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At least 1,117 records · Page 62
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Numerical simulation by TVD schemes of complex shock reflections from airfoils at high angle of attack

The shock-capturing capability of total variation diminishing (TVD) schemes is demonstrated for a more realistic complex shock-diffraction problem for which the experimental data are available. Second-order explicit upwind and symmetric TVD schemes are used to solve the time-dependent Euler equations of gas dynamics for the interaction of a blast wave with an airfoil at high angle-of-attack. The test cases considered are a time-dependent moving curved-shock wave and a contant moving planar-shock wave impinging at an angle-of-attack 30 deg on a NACA 0018 airfoil. Good agreement is obtained between isopycnic contours computed by the TVD schemes and those from experimental interferograms. No drastic difference in flow-field structure is found between the curved- and planar-shock wave cases, except for a difference in density level near the lower surface of the airfoil. Computation for cases with higher shock Mach numbers is also possible. Numerical experiments show that the symmetric TVD scheme is less sensitive to the boundary conditions treatment than the upwind scheme.

Moon, Young J.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Aeroelastic oscillations of a cantilever with structural nonlinearities: theory and numerical simulation.

Our study details the derivation of the nonlinear equations of motion for the axial, biaxial bending and torsional vibrations of an aeroelastic cantilever undergoing rigid body (pitch) rotation at the base. The primary attenstion is focussed on the geometric nonlinearities of the system, whereby the aeroelastic load is modeled by the theory of linear quasisteady aerodynamics. This modelling effort is intended to mimic the wind-tunnel experimental setup at the Royal Military College of Canada. While the derivation closely follows the work of Hodges and Dowell [1] for rotor blades, this aeroelastic system contains new inertial terms which stem from the fundamentally different kinematics than those exhibited by helicopter or wind turbine blades. Using the Hamilton’s principle, a set of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) and an ordinary differential equation (ODE) are derived which describes the coupled axial-bending-bending-torsion-pitch motion of the aeroelastic cantilever with the pitch rotation. The finite dimensional approximation of the coupled system of PDEs are obtained using the Galerkin projection, leading to a coupled system of ODEs. Subsequently, these nonlinear ODEs are solved numerically using the built-in MATLAB implicit ODE solver and the associated numerical results are compared with those obtained using Houbolt’s method. It is demonstrated that the system undergoes coalescence flutter, leading to a limit cycle oscillation (LCO) due to coupling between the rigid body pitching mode and teh flexible mode arising from the flapwise bending motion.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1992

Numerical simulation of aerothermal loads in hypersonic engine inlets due to shock impingement

The effect of shock impingement on an axial corner simulating the inlet of a hypersonic vehicle engine is modeled using a finite-difference procedure. A three-dimensional dynamic grid adaptation procedure is utilized to move the grids to regions with strong flow gradients. The adaptation procedure uses a grid relocation stencil that is valid at both the interior and boundary points of the finite-difference grid. A linear combination of spatial derivatives of specific flow variables, calculated with finite-element interpolation functions, are used as adaptation measures. This computational procedure is used to study laminar and turbulent Mach 6 flows in the axial corner. The description of flow physics and qualitative measures of heat transfer distributions on cowl and strut surfaces obtained from the analysis are compared with experimental observations. Conclusions are drawn regarding the capability of the numerical scheme for enhanced modeling of high-speed compressible flows.

Ramakrishnan, R.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Development of a Two-fluid Drag Law for Clustered Particles using Direct Numerical Simulation and Validation through Experiments

