This investigation evaluates a multi-row straight channel diffuser, a multi-row cascade (airfoil) diffuser, and a multi-row diffuser with a bend to axial, in order to choose the best components needed to meet aircraft restricted diameter design requirements. the systematic design, fabrication and… More

The design, fabrication, and testing of a pump rig supported by a magnetic bearing system is described. This rig will boost pump technology by: (1) permitting accurate determination of impeller force and moment coefficients by electromagnetic impulse excitation, orbit control, and bearing force and… More

The cost and limited lifespan of strain gages for stress and vibration surveys has driven researchers to find alternate means of investigating airfoil stress and vibration. Systems based on optical sensors have been reported in the literature since the mid 1960's. These systems have been limited… More

Turboshaft engines are subject to various transient modes, necessitating a compressor with very high surge margin. Therefore, many devices were proposed in the past, and some of them including a recent one with a vaneless cavity by Allied Signal Engines, demonstrated impressive surge margin… More

The ability to reduce total coolant flows to meet increased cooling and life requirements in gas turbines is crucial to improving future aircraft propulsion capability. Existing compressor core cooling (CCC) techniques concentrate on rotor and casing thermal deflection matching during… More

Achieving by the year 2010 a significant reduction in part count, cost, size and weight of turbopumps, and improving their reliability and efficiency is accomplished with a series of innovative single stage high head (150,000-200,000 ft) demonstrator pumps which identify critical technological… More

It has been proven, for gas turbines, that brush seals exhibit substantially lower leakage in close clearance areas than conventional labyrinth seals. Direct efficiency gains from reducing seal leakage losses in turbopumps with brush seals potentially amounts to several percent of the total pump… More

High Pressure Compressor (HPC) pressure ratios of up to 40:1 are required to achieve 100:1 cycle pressure ratios. A multi-stage axial HPC configuration will be too long and heavy and too inefficient in later stages (at these higher pressure ratios). Increased tip clearance to span ratio will also… More

Low cost compact diffusers are needed for small gas turbine compressor stages to economically minimize centrifugal compressor overall diameter yet permit high efficiency and wide operating range. The proposer has performed over 130 different detailed tests (on more than 40 different stage… More

High cycle fatigue of turbine engines is of vital concern to the Navy. The proposed project applies an innovative measurement system for blade vibration to an engine health monitoring (EHM) system for monitoring and avoiding HCF damage in turbine engine fans and compressors. Although technical… More

Hydrogen pumping system discharge pressures of 6,000 to13,000 psi are required to meet Phase II and III IHPRPT initiative goals for both upper stage and booster engines. There is a conflict between developing high hydrogen system discharge pressure and managing low hydrogen system inlet pressure and… More

Not Available Triton Systems, Inc. proposes to develop the materials and processess to fabricate a chopped fiber interface for wound fiber preforms that functionally grades teh coefficient of thermal expansion to minimize thermally induced stress at reinforcement volu

Not Available This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to provide the means to reliably calculate turbopump stiffness and damping matrices based on dynamic force measurements collected using a magnetic bearing rig. During Phase I exploratory development of a high suction specific… More

Integrating cost and time effective analysis of turbopump steady state and transient thermo-mechanical effects into the preliminary and final design process is the overall goal. Automating the thermo-mechanical analysis process is the proposed innovation. Integrating the new methodology within an… More

Integrating cost and time effective analysis of turbopump steady state and transient thermo-mechanical effects into the preliminary and final design process is the overall goal. Automating the thermo-mechanical analysis process is the proposed innovation. Integrating the new methodology within an… More

Integrating cost and time effective analysis of turbopump steady state and transient thermo-mechanical effects into the preliminary and final design process is the overall goal. Automating the thermo-mechanical analysis process is the proposed innovation. Integrating the new methodology within an… More

"Pump inducer suction performance is directly linked to turbopump rotational speed and weight. It has become standard practice to use boost pumps to provide higher inlet pressure to main turbopumps. This allows for higher speed, lower weight, and moreefficient turbopumps. Propellant tank pressure… More

There is a significant opportunity to meet higher upper stage engine performance levels by combining a much higher chamber pressure expander cycle engine with advanced technology turbomachinery. The Phase II SBIR goal is to provide a solid foundation foran upper stage engine design focused on… More

Lateral analysis of multi-level or multi-spool turbofan and turbojet engines has been regularly performed for more than 30 years by commercial engine manufacturers. Similarly, engine bearing designers also possess the ability to perform detailed analysisof bearing for the purpose of calculating… More

There are no analytical tools or experimental facilities in the world today that can quantify the dynamic transfer function for a cavitating inducer. The goal of this research is to fill this void. An innovative experimental technique is proposed where by a cavitating inducer's dynamic transfer… More

Developing new techniques for combustion chamber cooling are critical to increasing engine life to 60 missions or greater. Concepts NREC will explore several chamber cooling options that minimize or eliminate coking increasing engine chamber life withoutsacrificing performance or adding cost. The… More

The Phase I effort demonstrated the feasibility of measuring cavitating inducer dynamic transfer functions using an upgraded Concepts NREC pump test facility. As there are no analytical tools or experimental facilities in the world today that can quantify a cavitating inducer?s dynamic transfer… More

The design of turbomachinery components is a complex process requiring many steps and hundreds of minute decisions in an iterative process. The design proceeds from meanline design through 3D viscous flow calculations (CFD) and finite element structural analysis (FEA). Design studies may traverse… More

The design of turbomachinery components is a complex process requiring many steps and hundreds of minute decisions in an iterative process. The design proceeds from engine cycle performance and meanline design through 3D viscous flow calculations (CFD) and finite element structural analysis (FEA). … More

The oscillating water column (OWC) is a candidate technology for the economical recovery of the projected 17.5 x 1012 kW-hr energy that is available from the world¿s oceans. While the relative dynamics between the OWC system and the incident water waves are mathematically understood, computational… More

The oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy conversion system has the highest potential of providing efficient renewable energy in the form of electric power but its efficiency to recover a wider range of wave energy frequency and amplitudes must be improved to make the system economics viable. … More

Advanced pump inducer design technology that uses high inlet diffusion blades, operates at a very low flow coefficient, and employs a cavitation control and stability device. A preliminary scoping inducer test with this technology indicated a doubling of the suction specific speed capability over… More

An oscillating water-air column (OWC) is one of the most technically viable and efficient options for converting wave energy into useful electric power. However, there is a need to increase the overall energy conversion efficiency of the OWC system from its current 25% efficiency to improve the… More

The proposed innovation provides a way to design low flow coefficient inducers that have higher cavitation breakdown margin, larger blade angles, thicker more structurally robust blades, and better off-design flow stability than the current state-of-the-art designs. The technology will increase the… More

Concepts NREC will perform a feasibility analysis of a Brayton Cycle-based, supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) system to recover waste heat from an MT-30 gas turbine used in marine applications. The S-CO2 cycle has been promoted in several DOE studies as an efficient prime mover system for heat sources less… More

Our preliminary assessment, based on skillful deployment of advanced aerodynamics with considerations for synergistic aerodynamic and functional integration of the electric drive motor and heat exchanger with the fan, establishes the basis for an Total-to-Static eff. of 85+% in the installed… More

ABSTRACT: Cavitation which leads to head falloff and feed system instabilities are a constant source of problems for the low net positive suction head (NPSH) pumps that are needed for advanced liquid rocket engines. Head falloff limits the pumps capability to deliver propellant at the required… More