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At least 523 records · Page 29

A Numerical Study of Low-Reynolds-Number Separation Bubbles

The present study uses two dimensional numerical simulations to study unsteady low-Reynolds-number separation bubbles. The numerical study is in two parts: (1) a two dimensional time-accurate Navier-Stokes solver is used to simulate flows over the APEX airfoil, and (2) a numerical procedure is developed for localized simulations of transitional separation bubbles. The 2-D computations of flow over the APEX airfoil show that the flow is unsteady with periodic vortex shedding. A linear stability analysis of the separated flow shows that the vortex shedding is caused due to the instability of the separated flow. For transonic flows over the APEX airfoil the vortex shedding is additionally influenced by the presence of shocks. The flowfield has two characteristic time scales, one corresponding to the vortex shedding and another corresponding to the movement of the shocks. The two dimensional (2-D) airfoil simulations also showed the presence of nonlinear effects in the separated region. To better understand the characteristics of separation bubbles a numerical procedure has been developed for localized separation bubble calculations. This procedure is used to perform computations for a flat plate separation bubble test case. The separation bubble is induced by specifying a velocity gradient in the freestream. The growth of disturbances in the separation bubble is analyzed by introducing disturbances upstream of the separation bubble.

Tatineni, Mahidhar↗

Low Reynolds number multiple-time-scale turbulence model and calculations of steady and pulsating shear layers

A low Reynolds number multiple-time-scale turbulence model (LMS) and its application to fully developed turbulent channel flows and pulsating pipe flows are presented. The LMS can describe the inequilibrium turbulence phenomena down to the viscous sublayer. The calculated fluid flow and turbulence fields for the channel flows are in better agreement with the direct numerical simulation (DNS) results than those obtained using a Reynolds stress turbulence model, and the calculated near-wall dissipation rates are in qualitatively correct agreement with the DNS results. The LMS also successfully predicts the rapidly varying phase-lead of the wall shearing stress that occurs in a narrow range of the dimensionless frequency omega (+) = (omega x nu)/(upsilon x tau(exp2)) for the pulsating pipe flows while various other turbulence models fail to predict this phenomenon, and the LMS yields significantly improved numerical results for a wide range of the dimensionless frequency compared with those obtained using a rapid distortion theory (RDT).

Kim, Sang-Wook↗

Laminar supersonic flow over a backstep - A numerical solution at higher Reynolds numbers

The Allen-Cheng solution of the flow over a backward facing step is extended to Reynolds numbers up to 16,000 and to inflow boundary-layer height ratios as low as 0.1 by moving the downstream boundary into the recompression region and by smoothing the resulting errors. The boundary conditions in the supersonic outer flow and the downstream boundary conditions in the wake are determined by an extrapolation procedure. Computational results are compared with relevant experimental data. Fair agreement is found between the calculated base pressures and the experimental values, whereas agreement between heat transfer rates appears to be qualitative only.

Kronzon, Y.↗

Computation of high Reynolds number internal/external flows

A general, user oriented computer program, called VNAP2, has been developed to calculate high Reynolds number, internal/external flows. VNAP2 solves the two-dimensional, time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. The turbulence is modeled with either a mixing-length, a one transport equation, or a two transport equation model. Interior grid points are computed using the explicit MacCormack scheme with special procedures to speed up the calculation in the fine grid. All boundary conditions are calculated using a reference plane characteristic scheme with the viscous terms treated as source terms. Several internal, and internal/external flow calculations are presented.

Cline, M. C.↗

Effects of artificial excitation upon a low Reynolds number Mach 2.5 jet

The effects of a single point glow discharge excitation device upon a low Reynolds number (8700), Mach 2.5, axisymmetric, cold air jet were experimentally investigated. Both the acoustic and flow fields of the jet were altered by the excitation; the acoustic field could be altered to a greater extent, however, by the addition of a spurious lobe to the sound pressure level contours. It was also possible to reduce the level of excitation so that the acoustic field showed only a slight decrease in the amplitude of the noise radiated by the jet. The main effect of low level excitation was a slight compacting of the development of the jet into a shorter axial length. A decrease in the broadband turbulence, a narrowing of the breadth of the peak in the spectrum around the fundamental frequency, and an enhancement of the harmonics were also noted.

Morrison, G. L.↗

Bubble shapes in steady axisymmetric flows at intermediate Reynolds number

The shape of a gas bubble which rises through a quiescent incompressible, Newtonian fluid at intermediate Reynolds numbers is considered. Exact numerical solutions for the velocity and pressure fields, as well as the bubble shape, are obtained using finite difference techniques and a numerically generated transformation to an orthogonal, boundary-fitted coordinate system. No restriction is placed on the allowable magnitude of deformation.

