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At least 1,099 records · Page 61

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NASA NTRS2001

About the Effect of Control on Flutter and Post-Flutter of a Supersonic/Hypersonic Cross-Sectional Wing

The control of the flutter instability and the conversion of the dangerous character of the flutter instability boundary into the undangerous one of a cross-sectional wing in a supersonic/hypersonic flow field is presented. The objective of this paper is twofold: i) to analyze the implications of nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics and physical nonlinearities on the character of the instability boundary in the presence of a control capability, and ii) to outline the effects played in the same respect by some important parameters of the aeroelastic system. As a by-product of this analysis, the implications of the active control on the linearized flutter behavior of the system are captured and emphasized. The bifurcation behavior of the open/closed loop aeroelastic system in the vicinity of the flutter boundary is studied via the use of a new methodology based on the Liapunov First Quantity. The expected outcome of this study is: a) to greatly enhance the scope and reliability of the aeroelastic analysis and design criteria of advanced supersonic/hypersonic flight vehicles and, b) provide a theoretical basis for the analysis of more complex nonlinear aeroelastic systems.

Silva, Walter A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

About the Effect of Control on Flutter and Post-Flutter of a Supersonic/Hypersonic Cross-Sectional Wing

Marzocca, Piergiovanni↗

NASA NTRS2001

Use of a Scale Model in the Design of Modifications to the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel

Major modifications were made in 1999 to the 6- by 9-Foot (1.8- by 2.7-m) Icing Research tunnel (IRT) at the NASA Glenn Research Center, including replacement of its heat exchanger and associated ducts and turning vanes, and the addition of fan outlet guide vanes (OGV's). A one-tenth scale model of the IRT (designated as the SMIRT) was constructed with and without these modifications and tested to increase confidence in obtaining expected improvements in flow quality around the tunnel loop. The SMIRT is itself an aerodynamic test facility whose flow patterns without modifications have been shown to be accurate, scaled representations of those measured in the IRT prior to the 1999 upgrade program. In addition, tests in the SMIRT equipped with simulated OGV's indicated that these devices in the IRT might reduce flow distortions immediately downstream of the fan by two thirds. Flow quality parameters measured in the SMIRT were projected to the full-size modified IRT, and quantitative estimates of improvements in flow quality were given prior to construction. In this paper, the results of extensive flow quality studies conducted in the SMIRT are documented. Samples of these are then compared with equivalent measurements made in the full-scale IRT, both before and after its configuration was upgraded. Airspeed, turbulence intensity, and flow angularity distributions are presented for cross sections downstream of the drive fan, both upstream and downstream of the replacement flat heat exchanger, in the stilling chamber, in the test section, and in the wakes of the new comer turning vanes with their unique expanding and contracting designs. Lessons learned from these scale-model studies are discussed.

Canacci, Victor A.↗

NASA NTRS2002

The Structure of A Pacific Narrow Cold Frontal Rainband

A NOAA P-3 instrumented aircraft observed an intense, fast-moving narrow cold frontal Farmhand as it approached the Pacific Northwest coast on 19 February 2001 during the Pacific Coastal Jets Experiment. Pseudo-dual-Doppler analyses performed on the airborne Doppler radar data while the frontal system was well offshore indicated that a narrow ribbon of very high radar reflectively convective cores characterized the Farmhand at low levels with echo tops to approximately 4-5 km. The NCFR exhibited gaps in its narrow ribbon of high reflectively, probably as a result of hydrodynamic instability all no its advancing cold pool leading edge. In contrast to some earlier studies of cold frontal rainbands, density current theory described well the motion of the overall front. The character of the updraft structure associated with the heavy rainfall at its leading edge varied across the gap region. The vertical shear of the cross-frontal low-level ambient flow exerted a strong influence on the updraft character, consistent with theoretical arguments developed for squall lines describing the balance of vorticity at the leading edge. In short regions south of the gaps the vertical wind shear was strongest with the updrafts and rain shafts more intense, narrower, and more erect or even downshear tilted. North of the gaps the wind shear weakened with less intense Dihedrals which tilted upshear with a broader band of rainfall. Simulations using a nonhydrostatic mesoscale nested grid model are used to investigate the gap regions, particularly the balance of cold pool induced to pre-frontal ambient shears at the leading edge. Observations confirm the model results that the updraft character depends on the balance of vorticity at the leading edge. Downshear-tilted updrafts imply that convection south of the gap regions would weaken with time relative to the frontal segments north of the gaps since inflow air would be affected by passage through the heavy rain region before ascent, suggesting a mechanism for gap filling.

