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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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35 records · Page 2

Pressure ramp programmer; IMBLMS Phase B4 Additional Tasks: Task 3.0 pressure ramp programmer

A pressure ramp programmer model was designed, fabricated and tested. This model, in conjunction with an automatic blood pressure monitor, automatically controls the pressure in the blood pressure monitor arterial cuff. The cuff pressurization cycle is designed to maximize accuracy and repeatability of blood pressure measurements. The key feature of this automatic cycle is rapid blood pressure cuff bleed down from an initial setting until systolic (diastolic) pressure is encountered followed by a short repressurization and slow bleed, long enough to permit accurate systolic (diastolic) pressure determination. The system includes a pressure reservoir which bleeds the cuff through a precision needle valve; a solenoid valve which permits rapid pressurization from the reservoir; and a pressure sensor which provides information for bleed rate and set point controls. Korotkoff sound signals from a microphone in the blood pressure cuff (not part of the system) provide decision information to the digital control system. The system completed a series of engineering tests using simulated Korotkoff sound inputs. The system performed successfully in all cases and was stable over an extended period of time.

Fogal, G. L.↗

Dual rate pressure relief valve

Pressure relief valve vents at a slow bleed rate at one pressure level and at a higher bleed rate at a higher pressure level. The value housing contains a sleeve, inlet port, outlet port, an orifice, a ball and seat arrangement, and a belleville spring diaphragm.

Steeneken, J.↗

Flow diverter value and flow diversion method

A flow diverter valve applicable to any fluid flow system requiring rapid bleed or bypass is disclosed. Examples of application of the flow diverter valve to a liquid rocket and a turbojet aircraft engine are given. Features of the valve include: (1) an independent fluid source is used to activate the flow diverter valve toward its closed position during its initial stage of travel; (2) the flow diverter port area and size is unlimited and the valve travel is unlimited; and (3) the valve housing is fabricated such that the valve can be a one step valve, a two step valve, or include as many steps as are found desirable.

Arline, S. B.↗

Relief valve

Relief valve to permit slow and fast bleeding rates at difference pressure levels

Steenken, J.↗

Determination of YAV-8B Reaction Control System bleed flow usage

Using a calibrated Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine, total Reaction Control System (RCS) bleed flow rates have been measured on a YAV-8B Harrier during typical short takeoff, transition, hover and vertical landing maneuvers. Using existing aircraft instrumentation and pressure taps located in the RCS ducts, bleed flow rates at each RCS valve were also measured directly during flight and ground tests. These data were compared with the calibrated engine data and with the RCS part of a YAV-8B mathematical model used in piloted simulation at NASA Ames Research Center. Areas of disagreement were small, being confined to the estimation of closed RCS valve leakages and the modeling of the RCS butterfly valve pressure losses.

Borchers, Paul F.↗

A throat-bypass stability system for a YF-12 aircraft research inlet using self-acting mechanical valves

Results of a wind tunnel investigation are presented. The inlet was modified so that airflow can be removed through a porous cowl-bleed region in the vicinity of the throat. Bleed plenum exit flow area is controlled by relief type mechanical valves. Unlike valves in previous systems, these are made for use in a high Mach flight environment and include refinements so that the system could be tested on a NASA YF-12 aircraft. The valves were designed to provide their own reference pressure. The results show that the system can absorb internal-airflow-transients that are too fast for a conventional bypass door control system and that the two systems complement each other quite well. Increased tolerance to angle of attack and Mach number changes is indicated. The valves should provide sufficient time for the inlet control system to make geometry changes required to keep the inlet started.

Cole, G. L.↗

A throat-bypass stability system for a YF-12 aircraft research inlet using self-acting mechanical valves

Results of a wind tunnel investigation are presented. The inlet was modified so that airflow can be removed through a porous cowl-bleed region in the vicinity of the throat. Bleed plenum exit flow area is controlled by relief type mechanical valves. Unlike valves in previous systems, these are made for use in a high Mach flight environment and include refinements so that the system could be tested on a NASA YF-12 aircraft. The valves were designed to provide their own reference pressure; hence, do not respond to slowly varying disturbances. However, the results show that the system can absorb internal-airflow-transients that are too fast for a conventional bypass door control system and that the two systems complement each other quite well. Increased tolerance to angle of attack and Mach number changes is indicated. The valves should provide sufficient time for the inlet control system to make geometry changes required to keep the inlet started.

Cole, G. L.↗

Separation of gaseous hydrogen from a water-hydrogen mixture in a fuel cell power system operating in a weightless environment

A fuel cell power system for use in a weightless environment, such as in space, includes a device for removing water from a water-hydrogen mixture condensed from the exhaust from the fuel cell power section of the system. Water is removed from the mixture in a centrifugal separator, and is fed into a holding, pressure operated water discharge valve via a Pitot tube. Entrained nondissolved hydrogen is removed from the Pitot tube by a bleed orifice in the Pitot tube before the water reaches the water discharge valve. Water discharged from the valve thus has a substantially reduced hydrogen content.

