Search Results

The paper describes a numerical study, supported by experiments, on light aircraft 2-Stroke Direct Injected Diesel engines, typically rated up to 110 kW (corresponding to about 150 imperial HP). The engines must be as light as possible and they are to be directly coupled to the propeller, without reduction drive. The ensuing main design constraints are: i) in-cylinder peak pressure as low as possible (typically, no more than 120 bar); ii) maximum rotational speed limited to 2600 rpm. As far as exhaust emissions are concerned, piston aircraft engines remain unregulated but lack of visible smoke is a customer requirement, so that a value of 1 is assumed as maximum Smoke number. For the reasons clarified in the paper, only three cylinder in line engines are investigated. Reference is made to two types of scavenging and combustion systems, designed by the authors with the assistance of state-of-the-art CFD tools and described in detail in a parallel paper.

BlueStar Advanced Technology Corporation (BATC) as part of its participation in the USAF/NASA Li Ion Battery Development Consortium has developed a candidate 25-Ah cell for the Mars 2001 Lander. Although the capacity and cycle life requirements for this application are relatively modest, the low temperature performance (−20°C) and pulse discharge requirements (60A) are somewhat more challenging. Geometric requirements within the spacecraft also constrain the cell design leading to a cell with an aspect ratio quite different from those 25-Ah Li ion cells previously developed by BATC. The design of this cell and its compliance with the performance requirements of the mission will be discussed.

A very high power source solution was developed for the Non Line of Sight Launch System Container Launch Unit (NLOS-LS CLU). The power source solution has been shown to be capable of providing the required 72 continuous hours of operation and high power (3560 watts) to sustain launch capability. The power source consists of 18 BB-2590/U batteries connected in parallel in three layers. Several CLU battery systems have been delivered to the PEO and have been well accepted. The Army is using standard rechargeable batteries, is currently being upgraded with SMBus capability and higher capacity lithium-ion cells. For this reason, the CLU power source has been manufactured with SMBus capability. This paper will discuss the performance of one layer of the CLU power source to simulate the whole power load.

Offering aircraft fuel efficiency improvements of 30 to 40% over the powerplants it will replace, PW2037 retrofit in the 727-200 Advanced and B-52 aircraft is attracting heightened interest. A comparison of PW2037 technical characteristics with current aircraft powerplants substantiates the improvement potential.The engine installation and modifications necessary for aircraft system compatibility do not impose significant increases in complexity or cost. The resultant improvements in aircraft capability (727 and B-52) and economic viability to airlines (7271 produce aircraft uniquely suited to today's operational requirements and constrained equipment budgets.

In 1995, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) began a program to investigate whether a 90 Ah dependent pressure vessel (DPV) NiH2 battery pack could be a lower volume replacement for a 90 Ah NiH2 IPV spacecraft battery. Nickel Hydrogen (NiH2) dependent pressure vessel (DPV) battery cells are presumed to offer all the features of the NiH2 IPV battery cell with considerably less volume. To achieve this reduction in volume, the DPV cell utilizes a canteen shaped pressure vessel with reduced thickness wall, flat sides and curved ends. The cells can be packaged similar to prismatic nickel cadmium battery cells. Moreover, like NiCd cells, a fully charged DPV cell must rely upon an adjacent battery cell or structure for support and to maintain pressure vessel integrity. Seventeen 90 Ah NiH2 DPV cells were delivered to NR in 1998 for qualification tests. An eleven-cell half battery pack was manufactured and tested to validate the advantages of the DPV design.

The 912 engine is a well known 4-cylinder horizontally opposed 4-stroke liquid-/air-cooled aircraft engine. The 912 family has a strong track record: 40 000 engines sold / 25 000 still in operation / 5 million flight hours annually. 88% of all light aircraft OEMs use Rotax engines. The 912iS is an evolution of the Rotax 912ULS carbureted engine. The “i” stands for electronic fuel injection which has been developed according to flight standards, providing a better fuel efficiency over the current 912ULS of more than 20% and in a range of 38% to 70% compared to other competitive engines in the light sport, ultra-light aircraft and the general aviation industry. BRP engineers have incorporated several technology enhancements. The fully redundant digital Engine Control Unit (ECU) offers a computer based electronic diagnostic system which makes it easier to diagnose and service the engine.

In low earth orbit satellite applications, spacecraft power is provided by photovoltaic cells and batteries. Unfortunately, use of batteries present difficulties due to their poor energy density, limited cycle lifetimes, reliability problems, and the difficulty in measuring the state of charge. Flywheel energy storage offers a viable alternative to overcome some of the limitations presented by batteries. FARE, Inc. has built a 50 Wh flywheel energy storage system. This system, called the Open Core Flywheel, is intended to be a prototype energy storage device for low earth orbit satellite applications. To date, the Open Core Flywheel has achieved a rotational speed of 26 krpm under digital control.

