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At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Unsteady transonic flow calculations for realistic aircraft configurations

A transonic unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelasticity code has been developed for application to realistic aircraft configurations. The new code is called CAP-TSD which is an acronym for Computational Aeroelasticity Program - Transonic Small Disturbance. The CAP-TSD code uses a time-accurate approximate factorization (AF) algorithm for solution of the unsteady transonic small-disturbance equation. The AF algorithm is very efficient for solution of steady and unsteady transonic flow problems. It can provide accurate solutions in only several hundred time steps yielding a significant computational cost savings when compared to alternative methods. The new code can treat complete aircraft geometries with multiple lifting surfaces and bodies including canard, wing, tail, control surfaces, launchers, pylons, fuselage, stores, and nacelles. Applications are presented for a series of five configurations of increasing complexity to demonstrate the wide range of geometrical applicability of CAP-TSD. These results are in good agreement with available experimental steady and unsteady pressure data. Calculations for the General Dynamics one-ninth scale F-16C aircraft model are presented to demonstrate application to a realistic configuration. Unsteady results for the entire F-16C aircraft undergoing a rigid pitching motion illustrated the capability required to perform transonic unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic analyses for such configurations.

Batina, John T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Spectral simulation of unsteady compressible flow past a circular cylinder

An unsteady compressible viscous wake flow past a circular cylinder was successfully simulated using spectral methods. A new approach in using the Chebyshev collocation method for periodic problems is introduced. It was further proved that the eigenvalues associated with the differentiation matrix are purely imaginary, reflecting the periodicity of the problem. It was been shown that the solution of a model problem has exponential growth in time if improper boundary conditions are used. A characteristic boundary condition, which is based on the characteristics of the Euler equations of gas dynamics, was derived for the spectral code. The primary vortex shedding frequency computed agrees well with the results in the literature for Mach = 0.4, Re = 80. No secondary frequency is observed in the power spectrum analysis of the pressure data.

Don, Wai-Sun↗
NASA NTRS1974

Topics in structural dynamics: Nonlinear unsteady transonic flows and Monte Carlo methods in acoustics

The results are reported of two unrelated studies. The first was an investigation of the formulation of the equations for non-uniform unsteady flows, by perturbation of an irrotational flow to obtain the linear Green's equation. The resulting integral equation was found to contain a kernel which could be expressed as the solution of the adjoint flow equation, a linear equation for small perturbations, but with non-constant coefficients determined by the steady flow conditions. It is believed that the non-uniform flow effects may prove important in transonic flutter, and that in such cases, the use of doublet type solutions of the wave equation would then prove to be erroneous. The second task covered an initial investigation into the use of the Monte Carlo method for solution of acoustical field problems. Computed results are given for a rectangular room problem, and for a problem involving a circular duct with a source located at the closed end.

Haviland, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Effects of Periodic Unsteady Wake Flow and Pressure Gradient on Boundary Layer Transition Along the Concave Surface of a Curved Plate

Boundary layer transition and development on a turbomachinery blade is subjected to highly periodic unsteady turbulent flow, pressure gradient in longitudinal as well as lateral direction, and surface curvature. To study the effects of periodic unsteady wakes on the concave surface of a turbine blade, a curved plate was utilized. On the concave surface of this plate, detailed experimental investigations were carried out under zero and negative pressure gradient. The measurements were performed in an unsteady flow research facility using a rotating cascade of rods positioned upstream of the curved plate. Boundary layer measurements using a hot-wire probe were analyzed by the ensemble-averaging technique. The results presented in the temporal-spatial domain display the transition and further development of the boundary layer, specifically the ensemble-averaged velocity and turbulence intensity. As the results show, the turbulent patches generated by the wakes have different leading and trailing edge velocities and merge with the boundary layer resulting in a strong deformation and generation of a high turbulence intensity core. After the turbulent patch has totally penetrated into the boundary layer, pronounced becalmed regions were formed behind the turbulent patch and were extended far beyond the point they would occur in the corresponding undisturbed steady boundary layer.

Schobeiri, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1995

elVis: An Interactive System For Visualization of Unsteady Fluid Flow

ElVis is a prototype system with allows for the interactive visualization of unsteady fluid flow. The increasing computational power applied to fluid dynamics simulations presents the enormous challenge to the visualization system designer to apply a wide range of technologies to the analysis process with ever increasing demands on performance. Visualization of the results of unsteady fluid flow simulations presents the challenge of exploring very large and complex data sets. Since exploration is a trial and error process, it is of utmost importance that the time required to execute a trial (i.e., create a visualization) be at a minimum in order to provide real time interaction.

Gerald-Yamasaki, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1980

Calculation of three-dimensional unsteady transonic flows past helicopter blades

A finite difference code for predicting the high speed flow over the advancing helicopter rotor is presented. The code solves the low frequency, transonic small disturbance equation and is suitable for modeling the effects of advancing blade unsteadiness on blades of nearly arbitrary planform. The method employs a quasi-conservative mixed differencing scheme and solves the resulting difference equations by an alternating direction scheme. Computed results showed good agreement with experimental blade pressure data and illustrate some of the effects of varying the rotor planform. The flow unsteadiness is shown to be an indispensible part of a transonic solution. Close to the tip at high advance ratio, cross flow effects can significantly affect the solution.

