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At least 937 records · Page 52
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1960

Aerodynamic Characteristics at Low Speed of a Reentry Configuration Having Rigid Retractable Conical Lifting Surfaces

An exploratory investigation has been made in the Langley 300 MPH 7 by 10 foot tunnel to study the low-speed static longitudinal and lateral stability characteristics of a reentry configuration having rigid retractable conical lifting surfaces that unfolded from the surface of a conical fuselage. The model also had curved tail surfaces that unfolded from a cylindrical aft section attached to the cone. Longitudinal tests were made through an angle-of-attack range from -4 deg to 90 deg and limited lateral tests were made through an angle-of-sideslip range from -12 deg to 32 deg at an angle of attack of 0 deg. The tail surface provided longitudinal trim to maximum lift and beyond and up to an angle of attack of 51 deg for a center-of-moment location of 42.9 percent mean aerodynamic chord. For this center-of-moment position the model had a static margin of 12 percent mean aerodynamic chord at the lower lift coefficients and was longitudinally stable up to a lift coefficient between 1.0 and 1.2. Neutral stability occurred from lift coefficient of 1.0 up to near maximum lift coefficient. The maximum value of trimmed lift-drag ratio was 4.85 at a lift coefficient of approximately 0.3 and a trimmed angle of attack of approximately 10 deg. The configuration was directionally stable throughout the test angle of sideslip range for an angle of attack of 0 deg.

Fournier, Paul G.↗
NASA NTRS1921

Absolute Coefficients and the Graphical Representation of Airfoil Characteristics

It is argued that there should be an agreement as to what conventions to use in determining absolute coefficients used in aeronautics and in how to plot those coefficients. Of particular importance are the absolute coefficients of lift and drag. The author argues for the use of the German method over the kind in common use in the United States and England, and for the Continental over the usual American and British method of graphically representing the characteristics of an airfoil. The author notes that, on the whole, it appears that the use of natural absolute coefficients in a polar diagram is the logical method for presentation of airfoil characteristics, and that serious consideration should be given to the advisability of adopting this method in all countries, in order to advance uniformity and accuracy in the science of aeronautics.

Munk, Max↗
NASA NTRS1989

Preliminary flight-determined subsonic lift and drag characteristics of the X-29A forward-swept-wing airplane

The X-29A subsonic lift and drag characteristics determined, met, or exceeded predictions, particularly with respect to the drag polar shapes. Induced drag levels were as great as 20 percent less than wind tunnel estimates, particularly at coefficients of lift above 0.8. Drag polar shape comparisons with other modern fighter aircraft showed the X-29A to have a better overall aircraft aerodynamic Oswald efficiency factor for the same aspect ratio. Two significant problems arose in the data reduction and analysis process. These included uncertainties in angle of attack upwash calibration and effects of maneuver dynamics on drag levels. The latter problem resulted from significantly improper control surface automatic camber control scheduling. Supersonic drag polar results were not obtained during this phase because of a lack of engine instrumentation to measure afterburner fuel flow.

Hicks, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2017

A Sweeping Jet Application on a High Reynolds Number Semispan Supercritical Wing Configuration

The FAST-MAC circulation control model was modified to test an array of unsteady sweeping-jet actuators at realistic flight Reynolds numbers in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. Two types of sweeping jet actuators were fabricated using rapid prototype techniques, and directed over a 15% chord simple-hinged flap. The model was configured for low-speed high-lift testing with flap deflections of 30 deg and 60 deg, and a transonic cruise configuration having a 0 deg flap deflection. For the 30 deg flap high-lift configuration, the sweeping jets achieved comparable lift performance in the separation control regime, while reducing the mass flow by 54% as compared to steady blowing. The sweeping jets however were not effective for the 60 deg flap. For the transonic cruise configuration, the sweeping jets reduced the drag by 3.3% at an off-design condition. The drag reduction for the design lift coefficient for the sweeping jets offer is only half the drag reduction shown for the steady blowing case (6.5%), but accomplished this with a 74% reduction in mass flow.

