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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.

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At least 1,603 records · Page 89
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Two-Dimensional Flow Control Analysis on the Hump Model

Computational analyses have been conducted on the Wall-mounted Glauert-Goldschmied type body ("hump" model) with the Full Unstructured Navier-Stokes 2-D (FUN2D) flow solver developed at NASA LaRC. This investigation uses the time-accurate Reynolds-averaged Navier- Stokes (RANS) approach to predict aerodynamic performance of the active flow control experimental database for the hump model. The workshop is designed to assess the current capabilities of different classes of turbulent flow solution methodologies, such as RANS, to predict flow fields induced by synthetic jets and separation control geometries. The hump model being studied is geometrically similar to that previously tested both experimentally and computationally at NASA LaRC [ref. 1 and 2, respectively].

Viken, Sally A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Transitional Boundary-Layer Solutions Using a Mixing-Length and a Two-Equation Turbulence Model

Boundary-layer solutions were obtained using the conventional two-layer mixing-length turbulence model and the Wilcox-Traci two-equation model of turbulence. Both flatplate and blunt-body geometries were considered. The most significant result of the study is development of approximations for the two-equation model which permit streamwise stepsize comparable to that used in mixing-length computations. Additionally, a set of model-equation boundary conditions derived which apply equally well to both flat-plate and blunt-body geometries. Solutions obtained with the two-equations turbulence model are compared with experimental data and/or corresponding solutions obtained using the mixing-length model. Agreement is satisfactory for flat-plate boundary layers but not for blunt body boundary layers.

Anderson, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Exploiting symmetries in the modeling and analysis of tires

A computational procedure is presented for reducing the size of the analysis models of tires having unsymmetric material, geometry and/or loading. The two key elements of the procedure when applied to anisotropic tires are: (1) decomposition of the stiffness matrix into the sum of an orthotropic and nonorthotropic parts; and (2) successive application of the finite-element method and the classical Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The finite-element method is first used to generate few global approximation vectors (or modes). Then the amplitudes of these modes are computed by using the Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The proposed technique has high potential for handling practical tire problems with anisotropic materials, unsymmetric imperfections and asymmetric loading. It is also particularly useful for use with three-dimensional finite-element models of tires.

Noor, Ahmed K.↗
NASA NTRS2024

NASA HECC Geometry and Performance Review Part 2: Geometric Differences Between the As-Manufactured and Design-Intent Impeller Geometry and their Effects on the Vaneless Diffuser Configuration Performance

An investigation of the NASA High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor (HECC) vaneless diffuser configuration was performed. This multipart investigation focused on validating the computational model against experimental data. The validated model was then used to explore the effects of observed geometric differences between the As-Manufactured and Design-Intent impellers. Lastly, the validated model was used for comparison against an experimental tip clearance study. Part II of the investigation of the NASA HECC vaneless diffuser configuration focused on understanding the differences in geometry and performance between the As-Manufactured impeller and the Design-Intent impeller. This was achieved through comparison of the As-Manufactured HECC vaneless computational model, developed from the solid model of the impeller and validated in Part I, against a new model developed from the Design-Intent blade sections published in NASA/CR-2014-218114/Rev1. The 1D performance values showed that the As-Manufactured impeller underperformed compared to the Design-Intent for all four speedlines that were simulated. Further investigation of profiles, loading and contours showed consistent underperformance of the As-Manufactured relative to the Design-Intent. An investigation into the source of the performance differences led to the discovery of several significant variations in the impeller geometries. The differences that were observed can be summarized into four categories: fillets, trailing-edge exit radii variation, dissimilarity in the splitter leading-edge geometry and main blade thickness differences. The investigation then shifted its effort to quantify the performance effects caused by geometric differences. The investigation showed that out of the four geometric differences that were explored, the differences in the splitter blade had the largest impact. These differences most notably changed flow physics near the splitter leading edge, especially near the tip of the impeller.

centrifugal compressor↗
NASA NTRS1981

Computation of hypersonic viscous flow around three-dimensional bodies at high angles of attack

A parabolized Navier-Stokes code capable of predicting steady viscous supersonic flows with cross-flow separation is applied to three-dimensional arbitrary geometries at high angles of attack. The numerical procedure, which is implicit, noniterative, and of second-order accuracy in the marching direction, has been used to compute complicated flow fields containing a relatively thick sonic layer and regions of strong viscous-inviscid interaction. A consistent and accurate procedure has also been developed to provide the necessary starting data through timewise integration of the equations of motion near the nose-tip region of the body. Numerical results obtained from the present method compare well with experiment for both the surface pressures and heat transfer.

