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At least 55 records · Page 3

Measuring Leakage in a Pressurized-Fluid Loop

Technique applied to systems with inaccessible parts and connections. Fluid added to system by fluid-injection assembly to make up for leakage. Amount required to restore pressure in system is measure of leakage rate.

Clarke, Brian D.↗

Numerical and analytical study of fluid dynamic forces in seals and bearings

A numerical model based on a transformed, conservative form of the three dimensional Navier-Stokes equation and an analytical model based on lumped fluid parameters are presented and compared with studies of modeled rotor bearing seal systems. The rotor destabilizing factors are related to the rotative character of the flow field. It is shown that these destabilizing factors can be reduced through a decrease in the fluid average circumferential velocity. However, the rotative character of the flow field is a complex three dimensional system with bifurcated secondary flow patterns that significantly alter the fluid circumferential velocity. By transforming the Navier-Stokes equations to those for a rotating observer and using the numerical code PHOENICS-84 with a nonorthogonal body fitted grid, several numerical experiments were carried out to demonstrate the character of this complex flow field. In general, fluid injection and/or preswirl of the flow field opposing the shaft rotation significantly intensified these secondary recirculation zones and thus reduced the average circumferential velocity; injection or preswirl in the direction of rotation significantly weakened these zones.

Tam, L. T.↗

The gaseous jet in supersonic crossflow

An analytical/numerical model for the deflection and mixing of a single gaseous jet in a supersonic crossflow is presented. The jet cross-section is described in terms of the compressible vortex pair resulting from viscous and impulsive forces acting at the jet periphery, and the vortex pair data are combined with data for the mass and momentum balance along the jet axis in order to model the trajectory and mixing of the injected fluid. A numerical technique is employed to solve for the inviscid outer flow and the position of the bow shock which envelopes the jet. The model is shown to be capable of predicting overall jet penetration (for perfectly or slightly underexpanded jets) to within 10 percent of experimental findings, while requiring only a few seconds of computer time.

Heister, S. D.↗

Large impacts in the Baltic shield with special attention to the Uppland structure

Within the Baltic Shield several very large structures have been identified and are suspected to be of meteorite impact origin. Some of these deeply eroded circular features are presented with special attention to the Uppland structure, where several indications point toward an impact origin in the mid-Proterozoic. The structures exceed 100 km in diameter and the topographic expression is inferior or absent. An arcuate arrangement of lithologies occurs around the margin of the structures and the central regions show conform magnetic and positive gravity anomalies. The Uppland structure is approximately 320 km in diameter as expressed by morphological, geological, and geophysical concentric patterns. The central part is topographically remarkably flat and is characterized by an unusual irregular fracture pattern. A subcircular central tonalite with density of 2.81 Mg(sup -3) gives a positive gravity anomaly of 35 mgal and the gravimetric profile is very similar to that of Manicouagan and Vredefort. The tonalite constitutes a huge antiform, 80 km in diameter, probably representing a 12-km structural uplift of infracrustal rocks. The flancs of the tonalite are characterized by recrystallized pseudotachylitic breccia dykes and breccia zones. Around the central parts amphibolite-grade metamorphic rocks appear as large fragments within a fine-grained granite interpreted as a thermally annealed melt rock. Several occurrences of breccia dykes and breccia-bearing melts have been identified about 100 km from the gravimetric center of the structure. Impact-related ore deposits are located around the margin of the structure and are interpreted as preexisting downfaulted iron formations, and deposits formed from remobilization of these preimpact occurrences. The so-called ball ores are interpreted to have formed by fluid injection similar to the formation of breccia dykes. The extensive hydrothermal alteration along the outer margin of the structure have created extreme soda and K-enriched rocks ('leptites') from preexisting gneiss granites and supracrustal sedimentary gneisses.

Henkel, H.↗

Large-Eddy/Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Micro-blowing Strategies for Subsonic and Supersonic Drag Control

This report summarizes the progress made in the first 8 to 9 months of this research. The Lattice Boltzmann Equation (LBE) methodology for Large-eddy Simulations (LES) of microblowing has been validated using a jet-in-crossflow test configuration. In this study, the flow intake is also simulated to allow the interaction to occur naturally. The Lattice Boltzmann Equation Large-eddy Simulations (LBELES) approach is capable of capturing not only the flow features associated with the flow, such as hairpin vortices and recirculation behind the jet, but also is able to show better agreement with experiments when compared to previous RANS predictions. The LBELES is shown to be computationally very efficient and therefore, a viable method for simulating the injection process. Two strategies have been developed to simulate multi-hole injection process as in the experiment. In order to allow natural interaction between the injected fluid and the primary stream, the flow intakes for all the holes have to be simulated. The LBE method is computationally efficient but is still 3D in nature and therefore, there may be some computational penalty. In order to study a large number or holes, a new 1D subgrid model has been developed that will simulate a reduced form of the Navier-Stokes equation in these holes.

