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At least 199 records · Page 11

Combustion of liquid-fuel droplets in supercritical conditions

A comprehensive analysis of liquid-fuel droplet combustion in both subcritical and supercritical environments has been conducted. The formulation is based on the complete conservation equations for both gas and liquid phases, and accommodates variable thermophysical properties, finite-rate chemical kinetics, and a full treatment of liquid-vapor phase equilibrium at the drop surface. The governing equations and associated interfacial boundary conditions are solved numerically using a fully coupled, implicit scheme with the dual time-stepping integration technique. The model is capable of treating the entire droplet history, including the transition from the subcritical to supercritical state. As a specific example, the combustion of n-pentane fuel droplets in air is studied for pressures in the range of 5-140 atm. Results indicate that the ambient gas pressure exerts significant control of droplet gasification and burning processes through its influence on fluid transport, gas-liquid interfacial thermodynamics, and chemical reactions. The droplet gasification rate increases progressively with pressure. However, the data for the overall burnout time exhibit a considerable change in the combustion mechanism at the critical pressure, mainly as a result of reduced mass diffusivity and latent heat of vaporization with increased pressure.

Shuen, J. S.↗

Navier-Stokes analysis of three-dimensional unsteady flows inside turbine stages

This study presents a numerical method for solving the 3D Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady, viscous flow through multiple turbomachinery blade rows. The method solves the fully 3D Navier-Stokes equations with an implicit scheme which is based on a control volume approach. A two-equation turbulence model with a low Reynolds number modification is employed. A third-order accurate upwinding scheme is used to approximate convection terms, while a second order accurate central difference scheme is used for the discretization of viscous terms. A second-order accurate scheme is employed for the temporal discretization. The numerical method is applied to study the unsteady flowfield of the High Pressure Fuel side Turbo-Pump (HPFTP) of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The stage calculation is performed by coupling the stator and the rotor flowfields at each time step through an over-laid grid. Numerical results for the complete geometry with the vane trailing edge cutback are presented and compared with the available experimental data.

Hah, C.↗

Navier-Stokes simulations of unsteady transonic flow phenomena

Numerical simulations of two classes of unsteady flows are obtained via the Navier-Stokes equations: a blast-wave/target interaction problem class and a transonic cavity flow problem class. The method developed for the viscous blast-wave/target interaction problem assumes a laminar, perfect gas implemented in a structured finite-volume framework. The approximately factored implicit scheme uses Newton subiterations to obtain the spatially and temporally second-order accurate time history of the blast-waves with stationary targets. The inviscid flux is evaluated using either of two upwind techniques, while the full viscous terms are computed by central differencing. Comparisons of unsteady numerical, analytical, and experimental results are made in two- and three-dimensions for Couette flows, a starting shock-tunnel, and a shock-tube blockage study. The results show accurate wave speed resolution and nonoscillatory discontinuity capturing of the predominantly inviscid flows. Viscous effects were increasingly significant at large post-interaction times. While the blast-wave/target interaction problem benefits from high-resolution methods applied to the Euler terms, the transonic cavity flow problem requires the use of an efficient scheme implemented in a geometrically flexible overset mesh environment. Hence, the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations implemented in a diagonal form are applied to the cavity flow class of problems. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results are made in two-dimensions for free shear layers and both rectangular and quieted cavities, and in three-dimensions for Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) geometries. The acoustic behavior of the rectangular and three-dimensional cavity flows compare well with experiment in terms of frequency, magnitude, and quieting trends. However, there is a more rapid decrease in computed acoustic energy with frequency than observed experimentally owing to numerical dissipation. In addition, optical phase distortion due to the time-varying density field is modelled using geometrical constructs. The computed optical distortion trends compare with the experimentally inferred result, but underpredicts the fluctuating phase difference magnitude.

