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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 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

Determination of normal-shock position in a mixed compression supersonic inlet

Methods of determining inlet normal shock position from wall static pressure profiles were investigated. By using methods investigated in this report, it should be possible to control an inlet with less stability margin. Variation in inlet angle-of-attack caused drastic changes in pressure profile shape and wide variations in the angle of the shock plane with respect to the inlet axis. Thus, four sensors located around the circumference may be required to handle angle-of-attack and sideslip variations. One criterion would determine the shock position by comparing individual statics to a properly selected reference pressure.

Dustin, M. O.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Tolerance of Mach 2.50 axisymmetric mixed-compression inlets to upstream flow variations

An investigation of the tolerances of two Mach 2.50 axisymmetric mixed-compression inlets to upstream flow variations was conducted. Tolerances of each inlet to angle of attack as a function of decreasing free-stream Mach number were obtained. A local region of overcompression was formed on the leeward side of the inlet at maximum angle of attack before unstart. This region of overcompression corresponded to local subsonic flow conditions ahead of the geometric throat. A uniform Mach number gradient of 0.10 at the cowl lip plane did not affect the inlet's pressure recovery, mass flow ratio, or diffuser exit total-pressure distortion.

Choby, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Investigation of a mixed compression axisymmetric inlet at Mach number 5.3

The hypersonic diffuser portion of an uncooled high performance mixed compression, axisymmetric inlet suitable for subsonic burning engines was designed and tested. Performance of a model with a 25.4-cm capture diameter was measured in a wind tunnel and the results were compared with theoretical predictions calculated by a comprehensive computer program. All tests were conducted at a Mach number of 5.3 at a total temperature of 667 K and a total pressure of 11.57 atm. The angle of attack ranged from 0 to + or - 3 deg. Performance at angle of attack remained high. Reasonably high performance in the throat (maximum throat pitot-pressure recovery of 77 percent and an average value of 58 percent) was obtained at 0 deg angle of attack with relatively large amounts of boundary-layer bleed (11 to 22 percent of the capture mass flow). The computer program used in the design of this inlet is considered marginally adequate for predicting hypersonic inlet flow fields. Although the program as it now exists is very useful, an improved computer program that more accurately predicts the boundary layer and the shock-wave-boundary-layer interaction and accounts for boundary-layer bleed should be developed for reliability predicting hypersonic inlet flow fields.

Latham, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Digital-computer normal shock position and restart control of a Mach 2.5 axisymmetric mixed-compression inlet

Digital computer control of a mixed-compression inlet is discussed. The inlet was terminated with a choked orifice at the compressor face station to dynamically simulate a turbojet engine. Inlet diffuser exit airflow disturbances were used. A digital version of a previously tested analog control system was used for both normal shock and restart control. Digital computer algorithms were derived using z-transform and finite difference methods. Using a sample rate of 1000 samples per second, the digital normal shock and restart controls essentially duplicated the inlet analog computer control results. At a sample rate of 100 samples per second, the control system performed adequately but was less stable.

Neiner, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Analytical and experimental performance of optimal controller designs for a supersonic inlet

The techniques of modern optimal control theory were applied to the design of a control system for a supersonic inlet. The inlet control problem was approached as a linear stochastic optimal control problem using as the performance index the expected frequency of unstarts. The details of the formulation of the stochastic inlet control problem are presented. The computational procedures required to obtain optimal controller designs are discussed, and the analytically predicted performance of controllers designed for several different inlet conditions is tabulated. The experimental implementation of the optimal control laws is described, and the experimental results obtained in a supersonic wind tunnel are presented. The control laws were implemented with analog and digital computers. Comparisons are made between the experimental and analytically predicted performance results. Comparisons are also made between the results obtained with continuous analog computer controllers and discrete digital computer versions.

Zeller, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Effect of inlet-air humidity on the formation of oxides of nitrogen in a gas-turbine combustor

Tests were conducted to determine the effect of inlet-air humidity on the formation of oxides of nitrogen from a gas-turbine combustor. Combustor inlet-air temperature ranged from 450 F to 1050 F. The tests were run at a constant pressure of 6 atmospheres and reference Mach number of 0.065. The NO sub x emission index was found to decrease with increasing inlet-air humidity at a constant exponential rate of 19 percent per mass percent water vapor in the air. This decrease of NO sub x emission index with increasing humidity was found to be independent of inlet-air temperature.

