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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

NASA 9-Point LDI Code Validation Experiment

This presentation highlights the experimental work to date to obtain validation data using a 9-point lean direct injector (LDI) in support of the National Combustion Code. The LDI is designed to supply fuel lean, Jet-A and air directly into the combustor such that the liquid fuel atomizes and mixes rapidly to produce short flame zones and produce low levels of oxides of nitrogen and CO. We present NOx and CO emission results from gas sample data that support that aspect of the design concept. We describe this injector and show high speed movies of selected operating points. We present image-based species maps of OH, fuel, CH and NO obtained using planar laser induced fluorescence and chemiluminescence. We also present preliminary 2-component, axial and vertical, velocity vectors of the air flow obtained using particle image velocimetry and of the fuel drops in a combusting case. For the same combusting case, we show preliminary 3-component velocity vectors obtained using a phase Doppler anemometer. For the fueled, combusting cases especially, we found optical density is a technical concern that must be addressed, but that in general, these preliminary results are promising. All optical-based results confirm that this injector produces short flames, typically on the order of 5- to-7-mm long at typical cruise and high power engine cycle conditions.

Hicks, Yolanda R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

X-wing fly-by-wire vehicle management system

A complete, computer based, vehicle management system (VMS) for X-Wing aircraft using digital fly-by-wire technology controlling many subsystems and providing functions beyond the classical aircraft flight control system. The vehicle management system receives input signals from a multiplicity of sensors and provides commands to a large number of actuators controlling many subsystems. The VMS includes--segregating flight critical and mission critical factors and providing a greater level of back-up or redundancy for the former; centralizing the computation of functions utilized by several subsystems (e.g. air data, rotor speed, etc.); integrating the control of the flight control functions, the compressor control, the rotor conversion control, vibration alleviation by higher harmonic control, engine power anticipation and self-test, all in the same flight control computer (FCC) hardware units. The VMS uses equivalent redundancy techniques to attain quadruple equivalency levels; includes alternate modes of operation and recovery means to back-up any functions which fail; and uses back-up control software for software redundancy.

Fischer, Jr., William C.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Time Delay Analysis of Turbofan Engine Direct and Indirect Combustion Noise Sources

The core noise components of a dual spool turbofan engine were separated by the use of a coherence function. A source location technique based on adjusting the time delay between the combustor pressure sensor signal and the far-field microphone signal to maximize the coherence and remove as much variation of the phase angle with frequency as possible was used. The discovery was made that for the 130o microphone a 90.027 ms time shift worked best for the frequency band from 0 to 200 Hz while a 86.975 ms time shift worked best for the frequency band from 200 to 400 Hz. Hence, the 0 to 200 Hz band signal took more time than the 200 to 400 Hz band signal to travel the same distance. This suggests the 0 to 200 Hz coherent cross spectral density band is partly due to indirect combustion noise attributed to entropy fluctuations, which travel at the flow velocity, interacting with the turbine. The signal in the 200 to 400 Hz frequency band is attributed mostly to direct combustion noise. Results are presented herein for engine power settings of 48, 54, and 60 percent of the maximum power setting

Miles, Jeffrey Hilton↗
NASA NTRS2009

Launch Order, Launch Separation, and Loiter in the Constellation 1 1/2-Launch Solution

