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At least 145 records · Page 8

Energy storage possibilities of atomic hydrogen

Several recent experiments designed to produce and store macroscopic quantities of atomic hydrogen are discussed. The bulk, ground state properties of atomic hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium systems are calculated assuming that all pair interactions occur via the atomic triplet potential. The conditions required to obtain this system, including inhibition of recombination through the energetically favorable singlet interaction, are discussed. The internal energy, pressure, and compressibility are calculated applying the Monte Carlo technique with a quantum mechanical variational wavefunction. The system studied consisted of 32 atoms in a box with periodic boundary conditions. Results show that atomic triplet hydrogen and deuterium remain gaseous at 0 K; i.e., the internal energy is positive at all molar volumes considered.

Etters, R. D.↗

Large-eddy simulation of a turbulent mixing layer

The three dimensional, time dependent (incompressible) vorticity equations were used to simulate numerically the decay of isotropic box turbulence and time developing mixing layers. The vorticity equations were spatially filtered to define the large scale turbulence field, and the subgrid scale turbulence was modeled. A general method was developed to show numerical conservation of momentum, vorticity, and energy. The terms that arise from filtering the equations were treated (for both periodic boundary conditions and no stress boundary conditions) in a fast and accurate way by using fast Fourier transforms. Use of vorticity as the principal variable is shown to produce results equivalent to those obtained by use of the primitive variable equations.

Mansour, N. N.↗

Turbulent solution of the Navier-Stokes equations

The unaveraged Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically in order to study the nonlinear physics of incompressible turbulent flow. Initial three dimensional cosine velocity fluctuations and periodic boundary conditions are used. No mean gradients are present. The three components of the mean square velocity fluctuations are equal for the initial conditions chosen. The resulting solution shows characteristics of turbulence, such as the nonlinear excitation of small scale fluctuations. For the higher Reynolds numbers the initially nonrandom flow develops into an apparently random turbulence.

Deissler, R. G.↗

Turbulent solution of the Navier-Stokes equations

To study the nonlinear physics of incompressible turbulent flow, the unaveraged Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically. Initial three-dimensional cosine velocity fluctuations and periodic boundary conditions are used. No mean gradients are present. The three components of the mean-square velocity fluctuations are equal for the initial conditions chosen. The resulting solution shows characteristics of turbulence, such as the nonlinear excitation of small-scale fluctuations. For the higher Reynolds numbers the initially nonrandom flow develops into an apparently random turbulence.

Deissler, R. G.↗

Numerical experiments on the clustering of galaxies

Consistent and robust growth rates for disturbances which lead to galaxy clustering are obtainable with a precision of 1-2 percent, in numerical experiments that encompass such conditions as expansion, nonexpansion, and parameter variations. The experiments have given attention to the dominant physical processes of gravitational clustering in an expanding universe of conventional matter, and are based on n-body integrations for 100,000 particles responding self-consistently to forces of self-gravitation with periodic boundary conditions. Observed structures of the scale of galaxy clusters and superclusters are most easily described in terms of matter swept away from growing empty regions. The result of this process has a cellular appearance which resembles clustering of the scale of large voids and superclusters.

Miller, R. H.↗

Statistical mechanics of light elements at high pressure. V Three-dimensional Thomas-Fermi-Dirac theory

A numerical technique for solving the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac (TED) equation in three dimensions, for an array of ions obeying periodic boundary conditions, is presented. The technique is then used to calculate deviations from ideal mixing for an alloy of hydrogen and helium at zero temperature and high presures. Results are compared with alternative models which apply perturbation theory to calculation of the electron distribution, based upon the assumption of weak response of the electron gas to the ions. The TFD theory, which permits strong electron response, always predicts smaller deviations from ideal mixing than would be predicted by perturbation theory. The results indicate that predicted phase separation curves for hydrogen-helium alloys under conditions prevailing in the metallic zones of Jupiter and Saturn are very model dependent.

Macfarlane, J. J.↗

Symposium on Numerical and Physical Aspects of Aerodynamic Flows, 2nd, California State University, Long Beach, CA, January 17-20, 1983, Proceedings

The present conference covers topics concerning the measurement and calculation of interactive flows, together with problems posed by subsonic and transonic wings, missiles, and ships. Discussions are presented on the time-dependent finite difference simulation of unsteady interactive flows, Navier-Stokes equation methods, numerical solutions for spatially periodic boundary layers, the application of unsteady laminar tripple deck theory to viscous-inviscid interaction, the coupling of boundary layer and Euler equation solutions, and viscous-inviscid flow interactions. Also discussed are leading and trailing edge flows, three-dimensional wing flows, small disturbance calculations including entropy corrections, an inviscid computational method for tactical missiles, and boundary layer and flow separation characteristics of bodies of revolution at incidence.

