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At least 253 records · Page 14

Second-order closure PBL model with new third-order moments: Comparison with LES data

This paper contains two parts. In the first part, a new set of diagnostic equations is derived for the third-order moments for a buoyancy-driven flow, by exact inversion of the prognostic equations for the third-order moment equations in the stationary case. The third-order moments exhibit a universal structure: they all are a linear combination of the derivatives of all the second-order moments, bar-w(exp 2), bar-w theta, bar-theta(exp 2), and bar-q(exp 2). Each term of the sum contains a turbulent diffusivity D(sub t), which also exhibits a universal structure of the form D(sub t) = a nu(sub t) + b bar-w theta. Since the sign of the convective flux changes depending on stable or unstable stratification, D(sub t) varies according to the type of stratification. Here nu(sub t) approximately equal to wl (l is a mixing length and w is an rms velocity) represents the 'mechanical' part, while the 'buoyancy' part is represented by the convective flux bar-w theta. The quantities a and b are functions of the variable N(sub tau)(exp 2), where N(exp 2) = g alpha derivative of Theta with respect to z and tau is the turbulence time scale. The new expressions for the third-order moments generalize those of Zeman and Lumley, which were subsequently adopted by Sun and Ogura, Chen and Cotton, and Finger and Schmidt in their treatments of the convective boundary layer. In the second part, the new expressions for the third-order moments are used to solve the ensemble average equations describing a purely convective boundary laye r heated from below at a constant rate. The computed second- and third-order moments are then compared with the corresponding Large Eddy Simulation (LES) results, most of which are obtained by running a new LES code, and part of which are taken from published results. The ensemble average results compare favorably with the LES data.

Canuto, V. M.↗

Hybrid-PIC Modeling of a High-Voltage, High-Specific-Impulse Hall Thruster

The primary life-limiting mechanism of Hall thrusters is the sputter erosion of the discharge channel walls by high-energy propellant ions. Because of the difficulty involved in characterizing this erosion experimentally, many past efforts have focused on numerical modeling to predict erosion rates and thruster lifespan, but those analyses were limited to Hall thrusters operating in the 200-400V discharge voltage range. Thrusters operating at higher discharge voltages (V(sub d) >= 500 V) present an erosion environment that may differ greatly from that of the lower-voltage thrusters modeled in the past. In this work, HPHall, a well-established hybrid-PIC code, is used to simulate NASA's High-Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) at discharge voltages of 300, 400, and 500V as a first step towards modeling the discharge channel erosion. It is found that the model accurately predicts the thruster performance at all operating conditions to within 6%. The model predicts a normalized plasma potential profile that is consistent between all three operating points, with the acceleration zone appearing in the same approximate location. The expected trend of increasing electron temperature with increasing discharge voltage is observed. An analysis of the discharge current oscillations shows that the model predicts oscillations that are much greater in amplitude than those measured experimentally at all operating points, suggesting that the differences in oscillation amplitude are not strongly associated with discharge voltage.

Hall Thrusters↗

MLtool++ package for machine learning and its applications to materials data

We are developing Mltool++ package of software programs for machine learning (ML). Given the MLtool Python code, we create a faster C++ code with the potential for parallelization. We have extracted materials data from the literature. One dataset contains melting temperatures of stoichiometric 1:1 metallic compounds XZ, composed by elements X={Al, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W} and Z={Co, Ni, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, Au}, and another contains solid-solid symmetry-breaking phase transition temperatures. We studied dependences of temperatures on composition, found several correlations, and parametrized them by analytical functions. Mltool++ package is generic and applicable to any tabulated numeric data.

Pierce M. Pettit↗

Correlations for determining thermodynamic properties of hydrogen-helium gas mixtures at temperatures from 7,000 to 35,000 K

Simple relations for determining the enthalpy and temperature of hydrogen-helium gas mixtures were developed for hydrogen volumetric compositions from 1.0 to 0.7. These relations are expressed as a function of pressure and density and are valid for a range of temperatures from 7,000 to 35,000 K and pressures from 0.10 to 3.14 MPa. The proportionality constant and exponents in the correlation equations were determined for each gas composition by applying a linear least squares curve fit to a large number of thermodynamic calculations obtained from a detailed computer code. Although these simple relations yielded thermodynamic properties suitable for many engineering applications, their accuracy was improved significantly by evaluating the proportionality constants at postshock conditions and correlating these values as a function of the gas composition and the product of freestream velocity and shock angle. The resulting equations for the proportionality constants in terms of velocity and gas composition and the corresponding simple realtions for enthalpy and temperature were incorporated into a flow field computational scheme. Comparison was good between the thermodynamic properties determined from these relations and those obtained by using a detailed computer code to determine the properties. Thus, an appreciable savings in computer time was realized with no significant loss in accuracy.