The NASA Constellation Program (CxP) is developing a two-element Earth-to-Orbit launch system to enable human exploration of the Moon. The first element, Ares I, is a human-rated system that consists of a first stage based on the Space Shuttle Program's solid rocket booster (SRB) and an upper stage that consists of a four-crew Orion capsule, a service module, and a Launch Escape System. The second element, Ares V, is a Saturn V-plus category launch system that consists of the core stage with a cluster of six RS-68B engines and augmented with two 5.5-segment SRBs, a Saturn-derived J-2X engine powering an Earth Departure Stage (EDS), and the lunar-lander vehicle payload, Altair. Initial plans called for the Ares V to be launched first, followed the next day by the Ares I. After the EDS performs the final portion of ascent and subsequent orbit circularization, the Orion spacecraft then performs a rendezvous and docks with the EDS and its Altair payload. Following checkout, the integrated stack loiters in low Earth orbit (LEO) until the appropriate Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) window opportunity opens, at which time the EDS propels the integrated Orion Altair to the Moon. Successful completion of this 1 1/2-launch solution carries risks related to both the orbital lifetime of the assets and the probability of achieving the launch of the second vehicle within the orbital lifetime of the first. These risks, which are significant in terms of overall system design choices and probability of mission success, dictated a thorough reevaluation of the launch strategy, including the order of vehicle launch and the planned time period between launches. The goal of the effort described in this paper was to select a launch strategy that would result in the greatest possible expected system performance, while accounting for launch risks and the cost of increased orbital lifetime. Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model of the launch strategies was created to determine the probability of a second launch not occurring in a timely fashion (i.e., before the assets waiting in LEO expire). An overview of the launch strategy evaluation process is presented, along with results of specific cases that were analyzed. A high-level comparison of options is then presented, along with the conclusion derived from the analysis.

Stromgren, Chel↗
NASA NTRS1940

A Flight Investigation of Exhaust-Heat De-Icing, Special Report

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics has conducted exhaust-heat de-icing tests inflight t o provide data needed in the application of this method of ice prevention. Thc capacity to extract heat from the exhaust gas for de-icing purposes, the quantity of heat required, and other factors were examined. The results indicate that a wing-heating system employing a spanwise exhaust tube within the leading edge of the wing will make available for de-icing purposes between 30 and 35 percent of the exhaust-gas heat. Data are given by which the heat required for ice prevention can be calculated. Sample calculations have been made, on a basis of existing engine power over wing area ratios, to show that sufficient heating can be obtained for ice protection on modern transport airplanes,

Rodert, Lewis A.↗
NASA NTRS1940

Flight Tests of Exhaust Gas Jet Propulsion, Special Report

Flight test s were conducted on the XP-41 airplane, equipped with a Pratt & Whitney R1830-19, 14-cylinder, air-cooled engine, to determine the increase in flight speed obtainable by the use of individual exhaust stacks directed rearwardly to obtain exhaust-gas thrust. Speed increases up to 18 miles per hour at 20,000 feet altitude were obtained using stacks having an exit area of 3.42 square inches for each cylinder. A slight increase in engine power and decrease in cylinder temperature at a given manifold pressure were obtained with the individual stacks as compared with a collector-ring installation. Exhaust-flame visibility was quite low, particularly in the rich range of fuel-air ratios.

Pnkel, Benjamin↗
NASA NTRS2009

Water Vapor Permeability of the Advanced Crew Escape Suit

Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) crewmembers are expected to return to earth wearing a suit similar to the current Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES). To ensure optimum cognitive performance, suited crewmembers must maintain their core body temperature within acceptable limits. There are currently several options for thermal maintenance in the post-landing phase. These include the current baseline, which uses an ammonia boiler, purge flow using oxygen in the suit, accessing sea water for liquid cooling garment (LCG) cooling and/or relying on the evaporative cooling capacity of the suit. These options vary significantly in mass, power, engineering and safety factors, with relying on the evaporative cooling capacity of the suit being the least difficult to implement. Data from previous studies indicates that the evaporative cooling capacity of the ACES was much higher than previously expected, but subsequent tests were performed for longer duration and higher metabolic rates to better define the water vapor permeability of the ACES. In these tests five subjects completed a series of tests performing low to moderate level exercise in order to control for a target metabolic rate while wearing the ACES in an environmentally controlled thermal chamber. Four different metabolic profiles at a constant temperature of 95 F and relative humidity of 50% were evaluated. These tests showed subjects were able to reject about twice as much heat in the permeable ACES as they were in an impermeable suit that had less thermal insulation. All of the heat rejection differential is attributed to the increased evaporation capability through the Gortex bladder of the suit.

