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Results for “Numerical methods and modeling”

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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Device research task (processing and high-efficiency solar cells)

This task has been expanded since the last 25th Project Integration Meeting (PIM) to include process research in addition to device research. The objective of this task is to assist the Flat-plate Solar Array (FSA) Project in meeting its near- and long-term goals by identifying and implementing research in the areas of device physics, device structures, measurement techniques, material-device interactions, and cell processing. The research efforts of this task are described and reflect the deversity of device research being conducted. All of the contracts being reported are either completed or near completion and culminate the device research efforts of the FSA Project. Optimazation methods and silicon solar cell numerical models, carrier transport and recombination parameters in heavily doped silicon, development and analysis of silicon solar cells of near 20% efficiency, and SiN sub x passivation of silicon surfaces are discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

Numerical simulation of transition, compressible turbulence, and reacting flows

Some of the recent work at NASA Langley on transition, turbulence, and reacting flows is summarized. Much of this effort has been motivated by outstanding technological problems in high-speed flow. A class of numerical algorithms for these problems has been developed and a variety of physical problems have been simulated. Descriptions are provided of the basic mathematical models, the nature of the numerical methods, and some of the recent simulations.

Zang, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An experimental investigation of flowfield about a multielement airfoil

Detailed measurements of mean-flow and turbulence quantities around a multielement airfoil model have been made using pressure and hot-wire probes. The results obtained in two test cases at the chord Reynolds number of 3 million and the freestream Mach number of 0.2 show a number of features of the complex flows that are important in accurate modeling of these flows by numerical methods. Many parts of the shear flow vastly deviate from classical flows, and the interaction with the external potential flow is very strong.

Nakayama, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Assessing damping uncertainty in space structures with fuzzy sets

NASA has been interested in the development of methods for evaluating the predictive accuracy of structural dynamic models. This interest stems from the use of mathematical models in evaluating the structural integrity of all spacecraft prior to flight. Space structures are often too large and too weak to be tested fully assembled in a ground test lab. The predictive accuracy of a model depends on the nature and extent of its experimental verification. The further the test conditions depart from in-service conditions, the less accurate the model will be. Structural damping is known to be one source of uncertainty in models. The uncertainty in damping is explored in order to evaluate the accuracy of dynamic models. A simple mass-spring-dashpot system is used to illustrate a comparison among three methods for propagating uncertainty in structural dynamics models: the First Order Method, the Numerical Simulation Method, and the Fuzzy Set Method. The Fuzzy Set Method is shown to bound the range of possible responses and thus to provide a valuable limiting check on the First Order Method near resonant conditions. Fuzzy Methods are a relative inexpensive alternative to numerical simulation.

Ross, Timothy J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

HSR combustion analytical research

Increasing the pressure and temperature of the engines of a new generation of supersonic airliners increases the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) to a level that would have an adverse impact on the Earth's protective ozone layer. In the process of evolving and implementing low emissions combustor technologies, NASA LeRC has pursued a combustion analysis code program to guide combustor design processes, to identify potential concepts of the greatest promise, and to optimize them at low cost, with short turnaround time. The computational analyses are evaluated at actual engine operating conditions. The approach is to upgrade and apply advanced computer programs for gas turbine applications. Efforts were made in further improving the code capabilities for modeling the physics and the numerical methods of solution. Then test cases and measurements from experiments are used for code validation.

Nguyen, H. Lee↗
NASA NTRS1996

A numerical investigation of premixed combustion in wave rotors

Wave rotor cycles which utilize premixed combustion processes within the passages are examined numerically using a one-dimensional CFD-based simulation. Internal-combustion wave rotors are envisioned for use as pressure-gain combustors in gas turbine engines. The simulation methodology is described, including a presentation of the assumed governing equations for the flow and reaction in the channels, the numerical integration method used, and the modeling of external components such as recirculation ducts. A number of cycle simulations are then presented which illustrate both turbulent-deflagration and detonation modes of combustion. Estimates of performance and rotor wall temperatures for the various cycles are made, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed.

Nalim, M. Razi↗
NASA NTRS1999

User's Manual for LINER: FORTRAN Code for the Numerical Simulation of Plane Wave Propagation in a Lined Two-Dimensional Channel

LINER is a system of Fortran 77 codes which performs a 2D analysis of acoustic wave propagation and noise suppression in a rectangular channel with a continuous liner at the top wall. This new implementation is designed to streamline the usage of the several codes making up LINER, resulting in a useful design tool. Major input parameters are placed in two main data files, input.inc and nurn.prm. Output data appear in the form of ASCII files as well as a choice of GNUPLOT graphs. Section 2 briefly describes the physical model. Section 3 discusses the numerical methods; Section 4 gives a detailed account of program usage, including input formats and graphical options. A sample run is also provided. Finally, Section 5 briefly describes the individual program files.