Chattot, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Measurements of the unsteady vortex flow over a wing-body at angle of attack

Measurements of the unsteady vortex flow over a wing-body at high angles of attack were carried out on a generic test model of a pointed body of revolution with double-delta wings. Vortex patterns and trajectories were quantified from digitized laser sheet video images. The velocity-field measurements showed the jetlike flow in the unburst vortex, unsteady secondary structures below the primary core, and then the reversed flow in the burst vortex. Results of hot-film anemometry revealed the presence of peak frequencies in the velocity spectra over the wing and near the trailing edge, which varied linearly with freestream speed and increased as the measurement point moved upstream. Good Strouhal correlation was found with previous results obtained for a smaller generic wing-body model.

Debry, Benoit↗
NASA NTRS1992

Unsteady turbomachinery flow simulations on massively parallel architectures

The accurate numerical simulation of unsteady, three-dimensional viscous flow in turbomachines is computationally very intensive, requiring prohibitively large amounts of computer time on current vector supercomputers. In recent years, computer systems based on massively parallel architectures have been developed that offer the promise of meeting the computational power requirements of such large-scale simulations. However, a rethinking of existing algorithms and methodology is required in order to fully harness the computational power of such architectures. In this paper the capabilities of the Connection Machine (CM-2) in predicting unsteady flows in turbomachines are evaluated. The implementation on the CM-2 of an implicit, time-accurate, zonal algorithm for the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is described. Programming issues and modifications made to the original algorithm (developed for vector, pipelined supercomputers) in order to improve performance on the CM-2 are outlined. Algorithm performance is evaluated and compared with a functionally equivalent code for the CRAY-YMP.

Madavan, N. K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Advanced experimental techniques for transonic testing

Problems common to wind tunnels, including low Reynolds numbers, wall interference, support interference, and flow unsteadiness are discussed, and it is noted that with increasing aircraft size, existing transonic tunnels are becoming more inadequate in terms of their Reynolds-number capability. Problems attributed to scale effect are covered, and techniques for increasing Reynolds number are presented. These include operating with a heavy gas or a mixture of gases, increasing the operating pressure in the tunnel, increasing the size of the model, and/or reducing the test temperature. Acceptable levels of flow unsteadiness are reviewed, along with the problems associated with the flow over wind-tunnel models influenced by flow unsteadiness. Sources of flow unsteadiness present in a continuous transonic tunnel driven by a compressor or a fan are listed, and rules for ensuring low levels of flow unsteadiness are given.

Kilgore, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Time-dependent finite-difference simulation of unsteady interactive flows

The solution of the time-dependent, Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady, interacting flows by finite-difference algorithms is discussed. Specific examples include (1) unsteady transonic flow over a thick biconvex airfoil, (2) determination of buffet boundaries for a transonic lifting airfoil, (3) the simulation of aileron buzz and (4) dynamic stall. Algorithms considered include explicit methods, mixed (or hybrid) methods, and fully implicit methods. Consideration of time scales for computational stability, computational accuracy, and physical accuracy and the use of time-dependent adaptive meshing to realize computational efficiency are also discussed.

Deiwert, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Conical Euler analysis and active roll suppression for unsteady vortical flows about rolling delta wings

A conical Euler code was developed to study unsteady vortex-dominated flows about rolling, highly swept delta wings undergoing either forced motions or free-to-roll motions that include active roll suppression. The flow solver of the code involves a multistage, Runge-Kutta time-stepping scheme that uses a cell-centered, finite-volume, spatial discretization of the Euler equations on an unstructured grid of triangles. The code allows for the additional analysis of the free to-roll case by simultaneously integrating in time the rigid-body equation of motion with the governing flow equations. Results are presented for a delta wing with a 75 deg swept, sharp leading edge at a free-stream Mach number of 1.2 and at 10 deg, 20 deg, and 30 deg angle of attack alpha. At the lower angles of attack (10 and 20 deg), forced-harmonic analyses indicate that the rolling-moment coefficients provide a positive damping, which is verified by free-to-roll calculations. In contrast, at the higher angle of attack (30 deg), a forced-harmonic analysis indicates that the rolling-moment coefficient provides negative damping at the small roll amplitudes. A free-to-roll calculation for this case produces an initially divergent response, but as the amplitude of motion grows with time, the response transitions to a wing-rock type of limit cycle oscillation, which is characteristic of highly swept delta wings. This limit cycle oscillation may be actively suppressed through the use of a rate-feedback control law and antisymmetrically deflected leading-edge flaps. Descriptions of the conical Euler flow solver and the free-to roll analysis are included in this report. Results are presented that demonstrate how the systematic analysis of the forced response of the delta wing can be used to predict the stable, neutrally stable, and unstable free response of the delta wing. These results also give insight into the flow physics associated with unsteady vortical flows about delta wings undergoing forced motions and free-to-roll motions, including the active suppression of the wing-rock type phenomenon. The conical Euler methodology developed is directly extend able to three-dimensional calculations.

