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At least 253 records · Page 14

Report of the panel on theoretical aerodynamics

Interactions between theoretical aerodynamics and the NTF are discussed. The development and validation of computational fluid dynamics computer codes, the determination of Reynolds number scaling laws, and extension of the data bases of entrainment type turbulence models to include high Reynolds number data are recommended areas of study. The major benefit theoretical aerodynamics could have on the NTF is in the quantitative description of wind tunnel wall interference effects.

South, J. C., Jr.↗

Transonic wing design using potential-flow codes - Successes and failures

The state-of-the-art of transonic wing design by use of computer codes based on the potential flow-theory is presented. The capabilities and limitations of these codes are exemplified by several experiment-theory correlations, including an assessment of pressure distribution from isolated wing and wing-body codes. Computer codes using both conservative and nonconservative differencing schemes were used, and the effects of boundary-layer corrections were considered. Results showed that calculations from a full potential, isolated code correlate well with data from an isolated wing test, but may give poor predictions of the aerodynamic characteristics of some wing-body configurations. Boundary-layer correlations were found to have only moderate effects on experiment-theory correlation. Aeroelastic effects were considered important for high aspect ratio wings of low to moderate thickness, and viscous effects were minimal for typical cruise conditions, even for Reynold's numbers as low as two million. The effect of wind-tunnel walls on experiment-theory correlations remained inconclusive. A wing-body code was used to calculate the flow field about a wing-body configuration with body-mounted engines, typical of the transonic Biz-Jet aircraft.

Hicks, R. M.↗

Jet V/STOL wind-tunnel simulation and groundplane effects

The pretest preparation necessary to define the objectives of an appropriate investigation into the jet V/STOL wind tunnel simulation and ground plane effects were examined. Low speed wind tunnel testing of V/STOL aircraft concepts to determine the aerodynamic propulsion interaction effects during the transition between hover and wingborne flight is a necessary step in the development cycle of this type of aircraft. Powered models are normally used to determine the aerodynamic performance characteristics. Several factors which influence the selection of the model concept and the engine simulator are discussed. Some of the test techniques important for this class of aircraft model are examined. Wind tunnel wall effects important to this aircraft testing with special emphasis on groundplane effects are reviewed.

Margason, R. J.↗

Jet V/STOL wind-tunnel simulation and groundplane effects

Low-speed wind-tunnel testing of V/STOL aircraft concepts to determine the aerodynamic-propulsion interaction effects during the transition between hover and wingborne flight is a necessary step in the development cycle of this type of aircraft. Powered models are normally used to determine the aerodynamic performance characteristics. This paper examines some of the pretest preparation necessary to define the objectives of an appropriate investigation. Several factors which influence the selection of the model concept and the engine simulator are discussed. In addition, some of the test techniques important for this class of aircraft model are examined. Finally, the paper reviews some of the wind-tunnel wall effects important to this type of aircraft testing with special emphasis on groundplane effects.

Margason, R. J.↗

Surface-Streamline Flow Visualization

Matrix of ink dots covers matte surface of polyester drafting film. Film placed against wind-tunnel wall. Layer of methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) sprayed over dotted area. Ink dot streaklines show several characteristics of flow, including primary saddle point of separations, primary horseshoe vortex and smaller vortex at cylinder/ endwall junction. Surface streamline flow visualization technique suitable for use in low-speed windtunnels or other low-speed gas flows.

Langston, L.↗

Model mount system for testing flutter

A wind tunnel model mount system is disclosed for effectively and accurately determining the effects of attack and airstream velocity on a model airfoil or aircraft. The model mount system includes a rigid model attached to a splitter plate which is supported away from the wind tunnel wall several of flexible rods. Conventional instrumentation is employed to effect model rotation through a turntable and to record model flutter data as a function of the angle of attack versus dynamic pressure.

