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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 397 records · Page 22

Low cost computer subsystem for the Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS)

The Solar Electric Propulsion Stage (SEPS) subsystem which consists of the computer, custom input/output (I/O) unit, and tape recorder for mass storage of telemetry data was studied. Computer software and interface requirements were developed along with computer and I/O unit design parameters. Redundancy implementation was emphasized. Reliability analysis was performed for the complete command computer sybsystem. A SEPS fault tolerant memory breadboard was constructed and its operation demonstrated.

Source record↗

Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) physiochemical waste management systems evaluation

Parametric data for six waste management subsystems considered for use on the Space Station are compared, i.e.: (1) dry incineration; (2) wet oxidation; (3) supercritical water oxidation; (4) vapor compression distillation; (5) thermoelectric integrated membrane evaporation system; and (6) vapor phase catalytic ammonia removal. The parameters selected for comparison are on-orbit weight and volume, resupply and return to Earth logistics, power consumption, and heat rejection. Trades studies are performed on subsystem parameters derived from the most recent literature. The Boeing Engineering Trade Study (BETS), an environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) trade study computer program developed by Boeing Aerospace Company, is used to properly size the subsystems under study. The six waste treatment subsystems modeled in this program are sized to process the wastes for a 90-day Space Station mission with an 8-person crew, and an emergency supply period of 28 days. The resulting subsystem parameters are compared not only on an individual subsystem level but also as part of an integrated ECLSS.

Oleson, M.↗

Considerations involved in the design of a roll-angle computer for a bank-to-turn interceptor

At the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory some flight and analog computer studies have been made on the final attack phase of automatic interceptions. The ultimate objective of these studies is to define the behavior of various types of automatic control systems as influenced by a wide range of aerodynamic characteristics. This is a continuing program still in its initial stages; however, it is felt that conclusions of general significance can be drawn from these preliminary studies. One point of particular importance is the necessity for including a gain charger or computer in the azimuth loop of any bank-to-turn airplane or missile. This device translates azimuth error signals into appropriate roll commands. The results to date have shown that the characteristics of this component have a predominant effect on the behavior of a automatic system. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss considerations of importance in the design of a suitable roll-angle computer. In this regard, the present paper complements the analytical work reported in NACA RM L54E27, 1954.

Triplett, William C↗

Unsteady flow past an airfoil pitched at constant rate

The unsteady flow past a NACA 0012 airfoil that is undertaking a constant-rate pitching up motion is investigated experimentally by the PIDV technique in a water towing tank. The Reynolds number is 5000, based upon the airfoil's chord and the free-stream velocity. The airfoil is pitching impulsively from 0 to 30 deg. with a dimensionless pitch rate alpha of 0.131. Instantaneous velocity and associated vorticity data have been acquired over the entire flow field. The primary vortex dominates the flow behavior after it separates from the leading edge of the airfoil. Complete stall emerges after this vortex detaches from the airfoil and triggers the shedding of a counter-rotating vortex near the trailing edge. A parallel computational study using the discrete vortex, random walk approximation has also been conducted. In general, the computational results agree very well with the experiment.

Lourenco, L.↗

Effects of Inlet Distortion on Aeromechanical Stability of a Forward-Swept High-Speed Fan

Concerns regarding noise, propulsive efficiency, and fuel burn are inspiring aircraft designs wherein the propulsive turbomachines are partially (or fully) embedded within the airframe; such designs present serious concerns with regard to aerodynamic and aeromechanic performance of the compression system in response to inlet distortion. Separately, a forward-swept high-speed fan was developed to address noise concerns of modern podded turbofans; however this fan encounters aeroelastic instability (flutter) as it approaches stall. A three-dimensional, unsteady, Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code is applied to analyze and corroborate fan performance with clean inlet flow. This code, already validated in its application to assess aerodynamic damping of vibrating blades at various flow conditions, is modified and then applied in a computational study to preliminarily assess the effects of inlet distortion on aeroelastic stability of the fan. Computational engineering application and implementation issues are discussed, followed by an investigation into the aeroelastic behavior of the fan with clean and distorted inlets.

Herrick, Gregory P.↗

Combined Bluntness and Roughness Effects on Cones at Hypersonic Speeds

This computational study investigates the effects of discrete roughness elements on a blunt cone at zero degrees angle of attack in a Mach 6 flow. Motivation was provided by experiments conducted in the Air Force Research Laboratory Mach 6 High Reynolds Number facility on a 7-degree half-angle cone with a roughness array located at 45 degrees from the apex on two nose tips of different blutness but equivalent roughness Reynolds number. Transition was only affected on the blunter cone, indicating that the transition onset is associated with the combined effects of bluntness and roughness. The present study investigates the 15.24 mm nose radius, 420 azimuthal wavenumber case via Navier-Stokes computations of the laminar base flow and instability analysis. Plane-marching parabolized stability equations (PSE) and inflow-resolvent analysis based on the three-dimensional, harmonic linearized Navier-Stokes equations (HLNSE) are used to calculate the amplification of disturbances along the roughness wake as well as over the roughness nearfield. Results show that the roughness shape can have a great impact on the characteristics of the most amplified wake instabilities. For the experimental configuration with cubic roughness elements of 15 μ m height, the flow is marginally unstable. For prismatic elements of 20 μ m height, the PSE predicts a logarithmic disturbance amplification ratio of N = 5.6 along its wake, but this ratio increases to N = 9.6 when the amplification over the roughness and separation regions is included in the inflow-resolvent analysis.

