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At least 271 records · Page 15

A computational transonic flutter boundary tracking procedure

An automated flutter boundary tracking procedure is presented for the efficient calculation of transonic flutter boundaries. The new procedure uses aeroelastic responses to march along the boundary by taking steps in speed and Mach number, thereby reducing the number of response calculations previously required to determine a transonic flutter boundary. The tracking procedure reduces computational costs since only two response calculations are required per Mach number and provides a complete boundary in a single job submission. Flutter boundary results are presented for a typical airfoil section oscillating with pitch and plunge degrees of freedom. These transonic flutter boundaries are in good agreement with 'exact' boundaries calculated using the conventional time-marching method. The tracking procedure was also extended to include static aeroelastic twist as a simulation of the static deformation of a wing and thus contains all of the essential features that are required to apply it to practical three-dimensional cases. Application of the procedure is also made to flutter boundaries as a function of structural parameters, the capability of which is useful as a design tool.

Gallman, J. W.↗

Computation of transonic flow about helicopter rotor blades

An inviscid, nonconservative, three-dimensional full-potential flow code, ROT22, has been developed for computing the quasi-steady flow about a lifting rotor blade. The code is valid throughout the subsonic and transonic regime. Calculations from the code are compared with detailed laser velocimeter measurements made in the tip region of a nonlifting rotor at a tip Mach number of 0.95 and zero advance ratio. In addition, comparisons are made with chordwise surface pressure measurements obtained in a wind tunnel for a nonlifting rotor blade at transonic tip speeds at advance ratios from 0.40 to 0.50. The overall agreement between theoretical calculations and experiment is very good. A typical run on a CRAY X-MP computer requires about 30 CPU seconds for one rotor position at transonic tip speed.

Arieli, R.↗

Transonic unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic calculations about airfoils and wings

Research in the area of computational unsteady transonic flows about airfoils and wings, including aeroelastic effects was surveyed. In the last decade, there were extensive developments in computational methods in response to the need for computer codes with which to study fundamental aerodynamic and aeroelastic problems in the critical transonic regime. For example, large commercial aircraft cruise most effectively in the transonic flight regime and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provides a new tool, which can be used in combination with test facilities to reduce the costs, time, and risks of aircraft development.

Goorjian, Peter M.↗

Computational, unsteady transonic aerodynamics and aeroelasticity about airfoils and wings

Research in the area of computational, unsteady transonic flows about airfoils and wings, including aeroelastic effects is reviewed. In the last decade, there have been extensive developments in computational methods in response to the need for computer codes with which to study fundamental aerodynamic and aeroelastic problems in the critical transonic regime. For example, large commercial aircraft cruise most effectively in the transonic flight regime and computational fluid dynamics (CDF) provides a new tool, which can be used in combination with test facilities to reduce the costs, time, and risks of aircraft development.

Goorjian, Peter M.↗

Analysis of viscous transonic flow over airfoil sections

A full Navier-Stokes solver has been used to model transonic flow over three airfoil sections. The method uses a two-dimensional, implicit, conservative finite difference scheme for solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Results are presented as prescribed for the Viscous Transonic Airfoil Workshop to be held at the AIAA 25th Aerospace Sciences Meeting. The NACA 0012, RAE 2822 and Jones airfoils have been investigated for both attached and separated transonic flows. Predictions for pressure distributions, loads, skin friction coefficients, boundary layer displacement thickness and velocity profiles are included and compared with experimental data when possible. Overall, the results are in good agreement with experimental data.

Huff, Dennis L.↗

Calculation of viscous effects on transonic flow for oscillating airfoils and comparisons with experiment

A method is described for calculating unsteady transonic flow with viscous interaction by coupling a steady integral boundary-layer code with an unsteady, transonic, inviscid small-disturbance computer code in a quasi-steady fashion. Explicit coupling of the equations together with viscous -inviscid iterations at each time step yield converged solutions with computer times about double those required to obtain inviscid solutions. The accuracy and range of applicability of the method are investigated by applying it to four AGARD standard airfoils. The first-harmonic components of both the unsteady pressure distributions and the lift and moment coefficients have been calculated. Comparisons with inviscid calcualtions and experimental data are presented. The results demonstrate that accurate solutions for transonic flows with viscous effects can be obtained for flows involving moderate-strength shock waves.

