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NASA NTRS1998

Self-Similar Compressible Free Vortices

Lie group methods are used to find both exact and numerical similarity solutions for compressible perturbations to all incompressible, two-dimensional, axisymmetric vortex reference flow. The reference flow vorticity satisfies an eigenvalue problem for which the solutions are a set of two-dimensional, self-similar, incompressible vortices. These solutions are augmented by deriving a conserved quantity for each eigenvalue, and identifying a Lie group which leaves the reference flow equations invariant. The partial differential equations governing the compressible perturbations to these reference flows are also invariant under the action of the same group. The similarity variables found with this group are used to determine the decay rates of the velocities and thermodynamic variables in the self-similar flows, and to reduce the governing partial differential equations to a set of ordinary differential equations. The ODE's are solved analytically and numerically for a Taylor vortex reference flow, and numerically for an Oseen vortex reference flow. The solutions are used to examine the dependencies of the temperature, density, entropy, dissipation and radial velocity on the Prandtl number. Also, experimental data on compressible free vortex flow are compared to the analytical results, the evolution of vortices from initial states which are not self-similar is discussed, and the energy transfer in a slightly-compressible vortex is considered.

vonEllenrieder, Karl↗

NASA NTRS1999

Numerical Speed of Sound and its Application to Schemes for all Speeds

The concept of "numerical speed of sound" is proposed in the construction of numerical flux. It is shown that this variable is responsible for the accurate resolution of' discontinuities, such as contacts and shocks. Moreover, this concept can he readily extended to deal with low speed and multiphase flows. As a results, the numerical dissipation for low speed flows is scaled with the local fluid speed, rather than the sound speed. Hence, the accuracy is enhanced the correct solution recovered, and the convergence rate improved. We also emphasize the role of mass flux and analyze the behavior of this flux. Study of mass flux is important because the numerical diffusivity introduced in it can be identified. In addition, it is the term common to all conservation equations. We show calculated results for a wide variety of flows to validate the effectiveness of using the numerical speed of sound concept in constructing the numerical flux. We especially aim at achieving these two goals: (1) improving accuracy and (2) gaining convergence rates for all speed ranges. We find that while the performance at high speed range is maintained, the flux now has the capability of performing well even with the low: speed flows. Thanks to the new numerical speed of sound, the convergence is even enhanced for the flows outside of the low speed range. To realize the usefulness of the proposed method in engineering problems, we have also performed calculations for complex 3D turbulent flows and the results are in excellent agreement with data.

Liou, Meng-Sing↗

NASA NTRS2013

Prediction of Ablation Rates from Solid Surfaces Exposed to High Temperature Gas Flow

A mathematical model and a solution algorithm is developed to study the physics of high temperature heat transfer and material ablation and identify the problems associated with the flow of hydrogen gas at very high temperatures and velocities through pipes and various components of Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) motors. Ablation and melting can be experienced when the inner solid surface of the cooling channels and the diverging-converging nozzle of a Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) motor is exposed to hydrogen gas flow at temperatures around 2500 degrees Kelvin and pressures around 3.4 MPa. In the experiments conducted on typical NTR motors developed in 1960s, degradation of the cooling channel material (cracking in the nuclear fuel element cladding) and in some instances melting of the core was observed. This paper presents the results of a preliminary study based on two types of physics based mathematical models that were developed to simulate the thermal-hydrodynamic conditions that lead to ablation of the solid surface of a stainless steel pipe exposed to high temperature hydrogen gas near sonic velocities. One of the proposed models is one-dimensional and assumes the gas flow to be unsteady, compressible and viscous. An in-house computer code was developed to solve the conservations equations of this model using a second-order accurate finite-difference technique. The second model assumes the flow to be three-dimensional, unsteady, compressible and viscous. A commercial CFD code (Fluent) was used to solve the later model equations. Both models assume the thermodynamic and transport properties of the hydrogen gas to be temperature dependent. In the solution algorithm developed for this study, the unsteady temperature of the pipe is determined from the heat equation for the solid. The solid-gas interface temperature is determined from an energy balance at the interface which includes heat transfer from or to the interface by conduction, convection, radiation, and ablation. Two different ablation models are proposed to determine the heat loss from the solid surface due to the ablation of the solid material. Both of them are physics based. Various numerical simulations were carried out using both models to predict the temperature distribution in the solid and in the gas flow, and then predict the ablation rates at a typical NTR motor hydrogen gas temperature and pressure. Solid mass loss rate per foot of a pipe was also calculated from these predictions. The results are presented for fully developed turbulent flow conditions in a sample SS pipe with a 6 inch diameter.

