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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 433 records · Page 24

Effect of two inner-ring oil-flow distribution schemes on the operating characteristics of a 35 millimeter bore ball bearing to 2.5 million DN

Parametric tests were conducted with a 35-mm-bore, split-inner-ring ball bearing with a double-inner-land-guided cage. Provisions were made for through-the-inner-ring lubrication. Test condictions were either a thrust load of 667 N (150 lb) or a combined load of 667 N (150 lb) thrust and 222 N (50 lb) radial, shaft speeds from 32000 to 72000 rpm, and an oil-inlet temperature of 394 K (250 deg F). Outer ring cooling was used in some tests. Tests were run with either 50 or 75 percent of the total oil flow distributed to the inner-ring raceway. Successful operation was experienced with both 50% and 75% flow patterns to 2.5 million DN. Cooling the outer ring had little effect on inner-ring temperature; however, the outer-ring temperature decreased as much as 7% at 2.5 million DN. Maximum recorded power loss was 3.1 kW (4.2 hp), and maximum cage slip was 8.7 percent. Both occurred at a shaft speed of 72000 rpm, a lubricant flow rate of 1900 cu/min (0.50 gal/min), a combined load, and no outer-ring cooling.

Schuller, F. T.↗

Test Facility Simulation Results for Aerospace Loss-of-Lubrication of Spur Gears

Prior to receiving airworthiness certification, extensive testing is required during the development of rotary wing aircraft drive systems. Many of these tests are conducted to demonstrate the drive system's ability to operate at extreme conditions, beyond that called for in the normal to maximum power operating range. One of the most extreme tests is referred to as the loss-of-lubrication or run dry test. During this test, the drive system is expected to last at least 30 min without failure while the primary lubrication system is disabled for predetermined, scripted flight conditions. Failure of this test can lead to a partial redesign of the drive system or the addition of an emergency lubrication system. Either of these solutions can greatly increase the aircraft drive system cost and weight and extend the schedule for obtaining airworthiness certification. Recent work at NASA Glenn Research Center focused on performing tests, in a relevant aerospace environment, to simulate the behavior of spur gears under loss-of-lubrication conditions. Tests were conducted using a test facility that was used in the past for spur gear contact fatigue testing. A loss-oflubrication test is initiated by shutting off the single into mesh lubricating jet. The test proceeds until the gears fail and can no longer deliver the applied torque. The observed failures are typically plastically deformed gear teeth, due to the high tooth temperatures, that are no longer in mesh. The effect of several different variables to gear tooth condition during loss-of-lubrication have been tested such as gear pitch, materials, shrouding, lubrication condition, and emergency supplied mist lubrication in earlier testing at NASA. Recent testing has focused on newer aerospace gear steels and imbedding thermocouples in the shrouding to measure the air-oil temperatures flung off the gear teeth. Along with the instrumented shrouding, an instrumented spur gear was also tested. The instrumented spur gear had five thermocouples installed at different locations on the gear tooth and web. The data from these two types of measurements provided important information as to the thermal environment during the loss-of-lubrication event. This data is necessary to validate on-going modeling efforts.

Gears↗

Improved boundary lubrication with formulated C-ethers

A comparison of five recently developed C-ether-formulated fluids with an advanced formulated MIL-L-27502 candidate ester is described. Steady state wear and friction measurements were made with a sliding pin on disk friction apparatus. Conditions included disk temperatures up to 260 C, dry air test atmosphere, 1 kilogram load, 50 rpm disk speed, and test times to 130 minutes. Based on wear rates and coefficients of friction, three of the C-ether formulations as well as the C-ether base fluid gave better boundary lubrication than the ester fluid under all test conditions. The susceptibility of C-ethers to selective additive treatment (phosphinic esters or acids and other antiwear additives) was demonstrated when two of the formulations gave somewhat improved lubrication over the base fluid. The increased operating potential for this fluid was shown in relationship to bulk oil temperature limits for MIL-L-23699 and MIL-L-27502 type esters.

Loomis, W. R.↗

AGBT Advanced Counter-Rotating Gearbox Detailed Design Report

An Advanced Counter-Rotating (CR) Gearbox was designed and fabricated to evaluate gearbox efficiency, durability and weight characteristics for emerging propfan-powered airplanes. Component scavenge tests showed that a constant volume collector had high scavenge effectiveness, which was uneffected by added airflow. Lubrication tests showed that gearbox losses could be reduced by controlling the air/oil mixture and by directing the oil jets radially, with a slight axial component, into the sun/planet gears.

Howe, D. C.↗

Hybrid Bearing Prognostic Test Rig

The NASA Glenn Research Center has developed a new Hybrid Bearing Prognostic Test Rig to evaluate the performance of sensors and algorithms in predicting failures of rolling element bearings for aeronautics and space applications. The failure progression of both conventional and hybrid (ceramic rolling elements, metal races) bearings can be tested from fault initiation to total failure. The effects of different lubricants on bearing life can also be evaluated. Test conditions monitored and recorded during the test include load, oil temperature, vibration, and oil debris. New diagnostic research instrumentation will also be evaluated for hybrid bearing damage detection. This paper summarizes the capabilities of this new test rig.

