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At least 721 records · Page 40

Validation of Two-Phase Flow Modeling Techniques in Loci-Stream Using Axial Jet Pressure Control and Autogenous Pressurization Experiments

Improvements to computational fluid dynamics modeling of cryogenic fluid management operations are presented with experimental validations. Modeling improvements includes utilizing improved delayed detaches eddy simulation to more effectively model turbulence compared to the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes modeling, modeling temperature dependent tank solid properties to capture large variation in thermodynamic properties at cryogenic conditions, modeling real gas equation of state for hydrogen instead of ideal gas behavior, and an on-going effort to improve interface turbulence transport for the volume of fluid method. Two flight-scale ground tests, five K-site tank axial jet pressure control experiments and an Engineering Design Unit tank autogenous pressurization experiment are validated and show the effectiveness of the improved modeling techniques. The successful validation establishes further trust in these models for flight project support and provides a pathway for maturation of in-development interface turbulence damping model for the volume of fluid method for more generalized applications.

CFD↗

Two-phase flow

An experimental program to characterize the spray from candidate nozzles for icing-cloud simulation is discussed. One canidate nozzle, which is currently used for icing research, has been characterized for flow and drop size. The median-volume diameter (MVD) from this air-assist nozzle is compared with correlations in the literature. The new experimental spray facility is discussed, and the drop-size instruments are discussed in detail. Since there is no absolute standard for drop-size measurements and there are other limitations, such as drop -size range and velocity range, several instruments are used and results are compared. A two-phase model was developed at Pennsylvania State University. The model uses the k-epsilon model of turbulence in the continous phase. Three methods for treating the discrete phase are used: (1) a locally homogeneous flow (LHF) model, (2) a deterministic separated flow (DSF) model, and (3) a stochastic separated flow (SSF) model. In the LHF model both phases have the same velocity and temperature at each point. The DSF model provides interphase transport but ignores the effects of turbulent fluctuations. In the SSF model the drops interact with turbulent eddies whose properties are determined by the k-epsilon turbulence model. The two-phase flow model has been extended to include the effects of evaporation and combustion.

Tacina, Robert R.↗

Evaluation of diffuse-illumination holographic cinematography in a flutter cascade

Since 1979, the Lewis Research Center has examined holographic cinematography for three-dimensional flow visualization. The Nd:YAG lasers used were Q-switched, double-pulsed, and frequency-doubled, operating at 20 pulses per second. The primary subjects for flow visualization were the shock waves produced in two flutter cascades. Flow visualization was by diffuse-illumination, double-exposure, and holographic interferometry. The performances of the lasers, holography, and diffuse-illumination interferometry are evaluated in single-window wind tunnels. The fringe-contrast factor is used to evaluate the results. The effects of turbulence on shock-wave visualization in a transonic flow are discussed. The depth of field for visualization of a turbulent structure is demonstrated to be a measure of the relative density and scale of that structure. Other items discussed are the holographic emulsion, tests of coherence and polarization, effects of windows and diffusers, hologram bleaching, laser configurations, influence and handling of specular reflections, modes of fringe localization, noise sources, and coherence requirements as a function of the pulse energy. Holography and diffuse illumination interferometry are also reviewed.

Decker, A. J.↗

A non-isotropic multiple-scale turbulence model

A newly developed non-isotropic multiple scale turbulence model (MS/ASM) is described for complex flow calculations. This model focuses on the direct modeling of Reynolds stresses and utilizes split-spectrum concepts for modeling multiple scale effects in turbulence. Validation studies on free shear flows, rotating flows and recirculating flows show that the current model perform significantly better than the single scale k-epsilon model. The present model is relatively inexpensive in terms of CPU time which makes it suitable for broad engineering flow applications.

Chen, C. P.↗

Verification of interim simulated atmospheric turbulence

During horizontal and near-horizontal flight of the space shuttle orbiter, the effects of atmospheric turbulence on the vehicle are crucial in establishing the space shuttle design, control, and human pilot effects. The effects of both turbulent gusts and gust gradients (shears) must be taken into account. By means of a nonrecursive turbulence simulation model, twelve simulated turbulence time series for gusts and gust gradients were generated as part of a previous investigation. The current investigation was concerned with the spectral analysis of the time series based on the use of Fourier transform theory. A comparison between the computed spectra and the corresponding von Karman theoretical spectra is also included. A basic difference is explained between the computed and theoretical spectra which was identified as a result of the comparison. Conclusions and recommendations are presented.

Tatom, F. B.↗

Monitoring of inventory in enclosed turbulent liquid tanks using floating gamma-ray sources

An accurate and simple technique utilizing a low-intensity gamma-ray source floating in a vertical tube, whose configuration is tank geometry and size dependent, is shown to eliminate the disturbing effects of turbulent fluid on enclosed tank liquid inventory measurement. The vertical tube aligns the source with detectors positioned outside of the tank, and collapses the turbulent liquid surface to a true average level. The exit attenuation of the information carrying high energy gamma rays is insensitive to liquid surface tubulence, and sensing probe penetrations are not necessary. It is found that for a half-full tank, 1.0 percent statistical error, and 1-s measuring times, that a 220 C Ce-137 source is required for an 8-ft high tank. Consistent experimental results are found for the dual detector method, and results indicate that the accuracy of the scanning side detector method is dependent on the quality of the collimator and degree of lower level energy discrimination.

