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33 records · Page 2

Assessment of Buffet Forcing Function Development Process Using Unsteady Pressure Sensitive Paint

A wind tunnel test was conducted at the Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel to characterize the transonic buffet environment of a generic launch vehicle forebody. The test examined a highly instrumented version of the Coe and Nute Model 11 test article first tested in the 1960s. One of the measurement techniques used during this test was unsteady pressure sensitive paint (uPSP) developed at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex. This optical measurement technique measured fluctuating pressures at over 300,000 locations on the surface of the model. The high spatial density of these measurements provided an opportunity to examine in depth the assumptions underpinning the development of buffet forcing functions (BFFs) used in the development of the Space Launch System vehicle. The comparison of discrete-measurement-based BFFs to BFFs developed by continuous surface pressure integration indicates that the current BFF development approach under predicts low frequency content of the BFFs while over predicting high frequency content. Coherence-based adjustments employed to reduce over prediction in the surface integration of discrete pressure measurements contribute to the inaccuracy of the BFFs and their implementation should be reevaluated.

Sekula, Martin K.↗

Comparison of OVERFLOW Computational and Experimental Results of the CobraMRV Mars Entry Vehicle Concept during Supersonic Retropropulsion

The CFD solver Overflow was used to simulate the CobraMRV undergoing supersonic retropropulsion (SRP) in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel as part of a CFD and wind tunnel integration effort. Selection of numerical methods and resulting comparisons to selected tunnel conditions of interest are detailed. Comparisons of mean pressures with static taps and pressure-sensitive paint are provided for multiple SST-based turbulence models. URANS predicitons of heat shield pressures at high thrust conditions are poor compared to TMRC and DES predictions. Comparisons to experimental measurements of pressure fluctuations indicate complex relationships between heat shield unsteadiness, flight Mach number, and engine thrust coefficient. Bow shock topology and shock cell structure between experimental and OVERFLOW data show good agreement in Schlieren imaging. Recommendations for future investigation into flow field unsteadiness and turbulence models are suggested.

CFD↗

Velocity Measurements Across an Oblique Shock Using Pulse-Burst Cross-Correlation DGV

Pulse-burst cross-correlation Doppler global velocimetry is performed in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The technique is used to make planar velocity measurements across an oblique shockwave, which is generated by a large splitter plate set at a -2° angle of attack in a Mach 2.4 flow. Assessment of the velocimetry indicates agreement with theoretical velocity values to within 0.5 percent on average, while the precision of the measurements was within 1.4 percent. The success of the initial measurements warrant further investigation of the technique for more complex flowfields.

lasers,↗

Development of a Non-Iterative Balance Load Prediction Algorithm for the NASA Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

A non-iterative load prediction algorithm for strain-gage balances was developed for the NASA Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnels that computes balance loads from the electrical outputs of the balance bridges and a set of state variables. A state variable could be, for example, a balance temperature difference or the bellows pressure of a flow-through balance. The algorithm directly uses regression models of the balance loads for the load prediction that were obtained by applying global regression analysis to balance calibration data. This choice greatly simplifies both implementation and use of the load prediction process for complex balance configurations as no load iteration needs to be performed. The regression model of a balance load is constructed by using terms from a total of nine term groups. Four term groups are derived from a Taylor Series expansion of the relationship between the load, gage outputs, and state variables. The remaining five term groups are defined by using absolute values of the gage outputs and state variables. Terms from these groups should only be included in the regression model if calibration data from a balance with known bi-directional outputs is analyzed. It is illustrated in detail how global regression analysis may be applied to obtain the coefficients of the chosen regression model of a load component assuming that no linear or massive near-linear dependencies between the regression model terms exist. Data from the machine calibration of a six-component force balance is used to illustrate both application and accuracy of the non-iterative load prediction process.

