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At least 541 records · Page 30

Commercial Hypersonic Transportation Market Study

In support of NASA’s evaluation of its future research thrusts for its hypersonics program, NASA commissioned independent studies of the market for commercial hypersonic transportation. SAIC and BryceTech (formerly Bryce Space and Technology) were awarded one of these independent studies to assist NASA in better understanding: (1) the passenger demand for high-speed aviation travel; (2) the pressures on the business case for developing and operating a hypersonic aircraft for the commercial aviation market; and (3) the non-technical (i.e., societal) barriers and challenges, including the steps NASA and the Government could take to overcome those barriers and challenges. Our approach to addressing these three tasks for NASA included modeling future demand and future business operations, considering global air transportation at speeds of Mach 2 to Mach 7. The team forecast premium air travel demand through 2060 and assessed the willingness of passengers of different income and wealth levels to pay to save time on flights between 800 city pairs. With the total addressable market defined, we examined industry-level business case viability for several aircraft speed and range cases. Considering operating and manufacturing costs for routes that could be serviced profitably, as well as typical profitability targets for the aviation industry, we quantified the level of RDT&E funding available to support each business case.

hypersonic aircraft↗

Independent Market Study: Commercial Hypersonic Transportation

In support of NASA’s evaluation of its future research thrusts for its hypersonics program, NASA commissioned independent studies of the market for commercial hypersonic transportation. SAIC and BryceTech (formerly Bryce Space and Technology) were awarded one of these independent studies to assist NASA in better understanding: (1) the passenger demand for high-speed aviation travel; (2) the pressures on the business case for developing and operating a hypersonic aircraft for the commercial aviation market; and (3) the non-technical (i.e., societal) barriers and challenges, including the steps NASA and the Government could take to overcome those barriers and challenges. Our approach to addressing these three tasks for NASA included modeling future demand and future business operations, considering global air transportation at speeds of Mach 2 to Mach 7. The team forecast premium air travel demand through 2060 and assessed the willingness of passengers of different income and wealth levels to pay to save time on flights between 800 city pairs. With the total addressable market defined, we examined industry-level business case viability for several aircraft speed and range cases. Considering operating and manufacturing costs for routes that could be serviced profitably, as well as typical profitability targets for the aviation industry, we quantified the level of RDT&E funding available to support each business case.

hypersonic aircraft↗

Structural Analysis and Design Software

Collier Research and Development Corporation received a one-of-a-kind computer code for designing exotic hypersonic aircraft called ST-SIZE in the first ever Langley Research Center software copyright license agreement. Collier transformed the NASA computer code into a commercial software package called HyperSizer, which integrates with other Finite Element Modeling and Finite Analysis private-sector structural analysis program. ST-SIZE was chiefly conceived as a means to improve and speed the structural design of a future aerospace plane for Langley Hypersonic Vehicles Office. Including the NASA computer code into HyperSizer has enabled the company to also apply the software to applications other than aerospace, including improved design and construction for offices, marine structures, cargo containers, commercial and military aircraft, rail cars, and a host of everyday consumer products.

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Analytical and experimental studies of heat pipe radiation cooling of hypersonic propulsion systems

Analytical and experimental studies were completed to assess the feasibility of using high-temperature heat pipes to cool hypersonic engine components. This new approach involves using heat pipes to transport heat away from the combustor, nozzle, or inlet regions, and to reject it to the environment by thermal radiation from an external heat pipe nacelle. For propulsion systems using heat pipe radiation cooling (HPRC), it is possible to continue to use hydrocarbon fuels into the Mach 4 to Mach 6 speed range, thereby enhancing the economic attractiveness of commercial or military hypersonic flight. In the second-phase feasibility program recently completed, it is found that heat loads produced by considering both convection and radiation heat transfer from the combustion gas can be handled with HPRC design modifications. The application of thermal insulation to ramburner and nozzle walls was also found to reduce the heat load by about one-half and to reduce peak HPRC system temperatures to below 2700 F. In addition, the operation of HPRC at cruise conditions of around Mach 4.5 and at an altitude of 90,000 ft lowers the peak hot-section temperatures to around 2800 F. An HPRC heat pipe was successfully fabricated and tested at Mach 5 conditions of heat flux, heat load, and temperature.

