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NASA NTRS2005

Shape Changing Airfoil

Scoping of shape changing airfoil concepts including both aerodynamic analysis and materials-related technology assessment effort was performed. Three general categories of potential components were considered-fan blades, booster and compressor blades, and stator airfoils. Based on perceived contributions to improving engine efficiency, the fan blade was chosen as the primary application for a more detailed assessment. A high-level aerodynamic assessment using a GE90-90B Block 4 engine cycle and fan blade geometry indicates that blade camber changes of approximately +/-4deg would be sufficient to result in fan efficiency improvements nearing 1 percent. Constraints related to flight safety and failed mode operation suggest that use of the baseline blade shape with actuation to the optimum cruise condition during a portion of the cycle would be likely required. Application of these conditions to the QAT fan blade and engine cycle was estimated to result in an overall fan efficiency gain of 0.4 percent.

Ott, Eric A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Engine Seal Technology Requirements to Meet NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Program Goals

Cycle studies have shown the benefits of increasing engine pressure ratios and cycle temperatures to decrease engine weight and improve performance of commercial turbine engines. NASA is working with industry to define technology requirements of advanced engines and engine technology to meet the goals of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Initiative. As engine operating conditions become more severe and customers demand lower operating costs, NASA and engine manufacturers are investigating methods of improving engine efficiency and reducing operating costs. A number of new technologies are being examined that will allow next generation engines to operate at higher pressures and temperatures. Improving seal performance - reducing leakage and increasing service life while operating under more demanding conditions - will play an important role in meeting overall program goals of reducing specific fuel consumption and ultimately reducing direct operating costs. This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Subsonic Technology program goals, discusses the motivation for advanced seal development, and highlights seal technology requirements to meet future engine performance goals.

Steinetz, Bruce M.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Aerospace Seal Requirements

Cycle studies have shown the benefits of increasing engine pressure ratios and cycle temperatures to decrease engine weight and improve performance of commercial turbine engines. NASA is working with industry to define technology requirements of advanced engines and engine technology to meet the goals of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Initiative. As engine operating conditions become more severe and customers demand lower operating costs, NASA and engine manufacturers are investigating methods of improving engine efficiency and reducing operating costs. A number of new technologies are being examined that will allow next generations engines to operate at higher pressures and temperatures. Improving seal performance - reducing leakage and increasing service life while operating under more demanding conditions - will play an important role in meeting overall program goals of reducing specific fuel consumption and ultimately reducing direct operating costs. This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program goals discusses the motivation for advanced seal development, and highlights seal technology requirements to meet future engine performance goals.

Steinetz, Bruce M.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Overview of a stirling engine test project

Tests were conducted on three Stirling engines ranging in size from 1.33 to 53 horsepower (1 to 40 kW). The tests were directed toward developing alternative, backup component concepts to improve engine efficiency and performance or to reduce costs. Some of the activities included investigating attractive concepts and materials for cooler-regenerator units, installing a jet impingement device on a Stirling engine to determine its potential for improved engine performance, and presenting performance maps for initial characterization of Stirling engines. The experiment results of the tests are presented along with predictions of results of future tests to be conducted on the Stirling engines.

Slaby, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Multifunctional Low-Pressure Turbine for Core Noise Reduction, Improved Efficiency, and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Reduction

This work studied the feasibility of using Helmholtz resonator cavities embedded in low-pressure-turbine (LPT) airfoils to (1) reduce core noise by damping acoustic modes; (2) use the synthetic jets produced by the liner hole acoustic oscillations to improve engine efficiency by maintaining turbulent attached flow in the LPT at low-Reynolds-number cruise conditions; and (3) reduce engine nitrogen oxide emissions by lining the internal cavities with materials capable of catalytic conversion. Flat plates with embedded Helmholtz resonators, designed to resonate at either 3000 or at 400 Hz, were simulated using computational fluid dynamics. The simulations were conducted for two inlet Mach numbers, 0.25 and 0.5, corresponding to Reynolds numbers of 90 000 and 164 000 based on the effective chordwise distance to the resonator orifice. The results of this study are (1) the region of acoustic treatment may be large enough to have a benefit; (2) the jets may not possess sufficient strength to reduce flow separation (based on prior work by researchers in the flow control area); and (3) the additional catalytic surface area is not exposed to a high velocity, so it probably does not have any benefit.

