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At least 199 records · Page 11

A critical evaluation of the predictions of the NASA-Lockheed multielement airfoil computer program

Theoretical predictions of several versions of the multielement airfoil computer program are evaluated. The computed results are compared with experimental high lift data of general aviation airfoils with a single trailing edge flap, and of airfoils with a leading edge flap and double slotted trailing edge flaps. Theoretical and experimental data include lift, pitching moment, profile drag and surface pressure distributions, boundary layer integral parameters, skin friction coefficients, and velocity profiles.

Brune, G. W.↗

Numerical studies of porous airfoils in transonic flow

A numerical tool is constructed to examine the effects of a porous surface on transonic airfoil performance and to help understand the flow structure of passive shockwave/boundary layer interactions. The porous region is located near the shock with a cavity underneath it. This study is composed of two parts. Solved in the first part, with an inviscid-flow approach, is the transonic full-potential equation associated with transpiration boundary conditions which are obtained from porosity modeling. The numerical results indicate that a porous airfoil has a wave drag lower than that of a solid airfoil. The observed lambda-shock structure in the wind-tunnel testing can be predicted. Furthermore, the lift could be increased with an appropriate porosity distribution. In the second part of this work, the modified version of either an interactive boundary layer (IBL) algorithm or a thin-layer Navier-Stokes (TLNS) algorithm is used to study the outer flow, while a stream-function formulation is used to model the inner flow in the shallow cavity. The coupling procedure at the porous surface is based on Darcy's law and the assumption of a constant total pressure in the cavity. In addition, a modified Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model is used to describe the transpired turbulent boundary layer in the TLNS approach, while the Cebeci turbulence model is used in the IBL approach. According to the present analysis, a porous surface can reduce the wave drag appreciably, but can also increase the viscous losses. As has been observed experimentally, the numerical results indicate that the total drag is reduced at higher Mach numbers and increased at lower Mach numbers when the angles of attack are small. Furthermore, the streamline pattern of passive shock/boundary layer interaction are revealed.

Chow, C. Y.↗

Aerodynamic sound of flow past an airfoil

The long term objective of this project is to develop a computational method for predicting the noise of turbulence-airfoil interactions, particularly at the trailing edge. We seek to obtain the energy-containing features of the turbulent boundary layers and the near-wake using Navier-Stokes Simulation (LES or DNS), and then to calculate the far-field acoustic characteristics by means of acoustic analogy theories, using the simulation data as acoustic source functions. Two distinct types of noise can be emitted from airfoil trailing edges. The first, a tonal or narrowband sound caused by vortex shedding, is normally associated with blunt trailing edges, high angles of attack, or laminar flow airfoils. The second source is of broadband nature arising from the aeroacoustic scattering of turbulent eddies by the trailing edge. Due to its importance to airframe noise, rotor and propeller noise, etc., trailing edge noise has been the subject of extensive theoretical (e.g. Crighton & Leppington 1971; Howe 1978) as well as experimental investigations (e.g. Brooks & Hodgson 1981; Blake & Gershfeld 1988). A number of challenges exist concerning acoustic analogy based noise computations. These include the elimination of spurious sound caused by vortices crossing permeable computational boundaries in the wake, the treatment of noncompact source regions, and the accurate description of wave reflection by the solid surface and scattering near the edge. In addition, accurate turbulence statistics in the flow field are required for the evaluation of acoustic source functions. Major efforts to date have been focused on the first two challenges. To this end, a paradigm problem of laminar vortex shedding, generated by a two dimensional, uniform stream past a NACA0012 airfoil, is used to address the relevant numerical issues. Under the low Mach number approximation, the near-field flow quantities are obtained by solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations numerically at chord Reynolds number of 104. The far-field noise is computed using Curle's extension to the Lighthill analogy (Curle 1955). An effective method for separating the physical noise source from spurious boundary contributions is developed. This allows an accurate evaluation of the Reynolds stress volume quadrupoles, in addition to the more readily computable surface dipoles due to the unsteady lift and drag. The effect of noncompact source distribution on the far-field sound is assessed using an efficient integration scheme for the Curle integral, with full account of retarded-time variations. The numerical results confirm in quantitative terms that the far-field sound is dominated by the surface pressure dipoles at low Mach number. The techniques developed are applicable to a wide range of flows, including jets and mixing layers, where the Reynolds stress quadrupoles play a prominent or even dominant role in the overall sound generation.

