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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CFD Simulation of Ignition Overpressure and Plume-Water Interaction in the SLS Scale Model Acoustics Test

The solid rocket boosters (SRBs) on the Space Launch System (SLS) generate powerful ignition overpressure (IOP) waves that can potentially damage the vehicle and surrounding ground structures. Based on historical Shuttle experience, the IOP will be mitigated by utilizing an IOP/Sound Suppression (SS) water system which sprays water in and around the SRB and RS-25 engine plumes. However, the complex multiphase physics of the resulting plume-water interaction can lead to undesirable effects, such as high velocity water spray onto the engine nozzles and SRB nozzle side loads. Prior to launch, insight into this environment can be achieved through scale model testing and predictive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. The Scale Model Acoustic Test (SMAT) was conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center to provide the data necessary to develop the SLS liftoff acoustic environments by using a 5% scale SLS vehicle, fully integrated with a scaled IOP/SS water system, mobile launcher (ML), and tower. NASA engineers have put forth significant effort in validating the Loci/CHEM-Real Fluids multiphase CFD solver on a wet hold down test from the SMAT series. In this paper, the IOP acoustics and plume-water interactions predicted by the CFD model are compared and validated against the experiment, enabling relatively inexpensive, rapid turnaround for multiphase launch environment analyses to support future flights and design evolutions of SLS and other launch vehicles.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of a Two-Phase CFD Model for Autogenous Pressurization and Expulsion

This paper presents a two-phase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for simulating autogenous pressurization and expulsion in a cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage tank, utilizing a volume-of-fluid (VOF) approach combined with the kinetics-based Schrage equation to accurately capture the phase boundary and interfacial heat, mass, and momentum transfer between liquid and vapor phases. The model is validated against experimental data from NASA's K-site tank facility, specifically experimental case 225, which involved pressurization and controlled expulsion of liquid hydrogen. Various turbulence models are evaluated to assess their influence on model accuracy. The CFD simulations successfully replicate key thermodynamic behaviors observed during the experiments, including pressure evolution, temperature profiles, and phase-change dynamics at the vapor-liquid interface. The predicted tank pressures, temperatures, and pressurant requirements agree with experimental data, with pressurant mass predictions within 16\% of observed values. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate turbulence models to accurately simulate complex flow and heat transfer phenomena during tank pressurization and expulsion. By enhancing the accuracy and reliability of CFD models for liquid hydrogen under cryogenic conditions, this research contributes to developing efficient cryogenic propellant management strategies for future space missions.

Computational Fluid Dynamics↗

NASA NTRS1989

Representation and display of vector field topology in fluid flow data sets

The visualization of physical processes in general and of vector fields in particular is discussed. An approach to visualizing flow topology that is based on the physics and mathematics underlying the physical phenomenon is presented. It involves determining critical points in the flow where the velocity vector vanishes. The critical points, connected by principal lines or planes, determine the topology of the flow. The complexity of the data is reduced without sacrificing the quantitative nature of the data set. By reducing the original vector field to a set of critical points and their connections, a representation of the topology of a two-dimensional vector field that is much smaller than the original data set but retains with full precision the information pertinent to the flow topology is obtained. This representation can be displayed as a set of points and tangent curves or as a graph. Analysis (including algorithms), display, interaction, and implementation aspects are discussed.

Helman, James↗

NASA NTRS1978

Environmental assessment of the proposed nonelectric application of geothermal resources at Desert Hot Springs, California

The paper presents an environmental analysis performed in evaluating various proposed geothermal demonstration projects at Desert Hot Springs. These are categorized in two ways: (1) indirect, or (2) direct uses. Among the former are greenhouses, industrial complexes, and car washes. The latter include aquaculture, a cascaded agribusiness system, and a mobile home park. Major categories of environmental impact covered are: (1) site, (2) construction of projects, and (3) the use of the geothermal source. Attention is also given to the disposal of the geothermal fluid after use. Finally, it is concluded that there are no major problems forseen for each project, and future objectives are discussed.

Rosenberg, L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

CARS system for turbulent flame measurements

Simultaneous nitrogen number density and rotational-vibrational temperatures were measured in a turbulent diffusion flame with a Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) instrument. The fuel jet was diluted with nitrogen (20 percent by volume) to allow temperature measurements across the entire jet mixing region. These measurements were compared with fluid dynamics computations. The CARS system incorporated a neodymium YAG laser, an intensified silicon photodiode array detector, and unique dynamic range enhancement methods. Theoretical calculations were based on a parabolic Navier-Stokes computer code. The comparison of these techniques will aid their development in the study of complex flowfields.

