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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2015

Fuel Distribution Estimate via Spin Period to Precession Period Ratio for the Advanced Composition Explorer

The spin period to precession period ratio of a non-axisymmetric spin-stabilized spacecraft, the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), was used to estimate the remaining mass and distribution of fuel within its propulsion system. This analysis was undertaken once telemetry suggested that two of the four fuel tanks had no propellant remaining, contrary to pre-launch expectations of the propulsion system performance. Numerical integration of possible fuel distributions was used to calculate moments of inertia for the spinning spacecraft. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of output from a dynamics simulation was employed to relate calculated moments of inertia to spin and precession periods. The resulting modeled ratios were compared to the actual spin period to precession period ratio derived from the effect of post-maneuver nutation angle on sun sensor measurements. A Monte Carlo search was performed to tune free parameters using the observed spin period to precession period ratio over the life of the mission. This novel analysis of spin and precession periods indicates that at the time of launch, propellant was distributed unevenly between the two pairs of fuel tanks, with one pair having approximately 20% more propellant than the other pair. Furthermore, it indicates the pair of the tanks with less fuel expelled all of its propellant by 2014 and that approximately 46 kg of propellant remains in the other two tanks, an amount that closely matches the operational fuel accounting estimate. Keywords: Fuel Distribution, Moments of Inertia, Precession, Spin, Nutation

Moment of Inertia↗
NASA NTRS1937

Measurements of Fuel Distribution Within Sprays for Fuel-Injection Engines

Two methods were used to measure fuel distribution within sprays from several types of fuel-injection nozzles. A small tube inserted through the wall of an air tight chamber into which the sprays were injected could be moved about inside the chamber. When the pressure was raised to obtain air densities of 6 and 14 atmospheres, some air was forced through the tube and the fuel that was carried with it was separated by absorbent cotton and weighed. Cross sections of sprays from plain, pintle, multiple-orifice, impinging-jets, centrifugal, lip, slit, and annular-orifice nozzles were investigated, at distances of 1, 3, 5, and 7 inches from the nozzles.

Lee, Dana W↗
NASA NTRS1948

Bench and engine operation of a fuel-distribution control

Presents application of a fuel-distribution-control method to actual gas-turbine engine operation. The control used was designed to equalize the flow to the 14 nozzles of a gas-turbine engine. The maximum measured deviation from perfect distribution during engine operation was 3.8 percent. It was shown that the control model is capable of maintaining this accuracy independently of changes in fuel-nozzle resistances from 0 up to 1.46 times the resistance of a normal engine fuel nozzle.

FUEL-SUPPLY SYSTEMS - GAS TURBINES↗
NASA NTRS1953

Effect of Diffuser Design, Diffuser-exit Velocity Profile and Fuel Distribution on Altitude Performance of Several Afterburner Configurations

An investigation was conducted in the NACA Lewis altitude wind tunnel to improve the altitude performance and operational characteristics of an afterburner primarily by modifying the diffuser-exit velocity profile by changes in diffuser design and by changing the fuel distribution and the flame holder. Twenty configurations, consisting of combinations of six diffuser geometries, six flame-holder types, and twelve fuel systems, were investigated. Data were obtained over a range of afterburner fuel-air ratios at diffuser-inlet total pressures from 2750 to 620 pounds per square foot. Changes in fuel distribution affected the fuel-air ratio at which peak combustion efficiency occurred as well as the efficiency level. Screeching combustion, which was most prevalent at low altitudes and medium-to-high fuel-air ratios, imposed a restriction on the operable range of a number of configurations.

Diffusers, Subsonic↗
NASA NTRS1998

Three-Dimensional Measurements of Fuel Distribution in High-Pressure, High- Temperature, Next-Generation Aviation Gas Turbine Combustors

In our world-class, optically accessible combustion facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center, we have developed the unique capability of making three-dimensional fuel distribution measurements of aviation gas turbine fuel injectors at actual operating conditions. These measurements are made in situ at the actual operating temperatures and pressures using the JP-grade fuels of candidate next-generation advanced aircraft engines for the High Speed Research (HSR) and Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) programs. The inlet temperature and pressure ranges used thus far are 300 to 1100 F and 80 to 250 psia. With these data, we can obtain the injector spray angles, the fuel mass distributions of liquid and vapor, the degree of fuel vaporization, and the degree to which fuel has been consumed. The data have been used to diagnose the performance of injectors designed both in-house and by major U.S. engine manufacturers and to design new fuel injectors with overall engine performance goals of increased efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Mie scattering is used to visualize the liquid fuel, and laser-induced fluorescence is used to visualize both liquid and fuel vapor.

