Engineering topics

Steinthorsson, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Steinthorsson, E..

14 records

NASA NTRS2003

Glenn-ht/bem Conjugate Heat Transfer Solver for Large-scale Turbomachinery Models

A coupled Boundary Element/Finite Volume Method temperature-forward/flux-hack algorithm is developed for conjugate heat transfer (CHT) applications. A loosely coupled strategy is adopted with each field solution providing boundary conditions for the other in an iteration seeking continuity of temperature and heat flux at the fluid-solid interface. The NASA Glenn Navier-Stokes code Glenn-HT is coupled to a 3-D BEM steady state heat conduction code developed at the University of Central Florida. Results from CHT simulation of a 3-D film-cooled blade section are presented and compared with those computed by a two-temperature approach. Also presented are current developments of an iterative domain decomposition strategy accommodating large numbers of unknowns in the BEM. The blade is artificially sub-sectioned in the span-wise direction, 3-D BEM solutions are obtained in the subdomains, and interface temperatures are averaged symmetrically when the flux is updated while the fluxes are averaged anti-symmetrically to maintain continuity of heat flux when the temperatures are updated. An initial guess for interface temperatures uses a physically-based 1-D conduction argument to provide an effective starting point and significantly reduce iteration. 2-D and 3-D results show the process converges efficiently and offers substantial computational and storage savings. Future developments include a parallel multi-grid implementation of the approach under MPI for computation on PC clusters.

Divo, E.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Computation of Turbulent Heat Transfer on the Walls of a 180 Degree Turn Channel With a Low Reynolds Number Reynolds Stress Model

The Low Reynolds number version of the Stress-omega model and the two equation k-omega model of Wilcox were used for the calculation of turbulent heat transfer in a 180 degree turn simulating an internal coolant passage. The Stress-omega model was chosen for its robustness. The turbulent thermal fluxes were calculated by modifying and using the Generalized Gradient Diffusion Hypothesis. The results showed that using this Reynolds Stress model allowed better prediction of heat transfer compared to the k-omega two equation model. This improvement however required a finer grid and commensurately more CPU time.

Ameri, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Effects of Tip Clearance and Casing Recess on Heat Transfer and Stage Efficiency in Axial Turbines

Calculations were performed to assess the effect of the tip leakage flow on the rate of heat transfer to blade, blade tip and casing. The effect on exit angle and efficiency was also examined. Passage geometries with and without casing recess were considered. The geometry and the flow conditions of the GE-E 3 first stage turbine, which represents a modem gas turbine blade were used for the analysis. Clearance heights of 0%, 1%, 1.5% and 3% of the passage height were considered. For the two largest clearance heights considered, different recess depths were studied. There was an increase in the thermal load on all the heat transfer surfaces considered due to enlargement of the clearance gap. Introduction of recessed casing resulted in a drop in the rate of heat transfer on the pressure side but the picture on the suction side was found to be more complex for the smaller tip clearance height considered. For the larger tip clearance height the effect of casing recess was an orderly reduction in the suction side heat transfer as the casing recess height was increased. There was a marked reduction of heat load and peak values on the blade tip upon introduction of casing recess, however only a small reduction was observed on the casing itself. It was reconfirmed that there is a linear relationship between the efficiency and the tip gap height. It was also observed that the recess casing has a small effect on the efficiency but can have a moderating effect on the flow underturning at smaller tip clearances.

Ameri, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Analysis of Gas Turbine Rotor Blade Tip and Shroud Heat Transfer

Predictions of the rate of heat transfer to the tip and shroud of a gas turbine rotor blade are presented. The simulations are performed with a multiblock computer code which solves the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The effect of inlet boundary layer thickness as well as rotation rate on the tip and shroud heat transfer is examined. The predictions of the blade tip and shroud heat transfer are in reasonable agreement with the experimental measurements. Areas of large heat transfer rates are identified and physical reasoning for the phenomena presented.

