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Results for “Boundary layer structure”

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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2009

Flutter Sensitivity to Boundary Layer Thickness, Structural Damping, and Static Pressure Differential for a Shuttle Tile Overlay Repair Concept

This paper examines the aeroelastic stability of an on-orbit installable Space Shuttle patch panel. CFD flutter solutions were obtained for thick and thin boundary layers at a free stream Mach number of 2.0 and several Mach numbers near sonic speed. The effect of structural damping on these flutter solutions was also examined, and the effect of structural nonlinearities associated with in-plane forces in the panel was considered on the worst case linear flutter solution. The results of the study indicated that adequate flutter margins exist for the panel at the Mach numbers examined. The addition of structural damping improved flutter margins as did the inclusion of nonlinear effects associated with a static pressure difference across the panel.

Scott, Robert C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mechanisms and models of the turbulent boundary layers at transcritical conditions

Computational models for high-pressure transcritical turbulence in wall-modeled large-eddy simulation typically rely on wall-function models to overcome the need for resolving the boundary layer structures. However, the mechanisms and models of turbulent boundary layer at transcritical conditions remain poorly understood since the near-wall flow and heat transfer are significantly affected by the enhanced fluctuations and steep gradients in thermodynamic properties. Here, to address this issue, we study the mechanisms of transcritical turbulent boundary layers and wall-attached models at transcritical conditions. It is shown that the real-fluid variable-property effects are associated with the coupling between the near-wall cycle and the wall-normal coherent motions in the outer layer, resulting in the amplification of turbulent energy in the outer layer and noticeable energy transfer between the log-layer and the outer layer; hence, turbulence in the log-layer is modulated by the outer layer. Based on this underlying physical principle, we propose the characteristic velocity and length scales for the attached eddy at transcritical conditions, and extend the attached eddy model to transcritical turbulent boundary layers by introducing a mixed scaling that incorporates both inner and outer scalings. We show that the new characteristic scales and extended attached-eddy model perform well in characterizing the structures in transcritical turbulent boundary layers.

Li, Fangbo↗
NASA NTRS1992

Integration of satellite and surface data using a radiative-convective oceanic boundary-layer model

A mixing-line boundary-layer model is used to retrieve cloud-top height from satellite-derived cloud-top temperatures, using 700-hPa National Meteorological Center (NMC) analyses and the Comprehensive Ocean and Atmosphere Data Set (COADS) surface data as supporting datasets. Results are compared with the fixed-lapse-rate method of retrieving boundary-layer depth from sea surface temperatures (SST) and cloud-top temperatures. A radiative-convective equilibrium boundary-layer model is used to retrieve boundary-layer structure given SST and surface wind, satellite cloud-top temperatures and cloud fraction, and the 700-hPa NMC thermodynamic analyses. Good agreement is found between the COADS data and the model solutions for low-level temperature and moisture. This suggests that equilibrium boundary-layer models may be of use over remote oceans in the retrieval of boundary-layer structure.

Betts, Alan K.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The Estimation of Surface Latent Heat Flux over the Ocean and its Relationship to Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) Structure

A new technique combining active and passive remote sensing instruments for the estimation of surface latent heat flux over the ocean is presented. This synergistic method utilizes aerosol lidar backscatter data, multi-channel infrared radiometer data, and microwave scatterometer data acquired onboard the NASA P-313 research aircraft during an extended field campaign over the Atlantic ocean in support of the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) in September of 1994. The 10 meter wind speed derived from scatterometers and lidar-radiometer inferred near-surface moisture are used to obtain an estimate of the surface flux of moisture via a bulk aerodynamic formula. The results are compared with the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) daily average latent heat flux and show reasonable agreement. However, the SSM/I values are biased low by about 15 W/sq m. In addition, the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) height, entrainment zone thickness and integrated lidar backscatter intensity are computed from the lidar data and compared with the magnitude of the surface fluxes. The results show that the surface latent heat flux is most strongly correlated with entrainment zone depth, MABL height and the integrated MABL lidar backscatter, with corresponding correlation coefficients of 0.39, 0.43 and 0.71, respectively.

Palm, Stephen P.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Turbulent Processes that Influence Boundary-Layer Cloud Structure (Final Technical Report)

Many models of the atmosphere simulate vertical profiles of observable fields, such as temperature, moisture, and vertical velocity. To assess the realism of such model output, it is important to evaluate the modeled profiles against observations. However, many extant evaluations consist of comparing time averaged profiles from the model and the observations. Such time averages can smooth out unrealistic features that appear in instantaneous profiles. In this way, the time averages may obscure certain model errors from detection. For instance, many models misrepresent turbulent processes, leading to profiles that are too smoothed out or too noisy. E.g., if a model has coarse vertical resolution and overly strong diffusion, then the model may be unable to produce observed sharp peaks. On the other hand, a model may have artificial approximations that produce spurious jumps in the vertical. Much can be learned by browsing through instantaneous snapshots of model output. But the volume of output produced by a global model is far too great to rely purely on visual inspection. In addition, we need a way to statistically characterize the profiles, so that anomalies can be detected more conveniently.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1975

Numerical study of supersonic turbulent flow over small protuberances

Supersonic turbulent boundary layers over two-dimensional protuberances are investigated, using the numerical finite difference alternating direction implicit (ADI) method. The turbulence is modeled mathematically. The turbulence is represented here by the eddy viscosity approach. The turbulent boundary layer structure as well as an interest in thick boundary layers and much larger protuberance heights than in the laminar case lead to new difficulties. The problems encountered and the means to remove them are discussed.

