Engineering topics

Dorney, Daniel J.

Publications and source records attributed to Dorney, Daniel J..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2021

Case Studies in Verifying Spacecraft Autonomy

Spacecraft, operating with a time-to-effect faster than human command response, or with absent or delayed communication, have depended on autonomy. It is likely that this reliance will continue, and increase further in future missions. Spacecraft autonomy is used when operator intervention is not available or feasible, or when dynamic aspects of a spacecraft situation cannot be predicted in advance. This paper provides case studies of several successfully verified autonomous software systems across multiple spacecraft, flight phases (launch, transit, entry and landing, science utilization), and software classifications, and can serve as examples to future missions in methods of successfully assuring spacecraft autonomy.

Johnson, Stephen B.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Possible Scenarios for Mars Manned Exploration

Over the last five decades there have been numerous studies devoted to developing, launching and conducting a manned mission to Mars by both Russian and U.S. organizations. These studies have proposed various crew sizes, mission length, propulsion systems, habitation modules, and scientific goals. As a first step towards establishing an international partnership approach to a Mars mission, the most recent Russian concepts are explored and then compared to NASA's current Mars reference mission.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2012

A Study for Mars Manned Exploration

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Turbine Design and Analysis for the J-2X Engine Turbopumps

Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center are developing the advanced upper stage J-2X engine based on the legacy design of the J-2/J-2S family of engines which powered the Apollo missions. The cryogenic propellant turbopumps have been denoted as Mark72-F and Mark72-0 for the fuel and oxidizer side, respectively. Special attention is focused on preserving the essential flight-proven design features while adapting the design to the new turbopump configuration. Advanced 3-D CFD analysis has been employed to verify turbine aero performance at current flow regime boundary conditions and to mitigate risks associated with stresses. A limited amount of redesign and overall configuration modifications allow for a robust design with performance level matching or exceeding requirement.

Marcu, Bogdan↗

NASA NTRS2007

CFD Computation of Broadband Fan Interaction Noise

In this study, a 3-D, unsteady, Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes CFD code coupled to an acoustic calculation is used to predict the contribution of the exit guide vanes to broadband fan noise. The configuration investigated is that corresponding to the NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) 22-in fan rig. Then an acoustic model introduced by Nallasamy which is based on 2-D strip theory is used to compute the broadband rotor-stator interaction noise. One configuration from the SDT matrix is considered here: the fan speed correlating to approach, and outlet guide vane count designed for cut-off of the blade passage frequency. Thus, in the chosen configuration, there are 22 rotor blades and 54 stator blades. The stators are located 2.5 tip chords downstream of the rotor trailing edge. The RANS computations are used to obtain the spectra of the unsteady surface pressure on the exit guide vanes. This surface pressure is then integrated together with the Green's function for and infinite cylindrical duct to obtain the acoustic field. The results from this investigation validate the use of the CFD code along with the acoustic model for broadband fan noise predictions. The validation enables future investigations such as the determination of rotor tip clearance and stator solidity effects on fan rotor-stator interaction noise.

Grace, Sheryl M.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Improving the Hydrodynamic Performance of Diffuser Vanes via Shape Optimization

The performance of a diffuser in a pump stage depends on its configuration and placement within the stage. The influence of vane shape on the hydrodynamic performance of a diffuser has been studied. The goal of this effort has been to improve the performance of a pump stage by optimizing the shape of the diffuser vanes. The shape of the vanes was defined using Bezier curves and circular arcs. Surrogate model based tools were used to identify regions of the vane that have a strong influence on its performance. Optimization of the vane shape, in the absence of manufacturing, and stress constraints, led to a nearly nine percent reduction in the total pressure losses compared to the baseline design by reducing the extent of the base separation.

