Performance of semi-transportation-cooled liner in high-temperature-rise combustors

Results from tests with the Lamilloy combustor liner are compared with results obtained from a conventionally designed, film cooled, step-louver liner. Operation of the Lamilloy liner with counterrotating swirl combustor fuel modules with mixing venturis was possible to a fuel-air ratio of 0.065 without obtaining excessive liner metal temperatures. At the 0.065 fuel-air condition the average liner metal temperature was 140 K and the maximum local temperature 280 K above the inlet air temperature. Combustion efficiency, pattern factor, and smoke data are discussed

Combustion gas properties of various fuels of interest to gas turbine engineers

A series of computations were made using the gas property computational schemes of Gordon and McBride to compute the gas properties and species concentration of ASTM-Jet A and dry air. The computed gas thermodynamic properties in a revised graphical format which gives information which is useful to combustion engineers is presented. A series of reports covering the properties of many fuel and air combinations will be published. The graphical presentation displays on one chart of the output of hundreds of computer sheets. The reports will contain microfiche cards, from which complete tables and graphs can be obtained. The extent of the planned effort and is documented samples of the many tables and charts that will be available on the microfiche cards are presented

Preliminary tests of an advanced high-temperature combustion system

A combustion system has been developed to operate efficiently and with good durability at inlet pressures to 4.05 MPa (40 atm), inlet air temperatures to 900 K, and exhaust gas temperatures to 2480 K. A preliminary investigation of this system was conducted at inlet pressures to 0.94 MPa (9 atm), a nominal inlet air temperature of 560 K, and exhaust gas temperatures to 2135 K. A maximum combustion efficiency of 98.5 percent was attained at a fuel-air ratio of 0.033; the combustion efficiency decreased to about 90 percent as the fuel-air ratio was increased to 0.058. An average liner metal temperature of 915 K, 355 kelvins greater than the nominal inlet air temperature, was reached with an average exhaust gas temperature of 2090 K. The maximum local metal temperature at this condition was about 565 kelvins above the nominal inlet air temperature and decreased to 505 kelvins above with increasing combustor pressure. Tests to determine the isothermal total pressure loss of the combustor showed a liner loss of 1.1 percent and a system loss of 6.5 percent

Design and preliminary results of a semitranspiration cooled (Lamilloy) liner for a high-pressure high-temperature combustor

A Lamilloy combustor liner was designed, fabricated and tested in a combustor at pressures up to 8 atmospheres. The liner was fabricated of a three layer Lamilloy structure and designed to replace a conventional step louver liner. The liner is to be used in a combustor that provides hot gases to a turbine cooling test facility at pressures up to 40 atmospheres. The Lamilloy liner was tested extensively at lower pressures and demonstrated lower metal temperatures than the conventional liner, while at the same time requiring about 40 percent less cooling air flow. Tests conducted at combustor exit temperatures in excess of 2200 K have not indicated any cooling or durability problems with the Lamilloy linear

Combustion Gas Properties I-ASTM Jet a Fuel and Dry Air

A series of computations was made to produce the equilibrium temperature and gas composition for ASTM jet A fuel and dry air. The computed tables and figures provide combustion gas property data for pressures from 0.5 to 50 atmospheres and equivalence ratios from 0 to 2.0

The Importance of Data Visualization: Incorporating Storytelling into the Scientific Presentation

From its inception in 2000, one of the primary tasks of the Biomedical Data Reduction Analysis (BDRA) group has been translation of large amounts of data into information that is relevant to the audience receiving it. BDRA helps translate data into an integrated model that supports both operational and research activities. This data integrated model and subsequent visual data presentations have contributed to BDRA's success in delivering the message (i.e., the story) that its customers have needed to communicate. This success has led to additional collaborations among groups that had previously not felt they had much in common until they worked together to develop solutions in an integrated fashion. As more emphasis is placed on working with "big data" and on showing how NASA's efforts contribute to the greater good of the American people and of the world, it becomes imperative to visualize the story of our data to communicate the greater message we need to share. METHODS To create and expand its data integrated model, BDRA has incorporated data from many different collaborating partner labs and other sources. Data are compiled from the repositories of the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health and the Life Sciences Data Archive, and from the individual laboratories at Johnson Space Center that support collection of data from medical testing, environmental monitoring, and countermeasures, as designated in the Medical Requirements Integration Documents. Ongoing communication with the participating collaborators is maintained to ensure that the message and story of the data are retained as data are translated into information and visual data presentations are delivered in different venues and to different audiences. RESULTS We will describe the importance of storytelling through an integrated model and of subsequent data visualizations in today's scientific presentations and discuss the collaborative methods used. We will illustrate the discussion with examples of graphs from BDRA's past work supporting operations and/or research efforts

Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors as Predictors of Cardiovascular Events in the U.S. Astronaut Corps

Risk prediction equations from the Framingham Heart Study are commonly used to predict the absolute risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary heart disease (CHD) related death. Predicting CHD-related events in the U.S. astronaut corps presents a monumental challenge, both because astronauts tend to live healthier lifestyles and because of the unique cardiovascular stressors associated with being trained for and participating in space flight. Traditional risk factors may not hold enough predictive power to provide a useful indicator of CHD risk in this unique population. It is important to be able to identify individuals who are at higher risk for CHD-related events so that appropriate preventive care can be provided. This is of special importance when planning long duration missions since the ability to provide advanced cardiac care and perform medical evacuation is limited. The medical regimen of the astronauts follows a strict set of clinical practice guidelines in an effort to ensure the best care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Framingham risk score (FRS), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein levels, blood pressure, and resting pulse as predictors of CHD-related death and MI in the astronaut corps, using Cox regression. Of these factors, only two, LDL and pulse at selection, were predictive of CHD events (HR(95% CI)=1.12 (1.00-1.25) and HR(95% CI)=1.70 (1.05-2.75) for every 5-unit increase in LDL and pulse, respectively). Since traditional CHD risk factors may lack the specificity to predict such outcomes in astronauts, the development of a new predictive model, using additional measures such as electron-beam computed tomography and carotid intima-media thickness ultrasound, is planned for the future

Understanding Cataract Risk in Aerospace Flight Crew And Review of Mechanisms of Cataract Formation

Induction of cataracts by occupational exposure in flight crew has been an important topic of interest in aerospace medicine in the past five years, in association with numerous reports of flight-associated disease incidences. Due to numerous confounding variables, it has been difficult to determine if there is increased cataract risk directly caused by interaction with the flight environment, specifically associated with added radiation exposure during flight. Military aviator records from the United States Air Force (USAF) and Navy (USN) and US astronauts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) were evaluated for the presence, location and age of diagnosis of cataracts. Military aviators were found to have a statistically significant younger average age of onset of their cataracts compared with astronauts, however the incidence density of cataracts was found to be statistically higher in astronauts than in military aviators. USAF and USN aviator s cataracts were most commonly located in the posterior subcapsular region of the lens while astronauts cataracts were most likely to originate generally in the cortical zone. A prospective clinical trial which controls for confounding variables in examination technique, cataract classification, diet, exposure, and pharmacological intervention is needed to determine what percentage of the risk for cataracts are due to radiation, and how to best develop countermeasures to protect flight crews from radiation bioeffects in the future

Access to Archived Astronaut Data for Human Research Program Researchers: Update on Progress and Process Improvements

No abstract availabl

Access to Archived Astronaut Data for Human Research Program Researchers: Update on Progress and Process Improvements

Since the 2010 NASA directive to make the Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) data archives more accessible by the research and operational communities, demand for astronaut medical data has increased greatly. LSAH and LSDA personnel are working with Human Research Program on many fronts to improve data access and decrease lead time for release of data. Some examples include the following: Feasibility reviews for NASA Research Announcement (NRA) data mining proposals; Improved communication, support for researchers, and process improvements for retrospective Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols; Supplemental data sharing for flight investigators versus purely retrospective studies; Work with the Multilateral Human Research Panel for Exploration (MHRPE) to develop acceptable data sharing and crew consent processes and to organize inter-agency data coordinators to facilitate requests for international crewmember data. Current metrics on data requests crew consenting will be presented, along with limitations on contacting crew to obtain consent. Categories of medical monitoring data available for request will be presented as well as flow diagrams detailing data request processing and approval steps