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At least 307 records · Page 17

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NASA NTRS1985

An implicit, conservative, zonal-boundary scheme for Euler equation calculations

A 'zonal', or 'patched-grid', approach is one in which the flow region of interest is divided into subregions which are then discretized independently, using existing grid generators. The equations of motion are integrated in each subregion in conjunction with zonal-boundary schemes which allow proper information transfer across interfaces that separate subregions. The zonal approach greatly simplifies the treatment of complex geometries and also the addition of grid points to selected regions of the flow. In this study a conservative, zonal-boundary condition that could be used with explicit schemes has been extended so that it can be used with existing second-order-accurate implicit integration schemes such as the Beam-Warming and Osher schemes. In the test case considered, the implicit schemes increased the rate of convergence considerably (by a factor of about 30 over that of the explicit scheme). Results demonstrating the time-accuracy of the zonal scheme and the feasibility of performing calculations on zones that move relative to each other are also presented.

Rai, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

An Implicit, Conservative, Zonal-Boundary Scheme for Euler Equation Calculations

A "zonal," or "patched-grid," approach is one in which the flow region of interest is divided into subregions which are then discretized independently, using existing grid generators. The equations of motion are integrated in each subregion in conjunction with zonal-boundary schemes which allow proper information transfer across interfaces that separate subregions. The zonal approach greatly simplifies the treatment of complex geometries and also the addition of grid points to selected regions of the flow. In this study a conservative, zonal-boundary condition that could be used with explicit schemes has been extended so that it can be used with existing second-order accurate implicit integration schemes such as the Beam-Warming and Osher schemes. In the test case considered, the implicit schemes increased the rate of convergence considerably (by a factor of about 30 over that of the explicit scheme). Results demonstrating the time-accuracy of the zonal scheme and the feasibility of performing calculations on zones that move relative to each other are also presented.

Rai, Man Mohan↗

NASA NTRS1976

A solitary wave theory of the Great Red Spot and other observed features in the Jovian atmosphere

It is shown that solitary waves in a planetary zonal shear have a shape and flow field that are virtually identical to those observed around the Red Spot and numerous other features that have been seen in the Jovian atmosphere. It is suggested that the theoretically calculated interaction between solitary waves has many characteristics in common with the observed interactions between these same Jovian features, and available atmospheric models are shown to be consistent with the very restrictive requirements of the theory.

Maxworthy, T.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Status of computational fluid dynamics in the United States

CFD-related progress in U.S. aerospace industries and research institutions is evaluated with respect to methods employed, their applications, and the computer technologies employed in their implementation. Goals for subsonic CFD are primarily aimed at greater fuel efficiency; those of supersonic CFD involve the achievement of high sustained cruise efficiency. Transatmospheric/hypersonic vehicles are noted to have recently become important concerns for CFD efforts. Attention is given to aspects of discretization, Euler and Navier-Stokes general purpose codes, zonal equation methods, internal and external flows, and the impact of supercomputers and their networks in advancing the state-of-the-art.

Kutler, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1988

The numerical simulation of transonic separated flow about the complete F-16A

The thin-layer, Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations are used to simulate the transonic viscous flow about the complete F-16A fighter aircraft. These computations demonstrate how computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to simulate turbulent viscous flow about realistic aircraft geometries. A zonal grid approach is used to provide adequate viscous grid clustering on all aircraft surfaces. Zonal grids extend inside the F-16A inlet and up to the compressor face while power on conditions are modeled by employing a zonal grid extending from the exhaust nozzle to the far field. A simple solution adaptive grid procedure is used on the wing surface and good agreement with experimental data is obtained. Computations for the F-16A in side slip are also presented.

Flores, Jolen↗

NASA NTRS2013

Vaporization and Zonal Mixing in Performance Modeling of Advanced LOX-Methane Rockets

Initial modeling of LOX-Methane reaction control (RCE) 100 lbf thrusters and larger, 5500 lbf thrusters with the TDK/VIPER code has shown good agreement with sea-level and altitude test data. However, the vaporization and zonal mixing upstream of the compressible flow stage of the models leveraged empirical trends to match the sea-level data. This was necessary in part because the codes are designed primarily to handle the compressible part of the flow (i.e. contraction through expansion) and in part because there was limited data on the thrusters themselves on which to base a rigorous model. A more rigorous model has been developed which includes detailed vaporization trends based on element type and geometry, radial variations in mixture ratio within each of the "zones" associated with elements and not just between zones of different element types, and, to the extent possible, updated kinetic rates. The Spray Combustion Analysis Program (SCAP) was leveraged to support assumptions in the vaporization trends. Data of both thrusters is revisited and the model maintains a good predictive capability while addressing some of the major limitations of the previous version.

