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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 973 records · Page 54
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Improving the breed - Shuttle development

An evaluation is made of design improvements that have been made to the Space Shuttle System, and the performance gains obtained; the most important of these stem from efforts to refine procedures for rendezvous with stricken satellites, in order to repair them. Ascent performance has been improved through Space Shuttle Main Engine thrust improvements and external tank weight reductions. On-orbit living convenience has been enhanced by the addition of small sleeping compartments and a galley. Greater flexibility has been obtained for reentry and landing maneuvers. Attention is given to problems which continue to be posed by the thermal protection tiles.

Brand, V.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An experimental investigation of rubbing interaction in labyrinth seals at cryogenic temperature

An experimental program was carried out to address issues related to the observed cracking of the titanium knife edges on the labyrinth seals of the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) in the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME). Thermal shock experiments were carried out using a jet specimen with geometry similar to the knife edge geometry. These tests demonstrate that cracking of the titanium alloy is possible in a situation involving repeated thermal cycles over a wide temperature range, as might be realized during a rub in the liquid hydrogen fuel pump. High speed rub interaction tests were conducted using a representative knife edge and seal geometry over a broad range of interaction rates. Alternative materials were also experimentally evaluated. These tests provide information which can be used to design improved labyrinth seals for the HPFP of the SSME. In particular, plasma-sprayed aluminum-graphite was found to be significantly better than aluminum alloy seals used at present from the standpoint of rub performance. Ion nitriding of the titanium alloy knife edges was also found to improve rub performance compared with the untreated baseline knife edge material.

Dolan, F. X.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Rotordynamic coefficients for compressible flow in tapered annular seals

Derivation of the governing equations for compressible flow in a tapered annular seal is based on Hirs' turbulent bulk-flow model. Zeroth and first-order perturbation equations are developed by an expansion in the eccentricity ratio. These equations are numerically integrated to obtain the leakage, and the direct and cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients. Seal parameters similar to the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump are used to demonstrate output from the analysis procedure. The effects of preswirl and seal taper are shown for three different length-to-diameter ratios. Generally the results indicate that prerotating the fluid significantly increases the cross-coupled stiffness but has little effect on the other coefficients, and increasing the convergent taper increases the direct stiffness while decreasing the direct damping and cross-coupled stiffness.

Nelson, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Repairing Hard-to-Reach Cracks in Heat-Exchanger Tubes

Inaccessible leaks repaired from accessible side of tube. Fish-Mouth insert placed in cut in leaky heat-exchanger tube. Insert welded or brazed to tube, and remaining open area of cut patched. Method developed for repairing leaks in nozzle coolant tubes of Space Shuttle main engine. Method also used on other types of tubular heat exchangers.

Mills, R. C., Sr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Advanced Rotordynamic Nonlinear Transient Simulation

Advanced rotordynamic nonlinear transient-simulation program, TRANSIM, developed to predict response of high-performance rotating machinery to variety of forcing functions. Works by modal superposition of rotor and casing subsystems. Transient response of system calculated by numerical integration of equations of motion, performed in modal coordinates. Resulting data transformed back into physical coordinates as required to determine user-requested loads and accelerations as function of time. Used to analyze Space Shuttle main engine high-pressure fuel turbopump. TRANSIM written in FORTRAN 77.

Becht, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Investigation of weld joint detection capabilities of a coaxial weld vision system

This report describes the second phase of a series of evaluations of a vision-based welding control sensor for the Space shuttle Main Engine Robotic Welding System. The robotic welding system is presently under development at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This evaluation determines the factors influencing the minimum joint gap required for consistent detection of the weld joint.

Gangl, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Influence of control parameters on the joint tracking performance of a coaxial weld vision system

The first phase of a series of evaluations of a vision-based welding control sensor for the Space Shuttle Main Engine Robotic Welding System is described. The robotic welding system is presently under development at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This evaluation determines the standard control response parameters necessary for proper trajectory of the welding torch along the joint.