Klein, R. M.↗

Heat transfer distributions around nominal ice accretion shapes formed on a cylinder in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel

Local heat transfer coefficients were obtained on irregular cylindrical shapes which typify the accretion of ice on circular cylinders in cross flow. The shapes were 2, 5, and 15 min accumulations of glaze ice and 15 min accumulation of rime ice. These icing shapes were averaged axially to obtain a nominal shape of constant cross section for the heat transfer tests. Heat transfer coefficients were also measured around the cylinder with no ice accretion. The models were run in a 15.2 x 68.6 cm (6 x 27 in.) wind tunnel at several velocities. The models were also run with a turbulence producing grid which gave about 3.5 percent turbulence. The effect of roughness was also simulated with sand grains glued to the surface. Results are presented as Nusselt number versus angle from the stagnation line for the smooth and rough models for both high and low levels of free stream turbulence. Roughness of the surface in the region prior to flow separation plays a major role in determining the heat transfer distribution. Free stream turbulence does not affect the distribution of heat transfer in this region but raises the level by a nearly uniform amount. For the rime shape, roughness had a larger effect in the near wedge shaped region past the initial separation point.

Van Fossen, G. J.↗

Effects of forward velocity on turbulent jet mixing noise

Flight simulation experiments were conducted in an anechoic free jet facility over a broad range of model and free jet velocities. The resulting scaling laws were in close agreement with scaling laws derived from theoretical and semiempirical considerations. Additionally, measurements of the flow structure of jets were made in a wind tunnel by using a laser velocimeter. These tests were conducted to describe the effects of velocity ratio and jet exit Mach number on the development of a jet in a coflowing stream. These turbulence measurements and a simplified Lighthill radiation model were used in predicting the variation in radiated noise at 90 deg to the jet axis with velocity ratio. Finally, the influence of forward motion on flow-acoustic interactions was examined through a reinterpretation of the 'static' numerical solutions to the Lilley equation.

Plumblee, H. E., Jr.↗

CFD analysis of a solid pin-fueled small modular fluoride salt-cooled reactor

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study is performed for the pre-conceptual solid pin-fueled small modular fluoride salt-cooled reactor developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The solid and fluid regions in a 1/12th section of a fuel assembly are modeled. The solid region includes fuel and non-fuel pins, with heat generation in the active region of the fuel pins. Two different power profiles, uniform and center-peaked, are considered. The FLiBe coolant flows from the bottom to the top of the core, parallel to the bank of fuel and non-fuel pins. The k-ω shear-stress transport (SST) model is chosen as the baseline turbulence model. The effects of grid refinement, inlet turbulence specification, and turbulence models on the temperature and pressure drop predictions are studied. Turbulence model sensitivity is investigated by comparing the results from the k-ω SST model with other two-equation models (k-ω baseline or BSL and k-ε realizable) as well as with anisotropic Reynolds stress transport models (linear pressure-strain and stress-BSL). Here the results show that the choice of turbulence model has a significant impact on the pin temperature and bundle pressure drop predictions. The results from the baseline turbulence model show good agreement between the fuel pin temperatures and bundle pressure drop values predicted using a subchannel model previously developed by the authors of the present study.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

A subgrid model for electron-scale turbulent transport in global ion-scale gyrokinetic simulations of tokamak plasmas

A subgrid electron–temperature–gradient (ETG) model is demonstrated here which averages local electron-scale turbulence over intermediate scales in space and time to include in global ion–temperature–gradient (ITG) simulations. This approach results in ion-scale equations, which incorporate the electron heat transport from ETG turbulence and the effects of electron-scale turbulence on the ion scale. Flux-tube ETG Cyclone Base Case simulations are performed at different radial locations and a kinetic form of the flux is added to global ion-scale (IS) simulations as a source term. Analytic radial profiles of ETG heat flux are constructed and compared to flux-tube results at multiple radial locations. Different ratios of ITG to ETG heat flux levels are considered and the results of capturing ETG heat transport in global ion-scale simulations are discussed. The potential coupling of the ETG streamer potential and intermediate-scale zonal flows to the ion scale is further addressed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Sonic boom generation propagation and minimization.

Consideration of the possibility of reducing sonic boom noise to a level acceptable in populated areas. A detailed study is made of the possibility of predicting sonic boom generation, taking into account the effect of atmospheric conditions, air turbulence, and the effect of the shape and condition of the ground where people are located. The relation between the shape of the sonic boom signature on the ground and the aircraft shape is shown to be an important factor governing the use of supersonic aircraft over populated areas.

