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At least 1,693 records · Page 94

Heat Transfer and Flow on the First Stage Blade Tip of a Power Generation Gas Turbine: Simulation Results - Part 2

A combined experimental and computational study has been performed to investigate the detailed distribution of convective heat transfer coefficients on the first stage blade tip surface for a geometry typical of large power generation turbines (>1OOMW). This paper is concerned with the numerical prediction of the tip surface heat transfer. Good comparison with the experimental measured distribution was achieved through accurate modeling of the most important features of the blade passage and heating arrangement as well as the details of experimental rig likely to affect the tip heat transfer. A sharp edge and a radiused edge tip were considered. The results using the radiused edge tip agreed better with the experimental data. This improved agreement was attributed to the absence of edge separation on the tip of the radiused edge blade.

Ameri, A. A.↗

Assessment of an Unstructured-Grid Method for Predicting Aerodynamic Performance of Jet Flaps

The application of a Computational Fluid Dynamics tool to a jet flap control effector on an elliptical airfoil-section wing was investigated. The study utilized the Tetrahedral Unstructured Software System developed at NASA Langley Research Center. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver code used was USM3D. The CFD-based jet flap simulations were compared to experimental results from a wind tunnel test conducted at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The wind tunnel model consisted of a six percent thick elliptical airfoil with a modified trailing edge. The jet flap was located at 95% chord and exited at 90 degrees to the lower surface. The experimental model was designed to promote two-dimensional flow across the wing. It was found that the CFD simulation had to model the three-dimensional geometry of the experiment in order to obtain good agreement. Tests were performed at two Mach numbers at several different jet momentum coefficients. In order to be consistent with the experimental method, the CFD lift and pitching moment values were determined by integrating the pressures over the wing.

Cruz, Josue↗

Overview of Low-Speed Aerodynamic Tests on a 5.75% Scale Blended-Wing-Body Twin Jet Configuration

The NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project sponsored a series of computational and experimental investigations of the propulsion and airframe integration issues associated with Hybrid-Wing-Body (HWB) or Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) configurations. NASA collaborated with Boeing Research and Technology (BR&T) to conduct this research on a new twin-engine Boeing BWB transport configuration. The experimental investigations involved a series of wind tunnel tests with a 5.75-percent scale model conducted in two low-speed wind tunnels. This testing focused on the basic aerodynamics of the configuration and selection of the leading edge Krueger slat position for takeoff and landing. This paper reviews the results and analysis of these low-speed wind tunnel tests.

Vicroy, Dan D.↗

GRID3O: Computer program for fast generation of multilevel, three-dimensional boundary-conforming O-type computational grids

A fast algorithm was developed for accurately generating boundary-conforming, three-dimensional, consecutively refined computational grids applicable to arbitrary wing-body and axial turbomachinery geometries. The method is based on using an analytic function to generate two-dimensional grids on a number of coaxial axisymmetric surfaces positioned between the centerbody and the outer radial boundary. These grids are of the O-type and are characterized by quasi-orthogonality, geometric periodicity, and an adequate resolution throughout the flow field. Because the built-in nonorthogonal coordinate stretching and shearing cause the grid lines leaving the blade or wing trailing edge to end at downstream infinity, the numerical treatment of the three-dimensional trailing vortex sheets is simplified.

Dulikravich, D. S.↗

Differential surface models for tactile perception of shape and on-line tracking of features

Tactile perception of shape involves an on-line controller and a shape perceptor. The purpose of the on-line controller is to maintain gliding or rolling contact with the surface, and collect information, or track specific features of the surface such as edges of a certain sharpness. The shape perceptor uses the information to perceive, estimate the parameters of, or recognize the shape. The differential surface model depends on the information collected and on the a priori information known about the robot and its physical parameters. These differential models are certain functionals that are projections of the dynamics of the robot onto the surface gradient or onto the tangent plane. A number of differential properties may be directly measured from present day tactile sensors. Others may have to be indirectly computed from measurements. Others may constitute design objectives for distributed tactile sensors of the future. A parameterization of the surface leads to linear and nonlinear sequential parameter estimation techniques for identification of the surface. Many interesting compromises between measurement and computation are possible.

