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At least 487 records · Page 27

Multiphase Modeling of Water Injection on Flame Deflector

This paper describes the use of an Eulerian Dispersed Phase (EDP) model to simulate the water injected from the flame deflector and its interaction with supersonic rocket exhaust from a proposed Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle. The Eulerian formulation, as part of the multi-phase framework, is described. The simulations show that water cooling is only effective over the region under the liquid engines. Likewise, the water injection provides only minor effects over the surface area under the solid engines.

Vu, Bruce T.↗

One Dimensional Analysis Model of a Condensing Spray Chamber Including Rocket Exhaust Using SINDA/FLUINT and CEA

Modeling droplet condensation via CFD codes can be very tedious, time consuming, and inaccurate. CFD codes may be tedious and time consuming in terms of using Lagrangian particle tracking approaches or particle sizing bins. Also since many codes ignore conduction through the droplet and or the degradating effect of heat and mass transfer if noncondensible species are present, the solutions may be inaccurate. The modeling of a condensing spray chamber where the significant size of the water droplets and the time and distance these droplets take to fall, can make the effect of droplet conduction a physical factor that needs to be considered in the model. Furthermore the presence of even a relatively small amount of noncondensible has been shown to reduce the amount of condensation. It is desirable then to create a modeling tool that addresses these issues. The path taken to create such a tool is illustrated. The application of this tool and subsequent results are based on the spray chamber in the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility (B2) located at NASA's Plum Brook Station that tested an RL-10 engine. The platform upon which the condensation physics is modeled is SINDAFLUINT. The use of SINDAFLUINT enables the ability to model various aspects of the entire testing facility, including the rocket exhaust duct flow and heat transfer to the exhaust duct wall. The ejector pumping system of the spray chamber is also easily implemented via SINDAFLUINT. The goal is to create a transient one dimensional flow and heat transfer model beginning at the rocket, continuing through the condensing spray chamber, and finally ending with the ejector pumping system. However the model of the condensing spray chamber may be run independently of the rocket and ejector systems detail, with only appropriate mass flow boundary conditions placed at the entrance and exit of the condensing spray chamber model. The model of the condensing spray chamber takes into account droplet conduction as well as the degrading effect of mass and heat transfer due to the presence of noncondensibles. The one dimension model of the condensing spray chamber makes no presupposition on the pressure profile within the chamber, allowing the implemented droplet physics of heat and mass transfer coupled to the SINDAFLUINT solver to determine a transient pressure profile of the condensing spray chamber. Model results compare well to the RL-10 engine pressure test data.

Chemical Equilibrium↗

One Dimensional Analysis Model of a Condensing Spray Chamber Including Rocket Exhaust Using SINDA/FLUINT and CEA

Modeling droplet condensation via CFD codes can be very tedious, time consuming, and inaccurate. CFD codes may be tedious and time consuming in terms of using Lagrangian particle tracking approaches or particle sizing bins. Also since many codes ignore conduction through the droplet and or the degradating effect of heat and mass transfer if noncondensible species are present, the solutions may be inaccurate. The modeling of a condensing spray chamber where the significant size of the water droplets and the time and distance these droplets take to fall, can make the effect of droplet conduction a physical factor that needs to be considered in the model. Furthermore the presence of even a relatively small amount of noncondensible has been shown to reduce the amount of condensation [Ref 1]. It is desirable then to create a modeling tool that addresses these issues. The path taken to create such a tool is illustrated. The application of this tool and subsequent results are based on the spray chamber in the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility (B2) located at NASA's Plum Brook Station that tested an RL-10 engine. The platform upon which the condensation physics is modeled is SINDAFLUINT. The use of SINDAFLUINT enables the ability to model various aspects of the entire testing facility, including the rocket exhaust duct flow and heat transfer to the exhaust duct wall. The ejector pumping system of the spray chamber is also easily implemented via SINDAFLUINT. The goal is to create a transient one dimensional flow and heat transfer model beginning at the rocket, continuing through the condensing spray chamber, and finally ending with the ejector pumping system. However the model of the condensing spray chamber may be run independently of the rocket and ejector systems detail, with only appropriate mass flow boundary conditions placed at the entrance and exit of the condensing spray chamber model. The model of the condensing spray chamber takes into account droplet conduction as well as the degrading effect of mass and heat transfer due to the presence of noncondensibles. The one dimension model of the condensing spray chamber makes no presupposition on the pressure profile within the chamber, allowing the implemented droplet physics of heat and mass transfer coupled to the SINDAFLUINT solver to determine a transient pressure profile of the condensing spray chamber. Model results compare well to the RL-10 engine pressure test data.

