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At least 937 records · Page 52

Lattice Boltzmann for Airframe Noise Predictions

Increase predictive use of High-Fidelity Computational Aero- Acoustics (CAA) capabilities for NASA's next generation aviation concepts. CFD has been utilized substantially in analysis and design for steady-state problems (RANS). Computational resources are extremely challenged for high-fidelity unsteady problems (e.g. unsteady loads, buffet boundary, jet and installation noise, fan noise, active flow control, airframe noise, etc) ü Need novel techniques for reducing the computational resources consumed by current high-fidelity CAA Need routine acoustic analysis of aircraft components at full-scale Reynolds number from first principles Need an order of magnitude reduction in wall time to solution!

Barad, Michael↗

Fluid-Thermal-Structural Interactions in Ramp-Induced Shock-Wave Boundary-Layer Interactions at Mach6

Shock-wave boundary-layer interactions (SWBLI) pose unique challenges for the slender airframes and sharp control surfaces characteristic of high-speed airbreathing aircraft. Spikes in pressure and thermal loading have been shown to occur in SWBLI regions; thus, predicting their location and behavior proves critical for assuring aircraft structural integrity and fatigue resilience. SWBLIs frequently lead to severe turbulent boundary-layer separation and corresponding unsteady motions characterized by a wide range of frequencies. Low-frequency motion has been shown to couple with the structure of a compliant panel, and turbulent boundary layers thus present a particular danger for thin control surfaces. Previous studies have shown that the thermal loading on a compliant panel in a ramp-induced SWBLI may have a signi cant impact on the panel vibrations. A multitude of studies has investigated the heating on rigid structures, but a charactrization of the heating effects on compliant structures is necessary to fully understand the fluid-thermal-structural interactions (FTSI) occurring in ramp-induced SWBLIs. This studuses infrared thermography and high-frequency Kulite pressure transducers to examine the heating loads on rigid and compliant ramps at various angles and flow conditions at Mach 6.

Hypersonic↗

Fluid-Thermal-Structural Interactions in Ramp-Induced Shock-Wave Boundary-Layer Interactions at Mach 6

Shock-wave boundary-layer interactions (SWBLI) pose unique challenges for the slender airframes and sharp control surfaces characteristic of high-speed airbreathing aircraft. Spikes in pressure and thermal loading have been shown to occur in SWBLI regions; thus, predicting their location and behavior proves critical for assuring aircraft structural integrity and fatigue resilience. SWBLIs frequently lead to severe turbulent boundary-layer separation and corresponding unsteady motions characterized by a wide range of frequencies. Low-frequency motion has been shown to couple with the structure of a compliant panel, and turbulent boundary layers thus present a particular danger for thin control surfaces. Previous studies have shown that the thermal loading on a compliant panel in a ramp-induced SWBLI may have a signi cant impact on the panel vibrations. A multitude of studies has investigated the heating on rigid structures, but a charactrization of the heating effects on compliant structures is necessary to fully understand the fluid-thermal-structural interactions (FTSI) occurring in ramp-induced SWBLIs. This studuses infrared thermography and high-frequency Kulite pressure transducers to examine the heating loads on rigid and compliant ramps at various angles and flow conditions at Mach 6.

Hypersonic↗

Flutter of laminated plates in supersonic flow

A solution procedure was developed using linear small deflection theory for the flutter of simply supported laminated plates. For such plates, the bending and extensional governing equations are coupled and have cross-stiffness terms which do not appear in classical plate theory. An extended Galerkin method is used to obtain approximate solutions to the governing equations, and the aerodynamic pressure loading used in the analysis is that given by linear piston theory with flow at arbitrary cross-flow angle. A limited parametric study was conducted for typical laminated composite plates. The calculations show that both the bending-extensional coupling and the cross-stiffness terms have a large destabilizing effect on flutter. Since classical plate theory does not consider bending-extensional coupling and cross stiffness terms, it usually gives inaccurate and nonconservative flutter boundaries for laminated plates.