Jorgensen, David P.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Background-Oriented Schlieren used in a hypersonic inlet test at NASA GRC

Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) is a derivative of the classical schlieren technology, which is used to visualize density gradients, such as shock wave structures in a wind tunnel. Changes in refractive index resulting from density gradients cause light rays to bend, resulting in apparent motion of a random background pattern. The apparent motion of the pattern is determined using cross-correlation algorithms (between no-flow and with-flow image pairs) producing a schlieren-like image. One advantage of BOS is its simplified setup which enables a larger field-of-view (FOV) than traditional schlieren systems. In the present study, BOS was implemented into the Combined Cycle Engine Large-Scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment (CCE LIMX) in the 10x10 Supersonic Wind Tunnel at NASA Glenn Research Center. The model hardware for the CCE LIMX accommodates a fully integrated turbine based combined cycle propulsion system. To date, inlet mode transition between turbine and ramjet operation has been successfully demonstrated. High-speed BOS was used to visualize the behavior of the flow structures shock waves during unsteady inlet unstarts, a phenomenon known as buzz. Transient video images of inlet buzz were recorded for both the ramjet flow path (high speed inlet) and turbine flow path (low speed inlet). To understand the stability limits of the inlet, operation was pushed to the point of unstart and buzz. BOS was implemented in order to view both inlets simultaneously, since the required FOV was beyond the capability of the current traditional schlieren system. An example of BOS data (Images 1-6) capturing inlet buzz are presented.

Background-oriented schlieren↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Stochastic Scheduler for Integrated Arrival, Departure and Surface Operations in Los Angeles

In terminal airspace, integrating arrivals, departures, and surface operations with competing resources provides the potential of improving operational efficiency by removing barriers between different operations. This work develops a centralized stochastic scheduler for operations in a terminal area including airborne and surface operations using Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm and Monte Carlo simulations. The scheduler handles completing resources between different flows, such as runway allocations, runway crossing, departure fixes, and other interaction way points between arrivals and departures. Meanwhile, the scheduler also takes time-varied uncertainties into account when optimizing schedules. The scheduler is run sequentially to identify the best and robust schedule for the next planning window. Resulting schedules decide the routes, speed or delays, and runway assignments with separation constraints at mergingdiverging waypoints in the air and crossing and separations on runways. The Los Angels terminal area was used as an example. The implementation of this stochastic scheduler for integrated arrival, departure and surface operations is completed. And several preliminary runs are finished for over 1,200 flights in LAX in a typical day. Sensitivity studies on various planning window sizes are presented, which shows that trade-off exits between planning window size and achievable minimum delay. Preliminary results on runway usage are also presented in this abstract. Because arrivals on the outer runways have to be followed by crossings on the inner runways, algorithmic runway allocation prefers inner runways for arrivals and outer runways for departures. More results will be presented in the final paper. And current terminal arrival and departure procedures based on first-come-first-serve procedure will also be set up and used as a baseline for comparison.

integrated scheduler↗

NASA NTRS2019

The Role of Asymmetries in Thermal Nonequilibrium

Thermal nonequilibrium (TNE) is a fascinating situation that occurs in coronal magnetic flux tubes (loops) for which no solution to the steady-state fluid equations exists. The plasma is constantly evolving even though the heating that produces the hot temperatures does not. This is a promising explanation for isolated phenomena such as prominences, coronal rain, and long-period pulsating loops, but it may also have much broader relevance. As known for some time, TNE requires that the heating be both (quasi-)steady and concentrated at low coronal altitudes. Recent studies indicate that asymmetries are also important, with large enough asymmetries in the heating and/or cross-sectional area resulting in steady flow rather than TNE. Using reasonable approximations, we have derived two formulae for quantifying the conditions necessary for TNE. As a rough rule of thumb, the ratio of apex to footpoint heating rates must be less than about 0.1, and asymmetries must be less than about a factor of 3. The precise values are case-dependent. We have tested our formulae with 1D hydrodynamic loop simulations and find a very acceptable agreement. These results are important for developing physical insight about TNE and assessing how widespread it may be on the Sun.

