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At least 73 records · Page 4

Effects of Spent Cooling and Swirler Angle on a 9-point Swirl-Venturi Injector

This paper presents multipoint lean-direct-injection (LDI) emissions results for flame tube combustion tests at an inlet pressure of 1034 kPa and inlet temperatures between 835 and 865 K; these are the combustor inlet conditions that the High Speed Research (HSR) program used for supersonic cruise. It focuses on one class of LDI geometry, 9-point swirl-venturi LDI (SV-LDI). Two parameters are compared in this paper: the use of dome cooling air and the swirler blade angle. Dome cooling air is called 'spent cooling' and is at combustor inlet conditions. Three cooling variations are studied: cooling at the venturi throat, cooling at the dome face, and no cooling at all. Two swirler blade angles are studied: 45 deg and 60 deg. The HSR 9-point SV-LDI emissions are also compared to a similar 9-point SV-LDI design which was used in the later ultra-efficient engine technology (UEET) program. The HSR and UEET designs cannot be compared directly due to different UEET combustor conditions. Therefore, this paper uses previously published UEET correlation equations to make comparisons. Results show that using a 45 deg swirler produces lower NOx emissions than using a 60 deg swirler. This is consistent with the later UEET results. The effects of spent cooling depend on swirler angle, spent cooling location, and the test conditions. For the configuration with 45 deg swirlers, spent cooling delivers lower NOx emissions when it is injected at the throat. For the 60 deg swirler, spent cooling does not have much effect on NOx emissions. These results might be caused by the location and the intensity of the flame recirculation zone.

He, ZH., Joe↗

Supersonic Inlet with Pylons Set and Star-Shaped Forebody for Mixing, Combustion and Thrust Enhancement

Two new approaches are discussed in this paper for application in the Scramjet inlet of an air-breathing propulsion system: 1) In the first approach, the pylon set is installed in the rectangular inlet near the cowl front edge. For a quasi-axisymmetric inlet, a similar set is installed along the Star-shaped forebody axis. This set contains 3 - 4 airfoil-shaped strips or cross-sectional rings depending on the type of inlet. The inlets: rectangular, axisymmetric or star-shaped, are located at different distances from the forebody. Fuel injection takes place through these pylons, which provides for uniform mixing downstream. The locations, sizes and angles of these pylons are very important for efficient application. Optimal values of geometrical parameters were determined from multi-parametric NSE-based numerical simulations of the laminar and turbulent external/internal flows. These simulations have shown significant benefits for mixing, combustion and thrust of the proposed approach by comparison with traditional well-known designs. Experimental tests will be conducted soon at the NASA LaRC and Institute of Mechanics at Moscow State University. Preliminary estimates are very promising.

Gilinsky, M.↗

A preliminary design study of supersonic through-flow fan inlets

From Mach 3.20 cruise propulsion systems, preliminary design studies for two supersonic through-flow fan primary inlets and a single core inlet were undertaken. Method of characteristics and one-dimensional performance techniques were applied to assess the potential improvements supersonic through-flow fan technology has over more conventional systems. A fixed geometry supersonic through-flow fan primary inlet was found to have better performance than a conventional inlet design on the basis of total pressure recovery, air flow, aerodynamic drag and size and weight.

Barnhart, Paul J.↗

A preliminary design study of supersonic through-flow fan inlets

From Mach 3.20 cruise propulsion systems, preliminary design studies for two supersonic through-flow fan primary inlets and a single core inlet were undertaken. Method of characteristics and one dimensional performance techniques were applied to assess the potential improvements supersonic through-flow fan technology has over more conventional systems. A fixed geometry supersonic through-flow fan primary inlet was found to have better performance than a conventional inlet design on the basis of total pressure recovery, air flow, aerodynamic drag and size and weight.

Barnhart, Paul J.↗

Flight Research and Validation Formerly Experimental Capabilities Supersonic Project

This slide presentation reviews the work of the Experimental Capabilities Supersonic project, that is being reorganized into Flight Research and Validation. The work of Experimental Capabilities Project in FY '09 is reviewed, and the specific centers that is assigned to do the work is given. The portfolio of the newly formed Flight Research and Validation (FRV) group is also reviewed. The various projects for FY '10 for the FRV are detailed. These projects include: Eagle Probe, Channeled Centerbody Inlet Experiment (CCIE), Supersonic Boundary layer Transition test (SBLT), Aero-elastic Test Wing-2 (ATW-2), G-V External Vision Systems (G5 XVS), Air-to-Air Schlieren (A2A), In Flight Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS), Dynamic Inertia Measurement Technique (DIM), and Advanced In-Flight IR Thermography (AIR-T).

