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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 1,513 records · Page 84
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Solid rocket technology advancement for Space Tug and IUS applications

Two-burn restartable solid propellant rocket motors for the kick stage (auxiliary stage) of the Shuttle Tug, or Interim Upper Stage, are described, with details on features and test results of the ignition and quench (thrust termination) systems and procedures, fabrication of propellant and insulation, explosion hazards of propellants, and comparative data on present and future motor design. These rocket motor systems are designed for upper stage augmentation of launch vehicles and possible service in Shuttle-launched outer planet spacecraft.

Ascher, W.↗
NASA NTRS1933

The Effect of Spray Strips on a Model of the P3M-1 Flying Boat Hull

This note presents the results of a series of tests made in the N.A.C.A. tank on a one-sixth full-size model of the hull and side floats of the Navy P3M-1 flying boat for the purpose of finding a method of reducing the amount of spray thrown into the propellers of this craft when taking off and landing. The model was tested without spray strips and with five different spray-strip arrangements. The best arrangement was an improvement over the bare hull with no spray strips, but the improvement was not sufficient to be satisfactory with the propellers in the designed position.

Dawson, John R↗
NASA NTRS1990

Heavy rain effects on airplane performance

The objective is to determine if the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane are altered while flying in the rain. Wind-tunnel tests conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) have shown losses in maximum lift, reduction in stall angle, and increases in drag when a wing is placed in a simulated rain spray. For these tests the water spray concentration used represented a very heavy rainfall. A lack of definition of the scaling laws for aerodynamic testing in a two-phase, two-component flow makes interpolation of the wind-tunnel test uncertain. Tests of a large-scale wing are to be conducted at the LaRC. The large-scale wing is mounted on top of the Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility (ALDF) carriage. This carriage (which is 70-foot long, 30-foot wide, and 30-foot high) is propelled with the wing model attached down a 3000-foot long test track by a water jet at speeds of up to 170 knots. A simulated rain spray system has been installed along 500 feet of the test track and can simulate rain falls from 2 to 40 inches/hour. Operational checks are underway and the initial tests should be completed by the Fall of 1989.

Dunham, R. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Test Plan. GCPS Task 4, subtask 4.2 thrust structure development

The Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicle is designed to lift off from a vertical position, go into orbit, return to earth for a horizontal landing, and be reusable for the next mission. (NASA baseline only) In order to meet its performance goals, the SSTO relies on light weight structure and the use of 8 tri-propellant engines. These engines are mounted to the thrust structure. This test plan addresses selection of the material for this structure, and the integrity of the design through testing of elements and a full-scale subcomponent. This test plan supports the development of the design for an advanced composite thrust structure for a Single Stage to Orbit manned, heavy launch vehicle. The thrust structure is designed to transmit very high thrust loads from the engines to the rest of the vehicle (see Figure 1 ). The thrust structure will also be used for primary attachment of the twin vertical tails and possibly act as the aft attach point for the wing. The combination of high loading, high vibration, long service life and high acoustic environments will need to be evaluated by tests. To minimize design risk, a building block approach will be used. We will first screen materials to determine which materials show the most promise for this application. Factors in this screening will be the suitability of these materials for chosen design concepts, particularly concerning specific strength, environmental compatibility and applicability to fabrication processes. Next we will characterize two material systems that will be used in the design; the characterization will allow us to generate preliminary design data that will be used for the analysis. Element testing will be performed to evaluate critical structural locations under load. Final testing on the full scale test article will be performed to verify the design and to demonstrate predictability of the analysis. Additionally, risks associated with fabricating full scale thrust structures will be reduced through testing activities. One of the major concerns that stems from full scale fabrication is the realities of size and the associated complexities of handling, manufacturing, and assembly. The need exists to fabricate, assemble and test_representative joint specimens to achieve_confidence in the design and manufacturing technologies being proposed.

