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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 19 records

Real gas properties and Space Shuttle Main Engine fuel turbine performance prediction

The H2/H2O mixture thermodynamic and transport properties variations for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) fuel turbine over a range of temperatures and pressures are examined. The variation of molecular viscosity, specific heat at constant pressure, and Prandtl number for the hydrogen/steam mixture are fitted using polynominal relationships for future turbine performance use. The mixture property variations are calculated using GASP and WASP computer programs. The air equivalent performance of the SSME fuel turbine is computed.

Harloff, G. J.↗

Trends of jet fuel demand and properties

Petroleum industry forecasts predict an increasing demand for jet fuels, a decrease in the gasoline-to-distillate (heavier fuel) demand ratio, and a greater influx of poorer quality petroleum in the next two to three decades. These projections are important for refinery product analyses. The forecasts have not been accurate, however, in predicting the recent, short term fluctuations in jet fuel and competing product demand. Changes in petroleum quality can be assessed, in part, by a review of jet fuel property inspections. Surveys covering the last 10 years show that average jet fuel freezing points, aromatic contents, and smoke points have trends toward their specification limits.

Friedman, R.↗

Analytical fuel property effects--small combustors

The consequences of using broad-property fuels in both conventional and advanced state-of-the-art small gas turbine combustors are assessed. Eight combustor concepts were selected for initial screening, of these, four final combustor concepts were chosen for further detailed analysis. These included the dual orifice injector baseline combustor (a current production 250-C30 engine combustor) two baseline airblast injected modifications, short and piloted prechamber combustors, and an advanced airblast injected, variable geometry air staged combustor. Final predictions employed the use of the STAC-I computer code. This quasi 2-D model includes real fuel properties, effects of injector type on atomization, detailed droplet dynamics, and multistep chemical kinetics. In general, fuel property effects on various combustor concepts can be classified as chemical or physical in nature. Predictions indicate that fuel chemistry has a significant effect on flame radiation, liner wall temperature, and smoke emission. Fuel physical properties that govern atomization quality and evaporation rates are predicted to affect ignition and lean-blowout limits, combustion efficiency, unburned hydrocarbon, and carbon monoxide emissions.

Sutton, R. D.↗

Theory of flame spread above solids

A theory for flame spread above a solid fuel is presented. The special case is considered whereby the oxidation is an exothermic surface reaction. The spreading rate is predicted as a function of the thermochemical properties, fuel-bed thickness, and convective velocity. Also, the theory predicts temperature, mass fraction, and heat flux as a function of position.

Sirignano, W. A.↗

Fuel property effects on USN gas turbine combustors

For several years the Department of Defense has been sponsoring fuel accommodation investigations with gas turbine engine manufacturers and supporting organizations to quantify the effect of changes in fuel properties and characteristics on the operation and performance of military engine components and systems. Inasmuch as there are many differences in hardware between the operational engines in the military inventories, due to differences in design philosophy and requirements, efforts were initially expended to acquire fuel effects data from rigs simulating the hot sections of these different engines. Correlations were then sought using the data acquired to produce more general, generic relationships that could be applied to all military gas turbine engines regardless of their origin. Finally, models could be developed from these correlations that could predict the effect of fuel property changes on current and future engines. This presentation describes some of the work performed by Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, under Naval Air Propulsion Center sponsorship, to determine the effect of fuel properties on the hot section and fuel system of the Navy's TF30-P-414 gas turbine engine.

Masters, A. I.↗

High-pressure LOX/hydrocarbon preburner injector investigation

The NASA-MSFC program to furnish a high-pressure LOX/hydrocarbon turbine drive combustor technology base for future booster engine programs is discussed. The program evaluated the LOX/RP-1 and LOX/methane preburner and gas generator performance and gas property prediction methods for fuel-rich and oxidizer-rich operating conditions. A small-scale hardware test program, which included 42 hot-fire tests of fuel-rich LOX/methane and LOX/RP-1 and oxidizer-rich LOX/methane, supplied information to reduce uncertainties in prediction techniques. The hot-fire results show that theoretical computer model features should be modified to support curves generated from experimental data.

Huebner, A. W.↗

Conclusions and recommendations

Conclusions and recommendations are presented for an analysis of the total energy situation; the effect of the energy problem on air transportation; and hydrogen fuel for aircraft. Properties and production costs of fuels, future prediction for energy and transportation, and economic aspects of hydrogen production are appended.

