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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 NTRS1990

Vibration analyzer

The invention relates to monitoring circuitry for the real time detection of vibrations of a predetermined frequency and which are greater than a predetermined magnitude. The circuitry produces an instability signal in response to such detection. The circuitry is particularly adapted for detecting instabilities in rocket thrusters, but may find application with other machines such as expensive rotating machinery, or turbines. The monitoring circuitry identifies when vibration signals are present having a predetermined frequency of a multi-frequency vibration signal which has an RMS energy level greater than a predetermined magnitude. It generates an instability signal only if such a vibration signal is identified. The circuitry includes a delay circuit which responds with an alarm signal only if the instability signal continues for a predetermined time period. When used with a rocket thruster, the alarm signal may be used to cut off the thruster if such thruster is being used in flight. If the circuitry is monitoring tests of the thruster, it generates signals to change the thruster operation, for example, from pulse mode to continuous firing to determine if the instability of the thruster is sustained once it is detected.

Bozeman, Richard J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Aerospace Applications of Magnetic Suspension Technology, part 1

Papers presented at the conference on aerospace applications of magnetic suspension technology are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: pointing and isolation systems; microgravity and vibration isolation; bearing applications; wind tunnel model suspension systems; large gap magnetic suspension systems; control systems; rotating machinery; science and application of superconductivity; and sensors.

Groom, Nelson J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Aerospace Applications of Magnetic Suspension Technology, part 2

In order to examine the state of technology of all areas of magnetic suspension with potential aerospace applications, and to review related recent developments in sensors and control approaches, superconducting technology, and design/implementation practices, a workshop was held at NASA-Langley. Areas of concern are pointing and isolation systems, microgravity and vibration isolation, bearing applications, wind tunnel model suspension systems, large gap magnetic suspension systems, controls, rotating machinery, science and applications of superconductivity, and sensors. Papers presented are included.

Groom, Nelson J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Thunderstorm detection and warning system atmospheric potential monitor

An new type of electric field instrumentation was developed for lighting prediction at KSC. Currently, it is being installed at several government laboratories and is being made available to the public. It has important advantages over the previous method for measuring electric fields with motor driven field mills: (1) it has no moving parts and requires little maintenance compared to rotating machinery; (2) it is unaffected by rain, snow, sand, or insects, all of which can influence field mills; and (3) the lightweight sensor can be mounted easily on a tall mast. By mounting the instrumentation on a tall mast the instrumentation is placed above much of the blanket of point discharge ions that are emitted from objects on the ground during thunderstorms. This space charge limits the ability of any ground based electric field sensor to accurately measure cloud electric fields which produce lightning. The elevated mounting was demonstrated to significantly improve monitoring of thunderstorm electric fields. This instrumentation measures the atmospheric potential relative to earth at a corona needle sensor on top of a mast which normally is mounted on a tower or roof. The needle is kept in corona at all times by a low power high voltage power supply. This produces a small cloud of ions around the needle allowing a current to flow. Measurement of the current provides the atmospheric potential. The potential divided by the height of the needle above the ground is proportional to the average electric field between the needle and earth. The potential on top of a tall pole or above a rooftop is more representative of the intensity of cloud electrification than electric field measurements made at ground level. Photographs that depict the computer terminal, video display of a two sensor system, and the individual components installed on a tower are presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lateral Deflections Of Ball Bearings Reveal Wear

Wear in ball bearings supporting shaft in housing quantified via measurement of lateral deflection of shaft with respect to housing as function of lateral force applied between shaft and housing. Method devised to estimate wear in bearings of high-pressure-liquid-oxygen turbopump of main engine of Space Shuttle, without having to disassemble pump or dismount it from engine. Applicable to other rotating machinery. Helps inspectors determine quickly, noninvasively, and in field whether bearings should be replaced. Force necessary to produce given lateral deflection measured over range large enough to characterize radial clearances and stiffness.

Gurada, Gaston A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

LV software support for supersonic flow analysis

During 1991, the software developed allowed an operator to configure and checkout the TSI, Inc. laser velocimeter (LV) system prior to a run. This setup procedure established the operating conditions for the TSI MI-990 multichannel interface and the RMR-1989 rotating machinery resolver. In addition to initializing the instruments, the software package provides a means of specifying LV calibration constants, controlling the sampling process, and identifying the test parameters.

