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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

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NASA NTRS2011

Inlet Flow Control and Prediction Technologies for Embedded Propulsion Systems

Fail-safe, hybrid, flow control (HFC) is a promising technology for meeting high-speed cruise efficiency, low-noise signature, and reduced fuel-burn goals for future, Hybrid-Wing-Body (HWB) aircraft with embedded engines. This report details the development of HFC technology that enables improved inlet performance in HWB vehicles with highly integrated inlets and embedded engines without adversely affecting vehicle performance. In addition, new test techniques for evaluating Boundary-Layer-Ingesting (BLI)-inlet flow-control technologies developed and demonstrated through this program are documented, including the ability to generate a BLI-like inlet-entrance flow in a direct-connect, wind-tunnel facility, as well as, the use of D-optimal, statistically designed experiments to optimize test efficiency and enable interpretation of results. Validated improvements in numerical analysis tools and methods accomplished through this program are also documented, including Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes CFD simulations of steady-state flow physics for baseline, BLI-inlet diffuser flow, as well as, that created by flow-control devices. Finally, numerical methods were employed in a ground-breaking attempt to directly simulate dynamic distortion. The advances in inlet technologies and prediction tools will help to meet and exceed "N+2" project goals for future HWB aircraft.

McMillan, Michelle L.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Numerical Study of Buoyancy and Different Diffusion Effects on the Structure and Dynamics of Triple Flames

Numerical simulations of 2-D triple flames under gravity force have been implemented to identify the effects of gravity on triple flame structure and propagation properties and to understand the mechanisms of instabilities resulting from both heat release and buoyancy effects. A wide range of gravity conditions, heat release, and mixing widths for a scalar mixing layer are computed for downward-propagating (in the same direction with the gravity vector) and upward-propagating (in the opposite direction of the gravity vector) triple flames. Results of numerical simulations show that gravity strongly affects the triple flame speed through its contribution to the overall flow field. A simple analytical model for the triple flame speed, which accounts for both buoyancy and heat release, is developed. Comparisons of the proposed model with the numerical results for a wide range of gravity, heat release and mixing width conditions, yield very good agreement. The analysis shows that under neutral diffusion, downward propagation reduces the triple flame speed, while upward propagation enhances it. For the former condition, a critical Froude number may be evaluated, which corresponds to a vanishing triple flame speed. Downward-propagating triple flames at relatively strong gravity effects have exhibited instabilities. These instabilities are generated without any artificial forcing of the flow. Instead disturbances are initiated by minute round-off errors in the numerical simulations, and subsequently amplified by instabilities. A linear stability analysis on mean profiles of stable triple flame configurations have been performed to identify the most amplified frequency in spatially developed flows. The eigenfunction equations obtained from the linearized disturbance equations are solved using the shooting method. The linear stability analysis yields reasonably good agreements with the observed frequencies of the unstable triple flames. The frequencies and amplitudes of disturbances increase with the magnitude of the gravity vector. Moreover, disturbances appear to be most amplified just downstream of the premixed branches. The effects of mixing width and differential diffusion are investigated and their roles on the flame stability are studied.

Chen, Jyh-Yuan↗

DOE OSTI2023

Distributed Energy Management for Networked Microgrids with Hardware-in-the-Loop Validation

For the cooperative operation of networked microgrids, a distributed energy management considering network operational objectives and constraints is proposed in this work. Considering various ownership and privacy requirements of microgrids, utility directly interfaced distributed energy resources (DERs) and demand response, a distributed optimization is proposed for obtaining optimal network operational objectives with constraints satisfied through iteratively updated price signals. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm is utilized to solve the formulated distributed optimization. The proposed distributed energy management provides microgrids, utility-directly interfaced DERs and responsive demands the opportunity of contributing to better network operational objectives while preserving their privacy and autonomy. Results of numerical simulation using a networked microgrids system consisting of several microgrids, utility directly interfaced DERs and responsive demands validate the soundness and accuracy of the proposed distributed energy management. The proposed method is further tested on a practical two-microgrid system located in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, and the applicability of the proposed strategy is validated through hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1989

Perception of numerical methods in rarefied gasdynamics

The relationships between various numerical methods applied to problems in rarefied gasdynamics are discussed, with emphasis on conflicting viewpoints and computational requirements associated with physical simulation versus the numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation. The basic differences between the molecular dynamics and direct simulation methods are shown to affect their applicability to dense and rarefied flows. Methods for the probabilistic selection of representative collision in the direct simulation Monte Carlo method are reviewed. A method combining the most desirable features of the earlier methods is presented.