Hemami, H.↗

A transonic/supersonic CFD analysis of a generic fighter

Flow fields about a generic fighter model have been computed using FLO57, a three-dimensional, finite-volume Euler code. Computed pressure coefficients, forces, and moments at several Mach numbers - 0.6, 0.8, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 - are compared with wind tunnel data over a wide range of angles of attack in order to determine the applicability of the code for the analysis of fighter configurations. Two configurations were studied, a wing/body and a wing/body/chine. FLO57 predicted pressure distributions, forces, and moments well at low angles of attack, at which the flow was fully attached. The FLO57 predictions were also accurate for some test conditions once the leading-edge vortex became well established. At the subsonic speeds, FLO57 predicted vortex breakdown earlier than that seen in the experimental results. Placing the chine on the forebody delayed the onset of bursting and improved the correlation between numerical and experimental data at the subsonic conditions.

Goodsell, Aga M.↗

Numerical simulation of steady and unsteady asymmetric vortical flow

The unsteady, compressible, thin-layer, Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are solved to simulate steady and unsteady, asymmetric, vortical laminar flow around cones at high incidences and supersonic Mach numbers. The equations are solved by using an implicit, upwind, flux-difference splitting (FDS), finite-volume scheme. The locally conical flow assumption is used and the solutions are obtained by forcing the conserved components of the flowfield vector to be equal at two axial stations located at 0.95 and 1.0. Computational examples cover steady and unsteady asymmetric flows around a circular cone and its control using side strakes. The unsteady asymmetric flow solution around the circular cone has also been validated using the upwind, flux-vector splitting (FVS) scheme with the thin-layer NS equations and the upwind FDS with the full NS equations. The results are in excellent agreement with each other. Unsteady asymmetric flows are also presented for elliptic- and diamond-section cones, which model asymmetric vortex shedding around round- and sharp-edged delta winds.

Kandil, Osama A.↗

Topology and grid adaption for high-speed flow computations

This study investigates the effects of grid topology and grid adaptation on numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. In the first part of this study, a general procedure is presented for computation of high-speed flow over complex three-dimensional configurations. The flow field is simulated on the surface of a Butler wing in a uniform stream. Results are presented for Mach number 3.5 and a Reynolds number of 2,000,000. The O-type and H-type grids have been used for this study, and the results are compared together and with other theoretical and experimental results. The results demonstrate that while the H-type grid is suitable for the leading and trailing edges, a more accurate solution can be obtained for the middle part of the wing with an O-type grid. In the second part of this study, methods of grid adaption are reviewed and a method is developed with the capability of adapting to several variables. This method is based on a variational approach and is an algebraic method. Also, the method has been formulated in such a way that there is no need for any matrix inversion. This method is used in conjunction with the calculation of hypersonic flow over a blunt-nose body. A movie has been produced which shows simultaneously the transient behavior of the solution and the grid adaption.

Abolhassani, Jamshid S.↗

Downwash and Wake Behind Plain and Flapped Airfoils

Extensive experimental measurements have been made of the downwash angles and the wake characteristics behind airfoils with and without flaps and the data have been analyzed and correlated with the theory. A detailed study was made of the errors involved in applying lifting-line theory, such as the effects of a finite wing chord, the rolling-up of the trailing vortex sheet, and the wake. The downwash angles, as computed from the theoretical span load distribution by means of the Biot-Savart equation, were found to be in satisfactory agreement with the experimental results. The rolling-up of the trailing vortex sheet may be neglected, but the vertical displacement of the vortex sheet requires consideration. By the use of a theoretical treatment indicated by Prandtl, it has been possible to generalize the available experimental results so the predictions can be made of the important wake parameters in terms of the distance behind the airfoil trailing edge and the profile-drag coefficient. The method of application of the theory to design and the satisfactory agreement between predicted and experimental results when applied to an airplane are demonstrated.

