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At least 235 records · Page 13

Experimental effects of wing location on wing-body pressures at supersonic speeds

An experimental study was performed at supersonic speeds to measure wing and body spanwise pressure distributions on an axisymmetric-body delta wing model on which the wing vertical location on the body was systematically varied from low- to high-mounted positions. In addition, for two of these positions both horizontal and radial wing angular orientations relative to the body were tested, and roll angle effects were investigated for one of the positions. Seven different wing-body configurations and a body-alone configuration were studied. The test was conducted at Mach numbers from 1.70 to 2.86 at angles of attack from about -4 deg to 24 deg. Pressure orifices were located at three longitudinal stations on each wing-body model, and at each station the orifices were located completely around the body, along the lower surface of the right wing (looking upstream), and along the upper surface of the left wing. All pressure coefficient data are tabulated and selected samples are shown graphically to illustrate the effects of the test variables. The effects of angle of attack, roll angle, Mach number, longitudinal station, wing vertical location, wing angular orientation, and wing-body juncture are analyzed. The vertical location of the wing on the body had a very strong effect on the body pressures. For a given angle of attack at a roll angle of 0 deg, the pressures were virtually constant in the spanwise direction across the windward surfaces of the wing-body combination. Pressure-relieving, channeling, and vortex effects were noted in the data.

Allen, Jerry M.↗

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) tracking and orbit determination

Analysis results were derived using the Goddard Trajectory Determination System to determine the orbit of TDRS-East. A batch weighted least-squares algorithm is used to fit the Bilateration Ranging Transponder system tracking measurements. Six state parameters (position and velocity components) and the solar radiation pressure coefficient are estimated. The solutions are obtained by fitting the data over 34 hr arcs that overlap by 10 hr. Ephemerides are generated over the 34 hr arcs and then compared over the overlapping regions. The position differences indicate the consistency of the solutions and give a measure of their accuracy. The effect of the modeling of perturbative forces (solar radiation pressure, nonspherical geopotential field) on these results are studied. Error analysis is performed using the ORAN program to estimate the effect of force-model errors and measurement-related errors on the TDRS-East ephemeris.

Teles, J.↗

20 plus Years of Computational Fluid Dynamics for the Space Shuttle

This slide presentation reviews the use of computational fluid dynamics in performing analysis of the space shuttle with particular reference to the return to flight analysis and other shuttle problems. Slides show a comparison of pressure coefficient with the shuttle ascent configuration between the wind tunnel test and the computed values. the evolution of the grid system for the space shuttle launch vehicle (SSLv) from the early 80's to one in 2004, the grid configuration of the bipod ramp redesign from the original design to the current configuration, charts with the computations showing solid rocket booster surface pressures from wind tunnel data, calculated over two grid systems (i.e., the original 14 grid system, and the enhanced 113 grid system), and the computed flight orbiter wing loads are compared with strain gage data on STS-50 during flight. The loss of STS-107 initiated an unprecedented review of all external environments. The current SSLV grid system of 600+ grids, 1.8 Million surface points and 95+ million volume points is shown. The inflight entry analyses is shown, and the use of Overset CFD as a key part to many external tank redesign and debris assessments is discussed. The work that still remains to be accomplished for future shuttle flights is discussed.

Gomez, Reynaldo J., III↗

An implicit algorithm for the transonic full-potential equation in conservative form

A fast, implicit approximate factorization algorithm for the solution of the conservative full-potential equation for transonic flow in two and three dimensions is presented. Stability in supersonic regions is maintained by the use of an upwind evaluation of the density coefficient along all coordinate directions, providing an effective upwind difference of the streamwise terms for any orientation of the velocity vector and thereby enhancing the reliability of the algorithm. The algorithm is shown to provide rapid convergence for the computation of certain difficult two-dimensional test cases, including cases with fishtail shock patterns, demonstrating the reliability and efficiency of the procedure. Surface pressure coefficient distributions obtained by the present method are also found to be in good agreement with those computed by successive-line overrelaxation and a hybrid direct-solver/successive-line overrelaxation scheme, with significant reductions in CPU time required. A three-dimensional solution for a swept wing mounted between parallel walls is also presented which demonstrates the high convergence rate of the algorithm in three dimensions as well as two.

