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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 145 records · Page 8

Crash tests of four low-wing twin-engine airplanes with truss-reinforced fuselage structure

Four six-place, low-wing, twin-engine, general aviation airplane test specimens were crash tested under controlled free flight conditions. All airplanes were impacted on a concrete test surface at a nomial flight path velocity of 27 m/sec. Two tests were conducted at a -15 deg flight path angle (0 deg pitch angle and 15 deg pitch angle), and two were conducted at a -30 deg flight path angle (-30 deg pitch angle). The average acceleration time histories (crash pulses) in the cabin area for each principal direction were calculated for each crash test. In addition, the peak floor accelerations were calculated for each test as a function of aircraft fuselage longitudinal station number. Anthropomorphic dummy accelerations were analyzed using the dynamic response index and severity index (SI) models. Parameters affecting the dummy restraint system were studied; these parameters included the effect of no upper torso restraint, measurement of the amount of inertia-reel strap pullout before locking, measurement of dummy chest forward motion, and loads in the restraints. With the SI model, the dummies with no shoulder harness received head impacts above the concussive threshold.

Williams, M. S.↗

Laser velocimetry measurements of oscillating airfoil dynamic stall flow field

Ensemble-averaged two-component velocity measurements over an airfoil experiencing oscillatory dynamic stall under compressibility conditions were obtained. The measurements show the formation of a separation bubble over the airfoil that persists till angles of attack close to when the dynamic stall vortex forms and convects. The fluid attains mean velocities as large as 1.6 times the free stream velocity with instantaneous values of 1.8 times the free stream velocity. The airfoil motion induces these large velocities in regions that are far removed from the surface.

Chandrasekhara, M. S.↗

A Dual-Plane PIV Study of Turbulent Heat Transfer Flows

Thin film cooling is a widely used technique in turbomachinery and rocket propulsion applications, where cool injection air protects a surface from hot combustion gases. The injected air typically has a different velocity and temperature from the free stream combustion flow, yielding a flow field with high turbulence and large temperature differences. These thin film cooling flows provide a good test case for evaluating computational model prediction capabilities. The goal of this work is to provide a database of flow field measurements for validating computational flow prediction models applied to turbulent heat transfer flows. In this work we describe the application of a Dual-Plane Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique in a thin film cooling wind tunnel facility where the injection air stream velocity and temperatures are varied in order to provide benchmark turbulent heat transfer flow field measurements. The Dual-Plane PIV data collected include all three components of velocity and all three components of vorticity, spanning the width of the tunnel at multiple axial measurement planes.

Turbulent heat transfer↗

Process modelling for Space Station experiments

Examined here is the sensitivity of a variety of space experiments to residual accelerations. In all the cases discussed the sensitivity is related to the dynamic response of a fluid. In some cases the sensitivity can be defined by the magnitude of the response of the velocity field. This response may involve motion of the fluid associated with internal density gradients, or the motion of a free liquid surface. For fluids with internal density gradients, the type of acceleration to which the experiment is sensitive will depend on whether buoyancy driven convection must be small in comparison to other types of fluid motion, or fluid motion must be suppressed or eliminated. In the latter case, the experiments are sensitive to steady and low frequency accelerations. For experiments such as the directional solidification of melts with two or more components, determination of the velocity response alone is insufficient to assess the sensitivity. The effect of the velocity on the composition and temperature field must be considered, particularly in the vicinity of the melt-crystal interface. As far as the response to transient disturbances is concerned, the sensitivity is determined by both the magnitude and frequency of the acceleration and the characteristic momentum and solute diffusion times. The microgravity environment, a numerical analysis of low gravity tolerance of the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, and modeling crystal growth by physical vapor transport in closed ampoules are discussed.

Alexander, J. Iwan D.↗

Liquid lithium divertor analysis using coupled plasma material interaction model

A liquid lithium divertor can improve performance of future fusion devices by creating efficient power exhaust and improving the energy confinement via pumping of the hydrogen isotopes. In addition, significantly higher heat fluxes can be handled if controlled vapor shielding is used to redistribute the divertor heat flux over a wider area. Design and optimization of such a system calls for an analysis model which includes a strong two-way coupling between the plasma and divertor material. The incoming plasma heat and particle flux will affect the divertor surface temperature, which is a defining factor of the lithium evaporative and sputtered flux going into the plasma. Results of the coupled model based on the plasma edge code SOLPS-ITER and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code ANSYS-CFX will be presented for different configurations. An analytical slab flow model is used as a heat transfer boundary condition for SOLPS, defining particle flux from the wall via calculation of the surface temperature. At the final step, results of the SOLPS analysis are verified using a 3D CFD magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) analysis which uses heat and particle flux from SOLPS as a boundary condition. In addition to plasma heat flux, both analytical and CFD temperature models include several plasma material interaction effects, such as lithium evaporation, condensation and sputtering based on deuterium target flux. New adatom sputtering model based on the available experimental data is presented. Analytical model is expanded to include free surface axisymmetric configurations. Results of parametric studies of the divertor configurations with different lithium inlet temperature and velocity will be presented leading to the optimal design resulting in the lowest possible lithium contamination in the core.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

