Abstract

To support the Air Force X-51 Scramjet Engine Demonstrator program, NASA Langley was tasked to modify their 8’ High Temperature Structures Tunnel to simulate the low altitude, high dynamic pressure Mach 5 flight regime of the X-51 vehicle. The result was the development, design, fabrication and installation of a converging-diverging nozzle system (designated M5HiQ) with a total length of nearly 400 inches, and a combined weight of nearly 90,000 lbs. The total project was to be completed in 9 months, with a cost of $2.2M. Completed in 2006, the M5HiQ Nozzle is currently supporting X-51hydrocarbon-fueled (JP-7) ignition and combustion studies. The talk will address how material considerations, availability and processing guided the design, analysis and fabrication decisions throughout this challenging task. The talk will highlight the utility of the multidisciplinary approach in solving such demanding technology challenges. The multidisciplinary approach was used very effectively to solve this “Design with Materials” problem with a very small design team. How the same multidisciplinary approach will apply to future “Design of Materials” research will be outlined.

 

Biography

Brian Stewart received his B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics from Old Dominion University in 1988, and his M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Thermal and Fluid Sciences) from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2005. He was the Project Engineer for the M5HiQ project, performing concept, design, analysis and fabrication management for the project. He has performed advanced design and development work for industry and government agencies for 26 years, and has developed numerous research and system capabilities for NASA Langley Research Center since 1991. His development projects include such varied topics as multi-axis aerodynamic research platforms, aeronautic test article design, thin-film evaporative cooling systems for solid-state lasers, as well as the M5HiQ system. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree under the direction of Dr. Kathryn Logan. His upcoming research will focus on using the multidisciplinary approach to combine prior design and development expertise with material science principles to develop new materials and processes for use in adaptive structures.