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At least 379 records · Page 21

On the structure of gaseous confined laminar diffusion flames: Numerical investigation

The structure and characteristics of gaseous confined laminar diffusion flames are investigated by numerically solving the time-dependent two-dimensional axisymmetric conservation equations. The numerical model accounts for the important chemical and physical processes involved, including axial diffusion, viscous effects, radial convection, and finite-rate chemistry. The numerical results clearly show that the flame has a finite thickness and leakage of fuel vapor into the flame zone is possible. The effect of heat release is found to induce some radial flow. Predicted flame shape and dimensions are compared to the classical Burke-Schumann flame. The numerically calculated flame is observed to be about 15 percent taller and 5 percent narrower than that of the Burke-Schumann solution under the same conditions.

Mawid, M. A.↗

Anisotropic ion heating and parallel O(+) acceleration in regions of rapid E x B convection

A numerical solution to the 20-moment set of transport equations has been found in order to study subauroral ionospheric outflows during periods of enhanced perpendicular ion drifts. The numerical model solves the time-dependent O(+) density, momentum, and both the parallel and perpendicular energy and heat flow equations in the 200-6000 km altitude range. Assuming perpendicular drifts of 3 km/s relative to the neutral atmosphere, we have found that anisotropic heating of O(+) (a result of ion-neutral collisions) leads to a temperature anisotropy, with perpendicular temperatures exceeding 8000 K and parallel temperatures greater than 5000 K (near 200 km altitude). Above approximately 2000 km, transport processes dominate the effects of collisions and wavelike oscillations in O(+) velocity, temperature and heat flux were noted.

Korosmezey, A.↗

An installed nacelle design method using multiblock Euler solver

An efficient multiblock Euler design method was developed for designing a nacelle installed on geometrically complex airplane configurations. This approach employed a design module based on a direct iterative surface curvature method developed at NASA-Langley. A multiblock Euler flow solver was used for computing flow around complex geometries. The flow solver used a finite-volume formulation with explicit time-stepping to solve the Euler equations. It used a multiblock version of the multigrid method to accelerate the convergence of the calculations. The design module successively updated the surface geometry to reduce the difference between the computed and target pressure distributions. In the flow solver, the change in surface geometry was simulated by applying surface transpiration boundary conditions to avoid repeated grid generation during design iterations. Smoothness of the designed surface was ensured by alternate application of streamwise and circumferential smoothings.

Chen, H. C.↗

Application of a neural network to simulate analysis in an optimization process

A new experimental software package called NETS/PROSSS aimed at reducing the computing time required to solve a complex design problem is described. The software combines a neural network for simulating the analysis program with an optimization program. The neural network is applied to approximate results of a finite element analysis program to quickly obtain a near-optimal solution. Results of the NETS/PROSSS optimization process can also be used as an initial design in a normal optimization process and make it possible to converge to an optimum solution with significantly fewer iterations.

Rogers, James L.↗

Thin-layer and full Navier-Stokes calculations for turbulent supersonic flow over a cone at an angle of attack

The proper use of a computational fluid dynamics code requires a good understanding of the particular code being applied. In this report the application of CFL3D, a thin-layer Navier-Stokes code, is compared with the results obtained from PARC3D, a full Navier-Stokes code. In order to gain an understanding of the use of this code, a simple problem was chosen in which several key features of the code could be exercised. The problem chosen is a cone in supersonic flow at an angle of attack. The issues of grid resolution, grid blocking, and multigridding with CFL3D are explored. The use of multigridding resulted in a significant reduction in the computational time required to solve the problem. Solutions obtained are compared with the results using the full Navier-Stokes equations solver PARC3D. The results obtained with the CFL3D code compared well with the PARC3D solutions.

