Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Flow Conditions”

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 1,513 records · Page 84

Experiments On Schemes For Adaptive-Wall Wind Tunnels

Report discusses experimental investigation of various convergence schemes for adaptive-wall wind tunnel. Results show side-wall-pressure measurements used as flow variables yield same unconfined-flow conditions as those obtained by measuring streamwise and perpendicular components of velocity with laser Doppler velocimeter. Justifies use of influence coefficients in one-step and iterative convergence schemes. Also shows with one-step convergence scheme, satisfactory adaptation obtained when number of iterations reduced to one (or sometimes two).

Celik, Z. Z.↗

A three-dimensional turbulent heat transfer analysis for advanced tubular rocket thrust chambers

Heat transfer was analyzed in the throat region of a plug and spool rocket engine for both smooth and corrugated walls. A three-dimensional, Navier-Stokes code was used for the analysis. The turbulence model in the code was modified to handle turbulence suppression in the crevice region of the corrugated wall. The overall heat transfer at the throat for the corrugated wall was 34 percent higher than it was for the smooth wall for comparable rocket flow conditions.

Kacynski, Kenneth J.↗

The use of a Navier-Stokes code in the wing design process

The feasibility was determined of incorporating the Navier-Stokes computational code, CFL3D, into the supersonic wing design process. The approach taken is of two steps. The first step was to calibrate CFL3D against existing experimental data sets obtained on thin sharp edged delta wings. The experimental data identified six flow types which are dependent on the similarity parameters of Mach number and angle of attack normal to the leading edge. The calibration showed CFL3D capable of simulating these various separated and attached flow conditions. The second step was to use CFL3D to study the initial formation of leading edge separation over delta wings at supersonic speeds. This consisted of examining solutions obtained on a 65 deg delta wing at Mach number of 1.6 with varying cross sectional shapes. Reynolds number was held constant at 1000000 and the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model was used. The study showed that through the use of leading edge radius and/or camber, the onset of leading edge separation can be delayed to a higher angle of attack than observed on a flat sharp edged wing. Based on the geometries studied, three wind tunnel models are being designed to verify these results.

Mcmillin, S. Naomi↗

Turbulence modeling for high speed compressible flows

Turbulence models are necessary in numerical simulations because of the impracticality of computing all scales of turbulent motion. Approximate methods, or turbulence models, are introduced to simplify and make the computations practical. There are several approaches to turbulence modeling: subgrid scale modeling; modeling of all the scales of turbulent motion; eddy viscosity; and Reynolds stress turbulence closure models. In many instances, computations based on turbulence models are compared with available experimental data. The effort is directed at seeking models which have reasonable accuracy over a limited range of flow conditions. Future needs are briefly discussed. Work to date is outlined.

Chandra, Suresh↗

Preliminary calibration of a generic scramjet combustor

The results of a preliminary investigation of the combustion of hydrogen fuel at hypersonic flow conditions are provided. The tests were performed in a generic, constant-area combustor model with test gas supplied by a free-piston-driven reflected-shock tunnel. Static pressure measurements along the combustor wall indicated that burning did occur for combustor inlet conditions of P(static) approximately equal to 19kPa, T(static) approximately equal to 1080 K, and U approximately equal to 3630 m/s with a fuel equivalence ratio approximately equal to 0.9. These inlet conditions were obtained by operating the tunnel with stagnation enthalpy approximately equal to 8.1 MJ/kg, stagnation pressure approximately equal to 52 MPa, and a contoured nozzle with a nominal exit Mach number of 5.5.

Jacobs, P. A.↗

A new flux splitting scheme

A new flux splitting scheme is proposed. The scheme is remarkably simple and yet its accuracy rivals and in some cases surpasses that of Roe's solver in the Euler and Navier-Stokes solutions performed in this study. The scheme is robust and converges as fast as the Roe splitting. An approximately defined cell-face advection Mach number is proposed using values from the two straddling cells via associated characteristic speeds. This interface Mach number is then used to determine the upwind extrapolation for the convective quantities. Accordingly, the name of the scheme is coined as Advection Upstream Splitting Method (AUSM). A new pressure splitting is introduced which is shown to behave successfully, yielding much smoother results than other existing pressure splittings. Of particular interest is the supersonic blunt body problem in which the Roe scheme gives anomalous solutions. The AUSM produces correct solutions without difficulty for a wide range of flow conditions as well as grids.

