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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

Carbon-Carbon Nozzle Extension Development in Support of In-Space and Upper-Stage Liquid Rocket Engines

Upper stage and in-space liquid rocket engines are optimized for performance through the use of high area ratio nozzles to fully expand combustion gases to low exit pressures, increasing exhaust velocities. Due to the large size of such nozzles, and the related engine performance requirements, carbon-carbon (C-C) composite nozzle extensions are being considered to reduce weight impacts. Currently, the state-of-the-art is represented by the metallic and foreign composite nozzle extensions limited to approximately 2000 degrees F. used on the Atlas V, Delta IV, Falcon 9, and Ariane 5 launch vehicles. NASA and industry partners are working towards advancing the domestic supply chain for C-C composite nozzle extensions. These development efforts are primarily being conducted through the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program in addition to other low level internal research efforts. This has allowed for the initial material development and characterization, subscale hardware fabrication, and completion of hot-fire testing in relevant environments. NASA and industry partners have designed, fabricated and hot-fire tested several subscale domestically produced C-C extensions to advance the material and coatings fabrication technology for use with a variety of liquid rocket and scramjet engines. Testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) evaluated heritage and state-of-the-art C-C materials and coatings, demonstrating the initial capabilities of the high temperature materials and their fabrication methods. This paper discusses the initial material development, design and fabrication of the subscale carbon-carbon nozzle extensions, provides an overview of the test campaign, presents results of the hot fire testing, and discusses potential follow-on development work. The follow on work includes the fabrication of ultra-high temperature materials, larger C-C nozzle extensions, material characterization, sub-element testing and hot-fire testing at larger scale.

Gradl, Paul R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Technical Evaluation Motor no. 5 (TEM-5)

Technical Evaluation Motor No. 5 (TEM-5) was static test fired at the Thiokol Corporation Static Test Bay T-97. TEM-5 was a full scale, full duration static test fire of a high performance motor (HPM) configuration solid rocket motor (SRM). The primary purpose of TEM static tests is to recover SRM case and nozzle hardware for use in the redesigned solid rocket motor (RSRM) flight program. Inspection and instrumentation data indicate that the TEM-5 static test firing was successful. The ambient temperature during the test was 41 F and the propellant mean bulk temperature (PMBT) was 72 F. Ballistics performance values were within the specified requirements. The overall performance of the TEM-5 components and test equipment was nominal. Dissembly inspection revealed that joint putty was in contact with the inner groove of the inner primary seal of the ignitor adapter-to-forward dome (inner) joint gasket; this condition had not occurred on any previous static test motor or flight RSRM. While no qualification issues were addressed on TEM-5, two significant component changes were evaluated. Those changes were a new vented assembly process for the case-to-nozzle joint and the installation of two redesigned field joint protection systems. Performance of the vented case-to-nozzle joint assembly was successful, and the assembly/performance differences between the two field joint protection system (FJPS) configurations were compared.

Cook, M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Space Shuttle Flight Support Motor no. 1 (FSM-1)

Space Shuttle Flight Support Motor No. 1 (FSM-1) was static test fired on 15 Aug. 1990 at the Thiokol Corporation Static Test Bay T-24. FSM-1 was a full-scale, full-duration static test fire of a redesigned solid rocket motor. FSM-1 was the first of seven flight support motors which will be static test fired. The Flight Support Motor program validates components, materials, and manufacturing processes. In addition, FSM-1 was the full-scale motor for qualification of Western Electrochemical Corporation ammonium perchlorate. This motor was subjected to all controls and documentation requirements CTP-0171, Revision A. Inspection and instrumentation data indicate that the FSM-1 static test firing was successful. The ambient temperature during the test was 87 F and the propellant mean bulk temperature was 82 F. Ballistics performance values were within the specified requirements. The overall performance of the FSM-1 components and test equipment was nominal.

