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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 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Fluid mechanics, acoustics, and design of turbomachinery, part 1

A conference was conducted to analyze the effects of air flow on turbomachinery design. The subjects discussed are: (1) equations for compressible flow through turbomachines, (2) influence of axial velocity ratio on cascade performance, (3) three dimensional flow in transonic axial compressor blade rows, (4) prediction of turbulent shear layers in turbomachines, and (5) boundary layers in centrifugal compressors.

Lakshminarayana, B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The effect of outgassing upon the closure of cracks and the strength of lunar analogues

The effect of an ultrahigh vacuum and low water vapor pressure on the stress-strain relation in rocks was studied in order to understand geologic and tectonic processes of the moon. Terrestrial basaltic rocks carefully outgassed in high vacuum provided the sample material for the compression tests reported here. The tests were conducted either under 1 atm air saturated with moisture, or under high vacuum. Results of the stress-strain determinations indicated that the dry rocks could show as much as twice the strength of the wet rocks. The data may also provide a means of reconciling the high strength and high temperature exhibited by the lunar interior.

Mizutani, H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Status of the Space Station water reclamation and management subsystem design concept

A development status report is presented for the NASA Space Station's water reclamation and management (WRM) system, for which the candidate phase change-employing processing technologies are an air evaporation subsystem, a thermoelectric integrated membrane evaporation subsystem, and the vapor compression distillation subsystem. These WRM candidates employ evaporation to effect water removal from contaminants, but differ in their control of the vapor/liquid interface in zero-gravity and in the recovery of the latent heat of vaporization.

Bagdigian, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Temperature and Atomic Oxygen Effects on Helium Leak Rates of a Candidate Main Interface Seal

Helium leak tests were completed to characterize the leak rate of a 54 in. diameter composite space docking seal design in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA's) Low Impact Docking System (LIDS). The evaluated seal design was a candidate for the main interface seal on the LIDS, which would be compressed between two vehicles, while docked, to prevent the escape of breathable air from the vehicles and into the vacuum of space. Leak tests completed at nominal temperatures of -30, 20, and 50 C on untreated and atomic oxygen (AO) exposed test samples were examined to determine the influence of both test temperature and AO exposure on the performance of the composite seal assembly. Results obtained for untreated seal samples showed leak rates which increased with increased test temperature. This general trend was not observed in tests of the AO exposed specimens. Initial examination of collected test data suggested that AO exposure resulted in higher helium leak rates, however, further analysis showed that the differences observed in the 20 and 50 C tests between the untreated and AO exposed samples were within the experimental error of the test method. Lack of discernable trends in the test data prevented concrete conclusions about the effects of test temperature and AO exposure on helium leak rates of the candidate seal design from being drawn. To facilitate a comparison of the current test data with results from previous leak tests using air as the test fluid, helium leak rates were converted to air leak rates using standard conversion factors for viscous and molecular flow. Flow rates calculated using the viscous flow conversion factor were significantly higher than the experimental air leakage values, whereas values calculated using the molecular flow conversion factor were significantly lower than the experimentally obtained air leak rates. The difference in these sets of converted flow rates and their deviation from the experimentally obtained air leak rate data suggest that neither conversion factor can be used alone to accurately convert helium leak rates to equivalent air leak rates for the test seals evaluated in this study; other leak phenomena, including permeation, must also be considered.

Penney, Nicholas↗
NASA NTRS1996

Detecting the dynamical state of the atmosphere from the orbital decay of the ODERACS spheres

The orbital decay curve of a satellite having constant cross-sectional area and in circular orbit can furnish valuable information regarding the dynamical state of the atmosphere. It is shown that a rectilinear decay curve having constant downward slope (zero curvature) should indicate that the atmosphere was undergoing compression during that period. A decay curve having concavity upwards (positive curvature) will strongly indicate that the atmosphere was in a contracting phase. A decay curve with downward concavity (negative curvature) may indicate an expanding, a stationary or a contracting atmosphere. This theory, when applied to the orbital decay of the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS) satellites, indicates that during the period from Day 90 through Day 240 in the year 1994, the atmosphere was very definitely in a compression mode. During this period, ODERACS Sphere 1 faced nearly constant densities while Sphere 6 actually encountered progressively smaller air densities as they descended. The atmospheric scale height as calculated from the orbital data of Spheres 1 and 6 diminished steadily during the same period. It is shown that Spheres 1 and 6 descended faster and slower respectively, than the level of constant air density equal to 5 x 10 kg/m . During a brief period from Day 240 through Day 290, the atmosphere reversed to a strongly expanding mode. Thereafter, the atmosphere reverted back to a compression mode from Day 290 through Day 390, 1994.

