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At least 811 records · Page 45

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NASA NTRS1986

Advanced Gas Turbine (AGT) Technology Project

Engine testing, ceramic component fabrication and evaluation, component performance rig testing, and analytical studies comprised AGT 100 activities during the 1985 year. Ten experimental assemblies (builds) were evaluated using two engines. Accrued operating time was 120 hr of burning and 170 hr total, bringing cumulative total operating time to 395 hr, all devoid of major failures. Tests identified the generator seals as the primary working fluid leakage sources. Power transfer clutch operation was demonstrated. An alpha SiC gasifier rotor engine test resulted in blade tip failures. Recurring case vibration and shaft whip have limited gasifier shaft speeds to 84%. Ceramic components successfully engine tested now include the SiC scroll assembly, Si3N3 turbine rotor, combustor assembly, regenerator disk bulkhead, turbine vanes, piston rings, and couplings. A compressor shroud design change to reduce heat recirculation back to the inlet was executed. Ceramic components activity continues to focus on the development of state-of-the-art material strength characteristics in full-scale engine hardware. Fiber reinforced glass-ceramic composite turbine (inner) backplates were fabricated by Corning Glass Works. The BMAS/III material performed well in engine testing. Backplates of MAS material have not been engine tested.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1986

Dual-throat thruster thermal model

The dual-throat engine is one of the dual nozzle engine concepts studied for advanced space transportation applications. It provides a thrust change and an in-flight area ratio change through the use of two concentric combustors with their throats arranged in series. Test results are presented for a dual throat thruster burning gaseous oxygen and hydrogen at primary (inner) chamber pressures from 380 to 680 psia. Heat flux profiles were obtained from calorimetric cooling channels in the inner nozzle, outer or secondary chamber and the tip of the inner nozzle. Data were obtained for two nozzle spacings over a chamber pressure ratio (secondary/primary) range of 0.45 to 0.83 with both chambers firing (Mode I). Fluxes near the end of the inner nozzle were significantly higher than in Mode II when only the inner chamber was fired, due to the flow separation and recirculation caused by the back pressure imposed by the secondary chamber. As the pressure ratio increased, these heat fluxes increased and the region of high heat flux relative to Mode II extended farther upstream. The use of the gaseous hydrogen bleed flow in the secondary chamber to control heat fluxes in the primary plume attachment region was investigated in Mode II testing. A thermal model of a dual throat thruster was developed and upgraded using the experimental data.

Ewen, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Estimation of absolute water surface temperature based on atmospherically corrected thermal infrared multispectral scanner digital data

Airborne remote sensing systems, as well as those on board Earth orbiting satellites, sample electromagnetic energy in discrete wavelength regions and convert the total energy sampled into data suitable for processing by digital computers. In general, however, the total amount of energy reaching a sensor system located at some distance from the target is composed not only of target related energy, but, in addition, contains a contribution originating from the atmosphere itself. Thus, some method must be devised for removing or at least minimizing the effects of the atmosphere. The LOWTRAN-6 Program was designed to estimate atmospheric transmittance and radiance for a given atmospheric path at moderate spectral resolution over an operational wavelength region from 0.25 to 28.5 microns. In order to compute the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) digital values which were recorded in the absence of the atmosphere, the parameters derived from LOWTRAN-6 are used in a correction equation. The TIMS data were collected at 1:00 a.m. local time on November 21, 1983, over a recirculating cooling pond for a power plant in southeastern Mississippi. The TIMS data were analyzed before and after atmospheric corrections were applied using a band ratioing model to compute the absolute surface temperature of various points on the power plant cooling pond. The summarized results clearly demonstrate the desirability of applying atmospheric corrections.

Anderson, James E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A Comparison of Experimental and Theoretical Results for Labyrinth Gas Seals

The basic equations are derived for a two control volume model for compressible flow in a labyrinth seal. The flow is assumed to be completely turbulent and isoenergetic. The wall friction factors are determined using the Blasius formula. Jet flow theory is used for the calculation of the recirculation velocity in the cavity. Linearized zeroth and first order perturbation equations are developed for small motion about a centered position by an expansion in the eccentricity ratio. The zeroth order pressure distribution is found by satisfying the leakage equation. The circumferential velocity distribution is determined by satisfying the momentum equations. The first order equations are solved by a separation of variable solution. Integration of the resultant pressure distribution along and around the seal defines the reaction force developed by the seal and the corresponding dynamic coefficients. The results of this analysis are compared to experimental test results.

