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Denison, Marie

Publications and source records attributed to Denison, Marie.

Scale-Resolving Simulations of Laminar-to-Turbulent Transition in Swept-Wing Flow

Aerodynamic shape optimization of swept Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) wing design plays an important role for the development of future energy-efficient commercial transport aircraft. Lack of predictive laminar-to-turbulent transition modeling capabilities is still limiting the extent to which design can rely on computational tools, while making costly wind tunnel and flight tests a necessity. Prediction of transition on practical 3D wing geometries using the e (sup N) method coupled with laminar boundary layer and linear stability codes or local statistical correlation CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) models such as the gamma - Re (sub theta) Langtry-Menter model have proven challenging, whereas transitional hybrid RANS-LES solvers have shown encouraging but still mitigated results.

Scale-resolving↗

Preliminary Scale-Resolving Simulations of Laminar-To-Turbulent Transition in Swept-Wing Flow

Swept wings and control surfaces are common elements of modern aircraft, and it has been shown both experimentally and theoretically that laminar-to-turbulent transition of the three-dimensional boundary layer that develops over them is highly sensitive to surface roughness. Numerous studies have been conducted on the effect of discrete roughness elements or distributed roughness elements on swept flow transition, however so far limited computational effort has been dedicated to the study of transition over swept wings with randomly distributed micron-sized roughness. In the present work, we set up to reproduce the extensive experimental data base generated by Dagenhart et al for the infinite swept wing NLF(2)-0415. To this purpose, we perform scale-resolving simulations of flow transition over smooth and rough surfaces using a high-order space-time spectral-element Discontinuous-Galerkin solver. Different types of surface roughnesses are implemented by elastically deforming the original mesh. The study shows that the experimental results cannot be accounted for by a perfectly smooth wing and reveals a strong sensitivity of the transition process to the representation of the surface roughness. The crossflow patterns and transition location approach those measured for some of the surface profiles, however a correlation between the wavenumber spectrum of the surface, grid resolution and boundary layer stability is yet to be established.

Denison, Marie↗

LAVA Simulations for the 3rd AIAA CFD High Lift Prediction Workshop with Body Fitted Grids

In response to the 3rd AIAA CFD High Lift Prediction Workshop, the workshop cases were analyzed using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solvers within the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver framework. For the workshop cases the advantages and limitations of both overset-structured an unstructured polyhedral meshes were assessed. The workshop included 3 cases: a 2D airfoil validation case, a mesh convergence study using the High Lift Common Research Model, and a nacelle/pylon integration study using the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Standard Model. The 2D airfoil case from the workshop is used to verify the implementation of the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model along with some of its variants within the solver. The High Lift Common Research Model case is used to assess solver performance and accuracy at varying mesh resolutions, as well as identify the minimum mesh fidelity required for LAVA on this class of problem. The JAXA Standard Model case is used to assess the solver's sensitivity to the turbulence model and to compare the structured and unstructured mesh paradigms. These workshop cases have helped establish best practices for high lift flow configurations for the LAVA solver.

LAVA↗

Wall-Modeled Lattice Boltzmann and Navier-Stokes Approaches for Separated Flows

Lattice Boltzmann (LB) and hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes/large eddy simulation (RANS/LES) methods within the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver framework are applied to NASA's Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences (RCA) standard test cases for separated flows. A detailed comparison between the performance and accuracy of the two emerging numerical methodologies for turbulence resolving simulations, i.e. the LB and hybrid RANS/LES methods will be presented. This contribution addresses the RCA technical challenge to identify and down-select critical turbulence, transition, and numerical method technologies for 40% reduction in predictive error for standard turbulence separated flow test cases. Results for the 2D NASA wall-mounted hump and the axisymmetric transonic bump including time-averaged pressure coefficient, skin friction, and velocity pro les, as well as resolved and modeled Reynolds stresses for both numerical approaches will be presented and differences between LB and hybrid RANS/LES will be discussed.

Lattice Boltzmann↗

LAVA Contribution to HiLiftPW-3

Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) (Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver) contribution to HiLiftPW-3 (3rd AIAA CFD High Lift Prediction Workshop). Including HL-CRM (NASA High Lift Common Research Model) and JSM (Joint Statistical Modeling) case studies.

Contribution↗

Computational Support of 9x7 Wind Tunnel Test of Sonic Boom Models with Plumes

NASA and its industry partners are performing studies of supersonic aircraft concepts with low sonic boom pressure signatures. The interaction of the nozzle jet flow with the aircrafts' aft components is typically where the greatest uncertainly in the pressure signature is observed with high-fidelity numerical simulations. An extensive wind tunnel test was conducted in February 2016 in the NASA Ames 9- by 7- Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel to help address the nozzle jet effects on sonic boom. Five test models with a variety of shock generators of differing waveforms and strengths were tested with a convergent-divergent nozzle for a wide range of nozzle pressure ratios. The LAVA unstructured flow solver was used to generate first CFD comparisons with the new experimental database using best practice meshing and analysis techniques for sonic boom vehicle design for all five different configurations. LAVA was also used to redesign the internal flow path of the nozzle and to better understand the flow field in the test section, both of which significantly improved the quality of the test data.

9x7 Wind Tunnel↗

Wind Tunnel Model Design for Sonic Boom Studies of Nozzle Jet with Shock Interactions

NASA and Industry are performing vehicle studies of configurations with low sonic boom pressure signatures. The computational analyses of modern configuration designs have matured to the point where there is confidence in the prediction of the pressure signature from the front of the vehicle, but uncertainty in the aft signatures with often greater boundary layer effects and nozzle jet pressures. Wind tunnel testing at significantly lower Reynolds numbers than in flight and without inlet and nozzle jet pressures make it difficult to accurately assess the computational solutions of flight vehicles. A wind tunnel test in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel from Mach 1.6 to 2.0 will be used to assess the effects of shocks from components passing through nozzle jet plumes on the sonic boom pressure signature and provide datasets for comparison with CFD codes. A large number of high-fidelity numerical simulations of wind tunnel test models with a variety of shock generators that simulate horizontal tails and aft decks have been studied to provide suitable models for sonic boom pressure measurements using a minimally intrusive pressure rail in the wind tunnel. The computational results are presented and the evolution of candidate wind tunnel models is summarized and discussed in this paper.

Wind↗

Wind Tunnel Model Design for Sonic Boom Studies of Nozzle Jet Flows with Shock Interactions

NASA and the U.S. aerospace industry are performing studies of supersonic aircraft concepts with low sonic boom pressure signatures. The computational analyses of modern aircraft designs have matured to the point where there is confidence in the prediction of the pressure signature from the front of the vehicle, but uncertainty remains in the aft signatures due to boundary layer and nozzle exhaust jet effects. Wind tunnel testing without inlet and nozzle exhaust jet effects at lower Reynolds numbers than in-flight make it difficult to accurately assess the computational solutions of flight vehicles. A wind tunnel test in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel is planned for February 2016 to address the nozzle jet effects on sonic boom. The experiment will provide pressure signatures of test articles that replicate waveforms from aircraft wings, tails, and aft fuselage (deck) components after passing through cold nozzle jet plumes. The data will provide a variety of nozzle plume and shock interactions for comparison with computational results. A large number of high-fidelity numerical simulations of a variety of shock generators were evaluated to define a reduced collection of suitable test models. The computational results of the candidate wind tunnel test models as they evolved are summarized, and pre-test computations of the final designs are provided.

Wind Tunnel↗