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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 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Effects of buoyancy-driven flow and thermal boundary conditions on physical vapor transport

A 2D numerical model was developed in order to ascertain if reduced gravity conditions are beneficial to physical vapor transport (PVT) and to determine its tolerance limits to residual accelerations. This was solved using the PHOENICS finite-volume code. Reduction of gravitational accelerations to less than 0.1 g0 was found to be sufficient to suppress buoyancy-driven convection to an extent that diffusion was the dominant transport mode, whence a greater uniformity in the growth rate could be obtained. It is shown that a uniform temperature gradient on the ampoule walls causes the vapor to be supersaturated throughout the ampoule, potentially resulting in undesirable nucleation at the walls. A 'hump' in the wall temperature profile can be used to avoid this. The prevailing transport conditions determine the size of the hump needed.

Nadarajah, Arunan↗
NASA NTRS1992

Tilt rotor hover aeroacoustics

The methodology, results, and conclusions of a study of tilt rotor hover aeroacoustics and aerodynamics are presented. Flow visualization and hot wire velocity measurement were performed on a 1/12-scale model of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aircraft in hover. The wing and fuselage below the rotor cause a complex recirculating flow. Results indicate the physical dimensions and details of the flow including the relative unsteadiness and turbulence characteristics of the flow. Discrete frequency harmonic thickness and the loading noise mechanism were predicted using WOPWOP for the standard metal blades and the Advanced Technology Blades. The recirculating flow created by the wing below the rotor is a primary sound mechanism for a hovering tilt rotor. The effects of dynamic blade response should be included for fountain flow conditions which produce impulsive blade loading. Broadband noise mechanisms were studied using Amiet's method with azimuthally varying turbulence characteristics derived from the measurements. The recirculating fountain flow with high turbulence levels in the recirculating zone is the dominant source of broadband noise for a hovering rotor. It is shown that tilt rotor hover aeroacoustic noise mechanisms are now understood. Noise predictions can be made based on reasonably accurate aerodynamic models developed here.

Coffen, Charles David↗
NASA NTRS1985

On the nonlinear characteristics of the axisymmetric flow regime: Cylindrical and spherical systems

The physical relationship between steady axisymmetric flows that might be observed in the atmosphere and in laboratory vessels is investigated theoretically. This is accomplished by comparing both the nonlinear structure and the thermal forcing mechanisms in two truncated spectral models of flow in the atmosphere and the rotating laboratory cylinder, respectively. Under statically stable conditions, the response of the internally forced spherical model (which is developed here from a set of new orthonormal basis functions) exhibits steady behavior different from that in the externally forced cylindrical model. Two regions of multiple steady solutions occur in the cylindrical model, under stable conditions, that are not found in the spherical one. The possible physical relevance of these multiple solutions is investigated by determining their location in parameter space with respect to the classical Hadley-Rossby transition curve. The results suggest that the wave flow regime, in an annulus, might develop catastrophically when an upper symmetric flow ceases to exist.

Higgins, R. W.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Adaptive Mesh Refinement for Parallel in Time Methods

The project applied the multigrid-reduction-in-time (MGRIT) algorithm to an existing sub-cycled adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) code to investigate the performance of flows dominated by inertial physics. Previous work demonstrated good performance from MGRIT+AMR applied to flows dominated by diffusive physics. Consistent with previous experience, inertial physics negatively affected convergence rates and performance. Efforts to circumvent this issue by appealing to the physics of turbulence were investigated. It has been demonstrated that scales can be effectively transferred between multigrid levels for a turbulent flow resulting in a) partial convergence observed and b) nearly identical results to sequential time-stepping. Performance improvements have not yet been demonstrated - attempts at coarsening the grid on coarser MG levels compromises the solution quality and leads to divergence. This report summarize the accomplishments for the time-frame from 10/5/2020 to 12/31/2020 with an informal no-cost-extension to 05/20/2021

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1990

Laboratory experiments on current flow between stationary and moving electrodes in magnetoplasmas

Laboratory experiments were performed in order to investigate the basic physics of current flow between tethered electrodes in magnetoplasmas. The major findings are summarized. The experiments are performed in an effectively very large laboratory plasma in which not only the nonlinear current collection is addressed but also the propagation and spread of currents, the formation of current wings by moving electrodes, the current closure, and radiation from transmission lines. The laboratory plasma consists of a pulsed dc discharge whose Maxwellian afterglow provides a quiescent, current-free uniform background plasma. Electrodes consisting of collectors and electron emitters are inserted into the plasma and a pulsed voltage is applied between two floating electrodes via insulated transmission lines. Besides the applied current in the wire, the total current density in the plasma is obtained from space and time resolved magnetic probe measurements via Maxwell's law. Langmuir probes yield the plasma parameters.

