Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “flow instability”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,297 records · Page 72
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Analysis of 5 KHz combustion instabilities in 40K methane/LOX combustion chambers

In 40K methane/LOX 5 KHz engine tests, (first transverse mode) combustion instabilities observed by Rocketdyne are analyzed using Heidmann and Wieber's vaporization model to include LOX flow oscillations. The LOX flow oscillations are determined by including acoustic waves in the feed system analysis. The major parameter controlling stability is the distance (or time delay) associated with atomizing the LOX stream in the coaxial injection system. Results of the analysis that show the influence of mixture ratio, oxidizer and fuel injection velocities, burning time and combustion chamber/injector dimensions on stability are used to explain the existing data. Calculated results to predict the influence of design changes being made for the next set of experiments are also presented.

Breisacher, Kevin J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ballooning stability of anisotropic, rotating plasmas

The linearized equation of motion is given in a Lagrangian representation for a rotating plasma with anisotropic pressure. A WKB theory is developed for large-n ballooning modes in an axisymmetric configuration with field-aligned and rigid toroidal flows. In the presence of field-aligned flows, it is shown that a resonance occurs which is strongly suggestive of a generalized mirror instability. In the presence of toroidal rotation, a possible stabilizing effect is identified for P(normal) greater than P(parallel). Finally, as a special case of the theory, the necessary and sufficient conditions for stability in a static, anisotropic plasma are obtained.

Wang, X.-H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Initiation of bipolar flows by magnetic field twisting in protostellar nebulae

A model is developed for the time-dependent twisting of an initial poloidal magnetic field threading a conducting protostellar disk. The region outside the disk is assumed to be filled, at least initially, with a low-density, force-free 'coronal' plasma. The differential rotation of the disk acts to twist the B field in the space outside the disk thus generating a toroidal magnetic field. In turn, the toroidal field acts to pinch the plasma and the poloidal field toward the system axis producing a collimated channel. This channel could facilitate the formation of bipolar flows. The magnitude and duration of the field twisting is expected to be limited by magnetohydrodynamic instability.

Newman, William I.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A local instability of tidally distorted accretion disks

Hydrodynamic accretion disks in binary star systems have local, three-dimensional, approximately incompressible instabilities whose growth rate is linearly proportional to the tidal field of the secondary star. The instability occurs throughout the disk but is most rapid in the outer parts. The free energy for the instability derives from the tidal distortion of the disk rather than its differential rotation. The instability will excite m-parallel 1 internal waves of the type discussed by Vishniac et al. (1992), and it should facilitate return of angular momentum from the disk to the secondary star. It is closely related to a recently discovered instability that has been suggested as a mechanism for transition to turbulence in terrestrial and laboratory flows, but whether it will lead to strong turbulence in disks is as yet unclear.

Goodman, Jeremy↗
NASA NTRS1995

Supersonic coaxial jet noise predictions

Predictions are made for the noise radiation from supersonic, coaxial jets. These predictions are based on the assumption that the noise radiation in the downstream direction of supersonic jets is dominated by sound generated by instability waves with supersonic phase velocities relative to ambient. Since the analysis requires a known mean flow and the coaxial jet mean flow is not described easily in terms of analytical functions, a numerical prediction is made for its development. The compressible, Reynolds averaged, boundary layer equations are solved with a modified mixing length turbulence model. The model has been calibrated to account for compressibility and temperature effects on the rate of mixing. Both normal and inverted velocity profile jets are considered. Predictions are made for the differences between the noise radiated by coaxial jets with difference operating conditions and a single reference jet with the same thrust, mass flow, and exit area. The effects of area ratio changes and simulated enhanced mixing on noise radiation are also considered.

Dahl, Milo D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Selective excitation of tropical atmospheric waves in wave-CISK: The effect of vertical wind shear

The growth of waves and the generation of potential energy in wave-CISK require unstable waves to tilt with height oppositely to their direction of propagation. This makes the structures and instability properties of these waves very sensitive to the presence of vertical shear in the basic flow. Equatorial Kelvin and Rossby-gravity waves have opposite phase tilt with height to what they have in the stratosphere, and their growth is selectively favored by basic flows with westward vertical shear and eastward vertical shear, respectively. Similar calculations are also made for gravity waves and Rossby waves. It is shown that eastward vertical shear of the basic flow promotes CISK for westward propagating Rossby-gravity, Rossby, and gravity waves and suppresses CISK for eastward propagating Kelvin and gravity waves, while westward shear of the basic flow has the reverse effects.