Klimchuk, James A.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Header for high-pressure heat exchanger

A header for a high-pressure heat exchanger includes a first high-pressure transition section with inlets for multiple first high-pressure flow channels that are spaced from one another in a radial direction and collectively arranged in a substantially circular shape. The inlets for the multiple first high-pressure flow channels on a radially outer edge of the first high-pressure transition section are spaced further apart in a circumferential direction from adjacent inlets of the multiple first high-pressure flow channels than radially inward inlets are spaced from adjacent radially inward inlets of the multiple first high-pressure flow channels. The header also includes multiple first high-pressure flow channels extending from the first high-pressure transition section to a second-high pressure transition section that is configured to divide each of the multiple first high-pressure flow channels into at least two first high-pressure sub-flow channels. Each flow channel of the multiple first high-pressure flow channels and each sub-flow channel of the first high-pressure sub-flow channels have a round cross-sectional shape.

Kirsch, Kathryn L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

An experimental investigation of the flow in a diffusing S-duct

Compressible, subsonic flow through a diffusing S-duct has been experimentally investigated. Benchmark aerodynamic data are presented for flow through a representative S-duct configuration. The collected data would be beneficial to aircraft inlet designers and is suitable for the validation of computational codes. Measurements of the 3D velocity field and total and static pressures were obtained at five cross-sectional planes. Surface static pressures and flow visualization also helped to reveal flowfield characteristics. All reported tests were conducted with an inlet centerline Mach number of 0.6 and a Reynolds number, based on the inlet centerline velocity and duct inlet diameter, of 2.6 x 10 exp 6. The results show that a large region of streamwise flow separation occurred within the duct. Transverse velocity components indicate that the duct curvature induces strong pressure driven secondary flows, which evolve into a large pair of counter-rotating vortices. These vortices convect the low momentum fluid of the boundary layer toward the center of the duct, degrading both the uniformity and magnitude of the total pressure profile.

Wellborn, S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

An experimental investigation of the flow in a diffusing S-duct

Compressible, subsonic flow through a diffusing S-duct has been experimentally investigated. Benchmark aerodynamic data are presented for flow through a representative S-duct configuration. The collected data would be beneficial to aircraft inlet designers and is suitable for the validation of computational codes. Measurements of the 3D velocity field and total and static pressures were obtained at five cross-sectional planes. Surface static pressures and flow visualization also helped to reveal flow field characteristics. All reported tests were conducted with an inlet centerline Mach number of 0.6 and a Reynolds number, based on the inlet centerline velocity and duct inlet diameter, of 2.6 x 10(exp 6). The results show that a larger region of streamwise flow separation occurred within the duct. Details about the separated flow region, including mechanisms which drive this complicated flow phenomenon, are discussed. Transverse velocity components indicate that the duct curvature induces strong pressure driven secondary flows, which evolve into a large pair of counter-rotating vortices. These vortices convect the low momentum fluid of the boundary layer towards the center of the duct, degrading both the uniformity and magnitude of the total pressure profile.

