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Murthy, A. V.

Publications and source records attributed to Murthy, A. V..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

The Use of Heavy Gas for Increased Reynolds Numbers in Transonic Wind Tunnels

The use of a high molecular weight test gas to increase the Reynolds number range of transonic wind tunnels is explored. Modifications to a small transonic wind tunnel are described and the real gas properties of the example heavy gas (sulfur hexafluoride) are discussed. Sulfur hexafluoride is shown to increase the test Reynolds number by a factor of more than 2 over air at the same Mach number. Experimental and computational pressure distributions on an advanced supercritical airfoil configuration at Mach 0.7 in both sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen are presented. Transonic similarity theory is shown to be partially successful in transforming the heavy gas results to equivalent nitrogen (air) results, provided the correct definition of gamma is used.

Anders, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A feasibility study of using Langley 0.3-m transonic cryogenic tunnel sidewall boundary-layer removal system for heavy gas testing

This report presents the results of a preliminary study for using the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel sidewall boundary-layer removal system with heavy gas sulfur hexafluoride as the test medium. It is shown that the drive motor speed/power of the existing system and the additional heat load on the tunnel heat exchanger are the major problems limiting the boundary-layer removal system performance. Overcoming these problems can provide the capability to remove about 1.5 percent of the test section mass flow at Mach number M = 0.8 and about 5 percent at M = 0.25. Previous studies have shown that these boundary-layer mass flow removal rates can reduce the boundary-layer thickness by a factor of two at the model station. Also the effect of upstream boundary-layer removal on the airfoil test data is not likely to be significant under high lifting conditions. Near design conditions, corrections to the test Mach number may be necessary to account for sidewall boundary-layer effects.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Modifications to Langley 0.3-m TCT adaptive wall software for heavy gas test medium, phase 1 studies

The scheme for two-dimensional wall adaptation with sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as test gas in the NASA Langley Research Center 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3-m TCT) is presented. A unified version of the wall adaptation software has been developed to function in a dual gas operation mode (nitrogen or SF6). The feature of ideal gas calculations for nitrogen operation is retained. For SF6 operation, real gas properties have been computed using the departure function technique. Installation of the software on the 0.3-m TCT ModComp-A computer and preliminary validation with nitrogen operation were found to be satisfactory. Further validation and improvements to the software will be undertaken when the 0.3-m TCT is ready for operation with SF6 gas.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A study of residual interference effects in adaptive wall testing of a 7-inch chord CAST-10-2/DOA 2 airfoil model

The residual interferences present in the testing of a CAST10-2/DOA2 airfoil model in the Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3 m TCT) is examined. The 7.1 inch chord airfoil model was tested in the 0.3 m TCT adaptive wall test section with a nominal 13 inch square cross section. The test data obtained on the same model during different tunnel entries showed different levels of residual interference. The present study shows that for valid comparison of the test data from adaptive wall tunnels, it is necessary to account for residual interferences, in particular the blockage correction to the Mach number.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

An experimental study of wall adaptation and interference assessment using Cauchy integral formula

This paper summarizes the results of an experimental study of combined wall adaptation and residual interference assessment using the Cauchy integral formula. The experiments were conducted on a supercritical airfoil model in the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel solid flexible wall test section. The ratio of model chord to test section height was about 0.7. The method worked satisfactorily in reducing the blockage interference and demonstrated the primary requirement for correcting for the blockage effects at high model incidences to correctly determine high lift characteristics. The studies show that the method has potential for reducing the residual interference to considerably low levels. However, corrections to blockage and upwash velocities gradients may still be required for the final adapted wall shapes.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Two-dimensional wind-tunnel wall interference

An examination is conducted of two approximate methods for estimating the correction due to upstream flow inclination effects considered in Kemp's (1979) method; the methods are (1) an image vortex in the contraction, and (2) a rotation of streamlines passing through the test section upstream end. The magnitude of the corrections predicted by the two methods is different. The method based on the rotation of streamlines is noted to be in closer agreement with the results of the more refined calculations.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Experience with some repeat tests on the 9 inch chord CAST-10-2/DOA 2 airfoil model in the Langley 0.3-m TCT adaptive wall test section

A co-operative testing program is in progress between the Langley Research Center (NASA) and the National Aeronautical Establishment (NAE, Canada) to validate two different techniques of airfoil testing at transonic speeds. The procedure employed is to test the same airfoil model in the NAE two-dimensional tunnel and the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3-m TCT). The airfoil model used in testing was CAST-10-2/DOA-2 super-critical airfoil. The Langley 0.3-m TCT has a relatively small cross section of 13 in x 13 in, giving a (h/c) ratio of 1.44 for the same 9 in chord model. The approach employed in the 0.3-m TCT aims towards eliminating the wall effects by using active walls. The top and bottom walls are flexible. By changing the wall shapes during a test in an iterative manner, the wall interference effects are reduced. The method employed to change the wall shapes is the adaptive wall technique. The current test program provided an opportunity to validate the adaptive wall technique in the 0.3-m TCT. The relatively long chord airfoil represents a severe test case to test the efficacy of the adaptive wall technique under cryogenic conditions. The program also involved removal of side wall boundary-layer thus increasing the complexity of the wall adaptation technique. This paper deals with some salient results obtained regarding repeatability of test data and possible residual interference effects.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Residual interference assessment in adaptive wall wind tunnels