Sawyer, J. W.↗

Multidisciplinary Modeling Software for Analysis, Design, and Optimization of HRRLS Vehicles

The concept for Highly Reliable Reusable Launch Systems (HRRLS) under the NASA Hypersonics project is a two-stage-to-orbit, horizontal-take-off / horizontal-landing, (HTHL) architecture with an air-breathing first stage. The first stage vehicle is a slender body with an air-breathing propulsion system that is highly integrated with the airframe. The light weight slender body will deflect significantly during flight. This global deflection affects the flow over the vehicle and into the engine and thus the loads and moments on the vehicle. High-fidelity multi-disciplinary analyses that accounts for these fluid-structures-thermal interactions are required to accurately predict the vehicle loads and resultant response. These predictions of vehicle response to multi physics loads, calculated with fluid-structural-thermal interaction, are required in order to optimize the vehicle design over its full operating range. This contract with ResearchSouth addresses one of the primary objectives of the Vehicle Technology Integration (VTI) discipline: the development of high-fidelity multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization methods and tools for HRRLS vehicles. The primary goal of this effort is the development of an integrated software system that can be used for full-vehicle optimization. This goal was accomplished by: 1) integrating the master code, FEMAP, into the multidiscipline software network to direct the coupling to assure accurate fluid-structure-thermal interaction solutions; 2) loosely-coupling the Euler flow solver FEFLO to the available and proven aeroelasticity and large deformation (FEAP) code; 3) providing a coupled Euler-boundary layer capability for rapid viscous flow simulation; 4) developing and implementing improved Euler/RANS algorithms into the FEFLO CFD code to provide accurate shock capturing, skin friction, and heat-transfer predictions for HRRLS vehicles in hypersonic flow, 5) performing a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computation on an HRRLS configuration; 6) integrating the RANS solver with the FEAP code for coupled fluid-structure-thermal capability; and 7) integrating the existing NASA SRGULL propulsion flow path prediction software with the FEFLO software for quasi-3D propulsion flow path predictions, 8) improving and integrating into the network, an existing adjoint-based design optimization code.

Spradley, Lawrence W.↗

Analysis and Comparison of Surface Roughness Effects on Pressure Data from SLS Wind Tunnel Test

Unsteady flows are becoming a more characterized field of study as advancements in technology is allowing for more high-speed, time-resolved data acquisition. It is important to understand these flows as the shock-wave boundary-layer interactions and separation they are involved with can generate extreme loads caused by high pressure and temperature on the body of a flight vehicle. It is vital to characterize these loads, as they can impede upon the structural integrity of a high-speed system. A common instrument utilized today to characterize pressure distributions caused by unsteady flows are unsteady pressure transducers. Set flush with the surface of a flight vehicle or wind tunnel model, these transducers can provide a pressure distribution, capturing the frequency of unsteady loads that could impinge upon the test article. A couple negative aspects of this instrumentation is that they are expensive, have long lead times, and a pressure distribution can only be determined in one discrete location where the transducer is installed. An optical diagnostic known as unsteady pressure-sensitive paint (uPSP) can help to satisfy these deficiencies. This is a spray paint that can be applied to a surface of a model to provide a global pressure distribution across the whole painted region.2 A complete picture of the fluid dynamic pressures occurring on the surface of a test article can be analyzed, especially in locations where it may have been impossible to install a transducer. Pressure-sensitive paint is also less expensive than traditional pressure transducers, which are, on average, about $2,000 each including the cost of installation.3 Unsteady PSP will not replace unsteady pressure transducers, but the transducers can be used to validate the PSP response to the flow and measure frequencies higher than the frequency response of the paint. One issue that can arise using these tools simultaneously, is that the surface roughness of the uPSP can affect the pressure readings of the transducers. Applying the uPSP to the surface of the model is going to affect the flow in some way as the topography of the model is now different than if it was not painted. One study with steady PSP conducted by Amer, Obara, and Liu at NASA Langley concluded that the PSP surface roughness was minimally intrusive at different test conditions with various lift, drag, etc., however, it was noted that data from some pressure transducers had decreased, likely due to the uneven application of the PSP in the localized region of the transducers.9 Sugioka et. al. tested various formulations of uPSP to study surface roughness effects on a Common Research Model (CRM) in transonic flow. The influence of uPSP on the surface of the model, depending on how it was formulated, was noted to have the possibility of relocating the shock wave present in the flow. This study was conducted to examine and compare transducer data acquired in December 2017 of a 4% scale model of the Space Launch System (SLS) performed at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT). One goal of the test was to demonstrate to the customer the potential of the uPSP system developed at NASA ARC. The effect of uPSP on transducer signals also became an interest in this experiment and is the reason for this data analysis. The results of this study were discussed with the SLS team to help them make decisions regarding the next test on an SLS model with the PSP and Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel teams.

