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At least 37 records · Page 2

Fundamental problem in computing radiating flow fields with thick shock waves

Possible reasons for the failure of the Navier-Stokes equations to yield realistic profiles of the temperature and density through the structure of a hypersonic shock wave are investigated. Models for bulk viscosity in a monatomic gas are examined which yield a realistic thickness for the shock-wave density profile, but not the temperature profile, and hence are not satisfactory. A tentative computational model for nitrogen is explored which yields considerably more realistic results than the Navier-Stokes equations. This model involves a nonlinear stress-strain tensor, nonlinear heat flux vector, and nonequilibrium rotational energy.

Chapman, Dean R.↗

Temperature statistics in a radiatively heated particle-laden turbulent square duct flow

Radiation absorption by preferentially concentrated particles in a turbulent square duct flow is studied experimentally. The particle-laden flow is exposed to near-infrared radiation, and the gas phase temperature statistics are measured along the wall bisector of the duct. It is found that the instantaneous temperature fluctuations are comparable to the overall mean temperature rise. The temperature statistics at the duct centerline and near the wall are qualitatively different. The former reflects preferential concentration in isotropic flows while the latter displays evidence of particle clustering into streamwise elongated streaks. Comparison of the experimental data to a simplified heat transfer model suggests that the Lagrangian evolution of particle clusters and voids, and turbulent mixing in the vicinity of particle clusters, are important. This work was motivated by particle solar receiver technology, but the findings are also relevant to systems where there is localized heat release or mass transfer from disperse particles or droplets. It shows that obtaining Lagrangian histories of particle trajectories is an important next step towards understanding thermal transport phenomena in particle-laden turbulent flows.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Radiative Heat Loss Measurements During Microgravity Droplet Combustion in a Slow Convective Flow

Radiative heat loss from burning droplets in a slow convective flow under microgravity conditions is measured using a broad-band (0.6 to 40 microns) radiometer. In addition, backlit images of the droplet as well as color images of the flame were obtained using CCD cameras to estimate the burning rates and the flame dimensions, respectively. Tests were carried out in air at atmospheric pressure using n-heptane and methanol fuels with imposed forced flow velocities varied from 0 to 10 centimeters per second and initial droplet diameters varied from 1 to 3 millimeters. Slow convective flows were generated using three different experimental configurations in three different facilities in preparation for the proposed International Space Station droplet experiments. In the 2.2 Second Drop-Tower Facility a droplet supported on the leading edge of a quartz fiber is placed within a flow tunnel supplied by compressed air. In the Zero-Gravity Facility (five-second drop tower) a tethered droplet is translated in a quiescent ambient atmosphere to establish a uniform flow field around the droplet. In the KC 135 aircraft an electric fan was used to draw a uniform flow past a tethered droplet. Experimental results show that the burn rate increases and the overall flame size decreases with increases in forced-flow velocities over the range of flow velocities and droplet sizes tested. The total radiative heat loss rate, Q(sub r), decreases as the imposed flow velocity increases with the spherically symmetric combustion having the highest values. These observations are in contrast to the trends observed for gas-jet flames in microgravity, but consistent with the observations during flame spread over solid fuels where the burning rate is coupled to the forced flow as here.

Hicks, Michael C.↗

Laser processes in plasmadynamic flows

Radiation emitted from the exhaust flow of a multi-megawatt, quasi-steady magnetoplasmadynamic accelerator has been examined photoelectrically for argon mass flows from 6 to 32 g/sec and arc currents up to 25 kA. Vacuum ultraviolet radiation, indicative of resonance transitions, has been detected photoelectrically at various axial locations downstream of the arc chamber, consistent with a relaxation length calculated using a collisional-radiative recombination model. Photoelectric measurements of particular transitions in the neutral and first ionic state of argon show that populations of excited electronic states of AII are in excess of that which would be expected on the basis of Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium at the local electron temperature and number density. Optical depth measurements indicate that for a current of 4 kA and argon mass flow of 12 g/sec, a population inversion exists between the upper and lower states of the 0.4880 micron argon ion transition.

