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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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144 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2023

Modeling of Condensation in the Presence of Noncondensables in GFSSP

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) computer code is enhanced with the capability to model condensation in the presence of noncondensable gases. Condensation in the presence of noncondensables is modeled using the Couette flow film (stagnant film) model. Experimental data on the condensation of water vapor in downward flow of air-water vapor and helium-water vapor mixtures in vertical tubes are compared with the predictions of GFSSP. The comparisons show that GFSSP can predict the experimental data well.

heat transfer↗
NASA NTRS2023

Modeling of Condensation in the Presence of Noncondensables in GFSSP

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) computer code is enhanced with the capability to model condensation in the presence of noncondensable gases. Condensation in the presence of noncondensables is modeled using the Couette flow film (stagnant film) model. Experimental data on the condensation of water vapor in downward flow of air-water vapor and helium-water vapor mixtures in vertical tubes are compared with the predictions of GFSSP. The comparisons show that GFSSP can predict the experimental data well.

heat transfer↗
NASA NTRS1987

Selection principles and pattern formation in fluid mechanics and nonlinear shell theory

Research accomplishments are summarized and publications generated under the contract are listed. The general purpose of the research was to investigate various symmetry breaking problems in fluid mechanics by the use of structure parameters and selection principles. Although all of the nonlinear problems studied involved systems of partial differential equations, many of these problems led to the study of a single nonlinear operator equation of the form F(w, lambda, gamma) = 0, (w is an element of H), (lambda is an element of R1), (gamma is an element of R1). Instead of varying only the load parameter lambda, as is often done in the study of such equations, one of the main ideas used was to vary the structure parameter gamma in such a way that stable solutions were obtained. In this way one determines detailed stability results by making use of the structure of the model equations and the known physical parameters of the problem. The approach was carried out successfully for Benard-type convection problems, Taylor-like problems for short cylinders, rotating Couette-Poiseuille channel flows, and plane Couette flows. The main focus of the research was on wave theory of vortex breakdown in a tube. A number of preliminary results for inviscid axisymmetric flows were obtained.

Sather, Duane P.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Direct Numerical Simulation and Theories of Wall Turbulence with a Range of Pressure Gradients

A new Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of Couette-Poiseuille flow at a higher Reynolds number is presented and compared with DNS of other wall-bounded flows. It is analyzed in terms of testing semi-theoretical proposals for universal behavior of the velocity, mixing length, or eddy viscosity in pressure gradients, and in terms of assessing the accuracy of two turbulence models. These models are used in two modes, the traditional one with only a dependence on the wall-normal coordinate y, and a newer one in which a lateral dependence on z is added. For pure Couette flow and the Couette-Poiseuille case considered here, this z-dependence allows some models to generate steady streamwise vortices, which generally improves the agreement with DNS and experiment. On the other hand, it complicates the comparison between DNS and models.

Coleman, G. N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Instability of streamwise vortices in plane channel flows

We present analysis and numerical experiments on the instability of streamwise vortices in 'minimal channel' flows and argue that this instability is a key feature in the observed intermittent cycle of formation, break-up, and re-formation of these structures. The base flow is a three-component, two-dimensional pair of counter-rotating rolls with axes aligned along the direction of the mean shear. While it is not a steady solution to the Navier-Stokes equations, we show numerically that this flow is unstable on a fast time scale to a secondary, three-dimensional Floquet mode. The growth of the secondary instability does not saturate in a new equilibrium, but continues until highly unstable local shear layers form and the entire flow breaks down into turbulence. Our analysis is motivated in part by the strong similarities between the intermittent turbulent cycle in minimal channel flows and one studied, both experimentally and in computations, in Couette-Taylor flow.

Coughlin, K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Implementation of Finite Volume based Navier Stokes Algorithm Within General Purpose Flow Network Code

This paper describes a finite volume based numerical algorithm that allows multi-dimensional computation of fluid flow within a system level network flow analysis. There are several thermo-fluid engineering problems where higher fidelity solutions are needed that are not within the capacity of system level codes. The proposed algorithm will allow NASA's Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) to perform multi-dimensional flow calculation within the framework of GFSSP s typical system level flow network consisting of fluid nodes and branches. The paper presents several classical two-dimensional fluid dynamics problems that have been solved by GFSSP's multi-dimensional flow solver. The numerical solutions are compared with the analytical and benchmark solution of Poiseulle, Couette and flow in a driven cavity.

Schallhorn, Paul↗
NASA NTRS1994

Incompressible face seals: Computer code IFACE

Capabilities of the computer code IFACE are given in viewgraph format. These include: two dimensional, incompressible, isoviscous flow; rotation of both rotor and housing; roughness in both rotor and housing; arbitrary film thickness distribution, including steps, pockets, and tapers; three degrees of freedom; dynamic coefficients; prescribed force and moments; pocket pressures or orifice size; turbulence, Couette and Poiseuille flow; cavitation; and inertia pressure drops at inlets to film.