Menon, Suresh↗

Metamorphosis of a Hairpin Vortex into a Young Turbulent Spot

Direct numerical simulation was used to study the formation and growth of a hairpin vortex in a flat-plate boundary layer and its later development into a young turbulent spot. Fluid injection through a slit in the wall triggered the initial vortex. The legs of the vortex were stretched into a hairpin shape as it traveled downstream. Multiple hairpin vortex heads developed between the stretched legs. New vortices formed beneath the streamwise-elongated vortex legs. The continued development of additional vortices resulted in the formation of a traveling region of highly disturbed ow with an arrowhead shape similar to that of a turbulent spot.

Singer, Bart A.↗

Transverse Injection into Subsonic Crossflow with Various Injector Orifice Geometries

Computational and experimental results are presented for a case study of single injectors employed in 90 deg transverse injection into a non-reacting subsonic flow. Different injector orifice shapes are used (including circular, square, diamond-shaped, and wide rectangular slot), all with constant cross-sectional area, to observe the effects of this variation on injector penetration and mixing. Whereas the circle, square, and diamond injector produce similar jet plumes, the wide rectangular slot produces a plume with less vertical penetration than the others. There is also some evidence that the diamond injector produces slightly faster penetration with less mixing of the injected fluid. In addition, a variety of rectangular injectors were analyzed, with varying length/width ratios. Both experimental and computational data show improved plume penetration with increased streamwise orifice length. 3-D Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) results are obtained for the various injector geometries using NCC (National Combustion Code) with the kappa-epsilon turbulence model in multi-species modes on an unstructured grid. Grid sensitivity results are also presented which indicate consistent qualitative trends in the injector performance comparisons with increasing grid refinement.

Foster, Lancert E.↗

Endwall Treatment and Method for Gas Turbine

An endwall treatment for a gas turbine engine having at least one rotor blade extending from a rotatable hub and a casing circumferentially surrounding the rotor and the hub, the endwall treatment including, an inlet formed in an endwall of the gas turbine engine adapted to ingest fluid from a region of a higher-pressure fluid, an outlet formed in the endwall and located in a region of lower pressure than the inlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet are in a fluid communication with each other, the outlet being adapted to inject the fluid from the inlet in the region of lower pressure, and wherein the outlet is at least partially circumferentially offset relative to the inlet.

Hathaway, Michael D.↗

System and Method for Traversing Pipes

A system and method is provided for traversing inside one or more pipes. In an embodiment, a fluid is injected into the one or more pipes thereby promoting a fluid flow. An inspection device is deployed into the one or more pipes at least partially filled with a flowing fluid. The inspection device comprises a housing wherein the housing is designed to exploit the hydrokinetic effects associated with a fluid flow in one or more pipes as well as maneuver past a variety of pipe configurations. The inspection device may contain one or more sensors capable of performing a variety of inspection tasks.

Azimi, Shaun↗

Microbe Detector

Under NASA contracts, McDonnell Douglas developed a microbial load monitor to detect bacterial contamination. Vitek Systems, Inc., a subsidiary, was created to commercialize the product for analyzing body fluids. With the AutoMicrobic System, infections may be treated more quickly. The process involves injecting the fluid into identification cards and screening the reaction. Antibiotic treatments are also suggested. Time in hospital and human error is reduced. There are also possible industrial and environmental applications.