Holst, T.↗

Low speed wind tunnel test of a propulsive wing/canard concept in the STOL configuration. Volume 2: Test data

A propulsive wind/canard model was tested at STOL operating conditions in the NASA Langley Research Center 4 x 7 meter wind tunnel. Longitudinal and lateral/directional aerodynamic characteristics were measured for various flap deflections, angles of attack and sideslip, and blowing coefficients. Testing was conducted for several model heights to determine ground proximity effects on the aerodynamic characteristics. Flow field surveys of local flow angles and velocities were performed behind both the canard and the wing. This is volume 2 of a 2 volume report. All of the test data in three appendices are presented. Appendix A presented tabulated six component force and moment data, Appendix B presents tabulated wing pressure coefficients, and Appendix C presents the flow field data.

Stewart, V. R.↗

The influence of leading-edge load alleviation on supersonic wing design

A theoretical and experimental program to assess the effect of leading-edge load constraints on wing design and performance was conducted. For a planform characterized by a highly swept leading edge on the inboard region, linear theory was used to design camber surfaces which produced minimum drag-due-to-lift at the design lift coefficient of 0.08 and a design Mach number of 2.4. In an effort to delay the formation of leading edge vortices which often occur on highly swept wings, two approaches were used in the design criteria to limit the loadings on the leading edge. One wing was constrained to have the normal Mach number less than one everywhere along the leading edge and the second wing was constrained to have a pressure coefficient of zero on the leading edge. Force tests were run on the two constrained wings, on a flat reference wing and on an optimized wing with no leading edge constraints. All wings had identical planforms and thicknesses and were tested over a range of Mach numbers from 1.8 to 2.8 and a range in angles of attack from -5 deg to 8 deg. A comparison of the experimental performance of these four models is shown. Correlations of these results with theoretical predictions and flow visualization photographs are also included.

Darden, C. M.↗

Cranked Arrow Wing (F-16XL-1) Flight Flow Physics with CFD Predictions at Subsonic and Transonic Speeds

The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling used has produced reasonably good global upper-surface pressure coefficient comparisons with measured flight data at both transonic and subsonic speeds at the angles of attack presented. Boundary layer comparisons showed the profiles to be reasonably well predicted inboard and under the primary vortex system. However, the secondary vortex profile was not well predicted either at the anticipated separation point or under the secondary vortex. Moreover, the flight data showed there to be a vortex/boundary-layer interaction that occurred in the vicinity of the secondary vortex. The spanwise distribution of local skin friction measured data was reasonably well predicted, especially away from the wing leading-edge. Lastly, predicted and measured flight-pressures, as well as flight-image data, for the F-16XL-1 airplane are now available via the World Wide Web.

Lamar, John E.↗

Cranked Arrow Wing (F-16XL-1) Flight Flow Physics with CFD Predictions at Subsonic and Transonic Speeds

The CFD modeling used has produced reasonably good global upper-surface pressure coefficient comparisons with measured flight data at both transonic and subsonic speeds at the angles of attack presented. Boundary layer comparisons showed the profiles to be reasonably well predicted inboard and under the primary vortex system. However, the secondary vortex profile was not well predicted either at the anticipated separation point or under the secondary vortex. Moreover, the flight data showed there to be a vortex/boundary-layer interaction that occurred in the vicinity of the secondary vortex. The spanwise distribution of local skin friction measured data was reasonably well predicted, especially away from the wing leading-edge. Lastly, predicted and measured flight-pressures, as well as flight-image data, for the F-16XL-1 airplane are now available via the World Wide Web.

Lamar, John E.↗

Tables of Aerodynamic Coefficients Obtained from Developed Newtonian Expressions for Complete and Partial Conic and Spheric Bodies at Combined Angles of Attack and Sideslip with Some Comparisons with Hypersonic Experimental Data

