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At least 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Exit Boundary Layer Data for a Round Convergent Nozzle in Support of Numerical Simulation Efforts

An experiment is conducted with hot-wire anemometry to document the exit boundary layer characteristics of two nozzle configurations at jet Mach numbers up to 0.82. Far-field noise and jet plume experimental data from these two configurations have been used in Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of jets by colleagues at other Institutions. The current experiment provides the boundary layer data which have been identified as being critical for validation of the simulations since the initial conditions can significantly affect subsequent jet evolution and its radiated noise. The data exhibit fully turbulent boundary layers for the case with a pipe attached upstream of the nozzle. The case without the pipe involves ‘Blasius-like’ mean velocity profiles but a ‘highly disturbed laminar state’ with large turbulence intensities in a range of subsonic Mach numbers.

Transition↗
NASA NTRS2019

Exit Boundary Layer Data for a Round Convergent Nozzle in Support of Numerical Simulation Efforts

An experiment is conducted with hot-wire anemometry to document the exit boundary layer characteristics of two nozzle configurations at jet Mach numbers up to 0.82. Far-field noise and jet plume experimental data from these two configurations have been used in Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of jets by colleagues at other Institutions. The current experiment provides the boundary layer data which have been identified as being critical for validation of the simulations since the initial conditions can significantly affect subsequent jet evolution and its radiated noise. The data exhibit fully turbulent boundary layers for the case with a pipe attached upstream of the nozzle. The case without the pipe involves ‘Blasius-like’ mean velocity profiles but a ‘highly disturbed laminar state’ with large turbulence intensities in a range of subsonic Mach numbers.

Transition↗
DOE OSTI2023

Annual cycle of aerosol properties over the central Arctic during MOSAiC 2019–2020 – light-extinction, CCN, and INP levels from the boundary layer to the tropopause

Abstract. The MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) expedition was the largest Arctic field campaign ever conducted. MOSAiC offered the unique opportunity to monitor and characterize aerosols and clouds with high vertical resolution up to 30 km height at latitudes from 80 to 90∘ N over an entire year (October 2019 to September 2020). Without a clear knowledge of the complex aerosol layering, vertical structures, and dominant aerosol types and their impact on cloud formation, a full understanding of the meteorological processes in the Arctic, and thus advanced climate change research, is impossible. Widespread ground-based in situ observations in the Arctic are insufficient to provide these required aerosol and cloud data. In this article, a summary of our MOSAiC observations of tropospheric aerosol profiles with a state-of-the-art multiwavelength polarization Raman lidar aboard the icebreaker Polarstern is presented. Particle optical properties, i.e., light-extinction profiles and aerosol optical thickness (AOT), and estimates of cloud-relevant aerosol properties such as the number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are discussed, separately for the lowest part of the troposphere (atmospheric boundary layer, ABL), within the lower free troposphere (around 2000 m height), and at the cirrus level close to the tropopause. In situ observations of the particle number concentration and INPs aboard Polarstern are included in the study. A strong decrease in the aerosol amount with height in winter and moderate vertical variations in summer were observed in terms of the particle extinction coefficient. The 532 nm light-extinction values dropped from >50 Mm−1 close to the surface to <5 Mm−1 at 4–6 km height in the winter months. Lofted, aged wildfire smoke layers caused a re-increase in the aerosol concentration towards the tropopause. In summer (June to August 2020), much lower particle extinction coefficients, frequently as low as 1–5 Mm−1, were observed in the ABL. Aerosol removal, controlled by in-cloud and below-cloud scavenging processes (widely suppressed in winter and very efficient in summer) in the lowermost 1–2 km of the atmosphere, seems to be the main reason for the strong differences between winter and summer aerosol conditions. A complete annual cycle of the AOT in the central Arctic could be measured. This is a valuable addition to the summertime observations with the sun photometers of the Arctic Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). In line with the pronounced annual cycle in the aerosol optical properties, typical CCN number concentrations (0.2 % supersaturation level) ranged from 50–500 cm−3 in winter to 10–100 cm−3 in summer in the ABL. In the lower free troposphere (at 2000 m), however, the CCN level was roughly constant throughout the year, with values mostly from 30 to 100 cm−3. A strong contrast between winter and summer was also given in terms of ABL INPs which control ice production in low-level clouds. While soil dust (from surrounding continents) is probably the main INP type during the autumn, winter, and spring months, local sea spray aerosol (with a biogenic aerosol component) seems to dominate the ice nucleation in the ABL during the summer months (June–August). The strong winter vs. summer contrast in the INP number concentration by roughly 2–3 orders of magnitude in the lower troposphere is, however, mainly caused by the strong cloud temperature contrast. A unique event of the MOSAiC expedition was the occurrence of a long-lasting wildfire smoke layer in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Our observations suggest that the smoke particles frequently triggered cirrus formation close to the tropopause from October 2019 to May 2020.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Using observational mean-flow data to drive large-eddy simulations of a diurnal cycle at the SWiFT site