Hughes, Phil D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Measurements of the response of transport aircraft ceiling panels to fuel pool fires

Tests were performed to characterize the responses of various aircraft ceiling panel configurations to a simulated post-crash fire. Attention was given to one currently used and four new ceiling configurations exposed to a fuel pool fire in a circulated air enclosure. The tests were controlled to accurately represent conditions in a real fire. The panels were constructed of fiberglass-epoxy, graphite-phenolic resin, fiberglass-phenolic resin, Kevlar-epoxy, and Kevlar-phenolic resin materials. The phenolic resin-backed sheets performed the best under the circumstances, except when combined with Kevlar, which became porous when charred.

Bankston, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

System for Anomaly and Failure Detection (SAFD) system development

The System for Anomaly and Failure Detection (SAFD) algorithm was developed as an improvement over the current redline system used in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Controller (SSMEC). Simulation tests and execution against previous hot fire tests demonstrated that the SAFD algorithm can detect engine failures as much as tens of seconds before the redline system recognized the failure. Although the current algorithm only operates during steady state conditions (engine not throttling), work is underway to expand the algorithm to work during transient conditions. This task assignment originally specified developing a platform for executing the algorithm during hot fire tests at Technology Test Bed (TTB) and installing the SAFD algorithm on that platform. Two units were built and installed in the Hardware Simulation Lab and at the TTB in December 1991. Since that time, the task primarily entailed improvement and maintenance of the systems, additional testing to prove the feasibility of the algorithm, and support of hot fire testing. This document addresses the work done since the last report of June 1992. The work on the System for Anomaly and Failure Detection during this period included improving the platform and the algorithm, testing the algorithm against previous test data and in the Hardware Simulation Lab, installing other algorithms on the system, providing support for operations at the Technology Test Bed, and providing routine maintenance.

Oreilly, D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Fire response test methods for aerospace materials

Fire response methods which may be suitable for materials intended for aircraft and aerospace applications are presented. They address ignitability, smolder susceptibility, oxygen requirement, flash fire propensity, fire spread, heat release, fire containment, smoke evolution, and toxic gas evolution.

Hilado, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A large hemispherical chamber for fire toxicity tests

The paper describes an 84-liter chamber for fire toxicity tests consisting of an upper hemispherical dome section with a diameter of 533 mm, made of clear polymethyl methacrylate and a lower cylindrical base section 190 mm deep, made of cast aluminum. The chamber is designed to expose 36 mice, 8 rats, 4 rabbits or combinations of smaller numbers of two or three species simultaneously to the gaseous products of pyrolysis or combustion. The chamber does not appear to be suitable for screening purposes because its large size introduces operating costs and problems which reduce its cost effectiveness.

Hilado, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

JPL pyro shock test approaches and results

This paper presents the overall approach at JPL in performing spacecraft pyrotechnic shock qualification testing. Initially, the assembly shock requirements are developed early in the program based on previous spacecraft test experience and data. Pyrotechnic device development testing firings and spacecraft Development Test Model (DTM) pyro firings are then conducted to verify the adequacy of the assembly shock requirements and to determine the subsystem test firing and the subsequent system level test firing requirements. The electro-dynamic shaker, through shock synthesis techniques, is utilized to qualify the shock sensitive flight equipment with margins applied. Actual pyrotechnic device firings on spacecraft equipment or science instruments are performed when the influence of the pyros is localized and can be ignored at the system level. Full spacecraft system level shock tests, which include multiple firings of certain critical pyro devices, are conducted to verify the spacecraft design structural integrity and functions as well as to qualify hardware items which have not been previously qualified. These tests also provide a source of data from which assembly level requirements can be evaluated and compared. For example, during the Galileo program, the results demonstrated that good agreement between predicted and measured shock environments and adequate qualification of the flight spacecraft was achieved.