Zoby, E. V.↗

First principles numerical model of avalanche-induced arc discharges in electron-irradiated dielectrics

The model consists of four phases: single electron dynamics, single electron avalanche, negative streamer development, and tree formation. Numerical algorithms and computer code implementations are presented for the first three phases. An approach to developing a code description of fourth phase is discussed. Numerical results are presented for a crude material model of Teflon.

Beers, B. L.↗

Solar Power Satellite antenna phase control system hardware simulation, phase 4. Volume 3: SOLARSIM users manual

Documentation of the interactive software package designed to predict the effect of certain electrical and mechanical imperfections on the performance of the SPS system is presented. The capabilities of the SOLARSIM program to quantify the spacetenna performance parameter values are described. The SOLARSIM package can compute the RMS pointing error, title effects, MPTX code tracking loop performance, MPTX carrier tracking loop performance, averaged power pattern, and the power transfer efficiency.

Lindsey, W. C.↗

Full-scale wind-tunnel study of wing-fuselage interaction and comparison with paneling method

Full-scale wind-tunnel tests, conducted to determine the effects of three different airfoil sections on the aft-fuselage drag of a low-wing aircraft, are described. The measurements indicate a maximum difference in aft fuselage drag between the three airfoils of about 0.002. Measured changes in the locations of the fuselage pressure contours with airfoil section correlated well with the changes predicted by a three dimensional paneling code. A criterion, based on the inviscid computer code, is then proposed as an indicator for possible adverse viscous interactions at the wing-fuselage juncture.

Ross, J. C.↗

ASTROP2 users manual: A program for aeroelastic stability analysis of propfans

A user's manual is presented for the aeroelastic stability and response of propulsion systems computer program called ASTROP2. The ASTROP2 code preforms aeroelastic stability analysis of rotating propfan blades. This analysis uses a two-dimensional, unsteady cascade aerodynamics model and a three-dimensional, normal-mode structural model. Analytical stability results from this code are compared with published experimental results of a rotating composite advanced turboprop model and of nonrotating metallic wing model.

Narayanan, G. V.↗

A mixed method Poisson solver for three-dimensional self-gravitating astrophysical fluid dynamical systems

A key ingredient in the simulation of self-gravitating astrophysical fluid dynamical systems is the gravitational potential and its gradient. This paper focuses on the development of a mixed method multigrid solver of the Poisson equation formulated so that both the potential and the Cartesian components of its gradient are self-consistently and accurately generated. The method achieves this goal by formulating the problem as a system of four equations for the gravitational potential and the three Cartesian components of the gradient and solves them using a distributed relaxation technique combined with conventional full multigrid V-cycles. The method is described, some tests are presented, and the accuracy of the method is assessed. We also describe how the method has been incorporated into our three-dimensional hydrodynamics code and give an example of an application to the collision of two stars. We end with some remarks about the future developments of the method and some of the applications in which it will be used in astrophysics.

Duncan, Comer↗

Development of the NASA/FLAGRO computer program for analysis of airframe structures

The NASA/FLAGRO (NASGRO) computer program was developed for fracture control analysis of space hardware and is currently the standard computer code in NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the European Agency (ESA) for this purpose. The significant attributes of the NASGRO program are the numerous crack case solutions, the large materials file, the improved growth rate equation based on crack closure theory, and the user-friendly promptive input features. In support of the National Aging Aircraft Research Program (NAARP); NASGRO is being further developed to provide advanced state-of-the-art capability for damage tolerance and crack growth analysis of aircraft structural problems, including mechanical systems and engines. The project currently involves a cooperative development effort by NASA, FAA, and ESA. The primary tasks underway are the incorporation of advanced methodology for crack growth rate retardation resulting from spectrum loading and improved analysis for determining crack instability. Also, the current weight function solutions in NASGRO or nonlinear stress gradient problems are being extended to more crack cases, and the 2-d boundary integral routine for stress analysis and stress-intensity factor solutions is being extended to 3-d problems. Lastly, effort is underway to enhance the program to operate on personal computers and work stations in a Windows environment. Because of the increasing and already wide usage of NASGRO, the code offers an excellent mechanism for technology transfer for new fatigue and fracture mechanics capabilities developed within NAARP.

