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At least 253 records · Page 14

Progress in Unsteady Turbopump Flow Simulations Using Overset Grid Systems

This viewgraph presentation provides information on unsteady flow simulations for the Second Generation RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle) baseline turbopump. Three impeller rotations were simulated by using a 34.3 million grid points model. MPI/OpenMP hybrid parallelism and MLP shared memory parallelism has been implemented and benchmarked in INS3D, an incompressible Navier-Stokes solver. For RLV turbopump simulations a speed up of more than 30 times has been obtained. Moving boundary capability is obtained by using the DCF module. Scripting capability from CAD geometry to solution is developed. Unsteady flow simulations for advanced consortium impeller/diffuser by using a 39 million grid points model are currently underway. 1.2 impeller rotations are completed. The fluid/structure coupling is initiated.

Kiris, Cetin C.↗

Solution of steady and unsteady transonic-vortex flows using Euler and full-potential equations

Two methods are presented for inviscid transonic flows: unsteady Euler equations in a rotating frame of reference for transonic-vortex flows and integral solution of full-potential equation with and without embedded Euler domains for transonic airfoil flows. The computational results covered: steady and unsteady conical vortex flows; 3-D steady transonic vortex flow; and transonic airfoil flows. The results are in good agreement with other computational results and experimental data. The rotating frame of reference solution is potentially efficient as compared with the space fixed reference formulation with dynamic gridding. The integral equation solution with embedded Euler domain is computationally efficient and as accurate as the Euler equations.

Kandil, Osama A.↗

Numerical simulation of steady and unsteady asymmetric vortical flow

The unsteady, compressible, thin-layer, Navier-Stokes equations are solved to simulate steady and unsteady, asymmetric, vortical laminar flow around cones at high incidences and supersonic Mach numbers. The equations are solved by using an implicit, upwind, flux-difference splitting, finite-volume scheme. Locally conical flows are assumed and the solutions are obtained by forcing the conserved components of the flowfield vector to be equal at two axial stations located at 0.95 and 1.0. Computational examples cover steady and unsteady asymmetric flows around a circular cone and its control using side strakes. Unsteady asymmetric flows are also presented for elliptic- and diamond-section cones, which model asymmetric vortex shedding around round and sharp-edged delta wing flows.

Kandil, O. A.↗

Time domain numerical calculations of unsteady vortical flows about a flat plate airfoil

A time domain numerical scheme is developed to solve for the unsteady flow about a flat plate airfoil due to imposed upstream, small amplitude, transverse velocity perturbations. The governing equation for the resulting unsteady potential is a homogeneous, constant coefficient, convective wave equation. Accurate solution of the problem requires the development of approximate boundary conditions which correctly model the physics of the unsteady flow in the far field. A uniformly valid far field boundary condition is developed, and numerical results are presented using this condition. The stability of the scheme is discussed, and the stability restriction for the scheme is established as a function of the Mach number. Finally, comparisons are made with the frequency domain calculation by Scott and Atassi, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach are assessed.

Hariharan, S. I.↗

Time domain numerical calculations of unsteady vortical flows about a flat plate airfoil

A time domain numerical scheme is developed to solve for the unsteady flow about a flat plate airfoil due to imposed upstream, small amplitude, transverse velocity perturbations. The governing equation for the resulting unsteady potential is a homogeneous, constant coefficient, convective wave equation. Accurate solution of the problem requires the development of approximate boundary conditions which correctly model the physics of the unsteady flow in the far field. A uniformly valid far field boundary condition is developed, and numerical results are presented using this condition. The stability of the scheme is discussed, and the stability restriction for the scheme is established as a function of the Mach number. Finally, comparisons are made with the frequency domain calculation by Scott and Atassi, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach are assessed.

