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At least 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Two-Dimensional Inlet Simulation Using a Diagonal Implicit Algorithm

A modification of an implicit approximate-factorization finite-difference algorithm applied to the two-dimensional Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in general curvilinear coordinates is presented for supersonic freestream flow about and through inlets. The modification transforms the coupled system of equations Into an uncoupled diagonal form which requires less computation work. For steady-state applications the resulting diagonal algorithm retains the stability and accuracy characteristics of the original algorithm. Solutions are given for inviscid and laminar flow about a two-dimensional wedge inlet configuration. Comparisons are made between computed results and exact theory.

Chaussee, D.S.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Analysis of Inlet-Compressor Acoustic Interactions Using Coupled CFD Codes

A problem that arises in the numerical simulation of supersonic inlets is the lack of a suitable boundary condition at the engine face. In this paper, a coupled approach, in which the inlet computation is coupled dynamically to a turbomachinery computation, is proposed as a means to overcome this problem. The specific application chosen for validation of this approach is the collapsing bump experiment performed at the University of Cincinnati. The computed results are found to be in reasonable agreement with experimental results. The coupled simulation results could also be used to aid development of a simplified boundary condition.

Suresh, A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

A Low-Cost Design and Flight Test of the T-38 Inlet

An inlet redesign of the T-38 was completed and flight tested by NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston Texas. The redesign will allow full gross weight takeoffs from high altitude airports such as El Paso, Texas (ELP) with runway temperatures up to 99 degrees F, an increase of 9 degrees F over the current performance. This project was completed in-house using innovative test techniques. The static thrust of the T-38 was increased 20% with this new inlet.

Johnson, Greg↗
NASA NTRS1999

Inlet Development for a Rocket Based Combined Cycle, Single Stage to Orbit Vehicle Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Design and analysis of the inlet for a rocket based combined cycle engine is discussed. Computational fluid dynamics was used in both the design and subsequent analysis. Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes simulations were performed using both perfect gas and real gas assumptions. An inlet design that operates over the required Mach number range from 0 to 12 was produced. Performance data for cycle analysis was post processed using a stream thrust averaging technique. A detailed performance database for cycle analysis is presented. The effect ot vehicle forebody compression on air capture is also examined.

DeBonis, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Active Control of Inlet Noise on the JT15D Turbofan Engine

This report presents the key results obtained by the Vibration and Acoustics Laboratories at Virginia Tech over the year from November 1997 to December 1998 on the Active Noise Control of Turbofan Engines research project funded by NASA Langley Research Center. The concept of implementing active noise control techniques with fuselage-mounted error sensors is investigated both analytically and experimentally. The analytical part of the project involves the continued development of an advanced modeling technique to provide prediction and design guidelines for application of active noise control techniques to large, realistic high bypass engines of the type on which active control methods are expected to be applied. Results from the advanced analytical model are presented that show the effectiveness of the control strategies, and the analytical results presented for fuselage error sensors show good agreement with the experimentally observed results and provide additional insight into the control phenomena. Additional analytical results are presented for active noise control used in conjunction with a wavenumber sensing technique. The experimental work is carried out on a running JT15D turbofan jet engine in a test stand at Virginia Tech. The control strategy used in these tests was the feedforward Filtered-X LMS algorithm. The control inputs were supplied by single and multiple circumferential arrays of acoustic sources equipped with neodymium iron cobalt magnets mounted upstream of the fan. The reference signal was obtained from an inlet mounted eddy current probe. The error signals were obtained from a number of pressure transducers flush-mounted in a simulated fuselage section mounted in the engine test cell. The active control methods are investigated when implemented with the control sources embedded within the acoustically absorptive material on a passively-lined inlet. The experimental results show that the combination of active control techniques with fuselage-mounted error sensors and passive control techniques is an effective means of reducing radiated noise from turbofan engines. Strategic selection of the location of the error transducers is shown to be effective for reducing the radiation towards particular directions in the farfield. An analytical model is used to predict the behavior of the control system and to guide the experimental design configurations, and the analytical results presented show good agreement with the experimentally observed results.

Smith, Jerome P.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Simulated Inlet Unstart and Nacelle/Diverter Effects for the Boeing Reference H Configuration

The Boeing Reference H configuration was tested in the NASA Ames 9x7 Supersonic Wind Tunnel. A simulated unstarted inlet was evaluated as well as the aerodynamic performance of the configuration with and without nacelle and diverter components. These experimental results were compared with computational results from the unstructured grid Euler flow solver AIRPLANE. The comparisons between computational and experimental results were good, and demonstrated that the Euler code is capable of efficiently and accurately predicting the changes in the aerodynamic coefficients associated with inlet unstart and the effects of the nacelle and diverter components.

