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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 NTRS2003

Step Bunch Evolution on Vicinal Faces of KDP

For in-situ studies of the formation and evolution of step patterns in solution growth, we have assembled an experimental setup based on Michelson interferometry with the growing crystal surface as one of the reflective surfaces. The device allows data collection over a relatively large area (approximately 4 sq. mm) in situ and in real time during growth. The depth resolution is improved over traditional interferometry using phase-shifted images combining by a suitable algorithm. We achieve a depth resolution of approximately 50 Angstroms. Lateral resolution, dependent on the degree of magnification, is around 0.3 to 5 microns. The crystal chosen as a model in this work is potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), the optically non-linear material widely used in frequency doubling applications. Kinetics of KDP crystallization is well studied so that KDP can serve as a benchmark for our investigations. We present quantitative results on the onset, initial stages and development of instabilities in moving step trains on vicinal crystal surfaces at varying supersaturation, flow rate, and flow direction. The kinetics data suggest that at low supersaturations, step bunching is caused by impurity retardation of the steps, while at higher supersaturations, we link the non-linearity during growth to interdependence of the velocity and density of the steps evidenced in independent experiments. The behavior on the surface is very dynamic, small bunches both merge and split from larger bunches as they travel across the facet. We present evidence that despite these dynamics, under steady conditions there exists a limiting value to step bunch height. This height is reached at distances between 600 and 1000 microns from the step source. In our experiments, we observed the retention of this step bunch height limit up to the path of 1500 microns.

Booth, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Hydrodynamic Stability of Liquid-Propellant Combustion: Landau's Problem Revisited

Hydrodynamic, or Landau, instability in combustion is typically associated with the onset of wrinkling of a flame surface, corresponding to the formation of steady cellular structures as the stability threshold is crossed. As its name suggests, it stems from hydrodynamic effects connected with thermal expansion across the reaction region. In the context of liquid-propellant combustion, the classical models that originally predicted this phenomenon have been extended to include the important effects that arise from a dynamic dependence of the burning rate on the local pressure and temperature fields. Thus, the onset of Landau instability has now been shown to occur for sufficiently small negative values of the pressure sensitivity of the burning rate, significantly generalizing previous classical results for this problem that assumed a constant normal burning rate. It has also been shown that the onset of instability occurs for decreasing values of the disturbance wave number as the gravitational-acceleration parameter decreases. Consequently, in an appropriate weak-gravity limit, Landau instability becomes a long-wave phenomena associated with the formation of large cells on the liquid-propellant surface. Additionally, a pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability has been shown to occur as well, corresponding to the onset of temporal oscillations in the location of the liquid/gas interface. This instability occurs for sufficiently large negative values of the pressure sensitivity, and is enhanced by increasing values of the burning-rate temperature sensitivity. It is further shown that for sufficiently small values of this parameter, there exists a stable range of pressure sensitivities for steady, planar burning such that the classical cellular form of hydrodynamic instability and the more recent pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability can each occur as the corresponding stability threshold is crossed. For larger thermal sensitivities, however, the pulsating stability boundary evolves into a C-shaped curve in the (disturbance-wave number, pressure-sensitivity) plane, indicating loss of stability to pulsating perturbations for all sufficiently large disturbance wavelengths. It is thus concluded, based on characteristic parameter values that an equally likely form of hydrodynamic instability in liquid-propellant combustion is of a nonsteady, long-wave nature, distinct from the steady, cellular form originally predicted by Landau.

Margolis, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations of a large-scale vortex-like structure in the deep-tail plasma sheet boundary layer

ISEE-3 observations of a large-scale vortexlike structure in the deep tail of the magnetosphere at X(GSM) = -217 earth radii are reported. The structure is characterized by two clockwise rotations of the energetic-ion anisotropy vector. Variations in the magnetic-field vector approximately 180 deg out of phase with the ion variations are observed. This structure is most likely the signature within the magnetosphere of a surface wave at the magnetopause driven by a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Conditions inside and outside of the magnetosphere, as observed by ISEE-3 and ISEE-2, respectively, are examined; these conditions suggest that the surface wave is most likely propagating in the slow mode.

