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At least 145 records · Page 8

Full potential methods for analysis/design of complex aerospace configurations

The steady form of the full potential equation, in conservative form, is employed to analyze and design a wide variety of complex aerodynamic shapes. The nonlinear method is based on the theory of characteristic signal propagation coupled with novel flux biasing concepts and body-fitted mapping procedures. The resulting codes are vectorized for the CRAY XMP and the VPS-32 supercomputers. Use of the full potential nonlinear theory is demonstrated for a single-point supersonic wing design and a multipoint design for transonic maneuver/supersonic cruise/maneuver conditions. Achievement of high aerodynamic efficiency through numerical design is verified by wind tunnel tests. Other studies reported include analyses of a canard/wing/nacelle fighter geometry.

Shankar, Vijaya↗

The effect of Mach number on the stability of a plane supersonic wave

The influence of compressibility on the mechanisms governing the various stages of transition in a supersonic wake is investigated. Results from linear stability theory are used to provide physical insights into the observed reduction in growth rate at high Mach numbers. A newly developed hybrid algorithm is used to solve the compressible inviscid linear disturbance equations. Growth rates for both antisymmetric and symmetric modes of two-dimensional and oblique waves are computed for a wide range of Mach numbers. Results from two and three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of a forced compressible time-developing wake are presented in order to understand the nonlinear stages of transition at high Mach numbers. Observed nonlinear growth rate comparisons are made for wakes at two different Mach numbers. The reduction in growth rate at high Mach numbers is explained by examining contour plots of baroclinic torques and the product of dilatation and vorticity.

Chen, Jacqueline H.↗

Shape Sensing for Wings with Spars and Ribs Using Simulated Strain

Active trim shape control can be used to minimize error between target and actual aircraft trim shape during flight. Trim shape sensing for aircraft during flight is not only important for highly flexible aircraft, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Helios Prototype remotely piloted flying wing aircraft, but also for a delta-wing type aircraft, such as a supersonic commercial transport aircraft. A two-step theory utilizing distributed strain for a real-time shape sensing of a full three-dimensional structure has been introduced previously. This study focuses on the application of the two-step theory to finite element models of a wing with spars and ribs such as the X-59 QueSST aircraft (Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, Maryland), a tapered wing, a dihedral/anhedral wing, and a stiffened dihedral/anhedral wing. A finely meshed finite element structural model is desired to capture accurate curvature distributions along the neutral axes of the wing cross sections during pre-test analysis for shape sensing of a wing with ribs and spars. The two-step theory used in this study gives excellent deformation correlation with the MSC/NASTRAN (MSC Software, Newport Beach, California) results along the neutral axis for all test cases used in this study except the X-59 QueSST aircraft.

strain↗

Active Sonic Boom Control

A theory and simulation code are developed to study nonsteady sources as means to control sonic booms of supersonic aircraft. A key result is that the source of sonic boom pressure is not confined to the length of the aircraft but occupies an extensive segment of flight path. An aircraft in nonsteady flight functions as a synthetic aperture antenna, generating complex acoustic waves with no simple relation to instantaneous volume or lift distributions. The theory applies linear acoustics to slender nonsteady sources but requires no far field approximation. The solution for pressure contains a term not seen in Whitham's theory for sonic booms of distant supersonic aircraft. The term describes a pressure field that decays algebraically behind the Mach cone and, in the case of steady flight, integrates to a ground load equal to the weight of the aircraft. The algebraic term is separate from those that describe the sonic boom. Two nonsteady source phenomena are evaluated: periodic velocity changes (surge), and periodic longitudinal lift redistribution (slosh). Surge can attenuate a sonic boom and convert it into prolonged weak reverberation, but accelerations needed to produce the phenomenon seem too large for practical use. Slosh may be practical and can alter sonic booms but does not, on the average, result in boom attenuation. The conclusion is that active sonic boom abatement is possible in theory but maybe not practical

