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RotCFD is a software intended to ease the design of NextGen rotorcraft. Since RotCFD is a new software still in the development process, the results need to be validated to determine the software's accuracy. The purpose of the present document is to explain one of the approaches to accomplish that goal.
Heating-rate calculations from an 'engineering' code and a 'benchmark' Navier-Stokes code are compared with experimental wind tunnel data obtained on a 'modified' 0.0075-scale Shuttle orbiter at a Mach number of 6 and a freestream Reynolds number of 1.9 x 10 to the 6th/m. Comparisons are presented along the windward symmetry plane, in a circumferential direction around the body, and along the wing leading edge at angles of attack of 30 and 40 deg. Both codes provide accurate predictions of the heating rate over most of the body, but because the run time for the engineering code is relatively short, it is an ideal tool for both parametric and design studies.
This paper provides an overview of a versatile software package developed for time- and frequency-domain analyses of experimental wind-tunnel data. This package, originally developed for analyzing data in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT), is applicable for analyzing any time-domain data. A Matlab-based software package, TDT-analyzer, provides a compendium of commonly-required dynamic analysis functions in a user-friendly interactive and batch processing environment. TDT-analyzer has been used extensively to provide on-line near real-time and post-test examination and reduction of measured data acquired during wind tunnel tests of aeroelastically-scaled models of aircraft and rotorcraft as well as a flight test of the NASA High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) F-18. The package provides near real-time results in an informative and timely manner far exceeding prior methods of data reduction at the TDT.
Improving aircraft simulations for pilot training in loss-of-control and stalled conditions is one goal of NASA research in the System Wide Safety Program. One part of this effort is to develop appropriate generic aerodynamic models that provide representative responses in simulation for a given class of aircraft. In this part of the flight envelope nonlinear unsteady responses are often present and may require an extended aerodynamic model compared to that used in the conventional flight envelope. In this preliminary study, two objectives are addressed. First, to obtain a representative model for a NASA generic aircraft at an unsteady condition in the flight envelope and second, to evaluate the techniques involved. To meet these objectives, two different generic aircraft configurations are modeled using both experimental and analytical data. With these results, an initial assessment of the efficiency and quality of the tools and test techniques are evaluated to develop guidance for analytical and experimental approaches to unsteady modeling.
This viewgraph presentation reviews topics on test methods for space systems and operations safety through experimentation and analysis. The contents include: 1) Perception of reality through experimentation and analysis; 2) Measurements, methods, and correlations with real life; and 3) Correlating laboratory aerospace materials flammability data with data in spacecraft environments.
An experimental and numerical study has been performed of the flow physics occurring in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel No.9 Mach 14 Nozzle. Mach 8, 10, 14, and 18 test section conditions are obtained utilizing various axisymmetric contoured wind tunnel nozzles. Numerical and experimental results are presented for the Mach 14 configuration.
Exploratory tests were made to determine the reduction of heat transfer resulting from ejection of gases at the stagnation point on a hemisphere-cone at a nominal Mach number of about 9 and at stagnation enthalpies up to 1600 BTU per pound. Helium, nitrogen, and argon gases were used as coolants. The ratio of mass flow of coolant to the mass flow of air swept out by the model projected area was less than 0.20 in all cases. The experimental heat-transfer data were normalized by the calculated stagnation-point values based on test conditions in the tunnel and are presented as a function of the surface distance from the stagnation point. The variation of shock standoff distances with mass flow and volumetric flow of the gaseous ejectants is presented along with photographs of the luminous flow field of the model during tests.
Boundary layer heat transfer with very high freestream turbulence is investigated. The problem is studied experimentally by placing a constant-temperature heat transfer surface at various locations in the margin of a turbulent free jet and measuring both the surface heat transfer rate and the turbulence in the freestream. Freestream turbulent fluctuations 20 to 60 percent relative to the mean velocity augment heat transfer 1.8 to 4 times that which would be predicted locally using accepted correlations for turbulent boundary layers at the same Reynolds number. The correlations of Simonich and Bradshaw (1989), Pedisius et al. (1983), and Blair (1983) each fail to describe the present data. For flows over flat surfaces in air with very high freestream turbulence, greater than 0.2, u-prime determines h. A new heat transfer parameter, St-prime, characterizes turbulent boundary layer heat transfer with freestream turbulence on the domain 0-0.65 to within +/- 15 percent for high Reynolds number flows with uniform thermal boundary conditions.
Representation and identification of a non-linear aeroelastic pitch-plunge system as a model of the NARMAX class is considered. A non-linear difference equation describing this aircraft model is derived theoretically and shown to be of the NARMAX form. Identification methods for NARMAX models are applied to aeroelastic dynamics and its properties demonstrated via continuous-time simulations of experimental conditions. Simulation results show that (i) the outputs of the NARMAX model match closely those generated using continuous-time methods and (ii) NARMAX identification methods applied to aeroelastic dynamics provide accurate discrete-time parameter estimates. Application of NARMAX identification to experimental pitch-plunge dynamics data gives a high percent fit for cross-validated data.
