Additive Manufacturing Of High Solids Loading Hybrid Rocket Fuel Grains, Stephen P. Johnson, Michael Baier, Ibrahim E. Gunduz, Steven F. Son

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Hybrid rocket motors offer many of the benefits of both liquid and solid rocket systems. Like liquid engines, hybrid rocket motors are able to be throttled, can be stopped and restarted, and are safer than solid rocket motors since the fuel and oxidizer are in different physical states. Hybrid rocket motors are similar to solid motors in that they are relatively simple and have a high density-specific impulse. One of the major drawbacks of hybrid rocket motors is a slower burning rate than solid rocket motors. Complex port geometries provide greater burning surface area to compensate for lower burning rates …

Design Of A 1 Megawatt Heat Input Direct Power Extraction System For Advanced Topping Cycles, Brian Matthew Lovich

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Power development has become a standard for living; as such more efficient and cleaner methods are desired. One such method is that of the direct power extraction system utilizing Magnetohydrodynamic properties. This paper will discuss the combustor designed and developed for a direct power extraction system at the 1 MW heat input range. A short history of the power systems utilized with a focus on the direct power class will be conducted in the first chapter to give insight into the benefits of using the direct power system. Then a literature review the fundamentals of direct power systems will be …

Reaction Tuning Of Selectively Deposited Nano-Thermite Inks For Thrust And Heat Deposition, Raghav Ramachandran

Open Access Theses

Currently there is very little systematic work that quantifies the performance of energetic materials in terms of thrust or heat deposition applied to electronic circuits. A better understanding of the interactions between nano-scale energetic materials and electronic systems, as a function of stoichiometry is needed for enhanced defeat. Both of these needs are addressed in this research. Formulations of Al-CuO and Al-Bi2O3 nano-thermites were prepared at different equivalence ratios and selectively deposited onto silicon substrates and thrust and heat deposition of these materials was quantified. Both nano-thermite systems produced maximum thrust near stoichiometric ratios, and more fuel-rich mixtures led to …

The Feasibility Of Utilising Compressed Natural Gas As Part Of A Systematic Approach To Establishing The Necessary Groundwork For The Hydrogen Based Transport Economy, James Brunton, John Howlett, David Kennedy

Conference Papers

One key objective for vehicle manufacturers is to develop technology and infrastructure to facilitate the progression from combustion to conversion by the year 2050. In the short to medium term however, the combustion of fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, coupled with advanced transmission innovations and emission control technology that are governed by strict Euro VI regulations appears to be the main path forward for the transport sector and the environment. This paper presents the feasibility of utilising the developing compressed natural gas network capabilities as part of a systematic approach to establishing the necessary groundwork for a hydrogen …

Use Of Green Mussel Shell As A Desulfurizer In The Blending Of Low Rank Coal-Biomass Briquette Combustion, Mahidin Mahidin, Asri Gani, M. Reza Hani, Muhammad Syukur, Hamdani Hamdani, Khairil Khairil, Samsul Rizal, Abdul Hadi, T.M.I. Mahlia

Makara Journal of Technology

Calcium oxide-based material is available abundantly and naturally. A potential resource of that material comes from marine mollusk shell such as clams, scallops, mussels, oysters, winkles and nerites. The CaO-based material has exhibited a good performance as the desulfurizer or adsorbent in coal combustion in order to reduce SO2 emission. In this study, pulverized green mussel shell, without calcination, was utilized as the desulfurizer in the briquette produced from a mixture of low rank coal and palm kernel shell (PKS), also known as bio-briquette. The ratio of coal to PKS in the briquette was 90:10 (wt/wt). The influence of green …

An Experimental Investigation Of Self-Excited Combustion Dynamics In A Single Element Lean Direct Injection (Ldi) Combustor, Rohan M. Gejji

