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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

Altitude/path-angle transitions in fuel-optimal problems for transport aircraft

Altitude/path angle transitions to fuel-optimal, energy climb and descent paths are examined for subsonic transport aircraft. These transitions are termed boundary layers in singular perturbation theory, the framework used herein to simplify solutions to the state-Euler system. The energy climb and descent paths provide equilibrium or stationary points for the boundary layer system, and thus for moderate transitions, presumed valid for the class of aircraft considered, the boundary layer system may be linearized. This simplification allows derivation of an explicit solution to the two-point boundary-value, boundary layer problem and, as a consequence, yields a nearly optimal control law, in feedback form, for the transitions. Numerical simulation results using the feedback control law are presented for a Boeing 737 airframe (NASA-ATOPS Vehicle) employing twin JT8D-7-7A engines.

Gracey, C.↗

A nonlinear analysis of infinitely long graphite-epoxy cylindrical panels loaded with internal pressure

The structural response of internally pressurized composite cylindrical panels, representative of a transport aircraft's fuselage skins, is predicted by means of a one-dimensional, geometrically nonlinear analysis. An analytical study is conducted for the response of 4-, 8-, and 16-ply graphite/epoxy skins. The results obtained indicate that the response is geometrically nonlinear, and that a boundary layer with a severe bending gradient exists at the panel edges. The importance of through-the-thickness shearing deformations in the bending boundary layer is illustrated through comparison of analyses based on Kirchhoff-Love and shear deformation theories. Numerical results for the bending boundary layer lengths of the different panels are presented, and two bending boundary layers are predicted with the shear deformation theory.

Boitnott, R. L.↗

Optimum wall impedance for spinning modes - A correlation with mode cut-off ratio

A correlating equation relating the optimum acoustic impedance for the wall lining of a circular duct to the acoustic mode cut-off ratio is presented and compared to exact calculations. The optimum impedance was correlated with cut-off ratio because the cut-off ratio appears to be the fundamental parameter governing the propagation of sound in the duct. Modes with similar cut-off ratios respond in a similar way to the acoustic liner. The correlating equation is useful for the design of suppressors for aircraft engine inlets having a steady mean flow with a boundary layer and spinning mode noise source excitation. The correlation is a semi-empirical expression developed from an empirical modification of an equation originally derived from sound propagation theory in a thin boundary layer. Exact calculations of the optimum wall impedance were made over a wide range of frequency parameters, boundary layer thicknesses and flow Mach numbers to develop and verify the correlation. This correlating equation represents a part of a simplified liner design method, based upon modal cut-off ratio, for multimodal noise propagation.

Rice, E. J.↗

Heat Transfer in the Turbulent Boundary Layer of a Compressible Gas at High Speeds

The Reynolds law of heat transfer from a wall to a turbulent stream is extended to the case of flow of a compressible gas at high speeds. The analysis is based on the modern theory of the turbulent boundary layer with laminar sublayer. The investigation is carried out for the case of a plate situated in a parallel stream. The results are obtained independently of the velocity distribution in the turbulent boundar layer.

Frankl, F.↗

Airfoil trailing edge flow measurements and comparison with theory, incorporating open wind tunnel corrections

Trailing edge data for boundary layer-near wake thickness parameters are given for airfoils and flat plates. Reynolds number effects are examined as a function of model size, velocity and boundary layer tripping. These data expand that presented previously by the authors particularly for airfoil non-zero angles of attack. Comparisons are made here with boundary layer calculations using potential flow modeling and a well documented two-dimensional finite-difference method for laminar and turbulent boundary layers. Open wind tunnel corrections to angle of attack and camber are developed and are incorporated in the potential flow modeling to assure correct comparisons for non-zero angles of attack. It was found that although the open tunnel flow turbulence affected boundary layer transition for the higher velocities the theory successfully 'brackets' the data. Comparisons demonstrate the degree of accuracy one might expect for the prediction of boundary layer thickness parameters when given only geometry and nominal flow conditions as input to boundary layer codes.

