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At least 145 records · Page 8

Modeling Interface Motion Of Combustion (MINOC). A computer code for two-dimensional, unsteady turbulent combustion

A computer code for calculating the flow field and flame propagation in a turbulent combustion tunnel is described. The model used in the analysis is the random vortex model, which allows the turbulent field to evolve as a fundamental solution to the Navier-Stokes equations without averaging or closure modeling. The program was used to study the flow field in a model combustor, formed by a rearward-facing step in a channel, in terms of the vorticity field, the turbulent shear stresses, the flame contours, and the concentration field. Results for the vorticity field reveal the formation of large-scale eddy structures in the turbulent flow downstream from the step. The concentration field contours indicate that most burning occurred around the outer edges of the large eddies of the shear layer.

Ghoneim, A. F.↗

A hot-wire method for high-intensity turbulent flows

A measuring technique for determing instantaneous, three-dimensional velocity vectors in highly turbulent flows by means of a 4-sensor hot-wire probe is described. As is well known, the hot-wire signal received in reversing flows cannot uniquely be interpreted. This difficulty is circumvented by tracking the thermal wake of a heated wire. Whenever the approximate flow direction is indicated by a temperature-sensitive wake detector, all components of the instantaneous velocity vector are evaluated by means of a digital data reduction method. Uniqueness of the solution derived from the triple-hot-wire response equations is examined. A first application of the proposed measuring technique in the recirculating flow downstream of a backward-facing step is described.

Mueller, U. R.↗

Structure of the November 12, 1978, quasi-parallel interplanetary shock

The jump in plasma parameters exhibited by the intense interplanetary shock event of Nov. 12, 1978 is analyzed using ISEE 1, 2 and 3 data. Magnetic and electric field measurements indicated that the shock magnetic field profile was similar to the earth bow shock profile. Data on the electron and proton densities, temperatures, bulk velocities and alpha particles showed a steady electron temperature increase across the shock on a 12 earth radii scale. The upstream and downstream flow parameters are found to be within 10 percent of Rankin-Hugoniot jump conditions. The shock moved at 614 km/sec and had three dissipative scales, one a few Larmor radii determined by the magnetic field jump, a second 10 earth radii correlated with the electron equilibrium and the other 30 earth radii connected to the energetic proton foreshock.

Kennel, C. F.↗

Two dimensional, transient catalytic combustion of CO-air on platinum

The light off transient of catalytic combustion of lean CO-air mixtures in a platinum coated channel of a honeycomb monolith is studied with a model that resolves transient radial and axial gradients in both the gas and the solid. For the conditions studied it is concluded that: the initial heat release occurs near the entrance at the gas-solid interface and is controlled by heterogeneous reactions; large spatial and temporal temperature gradients occur in the solid near the entrance controlled mostly by the availability of fuel; the temperature of the solid near the entrance achieves almost its steady state value before significant heating of the back; heterogeneous reactions and the gas heated up front and flowing downstream heat the back of the solid; the overall transient time is controlled by the thermal inertia of the solid and by forced convection; radiation significantly influences both transient and steady state particularly near the entrance; the oxidation of CO occurs mostly on the catalyst and becomes diffusion controlled soon into the transient.

Sinha, N.↗

Time-dependent coronal shock acceleration of energetic solar flare particles

A global time-dependent model is presented for the coronal and interplanetary shock acceleration and propagation of energetic solar flare particles. The calculations are carried out to help prove that coronal shock acceleration of solar flare particles is responsible for energetic solar flare event data gathered in interplanetary space. The model is based on the theory of diffusive shock acceleration, and requires particle speeds to be much greater than bulk velocities. Also, sufficient scattering must occur upstream and downstream of the shock for the particle scattering mean free path to be smaller than the characteristic scale lengths, which causes the same particles to encounter the shock repeatedly. A spherically symmetric shock wave is assumed, which leads to the same emission configuration for impulsively and monoenergetically emitted particles. Consideration is given to acceleration by compression at the shock front, adiabatic deceleration in the divergent downstream flow, the temporal evolution of the shock and the three-dimensional geometry of the corona. The model is used to generate normalized proton omnidirectional distributions at 1 AU and at the shock front. The spectral exhibit trends similar to those in observational data, especially proton acceleration times and the proton distribution profiles at 1 AU.

Lee, M. A.↗

Numerical simulations of trailing vortex bursting

Solutions of the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations for the axisymmetric bursting of a laminar trailing vortex are computed with Newton's method and the pseudo-arc length continuation method for wide ranges of vortex strength and Reynolds number. The results indicate that a trailing vortex can undergo a transition from a state in which the core slowly diffuses to a state marked by large amplitude, spatial oscillations of core radius and core axial velocity. At the transition point the core grows rapidly in size. This event is interpreted as vortex bursting. The results also suggest that when the maximum core swirl velocity is sufficiently large the centerline axial flow downstream of transition will be reversed.

