Engineering topics

Hixon, Ray

Publications and source records attributed to Hixon, Ray.

18 records

NASA NTRS2015

Numerical Predictions of Mode Reflections in an Open Circular Duct: Comparison with Theory

The NASA Broadband Aeroacoustic Stator Simulation code was used to compute the acoustic field for higher-order modes in a circular duct geometry. To test the accuracy of the results computed by the code, the duct was terminated by an open end with an infinite flange or no flange. Both open end conditions have a theoretical solution that was used to compare with the computed results. Excellent comparison for reflection matrix values was achieved after suitable refinement of the grid at the open end. The study also revealed issues with the level of the mode amplitude introduced into the acoustic held from the source boundary and the amount of reflection that occurred at the source boundary when a general nonreflecting boundary condition was applied.

Duct Modes↗

NASA NTRS2015

Verification of a Viscous Computational Aeroacoustics Code Using External Verification Analysis

The External Verification Analysis approach to code verification is extended to solve the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with constant properties, and is used to verify a high-order computational aeroacoustics (CAA) code. After a brief review of the relevant literature, the details of the EVA approach are presented and compared to the similar Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS). Pseudocode representations of EVA's algorithms are included, along with the recurrence relations needed to construct the EVA solution. The code verification results show that EVA was able to convincingly verify a high-order, viscous CAA code without the addition of MMS-style source terms, or any other modifications to the code.

Computational↗

NASA NTRS2015

Verification of a Viscous Computational Aeroacoustics Code using External Verification Analysis

Computational↗

NASA NTRS2014

Comparison of Computational Aeroacoustics Prediction of Acoustic Transmission Through a 3D Stator With Experiment

In this paper, numerical predictions of acoustic transmission through a 3D stator obtained using the NASA BASS code are compared with experimentally measured data. The influence of vane count and stagger as well as frequency and mode order on the transmission loss is investigated. The data-theory comparisons indicate that BASS can predict all the important trends observed in the experimental data.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS2014

Comparison of Computational Aeroacoustics Prediction of Acoustic Transmission Through a 3D Stator with Experiment

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS2013

Further Development of Rotating Rake Mode Measurement Data Analysis

The Rotating Rake mode measurement system was designed to measure acoustic duct modes generated by a fan stage. After analysis of the measured data, the mode amplitudes and phases were quantified. For low-speed fans within axisymmetric ducts, mode power levels computed from rotating rake measured data would agree with the far-field power levels on a tone by tone basis. However, this agreement required that the sound from the noise sources within the duct propagated outward from the duct exit without reflection at the exit and previous studies suggested conditions could exist where significant reflections could occur. To directly measure the modes propagating in both directions within a duct, a second rake was mounted to the rotating system with an offset in both the axial and the azimuthal directions. The rotating rake data analysis technique was extended to include the data measured by the second rake. The analysis resulted in a set of circumferential mode levels at each of the two rake microphone locations. Radial basis functions were then least-squares fit to this data to obtain the radial mode amplitudes for the modes propagating in both directions within the duct. The fit equations were also modified to allow evanescent mode amplitudes to be computed. This extension of the rotating rake data analysis technique was tested using simulated data, numerical code produced data, and preliminary in-duct measured data.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Effect of Turbulence Modeling on an Excited Jet

The flow dynamics in a high-speed jet are dominated by unsteady turbulent flow structures in the plume. Jet excitation seeks to control these flow structures through the natural instabilities present in the initial shear layer of the jet. Understanding and optimizing the excitation input, for jet noise reduction or plume mixing enhancement, requires many trials that may be done experimentally or computationally at a significant cost savings. Numerical simulations, which model various parts of the unsteady dynamics to reduce the computational expense of the simulation, must adequately capture the unsteady flow dynamics in the excited jet for the results are to be used. Four CFD methods are considered for use in an excited jet problem, including two turbulence models with an Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) solver, one Large Eddy Simulation (LES) solver, and one URANS/LES hybrid method. Each method is used to simulate a simplified excited jet and the results are evaluated based on the flow data, computation time, and numerical stability. The knowledge gained about the effect of turbulence modeling and CFD methods from these basic simulations will guide and assist future three-dimensional (3-D) simulations that will be used to understand and optimize a realistic excited jet for a particular application.

Brown, Clifford A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Computation of Large-Scale Structure Jet Noise Sources With Weak Nonlinear Effects Using Linear Euler

An approximate technique is presented for the prediction of the large-scale turbulent structure sound source in a supersonic jet. A linearized Euler equations code is used to solve for the flow disturbances within and near a jet with a given mean flow. Assuming a normal mode composition for the wave-like disturbances, the linear radial profiles are used in an integration of the Navier-Stokes equations. This results in a set of ordinary differential equations representing the weakly nonlinear self-interactions of the modes along with their interaction with the mean flow. Solutions are then used to correct the amplitude of the disturbances that represent the source of large-scale turbulent structure sound in the jet.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Towards Arbitrary Accuracy Inviscid Surface Boundary Conditions

Inviscid nonlinear surface boundary conditions are currently limited to third order accuracy in time for non-moving surfaces and actually reduce to first order in time when the surfaces move. For steady-state calculations it may be possible to achieve higher accuracy in space, but high accuracy in time is required for efficient simulation of multiscale unsteady phenomena. A surprisingly simple technique is shown here that can be used to correct the normal pressure derivatives of the flow at a surface on a Cartesian grid so that arbitrarily high order time accuracy is achieved in idealized cases. This work demonstrates that nonlinear high order time accuracy at a solid surface is possible and desirable, but it also shows that the current practice of only correcting the pressure is inadequate.