Greenberg, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1932

Drag Tests of 4/9-Scale Model Engine Nacelles with Various Cowlings

Results are given of drag tests of 4/9-scale model radial air-cooled engine nacelles made as a part of a general investigation of wing-nacelle-propeller interference. A small nacelle of the type commonly used with exposed engine cylinders was tested with various forms of cowling over the cylinders. The effects of cowling-ring position and of angle of ring chord to the thrust line were investigated. An N.A.C.A. cowled nacelle and a smooth body were also tested. The results are given at 50, 75, and 100 miles per hour for -5 degrees, 0 degrees, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees angle of pitch.

Windler, Ray↗
NASA NTRS2012

Analysis of 100-lb(sub f) (445-N) LO2-LCH4 Reaction Control Engine Impulse Bit Performance

Recently, liquid oxygen-liquid methane (LO2-LCH4) has been considered as a potential green propellant alternative for future exploration missions. The Propulsion and Cryogenic Advanced Development (PCAD) project was tasked by NASA to develop this propulsion combination to enable safe and cost-effective exploration missions. To date, limited experience with such combinations exist, and as a result a comprehensive test program is critical to demonstrating with the viability of implementing such a system. The NASA Glenn Research Center conducted a test program of a 100-lbf (445-N) reaction control engine (RCE) at the Center s Altitude Combustion Stand (ACS), focusing on altitude testing over a wide variety of operational conditions. The ACS facility includes unique propellant conditioning feed systems (PCFS), which allow precise control of propellant inlet conditions to the engine. Engine performance as a result of these inlet conditions was examined extensively during the test program. This paper is a companion to the previous specific impulse testing paper, and discusses the pulsed-mode operation portion of testing, with a focus on minimum impulse bit (MIB) and repeatable pulse performance. The engine successfully demonstrated target MIB performance at all conditions, as well as successful demonstration of repeatable pulse widths. Some anomalous conditions experienced during testing are also discussed, including a double pulse phenomenon, which was not noted in previous test programs for this engine.

Marshall, William M.↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Plant Microbiome: From Ecology to Reductionism and Beyond

Methodological advances over the past two decades have propelled plant microbiome research, allowing the field to comprehensively test ideas proposed over a century ago and generate many new hypotheses. Studying the distribution of microbial taxa and genes across plant habitats has revealed the importance of various ecological and evolutionary forces shaping plant microbiota. In particular, selection imposed by plant habitats strongly shapes the diversity and composition of microbiota and leads to microbial adaptation associated with navigating the plant immune system and utilizing plant-derived resources. Reductionist approaches have demonstrated that the interaction between plant immunity and the plant microbiome is, in fact, bidirectional and that plants, microbiota, and the environment shape a complex chemical dialogue that collectively orchestrates the plantmicrobiome. Finally, the next stage in plant microbiome research will require the integration of ecological and reductionist approaches to establish a general understanding of the assembly and function in both natural and managed environments.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

The effects of configuration changes on the aerodynamic characteristics of a full-scale mockup of a light twin engine airplane

Wind tunnel tests of a full-scale model of a light twin engine aircraft were conducted. The angle of attack was varied from minus 4 degrees to plus 20 degrees. The sideslip range was plus or minus 8 degrees. Thrust coefficients were 0, 0.20, and 0.44. Tests were made with various nacelle configurations, modes of propeller rotation, orientation of the thrust axis, and airfoil section at Reynolds numbers of 2.96 times one million amd 2.05 times one million.

Fink, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Improved multiple-shot gun for use as a combustion stability rating device

A program was conducted to develop and experimentally evaluate an improved version of a modified machine gun for use as a device for rating the relative combustion stability of various rocket combustors. Following the results of a previous study involving a caliber .30 machine gun, a caliber .50 machine gun was modified in order to extend the charge-size range of the device. Nitrocellulose charge sizes ranging from 1.004 to 9.720 grams were fired at rates up to four shots per second. Shock pressures up to 25,512 kN/sq m were measured near the end of a shortened gun barrel. A minimal resistance type of check valve permitted the gun to fire into pressurized regions; back pressures up to 3448 kN/sq m abs were tested. The final modified assembly was evaluated during combustion stability tests on rocket combustors burning a FLOX-methane propellant combination.

