Propulsion assisted by microwave power.
Microwave power applications to propulsion, noting spacecraft launching, aircraft takeoff thrust assistance and power transmission in space
Bonneville, J. M.↗
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Results for “Aircraft Propulsion and Power”
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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NASA Glenn Electric Propulsion Work
NASA Glenn Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) Presentation Outline: High-Voltage, High-Power EAP - Standards and Regulations - Safety and Certification - High Power Density, High-Efficiency Electric Machines and Drives - Thermal Management - Fault Management - Superconducting Electric Machines - Materials Research - Modeling Tools - Advanced Controls
Electric Propulsion↗
Design of a Distributed Propulsion Concept Using an Adjoint-Based Approach and Blade Element Theory to Minimize Power
The adjoint-based design capability in FUN3D is extended to allow efficient gradient-based optimization and design of concepts with highly integrated and distributed aero-propulsive systems. Previous work by the authors demonstrated the derivation and application of design sensitivities of flow power and vehicle forces with respect to design variables associated with actuator disk size, loading, and installation on the aircraft. In this work, calculations of propulsive power, shaft power, and propeller efficiency using blade element-based disk loading, along with sensitivity derivatives needed to perform adjoint-based design, have been implemented. This includes the derivation of additional design sensitivities for actuator disk variables with respect to the radial distributions of blade pitch angle and chord length. The blade element-based loading implementation allows us to tailor the actuator disk loading to provide greater design authority and calculate the torque imparted on the flow for the modeling of swirl effects. The design capability is demonstrated by the optimization of NASA's parallel hybrid electric PEGASUS aircraft concept. The optimization objective is the minimization of shaft power at the aerodynamic interface planes for the wing-mounted and tail-cone boundary layer ingestion propulsors, subject to vehicle performance and propulsive constraints.
Irian Ordaz↗
Experimental Demonstration and Characterization of a Ceramic Sintered Wick Heat Pipe Evaporator
As electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) matures and power electronics, electric machines, and batteries achieve higher power density, the thermal management of these devices becomes ever more critical. In this paper, a heat pipe made from a dielectric ceramic material is proposed, which enables its use in the thermal management of a high frequency filter inductor for an EAP power electronics application. The manufacturing process for the sintered powder wick was developed and its performance characterized. The heat pipe is further experimentally demonstrated via an open evaporator test and shown to behave analogous to a constant conductance heat pipe.
Thermal Management↗
Modeling and Trade Space for Fuel Cell Powered Aircraft
Hydrogen has gained significant traction in research as a potential carbon-neutral fuel for future aircraft propulsion. The focus of this paper is on the hydrogen-electric aircraft (HEA) propulsion system which is a highly integrated network of high-power electrical, mechanical, fluidic, cryogenic, and thermal management components. These systems require careful analysis to determine the most efficient and light-weight design that ultimately reduces carbon emissions and operating cost. Fuel cell and energy storage sizing and optimization will be major factors that contribute to the aircraft feasibility independent of hydrogen storage. This paper describes the framework and modeling approach for the analysis of hydrogen-electric aircraft (HEA) propulsion systems for a under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Commercially-viable Hydrogen Aircraft for Reduction of Greenhouse Emissions (CH 2 ARGE) Project. For the first time, the Electrical Power System – Sizing and Analysis Tool (EPS-SAT) is used to conduct the sizing and trade studies on the hydrogen-electric aircraft propulsion system.
