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At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Effects of turbulence and number density on the drag coefficient of droplets

Droplet drag coefficients for polydispersed drops are determined via the behavior of drops decelerating on the stagnation streamline of a cylinder with an afterbody mounted in a wind tunnel test section. A variety of velocity, turbulence levels, and droplet number densities were studied. A force balance equation technique was used to determine drag coefficient. For the levels of number density, up to 700/cc, and turbulence, up to about 7 percent, no definite effects were seen. However, the smallest drops in the high turbulence case showed some evidence of drop-turbulence and/or drop-drop interactions. The drag results that were developed for this set of measurements agreed well with other empirical relations previously determined.

Rudoff, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Analysis and design of planar and non-planar wings for induced drag minimization

The goal of the work was to develop and validate computational tools to be used for the design of planar and non-planar wing geometries for minimum induced drag. Because of the iterative nature of the design problem, it is important that, in addition to being sufficiently accurate for the problem at hand, they are reasonably fast and computationally efficient. Toward this end, a method of predicting induced drag in the presence of a non-rigid wake is coupled with a panel method. The induced drag prediction technique is based on the Kutta-Joukowski law applied at the trailing edge. Until recently, the use of this method has not been fully explored and pressure integration and Trefftz-plane calculations favored. As is shown in this report, however, the Kutta-Joukowski method is able to give better results for a given amount of effort than the more common techniques, particularly when relaxed wakes and non-planar wing geometries are considered. Using these tools, a workable design method is in place which takes into account relaxed wakes and non-planar wing geometries. It is recommended that this method be used to design a wind-tunnel experiment to verify the predicted aerodynamic benefits of non-planar wing geometries.

Mortara, K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Study of turbulence structure through numerical simulations: The perspective of drag and reduction

The first part of this note concerns organized structures in the near-wall region of a turbulent boundary layer. A particular emphasis is given to those organized motions believed to be responsible for the turbulence production process in the wall region, and hence, indirectly responsible for the viscous drag. Examples are selected to illustrate how the analyses of numerically generated databases have contributed to improve our understanding of the organized structures of turbulent boundary layers. In the second part, results from an exploratory study based on the direct numerical simulation of the concepts for active control of turbulent boundary layers are presented. A significant drag reduction is achieved when the surface boundary condition is modified such that it could suppress the organized motion in the wall region. This drag reduction is accompanied by a significant reduction in the intensity of the organized structures and in the magnitude of Reynolds stresses throughout the flow.

Kim, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Experimental and computational ice shapes and resulting drag increase for a NACA 0012 airfoil

Tests were conducted in the Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) at LeRC to document the repeatability of the ice shape over the range of temperatures varying from -15 to 28 F. Measurements of drag increase due to the ice accretion were also made. The ice shape and drag coefficient data, with varying total temperatures at two different airspeeds, were compared with the computational predictions. The calculations were made with the 2D LEWICE/IBL code which is a combined code of LEWICE and the interactive boundary layer method developed for iced airfoils. Comparisons show good agreement with the experimental data in ice shapes. The calculations show the ability of the code to predict drag increases as the ice shape changes from a rime shape to a glaze shape.

Shin, Jaiwon↗
NASA NTRS1992

A method for designing blended wing-body configurations for low wave drag

A procedure for tailoring a blended wing-body configuration to reduce its computed wave drag is described. The method utilizes an iterative algorithm within the framework of first-order linear theory. Four computed examples are included. In each case, the zero-lift wave drag was reduced without an increase in the drag due to lift.

Barger, Raymond L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Simulation of GRM drag compensation system

NASA's Geopotential Research Mission (GRM) was proposed in 1986 for globally determining the earth's gravitational and magnetic fields with high precision via full earth coverage polar-orbit satellites. In the GRM system, at least one of the two satellites was required to be stationed in a low-altitude, 160-km orbit subject to atmospheric drag effects that could both corrupt gravity measurements and reduce the satellite's lifetime. The Disturbance Compensation System, 'DISCOS', was incorporated to select a drag-free orbit during the active portion of GRM satellite operations by firing thrusters that offset the effects of disturbances. A drag-free thruster algorithm has been created to simulate the DISCOS system; simulation results are presented.

