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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.

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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Laser-velocimeter surveys of merging vortices in a wind tunnel: Complete data and analysis

The merger of two corotating vortices was studied with a laser velocimeter designed to measure the two cross-stream components of velocity. Measurements were made at several downstream distances in the vortex wake shed by two semispan wings mounted on the wind-tunnel walls. The velocity data provided wall-defined contours of crossflow velocity, stream function, and vorticity for a variety of test conditions. Downstream of the merger point, the vorticity was found to be independent of the downstream distance for radii smaller than r/b = 0.05. For larger radii, the vorticity depended on the distance from the wing. Upstream of the merger, a multicell vorticity pattern was found.

Corsiglia, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Laser-velocimeter surveys of merging vortices in a wind tunnel

The merger of two vortices was studied with a laser velocimeter designed to measure the two cross-stream components of velocity. Measurements were made at several downstream distances in the vortex wake shed by two semispan wings mounted on the wind tunnel walls. The velocity data provided well difined contours of cross-flow velocity, stream function and vorticity. Downstream of the merger point the vorticity was shown to be independent of the downstream distance for small radii, and at larger radii was dependent on the distance from the wing rather than from the merger point. Upstream of the merger point a multicell vorticity pattern was shown.

Corsiglia, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Side-force alleviation on slender, pointed forebodies at high angles of attack

A new approach of alleviating high angle-of-attack side force on slender, pointed forebodies comprising a symmetrical pair of helical separation trips to disrupt the lee-side vortices, has been demonstrated. Subsonic wind tunnel measurements on two axi-symmetric pointed bodies, a fuselage of non-circular cross-section and a wing-fuselage combination, at angles of attack up to 56 degrees are presented. Also included are water-tunnel flow visualization results portraying the action of helical trips in rapidly diffusing the leeward vortices and preventing vortex-wake asymmetry.

Rao, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Aircraft developments that hold promise for increased compatability with an advanced ATC system

In terms of an advanced air traffic control environment, consideration is given to a wake vortex advisory system and V/STOL aircraft. The terminal configured vehicle program is described. Procedures for all-weather operations are reviewed and the search and rescue satellite system is described. Predictions are made concerning an advanced national aviation system, digital communications, integrated control technology, and cockpit avionics. Human factors in both general and civil aviation are discussed.

Hodge, K. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Utilization of the wing-body aerodynamic analysis program

The analysis program was used to investigate several aircraft characteristics. The studies performed included vehicle stability analysis, determination of upwash angle, identification of nonpotential flow, launch dynamics, and wake vortex upset loads. The techniques and are discussed. When possible, computed results are compared with experimental data.

Curry, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical separations about a yawed cone

Three-dimensional flow separations about a 5 degree (semiapex angle, theta sub C), 1.4 m long, circular cone up to moderately high relative incidence, alpha/theta sub C approximately 5, were studied in the Mach number range 0.3 M sub infinity 1.8. The cone was tested in the Ames 1.8 by 1.8 m wind tunnel at Reynolds numbers, R sub L infinity, based on the cone length, L, from 4.5 times 10 to the 6th power to 13.5 times 10 to the 6th power, under nominally zero heat transfer conditions. Overall forces and mean surface pressures were compared with earlier measurements. Supportive three-dimensional laser velocimeter measurements of mean and fluctuating velocity in a slightly asymmetric vortex wake about a slender tangent ogive cylinder at incidence having respective nose and overall body fineness ratios of 3.5 and 12, are included.

Peake, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Optimized aerodynamic design process for subsonic transport wing fitted with winglets

The aerodynamic design of a wind-tunnel model of a wing representative of that of a subsonic jet transport aircraft, fitted with winglets, was performed using two recently developed optimal wing-design computer programs. Both potential flow codes use a vortex lattice representation of the near-field of the aerodynamic surfaces for determination of the required mean camber surfaces for minimum induced drag, and both codes use far-field induced drag minimization procedures to obtain the required spanloads. One code uses a discrete vortex wake model for this far-field drag computation, while the second uses a 2-D advanced panel wake model. Wing camber shapes for the two codes are very similar, but the resulting winglet camber shapes differ widely. Design techniques and considerations for these two wind-tunnel models are detailed, including a description of the necessary modifications of the design geometry to format it for use by a numerically controlled machine for the actual model construction.

Kuhlman, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Wing flapping with minimum energy

For slow flapping motions it is found that the minimum energy loss occurs when the vortex wake moves as a rigid surface that rotates about the wing root - a condition analogous to that determined for a slow-turning propeller. The optimum circulation distribution determined by this condition differs from the elliptic distribution, showing a greater concentration of lift toward the tips. It appears that very high propulsive efficiencies are obtained by flapping.

Jones, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Predicted vortex shedding from noncircular bodies in supersonic flow

A method to predict nose vortex shedding from circular and noncircular bodies in supersonic flow at angles of attack and roll is presented. The body is represented by a supersonic panel method, and the lee side vortex wake is modeled by discrete vortices in crossflow planes. The three-dimensional steady flow problem is reduced to a two-dimensional, unsteady, separated flow problem for solution. Comparison of measured and predicted surface pressure distributions, flow field surveys, and aerodynamic characteristics are presented for circular and elliptic bodies.

