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At least 433 records · Page 24

Sensitivity of Mission Energy Consumption to Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion Design Assumptions on the N3-X Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft

In a previous study by the authors it was shown that the N3-X, a 300 passenger hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft with a turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) system, was able to meet the NASA Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) project goal for N+3 generation aircraft of at least a 60% reduction in total energy consumption as compared to the best in class current generation aircraft. This previous study combined technology assumptions that represented the highest anticipated values that could be matured to technology readiness level (TRL) 4-6 by 2030. This paper presents the results of a sensitivity analysis of the total mission energy consumption to reductions in each key technology assumption. Of the parameters examined, the mission total energy consumption was most sensitive to changes to total pressure loss in the propulsor inlet. The baseline inlet internal pressure loss is assumed to be an optimistic 0.5%. An inlet pressure loss of 3% increases the total energy consumption 9%. However changes to reduce inlet pressure loss can result in additional distortion to the fan which can reduce fan efficiency or vice versa. It is very important that the inlet and fan be analyzed and optimized as a single unit. The turboshaft hot section is assumed to be made of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) with a 3000 F maximum material temperature. Reducing the maximum material temperature to 2700 F increases the mission energy consumption by only 1.5%. Thus achieving a 3000 F temperature in CMCs is important but not central to achieving the energy consumption objective of the N3-X/TeDP. A key parameter in the efficiency of superconducting motors and generators is the size of the superconducting filaments in the stator. The size of the superconducting filaments in the baseline model is assumed to be 10 microns. A 40 micron filament, which represents current technology, results in a 200% increase in AC losses in the motor and generator stators. This analysis shows that for a system with 40 micron filaments the higher stator losses plus the added weight and power of larger cryocoolers results in a 4% increase in mission energy consumption. If liquid hydrogen is used to cool the superconductors the 40 micron fibers results in a 200% increase in hydrogen required for cooling. Each pound of hydrogen used as fuel displaces 3 pounds of jet fuel. For the N3-X on the reference mission the additional hydrogen due to the increase stator losses reduces the total fuel weight 10%. The lighter fuel load and attendant vehicle resizing reduces the total energy consumption more than the higher stator losses increase it. As a result with hydrogen cooling there is a slight reduction in mission energy consumption with increasing stator losses. This counter intuitive result highlights the need to consider the full system impact of changes rather than just at the component or subsystem level.

Felder, James L.↗

Very-Low-Cost, Rugged Vacuum System

NASA, DoD, DHS, and commercial industry have a need for miniaturized, rugged, low-cost vacuum systems. Recent advances in sensor technology have led to the development of very small mass spectrometer detectors as well as other miniature analytical instruments. However, the vacuum systems to support these sensors remain large, heavy, and power-hungry. To meet this need, a miniaturized vacuum system was created based on a very small, rugged, and inexpensive- to-manufacture molecular drag pump (MDP). The MDP is enabled by the development of a miniature, veryhigh- speed, rugged, low-power, brushless DC motor optimized for wide temperature operation and long life. Such a pump represents an order-of-magnitude reduction in mass, volume, and cost over current, commercially available, state-ofthe- art vacuum pumps. The vacuum system consists of the MDP coupled to a ruggedized rough pump (for terrestrial applications or for planets with substantial atmospheres). The rotor in the MDP consists of a simple smooth cylinder of aluminum spinning at approximately 200,000 RPM inside an outer stator housing. The pump stator comprises a cylindrical aluminum housing with one or more specially designed grooves that serve as flow channels. To minimize the length of the pump, the gas is forced down the flow channels of the outer stator to the base of the pump. The gas is then turned and pulled toward the top through a second set of channels cut into an inner stator housing that surrounds the motor. The compressed gas then flows down channels in the motor housing to the exhaust port of the pump. The exhaust port of the pump is connected to a diaphragm or scroll pump. This pump delivers very high performance in a very small envelope. The design was simplified so that a smaller compression ratio, easier manufacturing process, and enhanced ruggedness can be achieved at the lowest possible cost. The machining of the rotor and stators is very simple compared to that necessary to fabricate TMP (turbo molecular pump) rotor and stator blades. Also, the symmetry of the rotor is such that dynamic balancing of the rotor is greatly simplified. Finally, because of the simplified design, the number of parts in the unit is cut by nearly a factor of three. In fact, there are only five parts, not counting the motor and off-the-shelf screws and O-rings. This reduces the amount of machining and also makes fit-up much simpler while allowing the maintenance of close tolerances.

