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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

Unsteady two- and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes simulations of multistage turbomachinery flows

The flow-field within an axial flow turbomachine, such as a turbine or compressor, is extremely complex because of three-dimensional features such as hub-corner stall, tip-leakage flows, and airfoil wakes. These flow features interact with each other and with rotor and stator airfoils inducing time-varying forces on the airfoils. These complicated rotor-stator interactions must be understood in order to design turbomachines that are light and compact as well as reliable and efficient. Two codes, STAGE-2 and STAGE-3, have been developed to compute these unsteady rotor-stator interaction flows in multistage turbomachines. An implicit, thin-layer Euler/Navier-Stokes zonal algorithm is used to compute the unsteady flow-field within both turbine and compressor configurations. Results include surface pressures and wake profiles for two-dimensional turbine and compressor configurations and surface pressures for a three-dimensional single-stage turbine configuration. The results compare well with experimental data and other unsteady computations.

Gundy-Burlet, K. L.↗

Aircraft noise prediction program theoretical manual: Rotorcraft System Noise Prediction System (ROTONET), part 4

This document describes the theoretical methods used in the rotorcraft noise prediction system (ROTONET), which is a part of the NASA Aircraft Noise Prediction Program (ANOPP). The ANOPP code consists of an executive, database manager, and prediction modules for jet engine, propeller, and rotor noise. The ROTONET subsystem contains modules for the prediction of rotor airloads and performance with momentum theory and prescribed wake aerodynamics, rotor tone noise with compact chordwise and full-surface solutions to the Ffowcs-Williams-Hawkings equations, semiempirical airfoil broadband noise, and turbulence ingestion broadband noise. Flight dynamics, atmosphere propagation, and noise metric calculations are covered in NASA TM-83199, Parts 1, 2, and 3.

Weir, Donald S.↗

Trajectory-based heating analysis for the European Space Agency/Rosetta Earth Return Vehicle

A coupled, trajectory-based flowfield and material thermal-response analysis is presented for the European Space Agency proposed Rosetta comet nucleus sample return vehicle. The probe returns to earth along a hyperbolic trajectory with an entry velocity of 16.5 km/s and requires an ablative heat shield on the forebody. Combined radiative and convective ablating flowfield analyses were performed for the significant heating portion of the shallow ballistic entry trajectory. Both quasisteady ablation and fully transient analyses were performed for a heat shield composed of carbon-phenolic ablative material. Quasisteady analysis was performed using the two-dimensional axisymmetric codes RASLE and BLIMPK. Transient computational results were obtained from the one-dimensional ablation/conduction code CMA. Results are presented for heating, temperature, and ablation rate distributions over the probe forebody for various trajectory points. Comparison of transient and quasisteady results indicates that, for the heating pulse encountered by this probe, the quasisteady approach is conservative from the standpoint of predicted surface recession.

RADIATIVE ABLATING FLOWFIELD A↗

GPS Multipath Fade Measurements to Determine L-Band Ground Reflectivity Properties

In personal satellite communications, especially when the line-of-sight is clear, ground specular reflected signals along with direct signals are received by low gain, almost omni-directional subscriber antennas. A six-channel, C/A code processing, global positioning system (GPS) receiver with an almost omni-directional patch antenna was used to take measurements over three types of ground to characterize 1.575 GHz specular ground reflections and ground dielectric properties. Fade measurements were taken over grass, asphalt, and lake water surfaces by placing the antenna in a vertical position at a fixed height from the ground. Electrical characteristics (conductivity and dielectric constant) of these surfaces (grass, asphalt, lake water) were obtained by matching computer simulations to the experimental results.

Kavak, Adnan↗

Computational Modeling For The Transitional Flow Over A Multi-Element Airfoil

The transitional flow over a multi-element airfoil in a landing configuration are computed using a two equation transition model. The transition model is predictive in the sense that the transition onset is a result of the calculation and no prior knowledge of the transition location is required. The computations were performed using the INS2D) Navier-Stokes code. Overset grids are used for the three-element airfoil. The airfoil operating conditions are varied for a range of angle of attack and for two different Reynolds numbers of 5 million and 9 million. The computed results are compared with experimental data for the surface pressure, skin friction, transition onset location, and velocity magnitude. In general, the comparison shows a good agreement with the experimental data.

