NASA's Hytec project has made progress: achieved more energy -saving engine core machines

Michael Presby is a research material engineer at the Kleveland division of NASA Glenni Research Center. He is adjusting an infrared thermal imaging camera to monitor the temperature distribution of high -temperature environment barrier coatings developed by NASA on ceramic base composite to support the agency's Hytec project. The surface temperature of the environmental barrier coating of the composite material is 3,000 Huali.

Hytec aims to develop core machines according to small turbofan engines to reduce fuel consumption. This project is a key area for NASA Sustainable Flight National Partnership Plan. The plan is designed to cooperate with the government, industry and academic circles to achieve zero carbon emissions by the aviation industry by 2050.

As part of the efforts of achieving the goal of 2050, NASA plans to use the Hytec's core machine technology at any time in the 1930s, so that the new engine can be adopted and may be included in the next generation of more sustainable single -channel passenger aircraft.

This means that the Hytec project is progressing rapidly, and the core of the engine is conducted with industry partners.

Anthony Nerone, the person in charge of the Hytec project, said: "We are very excited to participate in the research and development of this technology, especially considering that it may achieve commercial operation after 10 years."

Enter the internal work of jet engine

In order to reduce the size of the core machine of the aviation engine and maintain the same thrust, the project team is striving to develop a series of technologies. Smaller engine core machines need to run at higher temperatures, so new materials that can withstand high temperatures and reduce cooling airflow.

普雷斯比将一块带有环境屏障涂层的陶瓷基复合材料样品安装在格伦研究中心高热流激光设施的测试单元中。该设施是为支持机构的HyTEC项目而设计的，可以通过调整激光功率来模拟航空发动机的热特性，包括起飞、巡航和怠速状态。

HyTEC项目的这个阶段可以简单地概括为几个步骤：确定最佳材料、进行充分测试，并将获胜者用于发动机核心机测试。

该项目已经完成了前两个步骤中的大部分工作。

研究人员发现，适合这项任务的材料是陶瓷基复合材料（CMCs）和环境屏障涂层（EBCs）。这两种材料都是由多种不同材料混合而成的复合材料。

团队计划使用CMCs来构建发动机核心部件，并使用EBCs涂层来保护这些部件，以防止损坏。

尼罗内表示：“我们已经确定了最佳材料，以便在进行全面演示时能够更高效地确定一个明确的优胜者。现在，那些有潜力的CMCs和EBCs将进入下一轮筛选。这是一个筛选过程。”

但在材料科学领域，CMCs和EBCs有许多不同的种类，因此HyTEC的研究人员负责确定和选择最佳材料，然后才能开始发动机核心机的组装和测试。

候选材料的选择

尽管复合材料能够承受极高的温度，但与金属相比，它们可能会更快地发生降解和腐蚀。为了找到能够经受住考验的材料，HyTEC将涂有不同EBCs的样品复合材料进行了一系列的高温、高压和耐久性测试。

Bryan Harder is the technical person in charge of the Cleveland division of the NASA Glennium Research Center. He describes a hardware device that will enable researchers to test the advanced ceramic -based composite material wing type with innovative environmental barriers in the combustion environment. As part of the agency's Hytec project, this key test will show the ability of these materials to perform engine demonstration tests with industry partners in the future.

Nilene said: "In a laboratory, we have a device equipped with huge burningrs to heat the small samples of composite materials to thousands of degrees. It runs for 24/7 hours to observe how their performance. In us After determining the best performance, we conduct more inspections and tests on it. "

For example, in the engine research building in Green's center, Hytec is using a burner device to simulate the environment that is closer to the conditions of jet engine, which is closer to the real than the burner device.

Nilene said: "Use advanced materials, we build components that are truly located in the air engine, and then test in the burner device. Once they are affected by the real engine conditions, the best material will begin to begin The surface of the water. "

Another key component of the air engine core machine is turbine blades. As the size of the core machine becomes smaller, the turbine blades will become smaller and more challenging. Therefore, aerodynamic testing is also part of Hytec research.

Nilene said: "This is a similar process. When you shrink everything for a while, air dynamics will change. The proportion model of turbine blades and observe how its performance."

Researchers performed different turbine blades in Green Center to determine the best structure suitable for small core machine performance. Once they narrow the options, they can conduct a larger -scale turbine test.

Soon after, they will be able to conduct higher -level tests. These tests will be performed by NASA industry partners, and they are cooperating with the engine core machine testing. The Hytec team is expected to be performed at this stage in a few years.

Although the timetable is very compact, the project still maintains the goal and the team is full of motivation to complete the task. The purpose of studying itself makes them more motivated -make the aviation industry more sustainable.

"This is actually the key. We are reducing fuel consumption. This is a major achievement."