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A finite-element-based perturbation model for the rotordynamic analysis of shrouded pump impellers: Part 2: User's guide

This report describes the computational steps involved in executing a finite-element-based perturbation model for computing the rotor dynamic coefficients of a shrouded pump impeller or a simple seal. These arise from the fluid/rotor interaction in the clearance gap. In addition to the sample cases, the computational procedure also applies to a separate category of problems referred to as the 'seal-like' category. The problem, in this case, concerns a shrouded impeller, with the exception that the secondary, or leakage, passage is totally isolated from the primary-flow passage. The difference between this and the pump problem is that the former is analytically of the simple 'seal-like' configuration, with two (inlet and exit) flow-permeable stations, while the latter constitutes a double-entry / double-discharge flow problem. In all cases, the problem is that of a rotor clearance gap. The problem here is that of a rotor excitation in the form of a cylindrical whirl around the housing centerline for a smooth annular seal. In its centered operation mode, the rotor is assumed to give rise to an axisymmetric flow field in the clearance gap. As a result, problems involving longitudinal or helical grooves, in the rotor or housing surfaces, go beyond the code capabilities. Discarding, for the moment, the pre- and post-processing phases, the bulk of the computational procedure consists of two main steps. The first is aimed at producing the axisymmetric 'zeroth-order' flow solution in the given flow domain. Detailed description of this problem, including the flow-governing equations, turbulence closure, boundary conditions, and the finite-element formulation, was covered by Baskharone and Hensel. The second main step is where the perturbation model is implemented, with the input being the centered-rotor 'zeroth-order' flow solution and a prescribed whirl frequency ratio (whirl frequency divided by the impeller speed). The computational domain, in the latter case, is treated as three dimensional, with the number of computational planes in the circumferential direction being specified a priori. The reader is reminded that the deformations in the finite elements are all infinitesimally small because the rotor eccentricity itself is a virtual displacement. This explains why we have generically termed the perturbation model the 'virtually' deformable finite-element category. The primary outcome of implementing the perturbation model is the tangential and radial components, F(sub theta)(sup *) and F(sub r)(sup *) of the fluid-exerted force on the rotor surface due to the whirling motion. Repetitive execution of the perturbation model subprogram over a sufficient range of whirl frequency ratios, and subsequent interpolation of these fluid forces, using the least-square method, finally enable the user to compute the impeller rotor dynamic coefficients of the fluid/rotor interaction. These are the direct and cross-coupled stiffness, damping, and inertia effects of the fluid/rotor interaction.

Baskharone, Erian A.↗

High-order multirate explicit time-stepping schemes for the baroclinic-barotropic split dynamics in primitive equations

In order to treat the multiple time scales of ocean dynamics in an efficient manner, the baroclinic-barotropic splitting technique has been widely used for solving the primitive equations for ocean modeling. Based on the framework of strong stability-preserving Runge-Kutta approach, we propose two high-order multirate explicit time-stepping schemes (SSPRK2-SE and SSPRK3-SE) for the resulting split system in this paper. The proposed schemes allow for a large time step to be used for the three-dimensional baroclinic (slow) mode and a small time step for the two-dimensional barotropic (fast) mode, in which each of the two mode solves just need to satisfy their respective CFL conditions for numerical stability. Specifically, at each time step, the baroclinic velocity is first computed by advancing the baroclinic mode and fluid thickness of the system with the large time-step and the assistance of some intermediate approximations of the barotropicmode obtained by substepping with the small time step; then the barotropic velocity is corrected by using the small time step to re-advance the barotropic mode un-der an improved barotropic forcing produced by interpolation of the forcing terms from the preceding baroclinic mode solves; lastly, the fluid thickness is updated by coupling the baroclinic and barotropic velocities. Additionally, numerical inconsistencies on the discretized sea surface height caused by the mode splitting are relieved via a reconciliation process with carefully calculated flux deficits. Here, two benchmark tests from the “MPAS-Ocean” platform are carried out to numerically demonstrate the performance and parallel scalability of the proposed SSPRK-SE schemes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Theory and modeling of molecular modes in the NMR relaxation of fluids

