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At least 109 records · Page 6

Fluid flow analysis of a hot-core hypersonic wind-tunnel nozzle concept

A hypersonic-wind-tunnel nozzle concept which incorporates a hot-core flow surrounded by an annular flow of cold air offers a promising technique for maximizing the model size while minimizing the power required to heat the test core. This capability becomes especially important when providing the true-temperature duplication needed for hypersonic propulsion testing. Several two-dimensional wind-tunnel nozzle configurations that are designed according to this concept are analyzed by using recently developed analytical techniques for prediction of the boundary-layer growth and the mixing between the hot and cold coaxial supersonic airflows. The analyses indicate that introduction of the cold annular flow near the throat results in an unacceptable test core for the nozzle size and stagnation conditions considered because of both mixing and condensation effects. Use of a half-nozzle with a ramp on the flat portion does not appear promising because of the thick boundary layer associated with the extra length. However, the analyses indicate that if the cold annular flow is introduced at the exit of a full two-dimensional nozzle, an acceptable test core will be produced. Predictions of the mixing between the hot and cold supersonic streams for this configuration show that mixing effects from the cold flow do not appreciably penetrate into the hot core for the large downstream distances of interest.

Anders, J. B.↗

Fluid dynamic analysis of the space shuttle main engine high pressure oxidizer turbopump slinger seal

The details of the flow on the bladed side of a centrifugal type dynamic shaft seal utilized to contain liquid oxygen in the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure oxidizer turbopump were clarified. The governing equations are solved to predict the pressure and temperature gradients and to aid in investigating the nature of the liquid-vapor interface. Recommendations for design improvements are discussed.

Voss, J. S.↗

SPAR improved structural-fluid dynamic analysis capability

The results of a study whose objective was to improve the operation of the SPAR computer code by improving efficiency, user features, and documentation is presented. Additional capability was added to the SPAR arithmetic utility system, including trigonometric functions, numerical integration, interpolation, and matrix combinations. Improvements were made in the EIG processor. A processor was created to compute and store principal stresses in table-format data sets. An additional capability was developed and incorporated into the plot processor which permits plotting directly from table-format data sets. Documentation of all these features is provided in the form of updates to the SPAR users manual.

Pearson, M. L.↗

Finite element analysis in fluids; Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Finite Element Methods in Flow Problems, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Apr. 3-7, 1989

Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics are examined in reviews and reports, with an emphasis on finite-element methods. Sections are devoted to adaptive meshes, atmospheric dynamics, combustion, compressible flows, control-volume finite elements, crystal growth, domain decomposition, EM-field problems, FDM/FEM, and fluid-structure interactions. Consideration is given to free-boundary problems with heat transfer, free surface flow, geophysical flow problems, heat and mass transfer, high-speed flow, incompressible flow, inverse design methods, MHD problems, the mathematics of finite elements, and mesh generation. Also discussed are mixed finite elements, multigrid methods, non-Newtonian fluids, numerical dissipation, parallel vector processing, reservoir simulation, seepage, shallow-water problems, spectral methods, supercomputer architectures, three-dimensional problems, and turbulent flows.

Chung, T. J.↗

Automated analysis for fluid flow topology

A new approach for visualizing vector data sets was developed by reducing the original vector field to a set of critical points and their connections, and was applied to fluid flow data sets. The critical point representation allows for considerable reduction in the data complexity. The representations are displayed as surfaces which are much simpler than the original data set, yet retain all the pertinent flow topology information. It is suggested that topological representations may be useful for database comparison.

Helman, James↗

Computational fluid dynamic analysis of liquid rocket combustion instability

The paper presents a computational analysis of liquid rocket combustion instability. Consideration is given to both a fully nonlinear unsteady calculation as well as a new CFD-based linearized stability analysis. An analytical solution for the linear stability problem in a constant area combustion chamber with uniform mean flow is developed to verify the numerical analyses.