Boundary-layer transition↗

Combined Bluntness and Roughness Effects on Cones at Hypersonic Speeds

This computational study investigates the effects of discrete roughness elements on a blunt cone at zero degrees angle of attack in a Mach 6 flow. Motivation was provided by experiments conducted in the Air Force Research Laboratory Mach 6 High Reynolds Number facility on a 7-degree half-angle cone with a roughness array located at 45 degrees from the apex on two nose tips of different blutness but equivalent roughness Reynolds number. Transition was only affected on the blunter cone, indicating that the transition onset is associated with the combined effects of bluntness and roughness. The present study investigates the 15.24 mm nose radius, 420 azimuthal wavenumber case via Navier-Stokes computations of the laminar base flow and instability analysis. Plane-marching parabolized stability equations (PSE) and inflow-resolvent analysis based on the three-dimensional, harmonic linearized Navier-Stokes equations (HLNSE) are used to calculate the amplification of disturbances along the roughness wake as well as over the roughness nearfield. Results show that the roughness shape can have a great impact on the characteristics of the most amplified wake instabilities. For the experimental configuration with cubic roughness elements of 15 μ m height, the flow is marginally unstable. For prismatic elements of 20 μ m height, the PSE predicts a logarithmic disturbance amplification ratio of N = 5.6 along its wake, but this ratio increases to N = 9.6 when the amplification over the roughness and separation regions is included in the inflow-resolvent analysis.

Boundary-layer transition↗

Study of Trailing Edge Mini Flaps Interactions on a Wind Tunnel Scale Aspect Ratio 13.5 Common Research Model

This paper presents a computation study of an aspect ratio 13.5 wind tunnel scale Common Research Model (CRM) with trailing edge mini-flaps. A vortex-lattice model of the CRM is developed with transonic small disturbance and integral boundary-layer corrections coupled with NASTRAN equivalent beam model for the rapid CRM aeroelastic simulation. The simulations are performed with individual trailing edge mini-flap deflected and a series of groups of two adjacent trailing edge mini-flaps deflected at the same time. A surrogate model is developed to estimate the aerodynamic interactions between the flaps. To validate the surrogate model, static aeroelastic simulations are performed using FUN3D CFD solver.

Interaction↗

Investigation of Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft Transonic Wing-Strut Interference Effects Using FUN3D

This paper presents a computational study of transonic wing-strut interference effects of Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) aircraft using the high-fidelity CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code FUN3D (Fully Unstructured Navier-Stokes Three Dimensional). The study is conducted for the wing-strut and the wing-alone configurations at different Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers. The interference effects are calculated by comparing the wing aerodynamics along the spanwise direction between the wing-strut and the wing-alone configurations. The presence of the strut underneath the wing induces a suction peak on the lower surface of the wing, which causes changes in aerodynamic forces and moments, as well as the aerodynamic center location. The interference effects become more pronounced as the Mach number increases. The Reynolds number has less impact on the interference effects. A transonic wing-strut interference aerodynamic correction method is developed for use in a lower-fidelity tool, VSPAERO [a vortex lattice flow solver], coupled to a finite-element model for rapid flutter analysis.

Xiong, Juntao↗

Investigation of the asymptotic state of rotating turbulence using large-eddy simulation

Study of turbulent flows in rotating reference frames has long been an area of considerable scientific and engineering interest. Because of its importance, the subject of turbulence in rotating reference frames has motivated over the years a large number of theoretical, experimental, and computational studies. The bulk of these previous works has served to demonstrate that the effect of system rotation on turbulence is subtle and remains exceedingly difficult to predict. A rotating flow of particular interest in many studies, including the present work, is examination of the effect of solid-body rotation on an initially isotropic turbulent flow. One of the principal reasons for the interest in this flow is that it represents the most basic turbulent flow whose structure is altered by system rotation but without the complicating effects introduced by mean strains or flow inhomogeneities. The assumption of statistical homogeneity considerably simplifies analysis and computation. The principal objective of the present study has been to examine the asymptotic state of solid-body rotation applied to an initially isotropic, high Reynolds number turbulent flow. Of particular interest has been to determine the degree of two-dimensionalization and the existence of asymptotic self-similar states in homogeneous rotating turbulence.

