Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “performance ratio”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

Electro-Optic Modulator Based on Organic Planar Waveguide Integrated with Prism Coupler

The objectives of the project, as they were formulated in the proposal, are the following: (1) Design and development of novel electro-optic modulator using single crystalline film of highly efficient electro-optic organic material integrated with prism coupler; (2) Experimental characterization of the figures-of-merit of the modulator. It is expected to perform with an extinction ratio of 10 dB at a driving signal of 5 V; (3) Conclusions on feasibility of the modulator as an element of data communication systems of future generations. The accomplishments of the project are the following: (1) The design of the electro-optic modulator based on a single crystalline film of organic material NPP has been explored; (2) The evaluation of the figures-of-merit of the electro-optic modulator has been performed; (3) Based on the results of characterization of the figures-of-merit, the conclusion was made that the modulator based on a thin film of NPP is feasible and has a great potential of being used in optic communication with a modulation bandwidth of up to 100 GHz and a driving voltage of the order of 3 to 5 V.

Sarkisov, Sergey S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Detonation wave compression in gas turbines

A study was made of the concept of augmenting the performance of low pressure ratio gas turbines by detonation wave compression of part of the flow. The concept exploits the constant volume heat release of detonation waves to increase the efficiency of the Brayton cycle. In the models studied, a fraction of the compressor output was channeled into detonation ducts where it was processed by transient transverse detonation waves. Gas dynamic studies determined the maximum cycling frequency of detonation ducts, proved that upstream propagation of pressure pulses represented no problems and determined the variations of detonation duct output with time. Mixing and wave compression were used to recombine the combustor and detonation duct flows and a concept for a spiral collector to further smooth the pressure and temperature pulses was presented as an optional component. The best performance was obtained with a single firing of the ducts so that the flow could be re-established before the next detonation was initiated. At the optimum conditions of maximum frequency of the detonation ducts, the gas turbine efficiency was found to be 45 percent while that of a corresponding pressure ratio 5 conventional gas turbine was only 26%. Comparable improvements in specific fuel consumption data were found for gas turbines operating as jet engines, turbofans, and shaft output machines. Direct use of the detonation duct output for jet propulsion proved unsatisfactory. Careful analysis of the models of the fluid flow phenomena led to the conclusion that even more elaborate calculations would not diminish the uncertainties in the analysis of the system. Feasibility of the concept to work as an engine now requires validation in an engineering laboratory experiment.

Wortman, A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Toward Cooling Uniformity: Investigation of Spiral, Sweeping Holes, and Unconventional Cooling Paradigms

Surface infrared thermography, hotwire anemometry, and thermocouple surveys were performed on two new film cooling hole geometries: spiral/rifled holes and fluidic sweeping holes. Ways to quantify the efficacy of novel cooling holes that are asymmetric, not uniformly spaced or that show variation from hole to hole are presented. The spiral holes attempt to induce large-scale vorticity to the film cooling jet as it exits the hole to prevent the formation of the kidney shaped vortices commonly associated with film cooling jets. The fluidic sweeping hole uses a passive in-hole geometry to induce jet sweeping at frequencies that scale with blowing ratios. The spiral hole performance is compared to that of round holes with and without compound angles. The fluidic hole is of the diffusion class of holes and is therefore compared to a 777 hole and square holes. A patent-pending spiral hole design showed the highest potential of the nondiffusion type hole configurations. Velocity contours and flow temperature were acquired at discreet cross-sections of the downstream flow field. The passive fluidic sweeping hole shows the most uniform cooling distribution but suffers from low span-averaged effectiveness levels due to enhanced mixing. The data was taken at a Reynolds number of 11,000 based on hole diameter and freestream velocity. Infrared thermography was taken for blowing ratios of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 at a density ratio of 1.05. The flow inside the fluidic sweeping hole was studied using 3D unsteady RANS. A section on ideas for future work is included that addresses issues of quantifying cooling uniformity and provides some ideas for changing the way we think about cooling such as changing the direction of cooling or coupling acoustic devices to cooling holes to regulate frequency.

