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At least 235 records · Page 13

Recent Development in the Analytical Investigation of Shipboard Rotorcraft Engage and Disengage Operations

This paper presents an overview of recent developments in an effort to predict transient aeroelastic rotor response during shipboard engage and disengage sequences. The blade is modeled as an elastic beam undergoing in flap, lag, extension and torsion. The blade equations of motion are formulated using Hamilton's principle and they are spatially discretized using the finite element method. The discretized blade equations of motion are integrated for a specified rotor speed run-up or run-down profile. Blade element theory is used to calculate quasi-steady or unsteady aerodynamic loads in linear and nonlinear regimes. The analysis is capable of simulating both articulated, hingeless, and gimballed rotor systems. Validation of the rotor code is discussed, including correlation with droop stop impact tests and wind tunnel experiments. Predictions of safe engagement and disengagement envelopes, limited by excessive blade tip deflections or hub moments, are presented. Future directions of study are also discussed.

Smith, Edward C.↗

Rotor redesign for a highly loaded 1800 ft/sec tip speed fan. 3: Laser Doppler velocimeter report

Laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) techniques were employed for testing a highly loaded, 550 m/sec (1800 ft/sec) tip speed, test fan stage, the objective to provide detailed mapping of the upstream, intrablade, and downstream flowfields of the rotor. Intrablade LDV measurements of velocity and flow angle were obtained along four streamlines passing through the leading edge at 45%, 69%, 85%, and 95% span measured from hub to tip, at 100% of design speed, peak efficiency; 100% speed, near surge; and 95% speed, peak efficiency. At the design point, most passages appeared to have a strong leading edge shock, which moved forward with increasing strength near surge and at part speeds. The flow behind the shock was of a complex mixed subsonic and supersonic form. The intrablade flowfields were found to be significantly nonperiodic at 100% design speed, peak efficiency.

Harvey, W. B.↗

The MOD-OA 200 kilowatt wind turbine generator design and analysis report

The project requirements, approach, system description, design requirements, design, analysis, system tests, installation safety considerations, failure modes and effects analysis, data acquisition, and initial performance for the MOD-OA 200 kw wind turbine generator are discussed. The components, the rotor, driven train, nacelle equipment, yaw drive mechanism and brake, tower, foundation, electrical system, and control systems are presented. The rotor includes the blades, hub and pitch change mechanism. The drive train includes the low speed shaft, speed increaser, high speed shaft, and rotor brake. The electrical system includes the generator, switchgear, transformer, and utility connection. The control systems are the blade pitch, yaw, and generator control, and the safety system. Manual, automatic, and remote control and Dynamic loads and fatigue are analyzed.

Andersen, T. S.↗

Numerical analyses of a rocket engine turbine and comparison with air test data

The study presents cold air test data on the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Fuel Turbopump turbine recently collected at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Overall performance data, static pressures on the first- and second-stage nozzles, and static pressures along with the gas path at the hub and tip are gathered and compared with various (1D, quasi-3D, and 3D viscous) analysis procedures. The results of each level of analysis are compared to test data to demonstrate the range of applicability for each step in the design process of a turbine. One-dimensional performance prediction, quasi-3D loading prediction, 3D wall pressure distribution prediction, and 3D viscous wall pressure distribution prediction are illustrated.

Tran, Ken↗

Alleviation of helicopter fuselage-induced rotor unsteady loads through deterministic variation of the individual blade pitch

The effect of fuselage-induced upwash on the flapwise motion of a hinged rotor blade is considered. The typical upwash field is simulated through the flow produced by a moving point source. The resulting blade response is then approximated by its rigid flapping and first bending mode. The perturbation blade pitch variation required to alleviate its response to the upwash in the sense of either reducing the increased hub shear or minimization of the blade overall time averaged deflection, is determined. Calculations are carried out for a model rotor and for the case with increased Lock number. The results are presented in graph form. It is found that the minimum blade deflection criteria suppress the rigid flapping by a large amount and reduce the peak-to-peak value of the blade hub shear by at least 50 percent without causing an additional increase in blade stresses.