Banks, Daniel↗

PAN AIR analysis of the NASA/MCAIR 279-3: An advanced supersonic V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft

PAN AIR is a computer program for predicting subsonic or supersonic linear potential flow about arbitrary configurations. The program was applied to a highly complex single-engine-cruise V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft. Complexities include a close-coupled canard/wing, large inlets, and four exhaust nozzles mounted directly under the wing and against the fuselage. Modeling uncertainties involving canard wake location and flow-through approximation through the inlet and the exhaust nozzles were investigated. The recently added streamline capability of the program was utilized to evaluate visually the predicted flow over the model. PAN AIR results for Mach numbers of 0.6, 0.9, and angles of attack of 0, 5, and 10 deg. were compared with data obtained in the Ames 11- by 11-Foot Transonic Wind tunnel, at a Reynolds number of 3.69 x 10 to the 6th power based on c bar.

Madson, Michael D.↗

Experimental investigation of tangential blowing for control of the strong shock boundary layer interaction on inlet ramps

A 0.165-scale isolated inlet model was tested in the NASA Lewis Research Center 8-ft by 6-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel. Ramp boundary layer control was provided by tangential blowing from a row of holes in an aft-facing step set into the ramp surface. Testing was performed at Mach numbers from 1.36 to 1.96 using both cold and heated air in the blowing system. Stable inlet flow was achieved at all Mach numbers. Blowing hole geometry was found to be significant at 1.96M. Blowing air temperature was found to have only a small effect on system performance. High blowing levels were required at the most severe test conditions.

Schwendemann, M. F.↗

Preliminary results of large supersonic burning combustor testing.

A hydrogen fueled supersonic-burning combustor 18 in. in diameter, which is equivalent to that of an engine about 6 ft in diameter, was tested as a direct-connected duct at inlet conditions which simulated Mach 8 flight at 115,000 ft alt. A synthetic air consisting of oxygen with 39% nitrogen and 38% water vapor at a total temperature of 4500 deg R and a total pressure of 300 psia was supplied to the combustor inlet by a hydrazine-nitrogen tetroxide hot gas generator which maintained a uniform inlet flow Mach number of 2.8. The large combustor size required a new approach to fuel injector design. Some hydrogen was injected through flush-wall injectors, but most was injected from two rows of swept and tapered struts immersed in the flow stream. Supersonic combustion was obtained at hydrogen equivalence ratios of 0.94 without encountering thermal cho king. Wall static pressures, and the radial distribution of hydrogen, Pitot pressure, and Mach number were determined at the combustor exit.

Metzler, A. J.↗

Comparisons of a Three-Dimensional, Full Navier Stokes Computer Model with High Mach Number Combuster Test Data

Comparisons between scramjet combustor data and a three-dimensional full Navier-Stokes calculation have been made to verify and substantiate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and application procedures. High Mach number scramjet combustor development will rely heavily on CFD applications to provide wind tunnel-equivalent data of quality sufficient to design, build and fly hypersonic aircraft. Therefore. detailed comparisons between CFD results and test data are imperative. An experimental case is presented, for which combustor wall static pressures were measured and flow-fieid interferograms were obtained. A computer model was done of the experiment, and counterpart parameters are compared with experiment. The experiment involved a subscale combustor designed and fabricated for the National Aero-Space Plane Program, and tested in the Calspan Corporation 96" hypersonic shock tunnel. The combustor inlet ramp was inclined at a 20 angle to the shock tunnel nozzle axis, and resulting combustor entrance flow conditions simulated freestream M=10. The combustor body and cowl walls were instrumented with static pressure transducers, and the combustor lateral walls contained windows through which flowfield holographic interferograms were obtained. The CFD calculation involved a three-dimensional time-averaged full Navier-Stokes code applied to the axial flow segment containing fuel injection and combustion. The full Navier-Stokes approach allowed for mixed supersonic and subsonic flow, downstream-upstream communication in subsonic flow regions, and effects of adverse pressure gradients. The code included hydrogen-air chemistry in the combustor segment which begins near fuel injection and continues through combustor exhaust. Combustor ramp and inlet segments on the combustor lateral centerline were modelled as two dimensional. Comparisons to be shown include calculated versus measured wall static pressures as functions of axial flow coordinate, and calculated path-averaged density contours versus an holographic Interferogram.