Chang, Kurng Y.↗
NASA NTRS2022

HYPERFIRE

The two main sub-scale, ground-based rocket aerodynamics testing techniques – hot-fire testing and cold-flow testing – pose a series of tradeoffs. Hot-fire testing is generally much more accurate, but is often burdensome, costly, and requires long lead times due to design work, infrastructure preparation, etc. Cold-flow testing is much less expensive and has a rapid turnaround time, but conventional simulants (e.g., nitrogen, steam) used in cold-flow testing yield less accurate results (i.e., results that are not sufficiently representative of test article performance). While researching methods to optimize such tradeoffs, engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center discovered that ethane can be tuned to approximate rocket exhaust plumes generated by several common rocket propellants. This led NASA to develop the HYdrocarbon Propellants Enabling Reproduction of Flows in Rocket Engines (HYPERFIRE), a sub-scale, non-reacting flow test system. HYPERFIRE uses heated ethane to enable physical simulation of rocket engines powered by a broad range of propellants in an inexpensive, accurate, and simple fashion.

sub-scale↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ammonia and nitric acid emissions from wetlands and boreal forest fires

Tests conducted during three (one boreal and two wetland) ecosystem fires have established the NH3- and HNO3-determination effectiveness of the 'tungsten oxide denuder' technique, using a low-flying helicopter to fly through biomass-burn smoke plumes. Both species were found to be present in the smoke plumes at levels much higher than background. Despite the differences between boreal and wetland ecosystems, HNO3 emissions were comparable; NH3 emissions, by contrast, were 5-8 times greater in the boreal fire than in the wetland fires. Biomass burning is found to make a significant role in the tropospheric ammonia budget.

Lebel, Peter J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Quick look test report: MPT static firing no. 2 test MPT-S2

The three engine cluster was fired at 70 percent power level for a nominal 15 seconds to evaluate the integrated performance of the main propulsion system. Engine ignition occurred at approximately 1403 with the planned mainstage duration achieved for all three engines. Operation of all systems was as expected with the exception of the recirculation pumps. The pumps were started while the propellant loading was in fast fill, but they cavitated and lost head at the termination of fast fill. The pumps were subsequently restarted after pressurizing the tank and draining back propellant to get good quality. Post test inspection of the engines revealed some discoloration on the inside of the thrust chamber and distorted drain lines for engine #2.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1977

Research in the use of electrets in measuring effluents from rocket exhaust of the space shuttle (6.4 percent scaled model) and Viking 1 launch

Electrets used to detect the chemical composition of rocket exhaust effluents were investigated. The effectiveness of electrets was assessed while comparisons were made with hydrogen chloride measuring devices from chamber and field tests, and computed results from a multilayer diffusion model. The experimental data used were obtained from 18 static test firings, chamber tests, and the Viking 1 launch to Mars. Results show that electrets have multipollutant measuring capabilities, simplicity of deployment, and speed of assessment. The electrets compared favorably with other hydrogen chloride measuring devices. The summary of the measured data from the electrets and the hydrogen chloride detectors was within the upper and lower bounds of the computed hydrogen chloride concentrations from the multilayer diffusion model.

Susko, M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

High Thermal Conductivity NARloy-Z-Diamond Composite Combustion Chamber Liner For Advanced Rocket Engines

Advanced high thermal conductivity materials research conducted at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) with state of the art combustion chamber liner material NARloy-Z showed that its thermal conductivity can be increased significantly by adding diamond particles and sintering it at high temperatures. For instance, NARloy-Z containing 40 vol. percent diamond particles, sintered at 975C to full density by using the Field assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) showed 69 percent higher thermal conductivity than baseline NARloy-Z. Furthermore, NARloy-Z-40vol. percent D is 30 percent lighter than NARloy-Z and hence the density normalized thermal conductivity is 140 percent better. These attributes will improve the performance and life of the advanced rocket engines significantly. By one estimate, increased thermal conductivity will directly translate into increased turbopump power up to 2X and increased chamber pressure for improved thrust and ISP, resulting in an expected 20 percent improvement in engine performance. Follow on research is now being conducted to demonstrate the benefits of this high thermal conductivity NARloy-Z-D composite for combustion chamber liner applications in advanced rocket engines. The work consists of a) Optimizing the chemistry and heat treatment for NARloy-Z-D composite, b) Developing design properties (thermal and mechanical) for the optimized NARloy-Z-D, c) Fabrication of net shape subscale combustion chamber liner, and d) Hot fire testing of the liner for performance. FAST is used for consolidating and sintering NARlo-Z-D. The subscale cylindrical liner with built in channels for coolant flow is also fabricated near net shape using the FAST process. The liner will be assembled into a test rig and hot fire tested in the MSFC test facility to determine performance. This paper describes the development of this novel high thermal conductivity NARloy-Z-D composite material, and the advanced net shape technology to fabricate the combustion chamber liner. Properties of optimized NARloy-Z-D composite material will also be presented.

