Design of rockets for maximum payload energy.
Analytical solution to determine rocket design for maximum payload energy
ROCKET ENGINE DESIGN↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “Fuel design”
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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3 kw concentric tubular resistojet performance compared with theory.
Resistojet design and fabrication, using hydrogen propellant and having 3-kw power input
ENGINE DESIGN↗
Performance of low-pressure thermionic converters is evaluated
Experiments, evaluating the performance of low-pressure thermionic converters, were conducted with cesium, potassium, and sodium-metal vapors. The results of the investigation are useful in the selection of favorable conditions for the design of thermionic reactor fuel elements, including RF output for special applications.
Richards, H. K.↗
Summary report for phase 2 - AAP fuel cell program
Apollo Applications Program fuel cell development and design verification testing
Source record↗
Fuel cell systems for manned spacecraft.
Manned spacecraft fuel cell selection and design, discussing Gemini ion exchange membrane and Apollo Bacon cell systems
Mcbryar, H.↗
Conceptual design of a compact fast reactor for space power
Space power unit fast reactor design with ceramic UN fuel elements, lithium coolant, and titanium alloy structure
Davison, H. W.↗
External fuel thermionic reactor system.
Thermionic reactors are prime candidates for nuclear electric propulsion. The national thermionic reactor effort is concentrated on the flashlight concept with the external-fuel concept as the backup. The external-fuel concept is very adaptable to a completely modular power subsystem which is attractive for highly reliable long-life applications. The 20- to 25-cm long, externally-fueled converters have been designed, fabricated, and successfully tested with many thermal cycles by electrical heating. However, difficulties have been encountered during encapsulation for nuclear heated tests and none have been started to date. These nuclear tests are required to demonstrate the concept feasibility.
Mondt, J. F.↗
Investigation of gaseous nuclear rocket technology
The experimental and theoretical investigations conducted during the period from September 1969 through September 1972 are reported which were directed toward obtaining information necessary to determine the feasibility of the full-scale nuclear light bulb engine, and of small-scale nuclear tests involving fissioning uranium plasmas in a unit cell installed in a driver reactor, such as the Nuclear Furnace. Emphasis was placed on development of RF simulations of conditions expected in nuclear tests in the Nuclear Furnace. The work included investigations of the following: (1) the fluid mechanics and containment characteristics of one-component and two-component vortex flows, both unheated and RF-induction heated; (2) heating of particle-seeded streams by thermal radiation from a dc arc to simulate propellant heating; (3) condensation and separation phenomena for metal-vapor/heated-gas mixtures to provide information for conceptual designs of components of fuel exhaust and recycle systems; (4) the characteristics of the radiant energy spectrum emitted from the fuel region, with emphasis on definition of fuel and buffer-gas region seed systems to reduce the ultraviolet radiation emitted from the nuclear fuel; and (5) the effects of nuclear radiation on the optical transmission characteristics of transparent materials.
Kendall, J. S.↗
Transport dynamics of a high-power-density matrix-type hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell
Experimental transport dynamics tests were made on a space power fuel cell of current design. Various operating transients were introduced and transport-related response data were recorded with fluidic humidity sensing instruments. Also, sampled data techniques were developed for measuring the cathode-side electrolyte concentration during transient operation.
Prokopius, P. R.↗
A fuselage/tank structure study for actively cooled hypersonic cruise vehicles, summary
A detailed analytical study was made to investigate the effects of fuselage cross section (circular and elliptical) and the structural arrangement (integral and nonintegral tanks) on aircraft performance. The vehicle was a 200 passenger, liquid hydrogen fueled Mach 6 transport designed to meet a range goal of 9.26 Mn (5000 NM). A variety of trade studies were conducted in the area of configuration arrangement, structural design, and active cooling design in order to maximize the performance of each of three point design aircraft: (1) circular wing-body with nonintegral tanks, (2) circular wing-body with integral tanks and (3) elliptical blended wing-body with integral tanks. Aircraft range and weight were used as the basis for comparison. The resulting design and performance characteristics show that the blended body integral tank aircraft weights the least and has the greatest range capability, however, producibility and maintainability factors favor nonintegral tank concepts.