This study presents a new drag model, based on the cohesive inter-particle forces, implemented in the MFIX code. This new drag model combines an existing standard model in MFIX with a particle-based drag model based on a switching principle. Switches between the models in the computational domain occur where strong particle-to-particle cohesion potential is detected. Three versions of the new model were obtained by using one standard drag model in each version. Later, performance of each version was compared against available experimental data for a fluidized bed, published in the literature and used extensively by other researchers for validation purposes. In our analysis of the results, we first observed that standard models used in this research were incapable of producing closely matching results. Then, we showed for a simple case that a threshold is needed to be set on the solid volume fraction. This modification was applied to avoid non-physical results for the clustering predictions, when governing equation of the solid granular temperate was solved. Later, we used our hybrid technique and observed the capability of our approach in improving the numerical results significantly; however, improvement of the results depended on the threshold of the cohesive index, which was used in the switching procedure. Our results showed that small values of the threshold for the cohesive index could result in significant reduction of the computational error for all the versions of the proposed drag model. In addition, we redesigned an existing circulating fluidized bed (CFB) test facility in order to create validation cases for clustering regime of Geldart A type particles.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Modeling Concept and Numerical Simulation of Ultrasonic Wave Propagation in a Moving Fluid-Structure Domain based on a Monolithic Approach

Here in the present study, we propose a novel multiphysics model that merges two time-dependent problems – the Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) and the ultrasonic wave propagation in a fluid-structure domain with a one directional coupling from the FSI problem to the ultrasonic wave propagation problem. This model is referred to as the “eXtended fluid-structure interaction (eXFSI)” problem. This model comprises isothermal, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with nonlinear elastodynamics using the Saint-Venant Kirchhoff solid model. The ultrasonic wave propagation problem comprises monolithically coupled acoustic and elastic wave equations. To ensure that the fluid and structure domains are conforming, we use the ALE technique. The solution principle for the coupled problem is to first solve the FSI problem and then to solve the wave propagation problem. Accordingly, the boundary conditions for the wave propagation problem are automatically adopted from the FSI problem at each time step. The overall problem is highly nonlinear, which is tackled via a Newton-like method. The model is verified using several alternative domain configurations. To ensure the credibility of the modeling approach, the numerical solution is contrasted against experimental data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1993

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of thermal tides in the Martian atmosphere

Analysis of the Mariner 9 IRIS and Viking Orbiter IRTM temperature data and of the time series of surface pressure from the Viking landers has indicated that atmospheric thermal tides are a significant component of the martian general circulation. Classical tidal theory, considering only the Sun synchronous components, has been shown to at least roughly account for the amplitudes of the observed diurnal and semidirunal surface pressure oscillations. In particular, Zurek and Leovy have demonstrated that classical tidal theory can reproduce the observed dependence of the strength of the semidiurnal tide on aerosol optical depth. The high-amplitude topograph of Mars, however, can cause longitudinal distortions in the thermotidal forcing, leading to additional tidal modes that are not Sun synchronous. In particular, observation and theory have suggested the likely presence of a diurnal, zonal wavenumber-1 K wave. Hamilton and Garcia noted that the wavenumber-1 K normal mode has a period of close to 24 hr and may be detectable in surface pressure observations. Zurek has discussed the possibility of this mode being resonantly excited for various atmospheric temperature studies. The semidiurnal wavenumber-2 K mode, with roughly a 12-hr period, could also be resonantly excited. A numerical model with finite amplitude topography and a self-consistent thermotidal forcing resulting from the daily heat flux at the surface and atmospheric absorption of solar radiation by aerosols is used here to explore the influence of topography on martian thermal tides and to examine the possibility of Kelvin wave resonance.

Wilson, R. John↗
NASA NTRS1982

Numerical simulation of the flow and fuel-air mixing in an axisymmetric piston-cylinder arrangement

The implicit factored method of Beam and Warming was employed to describe the flow and the fuel-air mixing in an axisymmetric piston-cylinder configuration during the intake and compression strokes. The governing equations were established on the basis of laminar flow. The increased mixing due to turbulence was simulated by appropriately chosen effective transport properties. Calculations were performed for single-component gases and for two-component gases and for two-component gas mixtures. The flow field was calculated as functions of time and position for different geometries, piston speeds, intake-charge-to-residual-gas-pressure ratios, and species mass fractions of the intake charge. Results are presented in graphical form which show the formation, growth, and break-up of those vortices which form during the intake stroke and the mixing of fuel and air throughout the intake and compression strokes. It is shown that at bore-to-stroke ratio of less than unity, the vortices may break-up during the intake stroke. It is also shown that vortices which do not break-up during the intake stroke coalesce during the compression stroke. The results generated were compared to existing numerical solutions and to available experimental data.

