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Results for “HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT”

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.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Methods for estimating pressure and thermal loads induced by elevon deflections on hypersonic-vehicle surfaces with turbulent boundary layers

Empirical anaytic methods are presented for calculating thermal and pressure distributions in three-dimensional, shock-wave turbulent-boundary-layer, interaction-flow regions on the surface of controllable hypersonic aircraft and missiles. The methods, based on several experimental investigations, are useful and reliable for estimating both the extent and magnitude of the increased thermal and pressure loads on the vehicle surfaces.

Kaufman, L. G., II↗
NASA NTRS1985

Modeling of transient heat pipe operation

The overall goal is to gain a better understanding of the transient behavior of heat pipes operating under both normal and adverse conditions. Normal operation refers to cases where the capillary structure remains fully wetted. Adverse operation occurs when drying, re-wetting, choking, noncontinuum flow, freezing, thawing etc., occur within the heat pipe. The work was redirected towards developing the capability to predict operational behavior of liquid metal heat pipes used for cooling aerodynamic structures. Of particular interest is the startup of such heat pipes from an initially frozen state such as might occur during re-entry of a space vehicle into the Earth's atmosphere or during flight of hypersonic aircraft.

Colwell, G. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Modeling of transient heat pipe operation

Mathematical models and associated solution procedures which can be used to design heat pipe cooled structures for use on hypersonic vehicles are being developed. The models should also have the capability to predict off-design performance for a variety of operating conditions. It is expected that the resulting models can be used to predict startup behavior of liquid metal heat pipes to be used in reentry vehicles, hypersonic aircraft, and space nuclear reactors. Work to date related to numerical solutions of governing differential equations for the outer shell and the combination capillary structure and working fluid is summarized. Finite element numerical equations using both implicit, explicit, and combination methods were examined.

Colwell, G. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Development of a reusable, flight-weight cryogenic foam insulation system

Attention is given to a light weight foam insulation system applicable to reusable cryogenic propellant tankage for hypersonic aircraft and space launch vehicles. The insulation system consists of nominally sized blocks of a high temperature-resistant polymethacrylimide foam that is wrapped with a vapor-impermeable membrane of Kapton-aluminum-Kapton laminate, which is adhesively bonded to the outer propellant tank wall. Test results are presented which indicate that this insulation system is capable of enduring a Mach 5 service environment without structural cracking, deterioration, or loss of performance.

Mcauliffe, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Modeling of transient heat pipe operation

The use of heat pipes is being considered as a means of reducing the peak temperature and large thermal gradients at the leading edges of reentry vehicles and hypersonic aircraft and in nuclear reactors. In the basic cooling concept, the heat pipe covers the leading edge, a portion of the lower wing surface, and a portion of the upper wing surface. Aerodynamic heat is mainly absorbed at the leading edge and transported through the heat pipe to the upper and lower wing surface, where it is rejected by thermal radiation and convection. Basic governing equations are written to determine the startup, transient, and steady state performance of a haet pipe which has initially frozen alkali-metal as the working fluid.

Colwell, Gene T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Structural analyses of engine wall cooling concepts and materials

The severe thermal environments under which hypersonic aircraft such as the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) will operate require cooling of the engine walls, especially in the combustor. A preliminary assessment is made of some candidate materials based on structural analyses for a number of convective cooling configurations. Three materials were studied: graphite/copper and tungsten/copper composite alloys with 50 percent fiber volume fractions and a wrought cobalt-base superalloy, Haynes 188. Anisotropic mechanical and thermal properties for the composites were obtained from a computer code, ICAN, which determines the composite material properties from the individual properties of the fiber and matrix materials. The structural analyses were performed by using the MARC nonlinear finite element code. Heat transfer analyses were conducted to calculate the metal temperature distributions.

Kaufman, Albert↗
NASA NTRS1987

DACS II - A distributed thermal/mechanical loads data acquisition and control system

A distributed data acquisition and control system has been developed for the NASA Flight Loads Research Facility. The DACS II system is composed of seven computer systems and four array processors configured as a main computer system, three satellite computer systems, and 13 analog input/output systems interconnected through three independent data networks. Up to three independent heating and loading tests can be run concurrently on different test articles or the entire system can be used on a single large test such as a full scale hypersonic aircraft. Thermal tests can include up to 512 independent adaptive closed loop control channels. The control system can apply up to 20 MW of heating to a test specimen while simultaneously applying independent mechanical loads. Each thermal control loop is capable of heating a structure at rates of up to 150 F per second over a temperature range of -300 to +2500 F. Up to 64 independent mechanical load profiles can be commanded along with thermal control. Up to 1280 analog inputs monitor temperature, load, displacement and strain on the test specimens with real time data displayed on up to 15 terminals as color plots and tabular data displays. System setup and operation is accomplished with interactive menu-driver displays with extensive facilities to assist the users in all phases of system operation.