Ulbrich, Norbert M.↗

Vapor-screen technique for flow visualization in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

The vapor-screen technique for flow visualization, as developed for the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, is described with evaluations of light sources and photographic equipment. Test parameters including dew point, pressure, and temperature were varied to determine optimum conditions for obtaining high-quality vapor-screen photographs. The investigation was conducted in the supersonic speed range for Mach numbers from 1.47 to 4.63 at model angles of attack up to 35 deg. Vapor-screen photographs illustrating various flow patterns are presented for several missile and aircraft configurations. Examples of vapor-screen results that have contributed to the understanding of complex flow fields and provided a basis for the development of theoretical codes are presented with reference to other research.

Morris, O. A.↗

Effect of planform and body on supersonic aerodynamics of multibody configurations

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the effect of the wing planform and bodies on the supersonic aerodynamics of a low-fineness-ratio, multibody configuration has been conducted in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at Mach numbers of 1.60, 1.80, 2.00, and 2.16. Force and moment data, flow-visualization data, and surface-pressure data were obtained on eight low-fineness-ratio, twin-body configurations. These configurations varied in inboard wing planform shape, outboard wing planform shape, outboard wing planform size, and presence of the bodies. The force and moment data showed that increasing the ratio of outboard wing area to total wing area or increasing the leading-edge sweep of the inboard wing influenced the aerodynamic characteristics. The flow-visualization data showed a complex flow-field system of shocks, shock-induced separation, and body vortex systems occurring between the side bodies. This flow field was substantially affected by the inboard wing planform shape but minimally affected by the outboard wing planform shape. The flow-visualization and surface-pressure data showed that flow over the outboard wing developed as expected with changes in angle of attack and Mach number and was affected by the leading-edge sweep of the inboard wing and the presence of the bodies. Evaluation of the linear-theory prediction methods revealed their general inability to consistently predict the characteristics of these multibody configurations.

Mcmillin, S. Naomi↗

Inviscid and Viscous CFD Analysis of Booster Separation for the Space Launch System Vehicle

This paper presents details of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations of the Space Launch System during solid-rocket booster separation using the Cart3D inviscid and Overflow viscous CFD codes. The discussion addresses the use of multiple data sources of computational aerodynamics, experimental aerodynamics, and trajectory simulations for this critical phase of flight. Comparisons are shown between Cart3D simulations and a wind tunnel test performed at NASA Langley Research Center's Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, and further comparisons are shown between Cart3D and viscous Overflow solutions for the flight vehicle. The Space Launch System (SLS) is a new exploration-class launch vehicle currently in development that includes two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) modified from Space Shuttle hardware. These SRBs must separate from the SLS core during a phase of flight where aerodynamic loads are nontrivial. The main challenges for creating a separation aerodynamic database are the large number of independent variables (including orientation of the core, relative position and orientation of the boosters, and rocket thrust levels) and the complex flow caused by exhaust plumes of the booster separation motors (BSMs), which are small rockets designed to push the boosters away from the core by firing partially in the direction opposite to the motion of the vehicle.

Viscous↗

Velocity Measurements Across an Oblique Shock Using Pulse-burst Cross-correlation DGV

Pulse-burst cross-correlation Doppler global velocimetry is performed in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The technique is used to make planar velocity measurements across an oblique shockwave, which is generated by a large splitter plate set at a -2° angle of attack in a Mach 2.4 flow. Assessment of the velocimetry indicates agreement with theoretical velocity values to within 0.6 percent on average. The single-scan spatial velocity precision is measured to be between 0.3 and 0.5 m/s, while the ensemble (1σ) precision of the measurements was within 2.2 percent of the measured velocities. The promising results encountered in this testing campaign indicate that the technique could be useful for studying more complex flow fields.

lasers↗

Virtual Diagnostics Interface: Real Time Comparison of Experimental Data and CFD Predictions for a NASA Ares I-Like Vehicle