Source record↗

Bubble Generation in a Continuous Liquid Flow Under Reduced Gravity Conditions

The present work reports a study of bubble generation under reduced gravity conditions for both co-flow and cross-flow configurations. Experiments were performed aboard the DC-9 Reduced Gravity Aircraft at NASA Glenn Research Center, using an air-water system. Three different flow tube diameters were used: 1.27, 1.9, and 2.54 cm. Two different ratios of air injection nozzle to tube diameters were considered: 0.1 and 0.2. Gas and liquid volumetric flow rates were varied from 10 to 200 ml/s. It was experimentally observed that with increasing superficial liquid velocity, the bubbles generated decreased in size. The bubble diameter was shown to increase with increasing air injection nozzle diameters. As the tube diameter was increased, the size of the detached bubbles increased. Likewise, as the superficial liquid velocity was increased, the frequency of bubble formation increased and thus the time to detach forming bubbles decreased. Independent of the flow configuration (for either single nozzle or multiple nozzle gas injection), void fraction and hence flow regime transition can be controlled in a somewhat precise manner by solely varying the gas and liquid volumetric flow rates. On the other hand, it is observed that uniformity of bubble size can be controlled more accurately by using single nozzle gas injection than by using multiple port injection, since this latter system gives rise to unpredictable coalescence of adjacent bubbles. A theoretical model, based on an overall force balance, is employed to study single bubble generation in the dynamic and bubbly flow regime. Under conditions of reduced gravity, the gas momentum flux enhances bubble detachment; however, the surface tension forces at the nozzle tip inhibits bubble detachment. Liquid drag and inertia can act either as attaching or detaching force, depending on the relative velocity of the bubble with respect to the surrounding liquid. Predictions of the theoretical model compare well with performed experiments. However, at higher superficial,liquid velocities, the bubble neck length begins to significantly deviate from the value of the air injection nozzle diameter and thus the theory no longer predicts the experiment behavior. Effects of fluid properties, injection geometry and flow conditions on generated bubble size are investigated using the theoretical model. It is shown that bubble diameter is larger in a reduced gravity environment than in a normal gravity environment at similar flow condition and flow geometry.

Pais, Salvatore Cezar↗

Foam rigidized inflatable structural assemblies

An inflatable and rigidizable structure for use as a habitat or a load bearing structure is disclosed. The structure consists of an outer wall and an inner wall defining a containment member and a bladder. The bladder is pressurized to erect the structure from an initially collapsed state. The containment member is subsequently injected with rigidizable fluid through an arrangement of injection ports. Exhaust gases from the curing rigidizable fluid are vented through an arrangement of exhaust ports. The rate of erection can be controlled by frictional engagement with a container or by using a tether. A method for fabricating a tubular structure is disclosed.

Tinker, Michael L.↗

Qualitative investigation of cryogenic injected shock dissipation

The injection of fluid nitrogen into the flow discharged from a two-dimensional, ambient, static-temperature and static pressure Mach = 2.7 nitrogen flow tunnel was observed. A bow shock stands approximately one diameter off the end of the 3.2 mm o.d. x 1.6 mm i.d. injection tube placed directly into the tunnel exhaust. Cryogenic injection creates a high density region in the injected region and within the bow shock wake but the standoff distance remains unchanged. However as the temperature reaches a critical value the sharp shock interface begins to fade resembling the density gradient seen at the interface of a supercritical fluid and the shock interface begins to move into the supersonic stream. As the injection temperature decreases, the interface continues to move into the supersonic stream and becomes more diffuse; the shock interface can not be distinguished. The phenomena is completely reversible.

Hendricks, R. C.↗

Finite-Difference Solutions of the Alternate Turbopump Development High-Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump Pump-End Ball-Bearing Cavity Flows

These analyses were undertaken to aid in the understanding of flow phenomena in the Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD) High-pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOTP) Pump-end ball bearing (PEBB) cavities and their roles in turbopump vibration initiation and bearing distress. This effort was being performed to provide timely support to the program in a decision as to whether or not the program should be continued. In the first case, it was determined that a change in bearing through flow had no significant effect on axial preload. This was a follow-on to a previous study which had resulted in a redesign of the bearing exit cavity which virtually eliminated bearing axial loading. In the second case, a three-dimensional analysis of the inner-race-guided cage configuration was performed so as to determine the pressure distribution on the outer race when the shaft is 0.0002 inches off-center. The results indicate that there is virtually no circumferential pressure difference caused by the offset to contribute to bearing tilt. In the third case, axisymmetric analyses were performed on an outer-race guided cage configuration to determine the magnitude of tangential flow entering the bearing. The removed-shoulder case was analyzed as was the static diverter case. A third analysis where the preload spring was shielded by a sheet of metal for the baseline case was also performed. It was determined that the swirl entering the bearing was acceptable and the project decided to use the outer-race-guided cage configuration. In the fourth case, more bearing configurations were analyzed. These analyses included thermal modeling so as to determine the added benefit of injecting colder fluid directly onto the bearing inner-race contact area. The results of these analyses contributed to a programmatic decision to include coolant injection in the design.

Benjamin, Theodore G.↗

Seals For Cryogenic Turbomachines

Analysis considers effects of seals on stability. Report presents method of calculation of flows of cryogenic fluids through shaft seals. Key to stability is local average velocity in seal. Local average velocity strongly influenced by effects of inlet and outlet and injection of fluid.

Hendricks, Robert C.↗