Williams, George J., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Accurate simulation of vortical flows

Even with recent supercomputers having a large memory, Navier-Stokes simulations for vortical flows do not provide satisfactory results because of the lack of grid resolution to accurately simulate the strength of separation vortices. To overcome this problem, a zonal method is proposed to increase the number of grid points locally. Interface scheme which is critical for an efficient and stable zonal method is based on the Fortified Navier-Stokes concept. Application to both two-dimensional conical and three-dimensional delta wing problems indicates this simple zonal method can improve the accuracy of vortical flow simulations.

Fujii, Kozo↗

NASA NTRS1992

Conservative Grid-Interface Algorithm For Computing Flows

Best features of structured- and unstructured-grid methods combined. Gaps and overlaps between zonal grids eliminated by grid-interface algorithm, which generates single interfacial grid and corrects fluxes of flow quantities accordingly. Incorporated into two three-dimensional Navier-Stokes finite-volume codes and tested in computations of incompressible and compressible flows about simple bodies. Good numerical results obtained. General enough to be incorporated into other finite-volume codes without restrictions on complexities of shapes of bodies and zonal interfaces.

Klopfer, G. H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A knowledge-based approach to automated flow-field zoning for computational fluid dynamics

An automated three-dimensional zonal grid generation capability for computational fluid dynamics is shown through the development of a demonstration computer program capable of automatically zoning the flow field of representative two-dimensional (2-D) aerodynamic configurations. The applicability of a knowledge-based programming approach to the domain of flow-field zoning is examined. Several aspects of flow-field zoning make the application of knowledge-based techniques challenging: the need for perceptual information, the role of individual bias in the design and evaluation of zonings, and the fact that the zoning process is modeled as a constructive, design-type task (for which there are relatively few examples of successful knowledge-based systems in any domain). Engineering solutions to the problems arising from these aspects are developed, and a demonstration system is implemented which can design, generate, and output flow-field zonings for representative 2-D aerodynamic configurations.

Vogel, Alison Andrews↗

NASA NTRS1988

Knowledge-based zonal grid generation for computational fluid dynamics

Automation of flow field zoning in two dimensions is an important step towards reducing the difficulty of three-dimensional grid generation in computational fluid dynamics. Using a knowledge-based approach makes sense, but problems arise which are caused by aspects of zoning involving perception, lack of expert consensus, and design processes. These obstacles are overcome by means of a simple shape and configuration language, a tunable zoning archetype, and a method of assembling plans from selected, predefined subplans. A demonstration system for knowledge-based two-dimensional flow field zoning has been successfully implemented and tested on representative aerodynamic configurations. The results show that this approach can produce flow field zonings that are acceptable to experts with differing evaluation criteria.

Andrews, Alison E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Turbulent Compressible Convection with Rotation: Flow Structure and Evolution - Part 1

The effects of Coriolis forces on compressible convection are studied using three-dimensional numerical simulations carried out within a local modified f-plane model. The physics is simplified by considering a perfect gas occupying a rectilinear domain placed tangentially to a rotating sphere at various latitudes, through which a destabilizing heat flux is driven. The resulting convection is considered for a range of Rayleigh, Taylor, and Prandtl (and thus Rossby) numbers, evaluating conditions where the influence of rotation is both weak and strong. Given the computational demands of these high-resolution simulations, the parameter space is explored sparsely to ascertain the differences between laminar and turbulent rotating convection. The first paper in this series examines the effects of rotation on the flow structure within the convection, its evolution, and some consequences for mixing. Subsequent papers consider the large-scale mean shear flows that are generated by the convection, and the effects of rotation on the convective energetics and transport properties. It is found here that the structure of rotating turbulent convection is similar to earlier nonrotating studies, with a laminar, cellular surface network disguising a fully turbulent interior punctuated by vertically coherent structures. However, the temporal signature of the surface flows is modified by inertial motions to yield new cellular evolution patterns and an overall increase in the mobility of the network. The turbulent convection contains vortex tubes of many scales, including large-scale coherent structures spanning the full vertical extent of the domain involving multiple density scale heights. Remarkably, such structures align with the rotation vector via the influence of Coriolis forces on turbulent motions, in contrast with the zonal tilting of streamlines found in laminar flows. Such novel turbulent mechanisms alter the correlations which drive mean shearing flows and affect the convective transport properties. In contrast to this large-scale anisotropy, small-scale vortex tubes at greater depths are randomly orientated by the rotational mixing of momentum, leading to an increased degree of isotropy on the medium to small scales of motion there. Rotation also influences the thermodynamic mixing properties of the convection. In particular, interaction of the larger coherent vortices causes a loss of correlation between the vertical velocity and the temperature leaving a mean stratification which is not isentropic.

Brummell, Nicholas H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A parallel finite-difference method for computational aerodynamics

A finite-difference scheme for solving complex three-dimensional aerodynamic flow on parallel-processing supercomputers is presented. The method consists of a basic flow solver with multigrid convergence acceleration, embedded grid refinements, and a zonal equation scheme. Multitasking and vectorization have been incorporated into the algorithm. Results obtained include multiprocessed flow simulations from the Cray X-MP and Cray-2. Speedups as high as 3.3 for the two-dimensional case and 3.5 for segments of the three-dimensional case have been achieved on the Cray-2. The entire solver attained a factor of 2.7 improvement over its unitasked version on the Cray-2. The performance of the parallel algorithm on each machine is analyzed.

