Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Aerothermal Heating”

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 73 records · Page 4

Thermostructural applications of heat pipes for cooling leading edges of high-speed aerospace vehicles

Heat pipes have been considered for use on wing leading edge for over 20 years. Early concepts envisioned metal heat pipes cooling a metallic leading edge. Several superalloy/sodium heat pipes were fabricated and successfully tested for wing leading edge cooling. Results of radiant heat and aerothermal testing indicate the feasibility of using heat pipes to cool the stagnation region of shuttle-type space transportation systems. The test model withstood a total seven radiant heating tests, eight aerothermal tests, and twenty-seven supplemental radiant heating tests. Cold-wall heating rates ranged from 21 to 57 Btu/sq ft-s and maximum operating temperatures ranged from 1090 to 1520 F. Follow-on studies investigated the application of heat pipes to cool the stagnation regions of single-stage-to-orbit and advanced shuttle vehicles. Results of those studies indicate that a 'D-shaped' structural design can reduce the mass of the heat-pipe concept by over 44 percent compared to a circular heat-pipe geometry. Simple analytical models for heat-pipe startup from the frozen state (working fluid initially frozen) were adequate to approximate transient, startup, and steady-state heat-pipe performance. Improvement in analysis methods has resulted in the development of a finite-element analysis technique to predict heat-pipe startup from the frozen state. However, current requirements of light-weight design and reliability suggest that metallic heat pipes embedded in a refractory composite material should be used. This concept is the concept presently being evaluated for NASP. A refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled wing leading edge is currently being considered for the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP). This concept uses high-temperature refractory-metal/lithium heat pipes embedded within a refractory-composite structure and is significantly lighter than an actively cooled wing leading edge because it eliminates the need for active cooling during ascent and descent. Since the NASP vehicle uses cryogenic hydrogen to cool structural components and then burns this fuel in the combustor, hydrogen necessary for descent cooling only, when the vehicle is unpowered, is considered to be a weight penalty. Details of the design of the refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled wing leading edge are currently being investigated. Issues such as thermal contact resistance and thermal stress are also being investigated.

Camarda, Charles J.↗

Finite element prediction of aerothermal-structural interaction of aerodynamically heated panels

A finite element approach is used to study the aerothermal-structural interaction of aerodynamically heated panels. The Navier-Stokes equations for laminar compressible flow are solved together with the energy equation and quasi-static structural equations of the panel. Interactions between the flow, panel heat transfer and deformations are studied for a thin stainless steel panel aerodynamically heated by a Mach 6.6 flow and for a convectively cooled panel heated by a shock-boundary layer interaction.

Thornton, Earl A.↗

Design, analysis, and tests of a shuttle-type heat-pipe-cooled leading edge

A one-half scale heat-pipe-cooled leading edge model was designed and fabricated to verify feasibility and performance of a full-scale Phase B shuttle orbiter design. Model performance was investigated experimentally by radiant heating and aerothermal tests and analytically by using a simple technique which predicts heat pipe start-up from the frozen state and also predicts transient and steady-state thermal behavior. Analytical results agree well with experimental results for start-up and steady-state heat pipe operation. The results indicate that variations in angle of attack and roll orientation had a negligible effect on heat pipe performance. The heat pipes effectively isothermalized the leading edge, and reduced peak temperatures to levels compatible with the use temperatures of superalloys. Results of these tests demonstrated the durability of the heat-pipe-cooled leading edge in withstanding earth-entry thermal and mechanical loads and indicate that the use of heat pipes in leading edge structures is a reliable concept for fully reusable hypersonic cruise and space transportation systems.

Camarda, C. J.↗

Corrections of Heat Flux Measurements on Launch Vehicles

Knowledge of aerothermally induced convective heat transfer is important in the design of thermal protection systems for launch vehicles. Aerothermal models are typically calibrated via the data from circular, in-flight, flush-mounted surface heat flux gauges exposed to the thermal and velocity boundary layers of the external flow. Typically, copper or aluminum Schmidt- Boelter gauges, which take advantage of the one-dimensional Fourier's law of heat conduction, are used to measure the incident heat flux. This instrumentation, when surrounded by low-conductivity insulation, has a wall temperature significantly lower than the insulation. As a result of this substantial disturbance to the thermal boundary layer, the heat flux incident on the gauge tends to be considerably higher than it would have been on the insulation had the calorimeter not been there. In addition, radial conductive heat transfer from the hotter insulation can cause the calorimeter to indicate heat fluxes higher than actual. An overview of an effort to develop and calibrate gauge correction techniques for both of these effects will be presented.

