Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “flow direction”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 271 records · Page 15

Programming a hillslope water movement model on the MPP

A physically based numerical model was developed of heat and moisture flow within a hillslope on a parallel architecture computer, as a precursor to a model of a complete catchment. Moisture flow within a catchment includes evaporation, overland flow, flow in unsaturated soil, and flow in saturated soil. Because of the empirical evidence that moisture flow in unsaturated soil is mainly in the vertical direction, flow in the unsaturated zone can be modeled as a series of one dimensional columns. This initial version of the hillslope model includes evaporation and a single column of one dimensional unsaturated zone flow. This case has already been solved on an IBM 3081 computer and is now being applied to the massively parallel processor architecture so as to make the extension to the one dimensional case easier and to check the problems and benefits of using a parallel architecture machine.

Devaney, J. E.↗

Diffusion flame extinction in slow convection flow under microgravity environment

A theoretical analysis is presented to study the extinction characteristics of a diffusion flame near the leading edge of a thin fuel plate in slow, forced convective flows in a microgravity environment. The mathematical model includes two-dimensional Navier-Stokes momentum, energy and species equations with one-step overall chemical reaction using second-order finite rate Arrhenius kinetics. Radiant heat loss on the fuel plate is applied in the model as it is the dominant mechanism for flame extinguishment in the small convective flow regime. A parametric study based on the variation of convective flow velocity, which varies the Damkchler number (Da), and the surface radiant heat loss parameter (S) simultaneously, is given. An extinction limit is found in the regime of slow convective flow when the rate of radiant heat loss from fuel surface outweighs the rate of heat generation due to combustion. The transition from existent envelope flame to extinguishment consists of gradual flame contraction in the opposed flow direction together with flame temperature reduction as the convective flow velocity decreases continuously until the extinction limit is reached. A case of flame structure subjected to surface radiant heat loss is also presented and discussed.

Chen, Chiun-Hsun↗

Control of sound radiation from a wavepacket over a curved surface

Active control of acoustic pressure in the far field resulting from the growth and decay of a wavepacket convecting in a boundary layer over a concave-convex surface is investigated numerically using direct computations of the Navier-Stokes equations. The resulting sound radiation is computed using linearized Euler equations with the pressure from the Navier-Stokes solution as a time-dependent boundary condition. The acoustic far field exhibits directivity type of behavior that points upstream to the flow direction. A fixed control algorithm is used where the attenuation signal is synthesized by a filter which actively adapt it to the amplitude-time response of the outgoing acoustic wave.

Maestrello, Lucio↗

Delineation of endorheic drainage basins in the MERIT-Plus dataset for 5 and 15 minute upscaled river networks

Abstract The MERIT-Hydro networks re-gridded by the Iterative Hydrography Upscaling (IHU) algorithm do not retain exo- or endorheic basin attributes from the original data. Here we developed methods to assign such attributes to those and any other digital river networks. The motivation is that endorheic inland drainage basins are essential for hydrologic modelling of global and regional water balances, land surface water storage, gravity anomalies, sea level rise, etc. First, we create basin attributes that explicitly label endorheic and exorheic catchments by the criteria of direct or hidden connectivity to the ocean without changing their flow direction grid. In the second step we alter the delineation of endorheic basins by the merging algorithm that eliminates small inland watersheds to the adjacent host basins. The resulting datasets have a significantly reduced number of endorheic basins while preserving the total land portion and topology of the inland basins. The data was validated using the Water Balance Model by comparing volume of endorheic inland depressions with modelled water accumulation in their inland lakes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Verification and Validation of Spectral Element Code for Supercritical CO2 Flow in Vertical Heated Tubes

The investigation of heat transfer in supercritical CO2 (sCO2) has garnered considerable attention in recent decades, given sCO2's potential as a promising working fluid for advanced power conversion cycles. Despite previous research efforts, there are still gaps in our understanding of sCO2 heat transfer, particularly in conditions associated with heat transfer deterioration. To delve into sCO2 heat transfer more comprehensively, we propose employing the high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics code NekRS to simulate sCO2 flow using the large eddy simulation technique. Through graphics processing unit acceleration, NekRS achieves a higher computational speed than traditional CPU-based systems. However, before using NekRS in practical applications involving sCO2, it is imperative to perform verification and validation. Here, this paper presents our efforts to verify and validate the NekRS code's capability for simulating sCO2 using heated vertical tubes, where heat transfer deterioration usually happens. To accommodate the unique properties of sCO2, we have modified the NekRS code by integrating third-party property modules, such as REFPROP and PROPATH. Our simulations are compared with experimental and numerical data from the literature, instilling confidence in leveraging NekRS for future engineering applications. Our simulations also reveal that the accuracy of the property module significantly impacts the results, with REFPROP outperforming PROPATH for sCO2 properties. Additionally, we observed that, depending on the flow direction, buoyancy can either enhance or suppress turbulence in sCO2 flow. In upward flow, under certain conditions, the suppressed turbulence leads to heat transfer deterioration, resulting in elevated wall temperatures.