Lee-Rausch, Elizabeth M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Calculation of steady and unsteady airfoil flow fields via the Navier-Stokes equations

A compressible time-dependent procedure for the two-dimensional ensemble averaged Navier-Stokes equations has been applied to the isolated airfoil problem in steady and unsteady flows. The procedure solves the governing equations via the linearized block implicit technique. Turbulence is modeled either via a mixing length or turbulence energy approach. The equations are solved in general non-orthogonal form with no-slip boundary conditions applied at the airfoil surface. Results are presented for airfoils at constant incidence, an airfoil in ramp motion and an airfoil oscillating through a dynamic stall loop. In general, steady converged solutions are obtained within 70 time steps over the range of Mach numbers considered. Comparisons with measured data show good agreement between computation and measurement.

Shamroth, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Some examples of unsteady transonic flows over airfoils

A finite difference flutter analysis is presented for the NACA 64A-410 airfoil at M equals 0.72, where the incidence is abruptly changed from 2 to 4 degrees. The effect of gust loads is studied, and the unsteady flow adjusting process is displayed. The semi-implicit procedure of Ballhaus and Lomax (1974) is used to solve the small disturbance transonic potential equation. The physical aspects of the results, rather than the numerical details, are emphasized.

Ballhaus, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Unsteady transonic flows - Introduction, current trends, applications

The computational treatment of unsteady transonic flows is discussed, reviewing the historical development and current techniques. The fundamental physical principles are outlined; the governing equations are introduced; three-dimensional linearized and two-dimensional linear-perturbation theories in frequency domain are described in detail; and consideration is given to frequency-domain FEMs and time-domain finite-difference and integral-equation methods. Extensive graphs and diagrams are included.

Yates, E. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Unsteady aerodynamic flow phenomena in a transonic compressor stage

A three-dimensional unsteady, viscous aerodynamic analysis has been developed for the flow inside a transonic, high-through-flow, single stage compressor. The compressor stage is comprised of a low-aspect-ratio rotor and a closely coupled stator. The analysis is based on a numerical method for solving the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation for unsteady viscous flow through multiple turbomachinery blade rows. The method solves the fully three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation with an implicit scheme. A two-equation turbulence model with a low-Reynolds-number modification is applied for the turbulence closure. A third-order accurate upwinding scheme is used to approximate convection terms while a second-order accurate central difference scheme is used for the discretization of the viscous terms. A second-order accurate scheme is employed for the temporal discretization. The numerical method is applied to study the unsteady flow field inside a transonic, high-through-flow, axial compressor stage. The numerical results are compared with available experimental data.

Hah, C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Definition of the unsteady vortex flow over a wing/body configuration

A problem of current interest in computational aerodynamics is the prediction of unsteady vortex flows over aircraft at high angles of attack. A six-month experimental effort was conducted at the John H. Harper Wind Tunnel to acquire qualitative and quantitative information on the unsteady vortex flow over a generic wing-body configuration at high angles of attack. A double-delta flat-plate wing with beveled edges was combined with a slender sharp-nosed body-of-revolution fuselage to form the generic configuration. This configuration produces a strong attached leading edge vortex on the wing, as well as sharply-peaked flow velocity spectra above the wing. While it thus produces flows with several well-defined features of current interest, the model was designed for efficiency of representation in computational codes. A moderate number of surface pressure ports and two unsteady pressure sensors were used to study the pressure distribution over the wing and body surface at high angles of attack; the unsteady pressure sensing did not succeed because of inadequate signal-to-noise ratio. A pulsed copper vapor laser sheet was used to visualize the vortex flow over the model, and vortex trajectories, burst locations, mutual induction of vortex systems from the forebody, strake, and wing, were quantified. Laser Doppler velocimetry was used to quantify all 3 components of the time-average velocity in 3 data planes perpendicular to the freestream direction. Statistics of the instantaneous velocity were used to study intermittency and fluctuation intensity. Hot-film anemometry was used to study the fluctuation energy content in the velocity field, and the spectra of these fluctuations. In addition, a successful attempt was made to measure velocity spectra, component by component, using laser velocimetry, and these were compared with spectra measured by hot-film anemometry at several locations.

Liou, S. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Numerical studies of unsteady transonic flow over oscillating airfoil

A finite difference solution to the Navier-Stokes equations combined with a time varying grid generation technique was used to compute unsteady transonic flow over an oscillating airfoil. These computations were compared with experimental data (obtained at Ames Research Center) which form part of the AGARD standard configuration for aeroelastic analysis. A variety of approximations to the full Navier-Stokes equations was used to determine the effect of frequency, shock wave motion, flow separation, and airfoil geometry on unsteady pressures and overall air loads. Good agreement is shown between experiment and theory with the limiting factor being the lack of a reliable turbulence model for high Reynolds number, unsteady transonic flows.

Chyu, W. J.↗