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At least 307 records · Page 17

Wingtip Vortex-Augmented Turbopusher Propeller Thrust

Thrust of propeller enhanced by tip vortex. Wingtip-Mounted Nacelle provides turboprop vortex velocity recovery. Thrust of turbopusher propeller increased by flow of lift-induced vortex. As result of weaker vortex, reduction in induced drag of wing afforded by propeller-wake mass injection into core of vortex, causing it to break down.

Patterson, J. C., Jr.↗

Interaction of a turbulent vortex with a lifting surface

The impulsive noise due to blade-vortex-interaction is analyzing in the time domain for the extreme case when the blade cuts through the center of the vortex core with the assumptions of no distortion of the vortex path or of the vortex core. An analytical turbulent vortex core model, described in terms of the tip aerodynamic parameters, is used and its effects on the unsteady loading and maximum acoustic pressure during the interaction are determined.

Lee, D. J.↗

A three-dimensional viscous flow analysis for the helicopter tip vortex generation problem

The tip vortex flow field occurring in the vicinity of the tip region of a a helicopter rotor blade is a very complicated three-dimensional, viscous flow phenomenon. The details of the flow in the tip region can have a major effect in determining the generated rotor noise and can significantly affect the performance and dynamic loading of the rotor blade. The three-dimensional viscous subsonic tip vortex generation processes is investigated by a numerical procedure which allows spatial forward-marching integration, utilizing flow approximations from the velocity-decomposition approach of Briley and McDonald. The approach has been applied to compute the laminar and turbulent tip vortex flows for a constant thickness slab airfoil with a square tip, a constant thickness slab airfoil with a half round tip and a NACA 0012 airfoil with a half round tip. The basic mechanism of the tip vortex generation process as well as the prediction of vortex appearance, strength and secondary flow shown by the calculations are in qualitative agreement with experimental results.

Lin, S. J.↗

Double-branched vortex generator

In order to assess the suitability of using a double branched vortex generator in parametric studies involving vortex interactions, an experimental study of the main vortex and secondary flows produced by a double branched vortex generator was conducted in a 20-by-40 cm indraft wind tunnel. Measurements of the cross flow velocities were made with a five hole pressure probe from which vorticity contours and vortex parameters were derived. The results showed that the optimum configuration consisted of chord extensions with the absence of a centerbody.

Cantwell, E. R.↗

Application of a computational model for vortex generators in subsonic internal flows

A model for the analysis of vortex generators in a fully viscous subsonic internal flow is evaluated. A vorticity source term is used in a modified form of the Parabolized Navier-Stokes equations to model the shed vortex. Computed results are compared with idealized flow vortex paths, and with experimental data for vortex generators embedded in a thick turbulent boundary layer. The analysis is also compared with experimental data for a separated diffusing S-duct and for a diffusing S-duct with vortex generators. Quantitative comparisons are shown for the latter three cases. Emphasis is placed on verifying the ability of the model to predict global distortions in the flow field.

Kunik, W. G.↗

An analysis of blade vortex interaction aerodynamics and acoustics

The impulsive noise associated with helicopter flight due to Blade-Vortex Interaction, sometimes called blade slap is analyzed especially for the case of a close encounter of the blade-tip vortex with a following blade. Three parts of the phenomena are considered: the tip-vortex structure generated by the rotating blade, the unsteady pressure produced on the following blade during the interaction, and the acoustic radiation due to the unsteady pressure field. To simplify the problem, the analysis was confined to the situation where the vortex is aligned parallel to the blade span in which case the maximum acoustic pressure results. Acoustic radiation due to the interaction is analyzed in space-fixed coordinates and in the time domain with the unsteady pressure on the blade surface as the source of chordwise compact, but spanwise non-compact radiation. Maximum acoustic pressure is related to the vortex core size and Reynolds number which are in turn functions of the blade-tip aerodynamic parameters. Finally noise reduction and performance are considered.

Lee, D. J.↗

A three-dimensional viscous flow analysis for the helicopter tip vortex generation process about square and round tipped blades

The tip vortex flow field occurring in the vicinity of the tip region of a helicopter rotor blade is a very complicated three-dimensional, viscous flow phenomenon. The details of the flow in the tip region can have a major effect in determining the generated rotor noise and can significantly effect the performance and dynamic loading of the rotor blade. The three-dimensional viscous subsonic tip vortex generation processes is investigated by a numerical procedure which allows spatial forward-marching integration, utilizing flow approximations from the velocity-decomposition approach of Briley and McDonald. The approach has been applied to compute the laminar and turbulent tip vortex flows for a constant thickness slab airfoil with a square tip, a constant thickness slab airfoil with a half round tip and a NACA 0012 airfoil with a half round tip. The basic mechanism of the tip vortex generation process as well as the prediction of vortex appearance, strength and secondary flow shown by the calculations are in qualitative agreement with experimental results.