Howlett, James T.↗

Transonic airfoil computation using the integral equation with and without embedded Euler domains

Two transonic computational schemes which are based on the Integral Equation Formulation of the full potential equation were presented. The first scheme is a Shock Capturing-Shock Fitting (SCSF) scheme which uses the full potential equation throughout with the exception of the shock wave where the Rankine-Hugoniot relations are used to cross and fit the shock. The second scheme is an Integral Equation with Embedded Euler (IEEE) scheme which uses the full potential equation with an embedded region where the Euler equations are used. The two schemes are applied to several transonic airfoil flows and the results were compared with numerous computational results and experimental domains with fine grids. The SCSF-scheme is restricted to flows with weak shock, while the IEEE-scheme can handle strong shocks. Currently, the IEEE scheme is applied to other transonic flows with strong shocks as well as to unsteady pitching oscillations.

Kandil, Osama A.↗

Algorithm developments for the Euler equations with calculations of transonic flows

A new algorithm has been developed for the Euler equations that uses flux vector splitting in combination with the concept of rotating the coordinate system to the local streamwise direction. Flux vector biasing is applied along the local streamwise direction and central differencing is used transverse to the flow direction. The flux vector biasing is switched from upwind for supersonic flow to downwind-biased for subsonic flow. This switching is based on the Mach number; hence the proper domain of dependence is used in the supersonic regions and the switching occurs across shock waves. The theoretical basis and the development of the formulas for flux vector splitting are presented. Then several one-dimensional calculations are presented of steady and unsteady transonic flows, which demonstrate the stability and accuracy of the algorithm. Finally results are shown for unsteady transonic flow over an airfoil. The pressure coefficient plots show sharp transonic shock profiles, and the Mach contour plots show smoothly varying contours.

Goorjian, Peter M.↗

Analysis of viscous transonic flow over airfoil sections

A full Navier-Stokes solver has been used to model transonic flow over three airfoil sections. The method uses a two-dimensional, implicit, conservative finite difference scheme for solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Results are presented as prescribed for the Viscous Transonic Airfoil Workshop to be held at the AIAA 25th Aerospace Sciences Meeting. The NACA 0012, RAE 2822 and Jones airfoils have been investigated for both attached and separated transonic flows. Predictions for pressure distributions, loads, skin friction coefficients, boundary layer displacement thickness and velocity profiles are included and compared with experimental data when possible. Overall, the results are in good agreement with experimental data.

Huff, Dennis L.↗

Evaluation of three numerical methods for propulsion integration studies on transonic transport configurations

An effort has been undertaken at the NASA Langley Research Center to assess the capabilities of available computational methods for use in propulsion integration design studies of transonic transport aircraft, particularly of pylon/nacelle combinations which exhibit essentially no interference drag. The three computer codes selected represent state-of-the-art computational methods for analyzing complex configurations at subsonic and transonic flight conditions. These are: EULER, a finite volume solution of the Euler equation; VSAERO, a panel solution of the Laplace equation; and PPW, a finite difference solution of the small disturbance transonic equations. In general, all three codes have certain capabilities that allow them to be of some value in predicting the flows about transport configurations, but all have limitations. Until more accurate methods are available, careful application and interpretation of the results of these codes are needed.

Yaros, Steven F.↗

Transonic characteristics of a humped airfoil

A humped airfoil concept to improve the perfomance of supercritical airfoils at off-design conditions in transonic maneuver is introduced. Theoretical aspects of the airfoil and recent results of experimental tests conducted in the high Reynolds number transonic wind tunnels at both NASA Ames Research Center and The Ohio State University are presented. Experimental evidence has shown that the humped airfoil generally has more favorable transonic characteristics in off-design high supercritical flow conditions than a regular supercritical airfoil.

Tai, Tsze C.↗

Simulation of transonic viscous flow over a fighter-like configuration including inlet

The simulation of transonic viscous flow over a modified F-16A including inlet is presented. A zonal approach is utilized which allows appropriate clustering suitable for viscous calculations on all solid surfaces. Computational efficiency is enhanced by solving the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations in viscous zones adjacent to the aircraft and the Euler equations on those coarse zones away from the aircraft. The flow conditions for this transonic case are freestream Mach number of 0.9, angle of attack of 4.12 deg, and a Reynolds number (based on root chord) of 4.5 million. A total of 19 zones are utilized yielding a total of 350,000 grid points. This case required about 3000 iterations to reduce the residual by three orders, which takes about 10 hr of CPU time on the Cray X-MP/48 computer. Pressure distributions on the wing and on cross sections through the inlet region compare favorably with the experimental data for this transonic case.