Brooks, T. F.↗

Symposium on Numerical and Physical Aspects of Aerodynamic Flows, 2nd, California State University, Long Beach, CA, January 17-20, 1983, Proceedings

The present conference covers topics concerning the measurement and calculation of interactive flows, together with problems posed by subsonic and transonic wings, missiles, and ships. Discussions are presented on the time-dependent finite difference simulation of unsteady interactive flows, Navier-Stokes equation methods, numerical solutions for spatially periodic boundary layers, the application of unsteady laminar tripple deck theory to viscous-inviscid interaction, the coupling of boundary layer and Euler equation solutions, and viscous-inviscid flow interactions. Also discussed are leading and trailing edge flows, three-dimensional wing flows, small disturbance calculations including entropy corrections, an inviscid computational method for tactical missiles, and boundary layer and flow separation characteristics of bodies of revolution at incidence.

Source record↗

Experiments with an Airfoil from which the Boundary Layer Is Removed by Suction

Our attempts to improve the properties of airfoils by removing the boundary layer by suction, go back to 1922. The object of the suction is chiefly to prevent the detachment of the boundary layer from the surface of the airfoil. At large angles of attack, such detachment prevents the attainment of the great lift promised by the theory, besides greatly increasing the drag, especially of thick airfoils. This report gives results of those experiments.

BOUNDARY LAYER REMOVAL - SUCTION↗

On local inflexional instability in boundary-layer flows.

Development of a linearized theory of the two- and three-dimensional incompressible viscous flows ensuing from locally unstable velocity profiles. Indications of the theory with respect to the instability of the two-dimensional separation bubble and the mechanisms underlying formation of the turbulence wedge behind a fixed roughness element are pointed out. In connection with the aforementioned mechanisms, a theoretically based argument is advanced that, as a result of local inflectional instability of the velocity profile in a succession of skewed planes, a corresponding succession of stationary vortices is induced, the induction process terminating at the boundaries of the turbulence wedge when the velocity profiles along the boundaries themselves become unstable. It is suggested that a rational method of predicting the occurrence of roughness-induced turbulence wedges might be possible if a theory were available for the steady laminar flow caused by the roughness at a stage just prior to transition.

Tobak, M.↗

Shock loading predictions from application of indicial theory to shock-turbulence interactions

A sequence of steps that permits prediction of some of the characteristics of the pressure field beneath a fluctuating shock wave from knowledge of the oncoming turbulent boundary layer is presented. The theory first predicts the power spectrum and pdf of the position and velocity of the shock wave, which are then used to obtain the shock frequency distribution, and the pdf of the pressure field, as a function of position within the interaction region. To test the validity of the crucial assumption of linearity, the indicial response of a normal shock is calculated from numerical simulation. This indicial response, after being fit by a simple relaxation model, is used to predict the shock position and velocity spectra, along with the shock passage frequency distribution. The low frequency portion of the shock spectra, where most of the energy is concentrated, is satisfactorily predicted by this method.

Keefe, Laurence R.↗

Resonant triad in boundary-layer stability. Part 1: Fully nonlinear interaction

A first principles theory is developed to study the nonlinear spatial evolution of a near-resonance triad of instability waves in boundary layer transition. This triad consists of a plane wave at fundamental frequency and a pair of symmetrical, oblique waves at the subharmonic frequency. A low frequency, high Reynolds number asymptotic scaling leads to a distinct critical layer where nonlinearity first becomes important; the development of the triad's waves is determined by the critical layer's nonlinear, viscous dynamics. The resulting theory is fully nonlinear in that all nonlinearly generated oscillatory and nonoscillatory components are accounted for. The presence of the plane wave initially causes exponential of exponential growth of the oblique waves. However, the plane wave continues to follow the linear theory, even when the oblique waves' amplitude attains the same order of magnitude as that of the plane wave. A fully interactive stage then comes into effect when the oblique waves exceed a certain level compared to that of the plane wave. The oblique waves react back on the fundamental, slowing its growth rate. The oblique waves' saturation results from their self-interaction - a mechanism that does not require the presence of the plane wave. The oblique waves' saturation level is independent of their initial level, but decreases as the obliqueness angle increases.

Mankbadi, Reda R.↗

Application of algebraic-RNG eddy viscosity model to simulation of transitional boundary layer flow

An algebraic eddy-viscosity model is derived from the renormalization group (RNG) theory of turbulence. A new length scale, based on boundary layer characteristics (displacement thickness, shape factor), is proposed. The model was applied to transitional boundary layer flow over a flat plate. Integral characteristics, such as the total skin friction coefficient, and mean velocity profile across the boundary layer, are found to be in good agreement with experimental data.