Rizk, Y. M.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Forced Response Aeromechanics Analysis in MATLAB®-Based Environment Code With Application to Distortion-Tolerant Fan R24 Blade Geometry

Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed a research-level code for forced response analysis for turbomachinery that provides a streamlined framework for aeromechanics analysis, as well as for generating Goodman diagrams. The Forced Response Aeromechanics Analysis in a MATLAB-Based Environment (FRAAME, Version 1) code is designed to accept blade surface unsteady pressure time histories generated by three-dimensional (3D) Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) code TURBO and modal displacements, modal stresses, and static stresses generated via expanded ANSYS® (Ansys, Inc.) cyclic symmetry analysis. The code’s looping structure allows for largescale analyses, including many blade surface pressure files, modal displacements, and modal stress files for full annulus forced response analysis, including a modal summation method for multiple engine orders and modes. This code is applied to the R24 fan geometry for the Boundary Layer Ingesting Inlet/Distortion-Tolerant Fan (BLI2DTF) project, a propulsion system being developed to increase the fuel efficiency of future aircraft, to serve as validation of experimental data as well as external simulation results. This tool’s functional, modular form is intended to allow users to make modifications easily. Those modifications can include requests for information for any step in the analysis process, as well as adding various functions to compute additional information of interest. It is also written, given sufficient input information, as a general blade geometry forced response solver that is not necessarily specific to the R24 geometry but is used here for verification of code functionality and accuracy. Although forced response analysis tools are also available in commercially available code packages, the post-processing FRAAME code offers reliable, fast, and scalable forced response analysis and Goodman diagram generation for large cases utilizing, specifically, TURBO and ANSYS® results information in an effort to streamline forced response and high cycle fatigue analyses.

Aeromechanics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Deep learning model for fast, science-based forecasting of fluid migration along faults in geologic carbon storage scenarios

Effective long-term geologic storage depends on robust site selection and credible, science-based forecasting of subsurface behavior to ensure storage integrity. For this work, we develop a deep learning–based reduced-order model (ROM) to quantify potential carbon dioxide (CO₂) and brine migration through geological faults. The ROM combines a Transformer model for binary classification and a Stacked Ensemble for regression, trained on a comprehensive dataset generated from 1400 physics-based reservoir simulations. Key geologic and operational parameters—including fault geometry, reservoir structure, and injection conditions—were systematically varied to capture a wide range of fluid migration scenarios. The ROM accurately predicts the onset of migration, cumulative migration volumes of both CO₂ and brine, and associated migration rates, as compared to an independent set of validation simulations, while significantly reducing computational cost compared to traditional simulation methods. Model performance was evaluated across diverse fault configurations, revealing that shallow reservoir geometry and fault angle are among the most influential factors governing migration behavior. Sensitivity analysis using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) provided interpretability, revealing distinct patterns in how geological and operational features drive transient versus cumulative migration outcomes. The ROM’s ability to rapidly simulate fault migration scenarios enables efficient sensitivity analyses, scenario evaluations, and decision support for site selection and monitoring design. This approach enhances the safety, scalability, and long-term operational performance of geologic carbon storage (GCS) systems by providing a robust, interpretable tool for predicting subsurface fluid migration and assessing fault-related migration potential.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Power Flow Geometry and Approximation

Here, the power flow equations are important in numerous power systems problems of practical interest which consider alternating current power flow (ACPF) physics. Perhaps the most well studied being the alternating current optimal power flow problem (ACOPF), seeking to optimize the operation of an electric power system. Due to their non-linearity, problems which include the power flow equations are typically challenging, particularly in optimization. Interestingly, the set of solutions to the power flow equations forms a smooth manifold. As a result, differential geometry can be used to describe and analyze this set of equations. This approach has proven effective in several engineering applications (e.g., solving ACOPF and analyzing the solution space boundary). Central to the success of this approach is an understanding of the power flow manifold's geometry. In this work, we develop the geometric and topological properties of this manifold using concepts from differential geometry. After demonstrating the convenience of this manifold's representation as a function's graph, computational methods are emphasized: we develop retractions, error bounds for linear approximation, and formulas for evaluating the Riemannian metric (including associated objects such as geodesics and the curvature tensor). Scalar curvature and the second fundamental form play a new role in quantifying the quality of linear approximations, like the popular direct current approximation. All functions are implemented in Julia and available in an online repository. Proofs are included for completeness.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