Kline-Schoder, Robert↗

Impact of Wake Dispersion on Axial Compressor Performance

Rotor wake dispersion in a low-speed, one and half stage axial compressor is investigated in detail with a Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The primary focus is to quantify the total pressure recovery due to wake stretching and the total pressure loss from the rotor wake interaction with the stator blade boundary layer. The relative magnitude of the aerodynamic loss due to these two effects is examined at several radial locations. The spacing between the rotor and the stator was varied from 29% to 112% of the rotor axial chord at the mid span to investigate the effects of rotor wake decay before entering the stator passage. The current analysis indicates that the efficiency through the compressor stage is increased about 0.5% when the spacing between the rotor and the stator is decreased from 112% to 29% of the rotor axial chord at mid-span. 22% of the efficiency gain from the narrower axial gap is due to the wake recovery and 63% is due to the stronger unsteady pressure field at the exit of the rotor due to stage interaction. Total pressure loss/recovery across the stator varies significantly in the radial direction for the current compressor, which has a much lower aspect ratio. The total pressure recovery due to wake stretching is larger than the total pressure loss due to the unsteady boundary layer development on the stator blade from 20% to 35% of the span from the hub for 29% spacing and from 35% to 55% of the span for 112% spacing. Above 50% of the span, rotor tip clearance flow affects wake dispersion and the overall wake recovery is less than expected.

Axial Compressor↗

Numerical Study of Combustor-Turbine Interactions Considering a Two-Stage High-Pressure Turbine

In this study, preliminary results are presented from the Open National Combustion Code (OpenNCC) applied to the two-stage high-pressure turbine (HTP) from the energy efficient engine (E3) program. Although the combustor is designed for efficient fuel–air mixing and a relatively uniform exit temperature profile, temporal and spatial variation in combustor exit conditions inevitably lead to hot-streaks in the HPT. These hot streaks can cause local hot spots on the HPT blade surfaces that reduce blade life. To improve understanding of these effects and the overall design of combustor and HPT, we are developing a fully-coupled combustor-turbine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capability. Previous work has simulated the E^3 combustor at the simulated Sea-Level Take-off (SLTO) condition (P(41) = 2.4 [atm]) with and without the first-stage HPT stator included. This work addresses HPT simulations using inflow conditions based on previous simulation results of the E^3 combustor, as well as investigating the effects of spatial and temporal temperature non-uniformity of the combustor-exit flow on the HPT performance for a more realistic SLTO (P(41) = 27.4 [atm])). First, we analyze existing results from the combustor and the HPT 1st-stage stator simulation, where the unsteady hot gas coming out of the combustor exit travels between the stationary stators and then directly exits the computational domain (i.e., no effect from the rotors). Second, we simulate the HPT including the 1st and 2nd stage stators and rotors with the time-averaged, spatially-nonuniform inflow to the HPT taken from the combustor (with HPT 1st-stage stators) solution. Differences in simulations results for the flow field in the 1st-stage stator region are presented. The results of these two simulations (combustor and HPT simulated in a sequential manner) will be compared to a fully-coupled EEE combustor/HPT simulation to understand the impacts of fully-coupled simulations on combustor and HPT performance for two different operating conditions.

