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At least 559 records · Page 31

The input mobility of an infinite circular cylindrical elastic shell filled with fluid

The force input mobility of an infinite elastic circular cylindrical shell filled with fluid is derived by using the spectral equations of motion. Mobilities are evaluated and their physical interpretations are discussed for a steel shell of thickness h/a = 0.05 filled with water and vibrating in the n = 0, 1 and 2 circumferential modes. The results are subsequently used to analyze the related situations of wave transmission through a radial ring constraint and the far field vibrational energy distributions between the contained fluid and the shell wall for line and point driving forces.

Fuller, C. R.↗

Propagation of hydromagnetic waves in the upper F2-region

The theory of hydromagnetic-wave in the upper F2-region, in which electrons are in a transitional regime from collisional to collisionless conditions and ions are in a collisionless state, is examined. Derivation of the governing equations is based on the fact that the isotropic electrons are fluid-like, and the anisotropic ions follow kinetic equations modified by ion-electron collisions. Magneto-acoustic waves of a period of from about 0.2 to 10 sec are dissipated by ion Landau damping and electron thermal conduction and viscosity. Numerical solutions under ionospheric conditions show that the dissipation of hydromagnetic waves is insufficient to modify the large scale heating of the ionosphere.

Hung, R. J.↗

Wave Number Selection for Incompressible Parallel Jet Flows Periodic in Space

The temporal instability of a spatially periodic parallel flow of an incompressible inviscid fluid for various jet velocity profiles is studied numerically using Floquet Analysis. The transition matrix at the end of a period is evaluated by direct numerical integration. For verification, a method based on approximating a continuous function by a series of step functions was used. Unstable solutions were found only over a limited range of wave numbers and have a band type structure. The results obtained are analogous to the behavior observed in systems exhibiting complexity at the edge of order and chaos.

Miles, Jeffrey Hilton↗

Numerical Simulations of Convectively Excited Gravity Waves

Magneto-convection and gravity waves are numerically simulated with a nonlinear, three-dimensional, time-dependent model of a stratified, rotating, spherical fluid shell heated from below. A Solar-like reference state is specified while global velocity, magnetic field, and thermodynamic perturbations are computed from the anelastic magnetohydrodynamic equations. Convective overshooting from the upper (superadiabatic) part of the shell excites gravity waves in the lower (subadiabatic) part. Due to differential rotation and Coriolis forces, convective cell patterns propagate eastward with a latitudinally dependent phase velocity. The structure of the excited wave motions in the stable region is more time-dependent than of the convective motions above. The magnetic field tends to be concentrated over giant-cell downdrafts in the convective zone but is affected very little by the wave motion in the stable region.

Glatzmaier, G. A.↗

Structure of ion acoustic solitons and shock waves in a two-component plasma.

Time-independent solitary waves and shocks are investigated in a two-component plasma using a fluid model and kinetic theory. It is found that very small concentrations of a light ion can drastically alter the structure, changing the potential maximum by an order of magnitude. For a fixed Mach number, a critical density ratio of light to heavy ions is found at which the potential maximum changes discontinuously from a value large enough to reflect the light ions to one which allows them to traverse the shock front and enter the downstream flow. The downstream oscillatory structure normally seen in a shock is completely quenched by dissipation due to light ion reflection at concentrations of 3-8% He in an Ar plasma for typical electron to ion temperature ratios and Mach number values.

White, R. B.↗

Unsteady viscous effects in the flow over an oscillating surface

A theoretical model for the interaction of a turbulent boundary layer with an oscillating wavy surface over which a fluid is flowing is developed, with an application to wind-driven water waves and to panel flutter in low supersonic flow. A systematic methodology is developed to obtain the surface pressure distribution by considering separately the effects on the perturbed flow of a mean shear velocity profile, viscous stresses, the turbulent Reynolds stresses, compressibility, and three-dimensionality. The inviscid theory is applied to the wind-water wave problem by specializing to traveling-wave disturbances, and the pressure magnitude and phase shift as a function of the wave phase speed are computed for a logarithmic mean velocity profile and compared with inviscid theory and experiment. The results agree with experimental evidence for the stabilization of the panel motion due to the influence of the unsteady boundary layer.

Lerner, J. I.↗

An analysis of the stability of the compressible Ekman boundary layer

The linear stability problem for the compressible Ekman boundary layer common to rotating fluids is formulated and the stability properties determined numerically. Three classes of unstable waves are identified (called class A, B, and C), their properties are described. The class C waves have only recently been reported in the literature and are present only in compressible Ekman boundary layers. Most of the calculations presented here are for uranium hexafluoride gas; however, critical Reynolds numbers are also computed for air and ammonia gas. Compressibility is generally found to decrease the critical Reynolds number for each class of wave. A comparison of results for the three different gases shows the stability to be largely unaffected by changes in the gas properties. Maximum growth rate calculations for each wave show the class A and B waves to be the dominant instabilities.