Crow, Steven C.↗

Aerodynamic design for supersonic speeds

The aerodynamic phenomena that may profitably be employed by the designer at subsonic speeds seem now to be well understood. At supersonic speeds such phenomena show a greater and more interesting variety. Search for the minimum number of guiding principles of design thus becomes more difficult and more dangerous. Studies which can cover an adequate range of geometrical form are at present limited to the linearized version of aerodynamic theory. Such studies, especially those by variational methods, have disclosed certain basic principles of design for aerodynamic efficiency. In present-day experiments, however, the indicated trends are rather quickly confronted with effects of viscosity and nonlinearities. While the theory indicates that good values of aerodynamic efficiency are possible at supersonic speeds it is not yet clear how closely these expectations may be approached in practice. In the present paper several arrangements of supporting surfaces and bodies are discussed and in some cases comparisons of theory and experiment are made. Finally, certain phenomena connected with lift and drag in a rarefied medium are considered briefly.

Robert T. Jones↗

Dispersion of SST trails in the stratosphere.

A simple theory for the dispersion of the exhaust of a supersonic transport cruising in the stratosphere is presented. This model shows that far downstream from the aircraft, buoyancy dominates the growth of the wake. This growth is limited by the stable stratification of the atmosphere. Data on the visible width of the wake from scaled experiments in a towing tank and from studies on the growth of contrails of subsonic aircraft verify the growth of the wake in an unstratified atmosphere is predicted by the model. This growth is faster than would be predicted for the wake of an axisymmetric body with no buoyancy.

Overcamp, T. J.↗

Theoretical prediction of nonlinear propagation effects on noise signatures generated by subsonic or supersonic propeller or rotor-blade tips

The nonlinear propagation equations for sound generated by a constant speed blade tip are presented. Propagation from a subsonic tip is treated as well as the various cases that can occur at supersonic speeds. Some computed examples indicate that the nonlinear theory correlates with experimental results better than linear theory for large amplitude waves. For swept tips that generate a wave with large amplitude leading expansion, the nonlinear theory predicts a cancellation effect that results in a significant reduction of both amplitude and impulse.

Barger, R. L.↗

Some observations on supersonic wing design

The paper presents a brief review on the development of supersonic wing design. Attention is given to linearized aerodynamic theory, emphasizing equations for drag and ratios of slopes and Mach lines. Diagrams that depict conditions for minimum drag as well as the effects of fore-and-aft dimension of wings and Mach numbers on areas of lateral entrainment are presented.

Jones, R. T.↗

The acoustic gravity wave induced by a point source in the middle atmosphere

Acoustic gravity wave (AGW) results computed for a stationary impulsive point source and a moving point source in the middle atmosphere are presented. For a stationary impulsive point Row's far field formula of the AGW was extended into the near field one, which comprises the Zeroth order Bessel function and its derivative terms. When (t-t sub o) is not large, the contribution of the derivative terms is important. The computed results agree with the experimental ones. For a moving point source with supersonic velocity, AGW is calculated using the moving point theory. Two solar eclipses that occurred in the lower latitude and over the ocean on Feb. 16, 1980, and June 11, 1983, were compared. The results show that the theoretical curve of AGW is fairly consistent with the observed ones.

Zhang, X. J.↗

The longitudinal stability of elastic swept wings at supersonic speed

The longitudinal stability characteristics of elastic swept wings of high aspect ratio experiencing bending and torsional deformations are calculated for supersonic speed by the application of linearized lifting-surface theory. A parabolic wing deflection curve is assumed and the analysis is simplified by a number of structural approximations. The method is thereby limited in application to wings of high aspect ratio for which the root effects are small. Expressions for the lift, pitching-moment, and span load distribution characteristics are derived in terms of the elastic properties of the wing; namely, the design stress, the modulus of elasticity, the shearing modulus, and the maximum design load factor. The analysis applies to wings with leading edges swept behind the Mach lines. In all cases, however, the trailing edge is sonic or supersonic. Application of the method of analysis to wings with leading edges swept ahead of the Mach lines is discussed.

