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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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NASA NTRS2016

An Overview of Air-Breathing Propulsion Efforts for 2015 SBIR Phase I

NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program focuses on technological innovation by investing in development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA mission directorates address critical research needs for Agency programs. This report highlights 24 of the innovative SBIR 2015 Phase I projects that emphasize one of NASA Glenn Research Center's six core competencies-Air-Breathing Propulsion. The technologies cover a wide spectrum of applications such as hybrid nanocomposites for efficient aerospace structures; plasma flow control for drag reduction; physics-based aeroanalysis methods for open rotor conceptual designs; vertical lift by series hybrid power; fast pressure-sensitive paint systems for production wind tunnel testing; rugged, compact, and inexpensive airborne fiber sensor interrogators based on monolithic tunable lasers; and high sensitivity semiconductor sensor skins for multi-axis surface pressure characterization. Each featured technology describes an innovation and technical objective and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report provides an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn how NASA SBIR technologies could help their programs and projects, and lead to collaborations and partnerships between the small SBIR companies and NASA that would benefit both.

aerospace structures↗
NASA NTRS1991

Optical correlator techniques applied to robotic vision

Vision processing is one of the most computationally intensive tasks required of an autonomous robot. The data flow from a single typical imaging sensor is roughly 60 Mbits/sec, which can easily overload current on-board processors. Optical correlator-based processing can be used to perform many of the functions required of a general robotic vision system, such as object recognition, tracking, and orientation determination, and can perform these functions fast enough to keep pace with the incoming sensor data. We describe a hybrid digital electronic/analog optical robotic vision processing system developed at Ames Research Center to test concepts and algorithms for autonomous construction, inspection, and maintenance of space-based habitats. We discuss the system architecture design and implementation, its performance characteristics, and our future plans. In particular, we compare the performance of the system to a more conventional all digital electronic system developed concurrently. The hybrid system consistently outperforms the digital electronic one in both speed and robustness.

Hine, Butler P., III↗
NASA NTRS1987

Onboard multichannel demultiplexer/demodulator

An investigation performed for NASA LeRC by COMSAT Labs, of a digitally implemented on-board demultiplexer/demodulator able to process a mix of uplink carriers of differing bandwidths and center frequencies and programmable in orbit to accommodate variations in traffic flow is reported. The processor accepts high speed samples of the signal carried in a wideband satellite transponder channel, processes these as a composite to determine the signal spectrum, filters the result into individual channels that carry modulated carriers and demodulate these to recover their digital baseband content. The processor is implemented by using forward and inverse pipeline Fast Fourier Transformation techniques. The recovered carriers are then demodulated using a single digitally implemented demodulator that processes all of the modulated carriers. The effort has determined the feasibility of the concept with multiple TDMA carriers, identified critical path technologies, and assessed the potential of developing these technologies to a level capable of supporting a practical, cost effective on-board implementation. The result is a flexible, high speed, digitally implemented Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) bulk demultiplexer/demodulator.

Campanella, S. Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1980

Computation of the shock-wave boundary layer interaction with flow separation

The boundary layer concept is used to describe the flow near the wall. The external flow is approximated by a pressure displacement relationship (tangent wedge in linearized supersonic flow). The boundary layer equations are solved in finite difference form and the question of the presence and unicity of the solution is considered for the direct problem (assumed pressure) or converse problem (assumed displacement thickness, friction ratio). The coupling algorithm presented implicitly processes the downstream boundary condition necessary to correctly define the interacting boundary layer problem. The algorithm uses a Newton linearization technique to provide a fast convergence.

Ardonceau, P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Spray combustion experiments and numerical predictions

The next generation of commercial aircraft will include turbofan engines with performance significantly better than those in the current fleet. Control of particulate and gaseous emissions will also be an integral part of the engine design criteria. These performance and emission requirements present a technical challenge for the combustor: control of the fuel and air mixing and control of the local stoichiometry will have to be maintained much more rigorously than with combustors in current production. A better understanding of the flow physics of liquid fuel spray combustion is necessary. This paper describes recent experiments on spray combustion where detailed measurements of the spray characteristics were made, including local drop-size distributions and velocities. Also, an advanced combustor CFD code has been under development and predictions from this code are compared with experimental results. Studies such as these will provide information to the advanced combustor designer on fuel spray quality and mixing effectiveness. Validation of new fast, robust, and efficient CFD codes will also enable the combustor designer to use them as additional design tools for optimization of combustor concepts for the next generation of aircraft engines.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Spray combustion experiments and numerical predictions