Rahnema, M. A.↗

Finite element analysis for bearingless rotor blade aeroelasticity

A conventional articulated rotor blade has mechanical flap and lag hinges, a lag damper, and a pitch bearing. In connection with an interest in designs of greater mechanical simplicity and increased maintainability, hingeless and bearingless rotors have been developed. A hingeless blade lacks the hinges and is cantilevered at the hub. It does have a pitch bearing for pitch control. A bearingless design eliminates the hinges and the pitch bearing as well. In the present investigation of bearingless rotor blade characteristics, finite element analysis has been successfully applied to determine the solutions of the nonlinear trim equations and the linearized flutter equations of multiple-load-path blades. The employed formulation is based on Hamilton's principle. The spatial dependence of the equations of motion is discretized by dividing the flexbeams, the torque tube, and the outboard into a number of elements.

Sivaneri, N. T.↗

Effect of stage loading on endwall flows in an axial flow compressor rotor

This paper reports results from investigations conducted to determine the effect of stage loading on endwall flows in a low speed axial flow compressor. These investigations consisted of two sets of measurements. The first set consisted of radial transverse of flow properties at the rotor inlet and exit, at five flow coefficients. These measurements are used to determine the boundary layer integral parameters. The displacement thicknesses at the rotor hub and tip agree reasonably well with Smith's (1970) correlation for multistage axial compressors. The second set consisted of measurements of static pressures on the rotor blade at four flow coefficients. From these measurements, lift coefficient is determined. Also, loss of lift coefficient near the tip is calculated, and is attributed mainly to the tip leakage flows.

Sitaram, N.↗

Aerodynamic potpourri

Aerodynamic developments for vertical axis and horizontal axis wind turbines are given that relate to the performance and aerodynamic loading of these machines. Included are: (1) a fixed wake aerodynamic model of the Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine; (2) experimental results that suggest the existence of a laminar flow Darrieus vertical axis turbine; (3) a simple aerodynamic model for the turbulent windmill/vortex ring state of horizontal axis rotors; and (4) a yawing moment of a rigid hub horizontal axis wind turbine that is related to blade coning.

Wilson, R. E.↗

Multi-Body Analysis of a Tiltrotor Configuration

The paper describes the aeroelastic analysis of a tiltrotor configuration. The 1/5 scale wind tunnel semispan model of the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft is considered. The analysis is performed by means of a multi-body code, based on an original formulation. The differential equilibrium problem is stated in terms of first order differential equations. The equilibrium equations of every rigid body are written, together with the definitions of the momenta. The bodies are connected by kinematic constraints, applied in form of Lagrangian multipliers. Deformable components are mainly modelled by means of beam elements, based on an original finite volume formulation. Multi-disciplinar problems can be solved by adding user-defined differential equations. In the presented analysis the equations related to the control of the swash-plate of the model are considered. Advantages of a multi-body aeroelastic code over existing comprehensive rotorcraft codes include the exact modelling of the kinematics of the hub, the detailed modelling of the flexibility of critical hub components, and the possibility to simulate steady flight conditions as well as wind-up and maneuvers. The simulations described in the paper include: 1) the analysis of the aeroelastic stability, with particular regard to the proprotor/pylon instability that is peculiar to tiltrotors, 2) the determination of the dynamic behavior of the system and of the loads due to typical maneuvers, with particular regard to the conversion from helicopter to airplane mode, and 3) the stress evaluation in critical components, such as the pitch links and the conversion downstop spring.

Ghiringhelli, G. L.↗

MOD-0A 200 kW wind turbine generator design and analysis report

The design, analysis, and initial performance of the MOD-OA 200 kW wind turbine generator at Clayton, NM is documented. The MOD-OA was designed and built to obtain operation and performance data and experience in utility environments. The project requirements, approach, system description, design requirements, design, analysis, system tests, installation, safety considerations, failure modes and effects analysis, data acquisition, and initial performance for the wind turbine are discussed. The design and analysis of the rotor, drive train, nacelle equipment, yaw drive mechanism and brake, tower, foundation, electricl system, and control systems are presented. The rotor includes the blades, hub, and pitch change mechanism. The drive train includes the low speed shaft, speed increaser, high speed shaft, and rotor brake. The electrical system includes the generator, switchgear, transformer, and utility connection. The control systems are the blade pitch, yaw, and generator control, and the safety system. Manual, automatic, and remote control are discussed. Systems analyses on dynamic loads and fatigue are presented.