Shyam, Vikram↗
NASA NTRS1989

HIRIS performance study

The remote sensing system simulation is used to study a proposed sensor concept. An overview of the instrument and its parameters is presented, along with the model of the instrument as implemented in the simulation. Signal-to-noise levels of the instrument under a variety of system configurations are presented and discussed. Classification performance under these varying configurations is also shown, along with relationships between signal-to-noise ratios, feature selection, and classification performance.

Kerekes, John P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Analysis of space environment effects on active fiber optic links orbited aboard the LDEF

The interim analysis correlates the results of the 'Preliminary Analysis of WL Experiment no. 701, Space Environment Effects on Operating Optic Systems' (NASA Report CP-3134) with space simulated post retrieval terrestrial studies performed on the M0004 experiment. Temperature cycling measurements were performed on the active optical data links for the purpose of assessing link signal to noise ratio and bit error rate performance some 69 months following the experiment deployment in low earth orbit. The early results indicate a high correlation between pre-orbit, orbit recorded, and post orbit functionality of the first known and longest space demonstration of operating optic fibers.

Monarski, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analyses of space environment effects on active fiber optic links orbited aboard the LDEF

The results of the 'Preliminary Analysis of WL Experiment no. 701, Space Environment Effects on Operating Fiber Optic Systems,' is correlated with space simulated post retrieval terrestrial studies performed on the M0004 experiment. Temperature cycling measurements were performed on the active optical data links for the purpose of assessing link signal to noise ratio and bit error rate performance some 69 months following the experiment deployment in low Earth orbit. The early results indicate a high correlation between pre-orbit, orbit, and post-orbit functionality of the first known and longest space demonstration of operating fiber optic systems.

Taylor, Edward W.↗
NASA NTRS1954

Design of Combustor for Long-range Ram-jet Engine and Performance of Rectangular Analog

The report describes the design of a piloted combustor intended for a ram-jet engine of long flight range. The unit comprises a large annular basket of V-type cross-section, the inner surface of which is slotted and bent into small V-gutters. At the trailing edge of the basket, eight V-gutters are used to propagate the flame into the main stream. A rectangular analog of this combustor was tested at air-flow conditions corresponding to those that might be obtained during cruise. At these conditions, combustion efficiencies of as much as 90 percent were calculated for the combustor at the design equivalence ratio of 0.52. The performance of the unit was relatively insensitive to mounting and flow variables; the greatest effect on efficiency was that of the manner and location of the fuel injection. A full-scale version of this combustor has been designed for a 48-inch-diameter engine.

ENGINES, RAM-JET - COMBUSTION CHAMBERS↗
NASA NTRS1983

Ejector nozzle test results at simulated flight conditions for an advanced supersonic transport propulsion system

Results are presented of wind tunnel tests conducted to verify the performance improvements of a refined ejector nozzle design for advanced supersonic transport propulsion systems. The analysis of results obtained at simulated engine operating conditions is emphasized. Tests were conducted with models of approximately 1/10th scale which were configured to simulate nozzle operation at takeoff, subsonic cruise, transonic cruise, and supersonic cruise. Transonic cruise operation was not a consideration during the nozzle design phase, although an evaluation at this condition was later conducted. Test results, characterized by thrust and flow coefficients, are given for a range of nozzle pressure ratios, emphasizing the thrust performance at the engine operating conditions predicted for each flight Mach number. The results indicate that nozzle performance goals were met or closely approximated at takeoff and supersonic cruise, while subsonic cruise performance was within 2.3 percent of the goal with further improvement possible.