Marchionna, N. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Throat-bypass bleed systems for increasing the stable airflow range of a Mach 2.50 axisymmetric inlet with 40-percent internal contraction

The results of an experimental investigation to increase the stable airflow range of a super sonic mixed-compression inlet are presented. Various throat-bypass bleeds were located on the inlet cowl. The bleed types were distributed porous normal holes, a forward slanted slot, or distributed educated slots. Large inlet stability margins were obtained with the inlet throat bleed systems if a constant pressure was maintained in the throat-bypass bleed plenum. Stability limits were determined for steady-state and limited transient internal air flow changes. Limited unstart angle-of-attack data are presented.

Sanders, B. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Dynamic response of Mach 2.5 axisymmetric inlet with 40 percent supersonic internal area contraction

Results of experimental tests conducted on a supersonic, mixed compression, axisymmetric inlet are presented. The inlet is designed for operation at Mach 2.5 with a turbofan engine (TF-30). The inlet was terminated with either a choked-orifice plate or a long pipe with variable area choked exit plug. Frequency responses were obtained for selected static pressures in the diffuser. These pressures were selected as potential control signals for terminal shock control. Frequency responses were obtained for the Mach 2 and 2.5 conditions for different terminations. Responses also were obtained with and without cowl bleed. Internal disturbances were produced by sinusoidally varying the inlet overboard bypass doors at frequencies out to 100 hertz.

Baumbick, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Effect of inlet-air humidity, temperature, pressure, and reference Mach number on the formation of oxides of nitrogen in a gas turbine combustor

Tests were conducted to determine the effect of inlet air humidity on the formation of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from a gas turbine combustor. Combustor inlet air temperature ranged from 506 K (450 F) to 838 K (1050 F). The tests were primarily run at a constant pressure of 6 atmospheres and reference Mach number of 0.065. The NOx emission index was found to decrease with increasing inlet air humidity at a constant exponential rate: NOx = NOx0e-19H (where H is the humidity and the subscript 0 denotes the value at zero humidity). the emission index increased exponentially with increasing normalized inlet air temperature to the 1.14 power. Additional tests made to determine the effect of pressure and reference Mach number on NOx showed that the NOx emission index varies directly with pressure to the 0.5 power and inversely with reference Mach number.

Marchionna, N. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Results of an experimental program for the development of sonic inlets for turbofan engines.

Results of a current program for sonic inlet technology development are presented. This program includes configuration and mechanical design selection of concepts, aerodynamic design description of the models, and results of test evaluation. In the test program several sonic inlet concepts were tested and compared for aerodynamic and acoustic performance. Results of these comparative evaluations are presented. Near-field measurements were taken inside the sonic inlet on several inlet models. Results of these tests are discussed with respect to the effect of Mach number gradients on noise attenuation and rotor shock wave attenuation, and boundary layer effects on noise propagation. The test facilities and experimental techniques employed are described briefly.

Klujber, F.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Hypersonic flows in large-scale inlet models.

Analytical and experimental investigations were conducted to determine the characteristics of the internal flows in model passages representative of inlets for a typical Mach 12 hypersonic cruise vehicle and also sufficiently large for reliable data to be obtained. Three large-scale inlet models, each having a different internal compression ratio, were designed to provide maximum performance at the throat stations. Tests were conducted in the Mach 7.4 nozzle of the NASA Ames 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel at a nominal test Reynolds number of 2,700,000 per ft. The experimental results revealed that a high level of total pressure recovery, approximately 0.85 (relative to the inlet-entrance conditions) for the core flow of the internal passage, was achieved for each inlet design.

Seebaugh, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Some design considerations for supersonic cruise mixed compression inlets

A mixed compression inlet designed for supersonic cruise has very demanding requirements for high total pressure recovery and low bleed and cowl drag. However, since the optimum inlet for supersonic cruise performance may have other undesirable characteristics, it is necessary to establish trade-offs between inlet performance and other inlet characteristics. Some of these trade-offs between the amount of internal compression, aerodynamic performance and angle-of-attack tolerance are reviewed. Techniques for analysis of boundary layer control and subsonic diffuser flow are discussed.

