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At least 109 records · Page 6

Atmospheric turbulence review of space shuttle launches

Research and analysis on the identification of turbulent regions from the surface to 16 km during Space Shuttle launches are discussed. It was demonstrated that the results from the FPS-16 radar/jimsphere balloon system in measuring winds can indeed indicate the presence or conditions ripe for turbulence in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It was further demonstrated that atmospheric data obtained during the shuttle launches by the rawinsonde in conjunction with the jimsphere provides the necessary meteorological data to compute aerodynamic parameters to identify turbulence, such as Reynolds number drag coefficient, turbulent stresses, total energy, stability parameter, vertical gradient of kinetic energy, Richardson number, and the turbulence probability index. Enhanced temperature lapse rates and inversion rates, strong vector wind shears, and large changes in wind direction identify the occurrence of turbulence at the troposphere. When any two of the above conditions occur simultaneously, a significant probability of turbulence can occur.

Susko, Michael↗

Spectral methods in fluid dynamics

Fundamental aspects of spectral methods are introduced. Recent developments in spectral methods are reviewed with an emphasis on collocation techniques. Their applications to both compressible and incompressible flows, to viscous as well as inviscid flows, and also to chemically reacting flows are surveyed. The key role that these methods play in the simulation of stability, transition, and turbulence is brought out. A perspective is provided on some of the obstacles that prohibit a wider use of these methods, and how these obstacles are being overcome.

Hussaini, M. Y.↗

Spectral methods in fluid dynamics

Fundamental aspects of spectral methods are introduced. Recent developments in spectral methods are reviewed with an emphasis on collocation techniques. Their applications to both compressible and incompressible flows, to viscous as well as inviscid flows, and also to chemically reacting flows are surveyed. The key role that these methods play in the simulation of stability, transition, and turbulence is brought out. A perspective is provided on some of the obstacles that prohibit a wider use of these methods, and how these obstacles are being overcome.

Hussaini, M. Y.↗

Problems in fluid dynamics

A scheme was developed for the parametric differentiation and integration of gas dynamics equations. A numerical integration of the gas dynamics equations is necessarily performed for a specific set of parameter values. The linear variational equations are obtained by differentiating the exact equations with respect to each of the relevant parameters. The resulting matrix of flow quantities is referred to as the Jacobi matrix. The subsequent procedure is then straightforward. The method was tested for two dimensional supersonic flow past an airfoil, with airfoil thickness, camber, and angle of attack varied. This approach has great potential value for rapidly assessing the effect of design changes. The other focus of the work was on problems in fluid stability, bifurcations, and turbulence.

Sirovich, Lawrence↗

Basic Considerations in the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels with Air

Basic combustion research is collected, collated, and interpreted as it applies to flight propulsion. The following fundamental processes are treated in separate chapters: atomization and evaporation of liquid fuels, flow and mixing processes in combustion chambers, ignition and flammability of hydrocarbon fuels, laminar flame propagation, turbulent flames, flame stabilization, diffusion flames, oscillations in combustors, and smoke and coke formation in the combustion of hydrocarbon-air mixtures. Theoretical background, basic experimental data, and practical significance to flight propulsion are presented.

Barnett, Henry C↗

Hyflite TPS Domain Test Results Ames 2x9 Turbulent Flow Duct

Detailed experimental data have been obtained on several advanced TUFI systems during their exposure to high temperature high shear supersonic turbulent flow. Dimensional stability of these systems were determined at surface temperatures above 3000 F. Effect of step gap configuration on the thermal performance of the TUFI systems were also evaluated.

