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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 739 records · Page 41

Propulsion Simulations with the Unstructured-Grid CFD Tool TetrUSS

A computational investigation has been completed to assess the capability of the NASA Tetrahedral Unstructured Software System (TetrUSS) for simulation of exhaust nozzle flows. Three configurations were chosen for this study: (1) a fluidic jet effects model, (2) an isolated nacelle with a supersonic cruise nozzle, and (3) a fluidic pitchthrust- vectoring nozzle. These configurations were chosen because existing data provided a means for measuring the ability of the TetrUSS flow solver USM3D for simulating complex nozzle flows. Fluidic jet effects model simulations were compared with structured-grid CFD (computational fluid dynamics) data at Mach numbers from 0.3 to 1.2 at nozzle pressure ratios up to 7.2. Simulations of an isolated nacelle with a supersonic cruise nozzle were compared with wind tunnel experimental data and structured-grid CFD data at Mach numbers of 0.9 and 1.2, with a nozzle pressure ratio of 5. Fluidic pitch-thrust-vectoring nozzle simulations were compared with static experimental data and structured-grid CFD data at static freestream conditions and nozzle pressure ratios from 3 to 10. A fluidic injection case was computed with the third configuration at a nozzle pressure ratio of 4.6 and a secondary pressure ratio of 0.7. Results indicate that USM3D with the S-A turbulence model provides accurate exhaust nozzle simulations at on-design conditions, but does not predict internal shock location at overexpanded conditions or pressure recovery along a boattail at transonic conditions.

Deere, Karen A.↗

Large-Scale Distributed Computational Fluid Dynamics on the Information Power Grid Using Globus

This paper describes an experiment in which a large-scale scientific application development for tightly-coupled parallel machines is adapted to the distributed execution environment of the Information Power Grid (IPG). A brief overview of the IPG and a description of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithm are given. The Globus metacomputing toolkit is used as the enabling device for the geographically-distributed computation. Modifications related to latency hiding and Load balancing were required for an efficient implementation of the CFD application in the IPG environment. Performance results on a pair of SGI Origin 2000 machines indicate that real scientific applications can be effectively implemented on the IPG; however, a significant amount of continued effort is required to make such an environment useful and accessible to scientists and engineers.

Barnard, Stephen↗

Comprehension of Navigation Directions

Subjects were shown navigation instructions varying in length directing them to move in a space represented by grids on a computer screen. They followed the instructions by clicking on the grids in the locations specified. Some subjects repeated back the instructions before following them, some did not, and others repeated back the instructions in reduced form, including only the critical words. The commands in each message were presented simultaneously for half of the subjects and sequentially for the others. For the longest messages, performance was better on the initial commands and worse on the final commands with simultaneous than with sequential presentation. Instruction repetition depressed performance, but reduced repetition removed this disadvantage. Effects of presentation format were attributed to visual scanning strategies. The advantage for reduced repetition was attributable either to enhanced visual scanning or to reduced output interference. A follow-up study with auditory presentation supported the visual scanning explanation.

Healy, Alice F.↗

Comparing Anisotropic Output-Based Grid Adaptation Methods by Decomposition

Anisotropic grid adaptation is examined by decomposing the steps of flow solution, ad- joint solution, error estimation, metric construction, and simplex grid adaptation. Multiple implementations of each of these steps are evaluated by comparison to each other and expected analytic results when available. For example, grids are adapted to analytic metric fields and grid measures are computed to illustrate the properties of multiple independent implementations of grid adaptation mechanics. Different implementations of each step in the adaptation process can be evaluated in a system where the other components of the adaptive cycle are fixed. Detailed examination of these properties allows comparison of different methods to identify the current state of the art and where further development should be targeted.