Sanderson, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Effect of surface tension anisotropy on cellular morphologies

A three-dimensional weakly nonlinear analysis for conditions near the onset of instability at the crystal-melt interface was carried out to second order, taking into account the effects of latent heat generation and surface-tension anisotropy of the crystal-melt interface; particular consideration was given to the growth of a cubic crystal in the 001-, 011-, and 111-line directions. Numerical calculations by McFadden et al. (1987), performed for an aluminum-chromium alloy with the assumption of a linear temperature field and an isotropic surface tension, showed that only hexagonal nodes (and not hexagonal cells) occurred near the onset of instability. The results of the present analysis indicate that the nonlinear temperature field (which occurs when thermal conductivities of the crystal and the melt are different and/or the latent heat effects are not negligible) can modify this result and, for certain alloys and processing conditions, can cause the occurrence of hexagonal cells near the onset of instability.

Mcfadden, G. B.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Separation and Transition on the ROTEX-T Cone-Flare

As part of NATO STO AVT-346 “Predicting Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Transition on Complex Geometries,” coordinated experimental and computational studies were conducted on the ROTEX-T, a cone-flare geometry used in a successful flight-test experiment. At the as-flown conditions, a separation bubble existed at the compression corner. Separation, reattachment, and the multifaceted linear instability paths leading this bubble to transition to turbulence are challenging to predict, but have significant impact on surface pressure and heat flux. High-resolution background-oriented schlieren and infrared thermography measurements were made in the AFOSR–Notre Dame Large Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel at freestream unit Reynolds numbers from 5.8×10(exp 6) to 12.2×10(exp 6) m-1and nominally zero angle of attack. High-speed self-aligned focusing schlieren, infrared thermography, and focused laser differential interferometry measurements were made in the AFRL Mach-6 Ludwieg Tube from 2.2×10(exp 6) to 24.7×10(exp 6) m-1and nominally zero degrees angle of attack. The surface heat-flux and Stanton number distributions were computed. Separation and reattachment locations, as well as the flow state at each, were determined from the combination of surface and off-wall measurements. The convective and global boundary-layer instabilities of the axisymmetric laminar flow at the experimental conditions were investigated computationally. Amplification of Mack’s first and second modes were observed to have logarithmic amplification factors between 5 to 7.5 at the separation location, depending on conditions. The flow was found to be globally unstable to stationary three-dimensional disturbances concentrated in the reattachment region. Previous analysis of the ROTEX-T flight data had not assessed reattachment location or the flow state upon reattachment. Thanks to the insights gained from the coordinated, on- and off-wall ground-test measurements, these evaluations have now been made. The separation location indicated by laminar simulations is consistently numerically predicted to be upstream of the experimentally observed location for a transitional separation bubble. The cause of this difference is understood to lie in the steady-state and axisymmetric assumptions made by both solvers employed to compute the basic states analyzed, as flow topology considerations assert that unsteady two-dimensional or axisymmetric separation bubbles are structurally unstable and will become three-dimensional. Computed laminar heating rates prior to separation agreed well with experiment; transitional heating rates after reattachment were between laminar and turbulent computations.

CFD Validation↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Separation and Transition on the ROTEX-T Cone-Flare