NekRS↗

Low speed wind tunnel flow field results for JT8D refan engines on the Boeing 727-200

Low speed flow angularity results are presented showing flow direction at the nacelle locations on the Boeing 727-200. Flow angle probes (yawheads) were used for measurements at side and center inlet positions on the aft fuselage. A range of flap settings were tested with flap angles of 0 deg, 15 deg, and 40 deg selected for investigation.

Easterbrook, W. G.↗

Extracting energy from natural flow

Three concepts for extracting energy from wind, waterflow, and tides utilize flow instability to generate usable energy. Proposed converters respond to vortex excitation motion, galloping or plunging motion, and flutter. Fluid-flow instability is more efficient in developing lift than is direct flow.

Delionback, L. M.↗

Magnetospheric convection at Uranus

The unusual configuration of the Uranian magnetosphere leads to differences in the relative effects of solar wind induced magnetospheric convection and plasma corotation from those at the other planets. At the present epoch the orientation of the rotation axis of Uranus with respect to the solar wind flow direction leads to a decoupling of the convective and corotational flows, allowing plasma from the tail to move unimpeded through the inner magnetosphere. As Uranus progresses in its orbit around the sun, corotation plays a gradually more important role and the plasma residence times within the magnetosphere increase. When the rotation axis finally becomes perpendicular to the solar wind flow, corotation is dominant.

Selesnick, R. S.↗

Float-Zone Growth of Gel-xSix (x ? 10 at .%) Single Crystals: Influence of Thermocapillary and Solutocapillary Convection

Gel-xSix (x ? 10 at.%) single crystals have been grown with the float-zone technique applied within a monoellipsoid mirror furnace. The feed crystal consisted of synthesized GeO.95siO.05 polycrystalline material. Two Boron-doped (much much more than 1-2 (raised dot) 1017 at/cm3) crystals were grown under identical conditions using <100> Ge seeds. One Ge:Ga-doped (much much more than 1018 at/cm3) reference crystal was also grown in the same furnace. Compositional profiles were measured with an energy dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDAX). The maximum silicon concentration attained was 10 at.%. Micrographs of the etched crystals show sharp changes in interface curvature at the crystal edges. These are considered to be caused by solutal Marangoni convection, whose strength is assumed to be a direct function of silicon concentration, Theoretical considerations show that the flow direction, velocity, and strength varies significantly from a solutal Marangoni convection regime directly in front of the solid-liquid interface to a thermal Marangoni convection regime within the bulk melt.

Campbell, Tom A.↗

Experimental Investigation of Rotating Stall in a Research Multistage Axial Compressor

A collection of experimental data acquired in the NASA low-speed multistage axial compressor while operated in rotating stall is presented in this paper. The compressor was instrumented with high-response wall pressure modules and a static pressure disc probe for in-flow measurement, and a split-fiber probe for simultaneous measurements of velocity magnitude and flow direction. The data acquired to-date have indicated that a single fully developed stall cell rotates about the flow annulus at 50.6% of the rotor speed. The stall phenomenon is substantially periodic at a fixed frequency of 8.29 Hz. It was determined that the rotating stall cell extends throughout the entire compressor, primarily in the axial direction. Spanwise distributions of the instantaneous absolute flow angle, axial and tangential velocity components, and static pressure acquired behind the first rotor are presented in the form of contour plots to visualize different patterns in the outer (midspan to casing) and inner (hub to mid-span) flow annuli during rotating stall. In most of the cases observed, the rotating stall started with a single cell. On occasion, rotating stall started with two emerging stall cells. The root cause of the variable stall cell count is unknown, but is not attributed to operating procedures.

Lepicovsky, Jan↗

Bidirectional flow meter

Device provides wide variety of flow metering on a volume demand basis, in either of two directions. Flow is controlled by number, locations, and sizes of orifices and O-rings. Device is useful in pneumatic or hydraulic systems where valve sequence and timing functions vary from point to point.

