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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

History and Benefits of Engine Level Testing Throughout the Space Shuttle Main Engine Program

Rocket engine testing is important throughout a program s life and is essential to the overall success of the program. Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) testing can be divided into three phases: development, certification, and operational. Development tests are conducted on the basic design and are used to develop safe start and shutdown transients and to demonstrate mainstage operation. This phase helps form the foundation of the program, demands navigation of a very steep learning curve, and yields results that shape the final engine design. Certification testing involves multiple engine samples and more aggressive test profiles that explore the boundaries of the engine to vehicle interface requirements. The hardware being tested may have evolved slightly from that in the development phase. Operational testing is conducted with mature hardware and includes acceptance testing of flight assets, resolving anomalies that occur in flight, continuing to expand the performance envelope, and implementing design upgrades. This paper will examine these phases of testing and their importance to the SSME program. Examples of tests conducted in each phase will also be presented.

VanHooser, Katherine↗
DOE OSTI2018

Testing Results from the Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) Full-Scale Ion Exchange Column Test and Engineering Scale Integrated System Test - 18634

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection's (ORP) primary mission is to retrieve and treat Hanford's tank waste and close the Tank Farms to protect the Columbia River. Mixed radioactive waste is stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site as reported in DOE/ORP 2003- 02, Environmental Impact Statement for Retrieval, Treatment, and Disposal of Tank Waste and Closure of the Single Shell Tanks at the Hanford Site, Richland WA, Inventory and Source Term Data Package. The 177 underground tanks are estimated to contain about 56 million gallons of waste. The Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) Project provides for the early production of immobilized low activity waste (ILAW) by feeding LAW directly from Tank Farms to the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant's (WTP's) LAW Facility, bypassing the Pretreatment Facility. Prior to the transfer of feed to the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility, tank supernatant waste will be pretreated in the LAWPS to meet the WTP LAW waste acceptance criteria. The LAWPS will also facilitate the return of secondary liquid wastes from the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility to the Tank Farms. In November of 2015 DOE's Tank Operations Contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), awarded a contract to the AECOM team to design, fabricate and operate two test platforms to generate performance data at two different scales and demonstrate technology maturation. The first platform models the ion exchange (IX) columns at full scale, and the second platform models the integrated flowsheet (cross flow filter (CFF) and IX) at 1/9. scale. Overarching technical objectives of performing the full-scale ion exchange test and the engineering-scale integrated test are to: 1. Test interactions between unit process operations; 2. Test removal of non-radioactive cesium from process stream; 3. Test removal of undissolved solids from process stream; 4. Confirm operational flow rate range and stability; 5. Confirm volumetric throughput of waste stream over flow operating range; 6. Confirm range of process temperatures over planned operating range; 7. Establish system hydraulics and process criteria; 8. Coordinate key control and monitoring components; 9. Establish treated product chemistry meets requirements (cesium, solids, and pH); and 10. Test the hazard control strategy for a no flow condition through the IX column. Data collected during testing will be used by WRPS to validate the preliminary design, inform the final design of the permanent plant equipment, and demonstrate that the critical technology elements have advanced to a technology readiness level of 6 (prototypical system validation in a relevant environment). Testing on both platforms started in fall of 2016 generating NQA-1 data. This paper covers test results from the first five phases of testing on the 1/9. scale integrated test platform. A further three phases of testing are currently being executed, these including a 5.6 M sodium simulant containing foulant, a high viscosity simulant and finally a run performed with a lower Cs concentration (all earlier tests were spiked to 4 x Cs to reduce volume and cost). Results from these tests were not available at the time of writing available. Results are also presented from the full scale IX testing. Eight test were performed covering column loading, elution and regeneration; column loading, elution and regeneration with upflow displacement; IX column loading and gas migration; resin removal; solids accumulation; and IX column emergency recirculation and vent. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1979

Experimental Clean Combustor Program (ECCP), phase 3

A double annular advanced technology combustor with low pollutant emission levels was evaluated in a series of CF6-50 engine tests. Engine lightoff was readily obtained and no difficulties were encountered with combustor staging. Engine acceleration and deceleration were smooth, responsive and essentially the same as those obtainable with the CF6-50 combustor. The emission reductions obtained in carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide levels were 55, 95, and 30 percent, respectively, at an idle power setting of 3.3 percent of takeoff power on an EPA parameter basis. Acceptable smoke levels were also obtained. The exit temperature distribution of the combustor was found to be its major performance deficiency. In all other important combustion system performance aspects, the combustor was found to be generally satisfactory.

