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At least 505 records · Page 28

An Experimental Study of Turbulent Skin Friction Reduction in Supersonic Flow Using a Microblowing Technique

A new turbulent skin friction reduction technology, called the microblowing technique has been tested in supersonic flow (Mach number of 1.9) on specially designed porous plates with microholes. The skin friction was measured directly by a force balance and the boundary layer development was measured by a total pressure rake at the tailing edge of a test plate. The free stream Reynolds number was 1.0(10 exp 6) per meter. The turbulent skin friction coefficient ratios (C(sub f)/C(sub f0)) of seven porous plates are given in this report. Test results showed that the microblowing technique could reduce the turbulent skin friction in supersonic flow (up to 90 percent below a solid flat plate value, which was even greater than in subsonic flow).

Hwang, Danny P.↗

Experimental investigation of a Mach 6 fixed-geometry inlet featuring a swept external-internal compression flow field

An investigation of a fixed-geometry, swept external-internal compression inlet was conducted at a Mach number of 6.0 and a test-section Reynolds number of 1.55 x 10 to the 7th power per meter. The test conditions was constant for all runs with stagnation pressure and temperature at 20 atmospheres and 500 K, respectively. Tests were made at angles of attack of -5 deg, 0 deg, 3 deg, and 5 deg. Measurements consisted of pitot- and static-pressure surveys in inlet throat, wall static pressures, and surface temperatures. Boundary-layer bleed was provided on the centerbody and on the cowl internal surface. The inlet performance was consistently high over the range of the angle of attack tested, with an overall average total pressure recovery of 78 percent and corresponding adiabatic kinetic-energy efficiency of 99 percent. The inlet throat flow distribution was uniform and the Mach number and pressure level were of the correct magnitude for efficient combustor design. The utilization of a swept compression field to meet the starting requirements of a fixed-geometry inlet produced neither flow instability nor a tendency to unstart.

Torrence, M. G.↗

Precision control system for engine fuel

System controls two or more pneumatically operated metering valves from common pneumatic source without interaction between valve controls. Unit affords independent metering of liquid from single source to two concurrent applications. Calibration and testing demonstrate complete absence of interaction between valves and corresponding flow rates.

Hawkins, D. E.↗

Fuel-Conservative Descents Using A Programable Calcultor

Airborne descent algorithm used with or without time constraints. Concepts provide fuel savings by matching airplane arrival flow to airport acceptance rate through time control computations and allowing pilot to descend at his descretion from cruise altitude to designated metering fix in idle-thrust clean (landing gear up, flaps, zero, and speed brakes retracted) configuration. Also used for planning fuel-conservative descents when time is not consideration.

Knox, C. E.↗

Development of the L-1011 four-dimensional flight management system

The development of 4-D guidance and control algorithms for the L-1011 Flight Management System is described. Four-D Flight Management is a concept by which an aircraft's flight is optimized along the 3-D path within the constraints of today's ATC environment, while its arrival time is controlled to fit into the air traffic flow without incurring or causing delays. The methods developed herein were designed to be compatible with the time-based en route metering techniques that were recently developed by the Dallas/Fort Worth and Denver Air Route Traffic Control Centers. The ensuing development of the 4-D guidance algorithms, the necessary control laws and the operational procedures are discussed. Results of computer simulation evaluation of the guidance algorithms and control laws are presented, along with a description of the software development procedures utilized.

Lee, H. P.↗

A synchronous strobed laser light sheet for helicopter model rotor flow visualization

A synchronous, strobed laser light sheet has been developed for use in flow visualization of a helicopter rotor model. The light sheet strobe circuit included selectable blade position, strobe duration, and multiple pulses per revolution for rotors having 2 to 9 blades. The flow was seeded with propylene glycol. Between runs, a calibration grid board was placed in the plane of the laser sheet and recorded with the video camera at the position used to record the flow field. A slip-sync mode permitted slow motion visualization of the flow field over complete rotations of the rotor. The system was used to make two-dimensional flow field cuts of a four-bladed rotor operating at advance ratio of 0.37 at wind tunnel speeds up to 79.25 meters per second (260 feet per second).

Leighty, Bradley D.↗

Dynamics of Unusual Debris Flows on Martian Sand Dunes

Gullies that dissect sand dunes in Russell impact crater often display debris flow-like deposits in their distal reaches. The possible range of both the rheological properties and the flow rates are estimated using a numerical simulation code of a Bingham plastic flow to help explain the formation of these features. Our simulated results are best explained by a rapid debris flow. For example, a debris flow with the viscosity of 10(exp 2) Pa s and the yield strength of 10(exp 2) Pa can form the observed deposits with a flow rate of 0.5 cu m/s sustained over several minutes and total discharged water volume on the order of hundreds of cubic meters, which may be produced by melting a surface layer of interstitial ice within the dune deposits to several centimeters depth.