Reproducing realistic date- and site-specific unsteady wind conditions in large-eddy simulations is becoming increasingly useful in wind energy. How to run a large-eddy simulation to match observed conditions, however, remains an open research question. One approach that has received considerable attention is mesoscale-to-microscale coupling, in which information about the mesoscale weather, most commonly acquired from a mesoscale numerical weather model, is passed on to a microscale model. In this paper, we demonstrate how the recently developed profile-assimilation technique, a form of mesoscale-to-microscale coupling, can be used to drive large-eddy simulations solely based on observed mean-flow profiles at a single location, bypassing the need for auxiliary mesoscale simulations. The new approach is evaluated for a diurnal cycle at the Scaled Wind Farm Technology site. Observed mean-flow profiles from the ground up to a height of 2 km are reconstructed by aggregating measurements from multiple instruments, and gaps in the data are infilled with natural neighbor interpolation. We perform nine simulations using various forcing approaches to deal with data limitations. The results show that it is indeed possible to drive microscale large-eddy simulation with observations using the profile-assimilation technique, notwithstanding large gaps in virtual potential temperature measurements. However, profile assimilation with vertical smoothing of the error between the desired and actual profiles is required. Without that smoothing, the microscale simulations develop unrealistically high turbulence levels under many situations. Finally, we show that simulated mesoscale data can account for missing observations, although care is needed as both data sources are not necessarily compatible.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2003

Moisture, Wind, and Boundary Layer Evolution During a Dryline in IHOP-2002: May 22, 2002

As part of the International H2O Project (MOP-2002), three NASNGSFC lidars acquired high-resolution clear air data of wind, CBL evolution, and water vapor mixing ratio profiles during a dryline event that occurred on 22 May 2002. Together with the anciliary suite of instruments deployed in MOP-2002, these lidar data sets offer a unique look into the mesoscale evolution and convective scale dynamics in and around a dryline.

Demoz, B.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Numerical Investigation of Wall-Cooling Effect on Aero-Optical Distortions for Hypersonic Boundary Layer

Compressible wall-modeled large-eddy simulations of Mach 8 turbulent boundary-layer flows over a flat plate were carried out for the conditions of the hypersonic wind tunnel at Sandia National Laboratories. The simulations provide new insight into the effect of wall cooling on the aero-optical path distortions for hypersonic turbulent boundary-layer flows. Four different wall-to-recovery temperature ratios, 0.3, 0.48, 0.71, and 0.89, are considered. Despite the much lower grid resolution, the mean velocity, temperature, and resolved Reynolds stress profiles from the simulation for a temperature ratio of 0.48 are in good agreement with those from a reference direct numerical simulation. The normalized root-mean-square optical path difference obtained from the present simulations is compared with that from reference direct numerical simulations, Sandia experiments, as well as predictions obtained with a semi-analytical model by Notre Dame University. Here the present analysis focuses on the effect of wall cooling on the wall-normal density correlations, on key underlying assumptions of the aforementioned model such as the strong Reynolds analogy, and on the elevation angle effect on the optical path difference. Wall cooling is found to increase the velocity fluctuations and decrease the density fluctuations, resulting in an overall reduction of the normalized optical path distortion. Compared to the simulations, the basic strong Reynolds analogy overpredicts the temperature fluctuations for cooled walls. Also different from the strong Reynolds analogy, the velocity and temperature fluctuations are not perfectly anticorrelated. Finally, as the wall temperature is raised, the density correlation length, away from the wall but inside the boundary layer, increases significantly for beam paths tilted in the downstream direction.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1982