Stewart, David A.↗

Gaussian and Lognormal Models of Hurricane Gust Factors

A document describes a tool that predicts the likelihood of land-falling tropical storms and hurricanes exceeding specified peak speeds, given the mean wind speed at various heights of up to 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level. Empirical models to calculate mean and standard deviation of the gust factor as a function of height and mean wind speed were developed in Excel based on data from previous hurricanes. Separate models were developed for Gaussian and offset lognormal distributions for the gust factor. Rather than forecasting a single, specific peak wind speed, this tool provides a probability of exceeding a specified value. This probability is provided as a function of height, allowing it to be applied at a height appropriate for tall structures. The user inputs the mean wind speed, height, and operational threshold. The tool produces the probability from each model that the given threshold will be exceeded. This application does have its limits. They were tested only in tropical storm conditions associated with the periphery of hurricanes. Winds of similar speed produced by non-tropical system may have different turbulence dynamics and stability, which may change those winds statistical characteristics. These models were developed along the Central Florida seacoast, and their results may not accurately extrapolate to inland areas, or even to coastal sites that are different from those used to build the models. Although this tool cannot be generalized for use in different environments, its methodology could be applied to those locations to develop a similar tool tuned to local conditions.

Merceret, Frank↗

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2010

Topics covered include: Cryogenic Flow Sensor; Multi-Sensor Mud Detection; Gas Flow Detection System; Mapping Capacitive Coupling Among Pixels in a Sensor Array; Fiber-Based Laser Transmitter for Oxygen A-Band Spectroscopy and Remote Sensing; Low-Profile, Dual-Wavelength, Dual-Polarized Antenna; Time-Separating Heating and Sensor Functions of Thermistors in Precision Thermal Control Applications; Cellular Reflectarray Antenna; A One-Dimensional Synthetic-Aperture Microwave Radiometer; Electrical Switching of Perovskite Thin-Film Resistors; Two-Dimensional Synthetic-Aperture Radiometer; Ethernet-Enabled Power and Communication Module for Embedded Processors; Electrically Variable Resistive Memory Devices; Improved Attachment in a Hybrid Inflatable Pressure Vessel; Electrostatic Separator for Beneficiation of Lunar Soil; Amorphous Rover; Space-Frame Antenna; Gear-Driven Turnbuckle Actuator; In-Situ Focusing Inside a Thermal Vacuum Chamber; Space-Frame Lunar Lander; Wider-Opening Dewar Flasks for Cryogenic Storage; Silicon Oxycarbide Aerogels for High-Temperature Thermal Insulation; Supercapacitor Electrolyte Solvents with Liquid Range Below -80 C; Designs and Materials for Better Coronagraph Occulting Masks; Fuel-Cell-Powered Vehicle with Hybrid Power Management; Fine-Water-Mist Multiple-Orientation-Discharge Fire Extinguisher; Fuel-Cell Water Separator; Turbulence and the Stabilization Principle; Improved Cloud Condensation Nucleus Spectrometer; Better Modeling of Electrostatic Discharge in an Insulator; Sub-Aperture Interferometers; Terahertz Mapping of Microstructure and Thickness Variations; Multiparallel Three-Dimensional Optical Microscopy; Stabilization of Phase of a Sinusoidal Signal Transmitted Over Optical Fiber; Vacuum-Compatible Wideband White Light and Laser Combiner Source System; Optical Tapers as White-Light WGM Resonators; EPR Imaging at a Few Megahertz Using SQUID Detectors; Reducing Field Distortion in Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Fluorogenic Cell-Based Biosensors for Monitoring Microbes; A Constant-Force Resistive Exercise Unit; GUI to Facilitate Research on Biological Damage from Radiation; On-Demand Urine Analyzer; More-Realistic Digital Modeling of a Human Body; and Advanced Liquid-Cooling Garment Using Highly Thermally Conductive Sheets.

