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At least 505 records · Page 28

Recent Progress on RANS-Based Transition Model Verification

The current efforts to assess and improve the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)-coupled transition models in the NASA FUN3D and OVERFLOW codes are summarized in this study. The first AIAA Transition Modeling Workshop and the NATO AVT-313 Transition Workshop both emphasized the need for code verification for transport equations based transition models as a top priority. We discuss the methods used for the model verification, the resulting grid families, the flow solutions, and other supporting information collected with at least two established NASA flow solvers, namely, FUN3D and OVERFLOW. These results, which will be uploaded onto the NASA Turbulence Modeling Resource, should assist other members of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) community in verifying their own implementations of various transition models, such as the Langtry-Menter (LM2009) model, the one-equation γ model, and Coder’s amplification factor transport (AFT) model. Grid convergence is assessed using both global and local flow metrics of interest such as lift and drag as well as local skin-friction coefficients. We also explore the anisotropic unstructured metric-based adaptive mesh refinement library known as refine with the NASA FUN3D solver to determine if this capability can achieve the same accuracy as handcrafted structured grids with a significantly smaller node count and to learn the characteristics of the resulting grid distribution, especially in the vicinity of the transition zone.

RANS↗

Statistical analysis of landing contact conditions for three lifting body research vehicles

The landing contact conditions for the HL-10, M2-F2/F3, and the X-24A lifting body vehicles are analyzed statistically for 81 landings. The landing contact parameters analyzed are true airspeed, peak normal acceleration at the center of gravity, roll angle, and roll velocity. Ground measurement parameters analyzed are lateral and longitudinal distance from intended touchdown, lateral distance from touchdown to full stop, and rollout distance. The results are presented in the form of histograms for frequency distributions and cumulative frequency distribution probability curves with a Pearson Type 3 curve fit for extrapolation purposes.

Larson, R. R.↗

A doublet lattice method for the determination of rotor induced empennage vibration airloads. Analysis description and program documentation

An efficient state-of-the-art method was developed to determine the unteady vibratory airloads produced by the interaction of the main rotor wake with a helicopter empennage. This method was incorporated into a computer program, Rotor Induced Empennage Vibration Analysis (RIEVA). The program requires the main rotor wake position and the strength of the vortices locates near the empennage surfaces. A nonlinear lifting surface analysis is utilized to predict the aerodynamic loads on the empennage surfaces in the presence of these concentrated vortices. The analysis was formulated to include all pertinent effects such as suction of the interacting vortices and the shed vorticity behind the empennage surfaces. The analysis employs a time domain solution. The output of the program consists of chordwise and spanwise airload distributions on the empennage surfaces. The airload distributions are harmonically analyzed and formulated for input into the Coupled Rotor/Airframe Vibration Analysis.

Gangwani, S. T.↗

Textbook Multigrid Efficiency for Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations

Considerable progress over the past thirty years has been made in the development of large-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solvers for the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. Computations are used routinely to design the cruise shapes of transport aircraft through complex-geometry simulations involving the solution of 25-100 million equations; in this arena the number of wind-tunnel tests for a new design has been substantially reduced. However, simulations of the entire flight envelope of the vehicle, including maximum lift, buffet onset, flutter, and control effectiveness have not been as successful in eliminating the reliance on wind-tunnel testing. These simulations involve unsteady flows with more separation and stronger shock waves than at cruise. The main reasons limiting further inroads of CFD into the design process are: (1) the reliability of turbulence models; and (2) the time and expense of the numerical simulation. Because of the prohibitive resolution requirements of direct simulations at high Reynolds numbers, transition and turbulence modeling is expected to remain an issue for the near term. The focus of this paper addresses the latter problem by attempting to attain optimal efficiencies in solving the governing equations. Typically current CFD codes based on the use of multigrid acceleration techniques and multistage Runge-Kutta time-stepping schemes are able to converge lift and drag values for cruise configurations within approximately 1000 residual evaluations. An optimally convergent method is defined as having textbook multigrid efficiency (TME), meaning the solutions to the governing system of equations are attained in a computational work which is a small (less than 10) multiple of the operation count in the discretized system of equations (residual equations). In this paper, a distributed relaxation approach to achieving TME for Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RNAS) equations are discussed along with the foundations that form the basis of this approach. Because the governing equations are a set of coupled nonlinear conservation equations with discontinuities (shocks, slip lines, etc.) and singularities (flow- or grid-induced), the difficulties are many. This paper summarizes recent progress towards the attainment of TME in basic CFD simulations.

