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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 937 records · Page 52
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Analytical study of twin-jet shielding

An analytical model a three-dimensional model, of twin-jet shielding, consisting of a point noise source impinging on a cylinder of heated flow in which the temperature and flow velocity are uniform across the cross-section is discussed. Wave equations are given for the regions outside the flow and within the flow cylinder and solutions are matched at the jet boundary under the conditions of continuity of pressure and continuity of the vortex sheet. The model was analyzed to identify mechanisms of transmission and diffraction which control sheilding in the shadow of the shielding jet. It was found that in the zone of the shadow region dominates, shielding is relatively insensitive to variations of such parameters as Mach Number and spacing ratio, but in the zone in which diffraction dominates; shielding is more sensitive to variations in Mach Number, jet temperature and spacing ratio.

Gerhold, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

An experimental study of the flow in a wing with a partial span drooped leading edge

The flow field produced by a low aspect ratio wing (AR = 3.0) with a partial span leading edge droop was investigated in a series of low speed wind tunnel tests (Reynolds number based on 17.8 cm chord = 560,000). Photographs were obtained of surface oil flow patterns over an angle of attack range of alpha = 0 to 29 deg. Flow field surveys of the partially stalled wing at alpha = 25 deg were completed using a hot-wire probe, a split-film probe and a Conrad probe. The flow field survey data was presented using a color video display. The data indicated regions of apparent reversed flow in the separation region behind the wing and indicated the general cross-sectional shape of the separated wake flow.

Winkelmann, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

New numerical solutions of three-dimensional compressible hydrodynamic convection

Numerical solutions of three-dimensional compressible hydrodynamics (including sound waves) in a stratified medium with open boundaries are presented. Convergent/divergent points play a controlling role in the flows, which are dominated by a single frequency related to the mean sound crossing time. Superposed on these rapid compressive flows, slower eddy-like flows eventually create convective transport. The solutions contain small structures stacked on top of larger ones, with vertical scales equal to the local pressure scale heights, H sub p. Although convective transport starts later in the evolution, vertical scales of H sub p are apparently selected at much earlier times by nonlinear compressive effects.

Hossain, Murshed↗
NASA NTRS2012

A New Look at Titan's Zonal Winds from Cassini Radio Occultations

We use the existing thirteen Cassini radio'occultation soundings to construct a meridional cross section of geopotential height vs. pressure and latitude. The assumption of balanced flow permits the construction of a similar cross section of zonal winds, from near the surface to the 0.1'mbar level. In the lower troposphere, the winds are approx.10 m/s, except within 20deg of the equator, where they are much smaller. The winds increase higher up in the troposphere to nearly 40 m/s in the tropopause region, but then decay rapidly in the lower stratosphere to near'zero values at 20 mbar (approx.80 km), reminiscent of the Huygens Doppler Wind Experiment result. This null zone extends over most latitudes, except for limited bands at mid'latitudes. Higher up in the stratosphere, the winds become larger. They are highest in the northern (winter) hemisphere. We compare the occultation results with the DWE and CIRS retrievals and discuss the similarities and differences among the data sets.

Flasar, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The velocity and vorticity fields of the turbulent near wake of a circular cylinder

The purpose of this research is to provide a detailed experimental database of velocity and vorticity statistics in the very near wake (x/d less than 10) of a circular cylinder at Reynolds number of 3900. This study has determined that estimations of the streamwise velocity component in flow fields with large nonzero cross-stream components are not accurate. Similarly, X-wire measurements of the u and v velocity components in flows containing large w are also subject to the errors due to binormal cooling. Using the look-up table (LUT) technique, and by calibrating the X-wire probe used here to include the range of expected angles of attack (+/- 40 deg), accurate X-wire measurements of instantaneous u and v velocity components in the very near wake region of a circular cylinder has been accomplished. The approximate two-dimensionality of the present flow field was verified with four-wire probe measurements, and to some extent the spanwise correlation measurements with the multisensor rake. Hence, binormal cooling errors in the present X-wire measurements are small.