Zamanzadeh, Behzad↗
NASA NTRS1988

Longitudinal long-period dynamics of aerospace craft

Linear analyses are performed to examine the generic aspects of aerospace vehicle longitudinal long-period or trajectory modes of motion. The influence of Mach number, dynamic pressure, thrust-to-drag ratio, and propulsion system thrust laws on the longitudinal trajectory modes is presented in terms of phugoid frequency and damping and height mode stability. The results of these analyses are compared to flying qualities requirements where possible, and potential deficiencies in both the vehicle and the criteria are noted. A preliminary look at possible augmentation schemes to improve potential deficiencies is also presented. Interpretation of the practical consequences of the results is aided by typical time histories. Results indicate that propulsion system characteristics are the dominant influence on the longitudinal long-period flight dynamics of hypersonic aerospace craft. However, straightforward augmentation systems demonstrated the potential to accommodate these influences if the effects are included in the design process. These efforts may be hampered by a lack of design criteria for hypersonic aircraft.

Berry, Donald T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Aeronautical applications of high-temperature superconductors

The successful development of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) could have a major impact on future aeronautical propulsion and aeronautical flight vehicle systems. A preliminary examination of the potential application of HTS for aeronautics indicates that significant benefits may be realized through the development and implementation of these newly discovered materials. Applications of high-temperature superconductors (currently substantiated at 95 K) were envisioned for several classes of aeronautical systems, including subsonic and supersonic transports, hypersonic aircraft, V/STOL aircraft, rotorcraft, and solar, microwave and laser powered aircraft. Introduced and described are the particular applications and potential benefits of high-temperature superconductors as related to aeronautics and/or aeronautical systems.

Turney, George E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Hypersonic aerodynamics at North Carolina State University

Hypersonic Aerodynamics has attracted outstanding graduate students and faculty at NCSU. It has grown to 6 faculty and 32 graduate students for fall, 1988. A significant feature of the program is that students and faculty spend time at government laboratories which currently include NASA Langley Research Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center at Silver Spring, and the Wright Aeronautical Laboratories. Research projects include analysis, computational and experimental aerodynamics. The combined program produces graduates with the background needed to perform aerodynamics investigations of hypersonic aircraft and spacecraft. The research performed helps advance the state of the art as well as assist government laboratories in meeting their goals.

Dejarnette, Fred R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Aeronautical applications of high-temperature superconductors

The successful development of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) could have a major impact on future aeronautical propulsion and aeronautical flight vehicle systems. A preliminary examination of the potential application of HTS for aeronautics indicates that significant benefits may be realized through the development and implementation of these newly discovered materials. Applications of high-temperature superconductors (currently substantiated at 95 k) were envisioned for several classes of aeronautical systems, including subsonic and supersonic transports, hypersonic aircraft, V/STOL aircraft, rotorcraft, and solar, microwave and laser powered aircraft. Introduced and described are the particular applications and potential benefits of high-temperature superconductors as related to aeronautics and/or aeronautical systems.

Turney, George E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Assessment of High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) electric motors for rotorcraft propulsion

The successful development of high temperature superconductors (HTS) could have a major impact on future aeronautical propulsion and aeronautical flight vehicle systems. Applications of high temperature superconductors have been envisioned for several classes of aeronautical systems, including subsonic and supersonic transports, hypersonic aircraft, V/STOL aircraft, rotorcraft and solar powered aircraft. The potential of HTS electric motors and generators for providing primary shaft power for rotorcraft propulsion is examined. Three different sized production helicopters were investigated; namely, the Bell Jet Ranger, the Sikorsky Black Hawk and the Sikorsky Super Stallion. These rotorcraft have nominal horsepower ratings of 500, 3600, and 13400 respectively. Preliminary results indicated that an all-electric HTS drive system produces an improvement in rotorcraft Takeoff Gross Weight (TOGW) for those rotorcraft with power ratings above 2000 horsepower. The predicted TOGW improvements are up to 9 percent for the medium-sized Sikorsky Black Hawk and up to 20 percent for the large-sized Sikorsky Super Stallion. The small-sized Bell Jet Ranger, however, experienced a penalty in TOGW with the all-electric HTS drive system.

Doernbach, Jay↗
NASA NTRS1990

Finite element elastic-plastic-creep and cyclic life analysis of a cowl lip

Results are presented of elastic, elastic-plastic, and elastic-plastic-creep analyses of a test-rig component of an actively cooled cowl lip. A cowl lip is part of the leading edge of an engine inlet of proposed hypersonic aircraft and is subject to severe thermal loadings and gradients during flight. Values of stresses calculated by elastic analysis are well above the yield strength of the cowl lip material. Such values are highly unrealistic, and thus elastic stress analyses are inappropriate. The inelastic (elastic-plastic and elastic-plastic-creep) analyses produce more reasonable and acceptable stress and strain distributions in the component. Finally, using the results from these analyses, predictions are made for the cyclic crack initiation life of a cowl lip. A comparison of predicted cyclic lives shows the cyclic life prediction from the elastic-plastic-creep analysis to be the lowest and, hence, most realistic.

