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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Real Time Quantitative 3-D Imaging of Diffusion Flame Species

A low-gravity environment, in space or ground-based facilities such as drop towers, provides a unique setting for study of combustion mechanisms. Understanding the physical phenomena controlling the ignition and spread of flames in microgravity has importance for space safety as well as better characterization of dynamical and chemical combustion processes which are normally masked by buoyancy and other gravity-related effects. Even the use of so-called 'limiting cases' or the construction of 1-D or 2-D models and experiments fail to make the analysis of combustion simultaneously simple and accurate. Ideally, to bridge the gap between chemistry and fluid mechanics in microgravity combustion, species concentrations and temperature profiles are needed throughout the flame. However, restrictions associated with performing measurements in reduced gravity, especially size and weight considerations, have generally limited microgravity combustion studies to the capture of flame emissions on film or video laser Schlieren imaging and (intrusive) temperature measurements using thermocouples. Given the development of detailed theoretical models, more sophisticated studies are needed to provide the kind of quantitative data necessary to characterize the properties of microgravity combustion processes as well as provide accurate feedback to improve the predictive capabilities of the computational models. While there have been a myriad of fluid mechanical visualization studies in microgravity combustion, little experimental work has been completed to obtain reactant and product concentrations within a microgravity flame. This is largely due to the fact that traditional sampling methods (quenching microprobes using GC and/or mass spec analysis) are too heavy, slow, and cumbersome for microgravity experiments. Non-intrusive optical spectroscopic techniques have - up until now - also required excessively bulky, power hungry equipment. However, with the advent of near-IR diode lasers, the possibility now exists to obtain reactant and product concentrations and temperatures non-intrusively in microgravity combustion studies. Over the past ten years, Southwest Sciences has focused its research on the high sensitivity, quantitative detection of gas phase species using diode lasers. Our research approach combines three innovations in an experimental system resulting in a new capability for nonintrusive measurement of major combustion species. FM spectroscopy or high frequency Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy (WMS) have recently been applied to sensitive absorption measurements at Southwest Sciences and in other laboratories using GaAlAs or InGaAsP diode lasers in the visible or near-infrared as well as lead-salt lasers in the mid-infrared spectral region. Because these lasers exhibit essentially no source noise at the high detection frequencies employed with this technique, the achievement of sensitivity approaching the detector shot noise limit is possible.

Kane, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Stabilization of premixed combustors

In order to attain a sufficiently good insight into the fluid mechanical processes taking place in combustors operating on premixed, prevaporized, and preheated gases, an experimental facility was developed where the flow field is tractable both experimentally and analytically. The configuration adopted for the initial stage of the study is based on the use of a step to stabilized the combustion zone. The primary purpose of the experimental apparatus is to provide a facility for studying the effects of the elementary fluid mechanical processes on the stability of a model combustion system in order to further the understanding of the intrinsic mechanism of nonsteady phenomena, rather than to provide criteria for unstable operation of combustors, as expressed by overall performance parameters, such as the blowout and flashback limits.

Sawyer, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Modelling and Laboratory Testing of Particle Resuspension and Transport for the Assessment of Terrestrial-Borne Biological Contamination of the Samples on the Mars 2020 Mission

The Mars 2020 mission will land a rover on the surface of Mars that will acquire, encapsulate, and cache scientifically selected samples of martian material for possible return to Earth by a future mission. The samples will be individually encapsulated and sealed in sample tubes. Each sample, and therefore each sample tube, must be kept clean of viable organisms with a terrestrial origin, which may adhere to the rover on their own and/or on other non-biological particles. Therefore, contrary to previous missions to the Red Planet, Mars 2020 is subject to new and more stringent biological, organic and inorganic contamination requirements. This paper reports on the analyses and testing performed to assess the various vectors that can lead to the terrestrial-borne contamination of the samples, focusing on those that are predicted to be the larger contributors. Specifically, the contamination of the sample tubes is expected to be very small prior to the commencement of the mission’s science phase since these tubes are protected by so-called Fluid Mechanical Particle Barriers. Once on the surface of Mars however the sample tubes will be removed from their FMPBs and be subject to contamination from the rover. Of specific interest is the vector by which winds dislodge some particles from the surface of the rover and transport them to the surrounding soil. Naturally, such assessments require multi-disciplinary analyses involving at minimum the physics of particle adhesion and resuspension from surfaces, fluid mechanics and aerosols. Here we provide an overview of these models. We also report on particle resuspension experiments we have performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to both guide and validate the aforementioned physics models.