A CIERRA Gridded Product Climatology for LIS/OTD [Slides]

As a stepping-stone towards developing improved GLM-CIERRA grids, I am testing pixel matching techniques on the LIS/OTD data; The goal is to maintain accuracy while vastly improving computational efficiency; The end result will be standardized grids at the nominal resolution of each instrument (5 km for LIS, 10 km for OTD) that take into account the pixel geometry for each event that comprises a given flash

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1992

Modal element method for scattering of sound by absorbing bodies

The modal element method for acoustic scattering from 2-D body is presented. The body may be acoustically soft (absorbing) or hard (reflecting). The infinite computational region is divided into two subdomains - the bounded finite element domain, which is characterized by complicated geometry and/or variable material properties, and the surrounding unbounded homogeneous domain. The acoustic pressure field is represented approximately in the finite element domain by a finite element solution, and is represented analytically by an eigenfunction expansion in the homogeneous domain. The two solutions are coupled by the continuity of pressure and velocity across the interface between the two subdomains. Also, for hard bodies, a compact modal ring grid system is introduced for which computing requirements are drastically reduced. Analysis for 2-D scattering from solid and coated (acoustically treated) bodies is presented, and several simple numerical examples are discussed. In addition, criteria are presented for determining the number of modes to accurately resolve the scattered pressure field from a solid cylinder as a function of the frequency of the incoming wave and the radius of the cylinder.

Baumeister, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Modal element method for scattering and absorbing of sound by two-dimensional bodies

The modal element method for acoustic scattering from a 2-D body is presented. The body may be acoustically soft (absorbing) or hard (reflecting). The infinite computational region is divided into two subdomains - the bounded finite element domain, which is characterized by complicated geometry and/or variable material properties, and the surrounding unbounded homogeneous domain. The acoustic pressure field is represented approximately in the finite element domain by a finite element solution, and is represented analytically by an eigenfunction expansion in the homogeneous domain. The two solutions are coupled by the continuity of pressure and velocity across the interface between the two subdomains. Also, for hard bodies, a compact modal ring grid system is introduced for which computing requirements are drastically reduced. Analysis for 2-D scattering from solid and coated (acoustically treated) bodies is presented, and several simple numerical examples are discussed. In addition, criteria are presented for determining the number of modes to accurately resolve the scattered pressure field from a solid cylinder as a function of the frequency of the incoming wave and the radius of the cylinder.

Baumeister, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Conceptual Design Method Developed for Advanced Propulsion Nozzles

As part of a contract with the NASA Lewis Research Center, a simple, accurate method of predicting the performance characteristics of a nozzle design has been developed for use in conceptual design studies. The Nozzle Performance Analysis Code (NPAC) can predict the on- and off-design performance of axisymmetric or two-dimensional convergent and convergent-divergent nozzle geometries. NPAC accounts for the effects of overexpansion or underexpansion, flow divergence, wall friction, heat transfer, and small mass addition or loss across surfaces when the nozzle gross thrust and gross thrust coefficient are being computed. NPAC can be used to predict the performance of a given nozzle design or to develop a preliminary nozzle system design for subsequent analysis. The input required by NPAC consists of a simple geometry definition of the nozzle surfaces, the location of key nozzle stations (entrance, throat, exit), and the nozzle entrance flow properties. NPAC performs three analysis "passes" on the nozzle geometry. First, an isentropic control volume analysis is performed to determine the gross thrust and gross thrust coefficient of the nozzle. During the second analysis pass, the skin friction and heat transfer losses are computed. The third analysis pass couples the effects of wall shear and heat transfer with the initial internal nozzle flow solutions to produce a system of equations that is solved at steps along the nozzle geometry. Small mass additions or losses, such as those resulting from leakage or bleed flow, can be included in the model at specified geometric sections. A final correction is made to account for divergence losses that are incurred if the nozzle exit flow is not purely axial.

Nadell, Shari-Beth↗
NASA NTRS2015

Computational Fluid Dynamics Based Extraction of Heat Transfer Coefficient in Cryogenic Propellant Tanks

Current reduced-order thermal model for cryogenic propellant tanks is based on correlations built for flat plates collected in the 1950's. The use of these correlations suffers from: inaccurate geometry representation; inaccurate gravity orientation; ambiguous length scale; and lack of detailed validation. The work presented under this task uses the first-principles based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique to compute heat transfer from tank wall to the cryogenic fluids, and extracts and correlates the equivalent heat transfer coefficient to support reduced-order thermal model. The CFD tool was first validated against available experimental data and commonly used correlations for natural convection along a vertically heated wall. Good agreements between the present prediction and experimental data have been found for flows in laminar as well turbulent regimes. The convective heat transfer between tank wall and cryogenic propellant, and that between tank wall and ullage gas were then simulated. The results showed that commonly used heat transfer correlations for either vertical or horizontal plate over predict heat transfer rate for the cryogenic tank, in some cases by as much as one order of magnitude. A characteristic length scale has been defined that can correlate all heat transfer coefficients for different fill levels into a single curve. This curve can be used for the reduced-order heat transfer model analysis.

