Engineering topics

Rothermel, Jeffry

Publications and source records attributed to Rothermel, Jeffry.

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2011

Gas Generator Feedline Orifice Sizing Methodology: Effects of Unsteadiness and Non-Axisymmetric Flow

Engine LH2 and LO2 gas generator feed assemblies were modeled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods at 100% rated power level, using on-center square- and round-edge orifices. The purpose of the orifices is to regulate the flow of fuel and oxidizer to the gas generator, enabling optimal power supply to the turbine and pump assemblies. The unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations were solved on unstructured grids at second-order spatial and temporal accuracy. The LO2 model was validated against published experimental data and semi-empirical relationships for thin-plate orifices over a range of Reynolds numbers. Predictions for the LO2 square- and round-edge orifices precisely match experiment and semi-empirical formulas, despite complex feedline geometry whereby a portion of the flow from the engine main feedlines travels at a right-angle through a smaller-diameter pipe containing the orifice. Predictions for LH2 square- and round-edge orifice designs match experiment and semi-empirical formulas to varying degrees depending on the semi-empirical formula being evaluated. LO2 mass flow rate through the square-edge orifice is predicted to be 25 percent less than the flow rate budgeted in the original engine balance, which was subsequently modified. LH2 mass flow rate through the square-edge orifice is predicted to be 5 percent greater than the flow rate budgeted in the engine balance. Since CFD predictions for LO2 and LH2 square-edge orifice pressure loss coefficients, K, both agree with published data, the equation for K has been used to define a procedure for orifice sizing.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

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 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

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

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 NTRS2001

Remote Sensing of Wind Fields and Aerosol Distribution with Airborne Scanning Doppler Lidar

The coherent Doppler laser radar (lidar), when operated from an airborne platform, is a unique tool for the study of atmospheric and surface processes and features. This is especially true for scientific objectives requiring measurements in optically-clear air, where other remote sensing technologies such as Doppler radar are typically at a disadvantage. The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of several US institutions, led by Marshall Space Flight Center, have developed an airborne coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping the wind field and aerosol structure in three dimensions. The instrument consists of an eye-safe approx. 1 Joule/pulse lidar transceiver, telescope, scanner, inertial measurement unit, and flight computer system to orchestrate all subsystem functions and tasks. The scanner is capable of directing the expanded lidar beam in a variety of ways, in order to extract vertically-resolved wind fields. Horizontal resolution is approx. 1 km; vertical resolution is even finer. Winds are obtained by measuring backscattered, Doppler-shifted laser radiation from naturally-occurring aerosol particles (of order 1 micron diameter). Measurement coverage depends on aerosol spatial distribution and composition. Velocity accuracy has been verified to be approx. 1 meter per second. A variety of applications have been demonstrated during the three flight campaigns conducted during 1995-1998. Examples will be shown during the presentation. In 1995, boundary layer winds over the ocean were mapped with unprecedented resolution. In 1996, unique measurements were made of. flow over the complex terrain of the Aleutian Islands; interaction of the marine boundary layer jet with the California coastal mountain range; a weak dry line in Texas - New Mexico; the angular dependence of sea surface scattering; and in-flight radiometric calibration using the surface of White Sands National Monument. In 1998, the first measurements of eyewall and boundary layer winds within a hurricane were made with the airborne Doppler lidar. Potential applications and plans for improvement will also be described.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS2001

Radiometric Calibration of an Airborne CO2 Pulsed Doppler Lidar Using a Natural Earth Surface

Radiometric calibration of an airborne CO2 pulsed Doppler lidar has been accomplished using surface retro-reflection signals from the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA. Two circular passes were made at altitudes of 6.26 and 9.26 km. The computed calibration factors for both altitudes are in excellent agreement with the value derived from standard ground-based measurements involving a fixed sandpaper target of known reflectance. This finding corroborates a previous study that successfully calibrated an airborne continuous-wave Doppler lidar using a variety of natural Earth surfaces. The present results indicate that relatively uniform Earth-surface targets can be used for in-flight calibration of pulsed airborne, and, in principal, spaceborne lidars.