Wallace, James↗
NASA NTRS1986

Elastic electron scattering cross sections for molecular hydrogen

Using an electron-beam - molecular-beam apparatus and employing the relative flow technique, ratios of the differential elastic scattering cross sections (DCSs of H2 to He were measured at incident electron energies of 15-100 eV and over the angular range of 10-125 degrees. From these ratios, the absolute elastic DCSs for H2 were determined by normalization to accurate, available elastic DCSs of He. Since pure rotational structure was not resolved in this work, the DCSs reported are the sum of elastic and rotational excitations of H2 at room temperature. The reliability of the relative flow normalization to He was checked at each energy and angle by performing similar elastic DCS measurements on Ne (for which the cross sections are known). The resulting absolute Ne DCSs were found to be in good agreement (within 10 percent with the Ne elastic DCSs measured previously (Register and Trajmar, 1984). From the DCSs, integral and momentumtransfer cross sections were calculated. The present results are compared with other recent measurements.

Khakoo, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Three-dimensional unsteady flow calculations in an advanced gas generator turbine

This paper deals with the application of a three-dimensional, unsteady Navier-Stokes code for predicting the unsteady flow in a single stage of an advanced gas generator turbine. The numerical method solves the three-dimensional thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations, using a system of overlaid grids, which allow for relative motion between the rotor and stator airfoils. Results in the form of time averaged pressures and pressure amplitudes on the airfoil surfaces will be shown. In addition, instantaneous contours of pressure, Mach number, etc. will be presented in order to provide a greater understanding of the inviscid as well as the viscous aspects of the flowfield. Also, relevant secondary flow features such as cross-plane velocity vectors and total pressure contours will be presented. Prior work in two-dimensions has indicated that for the advanced designs, the unsteady interactions can play a significant role in turbine performance. These interactions affect not only the stage efficiency but can substantially alter the time-averaged features of the flow. This work is a natural extension of the work done in two-dimensions and hopes to address some of the issues raised by the two-dimensional calculations. These calculations are being performed as an integral part of an actual design process and demonstrate the value of unsteady rotor-stator interaction calculations in the design of turbomachines.

Rangwalla, Akil A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Critical mass flux through short Borda type inlets of various cross sections

Mass flux measurements associated with chocked flows through four Borda type inlet geometries: circular, square, triangular and rectangular (two-dimensional) and two sharp edged geometries taken over a very wide range of inlet stagnation conditions. The measurements indicate that: (1) the mass flux is independent of the inlet cross-section geometry and (2) the mass flux is dependent only on the inlet stagnation conditions. Also by using choked flow results found in the literature, the reduced mass flux is independent of working fluid. Two implications are drawn which remain to be verified: (1) since seal leak rates are weakly dependent on geometry but pressure distribution is strongly dependent on geometry, seal design efforts should be directed more toward controlling the dynamics, and (2) high-L/D ducts of arbitrary cross section and Borda type inlets can possess free jets.

Hendricks, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Flow visualization of secondary flows in three curve ducts

Streak photography flow measurements are made for secondary flows in three 90-deg curved ducts of square cross section and different radii of curvature, at Dean numbers of 15,000-36,000 and radius ratios of 0.5, 2.3, and 3.0. Attention is given to secondary flow patterns for three cross sections in each bend: the inlet zero-deg plane, the midpoint 45-deg plane, and the outlet 90-deg plane. After a rapid transition region, the pressure-driven secondary flow patterns were characterized by flow moving toward the outer curved wall at the axial midplane and returning to the inner wall along the duct walls. The 0.5-radius ratio elbow was found to have the greatest influence on upstream inlet conditions.