Miller, Christopher J.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Perspective on thermal barrier coatings for industrial gas turbine applications

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) have been used in high thrust aircraft engines for many years, and have proved to be very effective in providing thermal protection and increasing engine efficiencies. TBC life requirements for aircraft engines are typically less than those required for industrial gas turbines. This paper describes current and future applications of TBC's in industrial gas turbine engines. Early testing and applications of TBC's is reviewed. Areas of concern from the engine designer's and materials engineer's perspective are identified and evaluated. This paper focuses on the key factors that are expected to influence utilization of TBC's in advanced industrial gas turbine engines. It is anticipated that reliable, durable and highly effective coating systems will be produced that will ultimately improve engine efficiency and performance.

Mutasim, Zaher↗

DOE OSTI2021

Production, fuel properties and combustion testing of an iso-olefins blendstock for modern vehicles

With the increasing pressure to decarbonize the transportation sector, exploring strategies that can reduce emissions from light-duty vehicles (LDV) has become critical. Bioblendstocks that allow for higher engine efficiency and fuel economy could complement vehicle electrification and help reach carbon neutrality by 2050. In this context, the potential of a mixture of iso-olefins as a bioblendstock was investigated for multimode boosted spark-ignition (SI)/advanced compression ignition (ACI) engine operation designed to achieve higher overall vehicle fuel economy. By establishing the relationship between the molecular structure of iso-olefins and research octane number (RON), octane sensitivity (S) (i.e., the difference between RON and motor octane number [MON]), and phi-sensitivity a dimethyl-hexenes rich olefins mixture (DMHROM) was identified as a preferred blendstock for SI/ACI combustion engines. Here, a pathway for DMHROM production from biomass-derived ethanol was developed and scaled up. More than 1 gallon of DMHROM blendstock was produced for fuel properties assessment including engine testing. Measurements in a Cooperative Fuel Research Engine showed that the DMHROM blendstock possesses a RON of 94 and S of 13.5, and blends synergistically. Rapid compression machine tests coupled with single-cylinder gasoline direct injection engine measurements demonstrated the 20 vol.% DMHROM blend has higher phi-sensitivity than an olefin-free gasoline base fuel and a typical California Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CARBOB) gasoline fuel. These results demonstrate the potential of DMHROM for improving gasoline fuel performance and quality for operation under ACI conditions. The effectiveness of the aftertreatment system in mitigating emissions was verified and showed that the pure DMHROM blendstock and 20 vol.% blend would not increase non-methane organic gases, NO x , and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. The DMHROM blendstock was found to slightly decrease sooting tendency when added to a gasoline-base fuel (i.e., ~6% reduction at 20 vol.% blending level). Oxidation stability and lubricant compatibility were both confirmed for the 20 vol.% blend. Overall, these results demonstrate that dimethyl-hexenes have potential for improving engine efficiency and fuel economy while meeting emissions regulations and ASTM specifications for gasoline fuel.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Effects of Buoyancy and Dilution on the Structure and Lift-Off of Coflow Laminar Diffusion Flames

The ability to predict the coupled effects of complex transport phenomena with detailed chemical kinetics in diffusion flames is critical in the modeling of turbulent reacting flows and in understanding the processes by which soot formation and radiative transfer take place. In addition, an understanding of those factors that affect flame extinction in diffusion flames is critical in the suppression of fires and in improving engine efficiency. A goal of this work is to bring to microgravity flame studies the detailed experimental and numerical tools that have been used to study ground-based systems. This will lead to a more detailed understanding of the interaction of convection, diffusion and chemistry in a nonbuoyant environment. To better understand these phenomena, experimental and computational studies of a coflow laminar diffusion flame have been carried out. To date, these studies have focused on a single set of flow conditions, in which a nitrogen-diluted methane fuel stream (65% methane by volume) was surrounded by an air coflow, with exit velocities matched at 35 cm/s. Of particular interest is the change in flame shape due to the absence of buoyant forces, as well as the amount of diluent in the fuel stream and the coflow velocity. As a sensitive marker of changes in the flame shape, the number densities of excited-state CH (A(exp 2 delta) denoted CH*), and excited-state OH (A(exp 2 sigma, denoted OH*) are measured. CH* and OH* number densities are deconvoluted from line-of-sight chemiluminescence measurements made on the NASA KC135 reduced-gravity aircraft. Measured signal levels are calibrated, post-flight, with Rayleigh scattering. In extending the study to microgravity conditions, improvements to the computational model have been made and new calculations performed for a range of gravity conditions. In addition, modifications to the experimental approach were required as a consequence of the constraints imposed by existing microgravity facilities. Results from the computations and experiments are presented.

