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NASA NTRS1985

Active control of compressible flows on a curved surface

The effect of localized, time periodic surface heating and cooling over a curved surface is studied. This is a mechanism for the active control of unstable disturbances by phase cancellation and reinforcement. It is shown that the pressure gradient induced by the curvature significantly enhances the effectiveness of this form of active control. In particular, by appropriate choice of phase, active surface heating can completely stabilize and unstable wave.

Maestrello, L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Design of fuselage shapes for natural laminar flow

Recent technological advances in airplane construction techniques and materials allow for the production of aerodynamic surfaces without significant waviness and roughness, permitting long runs of natural laminar flow (NLF). The present research effort seeks to refine and validate computational design tools for use in the design of axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric natural-laminar-flow bodies. The principal task of the investigation involves fuselage body shaping using a computational design procedure. Analytical methods were refined and exploratory calculations conducted to predict laminar boundary-layer on selected body shapes. Using a low-order surface-singularity aerodynamic analysis program, pressure distribution, boundary-layer development, transition location and drag coefficient have been obtained for a number of body shapes including a representative business-aircraft fuselage. Extensive runs of laminar flow were predicted in regions of favorable pressure gradient on smooth body surfaces. A computational design procedure was developed to obtain a body shape with minimum drag having large extent of NLF.

Dodbele, S. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Development of a new instrument for direct skin friction measurements

A device developed for the direct measurement of wall shear stress generated by flows is described. Simple and symmetric in design with optional small moving mass and no internal friction, the features employed in the design eliminate most of the difficulties associated with the traditional floating element balances. The device is basically small and can be made in various sizes. Vibration problems associated with the floating element skin friction balances were found to be minimized due to the design symmetry and optional damping provided. The design eliminates or reduces the errors associated with conventional floating element devices: such as errors due to gaps, pressure gradient, acceleration, heat transfer, and temperature change. The instrument is equipped with various sensing systems and the output signal is a linear function of the wall shear stress. Dynamic measurements could be made in a limited range and measurements in liquids could be performed readily. Measurement made in the three different tunnels show excellent agreement with data obtained by the floating element devices and other techniques.

Vakili, A. D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Computational aspects of unsteady flows

The calculation of unsteady flows and the development of numerical methods for solving unsteady boundary layer equations and their application to the flows around important configurations such as oscillating airfoils are presented. A brief review of recent work is provided with emphasis on the need for numerical methods which can overcome possible problems associated with flow reversal and separation. The zig-zag and characteristic box schemes are described in this context, and when embodied in a method which permits interaction between solutions of inviscid and viscous equations, the characteristic box scheme is shown to avoid the singularity associated with boundary layer equations and prescribed pressure gradient. Calculations were performed for a cylinder started impulsively from rest and oscillating airfoils. The results are presented and discussed. It is conlcuded that turbulence models based on an algebraic specification of eddy viscosity can be adequate, that location of translation is important to the calculation of the location of flow separation and, therefore, to the overall lift of an oscillating airfoil.

Cebeci, T.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Performance tests for the NASA Ames Research Center 20 cm x 40 cm oscillating flow wind tunnel

An evaluation is presented of initial tests conducted to assess the performance of the NASA Ames 20 cm x 40 cm oscillating flow wind tunnel. The features of the tunnel are described and two aspects of tunnel operation are discussed. The first is an assessment of the steady mainstream and boundary layer flows and the second deals with oscillating mainstream and boundary layer flows. Experimental results indicate that in steady flow the test section mainstream velocity is uniform in the flow direction and in cross section. The freestream turbulence intensity is about 0.2 percent. With minor exceptions the steady turbulent boundary layer generated on the top wall of the test section exhibits the characteristics of a zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer generated on a flat plate. The tunnel was designed to generate sinusoidal oscillating mainstream flows. Experiments confirm that the tunnel produces sinusoidal mainstream velocity variations for the range of frequencies (up to 15 Hz). The results of this study demonstrate that the tunnel essentially produces the flows that it was designed to produce.