Scharrer, Joseph Kirk↗

NASA NTRS1987

Flowfield measurements in a separated and reattached flat plate turbulent boundary layer

The separation and reattachment of a large-scale, two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer at low subsonic speed on a flat plate has been studied experimentally. The separation bubble was 55 cm long and had a maximum bubble thickness, measured to the height of the mean dividing streamline, of 17 cm, which was twice the thickness of the inlet boundary layer. A combination of laser velocimetry, hot-wire anemometry, pneumatic probing techniques, and flow visualization were used as diagnostics. Principal findings were that an outer inviscid rotational flow was defined which essentially convected over the blockage associated with the inner, viscously dominated bubble recirculation region. A strong backflow region in which the flow moved upstream 100 percent of the time was measured near the test surface over the central 35 percent of the bubble. A laminar backflow boundary layer having pseudo-turbulent characteristics including a log-linear velocity profile was generated under the highly turbulent backflow. Velocity profile shapes in the reversed flow region matched a previously developed universal backflow profile at the upstream edge of the separation region but not in the steady backflow region downstream. A smoke flow visualization movie and hot-film measurements revealed low frequency nonperiodic flapping at reattachment. However, forward flow fraction data at reattachment and mean velocity profiles in the redeveloping boundary layer downstream of reattachment correlated with backward-facing step data when the axial dimension was scaled by the distance from the maximum bubble thickness to reattachment.

Patrick, William P.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A transport model of the turbulent scalar-velocity

Performance tests of the third-order turbulence closure for predictions of separating and recirculating flows in backward-facing steps were studied. Computations of the momentum and temperature fields in the flow domain being considered entail the solution of time-averaged transport equations containing the second-order turbulent fluctuating products. The triple products, which are responsible for the diffusive transport of the second-order products, attain greater significance in separating and reattaching flows. The computations are compared with several algebraic models and with the experimental data. The prediction was improved considerably, particularly in the separated shear layer. Computations are further made for the temperature-velocity double products and triple products. Finally, several advantages were observed in the usage of the transport equations for the evaluation of the turbulence triple products; one of the most important features is that the transport model can always take the effects of convection and diffusion into account in strong convective shear flows such as reattaching separated layers while conventional algebraic models cannot account for these effects in the evaluation of turbulence variables.

Amano, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Groundwater sapping channels: Summary of effects of experiments with varied stratigraphy

Experiments in the recirculating flume sapping box have modeled valley formation by groundwater sapping processes in a number of settings. The effects of the following parameters on sapping channel morphology were examined: surface slope; stratigraphic variations in permeability cohesion and dip; and structure of joints and dikes. These kinds of modeling experiments are particularly good for: testing concepts; developing a suite of distinctive morphologies and morphometries indicative of sapping; helping to relate process to morphology; and providing data necessary to assess the relative importance of runoff, sapping, and mass wasting processes on channel development. The observations from the flume systems can be used to help interpret features observed in terrestrial and Martian settings where sapping processes are thought to have played an important role in the development of valley networks.

Kochel, R. Craig↗

NASA NTRS1987

The scaling of model test results to predict intake hot gas reingestion for STOVL aircraft with augmented vectored thrust engines

The difficulties of modeling the complex recirculating flow fields produced by multiple jet STOVL aircraft close to the ground have led to extensive use of experimental model tests to predict intake Hot Gas Reingestion (HGR). Model test results reliability is dependent on a satisfactory set of scaling rules which must be validated by fully comparable full scale tests. Scaling rules devised in the U.K. in the mid 60's gave good model/full scale agreement for the BAe P1127 aircraft. Until recently no opportunity has occurred to check the applicability of the rules to the high energy exhaust of current ASTOVL aircraft projects. Such an opportunity has arisen following tests on a Tethered Harrier. Comparison of this full scale data and results from tests on a model configuration approximating to the full scale aircraft geometry has shown discrepancies between HGR levels. These discrepancies although probably due to geometry and other model/scale differences indicate some reexamination of the scaling rules is needed. Therefore the scaling rules are reviewed, further scaling studies planned are described and potential areas for further work are suggested.

