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At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Analytic investigation of efficiency and performance limits in klystron amplifiers using multidimensional computer programs; multi-stage depressed collectors; and thermionic cathode life studies

Due to complexity of the program which used a hydrodynamic, axially and radially deformable disk-ring model and the resulting long computing time only the output gap was investigated. Results from independent studies were used to initiate the starting conditions for the electrons and the RF voltage using our program. Although this method of computation is less exact than processing the entire klystron interaction in 3-Dimensions it is shown that, for a confined flow focused throughout the penultimate cavity, radial velocities remain very small and the beam is highly laminar. It is concluded that possible errors resulting from treating only the output cavity in 3-D would remain small.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Turbomachinery Design Quality Checks to Avoid Friction Induced Structural Failure

A unique configuration of the P&W SSME Alternate Fuel Turbopump turbine disk/blade assembly, combined with a severe thermal environment, resulted in several structural anomalies that were driven by frictional contact forces. Understanding the mechanics of these problems provides new quality checks for future turbo machinery designs. During development testing in 1997 of the SSME alternate fuel turbopump at Stennis Space Center, several potentially serious problems surfaced with the turbine disk/blade assembly that had not been experienced in extensive earlier testing. Changes to the operational thermal environment were noted based on analytical prediction of modifications that affected performance and on stationary thermal measurements adjacent to the rotor assembly. A detailed structural investigation was required to reveal the mechanism of distress induced by the change. The turbine disk experienced cracking in several locations due to increased thermal gradient induced stress during start and shutdown transients. This was easily predictable using standard analysis procedures and expected once the thermal environment was characterized. What was not expected was the curling of a piston ring used for blade axial retention in the disk, indentation of the axial face of the blade attachment by a spacer separating the first and second stage blades, and most significantly, galling and cracking of the blade root attachment that could have resulted in blade release. Past experience, in gas turbine environments, set a precedent of never relying on friction for help and to evaluate it only in specific instances where it was obvious that it would degrade capability. In each of the three cases above, friction proved to be a determining factor that pushed the components into an unsatisfactory mode of operation. The higher than expected temperatures and rapid thermal transients combined with friction to move beyond past experience. The turbine disk/blade assembly configuration contributed to the potential for these problems to occur by limiting the radial deflection from thermals and centrifugal loading. The cooled solid bore configuration was chosen to improve rotordynamic stability by limiting the length of rotor overhang while still protecting the roller bearing by maintaining zero slope under the inner race. During a start transient, the rim area of the disk heats rapidly and expands axially and circumferentially and requires corresponding radial and axial growth of the disk to maintain relative positioning of the disk, blades, spacers and retainer rings. The stiffness, large thermal mass, and bore cooling flow combine to severely limit the disk rim radial growth which results in the potential for relative movement between these parts. Friction then becomes a player in the determination of component stress.

Moore, Jerry H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Unsteady Flowfield in a High-Pressure Turbine Modeled by TURBO

Forced response, or resonant vibrations, in turbomachinery components can cause blades to crack or fail because of the large vibratory blade stresses and subsequent high-cycle fatigue. Forced-response vibrations occur when turbomachinery blades are subjected to periodic excitation at a frequency close to their natural frequency. Rotor blades in a turbine are constantly subjected to periodic excitations when they pass through the spatially nonuniform flowfield created by upstream vanes. Accurate numerical prediction of the unsteady aerodynamics phenomena that cause forced-response vibrations can lead to an improved understanding of the problem and offer potential approaches to reduce or eliminate specific forced-response problems. The objective of the current work was to validate an unsteady aerodynamics code (named TURBO) for the modeling of the unsteady blade row interactions that can cause forced response vibrations. The three-dimensional, unsteady, multi-blade-row, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbomachinery code named TURBO was used to model a high-pressure turbine stage for which benchmark data were recently acquired under a NASA contract by researchers at the Ohio State University. The test article was an initial design for a high-pressure turbine stage that experienced forced-response vibrations which were eliminated by increasing the axial gap. The data, acquired in a short duration or shock tunnel test facility, included unsteady blade surface pressures and vibratory strains.