Romanowski, William E.↗

Airflow control system for supersonic inlets

In addition to fixed and variable bleed devices provided for controlling the position of a terminal shock wave in a supersonic inlet, a plurality of free piston valves are disposed around the periphery of a cowling of a supersonic engine inlet. The free piston valves are disposed in dump passageways, each of which begin at a bleed port in the cowling that is located in the throat region of the inlet, where the diameter of the centerbody is near maximum, and terminates at an opening in the cowling adjacent a free piston valve. Each valve is controlled by reference pressure.

Mitchell, G. A.↗

Dynamic Regulation of Sub-Atmospheric Pressure for Constant and Cyclic Gas Loads During Testing of Spacesuit Components

New iterations of the various subsystems within the spacesuit will benefit from a new sorbent technology. For example, sorbents used in the Trace Contaminant Control (TCC) and the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) systems within the Exploration Portable Life Support System (xPLSS), part of the Extra-Vehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU). For proper validation, the sub-atmospheric pressure needs to be maintained within a simulated 2 ft 3 spacesuit volume. The traditional approach, which involves placing the entire vent loop within a hypobaric chamber, is not practical for the widespread testing of components and prototypes, as these specialized chambers are costly and not widely available. A two-stage regulator based sub-atmospheric pressure system is presented in this work. The method regulates the pressure based on pressure differentials between the pressure regulation pump, the test system, and the ambient environment. The performance of this system is demonstrated using data collected during a 150+ hour non-regenerative TCC sorbent evaluation, several 24-hour regenerative TCC sorbent evaluations with different regeneration cycles, and an 8-hour RCA sorbent evaluation, all under xEMU operating conditions. For regulation, the inlet regulator was set to propagate a small leak to increase the stability of the system as the gas load from the testing system changes. It was also found that controlling the input flow rate that replaces the material lost during regeneration is critical for ensuring the stability of the system. This system provided excellent pressure regulation, without adjustments, for constant loads during shorter time evaluations (hours), while longer time evaluations (days) are easily obtainable with periodic regulator adjustments. A second method is under development to address longer-term stability and to automate pressure regulation. It will incorporate flow and pressure measurements to dynamically control a set of electronically controlled proportional valves for adjusting the pumping speed and air bleed supply.

Nicholas F Materer↗

Compressor Stall Recovery Through Tip Injection Assessed

Aerodynamic stability is a fundamental limit in the compressor design process. The development of robust techniques for increasing stability has several benefits: enabling higher loading and fewer blades, increasing safety throughout a mission, increasing tolerance to stage mismatch during part-speed operation and speed transients, and providing an opportunity to match stages at the compressor maximum efficiency point, thus reducing fuel burn. Mass injection upstream of the tip of a high-speed axial compressor rotor is a stability enhancement approach known to be effective in suppressing stall in tip-critical rotors if the injection is activated before stall occurs. This approach to stall suppression requires that a reliable stall warning system be available. Tests have recently been performed to assess whether steady injection can also be used to recover from fully developed stall. If mass injection is effective in recovering from stall quickly enough to avoid structural damage or loss of engine power, then a stall warning system may not be required. The stall recovery tests were performed on a transonic compressor rotor at its design tip speed of 1475 ft/sec using four injectors evenly spaced around the compressor case upstream of the rotor. The injectors were connected to an external air source. In an actual engine application, the injected air would be supplied with compressor bleed air. The injectors were isolated from the air source by a fast-acting butterfly valve. With the injectors turned off, the compressor was throttled into stall. Air injection was then activated with no change in throttle setting by opening the butterfly valve. The compressor recovered from stall at a fixed throttle setting with the aid of tip injection. The unsteady operating characteristic of the rotor was measured during these tests using high-response pressure sensors located upstream and downstream of the rotor. The figure shows the results, where the unsteady pressure and mass flow are superimposed on the steady operating characteristic. The total injected mass flow was equal to 1.3 percent of the compressor flow. The solid line with no solid squares on it denotes the operating point during the beginning of throttle closure and the initial drop into stall. The gray traces denote the operating point during an additional throttle closure that occurred over the next 1200 rotor revolutions (4 sec). The dashed line denotes the recovery from stall that occurred during 90 rotor revolutions (0.3 sec) after the injectors were activated with no change in throttle setting. Tip injection not only recovers the compressor from stall, but also restores the compressor to its pre-stall level of pressure rise. In contrast, standard stall recovery schemes such as compressor bleed, stator vane actuation, or engine throttle modulation result in a loss of pressure rise across the compressor, which results in a loss of engine power.