Antreasian, Peter G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

On the drag of model dendrite fragments at low Reynolds number

An experimental study of low Reynolds number drag on laboratory models of dendrite fragments has been conducted. The terminal velocities of the dendrites undergoing free fall along their axis of symmetry were measured in a large Stokes flow facility. Corrections for wall interference give nearly linear drag vs Reynolds number curves. Corrections for both wall interference and inertia effects show that the dendrite Stokes settling velocities are always less than that of a sphere of equal mass and volume. In the Stokes limit, the settling speed ratio is found to correlate well with the primary dendrite arm aspect ratio and a second dimensionless shape parameter which serves as a measure of the fractal-like nature of the dendrite models. These results can be used to estimate equiaxed grain velocities and distance of travel in metal castings. The drag measurements may be used in numerical codes to calculate the movement of grains in a convecting melt in an effort to determine macrosegregation patterns caused by the sink/float mechanism.

Zakhem, R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

On the drag of model dendrite fragments at low Reynolds number

An experimental study of low Reynolds number drag on laboratory models of dendrite fragments has been conducted. The terminal velocities of the dendrites undergoing free fall along their axis of symmetry were measured in a large Stokes flow facility. Corrections for wall interference give nearly linear drag vs Reynolds number curves. Corrections for both wall interference and inertia effects show that the dendrite Stokes settling velocities are always less than that of a sphere of equal mass and volume. In the Stokes limit, the settling speed ratio is found to correlate well with primary dendrite arm aspect ratio and a second dimensionless shape paremeter which serves as a measure of the fractal-like nature of the dendrite models. These results can be used to estimate equiaxed grain velocities and distance of travel in metal castings. The drag measurements may be used in numerical codes to calculate the movement of grains in a convecting melt in an effort to determine macrosegregation patterns caused by the sink/float mechanism.

Zakhem, R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Experimental and computational ice shapes and resulting drag increase for a NACA 0012 airfoil

Tests were conducted in the Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) at the NASA Lewis Research Center to document the repeatability of the ice shape over the range of temperatures varying from -15 F to 28 F. Measurements of drag increase due to the ice accretion were also made. The ice shape and drag coefficient data, with varying total temperatures at two different airspeeds, were compared with the computational predictions. The calculations were made with the 2D LEWICE/IBL code which is a combined code of LEWICE and the interactive boundary layer method developed for iced airfoils. Comparisons show good agreement with the experimental data in ice shapes. The calculations show the ability of the code to predict drag increases as the ice shape changes from a rime shape to a glaze shape.

Shin, Jaiwon↗
NASA NTRS1993

Drag coefficients for winter Antarctic pack ice

Air-ice and ice-water drag coefficients referenced to 10-m-height winds for winter Antarctic pack ice based on measurements made from R/V Polarstern during the Winter Weddell Sea Project, 1986 (WWSP-86), and from R/V Akademik Fedorov during the Winter Weddell Gyre Study, 1989 (WWGS-89), are presented. The optimal values of the air-ice drag coefficients, made from turbulent flux measurements, are (1.79 +/- 0.06) x 10 exp -3 for WWSP-86 and (1.45 +/- 0.09) x 10 exp -3 for WWGS-89. A single ice-water drag coefficient for both WWSP-86 and WWGS-89, estimated from periods of ice drift throught to represent free-drift conditions, is (1.13 +/- 0.26) x 10 exp -3, and the ice-water turning angle is 18 +/- 18 deg. It is suggested that for a typical Antarctic winter pack ice cover, the ice cover reduces the momentum flux from the atmosphere to the ocean by about 33 percent.

Wamser, Christian↗
NASA NTRS1924

Induced drag of multiplanes

The most important part of the resistance or drag of a wing system,the induced drag, can be calculated theoretically, when the distribution of lift on the individual wings is known. The calculation is based upon the assumption that the lift on the wings is distributed along the wing in proportion to the ordinates of a semi-ellipse. Formulas and numerical tables are given for calculating the drag. In this connection, the most favorable arrangements of biplanes and triplanes are discussed and the results are further elucidated by means of numerical examples.

Prandtl, L↗
NASA NTRS1931

Interference Effects and Drag of Struts on a Monoplane Wing

Tests were conducted in the Variable Density Wind Tunnel of the NACA to determine the importance of the interference effects and drag of struts on a monoplane. Inclined struts were placed upon a Gottingen 387 airfoil in the lower surface positions and in two upper surface positions. Tests were made at values of Reynolds Number comparable with those obtained in flight. It was found that the interference drag of struts may be as great as the drag of the struts alone.