RAXBOD: A FORTRAN program for inviscid transonic flow over axisymmetric bodies

A program called RAXBOD is presented for the analysis of steady, inviscid, irrotational, transonic flow over axisymmetric bodies in free air. The method solves the exact equation for the disturbance velocity potential function and applies the exact surface boundary condition. Instructions on program usage and listings of the program and sample cases are given.

Keller, J. D.↗

On sound radiation from the trailing edge of an isolated airfoil in a uniform flow

An experimental investigation has been conducted to determine the physical process of the noise production from the trailing edge of an isolated two-dimensional airfoil embedded in a low turbulence uniform mean flow. The Reynolds number of the airfoil based on chord was greater than 1,000,000 and that the boundary layer was fully turbulent at the trailing edge. Smoke injection technique and spark shadowgraphy were used to study the structural features of the boundary layer. Two point joint statistical analyses were made on the surface pressure, the radiated sound and the relationship between the two quantities. Operating conditions included two free stream velocities and two angles of attack for both a naturally developed and an artificially tripped boundary layer. Flow visualizations revealed the existence of large scale coherent motions in the outer region of the boundary layer. The observed coherent motions had scales of the order of boundary layer thickness and a convection velocity near the free stream velocity. The production process of the airfoil trailing edge noise was determined to be the convection of the large scale coherent eddies over the trailing edge of the airfoil. The noise field so generated was found to be rather coherent and dipole-like.

Yu, J. C.↗

Float Zone Experiments in Space

The objective of this work has been to evaluate whether or not Marangoni flow could be suppressed in molten metals by the presence of very thin oxide films. Experimental work has been carried out on molten Sn under UHV conditions. A disk floating zone arrangement was developed to allow in situ Auger examination of molten surfaces. An electron energy loss technique was developed which allows detection of continuous tin oxide films of 6 A or greater. Experiments were planned to detect the effects of oxide formation upon Marangoni flow by measuring: (1) temperature profiles, (2) solid liquid interface shapes, (3) macrosegregation, and (4) the onset of oscillatory Marangoni flow by detecting oscillating temperature variations. Work on (4) showed that oscillatory temperature variations of frequency or = 10 Hz were not present in the disk float zone geometry under conditions of Ma = 4300 with an oxide free molten surface. The disk float zone geometry was modeled with a finite element analysis and temperature and velocity profiles were determined.

Verhoeven, J. D.↗

Non-contaminating method to reduce Marangoni convection in microgravity float zones

A ground-based experiment has validated the effectiveness of a noncontaminating method developed to reduce Marangoni (thermal capillary) convection in float-zone processing of corrosive materials in space microgravity. A drop of silicone oil 1.5 mm high was enclosed in a transparent box, and the small size of the drop was shown to suppress the 1-g thermal-buoyant convection. A vertical jet of air was blown tangentially over a vertical free surface, producing a viscous shear drag which opposes the Marangoni surface shear. A 66 percent reduction in Marangoni velocities was found in the lowest one-third of the drop, corresponding to the resolidification surface in a float-zone melt.

Dressler, R. F.↗

Large-Eddy Simulation of Flow Over Boeing Gaussian Bump Using Multiagent Reinforcement Learning Wall Model: Preprint

We develop a wall model for large-eddy simulation (LES) that takes into account various pressure-gradient effects using multi-agent reinforcement learning. The model is trained using low-Reynolds-number flow over periodic hills with agents distributed on the wall at various computational grid points. It utilizes a wall eddy-viscosity formulation as the boundary condition to apply the modeled wall shear stress. Each agent receives states based on local instantaneous flow quantities at an off-wall location, computes a reward based on the estimated wall-shear stress, and provides an action to update the wall eddy viscosity at each time step. The trained wall model is validated in wall-modeled LES of flow over periodic hills at higher Reynolds numbers, and the results show the effectiveness of the model on flow with pressure gradients. The analysis of the trained model indicates that the model is capable of distinguishing between the various pressure gradient regimes present in the flow. To further assess the robustness of the developed wall model, simulations of flow over the Boeing Gaussian bump are conducted at a Reynolds number of 2 x 10^6, based on the free-stream velocity and the bump width. The results of mean skin friction and pressure on the bump surface, as well as the velocity statistics of the flow field, are compared to those obtained from equilibrium wall model (EQWM) simulations and published experimental data sets. The developed wall model is found to successfully capture the acceleration and deceleration of the turbulent boundary layer on the bump surface, providing better predictions of skin friction near the bump peak and exhibiting comparable performance to the EQWM with respect to the wall pressure and velocity field. We also conclude that the subgrid-scale model is crucial to the accurate prediction of the flow field, in particular the prediction of separation.

