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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 91 records · Page 5

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NASA NTRS1979

A simple apparatus for the experimental study of non-steady flow thrust-augmenter ejector configurations

A flexible, and easily modified, test rig is described which allows a one dimensional nonsteady flow stream to be generated, economically from a steady flow source of compressed air. This nonsteady flow is used as the primary stream in a nonsteady flow ejector constituting part of the test equipment. Standard piezo-electric pressure transducers etc. allow local pressures to be studied, as functions of time, in both the primary and secondary (mixed) flow portions of the apparatus. Provision is also made for measuring the primary and secondary mass flows and the thrust generated. Sample results obtained with the equipment are presented.

Khare, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Modulated stagnation-point flow and steady streaming

Plane stagnation-point flow is modulated in the free stream so that the velocity components are proportional to K(H) + K cos omega t. Similarity solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations are examined using high-frequency asymptotics for K and K(H) of unit order. Special attention is focused on the steady streaming generated in this flow with strongly non-parallel streamlines.

Merchant, Gregory J.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Turbomachine Sealing and Secondary Flows - Part 3: Review of Power-Stream Support, Unsteady Flow Systems, Seal and Disk Cavity Flows, Engine Externals, and Life and Reliability Issues - Part 3

The issues and components supporting the engine power stream are reviewed. It is essential that companies pay close attention to engine sealing issues, particularly on the high-pressure spool or high-pressure pumps. Small changes in these systems are reflected throughout the entire engine. Although cavity, platform, and tip sealing are complex and have a significant effect on component and engine performance, computational tools (e.g., NASA-developed INDSEAL, SCISEAL, and ADPAC) are available to help guide the designer and the experimenter. Gas turbine engine and rocket engine externals must all function efficiently with a high degree of reliability in order for the engine to run but often receive little attention until they malfunction. Within the open literature statistically significant data for critical engine components are virtually nonexistent; the classic approach is deterministic. Studies show that variations with loading can have a significant effect on component performance and life. Without validation data they are just studies. These variations and deficits in statistical databases require immediate attention.

Hendricks, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Liquid-phase mixing of bipropellant doublets

Experimental results of unlike doublet mixing are correlated with an analytically derived equation predicting fluid cavitation. The correlation relates the minimum orifice pressure drop required to initiate cavitation, with the system back pressure, cold flow simulant vapor pressure, and the orifice flow discharge and contraction coefficients. Stream flow instabilities are also visually correlated with the onset of cavitation and orifice discharge coefficient measurements. The influence of cavitation on the characteristic phenomenon of hydraulic flip is observed for both circular and noncircular shaped orifices. For certain intermediate orifice lengths, some noncircular shapes are shown to produce more fully developed flows (shorter recovery lengths) and therefore a more cohesive jet, which in turn yields slightly higher cold flow mixing uniformities than circular shaped orifices of equal absolute length. The particular noncircular shaped elements evaluated are shown to be more sensitive to liquid stream misimpingement than the corresponding circular orifices.

Hoehn, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Analysis and testing of two-dimensional vented Coanda ejectors with asymmetric variable area mixing sections

The analysis of asymmetric, curved (Coanda) ejector flow has been completed using a finite difference technique and a quasi-orthogonal streamline coordinate system. The boundary layer type jet mixing analysis accounts for the effect of streamline curvature in pressure gradients normal to the streamlines and on eddy viscosities. The analysis assured perfect gases, free of pressure discontinuities and flow separation and treated three compound flows of supersonic and subsonic streams. Flow parameters and ejector performance were measured in a vented Coanda flow geometry for the verification of the computer analysis. A primary converging nozzle with a discharge geometry of 0.003175 m x 0.2032 m was supplied with 0.283 cu m/sec of air at about 241.3 KPa absolute stagnation pressure and 82 C stagnation temperature. One mixing section geometry was used with a 0.127 m constant radius Coanda surface. Eight tests were run at spacing between the Coanda surface and primary nozzle 0.01915 m and 0.318 m and at three angles of Coanda turning: 22.5 deg, 45.0 deg, and 75.0 deg. The wall static pressures, the loci of maximum stagnation pressures, and the stagnation pressure profiles agree well between analytical and experimental results.

