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At least 37 records · Page 2

Integrated geometry and grid generation system for complex configurations

A grid generation system was developed that enables grid generation for complex configurations. The system called ICEM/CFD is described and its role in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications is presented. The capabilities of the system include full computer aided design (CAD), grid generation on the actual CAD geometry definition using robust surface projection algorithms, interfacing easily with known CAD packages through common file formats for geometry transfer, grid quality evaluation of the volume grid, coupling boundary condition set-up for block faces with grid topology generation, multi-block grid generation with or without point continuity and block to block interface requirement, and generating grid files directly compatible with known flow solvers. The interactive and integrated approach to the problem of computational grid generation not only substantially reduces manpower time but also increases the flexibility of later grid modifications and enhancements which is required in an environment where CFD is integrated into a product design cycle.

Akdag, Vedat

Multi-off-grid methods in multi-step integration of ordinary differential equations

Description of methods of solving first- and second-order systems of differential equations in which all derivatives are evaluated at off-grid locations in order to circumvent the Dahlquist stability limitation on the order of on-grid methods. The proposed multi-off-grid methods require off-grid state predictors for the evaluation of the n derivatives at each step. Progressing forward in time, the off-grid states are predicted using a linear combination of back on-grid state values and off-grid derivative evaluations. A comparison is made between the proposed multi-off-grid methods and the corresponding Adams and Cowell on-grid integration techniques in integrating systems of ordinary differential equations, showing a significant reduction in the error at larger step sizes in the case of the multi-off-grid integrator.

Beaudet, P. R.

Semi-Lagrangian integration of a grid-point shallow water model on the sphere

This paper describes a semi-Lagrangian technique for integrating the equations of motion on the global domain. The technique uses an auxiliary spherical coordinate system at each near-polar gridpoint of the latitude-longitude grid; the auxiliary system is obtained by a rotation such that the new equator passes through the gridpoint in question and the new coordinate directions coincide with those of the original system at that point. The technique was applied to the shallow water equations, incorporating a semiimplicit treatment of the adjustment terms on a C-grid, with two-time levels. A five day integration was successfully carried out for a situation involving strong cross-polar flow. No filtering or diffusion was required to maintain stability over a five day period.

Mcdonald, A.

An Extensible Information Grid for Risk Management

This paper describes recent work on developing an extensible information grid for risk management at NASA - a RISK INFORMATION GRID. This grid is being developed by integrating information grid technology with risk management processes for a variety of risk related applications. To date, RISK GRID applications are being developed for three main NASA processes: risk management - a closed-loop iterative process for explicit risk management, program/project management - a proactive process that includes risk management, and mishap management - a feedback loop for learning from historical risks that escaped other processes. This is enabled through an architecture involving an extensible database, structuring information with XML, schemaless mapping of XML, and secure server-mediated communication using standard protocols.

Maluf, David A.

User's Manual for FOMOCO Utilities-Force and Moment Computation Tools for Overset Grids

In the numerical computations of flows around complex configurations, accurate calculations of force and moment coefficients for aerodynamic surfaces are required. When overset grid methods are used, the surfaces on which force and moment coefficients are sought typically consist of a collection of overlapping surface grids. Direct integration of flow quantities on the overlapping grids would result in the overlapped regions being counted more than once. The FOMOCO Utilities is a software package for computing flow coefficients (force, moment, and mass flow rate) on a collection of overset surfaces with accurate accounting of the overlapped zones. FOMOCO Utilities can be used in stand-alone mode or in conjunction with the Chimera overset grid compressible Navier-Stokes flow solver OVERFLOW. The software package consists of two modules corresponding to a two-step procedure: (1) hybrid surface grid generation (MIXSUR module), and (2) flow quantities integration (OVERINT module). Instructions on how to use this software package are described in this user's manual. Equations used in the flow coefficients calculation are given in Appendix A.

Chan, William M.