Reichert, R, S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Minimizing Segregation During the Controlled Directional Solidification of Dendritic Alloys Publication: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions

Gravity-driven thermosolutal convection that arises during controlled directional solidification (DS) of dendritic alloys promotes detrimental macro-segregation (e.g. freckles and steepling) in products such as turbine blades. Considerable time and effort has been spent to experimentally and theoretically investigate this phenomena; although our knowledge has advanced to the point where convection can be modeled and accurately compared to experimental results, little has been done to minimize its onset and deleterious effects. The experimental work demonstrates that segregation can be. minimized and microstructural uniformity promoted when a slow axial rotation is applied to the sample crucible during controlled directional solidification processing. Numerical modeling utilizing continuation and bifurcation methods have been employed to develop accurate physical and mathematical models with the intent of identifying and optimizing processing parameters.

Grugel, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Fracture Analysis of Semi-Elliptical Surface Cracks in Ductile Materials

Accurate life assessment of structural components may require advanced life prediction criteria and methodologies. Structural components often exhibit several different types of defects, among the most prevalent being surface cracks. A semi-elliptical surface crack subjected to monotonic loading will exhibit stable crack growth until the crack has reached a critical size, at which the crack loses stability and fracture ensues (Newman, 2000). The shape and geometry of the flaw are among the most influential factors. When considering simpler crack configurations, such as a through-the-thickness crack, a three-dimensional (3D) geometry may be modeled under the approximation of two-dimensional (2D) plane stress or plane strain. The more complex surface crack is typically modeled numerically with the Finite Element Method (FEM). A semi-elliptical surface crack is illustrated in Figure 1-1.

Daniewicz, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Diagnosing Aircraft Icing Potential from Satellite Cloud Retrievals

The threat for aircraft icing in clouds is a significant hazard that routinely impacts aviation operations. Accurate diagnoses and forecasts of aircraft icing conditions requires identifying the location and vertical distribution of clouds with super-cooled liquid water (SLW) droplets, as well as the characteristics of the droplet size distribution. Traditional forecasting methods rely on guidance from numerical models and conventional observations, neither of which currently resolve cloud properties adequately on the optimal scales needed for aviation. Satellite imagers provide measurements over large areas with high spatial resolution that can be interpreted to identify the locations and characteristics of clouds, including features associated with adverse weather and storms. This paper describes new techniques for interpreting cloud products derived from satellite data to infer the flight icing threat to aircraft. For unobscured low clouds, the icing threat is determined using empirical relationships developed from correlations between satellite imager retrievals of liquid water path and droplet size with icing conditions reported by pilots (PIREPS). For deep ice over water cloud systems, ice and liquid water content (IWC and LWC) profiles are derived by using the imager cloud properties to constrain climatological information on cloud vertical structure and water phase obtained apriori from radar and lidar observations, and from cloud model analyses. Retrievals of the SLW content embedded within overlapping clouds are mapped to the icing threat using guidance from an airfoil modeling study. Compared to PIREPS and ground-based icing remote sensing datasets, the satellite icing detection and intensity accuracies are approximately 90% and 70%, respectively, and found to be similar for both low level and deep ice over water cloud systems. The satellite-derived icing boundaries capture the reported altitudes over 90% of the time. Satellite analyses corresponding to the time and location of several recent aviation accidents and with icing PIREPS are also presented that reveal skill in identifying severe icing conditions. These results demonstrate the utility of satellite cloud retrievals for quantitatively diagnosing the potential for icing conditions on temporal and spatial scales that should be useful to the aviation community. Plans are being developed to deliver these new satellite products to the GOES-R Proving Ground in the near future so that they can be evaluated in operational applications.

Smith, William L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Computational Simulations of a Mach 0.745 Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Design

A joint effort between the NASA Ames and Langley Research Centers was undertaken to analyze the Mach 0.745 variant of the Boeing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) Design. Two different flow solvers, LAVA and USM3D, were used to predict the TTBW flight performance. Sensitivity studies related to mesh resolution and numerical schemes were conducted to define best practices for this type of geometry and flow regime. Validation efforts compared the numerical simulation results of various modeling methods against experimental data taken from the NASA Ames 11-foot Unitary Wind Tunnel experimental data. The fidelity of the computational representation of the wind tunnel experiment, such as utilizing a porous wall boundary condition to model the ventilated test section, was varied to examine how different tunnel effects influence CFD predictions. LAVA and USM3D results both show an approximate 0.5 angle of attack shift from experimental lift curve data. This drove an investigation that revealed that the trailing edge of the experimental model was rounded in comparison to the CAD model, due to manufacturing tolerances, which had not been accounted for in the initial simulations of the experiment. Simulating the TTBW with an approximation of this rounded trailing-edge reduces error by approximately 60%. An accurate representation of the tested TTBW geometry, ideally including any wing twists and deflections experienced during the test under various loading conditions, will be necessary for proper validation of the CFD.