Goel, Tushar↗

NASA NTRS2006

Design and Analysis of a Turbopump for a Conceptual Expander Cycle Upper-Stage Engine

As part of the development of technologies for rocket engines that will power spacecraft to the Moon and Mars, a program was initiated to develop a conceptual upper stage engine with wide flow range capability. The resulting expander cycle engine design employs a radial turbine to allow higher pump speeds and efficiencies. In this paper, the design and analysis of the pump section of the engine are discussed. One-dimensional meanline analyses and three-dimensional unsteady computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed for the pump stage. Configurations with both vaneless and vaned diffusers were investigated. Both the meanline analysis and computational predictions show that the pump will meet the performance objectives. Additional details describing the development of a water flow facility test are also presented.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Momentum Transfer in a Spinning Fuel Tank Filled with Xenon

Transient spin-up and spin-down flows inside of spacecraft fuel tanks need to be analyzed in order to properly design spacecraft control systems. Knowledge of the characteristics of angular momentum transfer to and from the fuel is used to size the de-spin mechanism that places the spacecraft in a controllable in-orbit state. In previous studies, several analytical models of the spin-up process were developed. However, none have accurately predicted all of the flow dynamics. Several studies have also been conducted using Navier-Stokes based methods. These approaches have been much more successful at simulating the dynamic processes in a cylindrical container, but have not addressed the issue of momentum transfer. In the current study, the spin-up and spin-down of a fuel tank filled with gaseous xenon has been investigated using a three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes code. Primary interests have been concentrated on the spin-up/spin-down time constants and the initial torque imparted on the system. Additional focus was given to the relationship between the dominant flow dynamics and the trends in momentum transfer. Through the simulation of both a cylindrical and a spherical tank, it was revealed that the transfer of angular momentum is nonlinear at early times and tends toward a linear pattern at later times. Further investigation suggests that the nonlinear spin up is controlled by the turbulent transport of momentum, while the linear phase is controlled by a Coriolis driven (Ekman) flow along the outer wall. These results indicate that the spinup and spin-down processes occur more quickly in tanks with curved surfaces than those with defined top, bottom, and side walls. The results also provide insights for the design of spacecraft de-spin mechanisms.

Peugeot, John W.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Application of a Real-Fluid Turbomachinery Analysis to Rocket Turbopump Geometries

A three-dimensional flow solver has been developed for turbomachinery components utilizing real fluid properties. The code is applicable to both incompressible and compressible flow fields. In this study, the code has been applied to the analysis of inducer and impeller geometries representative of those used in rocket engine applications. The predicted results show good agreement with the available experimental data.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Towards Rocket Engine Components with Increased Strength and Robust Operating Characteristics

High-energy rotating machines, powering liquid propellant rocket engines, are subject to various sources of high and low cycle fatigue generated by unsteady flow phenomena. Given the tremendous need for reliability in a sustainable space exploration program, a fundamental change in the design methodology for engine components is required for both launch and space based systems. A design optimization system based on neural-networks has been applied and demonstrated in the redesign of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Low Pressure Oxidizer Turbo Pump (LPOTP) turbine nozzle. One objective of the redesign effort was to increase airfoil thickness and thus increase its strength while at the same time detuning the vane natural frequency modes from the vortex shedding frequency. The second objective was to reduce the vortex shedding amplitude. The third objective was to maintain this low shedding amplitude even in the presence of large manufacturing tolerances. All of these objectives were achieved without generating any detrimental effects on the downstream flow through the turbine, and without introducing any penalty in performance. The airfoil redesign and preliminary assessment was performed in the Exploration Technology Directorate at NASA ARC. Boeing/Rocketdyne and NASA MSFC independently performed final CFD assessments of the design. Four different CFD codes were used in this process. They include WIL DCA T/CORSAIR (NASA), FLUENT (commercial), TIDAL (Boeing Rocketdyne) and, a new family (AardvarWPhantom) of CFD analysis codes developed at NASA MSFC employing LOX fluid properties and a Generalized Equation Set formulation. Extensive aerodynamic performance analysis and stress analysis carried out at Boeing Rocketdyne and NASA MSFC indicate that the redesign objectives have been fully met. The paper presents the results of the assessment analysis and discusses the future potential of robust optimal design for rocket engine components.

Marcu, Bogdan↗

NASA NTRS2003

CFD-Based Design of Turbopump Inlet Duct for Reduced Dynamic Loads

Numerical simulations have been completed for a variety of designs for a 90 deg elbow duct. The objective is to identify a design that minimizes the dynamic load entering a LOX turbopump located at the elbow exit. Designs simulated to date indicate that simpler duct geometries result in lower losses. Benchmark simulations have verified that the compressible flow codes used in this study are applicable to these incompressible flow simulations.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS2003