Stenzel, Reiner L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Applying Physics-Informed Neural Networks to Solve Navier–Stokes Equations for Laminar Flow around a Particle

In recent years, Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) have drawn great interest among researchers as a tool to solve computational physics problems. Unlike conventional neural networks, which are black-box models that “blindly” establish a correlation between input and output variables using a large quantity of labeled data, PINNs directly embed physical laws (primarily partial differential equations) within the loss function of neural networks. By minimizing the loss function, this approach allows the output variables to automatically satisfy physical equations without the need for labeled data. The Navier–Stokes equation is one of the most classic governing equations in thermal fluid engineering. This study constructs a PINN to solve the Navier–Stokes equations for a 2D incompressible laminar flow problem. Flows passing around a 2D circular particle are chosen as the benchmark case, and an elliptical particle is also examined to enrich the research. The velocity and pressure fields are predicted by the PINNs, and the results are compared with those derived from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Additionally, the particle drag force coefficient is calculated to quantify the discrepancy in the results of the PINNs as compared to CFD outcomes. The drag coefficient maintained an error within 10% across all test scenarios.

Hu, Beichao (ORCID:0009000163215151)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling Data Flows with Network Calculus in Cyber-Physical Systems: Enabling Feature Analysis for Anomaly Detection Applications

The electric grid is becoming increasingly cyber-physical with the addition of smart technologies, new communication interfaces, and automated grid-support functions. Because of this, it is no longer sufficient to only study the physical system dynamics, but the cyber system must also be monitored as well to examine cyber-physical interactions and effects on the overall system. To address this gap for both operational and security needs, cyber-physical situational awareness is needed to monitor the system to detect any faults or malicious activity. Techniques and models to understand the physical system (the power system operation) exist, but methods to study the cyber system are needed, which can assist in understanding how the network traffic and changes to network conditions affect applications such as data analysis, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and anomaly detection. In this paper, we examine and develop models of data flows in communication networks of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and explore how network calculus can be utilized to develop those models for CPSs, with a focus on anomaly and intrusion detection. This provides a foundation for methods to examine how changes to behavior in the CPS can be modeled and for investigating cyber effects in CPSs in anomaly detection applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Near-cancellation of up- and down-gradient momentum transport in forced magnetized shear-flow turbulence

Visco-resistive magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, driven by a two-dimensional unstable shear layer that is maintained by an imposed body force, is examined by decomposing it into dissipationless linear eigenmodes of the initial profiles. The down-gradient momentum flux, as expected, originates from the large-scale instability. However, continual up-gradient momentum transport by large-scale linearly stable but nonlinearly excited eigenmodes is identified and found to nearly cancel the down-gradient transport by unstable modes. The stable modes effectuate this by depleting the large-scale turbulent fluctuations via energy transfer to the mean flow. This establishes a physical mechanism underlying the long-known observation that coherent vortices formed from nonlinear saturation of the instability reduce turbulent transport and fluctuations, as such vortices are composed of both the stable and unstable modes, which are nearly equal in their amplitudes. The impact of magnetic fields on the nonlinearly excited stable modes is then quantified. Furthermore, even when imposing a strong magnetic field that almost completely suppresses the instability, the up-gradient transport by the stable modes is at least two-thirds of the down-gradient transport by the unstable modes, whereas for weaker fields, this fraction reaches up to 98%. These effects are persistent with variations in magnetic Prandtl number and forcing strength. Finally, continuum modes are shown to be energetically less important, but essential for capturing the magnetic fluctuations and Maxwell stress. A simple analytical scaling law is derived for their saturated turbulent amplitudes. It predicts the falloff rate as the inverse of the Fourier wavenumber, a property which is confirmed in numerical simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2015

Implicit LES of Turbulent, Separated Flow: Wall-Mounted Hump Configuration

Direct simulations (ILES) of turbulent, separated flow over the wall-mounted hump configuration is conducted to investigate the physics of separated flows. A chord-based Reynolds number of Re(sub c) = 47,500 is set up, with a turbulent in flow of Re(sub theta) = 1,400 (theta/c = 3%). FDL3DI, a code that solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations using high- order compact-difference scheme and filter, with the standard recycling/rescaling method of turbulence generation, is used. Two different configurations of the upper-wall are analyzed, and results are compared with both a higher Re(sub c) (= 936,000, Re(sub theta) = 7,200, theta/c = 0.77%) experiment for major flow features, and RANS (k-omega SST) results. A lower Rec allows for DNS-like mesh resolution, and an adequately wide span. Both ILES and RANS show delayed reattachment compared to experiment, and significantly higher skin friction in the forebody of the hump, as expected. The upper-wall shape influences the C(sub p) distribution only. Results from this study are being used to setup higher Rec (lower theta/c) ILES.