Maroti, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS2016

In-Situ Measurement of the Height of Condensed Water in Steam Pipes with Dynamic Flow

A method based on the use of enhanced filtered Hilbert envelope of the wave signal was developed in order to monitor the height of condensed water through the wall of steam pipes having dynamic flow conditions. A prototype testbed was designed and fabricated in this study to simulate the dynamic flow conditions including the air stream flowing above the water and bubble induced disturbance. A dual-transducer was used to perform the test as a basis for the multiple transducers system to facilitate the detectability and reliability for long term monitoring of the condensed water height in dynamic conditions. The results demonstrated that the method of measuring the water height using multiple-transducer system employing the developed novel signal processing technique is an efficient and accurate tool for practical applications.

water level in pipe↗

NASA NTRS1988

Ground vortex flow field investigation

Flow field investigations were conducted at the NASA Ames-Dryden Flow Visualization Facility (water tunnel) to investigate the ground effect produced by the impingement of jets from aircraft nozzles on a ground board in a STOL operation. Effects on the overall flow field with both a stationary and a moving ground board were photographed and compared with similar data found in other references. Nozzle jet impingement angles, nozzle and inlet interaction, side-by-side nozzles, nozzles in tandem, and nozzles and inlets mounted on a flat plate model were investigated. Results show that the wall jet that generates the ground effect is unsteady and the boundary between the ground vortex flow field and the free-stream flow is unsteady. Additionally, the forward projection of the ground vortex flow field with a moving ground board is one-third less than that measured over a fixed ground board. Results also showed that inlets did not alter the ground vortex flow field.

Kuhn, Richard E.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Acoustic Streaming in Microgravity: Flow Stability and Heat Transfer Enhancement

Experimental results are presented for drops and bubbles levitated in a liquid host, with particular attention given to the effect of shape oscillations and capillary waves on the local flow fields. Some preliminary results are also presented on the use of streaming flows for the control of evaporation rate and rotation of electrostatically levitated droplets in 1 g. The results demonstrate the potential for the technological application of acoustic methods to active control of forced convection in microgravity.

Trinh, E. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Hydrodynamic role of fish squamosal integument as an analog of the surfaces directly formed by the turbulent flow. Report 2: Hydrodynamic function of squamosal integument

The stream flowing round the slowly swimming squama free fish can be laminized with the aid of the external slime coat alone. The slime of the fish with well developed squamae can laminize the stream together with the squamatic integument. Adjustments preventing a loss of the slime during laminization are better developed in the fastest squama free fishes.

Kudryashov, A. F.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Thermodynamic Modeling of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell to Couple with an Existing Gas Turbine Engine Model

The Controls and Dynamics Technology Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center are interested in combining a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to operate in conjunction with a gas turbine engine. A detailed engine model currently exists in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The idea is to incorporate a SOFC model within the turbine engine simulation and observe the hybrid system's performance. The fuel cell will be heated to its appropriate operating condition by the engine s combustor. Once the fuel cell is operating at its steady-state temperature, the gas burner will back down slowly until the engine is fully operating on the hot gases exhausted from the SOFC. The SOFC code is based on a steady-state model developed by The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In its current form, the DOE SOFC model exists in Microsoft Excel and uses Visual Basics to create an I-V (current-voltage) profile. For the project's application, the main issue with this model is that the gas path flow and fuel flow temperatures are used as input parameters instead of outputs. The objective is to create a SOFC model based on the DOE model that inputs the fuel cells flow rates and outputs temperature of the flow streams; therefore, creating a temperature profile as a function of fuel flow rate. This will be done by applying the First Law of Thermodynamics for a flow system to the fuel cell. Validation of this model will be done in two procedures. First, for a given flow rate the exit stream temperature will be calculated and compared to DOE SOFC temperature as a point comparison. Next, an I-V curve and temperature curve will be generated where the I-V curve will be compared with the DOE SOFC I-V curve. Matching I-V curves will suggest validation of the temperature curve because voltage is a function of temperature. Once the temperature profile is created and validated, the model will then be placed into the turbine engine simulation for system analysis.

