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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Micro-Ramp Flow Control for Oblique Shock Interactions: Comparisons of Computational and Experimental Data

Computational fluid dynamics was used to study the effectiveness of micro-ramp vortex generators to control oblique shock boundary layer interactions. Simulations were based on experiments previously conducted in the 15- by 15-cm supersonic wind tunnel at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Four micro-ramp geometries were tested at Mach 2.0 varying the height, chord length, and spanwise spacing between micro-ramps. The overall flow field was examined. Additionally, key parameters such as boundary-layer displacement thickness, momentum thickness and incompressible shape factor were also examined. The computational results predicted the effects of the microramps well, including the trends for the impact that the devices had on the shock boundary layer interaction. However, computing the shock boundary layer interaction itself proved to be problematic since the calculations predicted more pronounced adverse effects on the boundary layer due to the shock than were seen in the experiment.

Hirt, Stephanie M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Estimating Flow-Through Balance Momentum Tares with CFD

This paper describes the process used for estimating flow-through balance momentum tares. The interaction of jet engine exhausts on the BOEINGERA Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) was simulated in the NFAC 40x80 wind tunnel at NASA Ames using a pair of turbine powered simulators (TPS). High-pressure air was passed through a flow-through balance and manifold before being delivered to the TPS units. The force and moment tares that result from the internal shear and pressure distribution were estimated using CFD. Validation of the CFD simulations for these complex internal flows is a challenge, given limited experimental data due to the complications of the internal geometry. Two CFD validation efforts are documented, and comparisons with experimental data from the final model installation are provided.

Balance Momentum Tare↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Comparison of OVERFLOW Computational and Experimental Results for a Blunt Mars Entry Vehicle Concept During Supersonic Retropropulsion

Simulations of supersonic retropropulsion (SRP) flow over a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) blunt-body vehicle were performed using the Overflow Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver. Simulation conditions and geometry were designed to match specific test runs in the Descent System Study (DSS) testing campaign. The relative accuracy of simulation predictions are assessed by direct comparison to experimental data. Computational predictions of the SRP flowfield and bow shock shape are compared to experimental schlieren images. Comparisons of the model surface pressure environment are presented for unsteady and static discrete tap data as well as time-averaged Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) data.

Supersonic Retropropulsion↗
NASA NTRS1990

Computation of solid/liquid phase change including free convection - Comparison with data

A computational model is presented for solid/liquid phase-change energy transport including free convection fluid flow in the liquid phase. The computational model considers the velocity components of all nonliquid control volumes to be zero but fully solves the coupled mass-momentum problem within the liquid. The thermal energy model includes the entire domain and employs an enthalpy-like model and a recently developed method for handling the phase-change interface nonlinearity. Convergence studies are performed and comparisons made with experimental data for two different problems. Grid independence is achieved, and the comparison with experimental data indicates excellent quantitative prediction of the melt fraction evolution. Qualitative data are also provided as velocity vector and isotherm plots. The computational costs incurred are quite low by comparison with other models.

Schneider, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Baseline Validation of Unstructured Grid Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Toward Flow Control

The value of the use of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methodology for active flow control applications is assessed. An experimental flow control database exists for a NACA0015 airfoil modified at the leading edge to implement a fluidic actuator; hence, this configuration is used. Computational results are documented for the baseline wing configuration (no control) with the experimental results and assumes two-dimensional flow. The baseline wing configuration has discontinuities at the leading edge, trailing edge, and aft of midchord on the upper surface. A limited number of active flow control applications have been tested in the laboratory and in flight. These applications include dynamic stall control using a deformable leading edge, separation control for takeoff and landing flight conditions using piezoelectric devices, pulsed vortex generators, zero-net-mass oscillations, and thrust vectoring with zero-net-mass piezoelectric-driven oscillatory actuation. As yet, there is no definitive comparison with experimental data that indicates current computational capabilities can quantitatively predict the large aerodynamic performance gains achieved with active flow control in the laboratory. However, one study using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology has shown good quantitative agreement with experimental results for an isolated zero-net-mass actuator. In addition, some recent studies have used RANS to demonstrate qualitative performance gains compared with the experimental data for separation control on an airfoil. Those quantitative comparisons for both baseline and flow control cases indicated that computational results were in poor quantitative agreement with the experiments. The current research thrust will investigate the potential use of an unstructured grid RANS approach to predict aerodynamic performance for active flow control applications building on the early studies. First the computational results must quantitatively match experiments for the no-control case before proceeding to the time-dependent flow control case. This paper documents the baseline (no-control) case using an unswept airfoil configuration. The next section describes the configurations used for the computations and the experimentals. The computational approach is then described followed by results and concluding remarks.