Anderson, T. S.↗

High loading, 1800 ft/sec tip speed, transonic compressor fan stage. 2: Final report

Tests were conducted on a 0.5 hub/tip ratio, single-stage fan-compressor designed to produce a pressure ratio of 2.285 an efficiency of 84 percent with a rotor tip speed of 1800 feet per second. A peak efficiency of 82 percent was achieved by the stage at a stall margin of 6.5 percent. Tests showed that stall-limit line was slightly sensitive to tip-radial distortion, but stall-line improvements were noted when the stage was subjected to circumferential and hub-radial flow distortions. Rotor blade passage and trailing edge shock positions were inferred from static pressure contours over the rotor tips.

Morris, A. L.↗

Effect of Body Nose Shape on the Propulsive Efficiency of a Propeller

Report presents the results of an investigation of the propulsive efficiency of three adjustable propellers of 10-foot diameter operated in front of four body nose shapes, varying from streamline nose that continued through the propeller plane in the form of a large spinner to a conventional open-nose radial-engine cowling. One propeller had airfoil sections close to the hub, the second had conventional round blade shanks, and the third differed from the second only in pitch distribution. The blade-angle settings ranged from 20 degrees to 55 degrees at the 0.75 radius. The effect of the body nose shape on propulsive efficiency may be divided into two parts: (1) the change in the body drag due to the propeller slipstream and (2) the change in propeller load distribution due to the change in velocity caused by the body. For the nose shape tested in the report, the first effect is shown to be very small; therefore, the chief emphasis of the report is confined to the second effect.

Stickle, George W↗

Navier-Stokes analysis of an oxidizer turbine blade with tip clearance

The Gas Generator Oxidizer Turbine (GGOT) Blade is being analyzed by various investigators under the NASA MSFC sponsored Turbine Stage Technology Team design effort. The present work concentrates on the tip clearance region flow and associated losses; however, flow details for the passage region are also obtained in the simulations. The present calculations simulate the rotor blade row in a rotating reference frame with the appropriate coriolis and centrifugal acceleration terms included in the momentum equation. The upstream computational boundary is located about one axial chord from the blade leading edge. The boundary conditions at this location were determined by using a Euler analysis without the vanes to obtain approximately the same flow profiles at the rotor as were obtained with the Euler stage analysis including the vanes. Inflow boundary layer profiles are then constructed assuming the skin friction coefficient at both the hub and the casing. The downstream computational boundary is located about one axial chord from the blade trailing edge, and the circumferentially averaged static pressure at this location was also obtained from the Euler analysis. Results were obtained for the 3-D baseline GGOT geometry at the full scale design Reynolds number. Details of the clearance region flow behavior and blade pressure distributions were computed. The spanwise variation in blade loading distributions are shown, and circumferentially averaged spanwise distributions of total pressure, total temperature, Mach number, and flow angle are shown at several axial stations. The spanwise variation of relative total pressure loss shows a region of high loss in the region near the casing. Particle traces in the near tip region show vortical behavior of the fluid which passes through the clearance region and exits at the downstream edge of the gap.

Gibeling, Howard J.↗

Aeroelasticity and mechanical stability report, 0.27 Mach scale model of the YAH-64 advanced attack helicopter

A 27% dynamically scaled model of the YAH-64 Advanced Attack Helicopter main rotor and hub has been designed and fabricated. The model will be tested in the NASA Langley Research Center V/STOL wind tunnel using the General Rotor Model System (GRMS). This report documents the studies performed to ensure dynamic similarity of the model with its full scale parent. It also contains a preliminary aeroelastic and aeromechanical substantiation for the rotor installation in the wind tunnel. From the limited studies performed no aeroelastic stability or load problems are projected. To alleviate a projected ground resonance problem, a modification of the roll characteristics of the GRMS is recommended.