pressure-sensitive paint↗

Honeycomb Core Permeability Under Mechanical Loads

A method for characterizing the air permeability of sandwich core materials as a function of applied shear stress was developed. The core material for the test specimens was either Hexcel HRP-3/16-8.0 and or DuPont Korex-1/8-4.5 and was nominally one-half inch thick and six inches square. The facesheets where made of Hercules' AS4/8552 graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) composites and were nominally 0.059-in. thick. Cytec's Metalbond 1515-3M epoxy film adhesive was used for co-curing the facesheets to the core. The permeability of the specimens during both static (tension) and dynamic (reversed and non-reversed) shear loads were measured. The permeability was measured as the rate of air flow through the core from a circular 1-in2 area of the core exposed to an air pressure of 10.0 psig. In both the static and dynamic testing, the Korex core experienced sudden increases in core permeability corresponding to a core catastrophic failure, while the URP core experienced a gradual increase in the permeability prior to core failure. The Korex core failed at lower loads than the HRP core both in the transverse and ribbon directions.

Glass, David E.↗

Modes of sediment transport in channelized water flows with ramifications to the erosion of the Martian outflow channels

The paper discusses application to Martian water flows of the criteria that determine which grain-size ranges are transported as bed load, suspension, and wash load. The results show nearly all sand-sized material and finer would have been transported as wash load and that basalt pebbles and even cobbles could have been transported at rapid rates of suspension. An analysis of the threshold of sediment motion on Mars further indicates that the flows would have been highly competent, the larger flows having been able to transport boulder-sized material. Comparisons with terrestrial rivers which transport hyperconcentration levels of sediments suggest that the Martian water flows could have achieved sediment concentrations up to 70% in weight. Although it is possible that flows could have picked up enough sediment to convert to pseudolaminar mud flows, they probably remained at hyperconcentration levels and fully turbulent in flow character.

Komar, P. D.↗

Loads and aeroelasticity division research and technology accomplishments for FY 1983 and plans for FY 1984

Research was done in the following areas: development and validation of solution algorithms, modeling techniques, integrated finite elements for flow-thermal-structural analysis and design, optimization of aircraft and spacecraft for the best performance, reduction of loads and increase in the dynamic structural stability of flexible airframes by the use of active control, methods for predicting steady and unsteady aerodynamic loads and aeroelastic characteristics of flight vehicles with emphasis on the transonic range, and methods for predicting and reducing helicoper vibrations.