Nelson, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Characteristics of Forests in Western Sayani Mountains, Siberia from SAR Data

This paper investigated the possibility of using spaceborne radar data to map forest types and logging in the mountainous Western Sayani area in Siberia. L and C band HH, HV, and VV polarized images from the Shuttle Imaging Radar-C instrument were used in the study. Techniques to reduce topographic effects in the radar images were investigated. These included radiometric correction using illumination angle inferred from a digital elevation model, and reducing apparent effects of topography through band ratios. Forest classification was performed after terrain correction utilizing typical supervised techniques and principal component analyses. An ancillary data set of local elevations was also used to improve the forest classification. Map accuracy for each technique was estimated for training sites based on Russian forestry maps, satellite imagery and field measurements. The results indicate that it is necessary to correct for topography when attempting to classify forests in mountainous terrain. Radiometric correction based on a DEM (Digital Elevation Model) improved classification results but required reducing the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) resolution to match the DEM. Using ratios of SAR channels that include cross-polarization improved classification and

Ranson, K. Jon↗
NASA NTRS1946

Knock-Limited Performance of Triptane and Xylidines Blended with 28-R Aviation Fuel at High Compression Ratios and Maximum-Economy Spark Setting

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the possibilities of utilizing the high-performance characteristics of triptane and xylidines blended with 28-R fuel in order to increase fuel economy by the use of high compression ratios and maximum-economy spark setting. Full-scale single-cylinder knock tests were run with 20 deg B.T.C. and maximum-economy spark settings at compression ratios of 6.9, 8.0, and 10.0, and with two inlet-air temperatures. The fuels tested consisted of triptane, four triptane and one xylidines blend with 28-R, and 28-R fuel alone. Indicated specific fuel consumption at lean mixtures was decreased approximately 17 percent at a compression ratio of 10.0 and maximum-economy spark setting, as compared to that obtained with a compression ratio of 6.9 and normal spark setting. When compression ratio was increased from 6.9 to 10.0 at an inlet-air temperature of 150 F, normal spark setting, and a fuel-air ratio of 0.065, 55-percent triptane was required with 28-R fuel to maintain the knock-limited brake power level obtained with 28-R fuel at a compression ratio of 6.9. Brake specific fuel consumption was decreased 17.5 percent at a compression ratio of 10.0 relative to that obtained at a compression ratio of 6.9. Approximately similar results were noted at an inlet-air temperature of 250 F. For concentrations up through at least 20 percent, triptane can be more efficiently used at normal than at maximum-economy spark setting to maintain a constant knock-limited power output over the range of compression ratios tested.

Held, Louis F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Prediction of orbiter RSI tile gap heating ratios from NASA/Ames double wedge model test

In-depth gap heating ratios for Orbiter RSI tile sidewalls were predicted based on near steady state temperature measurements obtained from double wedge model tests. An analysis was performed to derive gap heating ratios which would result in the best fit of test data; provide an assessment of open gap response, and supply the definition of gap filler requirements on the Orbiter. A comparison was made of these heating ratios with previously derived ratios in order to verify the extrapolation of the wing glove data to Orbiter flight conditions. The analysis was performed with the Rockwell TPS Multidimensional Heat Conduction Program for a 3-D, 2.0-inch thick flat RSI tile with 255 nodal points. The data from 14 tests was used to correlate with the analysis. The results show that the best-fit heating ratios at the station farthest upstream on the model for most gap depths were less than the extrapolated values of the wing glove model heating ratios. For the station farthest downstream on the model, the baseline heating ratios adequately predicted or over-predicted the test data.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1988

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglet configurations for transonic wind-tunnel tests

A computational design has been performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three planforms has been selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 7 x 10 High Speed Wind Tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, CL approx = 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. This report summarizes the design process and the predicted transonic performance for each configuration.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Effect of maximum lift to drag ratio on optimal aeroassisted plane change

The influence of the maximum lift-to-drag ratio on the turning performance of an Orbital Transfer Vehicle is analyzed. Chapman's variables are used to formulate the equations of motion which are valid for both atmospheric flight and flight in a vacuum in a Newtonian gravitational field. Of the six adjoint variables involved in the variational formulation, four exact integrals and two approximate relations are obtained. This leads to an approximate but explicit control law for the lift and bank control. The control law is tested numerically for a whole range of entry speeds, from parabolic entry to near-circular entry with several values of maximum lift-to-drag ratio. The extensive numerical results, which are very accurate as compared to the exact optimal values, show that the maximum plane change for any speed ratio V(entry)/V(final) is simply proportional to the maximum lift-to-drag ratio, and depends solely on this parameter.