Silverstein, Abe↗

Theoretical span load distributions and rolling moments for sideslipping wings of arbitrary plan form in incompressible flow

A method of computing span loads and the resulting rolling moments for sideslipping wings of arbitrary plan form in incompressible flow is derived. The method requires that the span load at zero sideslip be known for the wing under consideration. Because this information is available for a variety of wings, this requirement should not seriously restrict the application of the present method. The basic method derived herein requires a mechanical differentiation and integration to obtain the rolling moment for the general wing in sideslip. For wings having straight leading and trailing edges over each semispan, the rolling moment due to sideslip is given by a simple equation in terms of plan-form parameters and the lateral center of pressure of the lift due to angle of attack. Calculated span loads and rolling-moment parameters are compared with experimental values. The comparison indicates good agreement between calculations and available experimental data.

Queijo, M J↗

An Experimental Study of the Flowfield on a Semispan Rectangular Wing with a Simulated Glaze Ice Accretion

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted in order to study the effect of a simulated glaze ice accretion on the flowfield of a semispan, reflection-plane, rectangular wing at Re = 1.5 million and M = 0.12. A laser Doppler velocimeter was used to map the flowfield on the upper surface of the model in both the clean and iced configurations at alpha = 0, 4, and 8 degrees angle of attack. At low angles of attack, the massive separation bubble aft of the leading edge ice horn was found to behave in a manner similar to laminar separation bubbles. At alpha = 0 and 4 degrees, the locations of transition and reattachment, as deduced from momentum thickness distributions, were found to be in good agreement with transition and reattachment locations in laminar separation bubbles. These values at y/b = 0.470, the centerline measurement location, matched well with data obtained on a similar but two dimensional model. The measured velocity profiles on the iced wing compared reasonably with the predicted profiles from Navier-Stokes computations. The iced-induced separation bubble was also found to have features similar to the recirculating region aft of rearward-facing steps. At alpha = 0 degrees and 4 degrees, reverse flow magnitudes and turbulence intensity levels were typical of those found in the recirculating region aft of rearward-facing steps. The calculated separation streamline aft of the ice horn at alpha = 4 degrees, y/b = 0.470 coincided with the locus of the maximum Reynolds normal stress. The maximum Reynolds normal stress peaked at two locations along the separation streamline. The location of the first peak-value coincided with the transition location, as deduced from the momentum thickness distributions. The location of the second peak was just upstream of reattachment, in good agreement with measurements of flows over similar obstacles. The intermittency factor in the vicinity of reattachment at alpha = 4 degrees, y/b = 0.470, revealed the time-dependent nature of the reattachment process. The size and extent of the separation bubble were found to be a function of angle of attack and the spanwise location. Three dimensional effects were found to be strongest at alpha = 8 degrees. The calculated separation and stagnation streamlines were found to vary little with spanwise location at alpha = 0 degrees. The calculated separation streamlines at alpha = 4 degrees revealed that the bubble was largest near the centerline measurement plane, whereas the tip-induced vortex flow and the model root-tunnel wall boundary-layer interaction reduced the size of the bubble. These effects were found to be most dramatic at alpha = 8 degrees.