Brandt, Achi↗

Why Deep Space Habitats Should Be Different from the International Space Station

It is tempting to view the International Space Station (ISS) as a model for deep space habitats. This is not a good idea for many reasons. The ISS does not have a habitation module; instead the individual crew quarters are dispersed across several modules, the galley is in the US Laboratory and the waste hygiene compartment is in a Node. This distributed arrangement may be inconvenient but more important differences distinguish a deep space habitat from the ISS. First, the Space Shuttle launch system that shaped, sized, and delivered most ISS elements has been retired. Its replacement, the Space Launch System (SLS), is specifically designed for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and is capable of transporting more efficient, large diameter, heavy-lift payloads. Next, because of the Earth's protective geomagnetic field, ISS crews are naturally shielded from lethal radiation. Deep space habitat designs must include either a storm shelter or strategically positioned equipment and stowage for radiation protection. Another important difference is the increased transit time with no opportunity for an ISS-type emergency return. It takes 7 to 10 days to go between Earth and cis-lunar locations and 1000 days for the Mars habitat transit. This long commute calls for greater crew autonomy with habitats designed for the crew to fix their own problems. The ISS rack-enclosed, densely packaged subsystems are a product of the Shuttle era and not maintenance friendly. A solution better suited for deep space habitats spreads systems out allowing direct access to single-layer packaging and providing crew access to each component without having to remove another. Operational readiness is another important discriminator. The ISS required over 100 flights to build, resupply, and transport the crew, whereas SLS offers the capability to launch a fully provisioned habitat that is operational without additional outfitting or resupply flights.

Griffin, Brand↗

Characterization of Naturally-Occurring Particles in the Nasa Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel Using PTV

Naturally-occurring particles within the NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel are characterized for their aerodynamic performance using particle tracking velocimetry. Two sets of experiments were conducted to observe different behaviors of the particles. The normal shockwave emanating from the top surface of a supercritical airfoil was used to induce velocity lag in the particles, and the subsequent spatial decay of the velocity was used to estimate the effective diameter of the particles. Mean particle diameters between 1.6 and 1.9 𝝁m were measured, with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 3.5 𝝁m over the entire ensemble. The response of particles to separated flow was investigated. By operating in “high-lift” (low Mach number, high angle of attack) conditions with a semi-span airfoil, the ability of particles to detect separated flow on the upper surface of the airfoil was assessed. Transition from fully attached flow to fully separated flow was observed on the top surface of the airfoil accompanying a variation of angle of attack from 8° to 12°. Examination of velocity distributions indicates less than 10 percent of particle trajectories did not respond to the regions of separated flow. These results are promising, but further facility-specific work is needed to answer the broader question of particle tracking reliability.

Transonic↗

Characterization of Naturally-Occurring Particles in the NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel Using PTV

Naturally-occurring particles within the NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel are characterized for their aerodynamic performance using particle tracking velocimetry. Two sets of experiments were conducted to observe different behaviors of the particles. The normal shockwave emanating from the top surface of a supercritical airfoil was used to induce velocity lag in the particles, and the subsequent spatial decay of the velocity was used to estimate the effective diameter of the particles. Mean particle diameters between 1.6 and 1.9 𝝁m were measured, with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 3.5 𝝁m over the entire ensemble. The response of particles to separated flow was investigated. By operating in “high-lift” (low Mach number, high angle of attack) conditions with a semi-span airfoil, the ability of particles to detect separated flow on the upper surface of the airfoil was assessed. Transition from fully attached flow to fully separated flow was observed on the top surface of the airfoil accompanying a variation of angle of attack from 8° to 12°. Examination of velocity distributions indicates less than 10 percent of particle trajectories did not respond to the regions of separated flow. These results are promising, but further facility-specific work is needed to answer the broader question of particle tracking reliability.

