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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 55 records · Page 3

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NASA NTRS1984

Application of a quasi-3D inviscid flow and boundary layer analysis to the hub-shroud contouring of a radial turbine

Application of a quasi-3D approach to the aerodynamic analysis of several radial turbine configurations is described. The objective was to improve the rotor aerodynamic characteristics by hub-shroud contouring. The approach relies on available 2D inviscid methods coupled with boundary layer analysis to calculate profile, mixing, and endwall losses. Windage, tip clearance, incidence, and secondary flow losses are estimated from correlations. To eliminate separation along the hub and blade suction surfaces of a baseline rotor, the analysis was also applied to three alternate hub-shroud geometries. Emphasis was on elimination of an inducer velocity overshoot as well as increasing hub velocities. While separation was never eliminated, the extent of the separated area was progressively reduced. Results are presented in terms of mid-channel and blade surface velocities; kinetic energy loss coefficients; and efficiency. The calculation demonstrates a first step for a systematic approach to radial turbine design that can be used to identify and control aerodynamic characteristics that ultimately determine heat transfer and component life. Experimentation will be required to assess the extent to which flow and boundary layer behavior were predicted correctly.

Civinskas, K.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Preliminary report on in-flight measurement of rotor hub drag and lift using the RSRA

The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) is a compound helicopter that was test flown as a fixed wing aircraft, with the main rotor blades removed and the rotor hub installed. An onboard rotor load measurement system measured the resulting rotor hub drag and lift. Measured hub drag and lift are plotted for comparison to that predicted by full scale and 1/6 scale model wind tunnel tests. The success of the demonstration gives confidence that planned improvements to the RSRA will allow high accuracy hub drag and lift measurements to be made in flight on a routine research basis.

Acree, C. W., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Hub flexibility effects on propfan vibration

The significance of hub flexibility in the nonlinear static and dynamic analyses of advanced turboprop blades is assessed. The chosen blade is the 0.175 scale model of the GE-A7-B4 unducted fan blade. A procedure for coupling the effective hub stiffness matrix to an MSC/NASTRAN finite element model is defined and verified. A series of nonlinear static and dynamic analyses are conducted on the blade for both rigid and flexible hug configurations. Results indicate that hub flexibility is significant in the nonlinear static and dynamic analyses of the GE-A7-B4. In order to insure accuracy in analyses of other blades, hub flexibility should always be considered.

Ernst, Michael A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The hub wall boundary layer development and losses in an axial flow compressor rotor passage

The hub wall boundary layer development in a compressor stage including the rotor passage is experimentally investigated. A miniature five-hole probe was employed to measure the hub wall boundary layer inside the inlet guide vane passage, upstream and far downstream of the rotor. The hub wall boundary layer inside the rotor passage was acquired using a rotating miniature five-hole probe. The boundary layer is well behaved upstream and far downstream of the rotor. The migration of the hub wall boundary layer towards the suction surface corner is observed. The limiting streamline angles and static pressure distribution across the stage were also measured. The mean velocity profiles and the integral properties upstream, inside and downstream of the rotor, and the losses are presented and interpreted.

Murthy, K. N. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

In-flight measurement of rotor hub drag using the RSRA - A feasibility demonstration

The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) is a compound helicopter that was test flown as a fixed-wing aircraft, with the main rotor blades removed and the rotor hub installed. An onboard rotor load-measurement system measured the resulting rotor hub drag and lift. Measured hub drag and lift are plotted for comparison to that predicted by full-scale and 1/6-scale model wind-tunnel tests. The success of the demonstration gives confidence that planned improvements to the RSRA will allow high-accuracy hub drag and lift measurements to be made in flight on a routine research basis.

Acree, C. W., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Determination of rotor derivatives and rotor hub force and moment derivatives from flight measurements with the RSRA compound helicopter

A case study of the application of an integrated rotorcraft identification method to the linear modeling of rotor system dynamics and rotor hub loads is presented. Applying the method to flight data obtained from the RSRA compound helicopter, the rotor derivatives in the rotor state dynamic equation are identified along with blade equivalent damping and spring periodic coefficients. A rigid blade flapping equation of motion can be derived from the identified rotor state equation. It is shown that the concept of rotor hub load derivatives is useful for small maneuvering loads. The hub load derivatives can be used to relate the hub dynamic load to rotor/fuselage motion and applied inputs.

Wang, Ji C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Hub loads analysis of the SA349/2 helicopter

The forces and moments at the rotor hub of an Aerospatiale SA349/2 helicopter were investigated. The study included three main topics. First, measured hub forces and moments for a range of level flight conditions (mu = 0.14 to 0.37) were compared with predictions from a comprehensive rotorcraft analysis to examine the influence of the wake model on the correlations. Second, the effect of changing the blade mass distribution and blade chordwise center of gravity location on the 3/rev nonrotating frame hub loads was studied for a high-speed flight condition (mu = 0.37). Third, the use of higher harmonic control to reduce nonrotating frame 3/rev hub shear forces was investigated. The last two topics were theoretical studies only.