Hicks, Yolanda R.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The Effect of Stochastic Perturbation of Fuel Distribution on the Criticality of a One Speed Reactor and the Development of Multi-Material Multinomial Line Statistics

The effect of random fuel redistribution on the eigenvalue of a one-speed reactor is investigated. An ensemble of such reactors that are identical to a homogeneous reference critical reactor except for the fissile isotope density distribution is constructed such that it meets a set of well-posed redistribution requirements. The average eigenvalue, , is evaluated when the total fissile loading per ensemble element, or realization, is conserved. The perturbation is proven to increase the reactor criticality on average when it is uniformly distributed. The various causes of the change in reactivity, and their relative effects are identified and ranked. From this, a path towards identifying the causes. and relative effects of reactivity fluctuations for the energy dependent problem is pointed to. The perturbation method of using multinomial distributions for representing the perturbed reactor is developed. This method has some advantages that can be of use in other stochastic problems. Finally, some of the features of this perturbation problem are related to other techniques that have been used for addressing similar problems.

Jahshan, S. N.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Effects of Non-Uniform Fuel Distribution on Detonation Tube Performance

A pulse detonation engine uses a series of high frequency intermittent detonation tubes to generate thrust. The process of filling the detonation tube with fuel and air for each cycle may yield non-uniform mixtures. Uniform mixing is commonly assumed when calculating detonation tube thrust performance. In this study, detonation cycles featuring idealized non-uniform H2/air mixtures were analyzed using a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code with detailed chemistry. Mixture non-uniformities examined included axial equivalence ratio gradients, transverse equivalence ratio gradients, and partially fueled tubes. Three different average test section equivalence ratios were studied; one stoichiometric, one fuel lean, and one fuel rich. All mixtures were detonable throughout the detonation tube. Various mixtures representing the same average test section equivalence ratio were shown to have specific impulses within 1% of each other, indicating that good fuel/air mixing is not a prerequisite for optimal detonation tube performance under the conditions investigated.

Perkins, H. Douglas↗
NASA NTRS2003

Effects of Fuel Distribution on Detonation Tube Performance

A pulse detonation engine uses a series of high frequency intermittent detonation tubes to generate thrust. The process of filling the detonation tube with fuel and air for each cycle may yield non-uniform mixtures. Uniform mixing is commonly assumed when calculating detonation tube thrust performance. In this study, detonation cycles featuring idealized non-uniform Hz/air mixtures were analyzed using a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code with detailed chemistry. Mixture non-uniformities examined included axial equivalence ratio gradients, transverse equivalence ratio gradients, and partially fueled tubes. Three different average test section equivalence ratios were studied; one stoichiometric, one fuel lean, and one fuel rich. All mixtures were detonable throughout the detonation tube. Various mixtures representing the same average test section equivalence ratio were shown to have specific impulses within 1% of each other, indicating that good fuel/air mixing is not a prerequisite for optimal detonation tube performance under conditions investigated.

Perkins, H. Douglas↗
NASA NTRS2002

Effects of Fuel Distribution on Detonation Tube Performance

A pulse detonation engine (PDE) uses a series of high frequency intermittent detonation tubes to generate thrust. The process of filling the detonation tube with fuel and air for each cycle may yield non-uniform mixtures. Lack of mixture uniformity is commonly ignored when calculating detonation tube thrust performance. In this study, detonation cycles featuring idealized non-uniform H2/air mixtures were analyzed using the SPARK two-dimensional Navier-Stokes CFD code with 7-step H2/air reaction mechanism. Mixture non-uniformities examined included axial equivalence ratio gradients, transverse equivalence ratio gradients, and partially fueled tubes. Three different average test section equivalence ratios (phi), stoichiometric (phi = 1.00), fuel lean (phi = 0.90), and fuel rich (phi = 1.10), were studied. All mixtures were detonable throughout the detonation tube. It was found that various mixtures representing the same test section equivalence ratio had specific impulses within 1 percent of each other, indicating that good fuel/air mixing is not a prerequisite for optimal detonation tube performance.

Perkins, Hugh Douglas↗
NASA NTRS1933

Experiments on the Distribution of Fuel in Fuel Sprays

The distribution of fuel in sprays for compression-ignition engines was investigated by taking high-speed spark photographs of fuel sprays reproduced under a wide variety of conditions, and also by injecting them against pieces of plasticine. A photographic study was made of sprays injected into evacuated chambers, into the atmosphere, into compressed air, and into transparent liquids. Pairs of identical sprays were injected counter to each other and their behavior analyzed. Small high velocity air jets were directed normally to the axes of fuel sprays, with the result that the envelope of spray which usually obscures the core was blown aside, leaving the core exposed on one side. The results showed that the distribution of the fuel within the sprays was very uneven.

Lee, Dana W↗