Cliff, Susan E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Internal Designs Application for Inlet and Nozzle Aeroperformance Improvement

The following research results are based on development of an approach previously proposed by the authors for optimum nozzle design to obtain maximum thrust. The design was denoted a Telescope nozzle. A Telescope nozzle contains one or several internal designs of certain location, which are inserted at certain locations into a divergent conical or planar main nozzle near its exit. Such a design provides additional thrust augmentation over 20% by comparison with the optimum single nozzle of equivalent lateral area. What is more, recent experimental acoustic tests have discovered an essential noise reduction due to Telescope nozzles application. In this paper, some additional theoretical results are presented for Telescope nozzles and a similar approach is applied for aeroperformance improvement of a supersonic inlet. In addition, a classic gas dynamics problem of a similar supersonic flow into a plate has been analyzed. In some particular cases, new exact analytical solutions are obtained for a flow into a wedge with an oblique shock wave. Numerical simulations were conducted for supersonic flow into a divergent portion of a 2D or axisymmetric nozzle with several plane or conuical designs as well as into a 2D or axisymmetric supersonic inlet with a forebody. The 1st order Kryko-Godunov marching numerical scheme for inviscid supersonic flows was used. Several cases were tested using the NASA CFL3d code based on full Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical simulation results have confirmed essential benefits of Telescope design applications in propulsion systems.

Gilinsky, M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Suppression of Cavity-Driven Flow Separation in a Simulated Mixed Compression Inlet

A test facility designed to simulate a bifurcated subsonic diffuser operating within a mixed compression inlet is described. The subsonic diffuser in this facility modeled a bypass cavity feature often used in mixed compression inlets for engine flow matching and normal shock control. A bypass cavity-driven flow separation was seen to occur in the subsonic diffuser without applied flow control. Flow control in the form of vortex generators and/or a partitioned bypass cavity cover plate were used to eliminate this flow separation, providing a 2% increase in area-averaged total pressure recovery, and a 70% reduction in circumferential distortion intensity.

Wendt, Bruce J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Advanced Methods for Aircraft Engine Thrust and Noise Benefits: Nozzle-Inlet Flow Analysis

In this project, we continue to develop the previous joint research between the Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics Laboratory (FM&AL) at Hampton University (HU) and the Jet Noise Team (JNT) at the NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC). The FM&AL was established at Hampton University in June of 1996 and has conducted research under two NASA grants: NAG-1-1835 (1996-99), and NAG-1-1936 (1997-00). In addition, the FM&AL has jointly conducted research with the Central AeroHydrodynamics Institute (TsAGI, Moscow) in Russia under a Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) grant #RE2-136 (1996-99). The goals of the FM&AL programs are twofold: (1) to improve the working efficiency of the FM&AUs team in generating new innovative ideas and in conducting research in the field of fluid dynamics and acoustics, basically for improvement of supersonic and subsonic aircraft engines, and (2) to attract promising minority students to this research and training and, in cooperation with other HU departments, to teach them basic knowledge in Aerodynamics, Gas Dynamics, and Theoretical and Experimental Methods in Aeroacoustics and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The research at the HU FM&AL supports reduction schemes associated with the emission of engine pollutants for commercial aircraft and concepts for reduction of observables for military aircraft. These research endeavors relate to the goals of the NASA Strategic Enterprise in Aeronautics concerning the development of environmentally acceptable aircraft. It is in this precise area, where the US aircraft industry, academia, and Government are in great need of trained professionals and which is a high priority goal of the Minority University Research and Education (MUREP) Program, that the HU FM&AL can make its most important contribution. The main achievements for the reporting period in the development of concepts for noise reduction and improvement in efficiency for jet exhaust nozzles and inlets for aircraft engines are as follows: (1) Publications- The AIAA Paper #99-1924 has been presented at the 5th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, May 10-12, 1999, Seattle, WA; the AIAA Paper #00-3315 has been accepted for the 36th AIAA/ASME/ SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, 17-19 July, 2000, Huntsville, AL; and another paper has been accepted for the International Environmental Congress, 14-16 June, 2000, St.-Petersburg, Russia. (2) Two patents were granted on July 20, 1999, and January 12, 2000. (3) Three reports/presentations at the NASA LaRC and GRC (06/22199, 09/26/ 99, and 06/25/00). (4) Grants and Proposals: Four proposals were submitted to the NASA and CRDF; a NASA Faculty Award was granted on January, 2000. A CRDF Young Investigator Program Award was granted for a 3 months visit of the Russian scientist to the HU FM&AL (03/99-05/99). (5) Theory and Numerical Simulations- Analytical theory, numerical simulation, comparison of theoretical with experimental results, and modification of theoretical approaches, models, grids etc. have been conducted for several complicated 2D and 3D nozzle and inlet designs using NASA codes based on full Euler and Navier-Stokes solvers: CFL3D, CRAFT, GODUNOV, and others. New approach for environmental monitoring via infrasound. (6) Experimental Tests: Experimental acoustic tests at the TsAGI, Moscow, with nozzles having Screwdriver or Axisymmetric Plug and Permeable Shells. A small scale working model of the NASA Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) has been installed in the Experimental Hall of the HU FM&AL (June, 1999). Preliminary preparations for experimental tests were made. (7) Students Research Activity: Involvement of the two graduate students as research assistants in the current research project.