Joslin, Ronald D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Complete flowfields over low and wide angle AOTV conceptual configurations

Flowfields over two conceptual aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles, a moderate lift-to-drag ratio biconic, and an axisymmetric zero lift aerobrake are investigated. The solution procedures employ a compressible Navier-Stokes time-asymptotic technique for blunt body flow and a Parabolized Navier-Stokes spatial marching technique for the primarily supersonic shock layer flow over low-angle bodies. Emphasis is placed on the laminar convective heating predictions and comparisons to experimental data where available. Code robustness and solution times are discussed and guidelines are given for the specification of various numerical parameters. The Parabolized Navier-Stokes technique has a high probability of solution success for the range of applications considered herein, and very good comparisons with experimental heat-transfer data have been obtained. The blunt body Navier-Stokes code is more sensitive to parameter specification for the aerobrake calculations. Still, coarse grid solutions can be obtained quickly to get a good first cut at flowfield definition. Fair to good comparisons have been obtained between experimental heating and pressure data and coarse and fine grid solutions.

Gnoffo, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Capability Extension to the Turbine Off-Design Computer Program AXOD With Applications to the Highly Loaded Fan-Drive Turbines

The axial flow turbine off-design computer program AXOD has been upgraded to include the outlet guide vane (OGV) into its acceptable turbine configurations. The mathematical bases and the techniques used for the code implementation are described and discussed in lengths in this paper. This extended capability is verified and validated with two cases of highly loaded fan-drive turbines, designed and tested in the V/STOL Program of NASA. The first case is a 4 1/2-stage turbine with an average stage loading factor of 4.66, designed by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. The second case is a 3 1/2-stage turbine with an average loading factor of 4.0, designed in-house by the NASA Lewis Research Center (now the NASA Glenn Research Center). Both cases were experimentally tested in the turbine facility located at the Glenn Research Center. The processes conducted in these studies are described in detail in this paper, and the results in comparison with the experimental data are presented and discussed. The comparisons between the AXOD results and the experimental data are in excellent agreement.

Chen, Shu-cheng S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Acoustic Predictions of the Moog S-250 in Hover

Acoustic predictions were made on the Moog S-250 vehicle to assess one of NASA’s mid-fidelity prediction toolchains for Urban Air Mobility-type vehicles. Experimental data from a 60-foot hover test is used for comparison. The S-250 is an RPM-controlled vehicle in a quadcopter-type configuration with four sets of contra-rotating rotors and powered by eight independently controlled electric motors. The same type of rotor blade used on the S-250 was 3D laser scanned to enable the development of custom-made airfoil tables and more accurate blade loadings. Noise predictions at the first couple of blade-pass frequencies indicate a good comparison to experimental data.

Acoustic prediction↗
NASA NTRS2006

Testing of Flexible Ballutes in Hypersonic Wind Tunnels for Planetary Aerocapture

Studies were conducted for the In-Space Propulsion (ISP) Ultralightweight Ballute Technology Development Program to increase the technical readiness level of inflatable decelerator systems for planetary aerocapture. The present experimental study was conducted to develop the capability for testing lightweight, flexible materials in hypersonic facilities. The primary objectives were to evaluate advanced polymer film materials in a high-temperature, high-speed flow environment and provide experimental data for comparisons with fluid-structure interaction modeling tools. Experimental testing was conducted in the Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory 20-Inch Hypersonic CF4 and 31-Inch Mach 10 Air blowdown wind tunnels. Quantitative flexure measurements were made for 60 degree half angle afterbody-attached ballutes, in which polyimide films (1-mil and 3-mil thick) were clamped between a 1/2-inch diameter disk and a base ring (4-inch and 6-inch diameters). Deflection measurements were made using a parallel light silhouette of the film surface through an existing schlieren optical system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these results as well as free-flying testing techniques being developed for both an afterbody-attached and trailing toroidal ballute configuration to determine dynamic fluid-structural stability. Methods for measuring polymer film temperature were also explored using both temperature sensitive paints (for up to 370 C) and laser-etched thin-film gages.