A one-dimensional model of the atmospheric electric field near the Venusian surface

A one-dimensional model is developed for the development of an electric field below the Venus cloud layer, assuming an absence of cloud-to-ground lightning. The ion-bearing medium is considered as a collision dominated, partially ionized gas. Ion production by cosmic rays is accompanied by a sink of recombining positive and negative ions. The net diffusion of ions to the surface was examined, and modeled as resulting from differences between the ion diffusivities and electrical activity within the clouds. Calculations were made of the conduction and diffusion currents profiles, positive and negative ion densities, and the net space charge. Higher positive ion diffusivity was found to enhance the surface positive charge, producing an electric field which depended on the boundary layer mixing. Charge separation in the clouds also produces an electric field. Assuming a fair weather conduction current similar to earth leads to an electric field of 5 kV/sq m at the surface, with continuity to a few kilometers altitude.

Tzur, I.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Unified Entrainment and Detrainment Closures for Extended Eddy-Diffusivity Mass-Flux Schemes

The extended Eddy Diffusivity Mass Flux (EDMF) scheme is used as a unied parameterization that simulates subgrid-scale dynamics across a range of regimes.This work presents unied entrainment and detrainment closures that allow this scheme to simulate the dry convective boundary layer, shallow convection and deep convection , while adjacent works present other necessary closures for this unied scheme and test its performance for stable, stratocumulus topped and convective boundary layers. Entrainment and detrainment are modeled as a combination of turbulent and dynamical processes. The turbulent component is taken as downgradient diffusion between subdomains. The dynamical component is based on a ratio of buoyancy and vertical velocity that ensures consistent treatment of the ratio of mass-flux at vanishing area fraction. Dynamical detrainment is controlled by the difference in relative humidity between subdomains when liquid water is present. These closures are rst evaluated with entrainment and detrainment diagnosed from Large Eddy Simulations where decaying tracers are used to identify the different subdomains and mass exchanges between them. When implemented in a single column model (SCM), these closures are tested in simulations of several observationally motivated cases of dry convective boundary layer, shallow convection and deep convection. Results show good agreement between the SCM and Large Eddy Simulations in key properties for climate models and profiles of first, second and third moments. The development of diurnal cycles and the onset of and precipitation (with simplified microphysics) are well predicted by the SCM.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Best estimate of the planetary boundary layer height from multiple remote sensing measurements

Remote sensing measurements have been widely used to estimate the planetary boundary layer height (PBLHT). Each remote sensing approach offers unique strengths and faces different limitations. In this study, we use machine learning (ML) methods to produce a best-estimate PBLHT (PBLHT-BE-ML) by integrating four PBLHT estimates derived from remote sensing measurements at the Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) observatory. Three ML models – random forest (RF) classifier, RF regressor, and light gradient-boosting machine (LightGBM) – were trained on a dataset from 2017 to 2023 that included radiosonde, various remote sensing PBLHT estimates, and atmospheric meteorological conditions. Evaluations indicated that PBLHT-BE-ML from all three models improved alignment with the PBLHT derived from radiosonde data (PBLHT-SONDE), with LightGBM demonstrating the highest accuracy under both stable and unstable boundary layer conditions. Feature analysis revealed that the most influential input features at the SGP site were the PBLHT estimates derived from (a) potential temperature profiles retrieved using Raman lidar (RL) and atmospheric emitted radiance interferometer (AERI) measurements (PBLHT-THERMO), (b) vertical velocity variance profiles from Doppler lidar (PBLHT-DL), and (c) aerosol backscatter profiles from micropulse lidar (PBLHT-MPL). The trained models were then used to predict PBLHT-BE-ML at a temporal resolution of 10 min, effectively capturing the diurnal evolution of PBLHT and its significant seasonal variations, with the largest diurnal variation observed over summer at the SGP site. We applied these trained models to data from the ARM Eastern Pacific Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (EPCAPE) field campaign (EPC), where the PBLHT-BE-ML, particularly with the LightGBM model, demonstrated improved accuracy against PBLHT-SONDE. Analyses of model performance at both the SGP and EPC sites suggest that expanding the training dataset to include various surface types, such as ocean and ice-covered areas, could further enhance ML model performance for PBLHT estimation across varied geographic regions.

