The initial research effort was an in-depth analysis of the shuttle main engine plumes in an effort to improve the flowfield model and to enhance shuttle base heating equipment predictions during ascent. A prediction methodology code was developed incorporating the improved plume model into a predictive tool which could consider different trajectoreis and engine perfromance variables. Various plume flow model improvement studies were ongoing at the time of the 51-L accident. Since that time, base heating and plume methodology improvements have continued as part of the overall emphasis on Shuttle design assurance before resuming flight schedule

Bender, Robert L.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

ioc. RTR 056-07
' {KASA-C8-179336) BESIABCH SICDX: SPACE N86-24636
. SHUTTLE 8 A I K I K G J f c E PLDBE I L C K I I M D MODEL
f ina l Report, 20 Kov. 1S81 - 1 Apr . 1988
( E e m t e c h ) 23 p CSCL 21H Dnclas
G3/20 0128935
FINAL REPORT
RESEARCH STUDY:
SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINE
PLUME FLOWFIELD MODEL
April 1, 1988
Prepared by:
Robert L. Bender
Contract:
NAS8-34135
For:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880015292 2020-03-20T07:10:30+00:00Z
RTR 056-07
SUMMARY
CONTRACT CHRONOLOGY
Contract NAS8-34135 ends April 1, 1988. It was initiated January 20, 1981, and
has been modified ten times; the last modification November 2, 1987. Dr. Terry
Greenwood, chief of the MSFC Induced Environment Branch, ED-33, has been the
COR throughout the contract.
OBJECTIVES
The initial research effort was an in-depth analysis of the Shuttle Main Engine
Plumes in an effort to improve the flowfield model and to enhance Shuttle base
heating environment predictions during ascent. As the Shuttle program progressed
through the pre-fiight phase, the development flight phase, and into the operational
flight phase; the contract objectives were amended to incorporate the flight data and
flight experience into the plume prediction methodology. Ultimately, a prediction
methodology code was developed incorporating the improved plume model into a
prediction tool which could consider different trajectories and engine performance
variables.
Various plume flow model improvement studies were ongoing at the time of the
51-L accident. Since that time, base heating and plume methodology improvements
have continued as part of the overall emphasis on Shuttle design assurance before
' 1
ir-»c. RTR 056-07
resuming the flight schedule.
REPORTS AND CONTRACT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
An assortment of short memos, technical notes, technical reports, and design envi-
ronment documents have been prepared and released under the contract. A fully
documented computer code was also released and distributed by NASA to other
contractors. Eighty-six monthly progress reports were also prepared throughout
the seven plus years of the contract .summarizing individual accomplishments, oral
and written reports, meetings, problem areas, and schedules.
Details of the individual reports will not be revisited in this final report. Sum-
maries of work performed under ten broad topic areas have been prepared along
with a list of all applicable reports prepared under the contract. REMTECH will
retain the originals; clear reproducible copies of all reports will be provided to the
COR.
F2 EN/I "TECH ir-»c. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE PRE-FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT PREDICTIONS
SUMMARY
Before the first Shuttle flight and coincident with the availability of the flight
readiness firing (FRF) data, base heating environments were predicted for
each base heating development flight instrument location. These predictions
were based upon the latest (before STS-1) trajectory and engine/booster op-
erational parameters available to MSFC in the spring of 1981. A compilation
of the prediction graphs were made available to the flight evaluation working
group for comparison with the first flight data. The predictions were also
used as substitute flight data to exercise the flight evaluation data reduction
programs. Pre-flight predictions were also provided for flights STS-2 and
STS-3.
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE PRE-FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT PREDICTIONS
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
Unpublished
Report Input
RM 056-2
RM 056-3
RM 056-5
RM 056-7
FRF Data Analysis; STS-1 Pre-flight
Environment Predictions
STS-2 Nominal Convective Base
Heating Environments
STS-1 Trajectory Comparisons
STS-3 Convective Base Heating Envi-
ronments
STS-3 Nominal Convective Base
Heating Environments
Feb-March 1981
July 1981
August 18, 1981
Nov. 12, 1981
Jan. 28, 1982
ir~.c. . RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE FLIGHT EVALUATION
SUMMARY
The Shuttle Orbiter, External Tank, and Solid Rocket Booster were all heav-
ily instrumented to measure ascent base heating environments on the four
development flights and first operational flight. The measured data were ex-
tracted from the data tapes, analyzed, correlated with flight events, compared
with predictions and other flights; then officially reported where they became
an important part of the final MSFC Flight Evaluation Report. REMTECH
performed these functions as part of the Flight Evaluation Working Group in
support of organization ED-33. The reports and other supporting material
were provided in partial fulfillment of work defined in contract NAS8-34135.
