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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 487 records · Page 27

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2012

Acoustic Performance of an Advanced Model Turbofan in Three Aeroacoustic Test Facilities

A model advanced turbofan was acoustically tested in the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-Foot-Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT), and in two other aeroacoustic facilities. The Universal Propulsion Simulator (UPS) fan was designed and manufactured by the General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE) Company, and featured active core, as well as bypass, flow paths. The reference test configurations were with the metal, M4, rotor with hardwall and treated bypass flow ducts. The UPS fan was tested within an airflow at a Mach number of 0.20 (limited flow data were also acquired at a Mach number of 0.25) which is representative of aircraft takeoff and approach conditions. Comparisons were made between data acquired within the airflow (9x15 LSWT and German-Dutch Wind Tunnel (DNW)) and outside of a free jet (Boeing Low Speed Aero acoustic Facility (LSAF) and DNW). Sideline data were acquired on an 89-in. (nominal 4 fan diameters) sideline using the same microphone assembly and holder in the 9x15 LSWT and DNW facilities. These data showed good agreement for similar UPS operating conditions and configurations. Distortion of fan spectra tonal content through a free jet shear layer was documented, suggesting that in-flow acoustic measurements are required for comprehensive fan noise diagnostics. However, there was good agreement for overall sound power level (PWL) fan noise measurements made both within and outside of the test facility airflow.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Test facilities of the structural dynamics branch of NASA Lewis Research Center

The NASA Lewis Research Center Structural Dynamics Branch conducts experimental and analytical research related to the structural dynamics of aerospace propulsion and power systems. The experimental testing facilities of the branch are examined. Presently there are 10 research rigs and 4 laboratories within the branch. These facilities are described along with current and past research work.

Montague, Gerald T.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Mid Infrared Instrument Cooler Subsystem Test Facility Overview

The Cryocooler for the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) provides cooling at 6.2K on the instrument interface. The cooler system design has been incrementally documented in previous publications [1][2][3][4][5]. It has components that traverse three primary thermal regions on JWST: Region 1, approximated by 40K; Region 2, approximated by 100K; and Region 3, which is at the allowable flight temperatures for the spacecraft bus. However, there are several sub-regions that exist in the transition between primary regions and at the heat reject interfaces of the Cooler Compressor Assembly (CCA) and Cooler Control Electronics Assembly (CCEA). The design and performance of the test facility to provide a flight representative thermal environment for acceptance testing and characterization of the complete MIRI cooler subsystem are presented.

Weilert, M.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Infrared Camera Characterization of Bi-Propellant Reaction Control Engines during Auxiliary Propulsion Systems Tests at NASA's White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico

This paper describes the application of a FUR Systems A40M infrared (IR) digital camera for thermal monitoring of a Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Ethanol bi-propellant Reaction Control Engine (RCE) during Auxiliary Propulsion System (APS) testing at the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's (NASA) White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Typically, NASA has relied mostly on the use of ThermoCouples (TC) for this type of thermal monitoring due to the variability of constraints required to accurately map rapidly changing temperatures from ambient to glowing hot chamber material. Obtaining accurate real-time temperatures in the JR spectrum is made even more elusive by the changing emissivity of the chamber material as it begins to glow. The parameters evaluated prior to APS testing included: (1) remote operation of the A40M camera using fiber optic Firewire signal sender and receiver units; (2) operation of the camera inside a Pelco explosion proof enclosure with a germanium window; (3) remote analog signal display for real-time monitoring; (4) remote digital data acquisition of the A40M's sensor information using FUR's ThermaCAM Researcher Pro 2.8 software; and (5) overall reliability of the system. An initial characterization report was prepared after the A40M characterization tests at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to document controlled heat source comparisons to calibrated TCs. Summary IR digital data recorded from WSTF's APS testing is included within this document along with findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for further usage as a monitoring tool for the development of rocket engines.