Bue, Grant↗
NASA NTRS2010

Automation for Accommodating Fuel-Efficient Descents in Constrained Airspace

Continuous descents at low engine power are desired to reduce fuel consumption, emissions and noise during arrival operations. The challenge is to allow airplanes to fly these types of efficient descents without interruption during busy traffic conditions. During busy conditions today, airplanes are commonly forced to fly inefficient, step-down descents as airtraffic controllers work to ensure separation and maximize throughput. NASA in collaboration with government and industry partners is developing new automation to help controllers accommodate continuous descents in the presence of complex traffic and airspace constraints. This automation relies on accurate trajectory predictions to compute strategic maneuver advisories. The talk will describe the concept behind this new automation and provide an overview of the simulations and flight testing used to develop and refine its underlying technology.

Coopenbarger, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Analysis and Test of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Power System for Space Power Applications

An effort is underway to develop a prototype Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell breadboard system for fuhlre space applications. This prototype will be used to develop a comprehensive design basis for a space-rated PEM fuel cell powerplant. The prototype system includes reactant pressure regulators, ejector-based reactant pumps, a 4-kW fuel cell stack and cooling system, and a passive, membranebased oxygen / water separator. A computer model is being developed concurrently to analytically predict fluid flow in the oxidant reactant system. Fuel cells have historically played an important role in human-rated spacecraft. The Gemini and Apollo spacecraft used fuel cells for vehicle electrical power. The Space Shuttle currently uses three Alkaline Fuel Cell Powerplants (AFCP) to generate all of the vehicle's 15-20kW electrical power. Engineers at the Johnson Space Center have leveraged off the development effort ongoing in the commercial arena to develop PEM fuel cel ls for terrestrial uses. The prototype design originated from efforts to develop a PEM fuel cell replacement for the current Space Shuttle AFCP' s. In order to improve on the life and an already excellent hi storical record of reliability and safety, three subsystems were focused on. These were the fuel cell stack itself, the reactant circulation devices, and reactant / product water separator. PEM fuel cell stack performance is already demonstrating the potential for greater than four times the useful life of the current Shuttle's AFCP. Reactant pumping for product water removal has historically been accomplished with mechanical pumps. Ejectors offer an effective means of reactant pumping as well as the potential for weight reduction, control simplification, and long life. Centrifugal water separation is used on the current AFCP. A passive, membrane-based water separator offers compatibility with the micro-gravity environment of space, and the potential for control simplification, elimination of moving parts in an oxygen environment, and long life. The prototype system has been assembled from components that have previously been tested and evaluated at the component level. Preliminary data obtained from tests performed with the prototype system, as well as other published data, has been used to validate the analytical component models. These components have been incorporated into an integrated oxidant fluid system model. Results obtained from both the performance tests and the analytical model are presented.

Vasquez, Arturo↗
NASA NTRS2011

Compositional Impact of Io Volcanic Emissions on Jupiter's Magnetosphere and the Icy Galilean Moons

The magnetospheric ion population of Jupiter is dominated by the 1000 kg/s of iogenic material constantly ejected by IO volcanism as neutral gas (approx. 1 kg/s goes out as high speed dust grains), subsequent atmospheric losses to the IO torus, and radial transport of torus ions throughout the magnetosphere. As that magnetosphere is greatly distended in radial size by the iogenic plasma loading, so are surfaces of the other Galilean moons also significantly, and perhaps even dominantly, affected by iogenic plasma bombardment, e.g. at the level up to 0.2 kg/s heavy ions (mostly O and S) onto Europa as per local plasma ion measurements. In comparison, cometary impacts onto IO deliver about 0.02 kg/s of impact ejecta to Europa via ballistic transfer through the Jupiter system. The magnetosphere of this system operates as a powerful engine to produce and transport ions from the IO source to the surfaces of these other moons, and any future orbiter missions to these moons must account for surface distributions of the iogenic material and its chemical effects before real assessments can be made of sensible chemical materials otherwise arising from primordial formation and subsequent evolution of these moons. This is a fundamental problem of space weathering that must be addressed for all planetary bodies with thin atmospheres and direct surface exposure to their space plasma environments. Long-standing debates from Galileo Orbiter measurements about the origins of hydrate sulfates at Europa present examples of this problem, as to whether the sulfates arise from oceanic minerals or from iogenic sulfur chemistry. Any orbiter or landed mission to Europa for astrobiological investigations would further need to separate the potential chemical biosignatures of life or its precursors from the highly abundant background of iogenic material. Although no single ion carries a tag identifying it as of iogenic or other origin, the elemental abundance distributions of ions to be measured throughout the jovian magnetosphere and in the local moon environments can act as tracers if we know from direct measurements and models the distributions at the mostly likely sources, i.e. at IO. However, our knowledge of these abundances are very limited from earlier in-situ and remote measurements, mainly confined to major (S, O) and some minor (Na, K, Cl) species with abundances at or above a few percent relative to O. Future in-situ plasma measurements by the planned Jupiter Europa Orbiter and Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter missions should extend the abundance coverage to minor and even trace elemental species. For Europa astrobiological investigations it is also important to specify iogenic inputs and surface processing of isotopic species. We discuss the range of abundance distributions arising from models for IO hot volcanic emissions, and from the subsequent dynamics of ion injection, magnetospheric transport, and icy moon surface bombardment.

