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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Resonant Interaction of a Linear Array of Supersonic Rectangular Jets: an Experimental Study

This paper examines a supersonic multi jet interaction problem that we believe is likely to be important for mixing enhancement and noise reduction in supersonic mixer-ejector nozzles. We demonstrate that it is possible to synchronize the screech instability of four rectangular jets by precisely adjusting the inter jet spacing. Our experimental data agrees with a theory that assumes that the phase-locking of adjacent jets occurs through a coupling at the jet lip. Although the synchronization does not change the frequency of the screech tone, its amplitude is augmented by 10 dB. The synchronized multi jets exhibit higher spreading than the unsynchronized jets, with the single jet spreading the least. We compare the nearfield noise of the four jets with synchronized screech to the noise of the sum of four jets operated individually. Our noise measurements reveal that the more rapid mixing of the synchronized multi jets causes the peak jet noise source to move up stream and to radiate noise at larger angles to the flow direction. Based on our results, we believe that screech synchronization is advantageous for noise reduction internal to a mixer-ejector nozzle, since the noise can now be suppressed by a shorter acoustically lined ejector.

Raman, Ganesh↗
NASA NTRS1989

Primary zone dynamics in a gas turbine combustor

Fluid mechanical investigations simulating the flow in the primary zone of a gas turbine combustor are presented using three generic test rigs: (1) rotating pipe yielding a swirling jet of air; (2) primary zone model with a single swirler and various primary jet configurations, operated with air; and (3) two rectangular models of a (stretched-out) annular combustor with five swirlers in the backwall and with various primary jet configurations, one operated with air and the other with water. Concentration measurements are obtained using laser sheet imaging techniques and velocity measurements using a laser Doppler velocimeter. The results show recirculation zones, intense mixing, instabilities of the interacting jets and the presence of large random vortical motions. The flowfields are shown to exhibit bimodal behavior, have asymmetries despite symmetrical geometry and inlet conditions and display strong jet/swirler and swirler/swirler interactions.

Sullivan, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Arc electrode interaction study

The project consisted of two parts: (1) the cathode interaction studies which were a continuation of previous work and had the objective of increasing our understanding of the microscopic phenomena controlling cathode erosion in arc jet thrusters, and (2) the studies of the anode attachment in arc jet thrusters. The cathode interaction studies consisted of (1) a continuation of some modeling work in which the previously derived model for the cathode heating was applied to some specific gases and electrode materials, and (2) experimental work in which various diagnostics was applied to the cathode. The specific diagnostics used were observation of the cathode tip during arcing using a Laser Strobe Video system in conjunction with a tele-microscope, a monochromator with an optical multichannel analyzer for the determination of the cathode temperature distribution, and various ex situ materials analysis methods. The emphasis of our effort was shifted to the cathode materials analysis because a parallel project was in place during the second half of 1993 with a visiting scientist pursuing arc electrode materials studies. As a consequence, the diagnostic investigations of the arc in front of the cathode had to be postponed to the first half of 1994, and we are presently preparing these measurements. The results of last year's study showed some unexpected effects influencing the cathode erosion behavior, such as increased erosion away from the cathode tip, and our understanding of these effects should improve our ability to control cathode erosion. The arc jet anode attachment studies concentrated on diagnostics of the instabilities in subsonic anode attachment arc jet thrusters, and were supplemental measurements to work which was performed by one of the authors who spent the summer as an intern at NASA Lewis Research Center. A summary of the results obtained during the internship are included because they formed an integral part of the study. Two tasks for 1994, the diagnostics of the anode closure phenomenon, and the use of arc jet thrusters for the deposition of c-BN, are being prepared.

Zhou, X.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Wave Number Selection for Incompressible Parallel Jet Flows Periodic in Space

The temporal instability of a spatially periodic parallel flow of an incompressible inviscid fluid for various jet velocity profiles is studied numerically using Floquet Analysis. The transition matrix at the end of a period is evaluated by direct numerical integration. For verification, a method based on approximating a continuous function by a series of step functions was used. Unstable solutions were found only over a limited range of wave numbers and have a band type structure. The results obtained are analogous to the behavior observed in systems exhibiting complexity at the edge of order and chaos.

