Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “TURBULENCE EFFECT”

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 343 records · Page 19

Reynolds number effects on the turbulence field in compressible boundary layers

Detailed experiments were conducted in a zero pressure gradient, supersonic turbulent boundary layer, including measurements of the three components of velocity fluctuations and the turbulent shear stress, for Reynolds numbers ranging from 11.7 million to 105 million at a freestream Mach number of 2.3. The mean flow measurements established the fully developed and equilibrium nature of the boundary layer. Measurements of the turbulence field show that the vertical and transverse fluctuations are essentially equal throughout the boundary layer at all Reynolds numbers, a feature that is different from observations in incompressible flows. The data show that the boundary layer exhibits similarity in the turbulence profiles for the entire Reynolds number range and agrees with previous compressible and incompressible data using Morkovin's scaling to account for compressibility effects.

Acharya, M.↗

Simulation of 3-D shear flows around a nozzle-afterbody at high speeds

3D, compressible, unsteady, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are presently solved by a finite-volume and alternating-direction-implicit method in order to simulate supersonic and hypersonic turbulent shear flows. The effect of turbulence is incorporated via a modified Baldwin-Lomax eddy viscosity model which reflects the influence of high-speed compressibility, multiple walls, near-wall vortices, and turbulent memory effects, as well as local equilibrium effects. Attention is given to the simulation of the flow around the nozzle-afterbody of a generic, scramjet-propelled hypersonic vehicle; computed pressure distributions are consonant with experimental surface and off-surface flow surveys.

Baysal, Oktay↗

The effect of finite turbulence spatial scale on the amplification of turbulence by a contracting stream

The turbulence downstream of a rapid contraction is calculated for the case when the turbulence scale can have the same magnitude as the mean-flow spatial scale. The approach used is based on the formulation of Goldstein (1978) for turbulence downstream of a contraction, with the added assumptions of a parallel mean flow at downstream infinity and turbulence calculated far enough downstream so that the nonuniformity of the mean flow field has decayed, and by treating the inverse contraction ratio as a small parameter. Consideration is given to the large-contraction-ratio and classical rapid-distortion theory limits, and to results at an arbitrary contraction ratio. It is shown that the amplification effect of the contraction is reduced when the spatial scale of the turbulence increases, with the upstream turbulence actually suppressed for a contraction ratio less than five and a turbulence spatial scale greater than three times the transverse dimensions of the downstream channel.

Goldstein, M. E.↗

Effects of ionospheric turbulence on SPS pilot signal

The spatial variation of the electron density was studied by monitoring the differential Doppler on radio beacons aboard the Navy navigation satellites. The radio frequency heater was used to deposit energy in the F-region ionosphere with the heating frequency above peak plasma frequency. The effects of the solar power satellite power beam on the pilot signal were simulated. It was found that a small depletion was formed in the beam and that there was turbulence in the elctron density up the magnetic field line from the beam. It is suggested that the depletion will not seriously affect the power or pilot beams of the solar power satellite.

Clynch, J. R.↗

The structure of evaporating and combusting sprays: Measurements and predictions

The structure of particle-laden jets and nonevaporating and evaporating sprays was measured in order to evaluate models of these processes. Three models are being evaluated: (1) a locally homogeneous flow model, where slip between the phases is neglected and the flow is assumed to be in local thermodynamic equilibrium; (2) a deterministic separated flow model, where slip and finite interphase transport rates are considered but effects of particle/drop dispersion by turbulence and effects of turbulence on interphase transport rates are ignored; and (3) a stochastic separated flow model, where effects of interphase slip, turbulent dispersion and turbulent fluctuations are considered using random sampling for turbulence properties in conjunction with random-walk computations for particle motion. All three models use a k-e-g turbulence model. All testing and data reduction are completed for the particle laden jets. Mean and fluctuating velocities of the continuous phase and mean mixture fraction were measured in the evaporating sprays.

Shuen, J. S.↗

Laser beam propagation in atmospheric turbulence

The optical effects of atmospheric turbulence on the propagation of low power laser beams are reviewed in this paper. The optical effects are produced by the temperature fluctuations which result in fluctuations of the refractive index of air. The commonly-used models of index-of-refraction fluctuations are presented. Laser beams experience fluctuations of beam size, beam position, and intensity distribution within the beam due to refractive turbulence. Some of the observed effects are qualitatively explained by treating the turbulent atmosphere as a collection of moving gaseous lenses of various sizes. Analytical results and experimental verifications of the variance, covariance and probability distribution of intensity fluctuations in weak turbulence are presented. For stronger turbulence, a saturation of the optical scintillations is observed. The saturation of scintillations involves a progressive break-up of the beam into multiple patches; the beam loses some of its lateral coherence. Heterodyne systems operating in a turbulent atmosphere experience a loss of heterodyne signal due to the destruction of coherence.