Liou, Meng-Sing↗

Results of correlations for transition location on a clean-up glove installed on an F-14 aircraft and design studies for a laminar glove for the X-29 aircraft accounting for spanwise pressure gradient

Results of correlative and design studies for transition location, laminar and turbulent boundary-layer parameters, and wake drag for forward swept and aft swept wings are presented. These studies were performed with the use of an improved integral-type boundary-layer and transition-prediction methods. Theoretical predictions were compared with flight measurements at subsonic and transonic flow conditions for the variable aft swept wing F-14 aircraft for which experimental pressure distributions, transition locations, and turbulent boundary-layer velocity profiles were measured. Flight data were available at three spanwise stations for several values of sweep, freestream unit Reynolds number, Mach numbers, and lift coefficients. Theory/experiment correlations indicate excellent agreement for both transition location and turbulent boundary-layer parameters. The results of parametric studies performed during the design of a laminar glove for the forward swept wing X-29 aircraft are also presented. These studies include the effects of a spanwise pressure gradient on transition location and wake drag for several values of freestream Reynolds numbers at a freestream Mach number of 0.9.

Goradia, S. H.↗

A Three-Dimensional Turbulent Heat Transfer Analysis for Advanced Tubular Rocket Thrust Chambers

Heat transfer was analyzed in the throat region of a plug and spool rocket engine for both smooth and corrugated walls. A three-dimensional, Navier-Strokes code was used for the analysis. The turbulence model in the code was modified to handle turbulence suppression in the crevice region of the corrugated wall. Circumferential variations in the wall heat transfer was predicted for the corrugated wall. The overall heat transfer at the throat of the corrugated wall was 34 percent higher than it was for the smooth wall for comparable rocket flow conditions.

Kacynski, Kenneth J.↗

Infrared radiative energy transfer in gaseous systems

Analyses and numerical procedures are presented to investigate the radiative interactions in various energy transfer processes in gaseous systems. Both gray and non-gray radiative formulations for absorption and emission by molecular gases are presented. The gray gas formulations are based on the Planck mean absorption coefficient and the non-gray formulations are based on the wide band model correlations for molecular absorption. Various relations for the radiative flux and divergence of radiative flux are developed. These are useful for different flow conditions and physical problems. Specific plans for obtaining extensive results for different cases are presented. The procedure developed was applied to several realistic problems. Results of selected studies are presented.

Tiwari, Surendra N.↗

Euler and potential computational results for selected aerodynamic configurations

A selection of CFD successes and failures is evaluated, on the basis of experimental data/CFD result correlations involving full-potential and Euler computations of the aerodynamics of four commercial transport wings and two low aspect ratio delta wings. An effort is made to ascertain optimum values for grid density and distribution, artificial dissipation, Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy number, enthalphy damping, and a multigrid scheme for each flow condition and configuration analyzed. It is demonstrated that CFD solutions can assist the experimentalist prior to a test by indicating the locations of high pressure gradients and projecting test condition limitations due to balance design limits.

Hicks, R. M.↗

Computational analysis of vented supersonic exhaust nozzles using a multiblock/multizone strategy

NASA-Langley's PAB3D-v3 multiblock/multizone Navier Stokes code is presently used to study the behavior of the longitudinally-slotted nozzle configuration for fixed-geometry operation in supersonic cruise on the bases of high nozzle pressure ratios. The range of flow conditions encompassed nozzle pressure ratio values from 5 to 20, and freestream Mach numbers from 0 to 2.5. A large recirculation region was detected near the concave base of the nozzle, while smaller regions were located near and around the slots. In general, the discharge coefficient was predicted within 0.5 percent, and the thrust ratio within 1.5 percent, of measured values.

Abdol-Hamid, Khaled S.↗

A continuous proportional low-thrust propulsion system

Helium gas flows continuously from a low-temperature dewar supplying propellant for satellite thrusters. Thrust is obtained by movement of a spool located between two opposing nozzles, thus differentially restricting the helium flow. The design procedure and test results of a high bandwidth, low power, linear electromagnetic actuator for the pool movement are presented. Two mathematical models are used to describe the helium flow through the thruster under different flow conditions. The experimental data measured in the vacuum chamber and the computational results from the mathematical models are compared. The models agree with the experiment to 3 percent except near a Knudsen number of 1.

