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At least 181 records · Page 10

Low-speed aerodynamic performance of a high-aspect-ratio supercritical-wing transport model equipped with full-span slat and part-span double-slotted flaps

An investigation was conducted in the Langley V/STOL tunnel to determine the static longitudinal and lateral-directional aerodynamic characteristics of an advanced high-aspect-ratio supercritical-wing transport model equipped with a full-span leading-edge slat and part-span double-slotted trailing-edge flaps. This wide-body transport model was also equipped with spoiler and aileron control surfaces, flow-through nacelles, landing gear, movable horizontal tails, and interchangeable wing tips with aspect ratios of 10 and 12. The model was tested with leading-edge slat and trailing-edge flap combinations representative of cruise, climb, takeoff, and landing wing configurations. The tests were conducted at free-stream conditions corresponding to Reynolds numbers (based on mean geometric chord) of 0.97 to 1.63 x 10 to the 6th power and corresponding Mach numbers of 0.12 to 0.20, through an angle-of-attack range of -2 deg to 24 deg and a sideslip-angle range of -10 deg to 5 deg.

Morgan, H. L., Jr.↗

Some aspects of southwest monsoon as seen in a GLAS GCM simulation

The GCM simulations to see if they simulate the southwest summer monsoon or aspects of it were studied. In particular, the GLAS GCM simulations have also been studied with monsoon in view. Aspects of the summer monsoon, viz., disturbances in the monsoon flow and periodicities in the monsoon fluctuations as revealed in a simulation were investigated. Results of climate simulation for 50 summer days from June 15, 1979 through August 3, 1979 are reported. Daily mean fields were computed from these data sets for the monsoon region. The monsoon region here is defined as the region bounded by latitudes 30 S - 42 N and longitudes 45 E - 120 E.

Satyan, V.↗

On current aspects of finite element computational fluid mechanics for turbulent flows

A set of nonlinear partial differential equations suitable for the description of a class of turbulent three-dimensional flow fields in select geometries is identified. On the basis of the concept of enforcing a penalty constraint to ensure accurate accounting of ordering effects, a finite element numerical solution algorithm is established for the equation set and the theoretical aspects of accuracy, convergence and stability are identified and quantized. Hypermatrix constructions are used to formulate the reduction of the computational aspects of the theory to practice. The robustness of the algorithm, and the computer program embodiment, have been verified for pertinent flow configurations.

Baker, A. J.↗

Numerical simulation of the tip vortex off a low-aspect-ratio wing at transonic speed

The viscous transonic flow around a low aspect ratio wing was computed by an implicit, three dimensional, thin-layer Navier-Stokes solver. The grid around the geometry of interest is obtained numerically as a solution to a Dirichlet problem for the cube. A low aspect ratio wing with large sweep, twist, taper, and camber is the chosen geometry. The topology chosen to wrap the mesh around the wing with good tip resolution is a C-O type mesh. The flow around the wing was computed for a free stream Mach number of 0.82 at an angle of attack of 5 deg. At this Mach number, an oblique shock forms on the upper surface of the wing, and a tip vortex and three dimensional flow separation off the wind surface are observed. Particle path lines indicate that the three dimensional flow separation on the wing surface is part of the roots of the tip vortex formation. The lifting of the tip vortex before the wing trailing edge is observed by following the trajectory of particles release around the wing tip.

Mansour, N. N.↗

Physical aspects of computing the flow of a viscous fluid

One of the main themes in fluid dynamics at present and in the future is going to be computational fluid dynamics with the primary focus on the determination of drag, flow separation, vortex flows, and unsteady flows. A computation of the flow of a viscous fluid requires an understanding and consideration of the physical aspects of the flow. This is done by identifying the flow regimes and the scales of fluid motion, and the sources of vorticity. Discussions of flow regimes deal with conditions of incompressibility, transitional and turbulent flows, Navier-Stokes and non-Navier-Stokes regimes, shock waves, and strain fields. Discussions of the scales of fluid motion consider transitional and turbulent flows, thin- and slender-shear layers, triple- and four-deck regions, viscous-inviscid interactions, shock waves, strain rates, and temporal scales. In addition, the significance and generation of vorticity are discussed. These physical aspects mainly guide computations of the flow of a viscous fluid.

Mehta, U. B.↗

Configuration design studies and wind tunnel tests of an energy efficient transport with a high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing

The results of design studies and wind tunnel tests of high aspect ratio supercritical wings suitable for a medium range, narrow body transport aircraft flying near M=0.80 were presented. The basic characteristics of the wing design were derived from system studies of advanced transport aircraft where detailed structural and aerodynamic tradeoffs were used to determine the most optimum design from the standpoint of fuel usage and direct operating cost. These basic characteristics included wing area, aspect ratio, average thickness, and sweep. The detailed wing design was accomplished through application of previous test results and advanced computational transonic flow procedures. In addition to the basic wing/body development, considerable attention was directed to nacelle/plyon location effects, horizontal tail effects, and boundary layer transition effects. Results of these tests showed that the basic cruise performance objectives were met or exceeded.