Ward, Kenneth E↗
NASA NTRS1938

Hydrodynamic and Aerodynamic Tests of Models of Flying-boat Hulls Designed Flow Aerodynamic Drag - NACA Models 74, 74-A, and 75

The present tests illustrate how the aerodynamic drag of a flying boat hull may be reduced by following closely the form of a low drag aerodynamic body and the manner in which the extent of the aerodynamic refinement is limited by poorer hydrodynamic performance. This limit is not sharply defined but is first evidenced by an abnormal flow of water over certain parts of the form accompanied by a sharp increase in resistance. In the case of models 74-A and 75, the resistance (sticking) occurs only at certain combinations of speed, load, and trim and can be avoided by proper control of the trim at high water speeds. Model 75 has higher water resistance at very high speeds than does model 74-A. With constant speed propellers and high takeoff speeds, it appears that the form of model 75 would give slightly better takeoff performance. Model 74-A, however, has lower aerodynamic drag than does model 75 for the same volume of hull.

Truscott, Starr↗
NASA NTRS1951

Theoretical and experimental investigation of additive drag

The significance of additive drag is discussed and equations for determining its approximate value are derived. Charts are presented giving values of additive drag for open-nose inlets and for annular-nose inlets with conical flow at the inlet. The effects of variable inlet total-pressure recovery and static pressures on the center body are investigated, and an analytical method of predicting the variation of pressure on the center body with mass-flow ratio is given. Experimental values of additive drag are compared with values predicted by the methods.

AIR INLETS↗
NASA NTRS1951

Flight Investigation of the Drag of Round-nosed Bodies of Revolution at Mach Numbers from 0.6 to 1.5 Using Rocket-propelled Test Vehicles

Values of total drag coefficient were measured for four round-nosed bodies of revolution in free flight at Mach numbers from 0.6 to 1.5 and Reynolds numbers from 10 x 10(6) to 50 x 10(6). The bodies were designed by rounding off the sharp, fineness-ratio-3.56 nose of a previously tested configuration. The nose radii tested were 27.4, 38.7, 80.6, and 100 percent of the maximum body radius and corresponded to values of 0.075, 0.150, 0.650, and 1.000, respectively, for the ratio of nose-sphere frontal area to body frontal area. The body having least bluntness did not differ appreciably in drag from the pointed-nose body. The others showed marked increases in supersonic drag with increasing bluntness. (author)

Hart, Roger G↗
NASA NTRS1952

Longitudinal Stability and Drag Characteristics at Mach Numbers from 0.70 to 1.37 of Rocket-propelled Models Having a Modified Triangular Wing

A modified triangular wing of aspect ratio 2.53 having an airfoil section 3.7 percent thick at the root and 5.98 percent thick at the tip was designed in an attempt to improve the lift and drag characteristics of triangular wings. Free-flight drag and stability tests were made using rocket-propelled models equipped with the modified wing. The Mach number range of the test was from 0.70 to 1.37. Test results indicated the following: The lift-curve slope of wing plus fuselage approaches the theoretical value of wing alone at supersonic Mach numbers. The drag coefficient, based on total wing area, for wing plus interference was approximately 0.0035 at subsonic Mach numbers and 0.0080 at supersonic Mach numbers. The maximum shift in aerodynamic center for the complete configuration was 14 percent in the rearward direction from the forward position of 51.5 percent of mean aerodynamic chord at subsonic Mach numbers. The variation of lift and moment with angle of attack was linear at supersonic Mach numbers for the range of coefficients covered in the test. The high value of lift-curve slope was considered to be a significant result attributable to the wing modifications.

Chapman, Rowe, Jr↗
NASA NTRS1954

Experimental Effects of Propulsive Jets and Afterbody Configurations on the Zero-lift Drag of Bodies of Revolution at a Mach Number of 1.59

The present investigation was made at a free-stream Mach number of 1.59 to compare the afterbody drags to a series of conical boattailed models at zero angle of attack. Afterbody drags were obtained for both the power-off and the power-on conditions. Power-on drags were obtained as a function of afterbody fineness ratio, jet pressure ratio and divergence, and jet Mach number.

De Moraes, Carlos A↗