Steltzner, Adam↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of a quiet supersonic wind tunnel with a cryogenic adaptive nozzle

The main objective of this work is to develop an interim Quiet (low-disturbance) supersonic wind tunnel for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML). The main emphasis is to bring on-line a full-scale Mach 1.6 tunnel as rapidly as possible to impact the NASA High Speed Research Program (HSRP). The development of a cryogenic adaptive nozzle and other sophisticated features of the tunnel will now happen later, after the full scale wind tunnel is in operation. The work under this contract for the period of this report can be summarized as follows: provide aerodynamic design requirements for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML) Laminar Flow Supersonic Wind Tunnel (LFSWT); research design parameters for a unique Mach 1.6 drive system for the LFSWT using an 1/8th-scale Proof-of-Concept (PoC) supersonic wind tunnel; carry out boundary layer transition studies in PoC to aid the design of critical components of the LFSWT; appraise the State of the Art in quiet supersonic wind tunnel design; and help develop a supersonic research capability within the FML particularly in the areas of high speed transition measurements and schlieren techniques. The body of this annual report summarizes the work of the Principal Investigator.

Wolf, Stephen W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Chemical reacting flows

Future aerospace propulsion concepts involve the combination of liquid or gaseous fuels in a highly turbulent internal air stream. Accurate predictive computer codes which can simulate the fluid mechanics, chemistry, and turbulence combustion interaction of these chemical reacting flows will be a new tool that is needed in the design of these future propulsion concepts. Experimental and code development research is being performed at Lewis to better understand chemical reacting flows with the long term goal of establishing these reliable computer codes. The approach to understanding chemical reacting flows is to look at separate simple parts of this complex phenomena as well as to study the full turbulent reacting flow process. As a result research on the fluid mechanics associated with chemical reacting flows was initiated. The chemistry of fuel-air combustion is also being studied. Finally, the phenomena of turbulence-combustion interaction is being investigated. This presentation will highlight research, both experimental and analytical, in each of these three major areas.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

An introduction to generalized functions with some applications in aerodynamics and aeroacoustics

In this paper, we start with the definition of generalized functions as continuous linear functionals on the space of infinitely differentiable functions with compact support. The concept of generalization differentiation is introduced next. This is the most important concept in generalized function theory and the applications we present utilize mainly this concept. First, some of the results of classical analysis, such as Leibniz rule of differentiation under the integral sign and the divergence theorem, are derived using the generalized function theory. It is shown that the divergence theorem remains valid for discontinuous vector fields provided that the derivatives are all viewed as generalized derivatives. This implies that all conservation laws of fluid mechanics are valid as they stand for discontinuous fields with all derivatives treated as generalized deriatives. Once these derivatives are written as ordinary derivatives and jumps in the field parameters across discontinuities, the jump conditions can be easily found. For example, the unsteady shock jump conditions can be derived from mass and momentum conservation laws. By using a generalized function theory, this derivative becomes trivial. Other applications of the generalized function theory in aerodynamics discussed in this paper are derivation of general transport theorems for deriving governing equations of fluid mechanics, the interpretation of finite part of divergent integrals, derivation of Oswatiitsch integral equation of transonic flow, and analysis of velocity field discontinuities as sources of vorticity. Applications in aeroacoustics presented here include the derivation of the Kirchoff formula for moving surfaces,the noise from moving surfaces, and shock noise source strength based on the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation.

