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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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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Flight investigation of an underwing nacelle installation of three variable-flap ejector nozzles

A modified F-106B aircraft with underwing engine nacelles was flight tested to investigate airframe installation effects on ejector nozzles. Nozzle thrust coefficients, boattail drag coefficients, and boundary layer characteristics were obtained for the three nozzles. All the nozzles were geometrically similar and had 15 deg conical boattails with juncture radii of curvature equal to 0.5 maximum nozzle diameter. The effects of boattail location relative to the wing trailing edge and the ejector to primary nozzle exit diameter ratio were investigated. Shortening the length by 0.48 nozzle diameter lowered the transonic boattail drag rise Mach number from 0.97 to 0.95. Decreasing the nozzle exit diameter, which reduced the ejector to primary nozzle exit diameter ratio from 1.30 to 1.18, increased the gross thrust coefficient 4.8 percent.

Head, V. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Two Years of ACTS (Advanced Communications Technology Satellite) Propagation Studies in Alaska

The Alaska Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) propagation terminal (APT) is located on top of the engineering building on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. The latitude and longitude of the site are 64 degrees 51 minutes, 28 seconds N and 147 degrees, 48 minutes, 59 seconds west. The geometrical elevation angle to ACTS is 7.97 degrees; including a normal atmospheric refractivity, the elevation angle increases to 8.10 degrees. The azimuth angle to ACTS is 129.36 degrees. The terminal is located at 580 feet above mean sea level. The site is located in ITU-R rain zone C and Crane global model zone B1. ACTS transmits vertical polarization beacons at 27.505 and 20.185 GHz. At the APT, the polarization tilt angle is 19.4 degrees rotated CCW with respect to vertical when looking towards the satellite. The beacons are transmitted in a CONUS pattern. The ACTS beacon footprint at the Alaska APT is 9 dB down from the transmission pattern peak at 27.505 GHz and 11 dB down from the pattern peak at 20.185 GHz.

Mayer, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Euler Flow Computations on Non-Matching Unstructured Meshes

Advanced fluid solvers to predict aerodynamic performance-coupled treatment of multiple fields are described. The interaction between the fluid and structural components in the bladed regions of the engine is investigated with respect to known blade failures caused by either flutter or forced vibrations. Methods are developed to describe aeroelastic phenomena for internal flows in turbomachinery by accounting for the increased geometric complexity, mutual interaction between adjacent structural components and presence of thermal and geometric loading. The computer code developed solves the full three dimensional aeroelastic problem of-stage. The results obtained show that flow computations can be performed on non-matching finite-volume unstructured meshes with second order spatial accuracy.

Gumaste, Udayan↗
NASA NTRS1999

WIND Flow Solver Released

The WIND code is a general-purpose, structured, multizone, compressible flow solver that can be used to analyze steady or unsteady flow for a wide range of geometric configurations and over a wide range of flow conditions. WIND is the latest product of the NPARC Alliance, a formal partnership between the NASA Lewis Research Center and the Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). WIND Version 1.0 was released in February 1998, and Version 2.0 will be released in February 1999. The WIND code represents a merger of the capabilities of three existing computational fluid dynamics codes--NPARC (the original NPARC Alliance flow solver), NXAIR (an Air Force code used primarily for unsteady store separation problems), and NASTD (the primary flow solver at McDonnell Douglas, now part of Boeing).

Towne, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Robust Joining and Assembly of Ceramic Matrix Composites for High Temperature Applications

Advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are under active consideration for use in a wide variety of high temperature applications within the aerospace, energy, and nuclear industries. The engineering designs of CMC components require fabrication and manufacturing of large and complex shaped parts of various thicknesses. In many instances, it is more economical to build up complex shapes by joining simple geometrical shapes. Thus, joining and attachment have been recognized as enabling technologies for successful utilization of ceramic components in various demanding applications. In this presentation, various challenges and opportunities in design, fabrication, and testing of high temperature joints in ceramic matrix composites will be presented. A wide variety of ceramic composites, in different shapes and sizes, have been joined using an affordable, robust ceramic joining technology (ARCJoinT). Microstructure and mechanical properties of joints in melt infiltrated and CVI Sic matrix composites will be reported. Various joint design philosophies and design issues in joining of composites will be discussed.