Bhat, Biliyar N.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Metallographic Preparation of Space Shuttle Reaction Control System Thruster Electron Beam Welds for Electron Backscatter Diffraction

A Space Shuttle Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster failed during a firing test at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The firing test was being conducted to investigate a previous electrical malfunction. A number of cracks were found associated with the fuel closure plate/injector assembly (Fig 1). The firing test failure generated a flight constraint to the launch of STS-133. A team comprised of several NASA centers and other research institutes was assembled to investigate and determine the root cause of the failure. The JSC Materials Evaluation Laboratory was asked to compare and characterize the outboard circumferential electron beam (EB) weld between the fuel closure plate (Titanium 6Al-4V) and the injector (Niobium C-103 alloy) of four different RCS thrusters, including the failed RCS thruster. Several metallographic challenges in grinding/polishing, and particularly in etching were encountered because of the differences in hardness, ductility, and chemical resistance between the two alloys and the bimetallic weld. Segments from each thruster were sectioned from the outboard weld. The segments were hot-compression mounted using a conductive, carbon-filled epoxy. A grinding/polishing procedure for titanium alloys was used [1]. This procedure worked well on the titanium; but a thin, disturbed layer was visible on the niobium surface by means of polarized light. Once polished, each sample was micrographed using bright field, differential interference contrast optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using a backscatter electron (BSE) detector. No typical weld anomalies were observed in any of the cross sections. However, areas of large atomic contrast were clearly visible in the weld nugget, particularly along fusion line interfaces between the titanium and the niobium. This prompted the need to better understand the chemistry and microstructure of the weld (Fig 2). Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) was used to confirm the chemical composition of the variations in contrast in these areas. Niobium alloys generally require exposure to more aggressive chemical reagents than titanium alloys for etching because of niobium s chemical resistance; therefore, the titanium portion of the sample was etched first. A five second immersion in Kroll s reagent revealed a general microstructure on the titanium portion of the sample; however, the titanium heat affected zone closest to the weld, was over-etched due to higher concentrations of refined grains and an increase in eta-phase. The Kroll s etchant also revealed some microstructure in the weld nugget itself; the niobium portion of the sample remained unetched.

Martinez, James↗
NASA NTRS2011

Validation and Simulation of Ares I Scale Model Acoustic Test - 2 - Simulations at 5 Foot Elevation for Evaluation of Launch Mount Effects

The Ares I Scale Model Acoustics Test (ASMAT) is a series of live-fire tests of scaled rocket motors meant to simulate the conditions of the Ares I launch configuration. These tests have provided a well documented set of high fidelity measurements useful for validation including data taken over a range of test conditions and containing phenomena like Ignition Over-Pressure and water suppression of acoustics. Expanding from initial simulations of the ASMAT setup in a held down configuration, simulations have been performed using the Loci/CHEM computational fluid dynamics software for ASMAT tests of the vehicle at 5 ft. elevation (100 ft. real vehicle elevation) with worst case drift in the direction of the launch tower. These tests have been performed without water suppression and have compared the acoustic emissions for launch structures with and without launch mounts. In addition, simulation results have also been compared to acoustic and imagery data collected from similar live-fire tests to assess the accuracy of the simulations. Simulations have shown a marked change in the pattern of emissions after removal of the launch mount with a reduction in the overall acoustic environment experienced by the vehicle and the formation of highly directed acoustic waves moving across the platform deck. Comparisons of simulation results to live-fire test data showed good amplitude and temporal correlation and imagery comparisons over the visible and infrared wavelengths showed qualitative capture of all plume and pressure wave evolution features.

