Mission Analysis Conducted of a High-Altitude, Long-Endurance, Remotely Operated Aircraft With a High-Power-Density Electric Motor

NASA has the goal of completely eliminating the harmful emissions that are associated with current aircraft propulsion systems. An advanced electric drive with electric power generated by turbogenerators, or by fuel cells using hydrogen, is an alternative propulsion system for transport-sized aircraft that may help achieve this goal. Another NASA goal is to develop specialized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to meet NASA science mission objectives. Current propulsion technology limits the endurance and range of UAVs. The NASA Glenn Research Centers High Power Density Motor (HPDM) development research team is interested in applying its technology to high-altitude, long-endurance remotely operated aircraft (HALE ROA) to enhance vehicle performance (see the gure). Consequently, a mission analysis of a HALE ROA was conducted to determine if HPDMs are a viable solution for these propulsion challenges. The mission analysis has four major parts: (1) mission selection, (2) UAV selection, (3) matching the HPDM with mission requirements and the UAV vehicle, and (4) mission analysis. Mission selection involved examining six NASA science missions that are considered candidates for HALE ROA application. The hurricane tracker mission was selected because it may benet the most by using a HPDM. This mission requires a UAV to y to a developing tropical cyclone and follow the system until it makes landfall. From birth to landfall, a typical hurricane usually lasts 10 to 14 days, dening the ight endurance requirement for this particular mission. UAV selection was based on research performed on numerous current UAVs suitable for this mission. The Global Hawk was selected as the best candidate. Currently used by the U.S. military for highaltitude reconnaissance, with its current propulsion system, the Global Hawk can stay airborne for over 36 hr with regularity. The aircraft is large enough, strong enough, and fast enough to y in, over, and through strong hurricanes. The current propulsion system, the Allison Rolls-Royce AE 3007H, is a modied engine that allows the aircraft to climb to altitudes of 65,000 ft. The engine produces a maximum of 7600-lb thrust, rated at takeoff, and the HPDM design used in the analysis can produce upwards of 1000 hp, providing enough thrust to allow the redesigned aircraft to take off. The mission analysis involved four phases of the ight prole: takeoff, cruise out to the storm, loiter over the storm until landfall, and land after the storm has made landfall. From the takeoff portion of the ight, the parameters that were most important were the required horsepower, thrust, velocity, and takeoff distance. For the cruise portion of the ight, the aircraft cruising velocity was important since it determines how fast the aircraft can reach the storm system. For the loiter phase, when the aircraft circles over or through the storm until it makes landfall, the major factors that determine the aircrafts performance are the cruise velocity and the endurance of the aircraft. The results of the study revealed that the HPDM could not meet the minimum 10-day endurance requirement desired for hurricane tracking because of fuelspace limitations in the current Global Hawk design. The HPDM did, however, improve the UAV endurance from 48 to 130 hr, which is a very signicant performance improvement. If sufcient

Ironless motor Cryogenic motor

Tip drive motor

Superconducting motor

Advanced high-power-density electric motors, such as superconducting motors, are being developed. These motors may provide electric propulsion for future HALE ROA used to support NASA science missions, such as hurricane tracking. Flight mission analyses have been conducted to determine the viability of these advanced motors.
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fuel space was available and the specic fuel consumption of the fuel cells was lowered, the proposed 240 hr could be reached. This study shows that HPDM technology could be viable for future aircraft and UAV performing civil missions like hurricane tracking. The 130-hr endurance shows that, based on the assumptions and analysis of this study, these motors will allow aircraft to y longer while reducing harmful emissions.

Glenn contacts: Dr. Dexter Johnson, 2164336046, Dexter.Johnson-1@nasa.gov; and Dr. Gerald V. Brown, 2164336047, Gerald.V.Brown@nasa.gov Author: Dr. Dexter Johnson Headquarters program ofce: VSP Programs/Projects: LEAP

Thioether Tested for the High-Temperature Vapor/Mist Phase Lubrication of Bearings and Gears
In the design of future high-speed jet engines, whose operating temperatures will most likely exceed 400 C, the choice of a lubricant and lubrication method will be of considerable concern. Because of the thermal limits of conventional liquid lubricants, vapor/mist phase lubrication (VMPL) has received attention over the past decade as an alternative approach for high-temperature lubrication. VMPL is a unique lubrication technology where a small quantity of an organic liquid lubricant is either vaporized or misted into a high-velocity stream of air. The air-lubricant stream is directed toward bearings and/or gears. This technology has substantial potential for near-term use as an emergency backup system for loss-of-oil situations in aircraft and could serve, with further renements, as the primary lubrication system for advanced aircraft of the future. Nearly all previous work, including that by NASA and the Air Force, involving VMPL focused on the use of organophosphorous oils. Although these oils adequately lubricated bearings and gears, it was found that the oils reacted excessively with the bearing and gear surfaces, leading to unacceptable wear rates and erratic temperature spikes. Research at the NASA Glenn Research Center identied a thioether lubricant that provides outstanding lubrication with no detectable wear of the bearing and gear components and elimination of the temperature spikes.
Shop air (120 psi) Control valves Lubrication jets Test gearbox Thermocouple to record gearbox ambient temperature Vent for vapors Filter

A series of tests were concluded this year that involved the lubrication of a spur gearbox rig using the thioether as the vapor/mist phase lubricant. Two spur gears were loaded against each other in excess of 1-GPa pressure to ensure boundary lubricating conditions, and they were operated at 10,000 rpm. The thioether was delivered to the spur gears as a ne mist or fog at a rate of only

Air-pressure regulator

Lubricant reservoir and mist system

Separator Vapor/mist phase lubrication system.

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