As part of NATO STO AVT-346 “Predicting Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Transition on Complex Geometries,” coordinated experimental and computational studies were conducted on the ROTEX-T, a cone-flare geometry used in a successful flight-test experiment. At the as-flown conditions, a separation bubble existed at the compression corner. Separation, reattachment, and the multifaceted linear instability paths leading this bubble to transition to turbulence are challenging to predict, but have significant impact on surface pressure and heat flux. High-resolution background-oriented schlieren and infrared thermography measurements were made in the AFOSR–Notre Dame Large Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel at freestream unit Reynolds numbers from 5.8×10(exp 6) to 12.2×10(exp 6) m-1and nominally zero angle of attack. High-speed self-aligned focusing schlieren, infrared thermography, and focused laser differential interferometry measurements were made in the AFRL Mach-6 Ludwieg Tube from 2.2×10(exp 6) to 24.7×10(exp 6) m-1and nominally zero degrees angle of attack. The surface heat-flux and Stanton number distributions were computed. Separation and reattachment locations, as well as the flow state at each, were determined from the combination of surface and off-wall measurements. The convective and global boundary-layer instabilities of the axisymmetric laminar flow at the experimental conditions were investigated computationally. Amplification of Mack’s first and second modes were observed to have logarithmic amplification factors between 5 to 7.5 at the separation location, depending on conditions. The flow was found to be globally unstable to stationary three-dimensional disturbances concentrated in the reattachment region. Previous analysis of the ROTEX-T flight data had not assessed reattachment location or the flow state upon reattachment. Thanks to the insights gained from the coordinated, on- and off-wall ground-test measurements, these evaluations have now been made. The separation location indicated by laminar simulations is consistently numerically predicted to be upstream of the experimentally observed location for a transitional separation bubble. The cause of this difference is understood to lie in the steady-state and axisymmetric assumptions made by both solvers employed to compute the basic states analyzed, as flow topology considerations assert that unsteady two-dimensional or axisymmetric separation bubbles are structurally unstable and will become three-dimensional. Computed laminar heating rates prior to separation agreed well with experiment; transitional heating rates after reattachment were between laminar and turbulent computations.

CFD Validation↗
NASA NTRS2000

Phase Shift Interferometer and Growth Set Up to Step Pattern Formation During Growth From Solutions. Influence of the Oscillatory solution Flow on Stability

We have assembled an experimental setup based on Michelson interferometry with the growing crystal surface as one of the reflective surfaces. The crystallization part of the device allows optical monitoring of a face of a crystal growing at temperature stable within 0.05 C in a flow of solution of controlled direction and speed. The reference arm of the interferometer contains a liquid crystal element that allows controlled shifts of the phase of the interferograms. We employ an image-processing algorithm, which combines five images with a pi/2 phase difference between each pair of images. The images are transferred to a computer by a camera capable of capturing 60 frames per second. The device allows data collection on surface morphology and kinetics during the face layers growth over a relatively large area (approximately 4 sq. mm) in situ and in real time during growth. The estimated depth resolution of the phase shifting interferometry is approximately 50 Angstroms. The data will be analyzed in order to reveal and monitor step bunching during the growth process. The crystal chosen as a model for study in this work is KH2PO4 (KDP). This optically non-linear material is widely used in frequency doubling applications. There have been a number of studies of the kinetics of KDP crystallization that can serve as a benchmark for our investigations. However, so far, systematic quantitative characteristics of step interaction and bunching are missing. We intend to present our first quantitative results on the onset, initial stages and development of instabilities in moving step trains on vicinal crystal surfaces at varying supersaturation, flow rate, and flow direction. Behavior of a vicinal face growing from solution flowing normal to the steps and periodically changing its direction in time was considered theoretically. It was found that this oscillating flow reduces both stabilization and destabilization effects resulted from the unidirectional solution flow directed up the step stream and down the step stream. This reduction of stabilization and destabilization comes from effective mixing which entangles the phase shifts between the spatially periodic interface perturbation and the concentration wave induced by this perturbation. Numerical results and simplified mixing criterion will be discussed.

Chernov, Alex A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On the stabilization of three-dimensional boundary layers by suction and cooling

A significant reduction in the drag of transonic aircraft can be achieved by using an active method of boundary-layer control to maintain laminar flow on the aerodynamic surfaces. The stabilizing influence of suction for both favorable and adverse pressure gradients is demonstrated by means of the self-similar incompressible three-dimensional boundary layers on yawed wedges. Profile instability is measured by the maximum amplification rate of fixed-frequency disturbances computed according to linearized, locally parallel, spatial stability theory. Suction is found to be more effective in controlling Tollmien-Schlichting instability than stationary cross-flow disturbances. The effectiveness of surface cooling as a method of stabilization is compared with suction for the boundary layers on a transonic 35 deg swept wing of infinite span. It is found from compressible stability theory that when the surface is cooled to a uniform temperature such that the maximum cross-flow velocity is reduced by the same amount as with a uniform suction distribution, the stabilizing effect of cooling on cross-flow disturbances is less than with suction.