Farassat, F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Chemical reacting flows

Future aerospace propulsion concepts involve the combustion of liquid or gaseous fuels in a highly turbulent internal airstream. Accurate predictive computer codes which can simulate the fluid mechanics, chemistry, and turbulence-combustion interaction of these chemical reacting flows will be a new tool that is needed in the design of these future propulsion concepts. Experimental and code development research is being performed at LeRC to better understand chemical reacting flows with the long-term goal of establishing these reliable computer codes. Our approach to understand chemical reacting flows is to look at separate, more simple parts of this complex phenomenon as well as to study the full turbulent reacting flow process. As a result, we are engaged in research on the fluid mechanics associated with chemical reacting flows. We are also studying the chemistry of fuel-air combustion. Finally, we are investigating the phenomenon of turbulence-combustion interaction. Research, both experimental and analytical, is highlighted in each of these three major areas.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Multi-grid for structures analysis

In structural analysis the amount of computational time necessary for a solution is proportional to the number of degrees of freedom times the bandwidth squared. In implicit time analysis, this must be done at each discrete point in time. If, in addition, the problem is nonlinear, then this solution must be iterated at each point in time. If the bandwidth is large, the size of the problem that can be analyzed is severely limited. The multi-grid method is a possible algorithm which can make this solution much more computationally efficient. This method has been used for years in computational fluid mechanics. It works on the fact that relaxation is very efficient on the high frequency components of the solution (nearest neighbor interactions) and not very good on low frequency components of the solution (far interactions). The multi-grid method is then to relax the solution on a particular model until the residual stops changing. This indicates that the solution contains the higher frequency components. A coarse model is then generated for the lower frequency components to the solution. The model is then relaxed for the lower frequency components of the solution. These lower frequency components are then interpolated to the fine model. In computational fluid mechanics the equations are usually expressed as finite differences.

Kascak, Albert F.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Liquid-State Dewetting of Pulsed-Laser-Heated Nanoscale Metal Films and Other Geometries

Metal films of nanoscale thickness, deposited on substrates and exposed to laser heating, provide systems that involve several interesting multiphysics effects. In addition to fluid mechanical aspects associated with a free boundary setup, other relevant physical effects include phase change, thermal flow, and liquid–solid interactions. Such films are challenging to model, in particular because inertial effects may be relevant, and large contact angles require care when considering the long-wave formulation. Applications of nanoscale metal films are numerous, and the materials science community is actively pursuing more complex setups involving templated films and substrates, bimetallic films and alloys, and a variety of elemental film geometries. The goal of this review is to discuss our current understanding of thin metal film systems, while also providing an overview of the challenges in this research area, which stands at the intersection of fluid mechanics, materials science, and thermal physics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1994

Development of a low-aspect ratio fin for flight research experiments

A second-generation flight test fixture, developed at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, offers a generic testbed for aerodynamic and fluid mechanics research. The new fixture, a low-aspect ratio vertical fin shape mounted on the centerline of an F-15B aircraft lower fuselage, is designed for flight research at Mach numbers up to 2.0. The new fixture is a composite structure with a modular configuration and removable components for functional flexibility. This report describes the multidisciplinary design and analysis approach used to develop the fixture. The approach integrates conservative assumptions with simple analysis techniques to minimize the time and cost associated with its development. Presented are the principal disciplines required for this effort, which include aerodynamics, structures, stability, and operational considerations. In addition, preliminary results from the first phase of flight testing are presented. Acceptable directional stability and flow quality are documented and show agreement with predictions. Future envelope expansion activities will minimize current limitations so that the fixture can be used for a wide variety of high-speed aerodynamic and fluid mechanics research experiments.