Dempsey, Paula J.↗

Gear Lubrication and Cooling Experiment and Analysis

A gear tooth temperature analysis was performed using a finite element method combined with a calculated heat input, a calculated oil jet impingement depth, and estimated heat transfer coefficients for the different parts of the gear tooth that are oil cooled and air cooled. Experimental measurements of gear tooth average surface temperature and gear tooth instantaneous surface temperature were made with a fast response, infrared, radiometric microscope. Increasing oil pressure has a significant effect on both average surface temperature and peak surface temperature at loads above 1895 N/cm(1083 lb/in) and speeds of 10,000 and 7500 rpm. Both increasing speed (from 5000 to 10,000 rpm) at constant speed cause a significant rise in the average surface temperature and in the instantaneous peak surface temperatures on the gear teeth. The oil jet pressure required to provide the best cooling for gears is the pressure required to obtain full gear tooth impingement. Calculated results for gear tooth temperatures were close to experimental results for various oil jet impingement depths for identical operating conditions.

Townsend, D. P.↗

Application of Carbon Based Nano-Materials to Aeronautics and Space Lubrication

The tribology program at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is investigating carbon based nano-particles for their potential in advanced concept lubrication products. Service conditions range from high temperature atmospheric to low temperature vacuum. Some of the lubricants and surface coatings of tribological significance that we have evaluated include neat nano-particles, both grown in-situ and as bulk material deposited on the substrate, and nano-particles dispersed in oils which are all highly substrate interactive. We discuss results of testing these systems in a spiral orbit tribometer (SOT) and a unidirectional pin-on-disc (PoD) tribometer. A nano-onions/Krytox mixture evaluated as a lubricant for angular contact bearings in air caused a marked lowering of the coefficient of friction (CoF) (0.04 to 0.05) for the mixture with an eight-fold improvement in lifetime over that of the Krytox alone. In vacuum, no effect was observed from the nano-onions. Multi-walled nanotubes (MWNT) and graphitized MWNT were tested under sliding friction in both air and vacuum. The MWNT which were grown in-situ oriented normal to the sliding surface exhibited low CoF (0.04) and long wear lives. Bulk MWNT also generate low CoF (0.01 to 0.04, vacuum; and 0.06, air) and long wear life (>1 million orbits, vacuum; and >3.5 million, air). Dispersed graphitized MWNT were superior to MWNT and both were superior to aligned MWNT indicating that orientation is not an issue for solid lubrication. Single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) were modified by cutting into shorter segments and by fluorination. All SWNTs exhibited low CoF in air, with good wear lives. The SWNT with slight fluorination yielded an ultra-low CoF of 0.002 although the best wear life was attributed to the nascent SWNT.

Street, Kenneth W., Jr.↗

Microfog lubricant application system for advanced turbine engine components, phase 2. Tasks 3, 4 and 5: Wettability and heat transfer of microfog jets impinging on a heated rotating disc, and evaluation of reclassifying nozzles and a vortex mist generator

The wettabilities and heat transfer rates of microfog jets (oil-mist nozzle flows) impinging on a heated rotating disc were determined under an inert atmosphere of nitrogen at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 F. The results are discussed in relation to the various factors involved in the microfog lubricant application systems. Two novel reclassifying nozzles and a vortex mist generator were also studied.

Shim, J.↗

Internally mounted thin-liquid-film skin-friction meter - Comparison with floating element method with and without pressure gradient

A new, robust oil film skin friction meter was designed and constructed. This enables skin friction measurements remotely and from within the model, as well as avoiding the need to know the location of the leading edge of the film. The instrument was tested by comparing measurements with those given by a floating element gage in a zero pressure gradient flat plate turbulent boundary layer. Both instruments agreed satisfactorily with the well-known curve for this case. Significant discrepancies between the two instruments were observed in the case of adverse and favorable pressure gradients. The discrepancies were of opposite sign for opposite-sign pressure gradients as is consistent with the error expected from floating-element gages. Additional confidence in the oil film technique is supplied by the good agreement of the behavior of the film profile with predictions from lubrication theory.

Hornung, Hans↗

Analysis of a MIL-L-27502 lubricant from a gas-turbine engine test by size-exclusion chromatography

Size exclusion chromatography was used to determine the chemical degradation of MIL-L-27502 oil samples from a gas turbine engine test run at a bulk oil temperature of 216 C. Results revealed a progressive loss of primary ester and additive depletion and the formation of higher molecular weight products with time. The high molecular weight products absorbed strongly in the ultraviolet indicating the presence of chromophoric groups.

