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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Fluid-Dynamic Mechanisms Underlying Wind Turbine Wake Control with Strouhal-Timed Actuation

A reduction in wake effects in large wind farms through wake-aware control has considerable potential to improve farm efficiency. This work examines the success of several emerging, empirically derived control methods that modify wind turbine wakes (i.e., the pulse method, helix method, and related methods) based on Strouhal numbers on the O(0.3). Drawing on previous work in the literature for jet and bluff-body flows, the analyses leverage the normal-mode representation of wake instabilities to characterize the large-scale wake meandering observed in actuated wakes. Idealized large-eddy simulations (LES) using an actuator-line representation of the turbine blades indicate that the n=0 and ±1 modes, which correspond to the pulse and helix forcing strategies, respectively, have faster initial growth rates than higher-order modes, suggesting these lower-order modes are more appropriate for wake control. Exciting these lower-order modes with periodic pitching of the blades produces increased modal growth, higher entrainment into the wake, and faster wake recovery. Modal energy gain and the entrainment rate both increase with streamwise distance from the rotor until the intermediate wake. This suggests that the wake meandering dynamics, which share close ties with the relatively well-characterized meandering dynamics in jet and bluff-body flows, are an essential component of the success of wind turbine wake control methods. A spatial linear stability analysis is also performed on the wake flows and yields insights on the modal evolution. In the context of the normal-mode representation of wake instabilities, these findings represent the first literature examining the characteristics of the wake meandering stemming from intentional Strouhal-timed wake actuation, and they help guide the ongoing work to understand the fluid-dynamic origins of the success of the pulse, helix, and related methods.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1996

A Computational and Experimental Study of Nonlinear Aspects of Induced Drag

Despite the 80-year history of classical wing theory, considerable research has recently been directed toward planform and wake effects on induced drag. Nonlinear interactions between the trailing wake and the wing offer the possibility of reducing drag. The nonlinear effect of compressibility on induced drag characteristics may also influence wing design. This thesis deals with the prediction of these nonlinear aspects of induced drag and ways to exploit them. A potential benefit of only a few percent of the drag represents a large fuel savings for the world's commercial transport fleet. Computational methods must be applied carefully to obtain accurate induced drag predictions. Trefftz-plane drag integration is far more reliable than surface pressure integration, but is very sensitive to the accuracy of the force-free wake model. The practical use of Trefftz plane drag integration was extended to transonic flow with the Tranair full-potential code. The induced drag characteristics of a typical transport wing were studied with Tranair, a full-potential method, and A502, a high-order linear panel method to investigate changes in lift distribution and span efficiency due to compressibility. Modeling the force-free wake is a nonlinear problem, even when the flow governing equation is linear. A novel method was developed for computing the force-free wake shape. This hybrid wake-relaxation scheme couples the well-behaved nature of the discrete vortex wake with viscous-core modeling and the high-accuracy velocity prediction of the high-order panel method. The hybrid scheme produced converged wake shapes that allowed accurate Trefftz-plane integration. An unusual split-tip wing concept was studied for exploiting nonlinear wake interaction to reduced induced drag. This design exhibits significant nonlinear interactions between the wing and wake that produced a 12% reduction in induced drag compared to an equivalent elliptical wing at a lift coefficient of 0.7. The performance of the split-tip wing was also investigated by wing tunnel experiments. Induced drag was determined from force measurements by subtracting the estimated viscous drag, and from an analytical drag-decomposition method using a wake survey. The experimental results confirm the computational prediction.

Smith, Stephen C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Freestream turbulence effects on the development of a rotor wake

The effect of freestream turbulence on the development of a three-dimensional wake of a compressor rotor blade was studied experimentally. The turbulence level at the inlet of a rotor was varied systematically using grids upstream of the rotor. The rotor wake was measured with inlet turbulence intensities of 0.5, 3, and 5%. The experimental results indicate that the maxium change in the mean velocity defect is 4% over the range of inlet turbulence levels employed, while the turbulence structure in the wake is altered more substantially. The freestream turbulence effect was also analyzed, numerically, using the modified Reynolds stress closure model. The comparison between numerical prediction and experimental data shows that the freestream turbulence effect can be represented successfully with the turbulence closure model employed in this paper.