Open Access Dissertations

The management of combustion dynamics in gas turbine combustors has become more challenging as strict NOx/CO emission standards have led to engine operation in a narrow, lean regime. While premixed or partially premixed combustor configurations such as the Lean Premixed Pre-vaporized (LPP), Rich Quench Lean burn (RQL), and Lean Direct Injection (LDI) have shown a potential for reduced NOx emissions, they promote a coupling between acoustics, hydrodynamics and combustion that can lead to combustion instabilities. These couplings can be quite complex, and their detailed understanding is a pre-requisite to any engine development program and for the development of predictive capability …

Data Driven Low-Bandwidth Intelligent Control Of A Jet Engine Combustor, Nathan L. Toner

Open Access Dissertations

This thesis introduces a low-bandwidth control architecture for navigating the input space of an un-modeled combustor system between desired operating conditions while avoiding regions of instability and blow-out. An experimental procedure is discussed for identifying regions of instability and gathering sufficient data to build a data-driven model of the system's operating modes. Regions of instability and blow-out are identified experimentally and a data-driven operating point classifier is designed. This classifier acts as a map of the operating space of the combustor, indicating regions in which the flame is in a "good" or "bad" operating mode. A data-driven predictor is also …

The Validation And Verification Of Les Modeling Using Kiva, David Fyda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In recent years, the use of large-eddy simulation (LES) has grown into new research methods. LES is preferred when compared to Reynold’s Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS), which separates velocity components into steady and fluctuating components. While RANS is relatively easy to implement, it does not fully resolve the range of turbulence eddies and has limitations that make it inaccurate in many practical circumstances. Direct numerical simulation, DNS, fully resolves all turbulent eddies to the smallest grid scale, but requires an extremely fine grid. This makes it computationally impractical to use as the computational power required to solve even the simplest …

Application Of A Multi-Zone Model For The Prediction Of Species Concentrations In Rapid Compression Machine Experiments, David Wilson

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Accurate chemical kinetic models, which predict species evolution and heat release rates in chemically reactive systems, are essential for further advancements in fuel and combustion technology. An experimental facility that is widely used for evaluating the accuracy of kinetic models is a rapid compression machine (RCM), which creates a well-defined reaction environment by compressing a reactive mixture inside a chamber. Generally, RCM experiments are conducted in order to obtain ignition delay data. However, chemical speciation data provides greater insight into reaction pathways, and is therefore a more rigorous benchmark for validating kinetic models. In order for a chemical kinetic model …

Performance Evaluation Of Palm Oil-Based Biodiesel Combustion In An Oil Burner, Abdolsaeid Ganjehkaviri, Mohammad Nazri Mohd Jaafar, Seyed Ehsan Hosseini, Anas Basri Musthafa

Faculty Publications - Mechanical Engineering

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the combustion characteristics of palm methyl ester (PME), also known as palm oil-based biodiesel, in an oil burner system. The performance of conventional diesel fuel (CDF) and various percentages of diesel blended with palm oil-based biodiesel is also studied to evaluate their performance. The performance of the various fuels is evaluated based on the temperature profile of the combustor's wall and emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). The combustion experiments were conducted using three different oil burner nozzles (1.25, 1.50 and 1.75 USgal/h) under lean (equivalence ratio (φ) = …

Economical Retrofit System To Reduce Cooking Emissions In Third World Dwellings, Jonathan Vanzummeren, Tyler Sturgeon, Ben Dalessandro

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract:

The purpose of this document is to propose and demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of substituting an open flame biomass cooking process with a closed system with the capabilities of sustaining an adequate fire. Clay ovens or “chulhas” are the traditional piece of cooking equipment used in poorer areas of the world. They are often built inside cramped one-room housing units with little or no ventilation. The emissions released from burning fuel sources such as wood, coal, or animal waste bring with them detrimental and often fatal health problems and results in approximately 1.3 million deaths per year.