Walsh, Kevin T.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Impact of Selected High-Performance Fuel Blends on Three-Way Catalyst Light Off under Synthetic Spark-Ignition Engine-Exhaust Conditions

The U.S. Department of Energy funded Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines initiative aims to simultaneously develop advanced engines along with high-performance fuels to reduce petroleum consumption. The engine exhaust of spark-ignited light-duty vehicles contains pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide (CO), and non-methane organic gases. When operated above their “light-off” temperature, three-way catalysts (TWCs) efficiently control the emissions of these pollutants from the vehicle exhaust. However, below the catalyst light-off temperature, during cold start, the TWCs are not effective. Thus, the stringent environmental regulations necessitate cold-start compliance of advanced engines operating on novel fuels for commercialization. Exhaust composition strongly impacts the effectiveness of TWCs. Hence, ensuring that the high-performance fuels under consideration do not have detrimental effects on current emissions control technology is necessary. To mitigate cold-start emissions, a low light-off temperature of the fuel on the TWC is desirable. As real-world fuels are multicomponent blends, we conducted investigations into the light-off behavior of representative fuel mixtures on a three-mode redox-aged commercial TWC under synthetic engine-exhaust conditions. The high-performance fuels in this study included 10–30% volumetric levels of ethanol, isobutanol, diisobutylene, and an aromatic mixture. Each of these high-performance fuel components was mixed into a gasoline surrogate blendstock for oxygenate blending (BOB). Our results showed that aromatics and alkenes in the surrogate BOB inhibit low-temperature reactivity of alkanes, alcohols, and CO on the TWC and dominate the blend light-off behavior. All the high-performance fuel blends had a very similar light-off behavior to the surrogate gasoline BOB, indicating that blending up to 30% (by vol.) of high-performance blendstocks in a gasoline base fuel can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions through improved engine efficiency and petroleum displacement without jeopardizing the ability to meet emissions regulations. While some high-performance blendstocks demonstrated lower light-off temperatures than a surrogate gasoline blend, taking advantage of the higher catalytic reactivity of these blendstocks to reduce cold-start emissions would require reducing the aromatic content in petroleum-based market fuels.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Effects of Buoyancy and Dilution on the Structure and Lift-off of Coflow Laminar Diffusion Flames

The ability to predict the coupled effects of complex transport phenomena with detailed chemical kinetics in diffusion flames is critical in the modeling of turbulent reacting flows and in understanding the processes by which soot formation and radiative transfer take place. In addition, an understanding of the factors that affect flame extinction in diffusion flames is critical in the suppression of fires and in improving engine efficiency. The goal of our characterizations of coflow laminar diffusion flames is to bring to microgravity the multidimensional diagnostic tools available in normal gravity, and in so doing provide a broader understanding of the successes and limitations of current combustion models. This will lead to a more detailed understanding of the interaction of convection, diffusion and chemistry in both buoyant and nonbuoyant environments. As a sensitive marker of changes in the flame shape, the number densities of excited-state CH (A(exp 2)delta, denoted CH*), and excited-state OH (A(exp 2)Sigma, denoted OH*) are measured in mu-g and normal gravity. Two-dimensional CH* and OH* number densities are deconvoluted from line-of-sight chemiluminescence measurements made on the NASA KC-135 reduced-gravity aircraft. Measured signal levels are calibrated, post-flight, with Rayleigh scattering. Although CH* and OH* kinetics are not well understood, the CH*, OH*, and ground-state CH distributions are spatially coincident in the flame anchoring region. Therefore, the ground-state CH distribution, which is easily computed, and the readily measured CH*/OH* distributions can be used to provide a consistent and convenient way of measuring lift-off height and flame shape in the diffusion flame under investigation. Given that the fuel composition affects flame chemistry and that buoyancy influences the velocity profile of the flow, we have the opportunity to computationally and experimentally study the roles of fluids and chemistry. In performing this microgravity study, improvements to the computational model have been made and new calculations performed for a range of gravity and flow conditions. Furthermore, modifications to the experimental approach were required as a consequence of the constraints imposed by existing microgravity facilities. Results from the computations and experiments are presented in the following sections.

Walsh, Kevin T.↗

DOE OSTI2022

A review of zirconia oxygen, NO x , and mixed potential gas sensors – History and current trends

Zirconia-based electrochemical sensors have revolutionized oxygen monitoring and combustion control. Here, these robust, solid-state devices are found in virtually every internal combustion engine today providing feedback information for tight air to fuel ratio control thus minimizing unwanted emissions and improving engine efficiency. Variations on the sensor design and operational mode enable the measurement of nitrogen oxides to part per million levels, providing control information for exhaust after-treatment systems. Emerging designs include the development of "gas analyzers on a chip" capable of monitoring oxygen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and hydrocarbons.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS1980

Multifuel rotary aircraft engine

The broad objectives of this paper are the following: (1) to summarize the Curtiss-Wright design, development and field testing background in the area of rotary aircraft engines; (2) to briefly summarize past activity and update development work in the area of stratified charge rotary combustion engines; and (3) to discuss the development of a high-performance direct injected unthrottled stratified charge rotary combustion aircraft engine. Efficiency improvements through turbocharging are also discussed.