Smith, Crawford F.↗

Discretized energy minimization in a wave guide with point sources

An anti-noise problem on a finite time interval is solved by minimization of a quadratic functional on the Hilbert space of square integrable controls. To this end, the one-dimensional wave equation with point sources and pointwise reflecting boundary conditions is decomposed into a system for the two propagating components of waves. Wellposedness of this system is proved for a class of data that includes piecewise linear initial conditions and piecewise constant forcing functions. It is shown that for such data the optimal piecewise constant control is the solution of a sparse linear system. Methods for its computational treatment are presented as well as examples of their applicability. The convergence of discrete approximations to the general optimization problem is demonstrated by finite element methods.

Propst, G.↗

Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF)

The contract baseline, contract requirements review, contract modifications, contract problem areas and conclusions are addressed. Contract baseline was established 11 June 1987 and updated 1 December 1989. Significant changes were introduced into the 1989 baseline as compared to the original baseline. Contract modifications were made to add requirements as the program matured and as definition of requirements were completed. Problems were solved in real time through the contractor/customer team involvement and relationship to assure a timely and successful mission. The conclusion is that the CGF performed as designed and the experiments performed during the USML-1 Mission supports the conclusion.

Billingsley, Charles E.↗

Coupling of the coronal helium abundance to the solar wind

Models of the transition region-corona-solar wind system are investigated in order to find the coronal helium abundance and to study the role played by coronal helium in controlling the solar wind proton flux. The thermal force on alpha-particles in the transition region sets the flow of helium into the corona. The frictional coupling between alpha-particles and protons and/or the electric polarization field determines the proton flux in the solar wind as well as the fate of the coronal helium content. The models are constructed by solving the time-dependent population and momentum equations for all species of hydrogen and helium in an atmosphere with a given temperature profile. Several temperature profiles are considered in order to very the roles of frictional coupling and electric polarization field in the solar wind, and the thermal force in the transition region. Steady-state solutions are found for coronae with a hydrogen flux at 1 AU of 1.0 x 10(exp 9)/cm(exp 2)/sec or larger. For coronae with lower hydrogen fluxes, the helium flux into the corona is larger than the flux 'pulled out' by the solar wind protons, and solutions with increasing coronal helium content are found. The timescale for forming a helium-filled corona, that may allow for a steady outflow, is long compared to the mixing time for the corona.

Hansteen, Viggo H.↗

A grid generation and flow solution method for the Euler equations on unstructured grids

A grid generation and flow solution algorithm for the Euler equations on unstructured grids is presented. The grid generation scheme utilizes Delaunay triangulation and self-generates the field points for the mesh based on cell aspect ratios and allows for clustering near solid surfaces. The flow solution method is an implicit algorithm in which the linear set of equations arising at each time step is solved using a Gauss Seidel procedure which is completely vectorizable. In addition, a study is conducted to examine the number of subiterations required for good convergence of the overall algorithm. Grid generation results are shown in two dimensions for a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 0012 airfoil as well as a two-element configuration. Flow solution results are shown for two-dimensional flow over the NACA 0012 airfoil and for a two-element configuration in which the solution has been obtained through an adaptation procedure and compared to an exact solution. Preliminary three-dimensional results are also shown in which subsonic flow over a business jet is computed.

Anderson, W. Kyle↗

A one-dimensional model of the semiannual oscillation driven by convectively forced gravity waves

A one-dimensional model that solves the time-dependent equations for the zonal mean wind and a wave of specified zonal wavenumber has been used to illustrate the ability of gravity waves forced by time-dependent tropospheric heating to produce a semiannual oscillation (SAO) in the middle atmosphere. When the heating has a strong diurnal cycle, as observed over tropical landmasses, gravity waves with zonal wavelengths of a few thousand kilometers and phase velocities in the range +/- 40-50 m/sec are excited efficiently by the maximum vertical projection criterion (vertical wavelength approximately equals 2 x forcing depth). Calculations show that these waves can account for large zonal mean wind accelerations in the middle atmosphere, resulting in realistic stratopause and mesopause oscillations. Calculations of the temporal evolution of a quasi-conserved tracer indicate strong down-welling in the upper stratosphere near the equinoxes, which is associated with the descent of the SAO westerlies. In the upper mesosphere, there is a semiannual oscillation in tracer mixing ratio driven by seasonal variability in eddy mixing, which increases at the solstices and decreases at the equinoxes.