Wang, Meng↗

Transition Prediction for the 30P30N Airfoil and the CRM-HL using FUN3D

The ability to accurately model transition over high-lift configurations can lead to improved agreement between stationary Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) computations and experimental measurements. In this work, selected transport-equation-based RANS models for transition prediction in the NASA FUN3D flow solver are used to simulate flow over the 30P30N three-element airfoil and the High-Lift Common Research Model (CRM-HL). The primary RANS-based transition model is the Langtry-Menter (LM) 𝜸-Re𝜽𝒕 model coupled with the Menter shear-stress transport model. Additionally, the existing capability for transition prediction based on linear stability correlations is used to allow the modeling of transition over multiple elements of the 30P30N configuration. This approach pairs an algebraic transition model with the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model that relies on an imposed transition location in FUN3D and the parabolized stability equations as implemented in the LASTRAC code. Predictions based on these different transition prediction approaches and models are compared with each other, experimental data, and previous simulations by evaluating the lift and drag coefficients, the surface-pressure/skin-friction distributions, and the locations of transition onset. Results are presented for multiple angles of attack for the 30P30N airfoil and CRM-HL. For the CRM-HL, a grid resolution study is performed for the LM transition model and the SA turbulence model.

High Lift↗

Lift enhancement of an airfoil using a Gurney flap and vortex generators

The results of a low-speed wind tunnel test are presented for a single-element airfoil incorporating two lift-enhancing devices, namely a Gurney flap and vortex generators. The former consists of a small plate, on the order of one to two percent of the airfoil chord in height, located at the trailing edge perpendicular to the pressure side of the airfoil. The later consist of commercially-available, wishbone-shaped vortex generators. The test was conducted in the NASA Ames 7- by 10-foot Wind Tunnel with a full-span NACA 4412 airfoil. Measurements of surface pressure distributions and wake profiles were made to determine the lift, drag, and pitching-moment coefficients for the various airfoil configurations. The results indicate that the addition of a Gurney flap increased the maximum lift coefficient from 1.49 up to 1.96.

Storms, Bruce L.↗

Turbulent Jet Flames Into a Vitiated Coflow

Examined is the vitiated coflow flame, an experimental condition that decouples the combustion processes of flows found in practical combustors from the associated recirculating fluid mechanics. The configuration consists of a 4.57 mm diameter fuel jet into a coaxial flow of hot combustion products from a lean premixed flame. The 210 mm diameter coflow isolates the jet flame from the cool ambient, providing a hot environment similar to the operating conditions of advanced combustors; this important high temperature element is lacking in the traditional laboratory experiments of jet flames into cool (room) air. A family of flows of increasing complexity is presented: 1) nonreacting flow, 2) all hydrogen flame (fuel jet and premixed coflow), and 3) set of methane flames. This sequence of experiments provides a convenient ordering of validation data for combustion models. Laser Raman-Rayleigh-LIF diagnostics at the Turbulent Diffusion Flame laboratory of Sandia National Laboratories produced instantaneous multiscalar point measurements. These results attest to the attractive features of the vitiated coflow burner and the well-defined boundary conditions provided by the coflow. The coflow is uniform and steady, isolating the jet flame from the laboratory air for a downstream distance ranging from z/d = 50-70. The statistical results show that differential diffusion effects in this highly turbulent flow are negligible. Complementing the comprehensive set of multiscalar measurements is a parametric study of lifted methane flames that was conducted to analyze flame sensitivity to jet and coflow velocity, as well as coflow temperature. The linear relationship found between the lift-off height and the jet velocity is consistent with previous experiments. New linear sensitivities were found correlating the lift-off height to coflow velocity and temperature. A blow-off study revealed that the methane flame blows off at a common coflow temperature (1260 K), regardless of coflow or jet velocity. An explanation for this phenomenon is that entrainment of ambient air at the high lift-off heights prevents autoignition. Analysis of the results suggests that flame stabilization occurs through a combination of flame propagation, autoignition, and localized extinction processes. Proposed is an expanded view of distributed reaction combustion based on analysis of the distributions of probe volume conditions at the stabilization region of the lifted hydrogen and methane flames. Turbulent eddies the size of the flame thickness mix fuel and hot coflow across the flame front, thereby enhancing the reaction zone with autoignition of reactants at elevated temperatures; this is the reverse effect of turbulent flames in ambient air, where intense turbulence in cool mixtures result in localized extinction. Each of the three processes (i.e., flame propagation, autoignition and localized extinction) contributes to flame stabilization in varying degrees, depending on flow conditions.