Sutton, R. F.↗

Computational procedure for three-dimensional boundary layers on aircraft and aerospace vehicles

An implicit numerical procedure is developed to solve the full three-dimensional laminar, boundary layer equations over realistic aircraft and spacecraft configurations. This procedure utilizes splined functions in the direction normal to the surface and finite differences in the cross flow direction. Calculation of off-pitch plane attachment and detachment lines can be calculated. The solution procedure permits the incorporation of a wide variety of turbulent models and boundary conditions including; entropy layer procedures, specified surface temperatures or heat flux distributions, surface catalysis, mass addition, and the coupling to both three-dimensional inviscid codes and surface ablation codes. In addition, reasonable computing times are obtained.

Kendall, R. M.↗

The use of oil for in-flight flow visualization

Oil was used to visualize inflight aerodynamic characteristics such as boundary layer transition, shock wave location, regions of separated flow, and surface flow direction. The technique, which is similar to wind tunnel oil-flow testing, involves an oil mixture to test aircraft before takeoff. After takeoff, the airplane climbs immediately to the test altitude and photographs are taken. The developmental experience is summarized, several examples of inflight oil-flow photographs are presented and discussed, and an approach for potential users of the technique is presented.

Curry, R. E.↗

Final stages of transition to turbulence in plane channel flow

This paper involves a numerical simulation of the final stages of transition to turbulence in plane channel flow at a Reynolds number of 1500. Three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are numerically integrated to obtain the time evolution of two- and three-dimensional finite-amplitude disturbances. Computations are performed on the CYBER-203 vector processor for a 32 x 51 x 32 grid. Solutions indicate the existence of structures similar to those observed in the laboratory and characteristics of the various stages of transition that lead to final breakdown. In particular, evidence points to the formation of a upside-down-V-shaped vortex and the subsequent system of horseshoe vortices inclined to the main flow direction as the primary elements of transition. Details of the resulting flow field after breakdown indicate the evolution of streaklike formations found in turbulent flows. Although the flow field does approach a steady state (turbulent channel flow), the introduction of subgrid-scale terms seems necessary to obtain fully developed turbulence statistics.

Biringen, S.↗

Magnetosheath Flow Anomalies in 3-D

Measurements of the plasma and magnetic field with high temporal resolution on the Interball Tail probe reveal many flow anomalies in the magnetosheath. They are usually seen as flow direction and number density variations, accompanied by magnetic field discontinuities. Large flow anomalies with number density variations of factor of 2 or more and velocity variations of 100 km/s or more are seen with periodicity of about I per hour. The cases of flow anomalies following in succession are also observed, and suggest their decay while propagating through the magnetosheath. Some magnetospheric disturbances observed in the outer magnetosphere after the satellite has crossed the magnetopause on the inbound orbit suggest their association with magnetosheath flow anomalies observed in the magnetosheath prior to magnetopause crossing.

Vaisberg, O. L.↗

The Development of a Factorizable Multigrid Algorithm for Subsonic and Transonic Flow

The factorizable discretization of Sidilkover for the compressible Euler equations previously demonstrated for channel flows has been extended to external flows.The dissipation of the original scheme has been modified to maintain stability for moderately stretched grids. The discrete equations are solved by symmetric collective Gauss-Seidel relaxation and FAS multigrid. Unlike the earlier work ordering the grid vertices in the flow direction has been found to be unnecessary. Solutions for essential incompressible flow (Mach 0.01) and supercritical flows have obtained for a Karman-Trefftz airfoil with it conformally mapped grid,as well as a NACA 0012 on an algebraically generated grid. The current work demonstrates nearly 0(n) convergence for subsonic and slightly transonic flows.

Roberts, Thomas W.↗

Current Induced Forces on Adsorbates at Conducting Carbon Nanotubes

The problem addressed is force on an impurity due to electric current. In order to determine the size and direction of the force, as well as its dependence on the voltage, LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) and the Green's Function approach were implemented. The resultant induced mean force was directed outwards in addition to a smaller component in the electron flow direction. At low bias, force is larger for larger radius, and crosses over the opposite trend when increasing the bias. The crossover current is approximately inversely proportional to the radius.

Mingo, N.↗

Drag reduction effects in turbulent boundary layers over wavy walls

Two dimensional incompressible flow over wavy surfaces are analyzed numerically by spectral methods. Algorithms for periodic flows (Fourier modes in the periodic flow direction and Chebycheff modes in the normal direction), and inflow-outflow boundary conditions (Chebycheff modes used in both directions) are described. Results obtained using both codes are reported for laminar flows. Comparisons with known theoretical and experimental results are made.

Balasubramanian, R.↗