Reinarts, Thomas R.↗

Current Developments in Future Planetary Probe Sensors for TPS

In-situ Thermal Protection System (TPS) sensors are required to provide traceability of TPS performance and sizing tools. Traceability will lead to higher fidelity design tools, which in turn will lead to lower design safety margins, and decreased heatshield mass. Decreasing TPS mass will enable certain missions that are not otherwise feasible, and directly increase science payload. NASA Ames is currently developing two flight measurements as essential to advancing the state of TPS traceability for material modeling and aerothermal simulation: heat flux and surface recession (for ablators). The heat flux gage is applicable to both ablators and non-ablators and is therefore the more generalized sensor concept of the two with wider applicability to mission scenarios. This paper describes the development of a microsensor capable of surface and in-depth temperature and heat flux measurements for TPS materials appropriate to Titan, Neptune, and Mars aerocapture, and direct entry. The thermal sensor will be monolithic solid state devices composed of thick film platinum RTD on an alumina substrate. Choice of materials and critical dimensions are used to tailor gage response, determined during calibration activities, to specific (forebody vs. aftbody) heating environments. Current design has maximum operating temperature of 1500 K, and allowable constant heat flux of q=28.7 watts per square centimeter, and time constants between 0.05 and 0.2 seconds. The catalytic and radiative response of these heat flux gages can also be changed through the use of appropriate coatings. By using several co-located gages with various surface coatings, data can be obtained to isolate surface heat flux components due to radiation, catalycity and convection. Selectivity to radiative heat flux is a useful feature even for an in-depth gage, as radiative transport may be a significant heat transport mechanism for porous TPS materials in Titan aerocapture. This paper also reports on progress to adapt a previously flown surface recession sensor, based on the Jupiter probe Galileo Analog Resistance Ablation Detector (ARAD), to appropriate aerocapture conditions.

Martinez, Ed↗

Development of Solid State Thermal Sensors for Aeroshell TPS Flight Applications

In-situ Thermal Protection System (TPS) sensors are required to provide verification by traceability of TPS performance and sizing tools. Traceability will lead to higher fidelity design tools, which in turn will lead to lower design safety margins, and decreased heatshield mass. Decreasing TPS mass will enable certain missions that are not otherwise feasible, and directly increase science payload. NASA Ames is currently developing two flight measurements as essential to advancing the state of TPS traceability for material modeling and aerothermal simulation: heat flux and surface recession (for ablators). The heat flux gage is applicable to both ablators and non-ablators and is therefore the more generalized sensor concept of the two with wider applicability to mission scenarios. This paper describes the continuing development of a thermal microsensor capable of surface and in-depth temperature and heat flux measurements for TPS materials appropriate to Titan, Neptune, and Mars aerocapture, and direct entry. The thermal sensor is a monolithic solid state device composed of thick film platinum RTD on an alumina substrate. Choice of materials and critical dimensions are used to tailor gage response, determined during calibration activities, to specific (forebody vs. aftbody) heating environments. Current design has maximum operating temperature of 1500K, and allowable constant heat flux of q=28.7 W/cm(sup 2), and time constants between 0.05 and 0.2 seconds. The catalytic and radiative response of these heat flux gages can also be changed through the use of appropriate coatings. By using several co-located gages with various surface coatings, data can be obtained to isolate surface heat flux components due to radiation, catalycity and convection. Selectivity to radiative heat flux is a useful feature even for an in-depth gage, as radiative transport may be a significant heat transport mechanism for porous TPS materials in Titan aerocapture.

Martinez, Ed↗

A viscous-shock-layer analysis of the Martian aerothermal environment

Surface heating and flow field results for the stagnation region of a planetary exploration vehicle entering the Martian atmosphere are presented. Solutions for the high-energy viscous flow fields with complete radiative heating are derived from a viscous-shock-layer analysis for laminar flow under chemical equilibrium conditions. Results are shown with and without coupled radiation ablation injection utilizing the recently developed curve fits for the transport and thermodynamic properties of Martian atmospheric and ablation species. This analysis includes a strongly absorbing boundary layer and, therefore, gives much lower radiative heat transfer rates than those obtained from inviscid analyses.