LES↗

Numerical Study of Combustor-Turbine Interactions Considering a Two-Stage High-Pressure Turbine

In this study, preliminary results are presented from the Open National Combustion Code (OpenNCC) applied to the two-stage high-pressure turbine (HTP) from the energy efficient engine (E3) program. Although the combustor is designed for efficient fuel–air mixing and a relatively uniform exit temperature profile, temporal and spatial variation in combustor exit conditions inevitably lead to hot-streaks in the HPT. These hot streaks can cause local hot spots on the HPT blade surfaces that reduce blade life. To improve understanding of these effects and the overall design of combustor and HPT, we are developing a fully-coupled combustor-turbine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capability. Previous work has simulated the E3 combustor at the simulated Sea-Level Take-off (SLTO) condition (P41 = 2.4 [atm]) with and without the first-stage HPT stator included. This work addresses HPT simulations using inflow conditions based on previous simulation results of the E3 combustor, as well as investigating the effects of spatial and temporal temperature non-uniformity of the combustor-exit flow on the HPT performance for a more realistic SLTO (P41 = 27.4 [atm])). First, we analyze existing results from the combustor and the HPT 1st-stage stator simulation, where the unsteady hot gas coming out of the combustor exit travels between the stationary stators and then directly exits the computational domain (i.e., no effect from the rotors). Second, we simulate the HPT including the 1st and 2nd stage stators and rotors with the time-averaged, spatially-nonuniform inflow to the HPT taken from the combustor (with HPT 1st-stage stators) solution. Differences in simulations results for the flow field in the 1st-stage stator region are presented. The results of these two simulations (combustor and HPT simulated in a sequential manner) will be compared to a fully-coupled EEE combustor/HPT simulation to understand the impacts of fully-coupled simulations on combustor and HPT performance for two different operating conditions.

LES↗

MEMS metal-quartz gyroscope

The present disclosure relates to a gyroscope that makes use of a shuttle having a first plurality of fingers, a stator having a second plurality of fingers, at least one fixed support structure, and a plurality of flexors for supporting the shuttle for vibratory motion relative to the stator. The fingers of the shuttle are able to move in a vibratory motion adjacent the fingers of the stator without contacting the fingers of the stator. Portions of the fingers of at least one of the shuttle and the stator also make use of a grounded metal material layer to reduce parasitic capacitive coupling between the fingers of the shuttle and the fingers of the stator.

Park, Sangtae↗

Electromagnetic propulsion system

An electromagnetic propulsion system comprises a plurality of stator coils wound about a first axis, a plurality of support structures, a coupler that surrounds a portion of the stator coils, and a plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis. The stator coils are configured to receive electric current to induce a first magnetic field. The support structures support the stator coils. The coupler includes a notch oriented so that one of the support structures can pass through the notch when the coupler moves along the stator coils. The rotor coils are attached to the coupler and are configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the rotor coils, thereby propelling the coupler and the rotor coils along the stator coils.

Hartman, Seth↗

Study of noise sources in a subsonic fan using measured blade pressures and acoustic theory

Sources of noise in a 1.4 m (4.6 ft) diameter subsonic tip speed propulsive fan running statically outdoors are studied using a combination of techniques. Signals measured with pressure transducers on a rotor blade are plotted in a format showing the space-time history of inlet distortion. Study of these plots visually and with statistical correlation analysis confirms that the inlet flow contains long, thin eddies of turbulence. Turbulence generated in the boundary layer of the shroud upstream of the rotor tips was not found to be an important noise source. Fan noise is diagnosed by computing narrowband spectra of rotor and stator sound power and comparing these with measured sound power spectra. Rotor noise is computed from spectra of the measured blade pressures and stator noise is computed using the author's stator noise theory. It is concluded that the rotor and stator sources contribute about equally at frequencies in the vicinity of the first three harmonics of blade passing frequency. At higher frequencies, the stator contribution diminishes rapidly and the rotor/inlet turbulence mechanism dominates. Two parametric studies are performed by using the rotor noise calculation procedure which was correlated with test. In the first study, the effects on noise spectrum and directivity are calculated for changes in turbulence properties, rotational Mach number, number of blades, and stagger angle. In the second study the influences of design tip speed and blade number on noise are evaluated.