Johannesen, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Decomposing Solid Micropropulsion Nozzle Performance Issues

Micropropulsion technology is essential to the success of miniaturized spacecraft and can provide ultra-precise propulsion for small spacecraft. NASA Glenn Research Center has envisioned a micropropulsion concept that utilizes decomposing solid propellants for a valveless, leak-free propulsion system. Among the technical challenges of this decomposing solid micropropulsion concept is optimization of miniature, rectangular nozzles. A number of flat micronozzles were tested with ambient-temperature nitrogen and helium gas in a vacuum facility. The thrusters were etched out of silicon and had throat widths on the order of 350 microns and throat depths on the order of 250 microns. While these were half-sections of thrusters (two would be bonded together before firing), testing provided the performance trend for nozzles of this scale and geometry. Area ratios from 1 to 25 were tested, with thrust measured using an inverted pendulum thrust stand for nitrogen flows and a torsional thrust stand for helium. In the nitrogen testing, peak nozzle performance was achieved around area ratio of 5. In the helium series, nozzle performance peaked for the smallest nozzle tested area ratio 1.5. For both gases, there was a secondary performance peak above area ratio 15. At low chamber pressures (< 1.6 atm), nitrogen provided higher nozzle performance than helium. The performance curve for helium was steeper, however, and it appeared that helium would provide better performance than nitrogen at higher chamber pressures.

Reed, Brian↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen

Carbon-based nanocomposites have been attracting extensive attention as high-performance catalysts in alkaline media towards the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. Herein, polyacrylonitrile nanoflowers are synthesized via a free-radical polymerization route and used as a structural scaffold and precursor, whereby controlled pyrolysis leads to the ready preparation of carbon nanocomposites (FeNi-NCF) doped with both metal (Fe and Ni) and nonmetal (N) elements. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the FeNi-NCF composites retain the flower-like morphology, with the metal species atomically dispersed into the flaky carbon petals. Remarkably, despite a similar structure, elemental composition, and total metal content, the FeNi-NCF sample with a high Fe:Ni ratio exhibits an electrocatalytic performance towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media that is similar to that by commercial Pt/C, likely due to the Ni to Fe electron transfer that promotes the adsorption and eventual reduction of oxygen, as evidenced in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. Results from this study underline the importance of the electronic properties of metal dopants in the manipulation of the ORR activity of carbon nanocomposites.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1992

Computational fluid dynamics study of the variable-pitch split-blade fan concept

A computational fluid dynamics study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the variable-pitch split-blade supersonic fan concept. This fan configuration was conceived as a means to enable a supersonic fan to switch from the supersonic through-flow type of operation at high speeds to a conventional fan with subsonic inflow and outflow at low speeds. During this off-design, low-speed mode of operation, the fan would operate with a substantial static pressure rise across the blade row like a conventional transonic fan; the front (variable-pitch) blade would be aligned with the incoming flow, and the aft blade would remain fixed in the position set by the supersonic design conditions. Because of these geometrical features, this low speed configuration would inherently have a large amount of turning and, thereby, would have the potential for a large total pressure increase in a single stage. Such a high-turning blade configuration is prone to flow separation; it was hoped that the channeling of the flow between the blades would act like a slotted wing and help alleviate this problem. A total of 20 blade configurations representing various supersonic and transonic configurations were evaluated using a Navier Stokes CFD program called ADAPTNS because of its adaptive grid features. The flow fields generated by this computational procedure were processed by another data reduction program which calculated average flow properties and simulated fan performance. These results were employed to make quantitative comparisons and evaluations of blade performance. The supersonic split-blade configurations generated performance comparable to a single-blade supersonic, through-flow fan configuration. Simulated rotor total pressure ratios of the order of 2.5 or better were achieved for Mach 2.0 inflow conditions. The corresponding fan efficiencies were approximately 75 percent or better. The transonic split-blade configurations having large amounts of turning were able to generate large amounts of total turning and achieve simulated total pressure ratios of 3.0 or better with subsonic inflow conditions. These configurations had large losses and low fan efficiencies in the 70's percent. They had large separated regions and low velocity wakes. Additional turning and diffusion of this flow in a subsequent stator row would probably be very inefficient. The high total pressure ratios indicated by the rotor performance would be substantially reduced by the stators, and the stage efficiency would be substantially lower. Such performance leaves this dual-mode fan concept less attractive than originally postulated.