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE FLIGHT EVALUATION
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RM 056-1
RM 056-4
RM 056-6
RM 056-9
RM 056-11
RM 056-17
AIAA Paper
83-1544
STS-1 Base Heating Flight Evalua-
tion
STS-2 Base Heating Environment
Displays
STS-2 Flight Evaluation Report, Sec-
tion 6.0 Base Heating
STS-3 Base Heating Flight Data Eval-
uation
STS-4 Base Heating Flight Data Eval-
uation
Flight 51-F Ascent Environment Pre-
dictions
Space Shuttle Base Heating
June 10, 1981
Oct. 26, 1981
Nov. 1981
April 23, 1982
August 6, 1982
August 6, 1985
June 3, 1985
ii~»o. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: LOCAL BASE GAS RADIATION
SUMMARY
One of the interesting results of the Shuttle flight data evaluation was the
additional radiation to base region surfaces resulting from the local hot plume
gases recirculated into the base. An extensive analysis of this phenomenon
was necessary in order to correctly identify the convective component of the
total heating rate measured by the total calorimeters. Local gas radiation was
experienced on the Apollo Saturn V vehicle but the magnitude was unpre-
dictable on Shuttle because the base gas temperature and amounts of water
vapor and A^Oa particles in the gas were unknown. By separating the radia-
tion and analyzing the differences in magnitude between the Orbiter and ET
base regions, general magnitudes of the base gas temperature were deduced.
F=>F="fVXIT~^C^I—I i RTR 056-07
TOPIC: LOCAL BASE GAS RADIATION
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RM 056-8 STS-2 Base Heating Environment
Distributions
March 9, 1982
ioc. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE OPERATIONAL BASE HEATING ENVIRONMENTS
SUMMARY
A sequence of operational flight base heating design environment reports
were prepared beginning in the fall of 1982 for the External Tank and cul-
minating in the summer of 1984 for the Orbiter and SSMEs. These reports
drew heavily on the flight experience, model test data, and dispersed tra-
jectory parameters. The environments became the design against which all
operational vehicle thermal protection systems were evaluated. The reports
(environments) were the basis for the Plume Heating Data Books published
by Rockwell International and imposed on all the STS element contractors.
GI—I ii~»c. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SHUTTLE OPERATIONAL BASE HEATING ENVIRONMENTS
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RM 056-12
RM 056-13
RTR 056-2
RTR 056-3
RM 056-15
RM 056-16
Operational External Tank Convec-
tive Base Heating Environment
External Tank Convective Base Heat-
ing Environment Comparison
Operational SRB Convective Base
Heating Environment
Operational Orbiter/SSME Convec-
tive Base Heating Environment
Operational SRB Convective Base
Heating Environment
Orbiter/SSME Operational Convec-
tive Base Heating Environment
Nov. 9, 1982
Dec. 2, 1982
August 31,1983
July 26, 1984
July 25, 1983
June 22, 1984
10
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SSME PLUME IMPINGEMENT TO SPENT SRB
SUMMARY
Prior to the Shuttle development flights, trajectory analyses and plume pre-
dictions indicated that the SRBs would pass through the SSME exhaust
plumes immediately following separation. Accordingly, design environments
specifying the levels of plume impingement heating to the SRBs were analyt-
ically determined. Shuttle flight data from STS-1 through STS-3 and STS-5
confirmed that SSME plume impingement to the SRBs does occur and that
the total length of the boosters are affected. Therefore, under contract NAS8-
34135, a detailed flight data analysis was performed and the plume impinge-
ment environment up-dated based upon the development flight experience.
This design up-date became part of the SRB operational flight environment.
11
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: SSME PLUME IMPINGEMENT TO SPENT SRB
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
REMTECH Memo
RM 056-14
REMTECH Tech-
nical Report RTR
056-1
"Preliminary Shuttle Operational
Flight Environments - SSME Plume
Impingement to SRBs Following Sep-
aration"
"Analysis of Shuttle SSME Plume Im-
pingement to SRBs Following Separa-
tion"
Dec. 30, 1982
Jan. 31, 1983
12
ir-»c. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: PARALLEL PITCH SSME EVALUATION
SUMMARY
Flight thermocouple data from the cool side of the upper SSME EMHS from
flights 41-G and 51-B indicated increased heating to the EMHS with 2nd
stage parallel pitch gimbaling of the SSMEs. The increases in convective
heating were factors of 3 to 4 above the original design environments which
were based upon parallel yaw gimbal positions. Because parallel pitch was to
become the operational mode on most future flights to increase performance,
it was necessary to up-date the convective environment to the EMHS to reflect
the more severe flight data trends. The analysis and reports necessary to
up-date the environment were performed under contract NAS8-34135 during
1985.