Source record↗

Performance comparisons of Navy jet mix and MIL-F-5624A (JP-3) fuels in tubular and annular combustors / Richard J. McCafferty

The performances of Navy Jet Mix and MIL-F-5624A (JP-3) fuels were compared in J33, J47, and NACA experimental annular combustion chambers. Combustion efficiencies, altitude operational limits, and carbon-forming tendencies wer determined and discussed. The results indicate that Jet Mix fuel can be utilized satisfactorily in a number of current turbojet engines over the normal operating range. Small differences in combustion efficiences and altitude operational limits existed between the two fuels but these differences depended on the particular combustor and simulated altitude and rotor speed condition. Excessive carbon deposition is not predicted for Jet Mix fuel, although this property may be marginal.

Mccafferty, Richard J↗

Summary of synfuel characterization and combustion studies

Combustion component research studies aimed at evolving environmentally acceptable approaches for burning coal derived fuels for ground power applications were performed at the NASA Lewis Research Center under a program titled the ""Critical Research and Support Technology Program'' (CRT). The work was funded by the Department of Energy and was performed in four tasks. This report summarizes these tasks which have all been previously reported. In addition some previously unreported data from Task 4 is also presented. The first, Task 1 consisted of a literature survey aimed at determining the properties of synthetic fuels. This was followed by a computer modeling effort, Task 2, to predict the exhaust emissions resulting from burning coal liquids by various combustion techniques such as lean and rich-lean combustion. The computer predictions were then compared to the results of a flame tube rig, Task 3, in which the fuel properties were varied to simulate coal liquids. Two actual SRC 2 coal liquids were tested in this flame tube task.

Schultz, D. F.↗

Use of refinery computer model to predict fuel production

Several factors (crudes, refinery operation and specifications) that affect yields and properties of broad specification jet fuel were parameterized using the refinery simulation model which can simulate different types of refineries were used to make the calculations. Results obtained from the program are used to correlate yield as a function of final boiling point, hydrogen content and freezing point for jet fuels produced in two refinery configurations, each one processing a different crude mix. Refinery performances are also compared in terms of energy consumption.

Flores, F. J.↗

Study of advanced fuel system concepts for commercial aircraft

An analytical study was performed in order to assess relative performance and economic factors involved with alternative advanced fuel systems for future commercial aircraft operating with broadened property fuels. The DC-10-30 wide-body tri-jet aircraft and the CF6-8OX engine were used as a baseline design for the study. Three advanced systems were considered and were specifically aimed at addressing freezing point, thermal stability and lubricity fuel properties. Actual DC-10-30 routes and flight profiles were simulated by computer modeling and resulted in prediction of aircraft and engine fuel system temperatures during a nominal flight and during statistical one-day-per-year cold and hot flights. Emergency conditions were also evaluated. Fuel consumption and weight and power extraction results were obtained. An economic analysis was performed for new aircraft and systems. Advanced system means for fuel tank heating included fuel recirculation loops using engine lube heat and generator heat. Environmental control system bleed air heat was used for tank heating in a water recirculation loop. The results showed that fundamentally all of the three advanced systems are feasible but vary in their degree of compatibility with broadened-property fuel.

Coffinberry, G. A.↗

High Energy Density Additives for Hybrid Fuel Rockets to Improve Performance and Enhance Safety

We propose a conceptual study of prototype strained hydrocarbon molecules as high energy density additives for hybrid rocket fuels to boost the performance of these rockets without compromising safety and reliability. Use of these additives could extend the range of applications for which hybrid rockets become an attractive alternative to conventional solid or liquid fuel rockets. The objectives of the study were to confirm and quantify the high enthalpy of these strained molecules and to assess improvement in rocket performance that would be expected if these additives were blended with conventional fuels. We confirmed the chemical properties (including enthalpy) of these additives. However, the predicted improvement in rocket performance was too small to make this a useful strategy for boosting hybrid rocket performance.

strained hydrocarbons↗

Nanotechnology: From Science Fiction to Reality

Nanotechnology promises unconventional solutions to challenging problems because of expectations that matter can be manipulated at the atomic scale to yield properties that exceed those predicted for bulk materials. The excitement at this possibility has been fueled by significant investments in this technology area. This talk will focus on three examples of where advances are being made to exploit unique properties made possible by nanoscale features for aerospace applications. The first two topics will involve the development of carbon nanotubes for (a) lightweight structural applications and (b) net shape fabricated multifunctional components. The third topic will highlight lessons learned from the demonstration of the effect of nanoengineered surfaces on insect residue adhesion. In all three cases, the approaches used to mature these emerging technologies are based on the acceleration of technology development through multidisciplinary collaborations.

