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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Numerical simulations of the convective flame in white dwarfs

A first step toward better understanding of the mechanism driving convective flames in exploding white dwarfs is presented. The propagation of the convective flame is examined using a two-dimensional implicit hydrodynamical code. The large scales of the instability are captured by the grid while the scales that are smaller than the grid resolution are approximated by a mixing-length approximation. It is found that largescale perturbations (of order of the pressure scale height) do grow significantly during the expansion, leading to a very nonspherical burning front. The combustion rate is strongly enhanced (compared to the unperturbed case) during the first second, but later the expansion of the star suppresses the flame speed, leading to only partial incineration of the nuclear fuel. Our results imply that large-scale perturbations by themselves are not enough to explain the mechanism by which convective flames are driven, and a study of the whole spectrum of relevant perturbations is needed. The implications of these preliminary results on future simulations, in the context of current models for Type Ia supernovae, are discussed.

Livne, Eli↗
NASA NTRS1993

Chromospheric heating by acoustic shocks - A confrontation of GHRS observations of Alpha Tauri (K5 III) with ab initio calculations

We compare ab initio calculations of semiforbidden C II line profiles near 2325 A with recently published observations of the inactive red giant Alpha Tau (K5 III) obtained using the GHRS on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Our one-dimensional, time-dependent calculations assume that the chromosphere is heated by stochastic acoustic shocks generated by photospheric convection. We calculate various models using results from traditional (mixing length) convection zone calculations as input to hydrodynamical models. The semiforbidden C II line profiles and ratios provide sensitive diagnostics of chromospheric velocity fields, electron densities, and temperatures. We identify major differences between observed and computed line profiles which are related to basic gas dynamics and which are probably not due to technical modeling restrictions. If the GHRS observations are representative of chromospheric conditions at all epochs, then one (or more) of our model assumptions must be incorrect. Several possibilities are examined. We predict time variability of semiforbidden C II lines for comparison with observations. Based upon data from the IUE archives, we argue that photospheric motions associated with supergranulation or global pulsation modes are unimportant in heating the chromosphere of Alpha Tau.

Judge, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Experimental and numerical study of a turbulent boundary layer with pressure gradients

Results are presented of an experimental and numerical study of a turbulent boundary layer with pressure gradients conducted using the recent 'fringe method' with its numerical advantages and good inflow quality. After an inflow transient good agreement is observed; the differences, of up to 13 percent, are discussed. Moderate deviations from the law of the wall are found in the velocity profiles of the simulation. They are fully correlated with the pressure gradient, are in fair quantitative agreement with the experimental results of Nagano et al. (1992), and are roughly the opposite of uncorrected mixing-length-model predictions. Large deviations from the wall scaling are observed for other quantities, notably for the turbulence dissipation rate. The a(1) structure parameter drops mildly in the upper layer with adverse pressure gradient.

Spalart, Philippe R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Atmospheric tides on Venus. IV - Topographic winds and sediment transport

A novel theory is presented for the Venus boundary layer which encompasses the effects of topography and uses the mixing-length hypothesis to preclude the unknown eddy viscosity. The maps of mass-flux and erosion/deposition rate presented are based on Pioneer Venus orbiter relief measurements. The typically 19 cm/sec friction speeds associated with the present theory are several times greater than those estimated on the basis of Venera 9 and 10 anemometry, and mean aeolian transport is generally away from the equator, contrary to Magellan orbiter windstreak directions.

Dobrovolskis, Anthony R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Test of a new theory for stellar convection using helioseismology

Two evolutionary models of the sun have been tested using helioseismological data. The two models use the same input microphysics (nuclear reaction rates, opacity, equation of state) and the same numerical evolutionary code, but differ in the treatment of turbulent convection. The first model employs the standard mixing - length theory of convection, while the second one employs a new turbulent convection model which overcomes some basic inconsistencies of the standard theory of convection. The test rests on the calculation of p-mode eigenfrequencies and on the comparison with the helioseismological data. The comparison shows an overall improvement of the eigenfrequencies calculated with the new model with respect to those calculated with the standard model, although it appears that both models still suffer from inaccuracies especially in the treatment of the surface layers.

Paterno, L.↗
NASA NTRS1951

Effect of fuel volatility on performance of tail-pipe burner

Fuels having Reid vapor pressures of 6.3 and 1.0 pounds per square inch were investigated in a tail-pipe burner on an axial-flow-type turbojet engine at a simulated flight Mach number of 0.6 and altitudes from 20,000 to 45,000 feet. With the burner configuration used in this investigation, having a mixing length of only 8 inches between the fuel manifold and the flame holder, the low-vapor-pressure fuel gave lower combustion efficiency at a given tail-pipe fuel-air ratio. Because the exhaust-nozzle area was fixed, the lower efficiency resulted in lower thrust and higher specific fuel consumption. The maximum altitude at which the burner would operate was practically unaffected by the change in fuel volatility.