Chen, J.-H.↗

The influence of the equatorial QBO on sudden stratospheric warmings

A global primitive-equation model of the stratosphere and mesosphere is integrated for specified planetary-wave forcing at the 100-mb level with mean zonal flow conditions corresponding to the westerly and easterly phases of the equatorial QBO, respectively. The responses in the two QBO phases were compared for integrations with wavenumber-1 forcing-amplitude maxima at 100 mb and 60 deg N varying from 100 to 400 m. The phase of the QBO had little effect on the results in the weak-wave (100-m) cases, which did not produce warmings, and strong-wave (400-m) cases, which produced major sudden warmings.

Holton, James R.↗

Vortical flow computations on a flexible blended wing-body configuration

Flows over blended wing-body configurations are often dominated by vortices. The unsteady aerodynamic forces due to such flows can couple with the elastic forces of the wing and lead to aeroelastic oscillations. Such aeroelastic oscillations can impair the performance of an aircraft; it is necessary to account for structural properties of the configuration and solve the aerodynamic and aeroelastic equations of motion simultaneously. The flow is modeled using the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the aeroelastic equations of motion. Computations are made for a blended wing-body configuration at flow conditions dominated by vortices and separation. The computed results are validated with the available experimental data. Sustained aeroelastic oscillations observed in the wind tunnel are successfully simulated for freestream Mach = 0.975, alpha of 8.0 deg, and a frequency of about 2 Hz.

Guruswamy, Guru P.↗

Unsteady supersonic flow around delta wings with symmetric and asymmetric flaps oscillation

A parametric study is presented to investigate the effect of reduced frequency of the leading-edge flaps on the locally-conical, unsteady, supersonic flow around a delta wing. This study covers symmetric and antisymmetric forced oscillation of the leading-edge flaps. The effects of the freestream Mach number and angle of attack are also presented. The problem is solved using time-accurate integration of the unsteady, compressible, thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations and the unsteady, linearized, Navier-displacement equations. The delta wing is of aspect ratio of 1.5 and its leading-edge flaps are hinged at 65 percent of the local-half span length. The reduced frequency is varied between 2 pi and pi/2. Two supersonic flow conditions have been investigated; the first is for a freestream Mach number of 2.4 and an angle of attack of 19 deg and the second is for a freestream Mach number of 1.5 and an angle attack of 15 deg.

Kandil, Osama A.↗

Surface definition and grid generation about an Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) for Space Station Freedom

The surface definition and grid generation about an Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) for the Space Station Freedom are described. The purpose of the surface definition and grid generation is to provide the necessary geometry information for CFD calculations about the vehicle. There are two salient features in this description. The first is that the numerical model representing the ACRV configuration is obtained from the measurement of an existing wind tunnel model. The method for smoothing the measured data and obtaining the numerical model is described. The second feature is the description of the algebraic grid generation method and software to compute volume grids about the ACRV. The methods and software allow rapid computation of volume grids for a wide range of flow conditions.

Smith, R. E.↗

Radiation modeling with direct simulation Monte Carlo

Improvements in the modeling of radiation in low density shock waves with direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) are the subject of this study. A new scheme to determine the relaxation collision numbers for excitation of electronic states is proposed. This scheme attempts to move the DSMC programs toward a more detailed modeling of the physics and more reliance on available experimental data. The new method is compared with the current modeling technique and both techniques are compared with available data. The differences in the results are evaluated. The test case is based on an AVCO-Everett shock tube experiment, a 10-km/s standing shock wave in air at 0.1 Torr. The new method agrees with the available data as well as the results from the earlier scheme and is more easily extrapolated to different flow conditions.

Carlson, Ann B.↗

CFD prediction of the near-field sonic boom environment for two low boom HSCT configurations

Current efforts to reduce the sonic boom of a future High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) by careful shaping have led to the need for more accurate predictions of the near-field flow conditions of the configuration. A fully three-dimensional Euler finite volume code is used to predict sonic boom pressure signatures for two low boom concepts - one designed to cruise at Mach 2 and the other at Mach 3. Calculations were carried out using a grid topology that has been modified to reduce the inaccuracies caused by grid spreading often suffered with CFD methods when calculations several body lengths downstream become necessary. Comparisons of CFD results and experimental wind tunnel signatures are shown. Ground signatures are predicted by extrapolating the pressures predicted by the Euler code with an extrapolation method based on the Whitham theory.

Siclari, M. J.↗