Siochi, Mia↗

Air Force fuel mainburner/turbine effects programs

A program for the determination of fuel property effects on aircraft gas turbine engine mainburners and turbines is discussed. The six engines selected as test candidates are the J79, J85, J57, TF30, TF39, and F100. Fuels election is the responsibility of the contractors with two fuels as exceptions. The petroleum JP-4 is to be used as a baseline in all tests. The shale JP-4 is to be used in nearly all tests. Fuel properties are to be correlated with combustion system performance paramters. In addition, life predictions are to be made for combustor and turbine hardware. These predictions are to be based on a typical mission for each system, measured metal temperatures and temperature gradients, and oxidation/corrosion effects.

Jackson, T. A.↗

High Weber number SMD correlations for pressure atomizers

Recently acquired experimental data are presented which reveal that, for Weber number (We) greater than 10.0, the atomization from simplex pressure atomizers is significantly greater than would be predicted from previously derived Sauter mean diameter (SMD) correlations. A different SMD correlation is required to accurately predict the experimental data. Below We of about 10.0, the atomization is dominated by inertial forces and bag-type breakup results. Above We of about 10.0, shear-type breakup occurs and results in a very fine spray which can accurately be predicted using a quadratic expression in Delta P. The correlation is extended to include fuel property effects, and SMD is found to vary linearly with fuel surface tension, while the influence of the fuel viscosity is not apparent.

Kennedy, J. B.↗

Machine Learning Approaches for Rare-Earth Silicate Environmental Barrier Coating Thermochemical and Thermomechanical Property Predictions

Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are a necessary enabling technology for the transition from superalloys to silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in gas turbine engines for increased efficiency and decreased fuel costs. SiC-based CMCs are prone to oxidation-based degradation in the engine hot section, and rare-earth (RE) silicates are promising candidates for EBCs due to their close thermal expansion match to the composite substrate and oxidation resistance. However, the design of EBCs is hindered by the large chemical space of candidate materials and the difficulty in obtaining material properties for engineering optimization. This is especially difficult as research continues into mixed-cation or “high-entropy” RE silicates. First-principles computational methods such as density functional theory (DFT) are highly effective at calculating material properties to guide coating design but are limited by their computational cost. Atomistic simulations have the potential to both accelerate property calculations and expand the properties able to be calculated due to their lower computational compared to DFT. However, they require interatomic potentials (IAPs) specific to the material system of interest, and, to our knowledge, there are no suitable IAPs for RE silicates. Machine learning (ML) is a promising technique to accelerate material property predictions indirectly by generating IAPs for atomistic simulations or via direct prediction. In this work, we present two ML approaches to accelerate the calculation of RE silicate properties relevant to EBC design: 1) a ML-derived interatomic potential (IAP) for atomistic simulations of yttrium disilicate (Y2Si2O7) from DFT training data, and 2) a neural network (NN) model to directly predict thermochemical properties of RE silicates and oxides directly from easily obtainable unit cell parameters. Classical MD simulations using the IAP yield lattice properties and bond lengths in good agreement with both DFT and experimental results from x-ray diffraction. Thermodynamic properties calculated using the finite-displacement phonon method and quasi-harmonic approximation were orders of magnitude faster than DFT with good agreement to the DFT results. The IAP was also used to calculate properties such as coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that require large simulation supercells and are therefore difficult with DFT. The IAP correctly predicted the anisotropic nature of the CTE in three different phases of Y2Si2O7. The NN model predicts constant pressure heat capacity, Cp, orders of magnitude faster than DFT calculations, which can enable its use as a surrogate model for multiscale simulations. The two methods presented in this work demonstrate the utility of ML for accelerating the prediction of RE silicate properties, which can in turn accelerate EBC design and optimization.

machine learning↗

Selected technology for the gas industry

A number of papers were presented at a conference concerned with the application of technical topics from aerospace activities for the gas industry. The following subjects were covered: general future of fossil fuels in America, exploration for fossil and nuclear fuels from orbital altitudes, technology for liquefied gas, safety considerations relative to fires, explosions, and detonations, gas turbomachinery technology, fluid properties, fluid flow, and heat transfer, NASA information and documentation systems, instrumentation and measurement, materials and life prediction, reliability and quality assurance, and advanced energy systems (including synthetic fuels, energy storage, solar energy, and wind energy).

Source record↗