Venkateswaran, Sankaran↗

Visual analysis of fluid dynamics at NASA's numerical aerodynamic simulation facility

A study aimed at describing and illustrating visualization tools used in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and indicating how these tools are likely to change by showing a projected resolution of the human computer interface is presented. The following are outlined using a graphically based test format: the revolution of human computer environments for CFD research; comparison of current environments; current environments with the ideal; predictions for the future CFD environments; what can be done to accelerate the improvements. The following comments are given: when acquiring visualization tools, potential rapid changes must be considered; environmental changes over the next ten years due to human computer interface cannot be fathomed; data flow packages such as AVS, apE, Explorer and Data Explorer are easy to learn and use for small problems, excellent for prototyping, but not so efficient for large problems; the approximation techniques used in visualization software must be appropriate for the data; it has become more cost effective to move jobs that fit on workstations and run only memory intensive jobs on the supercomputer; use of three dimensional skills will be maximized when the three dimensional environment is built in from the start.

Watson, Velvin R.↗

A globally convergent matrix-free algorithm for implicit time-marching schemes arising in finite element analysis in fluids

A solution procedure for solving nonlinear time-marching problems is presented. The nonsymmetric systems of equations arising from a Newton-type linearization of these time-marching problems are solved using an iterative strategy based on the generalized minimal residual (GMRES) algorithm. Matrix-free techniques leading to reduction in storage are presented. Incorporation of a linesearch algorithm in the Newton-GMRES scheme is discussed. An automatic time-increment control strategy is developed to increase the stability of the time-marching process. High-speed flow computations demonstrate the effectiveness of these algorithms.

Johan, Zdenek↗

SCISEAL: A CFD code for analysis of fluid dynamic forces in seals

A viewgraph presentation is made of the objectives, capabilities, and test results of the computer code SCISEAL. Currently, the seal code has: a finite volume, pressure-based integration scheme; colocated variables with strong conservation approach; high-order spatial differencing, up to third-order; up to second-order temporal differencing; a comprehensive set of boundary conditions; a variety of turbulence models and surface roughness treatment; moving grid formulation for arbitrary rotor whirl; rotor dynamic coefficients calculated by the circular whirl and numerical shaker methods; and small perturbation capabilities to handle centered and eccentric seals.

Athavale, Mahesh↗

SCISEAL: A CFD Code for Analysis of Fluid Dynamic Forces in Seals

A 3D CFD code, SCISEAL, has been developed and validated. Its capabilities include cylindrical seals, and it is employed on labyrinth seals, rim seals, and disc cavities. State-of-the-art numerical methods include colocated grids, high-order differencing, and turbulence models which account for wall roughness. SCISEAL computes efficient solutions for complicated flow geometries and seal-specific capabilities (rotor loads, torques, etc.).

Althavale, Mahesh M.↗

SRM Internal Flow Tests and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis: RSRM Full Scale Motor Analyses - Volume 2

The purpose of the RSRM Nozzle Slag Ejection Precursor Test is to investigate the effect that slag ejection from the RSRM nozzle has on the chamber pressure and trust of the SRB's. In past firings of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) both static test and flight motors have shown small pressure perturbations occurring primarily between 65 and 80 seconds. A joint NASA/Thiokol team investigation concluded that the cause of the pressure perturbations was the periodic ingestion and ejection of molten aluminum oxide slag from the cavity around the submerged nozzle nose which tends to trap and collect individual aluminum oxide droplets from the approach flow. The conclusions of the team were supported by numerous data and observations from special tests including high speed photographic films, real time radiography, plume calorimeters, accelerometers, strain gauges, nozzle TVC system force gauges, and motor pressure and thrust data. A simplistic slag ballistics model was formulated to relate a given pressure perturbation to a required slag quantity. Also, a cold flow model using air and water was developed to provide data on the relationship between the slag flow rate and the chamber pressure increase. Both the motor and the cold flow model exhibited low frequency oscillations in conjunction with periods of slag ejection. Motor and model frequencies were related to scaling parameters. The data indicate that there is a periodicity to the slag entrainment and ejection phenomena which is possibly related to organized oscillations from instabilities in the dividing streamline shear layer which impinges on the underneath surface of the nozzle.