Hanson, D. B.↗

Natural turbulence electrical power generator

An energy conversion apparatus is disclosed in which a stator, fixed to a watertight housing, is coupled to a rotor by a helical spring which suspends the rotor from the housing. Natural turbulence of a fluid, such as water or air, causes acceleration of the housing, and hence, acceleration of the stator. Inertia of the rotor, coupled to the stator through the helical spring and the housing, causes relative motion, both longitudinal and rotational, between the stator and the rotor. The rotational motion between the rotor, and the stator is used to generate electrical current.

Grana, D. C.↗

Effect of a rotor wake on heat transfer from a circular cylinder

The effect of a rotor wake on heat transfer to a downstream stator was investigated. The rotor was modeled with a spoked wheel of 24 circular pins 1.59 mm in diameter. One of the stator pins was electrically heated in the midspan region and circumferentially averaged heat transfer coefficients were obtained. The experiment was run in an annular flow wind tunnel using air at ambient temperature and pressure. Reynolds numbers based on stator cylinder diameter ranged from .001 to .00001. Rotor blade passing frequencies ranged from zero to 2500 Hz. Stationary grids were used to vary the rotor inlet turbulence from one to four percent. The rotor-stator spacings were one and two stator pin diameters. In addition to the heat transfer coefficients, turbulence spectra and ensemble averaged wake profiles were measured. At the higher Reynolds numbers, which is the primary range of interest for turbulent heat transfer, the rotor wakes increased Nusselt number from 10 to 45 percent depending on conditions. At lower Reynolds numbers the effect was as much as a factor of two.

Simoneau, R. J.↗

Averaging techniques for steady and unsteady calculations of a transonic fan stage

It is often desirable to characterize a turbomachinery flow field with a few lumped parameters such as total pressure ratio or stage efficiency. Various averaging schemes may be used to compute these parameters. Here three averaging schemes, the momentum, energy, and area averaging schemes, are described and compared for two computed solutions of the midspan section of a transonic fan stage: a steady averaging-plane solution in which average rotor outflow conditions were used as stator inflow conditions and an unsteady rotor-stator interaction solution. The unsteady solution is described, some unsteady flow phenomena are discussed and the steady pressure distributions are compared. Despite large unsteady pressure fluctuations on the stator surface, the steady pressure distribution matched the average unsteady distribution almost exactly. Stator wake profiles, stator loss coefficient, and stage efficiency were computed for the two solutions with the three averaging schemes and are compared. In general the energy averaging scheme gave good agreement between the averaging-plane solution and the time-averaged unsteady solution, even though certain phenomena due to unsteady wake migration were neglected.

Wyss, M. L.↗

Averaging techniques for steady and unsteady calculations of a transonic fan stage

It is often desirable to characterize a turbomachinery flow field with a few lumped parameters such as total pressure ratio or stage efficiency. Various averaging schemes may be used to compute these parameters. The momentum, energy, and area averaging schemes are described and compared. The schemes were compared for two computed solutions of the midspan section of a transonic fan stage: a steady averaging-plane solution in which average rotor outflow conditions were used as stator inflow conditions, and an unsteady rotor-stator interaction solution. The solutions were computed on identical grids using similar Navier-Stokes codes and an algebraic turbulence model. The unsteady solution is described, some unsteady flow phenomena are discussed, and the steady pressure distributions are compared. Despite large unsteady pressure fluctuations on the stator surface, the steady pressure distribution matched the average unsteady distribution almost exactly. Stator wake profiles, stator loss coefficient, and stage efficiency were computed for the two solutions with the three averaging schemes and are compared. In general, the energy averaging scheme gave good agreement between the averaging-plane solution and the time-averaged unsteady solution, even though certain phenomena due to unsteady wake migration were neglected.