Zhang, Minghua↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Study of the December 1992 Westerly Wind Burst Event during TOGA COARE

Using the Penn State/NCAR MM5 mesoscale model, a westerly wind burst (WWB) that occurred during the period from 19 to 30 December 1992 over the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) has been simulated and compared with observation. This event is characterized by the presence of super cloud clusters and the occurrence of a major WWB that extended over the western and central Pacific Ocean. Although several of the observed convective systems were not precisely simulated by MM5, the model did capture many other observed characteristics, such as the explosive development of convection, the cyclonic circulation and the WWB. The WWB resulted from the coalescence of three types of tropical disturbances. The first type was a low-level westerly jet (LWJ) that developed at the equator and may be associated with the eastward propagation of an ISO (Intraseasonal Oscillation). The second type featured an easterly wave-like disturbance that originated in the south central Pacific Ocean and propagated westward. Finally, the third type involved a cross-equatorial flow that deflected Northern Hemispheric easterlies into the Southern Hemisphere and may be caused by inertial instability. These disturbances worked in concert, resulting in intense convection over the TOGA COARE region. Once intense convection developed, a large-scale circulation was produced over the western Pacific warm pool, propagated eastward, and initiated a WWB.

Chen, Chaing↗
NASA NTRS1999

Design Optimization of Stiffened Panels with Postbuckling Constraints

The funding provided by the grant is used to complete the final stages of the development of a geometrically nonlinear analysis and design capability for the static response of compressively loaded prismatic plate structures. The analysis is based on the nonlinear finite strip method and is applicable for structures, such as stiffened panels or box columns, that can be modeled as assemblages of finite length plate strips. In an effort to reduce the computational cost of the nonlinear finite strip method, thus making it suitable for use in the design optimization environment, reduced basis techniques as described in various references by Noor are used in conjunction with the finite strip method. In addition, an efficient scheme for tracing the nonlinear equilibrium paths through highly nonlinear response curves was implemented. The new scheme, which is referred to as the normal flow algorithm, is based on homotopy methods, and is capable of negotiating highly nonlinear limit point instabilities with a reduced computational cost compared to the popular Ricks/Wempner and Chrisfield algorithms.

Guerdal, Zafer↗
NASA NTRS1997

Large-Eddy Simulation of Transition to Turbulence in Boundary Layers

Large-eddy simulation results for laminar-to-turbulent transition in a spatially developing boundary layer are presented. The disturbances are ingested into a laminar flow through an unsteady suction-and-blowing strip. The filtered, three-dimensional time- dependent Navier-Stokes equations are integrated numerically using spectral, high-order finite-difference, and three-stage low-storage Runge-Kutta methods. The buffer-domain technique is used for the outflow boundary condition. The localized dynamic model used to parameterize the subgrid-scale stresses begins to have a significant impact at the beginning of the nonlinear transition (or intermittency) region. The flow structures commonly found in experiments are also observed in the present simulation; the computed linear instability modes and secondary instability lambda-vortex structures are in agreement with the experiments, and the streak-like-structures and turbulent statistics compare with both the experiments and the theory. The physics captured in the present LES are consistent with the experiments and the full Navier-Stokes simulation (DNS), at a significant fraction of the DNS cost. A comparison of the results obtained with several SGS models shows that the localized model gives accurate results both in a statistical sense and in terms of predicting the dynamics of the energy-carrying eddies, without ad hoc adjustments.

Huai, Xiao-Li↗
NASA NTRS1980

Theoretical regime diagrams for thermally driven flows in a beta-plane channel in the presence of variable gravity

The effect of a power law gravity field on baroclinic instability is examined, with a focus on the case of inverse fifth power gravity, since this is the power law produced when terrestrial gravity is simulated in spherical geometry by a dielectric force. Growth rates are obtained of unstable normal modes as a function of parameters of the problem by solving a second order differential equation numerically. It is concluded that over the range of parameter space explored, there is no significant change in the character of theoretical regime diagrams if the vertically averaged gravity is used as parameter.

Geisler, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Laboratory and theoretical models of planetary-scale instabilities and waves

Meteorologists and planetary astronomers interested in large-scale planetary and solar circulations recognize the importance of rotation and stratification in determining the character of these flows. In the past it has been impossible to accurately model the effects of sphericity on these motions in the laboratory because of the invariant relationship between the uni-directional terrestrial gravity and the rotation axis of an experiment. Researchers studied motions of rotating convecting liquids in spherical shells using electrohydrodynamic polarization forces to generate radial gravity, and hence centrally directed buoyancy forces, in the laboratory. The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) experiments performed on Spacelab 3 in 1985 were analyzed. Recent efforts at interpretation led to numerical models of rotating convection with an aim to understand the possible generation of zonal banding on Jupiter and the fate of banana cells in rapidly rotating convection as the heating is made strongly supercritical. In addition, efforts to pose baroclinic wave experiments for future space missions using a modified version of the 1985 instrument led to theoretical and numerical models of baroclinic instability. Rather surprising properties were discovered, which may be useful in generating rational (rather than artificially truncated) models for nonlinear baroclinic instability and baroclinic chaos.

