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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Performance of a 1380-foot-per-second-tip-speed axial-flow compressor rotor with a blade tip solidity of 1.3

Aerodynamic design parameters are presented along the overall and blade element performance, of an axial flow compressor rotor designed to study the effects of blade solidity on efficiency and stall margin. At design speed the peak efficiency was 0.844 and occurred at an equivalent weight flow of 63.5 lb/sec with a total pressure ratio of 1.801. Design efficiency, pressure ratio, and weight flow 0.814, 1.65, and 65.3(41.1 lb/sec/sq ft of annulus area), respectively. Stall margin for design speed was 6.4 percent based on the weight flow and pressure ratio values at peak efficiency and just prior to stall.

Hager, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Supersonic Stall Flutter of High Speed Fans

An analytical model is developed for predicting the onset of supersonic stall bending flutter in axial flow compressors. The analysis is based on a modified two dimensional, compressible, unsteady actuator disk theory. It is applied to a rotor blade row by considering a cascade of airfoils whose geometry and dynamic response coincide with those of a rotor blade element at 85 percent of the span height (measured from the hub). The rotor blades are assumed to be unshrouded (i.e., free standing) and to vibrate in their first flexural mode. The effects of shock waves and flow separation are included in the model through quasi-steady, empirical, rotor total-pressure-loss and deviation-angle correlations. The actuator disk model predicts the unsteady aerodynamic force acting on the cascade blading as a function of the steady flow field entering the cascade and the geometry and dynamic response of the cascade. Calculations show that the present model predicts the existence of a bending flutter mode at supersonic inlet Mach numbers. This flutter mode is suppressed by increasing the reduced frequency of the system or by reducing the steady state aerodynamic loading on the cascade. The validity of the model for predicting flutter is demonstrated by correlating the measured flutter boundary of a high speed fan stage with its predicted boundary. This correlation uses a level of damping for the blade row (i.e., the log decrement of the rotor system) that is estimated from the experimental flutter data. The predicted flutter boundary is shown to be in good agreement with the measured boundary.

Adamczyk, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Structural Tailoring of SSME Blades (vanes)

The engine blade design optimization program STAEBL (Structural Tailoring of Engine Blades) is available at the NASA Lewis computer facility. The analysis capabilities of this program were extended to typical loading conditions for SSME turbopump blades including thermal and pressure loading. Input files for representative SSME blade designs were developed and sample optimization studies for these blades completed. The structural tailoring program combines a general optimization package and a finite element blade analysis package. The analysis package's capabilities include natural frequency, maximum stress, and forced response computation, and fatigue life and flutter analysis. Optimization is performed using the feasible directions method. The current design is modified by perturbing the design variables so that the design constraints are satisfied while the objective function, such as blade weight, is reduced at the maximum rate. The program's geometric design variables include blade thickness distribution, thickness to chord ratios, and root chord.

Rubinstein, R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Performance of 1380 foot per second tip-speed axial-flow compressor rotor blade tip solidity of 1.5

This presents the aerodynamic design parameters along with the overall and blade element performance of an axial-flow compressor rotor designed to study the effects of blade solidity on efficiency and stall margin. At design speed the peak efficiency was 0.892 and occurred at an equivalent weight flow of 65.0 lb/sec. The total pressure ratio was 1.83 and the total temperature ratio was 1.215. Design efficiency, weight flow, pressure ratio, and temperature ratio were 0.824, 65.3, 1.65, and 1.187, respectively. Stall margin for design speed was 10 percent based on the weight flow and pressure ratio values at peak efficiency and just prior to stall.

Ball, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Performance of 1380-foot-per-second tip-speed axial-flow compressor rotor with blade tip solidity of 1.1

The aerodynamic design parameters are presented along with the overall and blade element performance, of an axial-flow compressor rotor designed to study the effects of blade solidity on efficiency and stall margin. At design speed the peak efficiency was 0.853 and occured at an equivalent weight flow of 65.7lb/sec. The total pressure ratio was 1.68. Design efficiency, weight flow, pressure ratio, and temperature ratio were 0.822, 65.3, 1.65, and 1.187, respectively. Stall margin for design speed was 14 percent based on the weight flows and pressure ratios at peak efficiency and just prior to stall.