Frick, C W↗

A shock wave approach to the noise of supersonic propellers

To model propeller noise expected for a turboprop aircraft, the pressure ratio across the shock at the propeller tip was calculated and compared with noise data from three propellers. At helical tip Mach numbers over 1.0, using only the tip shock wave, the model gave a fairly good prediction of the noise for a bladed propeller and for a propeller swept for aerodynamic purposes. However for another propeller, which was highly swept and designed to have noise cancellations from the inboard propeller sections, the shock strength from the tip over predicted the noise. In general the good agreement indicates that shock theory is a viable method for predicting the noise from these supersonic propellers but that the shock strengths from all of the blade sections need to be properly included.

Dittmar, J. H.↗

Nonlinear oscillations of a fluttering plate. II.

Quasi-steady aerodynamic and von Karman large deflection plate theory equations of nonlinear oscillations of fluttering plate for single mode subsonic and sonic or coupled mode supersonic oscillations

VON KARMAN EQUATION↗

An investigation of shock formation vs shock mitigation of colliding plasma jets

Here, this work studies the interaction between colliding plasma jets to understand regimes in which jet merging results in shock formation vs regimes in which the shock formation is mitigated due to the collisionless interpenetration of the jets. A kinetic model is required for this study because fluid models will always produce a shock upon the collision of plasma jets. The continuum-kinetic, Vlasov–Maxwell–Dougherty model with one velocity dimension is used to accurately capture shock heating, along with a novel coupling with a moment equation to evolve perpendicular temperature for computational efficiency. As a result, this relatively inexpensive simulation can be used for detailed scans of the parameter space toward predictions of shocked vs shock-mitigated regimes, which is of interest for several fusion concepts such as plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion, high-energy-density plasmas, astrophysical phenomena, and other laboratory plasmas. The initial results obtained using this approach are in agreement with the preliminary outcomes of the plasma liner experiment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

An assessment of current methods for drag-due-to-lift minimization at supersonic speeds

The estimation and minimization of drag-due-to-lift at supersonic speeds has been examined in this study. Correlations of theory with experimental data are used to assess the applicability and limitations of the linearized theory. The role of leading-edge thrust and the use of twist and camber to develop distributed thrust are also discussed. A semiempirical design and estimation method which takes into account the shortcomings of the linear theory is presented. The use of this method will allow the design of more nearly optimum lifting surfaces and provide an accurate prediction of their level of performance. A preliminary examination is made of the use of an Euler code for estimation of the aerodynamic characteristics of a twisted and cambered wing.

Mann, Michael J.↗

Wind tunnel experiments relating to supersonic and hypersonic boundary layer transition

Hot-wire anemometry is used to study the origin and growth of 'natural' fluctuations in zero pressure gradient boundary layers and the location of transition to turbulence for several Mach numbers between 1.6 and 8.5. The importance to transition of certain physical mechanisms is examined through comparison of the fluctuation growth with the sound-forcing and stability theories of Mack. The mechanisms are shown to assume varying importance in low supersonic, high supersonic and hypersonic regimes. The effect on transition of cone angle of attack, tip heating, and model vibration is mentioned.

Kendall, J. M.↗

The Kirchhoff Formula for a Supersonically Moving Surface

The Kirchhoff formula for radiation from stationary surfaces first appeared in 1882, and it has since found many applications in wave propagation theory. In 1930, Morgans extended the formula to apply to surfaces moving at speeds below the wave propagation speed; we refer to Morgans formula as the subsonic formulation. A modern derivation of Morgans result was published by Farassat and Myers in 1988, and it has now been used extensively in acoustics, particularly for high speed helicopter rotor noise prediction. Under some common conditions in this application, however, the appropriate Kirchhoff surface must be chosen such that portions of it travel at supersonic speed. The available Kirchhoff formula for moving surfaces is not suitable for this situation. In the current paper we derive the Kirchhoff formula applicable to a supersonically moving surface using some results from generalized function theory. The new formula requires knowledge of the same surface data as in the subsonic case. Complications that arise from apparent singularities in the new formulation are discussed briefly in the paper.

Farassat, F.↗