Liou, William W.↗

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↗

Using a Magnetic Flux Transport Model to Predict the Solar Cycle

We present the results of an investigation into the use of a magnetic flux transport model to predict the amplitude of future solar cycles. Recently Dikpati, de Toma, & Gilman (2006) showed how their dynamo model could be used to accurately predict the amplitudes of the last eight solar cycles and offered a prediction for the next solar cycle - a large amplitude cycle. Cameron & Schussler (2007) found that they could reproduce this predictive skill with a simple 1-dimensional surface flux transport model - provided they used the same parameters and data as Dikpati, de Toma, & Gilman. However, when they tried incorporating the data in what they argued was a more realistic manner, they found that the predictive skill dropped dramatically. We have written our own code for examining this problem and have incorporated updated and corrected data for the source terms - the emergence of magnetic flux in active regions. We present both the model itself and our results from it - in particular our tests of its effectiveness at predicting solar cycles.

Lyatskaya, S.↗

Validation of High-Speed Turbulent Boundary Layer and Shock-Boundary Layer Interaction Computations with the OVERFLOW Code

The capability of the OVERFLOW code to accurately compute high-speed turbulent boundary layers and turbulent shock-boundary layer interactions is being evaluated. Configurations being investigated include a Mach 2.87 flat plate to compare experimental velocity profiles and boundary layer growth, a Mach 6 flat plate to compare experimental surface heat transfer,a direct numerical simulation (DNS) at Mach 2.25 for turbulent quantities, and several Mach 3 compression ramps to compare computations of shock-boundary layer interactions to experimental laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) data and hot-wire data. The present paper describes outlines the study and presents preliminary results for two of the flat plate cases and two small-angle compression corner test cases.

Oliver, A. B.↗

Coupled Fluids-Radiation Analysis of a High-Mass Mars Entry Vehicle

The NEQAIR line-by-line radiation code has been incorporated into the DPLR Navier-Stokes flow solver such that the NEQAIR subroutines are now callable functions of DPLR. The coupled DPLR-NEQAIR code was applied to compute the convective and radiative heating rates over high-mass Mars entry vehicles. Two vehicle geometries were considered - a 15 m diameter 70-degree sphere cone configuration and a slender, mid-L/D vehicle with a diameter of 5 m called an Ellipsled. The entry masses ranged from 100 to 165 metric tons. Solutions were generated for entry velocities ranging from 6.5 to 9.1 km/s. The coupled fluids-radiation solutions were performed at the peak heating location along trajectories generated by the Traj trajectory analysis code. The impact of fluids-radiation coupling is a function of the level of radiative heating and the freestream density and velocity. For the high-mass Mars vehicles examined in this study, coupling effects were greatest for entry velocities above 8.5 km/s where the surface radiative heating was reduced by up 17%. Generally speaking, the Ellipsled geometry experiences a lower peak radiative heating rate but a higher peak turbulent convective heating rate than the MSL-based vehicle.

Palmer, Grant↗

The Impact of Back-Sputtered Carbon on the Accelerator Grid Wear Rates of the NEXT and NSTAR Ion Thrusters

