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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 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

Force Evaluation in the Lattice Boltzmann Method Involving Curved Geometry

The present work investigates two approaches for force evaluation in the lattice Boltzmann equation: the momentum- exchange method and the stress-integration method on the surface of a body. The boundary condition for the particle distribution functions on curved geometries is handled with second order accuracy based on our recent works. The stress-integration method is computationally laborious for two-dimensional flows and in general difficult to implement for three-dimensional flows, while the momentum-exchange method is reliable, accurate, and easy to implement for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional flows. Several test cases are selected to evaluate the present methods, including: (i) two-dimensional pressure-driven channel flow; (ii) two-dimensional uniform flow past a column of cylinders; (iii) two-dimensional flow past a cylinder asymmetrically placed in a channel (with vortex shedding); (iv) three-dimensional pressure-driven flow in a circular pipe; and (v) three-dimensional flow past a sphere. The drag evaluated by using the momentum-exchange method agrees well with the exact or other published results.

Mei, Renwei↗
NASA NTRS2005

An Empirical Model for Vane-Type Vortex Generators in a Navier-Stokes Code

An empirical model which simulates the effects of vane-type vortex generators in ducts was incorporated into the Wind-US Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code. The model enables the effects of the vortex generators to be simulated without defining the details of the geometry within the grid, and makes it practical for researchers to evaluate multiple combinations of vortex generator arrangements. The model determines the strength of each vortex based on the generator geometry and the local flow conditions. Validation results are presented for flow in a straight pipe with a counter-rotating vortex generator arrangement, and the results are compared with experimental data and computational simulations using a gridded vane generator. Results are also presented for vortex generator arrays in two S-duct diffusers, along with accompanying experimental data. The effects of grid resolution and turbulence model are also examined.

Dudek, Julianne C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Performance of vortex generators in a Mach 2.5 low-bleed full scale 45-percent-internal-contraction axisymmetric inlet

Steady-state and dynamic flow characteristics associated with two sets of vortex generators having different mixing criteria were determined. The inlet performance with and without these vortex generators is presented. The vortex generators were successful in eliminating separation, increasing area-weighted total pressure recovery, and decreasing distortion. Transmission times obtained from cross-correlations of the wall static pressures and the diffuser exit total pressure showed no effect of the upstream flow characteristics on the diffuser exit pressures when generators were used. Without generators, separation occurred and the upstream pressure characteristics had immediate effects on the diffuser exit pressure characteristics.

Neumann, H. E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effects of external magnetic fields on the multi-mode Rayleigh–Taylor instability

The magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor instability (mRTI) is a key process in inertial confinement fusion and is thought to be widespread in the interstellar medium, where it can concentrate plasma into discrete structures. We present resistive MHD simulations of the nonlinear evolution of multi-mode mRTI in both two and three dimensions, examining the effects of uniform external magnetic fields oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the initial interface. In both 2D and 3D, weak parallel fields enhance mixing-zone growth, whereas stronger fields suppress it. For perpendicular fields, growth is initially inhibited but becomes enhanced at later times. These behaviors arise from magnetic tension, which modifies flow anisotropy, buoyancy, drag, and vortex dynamics. The interplay of these mechanisms governs the distinct ways in which magnetic fields influence mRTI evolution.

Flow instabilities↗
NASA NTRS1992

Effects of curvature and rotation on turbulence in the NASA low-speed centrifugal compressor impeller

The flow in the NASA Low-Speed Impeller is affected by both curvature and rotation. The flow curves due to the following: (1) geometric curvature, e.g. the curvature of the hub and shroud profiles in the meridional plane and the curvature of the backswept impeller blades; and (2) secondary flow vortices, e.g. the tip leakage vortex. Changes in the turbulence and effective turbulent viscosity in the impeller are investigated. The effects of these changes on three-dimensional flow development are discussed. Two predictions of the flow in the impeller, one with, and one without modification to the turbulent viscosity due to rotation and curvature, are compared. Some experimental and theoretical background for the modified mixing length model of turbulent viscosity will also be presented.

