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At least 91 records · Page 5

Numerical simulation of small perturbation transonic flows

The results of a systematic study of small perturbation transonic flows are presented. Both the flow over thin airfoils and the flow over wedges were investigated. Various numerical schemes were employed in the study. The prime goal of the research was to determine the efficiency of various numerical procedures by accurately evaluating the wave drag, both by computing the pressure integral around the body and by integrating the momentum loss across the shock. Numerical errors involved in the computations that affect the accuracy of drag evaluations were analyzed. The factors that effect numerical stability and the rate of convergence of the iterative schemes were also systematically studied.

Seebass, A. R.↗

Grid generation and adaptation for the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method

A grid generation and adaptation procedure based on the method of transfinite interpolation is incorporated into the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method of Bird. In addition, time is advanced based on a local criterion. The resulting procedure is used to calculate steady flows past wedges and cones. Five chemical species are considered. In general, the modifications result in a reduced computational effort. Moreover, preliminary results suggest that the simulation method is time step dependent if requirements on cell sizes are not met.

Olynick, David P.↗

A survey of upwind methods for flows with equilibrium and non-equilibrium chemistry and thermodynamics

Several versions of flux-vector split and flux-difference split algorithms were compared with regard to general applicability and complexity. Test computations were performed using curve-fit equilibrium air chemistry for an M = 5 high-temperature inviscid flow over a wedge, and an M = 24.5 inviscid flow over a blunt cylinder for test computations; for these cases, little difference in accuracy was found among the versions of the same flux-split algorithm. For flows with nonequilibrium chemistry, the effects of the thermodynamic model on the development of flux-vector split and flux-difference split algorithms were investigated using an equilibrium model, a general nonequilibrium model, and a simplified model based on vibrational relaxation. Several numerical examples are presented, including nonequilibrium air chemistry in a high-temperature shock tube and nonequilibrium hydrogen-air chemistry in a supersonic diffuser.

Grossman, B.↗

A large-field laser holographic focusing schilieren system

A large-field laser holographic focusing schlieren system for high-speed flow visualization has been built and evaluated. This system is based on a recently improved large-field focusing schlieren technique and is combined with laser holography methods to record three-dimensional flows. A coordinated experimental and computational study of supersonic flows over wedge, cone, and sphere geometries was conducted to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of the system. The ability of the system to focus on planes normal to its optical axis is demonstrated. The sharpness of focus of the present system was found to be limited. Issues regarding obtaining quantitative measurements of the density gradient are discussed.

Doggett, Glen P.↗

Exact solutions of laminar-boundary-layer equations with constant property values for porous wall with variable temperature

Exact solution of the laminar-boundary-layer equations for wedge-type flow with constant property values are presented for transpiration-cooled surfaces with variable wall temperatures. The difference between wall and stream temperature is assumed proportional to a power of the distance from the leading edge. Solutions are given for a Prandtl number of 0.7 and ranges of pressure-gradient, cooling-air-flow, and wall-temperature-gradient parameters. Boundary-layer profiles, dimensionless boundary-layer thicknesses, and convective heat-transfer coefficients are given in both tabular and graphical form. Corresponding results for constant wall temperature and for impermeable surfaces are included for comparison purposes.

Donoughe, Patrick L↗

Material Response Analysis of PICA-NuSil at the Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System