Wellborn, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Predicting Turbulent Convective Heat Transfer in Fully Developed Duct Flows

The performance of an explicit algebraic stress model (EASM) is assessed in predicting the turbulent flow and forced heat transfer in both straight and wavy ducts, with rectangular, trapezoidal and triangular cross-sections, under fully developed conditions. A comparison of secondary flow patterns. including velocity vectors and velocity and temperature contours, are shown in order to study the effect of waviness on flow dynamics, and comparisons between the hydraulic parameters. Fanning friction factor and Nusselt number, are also presented. In all cases. isothermal conditions are imposed on the duct walls, and the turbulent heat fluxes are modeled using gradient-diffusion type models. The formulation is valid for Reynolds numbers up to 10(exp 5) and this minimizes the need for wall functions that have been used with mixed success in previous studies of complex duct flows. In addition, the present formulation imposes minimal demand on the number of grid points without any convergence or stability problems. Criteria in terms of heat transfer and friction factor needed to choose the optimal wavy duct cross-section for industrial applications among the ones considered are discussed.

Rokni, Masoud↗

NASA NTRS2018

Magnetotail Boundary Crossings at Lunar Distances: ARTEMIS Observations

We compare results from a preliminary analysis of two years of ARTEMIS magnetopause boundary crossings at lunar distances with available empirical models. We remove the effects of variable solar wind flow directions and aberration angles to study the magnetotail cross-section as a function of solar wind conditions. The average magnetopause distance from the central axis is 26 RE, but this distance ranges from 10 RE for high solar wind dynamic pressures and strong northward IMF orientations to 39 RE for low solar wind dynamic pressures and weak southward IMF orientations compared to the nominal solar wind conditions. The time-independent Howe and Binsack (1972) model describes the average location of the crossings very well. For high solar wind dynamic pressures, the Lu et al., (2011) model performs best, while for low pressures the Petrinec and Russell (1996) model gives the closest prediction. As predicted by theory and seen in past studies, the magnetotail cross-section is suggestive of prolate during intervals of strong IMF By, but oblate during intervals of strong IMF Bz. Any asymmetric variation of the tail boundary with respect to the sign of IMF By was not observed. The decreasing size of boundary with the increasing dynamic pressure was found when dynamic pressures are smaller than 2nPa. Although the scatter is larger, the tail size for pressures larger than 2nPa suggests a constant radius. The tail boundary size decreases as the strength of IMF Bz increases regardless of its polarity. However, it was also observed that an even stronger southward IMF Bz can cause larger magnetopause size in the presence of large dynamic pressures.

Magnetotail↗

DOE OSTI2024

Curves, Coriolis, and Cross-Channel Circulation in the Hudson River Estuary

Abstract Despite its relatively small magnitude, cross-channel circulation in estuaries can influence the along-channel momentum balance, dispersion, and transport. We investigate spatial and temporal variation in cross-channel circulation at two contrasting sites in the Hudson River estuary. The two sites differ in the relative strength and direction of Coriolis and curvature forcing. We contrast the patterns and magnitudes of flow at the two sites during varying conditions in stratification driven by tidal amplitude and river discharge. We found well-defined flows during flood tides at both sites, characterized by mainly two-layer structures when the water column was more homogeneous and structures with three or more layers when the water column was more stratified. Ebb tides had generally weaker and less definite flows, except at one site where curvature and Coriolis reinforced each other during spring tide ebbs. Cross-channel currents had similar patterns, but were oppositely directed at the two sites, demonstrating the importance of curvature even in channels with relatively gradual curves. Coriolis and curvature dominated the measured terms in the cross-channel momentum balance. Their combination was generally consistent with driving the observed patterns and directions of flow, but local acceleration and cross-channel advection made some notable contributions. A large residual in the momentum balance indicates that some combination of vertical stress divergence, baroclinic pressure gradients, and along-channel and vertical advection must play an essential role, but data limitations prevented an accurate estimation of these terms. Cross-channel advection affected the along-channel momentum balance at times, with implications for the exchange flow’s strength. Significance Statement Currents that flow across the channel in an estuary move slower than those flowing along the channel, but they can transport materials and change water properties in important ways, affecting human uses of estuaries such as shipping, aquaculture, and recreation. We wanted to better understand cross-channel currents in the Hudson River estuary. We found that larger tides produced the strongest cross-channel currents with a two-layer pattern, compared to weaker currents with three layers during smaller tides. Higher or lower river flow also affected current strength. Comparing two locations, we saw cross-channel currents moving in opposite directions because of differences in the curvature of the river channel. Our results show how channel curvature and Earth’s rotation combine to produce cross-channel currents.

