SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Adverse pressure gradient”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1988

Goertler vortices in supersonic boundary layers

The problem of Goertler vortices in compressible boundary layers over concave walls is studied by solving parabolic partial differential equations. The numerical scheme used is based upon a fourth-order accurate compact difference scheme. The results show that both the velocity and temperature fluctuations may lead to a Goertler vortex. The vortex growth rates determined from the present method are found to differ somewhat from those given by normal mode solution. The effects of cooling, heating and pressure gradient are also studied. At a Mach number of 3.5, cooling has a small destabilizing effect. The effect of adverse pressure gradient is also found to be destabilizing on a Mach 8 boundary layer.

Spall, R. E.↗

DOE OSTI2022

A vorticity-based criterion to characterise leading edge dynamic stall onset

We propose a more conservative, physically-intuitive criterion, namely, the boundary enstrophy flux ( BEF), to characterise leading-edge-type dynamic stall onset in incompressible flows. Our results are based on wall-resolved large-eddy simulations of pitching aerofoils, with fine spatial and temporal resolution around stall onset. We observe that |BEF| reaches a maximum within the stall onset regime identified. By decomposing the contribution to BEF from the flow field, we find that the dominant contribution arises from the laminar leading edge region, due to the combined effect of large clockwise vorticity and favourable pressure gradient. A relatively small contribution originates from the transitional/turbulent laminar separation bubble (LSB) region, due to LSB-induced counter-clockwise vorticity and adverse pressure gradient. This results in BEF being nearly independent of the integration length as long as the region very close to the leading edge is included. This characteristic of BEF yields a major advantage in that the effect of partial or complete inclusion of the noisy LSB region can be filtered out, without changing the BEF peak location in time significantly. Next, we analytically relate BEF to the net wall shear and show that its critical value (=max(|BEF|) ) corresponds to the instant of maximum net shear prevailing at the wall. Finally, we have also compared BEF with the leading edge suction parameter ( LESP) and find that the former reaches its maximum value between 0.3° and 0.8° of rotation earlier.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS2005

Synthetic Vortex Generator Jets Used to Control Separation on Low-Pressure Turbine Airfoils

Low-pressure turbine (LPT) airfoils are subject to increasingly stronger pressure gradients as designers impose higher loading in an effort to improve efficiency and lower cost by reducing the number of airfoils in an engine. When the adverse pressure gradient on the suction side of these airfoils becomes strong enough, the boundary layer will separate. Separation bubbles, particularly those that fail to reattach, can result in a significant loss of lift and a subsequent degradation of engine efficiency. The problem is particularly relevant in aircraft engines. Airfoils optimized to produce maximum power under takeoff conditions may still experience boundary layer separation at cruise conditions because of the thinner air and lower Reynolds numbers at altitude. Component efficiency can drop significantly between takeoff and cruise conditions. The decrease is about 2 percent in large commercial transport engines, and it could be as large as 7 percent in smaller engines operating at higher altitudes. Therefore, it is very beneficial to eliminate, or at least reduce, the separation bubble.

Ashpis, David E.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulation and Modeling of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers Subject to Favorable Pressure Gradients due to Streamline Curvature

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of favorable-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers are presented for a nominal freestream Mach number of 5, with the objective of assessing the limitations of the currently available Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models. The favorable pressure gradient is induced by the streamwise curvature of the two-dimensional, planar, convex measurement surface used during experiments at the Texas A&M University. The DNS data shows good comparison with the measured velocity profiles, strain rates, and some, but not all, of the Reynolds-stress components. The discrepancies between the predicted and the measured wall-normal as well as shear stress components are primarily attributed to the lower than actual values inferred from typical PIV measurements of turbulent boundary layers. The DNS data shows a zero or slightly negative Reynolds shear stress in the outer part of the boundary-layer, which is indicative of the decaying turbulent motion under a strong favorable pressure gradient. The DNS data is also compared with the results of RANS computations based on commonly used zero, one, and two equation eddy-viscosity models. The RANS models yield reasonable comparisons with the DNS-based skin friction under zero and weak pressure gradients, but significant discrepancies under a strong pressure gradient. The k-w SST model provided the best overall predictions of skin friction, except in the region where the flow transitions from a favorable to an adverse pressure gradient. While the RANS models examined herein also give good predictions of the Reynolds shear stress under a sufficiently weak pressure gradient, none of those models are able to appropriately capture the reduction in the Reynolds stresses when the flow was subjected to a strong pressure gradient. An a priori assessment of the turbulent heat-flux prediction based on the assumption of a constant turbulent Prandtl number with the DNS data shows that while the constant turbulent Prandtl number model is effective in predicting the wall-normal component of turbulent heat flux, it does not capture the turbulent heat transfer in the streamwise direction for all the pressure gradient cases. The failure of the constant turbulent Prandtl number model highlights a requirement for more advanced models of the turbulent heat flux.

