Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Additively Manufactured Dynamically Adjustable Venturi
Project Description
Parabilis Space Technologies is pleased to propose development of a novel additively manufactured, dynamically-adjustable, in-line, cavitating flow-control and measurement venturi for use in advanced propulsion system ground testing. This innovative capability dramatically adds to and extends the advantages of using a cavitating venturi to isolate combustion chambers or other downstream process fluctuations from upstream feed pressure conditions. This design will greatly simplify propulsion testing and reduce costs for cases where desired liquid flow conditions are either not precisely understood or cover a range of high-precision flow rates. The proposed geometry is capable of scaling to both ultra-high pressure and high flow rate applications. The primary innovation consists of a unique floating pintle design and associated structural support with built-in pressure taps. These “printed-in” pressure taps provide both a total pressure measurement upstream of the venturi contraction and a venturi throat pressure measurement, facilitating built-in flow rate measurement and/or determination of liquid/vapor transition.
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Anticipated Benefits
The proposed additive manufacturing technology provides significant benefit to a wide range of NASA applications, especially very high-pressure, high-flow, or extreme-temperature fluid applications such as hot hydrogen, LOX/methane, and LOX/H2. The proposed innovation can also contribute substantially as a drop-in and scalable replacement for NASA’s existing flow control devices, and the further development of ground testing meters that would provide insensitivity to downstream pressure fluctuations.
Large propulsion testing companies like NTS are target customers, but smaller propulsion testing companies will benefit substantially from this technology because of the low cost and flexibility this system allows. There is also a larger segment of the non-space market that requires precision flow control and variable flow rate including applications in the trillion-dollar oil and gas industry. More »
Large propulsion testing companies like NTS are target customers, but smaller propulsion testing companies will benefit substantially from this technology because of the low cost and flexibility this system allows. There is also a larger segment of the non-space market that requires precision flow control and variable flow rate including applications in the trillion-dollar oil and gas industry. More »
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parabilis Space Technologies, Inc. | Lead Organization |
Industry
Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones)
|
SAN MARCOS, California |
Stennis Space Center
(SSC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Stennis Space Center, Mississippi |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Mississippi
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