Holdeman, James D.↗

Hypersonic Flow Control Using Upstream Focused Energy Deposition

A numerical study of centerline and off-centerline power deposition at a point upstream of a two-dimensional blunt body at Mach 6.5 at 30 km altitude are presented. The full Navier-Stokes equations are used. Wave drag, lift, and pitching moment are presented as a function of amount of power absorbed in the flow and absorption point location. It is shown that wave drag is considerably reduced. Modifications to the pressure distribution in the flow field due to the injected energy create lift and a pitching moment when the injection is off-centerline. This flow control concept may lead to effective ways to improve the performance and to stabilize and control hypersonic vehicles.

Riggins David W.↗

An investigation of a two-dimensional propulsive lifting system

Several aspects of the nonhomogeneous flow associated with a system combining lifting and propulsive requirements of an aircraft are considered by analytical and experimental methods. The basic geometry of the problem is that of two lifting surfaces with an actuator disk located between them. The principles governing flow with energy addition are examined. Basic equations and boundary conditions are developed for the complete inviscid and incompressible analysis for the two-dimensional case. The corresponding flow singularities are discussed and the integral equations which completely specify the system are derived. The two special cases of small and large energy addition are considered in detail including solutions. A numerical procedure is developed to solve the full problem including allowance for the wake deflection. Appropriate vorticity forms are used to represent the entire system. An iterative scheme is presented which rapidly converges to a solution for the magnitude and location of the system vorticity distributions. Forces and moments are evaluated on the propulsive lift system.

Shollenberger, C. A.↗

A Numerical Method for Calculating the Wave Drag of a Configuration from the Second Derivative of the Area Distribution of a Series of Equivalent Bodies of Revolution

A method based on linearized and slender-body theories, which is easily adapted to electronic-machine computing equipment, is developed for calculating the zero-lift wave drag of single- and multiple-component configurations from a knowledge of the second derivative of the area distribution of a series of equivalent bodies of revolution. The accuracy and computational time required of the method to calculate zero-lift wave drag is evaluated relative to another numerical method which employs the Tchebichef form of harmonic analysis of the area distribution of a series of equivalent bodies of revolution. The results of the evaluation indicate that the total zero-lift wave drag of a multiple-component configuration can generally be calculated most accurately as the sum of the zero-lift wave drag of each component alone plus the zero-lift interference wave drag between all pairs of components. The accuracy and computational time required of both methods to calculate total zero-lift wave drag at supersonic Mach numbers is comparable for airplane-type configurations. For systems of bodies of revolution both methods yield similar results with comparable accuracy; however, the present method only requires up to 60 percent of the computing time required of the harmonic-analysis method for two bodies of revolution and less time for a larger number of bodies.

Levy, Lionel L., Jr.↗

Source of Global Scale Variations in the Midday Vertical Content of Ionospheric Metal Ions

An analysis of long baseline NIMBUS 7 SBUV (Solar Backscatter UV Spectrometer) observations of the latitudinal variation of the noontime vertical Mg' content above approx. 70 km have revealed seasonal, solar activity and magnetic activity dependencies in the Mg+ content. The distributions were categorized in terms of magnetic coordinates partially because transport processes lifting metallic ions from the main meteor ionization layer below 100 km up into the F- region and down again are controlled by electrodynamical processes. Alternatively, the Nimbus Mg+ distributions may simply be a result of ion/neutral chemistry changes resulting from atmospheric changes and not dynamics. In such a case magnetic control would not dominate the distributions. Using in situ satellite measurements of metal ions from the Atmosphere Explorer satellites in the region above the main meteor layer and published sounding rocket measurements of the main metallic ion layers, the effects of the dynamics on the vertical content are delineated. The consequences of atmospheric changes on the vertical content are explored by separating the Nimbus measurements in a geodetic frame of reference.