Lin, S.-J.↗

Internal structure of a vortex breakdown

An axisymmetric vortex breakdown was well simulated by the vortex filament method. The agreement with the experiment was qualitatively good. In particular, the structure in the interior of the vortex breakdown was ensured to a great degree by the present simulation. The second breakdown, or spiral type, which occurs downstream of the first axisymmetric breakdown, was simulated more similarly to the experiment than before. It shows a kink of the vortex filaments and strong three-dimensionality. Furthermore, a relatively low velocity region was observed near the second breakdown. It was also found that it takes some time for this physical phenomenon to attain its final stage. The comparison with the experiment is getting better as time goes on. In this paper, emphasis is placed on the comparison of the simulated results with the experiment. The present results help to make clear the mechanism of a vortex breakdown.

Nakamura, Y.↗

Application of a computational model for vortex generators in subsonic internal flows

A model for the analysis of vortex generators in a fully viscous subsonic internal flow is evaluated. A vorticity source term is used in a modified form of the Parabolized Navier-Stokes equations to model the shed vortex. Computed results are compared with idealized flow vortex paths, and with experimental data for vortex generators embedded in a thick turbulent boundary layer. The analysis is also compared with experimental data for a separated diffusing S-duct and for a diffusing S-duct with vortex generators. Quantitative comparisons are shown for the latter three cases. Emphasis is placed on verifying the ability of the model to predict global distortions in the flow field.

Kunik, W. G.↗

Applications of CONMIN to wing design optimization with vortex flow effect

Slender wings on supersonic cruise configurations are expected to be thin and highly swept. As a result, edge-separated vortex flow is inevitable and must be accounted for in aerodynamic analysis and design. The present method is based on the method of suction analogy to calculate the total aerodynamic characteristics. The method requires the solution of the attached flow problem, the latter being solved by a low-order panel method in subsonic and supersonic flow. In essence, the lifting pressure is calculated by using a pressure-doublet distribution satisfying the Prandtl-Glauert equation. From the pressure distribution, the leading-edge suction is calculated. The latter is assumed to be the vortex lift through the method of suction analogy. For a cambered wing, the location of vortex-lift action point is important in predicting the aerodynamic characteristics. It is also seen that the effect of camber shape appears nonlinearly in all aerodynamic expressions. To design the camber shape, the camber slope is represented by a cosine Fourier series at each of several spanwise stations. The Fourier coefficients are the design variables. To design a leading-edge flap in the vortex flow (i.e., a vortex flap), the coordinates of corner points and the deflection angle are the design variables. The process of wing design is to determine the camber shape and twist distribution such that an objective function, typically the drag, is minimized, subject to various constraints.

Lan, C. E.↗

Interaction Between a Vortex and a Turbulent Boundary Layer. Part 1: Mean Flow Evolution and Turbulence Properties

An experimental study was conducted to examine the interaction between a single weak streamwise vortex and a two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer. Attention was focused on characterizing the effect of the boundary layer on the vortex, including the effects of a moderate adverse pressure gradient. Rapid growth of the vortex core was observed, and a flattening of the core shape occurred when the dimension of the core radius became comparable to the distance of the vortex center from the surface. Adverse pressure gradients caused an increase in the rate of core growth, and therefore, a stronger distortion of the core shape. Measurements of surface skin friction beneath the vortex and some of the Reynolds stresses are presented.

Westphal, Russell V.↗

Vortex creep and the internal temperature of neutron stars Timing noise in pulsars

Vortex creep theory is used to construct model noise power spectra for three physically distinct types of events which might give rise to pulsar timing noise. These are 'pure' events, in which vortex unpinning is the source of the initial frequency jump; 'mixed' events, in which the initial frequency jump is produced by some physical process other than vortex unpinning but leads to the unpinning of some vortices; and 'external' events, in which the initial frequency jumps responsible for noise do not involve any vortex unpinning. For the first two types of events, it is found that relaxation processes in the region responsible for the noise will give rise to structure in the observed power spectra, while for external events, the resulting noise spectra will not be influenced by vortex creep. The theoretical results are compared with observed power spectra for 25 pulsars. The absence of structure in the observed power spectra of the Crab and Vela pulsars within the range of time scales which characterize their postglitch behavior indicates that the pinning regions which play a role in postglitch behavior do not experience the small unpinning events leading to timing noise.