Park, Michael A.↗

Error Estimate of the Ares I Vehicle Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics Based on Turbulent Navier-Stokes Analysis

Numerical predictions of the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics for the Ares I class of vehicles, along with the associated error estimate derived from an iterative convergence grid refinement, are presented. Computational results are based on the unstructured grid, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver USM3D, with an assumption that the flow is fully turbulent over the entire vehicle. This effort was designed to complement the prior computational activities conducted over the past five years in support of the Ares I Project with the emphasis on the vehicle s last design cycle designated as the A106 configuration. Due to a lack of flight data for this particular design s outer mold line, the initial vehicle s aerodynamic predictions and the associated error estimates were first assessed and validated against the available experimental data at representative wind tunnel flow conditions pertinent to the ascent phase of the trajectory without including any propulsion effects. Subsequently, the established procedures were then applied to obtain the longitudinal aerodynamic predictions at the selected flight flow conditions. Sample computed results and the correlations with the experimental measurements are presented. In addition, the present analysis includes the relevant data to highlight the balance between the prediction accuracy against the grid size and, thus, the corresponding computer resource requirements for the computations at both wind tunnel and flight flow conditions. NOTE: Some details have been removed from selected plots and figures in compliance with the sensitive but unclassified (SBU) restrictions. However, the content still conveys the merits of the technical approach and the relevant results.

Aerodynamic characteristics↗

Development and implementation of a low cost micro computer system for LANDSAT analysis and geographic data base applications

Since the implementation of the GRID and IMGRID computer programs for multivariate spatial analysis in the early 1970's, geographic data analysis subsequently moved from large computers to minicomputers and now to microcomputers with radical reduction in the costs associated with planning analyses. Programs designed to process LANDSAT data to be used as one element in a geographic data base were used once NIMGRID (new IMGRID), a raster oriented geographic information system, was implemented on the microcomputer. Programs for training field selection, supervised and unsupervised classification, and image enhancement were added. Enhancements to the color graphics capabilities of the microsystem allow display of three channels of LANDSAT data in color infrared format. The basic microcomputer hardware needed to perform NIMGRID and most LANDSAT analyses is listed as well as the software available for LANDSAT processing.

Faust, N.↗

Control and Observation in Distributed Environments

This viewgraph presentation provides information on the ideas surrounding the control and observation of a distributed computing environment based on the design of the electrical power grid. The implementation of a reliable control system for the management of the computational grid is crucial. Different architectures have been suggested.

Smith, Warren↗

Grid generation for turbomachinery problems

The development of a computer code to generate numerical grids for complex internal flow systems such as the fluid flow inside the space shuttle main engine is outlined. The blending technique for generating a grid for stator-rotor combination at a particular radial section is examined. The computer programs which generate these grids are listed in the Appendices. These codes are capable of generating grids at different cross sections and thus providng three dimensional stator-rotor grids for the turbomachinery of the space shuttle main engine.

Steinhoff, J.↗

Navier-Stokes computation of flow around a round-edged double-delta wing

Computations of three-dimensional vortical flows over a thin round-edged double-delta wing with an aspect ratio of 2.05 are performed using an implicit upwind-relaxation finite-difference scheme. The effects of grid and angle of attack on the Navier-Stokes computations are studied. Coarse-grid calculations can not predict the detailed structures of the vortical flowfields for lack of grid resolution. On the contrary, fine-grid computations show that key features of vortex formation, interaction, and breakdown are simulated. Furthermore, computed lift coefficients and spanswise surface static pressure distributions are in good agreement with the experimental data up to alpha = 25 deg.

Hsu, C.-H.↗

MEDUSA - An overset grid flow solver for network-based parallel computer systems

Continuing improvement in processing speed has made it feasible to solve the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations for simple three-dimensional flows on advanced workstations. Combining multiple workstations into a network-based heterogeneous parallel computer allows the application of programming principles learned on MIMD (Multiple Instruction Multiple Data) distributed memory parallel computers to the solution of larger problems. An overset-grid flow solution code has been developed which uses a cluster of workstations as a network-based parallel computer. Inter-process communication is provided by the Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) software. Solution speed equivalent to one-third of a Cray-YMP processor has been achieved from a cluster of nine commonly used engineering workstation processors. Load imbalance and communication overhead are the principal impediments to parallel efficiency in this application.

