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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS1987

A new method to predict unsteady aeroelastic behavior

A new method for predicting subsonic flutter and static deflections, including divergence, has been developed. The present method accounts for aspect ratio and, in the case of flutter, static deflections. The angle of attack is limited only by the occurrence of stall or vortex bursting near the wing. The innovation in the present method is to integrate simultaneously and interactively the equations of motion of the structure and the flowfield. The present approach employs an iterative scheme based on the predictor-corrector method. The general unsteady vortex-lattice method (UVLM) is used to predict the aerodynamic loads. Because the UVLM predicts the wakes as part of the solution, the history of the motion is taken into account; hysteresis is predicted. The deflection (for both bending and torsion) is expressed as an expansion in terms of the free-vibration modes. The time-dependent coefficients in these expansions serve as the generalized coordinates. Numerical examples illustrating the calculation of static deflections and transient dynamic responses above and below the flutter boundary are included.

Strganac, Thomas W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Interference-free measurements of the subsonic aerodynamics of slanted-base ogive cylinders

Drag, lift, pitching moment, and base-pressure measurements have been made, free of support interference, on a range of slanted-base ogive cylinders, using the NASA Langley Research Center 13-in magnetic suspension and balance system. Test Mach numbers were in the range 0.04-0.2. Two types of wake flow were observed, a quasi-symmetric turbulent closure or a longitudinal vortex flow. Aerodynamic characteristics differ dramatically between the two wake types. Drag measurements are shown to be in agreement with previous tests. A hysteretic behavior of the wake with varying Reynold's number has been discovered for the 45-deg base. An interaction between forebody boundary-layer state and wake flow and base pressures has been detected for higher slant angles.

Britcher, Colin P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Hybrid vortex method for lifting surfaces with free-vortex flow

A Nonlinear Hybrid Vortex method (NHV-method) has been developed for predicting the aerodynamic characteristics of wings exhibiting leading- and side-edge separations. This method alleviates the drawbacks of the Nonlinear Discrete Vortex method (NDV-method, also known as the multiple line vortex method.) The NHV-method combines continuous-vorticity and vortex-line representations of the wing and its separated free shear layers. Continuous vorticity is used in the near-field calculations, while discrete vortex-lines are used in the far-field calculations. The wing and its free shear layers are divided into quadrilateral vortex panels having second-order vorticity distributions. The aerodynamic boundary conditions and continuity of the vorticity distributions are satisfied at certain nodal points on the vortex panels. An iterative technique is used to satisfy these conditions in order to obtain the vorticity distribution and the wake shape. Distributed and total aerodynamic loads are then calculated.

Kandil, O. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Euler equation analysis of the initial roll-up of aircraft wakes

A new approach has been developed to study the initial roll-up of aircraft wakes. This approach is based on the solution of the three-dimensional Euler equations subject to inflow and initial conditions predicted by a vortex-lattice method. This procedure allows for the solution of this complex problem without any empirical inputs. However, valid solutions are limited to those flowfields generated by wings which are free of flow separation. Results are presented for four configurations: a rectangular wing with part span flap, a rectangular wing, a typical transport-type configuration and a fighter configuration. In addition, an assessment of an 'unsteady 2-D analogy' was undertaken using the 2-D time accurate Euler equation solutions in crossflow planes. In general, predictions from the 2-D unsteady analogy coincided with the 3-D results which were found to be in good agreement with available experimental data.

Mitcheltree, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Navier-Stokes simulations of tip vortices for fixed and rotating helicopter blades

Flowfield and tip vortex results are presented for a hovering rotor blade at subcritical and supercritical flow conditions for both nonlifting and lifting configurations. These results are calculated numerically by solving, in a time-accurate fashion, the unsteady thin layer Navier-Stokes equations written in rotor coordinates. The lifting calculations use an induced downwash correction, estimated from a free wake analysis, to the geometric angle of attack of the blades to account for the wake effect. Comparison of numerical results with the experimental data shows very good agreement for all cases considered. Alternate methods of calculating hovering rotor flowfield as steady state flowfield on isolated fixed-blade that have the same circulation distribution as that of rotor in hover are also explored.