Hydrogen Electric Aircraft↗
Health Monitoring and Prognostics for More Electric Aircrafts
As more and more electric vehicles emerge in our daily operation progressively, a very critical challenge lies in the prediction of remaining flying time/distance (for aircraft). This information is important, particularly in the case of unmanned vehicles, because such vehicles can become self-aware, autonomously compute its own capabilities, and identify how to best plan and successfully complete vehicular missions safely. In case of electric aircrafts, computing remaining flying time is also safety-critical, since an aircraft that runs out of battery charge while in the air will eventually lose control leading to catastrophe. In order to tackle and solve the prediction problem, it is essential to have awareness of the current state and health of the system, especially since it is necessary to perform condition-based predictions. To be able to predict the future state of the system, it is also required to possess knowledge of the current and future operations of the vehicle. Given models of the current and future system behavior, the general approach of model-based prognostics can be employed as a solution to the prior stated prediction problem.For electric aircraft, propulsion is based on power generated from batteries. Thus, it is critical to monitor battery state charge and to estimate the ability of the battery to support mission activities as it is being discharged during flight operation. The ability of the vehicle to complete its given mission very much depends on the charge left in the batteries based on its operational route, maneuvering, weather conditions along with aging health of the batteries. Hence, for the purpose this discussion, consider the scenario of an unmanned electric aircraft that has some planned sequence of waypoints to reach throughout its mission. In such a scenario, for this particular aircraft, and within the region it is flown, at most two minutes are required to safely land the aircraft. Thus, it is desired to predict at which point in time the aircraft must begin to head to the runway and land.
Goebel, Kai↗
NASA AREAL Testbed and UE Power Quality Testing
A large number of electrified aircraft propulsion systems currently in development consist of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power systems and utilization equipment (UE). There is a need for industry consensus standards and guidelines in order to support the development and verification of these rapidly maturing systems, user equipment, and associated technologies. To support the aforementioned need, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) Project is performing ongoing power quality testing on HVDC power systems and associated UE. The testing described in this paper describes the UE testing completed to date in the NASA Advanced Reconfigurable Electrified Aircraft Lab (AREAL).
electrified aircraft↗
Environmental Protection Coating System for Refractory Metal Alloys (EPCS for RMAs)
As part of ARPA-E’s Ultra High Temperature Impervious Materials Advancing Turbine Efficiency (UITIMATE) program, this project aims to develop an environmental protection coating system (EPCS) for refractory metal alloys (RMAs) – which will provide radical improvement in long term protection for ultra-high temperature refractory metal components in harsh gas-turbine environments. The drive for higher fuel efficiency and higher core power of gas turbines used in electric power generation and in aircraft propulsion requires higher peak operation temperatures. The temperature capability of state-of-the-art materials cannot meet the new requirements. Refractory metal alloys have desirable capabilities for achieving the required peak temperatures, but most of them are subject to oxidation in the gas turbine environment. Thus, there is a strong need to develop novel environmental protective coatings that enable the refractory metals to operate in an ultra-high temperature engine environment. This project is composed of four major technical innovations that can provide a potentially transformational solution in providing environmental protection for refractory metal alloys over a wide range of temperature. 1) Multi-layer self-healing environmental barrier coating (EBC) that provides protection against combustion gas environment. 2) Oxidation resistant diffusion barrier (DB) on the alloy surface to enhance coating stability. 3) Synergistic integration of the multi-layer self-healing EBC with the diffusion barrier to extend coating life. 4) Guidance of physics-based modeling to accelerate coating development and optimization. Our team has successfully developed a multi-layer self-healing environmental protection coating system (EPCS) that can provide oxidation protection for commercially available molybdenum based refractory metal alloys over a wide temperature range of up to 1600 °C for fuel-efficient gas turbine applications. The team also developed a multi-layer high temperature coating design tool to accelerate coating development and optimization based on physics-based modeling. The team also engaged RTX business unite, notable Pratt and Whitney, for future commercialization of this technology. The successful completion of this Phase I effort led to the selection of performing Phase II of the program. In Phase II, the team plans to apply the EPCS in the protection of a newly discovered molybdenum-based metal alloy which has the potential of superior high temperature properties to the commercial products. Th coating will be evaluated under test conditions and environment that mimic gas turbine operation.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Analysis of control concepts for gas and shaft-coupled V/STOL aircraft lift fan systems
For lift-fan powered V/STOL aircraft, two unconventional propulsion system types were proposed. The first type uses fans connected by hot gas ducting, and the second type uses fans connected by cross shafting. An analytical study identified the basic steady-state and dynamic characteristics for each type of system. For the gas-coupled system, the control concepts analyzed were variable-area fan turbines and throttling valves in the ducting. For the shaft-coupled system, the control concepts analyzed were variable-pitch fans and variable fan inlet guide vanes. All of these concepts are capable of meeting V/STOL aircraft control moment and transient response requirements when appropriate propulsion controls are used.