Smith, Merritt H.↗

Learning Optimal Solutions for Extremely Fast AC Optimal Power Flow

We develop, in this paper, a machine learning approach to optimize the real-time operation of electric power grids. In particular, we learn feasible solutions to the AC optimal power flow (OPF) problem with negligible optimality gaps. The AC OPF problem aims at identifying optimal operational conditions of the power grids that minimize power losses and/or generation costs. Due to the computational challenges with solving this nonconvex problem, many efforts have focused on linearizing or approximating the problem in order to solve the AC OPF on faster timescales. However, many of these approximations can be fairly poor representations of the actual system state and still require solving an optimization problem, which can be time consuming for large networks. In this work, we learn a mapping between the system loading and optimal generation values, enabling us to find near-optimal and feasible AC OPF solutions. This allows us to bypass solving the traditionally nonconvex AC OPF problem, resulting in a significant decrease in computational burden for grid operators.

machine learning↗

Comprehension of Navigation Directions

In an experiment simulating communication between air traffic controllers and pilots, subjects were given navigation instructions varying in length telling them to move in a space represented by grids on a computer screen. The subjects followed the instructions by clicking on the grids in the locations specified. Half of the subjects read the instructions, and half heard them. Half of the subjects in each modality condition repeated back the instructions before following them,and half did not. Performance was worse for the visual than for the auditory modality on the longer messages. Repetition of the instructions generally depressed performance, especially with the longer messages, which required more output than did the shorter messages, and especially with the visual modality, in which phonological recoding from the visual input to the spoken output was necessary. These results are explained in terms of the degrading effects of output interference on memory for instructions.

Schneider, Vivian I.↗

Space-based Operations Grid Prototype

The Space based Operations Grid is intended to integrate the "high end" network services and compute resources that a remote payload investigator needs. This includes integrating and enhancing existing services such as access to telemetry, payload commanding, payload planning and internet voice distribution as well as the addition of services such as video conferencing, collaborative design, modeling or visualization, text messaging, application sharing, and access to existing compute or data grids. Grid technology addresses some of the greatest challenges and opportunities presented by the current trends in technology, i.e. how to take advantage of ever increasing bandwidth, how to manage virtual organizations and how to deal with the increasing threats to information technology security. We will discuss the pros and cons of using grid technology in space-based operations and share current plans for the prototype. It is hoped that early on the prototype can incorporate many of the existing as well as future services that are discussed in the first paragraph above to cooperating International Space Station Principle Investigators both nationally and internationally.

Bradford, Robert N.↗

Evaluation of Voronoi Meshes for Large Eddy Simulations of High Lift Aerodynamics

Numerical sensitivity to 3 different Voronoi seeding methods is investigated for Large Eddy Simulations (LES). A second order accurate, non-dissipative finite volume discretization is used to systematically investigate the effects of different polyhedral Voronoi mesh types using a sequence of three canonical problems with increasing complexity. First, inviscid isentropic vortex propagation is studied to demonstrate the substantial reduction of errors for rhombic dodecahedron and truncated octahedral cell types over Cartesian hexagonal cells of identical spacing. Furthermore, the reduction of errors induced at cell-size transitions (grid-coarsening interfaces) due to Lloyd smoothing iterations is quantified. It is shown that by utilizing an appropriate viscous flux discretization, a constant coefficient subgrid scale model is sufficient for non-linear stability at the 2:1 cell-size transitions on polyhedral grids, although some further error reduction does occur when smoothing is utilized. Next, forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence at an asymptotically large Reynolds number is studied to demonstrate the non-dissipative character of the inviscid flux discretization, and the non-linear robustness and accuracy offered by the viscous flux discretization using a subgrid scale model for all three Voronoi grid types. Finally,Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulations (WMLES) are performed to study the high-lift aerodynamics on the McDonnell Douglas 30P30N multi-element airfoil at two distinct grid levels and for two distinct Voronoi cell types. The formulation is shown to predict the aerodynamic loading with high accuracy at all angles of attack when sufficient resolution is reached, and the hexagonal prism grid topology, while computationally more expensive, has higher effective resolution compared to the Cartesian grid topology with the same spacing.