Singh, Mrityunjay↗
NASA NTRS2006

Edge Response and NIIRS Estimates for Commercial Remote Sensing Satellites

Spatial resolution of panchromatic imagery from commercial remote sensing satellites was characterized based on edge response measurements using edge targets and the tilted-edge technique. Relative Edge Response (RER) was estimated as a geometric mean of normalized edge response differences measured in two directions of image pixels at points distanced from the edge by -0.5 and 0.5 of ground sample distance. RER is one of the engineering parameters used in the General Image Quality Equation to provide predictions of imaging system performance expressed in terms of the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS). By assuming a plausible range of signal-to-noise ratio and assessing the effects of Modulation Transfer Function compensation, the NIIRS estimates were made and then compared with vendor-provided values and evaluations conducted by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Blonski, Slawomir↗
NASA NTRS1939

Tests of Several Model Nacelle-Propeller Arrangements in Front of a Wing

An investigation was conducted in the N.A.C.A. 20-foot wind tunnel to determine the drag, the propulsive and net efficiencies, and the cooling characteristics of severa1 scale-model arrangements of air-cooled radial-engine nacelles and present-day propellers in front of an 18- percent-thick, 5- by 15-foot airfoil. This report deals with an investigation of wing-nacelle arrangements simulating the geometric proportions of airplanes in the 40,000- to 70,000- pound weight classification and having the nacelles located in the vicinity of the optimum location determined from the earlier tests.

McHugh, James G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

CMC Property Variability and Life Prediction Methods for Turbine Engine Component Application

The ever increasing need for lower density and higher temperature-capable materials for aircraft engines has led to the development of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). Today's aircraft engines operate with >3000"F gas temperatures at the entrance to the turbine section, but unless heavily cooled, metallic components cannot operate above approx.2000 F. CMCs attempt to push component capability to nearly 2700 F with much less cooling, which can help improve engine efficiency and performance in terms of better fuel efficiency, higher thrust, and reduced emissions. The NASA Glenn Research Center has been researching the benefits of the SiC/SiC CMC for engine applications. A CMC is made up of a matrix material, fibers, and an interphase, which is a protective coating over the fibers. There are several methods or architectures in which the orientation of the fibers can be manipulated to achieve a particular material property objective as well as a particular component geometric shape and size. The required shape manipulation can be a limiting factor in the design and performance of the component if there is a lack of bending capability of the fiber as making the fiber more flexible typically sacrifices strength and other fiber properties. Various analysis codes are available (pcGINA, CEMCAN) that can predict the effective Young's Moduli, thermal conductivities, coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), and various other properties of a CMC. There are also various analysis codes (NASAlife) that can be used to predict the life of CMCs under expected engine service conditions. The objective of this summer study is to utilize and optimize these codes for examining the tradeoffs between CMC properties and the complex fiber architectures that will be needed for several different component designs. For example, for the pcGINA code, there are six variations of architecture available. Depending on which architecture is analyzed, the user is able to specify the fiber tow size, tow spacing, weave parameter, and angle of orientation of fibers. By holding the volume fraction of the fibers constant, variations in tow spacing can be explored for different architectures. The CMC material properties are usually calculated assuming the component is manufactured perfectly. However, this is typically not the case so that a quantification of the material property variability is needed to account for processing and/or manufacturing imperfections. The overall inputs and outputs are presented using a regression software to rapidly investigate the tradeoffs associated with fiber architecture, material properties, and ultimately cost. This information is then propagated through lifing models and Larson-Miller data to assess timehemperature-dependent CMC strength. In addition, a first order cost estimation will be quantified from a current qualitative perspective. This cost estimation includes the manufacturing challenges, such as tooling, as well as the component cost for a particular application. Ultimately, a cost to performance ratio should be established that compares the effectiveness of CMCs to their current rival, nickel superalloys.

