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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1957

Internal Performance of Several Auxiliary Air Inlets Immersed in a Turbulent Boundary Layer at Mach Numbers of 1.3, 1.5, and 2.0

Internal performance of normal-shock rectangular, circular, and scoop inlets and of external-compression inlets experimentally obtained with varying immersion in a turbulent boundary layer. Recoveries varied from about 95 percent of theoretical in the free stream to 80 percent with complete immersion, while the corresponding mass flows were usually above 95 percent of theoretical. Turning of the flow through 10 degrees caused losses in pressure recovery of 0.03 to 0.07. External compression did not improve pressure recovery in the boundary layer. Average distortion at critical operation for all inlets was 5 percent.

Huff, Ronald G↗
NASA NTRS1938

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Air Inlet and Outlet Openings for Aircraft, Special Report

An investigation was made in the NACA 5-foot vertical wind tunnel of a large variety of duct inlets and outlets to obtain information relative to their design for the cooling or the ventilation systems on aircraft. Most of the tests were of openings in a flat plate but, in order to determine the best locations and the effects of interference, a few tests were made of openings in an airfoil. The best inlet location for a system not including a blower was found to be at the forward stagnation point; for one including a blower, the best location was found to be in the region of lowest total head, probably in the boundary layer near the trailing edge. Design recommendations are given, and it is shown that correct design demands a knowledge of the external flow and of the internal requirements in addition to that obtained from the results of the wind tunnel tests.

Rogallo, Francis M.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Thermal Management System Modeling in the Heat Transport System Simulation (HeaTSSPy) Package

This paper describes the development of a thermal management system (TMS) concept design and analysis software package called Heat Transport System Simulation (HeaTSSPy). Built within Python using the OpenMDAO framework, HeaTSSPy can be used to size and optimize an active (using liquid/air heat exchangers) or passive (using finned heat sinks) TMS. The package makes use of modular TMS elements that allow for the creation of different system architectures and includes components such as heat sinks, heat exchangers, liquid pumps, fans, ducts, air inlets, air nozzles, and liquid pipes. Modeling methods for these components include a combination of physics-based analytical and empirical equations that relate component sizing criteria to system performance. The HeatSSPy heat sink methods are fully detailed within this paper, while the heat exchanger methods are described and referenced from previous work. This paper also uses high-fidelity simulation to validate two different methods of calculating thermal resistance using CFD results. Once the methods are fully described, the code is exercised to compare an active TMS with that of a passive TMS. Design criteria for this study include rejected heat, system altitude, Mach number, and ambient temperature. These criteria are used to develop a TMS system with estimated performance metrics such as weight, drag, and operational power. Results of this paper show the crossover point when a passive system begins to weigh more than an active system for a given heat rejection.

Thermal management system↗
NASA NTRS2004

Analysis of Fuel Vaporization, Fuel-Air Mixing, and Combustion in Integrated Mixer-Flame Holders

Requirements to limit pollutant emissions from the gas turbine engines for the future High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) have led to consideration of various low-emission combustor concepts. One such concept is the Integrated Mixer-Flame Holder (IMFH). This report describes a series of IMFH analyses performed with KIVA-II, a multi-dimensional CFD code for problems involving sprays, turbulence, and combustion. To meet the needs of this study, KIVA-II's boundary condition and chemistry treatments are modified. The study itself examines the relationships between fuel vaporization, fuel-air mixing, and combustion. Parameters being considered include: mixer tube diameter, mixer tube length, mixer tube geometry (converging-diverging versus straight walls), air inlet velocity, air inlet swirl angle, secondary air injection (dilution holes), fuel injection velocity, fuel injection angle, number of fuel injection ports, fuel spray cone angle, and fuel droplet size. Cases are run with and without combustion to examine the variations in fuel-air mixing and potential for flashback due to the above parameters. The degree of fuel-air mixing is judged by comparing average, minimum, and maximum fuel/air ratios at the exit of the mixer tube, while flame stability is monitored by following the location of the flame front as the solution progresses from ignition to steady state. Results indicate that fuel-air mixing can be enhanced by a variety of means, the best being a combination of air inlet swirl and a converging-diverging mixer tube geometry. With the IMFH configuration utilized in the present study, flashback becomes more common as the mixer tube diameter is increased and is instigated by disturbances associated with the dilution hole flow.

Deur, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Pulse detonation engines and components thereof

A pulse detonation engine comprises a primary air inlet; a primary air plenum located in fluid communication with the primary air inlet; a secondary air inlet; a secondary air plenum located in fluid communication with the secondary air inlet, wherein the secondary air plenum is substantially isolated from the primary air plenum; a pulse detonation combustor comprising a pulse detonation chamber, wherein the pulse detonation chamber is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the primary air plenum; a coaxial liner surrounding the pulse detonation combustor defining a cooling plenum, wherein the cooling plenum is in fluid communication with the secondary air plenum; an axial turbine assembly located downstream of and in fluid communication with the pulse detonation combustor and the cooling plenum; and a housing encasing the primary air plenum, the secondary air plenum, the pulse detonation combustor, the coaxial liner, and the axial turbine assembly.

