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Results for “PROPELLERS - PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS”

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 NTRS2014

Results of Propellant Mixing Variable Study Using Precise Pressure-Based Burn Rate Calculations

A designed experiment was conducted in which three mix processing variables (pre-curative addition mix temperature, pre-curative addition mixing time, and mixer speed) were varied to estimate their effects on within-mix propellant burn rate variability. The chosen discriminator for the experiment was the 2-inch diameter by 4-inch long (2x4) Center-Perforated (CP) ballistic evaluation motor. Motor nozzle throat diameters were sized to produce a common targeted chamber pressure. Initial data analysis did not show a statistically significant effect. Because propellant burn rate must be directly related to chamber pressure, a method was developed that showed statistically significant effects on chamber pressure (either maximum or average) by adjustments to the process settings. Burn rates were calculated from chamber pressures and these were then normalized to a common pressure for comparative purposes. The pressure-based method of burn rate determination showed significant reduction in error when compared to results obtained from the Brooks' modification of the propellant web-bisector burn rate determination method. Analysis of effects using burn rates calculated by the pressure-based method showed a significant correlation of within-mix burn rate dispersion to mixing duration and the quadratic of mixing duration. The findings were confirmed in a series of mixes that examined the effects of mixing time on burn rate variation, which yielded the same results.

Stefanski, Philip L.↗
NASA NTRS1958

A Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Full-Scale Supersonic-Type Three-blade Propeller at Mach Numbers to 0.96

An investigation of the characteristics of a full-scale supersonic-type propeller has been made in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel with the 6000-horsepower propeller dynamometer. The tests covered a range of blade angles from 20.2 degrees to 60.2 degrees at forward Mach numbers up to 0.96. The results showed that envelope efficiency at an advance ratio of 2.8 decreased from 86 percent to 72 percent when the forward Mach number was increased from 0.70 to 0.96. A comparison of the experimental results with calculated results showed that maximum propeller efficiency can be calculated with good accuracy by using ordinary subsonic strip theory when the blade-section speeds are supersonic. The investigation also showed favorable power-absorption properties of the supersonic-type propeller at high speeds.

Evans, Albert J↗
NASA NTRS1923

Reduction in efficiency of propellers due to slipstream

In the slipstream behind a propeller there is a considerable amount of kinetic energy which has been imparted to it by the engine without producing any corresponding propeller thrust. The increased absorption of power reduces the propeller efficiency. Attention has been previously directed to this question by Bendemann and Madelung and other writers. Their contribution serves to verify a simple method of calculating the reduction in the propeller efficiency due to the slip stream. That method of calculation is given here. Explanations and examples are given for as single propeller and for two propellers mounted in tandem.

Munk, Max M↗
NASA NTRS1979

Design of quiet efficient propellers

A numerical computation scheme has been developed to determine the sound generated by propellers. A comparison of these calculations to the noise data taken in the flight test of a propeller driven aircraft shows good agreement. The method is then applied in a parametric study of fixed pitch propellers designed to reduce noise. All these techniques reduce noise while maintaining shaft speed so that the method presented here may be used in a retrofit option for the general aviation fleet.

Succi, G. P.↗
NASA NTRS1930

Contribution to the theory of propeller vibrations

This report presents a calculation of the torsional frequencies of revolving bars with allowance for the air forces. Calculation of the flexural or bonding frequencies of revolving straight or tapered bars in terms of the angular velocity of revolution. Calculation on the basis of Rayleigh's principle of variation. There is also a discussion of error estimation and the accuracy of results. The author then provides an application of the theory to screw propellers for airplanes and the discusses the liability of propellers to damage through vibrations due to lack of uniform loading.

Liebers, F↗
NASA NTRS1987

All-theoretical prediction of cabin noise due to impingement of propeller vortices on a wing structure

Reported calculations of structure-borne cabin noise for a small twin engine aircraft powered by tractor propellers rely on the following three-stage methodological breakup of the problem: (1) the unsteady-aerodynamic prediction of wing lift harmonics caused by the whipping action of the vortex system trailed from each propeller; (2) the associated wing/fuselage structural response; (3) the cabin noise field for the computed wall vibration. The first part--the estimate of airloads--skirts a full-fledged aeroelastic situation by assuming the wing to be fixed in space while cancelling the downwash field of the cutting vortices. The model is based on an approximate high-frequency lifting-surface theory justified by the blade rate and flight Mach number of application. Its results drive a finite-element representation of the wing accounting for upper and lower skin surfaces, spars, ribs, and the presence of fuel. The fuselage, modeled as a frame-stiffened cylindrical shell, is bolted to the wing.

