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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 577 records · Page 32

Modeling Boundary-Layer Transition in Subsonic Flow over a Swept Wing

Predicting the onset of boundary-layer transition is often more accurate using physics-based models that directly compute disturbance growth rather than phenomenological models often implemented into industrial CFD codes. The aim of this ongoing study is to calibrate linear, physics-based computations of transition in subsonic flows over swept wings against a large set of experimental data. Advancing the calibration of linear models of transition contributes to the CFD-Vision-2030 goal of automated boundary-layer transition prediction. This progress report uses the dual N-factor method to model transition over the swept NACA 64-2-015A wing. The flow conditions match selected test conditions from an extensive experimental dataset acquired from the NASA Ames 12-ft Pressure Tunnel. The OVERFLOW 2.4b flow solver is used to obtain laminar basic states based on an infinite-span assumption. Stability analyses are performed on 365 distinct configurations with linear stability theory (LST) and parabolized stability equations (PSE) from the Langley Stability and Transition Analysis Codes (LASTRAC), modeling the growth of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) and stationary crossflow (SCF) disturbances. From a total of 67 data points for unswept, i.e., TS-dominant configurations, the critical N-factor based on PSE is found to be N_TS = 9. The SCF critical N-factor is found to be near 8 for the highly swept, SCF-dominant configurations. Dual N-factor curves for both LST and PSE computations demonstrate a high level of interaction between TS and SCF. It may be worthwhile to investigate an alternate metric to visualize maximal SCF amplification upstream of the transition location to account for the growth of SCF modes near the leading edge, which is not considered in the conventional applications of the dual N-factor criterion.

computational modeling↗

Second-order small disturbance theory for hypersonic flow over power-law bodies

A mathematical method for determining the flow field about power-law bodies in hypersonic flow conditions is developed. The second-order solutions, which reflect the effects of the second-order terms in the equations, are obtained by applying the method of small perturbations in terms of body slenderness parameter to the zeroth-order solutions. The method is applied by writing each flow variable as the sum of a zeroth-order and a perturbation function, each multiplied by the axial variable raised to a power. The similarity solutions are developed for infinite Mach number. All results obtained are for no flow through the body surface (as a boundary condition), but the derivation indicates that small amounts of blowing or suction through the wall can be accommodated.

Townsend, J. C.↗

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including Limit Cycle Oscillation behavior.

Edwards, John W.↗

MAVRIC Flutter Model Transonic Limit Cycle Oscillation Test

The Models for Aeroelastic Validation Research Involving Computation semi-span wind-tunnel model (MAVRIC-I), a business jet wing-fuselage flutter model, was tested in NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel with the goal of obtaining experimental data suitable for Computational Aeroelasticity code validation at transonic separation onset conditions. This research model is notable for its inexpensive construction and instrumentation installation procedures. Unsteady pressures and wing responses were obtained for three wingtip configurations of clean, tipstore, and winglet. Traditional flutter boundaries were measured over the range of M = 0.6 to 0.9 and maps of Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) behavior were made in the range of M = 0.85 to 0.95. Effects of dynamic pressure and angle-of-attack were measured. Testing in both R134a heavy gas and air provided unique data on Reynolds number, transition effects, and the effect of speed of sound on LCO behavior. The data set provides excellent code validation test cases for the important class of flow conditions involving shock-induced transonic flow separation onset at low wing angles, including LCO behavior.

Edwards, John W.↗

Test and Analysis of Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Ablative Materials

Asbestos free solid motor internal insulation samples were tested at the MSFC Hyperthermal Facility. Objectives of the test were to gather data for analog characterization of ablative and in-depth thermal performance of rubber materials subject to high enthalpy/pressure flow conditions. Tests were conducted over a range of convective heat fluxes for both inert and chemically reactive sub-sonic free stream gas flow. Instrumentation included use of total calorimeters, thermocouples, and a surface pyrometer for surface temperature measurement. Post-test sample forensics involved measurement of eroded depth, charred depth, total sample weight loss, and documentation of the general condition of the eroded profile. A complete Charring Material Ablator (CMA) style aero-thermal analysis was conducted for the test matrix and results compared to the measured data. In general, comparisons were possible for a number of the cases and the results show a limited predictive ability to model accurately both the ablative response and the in-depth temperature profiles. Lessons learned and modeling recommendations are made regarding future testing and modeling improvements that will increase understanding of the basic chemistry/physics associated with the complicated material ablation process of rubber materials.

Clayton, J. Louie↗

Development of global/chemistry model for jet-fuel thermal stability based on observations from static and flowing experiments

Two global-chemistry models for oxidative deposition of jet fuels are evaluated by integrating them into a Computational Fluid Dynamics with Chemistry (CFDC) code. A previously developed two-step global-chemistry model was found to be insufficient to describe the thermal-oxidation and -deposition rates associated with a Jet-A fuel. A new global-chemistry model has been developed systematically based on observations from flowing and static experiments. The global-autoxidation reaction is modified such that the reaction rate becomes zeroth-order with respect to the dissolved oxygen concentration. The generation of deposit-forming precursor is coupled with the autoxidation reaction by introducing a radical species ROO. A formulation for the sticking probability has also been developed. Deposition profiles are well represented by this new model under a variety of temperature and flow conditions. The model correctly predicts the changes in magnitude and spatial location of the deposition peak due to changes in flow. The CFDC model, which is designed for flowing systems, has been extended to static experiments. The model incorporates a non-depleting species F(sub s) representing all non-oxygen compounds responsible for deposition. Static experiments were found to provide a useful and inexpensive method for estimating the concentration of F(sub s) in the fuel.