Bell, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Determination of Rotordynamic Coefficients for Labyrinth Seals and Application to Rotordynamic Design Calculations

In today's rotordynamic calculations, the input parameters for a finite element analysis (FEA) determine very much the reliability of eigenvalue and eigenmode predictions. While modeling of an elastic structure by means of beam elements etc. is relatively straightforward to perform and the input data for journal bearings are usually known exactly enough, the determination of stiffness and damping for labyrinth seals is still the subject of many investigations. Therefore, the rotordynamic influence of labyrinths is often not included in FEA for rotating machinery because of a lack of computer programs to calculate these parameters. This circumstance can give rise to severe vibration problems especially for high performance turbines or compressors, resulting in remarkable economic losses. The forces generated in labyrinths can be described for small motions around the seal center with a linearized force-motion relationship. Several years ago, we started with the development of computer codes for the determination of rotordynamic seal coefficients. Our different approaches to evaluate the dynamic fluid forces generated by turbulent, compressible seal flow are introduced.

Weiser, P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Seals Research at Texas A/M University

The Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M has been providing experimental data and computational codes for the design seals for many years. The program began with the development of a Halon based seal test rig. This facility provided information about the effective stiffness and damping in whirling seals. The Halon effectively simulated cryogenic fluids. Another test facility was developed (using air as the working fluid) where the stiffness and damping matrices can be determined. This data was used to develop bulk flow models of the seal's effect upon rotating machinery; in conjunction with this research, a bulk flow model for calculation of performance and rotordynamic coefficients of annular pressure seals of arbitrary non-uniform clearance for barotropic fluids such as LH2, LOX, LN2, and CH4 was developed. This program is very efficient (fast) and converges for very large eccentricities. Currently, work is being performed on a bulk flow analysis of the effects of the impeller-shroud interaction upon the stability of pumps. The data was used along with data from other researchers to develop an empirical leakage prediction code for MSFC. Presently, the flow field inside labyrinth and annular seals are being studied in detail. An advanced 3-D Doppler anemometer system is being used to measure the mean velocity and entire Reynolds stress tensor distribution throughout the seals. Concentric and statically eccentric seals were studied; presently, whirling seals are being studied. The data obtained are providing valuable information about the flow phenomena occurring inside the seals, as well as a data base for comparison with numerical predictions and for turbulence model development. A finite difference computer code was developed for solving the Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equation inside labyrinth seals. A multi-scale k-epsilon turbulence model is currently being evaluated. A new seal geometry was designed and patented using a computer code. A large scale, 2-D seal flow visualization facility is also being developed.

Morrison, Gerald L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A hierarchy for modeling high speed propulsion systems

General research efforts on reduced order propulsion models for control systems design are overviewed. Methods for modeling high speed propulsion systems are discussed including internal flow propulsion systems that do not contain rotating machinery, such as inlets, ramjets, and scramjets. The discussion is separated into four areas: (1) computational fluid dynamics models for the entire nonlinear system or high order nonlinear models; (2) high order linearized models derived from fundamental physics; (3) low order linear models obtained from the other high order models; and (4) low order nonlinear models (order here refers to the number of dynamic states). Included in the discussion are any special considerations based on the relevant control system designs. The methods discussed are for the quasi-one-dimensional Euler equations of gasdynamic flow. The essential nonlinear features represented are large amplitude nonlinear waves, including moving normal shocks, hammershocks, simple subsonic combustion via heat addition, temperature dependent gases, detonations, and thermal choking. The report also contains a comprehensive list of papers and theses generated by this grant.

Hartley, Tom T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Improved large perturbation propulsion models for control system design (1988-1989) and large perturbation models of high velocity propulsion systems (1989-1990) and reduced order propulsion models for control system design (1990-1991)

Methods for modeling high speed propulsion systems will be discussed. Included in this category are internal flow propulsion systems without rotating machinery, such as inlets, ramjets, and scramjets. Among the modeling topics discussed are modeling of linear isentropic flow, heat exchange, gasdynamics, lumped parameter systems, and infinite dimensional systems. Furthermore, a generalized overview of modeling high speed propulsion systems is presented in this collection of papers.

Hartley, Tom T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A hierarchy for modeling high speed propulsion systems

General research efforts on reduced order propulsion models for control systems design are overviewed. Methods for modeling high speed propulsion systems are discussed including internal flow propulsion systems that do not contain rotating machinery such as inlets, ramjets, and scramjets. The discussion is separated into four sections: (1) computational fluid dynamics model for the entire nonlinear system or high order nonlinear models; (2) high order linearized model derived from fundamental physics; (3) low order linear models obtained from other high order models; and (4) low order nonlinear models. Included are special considerations on any relevant control system designs. The methods discussed are for the quasi-one dimensional Euler equations of gasdynamic flow. The essential nonlinear features represented are large amplitude nonlinear waves, moving normal shocks, hammershocks, subsonic combustion via heat addition, temperature dependent gases, detonation, and thermal choking.