Beran, Philip S.↗

Critical Mach numbers in classical magnetohydrodynamics

Stationary point analysis is used to compute generalized critical Mach numbers for finite-amplitude fast and slow shocks in classical MHD fluids. Particular attention is paid to the case where the resistive and thermal conduction dissipation scale lengths are comparable and much larger than the viscous scale lengths. With both resistivity and thermal conduction, the critical Mach number at which viscosity must be invoked is determined by the condition that the downstream flow speed equals the isothermal sound speed. It is also shown that resistivity and thermal conduction can provide convergent stationary point solutions for nearly all slow shocks, except perhaps switch-off-shocks.

Kennel, Charles F.↗

Development of three-dimensional code for the analysis of jet mixing problem. Part 1: Laminar solution

Future aircraft will eventually feature nonaxisymmetric or rectangular nozzles. Developing a three-dimensional code to stimulate the characteristics of the jet exhaust plume, issuing from nonaxisymmetric nozzles, in general, at different flight conditions, is very important. Two three-dimensional codes were developed to simulate the shock-cell structure of circular nozzles. These codes were developed to solve the parabolized and simplified Navier-Stokes equations respectively. Both codes are based on a method previously developed by Newsome et al. These codes are fully vectorized on the VPS 32 at NASA Langley Research Center. The axisymmetric underexpanded supersonic jet flow problem, exhausting into still air, was used as a test case for developing an efficient three-dimensional problems and preserving crossplane symmetry of the flow downstream of the jet exit.

Abdol-Hamid, Khaled S.↗

Low-speed flowfield characterization by infrared measurements of surface temperatures

An experimental program was aimed at identifying areas in low speed aerodynamic research where infrared imaging systems can make significant contributions. Implementing a new technique, a long electrically heated wire was placed across a laminar jet. By measuring the temperature distribution along the wire with the IR imaging camera, the flow behavior was identified. Furthermore, using Nusselt number correlations, the velocity distribution could be deduced. The same approach was used to survey wakes behind cylinders in a wind-tunnel. This method is suited to investigate flows with position dependent velocities, e.g., boundary layers, confined flows, jets, wakes, and shear layers. It was found that the IR imaging camera cannot accurately track high gradient temperature fields. A correlation procedure was devised to account for this limitation. Other wind-tunnel experiments included tracking the development of the laminar boundary layer over a warmed flat plate by measuring the chordwise temperature distribution. This technique was applied also to the flow downstream from a rearward facing step. Finally, the IR imaging system was used to study boundary layer behavior over an airfoil at angles of attack from zero up to separation. The results were confirmed with tufts observable both visually and with the IR imaging camera.

Gartenberg, E.↗

Preliminary study of the interactions caused by crossing shock waves and a turbulent boundary layer

The subject research, the first phase of an extended study of the interaction of crossing shock waves with a turbulent boundary layer, has revealed the complexity of the resulting flow. Detailed surface visualization and mean wall static pressure distributions show little resemblance to the inviscid flow approximation, and the exploratory high frequency measurements show that the flow downstream of the theoretical inviscid shock crossing position has a significant unsteady characteristic. Further developments of the (unsteady) high frequency measurements are required to fully characterize the unsteadiness and the requirements to include this component in flowfield modeling.

Ketchum, A. C.↗

A study of the unsteadiness of crossing shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions

The unsteadiness of crossing shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions at a nominal Mach number of 3 was examined by measuring wall pressure fluctuations using multiple, high frequency response, pressure transducers. The unsteadiness in the initial part of the interaction for all the interactions is similar to that of single fin interaction as studied by Tran and Bogdonoff (1987). However, for stronger interactions, flow downstream of the inviscid shock crossing position has a significant unsteady characteristic. In this unsteady region of the interaction, mean surface pressure rises significantly over the value obtained from the inviscid shock approximation. The energy spectrum of the fluctuating pressure signal shows a significant increase in the energy level at the higher frequencies.

Poddar, K.↗

The aerodynamic effect of fillet radius in a low speed compressor cascade

The aerodynamic effects of fillet size in a low speed compressor cascade were experimentally studied. Two blade profiles were used during the experiment, namely a controlled diffusion blade and a double circular arc blade. Cascades were tested with three fillet radii and two boundary layer thicknesses over a large range of incidence angles. The cascade performance was determined by extensive downstream flow measurements using a two head, 5 hole pressure probe. Results differ significantly between the two types of blades tested. As fillet radius increases secondary flows and total pressure losses were found to increase for the controlled diffusion blades; whereas, for the double circular arc blades the losses decrease, particularly at high incidence angles.