Phenolic impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) is a thermal protection system (TPS) that gained heritage during the Stardust mission and is the baseline TPS material for expeditions to Mars (e.g., Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020).1 PICA is friable; therefore, a polysiloxane resin (NuSil CV-1144-0) is deposited onto the surface of flight hardware before assembly, test, and launch operations (ATLO) to mitigate particle shedding. Furthermore, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Mars 2020 heatshields were instrumented with an array of thermocouple plugs (MEDLI Integrated Sensor Plugs or MISP) designed to measure the in-depth thermal response of PICA during flight. Post-flight analysis of MISP data suggests that recession was lower than predicted, and NuSil is suspected as a reasonable cause. NuSil primarily consists of a copolymer blend of dimethyl and diphenyl-substituted polysiloxane resin. Four decades of research in the field of polymer-derived ceramics demonstrate that polysiloxane resins form oxidation-resistant silicon oxycarbide materials at pyrolysis temperatures as low as 800 °C. -2 Furthermore, silicon oxycarbide materials exhibit excellent thermal stability at relatively high-temperatures (< 1200 °C) but eventually decompose via carbothermal reduction. -3 Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that NuSil forms an oxidation-resistant thermal barrier coating on the TPS surface and influences the material response during atmospheric entry. Evidence for this notion was observed during prior arc-jet testing at both the Aerodynamic Heating Facility (AHF) and the Panel Test Facility (PTF) at the NASA Ames Research Center. Articles of PICA were subjected to testing in airflow, and a temperature discontinuity was recorded at the surface of coupons coated with NuSil. A glassy coating was observed to form at the surface in shear flow configurations (wedge and panel) under moderate heat fluxes. Furthermore, state-of-the-art material response models have yet to account for the underlying physics and chemistry of the temperature discontinuity. To this end, a pathfinder test campaign was executed at the Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System (HyMETS) to enhance the fundamental understanding of PICA-NuSil ablation phenomena and provide a preliminary data set to aid in the development of material response models.

PICA↗

Computation of nonequilibrium three-dimensional inviscid flow over blunt-nosed bodies flying at supersonic speeds

A computer code based on the method of characteristics is described and applied to the study of two- and three-dimensional chemical nonequilibrium flow over sharp and blunt-nosed bodies. Nonequilibrium flow over a wedge is used to show the approach to equilibrium flow, and to demonstrate the nature of the reaction zone behind the bow shock wave. The structure and development of a blunt-body entropy layer in nonequilibrium flow is examined for a blunt cone at zero incidence. Three-dimensional computations for the space shuttle body at 30 deg angle of attack are presented. A nondimensional scaling parameter, the Damkoehler number, which is the ratio of flow time to chemical reaction time, is calculated and its significance discussed.

Rakich, J. V.↗

CFD Simulations of the IHF Arc-Jet Flow: Compression-Pad/Separation Bolt Wedge Tests

This paper reports computational analyses in support of two wedge tests in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. These tests were conducted using two different wedge models, each placed in a free jet downstream of a corresponding different conical nozzle in the Ames 60-MW Interaction Heating Facility. Panel test articles included a metallic separation bolt imbedded in the compression-pad and heat shield materials, resulting in a circular protuberance over a flat plate. As part of the test calibration runs, surface pressure and heat flux measurements on water-cooled calibration plates integrated with the wedge models were also obtained. Surface heating distributions on the test articles as well as arc-jet test environment parameters for each test configuration are obtained through computational fluid dynamics simulations, consistent with the facility and calibration measurements. The present analysis comprises simulations of the non-equilibrium flow field in the facility nozzle, test box, and flow field over test articles, and comparisons with the measured calibration data.

TPS↗

CFD Simulations of the IHF Arc-Jet Flow: Compression-Pad Separation Bolt Wedge Tests

This paper reports computational analyses in support of two wedge tests in a high enthalpy arc-jet facility at NASA Ames Research Center. These tests were conducted using two different wedge models, each placed in a free jet downstream of a corresponding different conical nozzle in the Ames 60-MW Interaction Heating Facility. Each panel test article included a metallic separation bolt imbedded in Orion compression-pad and heatshield materials, resulting in a circular protuberance over a flat plate. The protuberances produce complex model flowfields, containing shock-shock and shock-boundary layer interactions, and multiple augmented heating regions on the test plate. As part of the test calibration runs, surface pressure and heat flux measurements on water-cooled calibration plates integrated with the wedge models were also obtained. Surface heating distributions on the test articles as well as arc-jet test environment parameters for each test configuration are obtained through computational fluid dynamics simulations, consistent with the facility and calibration measurements. The present analysis comprises simulations of the non-equilibrium flow field in the facility nozzle, test box, and flow field over test articles, and comparisons with the measured calibration data.