Holleman, Elizabeth↗

DOE OSTI2020

Benchmark Simulation of the Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility Using SAM

Natural convection systems are a promising method to passively remove heat from reactor cavities during loss of forced flow accident scenarios. In this work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), a highly instrumented Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility (NSTF) was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of air-cooled natural convection systems. In previous work, RELAP5-3D simulations were performed on this facility with favorable comparisons to experiment for mass flow rate, pressure drop, air temperature increase, and air velocity. Both experimental and simulation efforts with this facility present a useful opportunity to perform a benchmark study with the System Analysis Module (SAM). SAM is an advanced thermal-hydraulic system code currently in development at ANL for advanced non-light water reactor safety analysis.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Development of 250 kW Ammonia and Hydrogen Industrial Burner Test Facility at the National Energy Technology Laboratory

In an effort to investigate the viability of ammonia and hydrogen as fuels in the industrial heating sector, the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory is developing a 250 kW burner test facility. The pursuit of a decarbonized industrial heating sector requires innovative approaches to convert existing assets to alternative fuels while maintaining adequate radiative heat transfer and limiting NOx. This new capability will leverage NETL’s experience and prior investments in ammonia and hydrogen combustion, to advance atmospheric pressure industrial combustion systems for industries such as cement kilns and glass factories. The intention in coming years is to collaborate with burner manufacturers and heavy industry partners to study, develop, and validate strategies for converting existing hardware from carbon-based fuels to next-generation clean ammonia and hydrogen technologies.

May, Kristyn Johnson↗

NASA NTRS1972

A conical arc driver for high-energy test facilities.

Review of some exploratory test results for an electrical discharge driver with a conical-shaped arc chamber. The characteristics of the discharge cycle in the conical chamber and the shock tube performance are described, and the obtained results are compared with those reported by Menard (1971).

Dannenberg, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Microgravity Research on the NASA Lewis Learjet Test Facility

Results from preliminary performance tests conducted in an aircraft low-G testbed for nonfree-floating experimental packages have identified several operational variables that directly influence the duration and quality of each trajectory. Flight test measurements were made to identify and quantify the presence of higher-frequency airborne and structureborne noise that may affect the correlation of research data with acceleration levels recorded on trajectory traces.

Boyer, E. O.↗

NASA NTRS2014

A New Large Vibration Test Facility Concept for the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope consists of three main components, the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Element, the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), and the Spacecraft Element. The ISIM and OTE are being assembled at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Spaceflight Center (GSFC). The combined OTE and ISIM Elements, called OTIS, will undergo sine vibration testing before leaving Goddard. OTIS is the largest payload ever tested at Goddard and the existing GSFC vibration facilities are incapable of performing a sine vibration test of the OTIS payload. As a result, a new large vibration test facility is being designed. The new facility will consist of a vertical system with a guided head expander and a horizontal system with a hydrostatic slip table. The project is currently in the final design phase with installation to begin in early 2015 and the facility is expected to be operational by late 2015. This paper will describe the unique requirements for a new large vibration test facility and present the selected final design concepts.

test facilities↗

NASA NTRS2014

A New Large Vibration Test Facility Concept for the James Webb Space Telescope

vibration↗

NASA NTRS1983

Techniques employed by the NASA White Sands Test Facility to ensure oxygen system component safety

Methods of ascertaining the safety and suitability of a variety of oxygen system components are discussed. Additionally, qualification and batch control requirements for soft goods in oxygen systems are presented. Current oxygen system component qualification test activities in progress at White Sands Test Facility are described.

Stradling, J. S.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Best-estimate Modeling of the High Temperature Test Facility with RELAP5-3D

Prismatic HTGRs are a concept of interest for near-term deployment. While plenty of validation data exist for standalone neutronics or multiphysics modeling, the availability of integral effects thermal hydraulics validation data is more limited. The High Temperature Test Facility provides such data and is used as the basis for the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Thermal Hydraulics Benchmark. This presentation presents results of best-estimate modeling of HTTF experiments PG-27 and PG-29 using the RELAP5-3D ring model developed at Idaho National Laboratory.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS1988

Lewis Research Center space station electric power system test facilities

NASA Lewis Research Center facilities were developed to support testing of the Space Station Electric Power System. The capabilities and plans for these facilities are described. The three facilities which are required in the Phase C/D testing, the Power Systems Facility, the Space Power Facility, and the EPS Simulation Lab, are described in detail. The responsibilities of NASA Lewis and outside groups in conducting tests are also discussed.