Gupta, R. N.↗

Temperature and Flow Measurements in Incompressible Heated Jets

An experimental study is conducted to perform time-resolved temperature and velocity measurements on a Mach 0.08 jet at total temperatures of 295 K and 353 K. Mean and rms temperature data acquired using two fine wire sensors with diameters 1.3 and 3.8 μm are compared. In order to extend the limited frequency response of the wires, the temperature data are post-processed using a frequency compensation technique available in the literature. Corresponding velocity measurements are performed at cold and heated conditions using single and parallel wire probes. Simultaneously measured temperature and velocity data obtained using the parallel wire probe are used to calculate correlations pertinent to axial turbulent heat flux. In addition to shedding some light on the aerothermal properties of heated turbulent jets, vis-`a-vis their cold counterparts, this study also provides a database for numerical prediction of these flows.

Temperature measurement, turbulence, Jets, Turbule↗

Inverse Heat Conduction Methods in the CHAR Code for Aerothermal Flight Data Reconstruction

Reconstruction of flight aerothermal environments often requires the solution of an inverse heat transfer problem, which is an ill-posed problem of specifying boundary conditions from discrete measurements in the interior of the domain. This paper will present the algorithms implemented in the CHAR code for use in reconstruction of EFT-1 flight data and future testing activities. Implementation nuances will be discussed, and alternative hybrid-methods that are permitted by the implementation will be described. Results will be presented for a number of one-dimensional and multi-dimensional problems

Oliver, A Brandon↗

Inverse Heat Conduction Methods in the CHAR Code for Aerothermal Flight Data Reconstruction

Reconstruction of flight aerothermal environments often requires the solution of an inverse heat transfer problem, which is an ill-posed problem of determining boundary conditions from discrete measurements in the interior of the domain. This paper will present the algorithms implemented in the CHAR code for use in reconstruction of EFT-1 flight data and future testing activities. Implementation details will be discussed, and alternative hybrid-methods that are permitted by the implementation will be described. Results will be presented for a number of problems.

Oliver, A. Brandon↗

Experimental Studies of the Aerothermal Characteristics of the Project Orion CEV heat Shield in High Speed Transitional and Turbulent Flows

An experimental program has been completed by CUBRC exploring laminar, transitional, and turbulent flows over a 7.0% scale model of the Project ORION CEV geometry. This program was executed primarily to answer questions concerning the increase in heat transfer on the windward, or "hot shoulder" of the CEV heat shield from laminar to turbulent flow. To answer these questions CUBRC constructed and instrumented a 14.0 inch diameter Project ORION CEV model and ran a range of Reynolds numbers based on diameter from 1.0 to over 40 million at a Mach number of 8.0. These Reynolds numbers were selected to cover laminar to turbulent heating data on the "hot shoulder". Data obtained during these runs will be used to guide design decisions as they apply to heat shield thickness and extent. Several experiments at higher enthalpies were achieved to obtain data for code validation with real gas effects and transition. CUBRC also performed computation studies of these experiments to aid in the data reduction process and study turbulence modeling.

Wadhams, T.P.↗

Testing Lunar Return Thermal Protection Systems using Sub-Scale Flight Test Vehicles

A key objective of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration is to revisit the lunar surface. Such an ambitious goal requires the development of a new human-rated spacecraft, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), to ferry crews to low earth orbit and to the moon. The successful conclusion of both types of missions will require a thermal protection system (TPS) capable of protecting the vehicle and crew from the extreme heat of atmospheric reentry. As a part of the TPS development, various materials are being tested in arcjet tunnels; however, the combined lunar return aerothermal environment of high heat flux, shear stress, and surface pressure cannot be duplicated using only existing ground test facilities. To ensure full TPS qualification, a flight test program using sub-scale Orion capsules has been proposed to test TPS materials and heat shield construction techniques under the most stressing combination of lunar return aerothermal environments. Originally called Testing Of Reentry Capsule Heat Shield, or TORCH, but later renamed LEX, for Lunar Reentry Experiment, the proposed flight test program is presented along with the driving requirements and descriptions of the vehicle and the TPS instrumentation suite slated to conduct in-flight measurements.

heatshield↗

Carbon Fiber Oxidation in 4D

The oxidation of carbon fibers at high temperatures is the primary degradation process in the thermal protection system of many hypersonic flight vehicles. Predicting the rate and the extent of oxidation is critical to ensure a safe and effective design. An oversized thermal protection system adds unnecessary mass, while an under-designed one risks system failure and mission loss. Resolving high-temperature material degradation due to oxidation has been a long-standing challenge in designing for re-entry flight environments. Using time-resolved in situ X-ray microtomography, the oxidation of carbon fibers at high temperatures is directly imaged, resolving the two limiting degradation regimes: diffusion- and reaction-limited. The ability to resolve material degradation in time at the sub-micron scale sheds light on the ablation phenomenon and enables predictions of material constitutive properties evolving in time, with profound implications on the ability to model the aerothermal response of heat shield materials in hostile environments.

ablation↗

Toward improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines - Progress in prediction of thermomechanical loads

NASA is sponsoring the Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project to address the need for improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines. Analytical and experimental activities aimed at more accurate prediction of the aerothermal environment, the thermomechanical loads, the material behavior and structural responses to such loading, and life predictions for high temperature cyclic operation have been underway for several years and are showing promising results. Progress is reported in the development of advanced instrumentation and in the improvement of combustor aerothermal and turbine heat transfer models that will lead to more accurate prediction of themomechanical loads.