Buck, Gregory M.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Testing of Flexible Ballutes in Hypersonic Wind Tunnels for Planetary Aerocapture

Studies were conducted for the In-Space Propulsion (ISP) Ultralightweight Ballute Technology Development Program to increase the technical readiness level of inflatable decelerator systems for planetary aerocapture. The present experimental study was conducted to develop the capability for testing lightweight, flexible materials in hypersonic facilities. The primary objectives were to evaluate advanced polymer film materials in a high-temperature, high-speed flow environment and provide experimental data for comparisons with fluid-structure interaction modeling tools. Experimental testing was conducted in the Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory 20-Inch Hypersonic CF4 and 31-Inch Mach 10 Air blowdown wind tunnels. Quantitative flexure measurements were made for 60 degree half angle afterbody-attached ballutes, in which polyimide films (1-mil and 3- mil thick) were clamped between a 1/2-inch diameter disk and a base ring (4-inch and 6-inch diameters). Deflection measurements were made using a parallel light silhouette of the film surface through an existing schlieren optical system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these results as well as free-flying testing techniques being developed for both an afterbody-attached and trailing toroidal ballute configuration to determine dynamic fluid-structural stability. Methods for measuring polymer film temperature were also explored using both temperature sensitive paints (for up to 370 C) and laser-etched thin-film gages.

Buck, Gregory M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Numerical Formulation for the Prediction of Solid/Liquid Change of a Binary Alloy

A computational model is presented for the prediction of solid/liquid phase change energy transport including the influence of free convection fluid flow in the liquid phase region. The computational model considers the velocity components of all non-liquid phase change material control volumes to be zero but fully solves the coupled mass-momentum problem within the liquid region. The thermal energy model includes the entire domain and uses an enthalpy like model and a recently developed method for handling the phase change interface nonlinearity. Convergence studies are performed and comparisons made with experimental data for two different problem specifications. The convergence studies indicate that grid independence was achieved and the comparison with experimental data indicates excellent quantitative prediction of the melt fraction evolution. Qualitative data is also provided in the form of velocity vector diagrams and isotherm plots for selected times in the evolution of both problems. The computational costs incurred are quite low by comparison with previous efforts on solving these problems.

Schneider, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Temperature-dependent reaction-rate expression for oxygen recombination at Shuttle entry conditions

A temperature-dependent oxygen surface reaction-rate coefficient has been determined from experimental STS-2 heating and wall temperature data at altitudes of 77.91 km, 74.98 km, and 71.29 km. The coefficient is presented in an Arrhenius form and is shown to be less temperature dependent than previous results. Finite-rate viscous-shock-layer heating rates based on this present expression have been compared with predicted heating rates using the previous rate coefficients and with experimental heating data obtained over an extensive range of STS-2 and STS-3 entry conditions. A substantial improvement is obtained in comparison of experimental data and predicted heating rates using the present oxygen reaction-rate expression.

Zoby, E. V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Estimation of propulsion-induced effects on transonic flows over a hypersonic configuration

Boundary conditions are formulated for treating selected patches of a subject configuration as inlet or nozzle areas. For subsonic inflow, the mass flow through the inlet is controlled by the exhaust conditions and the effects of mass and heat addition. For supersonic inflow, the exhaust conditions are based on the inlet conditions and on combustion data. These formulations were included into an existing Euler/Navier-Stokes solver. Comparisons with experimental data demonstrate that the resulting software package efficiently permits the assessment of propulsion-induced effects on external flow fields, particularly around highly blended configurations.

Hartwich, Peter M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Fluid dynamics and low gravity effects of chemical vapor deposition