V. R. Katta↗

A Spreadsheet for the Mixing of a Row of Jets with a Confined Crossflow

An interactive computer code, written with a readily available software program, Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) is presented which displays 3 D oblique plots of a conserved scalar distribution downstream of jets mixing with a confined crossflow, for a single row, double rows, or opposed rows of jets with or without flow area convergence and/or a non-uniform crossflow scalar distribution. This project used a previously developed empirical model of jets mixing in a confined crossflow to create an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that can output the profiles of a conserved scalar for jets injected into a confined crossflow given several input variables. The program uses multiple spreadsheets in a single Microsoft Excel notebook to carry out the modeling. The first sheet contains the main program, controls for the type of problem to be solved, and convergence criteria. The first sheet also provides for input of the specific geometry and flow conditions. The second sheet presents the results calculated with this routine to show the effects on the mixing of varying flow and geometric parameters. Comparisons are also made between results from the version of the empirical correlations implemented in the spreadsheet and the versions originally written in Applesoft BASIC (Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA) in the 1980's.

J D Holderman↗

A Spreadsheet for the Mixing of a Row of Jets with a Confined Crossflow

An interactive computer code, written with a readily available software program, Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) is presented which displays 3 D oblique plots of a conserved scalar distribution downstream of jets mixing with a confined crossflow, for a single row, double rows, or opposed rows of jets with or without flow area convergence and/or a non-uniform crossflow scalar distribution. This project used a previously developed empirical model of jets mixing in a confined crossflow to create an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that can output the profiles of a conserved scalar for jets injected into a confined crossflow given several input variables. The program uses multiple spreadsheets in a single Microsoft Excel notebook to carry out the modeling. The first sheet contains the main program, controls for the type of problem to be solved, and convergence criteria. The first sheet also provides for input of the specific geometry and flow conditions. The second sheet presents the results calculated with this routine to show the effects on the mixing of varying flow and geometric parameters. Comparisons are also made between results from the version of the empirical correlations implemented in the spreadsheet and the versions originally written in Applesoft BASIC (Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA) in the 1980's.

J D Holderman↗

Intelligent Flow Control Valve

The present invention is an intelligent flow control valve which may be inserted into the flow coming out of a pipe and activated to provide a method to stop, measure, and meter flow coming from the open or possibly broken pipe. The intelligent flow control valve may be used to stop the flow while repairs are made. Once repairs have been made, the valve may be removed or used as a control valve to meter the amount of flow from inside the pipe. With the addition of instrumentation, the valve may also be used as a variable area flow meter and flow controller programmed based upon flowing conditions. With robotic additions, the valve may be configured to crawl into a desired pipe location, anchor itself, and activate flow control or metering remotely.

Kelley, Anthony R↗

Wall-modeled LES of Flow Over a Gaussian Bump

We perform wall-modeled large eddy simulations (WMLES) of turbulent flow over a Gaussian-shaped bump geometry, to assess its performance in the accelerating and separation regions of the flow. The flow conditions are based on the ongoing CFD validation experiments of Slotnick [NATO STO-MP-AVT-307, 2019]. The oncoming flow Mach number is 0.176, and two Reynolds numbers are simulated that are about 10000 and 36000 based on boundary layer thickness upstream of the bump. Preliminary Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations are first performed to assess the effects of Mach number, Reynolds number, tunnel top and sidewall effects. Finally, WMLES results with an equilibrium wall model will be presented at two Reynolds numbers to assess their performance for this flow by making detailed comparisons with available experimental and higher-fidelity numerical data.

turbulence, wall model, large eddy simulation↗

Arc Jet Test and Analysis of Asbestos Free Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Dome Ablative Materials

Asbestos free solid motor internal insulation samples were recently tested at the MSFC Hyperthermal Arc Jet Facility. Objectives of the test were to gather data for solid rocket motor analog characterization of ablative and in-depth thermal performance of rubber materials subject to high enthalpy/pressure flow conditions. Tests were conducted over a range of convective heat fluxes for both inert and chemically reactive sub-sonic free stream gas flow. Active instrumentation included use of total calorimeters, in-depth thermocouples, and a surface pyrometer for in-situ surface temperature measurement. Post-test sample forensics involved determination of eroded depth, charred depth, total sample weight loss, and documentation of the general condition of the eroded profile. A complete Charring Material Ablator (CMA) style aero thermal analysis was conducted for the test matrix and results compared to the measured data. In general, comparisons were possible for a number of the cases and the results show a limited predictive ability to model accurately both the ablative response and the in-depth temperature profiles. Lessons learned and modeling recommendations are made regarding future testing and modeling improvements that will increase understanding of the basic chemistry/physics associated with the complicated material ablation process of rubber materials.