Mendenhall, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Characteristics of future aircraft impacting aircraft and airport compatibility

Results are reported of an opinion survey of selected individuals at the decision-making level within the five major manufacturers of transport aircraft in the United States and Europe. Opinions were obtained concerning both possible and probable existence of over 50 compatibility-related characteristics of transport aircraft in use in the years 1990, 2000, and 2010. The maximum size of aircraft is expected to increase, at a roughly uniform rate, to the year 2010 by 85 percent in passengers, 55 percent in airfreighter payload, and 35 percent in gross weight weight. Companion to the expected growth in payloads and gross weight was the identification of probable increases in aircraft geometrical dimensions and component capability, and use of fully double-decked passenger compartments. Wing span will increase considerably more than normally expected to provide wings of higher aspect ratio. New aircraft features coming into probable use include large turboprops, synthetic jet-A fuel, winglets, wake-vortex-reducing devices and laminar flow control. New operational concepts considered probable include steep approaches, high-speed turnoffs, and taxiway towing for the aircraft, plus passenger bypass of the terminal building, expedited handling of belly cargo and an intermodal cargo container for the payloads.

Conner, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Numerical optimization techniques for bound circulation distribution for minimum induced drag of Nonplanar wings: Computer program documentation

A two dimensional advanced panel far-field potential flow model of the undistorted, interacting wakes of multiple lifting surfaces was developed which allows the determination of the spanwise bound circulation distribution required for minimum induced drag. This model was implemented in a FORTRAN computer program, the use of which is documented in this report. The nonplanar wakes are broken up into variable sized, flat panels, as chosen by the user. The wake vortex sheet strength is assumed to vary linearly over each of these panels, resulting in a quadratic variation of bound circulation. Panels are infinite in the streamwise direction. The theory is briefly summarized herein; sample results are given for multiple, nonplanar, lifting surfaces, and the use of the computer program is detailed in the appendixes.

Kuhlman, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Calculation of symmetric vortex separation affecting subsonic bodies at high incidence

A method for calculating the longitudinal aerodynamic coefficients and the pressure distributions on a body at reasonably high angles of attack is presented. The body is represented by a combination of source elements and vortex-lattice elements, including separation of the vortices at increasing angles of attack. The method is self-consistent in that the body and the separated vortex wake are treated as an integrated interacting system. The location of the separation line can be included as an arbitrary input from experimental data or can be evaluated approximately by a pressure-dependent criterion. Calculated values of the aerodynamic coefficients and pressure distributions on cone-cylinder and ogive-cylinder bodies compare well, qualitatively and quantitatively, with experimental data, including simulation of the dependence on Reynolds number.

Almosnino, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Prediction of vortex shedding from circular and noncircular bodies in supersonic flow

An engineering prediction method and associated computer code NOZVTX to predict nose vortex shedding from circular and noncircular bodies in supersonic flow at angles of attack and roll are presented. The body is represented by either a supersonic panel method for noncircular cross sections or line sources and doublets for circular cross sections, and the lee side vortex wake is modeled by discrete vortices in crossflow planes. The three-dimensional steady flow problem is reduced to a two-dimensional, unsteady, separated flow problem for solution. Comparison of measured and predicted surface pressure distributions, flow field surveys, and aerodynamic characteristics is presented for bodies with circular and noncircular cross-sectional shapes.

Mendenhall, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Navier-Stokes calculations for the vortex of a rotor in hover

An efficient finite-difference scheme for the solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation is used to study the vortex wake of a rotor in hover. The solution Procedure uses a vorticity-stream function formulation and incorporates an asymptotic far-field boundary condition enabling the size of the computational domain to be reduced in comparison to other methods. The results from the present method are compared with experimental data obtained by smoke flow visualization and hot-wire measurements for several rotor blade configurations.

Liu, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Aerodynamic challenges of ALT

The approach and landing test (ALT) of the Space Shuttle Orbiter presented a number of unique challenges in the area of aerodynamics. The purpose of the ALT program was both to confirm the use of the Boeing 747 as a transport vehicle for ferrying the Orbiter across the country and to demonstrate the flight characteristics of the Orbiter in its approach and landing phase. Concerns for structural fatigue and performance dictated a tailcone be attached to the Orbiter for ferry and for the initial landing tests. The Orbiter with a tailcone attached presented additional challenges to the normal aft sting concept of wind tunnel testing. The landing tests required that the Orbiter be separated from the 747 at approximately 20,000 feet using aerodynamic forces to fly the vehicles apart. The concept required a complex test program to determine the relative effects of the two vehicles on each other. Also of concern, and tested, was the vortex wake created by the 747 and the means for the Orbiter to avoid it following separation.

Hooks, I.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Solution method for a hovering helicopter rotor using the Euler equations

A method for the calculation of the flow field of a helicopter rotor blade in hover is presented. The approach uses a finite volume solution of the three dimensional Euler equations for the blade near field. In the Euler solver the velocity field is decomposed into two parts. One is the induced velocity of the vortex wake extending below the blade, found from a free wake calculation procedure. The other part is the unknown additional velocity field of the rotor blade. This approach eliminates numerical diffusion of the rolled up wake vorticity due to truncation error and artificial viscosity. Also, the effects of the far wake are included in the limited computational domain. Solutions are presented for an isolated wing and a model helicopter rotor and compared to experiment.

Roberts, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Unsteady low-speed aerodynamic model for complete aircraft configurations

A method for converting steady state, potential panel methods into a time-dependent mode is derived and applied to several test cases. For this development, an improved vortex wake model was constructed which was also suitable for simulating the leading edge separation of slender wings at high angles of attack. Computed flow-field simulations are presented for various unsteady, and high-angle-of-attack conditions, involving geometries such as simple wings, rotors, and complete aircraft configurations.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Helicopter rotor induced velocities theory and experiment

An investigation has been performed to assess methods used for rotor inflow modeling. A key element of this assessment has been the recent acquisition of high quality experimental measurements of inflow velocities taken in the proximity of a lifting rotor in forward flight. Widely used rotor performance predictive methods are based on blade element strip theory coupled with an inflow model. The inflow prediction models assessed in this paper include the uniform inflow based on momentum, a skewed disk model, and two methods based on a vortex wake structure.

Berry, John D.↗