Watkins, William B.↗

Rayleigh Scattering Measurements in NASA Lewis Wind Tunnels

Two applications of Rayleigh scattering for measuring flow parameters in wind tunnels are described. The first is the measurement of one velocity component and static temperature in the vicinity of a 12 % scale advanced short takeoff and vertical landing (ASTOVL) aircraft model in the Lewis 9 ft by 15 ft low speed wing tunnel. The model was equipped with high temperature and high pressure air supplies to simulate lift nozzles and suction systems to simulate engine inlets. The second application is a feasibility study to measure flow properties in a 4 inch by 10 inch supersonic wind tunnel This technique uses an injection seeded, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser tuned to an absorption band of iodine.

Seasholtz, Richard↗

Supersonic Wind Tunnels (Latest Citations from the Aerospace Database)

The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, construction, operation, performance, and use of supersonic wind tunnels. References cover the design of flow nozzles, diffusers, test sections, and ejectors for tunnels driven by compressed air, high-pressure gases, or cryogenic liquids. Methods for flow calibration, boundary layer control, local and freestream turbulence reduction, and force measurement are discussed. Instrusive and non-intrusive instrumentation, sources of measurement error, and measurement corrections are also covered. The citations also include the testing of inlets, nozzles, airfoils, and other components of aerospace vehicles that must operate supersonically. Comprehensive coverage of wind tunnel force balancing systems, and blowdown and supersonic wind tunnels are covered in separate bibliographies.(Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

WIND TUNNELS↗

Air turbo-ramjet engine

A jet engine designed to power a supersonic airplane throughout a range of speeds from subsonic to high supersonic includes a housing which bounds an internal passage having in succession a fixed-area inlet section, a diverging passage section, a mixing section, a combustion section, and an outlet section. A fan rotor rotates in the inlet section and includes a plurality of rotor blade members. The housing includes a main body and at least one flap which is movable between one end position in which it externally bounds a portion of the diverging passage section and another end position in which it externally delimits a diverging discharge passage connecting the diverging passage section with the exterior of the housing. The cross-sectional area of the outlet section is adjustable. The rotor is driven in rotation by a fuel/oxygen powered turbine the outlet of which communicates with the mixing section, but the driving action of the turbine is discontinued at actual supersonic velocities exceeding a predetermined supersonic velocity. The pitch of at least one element of each of the rotor blade members is adjustable.

Kepler, Charles E.↗

Propulsion system/flight control integration for supersonic aircraft

Digital integrated control systems are studied. Such systems allow minimization of undesirable interactions while maximizing performance at all flight conditions. One such program is the YF-12 cooperative control program. The existing analog air data computer, autothrottle, autopilot, and inlet control systems are converted to digital systems by using a general purpose airborne computer and interface unit. Existing control laws are programed and tested in flight. Integrated control laws, derived using accurate mathematical models of the airplane and propulsion system in conjunction with modern control techniques, are tested in flight. Analysis indicates that an integrated autothrottle autopilot gives good flight path control and that observers are used to replace failed sensors.

Reukauf, P. J.↗

Design of a Novel Gaseous Hydrogen-Oxygen Rocket Injector Element

NASA and Aerojet are developing a Rocket-Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine under the Advanced Reusable Technology program. The rocket application requires that the combustion process be stable, complete, and take place in as short a distance as possible without compromising the structural integrity of the injector itself. A novel gaseous hydrogen-oxygen rocket injector element design was arrived at through an iterative design process making extensive use of CFD simulations, which resulted in a design that is meeting design goals. Sub-scale versions of the injector have been built and tested in a unique test-rig and in a sub-scale RBCC engine. The Aerojet RBCC concept integrates small rocket thrusters into the rearfacing base area of struts placed in the flowpath of a scramjet (Supersonic Combusting Ramjet) engine. In one mode of operation, at vehicle takeoff, the rockets provide the primary thrust with additional thrust coming from an ejector effect as air is drawn into the engine inlet, entrained, and accelerated by the rocket exhaust.