Atwood, C. A.↗

Navier-Stokes analysis of three-dimensional flow and heat transfer inside turbine blade rows

A numerical method for solving the three-dimensional, Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady, viscous flow and heat transfer through multiple turbomachinery blade rows is presented. The method solves the fully three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with an implicit scheme which is based on a control volume approach. A two-equation turbulence model with a low Reynolds number modification is employed. A third-order accurate upwinding scheme is used to approximate convection terms while a second order accurate central difference scheme is used for the discretization of viscous terms. A second-order accurate scheme is employed for the temporal discretization. The numerical method is applied to study the unsteady flow and heat transfer field of the High Pressure Fuel side Turbo-Pump (HPFTP) of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The stage calculation is performed by coupling the stator and the rotor flow fields at each time step through an over-laid grid. Numerical results for the complete geometry with the vane trailing edge cutback are presented and compared with the available experimental data.

Hah, C.↗

Implicit transient finite element structural computations on MIMD systems - FETI vs. direct solvers

A domain decomposition method for implicit schemes that require significantly less storage and is several times faster than factorization algorithms is proposed. The transient domain decomposition method is an extension of the finite element tearing and interconnecting (FETI) method for the solution of static problems. Serial and parallel performance results obtained using the CRAY Y-MP/8 and the iPSC-860/128 systems demonstrate that the FETI method is superior to both serial and parallel direct methods.

Crivelli, Luis↗

Unsteady aerodynamic flow phenomena in a transonic compressor stage

A three-dimensional unsteady, viscous aerodynamic analysis has been developed for the flow inside a transonic, high-through-flow, single stage compressor. The compressor stage is comprised of a low-aspect-ratio rotor and a closely coupled stator. The analysis is based on a numerical method for solving the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation for unsteady viscous flow through multiple turbomachinery blade rows. The method solves the fully three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation with an implicit scheme. A two-equation turbulence model with a low-Reynolds-number modification is applied for the turbulence closure. A third-order accurate upwinding scheme is used to approximate convection terms while a second-order accurate central difference scheme is used for the discretization of the viscous terms. A second-order accurate scheme is employed for the temporal discretization. The numerical method is applied to study the unsteady flow field inside a transonic, high-through-flow, axial compressor stage. The numerical results are compared with available experimental data.

Hah, C.↗

Three-dimensional flow analysis inside turbomachinery stages with steady and unsteady Navier-Stokes method

This study presents a numerical method for solving the three-dimensional, Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady, viscous flow through multiple turbomachinery blade rows. The method solves the fully three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with an implicit scheme which is based on a control volume approach. A two-equation turbulence model with a low Reynolds number modification is employed in the present study. A third-order accurate upwinding scheme is used to approximate convection terms while a second order accurate central difference scheme is used for the discretization of viscous terms. A second-order accurate scheme is employed for the temporal discretization. The numerical method is applied to study the unsteady flow field of a subsonic turbine stage and the unsteady flow field inside a transonic, high-through-flow, axial compressor stage. The stage calculation is performed by coupling the stator and the rotor flow fields at each time step through an over-laid grid.

Copenhaver, W. W.↗

The space-time solution element method: A new numerical approach for the Navier-Stokes equations

This paper is one of a series of papers describing the development of a new numerical method for the Navier-Stokes equations. Unlike conventional numerical methods, the current method concentrates on the discrete simulation of both the integral and differential forms of the Navier-Stokes equations. Conservation of mass, momentum, and energy in space-time is explicitly provided for through a rigorous enforcement of both the integral and differential forms of the governing conservation laws. Using local polynomial expansions to represent the discrete primitive variables on each cell, fluxes at cell interfaces are evaluated and balanced using exact functional expressions. No interpolation or flux limiters are required. Because of the generality of the current method, it applies equally to the steady and unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. In this paper, we generalize and extend the authors' 2-D, steady state implicit scheme. A general closure methodology is presented so that all terms up through a given order in the local expansions may be retained. The scheme is also extended to nonorthogonal Cartesian grids. Numerous flow fields are computed and results are compared with known solutions. The high accuracy of the scheme is demonstrated through its ability to accurately resolve developing boundary layers on coarse grids. Finally, we discuss applications of the current method to the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations.

