Results for “Flow Conditions” — Page 100

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance of Coupled Physics Solvers for Multidisciplinary Hypersonic Flow Simulations on Several Classes of Computer Architectures

The application of hypersonic flow simulation tools to realistic flight scenarios will require the coupling of multiple physical effects to the baseline fluid dynamics. Such multiphysics effects can include the aerooelastic response of the airframe or engine components, dynamic transport of atmospheric particles, the deformation of solid-fluid interfaces that can ablate, pyrolyze, or erode, as well as a host of other processes, all of which are governed by unique sets of physical equations and models. Coupling multiple (and potentially disparate) physics solvers to a robust compressible flow solver poses additional challenges related to the stability, performance and scalability of the combined solver. The choices made during the software design process can therefore lead to a variation in simulation efficiency across different computer architectures. In this paper, we will consider two representative multiphysics hypersonic flow scenarios: the interaction of solid particulates with the flow field created by a hypersonic lifting body and the aerooelastic deformation of a model airframe under high-Mach-number flow conditions. For these simulations we explore the behavior of several hypersonic simulation tools, including Kestrel, FUN3D, US3D, and JENRE multiphysics framework, on several high performance computing systems containing various CPU and GPU architectures.

architecture↗

NASA NTRS2023

Performance, Inflow, and Tip Loss Characteristics of Rotors with Discontinuous Steps in Twist and Lift at the Blade-Tips

This paper examines the inflow and tip-loss characteristics of rotors incorporating indexed blade-tips that have discontinuous steps in twist or lift distribution. An extension of the classic two-dimensional Prandtl tip loss analysis is derived for indexed-tip rotors and proprotors. Additionally, parametric analysis of tip span and indexed-tip twist-steps was performed using computational fluid dynamics for hover and high-speed axial-flow conditions for proprotors. The intent of this work is to define a new class of active-rotor-twist-control designs for proprotors that avoids unnecessary aeroperformance compromises for rotor twist distributions for proprotors in all phases of flight.

rotors↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Fidelity CFD Verification Workshop 2024: Spalart-Allmaras QCR2000-R Turbulence Model

This is an invited paper for the SciTech 2023 special session, High-Fidelity CFD Verification Preworkshop. The paper presents three test cases for verification of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solvers. The verification studies focus on a one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model, SA-neg-QCR2000-R. The test cases are a two-dimensional subsonic flow around a Joukowski airfoil, a subsonic three-dimensional flow around an extruded NACA 0012 wing in a tunnel, and a subsonic flow around a wing-body configuration developed by Boeing for verification of solvers participating in the High-Lift Prediction Workshop. The turbulence-model formulation, geometry, flow conditions, grids, and the desired outcome are described in detail. Solutions for the test cases computed by established codes are shown.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Fidelity CFD Verification Workshop 2024: Spalart-Allmaras QCR2000-R Turbulence Model

This is an invited paper for the SciTech 2023 special session, High-Fidelity CFD Verification Pre-Workshop. The paper presents three benchmark cases for verification of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solvers. The verification studies focus on a one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model, SA-neg-QCR2000-R. The benchmark cases are a two-dimensional subsonic flow around a Joukowski airfoil, a subsonic three-dimensional flow around an extruded NACA0012 wing in a tunnel, and a subsonic flow around a wing-body configuration developed by Boeing for verification of solvers participating in the High-Lift Prediction Workshop. The turbulence-model formulation, geometry, flow conditions, grids, and the desired submission data are described in detail. Reference solutions computed by established codes are shown.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Degradation of Silica and Sapphire Windows at Elevated Temperatures

Silica and sapphire are very stable oxide materials. However, at high temperatures they are both susceptible to chemical degradation by three major mechanisms: (1) Deposition of fluxing oxides (2) Non-reactive vaporization (3) Reactive vaporization, particularly by water vapor. In order to model and predict each of these, accurate thermodynamic data and information on the environment are needed. Experimental and theoretical methods used at NASA for identifying the generated gas species and obtaining the relevant thermochemical data are discussed. Modeling and prediction of degradation are discussed for different environments and flow conditions. In addition, surface devitrification or etch pitting is likely under some conditions.