Conley, Margaret M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Viscous analyses for flow through subsonic and supersonic intakes

A parabolized Navier-Stokes code was used to analyze a number of diffusers typical of a modern inlet design. The effect of curvature of the diffuser centerline and transitioning cross sections was evaluated to determine the primary cause of the flow distortion in the duct. Results are presented for S-shaped intakes with circular and transitioning cross sections. Special emphasis is placed on verification of the analysis to accurately predict distorted flow fields resulting from pressure-driven secondary flows. The effect of vortex generators on reducing the distortion of intakes is presented. Comparisons of the experimental and analytical total pressure contours at the exit of the intake exhibit good agreement. In the case of supersonic inlets, computations of the inlet flow field reveal that large secondary flow regions may be generated just inside of the intake. These strong flows may lead to separated flow regions and cause pronounced distortions upstream of the compressor.

Povinelli, Louis A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Viscous analyses for flow through subsonic and supersonic intakes

Povinelli, Louis A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Comparative Study of Three Reconnection X Line Models at the Earth's Dayside Magnetopause Using in Situ Observations

This work examines the large-scale aspects of magnetic field reconnection at the Earth's dayside magnetopause. We use two sets of reconnection events, which are identified mostly by the in situ detection of accelerated and Alfvenic plasma flows. We intercompare three analytical models that predict the reconnection X line location and orientation, namely, the Trattner et al. (2007) and Swisdak and Drake (2007) models and also a modified version of the component merging model. In the first set of reconnection observations, we show three fortuitous, quasi-simultaneous dayside magnetopause crossing events where two widely separated spacecraft detect reconnection signatures, and the X line location and orientation can be inferred from the observations. We compare X line model predictions to those inferred from observations. These three reconnection events indicate the presence of an extended (greater than 7 Earth radii in length), component-type reconnection X line on Earth's dayside magnetopause connecting and structuring the reconnection signatures at locations far apart. In the second set of reconnection events, we analyze the X line models' performance in predicting the observed reconnection outflow direction, i.e., its north-south and/or east-west senses, in a total of 75 single, rather than multiple and quasi-simultaneous, magnetopause crossing events, where reconnection-associated plasma flows were clearly present. We found that the Swisdak and Drake's (2007) X line model performs slightly better, albeit not statistically significant, when predicting both accelerated plasma flow north-south and east-west components in 73% and 53% of the cases, respectively, as compared to the Trattner et al. (2007) model (70% north-south and 42% east-west) and the modified component merging model (66% north-south and 50% east-west).

Souza, V. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Subsonic magnetosheath observations from Explorer 33

Data are presented from one orbit of Explorer 33 which entered the magnetosphere near the stagnation point. Magnetic activity as measured at the earth was relatively quiet during the orbit, although minor substorm activity began 2 hours prior to the boundary crossing. Well before entry, the magnetosheath observations show flow patterns consistent with hydrodynamic models. Near the stagnation point close to the boundary the observations show rapid variations between virtually isotropic flux (stagnated flow) and flows tangent to the boundary in alternately opposite directions. Movement of the stagnation point of the order of 1 earth radius is inferred from these observations. Multiple boundary crossings are observed in the magnetic field covering a thickness of about 500 km. Prior to the magnetic crossings, the higher-energy proton fluxes begin to disappear. The bulk of the protron flux in the lower energy ranges and also the electron flux decrease rapidly at the last magnetic crossing. No boundary is apparent in the highest energy range measured by the detector.

Crooker, N. U.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Schlieren System For Flow Studies In Round Glass Pipes

In schlieren system for studying flow of gas in transparent pipe of circular cross section, cylindrical lenses placed on opposite sides of pipe compensate for refraction caused by wall of pipe. Enables direct visualization of such phenomena as laminar or turbulent flow, shock waves, vortexes, and flow separations in systems having inherently cylindrical geometry; potentially unreliable extrapolations from results in flat-sided test cells no longer necessary.

Costen, Robert C.↗