Jones, W. R., Jr.↗

Analysis of an oscillatory oil squeeze film containing a central gas bubble

A squeeze-film damper, consisting of two circular plates, having only normal oscillatory relative motion is considered. The liquid lubricant between the plates is assumed to contain a single central gas bubble. The effect of the bubble on the damper performance is analyzed. Comparison is made with the performance of a pure liquid damper. Substantial deviations in peak dynamic pressures are predicted which explain discrepancies between experimental and theoretical results reported in the literature.

Haber, S.↗

Method for milling and drilling glass

A process for machining glass by placing a rotating carbide working surface under minimum pressure against an area of glass to be worked is described. Concurrently the region between the working surface and the area of glass is wet with a lubricant consisting essentially of a petroleum carrier, a complex mixture of esters and a complex mixture of naturally occurring aromatic oils.

Rice, S. H.↗

Mystery of Foil Air Bearings for Oil-free Turbomachinery Unlocked: Load Capacity Rule-of-thumb Allows Simple Estimation of Performance

The Oil-Free Turbomachinery team at the NASA Glenn Research Center has unlocked one of the mysteries surrounding foil air bearing performance. Foil air bearings are self-acting hydrodynamic bearings that use ambient air, or any fluid, as their lubricant. In operation, the motion of the shaft's surface drags fluid into the bearing by viscous action, creating a pressurized lubricant film. This lubricating film separates the stationary foil bearing surface from the moving shaft and supports load. Foil bearings have been around for decades and are widely employed in the air cycle machines used for cabin pressurization and cooling aboard commercial jetliners. The Oil-Free Turbomachinery team is fostering the maturation of this technology for integration into advanced Oil-Free aircraft engines. Elimination of the engine oil system can significantly reduce weight and cost and could enable revolutionary new engine designs. Foil bearings, however, have complex elastic support structures (spring packs) that make the prediction of bearing performance, such as load capacity, difficult if not impossible. Researchers at Glenn recently found a link between foil bearing design and load capacity performance. The results have led to a simple rule-of-thumb that relates a bearing's size, speed, and design to its load capacity. Early simple designs (Generation I) had simple elastic (spring) support elements, and performance was limited. More advanced bearings (Generation III) with elastic supports, in which the stiffness is varied locally to optimize gas film pressures, exhibit load capacities that are more than double those of the best previous designs. This is shown graphically in the figure. These more advanced bearings have enabled industry to introduce commercial Oil-Free gas-turbine-based electrical generators and are allowing the aeropropulsion industry to incorporate the technology into aircraft engines. The rule-of-thumb enables engine and bearing designers to easily size and select bearing technology for a new application and determine the level of complexity required in the bearings. This new understanding enables industry to assess the feasibility of new engine designs and provides critical guidance toward the future development of Oil-Free turbomachinery propulsion systems.

DellaCorte, Christopher↗

Unique gear design provides self-lubrication

Composite gear configuration provides a reliable automatic means for replenishing gear mechanism lubricants that dissipate in the harsh environment of space. The center or hub section of the gear consists of a porous, oil impregnated material, and the outer or toothed section has radially drilled passages to cause the oil to gradually flow to the gear teeth surface.

Winiarski, F. J.↗

Slicing of Silicon into Sheet Material. Silicon Sheet Growth Development for the Large Area Silicon Sheet Task of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array Project

Tests on mineral oil slurries show that the potential for workability and low cost is present. However, slurries tested to date which had sufficient lubricity exhibited wafer breakage problems near the end of the run for as-yet unknown reasons. The first test of the large prototype saw under cutting force control was largely successful in that the controller worked perfectly. Unfortunately a technique error (excessive stroke shortening) caused blade breakage and low yield. The latest run of the large saw pointed up the fact that an indication of end-of-stoke vertical motion, or bounce, is necessary. A circuit to provide such indication was fabricated and installed. Preliminary tests show it to be excessively noise sensitive; therefore, work on grounding and shielding to reduce this sensitivity is in progress.

Fleming, J. R.↗

Cross flow in a starved EHD contact

An analysis of lubrication cross flow effects under starved elastohydrodynamic conditions is presented. Starvation is defined as any operating condition such that an increase in oil available to the contact will result in an increase in film thickness. Starved EHD behavior is considered in several situations: (1) when no new oil enters the contact, and (2) when a step change in one of the rolling parameters is introduced at an equilibrium contact. Based on the fact that important oil flow within the Hertz zone is across the rolling contact direction, it is possible to formulate a simple theory which explains quantitatively some aspects of starved ball bearing behavior.

Kingsburg, E. P.↗

Viscous pour point of microquantities of fluid lubricants

A method is described involving the measurement of the viscous desolidification (pour) point of wax-free lubricant fluids. This method is especially useful for pour point testing of experimental quantities, since only six to sixteen drops of the oil are required for a single determination (automatically performed in duplicate) with nearly full recovery of the sample. The technique consists of: (1) rapidly freezing a small, predetermined amount of the oil on the side of a small test tube to form a frozen drop of given dimensions; (2) immersing duplicates of the charged and stoppered tubes into a cold bath; and (3) measuring the temperature when the drop front has moved a predetermined distance as the bath warms up.

Gardos, M. N.↗