Campbell, E. M.↗

A temperature profile diagnostic for radiation waves on OMEGA-60

Predicting and matching radiation wave propagation with computational models has proven difficult. Information provided by experiments studying radiation flow has been limited when only radiation breakout is measured. We have developed the COAX (co-axial) diagnostic platform to provide spatial temperature profiles of a radiation wave through low density foams as a more detailed constraint for simulations. COAX uses a standard, laser-driven OMEGA-60 halfraum to drive radiation down a titanium-laden silicon oxide foam. Point-projection X-ray absorption spectroscopy perpendicular to the radiation flow measures the spatial profile of titanium ionization. The spectroscopic measurement utilizes a broadband capsule backlighter. Imaging and streak spectroscopy are used to characterize the size and spectrum of this source. Radiography provides an additional constraint by capturing the developing shock as the radiation flow becomes subsonic. The DANTE diagnostic is used to measure the halfraum temperature. Here, we provide a spectroscopic analysis of COAX data to determine temperature, and we describe experimental sources of uncertainty. The temperature is obtained by comparison to multi-temperature synthetic spectra post-processed from radiation-hydrodynamics simulations. Quantitative comparison between data and synthetic spectra generated from temperature profiles at relevant simulation times enable determination of a peak temperature of 114 ± 8 eV at 265 ± 22.4 μm from the halfraum. This represents an improvement over the temperature uncertainties of previous radiation flow experiments. Further refinements to the spectroscopic analysis could achieve ±4 eV. The combination between space-resolved spectroscopy and radiography enables us to determine the distance from the halfraum of both the radiation front and the shock front at the time of measurement. For the example shown in this paper the radiation front position is 600–630 μm at 3.43 ± 0.16 ns and the shock front position is 633 μm at 3.3 ± 0.24 ns.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Viscous, radiating hypersonic flow about a blunt body

The viscous, radiating hypersonic flow past an axisymmetric blunt body is analyzed based on the Navier-Stokes equations, plus a radiative equation of transfer derived from the Milne-Eddington differential approximation. The fluid is assumed to be a perfect gas with constant specific heats, a constant Prandtl number of order unity, a viscosity coefficient varying as a power of the temperature, and an absorption coefficient varying as the first power of the density and as a power of the temperature. The gray gas assumption is invoked, thereby making the absorption coefficient independent of the spectral frequency. Limiting forms of the solutions are studied as the freestream Mach number freestream Reynolds number and the temperature ratio across the shock wave, go to infinity, and as the Bouguer number and the density ratio across the shock wave go to zero. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used in the analysis, and it is shown that there is a far-field precursor, composed of two regions, in which the fluid mechanics can be neglected for all practical purposes but included for completeness.

Passamaneck, R. S.↗

Stagnation point flow with radiation

Coupling between inviscid and viscid flows in hypersonic stagnation region investigated at high flight velocities with significant radiative heat transfer

HYPERSONIC FLOW↗

An approximate inviscid radiating flow-field analysis for sphere-cone Venusian entry vehicles

A computational method based on the earlier work of one of the authors has been improved and modified to provide an accurate and rapid prediction of the radiating flow about blunt conical probes entering the atmosphere of Venus. Special features include a more general approximate equation of state, a more rapidly converging iteration scheme, a 38-step absorption coefficient model for a Venus atmosphere gas mixture model, and a shock-shape formula which yields a computed body shape in excellent agreement with the desired body. The method was used to calculate distributions of radiative heating for a large spherically blunted conical probe vehicle (1.219 m base diameter) and for three small spherically blunted conical probe vehicles (0.724 m base diameter). Solutions obtained with the presently developed approximate method required short computing times of the order of 1 to 3 minutes for each complete solution and gave agreements of 10% to 15% with the more exact predictions.

Falanga, R. A.↗

Investigation of supersonic chemically reacting and radiating channel flow

The 2-D time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations are used to investigate supersonic flows undergoing finite rate chemical reaction and radiation interaction for a hydrogen-air system. The explicit multistage finite volume technique of Jameson is used to advance the governing equations in time until convergence is achieved. The chemistry source term in the species equation is treated implicitly to alleviate the stiffness associated with fast reactions. The multidimensional radiative transfer equations for a nongray model are provided for a general configuration and then reduced for a planar geometry. Both pseudo-gray and nongray models are used to represent the absorption-emission characteristics of the participating species. The supersonic inviscid and viscous, nonreacting flows are solved by employing the finite volume technique of Jameson and the unsplit finite difference scheme of MacCormack. The specified problem considered is of the flow in a channel with a 10 deg compression-expansion ramp. The calculated results are compared with those of an upwind scheme. The problem of chemically reacting and radiating flows are solved for the flow of premixed hydrogen-air through a channel with parallel boundaries, and a channel with a compression corner. Results obtained for specific conditions indicate that the radiative interaction can have a significant influence on the entire flow field.

