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NASA NTRS1991

Phase decorrelation of coherent structures in a free shear layer

The vortices near the origin of an initially laminar mixing layer have a single frequency with a well-defined phase; i.e., there is little phase jitter. Further downstream, however, the phase jitter increases suddenly. Even when the flow is forced, this same transition is observed. The forcing partially loses its influence because of the decorrelation of the phase between the forcing signal and the passing coherent structures. In the present investigation, this phenomenon is documented and the physical mechanism responsible for the phase decorrelation is identified.

Ho, Chih-Ming↗

NASA NTRS1992

On the mechanism of turbulence suppression in free shear flows under acoustic excitation

Acoustic excitation at certain high frequencies has been known to suppress large amplitude fluctuations otherwise occurring naturally in various free shear flows. The phenomenon has been observed in flows with initially laminar or transitional boundary layers. An experimental investigation is conducted to consider two possibilities in regards to the mechanism of the effect. (1) The natural shear layer is self excited by the instability waves already developed in the upstream boundary layer. This is overridden when the shear layer is excited at its maximally unstable mode, causing the observed decrease in the intensities downstream. (2) The upstream boundary layer is in a transitional or buffeted laminar state, characterized by large amplitude unsteady fluctuations, which force the large fluctuations downstream. Excitation trips the upstream boundary layer to full turbulence, reduces the unsteady fluctuations, and thus causes the observed suppression of the intensities throughout the flowfield. The present experimental results refute either of these possibilities to be the general mechanism of the effect.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Center for Modeling of Turbulence and Transition (CMOTT). Research briefs: 1990

Brief progress reports of the Center for Modeling of Turbulence and Transition (CMOTT) research staff from May 1990 to May 1991 are given. The objectives of the CMOTT are to develop, validate, and implement the models for turbulence and boundary layer transition in the practical engineering flows. The flows of interest are three dimensional, incompressible, and compressible flows with chemistry. The schemes being studied include the two-equation and algebraic Reynolds stress models, the full Reynolds stress (or second moment closure) models, the probability density function models, the Renormalization Group Theory (RNG) and Interaction Approximation (DIA), the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS).

Povinelli, Louis A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Turbulence modeling

The performance of existing two-equation eddy viscosity models was examined. An effort was made to develop better models for near-wall turbulence using direct numerical simulations of plane channel and boundary layer flows. The asymptotic near-wall behavior of turbulence was used to examine the problems of current second order closure models and develop new models with the correct near-wall behavior. Rapid Distortion Theory was used to analytically study the effects of mean deformation on turbulence, obtain analytical solutions for the spectrum tensor, Reynolds stress tensor, anisotropy tensor and its invariants, which can be used in the turbulence model development. The potential of the renormalization group theory in turbulence modeling was studied, as well as compressible turbulent flows, and modeling of bypass transition.

Shih, Tsan-Hsing↗

NASA NTRS1991

Report of the Ionosphere-Thermosphere-Mesosphere Panel

The scientific objectives and mission concept that emerged from the discussions of this panel are presented. The overall scientific theme of this report is the investigation of the ionosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere (near Earth space environment) as a global, dynamic, and coupled system. Among the specific goals of this area of research are: (1) understanding the consequences of transition between turbulent and laminar flow and collisional and collisionless media; (2) understanding the thermospheric/mesospheric coupling due to gravity wave, tidal, and trace constituent transport processes; (3) understanding the electrodynamical coupling between the thermosphere/ionosphere and magnetosphere; (4) understanding the coupling processes between small scale plasma structures; and (5) determining the real-time evolution of the global ionosphere electric field in response to solar wind and magnetosphere coupling.

Szuszczewicz, Edward P.↗

NASA NTRS1992

On the mechanism of turbulence suppression in free shear flows under acoustic excitation

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Center for Modeling of Turbulence and Transition (CMOTT): Research Briefs, 1992

The progress is reported of the Center for Modeling of Turbulence and Transition (CMOTT). The main objective of the CMOTT is to develop, validate and implement the turbulence and transition models for practical engineering flows. The flows of interest are three-dimensional, incompressible and compressible flows with chemical reaction. The research covers two-equation (e.g., k-e) and algebraic Reynolds-stress models, second moment closure models, probability density function (pdf) models, Renormalization Group Theory (RNG), Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS).