Hariharan, S. I.↗

Development of a nonlinear unsteady transonic flow theory

A nonlinear, unsteady, small-disturbance theory capable of predicting inviscid transonic flows about aerodynamic configurations undergoing both rigid body and elastic oscillations was developed. The theory is based on the concept of dividing the flow into steady and unsteady components and then solving, by method of local linearization, the coupled differential equation for unsteady surface pressure distribution. The equations, valid at all frequencies, were derived for two-dimensional flows, numerical results, were obtained for two classses of airfoils and two types of oscillatory motions.

Stahara, S. S.↗

Sensitivity analysis for aeroacoustic and aeroelastic design of turbomachinery blades

A new method for computing the effect that small changes in the airfoil shape and cascade geometry have on the aeroacoustic and aeroelastic behavior of turbomachinery cascades is presented. The nonlinear unsteady flow is assumed to be composed of a nonlinear steady flow plus a small perturbation unsteady flow that is harmonic in time. First, the full potential equation is used to describe the behavior of the nonlinear mean (steady) flow through a two-dimensional cascade. The small disturbance unsteady flow through the cascade is described by the linearized Euler equations. Using rapid distortion theory, the unsteady velocity is split into a rotational part that contains the vorticity and an irrotational part described by a scalar potential. The unsteady vorticity transport is described analytically in terms of the drift and stream functions computed from the steady flow. Hence, the solution of the linearized Euler equations may be reduced to a single inhomogeneous equation for the unsteady potential. The steady flow and small disturbance unsteady flow equations are discretized using bilinear quadrilateral isoparametric finite elements. The nonlinear mean flow solution and streamline computational grid are computed simultaneously using Newton iteration. At each step of the Newton iteration, LU decomposition is used to solve the resulting set of linear equations. The unsteady flow problem is linear, and is also solved using LU decomposition. Next, a sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the effect small changes in cascade and airfoil geometry have on the mean and unsteady flow fields. The sensitivity analysis makes use of the nominal steady and unsteady flow LU decompositions so that no additional matrices need to be factored. Hence, the present method is computationally very efficient. To demonstrate how the sensitivity analysis may be used to redesign cascades, a compressor is redesigned for improved aeroelastic stability and two different fan exit guide vanes are redesigned for reduced downstream radiated noise. In addition, a framework detailing how the two-dimensional version of the method may be used to redesign three-dimensional geometries is presented.

Lorence, Christopher B.↗

Computation of steady and unsteady vortex dominated flows

The unsteady Euler equations have been written in the conservation form for the relative motion in a rotating frame of reference. The resulting equations are solved by using a central-difference finite-volume scheme with four-stage Runge-Kutta time stepping. For steady flow problems, local time stepping is used and for unsteady flow problems, the minimum global time stepping is used. A three-dimensional fully vectorized computer program has been developed and applied to steady and unsteady maneuvering delta wing. The capability of the three-dimensional program has been demonstrated for a rigid sharp-edged delta wing undergoing uniform rolling in a conical flow and rolling oscillations in a locally conical flow.

Kandil, Osama A.↗

Navier-Stokes simulations of unsteady transonic flow phenomena

Numerical simulations of two classes of unsteady flows are obtained via the Navier-Stokes equations: a blast-wave/target interaction problem class and a transonic cavity flow problem class. The method developed for the viscous blast-wave/target interaction problem assumes a laminar, perfect gas implemented in a structured finite-volume framework. The approximately factored implicit scheme uses Newton subiterations to obtain the spatially and temporally second-order accurate time history of the blast-waves with stationary targets. The inviscid flux is evaluated using either of two upwind techniques, while the full viscous terms are computed by central differencing. Comparisons of unsteady numerical, analytical, and experimental results are made in two- and three-dimensions for Couette flows, a starting shock-tunnel, and a shock-tube blockage study. The results show accurate wave speed resolution and nonoscillatory discontinuity capturing of the predominantly inviscid flows. Viscous effects were increasingly significant at large post-interaction times. While the blast-wave/target interaction problem benefits from high-resolution methods applied to the Euler terms, the transonic cavity flow problem requires the use of an efficient scheme implemented in a geometrically flexible overset mesh environment. Hence, the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations implemented in a diagonal form are applied to the cavity flow class of problems. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results are made in two-dimensions for free shear layers and both rectangular and quieted cavities, and in three-dimensions for Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) geometries. The acoustic behavior of the rectangular and three-dimensional cavity flows compare well with experiment in terms of frequency, magnitude, and quieting trends. However, there is a more rapid decrease in computed acoustic energy with frequency than observed experimentally owing to numerical dissipation. In addition, optical phase distortion due to the time-varying density field is modelled using geometrical constructs. The computed optical distortion trends compare with the experimentally inferred result, but underpredicts the fluctuating phase difference magnitude.

