Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “PRODUCTION ENGINEERING”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

Recent development and manufacturing of coal-derived building materials

Coal has been challenged because coal combustion generates large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to global warming. Pyrolysis char (PC), a valuable byproduct of coal that does not liberate CO2 when produced in an inert environment, can be used as a high carbon content fuel in combustion and gasification. However, using PC as a fuel is not an eco-friendly and cost-efficient way to make energy. Contrastingly using PC to make engineered products does offer an eco-friendly, attractive and value-added use. This paper introduces a novel integrated coal pyrolysis and solvent extraction process invented by the University of Wyoming (UW) to convert as-mined coal from the Powder River Basin Coal Field, Wyoming, to functional carbon products, which together liberates very little CO2. PC and coal deposit, extract and residual (CDER) are two functional carbon products that can be used in the development and manufacture of high value coal-derived building materials. The novel development of three building products known as coal-derived char bricks (CCB), carbon structural unit (CSU), and char-based insulation foam (CIF) are introduced. The approaches to manufacture them are investigated, including consideration of the eco-friendly approaches, optimization of engineering performance, and cost effectiveness relative to traditional products. CCBs show advantages in terms of their light weight (< 1 g/cm3) and good compressive strength (> 14 MPa). CSUs possess high compressive strength (> 30 MPa) and low thermal conductivity (< 0.3 W/mK), while CIFs can achieve a low thermal conductivity of 0.06 W/mK. Two demonstration houses have been built on UW campus, one using CCBs and another using commercial clay bricks. The performances of these houses are being monitored for temperature control, humidity uptake, noise reduction, inside air volatile organic content, indoor air quality and weatherability. The performance of the CCBs in terms of these criteria is discussed.

Ng, Kam↗

Energy Efficient Engine: Flight propulsion system final design and analysis

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) is a NASA program to create fuel saving technology for future transport engines. The Flight Propulsion System (FPS) is the engine designed to achieve E3 goals. Achieving these goals required aerodynamic, mechanical and system technologies advanced beyond that of current production engines. These technologies were successfully demonstrated in component rigs, a core engine and a turbofan ground test engine. The design and benefits of the FPS are presented. All goals for efficiency, environmental considerations, and economic payoff were met. The FPS has, at maximum cruise, 10.67 km (35,000 ft), M0.8, standard day, a 16.9 percent lower installed specific fuel consumption than a CF6-50C. It provides an 8.6 percent reduction in direct operating cost for a short haul domestic transport and a 16.2 percent reduction for an international long distance transport.

Davis, Donald Y.↗

Conceptual design study of an improved automotive gas turbine powertrain

Automotive gas turbine concepts with significant technological advantages over the spark ignition (SI) engine were assessed. Possible design concepts were rated with respect to fuel economy and near-term application. A program plan which outlines the development of the improved gas turbine (IGT) concept that best met the goals and objectives of the study identifies the research and development work needed to meet the goal of entering a production engineering phase by 1983. The fuel economy goal is to show at least a 20% improvement over a conventional 1976 SI engine/vehicle system. On the basis of achieving the fuel economy goal, of overall suitability to mechanical design, and of automotive mass production cost, the powertrain selected was a single-shaft engine with a radial turbine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Design turbine inlet temperature was 1150 C. Reflecting near-term technology, the turbine rotor would be made of an advanced superalloy, and the transmission would be a hydromechanical CVT. With successful progress in long-lead R&D in ceramic technology and the belt-drive CVT, the turbine inlet temperature would be 1350 C to achieve near-maximum fuel economy.

Wagner, C. E.↗

Resistance of Silicon Nitride Turbine Components to Erosion and Hot Corrosion/oxidation Attack