Implicit LES↗
NASA NTRS1997

Laboratory Plasma Source as an MHD Model for Astrophysical Jets

The significance of the work described herein lies in the demonstration of Magnetized Coaxial Plasma Gun (MCG) devices like CPS-1 to produce energetic laboratory magneto-flows with embedded magnetic fields that can be used as a simulation tool to study flow interaction dynamic of jet flows, to demonstrate the magnetic acceleration and collimation of flows with primarily toroidal fields, and study cross field transport in turbulent accreting flows. Since plasma produced in MCG devices have magnetic topology and MHD flow regime similarity to stellar and extragalactic jets, we expect that careful investigation of these flows in the laboratory will reveal fundamental physical mechanisms influencing astrophysical flows. Discussion in the next section (sec.2) focuses on recent results describing collimation, leading flow surface interaction layers, and turbulent accretion. The primary objectives for a new three year effort would involve the development and deployment of novel electrostatic, magnetic, and visible plasma diagnostic techniques to measure plasma and flow parameters of the CPS-1 device in the flow chamber downstream of the plasma source to study, (1) mass ejection, morphology, and collimation and stability of energetic outflows, (2) the effects of external magnetization on collimation and stability, (3) the interaction of such flows with background neutral gas, the generation of visible emission in such interaction, and effect of neutral clouds on jet flow dynamics, and (4) the cross magnetic field transport of turbulent accreting flows. The applicability of existing laboratory plasma facilities to the study of stellar and extragalactic plasma should be exploited to elucidate underlying physical mechanisms that cannot be ascertained though astrophysical observation, and provide baseline to a wide variety of proposed models, MHD and otherwise. The work proposed herin represents a continued effort on a novel approach in relating laboratory experiments to astrophysical jet observation. There exists overwhelming similarity among these flows that has already produced some fascinating results and is expected to continue a high pay off in future flow similarity studies.

Mayo, Robert M.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deep learning interfacial momentum closures in coarse-mesh CFD two-phase flow simulation using validation data

Multiphase flow phenomena have been widely observed in the industrial applications while it remains a challenging yet unsolved problems. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approaches resolve the flow fields on a finer special and temporal scales which can complement the dedicated experimental study. However, closures have to be introduced to reflect the underlying physics in multiphase flow. Among them, the interfacial forces, including drag, lift, turbulent dispersion and wall lubrication forces, play in important role on the bubble’s distribution and migration in liquid-vapor two-phase flow. Development of those closures traditionally rely on the experimental data and analytical derivation with simplified assumptions which usually cannot deliver a universal solution across wide range of flow conditions. In this paper, a data-driven approach, named as Feature Similarity Measurement (FSM), is developed and applied to improve the simulation capability of two-phase flow with coarse-mesh CFD approach. Interfacial momentum transfer in adiabatic bubbly flow serves as the focus of the present study. Both a mature and a simplified set of interfacial closures are taken as the low fidelity data. Experimental data and fine mesh CFD simulations results are adopted as high-fidelity data. Qualitative and quantitative analysis are performed in this paper which reveals that FSM can substantially improve the prediction of coarse mesh CFD model regardless of the choice of interfacial closures and it provides scalability and consistency across discontinuous flow regimes. Furthermore, it demonstrates that data-driven method can aid the multiphase flow modeling by exploring the connections between local physical features and simulation errors.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS2014