Transonic↗

Estimation of tunnel blockage from wall pressure signatures: A review and data correlation

A method is described for estimating low speed wind tunnel blockage, including model volume, bubble separation and viscous wake effects. A tunnel-centerline, source/sink distribution is derived from measured wall pressure signatures using fast algorithms to solve the inverse problem in three dimensions. Blockage may then be computed throughout the test volume. Correlations using scaled models or tests in two tunnels were made in all cases. In many cases model reference area exceeded 10% of the tunnel cross-sectional area. Good correlations were obtained regarding model surface pressures, lift drag and pitching moment. It is shown that blockage-induced velocity variations across the test section are relatively unimportant but axial gradients should be considered when model size is determined.

Hackett, J. E.↗

Navier-Stokes simulations of tip vortices for fixed and rotating helicopter blades

Flowfield and tip vortex results are presented for a hovering rotor blade at subcritical and supercritical flow conditions for both nonlifting and lifting configurations. These results are calculated numerically by solving, in a time-accurate fashion, the unsteady thin layer Navier-Stokes equations written in rotor coordinates. The lifting calculations use an induced downwash correction, estimated from a free wake analysis, to the geometric angle of attack of the blades to account for the wake effect. Comparison of numerical results with the experimental data shows very good agreement for all cases considered. Alternate methods of calculating hovering rotor flowfield as steady state flowfield on isolated fixed-blade that have the same circulation distribution as that of rotor in hover are also explored.

Srinivasan, G. R.↗

Mission goals of a 1998/1999 Leonid storm Multi-instrument Aircraft Campaign (MAC)

In November of 1998 (or in 1999 with about equal probability) will be our one chance in a lifetime to anticipate with some certainty the occurrence of a meteor storm. For a period of up to 2 hours, rates are expected to increase above 1 meteor per second for a naked eye observer. At that time, Earth passes through the outer regimes of the dust trail of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. The high meteor flux offers unprecedented precision in characterizing the dust trail in terms of spatial and particle size distributions of dust grains and allows the measurement of composition, morphology and orbits of individual cometary grains relatively soon after ejection from the comet. By using the Earth's atmosphere as a detector for the dust trains, grains are sampled over a wide mass range, from the typical grain size of zodiacal dust (40 - 200 micron) up until the rare boulders that can still be lifted off the comet nucleus.

Jenniskens, P.↗

High Efficiency 2-Bladed Utility Wind Turbine Enhanced by CoFlow Jet Active Flow Control

The aerodynamic performance and power output of a high efficiency Co-Flow Jet (CFJ) 2-bladed Wind Turbine is studied in this paper. CFJ is a Zero-Net-Mass-Flux (ZNMF) active flow control method that dramatically increases airfoil lift coefficient and suppresses flow separation at a low energy expenditure. The 3D Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with one-equation Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model are solved to simulate the 3D flows of the wind turbines. The CFJ-Wind Turbine in this paper is modified from the NREL 3-bladed 3.4 MW reference wind turbine with the same RPM, blade length, distribution of chord, twist, and bending. The CFJ 2-bladed wind turbine utilizes the CFJ-NACA 64 series airfoils at most of the blade span from 31.88\% to the tip. The CFJ injection and suction slots are implemented along the full blade span to enhance the effectiveness and power output. The study shows that the 2-bladed CFJ turbine significantly increases power output compared with the 3-bladed baseline turbine at all wind speeds by 15.8\% at the wind speed of 9.8 m/s and by 25.9\% at 4 m/s respectively. The efficiency enhancement is substantially more at the low wind speed than at high wind speed. This would be very beneficial to increase the annual power output or capacity factor as wind turbines work at the speeds lower than the rated speed for most of the time. The results show that the flow field around the blade surface presents a significant enhanced suction peak near the blade leading edge, which results in a very high tangential force and thus increased wind turbine net power coefficient. Consistent with the previous study for the small NREL Phase VI research wind turbine, this paper demonstrates that CFJ 2-bladed wind turbine is an effective technology to extract more power from the wind at all speeds. This study is just an initial effort to demonstrate the advantage of the CFJ blade with no design optimization. It is believed that there is more potential to further enhance the efficiency improvement.

active flow control↗

Aerodynamic investigation of closely coupled lifting surfaces with positive and negative stagger for general aviation applications

Aerodynamic closely coupled lifting surfaces were investigated for both conventional tail aft configurations and canard configurations to determine whether positive stagger or negative stagger had more attractive aerodynamic characteristics. An inviscid multi-element vortex panel program was used in conjunction with a momentum integral boundary layer program to predict two-dimensional aerodynamic characteristics. A multi-element vortex lattice program was used for three-dimensional characteristics. Pressure distributions, transition location, momentum thickness, two- and three-dimensional drag, and boundary layer separation were compared for the positive and negative stagger case. For staggers less than six the results demonstrated that positive stagger configurations are aerodynamically superior.