Traditional theories of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) autocorrelation function for intra-molecular dipole pairs assume a single-exponential decay, yet the calculated autocorrelation of realistic systems displays a rich, multi-exponential behavior, resulting in anomalous NMR relaxation dispersion (i.e., frequency dependence). We develop an approach to model and interpret the multi-exponential intra-molecular autocorrelation using simple, physical models within a rigorous statistical mechanical development that encompasses both rotational diffusion and translational diffusion in the same framework. Here, we recast the problem of evaluating the autocorrelation in terms of averaging over a diffusion propagator whose evolution is described by a Fokker–Planck equation. The time-independent part admits an eigenfunction expansion, allowing us to write the propagator as a sum over modes. Each mode has a spatial part that depends on the specified eigenfunction and a temporal part that depends on the corresponding eigenvalue (i.e., correlation time) with a simple, exponential decay. The spatial part is a probability distribution of the dipole pair, analogous to the stationary states of a quantum harmonic oscillator. Drawing inspiration from the idea of inherent structures in liquids, we interpret each of the spatial contributions as a specific molecular mode. These modes can be used to model and predict the NMR dipole–dipole relaxation dispersion of fluids by incorporating phenomena on the molecular level. We validate our statistical mechanical description of the distribution in molecular modes with molecular dynamics simulations interpreted without any relaxation models or adjustable parameters: the most important poles in the Padé–Laplace transform of the simulated autocorrelation agree with the eigenvalues predicted by the theory

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Modeling of High Speed Reacting Flows: Established Practices and Future Challenges

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has proven to be an invaluable tool for the design and analysis of high- speed propulsion devices. Massively parallel computing, together with the maturation of robust CFD codes, has made it possible to perform simulations of complete engine flowpaths. Steady-state Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations are now routinely used in the scramjet engine development cycle to determine optimal fuel injector arrangements, investigate trends noted during testing, and extract various measures of engine efficiency. Unfortunately, the turbulence and combustion models used in these codes have not changed significantly over the past decade. Hence, the CFD practitioner must often rely heavily on existing measurements (at similar flow conditions) to calibrate model coefficients on a case- by-case basis. This paper provides an overview of the modeled equations typically employed by commercial- quality CFD codes for high-speed combustion applications. Careful attention is given to the approximations employed for each of the unclosed terms in the averaged equation set. The salient features (and shortcomings) of common models used to close these terms are covered in detail, and several academic efforts aimed at addressing these shortcomings are discussed.

Baurle, R. A.↗

Calibration, Data Acquisition, and Post Analysis of Turbulent Fluid Flow in a Calibration Jet Using Hot-wire Anemometry

The Turbine Branch concentrates on the following areas: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and implementing experimental procedures to obtain physical modeling data. Hot-wire Anemometry is a valuable tool for obtaining physical modeling data. Hot-wire Anemometry is likely to remain the principal research tool for most turbulent air/gas flow studies. The Hot-wire anemometer consists of a fine wire heated by electric current. When placed in a fluid stream, the hot-wire loses heat to the fluid by forced convection. In forced convection, energy transfer is due to molecular motion imposed by an extraneous force moving fluid parcels. When the hot-wire is in "equilibrium", the rate of heat input to the wire is equal to the rate of heat loss at the wire ends. The equality between heat input and heat loss is the basis for King s equation, which relates the electrical parameters of the hot-wire to the flow parameters of the fluid. Hot-wire anemometry is based on convective heat transfer from a heated wire element placed in a fluid flow. Any change in the fluid flow condition that affects the heat transfer from the heated element will be detected virtually instantaneously by a constant-temperature Hot-wire anemometry system. The system implemented for this research is the IFA 300. The system is a fully-integrated, thermal anemometer-based system that measures mean and fluctuating velocity components in air, water, and other fluids. It also measures turbulence and makes localized temperature measurements. A constant-temperature anemometer is a bridge and amplifier circuit that controls a tiny wire at constant temperature. As a fluid flow passes over the heated sensor, the amplifier senses the bridge off-balance and adjusts the voltage to the top of the bridge, keeping the bridge in balance. The voltage on top of the bridge can then be related to the velocity of the flow. The bridge voltage is sensitive to temperature as well as velocity and so the built-in thermocouple circuit can be attached to a thermocouple that can measure the fluid temperature. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Moreno, Michelle↗