Jones, Gregory S.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Predicting Two-Dimensional Airfoil Performance Using Graph Neural Networks

Computer simulations require the use of meshes to simulate geometries. These meshes capture important geometric features of the design and can be used in machine learning modeling. This report explores the use of graph neural networks (GNNs) to learn features from two-dimensional (2D) airfoil designs represented as a set of nodes connected using edges. This type of network is common in aerospace applications: most geometries are represented as a mesh in order to perform analysis. The objective of this work is to use GNNs to predict the performance of 2D airfoils generated using the program XFOIL. The predicted performance parameters include bulk quantities such as coefficients of lift (C L ), drag (C d , C dp ), moment (C m ), and node-specific quantities such as coefficient of pressure (C p ). In this report, a spline convolutional graph-based neural network is compared with deep learning neural networks to predict both bulk and node-specific quantities. The findings indicate the GNNs are able to predict bulk quantities quite well; however, when the number of outputs is increased, the deep neural network (DNN) proves to be better in its prediction capability. Two different normalization strategies were compared in the training of both GNNs and DNNs: minmax and standard deviation. In both types of networks, standard deviation scaling proved to be the best.

machine learning↗
NASA NTRS2019

Performance Optimization of Plate Airfoils for Martian Rotor Applications Using a Genetic Algorithm

The Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstrator will be flying on the NASA Mars 2020 rover mission scheduled to launch in July of 2020. The goal is to demonstrate the viability and potential of heavier-than-air vehicles in the Martian atmosphere. Research is performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Ames Research Center to extend these capabilities and develop the Mars Science Helicopter as the next possible step for Martian rotorcraft. The Mars Science Helicopter mass is scaled up to the 5 to 20 kg range, allowing a greater payload (approximately 0.5 to 2.0 kg), and greater range (approximately 3 km). Key to achieving these targets is careful aerodynamic rotor design. The Martian atmosphere’s low density and the small helicopter rotors result in very low chord-based Reynolds number flows, which reduces rotor performance. A continuous genetic algorithm is developed to optimize airfoil shapes at representative conditions for the Martian atmosphere. Previous research indicates that sharp leading edges and plate-like airfoils can out-perform conventional airfoil shapes. The present optimization allows for camber and thickness variation of curved and polygonal thin airfoils with sharp leading edges. The airfoil performance is evaluated at the highest attainable liftto- drag ratio near a moderate lift coefficient at compressible Mach numbers, as expected for Martian rotor application. Increases between 16% and 29% in airfoil lift-to-drag ratio at fixed lift coefficients are observed when compared with the Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstrator airfoils. Improvements in hover figure of merit are estimated to be between 4% and 10%, when applied to the Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstrator.

Koning, Witold J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1952

Pressure distribution and aerodynamic coefficients associated with heat addition to supersonic air stream adjacent to two-dimensional supersonic wing

The modifications in the pressure distributions and the aerodynamic coefficients associated with additions of heat to the two-dimensional supersonic in viscid flow field adjacetnt to the lower surface of of a 5-percent-thickness symmetrical circular-arc wing are presented in this report. The pressure distributions are obtained by the use of graphical method which gives the two-dimensional supersonic inviscid flow field obtained with moderate heat addition. The variation is given of the lift-drag ratio and of the aerodynamic coefficients of lift, drag, and moment with free stream Mach number, angle of attack, and parameters defining extent and amount of heat addition. The six graphical solutions used in this study included Mach numbers of 3.0 and 5.0 and angles of attack of 0 degrees and 2 degrees.