Shih, T. I. P.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Multistage Turbomachinery Flows Simulated Numerically

At the NASA Lewis Research Center, a comprehensive assessment was made of the predictive capability of the average passage flow model as applied to multistage axial-flow compressors. This model, which describes the time-averaged flow field within a typical passage of a blade row embedded in a multistage configuration, is being widely used throughout U.S. aircraft industry as an integral part of their design systems. Rotor flow-angle deviation. In this work, detailed data taken within a four and one-half stage large low-speed compressor were used to assess the weaknesses and strengths of the predictive capabilities of the average passage flow model. The low-speed compressor blading is of modern design and employs stator end-bends. Measurements were made with slow- and high response instrumentation. The high-response measurements revealed the velocity components of both the rotor and stator wakes. From the measured wake profiles, we found that the flow exiting the rotors deviated from the rotor exit metal angle to a lesser degree than was predicted by the average passage flow model. This was found to be due to blade boundary layer transition, which recently has been shown to exist on multistage axial compressor rotor and stator blades, but was not accounted for in the average passage model. Consequently, a model that mimics the effects of blade boundary layer transition, Shih k-epsilon model, was incorporated into the average passage model. Simulations that incorporated this transition model showed a dramatic improvement in agreement with data. The altered model thus improved predictive capability for multistage axial-flow compressors, and this was verified by detailed experimental measurement.

Hathaway, Michael D.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Numerical Simulations of Orographic Convection across Multiple Gray Zones

Idealized simulations are used to determine the sensitivity of moist orographic convection to horizontal grid spacing Δ h . In simulated mechanically (MECH) and thermally (THERM) forced convection over an isolated ridge, Δ h is varied systematically over both the deep-convection (Δ h ~ 10 –1 km) and turbulence (Δ h ~ 1 km–100 m) gray zones. To aid physical interpretation, a new parcel-based bulk entrainment/detrainment diagnosis for horizontally heterogeneous flows is developed. Within the deep-convection gray zone, the Δ h sensitivity is dominated by differences in parameterized versus explicit convection; the former initiates convection too far upstream of the ridge (MECH) and too early in the diurnal heating cycle (THERM). These errors stem in part from a large underprediction of parameterized entrainment and detrainment. Within the turbulence gray zone, sensitivities to Δh arise from the representation of both subcloud- and cloud-layer turbulence. As Δ h is decreased, MECH exhibits stronger cloud-layer entrainment to enhance the convective mass flux M co , while THERM exhibits stronger detrainment to suppress Mco and delay convection initiation. The latter is reinforced by increased subcloud turbulence at smaller Δ h , which leads to drying and diffusion of the central updraft responsible for initiating moist convection. Numerical convergence to a robust solution occurs only in THERM, which develops a fully turbulent flow with a resolved inertial subrange (for Δ h ≤ 250 m). In MECH, by contrast, turbulent transition occurs within the orographic cloud, the details of which depend on both physical location and Δ h .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2001

Numerical Simulation of an Enclosed Laminar Jet Diffusion Flame in Microgravity Environment: Comparison with ELF Data