Cutten, Dean R.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Hurricane Wind Field Measurements with Scanning Airborne Doppler Lidar During CAMEX-3

During the 1998 Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), the first hurricane wind field measurements with Doppler lidar were achieved. Wind fields were mapped within the eye, along the eyewall, in the central dense overcast, and in the marine boundary layer encompassing the inflow region. Spatial coverage was determined primarily by cloud distribution and opacity. Within optically-thin cirrus slant range of 20- 25 km was achieved, whereas no propagation was obtained during penetration of dense cloud. Measurements were obtained with the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) on the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. MACAWS was developed and operated cooperatively by the atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A pseudo-dual Doppler technique ("co-planar scanning") is used to map the horizontal component of the wind at several vertical levels. Pulses from the laser are directed out the left side of the aircraft in the desired directions using computer-controlled rotating prisms. Upon exiting the aircraft, the beam is completely eyesafe. Aircraft attitude and speed are taken into account during real-time signal processing, resulting in determination of the ground-relative wind to an accuracy of about 1 m/s magnitude and about 10 deg direction. Beam pointing angle errors are about 0.1 deg, equivalent to about 17 m at 10 km. Horizontal resolution is about 1 km (along-track) for typical signal processor and scanner settings; vertical resolution varies with range. Results from CAMEX-3 suggest that scanning Doppler wind lidar can complement airborne Doppler radar by providing wind field measurements in regions that are devoid of hydrometeors. At present MACAWS observations are being assimilated into experimental forecast models and satellite Doppler wind lidar simulations to evaluate the relative impact.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS2000

Remote Sensing of Wind Fields and Aerosol Distributions with Airborne Scanning Doppler Lidar

The coherent Doppler lidar, when operated from an airborne platform, offers a unique measurement capability for study of atmospheric and surface processes and feature. This is especially true for scientific objectives requiring measurements in optically-clear air, where other remote sensing technologies such as Doppler radar are at a disadvantage in terms of spatial resolution and coverage. The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of several US institutions, led by Marshall Space Flight Center, have developed an airborne coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping the wind field and aerosol structure in three dimensions. The instrument consists of about a 1 Joule/pulse (eyesafe) lidar transceiver, telescope, scanner, inertial measurement unit, and operations control system to orchestrate all subsystem functions and tasks. The scanner is capable of directing the expanded lidar beam in a variety of ways, in order to extract vertically resolved wind fields. Horizontal resolution is about 1 km; vertical resolution is even finer. Winds are obtained by measuring backscattered, Doppler-shifted laser radiation from naturally-occurring aerosol particles (on an order of 1 micron in diameter). Measurement coverage depends on aerosol spatial distribution and concentration. Velocity accuracy has been verified to be about 1 m/s. A variety of applications has been demonstrated during the three flight campaigns conducted during 1995-1998. Examples will be shown during the presentation. In 1995, boundary layer winds over the ocean were mapped with unprecedented resolution. In 1996, unique measurements were made of flow over the complex terrain of the Aleutian Islands; interaction of the marine boundary layer jet with the California coastal mountain range; a weak dry line in Texas - New Mexico; an upper tropospheric jet stream; the angular dependence of sea surface scattering; and in-flight radiometric calibration using the surface of White Sands National Monument. In 1998, the first measurements of eyewall and boundary layer winds within a hurricane were made with the airborne Doppler lidar. Potential future applications, and plans for improvements, will also be identified.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Multi-Center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor: Recent Measurements and Future Applications