Hah, C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Wake shape and its effects on aerodynamic characteristics

The wake shape under symmetrical flight conditions and its effects on aerodynamic characteristics are examined. In addition, the effect of wake shape in sideslip and discrete vortices such as strake or forebody vortex on lateral characteristics is presented. The present numerical method for airplane configurations, which is based on discretization of the vortex sheet into vortex segments, verified the symmetrical and asymmetrical roll-up process of the trailing vortices. Also, the effect of wing wake on tail planes is calculated. It is concluded that at high lift the assumption of flat wake for longitudinal and lateral-directional characteristics should be reexamined.

Emdad, H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Concepts for a theoretical and experimental study of lifting rotor random loads and vibrations. Phase 6-B: Experiments with progressing/regressing forced rotor flapping modes

A two bladed 16-inch hingeless rotor model was built and tested outside and inside a 24 by 24 inch wind tunnel test section at collective pitch settings up to 5 deg and rotor advance ratios up to .4. The rotor model has a simple eccentric mechanism to provide progressing or regressing cyclic pitch excitation. The flapping responses were compared to analytically determined responses which included flap-bending elasticity but excluded rotor wake effects. Substantial systematic deviations of the measured responses from the computed responses were found, which were interpreted as the effects of interaction of the blades with a rotating asymmetrical wake.

Hohenemser, K. H.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Large eddy simulations of offshore wind turbine wakes for two floating platform types

The growing prospect for large farms of floating offshore wind turbines requires a better understanding of wake effects for floating turbines. In this work, large eddy simulations with an actuator line model are used to study the wake of the NREL 5 MW reference turbine mounted on the OC3-UMaine spar and OC4-DeepCwind semi-submersible platforms. The simulations are carried out in the Simulator fOr Wind Farm Applications (SOWFA) coupled with OpenFAST for the platform and turbine motion. The wake location, deficit, and turbulence levels are compared for the two floating platforms and equivalent fixed-turbine cases. The effects of neutral versus stable atmospheric conditions are also compared. Most notably, floating-turbine wakes are deflected upwards compared to fixed-turbine wakes, because of mean platform pitch. The spar wake deflects upwards more than the semi-submersible, while the stable atmosphere increases this vertical deflection compared to the neutral. The time-varying rotor motions do not significantly affect the mid-to-far wake, though the stable atmosphere shows larger fixed-floating differences in horizontal wake fluctuations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Progress in the validation of rotor aerodynamic codes using field data

Within the framework of the fourth phase of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 29, a large comparison exercise between measurements and aeroelastic simulations has been carried out featuring three simulation cases in axial, sheared and yawed inflow conditions. Results were obtained from more than 19 simulation tools originating from 12 institutes, ranging in fidelity from blade element momentum (BEM) to computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) and compared to state-of-the-art field measurements from the 2 MW DanAero turbine. More than 15 different variable types ranging from lifting-line variables to blade surface pressures, loads and velocities have been compared for the different conditions, resulting in over 250 comparison plots. The result is a unique insight into the current status and accuracy of rotor aerodynamic modeling. For axial flow conditions, a good agreement was found between the various code types, where a dedicated grid sensitivity study was necessary for the CFD simulations. However, compared to wind tunnel experiments on rotors featuring controlled conditions, it remains a challenge to achieve good agreement of absolute levels between simulations and measurements in the field. For sheared inflow conditions, uncertainties due to rotational and unsteady effects on airfoil data result in the CFD predictions standing out above the codes that need input of sectional airfoil data. However, it was demonstrated that using CFD-synthesized airfoil data is an effective means to bypass this shortcoming. For yawed flow conditions, it was observed that modeling of the skewed wake effect is still problematic for BEM codes where CFD and free vortex wake codes inherently model the underlying physics correctly. The next step is a comparison in turbulent inflow conditions, which is featured in IEA Wind Task 47. Doing this analysis in cooperation under the auspices of the IEA Wind Technology Collaboration Program (TCP) has led to many mutual benefits for the participants. The large size of the consortium brought ample manpower for the analysis where the learning process by combining several complementary experiences and modeling techniques gave valuable insights that could not be found when the analysis is carried out individually.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1974