Janetzke, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Multidisciplinary Optimization of Tilt Rotor Blades Using Comprehensive Composite Modeling Technique

An optimization procedure is developed for addressing the design of composite tilt rotor blades. A comprehensive technique, based on a higher-order laminate theory, is developed for the analysis of the thick composite load-carrying sections, modeled as box beams, in the blade. The theory, which is based on a refined displacement field, is a three-dimensional model which approximates the elasticity solution so that the beam cross-sectional properties are not reduced to one-dimensional beam parameters. Both inplane and out-of-plane warping are included automatically in the formulation. The model can accurately capture the transverse shear stresses through the thickness of each wall while satisfying stress free boundary conditions on the inner and outer surfaces of the beam. The aerodynamic loads on the blade are calculated using the classical blade element momentum theory. Analytical expressions for the lift and drag are obtained based on the blade planform with corrections for the high lift capability of rotor blades. The aerodynamic analysis is coupled with the structural model to formulate the complete coupled equations of motion for aeroelastic analyses. Finally, a multidisciplinary optimization procedure is developed to improve the aerodynamic, structural and aeroelastic performance of the tilt rotor aircraft. The objective functions include the figure of merit in hover and the high speed cruise propulsive efficiency. Structural, aerodynamic and aeroelastic stability criteria are imposed as constraints on the problem. The Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function is used to formulate the multiobjective function problem. The search direction is determined by the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno algorithm. The optimum results are compared with the baseline values and show significant improvements in the overall performance of the tilt rotor blade.

Chattopadhyay, Aditi↗
NASA NTRS1986

Real-time simulator for helicopter rotor wind-tunnel operations

This paper describes the elements and operation of a simulator that is being used to train operators of the Rotor Test Apparatus (RTA) in the large-scale 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center. The simulator, named TUTOR (for Tunnel Utilization Trainer with Operating Rotor) duplicates the controls of the rotor and its dynamic behavior, as well as the wind-tunnel controls. The simulation software uses a preexisting blade-element model of a four-bladed rotor with flapping and lead-lag degrees of freedom. Equations were developed for all hardware and controls of the RTA and of the wind tunnel that are normally required to perform a wind-tunnel test of a helicopter rotor. The simulator hardware consists of consoles designed to have the same appearance and functions as those in the control room of the 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel, allowing input from three operators who normally establish the required operating conditions during a test run. Normal operating procedures can be practiced, as well as simulated emergencies such as rotor power failure.

Talbot, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Design and performance of controlled-diffusion stator compared with original double-circular-arc stator

The capabilities of two stators, one with controlled-diffusion (CD) blade sections and one with double-circular-arc (DCA) blade sections, were compared. A CD stator was designed and tested that had the same chord length but half the blades of the DCA stator. The same fan rotor (tip speed, 429 m/sec; pressure ratio, 1.65) was used with each stator row. The design and analysis system is briefly described. The overall stage and rotor performances with each stator are compared, as are selected blade element data. The minimum overall efficiency decrement across the stator was approximately 1 percentage point greater with the CD blade sections than with the DCA blade sections.

Gelder, Thomas F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Design and performance of a 427-meter-per-second-tip-speed two-stage fan having a 2.40 pressure ratio

The aerodynamic design and the overall and blade-element performances are presented of a 427-meter-per-second-tip-speed two-stage fan designed with axially spaced blade rows to reduce noise transmitted upstream of the fan. At design speed the highest recorded adiabatic efficiency was 0.796 at a pressure of 2.30. Peak efficiency was not established at design speed because of a damper failure which terminated testing prematurely. The overall efficiencies, at 60 and 80 percent of design speed, peaked at approximately 0.83.

Cunnan, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1997

An Empirical Correction Method for Improving off-Axes Response Prediction in Component Type Flight Mechanics Helicopter Models

Historically, component-type flight mechanics simulation models of helicopters have been unable to satisfactorily predict the roll response to pitch stick input and the pitch response to roll stick input off-axes responses. In the study presented here, simple first-order low-pass filtering of the elemental lift and drag forces was considered as a means of improving the correlation. The method was applied to a blade-element model of the AH-64 APache, and responses of the modified model were compared with flight data in hover and forward flight. Results indicate that significant improvement in the off-axes responses can be achieved in hover. In forward flight, however, the best correlation in the longitudinal and lateral off-axes responses required different values of the filter time constant for each axis. A compromise value was selected and was shown to result in good overall improvement in the off-axes responses. The paper describes both the method and the model used for its implementation, and presents results obtained at hover and in forward flight.

Mansur, M. Hossein↗
NASA NTRS1976

Computational aspects of real-time simulation of rotary-wing aircraft

A study was conducted to determine the effects of degrading a rotating blade element rotor mathematical model suitable for real-time simulation of rotorcraft. Three methods of degradation were studied, reduction of number of blades, reduction of number of blade segments, and increasing the integration interval, which has the corresponding effect of increasing blade azimuthal advance angle. The three degradation methods were studied through static trim comparisons, total rotor force and moment comparisons, single blade force and moment comparisons over one complete revolution, and total vehicle dynamic response comparisons. Recommendations are made concerning model degradation which should serve as a guide for future users of this mathematical model, and in general, they are in order of minimum impact on model validity: (1) reduction of number of blade segments; (2) reduction of number of blades; and (3) increase of integration interval and azimuthal advance angle. Extreme limits are specified beyond which a different rotor mathematical model should be used.