Tangirala, Venkat Eswarlu↗
NASA NTRS1938

Engine Performance and Knock Rating of Fuels for High-output Aircraft Engines

Data are presented to show the effects of inlet-air pressure, inlet-air temperature, and compression ratio on the maximum permissible performance obtained on a single-cylinder test engine with aircraft-engine fuels varying from a fuel of 87 octane number to one 100 octane number plus 1 ml of tetraethyl lead per gallon. The data were obtained on a 5-inch by 5.75-inch liquid-cooled engine operating at 2,500 r.p.m. The compression ratio was varied from 6.50 to 8.75. The inlet-air temperature was varied from 120 to 280 F. and the inlet-air pressure from 30 inches of mercury absolute to the highest permissible. The limiting factors for the increase in compression ratio and in inlet-air pressure was the occurrence of either audible or incipient knock. The data are correlated to show that, for any one fuel,there is a definite relationship between the limiting conditions of inlet-air temperature and density at any compression ratio. This relationship is dependent on the combustion-gas temperature and density relationship that causes knock. The report presents a suggested method of rating aircraft-engine fuels based on this relationship. It is concluded that aircraft-engine fuels cannot be satisfactorily rated by any single factor, such as octane number, highest useful compression ratio, or allowable boost pressure. The fuels should be rated by a curve that expresses the limitations of the fuel over a variety of engine conditions.

Rothbrock, A M↗
NASA NTRS1940

Correlation of knocking characteristics of fuels in an engine having a hemispherical combustion chamber

Data are presented to show the effects of inlet-air pressure, inlet-air temperature, and compression ratio on the maximum permissible performance obtained with having a hemispherical-dome combustion chamber. The five aircraft-engine fuels used have octane numbers varying from 90 to 100 plus 2 ml of tetraethyl lead per gallon. The data were obtained on a 5 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch liquid-cooled engine operating at 2,500 r.p.m. The compression ratio was varied from 6.0 to 8.9. The inlet-air temperature was varied from 110 to 310 F. For each set of conditions, the inlet-air pressure was increased until audible knock occurred and then reduced 2 inches of mercury before data were recorded. The results for each fuel can be correlated by plotting the calculated end-gas density factor against the calculated end-gas temperature. Measurements of spark-plugs, cutting off the switch to one spark plug lowered the electrode temperature of that plug from a value of 1,365 F to a value of 957 F. The results indicate that the surface temperatures of combustion-chamber areas which become new sources of ignition markedly increase after ignition.

Rothrock, A M↗
NASA NTRS1983

Effects of broadened property fuels on radiant heat flux to gas turbine combustor liners

The effects of fuel type, inlet air pressure, inlet air temperature, and fuel/air ratio on the combustor radiation were investigated. Combustor liner radiant heat flux measurements were made in the spectral region between 0.14 and 6.5 microns at three locations in a modified commercial aviation can combustor. Two fuels, Jet A and a heavier distillate research fuel called ERBS were used. The use of ERBS fuel as opposed to Jet A under similar operating conditions resulted in increased radiation to the combustor liner and hence increased backside liner temperature. This increased radiation resulted in liner temperature increases always less than 73 C. The increased radiation is shown by way of calculations to be the result of increased soot concentrations in the combustor. The increased liner temperatures indicated can substantially affect engine maintenance costs by reducing combustor liner life up to 1/3 because of the rapid decay in liner material properties when operated beyond their design conditions.

Haggard, J. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2015

NOx Emissions Performance and Correlation Equations for a Multipoint LDI Injector

Lean Direct Injection (LDI) is a combustor concept that reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions.This paper looks at a 3-zone multipoint LDI concept developed by Parker Hannifin Corporation. The concept was tested in a flame-tube test facility at NASA Glenn Research Center. Due to test facility limitations, such as inlet air temperature and pressure, the flame-tube test was not able to cover the full set of engine operation conditions. Three NOx correlation equations were developed based on assessing NOx emissions dependencies on inlet air pressure (P3), inlet air temperature (T3), and fuel air equivalence ratio(theta) to estimate the NOx emissions at the unreachable high engine power conditions. As the results, the NOx emissions are found to be a strong function of combustion inlet air temperature and fuel air equivalence ratio but a weaker function of inlet air pressure. With these three equations, the NOx emissions performance of this injector concept is calculated as a 66 reduction relative to the ICAO CAEP-6 standard using a 55:1 pressure-ratio engine cycle. Uncertainty in the NOx emissions estimation increases as the extrapolation range departs from the experimental conditions. Since maximum inlet air pressure tested was less than 50 of the full power engine inlet air pressure, a future experiment at higher inlet air pressure conditions is needed to confirm the NOx emissions dependency on inlet air pressure.

NOx correlation equations↗