Farmer, M. G.↗

Results of the AFRSI rewaterproofing systems screening test in the NASA/Ames Research Center (ARC) 2 x 2-foot transonic wind tunnel

An experimental investigation was conducted in the NASA/Ames Research Center 2x2-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel to evaluate two AFRSI rewaterproofing systems and to investigate films as a means of reducing blanket joint distortion. The wind tunnel wall slot configuration influenced on the flow field over the test panel was investigated; primarily using oil flow data, and resulted in a closed slot configuration to provide a satisfactory screening environment flow field for the test. Sixteen AFRSI test panels, configured to represent the test system or film, were subjected to this screening environment (a flow field of separated and reattached flow at a freestream Mach numnber of 0.65 and q = 650 or 900 psf). Each condition was held until damage to the test article was observed or 55 minutes if no damage was incurred. All objectives related to AFRSI rewaterproofing and to the use of films to stiffen the blanket fibers were achieved.

Marroquin, J.↗

Experiments on the stability of crossflow vortices in swept-wing flows

Experiments are conducted which demonstrate the feasibility of creating crossflow vortices in a flat-plate flow. A swept leading edge and contoured wind-tunnel walls produce a strong pressure gradient and a typical swept-wing flow on the plate. Detailed three-dimensional measurements, made within the boundary layer using hot-wire anemometry, are supplemented with different flow-visualization techniques. Data are presented on the mean flow characteristics as well as on the behavior of the crossflow vortices. Comparisons are made with theoretical flow-field and stability calculations.

Saric, W. S.↗

Computer studies of hybrid slotted working sections with minimum steady interference at subsonic speeds

Currently there is renewed interest in the evaluation and reduction of steady wind tunnel wall interference, especially for large models. Evaluation of previous predictions for perforated and slotted tunnels suggests that a hybrid slotted tunnel (i.e., a slotted tunnel with closed slats and perforated slots) should offer minimum corrections for upwash, flow curvature and solid blockage. This suggestion is confirmed by the present computer studies of a range of rectangular hybrid slotted tunnels. The computer studies are for tunnel working section height to breadth ratios of 0.835 and 0.600 over the Mach number range from 0 to 0.85. Wings swept at 28 deg and 50 deg, with ratios of model span to tunnel breadth varying from 0 to 0.7, are considered. An idealized fuselage shape is used to predict solid and wake blockage corrections for the wall configurations selected on the basis of minimum upwash and curvature interference.

Mabey, D. G.↗

Computational aspects of zonal algorithms for solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions

Transonic flow fields about wing geometries are computed using an Euler/Navier-Stokes approach in which the flow field is divided into several zones. The flow field immediately adjacent to the wing surface is resolved with fine grid zones and solved using a Navier-Stokes algorithm. Flow field regions removed from the wing are resolved with less finely clustered grid zones and are solved with an Euler algorithm. Computational issues associated with this zonal approach, including data base management aspects, are discussed. Solutions are obtained that are in good agreement with experiment, including cases with significant wind tunnel wall effects. Additional cases with significant shock induced separation on the upper wing surface are also presented.

Holst, T. L.↗

Transonic Navier-Stokes wing solution using a zonal approach. Part 1: Solution methodology and code validation

A fast diagonalized Beam-Warming algorithm is coupled with a zonal approach to solve the three-dimensional Euler/Navier-Stokes equations. The computer code, called Transonic Navier-Stokes (TNS), uses a total of four zones for wing configurations (or can be extended to complete aircraft configurations by adding zones). In the inner blocks near the wing surface, the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations are solved, while in the outer two blocks the Euler equations are solved. The diagonal algorithm yields a speedup of as much as a factor of 40 over the original algorithm/zonal method code. The TNS code, in addition, has the capability to model wind tunnel walls. Transonic viscous solutions are obtained on a 150,000-point mesh for a NACA 0012 wing. A three-order-of-magnitude drop in the L2-norm of the residual requires approximately 500 iterations, which takes about 45 min of CPU time on a Cray-XMP processor. Simulations are also conducted for a different geometrical wing called WING C. All cases show good agreement with experimental data.

Flores, J.↗

A simple, accurate and efficient algorithm for unsteady transonic flow

The derivation of an algorithm for computing an airfoil's response to small unsteady perturbations is described. The analysis of the far-field boundary conditions for the flow field, and the application of the time-linearization technique to develop an accurate description of the flow field are discussed. The treatment of moving shock waves is examined. The alternating direction implicit scheme of Ballhaus and Steger (1975) is utilized for the discretization of the governing equations and boundary conditions. Numerical examples demonstrating the applicability of the time-linearization method to determine the correlation between airfoil and pressure distribution are provided. The effect of wind tunnel walls on unsteady transonic testing is studied.