Antcliff, R. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Tethered elevator: A unique opportunity for space processing

The latest fluid dynamic and material science experiments in the microgravity environment have emphasized the importance of the residual gravity level and of the g-jitter on fluid physics phenomena. The tethered elevator presents the possibility of providing variable g-levels (both steady and g-jitter) around a very low steady g-level (that can be realized when the elevator is near the center of mass of the space station-tether complex). When positioning a variable periodic oscillation to the payload a clean g-jitter disturbance can be obtained that would not be otherwise obtainable by other systems. These two possibilities make the elevator a facility to help resolve a number of still open questions that are preventing wider utilization of the space environment in the microgravity area.

Monti, R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Future requirements of wind tunnels for Computational Fluid Dynamics code verification

The role of experiment in the development of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for external aerodynamic flow-field prediction is discussed. Requirements for code verification from two sources pacing the development of CFD are described: (1) the need for developing adequate flow modeling, and (2) the need for establishing confidence in the use of CFD for predicting complex flows. The type of data needed to meet these needs differs in detail and scope and leads to definite wind tunnel requirements. Recent examples of testing to assess and develop turbulence models, and to verify code development are used to establish future requirements of wind tunnel testing for CFD verification.

Marvin, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Prediction of prompt NO(x) in hydrocarbon air flames

The gas turbine industry is directing particular attention to very low NOx combustors, whether for aircraft or land based CCGT systems. These low NOx combustors frequently use liquid fuels or natural gas burning under very lean premixed conditions with air or under rich-lean conditions, although only the first case is studied here. In land based systems, diluted steam or nitrogen are sometimes injected into the combustion chambers to reduce flame temperature. The NOx emissions from such systems are the product of three chemical mechanisms which are interrelated: the hydrocarbon prompt NO, the thermal NO (extended Zeldovich mechanism), and the nitrous oxide route to NO. Formation of NO2 from NO also occurs, as well as emission of carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons. When the fuel-oxidant proportion decreases towards leaner conditions, flame temperatures are lowered, resulting in the total NO being reduced and the thermal-NO contribution greatly diminished to the benefit of the remaining two mechanisms of NO formation. While knowledge of the elementary reactions and their chemical kinetics concerning methane and simple hydrocarbons combustion has existed for a number of years, its use for computer modeling is limited to simple flow dynamics configurations. Nevertheless, understanding of such combusting flows under a wide range of experimental conditions allows for analogies or speculations with more complex actual systems. Such understanding can be achieved by means of one dimensional laminar premixed flame modeling, with a full chemical mechanism which incorporates the three routes of NO formation. Complementary to this understanding is the modeling of the actual combustion system using a full description of the fluid dynamics coupled with a reduced chemical scheme, which is then compared against the first model. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the relative importance of the three mechanisms of NO formation in lean premixed methane-air combustion with increasing pressure using the one dimensional plug flow package PREMIX, and to test the validity of a three dimensional model with a global chemical mechanism against the one dimensional model in the atmospheric pressure case. Methane is chosen because it is the only mechanism which is reasonably well known and is a good guide to the behavior of other hydrocarbons. The mixture ratio chosen is richer than that in lean gas turbines, but the combustion of this mixture with the low preheat gives realistic gas turbine final flame temperatures. Conditions of NO2 formation are also analyzed in the one dimensional model and results extrapolated to the case of gas turbines.

Valerie Dupont↗

NASA NTRS1994

A Class of High-Resolution Explicit and Implicit Shock-Capturing Methods

The development of shock-capturing finite difference methods for hyperbolic conservation laws has been a rapidly growing area for the last decade. Many of the fundamental concepts, state-of-the-art developments and applications to fluid dynamics problems can only be found in meeting proceedings, scientific journals and internal reports. This paper attempts to give a unified and generalized formulation of a class of high-resolution, explicit and implicit shock capturing methods, and to illustrate their versatility in various steady and unsteady complex shock waves, perfect gases, equilibrium real gases and nonequilibrium flow computations. These numerical methods are formulated for the purpose of ease and efficient implementation into a practical computer code. The various constructions of high-resolution shock-capturing methods fall nicely into the present framework and a computer code can be implemented with the various methods as separate modules. Included is a systematic overview of the basic design principle of the various related numerical methods. Special emphasis will be on the construction of the basic nonlinear, spatially second and third-order schemes for nonlinear scalar hyperbolic conservation laws and the methods of extending these nonlinear scalar schemes to nonlinear systems via the approximate Riemann solvers and flux-vector splitting approaches. Generalization of these methods to efficiently include real gases and large systems of nonequilibrium flows will be discussed. Some perbolic conservation laws to problems containing stiff source terms and terms and shock waves are also included. The performance of some of these schemes is illustrated by numerical examples for one-, two- and three-dimensional gas-dynamics problems. The use of the Lax-Friedrichs numerical flux to obtain high-resolution shock-capturing schemes is generalized. This method can be extended to nonlinear systems of equations without the use of Riemann solvers or flux-vector splitting approaches and thus provides a large savings for multidimensional, equilibrium real gases and nonequilibrium flow computations.