Turbulence Modeling Verification and Validation

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software that solves the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations has been in routine use for more than a quarter of a century. It is currently employed not only for basic research in fluid dynamics, but also for the analysis and design processes in many industries worldwide, including aerospace, automotive, power generation, chemical manufacturing, polymer processing, and petroleum exploration. A key feature of RANS CFD is the turbulence model. Because the RANS equations are unclosed, a model is necessary to describe the effects of the turbulence on the mean flow, through the Reynolds stress terms. The turbulence model is one of the largest sources of uncertainty in RANS CFD, and most models are known to be flawed in one way or another. Alternative methods such as direct numerical simulations (DNS) and large eddy simulations (LES) rely less on modeling and hence include more physics than RANS. In DNS all turbulent scales are resolved, and in LES the large scales are resolved and the effects of the smallest turbulence scales are modeled. However, both DNS and LES are too expensive for most routine industrial usage on today's computers. Hybrid RANS-LES, which blends RANS near walls with LES away from walls, helps to moderate the cost while still retaining some of the scale-resolving capability of LES, but for some applications it can still be too expensive. Even considering its associated uncertainties, RANS turbulence modeling has proved to be very useful for a wide variety of applications. For example, in the aerospace field, many RANS models are considered to be reliable for computing attached flows. However, existing turbulence models are known to be inaccurate for many flows involving separation. Research has been ongoing for decades in an attempt to improve turbulence models for separated and other nonequilibrium flows. When developing or improving turbulence models, both verification and validation are important steps in the process. Verification insures that the CFD code is solving the equations as intended (no errors in the implementation). This is typically done either through the method of manufactured solutions (MMS) or through careful step-by-step comparisons with other verified codes. After the verification step is concluded, validation is performed to document the ability of the turbulence model to represent different types of flow physics. Validation can involve a large number of test case comparisons with experiments, theory, or DNS. Organized workshops have proved to be valuable resources for the turbulence modeling community in its pursuit of turbulence modeling verification and validation. Workshop contributors using different CFD codes run the same cases, often according to strict guidelines, and compare results. Through these comparisons, it is often possible to (1) identify codes that have likely implementation errors, and (2) gain insight into the capabilities and shortcomings of different turbulence models to predict the flow physics associated with particular types of flows. These are valuable lessons because they help bring consistency to CFD codes by encouraging the correction of faulty programming and facilitating the adoption of better models. They also sometimes point to specific areas needed for improvement in the models. In this paper, several recent workshops are summarized primarily from the point of view of turbulence modeling verification and validation. Furthermore, the NASA Langley Turbulence Modeling Resource website is described. The purpose of this site is to provide a central location where RANS turbulence models are documented, and test cases, grids, and data are provided. The goal of this paper is to provide an abbreviated survey of turbulence modeling verification and validation efforts, summarize some of the outcomes, and give some ideas for future endeavors in this area.

Rumsey, Christopher L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Numerical simulation of single and multiple jet interaction within a combustor

Single and multiple jet interaction in a combustor is simulated numerically to determine the effects of various k-epsilon models and boundary conditions as part of an attempt to understand the physics of the flow field inside the preburner of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. Due to the complexity of the physical and chemical phenomena involved, the model is simplified to two dimensions and a single-component nonreacting fluid. The computer code used is the modified TEACH code, which is a steady state isothermal fluid code using the SIMPLE algorithm. The physical validity and numerical accuracy of the model are established through comparisons with experimentally determined isothermal flow fields in a combustor.

Bai, S. Don↗
NASA NTRS1994

Merging Intelligent Systems Technologies with CFD Analysis Strategies: Prototype Development at NASA Ames

A collaborative team of researchers from fields of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), fluid physics, computer architectures, and computer science and knowledge engineering have begun work on a prototype system that addresses several of industry's concerns in using NASA-developed CFD codes as part of the design cycle. A major problem exists in the application of CFD technologies within the aeronautics design cycle due primarily to misunderstandings in the ranges of applicability of the various solver codes or turbulence models. Features that arise during the CFD solution process need to be discriminated and recognized as actual flow features with physical support in the geometry and flow conditions of the problem being solved, or as numerical or non-physical errors arising from mis-application of solver code and its parameters, gridding strategies, or discretization. interpolations. The fundamental concept is to develop an intelligent computational system that can accept the engineer's definition of the problem and construct an optimal CFD solution. To do this requires capturing both the knowledge of how to apply the various CFD tools and how to adapt the application of those tools to flow structures as they evolve during the flow simulation. Embedded within this adaptive system approach is the additional desire to automatically identify and quantify the quality of resolution of the pertinent flow structures, be they genuine or error-induced, and then to adjust the solution strategy accordingly. This paper discusses the status of that prototyping effort.

Thompson, David E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Numerical Simulation of Subsonic and Transonic Propeller Flow

The numerical simulation of 3-D transonic flow about a system of propeller blades is investigated. In particular, it is shown that the use of helical coordinates significantly simplifies the form of the governing equation when the propeller system is assumed to be surrounded by an irrotational flow field of an inviscid fluid. The unsteady small disturbance equation, valid for lightly loaded blades and expressed in helical coordinates, is derived from the general blade-fixed potential equation, given for an arbitrary coordinate system. The use of a coordinate system which inherently adapts to the mean flow results in a disturbance equation requiring relatively few terms to accurately model the physics of the flow. Furthermore, the helical coordinate system presented here is novel in that it is periodic in the circumferential direction while, simultaneously, maintaining orthogonal properties at the mean blade locations. The periodic characteristic allows a complete cascade of blades to be treated, and the orthogonality property affords straightforward treatment of blade boundary conditions. An ADI numerical scheme is used to compute the solution of the steady flow as an asymptotic limit of an unsteady flow. As an example of the method, solutions are presented for subsonic and transonic flow about a 5 percent thick bicircular arc blade of an 8-bladed cascade. Both high and low advance ratio cases are computed and include a lifting as well as nonlifting cases. The nonlifting solutions obtained are compared to solutions from a Euler code.

Snyder, Aaron↗