Akyuzlu, Kazim M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Numerical investigation of separated transonic turbulent flows with a multiple-time-scale turbulence model

A numerical investigation of transonic turbulent flows separated by curvature and shock wave - boundary layer interaction is presented. The free stream Mach numbers considered are 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.825, 0.85, 0.875, 0.90, and 0.925. In the numerical method, the conservation of mass equation is replaced by a pressure correction equation for compressible flows and thus incremental pressure is solved for instead of density. The turbulence is described by a multiple-time-scale turbulence model supplemented with a near-wall turbulence model. The present numerical results show that there exists a reversed flow region at all free stream Mach numbers considered whereas various k-epsilon turbulence models fail to predict such a reversed flow region at low free stream Mach numbers. The numerical results also show that the size of the reversed flow region grows extensively due to the shock wave - turbulent boundary layer interaction as the free stream Mach number is increased. These numerical results show that the turbulence model can resolve the turbulence field subjected to extra strains caused by the curvature and the shock wave - turbulent boundary layer interaction and that the numerical method yields a significantly accurate solution for the complex compressible turbulent flow.

Kim, S.-W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Atomization simulations using an Eulerian-VOF-Lagrangian method

This paper summarizes the technical development and validation of a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical method using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) model and a Lagrangian tracking model which can be employed to analyze general multiphase flow problems with free surface mechanism. The gas-liquid interface mass, momentum and energy conservations are modeled by continuum surface mechanisms. A new solution method is developed such that the present VOF model can be applied for all-speed flow regimes. The objectives of the present study are to develop and verify the fractional volume-of-fluid cell partitioning approach into a predictor-corrector algorithm and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present innovative approach by simulating benchmark problems including the coaxial jet atomization.

Chen, Yen-Sen↗

DOE OSTI2020

Fundamental Study of Migration Behavior of Cesium under the Unsaturated Condition through One-dimensional Column Simulating Soil around the Disposal Site - 20262

Using a packed column simulating unsaturated soil around the disposal site, flow experiments of cesium ions were conducted in order to examine the difference of retardation effect between saturated and unsaturated conditions. The column was packed with silica sand particles of 350 μm in diameter. In this study, it was confirmed that the X-ray CT images of the column showed that the water saturation was mostly uniform within the column under unsaturated conditions. The values of water saturation in the flow experiments of Cs ions were in a range from 0.85 to 0.93. The retardation coefficients(Rd) were estimated by applying the one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation to the experimental results. The comparison of the Rd-values estimated experimentally and theoretically showed that the experimental value was estimated to be larger than the theoretical value. This means that the theoretical value evaluated through a conventional method would bring the conservative value as an apparent retardation coefficient, at least when the flow direction is from top to bottom as shown in this study. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

NASA NTRS2001

Textbook Multigrid Efficiency for Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations

Considerable progress over the past thirty years has been made in the development of large-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solvers for the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. Computations are used routinely to design the cruise shapes of transport aircraft through complex-geometry simulations involving the solution of 25-100 million equations; in this arena the number of wind-tunnel tests for a new design has been substantially reduced. However, simulations of the entire flight envelope of the vehicle, including maximum lift, buffet onset, flutter, and control effectiveness have not been as successful in eliminating the reliance on wind-tunnel testing. These simulations involve unsteady flows with more separation and stronger shock waves than at cruise. The main reasons limiting further inroads of CFD into the design process are: (1) the reliability of turbulence models; and (2) the time and expense of the numerical simulation. Because of the prohibitive resolution requirements of direct simulations at high Reynolds numbers, transition and turbulence modeling is expected to remain an issue for the near term. The focus of this paper addresses the latter problem by attempting to attain optimal efficiencies in solving the governing equations. Typically current CFD codes based on the use of multigrid acceleration techniques and multistage Runge-Kutta time-stepping schemes are able to converge lift and drag values for cruise configurations within approximately 1000 residual evaluations. An optimally convergent method is defined as having textbook multigrid efficiency (TME), meaning the solutions to the governing system of equations are attained in a computational work which is a small (less than 10) multiple of the operation count in the discretized system of equations (residual equations). In this paper, a distributed relaxation approach to achieving TME for Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RNAS) equations are discussed along with the foundations that form the basis of this approach. Because the governing equations are a set of coupled nonlinear conservation equations with discontinuities (shocks, slip lines, etc.) and singularities (flow- or grid-induced), the difficulties are many. This paper summarizes recent progress towards the attainment of TME in basic CFD simulations.