Cooper, John↗
NASA NTRS2012

Spectral Energy Distribution Models for Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei in LINERs

Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs) represent the bulk of the AGN population in the present-day universe and they trace the low-level accreting supermassive black holes. In order to probe the accretion and jet physical properties in LLAGNs as a class, we model the broadband radio to X-rays spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 21 LLAGNs in low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) with a coupled accretion-jet model. The accretion flow is modeled as an inner ADAF outside of which there is a truncated standard thin disk. We find that the radio emission is severely underpredicted by ADAF models and is explained by the relativistic jet. The origin of the X-ray radiation in most sources can be explained by three distinct scenarios: the X-rays can be dominated by emission from the ADAF, or the jet, or the X-rays can arise from a jet-ADAF combination in which both components contribute to the emission with similar importance. For 3 objects both the jet and ADAF fit equally well the X-ray spectrum and can be the dominant source of X-rays whereas for 11 LLAGNs a jet-dominated model accounts better than the ADAF-dominated model for the data. The individual and average SED models that we computed can be useful for different studies of the nuclear emission of LLAGNs. From the model fits, we estimate important parameters of the central engine powering LLAGNs in LINERs, such as the mass accretion rate and the mass-loss rate in the jet and the jet power - relevant for studies of the kinetic feedback from jets.

Nemmen, Rodrigo S.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Space Launch System Upper Stage Technology Assessment

The Space Launch System (SLS) is envisioned as a heavy-lift vehicle that will provide the foundation for future beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) exploration missions. Previous studies have been performed to determine the optimal configuration for the SLS and the applicability of commercial off-the-shelf in-space stages for Earth departure. Currently NASA is analyzing the concept of a Dual Use Upper Stage (DUUS) that will provide LEO insertion and Earth departure burns. This paper will explore candidate in-space stages based on the DUUS design for a wide range of beyond LEO missions. Mission payloads will range from small robotic systems up to human systems with deep space habitats and landers. Mission destinations will include cislunar space, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Given these wide-ranging mission objectives, a vehicle-sizing tool has been developed to determine the size of an Earth departure stage based on the mission objectives. The tool calculates masses for all the major subsystems of the vehicle including propellant loads, avionics, power, engines, main propulsion system components, tanks, pressurization system and gases, primary structural elements, and secondary structural elements. The tool uses an iterative sizing algorithm to determine the resulting mass of the stage. Any input into one of the subsystem sizing routines or the mission parameters can be treated as a parametric sweep or as a distribution for use in Monte Carlo analysis. Taking these factors together allows for multi-variable, coupled analysis runs. To increase confidence in the tool, the results have been verified against two point-of-departure designs of the DUUS. The tool has also been verified against Apollo moon mission elements and other manned space systems. This paper will focus on trading key propulsion technologies including chemical, Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP), and Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP). All of the key performance inputs and relationships will be presented and discussed in light of the various missions. For each mission there are several trajectory options and each will be discussed in terms of delta-v required and transit duration. Each propulsion system will be modeled, sized, and judged based on their applicability to the whole range of beyond LEO missions. Criteria for scoring will include the resulting dry mass of the stage, resulting propellant required, time to destination, and an assessment of key enabling technologies. In addition to the larger metrics, this paper will present the results of several coupled sensitivity studies. The ultimate goals of these tools and studies are to provide NASA with the most mass-, technology-, and cost-effective in-space stage for its future exploration missions.