Yee, H. C.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Numerical Modeling of Three-Dimensional Fluid Flow with Phase Change

We present a numerical method to compute phase change dynamics of three-dimensional deformable bubbles. The full Navier-Stokes and energy equations are solved for both phases by a front tracking/finite difference technique. The fluid boundary is explicitly tracked by discrete points that are connected by triangular elements to form a front that is used to keep the stratification of material properties sharp and to calculate the interfacial source terms. Two simulations are presented to show robustness of the method in handling complex phase boundaries. In the first case, growth of a vapor bubble in zero gravity is studied where large volume increase of the bubble is managed by adaptively increasing the front resolution. In the second case, growth of a bubble under high gravity is studied where indentation at the rear of the bubble results in a region of large curvature which challenges the front tracking in three dimensions.

Esmaeeli, Asghar↗

NASA NTRS2007

Runtime and Pressurization Analyses of Propellant Tanks

Multi-element unstructured CFD has been utilized at NASA SSC to carry out analyses of propellant tank systems in different modes of operation. The three regimes of interest at SSC include (a) tank chill down (b) tank pressurization and (c) runtime propellant draw-down and purge. While tank chill down is an important event that is best addressed with long time-scale heat transfer calculations, CFD can play a critical role in the tank pressurization and runtime modes of operation. In these situations, problems with contamination of the propellant by inclusion of the pressurant gas from the ullage causes a deterioration of the quality of the propellant delivered to the test article. CFD can be used to help quantify the mixing and propellant degradation. During tank pressurization under some circumstances, rapid mixing of relatively warm pressurant gas with cryogenic propellant can lead to rapid densification of the gas and loss of pressure in the tank. This phenomenon can cause serious problems during testing because of the resulting decrease in propellant flow rate. With proper physical models implemented, CFD can model the coupling between the propellant and pressurant including heat transfer and phase change effects and accurately capture the complex physics in the evolving flowfields. This holds the promise of allowing the specification of operational conditions and procedures that could minimize the undesirable mixing and heat transfer inherent in propellant tank operation. It should be noted that traditional CFD modeling is inadequate for such simulations because the fluids in the tank are in a range of different sub-critical and supercritical states and elaborate phase change and mixing rules have to be developed to accurately model the interaction between the ullage gas and the propellant. We show a typical run-time simulation of a spherical propellant tank, containing RP-1 in this case, being pressurized with room-temperature nitrogen at 540 R. Nitrogen, shown in blue on the right-hand side of the figures, enters the tank from the diffuser at the top of the figures and impinges on the RP-1, shown in red, while the propellant is being continuously drained at the rate of 1050 lbs/sec through a pipe at the bottom of the tank. The sequence of frames in Figure 1 shows the resultant velocity fields and mixing between nitrogen and RP-1 in a cross-section of the tank at different times. A vortex is seen to form in the incoming nitrogen stream that tends to entrain propellant, mixing it with the pressurant gas. The RP-1 mass fraction contours in Figure 1 are also indicative of the level of mixing and contamination of the propellant. The simulation is used to track the propagation of the pure propellant front as it is drawn toward the exit with the evolution of the mixing processes in the tank. The CFD simulation modeled a total of 10 seconds of run time. As is seen from Figure 1d, after 5.65 seconds the propellant front is nearing the drain pipe, especially near the center of the tank. Behind this pure propellant front is a mixed fluid of compromised quality that would require the test to end when it reaches the exit pipe. Such unsteady simulations provide an estimate of the time that a high-quality propellant supply to the test article can be guaranteed at the modeled mass flow rate. In the final paper, we will discuss simulations of the LOX and propellant tanks at NASA SSC being pressurized by an inert ullage. Detailed comparisons will be made between the CFD simulations and lower order models as well as with test data. Conditions leading to cryo collapse in the tank will also be identified.