Source record↗

Effects of Buoyancy on the Flowfields of Lean Premixed Turbulent V-Flames

Open laboratory turbulent flames used for investigating fundament flame turbulence interactions are greatly affected by buoyancy. Though much of our current knowledge is based on observations made in these open flames, the effects of buoyancy are usually not included in data interpretation, numerical analysis or theories. This inconsistency remains an obstacle to merging experimental observations and theoretical predictions. To better understanding the effects of buoyancy, our research focuses on steady lean premixed flames propagating in fully developed turbulence. We hypothesize that the most significant role of buoyancy forces on these flames is to influence their flowfields through a coupling with mean and fluctuating pressure fields. Changes in flow pattern alter the mean aerodynamic stretch and in turn affect turbulence fluctuation intensities both upstream and downstream of the flame zone. Consequently, flame stabilization, reaction rates, and turbulent flame processes are all affected. This coupling relates to the elliptical problem that emphasizes the importance of the upstream, wall and downstream boundary conditions in determining all aspects of flame propagation. Therefore, buoyancy has the same significance as other parameters such as flow configuration, flame geometry, means of flame stabilization, flame shape, enclosure size, mixture conditions, and flow conditions.

Cheng, R. K.↗

Dynamics and control of coherent structure in turbulent jets

Current understanding of coherent structure dynamics in incompressible turbulent jets as explained by the nonlinear stability theory is reviewed, focusing on nonswirling turbulent jets. Topics addressed include hydrodynamic stability theory and coherent structures; dynamics of energy transfers among different scales of motion; nonlinear development of amplitude; development of single-frequency coherent mode; fundamental-subharmonic interaction and vortex pairing; and reversal of Reynolds stresses. Attention is also given to the effect of initial phase-difference angle between fundamental and subharmonic, conditions for resonance interaction, modulation of spreading rate by controlling coherent structure, turbulence enhancement or suppression due to excitation, 3D effects, jet noise, and swirling jets.

Mankbadi, Reda R.↗

Stability of boundary layers with porous suction strips: Experiment and theory

Low turbulence tunnel experiments on the stability and transition of 2 D boundary layers on flat plates with and without suction are described. A number of general suction cases are discussed. Test results showed that the maximum stabilization occurred when the suction was moved toward the Branch I neutral point. An analytical study of the stability of two dimensional, incompressible boundary layer flows over plates with suction through porous strips was performed. The mean flow was calculated using linearized triple deck, closed form solutions. The stability results of the triple deck theory are shown to be in good agreement with those of the interacting boundary layers. An analytical optimization scheme for the suction configuration was developd. Numerical calculations were performed corresponding to the experimental configurations. In each case, the theory correctly predicts the experimental results.

Reynolds, G. A.↗

Measurements of surface energy budgets in the rocky mountains of Colorado

The surface energy balance of a mountain valley and a mountain peak were continuously monitored for periods of 126 and 34 days, respectively. The data yielded temporally resolved, high-quality measurements of the radiative, soil, and total atmospheric turbulent heat fluxes. Comparative data for the two sites reveal the effects of terrain setting and surface cover in modulating the heat balance. A procedure is suggested for accommodating local advective affects due to variable terrain and surface cover to allow partitioning of the total turbulent flux into values for sensible and latent heat. This procedure relies on a stability-dependent coefficient of turbulent transfer which is locally calibrated to systematically minimize advection-related errors. Scaling functions for the transfer coeffient are based on the effective blackbody temperature of the surface. Consequently, the procedure offers an opportunity for developing reliable bulk representations of heat transfer at the surface for use with remote sensing data and with models of the soil and surface cover in complex terrain.

Sheaffer, John D.↗

Solar seismology. II - The stochastic excitation of the solar p-modes by turbulent convection

We test the hypothesis that the solar p-modes are stabilized by damping due to turbulent viscosity in the convective zone. Starting from the assumption that the modes are stable, we calculate expectation values for the modal energies. We find that the interaction between a p-mode and the turbulent convection is such that the modal energy tends toward equipartition with the kinetic energy of turbulent eddies whose lifetimes are comparable to the modal period. From the calculated values of the modal energies, we compute rms surface velocity amplitudes. Our predicted rms surface velocities range from 0.01 cm/sec for the fundamental radial mode to 0.6 cm/sec for the radial mode whose period is approximately 5 minutes. The predicted surface velocities for the low order p-modes are much smaller than the velocities inferred from recent observations.

Goldreich, P.↗