Forman, R. G.↗

Hubble Space Telescope high resolution spectroscoy of the exposed white dwarf in the dwarf nova VW Hydri in quiescence: A rapidly rotating white dwarf

We obtained a far-ultraviolet spectrum of the dwarf nova VW Hyi in quiescence, with the Hubble Space Telescope Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph covering the region of the Si iv lambda(lambda)1393, 1402 resonance doublet. The broad, shallow Si iv doublet feature is fully resolved, has a total equivalent width of 2.8 A, and is the first metal absorption feature to be clearly detected in the exposed white dwarf. Our synthetic spectral analysis, using a model grid constructed with the code TLUSTY, resulted in a reasonable fit to a white dwarf photosphere with T(sub eff) = 22,000 +/- 2000 K, log g = 8.0 +/- 0.3, an approximately solar Si/H abundance, and a rotational velocity, v sin i approximately equal to 600 km/s. This rotation rate, while not definitive because it is based upon just one line transition, is 20% of the Keplerian (breakup) velocity of the white dwarf and hence does not account for the unexpectedly low boundary-layer luminosity inferred from the soft-X-ray/extreme ultra-violet bands where most of the boundary-layer luminosity should be radiated. The predicted boundary-layer luminosity for a 0.6 solar mass white dwarf accreting at the rate 10(exp -10) solar mass/yr and rotating at 600 km/s, corresponding to VW Hyi in quiescence, is 2 x 10(exp 32) ergs/s when proper account is taken of the rotational kinetic energy going into spinning up the white dwarf. If the boundary-layer area is equal to that of the white dwarf, then T(sub bl) = 24,000 K. This is essentially identical to the photspheric luminosity and temperature determined in far-ultraviolet photospheric analyses. If the boundary-layer area is 10(exp -3) of the white dwarf surface area, then T(sub bl) = 136,000 K.

Sion, Edward M.↗

An approach to verification and validation of a reliable multicasting protocol: Extended Abstract

This paper describes the process of implementing a complex communications protocol that provides reliable delivery of data in multicast-capable, packet-switching telecommunication networks. The protocol, called the Reliable Multicasting Protocol (RMP), was developed incrementally using a combination of formal and informal techniques in an attempt to ensure the correctness of its implementation. Our development process involved three concurrent activities: (1) the initial construction and incremental enhancement of a formal state model of the protocol machine; (2) the initial coding and incremental enhancement of the implementation; and (3) model-based testing of iterative implementations of the protocol. These activities were carried out by two separate teams: a design team and a V&V team. The design team built the first version of RMP with limited functionality to handle only nominal requirements of data delivery. This initial version did not handle off-nominal cases such as network partitions or site failures. Meanwhile, the V&V team concurrently developed a formal model of the requirements using a variant of SCR-based state tables. Based on these requirements tables, the V&V team developed test cases to exercise the implementation. In a series of iterative steps, the design team added new functionality to the implementation while the V&V team kept the state model in fidelity with the implementation. This was done by generating test cases based on suspected errant or off-nominal behaviors predicted by the current model. If the execution of a test in the model and implementation agreed, then the test either found a potential problem or verified a required behavior. However, if the execution of a test was different in the model and implementation, then the differences helped identify inconsistencies between the model and implementation. In either case, the dialogue between both teams drove the co-evolution of the model and implementation. We have found that this interactive, iterative approach to development allows software designers to focus on delivery of nominal functionality while the V&V team can focus on analysis of off nominal cases. Testing serves as the vehicle for keeping the model and implementation in fidelity with each other. This paper describes (1) our experiences in developing our process model; and (2) three example problems found during the development of RMP. Although RMP has provided our research effort with a rich set of test cases, it also has practical applications within NASA. For example, RMP is being considered for use in the NASA EOSDIS project due to its significant performance benefits in applications that need to replicate large amounts of data to many network sites.