Sellers, J. F.↗
Study of aerodynamic technology for VSTOL fighter/attack aircraft: Horizontal attitude concept
A horizontal attitude VSTOL (HAVSTOL) supersonic fighter attack aircraft powered by RALS turbofan propulsion system is analyzed. Reaction control for subaerodynamic flight is obtained in pitch and yaw from the RALS and roll from wingtip jets powered by bleed air from the RALS duct. Emphasis is placed on the development of aerodynamic characteristics and the identification of aerodynamic uncertainties. A wind tunnel program is shown to resolve some of the uncertainties. Aerodynamic data developed are static characteristics about all axes, control effectiveness, drag, propulsion induced effects and reaction control characteristics.
Brown, S. H.↗
Composites research at NASA Lewis Research Center
Composites research at NASA Lewis is focused on their applications in aircraft propulsion, space propulsion, and space power, with the first being predominant. Research on polymer-, metal-, and ceramic-matrix composites is being carried out from an integrated materials and structures viewpoint. This paper outlines some of the topics being pursued from the standpoint of key technical issues, current status, and future directions.
Levine, Stanley R.↗
Analysis of Lean Premixed/Prevaporized Combustion with KIVA-2
Requirements to reduce the emissions of pollutants from gas turbines used in aircraft propulsion and ground based power generation have led to consideration of lean premixed/prevaporized (LPP) combustion concept. This paper describes some of the LPP flame tube analyses performed at the NASA Research Center with KIVA-2, a well-known multi-dimensional CFD code for problems including sprays, turbulence, and combustion. Modifications to KIVA-2's boundary condition and chemistry treatments have been made to meet the needs of the present study. The study itself focuses on two key aspects of the LPP concept, low emissions and flame stability (including flashback and lean blowoff.
Deur, J. M.↗
Adaptive model-based control systems and methods for controlling a gas turbine
Adaptive model-based control systems and methods are described so that performance and/or operability of a gas turbine in an aircraft engine, power plant, marine propulsion, or industrial application can be optimized under normal, deteriorated, faulted, failed and/or damaged operation. First, a model of each relevant system or component is created, and the model is adapted to the engine. Then, if/when deterioration, a fault, a failure or some kind of damage to an engine component or system is detected, that information is input to the model-based control as changes to the model, constraints, objective function, or other control parameters. With all the information about the engine condition, and state and directives on the control goals in terms of an objective function and constraints, the control then solves an optimization so the optimal control action can be determined and taken. This model and control may be updated in real-time to account for engine-to-engine variation, deterioration, damage, faults and/or failures using optimal corrective control action command(s).
Brunell, Brent Jerome↗
Core Losses in Co-Rich Inductors with Tunable Permeability
High frequency, low loss power systems enable electrified aircraft propulsion. Filter inductors that reduce noise in high current systems can account for 50% of the motor drive mass. Efficient inductor cores with tunable permeability reduce system mass by producing less heat, that removes heat sink mass. Requirements for filter inductors vary based on the chosen topology, but all inductor cores must operate below saturation levels. As the saturation flux density is limited (less than ~2 T), high differential current applications require cores with low relative permeabilities. The large induced anisotropies possible in Co-rich metal amorphous nanocomposite materials enables gapless inductors with relative permeabilities down to ~20. These materials have fine grain size ~8nm with a faulted, close packed structure. The impact of different processing methods on core losses are presented along with comparison to other low permeability soft magnetic materials.