Ferri, A.↗

Effects of random path fluctuations on the accuracy of laser ranging systems

Effects of turbulence-induced pathlength fluctuations on the accuracy of single-color laser ranging systems are examined. Correlation and structure functions for the path deviations are derived using several proposed models for the variation of the turbulence structure parameter with altitude. For single-color systems, random pathlength fluctuations can limit the accuracy of a range measurement to a few centimeters when the turbulence is strong and the effective propagation path is long (greater than 10 km). Two-color systems can partially correct for the random path fluctuations so that in most cases their accuracy is limited to a few millimeters. However, at low elevation angles for satellite ranging (less than 20 deg) and over long horizontal paths, two-color systems can also have errors approaching a few centimeters.

Gardner, C. S.↗

Turbulence modeling and surface heat transfer in a stagnation flow region

Analysis for the turbulent flow field and the effect of freestream turbulence on the surface heat transfer rate of a stagnation flow is presented. The emphasis is on modeling and its augmentation of surface heat transfer rate. The flow field considered is the region near the forward stagnation point of a circular cylinder in a uniform turbulent mean flow.

Wang, Chi R.↗

Turbulence modeling and surface heat transfer in a stagnation flow region

Analysis for the turbulent flow field and the effect of freestream turbulence on the surface heat transfer rate of a stagnation flow is presented. The emphasis is on modeling and its augmentation of surface heat transfer rate. The flow field considered is the region near the forward stagnation point of a circular cylinder in a uniform turbulent mean flow.

Wang, C. R.↗

Investigations of the wall-shearing stress in turbulent boundary layers

Because of the unsatisfactory state of knowledge concerning the surface shearing stress of boundary layers with pressure gradients, the problem is re-examined. It is found that for general turbulent boundary layers in wall proximity, that is, in the laminar sublayer, in the transition zone and in the part of the completely turbulent zone near the wall, the same universal law applies as for the plate flow.

BOUNDARY LAYER, TURBULENT - WALLS↗

Arrhenius' law in turbulent media and an equivalent tunnel effect

The indeterminacy inherent to the formal extension of Arrhenius' law to reactions in turbulent flows is shown to be surmountable in the case of a binary exchange reaction with a sufficiently high activation energy. A preliminary calculation predicts that the turbulent reaction rate is invariant in the Arrhenius form except for an equivalently lowered activation energy. This is a reflection of turbulence-augmented molecular vigor, and causes an appreciable increase in the reaction rate. A similarity to the tunnel effect in quantum mechanics is indicated. The anomaly associated with the mild ignition of oxy-hydrogen mixtures is discussed in this light.

Tsuge, S.↗

Sound production due to large-scale coherent structures

The acoustic pressure fluctuations due to large-scale finite amplitude disturbances in a free turbulent shear flow are calculated. The flow is decomposed into three component scales; the mean motion, the large-scale wave-like disturbance, and the small-scale random turbulence. The effect of the large-scale structure on the flow is isolated by applying both a spatial and phase average on the governing differential equations and by initially taking the small-scale turbulence to be in energetic equilibrium with the mean flow. The subsequent temporal evolution of the flow is computed from global energetic rate equations for the different component scales. Lighthill's theory is then applied to the region with the flowfield as the source and an observer located outside the flowfield in a region of uniform velocity. Since the time history of all flow variables is known, a minimum of simplifying assumptions for the Lighthill stress tensor is required, including no far-field approximations. A phase average is used to isolate the pressure fluctuations due to the large-scale structure, and also to isolate the dynamic process responsible. Variation of mean square pressure with distance from the source is computed to determine the acoustic far-field location and decay rate, and, in addition, spectra at various acoustic field locations are computed and analyzed. Also included are the effects of varying the growth and decay of the large-scale disturbance on the sound produced.

Gatski, T. B.↗

Direct Simulations of Transition and Turbulence Using High-Order Accurate Finite-Difference Schemes

In recent years the techniques of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been used to compute flows associated with geometrically complex configurations. However, success in terms of accuracy and reliability has been limited to cases where the effects of turbulence and transition could be modeled in a straightforward manner. Even in simple flows, the accurate computation of skin friction and heat transfer using existing turbulence models has proved to be a difficult task, one that has required extensive fine-tuning of the turbulence models used. In more complex flows (for example, in turbomachinery flows in which vortices and wakes impinge on airfoil surfaces causing periodic transitions from laminar to turbulent flow) the development of a model that accounts for all scales of turbulence and predicts the onset of transition may prove to be impractical. Fortunately, current trends in computing suggest that it may be possible to perform direct simulations of turbulence and transition at moderate Reynolds numbers in some complex cases in the near future. This seminar will focus on direct simulations of transition and turbulence using high-order accurate finite-difference methods. The advantage of the finite-difference approach over spectral methods is that complex geometries can be treated in a straightforward manner. Additionally, finite-difference techniques are the prevailing methods in existing application codes. In this seminar high-order-accurate finite-difference methods for the compressible and incompressible formulations of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and their applications to direct simulations of turbulence and transition will be presented.

Rai, Man Mohan↗