The coherent Doppler lidar, when operated from an airborne platform, offers a unique measurement capability for study of atmospheric dynamical and physical properties. This is especially true for scientific objectives requiring measurements in optically-clear air, where other remote sensing technologies such as Doppler radar are at a disadvantage in terms of spatial resolution and coverage. Recent experience suggests airborne coherent Doppler lidar can yield unique wind measurements of--and during operation within--extreme weather phenomena. This paper presents the first airborne coherent Doppler lidar measurements of hurricane wind fields. The lidar atmospheric remote sensing groups of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Technology Laboratory, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory jointly developed an airborne lidar system, the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS). The centerpiece of MACAWS is the lidar transmitter from the highly successful NOAA Windvan. Other field-tested lidar components have also been used, when feasible, to reduce costs and development time. The methodology for remotely sensing atmospheric wind fields with scanning coherent Doppler lidar was demonstrated in 1981; enhancements were made and the system was reflown in 1984. MACAWS has potentially greater scientific utility, compared to the original airborne scanning lidar system, owing to a factor of approx. 60 greater energy-per-pulse from the NOAA transmitter. MACAWS development was completed and the system was first flown in 1995. Following enhancements to improve performance, the system was re-flown in 1996 and 1998. The scientific motivation for MACAWS is three-fold: obtain fundamental measurements of subgrid scale (i.e., approx. 2-200 km) processes and features which may be used to improve parameterizations in hydrological, climate, and general/regional circulation models; obtain similar datasets to improve understanding and predictive capabilities for similarly-scaled processes and features; and simulate and validate the performance of prospective satellite Doppler lidars for global tropospheric wind measurement.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS1999

Aerosol Backscatter from Airborne Continuous Wave CO2 Lidars Over Western North America and the Pacific Ocean

Atmospheric aerosol backscatter, beta, variability gives a direct indication of aerosol loading. Since aerosol variability is governed by regional sources and sinks as well as affected by its transport due to meteorological conditions, it is important to characterize this loading at different locations and times. Lidars are sensitive instruments that can effectively provide high-resolution, large-scale sampling of the atmosphere remotely by measuring aerosol beta, thereby capturing detailed temporal and spatial variability of aerosol loading, Although vertical beta profiles are usually obtained by pulsed lidars, airborne-focused CW lidars, with high sensitivity and short time integration, can provide higher resolution sampling in the vertical, thereby revealing detailed structure of aerosol layers. During the 1995 NASA Multicenter Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) mission, NASA MSFC airborne-focused CW CO2 Doppler lidars, operating at 9.1 and 10.6-micrometers wavelength, obtained high resolution in situ aerosol beta measurements to characterize aerosol variability. The observed variability in beta at 9.1-micrometers wavelength with altitude is presented as well as comparison with some pulsed lidar profiles.

Jarzembski, Maurice A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Aerosol Backscatter from Airborne Continuous Wave CO2 Lidars over Western North America and the Pacific Ocean

Aerosol backscatter measurements using two continuous wave CO2 Doppler lidars were obtained over western North America and the Pacific Ocean during a 1995 NASA airborne mission. Similarities and differences for aerosol loading over land and ocean were observed. Mid-tropospheric aerosol backscatter background mode was approximately 6 x 10(exp -11)/m.sr, consistent with previous lidar datasets.

Jarzembski, Maurice A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Multi-Center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor: Recent Measurements and Future Applications

The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center jointly developed an airborne scanning coherent Doppler Lidar. We describe the system, present recent measurement (including the first wind fields measured within a hurricane using Doppler lidar), and describe prospective instrument improvements and research applications.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS1998

Vertical Aerosol Backscatter Variability from an Airborne Focused Continuous Wave CO2 Lidar

Atmospheric aerosol backscatter measurements using a continuous wave focused Doppler lidar at 9.1 micron wavelength were obtained over western North America and the Pacific Ocean during 13 - 26 September, 1995 as part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) mission on board the NASA DC8 aircraft. Backscatter variability was measured for approximately 52 flight hours, covering equivalent horizontal distance of approximately 25,000 km in the troposphere. Quasi-vertical backscatter profiles were also obtained during various ascents and descents which ranged between approximately 0.1 to 12.0 km altitude. Aerosol haze layers were encountered at different altitudes. Similarities and differences for aerosol loading over land and over ocean were observed. A mid-tropospheric aerosol backscatter background mode was found with modal value approximately 1O(exp -10)/m/sr, consistent with previous airborne and ground-based datasets.