Source record↗

The structures and energetics of fully nonlinear symmetric baroclinic waves

Rotating baroclinic flow for Richardson number lower than about 1 is studied by means of a finite difference Navier-Stokes model assuming no variations except in the vertical plane that completely contains the density gradient vector. The horizontally infinite channel to which attention is given further assumes periodic boundary conditions at the vertical computational boundaries and no-slip conducting horizontal boundaries. Two configurations are considered. Symmetric baroclinic waves developed in the flows in a manner consistent with linear theory, and it is noted that the structures and energetics of the fully developed waves were dependent on the Prandtl number Pr. For Pr greater than 1, the conversion from potential energy to wave kinetic energy was direct, via temperature and vertical motion correlation, while for Pr of less than 1, conversion proceeded from potential energy to average kinetic energy by means of an induced meridional flow, and then to wave kinetic energy.

Miller, T. L.↗

SSME Turbopump Turbine Computations

A two-dimensional viscous code was developed to be used in the prediction of the flow in the SSME high-pressure turbopump blade passages. The rotor viscous code (RVC) employs a four-step Runge-Kutta scheme to solve the two-dimensional, thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations. The Baldwin-Lomax eddy-viscosity model is used for these turbulent flow calculations. A viable method was developed to use the relative exit conditions from an upstream blade row as the inlet conditions to the next blade row. The blade loading diagrams are compared with the meridional values obtained from an in-house quasithree-dimensional inviscid code. Periodic boundary conditions are imposed on a body-fitted C-grid computed by using the GRAPE GRids about Airfoils using Poisson's Equation (GRAPE) code. Total pressure, total temperature, and flow angle are specified at the inlet. The upstream-running Riemann invariant is extrapolated from the interior. Static pressure is specified at the exit such that mass flow is conserved from blade row to blade row, and the conservative variables are extrapolated from the interior. For viscous flows the noslip condition is imposed at the wall. The normal momentum equation gives the pressure at the wall. The density at the wall is obtained from the wall total temperature.

Jorgenson, P. G. E.↗

Computation of viscous flows in turbomachinery cascades

Analytic and numerical experiments involving the use of the space-marching method for the prediction of the viscous flow field in turbomachinery cascades indicate that the grid lines in the physical domain must be nearly orthogonal in order to arrive at accurate predictions. For staggered cascades, a nonperiodic grid system was used and appropriate approximations were applied in place of the periodicity boundary conditions upstream and downstream of the cascade. Predicted drag coefficient, turning angle, boundary layer momentum thicknesses, and velocity profiles are compared with experimental data. Good agreement is obtained in most cases.

Pouagare, M.↗

A potential energy scaling Monte Carlo simulation of thin film nucleation and growth

The initial growth of thin Ge fims on the (100) surface of an Fe substrate is investigated theoretically by means of Monte Carlo simulations based on a potential-energy-scaling technique. The substrate is modeled as a 20 x 20-square array with periodic boundary conditions, as described by Heinbockel et al. (1983), and the movement of surface atoms under the influence of the substrate interaction potential and the lateral interaction of neighboring atoms is explored via continuous updating (on the time scale of single events) of the potential energy at each site in the array. Results for the clustering of nine dispersed atoms over 1.0 s at 600 K and for deposition at 5 x 10 to the -14th/sq cm s over 2.0 s at 500 K are presented graphically.

Outlaw, R. A.↗

A numerical study of three-dimensional incompressible flow around multiple posts

The incompressible laminar flow around single and double rows of an infinite number of posts between two flat plates has been calculated numerically. A C-grid with periodic boundary conditions has been used. The angle of attack, measured from the line normal to the row of posts, was varied between zero and less than 90 deg. The pressure loading was computed for all of the posts in each of these cases. Most of these calculations have been carried out on the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Cray 2 at NASA Ames Research Center.

Rogers, S. E.↗

Particle simulation of plasmas on the massively parallel processor

Particle simulations, in which collective phenomena in plasmas are studied by following the self consistent motions of many discrete particles, involve several highly repetitive sets of calculations that are readily adaptable to SIMD parallel processing. A fully electromagnetic, relativistic plasma simulation for the massively parallel processor is described. The particle motions are followed in 2 1/2 dimensions on a 128 x 128 grid, with periodic boundary conditions. The two dimensional simulation space is mapped directly onto the processor network; a Fast Fourier Transform is used to solve the field equations. Particle data are stored according to an Eulerian scheme, i.e., the information associated with each particle is moved from one local memory to another as the particle moves across the spatial grid. The method is applied to the study of the nonlinear development of the whistler instability in a magnetospheric plasma model, with an anisotropic electron temperature. The wave distribution function is included as a new diagnostic to allow simulation results to be compared with satellite observations.