Representation and identification of a nonlinear aeroelastic pitch-plunge system as a model of the Nonlinear AutoRegressive, Moving Average eXogenous (NARMAX) class is considered. A nonlinear difference equation describing this aircraft model is derived theoretically and shown to be of the NARMAX form. Identification methods for NARMAX models are applied to aeroelastic dynamics and its properties demonstrated via continuous-time simulations of experimental conditions. Simulation results show that (1) the outputs of the NARMAX model closely match those generated using continuous-time methods, and (2) NARMAX identification methods applied to aeroelastic dynamics provide accurate discrete-time parameter estimates. Application of NARMAX identification to experimental pitch-plunge dynamics data gives a high percent fit for cross-validated data.
The effects of rotation on impingement cooling have been experimentally studied under simulated gas turbine operating conditions. A large scale model of a blade is spun in vacuum. External heating is simulated by resistve dissipation in the thin wall of the model, which is impingement cooled. The local internal Nu is measured by an IR radiometric technique with high spatial resolution. At low rotational speeds the data agree well with published measurements taken under stationary conditions. At higher speeds, a decrease in the average Nu by up to 20-30 percent is observed. Severe gradients are generated near the hub region. Empirical correlations, which fit the data well and render it more useful for design purposes, are presented. Measurements and correlations suggest that rotational effects are very important and can cause premature blade failure.
Analytical expressions for the effects of compressibility and heat transfer on laminar and turbulent shape factors H have been developed. Solving the turbulent equation for the power law velocity profile exponent N has resulted in a simple technique by which the N values of experimental turbulent profiles can be calculated directly from the integral parameters. Thus the data plotting, curve fitting, and slope measuring, which is the normal technique of obtaining experimental N values, is eliminated. The N values obtained by this method should be within the accuracy with which they could be measured.
The NACA 6A-series airfoil sections were designed to eliminate the trailing-edge cusp which is characteristic of the NACA 6-series sections. Theoretical data are presented for NACA 6A-series basic thickness forms having the position of minimum pressure at 30-, 40-, and 50-percent chord and with thickness ratios varying from 6 percent to 15 percent. Also presented are data for a mean line designed to maintain straight sides on the cambered sections. The experimental results of a two dimensional wind tunnel investigation of the aerodynamic characteristics of five NACA 64A-series airfoil sections and two NACA 63A-series airfoil sections are presented. An analysis of these results, which were obtained at Reynolds numbers of 3 x 10(exp 6), 6 x 10(exp 6), and 9 x 10(exp 6), indicates that the section minimum drag and maximum lift characteristics of comparable NACA 6-series and 6A-series airfoil sections are essentially the same. The quarter-chord pitching-moment coefficients and angles of zero lift of NACA 6A-series airfoil sections are slightly more negative than those of corresponding NACA 6-series airfoil sections. The position of the aerodynamic center and the lift-curve slope of smooth NACA 6-series sections. The addition of standard leading-edge roughness causes the lift-curve slope of the newer sections to decrease with increasing airfoil thickness ratio.
An extensive literature search was conducted and those experiments related to unsteady boundary layer behavior were cataloged. In addition, an international survey of industrial, university, and governmental research laboratories was made in which new and ongoing experimental programs associated with unsteady turbulent boundary layer research were identified. Pertinent references were reviewed and classified based on the technical emphasis of the various experiments. Experiments that include instantaneous or ensemble averaged profiles of boundary layer variables are stressed. The experimental apparatus and flow conditions are described and summaries of acquired data and significant conclusions are summarized. Measurements obtained from the experiments which exist in digital form were stored on magnetic tape. Instructions are given for accessing these data sets for further analysis.
Full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes computational results are compared with new experimental measurements for the flowfield within a round diffusing S-duct. The present study extends previous computational and experimental results for a similar smaller scale S-duct. Predicted results are compared with the experimental static and total pressure fields, and velocity vectors. Additionally, wall pressures, velocity profiles in wall coordinates, and skin friction values are presented. The CFD results employ algebraic and k-epsilon turbulence models. The CFD computed and experimentally determined separated flowfield is carefully examined.
Full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes computational results are compared with new experimental measurements for the flowfield within a round diffusing S-duct. The present study extends previous computational and experimental results for a similar smaller scale S-duct. Predicted results are compared with the experimental static and total pressure fields, and velocity vectors. Additionally, wall pressures, velocity profiles in wall coordinates, and skin friction values are presented. The CFD results employ algebraic and k-epsilon turbulence models. The CFD computed and experimentally determined separated flowfield is carefully examined.
In this paper, vibration characteristics of a partially covered, double-sandwich cantilever beam are evaluated experimentally and compared to the theoretical results of Levy and Chen for partially covered beams with and without end mass. The results obtained indicate that the theoretical models serve very well in providing the frequency factors and loss factors for the system being investigated.
A device for discrete control of the circuit transfer function in automatic analog data processing systems is reported that coordinates the dynamic range of the vibration level change with the signal range of the processing device output. Experimental verification of the device demonstrates that its maximum control speed does not exceed 0.5 sec for a frequency nonuniformity of about 10%.