Khodadoust, Abdollah↗

NASA/University JOint VEnture (JOVE) Program. VIXEN(tm): Object-Oriented, Technology-Adaptive, Virtual Information Exchange Environment

Vixen is a collection of enabling technologies for uninhibited distributed object computing. In the Spring of 1995 when Vixen was proposed, it was an innovative idea very much ahead of its time. But today the technologies proposed in Vixen have become standard technologies for Enterprise Computing. Sun Microsystems J2EE/EJB specifications, among others, are independently proposed technologies of the Vixen type. I have brought Vixen completely under the J2EE standard in order to maximize interoperability and compatibility with other computing industry efforts. Vixen and the Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) Server technologies are now practically identical; OIL, another Vixen technology, and the Java Messaging System (JMS) are practically identical; and so on. There is no longer anything novel or patentable in the Vixen work performed under this grant. The above discussion, notwithstanding, my independent development of Vixen has significantly helped me, my university, my students and the local community. The undergraduate students who worked with me in developing Vixen have enhanced their expertise in what has become the cutting edge technology of their industry and are therefore well positioned for lucrative employment opportunities in the industry. My academic department has gained a new course: "Multi-media System Development", which provides a highly desirable expertise to our students for employment in any enterprise today. The many Outreach Programs that I conducted during this grant period have exposed local Middle School students to the contributions that NASA is making in our society as well as awakened desires in many such students for careers in Science and Technology. I have applied Vixen to the development of two software packages: (a) JAS: Joshua Application Server - which allows a user to configure an EJB Server to serve a J2EE compliant application over the world wide web; (b) PCM: Professor Course Manager: a J2EE compliant application for configuring a course for distance learning. These types of applications are, however, generally available in the industry today.

Anyiwo, Joshua C.↗

Automatic Boundary-Layer Adaptation of Structured Grids in VULCAN-CFD

In supersonic and hypersonic flow computations, well-resolved boundary layers are essential for accurate quantification of surface heating and transition prediction, particularly via linear stability analysis. Grid design for hypersonic flows with shocks, boundary-layer separation, and/or complex mean flow features incorporating spanwise/azimuthal inhomogeneities is a difficult issue. In comparison to a manual grid adaptation procedure, an autonomous grid adaptation technique offers significant improvements in computing time and solution quality. The VULCAN-CFD solver already includes a validated procedure for automatic adaption of structured grids to the bow shock. The present focus is on implementing an automatic boundary-layer adaptation capability in VULCAN-CFD that adapts structured, multiblock grids to both the bow shock and the boundary layer at the same time. The boundary-layer adaptation algorithm allows the user to specify the number of cells within the boundary layer, along with the input parameters used for detecting the edge of the boundary layer, namely, the variable used in the edge detection criterion,the edge detection method, the detection direction, and the relaxation factor used during the morphing of the grid. The algorithm automatically distributes grid points along the wall-normal direction to achieve a smooth variation in grid spacing from the edge of the boundary layer to a"junction" location within the outer part of the grid. Illustrative results are presented for three different high-speed configurations: the two-dimensional flow over a cylinder at Mach 17.6 and unit Reynolds number of Re=0.38x10^6 m^-1, the axisymmetric flow over a cone-cylinder-flare model at Mach 6.0 and Re = 10.5×10^6 m^-1, and the three-dimensional flow over a blunt, 7-degree half-angle cone at 5-degree angle of attack in a Mach 9.79 flow with Re = 17.1×10^6 m^-1. The automated boundary-layer adaptation is shown to provide an adequate grid topology that is aligned with the bow shock in the outer part of the grid and also resolves the viscous boundary-layer region close to the surface.

boundary layer transition↗

Aeroacoustic Computations of a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft: Part 2 – Acoustic Signature and Noise Source Identification