Penrose, C. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A finite element computational method for high Reynolds number laminar flows

A velocity-pressure integrated, mixed interpolation, Galerkin finite element method for the Navier-Stokes equations is presented. In the method, the velocity variables are interpolated using complete quadratic shape functions, and the pressure is interpolated using linear shape functions which are defined on a triangular element for the two-dimensional case and on a tetrahedral element for the three-dimensional case. The triangular element and the tetrahedral element are contained inside the complete bi- and tri-quadratic elements for velocity variables for two and three dimensional cases, respectively, so that the pressure is discontinuous across the element boundaries. Example problems considered include: a cavity flow of Reynolds numbers 400 through 10,000; a laminar backward facing step flow; and a laminar flow in a square duct of strong curvature. The computational results compared favorably with the finite difference computational results and/or experimental data available. It was found that the present method can capture the delicate pressure driven recirculation zones, that the method did not yield any spurious pressure modes, and that the method requires fewer grid points than the finite difference methods to obtain comparable computational results.

Kim, Sang-Wook↗

NASA NTRS1986

Finite element solver for 3-D compressible viscous flows

The space shuttle main engine (SSME) has extremely complex internal flow structure. The geometry of the flow domain is three-dimensional with complicated topology. The flow is compressible, viscous, and turbulent with large gradients in flow quantities and regions of recirculations. The analysis of the flow field in SSME involves several tedious steps. One is the geometrical modeling of the particular zone of the SSME being studied. Accessing the geometry definition, digitalizing it, and developing surface interpolations suitable for an interior grid generator require considerable amount of manual labor. There are several types of grid generators available with some general-purpose finite element programs. An efficient and robust computational scheme for solving 3D Navier-Stokes equations has to be implemented. Post processing software has to be adapted to visualize and analyze the computed 3D flow field. The progress made in a project to develop software for the analysis of the flow is discussed. The technical approach to the development of the finite element scheme and the relaxation procedure are discussed. The three dimensional finite element code for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is listed.

Reddy, K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program

Development test activities on Mod I engines directed toward evaluating technologies for potential inclusion in the Mod II engine are summarized. Activities covered include: test of a 12-tube combustion gas recirculation combustor; manufacture and flow-distribution test of a two-manifold annular heater head; piston rod/piston base joint; single-solid piston rings; and a digital air/fuel concept. Also summarized are results of a formal assessment of candidate technologies for the Mod II engine, and preliminary design work for the Mod II. The overall program philosophy weight is outlined, and data and test results are presented.

Nightingale, N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Numerical analysis of a NACA0012 airfoil with leading edge ice accretions

Analysis of a NACA0012 airfoil with leading edge ice has been performed using a Navier-Stokes code coupled with a grid generation code. The computed results were compared to experimental information obtained for an airfoil with a well defined artificial ice shape. The computations were performed at angles of attack ranging from zero to ten degrees. This range is sufficient to show the development of the separation bubble aft of the ice shape on both the upper and lower surfaces. Velocity profile plots in the separation bubble are examined in order to determine if recirculation patterns are predicted properly and if separation and reattachment points are found within the resolution of the experimental information. Also, the massive separation near the point of stall is examined in order to more accurately evaluate the lift coefficient curve in that region. Lift, drag, and moment coefficients are computed and compared to experiment.

Potapczuk, Mark G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Numerical study of laminar and turbulent flows inside a turnaround duct with and without guide vanes

The purpose of this study is to examine in detail incompressible laminar and turbulent flows inside a turnaround duct with and without guide vanes and to investigate the effects of vanes on the flow characteristics. To perform this study, an implicit finite difference code cast in general curvilinear coordinates is further developed. The code is based on the method of pseudo-compressibility and utilize ADI or implicit approximate factorization algorithm to achieve computational efficiency. Method of segmental sweeping is developed to overcome the multiple-zone problem due to imposition of guide vanes. In the present study, several test cases have been computed. These test cases include laminar and turbulent flows inside a turnaround duct without and with two or three guide vanes. The study reveals that: (1) there exists large recirculation zones inside the duct if no vanes are present; (2) properly shaped and positional guide vanes are effective in eliminating flow separation; and (3) laminar and turbulent flows have similar flow features. But turbulent flow has less total pressure drop.