Mass spectrometry↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

USM3D-ME Revised SA-neg Implementation and Assessment for Seventh Drag Prediction Workshop Solutions

Simulations performed by an unstructured-grid, cell-centered, finite-volume, mixed-element flow solver USM3D-MEwere presented at the Seventh Drag Prediction Workshop (DPW-7). Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solutions for the NASA high-speed common research model wing-body configuration were computed using a new implementation of the negative variant of the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model (SA-neg) with hierarchical adaptive nonlinear iteration method (HANIM).ThisUSM3D-ME enhancement improved efficiency and robustness of RANS solutions resulting in fast iterative convergence to machine zero residuals on mixed-element unstructured grids provided by the DPW-7 organizing committee. This paper presents theoretical foundations for the new implementation of the SA-neg model and analyzesUSM3D-ME solutions for flow conditions corresponding to the required DPW-7 cases.

Boris Diskin↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extending Acoustic Liner Bandwidth with Simple Embedded Septa

An acoustic liner design incorporating single-hole perforate septa was evaluated by the NASA Langley Liner Physics Team. The design, termed the ‘Simplified Septa’ concept, incorporates embedded septa as found in traditional, multidegree-of-freedom liners. Generally, such septa are composed of multihole perforates or porous mesh, whereas this concept uses septa with one hole per cell. An optimization scheme was employed to determine septa placement and hole diameters based on a target impedance cost function. Versions of the concept are tested in the NASA Langley Normal Incidence Tube (NIT) to determine impedance and absorption spectra for swept tonal excitation at 120 and 140 dB. Experimental results are compared to predictions from a liner model based on the Zwikker-Kosten Transmission Line (ZKTL) code and show good agreement for no-flow conditions.

acoustics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extending Acoustic Liner Bandwidth with Simple Embedded Septa

An acoustic liner design incorporating single-hole perforate septa was evaluated by the NASA Langley Liner Physics Team. The design, termed the ‘Simplified Septa’ concept, incorporates embedded septa as found in traditional, multidegree-of-freedom liners. Generally, such septa are composed of multihole perforates or porous mesh, whereas this concept uses septa with one hole per cell. An optimization scheme was employed to determine septa placement and hole diameters based on a target impedance cost function. Versions of the concept are tested in the NASA Langley Normal Incidence Tube (NIT) to determine impedance and absorption spectra for swept tonal excitation at 120 and 140 dB. Experimental results are compared to predictions from a liner model based on the Zwikker-Kosten Transmission Line (ZKTL) code and show good agreement for no-flow conditions.

acoustics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Fidelity CFD Verification Workshop 2024 Summary: Spalart-Allmaras QCR2000-R Turbulence Model

This paper summarizes solutions submitted for the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) test suite of the High-Fidelity CFD Verification Workshop. The goal of the workshop is to establish standards for verification of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approaches to simulations of steady and unsteady turbulent flows. The RANS verification studies focus on a one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model with quadratic constitutive relation and rotation correction, SA-neg-QCR2000-R. The verification test cases are a two-dimensional subsonic flow around a Joukowski airfoil, a three-dimensional subsonic flow around an extruded NACA 0012 wing in a tunnel, and a subsonic flow around a wing-body configuration developed for verification of solvers participating in the 5 𝑡 ℎ High-Lift Prediction Workshop. The turbulencemodel formulation, geometry, flow conditions, grids, and reference solutions are described in detail. Solutions for the test cases are computed by seven established CFD solvers on adaptedand fixed-grid families using different discretization approaches. While some noticeable differences between solutions remain, the results achieved by contributing solvers show that different solutions computed for the same RANS model on different grid families can converge to a common limit with grid refinement. The apparent requirements for grid convergence are a well designed family of grids that provide sufficient resolution in important areas and a strong solver capable of deep iterative convergence on each grid. For each test case in the study, the variation between aerodynamic forces computed by different solvers on the finest grids of different families is less than 2%.

