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At least 1,531 records · Page 85

Numerical simulations of supersonic flow through oscillating cascade sections

A finite difference code has been developed for modeling inviscid, unsteady supersonic flow by solution of the compressible Euler equations. The code uses a deforming grid technique to capture the motion of the airfoils and can model oscillating cascades with any arbitrary interblade phase angle. A flat plate cascade is analyzed, and results are compared with results from a small-perturbation theory. The results show very good agreement for both the unsteady pressure distributions and the integrated force predictions. The reason for using the numerical Euler code over a small-perturbation theory is the ability to model 'real' airfoils that have thickness and camber. Sample predictions are presented for a cascade of loaded airfoils and show appreciable differences in the unsteady surface pressure distributions when compared with the flat plate results.

Huff, Dennis L.↗

Massively parallel computing for the simulation of unsteady flows in turbomachinery

This paper deals with evaluating the capabilities of the massively parallel Connection Machine CM2 in predicting unsteady flows in turbomachines. The implementation on the CM2 of an implicit, time-accurate, zonal algorithm for the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is described. Programming issues and modifications made to the original sequential algorithm to improve performance on the CM2 are briefly discussed. Performance is compared to a functionally equivalent code for the Cray YMP.

Madavan, Nateri K.↗

Flight test and numerical simulation of transonic flow around YAV-8B Harrier II wing

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to study the aerodynamics of the YAV-8B Harrier II wing in the transonic region. A numerical procedure is developed to compute the flow field around the complicated wing-pylon-fairing geometry. The surface definition of the wing and pylons were obtained from direct measurement using theodolite triangulation. A thin-layer Navier-Stokes code with the Chimera technique is used to compute flow solutions. The computed pressure distributions at several span stations are compared with flight test data and show good agreement. Computed results are correlated with flight test data that show the flow is severely separated in the vicinity of the wing-pylon junction. Analysis shows that shock waves are induced by pylon swaybrace fairings, that the flow separation is much stronger at the outboard pylon and that the separation is caused mainly by the crossflow passing the geometry of wing-pylon junction.

Gea, Lie-Mine↗

Numerical simulation of thermocapillary flow under zero and low gravity conditions

This paper discusses the numerical solution methods and results of steady and unsteady thermocapillary (surface-tension) and buoyancy driven flows in 2D cavities and liquid columns. The 2D cavity was assumed to be square with one free surface with a zero Capillary number (i.e., the free surface was constrained to be flat). A pseudospectral method was used to solve steady and unsteady surface tension-driven and mixed buoyancy-surface tension flows in a square cavity. For the liquid column a finite-difference scheme based on a Picard iteration was used to solve for the flow, temperature and free surface shape. The surface of the liquid column was allowed to deform and, as for the 2D cavity, the surface tension was assumed to depend on temperature.

Alexander, J. I. D.↗

Simulation of unsteady flows through stator and rotor blades of a gas turbine using the Chimera method

A two-dimensional model to solve compressible Navier-Stokes equations for the flow through stator and rotor blades of a turbine is developed. The flow domains for the stator and rotor blades are coupled by the Chimera method that makes grid generation easy and enhances accuracy because the area of the grid that have high turning of grid lines or high skewness can be eliminated from the computational domain after the grids are generated. The results of flow computations show various important features of unsteady flows including the acoustic waves interacting with boundary layers, Karman vortex shedding from the trailing edge of the stator blades, pulsating incoming flow to a rotor blade from passing stator blades, and flow separation from both suction and pressure sides of the rotor blades.

Nakamura, S.↗

Numerical simulation of entry flow over blunt swept-wing planes

Viscous, heat-conducting flow with chemical and vibrational relaxation processes of the constituent gases surrounding winged spacecraft is considered in the continuum regime. The Navier-Stokes equations are appended by additional vibrational energy and species rate equations and supplemented by the equations of state and the phenomenological laws based on mixture rules or collisional cross sections. Numerical convective flux can be obtained from several forms of one-dimensional Riemann solver, with or without entropy correction. High-order accuracy is obtained from two types of reconstructive interpolation. A number of explicit and implicit numerical schemes have been implemented as a means to yield converged solutions. Both shock-fitting, finite-difference and shock-capturing, finite-volume techniques have been tested for configurations such as a sphere, double ellipsoid, blunt-edge delta wing, a European Hermes vehicle, and the U.S. Shuttle Orbiter. The shock-fitting code provides excellent results only for simple configurations, whereas the shock-capturing code leads to overall satisfying solutions for complex geometries.