Sassi, Fabrizio↗

PROP3D: A Program for 3D Euler Unsteady Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic (Flutter and Forced Response) Analysis of Propellers. Version 1.0

This guide describes the input data required, for steady or unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis of propellers and the output files generated, in using PROP3D. The aerodynamic forces are obtained by solving three dimensional unsteady, compressible Euler equations. A normal mode structural analysis is used to obtain the aeroelastic equations, which are solved using either time domain or frequency domain solution method. Sample input and output files are included in this guide for steady aerodynamic analysis of single and counter-rotation propellers, and aeroelastic analysis of single-rotation propeller.

Srivastava, R.↗

Multigrid Acceleration of Time-Accurate DNS of Compressible Turbulent Flow

An efficient scheme for the direct numerical simulation of 3D transitional and developed turbulent flow is presented. Explicit and implicit time integration schemes for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations are compared. The nonlinear system resulting from the implicit time discretization is solved with an iterative method and accelerated by the application of a multigrid technique. Since we use central spatial discretizations and no artificial dissipation is added to the equations, the smoothing method is less effective than in the more traditional use of multigrid in steady-state calculations. Therefore, a special prolongation method is needed in order to obtain an effective multigrid method. This simulation scheme was studied in detail for compressible flow over a flat plate. In the laminar regime and in the first stages of turbulent flow the implicit method provides a speed-up of a factor 2 relative to the explicit method on a relatively coarse grid. At increased resolution this speed-up is enhanced correspondingly.

Broeze, Jan↗

Direct Numerical Simulation of a Temporally Evolving Incompressible Plane Wake: Effect of Initial Conditions on Evolution and Topology

Direct numerical simulations have been used to examine the effect of the initial disturbance field on the development of three-dimensionality and the transition to turbulence in the incompressible plane wake. The simulations were performed using a new numerical method for solving the time-dependent, three-dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in flows with one infinite and two periodic directions. The method uses standard Fast Fourier Transforms and is applicable to cases where the vorticity field is compact in the infinite direction. Initial disturbances fields examined were combinations of two-dimensional waves and symmetric pairs of 60 deg oblique waves at the fundamental, subharmonic, and sub-subharmonic wavelengths. The results of these simulations indicate that the presence of 60 deg disturbances at the subharmonic streamwise wavelength results in the development of strong coherent three-dimensional structures. The resulting strong three-dimensional rate-of-strain triggers the growth of intense fine scale motions. Wakes initiated with 60 deg disturbances at the fundamental streamwise wavelength develop weak coherent streamwise structures, and do not develop significant fine scale motions, even at high Reynolds numbers. The wakes which develop strong three-dimensional structures exhibit growth rates on par with experimentally observed turbulent plane wakes. Wakes which develop only weak three-dimensional structures exhibit significantly lower late time growth rates. Preliminary studies of wakes initiated with an oblique fundamental and a two-dimensional subharmonic, which develop asymmetric coherent oblique structures at the subharmonic wavelength, indicate that significant fine scale motions only develop if the resulting oblique structures are above an angle of approximately 45 deg.

Sondergaard, R.↗

Mathematical Model of Bubble Sloshing Dynamics for Cryogenic Liquid Helium in Orbital Spacecraft Dewar Container

A generalized mathematical model is investigated of sloshing dynamics for dewar containers, partially filled with a liquid of cryogenic superfluid helium 2, driven by both gravity gradient and jitter accelerations applicable to two types of scientific spacecrafts, which are eligible to carry out spinning motion and/or slew motion to perform scientific observations during normal spacecraft operation. Two examples are given for the Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) with spinning motion, and the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility-Spectroscopy (AXAF-S) with slew motion, which are responsible for the sloshing dynamics. Explicit mathematical expressions for the modelling of sloshing dynamics to cover these forces acting on the spacecraft fluid systems are derived. The numerical computation of sloshing dynamics will be based on the noninertial frame spacecraft bound coordinate, and we will solve the time-dependent three-dimensional formulations of partial differential equations subject to initial and boundary conditions. Explicit mathematical expressions of boundary conditions lo cover capillary force effects on the liquid-vapor interface in microgravity environments are also derived. Results of the simulations of the mathematical model are illustrated.