Atwood, C. A.↗

Forced Rolling Oscillation of a 65 deg-Delta Wing in Transonic Vortex-Breakdown Flow

Unsteady, transonic, vortex dominated flow over a 65 deg. sharp-edged, cropped-delta wing of zero thickness undergoing forced rolling oscillations is investigated computationally. The wing angle of attack is 20 deg. and the free stream Mach number and Reynolds number are 0.85 and 3.23 x 10(exp 6), respectively. The initial condition of the flow is characterized by a transverse terminating shock which induces vortex breakdown of the leading edge vortex cores. The computational investigation uses the time accurate solution of the laminar, unsteady, compressible, full Navier-Stokes equations with the implicit, upwind, Roe flux difference splitting, finite-volume scheme. While the maximum roll amplitude is kept constant at 4.0 deg., both Reynolds number and roll frequency are varied covering three cases of forced sinusoidal rolling. First, the Reynolds number is held at 3.23 x 10(exp 6) and the wing is forced to oscillate in roll around the axis of geometric symmetry at a reduced frequency of 2(pi). Second, the Reynolds number is reduced to 0.5 x 10(exp 6) to observe the effects of added viscosity on the vortex breakdown. Third, with the Reynolds number held at 0.5 x 10(exp 6), the roll frequency is reduced to 1(pi) to complete the study.

Menzies, Margaret A.↗

Numerical simulations using a dynamic solution-adaptive grid algorithm, with applications to unsteady internal flows

An investigation into the numerical simulation of unsteady flows is undertaken using a two-stage Runge-Kutta scheme coupled with the dynamic solution-adaptive grid algorithm developed by the authors. The inviscid fluxes are described by a modified Advective Upwind Split Method to eliminate the need for artificial dissipation. A well-documented numerical example containing moving discontinuities is presented that demonstrates the ability of the coupled grid/solver scheme to accurately capture unsteady flowfield phenomena. Applications are to a typical inlet diffuser configuration at Mach 3.0 with excessive back pressure inducing inlet unstart.

Benson, Rusty A.↗

Current Issues in Unsteady Turbomachinery Flows (Images)

Among the numerous causes for unsteadiness in turbo machinery flows are turbulence and flow environment, wakes from stationary and rotating vanes, boundary layer separation, boundary layer/shear layer instabilities, presence of shock waves and deliberate unsteadiness for flow control purposes. These unsteady phenomena may lead to flow-structure interactions such as flutter and forced vibration as well as system instabilities such as stall and surge. A major issue of unsteadiness relates to the fact that a fundamental understanding of unsteady flow physics is lacking and requires continued attention. Accurate simulations and sufficient high fidelity experimental data are not available. The Glenn Research Center plan for Engine Component Flow Physics Modeling is part of the NASA 21st Century Aircraft Program. The main components of the plan include Low Pressure Turbine National Combustor Code. The goals, technical output and benefits/impacts of each element are described in the presentation. The specific areas selected for discussion in this presentation are blade wake interactions, flow control, and combustor exit turbulence and modeling.