Fung, K.-Y.↗

Transonic Navier-Stokes wing solution using a zonal approach. Part 1: Solution methodology and code validation

A fast diagonalized Beam-Warming algorithm is coupled with a zonal approach to solve the three dimensional Euler/Navier-Stokes equations. The computer code, called Transonic Navier-Stokes (TNS), uses a total of four zones for wing configurations (or can be extended to complete aircraft configurations by adding zones). In the inner blocks near the wing surface, the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations are solved, while in the outer two blocks the Euler equations are solved. The diagonal algorithm yields a speedup of as much as a factor of 40 over the original algorithm/zonal method code. The TNS code, in addition, has the capability to model wind tunnel walls. Transonic viscous solutions are obtained on a 150,000-point mesh for a NACA 0012 wing. A three-order-of-magnitude drop in the L2-norm of the residual requires approximately 500 iterations, which takes about 45 min of CPU time on a Cray-XMP processor. Simulations are also conducted for a different geometrical wing called WING C. All cases show good agreement with experimental data.

Flores, J.↗

High Reynolds Number tests of the NASA SC(2)-0012 airfoil in the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

A wind-tunnel investigation of the NASA SC(2)-0012 airfoil has been conducted in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. This investigation supplements the two-dimensional airfoil studies of the Advanced Technology Airfoil Test Program. The Mach number was varied from 0.60 to 0.84. The stagnation temperature and pressure were varied to provide a Reynolds number range from 6 to 40 x 10 to the 6th power based on a 6.0-in. (15.24-cm) airfoil chord. No corrections for wind-tunnel wall interference have been made to the data. The aerodynamic results are presented as integrated force and moment coefficients and pressure distributions without any analysis.

Mineck, Raymond E.↗

Experience with 3-D composite grids

Experience with the three-dimensional (3-D), chimera grid embedding scheme is described. Applications of the inviscid version to a multiple-body configuration, a wind/body/tail configuration, and an estimate of wind tunnel wall interference are described. Applications to viscous flows include a 3-D cavity and another multi-body configuration. A variety of grid generators is used, and several embedding strategies are described.

Benek, J. A.↗

Experimental study of laminar boundary layer receptivity to a traveling pressure field

Study is made of the production of Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves within a Blasius boundary layer by an externally-imposed, two-dimensional, pressure field of a particular type. The field is that due to flow past a relatively small cylinder aligned parallel to the test plate and normal to the flow. The cylinder was carried on a circular path about an axis located well above the plate and such that the closest approach of the cylinder to the layer was several times the layer thickness or cylinder diameter. The turbulent wake did not, therefore, directly perturb the layer. Through adjustment of the circumferential velocity, the pressure field was swept along a certain region of the plate with controllable speed. Both the pressure field and the layer response are described in detail. It is shown that the production of T-S waves was sharply maximal for the case of circumferential speed near that of freely-propagating T-S waves, and that the coupling efficiency was extremely high for this case of resonance. The relevance of this energy transfer process to T-S wave production by the unsteady pressure fields resulting from wind tunnel wall turbulent boundary layers for both subsonic and supersonic flow is mentioned.

Kendall, James M.↗

Application of unsteady aerodynamic methods for transonic aeroelastic analysis

Aerodynamic methods for aeroelastic analysis are applied to various flow problems. These methods include those that solve the three dimensional transonic small disturbance (TSD) potential equation, the two dimensional (2-D) full potential (FP) equation, and the 2-D thin layer Navier-Stokes equations. Flutter analysis performed using TSD aerodynamics show that such methods can be used to analyze some aeroelastic phenomena. For thicker bodies and larger amplitude motions, a nonisentropic FP method is presented. The unsteady FP equation is modified to model the entropy jumps across shock waves. The conservative form of the modified equation is solved in generalized coordinates using an implicit, approximate factorization method. Pressures calculated on the NLR 7301 and NACA 64A010A airfoils using the nonisentropic FP method are presented. It is shown that modeling shock generated entropy extends the range of validity of the FP method. A Navier-Stokes code is correlated with pressures measured on a supercritical airfoil at transonic speeds. When corrections are made for wind tunnel wall effects, the calculations correlate well with the measured data.

Whitlow, Woodrow, Jr.↗