Houck, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Assessment of Geometry and In-Flow Effects on Contra-Rotating Open Rotor Broadband Noise Predictions

Application of previously formulated semi-analytical models for the prediction of broadband noise due to turbulent rotor wake interactions and rotor blade trailing edges is performed on the historical baseline F31/A31 contra-rotating open rotor configuration. Simplified two-dimensional blade element analysis is performed on cambered NACA 4-digit airfoil profiles, which are meant to serve as substitutes for the actual rotor blade sectional geometries. Rotor in-flow effects such as induced axial and tangential velocities are incorporated into the noise prediction models based on supporting computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results and simplified in-flow velocity models. Emphasis is placed on the development of simplified rotor in-flow models for the purpose of performing accurate noise predictions independent of CFD information. The broadband predictions are found to compare favorably with experimental acoustic results.

Zawodny, Nikolas S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Performance of low-pressure-ratio fan stage at two off-design blade setting angles

The overall and blade-element performance of a low pressure ratio, low tip speed fan stage at design speed is presented for tow off-design rotor blade angle settings. The rotor design tip speed is 243.8 m/sec and weight flow per unit annulus area is 175.8 kg/sec. Design weight flow and pressure ratio are 29.9 kg/sec and 1.151, respectively.

Kovich, G.↗
NASA NTRS1950

The Effect of Ice Formations on Propeller Performance

Measurements of propeller efficiency loss due to ice formation are supplemented by an analysis to establish the magnitude of efficiency losses to be anticipated during flight in icing conditions. The measurements were made during flight in natural icing conditions; whereas the analysis consisted of an investIgation of changes in blade-section aerodynamic characteristics caused by ice formation and the resulting propeller efficiency changes. Agreement in the order of magnitude of eff 1- ciency losses to be expected is obtained between measured and analytical results. The results indicate that, in general, efficiency losses can be expected to be less than 10 percent; whereas maximum losses, which will be encountered only rarely, may be as high as 15 or 20 percent. Reported. losses larger than 15 or 20 percent, based on reductions in airplane performance, probably are due to ice accretions on other parts of the airplane. Blade-element theory is used in the analytical treatment, and calculations are made to show the degree to which the aerodynamic characteristics of a blade section. must be altered to produce various propeller efficiency losses. The effects of ice accretions on airfoil-section characteristics at subcritical speeds and their influence on drag-divergence Mach number are examined, and. the attendant maximum efficiency losses are computed. The effect of kinetic heating on the radial extent of ice formation is considered, and its influence on required length of blade heating shoes is discussed. It is demonstrated how the efficiency loss resulting from an icing encounter is influenced by the decisions of the pilot in adjusting the engine and propeller controls.

Neel, C. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An unsteady Euler scheme for the analysis of ducted propellers

An efficient unsteady solution procedure has been developed for analyzing inviscid unsteady flow past ducted propeller configurations. This scheme is first order accurate in time and second order accurate in space. The solution procedure has been applied to a ducted propeller consisting of an 8-bladed SR7 propeller with a duct of NACA 0003 airfoil cross section around it, operating in a steady axisymmetric flowfield. The variation of elemental blade loading with radius, compares well with other published numerical results.

Srivastava, R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Rotary-wing aerodynamics. Volume 1: Basic theories of rotor aerodynamics with application to helicopters

The concept of rotary-wing aircraft in general is defined. The energy effectiveness of helicopters is compared with that of other static thrust generators in hover, as well as with various air and ground vehicles in forward translation. The most important aspects of rotor-blade dynamics and rotor control are reviewed. The simple physicomathematical model of the rotor offered by the momentum theory is introduced and its usefulness and limitations are assessed. The combined blade-element and momentum theory approach, which provides greater accuracy in performance predictions, is described as well as the vortex theory which models a rotor blade by means of a vortex filament or vorticity surface. The application of the velocity and acceleration potential theory to the determination of flow fields around three dimensional, non-rotating bodies as well as to rotor aerodynamic problems is described. Airfoil sections suitable for rotors are also considered.

Stepniewski, W. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Computer program for aerodynamic and blading design of multistage axial-flow compressors

A code for computing the aerodynamic design of a multistage axial-flow compressor and, if desired, the associated blading geometry input for internal flow analysis codes is presented. Compressible flow, which is assumed to be steady and axisymmetric, is the basis for a two-dimensional solution in the meridional plane with viscous effects modeled by pressure loss coefficients and boundary layer blockage. The radial equation of motion and the continuity equation are solved with the streamline curvature method on calculation stations outside the blade rows. The annulus profile, mass flow, pressure ratio, and rotative speed are input. A number of other input parameters specify and control the blade row aerodynamics and geometry. In particular, blade element centerlines and thicknesses can be specified with fourth degree polynomials for two segments. The output includes a detailed aerodynamic solution and, if desired, blading coordinates that can be used for internal flow analysis codes.

Crouse, J. E.↗