Lithium-ion batteries have become prominent in many applications, because of their high energy-to-weight ratio. Unlike other types of cells, lithium-ion cells do not exhibit natural cell-to-cell balancing mechanisms. Over time, lithium-ion batteries may become unbalanced, leading to one or more cells becoming overcharged, causing cell damage. Cell balancing is required to achieve the maximum mission life for a lithium-ion battery, by reducing the possibility of overcharging or deep discharging. A BEU has been developed that uses a high-efficiency autonomous balancing circuit to maintain uniform charge on the series cells in a 24-cell battery. The balancing circuits operate continuously in all modes of operation, including charge, discharge and standby. The cell balancing currents are proportional to the voltage difference between the cells, gradually diminishing to zero as the cells achieve balance.

Northrop Grumman, ASW and Ship Systems has pioneered a new thermal battery chemistry that combines high power and high energy density with multi-hour life capability. A large sonobuoy thermal battery with three hours of active life has been demonstrated and efforts are underway to extend life to four hours. Northrop Grumman believes this technology is ideally suited to weight and volume critical missile and aircraft applications. Recently, we tested a 28.5 lb., nominal 28 volt, 28 Ah battery designed to demonstrate the capability of a large thermal battery to provide prime power for missiles. Features of our thermal battery chemistry and computer design capability will be described. Performance of these large, multi-hour thermal batteries will be presented to illustrate their applicability to airborne applications.

A series calculation methodology from the injector nozzle internal flow to the fuel spray was applied to investigate the internal flow and spray of a nozzle whose orifices distributed in different space layers. The nozzle internal flow calculation using an Eulerian three-fluid model and a cavitation model was performed. The needle valve movement during the injection period was taken into account in this calculation. The transient data of spatial distributions of velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, dissipation rate, void fraction rate, etc. at the nozzle exit were extracted. These output data were transferred to the spray calculation, in which a primary break-up model was applied to the Discrete Droplet Model (DDM). The calculation results were compared with the results of the measurement data of spray. Predicted spray morphology and penetration showed good agreement with the experiental data.

This paper documents the design and validation of a closed cycle propulsion system suitable for use on the Perseus A high altitude research aircraft. The atmospheric science community is expected to be the primary user of this aircraft with initial missions devoted to the study of ozone depletion and global warming. To date large amounts of funding are not available to the atmospheric science community, so to be useful, the aircraft must satisfy stringent cost and performance criteria. Among these, the aircraft has to be capable of carrying 50 kg of payload to altitudes of at least 25km, have a initial cost in the $1-2M range, be capable of launch from remote sites, and be available no later than 1994. These operational criteria set narrow boundaries for propulsion system cost, complexity, availability, reliability, and logistical support requirements.

In recent years, a tremendous interest has spawned towards adapting Lithium-Ion battery technology for aircraft applications. Lithium-Ion technology is already being used in some military aircraft (e.g., the F-22, F-35 and the B-2) and it has also been selected as original equipment for large commercial aircraft (e.g., the Airbus A380 and Boeing B787). The advantages of Lithium-Ion technology over Lead-Acid and Nickel-Cadmium technologies are higher specific energy (Wh/kg) and energy density (Wh/L), and longer cycle life. Saving weight is especially important in aircraft applications, because it can boost fuel economy and increase mission capability. Disadvantages of Lithium-Ion technology include higher initial cost, limited calendar/float life, inferior low temperature performance, and more severe safety hazards. This paper will present a direct comparison of a 24-Volt, 28Ah Lead-Acid and a 24-volt, 28Ah Lithium-Ion aircraft battery.

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was designed to be serviced from the shuttle by astronauts performing extravehicular activities (EVA). During the first HST Servicing Mission (STS-61) two types of power tools were flown, the Power Ratchet Tool (PRT) and the HST Power Tool. Each tool had both benefits and drawbacks. An objective for the second HST servicing mission was to combine the reliability, accuracy, and programmability of the PRT with the pistol grip ergonomics and compactness of the HST Power Tool into a new tool called the EVA Pistol Grip Tool (PGT). The PGT is a self-contained, microprocessor controlled, battery powered, 3/8-inch drive hand-held tool. The PGT may also be used as a non-powered ratchet wrench. Numerous torque, speed, and turn or angle limits can be programmed into the PGT for use during various servicing missions. Batteries Modules are replaceable during ground, Intravehicular Activities (IVA), and EVA operations.