Henne, P. A.↗

Numerical simulation of the tip vortex off a low-aspect-ratio wing at transonic speed

The viscous transonic flow around a low-aspect-ratio wing has been computed using an implicit, three-dimensional, 'thin-layer' Navier-Stokes solver. The grid around the geometry of interest is obtained numerically as a solution to a Dirichlet problem for the cube. The geometry chosen for this study is a low-aspect-ratio wing with large sweep, twist, taper, and camber. The topology chosen to wrap the mesh around the wing with good tip resolution is a C-O type mesh. Using this grid, the flow around the wing was computed for a free-stream Mach number of 0.82 at an angle of attack of 5 deg. At this Mach number, an oblique shock forms on the upper surface of the wing, and a tip vortex and three-dimensional flow separation off the wing surface are observed. Particle path lines indicate that the three-dimensional flow separation on the wing surface is part of the roots of the tip-vortex formation. The lifting of the tip vortex before the wing trailing edge is clearly observed by following the trajectory of particles released around the wing tip.

Mansour, N. N.↗

Practical aspects of laser holographic interferometry in wind tunnels

Practical aspects of using laser holographic interferometry in some NASA Ames wind tunnels are presented. These aspects include the development of techniques for dual-plate interferometry, optics alignment, and laser alignment. In addition, methods to alleviate problems associated with vibration, photographic processing, photographic drying, and photographic reconstruction are discussed.

Licursi, J.↗

Divergence study of a high-aspect ratio, forward-swept wing

An experimental wind-tunnel study to determine the divergence characteristics of a high-aspect ratio, forward-swept wing has been conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The rectangular wing used for this study had a panel aspect ratio of 9.16 (lambda = 0 deg.) and the sweep angle could be set at lambda = 0 deg., -15 deg., -30 deg., -45 deg., or -60 deg. A rectangular wing tip shape was tested at each of these sweep angles. In addition, a tip shape parallel to the freestream flow was tested for a wing sweep angle of lambda = -45 deg. The root of the wing was cantilever mounted to the wall of the wind tunnel. Divergence conditions were measured at M = 0.4 for each sweep angle and tip configuration tested. Subcritical response techniques were used to extrapolate to the divergence conditions during the wind-tunnel test. The primary objective of this test was to obtain data which could be used to verify for this configuration the divergence prediction capability of an aeroelastic analysis code. Subsonic lifting surface theory (kernel function) aerodynamics are utilized by this particular code. The analytical predictions of divergence were found to be significantly conservative at all forward sweep angles. At lambda = -45 deg., the analysis was 14 percent conservative. The effect of the two tip shapes on the divergence dynamic pressure was predicted accurately by the analysis. The divergence condition for the tip shape parallel to the flow occurred at a dynamic pressure 14 percent higher than the divergence condition with a rectangular tip shape.

Cole, S. R.↗

Supersonic wing-body inteference at high angles of attack with emphasis on low aspect ratios

A systematic NASA data base for cruciform wing-body combinations has been analyzed to extract the values of the wing and body interference factors. The fin planforms vary in aspect ratio from 0.5 to 2.0, the Mach number from 2.5 to 4.5, and the angle of attack from 0 deg to 40 deg. Sufficient data are available to permit interpolation with respect to fin aspect ratio, taper ratio, Mach number, and angle of attack. The data base described in this paper can be used in an engineering prediction method to determine the normal force of planar wing-body combinations and for scaling the effects of body radius-fin semispan ratio.

Nielsen, J. N.↗

Aeroelastic behavior of low aspect ratio metal and composite blades

The aeroelastic stability of titanium and composite blades of low aspect ratio is examined over a range of design parameters, using a Rayleigh-Ritz formulation. The blade modes include a plate-type mode to account for chordwise bending. Chordwise flexibility is found to have a significant effect on the unstalled supersonic flutter of low aspect ratio blades, and also on the stability of tip sections of shrouded fan blades. For blades with a thickness of less than approximately four percent of chord, the chordwise, second bending, and first torsion branches are all unstable at moderately high supersonic Mach numbers. For composite blades, the important structural coupling between bending and torsion cannot be modeled properly unless chordwise bending is accounted for. Typically, aft fiber sweep produces beneficial bending-torsion coupling that is stabilizing, whereas forward fiber sweep has the opposite effect. By using crossed-ply laminate configurations, critical aeroelastic modes can be stabilized.