Gilinsky, Mikhail↗
NASA NTRS1994

Numerical Simulation of Inlet Bleed with Circular Holes on Plate Under Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions

A numerical study was performed to investigate the shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions on a flat plate with bleed through one or more circular holes that vent into a plenum. The bleed-hole patterns considered for the study include in-line multiple holes and staggered multiple-row holes that are configured to simulate the patterns used in inlet bleed systems of high performance aircraft. The focus of the study was to examine how the bleed through multiple holes affect bleed rate and the pressure and Mach number distributions. Since the bleed performance was found sensitive to the change in bleed conditions, a computational procedure was developed to give a good turnaround computational time for parametric studies involving changes in bleed hole geometry and the structure of shock-wave/boundary-layer flowfield. The procedure includes the grid-generation methodology and the flow simulation with solutions from the Navier-Stokes equations. The computational techniques permit analysis of complex bleed systems and make possible the investigation of a broader range of design variables associated with inlet bleed operation.

Chyu, Wei J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Verification Assessment of Flow Boundary Conditions for CFD Analysis of Supersonic Inlet Flows

Boundary conditions for subsonic inflow, bleed, and subsonic outflow as implemented into the WIND CFD code are assessed with respect to verification for steady and unsteady flows associated with supersonic inlets. Verification procedures include grid convergence studies and comparisons to analytical data. The objective is to examine errors, limitations, capabilities, and behavior of the boundary conditions. Computational studies were performed on configurations derived from a "parameterized" supersonic inlet. These include steady supersonic flows with normal and oblique shocks, steady subsonic flow in a diffuser, and unsteady flow with the propagation and reflection of an acoustic disturbance.

Slater, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Validation of WIND for a Series of Inlet Flows

Validation assessments compare WIND CFD simulations to experimental data for a series of inlet flows ranging in Mach number from low subsonic to hypersonic. The validation procedures follow the guidelines of the AIAA. The WIND code performs well in matching the available experimental data. The assessments demonstrate the use of WIND and provide confidence in its use for the analysis of aircraft inlets.

Slater, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Management of Total Pressure Recovery, Distortion and High Cycle Fatigue in Compact Air Vehicle Inlets

It is the purpose of this study to demonstrate the viability and economy of Response Surface Methods (RSM) and Robustness Design Concepts (RDC) to arrive at micro-secondary flow control installation designs that maintain optimal inlet performance over a range of the mission variables. These statistical design concepts were used to investigate the robustness properties of 'low unit strength' micro-effector installations. 'Low unit strength' micro-effectors are micro-vanes set at very low angles-of-incidence with very long chord lengths. They were designed to influence the near wall inlet flow over an extended streamwise distance, and their advantage lies in low total pressure loss and high effectiveness in managing engine face distortion.

Anderson, Bernhard H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Design-of-experiments to Reduce Life-cycle Costs in Combat Aircraft Inlets

It is the purpose of this study to demonstrate the viability and economy of Design- of-Experiments (DOE), to arrive at micro-secondary flow control installation designs that achieve optimal inlet performance for different mission strategies. These statistical design concepts were used to investigate the properties of "low unit strength" micro-effector installation. "Low unit strength" micro-effectors are micro-vanes, set a very low angle-of incidence, with very long chord lengths. They are designed to influence the neat wall inlet flow over an extended streamwise distance. In this study, however, the long chord lengths were replicated by a series of short chord length effectors arranged in series over multiple bands of effectors. In order to properly evaluate the performance differences between the single band extended chord length installation designs and the segmented multiband short chord length designs, both sets of installations must be optimal. Critical to achieving optimal micro-secondary flow control installation designs is the understanding of the factor interactions that occur between the multiple bands of micro-scale vane effectors. These factor interactions are best understood and brought together in an optimal manner through a structured DOE process, or more specifically Response Surface Methods (RSM).