Miles, Jeffrey Hilton↗
NASA NTRS1981

Flow and acoustic properties of low Reynolds number supersonic underexpanded jets

Flow and acoustic measurements are made of cold model jets exhausting from a choked nozzle at pressure conditions corresponding to those of Mach 1.4 and 2.1 jets to investigate noise production properties of underexpanded supersonic jets. Mean flow measurements are made using pitot and static pressure probes, with flow fluctuation measurements made with a hot-wire probe and acoustic measurements made with a transversing microphone. Two convergent nozzles with exit diameters of 7.0 and 7.9 mm are used with an exciter consisting of a 0.8 mm tungsten electrode positioned 2 mm from the exit. Shock structure is observed as having a significant effect on the development of the flow field, while large-scale instabilities have higher growth rates in the shock containing underexpanded jets. The role of the asymmetric n = + or - 1 sinusoidal instability is clarified, and results suggest that the broadband shock associated noise of conventional high Reynolds number jets is not related to large-scale jet instability.

Hu, T. F.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Kink-driven Magnetic Reconnection as the Driver of a Laboratory Plasma Eruption

We report that kink-driven magnetic reconnection serves as an eruption mechanism for a laboratory jet. A flux rope is formed and becomes a filamentary jet. The jet becomes unstable due to kink instability when the Kruskal–Shafranov instability criterion is met, leading to an inflow of reconnecting fields. As a result of kink-driven magnetic reconnection, ions are substantially energized, resulting in enhanced acceleration of the jet. Based on the evidence observed from this laboratory experiment, we propose that kink-driven magnetic reconnection might act as a key driver for laboratory jet eruptions and might be relevant to solar jets associated with kink instability and magnetic reconnection.

Solar magnetic reconnection↗
NASA NTRS1980

Flow field and acoustic properties of a Mach number 0.9 jet at a low Reynolds number

An experimental study of the flow field and acoustic properties of a low Reynolds number M = 0.9 jet has been performed in a low pressure anechoic test chamber. The mean flow field was surveyed with a conventional pitot pressure probe and flow fluctuations were detected with a normal hot wire probe. Also, condenser microphone measurements were made in the acoustic field. The flow fluctuations within the jet were found to be dominated initially by a relatively discrete, large-scale, wave-like instability centered around a Strouhal number of 0.44. The axial wavelength of this instability was determined to be 1.45 jet diameters and its azimuthal character includes the n = 0 and n = plus or minus 1 modes. The growth of this instability coupled with its nonlinear breakdown are major contributors to the termination of the potential core region of the jet. The acoustic field of the jet, in contrast to the flow field, has a broad frequency spectrum with a peak amplitude near a Strouhal number of St = 0.2. The results indicate that a nonlinear mechanism involving the large-scale flow instability is responsible for a dominant portion of the noise generated from this jet.

Stromberg, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Turbulent mixing noise from supersonic jets

There is now a substantial body of theoretical and experimental evidence that the dominant part of the turbulent noise of supersonic jets is generated directly by the large turbulence structures/instability waves of the jet flow. Earlier, Tam and Burton provided a description of the physical mechanism by which supersonically traveling instability waves can generate sound efficiently. They used the method of matched asymptotic expansions to construct an instability wave solution which is valid in the far field. The present work is an extension of the theory of Tam and Burton. It is argued that the instability wave spectrum of the jet may be regarded as generated by stochastic white noise excitation at the nozzle lip region. The reason why the excitation has white noise characteristics is that near the nozzle lip region the flow in the jet mixing layer has no intrinsic length and time scales. The present stochastic wave model theory of supersonic jet noise contains a single unknown multiplicative constant. Comparisons between the calculated noise directivities at selected Strouhal numbers and experimental measurements of a Mach 2 jet at different jet temperatures have been carried out. Favorable agreements are found.