Mack, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Feedback in separated flows over symmetric airfoils

For a flow over an airfoil with laminar separation, a feedback cycle may exist whereby a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability wave emanating from the separation point on the airfoil surface grows along the shear layer and is diffracted as it interacts with the sharp trailing edge of the airfoil, causing acoustic radiation which, in turn, propagates upstream and regenerates the initial instability wave. The analysis is restricted to the high frequency limit. Solutions to the boundary-value problem are obtained using the slowly varying approximation and the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Resonant solutions exist for certain discrete values of the Reynolds and Strouhal numbers. The results are discussed and compared with available data.

Atassi, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Feedback in separated flows over symmetric airfoils

For a flow over an airfoil with laminar separation, a feedback cycle may exist whereby a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability wave emanating from the separation point on the airfoil surface grows along the shear layer and is diffracted as it interacts with the sharp trailing edge of the airfoil, causing acoustic radiation which , in turn, propagates upstream and regenerates the initial instability wave. The analysis is restricted to the high frequency limit. Solutions to the boundary-value problem are obtained using the slowly varying approximation and the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Resonant solutions exist for certain discrete values of the Reynolds and Strouhal numbers. The results are discussed and compared with available data.

Atassi, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Direct Numerical Simulation of Transition in a Swept-Wing Boundary Layer

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is performed to examine laminar to turbulent transition due to high-frequency secondary instability of stationary crossflow vortices in a subsonic swept-wing boundary layer for a realistic natural-laminar-flow airfoil configuration. The secondary instability is introduced via inflow forcing derived from a two-dimensional, partial-differential-equation based eigenvalue computation; and the mode selected for forcing corresponds to the most amplified secondary instability mode which, in this case, derives a majority of its growth from energy production mechanisms associated with the wall-normal shear of the stationary basic state. Both the growth of the secondary instability wave and the resulting onset of laminar-turbulent transition are captured within the DNS computations. The growth of the secondary instability wave in the DNS solution compares well with linear secondary instability theory when the amplitude is small; the linear growth is followed by a region of reduced growth resulting from nonlinear effects before an explosive onset of laminar breakdown to turbulence. The peak fluctuations are concentrated near the boundary layer edge during the initial stage of transition, but rapidly propagates towards the surface during the process of laminar breakdown. Both time-averaged statistics and flow visualization based on the DNS reveal a sawtooth transition pattern that is analogous to previously documented surface flow visualizations of transition due to stationary crossflow instability. The memory of the stationary crossflow vortex is found to persist through the transition zone and well beyond the location of the maximum skin friction.

Duan, Lian↗
NASA NTRS1985

The Goertler instability on an airfoil

Goertler vortices arise in boundary layers along concave surfaces due to centrifugal effects. This paper presents some results of an experiment conducted to study the development of these vortices on an airfoil with a pressure gradient in the concave region where an attached laminar boundary layer was insured with suction through a perforated panel. The sublimating chemical technique was used to visualize Goertler vortices and the velocity field was measured by laser velocimetry. The vortex wavelength clearly varied with Goertler number as predicted by linear theory. Both flow visualization and velocity measurements indicated vortex damping in the convex zone. Secondary instability was observed at the higher Goertler numbers.

Mangalam, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The Goertler Instability on an Airfoil

Goertler vortices arise in boundary layers along concave surfaces due to centrifugal effects. This paper presents some results of an experiment conducted to study the development of these vortices on an airfoil with a pressure gradient in the concave region where an attached laminar boundary layer was insured with suction through a perforated panel. The sublimating chemical technique was used to visualize Goertler vortices and the velocity field was measured by laser velocimetry. The vortex wavelength clearly varied with Goertler number as predicted by linear theory. Both flow visualization and velocity measurements indicated vortex damping in the convex zone. Secondary instability was observed at the higher Goertler numbers.

