Engineering topics

Kentzer, C. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Kentzer, C. P..

7 records

NASA NTRS1976

Nonclassical acoustics

A statistical approach to sound propagation is considered in situations where, due to the presence of large gradients of properties of the medium, the classical (deterministic) treatment of wave motion is inadequate. Mathematical methods for wave motions not restricted to small wavelengths (analogous to known methods of quantum mechanics) are used to formulate a wave theory of sound in nonuniform flows. Nonlinear transport equations for field probabilities are derived for the limiting case of noninteracting sound waves and it is postulated that such transport equations, appropriately generalized, may be used to predict the statistical behavior of sound in arbitrary flows.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Wave theory of turbulence in compressible media (acoustic theory of turbulence)

The generation and the transmission of sound in turbulent flows are treated as one of the several aspects of wave propagation in turbulence. Fluid fluctuations are decomposed into orthogonal Fourier components, with five interacting modes of wave propagation: two vorticity modes, one entropy mode, and two acoustic modes. Wave interactions, governed by the inhomogeneous and nonlinear terms of the perturbed Navier-Stokes equations, are modeled by random functions which give the rates of change of wave amplitudes equal to the averaged interaction terms. The statistical framework adopted is a quantum-like formulation in terms of complex distribution functions. The spatial probability distributions are given by the squares of the absolute values of the complex characteristic functions. This formulation results in nonlinear diffusion-type transport equations for the probability densities of the five modes of wave propagation.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Wave theory of turbulence in compressible media

An acoustical theory of turbulence was developed to aid in the study of the generation of sound in turbulent flows. The statistical framework adopted is a quantum-like wave dynamical formulation in terms of complex distribution functions. This formulation results in nonlinear diffusion-type transport equations for the probability densities of the five modes of wave propagation: two vorticity modes, one entropy mode, and two acoustic modes. This system of nonlinear equations is closed and complete. The technique of analysis was chosen such that direct applications to practical problems can be obtained with relative ease.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Amplification, attenuation, and dispersion of sound in inhomogeneous flows

First order effects of gradients in nonuniform potential flows of a compressible gas are included in a dispersion relation for sound waves. Three nondimensional numbers, the ratio of the change in the kinetic energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy of the gas, the ratio of the change in the total energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy, and the ratio of the dillatation frequency (the rate of expansion per unit volume) to the acoustic frequency, play a role in the separation of the effects of flow gradients into isotropic and anisotropic effects. Dispersion and attenuation (or amplification) of sound are found to be proportional to the wavelength for small wavelength, and depend on the direction of wave propagation relative to flow gradients. Modification of ray acoustics for the effects of flow gradients is suggested, and conditions for amplification and attenuation of sound are discussed.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Amplification, attenuation, and dispersion of sound in inhomogeneous flows

First order effects of gradients in nonuniform potential flows of a compressible gas are included in a dispersion relation for sound waves. Three nondimensional numbers, the ratio of the change in the kinetic energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy of the gas, the ratio of the change in the total energy in one wavelength to the thermal energy, and the ratio of the dilatation frequency (the rate of expansion per unit volume) to the acoustic frequency, play the dominant role permitting the separation of the effects of flow gradients into isotropic and anisotropic effects. Dispersion and attenuation (or amplification) of sound are proportional to the wavelength for small wavelength and depend on the direction of wave propagation relative to flow gradients. Modification of ray acoustics for the effects of flow gradients is suggested and conditions for amplification and attenuation of sound are discussed.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Acoustical theory of turbulence

Fluid functions are expanded in a series of functions constituting a complete and orthogonal system of wave solutions of the linearized Navier-Stokes system. The motion of characteristic waves is described by Hamiltonian equations of ray acoustics. Amplitude of the waves is described with the aid of nonlinear interaction terms. The distribution functions (squares of amplitudes) satisfy Boltzmann-type equations and completely describe the mean turbulence properties.

Kentzer, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Relaxation factors for supercritical flows.

Relaxation procedures for solution of steady supercritical transonic flows are investigated. Von Neumann (Fourier-mode) stability analysis is used to find bounds of relaxation factors. The bounds depend on local Mach number and local mesh aspect ratio. Long wave instability of Murman-Cole implicit method is indicated. Two new relaxation procedures are introduced. Both employ central differencing exclusively. Group velocities of Fourier modes are used to study signal propagation. It was found necessary to avoid or to damp out signals propagating upstream in supersonic zones in order to obtain physically meaningful transonic solutions. It appears that requirements of high rate of convergence, of stability and accuracy, are in conflict, and that a combination of relaxation methods must be used in order not to compromise the requirements.

Kentzer, C. P.↗