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VENTED NOZZLE CONCEPT FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE OF LAUNCH VEHICLES

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 10411
Amount: $50,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1989
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
3313 Bob Wallace Ave #205
Huntsville, AL 35805
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr Andrzej J Przekwas
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

THE VENTED NOZZLE IS AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPT TO AERODYNAMICALLY MODULATE THE NOZZLE FLOW AREA DURING FLIGHT OF A LAUNCH VEHICLE AND THUS GREATLY IMPROVE THE NOZZLE PERFORMANCE. IT REQUIRES A LARGE AREA RATIO NOZZLE WHOSE WALLS ARE VENTED THROUGH A SERIES OF SPRINGLOADED CHECK VALVES. THIS ALLOWS CONTINUOUS AND PASSIVE ADJUSTMENT OF EXHAUST TO AMBIENT PRESSURES AND ALSO REDUCES THE TRANSIENT START LOADS ON THE NOZZLE. IN PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT, AN EXISTING CFD CODE WILL BE USED TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OFTHE BASIC CONCEPT. A SPACECRAFT NOZZLE, SUCH AS THE SSME NOZZLE, WILL BE ANALYZED WITH SEVERAL VENT CONFIGURATIONS. BASIC PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS AND FLOW DISTRIBUTIONS WILL BE STUDIED FOR SEVERAL PRESSURE RATIOS TO SIMULATE OPERATION ATVARIOUS ALTITUDES. EFFECTS OF FLOW PROTRUSIONS, INTRODUCED UPSTREAM OF CHECK VALVES TO ENHANCE THE RELIABILITY OF THEIR OPERATION, WILL ALSO BE ANALYZED. IN PHASE II, OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS SUCH AS SIDE LOADS DUE TO FAILED VALVES WILL BE ANALYZED AND AN OPTIMUM NOZZLE DESIGN WILL BEDEVELOPED AND TESTED. THE ADAPTED CFD CODE WILL ALSO SERVE AS A VALUABLE DESIGN TOOL.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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