The …

Design Of A Thermal Management System For An Oxy-Methane Direct Power Extraction Combustor, Jad Gerges Aboud

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The overarching goal of this Thesis is to present the design of a thermal management system for an oxy-methane direct power extraction combustor. The design is initiated by performing a 2D analysis on the combustor geometry and then using these results in a 3D model. This is done by using results for heat transfer coefficient and temperatures found from the 2D simulation and importing these to the 3D model. The approach used here couples the combustion process, heat transfer through the chamber wall, and fluid flow behaviors in order to observe the thermal characteristics of the combustor during operation. This …

Combustion Of Novel Thermite Mixtures For Iodine Generation, Sergio Emanuel Guerrero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Halogen-containing reactive materials could be used for mitigating the spread of hazardous, active biological microorganisms aerosolized as a result of explosion. The present work exhibits experimental results on the combustion of mechanically alloyed aluminum-iodine (Al-I2) powder mixed with Fe2O3, CuO, MoO3, Bi2O3, and I2O5. Wet mixing was used to prepare the samples, which were then compacted into pellets and ignited with a CO2 laser. A chamber was designed and built to accommodate for combustion and collection of products, and the available laser ignition setup was modified to enable combustion experiments with rapidly burning gas-generating mixtures. High-speed video recording was used …

High Pressure Combustion And Supersonic Jet Ignition For H2/Air, Michael G. Woodworth, Sayan Biswas, Li Qiao

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

There are many incentives to increase the fuel efficiency of combustion processes. This paper looks at two available options to achieve this goal. The former aims to develop an experimental method that can analyze combustion at extremely high pressures to improve the understanding of high pressure H2/air combustion. Experimental data has been lacking a suitable combustion diagnostic to visualize high pressure combustion processes, making it difficult to improve the process. Improvement of x-ray diffraction tomography in a windowless combustor makes it possible to see flame propagation at high pressure. The procedure and chamber are still in the design phase, yet …

Combustion Kinetics Of Advanced Biofuels, Ghazal Barari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Use of biofuels, especially in automotive applications, is a growing trend due to their potential to lower greenhouse gas emissions from combustion. Ketones are a class of biofuel candidates which are produced from cellulose. However, ketones received rather scarce attention from the combustion community compared to other classes such as, alcohols, esters, and ethers. There is little knowledge on their combustion performance and pollutant generation. Hence their combustion chemistry needs to be investigated in detail. Diisopropyl ketone (DIPK) is a promising biofuel candidate, which is produced using endophytic fungal conversion. A detailed understanding of the combustion kinetics of the oxidation …

The Study Of Ionization In A Military, Heavy-Duty, Diesel Engine, Steven Zielinski

Wayne State University Theses

This thesis is an investigation of ionization in a military, heavy-duty, diesel engine. Ionization is a phenomenon which occurs in both spark-ignited and diesel engines. During the reactions of combustion, charged molecules and electrons are produced. The current produced, ion current, from these charges can be measured. The measurement of ion current can serve as an in-cylinder diagnostic for closed-loop engine control strategies. In this work, a literature review was performed to survey previous work as it pertains to ionization in diesel engines. In addition, a detailed description and comparison of the HEUI injection system was made to HPCR. This …

Thermodynamic And Chemical Kinetic Coupled Modeling For The Determination Of Cyclic Combustion Phasing In Hcci Engines, Krishawn Michele Goodwin

Masters Theses

"Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is a low temperature combustion mode that contains great potential for decreasing emissions while increasing efficiency in internal combustion engines. The limitation is in that it is inherently difficult to control based on the lack of an external combustion trigger. This thesis outlines the potential of using the combustion residual species of carbon monoxide as a method of controlling the location of combustion by using data from a computer model. The model is a nonlinear five-state thermodynamic model that is coupled with a skeletal chemical kinetic model for PRF96. The model computes the amount of …

Incorporating Dynamic Flame Behavior Into The Scaling Laws Of Wildland Fire Spread, Brittany A. Adam

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

A challenge for fire researchers is obtaining data from those fires that are most dangerous and costly. While it is feasible to instrument test beds, test plots, and small prescribed burns for research, it is uncommon to successfully instrument an active wildland fire. With a focus on very specific facets of wildland fire, researchers have created many unique models utilizing matchsticks, cardboard, liquid fuel, excelsior, plywood, live fuels, dead fuels, and wood cribs of different packing densities. Such scale models, however, only serve as valid substitutes for the full-scale system when all functional relations of the scale model are made …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Of The Effects Of Water Injection In A Diesel Engine, Rabun Z. Wallace