Martin, R. A.↗

Analysis of heat transfer in a simulated wing-elevon cove in hypersonic flow

A simplified analytical model of leakage into a wing-elevon cove under high speed external flow conditions is presented. The model accounts for convection from the high temperature gas stream leaking into the cove, radiation exchanges between walls and with the environment, and axial conduction within the channel walls. Comparisons are made of predicted and measured wall temperatures of an experimental wing-elevon-cove model that was tested in a hypersonic wind tunnel. Analytically determined Nusselt numbers for laminar flow entrance conditions are compared with those calculated from experimentally measured gas temperatures, wall temperatures and wall heating rates. Although reasonable agreement appears to be indicated, testing times much larger than those of the present test program (5 seconds) would be desirable in evaluating the reliability and accuracy of the simplified model.

Keshock, E. G.↗

Thermal design for areas of interference heating on actively cooled hypersonic aircraft

Numerous actively cooled panel design alternatives for application in regions on high speed aircraft that are subject to interference heating effects were studied. Candidate design concepts were evaluated using mass, producibility, reliability and inspectability/maintainability as figures of merit. Three design approaches were identified as superior within certain regimes of the matrix of design heating conditions considered. Only minor modifications to basic actively cooled panel design are required to withstand minor interference heating effects. Designs incorporating internally finned coolant tubes to augment heat transfer are recommended for moderate design heating conditions. At severe heating conditions, an insulated panel concept is required.

Herring, R. L.↗

Hall Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation and Drag Augmentation Using A Coaxial-Electrode Configuration During Hypersonic Entry

For interplanetary missions, a spacecraft must reduce its relative velocity from orbital speeds of multiple kilometers per second to zero in order to safely land on the surface of a planetary body. During this phase known as planetary reentry, the spacecraft undergoes high speed above Mach 5 up to Mach 30. This hyper-sonic flight regime imposes a strong bow shock in front of the vehicle that imparts extreme aerodynamic and thermal effects. In addition, during portions of this regime, a plasma is formed in the post-shock flow-field around the vehicle due to these high temperatures. Interaction between an applied magnetic field with this electrically conductive fluid, or magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interaction, can be utilized to convert kinetic energy from the flow into storable electrical energy. Onboard MHD energy generation can benefit the spacecraft by increasing the power of active thermal control components and vehicle control systems during reentry. MHD interaction also exerts a Lorentz body force on the plasma flow that can be manipulated to act as an additional drag force through the vehicle body. MHD drag augmentation can benefit the spacecraft with an additional control mechanism that operates without moving parts. This can be utilized at higher altitudes and subsequently reduce convective heat transfer to the vehicle. MHD interaction with plasma flow suggests that both power generation and drag augmentation can be integrated together in one design. Modern numerical studies have only demonstrated the viability and potential of MHD energy generation and drag modulation separately for implementation into future spacecraft designs [1] [2] [3]. Steeves et. al. presented one possible generator design specifically for reentry vehicles that utilized a modular panel with two embedded electromagnets and two extruding electrodes for air plasma to flow between. Fujino et. al. presented results that indicated increased total drag with a permanent magnet embedded in the blunt body of the Orbital Reentry Experiment (OREX) trajectory. Furthermore, experimental investigations of these two MHD applications have been limited and separate due to the difficult technical nature of experimental de-sign and analysis. For MHD energy generation, there have been two designs which used a cylindrical fore-body with two embedded permanent magnets and two outward facing curved electrodes for tangency to an artificially ionized plasma that flowed along the body length [4] [5]. The first design was studied using an air microwave (MW) ionized supersonic plasma wind tunnel and the second design used radio frequency (RF) ionization of Argon, but both physically demonstrated the feasibility of MHD energy generation in reentry plasma conditions. For MHD drag modulation, one study involved a small-scale cylindrical blunt body embedded with permanent magnets immersed in plasma flow in an arcjet tunnel [6], and another utilized a spherical permanent magnet enclosed with a spherical forebody that was evaluated in a shock expansion tunnel [7]. Both experimental studies provided physical evidence of drag augmentation due to MHD interactions. Therefore, because of the multi-faceted effects of MHD along with both applications having been deemed feasible and beneficial during reentry, this indicates that a coupled power generation and drag modulation design could be achievable. The axi-symmetric nature of blunt bodies for reentry suggests that a spherical set of two ring electrodes near the nose along the body axis. Based on first principles, flow along the walls of the spherical body can then produce MHD interactions between the electrodes. As a result, two currents are generated: a Hall current that produces power and a primary inductive current that augments the drag force. The goal of this work is to provide a simulated design of a coaxial-electrode con-figuration for power generation and drag modulation for experimental testing.