Gleason, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Overview and Status of the James Webb Space Telescope Observatory

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments spanning the wavelength range of 0.6 microns to 28 microns. JWST's primary science goals are to detect and characterize the first galaxies, study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. JWST has a unique design based on the concept of passive cooling by means of a multi-layer sunshield to achieve the telescope's cryogenic operating temperature. Each of the five layers of the sunshield is approximately the size of a tennis court, and made of aluminized kapton. By maintaining an observatory attitude whereby the sunshield keeps the telescope in the shade from the sun's rays, the telescope and science instruments can operate at cryogenic temperature (-40 K). On the sun facing side of the observatory the spacecraft bus houses most of the electronic sub-systems, and provides a platform for the solar array and communications hardware. JWST is sufficiently large that it cannot fit inside .the fairing of its Ariane 5 launcher without being stowed in a more compact configuration, so the ability to deploy its major SUb-systems such as the telescope optics and sunshield after launch are another major feature of the observatory. Development of observatory is making rapid progress as major hardware SUb-systems nearcompletion. Polishing of the JWST telescope mirrors is complete with 18 primary mirror segments, the secondary mirror, tertiary and fine steering mirror all gold coated and through acceptance testing. Engineering test articles of each sunshield membrane layer are underway. The first layer 3 membrane is complete and is undergoing testing to evaluate its tensioned shape for compliance with alignment tolerances. As each major SUb-system is tested, the expected scientific performance of the observatory can be evaluated using test results and integrated system models of the observatory. We will discuss key performance parameters of the observatory, including thermal performance, image quality, sensitivity, and the ability to achieve background-limited observations. The observatory deployment after launch will also be discussed in the context of recent sub-system testing of deployment mechanisms.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Glenn Engine Control Research Facilities

This document describes NASA Glenn facilities available for performing propulsion control work. This includes a real-time hardware in the loop facility for performing complex, multi-rate simulations. The second facility describes a small engine test stand with a modifiable controller for performing advanced control studies and/or testing engine system modifications.

Control Systems↗
NASA NTRS1997

Joint US/Russia TU-144 Engine Ground Tests

Two engine research experiments were recently completed in Moscow, Russia using an engine from the Tu-144 supersonic transport airplane. This was a joint project between the United States and Russia. Personnel from the NASA Lewis Research Center, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Pratt & Whitney, the Tupolev Design Bureau, and EBP Aircraft LTD worked together as a team to overcome the many technical and cultural challenges. The objective was to obtain large scale inlet data that could be used in the development of a supersonic inlet system for a future High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The-first experiment studied the impact of typical inlet structures that have trailing edges in close proximity to the inlet/engine interface plane on the flow characteristics at that plane. The inlet structure simulated the subsonic diffuser of a supersonic inlet using a bifurcated splitter design. The centerbody maximum diameter was designed to permit choking and slightly supercritical operation. The second experiment measured the reflective characteristics of the engine face to incoming perturbations of pressure amplitude. The basic test rig from the first experiment was used with a longer spacer equipped with fast actuated doors. All the objectives set forth at the beginning of the project were met.

Acosta, Waldo A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

NASA VCE test bed engine aerodynamic performance characteristics and test results

The Core Driven Fan Stage (CDFS) Variable Cycle Engine (VCE) has been identified as a leading candidate for advanced supersonic cruise aircraft. A scale demonstrator version of this engine has been designed and tested. This testbed engine features a split fan with double bypass capability, variable forward and aft mixers, and a variable area low pressure turbine nozzle to permit exploration and optimization of the cycle in both single and double bypass modes. This paper presents the aerodynamic performance characteristics and experimental results obtained from both the core engine and full engine tests.

French, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Centaur space vehicle pressurized propellant feed system tests

Engine firing tests, using a full-scale flight-weight vehicle, were performed to evaluate a pressurized propellant feed system for the Centaur. The pressurant gases used were helium and hydrogen. The system was designed to replace the boost pumps currently used on Centaur. Two liquid oxygen tank pressurization modes were studied: (1) directly into the ullage and (2) below the propellant surface. Test results showed the two Centaur RL10 engines could be started and run over the range of expected flight variables. No system instabilities were encountered. Measured pressurization gas quantities agreed well with analytically predicted values.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

Testing of a variable-stroke Stirling engine

Testing of a variable-stroke Stirling engine at NASA Lewis has been completed. In support of the DOE Stirling Engine Highway Vehicle Systems Program, the engine was tested for about 70 hours total with both He and H2 working fluids over a range of pressures and strokes. A direct comparison was made of part-load efficiencies obtained with variable-stroke (VS) and variable-pressure operation. Two failures with the variable-angle swash-plate drive system limited testing to low power levels. These failures are not thought to be caused by problems inherent with the VS concept but do emphasize the need for careful design in the area of the crossheads.

Thieme, L. G.↗