Holladay, Jon↗
NASA NTRS2014

Development, Verification and Validation of Parallel, Scalable Volume of Fluid CFD Program for Propulsion Applications

There are many instances involving liquid/gas interfaces and their dynamics in the design of liquid engine powered rockets such as the Space Launch System (SLS). Some examples of these applications are: Propellant tank draining and slosh, subcritical condition injector analysis for gas generators, preburners and thrust chambers, water deluge mitigation for launch induced environments and even solid rocket motor liquid slag dynamics. Commercially available CFD programs simulating gas/liquid interfaces using the Volume of Fluid approach are currently limited in their parallel scalability. In 2010 for instance, an internal NASA/MSFC review of three commercial tools revealed that parallel scalability was seriously compromised at 8 cpus and no additional speedup was possible after 32 cpus. Other non-interface CFD applications at the time were demonstrating useful parallel scalability up to 4,096 processors or more. Based on this review, NASA/MSFC initiated an effort to implement a Volume of Fluid implementation within the unstructured mesh, pressure-based algorithm CFD program, Loci-STREAM. After verification was achieved by comparing results to the commercial CFD program CFD-Ace+, and validation by direct comparison with data, Loci-STREAM-VoF is now the production CFD tool for propellant slosh force and slosh damping rate simulations at NASA/MSFC. On these applications, good parallel scalability has been demonstrated for problems sizes of tens of millions of cells and thousands of cpu cores. Ongoing efforts are focused on the application of Loci-STREAM-VoF to predict the transient flow patterns of water on the SLS Mobile Launch Platform in order to support the phasing of water for launch environment mitigation so that vehicle determinantal effects are not realized.

West, Jeff↗
NASA NTRS2015

High Ice Water Content at Low Radar Reflectivity near Deep Convection: Consistency of In Situ and Remote-Sensing Observations with Stratiform Rain Column Simulations - Part I

Occurrences of jet engine power loss and damage have been associated with flight through fully glaciated deep convection at -10 to -50 degrees Centigrade. Power loss events commonly occur during flight through radar reflectivity (Zeta (sub e)) less than 20-30 decibels relative to Zeta (dBZ - radar returns) and no more than moderate turbulence, often overlying moderate to heavy rain near the surface. During 2010-2012, Airbus carried out flight tests seeking to characterize the highest ice water content (IWC) in such low-radar-reflectivity regions of large, cold-topped storm systems in the vicinity of Cayenne, Darwin, and Santiago. Within the highest IWC regions encountered, at typical sampling elevations (circa 11 kilometers), the measured ice size distributions exhibit a notably narrow concentration of mass over area-equivalent diameters of 100-500 micrometers. Given substantial and poorly quantified measurement uncertainties, here we evaluate the consistency of the Airbus in situ measurements with ground-based profiling radar observations obtained under quasi-steady, heavy stratiform rain conditions in one of the Airbus-sampled locations. We find that profiler-observed radar reflectivities and mean Doppler velocities at Airbus sampling temperatures are generally consistent with those calculated from in situ size-distribution measurements. We also find that column simulations using the in situ size distributions as an upper boundary condition are generally consistent with observed profiles of radar reflectivity (Ze), mean Doppler velocity (MDV), and retrieved rain rate. The results of these consistency checks motivate an examination of the microphysical pathways that could be responsible for the observed size-distribution features in Ackerman et al. (2015).