Sokolowski, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Space shuttle orbital maneuvering engine platelet injector program

A platelet-face injector for the fully reusable orbit maneuvering system OMS on the space shuttle was evaluated as a means of obtaining additional design margin and low cost. Performance, heat transfer, and combustion stability were evaluated over the anticipated range of OMS operating conditions. The effects of acoustic cavity configuration on combustion stability, including cavity depth, open area, inlet contour, and other parameters, were investigated using sea level bomb tests. Prototype injector and chamber behavior was evaluated for a variety of conditions; these tests examined the effects of film cooling, helium saturated propellants, chamber length, inlet conditions, and operating point, on performance, heat transfer and engine transient behavior. Helium bubble ingestion into both propellant circuits was investigated, as was chugging at low pressure operation, and hot and cold engine restart with and without a purge.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1982

Developing a scalable inert gas ion thruster

Analytical studies to identify and then design a high performance scalable ion thruster operating with either argon or xenon for use in large space systems are presented. The magnetoelectrostatic containment concept is selected for its efficient ion generation capabilities. The iterative nature of the bounding magnetic fields allows the designer to scale both the diameter and length, so that the thruster can be adapted to spacecraft growth over time. Three different thruster assemblies (conical, hexagonal and hemispherical) are evaluated for a 12 cm diameter thruster and performance mapping of the various thruster configurations shows that conical discharge chambers produce the most efficient discharge operation, achieving argon efficiencies of 50-80% mass utilization at 240-310 eV/ion and xenon efficiencies of 60-97% at 240-280 eV/ion. Preliminary testing of the large 30 cm thruster, using argon propellant, indicates a 35% improvement over the 12 cm thruster in mass utilization efficiency. Since initial performance is found to be better than projected, a larger 50 cm thruster is already in the development stage.

James, E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Experimental investigation of the pulsed electrothermal (PET) thruster

Burton et al. (1982) have discussed the theory of the Pulsed Electrothermal (PET) thruster, a device which in principle can operate with 70 percent efficiency at a specific impulse of 1000 seconds and higher. It is pointed out that this level of performance would be particularly attractive for orbit raising of large satellites and other near-earth missions, which cannot be easily accomplished by chemical propulsion. The present investigation is concerned with two PET thruster operating modes. A PET thruster was built and tested on a thrust stand. Exhaust velocities for polyethylene propellant vary from 20 to 27 km/sec. Single pulse specific impulse and efficiency measurements based on ablated mass show a thruster efficiency of 37-56 percent in the time range from 1000 to 1750 seconds. It is believed that an improved design with a thruster efficiency in the range from 70 to 80 percent might be possible.

Burton, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Effects of propeller rotation direction on airplane interior noise levels

Interior noise measurements for upsweeping and downsweeping movement of the propeller blade tips past the fuselage were made on a twin-engine airplane and on two simplified fuselage models. Changes in interior noise levels of as much as 8 dB reversal of propeller rotation direction were measured for some configurations and test conditions.

Willis, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

User's manual for an aerodynamic optimization scheeme that updates flow variables and design parameters simultaneously

This user's manual is presented for an aerodynamic optimization program that updates flow variables and design parameters simultaneously. The program was developed for solving constrained optimization problems in which the objective function and the constraint function are dependent on the solution of the nonlinear flow equations. The program was tested by applying it to the problem of optimizing propeller designs. Some reference to this particular application is therefore made in the manual. However, the optimization scheme is suitable for application to general aerodynamic design problems. A description of the approach used in the optimization scheme is first presented, followed by a description of the use of the program.

Rizk, Magdi H.↗