The structure and dynamics of bubble-type vortex breakdown

A unique discrete form of the Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady, three-dimensional, incompressible flow has been used to study vortex breakdown numerically. A Burgers-type vortex was introduced along the central axis of the computational domain, and allowed to evolve in space and time. By varying the strength of the vortex and the free stream axial velocity distribution, using a previously developed Rossby number criterion as a guide, the location and size of the vortex breakdown region was controlled. While the boundaries of the vortex breakdown bubble appear to be nominally symmetric, the internal flow field is not. Consequently, the mechanisms for mixing and entrainment required to sustain the bubble region are different from those suggested by earlier axisymmetric models. Results presented in this study, for a Reynolds number of 200, are in good qualitative agreement with higher Reynolds number experimental observations, and a variety of plots have been presented to help illuminate the fluid physics.

Spall, R. E.↗

Accurate and Efficient Parametric Model-Order Reduction for Turbulent Thermal Transport

This project produced new algorithms and software for low-cost exploration of turbulent thermal-fluids behavior under parametric variation by using reduced-order models (ROMs). The ROMs numerically solve the governing equations for fluid motion by using a small set of basis functions (typically, N=20-200 modes) to represent the solution. The base modes are computed as optimal combinations of solutions from expensive high-fidelity "anchor-point" solutions involving millions of unknowns, which are typically generated by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations on a supercomputer. The ROM solution is itself a combination of the base modes, where the basis coefficients are determined by evolving an NxN system of nonlinear equations. The overarching idea is to use the inexpensive ROM to predict solutions under conditions where the parameters differ from the anchor-point conditions. Several ingredients are required to make ROMs useful for thermal hydraulics analysis. These include: a stable and accurate ROM that is capable of reproducing the large-scale dynamics of turbulent flow, error indicators than can guide the choice of anchor points, and low-cost mechanisms for evaluating nonlinear terms in the reduced equations.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Hi-alpha forebody design. Part 1: Methodology base and initial parametrics

The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been investigated for the analysis and design of aircraft forebodies at high angle of attack combined with sideslip. The results of the investigation show that CFD has reached a level of development where computational methods can be used for high angle of attack aerodynamic design. The classic wind tunnel experiment for the F-5A forebody directional stability has been reproduced computationally over an angle of attack range from 10 degrees to 45 degrees, and good agreement with experimental data was obtained. Computations have also been made at combined angle of attack and sideslip over a chine forebody, demonstrating the qualitative features of the flow, although not producing good agreement with measured experimental pressure distributions. The computations were performed using the code known as cfl3D for both the Euler equations and the Reynolds equations using a form of the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model. To study the relation between forebody shape and directional stability characteristics, a generic parametric forebody model has been defined which provides a simple analytic math model with flexibility to capture the key shape characteristics of the entire range of forebodies of interest, including chines.