13
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: PARALLEL PITCH SSME EVALUATION
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RM 056-18 Updated Operational Flight Base
Heating Environments for the Orbiter
EMHS
Aug. 13, 1985
14
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: BASE HEATING INDICATOR CODE
SUMMARY
The base heating indicator code was developed under contract NAS8-34135
to provide a simplified analysis of the Shuttle base region convective and
radiative base heating components. It uses available trajectory variables as
input to determine if the trajectory produces conditions which exceed the
operational thermal environment for the Shuttle and ET base regions. The
modeling procedures for the exhaust plume radiation component and con-
vective base heating computations were developed separately and reported
in separate documents. A user's guide was also prepared containing descrip-
tions of the overall code structure and operation, and operator instructions.
15
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: BASE HEATING INDICATOR CODE
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RTR 056-4
RTN 109-01
RTR 056-05
Space Shuttle Base Heating Indicator
Code User's Guide
Space Shuttle Base Heating Indicator
Code Thermal Radiation Model
Space Shuttle Base Heating Indicator
Code Convective Heating Methodol-
ogy
June 12, 1985
June 26, 1985
August 1986
16
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: CONVECTIVE BASE HEATING SCALING
SUMMARY
A scaling study was undertaken to improve our understanding of the
model/flight data convective base heating relationship so future model tests
for improved Shuttle or other launch vehicles will be more valuable for proto-
type environment predictions. Base convective heating predictions for most
vehicles and particularly for the Shuttle are not determined analytically but
rely on scaled model test data. ThescaJ^g'analysis conducted by REMTECH
under contract NAS8-34135 explored the moder^nd flight relationship for all
known parameters which influence the base region convective environment,
with emphasis on isolating the critical parameters which determine the cor-
rect scaling factors.
ORIGINAL PAGE IS
OE P.OOR QUALM
17
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: CONVECTIVE BASE HEATING SCALING
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
Unpublished
model data, flight
data, notes & de-
tailed correlations
RM 056-10
Paper presented at
NASA/Langley
conference on
Shuttle Perfor-
mance: Lessons
Learned
Jupiter; Saturn I; Saturn V; Tital II,
mC, 34D, 4; Shuttle Convective Base
Heating Scaling Analysis
Shuttle Convective Base Heating
Calculation of Shuttle Base Heating
Environments and Comparison with
Flight Data
1985
May 20, 1982
March 8, 1983
18
ir%c. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: 51-L ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
SUMMARY
NASA/MSFC provided leak plume definition and plume impingement envi-
ronment estimates in support of the Shuttle Mission 51-L failure analysis.
REMTECH assisted MSFC throughout the effort by providing and analyz-
ing plume data and other flow related information. The plume estimates
were determined by state-of-the-art methodology utilizing the RAMP and
SPF codes for plume definition and the PLIMP code for impingment environ-
ments. Plume deflections were based upon experimental data from transverse
firing jets emanating from circular sonic orifices and two-dimensional slots.
The plume predictions were qualitatively compared with flight film and good
agreement noted.
19
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: 51-L ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
Paper presented
at JANNAF 16th
Plume Technology
Meeting
Shuttle Mission 51-L Right Solid
Rocket Booster (R-SRB) Leak Plume
Analysis
9/9
1986
- 9/11,
20
RTR 056-07
TOPIC: HYDROGEN LEAKAGE INVESTIGATION
SUMMARY
MSFC and MMC/Michoud became concerned in early 1987 about a potential
TPS impact on the ET intertank due to leakage and burning of GH2 from the
hydrogen vent value. JAYCOR was contracted by MMC to provide analytical
solutions for the flowfield and resulting thermal environments. REMTECH,
under contract NAS8-34135, supported ED-33 by providing external subsonic
flowfield data around the ET and boundary layer concentration profiles with
hydrogen injection. A computer code, REFLAN, was also obtained to analyze
the 3-D burning problem when leaked/vented hydrogen burns in cross-flow
air. REMTECH also analyzed data obtained in a hydrogen burning test
conducted by MMC at MSFC.
21
ii~»C. RTR 056-07
TOPIC: HYDROGEN LEAKAGE INVESTIGATION
DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT DATE
RTR 056-06 Hydrogen Burning Study March 1988
22


Research Study: Space Shuttle Main Engine Plume Flowfield Model

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server