Condensing Spray Model↗

Development and Demonstration of Active Noise Control Concepts

This report details design methods for and feasibility of an Active Noise Control (ANC) system using flush-wall-mounted sensors and actuators to reduce turbofan engine rotor-stator interaction noise. ANC concepts capable of suppressing discrete-tone spinning modes containing several cut-on radial mode were identified, developed analytically, and evaluated. Separate ANC systems that suppressed at least three radial modes in a cylindrical inlet duct and three radial modes in an exhaust annulus were developed. These designs resulted in inlet duct and exhaust duct tests that were performed at NASA on the 4-ft ANC Fan in the NASA Glenn AAPL facility. Effective suppression of 2-BPF spinning mode m = 2 tone noise was achieved over a range of fan speeds 1800 to 2450 rpm, where up to 4 radials were present. In the inlet duct, up to 12 dB reduction was obtained for 3 radial modes, and up to 4 dB was obtained with 4 radial modes. In the exhaust duct, up to 15 dB PWL reduction was obtained with either two or three radial modes present. Thus, the ability to suppress multiple radial modes for tones in both the inlet and exhaust ducts has been successfully demonstrated. Implications of ANC system design requirements on installation and system integration issues for ANC systems capable of suppressing higher order radial mode content when applied to a 767 using twin CF6 engines were evaluated analytically. The analytical results indicated an ANC system must be part of an integrated design to be effective.

Kraft, R.↗

Thermal Analysis for Orbiter and ISS Plume Impingement on International Space Station

The NASA Reaction Control System (RCS) Plume Model (RPM) is an exhaust plume flow field and impingement heating code that has been updated and applied to components of the International Space Station (ISS). The objective of this study was to use this code to determine if plume environments from either Orbiter PRCS jets or ISS reboost and Attitude Control System (ACS) jets cause thermal issues on ISS component surfaces. This impingement analysis becomes increasingly important as the ISS is being assembled with its first permanent crew scheduled to arrive by the end of fall 2000. By early summer 2001 , the ISS will have a number of major components installed such as the Unity (Node 1), Destiny (Lab Module), Zarya (Functional Cargo Block), and Zvezda (Service Module) along with the P6 solar arrays and radiators and the Z-1 truss. Plume heating to these components has been analyzed with the RPM code as well as additional components for missions beyond Flight 6A such as the Propulsion Module (PM), Mobile Servicing System, Space Station Remote Manipulator System, Node 2, and the Cupola. For the past several years NASA/JSC has been developing the methodology to predict plume heating on ISS components. The RPM code is a modified source flow code with capabilities for scarfed nozzles and intersecting plumes that was developed for the 44 Orbiter RCS jets. This code has been validated by comparison with Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX) heat flux and pressure data and with CFD and Method of Characteristics solutions. Previous analyses of plume heating predictions to the ISS using RPM have been reported, but did not consider thermal analysis for the components nor jet-firing histories as the Orbiter approaches the ISS docking ports. The RPM code has since been modified to analyze surface temperatures with a lumped mass approach and also uses jet-firing histories to produce pulsed heating rates. In addition, RPM was modified to include plume heating from ISS jets to ISS components where the jet coordinates are specified, together with the engine cant angle. These latter studies have been focused on the PM with plumes from its reboost and ACS jets impinging on various ISS components and also focused on the Japanese H2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) with the plumes from its reboost engines impinging on the Cupola window. This paper will present plume heating and surface temperature results on a number of ISS components with and without jet-firing histories, evaluate post-flight data, and describe any potential thermal issues

Rochelle, William C.↗

Fault injection experiments using FIAT

The results of several experiments conducted using the fault-injection-based automated testing (FIAT) system are presented. FIAT is capable of emulating a variety of distributed system architectures, and it provides the capabilities to monitor system behavior and inject faults for the purpose of experimental characterization and validation of a system's dependability. The experiments consist of exhaustively injecting three separate fault types into various locations, encompassing both the code and data portions of memory images, of two distinct applications executed with several different data values and sizes. Fault types are variations of memory bit faults. The results show that there are a limited number of system-level fault manifestations. These manifestations follow a normal distribution for each fault type. Error detection latencies are found to be normally distributed. The methodology can be used to predict the system-level fault responses during the system design stage.