High-Fidelity Simulations of Lift+Cruise VTOL Urban Air Mobility Concept Aircraft in Hover

This paper presents progress of high-fidelity multidisciplinary simulations for the NASA lift+cruise vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) urban air mobility concept aircraft in hover. The study focuses on the unsteady flow solutions featuring strong wake interactions between rotors and the airframe. The simulations couple a high-fidelity aerodynamic model with a comprehensive rotorcraft aeromechanics tool with rotor rotation-speed trim. The aerodynamic model is based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations using the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model with rotation correction. Unsteady aerodynamic flows are computed on a dynamic, deformable, unstructured, overset grid system. An integrated overset-grid assembler is used to construct the composite grid from 23 component grids and facilitate communications between individual component grids. Rotor performance and airframe forces and moments are computed and compared on two unstructured grids. The study demonstrates capabilities of high-fidelity multidisciplinary analysis tools to capture the strong unsteady flowfield around this multi-rotor aircraft in hover.

CFD

High-Fidelity Simulations of Lift+Cruise VTOL Urban Air Mobility Concept Aircraft in Hover

This presentation presents progress of high-fidelity multidisciplinary simulations for the NASA lift+cruise vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) urban air mobility concept aircraft in hover. The study focuses on the unsteady flow solutions featuring strong wake interactions between rotors and the airframe. The simulations couple a high-fidelity aerodynamic model with a comprehensive rotorcraft aeromechanics tool with rotor rotation-speed trim. The aerodynamic model is based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations using the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model with rotation correction. Unsteady aerodynamic flows are computed on a dynamic, deformable, unstructured, overset grid system. An integrated overset-grid assembler is used to construct the composite grid from 23 component grids and facilitate communications between individual component grids. Rotor performance and airframe forces and moments are computed and compared on two unstructured grids. The study demonstrates capabilities of high-fidelity multidisciplinary analysis tools to capture the strong unsteady flowfield around this multi-rotor aircraft in hover.

CFD

Development of numerical methods for overset grids with applications for the integrated Space Shuttle vehicle

Algorithms and computer code developments were performed for the overset grid approach to solving computational fluid dynamics problems. The techniques developed are applicable to compressible Navier-Stokes flow for any general complex configurations. The computer codes developed were tested on different complex configurations with the Space Shuttle launch vehicle configuration as the primary test bed. General, efficient and user-friendly codes were produced for grid generation, flow solution and force and moment computation.

Chan, William M.

Design and development of a small structurally integrated ion thruster system

A 5 cm structurally integrated ion thruster has been developed for attitude control and stationkeeping of synchronous satellites. With 2-D vectorable grids, thrust is 0.56 mlb at a beam voltage of 1200 V, total mass efficiency is 64%, and electrical efficiency is 46.8%. Nonvectoring thrust of 0.41 is demonstrated at very low specific impulse with dielectric coated grids. Structural integrity is demonstrated with dielectric coated grids for shock (30 G), sinusoidal (9 G), and random (19 G squared/Hz) accelerations. System envelope is 31.6 cm long by 14 cm flange B.C. with a mass of 8.5 kg including 6.2 Kg mercury propellant.

Hyman, J., Jr.

Reliability considerations in the placement of control system components

This paper presents a methodology, along with applications to a grid type structure, for incorporating reliability considerations in the decision for actuator placement on large space structures. The method involves the minimization of a criterion that considers mission life and the reliability of the system components. It is assumed that the actuator gains are to be readjusted following failures, but their locations cannot be changed. The goal of the design is to suppress vibrations of the grid and the integral square of the grid modal amplitudes is used as a measure of performance of the control system. When reliability of the actuators is considered, a more pertinent measure is the expected value of the integral; that is, the sum of the squares of the modal amplitudes for each possible failure state considered, multiplied by the probability that the failure state will occur. For a given set of actuator locations, the optimal criterion may be graphed as a function of the ratio of the mean time to failure of the components and the design mission life or reservicing interval. The best location of the actuators is typically different for a short mission life than for a long one.