Wyss, M. L.↗

Impact of Periodic Unsteadiness on Performance and Heat Load in Axial Flow Turbomachines

Results of an analytical and experimental investigation, directed at the understanding of the impact of periodic unsteadiness on the time-averaged flows in axial flow turbomachines, are presented. Analysis of available experimental data, from a large-scale rotating rig (LSRR) (low speed rig), shows that in the time-averaged axisymmetric equations the magnitude of the terms representing the effect of periodic unsteadiness (deterministic stresses) are as large or larger than those due to random unsteadiness (turbulence). Numerical experiments, conducted to highlight physical mechanisms associated with the migration of combustor generated hot-streaks in turbine rotors, indicated that the effect can be simulated by accounting for deterministic stress like terms in the time-averaged mass and energy conservation equations. The experimental portion of this program shows that the aerodynamic loss for the second stator in a 1-1/2 stage turbine are influenced by the axial spacing between the second stator leading edge and the rotor trailing edge. However, the axial spacing has little impact on the heat transfer coefficient. These performance changes are believed to be associated with the change in deterministic stress at the inlet to the second stator. Data were also acquired to quantify the impact of indexing the first stator relative to the second stator. For the range of parameters examined, this effect was found to be of the same order as the effect of axial spacing.

Sharma, Om P.↗

Analysis of the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) Test System for Friction-Ignition of Metallic Materials

Friction is a known ignition source for metals in oxygen-enriched atmospheres. The test system developed by the NASA White Sands Test Facility in response to ASTM G-94 has been used successfully to determine the relative ignition from friction of numerous metallic materials and metallic materials pairs. These results have been ranked in terms of a pressure-velocity product (PV) as measured under the prescribed test conditions. A high value of 4.1(exp 8) watts per square meter for Inconel MA 754 is used to imply resistance to friction ignition, whereas a low value of 1.04(exp 8) watts per square meter for stainless steel 304 is taken as indicating material susceptible to friction ignition. No attempt has been made to relate PV values to other material properties. This work reports the analysis of the WSTF friction-ignition test system for producing fundamental properties of metallic materials relating to ignition through friction. Three materials, aluminum, titanium, and nickel were tested in the WSTF frictional ignition instrument system under atmospheres of oxygen or nitrogen. Test conditions were modified to reach a steady state of operation, that is applied, the force was reduced and the rotational speed was reduced. Additional temperature measurements were made on the stator sample. The aluminum immediately galled on contact (reproducible) and the test was stopped. Titanium immediately ignited as a result of non-uniform contact of the stator and rotor. This was reproducible. A portion of the stator sampled burned, but the test continued. Temperature measurements on the stator were used to validate the mathematical model used for estimating the interface (stator/rotor) temperature. These interface temperature measurements and the associate thermal flux into the stator were used to distinguish material-phase transitions, chemical reaction, and mechanical work. The mechanical work was used to analyze surface asperities in the materials and to estimate a coefficient of fiction. The coefficient of fiction was analyzed in terms of material properties that is, hardness, Young's modulus and elasticity/plasticity of the material.

Shoffstall, Michael S.↗

The Alternative Low Noise Fan

A 106 bladed fan with a design takeoff tip speed of 1100 ft/sec was hypothesized as reducing perceived noise because of the shift of the blade passing harmonics to frequencies beyond the perceived noise rating range. A 22 in. model of this Alternative Low Noise Fan, ALNF, was tested in the NASA Glenn 9x 15 Wind Tunnel. 'Me fan was tested with a 7 vane long chord stator assembly and a 70 vane conventional stator assembly in both hard and acoustically treated configurations. In addition a partially treated 7 vane configuration was tested wherein the acoustic material between the 7 long chord stators was made inactive. The noise data from the 106 bladed fan with 7 long chord stators in a hard configuration was shown to be around 4 EPNdB quieter than a low tip speed Allison fan at takeoff and around 5 EPNdB quieter at approach. Although the tone noise behaved as hypothesized, the majority of this noise reduction was from reduced broadband noise related to the large number of rotor blades. This 106 bladed ALNF is a research fan designed to push the technology limits and as such is probably not a practical device with present materials technology. However, a low tip speed fan with around 50 blades would be a practical device and calculations indicate that it could be 2 to 3 EPNdB quieter at takeoff and 3 to 4 EPNdB quieter at approach than the Allison fan. 7 vane data compared with 70 vane data indicated that the tone noise was controlled by rotor wake-stator interaction but that the broadband noise is probably controlled by the interaction of the rotor with incoming flows. A possible multiple pure tone noise reduction technique for a fan/acoustic treatment system was identified. The data from the fully treated configuration showed significant noise reductions over a large frequency range thereby providing a real tribute to this bulk absorber treatment design. The tone noise data with the partially treated 7 vane configuration indicated that acoustic material in the source noise generation region may be more effective than similar material outside of the generation region.