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Water injection has been used in internal combustion engines for many years. It has been used to cool combustion temperatures, reduce emissions, and in some instances clean carbon buildup from the cylinder. Research has shown that the water to fuel mass ratio is most effective between 20-30%, so the upper and lower limit were used for simulations in Converge CFD. To validate the CFD model, a case without water injection was compared to experimental data from Sandia National Laboratory. The predicted in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate showed good agreement with the experimental data. Cases were run with the injection …

La0.7Sr0.3Fe0.7Ga0.3O3-Δ As Electrode Material For A Symmetrical Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, Zhibin Yang, Yu Chen, Chao Jin, Guoliang Xiao, Minfang Han, Fanglin Chen

Faculty Publications

In this research, La_0.7Sr_0.3Fe_0.7Ga_0.3O_3−δ (LSFG) perovskite oxide was successfully prepared using a microwave-assisted combustion method, and employed as both anode and cathode in symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells. A maximum power density of 489 mW cm⁻² was achieved at 800 °C with wet H₂ as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant in a single cell with the configuration LSFG|La_0.8Sr_0.2Ga_0.83Mg_0.17O_3−δ|LSFG. Furthermore, the cells demonstrated good stability in H₂ and acceptable sulfur tolerance.

Modeling Hydrodynamic Stability Of Incline-Liquid Airblast Nozzle For Gas Turbine Combustion, Kevin Matiko

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Fuel is a major cost item for civil transport airplanes. Minimizing fuel consumption of these crafts is a stream of economic opportunity and a stage for innovation, competition and exploration. Regardless of the fuel type, bio or crude oil based, the civil transport stakeholders would like to minimize fuel consumption of their airplanes. The mixing of fuel and air is a critical process for optimum combustion in gas turbine engines due to its high influence on the downstream combustion process. The need for minimizing fuel consumption coupled with the requirement for combustion systems to perform well at all flight conditions …

Development Of Combined Dual-Pump Vibrational And Pure-Rotational Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (Dpvcars And Prcars) System, Shenli Yuan, Aman Satija, Robert Lucht

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) [1,2] is a spatially-resolved, time-resolved spectroscopic technique for quantitative measurements in reacting flows [3 – 6]. This work demonstrates a combination of N₂/O₂/CO₂ dual-pump vibrational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (DPVCARS) system and two-beam pure-rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (PRCARS) system. It is based on the previous development of combined VCARS and PRCARS system which was used to obtain temperature measurements in non-premixed H₂-air flames. The new combined system will be used to measure the temperature profiles and major species concentrations such as N₂/O₂/CO_{2 …}

Laboratory Apparatus For Gas Turbine Combustion Development, Dustin Lee Cruise

Open Access Theses

The next generation of combustor technology will be required to meet the demands of a world more focused on greenhouse gases and global warming. Due to this new focus on emission control, combustors must produce less NO x , while operating in a higher pressure environment that is more prone to combustion instabilities.

This work focuses on the development of a lab and combustor that will be used for the next generation combustor development. The lab development includes layout and organization, facilities, measurement and instrumentation, automation of the testing process, and an imaging tool for diagnostics.

A Lean Direction Injection …

Minimization Of The Effects Of Secondary Reactions On Turbine Film Cooling In A Fuel Rich Environment, Andrew T. Shewhart

Theses and Dissertations

The demand for increased thrust, higher engine efficiency, and reduced fuel consumption has increased the turbine inlet temperature and pressure in modern gas turbine engines. The outcome of these higher temperatures and pressures is the potential for unconsumed radical species to enter the turbine. Because modern cooling schemes for turbine blades involve injecting cool, oxygen rich air adjacent to the surface, the potential for reaction with radicals in the mainstream flow and augmented heat transfer to the blade arises. This study evaluated various configurations of multiple cylindrical rows of cooling holes in terms of both heat release and effective downstream …