Bakhle, Milind A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Acoustic and aerodynamic performance of a 1.83-meter (6-ft) diameter 1.25-pressure-ratio fan (QF-8)

A 1.25-pressure-ratio 1.83-meter (6-ft) tip diameter experimental fan stage with characteristics suitable for engine application on STOL aircraft was tested for acoustic and aerodynamic performance. The design incorporated proven features for low noise, including absence of inlet guide vanes, low rotor blade tip speed, low aerodynamic blade loading, and long axial spacing between the rotor and stator blade rows. The fan was operated with five exhaust nozzle areas. The stage noise levels generally increased with a decrease in nozzle area. Separation of the acoustic one-third octave results into broadband and pure-tone components showed the broadband noise to be greater than the corresponding pure-tone components. The sideline perceived noise was highest in the rear quadrants. The acoustic results of QF-8 were compared with those of two similar STOL application fans in the test series. The QF-8 had somewhat higher relative noise levels than those of the other two fans. The aerodynamic results of QF-8 and the other two fans were compared with corresponding results from 50.8-cm (20-in.) diam scale models of these fans and design values. Although the results for the full-scale and scale models of the other two fans were in reasonable agreement for each design, the full-scale fan QF-8 results showed poor performance compared with corresponding model results and design expectations. Facility effects of the full-scale fan QF-8 installation were considered in analyzing this discrepancy.

Woodward, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Thrust measurement in a 2-D scramjet nozzle

The two-dimensional thrust nozzle presents a challenging problem. The loading is not axisymmetric as in the case of a cone and the internal flow presents some design difficulties. A two-sting system has been chosen to accomodate the internal flow and achieve some symmetry. The situation is complicated by the fact that with the small ramp angle and the internal pressure on the nozzle walls, loading is predominantly transverse. Yet it is the axial thrust which is to be measured (i.e., the tensile waves propagating in the stings). Although bending stress waves travel at most at only 60% of the speed of the axial stress waves, the system needs to be stiffened against bending. The second sting was originally only used to preserve symmetry. However, the pressures on each thrust surface may be quite different at some conditions, so at this stage the signals from both stings are being averaged as a first order approximation of the net thrust. The expected axial thrust from this nozzle is not large so thin stings are required. In addition, the contact area between nozzle and sting needs to be maximized. The result was that it was decided to twist the stings through 90 deg, without distorting their cross-sectional shape, just aft of the nozzle. Finite element analysis showed that this would not significantly alter the propagation of the axial stress wave in the sting, while the rigidity of the system is greatly increased. A Mach 4 contoured nozzle is used in the experiments. The thrust calculated by integrating the static pressure measurements on the thrust surfaces is compared with the deconvolved strain measurement of the net thrust for the cases of air only and hydrogen fuel injected into air at approximately 9 MJ/kg nozzle supply enthalpy. The gain in thrust due to combustion is visible in this result.

Tuttle, Sean↗
NASA NTRS1974

Turbopump configuration selection for the Space Shuttle main engine

Studies to define the optimum turbopump configurations for the Space Shuttle propulsion system are reported. For each propellant, two turbopumps - one low-pressure and one high-pressure - are needed to generate the high discharge pressures required for engine operation. The optimization of the four pumps resulted in the selection of an axial inducer type for both low-pressure pumps and in a three-stage centrifugal pump for the high-pressure hydrogen turbopump; meanwhile the oxygen pump features a double inlet main impeller. This impeller feeds the thrust chamber injector, as well as a preburner pump, which boosts the main impeller discharge pressure to the required preburner pressure. The interaction between engine performance and obtainable turbopump performance is discussed, and the reasons for the final selection of the turbine and pump types are presented.

Rothe, K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Turbine modeling technique to generate off-design performance data for both single and multistage axial-flow turbines

This technique is applicable to larger axial flow turbines which may or may not incorporate variable geometry in the first stage stator. A user specified option will also permit the calculation of design point cooling flow levels and the corresponding change in turbine efficiency. The modeling technique was incorporated into a time sharing computer program in order to facilitate its use. Because this report contains a description of the input output data, values of typical inputs, and example cases, it is suitable as a user's manual.

Converse, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Analytical and experimental investigation of stator endwall countouring in a small axial-flow turbine

An experimental and analytical investigation was conducted to determine the effect of stator endwall contouring on turbine stage performance. In this investigation three stator configurations were evaluated using a common rotor. The three stator configurations were a cylindrical endwall design and two contoured endwall designs, one having a S-shaped outer wall profile and the other having a conical-shaped outer wall profile. Experimental data were obtained over a range of equivalent speeds, total pressure ratios, and rotor tip clearances for each stator-rotor combination. Detailed analytical loss assessments were conducted to aid in the determination of the contouring effect on turbine performance.