Brandt, Achi↗

NASA NTRS1985

Application of Runge Kutta time marching scheme for the computation of transonic flows in turbomachines

Numerical solutions of the unsteady Euler equations are obtained using the classical fourth order Runge Kutta time marching scheme. This method is fully explicit and is applied to the governing equations in the finite volume, conservation law form. In order to determine the efficiency of this scheme for solving turbomachinery flows, steady blade-to-blade solutions are obtained for compressor and turbine cascades under subsonic and transonic flow conditions. Computed results are compared with other numerical methods and wind tunnel measurements. The present study also focuses on other important numerical aspects influencing the performance of the algorithm and the solution accuracy such as grid types, boundary conditions, and artificial viscosity. For this purpose, H, O, and C type computational grids as well as characteristic and extrapolation type boundary conditions are included in the solution procedure.

Subramanian, S. V.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Application of Runge Kutta time marching scheme for the computation of transonic flows in turbomachines

Numerical solutions of the unsteady Euler equations are obtained using the classical fourth order Runge Kutta time marching scheme. This method is fully explicit and is applied to the governing equations in the finite volume, conservation law form. In order to determine the efficiency of this scheme for solving turbomachinery flows, steady blade-to-blade solutions are obtained for compressor and turbine cascades under subsonic and transonic flow conditions. Computed results are compared with other numerical methods and wind tunnel measurements. The study also focuses on other important numerical aspects influencing the performance of the algorithm and the solution accuracy such as grid types, boundary conditions and artificial viscosity. For this purpose, H, O, and C type computational grids as well as characteristic and extrapolation type boundary conditions are included in solution procedures.

Subramanian, S. V.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Extension of a semi-implicit shock-capturing algorithm for 3-D fully coupled, chemically reacting flows in generalized coordinates

A semiimplicit high-resolution shock-capturing method for multidimensional systems of hyperbolic conservation laws with stiff source terms has been developed by Yee and Shinn (1987). The goal of this work is to extend this method to solve the three-dimensional fully coupled Navier-Stokes equations for a hypersonic chemically reacting flow in generalized coordinates. In this formulation, the global continuity equation was replaced by all the species continuity equations. The shock-capturing technique is a second-order-accurate, symmetric total-variation-diminishing method which accounts fully and directly for the coupling among the fluid and all the species. To verify the current approach, it was implemented into an existing computer code which contained the MacCormack method. Test results for a five-species reacting flow are shown to be oscillation-free around the shock, and the time spent per iteration only doubles when compared to the result using classical way of supplying numerical dissipation. The extra computation is more than justified by the elimination of spurious oscillation and nonlinear instability associated with the classical shock-capturing schemes in computing hypersonic reacting flows.

Shinn, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Numerical modeling of spray combustion with an advanced VOF method

This paper summarizes the technical development and validation of a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical method using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) model and a Lagrangian tracking model which can be employed to analyze general multiphase flow problems with free surface mechanism. The gas-liquid interface mass, momentum and energy conservation relationships are modeled by continuum surface mechanisms. A new solution method is developed such that the present VOF model can be applied for all-speed flow regimes. The objectives of the present study are to develop and verify the fractional volume-of-fluid cell partitioning approach into a predictor-corrector algorithm and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present approach by simulating benchmark problems including laminar impinging jets, shear coaxial jet atomization and shear coaxial spray combustion flows.

Chen, Yen-Sen↗

NASA NTRS2003

Robust and Simple Non-Reflecting Boundary Conditions for the Euler Equations: A New Approach Based on the Space-Time CE/SE Method

This paper reports on a significant advance in the area of non-reflecting boundary conditions (NRBCs) for unsteady flow computations. As a part of the development of the space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method, sets of NRBCs for 1D Euler problems are developed without using any characteristics-based techniques. These conditions are much simpler than those commonly reported in the literature, yet so robust that they are applicable to subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows even in the presence of discontinuities. In addition, the straightforward multidimensional extensions of the present 1D NRBCs have been shown numerically to be equally simple and robust. The paper details the theoretical underpinning of these NRBCs, and explains their unique robustness and accuracy in terms of the conservation of space-time fluxes. Some numerical results for an extended Sod's shock-tube problem, illustrating the effectiveness of the present NRBCs are included, together with an associated simple Fortran computer program. As a preliminary to the present development, a review of the basic CE/SE schemes is also included.