Yakhot, Alexander↗

A universal velocity transformation for boundary layers with pressure gradients

The logarithmic law of the wall does not capture the mean flow when a boundary layer is subjected to a strong pressure gradient. In such a boundary layer, the mean flow is affected by the spatio-temporal history of the imposed pressure gradient; and accounting for history effects remains a challenge. This work aims to develop a universal mean flow scaling for boundary layers subjected to arbitrary adverse or/and favourable pressure gradients. Here, we derive from the Navier–Stokes equation a velocity transformation that accounts for the history effects and maps the mean flow to the canonical law of the wall. The transformation is tested against channel flows with a suddenly imposed adverse or favourable pressure gradient, boundary layer flows subjected to an adverse pressure gradient, and Couette–Poiseuille flows with a streamwise pressure gradient. It is found that the transformed velocity profiles follow closely the equilibrium law of the wall.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Unified aeroacoustics analysis for high speed turboprop aerodynamics and noise. Volume 5: Propagation of propeller tone noise through a fuselage boundary layer

An analysis of tone noise propagation through a boundary layer and fuselage scattering effects was derived. This analysis is a three dimensional and the complete wave field is solved by matching analytical expressions for the incident and scattered waves in the outer flow to a numerical solution in the boundary layer flow. The outer wave field is constructed analytically from an incident wave appropriate to the source and a scattered wave in the standard Hankel function form. For the incident wave, an existing function - domain propeller noise radiation theory is used. In the boundary layer region, the wave equation is solved by numerical methods. The theoretical analysis is embodied in a computer program which allows the calculation of correction factors for the fuselage scattering and boundary layer refraction effects. The effects are dependent on boundary layer profile, flight speed, and frequency. Corrections can be derived for any point on the fuselage, including those on the opposite side from the source. The theory was verified using limited cases and by comparing calculations with available measurements from JetStar tests of model prop-fans. For the JetStar model scale, the boundary layer refraction effects produce moderate fuselage pressure reinforcements aft of and near the plane of rotation and significant attenuation forward of the plane of rotation at high flight speeds. At lower flight speeds, the calculated boundary layer effects result in moderate amplification over the fuselage area of interest. Apparent amplification forward of the plane of rotation is a result of effective changes in the source directivity due to boundary layer refraction effects. Full scale effects are calculated to be moderate, providing fuselage pressure amplification of about 5 dB at the peak noise location. Evaluation using available noise measurements was made under high-speed, high-altitude flight conditions. Comparisons of calculations made of free field noise, using a current frequency-domain propeller noise prediction method, and fuselage effects using this new procedure show good agreement with fuselage measurements over a wide range of flight speeds and frequencies. Correction factors for the JetStar measurements made on the fuselage are provided in an Appendix.

Magliozzi, B.↗

Experimental Investigation of Roughness Effects on Transition on Blunt Spherical Capsule Shapes

The present contribution reviews recent experimental results of roughness effects on boundary layer transition on capsule geometries with spherical windward geometries. Experiments in three wind tunnel facilities are considered. The ACE Tunnel of Texas AM University, USA, provided Mach 6 experiments with distributed roughness at relatively low Reynolds numbers, 2.5 · 10(exp 5) < Re(sub d) < 5 · 10(exp 5), with d denoting the capsule diameter. The observed boundary layer transition compared well with correlations based on transient growth theory, even though the roughness heights were in the order of boundary layer thickness. Larger Reynolds numbers, 1 · 10(exp 6) < Re(sub d) < 3·10(exp 6), could be assessed in the hypersonic Ludwieg tube, HLB, of TU Braunschweig, Germany. Transition is observed at rather low, subcritical roughness values in the order of 20 μm for a roughness patch placed about the geometric center of the capsule model. These experiments varied fluctuation levels of the freestream. The authors assume that the observed transitions that occur downstream of the subcritical roughness patch are due to freestream disturbances in the tunnel, which interact with small roughness heights. Additional experiments in the HLB facility with patches of larger roughness height support the relevance of transient growth theory for low-to-medium roughness heights, relative to boundary layer thickness. The effects of Reynolds numbers and total flow enthalpy on transition with isolated roughness were investigated in the HIEST facility of JAXA, Japan. Here, a model insert with roughness elements of varying height for tripping transition to turbulence was employed. The results are compared to known trip effectiveness correlations for isolated roughness. Overall, the transient growth correlation seems to represent roughness-induced transition behavior on the ACE and HLB entry capsule shapes with roughness over the entire capsule surface. These experiment are however for perfect gases. Comparable experiments on roughness induced transition in a high-enthalpy facility are still needed to confirm the validity of transient-growth correlation for vehicle design.