Quantitative Imaging Of Radiation Intensity From A Turbulent Sooting Flame, Robert Kapaku

Open Access Theses

Quantitative imaging of radiation intensity (QIRI) is a method of investigating temporally and spatially resolved radiation from species and particulates in turbulent flames. The current study reports quantitative images of radiation intensity from a turbulent ethylene flame that matches the Reynolds number (15,200) of a non-sooting flame from the International Workshop on Measurement and Computation of Turbulent Non-premixed Flames. A calibrated high-speed infrared camera with four band-pass filters was used to acquire images of radiation intensity in wavelengths corresponding to carbon dioxide, water vapor, and soot. The luminous flame measurements show thin radiating structures corresponding to soot layers and higher …

Operational Characteristics Of An Ultra Compact Combustor, Christopher J. Damele

Theses and Dissertations

Ultra Compact Combustors offer unique solutions to minimize engine size and weight. They accomplish this by reducing the number of components in the engine core and perform the combustion in a circumferential cavity that encircles the core flow. Within this cavity, the fuel is injected rich. Burning continues to occur in the vane passage beneath the circumferential cavity which must be completed in a controlled manner prior to the inlet plane of the turbine rotor. Furthermore, the temperature distribution at the exit of the vane passage must be controlled to generate high work extraction from the turbine. The primary metrics …

An Investigation Of Variable Valve Timing Effects On Hcci Engine Performance, Hrishikesh Abhay Saigaonkar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine is a promising combustion concept for reducing NO_x and particulate matter (PM) emissions and providing a high thermal efficiency in internal combustion engines. This concept though has limitations in the areas of combustion control and achieving stable combustion at high loads. For HCCI to be a viable option for on-road vehicles, further understanding of its combustion phenomenon and its control are essential. Thus, this thesis has a focus on both the experimental setup of an HCCI engine at Michigan Technological University (MTU) and also developing a physical numerical simulation model called the …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation Of United Launch Alliance Delta Iv Hydrogen Plume Mitigation Strategies, Stephen Guimond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the launch sequence of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV launch vehicle, large amounts of pure hydrogen are introduced into the launch table and ignited by Radial-Outward-Firing-Igniters (ROFIs). This ignition results in a significant flame, or plume, that rises upwards out of the launch table due to buoyancy. The presence of the plume causes increased and unwanted heat loads on the surface of the vehicle. A proposed solution is to add a series of fans and structures to the existing launch table configuration that are designed to inject ambient air in the immediate vicinity of the launch vehicle's nozzles …

Simulations And Measurements Of Fuel Film Using Refractive Index Matching Method, Fengkun Wang

Wayne State University Theses

ABSTRACT

SIMULATIONS AND MEASUREMENTS OF FUEL FILM USING REFRACTIVE INDEX MATCHING METHOD

by

FENGKUN WANG

APRIL 2014

Advisor: Dr. Ming-Chia Lai

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Degree: Master of Science

Direct Injection (DI) has been known for its improved performance and efficiency in gasoline spark-ignition engines. However, wall wetting is inevitable and the source of UHC and PM. In order to take advantage of the GDI technology, it is important to investigate spray wall interactions in detail.

Numerical and experimental studies are carried out for spray and wall impingements in an optical constant volume vessel. The fuel film was measured spatially and …

Design And Development Of Heterogenous Combustion Systems For Lean Burn Applications, Anthony Terracciano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Combustion with a high surface area continuous solid immersed within the flame, referred to as combustion in porous media, is an innovative approach to combustion as the solid within the flame acts as an internal regenerator distributing heat from the combustion byproducts to the upstream reactants. By including the solid structure, radiative energy extraction becomes viable, while the solid enables a vast extension of flammability limits compared to conventional flames, while offering dramatically reduced emissions of NOx and CO, and dramatically increased burning velocities. Efforts documented within are used for the development of a streamlined set of design principles, and …