Moore, Joan G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Numerical simulation of viscous vortex rings

Vortex interactions and their role in turbulent flow are examined. The objectives are twofold. First, to use the existing axisymmetric code to study the annihilation process of colliding vortex rings and determine the relevance of this problem to similar 3-D phenomena. The second objective is to extend the code to three dimensions. The code under development is unique in that it can compute flows in a truly infinite domain (i.e., without periodic boundary conditions or approximations from truncating the domain). Because of this, the far field sound can be computed, and therefore, contribute to improved models of turbulence generated noise for this class of flows. Issues which can be addressed by the code include: effects of viscosity on mode selection in azimuthal breakdown of vortex rings (i.e., the Widnall instability); reconnection, the associated production of small scales, and the time scale of the process.

Stanaway, Sharon Kay↗
NASA NTRS2000

Flow in the Proximity of the Pin-Tool in Friction Stir Welding and Its Relation to Weld Homogeneity

In the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process a rotating pin inserted into a seam literally stirs the metal from each side of the seam together. It is proposed that the flow in the vicinity of the pin-tool comprises a primary rapid shear over a cylindrical envelope covering the pin-tool and a relatively slow secondary flow taking the form of a ring vortex about the tool circumference. This model is consistent with a plastic characterization of metal flow, where discontinuities in shear flow are allowed but not viscous effects. It is consistent with experiments employing several different kinds of tracer: atomic markers, shot, and wire. If a rotating disc with angular velocity w is superposed on a translating continuum with linear velocity omega, the trajectories of tracer points become circular arcs centered upon a point displaced laterally a distance v/omega from the center of rotation of the disc in the direction of the advancing side of the disc. In the present model a stream of metal approaching the tool (taken as the coordinate system of observation) is sheared at the slip surface, rapidly rotated around the tool, sheared again on the opposite side of the tool, and deposited in the wake of the tool. Local shearing rates are high, comparable to metal cutting in this model. The flow patterns in the vicinity of the pin-tool determine the level of homogenization and dispersal of contaminants that occurs in the FSW process. The approaching metal streams enfold one another as they are rotated around the tool. Neglecting mixing they return to the same lateral position in the wake of the tool preserving lateral tracer positions as if the metal had flowed past the tool like an extrusion instead of being rotated around it. (The seam is, however, obliterated.) The metal stream of thickness approximately that of the tool diameter D is wiped past the tool at elevated temperatures drawn out to a thickness of v/2(omega) in the wiping zone. Mixing distances in the wiping zone are multiplied in the unfolded metal. Inhomogeneities on a smaller scale than the mixing length are obliterated, but structure on a larger scale may be transmitted to the wake of a FSW weld.

Nunes, Arthur C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Stability Analysis of the Flow over a Swept Forward-Facing Step using PIV Base Flowsin a Non-Orthogonal Coordinate System

Understanding the flow of a crossflow-vortex-dominated boundary layer over a forward-facing step excrescence is necessary in order to mitigate an early transition scenario on the wings and tail of commercial aircraft. By performing BiGlobal stability analysis on the flowfield measured with high-resolution, stereographic Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), previous work has shown that a family of unstable disturbances exists in the direct downstream vicinity of a supercritical, forward-facing step. The goal of the present paper is to improve the previously used stability approach on two fronts: 1) the stability problem is formulated in a non-orthogonal coordinate system and 2) the contribution of the out-of-plane base-flow derivatives is accounted for locally. The resulting eigen solutions feature significantly stronger growth rates and eigenfunctions that are localized above regions of reverse flow. The changes in the problem formulation furthermore establish a significant improvement in the comparison of the stability solutions with the results from the Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (SPOD) of a time-resolved measurement of the perturbation content. A large destabilizing effect by the out-of-plane base-flow derivatives is determined to be justified, despite the assumption that these derivatives are small, because the effect can be reconstructed upon using an eigenvalue-correction formula that assumes the responsible terms are infinitesimally small. The unstable perturbation mechanisms are demonstrated to have a convective nature by assessing the relation between the frequency and the out-of-plane wavenumber, which indicates that their group speed does not approach zero. The last 2 facts, that 1) the perturbations are convective and 2) that the out-of-plane base-flow-derivative terms are small, remove any qualitative suspicions that the perturbation problem is not conducive to parabolization. This opens the path to analyzing this problem with a plane-marching approach.