Glenn, Dennis E.↗

NASA Glenn Propulsion Systems Laboratory Customer Guide

This guide describes the Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and was written to help customers utilizing the facility understand all the components of conducting a test program within the facility. The PSL complex supports two large engine test cells that simulate altitude flight conditions for a wide range of research and experimental tests. The test cells operate at altitudes up to 90,000 ft and speeds from subsonic to above supersonic. The way the facility sets test points at the engine or test article inlet, such as pressure, temperature, and Mach number is discussed. Support systems such as the heated and cooled combustion air system, the altitude exhaust system, the hydraulic system, the nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen systems, hydrogen burners, the engine exhaust gas-sampling system, and single- and multiple-axis thrust stands are addressed. Facility safety procedures, pre-test requirements, test operation standards are also stated in later sections. Past PSL tests and other capabilities are also discussed.

PSL Customer Guide↗

Advanced Methods for Aircraft Engine Thrust and Noise Benefits: Nozzle-Inlet Flow Analysis

The Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics Laboratory at Hampton University (HU/FM&AL) jointly with the NASA Glenn Research Center has conducted four connected subprojects under the reporting project. Basically, the HU/FM&AL Team has been involved in joint research with the purpose of theoretical explanation of experimental facts and creation of accurate numerical simulation techniques and prediction theory for solution of current problems in propulsion systems of interest to the NAVY and NASA agencies. This work is also supported by joint research between the NASA GRC and the Institute of Mechanics at Moscow State University (IM/MSU) in Russia under a CRDF grant. The research is focused on a wide regime of problems in the propulsion field as well as in experimental testing and theoretical and numerical simulation analyses for advanced aircraft and rocket engines. The FM&AL Team uses analytical methods, numerical simulations and possible experimental tests at the Hampton University campus. The fundamental idea uniting these subprojects is to use nontraditional 3D corrugated and composite nozzle and inlet designs and additional methods for exhaust jet noise reduction without essential thrust loss and even with thrust augmentation. These subprojects are: (1) Aeroperformance and acoustics of Bluebell-shaped and Telescope-shaped designs; (2) An analysis of sharp-edged nozzle exit designs for effective fuel injection into the flow stream in air-breathing engines: triangular-round, diamond-round and other nozzles; (3) Measurement technique improvement for the HU Low Speed Wind Tunnel; a new course in the field of aerodynamics, teaching and training of HU students; experimental tests of Mobius-shaped screws: research and training; (4) Supersonic inlet shape optimization. The main outcomes during this reporting period are: (l) Publications: The AIAA Paper #00-3170 was presented at the 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, 17-19 June, 2000, Huntsville, AL. The AIAA Paper #01-1893 has been accepted for the AIAA/NAL-NASDA-ISAS 10th International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, 24-27 April 2001, Kyoto, Japan. The AIAA Paper #01 -3204 has been accepted for presentation at the 37th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, being held on 08-11 July, in Salt Lake City, UT; (2) A U.S. patent #6,082,635 was granted on July 4, 2000; (3) Grants and proposals: The H U/ FM&AL was awarded the NASA grant NAG-3-2495 in October 2000 and the laboratory is a primary U.S. research team in a joint project under the CRDF award granted to the NASA GRC and IM/MSU (Russia) in July 2000; (4) Theory and numerical simulations: Analytical theory, numerical simulation, comparison of theoretical with experimental results, and modification of theoretical approaches, models, grids, etc., have been conducted for several complicated 2D and 3D nozzle and inlet designs using NASA, ICASE, and IM/MSU codes based on full Euler and Navier-Stokes solvers: CFL3D, FLUENT, and GODUNOV, and others; (5) Experimental Tests: (a) A new course: "Advanced Aerodynamics and Aircraft Performance" presented in spring semester, 2001; training and experimental test research using the HU LSWT. (b) Small-scale M6bius-shaped screws were tested in different conditions and their application has shown essential benefits by comparison with traditional designs; (6) Installation in the FM&AL computer system: second software TECPLOT 8.0 for the UNIX SGI workstation and free TECPLOT 7.5 for the PC Dell computer, and 2D and 3D GRIDGEN (version 9) for the UNIX SGI as well as installation of two free NASA codes, 3D MAG and VULCAN; (7) Student Research Activity: Involvement of two undergraduate students as research assistants in the current research project.

Gilinsky, Mikhail↗