Squires, Kyle D.↗

A shock-fitting solution of the supersonic flowfield in a rounded internal corner

A comparison is presented of a computational investigation of the flowfield created by supersonic flow over an internal corner with rounding and experimental results at a freestream Mach number of 4.1. The computational study uses a shock-fitting finite difference scheme with explicit formulation of the transformation to computational coordinates. The solutions calculated agree with previous ones for the sharp corner case and with the experimental investigation results for the rounded corner case. Parametric effects were computed for variations in corner rounding, freestream Mach number, symmetric wedge angle and unsymmetric wedge angle. A region is described over which successful executions were obtained.

Martin, J. A.↗

A validation study of four Navier-Stokes codes for high-speed flows

A code validation study has been conducted for four different codes for solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Computations for a series of nominally two-dimensional high-speed laminar separated flows were compared with detailed experimental shock-tunnel results. The shock wave-boundary layer interactions considered were induced by a compression ramp in one case and by an externally-generated incident shock in the second case. In general, good agreement was reached between the grid-refined calculations and experiment for the incipient- and small-separation conditions. For the most highly separated flow, three-dimensional calculations which included the finite-span effects of the experiment were required in order to obtain agreement with the data. The finite-span effects were important in determining the extent of separation as well as the time required to establish the steady-flow interaction. The results presented provide a resolution of discrepancies with the experimental data encountered in several recent computational studies.

Rudy, David H.↗

Modeling of solid/porous wall boundary conditions for the validation of computational fluid dynamics codes

A computational study has been undertaken to investigate method of modeling solid and porous wall boundary conditions in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The procedure utilizes experimental measurements at the walls to develop a flow field solution based on the method of singularities. This flow field solution is then imposed as a boundary condition in a CFD simulation of the internal flow field. The effectiveness of this method in describing the boundary conditions at the wind tunnel walls using only sparse experimental measurements has been investigated. Position and refinement of experimental measurement locations required to describe porous wall boundary conditions has also been considered.

Beutner, Thomas J.↗

Investigations for Supersonic Transports at Transonic and Supersonic Conditions

Several computational studies were conducted as part of NASA s High Speed Research Program. Results of turbulence model comparisons from two studies on supersonic transport configurations performed during the NASA High-Speed Research program are given. The effects of grid topology and the representation of the actual wind tunnel model geometry are also investigated. Results are presented for both transonic conditions at Mach 0.90 and supersonic conditions at Mach 2.48. A feature of these two studies was the availability of higher Reynolds number wind tunnel data with which to compare the computational results. The transonic wind tunnel data was obtained in the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley, and the supersonic data was obtained in the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel. The computational data was acquired using a state of the art Navier-Stokes flow solver with a wide range of turbulence models implemented. The results show that the computed forces compare reasonably well with the experimental data, with the Baldwin-Lomax with Degani-Schiff modifications and the Baldwin-Barth models showing the best agreement for the transonic conditions and the Spalart-Allmaras model showing the best agreement for the supersonic conditions. The transonic results were more sensitive to the choice of turbulence model than were the supersonic results.

Rivers, S. Melissa B.↗

A comparative study of the effects of inhibitor stub length on solid rocket motor combustion chamber pressure oscillations: RSRM at T = 80 seconds, preliminary results

Results from a continuing, time-accurate computational study of the combustion gas flow inside the Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) are presented. These computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses duplicate unsteady flow effects which interact in the RSRM to produce pressure oscillations, and resulting thrust oscillations, at nominally 15, 30, and 45 Hz. Results of the Navier-Stokes computations made at mean pressure and flow conditions corresponding to 80 seconds after motor ignition both with and without a protruding, rigid inhibitor at the forward joint cavity are presented here.

Chasman, D.↗

CFD code calibration and inlet-fairing effects on a 3D hypersonic powered-simulation model

A three-dimensional (3D) computational study has been performed addressing issues related to the wind tunnel testing of a hypersonic powered-simulation model. The study consisted of three objectives. The first objective was to calibrate a state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code in its ability to predict hypersonic powered-simulation flows by comparing CFD solutions with experimental surface pressure dam. Aftbody lower surface pressures were well predicted, but lower surface wing pressures were less accurately predicted. The second objective was to determine the 3D effects on the aftbody created by fairing over the inlet; this was accomplished by comparing the CFD solutions of two closed-inlet powered configurations with a flowing-inlet powered configuration. Although results at four freestream Mach numbers indicate that the exhaust plume tends to isolate the aftbody surface from most forebody flowfield differences, a smooth inlet fairing provides the least aftbody force and moment variation compared to a flowing inlet. The final objective was to predict and understand the 3D characteristics of exhaust plume development at selected points on a representative flight path. Results showed a dramatic effect of plume expansion onto the wings as the freestream Mach number and corresponding nozzle pressure ratio are increased.

Huebner, Lawrence D.↗

Computing Fiber/Matrix Interfacial Effects In SiC/RBSN

Computational study conducted to demonstrate use of boundary-element method in analyzing effects of fiber/matrix interface on elastic and thermal behaviors of representative laminated composite materials. In study, boundary-element method implemented by Boundary Element Solution Technology - Composite Modeling System (BEST-CMS) computer program.

Goldberg, Robert K.↗