Mason, William H.↗

Predictive Modeling in Plasma Reactor and Process Design

Research continues toward the improvement and increased understanding of high-density plasma tools. Such reactor systems are lauded for their independent control of ion flux and energy enabling high etch rates with low ion damage and for their improved ion velocity anisotropy resulting from thin collisionless sheaths and low neutral pressures. Still, with the transition to 300 mm processing, achieving etch uniformity and high etch rates concurrently may be a formidable task for such large diameter wafers for which computational modeling can play an important role in successful reactor and process design. The inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor is the focus of the present investigation. The present work attempts to understand the fundamental physical phenomena of such systems through computational modeling. Simulations will be presented using both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques and the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method for argon and chlorine discharges. ICP reactors generally operate at pressures on the order of 1 to 10 mTorr. At such low pressures, rarefaction can be significant to the degree that the constitutive relations used in typical CFD techniques become invalid and a particle simulation must be employed. This work will assess the extent to which CFD can be applied and evaluate the degree to which accuracy is lost in prediction of the phenomenon of interest; i.e., etch rate. If the CFD approach is found reasonably accurate and bench-marked with DSMC and experimental results, it has the potential to serve as a design tool due to the rapid time relative to DSMC. The continuum CFD simulation solves the governing equations for plasma flow using a finite difference technique with an implicit Gauss-Seidel Line Relaxation method for time marching toward a converged solution. The equation set consists of mass conservation for each species, separate energy equations for the electrons and heavy species, and momentum equations for the gas. The sheath is modeled by imposing the Bohm velocity to the ions near the walls. The DSMC method simulates each constituent of the gas as a separate species which would be analogous in CFD to employing separate species mass, momentum, and energy equations. All particles including electrons are moved and allowed to collide with one another with the stipulation that the electrons remain tied to the ions consistent with the concept of ambipolar diffusion. The velocities of the electrons are allowed to be modified during collisions and are not confined to a Maxwellian distribution. These benefits come at a price in terms of computational time and memory. The DSMC and CFD are made as consistent as possible by using similar chemistry and power deposition models. Although the comparison of CFD and DSMC is interesting, the main goal of this work is the increased understanding of high-density plasma flowfields that can then direct improvements in both techniques. This work is unique in the level of the physical models employed in both the DSMC and CFD for high-density plasma reactor applications. For example, the electrons are simulated in the present DSMC work which has not been done before for low temperature plasma processing problems. In the CFD approach, for the first time, the charged particle transport (discharge physics) has been self-consistently coupled to the gas flow and heat transfer.

Hash, D. B.↗

Turbulence Model Validation through Joint Experimental / Computational Studies of Separated Flow Over a Three-Dimensional Tapered Bump: Part II - Computational Investigation

This report serves as documentation of activities related to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis applied to the Smooth Body Separation Experiment designed to produce validation-quality experimental data from wind-tunnel tests performed at the University of Notre Dame. All CFD analysis utilized the Boeing CFD (BCFD) flow solver. BCFD was used to analyze flow over the Boeing Speed Bump with second-order accuracy in space and time. Inviscid fluxes were computed using the HLLE scheme for steady-state simulations, and the Low-Dissipation Roe scheme for time-accurate simulations. The working fluid was modeled as calorically perfect air using Sutherland's law for viscosity. Thermal diffusivity was determined by assuming a constant molecular Prandtl number of 0.72, and a turbulent Prandtl number of 0.9. Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations were conducted using the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model with rotation correction3 and the quadratic constitutive relation (SA-RC-QCR), as well as Menter's two-equation, Shear-Stress Transport (SST) model. Time-accurate computations were conducted using Delayed Detached eddy Simulation (DDES) with the one-equation RANS model, and Large Eddy Stress balance (LESb) with the two-equation RANS model. Implicit dual-time stepping was used to achieve second-order temporal accuracy. The experimental investigation conducted during the course of this study is described in detail in an accompanying report.

Flow separation↗

A comparison of two algorithms for simulating collisionless systems

Two completely different simulation algorithms are compared by applying them to the same stellar dynamical problems: one is a self-consistent field (SCF) method for solving Poisson's equation and the other is a phase-space method for integrating the collisionless Boltzmann equation. We consider simulations of spherical stellar systems which are initially far from equilibrium and relax to their final states by gravitational collapse. The initial conditions consist of either uniform-density spheres or nonequilibrium models having Plummer density profiles, in which velocity dispersions are assigned according to given virial ratios. If a few tens of radial expansion terms with hundreds of thousands of particles are used in the SCF code, excellent agreement is found between the results it generates and those obtained with the phase-space solver, provided that a sufficiently large number of grid cells are employed with the latter. These findings imply that for simulating collisionless systmes over many dynamical times, the SCF approach based on sampling phase space is competitive with the approach treating phase space as a continuous fluid. The results of our tests make it possible to estimate the number of particles and basis functions required in situations like those modeled. Limitations of the SCF method and the choice of an optimal set of basis functions are also discussed.