A study was conducted to quantify the impact of back-sputtered carbon on the downstream accelerator grid erosion rates of the NEXT (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster) Long Duration Test (LDT1). A similar analysis that was conducted for the NSTAR (NASA's Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Applications Readiness Program) Life Demonstration Test (LDT2) was used as a foundation for the analysis developed herein. A new carbon surface coverage model was developed that accounted for multiple carbon adlayers before complete surface coverage is achieved. The resulting model requires knowledge of more model inputs, so they were conservatively estimated using the results of past thin film sputtering studies and particle reflection predictions. In addition, accelerator current densities across the grid were rigorously determined using an ion optics code to determine accelerator current distributions and an algorithm to determine beam current densities along a grid using downstream measurements. The improved analysis was applied to the NSTAR test results for evaluation. The improved analysis demonstrated that the impact of back-sputtered carbon on pit and groove wear rate for the NSTAR LDT2 was negligible throughout most of eroded grid radius. The improved analysis also predicted the accelerator current density for transition from net erosion to net deposition considerably more accurately than the original analysis. The improved analysis was used to estimate the impact of back-sputtered carbon on the accelerator grid pit and groove wear rate of the NEXT Long Duration Test (LDT1). Unlike the NSTAR analysis, the NEXT analysis was more challenging because the thruster was operated for extended durations at various operating conditions and was unavailable for measurements because the test is ongoing. As a result, the NEXT LDT1 estimates presented herein are considered preliminary until the results of future posttest analyses are incorporated. The worst-case impact of carbon back-sputtering was determined to be the full power operating condition, but the maximum impact of back-sputtered carbon was only a four percent reduction in wear rate. As a result, back-sputtered carbon is estimated to have an insignificant impact on the first failure mode of the NEXT LDT at all operating conditions.

Soulas, George C.↗

The Impact of Back-Sputtered Carbon on the Accelerator Grid Wear Rates of the NEXT and NSTAR Ion Thrusters

A study was conducted to quantify the impact of back-sputtered carbon on the downstream accelerator grid erosion rates of the NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) Long Duration Test (LDT1). A similar analysis that was conducted for the NASA's Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Applications Readiness Program (NSTAR) Life Demonstration Test (LDT2) was used as a foundation for the analysis developed herein. A new carbon surface coverage model was developed that accounted for multiple carbon adlayers before complete surface coverage is achieved. The resulting model requires knowledge of more model inputs, so they were conservatively estimated using the results of past thin film sputtering studies and particle reflection predictions. In addition, accelerator current densities across the grid were rigorously determined using an ion optics code to determine accelerator current distributions and an algorithm to determine beam current densities along a grid using downstream measurements. The improved analysis was applied to the NSTAR test results for evaluation. The improved analysis demonstrated that the impact of back-sputtered carbon on pit and groove wear rate for the NSTAR LDT2 was negligible throughout most of eroded grid radius. The improved analysis also predicted the accelerator current density for transition from net erosion to net deposition considerably more accurately than the original analysis. The improved analysis was used to estimate the impact of back-sputtered carbon on the accelerator grid pit and groove wear rate of the NEXT Long Duration Test (LDT1). Unlike the NSTAR analysis, the NEXT analysis was more challenging because the thruster was operated for extended durations at various operating conditions and was unavailable for measurements because the test is ongoing. As a result, the NEXT LDT1 estimates presented herein are considered preliminary until the results of future post-test analyses are incorporated. The worst-case impact of carbon back-sputtering was determined to be the full power operating condition, but the maximum impact of back-sputtered carbon was only a 4 percent reduction in wear rate. As a result, back-sputtered carbon is estimated to have an insignificant impact on the first failure mode of the NEXT LDT1 at all operating conditions.

Soulas, George C.↗

Panchromatic Imaging of a Transitional Disk: The Disk of GM AUR in Optical and FUV Scattered Light

We have imaged GM Aurigae with the Hubble Space Telescope, detected its disk in scattered light at 1400 and 1650 A, and compared these with observations at 3300 A, 5550 A, 1.1 micron, and 1.6 micron. The scattered light increases at shorter wavelengths. The radial surface brightness profile at 3300 A shows no evidence of the 24 au radius cavity that has been previously observed in submillimeter observations. Comparison with dust grain opacity models indicates that the surface of the entire disk is populated with submicron grains. We have compiled a spectral energy distribution from 0.1 micron to 1 mm and used it to constrain a model of the star + disk system that includes the submillimeter cavity using the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code by Barbara Whitney. The best-fit model image indicates that the cavity should be detectable in the F330W bandpass if the cavity has been cleared of both large and small dust grains, but we do not detect it. The lack of an observed cavity can be explained by the presence of submicron grains interior to the submillimeter cavity wall. We suggest one explanation for this that could be due to a planet of mass less than 9M(sub J) interior to 24 au. A unique cylindrical structure is detected in the far- UV data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel. It is aligned along the system semiminor axis, but does not resemble an accretion-driven jet. The structure is limb brightened and extends 190 +/- 35 au above the disk midplane. The inner radius of the limb brightening is 40 +/- 10 au, just beyond the submillimeter cavity wall.