Arya, Vinod K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

An Explicit Upwind Algorithm for Solving the Parabolized Navier-Stokes Equations

An explicit, upwind algorithm was developed for the direct (noniterative) integration of the 3-D Parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) equations in a generalized coordinate system. The new algorithm uses upwind approximations of the numerical fluxes for the pressure and convection terms obtained by combining flux difference splittings (FDS) formed from the solution of an approximate Riemann (RP). The approximate RP is solved using an extension of the method developed by Roe for steady supersonic flow of an ideal gas. Roe's method is extended for use with the 3-D PNS equations expressed in generalized coordinates and to include Vigneron's technique of splitting the streamwise pressure gradient. The difficulty associated with applying Roe's scheme in the subsonic region is overcome. The second-order upwind differencing of the flux derivatives are obtained by adding FDS to either an original forward or backward differencing of the flux derivative. This approach is used to modify an explicit MacCormack differencing scheme into an upwind differencing scheme. The second order upwind flux approximations, applied with flux limiters, provide a method for numerically capturing shocks without the need for additional artificial damping terms which require adjustment by the user. In addition, a cubic equation is derived for determining Vegneron's pressure splitting coefficient using the updated streamwise flux vector. Decoding the streamwise flux vector with the updated value of Vigneron's pressure splitting improves the stability of the scheme. The new algorithm is applied to 2-D and 3-D supersonic and hypersonic laminar flow test cases. Results are presented for the experimental studies of Holden and of Tracy. In addition, a flow field solution is presented for a generic hypersonic aircraft at a Mach number of 24.5 and angle of attack of 1 degree. The computed results compare well to both experimental data and numerical results from other algorithms. Computational times required for the upwind PNS code are approximately equal to an explicit PNS MacCormack's code and existing implicit PNS solvers.

Korte, John J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

National remote computational flight research facility

The extension of the NASA Ames-Dryden remotely augmented vehicle (RAV) facility to accommodate flight testing of a hypersonic aircraft utilizing the continental United States as a test range is investigated. The development and demonstration of an automated flight test management system (ATMS) that uses expert system technology for flight test planning, scheduling, and execution is documented.

Rediess, Herman A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Heat pipe radiation cooling of advanced hypersonic propulsion system components

Heat transfer, heat pipe, and system studies were performed to assess the newly proposed heat pipe radiation cooling (HPRC) concept. With an HPRC system, heat is removed from the ramburner and nozzle of a hypersonic aircraft engine by a surrounding, high-temperature, heat pipe nacelle structure, transported to nearby external surfaces, and rejected to the environment by thermal radiation. With HPRC, the Mach number range available for using hydrocarbon fuels for aircraft operation extends into the Mach 4 to Mach 6 range, up from the current limit of about Mach 4. Heat transfer studies using a newly developed HPRC computer code determine cooling system and ramburner and nozzle temperatures, heat loads, and weights for a representative combined-cycle engine cruising at Mach 5 at 80,000 ft altitude. Heat pipe heat transport calculations, using the Los Alamos code HTPIPE, reveal that adequate heat trasport capability is available using molybdenum-lithium heat pipe technology. Results show that the HPRC system radiator area is limited in size to the ramburner-nozzle region of the engine nacelle; reasonable system weights are expected; hot section temperatures are consistent with advanced structural materials development goals; and system impact on engine performance is minimal.

Martin, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

An analytical comparison of convective heat transfer correlations in supercritical hydrogen

Four correlations that cover the ranges of liquid to gas for turbulent flow convection of hydrogen are compared with CFD analysis over a range of expected design conditions for active cooling of hypersonic aircraft. Analysis of hydrogen cooling in a typical cooling panel shows how predicted design performance varies with the correlation utilized. The CFD heat transfer coefficient results for a heat spike differed significantly from all four correlations. An acceptable heat transfer coefficient can be calculated at the heat spike location by overlooking the coefficient at the spike and averaging the coefficient before and after the spike.

Dziedzic, William M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

MDO can help resolve the designer's dilemma

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is presented as a rapidly growing body of methods, algorithms, and techniques that will provide a quantum jump in the effectiveness and efficiency of the quantitative side of design, and will turn that side into an environment in which the qualitative side can thrive. MDO borrows from CAD/CAM for graphic visualization of geometrical and numerical data, data base technology, and in computer software and hardware. Expected benefits from this methodology are a rational, mathematically consistent approach to hypersonic aircraft designs, designs pushed closer to the optimum, and a design process either shortened or leaving time available for different concepts to be explored.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw↗