Sokolowski, D. E.↗

Toward improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines: Progress in the prediction of thermomechanical loads

NASA is sponsoring the Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project to address the need for improved durability in advanced combustors and turbines. Analytical and experimental activities aimed at more accurate prediction of the aerothermal environment, the thermomechanical loads, the material behavior and structural responses to such loading, and life predictions for high temperature cyclic operation have been underway for several years and are showing promising results. Progress is reported in the development of advanced instrumentation and in the improvement of combustor aerothermal and turbine heat transfer models that will lead to more accurate prediction of thermomechanical loads.

Sokolowski, Daniel E.↗

Views on the impact of HOST

The Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project, which was initiated by NASA Lewis Research Center in 1980 and concluded in 1987, was aimed at improving advanced aircraft engine hot section durability through better technical understanding and more accurate design analysis capability. The project was a multidisciplinary, multiorganizational, focused research effort that involved 21 organizations and 70 research and technology activities and generated approximately 250 research reports. No major hardware was developed. To evaluate whether HOST had a significant impact on the overall aircraft engine industry in the development of new engines, interviews were conducted with 41 participants in the project to obtain their views. The summarized results of these interviews are presented. Emphasis is placed on results relative to three-dimensional inelastic structural analysis, thermomechanical fatigue testing, constitutive modeling, combustor aerothermal modeling, turbine heat transfer, protective coatings, computer codes, improved engine design capability, reduced engine development costs, and the impacts on technology transfer and the industry-government partnership.

J B Esgar↗

Engineering calculations of three-dimensional inviscid hypersonic flow fields

An approximate solution technique has been developed for three-dimensional, inviscid, hypersonic flows. The method uses Maslen's explicit pressure equation and the assumption of approximate stream surfaces in the shock layer. This approximation represents a simplification of Maslen's asymmetric method. The solution procedure involves iteratively changing the shock shape in the subsonic-transonic region until the correct body shape is obtained. Beyond this region, the shock surface is determined by using a marching procedure. Results are presented herein for a paraboloid and elliptic cone at angle of attack. Calculated surface pressure distributions, shock shapes, and property profiles are compared with experimental data and finite-difference solutions of the Euler equations. Comparisons of the results of the present method with experimental data and detailed predictions are very good. Since the present method provides a very rapid computational procedure, it can be used for parametric or preliminary design applications. One useful application would be to incorporate a heating procedure for aerothermal studies.

Riley, Christopher J.↗

A water blown urethane insulation for use in cryogenic environments

Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) of NASA's Space Shuttle External Tank include polyurethane and polyisocyanurate modified polyurethane foam insulations. These insulations, currently foamed with CFC 11 blowing agent, serve to maintain cryogenic propellant quality, maintain the external tank structural temperature limits, and minimize the formation of ice and frost that could potentially damage the ceramic insulation on the space shuttle orbiter. During flight the external tank insulations are exposed to mechanical, thermal and acoustical stresses. TPS must pass cryogenic flexure and substrate adhesion tests at -253 C, aerothermal and radiant heating tests at fluxes up to approximately 14 kilowatts per square meter, and thermal conductivity tests at cryogenic and elevated temperatures. Due to environmental concerns, the polyurethane insulation industry and the External Tank Project are tasked with replacing CFC 11. The flight qualification of foam insulations employing HCFC 141b as a foaming agent is currently in progress; HCFC 141b blown insulations are scheduled for production implementation in 1995. Realizing that the second generation HCFC blowing agents are an interim solution, the evaluation of third generation blowing agents with zero ozone depletion potential is underway. NASA's TPS Materials Research Laboratory is evaluating third generation blowing agents in cryogenic insulations for the External Tank; one option being investigated is the use of water as a foaming agent. A dimensionally stable insulation with low friability, good adhesion to cryogenic substrates, and acceptable thermal conductivity has been developed with low viscosity materials that are easily processed in molding applications. The development criteria, statistical experimental approach, and resulting foam properties will be presented.

Blevins, Elana↗