Joiner, J.↗

Performance of an aero-space plane propulsion nozzle

An inviscid and viscous analysis is provided for an exposed half nozzle that is used with a scramjet for thrust generation. The analysis is based on the inviscid theory of a two-dimensional, minimum length nozzle with a curved inlet surface, where the flow may be sonic or supersonic. Inlet conditions are prescribed and the gas is assumed to be perfect. Viscous, and when appropriate inviscid, nondimensional parametric results are provided for the thrust, lift, heat transfer, pitching moment, and a variety of boundary-layer thicknesses. In addition to global results, wall distributions of pressure, heat transfer, etc., are provided. The analysis demonstrates that the nozzle produces a considerable lift force whose magnitude may exceed the thrust and a significant pitching moment. The thrust is quite sensitive to the inlet Mach number; it rapidly decreases as the inlet Mach number increases There is little loss in the thrust as the nozzle's downstream wall is truncated. The corresponding decrease in lift and the pitching moment is moderate.

Emanuel, George↗

Longitudinal aerodynamic performance of a series of power-law and minimum wave drag bodies at Mach 6 and several Reynolds numbers

Experimental data have been obtained for two series of bodies at Mach 6 and Reynolds numbers, based on model length, from 1.4 million to 9.5 million. One series consisted of axisymmetric power-law bodies geometrically constrained for constant length and base diameter with values of the exponent n of 0.25, 0.5, 0.6, 0.667, 0.75, and 1.0. The other series consisted of positively and negatively cambered bodies of polygonal cross section, each having a constant longitudinal area distribution conforming to that required for minimizing zero-lift wave drag at hypersonic speeds under the geometric constraints of given length and volume. At the highest Reynolds number, the power-law body for minimum drag is blunter (exponent n lower) than predicted by inviscid theory (n approximately 0.6 instead of n = 0.667); however, the peak value of lift-drag ratio occurs at n = 0.667. Viscous effects were present on the bodies of polygonal cross section but were less pronounced than those on the power-law bodies. The trapezoidal bodies with maximum width at the bottom were found to have the highest maximum lift-drag ratio and the lowest mimimum drag.

Ashby, G. C., Jr.↗

Computerized three-dimensional aerodynamic design of a lifting rotor blade

A three-dimensional, inviscid, full-potential lifting rotor code was used to demonstrate that pressure distributions on both advancing and retreating blades could be significantly improved by perturbing local airfoil sections. The perturbations were described by simple geometric shape functions. To illustrate the procedure, an example calculation was made at a forward flight speed of 85 m/sec (165 knots) and an advance ratio of 0.385. It was found that a minimum of three shape functions was required to improve the pressures without producing undesirable secondary effects in high-speed forward flight on a hypothetical modern rotor blade initially having an NLR-1 supercritical airfoil. Reductions in the shock strength on the advancing blade could be achieved, while simultaneously lessening leading-edge pressure gradients on the retreating blade. The major blade section modifications required were blunting of the upper surface leading edge and some reshaping of the blade's upper surface resulting in moderately thicker airfoils.

Tauber, M. E.↗

Structure and properties of polyethylene films used in heavy lift balloons

The following features of five polyethylene films used by NASA in the construction of heavy lift balloons have been examined: molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, branching, melting behavior, density, surface texture, birefringence, orientation of crystalline regions, unlaxial deformation in the machine and transverse directions, and the effect of sample geometry and strain rate on deformation behavior. The goal of this exploratory study was to determine whether there are significant differences in any of the above mentioned features, or combination of features between the films. The acquisition of such information is a first step towards determining whether there are any specific correlations between film characteristics and the incidence of catastrophic failure of balloons during ascent through the troposphere. This exploratory study has resulted in the identification of similarities and differences between various features of the films.

Khoury, F.↗

Relative advantages of thin-layer Navier-Stokes and interactive boundary-layer procedures

Numerical procedures for solving the thin-shear-layer Navier-Stokes equations and for the interaction of solutions to inviscid and boundary-layer equations are described and evaluated. To allow appraisal of the numerical and fluid dynamic abilities of the two schemes, they have been applied to one airfoil as a function of angle of attack at two slightly different Reynolds numbers. The NACA 0012 airfoil has been chosen because it allows comparison with measured lift, drag, and moment and with surface-pressure distributions. Calculations have been performed with algebraic eddy-viscosity formulations, and they include consideration of transition. The results are presented in a form that allows easy appraisal of the accuracy of both procedures and of the relative costs. The interactive procedure is computationally efficient but restrictive relative to the thin-layer Navier-Stokes procedure. The latter procedure does a better job of predicting drag than does the former. In both procedures, the location of transition is crucial for accurate or detailed computations, particularly at high angles of attack. When the upstream influence of pressure field through the shear layer is important, the thin-layer Navier-Stokes procedure has an edge over the interactive procedure.

Mehta, U.↗