Srinivasan, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Exploratory flow visualization investigation of mast-mounted sights in presence of a rotor

A flow visualization investigation with a laser light sheet system was conducted on a 27-percent-scale AH-64 attack helicopter model fitted with two mast-mounted sights in the langley 14- by 22-foot subsonic tunnel. The investigation was conducted to identify aerodynamic phenomena that may have contributed to adverse vibration encountered during full-scale flight of the AH-64D apache/longbow helicopter with an asymmetric mast-mounted sight. Symmetric and asymmetric mast-mounted sights oriented at several skew angles were tested at simulated forward and rearward flight speeds of 30 and 45 knots. A laser light sheet system was used to visualize the flow in planes parallel to and perpendicular to the free-stream flow. Analysis of these flow visualization data identified frequencies of flow patterns in the wake shed from the sight, the streamline angle at the sight, and the location where the shed wake crossed the rotor plane. Differences in wake structure were observed between the sight configurations and various skew angles. Analysis of lateral light sheet plane data implied significant vortex structure in the wake of the asymmetric mast-mounted sight in the configuration that produced maximum in-flight vibration. The data showed no significant vortex structure in the wake of the asymmetric and symmetric configurations that produced no increase in in-flight adverse vibration.

Ghee, Terence A.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Flutter clearance flight tests of an OV-10A airplane modified for wake vortex flight experiments

The envelope expansion, flight flutter tests of a modified OV-10A aircraft are described. For the wake vortex research program, the airplane was modified to incorporate three forward-extending instrumentation booms, one extending forward from each wing tip and one from the right side of the fuselage. The booms were instrumented with sensors to measure the velocity and direction of local air flow. The flutter test results show that the modified OV-10A aircraft is free from flutter at speeds up to 330 KEAS at 5000 feet altitude.

Doggett, Robert V., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Calculation of the rotor induced download on airfoils

Interactions between the rotors and wing of a rotary wing aircraft in hover have a significant detrimental effect on its payload performance. The reduction of payload results from the wake of lifting rotors impinging on the wing, which is at 90 deg angle of attack in hover. This vertical drag, often referred as download, can be as large as 15 percent of the total rotor thrust in hover. The rotor wake is a three-dimensional, unsteady flow with concentrated tip vortices. With the rotor tip vortices impinging on the upper surface of the wing, the flow over the wing is not only three-dimensional and unsteady, but also separated from the leading and trailing edges. A simplified two-dimensional model was developed to demonstrate the stability of the methodology. The flow model combines a panel method to represent the rotor and the wing, and a vortex method to track the wing wake. A parametric study of the download on a 20 percent thick elliptical airfoil below a rotor disk of uniform inflow was performed. Comparisons with experimental data are made where the data are available. This approach is now being extended to three-dimensional flows. Preliminary results on a wing at 90 deg angle of attack in free stream is presented.

Lee, C. S.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Wake Vortex Transport and Decay in Ground Effect: Vortex Linking with the Ground

Numerical simulations are carried out with a three-dimensional Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) model to explore the sensitivity of vortex decay and transport in ground effect (IGE). The vortex decay rates are found to be strongly enhanced following maximum descent into ground effect. The nondimensional decay rate is found to be insensitive to the initial values of circulation, height, and vortex separation. The information gained from these simulations is used to construct a simple decay relationship. This relationship compares well with observed data from an IGE case study. Similarly, a relationship for lateral drift due to ground effect is constructed from the LES data. In the second part of this paper, vortex linking with the ground is investigated. Our numerical simulations of wake vortices for IGE show that a vortex may link with its image beneath the ground, if the intensity of the ambient turbulence is moderate to high. This linking with the ground (which is observed in real cases)gives the appearance of a vortex tube that bends to become vertically oriented and which terminates at the ground. From the simulations conducted, the linking time for vortices in the free atmosphere; i.e., a function of ambient turbulence intensity.