Closed-form expressions and tables composed from these expressions are presented for complete and partial conic and spheric bodies at combined angles of attack and sideslip in Newtonian flow. Aerodynamic coefficients of these bodies are tabulated for various body segments over a range of angles of attack from 1 deg to 85 deg and angles of sideslip from 0 deg to 15 deg. Some comparisons between Newtonian predictions and hypersonic experimental aerodynamic characteristics were made for conic bodies hawing various surface slopes, nose bluntnesses, and body cross sections to indicate the range of validity of the theory. In general, the theory is shown to agree quite well with experimental results for sharp-nose complete cones and for configurations hawing large blunted noses and steep surface slopes. However, agreement between theory and experiment generally is poor for the more slender, slightly blunted complete or half conic bodies and also for sharp-nose half conic bodies where real-flow phenomena such as forebody interference, viscous forces, leeward surface contributions, or leading-edge pressure reductions may have significant effect. The agreement between theory and experiment for the bodies considered can be improved by using the stagnation pressure coefficient behind a normal shock rather than 2 as the Newtonian coefficient, although for the sharp-nose half conic bodies there i s no theoretical justification for this modification.

Armstrong, William O.↗

Four-Nozzle Benchmark Wind Tunnel Model USA Code Solutions for Simulation of Multiple Rocket Base Flow Recirculation at 145,000 Feet Altitude

Multiple rocket exhaust plume interactions at high altitudes can produce base flow recirculation with attendant alteration of the base pressure coefficient and increased base heating. A search for a good wind tunnel benchmark problem to check grid clustering technique and turbulence modeling turned up the experiment done at AEDC in 1961 by Goethert and Matz on a 4.25-in. diameter domed missile base model with four rocket nozzles. This wind tunnel model with varied external bleed air flow for the base flow wake produced measured p/p(sub ref) at the center of the base as high as 3.3 due to plume flow recirculation back onto the base. At that time in 1961, relatively inexpensive experimentation with air at gamma = 1.4 and nozzle A(sub e)/A of 10.6 and theta(sub n) = 7.55 deg with P(sub c) = 155 psia simulated a LO2/LH2 rocket exhaust plume with gamma = 1.20, A(sub e)/A of 78 and P(sub c) about 1,000 psia. An array of base pressure taps on the aft dome gave a clear measurement of the plume recirculation effects at p(infinity) = 4.76 psfa corresponding to 145,000 ft altitude. Our CFD computations of the flow field with direct comparison of computed-versus-measured base pressure distribution (across the dome) provide detailed information on velocities and particle traces as well eddy viscosity in the base and nozzle region. The solution was obtained using a six-zone mesh with 284,000 grid points for one quadrant taking advantage of symmetry. Results are compared using a zero-equation algebraic and a one-equation pointwise R(sub t) turbulence model (work in progress). Good agreement with the experimental pressure data was obtained with both; and this benchmark showed the importance of: (1) proper grid clustering and (2) proper choice of turbulence modeling for rocket plume problems/recirculation at high altitude.

Dougherty, N. S.↗

Combustor-Turbine Interactions By Using the Open National Combustion Code (OpenNCC) and the Glenn-HT Code

We develop the methodology of coupling two different computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes, OpenNCC and Glenn-HT, in order to investigate the unsteady flow fields inside the combustor and around the first-stage stator of a high-pressure turbine (HPT) from the energy efficient engine (E 3 ) program. In our coupling strategy, OpenNCC, a time accurate unstructured mesh multi-phase combustion CFD code, is applied to the combustor region and Glenn-HT, a structured mesh CFD code designed for turbine applications, is utilized inside the HPT region. As a proof of concept, we first simulate the three-dimensional airflow over the backward facing step and compared the predicted pressure coefficient against experimental data. We then considered a Jet-A/Air combustor with the NASA single learn direct injector (LDI) as a reacting flow test case. Here, Glenn-HT is used in the downstream of the combustor and assumes that the working fluid is a single gas (i.e., air) where the properties of the gas are taken from time- and area-averaged values at the combustor exit. A fully coupled combustor-turbine simulation using both OpenNCC and Glenn-HT was conducted on the E 3 combustor and a detailed analysis done pertaining to how a realistic combustor outflow affects migration of hot-streaks and its impact on the aerodynamic behavior inside the HPT. It is found that the combustion dynamics (i.e., the switching main and pilot flame strength) significantly alters the aerodynamic behavior inside the HPT including hot-streak migration. Variations of the temperature and the velocity magnitude in the passage could be up to ±75 and ±15. These large variations are an important part of the combustor-turbine interactions, which are overlooked by a single component simulation of the HPT while imposing the steady inflow boundary condition at the HPT inlet. Finally, it is observed the strong density gradient associated with the hot-streaks and the pressure gradient at the passage significantly enhances the baroclinic torque, affecting the vorticity field.