Martinez, R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High speed propeller acoustics and aerodynamics - A boundary element approach

The Boundary Element Method (BEM) is applied in this paper to the problems of acoustics and aerodynamics of high speed propellers. The underlying theory is described based on the linearized Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation. The surface pressure on the blade is assumed unknown in the aerodynamic problem. It is obtained by solving a singular integral equation. The acoustic problem is then solved by moving the field point inside the fluid medium and evaluating some surface and line integrals. Thus the BEM provides a powerful technique in calculation of high speed propeller aerodynamics and acoustics.

Farassat, F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Computer prediction of three-dimensional potential flow fields in which aircraft propellers operate

A computer program was developed to calculate the three dimensional, steady, incompressible, inviscid, irrotational flow field at the propeller plane (propeller removed) located upstream of an arbitrary airframe geometry. The program uses a horseshoe vortex of known strength to model the wing. All other airframe surfaces are modeled by a network source panels of unknown strength which is exposed to a uniform free stream and the wing-induced velocity field. By satisfying boundary conditions on each panel (the Neumann problem), relaxed boundary conditions being used on certain panels to simulate inlet inflow, the source strengths are determined. From the known source and wing vortex strengths, the resulting velocity fields on the airframe surface and at the propeller plane are obtained. All program equations are derived in detail, and a brief description of the program structure is presented. A user's manual which fully documents the program is cited. Computer predictions of the flow on the surface of a sphere and at a propeller plane upstream of the sphere are compared with the exact mathematical solutions. Agreement is good, and correct program operation is verified.

Jumper, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The prediction of three-dimensional liquid-propellant rocket nozzle admittances

Crocco's three-dimensional nozzle admittance theory is extended to be applicable when the amplitudes of the combustor and nozzle oscillations increase or decrease with time. An analytical procedure and a computer program for determining nozzle admittance values from the extended theory are presented and used to compute the admittances of a family of liquid-propellant rocket nozzles. The calculated results indicate that the nozzle geometry entrance Mach number and temporal decay coefficient significantly affect the nozzle admittance values. The theoretical predictions are shown to be in good agreement with available experimental data.

Bell, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Air breathing engine/rocket trajectory optimization

This research has focused on improving the mathematical models of the air-breathing propulsion systems, which can be mated with the rocket engine model and incorporated in trajectory optimization codes. Improved engine simulations provided accurate representation of the complex cycles proposed for advanced launch vehicles, thereby increasing the confidence in propellant use and payload calculations. The versatile QNEP (Quick Navy Engine Program) was modified to allow treatment of advanced turboaccelerator cycles using hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels and operating in the vehicle flow field.

Smith, V. K., III↗
NASA NTRS1982

Comment on 'Time-optimal orbit transfer trajectory for solar sail spacecraft'

An analytic proof is presented to show that the orbital transfer times of an earth-to-Mars solar-sail propelled spacecraft trajectory as calculated by Jayaraman (1980) are incorrect. In particular, different boundary conditions are defined, which indicate that a minimization of the Hamiltonian, which Jayaraman used, can yield the wrong stationary solution. Transfer times are calculated using a neighboring extremal algorithm based on numerical differentiation in conjunction with Krogh's variable order, variable step size integrator, resulting in a transfer time of 322 days at 2 mm/sec-sq, with endpoint restraints satisfied to within 1/1 billion. Finally, it is concluded that minimization of flight time is secondary in importance to maximization of delivered payload and minimization of overall mission cost and risk.

Wood, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Three dimensional flow phenomena in fluid machinery; Proceedings of the Winter Annual Meeting, Miami Beach, FL, November 17-22, 1985

For papers presented in this volume provide an overview of the latest developments in experimental measurements and analytical and numerical predictions of three-dimensional flows in fluid machinery. Topics discussed include three-dimensional cascade testing of turbine nozzles at high exit Mach number; the use of a secondary flow computation in the compressor design process; an experimental investigation of static propeller flow field; and calculation of three-dimensional boundary layers on rotating turbine blades. Papers are also presented on a three-dimensional solution method for turbomachinery analysis; analysis of rotational inviscid flows in curved passages; and a mathematical model for the analysis of fluid flow in a scroll.

Hamed, A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Sound power spectrum and wave drag of a propeller in flight

Theory is presented for the sound power and sound power spectrum of a single rotation propeller in forward flight. Calculations are based on the linear wave equation with sources distributed over helicoidal surfaces to represent effects of blade thickness and steady loading. Sound power is distributed continuously over frequecy, as would be expected from Doppler effects, rather than in discrete harmonics. The theory is applied to study effects of sweep and Mach number in propfans. An acoustic efficiency is defined as the ratio of radiated sound power to shaft input power. This value is the linear estimate of the effect of wave drag due to the supersonic blade section speeds. It is shown that the acoustic efficiency is somewhat less than 1 percent for a well designed propfan.

Hanson, D. B.↗