Cook, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The Capillary Pumped Loop (CPL) GAS experiment G-471

The Capillary Pumped Loop (CPL) experiment, 6-471 is a thermal control system with high density heat acquisition and transport capability. The CPL consists of two capillary pumped evaporators with integral heaters, a fluid loop charged with ammonia (NH3), a condenser plate (heat sink), and various control electronics. The purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate the capability of a capillary pumped system under zero gravity conditions for use in the thermal control of large scientific instruments, advanced orbiting spacecraft, and space station components. A unique feature of the CPL is the capillary pumps, which contain no moving parts. Each pump contains a wick of porous material which is saturated with the working fluid (anhydrous ammonia). As heat is added to the fluid, it evaporates and travels to the condenser, thus transporting the heat (via the latent heat of vaporization) from the heat source to its sink at nearly a constant temperature. The evaporation process produces the pressure gradient or pumping action that circulates the fluid. This is the same principal that plants and trees use to transport water and nutrients from their roots to their leaves against gravity. The difference is that the CPL employs a closed system to return the fluid directly to the pumps, whereas "Mother Nature'' has an open system where the fluid is indirectly returned to the roots by condensation of water from the clouds in the form of rain. It should be noted that the CPL experiment was the first flight of a thermal control system of this type. It was also the first shuttle experiment from the Space Station Advanced Development Program.

Dan Butler↗

NASA NTRS1986

Cryogenic wind tunnels: Problems of continuous operation at low temperatures

The design of a cryogenic wind tunnel which operates continuously, and is capable of attaining transonic speeds at generating pressures of about 3 bars is described. Its stainless steel construction with inside insulation allows for very rapid temperature variations promoted by rapid changes in the liquid nitrogen flow. A comparative study of temperature measuring probes shows a good reliability of thin sheet thermocouples. To measure fluctuations, only a cold wire makes it possible to record frequencies of about 300 Hz. The use of an integral computer method makes it possible to determine the impact of the wall temperature ratio to the adiabatic wall temperature for the various parameters characterizing the boundary layer. These cases are processed with positive and negative pressure gradients.

Faulmann, D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Improved Skin Friction Interferometer

An improved system for measuring aerodynamic skin friction which uses a dual-laser-beam oil-film interferometer was developed. Improvements in the optical hardware provided equal signal characteristics for each beam and reduced the cost and complexity of the system by replacing polarization rotation by a mirrored prism for separation of the two signals. An automated, objective, data-reduction procedure was implemented to eliminate tedious manual manipulation of the interferometry data records. The present system was intended for use in two-dimensional, incompressible flows over a smooth, level surface without pressure gradient, but the improvements discussed are not limited to this application.

Westphal, R. V.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Combustion theory for liquids with a free surface. 3: Special problems

Two special problems concerning the combustion of liquids with a free surface, i.e., flame quenching during the mixing of a burning liquid inside a container and liquid burnout from a porous layer, are analyzed using a quasi-one-dimensional model. The critical parameters corresponding to the quenching of a burning fluid with a free surface are determined. Determinations are also made of the limiting pressure gradients corresponding to the transition from the combustion mode where the liquid evaporates from the surface of a porous layer to the mode where the phase transition surface lies inside the porous layer.

Milkov, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Thermodynamic evaluation of transonic compressor rotors using the finite volume approach