Tam, Christopher K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Studying Absorption Line Feature in the Relativistic Jet Source GRS 1915+105

The galactic superluminal source GRS 1915+105 is among the most interesting objects in our Galaxy. It is subject to erratic accretion instabilities with energization of relativistic jets producing X-ray, optical and radio emission. This source was observed by ASCA on Sept. 27, 1994, April 20, 1995, October 23, 1996 and April 25, 1997 as part of a long timescale investigation. We detected strong variability of the source, and in particular the existence of burst/dip structure in October 1996 and April 1997. Clear evidence of transient absorption features at 6.7, 7.0 and 8.0 keV was obtained for the first time in September 1994 and April 1995. Given the phenomenology of plasmoid energization and ejection, these transient spectral features might be produced by material entrained in the radio jets or in other high-velocity outflows. Our contribution to the interpretation is to incorporate these observations into a overall theoretical picture for GRS 1915+105 also taking into account other observations by XTE and BSAX. The emerging picture is complex. The central source is subject to (most likely) super-Eddington instabilities mediated by magnetic field build-up, reconnection and dissipation in the form of blobs that eventually leads to the formation of transient spectral features from the surrounding of the plasmoid emitting region. A comprehensive theoretical investigation is in progress.

Tavani, Marco↗
NASA NTRS1996

On the Anticorrelation Between High Accretion Luminosity and Radio Jet Ejection in Gro J1655-40 and Other Objects

A model is described in which radio jet formation in accreting objects is suppressed by processes which occur when the accretion rate approaches the Eddington limit. This was motivated by GRO J1655-40 and other objects which show an anticorrelation between high luminosity and the onset of a radio jet. The jet production mechanism employed is the Blandford-Payne MHD acceleration process, seeded by an e'e- pair wind. Observations indicate that all key ingredients of this mechanism are, or should be, present in these sources. Observed jet velocities and total powers are consistent with theoretical and numerical predictions of this model. The primary jet suppression mechanism proposed is the Papaloizou-Pringle compressible shear instability, which should disrupt the jet-producing region of the disk when the accretion rate approaches about one-third Eddington. The turn-on of the jet in GRO J 1 655 - 40 is consistent with this estimate. When super-Eddington, the disk should also drive an optically thick, subrelativistic wind, which may be a secondary jet suppression mechanism. The possible presence of such a wind is seen in the early spectral evolution of GRO J1655-40 and in the broad absorption lines of certain quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Important tests of the model would be independent measurements of the compact object masses in these sources, a comparison of normal and broad absorption line (BAL) QSO X-ray spectra to see if the latter objects are significantly cooler, and a low-frequency search around BAL QSOs to see if at least some have fossil radio sources.

Meier, D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Gravitational Effects on Near Field Flow Structure of Low Density Gas Jets

Experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire quantitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2-second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The jet flow was observed by quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of site measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and helium mole percentage obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Results show that the jet flow was significantly influenced by the gravity. The jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low density jet was buoyancy induced. The paper provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiment undergoes a change in gravity in the drop tower.

Yep, Tze-Wing↗
NASA NTRS2005

Gravitational Effects on Near Field Flow Structure of Low Density Gas Jets

Experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire quantitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2- second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The jet flow was observed by quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of site measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and helium mole percentage obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Results show that the jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The global jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low density jet was buoyancy induced. The paper provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiment undergoes change in gravity in the drop tower.

Griffin, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The stratospheric 4-day wave in NMC data

The observed characteristics of the 4-day eastward-moving wave 1 in the Southern Hemisphere polar winter stratosphere are surveyed using ten years of National Meteorological Center (NMC) geopotential height data. The 4-day wave is shown to be an ubiquitous feature in the Southern Hemisphere polar winter stratosphere and is usually prominent during July and August. Growth of the 4-day wave is characterized by two types of structures. Some episodes exhibit NW to SE phase tilts and a single high-latitude maximum. Others show NE to SW phase tilts during growth and a high-latitude maximum out of phase with a secondary lower-latitude maximum. Stability analyses show that all characteristics of the first type of episode are consistent with barotropic instability of the stratospheric polar night jet. Analyses of climatological fields suggest that characteristics of the second type of episode may be consistent with barotropic instability of the double-peaked mesospheric jet.