circumstellar matter aEuro" protoplanetary disks a↗

End-of-Life Optical Property Predictions of White Conductive Thermal Control Coatings through Analysis of On-Orbit and Ground Based Testing Data

New system requirements pertaining to thermal optical properties and coating electrical properties are commonly specified on non-low earth orbit missions. An increasing number of projects are specifying coatings with a surface resistivity of less than lE-9 ohm/square to mitigate electrostatic charge buildup events over a range of operational temperatures. There are a limited number of coatings that. meet these electrical property requirements while having flight derived optical properties in representative environments. Goddard Space Flight Center Code 546, Contamination and Thermal Coatings Group has recently explored the variety of electrically conductive white coatings available through domestic vendors to evaluate properties to meet project requirements in a geostationary orbit. The lack of significant flight data in representative environments required the careful selection of samples in ground based tests to establish end of life thermal properties. Attention must be given to the origin and pedigree of samples used on past on-orbit experiments to insure that the present formulations for the materials are similar and will react in similar manner.

Hasegawa, Mark↗

Coupled Fluids-Radiation Analysis of a High-Mass Mars Vehicle

The NEQAIR line-by-line radiation code has been incorporated into the DPLR Navier-Stokes flow solver such that the NEQAIR subroutines are now callable functions of DPLR. The coupled DPLR-NEQAIR code was applied to compute the convective and radiative heating rates over high-mass Mars entry vehicles. Two vehicle geometries were considered - a 15 m diameter 70-degree sphere cone configuration and a slender, mid-L/D vehicle with a diameter of 5 m called an Ellipsled. The entry masses ranged from 100 to 165 metric tons. Solutions were generated for entry velocities ranging from 6.5 to 9.1 km/s. The coupled fluids-radiation solutions were performed at the peak heating location along trajectories generated by the Traj trajectory analysis code. The impact of fluids-radiation coupling is a function of the level of radiative heating and the freestream density and velocity. For the high-mass Mars vehicles examined in this study, coupling effects were greatest for entry velocities above 8.5 km/s where the surface radiative heating was reduced by up 17%. Generally speaking, the Ellipsled geometry experiences a lower peak radiative heating rate but a higher peak turbulent convective heating rate than the MSL-based vehicle.

Palmer, Grant↗

Finite Element Simulation of the Direct Energy Deposition using Comsol Multiphysics

Direct Energy Deposition (DED) is an emerging technology extensively employed in metal Additive Manufacturing (AM). Despite its widespread industrial application, mathematical modeling in this domain remains challenging. This complexity arises from the intricate nature of the modeling approach and the nonlinear behavior of material parameters across a broad temperature range. Consequently, experimentalists often resort to a trial-and-error method to achieve structures with desired properties. However, this approach can be time-consuming and may not always yield parts with the requisite characteristics, highlighting the necessity for mathematical modeling to enhance manufacturing success. This study focuses on thin-walled manufacturing with a single bead thickness, adjusting laser parameters to produce such structures. The laser cladding speed, typical for DED manufacturing, is considered to be on the order of centimeters per second. The various wall thicknesses and heights are explored to discern the general characteristics of walls manufactured via this DED approach. Our modeling approach diverges from the conventional DED modeling based on activation-deactivation of predefined mesh domains, commonly implemented in many finite element codes. Instead, a method is proposed that effectively models layer cladding and melt pool dynamics, enabling predictions of the microstructure in the resulting structures. The formation mechanisms of cellular, dendritic columnar, and stray (equiaxed) grains, which arise from the interplay between nucleation and growth from the surface is analyzed. The study also examines the feasibility of microstructure formation to demonstrate the various thermal characteristics inherent in wall manufacturing. Our results illustrate how different process parameters influence the temperature gradient and cooling rate of the molten pool, subsequently affecting the primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS). This modeling technique allows for the investigation of diverse thermal conditions, facilitating the prediction of microstructure and residual stresses in the manufactured parts.