The Shuttle orbiter currently uses hydrazine-powered APU’s for powering its hydraulic system pumps. To enhance vehicle safety and reliability, NASA is pursuing an APU upgrade where the hydrazine-powered turbine is replaced by an electric motor pump and battery power supply. This EAPU (Electric APU) upgrade presents several thermal control challenges, most notably the new requirement for moderate temperature control of high-power electronics at 132 °F (55.6 °C). This paper describes how the existing Water Spray Boiler (WSB), which currently cools the hydraulic fluid and APU lubrication oil, is being modified to provide EAPU thermal management.

The design results for a 250 kW switched reluctance aircraft engine starter/generator system power inverter are presented. The starter/generator employs a single switched reluctance machine and a generating system architecture that produces two separate 270 Vdc buses from that single switched reluctance machine. The machine has six phases with three of the phases connected to one inverter supplying 125 kW to one 270 Vdc bus while the other three phases are connected to a second inverter supplying 125kW to the other 270 Vdc bus. Each bus has its own EM1 filter and control in addition to its own inverter. Two types of inverters have been developed, one type employs MOS Controlled Thyristors (MCTs) for the controlled switches and the other type employs Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs). High-current 500 A peak turn-off MCT modules were specifically developed for the MCT inverters. Two of these modules are placed in parallel to form the required 1000 A switches.

The supply of electrical power is one of the most important functions required by the diverse payloads of satellites. A fault in the corresponding subsystem might lead to mission or even vehicle loss. Among the causes of such faults, we highlight the phenomenon of thermal avalanche in batteries. It can be explained as an energetic unbalance where the rate of heat generated in the interior of the system exceeds its capacity to dissipate it. This occurred to the OAO1 of NASA just after its launch on April 8, 1966; and with the CBERS2 of CAST and INPE already in orbit in 2007 and 2009. This work presents a discussion on the causes and effects of thermal avalanches in artificial satellite battery charging and discharging systems.

The BSTCA (Battery Section Thermal Control Assembly) is a module of the Columbus MTFF (Man Tended Free Flyer). Electrical power required during eclipse periods, is made available from six nickel hydrogen batteries. A sophisticated multi-radiator configuration, with a hybrid heat pipe network, has evolved. Autonomous control of the assembly heat rejection capability has been achieved by a integrated network of LTHP's (Liquid Trap Heat Pipes) and CCHP's (Constant Conductance Heat Pipes) under the control of a conventional HCU (Heater Control Unit). The process of design selection and verification is discussed, for the BSTCA, with a detailed LTHP component presentation.

The paper gives an update on an advanced development effort carried out under NASA Johnson Space Center (NASA/JSC) NAS 9-17775 by Ergenics Power Systems, Inc. (EPSI). The work was initiated in April 1987 to design and build a Fuel Cell Energy Storage System (FCESS) bench-test unit for the Space Station Freedom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). Fueled by oxygen and hydride stored hydrogen, the FCESS is being considered as an alternative to the EMU zinc-silver oxide battery. Superior cycle life and quick recharge are its main attributes. Design and performance of a non-venting 28V, 34 Ahr system with 7 amp rating are discussed. The FCESS is comprised of a 32-cell proton exchange membrane (PEM) stack, a metal hydride storage vessel and a control subsystem. The stack design incorporates passive product-water removal and thermal integration with the hydride vessel. The hydride vessel stores enough fuel for 5 hours.

A greater number of manned extravehicular activities (EVAs) are anticipated for the United States Space Station compared to the few experienced on Space Shuttle missions. This requires the design of a new generation extravehicular mobility unit (EMU). Limitations inherent in the current EMU power supply--zinc silver-oxide batteries--include dry shelf-life, active wet-life, cycle-life, and recharge time, thus making its usage impractical for the Space Station. An alternative solution, a fuel cell energy storage system (FCESS), is being explored by Ergenics Power Systems, Inc. (EPSI), Wyckoff, N.J., with funding from NASA/Johnson Space Center. The ion-exchange membrane (IEM) fuel cell under consideration utilizes hydrogen stored as a metal hydride. EPSI has demonstrated experimentally that the fuel cell/hydride technology pair should be a primary candidate EMU power supply for its high volumetric/energy density and cycle life, quick recharge, durability, EMU integration, and safety.

Environmental sustainability is morphing Automotive technical development strategies and driving the evolution of vehicles with a speed and a strength hardly foreseeable a decade ago. The entire vehicle architecture is impacted, and energy efficiency becomes one of the most important parameters to reach goals, which are now not only market demands, but also based on regulatory standards with penalty consequences. Therefore, rolling drag from all bearings in multiple rotating parts of the vehicle needs to be reduced; wheel bearings are among the biggest in size regardless of the powertrain architecture (ICE, Hybrid, BEV) and have a significant impact. The design of wheel bearings is a complex balance between features influencing durability, robustness, vehicle dynamics, and, of course, energy efficiency.