Artiles, Antonio↗
NASA NTRS1994

Presentation of computer code SPIRALI for incompressible, turbulent, plane and spiral grooved cylindrical and face seals

A viewgraph presentation is made showing the capabilities of the computer code SPIRALI. Overall capabilities of SPIRALI include: computes rotor dynamic coefficients, flow, and power loss for cylindrical and face seals; treats turbulent, laminar, Couette, and Poiseuille dominated flows; fluid inertia effects are included; rotor dynamic coefficients in three (face) or four (cylindrical) degrees of freedom; includes effects of spiral grooves; user definable transverse film geometry including circular steps and grooves; independent user definable friction factor models for rotor and stator; and user definable loss coefficients for sudden expansions and contractions.

Walowit, Jed A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Development of Numerical Extended Hydrodynamics for Transition-Regime Non-Equilibrium Flows Encountered in Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes

Six months of funding was received for the proposed three year research program (funding for the period from March 1, 1997 to August 31, 1997). Although the official starting date for the project was March 1, 1997, no funding for the project was received until July 1997. In the funded research period, considerable progress was made on Phase I of the proposed research program. The initial research efforts concentrated on applying the 10-, 20-, and 35-moment Gaussian-based closures to a series of standard two-dimensional non-reacting single species test flow problems, such as the flat plate, couette, channel, and rearward facing step flows, and to some other two-dimensional flows having geometries similar to those encountered in chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) reactors. Eigensystem analyses for these systems for the case of two spatial dimensions was carried out and efficient formulations of approximate Riemann solvers have been formulated using these eigenstructures. Formulations to include rotational non-equilibrium effects into the moment closure models for the treatment of polyatomic gases were explored, as the original formulations of the closure models were developed strictly for gases composed of monatomic molecules. The development of a software library and computer code for solving relaxing hyperbolic systems in two spatial dimensions of the type arising from the closure models was also initiated. The software makes use of high-resolution upwind finite-volumes schemes, multi-stage point implicit time stepping, and automatic adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) to solve the governing conservation equations for the moment closures. The initial phase of the code development was completed and a numerical investigation of the solutions of the 10-moment closure model for the simple two-dimensional test cases mentioned above was initiated. Predictions of the 10-moment model were compared to available theoretical solutions and the results of direct-simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) calculations. The first results of this study were presented at a meeting last year.

Groth, Clinton P. T.↗
NASA NTRS2005

System Developed for Bulk Flow Imaging of a Two-Phase Fluid in a Cylindrical Couette

The Microgravity Observation of Bubble Interactions (MOBI) experiment is working to better understand the physics of gas-liquid suspensions. To study such suspensions, researchers generate bubbles in a large cylindrical flow channel. Then, they use various types of instrumentation, including video imaging, to study the bubbly suspension. Scientists will need a camera view of the majority of the gas-liquid suspension inside of the couette in order to gather the information needed from the MOBI experiment. This will provide the scientists with a qualitative picture of the flow that may indicate flow instabilities or imperfect axial mixing inside the couette. These requirements pose a significant challenge because the imaging and lighting system must be confined to a very tight space since the space available on the International Space Station experiment racks is very limited. In addition, because of the large field of view needed and the detail needed to see the gas-liquid suspension behavior in the image, a digital video camera with high resolution (1024 by 1024 pixels) had to be used. Although the high-resolution camera will provide scientists with the image quality they need, it left little space on the experiment rack for the lighting system. Many configurations were considered for the lighting system, including front-lighting and back-lighting, but because of mechanical design limitations with the couette, back-lighting was not an option.

Juergens, Jeffrey R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Sensitivity analysis of hydrodynamic stability operators

The eigenvalue sensitivity for hydrodynamic stability operators is investigated. Classical matrix perturbation techniques as well as the concept of epsilon-pseudoeigenvalues are applied to show that parts of the spectrum are highly sensitive to small perturbations. Applications are drawn from incompressible plane Couette, trailing line vortex flow and compressible Blasius boundary layer flow. Parametric studies indicate a monotonically increasing effect of the Reynolds number on the sensitivity. The phenomenon of eigenvalue sensitivity is due to the non-normality of the operators and their discrete matrix analogs and may be associated with large transient growth of the corresponding initial value problem.

Schmid, Peter J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

MOBI: Microgravity Observations of Bubble Interactions

One of the greatest uncertainties affecting the design of multiphase flow technologies for space exploration is the spatial distribution of phases that will arise in microgravity or reduced gravity. On Earth, buoyancy-driven motion predominates whereas the shearing of the bubble suspension controls its behavior in microgravity. We are conducting a series of ground-based experiments and a flight experiment spanning the full range of ratios of buoyancy to shear. These include: (1) bubbles rising in a quiescent liquid in a vertical channel; (2) weak shear flow induced by slightly inclining the channel; (3) moderate shear flow in a terrestrial vertical pipe flow; and (4) shearing of a bubble suspension in a cylindrical Couette cell in microgravity. We consider nearly monodisperse suspensions of 1 to 1.8 mm diameter bubbles in aqueous electrolyte solutions. The liquid velocity disturbance produced by bubbles in this size range can often be described using an inviscid analysis. Electrolytic solutions lead to hydrophilic repulsion forces that stabilize the bubble suspension without causing Marangoni stresses. We will discuss the mechanisms that control the flow behavior and phase distribution in the ground-based experiments and speculate on the factors that may influence the suspension flow and bubble volume fraction distribution in the flight experiment.