Enclosed diffusion flames are commonly found in practical combustion systems, such as the power-plant combustor, gas turbine combustor, and jet engine after-burner. In these systems, fuel is injected into a duct with a co-flowing or cross-flowing air stream. The diffusion flame is found at the surface where the fuel jet and oxygen meet, react, and consume each other. In combustors, this flame is anchored at the burner (i.e., fuel jet inlet) unless adverse conditions cause the flame to lift off or blow out. Investigations of burner stability study the lift off, reattachment, and blow out of the flame. Flame stability is strongly dependent on the fuel jet velocity. When the fuel jet velocity is sufficiently low, the diffusion flame anchors at the burner rim. When the fuel jet velocity is increased, the flame base gradually moves downstream. However, when the fuel jet velocity increases beyond a critical value, the flame base abruptly jumps downstream. When this "jump" occurs, the flame is said to have reached its lift-off condition and the critical fuel jet velocity is called the lift-off velocity. While lifted, the flame is not attached to the burner and it appears to float in mid-air. Flow conditions are such that the flame cannot be maintained at the burner rim despite the presence of both fuel and oxygen. When the fuel jet velocity is further increased, the flame will eventually extinguish at its blowout condition. In contrast, if the fuel jet velocity of a lifted flame is reduced, the flame base moves upstream and abruptly returns to anchor at the burner rim. The fuel jet velocity at reattachment can be much lower than that at lift off, illustrating the hysteresis effect present in flame stability. Although there have been numerous studies of flame stability, the controlling mechanisms are not well understood. This uncertainty is described by Pitts in his review of various competing theories of lift off and blow out in turbulent jet diffusion flames. There has been some research on the stability of laminar flames, but most studies have focused on turbulent flames. It is also well known that the airflow around the fuel jet can significantly alter the lift off, reattachment and blow out of the jet diffusion flame. Buoyant convection is sufficiently strong in 1-g flames that it can dominate the flow-field, even at the burner rim. In normal-gravity testing, it is very difficult to delineate the effects of the forced airflow from those of the buoyancy-induced flow. Comparison of normal-gravity and microgravity flames provides clear indication of the influence of forced and buoyant flows on the flame stability. The overall goal of the Enclosed Laminar Flames (ELF) investigation (STS-87/USMP-4 Space Shuttle mission, November to December 1997) is to improve our understanding of the effects of buoyant convection on the structure and stability of co-flow diffusion flame, e.g., see http://zeta.lerc.nasa.gov/expr/elf.htm. The ELF hardware meets the experiment hardware limit of the 35-liter interior volume of the glovebox working area, and the 180x220-mm dimensions of the main door. The ELF experiment module is a miniature, fan-driven wind tunnel, equipped with a gas supply system. A 1.5-mm diameter nozzle is located on the duct's flow axis. The cross section of the duct is nominally a 76-mm square with rounded corners. The forced air velocity can be varied from about 0.2 to 0.9 m/s. The fuel flow can be set as high as 3 std. cubic centimeter (cc) per second, which corresponds to a nozzle exit velocity of up to 1.70 m/s. The ELF hardware and experimental procedure are discussed in detail in Brooker et al. The 1-g test results are repeated in several experiments following the STS-87 Mission. The ELF study is also relevant to practical systems because the momentum-dominated behavior of turbulent flames can be achieved in laminar flames in microgravity. The specific objectives of this paper are to evaluate the use reduced model for simulation of flame lift-off and blowout.

Jia, Kezhong↗
NASA NTRS1994

Hot gas in the cold dark matter scenario: X-ray clusters from a high-resolution numerical simulation

