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Jeffrey Hill

Publications and source records attributed to Jeffrey Hill.

The NASA Ames Aerothermodynamics Branch (Code TSA)

The NASA Ames Aerothermodynamics Branch provides NASA with integrated modeling, simulation, and test capabilities in the areas of aerothermodynamics, shock layer radiation, and entry system design. Our core capabilities include CFD simulation for entry vehicles at hypersonic velocities, including arc jet facility flow modeling and characterization; modeling and testing of shock layer kinetics and radiation; development of flow-field diagnostic techniques; and aero- and aerothermal testing via ballistic ranges. This presentation provides a brief technical introduction to the branches work and our capabilities in these areas.

Aerothermodynamics

DPLR-NEQAIR Coupler Tutorial

The DPLR-NEQAIR coupler utility provides a framework for running computational simulations of high temperature gases that account for radiative emission and absorption of the gas. This presentation provides an overview of the methodology use to achieve this coupling and an introduction to using the coupling utility itself.

DPLR

Interpretation of Vehicle Tumbling Predictions from 6-DOF Entry and Descent Simulation

Blunt body entry vehicles are subject to dynamic instability during terminal descent. This often manifests as limit cycle oscillations in total angle of attack, but can diverge into tumbling behavior under certain conditions. For the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry Vehicle (MSR EEV), there is a constraint on the orientation of the sample tubes so backward impact is impermissible. Past missions have chosen to deploy parachutes to preclude tumbling, but active events after release of MSR EEV have been ground-ruled out with the intent to maximize system reliability. Prevention of tumbling during subsonic descent is a design driver for MSR EEV. During preliminary design of the MSR EEV, six degree-of-freedom numerical simulations indicated an unacceptably high probability of tumbling for a 60degree sphere-cone forebody geometry, which necessitated a design change. Decreasing the forebody angle was expected to improve dynamic stability, but would also adversely impact mass, aeroheating, and manufacturing risk. Hence there was strong motivation to understand the physical drivers for the onset of tumbling, and to determine: (a) whether the causes of tumbling are representative of physically realizable vehicle entry configurations and (b) what changes can be made to existing design and analysis practices to ensure a stable vehicle.

Entry Vehicle

The NASA Ames Aerothermodynamics Branch

The Ames Aerothermodynamics branch provides NASA and the country an integrated modeling, simulation, and test capability in the areas of aerothermodynamics, shock layer radiation, and entry system design. With roots dating back to the founding of Ames in the 1940s, the branch has contributed to every major NASA mission with an atmospheric entry component and actively partners with commercial space companies to assist with entry system development and technology transfer. This presentation provides a brief overview of the branch, its core competencies, and recent accomplishments.

Jeffrey Hill

NASA Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) Tutorial

The software program Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) is used to solve chemical equilibrium, and compute thermodynamic and transport properties of the resulting mixture, and also has special solvers dedicated to rocket, shock, and detonation problems. We will give an overview of CEA’s features and discuss some of the fundamental equations used by CEA, as well as the fundamental assumptions, in order to provide users with a better understanding of what exactly the software is doing. We have undertaken a full re-write of the software in the last two years, so we will also provide details about the new version of CEA as well.

chemical equilibrium