A method was developed which calculates two-dimensional, transonic, viscous flow in ducts. The finite volume, time marching formulation is used to obtain steady flow solutions of the Reynolds-averaged form of the Navier Stokes equations. The entire calculation is performed in the physical domain. The method is currently limited to the calculation of attached flows. The features of the current method can be summarized as follows. Control volumes are chosen so that smoothing of flow properties, typically required for stability, is now needed. Different time steps are used in the different governing equations to improve the convergence speed of the viscous calculations. A new pressure interpolation scheme is introduced which improves the shock capturing ability of the method. A multi-volume method for pressure changes in the boundary layer allows calculations which use very long and thin control volumes. A special discretization technique is also used to stabilize these calculations. A special formulation of the energy equation is used to provide improved transient behavior of solutions which use the full energy equation. The method is then compared with a wide variety of test cases. The freestream Mach numbers range from 0.075 to 2.8 in the calculations. Transonic viscous flow in a converging diverging nozzle is calculated with the method; the Mach number upstream of the shock is approximately 1.25. The agreement between the calculated and measured shock strength and total pressure losses is good. Essentially incompressible turbulent boundary layer flow in a adverse pressure gradient is calculated and the computed distribution of mean velocity and shear stress are in good agreement with the measurements. At the other end of the Mach number range, a flat plate turbulent boundary layer with a freestream Mach number of 2.8 is calculated using the full energy equation; the computed total temperature distribution and recovery factor agree well with the measurements when a variable Prandtl number is used through the boundary layer.

Nicholson, S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Magnetospheric interchange instability

It is shown that the conventional derivation of the MHD interchange instability criterion using an energy approach yields incorrect results. A special case involving straight, parallel flux tubes is considered in which the conventional energy argument should apply but disagrees with the result of an elementary dynamical argument. It is shown that the disagreement arises because the conventional derivation neglects the self-consistent changes in the magnetic field that result from the flux-tube interchange. When these self-consistent changes are included in the energy approach, a new interchange instability criterion is derived that agrees with the dynamical criterion. The new instability criterion is qualitatively different from the conventional one and suggests that the pressure gradient of energetic ions at Jupiter may not stabilize the Io torus against interchanges. The inner magnetospheres of earth, Jupiter, and Saturn may all be interchange unstable.

Cheng, A. F.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Computational wing design in support of an NLF variable sweep transition flight experiment

A natural laminar flow outer panel wing glove has been designed for a variable sweep fighter aircraft using state-of-the-art computational techniques. Testing of the design will yield wing pressure and boundary-layer data under actual flight conditions and environment. These data will be used to enhance the understanding of the interaction between crossflow and Tollmien-Schlichting disturbances on boundary-layer transition. The outer wing panel was contoured such that a wide range of favorable pressure gradients could be obtained on the wing upper surface. Extensive computations were performed to support the design effort which relied on two- and three-dimensional transonic design and analysis techniques. A detailed description of the design procedure that evolved during this study is presented. Results on intermediate designs at various stages in the design process demonstrate how the various physical and aerodynamic constraints were integrated into the design. Final results of the glove design analyzed as part of the complete aircraft configuration with a full-potential wing/body analysis code indicate that the aerodynamic design objectives were met.

Waggoner, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Numerical study of three-dimensional turbulent flow interactions between blockage models and wind tunnels including longitudinally slotted test sections

A spatial forward-marching approach is applied to compute three-dimensional turbulent flows for several blockage models in free flight, in a solid wall wind tunnel, and in a wind tunnel with longitudinal slots in the test section. The effects of area blockage in the tunnel, model growth and tunnel wall boundary layers, and of the slots are included. The large blockage models are found to have significant wall interference effects which can be reduced by the slots. The effects of the latter are confined to the region near the tunnel wall. Model/wall interference effects are not limited to the effects of area blockage; in particular, boundary layer profile shapes for a wind tunnel model in a tunnel are different from shapes for a model in free flight even when slots are used. This indicates that the flow responds differently in these two cases with the same pressure gradient.