Clayton, J. Louie↗

Coolant passage heat transfer with rotation

In current and advanced gas turbine engines, increased speeds, pressures and temperatures are used to reduce specific fuel consumption and increase thrust/weight ratios. Hence, the turbine airfoils are subjected to increased heat loads escalating the cooling requirements to satisfy life goals. The efficient use of cooling air requires that the details of local geometry and flow conditions be adequately modeled to predict local heat loads and the corresponding heat transfer coefficients. The objective of this program is to develop a heat transfer and pressure drop data base, computational fluid dynamic techniques and correlations for multi-pass rotating coolant passages with and without flow turbulators. The experimental effort is focused on the simulation of configurations and conditions expected in the blades of advanced aircraft high pressure turbines. With the use of this data base, the effects of Coriolis and buoyancy forces on the coolant side flow can be included in the design of turbine blades.

Hajek, T. J.↗

Scaling and Similitude in Single Nozzle Supersonic Retropropulsion Aerodynamics Interference

Retropropulsion, or the firing of rocket engines or motors into the direction of flight, is a method of spacecraft deceleration and soft landing that dates back to the early 1960s. Current conceptual designs for landing humans on the surface of Mars require supersonic retropropulsion, or initiation of retropropulsion at supersonic freestream conditions, as part of an extended powered descent phase of flight. The objective of this work is to identify the design parameters and flow condition bounds for self-similar behavior of powered descent aerodynamic interference in relevant flight environments. In applications of sub-scale test data, an “unknown” uncertainty lies in scaling to and from full-scale environments and systems. The issue of scaling for the opposing flows characteristic of powered descent is the focus of the following analysis, using data from wind tunnel testing of figurations with a single, central nozzle as a point of departure.

Korzun, Ashley M.↗

An inverse inviscid method for the design of quasi-three dimensional rotating turbomachinery cascades

A new inverse inviscid method suitable for the design of rotating blade sections lying on an arbitrary axisymmetric stream-surface with varying streamtube width is presented. The geometry of the axisymmetric stream-surface and the streamtube width variation with meridional distance, the number of blades, the inlet flow conditions, the rotational speed and the suction and pressure side velocity distributions as functions of the normalized arc-length are given. The flow is considered irrotational in the absolute frame of reference and compressible. The output of the computation is the blade section that satisfies the above data. The method solves the flow equations on a (phi 1, psi) potential function-streamfunction plane for the velocity modulus, W and the flow angle beta; the blade section shape can then be obtained as part of the physical plane geometry by integrating the flow angle distribution along streamlines. The (phi 1, psi) plane is defined so that the monotonic behavior of the potential function is guaranteed, even in cases with high peripheral velocities. The method is validated on a rotating turbine case and used to design new blades. To obtain a closed blade, a set of closure conditions were developed and referred.

Bonataki, E.↗

Low Reynolds number kappa-epsilon and empirical transition models for oscillatory pipe flow and heat transfer

Stirling engine heat exchangers are shell-and-tube type with oscillatory flow (zero-mean velocity) for the inner fluid. This heat transfer process involves laminar-transition turbulent flow motions under oscillatory flow conditions. A low Reynolds number kappa-epsilon model, (Lam-Bremhorst form), was utilized in the present study to simulate fluid flow and heat transfer in a circular tube. An empirical transition model was used to activate the low Reynolds number k-e model at the appropriate time within the cycle for a given axial location within the tube. The computational results were compared with experimental flow and heat transfer data for: (1) velocity profiles, (2) kinetic energy of turbulence, (3) skin friction factor, (4) temperature profiles, and (5) wall heat flux. The experimental data were obtained for flow in a tube (38 mm diameter and 60 diameter long), with the maximum Reynolds number based on velocity being Re(sub max) = 11840, a dimensionless frequency (Valensi number) of Va = 80.2, at three axial locations X/D = 16, 30 and 44. The agreement between the computations and the experiment is excellent in the laminar portion of the cycle and good in the turbulent portion. Moreover, the location of transition was predicted accurately. The Low Reynolds Number kappa-epsilon model, together with an empirical transition model, is proposed herein to generate the wall heat flux values at different operating parameters than the experimental conditions. Those computational data can be used for testing the much simpler and less accurate one dimensional models utilized in 1-D Stirling Engine design codes.

Bauer, Christopher↗

Significance of turbulence and transition location on radiative heating with ablation injection

This paper presents forebody flowfield solutions for Jupiter entry conditions where the ablation injection rate is coupled with the surface heating rate. The calculations are made with a time-dependent viscous-shock-layer analysis where the flow is assumed to be in chemical equilibrium. Both laminar and turbulent solutions are presented to describe the impact of turbulence on surface mass loss rates for flow conditions where the heating is due primarily to radiation. Results are also presented where the transition location to turbulent flow is arbitrarily varied. Results show that the radiative heating rate values based on several downstream transition locations adjust quickly to the corresponding values based on transition near the stagnation point.

Moss, J. N.↗