Miyamoto, Hideaki↗

Parallel Adaptive High-Order CFD Simulations Characterizing Cavity Acoustics for the Complete SOFIA Aircraft

This paper presents one-of-a-kind MPI-parallel computational fluid dynamics simulations for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). SOFIA is an airborne, 2.5-meter infrared telescope mounted in an open cavity in the aft of a Boeing 747SP. These simulations focus on how the unsteady flow field inside and over the cavity interferes with the optical path and mounting of the telescope. A temporally fourth-order Runge-Kutta, and spatially fifth-order WENO-5Z scheme was used to perform implicit large eddy simulations. An immersed boundary method provides automated gridding for complex geometries and natural coupling to a block-structured Cartesian adaptive mesh refinement framework. Strong scaling studies using NASA's Pleiades supercomputer with up to 32,000 cores and 4 billion cells shows excellent scaling. Dynamic load balancing based on execution time on individual AMR blocks addresses irregularities caused by the highly complex geometry. Limits to scaling beyond 32K cores are identified, and targeted code optimizations are discussed.

Acoustics↗

Airspace Technology Demonstration 3 (ATD-3): Dynamic Routes for Arrivals in Weather (DRAW) Technology Transfer Document Summary Version 1.0

Airspace Technology Demonstration – 3 (ATD-3) is part of NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP) – specifically, its Airspace Technology Demonstrations (ATD) Project. ATD-3 is a multi-year research and development effort which proposes to develop and demonstrate automation technologies and operating concepts that enable air navigation service providers and airspace users to continuously assess weather, winds, traffic, and other information to identify, evaluate, and implement workable opportunities for flight plan route corrections that can result in significant flight time and fuel savings in en route airspace. In order to ensure that the products of this tech-transfer are relevant and useful, NASA has created strong partnerships with the FAA and key industry stakeholders. This summary document and accompanying technology artifacts satisfy the third of three Research Transition Products (RTPs) defined in the Applied Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) Research Transition Team (RTT) Plan. This transfer consists of NASA’s Dynamic Routes for Arrivals in Weather (DRAW) –Arrival Metering Operations. This research enables continued use of arrival metering operations while efficiently rerouting traffic in weather

DRAW↗

Detecting surface roughness effects on the atmospheric boundary layer via AIRSAR data: A field experiment in Death Valley, California

The part of the troposphere influenced by the surface of the earth is termed the atmospheric boundary layer. Flow within this layer is influenced by the roughness of the surface; rougher surfaces induce more turbulence than smoother surfaces and, hence, higher atmospheric transfer rates across the surface. Roughness elements also shield erodible particles, thus decreasing the transport of windblown particles. Therefore, the aerodynamic roughness length (z(sub 0)) is an important parameter in aeolian and atmospheric boundary layer processes as it describes the aerodynamic properties of the underlying surface. z(sub 0) is assumed to be independent of wind velocity or height, and dependent only on the surface topography. It is determined using in situ measurements of the wind speed distribution as a function of height. For dry, unvegetated soils the intensity of the radar backscatter (sigma(sup 0)) is affected primarily by surface roughness at a scale comparable with the radar wavelength. Thus, both wind and radar respond to surface roughness variations on a scale of a few meters or less. Greeley showed the existence of a correlation between z(sub 0) and sigma(sup 0). This correlation was based on measurements over lava flows, alluvial fans, and playas in the southwest deserts of the United States. It is shown that the two parameters behave similarly also when there are small changes over a relatively homogeneous surface.

Blumberg, Dan G.↗

Lee surface flow phenomena over space shuttle at large angles of attack at M sub infinity equal 6

Surface pressure and heat transfer, flow separation, flow field, and oil flow patterns on the leeward side of a space shuttle orbiter model are investigated at a free stream Mach number of 6. The free stream Reynolds numbers are between 1.64 times 10 to the 7th power and 1.31 times 10 to the 8th power per meter, and the angle of attack is varied between 0 deg and 40 deg for the present experiments. The stagnation temperatures for the tests are approximately 500 K and the wall temperature is maintained at 290 K. Existing numerical methods of three-dimensional inviscid supersonic flow theory and compressible boundary layer theory are used to predict the present experimental measurements. Results of the present tests indicate two distinct types of flow separation and surface peak heating depending on the angle of attack.