Mani, Mortaza↗

Ammonia Vent of the External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS) Radiator #3 Flow Path #2 on the International Space Station (ISS)

The External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS) provides cooling for all pressurized modules and the main Power Distribution Electronics (PDE) on the International Space Station (ISS). There are 2 EATCS loops (Loop A and Loop B) which includes 3 deployable radiators. Each deployable radiator contains 2 flow paths to provide heat rejection.Telemetry monitoring identified a coolant (liquid ammonia) leak in EATCS Loop B. Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) scans found higher concentrations of vaporous ammonia near the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2. On May 3, 2017, the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2 was isolated and vented. As of the data to date, the ammonia leak has ceased. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the analysis for venting the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2. Venting analysis is performed to determine the worst case time to empty the flow path and maximum thrusts imposed on the ISS. Flight controllers and engineers in the Mission Control Center (MCC) uses this data to develop operational procedures and perform the vent safely. It was predicted that the worst case time to empty the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2 was ~ 60 minutes. The predicted maximum thrusts were ~ 11 lbf (49 N) at the start of the vent and ~10 lbf (45 N) after the system reaches saturation.The vent was successfully performed and took ~ 20 minutes to empty the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2. Using telemetry from the day of the vent, analysis determined the time to empty the EATCS Loop B Radiator #3 Flow Path #2 would be ~13 minutes. The predictive analysis used worst case inputs and assumptions which bounded the actual results. Telemetry is not available to correlate actual thrust with the predicted maximum thrusts. However, by using Russian Thrusters for ISS attitude control, attitude control telemetry indicated the flight attitude was maintained.

Cowan, Darnell T.↗

Investigation of advanced propulsion technologies: The RAM accelerator and the flowing gas radiation heater

The two principal areas of advanced propulsion investigated are the ram accelerator and the flowing gas radiation heater. The concept of the ram accelerator is presented as a hypervelocity launcher for large-scale aeroballistic range applications in hypersonics and aerothermodynamics research. The ram accelerator is an in-bore ramjet device in which a projectile shaped like the centerbody of a supersonic ramjet is propelled in a stationary tube filled with a tailored combustible gas mixture. Combustion on and behind the projectile generates thrust which accelerates it to very high velocities. The acceleration can be tailored for the 'soft launch' of instrumented models. The distinctive reacting flow phenomena that have been observed in the ram accelerator are relevant to the aerothermodynamic processes in airbreathing hypersonic propulsion systems and are useful for validating sophisticated CFD codes. The recently demonstrated scalability of the device and the ability to control the rate of acceleration offer unique opportunities for the use of the ram accelerator as a large-scale hypersonic ground test facility. The flowing gas radiation receiver is a novel concept for using solar energy to heat a working fluid for space power or propulsion. Focused solar radiation is absorbed directly in a working gas, rather than by heat transfer through a solid surface. Previous theoretical analysis had demonstrated that radiation trapping reduces energy loss compared to that of blackbody receivers, and enables higher efficiencies and higher peak temperatures. An experiment was carried out to measure the temperature profile of an infrared-active gas and demonstrate the effect of radiation trapping. The success of this effort validates analytical models of heat transfer in this receiver, and confirms the potential of this approach for achieving high efficiency space power and propulsion.

Bruckner, A. P.↗

Characteristics of Coupled Nongray Radiating Gas Flows with Ablation Product Effects About Blunt Bodies During Planetary Entries

A computational method was developed for the fully-coupled solution of nongray, radiating gas flows with ablation product effects about blunt bodies during planetary entries. The treatment of radiation accounts for molecular band, continuum, and atomic line transitions with a detailed frequency dependence of the absorption coefficient. The ablation of the entry body was solved as part of the solution for a steady-state ablation process. The method was applied by results at typical conditions during entry to Venus. The radiative heating rates along the downstream region of the body can exceed the stagnation point value. The radiative heating to the body is attenuated in the boundary layer at the downstream region of the body and at the stagnation point of the body. A study of the radiation, inviscid flow about spherically capped, conical bodies during planetary entries shows that the nondimensional, radiative heating distributions are nonsimilar with entry conditions. Caution should be exercised in attempting to extrapolate results from known distributions to other entry conditions for which solutions have not yet been obtained.

Sutton, K.↗

Monte Carlo simulation of radiating reentry flows

The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is applied to a radiating, hypersonic, axisymmetric flow over a blunt body in the near continuum regime. The ability of the method to predict the flowfield radiation and the radiative heating is investigated for flow over the Project Fire II configuration at 11.36 kilometers per second at an altitude of 76.42 kilometers. Two methods that differ in the manner in which they treat ionization and estimate electronic excitation are employed. The calculated results are presented and compared with both experimental data and solutions where radiation effects were not included. Differences in the results are discussed. Both methods ignore self absorption and, as a result, overpredict measured radiative heating.

Taylor, Jeff C.↗

Viscous shock layer solutions for turbulent flow of radiating gas mixtures in chemical equilibrium

The viscous shock layer equations for hypersonic laminar and turbulent flows of radiating or nonradiating gas mixtures in chemical equilibrium are presented for two-dimensional and axially symmetric flow fields. Solutions are obtained using an implicit finite difference scheme and results are presented for hypersonic flow over spherically blunted cone configurations at free stream conditions representative of entry into the atmosphere of Venus. These data are compared with solutions obtained using other methods of analysis.

Anderson, E. C.↗