1. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Wind Tunnel Team
Faculty Advisors:
Student Researchers:
Dr. Chivey Wu
Dr. Helen Boussalis
Dr. Darrell Guillaume
Dr. Charles Liu
Long Ly
Nhan Doan
SPACE Center
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

2. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Computational and Experimental Investigation of a Turbine-less Jet Engine
Objective
Background
Gas Turbine Engine
Ramjet Engine
Turbine-less Ducted Fan Engine
Analytical Model
CFD Analysis
Wind Tunnel Testing and Validation
Preliminary Hydrogen Combustion
Applications
Future Objectives
Questions?
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

3. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Motivation
Low-Cost Propulsion System for Future UAV
Utilization of Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen, Bio Fuel)
Potential Application in Hybrid Propulsion Systems
(Fuel Cells, Solar Photovoltaic, Lithium Batteries)
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

4. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Objective
Design, Computational Simulation & Performance Tests of a Turbine-less Ducted Fan Jet Engine
Approach:
Analytical
Prediction of thrust, power required, efficiency
Computational
Flow field & combustion simulation
Prediction of engine performance
Experimental
Wind tunnel testing
Hydrogen combustion testing
Measurement of engine performance
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

5. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Background
Turbo Jet Engine
Air Inlet
Compressor
Combustion Chamber
Turbine
Nozzle
Disadvantages
Mechanical Complexity
Thermal Limits
Expensive to Develop
* Image from NASA – Glenn Research Center
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

6. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Background
Ramjet Engine
Air Inlet
Combustor
Nozzle
Advantage
No Moving Parts
Disadvantage
Cannot Self-Start
* Image from ThinkQuest
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

7. Turbine-less Ducted Fan Jet Engine Concept
Advantages:
No need for a turbine
Low cost
Self-starting
Features
Ducted Fan, Combustor & Nozzle
Fan driven by electric motor
Electricity from solar panels/fuel cells
Combustor & fuel cell may share same fuel (e.g. Hydrogen)
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

8. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Analytical Model
Impeller Analysis
Moment-of-Momentum Equation
Simplification to obtain Torque
Shaft Power
Pressure Rise
Guided Vane
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

9. Combustor & Nozzle Analysis
P2’
Po2’
M2’
T2’ P1
Po1 M1 T1
To1 P2
Po2 M2 T2
To2 P3
Po3 M3 T3
To3
Combustor: 1-D Heat Addition (Rayleigh Flow)
Nozzle: 1-D Isentropic Flow
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

10. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
CFD Simulation
Flow field: Cosmos Floworks
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 10

11. Tangential Velocity Gradients
CFD: Swirling Flow
Tangential Velocity Gradients
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 11

12. Combustion Simulation
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 12

13. Combustion Simulation
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 13

14. Combustion Simulation
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 14

15. Test Model Development
JetPro DF-70 Ducted Fan
Specifications:
Inner Diameter: 69 mm
Outer Diameter: 72 mm
Rotor: 8 Blade
Max Motor Diameter 29 mm
Motor Shaft Diameter 3.17 mm
Total Weight 54.5g (1.92 oz)
Hacker B20-26L DC Motor
Specifications:
Operating Current 10 A
Peak Amps 57 A
Peak Watts 220 W
RPM/V 2077
Motor Diameter 20 mm
Motor Length 44.5 mm
Shaft Diameter 2.3 mm
Shaft Length 10 mm
Weight 58g (2.03 oz)
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

16. Test Model Development
Motor Mount Extension with Fuel injector
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

17. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Wind Tunnel Testing
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

18. Combustor Model Development
RCLander 68mm Aluminum Alloy Ducted Fan
Specifications:
Inner Diameter: 69 mm
Outer Diameter: 73 mm
Rotor: 8 Blade
Max Motor Diameter 28 mm
Motor Shaft Diameter 3.17 mm
Total Weight 54.5g (1.92 oz)
Elite 370 Brushless DC Motor
Specifications:
Operating Current 10 A
Peak Amps 15 A
Input Watts 125 W
RPM/V 5400
Motor Diameter 20 mm
Motor Length 44.5 mm
Shaft Diameter 3.17 mm
Shaft Length 10 mm
Weight 48g (1.7 oz)
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 18

19. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Wind Tunnel Testing
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

20. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Instrumentation
Force Transducer
Pitot tubes
Pressure Transducers
Thermocouples
Relative Humidity Measurement
LabVIEW Data Acquisition
Laser Tachometer
Batteries/Power Supply
Controller/Receiver/Transmitter
Multi-meters
Hydrogen Tank/ Pressure Regulator
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

21. Engine Performance Tests
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

22. Engine Performance Tests
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

23. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Static Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

24. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Static Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

25. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Static Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

26. Wind Tunnel Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

27. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Dynamic Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

28. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Dynamic Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

29. Wind Tunnel Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

30. Static Combustion Test Results
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

31. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Current Progress
Two Conference Papers
(Fall 2009, Spring 2010)
Two M.S. Theses
(by June 2010)
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

32. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Future Tasks
Wind Tunnel Testing with Combustion
More CFD Simulations
Refinement of Fuel Injector Design
Refinement of Combustor Design
Integration of Nozzle Design
Performance Optimization
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

33. Project Timeline 4/16/2017 NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A 2009 March
April
May
June
July
August
September
Long Ly
Fabrication of Dry Ice Flow Visualization
Design of Turbine-less Jet Engine
Setup CNC router
Learn and Train CNC router operations
CFD Model Development
CFD Model Validation
Nhan Doan
Validate LabView Data Acquisition
Fabrication of Flow Test Model
Analytical Model Development
Analytical Model Validation
2010
October
November
December
January
February
CFD Static Analysis & Static Wind Tunnel Testing
Preparation for Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
CFD Dynamic Analysis & Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
Combustion CFD Model, Fabrication of Combustor Test Model, Preliminary Static Testing
Static Analytical Analysis & Static Wind Tunnel Testing
Dynamic Analytical Analysis & Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
Combustion Analytical Model , Fabrication of Combustor Test Model, Preliminary Static Testing
CFD Model Simulation, Refinement from Static Combustion Data, Analysis of Hot Fire Test Data
Preparation for Combustion Testing in Wind Tunnel/ Preparation for Conferences
Combustion CFD Dynamic Analysis & Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
Nozzle Design
Nozzle Fabrication
Analytical Model Validation from Static Combustion Testing Data/ Analysis of Hot Fire Test Data
Combustion Dynamic Analytical Analysis & Dynamic Wind Tunnel Testing
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

34. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Applications
High speed UAV’s
V/STOL UAV’s
LADF: Lift Augmented Ducted Fan;
combines high speed and VTOL
Hyfish
Horizon Fuel Cell
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

35. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A
Acknowledgement
Space Center Members:
Solomon Yitagesu
Sara Esparza
Cesar Olmedo
Johanna Lopez
Alonzo Perez
Shing Chan
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A

36. NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A?
4/16/2017
NASA Grant URC NCC NNX08BA44A