Spall, J. R.↗

Magnetized thermal conduction fronts

The evolution of planar thermal conduction fronts in the presence of a dynamically weak, but otherwise self-consistent, magnetic field is considered. The field is assumed to be connected and untangled. In the diffusion limit for the thermal conductivity, these fronts exhibit self-similar behavior, even in the presence of a field. The role of the field is restricted to channeling the heat flux along its lines of force, and it enters into the problem as a dimensionless angle variable. 'Combing' (or opening) of insulating field lines by the evaporative flow is explicitly demonstrated. Unless the field is nearly perpendicular to the front normal in the hot gas, insulating effects are not profound. Self-similarity breaks down if the front becomes saturated, and under certain conditions magnetized saturated conduction fronts cannot propagate: the solution characteristics of the wave equation form caustics. The physical resolution is the advent of two-fluid (nonlocal) heating. Such Coulomb-heated fronts are expected to be relatively rare in typical astrophysical systems. The large-scale effects of a magnetic field on cloud evaporation in the interstellar medium are briefly discussed, and it is suggested that these fields preclude the presence of time-independent evaporative solutions. Thermal interfaces may then continue to evolve until radiative cooling halts their development; large tracts of warm 10,000 K gas may result.

Balbus, S. A.↗

The wave numbers of supercritical surface tension driven Benard convection

The cell size or the wave numbers of supercritical hexagonal convection cells in primarily surface tension driven convection on a uniformly heated plate was studied experimentally in thermal equilibrium in thin layers of silicone oil of large aspect ratio. It was found that the cell size decreases with increased temperature difference in the slightly supercritical range, and that the cell size is unique within the experimental error. It was also observed that the cell size reaches a minimum and begins to increase at larger temperature differences. This reversal of the rate of change of the wave number with temperature difference is attributed to influences of buoyancy on the fluid motion. The consequences of buoyancy were tested with three fluid layers of different depth.

Koschmieder, E. L.↗

Development of a 3-D upwind PNS code for chemically reacting hypersonic flowfields

Two new parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) codes were developed to compute the three-dimensional, viscous, chemically reacting flow of air around hypersonic vehicles such as the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP). The first code (TONIC) solves the gas dynamic and species conservation equations in a fully coupled manner using an implicit, approximately-factored, central-difference algorithm. This code was upgraded to include shock fitting and the capability of computing the flow around complex body shapes. The revised TONIC code was validated by computing the chemically-reacting (M(sub infinity) = 25.3) flow around a 10 deg half-angle cone at various angles of attack and the Ames All-Body model at 0 deg angle of attack. The results of these calculations were in good agreement with the results from the UPS code. One of the major drawbacks of the TONIC code is that the central-differencing of fluxes across interior flowfield discontinuities tends to introduce errors into the solution in the form of local flow property oscillations. The second code (UPS), originally developed for a perfect gas, has been extended to permit either perfect gas, equilibrium air, or nonequilibrium air computations. The code solves the PNS equations using a finite-volume, upwind TVD method based on Roe's approximate Riemann solver that was modified to account for real gas effects. The dissipation term associated with this algorithm is sufficiently adaptive to flow conditions that, even when attempting to capture very strong shock waves, no additional smoothing is required. For nonequilibrium calculations, the code solves the fluid dynamic and species continuity equations in a loosely-coupled manner. This code was used to calculate the hypersonic, laminar flow of chemically reacting air over cones at various angles of attack. In addition, the flow around the McDonnel Douglas generic option blended-wing-body was computed and comparisons were made between the perfect gas, equilibrium air, and the nonequilibrium air results.

Tannehill, J. C.↗

Crossing shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions - Variable angle and shock generator length geometry effects at Mach 3

By comparing the detailed wall static pressure distributions for 9 inch and 11 inch long fins generating a crossing shock configuration at M = 2.93, the high resolution results of the 9 inch fins are shown to be free of exit effects. Analysis of the static pressure profiles have delineated the limited regions where the single fin results are valid. The characteristics of the complex interaction, with varying shock wave strength, have been described. The data provide a critical test for computational fluid dynamics which, in its initial phase, has performed poorly in predicting the measured wall static pressure distributions.

Bogdonoff, S. M.↗

Fiberoptic sensors for rocket engine applications

A research effort was completed to summarize and evaluate the current level of technology in fiberoptic sensors for possible applications in integrated control and health monitoring (ICHM) systems in liquid propellant engines. The environment within a rocket engine is particuarly severe with very high temperatures and pressures present combined with extremely rapid fluid and gas flows, and high-velocity and high-intensity acoustc waves. Application of fiberoptic technology to rocket engine health monitoring is a logical evolutionary step in ICHM development and presents a significant challenge. In this extremely harsh environment, the additional flexibility of fiberoptic techniques to augment conventional sensor technologies offer abundant future potential.