Proctor, Fred H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Implementation and validation of a wake model for low-speed forward flight

The computer implementation and calculations of the induced velocities produced by a wake model consisting of a trailing vortex system defined from a prescribed time averaged downwash distribution are detailed. Induced velocities are computed by approximating each spiral turn by a pair of large straight vortex segments positioned at critical points relative to where the induced velocity is required. A remainder term for the rest of the spiral is added. This approach results in decreased computation time compared to classical models where each spiral turn is broken down in small straight vortex segments. The model includes features such a harmonic variation of circulation, downwash outside of the blade and/or outside the tip path plane, blade bound vorticity induced velocity with harmonic variation of circulation and time averaging. The influence of various options and parameters on the results are investigated and results are compared to experimental field measurements with which, a resonable agreement is obtained. The capabilities of the model as well as its extension possibilities are studied. The performance of the model in predicting the recently-acquired NASA Langley Inflow data base for a four-bladed rotor is compared to that of the Scully Free Wake code, a well-established program which requires much greater computational resources. It is found that the two codes predict the experimental data with essentially the same accuracy, and show the same trends.

Komerath, Narayanan M.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Flat-plate drag measurements with vortex generators in turbulent boundary layer

Direct drag measurements were obtained on a flat plate with a spanwise row of vortex generators near the leading edge, to produce an array of stream wise vortices within the approaching turbulent boundary layer. The object was to explore the possibility of modifying the large scale structure of the boundary layer through embedded longitudinal vortices with a view to obtaining a reduction in wall shear. Both obstacle and vane type vortex generators were tested at free stream velocities 40 ft/sec to 130 ft/sec corresponding to plate length Reynolds no. 0.3 million to 0.8 million with a nominal boundary layer thickness of approximately 0.6 in. at the leading edge. A few vortex generator configurations were tested both on and off the plate to measure the total drag as well as the plate drag alone. The obstacle type devices reduced the plate drag, indicating that the wake momentum defect predominated even in the presence of streamwise vortices. The vane type vortex generators however always increased the plate drag.

Rao, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

General flow field analysis methods for helicopter rotor aeroacoustics

Previous work in the analysis of rotor flow fields for aeroacoustic applications involved the preliminary development of an efficient and accurate Lagrangian simulation of the unsteady vorticity field in the vicinity of helicopter main rotor that could analyze a limited class of rotor/wake interactions. The capabilities of this analysis have subsequently been considerably enhanced to allow it to serve as the foundation for a general analysis of the rotor/wake interaction noise. This paper presents the details of these enhancements, which focus on the expansion of the reconstruction approach developed previously to handle arbitrary vortex wake interactions within three-dimensional regions located near or within the rotor disk. Also, the development of nearfield velocity corrections appropriate for the analysis of such interactions is described, as is a preliminary study of methods for using the new high-resolution flow field analysis for noise predictions. The results show that by employing this novel flow field reconstruction technique it is possible to employ full-span free wake analyses with temporal and spatial resolution suitable for acoustic applications while reducing the computation time required by one to two orders of magnitude relative to traditional methods.

Quackenbush, Todd R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Interactions of airfoils with gusts and concentrated vortices in unsteady transonic flow

Unsteady interactions of concentrated vortices and distributed free-stream gusts with a stationary airfoil have been analyzed in two-dimensional transonic flow. A simple method of introducing such disturbances has been implemented numerically in the well-known transonic small-disturbance code LTRAN2, and calculations have been performed for two important classes of current aerodynamic problems. The first, which demonstrates many of the essential features of the interactions between helicopter rotor blades and their trailing-vortex wakes, is that of a discrete potential vortex convecting past an airfoil. The second is the response of a transonic airfoil to a transverse periodic gust, with and without the alleviation that can be achieved by the proper active control motion of a trailing-edge flap. In both cases, unsteady effects are found to play important roles in the shock-wave motion, in the overall flow-field development, and consequently, in the air loads on the airfoil.