High-fidelity, time-dependent simulations of a Boeing-designed, transonic, truss-braced-wing aircraft in cruise (clean) and landing configurations are leveraged to generate synthetic microphone-phased-array data for airframe noise prediction and assessment. These data sets are used to compute source localization (beamform) maps to determine the location and strength of primary and secondary airframe noise sources associated with this unique configuration. The synthetic phased-array implementation mimics the setup of a flight test. As this study is ongoing, preliminary integrated far-field spectra for the cruise configuration obtained at multiple spatial resolutions revealed significant tonal content that lacked convergence with increased resolution. The origin of several of these tones and their unusual convergence behavior was traced to the larger-than-normal trailing-edge thickness of the “as-tested” cruise model being simulated. Reducing the trailing-edge thickness to more realistic values eliminated most of the tones at low to moderate frequencies and improved spectrum convergence significantly. Applying lessons learned from the cruise simulations, several modifications to the geometry of the landing configuration were made and are described in this work. Results from permeable and solid Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings surfaces at two different spatial resolutions (coarse and medium) are used to illustrate the major noise sources and determine convergence of the CLEAN integrated noise levels for the entire aircraft as well as major subcomponents. We demonstrate that the low-frequency content of the far-field spectrum is dominated by noise generated from the main landing gear, while the medium- and high-frequency content is dominated by the wing-leading-edge Krueger flaps. Since analysis of the acoustic maps for the landing configuration revealed several clusters of multiple sources along the wing leading edge, “high resolution” processing of the array data was used to distinguish more accurately the locations of sources.

Transonic Truss-Braced Wing↗

Modeling and Prediction of the Noise from Non-Axisymmetric Jets

The new source model was combined with the original sound propagation model developed for rectangular jets to produce a new version of the rectangular jet noise prediction code. This code was validated using a set of rectangular nozzles whose geometries were specified by NASA. Nozzles of aspect ratios two, four and eight were studied at jet exit Mach numbers of 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9, for a total of nine cases. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solutions for these jets were provided to the contactor for use as input to the code. Quantitative comparisons of the predicted azimuthal and polar directivity of the acoustic spectrum were made with experimental data provided by NASA. The results of these comparisons, along with a documentation of the propagation and source models, were reported in a journal article publication (Ref. 4). The complete set of computer codes and computational modules that make up the prediction scheme, along with a user's guide describing their use and example test cases, was provided to NASA as a deliverable of this task. The use of conformal mapping, along with simplified modeling of the mean flow field, for noise propagation modeling was explored for other nozzle geometries, to support the task milestone of developing methods which are applicable to other geometries and flow conditions of interest to NASA. A model to represent twin round jets using this approach was formulated and implemented. A general approach to solving the equations governing sound propagation in a locally parallel nonaxisymmetric jet was developed and implemented, in aid of the tasks and milestones charged with selecting more exact numerical methods for modeling sound propagation, and developing methods that have application to other nozzle geometries. The method is based on expansion of both the mean-flowdependent coefficients in the governing equation and the Green's function in series of orthogonal functions. The method was coded and tested on two analytically prescribed mean flows which were meant to represent noise reduction concepts being considered by NASA. Testing (Ref. 5) showed that the method was feasible for the types of mean flows of interest in jet noise applications. Subsequently, this method was further developed to allow use of mean flow profiles obtained from a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solution of the flow. Preliminary testing of the generalized code was among the last tasks completed under this contract. The stringent noise-reduction goals of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program suggest that, in addition to potentially complex exhaust nozzle geometries, next generation aircraft will also involve tighter integration of the engine with the airframe. Therefore, noise generated and propagated by jet flows in the vicinity of solid surfaces is expected to be quite significant, and reduced-order noise prediction tools will be needed that can deal with such geometries. One important source of noise is that generated by the interaction of a turbulent jet with the edge of a solid surface (edge noise). Such noise is generated, for example, by the passing of the engine exhaust over a shielding surface, such as a wing. Work under this task supported an effort to develop a RANS-based prediction code for edge noise based on an extension of the classical Rapid Distortion Theory (RDT) to transversely sheared base flows (Refs. 6 and 7). The RDT-based theoretical analysis was applied to the generic problem of a turbulent jet interacting with the trailing edge of a flat plate. A code was written to evaluate the formula derived for the spectrum of the noise produced by this interaction and results were compared with data taken at NASA Glenn for a variety of jet/plate configurations and flow conditions (Ref. 8). A longer-term goal of this task was to work toward the development of a high-fidelity model of sound propagation in spatially developing non-axisymmetric jets using direct numerical methods for solving the relevant equations. Working with NASA Glenn Acoustics Branch personnel, numerical methods and boundary conditions appropriate for use in a high-resolution calculation of the full equations governing sound propagation in a steady base flow were identified. Computer codes were then written (by NASA) and tested (by OAI) for an increasingly complex set of flow conditions to validate the methods. The NASA-supplied codes were ported to the High-End Computing resources of the NASA Advanced Supercomputing facility for testing and validation against analytical (where possible) and independent numerical solutions. The cases which were completed during the course of this contract were solutions of the two-dimensional linearized Euler equations with no mean flow, a uniform mean flow and a nonuniform mean flow representative of a parallel flow jet.

