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Newfield, Mark E.

Publications and source records attributed to Newfield, Mark E..

Computational Analysis of Shock Layer Emission Measurements in an Arc-Jet Facility

This paper reports computational analysis of radiation emission experiments in a high enthalpy arc-jet wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. Recently, as part of ongoing arc-jet characterization work, spectroscopic radiation emission experiments have been conducted at the 20 MW NASA Ames arc-jet facility. The emission measurements were obtained from the arc-jet freestream and from a shock layer formed in front of flatfaced models. Analysis of these data is expected to provide valuable information about the thermodynamic state of the gas in the arc-jet freestream and in the shock layer as well as thermochemical equilibration processes behind the shock in arc-jet flows. Knowledge of the thermodynamic state of the gas in arc-jet test flows and especially within the shock layer is essential to interpret the heat transfer measurements such as in surface catalysis experiments. The present work is a continuation of previous work and focuses on analysis of the emission data obtained at relatively low-pressure conditions for which the arc-jet shock layer is expected to be in thermal and chemical nonequilibrium. Building blocks of the present computational analysis are: (1) simulation of nonequilibrium expanding flow in the converging-diverging conical nozzle and supersonic jet; (2) simulation of nonequilibrium shock layer formed in front of the flat-faced cylinder model; and (3) prediction of line-of-sight radiation from the computed flowfield. For computations of the nonequilibrium flow in the conical nozzle and shock layer, multi-temperature nonequilibrium codes with the axisymmetric formulation are used. For computations of line-of-sight radiation. a nonequilibrium radiation code (NEQAIR) is used to predict emission spectra from the computed flowfield. Computed line-of-sight averaged flow properties such as vibrational and rotational temperatures, species number densities within the shock layer will be compared with those deduced from the experimental spectra. Detailed comparisons of computational and experimental spectra will also be presented.

Gokcen, Tahir↗

Laser absorption flow diagnostics for use in hypersonic ground-based and flight experiments

Consideration is given to laboratory ground-based scale systems for measuring OH and NO and diode laser systems for measuring O2 and H2O. Several diagnostic instruments which are currently being used in a scramjet combustor test rig of the Ames 16-inch shock tunnel are described. Data on mole fraction, temperature, density, pressure, and velocity is obtained using specific data reduction techniques. These measurements provide critical data for evaluation of the propulsion system performance which include mass capture for quantification of fuel equivalence ratio (O2), flow contamination and emission levels (NO), combustion progress (OH), and injector mixing and combustion efficiency (H2O).

Cavolowsky, John A.↗

30 degree injectors at hypervelocity conditions

Results are presented of the first high-speed propulsion-related experiments performed in the NASA-Ames 16-Inch Shock Tunnel, designed to simulate combustor inlet conditions at approximately Mach 14. Results demonstrate the capability of the tunnel for high-speed propulsion testing and yield data on the performance of 30-deg flush wall injectors tested in the tunnel. The experimental results are compared with those of a CFD analysis.

Loomis, Mark P.↗

Flow characterization in the NASA Ames 16-inch Shock Tunnel

Flow characteristics of NASA's 16-Inch Shock Tunnel are determined for purposes of providing hypersonic propulsion simulation capability. The key tunnel operating parameters are the incident shock speed and reservoir pressure and enthalpy. Flow characteristics of concern are the nozzle exit pressure, temperature, Mach number, Reynolds number, chemical composition, and flow uniformity. Surface mounted gages (for pressure and heat transfer) and nonintrusive optical flow diagnostics (emission and absorption spectroscopy and holographic interferometry) are used to verify tunnel conditions. Experimental measurements are used to validate computational analysis for predicting facility performance, and CFD is used to interpret the free stream optical diagnostic measurements.

Cavolowsky, John A.↗

Laser absorption measurements of OH concentration and temperature in pulsed facilities

A laser absorption flow diagnostic application has been developed at the NASA Ames 16-inch Shock Tunnel for purposes of measuring the thermochemical state of OH in flow environments of interest. Research objectives include the investigation of high temperature, low pressure chemistry pertinent to scramjet combustors and high altitude flight. The system can be operated in either the fixed frequency mode or in the rapid wavelength scanning mode to measure species mole fraction and temperature. Emission diagnostics have been employed to determine shock tunnel flow quality and assist in the proper application of the diagnostic and its data interpretation. Rotational lines in the OH system were probed in the expanding facility nozzle flow, and time-resolved measurements of temperature and mole fraction are provided.

Cavolowsky, John A.↗

Reactivation and upgrade of the NASA Ames 16-Inch Shock Tunnel - Status report

The NASA Ames 16-Inch Shock Tunnel has been reactivated after seventeen years of inactivity. In the years before deactivating the facility, it was operated at enthalpies of 4,700 J/gm and pressures up to 260 atm or at enthalpies of 1900 J/gm over a wide pressure range. Since reactivating, the facility has been operated at enthalpies up to 12,000 J/gm and pressures up to 408 atm. The present paper describes the steps taken in upgrading the facility and summarizes the currently achievable conditions. The selection of the driver gas, the steps taken to improve the driver burn, and the diaphragm opening techniques are described. The pressure and heat flux instrumentation, the optical diagnostics and the data acquisition system are also described.

Bogdanoff, David W.↗