Heffernan, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Evaluation of VSAERO in prediction of aerodynamic characteristics of helicopter hub fairings

A low-order panel code, VSAERO, was used to predict the aerodynamic characteristics of helicopter hub fairings. Since the simulation of this kind of bluff body by VSAERO was not documented before, the VSAERO solutions were correlated with experimental data to establish their validity. The validation process revealed that simulation of the aerodynamic environment around a hub fairing was sensitive to several modeling parameters. Some of these parameters are body and wake panels arrangement, streamwise and spanwise separation location, and the most prominent one-the wake modeling. Three wake models were used: regular wake, separated wake, and jet model. The regular wake is a wake with negligible thickness (thin wake). It is represented by a single vortex sheet. The separated wake and the jet model in the present application are wakes with finite thickness (thick wake). They consist of a vortex sheet enclosing a region of low-energy flow. The results obtained with the reqular wake were marginally acceptable for sharp-edged hub fairings. For all other cases under consideration, the jet model results correlated slightly better. The separated wake, which seemed to be the most appropriate model, caused the solution to diverge. While the regular wake was straight-forward to apply in simulations, the jet model was not. It requires the user to provide information about the doublet strength gradient on wake panels by guessing the efflux velocities at the wake shedding location. In summary, VSAERO neither predicts accurately the aerodynamic characteristics of helicopter hub fairings nor was cost effective.

Louie, Alexander↗

NASA NTRS1990

Hub loads analysis of the SA349/2 helicopter

Heffernan, Ruth M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Soft hub for bearingless rotors

Soft hub concepts which allow the direct replacement of articulated rotor systems by bearingless types without any change in controllability or need for reinforcement to the drive shaft and/or transmission/fuselage attachments of the helicopter were studied. Two concepts were analyzed and confirmed for functional and structural feasibility against a design criteria and specifications established for this effort. Both systems are gimballed about a thrust carrying universal elastomeric bearing. One concept includes a set of composite flexures for drive torque transmittal from the shaft to the rotor, and another set (which is changeable) to impart hub tilting stiffness to the rotor system as required to meet the helicopter application. The second concept uses a composite bellows flexure to drive the rotor and to augment the hub stiffness provided by the elastomeric bearing. Each concept was assessed for weight, drag, ROM cost, and number of parts and compared with the production BO-105 hub.

Dixon, Peter G. C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

A parametric study of harmonic rotor hub loads

A parametric study of vibratory rotor hub loads in a nonrotating system is presented. The study is based on a CAMRAD/JA model constructed for the GBH (Growth Version of Blackhawk Helicopter) Mach-scaled wind tunnel rotor model with high blade twist (-16 deg). The theoretical hub load predictions are validated by correlation with available measured data. Effects of various blade aeroelastic design changes on the harmonic nonrotating frame hub loads at both low and high forward flight speeds are investigated. The study aims to illustrate some of the physical mechanisms for change in the harmonic rotor hub loads due to blade design variations.

He, Chengjian↗

NASA NTRS2006

The Competitive Position of Hub Airports in the Transatlantic Market

This article puts forward the argument that the measurement of connectivity in hub-and-spoke networks has to take into account the quality and quantity of both direct and indirect connections. The NETSCAN model, which has been applied in this study, quantifies indirect connectivity and scales it into a theoretical direct connection. NETSCAN allows researchers, airports, airlines, alliances and airport regions to analyse their competitive position in an integrated way. Using NETSCAN, the authors analysed the developments on the market between northwest Europe and the United States (US) between May 2003 and May 2005. One of the most striking developments has certainly been the impact of the Air France-KLM merger and the effects of the integration of KLM and Northwest into the SkyTeam alliance on the connectivity of Amsterdam Schiphol. Direct as well as indirect connectivity (via European and North American hubs) from Amsterdam to the US increased substantially. The main reason for this increase is the integration of the former Wings and SkyTeam networks via the respective hub airports. Moreover, the extended SkyTeam alliance raised frequencies between Amsterdam and the SkyTeam hubs (Atlanta, Houston, for example), opened new routes (Cincinnati) and boosted the network between Amsterdam and France. As a result of the new routes and frequencies, Amsterdam took over Heathrow s position as the third best-connected northwest European airport to the US.

Burghouwt, Guillaume↗

NASA NTRS2023

Global Droughts Connected By Linkages Between Drought Hubs

Quantifying the spatial and interconnected structure of regional to continental scale droughts is one of the unsolved global hydrology problems, which is important for understanding the looming risk of mega-scale droughts and the resulting water and food scarcity and their cascading impact on the worldwide economy. Using a Complex Network analysis, this study explores the topological characteristics of global drought events based on the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index. Event Synchronization is used to measure the strength of association between the onset of droughts at different spatial locations within the time lag of 1-3 months. The network coefficients derived from the synchronization network indicate a highly heterogeneous connectivity structure underlying global drought events. Drought hotspot regions such as Southern Europe, Northeast Brazil, Australia, and Northwest USA behave as drought hubs that synchronize regionally and with other hubs at inter-continental or even inter-hemispheric scale. This observed affinity among drought hubs is equivalent to the ‘rich-club phenomenon’ in Network Theory, where ‘rich’ nodes (here, drought hubs) are tightly interconnected to form a club, implicating the possibility of simultaneous large-scale droughts over multiple continents.