Hozumi, Shunsuke↗

TADS: A CFD-Based Turbomachinery Analysis and Design System with GUI: Methods and Results

The primary objective of this study was the development of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based turbomachinery airfoil analysis and design system, controlled by a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The computer codes resulting from this effort are referred to as TADS (Turbomachinery Analysis and Design System). This document is the Final Report describing the theoretical basis and analytical results from the TADS system developed under Task 10 of NASA Contract NAS3-27394, ADPAC System Coupling to Blade Analysis & Design System GUI, Phase II-Loss, Design and. Multi-stage Analysis. TADS couples a throughflow solver (ADPAC) with a quasi-3D blade-to-blade solver (RVCQ3D) or a 3-D solver with slip condition on the end walls (B2BADPAC) in an interactive package. Throughflow analysis and design capability was developed in ADPAC through the addition of blade force and blockage terms to the governing equations. A GUI was developed to simplify user input and automate the many tasks required to perform turbomachinery analysis and design. The coupling of the various programs was done in such a way that alternative solvers or grid generators could be easily incorporated into the TADS framework. Results of aerodynamic calculations using the TADS system are presented for a multistage compressor, a multistage turbine, two highly loaded fans, and several single stage compressor and turbine example cases.

Koiro, M. J.↗

Improvements in Iterative Convergence of FUN3D Solutions

This paper presents a hierarchical adaptive nonlinear iteration method (HANIM) implemented in NASA computational fluid dynamics code, FUN3D, to improve robustness and computational efficiency of FUN3Dsolutions. In contrast to the baseline iterative solver that relies on an approximate Jacobian, a simple multicolor Gauss-Seidel point-implicit iteration scheme, and linear CFL ramping, HANIM is based upon a hierarchy of modules including pre conditioner, generalized conjugate residual, realizability check, nonlinear control,and CFL adaption modules. HANIM performance is systematically compared with the performance of the baseline solver. The iterative solutions are compared for three aerodynamic benchmark cases: a subsonic separated flow around a hemisphere cylinder, a supersonic flow through a long duct, and a subsonic flow over the NASA wing-body juncture model. Two Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models are used in these computations, namely, the negative variant of the linear one-equation Spalart-Allmar as model and its nonlinear extension based on quadratic constitutive relations.

Li Wang↗

A numerical model for coupling between atomization and spray dynamics in liquid rocket thrust chambers

This paper describes a novel method of coupling the atomization and spray combustion processes encountered in coaxial injection elements of liquid rocket engine thrust chambers. This method is based on the Jet-Embedding technique in which the liquid jet core equations and the gas phase equations are solved separately. The liquid and gas phase solutions, however, are coupled through the boundary conditions at the interface between the phases. The computational grid for the gas phase calculations are adapted to the shape of the liquid jet core. The axial variation of droplet sizes are calculated using a stability analysis appropriate for the atomization regime of liquid jet breakup. The predictions of this method have been validated with experimental data on low speed water jets. Using this method, calculations are performed for the SSME fuel preburner single injector flow field. The results obtained are in good agreement with the predictions of the volume-of-fluid method.