Straub, F. K.↗

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

This three-year project (February 1991 to February 1994) has involved analyzing and helping to design the communication network for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility at Yellow Creek, near Iuka, MS. The principal concerns in the analysis were the bandwidth (both on average and in the worst case) and the expandability of the network. As the communication network was designed and modified, a careful evaluation of the bandwidth of the network, the capabilities of the protocol, and the requirements of the controllers and computers on the network was required. The overall network, which was heterogeneous in protocol and bandwidth, needed to be modeled, analyzed, and simulated to obtain some degree of confidence in its performance capabilities and in its performance under nominal and heavy loads. The results of our analysis did have an impact on the design and operation of the ASRM facility. During 1993 we analyzed many configurations of this basic network structure. The analyses are described in detail in Section 2 and 3 herein. Section 2 reports on an analysis of the whole network. The preliminary results of that research indicated that the most likely bottleneck as the network traffic increased would be the hubs. Thus a study of Cabletron hubs was initiated. The results of that study are in Section 3. Section 4 herein reports on the final network configuration analyzed. When the ASRM facility was mothballed in December of 1993, this was basically the planned and partially installed network. A briefing was held at NASA/MSFC on December 7, 1993, at which time our final analysis and conclusions were disseminated. This report contains a written record of most of the information disseminated at that briefing.

Moorhead, Robert J., III↗

Laser Anemometer Measurements of the Flow Field in a 4:1 Pressure Ratio Centrifugal Impeller

A laser-doppler anemometer was used to obtain flow-field velocity measurements in a 4:1 pressure ratio, 4.54 kg/s (10 lbm/s), centrifugal impeller, with splitter blades and backsweep, which was configured with a vaneless diffuser. Measured through-flow velocities are reported for ten quasi-orthogonal survey planes at locations ranging from 1% to 99% of main blade chord. Measured through-flow velocities are compared to those predicted by a 3-D viscous steady flow analysis (Dawes) code. The measurements show the development and progression through the impeller and vaneless diffuser of a through-flow velocity deficit which results from the tip clearance flow and accumulation of low momentum fluid centrifuged from the blade and hub surfaces. Flow traces from the CFD analysis show the origin of this deficit which begins to grow in the inlet region of the impeller where it is first detected near the suction surface side of the passage. It then moves toward the pressure side of the channel, due to the movement of tip clearance flow across the impeller passage, where it is cut by the splitter blade leading edge. As blade loading increases toward the rear of the channel the deficit region is driven back toward the suction surface by the cross-passage pressure gradient. There is no evidence of a large wake region that might result from flow separation and the impeller efficiency is relatively high. The flow field in this impeller is quite similar to that documented previously by NASA Lewis in a large low-speed backswept impeller.

Skoch, G. J.↗

Redundant disc

A rotatable disc is described that consists of parallel plates tightly joined together for rotation about a hub. Each plate is provided with several angularly projecting spaced lands. The lands of each plate are interposed in alternating relationship between the lands of the next adjacent plate. In this manner, circumferential displacement of adjacent sectors in any one plate is prevented in the event that a crack develops. Each plate is redundantly sized so that, in event of structural failure of one plate, the remaining plates support a proportionate share of the load of the failed plate. The plates are prevented from separating laterally through the inclusion of generally radially extending splines which are inserted to interlock cooperating, circumferentially adjacent lands.

Barack, W. N.↗

Operational Loopwheel Suspension System for Mars Rover Demonstration Model

The loopwheel (or elastic loop) mobility concept, appears to be uniquely qualified to provide a high degree of mobility at low weight and stowage requirements for the next Mars mission now in the early planning stage. Traction elements compatible with sterilization and Mars surface environmental constraints were designed and are compatible with the rover mass, range and stowage requirements of JPL's point design Mars rover. In order to save cost, the loopwheel suspensions for the demonstration model were made of S-glass/epoxy instead of titanium, alloy specified for flight units. The load carrying fiberglass loop core is covered by a rubber tread on the outside. Reinforced rubber gear belts bonded along the inside edges provide positive engagement and transmission drive torques. A 12 Vdc drive motor with a 167:1 gear head is installed in the payload section of the hull. A chain drive transmits the motor power to the rear sprocket in the demonstration model, whereas future flight units would be directly driven by brushless hub motors within each sprocket and independent four-leg height control.

Trautwein, W.↗