Hart, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new direction in hydrodynamic stability: Beyond eigenvalues

Fluid flows that are smooth at low speeds become unstable and then turbulent at higher speeds. This phenomenon has traditionally been investigated by linearizing the equations of flow and looking for unstable eigenvalues of the linearized problem, but the results agree poorly in many cases with experiments. Nevertheless, it has become clear in recent years that linear effects play a central role in hydrodynamic instability. A reconciliation of these findings with the traditional analysis can be obtained by considering the 'pseudospectra' of the linearized problem, which reveals that small perturbations to the smooth flow in the form of streamwise vortices may be amplified by factors on the order of 10(exp 5) by a linear mechanism, even though all the eigenmodes are stable. The same principles apply also to other problems in the mathematical sciences that involve non-orthogonal eigenfunctions.

Trefethen, Lloyd N.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Flow Quality and Boundary Layer Transition

The widely held view is that transition to turbulence in the Blasius boundary layer occurs via amplification and eventual nonlinear breakdown of initially small amplitude instabilities i.e. Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. However this scenario is only observed for low amplitude free-stream turbulence levels, i.e. u/U < 0.1%. Bypass of linear TS instability mechanism occurs for higher EST levels, yet considerable differences exist between the few experiments carefully designed to assess the effect of EST on transition. The consensus is that EST leads to longitudinal streaks that form near the leading edge in the boundary layer . These streaks appeal to be regions of concentrated streamwise vorticity and they are often referred to as Klebanoff modes. The importance of mean flow free-stream nonuniformity (FSN) is not as widely appreciated as EST for characterizing wind tunnel flow quality. Here it is shown that, although the v like generated by a d=50micron wire located upstream of the contraction (Re(sub d)=6.6, x/d=45,000) is immeasurably small by the time it interacts with the leading edge in the test section, it is responsible for generation of a pair of weak streamwise vortices in the boundary layer downstream. The characteristics of these wake-induced vortices and their effect on TS waves are demonstrated. Small remnant FSN variations are also shown to exist downstream of a turbulence grid. The question arises Are the adverse effects introduced by the turbulence grid caused by FST or by small remnant FSN variations?

Watmuff, Jonathan H↗
NASA NTRS1999

Swept-Wing Receptivity Studies Using Distributed Roughness

Transition to turbulence in swept-wing flows has resisted correlation with linear theory because of its sensitivity to freestream conditions and 3-D roughness and because one of the principal instability modes quickly 'becomes nonlinear. In the face of such a formidable problem, two rather long-term fundamental efforts have been underway at DLR Gottinberg and Arizona State University that address swept-wing transition. These efforts have been recently reviewed by Bippes (1997) and Reibert and Saric (1997). Thus, the present work is a continuation of a series of studies on swept-wing boundary layers which have led to a better understanding of the transition process. In particular, we have taken advantage of the sensitivity to 3-D roughness and the modal nature of the instability in order to propose a particular control strategy. Complementing the two aforementioned reviews, general reviews of the swept-wing transition problem are found in Arnal (1997) and Kachanov (1996). Other recent reviews include Reshotko (t997), Crouch (1997), and Herbert (1997a,b). The failure of linear theory is discussed in Reed et al. (1996). The historical work is found in Reed and Sar-ic (1989). The basic idea is that the combination of sweep and chordwise pressure gradient within the boundary layer creates a velocity component perpendicular to the inviscid streamline. This crossflow profile is inflectional and exhibits both traveling and stationary unstable waves called crossflow vortices that are (approximately) aligned along the inviscid streamlines. Under conditions of low freestream turbulence levels, the dominant crossflow wave is stationary (Reibert and Saric t997) while moderate to high turbulence levels initiate dominant traveling waves (Dehle and Bippes 1996; Bippes 1997). 'Me mechanism is relatively insensitive to sound and 2-D surface roughness (Radeztsky et al. 1993) but very sensitive to 3-D roughness near the attachment line. We concentrate our work on low-turbulence freestream flows and stationary crossflow waves. Although the v' and w' components of the disturbances are very small, by convecting streamwise momentum in the wall-normal direction, they produce 0(l) changes inu'.Thus the mean flow is highly distorted with localized inflection points. Transition is then triggered by a high-frequency secondary instability of the distorted mean profile.