Scott, James R.↗

The Method of Space-time Conservation Element and Solution Element: Development of a New Implicit Solver

The method of space-time conservation element and solution element is a nontraditional numerical method designed from a physicist's perspective, i.e., its development is based more on physics than numerics. It uses only the simplest approximation techniques and yet is capable of generating nearly perfect solutions for a 2-D shock reflection problem used by Helen Yee and others. In addition to providing an overall view of the new method, we introduce a new concept in the design of implicit schemes, and use it to construct a highly accurate solver for a convection-diffusion equation. It is shown that, in the inviscid case, this new scheme becomes explicit and its amplification factors are identical to those of the Leapfrog scheme. On the other hand, in the pure diffusion case, its principal amplification factor becomes the amplification factor of the Crank-Nicolson scheme.

Chang, S. C.↗

Effect of grid aspect ratio on convergence

The effects of high-aspect-ratio grids on algorithm convergence are considered by means of vector stability theory and computational experiments. The results indicate that approximately factored implicit schemes experience convergence deterioration because of nonoptimum local time-stepping procedures and increased need for viscous preconditioning. Based on this insight, an enhanced algorithm is devised using improved selection of the local time step, appropriate definition of the viscous preconditioning matrix, and proper implementation of the boundary conditions. The new algorithm provides uniformly efficient convergence at all aspect ratios for both Euler and Navier-Stokes computations for a variety of test problems.

Buelow, P. E. O.↗

Improved boundary layer heat transfer calculations near a stagnation point

A thermal design of a solar receiver has been developed for the solutions of problems involving phase-change thermal energy storage and natural convection loss. Two dimensional axisymmetrical solidification and melting of materials contained between two concentric cylinders of finite length has been studied for thermal energy storage analysis. For calculation of free convection loss inside receiver cavity, two dimensional axisymmetrical, laminar, transient free convection including radiation effects has been studied using integral/finite difference method. Finite difference equations are derived for the above analysis subject to constant or variable material properties, initial conditions, and boundary conditions. The validity of the analyses has been substantiated by comparing results of the present general method with available analytic solutions or numerical results reported in the literature. Both explicit and implicit schemes are tested in phase change analysis with different number of nodes ranging from 4 to 18. The above numerical methods have been applied to the existing solar receiver analyzing computer code as additional subroutines. The results were computed for one of the proposed Brayton cycle solar receiver models running under the actual environmental conditions. Effect of thermal energy storage on the thermal behavior of the receiver has been estimated. Due to the thermal energy storage, about 65% reduction on working gas outlet temperature fluctuation has been obtained; however, maximum temperature of thermal energy storage containment has been increased about 18%. Also, effect of natural convection inside a receiver cavity on the receiver heat transfer has been analyzed. The finding indicated that thermal stratification occurs during the sun time resulting in higher receiver temperatures at the outlet section of the gas tube, and lower temperatures at the inlet section of the gas tube when compared with the results with no natural convection. Due to heat supply from the air during the shade time, minimum temperature has been increased, while maximum temperature has been reduced due to convection loss to air. Consequently, cyclic temperature fluctuation has been reduced 29% for working gas and 16% for thermal energy storage containment. On the other hand, despite the presence of the natural convection the time-averaged temperatures for receiver components were found to be similar for two cases with/without natural convection (maximum difference was 1.8%).

Ahn, Kyung Hwan↗

A Multiblock Approach for Calculating Incompressible Fluid Flows on Unstructured Grids

A multiblock approach is presented for solving two-dimensional incompressible turbulent flows on unstructured grids. The artificial compressibility form of the governing equations is solved by a vertex-centered, finite-volume implicit scheme which uses a backward Euler time discretization. Point Gauss-Seidel relaxations are used to solve the linear system of equations at each time step. This work introduces a multiblock strategy to the solution procedure, which greatly improves the efficiency of the algorithm by significantly reducing the memory requirements while not increasing the CPU time. Results presented in this work shows that the current multiblock algorithm requires 70% less memory than the single block algorithm.

Sheng, Chunhua↗

Numerical Solution of Supersonic Laminar Flow Over an Inclined Body of Revolution

A mixed explicit-implicit scheme is used to solve the time-dependent thin-layer approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations for a supersonic laminar flow over an inclined body of revolution. Test cases for Mach 2.8 flow over a cylinder with 15-deg flare angle at angles of attack of 0,1, and 4 deg are calculated. Good agreement is obtained between the present computed results and experimental measurements of surface pressure. A pair of vortices on the leeward and a peak in the normal force distribution near the flared juncture are predicted; the role of circumferential communication is discussed.