Brinson, Thomas E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Computation of three-dimensional flows using two stream functions

An approach to compute 3-D flows using two stream functions is presented. The method generates a boundary fitted grid as part of its solution. Commonly used two steps for computing the flow fields are combined into a single step in the present approach: (1) boundary fitted grid generation; and (2) solution of Navier-Stokes equations on the generated grid. The presented method can be used to directly compute 3-D viscous flows, or the potential flow approximation of this method can be used to generate grids for other algorithms to compute 3-D viscous flows. The independent variables used are chi, a spatial coordinate, and xi and eta, values of stream functions along two sets of suitably chosen intersecting stream surfaces. The dependent variables used are the streamwise velocity, and two functions that describe the stream surfaces. Since for a 3-D flow there is no unique way to define two sets of intersecting stream surfaces to cover the given flow, different types of two sets of intersecting stream surfaces are considered. First, the metric of the (chi, xi, eta) curvilinear coordinate system associated with each type is presented. Next, equations for the steady state transport of mass, momentum, and energy are presented in terms of the metric of the (chi, xi, eta) coordinate system. Also included are the inviscid and the parabolized approximations to the general transport equations.

Greywall, Mahesh S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Mixing and NO(x) Emission Calculations of Confined Reacting Jet Flows in a Cylindrical Duct

Rapid mixing of cold lateral jets with hot cross-stream flows in confined configurations is of practical interest in gas turbine combustors as it strongly affects combustor exit temperature quality, and gaseous emissions in for example rich-lean combustion. It is therefore important to further improve our fundamental understanding of the important processes of dilution jet mixing especially when the injected jet mass flow rate exceeds that of the cross-stream. The results reported in this report describe some of the main flow characteristics which develop in the mixing process in a cylindrical duct. A 3-dimensional tool has been used to predict the mixing flow field characteristics and NOx emission in a quench section of an RQL combustor, Eighteen configurations have been analyzed in a circular geometry in a fully reacting environment simulating the operating condition of an actual RQL gas turbine combustion liner. The evaluation matrix was constructed by varying three parameters: 1) jet-to-mainstream momentum-flux ratio (J), 2) orifice shape or orifice aspect ratio, and 3) slot slant angle. The results indicate that the mixing flow field significantly varies with the value of the jet penetration and subsequently, slanting elongated slots generally improve the mixing uniformity at high J conditions. Round orifices produce more uniform mixing and low NO(x) emissions at low J due to the strong and adequate jet penetration. No significant correlation was found between the NO(x) production rates and the mixing deviation parameters, however, strong correlation was found between NO(x) formation and jet penetration. In the computational results, most of the NO(x) formation occurred behind the orifice starting at the orifice wake region. Additional NO(x) is formed upstream of the orifice in certain configurations with high J conditions due to the upstream recirculation.

Holdeman, James D.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Mixing and NOx Emission Calculations of Confined Reacting Jet Flows in Cylindrical and Annular Ducts