Maldonado, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2020

Computational Simulations of a Mach 0.745 Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Design

A joint effort between the NASA Ames and Langley Research Centers was undertaken to analyze the Mach 0.745 variant of the Boeing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) Design. Two different flow solvers, LAVA and USM3D, were used to predict the TTBW flight performance. Sensitivity studies related to mesh resolution and numerical schemes were conducted to define best practices for this type of geometry and flow regime. Validation efforts compared the numerical simulation results of various modeling methods against experimental data taken from the NASA Ames 11-foot Unitary Wind Tunnel experimental data. The fidelity of the computational representation of the wind tunnel experiment, such as utilizing a porous wall boundary condition to model the ventilated test section, was varied to examine how different tunnel effects influence CFD predictions. LAVA and USM3D results both show an approximate 0.5o angle of attack shift from experimental lift curve data. This drove an investigation that revealed that the trailing edge of the experimental model was rounded in comparison to the CAD model, due to manufacturing tolerances, which had not been accounted for in the initial simulations of the experiment. Simulating the TTBW with an approximation of this rounded trailing-edge reduces error by approximately 60%. An accurate representation of the tested TTBW geometry, ideally including any wing twists and deflections experienced during the test under various loading conditions, will be necessary for more thorough validation of the CFD.

Maldonado, Daniel↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

OVERFLOW Analysis of Supersonic Retropropulsion Testingon the CobraMRV Mars Entry Vehicle Concept

The CFD solver OVERFLOW was used to simulate the CobraMRV undergoing supersonic retropropulsion (SRP) in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel as part of a pre-test study. Aerodynamics of the CobraMRV are summarized and the sensitivity of vehicle loads to CFD parameters at a subset of operating conditions are investigated. Specific numerical methods, boundary conditions, and turbulence modeling options have been selected after considering the complex phenomena in SRP flows. Proper shock-capturing methods and dynamic grid adaption are necessary to correctly capture vehicle loads and dynamics. Present data indicates that at particular conditions, upstream asymmetries originating from the tunnel inflow plane contribute to measurable asymmetries on the CobraMRV heatshield.

OVERFLOW↗
NASA NTRS1990

AI/OR computational model for integrating qualitative and quantitative design methods

A theoretical framework for integrating qualitative and numerical computational methods for optimally-directed design is described. The theory is presented as a computational model and features of implementations are summarized where appropriate. To demonstrate the versatility of the methodology we focus on four seemingly disparate aspects of the design process and their interaction: (1) conceptual design, (2) qualitative optimal design, (3) design innovation, and (4) numerical global optimization.

Agogino, Alice M.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Evaporating Spray in Supersonic Streams Including Turbulence Effects

Evaporating spray plays an important role in spray combustion processes. This paper describes the development of a new finite-conductivity evaporation model, based on the two-temperature film theory, for two-phase numerical simulation using Eulerian-Lagrangian method. The model is a natural extension of the T-blob/T-TAB atomization/spray model which supplies the turbulence characteristics for estimating effective thermal diffusivity within the droplet phase. Both one-way and two-way coupled calculations were performed to investigate the performance of this model. Validation results indicate the superiority of the finite-conductivity model in low speed parallel flow evaporating sprays. High speed cross flow spray results indicate the effectiveness of the T-blob/T-TAB model and point to the needed improvements in high speed evaporating spray modeling.

Balasubramanyam, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS2013

A Floating Node Method for the Modelling of Discontinuities Within a Finite Element

This paper focuses on the accurate numerical representation of complex networks of evolving discontinuities in solids, with particular emphasis on cracks. The limitation of the standard finite element method (FEM) in approximating discontinuous solutions has motivated the development of re-meshing, smeared crack models, the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) and the Phantom Node Method (PNM). We propose a new method which has some similarities to the PNM, but crucially: (i) does not introduce an error on the crack geometry when mapping to natural coordinates; (ii) does not require numerical integration over only part of a domain; (iii) can incorporate weak discontinuities and cohesive cracks more readily; (iv) is ideally suited for the representation of multiple and complex networks of (weak, strong and cohesive) discontinuities; (v) leads to the same solution as a finite element mesh where the discontinuity is represented explicitly; and (vi) is conceptually simpler than the PNM.

Pinho, Silvestre T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A comparative study of computational methods in cosmic gas dynamics

Many theoretical investigations of fluid flows in astrophysics require extensive numerical calculations. The selection of an appropriate computational method is, therefore, important for the astronomer who has to solve an astrophysical flow problem. The present investigation has the objective to provide an informational basis for such a selection by comparing a variety of numerical methods with the aid of a test problem. The test problem involves a simple, one-dimensional model of the gas flow in a spiral galaxy. The numerical methods considered include the beam scheme, Godunov's method (G), the second-order flux-splitting method (FS2), MacCormack's method, and the flux corrected transport methods of Boris and Book (1973). It is found that the best second-order method (FS2) outperforms the best first-order method (G) by a huge margin.

Van Albada, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Markov reliability models for digital flight control systems

The reliability of digital flight control systems can often be accurately predicted using Markov chain models. The cost of numerical solution depends on a model's size and stiffness. Acyclic Markov models, a useful special case, are particularly amenable to efficient numerical solution. Even in the general case, instantaneous coverage approximation allows the reduction of some cyclic models to more readily solvable acyclic models. After considering the solution of single-phase models, the discussion is extended to phased-mission models. Phased-mission reliability models are classified based on the state restoration behavior that occurs between mission phases. As an economical approach for the solution of such models, the mean failure rate solution method is introduced. A numerical example is used to show the influence of fault-model parameters and interphase behavior on system unreliability.

Mcgough, John↗