Zhang, Damao [Pacific Northwest National Laborator↗
NASA NTRS1973

An experimental study of slot injection into a supersonic stream

An experimental investigation of two-dimensional tangential-slot injection into a turbulent boundary layer at a freestream Mach number of 2.4 has been conducted. Nearly adiabatic surface temperatures were maintained during all tests. Static and pitot pressure profiles at four stations downstream of the slot were obtained. Skin friction was measured at the last three stations with a self-nulling balance. Schlieren photographs of the flow field were also obtained. Most of the data were obtained with slot Mach numbers of 0.31 and 0.66 corresponding to slot pressure less than and equal to stream static pressure, respectively. For the latter matched-pressure case, tangential slot injection reduced the surface shear at the three measuring stations by about 60 to 20 percent for increasing downstream distances from the slot of 12 to 28 slot heights. However, for the other case where slot pressure was less than stream static pressure, the effect of injection was to increase the shear by about 90 percent at the last downstream station of 28 slot heights. This increase in shear is attributed to the rapid acceleration of the low speed injectant stream by the high speed main stream and the increasing pressure through the recompression zone which is absent for the matched pressure case.

Kenworthy, M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Magneto-fluid-mechanics free convection turbulent flow

The present work is an experimental study of the influence of a uniform magnetic field on the structure of a free convection turbulent boundary layer in a conducting fluid. The boundary layer was formed along the heated vertical wall of a cell. The applied magnetic field was normal to the wall. The measured mean temperature profiles, temperature turbulent intensity distributions, and temperature spectra along the wall, indicated that transition from turbulent to laminar flow occurs at a constant value of the ratio (Rayleigh number)/(Hartmann number). The study of the recorded spectra indicated that the presence of the magnetic field enhances the mechanism of turbulent suppression due to the buoyancy forces. Finally, a possible mechanism by which turbulence is suppressed by the presence of a magnetic field is discussed.

Papailiou, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Multiple slot skin friction reduction

The paper investigates analytically the effect of multiple slot injection on skin friction for a representative fuselage shape (ogive-cylinder body) and evaluates the potential of slot injection as a drag reduction system in subsonic flow. Typical CTOL cruise flight conditions (Mach number equals 0.82 at altitudes of 11 km) were adopted for a fuselage 67.06 m in length and with maximum diameter of 7.32 m. The numerical method of Price and Harris (1972) was used to calculate the boundary-layer characteristics up to the first slot, while the finite-difference method of Beckwith and Bushnell (1971) was used to calculate the velocity profile downstream of one, three, five, or ten slots. An integral expression is proposed for characterizing skin friction reduction effectiveness, and it is seen that large reductions in viscous drag (50%) are available through slot injection. Skin friction reduction is improved by increasing the number of injection slots but at a diminishing rate.

Howard, F. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Investigation to optimize the passive shock wave/boundary layer control for supercritical airfoil drag reduction

The passive shock wave/boundary layer control for reducing the drag of 14%-thick supercritical airfoil was investigated in the 3 in. x 15.4 in. RPI Transonic Wind Tunnel with and without the top wall insert at transonic Mach numbers. Top wall insert was installed to increase the flow Mach number to 0.90 with the model mounted on the test section bottom wall. Various porous surfaces with a cavity underneath were positioned on the area of the airfoil where the shock wave occurs. The higher pressure behind the shock wave circulates flow through the cavity to the lower pressure ahead of the shock wave. The effects from this circulation prevent boundary layer separation and enthropy increase hrough the shock wave. The static pressure distributions over the airfoil, the wake impact pressure survey for determining the profile drag and the Schlieren photographs for porous surfaces are presented and compared with the results for solid surface airfoil. With a 2.8% uniform porosity the normal shock wave for the solid surface was changed to a lambda shock wave, and the wake impact pressure data indicate a drag coefficient reduction as much as 45% lower than for the solid surface airfoil at high transonic Mach numbers.