Birchenough, Arthur G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

An electronic pressure profile display system for aeronautic test facilities

The NASA Lewis Research Center has installed an Electronic Pressure Profile Display system. This system provides for the real-time display of pressure readings on high resolution graphics monitors. The Electronic Pressure Profile Display system will replace manometer banks currently used in aeronautic test facilities. The Electronic Pressure Profile Display system consists of an industrial type Digital Pressure Transmitter (DPT) unit which interfaces with a host computer. The host computer collects the pressure data from the DPT unit, converts it into engineering units, and displays the readings on a high resolution graphics monitor in bar graph format. Software was developed to accomplish the above tasks and also draw facility diagrams as background information on the displays. Data transfer between host computer and DPT unit is done with serial communications. Up to 64 channels are displayed with one second update time. This paper describes the system configuration, its features, and its advantages over existing systems.

Woike, Mark R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

An Electronic Pressure Profile Display system for aeronautic test facilities

The NASA Lewis Research Center has installed an Electronic Pressure Profile Display system. This system provides for the real-time display of pressure readings on high resolution graphics monitors. The Electronic Pressure Profile Display system will replace manometer banks currently used in aeronautic test facilities. The Electronic Pressure Profile Display system consists of an industrial type Digital Pressure Transmitter (DPI) unit which interfaces with a host computer. The host computer collects the pressure data from the DPI unit, converts it into engineering units, and displays the readings on a high resolution graphics monitor in bar graph format. Software was developed to accomplish the above tasks and also draw facility diagrams as background information on the displays. Data transfer between host computer and DPT unit is done with serial communications. Up to 64 channels are displayed with one second update time. This paper describes the system configuration, its features, and its advantages over existing systems.

Woike, Mark R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Spacecraft propulsion systems test capability at the NASA White Sands Test Facility

The NASA White Sands Facility (WSTF), a component insallation of the Johnson Space Center, is located on a 94-square-mile site in southwestern New Mexico. WSTF maintains many unique capabilities to support its mission to test and evaluate spacecraft materials, components, and propulsion systems to enable the safe human exploration and utilization of space. WSTF has tested over 340 rocket engines with more than 2.5 million firings to date. Included are propulsion system testing for Apollo, Shuttle, and now Space Station as well as unmanned spacecraft such as Viking, Pioneer, and Mars Observer. This paper describes the current WSTF propulsion test facilities and capabilities.

Baker, Pleddie↗

DOE OSTI2023

Fuel Performance Analysis of Fast Flux Test Facility MFF-3 and -5 Fuel Pins Using BISON with Post Irradiation Examination Data

Using the BISON fuel-performance code, simulations were conducted of an automated process to read initial and operating conditions from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) database and reports, which contain metallic-fuel data from the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) MFF Experiments. This work builds on previous modeling efforts involving 1977 EBR-II metallic fuel pins from experiments. Coupling the FFTF PNNL reports to BISON allowed for all 338 pins from MFF-3 and MFF-5 campaigns to be simulated. Each BISON simulation contains unique power and flux histories, axial power and flux profiles, and coolant-channel flow rates. Fission-gas release (FGR), fuel axial swelling, cladding profilometry, and burnup were all simulated in BISON and compared to available post-irradiation examination (PIE) data. Cladding profilometry, FGR, and fuel axial swelling simulation results for full-length MFF metallic pins were found to be in agreement with PIE measurements using FFTF physics and models used previously for EBR-II simulations. The main two peaks observed within the cladding profilometry were able to be simulated, with fuel-cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI), fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI), and thermal and irradiation-induced creep being the cause. A U-Pu-Zr hot-pressing model was included in this work to allow pore collapse within the fuel matrix. This allowed better agreement between BISON-simulated cladding profilometry and PIE measurements for the peak caused by FCMI. This work shows that metallic fuel models used to accurately represent fuel performance for smaller EBR-II pins may be used for full-length metallic fuel, such as FFTF MFF assemblies and the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR). As new material models and PIE measurements become available, FFTF MFF assessment cases will be reassessed to further BISON model development.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1991

Integrated flow and structural modeling for rocket engine component test facility propellant systems

A set of PC-based computational Dynamic Fluid Flow Simulation models is presented for modeling facility gas and cryogenic systems. Data obtained provide important information regarding performance envelope parameters for the facility using different engine components; time-dependent valve setting for controlling steady-state, quasi-steady state, and transient profiles; optimum facility pipe and pipe component sizes and parameters; momentum transfer loads; and fluid conditions at critical points. A set of COSMIC NASTRAN-based finite element models is also presented to evaluate the loads and stresses on test facility piping systems from fluid and gaseous effects, thermal chill down, and occasional wind loads. The models are based on Apple Macintosh software which makes it possible to change numerous parameters.

Dequay, L.↗