Barton, James H.↗

Green Propellant Test Capabilities of the Altitude Combustion Stand at the NASA Glenn Research Center

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is committed to providing simulated altitude rocket test capabilities to NASA programs, other government agencies, private industry partners, and academic partners. A primary facility to support those needs is the Altitude Combustion Stand (ACS). ACS provides the capability to test combustion components at a simulated altitude up to 100,000 ft. (approx.0.2 psia/10 Torr) through a nitrogen-driven ejector system. The facility is equipped with an axial thrust stand, gaseous and cryogenic liquid propellant feed systems, data acquisition system with up to 1000 Hz recording, and automated facility control system. Propellant capabilities include gaseous and liquid hydrogen, gaseous and liquid oxygen, and liquid methane. A water-cooled diffuser, exhaust spray cooling chamber, and multi-stage ejector systems can enable run times up to 180 seconds to 16 minutes. The system can accommodate engines up to 2000-lbf thrust, liquid propellant supply pressures up to 1800 psia, and test at the component level. Engines can also be fired at sea level if needed. The NASA GRC is in the process of modifying ACS capabilities to enable the testing of green propellant (GP) thrusters and components. Green propellants are actively being explored throughout government and industry as a non-toxic replacement to hydrazine monopropellants for applications such as reaction control systems or small spacecraft main propulsion systems. These propellants offer increased performance and cost savings over hydrazine. The modification of ACS is intended to enable testing of a wide range of green propellant engines for research and qualification-like testing applications. Once complete, ACS will have the capability to test green propellant engines up to 880 N in thrust, thermally condition the green propellants, provide test durations up to 60 minutes depending on thrust class, provide high speed control and data acquisition, as well as provide advanced imaging and diagnostics such as infrared (IR) imaging.

Testing↗

Overview of waste heat utilization systems

The heavy truck diesel engine rejects a significant fraction of its fuel energy in the form of waste heat. Historically, the Department of Energy has supported technology efforts for utilization of the diesel exhaust heat. Specifically, the Turbocompound and the Organic Rankine Cycle System (ORCS) have demonstrated that meaningful improvements in highway fuel economy can be realized through waste heat utilization. For heat recovery from the high temperature exhaust of future adiabatic diesel engines, the DOE/NASA are investigating a variety of alternatives based on the Rankine, Brayton, and Stirling power cycles. Initial screening results indicate that systems of this type offer a fuel savings advantage over the turbocompound system. Capital and maintenance cost projections, however, indicate that the alternative power cycles are not competitive on an economic payback basis. Plans call for continued analysis in an attempt to identify a cost effective configuration with adequate fuel savings potential.

Bailey, M. M.↗

Laser transit anemometer experiences in supersonic flow

The purpose of this paper is to present examples of velocity measurements obtained in supersonic flow fields with the laser transit anemometer system. Velocity measurements of a supersonic jet exhausting in a transonic flow field, a cone boundary survey in a Mach 4 flow field, and a determination of the periodic disturbance frequencies of a sonic nozzle flow field are presented. Each of the above three cases also serves to illustrate different modes of laser transit anemometer operation. A brief description of the laser transit anemometer system is also presented.

Hunter, William W., Jr.↗

Exhaust emissions reduction for intermittent combustion aircraft engines

Three concepts which, to an aircraft piston engine, provide reductions in exhaust emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide while simultaneously improving fuel economy. The three chosen concepts, (1) an improved fuel injection system, (2) an improved cooling cylinder head, and (3) exhaust air injection, when combined, show a synergistic relationship in achieving these goals. In addition, the benefits of variable ignition timing were explored and both dynamometer and flight testing of the final engine configuration were accomplished.