Saric, William S.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Large Eddy Simulation of Aircraft Wake Vortices: Atmospheric Turbulence Effects

Crow instability can develop in most atmospheric turbulence levels, however, the ring vortices may not form in extremely strong turbulence cases due to strong dissipation of the vortices. It appears that strong turbulence tends to accelerate the occurrences of Crow instability. The wavelength of the most unstable mode is estimated to be about 5b(sub 0), which is less than the theoretical value of 8.6b(sub 0) (Crow, 1970) and may be due to limited domain size and highly nonlinear turbulent flow characteristics. Three-dimensional turbulence can decay wake vortices more rapidly. Axial velocity may be developed by vertical distortion of a vortex pair due to Crow instability or large turbulent eddy motion. More experiments with various non-dimensional turbulence levels are necessary to get useful statistics of wake vortex behavior due to turbulence. Need to investigate larger turbulence length scale effects by enlarging domain size or using grid nesting.

Han, Jongil↗
NASA NTRS1988

Investigation of the flow between a pair of circular cylinders in the flopping regime

The wakes of a pair of circular cylinders are grossly unsteady when the cylinders are separated in a direction normal to the approaching flow by less than one cylinder diameter. The wakes flop randomly between two asymmetric states. The time-scale for the flopping is several orders of magnitude longer than the timescale of vortex shedding, and also several orders of magnitude longer than the timescale for instability of the separating shear layers. When a splitter plate is positioned suitably on the centerline of the cylinders, the flopping can be stopped and the flow made to assume either of the asymmetric states, or a symmetric steady state. For a range of plate positions a new, periodic oscillation occurs. Acoustic excitation can also destroy the flopping mean flow, replacing it by a symmetric flow.

Kim, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Minnowbrook I: 1993 Workshop on End-Stage Boundary Layer Transition

This volume contains materials presented at the Minnowbrook I-1993 Workshop on End-Stage Boundary Layer Transition, held at the Syracuse University Minnowbrook Conference Center, New York, from August 15 to 18, 1993. This volume was previously published as a Syracuse University report edited by John E. LaGraff. The workshop organizers were John E. LaGraff (Syracuse University), Terry V. Jones (Oxford University), and J. Paul Gostelow (University of Technology, Sydney). The workshop focused on physical understanding of the late stages of transition from laminar to turbulent flows, with the specific goal of contributing to improving engineering design of turbomachinery and wing airfoils. The workshop participants included academic researchers from the United States and abroad, and representatives from the gas-turbine industry and U.S. government laboratories. To improve interaction and discussions among the participants, no formal papers were required. The physical mechanisms discussed were related to natural and bypass transition, wake-induced transition, effects of freestream turbulence, turbulent spots, hairpin vortices, nonlinear instabilities and breakdown, instability wave interactions, intermittency, turbulence, numerical simulation and modeling of transition, heat transfer in boundary-layer transition, transition in separated flows, laminarization, transition in turbomachinery compressors and turbines, hypersonic boundary-layer transition, and other related topics. This volume contains abstracts and copies of the viewgraphs presented, organized according to the workshop sessions. The workshop summary and the plenary discussion transcript clearly outline future research needs.

LaGraff, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Laboratory and theoretical models of planetary-scale instabilities and waves

Meteorologists and planetary astronomers interested in large-scale planetary and solar circulations recognize the importance of rotation and stratification in determining the character of these flows. The two outstanding problems of interest are: (1) the origins and nature of chaos in baroclinically unstable flows; and (2) the physical mechanisms responsible for high speed zonal winds and banding on the giant planets. The methods used to study these problems, and the insights gained, are useful in more general atmospheric and climate dynamic settings. Because the planetary curvature or beta-effect is crucial in the large scale nonlinear dynamics, the motions of rotating convecting liquids in spherical shells were studied using electrohydrodynamic polarization forces to generate radial gravity and centrally directed buoyancy forces in the laboratory. The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) experiments performed on Spacelab 3 in 1985 were analyzed. The interpretation and extension of these results have led to the construction of efficient numerical models of rotating convection with an aim to understand the possible generation of zonal banding on Jupiter and the fate of banana cells in rapidly rotating convection as the heating is made strongly supercritical. Efforts to pose baroclinic wave experiments for future space missions using a modified version of the 1985 instrument have led us to develop theoretical and numerical models of baroclinic instability. Some surprising properties of both these models were discovered.

Hart, John E.↗