Kepler, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Test experience, 490 N high performance (321 sec Isp) engine

Engines with area ratios of 44:1 and 286:1 are tested by means of hot fire tests using the NTO/MMH bipropellant to maximize the performance of the combined technologies. The low-thrust engine systems are designed with oxidation resistant materials that can operate at temperatures of more than 2204 C for tens of hours. The chamber is attached to the injector in a configuration that prevents overheating of the injector, valve, and the spacecraft interface. Three injectors with 44:1 area ratios are capable of nominal specific impulse values of 309 sec, and a performance of 321 lbf-sec/lbm is noted for an all-welded engine assembly with area ratio of 286:1. The all-welded engine is shown to have an acceptable design margin for thermal characteristics. High-performance liquid apogee engines are shown to perform optimally when based on iridium/rhenium chamber technology, use of a special platelet injector, and the minimization of losses due to fuel-film cooling.

Schoenman, L.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Overview of the MAST Upgrade physics programme: testing novel concepts at low aspect ratio to inform future devices

The research programme performed on the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade experiment has made significant advances in developing the physics understanding of low aspect ratio tokamaks in support of the operation of ITER and design of fusion powerplants. High performance plasma scenarios have been developed to facilitate a broad programme of experiments, in which confinement is constrained by the presence of m/n = 2/1 modes that cause substantial losses of fast ions. The onset of these modes coincides with the q = 2 surface residing in a local minimum in the toroidal current density profile. The maximum electron temperature at the pedestal top, T e,ped is limited with gas fuelling to ∼350 eV to maintain regular ELMs; higher T e,ped results in a transition to a non-stationary ELM-free regime. The operational space of spherical tokamaks has been expanded into small and ELM-free regimes. Strong shaping of the last closed flux surface can induce a transition from large to small ELMs, and ELM suppression with resonant magnetic perturbations has been observed for the first time in a low aspect ratio tokamak. Negative triangularity shaping has induced a transition from ELMy H-mode to a high-performance L-mode regime for the first time in a low aspect ratio tokamak. In studies of fast ion confinement, losses of fast particles due to Global Alfvén Eigenmodes have been identified. Interactions between fast ions generated by off-axis neutral beam injection and thermal neutrals can result in significant losses of fast ions. Experiments with on- and off-axis neutral beam injection exhibit a flux pumping mechanism, where the central safety factor is held to ∼1 in the absence of sawteeth. In studies of pedestal physics, it has been found that elevated main chamber neutral pressures result in an increase in the electron density and reduction in the temperature at the pedestal top. Advances in understanding plasma exhaust include the integration of a high-performance plasma core with detached outer divertors in the X-point target configuration. A newly commissioned lower divertor cryopump reduces the lower divertor neutral pressure by up to 50%, with minimal effect on the main chamber or upper divertor. New measurements and SOLPS-ITER simulations emphasise the importance of plasma–neutral interactions on divertor detachment in the conditions accessible in experiments. Real-time control of the ionisation front location in both divertor chambers independently has been demonstrated in double null experiments, enabled by the tightly baffled divertor chambers.

MAST Upgrade↗