Jones, C.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Advanced rotary engines

Jones, C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Welding and Brazing Silicon Carbide

Hot isostatic pressing and conventional furnace brazing effective under right conditions. Study performed showed feasibility of welding SiC using several welding and brazing techniques. Use of SiC improves engine efficiency by allowing increase in operating temperature. SiC successfully hot-pressure-welded at 3,550 degrees F (1,950 degrees C) in argon. Refinements of solid-state welding and brazing procedures used sufficient for some specific industrial applications.

Moore, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Experiences performing conceptual design optimization of transport aircraft

Optimum Preliminary Design of Transports (OPDOT) is a computer program developed at NASA Langley Research Center for evaluating the impact of new technologies upon transport aircraft. For example, it provides the capability to look at configurations which have been resized to take advantage of active controls and provide and indication of economic sensitivity to its use. Although this tool returns a conceptual design configuration as its output, it does not have the accuracy, in absolute terms, to yield satisfactory point designs for immediate use by aircraft manufacturers. However, the relative accuracy of comparing OPDOT-generated configurations while varying technological assumptions has been demonstrated to be highly reliable. Hence, OPDOT is a useful tool for ascertaining the synergistic benefits of active controls, composite structures, improved engine efficiencies and other advanced technological developments. The approach used by OPDOT is a direct numerical optimization of an economic performance index. A set of independent design variables is iterated, given a set of design constants and data. The design variables include wing geometry, tail geometry, fuselage size, and engine size. This iteration continues until the optimum performance index is found which satisfies all the constraint functions. The analyst interacts with OPDOT by varying the input parameters to either the constraint functions or the design constants. Note that the optimization of aircraft geometry parameters is equivalent to finding the ideal aircraft size, but with more degrees of freedom than classical design procedures will allow.

Arbuckle, P. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Constitutive modelling of single crystal and directionally solidified superalloys

The trend towards improved engine efficiency and durability places increasing demands on materials that operate in the hot section of the gas turbine engine. These demands are being met by new coatings and materials such as single crystal and directionally solidified nickel-base superalloys which have greater creep/fatigue resistance at elevated temperatures and reduced susceptibility to grain boundary creep, corrosion and oxidation than conventionally cast alloys. Work carried out as part of a research program aimed at the development of constitutive equations to describe the elevated temperature stress-strain-time behavior of single crystal and directionally solidified turbine blade superalloys is discussed. The program involves both development of suitable constitutive models and their verification through elevated temperature tension-torsion testing of single crystals of PWA 1480.

Jordan, E. H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Materials for engine applications above 3000 deg F: An overview

Materials for future generations of aeropropulsion systems will be required to perform at ever-increasing temperatures and have properties superior to the current state of the art. Improved engine efficiency can reduce specific fuel consumption and thus increase range and reduce operating costs. The ultimate payoff gain is expected to come when materials are developed which can perform without cooling at gas temperatures to 2200 C (4000 F). An overview is presented of materials for applications above 1650 C (3000 F), some pertinent physical property data, and the rationale used: (1) to arrive at recommendations of material systems that qualify for further investigation, and (2) to develop a proposed plan of research. From an analysis of available thermochemical data it was included that such materials systems must be composed of oxide ceramics. The required structural integrity will be achieved by developing these materials into fiber-reinforced ceramic composites.

Shaw, Nancy J.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Perspective on thermal barrier coatings for industrial gas turbine applications

Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC's) have been used in high thrust aircraft engines for many years, and have proved to be very effective in allowing higher turbine inlet temperatures. TBC life requirements for aircraft engines are typically less than those required in industrial gas turbines. The use of TBC's for industrial gas turbines can increase if durability and longer service life can be successfully demonstrated. This paper will describe current and future applications of TBC's in industrial gas turbine engines. Early testing and applications of TBC's will also be reviewed. This paper focuses on the key factors that are expected to influence utilization of TBC's in advanced industrial gas turbine engines. It is anticipated that reliable, durable and high effective coating systems will be produced that will ultimately improve engine efficiency and performance.

Mutasim, Z. Z.↗