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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 901 records · Page 50
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Flow Quality and Boundary Layer Transition

The widely held view is that transition to turbulence in the Blasius boundary layer occurs via amplification and eventual nonlinear breakdown of initially small amplitude instabilities i.e. Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. However this scenario is only observed for low amplitude free-stream turbulence levels, i.e. u/U < 0.1%. Bypass of linear TS instability mechanism occurs for higher EST levels, yet considerable differences exist between the few experiments carefully designed to assess the effect of EST on transition. The consensus is that EST leads to longitudinal streaks that form near the leading edge in the boundary layer . These streaks appeal to be regions of concentrated streamwise vorticity and they are often referred to as Klebanoff modes. The importance of mean flow free-stream nonuniformity (FSN) is not as widely appreciated as EST for characterizing wind tunnel flow quality. Here it is shown that, although the v like generated by a d=50micron wire located upstream of the contraction (Re(sub d)=6.6, x/d=45,000) is immeasurably small by the time it interacts with the leading edge in the test section, it is responsible for generation of a pair of weak streamwise vortices in the boundary layer downstream. The characteristics of these wake-induced vortices and their effect on TS waves are demonstrated. Small remnant FSN variations are also shown to exist downstream of a turbulence grid. The question arises Are the adverse effects introduced by the turbulence grid caused by FST or by small remnant FSN variations?

Watmuff, Jonathan H↗
NASA NTRS2012

In-Flight Boundary-Layer Transition of a Large Flat Plate at Supersonic Speeds

A flight experiment was conducted to investigate the pressure distribution, local-flow conditions, and boundary-layer transition characteristics on a large flat plate in flight at supersonic speeds up to Mach 2.00. The tests used a NASA testbed aircraft with a bottom centerline mounted test fixture. The primary objective of the test was to characterize the local flow field in preparation for future tests of a high Reynolds number natural laminar flow test article. A second objective was to determine the boundary-layer transition characteristics on the flat plate and the effectiveness of using a simplified surface coating. Boundary-layer transition was captured in both analog and digital formats using an onboard infrared imaging system. Surface pressures were measured on the surface of the flat plate. Flow field measurements near the leading edge of the test fixture revealed the local flow characteristics including downwash, sidewash, and local Mach number. Results also indicated that the simplified surface coating did not provide sufficient insulation from the metallic structure, which likely had a substantial effect on boundary-layer transition compared with that of an adiabatic surface. Cold wall conditions were predominant during the acceleration to maximum Mach number, and warm wall conditions were evident during the subsequent deceleration.

Banks, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the hypersonic turbulent boundary layer subject to normal and longitudinal pressure gradients and cross flow along a windward plane of symmetry.

A theoretical and experimental investigation for the hypersonic turbulent boundary layer undergoing both normal and longitudinal pressure gradients and cross flow along the plane of symmetry on the windward side of a body of revolution is presented. The purpose of this investigation is to provide a method for calculating boundary layers that occur on the centerline of symmetry of an inlet. The three-dimensional compressible integral equations are written along the symmetry plane and integrated numerically, and the effect of the cross flow on the behavior of the boundary layer is also studied. The experiments were performed at Mach number 6 and Reynolds number of 44,000,000/ft for the axisymmetric case and for the case with cross flow. The velocity profiles and the boundary layer parameters agree relatively well with theoretical values with and without cross flow effects. The presence of the cross flow alters significantly the value of the profiles. Total temperature-velocity correlations deviate from the linear Crocco distribution. Heat transfer rates agree with theoretical values and values obtained by the flat plate reference enthalpy method. Cross flow influence on the heat transfer rates is of minor relevance.

Zakkay, V.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Experiment on the turbulent boundary layer over convex walls and its recovery to flat-wall conditions

The experiments were performed at a ratio of the thickness at which velocity is 99% of the potential flow velocity to the surface radius of curvature of about 0.09 on a convex wall, where the curvature effects are strong. The data show that a flat-wall boundary layer is strongly affected by curvature only a few boundary layer thicknesses downstream of the start of convex curvature. On the other hand, in flow over a flat surface downstream of convex curvature, the effects of curvature persist downstream for ten or more boundary layer thicknesses. It appears that the boundary layer over a convex wall may have a multilayer character which is slow to return to normal, flat-plate equilibrium.