Hung, C. M.↗

Three-Dimensional Incompressible Navier-Stokes Flow Computations about Complete Configurations Using a Multiblock Unstructured Grid Approach

A multiblock unstructured grid approach is presented for solving three-dimensional incompressible inviscid and viscous turbulent flows about complete configurations. The artificial compressibility form of the governing equations is solved by a node-based, finite volume implicit scheme which uses a backward Euler time discretization. Point Gauss-Seidel relaxations are used to solve the linear system of equations at each time step. This work employs a multiblock strategy to the solution procedure, which greatly improves the efficiency of the algorithm by significantly reducing the memory requirements by a factor of 5 over the single-grid algorithm while maintaining a similar convergence behavior. The numerical accuracy of solutions is assessed by comparing with the experimental data for a submarine with stem appendages and a high-lift configuration.

Sheng, Chunhua↗

Inferential Framework for Autonomous Cryogenic Loading Operations

We address problem of autonomous cryogenic management of loading operations on the ground and in space. As a step towards solution of this problem we develop a probabilistic framework for inferring correlations parameters of two-fluid cryogenic flow. The simulation of two-phase cryogenic flow is performed using nearly-implicit scheme. A concise set of cryogenic correlations is introduced. The proposed approach is applied to an analysis of the cryogenic flow in experimental Propellant Loading System built at NASA KSC. An efficient simultaneous optimization of a large number of model parameters is demonstrated and a good agreement with the experimental data is obtained.

Luchinsky, Dmitry G.↗

On a fourth order accurate implicit finite difference scheme for hyperbolic conservation laws. I - Nonstiff strongly dynamic problems

An implicit finite difference method of fourth order accuracy in space and time is introduced for the numerical solution of one-dimensional systems of hyperbolic conservation laws. The basic form of the method is a two-level scheme which is unconditionally stable and nondissipative. The scheme uses only three mesh points at level t and three mesh points at level t + delta t. The dissipative version of the basic method given is conditionally stable under the CFL (Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy) condition. This version is particularly useful for the numerical solution of problems with strong but nonstiff dynamic features, where the CFL restriction is reasonable on accuracy grounds. Numerical results are provided to illustrate properties of the proposed method.

Harten, A.↗

The Implicit and Explicit alpha-mu Schemes

Artificial numerical dissipation is an important issue in large Reynolds number computations. In such computations, the artificial dissipation inherent in traditional numerical schemes can overwhelm the physical dissipation and yield inaccurate results on meshes of practical size. In the present work, the space-time conservation element and solution element method is used to construct new and accurate numerical schemes such that artificial numerical dissipation will not overwhelm physical dissipation. Specifically, these schemes have the property that numerical dissipation vanishes when the physical viscosity goes to zero. These new schemes therefore accurately model the physical dissipation even when it is extremely small. The method of space-time conservation element and solution element, currently under development, is a nontraditional numerical method for solving conservation laws. The method is developed on the basis of local and global flux conservation in a space-time domain, in which space and time are treated in a unified manner. Explicit solvers for model and fluid dynamic conservation laws have previously been investigated. In this paper, we introduce a new concept in the design of implicit schemes, and use it to construct two highly accurate solvers for a convection-diffusion equation. The two schemes become identical in the pure convection case, and in the pure diffusion case. The implicit schemes are applicable over the whole Reynolds number range, from purely diffusive equations to purely inviscid (convective) equations. The stability and consistency of the schemes are analyzed, and some numerical results are presented. It is shown that, in the inviscid case, the new schemes become explicit and their amplification factors are identical to those of the Leapfrog scheme. On the other hand, in the pure diffusion case, their principal amplification factor becomes the amplification factor of the Crank-Nicolson scheme. We also construct an explicit solver with the treatment of diffusion being based on that in the implicit solvers. The explicit solver has only a CFL stability limitation on the Courant number, yet it retains the second-order spatial accuracy of the implicit schemes.

Chang, Sin-Chung↗