FUELS - TURBINE ENGINES, RAM JETS, AND PULSE JETS↗
NASA NTRS1952

Analysis of fully developed turbulent heat transfer at low Peclet numbers in smooth tubes with application to liquid metals

An analysis was made of heat transfer at low Peclet numbers for fluids flowing turbulently in smooth tubes. Previous analyses for flow of gases and liquid metals at low Peclet numbers gave higher heat-transfer coefficients than were indicated experimentally. When the mixing-length theory was modified in order to account for the heat transferred by conduction to a turbulent particle as it moves transversely, the predicted results were brought into agreement with the experimental results.

PIPES↗
NASA NTRS1954

Starting characteristics and combustion performance of magnesium slurry in 6.5-inch-diameter ram-jet engine mounted in connected-pipe facility

The starting characteristics and combustion performance of slurry type fuels, consisting of 50 percent magnesium powder in a hydrocarbon carrier, have been investigated in a flight-type, 6.5-inch-diameter ram-jet engine in a connected-pipe facility. Quick, dependable starting of the engine was obtained by the use of a disk which blocked part of the combustor area downstream of the flame holder. Acceptable performance was achieved with a short fuel-air mixing length by the development of a fuel-distribution control sleeve.

COMBUSTION - RAM-JET ENGINES↗
NASA NTRS1942

Correlation of data on the statistical theory of turbulence

The statistical theory of turbulence affords an excellent medium for representing the kinematic conditions in turbulent flow and also serves as a valuable aid to exact experimental research. But it is still not developed enough for solving dynamic processes. Even in the simplest case of isotropic turbulence the calculation of the correlation curve or of the decrement of turbulence invariably reaches a point where clear-cut assumptions, such as omission of the inertia terms, or, earlier, mixing length assumptions or even merely general dimensional considerations, must be made.

Wieghardt, K↗
NASA NTRS1994

Noise Radiation by Instability Waves in Coaxial Jets

In this paper predictions are made for the noise radiation from supersonic coaxial jets. The noise in the downstream arc of a supersonic jet is dominated by highly directional radiation from the supersonically convecting large scale structures in the jet mixing layer. Since the mean flow is not described easily in terms of simple analytic functions, a numerical prediction is made for its development. The compressible Reynolds-averaged boundary layer equations in cylindrical polar coordinates are solved. A mixing length turbulence model is used. Empirical correlations are developed the effects of velocity and temperature ratio and Mach number. Both normal and inverted velocity profiles are considered. Comparisons with measurements for both single and coaxial jets show good agreement. The large scale structures are modeled as instability waves. The noise radiation generated by the instability waves is determined by a matching between the inner instability wave solution and the outer acoustic solution. Predictions are made for the differences between the noise radiated by coaxial jets with different operating conditions and a single equivalent jet with the same exit area, thrust, and mass-flow.

Dahl, Milo D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Aeroacoustics of Supersonic Coaxial Jets

Instability waves have been established as the dominant source of mixing noise radiating into the downstream arc of a supersonic jet when the waves have phase velocities that are supersonic relative to ambient conditions. Recent theories for supersonic jet noise have used the concepts of growing and decaying linear instability waves for predicting radiated noise. This analysis is extended to the prediction of noise radiation from supersonic coaxial jets. Since the analysis requires a known mean flow and the coaxial jet mean flow is not described easily in terms of analytic functions, a numerical prediction is made for its development. The Reynolds averaged, compressible, boundary layer equations are solved using a mixing length turbulence model. Empirical correlations are developed for the effects of velocity and temperature ratios and Mach number. Both normal and inverted velocity profile coaxial jets are considered. Comparisons with measurements for both single and coaxial jets show good agreement. The results from mean flow and stability calculations are used to predict the noise radiation from coaxial jets with different operating conditions. Comparisons are made between different coaxial jets and a single equivalent jet with the same total thrust, mass flow, and exit area. Results indicate that normal velocity profile jets can have noise reductions compared to the single equivalent jet. No noise reductions are found for inverted velocity profile jets operated at the minimum noise condition compared to the single equivalent jet. However, it is inferred that changes in area ratio may provide noise reduction benefits for inverted velocity profile jets.