Gillis, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Surface-cooling effects on compressible boundary-layer instability, and on upstream influence

The influence of surface cooling on compressible boundary-layer instability is discussed theoretically for both viscous and inviscid modes, at high Reynolds numbers, with related questions on upstream influence being considered in an Appendix. The cooling enhances the surface heat transfer and velocity gradient, crating a high-heat-transfer sublayer. This has the effect of distorting and accentuating the viscous Tollmien-Schlichting modes to such an extent that their spatial growth rates becomes comparable with, and can even exceed, the growth rates of inviscid modes, including those found previously. This is for moderate cooling, and it applies at any Mach number. In addition, the moderate cooling destabilizes otherwise stable viscous or inviscid modes, in particular triggering outward-traveling waves at the edge of the boundary layer in the supersonic regime. Severe cooling is also discussed as it brings compressible dynamics directly into play within the viscous sublayer. All the new cooled modes found involve the heat-transfer sublayer quite actively, and they are often multistructured in form and may be distinct from those observed in previous computational and experimental investigations. The corresponding nonlinear processes are also pointed out with regard to transition in the cooled compressible boundary layer. Finally, comparisons with Lysenko and Maslov's (1984) experiments on surface cooling are presented.

Seddougui, S. O.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Radiative control on tropical convective boundary layer equilibrium

How the near-balance between the radiative cooling and the surface fluxes in the tropics controls boundary layer, the height of cloud-base and the top of the convective boundary layer over the tropical oceans is discussed. The impact of boundary layer cloudiness and upper level moisture on the equilibrium solutions is explored.

Betts, Alan K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Factors influencing the marine boundary layer during a cold-air outbreak

The model for the cloud-topped marine boundary layer during a cold air outbreak developed by Stage and Businger (1981a) is used in conjunction with a test profile based on a fall outbreak episode over Lake Ontario to study factors influencing marine boundary-layer evolution. Sensitivity tests are done which show changes in layer evolution resulting from variation of wind speed, radiative sky temperature, water surface temperature, humidity of the shoreline sounding and divergence. The behavior of the layer in the presence of a region of cold-water upwelling near the shore is also investigated. It is found that the main effect of the upwelling region is to delay modification of the boundary-layer air.

Stage, S. A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Seasonal Snow-Cover Change on the Observed and Simulated State of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer in a High-Altitude Mountain Valley

The structure and evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) under clear-sky fair weather conditions over mountainous terrain is dominated by the diurnal cycle of the surface energy balance and thus strongly depends on surface snow cover. We use data from three passive ground-based infrared spectrometers deployed in the East River Valley in Colorado's Rocky Mountains to investigate the response of the thermal ABL structure to changes in surface energy balance during the seasonal transition from low to high snow cover. Temperature profiles were retrieved from the infrared radiances using the optimal estimation physical retrieval Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation. A nocturnal surface inversion formed in the valley during clear-sky days, which was subsequently mixed out during daytime with the development of a convective boundary layer when snow cover was low. Over high snow cover, a very shallow convective boundary layer formed, above which the inversion persisted through the daytime hours. We compare these observations to NOAA's operational High-Resolution-Rapid-Refresh model and find large warm biases on clear-sky days resulting from the model's inability to form strong nocturnal inversions and to maintain the stable stratification in the valley during daytime when there was snow on the ground. We suggest several factors contributing to the large model errors. These are (a) the inability of the model to represent well-developed thermally driven flows likely due to the too coarse horizontal grid spacing (3 km), (b) too much convective mixing during daytime, and (c) too strong vertical coupling between the valley atmosphere and the free troposphere.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2019