Bird, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Isolating Added Mass Load Components of CPAS Main Clusters

The current simulation for the Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) lacks fidelity in representing added mass for the 116 ft Do ringsail Main parachute. The availability of 3-D models of inflating Main canopies allowed for better estimation the enclosed air volume as a function of time. This was combined with trajectory state information to estimate the components making up measured axial loads. A proof-of-concept for an alternate simulation algorithm was developed based on enclosed volume as the primary independent variable rather than drag area growth. Databases of volume growth and parachute drag area vs. volume were developed for several flight tests. Other state information was read directly from test data, rather than numerically propagated. The resulting simulated peak loads were close in timing and magnitude to the measured loads data. However, results are very sensitive to data curve fitting and may not be suitable for Monte Carlo simulations. It was assumed that apparent mass was either negligible or a small fraction of enclosed mass, with little difference in results.

Ray, Eric S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulation of Vacuum Chamber Pressure Distribution with Surrogate Modeling and Uncertainty Quantification

A major challenge in understanding differences in electric propulsion performance in ground tests and in space operations concerns the pressure distribution within the test vacuum chamber. The chamber backpressure is much higher than experienced in space, modifying thruster performance and plume dynamics. Numerical simulation is a key element to determining the background conditions in non-ideal vacuum chamber environments. An important parameter for the accurate simulation of chamber backpressure is the probability that an atom will stick to a cryogenic panel used to pump away the plume gases. This quantity can be used to model vacuum pumps in particle-based kinetic numerical methods. In this work, a three-dimensional direct simulation Monte Carlo code is used to model neutral xenon atoms flowing from the anode of the H9 Hall Effect Thruster within the University of Michigan’s Large Vacuum Test Facility. Simulated pressures are compared with ion gauge pressure measurements to infer the effective sticking coefficient of the chamber’s vacuum pumps. A pressure predicting surrogate model is developed for inference of pump sticking coefficients and for uncertainty quantification. This information enables accurate and useful kinetic simulations of electric propulsion thruster plasma plumes in vacuum chambers.

DSMC↗

DOE OSTI2026

Relaxing Direct Ptychography Sampling Requirements via Parallax Imaging Insights

Direct ptychography enables the retrieval of information encoded in the phase of an electron wave passing through a thin sample by deconvolving the interference effects of a converged probe with known aberrations. Under the weak phase object approximation, this permits the optimal transfer of information using noniterative techniques. However, the achievable resolution of the technique is traditionally limited by the probe step size—setting stringent Nyquist sampling requirements. At the same time, parallax imaging has emerged as a dose-efficient phase technique which relaxes sampling requirements and enables scan-upsampling. Here, we formulate parallax imaging as a quadratic approximation to part of the direct ptychography kernel and use this insight to enable upsampling in direct ptychography. We validate our analytical results numerically using simulated and experimental reconstructions.

direct ptychography, parallax imaging, scan Nyquis↗

NASA NTRS1978

Large eddy simulation of incompressible turbulent channel flow

The three-dimensional, time-dependent primitive equations of motion were numerically integrated for the case of turbulent channel flow. A partially implicit numerical method was developed. An important feature of this scheme is that the equation of continuity is solved directly. The residual field motions were simulated through an eddy viscosity model, while the large-scale field was obtained directly from the solution of the governing equations. An important portion of the initial velocity field was obtained from the solution of the linearized Navier-Stokes equations. The pseudospectral method was used for numerical differentiation in the horizontal directions, and second-order finite-difference schemes were used in the direction normal to the walls. The large eddy simulation technique is capable of reproducing some of the important features of wall-bounded turbulent flows. The resolvable portions of the root-mean square wall pressure fluctuations, pressure velocity-gradient correlations, and velocity pressure-gradient correlations are documented.