Cheplak, Matthew L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Machine learning-assisted crystal engineering of a zeolite

Abstract It is shown that Machine Learning (ML) algorithms can usefully capture the effect of crystallization composition and conditions (inputs) on key microstructural characteristics (outputs) of faujasite type zeolites (structure types FAU, EMT, and their intergrowths), which are widely used zeolite catalysts and adsorbents. The utility of ML (in particular, Geometric Harmonics) toward learning input-output relationships of interest is demonstrated, and a comparison with Neural Networks and Gaussian Process Regression, as alternative approaches, is provided. Through ML, synthesis conditions were identified to enhance the Si/Al ratio of high purity FAU zeolite to the hitherto highest level (i.e., Si/Al = 3.5) achieved via direct (not seeded), and organic structure-directing-agent-free synthesis from sodium aluminosilicate sols. The analysis of the ML algorithms’ results offers the insight that reduced Na 2 O content is key to formulating FAU materials with high Si/Al ratio. An acid catalyst prepared by partial ion exchange of the high-Si/Al-ratio FAU (Si/Al = 3.5) exhibits improved proton reactivity (as well as specific activity, per unit mass of catalyst) in propane cracking and dehydrogenation compared to the catalyst prepared from the previously reported highest Si/Al ratio (Si/Al = 2.8).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2023

NASA Passive Thermal Control Engineering Guidebook

The NASA Passive Thermal Control Engineering Guidebook provides recommendations, including best practices and lessons learned, related to the passive thermal control engineering discipline. Topics include analysis (including documentation and review), thermal hardware (design/selection, vendors, and integration), testing, and flight operations. The passive thermal discipline includes thermal control and thermal protection systems. The passive thermal control discipline, which is addressed in this Guidebook, is broad and covers internal and external systems, component passive thermal analysis, vehicle on-orbit attitude timeline analysis, integrated thermal analysis, various thermal control apparatus (heaters and controls, coatings, blankets and insulations, isolators, geometric design for view factors, materials emissivity/absorptivity properties), passive cooling of avionics, purge, vent, and drain for vehicle cavities and compartments, thermal model development and correlation, thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum testing. Topics related to thermal protection systems (TPS) are not within the scope of this document. The Guidebook provides a consolidated reference for early career as well as experienced engineers embarking on a new task. Leveraging the experience of the group minimizes the learning curve that exists at the start of new projects, reduces the risk of repeating mistakes, and improves the organization’s ability to deliver high-quality products efficiently. The intent of this document is to provide guidance based on collective experience, and is not intended impose constraints on project work. Best practices can vary substantially and it is important to apply judgment wisely based on careful consideration of the specific design and requirements. Implementation of the methods described will vary from project to project and should be applied in conjunction with the judgment of the thermal engineers performing and reviewing the work. The recommendations in this document are not intended to replace program, project, branch, Center, or NASA requirements and/or policies.

thermal↗
NASA NTRS2023

NASA Passive Thermal Control Engineering Guidebook

The NASA Passive Thermal Control Engineering Guidebook provides recommendations, including best practices and lessons learned, related to the passive thermal control engineering discipline. Topics include analysis (including documentation and review), thermal hardware (design/selection, vendors, and integration), testing, and flight operations. The passive thermal discipline includes thermal control and thermal protection systems. The passive thermal control discipline, which is addressed in this Guidebook, is broad and covers internal and external systems, component passive thermal analysis, vehicle on-orbit attitude timeline analysis, integrated thermal analysis, various thermal control apparatus (heaters and controls, coatings, blankets and insulations, isolators, geometric design for view factors, materials emissivity/absorptivity properties), passive cooling of avionics, purge, vent, and drain for vehicle cavities and compartments, thermal model development and correlation, thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum testing. Topics related to thermal protection systems (TPS) are not within the scope of this document. The Guidebook provides a consolidated reference for early career as well as experienced engineers embarking on a new task. Leveraging the experience of the group minimizes the learning curve that exists at the start of new projects, reduces the risk of repeating mistakes, and improves the organization’s ability to deliver high-quality products efficiently. The intent of this document is to provide guidance based on collective experience, and is not intended impose constraints on project work. Best practices can vary substantially and it is important to apply judgment wisely based on careful consideration of the specific design and requirements. Implementation of the methods described will vary from project to project and should be applied in conjunction with the judgment of the thermal engineers performing and reviewing the work. The recommendations in this document are not intended to replace program, project, branch, Center, or NASA requirements and/or policies.