Boundary- Layer Transition↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computation of three-dimensional turbulent separated flows at supersonic speeds

Numerical solutions of the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations employing a simple eddy-viscosity model have been obtained for three dimensional turbulent flow fields at supersonic speeds. The computer results are compared with a series of experimental test flows describing the interaction of a swept shock wave with a turbulent boundary layer for various shock-wave strengths. Very good agreement is obtained between the computed and experimental surface and flow-field results. The computed flow fields are examined in detail to investigate the physics of this type of flow field. Questions concerning the existence of a vortex and the relationship between converging surface oil streaks and the resulting flow field are addressed.

Horstman, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Multiblock Navier-Stokes solutions about the F/A-18 wing-LEX-fuselage configuration

Three-dimensional thin-layer Navier-Stokes computations are presented for the F/A-18 configuration. The modeled configuration includes an accurate surface representation of the fuselage, leading-edge extension (LEX), and wing, both with and without leading-edge flap deflection. A multiblock structured grid strategy is employed to decompose the computational flowfield domain around the subject configuration. Steady-state solutions are obtained from an algorithm that solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with an upwind-biased, flux-difference splitting approach. The results presented are based on a fully turbulent flow assumption, simulating the high Reynolds number flow conditions that correspond to a recent FI A-18 flight experiment. Good agreements between the computations and the flight test results are obtained for both surface flow patterns as well as surface pressure distributions. Furthermore, a correlation between the computed LEX vortex-core and the flight test results, observed by way of smoke visualization, is also presented.

Aircraft configurations↗
NASA NTRS1984

Numerical simulation of the tip vortex off a low-aspect-ratio wing at transonic speed

The viscous transonic flow around a low aspect ratio wing was computed by an implicit, three dimensional, thin-layer Navier-Stokes solver. The grid around the geometry of interest is obtained numerically as a solution to a Dirichlet problem for the cube. A low aspect ratio wing with large sweep, twist, taper, and camber is the chosen geometry. The topology chosen to wrap the mesh around the wing with good tip resolution is a C-O type mesh. The flow around the wing was computed for a free stream Mach number of 0.82 at an angle of attack of 5 deg. At this Mach number, an oblique shock forms on the upper surface of the wing, and a tip vortex and three dimensional flow separation off the wind surface are observed. Particle path lines indicate that the three dimensional flow separation on the wing surface is part of the roots of the tip vortex formation. The lifting of the tip vortex before the wing trailing edge is observed by following the trajectory of particles release around the wing tip.

Mansour, N. N.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Validation of Calibrated k–ε Model Parameters for Jet-in-Crossflow

Previous efforts determined a set of calibrated, optimal model parameter values for Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations of a compressible jet in crossflow (JIC) using a $k–ε$ turbulence model. These parameters were derived by comparing simulation results to particle image velocimetry (PIV) data of a complementary JIC experiment under a limited set of flow conditions. Here, a $k–ε$ model using both nominal and calibrated parameters is validated against PIV data acquired from a much wider variety of JIC cases, including a realistic flight vehicle. The results from the simulations using the calibrated model parameters showed considerable improvements over those using the nominal values, even for cases that were not used in the calibration procedure that defined the optimal parameters. This improvement is demonstrated using a number of quality metrics that test the spatial alignment of the jet core, the magnitudes of multiple flow variables, and the location and strengths of vortices in the counter-rotating vortex cores on the PIV planes. These results suggest that the calibrated parameters have applicability well outside the specific flow case used in defining them and that with the right model parameters, RANS solutions for the JIC can be improved significantly over those obtained from the nominal model.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2005

Effect of Tabs on a Rectangular Nozzle Studied

In a continuing research program, jets from nozzles of different geometries are being investigated with the aim of increasing mixing and spreading in those flows. Flow fields from nozzles with elliptic, rectangular, and other more complex cross-sectional shapes are being studied in comparison to circular nozzles over a wide Mach number range. As noted by previous researchers, noncircular jets usually spread faster than circular jets. Another technique being investigated to increase jet spreading even further for a given nozzle is the use of "tabs" to generate vortices. A typical tab is a triangular-shaped protrusion placed at the nozzle exit, with the base of the triangle touching the nozzle wall and the apex leaning downstream at 45 to the stream direction. This geometry was determined by a parametric study to produce the optimum effect for a given area blockage. The tabs can increase jet spreading significantly. The underlying mechanism traces to a pair of counter-rotating streamwise vortices originating from each tab. These vortex pairs persist in the flow; and with the appropriate number and strength, they can increase spreading.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Engineering analysis of drooped leading-edge wings near stall