Alpar, M. Ali↗

Vortex unwinding in a turbulent boundary layer

The vortex unwinding method is used as a tool in performing vortex cancellation in a turbulent boundary layer. Sufficient reduction in the isotach variation was achieved to verify the usefulness of this technique, for the cases of both wall turbulence control and horseshoe vortex alleviation. More detailed measurements of vortex strength and position improve the optimization process and increase the amount of vortex unwinding.

Mcginley, Catherine B.↗

Interaction of an oscillating vortex with a turbulent boundary layer

The effects on mean flow and turbulence caused by meander of a vortex embedded in a two-dimensional boundary layer were investigated experimentally by driving a forced lateral oscillation of the vortex generator. Upstream, the vorticity contours without forcing were found to be round. The forced vortex generator oscillation caused a flattening of the time-averaged vorticity contours and changes in some of the Reynolds stresses. The results indicate that the unforced vortex did not meander significantly upstream, and that the effects of meander can be understood qualitatively from production of Reynolds stresses by the forced motion acting with the exiting three-dimensional velocity field. Farther downstream, the observed differences in the mean vorticity and Reynolds stresses caused by forcing were smaller, mainly because the vortex was substantially diffused at this station, resulting in smaller mean velocity gradients.

Westphal, Russell V.↗

Experimental study of the vortex flow behavior on a generic fighter wing at subsonic and transonic speeds

A subsonic and transonic investigation of the vortex flow behavior of a generic fighter configuration with 55-deg cropped delta wing has been conducted in order to improve current understanding of vortical motions on a wing with deflected leading edge flap at moderate and high angles-of-attack. The leading edge vortex strength was reduced, and the vortex was flatter and closer to the wing surface, as the Mach number increased. Transonically, at high angles-of-attack, the test data suggested the development of a cross-flow shock wave above the vortex sheet which coexisted with a rear shock wave. Subsonically, a deflected leading edge flap was able to sustain a concentrated vortex on the forward-facing surface.

Erickson, Gary E.↗

Review of vortex flow flight projects on the F-106B

NASA-Langley's F-106B research aircraft is being used in vortex flow-research flight experiments in order to determine the effects of Re number and Mach number on the lee-side vortex system generated at angles-of-attack up to maneuver condition, as well as to evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics of a sharp leading-edge vortex flap system. The wing vortex system is visualized at a fixed position by means of the vapor-screen technique. Comparisons are made between a measured value and two theoretical estimates of a pertinent vortex system property, core location.

Lamar, J. E.↗

Analysis of the breakdown of the Antarctic circumpolar vortex using TOMS ozone data

Climatological analysis of data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on the Nimbus 7 satellite has shown that the annual cycles of ozone are very different in the Arctic and Antarctic. The annual cycle in the Arctic is a relatively smooth annual sine wave; but in the Antarctic the circumpolar vortex breaks down rapidly during the Southern Hemisphere spring (September through November), producing a rapid rise in total ozone and a sawtooth-shaped annual cycle. The evolution of the Antarctic total ozone field during the vortex breakdown was studied by computing areally-integrated ozone amounts from the TOMS data. This technique avoids substantial difficulties with using zonally-averaged ozone amounts to study the asymmetric breakdown phenomenon. Variability of total ozone is found to be large both within an individual year and between different years. During the last decade monthly-mean total ozone values in the Antarctic during the springtime vortex breakdown period have decreased dramatically. The ozone-area statistics indicate that the decrease has resulted in part from changes in the timing of the vortex breakdown and resultant ozone increase, which have occurred later during recent years. Analysis of the spatial scales involved in the ozone transport and mixing that occur during the vortex breakdown is now underway. Reliable calculation of diagnostic quantities like areally-integrated ozone is possible only with the high-resolution, two-dimensional, daily coverage provided by the TOMS instrument.

Bowman, Kenneth P.↗

Control of leading edge vortex breakdown by blowing

An investigation into the effects of using a jet of air to control the vortex breakdown position on a 70 degree delta wing is presented. The specific objectives focused on optimizing the blowing positions in terms of maximum lift increments obtained for minimum blowing rates. The tests were conducted at chord Reynolds numbers of 150,000, 200,000, and 250,000 at angles of incidence of 30 and 35 degrees. Visualization and force data is presented to show the effect of the jet on the wing aerodynamic characteristics. The results indicate a jet position located at and aligned parallel to the leading edge to be the optimum. Nearness to the apex and tangency to the upper surface were also crucial factors. The influence of the jet on the leading edge vortex structure was examined using laser Doppler anemometry. Velocity surveys through the vortex showed that at high blowing rates the parallel velocity in the outer swirling region of the vortex increased and the normal velocity decreased. This resulted in a decrease in the swirling angle in the outer region. The peak core velocity was reduced and the vortex breakdown was delayed.

Visser, K. D.↗