Ryskin, G.↗

Two-Equation Low-Reynolds-Number Turbulence Modeling of Transitional Boundary Layer Flows Characteristic of Gas Turbine Blades

The use of low Reynolds number (LRN) forms of the k-epsilon turbulence model in predicting transitional boundary layer flow characteristic of gas turbine blades is developed. The research presented consists of: (1) an evaluation of two existing models; (2) the development of a modification to current LRN models; and (3) the extensive testing of the proposed model against experimental data. The prediction characteristics and capabilities of the Jones-Launder (1972) and Lam-Bremhorst (1981) LRN k-epsilon models are evaluated with respect to the prediction of transition on flat plates. Next, the mechanism by which the models simulate transition is considered and the need for additional constraints is discussed. Finally, the transition predictions of a new model are compared with a wide range of different experiments, including transitional flows with free-stream turbulence under conditions of flat plate constant velocity, flat plate constant acceleration, flat plate but strongly variable acceleration, and flow around turbine blade test cascades. In general, calculational procedure yields good agreement with most of the experiments.

Schmidt, Rodney C.↗

Effect of slotted casing treatment with change in Reynolds number index on performance of a jet engine

A tip-treated J85-13 engine was tested at Reynolds number indices (RNI) of 0.3 and 0.7 with a clean inlet for 80- and 100-percent corrected engine speeds. This engine was equipped with a compressor case which allowed changes to the case wall over the rotor tips of six of its eight stages. For all tests, the principal effects were (1) with tip treatment, a stall pressure ratio loss of 6 percent at 100 percent corrected engine speeds for both the 0.3 and 0.7 RNI, and (2) with and without tip treatment, decreasing the RNI from 0.7 to 0.3 decreased the stall pressure ratio 3.8 percent for 100 percent corrected engine speed and 2.8 percent for 80-percent corrected engine speed.

Moss, J. E., Jr.↗

Cryogenic wind tunnels for high Reynolds number testing

This paper begins with a brief review of cryogenic wind tunnels and their use for high Reynolds number testing. Emphasis is on operational experience and recent aerodynamic tesing in the NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT). Specific area covered in this paper include development of test techniques and aerodynamic testing in cryogenic tunnels. Details of research experience in developing model construction techniques, including airfoils as thin as 5 percent, are given. The use of advanced testing techniques to increase the value of cryogenic tunnels to the research community is recommended. These include adaptive wall test sections using solid but flexible top and bottom walls and magnetic suspension and balance systems.

Kilgore, Robert A.↗

Longitudinal Stability Characteristics of a 42 Degree Sweptback Wing and Tail Combination at a Reynolds Number of 6.8 x 10(exp 6)

Results are given of a wind-tunnel investigation at a Reynolds number of 6.8 x 10(exp 6) to determine the static longitudinal stability characteristics of a 42 degree sweptback wing and fuselage combination with a sweptback horizontal tail. Included are the effects of vertical position of fuselage and tail with respect to wing for several combinations of high-lift and staff-control devices. Also included is the effect of a simulated ground.

FLAPS - COMPLETE WINGS↗

High Reynolds number experimental data for forebody axial force.

Brief review of the operational principle and capability of the high-Reynolds-number wind tunnel developed over the last few years. Its test medium is stored in a Ludwieg tube and held there by means of a diaphragm. When the diaphragm is broken, a rearward-facing centered rarefaction fan propagates upstream through the test section and nozzle into the supply tube, and the useful run time is bounded by the reflected rarefaction wave and the starting shock wave caused by choking at the nozzle. The operating problems center around the ability of model and sting support systems to withstand the loads and to meet the instrumentation requirements. Evaluation tests have shown that satisfactory force and moment measurements can be obtained in this facility.

Davis, J. W.↗

Coherent large-scale structures in high Reynolds number supersonic jet of Mach number 1.4

Large-scale coherent structures are found to exist in fully expanded shock free supersonic jets with Reynolds number 1.6 million and Mach number 1.4. The jet was excited by a weak upstream tone to extract the large-scale structures from the random turbulence. The most preferential excitation Strouhal number is found to be in the vicinity of 0.4, and the dependence of the large-scale structure phase velocity on the excitation Strouhal number shows a similar trend to that found for subsonic acoustically excited jets.

Lepicovsky, J.↗

Prediction of transition on a flat plate under the influence of free-stream turbulence using low-Reynolds-number two-equation turbulence models

The prediction characteristics and capabilities of two popular two-equation low-Reynolds-number turbulence models (Jones, Launder 1972; Lam, Bremhorst 1981) have been evaluated with respect to the prediction of transition of a flat plate under the influence of free-stream turbulence. The sensitivity of the predictions to free-stream turbulence intensity, initial starting location of the calculation, and the assumed initial starting profiles for k and epsilon has been determined and presented. Although both models predict the correct qualitative characteristics of transition, they also exhibit significant quantitative deficiencies with regard to both the predicted location and the length of transition. A modification to the production term in the turbulent kinetic energy equation is proposed which is based on a simple stability criterion and correlated to the free-stream turbulence level. The modification becomes inactive in the fully turbulent regime, but is shown to improve both the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the transition predictions.

Schmidt, Rodney C.↗