Reducing the Time and Cost of Testing Engines

About this technology

Overview

To reduce the extensive time and cost of producing new aircraft engines, NASA's Glenn Research Center collaborated with the aerospace industry and academia to develop its Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) for the analysis and design of aerospace propulsion systems and components. NPSS generates sophisticated computer simulations of an aerospace object or system. These simulations permit an engineer to test" various design options without having to conduct costly and time-consuming real-life tests. By accelerating and streamlining the engine system design analysis and test phases NPSS facilitates bringing the final product to market faster. Wolverine Ventures Inc. signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to commercialize NPSS version (V) 1.X. Serving as an object-oriented design code for aerospace engineers to analyze military rocket and commercial jet aircraft engines NPSS V1.X provides engineers with unprecedented capability levels of interoperability and ease of use. Using the tool companies estimate a 55-percent reduction in the time to perform engine system simulation throughout the product life cycle. This translates into a projected annual savings to the aircraft industry of over $50 million a year from increased productivity."