Pirrello, C. J.↗
Control system studies for thermionic reactors
In core thermionic reactor concepts are of interest for space missions that require electrical power in the range of a few tens of kilowatts up to several megawatts. The physical principle involved--thermionic direct conversion of heat to electricity at net efficiencies up to 15 percent--offers potential advantages when compared to other nuclear powerplant concepts. However, the integration of the thermionic diode electrode structure with high-temperature nuclear fuel materials presents new design problems and new reactor physical constraints. Among the topics that must be investigated are those associated with the control system. The results of analytical and simulation studies of thermionic reactor control performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are discussed.
Hermsen, R. J.↗
Degree of vaporization using an airblast type injector for a premixed-prevaporized combustor
Vaporization data that could be useful in designing premixed-prevaporized fuel preparation systems for gas turbine combustors are presented. The effect of the experimental parameters on vaporization was found to be E = T sub in tau 0.18 (V sub ref + 38) (P sub in + 35)/203000 where E is the degree of vaporization in percent, T sub in the inlet air temperature in K over the range 450 to 700 K, the residence time in ms over the range 4.3 to 23.8 ms, V sub ref the reference velocity in m/s over the range 5 to 22 m/s, and P sub in the inlet pressure in MPa over the range 0.18 to 0.59 MPa. Jet A and Diesel no. 2 fuels were tested for the effect of inlet air temperature and were found to have nearly identical results.
Tacina, R. R.↗
Commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system technology development
Reducing cost and increasing reliability were the technology drivers in both the electric utility and on-site integrated energy system applications. The longstanding barrier to the attainment of these goals was materials. Differences in approaches and their technological features, including electrodes, matrices, intercell cooling, bipolar/separator plates, electrolyte management, fuel selection, and system design philosophy were discussed.
Prokopius, P. R.↗
Energy efficient aircraft engines
The three engine programs that constitute the propulsion portion of NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program are described, their status indicated, and anticipated improvements in SFC discussed. The three engine programs are (1) Engine Component Improvement--directed at current engines, (2) Energy Efficiency Engine directed at new turbofan engines, and (3) Advanced Turboprops--directed at technology for advanced turboprop--powered aircraft with cruise speeds to Mach 0.8. Unique propulsion system interactive ties to the airframe resulting from engine design features to reduce fuel consumption are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the advanced turboprop since it offers the largest potential fuel savings of the three propulsion programs and also has the strongest interactive ties to the airframe.
Chamberlin, R.↗
Energy efficient aircraft engines
The three engine programs that constitute the propulsion portion of NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program are described, their status indicated, and anticipated improvements in SFC discussed. The three engine programs are: (1) engine component improvement, directed at current engines, (2) energy efficient engine, directed at new turbofan engines, and (3) advanced turboprops, directed at technology for advanced turboprop-powered aircraft with cruise speeds to Mach 0.8. Unique propulsion system interactive ties to the airframe resulting from engine design features to reduce fuel consumption are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the advanced turboprop since it offers the largest potential fuel savings of the three propulsion programs and also has the strongest interactive ties to the airframe.
Chamberlin, R.↗
Commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system technology development
A review of the current commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system technology development efforts is presented. In both the electric utility and on-site integrated energy system applications, reducing cost and increasing reliability are the technology drivers at this time. The longstanding barrier to the attainment of these goals, which manifests itself in a number of ways, has been materials. The differences in approach among the three major participants (United Technologies Corporation (UTC), Westinghouse Electric Corporation/Energy Research Corporation (ERC), and Engelhard Industries) and their unique technological features, including electrodes, matrices, intercell cooling, bipolar/separator plates, electrolyte management, fuel selection and system design philosophy are discussed.
Prokopius, P. R.↗
Status of commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system development
In both the electric utility and onsite integrated energy system applications, reducing cost and increasing reliability are the main technology drivers. The longstanding barrier to the attainment of these goals, which manifests itself in a number of ways, was materials. The differences in approach among the three major participants (United Technologies Corporation, Westinghouse Electric Corporation/Energy Research Corporation, and Engelhard Industries) and their unique technological features, including electrodes, matrices, intercell cooling, bipolar/separator plates, electrolyte management, fuel selection and system design philosophy are discussed.
Warshay, M.↗
Status of commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system development
A review of the current commercial phosphoric acid fuel cell system development efforts is presented. In both the electric utility and on-site integrated energy system applications, reducing cost and increasing reliability are important. The barrier to the attainment of these goals has been materials. The differences in approach among the three major participants are their technological features, including electrodes, matrices, intercell cooling, bipolar/separator plates, electrolyte management, fuel selection and system design philosophy.
Warshay, M.↗