Ameri, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Prediction of Unshsrouded Rotor Blade Tip Heat Transfer

The rate of heat transfer on the tip of a turbine rotor blade and on the blade surface in the vicinity of the tip, was successfully predicted. The computations were performed with a multiblock computer code which solves the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations using an efficient multigrid method. The case considered for the present calculations was the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) high pressure fuel side turbine. The predictions of the blade tip heat transfer agreed reasonably well with the experimental measurements using the present level of grid refinement. On the tip surface, regions with high rate of heat transfer was found to exist close to the pressure side and suction side edges. Enhancement of the heat transfer was also observed on the blade surface near the tip. Further comparison of the predictions was performed with results obtained from correlations based on fully developed channel flow.

Ameri, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Computations of Unsteady Viscous Compressible Flows Using Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Curvilinear Body-fitted Grid Systems

A methodology for accurate and efficient simulation of unsteady, compressible flows is presented. The cornerstones of the methodology are a special discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations on structured body-fitted grid systems and an efficient solution-adaptive mesh refinement technique for structured grids. The discretization employs an explicit multidimensional upwind scheme for the inviscid fluxes and an implicit treatment of the viscous terms. The mesh refinement technique is based on the AMR algorithm of Berger and Colella. In this approach, cells on each level of refinement are organized into a small number of topologically rectangular blocks, each containing several thousand cells. The small number of blocks leads to small overhead in managing data, while their size and regular topology means that a high degree of optimization can be achieved on computers with vector processors.

Steinthorsson, E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Development of an explicit multiblock/multigrid flow solver for viscous flows in complex geometries

A new computer program is being developed for doing accurate simulations of compressible viscous flows in complex geometries. The code employs the full compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The eddy viscosity model of Baldwin and Lomax is used to model the effects of turbulence on the flow. A cell centered finite volume discretization is used for all terms in the governing equations. The Advection Upwind Splitting Method (AUSM) is used to compute the inviscid fluxes, while central differencing is used for the diffusive fluxes. A four-stage Runge-Kutta time integration scheme is used to march solutions to steady state, while convergence is enhanced by a multigrid scheme, local time-stepping and implicit residual smoothing. To enable simulations of flows in complex geometries, the code uses composite structured grid systems where all grid lines are continuous at block boundaries (multiblock grids). Example results are shown a flow in a linear cascade, a flow around a circular pin extending between the main walls in a high aspect-ratio channel, and a flow of air in a radial turbine coolant passage.

Steinthorsson, E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Development of an explicit multiblock/multigrid flow solver for viscous flows in complex geometries

A new computer program is being developed for doing accurate simulations of compressible viscous flows in complex geometries. The code employs the full compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The eddy viscosity model of Baldwin and Lomax is used to model the effects of turbulence on the flow. A cell centered finite volume discretization is used for all terms in the governing equations. The Advection Upwind Splitting Method (AUSM) is used to compute the inviscid fluxes, while central differencing is used for the diffusive fluxes. A four-stage Runge-Kutta time integration scheme is used to march solutions to steady state, while convergence is enhanced by a multigrid scheme, local time-stepping, and implicit residual smoothing. To enable simulations of flows in complex geometries, the code uses composite structured grid systems where all grid lines are continuous at block boundaries (multiblock grids). Example results shown are a flow in a linear cascade, a flow around a circular pin extending between the main walls in a high aspect-ratio channel, and a flow of air in a radial turbine coolant passage.

Steinthorsson, E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Implicit treatment of diffusion terms in lower-upper algorithms

A method is presented which allows diffusion terms to be treated implicitly in the lower-upper (LU) algorithm (which is a commonly used method for solving 'compressible' Euler and Navier-Stokes equations) so that the algorithm's good stability properties will not be impaired. The new method generalizes the concept of LU factorization from that associated with the sign of eigenvalues to that associated with backward- and forward-difference operators without regard to eigenvalues. The method is verified in a turbulent boundary layer study.