Gangl, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Simplified cyclic structural analyses of SSME turbine blades

Anisotropic high-temperature alloys are used to meet the safety and durability requirements of turbine blades for high-pressure turbopumps in reusable space propulsion systems. The applicability to anisotropic components of a simplified inelastic structural analysis procedure developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center is assessed. The procedure uses as input the history of the total strain at the critical crack initiation location computed from elastic finite-element analyses. Cyclic heat transfer and structural analyses are performed for the first stage high-pressure fuel turbopump blade of the space shuttle main engine. The blade alloy is directionally solidified MAR-M 246 (nickel base). The analyses are based on a typical test stand engine cycle. Stress-strain histories for the airfoil critical location are computed using both the MARC nonlinear finite-element computer code and the simplified procedure. Additional cases are analyzed in which the material yield strength is arbitrarily reduced to increase the plastic strains and, therefore, the severity of the problem. Good agreement is shown between the predicted stress-strain solutions from the two methods. The simplified analysis uses about 0.02 percent (5 percent with the required elastic finite-element analyses) of the CPU time used by the nonlinear finite element analysis.

Kaufman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cyclic structural analyses of anisotropic turbine blades for reusable space propulsion systems

Turbine blades for reusable space propulsion systems are subjects to severe thermomechanical loading cycles that result in large inelastic strains and very short lives. These components require the use of anisotropic high temperature alloys to meet the safety and durability requirements of such systems. To assess the effects on blade life of material anisotropy, cyclic structural analyses are being performed for the first stage high pressure fuel turbopump blade (HPFTB) of the space shuttle main engine (SSME). The blade alloy is directionally solidified MAR-M 246 alloy. The analyses are based on a typical test stand engine cycle. Stress-strain histories at the airfoil critical location are computed using the MARC nonlinear finite element computer code.

Manderscheid, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Performance predictions for an SSME configuration with an enlarged throat

The Two Dimensional Kinetics (TDK) computer program that was recently developed for NASA was used to predict the performance of a Large Throat Configuration of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). Calculations indicate that the current design SSME contains a shock wave that is induced by the nozzle wall shape. In the Large Throat design an even stronger shock wave is predicted. Because of the presence of this shock wave, earlier performance predictions that have neglected shock wave effects have been questioned. The JANNAF thrust chamber performance prediction procedures given in a reference were applied. The analysis includes the effects of two dimensional reacting flow with a shock wave. The effects of the boundary layer with a regenatively cooled wall are also included. A Purdue computer program was used to compute axially symmetric supersonic nozzle flows with an induced shock, but is restricted to flows with a constant ratio of specific heats. Thus, the TDK program was also run with ths assumption and the results of the two programs were compared.

Nickerson, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Turbomachinery incipient failure dynamic detection indicators and analysis

Tape recorded signals from case-mounted accelerometers are examined to determine the feasibility of detecting spalls on bearing balls in the liquid oxygen (LOX) pump in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The nonperiodic nature of the spall impact on inner and outer bearing races caused traditional techniques to be unsuccessful. A technique involving statistical techniques and spectra ratios was used to review available pump test tapes.

Faby, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

SSME fuelside preburner two-dimensional analysis

The flow field within the fuelside preburner of the Space Shuttle Main Engine is calculated using a reacting flow code (REACT2D). Inlet and modeling parameters involved in the numerical calculation are systematically varied to establish the sensitivity of the calculated exit temperature profile. It is found that differences in the inlet equivalence ratio have a large effect on the turbine inlet temperature profile. A variety of preburner inlet modeling changes such as inlet turbulence level, modeling the gases as burned, unburned, premixed, or unmixed, are shown to have a smaller effect on the calculated turbine inlet temperature profile. Also, the form of finite differencing used is shown to have an effect on the temperature profile.