Based on the comparison between experimental data and numerical results for the growth of GaAs from TMGa, it was shown that 3D simulations are necessary to simulate rectangular CVD reactors even when operated under subcritical (Ra) conditions. The important points found are summarized in the three attached reprints. The experimental studies of mixed convection in horizontal channels have shown three regimes of high Ra (22,220) number flows. At Re = 18.5, the rolls develop very quickly, significantly modulating the axial velocity even before it reaches the beginning of the hot plate. A few centimeters downstream, the velocities become asymmetric about the vertical centerplane and at x = 12 cm, become unsteady. These asymmetries were predicted theoretically, but experimental evidence has not been published prior to this work. At Re = 36, the axial velocity is only slightly modified at x = 0. Although the flow remains steady and symmetric about the vertical centerplane, there is a small spatial oscillation in the velocities over the length of the channel. The period of this oscillation was around 5 cm. At Re = 54, the longitudinal rolls developed smoothly over a length of 30 cm, with no asymmetries, unsteadiness, or spatial oscillations. Comparison of numerical simulations of these flows to experiments has revealed the importance and difficulty of setting proper thermal boundary conditions on the sidewalls. Calculated flows and experimentally measured flows showed very similar profiles, but at different axial locations, with the rolls developing more rapidly in the experiments. This is directly attributable to partially conducting sidewalls of the apparatus being hotter in the entrance section than the adiabatic walls of the simulations. A thorough comparison of the experimental data and numerical results for a variety of sidewall boundary conditions is in preparation.

Nyce, Thomas A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An asymptotic theory for the interference of large aspect ratio swept wings and multiple propeller slipstreams

This paper presents an asymptotic method for the analysis of the interference of multiple tractor propeller slipstream with large aspect ratio swept wings. It is assumed that the height of the slipstream is of the order of the wing chord and its spanwise extent is of the order of the wing span. Three different flow regions are identified by employing different stretching transformations. Asymptotic expansions are made in each of the three regions, using the chord to span ratio as the small expansion parameter. The details of the nonuniform flow in the slipstream enter into the wing sectional analysis. In the outer limit, the wing shrinks to a swept lifting line, and the slipstream reduces to a thin sheet of jet carrying the momentum gain from the propeller. The curvature of this jet sheet results in a pressure difference which is represented by a vortex sheet. The governing equations are solved by discretization. Several examples are considered for which experimental data are available. Comparison of the present results with the experimental data as well as other numerical solutions showed generally good agreement.

Prabhu, R. K.↗
DOE OSTI2026

A physically based mechanical model for Mullins effect in thermoplastic polyurethanes

Despite decades of research, connecting the chemical and physical structure of thermoplastic polyurethanes to their mechanical properties remains highly challenging. Of particular note are their large-deformation and rate-dependent behaviors, which vary greatly with molecular chemistry, including the type and relative content of soft and hard segments. In this work, we develop a physically motivated mechanical theory for predicting the behavior of thermoplastic polyurethanes. The theory incorporates a representation of microstructural evolution during mechanical deformation, which captures the signatures of stress softening over cyclic loading (commonly referred to as the Mullins effect). There are only eight physically motivated fitting parameters, including a direct dependence on the hard segment fraction. The model predicts that increasing the hard segment fraction leads to higher stiffness and greater energy dissipation, in quantitative agreement with published experimental data. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the model and validate its predictions across several independent datasets focused on mechanical characterization. Direct comparisons to experimental data demonstrate its predictive capability on the effect of loading rate, cyclic deformations, and applied tension or compression. Altogether, this work establishes a predictive framework that connects polymer chemistry and microstructure to emergent mechanical behaviors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1992

Analysis of thermo-chemical nonequilibrium models for carbon dioxide flows

The aerothermodynamics of thermochemical nonequilibrium carbon dioxide flows is studied. The chemical kinetics models of McKenzie and Park are implemented in separate three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics codes. The codes incorporate a five-species gas model characterized by a translational-rotational and a vibrational temperature. Solutions are obtained for flow over finite length elliptical and circular cylinders. The computed flowfields are then employed to calculate Mach-Zehnder interferograms for comparison with experimental data. The accuracy of the chemical kinetics models is determined through this comparison. Also, the methodology of the three-dimensional thermochemical nonequilibrium code is verified by the reproduction of the experiments.

Rock, Stacey G.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Nonelastic interactions of nucleons and pi mesons with complex nuclei at energies below 3 GeV.

Calculation of nonelastic interactions corresponding to continuum-state transitions using the intranuclear-cascade evaporation approach. Spallation yields, energy- and angle-dependent spectra, particle multiplicities, and nonelastic cross sections are calculated for incident nucleons and pi mesons with energies below 3 GeV on complex nuclei. Comparisons with experimental data are made, and, in general, the agreement is good. Discrepancies in these comparisons are discussed with respect to the deficiencies in the model.

Bertini, H. W.↗