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Point of Contact:
Dr. Gary Seng
Web Developer:
Rick Cowin
NASA Glenn Research Center
Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concepts
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Project Objectives
The RAC project is primarily directed towards the NASA Office of Aerospace Technology (OAT) Goal "Pioneer Technology Innovation". RAC also supports the goals of "Revolutionize Aviation " and "Advance Space Transportation ".
RAC is structured into three investment areas: 1) "New Millennium High Mach Propulsion", seeking to enable high Mach number point-to-point travel and global access; 2) "Unconventional Propulsion Cycles", seeking to enable revolutionary propulsion/aircraft/airspace architecture and operations; and 3) "Non-Turbomachinery Based Components and Systems", seeking to enable emissionless propulsion. RAC develops its investments in these areas by applying integrated propulsion/aircraft system analyses, supported by risk/safety/performance analyses to assess high payoff concepts and to identify technology barriers, research needs and steps toward technology maturation. It seeks to push technology barriers and enable breakthroughs by involving non-traditional industry and universities as well as NASA and traditional turbine engine industry researchers.
While RAC's focus is on very high payoff long term maturity technologies, it continually seeks shorter-term spin-offs from its efforts, which can have significant impact on next generation propulsion/aircraft systems. Because of its focus, RAC will generally be working at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) of 3 or less. Therefore, RAC will seek and identify further technology maturation opportunities for promising technologies approaching higher TRLs through programs such as REVCON and future focused research efforts.
Technical Summary
RAC looks 30 to 40 years out into the future envisaging possible propulsion system concepts which compared to even highly advanced systems by today's standards may be considered radical, revolutionary or even unattainable. The purpose of RAC is to pursue and develop the enabling technologies, concepts and tools which will permit such extremely high payoff propulsion systems to become a reality. To accomplish this purpose RAC provides balanced investments in aeropropulsion technology research to aggressively pursue revolutionary aeropropulsion concepts capable of 2 times payload-range for commercial and military aircraft, enabling point-to-point air travel with near zero to zero emissions, leading to new high performance aircraft and air breathing space transportation systems.
RAC is structured into three investment areas: 1) "New Millennium High Mach Propulsion", seeking to enable high Mach number point-to-point travel and global access; 2) "Unconventional Propulsion Cycles", seeking to enable revolutionary propulsion/aircraft/airspace architecture and operations; and 3) "Non-Turbomachinery Based Components and Systems", seeking to enable emissionless propulsion. RAC develops its investments in these areas by applying integrated propulsion/aircraft system analyses, supported by risk/safety/performance analyses to assess high payoff concepts and to identify technology barriers, research needs and steps toward technology maturation. It seeks to push technology barriers and enable breakthroughs by involving non-traditional industry and universities as well as NASA and traditional turbine engine industry researchers.
While RAC's focus is on very high payoff long term maturity technologies, it continually seeks shorter term spin-offs from its efforts, which can have significant impact on next generation propulsion/aircraft systems. Because of its focus, RAC will generally be working at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) of 3 or less. Therefore, RAC will seek and identify further technology maturation opportunities for promising technologies approaching higher TRLs through programs such as REVCON and future focused research efforts.
The tasks being performed under RAC encompasses a wide scope including materials & structures, sensors & actuators, health monitoring & controls, combustion & fuels, electric propulsion, and tools development. The common thread is that technologies being pursued generally tend to be farther term than those in other base research projects and they are oriented toward radical futuristic high payoff propulsion system concepts.
An example task is the "Miniature Autonomous Sensors and Actuators for Smart Propulsion Systems" task. This task is pursuing the development of intelligent propulsion control systems using integrated miniature sensors, electronics and actuators for engine self-diagnosis, self-reconfiguration and self-repair. It envisions propulsion systems that are totally reliable and completely inconspicuous as far as the airvehicle operator is concerned. The only awareness of the propulsion system that the operator has is that, in fact, the vehicle is moving as commanded. This task consists of subtasks which will develop miniaturized (micro- or nano-), durable components compatible with engine operating temperatures; develop embedded microsystems to integrate sensing, signal processing, actuation, and communications into structural components; and develop advanced algorithms for controls and demonstrate them on an integrated sensor/actuator. High payoff nearer term spin-offs from this task will be durable, high temperature miniaturized sensors and more capable, robust control systems.
Milestones
|
Level II Milestones |
Output |
Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
Workshop inviting industry, non-traditional aerospace
propulsion industry, university and government researchers
to brainstorm and envisage future propulsion possibilities
and identify long term enabling technologies for
such propulsion concepts |
A portfolio of 1) enabling technologies for extremely
high payoff future propulsion systems and 2) potential
technology development partners |
|
|
Cryogenic motor design |
First step in process to build and demonstrate a cryogenic
motor with characteristics suitable for aircraft
propulsion |
|
|
Design drawings and specifications for Photonoics Sensor
Multiplexing device |
Early step in the process of developing technologies
needed for a Smart Integrated Propulsion Control
System |
|
|
System analysis results and data |
Quantitative benefits of advance gelled fuels for high
speed aerospace vehicles |
|
|
Summary of preliminary system assessments |
Begin the exploration of the feasibility and benefits
of electric and hybrid combustion/electric aircraft
propulsion systems |
|
|
Initial drawings and specifications of Interstage Turbine
Burner |
Ready for detail design of test hardware |
|
|
Optimized Hf+Zr additions to NiAl bond coat identified |
Begin development of bond coat system which will enable
significant increase hot gas path temperatures |
|
|
Technologies for and operational characteristics of high
temperature actuator |
Achieved TRL 4 for intermediate high temperature actuator,
ready to proceed to development of 600C capable
actuator |
|
|
Sub-scale compact superconducting fan-drive motor design |
First step in process to build and demonstrate a sub-scale
compact superconducting fan-drive motor with characteristics
suitable for aircraft propulsion |
|
|
Nanocomposite PEM materials ready for long-term testing |
First step in development of PEM materials which will
contribute to very high energy density fuel cells |
|
|
Initial performance data obtained |
Test data compared to analytical predictions |
|
|
Synthesis and characterization of 1 Kg of a new compound
whose fuel-relevant properties were predicted by
QSAR/SAR/quantum chemistry |
Demonstration of the
viability of the
approach to designing aero fuels |