modeling↗

Data Simulation Using VLIDORT and PCRTM and its Use for Radiometric Calibration of Hyperspectral UV-NIR-SWIR Sensors

Using the vector linearized discrete ordinate radiative transfer model (VLIDORT), a multiple-scattering multi-layer discrete ordinate scattering codes, coupled with a fast principal component (PC) radiative transfer model (PCRTM), we can simulate the radiation fields for hyperspectral UV-NIR-SWIR sensors from 250nm to 2500nm with a very high speed. Since the accurate gas absorptions, molecules and aerosol/cloud particle scatterings, and the surface reflectance have been considered in these simulations, these model data can be used for satellite or airborne sensor design, characterization, or end-to-end system level uncertainty assessment. Comparison of the modelled data with measured results has been a general practice for operational satellite sensor calibrations, such as the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) onboard on SNPP and NOAA-20. This presentation will give more details of this simulation system and models. Some examples of the generation of simulations data for CLARREO PathFinder (CPF) and the Surface Biology and Geology (SBG), as well as some examples to use these data for CPF and OMPS radiometric calibration will be presented.

Xiaozhen Xiong↗

Operation and Performance of the Mars Exploration Rover Imaging System on the Martian Surface

This slide presentation details the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) imaging system. Over 144,000 images have been gathered from all Mars Missions, with 83.5% of them being gathered by MER. Each Rover has 9 cameras (Navcam, front and rear Hazcam, Pancam, Microscopic Image, Descent Camera, Engineering Camera, Science Camera) and produces 1024 x 1024 (1 Megapixel) images in the same format. All onboard image processing code is implemented in flight software and includes extensive processing capabilities such as autoexposure, flat field correction, image orientation, thumbnail generation, subframing, and image compression. Ground image processing is done at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Multimission Image Processing Laboratory using Video Image Communication and Retrieval (VICAR) while stereo processing (left/right pairs) is provided for raw image, radiometric correction; solar energy maps,triangulation (Cartesian 3-spaces) and slope maps.

imaging↗

Aeroheating Design Issues for Reusable Launch Vehicles: A Perspective

An overview of basic aeroheating design issues for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV), which addresses the application of hypersonic ground-based testing, and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and engineering codes, is presented. Challenges inherent to the prediction of aeroheating environments required for the successful design of the RLV Thermal Protection System (TPS) are discussed in conjunction with the importance of employing appropriate experimental/computational tools. The impact of the information garnered by using these tools in the resulting analyses, ultimately enhancing the RLV TPS design is illustrated. A wide range of topics is presented in this overview; e.g. the impact of flow physics issues such as boundary-layer transition, including effects of distributed and discrete roughness, shockshock interactions, and flow separation/reattachment. Also, the benefit of integrating experimental and computational studies to gain an improved understanding of flow phenomena is illustrated. From computational studies, the effect of low-density conditions and of uncertainties in material surface properties on the computed heating rates are highlighted as well as the significant role of CFD in improving the Outer Mold Line (OML) definition to reduce aeroheating while maintaining aerodynamic performance. Appropriate selection of the TPS design trajectories and trajectory shaping to mitigate aeroheating levels and loads are discussed. Lastly, an illustration of an aeroheating design process is presented whereby data from hypersonic wind-tunnel tests are integrated with predictions from CFD codes and engineering methods to provide heating environments along an entry trajectory as required for TPS design.

Zoby, E. Vincent↗