thermal↗
NASA NTRS2000

Affordable, Robust Ceramic Joining Technology (ARCJoinT) Given 1999 R and D 100 Award

Advanced ceramics and fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites with high strength and toughness, good thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, and oxidation resistance are needed for high-temperature structural applications in advanced high-efficiency and high-performance engines, space propulsion components, and land-based systems. The engineering designs of these systems require the manufacturing of large parts with complex shapes, which are either quite expensive or impossible to fabricate. In many instances, it is more economical to build complex shapes by joining together simple geometrical shapes. Thus, joining has been recognized as an enabling technology for the successful utilization of advanced ceramics and fiber-reinforced composite components in high-temperature applications. However, such joints must retain their structural integrity at high temperatures and must have mechanical strength and environmental stability comparable to those of the bulk materials. In addition, the joining technique should be robust, practical, and reliable. ARCJoinT, which is based on the reaction-forming approach, is unique in terms of producing joints with tailorable microstructures. The formation of joints by this approach is attractive since the thermomechanical properties of the joint interlayer can be tailored to be very close to those of the base materials. In addition, high-temperature fixturing is not needed to hold the parts at the infiltration temperature. The joining process begins with the application of a carbonaceous mixture in the joint area, holding the items to be joined in a fixture, and curing at 110 to 120 C for 10 to 20 min. This step fastens the pieces together. Then, silicon or a silicon alloy in tape, paste, or slurry form is applied around the joint region and heated to 1250 to 1425 C (depending on the type of infiltrant) for 10 to 15 min. The molten silicon or silicon-refractory metal alloy reacts with carbon to form silicon carbide with controllable amounts of silicon and other phases as determined by the alloy composition. Joint thickness can be readily controlled through adjustments of the properties of the carbonaceous paste and the applied fixturing force. The photograph shows various shapes of silicon-carbide-based ceramics and fiberreinforced composites that have been joined using ARCJoinT. Thermomechanical and thermochemical characterization of joints is underway for a wide variety of silicon-carbidebased advanced ceramics and fiber-reinforced composites under the hostile environments that will be encountered in engine applications. ARCJoinT, which was developed by researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, received R&D Magazine's prestigious R&D 100 Award in 1999.

Singh, Mrityunjay↗
DOE OSTI2020

Two-Phase Fluid Flow Properties of Rough Fractures With Heterogeneous Wettability: Analysis With Lattice Boltzmann Simulations

Fractures are conduits for fluid flow in low-permeability geological formations. Multiphase flow properties of fractures are important in natural processes and in engineering applications such as the evaluation of the sealing capacity of caprocks and productivity of hydrocarbon-bearing tight rocks. Investigations of flow and transport through fractures typically focus on the effects of fracture geometric and mechanical factors such as aperture, roughness, and compressibility. The wettability of the fracture surfaces and its influence on microscale interfacial phenomena and macroscale effective transport properties are seldom studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of heterogeneous wetting properties on the displacement of water by supercritical CO2 through a series of lattice Boltzmann method simulations. The results show the evolution of the CO2 plume within a fracture is controlled by both the roughness of the aperture field and the wetting distribution. We combined these factors into a capillary pressure map that can be related to the macroscopic flow behavior of the fracture. We observed that heterogeneous wetting distributions promote the residual trapping of water where lower capillary pressures allowed for isolated water pockets in higher capillary pressure zones. Analysis of fracture unsteady relative permeability shows the effect of wetting on permeability evolution and provides support for the viscous-coupling relative permeability model. Finally, analysis of the steady-state relative permeability and saturation demonstrates a strong correlation between permeability and the standard deviation of the capillary pressure field. Thus, characterizing the distribution of wetting properties of fractures is crucial to understanding multiphase fracture flow and transport properties.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Power Flow Geometry and Approximation