Swisshelm, Julie M.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A zonal approach to solution of the Euler equations

A technique for the solution of the one- and two-dimensional Euler equations in a partitioned flow field is presented. The field is divided into distinct 'zones', each of which is computed separately. An implicit boundary procedure based on the characteristic propagaion of information and flux splitting methods is applied at the zonal interfaces. Numerical results are presented for both quasi-one-dimensional nozzle flows with shock waves and the unsteady shock-tube problem. These calculations demonstrate the capability of shock propagation through arbitrarily located zonal boundaries in a stable, conservative, and accurate manner. Two-dimensional results include the zonal computation of flows over blunt bodies and airfoils.

Hessenius, K. A.↗

NASA NTRS2012

A New Look at Titan's Zonal Winds from Cassini Radio Occultations

We use the existing thirteen Cassini radio'occultation soundings to construct a meridional cross section of geopotential height vs. pressure and latitude. The assumption of balanced flow permits the construction of a similar cross section of zonal winds, from near the surface to the 0.1'mbar level. In the lower troposphere, the winds are approx.10 m/s, except within 20deg of the equator, where they are much smaller. The winds increase higher up in the troposphere to nearly 40 m/s in the tropopause region, but then decay rapidly in the lower stratosphere to near'zero values at 20 mbar (approx.80 km), reminiscent of the Huygens Doppler Wind Experiment result. This null zone extends over most latitudes, except for limited bands at mid'latitudes. Higher up in the stratosphere, the winds become larger. They are highest in the northern (winter) hemisphere. We compare the occultation results with the DWE and CIRS retrievals and discuss the similarities and differences among the data sets.

Flasar, F. M.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A study of stratospheric vacillations and sudden warmings on a beta-plane. I - Single wave-mean flow interaction

A beta-plane model of the stratosphere is used to investigate the planetary-wave amplitude vacillations first reported by Holton and Mass (1976). This model differs from theirs in allowing more horizontal modes. For low surface wave amplitudes, a new class of solutions is found which exhibits a stationary, partially reflecting critical line at steady state. The critical line equilibrates at lower altitudes as the wave forcing is increased. Vacillating solutions occur when the steady state critical line occurs near the lower boundary. The maximum wave amplitude and the maximum steady-state wave amplitude found in the model are in the ratio of 2:1, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The maximum wave amplitude never exceeds 2200 gpm which is quite close to the saturation limit predicted by Schoeberl (1982). An analysis of the statistics of slowly and rapidly vacillating flows shows that both the wave and zonal mean variances are important in determining the time mean, zonal mean dynamics of the upper stratosphere.

Schoeberl, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A simulation of rotor-stator interaction using the Euler equations and patched grids

An unsteady Euler code to study rotor-stator interaction problem was developed. The code uses patched grids that move relative to each other to simulate the motion of the rotor airfoils with respect to the stator airfoils. The Osher integration scheme is used in conjunction with an implicit relaxation approach. The scheme is second order accurate in space and time, and is also TVD in each spatial direction. The numerical results were found to be periodic in time, thus demonstrating the capability of the integration and zonal schemes in simulating periodic time dependent flow. The pressure contours obtained are almost oscillation free because of the TVD nature of the scheme. A new procedure was developed to simulate flows about bodies that move relative to each other. This capability should prove to be very useful in the areas of rotor-stator interaction, propeller-nacelle interaction, and helicopter rotor-fuselage interaction.

Rai, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A composite structured/unstructured-mesh Euler method for complex airfoil shapes

A general two-dimensional Euler zonal method has been developed for computing flows about complex airfoil geometries such as multielement and iced airfoils. The method utilizes a composite structured and unstructured grid generated using conformal mapping and Delaunay triangulation, respectively. The finite-volume Euler method is then modified to couple solutions in the zones with structured and unstructured grids. Solutions about an iced airfoil and a multielement airfoil are given as examples of applications of the scheme.

Hefazi, H.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Angle-of-attack validation of a new zonal CFD method for airfoil simulations

The angle-of-attack validation of a new concept suggested by Summa (1990) for coupling potential and viscous flow methods has been investigated for two-dimensional airfoil simulations. The fully coupled potential/Navier-Stokes code, ZAP2D (Zonal Aerodynamics Program 2D), has been used to compute the flow field around an NACA 0012 airfoil for a range of angles of attack up to stall at a Mach number of 0.3 and a Reynolds number of 3 million. ZAP2D calculation for various domain sizes from 25 to 0.12 chord lengths are compared with the ARC2D large domain solution as well as with experimental data.

Yoo, Sungyul↗