Gardner, J. E.↗

Unsteady Flow in a Supersonic Turbine with Variable Specific Heats

Modern high-work turbines can be compact, transonic, supersonic, counter-rotating, or use a dense drive gas. The vast majority of modern rocket turbine designs fall into these Categories. These turbines usually have large temperature variations across a given stage, and are characterized by large amounts of flow unsteadiness. The flow unsteadiness can have a major impact on the turbine performance and durability. For example, the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) fuel turbine, a high work, transonic design, was found to have an unsteady inter-row shock which reduced efficiency by 2 points and increased dynamic loading by 24 percent. The Revolutionary Reusable Technology Turbopump (RRTT), which uses full flow oxygen for its drive gas, was found to shed vortices with such energy as to raise serious blade durability concerns. In both cases, the sources of the problems were uncovered (before turbopump testing) with the application of validated, unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to the designs. In the case of the RRTT and the Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD) turbines, the unsteady CFD codes have been used not just to identify problems, but to guide designs which mitigate problems due to unsteadiness. Using unsteady flow analyses as a part of the design process has led to turbine designs with higher performance (which affects temperature and mass flow rate) and fewer dynamics problems. One of the many assumptions made during the design and analysis of supersonic turbine stages is that the values of the specific heats are constant. In some analyses the value is based on an average of the expected upstream and downstream temperatures. In stages where the temperature can vary by 300 to 500 K, however, the assumption of constant fluid properties may lead to erroneous performance and durability predictions. In this study the suitability of assuming constant specific heats has been investigated by performing three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes simulations for a supersonic turbine stage.

Dorney, Daniel J.↗

Numerical Model of Flame Spread Over Solids in Microgravity: A Supplementary Tool for Designing a Space Experiment

The recently developed numerical model of concurrent-flow flame spread over thin solids has been used as a simulation tool to help the designs of a space experiment. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional, steady form of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with chemical reactions are solved. With the coupled multi-dimensional solver of the radiative heat transfer, the model is capable of answering a number of questions regarding the experiment concept and the hardware designs. In this paper, the capabilities of the numerical model are demonstrated by providing the guidance for several experimental designing issues. The test matrix and operating conditions of the experiment are estimated through the modeling results. The three-dimensional calculations are made to simulate the flame-spreading experiment with realistic hardware configuration. The computed detailed flame structures provide the insight to the data collection. In addition, the heating load and the requirements of the product exhaust cleanup for the flow tunnel are estimated with the model. We anticipate that using this simulation tool will enable a more efficient and successful space experiment to be conducted.

Shih, Hsin-Yi↗

Cold-air investigation of first stage of 4-1/2-stage, fan drive turbine with average stage-loading factor of 4.66

The design procedure and the development of the blading geometry for the 4 and 1/2 stage turbine are discussed. Results obtained with the first stage, operated as a single stage turbine, are presented. A free vortex design meets the design requirements without incurring problems such as excessive turning, negative reaction, or high Mach number. Cold air tests of the single stage turbine showed that the turbine developed design work (stage loading factor of 5.26) at an efficiency of 0.86, which was the efficiency predicted by a reference method. The mass flow at this condition was 0.88, which occurred at design speed and a pressure ratio of 1.407, corresponding to a stage loading factor of 4.35. The efficiency at this condition was 0.003 higher than that predicted by the reference method.

Whitney, W. J.↗

Vapor Cooling of a Structural Skirt for a Large-Scale Hydrogen Tank

The demonstration of vapor cooling on a structural skirt was one of the main objectives of the Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) testing. SHIIVER consisted of a 4-meter diameter stainless steel tank with an aluminum forward skirt. The forward skirt was cooled by directing effluent vapor from the tank through two flow channels that each went 360 degrees around the interior of the skirt in a helical pattern. Flow rates, temperatures, and pressures in the system were measured allowing for the calculation of heat load removed via cooling stream and heat load reduction into the tank. Testing occurred at fill levels between 25% and 90% full using both liquid hydrogen and liquid nitrogen. Boil-off rate was varied independent of the skirt performance by adding multilayer insulation over the spray-on-foam insulation on the tank domes, while leaving the barrel insulated only with spray-on-foam. The results from the testing, which demonstrate vapor cooling reversed heat flow from the skirt into the tank and reduces total propellant heat load by as much as 19%, are analyzed and discussed.