Hartley, Tom T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Development of advanced seals for space propulsion turbomachinery

Current activities in seals for space propulsion turbomachinery that the NASA Lewis Research Center sponsors are surveyed. The overall objective is to provide the designer and researcher with the concepts and the data to control seal dynamics and leakage. Included in the program are low-leakage seals, such as the brush seal, the 'ceramic rope' seal, low-leakage seals for liquid oxygen turbopumps, face seals for two phase flow, and swirl brakes for stability. Two major efforts are summarized: a seal dynamics in rotating machinery and an effort in seal code development.

Hendricks, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Stability and performance of notch filter control for unbalance response

Many current applications of magnetic bearings for rotating machinery employ notch filters in the feedback control loop to reduce the synchronous forces transmitted through the bearings. The capabilities and limitations of notch filter control are investigated. First, a rigid rotor is examined with some classical root locus techniques. Notch filter control is shown to result in conditional stability whenever complete synchronous attenuation is required. Next, a nondimensional parametric symmetric flexible three mass rotor model is constructed. An examination of this model for several test cases illustrates the limited attenuation possible with notch filters at and near the system critical speeds when the bearing damping is low. The notch filter's alteration of the feedback loop is shown to cause stability problems which limits performance. Poor transient response may also result. A high speed compressor is then examined as a candidate for notch filter control. A collocated 22 mass station model with lead-lag control is used. The analysis confirms the reduction in stability robustness that can occur with notch filter control. It is concluded that other methods of synchronous vibration control yield greater performance without compromising stability.

Knospe, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Vibration transmission through rolling element bearings. IV - Statistical energy analysis

A theoretical broadband coupling-loss factor is developed analytically for use in the statistical energy analysis (SEA) of a shaft-bearing-plate system. The procedure is based on the solution of the boundary-value problem at the plate-bearing interface and incorporates a bearing-stiffness matrix developed by the authors. Three examples are utilized to illustrate the SEA incorporating the coupling-loss factor including: (1) a shaft-bearing-plate system; (2) a plate-cantilevered beam; and (3) a circular-shaft-bearing plate. The coupling-loss factor in the case of the thin plate-cantilevered beam is found to be more accurate than that developed by Lyon and Eichler (1964). The coupling-loss factor is described for the bearing system and extended to describe the mean-square vibratory response of a rectangular plate. The proposed techniques are of interest to the study of vibration and noise in rotating machinery such as gearboxes.

Lim, T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

LV software for supersonic flow analysis

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) maintains a leadership position in research into advanced aerospace propulsion systems. For the next generation of aircraft, engine designs continue to involve complex, high-speed flows. Performing the detailed flow diagnostics to properly evaluate these designs requires advanced instrumentation to probe these highly turbulent flows. The hostile flow environment often requires nonintrusive measurement techniques such as the laser velocimeter (LV). Since the LV is a proven instrument for nonintrusive flow measurement, it can provide quantitative velocity data with minimal interference to the flow. Based on anticipated flow conditions, laser velocimeter systems were procured from TSI, Inc. The initial system utilized counter processor technology, but later procurements this past year include a more advanced, correlator-based processor, which significantly improves the overall LV performance. To meet the needs of advanced research into propulsion, this instrument must be integrated into an existing VAX/VMS computer system for data acquisition, processing, and presentation. The work done under this grant before this period concentrated on developing the software required to setup and acquire data from the TSI MI-990 multichannel interface, and the RMR 1989 rotating machinery resolver. With the basis established for controlling the operation of the LV system, software development this past year shifted in emphasis from instrumentation control and data acquisition to data analysis and presentation. The progress of the program is reported.

Bell, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Design and test of a magnetic thrust bearing

A magnetic thrust bearing can be employed to take thrust loads in rotating machinery. The design and construction of a prototype magnetic thrust bearing for a high load per weight application is described. The theory for the bearing is developed. Fixtures were designed and the bearing was tested for load capacity using a universal testing machine. Various shims were employed to have known gap thicknesses. A comparison of the theory and measured results is presented.

Allaire, P. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A conventional point of view on active magnetic bearings

Active magnetic bearings used in rotating machinery should be designed as locally controlled, independent devices similar to other types of bearings. The functions of control electronics and power amplifiers can be simply and explicitly related to general bearing properties such as load capacity, stiffness, and damping. The dynamics of a rotor and its supporting active magnetic bearings are analyzed in a modified conventional method with an extended state vector containing the bearing state variables.

Chen, H. Ming↗
NASA NTRS1992

Development of advanced seals for space propulsion turbomachinery

Current activities in seals for space propulsion turbomachinery that NASA sponsors are surveyed. The overall objective is to provide the designer and researcher with the concepts and data to control seal dynamics and leakage. Included in the program are low-leakage seals, such as the brush seal, the 'ceramic rope' seal, low-leakage seals for liquid oxygen turbopumps, face seals for two phase flow, and swirl brakes for stability. Two major efforts are summarized: a seal dynamics in rotating machinery, and an effort in seal code development.

Hendricks, Robert C.↗