Moin, P.↗

DOE OSTI2013

Couette flow regimes with heat transfer in rarefied gas

Based on numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation by direct statistic simulation, the Couette flow with heat transfer is studied in a broad range of ratios of plate temperatures and Mach numbers of a moving plate. Flow regime classification by the form of the dependences of the energy flux and friction stress on the Knudsen number Kn is proposed. These dependences can be simultaneously monotonic and nonmonotonic and have maxima. Situations are possible in which the dependence of the energy flux transferred to a plate on Kn has a minimum, while the dependence of the friction stress is monotonic or even has a maximum. Also, regimes exist in which the dependence of the energy flux on Kn has a maximum, while the dependence of the friction stress is monotonic, and vice versa.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

Charge Transport and Space-Charge Formation in Cd 1 - x Zn x Te 1 - y Se y Radiation Detectors

The electron- and hole-transport properties in cadmium zinc telluride selenide (CZTS) crystals are studied using a laser-induced transient-current technique with pulsed and dc bias. The internal electric field profile and velocity of surface recombination are determined by Monte Carlo simulations of electron and hole transient currents combined with a numerical solution of the drift-diffusion equation coupled with Poisson’s equation. Electron and hole drift mobilities of μe = 830 cm 2 /Vs and μh = 40 cm 2 /Vs, respectively, are determined. We also develop a simple technique for evaluating surface recombination directly from measured current waveforms without the need for numerical simulation. The good quality of the prepared detector at pulsed bias, with electron- and hole-mobility-lifetime products of (μτ)e = 1.9 × 10 -3 cm 2 /V and (μτ)h = 1.4 × 10 -4 cm 2 /V, respectively, are observed. The formation of a positive space charge, originating from hole injection combined with a recombination level, is found. We observe a significant position dependence of the lifetime of electrons and holes in dc bias due to hole injection. The experiment is successfully fitted by a simple model dominated by a single deep recombination level with an energy of E t =E C -0.73eV; concentration of 7.3 × 10 11 cm -3 ; and electron- and hole-capture cross sections of 3.5 × 10 -14 cm 2 and 6.5 × 10 -14 cm 2 , respectively.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2015

Numerical Uncertainty Estimation for Stochastic Particle-in-Cell Simulations Applied to Verification and Validation.

Systematic veri cation and validation (V&V) is necessary to establish the credibility for high consequence simulations. In this paper, we focus on a radiation-induced plasma experimental validation exercise for simulations which uses both numerical error estimation and input parameter uncertainty quanti cation to provide a direct comparison between Particle-In-Cell (PIC) plasma simulations and experiments. This approach demonstrates how careful validation can uncover missing physics in the simulation. Three di erent validation examples are shown; a vacuum space charge limited cavity, a gas lled space charge limited cavity, and a vacuum non space charge limited cavity. Two of the example are picked to show the importance of error estimation in uncovering inaccuracy/incomplete simulation models. We also report on a newly-developed numerical error estimation approach, StREEQ, which is a notable improvement to past approaches. In the StREEQ approach, a multi- tting scheme based on L 1 , L 2 , and L$\infty$ error norms and alternate weightings is used to propagate uncertainties in the relative importance of outliers and coarse/re ned discretization levels. Bootstrap sampling is used to represent the stochasticity in the response data. The resulting method appears to robustly and conservatively predict the fully-converged response within estimated numerical error bounds for stochastic simulations. The StREEQ approach is demonstrated on two related prototype electron diode problems, and preliminary results are reported for a radiation-induced plasma simulation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Error quantification and comparison of binary neutron star gravitational waveforms from numerical relativity codes

Future gravitational wave detections of merging binary neutron star systems have the possibility to tightly constrain the equation of state of dense nuclear matter. In order to extract such constraints, gravitational waveform models need to be calibrated to accurate numerical relativity simulations of the late inspiral and merger. In this work, we take an essential step toward classifying the error and potential systematics in current generation numerical relativity simulations of merging binary neutron stars. To this end, we perform a direct comparison of two codes (fil, spec), which differ in many aspects, including the numerical methods and discretizations used and equations solved. We find that despite these different approaches, the codes are—within current numerical resolution bounds—fully consistent, and broadly comparable in cost for a given accuracy level. Our results indicate that the error in the waveforms is primarily dominated by the hydrodynamic evolution, consistent with earlier findings in the literature. Finally, we also discuss current limitations and cost estimates for numerical relativity simulations to reach the accuracies required in the era of next-generation gravitational detectors.

gravitational waves↗

NASA NTRS1999

Large-Eddy Simulation of Aeroacoustic Applications

This report summarizes work accomplished under a one-year NASA grant from NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The effort culminates three years of NASA-supported research under three consecutive one-year grants. The period of support was April 6, 1998, through April 5, 1999. By request, the grant period was extended at no-cost until October 6, 1999. Its predecessors have been directed toward adapting the numerical tool of large-eddy simulation (LES) to aeroacoustic applications, with particular focus on noise suppression in subsonic round jets. In LES, the filtered Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically on a relatively coarse computational grid. Residual stresses, generated by scales of motion too small to be resolved on the coarse grid, are modeled. Although most LES incorporate spatial filtering, time-domain filtering affords certain conceptual and computational advantages, particularly for aeroacoustic applications. Consequently, this work has focused on the development of subgrid-scale (SGS) models that incorporate time-domain filters.