Selberg, B. P.↗

Considerations for the temperature stratification in a pre-burn constant-volume combustion chamber

In recent years, the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) has developed as a worldwide reference for understanding and describing engine combustion processes, successfully bringing together experimental and numerical efforts. Since experiments and numerical simulations both target the same boundary conditions, an accurate characterization of the stratified environment that is inevitably present in experimental facilities is required. The difference between the core-, and pressure-derived bulk-temperature of pre-burn combustion vessels has been addressed in various previous publications. Additionally, thermocouple measurements have provided initial data on the boundary layer close to the injector nozzle, showing a transition to reduced ambient temperatures. The conditions at the start of fuel injection influence physicochemical properties of a fuel spray, including near nozzle mixing, heat release computations, and combustion parameters. To address the temperature stratification in more detail, thermocouple measurements at larger distances from the spray axis have been conducted. Both the temperature field prior to the pre-combustion event that preconditions the high-temperature, high-pressure ambient, as well as the stratification at the moment of fuel injection were studied. To reveal the cold boundary layer near the injector with a better spatial resolution, Rayleigh scattering experiments and thermocouple measurements at various distances close to the nozzle have been carried out. The impact of the boundary layers and temperature stratification are illustrated and quantified using numerical simulations at Spray A conditions. Next to a reference simulation with a uniform temperature field, six different stratified temperature distributions have been generated. These distributions were based on the mean experimental temperature superimposed by a randomized variance, again derived from the experiments. The results showed that an asymmetric flame structure arises in the computed results when the temperature stratification input is used. In these predictions, first-stage ignition is advanced by 24 $\mu$s , while second-stage ignition is delayed by 11 $\mu$s. At the same time a lift-off length difference between the top and the bottom of up to 1.1 mm is observed. Furthermore, the lift-off length is less stable over time. Given the shown dependency, the temperature data is made available along with the vessel geometry data as a recommended basis for future numerical simulations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Non-linear k-epsilon-v(sup 2)(bar) modeling with application to high-lift

The k-epsilon-v(sup 2)(bar) model has been investigated to quantify its predictive performance on two high-lift configurations: 2D flow over a single-element aerofoil, involving closed-type separation; 3D flow over a prolate spheroid, involving open-type separation. A 'code-friendly' modification has been proposed which enhances the numerical stability, in particular, for explicit and uncoupled flow solvers. As a result of introducing Reynolds-number dependence into a coefficient of the s-equation, the skin-friction distribution for the by-pass transitional flow over a flat plate is better predicted. In order to improve deficiencies arising from the Boussinesq approximation, a nonlinear stress-strain constitutive relation was adopted, in which the only one free constant is calibrated on the basis of DNS data, and the Reynolds-stress anisotropy near the wall is fairly well represented.

Lien, F. S.↗

Free-Flight Zero-Lift Drag Results from a 1/5-Scale Model and Several Small-Scale Equivalent Bodies of Revolution of the Convair F-102 Configuration at Mach Numbers up to 1.34

A 1/5-scale, rocket-propelled model of the Convair F-102 configuration was tested in free flight to determine zero-lift drag at Mach numbers up to 1.34 and at Reynolds numbers comparable to those of the full-scale airplane. This large-scale model corresponded to the prototype airplane and had air flow through the duct. Additional zero-lift drag tests involved a series of small equivalent bodies of revolution which were launched by means of a helium gun. The several small-scale models tested corresponded to: the basic configuration, the 1/5-scale rocket-propelled model configuration, a 2-foot (full-scale) fuselage-extension configuration, and a 7-foot (full-scale) fuselage-extension configuration. Models designed to correspond to the area distribution at a Mach number of 1.0 were flown for each of these 'shapes and, in addition, models designed to correspond to the area distribution at a Mach number of 1.2 were flown for the 1/5-scale rocket-propelled model and the 7-foot-fuselage-extension configuration. The value of external pressure drag coefficient (including base drag) obtained from the large-scale rocket model was 0.0190 at a Mach number of 1..05 and the corresponding values from the equivalent-body tests varied from 0.0183 for the rocket-propelled model shape to 0.0137 for the 7-foot-fuselage-extension configuration. From the results of tests of equivalent bodies designed to correspond to the area distribution at a Mach number of 1.0, it is evident that the small changes in shape incorporated in the basic and 2-foot-fuselage-extension configurations from that of the rocket-propelled model configuration will provide no significant change in pressure drag. On the other hand, the data from the 7-foot-fuselage-extension model indicate a substantial reduction in pressure drag at transonic speeds.