Source record↗

SRM Internal Flow Tests and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis: Cold Flow Analyses and CFD Analysis Capability Development - Volume 4

An evaluation of the effect of model inlet air temperature drift during a test run was performed to aid in the decision on the need for and/or the schedule for including heaters in the SRMAFTE. The Sverdrup acceptance test data was used to determine the drift in air temperature during runs over the entire range of delivered flow rates and pressures. The effect of this temperature drift on the model Reynolds number was also calculated. It was concluded from this study that a 2% change in absolute temperature during a test run could be adequately accounted for by the data analysis program. A handout package of these results was prepared and presented to ED35 management.

Source record↗

SRM Internal Flow Tests and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis: CFD RSRM Full-Scale Analyses - Volume 2

This document presents the full-scale analyses of the CFD RSRM. The RSRM model was developed with a 20 second burn time. The following are presented as part of the full-scale analyses: (1) RSRM embedded inclusion analysis; (2) RSRM igniter nozzle design analysis; (3) Nozzle Joint 4 erosion anomaly; (4) RSRM full motor port slag accumulation analysis; (5) RSRM motor analysis of two-phase flow in the aft segment/submerged nozzle region; (6) Completion of 3-D Analysis of the hot air nozzle manifold; (7) Bates Motor distributed combustion test case; and (8) Three Dimensional Polysulfide Bump Analysis.

Source record↗

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis for the Orbiter LH2 Feedline Flowliner

In phase II, additional inducer rotations are simulated in order to understand the root cause of the flowliner crack problem. CFD results confirmed that there is a strong unsteady interaction between the backflow regions caused by the LPFTP inducer and secondary flow regions in the bellows cavity through the flowliner slots. It is observed that the swirl on the duct side of the downstream flowliner is stronger than on the duct side of the upstream flowliner. Due to this swirl, there are more significant unsteady flow interactions through the downstream slots than those observed in the upstream slots. Averaged values of the local velocity at the slots were provided to the NESC-ITA flow physics acoustics team to guide them in designing the acoustics experiment. A parametric study was performed to compare the flow field in the flowliner area when one upstream slot and one corresponding downstream slot were enlarged. No significant differences were observed between the flow field obtained from the enlarged slot configuration when compared with the original configuration. More cases must be analyzed with various enlarged slot configurations to generalize this observation. The flow through the A1 test stand and the flow through the orbiter fuel feedline manifold were simulated without the LPFTP. It was observed that incoming flow to the flowliner and inducer was more uniform in the A1 test stand then in the orbiter manifold. Additionally, each engine LPFTP in the orbiter receives significantly different velocity distributions. Because of the differences observed in the computed results, it is not possible for the A1 test stand to represent the three different engine feedlines simultaneously.

Kiris, Cetin C.↗

Analysis of Fluid Gauge Sensor for Zero or Microgravity Conditions using Finite Element Method

In this paper the Finite Element Method (FEM) is presented for mass/volume gauging of a fluid in a tank subjected to zero or microgravity conditions. In this approach first mutual capacitances between electrodes embedded inside the tank are measured. Assuming the medium properties the mutual capacitances are also estimated using FEM approach. Using proper non-linear optimization the assumed properties are updated by minimizing the mean square error between estimated and measured capacitances values. Numerical results are presented to validate the present approach.

Deshpande, Manohar D.↗

Analysis of Fluid Flow over a Surface

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for modeling heat radiated by a structure. The flow of a fluid over a surface of a model of the structure is simulated. The surface has a plurality of surface elements. Heat radiated by the plurality of surface elements in response to the fluid flowing over the surface of the model of the structure is identified. An effect of heat radiated by at least a portion of the plurality of surface elements on each other is identified. A model of the heat radiated by the structure is created using the heat radiated by the plurality of surface elements and the effect of the heat radiated by at least a portion of the plurality of surface elements on each other.

McCloud, Peter L.↗

Fluid Transient Analysis during Priming of Evacuated Line

Water hammer analysis in pipe lines, in particularly during priming into evacuated lines is important for the design of spacecraft and other in-space application. In the current study, a finite volume network flow analysis code is used for modeling three different geometrical configurations: the first two being straight pipe, one with atmospheric air and other with evacuated line, and the third case is a representation of a complex flow network system. The numerical results show very good agreement qualitatively and quantitatively with measured data available in the literature. The peak pressure and impact time in case of straight pipe priming in evacuated line shows excellent agreement.

Bandyopadhyay, Alak↗