Anderson, Bernhard H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Investigation of Pneumatic Inlet and Diffuser Blowing on a Ducted Fan Propulsor in Static Thrust Operation

Tilting ducted fans present a solution for the lifting and forward flight propulsion requirements of VTOL aircraft. However, the geometry of the duct enshrouding the propeller has great a effect on the efficiency of the fan in various flight modes. Shroud geometry controls the velocity and pressure at the face of the fan, while maintaining a finite loading out at the tips of the fan blades. A duct tailored for most efficient generation of static lifting thrust will generally suffer from performance deficiencies in forward flight. The converse is true as well, leaving the designer with a difficult trade affecting the overall performance and sizing of the aircraft. Ideally, the shroud of a vertical lifting fan features a generous bell mouth inlet promoting acceleration of flow into the face of the fan, and terminating in a converging nozzle at the exit. Flow entering the inlet is accelerated into the fan by the circulation about the shroud, resulting in an overall increase in thrust compared to an open propeller operating under the same conditions . The accelerating shroud design is often employed in lifting ducted fans to benefit from the thrust augmentation; however, such shroud designs produce significant drag penalties in axial flight, thus are unsuitable for efficient forward flight applications. Decelerating, or diffusing, duct designs are employed for higher speed forward flight configurations. The lower circulation on the shroud tends to decelerate the flow into the face of the fan, which is detrimental to static thrust development; however, net thrust is developed on the shroud while the benefits of finite blade loading are retained. With judicious shroud design for intended flight speeds, a net increase in efficiency can be obtained over an open propeller. In this experiment, conducted under contract to NASA LaRC (contract NAG-1-02093) circulation control is being applied to a mildly diffusing shroud design, intended for improved forward flight performance, to generate circulation in the sense of an accelerating duct design. The intent is to improve static thrust performance of a ducted fan tailored for high speed axial flight, while at the same time significantly reduce the pressure signature on the ground plane. Circulation control on the fan shroud is achieved by the Coanda effect.

Kondor, Shayne↗
NASA NTRS2004

Optimal Micro-Vane Flow Control for Compact Air Vehicle Inlets

The purpose of this study on micro-vane secondary flow control is to demonstrate the viability and economy of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimally design micro-vane secondary flow control arrays, and to establish that the aeromechanical effects of engine face distortion can also be included in the design and optimization process. These statistical design concepts were used to investigate the design characteristics of "low unit strength" micro-effector arrays. "Low unit strength" micro-effectors are micro-vanes set at very low angles-of-incidence with very long chord lengths. They were designed to influence the near wall inlet flow over an extended streamwise distance, and their advantage lies in low total pressure loss and high effectiveness in managing engine face distortion. Therefore, this report examines optimal micro-vane secondary flow control array designs for compact inlets through a Response Surface Methodology.

Anderson, Bernhard H.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Internal Designs Application for Inlet and Nozzle Aeroperformance Improvement

The following research results are based on development of an approach previously proposed by the authors for optimum nozzle design to obtain maximum thrust. The design was denoted a Telescope nozzle. A Telescope nozzle contains one or several internal designs of certain location, which are inserted at certain locations into a divergent conical or planar main nozzle near its exit. Such a design provides additional thrust augmentation over 20% by comparison with the optimum single nozzle of equivalent lateral area. What is more, recent experimental acoustic tests have discovered an essential noise reduction due to Telescope nozzles application. In this paper, some additional theoretical results are presented for Telescope nozzles and a similar approach is applied for aeroperformance improvement of a supersonic inlet. In addition, a classic gas dynamics problem of a similar supersonic flow into a plate has been analyzed. In some particular cases, new exact analytical solutions are obtained for a flow into a wedge with an oblique shock wave. Numerical simulations were conducted for supersonic flow into a divergent portion of a 2D or axisymmetric nozzle with several plane or conical designs as well as into a 2D or axisymmetric supersonic inlet with a forebody. The 1st order Kryko-Godunov marching numerical scheme for inviscid supersonic flows was used. Several cases were tested using the NASA CFL3d code based on full Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical simulation results have confirmed essential benefits of Telescope design applications in propulsion systems.

Gilinsky, M.↗