Radespiel, Rolf↗

A Simple Method for Determining Heat Transfer, Skin Friction, and Boundary-Layer Thickness for Hypersonic Laminar Boundary-Layer Flows in a Pressure Gradient

A procedure based on the method of similar solutions is presented by which the skin friction, heat transfer, and boundary-layer thickness in a laminar hypersonic flow with pressure gradient may be rapidly evaluated if the pressure distribution is known. This solution, which at present is. restricted to power-law variations of pressure with surface distance, is presented for a wide range of exponents in the power law corresponding to both favorable and adverse pressure gradients. This theory has been compared to results from heat-transfer experiments on blunt-nose flat plates and a hemisphere cylinder at free-stream Mach numbers of 4 and 6.8. The flat-plate experiments included tests made at a Mach number of 6.8 over a range of angle of attack of +/- 10 deg. Reasonable agreement of the experimental and theoretical heat-transfer coefficients has been obtained as well as good correlation of the experimental results over the entire range of angle of attack studied. A similar comparison of theory with experiment was not feasible for boundary-layer-thickness data; however, the hypersonic similarity theory was found to account satisfactorily for the variation in boundary-layer thickness due to local pressure distribution for several sets of measurements.

Bertram, Mitchel H.↗

Investigation of the Laminar Aerodynamic Heat-transfer Characteristics of a Hemisphere-cylinder in the Langley 11-inch Hypersonic Tunnel at a Mach Number of 6.8

A program to investigate the aerodynamic heat transfer of a nonisothermal hemisphere-cylinder has been conducted in the Langley 11-inch hypersonic tunnel at a Mach number of 6.8 and a Reynolds number from approximately 0.14 x 10(6) to 1.06 x 10(6) based on diameter and free-stream conditions. The experimental heat-transfer coefficients were slightly less over the whole body than those predicted by the theory of Stine and Wanlass (NACA technical note 3344) for an isothermal surface. For stations within 45 degrees of the stagnation point the heat-transfer coefficients could be correlated by a single relation between local Stanton number and local Reynolds number. Pitot pressure profiles taken at a Mach number of 6.8 on a hemisphere-cylinder have verified that the local Mach number or velocity outside the boundary layer required in the theories may be computed from the surface pressures by using isentropic flow relations and conditions immediately behind a normal shock. The experimental pressure distribution at Mach number of 6.8 is closely predicted by the modified Newtonian theory.

Crawford, Davis H↗

Boundary layer receptivity to unsteady free-stream pressure gradients

A linear triple-deck theory is applied to an examination of the response of a boundary layer to short-scale variations in an unsteady free-stream disturbance field. Two-dimensional incompressible flows are considered, and a locally-parallel Blasius mean flow is assumed. A simple pulsating pressure source and a traveling pressure field in the free-stream are modeled by introducing appropriate pressure sources in the upper deck of the triple-deck structure. The modification in unsteady thickness is obtained for these cases, the results are related to the Tollmien-Schlichting instability wave, and the generation of unstable Tollmien-Schlichting waves for both experiments modeled is confirmed.

Heinrich, Roland A. E.↗

Experimental studies of flow separation of the GA(W)-2 airfoil at low speeds

Wind tunnel tests have been conducted on a NASA GA(W)-2 airfoil section at Reynolds number of 2.2 x 10(exp 6) and Mach number of 0.13. Detailed measurements of flow fields associated with turbulent boundary layers have been obtained at angles of attack of 10.3, 14.4, and 18.3 deg. Pre- and post-separated velocity and pressure survey results over the airfoil and in the associated wake are presented. Extensive force, pressure, tuft survey, hot-film survey, local skin friction, and boundary layer data are also included. Pressure distributions and separation point locations show good agreement with theory for the two lower angles of attack. Boundary layer displacement thickness, momentum thickness, and shape factor agree well with theory up to the point of separation. There is considerable disparity between extent of flow reversal in the wake as measured by pressure and hot-film probes. The difference is attributed to the intermittent nature of the flow reversal.

Seetharam, H. C.↗