Povinelli, Louis↗

Predicted and experimental steady and unsteady transonic flows about a biconvex airfoil

Results of computer code time dependent solutions of the two dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations and the results of independent experiments are compared to verify the Mach number range for instabilities in the transonic flow field about a 14 percent thick biconvex airfoil at an angle of attack of 0 deg and a Reynolds number of 7 million. The experiments were conducted in a transonic, slotted wall wind tunnel. The computer code included an algebraic eddy viscosity turbulence model developed for steady flows, and all computations were made using free flight boundary conditions. All of the features documented experimentally for both steady and unsteady flows were predicted qualitatively; even with the above simplifications, the predictions were, on the whole, in good quantitative agreement with experiment. In particular, predicted time histories of shock wave position, surface pressures, lift, and pitching moment were found to be in very good agreement with experiment for an unsteady flow. Depending upon the free stream Mach number for steady flows, the surface pressure downstream of the shock wave or the shock wave location was not well predicted.

Levy, L. L., Jr.↗

Analysis and control of unsteady separated flows

The active control of unsteady separated flows is considered, and the development of the separated flow following the formation and shedding of the starting vortex is characterized. In the method, the Navier-Stokes equations are formulated in time-dependent general orthogonal coordinates which remain boundary aligned for arbitrary boundary deformations. Results obtained for a backstep-channel flow with an oscillating flap demonstrate the effectiveness of the flap as a control mechanism.

Ghia, U.↗

Transition of a Three-Dimensional Unsteady Viscous Flow Analysis from a Research Environment to the Design Environment

The advent of advanced computer architectures and parallel computing have led to a revolutionary change in the design process for turbomachinery components. Two- and three-dimensional steady-state computational flow procedures are now routinely used in the early stages of design. Unsteady flow analyses, however, are just beginning to be incorporated into design systems. This paper outlines the transition of a three-dimensional unsteady viscous flow analysis from the research environment into the design environment. The test case used to demonstrate the analysis is the full turbine system (high-pressure turbine, inter-turbine duct and low-pressure turbine) from an advanced turboprop engine.

Dorney, Suzanne↗

Numerical calculations of two dimensional, unsteady transonic flows with circulation

The feasibility of obtaining two-dimensional, unsteady transonic aerodynamic data by numerically integrating the Euler equations is investigated. An explicit, third-order-accurate, noncentered, finite-difference scheme is used to compute unsteady flows about airfoils. Solutions for lifting and nonlifting airfoils are presented and compared with subsonic linear theory. The applicability and efficiency of the numerical indicial function method are outlined. Numerically computed subsonic and transonic oscillatory aerodynamic coefficients are presented and compared with those obtained from subsonic linear theory and transonic wind-tunnel data.

Beam, R. M.↗

A multilevel adaptive projection method for unsteady incompressible flow

There are two main requirements for practical simulation of unsteady flow at high Reynolds number: the algorithm must accurately propagate discontinuous flow fields without excessive artificial viscosity, and it must have some adaptive capability to concentrate computational effort where it is most needed. We satisfy the first of these requirements with a second-order Godunov method similar to those used for high-speed flows with shocks, and the second with a grid-based refinement scheme which avoids some of the drawbacks associated with unstructured meshes. These two features of our algorithm place certain constraints on the projection method used to enforce incompressibility. Velocities are cell-based, leading to a Laplacian stencil for the projection which decouples adjacent grid points. We discuss features of the multigrid and multilevel iteration schemes required for solution of the resulting decoupled problem. Variable-density flows require use of a modified projection operator--we have found a multigrid method for this modified projection that successfully handles density jumps of thousands to one. Numerical results are shown for the 2D adaptive and 3D variable-density algorithms.

Howell, Louis H.↗

An advanced panel method for analysis of arbitrary configurations in unsteady subsonic flow

An advanced method is presented for solving the linear integral equations for subsonic unsteady flow in three dimensions. The method is applicable to flows about arbitrary, nonplanar boundary surfaces undergoing small amplitude harmonic oscillations about their steady mean locations. The problem is formulated with a wake model wherein unsteady vorticity can be convected by the steady mean component of flow. The geometric location of the unsteady source and doublet distributions can be located on the actual surfaces of thick bodies in their steady mean locations. The method is an outgrowth of a recently developed steady flow panel method and employs the linear source and quadratic doublet splines of that method.

Dusto, A. R.↗