Richwine, David M.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Flow over an espresso cup: inferring 3-D velocity and pressure fields from tomographic background oriented Schlieren via physics-informed neural networks

Tomographic background oriented Schlieren (Tomo-BOS) imaging measures density or temperature fields in three dimensions using multiple camera BOS projections, and is particularly useful for instantaneous flow visualizations of complex fluid dynamics problems. We propose a new method based on physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to infer the full continuous three-dimensional (3-D) velocity and pressure fields from snapshots of 3-D temperature fields obtained by Tomo-BOS imaging. The PINNs seamlessly integrate the underlying physics of the observed fluid flow and the visualization data, hence enabling the inference of latent quantities using limited experimental data. In this hidden fluid mechanics paradigm, we train the neural network by minimizing a loss function composed of a data mismatch term and residual terms associated with the coupled Navier–Stokes and heat transfer equations. We first quantify the accuracy of the proposed method based on a two-dimensional synthetic data set for buoyancy-driven flow, and subsequently apply it to the Tomo-BOS data set, where we are able to infer the instantaneous velocity and pressure fields of the flow over an espresso cup based only on the temperature field provided by the Tomo-BOS imaging. Moreover, we conduct an independent PIV experiment to validate the PINN inference for the unsteady velocity field at a centre plane. To explain the observed flow physics, we also perform systematic PINN simulations at different Reynolds and Richardson numbers and quantify the variations in velocity and pressure fields. Furthermore, the results in this paper indicate that the proposed deep learning technique can become a promising direction in experimental fluid mechanics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fluid-Dynamic Mechanisms Underlying Wind Turbine Wake Control with Strouhal-Timed Actuation

A reduction in wake effects in large wind farms through wake-aware control has considerable potential to improve farm efficiency. This work examines the success of several emerging, empirically derived control methods that modify wind turbine wakes (i.e., the pulse method, helix method, and related methods) based on Strouhal numbers on the O(0.3). Drawing on previous work in the literature for jet and bluff-body flows, the analyses leverage the normal-mode representation of wake instabilities to characterize the large-scale wake meandering observed in actuated wakes. Idealized large-eddy simulations (LES) using an actuator-line representation of the turbine blades indicate that the n=0 and ±1 modes, which correspond to the pulse and helix forcing strategies, respectively, have faster initial growth rates than higher-order modes, suggesting these lower-order modes are more appropriate for wake control. Exciting these lower-order modes with periodic pitching of the blades produces increased modal growth, higher entrainment into the wake, and faster wake recovery. Modal energy gain and the entrainment rate both increase with streamwise distance from the rotor until the intermediate wake. This suggests that the wake meandering dynamics, which share close ties with the relatively well-characterized meandering dynamics in jet and bluff-body flows, are an essential component of the success of wind turbine wake control methods. A spatial linear stability analysis is also performed on the wake flows and yields insights on the modal evolution. In the context of the normal-mode representation of wake instabilities, these findings represent the first literature examining the characteristics of the wake meandering stemming from intentional Strouhal-timed wake actuation, and they help guide the ongoing work to understand the fluid-dynamic origins of the success of the pulse, helix, and related methods.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1975

Computational aspects of the prediction of multidimensional transonic flows in turbomachinery

The analytical prediction and description of transonic flow in turbomachinery is complicated by three fundamental effects: (1) the fluid equations describing the transonic regime are inherently nonlinear, (2) shock waves may be present in the flow, and (3) turbomachine blading is geometrically complex, possessing large amounts of curvature, stagger, and twist. A three-dimensional computation procedure for the study of transonic turbomachine fluid mechanics is described. The fluid differential equations and corresponding difference operators are presented, the boundary conditions for complex blade shapes are described, and the computational implementation and mapping procedures are developed. Illustrative results of a typical unthrottled transonic rotor are also presented.

Oliver, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Computational structural mechanics and fluid dynamics: Advances and trends; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, Oct. 17-19, 1988

Recent advances in computational structural and fluid dynamics are discussed in reviews and reports. Topics addressed include fluid-structure interaction and aeroelasticity, CFD techniques for reacting flows, micromechanics, stability and eigenproblems, probabilistic methods and chaotic dynamics, and perturbation and spectral methods. Consideration is given to finite-element, finite-volume, and boundary-element methods; adaptive methods; parallel processing machines and applications; and visualization, mesh generation, and AI interfaces.

Noor, Ahmed K.↗