Flores, Jolen↗

Steady and unsteady transonic small disturbance analysis of realistic aircraft configurations

A transonic unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelasticity code CAP-TSD (Computational Aeroelasticity Program-Transonic Small Disturbance) has been developed for application to realistic aircraft configurations. The code uses a time-accurate approximate factorization (AF) algorithm for solution of the unsteady transonic small-disturbance potential equation. The paper gives an overview of the CAP-TSD code development effort and reports on recent algorithm modifications. The algorithm modifications include: an Engquist-Osher (E-O) type-dependent switch to treat regions of supersonic flow, extension of the E-O switch for second-order spatial accuracy, nonisentropic effects to treat strong-shock cases, nonreflecting far field boundary conditions for unsteady applications, and several modifications to accelerate convergence to steady state. The modifications have significantly improved the stability of the AF algorithm and hence the reliability of the CAP-TSD code in general. Calculations are also presented from a flutter analysis of a 45-deg sweptback wing which agree well with experimental data. The paper present descriptions of the CAP-TSD code and algorithm details along with results.

Batina, John T.↗

Transonic Navier-Stokes computations of strake-generated vortex interactions for a fighter-like configuration

Transonic Euler/Navier-Stokes computations are accomplished for wing-body flow fields using a computer program called Transonic Navier-Stokes (TNS). The wing-body grids are generated using a program called ZONER, which subdivides a coarse grid about a fighter-like aircraft configuration into smaller zones, which are tailored to local grid requirements. These zones can be either finely clustered for capture of viscous effects, or coarsely clustered for inviscid portions of the flow field. Different equation sets may be solved in the different zone types. This modular approach also affords the opportunity to modify a local region of the grid without recomputing the global grid. This capability speeds up the design optimization process when quick modifications to the geometry definition are desired. The solution algorithm embodied in TNS is implicit, and is capable of capturing pressure gradients associated with shocks. The algebraic turbulence model employed has proven adequate for viscous interactions with moderate separation. Results confirm that the TNS program can successfully be used to simulate transonic viscous flows about complicated 3-D geometries.

Reznick, Steve↗

Method to predict external store carriage characteristics at transonic speeds

Development of a computational method for prediction of external store carriage characteristics at transonic speeds is described. The geometric flexibility required for treatment of pylon-mounted stores is achieved by computing finite difference solutions on a five-level embedded grid arrangement. A completely automated grid generation procedure facilitates applications. Store modeling capability consists of bodies of revolution with multiple fore and aft fins. A body-conforming grid improves the accuracy of the computed store body flow field. A nonlinear relaxation scheme developed specifically for modified transonic small disturbance flow equations enhances the method's numerical stability and accuracy. As a result, treatment of lower aspect ratio, more highly swept and tapered wings is possible. A limited supersonic freestream capability is also provided. Pressure, load distribution, and force/moment correlations show good agreement with experimental data for several test cases. A detailed computer program description for the Transonic Store Carriage Loads Prediction (TSCLP) Code is included.

Rosen, Bruce S.↗

Mathematical Models Of Turbulence In Transonic Flow

Predictions of several models compared with measurements of well-documented flow. Report reviews performances of variety of mathematical models of turbulence in transonic flow. Predictions of models compared with measurements of flow in wind tunnel along outside of cylinder having axisymmetric bump of circular-arc cross section in meridional plane. Review part of continuing effort to calibrate and verify computer codes for prediction of transonic flows about airfoils. Johnson-and-King model proved superior in predicting transonic flow over bumpy cylinder.

Rubesin, Morris W.↗

CAP-TSD: A program for unsteady transonic analysis of realistic aircraft configurations

The development of a new transonic code to predict unsteady flows about realistic aircraft configurations are described. An approximate factorization algorithm for solution of the unsteady transonic small disturbance equation is first described. Because of the superior stability characteristics of the AF algorithm, a new transonic aeroelasticity code was developed which is described in some detail. The new code was very easy to modify to include the additional aircraft components, so in a very short period of time the code was developed to treat complete aircraft configurations. Finally, applications are presented which demonstrate many of the geometry capabilities of the new code.

Batina, John T.↗

Applied transonics at Grumman

A review of several applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to various aspects of aerodynamic design recently carried out at Grumman is presented. The emphasis is placed on project-oriented applications where the ease of use of the methods and short start-to-completion times are required. Applications cover transonic wing design/optimization, wing mounted stores load prediction, transonic buffet alleviation, fuselage loads estimation, and compact offset diffuser design for advanced aircraft configurations. Computational methods employed include extended transonic small disturbance (automatic grid embedding) formulation for analysis/design/optimization and a thin layer Navier-Stokes formulation for both external and internal flow analyses.

Davis, W. H.↗