Virtual Diagnostics Interface technology, or ViDI, is a suite of techniques utilizing image processing, data handling and three-dimensional computer graphics. These techniques aid in the design, implementation, and analysis of complex aerospace experiments. LiveView3D is a software application component of ViDI used to display experimental wind tunnel data in real-time within an interactive, three-dimensional virtual environment. The LiveView3D software application was under development at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) for nearly three years. LiveView3D recently was upgraded to perform real-time (as well as post-test) comparisons of experimental data with pre-computed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) predictions. This capability was utilized to compare experimental measurements with CFD predictions of the surface pressure distribution of the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) - like vehicle when tested in the NASA LaRC Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) in December 2006 - January 2007 timeframe. The wind tunnel tests were conducted to develop a database of experimentally-measured aerodynamic performance of the CLV-like configuration for validation of CFD predictive codes.

Schwartz, Richard J.↗

Virtual Diagnostics Interface: Real Time Comparison of Experimental Data and CFD Predictions for a NASA Ares I-Like Vehicle

Virtual Diagnostics Interface technology, or ViDI, is a suite of techniques utilizing image processing, data handling and three-dimensional computer graphics. These techniques aid in the design, implementation, and analysis of complex aerospace experiments. LiveView3D is a software application component of ViDI used to display experimental wind tunnel data in real-time within an interactive, three-dimensional virtual environment. The LiveView3D software application was under development at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) for nearly three years. LiveView3D recently was upgraded to perform real-time (as well as post-test) comparisons of experimental data with pre-computed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) predictions. This capability was utilized to compare experimental measurements with CFD predictions of the surface pressure distribution of the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) - like vehicle when tested in the NASA LaRC Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) in December 2006 - January 2007 timeframe. The wind tunnel tests were conducted to develop a database of experimentally-measured aerodynamic performance of the CLV-like configuration for validation of CFD predictive codes.

Schwartz, Richard J.↗

Sonic Boom Computations for a Mach 1.6 Cruise Low Boom Configuration and Comparisons with Wind Tunnel Data

Accurate analysis of sonic boom pressure signatures using computational fluid dynamics techniques remains quite challenging. Although CFD shows accurate predictions of flow around complex configurations, generating grids that can resolve the sonic boom signature far away from the body is a challenge. The test case chosen for this study corresponds to an experimental wind-tunnel test that was conducted to measure the sonic boom pressure signature of a low boom configuration designed by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. Two widely used NASA codes, USM3D and AERO, are examined for their ability to accurately capture sonic boom signature. Numerical simulations are conducted for a free-stream Mach number of 1.6, angle of attack of 0.3 and Reynolds number of 3.85x10(exp 6) based on model reference length. Flow around the low boom configuration in free air and inside the Langley Unitary plan wind tunnel are computed. Results from the numerical simulations are compared with wind tunnel data. The effects of viscous and turbulence modeling along with tunnel walls on the computed sonic boom signature are presented and discussed.

Elmiligui, Alaa A.↗

An investigation of airflow over the aft portions of a variable sweep fighter configuration

An investigation of air flow over the aft portions of a variable sweep fighter aircraft configuration was made. Tests conducted in the unitary plan wind tunnel at Mach number 2.16 included measurements of forces, moments, and local static pressures as well as visual recordings of the air flow. An aerodynamic analytical prediction method was evaluated when used in data comparison at angles of attack of 0, 5, and 15 degrees. The results indicate that in supersonic flow the typical outboard located twin vertical tail arrangement tends to provide a more positive increment in normal-force on the afterbody fuselage and the horizontal tail than a single center-mounted vertical tail of similar planform shape. In addition, the results indicate that a method for aerodynamic analysis of wing-body-tail configurations currently available can provide reasonable estimates of pressure coefficient distributions on configurations in regions of complex supersonic flow. At this time, however, the available analytical method cannot adequately replace experimental wind tunnel tests for determining the supersonic flow environment of a given configuration.

