Computer programs that reduce aircraft engine analysis
time and improve the study of fluid dynamics in rocket
engines have been selected as NASA’s 2001 software of the
year winners.
The Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) software
allows multi-fidelity analysis in designing aircraft engines,
offering key technological advances to increasing the U.S.
aerospace industry’s competitiveness. The General Electric
Aircraft Engines Co. estimates a 55 percent reduction in
engine analysis time using this new software.
The development of NPSS was led by Cynthia Gutierrez Naiman
of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, and included a
team of 39 other engineers from Glenn; Arnold Engineering
Development, Arnold Air Force Base, TN; Dynacs, Cleveland;
General Electric Aircraft Engines Co., Cincinnati; GESS,
Cleveland; Honeywell, Tucson, AZ; Pratt & Whitney, East
Hartford, CT; Modern Technologies Corp., Middleburg Hts., OH;
Rolls Royce Corp., Indianapolis; RS Information Systems,
Inc., Cleveland; and The Boeing Company, Seattle.
The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a
general purpose computer program for analyzing fluid-flow
rate, pressure, temperature and concentration in rocket
engines, turbo pumps and fuel tanks. The program is capable
of modeling liquid fuel phase changes including
compressibility, mixture thermodynamics and the effects of
external influences, such as gravity and centrifugal force.
The development of the GFSSP software eliminates the need to
develop specific-purpose software. Cost savings also can be
realized through reducing hardware testing and continuous
improvement. It is estimated that one organization’s use of
GFSSP can save between $825,000 and $1.5 million.
Alok Kumar Majumdar of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL, led the development team, which included
engineers from Marshall, ERC, Inc. and Sverdrup Technology,
also of Huntsville.
