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Ng, W. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Ng, W. F..

The Baldwin-Lomax model for separated and wake flows using the entropy envelope concept

Implementation of the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model is difficult and ambiguous within flows characterized by strong viscous-inviscid interactions and flow separations. A new method of implementation is proposed which uses an entropy envelope concept and is demonstrated to ensure the proper evaluation of modeling parameters. The method is simple, computationally fast, and applicable to both wake and boundary layer flows. The method is general, making it applicable to any turbulence model which requires the automated determination of the proper maxima of a vorticity-based function. The new method is evalulated within two test cases involving strong viscous-inviscid interaction.

Brock, J. S.↗

Turbulence measurements and noise generation in a transonic cryogenic wind tunnel

A high-frequency combination probe was used to measure dynamic flow quality in the test section of the NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. The probe measures fluctuating stagnation (total) temperature and pressure, static pressure, and flow angles in two orthogonal planes. Simultaneous measurements of unsteady total temperature and pressure were also made in the settling chamber of the tunnel. The data show that the stagnation temperature fluctuations remain constant, and the stagnation pressure fluctuations increase by a factor of two, as the flow accelerates from the settling chamber to the test section. In the test section, the maximum rms value of the normalized fluctuating velocity is 0.7 percent. Correlation coefficients failed to show vorticity, entropy, or sound as the dominant mode of turbulence in the tunnel.

Ng, W. F.↗

Viscous analysis of high speed flows using an upwind finite volume technique

A numerical study using an upwind finite volume technique to analyze high speed viscous flows is described. Two test cases were considered: a Mach 4.0 shock wave/laminar-boundary-layer interaction, and Mach 14.1 compression corners (15-deg and 24-deg ramp angle). PNS, TLNS, and NS equation results were obtained on each test case. As expected, PNS solutions are not adequate to resolve the flow physics. For the grids used in this study, there is no noticeable difference between the TLNS and full NS solutions. Both the TLNS and full NS solutions compared favorably with experimental data.

Ng, W. F.↗

Turbulence modeling in hypersonic inlets

A study is conducted to analyze the performance of different turbulence models when applied to flow through a Mach 7.4 hypersonic inlet. The analysis, which is two-dimensional, is done by comparing computational results from a Parabolized Navier-Stokes code and a full Navier-Stokes code, with experimental data. The McDonald-Camarata (MC) and Baldwin-Lomax (BL) models were the two zero-equation models used in the study. The Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) model was chosen as a representative higher order model. The MC model, when run with transition of flow, provides a solution which compares excellently with the data. Transition has a first order effect on the overall solution provided by the code. The BL model predicts separation of flow in the inlet, which contradicts experimental findings. The TKE model does not perform any better than the MC and BL models, despite the fact that it is a higher order turbulence model. The BL and TKE models predict transition in the inlet at a location which is much earlier than observed in the experiment. This may be attributed to the empirical constants used to determine the point of transition.

Ng, W. F.↗

Experimental comparison of two hot-wire techniques for resolution of turbulent mass flux and local stagnation temperature in supersonic flow

The performance of two constant-temperature normal hot-wire techniques in a supersonic flow is examined. The first technique uses a single-wire and rapid scanning of multiple overheat ratios. Time averages of the signals at all overheats are used to separate the mean and rms mass flux, stagnation temperature and their cross-correlation. The second technique uses a dual-wire probe with each wire operating at different overheat ratios, giving instantaneous mass flux and stagnation temperature. Preliminary results indicate that the separation distance (0.18 mm) between the two hot wires in the dual-wire probe does not introduce significant error. However, the rms mass flux inferred from the dual-wire technique is a factor of two higher than that from the single-wire technique.

Walker, D. A.↗

Combination probe for hi-frequency unsteady aerodynamic measurements

A combination probe for time-resolved measurements of unsteady compressible flows in transonic wind tunnels is described. The probe measures stagnation (total) temperature and pressure, static pressure, and flow angles in two planes. From these, the fluctuating mass flux, Mach number, and velocity as well as their components in three directions can be deduced. The combination probe consists of a dual hot-wire aspirating temperature and pressure probe mounted piggyback with a high-frequency angle probe. The angle probe has four surface-mounted silicon pressure sensors. A scheme is described for retrieving from the four pressure signals the stagnation and static pressures, Mach number, and flow angles in two planes. The calibrations forming the base for this procedure, obtained from steady-state tests, are given. Typical data obtained in the Karman vortex street shed from a cylinder and at the exit of a Mach 0.4 air jet are presented.

Ng, W. F.↗

Analytical prediction of the unsteady lift on a rotor caused by downstream struts

A two-dimensional, inviscid, incompressible procedure is presented for predicting the unsteady lift on turbomachinery blades caused by the upstream potential disturbance of downstream flow obstructions. Using the Douglas-Neumann singularity superposition potential flow computer program to model the downstream flow obstructions, classical equations of thin airfoil theory are then employed, to compute the unsteady lift on the upstream rotor blades. The method is applied to a particular geometry which consists of a rotor, a downstream stator, and downstream struts which support the engine casing. Very good agreement between the Douglas-Neumann program and experimental measurements was obtained for the downstream stator-strut flow field. The calculations for the unsteady lift due to the struts were in good agreement with the experiments in showing that the unsteady lift due to the struts decays exponentially with increased axial separation of the rotor and the struts. An application of the method showed that for a given axial spacing between the rotor and the strut, strut-induced unsteady lift is a very weak function of the axial or circumferential position of the stator.

Taylor, A. C., III↗

Experimental investigation of unsteady fan flow interaction with downstream struts

In the present study of the unsteady pressure field produced on fan rotor blades by interaction with downstream struts, a single stage, low speed axial-flow fan was instrumented with blade-mounted high frequency pressure transducers. In addition, stationary pressure problems were used to map out the flowfield. Fluctuating pressure measurements are presented for blade midspan and 85-percent span on both the suction and pressure surfaces of the rotor blades at several positions of the downstream struts, and for two different flow coefficients. The strut is found to produce an effect on the unsteady pressure field on the rotor blades; this effect exceeds that due to the stator at design rotor-stator-strut spacing, but it rapidly declines as the struts are moved downstream.

Ng, W. F.↗

Calculation of unsteady fan rotor response caused by downstream flow distortions

The present model for fan rotor/support strut airfoil interaction uses a time-marching code for the rotor flow, coupled with a potential flow model for the stator-strut region. Study of the effect of strut design variables indicates that rotor flow disturbance is increased by the primary variables of larger strut thickness and circumferential spacing, while decreasing exponentially with increased rotor-strut separation. The time-marching code predicts local rotor pressure and flow perturbations in response to an unsteady downstream boundary condition.

Obrien, W. F.↗

Time resolved measurements in a low aspect ratio transonic compressor stage

The time resolved flowfield in a low aspect ratio transonic compressor stage has been studied using a high frequency response sphere probe with a bandpass of D.C. to 20 kHz in a blowdown compressor facility. Averaged over the compressor annulus, the data agree well with those measured with standard pitot type probes on the same stage in a conventional test rig. Not all the spanwise distributions agree, however. These differences are explained as errors in the pitot probe readings due to fluctuations in the flow. The experimental data are compared to the results of a three-dimensional inviscid Euler calculation.

Epstein, A. H.↗