CFD hot-streaks↗

A Finite Element Method for Compressible and Turbulent Multiphase Flow Instabilities with Heat Transfer

We present a new finite element framework for modeling compressible, turbulent multiphase flows with heat transfer. For two-fluid systems with a free surface, the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is implemented without the need for interface reconstruction, while turbulence is resolved using a dynamic Vreman large eddy simulation (LES) model. Unlike most two-phase VOF studies, which neglect heat transfer, the present approach incorporates energy transport equations within the VOF formulation to account for heat exchange, an effect particularly important in turbulent flows. Conjugate heat transfer is often challenging in finite volume methods, which require explicit specification of heat fluxes at the solid–fluid interface, limiting accuracy and predictive capability. By contrast, the finite element formulation does not require heat flux inputs, allowing more accurate and robust simulation of heat transfer between solids and fluids. The method is demonstrated through three representative cases. First, a two-fluid instability with a single-mode perturbation is simulated and validated against analytical growth rates. Second, conjugate heat transfer is examined in a high-temperature flow over a cold metal cylinder, with validation performed both quantitatively—via pressure coefficient comparisons with experimental data—and qualitatively using vector field topology. Finally, compressible spray injection and breakup are modeled, demonstrating the ability of the framework to capture interfacial dynamics and atomization under turbulent, high-speed conditions. In the compressible spray injection and breakup case, the results indicate that the finite element formulation achieved higher predictive accuracy and robustness than the finite-volume method. With the same mesh resolution, the FEM reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) from 6.96 mm and 26.0% (for the FVM) to 4.85 mm and 12.7%, respectively, demonstrating improved accuracy and robustness in capturing interfacial dynamics and heat transfer. The study also introduced vector field topology to visualize and interpret coherent flow structures and instabilities, offering insights beyond conventional scalar-field analyses.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Fan and wing force data from wind tunnel investigation of a 0.38 meter (15 inch) diameter VTOL model lift fan installed in a two dimensional wing

Test data are presented for a 38-cm (15-in.) diameter, 1.28 pressure ratio model VTOL lift fan installed in a two-dimensional wing and tested in a 2.74-by 4.58-meter (9-by 15-ft)V/STOL wind tunnel. Tests were run with and without exit louvers over a wide range of crossflow velocities and wing angle of attack. Tests were also performed with annular-inlet vanes, inlet bell-mouth surface disconuities, and fences to induce fan windmilling. Data are presented on the axial force of the fan assembly and overall wing forces and moments as measured on force balances for various static and crossflow test conditions. Midspan wing surface pressure coefficient data are also given.

Yuska, J. A.↗

Tabulated pressure measurements on a large subsonic transport model airplane with high bypass ratio, powered, fan jet engines

An experimental wind-tunnel investigation to determine the aerodynamic interference and the jet-wake interference associated with the wing, pylon, and high-bypass-ratio, powered, fan-jet model engines has been conducted on a typical high-wing logistics transport airplane configuration. Pressures were measured on the wing and pylons and on the surfaces of the engine fan cowl, turbine cowl, and plug. Combinations of wing, pylons, engines, and flow-through nacelles were tested, and the pressure coefficients are presented in tabular form. Tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 0.700 to 0.825 and angles of attack from -2 to 4 deg.

Flechner, S. G.↗

Leading-edge pressure measurements of airfoil vortex interaction

Experimental pressure-differential measurements made at 10% chord of an airfoil-vortex interaction are presented. A line vortex was oscillated over an airfoil perpendicular to the span and parallel to the chord. The pressure time history was recorded in order to show the sharp pressure pulses resulting from the bursting of the vortex core as it impinges upon the airfoil. Results for various vortex sizes and free stream velocities were obtained. Measurements were also made when the airfoil was yawed to the line vortex. Maximum pressure differences were observed to occur in phase across the blade even with yaw, and were directly proportional to the square of the free stream velocity. The maximum dynamic pressure coefficients obtained were as high as 1.0 when vortex bursting occurred.

Walsh, R. G., Jr.↗