Zakkay, V.↗

Changes in Black Carbon Deposition to Antarctica from Two Ice Core Records, A.D. 1850-2000

Continuous flow analysis was based on a steady sample flow and in-line detection of BC and other chemical substances as described in McConnell et al. (2007). In the cold room, previously cut one meter ice core sticks of 3x3cm, are melted continuously on a heated melter head specifically designed to eliminate contamination from the atmosphere or by the external parts of the ice. The melted ice from the most inner part of the ice stick is continuously pumped by a peristaltic pump and carried to a clean lab by Teflon lines. The recorded signal is continuous, integrating a sample volume of about 0.05 mL, for which the temporal resolution depends on the speed of melting, ice density and snow accumulation rate at the ice core drilling site. For annual accumulation derived from the WAIS and Law Dome ice cores, we assumed ~3.1 cm water equivalent uncertainty in each year's accumulation from short scale spatial variability (glaciological noise) which was determined from several measurements of annual accumulation in multiple parallel ice cores notably from the WAIS Divide ice core site (Banta et al., 2008) and from South Pole site (McConnell et al., 1997; McConnell et al., 2000). Refractory black carbon (rBC) concentrations were determined using the same method as in (Bisiaux et al., 2011) and adapted to continuous flow measurements as described by (McConnell et al., 2007). The technique uses a single particle intracavity laser induced incandescence photometer (SP2, Droplet Measurement Technologies, Boulder, Colorado) coupled to an ultrasonic nebulizer/desolvation (CETAC UT5000) Flow Injection Analysis (FIA). All analyses, sample preparation etc, were performed in a class 100 cleanroom using anti contamination "clean techniques". The samples were not acidified.

Bisiaux, Marion M.↗

Numerical Modeling of Glaciers in Martian Paleoclimates

Numerous geologic features suggest the presence of ice flow on the surface of mars. These features include lobate debris aprons, concentric crater fill, and lineated valley fill. The lateral extent of these features can range from 100 meters to over 20 km. Previous work has demonstrated that these features could not have formed in current Martian conditions. It has long been speculated that changes in Mars orbital properties, namely its obliquity, eccentricity, and argument of perihelion, can result in dramatic changes to climate. Recent climate model studies have shown that at periods of increased obliquity north polar water ice is mobilized southward and deposited at low ad mid latitudes. Mid latitude accumulation of ice would provide the necessary conditions for rock glaciers to form. A time-marching, finite element glacier model is used to demonstrate the ability of ice and ice-rock mixtures to flow under Martian paleoclimate conditions. Input to this model is constrained by the NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model (MGCM).

Colaprete, A.↗

Altitude test of several afterburner configurations on a turbofan engine with a hydrogen heater to simulate an elevated turbine discharge temperature

A performance test of several experimental afterburner configurations was conducted with a mixed-flow turbofan engine in an altitude facility. The simulated flight conditions were for Mach 1.4 at two altitudes, 12,190 and 14,630 meters. Turbine discharge temperatures of 889 and 1056 K were used. A production afterburner was tested for comparison. The research afterburners included partial forced mixers with V-gutter flameholders, a carburetted V-gutter flameholder, and a triple ring V-gutter flameholder with four swirl-can fuel mixers. Fuel injection variations were included. Performance data shown include augmented thrust ratio, thrust specific fuel consumption, combustion efficiency, and total pressure drop across the afterburner.

Johnsen, R. L.↗

Support of gas flowmeter upgrade

A project history review, literature review, and vendor search were conducted to identify a flowmeter that would improve the accuracy of gaseous flow measurements in the White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) Calibration Laboratory and the Hydrogen High Flow Facility. Both facilities currently use sonic flow nozzles to measure flowrates. The flow nozzle pressure drops combined with corresponding pressure and temperature measurements have been estimated to produce uncertainties in flowrate measurements of 2 to 5 percent. This study investigated the state of flowmeter technology to make recommendations that would reduce those uncertainties. Most flowmeters measure velocity and volume, therefore mass flow measurement must be calculated based on additional pressures and temperature measurement which contribute to the error. The two exceptions are thermal dispersion meters and Coriolis mass flowmeters. The thermal dispersion meters are accurate to 1 to 5 percent. The Coriolis meters are significantly more accurate, at least for liquids. For gases, there is evidence they may be accurate to within 0.5 percent or better of the flowrate, but there may be limitations due to inappropriate velocity, pressure, Mach number and vibration disturbances. In this report, a comparison of flowmeters is presented. Candidate Coriolis meters and a methodology to qualify the meter with tests both at WSTF and Southwest Research Institute are recommended and outlined.