Field, Robert E.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Training Knowledge Bots for Physics-Based Simulations Using Artificial Neural Networks

Millions of complex physics-based simulations are required for design of an aerospace vehicle. These simulations are usually performed by highly trained and skilled analysts, who execute, monitor, and steer each simulation. Analysts rely heavily on their broad experience that may have taken 20-30 years to accumulate. In addition, the simulation software is complex in nature, requiring significant computational resources. Simulations of system of systems become even more complex and are beyond human capacity to effectively learn their behavior. IBM has developed machines that can learn and compete successfully with a chess grandmaster and most successful jeopardy contestants. These machines are capable of learning some complex problems much faster than humans can learn. In this paper, we propose using artificial neural network to train knowledge bots to identify the idiosyncrasies of simulation software and recognize patterns that can lead to successful simulations. We examine the use of knowledge bots for applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), trajectory analysis, commercial finite-element analysis software, and slosh propellant dynamics. We will show that machine learning algorithms can be used to learn the idiosyncrasies of computational simulations and identify regions of instability without including any additional information about their mathematical form or applied discretization approaches.

Samareh, Jamshid A.↗

NASA NTRS2015

NASA,FAA,ONERA Swept-Wing Icing and Aerodynamics: Summary of Research and Current Status

NASA, FAA, ONERA, and other partner organizations have embarked on a significant, collaborative research effort to address the technical challenges associated with icing on large scale, three-dimensional swept wings. These are extremely complex phenomena important to the design, certification and safe operation of small and large transport aircraft. There is increasing demand to balance trade-offs in aircraft efficiency, cost and noise that tend to compete directly with allowable performance degradations over an increasing range of icing conditions. Computational fluid dynamics codes have reached a level of maturity that they are being proposed by manufacturers for use in certification of aircraft for flight in icing. However, sufficient high-quality data to evaluate their performance on iced swept wings are not currently available in the public domain and significant knowledge gaps remain.

Aircraft Icing↗

NASA NTRS2015

Initial Low-Reynolds Number Iced Aerodynamic Performance for CRM Wing

Ice Formation↗

NASA NTRS1996

[?]Nonlinear Issues in the Aerothermochemistry of Gases and Materials and the Associated Physics and Dynamics of Interfaces

Our research and technology are focused on nonlinear issues in the aerothermochemistry of gases and materials and the associated physics and dynamics of interfaces. Our program is now organized to aggressively support the NASA Aeronautics Enterprise so as to: (a) develop a new generation of environmentally compatible, economic subsonic aircraft; (b) develop the technology base for an economically viable and environmentally compatible high-speed civil transport; (c) develop the technology options for new capabilities in high-performance aircraft; (d) develop hypersonic technologies for air-breathing flight; and (e) develop advanced concepts, understanding of physical phenomena, and theoretical, experimental, and computational tools for advanced aerospace systems. The implications from our research for aeronautical and aerospace technology have been both broad and deep. For example, using advanced computational techniques, we have determined exact solutions for the Schrodinger equation in electron-molecule scattering allowing us to evaluate atmospheric models important to reentry physics. We have also found a new class of exact solutions for the Navier Stokes equations. In experimental fluid dynamics, we have found explicit evidence of turbulence modification of droplet sizes in shock tube flow with condensation. We have developed a new diagnostic tool for the direct estimation of flow velocities at MHz sampling rates in quasi-one dimensional turbulent flow. This procedure suggests an unexpected confirmation of the possibility of 'natural' closure in Reynolds stresses with deep implications for the development of turbulent models. A transient increase is observed in both the spectral energy decay rate and the degree of chaotic complexity at the interface of a shock wave and a turbulent ionized gas. Even though the gas is apparently brought to rest by the shock wave, no evidence is found either of the expected relaminarization. A unique diamond-shaped nozzle has been designed for a detailed investigation of the effect of significant streamwise vorticity on the acoustic and IR characteristics of supersonic jets. Our results provide convincing evidence of the significant effect of vorticity on the far-field noise for the diamond jet as compared to the conventional round jets. We have found that the countercurrent shear layer mixes much more efficiently than conventional coflowing shear layers. We also developed the fluid thrust vectoring procedures which use counter flow to vector a jet. Our materials research has shown that the steep stress gradients at the fiber-matrix interface could be the primary cause of interface cracks after the processing of metallic and intermetallic matrix composites. New techniques have been evolved for: the microcharacterization of materials including microplastic strain and, point by point, the misorientation and plasticity for matrix composites; thermally induced stress measurements and load relaxation; the growth and characterization of metallic matrix composite interfaces; and for the growth of ferrite materials by pulsed laser deposition. The FAMU commitment to the HBCU Research Center also continues to be broad and deep.

