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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 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

A comparative study of Full Navier-Stokes and Reduced Navier-Stokes analyses for separating flows within a diffusing inlet S-duct

A three-dimensional implicit Full Navier-Stokes (FNS) analysis and a 3D Reduced Navier Stokes (RNS) initial value space marching solution technique has been applied to a class of separated flow problems within a diffusing S-duct configuration characterized by vortex-liftoff. Both the FNS and the RNS solution technique were able to capture the overall flow physics of vortex lift-off, and gave remarkably similar results which agreed reasonably well with the experimental measured averaged performance parameters of engine face total pressure recovery and distortion. However, the Full Navier-Stokes and Reduced Navier-Stokes also consistently predicted separation further downstream in the M2129 inlet S-duct than was indicated by experimental data, thus compensating errors were present in the two Navier-Stokes analyses. The difficulties encountered in the Navier-Stokes separations analyses of the M2129 inlet S-duct center primarily on turbulence model issues, and these focused on two distinct but different phenomena, namely, (1) characterization of low skin friction adverse pressure gradient flows, and (2) description of the near wall behavior of flows characterized by vortex lift-off.

Anderson, B. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A study of flow past an airfoil with a jet issuing from its lower surface

The aerodynamics of a NACA 0018 airfoil with a rectangular jet of finite aspect ratio exiting from its lower surface at 90 deg to the chord were investigated. The jet was located at 50% of the wing chord. Measurements include static pressures on the airfoil surface, total pressures in the near wake, and local velocity vectors in different planes of the wake. The effects of jet cross flow interaction on the aerodynamics of the airfoil are studied. It is indicated that at all values of momentum coefficients, the jet cross flow interaction produces a strong contra-rotating vortex structure in the near wake. The flow behind the jet forms a closed recirculation region which extends up to a chord length down stream of the trailing edge which results in the flow field to become highly three dimensional. The various aerodynamic force coefficients vary significantly along the span of the wing. The results are compared with a jet flap configuration.

Krothapalli, A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Interaction of an oscillating vortex with a turbulent boundary layer

The effects on mean flow and turbulence caused by meander of a vortex embedded in a two-dimensional boundary layer were investigated experimentally by driving a forced lateral oscillation of the vortex generator. Upstream, the vorticity contours without forcing were found to be round. The forced vortex generator oscillation caused a flattening of the time-averaged vorticity contours and changes in some of the Reynolds stresses. The results indicate that the unforced vortex did not meander significantly upstream, and that the effects of meander can be understood qualitatively from production of Reynolds stresses by the forced motion acting with the exiting three-dimensional velocity field. Farther downstream, the observed differences in the mean vorticity and Reynolds stresses caused by forcing were smaller, mainly because the vortex was substantially diffused at this station, resulting in smaller mean velocity gradients.

Westphal, Russell V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Computations of three-dimensional steady and unsteady viscous incompressible flows

The INS3D family of computational fluid dynamics computer codes is presented. These codes are used to as tools in developing and assessing algorithms for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations for steady-state and unsteady flow problems. This work involves applying the codes to real-world problems involving complex three-dimensional geometries. The algorithms utilized include the method of pseudocompressibility including both central and upwind differencing, several types of artificial dissipation schemes, approximate factorization, and an implicit line-relaxation scheme. These codes have been validated using a wide range of problems including flow over a backward-facing step, driven cavity flow, flow through various types of ducts, and steady and unsteady flow over a circular cylinder. Many diverse flow applications have been solved using these codes including parts of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, problems in naval hydrodynamics, low-speed aerodynamics, and biomedical fluid flows. The presentation details several of these, including the flow through a Space Shuttle Main Engine inducer, vortex shedding behind a circular cylinder, and flow through an artificial heart.

Kwak, Dochan↗
NASA NTRS1974

A viscous/potential flow interaction analysis method for multi-element infinite swept wings, volume 1

An analysis method and computer program have been developed for the calculation of the viscosity dependent aerodynamic characteristics of multi-element infinite swept wings in incompressible flow. The wing configuration consisting at the most of a slat, a main element and double slotted flap is represented in the method by a large number of panels. The inviscid pressure distribution about a given configuration in the normal chord direction is determined using a two dimensional potential flow program employing a vortex lattice technique. The boundary layer development over each individual element of the high lift configuration is determined using either integral or finite difference boundary layer techniques. A source distribution is then determined as a function of the calculated boundary layer displacement thickness and pressure distributions. This source distribution is included in the second calculation of the potential flow about the configuration. Once the solution has converged (usually after 2-5 iterations between the potential flow and boundary layer calculations) lift, drag, and pitching moments can be determined as functions of Reynolds number.