Design and Analysis of Turbines for Space Applications

In order to mitigate the risk of rocket propulsion development, efficient, accurate, detailed fluid dynamics analysis of the turbomachinery is necessary. This analysis is used for component development, design parametrics, performance prediction, and environment definition. To support this requirement, a task was developed at NASAh4arshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to improve turbine aerodynamic performance through the application of advanced design and analysis tools. There are four major objectives of this task: 1) to develop, enhance, and integrate advanced turbine aerodynamic design and analysis tools; 2) to develop the methodology for application of the analytical techniques; 3) to demonstrate the benefits of the advanced turbine design procedure through its application to a relevant turbine design point; and 4) to verify the optimized design and analysis with testing. The turbine chosen on which to demonstrate the procedure was a supersonic design suitable for a reusable launch vehicle (RLV). The hot gas path and blading were redesigned to obtain an increased efficiency. The redesign of the turbine was conducted with a consideration of system requirements, realizing that a highly efficient turbine that, for example, significantly increases engine weight, is of limited benefit. Both preliminary and detailed designs were considered. To generate an improved design, one-dimensional (1D) design and analysis tools, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), response surface methodology (RSM), and neural nets (NN) were used.

Griffin, Lisa W.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Off-Design Performance of a Multi-Stage Supersonic Turbine

The drive towards high-work turbines has led to designs which can be compact, transonic, supersonic, counter rotating, or use a dense drive gas. These aggressive designs can lead to strong unsteady secondary flows and flow separation. The amplitude and extent of these unsteady flow phenomena can be amplified at off-design operating conditions. Pre-test off-design predictions have been performed for a new two-stage supersonic turbine design that is currently being tested in air. The simulations were performed using a three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes analysis, and the predicted results have been compared with solutions from a validated meanline analysis.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2003

CFD-based Design of LOX Pump Inlet Duct for Reduced Dynamic Loads

Numerical simulations have been completed for a variety of designs for a 90 deg elbow duct. The objective is to identify a design that minimizes the dynamic load entering a LOX turbopump located at the elbow exit. Designs simulated to date indicate that simpler duct geometries result in lower losses. Benchmark simulations have verified that the compressible flow code used in this study is applicable to these incompressible flow simulations.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS2003

A Generalized Fluid Formulation for Turbomachinery Computations

A generalized formulation of the equations of motion of an arbitrary fluid are developed for the purpose of defining a common iterative algorithm for computational procedures. The method makes use of the equations of motion in conservation form with separate pseudo-time derivatives used for defining the numerical flux for a Riemann solver and the convergence algorithm. The partial differential equations are complemented by an thermodynamic and caloric equations of state of a complexity necessary for describing the fluid. Representative solutions with a new code based on this general equation formulation are provided for three turbomachinery problems. The first uses air as a working fluid while the second uses gaseous oxygen in a regime in which real gas effects are of little importance. These nearly perfect gas computations provide a basis for comparing with existing perfect gas code computations. The third case is for the flow of liquid oxygen through a turbine where real gas effects are significant. Vortex shedding predictions with the LOX formulations reduce the discrepancy between perfect gas computations and experiment by approximately an order of magnitude, thereby verifying the real gas formulation as well as providing an effective case where its capabilities are necessary.

Merkle, Charles L.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Simulations of Flow Through the SSME LH2 Feed Line and LPFP Inducer

During a post-flight inspection of the liquid hydrogen feed lines leading the Space Shuttle main engines cracks were discover in slots on a flow liner just upstream of the low pressure fuel pump inducer. Numerical simulations have been performed for the feed line, the flow liner (including the slots and backing cavity) and the inducer. The predicted results have been compared with experimental data taken during hot-fire tests at NASA Stennis Space Center.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Comparison of Full and Partial Admission Flow Fields in the Simplex Turbine

This viewgraph presentation provides information on computerized simulations of flow fields in a Simplex turbine. The motivations for the simulation were: Determining the effects of partial admission flow on rotor performance as a function of circumferential location and on unsteady rotor loading; Providing an efficient technique for determining turbine performance. The simulation used the flow code CORSAIR.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

The CORSAIR Turbomachinery Code: Status and Plans

This viewgraph presentation gives an overview of the CORSAIR turbomachinery code's status and plans. Details are provided on the CORSAIR algorithms, full- and partial-admission turbine simulations, the Simplex turbine, instantaneous Mach number, unsteady pressure admission graphs, variable fluid property RLV-133 simulations, instantaneous entropy function, pumps and inducers, and future plans.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