boundary layer↗

FORTRAN program for calculating velocities and streamlines on the hub-shroud mid-channel flow surface of an axial- or mixed-flow turbomachine. 1: User's manual

A FORTRAN 4 computer program has been developed that obtains a subsonic or shock-free transonic flow solution on the hub-shroud mid-channel flow surface of a turbomachine. The blade row may be fixed or rotating, and may be twisted and leaned. Flow may be axial or mixed, up to 45 deg from axial. Upstream and downstream flow variables may vary from hub to shroud, and provision is made to correct for loss of stagnation pressure. The results include velocities, streamlines, and flow angles on the flow surface; and approximate blade surface velocities. Subsonic solutions are obtained by a finite-difference stream-function solution. Transonic solutions are obtained by a velocity-gradient method, using information from a finite-difference stream-function solution at a reduced mass flow.

Katsanis, T.↗

Thermospheric temperature measurement technique.

A method for measurement of temperature in the earth's lower thermosphere from a high-velocity probes is described. An undisturbed atmospheric sample is admitted to the instrument by means of a free molecular flow inlet system of skimmers which avoids surface collisions of the molecules prior to detection. Measurement of the time-of-flight distribution of an initially well-localized group of nitrogen metastable molecular states produced in an open, crossed electron-molecular beam source, yields information on the atmospheric temperature. It is shown that for high vehicle velocities, the time-of-flight distribution of the metastable flux is a sensitive indicator of atmospheric temperature. The temperature measurement precision should be greater than 94% at the 99% confidence level over the range of altitudes from 120-170 km. These precision and altitude range estimates are based on the statistical consideration of the counting rates achieved with a multichannel analyzer using realistic values for system parameters.

Hueser, J. E.↗

Revised FORTRAN program for calculating velocities and streamlines on the hub-shroud midchannel stream surface of an axial-, radial-, or mixed-flow turbomachine or annular duct. 1: User's manual

A FORTRAN 4 computer program was developed that obtains a detailed subsonic or shock-free transonic flow solution on the hub-shroud midchannel stream surface of a turbomachine. The blade row may be fixed or rotating, and the blades may be twisted and leaned. Flow may be axial, mixed, or radial. Upstream and downstream flow variables may vary from hub to shroud, and provision is made to correct for loss of stagnation pressure. The results include velocities, streamlines, and flow angles on the stream surface as well as approximate blade surface velocities. Subsonic solutions are obtained by a finite-difference, stream-function solution. Transonic solutions are obtained by a velocity-gradient method that uses information from a finite-difference, stream-function solution at a reduced mass flow.

Katsanis, T.↗

Revised FORTRAN program for calculating velocities and streamlines on the hub-shroud midchannel stream surface of an axial-, radial-, or mixed-flow turbomachine or annular duct. 2: Programmer's manual

A FORTRAN IV computer program has been developed that obtains a detailed subsonic or shock free transonic flow solution on the hub-shroud midchannel stream surface of a turbomachine. The blade row may be fixed or rotating, and the blades may be twisted and leaned. Flow may be axial, mixed, or radial. Upstream and downstream flow variables may vary from hub to shroud, and provisions are made to correct for loss of stagnation pressure. The results include velocities, streamlines, and flow angles on the stream surface and approximate blade surface velocities.

Katsanis, T.↗

Determining the Transport of Magnetic Helicity and Free Energy in the Sun's Atmosphere

The most important factors determining solar coronal activity are believed to be the availability of magnetic free energy and the constraint of magnetic helicity conservation. Direct measurements of the helicity and magnetic free energy in the coronal volume are difficult, but their values may be estimated from measurements of the helicity and free energy transport rates through the photosphere. We examine these transport rates for a topologically open system such as the corona, in which the magnetic fields have a nonzero normal component at the boundaries, and derive a new formula for the helicity transport rate at the boundaries. In addition, we derive new expressions for helicity transport due to flux emergence/submergence versus photospheric horizontal motions. The key feature o four formulas is that they are manifestly gauge invariant. Our results are somewhat counterintuitive in that only the lamellar electric field produced by the surface potential transports helicity across boundaries, and the solenoidal electric field produced by a surface stream function does not contribute to the helicity transport. We discuss the physical interpretation of this result. Furthermore, we derive an expression for the free energy transport rate and show that a necessary condition for free energy transport across a boundary is the presence of a closed magnetic field at the surface, indicating that there are current systems within the volume. We discuss the implications of these results for using photospheric vector magnetic and velocity field measurements to derive the solar coronal helicity and magnetic free energy, which can then be used to constrain and drive models for coronal activity.