Numerical results obtained with a three-dimensional vortex panel computer program for the calculation of inviscid, incompressible (potential) flow over infinitely thin finite wings with camber are presented. The program, which is designed for wings with drooped leading edge discontinuities, is essentially a numerical representation of lifting surface theory, involving both spanwise and chordwise distributions of vorticity. The results also include two engineering approximations. First, the effect of the leading-edge discontinuities is modeled by assuming that the vortices emanating from the discontinuities aerodynamically divide the wing into three distinct sections of lower aspect ratio. Secondly, the effect of the separated flow at high angle of attack is modeled by applying rectangular vortex panels with a varying vortex strength over the portions of the wing with attached flow.

Anderson, J. D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Transition and mixing in axisymmetric jets and vortex rings

A class of impulsively started, axisymmetric, laminar jets produced by a time dependent joint source of momentum are considered. These jets are different flows, each initially at rest in an unbounded fluid. The study is conducted at three levels of detail. First, a generalized set of analytic creeping flow solutions are derived with a method of flow classification. Second, from this set, three specific creeping flow solutions are studied in detail: the vortex ring, the round jet, and the ramp jet. This study involves derivation of vorticity, stream function, entrainment diagrams, and evolution of time lines through computer animation. From entrainment diagrams, critical points are derived and analyzed. The flow geometry is dictated by the properties and location of critical points which undergo bifurcation and topological transformation (a form of transition) with changing Reynolds number. Transition Reynolds numbers were calculated. A state space trajectory was derived describing the topological behavior of these critical points. This state space derivation yielded three states of motion which are universal for all axisymmetric jets. Third, the axisymmetric round jet is solved numerically using the unsteady laminar Navier Stokes equations. These equations were shown to be self similar for the round jet. Numerical calculations were performed up to a Reynolds number of 30 for a 60x60 point mesh. Animations generated from numerical solution showed each of the three states of motion for the round jet, including the Re = 30 case.

Allen, G. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Vortex cloud model for body vortex shedding and tracking

The discrete vortex cloud approach models a missile airframe's vortex wake by means that are capable of treating a variety of configurations over a range of flow conditions. Attention is given to the sheets of vorticity formed on the lee side of a missile at moderate angles-of-attack. While three-dimensional attached flow models are used to represent the missile body, two-dimensional, incompressible, separated flow models are used to represent the separated vortex wake. The predicted pressure distribution of the body under the influence of the freestream and the separation vortex wake are used to calculate aerodynamic loads on the body. The separation vortex wake is represented by clouds of discrete vortices in cross flow planes normal to the body axis.

Mendenhall, Michael R.↗
DOE OSTI2018

PyFly: A fast, portable aerodynamics simulator

Here, we present a fast, user-friendly implementation of a potential flow solver based on the unsteady vortex lattice method (UVLM), namely PyFly. UVLM computes the aerodynamic loads applied on lifting surfaces while capturing the unsteady effects such as the added mass forces, the growth of bound circulation, and the wake while assuming that the flow separation location is known a priori. This method is based on discretizing the body surface into a lattice of vortex rings and relies on the Biot–Savart law to construct the velocity field at every point in the simulated domain. We introduce the pointwise approximation approach to simulate the interactions of the far-field vortices to overcome the computational burden associated with the classical implementation of UVLM. The computational framework uses the Python programming language to provide an easy to handle user interface while the computational kernels are written in Fortran. The mixed language approach enables high performance regarding solution time and great flexibility concerning easiness of code adaptation to different system configurations and applications. The computational tool predicts the unsteady aerodynamic behavior of multiple moving bodies (e.g., flapping wings, rotating blades, suspension bridges) subject to incoming air. The aerodynamic simulator can also deal with enclosure effects, multi-body interactions, and B-spline representation of body shapes. Finally, we simulate different aerodynamic problems to illustrate the usefulness and effectiveness of PyFly.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