Silicon nitride turbine components are under intensive development by AlliedSignal to enable a new generation of higher power density auxiliary power systems. In order to be viable in the intended applications, silicon nitride turbine airfoils must be designed for survival in aggressive oxidizing combustion gas environments. Erosive and corrosive damage to ceramic airfoils from ingested sand and sea salt must be avoided. Recent engine test experience demonstrated that NT154 silicon nitride turbine vanes have exceptional resistance to sand erosion, relative to superalloys used in production engines. Similarly, NT154 silicon nitride has excellent resistance to oxidation in the temperature range of interest - up to 1400 C. Hot corrosion attack of superalloy gas turbine components is well documented. While hot corrosion from ingested sea salt will attack silicon nitride substantially less than the superalloys being replaced in initial engine applications, this degradation has the potential to limit component lives in advanced engine applications. Hot corrosion adversely affects the strength of silicon nitride in the 850 to 1300 C range. Since unacceptable reductions in strength must be rapidly identified and avoided, AlliedSignal and the NASA Lewis Research Center have pioneered the development of an environmental life prediction model for silicon nitride turbine components. Strength retention in flexure specimens following 1 to 3300 hour exposures to high temperature oxidation and hot corrosion has been measured and used to calibrate the life prediction model. Predicted component life is dependent upon engine design (stress, temperature, pressure, fuel/air ratio, gas velocity, and inlet air filtration), mission usage (fuel sulfur content, location (salt in air), and times at duty cycle power points), and material parameters. Preliminary analyses indicate that the hot corrosion resistance of NT154 silicon nitride is adequate for AlliedSignal's initial engine applications. Protective coatings and/or inlet air filtration may be required to achieve required ceramic component lives in more aggressive environments.

Strangmen, Thomas E.↗

Solidification process control for advanced superalloys

The importance of understanding and controlling the basic solidification process in high temperature alloy technology as applied to gas turbine engine production is discussed. Resultant tailoring of the superalloy macro- and microstructure offers significant potential for continued advances in superalloy use temperatures in turbine engines. Atomized superalloy powders, rapidly solidified superalloys, microstructural control, and advanced superalloys are discussed.

Hugh R. Gray↗

Virtually Out of This World!

Ames Research Center granted Reality Capture Technologies (RCT), Inc., a license to further develop NASA's Mars Map software platform. The company incorporated NASA#s innovation into software that uses the Virtual Plant Model (VPM)(TM) to structure, modify, and implement the construction sites of industrial facilities, as well as develop, validate, and train operators on procedures. The VPM orchestrates the exchange of information between engineering, production, and business transaction systems. This enables users to simulate, control, and optimize work processes while increasing the reliability of critical business decisions. Engineers can complete the construction process and test various aspects of it in virtual reality before building the actual structure. With virtual access to and simulation of the construction site, project personnel can manage, access control, and respond to changes on complex constructions more effectively. Engineers can also create operating procedures, training, and documentation. Virtual Plant Model(TM) is a trademark of Reality Capture Technologies, Inc.

Source record↗

Formal Inspection: A Tool for TQM

The goal of the Formal Inspection Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is to support projects wishing to use Formal Inspections to improve the quality of software and system level engineering products.

errors total quality↗

Monotonic testing of single shear-plane CLT-to-CLT joint with hardwood dowels

Reducing embodied carbon emissions in buildings and striving for carbon neutrality through sustainable design has become a primary goal in the construction industry. The industry is expanding its use of wood-engineered products, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) to achieve those sustainability goals. Furthermore, replacing steel fasteners with lower embodied carbon alternatives is gaining increased attention in timber engineering. This paper aims to quantify the mechanical behavior of single shear-plane CLT-to-CLT joints using hardwood dowels. The study includes 154 single shear-plane experimental tests with four different CLT species, two hardwood dowel species, and two dowel diameters. Further, the test specimens were subjected to cyclic and monotonic loading until failure, and mechanical properties such as yielding and ultimate strength, serviceability and yielding stiffness, and ductility were quantified. The hardwood dowel CLT-to-CLT joints demonstrated high strength with up to 10.3 kN (2.3 kips) capacity per dowel and lateral stiffness of up to 5.2 kN/mm (30.8 k/in) per dowel. This strength and stiffness are roughly equivalent to or exceed values for mass timber wood screws, making hardwood dowels a good alternative. In addition, the observed mean ductility of joints ranged from 2.4 to 4.5. Finally, analytical equations for the joints' yielding strength, lateral serviceability stiffness, and yielding stiffness were derived with non-linear regression analysis and validated using the experimental test results.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Automotive Stirling engine development program

The Ford/DOE automotive Stirling engine development program is directed towards establishing the technological and developmental base that would enable a decision on whether an engineering program should be directed at Stirling engine production. The fuel economy assessment aims to achieve, with a high degree of confidence, the ERDA proposal estimate of 20.6 MPG (gasoline) for a 4500 lb 1WC Stirling engine passenger car. The current M-H fuel economy projection for the 170 HP Stirling engine is 15.7 MPG. The confidence level for this projection is 32%. A confidence level of 29% is projected for a 22.1 MPG estimate. If all of the planned analyses and test work is accomplished at the end of the one year effort, and the projected improvements are substantiated, the confidence levels would rise to 59% for the 20.6 MPG projection and 54% for the 22.1 MPG projection. Progress achieved thus far during the fuel economy assessment is discussed.