Suder, Ken L.↗

Automated cryogenic refilling system

An improved system and method for the automated refilling of cryogenic helium is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a dewar in fluid communication with a liquid helium cryostat through a cryogen transfer line. A controller regulates operation of a three-way valve to pre-cool the transfer line and to cause gaseous helium to flow to the dewar and force liquid helium through the transfer line into the cryostat. The controller is coupled to the output of a cryogenic level sensor, such that the controller regulates the helium liquid level within the cryostat. During filling cycles, the dewar liquid level is also monitored by the cryogenic level sensor and an alarm sounds if the dewar liquid level is undesirably low. Between filling cycles, the controller is operable to ventilate the dewar through a solenoid vent valve in fixed time intervals to ensure the dewar pressure is sufficiently low so as to not bleed liquid helium into the cryostat.

Ruiz-Rodriguez, Mariano M.↗

Shuttle LOX loading transient study. Task 2 milestone report. National space and technology laboratories (NSTL) LOX loading facility analysis

Transient thermodynamic analyses were made of the LOX loading system proposed for the space shuttle main propulsion test article (MPTA). This system is made up of a LOX replenish system and a main LOX line which include the barge tank, the lines, pumps, and valves between the barge and the orbiter (ORB) ground service equipment (GSE) interface, the MPTA fill system, the space shuttle main engine (SSME) chilldown bleed system, and the GSE vent system. System analyses include predictions of system performance sensitivity to operating sequence and LOX flowrate, temperature, and quality at the ORB/GSE interface. The transient thermodynamic conditions at the SSME feed line entrance, ET entrance (tank bottom), and the SSME bleed/GSE vent TEE are also included. The analyses are based on continuous SSME bleed flow during GSE facility chilldown.

Glasgow, V. L.↗

Pneumatic shutoff and time-delay valve operates at controlled rate

Shutoff and time delay valve, which incorporates a metering spool that moves at constant velocity under pneumatic pressure and spring compression, increases fluid-flow area at a uniform rate. Diaphragm areas, control cavity volume, and bleed-orifice size may be varied to give any desired combination of time delay and spool travel time.

Horning, J. L.↗

Development of Real-Time System Identification to Detect Abnormal Operations in a Gas Turbine Cycle

Here, we present a novel online system identification methodology for monitoring the performance of power systems. This methodology was demonstrated in a gas turbine recuperated power plant designed for a hybrid configuration. A 120-kW Garrett microturbine modified to test dynamic control strategies for hybrid power systems designed at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) was used to implement and validate this online system identification methodology. The main component of this methodology consists of an empirical transfer function model implemented in parallel to the turbine speed operation and the fuel control valve, which can monitor the process response of the gas turbine system while it is operating. During fully closed-loop operations or automated control, the output of the controller, fuel valve position, and the turbine speed measurements were fed for a given period of time to a recursive algorithm that determined the transfer function parameters during the nominal condition. After the new parameters were calculated, they were fed into the transfer function model for online prediction. The turbine speed measurement was compared against the transfer function prediction, and a control logic was implemented to capture when the system operated at nominal or abnormal conditions. To validate the ability to detect abnormal conditions during dynamic operations, drifting in the performance of the gas turbine system was evaluated. A leak in the turbomachinery working fluid was emulated by bleeding 10% of the airflow from the compressor discharge to the atmosphere, and electrical load steps were performed before and after the leak. This tool could detect the leak 7 s after it had occurred, which accounted for a fuel flow increase of approximately 15.8% to maintain the same load and constant turbine speed operations.

algorithms↗

Optically Addressable Light Valve Based on a GaN:Mn Photoconductor

Semi-insulating manganese-doped gallium nitride (GaN:Mn) layers epitaxially grown on unintentionally doped GaN substrates were used as photoconductors in optically addressable light valves (OALVs) to withstand higher operational laser fluences compared to current state-of-the-art OALVs where bismuth silicon oxide (BSO; Bi 12 SiO 20 ) layers are used as photoconductors. GaN:Mn promises to be an exciting material for optoelectronic operations due to its large laser fluence handling capability and photoresponsivity near the band edge. The laser damage thresholds for the semi-insulating epitaxial GaN:Mn layer and the n-type substrate layer were measured to be 2.4 and 4.2 J/cm 2 , respectively. These are 6–10 times higher than that of BSO (0.4 J/cm 2 ). These measurements were performed by exposing ~200 sites on the samples to increasing fluence levels from a Gaussian pulsed Nd:YAG laser system (1064 nm) operating at a 5 Hz repetition rate with a 3 ns pulse width. Photoresponsivity of the GaN:Mn material was investigated at discrete wavelengths of 447, 405, and 380 nm. Further, the peak photoresponsivity was observed under an illumination wavelength of 380 nm and is attributed to stronger absorption. The OALV was fabricated by attaching a 110-μm-thick GaN:Mn layer grown on a 280-μm-thick n-GaN layer to a 3-mm-thick BK7 optical window. A twisted nematic E7 liquid crystal was introduced to the 5 μm gap between the two components. Transmission levels of >90% were achieved for the fabricated OALVs for a peak voltage of 40 V, constrained by transmission “bleed-through”.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