Waugaman, Dennis↗

High Reynolds Number Investigation of a Flush-Mounted, S-Duct Inlet With Large Amounts of Boundary Layer Ingestion

An experimental investigation of a flush-mounted, S-duct inlet with large amounts of boundary layer ingestion has been conducted at Reynolds numbers up to full scale. The study was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. In addition, a supplemental computational study on one of the inlet configurations was conducted using the Navier-Stokes flow solver, OVERFLOW. Tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 0.25 to 0.83, Reynolds numbers (based on aerodynamic interface plane diameter) from 5.1 million to 13.9 million (full-scale value), and inlet mass-flow ratios from 0.29 to 1.22, depending on Mach number. Results of the study indicated that increasing Mach number, increasing boundary layer thickness (relative to inlet height) or ingesting a boundary layer with a distorted profile decreased inlet performance. At Mach numbers above 0.4, increasing inlet airflow increased inlet pressure recovery but also increased distortion. Finally, inlet distortion was found to be relatively insensitive to Reynolds number, but pressure recovery increased slightly with increasing Reynolds number.

Berrier, Bobby L.↗

High Reynolds Number Investigation of a Flush Mounted, S-Duct Inlet With Large Amounts of Boundary Layer Ingestion

An experimental investigation of a flush-mounted, S-duct inlet with large amounts of boundary layer ingestion has been conducted at Reynolds numbers up to full scale. The study was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. In addition, a supplemental computational study on one of the inlet configurations was conducted using the Navier-Stokes flow solver, OVERFLOW. Tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 0.25 to 0.83, Reynolds numbers (based on aerodynamic interface plane diameter) from 5.1 million to 13.9 million (full-scale value), and inlet mass-flow ratios from 0.29 to 1.22, depending on Mach number. Results of the study indicated that increasing Mach number, increasing boundary layer thickness (relative to inlet height) or ingesting a boundary layer with a distorted profile decreased inlet performance. At Mach numbers above 0.4, increasing inlet airflow increased inlet pressure recovery but also increased distortion. Finally, inlet distortion was found to be relatively insensitive to Reynolds number, but pressure recovery increased slightly with increasing Reynolds number.This CD-ROM supplement contains inlet data including: Boundary layer data, Duct static pressure data, performance-AIP (fan face) data, Photos, Tunnel wall P-PTO data and definitions.

Berrier, Bobby L.↗

Effect of Surface Traffic Count on Taxi Time at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport

As the amount of air traffic increases over the years, most airports simply do not have the means of expanding to handle the intensified traffic on the surface that will ensue. Precise surveillance equipment and automation concepts, as well as advanced surface traffic algorithms are being developed to improve airport efficiency. These surface algorithms require inputs unique to each airport to ensure maximum efficiency, and minimal taxi delay. This study analyzes surface traffic at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to determine the effect of the number of aircraft on the surface and the amount of stop and go situations they experience to the amount of additional taxi time encountered. If the surface capacity of an airport is known, minimal delay can be accomplished by limiting the number of taxiing aircraft to that capacity. This concept is related to highways, where traffic flow drastically decreases as more cars occupy the road. An attempt to minimize this effect on highways is seen with the use of metering lights at freeway on-ramps. Since the surface traffic at airports is highly regulated, and aircraft are less mobile on the ground, limiting the surface count to a certain number can greatly reduce the amount of additional taxi time encountered, as well as reduce hazardous emissions. This study will also find the regions of an airport that encounter the most additional taxi time when the number of aircraft in that area is increased. This could help surface traffic algorithms avoid congesting that area, or re-route aircraft to different runways when that area reaches its capacity. The relationship between the amount of stop and go situations an aircraft encounters and their effect on the taxi time of that aircraft will also be investigated. This will help to determine the effect of holding an aircraft on the taxiway as opposed to re-routing it. The lesser of the two should be used when developing surface traffic algorithms to further minimize the delay encountered. The fields investigated in this study include taxi time, the number of aircraft on the surface, the number of stop and go situations, and the time stopped for each aircraft. Taxi time is defined as spot to runway for departures, and runway to spot for arrivals. It does not include ramp area taxi time because the ramp area is controlled differently, and surface traffic schedulers do not currently incorporate them. Taxi time is found by finding the difference between take-off time (OFF) and spot crossing time for departures, and spot crossing time and landing time (ON) for arrivals. All surface data was either found directly using the Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA), a tool to analyze the Surface Management System (SMS) generated log files, or indirectly from SODAA using Matlab to derive values from SODAA data. The number of aircraft on the surface is found by looping through the ON times, OFF times, and spot times for each aircraft during a particular day. For each departure aircraft, surface counts are taken at its spot crossing and OFF time. The average of these two is used as the surface count for that aircraft. For arrivals, surface counts are taken at its ON time and its spot crossing time. The average of these two is used.

Kistler, Matthew Stephen↗