Kitzner, E. W.↗

A Grid Infrastructure for Supporting Space-based Science Operations

Emerging technologies for computational grid infrastructures have the potential for revolutionizing the way computers are used in all aspects of our lives. Computational grids are currently being implemented to provide a large-scale, dynamic, and secure research and engineering environments based on standards and next-generation reusable software, enabling greater science and engineering productivity through shared resources and distributed computing for less cost than traditional architectures. Combined with the emerging technologies of high-performance networks, grids provide researchers, scientists and engineers the first real opportunity for an effective distributed collaborative environment with access to resources such as computational and storage systems, instruments, and software tools and services for the most computationally challenging applications.

Bradford, Robert N.↗

Low-frequency rear quadrant noise of a turbojet engine with exhaust duct muffling

A J-65 engine was run with a tuned sound-absorbing exhaust duct to study the internal and jet components of rear quadrant noise. Full muffler, hard wall duct, and regular production engine configurations were tested. The jet exhaust velocities were subsonic. The use of the exhaust muffler extended the relation between the jet noise and the eighth power of the jet velocity to lower velocities than for the hard wall duct.

Woodward, R. P.↗

Productivity improvement in engineering at Rocketdyne

The Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International has embarked on a productivity improvement program in engineering. This effort included participation in the White Collar Productivity Improvement (WCPI) project sponsored by the American Productivity Center. A number of things have been learned through this project. It seems that any productivity improvement project should be employee driven. The Rocketdyne project was essentially started as a result of a grassroots effort to remove some particular hindrances, and employee enthusiasm was a prime factor in the continuing progress of the effort. A significant result was that awareness of problems at all levels increased. Many issues surfaced in the diagnostic phase, and were then noted and discussed. This process added legitimacy to issues that had previously been merely unspoken concerns. The initial feelings of many members of the pilot group was that significant changes would occur relatively quickly. It is now recognized that this will have to be an ongoing, long-term effort.

Nordlund, R. M.↗

IPAD 2: Advances in Distributed Data Base Management for CAD/CAM

The Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD) Project objective is to improve engineering productivity through better use of computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. The focus is on development of technology and associated software for integrated company-wide management of engineering information. The objectives of this conference are as follows: to provide a greater awareness of the critical need by U.S. industry for advancements in distributed CAD/CAM data management capability; to present industry experiences and current and planned research in distributed data base management; and to summarize IPAD data management contributions and their impact on U.S. industry and computer hardware and software vendors.

Bostic, S. W.↗

Design of a high-performance rotary stratified-charge research aircraft engine

The power section for an advanced rotary stratified-charge general aviation engine has been designed under contract to NASA. The single-rotor research engine of 40 cubic-inches displacement (RCI-40), now being procured for test initiation this summer, is targeted for 320 T.O. horse-power in a two-rotor production engine. The research engine is designed for operating on jet-fuel, gasoline or diesel fuel and will be used to explore applicable advanced technologies and to optimize high output performance variables. Design of major components of the engine is described in this paper.

Jones, C.↗

Large Engine Technology Program. Task 21: Rich Burn Liner for Near Term Experimental Evaluations

The objective of the task reported herein, which was conducted as part of the NASA sponsored Large Engine Technology program, was to define and evaluate a near-term rich-zone liner construction based on currently available materials and fabrication processes for a Rich-Quench-Lean combustor. This liner must be capable of operation at the temperatures and pressures of simulated HSCT flight conditions but only needs sufficient durability for limited duration testing in combustor rigs and demonstrator engines in the near future. This must be achieved at realistic cooling airflow rates since the approach must not compromise the emissions, performance, and operability of the test combustors, relative to the product engine goals. The effort was initiated with an analytical screening of three different liner construction concepts. These included a full cylinder metallic liner and one with multiple segments of monolithic ceramic, both of which incorporated convective cooling on the external surface using combustor airflow that bypassed the rich zone. The third approach was a metallic platelet construction with internal convective cooling. These three metal liner/jacket combinations were tested in a modified version of an existing Rich-Quench-Lean combustor rig to obtain data for heat transfer model refinement and durability verification.

