagrams at a rotor inlet and outlet mean radii. The Code has options for performance estimation with (1) mixtures of gas and (2) gas-water droplet mixtures, and therefore can take into account the humidity present in ambient conditions. A test case illustrates the method of using the Code. The Code follows closely the methodology and architecture of the NASA-STGSTK Code for the estimation of axial-flow compressor performance with air flow.

Tsuchiya, T.↗

Experiment measurement of Alford's force in axial-flow turbomachinery

Results of experimental measurements made on a small high speed, axial flow test apparatus are presented to verify the existence of Alford's force (that circumferential variation of blade-tip clearances in axial-flow turbomachinery will produce cross-coupled (normal to the eccentricity) aerodynamic forces on the rotor) and to investigate the validity of his mathematical prediction model.

Vance, J. M.↗

Tests of a 2-Stage, Axial-Flow, 2-Phase Turbine

A two phase flow turbine with two stages of axial flow impulse rotors was tested with three different working fluid mixtures at a shaft power of 30 kW. The turbine efficiency was 0.55 with nitrogen and water of 0.02 quality and 94 m/s velocity, 0.57 with Refrigerant 22 of 0.27 quality and 123 m/s velocity, and 0.30 with steam and water of 0.27 quality and 457 m/s velocity. The efficiencies with nitrogen and water and Refrigerant 22 were 86 percent of theoretical. At that fraction of theoretical, the efficiencies of optimized two phase turbines would be in the low 60 percent range with organic working fluids and in the mid 50 percent range with steam and water. The recommended turbine design is a two stage axial flow impulse turbine followed by a rotary separator for discharge of separate liquid and gas streams and recovery of liquid pressure.

Elliott, D. G.↗

Calculation of potential flow past non-lifting bodies at angle of attack using axial and surface singularity methods

Two different singularity methods have been utilized to calculate the potential flow past a three dimensional non-lifting body. Two separate FORTRAN computer programs have been developed to implement these theoretical models, which will in the future allow inclusion of the fuselage effect in a pair of existing subcritical wing design computer programs. The first method uses higher order axial singularity distributions to model axisymmetric bodies of revolution in an either axial or inclined uniform potential flow. Use of inset of the singularity line away from the body for blunt noses, and cosine-type element distributions have been applied to obtain the optimal results. Excellent agreement to five significant figures with the exact solution pressure coefficient value has been found for a series of ellipsoids at different angles of attack. Solutions obtained for other axisymmetric bodies compare well with available experimental data. The second method utilizes distributions of singularities on the body surface, in the form of a discrete vortex lattice. This program is capable of modeling arbitrary three dimensional non-lifting bodies. Much effort has been devoted to finding the optimal method of calculating the tangential velocity on the body surface, extending techniques previously developed by other workers.

Shu, J. Y.↗