Mccroskey, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1945

A method for determining the camber and twist of a surface to support a given distribution of lift, with applications to the load over a sweptback wing

Cohen, Doris↗

NASA NTRS1942

A method for determining the camber and twist of a surface to support a given distribution of lift

A graphical method is described for finding the shape (camber and twist) of an airfoil having an arbitrary distribution of lift. The method consists in replacing the lifting surface and its wake with an equivalent arrangement of vortices and in finding the associated vertical velocities. By a division of the vortex pattern into circular strips concentric about the downwash point instead of into the usual rectangular strips, the lifting surface is reduced for each downwash point to an equivalent loaded line for which the induced velocity is readily computed. The ratio of the vertical velocity to the stream velocity is the slope of the surface in the free-stream direction. As an illustration, the shape of the wing consistent with the pressure distribution derived from the two-dimensional theories is found for two wings: a straight elliptical wing and one with 30 degree sweepback. Application of the method to solve the reverse problem - finding the lift distribution over a given surface - is briefly discussed.

Cohen, Doris↗

NASA NTRS1992

Shadowgraph flow visualization of isolated tiltrotor and rotor/wing wakes

Shadowgraph flow visualization images were acquired from a 0.184-scale tiltrotor and wing in hover. Measurements and details of the vortex core structure were examined as a function of thrust condition and wake age. Experimental data for the isolated rotor wake geometry and rotor wake interactions with a semi-span wing and image plane were acquired. Quantitative measurements and comparisons of wake geometry and distortion were made for three configurations: the isolated rotor, rotor/wing, and rotor/wing/image plane. Comparisons between tiltrotor and helicopter rotor wake geometry measurements were made. Experimental wake geometry data were also compared with two wake models. Suggestions for improvements to existing prescribed-wake and free-wake models are proposed.

Swanson, Alexandra A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Exploratory investigation of sound pressure level in the wake of an oscillating airfoil in the vicinity of stall

Wind tunnel tests were performed on two oscillating two-dimensional lifting surfaces. The first of these models had an NACA 0012 airfoil section while the second simulated the classical flat plate. Both of these models had a mean angle of attack of 12 degrees while being oscillated in pitch about their midchord with a double amplitude of 6 degrees. Wake surveys of sound pressure level were made over a frequency range from 16 to 32 Hz and at various free stream velocities up to 100 ft/sec. The sound pressure level spectrum indicated significant peaks in sound intensity at the oscillation frequency and its first harmonic near the wake of both models. From a comparison of these data with that of a sound level meter, it is concluded that most of the sound intensity is contained within these peaks and no appreciable peaks occur at higher harmonics. It is concluded that within the wake the sound intensity is largely pseudosound while at one chord length outside the wake, it is largely true vortex sound. For both the airfoil and flat plate the peaks appear to be more strongly dependent upon the airspeed than on the oscillation frequency. Therefore reduced frequency does not appear to be a significant parameter in the generation of wake sound intensity.

Gray, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Spectral Characteristics of Wake Vortex Sound During Roll-Up

This report presents an analysis of the sound spectra generated by a trailing aircraft vortex during its rolling-up process. The study demonstrates that a rolling-up vortex could produce low frequency (less than 100 Hz) sound with very high intensity (60 dB above threshold of human hearing) at a distance of 200 ft from the vortex core. The spectrum then drops o rapidly thereafter. A rigorous analytical approach has been adopted in this report to derive the spectrum of vortex sound. First, the sound pressure was solved from an alternative treatment of the Lighthill s acoustic analogy approach [1]. After the application of Green s function for free space, a tensor analysis was applied to permit the removal of the source term singularity of the wave equation in the far field. Consequently, the sound pressure is expressed in terms of the retarded time that indicates the time history and spacial distribution of the sound source. The Fourier transformation is then applied to the sound pressure to compute its spectrum. As a result, the Fourier transformation greatly simplifies the expression of the vortex sound pressure involving the retarded time, so that the numerical computation is applicable with ease for axisymmetric line vortices during the rolling-up process. The vortex model assumes that the vortex circulation is proportional to the time and the core radius is a constant. In addition, the velocity profile is assumed to be self-similar along the aircraft flight path, so that a benchmark vortex velocity profile can be devised to obtain a closed form solution, which is then used to validate the numerical calculations for other more realistic vortex profiles for which no closed form solutions are available. The study suggests that acoustic sensors operating at low frequency band could be profitably deployed for detecting the vortex sound during the rolling-up process.

Booth, Earl R., Jr.↗