Hautman, D. J.↗

Engine Company Evaluation of Feasibility of Aircraft Retrofit Water-Injected Turbomachines

This study supports the NASA Glenn Research Center and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in their efforts to evaluate the effect of water injection on aircraft engine performance and emissions. In this study, water is only injected during the takeoff and initial climb phase of a flight. There is no water injection during engine start or ground operations, nor during climb, cruise, descent, or landing. This study determined the maintenance benefit of water injection during takeoff and initial climb and evaluated the feasibility of retrofitting a current production engine, the PW4062 (Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, CT), with a water injection system. Predicted NO(x) emissions based on a 1:1 water-tofuel ratio are likely to be reduced between 30 to 60 percent in Environmental Protection Agency parameter (EPAP). The maintenance cost benefit for an idealized combustor water injection system installed on a PW4062 engine in a Boeing 747-400ER aircraft (The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL) is computed to be $22 per engine flight hour (EFH). Adding water injection as a retrofit kit would cost up to $375,000 per engine because of the required modifications to the fuel system and addition of the water supply system. There would also be significant nonrecurring costs associated with the development and certification of the system that may drive the system price beyond affordability.

Becker, Arthur↗

NASA’s Safety, Reliability, and Mission Assurance Digital Future

The evolution from “document-centric” to “data-centric” and “model-centric” information leveraging structured data and model-based approaches is at the heart of digital engineering transformational efforts underway across industry and government. It is these approaches that pave the way for data lakes, Authoritative Sources of Truth (ASOTs), and systems- of-systems interoperability and the corresponding transformational benefits thereof. Such benefits include increased data availability, data access equity, data traceability, real-time analytics, batch analytics, and (most importantly) acceleration of the time-to-value and time-to-insights associated with engineering products and analyses. The longer-term benefits of reusability, customization and traceability are even more promising. For Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA), and Mission Success (SMS) activities; realization of such benefits is essential to provide engineers and analysts alike vital information when needed to support critical decision making throughout the entire life cycle. The SMA community often operate in parallel with engineering activities, for which information exchange with relevant context is paramount. Far too often, such information lags key decision points and/or is absent of the robust, integrated, knowledge needed, given inherent barriers associated with traditional document-centric means to data sharing, analysis, and reporting. This paper provides an overview of how NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) is evolving its policies, standards, guidance, and training to transform to eliminate such barriers, thus realizing the benefits emerging in this new digital era. A roadmap for achieving this digital future is presented along with key building blocks involving use and implementation of concepts such as: Objectives-Hierarchies, Objective-Driven Requirements, Accepted Standards, Safety and Assurance Cases, data digitization (i.e., ontologies, structured data, and model-centric data), FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, & Reusable) and/or FAIRUST (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable, Understandable, Secure, and Trusted) principles [1]. This paper also describes how OSMA, leveraging the Agency’s overall commitment to Digital Transformation (DT), is using the power of Policy, “Digital” Domain representation, Product Evolution, and Community Outreach and Engagement as part of a strategic vision and roadmap to evolve and transform its SMA organizations to become better able to serve its stakeholders and customers. Future publications will elaborate on these building blocks and deeper concepts.

Authoritative Source of Truth (ASOT),↗

Evaluation of Propulsion Systems for Mach 2.4 and 3.2 High Speed Civil Transports

Advanced technology high speed civil transport (HSCT) engine cycles equipped with low emissions combustors and low noise exhaust nozzles were investigated. The objectives were as follows: (1) evaluate a range of cycle variables for engine types appropriate for Mach 2.4 and 3.2 HSCT; (2) select the most promising propulsion systems; and (3) identify and define the critical/key technology development and demonstration programs needed to be conducted prior to initiation of the product engine development and certification program. Two types of variable engines were studied: turbine bypass engines (TBE) and variable stream control engines (VSCE). This study identified payoffs in terms of aircraft gross weight, airline economics, stratospheric cruise emissions, and airport noise improvements. Comparison between the the TBE and VSCE showed the TBE to be clearly superior for Mach 2.4 and 3.2 cruise cruise operation. Critical technology areas were also identified which included the following: (1) Low emissions combustor; (2) Low noise exhaust system; (3) High temperature materials and coatings; (4) Advanced turbine cooling and aerodynamics; (5) Integrated propulsion system (inlet/engine/nozzle) and airframe controls; (6) Advanced fan/compressor aerodynamics; and (7) Magnetic bearings.

Turbine Bypass Engine (TBE)↗