E. Leong↗

Pressure Gain Combustion for High Speed Propulsion

This presentation contains notes for a one-hour lecture that is part of a two-day AIAA Short Course titled, Hypersonic Air-Breathing Propulsion: Emerging Technologies and Cycles. The presentation covers an introduction to Pressure Gain Combustion (PGC) and its applicability to high speed airbreathing propulsion (HSABP). The concept of PGC is discussed on a thermodynamic basis, the performance benefits are demonstrated, and methods of implementation are described. These include devices such as Resonant Pulse Combustors, Internal Combustion Wave Rotors, Pulse Detonation Engines, and Rotating Detonation Engines.

pressure gain combustion↗

Skin friction reduction by slot injection at Mach 0.8

Surface skin friction, boundary layer profiles and turbulent intensity due to axially symmetric tangential slot injection into a transonic boundary layer were measured. Effects of slot height, multiple slot injection, and injection mass flow rate on the surface skin friction downstream of the the slot have been investigated. Surface skin friction was a function of the injection mass flow rate for x/s 40. Large normal pressure gradient and relatively large turbulent intensity were found near the slot with small injection mass flow rate; the region the high turbulent intensity moved downstream with increasing injection mass flow rate. The results with two slot injections indicated that the distance between slots should be less than 30 slot heights in order to achieve some benefits from the first slot. Of significant importance in the present investigation is that the skin friction reduction obtained at transonic speed is of the same order as obtained in the hypersonic regime. Additional work is required in order to formulate a correlation between the turbulent intensity and the injection mass flow rate that may be used in future analysis.

Zakkay, V.↗

The art of spacecraft design: A multidisciplinary challenge

Actual design turn-around time has become shorter due to the use of optimization techniques which have been introduced into the design process. It seems that what, how and when to use these optimization techniques may be the key factor for future aircraft engineering operations. Another important aspect of this technique is that complex physical phenomena can be modeled by a simple mathematical equation. The new powerful multilevel methodology reduces time-consuming analysis significantly while maintaining the coupling effects. This simultaneous analysis method stems from the implicit function theorem and system sensitivity derivatives of input variables. Use of the Taylor's series expansion and finite differencing technique for sensitivity derivatives in each discipline makes this approach unique for screening dominant variables from nondominant variables. In this study, the current Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) aerodynamic and sensitivity derivative/optimization techniques are applied for a simple cone-type forebody of a high-speed vehicle configuration to understand basic aerodynamic/structure interaction in a hypersonic flight condition.

Abdi, F.↗

Parametric study of an ODW scramaccelerator for hypersonic test facilities

A parametric study has been conducted for an oblique detonation-wave (ODW) 'scramaccelerator' suitable for projectile aerothermodynamics studies in real gas hypersonic test facilities. The results of the present analytical design evaluation indicate that an ODW scramaccelerator using conventional gaseous propellants can accelerate projectiles of 0.1 to 1000 kg masses to speeds in the 6-10 km/sec range. Potential applications for such an accelerator encompass a hypersonic ballistic test range, kinetic energy weapon accelerators, mass drivers to LEO, projectile terminal ballistics testing, projectile/target interaction studies, inertial welders, and shock compactors.

Humphrey, Joseph W.↗

Challenges in aeronautical research for the 1990's

Three areas of the specific NASA aeronautical research are discussed: (1) advanced subsonic transport airplanes; (2) next generation high speed civil transport aircraft (SST's); and (3) next century hypersonic vehicles. The research planning reflects an awareness of and sensitivity to modern, stringent environmental constraints, changing marketplace demands, and advanced technology driven opportunities. The technical foundations of those future systems are described.