Gledhill, I. M. A.↗

Discrete Dirac equation on a finite half-integer lattice

The formulation of the Dirac equation on a discrete lattice with half-integer spacing and periodic boundary conditions is investigated analytically. The importance of lattice formulations for problems in field theory and quantum mechanics is explained; the concept of half-integer Fourier representation is introduced; the discrete Dirac equation for the two-dimensional case is derived; dispersion relations for the four-dimensional case are developed; and the spinor formulation for the Dirac fields on the half-integer lattice and the discrete time variable for the four-dimensional time-dependent Dirac equation are obtained. It is argued that the half-integer lattice, because it takes the Dirac Lagrangian into account, is more than a mere relabeling of the integer lattice and may have fundamental physical meaning (e.g., for the statistics of fermions). It is noted that the present formulation does not lead to species doubling, except in the continuum limit.

Smalley, L. L.↗

Numerical analysis of flow through oscillating cascade sections

The design of turbomachinery blades requires the prevention of flutter for all operating conditions. However, flow field predictions used for aeroelastic analysis are not well understood for all flow regimes. The present research focuses on numerical solutions of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations using an ADI procedure to model two-dimensional, transonic flow through oscillating cascades. The model prescribes harmonic pitching motions for the blade sections for both zero and nonzero interblade phase angles. The code introduces the use of a deforming grid technique for convenient specification of the periodic boundary conditions. Approximate nonreflecting boundary conditions were coded for the inlet and exit boundary conditions. Sample unsteady solutions were performed for an oscillating cascade and compared to experimental data. Also, test cases were run for a flat plate cascade to compare with the unsteady, small-perturbation, subsonic analyis. The predictions for oscillating cascades with nonzero interblade phase angle cases, which were near a resonant condition, differ from the experiment and theory. The zero degree interblade phase angle cases, which were near a resonant condition, differ from the experiment and theory. Studies on reflecting versus nonreflecting inlet and exit boundary conditions show that the treatment of the boundary can have a significant effect on the first harmonic, unsteady pressure distributions for certain flow conditions.

Huff, Dennis L.↗

Numerical simulation of viscous vortex rings

Vortex interactions and their role in turbulent flow are examined. The objectives are twofold. First, to use the existing axisymmetric code to study the annihilation process of colliding vortex rings and determine the relevance of this problem to similar 3-D phenomena. The second objective is to extend the code to three dimensions. The code under development is unique in that it can compute flows in a truly infinite domain (i.e., without periodic boundary conditions or approximations from truncating the domain). Because of this, the far field sound can be computed, and therefore, contribute to improved models of turbulence generated noise for this class of flows. Issues which can be addressed by the code include: effects of viscosity on mode selection in azimuthal breakdown of vortex rings (i.e., the Widnall instability); reconnection, the associated production of small scales, and the time scale of the process.

Stanaway, Sharon Kay↗

A model for including thermal conduction in molecular dynamics simulations

A technique is introduced for including thermal conduction in molecular dynamics simulations for solids. A model is developed to allow energy flow between the computational cell and the bulk of the solid when periodic boundary conditions cannot be used. Thermal conduction is achieved by scaling the velocities of atoms in a transitional boundary layer. The scaling factor is obtained from the thermal diffusivity, and the results show good agreement with the solution for a continuous medium at long times. The effects of different temperature and size of the system, and of variations in strength parameter, atomic mass, and thermal diffusivity were investigated. In all cases, no significant change in simulation results has been found.

Wu, Yue↗

Modified Chebyshev pseudospectral method with O(N exp -1) time step restriction

The extreme eigenvalues of the Chebyshev pseudospectral differentiation operator are O(N exp 2) where N is the number of grid points. As a result of this, the allowable time step in an explicit time marching algorithm is O(N exp -2) which, in many cases, is much below the time step dictated by the physics of the partial differential equation. A new set of interpolating points is introduced such that the eigenvalues of the differentiation operator are O(N) and the allowable time step is O(N exp -1). The properties of the new algorithm are similar to those of the Fourier method. The new algorithm also provides a highly accurate solution for non-periodic boundary value problems.

Kosloff, Dan↗