Pinkel, I Irving↗
NASA NTRS1993

Flow resolution and domain of influence in rarefied hypersonic blunt-body flows

The study assesses the effects of the upstream domain size and grid resolution upon flow properties and body aerodynamics computed for rarefied flows over cold blunt bodies with a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) particle method. Empirical correlations are suggested for aerodynamic coefficients for two-dimensional flows past a perpendicular flat plate. Free-stream parameters which were varied in the study include the Mach number, Knudsen number, surface temperature, and intermolecular potential. Insufficient grid resolution leads to overprediction of aerodynamic heating and forces in the DSMC method. Solution accuracy correlates well with the Reynolds number defined at the wall temperature and the stagnation mean free path relative to the cell dimension. Insufficient upstream domain size in the DSMC method leads to overprediction of heating and drag. Errors in aerodynamic coefficients correlate well with the distance ahead of the body where flow temperature reaches half of its peak value. Simulation of a hard-sphere gas is more sensitive to grid resolution, while simulation of a Maxwell gas is more sensitive to upstream domain size.

Haas, Brian L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Lift Prediction Workshop 5: Summary of Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Technology Focus Group Summary

The fifth High-Lift Prediction Workshop (HLPW-5), which involved the high-lift version of the NASA common research model in several configurations, assessed various computational fluid dynamics methods, including Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and hybrid large-eddy simulations. This paper summarizes RANS solutions computed on fixed grids. Case 1, a verification case, considered a simple wing-body configuration and focused on grid convergence of lift, drag, and pitching moment coefficients. Case 2 is a configuration buildup case that focused on predicting the effects of increasing geometric complexity. For buildup configurations with slats, flaps, and a nacelle/pylon (configurations 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4), wind-tunnel data were provided by ONERA. Case 3 focused on the reference landing configuration at four Reynolds-number conditions. For Case 1, grid-converged RANS solutions were achieved using the standard Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model and the SA model with a quadratic constitutive relation and a rotation correction. Agreement between RANS solutions was observed for the simplest configuration 2.1 of Case 2 with the standard SA model. For other configurations, agreement between RANS solutions was hampered by insufficient iterative and grid convergence, especially at high angles of attack. In comparison with the experiment, RANS solutions qualitatively showed the correct configuration buildup trend but underpredicted lift and overpredicted both drag and pitching moment at high angles of attack.

Boris Diskin↗
NASA NTRS1996

High Reynolds number analysis of an axisymmetric afterbody with flow separation

The ability of a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes method, PAB3D, to predict nozzle afterbody flow at high Reynolds number was assessed. Predicted surface pressure coefficient distributions and integrated afterbody drag are compared with experimental data obtained from the NASA-Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Predicted afterbody surface pressures matched experimental data fairly closely. The change in the pressure coefficient distribution with Reynolds number was slightly over-predicted. Integrated afterbody drag was typically high compared to the experimental data. The change in afterbody pressure drag with Reynolds number was fairly small. The predicted point of flow separation on the nozzle was slightly downstream of that observed from oilflow data at low Reynolds numbers and had a very slight Reynolds number dependence, moving slightly further downstream as Reynolds number increased.

Carlson, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Efficient spacecraft formationkeeping with consideration of ballistic coefficient control

The extent to which drag can be used to enhance retrieval and servicing of platforms in the Space Staion environment is investigated for the case when separations on the order of several hundred or even thousands of kilometers occur over extended, but predefined, periods of time. The nature of the problem is formulated, the analytical tools used are described, and the mathematical foundation of the analysis is presented. Results are reported for the cases of formation flying cycles without ballistic coefficient control, formation flying with controlled relative decay, and the effects of varying solar activity.

Mathews, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1975

NO sub X Deposited in the Stratosphere by the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors

The possible effects of the interaction of the plumes from the two solid rocket motors (SRM) from the space shuttles and mixing of the rocket exhaust products and ambient air in the base recirculation region on the total nitrous oxide deposition rate in the stratosphere were investigated. It was shown that these phenomena will not influence the total NOx deposition rate. It was also shown that uncertainties in the particle size of Al2O3, size distributions and particle/gas drag and heat transfer coefficients will not have a significant effect on the predicted NOx deposition rate. The final results show that the total mass flow of NOx leaving the plume at 30 km altitude is 4000 g./sec with a possible error factor of 3. For a vehicle velocity of 1140 meter/sec this yields an NOx deposition rate of about 3.5 g./meter. The corresponding HCl deposition rate at this altitude is about a factor of 500 greater than this value.