Sanz, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The calculation of rotor/fuselage interaction for two-dimensional bodies

Unsteady rotor wake interactions with the empennage, tail boom, and other aerodynamic surfaces have a significant influence on the aerodynamic performance of the helicopter, ride quality, and vibration. A Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) method for computing the aerodynamic interaction between an interacting vortex wake and the viscous flow about arbitrary 2-D bodies was developed to address this helicopter problem. The vorticity and flow field velocities are calculated on a body-fitted computational mesh using an uncoupled iterative solution. The interacting vortex wake is represented by an array of discrete vortices which, in turn, are represented by a finite core model. The evolution of the interacting vortex wake is calculated by Lagrangian techniques. The flow around circular and elliptic cylinders in the absence of an interacting vortex wake was calculated. These results compare very well with other numerical results and with results obtained from experiment and thereby demonstrate the accuracy of the viscous solution. The interaction of a simulated rotor wake with the flow about 2-D bodies, representing cross sections of fuselage components, was calculated to address the vortex interaction problem. The vortex interaction was calculated for the flow about a circular and an elliptic cylinder at 45 and 90 degrees incidence. The results demonstrate the significant variation in lift and drag on the 2-D bodies during the vortex interaction.

Stremel, Paul M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Computational analysis of flow in 3D propulsive transition ducts

A numerical analysis of fully three dimensional, statistically steady flows in propulsive transition ducts being considered for use in future aircraft of higher maneuverability is investigated. The purpose of the transition duct is to convert axisymmetric flow from conventional propulsion systems to that of a rectangular geometry of high aspect ratio. In an optimal design, the transition duct would be of minimal length in order to reduce the weight penalty, while the geometrical change would be gradual enough to avoid detrimental flow perturbations. Recent experiments conducted at the Propulsion Aerodynamics Branch have indicated that thrust losses in ducts of superelliptic cross-section can be surprisingly low, even if flow separation occurs near the divergent walls. In order to address the objective of developing a rational design procedure for optimal transition ducts, it is necessary to have available a reliable computational tool for the analysis of flows achieved in a sequence of configurations. Current CFD efforts involving complicated geometries usually must contend with two separate but interactive aspects: namely, grid generation and flow solution. The first two avenues of the present investigation were comprised of suitable grid generation for a class of transition ducts of superelliptic cross-section, and the subsequent application of the flow solver PAB3D to this geometry. The code, PAB3D, was developed as a comprehensive tool for the solution of both internal and external high speed flows. The third avenue of investigation has involved analytical formulations to aid in the understanding of the nature of duct flows, and also to provide a basis of comparison for subsequent numerical solutions. Numerical results to date include the generation of two preliminary grid systems for duct flows, and the initial application of PAB3D to the corresponding geometries, which are of the class tested experimentally.

Sepri, Paavo↗
NASA NTRS1979

Some flow characteristics of conventional and tapered high pressure drop simulated seals

The leak rates through shaft seals with large pressure drops were simulated using gaseous hydrogen, or nitrogen flowing through an annulus with a nonrotating centerbody. The flows were choked. For concentric or eccentric position of the rotor and parallel or convergent tapered flow passages, data and analysis revealed that mass flux or leak rate can be determined from a relation whose normalizing parameters depend on the thermodynamic critical constants of the working fluid and an average flow area expressed in terms of the inlet and exit cross-sectional areas. Using these normalized relations, the flow data for parallel and three convergent tapered shaft seal configurations are in good agreement. Generalization to any simple gas or gas mixture is implied and demonstrated.

Hendricks, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Some flow characteristics of conventional and tapered high-pressure-drop simulated seals

The leak rates through shaft seals with large pressure drops were simulated using gaseous hydrogen, or nitrogen flowing through an annulus with a nonrotating centerbody. The flows were choked. For concentric or eccentric position of the rotor and parallel or convergent tapered flow passages, data and analysis revealed that mass flux or leak rate can be determined from a relation whose normalizing parameters depend on the thermodynamic critical constants of the working fluid and an average flow area expressed in terms of the inlet and exit cross-sectional areas. Using these normalized relations, the flow data for parallel and three convergent, tapered, shaft-seal configurations are in good agreement. Generalization to any simple gas or gas mixtures is implied and demonstrated in part.