Shih, T. I.-P.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Enhancing control of grid distribution in algebraic grid generation

Three techniques are presented to enhance the control of grid-point distribution for a class of algebraic grid generation methods known as the two-, four- and six-boundary methods. First, multidimensional stretching functions are presented, and a technique is devised to construct them based on the desired distribution of grid points along certain boundaries. Second, a normalization procedure is proposed which allows more effective control over orthogonality of grid lines at boundaries and curvature of grid lines near boundaries. And third, interpolating functions based on tension splines are introduced to control curvature of grid lines in the interior of the spatial domain. In addition to these three techniques, consistency conditions are derived which must be satisfied by all user-specified data employed in the grid generation process to control grid-point distribution. The usefulness of the techniques developed in this study was demonstrated by using them in conjunction with the two- and four-boundary methods to generate several grid systems, including a three-dimensional grid system in the coolant passage of a radial turbine blade with serpentine channels and pin fins.

Steinthorsson, E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Flux-vector splitting algorithm for chain-rule conservation-law form

A flux-vector splitting algorithm with Newton-Raphson iteration was developed for the 'full compressible' Navier-Stokes equations cast in chain-rule conservation-law form. The algorithm is intended for problems with deforming spatial domains and for problems whose governing equations cannot be cast in strong conservation-law form. The usefulness of the algorithm for such problems was demonstrated by applying it to analyze the unsteady, two- and three-dimensional flows inside one combustion chamber of a Wankel engine under nonfiring conditions. Solutions were obtained to examine the algorithm in terms of conservation error, robustness, and ability to handle complex flows on time-dependent grid systems.

Shih, T. I.-P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

GRID3D-v2: An updated version of the GRID2D/3D computer program for generating grid systems in complex-shaped three-dimensional spatial domains

In order to generate good quality systems for complicated three-dimensional spatial domains, the grid-generation method used must be able to exert rather precise controls over grid-point distributions. Several techniques are presented that enhance control of grid-point distribution for a class of algebraic grid-generation methods known as the two-, four-, and six-boundary methods. These techniques include variable stretching functions from bilinear interpolation, interpolating functions based on tension splines, and normalized K-factors. The techniques developed in this study were incorporated into a new version of GRID3D called GRID3D-v2. The usefulness of GRID3D-v2 was demonstrated by using it to generate a three-dimensional grid system in the coolent passage of a radial turbine blade with serpentine channels and pin fins.

Steinthorsson, E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Computations of the three-dimensional flow and heat transfer within a coolant passage of a radial turbine blade

A numerical code is developed for computing three-dimensional, turbulent, compressible flow within coolant passages of turbine blades. The code is based on a formulation of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations in a rotating frame of reference in which the velocity dependent variable is specified with respect to the rotating frame instead of the inertial frame. The algorithm employed to obtain solutions to the governing equation is a finite-volume LU algorithm that allows convection, source, as well as diffusion terms to be treated implicitly. In this study, all convection terms are upwind differenced by using flux-vector splitting, and all diffusion terms are centrally differenced. This paper describes the formulation and algorithm employed in the code. Some computed solutions for the flow within a coolant passage of a radial turbine are also presented.

Shih, T. I.-P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Algebraic grid generation for coolant passages of turbine blades with serpentine channels and pin fins

In order to study numerically details of the flow and heat transfer within coolant passages of turbine blades, a method must first be developed to generate grid systems within the very complicated geometries involved. In this study, a grid generation package was developed that is capable of generating the required grid systems. The package developed is based on an algebraic grid generation technique that permits the user considerable control over how grid points are to be distributed in a very explicit way. These controls include orthogonality of grid lines next to boundary surfaces and ability to cluster about arbitrary points, lines, and surfaces. This paper describes that grid generation package and shows how it can be used to generate grid systems within complicated-shaped coolant passages via an example.

Shih, T. I.-P.↗