Graves, E. B.↗

Dynamic Mode Decomposition of Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurements for the NASA Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel Tests

This paper describes the Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) of the pressures on the scale model of the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 cargo vehicle with the Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint (uPSP) measurements, which were collected in the Ascent Transient Aerodynamics Tests with the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel 11-by-11-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel in September 2019 at NASA Ames Research Center. The work described in this paper is a part of NASA’s development of a new state-of-the-art uPSP capability in production wind tunnels. The conventional DMD algorithm is based on the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the data matrix. For the matrix of the uPSP measurements of the SLS ATAT, the number of rows is equal to the number of nodes in the grid of the scale model, and the number of columns is equal to the number of frames in the videos taken with 4 Phantom high-speed cameras. In this paper, it is verified that, for the time series with zero mean value, the DMD is equivalent to the decomposition with the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). Considering the uPSP is mainly used in the assessment of the unsteady, aerodynamic phenomena, the DMD of the uPSP measurements can be implemented in two steps: (1) subtract the mean value from the uPSP measurement on each of the grid nodes; (2) apply the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the resulting zero-mean time series. The DMD of the uPSP measurements with FFT has two advantages: (1) the computational complexity of FFT is O(N*logN), where N is the length of the time series; (2) compared to the SVD-based DMD algorithm, the DMD with FFT can be easily implemented in parallel processing. A sample matrix of uPSP measurements, at the size of 341 grid nodes and 128 frames, is generated. Figures 1 and 2 show the eigenvalues and the ratios of the eigenvectors, respectively, of the sample matrix, without and with the mean value removed on each of the grid nodes, computed with the SVD-based DMD and the FFT. The figures demonstrate the equivalence of the SVD-based DMD and the decomposition with DFT/FFT for the time series with zero mean value. The results of DMD of the uPSP measurements of the SLS ATAT in September 2019 are presented in the paper. The DMD modes at different frequencies are shown, the aerodynamic phenomena (e.g. shockwave and vortex shedding) are demonstrated and the correlation of the DMD modes with the test configuration parameter (e.g., the Mach Number) is discussed. Figure 3 shows a software tool to visualize the DMD modes. The code to implement the algorithm described in this paper was written in C, with libraries of FFTW for FFT and MPI/OpenMP for parallel processing, and executed on the NASA Pleiades supercomputer. Funding for this research was provided by the NASA Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Project.

Pressure-Sensitive Paint↗

Wind Tunnel Investigation of the Effects of Surface Porosity and Vertical Tail Placement on Slender Wing Vortex Flow Aerodynamics at Supersonic Speeds

A wind tunnel experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) to determine the effects of passive surface porosity and vertical tail placement on vortex flow development and interactions about a general research fighter configuration at supersonic speeds. Optical flow measurement and flow visualization techniques were used that featured pressure sensitive paint (PSP), laser vapor screen (LVS), and schlieren, These techniques were combined with conventional electronically-scanned pressure (ESP) and six-component force and moment measurements to quantify and to visualize the effects of flow-through porosity applied to a wing leading edge extension (LEX) and the placement of centerline and twin vertical tails on the vortex-dominated flow field of a 65 cropped delta wing model. Test results were obtained at free-stream Mach numbers of 1.6, 1.8, and 2.1 and a Reynolds number per foot of 2.0 million. LEX porosity promoted a wing vortex-dominated flow field as a result of a diffusion and weakening of the LEX vortex. The redistribution of the vortex-induced suction pressures contributed to large nose-down pitching moment increments but did not significantly affect the vortex-induced lift. The trends associated with LEX porosity were unaffected by vertical tail placement. The centerline tail configuration generally provided more stable rolling moments and yawing moments compared to the twin wing-mounted vertical tails. The strength of a complex system of shock waves between the twin tails was reduced by LEX porosity.