Nagamatsu, H. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Wall layer models for the calculation of velocity and heat transfer in turbulent boundary layers

In the computation of turbulent boundary-layer flows and internal flows, a substantial amount of mesh points and computational effort is required to adequately resolve the intense temperature and velocity profile variations in the near wall region. In this study, analytical profile approximations are obtained for the mean velocity and temperature distribution in the wall layer; these profiles are based upon consideration of the observed coherent structure of the time-dependent wall-layer flow. The profile approximations are relatively simple analytical formulae which satisfy all the required compatibility conditions at the wall and the logarithmic behavior at the edge of the wall layer. The Reynolds analogy for heat transfer is not used in the present theory. A general method for utilizing the present wall-layer profile models in a prediction method is indicated.

Walker, J. D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Thermal finite-element analysis of space shuttle main engine turbine blade

Finite-element, transient heat transfer analyses were performed for the first-stage blades of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) high-pressure fuel turbopump. The analyses were based on test engine data provided by Rocketdyne. Heat transfer coefficients were predicted by performing a boundary-layer analysis at steady-state conditions with the STAN5 boundary-layer code. Two different peak-temperature overshoots were evaluated for the startup transient. Cutoff transient conditions were also analyzed. A reduced gas temperature profile based on actual thermocouple data was also considered. Transient heat transfer analyses were conducted with the MARC finite-element computer code.

Abdul-Aziz, Ali↗
NASA NTRS1990

Accurate calculation and instability of supersonic wake flows

This study is concerned with the computation and linear stability of a class of laminar compressible wake flows. The emphasis is on correct basic flow profiles that satisfy the steady equations of motion, and to this end the unperturbed state is obtained through numerical integration of the compressible boundary-layer equations. The linear stability of the flow is examined via the Rayleigh equation that describes evolution of inviscid disturbances. Analytical results are given for short- and long-wavelength disturbances and some numerical results of the general eigenvalue problem are also reported.

Papageorgiou, Demetrius T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A Comparison Between Raman Lidar and Conventional Contact Measurements of Atmospheric Temperature

Described here are the results of comparison between lidar and conventional contact measurements of the vertical temperature profile of the atmosphere. The lidar measurements are based on the method of temperature dependence of pure rotational Raman scattering of nitrogen and oxygen molecules. The presented results show that, as a whole, the motion of the lidar and conventional profiles coincide in the confidence intervals. Still there are districts in which the differences lay out of the confidence intervals. In analysis and estimation of the coincidence and the distinction in moving the profiles, we must take into account the differences between the methods for measuring the temperature profiles by lidar and contact methods, i.e. the next additional factors. The tied balloon meter gives the momentary values of the temperature in particular points of the profile, as these momentary values are the results of consequent, but not simultaneous measurements. In the case of free flying balloon, the time of measuring the lower several hundred meters is little because of high vertical velocity (about 300 m/min). This leads to an indefinite increase of the measuring error. The complete space coincidence between the lidar's and conventional profiles isn't possible. The contribution of the factors mentioned above about the error of comparison could increase because of nonstable layers in the planetary boundary layer of the atmosphere as well as by the influence of the mountains and the city situated nearby.

Mitev, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1957

Investigation of the Laminar Aerodynamic Heat-transfer Characteristics of a Hemisphere-cylinder in the Langley 11-inch Hypersonic Tunnel at a Mach Number of 6.8

A program to investigate the aerodynamic heat transfer of a nonisothermal hemisphere-cylinder has been conducted in the Langley 11-inch hypersonic tunnel at a Mach number of 6.8 and a Reynolds number from approximately 0.14 x 10(6) to 1.06 x 10(6) based on diameter and free-stream conditions. The experimental heat-transfer coefficients were slightly less over the whole body than those predicted by the theory of Stine and Wanlass (NACA technical note 3344) for an isothermal surface. For stations within 45 degrees of the stagnation point the heat-transfer coefficients could be correlated by a single relation between local Stanton number and local Reynolds number. Pitot pressure profiles taken at a Mach number of 6.8 on a hemisphere-cylinder have verified that the local Mach number or velocity outside the boundary layer required in the theories may be computed from the surface pressures by using isentropic flow relations and conditions immediately behind a normal shock. The experimental pressure distribution at Mach number of 6.8 is closely predicted by the modified Newtonian theory.

Crawford, Davis H↗