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At least 19 records

Implicit Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Flow Simulations on Unstructured Grids using GPUs

Thermochemical nonequilibrium flow simulation capabilities have been previously implemented, verified, and validated for central processing unit (CPU) systems in NASA’s unstructured-grid computational fluid dynamics solver FUN3D. Many exascale-class high-performance computing systems will rely on graphics processing unit (GPU) architectures for high throughput and energy efficiency; thus, CPU-based scientific computing software unable to effectively utilize these systems must be updated. In this work, we present a CUDA C++ implementation of FUN3D’s thermochemical nonequilibrium flow simulation capabilities targeting NVIDIA Tesla GPUs. An overview of the porting and optimization strategy is described and performance comparisons with other recent architectures are presented. Scaling to thousands of GPUs is demonstrated, yielding computational performance equivalent to that of several million CPU cores. The implementation enables efficient, high-fidelity, scale-resolving simulations of thermochemical nonequilibrium flows for many applications including atmospheric entry, hypersonics, and combustion.

GPU↗

Code-verification techniques for hypersonic reacting flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium

The study of hypersonic flows and their underlying aerothermochemical reactions is particularly important in the design and analysis of vehicles exiting and reentering Earth's atmosphere. Computational physics codes can be employed to simulate these phenomena; however, code verification of these codes is necessary to certify their credibility. To date, few approaches have been presented for verifying codes that simulate hypersonic flows, especially flows reacting in thermochemical nonequilibrium. In this work, we present our code-verification techniques for verifying the spatial accuracy and thermochemical source term in hypersonic reacting flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium. Additionally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques on the Sandia Parallel Aerodynamics and Reentry Code (SPARC).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Implicit Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Compressible Flow Simulations on Unstructured Grids Using GPUs

As next-generation exascale-class systems arrive, existing software must be updated accordingly to effectively utilize these systems. For high concurrency and energy efficiency, many of these systems utilize GPU architectures. In this work, we present a CUDA C++ implementation of FUN3D's thermochemical nonequilibrium capability for turbulent flows. Efficiency is demonstrated at scale using the Summit system at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility which is representative of future exascale systems. This work enables faster, higher fidelity, and scale-resolving simulations of thermochemical nonequilibrium flows including reentry, hypersonics, and combustion.

CFD, GPU, HPC, Hypersonics, Chemistry↗

Three-dimensional thermochemical nonequilibrium flow modeling for hypersonic flows

A three-dimensional thermochemical nonequilibrium model has been developed and applied to the study of entry flows surrounding space vehicles. The model accounts for both chemical and vibrational nonequilibrium phenomena behind the bow shock. The thermodynamic state of a real gas is modeled with a translational-rotational temperature and a electron-vibrational temperature. Their internal energies are averaged to determine the temperature used in the reaction rates calculation. In order to establish the validity of the selected models, both one- and two-temperature models with seven and/or eleven species were investigated. Several numerical experiments that include a sphere, the RAMC vehicle and 3D AFE forebody flows were performed. Preliminary results were compared with RAMC-II experimental data. Good agreement was obtained after a two-temperature model with eleven species and thirty reactions was incorporated into the study.

Tam, L. T.↗

Thermochemical nonequilibrium issues for earth reentry of Mars mission vehicles

The thermochemical environment about an axisymmetric 60-deg sphere-cone with a circular aft skirt is computed using the Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm. Earth entry at 12 km/sec is examined at 70-km and 80-km altitude for two vehicle base radii of 2 m and 6 m. These four test cases bracket some proposed scenarios for earth reentry of a manned Mars mission aerobrake at this velocity. Thermochemical nonequilibrium results are examined for each case and compared with thermal equilibrium results produced by artificially accelerating vibrational relaxation rates and with equilibrium results produced by a viscous shock layer method.