Cryogenic Fluid Management↗

Reduction of computer usage costs in predicting unsteady aerodynamic loadings caused by control surface motions: Analysis and results

Results of theoretical and numerical investigations conducted to develop economical computing procedures were applied to an existing computer program that predicts unsteady aerodynamic loadings caused by leading and trailing edge control surface motions in subsonic compressible flow. Large reductions in computing costs were achieved by removing the spanwise singularity of the downwash integrand and evaluating its effect separately in closed form. Additional reductions were obtained by modifying the incremental pressure term that account for downwash singularities at control surface edges. Accuracy of theoretical predictions of unsteady loading at high reduced frequencies was increased by applying new pressure expressions that exactly satisified the high frequency boundary conditions of an oscillating control surface. Comparative computer result indicated that the revised procedures provide more accurate predictions of unsteady loadings as well as providing reduction of 50 to 80 percent in computer usage costs.

Rowe, W. S.↗

Utilizing Strain Rate Jump Testing to Predict Flow Formability of Al Alloys Sensitive to Portevin-Le Chatelier Instabilities

Predicting the flow formability of Al alloys is challenging due to the incremental deformation, complex loading path, and wide range of strain rates characteristic of the process. State-of-the-art research efforts have primarily focused on formability metrics derived from ambient temperature, constant strain rate uniaxial tensile testing. However, Al alloys in formable tempers tend to exhibit serrated Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) flow. The appearance of PLC instabilities implies a negative strain rate sensitivity, loss of tensile area reduction capacity, and decreased formability. Elevated temperature and interrupted strain rate tensile tests of relevant Al alloys were conducted to investigate the effects of rapid changes in strain rate (analogous to a forming increment by a passing roller) on common formability metrics. Emphasis was placed on the character/extent of PLC instabilities using digital image correlation strain measurements. The outcome of this work highlights the possibility of predicting flow formability using strain rate jump testing.

flow forming↗

Unsteady aerodynamic loading of delta wings for low and high angles of attack

Experimental and theoretical investigations dealing with unsteady flow phenomena are surveyed, with the emphasis on the pattern of vortices which originate from flow separation at sharp leading edges. It is concluded that these vortices exhibit quasi-steady behavior when the alpha-vibrations are such that bursting instability does not occur above the wing surface. A selection of test results from Jarrah (1988) is presented and discussed. For sharp-edged delta models at low speeds, the aerodynamic loads which are plotted quantify the role of parameters AR and K for three ranges of alpha-variation. An extremely approximate and empirical 'theory' is offered, with data on crossflow drag and burst location, to reproduce the behavior of these airloads up to 90 deg. Recent attempts to apply the more sophisticated tools of computational fluid dynamics to the combination of unsteadiness and very high alpha are shown to be deficient.

Ashley, H.↗

A finite element large deflection random response of a pipe containing fluid flow

A finite element approach is developed for beam type pipes undergoing large deflections subjected to random loadings. The influence of fluid velocity on the random response is investigated. The root-mean-square (rms) deflections and frequencies for different sound spectrum level values are determined for pipes with both ends either simply supported or clamped. The required number of modes to achieve accurate rms deflections is studied. The prediction of fatigue life is then based on the maximum rms stress. This analytical investigation will help to broaden the basic understanding of the role of fluid flow within structures subjected to random excitations.

Chiang, C. K.↗

Some effects of blade trailing-edge thickness on performance of a single-stage axial-flow compressor

A set of modified NACA 65-series blower blades designed for axial inlet velocity, high inlet Mach number, and high blade loading was investigated for trailing-edge thickness of 0.015, 0.030, and 0.045 inch to determine the effect of trailing-edge thickness on single-stage axial-flow-compressor performance. Trailing-edge thickness effects were small except at the highest tip speed investigated (915 ft/sec). Trailing-edge thickness up to 30 percent of maximum blade thickness were used without sacrifice of performance of NACA 65-series blades.

AIRFOILS - THICKNESS↗