Lifting surface theory of axial compressor blade rows. I - Subsonic compressor. II - Transonic compressor

A linearized three-dimensional lifting surface theory is considered, taking into account relations to axisymmetric 'through-flow' or actuator disk theories, general results for flow within the blade row, relations to two-dimensional cascade theory, and finite blade and wake effects. Numerical results are presented, giving attention to the problem of wakeless flow and of wake flow. Expressions for wake functions are given in an appendix. The lifting line velocity potential employed by Namba (1972) is used as a starting point in the discussion of the lifting surface theory. A study of subsonic conditions is supplemented by an investigation of a transonic compresso, taking into account the general three-dimensional solution, induced velocities, and the acoustic pressure field.

Okurounmu, O.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Solar Array Sails: Possible Space Plasma Environmental Effects

An examination of the interactions between proposed "solar sail" propulsion systems with photovoltaic energy generation capabilities and the space plasma environments. Major areas of interactions ere: Acting from high voltage arrays, ram and wake effects, V and B current loops and EMI. Preliminary analysis indicates that arcing will be a major risk factor for voltages greater than 300V. Electron temperature enhancement in the wake will be produce noise that can be transmitted via the wake echo process. In addition, V and B induced potential will generate sheath voltages with potential tether like breakage effects in the thin film sails. Advocacy of further attention to these processes is emphasized so that plasma environmental mitigation will be instituted in photovoltaic sail design.

Mackey, Willie R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observations of wind farm wake recovery at an operating wind farm

Abstract. The interplay of momentum surrounding wind farms significantly influences wake recovery, affecting the speed at which wakes return to their freestream velocities. Under stable atmospheric conditions, wind farm wakes can extend over considerable distances, leading to sustained vertical momentum flux downstream, with variations observed throughout the diurnal cycle. Particularly in regions such as the US Great Plains, stable conditions can induce low-level jets (LLJs), impacting wind farm performance and power output. This study examines the implications of wake recovery using long-term observations of vertical momentum flux profiles across diverse atmospheric conditions. In these observations, several key findings were observed, such as (a) LLJ heights being altered downstream of a wind farm, especially when the LLJs are below 250 m above ground level; (b) a notable impact of LLJ height on wake recovery being observed using momentum flux profiles at upwind and downwind locations, wherein LLJs between 250 and 500 m above ground level resulted in larger momentum transfer within the wake (i.e., smaller velocity deficit) compared to LLJs below 250 m above ground level; (c) the largest momentum flux variability being observed during stable atmospheric conditions, with non-negligible variability observed during neutral and unstable atmospheric conditions; (d) detection of wake effects almost always being observed throughout the atmospheric boundary layer height; and finally (e) enhancement of wake recovery being observed in the presence of propagating gravity waves. These insights deepen our understanding of the intricate dynamics governing wake recovery in wind farms, advancing efforts to model and predict their behavior across varying atmospheric contexts. In addition, the performance of large-eddy-simulation-based semi-empirical internal boundary layer height model estimates incorporating real-world atmospheric and turbine inputs was evaluated using observations during LLJ conditions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1985

Direct measurements of severe spacecraft charging in auroral ionosphere

Questions are addressed concerning how large space structures in polar orbit will interact with auroral environments. Because spacecraft charging at ionospheric attitudes does not seriously threaten the operation of today's relatively small polar satellites the subject of environment interactions has not received the widespread attention given to it at geostationary altitude. As a matter of economics it is desirable to apply as much as possible of what was learned about spacecraft interactions at geostationary orbit to low Earth orbits. The environment at auroral latitudes in the ionosphere differs from that encountered at geostationary altitude in at least two major aspects. (1) There is a large reservoir of high-density, cold plasma which tends to mitigate charging effects by providing a large source of charged particles from which neutralizing currents maybe drawn. Significant wake effects behind large structures will introduce new problems with differential charging. (2) Between the magnetic equator and the ionosphere, auroral electrons frequently undergo field-aligned accelerations of several kilovolts. In such environments, fluxes of energetic protons are usually below the levels of instrumentation sensitivity.