Yang, H. Q.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Application of a vectorized particle simulation in high-speed near-continuum flow

An efficient particle simulation technique, developed for use on vector architecture based supercomputers for studying hypersonic rarefied gas flows is employed to simulate the complex wake generated by Mach six flow over a 10 deg half-angle wedge for freestream Reynolds numbers of 1780 and 3560. Data obtained are compared against higher Reynolds number experimental results. Simulations utilized as many as 10 to the 5th computational cells and 10 to the 7th simulated particles having power-law interaction potentials. A code performance of 1.8-2.4 microsec of Cray-2 CPU time to process a single particle per timestep is achieved. Diffuse adiabatic and isothermal wedge surface models are used in this investigation. Although the wedge geometry is two-dimensional, the simulation incorporates a width-wise direction, resulting in a three-dimensional computation.

Woronowicz, Michael S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of two-dimensional and three-dimensional droplet trajectory calculations in the vicinity of finite wings

Computational predictions of ice accretion on flying aircraft most commonly rely on modeling in two dimensions (2D). These 2D methods treat an aircraft geometry either as wing-like with infinite span, or as an axisymmetric body. Recently, fully three dimensional (3D) methods have been introduced that model an aircrafts true 3D shape. Because 3D methods are more computationally expensive than 2D methods, 2D methods continue to be widely used. However, a 3D method allows us to investigate whether it is valid to continue applying 2D methods to a finite wing. The extent of disagreement between LEWICE, a 2D method, and LEWICE3D, a 3D method, in calculating local collection efficiencies at the leading edge of finite wings is investigated in this paper.

Mohler, Stanley R., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating detector simulations with Celeritas: profiling and performance optimizations

Celeritas is a GPU-optimized MC particle transport code designed to meet the growing computational demands of next-generation HEP experiments. It provides efficient simulation of EM physics processes in complex geometries with magnetic fields, detector hit scoring, and seamless integration into Geant4-driven applications to offload EM physics to GPUs. Recent efforts have focused on performance optimizations and expanding profiling capabilities. This paper presents some key advancements, including the integration of the Perfetto system profiling tool for detailed performance analysis and the development of track-sorting methods to improve computational efficiency.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1978

ODIN system technology module library, 1972 - 1973

ODIN/RLV is a digital computing system for the synthesis and optimization of reusable launch vehicle preliminary designs. The system consists of a library of technology modules in the form of independent computer programs and an executive program, ODINEX, which operates on the technology modules. The technology module library contains programs for estimating all major military flight vehicle system characteristics, for example, geometry, aerodynamics, economics, propulsion, inertia and volumetric properties, trajectories and missions, steady state aeroelasticity and flutter, and stability and control. A general system optimization module, a computer graphics module, and a program precompiler are available as user aids in the ODIN/RLV program technology module library.

Hague, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Multi-blocking strategies for the INS3D incompressible Navier-Stokes code

With the continuing development of bigger and faster supercomputers, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a useful tool for real-world engineering design and analysis. However, the number of grid points necessary to resolve realistic flow fields numerically can easily exceed the memory capacity of available computers. In addition, geometric shapes of flow fields, such as those in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) power head, may be impossible to fill with continuous grids upon which to obtain numerical solutions to the equations of fluid motion. The solution to this dilemma is simply to decompose the computational domain into subblocks of manageable size. Computer codes that are single-block by construction can be modified to handle multiple blocks, but ad-hoc changes in the FORTRAN have to be made for each geometry treated. For engineering design and analysis, what is needed is generalization so that the blocking arrangement can be specified by the user. INS3D is a computer program for the solution of steady, incompressible flow problems. It is used frequently to solve engineering problems in the CFD Branch at Marshall Space Flight Center. INS3D uses an implicit solution algorithm and the concept of artificial compressibility to provide the necessary coupling between the pressure field and the velocity field. The development of generalized multi-block capability in INS3D is described.

Gatlin, Boyd↗