Dvorak, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Study of compressible flow through a rectangular-to-semiannular transition duct

Detailed flow field measurements are presented for compressible flow through a diffusing rectangular-to-semiannular transition duct. Comparisons are made with published computational results for flow through the duct. Three-dimensional velocity vectors and total pressures were measured at the exit plane of the diffuser model. The inlet flow was also measured. These measurements are made using calibrated five-hole probes. Surface oil flow visualization and surface static pressure data were also taken. The study was conducted with an inlet Mach number of 0.786. The diffuser Reynolds based on the inlet centerline velocity and the exit diameter of the diffuser was 3,200,000. Comparison of the measured data with previously published computational results are made. Data demonstrating the ability of vortex generators to reduce flow separation and circumferential distortion is also presented.

Foster, Jeffry↗
DOE OSTI2020

Vector Field Decompositions Using Multiscale Poisson Kernel

Extraction of multiscale features using scale-space is one of the fundamental approaches to analyze scalar fields. However, similar techniques for vector fields are much less common, even though it is well known that, for example, turbulent flows contain cascades of nested vortices at different scales. The challenge is that the ideas related to scale-space are based upon iteratively smoothing the data to extract features at progressively larger scale, making it difficult to extract overlapping features. Instead, we consider spatial regions of influence in vector fields as scale, and introduce a new approach for the multiscale analysis of vector fields. Rather than smoothing the flow, we use the natural Helmholtz-Hodge decomposition to split it into small-scale and large-scale components using progressively larger neighborhoods. Our approach creates a natural separation of features by extracting local flow behavior, for example, a small vortex, from large-scale effects, for example, a background flow. We demonstrate our technique on large-scale, turbulent flows, and show multiscale features that cannot be extracted using state-of-the-art techniques.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS2015

A Rotor Tip Vortex Tracing Algorithm for Image Post-Processing

A neurite tracing algorithm, originally developed for medical image processing, was used to trace the location of the rotor tip vortex in density gradient flow visualization images. The tracing algorithm was applied to several representative test images to form case studies. The accuracy of the tracing algorithm was compared to two current methods including a manual point and click method and a cross-correlation template method. It is shown that the neurite tracing algorithm can reduce the post-processing time to trace the vortex by a factor of 10 to 15 without compromising the accuracy of the tip vortex location compared to other methods presented in literature.

Overmeyer, Austin D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Vortex simulation of the pressure field of a jet

Fluctuations of the pressure field of a jet are simulated numerically by a flow model consisting of axisymmetric vortex rings with viscous cores submerged in an inviscid uniform stream. Vortex shedding time intervals, randomly created to imitate the time-history characteristics of the pressure signals of a jet, are generated based on a probability distribution of the intervals between successive pressure peaks obtained from experiments. It is found that, up to five diameters downstream of the jet exit, the characteristics of the pressure fluctuations and the most probable time intervals between experimental and numerical results show good qualitative agreements. The role played by the axisymmetric vortex model in pressure field as well as extensions of the model is also discussed.

Fung, Y. T.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Starting vortex, separation bubbles and stall - A numerical study of laminar unsteady flow around an airfoil

The stalling characteristics of an airfoil in a laminar viscous incompressible fluid are investigated. The governing equations in terms of the vorticity and stream function are solved using an implicit finite-difference scheme and point successive relaxation procedure. The development of the impulsively started flow, the initial generation of circulation, and the behavior of the forces at large times are studied. Following the impulsive start, the lift is at first very large and then it rapidly drops. The subsequent growth of circulation and lift is associated with the starting vortex. After incipient separation, the lift increases owing to enlargement of the separation bubble and intensification of the flow rotation in it. The extension of this bubble beyond the trailing edge causes it to rupture and brings about the stalling characteristics of the airfoil. Subsequently, new bubbles are formed near the upper surface of the airfoil and are swept away. The behavior of the lift acting on the airfoil is explained in terms of the strength and sense of these bubbles.

Mehta, U. B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A dynamical systems analysis of the kinematics of time-periodic vortex shedding past a circular cylinder

Computer flow simulation aided by dynamical systems analysis is used to investigate the kinematics of time-periodic vortex shedding past a two-dimensional circular cylinder in the context of the following general questions: (1) Is a dynamical systems viewpoint useful in the understanding of this and similar problems involving time-periodic shedding behind bluff bodies; and (2) Is it indeed possible, by adopting such a point of view, to complement previous analyses or to understand kinematical aspects of the vortex shedding process that somehow remained hidden in previous approaches. We argue that the answers to these questions are positive. Results are described.