Lin, S.-J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Incompressible flow in stepped labyrinth seals

A steped labyrinth seal was experimentally investigated to determine the effects of pressure ratio, shaft speed, number of teeth, and tooth/step location upon the leakage through the seal for incompressible flow. The dependence of the flow coefficient upon the number of throttles and pressure ratio are similar to those for straight-through labyrinth seals. It can be noted that the axial location of the throttle with respect to the step had a special effect upon the flow coefficient. That is, the dependency of the flow coefficient upon rotation rate and the number of throttles changes with axial location. It was found that the minimum flow coefficient was obtained when the seal teeth were centered on the step surface. Axial pressure distribution measurements show that when the teeth are centered on the step, the pressure drop from cavity to cavity is almost uniform. It is speculated that the obtaining of this uniform pressure gradient is the cause for the enhanced performance of the stepped labyrinth seal when operated in that configuration.

Morrison, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Conference on Low Reynolds Number Airfoil Aerodynamics, Notre Dame, IN, June 16-18, 1985, Proceedings

Topics of interest in the design, flow modeling and visualization, and turbulence and flow separation effects for low Reynolds number (Re) airfoils are discussed. Design methods are presented for Re from 50,000-500,000, including a viscous-inviscid coupling method and by using a constrained pitching moment. The effects of pressure gradients, unsteady viscous aerodynamics and separation bubbles are investigated, with particular note made of factors which most influence the size and location of separation bubbles and control their effects. Attention is also given to experimentation with low Re airfoils and to numerical models of symmetry breaking and lift hysteresis from separation. Both steady and unsteady flow experiments are reviewed, with the trials having been held in wind tunnels and the free atmosphere. The topics discussed are of interest to designers of RPVs, high altitude aircraft, sailplanes, ultralights and wind turbines.

Mueller, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Low Reynolds number separation bubble research at UTRC

The facilities and techniques being applied in investigations of laminar separation bubbles on low Re airfoils at the United Technologies Research Center are described. The research is focused on developing a database and predictive models for use in designing compressor, fan and turbine blades. Flow data are gathered primarily by laser Doppler velocimetry. Experimental procedures are being devised which will permit formation of a short bubble for characterizations of the velocity profiles in and around the bubble and boundary layer. Further tests are directed at defining the size and location of the bubble and the transition in the separated shear layer. The sensitivity of the bubble to alterations in the Re, pressure gradient, turbulence intensity and the turbulence scales will be examined. The effects of surface curvature and roughness on the bubble will also be studied. Details of the wind tunnel facility and the steps being taken to define conditions for reliably producing the short bubble are outlined.

Patrick, W. P.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Finite-amplitude steady waves in plane viscous shear flows

Computations of two-dimensional solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations are carried out for finite-amplitude waves on steady unidirectional flow. Several cases are considered. The numerical method employs pseudospectral techniques in the streamwise direction and finite differences on a stretched grid in the transverse direction, with matching to asymptotic solutions when unbounded. Earlier results for Poiseuille flow in a channel are re-obtained, except that attention is drawn to the dependence of the minimum Reynolds number on the physical constraint of constant flux or constant pressure gradient. Attempts to calculate waves in Couette flow by continuation in the velocity of a channel wall fail. The asymptotic suction boundary layer is shown to possess finite-amplitude waves at Reynolds numbers orders of magnitude less than the critical Reynolds number for linear instability. Waves in the Blasius boundary layer and unsteady Rayleigh profile are calculated by employing the artifice of adding a body force to cancel the spatial or temporal growth. The results are verified by comparison with perturbation analysis in the vicinity of the linear-instability critical Reynolds numbers.

Milinazzo, F. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Applications of a new wall function to turbulent flow computations

A new wall function approach is developed based on a wall law suitable for incompressible turbulent boundary layers under strong adverse pressure gradients. This wall law was derived from a one-dimensional analysis of the turbulent kinetic energy equation with gradient diffusion concept employed in modeling the near-wall shear stress gradient. Numerical testing cases for the present wall functions include turbulent separating flows around an airfoil and turbulent recirculating flows in several confined regions. Improvements on the predictions using the present wall functions are illustrated. For cases of internal recirculating flows, one modification factor for improving the performance of the k-epsilon turbulence model in the flow recirculation regions is also included.

Chen, Y. S.↗