Hendricks, R. C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Preliminary Assessment of Additively Manufactured Cooling Channel Performance for Helium-Cooled Blanket Concepts

Sufficient cooling of the blanket first wall remains a critical challenge for the design and deployment of fusion power plants. Helium has been targeted as a potential blanket coolant due to its inertness and low neutron interactivity, among other advantages. However, the low thermal mass of helium creates a need for heat transfer enhancements in coolant channels to provide adequate cooling to the blanket’s first wall. Toward this end, a series of ribbed flow channels of various rib cross sections and configurations has been produced via additive manufacturing (AM) to study the efficacy of AM for first wall heat transfer enhancement and the optimization of heat transfer geometries. Helium cooling performance is studied in AM test articles at 4 MPa operating pressure, Reynolds numbers up to 197 000, and outer surface heat fluxes up to 42 kW/m 2 in the recently commissioned helium flow loop experiment (HFLE). Preliminary results of this study are presented herein. Heat transfer performance of nominally smooth (i.e., featureless) AM channels is quantified via measured Nusselt numbers and friction factors and compared to off-the-shelf smooth pipe experiments. Results are compared to existing correlations and used to discuss the effects of the AM processes on thermal-hydraulic performance. It is seen that the inherent roughness of the AM channels leads to an increase in both heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop when compared to the conventional pipe. In conclusion, recommendations are made for future studies based on these findings and additional considerations for the deployment of AM blanket cooling components.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

On the competition between mixing rate and uniformity in a coaxial hydrodynamic focusing mixer

Fast microfluidic mixers for use with line-of-sight integrating detection schemes pose unique challenges. Such detectors typically cannot discriminate signal from slow moving (e.g. near internal walls) and fast-moving portions of the fluid stream. This convolves reaction rate dynamics with fluid flow residence time dynamics. Further, the small cross sections of typical three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing devices lead to lower detection signals. The current study focuses on achieving both small time scales of mixing and homogenous residence times. This is achieved by injecting sample through a center capillary and hydrodynamically focusing using a sheath flow within a tapered second capillary. The current design also features a third, larger coaxial capillary. The mixed stream flows into the large cross-section of this third capillary to decelerate and expand the stream by up to 14-fold to improve line-of-sight signal strength of reaction products. Hydrodynamic focusing, mixing, and expansion are studied using analytical and numerical models and also studied experimentally using a fluorescein-iodide quenching reaction. The experimentally validated models are used to explore trade-offs between mixing rate and uniformity. For the first time, this work presents detailed analysis of the Lagrangian time history of species transport during mixing inside coaxial capillaries to measure mixing nonuniformity. The mixing region enables order 100 μs mixing times and residence time widths of the same order (140 μs).

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hydrodynamic irreversibility of non-Brownian suspensions in highly confined duct flow

The irreversible behaviour of a highly confined non-Brownian suspension of spherical particles at low Reynolds number in a Newtonian fluid is studied experimentally and numerically. In the experiment, the suspension is confined in a thin rectangular channel that prevents complete particle overlap in the narrow dimension and is subjected to an oscillatory pressure-driven flow. In the small cross-sectional dimension, particles rapidly separate to the walls, whereas in the large dimension, features reminiscent of shear-induced migration in bulk suspensions are recovered. Furthermore, as a consequence of the channel geometry and the development and application of a single-camera particle tracking method, three-dimensional particle trajectories are obtained that allow us to directly associate relative particle proximity with the observed migration. Companion simulations of a steadily flowing suspension highly confined between parallel plates are conducted using the force coupling method, which also show rapid migration to the walls as well as other salient features observed in the experiment. While we consider relatively low volume fractions compared to most prior work in the area, we nevertheless observe significant and rapid migration, which we attribute to the high degree of confinement.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1990

Verification of three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter measurements

An experimental comparison method is proposed for the verification of mean flow and turbulence measurements obtained with a three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter system. Such measurements can include large errors caused by problems unique to three-dimensional systems. Direct comparisons of laser and hot cross-wire measurements obtained in two-dimensional flows, as is the common practice, will not bear out all the errors associated with three-dimensional laser systems. It is proposed here that the errors may be adequately quantified by making the direct comparisons in a weakly three-dimensional turbulent shear flow. The weak three-dimensional flow ensures high accuracy of the cross-wire data while still generating sufficiently strong secondary mean flow and Reynolds shear stress so that all the laser measurements may be fully verified. This type of shear flow is easily generated by introducing a weak streamwise vortex into a nominally two-dimensional turbulent shear layer.

Mehta, R. D.↗