Vanoverbeke, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Bearing tester data compilation, analysis, and reporting and bearing math modeling

A test condition data base was developed for the Bearing and Seal Materials Tester (BSMT) program which permits rapid retrieval of test data for trend analysis and evaluation. A model was developed for the Space shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Liquid Oxygen (LOX) turbopump shaft/bearing system. The model was used to perform parametric analyses to determine the sensitivity of bearing operating characteristics and temperatures to variations in: axial preload, contact friction, coolant flow and subcooling, heat transfer coefficients, outer race misalignments, and outer race to isolator clearances. The bearing program ADORE (Advanced Dynamics of Rolling Elements) was installed on the UNIVAC 1100/80 computer system and is operational. ADORE is an advanced FORTRAN computer program for the real time simulation of the dynamic performance of rolling bearings. A model of the 57 mm turbine-end bearing is currently being checked out. Analyses were conducted to estimate flow work energy for several flow diverter configurations and coolant flow rates for the LOX BSMT.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

A computational study of multiple jet and wall interaction

In the fuel preburner of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, face plate, injector, and baffle erosion have been observed. The observed patterns of erosion suggest that flame attachment to the walls is a contributing factor. To better understand the physical phenomena involved, a portion of the preburner was modeled computationally. The simulated 'preburner' had three two-dimensional jets entering a cavity adjacent to a baffle. The computational model employed the Patankar Spalding algorithm with upwind differencing. The turbulence model was a standard k-epsilon model with wall functions. The effects of incoming boundary conditions on turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation, k and epsilon, was studied. The results indicate a very strong sensitivity to these boundary conditions over certain ranges of values.

Campbell, W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Investigation of breadboard temperature profiling system for SSME fuel preburner diagnostics

The feasibility of measuring temperatures in the space shuttle main engine (SSME) fuel preburner using spontaneous Raman scattering from molecular hydrogen was studied. Laser radiation is transmitted to the preburner through a multimode optical fiber. Backscattered Raman-shifted light is collected and focused into a second fiber which connects to a remote-located spectrograph and a mutlichannel optical detector. Optics collimate and focus laser light from the transmitter fiber defining the probe volume. The high pressure, high temperature preburner environment was simulated by a heated pressure cell. Temperatures determined by the distribution of Q-branch co-vibrational transitions demonstrate precision and accuracy of 3%. It is indicated heat preburner temperatures can be determined with 5% accuracy with spatial resolution less than 1 cm and temporal resolution of 10 millisec at the nominal preburner operation conditions.

Shirley, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Seam tracking performance of a Coaxial Weld Vision System and pulsed welding

This report describes a continuation of a series of tests on the Coaxial Weld Vision System at MSFC. The ability of the system to compensate for transients associated with pulsed current welding is analyzed. Using the standard image processing approach for root pass seam tracking, the system is also tested for the ability to track the toe of a previous weld bead, for tracking multiple pass weld joints. This Coaxial Weld Vision System was developed by the Ohio State University (OSU) Center for Welding Research and is a part of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Robotic Welding Development System at MSFC.

Gangl, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Software development to support sensor control of robot arc welding

The development of software for a Digital Equipment Corporation MINC-23 Laboratory Computer to provide functions of a workcell host computer for Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) robotic welding is documented. Routines were written to transfer robot programs between the MINC and an Advanced Robotic Cyro 750 welding robot. Other routines provide advanced program editing features while additional software allows communicatin with a remote computer aided design system. Access to special robot functions were provided to allow advanced control of weld seam tracking and process control for future development programs.

Silas, F. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Non-intrusive speed sensor

In Phase I of the Non-Intrusive Speed Sensor program, a computerized literature search was performed to identify candidate technologies for remote, non-intrusive speed sensing applications in Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopumps. The three most promising technologies were subjected to experimental evaluation to quantify their performance characteristics under the harsh environmental requirements within the turbopumps. Although the infrared and microwave approaches demonstrated excellent cavitation immunity in laboratory tests, the variable-source magnetic speed sensor emerged as the most viable approach. Preliminary design of this speed sensor encountered no technical obstacles and resulted in viable and feasible speed nut, sensor housing, and sensor coil designs. Phase II of this program developed the variable-source magnetic speed sensor through the detailed design task and guided the design into breadboard fabrication. The speed sensor and its integral speed nut were evaluated at both unit and system level testing. The final room-temperature and cryogenic spin testing of the hardware demonstrated that the sensor was capable of generating sufficient output signal to enable remote speed sensing from 1500 to 40000 rpm over a speed nut/sensor separation of 3.5 inches.

Wyett, L.↗