Compact 30 kW circulating helium capsule for fuel element tests in NASA Plum Brook reactor
In pile and out of pile durability tests and characteristics of 30 kW circulating helium fuel capsules in Plum Brook Reactor
Finnegan, P. M.↗
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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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Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Fuel Element Testing in the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)
To support the on-going nuclear thermal propulsion effort, a state-of-the-art non nuclear experimental test setup has been constructed to evaluate the performance characteristics of candidate fuel element materials and geometries in representative environments. The facility to perform this testing is referred to as the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environment Simulator (NTREES). Last year NTREES was successfully used to satisfy a testing milestone for the Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) project and met or exceeded all required objectives.
Emrich, William J., Jr.↗
Experimental clean combustor program, alternate fuels addendum, phase 2
The characteristics of current and advanced low-emissions combustors when operated with special test fuels simulating broader range combustion properties of petroleum or coal derived fuels were studied. Five fuels were evaluated; conventional JP-5, conventional No. 2 Diesel, two different blends of Jet A and commercial aromatic mixtures - zylene bottoms and haphthalene charge stock, and a fuel derived from shale oil crude which was refined to Jet A specifications. Three CF6-50 engine size combustor types were evaluated; the standard production combustor, a radial/axial staged combustor, and a double annular combustor. Performance and pollutant emissons characteristics at idle and simulated takeoff conditions were evaluated in a full annular combustor rig. Altitude relight characteristics were evaluated in a 60 degree sector combustor rig. Carboning and flashback characteristics at simulated takeoff conditions were evaluated in a 12 degree sector combustor rig. For the five fuels tested, effects were moderate, but well defined.
Gleason, C. C.↗
A method for monitoring the variability in nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels
A technique for monitoring variability in the nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels has been developed. It is based on a highly collimated low energy gamma radiation source and a sodium iodide counter. The source and the counter assembly are separated by a geometrically well-defined test fuel cell. A computer program for determining the mass attenuation coefficient of the test fuel sample, based on the data acquired for a preset counting period, has been developed and tested on several types of aviation fuel.
Sprinkle, Danny R.↗
A method for monitoring nuclear absorption coefficients of aviation fuels
A technique for monitoring variability in the nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels has been developed. It is based on a highly collimated low energy gamma radiation source and a sodium iodide counter. The source and the counter assembly are separated by a geometrically well-defined test fuel cell. A computer program for determining the mass attenuation coefficient of the test fuel sample, based on the data acquired for a preset counting period, has been developed and tested on several types of aviation fuel.
Sprinkle, Danny R.↗
Regenerative Fuel Cell Test Rig Completed and Operational at Glenn Research Center
The NASA Glenn Research Center has completed construction of its first closed-cycle hydrogen-oxygen regenerative fuel cell (RFC). The RFC is an electrochemical system that collects and stores solar energy during the day then releases that energy at night, thus making the Sun's energy available all 24 hours. It consists of a dedicated hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell stack and an electrolyzer stack, the interconnecting plumbing and valves, cooling pumps, water transfer pumps, gas recirculation pumps, phase separators, storage tanks for oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2), heat exchangers, isolation valves, pressure regulators, nitrogen purge provisions, instrumentation, and other components. It includes all the equipment required to (1) absorb electrical power from an outside source and store it as pressurized hydrogen and oxygen and (2) make electrical power from the stored gases, saving the product water for reuse during the next cycle.
Bents, David J.↗
Flight Investigation of the Knock-Limited Performance of a Triptane Blend, a Toluene Blend, and 28-R Fuel in an R-1830-75 Engine
Knock-limited performance data were obtained for three fuels on an R-1830-75 engine in a B-24D airplane at engine speeds of 1800, 2250, and 2600 rpm, a spark advance of 25 degrees B.T.C., and carburetor-air temperatures of 85 F for 1800 and 2250 rpm and 100 F for 2600 rpm. The test fuels were a blend of 80 percent 28-R plus 20 percent triptane (leaded to 4.5 ml TEL/gal), a blend of 80 percent 28-R plus 15 percent toluene (leaded to 4.5 ml TEL / gal), and 28-R fuel. The knock-limited manifold pressure of the toluene blend depreciated more in the lean region than the triptane blend or 28-R fuel. The knock-limited brake horsepower for the triptane blend varied from 16 to 25 percent higher than 28-R in the lean region and 18 to 30 percent higher in the rich region. The knock-limited brake horsepower of the toluene blend was approximately 15 percent higher than that of 28-R in the rich region and varied from 2 to 10 percent higher in the lean region. Knock limits of the triptane blend and 28-R fuel tested in the R-1830-75 engine agreed with limits for the same fuels determined with the R-1830-94 engine for engine speeds of 1800 and 2250 rpm.