Bowditch, D. N.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Sonic inlet noise attenuation and performance with a J-85 turbojet engine as a noise source

A static test program was conducted to investigate aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a sonic inlet used as a noise suppressor. A translating centerbody type inlet with radial vanes was tested ahead of a J85-GE-13 turbojet engine. The inlet when fully choked, maintained high recovery with low distortions while dramatically reducing noise emanating from the compressor. Recoveries of 98.1% at simulated takeoff and 95% at approach were attained with associated sound attenuation of 40 db and 38 db respectively. Inlet lip shape was found to have significant effects on noise attenuation at these static conditions.

Groth, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Terminal-shock and restart control of a Mach 2.5, mixed compression inlet coupled to a turbofan engine

Results of an experimental program conducted on a mixed-compression inlet coupled to a turbofan engine are presented. Open-loop frequency response data are presented that show the response of shock position (as measured by an average inlet static pressure) to sinusoidal airflow disturbances produced at the compressor face station. Also presented are results showing the effect of different passive terminations (a choke plate or a long duct) on the characteristics of the inlet. Transfer functions obtained by using experimental data are presented and compared to the experimental data. Closed-loop frequency response of shock position (with a proportional-plus-integral controller) is presented. In addition, transient data are presented that show the unstart-restart characteristics of the inlet.

Baumbick, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The effects of forward speed on fan inlet turbulence and its relation to tone noise generation

The effect of forward speed on fan inlet turbulence was studied to determine the feasibility of using a wind tunnel to simulate various flight conditions where turbulence of atmospheric origin enters the engine inlet. The investigation was conducted in the Ames 7- by 10-foot Wind Tunnel with a small-scale low pressure-ratio fan. Results indicate that a wind tunnel of this size does produce large turbulence scale appropriate for simulation of atmospheric scale. But the tunnel's low turbulence intensity seems to cause results contrary to existing theories on the effects of fan inlet velocity ratio on turbulence scale. Limited results with artificially increased turbulence intensity removed this contradiction. Acoustic measurements showed the impact of inlet turbulence on fantone noise.

Hodder, B. K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Theoretical surface velocity distributions on acoustic splitter geometries for an engine inlet

The potential-flow velocity distributions on several splitter geometries in an engine inlet and their variation with different splitter leading-edge shapes and distances from the inlet highlight were analyzed. The velocity distributions on the inner and outer surfaces of the splitters are presented for low-speed and cruise conditions. At zero incidence angle, the splitter with the 4-to-1 elliptical leading edge had lower peak velocities and velocity gradients than the splitter with the 2-to-1 elliptical leading edge. The velocity gradients decreased as the distance from the inlet highlight to the splitter leading edge was increased. For a given distance, the peak velocity on the splitter inner surface increased with increasing inlet incidence angle. At an incidence angle of 50 deg, the velocity level and gradients on the inner surface of the splitter in the forward position were sufficiently severe to suggest local separation.

Albers, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Possibilities for improved supersonic inlet performance

The results from detailed large-scale inlet tests were examined to assess the penalties, in terms of vehicle cruise range, for boundary-layer bleed, less than ideal engine-face pressure recovery, inlet weight, and external cowl drag. The assessment suggested specific improvements in the design of the inlet system that may increase the range of a typical supersonic transport approximately 6.9%. While no single design improvement can account for a large increase in range, careful attention to each design detail can yield a substantial total improvement. Because of noise considerations, future engines for advanced supersonic transports may be approximately 50% larger than used for the present study, making the effects of improved inlet performance even more important.

Sorensen, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Some design considerations for supersonic cruise mixed compression inlets

A mixed compression inlet designed for supersonic cruise has very demanding requirements for high total pressure recovery and low bleed and cowl drag. However, since the optimum inlet for supersonic cruise performance may have other undesirable characteristics, it is necessary to establish trade-offs between inlet performance and other inlet characteristics. The paper will review some of these trade-offs between the amount of internal compression, aerodynamic performance and angle-of-attack tolerance. Also some techniques in use at the Lewis Research Center for analysis of boundary layer control and subsonic diffuser flow will be discussed.

Bowditch, D. N.↗