A new, three-dimensional, shock-capturing hydrodynamic code is utilized to determine the distribution of hot gas in a standard cold dark matter (CDM) model of the universe. Periodic boundary conditions are assumed: a box with size 85 h(exp -1) Mpc having cell size 0.31 h(exp -1) Mpc is followed in a simulation with 270(exp 3) = 10(exp 7.3) cells. Adopting standard parameters determined from COBE and light-element nucleosynthesis, sigma(sub 8) = 1.05, omega(sub b) = 0.06, and assuming h = 0.5, we find the X-ray-emitting clusters and compute the luminosity function at several wavelengths, the temperature distribution, and estimated sizes, as well as the evolution of these quantities with redshift. We find that most of the total X-ray emissivity in our box originates in a relatively small number of identifiable clusters which occupy approximately 10(exp -3) of the box volume. This standard CDM model, normalized to COBE, produces approximately 5 times too much emission from clusters having L(sub x) is greater than 10(exp 43) ergs/s, a not-unexpected result. If all other parameters were unchanged, we would expect adequate agreement for sigma(sub 8) = 0.6. This provides a new and independent argument for lower small-scale power than standard CDM at the 8 h(exp -1) Mpc scale. The background radiation field at 1 keV due to clusters in this model is approximately one-third of the observed background, which, after correction for numerical effects, again indicates approximately 5 times too much emission and the appropriateness of sigma(sub 8) = 0.6. If we have used the observed ratio of gas to total mass in clusters, rather than basing the mean density on light-element nucleosynthesis, then the computed luminosity of each cluster would have increased still further, by a factor of approximately 10. The number density of clusters increases to z approximately 1, but the luminosity per typical cluster decreases, with the result that evolution in the number density of bright clusters is moderate in this redshift range, showing a broad peak near z = 0.7, and then a rapid decline above redshift z = 3. Detailed computations of the luminosity functions in the range L(sub x) = 10(exp 40) - 10(exp 44) ergs/s in various energy bands are presented for both cluster central regions and total luminosities to be used in comparison with ROSAT and other observational data sets. The quantitative results found disagree significantly with those found by other investigators using semianalytic techniques. We find little dependence of core radius on cluster luminosity and a dependence of temperature on luminosity given by log kT(sub x) = A + B log L(sub x), which is slightly steeper (B = 0.38) than is indicated by observations. Computed temperatures are somewhat higher than observed, as expected, in that COBE-normalized CDM has too much power on the relevant scales. A modest average temperature gradient is found, with temperatures dropping to 90% of central values at 0.4 h(exp -1) Mpc and 70% of central values at 0.9 h(exp -1) Mpc. Examining the ratio of gas to total mass in the clusters normalized to Omega(sub B) h(exp 2) = 0.015, and comparing with observations, we conclude, in agreement with White (1991), that the cluster observations argue for an open universe.

Kang, Hyesung↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quasioptical modeling of wave beams with and without mode conversion. IV. Numerical simulations of waves in dissipative media

We report the first quasi-optical simulations of wave beams in a hot plasma using the quasi-optical code PARADE (PAraxial RAy DEscription) [K. Yanagihara, I. Y. Dodin, and S. Kubo, Phys. Plasmas 26, 072112 (2019)]. This code is unique in that it accounts for inhomogeneity of the dissipation-rate across the beam and mode conversion simultaneously. We show that the dissipation-rate inhomogeneity shifts beams relative to their trajectories in cold plasma and that the two electromagnetic modes are coupled via this process, an effect that was ignored in the past. Additionally, we propose a simplified approach to account for the dissipation-rate inhomogeneity. This approach is computationally inexpensive and simplifies the analysis of actual experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Sensitivity of Numerical Simulations of Cloud‐Topped Boundary Layers to Cross‐Grid Flow

Abstract In mesoscale and global atmospheric simulations with large horizontal domains, strong horizontal flow across the grid is often unavoidable, but its effects on cloud‐topped boundary layers have received comparatively little study. Here the effects of cross‐grid flow on large‐eddy simulations of stratocumulus and trade‐cumulus marine boundary layers are studied across a range of grid resolutions (horizontal × vertical) between 500 m × 20 m and 35 m × 5 m. Three cases are simulated: DYCOMS nocturnal stratocumulus, BOMEX trade cumulus, and a GCSS stratocumulus‐to‐trade cumulus case. Simulations are performed with a stationary grid (with 4–8 m s −1 horizontal winds blowing through the cyclic domain) and a moving grid (equivalent to subtracting off a fixed vertically uniform horizontal wind) approximately matching the mean boundary‐layer wind speed. For stratocumulus clouds, cross‐grid flow produces two primary effects on stratocumulus clouds: a filtering of fine‐scale resolved turbulent eddies, which reduces stratocumulus cloud‐top entrainment, and a vertical broadening of the stratocumulus‐top inversion which enhances cloud‐top entrainment. With a coarse (20 m) vertical grid, the former effect dominates and leads to strong increases in cloud cover and LWP, especially as horizontal resolution is coarsened. With a finer (5 m) vertical grid, the latter effect is stronger and leads to small reductions in cloud cover and LWP. For the BOMEX trade cumulus case, cross‐grid flow tends to produce fewer and larger clouds with higher LWP, especially for coarser vertical grid spacing. The results presented are robust to choice of scalar advection scheme and Courant number.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1995