Murty, S. S. R.↗

The effect of a turbulent wake on the stagnation point. I - Skin friction results

The response of a boundary layer in the stagnation region of a two-dimensional body to fluctuations in the freestream is examined. The analysis is restricted to laminar incompressible flow. The assumed form of the velocity distribution at the edge of the boundary layer represents both a pulsation of the incoming flow, and an oscillation of the stagnation point streamline. Both features are essential in accurately representing the effect which freestream spatial and temporal nonuniformities have upon the unsteady boundary layer. Finally, a simple model is proposed which relates the characteristic parameters in a turbulent wake to the unsteady boundary-layer edge velocity. Numerical results are presented for both an arbitrary two-dimensional geometry and a circular cylinder.

Wilson, Dennis E.↗

Some effects of swirl on turbulent mixing and combustion

A general formulation of some effects of swirl on turbulent mixing is given. The basis for the analysis is that momentum transport is enhanced by turbulence resulting from rotational instability of the fluid field. An appropriate form for the turbulent eddy viscosity is obtained by mixing length type arguments. The result takes the form of a corrective factor that is a function of the swirl and acts to increase the eddy viscosity. The factor is based upon the initial mixing conditions implying that the rotational turbulence decays in a manner similar to that of free shear turbulence. Existing experimental data for free jet combustion are adequately matched by using the modifying factor to relate the effects of swirl on eddy viscosity. The model is extended and applied to the supersonic combustion of a ring jet of hydrogen injected into a constant area annular air stream. The computations demonstrate that swirling the flow could: (1) reduce the burning length by one half, (2) result in more uniform burning across the annulus width, and (3) open the possibility of optimization of the combustion characteristics by locating the fuel jet between the inner wall and center of the annulus width.

Rubel, A.↗

The effect of wind tunnel turbulence upon the forces measured on models

1. Reasons for inquiry: The tests were undertaken to find the effect of turbulence in the air stream upon the lift and drag forces measured on models in the four-foot wind tunnel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2. Range of investigation: Maximum lifts and minimum drags were measured on Gottingen-387 and R.A.F.-15 airfoils, minimum drag on a streamlined strut, and the static pressure gradients for different conditions of turbulence. 3. Results and further developments: The results show that the scale of the turbulence (as defined in this report) has a marked effect upon the measured forces on models tested in the tunnel as well as on the pressure gradient, and it is recommended that further investigation of the phenomena be made with the aid of smoke and small wind vanes.

Lepage, W L↗

Pressure-gradient effects on hypersonic turbulent skin friction and boundary-layer profiles.

Local skin friction, total-temperature profiles, and pitot-pressure profiles were measured on the wall of a Mach-7.4 wind tunnel. The wall to adiabatic wall temperature ratio was varied from 0.3 to 0.5. Boundary-layer characteristics were compared with those predicted by a finite-difference method. Local skin friction was predicted to within 15%. Pressure-gradient effects on the temperature and Mach number distributions and the shape factor (displacement thickness/momentum thickness) were underpredicted, but the velocity distributions were closely predicted.

Hopkins, E. J.↗

Five-hole pitot probe measurements of swirl, confinement and nozzle effects on confined turbulent flow

The results of a time-mean flow characterization of nonswirling and swirling inert flows in a combustor are reported. The five-hole pitot probe technique was used in axisymmetric test sections with expansion ratios of 1 and 1.5. A prominent corner recirculation zone identified in nonswirling expanding flows decreased in size with swirling flows. The presence of a downstream nozzle led to an adverse pressure gradient at the wall and a favorable gradient near the centerline. Reducing the expansion ratio reduced the central recirculation length. No significant effect was introduced in the flowfield by a gradual expansion.

Lilley, D. G.↗

Investigation of the effect of inlet turbulence length scale on fan discrete tone noise

Results of an experimental investigation at the Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel of fan rotor alone discrete tone noise is presented. The investigation examines rotor interaction with fan inlet turbulence. The importance of turbulence length scale is shown by comparing the fan radiated acoustic spectrum with and without modified turbulence length scales. A small-scale low pressure ratio fan was used for the experiment.

Hodder, B. K.↗

Effect of anisotropic turbulence on aerodynamic noise

A model based on Lighthill's theory for predicting aerodynamic noise from a turbulent shear flow is developed. This model is a generalization of the one developed by Ribner. It does not require that the turbulent correlations factor into space and time-dependent parts. It replaces his assumption of isotropic turbulence by the more realistic one of axisymmetric turbulence. In the course of the analysis, a hierarchy of equations is developed wherein each succeeding equation involves more assumptions than the preceding equation but requires less experimental information for its use. The implications of the model for jet noise are discussed. It is shown that for the particular turbulence data considered anisotropy causes the high-frequency self-noise to be beamed downstream.

Goldstein, M.↗

Effects of simulated turbulence on aircraft handling qualities

The influence of simulated turbulence on aircraft handling qualities is presented. Pilot opinions of the handling qualities of a light general aviation aircraft were evaluated in a motion-base simulator using a simulated turbulence environment. A realistic representation of turbulence disturbances is described in terms of rms intensity and scale length and their random variations with time. The time histories generated by the proposed turbulence models showed characteristics which are more similar to real turbulence than the frequently-used Gaussian turbulence model. The proposed turbulence models flexibly accommodate changes in atmospheric conditions and are easily implemented in flight simulator studies.

Jacobson, I. D.↗