Polak, A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Analysis of three-dimensional structures in boundary layers

A perturbation scheme, based on the simultaneous expansion of primary and secondary modes, is used to study the prebreakdown flow field. Results of the analysis are in good agreement with experiments for amplitudes in excess of 5 percent. For peak-valley splitting, the analysis captures the development of the high shear layer associated with breakdown. Subharmonic modes evolve differently, with the region of high shear concentrated near the wall.

Crouch, Jeffrey D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Estimation Surface Latent Heat Flux Over the Ocean and its Relationship to Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) Structure

A new technique combining active and passive remote sensing instruments for the estimation of surface latent heat flux over the ocean is presented. This synergistic method utilizes aerosol lidar backscatter data, multi-channel infrared radiometer data and microwave scatterometer data acquired onboard the NASA P-3B research aircraft during an extended field campaign over the Atlantic ocean in support of the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) in September of 1994. The 10 meter wind speed derived from the scatterometers and the lidar-radiometer inferred near-surface moisture are used to obtain an estimate of the surface flux of moisture via bulk aerodynamic formulae. The results are compared with the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) daily average latent heat flux and show reasonable agreement. However, the SSM/I values are biased high by about 30 W/sq m. In addition, the MABL height, entrainment zone thickness and integrated lidar backscatter intensity are computed from the lidar data and compared with the magnitude of the surface fluxes. The results show that the surface latent heat flux is most strongly correlated with entrainment zone top, bottom and the integrated MABL lidar backscatter, with corresponding correlation coefficients of 0.62, 0.67 and 0.61, respectively.

Palm, Stephen P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Estimation of Surface Latent Heat Flux Over the Ocean and its Relationship to Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) Structure

A new technique combining active and passive remote sensing instruments for the estimation of surface latent heat flux over the ocean is presented. This synergistic method uses aerosol lidar backscatter data, multi-channel infrared radiometer data and microwave scatterometer data acquired onboard the NASA P-3B research aircraft during an extended field campaign over the Atlantic ocean in support of the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) in September of 1994. The 10 meter wind speed derived from the scatterometers and the lidar-radiometer inferred near-surface moisture are used to obtain an estimate of the surface flux of moisture via bulk aerodynamic formulae. The results are compared with the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) daily average latent heat flux and show reasonable agreement with an rms error and bias of about 50 and 25 W per square meters, respectively. In addition, the MABL height, entrainment zone thickness and integrated lidar backscatter intensity are computed from the lidar data and compared with the magnitude of the surface fluxes. The results show that the surface latent heat flux is most strongly correlated with entrainment zone top, bottom and the integrated MABL lidar backscatter, with corresponding correlation coefficients of 0.62, 0.67 and 0.61, respectively.

Palm, Stephen P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Laser Doppler velocimeter measurements of boundary layer velocity and turbulent intensities in Mach 2.5 flow

In recent years, the interest in developing a high-speed civil transport has increased. This has led to an increase in research activity on compressible supersonic flows, in particular the boundary layer. The structure of subsonic boundary layers has been extensively documented using conditional sampling techniques which exploit the knowledge of both u and v velocities. Researchers using these techniques have been able to explore some of the complex three-dimensional motions which are responsible for Reynolds stress production and transport in the boundary layer. As interest in turbulent structure has grown to include supersonic flows, a need for simultaneous multicomponent velocity measurements in these flows has developed. The success of conditional analysis in determining the characteristics of coherent motions and structures in the boundary layer relies on accurate, simultaneous measurement of two instantaneous velocity components.

Sewell, Jesse↗
NASA NTRS1990

The inviscid secondary instability of fully nonlinear longitudinal vortex structures in growing boundary layers

The inviscid instability of a longitudinal vortex structure within a steady boundary layer is investigated. The instability has a wavelength comparable with the boundary layer thickness so that a quasi-parallel approach to the instability problem can be justified. The generalization of the Rayleigh equation to such a flow is obtained and solved for the case when the vortex structure is induced by curvature. Two distinct modes of instability are found; these modes correspond with experimental observations on the breakdown process for Goertler vortices.

Hall, Philip↗
NASA NTRS1992

Quasi-Coherent Structures In Turbulent Boundary Layers

Two-part report reviews knowledge of coherent structures in turbulent boundary layers. Part I describes processes and status of cooperative project to summarize data from research on boundary-layer turbulence. Part II presents results of study of numerically simulated flat-plate canonical turbulent boundary layer.

Robinson, S. K.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A New View of the Dynamics of Reynolds Stress Generation in Turbulent Boundary Layers

The structure of a numerically simulated turbulent boundary layer over a flat plate at Re(theta) = 670 was studied using the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor (Q and R) and a related scalar quantity, the cubic discriminant (D = 27R(exp 2)/4 + Q(exp 3)). These invariants have previously been used to study the properties of the small-scale motions responsible for the dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. In addition, these scalar quantities allow the local flow patterns to be unambiguously classified according to the terminology proposed by Chong et al. The use of the discriminant as a marker of coherent motions reveals complex, large-scale flow structures that are shown to be associated with the generation of Reynolds shear stress -u'v'(bar). These motions are characterized by high spatial gradients of the discriminant and are believed to be an important part of the mechanism that sustains turbulence in the near-wall region.

Cantwell, Brian J.↗