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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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At least 73 records · Page 4

Auto-ignition of hydrocarbons behind reflected shock waves.

The paper reports on the study of auto-ignition of hydrocarbon-oxygen mixtures behind reflected shock waves. Because of their bearing on the problem of knock in internal combustion engines, n-heptane and iso-octane were chosen as the combustible species. Their stoichiometric mixtures with oxygen had to be diluted with 70% argon to reduce the influence of the boundary layer. Photographic records demonstrated the existence of two different modes of ignition, as has been previously established for the hydrogen-oxygen system. The pressure-temperature limits between these regions of mild and strong ignition were determined. From the same experimental tests, induction time data were obtained over the pressure range of 1-4 atm and the temperature interval of 1200-1700 K.

Vermeer, D. J.↗

The induction of water to the inlet air as a means of internal cooling in aircraft-engine cylinders

Report presents the results of investigations conducted on a full-scale air-cooled aircraft-engine cylinder of 202-cubic inch displacement to determine the effects of internal cooling by water induction on the maximum permissible power and output of an internal-combustion engine. For a range of fuel-air and water-fuel ratios, the engine inlet pressure was increased until knock was detected aurally, the power was then decreased 7 percent holding the ratios constant. The data indicated that water was a very effective internal coolant, permitting large increases in engine power as limited by either knock or by cylinder temperatures.

Rothrock, Addison M↗

Investigation of High-Performance Fuels in Multicylinder and in Single-Cylinder Engines at High and Cruising Engine Speeds

An investigation was conducted to compare the knock-limited performance of a 20-percent triptane blend in 28-K fuel with that of 28-R and 33-R fuels at high engine speeds, cruising speeds, and two compression ratios in an K-1830-94 multicylinder engine, Data were obtained with the standard compression ratio of 6.7 and with a compression ratio of 3.0, The three fuels were investigated at engine speeds of 1800, 2250, 2600, and 2800 rpm at high and low blower ratios. A carburetor-air temperature of approximate1y 100 deg F was maintained for the multicylinder-engine runs, Data were obtained on a single R-1830-94 cylinder engine as a means of checking the multicylinder data at the higher speeds. A satisfactory correlation between average mixture temperature and knock-limited manifold pressure was obtained by plotting knock-limited manifold pressure against average mixture temperature for the whole range of engine speeds at constant carburetor air temperature and cylinder-head temperature. The single-cylinder knock-limited performance based on charge-air flow matched that of the multicylinder engine within 6 percent under all the conditions except for 28-R fuel at 2800 rpm; these curves differed from each other by 11 percent in the rich region. The knock rating of 33-R fuel was found to be a little higher than that of the 20-percent triptane blend and 26-R fuel at high mixture temperatures (above 210 deg F) and lean mixtures. The 33-R fuel exhibited rich knock limits appreciably lower than the 20-percent triptane blend, Increasing the compression ratio from 6.7 to 8.0 lowered the knock-limited manifold pressure for all fuels approximately 15 to 18 inches of mercury absolute in the cruising range and 20 to 28 inches of mercury absolute at higher engine speeds. Brake specific fuel consumption was reduced 7 to 9 percent by the increase in compression ratio from 6.7 to 8,0,

Bell, Arthur H.↗

Identification of Knock in NACA High-Speed Photographs of Combustion in a Spark-Ignition Engine

Report presents the results of a study of combustion in a spark-ignition engine given in NACA Technical Reports 704 and 727. The present investigation was made with the NACA high-speed motion-picture camera, operating at 40,000 photographs a second, and with a cathode-ray oscillograph operating on a piezoelectric pick-up in the combustion chamber. Photographs are presented showing that the origin of knock is not necessarily in the end gas. The data obtained indicates that knock takes place only in a part of the cylinder charge which has been previously ignited either by autoignition or by the passage of the flame fronts but which has not burned to completion. Mottled regions in the high-speed Schlieren photographs are demonstrated to represent combustion regions.

Miller, Cearcy D↗

A guide to structural factors for advanced composites used on spacecraft

The use of composite materials in spacecraft systems is constantly increasing. Although the areas of composite design and fabrication are maturing, they remain distinct from the same activities performed using conventional materials and processes. This has led to some confusion regarding the precise meaning of the term 'factor of safety' as it applies to these structures. In addition, composite engineering introduces terms such as 'knock-down factors' to further modify material properties for design purposes. This guide is intended to clarify these terms as well as their use in the design of composite structures for spacecraft. It is particularly intended to be used by the engineering community not involved in the day-to-day composites design process. An attempt is also made to explain the wide range of factors of safety encountered in composite designs as well as their relationship to the 1.4 factor of safety conventionally applied to metallic structures.

Vanwagenen, Robert↗

The NACA High-Speed Motion-Picture Camera Optical Compensation at 40,000 Photographs Per Second

The principle of operation of the NACA high-speed camera is completely explained. This camera, operating at the rate of 40,000 photographs per second, took the photographs presented in numerous NACA reports concerning combustion, preignition, and knock in the spark-ignition engine. Many design details are presented and discussed, details of an entirely conventional nature are omitted. The inherent aberrations of the camera are discussed and partly evaluated. The focal-plane-shutter effect of the camera is explained. Photographs of the camera are presented. Some high-speed motion pictures of familiar objects -- photoflash bulb, firecrackers, camera shutter -- are reproduced as an illustration of the quality of the photographs taken by the camera.

Miller, Cearcy D↗

Fumigation of Alcohol in a Light Duty Automotive Diesel Engine

A light-duty automotive Diesel engine was fumigated with methanol in amounts up to 35% and 50% of the total fuel energy respectively in order to determine the effect of alcohol fumigation on engine performance at various operating conditons. Engine fuel efficiency, emissions, smoke, and the occurrence of severe knock were the parameters used to evaluate performance. Raw exhaust particulate and its soluble organic extract were screened for biological activity using the Ames Salmonella typhimurium assay. Results are given for a test matrix made up of twelve steady-state operating conditions. For all conditions except the 1/4 rack (light load) condition, modest thermal efficiency gains were noted upon ethanol fumigation. Methanol showed the same increase at 3/4 and full rack (high load) conditions. However, engine roughness or the occurrence of severe knock limited the maximum amount of alcohol that could be fumigated. Brake specific nitrogen oxide concentrations were found to decrease for all ethanol conditions tested. Oxides of nitrogen emissions, on a volume basis, decreased for all alcohol conditions tested. Based on the limited particulate data analyzed, it appears that ethanol fumigation, like methanol fumigation, while lowering the mass of particulated emitted, does enhance the biological activity of that particulate.

Broukhiyan, E. M. H.↗