The next generation of commercial aircraft will include turbofan engines with performance levels significantly better than those in the current fleet. Control of particulate and gaseous emissions will also be an integral part of the engine design criteria. These performance and emission requirements present a technical challenge for the combustor: control of the fuel and air mixing and control of the local stoichiometry will have to be maintained much more rigorously than with combustors in current production. A better understanding of the flow physics of liquid fuel spray combustion is necessary. This paper describes recent experiments on spray combustion where detailed measurements of the spray characteristics were made, including local drop-size distributions and velocities. Also, an advanced combustor CFD code has been under development and predictions from this code are compared with experimental results. Studies such as these will provide information to the advanced combustor designer on fuel spray quality and mixing effectiveness. Validation of new fast, robust, and efficient CFD codes will also enable the combustor designer to use than as valuable additional design tools for optimization of combustor concepts for the next generation of aircraft engines.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Spray Combustion Experiments and Numerical Predictions

The next generation of commercial aircraft will include turbofan engines with performances significantly better than those in the current fleet. Control of particulate and gaseous emissions will also be an integral part of the engine design criteria. These performance and emission requirements present a technical challenge for the combustor: control of the fuel and air mixing and control of the local stoichiometry will have to be maintained much more rigorously than combustors in current production. A better understanding of the flow physics of liquid fuel spray combustion is necessary. This presentation describes recent experiments on spray combustion where detailed measurements of the spray characteristics were made, including local drop-size distributions and velocities. In addition, an advanced combustor CFD code has been under development and predictions from this code are presented and compared with measurements. Studies such as these will provide information to the advanced combustor designer on fuel spray quality and mixing effectiveness. Validation of new fast, robust, and efficient CFD codes will also enable the combustor designer to use them as valuable design tools for optimization of combustor concepts for the next generation of aircraft engines.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Concepts and application of dynamic separation for agility and super-maneuverability of aircraft: An assessment

Aims for improvement of fighter aircraft pursued by the unsteady flow community are high agility (the ability of the aircraft to make close turns in a low-speed regime) and super maneuverability (the ability of the aircraft to operate at high angles of attack in a post stall regime during quick maneuvers in a more extended speed range). High agility requires high lift coefficients at low speeds in a dynamic situation and this requirement can be met by dynamically forced separation or by quasistatic stall control. The competing methods will be assessed based on the known physics. Maneuvering into the post stall regime also involves dynamic separation but because even fast maneuvers involving the entire aircraft are 'aerodynamically slow' the resulting dynamic vortex structures should be considered 'elicited' rather than 'forced.' More work seems to be needed in this area of elicited dynamic separation.

Freymuth, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1999

Aerosols and Particulates Workshop Sampling Procedures and Venues Working Group Summary