Liou, William W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The influence of bulges on boundary-layer instability

Local disturbances caused by a spanwise surface corrugation affect the position of the boundary-layer transition, and so the drag, of an object. This premature transition from laminar to turbulent flow is often associated with a separation of the laminar boundary-layer from its surface. Also the roughness-induced separation bubble provides an important link between the pressure and velocity fluctuations in the environment and the development of the disturbance in the laminar boundary-layer, i.e., the receptivity problem. To investigate the influence of a laminar separation bubble on boundary-layer instability, a separated flow generated by a velocity gradient over a flat plate was analyzed by direct numerical simulation using finite-difference solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. The bubble acts as a strong amplifier of the instability waves and a highly nonlinear flow field is shown to develop downstream of the bubble. Consequently, the results of the direct numerical simulation differ noticeably from those of the classical linear stability theory proving the fact that the nonparallel effects together with the nonlinear interactions are crucial to this flow development. In the present paper, the effect of physical perturbations such as humps and hollows on boundary-layer instability is analyzed. This problem has been considered theoretically by several researchers (e.g., Nayfeh et al., 1987 and 1990; Cebeci et al., 1988). They used linear stability theory in their approach which does not include the nonparallel nor the nonlinear effects. Therefore, to account for these important effects in studying flow over humps and hollows the direct simulation technique is being implemented in generalized coordinates.

Elli, S.↗

NASA NTRS1993

High Reynolds number and turbulence effects on aerodynamics and heat transfer in a turbine cascade

Experimental data on pressure distribution and heat transfer on a turbine airfoil were obtained over a range of Reynolds numbers from 0.75 to 7.5 x 10 exp 6 and a range of turbulence intensities from 1.8 to about 15 percent. The purpose of this study was to obtain fundamental heat transfer and pressure distribution data over a wide range of high Reynolds numbers and to extend the heat transfer data base to include the range of Reynolds numbers encountered in the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) turbopump turbines. Specifically, the study aimed to determine (1) the effect of Reynolds number on heat transfer, (2) the effect of upstream turbulence on heat transfer and pressure distribution, and (3) the relationship between heat transfer at high Reynolds numbers and the current data base. The results of this study indicated that Reynolds number and turbulence intensity have a large effect on both the transition from laminar to turbulent flow and the resulting heat transfer. For a given turbulence intensity, heat transfer for all Reynolds numbers at the leading edge can be correlated with the Frossling number developed for lower Reynolds numbers. For a given turbulence intensity, heat transfer for the airfoil surfaces downstream of the leading edge can be approximately correlated with a dimensionless parameter. Comparison of the experimental results were also made with a numerical solution from a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes code.

Yeh, Frederick C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

DSMC and continuum analyses of low-density nozzle flow

Two different approaches, the direct-simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method based on molecular gas dynamics and a finite-volume approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations, which are based on continuum gas dynamics, are employed in the analysis of a low-density gas flow in a small converging-diverging nozzle. The fluid experiences various kinds of flow regimes including continuum, slip, transition, and free-molecular. Results from the two numerical methods are compared with Rothe's experimental dam, in which density and rotational temperature variations along the centerline and at various locations inside a low density nozzle were measured by the electron-beam fluorescence technique. The continuum approach showed good agreement with the experimental data as far as density is concerned. The results from the DSMC method showed good agreement with the experimental data both in the density and the rotational temperature. It is also shown that the simulation parameters, such as the gas/surface interaction model, the energy exchange model between rotational and translational modes, and the viscosity temperature exponent, have substantial effects on the results of the DSMC method.

Chung, Chan-Hong↗

NASA NTRS1993

The structure and stability of transonic accretion disks surrounding black holes

Stationary transonic alpha-viscosity models of accretion disks surrounding nonrotating black holes have been investigated. The viscosity is modified such that it vanishes in the supersonic region to ensure its effect does not violate the causality condition. In contrast to previous studies, the viscous stress is taken to be explicitly proportional to the angular velocity gradient and is not assumed to depend solely on the local pressure in the disk. The numerical results reveal that the structure of the innermost regions of the disk are more sensitive to the modified form of the viscosity than to the form of the viscous stress. The critical sonic point is located inside the innermost stable circular orbit of a test particle at 3 Schwarzschild radii. In these solutions, the transition from subsonic to supersonic flow results from pressure effects and not viscous effects. The linear stability of these disks has been examined in the local approximation. It is found that radiative energy transport and viscous stresses in the radial direction can have important effects. As a result, it is shown that the growth rate of the inertial-acoustic mode reaches a maximum at a critical wavelength.