Mangalam, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Acoustic Receptivity of a Blasius Boundary Layer with 2-D and Oblique Surface Waviness

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine acoustic receptivity and subsequent boundary-layer instability evolution for a Blasius boundary layer formed on a flat plate in the presence of two-dimensional (2-D) and oblique (3-D) surface waviness. The effect of the non-localized surface roughness geometry and acoustic wave amplitude on the receptivity process was explored. The surface roughness had a well defined wavenumber spectrum with fundamental wavenumber k (sub w). A planar downstream traveling acoustic wave was created to temporally excite the flow near the resonance frequency of an unstable eigenmode corresponding to k (sub ts) = k (sub w). The range of acoustic forcing levels, epsilon, and roughness heights, DELTA h, examined resulted in a linear dependence of receptivity coefficients; however, the larger values of the forcing combination epsilon dot DELTA h resulted in subsequent nonlinear development of the Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) wave. This study provided the first experimental evidence of a marked increase in the receptivity coefficient with increasing obliqueness of the surface waviness in excellent agreement with theory. Detuning of the 2-D and oblique disturbances was investigated by varying the streamwise wall-roughness wavenumber a,, and measuring the T-S response. For the configuration where laminar-to-turbulent breakdown occurred, the breakdown process was found to be dominated by energy at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies, indicative of K-type breakdown.

King, Rudolph A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An orthogonal coordinate grid following the three-dimensional viscous flow over a concave surface

Swept wings designed for laminar flow control exhibit both centrifugal and crossflow instabilities which produce streamwise vortices that can lead to early transition from laminar to turbulent flow in the presence of Tollmien-Schlichting waves. This paper outlines an iterative algorithm for generation of an orthogonal, curvilinear, coordinate grid following the streamlines of the three-dimensional viscous flow over a swept, concave surface. The governing equations for the metric tensor are derived from the Riemann-Christoffel tensor for an Euclidian geometry. Unit vectors along streamline, normal and binormal directions are determined. The governing equations are not solved directly, but are employed only as compatibility equations. The scale factor for the streamline coordinate is obtained by an iterative integration scheme on a 200 x 100 x 5 grid, while the other two scale factors are determined from definitions. Sample results are obtained which indicate that the compatibility equation error decreases linearly with grid step size. Grids smaller than 200 x 100 x 5 are found to be inadequate to resolve the grid curvature.

Dagenhart, J. R↗
NASA NTRS1964

Characteristics of a Lunar Landing Configuration Having Various Multiple-Leg Landing-Gear Arrangements

An experimental investigation has been made of some lunar-landing characteristics of a 1/6-scale dynamic model of a landing module having multiple-leg landing-gear systems. Symmetric four-point and five-point systems were investigated. The landing-gear legs were inverted tripod arrangements having a telescoping main strut which incorporated a yielding-metal strap for energy dissipation, hinged V-struts, and circular pads. The landing tests were made by launching a free model onto an impenetrable hard surface (concrete) and onto a powdered-pumice overlay of various depths. Landing motion and acceleration data were obtained for a range of touchdown speeds, touchdown attitudes, and landing-surface conditions. Maximum normal acceleration experienced at the module center of gravity during landings on hard surface or pumice was 2g (full-scale lunar value in terms of earth's gravity) over a wide range of touchdown conditions. acceleration experienced was 12 1/2 radians/sec(exp 2) and maximum longitudinal acceleration was 1 3/4g. The module was very stable with all gear configurations during landings on hard surface (coefficient of friction, micron = 0.4) at all conditions tested. Some overturn instability occurred during landings on powdered pumice (micron = 0.7 to 1.0) depending upon flight path, pitch and yaw attitude, depth of pumice, surface topography, and landing-gear configuration. The effect on stability of roll attitude for the limited amount of roll-attitude landing data obtained was insignificant. Compared with the four-point landing gear, the five-point system with equal maximum gear radius increased landing stability slightly and improved the static stability for subsequent lunar launch. A considerable increase in landing stability in the direction of motion was obtained with an asymmetric four-point gear having two pads offset to increase gear radius by 33 percent in the direction of horizontal flight.