Tan, Arjun↗
NASA NTRS1998

Inlet Performance Analysis Code Developed

The design characteristics of an inlet very much depend on whether the inlet is to be flown at subsonic, supersonic, or hypersonic speed. Whichever the case, the primary function of an inlet is to deliver free-stream air to the engine face at the highest stagnation pressure possible and with the lowest possible variation in both stagnation pressure and temperature. At high speeds, this is achieved by a system of oblique and/or normal shock waves, and possibly some isentropic compression. For both subsonic and supersonic flight, current design practice indicates that the inlet should deliver the air to the engine face at approximately Mach 0.45. As a result, even for flight in the high subsonic regime, the inlet must retard (or diffuse) the air substantially. Second, the design of an inlet is influenced largely by the compromise between high performance and low weight. This compromise involves tradeoffs between the mission requirements, flight trajectory, airframe aerodynamics, engine performance, and weight-all of which, in turn, influence each other. Therefore, to study the effects of some of these influential factors, the Propulsion System Analysis Office of the NASA Lewis Research Center developed the Inlet Performance Analysis Code (IPAC). This code uses oblique shock and Prandtl-Meyer expansion theory to predict inlet performance. It can be used to predict performance for a given inlet geometric design such as pitot, axisymmetric, and two-dimensional. IPAC also can be used to design preliminary inlet systems and to make subsequent performance analyses. It computes the total pressure, the recovery, the airflow, and the drag coefficients. The pressure recovery includes losses associated with normal and oblique shocks, internal and external friction, the sharp lip, and diffuser components. Flow rate includes captured, engine, spillage, bleed, and bypass flows. The aerodynamic drag calculation includes drags associated with spillage, cowl lip suction, wave, bleed, and bypass.

Jules, Kenol↗
NASA NTRS1991

Modern CFD applications for the design of a reacting shear layer facility

The RPLUS2D code, capable of calculating high speed reacting flows, has been adopted to design a compressible shear layer facility. In order to create reacting shear layers at high convective Mach numbers, hot air streams at supersonic speeds, render by converging-diverging nozzles, must be provided. A finite rate chemistry model is used to simulate the nozzle flows. Results are compared with one-dimensional, chemically equilibrium solutions. Additionally, a two equation turbulence model with compressibility effects has been successfully incorporated with the RPLUS code. The model has been applied to simulate a supersonic shear layer. Preliminary results show favorable comparisons with the experimental data.

Yu, S. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Controlled-Temperature Hot-Air Gun

Materials that find applications in wind tunnels first tested in laboratory. Hot-Air Gun differs from commercial units in that flow rate and temperature monitored and controlled. With typical compressed-airsupply pressure of 25 to 38 psi (170 to 260 kPa), flow rate and maximum temperature are 34 stdft3/min (0.96 stdm3/min) and 1,090 degrees F (590 degrees C), respectively. Resembling elaborate but carefully regulated hot-air gun, setup used to apply blasts of air temperatures above 1,500 degrees F (815 degrees C) to test specimens.

Munoz, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Modern CFD applications for the design of a reacting shear layer facility

The RPLUS2D code, capable of calculating high speed reacting flows, was adopted to design a compressible shear layer facility. In order to create reacting shear layers at high convective Mach numbers, hot air streams at supersonic speeds, rendered by converging-diverging nozzles, must be provided. A finite rate chemistry model is used to simulate the nozzle flows. Results are compared with one-dimensional solutions at chemical equilibrium. Additionally, a two equation turbulence model with compressibility effects was successfully incorporated with the RPLUS code. The model was applied to simulate a supersonic shear layer. Preliminary results show favorable comparisons with the experimental data.