Koch, Donald L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Fluid Dynamics of Bubbly Liquids

Experiments have been performed to study the average flow properties of inertially dominated bubbly liquids which may be described by a novel analysis. Bubbles with high Reynolds number and low Weber number may produce a fluid velocity disturbance that can be approximated by a potential flow. We studied the behavior of suspensions of bubbles of about 1.5 mm diameter in vertical and inclined channels. The suspension was produced using a bank of 900 glass capillaries with inner diameter of about 100 microns in a quasi-steady fashion. In addition, salt was added to the suspension to prevent bubble-bubble coalescence. As a result, a nearly monodisperse suspension of bubble was produced. By increasing the inclination angle, we were able to explore an increasing amount of shear to buoyancy motion. A pipe flow experiment with the liquid being recirculated is under construction. This will provide an even larger range of shear to buoyancy motion. We are planning a microgravity experiment in which a bubble suspension is subjected to shearing in a couette cell in the absence of a buoyancy-driven relative motion of the two phases. By employing a single-wire, hot film anemometer, we were able to obtain the liquid velocity fluctuations. The shear stress at the wall was measured using a hot film probe flush mounted on the wall. The gas volume fraction, bubble velocity, and bubble velocity fluctuations were measured using a homemade, dual impedance probe. In addition, we also employed a high-speed camera to obtain the bubble size distribution and bubble shape in a dilute suspension. A rapid decrease in bubble velocity for a dilute bubble suspension is attributed to the effects of bubble-wall collisions. The more gradual decrease of bubble velocity as gas volume fraction increases, due to subsequent hindering of bubble motion, is in qualitative agreement with the predictions of Spelt and Sangani for the effects of potential-flow bubble-bubble interactions on the mean velocity. The ratio of the bubble velocity variance to the square of the mean is 0(0.1). For these conditions Spelt and Sangani predicted that the homogeneous suspension would be unstable and clustering into horizontal rafts will take place. Evidence for bubble clustering is obtained by analysis of video images. The liquid velocity variance is larger than would be expected for a homogeneous suspension and the liquid velocity frequency spectrum indicates the presence of velocity fluctuations that are slow compared with the time for the passage of an individual bubble. These observations provide further evidence for bubble clustering.

Tsang, Y. H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A spectral multi-domain technique applied to stability and transition of incompressible and compressible flows

Techniques for the numerical simulation of compressible and incompressible viscous flows are described and demonstrated. The focus is on a multidomain spectral method based on the flux-balance domain-interface scheme of Macaraeg and Streett (1986). The fundamental principles of the method are reviewed, and it is shown that the multidomain spectral approach facilitates the treatment of instability and the transition to turbulence. Typical numerical results for the Taylor-Couette problem and for bounded compressible high-speed mixing layers are presented in graphs and briefly characterized.

Macaraeg, Michele↗
NASA NTRS2002

Behavior of Rapidly Sheared Bubble Suspensions

An experiment to be carried out aboard the International Space Station is described. A suspension consisting of millimeter-sized bubbles in water containing some dissolved salt, which prevents bubbles from coalescing, will be sheared in a Couette cylindrical cell. Rotation of the outer cylinder will produce centrifugal force which will tend to accumulate the bubbles near the inner wall. The shearing will enhance collisions among bubbles creating thereby bubble phase pressure that will resist the tendency of the bubbles to accumulate near the inner wall. The bubble volume fraction and velocity profiles will be measured and compared with the theoretical predictions. Ground-based research on measurement of bubble phase properties and flow in vertical channel are described.

Sangani, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Two-layer viscous instability in a rotating couette device

A novel experiment to study the interfacial shear instability between two liquids is described. Density-matched immiscible liquids are confined between concentric cylinders such that the interface is parallel to the cylinder walls. Interfacial waves that develop because of viscosity differences between the shearing fluids are studied as a function of rotation rate and depth ratio using optical techniques. Conditions neutral stability and the most unstable wavenumber agree reasonably well with predictions from linear stability analysis of the Navier-Stokes equations. Illumination using laser sheets allows precise measurement of the interface shape. Future experiments will verify the correctness of weakly nonlinear theories that describe energy transfer and saturation of wave growth by nonlinear effects. Measurements of solitary wave shapes, that occur far above neutral stability, will be compared to similar measurements for systems that have gravity as an important force to determine how gravity effects large disturbances. These results will be used to interpret slug and annular flow data that have been obtained in other mu g studies.

Gallagher, Christopher↗