The Sampling Procedures and Venues Workgroup discussed the potential venues available and issues associated with obtaining measurements. Some of the issues included Incoming Air Quality, Sampling Locations, Probes and Sample Systems. The following is a summary of the discussion of the issues and venues. The influence of inlet air to the measurement of exhaust species, especially trace chemical species, must be considered. Analysis procedures for current engine exhaust emissions regulatory measurements require adjustments for air inlet humidity. As a matter of course in scientific investigations, it is recommended that "background" measurements for any species, particulate or chemical, be performed during inlet air flow before initiation of combustion, if possible, and during the engine test period as feasible and practical. For current regulatory measurements, this would be equivalent to setting the "zero" level for conventional gas analyzers. As a minimum, it is recommended that measurements of the humidity and particulates in the incoming air be taken at the start and end of each test run. Additional measurement points taken during the run are desirable if they can be practically obtained. It was felt that the presence of trace gases in the incoming air is not a significant problem. However, investigators should consider the ambient levels and influences of local air pollution for species of interest. Desired measurement locations depend upon the investigation requirements. A complete investigation of phenomenology of particulate formation and growth requires measurements at a number of locations both within the engine and in the exhaust field downstream of the nozzle exit plane. Desirable locations for both extractive and in situ measurements include: (1) Combustion Zone (Multiple axial locations); (2) Combustor Exit (Multiple radial locations for annular combustors); (3) Turbine Stage (Inlet and exit of the stage); (4) Exit Nozzle (Multiple axial locations downstream of the nozzle). Actual locations with potential for extractive or non-intrusive measurements depend upon the test article and test configuration. Committee members expressed the importance of making investigators aware of various ports that could allow access to various stages of the existing engines. Port locations are engine si)ecific and might allow extractive sampling or innovative hybrid optical-probe access. The turbine stage region was one the most desirable locations for obtaining samples and might be accessed through boroscope ports available in some engine designs. Discussions of probes and sampling systems quickly identified issues dependent on particular measurement quantities. With general consensus, the group recommends SAE procedures for measurements and data analyses of currently regulated exhaust species (CO2, CO, THC, NO(x),) using conventional gas sampling techniques. Special procedures following sound scientific practices must be developed as required for species and/or measurement conditions not covered by SAE standards. Several issues arose concerning short lived radicals and highly reactive species. For conventional sampling, there are concerns of perturbing the sample during extraction, line losses, line-wall reactions, and chemical reactions during the sample transport to the analyzers. Sample lines coated with quartz.or other materials should be investigated for minimization of such effects. The group advocates the development of innovative probe techniques and non-intrusive optical techniques for measurement of short lived radicals and highly reactive species that cannot be sampled accurately otherwise. Two innovative probe concepts were discussed. One concept uses specially designed probes to transfer optical beams to and from a region of flow inaccessible by traditional ports or windows. The probe can perturb the flow field but must have a negligible impact on the region to be optically sampled. Such probes are referred to as hybrid probes and are under development at AEDC for measurement in the high pressure, high temperature of a combustor under development for power generation. The other concept consists of coupling an instrument directly to the probe. The probe would isolate a representative sample stream, freeze chemical reactions and direct the sample into the analyzer portion of the probe. Thus, the measurement would be performed in situ without sample line losses due either to reactions or binding at the wall surfaces. This concept was used to develop a fast, in situ, time-of-flight mass spectrometer measurement system for temporal quantification of NO in the IMPULSE facility at AEDC. Additional work is required in this area to determine the best probe and sampling technique for each species measurement requirement identified by the Trace Chemistry Working Group. A partial list of Venues was used as a baseline for discussion. Additional venues were added to the list and the list was broken out into the following categories: (1)Engines (a) Sea Level Test Stands (b) Altitude Chambers; (2) Annular Combustor Test Stands, (3) Sector Flametube Test Stands, (4) Fundamentals Rigs/Experiments.

Pachlhofer, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1998

Aerothermodynamic Flight Simulation Capabilities for Aerospace Vehicles

Aerothermodynamics, encompassing aerodynamics, aeroheating, and fluid dynamics and physical processes, is the genesis for the design and development of advanced space transportation vehicles and provides crucial information to other disciplines such as structures, materials, propulsion, avionics, and guidance, navigation and control. Sources of aerothermodynamic information are ground-based facilities, Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) and engineering computer codes, and flight experiments. Utilization of this aerothermodynamic triad provides the optimum aerothermodynamic design to safely satisfy mission requirements while reducing design conservatism, risk and cost. The iterative aerothermodynamic process for initial screening/assessment of aerospace vehicle concepts, optimization of aerolines to achieve/exceed mission requirements, and benchmark studies for final design and establishment of the flight data book are reviewed. Aerothermodynamic methodology centered on synergism between ground-based testing and CFD predictions is discussed for various flow regimes encountered by a vehicle entering the Earth s atmosphere from low Earth orbit. An overview of the resources/infrastructure required to provide accurate/creditable aerothermodynamic information in a timely manner is presented. Impacts on Langley s aerothermodynamic capabilities due to recent programmatic changes such as Center reorganization, downsizing, outsourcing, industry (as opposed to NASA) led programs, and so forth are discussed. Sample applications of these capabilities to high Agency priority, fast-paced programs such as Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)/X-33 Phases I and 11, X-34, Hyper-X and X-38 are presented and lessons learned discussed. Lastly, enhancements in ground-based testing/CFD capabilities necessary to partially/fully satisfy future requirements are addressed.