Lin, S.-J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Two-component LDV investigation of 3-dimensional shock/turbulent boundary layer interactions

Mean-velocity and turbulence measurements obtained by two-component laser Doppler velocimetry are presented, together with numerical predictions, for the shock-related separation of a turbulent boundary layer at Mach 2.85. The basic geometry, a 30 deg half-angle flare mounted on a long cylinder, is made three-dimensional by tipping the flare at an angle of attack, alpha. The separation length and general upstream influence increase with alpha. A recirculating vortex in the separated zone becomes stronger as three-dimensionality increases. A large-scale unsteadiness of the separation shock wave and surrounding flowfields grows in amplitude with alpha, and appears to strongly influence the amplification of turbulence correlations ahead of detachment. Scaling of the streamwise coordinate by separation length causes two-dimensional and three-dimensional data profiles on the cylinder to collapse for most measured quantities.

Brown, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Fiber-optic thermometer using temperature dependent absorption, broadband detection, and time domain referencing

A fiber-optic thermometer based on temperature dependent absorption in Nd(3+) doped glass is demonstrated over the 298-573 K range. A broadband detection technique allows the use of the complete spectrum of a pulse modulated light emitting diode. A fiber-optic recirculating loop is employed to construct a reference channel in the time domain by generating a train of pulses from one initial pulse. A theoretical model is developed, and experimental data are shown to compare well with the theory. Possible sources of error and instability are identified, and ways to enhance the performance of the system are proposed.

Adamovsky, Grigory↗

NASA NTRS1987

Turbulent heat transfer in corrugated-wall channels with and without fins

A numerical study is performed examining flow and heat transfer characteristics in a channel with periodically corrugated walls. The complexity of the flow in this type of channel is demonstrated by such phenomena as flow impingement on the walls, separation at the bend corners, flow reattachment, and flow recirculation. Because of the strong nonisotropic nature of the turbulent flow in the channel, the full Reynolds-stress model was employed for the evaluation of turbulence quantities. Computations are made for several different corrugation periods and for different Reynolds numbers. The results computed by using the present model show excellent agreement with experimental data for mean velocities, the Reynolds stresses, and average Nusselt numbers. The study was further extended to a channel flow where fins are inserted at bends in the channel. It was observed that the insertion of fins in the flow passage has a visible effect on flow patterns and skin friction along the channel wall.

Amano, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Numerical simulation of flow path in the oxidizer side hot gas manifold of the Space Shuttle main engine

The purpose of this study is to examine in detail incompressible laminar and turbulent flows inside the oxidizer side Hot Gas Manifold of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. To perform this study, an implicit finite difference code cast in general curvilinear coordinates is further developed. The code is based on the method of pseudo-compressibility and utilize ADI or implicit approximate factorization algorithm to achieve computational efficiency. A multiple-zone method is developed to overcome the complexity of the geometry. In the present study, the laminar and turbulent flows in the oxidizer side Hot Gas Manifold have been computed. The study reveals that: (1) there exists large recirculation zones inside the bowl if no vanes are present; (2) strong secondary flows are observed in the transfer tube; and (3) properly shaped and positioned guide vanes are effective in eliminating flow separation.

Lin, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A theoretical evaluation of laser-sustained plasma thruster performance

An extensive numerical experiment has been conducted to evaluate rocket thruster performance using a laser-sustained hydrogen plasma as the propellant. The plasma was sustained using a 30 kW CO2 laser beam operated at 10.6 microns focused inside the thruster. The steady-state Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the laser power absorption process have been solved numerically. A pressure based Navier-Stokes solver using body-fitted coordinate was used to calculate the laser-supported rocket flow which included both recirculating and transonic flow regions. The local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) assumption was used for the plasma thermophysical and optical properties. Geometric ray tracing was adopted to describe the laser beam. Several different throat size thrusters operated at 150 and 300 kPa chamber stagnation pressure were studied. It was found that the thruster performance (vacuum specific impulse) was highly dependent on the operating conditions, and a properly designed laser supported thruster can attain a specific impulse around 1500 secs. The heat loading on the thruster wall was also estimated and was in the range of that for a conventional chemical rocket.

Jeng, San-Mou↗