Wallskog, Harvey A.↗

Correlation of theory to wind-tunnel data at Reynolds numbers below 500,000

This paper presents results obtained from two airfoil analysis methods compared with previously published wind tunnel test data at chord Reynolds numbers below 500,000. The analysis methods are from the Eppler-Somers airfoil design/analysis code and from ISES, the Drela-Giles Airfoil design/analysis code. The experimental data are from recent tests of the Eppler 387 airfoil in the NASA Langley Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel. For R not less than 200,000, lift and pitching moment predictions from both theories compare well with experiment. Drag predictions from both theories also agree with experiment, although to different degrees. However, most of the drag predictions from the Eppler-Somers code are accompanied with separation bubble warnings which indicate that the drag predictions are too low. With the Drela-Giles code, there is a large discrepancy between the computed and experimental pressure distributions in cases with laminar separation bubbles, although the drag polar predictions are similar in trend to experiment.

Evangelista, Raquel↗

Benefits to the Europa Clipper Mission Provided by the Space Launch System

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) proposed Europa Clipper mission would provide an unprecedented look at the icy Jovian moon, and investigate its environment to determine the possibility that it hosts life. Focused on exploring the water, chemistry, and energy conditions on the moon, the spacecraft would examine Europa's ocean, ice shell, composition and geology by performing 32 low-altitude flybys of Europa from Jupiter orbit over 2.3 years, allowing detailed investigations of globally distributed regions of Europa. In hopes of expediting the scientific program, mission planners at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are working with the Space Launch System (SLS) program, managed at Marshall Space Flight Center. Designed to be the most powerful launch vehicle ever flown, SLS is making progress toward delivering a new capability for exploration beyond Earth orbit. The SLS rocket will offer an initial low-Earth-orbit lift capability of 70 metric tons (t) beginning with a first launch in 2017 and will then evolve into a 130 t Block 2 version. While the primary focus of the development of the initial version of SLS is on enabling human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit using the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the rocket offers unique benefits to robotic planetary exploration missions, thanks to the high characteristic energy it provides. This paper will provide an overview of both the proposed Europa Clipper mission and the Space Launch System vehicle, and explore options provided to the Europa Clipper mission for a launch within a decade by a 70 t version of SLS with a commercially available 5-meter payload fairing, through comparison with a baseline of current Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) capabilities. Compared to that baseline, a mission to the Jovian system could reduce transit times to less than half, or increase mass to more than double, among other benefits. In addition to these primary benefits, the paper will also explore secondary effects, such as the elimination of the need to design for hot inner-solar-system conditions and gain permits for a radioisotope thermoelectric generator fly-by of Earth, are provided by the use of a direct trajectory transit instead of a more time-consuming gravitational-assist trajectory.

Creech, Stephen D.↗

An unsteady lifting surface method for single rotation propellers

The mathematical formulation of a lifting surface method for evaluating the steady and unsteady loads induced on single rotation propellers by blade vibration and inflow distortion is described. The scheme is based on 3-D linearized compressible aerodynamics and presumes that all disturbances are simple harmonic in time. This approximation leads to a direct linear integral relation between the normal velocity on the blade (which is determined from the blade geometry and motion) and the distribution of pressure difference across the blade. This linear relation is discretized by breaking the blade up into subareas (panels) on which the pressure difference is treated as approximately constant, and constraining the normal velocity at one (control) point on each panel. The piece-wise constant loads can then be determined by Gaussian elimination. The resulting blade loads can be used in performance, stability and forced response predictions for the rotor. Mathematical and numerical aspects of the method are examined. A selection of results obtained from the method is presented. The appendices include various details of the derivation that were felt to be secondary to the main development in Section 1.

Williams, Marc H.↗