Hung, R. J.↗

Numerical Solution of Supersonic Laminar Flow Over an Inclined Body of Revolution

A mixed explicit-implicit scheme is used to solve the time-dependent thin-layer approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations for a supersonic laminar flow over an inclined body of revolution. Test cases for Mach 2.8 flow over a cylinder with 15-deg flare angle at angles of attack of 0,1, and 4 deg are calculated. Good agreement is obtained between the present computed results and experimental measurements of surface pressure. A pair of vortices on the leeward and a peak in the normal force distribution near the flared juncture are predicted; the role of circumferential communication is discussed.

Hung, C. M.↗

Recent Developments in Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetectors

Intrinsic infrared (IR) detectors in the long wavelength range (8-20 Am) are based on an optically excited interband transition, which promotes an electron across the band gap (E(sub g)) from the valence band to the conduction band as shown. These photoelectrons can be collected efficiently, thereby producing a photocurrent in the external circuit. Since the incoming photon has to promote an electron from the valence band to the conduction band, the energy of the photon (h(sub upsilon)) must be higher than the E(sub g) of the photosensitive material. Therefore, the spectral response of the detectors can be controlled by controlling the E(sub g) of the photosensitive material. Examples for such materials are Hg(1-x), Cd(x), Te, and Pb(1-x), Sn(x), Te, in which the energy gap can be controlled by varying x. This means detection of very-long-wavelength IR radiation up to 20 microns requires small band gaps down to 62 meV. It is well known that these low band gap materials, characterized by weak bonding and low melting points, are more difficult to grow and process than large-band gap semiconductors such as GaAs. These difficulties motivate the exploration of utilizing the intersub-band transitions in multiquantum well (MQW) structures made of more refractory large-band gap semiconductors. The idea of using MQW structures to detect IR radiation can be explained by using the basic principles of quantum mechanics. The quantum well is equivalent to the well-known particle in a box problem in quantum mechanics, which can be solved by the time independent Schroudiner equation.

Gunapala, S. D.↗

Thermal-Flow Code for Modeling Gas Dynamics and Heat Transfer in Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Joints

A new, thermal-flow simulation code, called SFLOW. has been developed to model the gas dynamics, heat transfer, as well as O-ring and flow path erosion inside the space shuttle solid rocket motor joints by combining SINDA/Glo, a commercial thermal analyzer. and SHARPO, a general-purpose CFD code developed at Thiokol Propulsion. SHARP was modified so that friction, heat transfer, mass addition, as well as minor losses in one-dimensional flow can be taken into account. The pressure, temperature and velocity of the combustion gas in the leak paths are calculated in SHARP by solving the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations while the heat conduction in the solid is modeled by SINDA/G. The two codes are coupled by the heat flux at the solid-gas interface. A few test cases are presented and the results from SFLOW agree very well with the exact solutions or experimental data. These cases include Fanno flow where friction is important, Rayleigh flow where heat transfer between gas and solid is important, flow with mass addition due to the erosion of the solid wall, a transient volume venting process, as well as some transient one-dimensional flows with analytical solutions. In addition, SFLOW is applied to model the RSRM nozzle joint 4 subscale hot-flow tests and the predicted pressures, temperatures (both gas and solid), and O-ring erosions agree well with the experimental data. It was also found that the heat transfer between gas and solid has a major effect on the pressures and temperatures of the fill bottles in the RSRM nozzle joint 4 configuration No. 8 test.

Wang, Qunzhen↗