Yu, S. T.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Examination of a Methane/Diesel RCCI Engine Using Pele: Preprint

Multi-fuel, advanced injection strategies have become increasingly promising as a strategy to mitigate the emissions generated from internal combustion engines. By carefully controlling the combustion phasing in-cylinder, these new multi-pulse, multi-fuel injection strategies are able to burn in the low-temperature combustion regime where both NOx and soot are not readily produced, reducing the need for extensive exhaust gas recirculation systems. In this study, we examine a reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) strategy that uses an early pre-filled methane-air mixture with low turbulence background as the low-reactivity fuel and a direct injection of four discrete dodecane jets as a surrogate for the high-reactivity diesel fuel. We use the Pele software suite, a highly optimized, exascale-ready, adaptive mesh refinement codebase to perform high-resolution numerical simulations of a scaled down, single cylinder from the RCCI engine. Here, we resolve the ignition kernels down to micrometer scales and present several statistical quantities evaluating the development of the flow and detailing the onset of ignition and subsequent flame development. Particular attention is paid to the conditions surrounding the onset of the first ignition kernels and discussing what led to the development of those conditions.

CFD↗
NASA NTRS1977

Compressibility measurement of fluid-system ullage

Portable self-contained instrument measures volume of free gas or air trapped in closed fluid systems, such as lubricating-oil lines or hydraulic brakes. In response to measurement readings, operator may use device to accurately add or withdraw fluid to or from system.

Dzienis, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1940

Corrections on the Thermometer Reading in an Air Stream

A method is described for checking a correction formula, based partly on theoretical considerations, for adiabatic compression and friction in flight tests and determining the value of the constant. It is necessary to apply a threefold correction to each thermometer reading. They are a correction for adiabatic compression, friction and for time lag.

Van Der Maas, H J↗
NASA NTRS1941

Development of Cowling for Long-nose Air-cooled Engine in the NACA Full-scale Wind Tunnel

An investigation of cowlings for long-nose radial engines was made on the Curtiss XP-42 fighter in the NACA full-scale wind tunnel. The unsatisfactory aerodynamic characteristics of all the cowlings with scoop inlets tested led to the development of the annular high-velocity inlet cowlings. Tests showed that ratio of cooling-air velocity at cowling inlet to stream velocity should not be less than 0.5 for this type of cowling and that critical compressibility speed can be extended to more than 500 mph at 20,000 ft altitude.

AIR FLOW-ENGINE COWLINGS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Additive manufacturing of AISI M2 tool steel by binder jetting (BJ): Investigation of microstructural and mechanical properties

The presented research demonstrates for the first time the successful processing of AISI M2 tool steel by binder jetting, a promising additive manufacturing technique capable of producing complex shapes with minimal residual stresses and isotropic properties. The optimal printing parameters were explored by varying processing parameters such as the binder saturation (45 %–105 %), binder set time (0 to 10 s), targeted bed temperature (50–60 °C), oscillator (2600–2750 rpm), recoater (20–28 mm/s), and roller speeds (200–300 rpm). Microstructural characterization and evaluation of mechanical properties of binder jetted parts were performed using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to study their chemical composition, powder morphology, microstructure, carbide morphologies, relative density, hardness, compressive strength, and ductility. Two powder sizes (5 and 10 μm) were used, and sintering was performed at varying temperatures (1270, 1280, and 1300 °C) and durations (60 and 120 min), followed by a furnace, air, and water cooling. An optimum hardness of ~970 HV was obtained when parts were sintered at 1270 °C for 60 min, followed by water quenching. Impressive compressive strength of ~ 3580 MPa was observed in the sample sintered at 1280 °C for 60 min duration, followed by air cooling. Furnace-cooled parts showed the highest density of ~95 %, whereas the relative density of air- and water-cooled parts varied between ~91 to 93.50 %, respectively. The microstructure of sintered samples revealed the formation of M 6 C stable carbide, M 2 C metastable carbide, MC as a secondary carbide, and a-Fe matrix, which contributed to the observed increase in mechanical properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1993

Impact of aeroelasticity on propulsion and longitudinal flight dynamics of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

Many air-breathing hypersonic aerospacecraft design concepts incorporate an elongated fuselage forebody acting as the aerodynamic compression surface for a hypersonic combustion module, or scram jet. This highly integrated design approach creates the potential for an unprecedented form of aero-propulsive-elastic interaction in which deflections of the vehicle fuselage give rise to propulsion transients, producing force and moment variations that may adversely impact the rigid body flight dynamics and/or further excite the fuselage bending modes. To investigate the potential for such interactions, a math model was developed which included the longitudinal flight dynamics, propulsion system, and first seven elastic modes of a hypersonic air-breathing vehicle. Perturbation time histories from a simulation incorporating this math model are presented that quantify the propulsive force and moment variations resulting from aeroelastic vehicle deflections. Root locus plots are presented to illustrate the effect of feeding the propulsive perturbations back into the aeroelastic model. A concluding section summarizes the implications of the observed effects for highly integrated hypersonic air-breathing vehicle concepts.