Miller, Charles G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A complementary MOS process

The complete sequence used to manufacture complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits is described. The fixed-gate array concept is presented as a means of obtaining CMOS integrated circuits in a fast and reliable fashion. Examples of CMOS circuits fabricated by both the conventional method and the fixed-gate array method are included. The electrical parameter specifications and characteristics are given along with typical values used to produce CMOS circuits. Temperature-bias stressing data illustrating the thermal stability of devices manufactured by this process are presented. Results of a preliminary study on the radiation sensitivity of circuits manufactured by this process are discussed. Some process modifications are given which have improved the radiation hardness of our CMOS devices. A formula description of the chemicals and gases along with the gas flow rates is also included.

Jhabvala, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Shockless design and analysis of transonic blade shapes

A fast computer program was developed to eliminate the shocks by slightly altering portions of the contour of a given airfoil in the cascade. The program can be used in two basic modes: (1) An analysis for steady, transonic, potential flow through a given planar cascade of airfoils and (2) a design for converting a given cascade into a shockless transonic cascade. The design mode can automatically be followed by the analysis mode, which confirms that the flow field is shock free. The program generates its own multilevel boundary conforming computational grids and solves a full potential equation in a fully conservative form. The shockless design is performed by implementing Sobieczky's fictitious-gas elliptic continuation concept.

Dulikravich, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA's THEMIS Mission: Multipoint Observations of Substorms, the Foreshock, and the Magnetopause

From launch on February 17 through the repositioning to final orbits that began in September 2007, the five-spacecraft of the THEMIS mission operated nominally in nearly identical 14.6 RE apogee near-equatorial orbits. On March 23, while aligned from east to west in the duskside magnetotail, the spacecraft observed two substorm sequences in fast survey mode. Timing the motion of these signatures served as an early proof of concept for the main phase of the mission: particle injection and dipolarization signatures propagated duskward from one probe to another, as did auroral intensifications seen by the dedicated array of ground-based observatories. During the summer of 2007, the spacecraft were on the dayside, where the three inner spacecraft (C, D, E) were separated by 100-500 km and the two outer probes (B, -4) by 5,000 - 10,000 km. Here the THEMIS probes repeatedly encountered the magnetopause and bow shock, dissecting flux transfer events (FTEs), determining the instantaneous width of the low-latitude boundary layer, and simultaneously observing hot flow anomalies upstream and downstream from the bow shock at the moment of their inception. From January to March 2008, the spacecraft were in the Earths magnetotail with apogees of 31.0, 19.5, 11.8 (2) and 10.0 RE corresponding to periods of 4, 2, and 1 days. Radial alignments once each four days offered an opportunity to pinpoint when and where substorms begin. This talk reviews THEMIS discoveries to date, with an emphasis on model-data comparisons of FTE characteristics

Sibeck, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Internal Mixing Studied for GE/ARL Ejector Nozzle

To achieve jet noise reduction goals for the High Speed Civil Transport aircraft, researchers have been investigating the mixer-ejector nozzle concept. For this concept, a primary nozzle with multiple chutes is surrounded by an ejector. The ejector mixes low-momentum ambient air with the hot engine exhaust to reduce the jet velocity and, hence, the jet noise. It is desirable to mix the two streams as fast as possible in order to minimize the length and weight of the ejector. An earlier model of the mixer-ejector nozzle was tested extensively in the Aerodynamic Research Laboratory (ARL) of GE Aircraft Engines at Cincinnati, Ohio. While testing was continuing with later generations of the nozzle, the earlier model was brought to the NASA Lewis Research Center for relatively fundamental measurements. Goals of the Lewis study were to obtain details of the flow field to aid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) efforts and obtain a better understanding of the flow mechanisms, as well as to experiment with mixing enhancement devices, such as tabs. The measurements were made in an open jet facility for cold (unheated) flow without a surrounding coflowing stream.

Zaman, Khairul↗
NASA NTRS2019

Management by Trajectory: Improving Predictability for Airspace Operations

In the present-day National Airspace System, the air traffic management system attempts to predict the trajectory for each flight based on the flight plan and scheduled or controlled departure time. However, gaps in trajectory data and models, coupled with tactical control actions that are not communicated to automation systems or other stakeholders, lead to trajectory predictions that are less accurate than they could be. This affects traffic flow management performance. Management by Trajectory (MBT) is a NASA concept for air traffic management in which every flight operates in accordance with a 4D trajectory that is negotiated between the airspace user and the FAA to account for the airspace user’s goals while complying with NAS constraints. The primary benefit of MBT is an improvement in system performance due to increased trajectory predictability and stability, which result from managing traffic in all four dimensions (2D route, vertical, and time), ensuring that changes to the flight’s trajectory are incorporated into the assigned trajectory, and utilizing improved time or arrival control standards. Importantly, the performance improvements support increasing efficiency without increasing collision risk. This paper provides an overview of MBT and describes fast-time simulation results evaluating the safety, performance, and efficiency effects of MBT.