Leib, Stewart J.↗

Unsteady blade-surface pressures on a large-scale advanced propeller: Prediction and data

An unsteady 3-D Euler analysis technique is employed to compute the flow field of an advanced propeller operating at an angle of attack. The predicted blade pressure waveforms are compared with wind tunnel data at two Mach numbers, 0.5 and 0.2. The inflow angle is three degrees. For an inflow Mach number of 0.5, the predicted pressure response is in fair agreement with data: the predicted phases of the waveforms are in close agreement with data while the magnitudes are underpredicted. At the low Mach number of 0.2 (takeoff), the numerical solution shows the formation of a leading edge vortex which is in qualitative agreement with measurements. However, the highly nonlinear pressure response measured on the blade suction surface is not captured in the present inviscid analysis.

Nallasamy, M.↗

Turbulence Modeling for Unsteady Transonic Flows

Conditionally sampled, ensemble-averaged velocity measurements, made with a laser velocimeter, were taken in the flowfield over the rear half of an 18% thick circular arc airfoil at zero incidence tested at M = 0.76 and at a Reynolds number based on chord of 11 x 10(exp 6). Data for one cycle of periodic unsteady flow having a reduced frequency f of 0.49 are analyzed. A series of compression waves, which develop in the early stages of the cycle, strengthen and coalesce into a strong shock wave that moves toward the airfoil leading edge. A thick shear layer forms downstream of the shock wave. The kinetic energy and shear stresses increase dramatically, reach a maximum when dissipation and diffusion of the turbulence exceed production, and then decrease substantially. The response lime of the turbulence to the changes brought about by the shock-wave passage upstream depends on the shock-wave strength and position in the boundary layer. The cycle completes itself when the shock wave passes the midchord, weakens, and the shear layer collapses. Remarkably good comparisons are found with computations that employ the time-dependent Reynolds averaged form of the Navier-Stokes equations using an algebraic eddy viscosity model, developed for steady flows.

Marvin, J. G.↗

Turbulence Modeling for Unsteady Transonic Flows

Conditionally sampled, ensemble-averaged velocity measurements, made with a laser velocimeter, were taken in the flowfield over the rear half of an 18% thick circular arc airfoil at zero incidence tested at M = 0.76 and of a Reynolds number based on chord of 11 x 10(exp 6). Data for one cycle of periodic unsteady flow having a reduced frequency bar-f of 0.49 are analyzed. A series of compression waves, which develop in the early stages of the cycle, strengthen and coalesce into a strong shock wave that moves toward the airfoil leading edge. A thick shear layer forms downstream of the shock wave. The kinetic energy and shear stresses increase dramatically, reach a maximum when dissipation and diffusion of the turbulence exceed production, and then decrease substantially. The response time of the turbulence to the changes brought about by the shock-wave passage upstream depends on the shock-wave strength and position in the boundary layer. The cycle completes itself when the shock wave passes the midchord, weakens, and the shear layer collapses. Remarkably good comparisons are found with computations that employ the time-dependent Reynolds averaged form of the Navier-Stokes equations using an algebraic eddy viscosity model, developed for steady flows.

Marvin, J. G.↗