Erickson, Gary E.↗

Flow Characterization of the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, Test Section 2: Computational Results

This is an abstract for an invited paper at the AIAA Aviation Conference, June 2021. The work described here is part of an effort of coordinated experiments in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) facility at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and matching CFD simulations. The primary goal of the work is to assess the productivity and true predictive accuracy of CFD, absent any guidance from experiment, in the high supersonic speed range as compared to experiments performed at the NASA LaRC’s UPWT facility. This report concerns CFD simulation of the primary flow-path in the empty wind tunnel, including the settling chamber, nozzle, test section, and some of the tunnel downstream of the test section. The Mach number in the test section ranges from M~2.4 to M~4.6, and the required area ratio variation is achieved by translation of a nozzle block which constricts the area of a loosely S-shaped throat. Flow past protuberances in the settling chamber and into this S-bend throat are predicted by CFD to generate streamwise vorticity that may, or may not, persist through the throat and into the test section as coherent vortices. Some flow conditions are notably unsteady at frequencies well below those of turbulence, due to unsteady separated flow ahead of the nozzle block. The bulk flow moves at velocities ranging from 'walking speed' in the settling chamber to M~4.6 in the test section. Heat transfer to the settling chamber walls and buoyancy are significant at high Mach number. Subtle variations in surface curvature in the nozzle generate Mach waves that propagate into the test section. CFD of the empty tunnel serves two purposes. Firstly, the full-tunnel simulations are used to provide upstream boundary conditions for CFD of vehicle aerodynamics which are generally performed in a domain confined to the wind tunnel test section; these companion studies are addressed in other papers. Secondly, it is a challenging test for CFD to resolve all of the empty tunnel flow phenomena relevant to flow in the test section. It requires a more complete definition of geometry than was originally anticipated. In addition, it requires good spatial and temporal accuracy, and turbulence modeling that performs well on specific phenomena such as corner flows. The boundary conditions and solution algorithms must perform well from incompressible to almost hypersonic speeds. The final state of the pre-test CFD was a product of an iterative self-improvement process. The initial simulations of the empty tunnel were deficient in many respects, but hints to those deficiencies were recognized in the solutions, and remedies were implemented. Possible further improvements will be studied in the post-test phase when comparisons with experimental data are possible. The CFD was performed by five separate collaborative teams using four different flow solvers: FUN3D, Overflow, Star-CCM+ and USM3D. The level of effort of these teams varied significantly, but each made important contributions to the goals of the work. A concerted effort to use uncertainty quantification methods (UQ) in CFD is also a goal of this work. To this end, variations in CFD results due to grid refinement, turbulence modeling, and boundary conditions have been characterized. Code-to-code variation is another means of assessing CFD uncertainty. All CFD solvers predict similarity among the primary flow features; these include the variation of Mach number due to changes in Reynolds number, and the bulk flow angularity due to tunnel-wall curvature. All CFD solvers also predict similar trends in secondary flows, such as the downwash in the side-wall boundary layers. Three of the high-spatial resolution simulations give similar predictions of a complex secondary flow phenomena, streamwise vortices generated in the S-bend throat that persist into the side-wall boundary layers of the test section. Two of the highest-resolution simulations, run with the same turbulence model in different CFD solvers, gave encouragingly similar predictions of a complex tertiary flow phenomenon, small transient "sprites" of upwash flows, resulting from vortices that presumably originate in the separated flow near the leading edge of the nozzle block. While the CFD was done in a "blind pre-test" mode, requests from the experimental team for CFD results pertaining to unsteadiness and total temperature variations in the test section resulted in CFD runs that included a cooled wall in settling chamber. This then led to a change in the standard practice for running the Overflow results, which would not have occurred without this "release" of this experimental information. CFD was also used to guide some measurements. The paper will focus on establishing the consensus among CFD results and understanding differences among those results. Initial findings from the efforts to characterize CFD uncertainty have been done and will be included in the paper.

Robert Edward Childs↗