Drought↗

NASA NTRS2014

Application of Sequential Quadratic Programming to Minimize Smart Active Flap Rotor Hub Loads

In an analytical study, SMART active flap rotor hub loads have been minimized using nonlinear programming constrained optimization methodology. The recently developed NLPQLP system (Schittkowski, 2010) that employs Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) as its core algorithm was embedded into a driver code (NLP10x10) specifically designed to minimize active flap rotor hub loads (Leyland, 2014). Three types of practical constraints on the flap deflections have been considered. To validate the current application, two other optimization methods have been used: i) the standard, linear unconstrained method, and ii) the nonlinear Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG) method with constraints. The new software code NLP10x10 has been systematically checked out. It has been verified that NLP10x10 is functioning as desired. The following are briefly covered in this paper: relevant optimization theory; implementation of the capability of minimizing a metric of all, or a subset, of the hub loads as well as the capability of using all, or a subset, of the flap harmonics; and finally, solutions for the SMART rotor. The eventual goal is to implement NLP10x10 in a real-time wind tunnel environment.

HUB LOADS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Exploring the Feasibility of a Carbon Dioxide Storage Hub in Western North Dakota

The University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and project partner ONEOK, Inc. (ONEOK) are investigating the feasibility of establishing a CO2 (carbon dioxide) storage hub in western North Dakota—in the heart of the Williston Basin. The conceived Roughrider Carbon Storage Hub would store CO2 captured from six gas-processing plants owned and operated by project partner ONEOK and a planned gas-to-liquids plant. This 2-year U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Phase II feasibility study is evaluating the aggregation of the CO2 captured from these seven sources for injection into stacked geologic storage complexes. The proposed hub includes several aspects that make it a highly qualified candidate for a feasibility study with a notably reduced project risk profile. These include 1) a project partner (ONEOK) with a committed goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 2) prior subsurface data analysis supporting a potential stacked storage configuration with adequate CO2 storage resource; 3) commitment from local, regional, and state-level stakeholders; and 4) a state with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency underground injection control Class VI primacy. ONEOK’s assets in the Williston Basin provide significant environmental benefits by capturing and processing natural gas that may otherwise be flared or vented. Storing CO2 from these gas-processing facilities will reduce overall CO2 emissions in the basin while providing essential services to producers there and contributing to continued energy independence in the domestic markets.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Hydrogen Hub Systems Analysis and Mapping Tool (ParaCraft) v1

A plug and play techno-economic analysis (TEA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA) tool was built that could incorporate new projects into the California ARCHES LLC Hydrogen hub, and generate results for the project, as well as the overall hub on an annual basis. The model was first constructed in Microsoft Excel and ArcGIS, but required labor intensive updating and manual decision making regarding the matching of hydrogen supplier and offtaker and estimation of transportation distances and utility sources. The project team converted the Excel model used for the ARCHES LLC hub conceptualization into a highly flexible and nearly completely automated R code. The R code runs the TEA and LCA, as well as provides mapping capabilities that automatically link projects by latitude and longitude to nearby utilities.

Breunig, Hanna↗

DOE OSTI2025

Pre-FEED Report on the Tampa Regional Intermodal Carbon Hub (T-RICH)

This report presents the findings of a year-long pre-FEED study into the feasibility of a CO 2 intermodal hub in Port Tampa Bay which would collect, store, and liquify captured CO 2 from major emitters across the State of Florida for marine transport out of the state. The proposed hub is called the Tampa Regional Intermodal Carbon Hub (T-RICH).

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

NASA NTRS1978

Preliminary analysis of hub and spoke air freight distribution system

A brief analysis is made of the hub and spoke air freight distribution system which would employ less than 15 hub centers world wide with very large advanced distributed-load freighters providing the line-haul delivery between hubs. This system is compared to a more conventional network using conventionally-designed long-haul freighters which travel between numerous major airports. The analysis calculates all of the transportation costs, including handling charges and pickup and delivery costs. The results show that the economics of the hub/spoke system are severely compromised by the extensive use of feeder aircraft to deliver cargo into and from the large freighter terminals. Not only are the higher costs for the smaller feeder airplanes disadvantageous, but their use implies an additional exchange of cargo between modes compared to truck delivery. The conventional system uses far fewer feeder airplanes, and in many cases, none at all. When feeder aircraft are eliminated from the hub/spoke system, however, that system is universally more economical than any conventional system employing smaller line-haul aircraft.

Whitehead, A. H., Jr.↗