Mitcheltree, R. A.↗

Application of program LAURA to thermochemical nonequilibrium flow through a nozzle

Program LAURA (Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm) is an upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for 3D viscous hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with a modified Roe's averaging and with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. The code has been applied to Problem 8.2 of this workshop for the case of thermochemical nonequilibrium flow through a nozzle. Chemical reaction rates are defined with the model of Park (1987). Thermal nonequilibrium is modeled using a two-temperature approximation in which the vibrational energies of all molecules are assumed to be in equilibrium at a single temperature which is generally different from the translational-rotational temperature. Two grids were used to define the flow for the original problem, with a stagnation temperature of 6500 K. A third case with a stagnation temperature of 10,000 K is also presented. The solution domain includes the converging nozzle, subsonic flow domain in which the gas is substantially in thermochemical equilibrium and the diverging nozzle, hypersonic flow domain in which the gas is substantially in thermochemical nonequilibrium.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Plasmadynamic effects in thermochemical nonequilibrium aerobrake flows

The paper discusses modifications to the governing equations of thermochemical nonequilibrium flow to include plasmadynamic effects. The magnetic field about a 1.1-m nose-radius aerobrake entering the earth's atmosphere at 80-km altitude and traveling 12 km/s is computed. The result of coupling the additional terms into the Langley Aerothermodynamics Upwind Relaxation Algorithm indicate that plasmadynamic effects are negligible for this two-temperature Mars-return aerobraking simulation. By examining the magnitude of the ohmic heating and observing a decrease in this heating when coupling terms are included in the two-temperature solution, it is argued that a three-temperature solution should not produce any different conclusions for aerobraking into the earth's atmosphere.

Mitcheltree, R. A.↗

Boundary Layer Stability and Laminar-Turbulent Transition Analysis with Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Applied to Martian Atmospheric Entry

As Martian atmospheric entry vehicles increase in size to accommodate larger payloads, transitional ow may need to be taken into account in the design of the heat shield in order to reduce heat shield mass. The mass of the Thermal Protection System (TPS) comprises a significant portion of the vehicle mass, and a reduction of this mass would result in fuel savings. The current techniques used to design entry shields generally assume fully turbulent flow when the vehicle is large enough to expect transitional flow, and while this worst-case scenario provides a greater factor of safety it may also result in overdesigned TPS and unnecessarily high vehicle mass. Greater accuracy in the prediction of transition would also reduce uncertainty in the thermal and aerodynamic loads. Stability analysis, using e(sup⁡ N) -based methods including Linear Stability Theory (LST) and the Parabolized Stability Equations (PSE), offers a physics-based method of transition prediction that has been thoroughly studied and applied in perfect gas flows, and to a more limited extent in reacting and nonequilibrium flows. These methods predict the amplification of a known disturbance frequency and allow identification of the most unstable frequency. Transition is predicted to occur at a critical amplification or N Factor, frequently determined through experiment and empirical correlations. The LAngley Stability and TRansition Analysis Code (LASTRAC), with modifications for thermochemically reacting flows and arbitrary gas mixtures, will be presented with LST results on a simulation of a high enthalpy CO2 gas wind tunnel test relevant to Martian atmospheric entry. The results indicate transition caused by modified Tollmien-Schlichting waves on the leeward side, which are predicted to be more stable and cause transition slightly downstream when thermochemical nonequilibrium is included in the stability analysis for the same mean flow solution.

Transition↗

Predicting radiative heat transfer in thermochemical nonequilibrium flow fields. Theory and user's manual for the LORAN code

The theory for radiation emission, absorption, and transfer in a thermochemical nonequilibrium flow is presented. The expressions developed reduce correctly to the limit at equilibrium. To implement the theory in a practical computer code, some approximations are used, particularly the smearing of molecular radiation. Details of these approximations are presented and helpful information is included concerning the use of the computer code. This user's manual should benefit both occasional users of the Langley Optimized Radiative Nonequilibrium (LORAN) code and those who wish to use it to experiment with improved models or properties.

Chambers, Lin Hartung↗

Enhanced thermochemical nonequilibrium computations of flow around the aeroassist flight experiment vehicle

A three-dimensional explicit, finite-rate, shock-capturing numerical algorithm is used to calculate thermochemical nonequilibrium flowfields about the Aeroassist Flight Experiment vehicle at one of its flight trajectory points. The full Navier-Stokes equations and an eleven species chemical model with the latest reaction rates are incorporated into the code. Results are compared against experimental data and other numerical solutions. The effects of changes to the physical model on the stagnation line and base region flow and surface quantities on the forebody are investigated.