Curlett, Brian P.↗

Comparison of laser transit anemometry data analysis techniques

Two techniques for the extraction of two-dimensional flow information from laser transit anemometry (LTA) data sets are presented and compared via a simulation study and experimental investigation. The methods are a probability density function (PDF) estimation technique and a marginal distribution analysis technique. The simulation study builds on the results of previous work and provides a quantification of the accuracy of both techniques for various LTA data acquisition scenarios. The experimental comparison consists of using an LTA system to survey the flow downstream of a turbulence generator in a small low-speed wind tunnel. The collected data sets are analyzed and compared.

Humphreys, William M., Jr.↗

Turbulent flow in a channel with transverse rib heat transfer augmentation

Turbulent flow in a 2D channel with repeated rectangular rib roughness was numerically simulated using a low Reynolds number form of the k-epsilon turbulence model. Friction factors and average Stanton numbers were calculated for various pitch to rib height ratios and bulk Reynolds numbers. Comparisons with experiment were generally adequate, with the predictions of friction superior to those for heat transfer. The effect of variable properties for channel flow was investigated, and the results showed a greater effect for friction than for heat transfer. Comparison with experiment yielded no clear conclusions. The turbulence model was also validated for a related problem, that of flow downstream of an abrupt pipe expansion.

Chang, B. H.↗

Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Tip Clearance Flow in a Transonic Axial Compressor Rotor

Experimental and computational techniques are used to investigate tip clearance flows in a transonic axial compressor rotor at design and part speed conditions. Laser anemometer data acquired in the endwall region are presented for operating conditions near peak efficiency and near stall at 100% design speed and at near peak efficiency at 60% design speed. The role of the passage shock/leakage vortex interaction in generating endwall blockage is discussed. As a result of the shock/vortex interaction at design speed, the radial influence of the tip clearance flow extends to 20 times the physical tip clearance height. At part speed, in the absence of the shock, the radial extent is only 5 times the tip clearance height. Both measurements and analysis indicate that under part-speed operating conditions a second vortex, which does not originate from the tip leakage flow, forms in the endwall region within the blade passage and exits the passage near midpitch. Mixing of the leakage vortex with primary flow downstream of the rotor at both design and part speed conditions is also discussed.

Suder, Kenneth L.↗

Combustion of Various Highly Reactive Fuels in a 3.84- by 10-inch Mach 2 Wind Tunnel

The following fuels and fuel combinations injected from the top wall of a Mach 2 wind tunnel were successfully burned and gave associated pressure rises: aluminum borohydride, pentaborane, mixtures containing up to 41 percent JP-4 fuel in aluminum borohydride, tandem injections of aluminum borohydride, tandem injections of JP-4 fuel and aluminum borohydride, trimethyl aluminum with water injections, and diethyl aluminum hydride with water injections. The following fuels could not be ignited at the tunnel conditions (static pressure, 5.6 in. Hg; static temperature, -148 F): trimethylborane, triethylborane, propylpentaborane, ethyl- decaborane, and vinylsilane. Studies in which the heated region was probed by water injections indicated that the flow downstream of the flame front is subsonic and recirculating.

Allen, Harrison, Jr.↗

Supersonic Pulsed Injection

An injector has been developed to provide high-speed high-frequency (order 10 kHz) pulsed a supersonic crossflow. The injector nozzle is formed between the fixed internal surface of the nozzle and a freely rotating three- or four-sided wheel embedded within the device. Flow-induced rotation of the wheel causes the nozzle throat to open and close at a frequency proportional to the speed of sound of the injected gas. Measurements of frequency and mass flow rate as a function of supply pressure are discussed for various injector designs. Preliminary results are presented for wall-normal injection of helium into a Mach-2 ducted airflow. The data include schlieren images in the injectant plume in a plane normal to the flow, downstream of injection.

Cutler, A. D.↗

Very Large Eddy Simulation Technique for Noise Prediction and Control in Turbomachinery and Propulsion

The summer fellowship research project focused on further developing an advanced computational technique based on Very Large Eddy Simulation (VLES) for analysis and control of major sources of noise in turbomachinery and propulsion systems, including jet noise and fan noise. Major part of the work during the 10-week tenure dealt with implementing a low-order, implicit A-stable time-stepping scheme in the existing explicit VLES code of Dr. Ray Hixon. The preliminary plan of the work also included application of a new time marching formulation to the problem of viscous gust-airfoil interaction. Other research items selected for implementation (possibly in the future) included investigating a set of new subgrid turbulent models for the code, and code application to a number of test cases, including a supersonic jet and swirling flow downstream of a rotor stage.

Golubev, Vladimir V.↗