A two-variable method is presented which is suitable for on-line calculation of residual interference in airfoil testing in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3-M TCT). The method applies the Cauchy's integral formula to the closed contour formed by the contoured top and bottom walls, and the upstream and downstream ends. The measured top and bottom wall pressures and position are used to calculate the correction to the test Mach number and the airfoil angle of attack. Application to specific data obtained in the 0.3-M TCT adaptive wall test section demonstrates the need to assess residual interference to ensure that the desired level of wall streamlining is achieved. A FORTRAN computer program was developed for on-line calculation of the residual corrections during airfoil tests in the 0.3-M TCT.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Performance of the active sidewall boundary-layer removal system for the Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

A performance evaluation of an active sidewall boundary-layer removal system for the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) was evaluated in 1988. This system uses a compressor and two throttling digital valves to control the boundary-layer mass flow removal from the tunnel. The compressor operates near the maximum pressure ratio for all conditions. The system uses a surge prevention and flow recirculation scheme. A microprocessor based controller is used to provide the necessary mass flow and compressor pressure ratio control. Initial tests on the system indicated problems in realizing smooth mass flow control while running the compressor at high speed and high pressure ratios. An alternate method has been conceived to realize boundary-layer mass flow control which avoids the recirculation of the compressor mass flow and operation near the compressor surge point. This scheme is based on varying the speed of the compressor for a sufficient pressure ratio to provide needed mass flow removal. The system has a mass flow removal capability of about 10 percent of test section flow at M = 0.3 and 4 percent at M = 0.8. The system performance has been evaluated in the form of the compressor map, and compressor tunnel interface characteristics covering most of the 0.3-m TCT operational envelope.

Balakrishna, S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Sidewall boundary-layer removal effects on wall adaptation in the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

This paper describes the Langley 0.3-m transonic cryogenic tunnel sidewall boundary-layer removal system and is integrated operation with the adaptive wall adjustment. Empty test section measurements show the sidewall boundary-layer displacement thickness at the model station is reduced from about 1.0 to 0.6 percent of the test section width when the maximum boundary-layer removal conditions are applied. Tests with a supercritical airfoil model show the iterative top and bottom wall adaptation process performs satisfactorily with sidewall boundary-layer removal.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Sidewall boundary-layer measurements with upstream suction in the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

The Langley 0.3 Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel has provision for boundary removal from the sidewalls to reduce sidewall interference effects on the test data. The tests carried out to determine the change in the empty test section sidewall boundary layer thickness at the model station with upstream boundary layer mass removal are described. The boundary layer measurements showed that the upstream removal region is effective in reducing the boundary layer thickness at the model station. The boundary layer displacement thickness reduced from about 1.2 percent to about .4 percent of the test section width. The boundary layer velocity profiles followed a power law variation in the outer region and showed good correlation when plotted in terms of boundary layer momentum thickness.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Similarity rule for sidewall boundary-layer effects in airfoil testing

The simplified form of the similarity rule for sidewall boundary layer effects presented envisions the generation of changes in both airfoil thickness and freestream Mach number by the sidewall boundary layer. Within the small-disturbance approximation, this approach encompasses the methods of both Barnwell (1980) and Sewall (1982), and can accordingly be applied at speeds ranging from the lowest to transonic Mach numbers.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Calculation of sidewall boundary-layer parameters from rake measurements for the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

Correction of airfoil data for sidewall boundary-layer effects requires a knowledge of the boundary-layer displacement thickness and the shape factor with the tunnel empty. To facilitate calculation of these quantities under various test conditions for the Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel, a computer program was written. This program reads the various tunnel parameters and the boundary-layer rake total head pressure measurements directly from the Engineering Unit tapes to calculate the required sidewall boundary-layer parameters. Details of the method along with the results for a sample case are presented.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A simplified fourwall interference assessment procedure for airfoil data obtained in the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

A simplified fourwall interference assessment method has been described, and a computer program developed to facilitate correction of the airfoil data obtained in the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT). The procedure adopted is to first apply a blockage correction due to sidewall boundary-layer effects by various methods. The sidewall boundary-layer corrected data are then used to calculate the top and bottom wall interference effects by the method of Capallier, Chevallier and Bouinol, using the measured wall pressure distribution and the model force coefficients. The interference corrections obtained by the present method have been compared with other methods and found to give good agreement for the experimental data obtained in the TCT with slotted top and bottom walls.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Effect of aspect ratio on sidewall boundary-layer influence in two-dimensional airfoil testing

The effect of sidewall boundary layers in airfoil testing in two-dimensional wind tunnels is investigated. The non-linear crossflow velocity variation induced because of the changes in the sidewall boundary-layer thickness is represented by the flow between a wavy wall and straight wall. Using this flow model, a correction for the sidewall boundary-layer effects is derived in terms of the undisturbed sidewall boundary-layer properties, the test Mach number and the airfoil aspect ratio. Application of the proposed correction to available experimental data showed good correlation for the shock location and pressure.

Murthy, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A description of the active and passive sidewall-boundary-layer removal systems of the 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

Results are presented for an operational checkout and shakedown of the active sidewall-boundary-layer removal system newly installed in the Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3-m TCT). Prior to the installation of this active removal system, the sidewall-boundary layer was removed passively by exhausting directly to the atmosphere (i.e., no reinjection). With the active removal system using the reinjection compressor, the removal capability is greatly expanded to cover the entire operating envelope of the 0.3-m TCT. Details of the active removal system are presented including the compressor reinjection circuit, the compressor pressure ratio/surge control, and the compressor recirculation loop. The control logic and features of the compressor surge control are explained. Initial tests covering critical operating conditions show mass flow removal rates of about 5 percent at lower Mach numbers can be obtained with the active system. Measured performance characteristics of the compressor are presented. As part of the validation of the active system, limited airfoil tests were made using the new system.

Johnson, C. B.↗