Dahl, Milo D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A turbulence module for the NPARC code

A turbulence module is developed for the 2D version of the NPARC code which is currently restricted to planar or axisymmetric flows without swirling. Four turbulence models have been built into the module: Baldwin-Lomax, Chien, Shih-Lumley and CMOTT models. The first is a mixing-length eddy-viscosity model which is mainly used for initialization of computational fields and the last three are the low Reynolds number two-equation models. Unlike chien's model, both the Shih-Lumley and CMOTT models do not involve the dimensionless wall distance y(sup +), an advantage for separated flow calculations. Contrary to the NPARC and most other compressible codes, the non-delta form of transport equations is used which leads to a simpler linearization and is more effective than using the delta form in ensuring the positiveness of the turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate. To reduce numerical diffusion while maintaining necessary stability, a second-order accurate and bounded scheme is used for the convective terms of the turbulent transport equations. This scheme is implemented in a deferred correction manner so that the main coefficients of the resulting difference equations are always positive, thus making the numerical solutions process unconditionally stable. The system of equations is solved via a decoupled method and by the alternating direction TDMA of Thomas. The module can be easily linked to the NPARC code for turbulent flow calculations.

Zhu, J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Second-order closure PBL model with new third-order moments: Comparison with LES data

This paper contains two parts. In the first part, a new set of diagnostic equations is derived for the third-order moments for a buoyancy-driven flow, by exact inversion of the prognostic equations for the third-order moment equations in the stationary case. The third-order moments exhibit a universal structure: they all are a linear combination of the derivatives of all the second-order moments, bar-w(exp 2), bar-w theta, bar-theta(exp 2), and bar-q(exp 2). Each term of the sum contains a turbulent diffusivity D(sub t), which also exhibits a universal structure of the form D(sub t) = a nu(sub t) + b bar-w theta. Since the sign of the convective flux changes depending on stable or unstable stratification, D(sub t) varies according to the type of stratification. Here nu(sub t) approximately equal to wl (l is a mixing length and w is an rms velocity) represents the 'mechanical' part, while the 'buoyancy' part is represented by the convective flux bar-w theta. The quantities a and b are functions of the variable N(sub tau)(exp 2), where N(exp 2) = g alpha derivative of Theta with respect to z and tau is the turbulence time scale. The new expressions for the third-order moments generalize those of Zeman and Lumley, which were subsequently adopted by Sun and Ogura, Chen and Cotton, and Finger and Schmidt in their treatments of the convective boundary layer. In the second part, the new expressions for the third-order moments are used to solve the ensemble average equations describing a purely convective boundary laye r heated from below at a constant rate. The computed second- and third-order moments are then compared with the corresponding Large Eddy Simulation (LES) results, most of which are obtained by running a new LES code, and part of which are taken from published results. The ensemble average results compare favorably with the LES data.

Canuto, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The trend of production rates with heliocentric distance for comet P/Halley

Comet P/Halley was observed spectroscopically in the wavelength range 5200-10,400 A during 10 observing runs, roughly a month apart from 1985 August 28 to 1986 June 6. The observations span a heliocentric distance from 0.73 to 2.52 AU. This data set is analyzed to determine the course of the production rate with heliocentric distance for C2, NH2, CN, and the continuum. The effect of changing the Haser scale lengths and their heliocentric distance dependence is examined. The production rate ratios to water change only in a minor way, but the absolute values of the production rates are more severely affected. Fluorescent efficiencies, or g-factors for the CN red system are calculated, and band intensity ratios for NH2 and CN are presented. Using presently available fluorescence efficiencies and Haser scale lengths, mixing ratios for the parents of C2, CN, and NH2 with respect to water are: 0.34 +/- 0.07%, 0.15 +/- 0.04%, and 0.13 +/- 0.05%. It is found that these mixing ratios are essentially constant over the heliocentric distance range of the observations, implying a rather uniform nucleus and uniform outgassing characteristics, although there are indications of smaller scale day-to-day variations. The results provide strong observational confirmation that water evaporation controls the activity of the comet over the distance range studied. Continuum values Af rho are determined, and their ratios to QH2O are found to have a clear dependence with heliocentric distance approximately r(exp -1.0) with a post-perihelion enhancement. No correlation of the production rate ratios with light curve of P/Halley were found, nor was there any correlation of the C2 or CN production with the dust.