Schuck, Peter W.↗

Three-dimensional flow in radial turbomachinery and its impact on design

In the two papers on the 'Theory of Blade Design for Large Deflections' published in 1984, a new inverse design technique was presented for designing the shape of turbomachinery blades in three-dimensional flow. The technique involves the determination of the blade profile from the specification of a distribution of the product of the radius and the pitched averaged tangential velocity (i.e., r bar-V(sub theta), the mean swirl schedule) within the bladed region. This is in contrast to the conventional inverse design technique for turbomachinery blading in two dimensional flow in which the blade surface pressure or velocity distribution is specified and the blade profile determined as a result; this is feasible in two-dimensional flow because the streamlines along the blade surfaces are known a priori. However, in three-dimensional flow, the stream surface is free to deform within the blade passage so that the streamlines on the blade surfaces are not known a priori; thus it is difficult and not so useful to prescribe the blade surface pressure or velocity distribution and determine the resulting blade profile. It therefore seems logical to prescribe the swirl schedule within the bladed region for designing a turbomachinery blade profile in three-dimensional flow. Furthermore, specifying r bar-V(sub theta) has the following advantages: (1) it is related to the circulation around the blade (i.e., it is an aerodynamic quantity); (2) the work done or extracted is approximately proportional to the overall change in r bar-V(sub theta) across a given blade row (Euler turbine equation); and (3) the rate of change of r bar-V(sub theta) along the mean streamline at the blade is related to the pressure jump across the blade and therefore the blade loading. Since the publications of those two papers, the technique has been applied to the design of a low speed as well as a high speed radial inflow turbine (for turbocharger applications) both of which showed definite improvements in performance over that of wheels of conventional designs, the design study of a high pressure ratio radial inflow turbine with and without splitter blades.

Tan, Choon S.↗

Recent developments in dynamic stall

Tests were performed on an airfoil in a low-turbulence subsonic wind tunnel at fixed incidence for different speeds of the wind, the airfoil being in translatory motion normal or parallel to the wind. The resulting aerodynamic forces and moment on the airfoil were measured along with local pressure and skin friction. When the incidence is small and the boundary layer attached, no unsteady effects were observed. However, for a large incidence (16 deg), in the case of boundary layer separation, strong unsteady effects are revealed when the boundary layer is reattached in periodic flow. Reattachment can be explained assuming that for the same value of free stream velocity, the gradient of the modulus of the periodic component of the relative airspeed at the upper surface of the airfoil in a direction normal to this surface is greater than the gradient of the relative air speed at the upper surface when the airfoil is not oscillating.

Mccroskey, W. J.↗

Techniques for estimating Space Station aerodynamic characteristics

A method was devised and calculations were performed to determine the effects of reflected molecules on the aerodynamic force and moment coefficients for a body in free molecule flow. A procedure was developed for determining the velocity and temperature distributions of molecules reflected from a surface of arbitrary momentum and energy accommodation. A system of equations, based on momentum and energy balances for the surface, incident, and reflected molecules, was solved by a numerical optimization technique. The minimization of a 'cost' function, developed from the set of equations, resulted in the determination of the defining properties of the flow reflected from the arbitrary surface. The properties used to define both the incident and reflected flows were: average temperature of the molecules in the flow, angle of the flow with respect to a vector normal to the surface, and the molecular speed ratio. The properties of the reflected flow were used to calculate the contribution of multiply reflected molecules to the force and moments on a test body in the flow. The test configuration consisted of two flat plates joined along one edge at a right angle to each other. When force and moment coefficients of this 90 deg concave wedge were compared to results that did not include multiple reflections, it was found that multiple reflections could nearly double lift and drag coefficients, with nearly a 50 percent increase in pitching moment for cases with specular or nearly specular accommodation. The cases of diffuse or nearly diffuse accommodation often had minor reductions in axial and normal forces when multiple reflections were included. There were several cases of intermediate accommodation where the addition of multiple reflection effects more than tripled the lift coefficient over the convex technique.

Thomas, Richard E.↗