Giridharan, M. G.↗

Anisotropic Electron Fluid Closure Validated by in Situ Spacecraft Observations in the far Exhaust of Guide-field Reconnection

Anisotropic electron heating predictions of the equations of state of Le et al. (2009); https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.085001 (“the EoS”) are applied to reconnection in the Earth's magnetosheath. The model is applicable to open systems where electrons are streaming along magnetic field lines into the reconnection region, sourced by fixed external reservoirs of plasma ambient to the reconnection region. While spacecraft observations have previously shown the EoS to hold in the region near the X-line, we find that for an event observed far downstream (~100 d i ) from the X-line both inflows and the exhaust follow the predictions of the EoS. Furthermore, the model underlying the EoS is extended to include additional perpendicular heating terms relevant to the considered event undergoing active magnetic compression with local electron trapping. Finally, the agreement between the spacecraft observations and the EoS emphasizes the roles of the ambient plasma sources and the dynamics of trapped and passing electrons in setting and controlling the anisotropic electron heating at large scale in naturally occurring plasma configurations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Gravothermal evolution of dark matter halos with differential elastic scattering

Here, we study gravothermal evolution of dark matter halos in the presence of differential self-scattering that has strong velocity and angular dependencies. We design controlled N-body simulations to model Rutherford and Møller scatterings in the halo, and follow its evolution in both core-expansion and -collapse phases. The simulations show the commonly-used transfer cross section underestimates the effects of dark matter self-interactions, but the viscosity cross section provides an accurate approximation for modeling angular-dependent dark matter scattering. We investigate thermodynamic properties of the halo, and find that the three moments of the Boltzmann equation under the fluid approximation are satisfied. We further propose a constant effective cross section, which integrates over the halo's characteristic velocity dispersion with weighting kernels motivated by kinetic theory of heat conduction. The effective cross section provides a good approximation to differential self-scattering for most of the halo evolution. It indicates that we can map astrophysical constraints on a constant self-interacting cross section to an SIDM model with velocity- and angular-dependent scatterings.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Advanced Finite-Volume Numerics and Source Term Assumptions for Kernel and G-Equation Modelling of Propane/Air Flames

Here G-Equation models represent propagating flame fronts with an implicit two-dimensional surface representation (level-set). Level-set methods are fast, as transport source terms for the implicit surface can be solved with finite-volume operators on the finite-volume domain, without having to build the actual surface. However, they include approximations whose practical effects are not properly understood. In this study, we improved the numerics of the FRESCO CFD code’s G-Equation solver and developed a new method to simulate kernel growth using signed distance functions and the analytical sphere-mesh overlap. We analyzed their role for simulating propane/air flames, using three well-established constant-volume configurations: a one-dimensional, freely propagating laminar flame; a disc-shaped, constant-volume swirl combustor; and torch-jet flame development through an orifice from a two-chamber device. We tested the explicit (sub-cycled) vs. implicit formulation for the standard transport operators (advection, diffusion, compressibility). In addition to the accurate flame swept-volume method for chemistry and species source term, we developed a more accurate estimator for the burnt/unburnt split cell composition. Then, we developed a signed-distance-function (SDF) based method which provides a more stable reinitialization of the level-set field at every time-step. We found that simplifying assumptions common to several G-Equation implementations, for straightforward terms such as compressibility and advection, lead to large errors in predicting the propagation of even laminar flames, with deviations up to ~300% in simulated vs. formulated flame speed. Conversely, the enhanced numerics enabled through the SDF field reinitialization and improved chemistry source term improve simulation stability and smooth flame propagation even with significantly larger solver time-steps.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Thermal feedback coupling in a transient Monte Carlo high-order/low-order scheme

Transient simulations of nuclear systems face the computational challenge of resolving both space and time during reactivity changes. A common strategy for tackling this issue is to split the neutron flux into shape and amplitude functions. This split can be solved with high- order/low-order methods. While this multi-fidelity approach has traditionally been reserved for deterministic methods, it is also possible to implement in Monte Carlo as an efficient alternative to Dynamic Monte Carlo. This work implements the frequency transform method with thermal feedback in high-order/low-order Monte Carlo by blending static coupling methods such as single-batch Monte Carlo, with a simple thermal-fluids calculation. While previous work focused solely on prescribed transients, the addition of time-dependent thermal-fluids allows transients to be self-propagating. Tests were run in a fluids-initiated transient to showcase the basic functionalities of this methodology. Preliminary results behave as expected, paving the way for studying more sophisticated thermal-fluids coupling methods. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