Fink, Uwe↗
NASA NTRS1994

Excitation of solar p-modes

We investigate the rates at which energy is supplied to individual p-modes as a function of their frequencies nu and angular degrees l. The observationally determined rates are compared with those calculated on the hypothesis that the modes are stochastically excited by turbulent convection. The observationally determined excitation rate is assumed to be equal to the product of the mode's energy E and its (radian) line width Gamma. We obtain E from the mode's mean square surface velocity with the aid of its velocity eigenfuction. We assume that Gamma measures the mode's energy decay rate, even though quasi-elastic scattering may dominate true absorption. At fixed l, E(Gamma) arises as nu(exp 7) at low nu, reaches a peak at nu approximately equal 3.5 mHz, and then declines as nu(exp 4.4) at higher nu . At fixed nu, E(Gamma) exhibits a slow decline with increasing l. To calculate energy input rates, P(sub alpha), we rely on the mixing-length model of turbulent convection. We find entropy fluctuations to be about an order of magnitude more effective than the Reynolds stress in exciting p-modes . The calculated P(sub alpha) mimic the nu(exp 7) dependence of E(Gamma) at low nu and the nu(exp -4.4) dependence at high nu. The break of 11.4 powers in the nu-dependence of E(Gamma) across its peak is attributed to a combination of (1) the reflection of high-frequency acoustic waves just below the photosphere where the scale height drops precipitously and (2) the absence of energy-bearing eddies with short enough correlation times to excite high-frequency modes. Two parameters associated with the eddy correlation time are required to match the location and shape of the break. The appropriate values of these parameters, while not unnatural, are poorly constrained by theory. The calculated P(sub alpha) can also be made to fit the magnitude of E(Gamma) with a reasonable value for the eddy aspect ratio. Our resutls suggest a possible explanation for the decline of mode energy with increasing l at fixed nu. Entropy fluctuations couple to changes in volume associated with the oscillation mode. These decrease with decreasing n at fixed nu, becoming almost zero for the f-mode.

Goldreich, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1994

Van Driest transformation and compressible wall-bounded flows

The transformation validity question utilizing resulting data from direct numerical simulations (DNS) of supersonic, isothermal cold wall channel flow was investigated. The DNS results stood for a wide scope of parameter and were suitable for the purpose of examining the generality of Van Driest transformation. The Van Driest law of the wall can be obtained from the inner-layer similarity arguments. It was demonstrated that the Van Driest transformation cannot be incorporated to collapse the sublayer and log-layer velocity profiles simultaneously. Velocity and temperature predictions according to the preceding composite mixing-length model were presented. Despite satisfactory congruity with the DNS data, the model must be perceived as an engineering guide and not as a rigorous analysis.

TRT-THEORETICAL↗
NASA NTRS1994

Equilibrium structure of solar magnetic flux tubes: Energy transport with multistream radiative transfer

We examine the equilibrium structure of vertical intense magnetic flux tubes on the Sun. Assuming cylindrical geometry, we solve the magnetohydrostatic equations in the thin flux-tube approximation, allowing for energy transport by radiation and convection. The radiative transfer equation is solved in the six-stream approximation, assuming gray opacity and local thermodynamic equilibrium. This constitutes a significant improvement over a previous study, in which the transfer was solved using the multidimensional generalization of the Eddington approximation. Convection in the flux tube is treated using mixing-length theory, with an additional parameter alpha, characterizing the suppression of convective energy transport in the tube by the strong magnetic field. The equations are solved using the method of partial linearization. We present results for tubes with different values of the magnetic field strength and radius at a fixed depth in the atmosphere. In general, we find that, at equal geometric heights, the temperature on the tube axis, compared to the ambient medium, is higher in the photosphere and lower in the convection zone, with the difference becoming larger for thicker tubes. At equal optical depths the tubes are generally hotter than their surroundings. The results are comparatively insensitive to alpha but depend upon whether radiative and convective energy transport operate simultaneously or in separate layers. A comparison of our results with semiempirical models shows that the temperature and intensity contrast are in broad agreement. However, the field strengths of the flux-tube models are somewhat lower than the values inferred from observations.

Hasan, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Use of acoustic wave travel-time measurements to probe the near-surface layers of the Sun

The variation of solar p-mode travel times with cyclic frequency nu is shown to provide information on both the radial variation of the acoustic potential and the depth of the effective source of the oscillations. Observed travel-time data for waves with frequency lower than the acoustic cutoff frequency for the solar atmosphere (approximately equals 5.5 mHz) are inverted to yield the local acoustic cutoff frequency nu(sub c) as a function of depth in the outer convection zone and lower atmosphere of the Sun. The data for waves with nu greater than 5.5 mHz are used to show that the source of the p-mode oscillations lies approximately 100 km beneath the base of the photosphere. This depth is deeper than that determined using a standard mixing-length calculation.

Jefferies, S. M.↗