Application of high-performance computing to numerical simulation of human movement

We have examined the feasibility of using massively-parallel and vector-processing supercomputers to solve large-scale optimization problems for human movement. Specifically, we compared the computational expense of determining the optimal controls for the single support phase of gait using a conventional serial machine (SGI Iris 4D25), a MIMD parallel machine (Intel iPSC/860), and a parallel-vector-processing machine (Cray Y-MP 8/864). With the human body modeled as a 14 degree-of-freedom linkage actuated by 46 musculotendinous units, computation of the optimal controls for gait could take up to 3 months of CPU time on the Iris. Both the Cray and the Intel are able to reduce this time to practical levels. The optimal solution for gait can be found with about 77 hours of CPU on the Cray and with about 88 hours of CPU on the Intel. Although the overall speeds of the Cray and the Intel were found to be similar, the unique capabilities of each machine are better suited to different portions of the computational algorithm used. The Intel was best suited to computing the derivatives of the performance criterion and the constraints whereas the Cray was best suited to parameter optimization of the controls. These results suggest that the ideal computer architecture for solving very large-scale optimal control problems is a hybrid system in which a vector-processing machine is integrated into the communication network of a MIMD parallel machine.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗
DOE OSTI2019

Numerical Simulation of M9 Megathrust Earthquakes in the Cascadia Subduction Zone

We estimate ground motions in the Pacific Northwest urban areas during M9 subduction scenario earthquakes on the Cascadia megathrust by simulating wave propagation from an ensemble of kinematic source descriptions. Velocities and densities in our computational mesh are defined by integrating the regional Cascadia Community Velocity Model (CVM) v1.6 (Stephenson et al. P-and S-wave velocity models incorporating the Cascadia subduction zone for 3D earthquake ground motion simulations—update for open-file report 2007–1348, US Geological Survey, 2017) including the ocean water layer with a local velocity model of the Georgia basin (Molnar, Predicting earthquake ground shaking due to 1D soil layering and 3D basin structure in SW British Columbia, Canada, 2011), including additional near-surface velocity information. We generate six source realizations, each consisting of a background slip distribution with correlation lengths, rise times and rupture velocities consistent with data from previous megathrust earthquakes (e.g., 2011 M 9 Tohoku or 2010 M 8.8 Maule). We then superimpose M ~ 8 subevents, characterized by short rise times and high stress drops on the background slip model to mimic high-frequency strong ground motion generation areas in the deeper portion of the rupture (Frankel, Bull Seismol Soc Am 107(1):372–386, 2017). The wave propagation is simulated using the discontinuous mesh (DM) version of the AWP finite difference code. We simulate frequencies up to 1.25 Hz, using a spatial discretization of 100 m in the fine grid, resulting in surface grid dimensions of 6540 × 10,728 mesh points. At depths below 8 km, the grid step increases to 300 m. We obtain stable and accurate results for the DM method throughout the simulation time of 7.5 min as verified against a solution obtained with a uniform 100 m grid spacing. Peak ground velocities (PGVs) range between 0.57 and 1.0 m/s in downtown Seattle and between 0.25 and 0.54 m/s in downtown Vancouver, while spectral accelerations at 2 s range between 1.7 and 3.6 m/s 2 and 1.0 and 1.3 m/s 2 , respectively. These long-period ground motions are not significantly reduced if plastic Drucker-Prager yielding in shallow cohesionless sediments is taken into account. Effects of rupture directivity are significant at periods of ~ 10 s, but almost absent at shorter periods. We find that increasing the depth extent of the subducting slab from the truncation at 60 km in the Cascadia CVM version 1.6 to ~ 100 km increases the PGVs by 15% in Seattle and by 40% in Vancouver.

finite difference method↗