Large-Scale Boundary Layer Ingesting Propulsor Research

_NASA's Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project is investigating boundary layer ingesting (BLI) propulsors for advanced subsonic commercial vehicle concepts to enable the reduction of fuel burn. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from NASA, United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), Virginia Polytechnic University, and the Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex developed and tested an embedded BLI inlet and distortion-tolerant fan (BLI2DTF) system in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) 8-foot by 6-foot (8x6) transonic wind tunnel. The test demonstrated the component performance goals necessary for an overall fuel burn reduction of 3 to 5 percent on a large hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft. Special test equipment, including a raised floor with flow effectors and a bleed system, was developed for use in the 8x6 to produce the appropriate incoming boundary layer representative of an HWB application. Detailed measurements were made to determine the inlet total pressure loss and distortion, fan stage efficiency, and aeromechanic performance including blade vibration stress and displacement response. Results from this test were used as input to a vehicle-level system study performed by the AATT project to assess the impact of BLI on an alternative advanced concept aircraft referred to as the NASA D8 (ND8), which is somewhat similar to the HWB in its integration of the propulsor. This paper will provide an overview of the project timeline, special test equipment needed in the wind tunnel to develop the appropriate incoming boundary layer, and the difficulties in designing a propulsor for the test. The paper will conclude with some representative aerodynamic and aeromechanic data from the test itself and conclude with how this data was used in the ND8 system study.

Celestina, Mark L.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Neural operator prediction of linear instability waves in high-speed boundary layers

Here, we investigate if neural operators can predict the linear evolution of instability waves in high-speed boundary layers. To this end, we extend the design of the DeepOnet to ensure accurate and robust predictions, and also to perform data assimilation. In particular, we train DeepONet to take as inputs an upstream disturbance and a downstream location of interest, and to provide as output the perturbation field downstream in the boundary layer. DeepONet thus approximates the linearized and parabolized Navier-Stokes operator for this flow. For successful application to the high-speed boundary layer problem, we add sample weighting and Fourier input features to the regular DeepONet formulation. Once trained, the DeepOnet can perform fast and accurate predictions of the downstream disturbances within the range of training frequencies (inside the distribution). In addition, we show that DeepONet can solve the inverse problem, where downstream wall measurements are adopted as input, and a trained network can predict the upstream disturbances that led to these observations. This capability, along with the forward predictions, allows us to perform a full data assimilation cycle efficiently: starting from wall-pressure data, we predict the upstream disturbance using the inverse DeepONet and its evolution using the forward DeepONet. Finally, we introduce three new metrics to benchmark the training, evaluation and break-even cost of neural operators.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1984

Computer graphic visualization of orbiter lower surface boundary-layer transition

Computer graphic techniques are applied to the processing of Shuttle Orbiter flight data in order to create a visual presentation of the extent and movement of the boundary-layer transition front over the orbiter lower surface during entry. Flight-measured surface temperature-time histories define the onset and completion of the boundary-layer transition process at any measurement location. The locus of points which define the spatial position of the boundary-layer transition front on the orbiter planform is plotted at each discrete time for which flight data are available. Displaying these images sequentially in real-time results in an animated simulation of the in-flight boundary-layer transition process.

Throckmorton, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Boundary layer study on nozzle wall at hypersonic velocities

The boundary layer on the wall of the Hypervelocity Tunnel 9 was investigated with pitot pressure and total temperature measurements. Experimental results are presented for standard and supercooled Mach 14 runs. The boundary layer data at supercooled conditions are compared to numerical predictions made with a Navier-Stokes algorithm including vibrational nonequilibrium and intermolecular force effects. For standard tunnel conditions, the numerical solutions agree well with experimental data. For the supercooled cases, the numerical code predicts the total temperature but overpredicts the pitot pressure.

Jones, Kenneth M.↗
NASA NTRS1950

Analysis of turbulent free-convection boundary layer on flat plate

A calculation was made for the flow and heat transfer in the turbulent free-convection boundary layer on a vertical flat plate. Formulas for the heat-transfer coefficient, boundary layer thickness, and the maximum velocity in the boundary layer were obtained.