Boris Diskin↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Near-Body Mesh Adaption for Transitional Flows Using OVERFLOW

Accurate modeling of boundary-layer transition is an important aspect of developing greener air transport technologies. In that regard, transition models based on auxiliary transport equations offer a robust approach that is easily integrated into the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solvers. Recent workshops under NATO and AIAA have identified the verification of transport-equations-based transition modeling as a critical aspect of reducing the scatter between the predictions of different CFD codes. Follow-on work has highlighted the need for highly dense grids to achieve an asymptotic convergence of transition related flow metrics. The present work examines the role of automatic near-body mesh adaptation capability in the NASA OVERFLOW CFD solver to enable verification studies in an efficient manner, and for establishing best practices for designing grids for the RANS-based transition models. A sensor function relevant to the Langtry-Menter \gamma-Re_{\theta t}\ transition model has been identified and used for error-based mesh adaptation for canonical configurations comprising a flat plate, and the S809 and NLR-7301 airfoils. The efficacy of the mesh adaptation approach is assessed for flow conditions involving multiple transition scenarios such as natural transition, separation-induced transition, and shock-induced transition. The results from this exploratory study indicate that the meshes adapted using the proposed sensor provide solutions that approach the references solutions obtained with uniformly refined hand-crafted meshes, in terms of the chosen metrics, and yield modest yet significant savings in grid count. We also highlight areas for improvement in the grid adaptation methodology within OVERFLOW.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Near-Body Mesh Adaption for Transitional Flows Using OVERFLOW

Accurate modeling of boundary-layer transition is an important aspect of developing greener air transport technologies. In that regard, transition models based on auxiliary transport equations offer a robust approach that is easily integrated into the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solvers. Recent workshops under NATO and AIAA have identified the verification of transport-equations-based transition modeling as a critical aspect of reducing the scatter between the predictions of different CFD codes. Follow-on work has highlighted the need for highly dense grids to achieve an asymptotic convergence of transition related flow metrics. The present work examines the role of automatic near-body mesh adaptation capability in the NASA OVERFLOW CFD solver to enable verification studies in an efficient manner, and for establishing best practices for designing grids for the RANS-based transition models. A sensor function relevant to the Langtry-Menter \gamma-Re_{\theta t}\ transition model has been identified and used for error-based mesh adaptation for canonical configurations comprising a flat plate, and the S809 and NLR-7301 airfoils. The efficacy of the mesh adaptation approach is assessed for flow conditions involving multiple transition scenarios such as natural transition, separation-induced transition, and shock-induced transition. The results from this exploratory study indicate that the meshes adapted using the proposed sensor provide solutions that approach the references solutions obtained with uniformly refined hand-crafted meshes, in terms of the chosen metrics, and yield modest yet significant savings in grid count. We also highlight areas for improvement in the grid adaptation methodology within OVERFLOW.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulations of Transonic Buffet Over a Supercritical Airfoil

A series of scale-resolving simulations of flow over the ONERA OAT15A airfoil have been performed at an angle of attack of 3.5◦, just past the onset of buffet. The focus of this study is to document the sensitivity of the wall-modeled large eddy simulation (WMLES) methodology for curvilinear structured overset grids within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework to mesh spacing, mesh distribution, and domain size. A secondary purpose of the study is to compare the results from WMLES to unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) simulations and hybrid RANS-LES (HRLES) within the same LAVA solver framework. The study provides a unique perspective regarding comparisons between different turbulence modeling approaches, time-integration methods, and computational performance since many of the same numerical routines are used for all three types of simulations. The results are compared with experiments and previous numerical studies of the same geometry and flow conditions.