Pruett, C. David↗

NASA NTRS2015

Evaluation of the Anisotropic Radiative Conductivity of a Low-Density Carbon Fiber Material from Realistic Microscale Imaging

The radiative heat transfer inside a low-density carbon fiber insulator is analyzed using a three-dimensional direct simulation model. A robust procedure is presented for the numerical calculation of the geometric configuration factor to compute the radiative energy exchange processes among the small discretized surface areas of the fibrous material. The methodology is applied to a polygonal mesh of a fibrous insulator obtained from three-dimensional microscale imaging of the real material. The anisotropic values of the radiative conductivity are calculated for that geometry. The results yield both directional and thermal dependence of the radiative conductivity.

Evaluation↗

DOE OSTI2015

Spherical nanoindentation stress–strain curves

Although indentation experiments have long been used to measure the hardness and Young's modulus, the utility of this technique in analyzing the complete elastic–plastic response of materials under contact loading has only been realized in the past few years – mostly due to recent advances in testing equipment and analysis protocols. This paper provides a timely review of the recent progress made in this respect in extracting meaningful indentation stress–strain curves from the raw datasets measured in instrumented spherical nanoindentation experiments. These indentation stress–strain curves have produced highly reliable estimates of the indentation modulus and the indentation yield strength in the sample, as well as certain aspects of their post-yield behavior, and have been critically validated through numerical simulations using finite element models as well as direct in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements on micro-pillars. Much of this recent progress was made possible through the introduction of a new measure of indentation strain and the development of new protocols to locate the effective zero-point of initial contact between the indenter and the sample in the measured datasets. As a result, this has led to an important key advance in this field where it is now possible to reliably identify and analyze the initial loading segment in the indentation experiments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2019

Experimental and numerical comparisons of a dual-flap floating oscillating surge wave energy converter in regular waves

The floating oscillating surge wave energy converter (FOSWEC) is a wave energy converter that was designed, built, and tested to develop an open-access data set for the purpose of numerical model validation. Here, this paper details the experimental testing of the 1:33-scale FOSWEC in a directional wave basin, and compares experimental data to numerical simulations using the wave energy converter simulator (WEC-Sim) open-source code. The FOSWEC consists of a floating platform moving in heave, pitch, and surge, and two pitching flaps. Power is extracted through relative motion between each of the flaps and the platform. The device was designed to constrain different degrees of freedom so that it could be configured into a variety of operating conditions with varying dynamics. The FOSWEC was tested in a range of different conditions including: static offset, free decay, forced oscillation, wave excitation, and dynamic response to regular waves. In this paper, results from the range of experimental tests are presented and compared to numerical simulations using the WEC-Sim code.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2016

Resolution of the vibrational energy distribution function using a direct simulation Monte Carlo-master equation approach

The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is the primary numerical technique for analysis of rarefied gas flows. While recent progress in computational chemistry is beginning to provide vibrationally resolved transition and reaction cross sections that can be employed in DSMC calculations, the particle nature of the standard DSMC method makes it difficult to use this information in a statistically significant way. The current study introduces a new technique that makes it possible to resolve all of the vibrational energy levels by using a master equation approach along with temperature-dependent transition rates. The new method is compared to the standard DSMC technique for several heat bath and shock wave conditions and demonstrates the ability to resolve the full vibrational manifold at the expected overall rates of relaxation. The ability of the new master equation approach to the DSMC method for resolving, in particular, the high-energy states addresses a well-known, longstanding deficiency of the standard DSMC method.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2020

Amesh v1.0

Amesh generates discretized grids for numerical modeling of flow and transport problems in which the formulation is based on the integral finite difference method (IFDM). For example, the output of Amesh can be used directly as input to the TOUGH2 or TOUGH3 numerical simulators. Amesh can generate 1D, 2D, or 3D numerical grids for a given set of locations, i.e., the centers of each discrete sub-domain. In the 2D areal plane Voronoi tessellation is used.

Fuller, Peter↗