Haas, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1955

Aerodynamic Design of Axial-Flow Compressors. VII - Blade-Element Flow in Annular Cascades

Annular blade-element data obtained primarily from single-stage compressor installations are correlated over a range of inlet Mach numbers and cascade geometry. The correlation curves are presented in such a manner that they are related directly to the low-speed two-dimensional-cascade data of part VI of this series. Thus, the data serve as both an extension and a verification of the two-dimensional-cascade data. In addition, the correlation results are applied to compressor design.

Robbins, William H.↗
NASA NTRS1948

Vibration Survey of Blades in 19XB Axial-Flow Compressor: Preliminary Engine Investigation - 3

Strain gages were used to measure blade vibrations possibly causing failure in the 10-stage compressor of the 19XB jet-propulsion engine. The seventh and tenth stages were of great concern as a result of failures experienced by the manufacturer. Strain-gage records were obtained from all stages during acceleration, deceleration, and constant speed runs. Curves are presented herein showing the maximum allowable vibratory stress for a given speed, the change of the damping coefficient with the mounting of a strain gage at the base of the blade, the effect of rotor speed, on blade natural frequency, and the effect of the order of first bending-mode vibration on stress. It was found that for all stages the lower the order of vibration the higher the stress but no destructive vibrations were detected.

Meyer, Andre J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1962

GENERAL INSTABILITY OF ORTHOGONALLY STIFFENED CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

Earlier research at the National Aeronautics Research Institute (N.L.R.), Amsterdam, which forms the basis of recent work is reviewed. This early work refers to 2 schemes: the orthotropic shell and, in view of buckling modes where the half wave length is of the order of the ring distance, the shell with continuously distributed stringers and discrete rings. Linear theory is considered to be adequate for these structures, where the imperfections are small in comparison to the height of the ring sections. Recent developments account for pressure difference in addition to axial compression, for the correct stiffness matrix of skin panels in the post-buckling stage and for stringer bending due to hoop stresses in the skin, which are of importance as has been shown by the investigation of the post-buckling behaviour. Numerical data for the stiffness matrix of skin panels have been established. Numerical evaluation of the stability equation has not been performed as yet.

SHELL STABILITY↗
NASA NTRS1977

Pollution reduction technology program for class T4(JT8D) engines

The technology required to develop commercial gas turbine engines with reduced exhaust emissions was demonstrated. Can-annular combustor systems for the JT8D engine family (EPA class T4) were investigated. The JT8D turbofan engine is an axial-flow, dual-spool, moderate-bypass-ratio design. It has a two-stage fan, a four-stage low-pressure compressor driven by a three-stage low-pressure turbine, and a seven-stage high-pressure compressor driven by a single-stage high-pressure turbine. A cross section of the JT8D-17 showing the mechanical configuration is given. Key specifications for this engine are listed.

Roberts, R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

ACCESS computer program for the synthesis of large structural systems

The structural-synthesis computer code ACCESS-3, originally limited to the optimization of relatively simple problems involving truss, membrane, and shear panel elements, has been restructured to make it applicable to structures with a larger number of degrees-of-freedom, design variables, and constraints. The modifications made allow the use of six degrees-of-freedom per node and permit the out-of-core solution of large matrix equations encountered at the analysis stage. Also, finite elements which permit pure bending as well as combined bending and membrane (axial) behavior have been added to satisfy the need for a more comprehensive set of elements. Like its predecessor, the new version of the program combines the approximation concepts with primal or dual formulations to provide an efficient optimization tool.

Fleury, C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Numerical simulation of stability and stability control of high speed compressible rotating couette flow

The nonlinear temporal evolution of disturbances in compressible flow between infinitely long, concentric cylinders is investigated through direct numerical simulations of the full, three-dimensional Navier-Stokes and energy equations. Counter-rotating cylinders separated by wide gaps are considered with supersonic velocities of the inner cylinder. Initially, the primary disturbance grows exponentially in accordance with linear stability theory. As the disturbances evolve, higher harmonics and subharmonics are generated in a cascading order eventually reaching a saturation state. Subsequent highly nonlinear stages of the evolution are governed by the interaction of the disturbance modes, particularly the axial subharmonics. Nonlinear evolution of the disturbance field is characterized by the formation of high-shear layers extending from the inner cylinder towards the center of the gap in the form of jets similar to the ejection events in transitional and turbulent wall-bounded shear flows.

Biringen, Sedat↗
NASA NTRS1947

Possibilities of Reducing the Length of Axial Superchargers for Aircraft Motors

Axial blowers are gaining importance as aircraft engine superchargers. However, the pressure head obtainable per stage is small. Due to the necessary great number of stages, the physical length of the blower becomes too great for an airworthy device. This report discusses several types of construction that permit a reduction in the length of the blower.

Eckert, B.↗