Blanchard, Ulysse J.↗
NASA NTRS1963

Characteristics of a Lunar Landing Configuration Having Various Multiple-Leg Landing-Gear Arrangements

An experimental investigation has been made of some lunar-landing characteristics of a 1/6-scale dynamic model of a landing module having multiple-leg landing-gear systems. Symmetric four-point and five-point systems and an asymmetric four-point system were investigated. The landing-gear legs were inverted tripod arrangements having a telescoping main strut which incorporated a yielding-metal strap for energy dissipation, hinged V-struts, and circular pads. The landing tests were made by launching a free model onto an impenetrable hard surface (concrete) and onto a powdered-pumice overlay of various depths. Landing motion and acceleration data were obtained for a range of touchdown speeds, touchdown speeds, touch attitudes, and landing-surface conditions. Symmetric four-point and five-point systems and an Maximum normal acceleration experienced at the module center of gravity during landings on hard surface or pumice was 2g (full-scale lunar value in terms of earth's gravity) over a wide range of touchdown conditions. Maximum angular acceleration experienced was 12-1/2 radians/sec(exp 2) and maximum longitudinal acceleration was 1-3/4 g. The module was very stable with all gear configurations during landings on hard surface (coefficient of friction, microns=0.4) at all conditions tested. Some overturn instability occurred during landings on powdered pumice (microns=0.7 to 1.0) depending upon flight path, pitch and yaw attitude, depth of pumice, surface topography, and landing-gear configuration. The effect of stability of roll attitude for the limited amount of roll-attitude landing data obtained was insignificant. Compared with the four-point system, the five-point system with equal maximum gear radius increased landing stability slightly and improved the static stability for subsequent lunar launch. A considerable increase in landing stability in the direction of motion was obtained with an asymmetric four-point gear having two pads offset to increase gear radius by 33 percent in the direction of horizontal flight.

Blanchard, Ulysse J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

On Pulsating and Cellular Forms of Hydrodynamic Instability in Liquid-Propellant Combustion

An extended Landau-Levich model of liquid-propellant combustion, one that allows for a local dependence of the burning rate on the (gas) pressure at the liquid-gas interface, exhibits not only the classical hydrodynamic cellular instability attributed to Landau but also a pulsating hydrodynamic instability associated with sufficiently negative pressure sensitivities. Exploiting the realistic limit of small values of the gas-to-liquid density ratio p, analytical formulas for both neutral stability boundaries may be obtained by expanding all quantities in appropriate powers of p in each of three distinguished wave-number regimes. In particular, composite analytical expressions are derived for the neutral stability boundaries A(sub p)(k), where A, is the pressure sensitivity of the burning rate and k is the wave number of the disturbance. For the cellular boundary, the results demonstrate explicitly the stabilizing effect of gravity on long-wave disturbances, the stabilizing effect of viscosity (both liquid and gas) and surface tension on short-wave perturbations, and the instability associated with intermediate wave numbers for negative values of A(sub p), which is characteristic of many hydroxylammonium nitrate-based liquid propellants over certain pressure ranges. In contrast, the pulsating hydrodynamic stability boundary is insensitive to gravitational and surface-tension effects but is more sensitive to the effects of liquid viscosity because, for typical nonzero values of the latter, the pulsating boundary decreases to larger negative values of A(sub p) as k increases through O(l) values. Thus, liquid-propellant combustion is predicted to be stable (that is, steady and planar) only for a range of negative pressure sensitivities that lie below the cellular boundary that exists for sufficiently small negative values of A(sub p) and above the pulsating boundary that exists for larger negative values of this parameter.

Margolis, Stephen B.↗