Li, C. P.↗

Numerical simulation of the flow about the F-18 HARV at high angle of attack

This report summarizes research done over the past two years as part of NASA Grant NCC 2-729. This research has been aimed at validating numerical methods for computing the flow about the complete F-18 HARV at alpha = 30 deg and alpha = 45 deg. At 30 deg angle of attack, the flow about the F-18 is dominated by the formation, and subsequent breakdown, of strong vortices over the wing leading-edge extensions (LEX). As the angle of attack is increased to alpha = 45 deg, the fuselage forebody of the F-18 contains significant laminar and transitional regions which are not present at alpha = 30 deg. Further, the flow over the LEX at alpha = 45 deg is dominated by an unsteady shedding in time, rather than strong coherent vortices. This complex physics, combined with the complex geometry of a full aircraft configuration, provides a challenge for current computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The following sections present the numerical method and grid generation scheme that was used, a review of prior research done to numerically model the F-18 HARV, and a discussion of the current research. The current research is broken into two main topics: the effect of engine-inlet mass-flow rate on the F-18 vortex breakdown position, and the results using a refined F-18 computational model to compute the flow at alpha = 30 deg and alpha = 45 deg.

Murman, Scott M.↗

Numerical simulation of the flow about an F-18 aircraft in the high-alpha regime

The current research is aimed at developing and extending numerical methods to accurately predict the high Reynolds number flow about the NASA F-18 HARV at large angles of attack. The resulting codes are validated by comparison of the numerical results with in-flight aerodynamic measurements and flow visualization obtained on the HARV. Further, computations have been used to provide an analysis and numerical optimization of a pneumatic slot blowing concept, and a mechanical strake concept, for use as potential forebody flow control devices in improving high-alpha maneuverability.

Scott M Murman↗

Numerical simulation of the flow about the F-18 HARV at high angle of attack

This research has been aimed at validating numerical methods for computing the flow about the complete F-18 HARV at alpha = 30 deg and alpha = 45 deg. At 30 deg angle of attack, the flow about the F-18 is dominated by the formation, and subsequent breakdown, of strong vortices over the wing leading-edge extensions (LEX). As the angle of attack is increased to alpha = 45 deg, the fuselage forebody of the F-18 contains significant laminar and transitional regions which are not present at alpha = 30 deg. Further, the flow over the LEX at alpha = 45 deg is dominated by an unsteady shedding in time, rather than strong coherent vortices. This complex physics, combined with the complex geometry of a full-aircraft configuration, provides a challenge for current computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The following sections present the numerical method and grid generation scheme that was used, a review of prior research done to numerically model the F-18 HARV, and a discussion of the current research. The current research is broken into three main topics; the effect of engine-inlet mass-flow rate on the F-18 vortex breakdown position, the results using a refined F-18 computational model to compute the flow at alpha = 30 deg and alpha = 45 deg, and research done using the simplified geometry of an ogive-cylinder configuration to investigate the physics of unsteady shear-layer shedding. The last section briefly summarizes the discussion.

Murman, Scott M.↗

Numerical simulation of supersonic flow using a new analytical bleed boundary condition

A new analytical bleed boundary condition is used to compute flowfields for a strong oblique shock wave/boundary layer interaction with a baseline and three bleed rates at a freestream Mach number of 2.47 with an 8 deg shock generator. The computational results are compared to experimental Pitot pressure profiles and wall static pressures through the interaction region. An algebraic turbulence model is employed for the bleed and baseline cases, and a one equation model is also used for the baseline case where the boundary layer is separated.

Harloff, G. J.↗

An Experimental Simulation of Flap Flow on Multielement Airfoils at High Reynolds Number

The design of the high lift system has a major impact on the performance of an aircraft yet our understanding of the physics of this flow is still weak. Flow features include interactions between the wakes shed from the upstream elements and the pressure gradients and boundary layers of the downstream elements. Interaction of the turbulent wake of the main element and the flap can cause (1) separation of the flap boundary layer or (2) 'bursting' of the main airfoil wake. Although the first factor is at least partially understood, even the qualitative aspects of (2) remain to be determined. In order to study these phenomena at Reynolds numbers approaching those of flight, a thick high Reynolds number wake is created using a 24 foot flat plate in the long rectangular test section of a 4 ft. by 6 ft subsonic wind tunnel. The design and construction of this test section, plate, and accompanying flap is described. Results obtained in a quarter-scale model were used for design purposes and are also described. Construction of the full scale facility is complete and preliminary results are presented.

Schneider, S.↗