Johnson, Joseph A., III↗

NASA NTRS2015

Solid Rocket Motor Combustion Instability Modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics

Combustion instability modeling of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) remains a topic of active research. Many rockets display violent fluctuations in pressure, velocity, and temperature originating from the complex interactions between the combustion process, acoustics, and steady-state gas dynamics. Recent advances in defining the energy transport of disturbances within steady flow-fields have been applied by combustion stability modelers to improve the analysis framework. Employing this more accurate global energy balance requires a higher fidelity model of the SRM flow-field and acoustic mode shapes. The current industry standard analysis tool utilizes a one dimensional analysis of the time dependent fluid dynamics along with a quasi-three dimensional propellant grain regression model to determine the SRM ballistics. The code then couples with another application that calculates the eigenvalues of the one dimensional homogenous wave equation. The mean flow parameters and acoustic normal modes are coupled to evaluate the stability theory developed and popularized by Culick. The assumption of a linear, non-dissipative wave in a quiescent fluid remains valid while acoustic amplitudes are small and local gas velocities stay below Mach 0.2. The current study employs the COMSOL Multiphysics finite element framework to model the steady flow-field parameters and acoustic normal modes of a generic SRM. This work builds upon previous efforts to verify the use of the acoustic velocity potential equation (AVPE) laid out by Campos. The acoustic velocity potential (psi) describing the acoustic wave motion in the presence of an inhomogeneous steady high-speed flow is defined by, del squared psi - (lambda/c) squared psi - M x [M x del((del)(psi))] - 2((lambda)(M)/c + M x del(M) x (del)(psi) - 2(lambda)(psi)[M x del(1/c)] = 0. with M as the Mach vector, c as the speed of sound, and λ as the complex eigenvalue. The study requires one way coupling of the CFD High Mach Number Flow (HMNF) and mathematics module. The HMNF module evaluates the gas flow inside of a SRM using St. Robert's law to model the solid propellant burn rate, slip boundary conditions, and the supersonic outflow condition. Results from the HMNF model are verified by comparing the pertinent ballistics parameters with the industry standard code outputs (i.e. pressure drop, axial velocity, exit velocity). These results are then used by the coefficient form of the mathematics module to determine the complex eigenvalues of the AVPE. The mathematics model is truncated at the nozzle sonic line, where a zero flux boundary condition is self-satisfying. The remaining boundaries are modeled with a zero flux boundary condition, assuming zero acoustic absorption on all surfaces. The one way coupled analysis is perform four times utilizing geometries determined through traditional SRM modeling procedures. The results of the steady-state CFD and AVPE analyses are used to calculate the linear acoustic growth rate as is defined by Flandro and Jacob. In order to verify the process implemented within COMSOL we first employ the Culick theory and compare the results with the industry standard. After the process is verified, the Flandro/Jacob energy balance theory is employed and results displayed.

Fischbach, S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

A general method for the analysis of compact multifluid heat exchangers.

An analytical method of treating the complex heat-transfer processes involved in compact multifluid heat exchangers is described. The method is based on representing the heat transfer by means of the analogy between heat-transfer paths and electrical circuits. For plate-fin configurations, it includes the effects of heat exchange among nonadjacent fluids due to conduction through the fins of intervening passages. The application of the developed solution procedures to the design and analysis of multifluid heat exchangers is also discussed. Results obtained in using the electrical-analog method to examine the effects of conduction on performance are presented graphically in parametric form for a number of three-fluid plate-fin configurations. The discussion of the data presented includes a comparison with results given by alternative analytical procedures which neglect direct transfer between nonadjacent fluids.

Demetri, E. P.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Testing of molded high temperature plastic actuator road seals for use in advanced aircraft hydraulic systems

Molded high temperature plastic first and second stage rod seal elements were evaluated in seal assemblies to determine performance characteristics. These characteristics were compared with the performance of machined seal elements. The 6.35 cm second stage Chevron seal assembly was tested using molded Chevrons fabricated from five molding materials. Impulse screening tests conducted over a range of 311 K to 478 K revealed thermal setting deficiencies in the aromatic polyimide molding materials. Seal elements fabricated from aromatic copolyester materials structurally failed during impulse cycle calibration. Endurance testing of 3.85 million cycles at 450 K using MIL-H-83283 fluid showed poorer seal performance with the unfilled aromatic polyimide material than had been attained with seals machined from Vespel SP-21 material. The 6.35 cm first stage step-cut compression loaded seal ring fabricated from copolyester injection molding material failed structurally during impulse cycle calibration. Molding of complex shape rod seals was shown to be a potentially controllable technique, but additional molding material property testing is recommended.

Waterman, A. W.↗