Blackman, Calvin C.↗
Lubricity of well-characterized jet and broad-cut fuels by ball-on-cylinder machine
A ball-on-cylinder machine (BOCM) was used to measure the lubricity of fuels. The fuels tested were well-characterized fuels available from other programs at the NASA Lewis Research Center plus some in-house mildly hydroprocessed shale fuels from other programs included Jet-A, ERBS fuel, ERBS blends, and blend stock. The BOCM tests were made before and after clay treatment of some of these fuels with both humidified air and dry nitrogen as the preconditioning and cover gas. As expected, clay treatment always reduced fuel lubricity. Using nitrogen preconditioning and cover gas always resulted in a smaller wear scar diameter than when humidified air was used. Also observed was an indication of lower lubricity with lower boiling range fuels and lower aromatic fuels. Gas chromatographic analysis indicted changes in BOCM-stressed fuels.
Prok, G. M.↗
Unsupervised Machine Learning to Detect Impending Anomalies in Testing of Fuel Economy and Emissions of Light-Duty Vehicles
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Dhan Lord B. Fortela↗
Effect of diffuser bleed on performance of an annular swirl can combustor
A full-scale annular swirl can combustor equipped with diffuser bleed capability was tested at low fuel-air ratio, burning natural gas fuel. Test results show that, by drawing off a small amount of air on the inner or outer diffuser wall, the radial profile of combustor exit temperature could be changed from a strongly tip biased, to a strongly hub biased shape. Furthermore, combustor total pressure loss could be reduced by about one third by using a total bleed rate equal to 6 percent of diffuser inlet flow. At simulated engine idle conditions combustion efficiency was increased from 64 percent to nearly 100 percent by using 3 percent outer wall bleed. Combustor blowout performance was also improved significantly by using this diffuser bleed scheme.
Juhasz, A. J.↗
Experimental clean combustor program: Diesel no. 2 fuel addendum, phase 3
A CF6-50 engine equipped with an advanced, low emission, double annular combustor was operated 4.8 hours with No. 2 diesel fuel. Fourteen steady-state operating conditions ranging from idle to full power were investigated. Engine/combustor performance and exhaust emissions were obtained and compared to JF-5 fueled test results. With one exception, fuel effects were very small and in agreement with previously obtained combustor test rig results. At high power operating condition, the two fuels produced virtually the same peak metal temperatures and exhaust emission levels. At low power operating conditions, where only the pilot stage was fueled, smoke levels tended to be significantly higher with No. 2 diesel fuel. Additional development of this combustor concept is needed in the areas of exit temperature distribution, engine fuel control, and exhaust emission levels before it can be considered for production engine use.
Gleason, C. C.↗
Development of carbon slurry fuels for transportation (hybrid fuels, phase 2)
Slurry fuels of various forms of solids in diesel fuel are developed and evaluated for their relative potential as fuel for diesel engines. Thirteen test fuels with different solids concentrations are formulated using eight different materials. A variety of properties are examined including ash content, sulfur content, particle size distribution, and rheological properties. Attempts are made to determine the effects of these variations on these fuel properties on injection, atomization, and combustion processes. The slurries are also tested in a single cylinder CLR engine in both direct injection and prechamber configurations. The data includes the normal performance parameters as well as heat release rates and emissions. The slurries perform very much like the baseline fuel. The combustion data indicate that a large fraction (90 percent or more) of the solids are burning in the engine. It appears that the prechamber engine configuration is more tolerant of the slurries than the direct injection configuration.