Ottino, Julio M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On the swelling of rolled up vortex surfaces and the breakdown of the vortex core for slender wings

Simplified models of the vortex distribution over cylindrical surfaces are developed. The effect of a change of vortex strength was analyzed quantitatively by menas of potential theory. The considerable bulging of the cylindrical vortex sheet as a consequence of the change of the vortex strength is discussed. The coiling-up of the vortices rotation in opposite directions over the cylindrical surface renders the condition for instability and the subsequent large spreading of the vortex core. These processes occur without a positive pressure gradient being necessary in the field of flow surrounding the coiled up vortex sheet.

Das, A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Heat transfer in 3D flow regions generated by intersecting surfaces

The objective is to validate code capabilities to model and predict the critical physics associated with heat transfer in highly 3-D flows. Various aspects of this study are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: LeRC 3-D viscous codes; the 3-D compressible flow tunnel; RVC3D laminar horseshoe vortex calculation; the 3-D heat transfer code validation experiment; and measurements in 3-D compressible flow tunnel.

Simoneau, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Graphical representation of three-dimensional vortical flows by means of helicity density and normalized helicity

The helicity density and normalized helicity are introduced as important tools for the graphical representation of three-dimensional flowfields that contain concentrated vortices. The use of these two quantities filters out the graphical representation of the flowfield regions of low vorticity, as well as regions of high vorticity but low speed where the angle between the velocity and vorticity vectors is large (such as in the boundary layer). Their use permits the researcher to identify and accentuate the concentrated vortices, differentiate between primary and secondary vortices and mark their separation and reattachment lines. The method allows locating the singular points in type I primary separations and tracing the vortex-core streamlines that emanate from them. It also allows locating the vortex-core axes in flows of other types.

Seginer, Arnan↗
DOE OSTI2024

High resolution numerical simulations of methane pool fires using adaptive mesh refinement

The ability to accurately predict the structure and dynamics of pool fires using computational simulations is of great interest in a wide variety of applications, including accidental and wildland fires. However, the presence of physical processes spanning a broad range of spatial and temporal scales poses a significant challenge for simulations of such fires, particularly at conditions near the transition between laminar and turbulent flow. Here, in this study, we examine the transition to turbulence in methane pool fires using high-resolution simulations with multi-step finite rate chemistry, where adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is used to directly resolve small-scale flow phenomena. We perform three simulations of methane pool fires, each with increasing diameter, corresponding to increasing inlet Reynolds and Richardson numbers. As the diameter increases, the flow transitions from organized vortex roll-up via the puffing instability to much more chaotic mixing associated with finger formation along the shear layer and core collapse near the inlet. These effects combine to create additional mixing close to the inlet, thereby enhancing fuel consumption and causing more rapid acceleration of the fluid above the pool. We also make comparisons between the transition to turbulence and core collapse in the present pool fires and in inert helium plumes, which are often used as surrogates for the study of buoyant reacting flows.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2007

Aerodynamic Inner Workings of Circumferential Grooves in a Transonic Axial Compressor

The current paper reports on investigations of the fundamental flow mechanisms of circumferential grooves applied to a transonic axial compressor. Experimental results show that the compressor stall margin is significantly improved with the current set of circumferential grooves. The primary focus of the current investigation is to advance understanding of basic flow mechanics behind the observed improvement of stall margin. Experimental data and numerical simulations of a circumferential groove were analyzed in detail to unlock the inner workings of the circumferential grooves in the current transonic compressor rotor. A short length scale stall inception occurs when a large flow blockage is built on the pressure side of the blade near the leading edge and incoming flow spills over to the adjacent blade passage due to this blockage. The current study reveals that a large portion of this blockage is created by the tip clearance flow originating from 20% to 50% chord of the blade from the leading edge. Tip clearance flows originating from the leading edge up to 20% chord form a tip clearance core vortex and this tip clearance core vortex travels radially inward. The tip clearance flows originating from 20% to 50% chord travels over this tip clearance core vortex and reaches to the pressure side. This part of tip clearance flow is of low momentum as it is coming from the casing boundary layer and the blade suction surface boundary layer. The circumferential grooves disturb this part of the tip clearance flow close to the casing. Consequently the buildup of the induced vortex and the blockage near the pressure side of the passage is reduced. This is the main mechanism of the circumferential grooves that delays the formation of blockage near the pressure side of the passage and delays the onset of short length scale stall inception. The primary effect of the circumferential grooves is preventing local blockage near the pressure side of the blade leading edge that directly determines flow spillage around the leading edge. The circumferential grooves do not necessarily reduce the over all blockage built up at the rotor tip section.

Hah, Chunill↗