Montgomery, R. C.

Performance optimized, small structurally integrated ion thruster system

A 5-cm structurally integrated ion thruster has been developed for attitude control and stationkeeping of synchronous satellites. As optimized with a conventional ion extraction system, the system demonstrates a thrust T = 0.47 mlb at a beam voltage of 1600 V, total mass efficiency of 76%, and electrical efficiency of 56%. Under the subject contract effort, no significant performance change was noted for operation with two dimensional electrostatic thrust-vectoring grids. Structural integrity with the vectoring grids was demonstrated for shock (+ or - 30 G), sinusoidal (9 G), and random (19.9 G rms) accelerations. System envelope is 31.2 cm long by 13.4 cm flange bolt circle, with a mass of 9.0 Kg, including 6.8 Kg mercury propellant.

Hyman, J., Jr.

Adaptive mesh schemes based on grid speeds

Successful methods for generating solution adaptive grids using grid speeds are reviewed in this paper. The computational mesh is constructed by integrating the grid speeds as opposed to solving a steady grid equation. Advantages and disadvantages for each grid speed scheme are discussed and a number of examples of grids produced with the various schemes are presented. Suggestions are made for the development of new schemes based upon a form of Euler's expansion formula for the grid and the equi-distribution of some parameter over the mesh. Consideration is also given to grid skewness for the multidimensional schemes.

Anderson, D. A.

A computer software system for integration and analysis of grid-based remote sensing data with other natural resource data

This report describes a computer-based information system designed to assist in the integration of commonly available spatial data for regional planning and resource analysis. The Resource Analysis Program (RAP) provides a variety of analytical and mapping phases for single factor or multi-factor analyses. The unique analytical and graphic capabilities of RAP are demonstrated with a study conducted in Windsor Township, Eaton County, Michigan. For this study, soil, land cover/use, topographic and geological maps were used as a data base to develop an eleven map portfolio. The major themes of the portfolio are land cover/use, nonpoint water pollution, waste disposal, and ground water recharge.

Tilmann, S. E.

A computer software system for integration and analysis of grid-based remote sensing data with other natural resource data. Remote Sensing Project

A computer-based information system is described designed to assist in the integration of commonly available spatial data for regional planning and resource analysis. The Resource Analysis Program (RAP) provides a variety of analytical and mapping phases for single factor or multi-factor analyses. The unique analytical and graphic capabilities of RAP are demonstrated with a study conducted in Windsor Township, Eaton County, Michigan. Soil, land cover/use, topographic and geological maps were used as a data base to develope an eleven map portfolio. The major themes of the portfolio are land cover/use, non-point water pollution, waste disposal, and ground water recharge.

Tilmann, S. E.

On computations of the integrated space shuttle flowfield using overset grids

Numerical simulations using the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations and chimera (overset) grid approach were carried out for flows around the integrated space shuttle vehicle over a range of Mach numbers. Body-conforming grids were used for all the component grids. Testcases include a three-component overset grid - the external tank (ET), the solid rocket booster (SRB) and the orbiter (ORB), and a five-component overset grid - the ET, SRB, ORB, forward and aft attach hardware, configurations. The results were compared with the wind tunnel and flight data. In addition, a Poisson solution procedure (a special case of the vorticity-velocity formulation) using primitive variables was developed to solve three-dimensional, irrotational, inviscid flows for single as well as overset grids. The solutions were validated by comparisons with other analytical or numerical solution, and/or experimental results for various geometries. The Poisson solution was also used as an initial guess for the thin-layer Navier-Stokes solution procedure to improve the efficiency of the numerical flow simulations. It was found that this approach resulted in roughly a 30 percent CPU time savings as compared with the procedure solving the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations from a uniform free stream flowfield.

Chiu, I-T.