Burke, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A full potential rotor analysis with wake influence using an inner-outer domain technique

A three-dimensional, quasi-steady, full potential flow solver was adapted to include realistic rotor wake influence for the aerodynamic analysis of helicopter rotors. The method uses an inner/outer domain technique to accommodate wake effects. Nonlinear flow is computed in the inner domain using a finite difference solution method. The wake is modeled using prescribed wake techniques to allow for the inclusion of realistic wake geometries. Portions of the wake passing inside the inner domain are treated using an embedded vortex technique. The procedure couples the wake influence with the inner domain solution in a consistent and efficient solution process. Correlation with measured lifting transonic data in hover and forward flight is shown which demonstrates the merits of the approach.

Egolf, T. A.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Observation of the Jet Diffusion Wake Using Dijets in Heavy-Ion Collisions

Energetic quarks and gluons traversing a hot and dense quark-gluon plasma deposit energy and momentum into the medium before hadronizing to collimated sprays of particles, known as jets. This energy-momentum deposition is expected to produce medium responses, collectively known as jet wakes, with “diffusion wake” denoting a depletion of particles in the direction opposite to the propagating jet. The diffusion wake is studied by comparing dijet-hadron correlations measured in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions. The analysis uses PbPb and pp data recorded at a nucleon-nucleon (NN) center-of-mass energy s NN = 5.02 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. By exploring how the dijet-hadron correlation distributions differ for various pseudorapidity separations of the two jets in the dijet, the presence of a jet diffusion wake is firmly established. The diffusion wake signal has a significance greater than 5 standard deviations for charged particles in the transverse momentum range 1 < p T < 2 GeV . The measurements are compared with model predictions with and without jet wake effects, providing new insights into quark-gluon plasma properties and the formation of jet-induced wakes.

Hayrapetyan, Aram [Yerevan Phys. Inst.]↗
NASA NTRS1987

A full potential flow analysis with realistic wake influence for helicopter rotor airload prediction

A 3-D, quasi-steady, full potential flow solver was adapted to include realistic wake influence for the aerodynamic analysis of helicopter rotors. The method is based on a finite difference solution of the full potential equation, using an inner and outer domain procedure for the blade flowfield to accommodate wake effects. The nonlinear flow is computed in the inner domain region using a finite difference solution method. The wake is modeled by a vortex lattice using prescribed geometry techniques to allow for the inclusion of realistic rotor wakes. The key feature of the analysis is that vortices contained within the finite difference mesh (inner domain) were treated with a vortex embedding technique while the influence of the remaining portion of the wake (in the outer domain) is impressed as a boundary condition on the outer surface of the finite difference mesh. The solution procedure couples the wake influence with the inner domain solution in a consistent and efficient solution process. The method has been applied to both hover and forward flight conditions. Correlation with subsonic and transonic hover airload data is shown which demonstrates the merits of the approach.

Egolf, T. Alan↗
NASA NTRS1977

Wind-tunnel measurements in the wakes of structures

Detailed measurements of longitudinal mean velocity, turbulence intensity, space correlations, and spectra made in the wake of two rectangular scaled models in simulated atmospheric boundary-layer winds are presented. The model buildings were 1:50 scale models of two trailers. Results of a flow visualization study of the wake geometry are analyzed with some singular point theorems. Two hypothetical flow patterns of the detailed wake geometry are proposed. Some preliminary studies of the vortex wake, effects of the model size, model aspect ratios, and boundary layer characteristics on the decay rate and extent of the wake are also presented and discussed.