Rain↗
NASA NTRS2015

High-Power, High-Thrust Ion Thruster (HPHTion)

Advances in high-power photovoltaic technology have enabled the possibility of reasonably sized, high-specific power solar arrays. At high specific powers, power levels ranging from 50 to several hundred kilowatts are feasible. Ion thrusters offer long life and overall high efficiency (typically greater than 70 percent efficiency). In Phase I, the team at ElectroDynamic Applications, Inc., built a 25-kW, 50-cm ion thruster discharge chamber and fabricated a laboratory model. This was in response to the need for a single, high-powered engine to fill the gulf between the 7-kW NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) system and a notional 25-kW engine. The Phase II project matured the laboratory model into a protoengineering model ion thruster. This involved the evolution of the discharge chamber to a high-performance thruster by performance testing and characterization via simulated and full beam extraction testing. Through such testing, the team optimized the design and built a protoengineering model thruster. Coupled with gridded ion thruster technology, this technology can enable a wide range of missions, including ambitious near-Earth NASA missions, Department of Defense missions, and commercial satellite activities.

Peterson, Peter Y.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Design and Performance of the NASA SCEPTOR Distributed Electric Propulsion Flight Demonstrator

Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) technology uses multiple propulsors driven by electric motors distributed about the airframe to yield beneficial aerodynamic-propulsion interaction. The NASA SCEPTOR flight demonstration project will retrofit an existing internal combustion engine-powered light aircraft with two types of DEP: small "high-lift" propellers distributed along the leading edge of the wing which accelerate the flow over the wing at low speeds, and larger cruise propellers co-located with each wingtip for primary propulsive power. The updated high-lift system enables a 2.5x reduction in wing area as compared to the original aircraft, reducing drag at cruise and shifting the velocity for maximum lift-to-drag ratio to a higher speed, while maintaining low-speed performance. The wingtip-mounted cruise propellers interact with the wingtip vortex, enabling a further efficiency increase that can reduce propulsive power by 10%. A tradespace exploration approach is developed that enables rapid identification of salient trades, and subsequent creation of SCEPTOR demonstrator geometries. These candidates were scrutinized by subject matter experts to identify design preferences that were not modeled during configuration exploration. This exploration and design approach is used to create an aircraft that consumes an estimated 4.8x less energy at the selected cruise point when compared to the original aircraft.

Borer, Nicholas K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Conceptual Design of a 150-Passenger Civil Tiltrotor

The conceptual design of a short-haul civil tiltrotor aircraft is presented. The concept vehicle is designed for runway-independent operations to increase the capacity of the National Airspace System without the need for increased infrastructure. This necessitates a vehicle that is capable of integrating with conventional air traffic without interfering with established flightpaths. The NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft software was used to size the concept vehicle based on the mission requirements of this market. The final configuration was selected based upon performance metrics such as acquisition and maintenance costs, fuel fraction, empty weight, and required engine power. The concept presented herein has a proposed initial operating capability date of 2035, and is intended to integrate with conventional air traffic as well as proposed future air transportation concepts.

150-Passenger↗
NASA NTRS2016

CFD Based Design of a Filming Injector for N+3 Combustors

An effort was undertaken to perform CFD analysis of fluid flow in Lean-Direct Injection (LDI) combustors with axial swirl-venturi elements for next-generation LDI-3 combustor design. The National Combustion Code (NCC) was used to perform non-reacting and two-phase reacting flow computations for a newly-designed pre-filming type fuel injector LDI-3 injector, in a single-injector and a five-injector array configuration. All computations were performed with a consistent approach of mesh-optimization, spray-modeling, ignition and kinetics-modeling. Computational predictions of the aerodynamics of the single-injector were used to arrive at an optimized main-injector design that meets effective area and fuel-air mixing criteria. Emissions (EINOx) characteristics were predicted for a medium-power engine cycle condition, and will be compared with data when it is made available from experimental measurements. The use of a PDF-like turbulence-chemistry interaction model with NCC's Time-Filtered Navier-Stokes (TFNS) solver is shown to produce a significant impact on the CFD results, when compared with a laminar-chemistry TFNS approach for the five-injector computations.

combustion chambers↗