TTT↗

Evaluation of Voronoi Meshes for Large Eddy Simulations of High Lift Aerodynamics

Numerical sensitivity to 3 different Voronoi seeding methods is investigated for Large Eddy Simulations (LES). A second order accurate, non-dissipative finite volume discretization is used to systematically investigate the effects of different polyhedral Voronoi mesh types using a sequence of three canonical problems with increasing complexity. First, inviscid isentropic vortex propagation is studied to demonstrate the substantial reduction of errors for rhombic dodecahedron and truncated octahedral cell types over Cartesian hexagonal cells of identical spacing. Furthermore, the reduction of errors induced at cell-size transitions (grid-coarsening interfaces) due to Lloyd smoothing iterations is quantified. It is shown that by utilizing an appropriate viscous flux discretization, a constant coefficient subgrid scale model is sufficient for non-linear stability at the 2:1 cell-size transitions on polyhedral grids, although some further error reduction does occur when smoothing is utilized. Next, forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence at an asymptotically large Reynolds number is studied to demonstrate the non-dissipative character of the inviscid flux discretization, and the non-linear robustness and accuracy offered by the viscous flux discretization using a subgrid scale model for all three Voronoi grid types. Finally, Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulations (WMLES) are performed to study the high-lift aerodynamics on the McDonnell Douglas 30P30N multi-element airfoil at two distinct grid levels and for two distinct Voronoi cell types. The formulation is shown to predict the aerodynamic loading with high accuracy at all angles of attack when sufficient resolution is reached, and the hexagonal prism grid topology, while computationally more expensive, has higher effective resolution compared to the Cartesian grid topology with the same spacing.

TTT↗

Learning Optimal Solutions for Extremely Fast AC Optimal Power Flow: Preprint

We develop, in this paper, a machine learning approach to optimize the real-time operation of electric power grids. In particular, we learn feasible solutions to the AC optimal power flow (OPF) problem with negligible optimality gaps. The AC OPF problem aims at identifying optimal operational conditions of the power grids that minimize power losses and/or generation costs. Due to the computational challenges with solving this nonconvex problem, many efforts have focused on linearizing or approximating the problem in order to solve the AC OPF on faster timescales. However, many of these approximations can be fairly poor representations of the actual system state and still require solving an optimization problem, which can be time consuming for large networks. In this work, we learn a mapping between the system loading and optimal generation values, enabling us to find near-optimal and feasible AC OPF solutions. This allows us to bypass solving the traditionally nonconvex AC OPF problem, resulting in a significant decrease in computational burden for grid operators.

machine learning↗

The solution of the three-dimensional viscous-compressible Navier-Stokes equations on a vector computer

The development of a vectorized computer code for the solution of the three-dimensional viscous-compressible Navier-Stokes equations is described. The code is applied on the CDC STAR-100 vector computer which is capable of achieving high result rates when a high degree of parallelism is present in the computations. The computational technique is an explicit time-split MacCormack predictor-corrector algorithm. Since a large volume of data is processed and virtual memory utilized, a data management scheme based on interleaving is used. The program has been applied to obtain the solution of the laminar supersonic flow about a family of three-dimensional corners. The equations of motion are expressed in a generalized form relative to a uniform rectangular computational domain. The metric coefficient and boundary conditions must be supplied for the corresponding physical domain. For calculations with 30,000 grid points, a computational rate of 0.00015 seconds per grid point per time step is observed.

Smith, R. E.↗

An efficient adaptive patched grid gas dynamic solver for complex flows

The patched mesh CSCM flow solver is used with a fast adaptive grid technique to compute complex two dimensional and axisymmetric, inviscid and viscous flows accurately and efficiently. The patched grid technique allows the user to generate the initial grid around complex regions with minimal effort. The adaptive grid strategy permits the grid points to adjust to the solution in accordance with the flow structure and user specified grid constraints and thus improve the accuracy of the solution. Solutions to challenging flow problems are obtained with adapted grids and the numerical examples and the results presented here show clearly the effectiveness of the adaptive grid solution strategy to obtain highly accurate numerical solutions with minimal human effort and computational resources.

Venkatapathy, E.↗