Pergament, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Aircraft aerodynamics at high angles of attack

AEROX program estimates aircraft aerodynamics to high angles of attack (up to sixty degrees). It estimates coefficients of lift, induced drag, and pitching moment for wings and wing body combinations with or without aft horizontal tail. Both trimmed and untrimmed characters are calculated.

Axelson, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Optimum Tail Plane Design for Sailplanes

Classical drag equations in a modern version were used to calculate the influence of tail modifications on the drag of a standard class sailplane. The profile drag which depends on the Reynolds number is included in the calculations. Minimum drag is compared with real drag for two lift coefficients. Some results have no clear tendency but low tail area and relatively low tail aspect ratio give some advantages. Optimum and real lift ratios between wing and tail plane are compared for the original sailplane.

Mayland, K.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Diurnal variations of the Martian surface layer meteorological parameters during the first 45 sols at two Viking Lander sites

Wind speed, ambient and surface temperatures from both Viking Landers have been used to compute bulk Richardson numbers and Monin-Obukhov lengths during the earliest phase of the Mars missions. These parameters are used to estimate drag and heat transfer coefficients, friction velocities and surface heat fluxes at the two sites. The principal uncertainty is in the specification of the roughness length. Maximum heat fluxes occur near local noon at both sites, and are estimated to be in the range 15-20 W/sq m at the Viking 1 site and 10-15 W/sq m at the Viking 2 site. Maximum values of friction velocity occur in late morning at Viking 1 and are estimated to be 0.4-0.6 m/s. They occur shortly after dawn at the Viking 2 site where peak values are estimated to be in the range 0.25-0.35 m/s. Extension of these calculations to later times during the mission will require allowance for dust opacity effects in the estimation of surface temperature and in the correction of radiation errors of the Viking 2 temperature sensor.

Sutton, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Propeller slipstream wing interactions at Mach no. 0.8

Configuration and results of a wind tunnel test of the aerodynamic interactions between propeller slipstream and a supercritical wing at transonic Mach numbers are discussed. The test was conducted over a free-stream Mach number range from 0.7 to 0.84, with the slipstream simulator and the wing-body model installed in the tunnel. The angle of attack and the spanning lift coefficients were varied from 1 to 3 deg and from 0.4 to 0.7 deg respectively, while the slipstream swirl angle was varied from 0 to 11 deg with an upwash on the inboard side of the wing. It was found that at a free-stream Mach number of 0.8 and a lift coefficient of 0.5, incremental drag results for 7 deg of swirl and a slipstream Mach number of 0.87 indicated a penalty equivalent to a 0.024 loss in propeller efficiency, whereas at 11 deg the drag increment was favorable. Swirl had significant effects on the chordwise pressure distributions of the inboard section of the wing within the slipstream. Neither surface nor wake pressures showed signs of significant flow separation induced by the slipstream.

Bencze, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Cornering characteristics of the nose-gear tire of the space shuttle orbiter

An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate cornering characteristics of the 32 x 8.8 nose gear tire of the space shuttle orbiter. Data were obtained on a dry concrete runway at nominal ground speeds ranging from 50 to 100 knots and over a range of tire vertical loads and yaw angles which span the expected envelope of loads and yaw angles to be encountered during space shuttle landing operations. The cornering characteristics investigated included side and drag forces and friction coefficients, aligning and overturning torques, friction force moment arm, and the lateral center of pressure shift. Results of this investigation indicate that the cornering characteristics of the space shuttle nose gear tire are insensitive to variations in ground speed over the range tested. The effects on cornering characteristics of variations in the tire vertical load and yaw angle are as expected. Trends observed are consistent with trends observed during previous cornering tests involving other tire sizes.

Vogler, W. A.↗