Rezy, B. J.↗

Waste heat recovery from adiabatic diesel engines by exhaust-driven Brayton cycles

An evaluation of Bryton Bottoming Systems (BBS) as waste heat recovery devices for future adiabatic diesel engines in heavy duty trucks is presented. Parametric studies were performed to evaluate the influence of external and internal design parameters on BBS performance. Conceptual design and trade-off studies were undertaken to estimate the optimum configuration, size, and cost of major hardware components. The potential annual fuel savings of long-haul trucks equipped with BBS were estimated. The addition of a BBS to a turbocharged, nonaftercooled adiabatic engine would improve fuel economy by as much as 12%. In comparison with an aftercooled, turbocompound engine, the BBS-equipped turbocharged engine would offer a 4.4% fuel economy advantage. If installed in tandem with an aftercooled turbocompound engine, the BBS could effect a 7.2% fuel economy improvement. The cost of a mass-produced 38 Bhp BBS is estimated at about $6460 or 170/Bhp. Technical and economic barriers that hinder the commercial introduction of bottoming systems were identified. Related studies in the area of waste heat recovery from adiabatic diesel engines and NASA-CR-168255 (Steam Rankine) and CR-168256 (Organic Rankine).

Khalifa, H. E.↗

Exhaustive Thresholds and Resistance Checkpoints

Once deployed, all intricate systems that operate for a long time (such as an airplane or chemical processing plant) experience degraded performance during operational lifetime. These can result from losses of integrity in subsystems and parts that generally do not materially impact the operation of the vehicle (e.g., the light behind the button that opens the sliding door of the minivan). Or it can result from loss of more critical parts or subsystems. Such losses need to be handled quickly in order to avoid loss of personnel, mission, or part of the system itself. In order to manage degraded systems, knowledge of its potential problem areas and the means by which these problems are detected should be developed during the initial development of the system. Once determined, a web of sensors is employed and their outputs are monitored with other system parameters while the system is in preparation or operation. Just gathering the data is only part of the story. The interpretation of the data itself and the response of the system must be carefully developed as well to avoid a mishap. Typically, systems use a test-threshold-response paradigm to process potential system faults. However, such processing sub-systems can suffer from errors and oversights of a consistent type, causing system aberrant behavior instead of expected system and recovery operations. In our study, we developed a complete checklist for determining the completeness of a fault system and its robustness to common processing and response difficulties.

Easton, Charles↗

Low-pressure performance of annular, high-pressure (40 atm) high-temperature (2480 K) combustion system

Experimental tests were conducted to develop a combustion system for a 40 atmosphere pressure, 2480 K exhaust gas temperature, turbine cooling facility. The tests were conducted in an existing facility with a maximum pressure capability of 10 atmospheres and where inlet air temperatures as high as 894 K could be attained. Exhaust gas temperatures were as high as 2365 K. Combustion efficiences were about 100 percent over a fuel air ratio range of 0.016 to 0.056. Combustion efficiency decreased at leaner and richer ratios when the inlet air temperature was 589 K. Data are presented that show the effect of fuel air ratio and inlet air temperature on liner metal temperature. Isothermal system pressure loss as a function of diffuser inlet Mach number is also presented. Data included exhaust gas pattern factors; unburned hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen emission index values; and smoke numbers.

Wear, J. D.↗

Lunar and Martian Vertical Takeoff & Vertical Landing (VTVL) Pad Concepts

Landing space craft rocket plume exhaust interactions with the regolith surfaces on the Moon and Mars will result in cratering and regolith particle ejecta traveling at velocities up to 2,000 meters per second in the vacuum surroundings. This phenomenon creates hazards for the spacecraft that is landing or launching and may also cause damage to surrounding assets, personnel and infrastructure. One potential solution to this issue is to construct vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) pad infrastructure systems which will mitigate these rocket plume exhaust effects. Concepts will be presented for the construction and maintenance of such VTVL pads in lunar and martian environments.

Pad↗

Active Learning for Directed Exploration of Complex Systems

Physics-based simulation codes are widely used in science and engineering to model complex systems that would be infeasible to study otherwise. Such codes provide the highest-fidelity representation of system behavior, but are often so slow to run that insight into the system is limited. For example, conducting an exhaustive sweep over a d-dimensional input parameter space with k-steps along each dimension requires k(sup d) simulation trials (translating into k(sup d) CPU-days for one of our current simulations). An alternative is directed exploration in which the next simulation trials are cleverly chosen at each step. Given the results of previous trials, supervised learning techniques (SVM, KDE, GP) are applied to build up simplified predictive models of system behavior. These models are then used within an active learning framework to identify the most valuable trials to run next. Several active learning strategies are examined including a recently-proposed information-theoretic approach. Performance is evaluated on a set of thirteen synthetic oracles, which serve as surrogates for the more expensive simulations and enable the experiments to be replicated by other researchers.

