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Vanka, S. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Vanka, S. P..

13 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Numerical Investigation of Hot Gas Ingestion by STOVL Aircraft

This report compiles the various research activities conducted under the auspices of the NASA Grant NAG3-1026, "Numerical Investigation of Hot Gas Ingestion by STOVL Aircraft" during the period of April 1989 to April 1994. The effort involved the development of multigrid based algorithms and computer programs for the calculation of the flow and temperature fields generated by Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft, while hovering in ground proximity. Of particular importance has been the interaction of the exhaust jets with the head wind which gives rise to the hot gas ingestion process. The objective of new STOVL designs to reduce the temperature of the gases ingested into the engine. The present work describes a solution algorithm for the multi-dimensional elliptic partial-differential equations governing fluid flow and heat transfer in general curvilinear coordinates. The solution algorithm is based on the multigrid technique which obtains rapid convergence of the iterative numerical procedure for the discrete equations. Initial efforts were concerned with the solution of the Cartesian form of the equations. This algorithm was applied to a simulated STOVL configuration in rectangular coordinates. In the next phase of the work, a computer code for general curvilinear coordinates was constructed. This was applied to model STOVL geometries on curvilinear grids. The code was also validated in model problems. In all these efforts, the standard k-Epsilon model was used.

Vanka, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

A Pressure Based Multigrid Procedure for the Navier-Stokes Equations on Unstructured Grids

We present details and performance of a pressure based multigrid solution procedure for the Navier-Stokes equations discretized on triangular grids. The discretization uses a control volume methodology, with linear inter-nodal variation of the flow variables. The use of the multigrid technique provides rapid and grid-independent rates of convergence. Three model driven cavity flows are computed, and the performance of the method at several grid densities and Reynolds numbers is reported. Representative flow fields characterizing the viscous eddies are also presented.

Jyotsna, R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multigrid calculation of internal flows in complex geometries

The development, validation, and application of a general purpose multigrid solution algorithm and computer program for the computation of elliptic flows in complex geometries is presented. This computer program combines several desirable features including a curvilinear coordinate system, collocated arrangement of the variables, and Full Multi-Grid/Full Approximation Scheme (FMG/FAS). Provisions are made for the inclusion of embedded obstacles and baffles inside the flow domain. The momentum and continuity equations are solved in a decoupled manner and a pressure corrective equation is used to update the pressures such that the fluxes at the cell faces satisfy local mass continuity. Despite the computational overhead required in the restriction and prolongation phases of the multigrid cycling, the superior convergence results in reduced overall CPU time. The numerical scheme and selected results of several validation flows are presented. Finally, the procedure is applied to study the flowfield in a side-inlet dump combustor and twin jet impingement from a simulated aircraft fuselage.

Smith, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Calculations of hot gas ingestion for a STOVL aircraft model

Hot gas ingestion problems for STOVL (Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing) aircraft are typically approached with empirical methods and experience. In this study, the hot gas environment around a STOVL aircraft was modeled as multiple jets in crossflow with inlet suction. The flow field was calculated with a Navier-Stokes, Reynolds-averaged, turbulent, 3D CFD code using a multigrid technique. A simple model of a STOVL aircraft with four choked jets at 1000 K was studied at various heights, headwind speeds, and thrust splay angles in a modest parametric study. Scientific visualization of the computed flow field shows a pair of vortices in front of the inlet. This and other qualitative aspects of the flow field agree well with experimental data.

Fricker, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Separated flow in a driven trapezoidal cavity

Numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations governing shear flow in a trapezoidal enclosure have been obtained at fine grid resolutions using an efficient multigrid calculation procedure. The effects of flow Reynolds number and wall boundary conditions are studied in detail. Interesting flow patterns are observed to develop, especially at high Reynolds numbers.

Darr, Joseph H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Hot gas environment around STOVL aircraft in ground proximity. II - Numerical study

Ingestion of hot exhaust gases by the engines of STOVL aircraft has been an important research problem for several years. The hot gas environment around STOVL aircraft is three-dimensional and turbulent. In this study, the Navier-Stokes equations governing the hot gas ingestion flowfield are solved by an efficient finite-difference calculation procedure. The complete geometry including the head wind and the fuselage is simulated. Four demonstration calculations with variations in the height of the fuselage and the head wind velocity are presented. It is shown that the calculation procedure efficiently provides a solution to the governing equations and produces realistic descriptions of the flow and temperature fields.

Tafti, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Multigrid Calculations of a Jet in Crossflow

A series of numerical calculations are made of a jet in crossflow using progressive mesh refinement up to 2.4 million grid points. A solution algorithm that combined the features of a point-coupled solution of the momentum and continuity equations with multigrid acceleration demonstrated efficient convergence of the governing equations. In comparisons with experimental data, some features of the jet flow field were found to be predicted reasonably well, but the results still remain affected by numerical diffusion.

Claus, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Numerical study of twin-jet impingement upwash flow

Two horizontally spaced jets impinging normally on a flat surface create a fountain upwash flow due to the collision of the radially flowing wall jets. This fountain flow is of importance to the dynamics and propulsion of STOVL aircraft. The fountain flow influences the lift forces on the aircraft and the ingestion of hot gases and debris by the engine inlet. In this paper, a multigrid based finite-difference numerical procedure has been applied to solve the equations governing this three-dimensional flow. The standard k-epsilon turbulence model has been used. Comparisons with experimental data reveal that while the mean velocities are predicted with reasonable accuracy, the turbulent kinetic energies are seriously in error. The reasons for this discrepancy could be the intense unsteadiness and large-scale structures of the flow in the near-wall region, which cannot be captured well by any Reynolds-averaged turbulence model.

Pegues, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Second-order upwind differencing in a recirculating flow

The accuracy and stability of the second order upwind differencing scheme was investigated. The solution algorithm employed is based on a coupled solution of the nonlinear finite difference equations by the multigrid technique. Calculations have been made of the driven cavity flow for several Reynolds numbers and finite difference grids. In comparison with the hybrid differencing, the second order upwind differencing is somewhat more accurate but it is not monotonically accurate with mesh refinement. Also, the convergence of the solution algorithm deteriorates with the use of the second order upwind differencing.

Vanka, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Study of second order upwind differencing in a recirculating flow

The accuracy and stability of the second order upwind differencing scheme was investigated. The solution algorithm employed is based on a coupled solution of the nonlinear finite difference equations by the multigrid technique. Calculations have been made of the driven cavity flow for several Reynolds numbers and finite difference grids. In comparison with the hybrid differencing, the second order upwind differencing is somewhat more accurate but it is not monotonically accurate with mesh refinement. Also, the convergence of the solution algorithm deteriorates with the use of the second order upwind differencing.

Vanka, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Advanced numerics for multi-dimensional fluid flow calculations

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development and use of mathematical models for the simulation of fluid flow, heat transfer and combustion processes in engineering equipment. The equations representing the multi-dimensional transport of mass, momenta and species are numerically solved by finite-difference or finite-element techniques. However despite the multiude of differencing schemes and solution algorithms, and the advancement of computing power, the calculation of multi-dimensional flows, especially three-dimensional flows, remains a mammoth task. The following discussion is concerned with the author's recent work on the construction of accurate discretization schemes for the partial derivatives, and the efficient solution of the set of nonlinear algebraic equations resulting after discretization. The present work has been jointly supported by the Ramjet Engine Division of the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the NASA Lewis Research Center.

Vanka, S. P.↗