Dyson, Rodger W.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Computational AeroAcoustics for Fan Noise Prediction

An overview of the current state-of-the-art in computational aeroacoustics as applied to fan noise prediction at NASA Glenn is presented. Results from recent modeling efforts using three dimensional inviscid formulations in both frequency and time domains are summarized. In particular, the application of a frequency domain method, called LINFLUX, to the computation of rotor-stator interaction tone noise is reviewed and the influence of the background inviscid flow on the acoustic results is analyzed. It has been shown that the noise levels are very sensitive to the gradients of the mean flow near the surface and that the correct computation of these gradients for highly loaded airfoils is especially problematic using an inviscid formulation. The ongoing development of a finite difference time marching code that is based on a sixth order compact scheme is also reviewed. Preliminary results from the nonlinear computation of a gust-airfoil interaction model problem demonstrate the fidelity and accuracy of this approach. Spatial and temporal features of the code as well as its multi-block nature are discussed. Finally, latest results from an ongoing effort in the area of arbitrarily high order methods are reviewed and technical challenges associated with implementing correct high order boundary conditions are discussed and possible strategies for addressing these challenges ore outlined.

Envia, Ed↗

NASA NTRS2001

Validation of a High-Order Compact Code for Nonlinear Flows About Complex Geometric

The slides review computational requirements for nozzle exhaust flow and noise calculations and the current numerical method, validation of prefactored compact scheme on CAA benchmark problems, a curvilinear grid performance test of gust response of a Joukowski airfoil, airfoil surface RMS pressure distribution and far field noise radiation results for Joukowski airfoil in a vortical gust, boundary distance study for Joukowski airfoil problem, and performance of ICOMP parallel Macintosh cluster.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS2000

Solution of Shock-Sound Interaction Problem

A numerical analysis of the shock-sound interaction problem is presented, using quasi-1-D Euler equations.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS2000

Validation of a High-Order Prefactored Compact Scheme on Nonlinear Flows with Complex Geometries

Three benchmark problems are solved using a sixth-order prefactored compact scheme employing an explicit 10th-order filter with optimized fourth-order Runge-Kutta time stepping. The problems solved are the following: (1) propagation of sound waves through a transonic nozzle; (2) shock-sound interaction; and (3) single airfoil gust response. In the first two problems, the spatial accuracy of the scheme is tested on a stretched grid, and the effectiveness of boundary conditions is shown. The solution stability and accuracy near a shock discontinuity is shown as well. Also, 1-D nonlinear characteristic boundary conditions will be evaluated. In the third problem, a nonlinear Euler solver will be used that solves the equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates using the chain rule transformation. This work, continuing earlier work on flat-plate cascades and Joukowski airfoils, will focus mainly on the effect of the grid and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the solution. The grids were generated using a commercially available grid generator, GridPro/az3000.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS2000

Solutions to Shock-Sound Interaction

Comparison between the sound field generated by an open rotor and the sound field generated by the same rotor placed inside a semi-infinite duct. The sound field associated with an open rotor and that associated with the same rotor placed inside a semi-infinite duct can be extremely different. A good understanding of the differences is important in fan noise work. We will use nondimensional variables.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS1998

Supersonic Coaxial Jets: Noise Predictions and Measurements

The noise from perfectly expanded coaxial jets was measured in an anechoic chamber for different operating conditions with the same total thrust, mass flow, and exit area. The shape of the measured noise spectrum at different angles to the jet axis was found to agree with spectral shapes for single, axisymmetric jets. Based on these spectra, the sound was characterized as being generated by large turbulent structures or fine-scale turbulence. Modeling the large scale structures as instability waves, a stability analysis was conducted for the coaxial jets to identify the growing and decaying instability waves in each shear layer and predict their noise radiation pattern outside the jet. When compared to measured directivity, the analysis identified the region downstream of the outer potential core, where the two shear layers were merging, as the source of the peak radiated noise where instability waves, with their origin in the inner shear layer, reach their maximum amplitude. Numerical computations were also performed using a linearized Euler equation solver. Those results were compared to both the results from the instability wave analysis and to measured data.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Application of an Optimized MacCormack-Type Scheme to Acoustic Scattering Problems

In this work, a new optimized MacCormack-type scheme, which is 4th order accurate in time and space, is applied to Problems 1 and 2 of Category 1. The performance of this new scheme is compared to that of the 2-4 MacCormack scheme, and results for Problems 1 and 2 of Category 1 are presented and compared to the exact solutions.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS1993

A comparison of two methods for solving 3-D unsteady compressible viscous flows

Numerical solutions of 3D unsteady compressible flows for several steady and unsteady cases are obtained using two procedures - a noniterative Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) scheme and a Generalized Minimal RESidual (GMRES) method. Results obtained are compared with each other and also with experimental data. It is found that the GMRES procedure can provide significant speedups compared to the noniterative ADI procedure.

Hixon, Ray↗

NASA NTRS1992

Application of a generalized minimal residual method to 2D unsteady flows

A generalized minimum residual scheme (GMRES), previously developed for solving nonlinear and linear systems of equations, has been applied to the numerical solution of 2D unsteady compressible flows. It is found that the use of GMRES significantly increases the time step that may be used, compared to noniterative implicit schemes. The feasibility of reducing the memory requirements of the GMRES scheme using a multigrid strategy has also been explored. Several sample steady and unsteady viscous flow applications are presented.

Hixon, Ray↗