Leary, Alex↗
Experimental Demonstration and Characterization of a Ceramic Sintered Wick Heat Pipe Evaporator
As electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) matures and power electronics, electric machines, and batteries achieve higher power density, the thermal management of these devices becomes ever more critical. In this paper, a heat pipe made from a dielectric ceramic material is proposed, which enables its use in the thermal management of a high frequency filter inductor for an EAP power electronics application. The manufacturing process for the sintered powder wick was developed and its performance characterized. The heat pipe is further experimentally demonstrated via an open evaporator test and shown to behave analogous to a constant conductance heat pipe.
Thermal management↗
Usage of ChatGPT for Engineering Design and Analysis Tool Development
ChatGPT, a generative AI large language model, has recently captured significant attention in both the computer science community and the broader public domain. It has demonstrated a wide range of capabilities, from answering simple questions to writing fully functional computer code. This study spotlights both the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT when addressing engineering problems. The model's capacity to generate practical engineering tools is highlighted through an example of a prompt that leads to an interactive plotting tool, enabling the examination of the fluid boundary layer around a fan blade. Subsequently, the paper also uncovers potential pitfalls in ChatGPT’s application, shown through an unsuccessful attempt to use ChatGPT to automate a process in Ansys Workbench through scripting. The research further investigates ChatGPT's proficiency in addressing inquiries and providing explanations about the functionalities of OpenMDAO, an open-source, multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization tool developed at NASA Glenn Research Center. Finally, an optimization methodology, developed with ChatGPT’s help, is applied to the structural optimization of a fan blade. The developed optimization method utilizes T-Blade3 for geometry generation, Ansys Mechanical for meshing and finite element analysis, and sci-kit learn’s MLPRegressor method to generate a trained neural network model of the design space. OpenMDAO is then used to find the optimal point within the design space. The outcome is a significant reduction in stress in the optimized model—less than one-fifth of the stress value in the baseline model.
Design↗
NASA’s Quiet Electric ENgines (QUEEN): Summary of the QUEEN V2 Test
A liquid-cooled electric ducted fan system was designed, built, and tested at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Main components of the system include a Commercial-Off- the-Shelf (COTS) fan and motor, and a custom-designed heat exchanger integrated into the fan duct. Fan speed, thrust, and cooling system thermal performance was measured in this static ground test of the propulsor. This propulsor prototype is one of NASA’s Quiet Electric ENgines (QUEENs) and is designated the ‘QUEEN V2.’ The Quiet Electric Engines are being developed for the 25% scale model of the Subsonic Aft Engine (SUSAN) Flight Research Vehicle and are intended to explore the potential of distributed electric propulsion for regional single-aisle aircraft. This test demonstrated the functionality of the QUEEN V2, quantified the thrust produced by the electrofan, and characterized the electrical and thermal performance of the system. Lessons learned will be used to guide development of future QUEEN prototypes.
Aerodynamics↗
NASA’s Quiet Electric ENgines (QUEEN): Summary of the QUEEN V2 Test
A liquid-cooled electric ducted fan system was designed, built, and tested at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Main components of the system include a Commercial-Off- the-Shelf (COTS) fan and motor, and a custom-designed heat exchanger integrated into the fan duct. Fan speed, thrust, and cooling system thermal performance was measured in this static ground test of the propulsor. This propulsor prototype is one of NASA’s Quiet Electric ENgines (QUEENs) and is designated the ‘QUEEN V2.’ The Quiet Electric Engines are being developed for the 25% scale model of the Subsonic Aft Engine (SUSAN) Flight Research Vehicle and are intended to explore the potential of distributed electric propulsion for regional single-aisle aircraft. This test demonstrated the functionality of the QUEEN V2, quantified the thrust produced by the electrofan, and characterized the electrical and thermal performance of the system. Lessons learned will be used to guide development of future QUEEN prototypes.
Aeronautics-General↗