Woo, H. G. C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Sensitivity of lag-damping correlations to structural and aerodynamic approximations of isolated experimental rotors in forward flight

The predictions of regressive lag-mode damping levels are correlated with the database of an isolated, soft-inplane, three-blade rotor operated untrimmed. The database was generated at the Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate at Ames. The correlation covers a broad range of data, from near-zero thrust conditions in hover to high-thrust and highly stalled conditions in forward flight with advance ratio as high as 0.55 and shaft angle as high as 20 degrees. In the experimental rotor, the airfoil or blade portion has essentially uniform mass and stiffness distributions, but the root flexure has highly nonuniform mass and stiffness distributions. Accordingly, the structural approximations refer to four models of root-flexure-blade assembly. They range from a rigid flap-lag model to three elastic flap-lag-torsion models, which differ in modeling the root flexure. The three models of root-flexure are: three root springs in which the bending-torsion couplings are fully accounted for; a finite-length beam element with some average mass and stiffness distributions such that the fundamental frequencies match those of the experimental model; and accurate modal representation in which the actual mass and stiffness distributions of the experimental root-flexure-blade assembly are used in calculating the nonrotating mode shapes. The four models of root-flexure-blade assembly are referred to as the rigid flap-lag model, spring model, modified model and modal model. For each of these four models of the root-flexure-blade assembly, the predictions are based on the following five aerodynamic theories: ear theory, which accounts for large angle-of-attack and reverse-flow effects on lift, and has constant drag and pitching moment; quasisteady stall theory, which includes quasisteady stall lift, drag and pitching moment characteristics of the airfoil section, dynamics stall theory, which uses the ONERA dynamic stall models of lift, drag and pitching moment; dynamic wake theory, which is based on a finite-state three-dimensional wake model and includes all wake effects including both shed and trailing vorticity; and dynamics and wake theory, which combines both dynamic stall theory and dynamic wake theory and is a relatively complete aerodynamic representation.

Gaonkar, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Thermal environment around the Space Shuttle with hot-gas jets for ice suppression

To prevent prelaunch ice formation on the external tank of the Space Shuttle, the final selected approach is to heat the surrounding air with vertical hot-gas jets located at the launch pad. This approach was considerably more cost-effective than other ice suppression methods considered, although its feasibility was not easily discernible due to the complex flowfield interactions. This paper describes how the use of vertical jets was first evaluated with the aid of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. An existing general-purpose CFD program (PHOENICS) was used to predict the thermal environment around the Shuttle under various jet configurations and wind conditions. The program accounts for effects of buoyancy, turbulence, and structural obstructions in the flowfield. The computed results showed physically plausible and consistent trends. The wind wake effects were found to be significant, and normally resulted in higher temperatures on the leeward side of the tank. High wind conditions were found to be more severe than calm wind conditions. The use of four jets with two different temperatures was identified as a promising option in which the air temperatures were raised sufficiently to prevent ice formation on the external tank, without excessive increase in Orbiter surface temperature. The use of the numerical model also facilitated the selection of test configurations and a test matrix for verifying the approach. Selected results of an experimental verification (by using a 2 percent scale model in a wind tunnel) are also presented.

Singhal, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Unsteady Analysis of Blade and Tip Heat Transfer as Influenced by the Upstream Momentum and Thermal Wakes

The effect of the upstream wake on the blade heat transfer has been numerically examined. The geometry and the flow conditions of the first stage turbine blade of GE s E3 engine with a tip clearance equal to 2 percent of the span was utilized. Based on numerical calculations of the vane, a set of wake boundary conditions were approximated, which were subsequently imposed upon the downstream blade. This set consisted of the momentum and thermal wakes as well as the variation in modeled turbulence quantities of turbulence intensity and the length scale. Using a one-blade periodic domain, the distributions of unsteady heat transfer rate on the turbine blade and its tip, as affected by the wake, were determined. Such heat transfer coefficient distribution was computed using the wall heat flux and the adiabatic wall temperature to desensitize the heat transfer coefficient to the wall temperature. For the determination of the wall heat flux and the adiabatic wall temperatures, two sets of computations were required. The results were used in a phase-locked manner to compute the unsteady or steady heat transfer coefficients. It has been found that the unsteady wake has some effect on the distribution of the time averaged heat transfer coefficient on the blade and that this distribution is different from the distribution that is obtainable from a steady computation. This difference was found to be as large as 20 percent of the average heat transfer on the blade surface. On the tip surface, this difference is comparatively smaller and can be as large as four percent of the average.

Ameri, Ali A.↗