TTT↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Fluid & Thermal Analysis of a Manifold Microchannel Heat Sink

A three-dimensional (3-D) numerical model has been developed to study the fluid flow and heat transfer through a manifold-microchannel (MMC) heat sink, a microfluidic cooling system designed as a heat dissipation solution for compact, high-powered electronic systems. An MMC consists of a 3-D manifold structure that distributes working fluid through alternating inlet and outlet manifold channels that guide the fluid to and from the microchannels, shortening the flow length and thereby, reducing the pressure drop across the system. Wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) are increasingly utilized due to their ability to enable smaller electronic devices and components to operate more efficiently at higher frequencies. These semiconductors can greatly benefit from the MMC, which can extract all the heat produced by compact, high-powered electronics, enabling them to achieve optimal performance. The MMC also utilizes an embedded cooling approach which allows for fabrication directly within SiC-based electronics, resulting in significant mass and weight savings and lower thermal resistance than conventional heat sink designs. This paper outlines the methods used to conduct fluid and thermal analysis of different MMC configurations for flow parameters such as flow rate and inlet flow conditions. This study involves both steady state and transient thermal analysis as a gradually increasing heat flux is applied to the system over time, which is representative of the heat dissipation from the electronics over a given period. Results from the analysis show that the MMC is capable of effectively dissipating heat flux of ~100 W/cm2 while maintaining considerably low pressure drop (< 1 kPa) and thermal resistance (< 1 K/W) for certain single-phase working fluids.

manifold microchannel↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Fluid & Thermal Analysis of a Manifold Microchannel Heat Sink

A three-dimensional (3-D) numerical model has been developed to study the fluid flow and heat transfer through a manifold-microchannel (MMC) heat sink, a microfluidic cooling system designed as a heat dissipation solution for compact, high-powered electronic systems. An MMC consists of a 3-D manifold structure that distributes working fluid through alternating inlet and outlet manifold channels that guide the fluid to and from the microchannels, shortening the flow length and thereby, reducing the pressure drop across the system. Wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) are increasingly utilized due to their ability to enable smaller electronic devices and components to operate more efficiently at higher frequencies. These semiconductors can greatly benefit from the MMC, which can extract all the heat produced by compact, high-powered electronics, enabling them to achieve optimal performance. The MMC also utilizes an embedded cooling approach which allows for fabrication directly within SiC-based electronics, resulting in significant mass and weight savings and lower thermal resistance than conventional heat sink designs. This paper outlines the methods used to conduct fluid and thermal analysis of different MMC configurations for flow parameters such as flow rate and inlet flow conditions. This study involves both steady state and transient thermal analysis as a gradually increasing heat flux is applied to the system over time, which is representative of the heat dissipation from the electronics over a given period. Results from the analysis show that the MMC is capable of effectively dissipating heat flux of ~100 W/cm2 while maintaining considerably low pressure drop (< 1 kPa) and thermal resistance (< 1 K/W) for certain single-phase working fluids.

manifold microchannel↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Steady Surface Pressure Measurement via the Lifetime Method With High-Speed Cameras in NASA's Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

High spatial resolution measurement of steady surface pressure via pressure-sensitive paint at NASA Ames has traditionally relied on specialized cameras equipped to accumulate charge over multiple exposures, whereas measurement of the fluctuating component of pressure uses an altogether separate set of high-speed cameras. To reduce complexity of installation, data acquisition, and processing, we have implemented methods to use a single set of commercial off-the-shelf cameras to produce both steady and unsteady pressure measurements. Both imaging systems were installed in the 11-by 11-foot NASA Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel and acquired images of a scaled model of the Space Launch System Block 1B Crew and Cargo configurations over a variety of flow conditions. This work focuses on methods for data acquisition, processing, and calibration to produce steady-state pressure estimates on the surface of the wind tunnel model based on the lifetime method. It will then compare the steady solutions produced by the legacy and high-speed imaging systems.