Jarzembski, Maurice A.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Comparison of Modeled Backscatter using Measured Aerosol Microphysics with Focused CW Lidar Data over Pacific

During NASA's GLObal Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) II flight mission over the Pacific Ocean in May-June 1990, extensive aerosol backscatter data sets from two continuous wave, focused CO2 Doppler lidars and an aerosol microphysics data set from a laser optical particle counter (LOPC) were obtained. Changes in aerosol loading in various air masses with associated changes in chemical composition, from sulfuric acid and sulfates to dustlike crustal material, significantly affected aerosol backscatter, causing variation of about 3 to 4 orders of magnitude. Some of the significant backscatter features encountered in different air masses were the low backscatter in subtropical air with even lower values in the tropics near the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), highly variable backscatter in the ITCZ, mid-tropospheric aerosol backscatter background mode, and high backscatter in an Asian dust plume off the Japanese coast. Differences in aerosol composition and backscatter for northern and southern hemisphere also were observed. Using the LOPC measurements of physical and chemical aerosol properties, we determined the complex refractive index from three different aerosol mixture models to calculate backscatter. These values provided a well-defined envelope of modeled backscatter for various atmospheric conditions, giving good agreement with the lidar data over a horizontal sampling of approximately 18000 km in the mid-troposphere.

Srivastava, Vandana↗

NASA NTRS1997

The Multi-Center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor, MACAWS

In 1992 the atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory began a joint collaboration to develop an airborne high-energy Doppler laser radar (lidar) system for atmospheric research and satellite validation and simulation studies. The result is the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor, MACAWS, which has the capability to remotely sense the distribution of wind and absolute aerosol backscatter in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. A factor critical to the programmatic feasibility and technical success of this collaboration has been the utilization of existing components and expertise which were developed for previous atmospheric research by the respective institutions. The motivation for the MACAWS program Is three-fold: to obtain fundamental measurements of sub-synoptic scale processes and features which may be used as a basis to improve sub-grid scale parameterizations in large-scale models; to obtain similar datasets in order to improve the understanding and predictive capabilities on the mesoscale; and to validate (simulate) the performance of existing (planned) satellite-borne sensors. Examples of the latter include participation in the validation of the NASA Scatterometer and the assessment of prospective satellite Doppler lidar for global tropospheric wind measurement. Initial flight tests were made in September 1995; subsequent flights were made in June 1996 following improvements. This paper describes the MACAWS instrument, principles of operation, examples of measurements over the eastern Pacific Ocean and western United States, and future applications.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS1997

Remote Sensing of Multi-Level Wind Fields with High-Energy Airborne Scanning Coherent Doppler Lidar

The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory have developed and flown a scanning, 1 Joule per pulse, CO2 coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping a three-dimensional volume of atmospheric winds and aerosol backscatter in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Applications include the study of severe and non-severe atmospheric flows, intercomparisons with other sensors, and the simulation of prospective satellite Doppler lidar wind profilers. Examples of wind measurements are given for the marine boundary layer and near the coastline of the western United States.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗

NASA NTRS1996

Signal Processing and Calibration of Continuous-Wave Focused CO2 Doppler Lidars for Atmospheric Backscatter Measurement

Two continuous-wave(CW)focused C02 Doppler lidars (9.1 and 10.6 micrometers) were developed for airborne in situ aerosol backscatter measurements. The complex path of reliably calibrating these systems, with different signal processors, for accurate derivation of atmospheric backscatter coefficients is documented. Lidar calibration for absolute backscatter measurement for both lidars is based on range response over the lidar sample volume, not solely at focus. Both lidars were calibrated with a new technique using well-characterized aerosols as radiometric standard targets and related to conventional hard-target calibration. A digital signal processor (DSP), a surface acoustic and spectrum analyzer and manually tuned spectrum analyzer signal analyzers were used. The DSP signals were analyzed with an innovative method of correcting for systematic noise fluctuation; the noise statistics exhibit the chi-square distribution predicted by theory. System parametric studies and detailed calibration improved the accuracy of conversion from the measured signal-to-noise ratio to absolute backscatter. The minimum backscatter sensitivity is approximately 3 x 10(exp -12)/m/sr at 9.1 micrometers and approximately 9 x 10(exp -12)/m/sr at 10.6 micrometers. Sample measurements are shown for a flight over the remote Pacific Ocean in 1990 as part of the NASA Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) survey missions, the first time to our knowledge that 9.1-10.6 micrometer lidar intercomparisons were made. Measurements at 9.1 micrometers, a potential wavelength for space-based lidar remote-sensing applications, are to our knowledge the first based on the rare isotope C-12 O(2)-18 gas.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