Holmes, Bruce↗

Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Summer Conference. NASA/USRA: University Advanced Design Program

The Advanced Design Program (ADP) is a unique program that brings together students and faculty from U.S. engineering schools with engineers from the NASA centers through integration of current and future NASA space and aeronautics projects into university engineering design curriculum. The Advanced Space Design Program study topics cover a broad range of projects that could be undertaken during a 20-30 year period beginning with the deployment of the Space Station Freedom. The Advanced Aeronautics Design Program study topics typically focus on nearer-term projects of interest to NASA, covering from small, slow-speed vehicles through large, supersonic passenger transports and on through hypersonic research vehicles. Student work accomplished during the 1990-91 academic year and reported at the 7th Annual Summer Conference is presented.

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Preconditioning for the Navier-Stokes equations with finite-rate chemistry

The preconditioning procedure for generalized finite-rate chemistry and the proper preconditioning for the one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are presented. Eigenvalue stiffness is resolved and convergence-rate acceleration is demonstrated over the entire Mach-number range from the incompressible to the hypersonic. Specific benefits are realized at low and transonic flow speeds. The extended preconditioning matrix accounts for thermal and chemical non-equilibrium and its implementation is explained for both explicit and implicit time marching. The effect of higher-order spatial accuracy and various flux splittings is investigated. Numerical analysis reveals the possible theoretical improvements from using proconditioning at all Mach numbers. Numerical results confirm the expectations from the numerical analysis. Representative test cases include flows with previously troublesome embedded high-condition-number regions.

Godfrey, Andrew G.↗

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Development of the Aerodynamic Database of the X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle

An overview of the aerodynamic characteristics and the process of developing the preflight aerodynamic database of the NASA/ Orbital X-34 reusable launch vehicle is presented in this paper. Wind tunnel tests from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers including ground effect tests at low subsonic speeds were conducted in various facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center. The APAS (Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System) code was used for engineering level analysis and to fill the gaps in the wind tunnel test data. This aerodynamic database covers the range of Mach numbers, angles of attack, sideslip and control surface deflections anticipated in the complete flight envelope.

Pamadi, Bandu N.↗

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Development of the Aerodynamic Database of the X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle

An overview of the aerodynamic characteristics and the process of developing the preflight aerodynamic database of the NASA/ Orbital X-34 reusable launch vehicle is presented in this paper. Wind tunnel tests from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers including ground effect tests at low subsonic speeds were conducted in various facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center. The APAS (Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System) code was used for engineering level analysis and to fill the gaps in the wind tunnel test data. This aerodynamic database covers the range of Mach numbers, angles of attack, sideslip and control surface deflections anticipated in the complete flight envelope.

Pamadi , Bandu N.↗

Aerodynamic Characteristics, Database Development and Flight Simulation of the X-34 Vehicle

An overview of the aerodynamic characteristics, development of the preflight aerodynamic database and flight simulation of the NASA/Orbital X-34 vehicle is presented in this paper. To develop the aerodynamic database, wind tunnel tests from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers including ground effect tests at low subsonic speeds were conducted in various facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center. Where wind tunnel test data was not available, engineering level analysis is used to fill the gaps in the database. Using this aerodynamic data, simulations have been performed for typical design reference missions of the X-34 vehicle.

Pamadi, Bandu N.↗

Aerodynamic Characteristics, Database Development and Flight Simulation of the X-34 Vehicle

An overview of the aerodynamic characteristics, development of the preflight aerodynamic database and flight simulation of the NASA/Orbital X-34 vehicle is presented in this paper. To develop the aerodynamic database, wind tunnel tests from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers including ground effect tests at low subsonic speeds were conducted in various facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center. Where wind tunnel test data was not available, engineering level analysis is used to fill the gaps in the database. Using this aerodynamic data, simulations have been performed for typical design reference missions of the X-34 vehicle.

Pamadi, Bandu N.↗