Rapid mixing of cold lateral jets with hot cross-stream flows in confined configurations is of practical interest in gas turbine combustors as it strongly affects combustor exit temperature quality, and gaseous emissions in for example rich-lean combustion. It is therefore important to further improve our fundamental understanding of the important processes of dilution jet mixing especially when the injected jet mass flow rate exceeds that of the cross-stream. The results reported in this report describe some of the main flow characteristics which develop in the mixing process in a cylindrical duct. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code has been used to predict the mixing flow field characteristics and NOx emission in a quench section of a rich-burn/quick-mix/lean-burn (RQL) combustor. Sixty configurations have been analyzed in both circular and annular geometries in a fully reacting environment simulating the operating condition of an actual RQL gas turbine combustion liner. The evaluation matrix was constructed by varying the number of orifices per row and orifice shape. Other parameters such as J (momentum-flux ratio), MR (mass flowrate ratio), DR (density ratio), and mixer sector orifice ACd (effective orifice area) were maintained constant throughout the entire study. The results indicate that the mixing flow field can be correlated with the NOx production if they are referenced with the stoichiometric equivalence ratio value and not the equilibrium value. The mixing flowfields in both circular and annular mixers are different. The penetration of equal jets in both annular and circular geometries is vastly different which significantly affects the performance of the mixing section. In the computational results with the circular mixer, most of the NOx formation occurred behind the orifice starting at the orifice wake region. General trends have been observed in the NOx production as the number of orifices is changed and this appears to be common for all hole configurations and mixer types (circular or annular). The performance of any orifice shape (in producing minimum NOx) appears to be acceptable if the number of orifices can be freely varied in order to attain the optimum jet penetration.

Oechsle, Victor L.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Investigation of an anomalous flow condition of the Langley pilot model expansion tube

Free-stream flow velocity measurements were made in the Langley pilot model expansion tube during the test flow interval. During this interval, an anomalous dip in pitot pressure occurs for the expansion tube operating conditions employed. Within the test flow interval, the main conclusions reached from comparison of the measured flow velocity, pitot pressure, and tube wall pressure are: the variations which occur in velocity and wall pressure are small compared with the variations in pitot pressure; a corresponding dip in the derived flow density is associated with the dip in pitot pressure; and the value of the average density over the interval, which results from the expansion from the shocked intermediate chamber condition, is approximately one-half of the value that can result from only an isentropic process.

Friesen, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Streamwise computation of three-dimensional flows using two stream functions

An approach to compute 3D flows using two stream functions is presented. The independent variables used are chi, a spatial coordinate, and xi and eta, values of stream functions along two sets of suitably chosen intersecting stream surfaces. The dependent variables used are the streamwise velocity, and two functions that describe the stream surfaces. Since the value of a stream function is constant along the solid boundaries, this choice of variables makes it easy to satisfy the boundary conditions. To illustrate the approach, computations of incompressible potential flow through a circular-to-rectangular transition duct are also presented.

Greywall, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Description and preliminary calibration results for the Langley hypersonic CF4 tunnel

A detailed description of the hypersonic CF4 tunnel is presented along with discussion of the basic components, instrumentation, and operating procedure. Operational experience with the CF4 reclaimer and lead-bath heater is discussed. Comparison of measured and predicted shock detachment distance on a sphere and pressure distributions measured on a sharp leading-edge flat plate revealed the absence of significant flow nonuniformity and lent creditability to predicted free stream flow conditions. The economic operation of this facility centers about the CF4 reclaimer, which was designed to operate at an efficiency of 90 to 95 percent. A number of modifications were made to the reclaimer system to improve its performance, and presently, the system reclaims approximately 75 percent of the test gas. Even with current budgetary constraints, this efficiency permits the CF4 tunnel to be operated as a viable research wind tunnel.

Midden, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Dilution jet mixing

Schematics are given for test section configurations, orifice configurations, and the dilution jet mixing test rig used to collect a data base on mixing a single sided and a two sided row of jets with a confined cross flow. Parameters investigated include momentum ratio; nonuniform cross stream temperature and velocity profiles; cold/hot injection, and cross stream flow area convergence. Graphs show measured theta momentum distributions for: (1) in line and staggered orifice configurations; and (2) the profiled mainstream; and (3) flow area convergence.

Srinivasan, S.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Some structural features of unsteady separating turbulent shear flows

Some physical features of unsteady separating turbulent boundary layers are presented for practical Reynolds numbers and reduced frequencies for helicopter and turbomachinery flows. Upstream of detachment in moderate amplitude flows, the flow is quasi steady, i.e., the phase averaged flow is described by the steady-free stream flow structure. Results show that oscillation waveform and amplitude strongly influence the detached flow behavior.

Simpson, R. L.↗