Strutzenberg, Louise L.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Summary of LOX/CH4 Thruster Technology Development at NASA/MSFC

In recent years, a variety of injectors for liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane (CH4) propellant systems have been designed, fabricated, and demonstrated with hot-fire testing at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Successful designs for liquid methane (LCH4) and gaseous methane (GCH4) have been developed. A variety of chambers, including a transpiration cooled design, along with uncooled ablatives and refractory metals, have also been hot-fire tested by MSFC for use with LOX/LCH4 injectors. Hot-fire testing has also demonstrated multiple ignition source options. Heat flux data for selected injectors has been gathered by testing with a calorimeter chamber. High performance and stable combustion have been demonstrated, along with designs for thrust levels ranging from 500 to 7,000 lbf. The newest LOX/CH4 injector and chamber developed by MSFC have been fabricated with additive manufacturing techniques and include unique design features to investigate regenerative cooling with methane. This low cost and versatile hardware offers a design for 4,000 lbf thrust and will be hot-fire tested at MSFC in 2015. Its design and operation can easily be scaled for use in systems with thrust levels up to 25,000 lbf.

Greene, Sandra Elam↗
NASA NTRS2001

Lightweight Chambers for Thrust Assemblies

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has successfully applied new materials and fabrication techniques to create actively cooled thrust chambers that operate 200-400 degrees hotter and weigh 50% lighter than conventional designs. In some vehicles, thrust assemblies account for as much as 20% of the engine weight. So, reducing the weight of these components and increasing their operating range will benefit many engines and vehicle designs, including Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) concepts. Obviously, copper and steel alloys have been used successfully for many years in the chamber components of thrust assemblies. Yet, by replacing the steel alloys with Polymer Matrix Composite (PMC) and/or Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) materials, design weights can be drastically reduced. In addition, replacing the traditional copper alloys with a Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) or an advanced copper alloy (Cu-8Cr-4Nb, also known as GRCop-84) significantly increases allowable operating temperatures. Several small MMC and PMC demonstration chambers have recently been fabricated with promising results. Each of these designs included GRCop-84 for the cooled chamber liner. These units successfully verified that designs over 50% lighter are feasible. New fabrication processes, including advanced casting technology and a low cost vacuum plasma spray (VPS) process, were also demonstrated with these units. Hot-fire testing at MSFC is currently being conducted on the chambers to verify increased operating temperatures available with the GRCop-84 liner. Unique CMC chamber liners were also successfully fabricated and prepared for hot-fire testing. Yet, early results indicate these CMC liners need significantly more development in order to use them in required chamber designs. Based on the successful efforts with the MMC and PMC concepts, two full size "lightweight" chambers are currently being designed and fabricated for hot-fire testing at MSFC in 2001. These "full size" chambers will be similar in size to those used on the X33 engine (RS2200). One will be fabricated with a MMC structural jacket, while the other uses a PMC jacket. Each will be designed for thrust levels of 15,000 pounds in an oxygen/hydrogen environment with liquid hydrogen coolant. Both chambers will use GRCop-84 for its channel wall liner. Each unit is expected to be at least 60% lighter than a conventional design with traditional materials. Hot-fire testing on the full size units in late 2001 will directly compare performance results between a conventional chamber design and these "lightweight" alternatives. The technology developed and demonstrated by this effort will not only benefit next generation RLV programs, but it can be applied to other existing and future engine programs, as well. Efforts were sponsored by the Advanced Space Transportation Program for RLV Focused Technologies. The task team was led by MSFC with additional members from NASA-Glenn Research Center and the Rocketdyne Division of The Boeing Company. Specific materials development and fabrication processes were provided by Aerojet, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Composite Optics, Inc., Hyper-Therm, Ceramic Composites, Inc., MSE Technology Applications, and Plasma Processes, Inc.

Elam, Sandra K.↗