oracles↗

A new concept for exhaust diffusers of altitude test cells

A new exhaust diffuser concept for jet engine altitude test cells which greatly reduces operating power and cost requirements for exhausters is discussed. The concept utilizes the capture duct as an efficient diffuser only, while evacuating the secondary air via a separate path using an auxiliary suction system. Implementation of the concept would reduce the peak exhauster power requirement during a TF-30 altitude test by 48 percent and the overall exhaust power cost of the test program by 41 percent. The design accommodates various engine sizes and can achieve optimum pressure recovery performance during both A/B and IRP modes of engine operation. The pressure recovery performance of the proposed exhaust diffusers does not deteriorate with increasing cooling air fraction. The disadvantages of the proposed scheme are: increased mechanical complexity of the extended variable geometry diffuser duct and the need for an auxiliary suction system for evacuating cell-cooling air.

Parikh, P. G.↗

Summary of HEAT 1 Aeroacoustics Installation Effects

A critical part of the NASA High-Speed Research (HSR) program is the demonstration of satisfactory suppression of the jet noise present at low airspeeds. One scheme for reducing jet exhaust noise generated by a future High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) is the use of a mixer/ ejector system which would entrain large quantities of ambient air into the exhaust flow from the powerplant in order to cool and slow the jet exhaust before it leaves the tailpipe. Of the variety of factors which can affect the noise suppression characteristics of the mixer/ejector system, the influence of the wing flow field and high-lift devices is not well understood. The effectiveness of the noise suppression device must be evaluated in the presence of the wing/high-lift system before definitive assessments can be made concerning HSCT noise. Of nearly equal importance is the evaluation of the performance of the high-lift system(s) in the presence of realistic propulsion units which feature high ambient flow entrainment rates and jet thrust coefficients. These noise suppressors must provide the required acoustic attenuation while not overly degrading the thrust efficiency of the propulsion system or the lift enhancement of the high-lift devices on the wing. The overall objective of the NASA High-lift Engine Aeroacoustics Technology program is to demonstrate satisfactory interaction between the jet noise suppressor and the high-lift system at airspeeds and angles of attack consistent with takeoff, climb, approach, and landing. In support of this program, an isolated aeroacoustic test of a 13.5%-scale, candidate mixer/ejector nozzle was performed in the Ames' Research Center 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel. The purpose of the test was to measure the baseline aeroacoustic performance characteristics of this nozzle in isolation from the aerodynamic flowfield induced by an HSCT airframe. The test documented the acoustic signature of the nozzles with treated and hardwall ejector surfaces and with changes in the ratio of ejector-duct-to-jet-area over a wide range range of nozzle pressure ratios and freestream Mach numbers. The test also measured the thrust performance, ambient-flow aspiration ratio, and internal and external static pressures on the nozzles. The isolated aeroacoustic performance data has been compared with results obtained with this nozzle installed on a 13.5% Boeing Reference H HSCT configuration, semi-span model. The semi-span, aeroacoustics integration test documented the first-order effects of the airframe flowfield on the acoustic performance of the nozzle and the effect of the nozzle secondary inlet flows on the aerodynamic performance of the wing high-lift systems. This investigation is critical to understanding the mutual installation effects of mixer/ejector nozzles and wing high-lift systems.

Smith, Brian E.↗

Infrared flow visualization of V/STOL aircraft

During low altitude operations of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOVL) aircraft complex aeropropulsive flowfields are produced by the strong interactions between the engine exhaust jet or propeller wash and the runway and aircraft surfaces. Measurement of these unsteady 3 dimensional flowfields has not proven practical with conventional measurement techniques. It has been demonstrated that modern infrared imaging systems provide a practical means of obtaining flow visualization images of these complex aeropropulsive flowfields. Infrared images obtained with a dual wavelength scanning system are presented which provide detailed information on the flowfields about the NASA Ames XV-15 tiltrotor aircraft, the E-7 STOVL research model and the NASA Ames YAV-8B Harrier aircraft. It was found that the use of a dual wavelength infrared system provides valuable information about both the engine exhaust flowfield and the resulting heating of aircraft and runway surfaces.

Birckelbaw, Larry D.↗