Pressure Sensitive Paint↗

DOE OSTI2021

Progress on Optimizing Wind Farms and Rotor Designs Using Adjoints

Modern wind plants are increasingly tasked with multiple performance objectives. In addition to designing plants that maximize power output and minimize the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), the design and operation of wind plants is increasingly influenced by challenges regarding grid integration of variable generation renewables. This places a growing emphasis on making wind plants more controllable and predictable. WindSE is a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model designed around analytical gradient and adjoint methods, with the ability to capture terrain-induced effects, as shown in Figure 1. The recent addition of an unsteady solver with an actuator line method (ALM) and ongoing work to enable massively parallel optimizations gives it a unique niche to explore coupled plant-level controls and design problems. This code is an open source python package built on the FEniCS framework that utilizes fast, parallel PETSc solvers to model fluid flow throughout wind-farm scale domains. Two recent studies performed using WindSE demonstrate the capability to optimize under a wide variety of flow conditions and objective functions. In the first, we present an optimization focused on modifying the layout of a wind farm with a fixed number of turbines for maximum total power output [1]. This study highlights the ability to quickly perform simulations using the steady Navier-Stokes solver combined with rotors represented as actuator disks while also stressing the importance of capturing terrain-induced effects. Gradient-based optimization using the RANS equations is viable due to the inclusion of efficiently computed adjoint derivatives. We interpret the physical results of the optimal layout and also discuss the computational cost of scaling to larger problems. In the second study, we present the capabilities of the unsteady Navier-Stokes solver, where rotor-blade profiles represented by actuator lines are optimized to enhance wake steering effects and overall power production [2]. We quantify the wind plant performance gains obtained from this type of simultaneous control co-design optimization as compared to optimizing the blade design and yaw independently. Figure 2 shows the differences between a baseline two-turbine system and an optimized system where we fine-tune the blade chord profile. Results and challenges from each study are quickly summarized and used to motivate the current development efforts within WindSE. Current and future work is focused on enabling higher-resolution studies with more degrees of freedom through parallelization of both the simulation and optimization algorithms. We present benchmarking results to show that WindSE performs well in both weak- and strong-scaling tests and further demonstrate that the optimizer obtains the same convergence rates in both shared- and distributed-memory environments. Using larger wind farms, we can study deep-array effects within an optimization context, allowing the use of objective functions that have been previously unstudied. As an example, we present ongoing work on a blockage metric which characterizes the loss of available kinetic energy due to wake effects from multiple upstream turbines.

adjoint optimization↗

DOE OSTI2023

Evaluating Scaling Effects of Steam Condensation Physics-based Model for Small Modular Reactor

This study focused on assessing condensation heat transfer (CHT) models for enhancing the passive safety of small modular reactors (SMRs). It also encompassed a review of the theoretical and semi-theoretical CHT models and correlations. Condensation models such as the degradation factor, heat and mass transfer analogy (HMTA), and boundary layer models are used to study advanced nuclear reactor PCCS. The previous CHT models were developed for small tube geometries, which differ from the containment of SMR. This study examined the scaled relations of a physics-based CHT model for analyzing laminar and turbulent film condensation downward flow conditions inside scaled tube geometries.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Presentation: Evaluating scaling effects of steam condensation physics-based model for small modular reactors safety

This study focused on assessing condensation heat transfer (CHT) models for enhancing the passive safety of small modular reactors (SMRs). It also encompassed a review of the theoretical and semi-theoretical CHT models and correlations. Condensation models such as the degradation factor, heat and mass transfer analogy (HMTA), and boundary layer models are used to study advanced nuclear reactor PCCS. The previous CHT models were developed for small tube geometries, which differ from the containment of SMR. This study examined the scaled relations of a physics-based CHT model for analyzing laminar and turbulent film condensation downward flow conditions inside scaled tube geometries.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