Chang, Sin-Chung↗

NASA NTRS1991

Grid generation about complex three-dimensional aircraft configurations

The problem of obtaining three dimensional grids with sufficient resolution to resolve all the flow or other physical features of interest is addressed. The generation of a computational grid involves a series of compromises to resolve several conflicting requirements. On one hand, one would like the grid to be fine enough and not too skewed to reduce the numerical errors and to adequately resolve the pertinent physical features of the flow field about the aircraft. On the other hand, the capabilities of present or even future supercomputers are finite and the number of mesh points must be limited to a reasonable number: one which is usually much less than desired for numerical accuracy. One technique to overcome this limitation is the 'zonal' grid approach. In this method, the overall field is subdivided into smaller zones or blocks in each of which an independent grid is generated with enough grid density to resolve the flow features in that zone. The zonal boundaries or interfaces require special boundary conditions such that the conservation properties of the governing equations are observed. Much work was done in 3-D zonal approaches with nonconservative zonal interfaces. A 3-D zonal conservative interfacing method that is efficient and easy to implement was developed during the past year. During the course of the work, it became apparent that it would be much more feasible to do the conservative interfacing with cell-centered finite volume codes instead of the originally planned finite difference codes. Accordingly, the CNS code was converted to finite volume form. This new version of the code is named CNSFV. The original multi-zonal interfacing capability of the CNS code was enhanced by generalizing the procedure to allow for completely arbitrarily shaped zones with no mesh continuity between the zones. While this zoning capability works well for most flow situations, it is, however, still nonconservative. The conservative interface algorithm was also implemented but was not completely validated.

Klopfer, Goetz H.↗

DOE OSTI2021

A moving discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with interface condition enforcement for compressible flows

A variation of moving discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with interface condition enforcement (MDG-ICE) is developed for solving the compressible Euler equations. The MDG-ICE method, originating from the work of Corrigan et al. [1], [2], [3], [4], is based on the space-time DG formulation, where both flow field and grid geometry are considered as independent variables and the conservation laws are enforced both on discrete elements and element interfaces. The element conservation laws are solved in the standard discontinuous solution space to determine conservative quantities, while the interface conservation is enforced using a variational formulation in a continuous space to determine discrete grid geometry. The resulting over-determined system of nonlinear equations arising from the MDG-ICE formulation can then be solved in a least-squares sense, leading to an unconstrained nonlinear least-squares problem that is regularized and solved by Levenberg-Marquardt method. A number of numerical experiments for both 1D unsteady and 2D steady state compressible flow problems are conducted to assess the accuracy and robustness of the MDG-ICE method. Numerical results obtained indicate that the MDG-ICE method is able to implicitly detect and track all types of discontinuities via interface conservation enforcement and satisfy the conservation law on both elements and interfaces via grid movement and grid management, demonstrating that an exponential rate of convergence for Sod and Lax-Harden shock tube problems can be achieved and highly accurate solutions without overheating to both double-rarefaction wave and Noh problems can be obtained.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS1988

Circumferential flow analysis at the aft field joint of the Space Shuttle solid rocket motor

Flow analyses have been performed to determine the nature of the three-dimensional flow field in the vicinity of the aft-most field joint of the Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). Specific objectives included the quantification of the circumferential pressure and velocity gradients at the joint location which might be caused by the non-uniform erosion of the rubber inhibitor which protrudes from the wall into the flow field. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations have been solved in conjunction with the conservation equation for the turbulence energy and the dissipation rate. The numerical predictions have been compared with the measurements from a 7.5 percent scale cold flow model of the redesigned solid rocket motor.

Majumdar, Alok K.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Axisymmetric internal flows with shocks

Internal flow problems with supersonic entrance conditions and subsonic exit conditions are studied. The suitability of applying the transonic-small disturbance theory to internal flows is examined and found to be very limited. The full inviscid equations in nonconservative form are solved by relaxation. Jump conditions which conserve mass and normal momentum are applied explicitly at shock waves. This method is suitable for solving flows which include supersonic-subsonic shock waves nearly normal to the streamlines.

Rizk, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Low-to-high altitude predictions of three-dimensional ablative reentry flowfields

A new coupled-chemistry PNS scheme has been developed to study 3D hypersonic reentry flows over sphere cones at small angles of attack. A new quasi-steady ablation model for Teflon was used to predict ablative reentry flow fields under laminar, transitional, and turbulent conditions. This solution scheme uses a new two-step solution scheme for solving the species conservation equations under low-altitude conditions. As an example, the scheme is used to study hypersonic flow over a 6-deg sphere-cone configuration at 50 and 125 kft conditions under zero and nonzero angle of attack conditions.

Bhutta, Bilal A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Extensions of the CSCM methodology for nonequilibrium reacting gas flows

The paper describes the extension of the CSCM flux difference splitting to produce conservative unconditionally stable implicit upwind methods for the extended equation set. The CSCM-S single data level relaxation algorithm is argued to be particularly advantageous for efficiently solving the set of equations. Attention is given to issues of alternative state variable representations and to complementary thermodynamic relations that parameterize and need to be effectively coupled with the solution procedure for the partial differential equations. Within the framework of iteration, consideration is given to more efficient approximate solution procedures than the full block coupled LU decomposition. Results of early numerical experiments are given to illustrate the developments.

Lombard, C. K.↗