Callahan, John R.↗

An approach to verification and validation of a reliable multicasting protocol

This paper describes the process of implementing a complex communications protocol that provides reliable delivery of data in multicast-capable, packet-switching telecommunication networks. The protocol, called the Reliable Multicasting Protocol (RMP), was developed incrementally using a combination of formal and informal techniques in an attempt to ensure the correctness of its implementation. Our development process involved three concurrent activities: (1) the initial construction and incremental enhancement of a formal state model of the protocol machine; (2) the initial coding and incremental enhancement of the implementation; and (3) model-based testing of iterative implementations of the protocol. These activities were carried out by two separate teams: a design team and a V&V team. The design team built the first version of RMP with limited functionality to handle only nominal requirements of data delivery. In a series of iterative steps, the design team added new functionality to the implementation while the V&V team kept the state model in fidelity with the implementation. This was done by generating test cases based on suspected errant or off-nominal behaviors predicted by the current model. If the execution of a test was different between the model and implementation, then the differences helped identify inconsistencies between the model and implementation. The dialogue between both teams drove the co-evolution of the model and implementation. Testing served as the vehicle for keeping the model and implementation in fidelity with each other. This paper describes (1) our experiences in developing our process model; and (2) three example problems found during the development of RMP.

Callahan, John R.↗

An Approach to Verification and Validation of a Reliable Multicasting Protocol

This paper describes the process of implementing a complex communications protocol that provides reliable delivery of data in multicast-capable, packet-switching telecommunication networks. The protocol, called the Reliable Multicasting Protocol (RMP), was developed incrementally using a combination of formal and informal techniques in an attempt to ensure the correctness of its implementation. Our development process involved three concurrent activities: (1) the initial construction and incremental enhancement of a formal state model of the protocol machine; (2) the initial coding and incremental enhancement of the implementation; and (3) model-based testing of iterative implementations of the protocol. These activities were carried out by two separate teams: a design team and a V&V team. The design team built the first version of RMP with limited functionality to handle only nominal requirements of data delivery. In a series of iterative steps, the design team added new functionality to the implementation while the V&V team kept the state model in fidelity with the implementation. This was done by generating test cases based on suspected errant or offnominal behaviors predicted by the current model. If the execution of a test was different between the model and implementation, then the differences helped identify inconsistencies between the model and implementation. The dialogue between both teams drove the co-evolution of the model and implementation. Testing served as the vehicle for keeping the model and implementation in fidelity with each other. This paper describes (1) our experiences in developing our process model; and (2) three example problems found during the development of RMP.

Callahan, John R.↗

Very Large Eddy Simulation Technique for Noise Prediction and Control in Turbomachinery and Propulsion

The summer fellowship research project focused on further developing an advanced computational technique based on Very Large Eddy Simulation (VLES) for analysis and control of major sources of noise in turbomachinery and propulsion systems, including jet noise and fan noise. Major part of the work during the 10-week tenure dealt with implementing a low-order, implicit A-stable time-stepping scheme in the existing explicit VLES code of Dr. Ray Hixon. The preliminary plan of the work also included application of a new time marching formulation to the problem of viscous gust-airfoil interaction. Other research items selected for implementation (possibly in the future) included investigating a set of new subgrid turbulent models for the code, and code application to a number of test cases, including a supersonic jet and swirling flow downstream of a rotor stage.

Golubev, Vladimir V.↗

NRA8-21 Cycle 2 RBCC Turbopump Risk Reduction

This project was composed of three sub-tasks. The objective of the first task was to use the CFD code INS3D to generate both on- and off-design predictions for the consortium optimized impeller flowfield. The results of the flow simulations are given in the first section. The objective of the second task was to construct a turbomachinery testing database comprised of measurements made on several different impellers, an inducer and a diffuser. The data was in the form of static pressure measurements as well as laser velocimeter measurements of velocities and flow angles within the stated components. Several databases with this information were created for these components. The third subtask objective was two-fold: first, to validate the Enigma CFD code for pump diffuser analysis, and secondly, to perform steady and unsteady analyses on some wide flow range diffuser concepts using Enigma. The code was validated using the consortium optimized impeller database and then applied to two different concepts for wide flow diffusers.

Ferguson, Thomas V.↗

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Glide-Back Performance of Langley Glide-Back Booster

NASA-Langley Research Center is conducting system level studies on an-house concept of a small launch vehicle to address NASA's needs for rapid deployment of small payloads to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle concept is a three-stage system with a reusable first stage and expendable upper stages. The reusable first stage booster, which glides back to launch site after staging around Mach 3 is named the Langley Glide-Back Booster (LGBB). This paper discusses the aerodynamic characteristics of the LGBB from subsonic to supersonic speeds, development of the aerodynamic database and application of this database to evaluate the glide back performance of the LGBB. The aerodynamic database was assembled using a combination of wind tunnel test data and engineering level analysis. The glide back performance of the LGBB was evaluated using a trajectory optimization code and subject to constraints on angle of attack, dynamic pressure and normal acceleration.

Pamadi, Bandu N.↗