Palmer, Grant↗

Coupled radiation effects in thermochemical nonequilibrium shock-capturing flowfield calculations

Lunar and Mars return conditions are examined using the LAURA flowfield code and the LORAN radiation code to assess the effect of radiative coupling on axisymmetric thermochemical nonequilibrium flows. Coupling of the two codes is achieved iteratively. Special treatment required to couple radiation in a shock-capturing method is discussed. Results indicate that while coupling effects are generally the same as occur in equilibrium flows, under certain conditions radiation can modify the chemical kinetics of a nonequilibrium flow and thus alter relaxation processes. Coupling effects are found to be small for all cases considered, except for a five meter diameter aerobrake returning from Mars at 13.6 km/sec.

Hartung, Lin C.↗

The development of an explicit thermochemical nonequilibrium algorithm and its application to compute three dimensional AFE flowfields

This study presents a three-dimensional explicit, finite-difference, shock-capturing numerical algorithm applied to viscous hypersonic flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium. The algorithm employs a two-temperature physical model. Equations governing the finite-rate chemical reactions are fully-coupled to the gas dynamic equations using a novel coupling technique. The new coupling method maintains stability in the explicit, finite-rate formulation while allowing relatively large global time steps. The code uses flux-vector accuracy. Comparisons with experimental data and other numerical computations verify the accuracy of the present method. The code is used to compute the three-dimensional flowfield over the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) vehicle at one of its trajectory points.

Palmer, Grant↗

Coupled Radiation Effects in Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Shock-Capturing Flowfield Calculations

Lunar and Mars return conditions are examined using the LAURA flow field code and the LORAN radiation code to assess the effect of radiative coupling on axisymmetric thermochemical nonequilibrium flows. Coupling of the two codes is achieved iteratively. Special treatment required to couple radiation in a shock-capturing method is discussed. Results indicate that while coupling effects are generally the same as occur in equilibrium flows, under certain conditions radiation can modify the chemical kinetics of a nonequilibrium flow and thus alter relaxation processes. Coupling effects are found to be small for all cases considered, except for a five meter diameter aerobrake returning from Mars at 13.6 kilometers per second.

Hartung, Lin C.↗

Computation of thermochemical nonequilibrium flows around a simple and a double ellipse

The nonequilibrium viscous reactive flows over a simple and a double ellipse at a 30 degree angle of attack were computed. The geometry and the free stream conditions are given by INRIA/GAMNI/SMAI workshop test cases 6.2-2 and 6.2-4. The governing Navier-Stokes equations coupled with thermochemical nonequilibrium processes are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit, finite volume technique with a dynamically adaptive grid. The nonequilibrium gas model and the numerical method used in the calculations are briefly described.

Gokcen, Tahir↗

Computation of thermochemical nonequilibrium flows around a simple and a double ellipse

The nonequilibrium viscous reactive flows over a simple and a double ellipse at a 30 degree angle of attack were computed. The geometry and the free stream conditions are given by INRIA/GAMNI/SMAI workshop test cases 6.2-2 and 6.2-4. The governing Navier-Stokes equations coupled with thermochemical nonequilibrium processes are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit, finite volume technique with a dynamically adaptive grid. The nonequilibrium gas model and the numerical method used in the calculations are briefly described.

Gokcen, Tahir↗

Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Modeling in a Continuous-Galerkin, Finite-Element Framework

The presented work discusses the implementation, verification, and validation of Park's two-temperature model in a scalable, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code developed at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The implementation of Park's two-temperature model was verified through 0D test cases involving an adiabatic reactor and a nitrogen thermal bath. The implementation was then validated through comparisons with other validated CFD codes and experimental data on a hypersonic cylinder and double cones. These are standard benchmark test cases for thermochemical non-equilibrium (TCNE) modeling, and all data are shared publicly. The verification and validation results showed that ORNL's in-house CFD code could model complex, high-speed flow problems with and without TCNE modeling. This work is essential for future research involving 3D shock wave/boundary layer interactions (SBLIs).

Nutter, Nicole↗