Eckert, E R G↗
NASA NTRS2013

Investigation of Materials for Boundary Layer Control in a Supersonic Wind Tunnel

During operation of the NASA Glenn Research Center 15- by 15-Centimeter Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT), a significant, undesirable corner flow separation is created by the three-dimensional interaction of the wall and floor boundary layers in the tunnel corners following an oblique-shock/ boundary-layer interaction. A method to minimize this effect was conceived by connecting the wall and floor boundary layers with a radius of curvature in the corners. The results and observations of a trade study to determine the effectiveness of candidate materials for creating the radius of curvature in the SWT are presented. The experiments in the study focus on the formation of corner fillets of four different radii of curvature, 6.35 mm (0.25 in.), 9.525 mm (0.375 in.), 12.7 mm (0.5 in.), and 15.875 mm (0.625 in.), based on the observed boundary layer thickness of 11.43 mm (0.45 in.). Tests were performed on ten candidate materials to determine shrinkage, surface roughness, cure time, ease of application and removal, adhesion, eccentricity, formability, and repeatability. Of the ten materials, the four materials which exhibited characteristics most promising for effective use were the heavy body and regular type dental impression materials, the basic sculpting epoxy, and the polyurethane sealant. Of these, the particular material which was most effective, the heavy body dental impression material, was tested in the SWT in Mach 2 flow, and was observed to satisfy all requirements for use in creating the corner fillets in the upcoming experiments on shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction.

Braafladt, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS1976

Streamline curvature effects on turbulent boundary layers

A theoretical tool has been developed for predicting, in a nonempirical manner, effects of streamline curvature and coordinate-system rotation on turbulent boundary layers. The second-order closure scheme developed by Wilcox and Traci has been generalized for curved streamline flow and for flow in a rotating coordinate system. A physically based straightforward argument shows that curvature/rotation primarily affects the turbulent mixing energy; the argument yields suitable curvature/rotation terms which are added to the mixing-energy equation. Singular-perturbation solutions valid in the wall layer of a curved-wall boundary layer and a fully developed rotating channel flow demonstrate that, with the curvature/rotation terms, the model predicts the curved-wall and the rotating coordinate system laws of the wall. Results of numerical computations of curved-wall boundary layers and of rotating channel flow show that curvature/rotation effects can be computed accurately with second-order closure.

Wilcox, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A review of vortex structures and associated coherent motions in turbulent boundary layers

The experimental and computational evidence for the existence and role of vortices in turbulent boundary layers is briefly reviewed. Quasi-streamwise and transverse vortices are considered, and various published conceptual models for horseshoe-like vortical structures are compared. The causes for upright and inverted horseshoe-shaped vorticity lines are discussed, and the distinction between vorticity lines and vortices is demonsrated. Finally, results from a numerically-simulated turbulent boundary layer are used to compute distributions of diameter, height, and strength for quasi-streamwise and spanwise vortices. These results confirm that quasi-streamwise vortices are clustered near the wall, while spanwise vortices are distributed throughout the layer. The variation of spanwise vortex core diameter with distance from the wall is found to be consistent with the mixing-length distribution for a boundary layer.

Robinson, Stephen K.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Experimental Verification of Boundary-Layer Corrections in Hypersonic Nozzles

The problem of accurately predicting boundary-layer growth for supersonic nozzle design assumes increased importance as the design Mach Number of the nozzles is pushed into the hypersonic regime. Several methods of calculating this growth have been advanced which vary in ease of computation and accuracy of results. Results of the calibrations performed on two hypersonic helium nozzles recently put into operation in the 11-in. Hypersonic Tunnel Section at the NASA Langley Research Center indicate that the method employed for boundary-layer calculations in these nozzles is adequate. The flow in the test region of both nozzles has been found to be of good quality and the Mach Numbers obtained agree very satisfactorily with the desired design Mach Number.

Boundary Layer Equations↗
NASA NTRS1959

Turbulent Boundary Layer on a Yawed Cone in a Supersonic Stream

The momentum integral equations are derived for the boundary layer on an arbitrary curved surface, using a streamline coordinate system. Computations of the turbulent boundary layer on a slightly yawed cone are made for a Prandtl number of 0.729, wall to free-stream temperature ratios of 1/2, 1, and 2, and Mach numbers from 1 to 4. Deflection of the fluid in the boundary layer from outer stream direction, local friction coefficient, displacement surface, lift coefficient, and pitching-moment coefficient are presented.

Braun, Willis H.↗