Chen, Xingming↗

NASA NTRS1993

High Reynolds number and turbulence effects on aerodynamics and heat transfer in a turbine cascade

Experimental data on pressure distribution and heat transfer on a turbine airfoil were obtained over a range of Reynolds numbers from 0.75 to 7.5 million and a range of turbulence intensities from 1.8 to about 15 percent. Fundamental heat transfer and pressure distribution data are obtained over a wide range of high Reynolds numbers and to extend the heat transfer data base to include the range of Reynolds numbers encountered in the SSME turbopump turbines. The results obtained indicated that Reynolds number and turbulence intensity have a large effect on both the transition from laminar to turbulent flow and the resulting heat transfer. For a given turbulence intensity, heat transfer for all Reynolds numbers at the leading edge can be correlated with the Frossling number developed for lower Reynolds numbers. For a given turbulence intensity, heat transfer for the airfoil surfaces downstream of the leading edge can be approximately correlated with a dimensionless parameter. Comparison of the experimental results were also made with a numerical solution from a 2D Navier-Stokes code.

Yeh, Frederick C.↗

NASA NTRS1927

Drag measurements of two thin wing sections at different index values

It is stated that the index value 6000, as found in normal tests of wing sections with a 20 cm chord, falls in the same region where the transition of laminar to turbulent flow takes place on thin flat plates. It is to be expected that slightly cambered, thin wing sections will behave similarly. The following test of two such wing sections were made for the purpose of verifying this supposition.

AIRFOILS↗

NASA NTRS1936

Behavior of turbulent boundary layers on curved convex walls

The system of linear differential equations which indicated the approach of separation and the so-called "boundary-layer thickness" by Gruschwitz is extended in this report to include the case where the friction layer is subject to centrifugal forces. Evaluation of the data yields a strong functional dependence of the momentum change and wall drag on the boundary-layer thickness radius of curvature ratio for the wall. It is further shown that the transition from laminar to turbulent flow occurs at somewhat higher Reynolds Numbers at the convex wall than at the flat plate, due to the stabilizing effect of the centrifugal forces.

Schmidbauer, Hans↗

NASA NTRS1934

Investigation of Boundary Layers on an Airplane Wing in Free Flight

This report describes the equipment and method developed for recording the boundary layers on the surface of an airfoil in free flight. The results are in close agreement with the wind-tunnel tests of other experimenters. The intensity of the turbulent boundary layer, even at the much higher Reynolds Numbers reached, is determinable with Gruschwitz's formulas, although it was impossible to definitely establish a direct relationship between the turbulent boundary layer and the Reynolds Number within the limits of the obtained accuracy. The observations on the transition from laminar to turbulent flow check with previous wind-tunnel tests and calculations.

Stuper, J↗

NASA NTRS1994

Boundary-Layer Code For Supersonic Combustion

HUD is integral computer code based on Spaulding-Chi method for predicting development of boundary layers in laminar, transitional, and turbulent regions of flows on two-dimensional or axisymmetric bodies. Approximates nonequilibrium velocity profiles as well as local surface friction in presence of pressure gradient. Predicts transfer of heat in turbulent boundary layer in presence of high axial presure gradient. Provides for pressure gradients both normal and lateral to surfaces. Also used to estimate requirements for cooling scramjet engines. Because of this capability, HUD program incorporated into several scramjet-cycle-performance-analysis codes, including SCRAM (ARC-12338) and SRGULL (LEW-15093). Written in FORTRAN 77.

Pinckney, S. Z.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Deposition Of Thin-Film Sensors On Glass-Fiber/Epoxy Models

Direct-deposition process devised for fabrication of thin-film sensors on three-dimensional, curved surfaces of models made of stainless steel covered with glass-fiber/epoxy-matrix composite material. Models used under cryogenic conditions, and sensors used to detect on-line transitions between laminar and turbulent flows in wind tunnel environments. Sensors fabricated by process used at temperatures from minus 300 degrees F to 175 degrees F.

Tran, Sang Q.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Transition Studies on a Swept-Wing Model

The present investigation contributes to the understanding of boundary-layer stability and transition by providing detailed measurements of carefully-produced stationary crossflow vortices. It is clear that a successful prediction of transition in swept-wing flows must include an understanding of the detailed physics involved. Receptivity and nonlinear effects must not be ignored. Linear stability theory correctly predicts the expected wavelengths and mode shapes for stationary crossflow, but fails to predict the growth rates, even for low amplitudes. As new computational and analytical methods are developed to deal with three-dimensional boundary layers, the data provided by this experiment will serve as a useful benchmark for comparison.

Saric, William S.↗