Manney, Gloria L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Elliptic jets. I - Characteristics of unexcited and excited jets

Experimental studies of incompressible elliptic jets of different aspect ratios and initial conditions are summarized along with the effects of excitations at selected frequencies and amplitudes. The experimental facilities and procedures are described and jet spread and decay are discussed. The instability of elliptic shear layers, the behavior of the jet column under controlled excitation, and the time-average measures of unexcited jets are addressed.

Hussain, Fazle↗
NASA NTRS1996

The Effects of Acoustic Treatment on Pressure Disturbances From a Supersonic Jet in a Circular Duct

The pressure disturbances generated by an instability wave in the shear layer of a supersonic jet are studied for an axisymmetric jet inside a lined circular duct. For the supersonic jet, locally linear stability analysis with duct wall boundary conditions is used to calculate the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions at each axial location. These values are used to determine the growth rates and phase velocities of the instability waves and the near field pressure disturbance patterns. The study is confined to the dominant Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mode and to the region just downstream of the nozzle exit where the shear layer is growing but is still small in size compared to the radius of the duct. Numerical results are used to study the effects of changes in the outer flow, growth in the shear layer thickness, wall distance, and wall impedance, and the effects of these changes on non-axisymmetric modes. The primary results indicate that the effects of the duct wall on stability characteristics diminish as the outer flow increases and as the jet azimuthal mode number increases. Also, wall reflections are reduced when using a finite impedance boundary condition at the wall; but in addition, reflections are reduced and growth rates diminished by keeping the imaginary part of the impedance negative when using the negative exponential for the harmonic dependence.

Dahl, Milo D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Instantaneous velocity field measurements of a turbulent rectangular jet (AR-4) using particle image displacement velocimetry

A whole field experimental technique, commonly referred to as Particle Image Displacement Velocimetry (PIDV) is used for the measurement of the two dimensional instantaneous velocity fields in the transition region of a three dimensional jet issuing from a rectangular nozzle of an aspect ratio 4. The instability process of an initially laminar jet is studied visually and quantitatively to determine the structure and growth of the mixing region of the jet. The experiments were performed using an air jet at a Reynolds number based on the hydraulic diameter of 3600. The roll-up of the laminar shear layer into vortices and their subsequent interactions are examined.

Lourenco, L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Stability of Long's vortex at large flow force

Long's self-similar vortex is known to have two solutions for each supercritical value of the flow force. Each of those solutions is shown to have a double structure if the flow force is large. The inertial instabilities of one of those large-flow-force limit solutions are investigated, showing that they are related to the instabilities of the Bickley jet in one regime. However, the swirl in the vortex becomes important for long waves, very strongly modifying the sinuous and varicose, Bickley modes. The asymptotic results obtained agree well with the numerical solutions for the sinuous mode, but not for the varicose mode, the difficulty in the latter case being apparently due to mode jumping.

Foster, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Characteristics of Non-Premixed Turbulent Flames in Microgravity

The overall objectives of this research are: (1) to obtain and analyze experimental data on flame images, and the spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, radiation, velocity and gas-phase species in microgravity turbulent gas-jet diffusion flames; and (2) to utilize these data to validate and refine the existing predictive capabilities. Work on this project commenced in June 1996. The first investigations on turbulent gas-jet diffusion flames in microgravity were initiated by Bahadori and co-workers in 1991. These studies have shown that significant differences exist in the transition processes in normal-gravity and microgravity flames, and that the turbulent flames in microgravity behave very differently as compared to their buoyancy-dominated normal-gravity counterparts. For example, in the transition regime while the visible flame height, for given fuel and nozzle size, in normal gravity decreases, the height of the microgravity flame increases. In the fully developed turbulent regime, the normal-gravity flame height is independent of injection velocity, whereas the microgravity flame height continues to increase, although at a lower rate than in the laminar and transitional regimes. Other differences between the normal-gravity and microgravity flames arise in the jet shear-layer instability characteristics, extent of the transitional regime and blow-off limit characteristics.

Hegde, Uday↗