Fernandes, Alicia B.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Controlled Nitric Oxide Production via O(1D) + N2O Reactions for Use in Oxidation Flow Reactor Studies

Oxidation flow reactors that use low-pressure mercury lamps to produce hydroxyl (OH) radicals are an emerging technique for studying the oxidative aging of organic aerosols. Here, ozone (O3) is photolyzed at 254 nm to produce O(1D) radicals, which react with water vapor to produce OH. However, the need to use parts-per-million levels of O3 hinders the ability of oxidation flow reactors to simulate NOx-dependent secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation pathways. Simple addition of nitric oxide (NO) results in fast conversion of NOx (NO+NO2) to nitric acid (HNO3), making it impossible to sustain NOx at levels that are sufficient to compete with hydroperoxy (HO2) radicals as a sink for organic peroxy (RO2) radicals. We developed a new method that is well suited to the characterization of NOx-dependent SOA formation pathways in oxidation flow reactors. NO and NO2 are produced via the reaction O(1D)+N2O->2NO, followed by the reaction NO+O3->NO2+O2. Laboratory measurements coupled with photochemical model simulations suggest that O(1D)+N2O reactions can be used to systematically vary the relative branching ratio of RO2 +NO reactions relative to RO2 +HO2 and/or RO2+RO2 reactions over a range of conditions relevant to atmospheric SOA formation. We demonstrate proof of concept using high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-CIMS) measurements with nitrate (NO-3 ) reagent ion to detect gas-phase oxidation products of isoprene and -pinene previously observed in NOx-influenced environments and in laboratory chamber experiments.

Lambe, Andrew↗
NASA NTRS1975

Cost and size estimates for an electrochemical bulk energy storage concept

Preliminary capital cost and size estimates were made for an electrochemical bulk energy storage concept. The electrochemical system considered was an electrically rechargeable flow cell with a redox couple. On the basis of preliminary capital cost estimates, size estimates, and several other important considerations, the redox-flow-cell system emerges as having great promise as a bulk energy storage system for power load leveling. The size of this system would be less than 2 percent of that of a comparable pumped hydroelectric plant. The capital cost of a 10-megawatt, 60- and 85-megawatt-hour redox system is estimated to be $190 to $330 per kilowatt. The other important features of the redox system contributing to its load leveling application are its low adverse environmental impact, its high efficiency, its apparent absence of electrochemically-related cycle life limitations, and its fast response.

Warshay, M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Future of Air Traffic Management

A system for the control of terminal area traffic to improve productivity, referred to as the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS), is being developed at NASA's Ames Research Center under a joint program with the FAA. CTAS consists of a set of integrated tools that provide computer-generated advisories for en-route and terminal area controllers. The premise behind the design of CTAS has been that successful planning of traffic requires accurate trajectory prediction. Data bases consisting of representative aircraft performance models, airline preferred operational procedures and a three dimensional wind model support the trajectory prediction. The research effort has been the design of a set of automation tools that make use of this trajectory prediction capability to assist controllers in overall management of traffic. The first tool, the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), provides the overall flow management between the en route and terminal areas. A second tool, the Final Approach Spacing Tool (FAST) provides terminal area controllers with sequence and runway advisories to allow optimal use of the runways. The TMA and FAST are now being used in daily operations at Dallas/Ft. Worth airport. Additional activities include the development of several other tools. These include: 1) the En Route Descent Advisor that assist the en route controller in issuing conflict free descents and ascents; 2) the extension of FAST to include speed and heading advisories and the Expedite Departure Path (EDP) that assists the terminal controller in management of departures; and 3) the Collaborative Arrival Planner (CAP) that will assist the airlines in operational decision making. The purpose of this presentation is to review the CTAS concept and to present the results of recent field tests. The paper will first discuss the overall concept and then discuss the status of the individual tools.

Denery, Dallas G.↗