Dittmar, James H.↗

Blood Pump Having a Magnetically Suspended Rotor

A blood pump preferably has a magnetically suspended rotor that rotates within a housing. The rotor may rotate about a stator disposed within the housing. Radial magnetic bearings may be defined within the stator and the rotor in order to suspend the rotor. The radial magnetic bearings may be passive magnetic bearings that include permanent magnets disposed within the stator and the rotor or active magnetic bearings. The pump may further include an axial magnetic bearing that may be either a passive or an active magnetic bearing. A motor that drives the rotor may be disposed within the housing in order to more easily dissipate heat generated by the motor. A primary flow path is defined between the rotor and the stator, and a secondary flow path is defined between the stator and the rotor. Preferably, a substantial majority of blood passes through the primary flow path. The secondary flow path is large enough so that it provides adequate flushing of the secondary flow path while being small enough to permit efficient operation of the radial magnet bearings across the secondary flow path.

James F Antaki↗

Blood Pump Having a Magnetically Suspended Rotor

A blood pump preferably has a magnetically suspended rotor that rotates within a housing. The rotor may rotate about a stator disposed within the housing. Radial magnetic bearings may be defined within the stator and the rotor in order to suspend the rotor. The radial magnetic bearings may be passive magnetic bearings that include permanent magnets disposed within the stator and the rotor or active magnetic bearings. The pump may further include an axial magnetic bearing that may be either a passive or an active magnetic bearing. A motor that drives the rotor may be disposed within the housing in order to more easily dissipate heat generated by the motor. A primary flow path is defined between the rotor and the stator, and a secondary flow path is defined between the stator and the rotor. Preferably, a substantial majority of blood passes through the primary flow path. The secondary flow path is large enough so that it provides adequate flushing of the secondary flow path while being small enough to permit efficient operation of the radial magnet bearings across the secondary flow path.

James F Antaki↗

BASS Code Development

The BASS computational aeroacoustic code solves the fully nonlinear Euler equations in the time domain in two-dimensions. The acoustic response of the stator is determined simultaneously for the first three harmonics of the convected vortical gust of the rotor. The spatial mode generation, propagation and decay characteristics are predicted by assuming the acoustic field away from the stator can be represented as a uniform flow with small harmonic perturbations superimposed. The computed field is then decomposed using a joint temporal-spatial transform to determine the wave amplitudes as a function of rotor harmonic and spatial mode order. This report details the following technical aspects of the computations and analysis. 1) the BASS computational technique; 2) the application of periodic time shifted boundary conditions; 3) the linear theory aspects unique to rotor-stator interactions; and 4) the joint spatial-temporal transform. The computational results presented herein are twofold. In each case, the acoustic response of the stator is determined simultaneously for the first three harmonics of the convected vortical gust of the rotor. The fan under consideration here like modern fans is cut-off at +, and propagating acoustic waves are only expected at 2BPF and 3BPF. In the first case, the computations showed excellent agreement with linear theory predictions. The frequency and spatial mode order of acoustic field was computed and found consistent with linear theory. Further, the propagation of the generated modes was also correctly predicted. The upstream going waves propagated from the domain without reflection from the in ow boundary. However, reflections from the out ow boundary were noticed. The amplitude of the reflected wave was approximately 5% of the incident wave. The second set of computations were used to determine the influence of steady loading on the generated noise. Toward this end, the acoustic response was determined with three steady loading conditions: design, low-loading, high-loading. The overall trend showed significant (approximately 10 dB) increases in the generated noise for the highly loaded stator.

Sawyer, Scott↗