Ryan, T. W., III↗
High Fidelity Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Results
Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power system, providing system characterization data and allowing one to work through various fabrication, assembly and integration issues without the cost and time associated with a full ground nuclear test. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Testing with non-optimized heater elements allows one to assess thermal, heat transfer, and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. High fidelity thermal simulators that match both the static and the dynamic fuel pin performance that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor can vastly increase the value of non-nuclear test results. With optimized simulators, the integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronie response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing, providing a better assessment of system integration issues, characterization of integrated system response times and response characteristics, and assessment of potential design improvements' at a relatively small fiscal investment. Initial conceptual thermal simulator designs are determined by simple one-dimensional analysis at a single axial location and at steady state conditions; feasible concepts are then input into a detailed three-dimensional model for comparison to expected fuel pin performance. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance for a proposed reactor design is determined using SINDA/FLUINT thermal analysis software, and comparison is made between the expected nuclear performance and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs. Through a series of iterative analyses, a conceptual high fidelity design can developed. Test results presented in this paper correspond to a "first cut" simulator design for a potential liquid metal (NaK) cooled reactor design that could be applied for Lunar surface power. Proposed refinements to this simulator design are also presented.
Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.↗
Use of fluidic oscillator to measure fuel-air ratios of combustion gases
A fluidic oscillator was investigated for use in measuring fuel-air ratios in hydrocarbon combustion processes. The oscillator was operated with dry exhaust gas from an experimental combustor burning ASTM A-1 fuel. Tests were conducted with fuel-air ratios between 0.015 and 0.031. Fuel-air ratios determined by oscillator frequency were within 0.001 of the values computed from separate flow measurements of the air and fuel.
Riddlebaugh, S. M.↗
Flame radiation
Total radiation and heat flux data was obtained on a combustor liner by advanced instrumentation. If the results obtained by the special instrumentation are considered to be representative of the total radiation and heat flux, then the effect of variation of engine operating parameters and of fuel type can be more easily obtained. The special instrumentation used for these investigations consisted of five total radiometers and two total heat flux gages. The radiometers were arranged axially and circumferentially through sliding air seals in the outer liner. The two heat flux gages were welded in the outer liner between two circumferential radiometers. Static pressures were obtained on both the cold and the hot side of the outer liner in the area of the heat flux gages. Liner metal temperatures were also obtained. The combustor inlet pressure was varied over a nominal range of 0.5 to 2.07 MPa, inlet air temperature from 550 to 670 K, and fuel-air ratio from about 0.015 to 0.040. The two fuels tested were ASTM Jet A and a fuel designated as ERBS V. Results of the tests are discussed.
Wear, J. D.↗
Catalytic oxidation of very fuel rich mixtures
The objective of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a catalytic reactor as a tool to study soot formation from the fuel rich side of the soot limit (null set = 3 - 6). The experimental approach to be taken in the first phase of the research is to document that a hydrocarbon fuel can be burnt at very rich equivalence ratios without forming soot. A simple mono-component fuel, iso-octane, will be used as the test fuel. To insure that combustion is uniform across the catalyst bed, measurements will be made of the fuel-air equivalence ratio profile across the inlet and the temperature and product distribution across the outlet. Phase Two will be to use this environment as a testing ground for determining the effect the structure of a hydrocarbon fuel has on its tendency to form soot. Various amounts of organic compounds such as benzene will be added to the iso-octane and the reaction products studied. Other compounds to be tested will xylene, toluene, and naphthalene.
Brabbs, T. A.↗
Fuel quality combustion analysis
A high pressure research combustor operating over a wide range of burner inlet conditions was used to determine the effects of fuel molecular structure on soot formation. Six test fuels with equal hydrogen content (12.8%) were blended to stress different molecular components and final boiling points. The fuels containing high concentrations (20%) of polycyclic aromatics and partially saturated polycyclic structures such as tetralin, produced more soot than would be expected from a hydrogen content correlation for typical petroleum based fuels. Fuels containing naphthenes such as decalin agreed with the hydrogen content correlation. The contribution of polycyclic aromatics to soot formation was equivalent to a reduction in fuel hydrogen content of about one percent. The fuel sensitivity to soot formation due to the polycyclic aromatic contribution decreased as burner inlet pressure and fuel/air ratio increased.
Naegeli, D. W.↗