turbulent boundary layers↗

NASA NTRS1978

Reynolds number and pressure gradient effects on compressible turbulent boundary layers

A detailed investigation of attached supersonic turbulent boundary layers over an extensive range of Reynolds numbers (12 x 10 to the 6th to 314 x 10 to the 6th) is presented. Experimental measurements were obtained for adverse pressure gradients ranging in magnitude from those of previous investigations to those approaching separation. The measurements include mean values of surface pressure and skin-friction, mean-flow profiles, and profiles of the three turbulent velocity fluctuation components and turbulent shear stress. Numerical solutions, employing three turbulence models of various degrees of complexity have been compared with the details of the measured flow fields. Generally, it was found that the more sophisticated turbulence models are superior to a mixing length model for predicting the Reynolds number and pressure gradient effects. However, some details of the turbulent fluctuations as well as the exact Reynolds number trends indicated by the data were not accurately predicted with any of the turbulence models considered.

Acharya, M.↗

NASA NTRS1955

Analysis and calculation by integral methods of laminar compressible boundary-layer with heat transfer and with and without pressure gradient

A survey of integral methods in laminar-boundary-layer analysis is first given. A simple and sufficiently accurate method for practical purposes of calculating the properties (including stability) of the laminar compressible boundary layer in an axial pressure gradient with heat transfer at the wall is presented. For flow over a flat plate, the method is applicable for an arbitrarily prescribed distribution of temperature along the surface and for any given constant Prandtl number close to unity. For flow in a pressure gradient, the method is based on a Prandtl number of unity and a uniform wall temperature. A simple and accurate method of determining the separation point in a compressible flow with an adverse pressure gradient over a surface at a given uniform wall temperature is developed. The analysis is based on an extension of the Karman-Pohlhausen method to the momentum and the thermal energy equations in conjunction with fourth- and especially higher degree velocity and stagnation-enthalpy profiles.

Morduchow, Morris↗

NASA NTRS2001

Measurement of the Turbulence Kinetic Energy Budget of a Turbulent Planar Wake Flow in Pressure Gradients

Turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) is a very important quantity for turbulence modeling and the budget of this quantity in its transport equation can provide insight into the flow physics. Turbulence kinetic energy budget measurements were conducted for a symmetric turbulent wake flow subjected to constant zero, favorable and adverse pressure gradients in year-three of research effort. The purpose of this study is to clarify the flow physics issues underlying the demonstrated influence of pressure gradient on wake development and provide experimental support for turbulence modeling. To ensure the reliability of these notoriously difficult measurements, the experimental procedure was carefully designed on the basis of an uncertainty analysis. Four different approaches, based on an isotropic turbulence assumption, a locally axisymmetric homogeneous turbulence assumption, a semi-isotropy assumption and a forced balance of the TKE equation, were applied for the estimate of the dissipation term. The pressure transport term is obtained from a forced balance of the turbulence kinetic energy equation. This report will present the results of the turbulence kinetic energy budget measurement and discuss their implication on the development of strained turbulent wakes.

Liu, Xiao-Feng↗

NASA NTRS1987

Flowfield characteristics of an axisymmetric 180-degree turnaround duct

In an attempt to provide an experimental database for computational fluid dynamics turbulence code evaluation and development, an experiment was conducted using an annular axisymmetric 180-deg turnaround passage through which air flows at close to ambient conditions. Measurements made at a nominal gap Reynolds number of 100,000 are presented; these are the static and fluctuating wall pressure distributions and the one- and two-component velocity profiles at various stations upstream, through, and downstream of the bend. Because of the large favorable pressure gradients on the inner wall up to 51 degrees, the flow experiences a large acceleration close to the wall; enhanced mixing occurs close to the outer wall. Downstream of this location, the flow close to the inner wall experiences an adverse pressure gradient before separating at about 150 degrees.

Ostermier, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Evolution of a moderately short turbulent boundary layer in a severe pressure gradient

The early and intermediate development of a highly accelerated (or decelerated) turbulent boundary layer is analyzed. For sufficiently large accelerations (or pressure gradients) and for total normal strains which are not excessive, the equation for the Reynolds shear stress simplifies to give a stress that remains approximately constant as it is convected along streamlines. The theoretical results for the evolution of the mean velocity in favourable and adverse pressure gradients agree well with experiment for the cases considered. A calculation which includes mass injection at the wall is also given.