Here, the power flow equations are important in numerous power systems problems of practical interest which consider alternating current power flow (ACPF) physics. Perhaps the most well studied being the alternating current optimal power flow problem (ACOPF), seeking to optimize the operation of an electric power system. Due to their non-linearity, problems which include the power flow equations are typically challenging, particularly in optimization. Interestingly, the set of solutions to the power flow equations forms a smooth manifold. As a result, differential geometry can be used to describe and analyze this set of equations. This approach has proven effective in several engineering applications (e.g., solving ACOPF and analyzing the solution space boundary). Central to the success of this approach is an understanding of the power flow manifold's geometry. In this work, we develop the geometric and topological properties of this manifold using concepts from differential geometry. After demonstrating the convenience of this manifold's representation as a function's graph, computational methods are emphasized: we develop retractions, error bounds for linear approximation, and formulas for evaluating the Riemannian metric (including associated objects such as geodesics and the curvature tensor). Scalar curvature and the second fundamental form play a new role in quantifying the quality of linear approximations, like the popular direct current approximation. All functions are implemented in Julia and available in an online repository. Proofs are included for completeness.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1993

Numerical modeling of preburner flowfield

This work is intended to numerically predict the flowfields inside the preburner of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. The computer code (FDNS) based on pressure correction method is modified and adapted with an elliptic grid generator. The original configuration of the preburner in conjunction with downstream gas turbines has been simplified geometrically and numerically modeled at its full power in this work. The computational results are presented and qualitatively discussed with test data collected in NASA/MSFC.

Chow, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Optical surface contouring for non-destructive inspection of turbomachinery

Detection of stress cracks and other surface defects during maintenance and in-service inspection of propulsion system components, including turbine blades and combustion compartments, is presently performed visually. There is a need for a non-contact, miniaturized, and fully fieldable instrument that may be used as an automated inspection tool for inspection of aircraft engines. During this SBIR Phase 1 program, the feasibility of a ruggedized optical probe for automatic and nondestructive inspection of complex shaped objects will be established. Through a careful analysis of the measurement requirements, geometrical and optical constraints, and consideration of issues such as manufacturability, compactness, simplicity, and cost, one or more conceptual optical designs will be developed. The proposed concept will be further developed and a prototype will be fabricated during Phase 2.

Modarress, Dariush↗
NASA NTRS2004

One Idea for a Next Generation Shuttle

In this configuration, the current Shuttle External Tank serves as core structure for a fully reusable second stage. This stage is equipped with wings, vertical fin, landing gear, and thermal protection. The stage is geometrically identical to (but smaller than) a single stage that has been tested hyper-sonically, super-sonically, and sub-sonically in the NASA Langley Research Center wind tunnels. The three LOX/LH engines that currently serve as main propulsion for the Shuttle Orbiter, serve as main propulsion on the new stage. The new stage is unmanned but is equipped with the avionics needed for automatic maneuvering on orbit and for landing on a runway. Three rails are installed along the top surface of the vehicle for attachment of various payloads. Pay- loads might include third stages with satellites attached, personnel pods, propellants, or other items.

MacConochie, Ian O.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Characterization of Swirl-Venturi Lean Direct Injection Designs for Aviation Gas-Turbine Combustion

Injector geometry, physical mixing, chemical processes, and engine cycle conditions together govern performance, operability and emission characteristics of aviation gas-turbine combustion systems. The present investigation explores swirl-venturi lean direct injection combustor fundamentals, characterizing the influence of key geometric injector parameters on reacting flow physics and emission production trends. In this computational study, a design space exploration was performed using a parameterized swirl-venturi lean direct injector model. From the parametric geometry, 20 three-element lean direct injection combustor sectors were produced and simulated using steady-state, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes reacting computations. Species concentrations were solved directly using a reduced 18-step reaction mechanism for Jet-A. Turbulence closure was obtained using a nonlinear κ-ε model. Results demonstrate sensitivities of the geometric perturbations on axially averaged flow field responses. Output variables include axial velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, static temperature, fuel patternation and minor species mass fractions. Significant trends have been reduced to surrogate model approximations, intended to guide future injector design trade studies and advance aviation gas-turbine combustion research.

Combustion Chamber↗