White, J. F., III↗

Practical aspects of laser holographic interferometry in wind tunnels

Practical aspects of using laser holographic interferometry in some NASA Ames wind tunnels are presented. These aspects include the development of techniques for dual-plate interferometry, optics alignment, and laser alignment. In addition, methods to alleviate problems associated with vibration, photographic processing, photographic drying, and photographic reconstruction are discussed.

Licursi, J. P.↗

Low Aspect Ratio Wings at High Angles of Attack

A comprehensive evaluation is made of experimental data compiled to date for the flowfields and aerodynamic forces that occur at high angles of attack for low aspect ratio wings with delta, rectangular, clipped delta, and strake/wing planform geometries. Attention is given to wing leading edge-generated vortex breakdown, aspect ratio and compressibility effects, and strake vortex effects on main wing areas. Although the nonlinear effects created by a wing-body combination significantly alter wing-alone aerodynamics, the wing-alone data presented are vital to the development of prediction methodologies for large angle of attack aerodynamics.

R L Stallings Jr.↗

Circulation control STOL aircraft design aspects

Since Davidson patented Circulation Control Airfoils in 1960, there have been only 2 aircraft designed and flown with circulation control (CC). Designing with CC is complex for the following reasons: the relation between lift increase and blowing momentum is nonlinear; for good cruise performance one must change the wing geometry in flight from a round to a sharp trailing edge. The bleed air from the propulsion engines or an auxiliary compressor, must be used efficiently. In designing with CC, the propulsion and control aspects are just as important as aerodynamics. These design aspects were examined and linearized equations are presented in order to facilitate a preliminary analysis of the performance potential of CC. The thrust and lift requirements for takeoff make the calculated runway length very sensitive to the bleed air ratio. Thrust vectoring improves performance and can offset nose down pitching moments. The choice of blowing jet to free stream velocity ratio determines the efficiency of applying bleed air power.

Loth, John L.↗

High Rayleigh number convection in rectangular enclosures with differentially heated vertical walls and aspect ratios between zero and unity

High Rayleigh number convection in a rectangular cavity with insulated horizontal surfaces and differentially heated vertical walls was analyzed for an arbitrary aspect ratio smaller than or equal to unity. Unlike previous analytical studies, a systematic method of solution based on linearization technique and analytical iteration procedure was developed to obtain approximate closed-form solutions for a wide range of aspect ratios. The predicted velocity and temperature fields are shown to be in excellent agreement with available experimental and numerical data.

Kassemi, Siavash A.↗

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglet configurations for transonic wind-tunnel tests

A computational design has been performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three planforms has been selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 7 x 10 High Speed Wind Tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, CL approx = 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. This report summarizes the design process and the predicted transonic performance for each configuration.

Kuhlman, John M.↗

High-aspect-ratio wings

High-aspect-ratio aircraft include most transport aircraft such as commercial and military transports, business aircraft, and cargo aircraft. Generally, these types of aircraft are designed to cruise over a narrow range of lift coefficients and Mach numbers in the performance of their mission. Emphasis is therefore placed on the cruise performance of transport aircraft and every effort is made to obtain accurate wind-tunnel data to use as a basis for prediction of full-scale cruise performance. However, off-cruise performance is also important and methods were developed for extrapolating wind-tunnel data on buffet and flutter at transonic speed. Transport-type aircraft were tested extensively in various wind tunnels around the world and many different test techniques were developed to simulate higher Reynolds numbers. Methods developed for one tunnel may not be applicable to another tunnel because of differences in size, Reynolds number capability, running time, and test objectives. Many of the methods of boundary-layer control developed in two-dimensional airfoil testing can be applied in tests of transport configurations, but sometimes the three-dimensional flow fields that develop on tranpsort aircraft can make application of the two-dimensional methods difficult or impossible. The discussion is intended to be a representative, but not exhaustive, survey of the various methods of high Reynolds number simulation in the testing of high-aspect-ratio aircraft.

Peterson, John B., Jr.↗

Some numerical and physical aspects of unsteady Navier-Stokes computations over airfoils using dynamic meshes

An upwind-biased implicit approximate factorization algorithm is applied to several unsteady flows on dynamic meshes. The thin-layer form of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is used to solve both laminar and turbulent flows over airfoils pitching about the quarter chord. Numerical aspects of the solutions are investigated, including grid and time step effects. Two methods for determining fluxes - flux-vector splitting and flux-difference splitting - are compared. Flux-difference splitting predicts results more accurately than flux-vector splitting on a coarse mesh, but both methods agree on a fine mesh. Physical aspects of the computations are also examined. An equilibrium turbulent boundary layer model computes generally better unsteady results in comparison with experiment than a nonequilibrium model for the transonic case analyzed. Also, the size and location of the primary shed vortex for an airfoil pitching up at a constant rate is calculated in good agreement with experiment for two pitch rates.

Rumsey, Christopher L.↗