Raney, David L.↗
DOE OSTI2022

A comprehensive experimental and kinetic modeling study of di-isobutylene isomers: Part 1

We report di-isobutylene has received significant attention as a promising fuel blendstock, as it can be synthesized via biological routes and is a short-listed molecule from the Co-Optima initiative. Di-isobutylene is also popularly used as an alkene representative in multi-component surrogate models for engine studies of gasoline fuels. However, there is limited experimental data available in the literature for neat di-isobutylene under engine-like conditions. Hence, most existing di-isobutylene models have not been extensively validated, particularly at lower temperatures (< 1000 K). Most gasoline surrogate models include the di-isobutylene sub-mechanism published by Metcalfe et al. with little or no modification. The current study is undertaken to develop a detailed kinetic model for di-isobutylene and validate the model using a wide range of relevant experimental data. Part 1 of this study exclusively focuses on the low- to intermediate temperature kinetics of di-isobutylene. An upcoming part 2 discusses the high-temperature model development and validation of the relevant experimental targets. Ignition delay time measurements for the di-isobutylene isomers were performed at pressures ranging from 15 - 30 bar at equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 diluted in air and in the temperature range 650 - 900 K using two independent rapid compression machine facilities. In addition, measurements of species identified during the oxidation of these isomers were performed in a jet-stirred reactor and in a rapid compression machine. A detailed kinetic model for the di-isobutylene isomers is developed to capture the wide range of new experimental targets. For the first time, a comprehensive low-temperature chemistry submodel is included. The differences in the important reaction pathways for the accurate prediction of the oxidation of the two DIB isomers are compared using reaction path analysis. In conclusion, the most sensitive reactions controlling the ignition delay times of the DIB isomers under the pressure and temperature conditions necessary for autoignition in engines are identified.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1981

Simulation of ideal-gas flow by nitrogen and other selected gases at cryogenic temperatures

The real gas behavior of nitrogen, the gas normally used in transonic cryogenic tunnels, is reported for the following flow processes: isentropic expansion, normal shocks, boundary layers, and interactions between shock waves and boundary layers. The only difference in predicted pressure ratio between nitrogen and an ideal gas which may limit the minimum operating temperature of transonic cryogenic wind tunnels occur at total pressures approaching 9 atm and total temperatures 10 K below the corresponding saturation temperature. These pressure differences approach 1 percent for both isentropic expansions and normal shocks. Alternative cryogenic test gases were also analyzed. Differences between air and an ideal diatomic gas are similar in magnitude to those for nitrogen and should present no difficulty. However, differences for helium and hydrogen are over an order of magnitude greater than those for nitrogen or air. It is concluded that helium and cryogenic hydrogen would not approximate the compressible flow of an ideal diatomic gas.

Hall, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Comparative evaluation of three alternative power cycles for waste heat recovery from the exhaust of adiabatic diesel engines

Three alternative power cycles were compared in application as an exhaust-gas heat-recovery system for use with advanced adiabatic diesel engines. The power cycle alternatives considered were steam Rankine, organic Rankine with RC-1 as the working fluid, and variations of an air Brayton cycle. The comparison was made in terms of fuel economy and economic payback potential for heavy-duty trucks operating in line-haul service. The results indicate that, in terms of engine rated specific fuel consumption, a diesel/alternative-power-cycle engine offers a significant improvement over the turbocompound diesel used as the baseline for comparison. The maximum imporvement resulted from the use of a Rankine cycle heat-recovery system in series with turbocompounding. The air Brayton cycle alternatives studied, which included both simple-cycle and compression-intercooled configurations, were less effective and provided about half the fuel consumption improvement of the Rankine cycle alternatives under the same conditions. Capital and maintenance cost estimates were also developed for each of the heat-recovery power cycle systems. These costs were integrated with the fuel savings to identify the time required for net annual savings to pay back the initial capital investment. The sensitivity of capital payback time to arbitrary increases in fuel price, not accompanied by corresponding hardware cost inflation, was also examined. The results indicate that a fuel price increase is required for the alternative power cycles to pay back capital within an acceptable time period.

Bailey, M. M.↗