CFD↗

The Substorm Current Wedge: Further Insights from MHD Simulations

Using a recent magnetohydrodynamic simulation of magnetotail dynamics, we further investigate the buildup and evolution of the substorm current wedge (SCW), resulting from flow bursts generated by near-tail reconnection. Each flow burst generates an individual current wedge, which includes the reduction of cross-tail current and the diversion to region 1 (R1)-type field-aligned currents (earthward on the dawn and tailward on the duskside), connecting the tail with the ionosphere. Multiple flow bursts generate initially multiple SCW patterns, which at later times combine to a wider single SCW pattern. The standard SCWmodel is modified by the addition of several current loops, related to particular magnetic field changes: the increase of Bz in a local equatorial region (dipolarization), the decrease of |Bx| away from the equator (current disruption), and increases in |By| resulting from azimuthally deflected flows. The associated loop currents are found to be of similar magnitude, 0.1-0.3 MA. The combined effect requires the addition of region 2 (R2)-type currents closing in the near tail through dawnward currents but also connecting radially with the R1 currents. The current closure at the inner boundary, taken as a crude proxy of an idealized ionosphere, demonstrates westward currents as postulated in the original SCW picture as well as North-South currents connecting R1- and R2-type currents, which were larger than the westward currents by a factor of almost 2. However, this result should be applied with caution to the ionosphere because of our neglect of finite resistance and Hall effects.

reconnection↗

Internal Designs Application for Inlet and Nozzle Aeroperformance Improvement

The following research results are based on development of an approach previously proposed by the authors for optimum nozzle design to obtain maximum thrust. The design was denoted a Telescope nozzle. A Telescope nozzle contains one or several internal designs of certain location, which are inserted at certain locations into a divergent conical or planar main nozzle near its exit. Such a design provides additional thrust augmentation over 20% by comparison with the optimum single nozzle of equivalent lateral area. What is more, recent experimental acoustic tests have discovered an essential noise reduction due to Telescope nozzles application. In this paper, some additional theoretical results are presented for Telescope nozzles and a similar approach is applied for aeroperformance improvement of a supersonic inlet. In addition, a classic gas dynamics problem of a similar supersonic flow into a plate has been analyzed. In some particular cases, new exact analytical solutions are obtained for a flow into a wedge with an oblique shock wave. Numerical simulations were conducted for supersonic flow into a divergent portion of a 2D or axisymmetric nozzle with several plane or conuical designs as well as into a 2D or axisymmetric supersonic inlet with a forebody. The 1st order Kryko-Godunov marching numerical scheme for inviscid supersonic flows was used. Several cases were tested using the NASA CFL3d code based on full Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical simulation results have confirmed essential benefits of Telescope design applications in propulsion systems.

Gilinsky, M.↗

Internal Designs Application for Inlet and Nozzle Aeroperformance Improvement

The following research results are based on development of an approach previously proposed by the authors for optimum nozzle design to obtain maximum thrust. The design was denoted a Telescope nozzle. A Telescope nozzle contains one or several internal designs of certain location, which are inserted at certain locations into a divergent conical or planar main nozzle near its exit. Such a design provides additional thrust augmentation over 20% by comparison with the optimum single nozzle of equivalent lateral area. What is more, recent experimental acoustic tests have discovered an essential noise reduction due to Telescope nozzles application. In this paper, some additional theoretical results are presented for Telescope nozzles and a similar approach is applied for aeroperformance improvement of a supersonic inlet. In addition, a classic gas dynamics problem of a similar supersonic flow into a plate has been analyzed. In some particular cases, new exact analytical solutions are obtained for a flow into a wedge with an oblique shock wave. Numerical simulations were conducted for supersonic flow into a divergent portion of a 2D or axisymmetric nozzle with several plane or conical designs as well as into a 2D or axisymmetric supersonic inlet with a forebody. The 1st order Kryko-Godunov marching numerical scheme for inviscid supersonic flows was used. Several cases were tested using the NASA CFL3d code based on full Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical simulation results have confirmed essential benefits of Telescope design applications in propulsion systems.

Gilinsky, M.↗