Deissler, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Experimental and numerical study of a turbulent boundary layer with pressure gradients

Results are presented of an experimental and numerical study of a turbulent boundary layer with pressure gradients conducted using the recent 'fringe method' with its numerical advantages and good inflow quality. After an inflow transient good agreement is observed; the differences, of up to 13 percent, are discussed. Moderate deviations from the law of the wall are found in the velocity profiles of the simulation. They are fully correlated with the pressure gradient, are in fair quantitative agreement with the experimental results of Nagano et al. (1992), and are roughly the opposite of uncorrected mixing-length-model predictions. Large deviations from the wall scaling are observed for other quantities, notably for the turbulence dissipation rate. The a(1) structure parameter drops mildly in the upper layer with adverse pressure gradient.

Spalart, Philippe R.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Turbulence Modeling for Shock Wave/Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions

Accurate aerodynamic computational predictions are essential for the safety of space vehicles, but these computations are of limited accuracy when large pressure gradients are present in the flow. The goal of the current project is to improve the state of compressible turbulence modeling for high speed flows with shock wave / turbulent boundary layer interactions (SWTBLI). Emphasis will be placed on models that can accurately predict the separated region caused by the SWTBLI. These flows are classified as nonequilibrium boundary layers because of the very large and variable adverse pressure gradients caused by the shock waves. The lag model was designed to model these nonequilibrium flows by incorporating history effects. Standard one- and two-equation models (Spalart Allmaras and SST) and the lag model will be run and compared to a new lag model. This new model, the Reynolds stress tensor lag model (lagRST), will be assessed against multiple wind tunnel tests and correlations. The basis of the lag and lagRST models are to preserve the accuracy of the standard turbulence models in equilibrium turbulence, when the Reynolds stresses are linearly related to the mean strain rates, but create a lag between mean strain rate effects and turbulence when nonequilibrium effects become important, such as in large pressure gradients. The affect this lag has on the results for SWBLI and massively separated flows will be determined. These computations will be done with a modified version of the OVERFLOW code. This code solves the RANS equations on overset grids. It was used for this study for its ability to input very complex geometries into the flow solver, such as the Space Shuttle in the full stack configuration. The model was successfully implemented within two versions of the OVERFLOW code. Results show a substantial improvement over the baseline models for transonic separated flows. The results are mixed for the SWBLI assessed. Separation predictions are not as good as the baseline models, but the over prediction of the peak heat flux downstream of the reattachment shock that plagues many models is reduced.

Lillard, Randolph P.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Airfoil design for Reynolds numbers between 50,000 and 500,000

The design of airfoils for flows with Re of 50,000-500,000 requires consideration of laminar separation bubbles. A design approach is discussed which specifies the angle of attack at which the potential flow velocity is to be constant at each segment of the airfoil. The velocity gradient is controlled by introducing a pressure recovery function at the trailing edge. Boundary layer stability decreases with rising Re, although an upper Re value can be identified, below which the boundary layer will be stable. Adverse pressure gradients are associated with the shape parameter of the velocity profile, whose rise in value decreases stability. Transition displays similar relationships to the shape parameter. The most frequent feature of separation is the appearance of a separation bubble.

R Eppler↗

NASA NTRS2012

Transition Within Leeward Plane of Axisymmetric Bodies at Incidence in Supersonic Flow

Boundary layer transition along the leeward symmetry plane of axisymmetric bodies at nonzero angle of attack in supersonic flow was investigated experimentally and numerically as part of joint research between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Transition over four axisymmetric bodies (namely, Sears-Haack body, semi-Sears-Haack body, straight cone and flared cone) with different axial pressure gradients was measured in two different facilities with different unit Reynolds numbers. The semi-Sears-Haack body and flared cone were designed at JAXA to broaden the range of axial pressure distributions. For a body shape with an adverse pressure gradient (i.e., flared cone), the experimentally measured transition patterns show an earlier transition location along the leeward symmetry plane in comparison with the neighboring azimuthal locations. For nearly zero pressure gradient (i.e.,straight cone), this feature is only observed at the larger unit Reynolds number. Later transition along the leeward plane was observed for the remaining two body shapes with a favorable pressure gradient. The observed transition patterns are only partially consistent with the numerical predictions based on linear stability analysis. Additional measurements are used in conjunction with the stability computations to explore the phenomenon of leeward line transition and the underlying transition mechanism in further detail.