Ballard, R. O.↗

Vibrational relaxation in hypersonic flow fields

Mathematical formulations of vibrational relaxation are derived from first principles for application to fluid dynamic computations of hypersonic flow fields. Relaxation within and immediately behind shock waves is shown to be substantially faster than that described in current numerical codes. The result should be a significant reduction in nonequilibrium radiation overshoot in shock layers and in radiative heating of hypersonic vehicles; these results are precisely the trends needed to bring theoretical predictions more in line with flight data. Errors in existing formulations are identified and qualitative comparisons are made.

Meador, Willard E.↗

Hybrid simulations of the saturated Farley-Buneman instability in the ionosphere

Numerical simulations of the Farley-Buneman instability in 2-1/2 dimensions using particle ions and fluid electrons show the growth, saturation and nonlinear behavior of two-stream waves. This hybrid technique models the saturated state of the instability for a much longer period of time than the pure particle codes that preceded it. While focusing principally on modeling the topside E region equatorial electrojet, many of these results apply to the auroral two-stream instability as well. The following features are seen in all our hybrid simulations: (1) wave growth at an angle offset from the electron drift direction where the angle depends on the strength of the driving electric field, (2) nonlinear coupling to waves traveling perpendicular to the propagation direction of the principal two-stream waves, (3) a saturated wave phase velocity at or above the sound speed but well below the velocity predicted by linear theory and (4) phase velocities which remain almost constant as a simulated radar sweeps from a horizontal direction to nearly vertical. The nonlinear electron motion dominates the behavior of these waves. Further, these simulations indicate that ion kinetic effects are not essential for the saturation of the instability and that electron temperature effects have a minor impact on the final saturated state.

Oppenheim, Meers↗

Slosh wave and geyser excitations due to liquid hydrogen shut-off during draining in microgravity

The dynamical behavior of liquid hydrogen shut-off during draining, and shut-off at the moment of the incipience of a suction dip have been investigated. It shows that a large amplitude surge is observed for liquid in the container at the moment of liquid hydrogen shut-off in reduced gravity. It also shows that slosh waves accompanied by a strong geyser are developed for surge-related flow fields induced by liquid hydrogen shut-off at the incipience of a suction dip. In the slosh wave excitation, both a lower gravity environment and higher flow rate before the shut-off of liquid draining are resonsible for the initiation of greater amplitude slosh waves. Slosh wave excitation, due to shut-off during liquid hydrogen draining, shift the fluid mass distribution in the container which imposes time-dependent variation in the spacecraft moment of inertia. This provides important information necessary for on-orbit guidance and attitude control of spacecraft.

Hung, R. J.↗

Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis System Development

Many industrial and commercial products operate in a dynamic flow environment and the aerodynamically generated noise has become a very important factor in the design of these products. In light of the importance in characterizing this dynamic environment, Rocketdyne has initiated a multiyear effort to develop an advanced general-purpose Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis System (CAAS) to address these issues. This system will provide a high fidelity predictive capability for aeroacoustic design and analysis. The numerical platform is able to provide high temporal and spatial accuracy that is required for aeroacoustic calculations through the development of a high order spectral element numerical algorithm. The analysis system is integrated with well-established CAE tools, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) through PATRAN, to provide cost-effective access to all of the necessary tools. These include preprocessing (geometry import, grid generation and boundary condition specification), code set up (problem specification, user parameter definition, etc.), and postprocessing. The purpose of the present paper is to assess the feasibility of such a system and to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the numerical algorithm through numerical examples. Computations of vortex shedding noise were carried out in the context of a two-dimensional low Mach number turbulent flow past a square cylinder. The computational aeroacoustic approach that is used in CAAS relies on coupling a base flow solver to the acoustic solver throughout a computational cycle. The unsteady fluid motion, which is responsible for both the generation and propagation of acoustic waves, is calculated using a high order flow solver. The results of the flow field are then passed to the acoustic solver through an interpolator to map the field values into the acoustic grid. The acoustic field, which is governed by the linearized Euler equations, is then calculated using the flow results computed from the flow solver.

Hadid, A.↗

Rotating stall suppression

Rotating stall in an axial-flow compressor is suppressed by the positioning of a fixed inlet flow divider in the annular inlet flow passage upstream of the compressor. The inlet flow divider is aligned with the flow of fluid through the duct and acts to block or interfere with any rotating wave in the inlet and thereby suppresses rotating stall in the compressor.

Moore, Franklin K.↗

Waves in low-beta plasmas - Slow shocks

Results from wave theory and numerical simulation of the nonlinear MHD equations are used to study the response of a conducting fluid containing an embedded magnetic field with beta less than 1 to the sudden injection of material along the field lines. It is shown that the injection produces slow shocks with configurations which are concave toward the ejecta driver. Fast-mode waves which have not steepened into the shock precede the slow shock and alter the ambient medium. When beta equals 0.1, the fast mode becomes a transverse wave for parallel propagation, while the slow wave approaches a longitudinal, or sound, wave.

Steinolfson, R. S.↗