Tokugawa, Naoko↗

NASA NTRS1978

An evaluation of several compressible turbulent boundary-layer models Effects of pressure gradient and Reynolds number

Computations, employing several turbulence models, are compared with a series of attached supersonic turbulent boundary-layer experiments over an extensive range of Reynolds numbers (11.7 x 10 to the 6th to 314 x 10 to the 6th). These experiments included measurements of surface pressure and skin friction for adverse pressure gradients ranging in magnitude from those of previous investigations to an order of magnitude greater. The turbulence models evaluated include algebraic and two-equation eddy-viscosity models and two full Reynolds stress models. In general all the models tested performed well independently of the magnitude of the pressure gradient or Reynolds number and could predict the measured skin friction for most cases with sufficient accuracy for engineering purposes.

Horstman, C. C.↗

NASA NTRS1959

A Simple Method for Determining Heat Transfer, Skin Friction, and Boundary-Layer Thickness for Hypersonic Laminar Boundary-Layer Flows in a Pressure Gradient

A procedure based on the method of similar solutions is presented by which the skin friction, heat transfer, and boundary-layer thickness in a laminar hypersonic flow with pressure gradient may be rapidly evaluated if the pressure distribution is known. This solution, which at present is. restricted to power-law variations of pressure with surface distance, is presented for a wide range of exponents in the power law corresponding to both favorable and adverse pressure gradients. This theory has been compared to results from heat-transfer experiments on blunt-nose flat plates and a hemisphere cylinder at free-stream Mach numbers of 4 and 6.8. The flat-plate experiments included tests made at a Mach number of 6.8 over a range of angle of attack of +/- 10 deg. Reasonable agreement of the experimental and theoretical heat-transfer coefficients has been obtained as well as good correlation of the experimental results over the entire range of angle of attack studied. A similar comparison of theory with experiment was not feasible for boundary-layer-thickness data; however, the hypersonic similarity theory was found to account satisfactorily for the variation in boundary-layer thickness due to local pressure distribution for several sets of measurements.

Bertram, Mitchel H.↗

DOE OSTI2024

An extension of Thwaites’ method for turbulent boundary layers

Thwaites developed an approximate method for determining the evolution of laminar boundary layers. The approximation follows from an assumption that the growth of a laminar boundary layer in the presence of pressure gradients could be parameterized solely as a function of the Holstein–Bohlen flow parameter, thus reducing the von Kármán momentum integral to a first-order ordinary differential equation. This method is useful for the analysis of laminar flows, and in computational potential flow solvers to account for the viscous effects. In this work, an approximate method for determining the momentum thickness of a two-dimensional, turbulent boundary layer is proposed following Thwaites’ work. It is shown that the method provides good estimates of the momentum thickness for multiple boundary layers, including both favourable and adverse pressure gradient effects, up to the point of separation. In the limit of high Reynolds numbers, it is possible to derive a criterion for the onset of separation from the proposed model, which is shown to be in agreement with prior empirical observations. The sensitivity of the separation location with respect to upstream perturbations is also analysed through this model for the NASA/Boeing speed bump and the transonic Bachalo–Johnson bump.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1982

Influence of surface static-pressure orifices on boundary-layer transition

An investigation of the interaction of a laminar boundary layer and surface static-pressure orifices was conducted on a natural laminar flow airfoil. The effects of both favorable and adverse pressure gradients were studied at Reynolds numbers based on airfoil chord from approximately 500,000 to 6,000,000 with Mach number varying accordingly from about 0.03 to 0.42. The smaller the diameter of the orifice, the less likely it will cause premature transition. Locating the orifices in a chord-wise row aligned with the flow appears to have an additive, adverse effect on transition. Tube length-to-orifice diameter ration does not seem to have a consistent influence on transition.

Somers, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Receptivity of Hypersonic Boundary Layers to Acoustic and Vortical Disturbances (Invited)

Boundary-layer receptivity to two-dimensional acoustic and vortical disturbances for hypersonic flows over two-dimensional and axi-symmetric geometries were numerically investigated. The role of bluntness, wall cooling, and pressure gradients on the receptivity and stability were analyzed and compared with the sharp nose cases. It was found that for flows over sharp nose geometries in adiabatic wall conditions the instability waves are generated in the leading-edge region and that the boundary layer is much more receptive to slow acoustic waves as compared to the fast waves. The computations confirmed the stabilizing effect of nose bluntness and the role of the entropy layer in the delay of boundary layer transition. The receptivity coefficients in flows over blunt bodies are orders of magnitude smaller than that for the sharp cone cases. Wall cooling stabilizes the first mode strongly and destabilizes the second mode. However, the receptivity coefficients are also much smaller compared to the adiabatic case. The adverse pressure gradients increased the unstable second mode regions.

Balakumar, P.↗